《Twins in Her Womb: Sir President, Please be Gentle》 Chapter 1 She Does Not Know Who He Is Chapter 1 She Does Not Know Who He Is It waste at night. A ck full-size Lincoln SUV is driving into an extravagant mansion in A City¡¯s most expensive suburb. Inside the mansion. Bianca Rayne¡¯s eyes were covered with a silk blindfold. He did not want her to know who he was. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Take deep breaths. ¡°You can do it, Bianca. There¡¯s nothing more important than getting Dad a liver transnt so he can live. It¡¯s fine to sacrifice a little for Dad.¡± She could not ignore the sound of the car entering the mansion. Now that it hade to this, all she could do was keep talking to herself, to persuade andfort herself. When Luke Crawford walked in, his body tall and his spine straight, he immediately saw Bianca, who was standing in his room. She was young, in the prime of her youth¡ª ¡°H-Hello¡­¡± She could sense his body approaching, so she instinctively took a step back despite the blindfold, stuttering as she greeted him stiffly. She had thought that the past few days of mental preparation had left her numb to everything, so she would not shy away. Now that it was actually time, though, she still could not help but feel scared. How pathetic. The urge to run was strong. Luke did not know if what he was doing tonight was right, but he did know that he desperately needed to find a woman and have a kid before his next birthday. That was what Old Master Crawford demanded. Luke looked down on the petite girl from above. ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± The man¡¯s voice was deep, mellow, and mesmerizing. Bianca was a little shocked. Why did he have such a young-sounding and melodious voice? How could a middle-aged old man have such an amazing voice?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any sexual diseases, neither do I have any sick fetishes,¡± the man said, his voice deep and rich. He seemed to beforting her. He was certain that she was not shy. No, she was scared of him. Before she could recover, she heard that man continue, ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± The man spoke without warmth, as though he was announcing the start of a conference. He sounded so spectacrly solemn. The next second, she was lifted into his arms! ¡­ This was the first time Bianca had been carried by a man like this, and her heart nearly stopped. ¡°If it hurts, remember to tell me to stop!¡± Luke said again. He thought he was being quite considerate by reminding her. This only scared Bianca even more, though. He reached out his hand to grab her. She retreated away from him. ¡°Don¡¯t retreat!¡± The man barked harshly, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing. He abruptly grabbed her fair and slender wrist, pulling her into his embrace and warning her in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t back away.¡± Bianca did not dare to pull away anymore, because his words made her face flush in an instant. Still, if he really was a young man with money and good looks, why would he have to pay for a child with a normal woman like her? Could it be that he was really, really ugly? So ugly that no woman would be willing to have his child, even though he was filthy rich? ¡°I have a question.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± The man¡¯s voice was filled with impatience, and his warm hand was peeling off her clothes with some haste. ¡°It was supposed to be an IVF procedure, so why¡­ Why did you want to do it the natural way suddenly?¡± That was the question guing her mind. The man¡¯s warm breath blew on her forehead. As soon as she asked that, she gasped at the sudden touch. Her little yelp immediately put some emotion in Luke¡¯s voice. He said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose a single chromosome, so I prefer it if we cut the middle man. Is that a good enough reason for you?¡± The next moment, he pinched her tightly with hisrge hand! ¡°Ow¡­¡± There was a thinyer of sweat on Bianca¡¯s forehead. Her brain was not working¡­ She struggled, but he pinned her down forcefully and easily kept her motionless! She was a tender flowering bud. Luke knew that if he had to do this if he wanted children, and he thought that the only way he could ease his guilty conscience¡ª was by treating her as gently as he could.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. He frowned slightly, his breathing growing heavy. It felt like he was about to lose control of his body¡¯s primal instincts. That night, Bianca felt like a de of leaf drifting on the water. She experienced all sorts of feelings, pain, tears, helplessness, drowsiness¡­ ¡­ Bianca did not know when he left. When she woke up, she looked at the clock and saw that it was three in the morning. The butler, Faye Thomas, was not asleep yet. She walked over to Bianca and said very respectfully, ¡°Allow me to take you to the bathroom, Miss Rayne!¡± ¡°Thanks, but I can handle it myself.¡± Bianca was a little dazed, and the dried tears on her face made her skin feel a little stiff. She could not bring herself to expose her unsightly body to the female butler. Faye retreated out of the room. After that, Bianca got out of bed and stumbled toward the bathroom. By the time she washed herself down and returned to the room, the sheets and covers in the bedroom had been switched out. That night, she had a dream. She dreamed of that year when she was in middle school, studying in the small town her grandfather was from¡ª It was a spring full of showers, and she was with her female ssmates, looking over the wall as they sneakily peeked at the basketballpetition going on in the court of the high school next year. The idol of the school was so cool and handsome, his every move stealing their hearts as he yed ball. That was the senior who had transferred from another school, the boy called Crawford. ¡­ The next day, Bianca woke up, her entire body feeling unnaturally weary and sore. She stood in front of the washbasin, holding up her toothbrush and staring at the mirror for a long time. Dazed, she remembered the dream she hadst night. That upperssman in her memories, Crawford, was the prince of every girl¡¯s impractical dreams. Back then, she was small, worthless, and bullied at school. She did not even understand what love between a man and a woman meant yet, so when she was at her most helpless and desperate, she had greedily fantasized that she had an older brother who would protect her. Later, when she reached the age to entertain her first thoughts of romance, she realized that the boy who suddenly appeared in her mind was that upperssman named Crawford who had only studied for one year at the high school next door before vanishing. Her thoughts wandered off, but she was soon called back to her senses by the water overflowing from the sink. She shook her head and inwardly cursed herself for being so repulsive! ''Bianca, you don''t deserve to like him anymore!'' ¡­ She locked herself in the room. That night, Bianca received a message. That man was here again. Faye was quite surprised. After all, the young master had been here justst night, so why was he back here again tonight? The mansion erupted into a flurry of activity. They had to get everything ready ASAP! Bianca already felt like her body was falling apart, but she could not bring herself to make any requests regarding the frequency¡­ Luke was wearing a pair of ssy ck trousers and a white shirt. After he entered the mansion, he went straight to the bedroom Bianca was staying in. She did not dare to say anything. She barely even breathed! The room was so quiet that even the sound of a pin dropping would be unbearably loud! Luke held his coat in his right hand, lifting his left hand. His eyes were fixed tightly on the blindfolded woman, and then he put hisrge palm on the back of her neck, pulling her toward him gently until she was right up against his body! Bianca stumbled, stiffened, and held her breath. She did not dare to move even a muscle! Luke lowered his head to look at the girl who was practically in his embrace. His throat flexed, and he pursed his thin lips, his gaze falling on her clean and fair face, about the size of his palm. His eyes gradually grew hotter, his gaze scalding as it moved downward slowly. Finally, he looked at her tender lips¡­ However, the contract had clearly stated one thing: no kissing. Damn it, he was actually starting to regret one of the conditions he set! ¡°Let¡¯s begin,¡± the man said, his voice hoarse. He threw his coat aside and turned off the lights as he lifted her into his arms. She furrowed her brow deeply in the darkness and sank her teeth into the pillow! She did not dare to make a single sound! Chapter 2 Successfully Conceived Chapter 2 Sessfully Conceived Once he was done, the man left. Bianca was exhausted to the point of passing out. She stayed curled up on the bed for a long, long time. The doctors said it was easier for her to conceive this way. ¡­ This continued for more nights than she could keep track of. Luke Crawford woulde to the mansion every night, no matter howte his work kept him. He never failed to show up. The middle-aged driver who followed Luke around, Charles Finn, was Faye¡¯s husband. Both of them were experienced in these things, so they really wanted to give their young master a word of advice. These things should be taken slowly! Rushing it would only be unhealthy! However, their haughty and aloof young master was also known for being a harsh employer with the cold face of a devil. He was famous for being hard to handle! The couple had no choice but to keep their mouths shut! They could only watch as that young girl was rendered limp and listless every day thanks to their young master¡¯s energetic demands. She looked like she had all the energy sapped clean out of her. This was thest night of the month. Bianca seriously could not read this man¡¯s approach here. Sometimes he would be gentle, but at other times, he seemed to be determined to cause her pain. Between this and that, it felt like her body was starting to disobey her too. Once they were done, the man cleaned himself up and put on an expensive watch, looking like a proper gentleman. He addressed the girl curled up under the covers coolly, saying, ¡°I await the good news.¡± With that, he left. The bedroom fell silent once more. To Bianca, this stranger, whose name and looks she did not know, was nothing short of horrifying! He seemed to hide within him a monster that had just been released, and that terrified her! That night, he left the mansionter than usual. She heard him leave the room and stand outside the mansion. There was then the click of a lighter, sounding especially loud in the empty mansion. She just had to get up. She just had to sit up and look outside the window, and she would know what he looked like. However, she was afraid that what she saw would be a nightmare¡­ ¡­ A monthter. The early detection pregnancy test Bianca was holding finally showed two red lines. They were a very deep shade of red. She had been anxiously waiting for this positive result for the entire month. In the meantime, other than Faye, she had not seen anyone else from the other end of the deal, not even that man. If she had not managed to conceive in that month, she would have to continue doing those things with that man at night, just like they didst month¡ª Yet now she finally tested positive for pregnancy! Thank goodness! She just wanted to deliver this child safely andplete her mission, so she could spend the rest of her life slowly forgetting this harrowing experience. Everything would one day fade into the past, right? Once the other party found out that she had sessfully conceived, they immediately arranged an intensive check-up routine for her. When Faye first approached her with the follow-up deal, Bianca had only asked for two things. Firstly, she wanted to keep going to school as usual until she began to show. Only then would she take some time off from school in preparation for the birth. Secondly, she wanted to stay in her rental room in the meantime. She felt more at ease there. She was not used to all that space in the mansion, not in the slightest. ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask my boss about your requests. After all, the baby in your belly is his child!¡± Faye instantly turned around and made the call. Standing next to the floor-to-ceiling window high atop the hospital, she recounted Bianca¡¯s two requests to her boss over the phone. A minuteter, Faye ended the call. ¡°The boss has agreed to your requests.¡± Bianca nodded, thanking her somewhat dazedly. ¡­ That afternoon, once she was back in her rented room, she called the hospital. ¡°Hello, is this Dr. Joyce? May I ask about my dad? How is he?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± the doctor replied. ¡°We received the funds and we¡¯ll have a donor soon enough too. We¡¯re already preparing for the surgery, and it won¡¯t be long!¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Bianca did not know what else she should say. She had earned both the money and the donor by selling out her own body. Should she feel d? Should she feel devastated? Neither! After she hung up, she lowered her head and sprawled herself onto the table, staring into space by herself. A long whileter, her tears drenched hershes nevertheless. After a pause, she used her palm to rub away the tears that were spelling everywhere. She then forced herself to smile. Her dad was saved. That was definitely something to be d about. ¡­ Five monthster. By now, her stomach was really starting to show. Faye was fully in charge of handling Bianca¡¯s leave from school. When the butler left the school, the principal personally walked her to the day, shaking her hand and bidding her goodbye respectfully. Bianca stood a distance away, feeling a little surprised that someone like the principal had to treat Faye with that much respect. Did that mean Faye¡¯s employer, the child¡¯s father, was really such a hotshot? Still, Bianca purposely tried not to think about all of this. Faye walked over to where she was standing next to the bus stop, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I took time off for you using the excuse that you¡¯re not feeling well. No one knows that you¡¯re pregnant, and we¡¯ll all keep it a secret.¡± That put Bianca¡¯s heart at ease. That afternoon. Bianca went to the hospital to visit her father. She was only eighteen this year, yet she was here, pregnant with the child of a man she did not know. There was no way her father, Kevin Rayne, would ept such a thing! Thankfully, it was currently in the autumn, so she could wear more clothing to hide her bump! Owned by N?velDrama.Org. She wore a thin woolen sweater, but her stomach was showing, so she wore a loose hoodie on top of that. At least this way, she managed to hide her figure! This was the private hospital with the best medical technology and skills in A City. Bianca arrived at the floor where her father was warded. She made her way to the room with an air of familiarity, but before she could go in, she heard her stepmother, Jennifer Lee¡¯s voice... Chapter 3 The Twins Are Born Chapter 3 The Twins Are Born ¡°Hear me out, Kevin. We only have two daughters, right? I know, Marie isn¡¯t your daughter by birth, but she¡¯s called you her father all her life¡­¡± Before Jennifer finished that sentence, Kevin interrupted her. He had been recuperating in bed for many months now, and he was already feeling much better. ¡°What are you trying to say? Just tell me straight. After all, I¡¯m your loving husband.¡± ¡°I know you love me and our Marie..¡± Jennifer held Kevin¡¯s hand, so thin that it was practically skin over bone, and said softly, ¡°You mentioned that you¡¯d send Bianca overseas to study after she graduates from high school right? Our Marie is only two years older than Bianca, and all she does these days is hang around bars. She¡¯s not going to ss properly at all, and I¡¯m worried sick. After all, she is my only biological child! Kevin, I want Marie to study overseas with Bianca!¡± Bianca stood outside the door, frowning slightly. Marie was twenty years old this year, and she had somehow learned how to y hooky from someone back in her second year of middle school. She smoked, drank, and stayed out all night. Those were allbels describing how ¡®special¡¯ this Marie was. Bianca had no love lost for this non-biological older sister of hers! Kevin Rayne was no millionaire. His entire life¡¯s savings amounted up to exactly six hundred thousand, and he worked his heart out every day for this second family of his. In fact, he had worked so hard that he fell ill, his liver failing himpletely. The doctor even dered that he was on his deathbed, yet he still refused to touch any of his six hundred thousand in savings for his own treatment. Two months ago, Kevin explicitly stated that he was giving up on getting treated. Once the patient had given up on life, there was nothing anyone else could do, be it the doctors or his own biological daughter. Kevin even tearfully forced his daughter to hear out his will, saying, ¡°Bianca, I didn¡¯t aplish much in my life. All I did was save you this six hundred thousand. Don¡¯t be too upset after I die. After the funeral, take this money and go study overseas! Live your best life! Don¡¯t be as greedy as your mother, and don¡¯t be as useless as your father! As long as you take that to heart, I don¡¯t mind dropping dead right now!¡± Even now, Bianca¡¯s eyes reddened whenever she recalled that moment. She knew very well that her father was going to save that six hundred thousand for her studies even if it meant sacrificing his life. That was why she had no choice but to make that deal in secret, in exchange for some funds and a suitable donor for her father. She stood outside the door, looking at how her father and stepmother professed their love for each other. Instead of feeling d, she just felt an unprecedented sense of frustration. Finally, Bianca did not go in. When she went downstairs, she happened to bump into Marie. ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t our good little Bianca.¡± Marie shoved Bianca lightly with one hand, a cigarette for women held between her fingers. She then blew a mouthful of smoke into Bianca¡¯s face and then assessed Bianca¡¯s body up and down, clicking her tongue. ¡°You¡¯re eighteen now, and your father¡¯s dying without the money for his medical fees. Whadaya say? Wanna try selling out a few more times? You could keep your dad alive for a while longer.¡± Bianca looked at her revolting older sister evenly, her expression nk. It felt as though her frustration was building up so much that she would explode if she did not vent, so she spat in Marie¡¯s face, ¡°I love your suggestion. It must feel so relieving, like letting a huge one rip!¡± Marie red at her with her beautiful eyes. Bianca¡¯s attitude had instantly ticked her off!N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°Damned brat, so you have the guts to talk back to me now?!¡± Bianca walked away, dejected. Marie was so angry that her hand shook. She turned around and yelled at the top of her voice, ¡°There you go, acting all holy again! Well, I can¡¯t wait to see when you show your true colors! Even your dad said that your mom¡¯s shameless! I think you should get yourself checked out at a decent hospital, just in case you turn out to be the b*stard child of some one-night stand!¡± ¡­ When Bianca was seven months pregnant. She could clearly feel that the life inside her belly was growing much more energetic now. It would kick her and that gave her an unprecedented happiness. After a while, she started to imagine what the baby would look like once it was born. Would it be a boy? Or a girl? Her stomach was so huge. Was it getting too much nutrition? Since Bianca overheard her father agreeing to send Marie overseas as well at the hospital that day, she stopped going to the hospital quite so often. It was not that she stopped loving her father. It was just that her stomach was gettingrger, and she was worried that her father would be able to tell that something was wrong if she visited him too often. The heavy down clothes could help her hide it, but it was not infallible. Besides, Jennifer was constantly by Kevin¡¯s side. Bianca did not know if she was really that concerned about her husband¡¯s health or if she was more worried about saving that six hundred thousand for Marie. Bianca could only hold her head and hope it was the former. ¡­ A little whileter, Bianca found out that her father had gotten out of bed and back to work, doing overtime and going out on business trips without a moment¡¯s rest. Bianca was angry and exasperated, and she tried to persuade her father several times over the phone, but it was all to no avail. After the new year. Her expected due date had arrived. She stayed in the best maternity room the private hospital had to offer, and there were a few female doctors caring for her all day, every day. They ran tests and watched over her every need, making sure not to miss a single thing. Bianca never tried to find out who the baby¡¯s father was, but these people would sometimes discuss him openly in front of her. They never said his name, but Bianca could be certain that the baby¡¯s father was definitely no ordinary businessman. Bianca did not know the slightest thing about her own condition, but sheter heard the results of the doctors¡¯ discussion. They wanted her to go for a c-section. After that, she was wheeled into the operation theater. She did not feel any pain during the process. Maybe it was hurt a lot after the anesthesia wore off. The child had lived inside her for about nine months, but now it had suddenly been taken out of her! They had to go their separate ways now! The feeling of parting with her own flesh and blood pained her terribly. It was a sharp ache that pierced her in the heart. Before she knew it, her tears flowed past the bridge of her nose and dripped onto her cheek. From the very beginning, all of this was just a fair and formal deal, right? So why did her heart still hurt like this?! Faye had been keeping an eye on Bianca¡¯s emotions the entire time, watching as she wept helplessly. Finally, when Bianca was wheeled out, Faye executed her orders and told Bianca, ¡°You¡¯re only neen. This matter will only ever be a secret you must hide for life. Child, I hope you will shake this off soon, and I hope you have a good life from now on.¡± Faye was consoling her, but the words were cruel. ¡°Can you tell me if¡­. It¡¯s a boy¡­ or a girl¡­?¡± Bianca asked weakly. ¡°It¡¯s a girl, and she¡¯s perfectly healthy,¡± Faye replied just as Old Master Crawford told her to. They wanted to avoid any unnecessary trouble in the future, so they had no choice but to lie to Bianca. In truth, she had given birth to a pair of twins, a healthy baby boy and a healthy baby girl. Bianca closed her eyes, her face pale. She was exhausted and sleepy. A girl. There was a new life in the world now. It was her daughter. ¡­ Bianca only stayed in the hospital for ten days. She could not stand doing nothing in the hospital all day. She could not stand the pain of having her thoughts centered around her daughter and nothing else. Once she left the hospital, Bianca returned to her rented room. The first thing she did was call her father. It was Kevin¡¯s phone, but Jennifer was the one who picked up. ¡°Bianca? Your father¡¯s busy. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Bianca paused. Since when had it be so difficult for her to reach her father? ¡°When will he be free?¡± she asked. ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure. Your dad¡¯s working really hard to make sure you can go overseas. Should I tell him to call you once he¡¯s free?¡± Jennifer said. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for his call.¡± Bianca lowered her head and hung up the call. In truth, she knew that Jennifer would not pass the message. Right now, she could count her living rtives on one hand. Her father had gone to another city and was working desperately for this strange family of theirs. Her newborn baby daughter might be in this city, or she could be somewhere else. From the moment she was born, that baby only belonged to the man behind that deal. As for her mother, it was as though that person had never existed at all. Bianca did not know what the woman looked like, where she was, what kind of a life she led, or if she ever once missed her daughter. Chapter 4 Half Of Her Blood Chapter 4 Half Of Her Blood Bianca shook her head and forced herself to not think about the mother whose name and face she did not know. That woman was a stranger to her. After a while, her phone rang. The caller was Bianca¡¯s best friend, Nina Langdon. Bianca picked up. ¡°Hi! It¡¯s been a long time since we video-called. Why are you trying to avoid me?¡± Ninained into the phone. She rested her cheek on her hand dejectedly, saying, ¡°Are you sure you wanna go to the UK, Bea? What if someone bullies you there? My fists don¡¯t reach that far. ¡°Also! I hear that guys mature early overseas, and loads of school dorms are co-ed! You gotta be really careful about that when you go there! Hey, do you understand what I¡¯m getting at? Forget it, I¡¯ll just be open with you. If you really can¡¯t hold back when you see those foreign hotties! Remember to use protection!¡± On her screen, Bianca could see that Nina was sitting in a small restaurant. It seemed like she had just ordered her food and was waiting for it to arrive. On the wall of the restaurant behind Nina, there was a fairlyrge television screen. The TV was reporting some entertainment news with a very clear caption. It stated that a 56-year-old tycoon recently had a daughter! However, nobody knew who the girl¡¯s mother was. ¡°Bea? ¡°Bianca! Are you even listening to me?¡± Nina saw that Bianca had gonepletely motionless on her screen, and her emotions were clearly out of whack too. Nina hastily shook her screen, saying, ¡°Bianca, can you hear me? What¡¯s the matter? Don¡¯t scare me!¡± Bianca was quite sensitive right now. When she left the hospital, she swore an oath to never think about the child she had carried inside her. Still, how could that actually be possible? That baby had half of her blood. Bianca was going mad. She was really going to lose her mind. What good would harping on it do, though? She had to stop thinking about it. She hung up and washed her face with cold water. That did nothing to calm her down. Perhaps it was because she had been abandoned by her mother since she was a child, so Bianca projected her childhood experiences onto her baby. She could not forget her ice-cold childhood. She did not have a mother, only her grandfather and father. Her father had been earning a living away from home, and her grandfather gradually grew older. Their neighbors never stopped gossiping about her parents, their negative voices echoing through her childhood days. She grew up being bullied, in a shroud of self-deprecation. She did not know why herck of a mother made her the target of bullying, but their verbal assaults and curses filled her ears. Sometimes, she hated her mother. When she closed her eyes, all she could think of now was that middle-aged tycoon on the entertainment news report on TV. He recently had a daughter, but no one knew who the girl¡¯s mother was¡­ Now, she had be the type of woman she hated the most, a mother who gave birth to a baby but did not take responsibility for the child. She stumbled back to her room and picked up her phone again, searching up news about that tycoon and his child. The reports showed that the man was fifty-six years old and balding, but he kept in decent shape and he was not short. For a while there, Bianca could not tell if this old man was really her baby¡¯s father. Oh yeah, there was his voice too! Bianca started searching up videos of that tycoon too, trying to hear that old man¡¯s voice. She wanted to know if it was the same voice as the one she heard those nights. Unfortunately, she searched for a long time, until her phone ran out of electricity, but she still could not find a video with his voice in it. She was filled with despair. ¡­ In the east side of A City. At the house of the Crawfords, one of the top dogs even among the wealthy elites. It was just about time to eat, and the dinner table in the mansion was covered with a magnificent spread of food. Almost every member of the family was here, men and women alike. Two wet nurses pushed in a pair of baby cots, bringing them to Old Master Crawford''s side. Old Master Crawford was sitting in his wheelchair as he looked at his fair rosy great-grandson in his cot. ¡°This child looks just like Luke. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be a formidable figure when he grows up as well!¡± The old master was quite pleased. As for every other Crawford sitting around the table, they smiled slightly. Even if they were angry, they did not dare to show it. Old Master Crawford yed with his great-grandson for a long time before raising his head and addressing the entire family firmly. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Luke and his ceaseless hard work over the past two years, the Crawfords would have long since fallen out of glory! Any objection when I say that?¡± No one had any objections, but no one explicitly agreed either. Despite his advanced age, Old Master Crawford still had a keen eye. He looked around him and took in everyone¡¯s expression. ¡°I¡¯m old now, and it¡¯s time I handed over the family business to the young people.¡± With that, he turned to Louis Crawford and said, ¡°Louis, you should tail your older brother from now on, and learn from him!¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Louis said flippantly before falling silent again. ¡°Dad, what do you mean by that?!¡± Susan Armstrong leaped to her feet, her expression filled with resentment. ¡°Luke is your grandson, yes, but so is our Louis! You¡¯re breaking your daughter-inw¡¯s heart here! How is my son Louis any worse than Luke?!¡± It was only because Luke Crawford was not here today that Susan dared to stand up and say all that. Old Master Crawford only ever had one son, and his son had two sons, Luke and Louis Crawford. Luke was mature and down to earth, but he could be ruthless when he needed to. No one dared to say a word against him when it came to doing business. Louis, however, was known for being a yboy. He was not stupid, but he used all of his wits on getting girls. Other than himself, no one knew if he had any ambition or desire for a career. Old Master Crawford ignored Susan¡¯s protests. Choosing an heir was a matter of utmost importance, and if he let his emotions get in the way of his decision-making, if he made a single mistake, he might end up destroying everything the Crawfords built up over the years. ¡°Start a video call. There¡¯s something I want to discuss with Luke,¡± instructed Old Master Crawford to his servants. Someone immediately started a video call and ced the device instead of the old master. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Grandfather?¡± Luke asked from the other end. He was on an outstation trip, and it seemed he was sitting in a solemn-looking office right now. ¡°It¡¯s about time we gave my great-grandson a name. I have an idea, what do you think of rence? rence Crawford. I want him to grow up with a clear eye, to have a mind that is pure and white!¡± said the old master. Susan was furious at being ignored, but she did not dare to say anything, so she sat down crossly without a word. On the other end of the call, Luke did not respond to Old Master Crawford immediately. Instead, he frowned on the screen and stayed silent for a moment before saying with determination, ¡°Grandfather, I get what you mean about a pure mind and a clear eye. In that case, how about nche instead? It also means pure white.¡± nche Crawford. ¡°Sounds good!¡± The old man immediately looked at his great-grandchild¡¯s face in his cot. ¡°You have a name now, Baby Bea.¡± Old Master Crawford was not going to interfere with his great-granddaughter¡¯s name because her father felt that daughters should be pampered like princesses. She would be allowed to choose her own official name once she could decide for herself. ¡­ Time passed in the blink of an eye. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Soon it was time for them to go overseas. Bianca did not leave the country with Marie, because Jennifer had arranged for Marie to go to the UK one month in advance, so she could get used to life there. ¡°Where you get over there, I¡¯ll be relying on you to take care of Bianca and Marie,¡± Kevin said solemnly to Jean Langdon at the airport. Jean was over 180 centimeters tall and quite the perfect looker. He was Nina¡¯s older brother, and he had long since intended to go overseas for his studies. He just could not decide which country he wanted to go to. When he heard his younger sister say that Bianca was going to the UK, he immediately made up his mind to go with her. Every man might have a girl in his mind, a girl as wonderful as his first love. For Jean, that girl was Bianca. ¡°Take care of Bea.¡± Nina hugged her older brother and whispered into his ear, ¡°You can forget about that Marie Lee, though. Her stink might rub off on you.¡± Jean, ¡°...¡± When the two of them lined up at the immigration checkpoint, Bianca kept turning around, hot tears in her eyes as she waved her aging father goodbye. Chapter 5 Return, Five Years Later Chapter 5 Return, Five Years Later When Bianca next set foot in the busy A City once more, five years had passed. She had been away for almost two thousand days and nights. It was not a very long time, but it was not nothing either. Back then, she had been pushed about mercilessly by destiny. She had beenpletely powerless! Now, she just wanted to use her own strength to take control of her life with her own hands. It was morning. ¡°Bea, over here¡ª¡± Nina wound down her car window and waved at Bianca, who was walking out of her suburb. Time had passed. Five yearster, the two of them were no longer clueless girls of eighteen or neen. Bianca and Jean had returned to the country together yesterday, and Nina had been the one to pick them up from the airport. That night, Jean had taken Bianca back to the Langdons¡¯ ce for dinner. Mr. and Mrs. Langdon were more than happy with Bianca as their future daughter-inw. That morning, Jean had wanted to go to the interview at thepany with Bianca, but something came up and he could not join her. Bianca got into Nina¡¯s car and sat in the passenger¡¯s seat, wearing her seatbelt. ¡°Do you know what my mom saidst night after you left with my brother?¡± Nina asked. ¡°What did she say?¡± Bianca was worried that Jean¡¯s parents would not like her. ¡°My mom said, ¡®Look at Bianca! She¡¯s fair and beautiful, gentle and sweet. Now look at you! Why are you two different? Youy about at home, you¡¯re rough like a man, and you swear like a sailor!¡± Nina could not help but touch her friend¡¯s soft face as she said that, clicking her tongue. ¡°The air out there sure is good for your skin.¡± ¡°As if! You¡¯ve never left home before, so you don¡¯t know how tough it is.¡± Bianca smacked her naughty hand away. ¡°Focus on the road.¡± The two of them chatted on the way. It was more than forty minutes past eight when they reached T Corporation. ¡°I hope my brother isn¡¯tte. The boss is a heartless tyrant, you know!¡± Nina muttered to herself as she lowered her head and hurried her brother on WeChat. A heartless tyrant? Nina was making Bianca nervous now too. She turned on her phone and went online, searching up information on the boss of T Corporation again. She was hoping that she might find something that could help her during the interview. Most of the stuff she found online was nothing more than baseless rumors about the rich and famous. The president of T Corporation, part of Crawford Industries, was a man called Luke Crawford. He was 29 years old this year, but no one knew if he was single or married. No members of the press had yet to find out anything about his private life all this time. Actually, the Crawford name still held a little significance for Bianca. However, those were just her innocent childish fantasies from her past. By now, she had long since buried those dreams in the deepest corner of her heart. The news also reported that there was a huge incident five years ago when the two Crawford sons fought over the family business. Louis Crawford, the legitimate heir that the outside world had acknowledged, was suddenly removed overnight. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. On the other hand, Old Master Crawford suddenly adopted another unknown heir to the Crawford name, Luke Crawford, and thetter sessfully took over the family business, eventually inheriting the dying Crawford Industries. An unknown heir to the Crawford name¡­ The author of the article was subtly hinting that Luke Crawford was, to put it bluntly, an illegitimate son of the wealthy family. Bianca looked at her phone thoughtfully. ¡­ The T Corporation tower was so tall that it immediately intimidated anyone the moment they stepped into it. Jean was in a rush to get here. He had read up on thepany¡¯s history before, and when he saw how huge the building was now, he grew inevitably worried. He did not want to embarrass himself in front of Bianca. That was why he was not allowed to fail this interview! In a workshop somewhere in the tower, there were five executives on the interview panel. One of them was none other than the highest-level boss here at T Corporation¡ª Luke Crawford. After yet another graduate from a famous schoolpleted their interview, one of the other interviewees nced at Luke, trying to read his expression for some of his thoughts. However, he soon noticed that the boss¡¯ attention had somehow shifted to the surveince camera screen. What was he looking at? ¡°Next,¡± said one of the other interviewees. The camera was showing the footage outside, where all sorts of men and women looking for a job were waiting for their interview. By watching how they behaved outside, the interviewees could clearly deduce how the candidates were like in private. Luke¡¯s gaze was deep andplicated as he stared at one of the girls. No, she was a woman. Bianca was twenty-three now, and she no longer had her initial childlike innocence. She had developed spectacrly well, be it in her figure or her small smiles. Everything about her exuded a unique femininity. Luke¡¯s mind was abruptly brought back to that time five years ago, when this woman moaned and cried out as he made love to her every night. ¡­ ¡°My brother will be here soon.¡± Nina nudged Bianca outside in the corridor. Bianca came back to her senses and kept away the phone she had been looking at for so long. Was it because so much time had passed, and that was meddling with her memories? When Bianca looked at a picture of the boss, Luke Crawford, she found him somewhat familiar. He really did look a little like that upperssman who yed basketball back in that high school. They had the samest name too. Just then, Jean ran up to the stairs and walked up to Bianca, rubbing her hair fondly. ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It isn¡¯t our turn yet, anyway,¡± Bianca said to Jean, perfectly understanding. Next to them, Nina pouted. ¡°You¡¯re blinding me with your PDAs, guys. Have some pity for this single pringle and tone it down, please! I still have use for my eyes!¡± ¡°You¡¯re only dying the inevitable. Should you dig your eyes out before I marry Bianca and bring her home, then?¡± ¡°Do it! Marry her!¡± Nina¡¯s eyes were practically shining as she told her brother, ¡°Mom and Dad were more than happy with Beast night. Once both of you settle down with your jobs, you should just hurry it up and get hitched.¡± Jean nodded and could not help but nce at Bianca next to him. Bianca was feeling a little troubled. She was very happy with her life right now. In fact, she had to thank Jean for his tireless care and guidance over the past five years. He was the reason she had managed to ovee the trauma of her past. Before Jean confessed to her, she had noticed that he had feelings for her. Her past experiences had left her feeling small and worthless, so back then, she had instinctively avoided Jean. She even avoided all men who tried to approach her. During all those days that held not a hint of light for her, Jean never once stopped pursuing her and caring for her. Finally, he even managed to uncover her painful past. To Bianca¡¯s surprise, Jean did not abandon her. He did not even think that it was her fault for ¡®bearing a stranger¡¯s baby¡¯. Bianca thought she was very fortunate in that sense. ¡°Next up, Jean Langdon!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be off now.¡± Jean squeezed Bianca¡¯s hand. ¡°Go on,¡± Bianca said with a nod. When Jean pushed the door open and walked into the room, he immediately felt a sharp gaze on him. He followed it and traced it back to the famous young boss of T Corporation. Luke had seen everything Jean did with Bianca outside. The interview was very formal, solemn, and professional. Jean was very capable himself, so he answered every single one of the interviewers¡¯ questions calmly andposedly. The way he carried himself earned him plenty of brownie points. Luke¡¯s eyes turned back to the camera screens again. On the screen, Bianca was staring intently at the door, biting her lip softly and squeezing her fingers. She seemed to be very concerned about a certain someone¡¯s interview results inside the room. Chapter 6 Heart Racing Chapter 6 Heart Racing Ten minutester, Jean was done with his interview. He pushed the door open and walked out. Bianca immediately got to his feet. ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°The interviewers ask some tough questions, but it isn¡¯t anything we can¡¯t handle.¡± Jean could not help but kiss Bianca on the forehead, saying calmly, ¡°Overall, it¡¯s not bad.¡± Bianca heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Next, Bianca Rayne,¡± the female secretary called out. Bianca hurriedly straightened out her clothing and went inside anxiously. The second she walked into the room, Luke looked at her with aplicated gaze. Bianca sat down properly and raised her head, meeting each interviewer¡¯s eyes, one at a time. After that, she introduced herself briefly. ¡°Good morning, everyone. First of all, thank you for giving me this opportunity to attend this interview. My name is Bianca Rayne.¡± Since she decided to return to this country and find a job here, she hade up with plenty of interview openers in her mind. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. It may not be the most creative way to begin, but it was solid enough and faultless. The interview continued on. Luke assessed her with his cold gaze. Perhaps his stare was just too piercing. While Bianca responded to all of the interview questions expertly, she felt extremely ufortable all over. It did not just feel like someone was ring daggers at her. Instead, it felt like a peculiar type of thorn pricking her all over her body. In truth, Bianca had nced at Luke too when she first walked into the room. Nevertheless, this was a formal interview, and she had to treat it seriously. Although she had plenty of questions in her heart, she did not dare to let her guard down and be distracted. ¡°Miss Rayne, are you married?¡± Luke¡¯s cool voice suddenly interrupted the interviewers, asking a question that left all the professional interviewers speechless. All the interviewers stopped their formal exchange with Bianca, turning to look at their big boss in unison. He was part of the panel too. ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± Bianca said, trying to calm herself down. Her heart was actually already racing. ¡°In that case, do you have someone you intend to marry?¡± Luke frowned and asked again. Bianca paused for a moment before she nodded and replied, ¡°I do.¡± The interviewers were all feeling quite lost. Why was their boss asking this question? Their short conversation allowed Bianca to get a better look at Luke¡¯s gorgeous features. Now that she had seen him in person, he did look a lot like that upperssman from the high school next door back then. This sessful businessman was vastly different from the boy that had celebrated his youth in school, though. Be it in his presence or the expression on his face, Luke Crawford seemed to her like a cold and ruthless man. ¡­ The interview was finally over. Bianca walked out of the room, feeling weak in the knees. ¡°How was it? Tell me!¡± Nina was the first to run up to her and ask. Bianca was stumped, so she said, ¡°The interviewer asked me if I¡¯m married, and if I¡¯m not, if there¡¯s anyone I intend to marry.¡± Jean frowned when he heard that. What kind of a stupid question was that? It was infringing on her privacy. However, Nina said, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s normal here in this country. In fact, they''re being polite by not asking if you have kids.¡± ¡°But why would they ask something like that?¡± Bianca asked in confusion as they went downstairs. ¡°Because kids will get in the way of your career,¡± Nina replied, looking at her brother and Bianca. ¡°Most localpanies discriminate against married women with children. You only recently got back here, so you just gotta get used to it.¡± ¡­ That afternoon. Bianca and Jean both received calls informing them that they would have a two-month probationary period. If they passed all the tests during the next two months, they would be able to stay at T Corporation permanently as official staff members. The next day. Jean and Nina picked Bianca up, and they went to work together. ¡°I n on buying a car so we won¡¯t have to take my lil sis¡¯s car after this,¡± Jean said to Bianca before they walked into the design department¡¯s work area. ¡°What, you don¡¯t want me as a third wheel?¡± Nina teased, purposely walking between the two of them. Bianca smiled and said, ¡°Neither of you has to pick me up starting tomorrow. It¡¯s too much trouble for you to make such a long detour to my ce, and it¡¯s very convenient for me to take the subway anyway.¡± ¡­ It was the first day of work. Bianca was unnaturally serious at work. That afternoon, Jean was suddenly dragged out on an outstation trip by one of their designer seniors in the department. Before he left, Jean grabbed theptop he designated solely for work and gave Bianca a hurried heads- up before he had to go downstairs. Actually, Jean was feeling pretty confused himself. What was the design department ying at? Seriously, taking a rookie out on a business trip? What if he worked too slowly and dragged down the team¡¯s overall efficiency? Bianca did not have the time to wonder about that, though. She quickly familiarized herself with the nuts and bolts of her job. When it was about time to get off from work, Nina walked up to Bianca and said, ¡°You done? Come to my ce for dinner. Your future mother-inw¡¯s invitation.¡± Bianca was just getting used to thepany¡¯s best building blueprints over the years. When she heard that, she raised her head and said awkwardly, ¡°I just got told I have to stay for overtime¡­¡± Nina¡¯s eyes widened, and she hurriedly ran back to her workstation to check her emails. Dang, there really was overtime! It was true that designers had to stay overtime quite often, but Bianca and her brother were especially unfortunate here. One was sent outstation on the first day on the job, while the other had to stay back. The team ate takeaway together for dinner before continuing to bury their heads in their work. At half-past ten that night. The supervisor finally allowed Nina and the other two girls to go home. Bianca had to keep going, though. Her biological clock was going haywire, so Bianca was actually quite exhausted by now. She stood up and took her cup to get herself some coffee. When she returned with her coffee, though, her supervisor saw her and said, ¡°The big boss wants this blueprint. Hurry up and bring it to her.¡± Bianca immediately put her cup down and took the blueprint, leaving the design department. There were only three people left in the design department, a supervisor, a senior designer, and her, a glorified intern. Take the blueprint to the boss, huh? As Bianca walked into the elevator, Luke Crawford¡¯s delicate features appeared in her mind. The elevator went up, all the way to the top floor. Bianca ventured around and finally found the presidential office. She knocked on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± The man¡¯s voice waspletelycking warmth, but it was deep and rich. Bianca went in, walking toward therge desk in the office with the cold color scheme. She ced the blueprint on the desk, saying, ¡°This is the blueprint you wanted, sir.¡± Luke was also focused on his work, so he just reached out his hand to ept the blueprint before holding it up for examination. When Bianca was about to leave, he suddenly raised his head to look at her. Bianca did not want to seem rude, so she had to keep standing there. Could there be something the president wanted with her? Luke¡¯s gaze lingered on her for a long while. After five years, this woman had be even fairer and more voluptuous. Both her looks and her aura were her exquisite. ¡°You can call it a day now. Go home and get prepared, because you¡¯ll be going on a business trip with me tomorrow.¡± Luke pulled his gaze away from her and turned it back onto his work. Bianca wanted to say that she was not capable enough to bear such a huge responsibility as of yet, but Luke had given those orders quite coldly and stiffly. His tone brooked no argument. All she could do was nod and leave the room. Luke turned to look at her again. Her back was beautiful, particrly her slender and flexible waist. It was only a long whileter when the man realized that everything from his throat to his chest had gone numb. Chapter 7 Jean Acting Strange Chapter 7 Jean Acting Strange Bianca left. Luke suddenly put down the blueprint he had been holding. He stood up and left his workstation, walking toward his wine cab instead. There, he took out a ss and filled half of it with wine, draining the whole thing with a frown. This cursed lust! It was already quitete when Bianca left thepany, but thankfully there was onest subway to take her home. Once she reached home, the first thing she did was reply to Jean¡¯s messages on WeChat. After that, she pulled out her luggage and started to organize the things she needed for her trip tomorrow. Just then, her phone rang. The caller ID said it was Jean. ¡°Aren¡¯t you asleep yet? I thought I told you to rest early instead of calling me,¡± Bianca said in concern when she picked up. ¡°I¡¯m not done with work yet, so I brought the stuff back to the hotel room to continue overtime.¡± Jean continued, asking her, ¡°I saw your text earlier. Why are you going outstation too? Who will you be going with?¡± Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t really know who yet. I¡¯ll have to wait until tomorrow morning to find out,¡± Bianca replied. ¡°If there are men going with you, remember to stay away from them,¡± Jean reminded her. ¡°After all, we just started working, so you don¡¯t know them well enough yet.¡± ¡°Alright, I got it,¡± Bianca said. Immediately after that, she suddenly heard a hammering sound on the other end. It sounded like someone knocking on the door. No, rather than knocking, it sounded more like someone trying to beat the door down! ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Bianca asked nervously. ¡°N-Nothing.¡± Jean was stuttering all of a sudden, but then he said quickly, ¡°Talk to youter? I¡¯ll check on what¡¯s happening outside and then report back to you.¡± He hung up before Bianca could tell him to be careful out there. She lowered her head to look at her luggage and then at the phone she was holding, its screen dimming after the call ended. Bianca was worried now, concerned that Jean would encounter trouble out there too, with unfamiliar people in unfamiliar ces. Nothing happened that night. The next day. Bianca received a call from her colleague first thing in the morning. She waited for her colleague outside herpound, her weariness showing on her face. She had stayed up until the wee hours of the morningst night, waiting for Jean¡¯s call to assure her everything was fine, but he never called. She tried calling him, but his phone was switched off. More than ten minutester, a ck Bentley stopped in front of her. A man and a woman got out of it. They introduced themselves and got to know each other. The three of them then got into the car again. It took seven hours by car to get to the city they were assigned to. Since they would need a car there, the higher-ups had arranged for a male colleague to drive one of thepany¡¯s Bentleys over there, for convenience¡¯s sake. Bianca chatted with her colleagues along the way. They got along quite well,ughing and joking with each other. It was afternoon by the time they reached H City. When they checked into the hotel, her female colleague Sue told Bianca, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to our respective rooms first and get changed, get some rest. We¡¯ll be in contact again when it¡¯s time for dinner.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Bianca said with a nod. Bianca brought her medium-sized luggage upstairs and went into her room. She took a shower and changed into her nightclothes before taking out the clothes she needed for work, ironing them carefully. Once done, she hung the clothes up in advance. Havingpleted all her preparations, she nced at the time. It was already four o¡¯clock exactly. Jean had not called her even once sincest night until now. He had not even sent her a single message. Now that she finally had time, she gave Jean a call. His phone was finally on this time. However, the dial tone went on for a while without anyone picking up. Bianca was even more worried now, so she called him again. This time, her call was outright rejected. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m busy right now and I can¡¯t pick up. Will call you when I¡¯m free.¡± Soon, she received a text from Jean on WeChat. Bianca lowered her head and replied, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll leave you to your work.¡± It seemed like he was safe on his end, at least. The person hammering on his doorst night might have been a random drunkard going to the wrong hotel roomst night. After she replied to his message, Bianca put her phone down, looking for something else to do. As soon as she turned, though, her phone vibrated again. She had barely turned away when she had to turn back and check the message on her phone. It was a WeChat message, but it was aplete mess. ¡°Hahahaha you guessed it fiber mesh I started an entrance fee iFeng¡­¡± The sender was Jean, who was supposedly ¡°busy¡± right now. Bianca frowned. ¡°?¡± She sent him a question mark. After more than a minute, Jean finally replied. ¡°I was drawing something and my arm identally touched the screen.¡± That was why he sent her such a random string of words. Bianca did not think much of it. ¡°Doot¡­ Doot¡­ Doot¡­¡± Someone rang her room bell. ¡°Who is it?¡± Bianca was very cautious since she was in an unfamiliar ce and an unfamiliar city. A middle-aged man¡¯s voice came from outside. ¡°Miss Rayne, I¡¯m Jason Doyle, Mr. Crawford¡¯s special assistant. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to trouble you to open the door for me.¡± Luke Crawford¡¯s most trusted special assistant, Jason Doyle, was quite well-known. Almost everyone in thepany knew about him, and that included Bianca, a newbie. She opened the door. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Bianca had barely greeted him when she lowered her head and saw that there were two tiny children standing at the door as well. One was a baby boy and the other a baby girl, their eyes bright and their teeth brighter. They looked like two perfect dolls. Jason Doyle was standing in a suit, his spine straight as an arrow. Exasperated, he said, ¡°These two are Mr. Crawford¡¯s children. Their father is busy with work and can¡¯t care for them, so¡­¡± Bianca had a bad feeling about this. She was not particrly averse to taking care of kids for others, but it just felt so strange to her. After all, she was here to work, not to be a babysitter. Another major reason she did not really want to take care of the children was because she was worried that seeing someone else¡¯s kids would keep reminding her of her own. ¡°I-I¡¯ll be good, I promise,¡± the little girl said softly. She raised her head to look at Bianca, blinking her innocent ck eyes. ¡°Big Brother¡ª¡± The little girl saw that her brother, the little boy, was not saying anything, so she pouted angrily and tugged at her brother¡¯s clothes, trying to make him talk. Bianca turned to look at the boy instead. The older brother was slightly taller than his sister, but though he kept a cool expression, he was clearly fond of his sister. That was why he raised his head and told Bianca, who was beyond the door, ¡°I¡¯ll be a good boy too.¡± Jason nced at his watch and said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave the kids to you, Miss Rayne. There¡¯s something else I have to do, so I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Bianca did not have the chance to refuse. Jason quickly left, and Bianca looked down at the two children, saying, ¡°Come on in, the two of you.¡± The younger sister reached out her short little hand to grab her brother¡¯s, then they walked into the room together. ¡°Do you want anything to drink?¡± Bianca did not know how to handle kids, especially kids with such a special status. ¡°I want milk,¡± the girl said, sitting on the couch properly. Bianca hurriedly dug out some milk. The milk in the hotel room was extremely expensive; the same milk that was sold for 3.50 yuan in the market was sold for 89 here. Bianca sucked in a breath when she saw the price tag, then she opened the carton and found two sses, pouring each of the kids one ss. The haughty and cold-faced older brother did not drink any of it. The little sister sat on the couch, swinging her legs as she drank half of the cup and then finishing all of it, even licking her lips to make sure she got every bit of it¡­ Bianca sat on a chair awkwardly, looking at the little darlings on the chair and trying to find something to talk about. ¡°Are you two twins?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the haughty older brother said. He even rolled his eyes, his gaze filled with contempt at Bianca. ¡®Idiot,¡¯ he seemed to say, ¡®my sister and I look so simr. Of course we¡¯re twins!¡¯ Chapter 8 Blanca? Rainie? Chapter 8 nca? Rainie? Bianca did not dare to say anything more after the little boy turned his nose up at her. The time ticked past. The boy said, ¡°It seems pretty awkward, huh.¡± The girl nodded. Bianca, ¡°...¡± ¡°Lady, you can call my father right now and tell him that you don¡¯t want to care for us,¡± the boy said. He was quite the hostile little boy. ¡°I never said I don¡¯t want to take care of you.¡± She had to make that clear. How could she dare to say she did not want to care for her boss¡¯ kids? The boss would eat her for lunch. ¡°Since you want to take care of us, then you should act like you do.¡± The boy clearly did not like this cold atmosphere. Thisdy was much dumber than the other ones. Bianca, ¡°...¡± It was her fault for not checking the almanac before she left the house. ¡°Come with me, Big Bro.¡± The little girl could tell that the aunty¡¯s expression was turning unpleasant, and she dragged her brother away angrily. Bianca let out a long breath, watching as the two children disappeared through the bathroom door. Inside the bathroom. The younger sister asked, ¡°Big Bro, why are you so mean to the prettydy?!¡± ¡°She has a motive.¡± The older brother felt bad for his silly little sister and said solemnly, ¡°These pretty ladies are only willing to take care of us because they wanna marry our dad.¡± ¡°They wanna marry our dad?¡± The younger sister did not understand. The older brother added, ¡°And the otherdies at least know how to pretend to like us. Look at this one!¡± If thisdy were to marry their father, she would never treat them well. His sister insisted, ¡°Great-grandpa always says we can¡¯t judge a book by its cover!¡± However, her brother said angrily, ¡°I don¡¯t care what you think. In any case, I¡¯ll only ever have one mother, and that¡¯s the woman who gave birth to me!!¡± His sister was ignorant but equally as angry, saying, ¡°Great-grandpa said we were nted in the garden!¡± ¡°Stupid!¡± Her brother was so furious that his little face turned red. Without another word, he pushed the bathroom door open and walked out. Bianca was rmed. They had such tempers! ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s my fault. I don¡¯t know how to handle kids, that¡¯s why it¡¯s all so awkward.¡± Bianca was quite apologetic. The younger sister raised her head and said, ¡°It¡¯s all Big Brother¡¯s fault!¡± Bianca looked at the older brother and tried to say sweetly, ¡°Do you wanna watch cartoons?¡± She picked up the remote control as she said, ¡°Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf, or Babloo Dabloo?¡± ¡°That¡¯s so childish!¡± The older brother could not help but call out her stupidity again. Bianca was left feeling awkward. There was another long pause. ¡°Miss, why don¡¯t you ask us how old we are?¡± Bianca found an excuse to get rid of the awkwardness. ¡°So how old are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m five, and so¡¯s my brother.¡± ¡°Have you guys started going to school?¡± If they were schooling¡­ Today was Thursday. ¡°We do go to school, but we have a private tutor. This time, Dad was the one who said he wanted to bring us out to y. He said there¡¯s a really tall Ferris wheel here.¡± The younger sister spilled everything. ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Bianca replied. ¡°Lend me your phone, I wanna call my dad,¡± the older brother said. Bianca blinked and immediately gave the older brother her phone. nche searched through Bianca¡¯s phone for his father¡¯s contact number, but he could not find it. He then looked for his father¡¯s WeChat contact, but he could not find that either. ¡°You don¡¯t have any way to contact my dad?¡± he asked, raising his head to look at Bianca. She shook her head. ¡°Nope.¡± The older brother did not seem to believe her, frowning as he said, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t?¡± ¡°I told you, she isn¡¯t a meandy who wants to be our stepmother!¡± The younger sister gave her brother a look of contempt from where she sat. The brother looked at his sister a little guiltily, and he did not dare to even look at Bianca. Bianca finally understood! So that was why the boy was so hostile toward her. ¡°I have to exin something to you.¡± Bianca looked at the boy and then at the girl. ¡°Your father handed you two to Jason, and Jason is busy with work, so he handed you over to me for a while. There¡¯s nothing between your father and me. We¡¯re just employer and employee.¡± The little boy looked at Bianca thoughtfully. Bianca admitted straight-up, ¡°Your father and I are from different worlds. Some people are born special, and some are born normal. They¡¯ll have different needs and different social circles, so they can¡¯t be forced to mix. Do you understand that?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± The younger sister shook her head nkly. Bianca turned to look at the older brother instead. He said, ¡°I get it. Dad¡¯s bourgeoisie and you¡¯re proletariat.¡± Bianca burst outughing. ¡°That stings, but you¡¯re exactly right. There¡¯s a huge gap between your father and me. You don¡¯t have to worry, even if your father is the only man left in the world, I still won¡¯t be your stepmother. Do you understand that much, at least?¡± The younger sister looked at Bianca and nodded somewhat confusedly. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s be better friends.¡± Bianca introduced herself, saying, ¡°My name is Bianca Rayne. You can call me Miss Rayne or just Bea.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Rainie Crawford, like a nice rainy day.¡± The younger sister introduced herself. ¡°I¡¯m nche Crawford. You can call me nca or Lanie.¡± The older brother introduced himself too, putting away his hostility. Rainie? Like a rainy day? nche Crawford? nca? nca? Rainie? Bianca suddenly felt as though she may be fated to meet these children! Once they settled the misunderstanding, the two kids opened up to her happily. She canceled her dinner ns with her colleagues. Her two colleagues went to work after dinner, whereas her current mission was simply to take care of the boss¡¯ children. Bianca was extremely careful at first, terrified that any knocks or scratches the children might sustain would cost her her job. Eventually, though, she ended up rolling all over the carpet with the kids, her heart filled with a painful satisfaction. Her child would probably be about Lanie and Rainie¡¯s age now. When she looked into their happy faces, she could almost see her own baby. How was that child doing? Was she happy? That night, Bianca had dinner with the two little darlings. They had every possible service at the hotel restaurant. Rainie sat in the restaurant and ate her food for a bit before she started drooling over the fried chicken some other children were having. ¡°Wipe your drool, it¡¯s filthy!¡± her brother scolded her, frowning.Original from N?velDrama.Org. Bianca hurriedly grabbed a napkin, wiping the drool from Rainie¡¯s mouth. ¡°Does your father forbid you from having fried chicken?¡± Bianca felt so bad for Rainie. If her daughter was drooling over fried chicken this badly, she would probably make an exception, just this once. Rainie nodded, but her eyes were still glued on the fried chicken the next table over. She was so distracted that she even dropped her chopsticks onto the floor. ¡°Hello, waiter?¡± Bianca waved her hand. Ten minutester. The fried chicken was served. There were two pieces. The older brother did not have any, though, giving both to his sister. Although he really wanted to taste some too, he went against his heart and said, ¡°Have all you like. Dad says men must stick by their principles.¡± Bianca did not say anything, but she was quite surprised inside. At the same time, she was pretty in awe of this five-year-old boy and his self-control in the face of temptation. Some people could achieve extraordinary sess after they grew up, but their journeys were not as smooth as they might seem on the surface. No one knew how much they had to hold themselves back, how much they had to sacrifice. Was Luke Crawford one such example? This little boy was cold and wary of everyone. Bianca could not help but remember what Nina said back then¡ª that the boss was a heartless tyrant in the world of business. This little kid was a miniature version of his father! Chapter 9 Open The Door, Its Me Chapter 9 Open The Door, It''s Me Little Rainie was unbelievably happy now that she had sneakily eaten some fried chicken behind her father''s back. On the way back to the room, Rainie kept sticking to Bianca, hugging her leg like a ko to a tree. It was quite hard for Bianca to walk with a baby hanging off her leg. She had to limp all the way back upstairs. "It''s reallyte now. I''ll send you back to your room so you can get to sleep." The adult and two children watched cartoons in the room for a while before Bianca turned to the pair of siblings. The older brother looked up at her and said, ¡°We don¡¯t have the room card.¡± Rainie was hugging Bianca with her plump white hand, her eyes tightly closed. She was almost completely asleep now. Still, how could they get back without the room card? Bianca was feeling conflicted. She had no idea when the president would be able to finish his work for the day and return to the hotel. "Lemme call Mr. Doyle." Bianca looked at Rainie, who was already falling asleep. She could not move, so she had to ask Lanie to grab her phone. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Lanie picked up her phone and passed it to Bianca. Bianca called her colleague and asked for Jason Doyle''s work number. Jason picked up soon enough, but he said, "I''m sorry to trouble you, Miss Rayne, but Mr. Crawford is having a meal with a few provincial leaders. I don''t think he''ll be able to get away for a while yet. How about this? Can you let the two kids sleep with you for the night?" Bianca, "..." It was past ten in the night by the time Bianca managed to lull the children to sleep. Lanie slept on the left side of therge bed, while Rainie took the right side. They were fast asleep. Bianca cleaned up the bathroom as quietly as she could, then she folded the children''s clothes and ced them on the couch neatly. Finally, she tucked Rainie in before carefully stepping into bed herself. Thank goodness the bed was big enough. There was plenty of space for one adult and two kids to sleepfortably. Within five minutes of lying down, Bianca could barely keep her eyes open anymore. ¡­ Sometime in the earliest hours of the morning. Bianca''s phone vibrated under her pillow. She was so sleepy that her eyes hurt, and she had to force them open blearily. She propped herself up slightly and reached for her phone. There was an unknown number on her screen. 139-0909-9999. It was a spam call in the middle of the night, but the number itself was a pretty nice one! Bianca picked up, saying directly and somewhat rudely, "Who is this?" "Open the door, it''s me." It was a deep and hoarse voice, sounding especially mesmerizing sote in the night. "Open the door? Who are you?" She was so sleepy. There was silence on the other end of the phone. All she heard was his breathing. Bianca spent a few seconds clearing her mind, then she saw the two kids sleeping on the bed under the moonlight. Lanie, Rainie¡­ "Mr¡­ Mr. Crawford?" she ventured. "Open the door!" The man''s voice was growing deeper. Bianca was so shocked that her heart skipped a few beats. She hurriedly scrambled out of bed and made sure that her nightclothes looked presentable before she opened the door. Her boss was here to get his kids back, but she had fallen fast asleep and kept him waiting for so long. Dang it! Bianca scolded herself in frustration! The two children were fast asleep on the bed. They showed no signs of waking up whatsoever. Bianca opened the door. Luke was standing tall outside the door, his eyes closed and one hand resting against the door frame. He held his coat and the ck phone he had been using to call her in one hand. It was obvious that he had been waiting here for quite some time. "M-Mr. Crawford¡­" Bianca called his name, too afraid to approach him. Luke raised his head suddenly, weariness written all over his face as he frowned at her. Even stinking heavily of booze like this, the man still radiated confidence and dominance. His surroundings did nothing to hide the air of nobility exuding from deep within his bones. Luke gave her a look, but that look felt like itsted forever. Neither of them said anything. Bianca tilted her body and stood to a side, letting him go in so he could pick up the kids. When the man walked past her, she could clearly smell the alcohol on him, mixed with a strong and hypnotizing scent of nicotine. Bianca stood at the door, too afraid to move or stare. The lights at the doorway were very bright. She waspletely awake now, standing at the open door like a guardian god, waiting for her boss to carry his kids out of the room. The time ticked past. Bianca did not even hear the two children waking up. Confused, she closed the door quietly and crept back into the bedroom. There was only a singlemp illuminating the bedroom. It was not nearly as blindingly bright as it was outside. The scene in the dim lightning was incredibly heartwarming. Therge bed that was meant to be hers had beenpletely taken over by that family of three. The father who had finally returned from a long day of work was now sleeping silently with his son and daughter. Should she wake him up, or not? If she did, would her boss fire her in a fit of fury? If she did not, where was she supposed to sleep? She thought it over and eventually decided that she could not wake this mistaken drunkard up and chase him out. If she did, there would probably be very serious consequences. Hence, she grabbed a coat, put it on, and left the room. Holding her room card in her hand, she called the female colleague who hade here with her. "Sorry, the number you called is unavable¡­" A mechanical voice spoke over the phone. Bianca leaned on a corridor wall, exhausted. She had forgotten to ask for her female colleague''s room number. After some thought, she called Jason Doyle instead. She was stuck on the dial tone for a very long time, but no one picked up. He was probably drunk too! Bianca had no choice but to go to the hotel counter and ask for another room. However, the hotel receptionist said, "Sorry, Miss Rayne, but the hotel is fully booked. The rooms here have to be booked at least a week in advance." "Oh, okay. Thanks." Bianca went back upstairs, her mind a mess. Was she supposed to stand outside the door overnight? At slightly past one o''clock in the morning, the elevator doors opened. A man and two women walked out. The two women were heavily made-up, and the man was dressed in denim, his head covered with intimidating scars. He kissed the two women he was hugging,ughing and chuckling as they talked. When he saw Bianca, the man''s eyes immediately lit up. He let go of the two women and approached her, saying, "Ooh, I found a pretty little damsel-in-distress! Where are you from? Come on, wanna have some fun with me? I guarantee it''ll feel great!" "You''re mad!" Bianca instinctively yelled at him. She was so startled that she immediately opened the room door with her key card, ducking into the room like a little bunny. She then leaned against the door, taking countless deep breaths. It sounded like someone outside was knocking on the door. It was not too heavy nor too soft. The fear chased every other thought out of Bianca''s mind, and she did not dare to lean against the door anymore since they were knocking on it. Instead, she turned and headed for the bathroom door. She was always quite timid, and now she was so terrified that her heart was pounding madly. However, before she could even digest that encounter outside, she felt a pair ofrge warm hands reach under her coat from behind her. They rubbed her body and reached upward. She turned in horror. She did not know when, but the wooden bathroom door behind her had been slowly pushed open. She lost her bnce, falling into a man''s solid embrace. "Ah¡­" She cried out softly in surprise, but the rest of her words were swallowed up. All she could do was moan suggestively¡­ It was pitch-ck in the bathroom, and she felt a moist breath blowing into her face. There was only one grown man in this hotel room, and that was the big boss, Luke Crawford. It was therefore obvious to see who the man hugging her was. Bianca frowned and tried to push him away, but he would not budge. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. She was scared, but her mouth was sealed off andpletely useless. The man kissed her in the dark, shadowy night. Bianca held her breath, her words of protest morphing into vague whimpers. Chapter 10 Bad Man Chapter 10 Bad Man For a few seconds there, Bianca''s mind went nk! She frowned and inwardly berated herself for being so weak-willed. ''Bianca, don''t forget, you have Jean! ''Jean is the only man you can feel anything for!'' "You''re with me now. How could you get distracted?!" The man forcefully pushed her white coat aside. There was a moist and warm sensation on her lips. He then lowered his head and kissed her hair. After a long time, his low voice spoke into her ear seductively. Bianca was about to explode when she heard the man¡¯s low voice! Luke had a really nice scent of shower foam on him, just like she did. That meant that this man had just used her shower foam when he took a shower earlier. Bianca knew just how dangerous it would be if she did not put up a desperate fight right now. Just in struggling was not going to work. All she could do was apologize in advance for disrespecting her boss. At least that would be better than whatever was going on now! Bianca¡¯s eyes grew used to the darkness, and now she could vaguely see the man¡¯s delicate features. The dim lighting shone on him, making him look surreal. His thin lips seemed especially tempting. Anyone who did not know better might think that this man here was the undisputed king of porn videos. His every movement was shot full of pheromones. Bianca applied pressure into her fingers as she squeezed the man¡¯s body. She then gathered up her courage and raised her leg. Bending her knee, she rammed it forcefully into the man¡¯shers! ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± There was a muffled groan, and the man frowned deeply, swallowing that pain back into his throat. ¡°Let go of me!¡± She shook her body left and right, putting up a fight. The man grabbed her wrist suddenly, hurting her. No matter how she tried, she could not break free from his grasp. For a second there, Bianca thought it was all over for her. This was where she would fall. A secondter, though, the man abruptly let go of her. Her mind had gone nk. The first thing she wanted to do was run away from her as soon as she could. She did not exactly close the door quietly. The noise made the two little children stir in bed, slowly waking up. ¡­ It waste at night, and Bianca wandered the hotel corridors. She did not dare to linger for too long, but she could not go back to her room, and she definitely could not go to a dead end like the washroom. Eventually, she took the elevator and went down to the ground floor. The lights were brightly shining in the hotel lobby. There were two receptionists at the counter and four security guards standing watch outside. It did not matter who walked by; no one would be able to harass her. Even if they tried, the guards would be just two meters away. It was very safe here. ¡°Here you go, miss.¡± One of the receptionists kindly poured her a cup of hot tea. ¡°Thank you.¡± Bianca epted the tea and took a few sips. It warmed up her cold body. It was destined to be a long night. The wait was torturous, but at least it would eventuallye to an end. ¡­ Bianca was woken up by the cold the next morning. Although she had a nket over her, she realized that her nose was stuffed anyway, and her body was trembling. There was a high chance she hade down with a cold. Now that she had woken up, she had to deal with the consequences of what happenedst night. Bianca hugged her arms and thought, ¡®If the boss sincerely apologizes for what happenedst night, I might consider epting his apology. If he does not seem remorseful at all, I¡¯ll resign without a second thought.¡¯ She knew that it was perfectly cliched for male superiors to sexually harass their female subordinates. That did not change, be it locally or internationally. If she left thispany, the same thing might happen again at her next workce. To men, women were weak, but that did not mean every woman would do what the men expected of them. It was not quite possible for her to take this lying down. ¡­ Of the two colleagues who came to H City on this trip with Bianca, the woman was Sue Carter and the man Tom Lewis. At eight o¡¯clock, they went downstairs. ¡°You sure are early, Bianca.¡± Sue was about to have breakfast with Tom when she turned around and spotted Bianca. Bianca also felt a slight sense of security now that she had seen her colleague. She was about to stand up and leave with her colleagues. Just then, she saw the elevator doors on the left open. The great boss was walking out of the elevator with his son and daughter in tow. Bianca looked at them, her face pale. Luke¡¯s gaze was also urately trained onto Bianca, who looked rather worse for the wear. ¡°Go with your Uncle Doyle for now,¡± Luke said to his children, lowering his head. Jason Doyle held Rainie¡¯s hand, and when the two of them walked past Bianca, Rainie even made an adorable little face at Bianca. Seeing Rainie made Bianca¡¯s heart soften for some reason. Jason brought the two children away for breakfast, gesturing at Sue and Tom to go with him. As for Luke, he never once looked away from Bianca. When he finally approached her, his eyes took in her fair cheeks as he said, ¡°Why was I sleeping in your roomst night?¡± Uh¡­ Bianca blinked, raising her head to look at her boss. She had not expected this. Was this man an amnesiac drunk? Did he really not remember anything after sobering up? Their eyes met, and Bianca suddenly felt this was all so unfair. The man in front of her was almost a hundred and ny centimeters tall. He was really tall and slender, his shoulders broad and his hips narrow. His pure-white shirt wrapped his well-toned torso perfectly. He looked all ssy and gentlemanly now, as though the bad man who had pinned her down violently last night, hugging and sucking on her skin hungrily was another person altogether. ¡°You were drunkst night, Mr. Crawford,¡± she said. ¡°Yes, but I do remember some fragments. Were you that womanst night?¡± he asked coolly. Bianca¡¯s breathing turned a little ragged, his gaze making her flustered. Did he think that she¡­ purposely pulled him into her roomst night so that she could have a fling with her boss¡­? Bianca hurriedly waved him off. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me! I don¡¯t know what happenedst night. After you took over my roomst night, sir, a room servicedy went inside, but she only stayed inside for five minutes beforeing out again.¡± The man was still staring at her, his gaze fixed on her face. He stared at her brow, her eyes, the tip of her nose, her lips. She actually only wanted to make light of the matter. Since her boss had forgotten all about it, she had no intention of using her boss of anything. Dang it, though, why did she say five minutes? She should have said it was an hour! ¡°What happened? Did she steal something?¡± Bianca asked.Original from N?velDrama.Org. The man frowned and said sarcastically, ¡°She didn¡¯t steal anything, but I think she touched that part of me.¡± Bianca¡¯s face instantly reddened slightly, but she was not aware of it. ¡°Are¡­ Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital?¡± Bianca asked, startled. The man¡¯s sharp eyes met her flighty gaze. ¡°I¡¯m more worried about her knee, actually.¡± Bianca, ¡°...¡± ¡°Whatever. Since she¡¯s in charge of room service, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s used to getting a few knocks in the line of duty,¡± the man said mildly. He then lit a cigarette with a frown and ignored Bianca, taking a dreg as he left. She stayed right where she was. It was only now that she felt a tinge of pain in her knee¡­ Lanie and Rainie¡¯s mother must have been out of the picture for a long time now. Why else would the boss act so crazy? Chapter 11 Her Husband’s Clothes Chapter 11 Her Husband¡¯s Clothes Bianca went back upstairs. The cleanerdy was tidying up her room. Bianca nodded at the cleaner politely and then walked to her closet, opening it and taking out one set of the clothes she had ironedst night. After that, she went to the bathroom to change into it. The cleaner worked very quickly. By the time Bianca was done washing her face, the room had been wiped more or less clean of every trace of Luke Crawford. She heaved a sigh of relief. Ten minutes ago, Jean had sent her a message. ¡°Bianca, my team is done with the project. I¡¯ll go to H City in the afternoon and visit you at your hotel. We get the day off tomorrow.¡± Bianca had replied with, ¡°Sounds good. I¡¯ll send you the hotel address.¡± For some reason, as she looked around the room Luke Crawford had spent the entire night in, she felt a little guilty. When the cleaner was done with her cleaning, she found Bianca staring at the bathroom, frowning and distracted. ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± the cleaner said with a smile, holding a garbage bag as she stood at the door. Bianca hurriedly came back to her senses. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± The cleaner added. ¡°I put the used underwear in the small drawer in the closet too.¡± ¡°Underwear?¡± Bianca was confused. She did not recall throwing aside her used lingerie like that. ¡°The men¡¯s underwear. It¡¯s your husband¡¯s, right? I found it in theundry basket in the bathroom!¡± The cleaner informed her with a smile before turning around and leaving the room. Bianca was stunned. Men¡¯s underwear? Her husband¡­? Her face was bright red as she took a few breaths and pursed her lips. Her head felt hot, and she did not know how to handle this underwear. She could not just return it, could she? Forget it¡­ It was probably best to toss it. It was not like her boss would miss a single pair of underwear like that. Bianca shook her head. Seriously, what was she thinking? Thankfully, that was when her phone rang. The caller was Sue Carter. ¡°Hey, Sue,¡± Bianca picked up and replied. ¡°Have you eaten, Bianca? Remember to eat if you haven¡¯t. We¡¯ll meet downstairs at ten after breakfast. There¡¯s a meeting that you should attend too.¡± ¡°Alright. See you downstairs at ten.¡± Bianca had been worried that she would be relegated to babysitting duty again today. She was very fond of Lanie and Rainie, yes, but work was still work. Since she was receiving a sry from T Corporation, she wanted to be able to contribute her part to the company ordingly. At the same time, she wanted to learn and better herself. That was what her father always wanted for her too! When she thought of her father, Bianca¡¯s expression suddenly darkened. Jennifer Lee was quite beautiful, and this was despite the fact that she was almost fifty years old now. She must have been veritably gorgeous when she was younger. Bianca¡¯s father really loved his second wife deeply. Now, he was pouring all of his heart and soul into Jennifer¡¯s wellbeing. Bianca felt a little lost. Her memories of her childhood told her that he had loved her mother deeply too, and that was why he had drowned his sorrows in alcohol after she left. His slump hadsted eight whole years. When he lost her mother, it was as though he had lost his will to keep living. ¡­ At ten o¡¯clock. Bianca went downstairs. ¡°Get into the car,¡± Sue told Bianca. Those in their line of work tended to dress simply and professionally. Bianca was dressed simrly to Sue. She had a formal outfit, wearing a in-colored top with two open buttons and an A-line skirt. It made her look smart without obscuring her feminine gentleness. This time, they took two cars to the meeting. Sue and Bianca took the car in the front, while Luke and Tom took the luxury vehicle at the back. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Mr. Doyleing with us?¡± Bianca was not very familiar with these things, so she had to ask while she had the chance. ¡°What are we supposed to do when we get there, Sue?¡± ¡°Mr. Doyle is taking the boss¡¯ kids to the Ferris wheel,¡± Sue said to Bianca without holding back any information. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything when you get there. Just listen carefully. Right now, your main job is to learn.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Bianca nodded. They arrived at the hotel. Original from N?velDrama.Org. The famous hotel had attendants providing great service in every aspect. The meeting was to be held on the 99th floor. This was Bianca¡¯s first time attending a face-to-face business meeting. When sessful men shook hands firmly and solemnly, it was indeed quite charming and eye-catching, especially to women. Luke Crawford looked like apletely different person when he was negotiating a contract. That man could handle any problem with ease. No matter how aplished his opposite counterpart was, he could carry himself in a way that won their respect. Bianca listened in on the whole thing, making sure not to lose focus. Eventually, Director Shaw, who was sitting on the right, looked at Luke and smiled brightly, his wrinkles showing all over his face. He said, ¡°My darling daughter insisted on following me here, and she even pressured me into making a promise. See, she wants me to persuade you to bring her around A City for a bit, and she said she would disown me as her father if I can¡¯t get it done! What do you say, Luke? I¡¯ve totally spoiled my daughter, haven¡¯t I?¡± Just like all the other bit characters at the conference table, Bianca kept her expression carefully nk. Anyone could tell that the topic had wandered into the boss¡¯ private matters. ¡­ It was half-past one in the afternoon when they left the renowned hotel. Bianca took herptop with her as she got into the car. Sue followed suit. Outside the hotel entrance, Director Shaw and his beloved daughter were shaking hands with Luke, bidding him goodbye. ¡°Do you see that? That Director Shaw wants to have his daughter marry the Crawfords,¡± Sue said with a laugh. Bianca did not know how to respond to that, so she said vaguely, ¡°If it really works out, I wonder if Director Shaw¡¯s daughter would be marrying below or above her station.¡± That was actually quite hard to tell. Sue chatted with Bianca casually, saying, ¡°It looks to me like Director Shaw and his daughter are the only ones into this idea for now. No one can really tell what Mr. Crawford¡¯s thinking. If you ask me, any woman that Mr. Crawford doesn¡¯t personally intend to marry would be trying above her station. Doesn¡¯t even matter if she¡¯s the Jade Emperor¡¯s daughter¡ª¡± True, that did make sense. Bianca raised her head and gave Director Shaw¡¯s daughter a nonchnt look. She thought to herself calmly, ¡®If the boss is willing to marry her, then that woman will be Lanie and Rainie¡¯s mom.¡¯ Chapter 12 Luke Crawford Has No Right To Interfere! Chapter 12 Luke Crawford Has No Right To Interfere! The two cars left the renowned hotel and headed back to the hotel they were staying in. Once they reached the hotel, Bianca got out of the car. Sue soon followed suit. At the hotel entrance, they saw Jason Doyle waiting, dressed in his smart suit and leather shoes. ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Doyle.¡± Just like Sue and the others, Bianca greeted Jason as she went in. Jason nodded at Bianca too, but his gaze changed when he looked at Bianca. After Bianca walked into the hotel lobby, Jason was still frowning slightly as he looked inside. Luke got out of the car and noticed that there was something off about Jason¡¯s expression. As usual, he turned his dark gaze directly at Jason. When Jason realized something amiss, he hurriedly turned around too, looking at his boss perfectly professionally. Standing tall and straight, Luke strode into the hotel, his voice icy cold as he stated, ¡°You were looking at her.¡± He was addressing Jason, who was behind him. Jason seemed to be deliberating if he should say certain things out loud. After a while, he decided to keep his thoughts to himself, saying, ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t.¡± What a poor pretense! Luke¡¯s expression turned dark. Just then, Jean got out of a cab and walked into the hotel, hisptop under one arm. When he saw his boss and Special Assistant Doyle standing in front of the elevator, he blinked. He had no choice but to greet them, though. ¡°Hello, Mr. Doyle, Mr. Crawford, sir.¡± Luke¡¯s gaze was sharp as he looked at the neer. ¡°I¡¯m a new employee with the design department, Jean Langdon.¡± Jean introduced himself and suitably added, ¡°I won¡¯t get in your way, Mr. Crawford, so I¡¯ll go upstairs now.¡± Luke¡¯s expression did not change, but right here and now, his entire body seemed to be covered in a layer of frost that kept everyone away. Once he returned to his room upstairs, Luke undid the exquisitely-designed buttons on his sleeves as he nced at the two children. They had tired themselves out ying and were now fast asleep on the bed. He then walked toward the bar in the suite and uncorked a bottle of red wine, pouring himself a ss. Frowning, he downed the whole ss, the cool liquid flowing into this throat. Not longter, the two children woke up. The older brother was the first to wake up, brushing his teeth and washing his face. Once done, he obediently came back to the room and helped his sister pick out her princess dress. ¡°What¡¯s up with Dad, Big Bro?¡± Rainie asked in a whisper. Her brother shook his head. He did not know what was wrong with their father either, but he did know that ¡°kids shouldn¡¯t ask about adult things¡±. ... Downstairs. Jean put hisptop bag down and gave Bianca a hug. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Bianca was not used to the sudden hug. The two of them had been officially dating for a year now, but they were rarely ever intimate. Bianca had an aversion to physical touch, and Jean respected that, so he never overstepped his boundaries. This time, though, Jean was acting all out of sorts. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just missed you, so I wanted to hug you,¡± Jean said wearily. Bianca did not reply. That night, the two of them had dinner together. After that, Jean suggested that they go shopping to buy a set of clothing to change into. He had been dragged out on a trip on very short notice, so he did not have anything to change into. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. It was half-past nine at night by the time they bought everything they needed and returned to the hotel. ¡°I want a room, thanks.¡± Jean took out his ID and handed it to the receptionist. Bianca was waiting for him at the side. She could not help but remember how the receptionist had said that there were no rooms avablest night. The receptionist searched through the database, and just as Bianca expected, she looked up and said, ¡°Sorry, sir, but we don¡¯t have any empty rooms right now.¡± Jean frowned and thought it over before turning to look at Bianca. The two of them went into the elevator and headed upstairs. As they walked toward Bianca¡¯s room, Jean said, ¡°Can I stay in your room for the night? You can take the bed and I¡¯ll take the couch.¡± Bianca blinked. ¡°I¡¯m your boyfriend, Bea. It¡¯s been five years. Are you saying you still don¡¯t trust me?¡± Jean looked at Bianca with disappointment and sadness in his eyes. She instantly felt guilty. Over the past five years, Jean had taken very good care of her. It did not matter if he was pursuing her, because unlike other men, he did not woo her just to get into her pants. In that sense, Jean treated her very respectfully. ¡°Alright, you can take the couch,¡± she said, worried that she would hurt him. ¡­ At the same time. In the suite dining room. The Crawford family of three was sitting together. Rainie held her fried chicken, burying her face in it as she ate away. There were still tears hanging from hershes; she had clearly had to cry her way to her fried chicken. Jason had been summoned here all of a sudden by his boss, and right now he was feeling quite lost. ¡°Does that design department rookie have anywhere to stay?¡± Luke said without any emotion in his voice. Jason did not know why the boss was suddenly concerned about a design department rookie¡¯s amodation, but he replied honestly, ¡°The hotel doesn¡¯t have any more free rooms, and he did not go to any other hotel either. I think he ns to stay with his girlfriend for the night.¡± After he made that report, Jason noticed a clear look of ¡°extreme unhappiness¡± in his boss¡¯ eyes. Jason was always quite good at reading others¡¯ expressions, but he could never really read his boss. This time, though, he could. After giving it some real thought, Jason figured he should rethink his opinion of Bianca Rayne. Rainie was still pouting after she finished her fried chicken. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna be with mean Daddy!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be naughty, Rainie,¡± her brother said. ¡°Mean Daddy, mean Daddy, mean Daddy! Mean Lanie, mean Lanie, mean Lanie¡­¡± Rainie harrumphed. Jason could tell what was happening, but he did not expose them. Instead, he said, ¡°How about this, Rainie? Shall I take you to thatdy fromst night? You can stay with her.¡± Rainie did not say anything, but she immediately got up from her chair, seemingly determined to have Jason take her to Miss Bea. Jason nced at his boss, who remained wordless. Since there were no objections, Jason took Rainie out of the dining hall and left the suite, sending her over to Bianca¡¯s ce instead. The elevator headed downstairs. Before Jason could reach Bianca¡¯s floor, his phone rang. ¡°Mr. Crawford,¡± Jason said when he picked up the phone, surprised. After the call, Jason frowned but had to carry out his orders anyway. Late that night, Sue sat in the car, sleepy and exhausted as she ranted to Bianca, "I think that Director Shaw''s daughter is a blight to us all. I mean, she just showed up for a day and we''re all suffering the consequences. Why else would the boss be so mad that he orders us to leave A City overnight? Like, oh my goodness! This is going beyond heartless, the boss is practically insane! We already spent the money on the hotel rooms, but he won''t let us stay in them? Does he enjoy watching us suffer on the road like this?!" Bianca was mentally exhausted too. She had no idea what the boss was thinking. Jean sat in the passenger seat, whereas Tom was driving. It was extremelyte at night now. At the H City hotel. Luke stood alone on the hotel room balcony, taking his time with a cigarette. When he blew out the smoke, he frowned deeply, letting his emotions show. Anyone who had ever dealt with him in the world of business knew that he had no weaknesses whatsoever. It was like he was covered in solid armor everywhere. He had a few sses in his room earlier, and the alcohol made him look slightly intoxicated. When he remembered how she moaned five years ago and how she put up a vicious fightst night, he could not help butugh at himself coldly, lowering his head and extinguishing the cigarette in an ashtray. Early the next morning. Jason Doyle and his boss plus thetter''s kids headed for H City International Airport. Luke''s handsome face was covered in clouds the entire time. Jason followed behind him, but he could not help but think to himself, ''Boss, you might be able to stop the two of them from sharing a room in an H City hotel, but you might not be able to stop them from going back to their love nest in A City! ''After all, who are you to interfere? You can''t butt into their lives too much.'' Chapter 13 Jean’s Expressionless Taunt Chapter 13 Jean¡¯s Expressionless Taunt By the time they returned to A City, it was already morning. Naturally, Tom drove thepany Bentley back to thepany. Sue alighted from the car. On the other side, Jean brought Bianca¡¯s luggage down from the trunk as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll send you back home first so you can rest. Sleep well, and I¡¯lle find you at night.¡± Bianca nodded. They pushed their luggage along as they said goodbye to Sue and Tom. After that, they walked to the roadside and hailed a cab. Jean was thinking he should go buy a car tomorrow. It was too inconvenient without a car. Bianca was both tired and sleepy. She had slept for slightly over two hours in the carst night, but sleeping in the car was by no meansfortable. Before they could find a cab, Jean¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Let me pick this up.¡± Jean looked at his phone and gave Bianca¡¯s a heads-up before epting the call. Bianca looked at him and saw that he was frowning. He said ¡°okay¡± into the phone a few times before adding, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be there.¡± ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Bianca asked after he hung up. ¡°Yeah. Our team leader said all of us have to be there before lunch for a meeting. They want to strike while the iron is hot and discuss the next steps,¡± Jean said, looking like he had a headacheing on. That was when a cab drove around the corner. Bianca looked at the cab and took his luggage from him. ¡°Go on, then. I can go back myself.¡± Jean felt really guilty. As her boyfriend, it was only natural for him to send his girlfriend home after she returned from an exhausting business trip. Yet now he had to eschew that responsibility because of his work. Bianca got into the cab. It began to drive slowly away. Bianca drifted in and out of sleep. After some time, the cabbie turned around and told Bianca in the backseat, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Bianca opened her eyes and saw she was outside her neighborhood. Clearing her mind, she got out of the car. The cold was making her feel very ufortable. In the five years since she left A City, she had lived independently and gotten used to toughing it out alone whenever anything went wrong. A cold or fever was nothing to her anymore. Still, no matter how strong she was, she was still just a girl. She still wanted care and concern. However, Jean did not seem to notice that she was sick at all, and that left her a little disappointed. It had been two days and one night since she left home, and now she was back. She was so exhausted that Her brain was heavy. She might have fallen asleep for a while, but when she next woke up, she felt as though she was breathing fire. She propped herself up and went in search of medicine for her cold and fever. Her hand was halfway through taking a ss of water when her bell rang. Bianca hit the inte and asked weakly, ¡°Who is it?¡± She was renting this room. Aside from Jean and Nina, no one else knew about it. ¡°Good day, Miss Rayne. I¡¯m from the neighborhood hospital, someone ordered a home call for you. Something about giving you a shot?¡± The visitor was a girl dressed in a whiteb coat and carrying her medicine kit. Bianca thought it over. Who called them? Was it Jean? So Jean did notice that she was sick. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Perhaps it was because she was ill and weak, but Bianca¡¯s heart was fragile and sensitive right now. Forget a house call, even a simple prescription cold medicine would have been enough to touch her heart and move her. After she had that drip, someone delivered some food to her too. Bianca¡¯s whole body was aching when she went to open the door, but then she realized it was no ordinary delivery. There was a veritable feast there, the kind that she only saw in idol dramas. ¡°Please sign here.¡± The man and woman who had brought the food looked at Bianca, their gazes complicated. Bianca felt rather awkward. She lived in a very average neighborhood, and no matter how you looked at it, she was just a regr sry worker. There was no way she was used to luxurious spreads like this. She signed the bill and the two delivery people left. Faced with such a fancy meal, Bianca was actually a bit lost. Jean came from a middle-ss family, and he was not all that wealthy. She could ept it when he spent a bit of money on movies or restaurant meals usually, but something this crazy gave her a bit of a headache. Still, he already ordered it. Although she did not have much of an appetite because she was sick, she still tried her best to eat a few more bites. The meal was mostly mild in taste and easy to eat, as though it was meant specifically for sick patients. After lunch, she cleaned up her house and sent Jean a message on WeChat. She just wrote two words. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°For what?¡± Jean replied. Bianca blinked for a second before she thought it through. Maybe he thought that it was too formal to thank him, since he was her boyfriend after all. That was why she responded with, ¡°I still think I should thank you.¡± Jean¡¯s response came after a long pause. ¡°Why are you acting all sappy all of a sudden?¡± Bianca knew that she was not being sappy, she was just moved. She lost her father¡¯s love to another mother and daughter, and she had not been in contact with her aunts and uncles for a long time now. They barely counted as her family anymore. In other words, she was probably the loneliest of them all. Now, the only ones who could give her any warmth were the siblings, Jean and Nina. Jean had said in the morning that he woulde visit her at night. However, he called again in the afternoon and said that something hade up, so he could not make it. Bianca looked at the three dishes and one soup that she had made for Jean. She said nothing. After she covered all the food with cling wrap, she put it all into the fridge. The next day. In the morning, Jean drove over to pick Bianca up. Bianca got into the car, her cold making her voice sound thick and nasally. Jean looked at her. ¡°Oh, do you have a cold?¡± Bianca paused in the middle of putting on her seatbelt, turning to look at Jean in the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Was it cold?¡± Jean reached out his arm in concern and touched her forehead. It was really hot to the touch, so she immediately took off her seatbelt. ¡°Wait for me. There¡¯s a pharmacy fifty meters away.¡± Bianca watched him as he left the car to get some medicine. That made it plenty obvious. What he was saying told her without a doubt that he had known about her cold before this. So that house call and fancy feast for patients yesterday afternoon¡­ There was no way it could be Nina! Nina was busy with work. She barely had time for herself, and Bianca did not even dare to chat Nina up since she returned to A City, lest she disturbed Nina in the middle of her drafting process. Just then, the phone in her bag vibrated, buzzing. Dazed, Bianca took out her phone and looked at the caller ID. It was an unknown number. ¡°Hello? Who is this?¡± Bianca was confused now. ¡°There¡¯s a present for you, Miss Rayne, but I rang your doorbell and you don¡¯t seem to be at home,¡± the delivery man said loudly. ¡°A present?¡± Bianca looked out the car window. ¡°I¡¯m at the entrance to the neighborhood.¡± When she epted the call, she undid her belt and opened the door, getting out of the car. Two minutester, a delivery man with a green vest approached her with a smile, immediately giving her a bouquet of flowers. ¡°Flowers for you, Miss Rayne. They were flown in here this morning itself. Please sign here!¡± ¡°Who gave me these flowers?¡± Bianca asked solemnly. That was all she cared about. They were flown in here! How much money must that cost? The delivery man shook his head,ughing. ¡°Sorry, the client paid, and all we have to do is deliver it.¡± The huge bouquet of flowers fell into her hands. The delivery man drove away. Bianca was left frozen on the spot, moving not even an inch. The flowers were beautiful and their fragrance faint yet pleasant, but she was in no mood to savor the moment. ¡°Bianca.¡± Jean¡¯s voice came from behind her. He sounded a little less than pleased. Bianca turned around. The beautiful flowers formed a stark contrast against the dark expression on Jean¡¯s face. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know who gave me these flowers.¡± Bianca was worried Jean would misunderstand. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Jean looked directly at her, the panic in his eyes slowly turning to an usation. Expressionlessly, he said with sarcasm dripping from his voice, ¡°Flowers flown in specially for you. How romantic, how extravagant!¡± Chapter 14 Bianca’s Face Instantly Reddens Chapter 14 Bianca¡¯s Face Instantly Reddens ¡°I don¡¯t know who they¡¯re from,¡± Bianca repeated. She did not want to see Jean¡¯s hurt gaze. She did not want any more stains in her life. However, there was a fury burning in Jean¡¯s eyes as he said, ¡°You don¡¯t know who they¡¯re from? Are you kidding? Do you take me for a fool? Bianca Rayne, it¡¯s barely been a week since we came back, and you already have another man in your life. If it¡¯s strictly tonic, which man would spend so much money flying in fresh flowers for you?¡± Bianca could not stand the way Jean was staring daggers at her. She knew she did no wrong. Her conscience was clear. It was true that she did not know who sent her the flowers. ¡°I¡¯m going to work.¡± Finally, Bianca just said those words to Jean calmly, turning around and throwing the flowers into a rubbish bin nearby without giving them another nce. Jean watched her back as Bianca walked over to the opposite side of the road calmly. Instinctively, his hands clenched into fists. She walked toward the subway station and out of sight. Jean was still standing by the roadside, feeling a knot of fury in his chest that he could not swallow down. He then turned around and smashed his fist into themppost, his teeth clenched. It hurt terribly, like his bones had shattered, but it still did not calm him down. So it seemed like he would only feel secure after he married her. ¡­ At thepany. Bianca could not focus on anything she did. On the way here by subway, she had given it a lot of thought. Now, she had a suspect in her mind. Still, it was all so absurd. When they were at H City, Luke Crawford had called her phone. That meant that, as her boss, he had a way to get her contact number and address. It was ridiculously easy for a boss to obtain all of his subordinate¡¯s personal details. Bianca was lost in thought when her phone rang. It was just one notification beep, telling her she had WeChat messages. ¡°Sorry, I was too rash. ¡°I¡¯m too afraid of losing you. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad. Let¡¯s sit down and talk it over.¡± Jean sent a string of messages. Bianca did not reply to a single one at first. No one liked being suspected of infidelity for no reason. At noon. Nina brought her lunch over to Bianca at the cafeteria, saying, ¡°My brother asked me to help him get back in your good books. He says he got jealous and ticked you off.¡± Bianca lowered her head and kept eating without a word. ¡°C¡¯mon, Bianca, stop torturing my brother.¡± Nina could not help but burst outughing. ¡°He just cares about you that much. His jealousy is also a sign of his love for you. Seriously, I don¡¯t think you know how much he likes you! I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re more important to him than me or my parents. You¡¯re the apple of his eyes, his greatest treasure.¡± Bianca thought it over and felt significantly less upset. Actually, when she thought about it from another angle, she would probably fly off the handle and throw usations everywhere too if she bumped into a girl secretly sending Jean presents¡­ ¡­ That afternoon. The head of the design department kept his door open the entire time. Bianca passed by quite often when she went to get herself water. ¡°Who wants to run an errand?¡± the head of the department asked without looking up. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Bianca was passing by again, and she replied with a gleam in her eyes. Her colleagues looked at her gratefully. Everyone was busy with their work, so it would be great if Bianca could help them settle some menial tasks. There was something she had to bring to the president¡¯s office this time too. That was exactly the opportunity Bianca had been waiting for. She went to the top floor. Then she went into the presidential office. Once there, Bianca put the blueprint down, but she did not leave immediately. ¡°Anything else?¡± Luke did not even look up, so she could not see his expression. His pretty and slender masculine fingers moved across therge blueprint spread across the office desk. He looked so solemn and serious when he was working. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Crawford,¡± Bianca ventured. Her heart began to race uncontrobly as she threw out the bait. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡®You¡¯re so dumb, Bianca. If you guessed wrong, changing the subject will be so awkward!¡¯ To her surprise, Luke¡¯s hands on the blueprint suddenly paused, and he raised his head to look at her, his gaze overbearing as he said, ¡°Not bad, you know the master who fed you. At least you¡¯re not as stupid as I thought.¡± ¡°...¡± Bianca was speechless. How was she stupid? And what did he mean by ¡°master¡±? She was a living, breathing human being here, and he talked about feeding her like a pet¡­ Of course, the president¡¯s choice of words did not really matter. Bianca asked, ¡°I don¡¯t know you did all that, Mr. Crawford.¡± ¡°You took care of Lanie and Rainie. That wasn¡¯t easy,¡± Luke said matter-of-factly. ¡°And I slept in your bed when I was drunk. I¡¯m truly sorry for that. If it weren¡¯t for me, you wouldn¡¯t have fallen sick.¡± Bianca was stunned. She had barely interacted with Luke Crawford for more than five minutes in H City after she fell sick, so how¡­ could he tell that she was ill? ¡°Thank you.¡± Bianca stayed where she stood, a little embarrassed. In order to prevent any future complications, she added, ¡°That pensation¡¯ is already more than enough. Please don¡¯t give me anything else, Mr. Crawford. As your employees, it¡¯s only natural for us to help you out.¡± The way she spoke was distant, as though they wereplete strangers. Luke suddenly chuckled. It was only once, and his expression was unreadable. Like a high-and-mighty prince, he raised a brow and said, ¡°You sure are confident, aren¡¯t you? Thinking that I¡¯d give you anything else.¡± Bianca¡¯s face instantly reddened! She was just worried that her boss would suddenly decide to send her something else. If he did, there was no way she would be able to exin to Jean. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be going downstairs now.¡± Bianca nodded politely and turned around. She was running away with her tail between her legs. ¡°Stand right there.¡± The man spoke suddenly behind her. Startled, Bianca stopped. ¡°You said it¡¯s only natural for you employees to help me out, right?¡± Luke¡¯s voice was as deep as usual, so she could not tell what he was feeling at all. Bianca was properly panicked now. Still, she nodded anyway. Luke pointed a finger at a few books stacked on top of the coffee table. There were cartoon sheets there too, and he gave her an order. ¡°Stay here and wrap those books for my kids.¡± ¡°Wrap their books?¡± Bianca looked at the books. ¡°You had better be quiet as you do it, too. Don¡¯t get in the way of my work.¡± With that, Luke went back to focusing on his work, frowning as he devoted himself to his task at hand. Bianca had no choice but to head over to the coffee table. It had been many years since shest wrapped books¡­ There were four books in total, with Rainie Crawford written on two of them and nche Crawford on the other two¡­ Bianca relied on her memories from elementary and middle school. She cut up the cartoon sheets and wrapped them around the books, but as she went on, she realized that it had been too long since she last did this, and she had grown extremely rusty. She was probably going to waste one of these sheets¡­ ¡°I¡­¡± Bianca clearly remembered that the boss told her not to disturb him, but she really had a question this time. Luke raised his eyes to look at her. Bianca raised her little face and met his deep gaze. She quickly lowered her head again and said, ¡°I¡­ ruined one of the cartoon sheets. There aren¡¯t enough anymore¡­¡± Her voice was soft, quiet, and gentle as she talked to him. She did not even dare to look at him, looking so timid and scared that it made the man tingle from his chest to his groin. Luke¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°It¡¯s alright. There¡¯s more.¡± There was more! Bianca heaved a sigh of relief and went over to take more. She did not need the man to guide her. Bianca immediately saw the stack of cartoon sheets under the office desk; Jason had bought all of them for Rainie and Lanie. Bianca crouched down to choose a few, and she caught sight of a Spongebob wrapper. Chapter 15 Hanging Off Of Luke Crawford Chapter 15 Hanging Off Of Luke Crawford Bianca thought that Rainie would like this Spongebob wrapper. She put the others aside and picked up the Spongebob one before getting up to leave. "Ah¡ª" When she stood up, she was fully focused on how she would best maximize the effect of the Spongebob wrapper on the book. As a result, she hadpletely forgotten about a certain man standing next to her. Bianca wore a brooch on her work clothes, and now it was caught onto the man''s leather belt¡­ "S-Sorry, I¡­" Bianca stared at the two items stuck together, feeling extremely awkward. The man lowered his head. When he looked at her, there was something unreadable deep in his eyes. "Hold on, I''ll be done in a second¡­" Bianca scrambled around, grabbing the man''s belt frantically. In all of her years, this was the first time she had grabbed a man''s belt of her own ord. On those nights five years ago, Bianca had not touched the man''s clothes or anything like that. Nothing like that had happened in the years she had been with Jean too. She did not know what was going on here. Why did all these weird things happen when she was with Luke Crawford? It was like a chemical reaction she could not avoid. The brooch had quite theplicated design and plenty of gaps in it. One of the branches had hooked onto the man''s belt buckle. Unfortunately, the brooch waspletely stuck! The more flustered Bianca grew, the harder it was to undo. The air around her was starting to heat up¡­ "How much longer will this take?" the man asked. Bianca raised her head and looked at him. Luke was very tall, and he was wearing a ck suit today. He wore a white shirt, and usually he only left two of the buttons undone, but he was in his office perusing the blueprints today, so he threw caution to the winds and undid three buttons. Bianca could almost see his well-toned pecs, even if she did not want to. The man had a narrow waist and almost perfect proportions. If he did not have body warmth to prove that he was an actual living person, someone might mistake him for a male mannequin lovingly carved by fashion experts. "I¡­ I don''t care about the brooch." Bianca tried toe up with the right words to say as she avoided his gaze. "But if I want to undo this, I''ll probably end up scratching your leather belt, sir." When she had been studying overseas, she and her friends had looked into all sorts of famous brands to elevate their understanding. Still, all they ever did was try to get to know the brands better. That was why she knew that this belt was really expensive. It was so expensive that she would not be able to make it up to him. "Getting a scratch on my belt buckle would still look better than having you hanging off of me like this." Luke looked down at the stupid woman who had been bent down at his waist and scrambling for a long time without managing to undo the brooch. It was already evening now. The twilight rays shone onto the man, giving him a surreal sense of beauty. Since he had given her the green light, Bianca kept her head down and pursed her lips, continuing to work on her brooch. Luke looked down at her like a king at his subjects. Bianca grew ever more frustrated as she failed to undo the brooch. Her soft lips were slightly parted and her warm breath blew on the man''s taut abdomen. Something was filling up his stiff body before he knew it. There was a ck. Just then, the belt buckle and brooch were finally separated. Bianca was ted, her smile spreading across her fair rosy face. She cupped the ruined brooch on her chest as she stood up. However, something seemed¡­ off. She instinctively looked down. Just one look was enough to shock her into backing away from him involuntarily. Her body gave a slight jolt, and when she looked up at the man again, her gaze was full of terror and uneasiness¡­ The handsome man was at least 180 or 190 centimeters tall, perhaps more. He stood up straight, his expression hard and solemn, like a teacher judging a female student who had done something wrong. When she met his bottomless ck eyes, Bianca felt so awkward that her mouth went dry. All she could do was apologize. "Sorry! I''ll go back to wrapping the books, Mr. Crawford!" After she apologized, Bianca picked the Spongebob wrapper from the floor next to her and went back to wrapping the books. After that, all the way until she finished wrapping the books and left, Bianca acted extremely unnatural and stiff. Every minute and every second felt as long and torturous as a millennium. The man''s status, appearance, and mature, noble bearings were like walls built around him, forbidding entry. Bianca went downstairs and took a long time before her pulse returned to normal. She had decided that she was going to stay far away from that man on the top floor from now on. Nothing seemed to go right when she was around him. Since wrapping those books had taken her a long time, quite a lot of work had piled up on Bianca''s desk. There was one advantage to being so busy, and that was she could forget about all those awkward moments in the presidential office on the top floor. "Come have dinner at my ce tonight. My brother''sing to pick us up." Nina was holding a stack of documents when she managed to find a chance to bend over and whisper into Bianca''s ear. Bianca nced at her and nodded. Nina''s gaze incidentally swept across the brooch on Bianca''s chest. "Oh? What happened to it?" Nina asked in surprise. Although it was not a very expensive or branded brooch, it was an item Bianca had treasured since high school. Nina did not know who gave Bianca that outdated essory, but she had known Bianca since her first year in high school, and she used to go to Bianca''s ce all the time. That was why she knew Bianca always had a box. The only thing in that box was this very brooch. Bianca looked down at the ruined brooch on her chest and lied, "I bumped into a kid. When I crouched down to talk to him, he grabbed my brooch and wouldn''t let go, so¡­" "Ugh, I hate brats like that." Nina figured that Bianca must be heartbroken about it. After all, she had treasured that brooch for so many years, and now it was all warped out of shape. Nina shook her head and returned to her work station. Bianca lifted a hand dazedly and softly cupped the ruined brooch. Finally, it was time to leave work. Jean had the day off today. It was thepany''s way of making it up to them for the business trip. He spent the day buying a car, handling all the documentation in a hurry and then driving the car to the company. "Sorry¡ª" Outside thepany building, Jean looked at Bianca passionately, opening the car door for her as he apologized and watched her get into the car. Nina drove her own car away in advance. Bianca got into Jean''s car, and the two of them headed toward the Langdons'' ce. On the way, Jean was focused on driving, so he did not say a thing. He frowned, seemingly lost in thought. Bianca did not say anything either, merely looking at the street outside the car window. The car drove into their neighborhood. Jean''s parents had evene downstairs to personally wee Bianca in. "Mr. and Mrs. Langdon, why are you two here?" Bianca was feeling quite bad for making theme out here. Mrs. Langdon patted Bianca''s hand enthusiastically. "Because I missed you!" "Mom! You''re even sappier with Bianca than Jean is!" Nina teased her mother. Jean walked behind his family members, one hand stuck in his pocket. There was a high-ss ck silk essory box tightly grasped in his palm right now. This marriage proposal was like the flip of a coin to Jean. He had no idea if it wouldnd on heads or tails. Other couples might not feel this way, but that was his situation with Bianca right now. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Of course he would be nervous. Chapter 16 Visit By The Father And Son Chapter 16 Visit By The Father And Son Jean knew that Bianca loved him, but he also knew that she did not love him as much as he loved her. That was why, in order to make sure the proposal seeded, once he decided to propose that noon, he asked his parents to invite his grandparents, aunts, and uncles over. All in all, there were more than a dozen of his rtives, young and old. After Bianca followed the Langdons upstairs, she was stunned in ce the second they opened the door¡­ Simrly, Nina stared at her rtives crowding the house, looking at them like they were ghosts. "You''re here, you''re here!" The one who spoke was Jean''s father''s second sister. When she saw the girl standing at the door, looking just like how she looked in the photo, the older woman immediately grabbed her mother''s arm and said excitedly, "That''s Jean''s girlfriend, Bianca Rayne. She''s right there at the door! Oh, what a beauty. Come over here and check her out, Mom¡­" Bianca was rendered speechless. "Come on in." Jean looked at her tenderly, tugging at her hand. Out of politeness, Bianca had to force herself to smile at all of Jean''s rtives. Jean''s grandmother never once let go of Bianca''s hand, holding it in her palm and patting it gently every time she said anything. Bianca was getting a premonition of something that felt neither good nor bad. Her gaze sought Jean out and found him smoking on the balcony, his hands in his pockets. He looked stressed, as though something was weighing heavily on his heart. Dinner was especially fancy that night. Nina said, "This food is better than anything we''ve had, even during New Year''s¡­" Jean''s grandparents and parents sat at the main table. Jean and Bianca took their seats there as well. Everyone else sat at another table. As they ate, they only chatted about trivial things. Bianca was almost done with her meal and was about to put down her cutlery when Jean suddenly looked her in the eye and said, "Come with me." The two of them went to one of the smaller bedrooms. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. It was Jean''s room. "What''s the matter?" Bianca''s voice was very soft and gentle as she asked, like the sweet warm sunshine in the mid-morning between dawn and noon. Jean''s gaze on her was determined and tender at the same time. He took her hand, his voice trembling slightly as he said, "I have to apologize to you. What happened this morning was my fault." "Oh, don''t worry. I''m not angry about it anymore." That was Bianca''s reply. "Thank you. Thank you for understanding my fears and worries." Jean reached out and pulled her into his embrace, closing his eyes as he said weakly, "You don''t know how scared I am of losing you." Bianca fell silent. Jean continued, "You know, I fell in love a long, long time ago, from the moment you first set foot in my house. Back then, you were a high school freshman¡­ I really felt like I was sinning for loving such a young girl. I tried turning my affections to other girls, but I never felt anything for them other than annoyance. Eventually, I realized that you would grow up someday. All I had to do was wait quietly. "Finally, you grew up, and we had the chance to study overseas together. "You have experienced harrowing events in the past. When you came clean and told me everything, to be honest, I was devastated¡­" When she heard that, Bianca''s body could not help a tiny shudder. So he did mind, after all! "Hear me out." Jean hugged her even tighter and continued, "I wasn''t upset because you were unclean. I was upset at myself. I hated myself for not walking into your life from the start. I hated myself for not taking care of you well enough, for allowing you to suffer like that. "Bianca, you must understand. No other man in the world has loved you longer than I have, with more conviction than I do¡­" Perhaps it was because he truly was terrified of losing her, but Jean''s voice gradually went from slight trembling to choked sobs. Of course Bianca was moved. Her heart felt like a puddle of warmth in her chest. Finally, her prayers came true. There really was someone who loved her sincerely. She was trying her best to forget everything in the past. That rich and powerful man from back then had wanted that too, after all. She still remembered what thatdy butler said to her. "I hope you have a good life from now on." After that incident, Bianca had wondered to herself. Would she really be able to have a good life after what she went through? Still, that was the path she had chosen, and she was not going to regret walking it. If she did have a good life after that, she would consider herself fortunate. If she did not, she would have no one else to me. Bianca figured that a good life did not need to be one filled with wealth and power. She just wanted someone who loved and understood her, someone with simr values in life. All she wanted was to have someone like that to cherish, and to cherish her in return, so that they may share a peaceful and uneventful life until they turned old and contented. This someone was, without a doubt, Jean Langdon. Bianca stepped out of his embrace and looked at him as she said, "Don''t be so insecure. You''re making me feel really guilty. I''m not all that special at all; no man would notice me." Jean could not help but remember that bouquet of fresh flowers, flown in especially for her. "Even if someone did, I know I''ll be able to hold myself back," Bianca said solemnly. Jean''s confidence was restored now, and he held her hand again. The two of them left the room. Bianca wanted to walk toward the couch, but Jean forcefully kept her in the middle of the living room with a hug. "What are you doing?" Bianca looked up at Jean with a questioning gaze. His expression had suddenly turned strange. Just then, in front of all his rtives and elders, Jean pulled a ck silk jewelry box from his pocket and opened it toward her! "Whoa, that''s so sudden!" Nina could not help a gasp, her hand flying to her mouth. No wonder he called all these rtives over. He had been nning to propose all along! Jean fell onto one knee in front of Bianca. In front of his entire extended family, he beseeched her, "Marry me, Bianca Rayne. Join my parents and rtives as part of my beloved family. Be my closest lover¡­" Bianca, "..." She had never even imagined the day she would be proposed to. She always thought that marriage was a long way away for her. "Say yes, dear!" Jean''s mother could not help but grow anxious when Bianca failed to respond. Nina nudged Bianca as well. She had no other choice. From the day she nodded and agreed to date Jean, Bianca had known that, barring unforeseen circumstances, it was only a matter of time before she married Jean¡­ ¡­ Bianca stayed and chatted with Jean''s grandparents until it was past 9pm before she finally managed to escape. Jean drove her back to her neighborhood. Bianca got out of the car. "You can just leave me here. I want to have a little walk on my own." Too much had happened that day, and it had been a veritable rollercoaster. She needed some time to herself to get her mind sorted. "Okay. Sleep early." Jean did not push her too hard. After they bid each other goodbye, Bianca watched him drive his Audi Q5 away. The streetlights in the neighborhood were on, so it was not dark at all. Some people were still walking around the area in a bid to strengthen their bodies. Bianca walked back toward her block. When she reached the door and put her hand into her bag to find the keys to the block, a little boy''s voice called out to her, sweetly and full of anticipation. "Lady!" She turned around and followed the source of the voice. What she saw made her pause. Behind the streemp, there were two people standing straight and solemnly. One was an adult and the other a child. Luke Crawford''s defined features were hidden in the shadows where the light could not reach. His expression was less than kind when he stared at her, his cold gaze harboring a nasty temper that was on the brink of an outburst. Meanwhile, the boy was biting his lip pitifully, with nary a trace of his previous arrogance at the hotel. He looked at his father and then at Bianca. "Why¡­ are you two here?" Bianca was absolutely stumped. Chapter 17 As If They’re Unrelated Chapter 17 As If They¡¯re Unrted "We''re here to¡­" Before the boy could finish that sentence, he saw an olderdy walking toward them. Was this grandma Miss Bea¡¯s mother? ¡°Hi, Grandma!¡± Lanie greeted her politely. Grandma¡­? Bianca followed Lanie¡¯s gaze and looked behind her. There was an older woman in her fifties, wearing a white-and-pink Adidas tracksuit. She was just passing by, but then she suddenly stopped in front of the three of them. Luke knew that she was not Bianca¡¯s mother, so he did not greet her. ¡°Is something the matter, ma¡¯am?¡± Bianca was confused by the woman¡¯s intense stare. The woman then frowned and began to sincerely advise her, ¡°Once you¡¯re married, girl, you gotta learn how to take care of your family. You can¡¯t let your husband and child go hungry. I mean, look at you! It¡¯s already thiste, and you¡¯re only back now?¡± By ¡°your husband¡±, she clearly meant that man with the poker face behind her. Bianca felt quite embarrassed and awkward. She was about to exin when the woman looked at Luke instead and turned on him mercilessly as well. ¡°You¡¯re not being a very good husband either. You can¡¯t go throwing a tantrum at your wife just because she ticked you off. What kind of an example are you giving your son? These days, men have to learn how to cook too. You can¡¯t ask your wife to take care of all the housework alone. You married a wife, not a maid!¡± Bianca was starting to think that the woman was going too far. How could she misunderstand something like this?! After all, anyone should be able to tell at a nce that the two of them were from vastly different worlds. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ma¡¯am, you¡¯re mistaken. He¡¯s just my boss, and I¡¯m just his employee,¡± Bianca exined hastily. After a pause, the woman opened her mouth again, but she did not manage to say anything. She just appraised the man, woman, and child once more¡­ As if they were unrted. Did they take her for a fool? ¡®It¡¯s clear as day that you have something to do with that handsome man! ¡®Seriously, what has the worlde to these days? To think that there¡¯s a sugar baby living here in this area¡­¡¯ Bianca was misunderstood for no apparent reason, and she pursed her lips as she watched that woman leave. She had no idea what she should say to the father and son if she turned around now. After all, she was not really familiar with the man or the boy. She knew very well what an unmarried girl should and should not do. It was fine for her to interact with other men for work, but it was wholly unsuitable for her to meet with another man in the middle of the night privately. Luke suddenly looked down at his son next to him and said in a low voice, ¡°You have something to say, right? Get on with it!¡± Bianca turned around. nche Crawford blinked at the two adults. He had no idea what he was supposed to say¡­ but Dad said that he had something to say¡­ and he wanted him to say it now! Oh, Lanie remembered now! He was only here because his dad wanted a sidekick, though. The little boy walked over with his short legs and carried two huge boxes from a dark corner with his short arms. It seemed to take him some herculean effort. One of the boxes was light blue, and the other was white. They even had silk ribbons on them. ¡°Miss Bea, these presents are for you.¡± Lanie even turned around to look at his father after he said that, worried that he had said something wrong. nche was still a short little kid, after all. Bianca could hear what he was saying, but she did not see his face. Although she did not want any more gifts from Luke Crawford, Bianca decided to ept them for now when she saw how hard it was for the boy to hold the gifts up. At least that way she could see his face¡­ Bianca met the boy¡¯s eyes as he looked up at her, and they exchanged a friendly smile. ¡°Why did you give me this?¡± Bianca asked the boy at her feet, but she was waiting for his father to answer. What she did not know was that the icy-cold man happened to see the diamond ring on her left ring finger right at that moment¡­ The ring meant that she was already engaged. ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t know either¡­¡± nche was not guarded around Bianca any more. His expression was pure and innocent, befitting his age, and he scratched his hand as he turned around to look at his father in confusion. ¡°Since you¡¯ve done what you had to do, let¡¯s go home!¡± Luke told his son. His dark deep ck eyes gave Bianca, her arms full of the presents, one more nce before he turned and left. Bianca and Lanie both looked at the man who had left all of a sudden. ¡°My dad, he¡­¡± Lanie wanted to say something, but he shut his mouth again halfway through the sentence, looking disappointed. Bianca was exasperated. ¡°I really can¡¯t ept these presents, though.¡± ¡°Why?¡± She could not exin the real reason why to a five-year-old boy. He would not understand anyway. That was why she had toe up with a reason a child would understand, saying, ¡°I can¡¯t ept a reward that I didn¡¯t earn.¡± With that, she put the presents back in Lanie¡¯s arms with a smile. ¡°You should catch up to your father before he goes too far away. Take these presents back to him for me.¡± ¡­ There was a white Porsche stopped by the curb at the entrance to the neighborhood. The man¡¯s expression was dark as he sat in the driver¡¯s seat, one hand on his steering wheel while his other hand was raised. There was a cigarette between his fingers, and he brought it to his mouth, taking a dreg from it viciously. ¡°Do you see the trash can behind you? Throw it in there!¡± Luke said coldly, staring at the presents his son had carried back to the car. ¡­ When they were back at the Crawfords¡¯ ce. Luke had barely pulled the car to a stop when he saw his son take off his seatbelt and leap out of the car. The boy had not said anything the entire way back. Old Master Crawford was having tea in the yard. When he saw his little great-grandson rush out of the car and into the car, going upstairs without a word, he was quite shocked. ¡°What happened to my little great-grandson? Who made him that upset?¡± For one, Luke and Lanie had never once argued with each other in the past five years. Luke loosened his tie slightly and strode into the mansion. ¡°Did little Lanie bump into another woman trying to make a move on you again?¡± Luke¡¯s mother, Allison Tanner, came out to take her son¡¯s coat and hazarded a guess. Luke shook his head. Just like that, Allison was stumped. What else could have happened? That was usually the only thing that would get to Lanie like that. Lanie and Rainie had been very protected growing up, and they did not get to meet many other people. When they were younger, they did not even understand the concept of a mother. It was only when they got to know other children that the two of them found out. Other kids had a mother as well as a father. The moment Lanie got home that day, he asked, ¡°Where¡¯s our mother?¡± Old Master Crawford continued lying to the children, saying they had no mother. However, Lanie understood a lot of things at five years old, and his great-grandfather¡¯s lies could not fool him this time. The sheer desire in his eyes had the old man defeated, and thetter sighed. ¡°Your mother went somewhere very far away. If shees back one day, I¡¯ll ask your father to introduce you to her.¡± Only Lanie heard and remembered those words, taking them to heart. Allison passed her son¡¯s coat to the maid, who took it away. Going to the window, Allison looked downstairs. As Luke¡¯s mother and the two children¡¯s grandmother, it was impossible for her to not be curious about the children¡¯s mother¡¯s true identity. Still, five years had passed since then, and it would be very difficult to find out the details of the deal back then now. As his mother, it was not as though she had never asked Luke before. He simply did not say a single word about it. As for Faye Thomas and Charles Finn, the ones who had once served by her son¡¯s side, they had long since retired due to illness. Allison thought that she might pay them a visit one day if she was in the area. Maybe they might let something slip... Chapter 18 You Won’t Find A Wife Chapter 18 You Won¡¯t Find A Wife The next day. Bianca only left the house at eight o¡¯clock. It only took her twenty minutes to get to work via subway. At times like these, Bianca was really d that she managed to rent a cheap ce this close to thepany. When she walked out of her unit, Bianca could not help but raise her hand to try and shield her face from the rising sun. She had not managed to sleepst night, so her eyes were really tired when she got out of bed this morning. The sunlight was enough to make her eyes very ufortable. Last night, Bianca had spent a lot of time mulling over it and analyzing all the possibilities. Why was the almighty president giving her so many gifts like this? Were the house call and healthy feast back then really a sign of his appreciation because she helped take care of the kids for a while? Were the imported flowers really a friendly greeting to her since she was ill? Nevertheless, that man did not look friendly in the slightest. She was even more stumped about the two gift boxes fromst night. Regardless, be it thevishness of the deliveries or the surprise gift fromst night, all of it made Bianca quite uneasy. What kind of a person was Luke Crawford? What kind of a person was she?! The former was the one-and-only president of T Group. He was not your average Joe; in fact, he was one of the kings in the business world. Most importantly, even if he was a normal guy on the streets, he would still be a man among men. He had a body that served as the envy of many, and handsome features to boot. It would be no exaggeration to say that he was the man of every woman¡¯s dream. On the other hand, Bianca was nothing. If there was anything she had going for her, she could only name two things. One was that she was a woman, and the second was that she was alive. Luke¡¯s actions were giving Bianca a crazy idea, but it was so absurd that it made Bianca feel like she was vastly overestimating herself¡­ If he wanted to find a mistress, Luke would be able to find any kind of woman he liked, right? Why would he ever want a in Jane like her? That made no sense. ¡­ Outside the neighborhood. Bianca was about to cross the road as usual, but when she was looking across the street for cars, she saw an old cleaner wearing a yellow vest clear the trash from the rubbish bins. The old man pulled out a box. It was followed by another box. One was blue and the other white. These were the two boxes Lanie broughtst night, right? The old man crouched down and opened the boxes. Just then, the two trendily-dressed women walked out of the neighborhood. ¡°Old man, did you find that?¡± One of the women looked like she was in her mid-twenties. She rushed over to the old man and asked him about it. To the old man, clothes were not all that worth picking up. Even his old wife could not really wear these clothes. A car passed by Bianca. When Bianca next looked at the trash can, she saw that the two women had already struck a deal with the old man, asking to buy the items the old man had found. ¡°Here¡¯s two hundred bucks, old man. Hang on to it!¡± Once they paid the money, the two women exchanged a look before pouncing at the other box the old man was holding. ¡°Hold on.¡± Bianca walked over to them and looked at the boxes, telling the old man, ¡°I want the clothes and this blue box. I¡¯ll pay you ten thousand for them.¡± The two women immediately looked at Bianca with some hostility. Where did this busybodye from?! Bianca did not feel like she was being red at for no reason. After all, she dide here with rtively hostile intentions. These items did not belong to her because she had rejected Luke¡¯s gifts, but now, they belonged to this old man. These Ralph Lauren clothes were one of the highest-end outfits a working woman could ask for, and even female celebrities wore these when they attended events. The Tiffany brooch was worth even more than that. These items cost at least a hundred and fifty thousand together, but these two women were trying to get them for two hundred? They were way too greedy here¡­ ¡°Ten¡­ Ten thousand?¡± The old man was struck dumb. Bianca nodded, looking very sincere. ¡°Old man, I¡¯ll give you fifteen thousand!¡± The woman who had paid the man earlier red at Bianca again and then lowered her head to look for her bank card. She was nning to go get some cash nearby right now. It did not look like the old man had Alipay or anything like that anyway. ¡°Twenty thousand.¡± In the face of the old man¡¯s disbelieving look, Bianca said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you twenty thousand.¡± The old man¡¯s expression clearly said, ¡°I know I¡¯m old, but I hope you¡¯re not taking me for a ride here.¡± ¡°Could they be fake?¡± said one of the women to her friend with the bank card. ¡°They could be scammers working together to deceive us. Think about it! Who would ever find luxury items like these at the entrance to a small neighborhood?¡± The woman with the bank card gave it some thought and backed away, worried that it was a con. ¡°True. I nearly got carried away by a scam! It must be fake!¡± The woman put the bank card away and harrumphed, turning to leave with her friend. The old man returned to his senses and grew angry. ¡°Who are you calling a scammer?! I think you three are the scammers here. You¡¯re trying to work together and con me of my money!¡± ¡­ Twenty minutester, Bianca brought the old man to a luxury store. With the receipt and the brooch, she easily exchanged the item for money. Bianca handled everything herself. The old man did not understand anything at all, and he was still feeling uneasy when he held the money in his hands. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a scammer, sir. Since you found the things, they¡¯re yours.¡± Bianca had not epted these goods last night, so she was not going to ask for them now either. They were branded goods, brand new with the receipt intact. There was no way they would not be able to exchange the things for money. ¡°What kind of a lucky fortune is this?¡± The old man hugged the bag of money, on the verge of tears. He was both ecstatic and terrified. ¡°This is five years¡¯ worth of my medicine right here! No one wille sue meter, will they?¡± Bianca assured him that would not happen and then nced at the old man¡¯sme leg. ... By the time Bianca reached thepany, it was half-past ten. A chat with the old man told Bianca that he lived alone with his old wife, since they did not have any kids. In his first year as a cleaner, however, the old man had his leg injured in a car ident with a clumsy young man. The culprit ran away, and they had yet to find him even now. The old man had to bear the costs of the leg surgery and follow-up medication by himself. He even said he wanted to die and get it over with, but he could not leave his old wife all alone. Bianca was suddenly grateful toward Luke Crawford. The wealthy did not care about a few hundred thousand, but this poor old man would be able to turn his life around with this money. That meant Luke had indirectly done a good deed. Bianca waste now, but what she hadpletely failed to notice was that it was Saturday today. When she arrived at thepany, she saw that there were barely any people around aside from a handful working overtime. She finally realized that today was Saturday... ¡­ It was Saturday, and the father and son were facing off against each other. Luke sat in a ck imported Land Rover, wearing a ck shirt. His expression was especially scary as he asked his son outside the car, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want toe with me?¡± ¡°No. You really disappointed me!¡± Lanie hugged his bag tightly with his two chubby little hands, pouting as he looked up at his father in the car. Puffing out his cheeks, he said, ¡°I wanted to put in a good word or two for you, so that she might like you better, but then I realized I have no idea where to start because you have no good points whatsoever! You have a bad temper, and you¡¯re not gentle at all. See, I can find so many weaknesses.¡± Luke frowned his delicate brow. He was starting to think that his son had something else in mind. To his surprise, the boy added a finishing blow. ¡°You¡¯re not gonna find a wife like that¡­¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 19 Still, This Was Her House... Chapter 19 Still, This Was Her House... nche watched as his father drove away grumpily. The boy knew that he had definitely hurt his father this time, stabbing his words right into his father¡¯s frigid heart. Rainie came down the stairs and walked out of the house, asking her brother, ¡°Where did Dad go?¡± ¡°He just left. I think I might have hurt him.¡± The boy lowered his head guiltily, sounding really upset as he admitted to his younger sister. ¡°Big Bro, I miss Miss Bea!¡± What about Dad, you ask? What about him? He was not tasty or fun, and he always looked at her so fiercely. She liked him even less than her annoying chatterbox of a teacher. Rainie Crawford never really cared if her father was around on the weekends. Miss Bea was different, though. She was pretty and smelled good too. ¡°Rainie, do you want me to take you to Miss Bea¡¯s ce? I know where she stays!¡± nche said, picking up his sister¡¯s hand. Rainie nodded. This is from N?velDrama.Org. The twins immediately came to an agreement. They left the house, hailing a ride on an app. Once they told the driver their destination, the car headed straight for Bianca¡¯s neighborhood. However, one of the Crawfords¡¯ drivers followed behind the cab in his car too. When the cars reached a neighborhood called Regal Capital, the driver called Luke and reported, ¡°Sir, the young master and youngdy are at a neighborhood called Regal Capital. They¡¯re standing outside now, and it looks like they¡¯re waiting for someone. ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll keep an eye on them.¡± Upon hanging up, the driver went back to keeping a close eye on the children, not daring to look away for even a second. ¡°Big Bro, shall we call Miss Bea?¡± Rainie raised her head and looked at the other men and women going in and out of the neighborhood. They were looking at her, too, and she was a little scared. Her brother only knew that Miss Bea lived here and which block was hers, but he did not know which floor she stayed on. nche frowned and looked at the Crawford car parked by the roadside. He just knew that Dad would have someone follow his sister and him. He was about to bring his sister over to the ¡°public telephone¡± to make a call, but they had no sooner looked away when they saw Miss Bea! When Bianca saw the two children walking hand in hand, looking out for each other, she was struck speechless once again. Why were her boss¡¯ kids always running to her ce¡­? Yes, Bianca really liked these kids, but it was still not a good idea for her to spend too much time with them or be too close to them. If anyone else found out, she could not imagine what they might say. In the worst-case scenario, she might even lose her job. Bianca walked up to them, exasperated. Looking into their innocent little faces, she asked, ¡°Why are you two here?¡± ¡°I-I brought my sister here in a cab. We got into a fight with Dad, and he yelled at my little sister. He even made her cry. We¡­ We don¡¯t have anywhere to go.¡± nche made the first move. They wanted to stay, so he had to push the me onto his father for now, making him out to be some sort of tyrant. Bianca crouched down and reassessed the two kids¡¯ pitiful looks. She reached out to touch Rainie¡¯s face, saying in concern, ¡°Be good, children, and go home, okay? Parents don¡¯t stay angry with their kids for long, and I¡¯m sure your father just lost his temper for a while there. I bet he really regrets being mad at you.¡± Bianca felt sorry for the poor kids since their dad yelled at them. But they were still someone else¡¯s kids. No matter what, she did not have the right to interfere in their family matters. Their reason to stay had been shot down. Helpless, nche squeezed his sister¡¯s hand. As though she received some holy decree, Rainie immediately lowered her head and pouted her lips. She looked like she was on the verge of bursting into tears. ¡°Alright, then. We won¡¯t disturb you anymore. Come on, let¡¯s go¡­¡± nche put on a strong face as he pulled his sister¡¯s hand, making to leave. However, Rainie would not move. Her brother yanked at her hand again, and she even fell. Her skin was thin and soft. When she fell onto the coarse road in the neighborhood, covered in stones, she instantly skinned her knees. ¡°Sob¡­¡± The girl began to cry. Bianca threw everything else aside and immediately pulled Rainie from the floor into her arms. She patted little Rainie on her back, consoling her, ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright. Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry. I¡¯ll take you to my ce and give you something nice to eat.¡± ¡°Sooob¡­¡± Rainie had been crying, but the moment the nicedy said she would take her and Lanie back home, she stopped crying in an instant. Instead, she nodded firmly and leaned into Bianca¡¯s embrace. ¡°Okay! Miss Bea, I really love you the best¡­¡± Bianca sighed soundlessly. nche followed behind her. When they reached her ce, Bianca put Rainie down and found two pairs of new slippers for the two children to put on. nche and Rainie stomped around the house in their huge slippers, but there was not much to explore. The ce had one bedroom and one living hall, making it infinitely smaller than Crawford Manor. Still, they really liked it. ¡°Rainie,e here and sit down.¡± Bianca took out her first-aid kit. Rainie obediently sat down. ¡°Hang in there, okay? Tell me if it hurts.¡± Bianca took out some ointment, cotton, and gauze. There was a bruise the size of a fingernail on the girl¡¯s knee. nche stood to a side, patting his sister¡¯s shoulder with a small hand. As expected, his sister stayed strong and did notin about the pain. She just frowned and held it in until her knee was properly bandaged. ¡°This looks really pretty.¡± Rainie looked down at her knee, as though she had never seen a bandage and gauze tied into a bow before. Bianca patted her head with a smile. When she nced at the time again, she saw that it was already eleven. ¡°Have you had lunch yet?¡± Bianca asked them. nche shook his head. ¡°Well then, you two can watch the TV for a bit and I¡¯ll make you lunch. What do you want to eat?¡± Bianca turned on the TV and found them a cartoon to watch before rummaging through the fridge for ingredients. nche looked at Rainie and said, ¡°Rainie wants fried chicken. I¡¯m okay with anything¡­ I¡¯m not picky.¡± Rainie instantly said. ¡°I¡¯m not picky either.¡± She was really easy to handle. All she wanted was something to eat so she did not go hungry. Bianca was nning to feed them well before sending them home. It took twenty minutes to cook the rice. Bianca had never saved Luke¡¯s number. All she vaguely remembered was that the number was eleven digits long, and that it was easy to recall. However, the owner of the number was too cold and distant, so she cast it out of her mind as soon as she could, afraid to memorize it. To tell the truth, even if she had saved the number or remembered it, Bianca did not really dare to call him over to pick up the kids either. Since the kids had taken a cab here, they could also take a cab back. At the most, she would secretly see the kids back to their doorstep before leaving. That was what Bianca was thinking, anyway. She made three dishes and one soup, all of them mild but healthy. Bianca had some faith in her cooking skills, definitely. After telling the kids to stay put, Bianca took her keys and went downstairs to buy fried chicken. It just so happened that there was a fried chicken chain store downstairs. It looked pretty clean and sanitary too. Having bought the chicken, Bianca rushed back to her home, worried that the dishes she had made would go cold. Putting the key into the keyhole, Bianca opened her house door. At first she thought that Rainie would be waiting at the door in anticipation when she heard the key turning, but when Bianca opened the door, she saw a mature man¡¯s face instead. Her smile froze on her face, and she was too scared to even go into the house. Still, this was her house... Chapter 20 Daddy Will Spank You! Chapter 20 Daddy Will Spank You! Luke did not even look at her. He just reminded her, ¡°The food¡¯s growing cold.¡± With that, he turned around and went to her narrow little balcony, less than two meters squared, as though he knew the ce like the back of his hand. Bianca stayed frozen on the spot. Luke acted like he owned the ce, pulling out his box of cigarettes as he walked. After that, he tapped a cigarette out of the box and put it in his mouth, lighting it. His every action was so smooth and cool. This was her house, but the two children sat at the table with their spoons, looking at their empty bowls and waiting to be fed as though she owed them food. Still, they were obedient and very adorable. The only problem was the adult over there. He waspletely disregarding her as the owner of this house. Anyone else would at least be polite enough to exin how they got inside. ¡­ Bianca first served the children food, but she did not eat anything herself. Instead, she hid in the kitchen. She had done basically everything nche and Rainie¡¯s mother should be doing, and she was not getting paid for this either. This was not sustainable. Bianca thought that the kitchen would be her little safe haven, but she was wrong. The unique smell of tobo assaulted her nostrils. When she looked up, she was surprised to meet a deep andplicated gaze. All of a sudden, Bianca was frazzled. It felt like even the air around her had gone still because his body was in the way. He had her trapped in a corner with her body¡­ This suffocating feeling left Bianca extremely anxious. She just wanted to leave. When she took a step forward, though, she was blocked even more vehemently! Bianca raised her head abruptly and looked at him, warning him not to push things too far! At the same time, Luke¡¯s gaze fell on her soft-looking lips. His look made her turn her head away in an instant. ¡°Miss Bea, why aren¡¯t there any onions in the food you make¡­?¡± Rainie¡¯s voice reached her eyes, apanied by the sound of her spoon clinking against the bowl. Bianca¡¯s face heated up, and she replied, ¡°...I don¡¯t eat onions.¡± While she spoke, Bianca tried to leave. It was much safer to interact with the kids than stay in the kitchen. However, she had barely taken a step forward when the man pressed his hand on her shoulder, pinning her down. ¡°Are you crazy¡ª?¡± Bianca could not help but exim out loud. Her heart racing, she raised her head and met the gaze of the man looking down at her from above. There was something in Luke¡¯s cool gaze, an inexplicable, indescribable suppression of her masculine desires. He looked at her but did not say a thing. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Bianca struggled in terror. The deepest depths of Luke¡¯s eyes were like an abyss. When she looked into his eyes, Bianca felt like she was slowly getting sucked into them. It was a petrifying feeling. At the same time, she just could not break free. She was this close to crying out of frustration. ¡°Please be aware of yourself, Mr. Crawford!¡± There were kids here, so Bianca did not dare to make it too explicit, lest she pollute the flowers of the future. Still, Luke was the children¡¯s father. He was going too far here! ¡°Be aware of myself?¡± Luke leaned his tall and slender body over her, feeling the woman¡¯s heart pound under his touch. He stared at her silky-smooth and supple skin, his thin lips saying, ¡°Being aware of myself means being aware of my words, actions, and principles. It means paying attention and putting importance on myself. Right now, I¡¯m definitely aware of myself.¡± His ridiculous exnation had left her wordless¡­ As he spoke, the man trapped her tightly between his arms. Their bodies were pressed close together, without any gap between them¡­ ¡°Mr. Crawford¡­ I have a boyfriend, and I¡¯m even engaged now! What you¡¯re doing is really inappropriate, and it¡¯ll be very harmful if this gets out. It might even affect your reputation outside, Mr. Crawford!¡± Bianca looked at him without moving. If she moved, she was worried her chest would brush against his taut body underneath his shirt. She had not forgotten how the man had reacted thest time when her brooch got entangled in his belt¡­ Bianca¡¯s deration of her rtionship status had a profound effect. For all intents and purposes, she already belonged to another man. Luke looked at her calmly, as though he did not really care if she was taken. Outside, Lanie suddenly remembered something, and he said loudly, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re being picky if you don¡¯t eat onions!¡± ¡°Yeah! Daddy will spank you for that!¡± Rainie added with childlike innocence. When she heard the word ¡°spank¡±, Bianca instinctively looked at Luke. He just snorted for a second. After that, Bianca instantly felt arge hand on her waist, slowly sliding downward¡­ In truth, for all the years the children had grown, Luke had never once actually hit them. However, he was used to keeping a strict expression, and that made the children a little scared of him. After a while, Old Master Crawford began using the possibility of a spanking from their father to scare them. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Being picky with food was one of the discouraged bad habits. Both Rainie and Lanie remembered that, so they never dared to be choosy, lest their father spank them. ¡°Rainie, Lanie,e over here.¡± Bianca could not help but call for help. Luke was not going to do something like that in front of the children, right?! ¡°Okay!¡± The kids agreed. Bianca heard them padding toward the kitchen. ¡°nche and Rainie Crawford, go back to the dinner table and sit there,¡± Lukemanded them coolly through his thin lips. The children heard their full names being called, and they instantly froze on the spot, too afraid to take another step toward the kitchen¡­ Lanie wanted to go to the kitchen, but his sister pulled his hand and shook her head. Bianca heard the silence outside and could not resist giving the stern-looking man an exasperated stare. She knew that she was not getting out of this by force, so Bianca tried a softer approach. ¡°You can have any woman you like, Mr. Crawford, so why must you trouble me?¡± Luke¡¯s expression was dark, his voice hoarse from his suppressed desire. ¡°Someone once said that when lovees in through the front food, rationality goes out through the back door. Today, I¡¯m proof of that. I can¡¯t wait to see¡­ Just how long will you keep me hanging?¡± Bianca could sense the man¡¯s hot breath on her, her face and ears turning beet red¡­ All she felt now was the slight resentment of suffering a false usation. Since when had she ever left him hanging? Just then, there was the buzzing of a phone. ¡°Your phone¡¯s ringing¡­¡± Bianca heaved a sigh of relief, reminding him involuntarily. She was saved! While he was distracted, Bianca instantly wanted to run away from the battlefield that was this kitchen. The moment she pushed him away, though, the man grasped her wrist tightly and pulled her back. With another flick of his hand, her tiny body waspletely wrapped in the man¡¯s embrace. ¡°Mm¡­ Mgh¡­¡± Bianca was forced to raise her head, Luke¡¯s strong hands squeezing her thin shoulders firmly. She felt like he was going to break her. Her struggles and protests had no effect whatsoever. Instead, she only infuriated the haughty Luke Crawford. He showered her with kisses from her brow to her eyes, from the tip of her nose to her lips, kissing her delicately yet wildly. Chapter 21 He May Have Examined Them Chapter 21 He May Have Examined Them Luke¡¯s warm and sexy lips moved down to Bianca¡¯s corbone¡­ There was a whoosh. Bianca felt as though her brain had exploded. Hot tears flowed from her eyes unbidden. Her thoughts had been forced back to those unspeakable nights five years ago. She could hear nothing but a man¡¯s heavy and rough panting. Bianca remembered what happened back then after she gave birth. She and Nina had been on a video call when she identally saw the rich tycoon on the TV news. A deal was a deal. It did not matter what kind of a man he was; Bianca had no right to refuse. Now that she was being forcibly kissed, though, Bianca could not help but remember that middle-aged man. A wave of nausea surged over her, and she felt dizzy. Luke could tell that she was distracted. Holding her chin with one hand, he lifted her head slowly, his lust- filled eyes staring intently at her. ¡°What are you thinking about? Why are you crying?¡± Bianca followed his voice, looking at him dazedly. Luke was too tall, and Bianca wore slippers at home, so there was a huge difference in their heights. When he looked at her, it was like looking at a red-eyed rabbit he had bullied. ¡°I¡¯m thinking that Mr. Crawford is actually a monster in sheep¡¯s clothing. You¡¯re nothing like you look.¡± Bianca tried to hold back the tears in her eyes. She did not want anyone seeing her moment of weakness. Still, when she was feeling this wronged and upset, how could she possibly just will herself to not cry? Emotions were never logical. In life, everyone would experience many things. The good, the bad, the unspeakable. Bianca, for one, had a ton of each. The most unspeakable thing she had experienced until now was that terrible time in her life five years ago. Luke''s seductive kisses reminded her of less than pleasant things, and his voice when he spoke after he stopped kissing her had instantly shattered her outwardly reinforced soul. Her soul looked strong and hard on the surface, but it was actually very thin and fragile. "Miss¡­" nche barged into the kitchen in the end after all, his eyes fixed on the two adults tangled up in weird poses. When Bianca saw the boy, she hurriedly turned her face away with some difficulty, lowering her head. Luke did not look at his son. His delicate yet masculine face was extremely stormy as he slowly registered how Bianca had described him. ¡°A monster in sheep¡¯s clothing,¡± she had called him. ¡°Nothing like what he looked.¡± Since when he had be so small and despicable? He was a man who could shake off every desire and obsession. That included his interest in women. Luke¡¯s phone was still ringing stubbornly. All of a sudden, Bianca was free. Luke picked up the call, his tone sounding like someone owed him a billion dors. Bianca was very close to him, so she could hear the person¡¯s voice on the other end. ¡°What are you doing, Mt. Crawford?¡± The woman¡¯s voice was gentle but a bit flustered. ¡°Have I gotten in the way of your work? Your voice is kinda scaring me.¡± Luke¡¯s attitude was pretty terrifying. nche raised his head and looked at his father as thetter asked into the phone, his expression hard, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. The woman said, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just, I think you left in such a hurryst time that you forgot to inform me to go to A City with you.¡± She knew that Luke never intended to inform her. She was only saying this to save herself some face. Luke was silent, his thoughts still fully upied by the woman standing next to him, her head lowered. The woman on the phone continued, ¡°I¡¯ve decided to go to A City on Monday. I n to start my own business after graduating and returning to the country, after all, and my parents support me, so I¡¯m quite confident. When I get there, I hope you can give me some pointers in business, Mr. Crawford. As a sessful predecessor of mine in the field.¡± Bianca knew who the caller was now. It had to be Director Shaw¡¯s beloved daughter, the girl they had met in H City¡­ ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it when you get here.¡± As soon as Luke said that, he hung up coldly. nche stood in the kitchen, his bright and shining eyes suddenly colliding into his father¡¯s cold and sharp gaze. It made his little body shudder out of nowhere. Rainie stood at the kitchen entrance, too afraid to go inside. Did Dad scold Miss Bea and make her cry? He was such a meanie! Rainie was wondering what happened between her father and Miss Bea when her father suddenly scooped her up with hisrge hands. She found herself in her father¡¯s firm embrace. He carried her to the door. ¡°Big Bro¡­¡± Rainie turned around and called. nche looked at Miss Bea, who was still in the kitchen refusing to look at him. He then looked at his father, who was putting on his shoes at the entranceway looking positively livid. His little heart was pounding in panic. Still, he had no choice but to go with his father for now, promising, ¡°I¡¯lle visit you again, Miss Bea¡­¡± Luke put on his shoes at the entranceway, but he did not help his daughter put on her shoes. Instead, he just opened the door and left with the girl in his arms. nche hastily put on his shoes and chased after them. It was only when all three of them were sitting in the Range Rover at the neighborhood entrance that nche kept his eyes forward, mumbling, ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far, Dad.¡± Rainie shrunk into her safety seat at the back, pouting. Luke started the car, his gaze as cold as ice. He did not say a word. Right now, the father and son had almost identical expressions. ¡­ ¡°Bea, my parents are nning to buy a house for you and my brother to move into once you¡¯re married. Aren¡¯t you going to tell them which area you¡¯d like to stay in? They saved up quite a bit, so you don¡¯t have to hold back. I rmend getting a house in the center of the city. It¡¯ll be more convenient when commuting to and back from work.¡± After Luke left, Nina gave Bianca a call. ¡°Buying a house?¡± Bianca thought this was all too soon. The two of them discussed the matter for a while. However, Nina could tell that Bianca did not sound very well, so she asked Bianca to rest early. After they ended the call, Bianca did not go to rest. Instead, she cleaned up the cutlery on the table and washed the dishes. Once the kitchen and dining table were cleared, she started cleaning up the entire house too. That was when she noticed a pair of small shoes shaped like Ali the Fox. They were Rainie¡¯s. Seemed like her father had carried her away before she could wear her shoes¡­ Bianca had barely started working, but she was already at such odds with her boss. Whose fault was it? Bianca did not know. She was starting to think that she would be fired soon¡­ or rather, she should probably resign on her own. With a sigh, she went to clean the balcony next. There, she finally saw the ashtray on the balcony. It was a verymon ashtray, the one provided by thendlord. Bianca did not smoke, and no men ever visited her house, so the ashtray had gone unused all this time. Today, however, there was ash in the ashtray, as well as two fresh cigarette butts. She poured the ash into the trashcan and wiped the whole ce down with a cloth until she could not see even a speck of dust with her naked eye. The moment Bianca raised her head, though, she just happened to see the clothes she had hung out to dry on the balcony yesterday¡­ It was a ckce bra. It had acey hem and was made of soft material so that it did not show under her tight work clothes. There was also a pair of panties, also ck, and made of embroidered gauze¡­ She usually did not have any outsiders here, much less any men, so Bianca had never thought twice about hanging her underwear out to dry. The house was small, so there was no space to care about such matters anyway. Her bathroom was only two square meters. It was dark and damp, so she could not dry her clothes there. Bianca kept her underwear. Although it did not really matter that a man had seen her underwear, although it did not really harm her in any way, the mere thought that he might have examined the articles made Bianca feel ever so slightly unnatural... Chapter 22 The Two Voice Slowly Overlapped Chapter 22 The Two Voice Slowly Ovepped That night, at Crawford Manor. The whole family was having dinner, but Luke Crawford was not there. Allison Tanner put a piece of cucumber into Lanie¡¯s bowl and then one into Rainie¡¯s bowl. ¡°Grandma just wants what¡¯s good for you. You have to eat some even if you don¡¯t like it. You¡¯re growing kids, and you don¡¯t want to stay short forever, do you?¡± Everyone else at the table was eating. nche looked at the cucumber in his bowl and put it into his mouth, eating it obediently. After that, he raised his head and looked at his grandmother. ¡°Grandma, why don¡¯t you eat onions?¡± There was a tter of stir-fried onions on the table. nche and his sister both loved them, as did Great- grandpa. Uncle Louis and Grandma Susan liked onions too. Only Grandma did not like them. She would always push the stir-fried onions far, far away from her. Grandma always said that the stench made her lose her appetite. Before Allison could say anything, Susan Armstrong subtly harrumphed. ¡°That¡¯s a hussy for you. So many demands.¡± Old Master Crawford could hear perfectly well. When he heard what she said, he frowned and coughed as a warning to his daughter-inw, Susan. He was telling her not to pick fights at the dinner table. Susan raised a brow and continued eating. She did not think she said anything wrong, but she knew where her limits were, so she stopped. Allison had also heard that jibe, of course, but she ignored it. Instead, she graciously turned back to the children and said, ¡°I don¡¯t ear onions because it¡¯s a hereditary thing. Myte father didn¡¯t eat onions either.¡± ¡°Oh, I see!¡± nche struggled with his chopsticks as he said, ¡°I know a prettydy who doesn¡¯t eat onions either.¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. Allison smiled. There were so many people in the world who did not eat onions. The same went with coriander. Plenty of people avoided it. After dinner, the two kids went out to y. Once the sky turnedpletely dark, they obediently went upstairs, cleaning up and going to sleep. ¡­ It was a very long night. Bianca was lost in her dreams, tossing and turning in bed. In her dreams, there was the sshing of water. Luke was bathing, and she opened the door, walking up to him from behind. She pressed her body against his back, hugging his well-toned waist. He turned around and lowered his head, leaving a string of hickeys on the side of her neck. She raised her head, wanting more. His heavy panting and bold touch all over her skin made her shudder. Her hair was drenched in sweat, sticking to her face as she withstood the unbearable heat. Her tense body began to tremble. She backed away, but Luke honed in on her. Their gazes met for a second, and then their lips crashed into each other, their tongues dancing. An unspeakable sound leaked from between her lips. Her body felt like it was bobbing on waves, going up and down. When she opened her eyes, she could clearly see the man¡¯sshes, so thick that even women would envy him. All of a sudden, the scene changed. The middle-aged tycoon waved at her, his expression full of disgusting lust. ¡°Ah!¡± Bianca sat up in bed. Her chest rose and fell heavily. She was scared out of her wits. After a long while, she finally heaved a sigh of relief. She knew now that it was all just a phantasmal dream. Thank goodness. Thank goodness it was a dream. It was night out in A City, and there were no stars to be seen anywhere in the sky. Half of Bianca¡¯s consciousness was still trapped in her dreams, and she could not get out of it. Ever since she saw that middle-aged tycoon on the TV five years ago, she would always automatically rece her baby¡¯s father¡¯s face with that tycoon¡¯s. Her baby was part of her, connected to her by flesh and blood. Bianca could not forget about her completely, but whenever she thought of her baby, she would remember that tycoon¡¯s greasy, weaselly face. He was just so horrifying to look at. This was not the first time she had been haunted by such dreams. She had tried going to a therapist when she was overseas, and for a while there, she did stop dreaming about that tycoon. After that, though, the nightmares returned. Bianca did not know if she would be tormented like this for the rest of her life. All of this had be the past in real life, so why did it continue to gue her in her dreams? She tried her best to forget, but to no avail. Bianca turned her face toward the window and took a few deep breaths, looking at the window. She was trying to bring her mind back to reality as soon as possible. The next second, though, she remembered something Luke had said to her during the day. He had said, ¡°What are you thinking about? Why are you crying?¡± Bianca could not help but dig her fingers into her sheets beneath her. In the throes of passion, that man five years ago had said hoarsely, ¡°Your legs¡­ Spread them for me¡­¡± The two voices slowly ovepped in her mind. Just then, there was a sh of lightning outside. The white light illuminated Bianca¡¯s face, and then the large raindrops gradually fell. A strong gust of wind blew, and the rain pattered against her bedroom window. Defeated, Bianca burst into tears. ¡®This is your life, just admit it. Admit that you had slept with a middle-aged tycoon when you were eighteen, selling out your body to save your dearest family¡­ ¡®You hate that middle-aged tycoon, so very much. That¡¯s why you subconsciously seek out another man¡¯s voice, hoping that it was him instead¡­¡¯ ¡­ The next day, nche went to his sister¡¯s room first thing in the morning. ¡°Rainie, why do you think Dad was hugging Miss Bea yesterday?¡± ¡°Dad was hugging Miss Bea?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Well, maybe he was hitting Miss Bea. Why else would she cry?¡± ¡°Why would he hit Miss Bea, though?¡± ¡°Because she was picky. She didn¡¯t eat her onions!¡± ¡°...¡± nche¡¯s brain was a convoluted mess right now. Dad had spanked Miss Bea because she was picky and did not eat her onions? Was that why Miss Bea was crying? ¡°I have to ask Dad when I get the chance.¡± nche looked quite worried. ¡°Maybe I should sit him down for a proper talk. He¡¯s a man, so he should be gentler when ites to women.¡± ¡°Look at you, worrying so much about Dad¡­¡± Rainie sighed sadly, so disappointed in her father. Luke only returned to the manor early the next morning. He went upstairs to take a shower. When he took off his tie, he saw a cartoon post-it note on his bathroom door. Written in somewhat crooked handwriting was, ¡°Dad, you should be more of a gentleman.¡± Luke put the note down after he read it. Meanwhile, nche hade to his father¡¯s bedroom when he heard thetter¡¯s movement. Looking at his father, standing two meters away from him, the boy asked cautiously, ¡°Dad, I have a question to ask you.¡± Luke was not acting strict for once, nodding. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Rainie said you beat Miss Bea and made her cry because she didn¡¯t eat her onions¡­¡± nche knew that he should not tell his father off, but his father was going to get even worse if he did not. Gathering his courage, nche blinked as he taught his father a lesson, ¡°People are born equal, free, and independent. There are no exceptions. Miss Bea just chose not to eat onions. She can¡¯t be considered picky if she has a few dislikes. And you can¡¯t subject Miss Bea to your personal tyranny! ¡°Besides, Miss Bea isn¡¯t your kid, unlike us. You¡¯re feeding and raising us, so we have to obey you.¡± The boy had all sorts of points to reason with his father. ¡°You said that you two are my kids, and I¡¯m feeding you, so you have to obey me.¡± Luke tried to teach his son a lesson in life too. ¡°In that case, if I¡¯m supposed to feed and keep her until she¡¯s old and bent, for even longer than I¡¯m supposed to support you two, does that mean she¡¯s also supposed to obey me, just like you two?¡± nche looked at his father and scratched his head. ¡°I guess so, but¡­¡± Luke went into the bathroom. He was not going to keep discussing these adult problems with the child. Chapter 23 Judging A Homewrecker With Her Own Eyes Chapter 23 Judging A Homewrecker With Her Own Eyes There were many things the boy still did not understand, so he stood at the bathroom door and waited for his father toe out after his shower. When Luke emerged from the shower, he only had a towel around his waist. He waspletely shirtless, his well-toned chest glistening with sexy water droplets. 2 "Dad, I''m sure Miss Bea has parents too, so why do you have to raise her?" nche could not figure that part out. 2 Luke sat down, spreading his legs and wiping his dripping hair with his towel. He asked, "How old are you? How old is she?" "Hmm, I''m five..." nche replied. "But I don''t know how old she is." Luke looked at his son and replied seriously, "You¡¯re five and she''s twenty- four. You two are neen years apart. You''ll grow up very soon, and you''ll be a grown man just like me. When that happens, you''ll have a career and a dream you want to pursue. At that time, I''ll be in my fifties, soon to grow old. The same goes for your Miss Bea. One day, we¡¯ll be as old as your great-grandfather, but plenty of time will pass before that. A man''s shoulders tend to be stronger than a woman''s when it comes to withstanding matters of life and death, sickness and old age, under all that stress and pressure." 3 The boy nodded firmly! He knew that. Dad told him before that a man''s shoulders were meant to support the entire family, young and old. 1 nche thought it over again and said, "But Miss Bea will have her husband and kids. Dad, are you going to take care of Miss Bea and her husband?" If so, Dad was being way too kind. "Why would I take care of her husband?" Luke gave his son a cold look when he heard that. Standing up, he tossed away his half-wet towel, refusing to speak another word of this with his son. Her husband? 1 That Jean Langdon? Luke frowned his chiseled brows. 1 The boy lowered his head and tapped his index fingers together. He had no idea what he had said wrong to anger his father again. On the other hand, at Regal Capital. Bianca did not know what time she fell asleep that night. Her nightmares kept her terrified in the dark of the night, but when dawn broke, her head hurt so badly that she could not wake up. Her phone vibrated. She did not notice at all. It was a WeChat message from Jean that said, "Bianca, I''m guessing that you''re still asleep, and I hope this message doesn''t disturb you. I''ll be really busy today, so I''m sorry but I won¡¯t be able to visit you. If your cold isn¡¯t better yet, remember to take your medicine. I¡¯ll see you at work on Monday. My mom said she''ll pay you a visit today, so she got up early in the morning to make chicken soup. I told her your address." Bianca was asleep, so she did not immediately see that message. Outside the neighborhood. It was sunny now after the rainst night. The sunlight was not terribly bright. Instead, it was warm when it shone on your face, and the humidity in the air was just right. 1 Jean''s mother carried her chicken soup with her, her hand supporting the bottom of the sk. After she disembarked from the bus, she happily made a beeline for the Regal Capital neighborhood. The ce was a little on the old side. It was not the newest neighborhood in town, but it probably would not be taken down in the next fifteen years either. Most developers would not be able to do much with this part of town. Jean¡¯s mother, Anna O''Reilly, walked into the neighborhood and saw a few old men sitting in twos or threes, drinking tea in the rocking chairs. As she went further, she saw a few women her age. One of the older women in a patterned dress was cooling herself with a fan as she pointed at the door of Block 12. Eyebrow raised, she said, "Next time I see her, I''ll point her out to you! ''Tsk-tsk, never judge a book by its cover! I would never have thought! Ladies, you didn''t see that girl! She looks pretty sweet and innocent. Her hair wasn''t dyed and she didn¡¯t have much make-up on. She dressed pretty conservatively too, like a girl raised in an honest family. To think she¡¯s actually some filthy homewrecker..." "Daisy, shush! Don''t use her without evidence like that!" One of the other women thought that Daisy was jumping to way too many conclusions. She might get an earful from the victim at this rate. However, Daisy immediately exploded when someone else doubted her. She practically leaped to her feet, jabbing a finger at Block 12. "You think I¡¯m framing her? I didn''t say a single false word. You can ask the entire neighborhood. In all my years, have I ever framed anyone? She cane confront me if she likes! I''ll be more than happy to face off against her! I''ll dere her name right here and now, it¡¯s that Bianca Rayne girl!" The other two women exchanged a look of exasperation. They all knew that Daisy was a famous rumormonger with a wild imagination. Anna was walking on the path nearby, and her hand holding the sk shook. She walked toward thedies, gleefully chatting away, and asked them directly. "You said Bianca Rayne, right? What... What do you mean by she¡¯s a homewrecker?" The gossipingdies looked at Anna. "Who is she to you? I don''t think I''ve seen you before. You''re not from around here, are you?" Daisy was feeling a little guilty too. After all, she did not have any hard proof that the girl was sleeping with her boss, so she could not really say. Anna could not let just anyone speak ill of her daughter-inw, of course, so her temper red. "Who is she to me? She¡¯s my daughter-inw! What are you bbing on about?!" "Oh-ho, so you''re her mother-inw, eh?" Daisy looked down at the sk Anna was holding and grew confident again. "You don''t usually live with your daughter-inw, do you? I bet your son doesn''te back that often too. What a joke, your own daughter-inw is sleeping around and even letting her boyfriend in here, yet you¡¯re still defending that little b*tch!" 2 The other women hurriedly stopped Daisy. She could not just say things like that! Anna nearly choked on her fury. A boyfriend? As if Bianca had a boyfriend! Daisy saw that the so-called mother-inw was still ring at her, so continued snidely, "Don¡¯t be upset at me. If you don''t want others to say things like that, you should get your daughter-inw to stop doing such unseemly things!" Anna was wavering. As though struck by lightning, she asked, her voice trembling, "You... You saw all that with your own eyes?" Daisy pointed at themppost nearby. "But of course. They were right there, getting all up and personal in front of everyone. It was unsightly." 2 "That could have been my son." Anna did not believe her. Bianca looked like such a good girl. "Your daughter-inw will know if it was your son." Daisy was certain that the man was sneaking around with her. No married couple behaved that way. She added, ''The guy was over 190cm, wearing a suit and leather shoes. Even I could tell that he was loaded. He must be her sugar daddy!" N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Thump! Anna''s sk plunged to the floor. When Anna got up, it was already past ten. 6 She poured herself a ss of water. Her throat was painfully parched, and as she drank her water, she looked down to check her WeChat message. It was only then that she found out Jean''s mother was heading here to visit her. Next, she looked at the time Jean sent his message. It came around seven in the morning. It was now past ten, though. Anna should have been here a long time ago. Bianca was worried that Jean¡¯s mother got off on the wrong stop, so she called her, wanting to ask if she needed Bianca to pick her up anywhere. "Sorry, the number you called is currently unavable." The dial rang for a long time, and eventually Bianca heard that robotic reply. Chapter 24 Get Your Filthy Hands Off Of Me! Chapter 24 Get Your Filthy Hands Off Of Me! Bianca called Jean. However, Jean''s phone gave her the same message. "Sorry, the number you called is currently unavable." All of a sudden, Bianca felt uneasy. She hoped that nothing bad had happened. Next, she gave Nina a call. Nina picked up in a sh, asking, "What''s the matter, babe?" Bianca exined everything to her. However, Nina said, "Maybe someone suddenly called her to y mahjong? You don''t know this, but she keeps her phone in her bag when she''s ying mahjong, so she won¡¯t be able to hear you. As for my brother, he''s probably busy." Since Nina said that, Bianca did not think too much of it. Putting down her phone, Bianca walked to the bathroom and took a shower. That helped her brighten up a lot more, and as she was drying her hair, she saw her phone ringing on the coffee table in the living room. The caller was Jean. "Hello." Bianca picked up in an instant. Jean was silent on the other end. After a long time, he seemed to hold something back before asking coldly, "Bianca Rayne, how many men have you been sneaking around with behind my back?¡± "What... What do you mean? Me, sneaking around with men behind your back?¡± It came out of nowhere, so Bianca did not understand what he was saying. Jean abruptly raised his volume, his voice hoarse as he said, "You''re still pretending to be innocent?! Bianca Rayne, it suddenly feels like I don¡¯t know you at all. Tell me, which is the real you?!" 1 Bianca had been holding her phone, but her hand tightened around it now. Jean was still going wild with his words, loudly protesting the unfairness of it all. "Tell me, just who am I to you? A ce youe home to after your games outside? An unlucky second-choice? The honest type that¡¯s just made to be cucked?" 3 Jean¡¯s angry voice was like des of ice, flying through the phone and plunging into Bianca''s ears. "Calm down for now. Are you sure you aren''t misunderstanding something?¡± Bianca frowned, her expression far from pleasant. Jeanughed coldly, almost cynically. "Misunderstanding? There''s no misunderstanding! Right now, I just hate how stupid I''ve been. I can''t believe I''ve trusted you unconditionally for so long, I hate that I didn''t believe what Marie said when we were overseas. Bianca, Marie wasn''t lying, was she? You slept around with other men behind my back when we were studying overseas." Jean''sst words were a statement, not a question. Her partner, the man she was supposed to walk down the aisle to meet, was now doubting her integrity. Could you imagine how that felt? Bianca was so angry that her hand shook on her phone. Before she could even say anything, Jean added viciously, "When we were overseas, you kept saying when I invited you out, but those were all lies, weren''t they? Now that I think about it, there were so many holes in your story! If you really were working several jobs at the same time like you said you were, why didn¡¯t I ever see any dark circles under your eyes?¡± "So? If you think I was lying when I said I was working, what do you think I was doing?" Bianca''s frown deepened. Jean lowered his voice. "Do you really need me to spell it out." "Say it. I want to hear it," Bianca said. ''You forced me to, so I''ll say it." Jean told her exactly what Marie told him four years ago. The difference was he did not believe her back then." You''ve had six men in those five years, four of them married! They kept you as their mistresses, funding your studies and teaching you theirnguage. You even had an abortion for them, right?" 4 In that minute, that one second, Bianca felt her heart die. She lowered her head and looked at the engagement ring on her finger, hot tears filling her eyes. It had not even been a week since they got engaged, but now her fiance was using her of unspeakable things across the phone. Everyone knew how important a woman''s reputation was. He had no evidence at all, but just because Marie spouted some nonsense at him, he one-sidedly decided that she was guilty of so many charges... N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Such tant distrust from her fiance hurt her as much as outright betrayal would. Jean was still going on, interrogating her, asking her who the man outside her house had been, saying that she could not deny that, because even the olddy in her neighborhood, Daisy, had seen them with her own eyes! Bianca wordlessly hung up the call. She did not want to hear another word. Her phone rang. Bianca let it ring. She did not pick up. She did not want to cry, and she was not devastated either. She was just tired... So, so tired. Sitting on the couch, she pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face in them. She just wanted to be an ostrich now, hiding her head in the sand. Jean appeared in front of her five years ago, like the one silver lining in the storm clouds. He did not feel real, but he was, and he made her think that maybe the sky was going to clear up. That ray of light had seduced her, tempted her to walk out of her shade and stand under the thunder clouds, 1 That ray of light made her a promise, telling her, ''Trust me. Stand here and wait for the sun. When the sky clears, I¡¯ll make your entire world shine." She had looked at that light like a fool, waiting for the sky to clear, i However! The sky turned even darker all of a sudden, and it abruptly began to pour! 1 It felt as though she was the only one unlucky enough and stupid enough to get drenched, soaked and cold from head to toe... After a long time curled up on the couch, she fell asleep. She only woke up when the stomach pain became too much. Bianca had not eaten a single thing since the morning until now. Putting on her clothes, she grabbed her keys and her wallet, leaving the house for a simple lunch. After lunch, she did not want to go home either, so she suddenly decided to go for a walk around this familiar yet unfamiliar city. Maybe her mood would lighten if she went for a walk. Maybe she would be able to get over this. She had barely swiped her card and gotten past the subway turnstiles when someone suddenly grabbed her hand from behind. Bianca turned around. "Lil Sis, it really is you!" Marie Rayne grinned brightly as she looked at Bianca, i "I hate that I didn''t believe what Marie said when we were overseas!" Jean''s words rang out in Bianca¡¯s mind like a thunderbolt. Marie had ndered her to Jean, using her of something she had not done. Bianca did not doubt for a second that Marie was capable of something so underhanded. Bianca pulled her hand away. "Let go! Get your filthy hands off of me!" "I''m filthy?" Marie¡¯s lips curved, but she did not lose her temper. Instead, she continued keeping up behind Bianca. When the subway doors opened, Marie squeezed into the carriage as well. 1 The subway doors closed. Marie found her footing and said to Bianca, "Mom told me to invite you back home for a meal." Bianca pretended not to hear her. "Lady, your shoe is on my foot!" Marie suddenly looked down and addressed an older woman who was seated nearby. The woman on the seat was none other than Daisy, who had just boarded on this station and managed to snag a seat, 1 When Daisy heard that Marie and Bianca shared a mother, she pulled her foot back and asked Marie, "How old, child?¡± ''Twenty-six." Marie did not really want to talk to a backwater old woman like that. The problem was that the subway waspletely crowned with people, so she was pressured to reply. The older woman beamed and pretended to look envious as she said, ''You sure look young! I mean, you look like you''re in yourte thirties, but you''re telling me your child is already twenty-six?" ''You-" Marie immediately looked livid. The people around them could not hold in theirughter. Marie''s face instantly turned maroon! She could not even confront a middle -aged woman like that in front of all these people, so she could only swallow her anger! It felt like she was going to burst a blood vessel! Chapter 25 Cucked Countless Times Chapter 25 Cucked Countless Times The older woman looked at Bianca, whose expression had not changed at all. She thought to herself with full contempt, ''As expected of a homewrecker, she''s so cold-blooded and heartless! Her own sister has been insulted, but she doesn''t seem to care at all!'''' Daisy was really regretting it now. If she had known this would happen, she should have used that insult on the b*tch instead! The subway had barely passed the East Gate station when Daisy could not hold it in anymore. She looked at Bianca and said, "How could you be so heartless, girl?" Bianca looked at her. How was she being heartless? At the same time, she was very curious. What else could this old Daisy hag say with her wagging tongue and utterck of scruples? Daisy red at her. "When we boarded the subway, you tried to take my seat, didn''t you? Look at me! I''m already over fifty, so why are you trying to fight me for a seat? You''re so young, but you''re not good enough to earn enough money for a car, so youe to the subway and steal the seats from us poor olddies who can barely walk! 1 "Sigh, thank goodness my son is capable enough. He bought a car a long time ago!" Daisy looked so smug when she said that. When Marie heard that, her back straightened too. She turned around, not even bothering to hide the anticipation on her face as she waited to see Bianca humiliated. The other young people in the subway were insulted too. They did not earn much and could not afford a car, but some of them also thought that the subway was more convenient. Better that than getting stuck in traffic, i Nevertheless, the old woman was aiming that jab at Bianca, so the others just thought of it as a free sideshow. "I just graduated and returned to the country. My family wasn''t rich to begin with, but thankfully I worked a few more jobs when I was studying. I gave the money I earned to my elders at home so they could buy a car. After all, it''s fine for young people like us to squeeze in the subway. We shouldn''t let our poor elderly parents fight the subway rush, can we? That would be so unfilial," Bianca replied to the woman calmly, meeting her gaze head-on. Daisy red at Bianca, so angry she could spew fire! The other passengers in the subway beganughing again, but this time they wereughing at that troublemaking old woman. Would she go home and use her son of being unfilial, then? Just then, the subway reached another stop. Daisy could not stand all the sniggers around her, so she shoved some of the youngsters nearby aside and ran out of the subway, her expression stormy. 1 Marie continued following Bianca. Bianca did not go anywhere after disembarking from the subway. She just wandered the busy streets slowly, asionally raising her head and looking at the impressive buildings in the city. Bianca had a dream, and that was to build a building that was meaningful to her. Marie followed Bianca down a street before she could not take it anymore. The sun was scorching hot, and it made her skin hurt, i Before she left, she looked at Bianca as though thetter was crazy. Bianca could not even keep her man, so why was she in the mood to go window-shopping?! Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Marie then looked at the scorching sun and started feeling jealous of Bianca again. How could that woman stand under the sun for so long without ever growing dark?! A cab stopped in front of her, and Marie got into it angrily. She mmed the door shut and left. Bianca stared at the library in the center of the city, mesmerized. Finally, she took out her phone and found a better angle to take a photo, saving it in her phone. She nned to study it carefully when she went home. Only work could help her simplify her thoughts. Upon returning to her rented unit, Bianca put her bag down and changed into her slippers. She then went into her room and turned on her workptop, analyzing the buildings she had taken photos off. That took her until midnight. The entire afternoon, Jean had not called her or sent her any messages. It was past midnight after Bianca had bathed and nned to go to sleep when her phone vibrated twice. She frowned and walked over to take her phone, checking the messages. As she looked at her phone, there was another vibration. Three voice messages reached her phone in total. All of them were from Jean. Bianca raised her head and looked at the night sky outside the window. She clicked on one of the messages and listened. "Bianca, you''re the one in the wrong... but why am I the one out here drinking my sorrows away? "What happened to my pure and untainted Bianca? Where did you hide her? Give her back to me! Give her back!! ''Tell me, I pursued you for more than four years, but you never agreed to date me... Now we''ve been together for almost a year... So why won''t you... let me touch you?" Bianca listened to all three of Jean''s voice notes. She was afraid she would miss his suggestion to break up. However, he never once mentioned it. It seemed like she would have to be the first to mention breaking up... While Bianca was lost in her thoughts, her phone vibrated again. She clicked on the message. Wherever Jean was, there was a ton of background noise. He howled hysterically, "Why do you act so innocent? All you f*cking do is act innocent! I bet you¡¯re real loose with the men behind my back. Are you lonely? I won''t look down on you if you have a steady boyfriend, but think about what sort of a life you lived in the UK! How are you any f*cking different from a hooker?!" Bianca''s pulse rose and fell like a rollercoaster, but she clenched her teeth and went back to her computer. Only work would allow her to clear her mind and stop thinking of anything. However, when she stayed up sote that her mind was going haywire, she still could not stop her thoughts from wandering all over the ce, i Bianca did not understand why Jean could not believe his fiancee, why he chose to believe Marie instead. In fact, he would rather believe a random olddy''s gossip. To think that his faith in her was this fragile. The next morning. Bianca walked out of the subway station, crossed one street, and walked two or three more minutes to reach the tall skyscraper she worked at. Just then, Jason Doyle emerged from a Bentley, holding a document file. He was in charge of sending the young master to English ss today, but he received a call from the boss on the way. The boss desperately needed this document he had left at home. nche sat in the car, swinging his short legs when he suddenly saw someone. "Miss Bea!" Over the past two days, he had been fretting over Miss Bea, wondering how she was doing. At the same time, he could not sneak off to see her again, but now he finally found her. He turned around and opened the car door. The boy then threw his bag away and leaped off the car. Bianca had stayed up most ofst night. Although she never had dark circles no matter howte she slept, she could not prevent her weariness from showing on her face. She had barely walked up the stairs when she saw a shadow fall over her. She raised her head and saw Jean Langdon standing right in front of her. "Move aside." Bianca did not have anything else to say to Jean. His eyes were bloodshot. He had stayed up all night drinking yesterday, and he looked like a real mess today, i "I wanted to apologize to you for the harsh words I said yesterday. But I''m finally calm now, yet you''re mad at me." Something sparked in Jean¡¯s eyes, and he clenched his hands into fists. 2 Bianca looked at this man, mystified, as though she had never really known him. What on earth was wrong with him? What made him dream up a world where his fiancee cucked him, not once, but countless times...? Chapter 26 Supple Chapter 26 Supple Jean narrowed his eyes wearily, appraising Bianca from head to toe. "When you were sixteen or seventeen, you were all soft and cuddly. But now you''re covered in thorns, defensive thorns that stuck out when you''re exposed for who you really are." Bianca listened to Jean''s insults and remembered all of the ridiculous usations he had hurled at her yesterday. His tone could be so very sharp when he was trying to hurt someone. It pierced thousands of holes into Bianca¡¯s heart, leaving her bloody and bruised. She hadpletely given up now. "It¡¯s almost time to work now," Bianca said calmly as she walked past him. However, Jean grabbed her wrist, holding onto her tightly and forcibly pulling her back. His eyes red, he howled, "We haven''t cleared this up yet. How can we go to work?!" Just then, Nina ran out in a hurry. "What are you doing, Jean? Let Bea go!¡± Bianca was wearing herpulsory high heels to work. Her heels were very low, but that did not mean they were steady. Jean''s pulling her hand had instantly caused her to sprain her left ankle. She bore the pain and yanked her hand away from Jean while Nina tried to pry her brother''srge hand away. The next second, Bianca plucked the ring from her left hand and threw it at Jean''s face, her expression determined. When she next raised her head, Bianca said, "Starting from today, we''re through." Bianca''s tone was monotonous. Although she was furious, she had to grit her teeth and keep her calm. If she did not, she would suffer a terrible defeat! 2 To think that over the past five years, the best actors were Jean and Marie Rayne. 1 Nina said she had once advised her brother to stay away from Marie, and Jean had explicitly said that he never had anything to do with her either. Now, though, Bianca found out that she had been the one who was lied to this entire time. Right here and now, Marie was sitting next to the fountain in front of thepany, doing her make-up as she smiled into her hand mirror,ughing at theedy unfolding over here. 1 Bianca pulled her gaze back and pursed her lips, refusing to show even a hint of weakness. The ring had hit Jean smack on his nose. He raised his hand and caught it, the pressure building behind his eyes as he looked at the ring in his hand. After a long time, he raised his gaze to look at Bianca. "We''re through? You can say it so easily. I''m hurt and in so much pain, so how could you say it so calmly?" "Stop that. Both of you need to calm down.¡± Nina looked at her brother and then at her best friend, Bianca. Biancaughed coldly. "I''m calm because I know I''m innocent." 2 "Is that all you have to say to me?!" Jean clenched his fists, on the verge of hysteria again. "From the moment you distrusted me, there wasn''t any point in me saying anything anymore. I¡¯ll just be wasting my breath." Bianca withstood the pain in her ankle and continued walking into thepany building. Jean¡¯s expression instantly turned dark and he chased after her! Nina grabbed hold of her brother tightly. "You''re at work here! Do you want everyone to know about everything? I¡¯m begging you, Bro, other people are watching. Don¡¯t ruin Bea¡¯s life..." When Bianca heard how Nina was advising Jean, her eyes suddenly turned red. That was right, she had a terrible past she could not erase. If Jean went nuts, there was a chance he would spill it all, regardless of how many people were listening. What happened to that reasonable, logical Jean she knew? He knew perfectly well that after what happened to her five years ago, she cared the most about things like her reputation when it came to sexual rtionships. Yet that was exactly what he used to attack her. "You don''t believe Bea, but you believe that b*tch Marie Rayne? Who is she to you? Why do you give a flip about her? Is your brain made of mush?¡± Nina berated her brother, her disappointment written all over her face. Jean stared at Bianca''s back as she left, clenching his hands into fists again. He remembered the imported flowers Bianca had received, he remembered what Marie said, he remembered the advice from Bianca''s neighbor, that olderdy named Daisy... After that, he looked at his sister with madness in his eyes, saying, "I fell for her tricks once because I believed her, but now she''ll never again regain my trust.¡± 5 Bianca walked into thepany. She kept her head low as she walked, her brain aplete mess. "Miss Bea." As the boy¡¯s soft sweet voice reached her ears, Bianca felt someone hug her leg tightly. nche Crawford raised his head, his innocent ck eyes opened wide as he said yfully, "Miss Bea, I¡¯ve been hiding here and waiting for you for so long! Now I finally caught you." Bianca looked around her carefully and saw that her colleagues in thepany did not seem to recognize the president''s young son. "Why are you here?" Bianca asked quietly, trying to move the boy''s hands away. However, nche just clung onto her leg, mumbling, "Miss Bea, why are your eyes all red?" On the other end, Jason Doyle hade back downstairs after handing over the document. He immediately found that the young master had vanished, and he searched around for the boy to no avail. Finally, he had no choice but to check the surveince camera footage, starting from when the young master had left the car to see where he had gone. Eventually, the cameras showed that the young master was on the first floor of thepany building. Jason could not tell where he had leaped out from, but in any case, he was currently hugging Bianca''s leg and acting cute. On the first floor. Bianca''s phone rang. This is from N?velDrama.Org. "Hello." She saw that the caller was Jason Doyle. To her surprise, Jason said, "Miss Rayne, could you send the young master up to the top floor? Mr. Crawford is quite angry right now." Bianca was extremely averse to the top floor, so she stuttered, "Uh... Could youe down and bring him up?" "About that, Miss Rayne..." Jason stopped halfway through that sentence, his gaze on his boss, who had already gotten up. After a few seconds to digest what was happening, Jason said, "It''s alright. You just stay right there, Miss Rayne." Stay right there? "Jason''sing to get you," Bianca said. A minuteter, though, Bianca saw Luke''s tall and slender body emerge from his personal elevator. He then walked toward her. Bianca was terrified. Looking down at the boy, she said, "Your dad''s here to get you. Come on, let go of me." The kid refused... The next second, his tiny hand was pulled away by a muchrger hand. nche had wrapped his arms around Bianca''s thigh, so when Luke grabbed his son¡¯s hand, it was inevitable that he touched Bianca''s straight, fair, and supple thigh. 1 Before nche followed his father upstairs, he turned around and asked her in concern, "Miss Bea, does it still hurt where my father hit you?" Bianca was utterly confused. Hit her? The boy could see that she was perplexed, so he exined, "You were picky, and Dad spanked you, right? Dad said he even made you cry..." Bianca looked around her nervously and said, "I... I''m fine. It doesn''t hurt anymore!" After she said that, she noticed that Luke was looking at her, and her face immediately burned painfully. 1 She was worried that the others would misconstrue her rtionship with her boss, so she followed up with a polite and formal bow at her boss, trying to act as distant from him as possible. 2 Luke incidentally nced at her ringless left hand. His stern expression soon turned thoughtful and seductive. Chapter 27 Choose An Urn In Advance Chapter 27 Choose An Urn In Advance Bianca returned to the design department. She had managed to throw Jean off downstairs, but she would still see Jean¡¯s face at their workstations. Thankfully, they were seated far away from each other. Sue Carter watched Bianca take her seat and immediately checked her reflection in her mirror, sighing resentfully, "Both of us went outstation and stayed up all night, so why am I covered in ck circles while you''re perfectly fine, Bianca?" "What brand do you use to remove your ck circles, Bianca?¡± asked one of her female colleagues asked anxiously. 3 Bianca raised her head and said a little awkwardly, "I never used one..." "Not at all?!" Her colleague was shocked. "Are you a fairy? How could you stay up all night without ck circles?! Sooob... We should throw all of the all-nighters here at the department onto you..." Sue put her mirror aside and said teasingly, "Don''t you bully Bianca now. Her boyfriend Jean is right here protecting her!¡± Everyone felt another wave of envy at Bianca! After that little jab, though, Sue was alert enough to notice that both Bianca and Jean looked a little off. Later, Bianca was so tired that she picked up her coffee mug to get some coffee. Sue followed behind her. When they went into the pantry, Sue made sure that there was no one outside before she approached Bianca and asked, "Did you get into a fight with Jean?" Both of them had gone outstation to H City before and spent two days together, so Bianca had a very good impression of Sue. To her, Sue was not aloof at all and treated the newbies well, i "We broke up." Sue was stunned. "But it¡¯s barely been any time since the trip! You two seemed perfectly fine in the car on the way back, so why¡¯d you suddenly break up?" Bianca stirred her coffee, depressed... "Okay, okay. You don¡¯t have to say anything if you don¡¯t want to." Sue felt somewhat awkward. After all, Bianca must be really upset right now, yet she just had to bring it up. "Couples argue all the time. Just give yourselves some time to calm down, and you''ll be a match made in heaven again in a few days," Sue tried tofort her. Bianca shook her head. Sue did not dare to say anything more. After all, they had only just gotten to know each other, so she could not pry into Bianca''s private affairs too much. That noon, Sue wanted to invite Bianca out to lunch, but Nina was one step ahead of her. That was fine; Sue knew that Nina was Jean¡¯s sister, so the two future sisters-inw should be able to talk about it more openly. On the way to the cafeteria, Nina sighed. "I don''t know what on earth happened to my brother. Why the heck would he believe what that sl*t Marie says?" Biancaughed it off. "Forget it." The more Bianca forced augh, though, the more Nina thought she had been hurt. "Don¡¯t give up on my brother so easily, Bea. Since that b*tch wants to make some drama, two can y at that game!" Just then, Bianca¡¯s phone rang. It was the head of the design department, Aimes. ''The head¡¯s calling," Bianca said to Nina in a whisper. Nina nodded and let Bianca take the call. As Bianca went to the window to answer the call, Nina went to the cafeteria to get some food. As Bianca¡¯s best friend, she knew exactly what Bianca liked, so by the time Bianca returned to their table, she saw two sets of lunch there waiting for her. Bianca sat down and picked up her chopsticks, saying, "I have to eat fast. The head sent me on another assignment." ''What assignment? Is it another outstation trip?" Nina shrieked. Bianca took a bite of rice and swallowed it before saying, "Not this time. This time, it''s the daughter of some director out there who came to visit. The higher-ups are quite concerned about the reception she''s going to get, so Sue Carter and I are in charge of weing her." "Ha, I don''t know what to say to do that anymore." Nina poked her rice with her chopsticks, muttering, "Newbies have no rights whatsoever, huh? It''s one thing if Sue Carter likes to take all the PR and admin stuff on herself, but why¡¯d she drag you into the water with her?! If she gets promoted or gets a raiseter, do you get a cut too? "A director''s daughter, huh? Sounds like a pain already!" Nina tapped Bianca''s soup bowl and warned her, ''There¡¯s no need to keep your head down. If she bullies you, call me and I¡¯ll rip her to shreds!" Bianca gulped down her food and put her lunchbox aside, telling Nina," Take your time, I need to run for it." With that, she turned and left. "Slow down... If you eat that fast, what''ll happen to your poor stomach?" Nina was worried for Bianca''s sake, but Bianca had already vanished in a rush. Thepany had sent a car and driver specifically to pick Charlotte Shaw from the airport. Charlotte Shaw walked out of the airport. She was 160 centimeters tall and stood on stilettos that were at least another 20 centimeters. Her outfit was part of the new Chanel seasonal line-up, while her bag was limited edition Hermes. 1 If they added up her high-end jewelry as well, herplete outfit was worth at least a million, i Sue could not help but mutter to Bianca, "I bet no one¡¯s shier than Charlotte Shaw. I mean, her father''s still the leader of a rted government department. Isn¡¯t she afraid of causing her dear old dad trouble with his job?" Soon enough, Charlotte approached the car. Bianca''s expression was perfectly neutral as she greeted Charlotte politely. "Good day, Miss Shaw." Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Good day!" Charlotte greeted them flippantly, ncing over at Sue''s and Bianca¡¯s professional outfits. There was contempt in her eyes; what peasants! Jason was the assigned driver, but Charlotte treated him quite differently. It was probably because Charlotte had done her homework beforeing to A City. She probably knew that Jason was Luke''s trusted aide. Since she was here for Luke, how could she not know about his rtionships with the people around him? On the way back, Charlotte insisted on taking the passenger''s seat, all so she could chat with Jason, the driver, a bit more. Meanwhile, Sue and Bianca sat in the backseats quietly without saying a single word. Charlotte asked Jason, "I''m quite curious, Mr. Doyle. Does Mr. Crawford have a girlfriend? Why haven''t I seen any women around him?" Jason smiled, but that was not a question he could answer so easily. If he said Mr. Crawford was single, he would probably end up pushing this pest Charlotte onto his boss. If he said Mr. Crawford was taken, then... then he might end up misleading the flower Mr. Crawford really wanted to pick, right? Jason nced at Bianca in the backseat and subtly pulled his gaze back before telling Charlotte, "I don''t really know about my boss'' private life. Why don¡¯t you ask him directly, Miss Shaw?" "Oh, I see." Charlotte only stopped talking when she realized she was not getting anything from Jason. Bianca¡¯s eyes were fixed on the freeway zipping past the car window as she let her thoughts wander. Suddenly, she heard Jason add, half-seriously and half-jokingly, "Men like Mr. Crawford are actually a little scary. He won''t easily fall for any woman, not that I''ve seen at least, but if he actually does fall for someone, I think he might stick to her for life. If she tries to betray him, or even break up with him, she might best pick out a graveyard and an ash urn in advance..." Bianca could not see Charlotte¡¯s expression. However, Bianca herself was stunned. "Either love or death!" How possessive must he be to think that? How could a man love a woman in such a perverse and extreme way...? Chapter 28 Burn Her Body With Desire Chapter 28 Burn Her Body With Desire They reached the city center. Jason gripped the steering wheel, asking Charlotte, "Miss Shaw, do you want me to send you to your hotel or the shopping center so you can explore?" "Neither. I invited a friend out for lunch,¡± said Charlotte as she patched up her make-up and put her lipstick away. Jason understood and asked, "Have you decided on where you''ll eat? If you haven''t made a reservation, we can make you one whenever you want.¡± If T Corporation was an empire in the business world, Luke would be its emperor and Jason, his trusted aide, its prime minister. Jason obeyed one man andmanded all the rest. Of course Charlotte would feel cocky when a man like that treated her with such respect. "Oh, we''ve made our reservations.¡± Charlotte told him where she was going to eat. The car headed straight for her destination. About ten minutester, Jason stopped the car by the curb. "Here we are, Miss Shaw." "Thank you!" Charlotte grabbed her bag and flipped her wavy brown hair. Before she got out of the car, she pointed a finger at the backseat. "You,e with me.¡± Jason frowned subtly. Charlotte''s smug attitude was getting on his nerves. On the other hand, Bianca was not at all surprised Charlotte would behave like that. Charlotte Shaw was a pampered materialistic heiress. She probably felt all unnatural without a few lackeys behind her. 1 Now, though, Charlotte did not ask Sue to follow her. Perhaps it was because Sue looked quite stern and intimidating when she was not smiling. To put it bluntly, Bianca looked weaker and easier to bully! Bianca got out of the car. Jason drove the car away. "Follow me." Charlotte looked at the unassuming Bianca as though she was a pet puppy and then left without another word. A hundred meters ahead of them was the grand hotel where Charlotte had made her reservation. Bianca received a message on her phone. "Although we''re in charge of weing her, she isn''t anything to us. If she¡¯s polite, you can stay polite. If she''s rude, you don''t have to bend over to her either." It was a text from Sue. Charlotte turned around and said, "Why are you so slow? Keep up!" Bianca put her phone into her bag. Charlotte had booked an extremely extravagant room in the five-star hotel. The person she was supposed to be meeting was not here yet, so Charlotte sat down and started fixing her make-up again. Bianca did not have anything to do, so she just took a seat on a couch nearby. Soon, Charlotte¡¯s phone rang. She picked up, saying, "Hey, are you here yet? How could you keep me waiting for so long, you little b*tch?! Do you wanna die?!¡± Bianca paused when she heard that. She thought to herself that this friend of Charlotte''s, the girl she called "little b*tch", was probably no better than Charlotte in terms of personality. 1 "Your mom? I don''t like having elders around." Charlotte demurred for a bit before relenting with a sigh. "Fine, fine. Let your mother tag along.¡± About twenty more minutester, the room door opened. Bianca stood up instinctively out of politeness, but when she met gazes with her stepmother Jennifer Lee and Marie Rayne, all the blood instantly drained from her face, i Clearly, politeness was unnecessary here! 1 Jennifer and Marie were stunned for a second too. "Do you... know each other?" Charlotte could tell there was something wrong with the atmosphere. Jennifer was the first to react, all smiles as she appraised Charlotte and praised out loud, "Are you Charlotte? Marie told me so much about you! Wow, you¡¯re so pretty, so fair and slender. I heard that when you were studying overseas, you were the idol of your school, surpassing all the pretty foreign girls!" Thepliments made Charlotte shy, but she epted them as though they were natural too. She thought she deserved such praise, so she instantly agreed with thisdy''s taste. Before she knew it, she had graciously epted the way Jennifer held her hands too. This is from N?velDrama.Org. When Marie saw how well her mother was getting along with Charlotte, she instantly smiled proudly. "Ma''am, Marie,e and sit over here," said Charlotte. Marie walked over to Charlotte, but when she walked past Bianca, she asked, "Why are you here?¡± "Have fun chatting. I need to go to the washroom," Bianca said calmly. With that, she walked out of the room. "How do you know her, Charlotte?¡± That was her stepmother Jennifer''s voice. "Oh, I don¡¯t know her, Ma¡¯am,¡¯¡¯ Charlotte said hurriedly. "I''m here in A City to meet my fiance, and she''s just an employee at my fiance''spany. She''s in charge of following me around, holding my stuff and buying me water." Bianca walked down the corridor, their voices blurring into the distance. She knew just how well Jennifer and Marie would assault her character. Over the years, Bianca had long since grown used to it, and she would not easily grow enraged by it either. She knew that the angrier she grew, the more excited those two would get. In the room, Marie mentioned Bianca and then stopped, hesitating... Charlotte could not stand the suspense, so she berated Marie, "Just spit it out, Marie! Don''t you go hiding things for me!" "Just tell her! Charlotte''s so sweet and innocent that I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll suffer for it!" Jennifer added oil to the mes. Her words made Charlotte narrow her eyes dangerously, staring at Marie. Marie acted as though she was forced to say it. "Charlotte, you gotta be careful. You said you''re here to meet your fiance, and Bianca Rayne''s an employee at your fiance¡¯spany, right? I''m afraid, so afraid..." "Afraid? Of what?¡± Charlotte instantly reacted. "Her name¡¯s Bianca Rayne? I never asked for her name before! Why is herst name Rayne too?¡± 1 Rayne was not a verymonst name, and yet she had now met two people with that name, both of them who knew each other. Charlotte''s suspicions were instantly piqued. "I won¡¯t try hiding it from you. Bianca is my sister, but we¡¯re not rted by blood at all. My mother married her father, both of them on their second marriages." Marie nced at her mother, looking hurt and pitiful as she said, "My mother funded her overseas study, but she didn''t focus on her studies when she was out there. She spent all her time seducing rich foreigners and has a terrible reputation in that sense. I''m afraid... You have to be careful around your fiance. She might steal him away too..." Charlotte was so angry that she mmed her hand onto the table. "She wants to seduce my man? Let''s see her try!" "Don''t underestimate her. Her birth mother had single-handedly stolen a married man, and quite a famous one at that. He divorced his original wife for her mother and even split up their shares, doing all sorts of horrible things. Her father told me and my mother to keep a tight eye on her, just in case she ends up like her mother." After Marie said that, she calmly took a sip of tea. ''Til destroy her right now!" 1 Charlotte leaped to her feet and whispered into Marie''s ear, "You know the clubs well, right? Have your friends send me some of those drugs within half an hour. Money isn¡¯t an issue. It''d be even better if you find me one of those yer-type guys!" 2 Marie was inwardly over the moon, but she acted shocked and confused." Why do you want those drugs?" "I want to burn her body with desire, so I can film the way she kneels down and sucks off a man. Then I can put that on the inte..." Charlotte looked absolutely determined to nip Bianca in the bud. Chapter 29 Bianca Shook Her Head, Trying To Clear Her Mind Chapter 29 Bianca Shook Her Head, Trying To Clear Her Mind Marie looked stunned. "But... She''s my little sister...¡± Jennifer had been out and about in society for several decades, and she had long since witnessed all of the nasty things women did to each other. The moment Charlotte looked up, she immediately knew what the girl was nning. Charlotte muttered to Marie coldly, "Stop defending that little b*tch! She¡¯s a tumor that should be removed ASAP. Both you and your mother have already tried helping her. You funded her studies overseas and spent so much money on her. You''ve already done more than enough for her. It''s her own fault for knowing nothing other than seducing other people''s men! "I¡¯m telling you, she is nothing to me, and I have to do this to her to protect my love!" With that, Charlotte went back to her seat. Marie pretended to be conflicted about it for such a long time until Charlotte frowned, on the verge of losing her temper. Only then did Marie make the necessary arrangements. ... i After Marie left the room, she first nced toward the washroom. Once she was sure that the coast was clear, she walked to a hidden corner and made a call. The tone rang for a long time before someone picked up. Marie said impatiently, "What took you so long? Did you drop dead on some hussy''s tits?" The man on the other end was no saint either, his tone rough as he said," What do you want? Get on with it.¡± Marie could not care less about anything else, either. She finally had a chance, so she had to get this done. "I¡¯ll cut the crap, Theo. Get me some of those drugs, and make ''em as strong as theye. I want something fast-acting and good enough to have even the holiest of nuns instantly begging for d*ck!" "When do you want it?" "Now. Bring ''em over within half an hour." Marie was afraid of missing this golden opportunity, so she sounded somewhat hasty. "Money isn''t an issue. As long as you get this done, I¡¯ll pay you twenty K." While Theo hesitated, Marie told him the address of the five-star hotel. The moment he heard that fancy location, Theo stopped doubting Marie¡¯s sincerity. Anyone who could "do things" in such a grand hotel must surely be filthy rich. They would not bail on the bill. "Alright, I''ll get them to you within twenty minutes." "Hurry it up! See, when there''s money to be got, you¡¯re the first one I go to!" Marie was worried that the walls had ears, so she was extremely nervous. After that, she remembered something else and said, "Youe over too! You haven''t had a broad in forever, right? You can have this one. You can break her body or her mind, up to you." i "Sure thang!" Theo agreed without hesitation. ... i When Marie returned to the room, Bianca was not back yet. "It''s done, but since it¡¯s such short notice, my friend wants a hundred thousand," Marie said in a message to Charlotte. "Money is not an issue to me," replied Charlotte. Bianca only returned from the washroom after a long time. When she next entered the room, she looked pale and extremely unwell. ''You¡¯re back! Come on, take a seat." Charlotte grew all enthusiastic, saying, "I didn''t know you¡¯re Marie''s younger sister! If I did, I wouldn''t have dared to ask you toe with me." "It''s fine," Bianca said. "Sorry, Miss Shaw, but I''m not feeling well, so I have to leave now." Both Marie and Jennifer grew nervous. They were so close to getting her! This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡®You can¡¯t leave." Charlotte grabbed Bianca''s arm and appraised her, saying, "We got to know each other, so we''re kind of friends now. I''ll have to ask you to help me out with Luke from now on." However, Bianca said, "I''m only a sried worker, so I don''t think I''ll interact with the president all that much." She was trying to distance herself from Luke Crawford. Charlotte was not some random nobody, and she did not want to make an enemy of her. Bianca did not want Charlotte to misunderstand her rtionship with Luke. ''You¡¯re still his employee, after all. I¡¯m sure you know more than I do." Charlotte pressed Bianca back in her seat and smiled. ''Tell me what you know about him." Marie heaved a sigh of relief when she saw Bianca sit down. This time, she had to get rid of Bianca once and for all! Theo Gibson was a monster. He was only thirty-two, but he already mixed with all the wrong crowds. Unfortunately, he even identally contracted AIDSst year. 2 Marie was quite d that Theo had that disease. She was going to give it to Bianca too tonight! i Once she did, Bianca would never be able to recover from it! The four women chatted in the room for a few minutes, but Bianca did not want to stay for long. Seeing that, Jennifer immediately mentioned, "Bianca, have you been in contact with your father?" Bianca had been adamant about leaving, but now she looked at Jennifer and asked, "My dad, how''s he...?" "He¡¯s not feeling very well again. His chances are slim." Jennifer had used Bianca''s five years overseas to cut her father off from herpletely. Now that she was bringing up Kevin Rayne''s health again, Bianca would definitely let down all her defenses and focus fully on asking about her father''s condition. Fifteen minutester, a waiter brought in the food. Marie received a message on her phone and stood up to leave the room. When she next returned, Marie saw that no one had touched the drinks on the table, so she picked it up and gave it to Charlotte. ''This is yours.¡± After that, she handed Bianca another ss. She was worried that Bianca would grow suspicious, so she did not act very enthusiastic about it, but when she handed Bianca her fruit juice, she subtly poured the transparent liquid hiding in her palm into the ss. ''Your father will get better" Charlotte raised her ss and said, "I''ll toast with this juice instead of wine. Cheers! Bianca, you gotta keep those nasty women away from Luke for me, okay?" Bianca''s thoughts werepletely upied by her father¡¯s health. She held up her ss and clinked it against Charlotte¡¯s without thinking, taking a small sip from the juice. "When will my fathere back? Please tell me his phone number." Bianca was polite for once. She was only treated Jennifer and Marie politely against her wishes when her father was involved. Jennifer said, "Your dad changed his number, and I''m waiting for him to call me too." Bianca''s expression distorted. How could Jennifer possibly not know if he changed his number?! The two of them were not going to stop until they squeezed her dad of everyst penny! 1 Perhaps her anger made her thirsty. Bianca picked up her juice and took another sip. After that, Bianca put down her ss and said, "I¡¯ll be..." Before she could say "leaving now", she suddenly felt a me surge into her brain. It slowly burned down to her chest, as though there was a fire burning there. Marie held her breath, watching as Bianca quickly lost her rational mind. She yanked at her cor with one hand and pulled her long ck hair away from her cor with the other. Charlotte, on the other hand, was jealous. She thought that Bianca was unassuming before this, but now that she looked closely, she saw that Bianca had fair skin and rosy lips, her slender neck white as snow. Her every move radiated desire beneath that purity. It was such a provocative sight. Even Charlotte, a woman, felt tempted. How could a man possibly withstand her?! Bianca shook her head, trying to clear her mind. She panted heavily, looking at Marie and Charlotte. When she saw how nervous and excited the two of them looked, she suddenly understood... She grabbed her bag and quickly ran out of the room. 1 She could not let these b*tches have their way! 1 Marie could not stand the suspense. She gave Theo a call and chased after Bianca. When she reached an empty spot, shemanded him, ''The girl¡¯s gone downstairs. Hurry, go to the hotel entrance and catch her! If you break her tonight, I''ll pay you ten thousand. If you sessfully give her AIDS, I''ll give you another ten thousand! Hop on it! Chapter 30 She Was Falling At His Feet! Chapter 30 She Was Falling At His Feet! "Hot, it''s so hot... "Why does it feel so bad? Ugh..." With herst strand of consciousness, Bianca mmed the elevator buttons. The doors finally opened later, and she managed to get inside. Thankfully, she was the only person in here! Bianca hid in the descending elevator, her face turning an unnatural shade of red. She could not stop the moans from leaking through her lips. The elevator slowly descended to the seventh floor and stopped there. Bianca saw a boy walk into the elevator. He looked like he was only eighteen or neen, and he was over 170 centimeters tall, casually dressed. He was probably still a college student. "A-Are you okay?" He immediately noticed that there was something wrong with Bianca. It gave him a shock, and he stammered out his question. "I''m... I''m fine." Bianca frowned. "Don''te close to me." The feeling was just too hard to suppress. She felt as though she was floating in the sea, bobbing uncertainly on the waves. Right now, she desperately needed an anchor. For some reason, when she looked at the boy in front of her, she instinctively thought that he was that anchor... The woman''s passionate gaze made the boy''s face redden. Although she was very pretty and clean, exuding feminine hormones, he just did not dare to touch her. "Should... Should I send you to the hospital?" the boy suggested kindly." You seem to be in a lot of pain." In Bianca¡¯s mind, her primal instincts were currently at war with her logic. She instinctively wanted to hug that boy, and that desire to approach kept growing stronger, all just because he was a man! However, her logic told her not to go closer, telling her that it was only the drug talking! Just then, the elevator reached the first floor. The doors opened. Someone stood outside, casting a shadow over the people inside. This is from N?velDrama.Org. "Shall I take you to the hospital?" The boy had no time to look outside. The first thing he wanted to do was help Bianca walk. He was worried that another man would take advantage of her as she was now. Before he could eveny a finger on her, however, a sudden force shoved him all the way into the elevator. His back mmed into the mirror wall inside the elevator with a loud thump, the pain making him grimace... When he raised his head again, he saw that a man had lifted the woman into his arms. The man''s back alone showed that he was tall, and his legs long. He wore a suit and leather shoes, and even from the back, the boy could sense how imposing he was. He emanated a cold arrogance that told everyone around him one thing: He was not to be messed with! At the hotel entrance, Theo was looking everywhere for Bianca! 1 Where else could a drugged woman run to on her own? He would get some money if he yed with her, and he could get more money if he gave her AIDS. What a steal! Besides, he had not done anything like this for a while now. Just the thought of it got him excited! Theo could not stand still at all. He might not find a suitable ything for another month if he let this woman slip between his fingers, so he walked to the reception counter and asked, "Did you see a woman walk out of the elevator?" ''What kind of a woman?" the receptionist asked. "Uh, she probably drank too much, so she might be dizzy and feeling unbearably hot too. Her face should be bright red..." Theo did not dare to say too much, lest he arouse any suspicions. Luke happened to hear what Theo said, and he turned around to look at Theo coldly, i The receptionist replied, "Sorry, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen her." Theo thanked her and continued waiting at the elevator, even mumbling to herself, "Has she note down yet? Did she hide in some washroom somewhere?" With that, he went upstairs in search of her. Luke carried Bianca away. It was not that Theo did not see Luke, but he only saw thetter¡¯s back. At the same time, he had never seen Bianca before, and he had no idea how the woman was dressed or what she looked like. That was why he did not dare to look at the woman Luke was carrying at all. 2 That man had such cold, hard, and chiseled features. Theo could tell at a nce that he was no ordinary man. Average Joes like Theo could never afford to offend powerful men like that, not if he wanted to live! There was a car stopped at the hotel entrance. Jason was waiting inside. Luke did not take Bianca into the car, though. Right now, she looked like a stray cat in heat, leaning into his embrace all soft and fair. She was even molesting him all over. Lighting fires all over his body. No one could see her like this, not even Jason! Once they left the hotel, Luke had no choice but to carry this misbehaving woman somewhere less popted. There was a huge Ferris wheel close to the hotel, but it was only a decorative piece here in the city. It was not actually meant for entertainment purposes. The Ferris wheel was wholly owned by T Corporation. Luke carried Bianca toward it. A password was needed to ride this Ferris wheel. Bianca was shaking violently, and Luke pressed her into his arms as he dialed Jason¡¯s number. While he looked down at the moaning Bianca, he asked, "What¡¯s the password to the Ferris wheel?" 1 ''The... Ferris wheel?¡± Jason blinked but did not dare to pry further. All he said was, ''The password is 49270166." "Alright. I''ll step away for a bit. Go into the hotel and investigate who came into the contact with Bianca Rayne today. She''s been drugged, and I demand to know the truth!" With that, Luke quickly hung up the call, his expression cool as ice. 3 Bianca could barely even stand, her body leaning onto Luke''s sturdy chest limply as though she could absorb his cool temperature that way. It felt so good that she sighed sweetly. "Hug me... Mm... Take me..." she invited him subconsciously, moaning and tempting him in desperation. Luke¡¯s eyes grew deeper and darker. He held her chin and raised her small face, only the size of his palm. His scorching gaze stared into her pretty misty eyes as he asked, "Do you know who I am?" "You... You''re..." Bianca could not say. The drugs had taken over her, almost changing her personality completely. Right now, she was just desperate with need. "Mm... Mmm... Ah... Give me... I''m begging you...¡± She was falling at his feet! Luke tried his hardest to suppress his bodily reaction, but she kept mewling like a kitten... When she saw that the man was not doing anything, Bianca could not resist the urge to stand on the tips of her toes, draping herself over his body with some difficulty and moaning breathlessly into his ear, "I... I feel so bad... So thirsty... Feed me..." Luke''s left hand had already cupped her slender waist, and he secretly applied some strength. As he pursed his lips, the sexy knot in his throat bobbed, and he asked in a hoarse voice, "What do you want me to feed you?¡± "Ah... You..." The man''s voice and hisrge hand controlling her body filled Bianca''s mind. The sensation of his voice and the touch of his body made her feel such vastly different things. 1 Her small hand caressed his chest frantically through his shirt, her sweet and soft lips pressing against his neck. She sucked in... The man''s beautiful neckline instantly tensed up! Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Be Good, Stay Still Luke''s heart and body shuddered. A familiar sensation in his groin made all of his body rush toward his head, and his breathing gradually quickened. Her sweet beauty always managed to attract his eyes. "Ah!" The next moment, Bianca¡¯s feet left the ground again. He suddenly picked her up. Carrying her to the Ferris wheel, Luke withstood the temptation of her small wandering hands and the feeling of her soft lips on his throat... She randomly kissed the skin on his corbone over and over again. Bianca did not know who this man was. She had even forgotten who she was. Her body¡¯s primal instincts were making her do this, because this was the only way to make her body feel better. Otherwise, that dry agony would torment her, making her wish for death. She was in so much pain, i Please, somebody, save her. Her hands were seeking out what she liked, and then she easily pulled apart the third button on the man''s shirt... The top two buttons of Luke''s shirt had been undone to begin with, and now the third button was undone too. No, rather than saying she undid his button, it was more like she ripped it out of its hole in her desperation to get a man... The man¡¯s well-toned chest was revealed to her in its full glory, emanating a delicious sense of power and firmness! "Stop that!" Luke looked down at her coldly and barked at her, frowning deeply. He then reached out his hand and keyed in the eight-digit password, opening the secured door to the Ferris wheel. He carried her into the Ferris wheel. Bianca was startled. His deep voice was especially mesmerizing! i After that, the door closed behind them. That was when the Ferris wheel began to move slowly. As the Ferris wheel cabin gradually rose, Luke was worried that she would lose her bnce, so he hugged her carefully, seating her down on the double-seat inside the cabin. He was about to get up and leave her alone to calm down, but then a disobedient little hand mbered onto his body gently and limply, hugging his sturdy waist and refusing to let go. Luke stood still. "I... feel so hot... So hot... Mm..." Whenever she stopped for a moment, Bianca would feel as though her body was being chewed by millions of ants. "Hold on, just hold on and it will pass. Be good, stay still." Luke''s voice was hoarse with desire, but he did not turn back to look at her. He was worried he would lose control. i "I... I... I''m dying..." Her breathing waspletely out of rhythm. Why was there no one to help her?! Despair slowly engulfed her, and she pulled her hand back, rubbing her cold shoulders that yearned for an embrace. After that, she pulled away her long hair. It made her neck and face feel unspeakably hot. Finally, she curled onto the bench, her body rubbing against it... Luke did not turn around, but as he watched the Ferris wheel cabin rise slowly, he could not help but feel an intense emotional and physical reaction. It did not matter how hard he tried to suppress it. "I want... I want..." She tossed and turned in agony, without any idea what she was mumbling. His body began to grow tense. Bianca''s panting and soft moans made him feel like she was begging him... to save her... Luke''s phone rang. When he picked up, he heard Jason''s professional-sounding report. "Mr. Crawford, sir, the police have apprehended the people involved. However, there is a mother and daughter among the suspects who are rted to Miss Rayne." Luke''s voice was ice-cold. "I don''t care who it is. Handle it ordingly!" "But..." Jason hesitated. He could not decide, so he had to ask Luke. "The director''s daughter, Charlotte Shaw, was also at the table with them... Um..." "Capture her too." Luke''s voice was practically hell frosted over. Once he received his orders, Jason went ahead to carry them out. 1 After he ended the call, Luke instinctively turned around. When he saw Bianca, though, he realized that she had gotten worse instead of getting better...This is from N?velDrama.Org. Bianca''s legs were pressed together. She wore a tight one-step skirt that went past her knees; the skirt was enchanting in the way it hugged her body and gave her a crisp outline. Usually, it made her look cool and aloof. Now, however, her pitiful expression formed a stark contrast against her usual cool image... There was a slit at the back of her skirt. Half an hour ago, it looked conservative and professional, but now it was practically begging him tomit a crime. That was because she rubbed her legs against each other. Over and over again. Her one-step skirt had lost all of its shape, and it was even wrinkled in a few ces. Luke was a perfectly functional man. Five years ago, he had experienced many passionate nights with her, and he was now at the age when his libido was the strongest! How could he not know why Bianca was squirming around? 1 Of course he knew what she wanted, and which part of her desperately wanted it. After Bianca closed her eyes, she did not open them again. She could not see anyone around her, and the drugs overtook her mindpletely. All that rubbing was not enough for her, so she even reached her hand into her skirt... "Shit!¡± Luke swore under his breath, striding over to her and grabbing her hand to stop herself from pleasuring herself! "Mm..." Someone was here, and it was a man too. Bianca opened her eyes, her rational mind all but gone. After that, Luke felt her soft body pounce into his arms, her sweet fragrance entering his nostrils... "You''re drugged, so you don''t know who I am. If I do anything to you, can you promise that you won''t cry when you wake up? I can take responsibility for my actions and take care of you," he mumbled into her ear. One of his hands held her fair and slender neck, while his other caressed her hair. She acted even more obedient now that he was patting her head. "Wha... What...?¡¯¡¯ Still, she did not understand what he was saying. She did not know anything except how desperately thirsty she was right now. She rubbed herself against the man¡¯s chiseled features, against his tall and straight nose, against his perfectly-shaped and sexy chin. Clumsily, she moved to his mouth, touching his lips as her soft mounds caressed him back and forth, i Luke''s eyes turned bloodshot! The next second, she cried out in pain. She felt his cold lips swallow hers. He was kissing her with so much force that it felt like he wanted to break her into pieces and press her shards into his body. 1 Her heart was pounding as he expertly maneuvered around her body. Soon, she gasped and sobbed in pure pleasure and ecstasy... The tears flowed down her face. Bianca had lost track of her sense of shame, sitting on his body without a shred of dignity, As the two of them frantically made out in the Ferris wheel cabin, rising slowly to its peak, her small and naughty hands pulled his shirt out from underneath his belt. 1 However, Luke restrained her hands from moving about, warning her in a low voice, "Do you know what you''re about to touch here?" "I like it... Ah...¡± She was pressed down against the seat again as he kissed her senseless, but her hands just would not stay still. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 I¡¯ll Make You Like It Even More! "You like it?" Luke asked in a low voice before picking her up from the bench in one go, his actions rough and hurried. She flew from the bench, her body crashing into a wall of flesh that then held her captive. It took her a while to realize that she had fallen into that man''s firm embrace. ''Til make you like it even more!" With those words, Luke pressed her against the ss window in the cabin again. High up in the air, he kissed her tender and rosy lips. The soft and cool sensation was stered against her skin. "Mm..." She felt him suck on her lips. Driven by his temptation, she reached out her arms to hug his sturdy waist... When he felt the woman in his arms reach closed toward him, he opened his thin lips and guided her along. Bianca''s fair little hands first held the man''s waist, then they climbed onto the man''s broad and strong shoulders. Her body reacted honestly; it was clear that she really liked this powerful male body. Her little tongue slipped into his overbearing mouth, and they locked into each other, venting their own desires and need. It was only when she was gasping for air that he finally let go of her lips slightly. The next second, though, she raised her head a little, and the man''s warm moist lips approached her ears instead. Luke''s breath was scalding on his lips, and he pressed them against her petite earlobe... "Mm..." Bianca could not help a moan. Her pretty face was flushed with lust. Before she knew it, the man''s clothes looked even more unkempt than hers. The hem of his shirt had been pulled out of his pants, and only four of his buttons remained intact. As the man licked and sucked on her earlobe, as he nibbled on every inch of her skin from her neck to her cor and beyond, she felt ecstasy, her body trembling. The man¡¯s steady heartbeat, his graduallybored breathing, his slender waist, his firm pecs, all of them were lethal knives that killed thest of her rationality. "Give me..." she cried out shamelessly. 1 Her tears bnced on hershes. She was this close to crying. Luke bit her beautiful corbone gently. Panting, he put one hand on the back of her head and reached his other hand to his belt, undoing it with ease. After that, he pulled down his zipper. 2 Bam! Something bounced out of his pants. There were veins pulsing on it, and it even hurt when it hit her soft lower abdomen. "Bzzt bzzt bzzt-" A phone vibrated at exactly the wrong time. Luke ignored it, lingering amidst the woman''s constantly moaning tongue and lips... 1 The phone rang again. Luke pulled it out and gave the caller ID a dark look. It was Jason Doyle. His gaze turned even colder, and he simply tossed the phone behind his head, letting it fall onto the floor. He then lowered his head and kissed those moist pleading eyes, hisrge hand caressing every inch manically... The phone rang again. Jason was in his car, holding his phone in one hand and his deeply frowning brow in the other. He had lost track of how many times he had called his boss. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Was it eight times, nine times, or ten times? Finally, someone picked up! Jason organized his words in his head cautiously, squeezing his phone as he said, "Sorry, Mr. Crawford, but I had to make this call. We found the bottle this drug came in in a trash can at the hotel, then we sent the remnants of the liquid fortesting. The results came in really quickly. This aphrodisiac is really cruel to women, because any woman who ingests it cannot have intercourse with a man. If she does..." 2 "What will happen if she does?¡± Luke''s voice was like a de of ice, stabbing right into Jason''s eardrums. 1 Cold sweat was pouring down Jason¡¯s head. "If she does, there''s a chance she''ll hemorrhage..." It was early summer right now, but Jason felt like there was a sword held against his throat. The back of his neck felt cold. "Bring ady doctor over." After a long pause, Luke gave an icymand. On the Ferris wheel. Luke''s burning body stayed a certain distance away from Bianca. 1 However, Bianca was feeling desperately empty, so she approached him again. "Stay still. Good, good girl, stay there. If you y with fire, you''re the one who''ll be burned." Luke knew that Jason was by no means joking. At a time like this, he could not just prioritize his own enjoyment. Bianca began to sob. It felt bad. It felt so horrible! Thedy doctor would take at least another twenty minutes to arrive at the Ferris wheel. Luke could not stand the way she looked as she wept. His usually stone- cold heart softened all of a sudden. The doctor said he could not prate her, right? That did not mean he could not help her in other ways. His thin lips covered her soft, craving mouth once more... "Mm... Mm..." She was saved. The heat gathered in her body transformed into her scalding hot breath, blowing on the man¡¯s beautifully-defined chin, lighting a fire in him that could not be extinguished. Luke''s rough hand held her soft skin once more... His touch made her weak in the knees, her mind turning dazed. As usual, Jason was an expert at getting things done. The doctor arrived fifteen minutester. Bianca was handed over to her. Jason stood to the left, ncing at Luke tremulously as it was all going down. He could definitely tell why his boss had such a hard expression the entire time. He was clearly feeling ''unfulfilled''... 2 The doctor gave Bianca some medicine, and soon thetter calmed down, all the strength draining out of her. His gazeplicated, Luke turned around and frowned. He lit a cigarette and then began to suck on it slowly, one breath at a time. Jason did not dare to move even a step until he saw his boss finish an entire cigarette. It looked like Luke had finally calmed down too. "Do you wish to go to the hospital too, Mr. Crawford?" He had to ask that question. 1 Luke''s eyes were cold and his gaze deep. His voice was still hoarse from the aftermath. "Call her friend to take care of her at the hospital." Bianca was awoken by the extreme dryness in her throat. She wanted some water to drink, but when she propped up her body with her eyes closed and turned her body to a side, opening her eyes, she saw Nina sitting next to her. Nina looked at her, her eyes wide. "How... do you feel?" Bianca blinked. Other than Nina, she saw the unfamiliar furniture around her. The table, chair, bed, covers... She looked at the door, certain that this was a hospital room somewhere. "What happened?" Bianca¡¯s mind waspletely nk. "Don''t you remember anything?" Nina did not know what side-effects that cursed drug had, but she had to say it. "You were drugged by that b*tch Marie Rayne. Did you forget? She gave you an aphrodisiac!" 2 An aphrodisiac... Bianca''s first reaction was humiliation at the mere word. Only after that did she wonder about what happened next. Bianca lowered her head and thought carefully, her pretty brows frowning slightly. However, all she could remember were vague fragments. The ss of fruit juice on the table was spiked, and she drank it. Soon after that, she felt herself burning up unnaturally, and she realized that she had been set up, so she took her bag and ran from the room. After that, she went into the elevator. However, no matter how hard she racked her mind, she just could not remember what happened after that. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Not Good For A Man And Woman To Be Alone Together Bianca looked at Nina. Her voice was barely a whisper when she asked, showing just how terrified she was right now. "Did I... do anything irredeemable? "Also, did I encounter any men?" "I don''t know," Nina said, conflicted. "I wasn''t there with you when you were drugged. The doctors only called me over after they got the effects under control." Bianca caught the keywords. The doctors got the effect under control. That meant someone called the doctor for her. Bianca let out a breath, holding her head in her hands as she thought back carefully. After a long time, she said, "I remember there was a boy in the elevator. I think he said... he wanted to take me to the hospital?" ''That should be it.¡± Nina locked down that answer. "I was worried someone took advantage of you, so I even called the number again, but the one who picked up was the doctor. She was ady doctor, too!¡± Nina''s reassurance finally put Bianca''s heart at ease. "Do you have any water?" "Yeah!" Nina hurriedly grabbed a ss of water and put it to Bianca''s lips. After that, she reached for the fruits. Nina offered Bianca the fruits. Bianca looked down and looked at the huge banana in front of her. Her face instantly turned red... Was it a side effect of the drug? For some reason, such an embarrassing image appeared in her head, of a man desperately unbuckling his belt and pulling down his fly... "I¡¯ll pass." Bianca pushed the banana away exasperatedly. Nina immediately began peeling the fruit. "I''ll take it if you don''t want it. Gah, I¡¯m starving." Bianca stared, ck-jawed, as Nina ate the banana. Those scenes appeared in her head again. "Argh! Give me another ss of cold water!" i Bianca thought she must be going mad. What on earth was she thinking?! Her mind was filled with filth... Nina held the banana in her mouth as she poured Bianca a ss of cold water. Bianca drained the whole thing, her mind finally feeling a little calmer. "Someone called the cops. Both Marie Rayne and Charlotte Shaw were arrested, but I don''t know what the results of the investigation are. Now that you¡¯ve regained consciousness, I''m afraid the cops will be here to ask you some questions soon,¡± Nina said. ''They were arrested by the cops?" Bianca would never have expected that. People like Marie must definitely drug women on a nearly daily basis, and they usually would not leave any evidence behind. Even if they did, the victim usually would not go to the police in a bid to save what remained of their dignity. Bianca had even been wondering what she had to do to make sure Marie and Charlotte got their comeuppance. "Do you wanna sleep for a while longer? You don''t look alright yet to me. Thank goodness you''re not a man, or you might have cum yourself to death!¡± Nina was worried that Bianca might fall into depression, so she added a joke, narrowing her eyes pervertedly. 2 Bianca, ¡±..." Just then, there was the sound of someone walking toward them, followed by a familiar voice saying "thanks". Since this was an upper-ss hospital room, their surroundings were rtively cleaner, and they could hear every little sound clearly. "Is that Mr. Rayne?" Nina nced at Bianca, who looked stunned. Even she could tell that the voice was Kevin Rayne''s. Bianca wanted to get out of bed. It had been so long since shest saw her father. However, she had only taken a step away from her bed when she felt an odd sensation in her body. "What''s the matter?" Nina helped support Bianca, asking in concern when she saw thetter stop. Bianca did not say a word, feeling really awkward... True, if she was a man, she might really have... Well, there was no time to change into new underwear now. Kevin Rayne had already pushed open the door and entered the room, followed by Jennifer Lee. "Bianca, you''re awake." Kevin looked instantly relieved when he saw that his daughter was awake and in her right mind. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Bianca suppressed the way her heart twisted when she saw her father, turning her gaze onto Jennifer instead. "Why didn''t the cops arrest you too?!¡± There was no way Bianca would believe that Jennifer did not know about this! Jennifer was ashamed, so she tugged at Kevin¡¯s shirt. Kevin sighed and walked over to Bianca. After he had his daughter sit down, he said carefully, "Bianca, don''t talk to your stepmother like that. She''s still your elder, after all.¡± Bianca¡¯s heart sank in an instant. Anyone who did not know better would think that Jennifer was his first and only wife, that Marie was his own daughter by flesh and blood. As for her? She must be adopted. "I''m d to see you''re fine." Kevin''s face was covered in wrinkles, as was his frowning brow. He patted Bianca''s thin shoulders and said with some difficulty, "Your stepmother spoiled Marie, that''s why she''s the way she is. Those other folks outside have been influencing her badly too. She isn¡¯t such a bad person at heart!¡± Nina stood next to them, but she could not believe what Mr. Rayne was implying. 1 Biancaughed coldly. "I trust that the police will do their job and punish those who deserve it. I''m not so powerful so as to dictate what the police do." The moment Jennifer heard that, her face fell. "You''re perfectly fine right now, aren¡¯t you? It''s not like you''re missing an arm or a leg. Even if Marie did something wrong, you shouldn¡¯t be so cruel. Are you trying to ruin Marie''s life?" Jennifer''s voice was choked with tears. "What do we do? Oh, Kevin..." Bianca watched Jennifer¡¯s little ''counterattack'' unfold expressionlessly. "We only have one life to live. Why should I bend over to clean her mess? Are you saying she deserves to be loved and protected while I don¡¯t?" With those words, Bianca grabbed a set of clothing hanging next to her hospital bed. "I need to take a shower. If there''s nothing else, you can leave now." "What did I do to deserve this? I should never have married into this family and had such a disrespectful stepdaughter! I came to you in all sincerity, yet this is how you treat me?!" Jennifer continued screaming her head off outside. Bianca went into the bathroom and adjusted the temperature before she turned on the shower and stood underneath it. The sound of the water drowned out the curses from outside. Nina was peeling an apple as she gave Jennifer a few choice words, dripping with sarcasm. "Stop screaming like a banshee here. Do you really think you''re in the right? If you keep yelling like that, you might just bust a blood vessel and drop dead on the spot!" Nina chased Jennifer out of the room. Kevin followed behind her. Before dinner, Nina¡¯s parents called her away too. Bianca was in a very bad mood right now, but when she thought of it another way, it seemed that her life was much freer now that she had thrown all caution to the winds. At about six in the evening, her phone rang. When she saw the caller ID, Bianca paused in the middle of changing. She still picked up in the end, though. She did not say anything at first. Luke''s deep voice came across the phone. "Are you alone in your room?" "No... I¡¯m not alone...¡± For some reason, she had the feeling that Luke would drop by and visit her if she was alone. She was probably just ttering herself, though. "Is that so?" The man''s voice did not sound like it wasing through the phone at all, as though it was right next to her. He said steadily, "If there are others with you, that would be perfect. I won''te in if you''re alone. After all, it''s not good for a man and woman to be alone together." The door was pushed open. Bianca looked around in shock. A man in a suit and leather shoes was standing at the door, having just come in. 1 Meanwhile, she was not properly dressed yet. The two flower buds on her snow-white skin were dyed with a faint blossoming pink, standing out particrly as her chest rose and fell with her breathing... 2 Did she just dig herself into a hole here? Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Overbearing and Dominant Although Bianca reacted instantly and turned around, putting her clothes on in a hurry, the man standing at the door still saw everything. "Why are you alone?" Luke''s deep voice was the first to break the silence in the room. Her lie had been called right to her face. Bianca stood on the spot stiffly. ¡®What I meant was that someone woulde byter, not that there''s someone with me now..." The man watched her as she panicked, trying to cover up her fib. i Luke''s eyes looked around the room silently before he spoke up again." The police contacted me. How do you feel right now? Is your body alright?" 1 Charlotte was arrested, but she did not dare to approach her father with such a problem, so she gave the cops Luke''s name instead. That was why the police had contacted him. Bianca''s brain exploded. The man''s bright ck eyes were looking right into hers. "My body is... fine..." Bianca was embarrassed to have her male superior find out that she had been drugged with an aphrodisiac of all things, so she could barely even bring herself to reply. "Jason took the week off for you, so you rest easy," Luke continued. "Thanks, and thank Mr. Doyle for me..." She lowered her head guiltily. The man soon lost his patience, making a beeline straight for her. Instinctively, Bianca took one step back, still too afraid to raise her head. All she could do was keep her eyes on Luke''s waist... When she realized that she was looking at an inappropriate ce, she awkwardly moved her gaze upward, but then she saw the man¡¯s well-toned figure wrapped underneath his shirt. Her breathing grew uneven as she retreated all the way to the wall, but the man closed in on her. His strides were much longer than hers and he towered over her, giving an unprecedented sense of pressure. Luke abruptly ced his hands on the wall, keeping her trapped between his arms. Lowering his head, he looked down on her from above, his voice mesmerizing. "Are you scared of me?" Bianca could smell his masculine scent wafting off from him. It smelled good, and mixed together with traces of nicotine, it was enough to make her mind wander. She did not know if her face was red, but she was finding it hard to breathe. Her head pounded as she looked up and said, "Yes, I''m scared. Very much so. What you''re doing right now isn''t very appropriate..." "You''re scared of me, yet you lured me into your room? I can¡¯t tell when you''re lying and when you''re telling me the truth.¡± The man¡¯s deep smooth voice came from above her head. Bianca raised her head innocently. "I never..." Luke had an answer for everything, though. "I asked you if there was anyone else in your room, and you said yes, there was. I also said that I would very much mind meeting you if there was no one else here, because a man and a woman shouldn¡¯t be alone in a room together." Bianca,"...¡¯¡¯ She could not outreason him. 1 Like looked down at her gentle eyes and brows. All of a sudden, he touched her tender lips with his long and slender fingers, pressing them lightly. "You lied. You told me that there was someone else in the room, so I disregarded convention and came in. Doesn¡¯t that mean you lured me into your room?" 2 Bianca lowered her eyes, looking at the man''s finger pressed against her lip. Suppressing the unwarranted way her body was trembling, she said, flustered, "You misunderstood..." This was all an ident. Luke Crawford was not your average pleb. She really had not expected him to show up at the hospital. Nevertheless, all of her arguments sounded weak and unconvincing under these circumstances. She was the one who lied, she was the one who was not dressed when he walked in. All of these coincidences made it hard for anyone to believe that she was not ''seducing'' him... Well, she might have gotten some things wrong, but Bianca did not think all the faulty with her. She could still remember how this man had pinned her against the kitchen wall in her own home. If he did not have any ulterior motives, when he walked into the hospital room earlier and saw her undressed, he should have said a gentlemanly " sorry¡± and left the room, closing the door behind him. He did not do that. A silence suddenly fell across the room. There was not a single sound, inside the room or out. As a result, her heartbeat sounded especially loud. "Excuse me, but I need to rest..." Bianca told him to leave and proceeded to try and push him away. Before she could, though, the man trapped her firmly between the wall and his sturdy body. "What do you want to do?¡± Bianca struggled, her eyes moist as she looked up at him. "Don''t push it. If you do anything to me, I can call the cops on you too." N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Luke''s scalding breath blew on her scarlet face. "What do I want to do, you ask? You, of course. Is that a good enough answer for you?" Their eyes met and his vulgar words stabbed into her body. Bianca was so shaken that she could not breathe properly, waves of warmth flowing into her body. The man''s chest was covered with a ck shirt so it did not touch her directly, but it still felt hot enough to burn her. 1 She struggled, but that only rubbed their bodies against each other. 1 Bianca was on the verge of tears now. She raised her head to look at him, her eyes filled with pleading... Luke''s pitch-ck eyes emanated a grown man''s cool maturity. He ignored her pleas, his thin lips falling over hers. That kiss, fleeting and gentle and ephemeral, made her melt into a puddle... Bianca¡¯s face had never felt this hot before. 1 "No, you can''t..." She shook her head, trying to pull herself out of the mire. The next second, the man''s light touch on her lips turned heavy. His thin lips pulled hers open, his tongue entering her, prating her with the ferocity of a conqueror... Bianca was wide awake as she experienced the taste of this man. He was clean and refreshing, overbearing and dominant. She could not help but remember what Jason said back then. Anyone who wanted to betray this man should pick out an urn in advance... Perhaps that was just the way these men thought. Once he chose you, you had to be loyal to him forever, and do everything a man and woman did in a rtionship. The woman never had a right to break up with him. At the same time, the man had every right to cruelly say, "I¡¯ve had my fun, and now I don''t want you anymore." Aside from that traumatic experience five years ago, this was Bianca¡¯s first time acting son intimate with a man. In fact, she had not even kissed that man five years ago... Luke''s eyes turned darker, his throat bobbing as his scalding lips reached her neck, littering kisses down her smooth and tender skin. She moaned softly, her mind a mess. The man''s mouth made seductive sounds on her soft and fair skin. Bianca attributed all of her temporary mesmerization to the remnants of the drug in her body... For about five minutes, she lost herself. By the time she woke up, she widened her teary eyes and bit him without hesitation. He scared her. 1 The smell of blood spread between their mouths... Luke stopped kissing her, his lustful eyes staring at her and making her face burn. His skin was flushed and his voice hoarse as he said, "Be careful, you might pregnant if you drink my blood." 2 Her face rapidly heated up... Chapter 35 Chapter 35 His Son''s Praise Did Nor Make Him Particrly Happy Just then. There were steps approaching the room from a distance. Next, they heard Jason Doyle''s voice as he asked formally, "Miss Rayne, may I know if the boss is here?" Bianca looked toward the door, her breathing ragged. "Dad?" That was nche''s voice. When he heard that Miss Bea was sick, the boy had wasted no timeing to visit her. He stood at the room door, desperate to go in, but Jason stopped him. "Why won''t you let me go in?¡± "Shh..." Jason put a finger to his lips, telling his young master to stay quiet. Jason stood two meters away, perfectly professional. He was worried that something awkward was going on inside, and as a subordinate, he did not want to see anything he should not. "Dad?" nche blinked and raised his little hand to knock the door. Just then, the door was opened from inside, and his father looked down at him with icy eyes. Dad was so mean to visit Miss Bea without calling him along! nche ignored his father and used all his strength to drag arge fruit basket and a doll into the room. He then pounced into Bianca''s embrace, hugging her as he asked, "I heard you fell sick, Miss Bea. Are you feeling better now?¡± Bianca¡¯s expression was a little stiff. The residual heat was still on her face. Jason received a signal from his boss and nodded, leaving the room. Luke then turned around and looked at his son, who was getting a head rub from Bianca. He berated the boy, saying, "Stop hugging your Miss Bea like that. She needs rest." nche hurriedly let go when he heard that. "You should lie down and rest, Miss Bea..." Exasperated, Bianca looked at the certain man who never intended to let her rest. Luke frowned his handsome brows. There was no expression on his well- defined features, and Bianca saw him walk into the washroom, closing the door behind him. Judging by what she heard, he had turned on the venttor inside, then there was the click of a lighter. "Miss Bea, do you mind my dad smoking?" Bianca shook her head. "Do you have a fever, Miss Bea?" The boy put the doll down to free up his hands. Then he touched Bianca¡¯s forehead with one hand and his own with the other, acting quite convincing. "Hmm, you do feel a little hotter than usual." Bianca nodded. "Yeah." She could not tell him that she was here in the hospital because she had been drugged with an ''aphrodisiac'', now, could she? nche crouched down again and pushed everything on the floor toward her, saying, "Look, Miss Bea, these are the fruits I bought for you. There''s this doll too because Rainie said girls get better faster with a doll." ''Thank you. You''re such a kind little boy.¡± Bianca could not resist the urge to pinch nche''s little face. Once she got to know the two of them, Bianca realized that the father and son had vastly different personalities. One was kind and thoughtful, 1 The other was selfish and overbearing. If nche grew up with his father, would that adversely affect his development...? nche looked at Bianca with hisrge ck eyes and saw the worry on her face. The boy then looked toward the direction of the washroom; it was not hard for him to guess that his father was the one who upset Miss Bea. "Miss Bea, my dad''s actually a good guy." The little boy frowned, trying his best to praise his father. He said, "Sure, Dad seems a bit unreasonable and temperamental. He''s a loner, too,. He''s weirdly obsessive in his daily habits and even the way he thinks. He¡¯s a picky eater, and he never really approved of anyone. But overall, he''s still a good guy." The man smoking in the washroom frowned deeply. He was not particrly pleased to hear his son praise him like that... Bianca put the fruit basket aside and went to the mini-fridge in the room to find the boy a drink. He looked pretty thirsty. When she opened the fridge, though, she found that it was practically empty.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. All that remained was an almost empty bottle of mineral water. When Nina had given her water before this, she had always used a ss. Bianca pulled out a clean ss and filled it with water for the boy. "Make do with this for now, okay?" "Gulp gulp." The boy drained the whole thing in an instant. Bianca held the empty bottle, feeling rather awkward. "Oh, I''m not thirsty anymore. I can¡¯t drink even a sip more." When the boy noticed that there was no more water, he assured her considerately. A child''s reassurances were quite straightforward and innocent. He thought he could fool the adults, but Bianca was a fully-grown woman. Of course she could see through his ruse. Bianca nced at the time. It was half-past seven at night. She did not want the father and son to stay in her room for too long. Such frequent contact was not a good thing. 2 Bianca rubbed the boy''s head and then walked to the washroom door, gathering her courage to say, "Are you done smoking?" The man did not reply. Bianca repeated, "Are you done smoking? I want to use the washroom." Her attitude was very clear. She was trying to get rid of him. There was still no response from inside. Bianca found it very difficult tomunicate with the man inside. After so much time had passed, surely he must have finished smoking, so why did he stay there and refuse toe back out? When she remembered what she had taken off earlier, her heart, which had calmed down a long time ago, suddenly began racing again. She had showered earlier and taken off her panties in there. It was the pair with embroidered gauze and hollowed-out patterns in the side... The room did note with any detergent powder or liquid, so she had no choice but to set her underwear aside after she changed out of it. She had nned to wash it after she bought some detergent. After all, it was such a shame to throw them away. Her financial situation did not allow her to simply waste a pair of panties worth several hundred buckets just like that. Besides, the dress code at argepany was very strict. Only well- designed underwear like that could help her pull off a one-step skirt and thin blouse. Anything less would probably result in some wardrobe disasters. The part that left Bianca feeling extra embarrassed was that the underwear was covered with... a lot of that stuff... Bianca did not know what had happened to her after that aphrodisiac took effect. Still, just by looking at the white discharge left on her underwear, she could be certain that... Luke must have seen it. Bianca threw caution to the winds. Her face burning red, she pushed the washroom door open without waiting for an answer. 1 Luke''s deep gaze was burning with desire. He turned to look at Bianca, barking at her in a low voice, "Get out!" "Sorry! 1-1 didn''t mean to." Bianca squeezed her eyes shut and immediately backed out of the room, closing the door behind her frantically. "Was my dad peeing?" The boy held a pencil in his hand. At some point, he had started doing his homework. When Bianca ran out of the washroom, he turned to look at her and asked. Bianca did not say anything. Her face flushed bright red. The scene she had witnessed earlier was the man standing straight in front of the toilet bowl. His belt was unbuckled and his fly undone, a cigarette still burning on his lips. However, he had been... He was... mas... How was she supposed to sleep tonight?! That visual impact was... quite something... "Girls can''t look at boys peeing. Shame shame..." nche made a face at Bianca. Bianca just wanted to crawl into a hole right now. She never expected that one day she would be called shameless by a child who did not know how the adult world worked. Her knees were shaking and her whole body trembled as she crouched down outside the washroom, somewhere far far away from the washroom door... Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Are You Leaving Original content from N?velDrama.Org. After a long time, until her legs were numb from crouching on the floor for so long, she finally heard Luke''s voiceing from the washroom. There was a post-release hoarseness in his voice. He said, "You cane in now.¡± Bianca bit her lip and swallowed her awkwardness, standing up to open the washroom door again. Luke looked at her, his expressionplicated. Bianca met his gaze for a short second, but she could not stand his deep, dark eyes, so she had to turn and look away. Right here and now, Luke definitely looked impably dressed. He was his usual perfectly gentlemanly self; even his cor and sleeves were ridiculously neat. It was almost as though he had not been involved in any of the hanky- panky earlier, as though all of it was just her one-sided imagination. Bianca was about to go in, but then he blocked her way. The man''s tall and slender body was still emanating the smell of testosterone and masculine pheromones. It made her panic. "Please let me pass," Bianca said, her head lowered. Luke''s strong brow darkened, and he walked past her, brushing past her shoulder as he left. Bianca took a deep breath and went into the washroom. Before she closed the washroom door, she saw Luke walk up to nche from behind. The boy saw his father approaching, but he did not say anything. He just continued doing his homework seriously. Both the adult and the child seemed to becking some serious love. First, they overran her house as though they stayed there, eating and staying as they pleased. Now they had set up camp in her hospital room too, the younger one doing his homework while the older one... pleasured... himself... Bianca shook her head, too afraid to imagine it. She was on the verge of breaking down. Once she put her underwear away, Bianca leaned against the washroom wall, absolutely furious with herself. She almost wanted to die. She kept embarrassing herself. In the daytime, he was the president of thepany, way up at the top of the pyramid. Everyone looked up to him. Meanwhile, she was a new female employee without any special background or support. She was not even his direct subordinate. Secretly, however, the two of them were so close to each other and had moments like this despite the huge difference in their statuses. No matter how Bianca thought about it, she just could not make any sense of it. Everything Luke did was practically dering that he "wanted her". Bianca raised her hand and massaged her brow, letting out a long breath. At the same time, she heard the child''s feet pattering against the floor as he ran toward her. "Miss Bea, your phone rang. It''s your dad..." The boy ran to the washroom entrance, his adorable voice mumbling, "l-l identally picked up the call. He said he''s your dad." 1 Bianca had already opened the washroom food and epted the phone nche was offering her. 3 Luke had one hand in his pocket, standing in front of the cab in his suit and leather shoes. His shoulders were broad and his waist narrow, looking handsome as a painting as he stared at the empty ss pot. After that, he opened the fridge door and found that it was empty too. 1 "Dad?" Bianca closed the washroom door and took the call inside. nche pursed his little lips and gave it some thought before he obediently went to the table and returned to his homework. Kevin cut straight to the chase. "Bianca, I''m begging you just this time! Could you drop the charges against Marie?" "Is that the only reason you called me?" Bianca¡¯s hand around the phone shook, disappointment radiating from the depths of her heart. Her eyes stung with tears. "It''s not that I have anything against her, but I told you, thew is thew. I''m nobody, so how could I change thew just like that?" Kevin''s attitude took a turn for the worse too. "If you weren''t holding it against her, why is Marie stuck in detention? I heard that a girl called Shaw went into lock-up with her, but this girl has some influence supporting her. They wanted to pull Marie out of prison too, but the cops said that they could not let her go until the victim dropped the charges!" Bianca really wanted to tell him that she did not call the cops even if she was the victim, and she did not know who called the cops either. Until now, she had not seen any policemen, and they never came to ask her anything either. She was not the one who made the report. Now, though, she was very grateful to the person who did call the police. They did well, they did splendidly. Her father''s cold attitude made Bianca fall silent for a long time before she said hoarsely, "If I remember correctly, I''m your biological daughter, aren¡¯t I? Marie drugged me, and if I had not made it out in time, can you imagine what would happen to me, Dad? Also, she had tried something this despicable on me when we were overseas as well! After she learned her lesson that time, she was too scared to try anything fishy while we were abroad, but she has the guts to try again now that we¡¯re back in the country. She''s the one who needs to be taught a lesson, not me. What did I do wrong?" Kevin went silent. "I can barely remember thest time we had a heart-to-heart talk as father and daughter. In the five years I was overseas, our rtionship slowly changed. How did wee to this? I don¡¯t get it...¡± Bianca¡¯s throat was dry and hoarse as she said, "I''m even more surprised that after an incident like that, my father cares more about Marie, who was arrested, than me, the victim." "Marie had barely been arrested for a few hours when you immediately came to my hospital room with Jennifer in tow. But you were here to convince me to spare Marie. I was so happy to see my father, ecstatic even, but then my heart soon turned cold... "It''s because I realized that you were always in A City. You never went outstation for work at all. But the idea that my dad was here, right here in this city, yet he refused to meet his daughter for more than a year and even hid his contact number... Who would possibly believe something so absurd?" Bianca said with a sob. 1 In the room, nche''s father put earphones over his ears. The boy could finish his homework really quickly with some music, but his dad used to say that it was bad for little kids to wear earphones all the time. In that case, why was Dad giving him earphones now? 1 Luke frowned, looking toward the washroom. Bianca forced her voice into a whisper. "Before this, I always assumed that Jennifer was the viin here. She used her position as his wife to trap my father, forcing him to break off all contact with me. But now I understand... "I have always wished for the happiness of your marriage, as long as Jennifer truly loved you..." With that, Bianca hung up. Leaning against the wall, she let her body slide slowly to the floor. She covered her mouth with one hand and buried her face into her knees so that she would not cry out loud. Outside the door, Luke reached out his hand to open the bathroom door. He wanted to pull her into his arms andfort her, but when he remembered how their rtionship was still suspended there, he pulled his hand back again. She probably did not want his constion. When he realized that, Luke walked up behind his son and pulled off one of the boy¡¯s earphones, saying solemnly, "Finish up your work. Once you''re done, we''ll take your Miss Bea out shopping." The boy was instantly over the moon! He nodded. More than ten minutester, Bianca emerged from the washroom. As soon as she walked out, she saw that the man and boy in the room were properly dressed. They looked like they were ready to head out. 1 Bianca felt a wave of relief, but she still said politely, "Are you two leaving? I¡¯ll walk you to the door." Her heart was a mess now, and she just wanted to spend some quiet time alone. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Not Used To The Way He Pampered Her nche opened his mouth to say something, but then he looked around to give his tall father behind him a cautious look. After that, he turned back around and shook his head at Bianca. "No, we''re taking you to the department store." ''The department store? Why?" As soon as she said that, Bianca immediately remembered that there was no more mineral water in the fridge. The kid was probably worried that she did not have any water to drink when she felt thirsty. "We don''t need to go to the store. I¡¯ll boil myself some waterter." What she really needed now was for the two of them to leave, ASAP. However, the boy shook his head adamantly. "Nuh-uh, I''m worried you won¡¯t have anything to eat or drink..." Helpless, Bianca looked at Luke, signaling at him to help her. As his parent, she hoped that he would take the boy away. Instead, Luke patted his son''s head and said to her mildly, "Lanie is so worried that he might even insist on staying here with you tonight." Bianca, There was nothing she could say. To tell the truth, if her fate really had to be tied to a Crawford, she sincerely hoped she could meet nche Crawford every once in a while, so she could experience the warmth of having a child by her side. That could help her deal with some of her heartache and remorse for the child she had lost. Even if it was only an illusion of motherhood, she still wanted to savor it now and then. As for Luke Crawford, Bianca prayed that she would never meet him again. Even at work, it would be best if they went theirpletely separate ways and never encountered each other. She had only known that rich and powerful man for less than half a month, but she had already been targeted by Charlotte Shaw, that heiress who was born into authority and never understood the concept ofmitting a crime. Bianca did not even dare to imagine what worse encounters she might have if she continued to be involved with Luke Crawford. ... 2 Wearing the off-white dress she hade in, Bianca picked up her wallet and left the hospital with the father-and-son duo. Luke walked in front of her. Bianca instinctively kept her distance from him. She was a sparrow and he was an imperial dragon, so they did not match at all when they stood together. She did not want to embarrass herself. The store was right outside the hospital, less than a hundred meters away. As such, Luke did not bother driving. As they walked down the street, Bianca was sensitive enough to notice that she attracted the asional gaze. After passersby looked at her, they would look at the man in front of her. He looked like he had walked out of a finance magazine. 1 At the entrance to the store. Bianca took a shopping cart to the door. This is from N?velDrama.Org. The entire way here, Luke would nce back at Bianca after every few steps. He was worried about her. At the same time, she clearly did not want to walk next to him. When he looked back this time, he saw that she was pushing a huge shopping cart. That was when he suddenly remembered that shopping did require a cart. Although he had never done anything like this before, he just had to look around coolly to see how the other man did it. Luke walked up to her and told her in a voice that brooked no argument." I¡¯ll do it.¡± "It''s okay, I can do it." Bianca did not dare to leave it to him. "Can''t you see that the other men are doing it?" Luke looked at her deeply. As she was still stunned, his large hand caressed the back of her head while he pulled the cart in front of him with his other hand. Bianca looked around her and instantly felt awkward to the point of speechlessness. Yes, the other men were the ones pushing the carts, but those men were usually the husbands. It was perfectly natural for husbands to push the carts for their wives. 1 However, she was nothing more than Luke''s lowly employee. It was fine for an employee to push the cart for her employer, but when an employer did it for his employee... Whatever. He could do whatever he liked. Bianca frowned slightly, looking at the man''s tall and upright back in front of her. All she could do was pick up his son''s hand and follow behind him. T Corporation had countless employees from all over this busy city. Bianca walked around timidly, worried that she would bump into one of them. There was no way she would be able to exin herself if that happened... There were plenty of shoppers inside when they walked into the store. Luke pushed the cart inside and took two steps before looking back at Bianca and nche. It really was quite crowded, and every so often someone would bump into Bianca. "Walk in front of me, you two," the manmanded with a frown. The boy dragged Bianca up front. With this, Luke was finally satisfied. They came up to the mineral water aisle. Bianca wanted to get some water, but Luke got there before she could and put a carton into the cart. He hadrge hands, so he could take plenty of things. They sold choctes up ahead too. Instinctively, Bianca nced at them before pulling her gaze back. Just then, the boy was looking at the aisle in front of him, mesmerized. He mumbled under his breath, "Dad, they have chips here. Can I get some? I''ll only have them once this month." 1 There were chips on one side and chocte on the other. Bianca did not n on buying the chocte, but Luke noticed that her gaze had lingered on the chocte shelf for at least five seconds. "Let¡¯s buy chocte for Miss Bea first, okay? She¡¯s sick, so you should let her have what she wants," Luke said, rubbing his son''s head. "Alright!" The kid thought that made a lot of sense. Bianca suddenly did not know how to react. She was not used to the way he pampered her... Three young girls walked past them, and one of them eximed exaggeratedly, "Whoa!" Then she lowered her voice and said stealthily, "Do you think I''ll meet a man like that in my lifetime? A man who spoils his woman like she''s his daughter?! He''s so handsome that I can barely keep my legs together!!" 1 Although it was almost a whisper, Bianca still heard it. Her face burned up. There was a variety of choctes in the cart when Luke brought it back. Bianca refused them. To no avail, of course. She knew it was a bad idea to get into a scuffle with him in the store. Still, Luke was going way too far. Finally, it was nche who blinked hisrge eyes and pointed his fingers together, sounding hurt as he muttered quietly, "Why is it that Miss Bea gets so much chocte while I only get one bag of chips?" Luke ignored his son, wheeling the cart away. 1 Bianca was feeling so embarrassed that she could not even raise her head anymore. She held the boy''s hand as they followed behind him. The next time Bianca looked up, she saw Luke standing at the underwear section. Most importantly, it was thedies'' underwear section... 3 Bianca walked to him, her head still lowered. She wanted to tell him they could leave now since they had everything, but the man suddenly pulled her hand and took her to the shelves. Standing behind her, he said with his voice wafting over her head, "I happened to walk past here and figured you needed some." Bianca,"..." Her face flushed again. This was awkward. So in the end, he had seen the underwear she had soiled due to the aphrodisiac and left in the washroom after all... "It''s alright, my friend brought me some new ones." With that, Bianca kept her head low as she took the boy to the store entrance. ... 2 Twenty minutester. The two adults and one child walked down the nighttime streets. The streetlights along the dark roads seemed to stretch Luke''s figure out infinitely before her eyes. Bianca followed behind him, feeling so ashamed that her body truly felt like it was sapped of all strength now. As a result, her body became much frailer too. "Ah-choo!" The moment the cold night air blew past her, Bianca sneezed. Then she sneezed again, and again. nche hurriedly pulled some tissues out of his backpack and handed them to Miss Bea. When Luke heard her, he walked to her too. Putting down the bags of groceries he was holding, he met her gaze and suddenly took off his coat. "No need..." Bianca had not managed to say "I¡¯m fine¡± before Luke held her slender waist with one hand. As she trembled in fear, he walked behind her and tenderly put the coat over her shoulders from behind. ''Thank you." Bianca instantly felt much warmer. His residual warmth lingered on the coat. 2 Luke did not say a thing, picking up the bags and walked back toward the hospital. Bianca took Lanie''s hand and breathed in the nice smell emanating from the coat. Her gaze was both timid and grateful as she stared at Luke''s broad and well-toned back despite herself. All of a sudden, she really despised herself. It was all because right then and there, as she walked behind him, she suddenly felt an unfamiliar sense of security that left her wanting more... Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Luke''s Jealousy Back at the hospital. Bianca stared at the shopping bags for a long time before she went to brush her teeth. The father and son did not stay for long after that. Once she was cleaned up, Bianca changed into her pajamas andy on the pure-white single hospital bed. She squeezed the covers between her fingers for a long time, unable to sleep. She tossed and turned, but she just could not go to sleep. Her eyes were wide. Bianca was thinking that this was the first time in her twenty-four years of life that someone gave her a coat without hesitation when she was feeling cold. She would be lying if she said that she was not touched in the slightest. Luke led his son out of the hospital and prepared to drive back to the mansion. 1 The drive had barely started when they reached a red light. Luke then opened the car window and lit up a cigarette. Holding it between his fingers, he took the asional dreg, his deep eyes staring directly ahead of him and gradually narrowing. "Dad, you once taught me that it''s very rude to listen to other people¡¯s phone calls." Lanie sat in a safety seat at the back, whining as he bit his little lip. "But you told me to answer Miss Bea''s call..." 1 Luke took a dreg from his cigarette and did not say a thing. Lanie continued, "But neither of us got permission from Miss Bea..." Luke flicked the cigarette into the ashtray in the car and said seriously, "I asked you to pick up so you could tell if it was a bad guy calling her." "Oh..." So that was it. The boy scratched his head, feeling a tad confused. Bianca spent the night at the hospital. The next morning, the doctor came to check on her and told her to rest well for the next week. She was forbidden from staying up all night. Bianca nodded. "Thank you, doctor." The doctor packed up her medical apparatus. "Dr. Joyce, can I leave the hospital and rest at home?" She did not want to keep staying at the hospital. The fees for a high-end hospital room were just too high. Apparently, Jason had arranged this room for her. The meal with Charlotte Shaw was part of her job as assigned by thepany, so thepany had been paying for her hospital fees. Still, she did not like the atmosphere at the hospital. "It¡¯s okay if you want to leave. I¡¯ll dispense a few days¡¯ worth of medicine for you in a bit, you can take them home." With those words, the doctor nodded at Bianca quite politely. Bianca had been in the hospital several times in her life, but this was her first time getting such nice treatment from a doctor. Without eating lunch, Bianca hurriedly handled the check-out procedures. On the way back home via subway, Nina called her to express her concern. Bianca simply assured her that all was well. "About my brother..." Nina tried to start another topic. ''Oh, I¡¯ve reached my station. Talk to youter.¡± Bianca came up with an excuse to interrupt Nina before she continued. She had very clearly broken up with Jean. From that moment onward, they were no longer dating. 1 As for whether they could still stay friends in the future, she was leaving that up to fate. 1 Sitting in the train, Bianca felt an unbearable soreness in her waist. The doctor said that this was one of the drug''s after-effects. Once she got home, Bianca first cleaned up her room and put on new sheets. After she took a shower, she was so tired that shey in bed and refused to get up. Before she knew it, she had dozed off. Some timeter, there was suddenly a loud p of thunder. "Kaboom!¡± Bianca jolted awake. When she opened her eyes, she saw that everything around her was pitch- ck. It had gone dark outside. The rain poured. Bianca took a moment to recover and even out her breathing before she got out of bed and went to turn on the lights. Just then, the doorbell rang. Bianca walked to the door, confused and cautious. "Who is it?" "It''s me." That was Luke''s voice, deep and low. Why was he here? Bianca looked out of the peephole and saw that the man waspletely drenched. He held a sealed stic bag in his hand, and there were several boxes of medicine inside. She knew that medicine well. It was only then that Bianca remembered she had forgotten to im her medicine from the doctor. After she got home and cleaned up her room, she had been so exhausted that she fell right asleep. Of course she forgot. She felt quite guilty as she opened the door. Luke handed the well-sealed bag to her, looking at her. Bianca epted the bag. His entire body was soaked, as was the outside of the bag, but the boxes of medicine inside were perfectly intact. Bianca looked up and asked, "It''s pouring outside, so why didn''t you use an umbre?" "Can I go in?" Luke asked. "Of course." Bianca was grateful to him for bringing her medicine, so she gave way and let him walk in. Luke walked into the house and took off his shoes, putting on slippers instead. "I didn''t think too much of it on the way here, but it suddenly started pouring when I reached the neighborhood entrance." 1 Bianca felt quite bad about it. The rain had started at the same time as that terrible p of thunder a few minutes ago. Luke stayed calm and collected as ever despite being drenched. He was his usual regal self as he frowned slightly and tilted to the side to ask her," If it¡¯s alright with you, can I take a hot shower here?" Bianca did not say anything. Since she did not reply, Luke walked straight toward the bathroom. Bianca asked timidly, "Shall I dry your wet clothes after you take them off?" At least that way he could wear them back. The man turned around to look at her, nodding. His gaze was deep and bottomless. She hurriedly pulled her gaze back. No matter what, it was unseemly for a man and woman to be alone together at night, but he had only gotten so soaked because he was bringing her medication. The medicine was very important to her because the aphrodisiac had harmful effects on her ovaries and uterus. If she did not counterattack these effects with the medicine, she might end up losing her womb. Luke took off his coat outside. His drenched light gray shirt was stered to his well-toned torso. Even from afar, it looked strong and sexy. Bianca was looking at him. Soon, though, she returned to her senses in a panic and looked down. Her movements stiff, she went to the kitchen and stuffed a piece of bread into her mouth. With some food in her stomach, she poured herself some water and took her medicine. Once she was done, Bianca packed away the excess medication. After that, she went to the bathroom door and picked up the man''s trousers, shirt, and boxers... She washed them in the washing machine and then dried them before ironing them properly. It took her about forty minutes. Luke wore a towel around his waist. His broad and sturdy back, his well- toned and well-defined muscles, as well as the seductive lines around his lower abdomen were all enough to give a woman a nosebleed. That was why Bianca did not dare to look his way, not even once. The man stood at the balcony, smoking without a word. Eventually, though, he came up behind her and asked, "Are you done with the ironing?" Bianca instantly felt uneasy. She took the clothes from the ironing board and said softly, "Yeah, you can wear them now..." Luke took his shirt and pants, still warm from the iron. His breath blew on her face as he nodded, "Thank you." He went to put his clothes on. Bianca was surprised. Who could be visiting at this time of the night? 1 Luke was in her bedroom, and he did not seem to care about the visitor. Bianca nced at the man worriedly. He was not properly dressed yet. No matter who it was at the door, things would probably get real bad if they saw him now. 1 She walked to the door, her heart in her throat. Looking through the peephole... She saw Jean Langdon standing outside. He held an umbre in his hand, leaning against the wall as he smoked. Every so often, he would press the doorbell a few times with his hand holding the cigarette. Bianca''s brain instantly went nk. She was not afraid of Jean, but she could not let Jean see Luke here, or else she would be proving Daisy''s usation that she was her boss''s mistress. "Bianca Rayne, I know you''re home. Open up!" N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Bam bam bam!! Jean even hammered the door with his fist like a madman. "Who the heck is making such a ruckus outside? Are you nuts?" The neighbor was woken up, so she yelled at him. Jean turned around, his expression icy cold as he said, "Stay out of this. If you know what''s good for you, you¡¯ll screw on back to your bed." The older woman could smell the stench of alcohol in his breath when he spoke, and she was instantly afraid of enraging this irrational drunkard. Pinching her nose contemptuously, she frowned and mmed her door shut. 1 "Bianca, I''m telling you to open the door. Do you hear me?" Bam bam bam! Jean¡¯s voice was filled with barely suppressed rage, as though he could explode at any moment. Luke wanted to go out, but just then Bianca hastily rushed into her bedroom and grabbed her phone, which was charging by her bed. She crouched down and scrolled through her contacts in a panic. He continued hammering on her door. The management office, the management office! She was looking for the management''s number. Right now, the best way to settle this would be to call the office and have security cart Jean away. The more desperate she was, the harder it was for her to find the number, though. Jean sent her a WeChat message. It gave her a nasty shock while she was looking for the contact, and her hand shook. "If you don''t open the door, I¡¯ll open it myself. You don''t know this, but yourndlord gave me a spare." Just then, Bianca heard the sound of the door unlocking. Bianca looked at Luke Crawford, who looked calm as ever. His clean and crisp scent entered her nostrils as she tried to reassure him, practically pleading with him, "Please, stay here and don¡¯te out!" With those words, she headed out to handle the crisis. Luke was not used to "sneaking around" or "hiding" like this, so he stepped forth. Bianca''s hand was about to turn the bedroom door handle when the man behind her hugged her with hisrge arms, pressing her body against the white wooden door. "What are you doing? You have no right to interfere in my private affairs. Let go of me...¡± She was mad. The moment she moved, though, her butt would stick up and rub against his crotch... There was fury in Luke''s eyes as he brought his thin lips to her ear, asking coolly, "Am I that embarrassing?" That was not what she meant. Even if shepromised all the way, she could ignore what Jean thought should he see them like this, but she could not ignore about what Nina thought. No matter how much Nina trusted her, no one who saw this would think that the two of them were only chatting in her room. Besides, Daisy''s gossip had alreadyid the foundations for this misunderstanding. Bianca wanted to say something, but she could not make it in time. Jean opened the door and walked in, tossing the key on the floor fiercely. "I''m going to tell him just who you belong to." With that, Luke turned her around. She had barely turned to face him when the man kissed her with his scalding lips. It was a domineering, painful, deep kiss... "Mm, ow..." She flinched slightly. Jean walked around the house and ended up in front of the bedroom door. "I know you''re in there, Bianca. Can we talk?" Bianca looked at the man in front of her, almost begging him. She shook her head, struggling. However, Luke tightly held her slender wrists down in hisrge hands, furious. He kept her there, giving her no chance to struggle as he continued to prate her with his hot kiss. Hisrge hand pulled aside her thin ankle-length nightdress... She felt a breeze on her legs. The man''s hand ventured between her legs. He caressed her inner thigh, rubbing and squeezing her... Bianca''s eyes were moist. She wanted to say something, but the only sound she could make was a low moan, "Ah... Mm, haa..." The windows in the kitchen, balcony, and living room were all wide open, and she did not know if the storm outside could conceal her involuntary moans. She was afraid Jean could hear her... Chapter 39 Chapter 39 The Most Conservative Just then, Jean walked over and tried to turn the bedroom doorknob. He turned it a few times, but it did not budge. At some point, Luke had locked the door from inside. However, this was just a regr doorknob, and it was not very sturdy. Bianca''s heart leaped into her throat and stayed there, all the blood draining from her face... Her lips were sealed by the man''s scalding kiss. She could only look at the man with sorrow deep in her eyes, shaking her head desperately. Luke kissed her for a long time, venturing deep into her mouth every time. After a pause, he pulled his tongue out of her mouth, his gaze bright with an unending ze of lust. The man''s well-defined side profile stuck to one of her cheeks. The warmth of their bodies melded together, and hisrge hand did not ease up its grip on her wrists at all. Instead, his other hand, ced between his legs, applied even more pressure there. "No..." Bianca could not help another shudder. Her knees were weak, and she needed to lean on something, but in her daze she pounced forward into his firm embrace, which was already trapping her tightly. "Let go of me... Don''t do this..." She could finally breathe. With tears in her eyes, she forced her voice into the softest of whispers. The person outside would not stop either. After Jean failed to open the door the first time, he did not give up. He thought that Bianca was just throwing a tantrum and refusing to meet him. He knew that he tended to go out of hand when he was drunk. He took a few minutes to calm down and lit a cigarette so he could settle his thoughts. As he watched the smoke rise, however, he only grew ever more frustrated! He stood outside the bedroom door, trying to turn the doorknob a few more times. It was as though he had a grudge with the lock! Finally, Jean mmed his cigarette butt onto the floor, screaming, "Bianca Rayne, do you think I can¡¯t do anything to you just cuz you locked the door? Don¡¯t forget, you''re my fiancee!!" Bianca felt a pain in her chest. She regretted agreeing to date Jean a year ago. She regretted holding out any hope for men a year ago. She regretted her naive belief that she could still stand a chance at happiness. Those were all her mistakes. Luke seemed to havepletely blocked off Jean outside. He behaved as though the two of them were the only ones in this house, fully focused on absorbing her sweet beautiful body. 1 The hand between her thighs moved slowly, grabbing her thin nightdress that had been half-pulled away. He then pulled the material upward until he could stuff most of her nightdress into his other hand. The man did not let go of her, his gaze looking toward her lower body. That was when he saw her lush bush... Bianca struggled, but she did not dare to ram into the door. She was afraid of making too much noise, lest she raise Jean''s suspicions! No matter what, she did not want two men to see her body at the same time! She did not want Jean to overhear or see the humiliating way she looked right now. She did not want to be used of being a "hussy". 1 "Look at the way you''re dressed. Don''t you know that seeing you like this drives me mad?" Luke lowered his head again to kiss her lips, his touch even rougher and more possessive than before. Hisrge hand touched her between her legs. As his dry and scalding hand reached her, she felt some wet and sticky there. Her body was selling her out... Jean was right outside, and the only thing that separated them was a thin door. Bianca did not dare to move or scream, and her sobs were all swallowed up by Luke''s hot kisses. Her eyes grew wetter and wetter, but the man only rubbed her even harder... Bianca felt like a fish on a chopping board. She did not purposely dress like this for his eyes. 1 When she lived alone, Bianca was not used to wearing her clothes to sleep. Today, though, she had put on a nightdress because she had taken a nap in the daytime. The dress reached her ankles too; it was the most conservative one she had. She never expected a visit from this man who was currently kissing her. He did not give her a chance to exin, as though he was certain that she was doing this to seduce him. 1 Outside the locked door, Jean leaned on the door and took a long time to gather himself before he asked, "I know you¡¯re at the door, Bianca. My back is leaning right against it now, can you feel me? I know that you still love me "That¡¯s enough..." She pressed her legs together, and her body began to struggle again, her back pressed against the door. Luke left her lips, his eyes open and filled with rage as he looked down at her, the petite little thing in his arms. 1 Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. More tears gathered in her eyes. She could not shout because that would only make things even worse. Something like this may not matter to a man, but to a woman... She looked at the man¡¯s strong brow and sharp features as she gulped. The two of them seemed to be frozen in time, but at the same time, he had a powerful aura around him that made it hard for anyone to defy him on a whim. ''Turn around." The man¡¯s voice was deep and filled with subtext. Bianca may not have much experience, but she did give herself to another man five years ago, after all. When he said, ''Turn around", it reminded her of those painful nights. Back then, shey in that bed, letting that man prate her over and over again. Now, she shook her head, unable to say anything too loudly. However, she also knew that it did not matter what she said. This man would not be afraid in the slightest, and he would just continue doing as he pleased... Bianca was tired of such a life, dancing like a puppet to everyone else¡¯s strings. She gritted her teeth. If he really did anything to her today, she would sue him. No matter what it took, she would do it. Before this, she was worried about her father''s thoughts and feelings, so she lived a very shackled life. Later, once she found a decent boyfriend, she started caring about her boyfriend¡¯s thoughts and feelings, so she was worried and frightened about everything. Now, her father had be someone else''s father, and her boyfriend had be the person who trampled all over her pride more than anyone else. After she had lost everything, she suddenly found much more freedom in her despair. She finally had nothing else to lose, so she could finally stand with her head held high. 1 She did not have to care about anything anyone else thought anymore. 4 "Are you rejecting me forthat lunatic outside?" Luke looked at her coldly, his eyes wide open as he pinched her chin and bent down to kiss her. It was a light kiss as clean and refreshing as water. Before she could feel his scalding hot tongue from before, the man had left her lips and turned her around. Bianca''s back was facing him now. He held both of her wrists in onerge hand, raising them above her head and pressing them against the wall. The man stood behind her, stered close to her back. He pulled up her nightdress and held one corner of it in his hand. That way, her entire beautiful and slender back was exposed before his eyes. He could see her soft delicate waist. 1 Luke''s breathing grew uneven. He lowered his head and pressed his thin lips against her silky smooth skin... "Ah... No... Ah!" Bianca felt a strange shudder rising up her spine. She raised her head and moaned. Just as Luke was undoing his zipper, Jean felt the door move slightly from outside. With that, he was even more convinced that Bianca was leaning against the door, just like he was. "Are you crying?" Jean lowered his head in guilt and took a deep breath, pressing one hand against the trembling door. When he imagined Bianca on the other side, leaning against the door as her body shook with sobs, he felt his heart ache. 1 "Answer me, Bianca. Are you crying...?" Jean inwardly cursed himself, calling himself trash for making a woman cry! Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Who¡¯s In There? Get The Hell Out! "He¡¯s asking you a question. Are you crying?" Luke''s hoarse voice was pressed against her back. He kissed her, again and again, moving up her spine and reaching her earlobe. ''Tell me, are you crying?" Just then, there was a loud p of thunder outside, followed by a sh of lightning. Bianca took that chance to bark at him, saying, "You¡¯re such a thug!" ''That''s right. In public, I am a gentleman to everyone. But in private, I am your personal thug." Luke bit her ear from behind and licked her back and forth. One of his hands reached around her slender waist at the same time, reaching to touch her round belly button. The man''s rough and cracked thumb rubbed her belly button back and forth Bianca could not stand the way she was caressing her, and she instinctively fought against his finger on her belly button. That was why she arched her body back and raised her head. That way, though, she made it much easier for Luke to press his body against hers... Jean was still pouring his heart to her outside. "I was out of hand that day, Bianca, and I shouldn''t have said those things. I''m sorry. But you don''t know how my mom scolded me that day! She called me a piece of trash, said I couldn''t even keep a hold on my own woman! ''Thedy in your neighborhood told my mom that you brought a boyfriend home, and that you were extremely intimate with each other downstairs. When I connected that to the flowers you received, I... I felt my head hurt as though it was going to explode! "How much must imported flowers cost? I don''t know, but I know that I would never splurge on something like that, considering how much I earn right now. I was jealous! Jealous that someone else could provide you with more!" Jean paused after that outburst, thinking that Bianca was listening to him on the other side. "My mom was only angry because she likes you as a daughter-inw too much. Although we had just gotten engaged, my mom already considered herself your mother-inw. Tell me, which mother-inw would be able to stand having another man sneaking into her daughter-inw¡¯s house?" There was no reply from the other side of the door, only the sound of a body hitting the door board. It made him think that she was still sobbing on the other side. "Bianca, can youe out once you¡¯re done crying? You just have to exin to my mom and apologize..." 1 Bianca¡¯s hands and body were stered onto the door, without a single gap between her person and the wood. She had nowhere to go, neither forward nor back... The man behind her kept trying to challenge her sanity. 1 Jean''s words reached her ears. Bianca thought to herself bitterly, ''Yes, nothing happened before this. I was never intimate with Luke Crawford, and we only exchanged a few words here in the neighborhood.'' In fact, she had even gotten into a bit of an argument with Luke that day. As for that Daisy woman, she had even told Luke off for his cold and grumpy expression, so how could she just turn around and say that they were being intimate? The tragic part was some people believed in the lies of a stranger. It was not only Mrs. Langdon who believed them, but Jean too. Even if she set that misunderstanding aside, Bianca never forgot what else Jean said. She could never forget how he had used her of being a mistress to foreign men when they were abroad... When he used her of that, he did not even give her a chance to exin. He decided on his own that she must have done it, and that was the only reason she managed toplete her studies and return to this country... Worse still, the only evidence behind all of Jean''s absurd ims was nothing more than Marie Rayne''s lies. It was so easy to make Jean believe in the worst of her, huh... Bianca did not know if Marie was good at fibbing, or if Jean really was so stupid. When that urred to her, she felt her mood fall into a slump. Before she could wallow into her depression, though... Luke punished her for it. "Ah... No... Oh... Ah!" Bianca almost melted under his breath. Luke''s eyes were as red as fire. He looked down at her body, at her flesh pressed between his body and the door. The soft mounds on her chest were even fairer than the white door. Like did not seem to hear Jean''s voice outside the room at all. The moment she fell limp, he forcefully turned her body around and made her face him. 1 As Bianca was forced to face that man head-on, her face felt hot and extremely numb... How was she supposed to face herself now? Right then, Bianca found herself utterly shameful. Although Jean had insulted her several times and trampled all over her pride, right here and now, while Jean was desperately trying to salvage their rtionship with his words, she was doing such unsightly things with another man behind the door... 1 Her little face was flushed red, and the neck on her skin was pink. 1 Her lips were rosy and plump. They were slightly swollen from all the kissing earlier. Luke''srge hand let go of her wrists and held the back of her head instead. He wanted nothing more than to swallow her whole, his thin lips pressing against her trembling red ones. 1 His tongue entered her with an air of dominance, exploring her madly. "Mm-mmgh..." Bianca finally freed her hands, shaking her head as she protested and hammered him with her fists. However, there was no way she could overpower his strength. ''You want this too... Are you still shaking your head even now?" "No..." Bianca shook her head, tears falling from her eyes. She had lived what she thought was a rtively abstinent life over the past five days. She barely even watched family-friendly romance movies. There was no way she could stand a sudden assault like this. Luke kissed her lips again. In the meantime, his other hand did not stop. 1 "Ohh..." Bianca involuntarily began to lose control. She stood on the tips of her toes, her body''s desire seemingly throwing her rational mind out of the window. Her moans filled her ears. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She did not know if she was weing him in. She wanted more. Just then, though, Luke pulled his fingers back and picked her up in his arms. He turned around and had barely taken two strides. When she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, he bent down and pressed her firmly on the bed. The pure-white bedsheets were new; she had just put them on that day after returning from the hospital. They were blindingly bright, while her own snow-white body looked weak and defenseless. Anyone could tell at a nce that she was extremely sensitive right now. "No... Get out..." Bianca was shirking away from him, looking at him as though he was some huge and terrifying monster. Jean had spent a lot of time talking outside the door, but when the other side of the door went still, he frowned and listened carefully. There were other noises inside the room. "Bianca, are you alright?" Bam bam bam! Jean hammered his hand into the door. "Say something, Bianca! Don''t scare me! Answer me!" Bam bam bam, bam bam bam bam! Jean was threatening to beat the door down. Bianca was on the verge of tears, her wet eyes looking at that fragile door. It was already shaking with every time Jean banged into it, and she was terrified that it would simply fall to pieces the very next instant... Luke looked at how scared she was at the possibility of Jeaning in, and his expression instantly darkened, as though he had been soaked in a vat of age-old vinegar for more than a couple decades. He grabbed her snow-white ankle with one hand and yanked her up to him. "Ah!" Bianca felt her mind breakingpletely. Jean''s hand paused on the door, and then he started kicking the door with his leg instead, using all his strength. 2 Bam! "Who¡¯s in there? Get the hell out!!" Jean roared like a maddened beast. He was not at all calm to begin with, and all his analyses led him to the conclusion that she was hiding a man in there. He kicked at the door as he howled, "You adulterous pigs!¡± Chapter 41 Chapter 41 He Yanked Off Her Covers Bianca''s levels of humiliation reached an unprecedented high. She never thought that Jean would one day call her an "adulterous pig"! Luke grabbed onto her snow-white ankle and refused to let go. She shrank away backward, resisting the bitter taste in the mouth. At the same time, she was utterly terrified by those blood-red eyes threatening to eat her up. After a brief struggle, he had abrased her ankle and turned it red. "Ow...¡± she cried out. Bam! Bam! Jean kicked the door two more times. The door was on the verge of shattering. Bianca was beside herself with anxiety, thest traces of blood draining from her already-pale face. While Bianca was stuck between a rock and a hard ce, her lips were suddenly taken by the man whose face was magnified infinitely before her. That was followed by another sound from outside. 1 Bianca''s ears were filled with the man''s burning breath and his sexy panting. Outside the bedroom. Jean turned around when he heard the sound and saw four men in police uniforms, as well as one security guard from the neighborhood. They walked in through the open door. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. "Pleasee with us!" Jean looked at the policemen and then at the security guard. He gave one more nce at the tightly- closed door on the verge of falling off its hinges from his kicks, his voice confused and defiant, "It¡¯s just a lover''s quarrel. Since when did the cops get involved in these things?" "Someone called the cops and said you trespassed into private property. Please cooperate with us," one of the policemen said as they grabbed hold of him. Through the door, Bianca could hear the entire process as the police handled the matter... Luke had long since let her go. She hid in her covers, wrapping herself up tightly. Although it was raining heavily outside, it was still extremely damp and stuffy inside. The air- conditioning in the room was not on, so she was sweating buckets now... There was the sweet smell of sex in the cramped space. She did not know why he had suddenly stopped, but she was quite grateful for her luck. Perhaps he suddenly found his conscience and suppressed his actions... The bedroom window was open. Luke stood in front of the window, his tall body unmoving. Lowering his head and lighting up a cigarette, he frowned for a moment before he took a dreg and pulled out his phone, dialing a number. 1 The person on the other end picked up, and Luke said, "Bring Dr. Joyce over. It¡¯s the same address as before. Hurry." Bianca hid under her suffocating covers. She could not understand why he was calling for a doctor. Dr. Joyce was thedy doctor who had treated her at the hospital. What did he mean by the "same address"? Bianca also wondered, who had called the police? Was it her neighbor? On second thoughts, it was quite likely Luke¡¯s doing. He must have done it in secret. Luke finished smoking the entire cigarette and turned around, only to see that she was still under the covers. As the rain continued pouring down, he walked toward and roughly picked her up, yanking off her covers! Bianca was exposed before his eyes, furiously saying, "What are you doing now...?" Luke did not grow angry even when she called him a monster. Instead, he put her down and said softly, "Get up and go take a bath. Dr. Joyce will be here soon." 1 Bianca blinked after she was put down, slightly stunned. ''You¡¯re bleeding." Luke felt a little guilty. Bianca''s mind went nk. She knew what the man meant when he said she was bleeding. She knew where she was bleeding from... That sort of bleeding was the only thing that could have made him m the brakes when his lustful blood was boiling over. 1 "What happened...?" Bianca panicked. She sat up, holding the covers around her. At the same time, she nced at the trace of red on the edge of the bed. It was about the size of a fingernail. 1 At the time, he was assaulting her and Jean was kicking down the door, so she was too freaked out to care about anything else. Now that she saw the blood, she realized how scary it was. Bianca may not be scared if she was bleeding at any other time. After all, it was only a tiny bit. Now, though, only slightly over a day had passed since she had been drugged with that aphrodisiac. She could still remember what Dr. Joyce said. In the worst-case scenario, she could lose her womb... Luke did not say another word, staying silent. After a nce at her, he turned and walked into the messy living room. The simple decor there had been upturned by all of Jean''s kicking. There was even a cigarette butt on the floor, and the cigarette ash was everywhere. Bianca took a deep breath, telling herself not to be afraid. It was fine. She was surely fine. Her waist was slightly sore, but that was all she felt. That had to be a good sign, right? Wearing her nightdress, she went to the bathroom. Before she went inside the bathroom, she remembered she had nothing else to change into, so she opened the door and went to the closet to find another nightdress. After her intense interaction with Luke earlier, the nightdress she was currently wearing was now uneptably dirty in some ces. With the new nightdress in hand, Bianca went to the bathroom. It took a long time for her to wash the stickiness off of her body. After that, Bianca hugged her knees and crouched down on the bathroom floor. Although she was done with her shower, she still refused to go out and face that man. It was only when Dr. Joyce arrived that Bianca dried her hair and walked out in her nightdress. Jason Doyle hade along too, but he did note inside. "Let''s do this check-up inside the room," Dr. Joyce said to Bianca. Bianca nodded and pointed at the bedroom, bringing Dr. Joyce inside. The check-up took about twenty minutes. Dr. Joyce asked her a few questions, but Bianca paled and reddened in turn as she answered them. That sense of shame was overwhelming her again. Dr. Joyce packed her equipment and looked down to clip her kit shut as she said, ''You''re mostly fine, it''s just your period came early. I''ll tell you a few things that might help make you feel better." Bianca heaved a sigh of relief and nodded. ''Thank you." "Don''t worry about it." Dr. Joyce walked out, and Bianca naturally followed behind her. When they reached the living room, Dr. Joyce pulled out a pen and some paper. She wrote a quick prescription and handed it to Bianca. "Buy the ingredients I listed here. It''s a supplement for you to make into soup and drink, three times a day. Also, you should stay abstinent for the next month. Your period came early this time because you were too excited." Bianca''s face instantly reddenedpletely... Dr. Joyce was a middle-aged olddy, and she had experienced plenty of sex in her time. She was not at all surprised to see the way young people went at it. Still, as a doctor, she had to advise her patients to be careful. Telling Bianca that was no different from telling her man, or so Dr. Joyce thought. Since her work here was done, Dr. Joyce stood up and nodded at Luke before making to leave. ''Thank you foring, Dr. Joyce." Luke personally walked her to the door. Jason was waiting outside. When he saw Dr. Joyceing out of the house, he hurriedly took Dr. Joyce''s medical kit for her and gave his boss a respectful nod. He then nodded at Bianca too before pressing an elevator button and leaving. The second the elevator doors closed, Bianca blocked the door that Luke was about to close with her hand, saying softly, "It¡¯s reallyte now. You should leave." Luke had been filled with guilt because he had made her bleed. He had been afraid to face her and too scared to say anything else to her. Several years ago, he was involved in an ident and nearly had to get an amputation. He had been worried about his body then, but his fear at the time paled inparison to his concern for her body today. He actually could not think of anything else. 1 "Are you sure you''re not lying to yourself again? You kept saying no, but your body was so into it that we had to call the doctor." 1 Bianca was furious. She looked up at him, saying, "What are you im..." Luke''s face was as cold and calm as a cier. He grabbed her chin suddenly, lifting her little face and saying something that turned her red to the tips of her ears. ¡®That was just the forey, by the way. If we really did it, would you die from the sheer pleasure?" Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Senior Crawford, Luke Crawford, One And The Same After Luke left, Bianca stood at the door and stared for a long time. 1 He was right, and the doctor''s diagnosis was right too. However, she did not know if she was right. Her body and senses hadpletely betrayed her. There would probably be very few women who would not feel anything for such an aplished and capable man. However, when faced with a man as superior as Luke Crawford, many women would appraise themselves. They would consider if they had any right to feel anything for him, and what the consequences would be. Aside from someone like Charlotte Shaw, which normal woman would be able to match up to him? Bianca knew herself well, so she had managed to keep her defenses up all this while. Today, though, when he forced her so overbearingly, her body had thrown in the towel and betrayed. It almost felt as though this body was not hers... "Your body will speak the truth your mouth does not." That sentence was actually extremely discriminatory, but today, Bianca had to tragically admit that there was some truth in it. She hated herself the way she was now. She hated her body, which sumbed to his rough touch so easily, even more. That night, Bianca did not sleep well at all. First, she had to clean the soiled sheets before she could lie down in bed. Even then, her mind was filled with too many things, and her early period made her body feel exceedingly ufortable too. At Crawford Manor. nche stood in the first-floor living room, looking solemnly at his younger sister, who was drinking milk on the first second-floornding. ''Take your time, drink it slowly." Just then, Old Master Crawford entered the house from the yard and looked around before asking, "Your father isn''t back yet?" Rainie''s mouth was covered in a milk mustache as she shook her head at her great-grandfather. "He isn''t at work either." Louis Crawford sat on the ck leather couch, cing his legs on the coffee table and putting his phone down as he addressed the old man, "Maybe my brother has a dog outside." "A dog?" Old Master Crawford leaned against his cane, but he could not figure it out. His elder grandson, Luke, was always a bit of a neat freak. Why would he have a dog? Why would he keep it outside? There was a huge garden right here at home. He had plenty of space to keep a dog here. nche looked around, his impish eyes turning. He hurriedly wiped his little sister''s mouth before running back to his uncle and saying with a grin, "Uncle Louis, does my dad really have a dog?" He really loved dogs! "You kids and old men don''t get it. I meant, my brother may have found himself a b- I mean, a female dog." Louis had wanted to say "b*tch", but there were two kids here, so he refrained. If he actually said it out loud, his grandfather would probably beat him to death with his walking cane! This time, the old man saw through the generation gap with his younger grandson and somehow understood what thetter meant! Old Master Crawford sat on the couch and tapped his cane onto the marble floor, deep in thought- True, Luke was not too young anymore. He had children, yes, but he never had any women with him. It was inevitable that... He was a man, after all, and men had needs. Old Master Crawford remembered the call he had received from the Shaws that afternoon, Director Shaw was adamant on having his daughter marry into the Crawfords, but at the same time, his older grandson might have a woman out there. What should he do now? The next day, the sky cleared after the rain. Bianca got up early in the morning. It was rare for her to get the week off, so she took the supplement prescription Dr. Joyce gave herst night and left the house. The department store was right next to the subway station, so Bianca walked toward it. It was a working day, and there were far fewer people inside than there usually were on a Sunday. Bianca brought her shopping cart to the shelf with the brown sugar and put one packet into her cart before heading off to get some fresh ginger. Finally, she pushed her cart to the sanitary napkin aisle. She was taking a packet of night-safe when some called her name, "Bianca ... Bianca Rayne?" Bianca looked toward the voice, turning her head. That person had just only arrived at the sanctuary napkin aisle too. She saw Bianca before she could pick her poison, but it had been many years since theyst met, so she did not dare to run up to Bianca. Instead, she just called Bianca¡¯s name tentatively. 1 The moment Bianca turned around to face her, she heard the girl scream," Is it really you, Bianca?!" Bianca looked at her nkly. "Aaaah, it really is you!" 1 The girl ran right toward her and enveloped Bianca in a hug. That hug was so tight that Bianca could barely breathe... After a while, the girl finally let go of her, tears in her eyes as she said, "Do you remember me? We were in the same ss in middle school. I sat in the back row because I was too tall. My mother was our English teacher, and she gave you tuition at one point too!" Bianca nodded at her. "You''re udia Clinton." "You remember my name?" udia had always been a bit boyish, but now she was touched to reunite with her old ssmate that she nearly burst into tears. The two of them had been in the same ss for all three years of middle school, and they had even eaten cup noodles together at the school store before. Such schoolyard friendships were actually quitemon, but not for Bianca. This was because Bianca used to be bullied all the time at school, and udia was the only girl who dared to befriend her. 2 At the same time, their other ssmates were somewhat wary of udia because her mother was a teacher. In other words, Bianca could avoid their bullying everytime she hung out with udia. After they bought what they needed, they paid and left the store. Bianca invited udia back to her ce. Thetter nodded and went with her. When they entered the neighborhood, udia said, "My mom had a problem with her leg two years ago, and the two of US moved here to this city to get it treated." udia¡¯s father was a teacher too, but he had cheated on her mother with a beautiful young teacher at the school so the two of them had amicably divorced. 1 Bianca knew that udia had changed herst name since elementary school to match her mother''s. "How is Ms. Clinton now?" Bianca was more worried about udia''s mother''s health. Miss Clinton had been very kind to Bianca back then. Besides, rumor had it that Miss Clinton had specially given the senior named Crawford from the high school next door some private one-on-one tuition too.... 1 Back then, Bianca did not care what Senior Crawford''s real name was. He was only a vague silhouette in her head. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. After all, he was so far away and unreachable to her. Now that she had met Luke Crawford, though, she could not help butpare him to the senior from back then. No matter how she cut it, they seemed to have simr features. The only difference was that one of them was a young teen whereas the other was a sessful and mature adult man. The difference in their personalities and situations was huge. "My mom had to get an amputation," udia replied after a long pause. Her voice was filled with dejection. Bianca tried tofort her, but udia shook her head and said she was fine. When they reached Bianca''s door, udia seemed to remember something suddenly. She said, "My mom''s having a birthday party next weekend. You gottae and meet some of our old ssmates." Old ssmates... Those words were supposed to give her a warm and fuzzy feeling, but Bianca shrank away at them. She was still traumatized by the bullying she suffered as a student. udia did not notice anything amiss, following her into the house as she said, "Last night, my mom and I looked through the names in the ss register and saw that you were the only one who never once attended the gatherings. All the other students my mom used to teach who are in this city now have visited before, and theye from all walks of life. There are parcel deliverymen and even CEOs of bigpanies. They came to visit anyway.¡± Bianca remembered Senior Crawford... If Senior Crawford attended the gathering this year too, she would be able to determine if Senior Crawford and Luke Crawford really were one and the same... Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Luke Was Frustrated And Upset! It did not matter if they were the same person or not. Bianca was still going to this gathering. Not for her ssmates, nor for the senior she could barely remember, but solely for the teacher who once gave her so much love and care, Miss Clinton. It was one thing if she had not heard about Miss Clinton, but now that she had, there was no way she could not go. That noon, at Crawford Manor. From the moment Luke walked through the door, the old man had been following behind his oldest grandson, asking, "You''re not getting any younger. Maybe you should think about finding a life partner. Tell me, what kind of a woman do you like?¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. Luke went upstairs without saying a thing. The old man followed him upstairs despite his walking stick, but he inwardly cursed his ungrateful grandson as he climbed the stairs. The boy had no love for the young or the elderly. "Do you like them plump? On the fair side?" the old man pressed. He thought that was his older grandson''s type. Luke walked into his room. As he took off his coat, he also pulled off his tie and tossed it aside. The old man continued, "I heard that Director Shaw''s daughter is in town. Why didn''t you bring her to meet me? If Director Shaw hadn''t personally called me, I wouldn''t have known a thing. I''m your elder!" "Why should I bring her home to meet you? Who is she to deserve that?" Luke refuted his grandfather coldly amidst the sound of running water. The old man''s eye twitched, and he immediately understood. His older grandson did not fancy that Shaw heiress at all. Old Master Crawford then turned around and went downstairs. Downstairs, Louis Crawford was holding a blood peach. He was about to take a bite from it when suddenly the old man stabbed him in the back with his cane! Louis turned around angrily. "Why¡¯d you poke me, Grandfather?" "Come here. Come sit with me." The old man beckoned at him, looking quite serious. Louis nced toward the stairs and then at his grandfather¡¯s unnaturally solemn expression. He had no choice but to sit down and ask, "Did something happen, Grandfather?" The old man took a deep breath and looked at his younger grandson, saying, "Help me keep an eye on your brother from now on. Find out more about the woman he''s seeing." "You want to keep an eye on my brother?" Louis'' eyes threatened to pop out of their sockets. "You want me to follow him? Are you implying that I have a death wish? Or are you dying and want to drag me down with you?¡± As the two of them were talking, Luke finished his brief shower and walked downstairs. The old man immediately shut up. Louis only observed his brother carefully. To tell the truth, he was quite curious to know too. What kind of a woman would make his cold-blooded brother spend so many nights away from home like this? 1 Luke walked to the dining table and picked up a set of newspapers, opening them. Ten minutester, Susan Armstrong came downstairs as well, while Allison Tanner returned home from outside. It was time for lunch at the Crawfords. Just then, Luke''s phone rang. 1 He kept his eyes on the newspaper as he picked up the call and asked," What''s the matter?¡± Jason was eating his lunch outside. He had put his heart and soul into working for his boss over the years, and today he was doing his same old job as usual. He had just sat down and checked his to-do list when he noticed that there was a part of Luke''s schedule he had to arrange. "Mr. Crawford, your high school teacher''s birthday is next weekend. Are you attending this year? If you aren''t, I''ll make the arrangements for your trip to America on that day." Jason asked carefully. As he expected, Luke chose not to go. Luke had only gone once before. Once he found out what they did at the birthday party, he simply found it extremely boring. Everyone there just kept sucking upto him and ttering him non-stop. After he went that first time, he started having his subordinates send his teacher a pre-booked gift instead. He would then personally call his teacher and wish her happy birthday. Miss Clinton was just his teacher back then. However, when he had no choice but to leave the town he went to high school in all those years ago, he had asked Miss Clinton to take care of someone for him. 1 She had indeed performed her task admirably too. That was enough for her to warrant his lifelong gratitude. Once the call went through, Luke repeated the same things he said every year. He was busy, so he could not personally celebrate her birthday with her, and so on... Miss Clinton said, "Go do your own thing. Men should always put their careers first anyway." 1 They exchanged a few polite words, but before Miss Clinton hung up, she added. "Oh yeah, there''s one thing I''m quite happy about that you might not know. Do you remember that girl who used to be bullied by her ssmates? Bianca Rayne? My daughter bumped into her today and even invited her to the gathering next weekend. Bianca looked like she''s doing pretty okay, and I think she has you to thank for some of it." Luke¡¯s hand shook around his phone. He did not seem to expect that Bianca would attend the gathering, so he paused and said, "I¡¯m d to know she¡¯s doing well.¡± ''You''re a good man, and I''m sure your karma will reward you for it." With those words, Miss Clinton hung up. The old man peeked at his older grandson¡¯s expression. After thetter hung up, he seemed to grow randomly frustrated and upset! He was perfectly fine three minutes ago! 1 "It''s time to eat now. Everyone,e over to the table," the old man reminded. Luke did not seem to hear him, however. Frowning, he held up his phone and found Jason''s number. The second he made the call, he instantly hit the red button to end it again. 1 For a second there, he had called Jason, intending to ask thetter to cancel the trip to America. Luke was somewhat startled by his own actions. She was just a woman, so why did he care about her this much? Furthermore, she was a crafty woman who never said what she meant and made a habit of keeping him hanging. 1 udia stayed in Bianca¡¯s house all morning before she left for home. Bianca walked her to the subway station entrance. It was only after she watched udua leave that she headed home. At the entrance to the neighborhood. Jean''s mother, Anna O''Reilly, was standing there. She looked around her, clearly searching for someone. Bianca was almost at the door now, and she had no choice but to approach the older woman. She could not hide forever. Anna''s eyes finally settled on Bianca, her rage rising from the depths of her heart. She had been ringing on Bianca''s door earlier, but no one replied, so she stood downstairs and waited. Bianca Rayne had toe down sometime! "Aunt Langdon," Bianca greeted her politely. Smack! Anna pped Bianca across the face and red at her, saying, "You have no right to call me that! Every time you do, you might take ten years off my life!" Bianca held her cheek and felt the stinging pain there for a second before she looked up. "If you have anything to say, please say it now. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll be heading upstairs." "What''s with your attitude? Is that how you treat me?" 1 Anna''s gaze turned even sharper! "I''ll treat you the way you deserve to be treated," Bianca said, calmly but resentfully. With that, she turned around and walked back into the neighborhood. Anna was older than her, so she retained a hint of respect for her. Just a hint, though. 1 Bianca''s attitude ignited Anna¡¯s temper, and she immediately rushed after Bianca. Once she ran into the neighborhood, she grabbed Bianca''s cor from behind. Dragging Bianca toward her, she started to beat Bianca up. "You ebil b*tch! What did my son ever do to you? Tell me honestly! He came here to catch you cheating red-handed, but you! You little hussy, you sent him to jail! Your filthy boyfriend is pretty heartless, huh? Where¡¯s the justice?!¡± Chapter 44 Chapter 44 She Saw Luke Looking At Him Anna was being wholly unreasonable. She yanked Bianca back and forth, messing up thetter''s hair and even scratching her on the neck several times. Bianca¡¯s face was still smarting from before, too. Anna grabbed Bianca''s hair and refused to let go, cursing, "A woman like you should wear a scarlet letter! Are you that desperate for money? Will you give up your dignity for money? If you like having a sugar daddy, no one would care, but don''t pull my son into this! How are you gonna pay my son back for the past five years of his youth?!" Bianca could not stand it anymore. Wincing from the pain, she pulled her hair out of Anna''s grip and then shoved the woman away forcefully. ¡®That''s enough!" Anna was shoved more than a meter away, her face and neck scarlet with anger. Her finger trembled as she pointed at Bianca, "You''re a despicable, shameless hussy! How dare you act like you''re in the right!" More people started crowding around them, watching the spectacle. One of the olderdies tried to stop the fight, holding Anna back as she said, "Don¡¯t be too mad, sis. You can''t just listen to a one-sided usation and decide that your daughter-inw is cheating on your husband, right?" Anna knew the woman who was holding her back. She was one of the women that had been with Daisy that day, gossiping about Bianca¡¯s immoral affair. "I''ll decide for myself if she¡¯s guilty!" Anna red at the woman. "These are my family matters, stay out of this." The woman saw that Anna was beingpletely unreasonable, so she looked at her awkwardly. By then, Bianca had returned to her unit. She did not want to engage Jean''s family in any more pointless squabbles. Once she got home, the first thing Bianca did was log into a house rental site and look for a new ce. Her phone rang beside her. The caller was Nina. Bianca picked up. Nina sounded utterly flustered on the other end. "Bea, are you okay? Did my mom go to you? Did you bump into her?¡± "I did, but it''s alright now." Bianca knew that Nina was worried about her, and she did not want Nina to worry. "I''m so freaking mad at my mom and brother right now!" Nina''s voice was choked with sobs, i¡¯lle over right now. Wait for me." Before Bianca could tell her not to, Nina hung up. Instead of calling Nina again, Bianca sent her a WeChat message. "Don''t be mad. It''ll all pass." "You¡¯re so kind, Bea. My family is in the wrong here." Nina responded quickly and even added a crying emoji. Bianca lowered her head. What else could she do but be kind? After almost an hour, Nina finally arrived at Bianca''s neighborhood. When she rang the doorbell, Bianca opened the door for her. Nina went in and changed into the slippers. Soon enough, she saw Bianca''s face and went forward to look at her closer in surprise. Her eyes widened." Did my mom... hit you?" Bianca nodded. "She''s crazy!" Nina frowned, speechless. Sounding utterly confused, she continued, "I''m really starting to think that my brother and mother have lost their minds. They would rather believe a resident gossipmonger instead of their closest family. I mean, they don''t even believe me." The two of them went into Bianca''s bedroom. Nina saw the website on Bianca''sputer. It was a site for rentals. "Are you going to move?" "Yeah. That''s the only way I can get some peace and quiet," Bianca said helplessly. Nina went to the fridge to grab a drink. When she returned to the bedroom, she looked at the rental information and said, "Why don''t you get a two- room ce? I can move in with you, and we can watch each other''s backs." Bianca looked at Nina. She did not want Nina to move out of her house and stay with her. That would probably alienate Nina from her parents and brother. Nina seemed to be able to read Bianca''s concerns. She said, "Don''t worry, I''m not moving out just for you. I¡¯ve actually wanted to get out since the second year of college. My parents got into fights every day..." Bianca had never seen her parents together in her life.This is from N?velDrama.Org. How was it like to have both parents? Was it peaceful and wonderful? Or was it filled with fights? Either way, she would not get to see it. It was a rare sight that she might never witness in her lifetime. That afternoon, Bianca and Nina settled on a house. The next day, the two of them checked the ce out, signed the contract, paid the deposit, and moved out. It was all settled within a day. The third day, Bianca wanted to clean up the ce. Nina was worried that Bianca did not feel up to it, so she went online and hired a cleaner. "Ah, I finally have my own space..." Nina could not help but sigh happily. Bianca was d to be in a new environment too. The frustration that had piled up in her heart seemed to vanish as well. Her week-long break passed in the blink of an eye. Bianca had no choice but to gather herself and perk up before returning to work. To Bianca''s surprise, though, she had barely set foot into the design department when she saw Jean sitting at his workstation. Jean seemed to notice her gaze on him. He looked up and nced at Bianca. His gaze immediately made her feel extremely ufortable! That night, Jean had yelled at her from outside the door, calling her an " adulterous pig". That was exactly what his gaze seemed to be calling her today! Soon, Sue Carter sent everyone an email. ''There will be a meeting at 9.20am sharp today." Hence, everyone in the design department gathered in their dedicated conference room at twenty minutes past nine. The head of the design department was a strong-willed woman who never bent to any man, so she inevitably had a preference for thepetitive women in the team. During the meeting, they settled on an important project. The head of department ordered Sue to handle it with a handpicked team, and Sue was fond of Bianca, so Bianca was fortunate to join in the project too. The meeting ended. Bianca left the room with everyone else. "Sue, take Bianca with you to the conference room on the 62nd floor. Hurry!" The head of department was about to enter the elevator when she had to take a call, so she turned around and pointed at Sue and Bianca, who had walked out together. Sue did not have enough time to ask why, but it had to be something good, so she immediately led Bianca into the elevator and up to the 62nd floor. As for Jean, who wanted to talk to Bianca, he had no choice but to return to the design department. There was someone waiting at the door of the 62nd-floor conference room. When they saw Sue and Bianca, they let the two women pass. The women walked into the room quietly and settled in an unassuming corner to listen in on the proceedings. The atmosphere in the room was quite solemn. Bianca looked up, too afraid to even breathe too loudly. First, she saw the higher-ups of thepany, but she was rtively new so she did not recognize all of them. 1 There were nametags on the table. Aside from the top dogs at thepany, she also saw that the others were the partners they were supposed to work with for this project. At the forefront of the room, a woman was presenting the project proposal. Right now, she was exining the advantages of this particr plot ofnd. On her right, there was the big boss, as noble and collected as usual. Bianca hurriedly pulled her gaze back. She could still remember all those scandalous moments with Luke at her ce. The meeting went on for two hours. When it ended, it was just time for lunch. The top dogs left first, followed by the employees in order of their ranks. When Bianca walked out, she did not expect to meet Luke again. Outside the conference room, Luke was talking to two men and a woman. If Bianca remembered correctly, all three of them were in positions of power. Just then, Jason looked over at them, stopping Sue and Bianca with a few words. "If I''m not mistaken, Miss Carter is a decent drinker. You should attend the lunch meetingter too." His tone made it amand, not a request. After that, Jason looked at Bianca and purposely invited her. "You shoulde along too, Miss Rayne. Why don''t you listen in on the bosses'' design ns?¡± 1 As long as Bianca was an employee at thispany, she had no reason nor right to refuse such an invitation. While Bianca was feeling lost and flustered, she felt a sharp gaze on her. She turned around and saw Luke looking at her, his gaze unbelievably deep and filled with an unfathomable emotion. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Luke Crawford Was A Drug Before they headed off to the lunch meeting, Bianca and Sue made a trip back to the design department. Bianca walked to her workstation and put down theptop she had brought upstairs earlier. After that, the phone she had left on the table rang once. It was an unknown number. The number began with 138 and ended with 6688. The contents of the message was, "Miss Bea, I''m almost on my summer break. Will you be free ten days from now?" Bianca guessed that the number was nche¡¯s. She quickly replied, "I''m really busy with work, and I just got assigned with an important project. I have to earn money so I can eat and live, so I can¡¯t take you out to y. Sorry.¡± She clearly expressed her reluctance to have too much to do with Luke Crawford''s son. She hated the way Luke misunderstood her. She had never approached his son because she wanted to seduce him. In this society, any man as wealthy and powerful as Luke Crawford was probably used to having his guard up against women with ulterior motives approaching him. If such a woman was lucky enough to not earn his ire, there was a chance she could start a rtionship with him. However, such a rtionship would only be limited to an exchange of money and bodies. In short, the heart would never be involved. Bianca had seen plenty of gossip surrounding these rich and powerful people, and she knew very well that it was not a game a woman like her could y. Luke Crawford was a taboo, a taboo deep in her heart. No matter how tempting he was, he could only ever be opium to her, a drug to avoid. After a long time, nche finally replied with, "Oh, okay " The six dots at the end showed just how upset and disappointed the little boy was feeling right now. She had no choice, though. She had to be wary of his father. She thought-lf Lanie and Rainie were orphans, children nobody wanted, she might adopt them. She practically had no parents herself right now, so she might take them in and try to raise them as she earned money while reaching for her designer dream. Unfortunately, they were not orphans. In fact, they had a very prominent man as their father. 3 Bianca steeled her heart and stopped replying. Putting her phone away, she walked out of the design department. Jean stood up as well. He had seen just how conflicted she looked, and he did not know what she was thinking about, or who she was thinking about. Even so, he felt furious! Bianca had barely reached the washroom entrance when arge hand grabbed her from behind! "What are you doing? We''re at work now, let go..." Bianca tried to pull her hand back, looking at Jean with hostility. "Come with me!" 1 He dragged Bianca into the pantry. "Let go!" Bianca struggled, if you don''t let go, I¡¯ll yell!" Jean had forced her into a corner, taunting her, "Yell? Are you sure you can still yet? I thought you lost your voice that night after that man f*cked you senseless." Bianca shrank away. "Jean Langdon, don''t be so unreasonable. "I¡¯m being unreasonable?" Jean said wildly, as though he had just heard an absurd joke. "My fiancee cucked me, but I can''t evenin about it? Are you bipr or something? You got engaged with me on one hand and Original content from N?velDrama.Org. slept with another man on the other! Have you no shame, Bianca Rayne? Howe I never knew you were so loose while we were studying?" Bianca was so enraged that she burst outughing. She looked at him and said calmly, ¡®Well, now you know. It isn''t toote yet." Jean did not expect her to admit it so freely. It only angered him even further! After the 96 hours he spent in detention thest time, he did not dare to use violence on her anymore. The veins popping in his forehead, he resisted the impulse and swore at her, "I was so motherf*cking blind! How could I fall for trash like you? Thank goodness I didn''t marry you, or else when I''m old and infirm in bed, you might just bring another filthy man into our house." "Do you know you''re being really disgusting?!" Bianca felt cold all over. She did not want to listen to another word, so she turned and left. Someone threw open the pantry door. Sue had emerged from the washroom. When she saw Jean''s vicious re, she immediately told Bianca, "Let¡¯s go, Bianca." Since there were others around, Jean did not go too far. He just looked at Bianca¡¯s back as he left, clenching his fist tightly. No man would be able to stand being cucked like that. That woman was not his wife, but she was the woman he had chosen. From the day he chose her, he had decided that she was only ever allowed to love him. Over all the years they had known each other, Bianca had never disappointed him. Now, though, he knew that she was not the well- mannered woman he thought she was. 2 Marie Rayne said she had been sleeping around even when they were abroad, and she even had several partners! 1 After that intense fight several days ago, he had regretted it and worried that he had misunderstood her, but after the voices he heard with own ears that night a few days ago, he was certain that she really was a dirty b*tch! There was no way he wanted to touch a filthy whore like that. 1 Still, he was angry and resentful at her for ying him like a fiddle over the past five years. 1 No man would be able to brush off a grudge like that! 1 Bianca went downstairs, utterly dejected. Sue nced at the office door and asked her, "Are you alright?¡± Bianca simply nodded. "I just came out of the bathroom, and I was too close to you, so I heard everything... I''m sure you''re not the kind of woman he says you are. Your ex is nuts, methinks," Sue said. Bianca did not want everyone to think of her as a whore. She wanted to exin, but she did not know where to start. Eventually, she decided on telling Sue what she really thought. "Jean wasn''tpletely wrong. He did find a man at my ce, but that was after we had a huge fight and officially broke up." Sue looked at her, surprised. Bianca forced herself to continue, "I think that man might like me a little, but he doesn¡¯t really love me, I know that for sure... I can''t tell if it''s just a whim of his or anything else, but my refusals pale in comparison to his overbearing approach." Sue was not surprised that Bianca had a suitor. What did surprise her, though, was the type of man trying to pursue her... What kind of a man would make her use words like "on a whim" and " overbearing approach"? The two of them walked to the door, and Sue asked out of concern, "Jean is in the same department as you are, so how will you deal with him from now on? You can avoid him, but he won''t avoid you." Bianca made a decision. "Once I get my sry, I think I''ll resign." Sue immediately stood still and looked at her evenly. ''That won''t do. You can''t joke about that! I gave you all these opportunities, so you''ll be letting me down if you resign." The moment she said that, Bianca instantly felt guilty. 1 However, it would really be hard for her to untangle some rtionships unless she resigned. There were two luxury cars waiting outside the T Corporation door. When Jason saw Bianca and Sue walk out, he first said, "Miss Rayne, get into this car." He had Sue take the other car, saying that she was in charge of chatting with their partners. Nevertheless, Sue could tell what was really happening at a nce. Jason stood outside the door, opening it for Bianca respectfully. Bianca looked at the man sitting at the back of the Bentley. She was terrified, but she had no choice. She had to go inside. Luke had been resting with his eyes closed. When he sensed a slender shadow falling over him, he opened his eyes. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 She Felt Parched The car slowly began to move. Jason had already made all the necessary arrangements at the hotel in advance. Bianca sat straight-up in the car. She did not dare to look in front of her, just in case the man identally entered her point of view, so she kept looking at the road as it passed them. Luke waszily perusing some newspapers. His slender and well-defined fingers held the corners of the paper, and he emanated a chill, as though he was frozen in ice. He did not say anything either. All of a sudden, Bianca felt parched. Every time she was nervous, she always wanted to drink some water. When they arrived at the hotel, Sue did not wait for Bianca to catch up with her. Instead, she enthusiastically greeted the three partners and went into the hotel. She thought of herself as quite the veteran in the field. Of course she noticed what was happening. The overbearing man Bianca mentioned who may be pursuing her on a whim was probably the boss of T Corporation himself. In other words, he was her highest superior. She was also certain that the special assistant to the president, Jason Doyle, knew that as well. He was walking in front of her, lookingpletely calm andposed. The proof was that Jason had specially arranged for Bianca to take the boss'' car. Suddenly, Sue Carter was overjoyed. She was a hundred times happier now than she had been when shended that important project. At the end of it all, she was a pragmatic woman, and she knew that women had it just a little tougher than men when it came to climbing the corporatedder. Bianca Rayne was her lucky charm. After all, she was the woman the boss fancied now! It did not matter if it was just a whim or just a temporary change in tastes. No matter what, the truth remained that Bianca was the only woman the boss was interested in right now. Also, all men had amon weakness. They always thought the grass was greener on the other side, and the harder it was to get to that grass, the more obsessed they would be with it. Sue was starting to think that she should do something about this. She would leave ying hard-to-get to that good girl Bianca. Sue''s job now was to y matchmaker and get the two of them together. Her career was in its developmental stage right now, and Sue knew very well that she needed an "ally" who could put in a good word for her with the boss. Right now, the only possible candidate was Bianca. Soon, all of them reached the hotel. Bianca was a nobody in thepany, so she was relegated to walking two meters behind Luke. As they got out of the car, went through the hotel lobby, and arrived at the elevators, she kept her head down and walked silently without a word. When the elevator doors opened, she had no choice but to get inside. Since she was thest to get inside, she had to stand at the front of the elevator. If she wanted to move backward, she would have to squeeze past the man. Since she wanted to avoid all physical contact with him, she just had to stay where she stood obediently. The elevator doors closed. When they arrived on the floor with the restaurant, Bianca went inside and took her seat alongside the others. The food was served, followed by the wine. Just then, Bianca''s phone rang. "Excuse me, I have to go out and take a call," Bianca stood up and addressed everyone apologetically. Everyone seated turned to look at her. Luke, however, did not look up at her. He just said coolly, ¡°Be quick about it." Bianca immediately went outside. Once she left the room, Bianca stood in the corridor and took the call." Hello?'' The caller was one of her female colleagues from the design department, Nelly Lowe. She wore her heart on her sleeve and was quite friendly to Bianca. Nelly said in a whisper, "I came out for lunch and saw your boyfriend, Jean. He... He was dragging a woman into the fire escape, looking all suspicious. You know what I think?¡¯ Bianca, "He''s a cheating a-hole, he totally is!" Nelly said. "How is he an a-hole...?" It had barely been a month since they arrived at thepany. There was no way he managed to snag another woman at thepany so quickly. If he really had a new girlfriend, he would not keep bothering Bianca, his ex, anyway. Most importantly, she was engaged to Jean just half a month ago. If he had a new woman, why would he propose to her? "I''ll put the phone on speaker, so listen but don''t say anything. I only heard this cuz I was eavesdropping..." Nelly whispered before turning around the corner to the fire escape door. She put her phone, on speaker, in a flowerpot nearby and then ran far away, worried that the two of them would come out and find her. "So are you trying to bail on me? That''s not what you said when you f*cked me senseless back then." Bianca paused when she heard that. "You were the one who seduced me first, weren''t you? Are you going to pin the me on me now?'' Jean sounded furious. Inparison, Marie soundedpletely at ease. ''Yes, I seduced you, but you took the bait on my first try. That doesn''t make you much better than me, does it? Only a man who can actually control himself has any right to use me.¡± "Shut up, I don''t intend on wasting my breath on you. Just do as I say and abort that kid. I don''t want it!" "Do you really think I''ll abort it just because you told me to? You were the one who was yelling about knocking me up as you plowed into me, that''s why I let you go in raw! That''s why I didn¡¯t take any morning-after pills and let you shoot into me. Now I''m really pregnant, and you''re saying you don''t want to marry me? Who do you take me for, that idiot Bianca?¡¯ Bianca stood in the hotel corridor, closing her eyes gently. Marie was pregnant, and Jean did not say that the baby was not his. He just wanted to get rid of it. That proved that they had slept together, probably more than once too... It took at least twenty to thirty days before a pregNelly test could test positive. Bianca was starting to feel like she was an idiot, just like they said. An idiot among idiots. Marie had been sleeping with Jean for a long time now, but she had not noticed at all. Her boyfriend had slept with another woman and thene to her, pretending to be all innocent as he fell on one knee and proposed to her. Meanwhile, she was moved to tears and said yes so easily. Bianca pulled at the corners of her mouth in self-deprecation. She suddenly remembered that time when Jean went on a business trip soon after they started working at thispany. She had sent him a WeChat message, but after they ended their chat, he sent her another random line of words. Now that she thought about it, there was a high chance Marie had sent her that on purpose when she was in his bed. That night when he was at the hotel and on the phone with her, someone had knocked on his door. After that, he turned off his phone and did not respond to her all day. He had probably been with Marie too... Bianca did not listen to the rest of their conversation. She hung up and sent Nelly a message of thanks before returning to the room. Bianca''s seat was right next to Luke''s, and she could not ask to change ces in front of everyone here, no matter how awkward she felt. Sue was sitting next to Bianca. When she saw Bianca return, she lifted her chin to gesture at the waiter to fill Bianca''s ss with red wine. 1 The waiter walked up to Bianca. She epted the wine and heard Sue proim loudly, "Bianca, how could you leave for a call and stay out there for so long? C''mon, toast to our bosses as an apology." A ss of red wine was fine. It would not kill her to drink it. Bianca walked over to them and then gave them an apologetic toast before draining her ss. After that, another waiter came to them and filled everyone''s sses. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Bianca looked at the dark red liquid in her ss, feeling a little dizzy. She had chugged that ss too quickly. She did not even know how much alcohol was in the wine. The waiter left after filling their sses. Bianca held her ss and was about to take her seat when she suddenly tripped on something. Her body tilted and fell toward the left, her wine spilling onto... Sue subtly pulled her heel back after she had purposely tripped Bianca over. She then stood up, saying, "Why are you just standing there, Bianca? Hurry up and help Mr. Crawford wipe the wine off!" Chapter 47 Chapter 47 His Bold Possessiveness Bianca did not think a mere ss of wine could make her this dizzy. She shook her head and nced underneath the tablecloth on therge round table. The table had eight legs, and there was a particrly thick one right in front of her. Perhaps she had identally tripped over that table leg. She had spilled the ss of red wine all over her boss'' pants and directly on the most embarrassing part of a man too. It waspletely soaked. Bianca figured she deserved ten thousand deaths right about now. Luke always thought that she was purposely seducing him. After this incident, she would never be able to stand with her back straight again. ''What are you standing around for? Help Mr. Crawford wipe it off!" Sue handed her a packet of tissues and hastened Bianca urgently. Bianca did not have any time to think. Her first reaction was to pull a tissue and press it against her boss''s crotch... The tissue immediately grew drenched once it touched the red wine, turning a seductively deep red. Bianca soon realized that her fingers were touching something. When she wiped him with a tissue, it was inevitable that her fingers would rub her boss'' groin back and forth. She seemed to feel something scary behind his pants... That ce was growing at a visible rate, too. Bianca''s face inexplicably grew hot... All three of their business partners were here in the room, men and women included. This was probably deeply embarrassing to the boss. Bianca bit her lip, ming herself, but she kept getting it worse the more nervous she became. Her fingers were even shaking. She used up half the packet of tissues, but Luke¡¯s pants were still dirty. The man had always been something of a clean freak. How could he possibly stand having a meal with his pants soaked with red wine...? While Bianca was panicked and frustrated, the man suddenly grabbed her wrist in a vice-like grip! She looked up and met his deep cold gaze. The man was tall and had deep-set features. Looking into her little face, filled with guilt, he forced the words out through his teeth, "Come with me!" Everyone else in the room all looked surprised to some extent. All three business partners had instinctively realized that Miss Rayne was not just another employee to Mr. Crawford. Jason and Sue were surprised too. They did not expect their boss to act so boldly and unapologetically possessive of Bianca. He was so open about it that he was practically dering to everyone here that Bianca Rayne was his woman. Sue Carter secretly thanked her lucky stars, d that she got along well with Bianca. Luke dragged Bianca all the way to the elevator, pulling her inside with him. The doors closed and the elevator rose slowly. She did not which floor they were going to, but when the ride went on and on without stopping, she was finally certain that they were going very high up. As the elevator rose, she grew even dizzier. This is from N?velDrama.Org. To think she had been taken down by a single ss of wine! Now she knew that she had overestimated her tolerance for alcohol. 1 The elevator doors opened, and the man yanked her by the hand again. They arrived at a suite door, where he pulled out a room card, swiped it, opened the door, and dragged her into the room with one hand around her wrist. As soon as they went in, the man forcefully pinned her down by the entryway to the suite. The lights above them were dim, doing weird things to the duo''s vision and expressions. Luke¡¯s beautiful features looked like an artistic three- dimensional painting. His hot kisses rained down on her from above. She tried to fight back weakly with her whole body, but the man pulled her into his strong and sturdy arms. "Mm... Mn..." Her small mouth was ravaged by his ferocious assault as he slowly entered her. Her pants of protest tasted of sweet red wine, such that the man simply could not let her go. He just wanted to swallow all of her struggles down his throat! "Ah... No! Ah..." Her hair was a mess now. Luke''srge hand wandered down her clothes, touching her everywhere through her clothing without a shred of hesitation. Finally, he pulled off the three buttons on her blouse. They fell onto the carpet without making a sound. She frantically hammered her fists into his chest, crying. Luke suddenly stopped kissing her, hisrge hand holding her fair little face. His voice sounded impatient as he asked, "Why are you crying? Are you saying you don¡¯t want me to touch you like that? Or are you too afraid to admit that your body craves my touch too?¡± 2 "If you''re mad at me for being clumsy, I promise that I¡¯ll stay far away from you from now on." She had interpreted his rough behavior as a punishment for ticking him off. The taste of red wine between his lips was bold and deep and utterly mesmerizing. True, which woman would not be mesmerized by a man like this? However, she knew that this infatuation would notst long. She was afraid that this man would be yet another mirage in the desert. Maybe she would wake up tomorrow and find that he was suddenly gone. She had known Jean Langdon for four years, but the truth was a p to her face. He looked like a nice guy, but he may not necessarily be one. On the other hand, even at a nce, she could see that there was nothing nice at all about this rich and aplished man before her. There was no way he would turn out to secretly be a good guy. The gap between them was toorge. It had been that way since the moment they were born. Many others, more experienced in life, had solemnly advised the younger generation to find a partner of the same social ss. Even if she dated him, she would only be a temporary toy of his. How blindly proud and confident must she be to even dream about marrying a man like him? If she ever indulged in those dreams, reality would give her yet another ride awakening. That was why Bianca did not want to dream. She was especially averse to sweet dreams, because she was afraid that her heart would be empty when she woke up. All that remained would be a dull ache. If she ever had a nightmare, at least she could wake up andfort herself, saying it was all just a dream. Luke''s broad palm pressed against her waist. His mind was a little addled now, and he stered his burning-hot face to hers, rubbing her back and forth. His thin lips at her ear, he said, "Were you really that clumsy when you wiped the wine off my pants, or did you purposely want to touch it?" Of course she knew what he meant by "it". She must be really drunk, Bianca thought to herself. The tall man before her was like a bright ze, burning her rational mind away and rendering her unable to think. 2 "Let go of me. My period hasn¡¯t ended yet..." She was panting heavily now, lowering her head and leaning it against his arm. Bianca used thest strands of her clear mind to remind him that she was still on her period. She was worried that she would be even more intoxicated at this rate. If he lost control of himself and decided to take her right here and now, it would be a bloody battle... Bianca did not want to contract anything or put her health at risk. Tm really dizzy right now. Sorry, but I want to go home." 1 If she had known that she was this weak to alcohol, she should not have forced herself to finish that entire ss of red wine. She had totally brought this onto herself today. Luke looked down, suppressing the lust burning through his body. He sighed deeply and raised his hand, rubbing her hair tenderly as he said," Just get some rest for now." With those words, he picked her up horizontally and ced her on the enormous bed in the suite. Luke then turned and walked to the closet, opening it and taking a perfectly -ironed suit out from inside. In her daze, Bianca saw him take off his shirt, pants, and underwear... 1 Luke stood with his back facing her. His sexy figure made her pupils dte. Finally, the man slowly and surely put on his clothes, returning to his usual impable self. Just then, however, he walked over to her again, considerate enough to try and take her high heels off for her. When he took off her shoes, though, his hand inevitably held her foot... She moved, a sudden change in her body. She could not help but curl her toes, trying to pull her foot out of hisrge grip... Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Bianca¡¯s Man Radiates strength! After all that rubbing and friction, the woman''s fair soft foot felt scalded by the burning heat of the man''s large hand... Original content from N?velDrama.Org. She did not know when Luke let go of her foot. All she remembered was a pain from her lower abdomen that came in waves. Eventually, there was a thinyer of sweat over her forehead... The dizziness from the wine and the cramps made her curl up on therge, soft, and warm bed. Before she knew it, she had drifted off to sleep. Every so often, Luke woulde to rest in this suite here at this hotel. The hotel belonged to T Corporation. From the day he officially returned to the Crawfords and began work at T Corporation, this suite had belonged to him. Unrted persons were usually not allowed toe even close to this ce. After she fell asleep, he adjusted the air-conditioning temperature and carefully covered her with the nkets. By the time Bianca woke up, it was already dark outside. She looked around the unfamiliar hotel room and took a second to react before she finally remembered what had happened. She propped herself up, certain that she was sober now. There was still a slight dizziness and headache, though. Her phone was right next to her, so she grabbed it. There was a text from Sue Carter. Tm at thepany now. The head asked where¡¯d you gone and why you didn''te back. I told her that Jason Doyle had assigned you ast- minute assignment and that you wouldn''t be able to make it back today.¡± Sue had sent that message at half-past four. Bianca blinked. Bianca and Sue were both T Corporation employees, and Sue should have seen the way their boss treated her in that room. Bianca figured that Sue should have guessed where she had gone too. Was that why Sue lied for her? She did it to cover up another fact that would inevitably get tongues wagging. Bianca did not know to exin, so she simply replied with, ¡®Thank you, Sue." 1 "Please don¡¯t be polite with me, just remember to throw me a bone once you be thedy boss... I''ll be counting on you, sis..." Sue replied instantly, teasing her. Bianca paused for a moment before replying, "I know my limits, and I''ll keep them." 1 "What limits? Are you stupid? I don¡¯t care, I''ll be counting on you anyway," Sue responded, frustrated by Bianca''s cluelessness. Bianca''s eyes were filled with sorrow and worry. Who should she count on when Luke grew tired of her and abandoned her in the rain...? Just as she was chewing her nails and wondering how to pry the suite door open, a warm touch suddenly came up to her from behind. She turned around in shock and met Luke''s sharp appraising gaze. "I''ll send you home." With that, Luke pressed his index finger to the fingerprint scanner and opened the door. The two of them walked out of the room, one after the other. She took the lead in a mild panic, while the man followed behind her. It seemed that Luke was the only one staying on this floor of the hotel. It was unnaturally quiet, with not even an attendant in sight. Finally, they went downstairs and the atmosphere turned to the usual rowdiness of a hotel. As they walked, everyone they passed bowed and greeted the boss. Bianca quickened her footsteps, putting a huge distance between the two of them. Even so, she could not avoid others'' curious gazes. When she wanted to hail a cab, his private ride stopped in front of her. A cab drove toward her and came to a stop. Bianca opened the door and immediately got in. The next moment, though, the man had gotten out of his car and grabbed her wrist, pulling her out of the cab. He then opened the backseat door of his own car and stuffed her inside before politely turning around and apologizing to the cabbie for her. Finally, he got into the car and personally drove her home. Countless employees had witnessed just how handsomely and fluidly he hadpleted that entire series of actions. Bianca wanted to find a hole and bury herself in it. She was just a lowly employee, a perfectly average woman, but the boss was treating her like this. To everyone else, that could only mean one thing: she must be "craftily¡± "ying hard-to-get" with the boss, purposely" seducing" the boss to give her "preferential treatment". Those nasty usations were going to nail her to the cross. She was going to be crucified alone. The ck Land Rover drove through half the city before reaching the new neighborhood she was staying in. 1 On the way back, Bianca''s stomach started hurting again, and by the end of it, she feltpletely weak and powerless. She never got carsick, but the world spun around her when she got out of the car, her knees threatening to give way. "Be careful." Luke had already gotten out of the car, hisrge hand naturally supporting her shoulder. Bianca subtly evaded his touch and turned around, saying, "Have a safe trip, Mr. Crawford. Thank you for sending me home, and I''m very sorry for spilling the wine on your pants earlier today." Her current neighborhood was much nicer than the previous one, but its location was not as convenient. That made the rent much cheaper. On the other hand, her new ce had many tangible benefits, one of which was amunity hospital right outside the door. "Go see the doctor, or else I''ll worry." Luke did not use force on her right here on the main street. Instead, he stood a meter away from here and stared at her. Bianca looked up. She was standing on the tactile path, while he stood on the left of the car, which was stopped by the curb. The night lights shone and flickered around his body, as though this enormous city only existed to highlight his brilliance. She just nced at him before she shook her head and said, it¡¯s alright. I know what my body''s like." Luke took out his phone and dialed a number, his expression dark as he said, "Call Dr. Joyce over. The address is..." "No!" Before Luke could finish that sentence, Bianca tried to grab his phone. As she tried to take it from him, though, he just caught her easily, holding her tightly. Her slender wrist was fair and smooth, the faint green of the veins ahead reflecting into his eyes. "Psych." Luke put down hisrge hand which was holding the phone. When he looked down at her, his gaze turned really gentle. Her face pale, Bianca looked at the phone he was holding. It was true; nothing on the screen said he was on a call. He had not really dialed the number at all. He would if she did not go to themunity hospital, though. Bianca especially did not want Dr. Joyce to stop by again. The first time she met Dr. Joyce, it was because she was drugged with an aphrodisiac, and the second time was at home because she started bleeding halfway through an intense love-making session with him. 2 Each time was more embarrassing than thest. This time, she had suddenly felt a sinking pain in her lower abdomen when she was in the car. She did know why; maybe it was an after-effect from the aphrodisiac, or maybe it was because she had taken red wine during her period. Perhaps it was a good idea to go see themunity doctor. Bianca pulled her wrist away from the man''srge hand. "I can go by myself, thanks." With that, she turned around and walked toward the hospital. It was only twenty meters away from the street. Bianca reached the doors. Luke was right behind her, following her into themunity hospital dressed to the nines. It was quite the rare sight, and the prettydy at the reception was stunned for a second, drooling at him. Bianca said awkwardly, Tm here for the gynae..." The prettydy finally reacted, and she was even more nervous than the patient when she keyed in Bianca''s request. She even had to retype certain words several times on the keyboard before she could get it right. As for the man who was making her so nervous, he was sitting at the waiting area with his long legs crossed. He looked just like a calm husband who was patiently staying with his wife until she received her examination results. The man''s stern expression and fixed gaze said it all. He only looked at his wife and no one else, so everyone could tell at a nce that he was a good man and an even better husband. Bianca took her number and sat down, waiting for her turn. As soon as she took her seat, a woman poked her and nced at the man behind her, the man with eyes only for his wife. There was jealousy in her voice as she said, "Where did you find that man? I bet your nightlife has been great after marriage... Tsk-tsk, your man simply radiates strength!" Chapter 49 Chapter 49 A Peculiar Tremble... A blush crept up Bianca''s face. Thedy next to her was not at all restricted with the topics she conversed with Bianca. Instead, she was excitedly chatting about any topic under the sun without the slightest care if there were any men nearby. ''Spill it to me, I''m very curious!" Thedy next to Bianca had a look of anticipation on her face. Bianca was dumbfounded to find that sex-rted topics that used to be frowned upon by the society were now being discussed so openly. "He isn''t..." Bianca shook her head. However, Bianca''s ''he isn''t my husband'' had not beenpleted when thedy next to her discreetly turned to look behind Bianca with a lustful gaze directed at Luke. Subsequently, thedy turned around to interrupt Bianca. Thedy blushed as she said, "We¡¯re both women. We¡¯ve surely done it with our husbands. What is there to be shy about? Can share some details with me? How many sessions do both of you have in a week? I can see with just a look that your man is very skilled..." Thedy once again shifted her admiring gaze to Luke''s body. He was seated not too far behind. She mumbled, "Even his body carries the overbearing sense that he can make a woman climax countless times anytime and anywhere..." Bianca was rendered speechless. She felt that she could not continue on with this topic. Firstly, Luke Crawford was not her husband, and neither did she dare to tempt herself with that thought. Secondly, she did not want to observe nor check if Luke did carry the overbearing sense that he could make a woman climax countless of times. "Excuse me, I need to use thedies'' room." Bianca picked up her handbag and created an excuse to leave the nosydy. After exiting the washroom, Bianca looked for a rtively secluded ce to sit down. She sat in the waiting area for about 20 minutes before her number was called. Bianca stood up, opened the doctor''s consultation room door, and walked in. She followed the instructions of the doctor to remove her skirt and underwear before sheid down on the bed to wait for her examination tomence. "Lie down lower, further down," thedy doctor in her fifties said after giving Bianca a nce. Bianca shimmied downward upon hearing the instructions. Bend your knees and spread your thighs. Open wider," thedy doctor said. Once Bianca was in a good position, the doctor asked again, "Name?" "Bianca Rayne," came the reply. Gynecology examination was not something new to Bianca. The first time she underwent a gynecology examination was on a fine day five years ago. Before she had the privilege of bearing a child for that man, she had to ensure that her body was in good health. 1 She could not erase that memory for a lifetime. She had been stripped naked, interviewed with tons of questions, and examined by all that icy cold apparatus. She had to go through the long and arduous process. At that time, she felt ashamed and angry at the same time. Although that experience was five years ago, she could not help recalling that whenever she went for a gynecology examination. The examination was done in less than five minutes. Bianca got down from that small bed. She looked down and huffed softly. She cleaned herself up before anxiously getting dressed. She then followed thedy doctor out. After the examination, she sat back in the waiting area to wait for her results. Outside, those who hadpleted their examination went in one after the other to get their results. When her name was called, Bianca stood up. However, she noticed that at one secluded corner of the waiting area, a man stood up as well. He walked in the direction of the doctor''s office. Bianca stood still and looked at him. ''Is he nning to go in with me? Since they were not husband and wife, it was rather inappropriate of a man to listen along during a woman''s gynecology consultation. "If there are any problems, I want an immediate follow-up. I will not allow you to take your health lightly." Every word that Luke spoke was full of vigor. That deep voice was so overbearing that it did not give any room for a refusal. Bianca frowned and wanted to say ''no''. However, while in themunity hospital, Bianca was asked by a randomdy regarding their ''marital life''. Perhaps it meant that society had be very open and realistic about these things. Things were no longer the same as when she was 17 or 18 years old when society shied away from the taboo topic about sex. Luke Crawford was a sessful businessman who had taken over the whole Crawford empire without any early foundation. It proved that he was no ordinary man. Every sessful man had one thing in common, and that is they would weigh the pros and cons before doing anything. For these men, rtionships were ranked the cheapest and unworthiest. Perhaps what Luke was concerned about was if she carried any serious illnesses that could infect a man. Dr. Joyce had been too rushed in her consultation. She only addressed the acute problem and did not delve deeper into things. What sort of illnesses could be spread to a man that made men so fearful? Syphilis? AIDS? Original content from N?velDrama.Org. As Luke acted like her husband and entered the doctor''s consultation room together with her, a dark thought urred in Bianca''s mind. What if the doctor misdiagnosed and announced that she had AIDS? 1 She looked forward to seeing how the man next to her would react when the news was broken to them. Would he be so frightened that he would immediately dash out the door and never wish to see her again? After a long time, Bianca found out that tests for any sexually transmitted diseases had to be done at the tertiary hospitals where they hadbs to specially test those. Themunity hospitals did not carry such facilities. "Doctor, about my condition..." Bianca was rather nervous. The doctor looked down at her notes and said, "Everything seems fine. You just need to be careful not to catch a cold, avoid strenuous physical activities, and get adequate rest." The doctor then looked up to observe Bianca. "Based on your attire, you must be an office worker, I suppose. Try to avoid wearing high heels whenever you can for the time being." Bianca nodded. "Okay." ''There''s no serious problem, so don''t scare yourself too much. I''ll prescribe you some medications which you can easily get from any pharmacy." Once the prescription was written, the doctor noticed the man standing next to Bianca and saw that he only had eyes for his wife. The doctor could not help but throw in a word of reassurance, "Don¡¯t worry, your wife is in good health. I''ve scanned her ovaries and uterus. Everything seems to be well. Her pelvic bones are in good shape as well. From my years of experience, she seems quite fertile." 1 Bianca flushed red once again. Somehow the saying ¡®big butt indicates fertility'' appeared in her mind. 2 She could not remember exactly where she had heard that. Perhaps it was during her studies overseas when the Chinese students joked about this during gatherings. Or perhaps it was from the time she visited her grandfather and identally heard it from the womenfolk when they were chatting. Whatever the case, the doctor''s mention of her being ''fertile'' was embarrassing enough. In addition to that, it was mentioned in front of this man. Bianca left themunity hospital once she received her report. "Mr. Crawford, I shall get back home to rest," she said to the man next to her without looking up. ''TH walk you to the entrance." Luke once again took out his coat and draped it over her shoulders. He had predicted that she would reject it, thus he firmly pressed on her shoulders the moment he put it on her. Bianca breathed in his scent from the coat and felt ufortably awkward. She looked up at him and decided that she needed to reject his advance. 1 Luke''s gaze was firm. ''The doctor said that you can''t catch a cold." Bianca could not find it in her to get used to suchvish concern. However, upon further thought, if she did not want to spend a longer time with him arguing about this, she would just have to do as he said. Once she got home, he would then leave. That way, it would be short and simple. With that thought, she turned and headed for her residential area. The man''s steady steps followed behind at a suitable distance. He made sure they had some distance between them, but it was close enough to make it seem like they had some rtionship going on. 1 Despite the cool breeze blowing her way, she did not feel cold at all. Instead, she was feeling rather warm. She was trembling, and her heart was racing... Chapter 50 Chapter 50 A Light Touch Would Send You Shivering In Pleasure Bianca had to admit that with this man around to protect her, she was feeling doubly safe. Which woman in this world would not like to be protected by such an outstanding man? However, whenever you feel that the man was the right person, you would still end up getting yourself hurt. It was only when you weredened with wounds that you would understand that love could be as sweet as honey and at the same time, it could suddenly be as cold as the de of a knife. What would this man leave for her in the end? She did not know, and neither could she afford to bet on it. Bianca did not say anything to Luke until they reached the entrance of her residential area. She did not n to invite Luke in as she did not want him to know which floor and which unit she lived in. Otherwise, he might suddenly appear with his kids at her door. She was now sharing rent with Nina. If Nina saw them together, it might bring up some unnecessary misunderstandings. At the office, Jason and Sue had misunderstood her rtionship with their boss. That had been awkward enough. She did not want to cause another misunderstanding about her private life. Besides, she had just broken up with Jean not too long ago. If Nina saw that she was being escorted home by Luke so soon after the breakup, even if Nina believed her, it was unavoidable that Nina might mistake her for a promiscuous woman. "Mr. Crawford, have a safe trip back." Bianca passed him his coat without looking up. Luke stood about half a meter away from Bianca and lowered his head to look at the coat. The pure ck coat was being squeezed tightly by her delicate and fair hands. He did not receive his coat. Under the neon lights, Luke lit a cigarette and took a drag from it before looking at her. He asked with a deep voice, "What are you afraid of?" 1 Bianca was afraid of him as a whole. His perfect physique, noble identity, each of his movements that appeared so regal no matter how minute it was... All of him made her feel that she could only look from afar and not get closer. "Mr. Crawford, why do you need to make life difficult for me?" 2 "Why do I need to?" This question made Luke take half a step forward. He was now standing right in front of her. Right at the moment when she had the slightest hint of wanting to avoid him, he raised his hand and caught her lower jaw, caressing her with his thumb before answering, "I have my reasons for making life difficult for you." 1 Bianca looked into his unreadable eyes. ''What is his reason for making life difficult for me? ''Is it a global man¡¯s disease that the best things are those that remain unattainable? Once they sessfully conquer it, they''ll gradually lose interest. With a wave of a hand, I''ll then be worthless, and finally, I''ll regain my freedom again?¡¯ 1 Bianca turned her head away slightly. Her jaw was released from the man''s long and strong fingers. The hand that was still holding the cigarette lifted. Luke ced the cigarette between his lips, but he still had no intention of retrieving his coat from her. Bianca was feeling exasperated and decided to be forting about it. "I hope that Mr. Luke will show me mercy and not y these games with me. I believe that you don''t have ack of women around you. Thin or plump, tall or short, you can have any woman you want." Luke blew a puff of smoke in her direction. With arched brows, he said," Continue." Bianca stood against the neon lights. Her eyes shone brightly from the reflection of the lights. They looked as if they had tears in them. ''I do not wish for any riches or fame in this life. I only want a stable and healthy life. Thus, I have no intention of grabbing on to your legs, Mr. Crawford, nor do I have any dreams of turning from Cindere into a princess. "I believe that there are plenty of other women who are praying fervently that they can grab on to your legs and go above others. From A-list actresses, daughters of powerful men, aristocratic youngdies... Any of them can be your pick, Mr. Crawford..." Luke gazed deeply at the woman in front of him. On the surface, he looked expressionless, but on the inside, his heart was going through a heavy storm where the ocean tossed and crashed around. Had he ever willingly tagged behind a woman? Even his mother had never received such treatment from him. Did she not notice how he had humbled himself for her? "Do you think that anyone can grab my legs as they please? For you who had easily shivered in pleasure when my third leg lightly touched you, you''re now setting up a gateway," Luke said some unruly things toward her with a cold expression. Bianca looked up in shock. Even the neon lights could not mask the blush that crept up her cheeks... "Wait for me in this spot. You can let your imagination run wild about what your consequences will be for disobeying me," Luke said. He then took his coat from her hand while taking a drag from his cigarette before turning to leave. Bianca was left stranded on the spot in a daze. Luke¡¯s back view was tall and straight, filled with authority. She closed her eyes and could not help butpare. ''No matter how much alike Luke is to Senior Crawford, he is not Senior Crawford at all. The former is a gentleman, a prince charming. Thetter has a wicked tongue, a bad temper, and makes everyone want to avoid him. 2 ''There is such a huge personality difference between these two men. How can these two be the same person!'' Bianca was lost in her thoughts and did not notice an Audi Q5 approaching from the corner of the street. Jean, who was frowning in the driver seat, made Marie¡¯s mood sour as well. He nned to drive to one of the parking lots at a nearby hypermarket when Marie suddenly called out, "Stop the car!" 1 This is from N?velDrama.Org. Without looking at Marie, Jean said annoyingly, ''The road is not your house. We can''t stop anywhere we like." "I saw Bianca. Stop the car!" Marie shifted her gaze from outside the car to re at Jean. ''Your darling is just outside. Aren''t you going to stop the car?" As expected, Jean''s expression changed when he heard Bianca''s name being mentioned. Marie was utterly disappointed and felt that the baby inside her was a joke. She screamed at him, "Didn¡¯t you reprimand me for being the cause of you losing your darling? Alright, I will put in a few good words for you right away and help you to reconcile with her!" Ignoring Jean, Marie immediately opened the door and stepped out. Jean wanted to call her back, but nothing came out of his mouth. He merely frowned, turned his steering wheel, and drove toward a parking spot. Bianca was shocked to see Marie appear. "How interesting to see your expression like this. You didn''t expect to see me in this area, did you?" Marie was expressionless as she stared straight at Bianca before her lips moved again. "It was so easy to find out where you live. You seem to have forgotten to tell udia Clinton that we sisters aren''t on good terms." Ever since udia and Bianca had bumped into each other that one time, udia knew where Bianca lived. 1 As Kevin''s wife, Jennifer had to follow her husband back to his familial home at Luojiazhen. Out of curiosity, Marie followed them back a few times. Each time udia heard that the Raynes were back, she would always go over to find out how Bianca was doing. After a few trips, udia became familiar with Marie. 1 In front of others, Marie would always hide her dark streak and acted like a pure and innocent girl, thus udia never suspected anything. Bianca recalled what she had heard during the day about Marie being pregnant with Jean''s child. There was no anger within her. Instead, she was a sea ofcalm. "When are you and Jean getting married? Don¡¯t forget to let me know. I''m happy that both of you have found love in each other." Bianca somehow felt that both of them were a suitable match for each other. ''Why? Are you acting tough despite all those wounds in your heart? I will notugh at you even if you admit that you are heartbroken that I snatched your boyfriend!" Marie''s voice may not be loud, but each word was piercingly painful. Bianca chuckled. "It''s just a pair of shoes that I have grown tired of. I felt that they were dirtied and torn, thus I threw those shoes into the bin. Whoever picks them up afterward has nothing to do with me. What should be thrown is already thrown. There''s nothing for me to be heartbroken about." With that said, Bianca noticed that Marie could no longer hold back a stoic expression. Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Daddy, Is Rainie And My Mother still Alive? "We shouldn''t appear in front of each other ever again. You''ll not only get agitated and harm your health, but it also makes you age faster as well." Each word hammered into Marie''s face before Bianca decided to walk away. "Don''t leave..." Marie''s expression suddenly changed as she humbled herself. Both her hands reached out to grab Bianca''s arm. She begged, "It''s all my fault. I¡¯m sorry. You can hit me or scold me. You can do anything that''ll make you happy." Bianca turned around and looked at her. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Marie¡¯s hands that were on Bianca''s shoulder slowly shifted to Bianca''s hands. With an innocent expression, Marie said, "Bea, you know that I have alwayscked fatherly love since I was born. That''s why I envied you for having a father. Ever since I joined your family, I''ve always been on bad terms with you because I felt that you lived a more blissful life than me. However, I was immature and young back then. Please believe me, I never intended to snatch your boyfriend from you..." Bianca was well acquainted with whatever tricks that Marie had up her sleeves as they had been going at it since young. Without needing to look behind, Bianca knew that there was someone behind her right now. Bianca understood that this sorrowful act by Marie was not for her, but the person behind her. "Bea, I have not slept with Jean at all. There is only one incident when we lived together when we were still overseas, but that was only because I had nowhere else to go. I was left with no other choice but to stay in his room for the night. But this has nothing to do with him. I was the one who insisted on staying." Marie lifted her hand to swear an oath while the other hand still held on to Bianca. "I swear that he slept on his bed while I slept on the floor that night. Nothing happened between US both." Bianca forcefully removed her hand from Marie''s grip. "You can stop your one-man show." Tm being sincere right now. I didn¡¯t know that you hate me so much...¡± Marie choked on her words, and her innocent eyes shed tears as she stared into Bianca''s eyes. The tears would not stop flowing from Marie''s eyes. She looked rather mesmerizing. Anyone who saw them now would think that Bianca was the one bullying Marie. They would assume that Bianca had trouble epting her elder stepsister from her father''s second marriage. Bianca knew that Jean was behind her, thus she mocked. "I¡¯m not in the least bit interested in whether or not both of you have done anything together. What brings you here with your sob stories today? Are you feeling wronged? Is he so bad in bed that you''re regretting having seduced him? Do you want to get a refund from me?" Marie widened her glistening eyes, looking like a little white flower. She weakly looked at Bianca. However, deep inside, she was seething with anger and gritting her teeth. ''Bianca, what arrogance is this? What a joke. You say that Jean is a pair of broken shoes that you didn''t want anymore? Before saying that, did you look at yourself in the mirror? I don¡¯t think there is any man in this world who will want such an uninteresting and shriveled up woman like you!'' "Stop saying anymore." Jean marched over, grabbed Marie''s slender wrist, and pulled her away. Bianca remained rooted to the spot. "Jean, you''re pinching me too hard..." Marie struggled to remove her wrist from Jean''srge hand and weakly eximed. Jean did not let go. Marie yelped in pain as she turned around to look at Bianca who was still at the same spot. A victorious smile crept up Marie''s face... "Go home on your own. I don''t want to discuss the child today. We''ll talk about it tomorrow." Jean released his hold on Marie''s wrist before lighting a cigarette with much agitation. He got into the car and drove off. Marie widened her eyes as she stared at Jean who had just abandoned her. She nearly lost her composure and yelled out loud... Jean drove off in his car. He reached out for his wallet and paid the parking fee before leaving the parking lot. Jean rested a hand on the window as he drove, wondering with mncholy about what Bianca had mocked Marie about. ¡®What? I''m bad in bed? ''And that metaphor about me being her broken shoes... How infuriating! ''We''ll see who will be the pair of broken shoes in the end!¡¯ "B*tch!" Jean made a sudden twist of his steering wheel and drove down the next corner. He angrily flicked the cigarette butt out of the car. Marie, who was abandoned at the parking lot, looked around and noticed that some of the passersby were staring at her. She rolled her eyes that were still glistening with tears as she confidently mumbled to herself," Bianca Rayne, you will eventually be under my mercy! I will go to all means to get what I want! Marriage and man, you do not have rights to either of them!" Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Alive! Luke Crawford was at the pharmacy buying four boxes of medications following the prescription given by themunity doctor earlier. This was his first experience buying medications for a woman. However, when he returned, he could not find Bianca anywhere his eyes could see. Late at night in the Crawford manor. nche Crawford was still wide awake. His petite figure was sitting on the ck leather couch. "Big Brother, aren¡¯t we going to bed?" Rainie hugged her teddy bear while slumped on the side of the couch as she fuzzily asked. "Go to bed if you''re feeling sleepy. I''ll wait on my own." nche was feeling sleepy, but he forced himself to stay vignt, refusing to let his eyelids meet. He was determined to wait until their father was back and say what he wanted to say before going to bed. Rainie heard that her brother wanted to continue to wait. She felt that she should learn to be strong like her brother rather than feel sleepy so easily. Uncle Louis had said that someday, their father was going to get married and they would have a stepmother. Both her brother and herself only wanted an exnation. Where was their mother? Had she gone to heaven or was she in hiding and did not want to see them ever again...? The brother and sister continued to wait. Unfortunately, the children had limited energy. They fell asleep before the clock struck 10. Rainie was even drooling, smacking her lips together as she sucked on her thumb... Allison woke up from her sleep and checked downstairs to see the children fast asleep. She quickly got the maid to carefully carry Lanie and Rainie upstairs. When they were being carried, the two kids stirred slightly, but fortunately, they did not wake up. Luke did not stay out that night. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. However, it was veryte when he returned home. He went to check on Rainie and Lanie in their rooms before he went to shower and prepared to tuck in for the night. Luke hadid in bed for more than two hours and was still wide awake as he tossed in bed. His bedroom was dark. This was going to be a long night. When he turned in bed, a soft sigh was heard in his bedroom. With a headache, Luke half sat up. He lowered his head to see that his son had suddenly appeared on his bed. "Daddy, Uncle Louis said that what you''re experiencing now is called having sleepless nights alone..." Luke raised his brows and rested both hands behind his head. With his eyes closed, he said, "What does a kid know about sleepless nights alone." "I know. That''s why I came to sleep with you. We can share a pillow. That way, you will not feel lonely and have difficulty sleeping," the boy said as he squeezed over to his cold father. He cajoled Luke and said, "Daddy, I have a question for you..." It was rare that Luke felt patient today. He indicated for his son to continue. "Daddy, is my mother still alive?" the boy carefully asked. Ever since he knew that there was such a thing as a mother, he knew that the topic was something off-limits. "Alive." After some time, the man answered half awake. nche¡¯s eyes widened as if he had seen a ghost. ''What? Our mother is still alive!¡¯ Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Addicted To Having Bianca Rayne Next morning, it was a surprise that the boy did notze in bed. Thud, thud, thud. He ran back to his room, took his little toothbrush, and started washing up for the morning. He had a row of neat and white teeth which he carefully brushed. Once done, he ran to look for Rainie. When he opened the door, he announced to her, "Our mommy is still alive." Rainie''s hair was tied into a neat braid. She cocked her head to the side," Big Bro, what are you talking about?'' "I said, our mother is still alive!" nche said as he marched forward and knelt on the floor to help his sister wear her shoes before bringing her to another house within the mansion. Their nanny was not bothered by what the kids were doing. nche got his sister to be on the lookout while he sneaked into Uncle Louis'' room quietly. He took his uncle''s phone and turned around to sneak out of the room... "Did you get it Big Bro?" Rainie widened her eyes to ask. nche nodded and went to a secluded corner with his sister. They used the phone to dial a number. At the same time, Charles Finn''s phone rang. At one housing estate within the City Center Fifth Ring, Charles was having a morning run with his wife. When his phone rang, both of them paused their steps. When Charles reached for his phone, he frowned at the sight of the Caller ID and said to his wife Faye Thomas, "It''s Crawford''s second young master, Louis.¡± "Why is he calling you?" Faye was puzzled. The couple used to work with the Crawfords 20 years ago. Old Master Crawford had retired and handed thepany to his son. Unfortunately, a few yearster, his son had fallen severely ill and passed away thus Old Master Crawford had toe out of retirement. It was until Luke Crawford returned to the family that they started to work for Luke. Luke was a born leader and inherited the best genes the family had. His intelligence was above others. As of now, the couple believed that he did not inherit his father''s negative personalities. His father was a promiscuous and fickled phnderer. They had not seen Luke carrying such an attitude thus far. in a blink of an eye, since Luke came back at the age of 16, until now, it had been 13 years. Both Charles and Faye could no longer work even if they wanted to. They no longer had the strength to continue supporting this young man that was once being ostracized as an illegitimate son. Fortunately, Luke had built up his capabilities and could stand independently that nobody could threaten his position. The two retirees were worried that any Crawford member woulde looking forthem. Anyone that came looking for them did not have simple intentions. For the past five years, they have been asked regarding the identity of the twin''s biological mother countless times. "Young Master Louis?" Charles eventually answered the call. What replied to him was not Louis'' voice, but a soft cute voice. "Grandpa Charles..." "Yo... Young Master nche?'' Charles was puzzled.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. "Grandpa Charles, I have a question for you. May I?" The boy asked politely. "Of course you can. I''d tell you if I know about it." The boy knew that Charles was merely being courteous. The old man would not tell him everything... "Last night, daddy finally told me that my mommy is still alive..." nche''s mood became low as he spoke. "Grandpa Charles, everyone said that you and Grandma Faye knew my mommy. Could you tell me if my mommy woulde back looking for me?" That was a difficult question for Charles. ''Will daddy remarry my mommy?" Charles did not say a word about what he could not reveal. All he replied was, "I don''t think so. I heard that your mommy has a boyfriend now." Charles and Faye went for a vacationst year to Ennd, and coincidentally, they were near the ce where Bianca was studying. Luke arranged for professional caretakers to take care of Charles and Faye once they retired thus he would know that they went to Ennd for a vacation. However, they were not sure if he had arranged for them to live near Bianca''s school on purpose. Charles only passed a message to Luke once they returned, telling him that Bianca seemed to have a boyfriend and their rtionship looked rather stable. Charles had said it offhanded but he had purposely observed Luke''s expression after he exposed the news. Luke¡¯s expression was just dark and unreadable. From that incident, Charles was sure that Luke did had some feelings for Bianca. If not because Bianca had found a boyfriend, these two young people who already had children might make a good couple. Charles also recalled the frequency of Luke bedding Bianca back then. Even if he did not sleep with her daily for a month, just the number of times in one day was enough to impregnate the girl. Charles would bet on it that there was an element of feelings in it. As a man, Charles knew how a man''s bodily needs worked. When deprived for a long time, the craving would get stronger, yet Luke could abstain abruptly after a month of daily sex five years ago. That was not all, after five years, never had any woman appeared in his life all these while. That was something unexinable. Was it because he could not forget his ''past love''? From what nche said earlier, Charles also detected another key information. Luke had told his son that their mother was still alive. That simple act had deviated from the initial story of their mother had ''passed away''. ''Had Ms. Rayne returned to the country? ''Did they meet? While Charles was trying to figure out the questions in his head, he heard the disappointed voice of the young boy, "Oh... okay, thanks, Grandpa Charles." Then the boy ended the call. While Charles had his breakfast, he began to analyze the situation with his wife. Faye said, "Luke is not like his father. He''s not a womanizer. Back then I was shocked as well. A self- reserving young maning to the mansion every night like a cat that was addicted to stealing fishes. He''de into the mansion and begin the act without even informing her. How rough of him. ''The time when we wanted to go for our vacation, Luke got his staff to arrange for our flight and amodation and kept trying to subtly convince US to go to Ennd. Now that I think about it, it wasn''t because of the beautiful scenery but because there was somebody that he missed there.¡¯ Faye took a sip of warm milk and chuckled. "Let''s ignore the fact that Ms. Rayne has a boyfriend. Even if she doesn''t, Luke would need to wait a few lifetimes before he could marry the mother of his children with his introverted character." 1 Charles agreed with everything his wife had said. His usual stern look could not hold back a smile. ''The main thing is, this chap is also arrogant and prideful. I would know that since I watched him grow up.¡± Faye shook her head. ''This is going to be a difficult task. Back then, I noticed that the girl was shy and quiet. If Luke doesn''t make the first move, there would be no hope between both of them." "I think the boy has seen Bianca." Charles wiped his hand, and with a stoic expression, he said, "From various aspects, we can tell that Luke is extremely possessive and a control-freak. If he saw Bianca and her boyfriend, yet he didn''t know how to put down his pride to court her, wouldn''t he die suffocating from his jealousy?'' On the other end, at the Crawford Mansion. The two kids deleted the call history and quietly returned the phone inside Louis'' room. "Would dad allow it if we request for a phone?¡± Rainie asked as she followed behind nche. nche thought about it for some time and decided against it because he was worried that it would anger their father. ''After all, Uncle Louis always sleeps like a log. We can always take his phone to use.¡¯ Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Calling Her Wifey Lanie said to Rainie, "Grandpa Charles told me that mommy has a boyfriend already, so there''s no chance she was going to get together with daddy." Rainie nodded her head without fully understanding what she heard. ''Then let''s find a girlfriend for daddy. I think Miss Bea is a good choice." nche decided to give up. ''It isn¡¯t because daddy doesn''t want mommy, it''s because mommy has a boyfriend already.'' During breakfast. Allison Tanner came from upstairs. She had already dolled up her face and said to the table full of people, "Dad, I''ve got something up and will be going out now." Old Master Crawford looked up and was about to say ''go ahead'' when Susan Armstrong interrupted. She raised a brow andughed. "You''re dressed so beautifully, and your lips are so red as if you had just eaten a child alive. Are you going to meet up with a man?" Other than Old Master Crawford who did not look pleased, no one else was the least bothered with the bickering that happened daily for more than 10 years. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Allison remained calm. "Susan, don''t worry, I¡¯m not you. I won''t find another man just because I can''t withstand loneliness. Zachary passed away young, I wouldn''t allow him to be unrest in the afterworld." "Who are you referring to about not being able to withstand loneliness?!" Susan turned around and angrily threw the chopsticks on the table. One of the maids quickly held unto Susan who was about to leap forward to have a catfight with Allison. Susan pointed at Allison and yelled, "If it wasn''t you who seduced my husband, I wouldn''t be in such a state now. You f*cking wh*re. Sh*t! I just lost my appetite looking at your stupid face early in the morning!" Allison noticed that Old Master Crawford was about to burst into anger and she smartly refused to engage in a verbal bicker with Susan. She took her limited edition LV handbag and gracefully left the mansion. Susan had all the anger but no outlet to release it that she had to pound her chest in frustration. The maid quickly helped Susan upstairs to get some rest. Louis frowned and instructed the butler, "Get the doctor here to have a look at my mom." Allison only managed three hours of sleepst night and hardly slept the rest of the night. Allison had heard everything from behind the windows when nche and Rainie had been discussing asking their father regarding the whereabouts of their mother at the gardenst afternoon. The identity of the children¡¯s biological mother was so mysterious that even Old Master Crawford who was the head of the house back then knew nothing about it... Charles Finn and Faye Thomas were a couple that kept the secret so well that no tests or indirect questioning could get a single clue from them, including mary bribery. Before Allison went out this morning, she tried to pry some information from her grandson when nobody was around. Lanie only said, "Daddy only said that my mommy is still alive. When I tried to ask further, he told me not to go overboard..." Luke was infamous for having a bad temper thus the children dared not probe further. Allison could not help but wonder, ''Is Rainie and Lanie''s birth mother my son''s secret lover? Or some girlfriend that even I as his mother don''t know about? Or perhaps, it was some under table trade to get the children? 1 ''Whatever method my son used, there must be a clue that I can find to seek for this woman that gave birth to my son''s children. ''What has my son got to hide from his own mother? ''To give birth to a son for an aristocratic family was equivalent to giving birth to the next sessor in line. That woman is so patient. I don''t believe that she won''t want to marry into the Crawford family and live a good life?'' As a woman herself, Allison believed that she understood women very well. No woman could withstand the temptations of getting into a rich family. Once in her car, Allison made a phone call. The person on the other line answered the call soon enough. Allison looked out the window and coldly said, "I''m about to reach soon. You''d better not be ying any games, Kevin Rayne. I''m warning you, this will be thest time, otherwise, don''t me me for ignoring our past rtionship!" 4 At the same time. Bianca was in the kitchen cooking some noodles. She threw in a handful of vegetables, two poached eggs, and soon, the pot of aromatic soup noodles was ready to be served. Nina had washed up and was waiting to eat the readied noodles. Bianca was in the kitchen but her phone kept ringing. Both of them had started work thus sometimes their colleagues would look forthem because of urgent stuff. Nina went to take a look at Bianca''s phone to see Nelly Lowe''s name on the message notification thus she wanted to call Bianca toe to get her phone. However, the two lines of words beneath Nelly''s name caught her attention. "Bea, do you want me to forward to you the recording proving Jean was having an affair with that woman? Would it be useful for you when you need to break up?" Nina''s blood boiled when she read that. ''Impossible?!'' Nina unlocked Bianca''s phone and replied, ''Yes it does, send it over!" Nelly then forwarded the recording over. Nina yed the recording. Not a word was missed from the conversation between Jean Langdon and Marie. ''It''s a concrete fact that my big brother has betrayed Bianca... ''They even have an unborn child. ''What the f*ck!'' Nina immediately called Jean and scolded, ¡¯You like an obedient woman yet you can''t resist a slutty one? You and Marie make such a good match, a bitch with a dog! Don¡¯t worry, both of you will soon get syphilis and AIDS, then you can exchange it with each other and rot together in hell!" Bianca heard themotion outside and quickly ran out from the kitchen to check. "Nina, what¡¯s the matter?" ''To whom was she growling early in the morning! Nina ended the call and shook her head. "Nothing. I borrowed your phone to scold someone." After breakfast on the way to work, Bianca took a look at the call history but Nina had deleted the record. The phone did not ring either thus Bianca did not give any further thoughts to it. Nina needed to follow her supervisor for a site visit so Bianca could not hitch a ride to work. She decided to take the subway. As she absent-mindedly entered the subway, her mind kept thinking about Nina''s abnormal behavior. The things that Nina said were about scolding a pair of scoundrel couples. ''Is Nina in a rtionship but was betrayed by the man?¡¯ Bianca sighed in disappointment. ''Why is Nina as unfortunate as me to meet a jerk.'' At that moment, the subway was beginning to be congested bymuters. A middle-aged man purposely stood nearer to Bianca. There were plenty of handles to grab on but he purposely wanted to share a handle with Bianca. Bianca looked up to see a perverted man and tried to take her hands away but the man not only wanted to touch her, he even leaned on her. It was the peak hour formuters to travel on the subway thus it was packed with people. Just as Bianca frowned, wondering what could she do, a familiar force stabilized her body. She lowered her head and was shocked to see a nice andrge pair of gentleman''s hands holding her. Bianca lost her bnce with that sudden hug and fell into the man''s embrace. "Wifey, are you still mad at me?'' Luke''s deep voice sent a tingling sensation in her ears. 1 The man''s strong figure held her close, with his pampering tone and protective stance, along with the word ''wifey''. The perverted middle-aged man had no choice but to stop whatever he intended to do. He nced at Luke, but just one nce and he met with Luke''s icy-cold dagger stares which caused him to curl away like a coward. He depressingly left to stand at another spot and soon disappeared into the crowd. ''Why is Luke Crawford taking the subway? I must be hallucinating...¡¯ Bianca was being protected inside Luke''s embrace where it was the safest ce within the whole subway. The only thing was, she was notfortable with it. The subway traveled steadily, but because there were too many people, it was inevitable for them to sway around thus having their bodies brushed against each other. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 stirred Up Lips... The subway arrived at one stop after another. Bianca felt that her body, which was closely adhered to Luke''s, was getting somewhat strange... The subway carriage''srge windows were reflecting the images of the passengers inside the cart. Bianca could not bring herself to look up at first. But after some time, the blush on her face had faded substantially. She tried to lift her head slightly to peek at the image reflected on the cart''s window. Luke''s tall and straight body stood behind her. The man held onto the handrail with one hand and protected her with the other. He had wrapped his arm around her waist and was embracing her. Bianca was petite, and she was curious to see the expression on his face. The man''s height had caused his face to be out of her sight unless she dared to raise her head further up. The wretched older man who was taking advantage of her earlier had only touched her hand deliberately. Yet, Luke''s possessiveness had made him take it upon himself to wrap her into his arms instead. Other passengers nearby also heard the man calling her ''darling'' so the men automatically moved further away from Bianca. They wanted to avoid making this ''husband'' of hers upset. When the subway reached themercial street in the city center, many passengers had alighted. Bianca watched as the subway stopped, and the people around her started walking toward the door. She was wondering if Luke knew how to take the subway, so she turned around and whispered, "It''s time to get off." Luke was unaware of which stop to get down from. Hearing that, he replied to her with a light "okay". Bianca walked in front and got off the subway as she always had. She walked toward the exit and wondered if Luke was still following suit. Once she was out of the subway station, the street across from it was the T Corporation''s building. It was less than a five minutes'' walk. Bianca''s heart was beating rapidly. Although she was not walking side by side with her male superior, he was closely walking behind her. ''This area is within thepany''s boundary,¡¯ Bianca thought anxiously.'' Would anyone notice US?¡¯ After all, Luke took the subway to work today, and he stuck out like a sore thumb... Bianca quickened her pace unconsciously. Luke walked out of the subway station in a calm manner. He arrived at Bianca''s rentalmunity''s gate at twenty minutes past seven in the morning. He drove his car there, but he saw Bianca walking straight to the subway station absent-mindedly after leaving her house. He followed her and naturally bought a ticket by swiping his card, following all her actions, and getting on the subway carriage. She was not at all aware that he was following her along the way. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Unbeknownst to him, this woman''s train of thoughts had also started to affect his state of mind. Luke thought that after more than five years had passed; she would be just another passerby in his eyes. The facts had proved that this was not the case. Luke walked within the boundaries of T Corporation. The boss who was walking to work unsurprisingly had attracted the attention of many of his employees who were about to enter the building. The boss did not drive to work today, Moreover, he came from the direction of the subway station across the street. 2 This alone was enough to arouse endless reveries amongstpany employees. Bianca entered through the revolving door of thepany. She walked with her head down and went straight toward the direction of the elevator. She stared at the numbers on the elevator panel as it descended and quickly entered once the door was opened. However, she still failed to avoid ''the thing that was bound to happen'' and that ''person who should not havee in''. She looked at the man who walked in while holding the elevator door, and her small face turned pale and horrified. The elevator door closed, and it took Bianca quite some time to return to her senses. Only then she pressed the floor she was headed to. The air in the elevator was weird as it ascended. On a particr floor, some people wanted to take the elevator. But when they noticed the boss was standing inside, they were astonished and immediately apologized, not daring to ride on the elevator with him. Bianca was an embarrassing existence at this point. While everyone else was dumbfounded when they saw their boss, they would simultaneously throw her a look of confusion as well. The elevator finally arrived at Bianca''s floor, and she was about to get out. ''Your medicine," The man''s voice was low and hoarse; it sounded fatigued. Bianca''s left wrist was lightly held back by the man when she was about to go out. Then, a shopping bag with the logo of a pharmacy appeared in front of her. He told her to wait for himst night. She did not. It turned out that he went to the drugstore to buy her some medication. When she encountered him in the subway, he merely stuck himself onto her body from the back. And when she got out of the subway, she barely looked at him. It was only now that she finally turned her gaze onto his face. Luke did not have the usual formidable suit and leather shoes look today. His white shirt¡¯s sleeves were rolled up without a tie. It made the air around him look slightly more casual and approachable but still mature and dignified. It was a curious moment, but she still reached her hand out to take the medication... Sue was early today. She had many things in her mind and could not fall asleep, so she decided to head to the office early. Theck of sleep still made her slightly drowsy; hence she took her coffee mug and wanted to make coffee. When she walked out of the office, she noticed a figure was standing at the elevator entrance. Bianca? Sue was about to greet her when the next momentter, she saw Bianca being pressed inside the elevator by a man. When the man was grabbing Bianca, the expensive watch on his wrist shed across Sue¡¯s sight. Sue knew her stuff well and was quite sure that the man was her boss. Inside the elevator, Bianca was pressed between the elevator wall and Luke''s bulky body. Her chest strived to undte as she breathed hard, and her lips were lingering hot. It was so intoxicating that she almost forgot who she was... The narrow passenger elevator was filled by ambiguous panting and sounds of clothes rubbing against each other... The man reached inside Bianca''s skirt with his big hand. It made Bianca shudder until her calf had turned sore and weak. She merely felt that the man''s hand was so dry with thinyers of calluses and the sensation it gave was trembling... "No..." She panted harder and was afraid that she would drown in this man''s strong hormonal odor. It was said that human bodies were more likely to get stirred up in the morning. Especially in this kind of confined elevator space, that anyone coulde to at any time. It was exhrating, and people were more likely to get aroused to passion uncontrobly. 1 Sue hid in the pantry, drinking a cup of coffee that was barely finished brewing. When she saw a figure entering the design department''s working area, Sue hurriedly sipped the bitter coffee into her mouth. She walked over and stared at Bianca''s visibly red cheeks, then her tender lips that were red and swollen like ripe apples for a long time. She could quickly tell that the boss just moisturized little Bea¡¯s lips... 1 Bianca was preupied with her job until noontime, and a phone call disrupted her thoughts. udia called and said excitedly to her, "Bea, do you remember that handsome and formidable upperssman Crawford who yed basketball in the high school next door?" Bianca''s breath halted,"..." "He never came to any of our gatherings for the past few years! He is our senior and older than we are, so it''s normal for him not to mix around with us. But this time, he said he woulde! My mom told me that he was going to the United States for a meeting this weekend, but he called and said that he¡¯d go to the meeting in advance. Then, he mentioned that he¡¯d bring back a well-known orthopedic doctor from abroad and introduce him to my mother to treat her illness!" udia continued to ramble on her own before she could not help but tease Bianca, "Bea, I happen to remember that you had a crush on that guy as a young girl..." Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Be A Little More Open-minded "I did not..." Bianca¡¯s first reaction was to deny it. ''You dare lie to my face? If you didn¡¯t, who was the person lurking behind the walls whenever she had a free period looking out at the yground of the high school next door foolishly?¡± udia talked about the past without restraint. Bianca still remembered her high school experience. She had always stared foolishly at beautiful sceneries and people for long periods. When she was in middle school, the person she had stared at the most was upperssman Crawford from the high school next door. udia assumed that Bianca was perhaps embarrassed now, so she continued, "He was finer than a frog''s hair! And cute as a bug! Who wouldn''t have a crush on him? Is there anything to be embarrassed about?¡± Bianca coughed, and her face started to burn up. Subconsciously, upperssman Crawford''s face in her mind had morphed into Luke Crawford''s. It was said that Luke also had a brother named Louis, and the two brothers had simrities in terms of appearance. Bianca had never seen Louis in person, though. If Louis was perhaps the upperssman Crawford but Luke was the one continually lingering in her mind, it would be the most significant misunderstanding... Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Bianca stubbornly retorted, "What are you saying, what crush? I was only 14 years old..." "So what if you''re 14, be a little more open-minded. Didn''t you know that there were people that got into rtionships early in our school? These things were everywhere, okay? A Year 1 Senior even had an abortion. My mother''s a teacher, so I hear a lot of these things at home..." udia said affirmatively. "It was your first real crush, and you were just too shy to notice it." Bianca was utterly speechless. ''The address of the party had changed, so I¡¯ll send the address to youter. Got to go now. I still have to notify the others!" udia finished her sentences and hung up. Bianca put her phone down, and her whole body felt dispirited. She had been wondering whether upperssman Crawford would show up, and now udia had clearly informed her that he would be present... Every girl at that age would have at least one crush, and even if Bianca refused to admit it out loud, she knew what it was very well. She shook her head and did not want to be immersed in her thoughts any longer. Even if she happened to bump into upperssman Crawford, they would probably meet eyes and nod at each other for a second. It was a huge school ground, and there were so many girls who admired him in the past. She was just the unnoticeable one who hid behind the junior high wall and the most inconspicuous. After gathering her thoughts, Bianca resumed her work. Inside an ordinary Chinese restaurant outside the City Center Fourth Ring road. Allison Tanner was starting to lose count of how many cups of tea she had drunk. Almost half of the pot was empty before Kevin Rayne finally showed up. 1 Kevin opened the private room door and entered it. The waiter went in as well and ced the menu inside. "What would the two of you be having today?" Allison was about to say that they were not ordering before Kevin picked up the menu and ordered three dishes, a soup, two bowls of rice, and a bottle of chilled Coke. The waiter responded, "Please wait a moment," before heading out of the room. Allison grew irritated by looking at the filthy dining environment. She restrained her voice before pointing at the watch and asked him, "Can''t you see what time it is? You can''t afford to waste my time, Kevin Rayne!" "My family''s keeping an eye on me. It¡¯s my fault... for beingte." Kevin told Allison the truth. 1 When Allison heard his excuse, she almost chuckled out loud. "I did not expect this from you. After so many years, you''re still useless, Kevin Rayne." Allison looked at Kevin''s worn-out face. "I just can¡¯t imagine what kind of woman would marry you. You have no ambition whatsoever. I was beginning to think that the only thing you could do in life was deceiving the young naive me.¡± Kevin sat in an upright posture the whole time. The man already had his one foot in the grave. But this ex-wife of his was still stomping on his self- esteem. It was reasonable to say that it was the right call to avoid this aloof ex-wife. 6 However, for today, he had something to ask of her. "Let''s get to it then. The house in my hometown''s about to get demolished soon. That house is one- third of yours. So, I''m here to ask for your opinion. If you want money, how much is the appropriate amount?" When Kevin spoke, his eyes did not dare to look at Allison. Allison was still dazzling in this day and age. Her beauty was well- conserved, and one could barely tell her actual age. She was the second wife of the previous leader of a listedpany, T Corporation. Allison managed to marry herself into a wealthy family, and she often appeared in major newspapers with her husband. Kevin still remembered the first time he saw a photo of his wife and another man printed in a newspaper. He was on the construction site on that said day. He looked at the paper absent-mindedly and was unaware of the danger unfolding in front of him. The workers had shouted for him to move aside, but his eyes were imprinted on the newspaper. It was toote to avoid the crane, and his left ear was almost smashed. Kevin could never get over Allison. She was his beautiful first love and the first woman he married. The house in Luojiazhen was a two-story building in a dire state. The developer offered to pay the correspondingpensation before the demolition. The owner of the house had to sign the papers to receivepensation. When they got married twenty-five years ago, Allison''s name was added to the housing grant. Allison did not mention it when they got a divorce, and no one brought up how the house was divided. If it were not because of the developers pressing on him to sign the papers, Kevin would not have looked for Allison at all. Allison looked at Kevin, who was sitting on the opposite side, and quickly turned away. Thest time the two met was more than a year ago. "I could hardly remember Luojiazhen anymore." Allison opened up her red lips and said, "How much is thepensation per square meter for the demolition in that small town? That ce is a ghost town. Will the developerpensate you two thousand to three thousand per square meter? Would I even receive hundreds of thousands after splitting it? Or did I overestimated?" Kevin had calcted that Allison would receive about two hundred thousand. Allison looked at him, mockingly and sympathetically at the same time. "I don¡¯t want any money for the demolition, but I will sign the contract for you. Thepensation is not even enough for me to buy a limited edition leather bag. Keep the money for your current wife.¡± Kevin gave it a thought and took out the contract he brought, then pushed it to Allison together with a pen. Allison picked up the pen and quickly signed the papers. She wanted to solve it as soon as possible and never again want to have a connection to this man in the future. "Done," Allison ced the pen back on the contract and pushed it in front of him while picking up her bag to leave. Kevin also stood up and stretched his hand arms out to stop her. "Alli, as for Bea... I''ve been alienating her for a while now as you told mest time that you want her to live a better life." 1 Allison recalled the incident and asked, "She''s back?" Kevin nodded in reply. 1 ''Then, do as I said for now. First of all, it doesn''t matter if she has a boyfriend now, I''ll introduce another one to her. Don''t worry, she''s my flesh and blood. I¡¯d never harm her." With that, Allison left the ordinary restaurant in disgust. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 I Really Want To Eat You Up And Carry You Around Wherever I Go Kevin had a headache all night after returning home. Jennifer turned the entire house upside down, looking for the contract papers. After searching for a long time, she muttered to Marie, "Kevin''s ying tricks with me. Why the hell is he not dead yet!" "What are you on about? Can we still get thepensation for demolition if he''s dead right now? It''s hundreds of thousands! You''ve never seen that much money in your lifetime." Marie helped her mother out and frowned. She whispered, "If he''s gonna die, he should hold it until we get our hands on that money." ''This is all your fault that I have to live in this sort of difficult life with him." Jennifer moved a stool and looked for it on the top of the shoe cab. An hour had passed, and the mother and daughter¡¯s search ended in vain. Jennifer disdainfully went into the bedroom and made sure that Kevin was asleep beforeing out. Then, she went to the dining area to eat the takeaway her daughter ordered. As they munched on the crayfish, Marie asked, "Mom, who do you think he married when he was younger? The man of his stature. What''s the need to hide the identity of his ex-wife from US?" "Are you stupid? His ex-wife moved on to a better life after remarrying. That kind of woman is most afraid of her dirty past getting exposed." Jennifer was not nning on giving up. She would continue to look for those papers. She needed to see that woman''s name. Marie ate a crayfish and continued to peel another, "I have collected photos of all thedies in our city in magazines and newspapers, but I don''t think any of them looked like Bianca." "Bianca''s birth mother is heartless as well. She had never seen her again after leaving her behind for more than 20 years. The daughter that she gave birth to," Jennifer sighed twice. The next day, Kevin went out. Marie listened to her mother and trailed him from behind. It was a shame that she failed to do it yesterday. Otherwise, she would have seen Bianca''s sacred biological mother! Kevin took a cab and came to an ordinary cafe. Marie looked in and dialed her mother''s number. "Uncle Kevin''s not meeting his ex-wife. He''s here to see Bianca." ''That b*stard that just refused to drop dead!" Jennifer was fuming on the other line. "He wants to give thepensation money to his daughter? Hell no, I won''t let that b*tch get a single cent!" In the cafe, Kevin lowered his head and stirred a cup of cappino. She discovered a year ago that her father was alienating himself from her. It made her feel ufortable for more than a year now, especially whenever she visited City A. She knew that her father was here and at home, but she was unable to visit. 1 "I heard that you and Jean broke up?" Kevin asked bluntly. "Oh, yeah." 1 Bianca raised her head slightly and looked at her father''s face that was too old for his age. As a daughter, she obviously felt bad for her father. She hid the distress in her eyes and did not speak of it, out of fear that her dad would walk away again even though she had no clue as to why her father was distancing himself from her. Kevin took out a medical record with trembling hands and ced it on the coffee table. ''This is..." Before Bianca could finish her sentence, she saw the words '' Medical Records'' on it. She took it and flipped through before taking a horrified breath. "How''s this possible?!" Kevin was running out of time. He had cancer five years ago and barely escaped death''s door. But now, he even had lung cancer... "It''s lung cancer, and it¡¯s terminal," Kevin said. The two apparent lung cancer symptoms- shortness of breath and chest pain had brought him a lot of pain. "I refused to meet up with you before because I wanted you to learn to live independently and live without a father. I wanted you to adapt. You didn''t grow up with a mother, yet you''ve turned out ten million times better than other people¡¯s children. You have a sense of righteousness, sensible, and filial..." Bianca held the medical record in her hand; tears streamed down without warning. "Before I die, daddy''s still worried about you the most." Kevin pretended to smile lightly, yet his eyes showed sorrow. "Marriages are of the utmost importance, Bea. Since you broke up with Jean, dad thought that before dad passes on, you''d be able to find a suitable match. That way, daddy can feel rest assured, and watch you be happy." 1 Bianca merely listened. "Also, the house in our hometown¡¯s getting demolished soon. Dad intended to save a sum of money for you. So if there¡¯s trouble in your marriage in the future, it can be used in an emergency. Of course, dad does not mean to make an inauspicious prediction. Furthermore, any man that my daughter chose would be loyal, dedicated, and affectionate," Kevin continued. Bianca noticed that the medical record was from one year ago, which was when her father alienated her. "Dad... How could you hide such a serious illness from me?" Bianca almost copsed from devastation. He should have been treated long ago. What if it was curable? Half an hourter. Bianca was the only person left in the cafe. Kevin did not want to devastate his daughter further, so he looked for an excuse to leave. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Next to the coffee cup, there was a medical record and a note. Bianca''s eyes were red and swollen from tears. She stared at the medical record for a long time. The tears flowed more and more, and she could not understand why good people were repeatedly cursed. When she left the coffee shop, Bianca called her father and said, "Let''s get you hospitalized. Perhaps there''s a chance you¡¯d get better..." Five years ago, she was able to get his life back, right? "Go to a blind date and see if it''s a match, then dad will decide whether to stay in the hospital or not.¡± Kevin was more concerned about this matter than his health. He believed that Allison would never do anything to her own daughter. "I''ll go. I''ll be there," Bianca nodded. Tears started flowing once more when she heard her father¡¯s voice again. At the crossroad where the breeze was blowing, Bianca ended the conversation with her father and looked at the busy street. She was crying pitifully as if she was in a world of pain. After finally getting through the weekend, Bianca was preparing to head out with a bare face. 1 Nina looked at her by the door andmented, "Forget about the blind date, Bea. But, don¡¯t you have that gathering party with your ssmates tonight? Are you sure you don¡¯t want to put on some make- up to meet up with your old friends?" Bianca shook her head. She was not in the mood to put on make-up, nor did she have the habit of making-up. "Sigh, okay. You look delicate and sweet-tempered anyway, and there''s a quality in being bare-faced. Cheer up; Uncle will get better!" Nina said sincerely. She continued a few more words while sending Bianca to the elevator door. Bianca went downstairs and was still heavily affected by her father''s lung cancer news. She walked with her head down; her curled eyshes flickered a few times. In a sh, her wrist was suddenly grabbed from behind. When she turned around, she saw the man¡¯s delicately robust features and was taken to the back of his car. When she was in bewilderment, her whole body was wrapped tightly by the man as he gave her a familiar yet overbearing kiss. He held onto her and sucked repeatedly. The man¡¯s familiar lips and familiar breath made her feel choked up... Luke had only been on a business trip for a few days, but his thoughts for her had been quietly overflowing. He was busy day and night and finally rushed back on the weekend. The first thing he did was see her, kiss her, and touch her... 4 Perhaps due to the loneliness, Bianca did not resist his approach. It was not until ten minutes had passed that she finally sensed the tender flesh in her lips had been slightly broken into by the man''s sucking. He stopped and pressed his thin lips against her ears, slowly pouring out words into her cochlea. "I really want to eat you up and carry you around wherever I go. Just imprison you inside my body!" Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Did I Hurt You? Your Heart Is Beating So Fast Bianca opened her teary eyes. Her cheeks were slightly red as she looked at the man before her in confusion. Luke''s abstruse eyes were brimming with passion as he stared deep into her. They were rtively speechless for a while. He did not know what was in her mind, so he had to wrap himself in her once again. Bianca opened her eyes as she was fully immersed in the man''s confusing kiss. She could see his tall nose and his deep brow bone that was different from other ordinary men. In the shadows under the night, his intoxicating delicate features did not seem real. The back of her head was held by the man''s big hand, and her lower jaw was lifted. The man''s fiery kiss spread from her lips to her neck and onto her corbone... "Mmm..." Bianca was forced to look up and cater to him. The man''s wet lips were printed on her skin as he continued caressing her. The sense of erotism between them was gradually getting stronger. Bianca had minimal experience, especially in terms of kissing. It seemed that he was the only one she had done it with continuously. She was driven by him. Bianca closed her eyes for a while, and the man had started to turn her little tongue numb. She panted wildly and opened her eyes again, pushing her hand against his firm chest. Luke grabbed her tumultuous little hand and pinched the palm. He held it firmly as if he was about to merge the two of their hands into one. Bianca felt a dangerous urge tumbling in her body, and it was reacting strongly. She was beginning to feel frightened, and she lowered her eyes to avoid it but saw the man eagerly sucking on her beautiful thin lips. She tasted the vor in his mouth; it was fresh and sweet, mixed with a touch of tobo... The urge was bubbling up, and Bianca could not help but closed her eyes with him. She did not want to see nor think about anything else, only indulge in this unbearable kiss wholeheartedly. Their entangled lips and tongue became increasingly more intense. Fortunately, it was night time, and they were in the backseat of his car. A passerby could hardly see what they were doing. She could hear the man''s passionate muffled sound. 1 His body was starting to react. Amid the ambiguity, she could not help but whisper... "Mmm... I can''t breathe...¡± The heat was radiating on such a night, and there was no way out. The upsurge in their body was piling up anding together in a single space. Bianca felt like she was going insane, and she wanted more without a bit of shame. Luke pressed her thin body onto his chest, induced her to wrap her hands around his waist. 2 The bodies of the two were tightly tangled up. Like men and women who tasted love for the first time, they were both approaching madness. Bianca felt that the tender flesh in her mouth was getting severely ripped by the second, and there was even a faint smell of blood... Bianca began to resist inconceivably. She was afraid that if she continued, she would be sucked dry by him... "Did I hurt you?" Luke gasped as he spoke in a thick and sexy nasally voice. His eyes reddened as if he had been forcefully stopped amidst venting out. She looked at Luke''s eyes, pressed her fingers on his strong burning chest, and bent her fingers slightly. As if his body temperature had scalded it. He noticed her dodging eyes, so Luke grabbed onto her small face as he kissed her lips very lightly. He said, ''Your heart is beating so fast." Bianca lowered her head, not wanting to admit it. Luke''s eyes were burning with a passion akin to a beast''s. Meanwhile, the woman in his arm was more like an affectionate cat that was confused from being tempted by him... "Sorry, I still have something to do. So, I''m leaving now." Bianca wanted to look for a hole and bury herself in it. When Bianca got out of the car, a couple of older people walking around in themunity noticed her. Luke walked forward in two steps as the tall-legged man could catch up to her very quickly. She was walking fine with her head down for a moment, but she was carried off by a man the next moment. "Ack, let me down!" Bianca was severely startled. Shey on his shoulder entirely in shock. The elderly people could not help but feel embarrassed for these youngsters. They really were overbearing. Luke opened up the car door, Then, she subsequently shoved inside. The elderly people craned their necks to see what the two youngsters were doing, but Luke''s imported car had a dark tinted window. It made it impossible for the outside world to see what was going on on the inside. Luke did not give Bianca a chance to retort before starting the car. "Fasten your seat belt yourself, or I will fasten it for you." The manmanded in a low voice, and then, with a violent turn of the steering wheel, the car drove out of theplex quickly. Bianca could not get out of the car at all. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Unless, she chose to do it by sacrificing herself and jumping out. He drove the ck Land Rover toward outside themunity and went along the street for more than ten minutes before pulling over on a secluded road. Bianca did not know why he stopped so suddenly. Her heartbeat sped up, thinking about her ssmates'' gathering tonight. She could not help but take a peek at him, wondering if he had any other arrangements for tonight. Perhaps he was on his way to celebrate a teacher''s birthday as well? Luke closed his eyes and frowned slightly. He leaned against the driver''s seat with uneven breathing and suddenly asked, "Did you miss me? Even a little bit?" 2 When he was asking this, Luke did not look at her. Ruan Bai did not know how to reply to this question. She had not seen him in the past few days. She was only now wondering what was he up to for the past few days? 7 udia mentioned that upperssman Crawford went to a meeting abroad. Before the whole situation of being dragged into the back of his car, she was barely thinking about him because of her father''s lung cancer. This bad news hadpletely numbed all of her other thoughts. She had lost the ability to think. "Sorry, but I really do have to go now." Bianca did not know what to answer him, so she chose to ignore it. Sometimes evasion was also a way out. She went to open the car door handle with one hand, but her other hand was grasped by the man''s big hand that he stretched out calmly. There was a sudden heat on the back of his hand. Bianca looked out the car window, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. She could feel that the back of her hand was wrapped quite tightly. Luke widened his eyes and looked at her, who was about to get out of the car and flee. All she did was turn her head against his, not daring to look at him. Her stubbornness was beginning to anger him. "When did I say you could go?" Luke was notorious for having a bad temper. He was ustomed to being vigorous and persistent. What she was doing was merely challenging his limits. "Come here!" He pulled over Bianca without warning. She fell on his seat and let out a soft cry. The front seat of the imported Land Rover had a lot of space. When she fell, she did not bump into anything. However, her face moved, and it was as if she had touched something weird in shape. Bianca saw what it was, and her thick and long eyshes instantly froze. She was lying right on top of the man. Her face turned red as a tomato. Luke did enjoy the feeling of her falling into his arms. An unspeakable desire gathered under his abdomen again as he closed his eyes, and his Adam''s apple could not help but slide up and down. She had aroused his whole body. Bianca wanted to get up, but her waist was held by the man''s big hand. "Let me go," she eximed loudly. Luke was unfazed by this. Bianca tried to move, unable to bear the weird sensation of her face pressed against his sensitive parts. She had to exert strength and ced her head halfway between his legs in a jumble. Then, she stated, "I have a blind date in half an hour, and the ce is far. I''m afraid I''ll bete if I don''t head there now." Chapter 59 Chapter 59 It Looks Like I Haven''t Been Feeding You Enough The moment Bianca uttered out the words'' blind date'', she was not surprised to see that the man''s furrowed brows had gone even more profound. It even became slightly terrifying. "Let go of me, there¡¯s no point in this or for you to continue pestering me!" The words she said were not for Luke, but it was for herself to hear. Luke swiftly widened his eyes, and a sense of serene filled inside. Bianca was pillowed with the man''s legs. She pursed her lips tightly as she held her breath, barely breathing. After an unknown period, the man''s hand on her waist suddenly loosened. And the other hand holding her wrist was also untightened... She was let go. Bianca was finally free, but there was neither happiness nor difort written on her face. She got up to tidy up for a bit and picked up her bag. When she opened the door again to get out of the car, the man swooped jealously and dragged her back. Then, he threw her onto the passenger seat. "Why are you wearing so little for a blind date? Is that your plot, wearing less to seduce men?" Luke tried to suppress her. 1 The man''s bewildered eyes looked deeply into her panicked eyes. Bianca understood that it was words of anger. She was wearing ankle-length trousers and a shirt with long sleeves. Before she went out, Nina had given her a lecture about not taking this blind date seriously. She looked like a rigid old maiden in such a conservation outfit. Ever since she found out that her father had lung cancer, Bianca had lost interest in anything. If a man only paid attention to her attire, then she perhaps could not be the perfect match for the other person. However, even in said attire, Luke said that she was ''wearing so little''. In a more offensive interpretation, he was saying that she dressed up like a sl*t. "Perhaps you need to take a visit to the ophthalmology department, Mr. Crawford. You can''t find anyone who dresses more conservatively than me. Which part of this entire attire screams provocative?" Bianca looked at him in a downhearted mood and sneered. Luke''s expression was filled with anger. He could admit that Bianca covered up well; she was even wearing too much. However, the d*mn thing was that even if this woman showed no part of her skin, it could still make him overflowing with desires... "If a man sees me dressed this way, yet he is still turned on. I''m afraid it''s not my problem." Bianca implied, using Luke of having inappropriate thoughts for saying that she was not wearing enough. ''You''re the first person that doesn''t look proper even if she¡¯s dressed formally." Luke had a taste of her shape tongue for the first time. As if he wanted to punish her, he lowered his head and kissed her lips. "Mm...¡± The kiss was fast, and it made her frown. She was almost unable to bear it. There were signs of blistering in her mouth now. She had no clue if kisses between men and women were always this intense. In short, she felt that he was too animalistic, unlike a normal man. A faint smell of blood permeated, but he felt that it was sweet and delicious. The man tipped his tongue, licking the tender meat in her mouth that was torn by him. In the already sultry car, a fire was ignited again. He slowly lowered the passenger seat as Bianca shook his head, twisted around, trying to refuse. "For you to move around that way at a man''s private part... Are you stating that it''s not exciting enough for you... Do you wish to fume more fire in me?" Luke breathed heavily. He was afraid that her current enthusiasm would cause his sanity to copse, causing him to do whatever he wanted in a car. Bianca raised her head, her eyes gleamed with anxiety, and her slightly trembling eyshes kept flickering, clearly expressing how scared she was. She was afraid he would force himself onto her. The agreed time for the blind date was almost approaching. She could not let herself bete for the blind date arranged by her dad, and she could not just ghost him. 1 For her father to be hospitalized, she was willing to do anything. Bianca was an open person, and those who had experienced life or death situations would know that everything else was no longer a priority, just as it was for her five years ago. Dad was dying, so her physical purity was not important whenpared with her father''s precious life. 1 The lives of children were given by their parents. She hated her mother but was more than grateful toward her father. 3 Her father had sacrificed too much for her, and she had misunderstood her dad for a long time without knowing the full story. She had no clue how to take back the cruel words she said to her father over the phone. "Why are you going on a blind date so suddenly?" Luke knew that she was in a rush to find a new one after breaking up with Jean. Bianca shook her head and said nothing. "Mm...¡± Her lips were sealed up once more, and their tongues were entangled. Their ovepping bodies were no longer distinguishable as their chests tightly pressed together, Luke licked the corners of her mouth, with the tip of his tongue depicting the shape of her pink lips. He asked again in a deep voice, "I¡¯ll ask you again, why are you going on a blind date?" Bianca looked at him fixedly, but for a moment, she had forgotten how to speak. "It looks like I haven''t been feeding you enough. Your eyes are yearning for more..." Luke kissed her and started unbuttoning her shirt. The first, the second, and continued down with his big hand. "Mm... I... Ah... I''ll talk..." She was struggling because of her neck; she could not bear the sensual shock brought by the touch of his fingers. The man stopped eagerly and rudely and asked in a deep voice, "Why are you going on a blind date?" Bianca took a deep breath and felt her throat tightening up. She told him that her father had terminal lung cancer and hid it from her and that he was worried she would be alone in the world and wanted to find her a good husband. 1 With her back on the seat of the car, Bianca found it hard to escape. The distance between her and Luke¡¯s body was less than a centimeter and the hot breath that he exhaled kept spraying on her lips. ''You want to go?" ''Yeah, I need to go." She said grimly without opening her eyes. Luke lowered his head and held her lips domineeringly. He sucked on her tongue, frowned, and asked, "This man you''re going on a blind date with, does he attract you more than me?" 1 Bianca felt a sting at the base of her tongue and opened her eyes to look at him. If he were her man and they did this every day, there would be nothing left of her. Even kisses were this painful; what if they went deeper... She shook her head and secretly cursed herself for letting her imagination go wild. "He¡¯s not as wealthy as you are, so that¡¯s an advantage," Bianca said honestly. "I''ve never met him yet, so I have very little information." Luke felt puzzled by this. "Is being wealthy a sin?" Bianca''s heart started beating rapidly. She replied with a paled face," Perhaps it is a sin, at the very least, it¡¯s a sin to have money. My father hates rich people." ''Why does he hate rich people?" As a wealthy man, he felt slightly wronged by her statement. What kind of man had no ambition to dominate the business world? It was a goal that every man should fight to aplish. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Bianca shook her head, not wanting to say the real reason. After she was born, her mother ran away with a rich man and abandoned her husband and daughter for money. She did not want to expose her family''s dirtyundry to Luke. She was mainly afraid that this man would sympathize with her with authoritarian methods she could not refuse. He is the king of the business world, and everything was within his grasp. She would never be able to repay her debts to him. "A terminal lung cancer patient''s state of mind is precarious. Fine, I''ll send you to your blind date." Luke merely dered it without consulting it beforehand. Then, he looked at her once more and said, "But, I have one condition." Bianca looked at him. What kind of condition? ''You''ll take the initiative to kiss me for ten minutes." The man¡¯s hand first covered her forehead before sliding back to touch the back of her head. He was beckoning her not to be shy and learn to take the initiative. He wanted her to feed him her red lips. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 She Sat On His Lap N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Ten minutester... "I, I can''t do it," Bianca said in astonishment with her eyes wide. Luke pressed his body against hers, his sexy thin lips pressed against her delicate and tender lips slightly. His lips brushed against hers without going fully onto it. She was so scared that her eyshes trembled with fear as she waited for the final pration in one go. ''I... I..." She closed her eyes and said, "I, I can do it... Don''t you..." Luke looked at her heaving chest before he got up and sat back in the driver''s seat. The man rolled down the window and lit a cigarette as if he had done it a thousand times. He squinted his eyes and took a puff. He lifted his slender finger that was holding the cigarette and pressed against his painful temple. Luke was willing to wait until she was ready to kiss him. After being alive for twenty-nine years, the love affairs he had been in far exceeded the number of hotels she had stayed in. However, he had never let it go to his head and do whatever he pleased like other sessful men. Just like what she said, all he needed to do was give a girl a look without raising a finger. Any girl - chubby or slim, would pounce on the opportunity to serve him. However, he hated those types of women for some reason. Whether it was an A-list actress or a girl that came from wealth, no one couldpare to the white figure hidden in his heart. In Luke''s lifetime, he was extremely happy and willing to hang himself on her tree. Bianca sat up and adjusted her seat. She sat awkwardly in the passenger seat. After Luke finished half of his cigarette, he suddenly looked sideways at her. His scorching gaze seemed to have burned through her. She was shaking slightly as she bit her tender lips, unsure of what to do... ''You just have to go over and kiss him...¡¯ "Come here, I''ll teach you how to do it." Luke stretched out his hand. She did not move for a long time. The man did not like her unwillingness. He frowned and said, "My patience is limited. You know, I can forbid you from going to the blind date and you won''t be able to stop me from doing so." In other words, if she annoyed him, he would not care whether someone else''s father was going to live or die. When the woman leaned forward obediently, Luke tempted her to sit on hisp so that he could kiss her more easily. He opened the door and they were surrounded by the forest within their one -meter radius. The wind rustled with the breeze as Bianca straddled the man with her back against the steering wheel. 1 "Do you still want me to teach you slowly?" Luke raised his gaze at her and carefully watched her beautiful and naive face. Her cheeks looked flushed as she swallowed, her eyes gazing at his unwavering thin lips. Slowly, she pressed her lips against his. However, she did not dare to move it after pressing against his lips. His burning hot beath was about to burn her to death. The difference between forcing a kiss on her versus her taking the initiative was like heaven and hell. The heat from the man''s thin lips was so hot that she could not hold it any longer. Since she was shaking, her lips undted between touching his lips and separating. "Come in, just like what I did." Luke lowered his eyes and looked at her. He closed his eyes and brushed his thin lips painfully against the tip of her nose, picked up her hands that she did not know where to put, and wrap them around his neck. Bianca had her head low as she grasped onto his shirt with both of her hands, tilted her head, and kissed his hot lips, her tongue tied with panic. After a long time, she stretched the tip of her tongue and licked. She looked uneasily at the man''s slightly curled lips, his naturally beautiful lip line. As her gaze continued downward, she saw his Adam''s apple, and then his coveted body hidden under his cor... She realized she was still unable to do it. She did not know how to kiss a man. She had her first-hand experience of tasting a kiss on someone else with that man. Bianca was embarrassed by the way she sat and she was afraid that she would hurt his thing if she moved around too much. "You¡¯re too pure." When Luke saw her anxious face, he was still unable to find a way to kiss her naturally with opened lips. Therefore, he had to give up. Bianca felt a pair of big fiery hands rubbing against her back as the man continued to kiss her little mouth that did not move nor work for it... Her anxiety was swallowed by him as he kissed her deeper and deeper. Finally, the man''s big hands pressed against her waists on both sides as her hands wrapped around his neck. She started shaking when her body, lips, and tongue were constantly heated up. As he sucked and bit her lips fiercely, she whispered: "Don''t...don''t bite..." She was worried that she might need first aid on her lips after that kiss with Luke. "Promise me that you won¡¯t look at the man on the blind date more than you need to." Luke''s big hand pressed against her waist as it slowly slid to her wrist and touched her small hand. He wrapped his hand around her fingers. He made Bianca lost her mind a little. ''So what''s this? Am I supposed to surrender to him under the threat?¡¯ Arrival at the spot for the blind date. Bianca went to the bathroom and the things that happened in Luke''s car confused her. She knew that it did not matter what the man looked like or how good he was. She knew she was not a fit for him. What kind of girl would make out with another man right before the blind date? After she reapplied her makeup and fixed up her hair, she went out of the toilet. Luke drove fast and steadily with good skills. He did not break any of the traffic rules throughout the drive and managed to arrive at the appointed ce on time. Bianca sat in the coffee shop nervously. "Miss, would you like to order a drink?" The waiter came over. "I''m waiting for someone. I¡¯ll order togetherter." She replied politely. The waiter smiled and nodded. Two minutester, a white Maserati sports car drove up to the entrance of the cafe. The man who came out of the car wore casual clothes and a baseball cap, simr to the style of a Hollywood star. "Hi!" The man came in and took the initiative to greet Bianca. "...Hi." Bianca was startled and stood up to say hello. The man sat down. Bianca was taken aback and asked, "Are you...Leon Lacroix?" "That''s correct." The foreign man said with a broken Chinese ent nodded and called the waiter over to order coffee. Bianca was surprised when the man asked, "What drink are you?" "No, it''s... what do you want to drink?" The man had not figured out Chinese grammar yet. Bianca was taken aback and said, "It''s alright, I understand what you mean. I¡¯ll have a cappino." After they finished ordering, Leon eagerly introduced himself. Bianca was confused. Although she had studied abroad for several years, she never thought about marrying a foreign man. The man was a gentleman and very polite. Bianca took a peek at the time and thought that it would be more polite to sit at least ten minutes before making an excuse to leave in time. ''When did dad get in with the in-crowd? I can''t believe dad got to know a foreign man and introduced him to his own daughter.'' After Bianca nced at the Maserati outside the coffee shop, she was even more puzzled by how Dad knew someone from such a family. Bianca and her blind date sat by the window. The windows of the coffee shop wererge floor-to-ceiling windows, transparent and bright, and the night view was unobstructed. Ten minutes ago, a ck Range Rover parked outside the ss window. At that moment, the door of the Range Rover opened and a man with a mature style came out from it. He looked extremely focused and held a cup of boxed coffee in his hand that he ordered previously from the coffee shop. Bianca secretly nced at Luke''s back, not knowing where he was going. "Bianca, what are you looking for in a partner?" Leon raised his eyebrows and asked. At that moment, Bianca saw Lukeing in from the entrance of the coffee shop. His tall body and long legs strode straight toward her. The waiter brought him to his table as he sat on the left side of Bianca and Leon. Luke sat casually right next to them and somehow, he felt colder than the air conditioner in the cafe. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Bianca Officially Meets Upperssman Crawford "I''m not really looking for anything specific in a partner." She just wanted to end the blind date as soon as she could. She felt even more stressed with Luke sitting on the other side like a guardian angel. "You don¡¯t have any prerequisites? Let me tell you about my situation, then. ¡¯ At that moment, Leon''s cell phone next to his coffee cup rang. "Sorry, I have to answer this call." After Leon said that, he stood up. Bianca breathed a sigh of relief. However, she still did not dare to move in case she identally looked at the other man next to her. Luke did not move much either. He just looked at the newspaper and asionally took a sip of the bitter coffee. The caller ID said, "Aunt Allison''. Leon answered the phone. "Leo, how¡¯s the blind date going?" Allison asked anxiously and wanted to know the decision as soon as possible. Leon nced at Bianca who was sitting alone in the distance, and said unbearably, "Aunt Allison, this girl looks very good and I don''t want to hurt her." When Allison heard what he said, she became angry, "What do you mean to hurt her?!" "I''m gay. I can''t give her a married life or even normal love between a man and a woman. If we get married, my parents will force me to have a kid. I can¡¯t sleep with a woman... She is beautiful, quiet, and polite. I can''t do it..." Leon told Allison in English. "I don''t care if you''re gay or not! If you want to be with your boyfriend, you have to pacify your parents. Your parents just want a grandchild! After you marry her, you can take her to a foreign country and give her a test tube baby so you won''t have to touch her. I''m doing all this because I care for you. Are you really that stupid?" 4 Allison threatened loudly, "Leo, it''s not like that woman is marrying you willy -nilly. You got lucky and a readied fool is waiting for you to take her away! Don''t you think you should seize the opportunity? Don''t forget the most important thing. Your boyfriendmitted amercial crime. If it¡¯s up to me, he can spend the rest of his life in jail!" Leon''s call took ten minutes. When he came back to meet his fate, Bianca was about to make an excuse to leave. However, when Leon sat down, he said, "Bea, I''m d I met you. It feels amazing to fall in love at first sight. I wonder if you fell in love with me at first sight too?" Bianca,"..." ''Love at first sight? That''s kinda rash.¡¯ Bianca did not think that anyone would actually have a reason to fall in love with her at first sight. "You''ve seen my height and appearance. You know about my family''s wealth. After we get married, we''ll live abroad. I promise you''ll have nothing to worry about for the rest of your life." Leon tried to talk about his strengths. "Pft!" Bianca almost spat out the coffee! Luke''s ruthless gaze fell on the foreign man. "I''m sorry, Mr. Lacroix." Bianca wiped the corners of her mouth with panic. She looked up and said, "I don''t think we¡¯re a good match. I¡¯ll pay for the coffee. Goodbye." After she bid her farewell, she picked up her handbag and nodded politely at Leon. She left without looking back. After she got out of the cafe, Bianca waved down a taxi. Bianca handed her phone to the taxi driver. The address was on the screen that showed a quiet ce which was also a ce that was famous for being the wealthiest area in the city." The taxi driver started the meter and the car started to move along the flow of the traffic. Bianca looked back at the foreign ck Land Rover outside the cafe. The car did not follow her and she finally felt relieved. Luke did not follow her. ''I guess he¡¯s not the upperssman Crawford that I once knew...'' N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. She never realized that the cheerful upperssman that she knew would be the cruel and ruthless business giant he was today. On the way to the ce, Bianca got a call from udia. udia was asking her to hurry. At half-past nine, the taxi finally arrived in the wealthy area. udia came out to get Bianca. Bianca looked at the mansion with its magnificent door. With her mouth agape, she said, "This ce..." "Doesn''t it look familiar? A popr actress had her birthday party here before! The entire inte knew about it and apparently, it was a publicity stunt to find a guy with second-generation wealth!" udia sighed as she brought Bianca inside, "Upperssman Crawford isn¡¯t like US normal people. Since he''s the host this time, we get the honor to see a ce like this that only appeared on TV shows about business tycoons." ''So, this ce belongs to upperssman Crawford?¡¯ Among the rich in A City, Bianca only one Crawford Family who owned T Corporation. 1 "Have you seen upperssman Crawford yet?" Bianca asked nervously. "I haven''t seen him in person yet. Apparently, he had something to do and he¡¯s going to bete." udia continued and signaled with her lips, ¡¯Look at those desperate hoes. All of them dressed up just because they heard that they''ll be able to see upperssman Crawford today. Tsk!¡± The mansion was very big and it was surrounded by beautiful women and handsome men. Of course, not all of them were exceptionally pretty. There were also normal-looking people like Bianca, udia, and a few people that sit at a table, bashfully drinking something. "This is Bianca. Do any of you still remember her? ?¡¯ udia brought Bianca over to a group of ssmates that she was friends with. A man with sses stood up and nodded, "Of course I remember. She''s one of the three good students that sat in the second row of the ss!" The other people who were sitting down also stood up. A male ssmate shook hands with Bianca while a female ssmate gave Bianca a friendly smile. After udia''s introduction, Bianca quickly got acquainted with her old ssmates. Everyone talked about their work and no one brought up stuff about school. Everyone had a feeling that the past and things that happened in school was not a good memory for Bianca. After chatting for a bit, everyone exchanged their WeChat. Someone asked, "uds, where''s the teacher?" "Oh, my mother¡¯s inside. Upperssman Crawford brought back an expert from abroad. Do you remember that my mother''s leg was amputated? It hasn''t healed yet and it''s always inmed. Every hospital that I brought her to can''t seem to find the problem." udia said helplessly. Everyone on their side was talking quietly but the other side was different. Several provocatively dressed women stood by the pool,ughing and joking. They had their nose up while theypared their branded handbag and lipstick color which was super hard to find! At that moment, the sound of a car came from the gate of the mansion. Suddenly, it went quiet. Even the noisy rich girls who were busypeting shut their mouths. When everyone saw the foreign ck Range Rover driving in domineeringly, Bianca looked different from the others. There were a lot of expressions on their faces. Some looked excited, some looked inferior, and some looked bashful. However, there was no expression on Bianca''s face. 2 The Range Rover stopped with its eye-catching license te number. When the door opened, a man who looked as powerful as the mansion got down from the car. The powerful aura radiating from the man''s body felt as if it was written brightly with the top three women''s most admired and coveted male characteristics. Aggressiveness, control, and sense of responsibility. "So handsome..." A female ssmate could not help but say. When she caught herself saying it, she covered her mouth and softened her voice. However, everyone still heard it. The man walked over with simple ck trousers and a white shirt with two buttons unbuttoned on the cor. The delicate cuffs on the shirt were properly rolled up that screamed ''Don¡¯t you dare look at me.'' Bianca was stunned as she watched the man getting closer. "Bianca, you''re here, too." Luke smiled at her suddenly. With a smile on such a cold face with scary facial features, it was enough to overwhelm someone. The man''s voice was maic and solemn. When he said that, it sounded as if he came tonight only for her. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Luke''s Secret Bianca raised her head and looked at Luke with her eyes unblinking. After a long time, it felt as if time had stopped. She had barely returned to normal and the unspeakable emotions still aroused her to the edge. 1 Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Under her long and trembling eyshes, they were eyes brimming with tears. Luke Crawford was upperssman Crawford. The doubts in her heart in the past werepletely different from the true testimony before her eyes. The man had changed a lot throughout the years ago, but so had she... Fortunately, many years had passed. From their schoolyard to working society, from the loose and spacious school uniforms to professional workwear. After all this time, she still met the man who had a special ce in her heart. Sadly, when she left high school, her life was not a smooth sail and she had to get her hands dirty. When they were face to face, Bianca remembered the hot kiss that they shared in the car just a while ago. Suddenly, a strong and ardent emotion surged up in her heart but she was too afraid to show it. She could not exin it. Time seemed to have gone back to when they were in high school. "Upperssman Crawford, how could you just remember Bianca!" A 1.7 meters tall beauty stood in front of them coquettishly, staring Luke down seductively. The man only had eyes for Bianca. The coquettish female ssmate suddenly felt embarrassed. She pursed her lips and nced at Bianca, who was dressed homely. Luke rarely said anything, but this time, he looked at Bianca and said, "I remember her. I remember that summer when we yed a basketball game with another high school in the district. Many students gathered around to watch. During myst shot, I heard the girls cheering behind me. When I turned around, I think she was cheering the loudest." Bianca''s face turned bright red immediately. ''That did not happen. 1 ''That absolutely did not happen.'' She was always bullied by her ssmates growing up. If she went to watch a male ssmate''s basketball game, the closest thing she could do was probably stand in the corner and definitely not in front cheering. Luke¡¯s words made the initially out of sight Bianca the focus of the crowd. "No... I seriously didn''t..." Bianca nced timidly at her old ssmates. She was afraid that she was going to make some enemies. The expert that was invited from abroad was done checking on Miss Clinton''s leg. After the expert was dismissed, Miss Clinton put on a birthday hat and was wheeled toward a giant birthday cake. udia was with her mother as she made a wish, blew out the candles, and cut the cake. When she passed the slices to everyone, every student gave Miss Clinton a blessing and reintroduced themselves. It was the first time Bianca saw Miss Clinton since she graduated from high school. She was a little excited because she never had a mother growing up. Since she did not have a maternal figure, the care she got from a female teacher was the closest maternal love she had. To be honest, she never knew what having actual maternal love was like. Miss Clinton was wheeled out by udia and sat at the table on the first floor of the mansion. Everyone else was having fun in the distance. "Bea, I''m d to see that you''re doing well." Miss Clinton held Bianca''s small hand and patted it. "After all these years, have you tried to find your mother?" When Bianca heard what her teacher said, her hand trembled. 1 "No, I have not." Bianca forced a smile and looked at her teacher. "But I think she must be doing well and wouldn''t want to be disturbed by me." The truth was, Bianca had tried looking for her. Bianca still remembered that she went to the streets to paste the missing person posters when she was ten years old. She wrote everything she knew about her mother on the posters but nothing came up in the end. When she grew older, she moved to the big city and realized how big the world truly was. As for the exact address of where her mother was, no one knew. "It''s okay too if you¡¯ve never looked for her." udiaforted her, "Be filial to your father. It¡¯s a good thing that you''ve grown up and can live on your own. She was a poor little kid back then but grew up to be a fresh and beautiful butterfly. It felt gratifying to be a teacher. When Luke walked overt? them, he was holding a ss of juice. He ced it in front of Bianca like a boyfriend would if he took care of his girlfriend. Behind him was a hired professional waiter. The waiter presented the juice drinks on a tray in front of Miss Clinton and udia. While udia drank her juice, her eyes drifted between Luke and Bianca. She guessed that the rtionship between the two of them was much moreplicated than she knew. It felt as if the two of them had met each other before the party. Two more people walked over toward them, a man and a woman. They were married and brought a three-year-old kid. Both of them were elite white-cor workers in the city. The man stretched out his hand to Luke and said, "Before tonight, I never knew I was working under yourpany." "Hello." Luke was nice to polite people. The man''s wife also shook hands with Luke politely and shook hands with Bianca to greet her. The few of them sat down together. The little kid crawled toward Bianca''s leg. The kid drooled and sucked on his thumb... "My child must think that Miss Bianca is too beautiful." The woman took out a handkerchief to wipe the toddler''s saliva. The toddler continued sucking on his thumb and smiled at Bianca. "Sorry about that," the woman said. "It''s fine, I like kids." Bianca did not mind it. "Are you married? If you are, you should hurry up and give birth to one for yourself. The process of bringing up a baby is really fun." The woman smiled gently at Bianca. Luke nced at Bianca, who was suddenly immersed in her juice. No one saw it but he held her hand and squeezed itfortingly under the table. Bianca pulled her hand out of his dry palm. She felt a little surprised. She felt a little down when the woman brought up the topic of childbearing and she wondered how Luke knew how she felt... It was not like he read minds. The man asked, "Luke, I heard from Miss Clinton that you only transferred to our high school for a year before moving again." Luke nodded without exining the real reason for his transfer. "I know a secret..." udia was not afraid of her mother stopping her. Everyone was already an adult, so she felt that spilling the secrets from years ago was no big deal. "I heard about this secret from my uncle who was the principal." udia looked at Luke, "Upperssman Crawford had a crush on a girl from school, and because my uncle was a stern principal, he was called to the office for a talk!" It seemed that the rumor got everywhere. Bianca lost her mood again for some reason. ''He had crushes on girls...'' "Out of my expectation, Upperssman Crawford said even more sternly to the principal that he won''t disturb her in school until she graduated. He even promised that he''ll marry her after graduation." udia spoke slowly with a certain ambiguity and nced at Bianca. "My uncle retorted back to say that you were only a high schooler and did not know what love was. He even said you''d regret it after graduation! Well, you know what you said back to him... You told him that you''ve thought about it and decided you''d want to marry that girl and have kids with her " 1 Luke did not deny udia''s ims. Back then, when the fight in his family broke off, it resulted in him, who was still unable to control his destiny, to be shipped off to study in a small town. Surprisingly, he fell in love and the love was one- sided. That year, he made his silly moves and caught himself in unbearably lovesick. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Spoiling The Woman I Like Every Day Bianca could not listen to the story anymore. ''I need to go to the bathroom." She put down the cup and got up. She admitted it! She was envious. She was jealous. In thest twenty-four years, she had been unhappy ever since she found out how life was. She did not know what made her happy. When she was a kid, all her meals were cold. She was bullied by kids when she was a kid, and then mocked and scolded by her high school ssmates. She knew from a young age that she would not have what others were born with. Such as a mother. If it was something that others had to beg and work hard for it, she knew she could never have. Like Luke Crawford. Finally, she became an adult and reached the age that everyone said was liberating. However, she never felt the freedom nor the happiness. All she had was just the cruel shackles of reality. 1 ''Bianca, you must''ve been a sinner in your past life. ''That¡¯s why you had to exhaust all your strength to redeem the sins of your past lives in this lifetime.¡¯ There were toilets everywhere in the mansion, whether it was the courtyard, the first floor, or the second floor. 1 This is from N?velDrama.Org. Bianca actually just wanted to wash her hands. The bathroom in the courtyard was upied by a few female ssmates that she did not know. When Bianca walked over, the ssmates were saying, "Quickly, take pictures of me in this bathroom. Let''s take a few more pictures together and post them on Weibo. Cindy, the famous star, made out with her boyfriend in this exact bathroom." Sharing a bathroom with a female A-lister celebrity made them feel extremely honored. Bianca did not want to disturb them and turned around. There were toilets on the first and second floors. However, there were also people on the first floor toilet. A few of her female ssmates were putting on make-up. Bianca had very little contact with them when she was studying and she did not feel like reminiscing with them. The only thing she could reminisce about was probably the way they pulled her hair and hit her. Time diluted everything and Bianca did not feel like reliving the pain again. Their junior high school, high school, college, and working life were very exciting. Therefore, they had long forgotten about the time when they were in elementary school and junior high school bullying their fellow motherless female ssmate. As she stood in the bathroom on the second floor, Bianca looked at her pale cheek in the mirror and closed her eyes. The phone rang. It was her dad. "Dad, why are you still up?" Bianca''s voice was a little dry. Kevin wanted to ask about the blind date. "Dad, I''m not nning to be with a foreigner. And he was too enthusiastic. He confessed to me that he fell in love with me at first sight and told me to live abroad with him after marrying him." Bianca leaned on the sink. She lowered her head, "He doesn''t sound reliable." The dad who treated her warmly was back again. Kevin sighed, "It¡¯s my fault. The man was introduced by an old friend of mine. It''s my fault that I didn''t get to know him first before letting the two of you meet. I don''t think he sounds reliable, too, after hearing your experience." "It¡¯s fine. It''s just a simple meetup." She did not want her dad to be too hard on himself. After they ended the call, Kevin called Allison. Allison was ying mahjong at home when her phone rang. When she saw the number calling, her face immediately turned cold. "I have to answer this call. I¡¯ll be back in a jiffy! You guys can go ahead first! ¡¯ Allison stood up gracefully, put on her LV shawl, and walked out of the mahjong room. At the end of the mansion''s corridor, Allison picked up the call and asked in a low voice, "I told you not to call me. Don''t make me change my phone number." "What kind of guy did you introduce to my daughter? He confessed right after they met! And what''s that about getting married and moving abroad after getting married?! Allison, what is wrong with you?!" Kevin''s lung cancer made his chest tight and when he screamed at her, his voice became even more hoarse. Allison was at a loss. Silence. Kevin panted and coughed, "Allison, I know you have no conscience as a human being but there must be a line! She is your biological daughter, not a stray cat or dog on the side of the road!" 1 "Kevin, you have no right to yell at me. I gave birth to this girl for you. From the day she left my body, she has nothing to do with me. If a stray cat or dog from the street is cute, I won''t mind adopting them. But I am eternally resentful that I gave birth to your child. How many times do you want me to hurt your self-esteem? Knowing you was the worst thing that has happened to me!" Allison poured all of the insults out. Kevin hung up the phone angrily! Allison sneered and looked out of the window indifferently. 2 In her entire life, Luke was her only son. 11 For everything else that was unbearable in her past, they could go to hell! When Allison was about to turn back to the mahjong room, her phone rang again. "Seriously?!¡¯ Allison was agitated when she saw Kevin''s mobile phone number again. "If you have something to say, say it now! I just hope that we will never have to talk on the phone again after this time. If you are short of money, I''ll be happy to make a donation! I just need you to do one thing, to be a normal ex-husband from now on! Even if you''re alive, I want you to pretend that you''re dead because I never want to hear a word from you, ever again!" Allison finally lost patience and her words were as sharp as a knife, no longer her former elegant self. "Allison, I''m not calling to scold you, but you''re the one who should be sorry. I, Kevin Rayne, is a worthless man, but I''ve never done any wrong to you.¡± Kevin half begged and half threatened, "You are not allowed to hurt my daughter. It''s her misfortune to have a mother like you. If you''re still being petty to my daughter and want to ruin her life, I, Kevin, will expose everything in your past, even if it''s thest thing I do!" Kevin knew what Allison was up to. After the two divorces within the twenty-four years, Allison quickly climbed up thedder and married the famous and powerful owner of T Corporation. After she sessfully did that, she tried every means to push away her helpless ex-husband. She swore to make her ex-husband even more helpless and did her best to keep his mouth shut. Now that the daughter had grown up, the mother was beginning to worry about her daughter knocking on her door again. Therefore, she had already begun to n to marry her daughter off abroad. That was her way to shut their mouths. Kevin finally said, "My daughter doesn''t know anything. She doesn''t even know your full name. She thinks you''re dead so don¡¯t try to push her down!" Allison breathed a sigh of relief after she heard him, "Kevin, it''s better for things to be this way. Otherwise, you¡¯ll never hear thest of me." 1 At the mansion. Bianca walked out of the bathroom and bumped into a man with one hand in his trouser pocket, leaning against the door, as if he was waiting for someone. Luke only smoked half of his cigarette. He frowned slightly and looked at her. Bianca was nervous about being watched and said, "I''m leaving now." "Don''t go, I have something to tell you!" Luke suddenly stretched out his big hand and grabbed her trembling little arm. Bianca''s eyebrows furrowed slightly. However, Luke had already grabbed her, turned her around, and pushed open the door of a room. When he closed the door, the man pushed the doorknob hard and locked it. When he turned back to face her, the man''s broad chest pressed her against the corner. The light was off in the room. His thin lips pressed against her ear as he unbuttoned another button and said, "I liked you. I liked you when I went to your high school in your small town. I saw you peeking at me ying basketball." 3 Bianca felt as if she was struck by lightning. "I..." She tried to deny it but she was too embarrassed. "Shhh, listen to me." The man pressed his finger on her lips and said, "I didn''t want to tell the girl I liked about a love that was at the mercy of adults when I wasn''t independent yet. I wanted to do it my own way and spoil the woman that I liked every day, when I knew I was finally independent." 1 She could not see Luke''s cold and solemn expression. She only heard his low voice and hot breath. He lowered his head and sucked her lips and dipped into it as if he was eating honey. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 The Man Who Will Be Her Husband At Any Given Moment No woman in the world would not like a confession like that. From the beginning of a rtionship, a woman wants nothing but care and a sense of security. Bianca knew very well that Luke was born with a silver spoon and the woman he¡¯ll marry in the future must match his elite family background. Unfortunately, she did not have such a family background. Therefore, it was destined for their love to fail from the beginning. If the same confession came a few years earlier, the only result would be a breakup because he was at an age where he had to obey his parents and had no independence. There were too many people involved and too many uncertain factors. If that was the case, their love would only hurt the two of them even more. However, perhaps they could have continued their love affair secretly. However, that kind of love was tiring. Even if it was strong from the start, reality probably would have ground them down to bits, rendering them surrendering from the rtionship and moving away from each other''s lives. It would only leave the two scarred souls with nowhere to lean against and no tears would ever be enough to console their hearts. However, the Luke Crawford today was different from his past self. He was energetic, mature, and steady. On one hand, he had T Corporation firmly grasped. That meant that he had power over everything and everyone at any time. Moreover, it also meant that his family depended on him. The ball was in his court and he could choose who his life partner was. "Thank you..." She did not know why those two words were uttered from her lips. Bianca kissed him back but her movements were very jerky and clumsy. Unconsciously, her tears started to flow. Luke could taste the saltiness from her tears. He opened his lustful eyes and looked at her. Bianca still did not dare to look him in the eyes. He lifted her pale and delicate jaw slightly and forced her to meet his aggressive eyes. 1 Bianca''s heart beat faster. After her eyes adjusted to the dimness of the room, she could clearly see the predatory look of sess in his eyes. The man''s mature-looking body and powerful charm made people swoon. The male was charming and he kissed her on the cheek, "Why are you crying?" Bianca''s eyes flickered and she shook her head, "I just can''t believe that you would like someone like me." She felt like she did not deserve him. Happiness came too suddenly to her and everything felt like a dream. Even though she knew it was real, she was still afraid that it was all just a dream. She was afraid that she was in the dream and did not know it. If it was a dream, she never wanted to wake up. She would have no regrets dying in such a dream. Luke''s next kiss was more presumptuous, ferocious, and more domineering than before. He wanted to let her know that he was real and that his soul was ignited by her, and that the fire was still hot. He was as enthusiastic as before. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. His kiss was long and lingered until she hummed and shook her head. Bianca was no match against him. Luke was also afraid of scaring her and ended it with a gentle kiss, as he gently licked andforted her tortured lips. When the two of them went downstairs, one waited a little longer before leaving. Bianca was worried and asked him to wait ten minutes before going down. She was afraid that people would gossip about the two of them walking together. Although Luke did not care and wanted to be open about the rtionship, he understood. In order not for her life to be undisturbed, he had to go along with her for the time being. Bianca went downstairs. First, she said goodbye to Miss Clinton and udia, and then to a few ssmates that she just met, and finally left the party in the mansion. "Are you sure you don¡¯t want me to go back with you? Little rabbit, aren¡¯t you afraid that a big bad wolf will catch you on the way back?¡± udia walked her to the entrance door and teased her. 1 Bianca, "Fine, I get it..." udia raised her eyebrows and teased Bianca. udia must have guessed that Bianca was embarrassed. She blushed. Luke was standing on the second floor of the mansion. When he saw Bianca leaving, he frowned and stared at the time ticking slowly on his watch. After ten minutes, he went downstairs. After he said goodbye to Miss Clinton, he arranged for a driver to drive his teacher back. After he finished the arrangement, he started his car. Some girls were eager to give it a go and wanted to talk a little to the man that was leaving. Be it a handshake or a tiny introduction, or even a personal number. However, the man was too cold and none of them had the courage to go through it. The Range Rover drove away from the mansion. Bianca was tens of meters away from the mansion when she saw a car driving toward her. The car stopped and a man got down. "I can do it myself, you know." Bianca was not used to his meticulousness yet. Luke opened the car door for her and helped her into the car. His big hands were on her waist in case she bumped into anything, caring for her as if he was taking care of a little girl. After she sat down, she looked at him. Luke was standing outside the car with his long legs and a perfect figure. He stretched his hand over to the back of her head and kissed her lips. ''Oh, is this how he does it...¡¯ Bianca closed her eyes and epted his kiss. After the kiss, Luke walked around the car and back to the driver''s seat. He opened the door, got into the car, and fastened her seat belt for her. Then, he steered the steering wheel skillfully with one hand as he grasped her little hand with the other, and drove away. Along the way, neither of them spoke. Bianca felt the scorching temperature from his palm and her heart was beating faster. When they stopped at a red light, her eyes were fixated ahead. ''What this thing, really?'' After a long time, they finally reached the neighborhood and she breathed a sigh of relief. Luke drove the car into the neighborhood and parked at the entrance of the building where she lived. He wanted to live with her badly. It was obvious that he did not want to be separated from her because every second without her was torture. "I''ll head up. Drive slowly on your way back." Bianca said with her palelooking face. ¡¯Don''t leave yet." Luke''s big hand did not let go of her hand. It was very dim in the car and he did not turn on the lights, in case she was too shy. Bianca''s heart was pounding. ''What are you going to do if you''re not leaving yet?'' She had no experience in these kinds of situations. When she was with Jean, they never did anything like this. Bianca''s phone rang at the most untimely moment. "I, I have to answer the call." She took her hand away and blushed. Ninaid on the balcony and peered down, "Bea, I see a car parked downstairs. I can see a little shadow in the car through the windshields. A little light passed by and I noticed that the person looked like you. Is that your blind date''s car? Is he trying to do something funny and keeping you from getting out of the car? If yes, I''ll get down right now!" "No, it''s fine! I''ming right up!" When Bianca finished her call, she nodded to bid farewell to the man in the car. She opened the door and got out of the car in a panic. The Crawford Manor. nche and Rainie sat on the sofa as they stared at their dad who came back early that day in an unusually good mood. "Are you asleep?" Luke sat on the end of the sofa, holding his phone, as he sent a text to Bianca. "Daddy, what are you doing?" Lanie wondered if his dad was possessed or something because of his unusual soft expression. ''Did the sun rise from the west today?'' Luke ignored his son''s question and saw Bianca''s reply, "I''m not asleep yet. What about you?" "Me neither." The man quickly replied. Then, it was quiet. There were no more messages on the phone. Bianca became shy and did not know what else to say. Luke wanted to confirm their rtionship immediately and bit the bullet, ¡¯ From today onward, as long as you nod your head, I will be the man who will be your husband at any given moment." 3 He finished typing and sent the text off carefully. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 A Man In Love Old Master Crawford stood in the courtyard with a cane as he observed from afar. When his grandson got back with the weird look on his face, the old man knew something was up. The reckless bad boy finally got himself a girlfriend! Rainie came up from behind her daddy. She stood on her tiptoes and craned her neck to take a look. She said in a baby voice, "Daddy, I didn''t know you used WeChat." Rainie knew that Great-grandpa, Grandma, Grandma Susan, and Uncle Louis had WeChat, all of them except Daddy and she never saw him used it. Luke sat on the sofa with a frown as he stared at the phone screen intently and anxiously. He did not get a reply from Bianca. ''Is that a no?'' At that moment, Louis came downstairs. When he heard that Luke had a WeChat, he walked toward them in surprise and nced from the side, ¡¯ Hey, you don''t even have a profile picture." Luke turned off the screen that showed his chat with Bianca and had a sullen look on his face. ''Why isn''t she replying?¡¯ "Talking to a girl?" Louis sat on the other side of the sofa. He looked like a rich boy with his feet up on the table while his eyes were fixed on his coldfaced brother on the other side. "Her profile picture is a popr cartoon avatar girls love to use. Why do you look so grumpy talking to her?" The old man who listened secretly also frowned. Louis gave his veteran''s analysis and asked, "So, are you chasing her? And is she unwillingly together with you? Wow... What level is this woman to look down on a diamond-tier bachelor like you? Don''t tell me, is she ying hard to get? Is she using the fact that you like her to give herself a name?" He knew that his brother had always been ascetic and cold. Moreover, he never liked women approaching him. Now that his brother fell in love hard, Louis was afraid that his all-powerful brother was going to be ruined in the hands of a woman. Louis understood how some women yed rich men. Their first goal is to marry into a rich family. If their first goal could not be achieved, they will try their best for the second goal which was to get some money from them. Every woman was the same to him. Luke put down his mobile phone that had not received any new messages. He casually said, "Superficial." "Yes, you can barely find a woman who isn''t'' superficial nowadays. Luke, look at me. I haven''t found anyone recently either. I can''t bear it. Every one of them is even more superficial than the next." Louis thought that his brother was going to turn back. "You¡¯re the one who I''m calling superficial." Luke''s pupils were as ck as ink. Louis paused before he could light his cigarette! It seemed that his brother had been bewitched by a vixen and could not recognize his own family member! "Give it to me..." At home, Bianca''s phone was taken by Nina. When Nina noticed how Bianca acted like a baby when she snatched her phone back, she looked down and stared wide-eyed at the new-found information, '' Bea, what''s gotten into you?! Is this man really that charming? I can''t believe you fell so deep after just meeting him once! Look how red your face is.¡± Bianca finally saw the message from Luke. "From today onward, as long as you nod your head, I will be the man who will be your husband at any given moment." Love was a beautiful and sweet process. When a man makes a promise like that, most of the time it is only half-true. It was not something to believe in straight away because it might just be a spontaneous text. However, Bianca believed that Luke''s promise was sincere. Bianca raised her head and looked at Nina. She did not want to hide a budding rtionship from her best friend, especially one that lived with her. Sooner orter, it woulde up. Bianca looked at Nina and said nervously, "This man isn''t the one I went on a blind date with. The blind date was unsessful." Nina was surprised... ''If that man wasn''t the blind date, who is he?'' "My brother was in the wrong but you just broke up with him not too long ago..." Nina threaded carefully, "Did someone chase you during the past few days after your breakup? And... did you like him too?" Bianca nodded, "Yeah." Nina said, "Are you sure you don''t want to wait and see? Maybe, maybe that guy is a scumbag." Bianca thought that it sounded messy so she told her everything. Nina was dumbfounded! After starting at Bianca with her mouth wide-opened, Nina took a long time before she digested the surprising news! Nina had a silly smile on her and waspletely dumbfounded, "I can''t believe it! Cr...Mr. Crawford? Our boss?" 1 Bianca curled up on the sofa and stayed quiet. "Bea! Tell me! That''s our boss! The big boss of T Corporation. You found a gold mine! No, no, no, that sounds too tacky. What am I talking about? A gold mine? You easily found a... Uh, uh, uh, uh. What adjective should I use? Gah! What is it?!" Nina was going crazy as she looked at Bianca with admiration. "Quickly give him a reply, our boss is probably waiting anxiously." Nina took the phone on the sofa and stuffed it to Bianca, "It''s my fault, I shouldn''t have teased you and grabbed your phone." When Bianca responded to the message, she could not help but remember what Jean said to her when he proposed.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Bianca, you must understand. No other man in the world has loved you longer than I have, with more conviction than I do..." Those were the words that Jean said on the day that he proposed. Now, Bianca knew that what he said was wrong. There was another man in this world who fell in love longer than he had, ever since she was still clueless and did not know what love between men and women was. The Crawford Manor. Lukeid down but could not fall asleep. He tossed and turned before he got up to drink half a ss of water. The second time he woke up, he went to the bathroom and the third time he got up, he went to the balcony to smoke. All three times that he got up, his eyes were fixed on the phone on the bedside table. There were no new messages. When he got up for the fourth time, Luke stood on the balcony with his brows furrowed deeply in difort. He took a box of cigarettes, popped one out, and ced it on his lips. When he lit up the lighter to light the cigarette, he thought to himself, ''Was he being too pushy?'' The phrase "it''s not actually business if you''re forcing people for a sale" came to him. The man''s thin lips and mouth were filled with tobo smell. With the cigarette that burned between his fingers and under the effects of nicotine, he made up his mind to be colder to her. He promised himself that he would not spoil her too much or treat her too well. If she sent him a message, he promised himself he would not reply immediately. "Buzz..." His cell phone vibrated. 1 Luke looked behind him and suddenly saw a light flickering in the direction of the bedside table in the dark bedroom. The man returned to the bedroom without any hesitation. He moved too eagerly and his thigh under his brown robe knocked onto the corner of the hard bed. He frowned with pain but he reached out to pick his phone up. "Okay." Bianca sent a voice message instead of a text. Luke could not hold himself back. He promised himself that he would be cold to her, but he still held down the voice message button immediately. His voice was hoarse after smoking, "Let¡¯s watch the sunrise together tomorrow.¡± "Okay..." Her soft words softened the man''s initially cold demeanor. Luke could not sleep after tasting his first touch of love. When he got up at three, he grabbed the car keys and went out. Louis just came back from the nightclub. He yawned and saw his brother meticulouslybing his hair in a suit and leather shoes. He thought he had seen a ghost, "Where are you going in the middle of the night?" Luke ignored everything around him. He got in the car and left. Louis looked at the sports car that disappeared in front of the mansion and shook his head, "Tsk, I guess it really was a girl. Taking his sports car out at three o''clock in the morning? What else is he going to do? Workout?" Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Give Me The Rest Of Your Life When Bianca walked out of her neighborhood, she saw a man standing there. That perfect view of a man, standing right there. Every cell in Luke''s body was waiting for her toe over. When she finally came out, he opened the car door for her to get in, and ced a cup of hot drink in her hand. Even in summer, it was slightly breezy at three o''clock in the morning. Bianca felt the warmth in her heart. After she got in the car, she fell asleep. Before she went out, she told herself not to fall asleep and to apany him by talking to him because if she was sleepy, he was also going to be as sleepy. Luke drove attentively. The sports car drove down the street in the middle of the night which was much quieter than it was during the day. He drove for twenty minutes before reaching the ce to watch the sunrise. He nced at the time on his watch and then looked at her who was asleep. He could not bear to wake her up. If she missed the sunrise, they could try again another day. At that moment, a car passed by on the street and honked loudly! Bianca woke up in a shock. Luke red at the passing car and turned to look at her as he said softly,'' We''re here. Let''s go to the top floor." Bianca looked out in a daze. It was the entrance of the T Corporation building. She got out of the car and followed him. She suddenly felt a warmth on her back. When she turned her head in surprise, she saw the man''s sturdy body next to her. When she looked up, she found that Luke had taken off his zer and ced it on her. "I''m not cold." She felt sorry because he was being very meticulous to her. She did not want to trouble him too much. "Adults always make sure the kids don''t catch a cold after waking up." Luke dismissed her and held down his zer that had been draped over her. Bianca could feel his body temperature and felt like she was in a dream. She went up to the top floor of the T Corporation building for the first time. It was now four-thirty and the city looked as if it went on forever. She had never seen a scenery at that time of a day that was as beautiful as that before. 1 Just before sunrise, the golden yellow from the horizon gradually poured onto the city like an oil painting. The breeze blew against Bianca''s hair and sheughed silently. She sighed as she took in the exquisite scenery. It was enough for Luke to see herugh for the first time. "I don''t ever recall youughing much." What he meant to say was that he had never seen herugh. The man''s hot body came up against her from behind as he stretched out his hand to hold her petite body. He leaned against her and lowered his head. He kissed her ck hair, closed his eyes, and breathed in the fragrance of her hair with care. "Give me the rest of your life. I won¡¯t ever let you cry anymore. If you ever cry again, I will be held ountable." Luke pulled her body to face him. As the sun rose from the sky, he lowered his head and kissed her slightly opened lips. Bianca stretched out her hand and timidly, she slowly wrapped her arms around the man''s strong waist. She lifted her head and closed her lips in to his. She still did not know how to kiss someone. However, she knew that she should stop hiding. If he wanted to engulf her, she stuck her tongue out for him. Luke hugged her tight with his big hands as he rubbed her back through the thin fabric of her clothing. Her initiativepletely shattered the man''s self-control as he took her lips into his mouth. 1 "Uh..." Bianca could not stand it after a while. The mature man''s body pressed down hard against her. He was very fierce and strong as he firmly pressed her onto the roof railing. "Uh... Ah..." A tingling sensation followed. Kissing him felt very intense and Bianca pushed against his chest. Luke fell deeper into her. From the moment the sun rose, Bianca''s lips were still tightly bound by his. The man whose self-control had been shattered actedpletely out of control. He was like a madman with his hot breath in her ears, moaning with the sound of his love for her, "Even before I had you, I knew I loved you. Now that I have you, the feeling of my love for you is still the same. On the contrary, it feels stronger.¡± 1 His anxious and mad kisses left her brain nk. She was only released by him when it was six o''clock. They left the top floor. It was not time to start working, so there was no one in the building. However, Bianca was still too afraid to look up at him when they walked together. The two got into the car. Luke drove the car away from the entrance of the T Corporation building and said, "Apany me to pick up Lanie and Rainie to send them to my uncle''s ce." 1 "You should pick them up by yourself. I feel like going home." The passion on Bianca''s face was still there and obvious. She had never done things like that with a man before, not even when she was with Jean. It was never that way. Luke did whatever he liked. Kissing her, touching her. When she rolled her tongue around in her mouth, she could feel tingling sensations. "What are you afraid of? You¡¯ll see my family sooner orter." Luke decided that the only candidate as his wife in this lifetime of his was Bianca. If she was ready, he would bring her immediately to meet his parents. Bianca was moved but also scared. Luke''s father was a Crawford. The Crawfords had been the foundational family of the city for decades. If it were not for his father''s suspected extramarital affairs during his middle age, they would not be overwhelmed by public opinion which had impacted theirpany and the stock market to crash. His uncle was also another influential person in the business circle. It was said that Luke''s father''s second wife was also someone of high social rank. 2 Bianca had inadvertently seen some news about them in the tabloids. When Lanie and Rainie came out, they were excited and surprised at first. They acted like little chicks meeting their mother and crowded behind Bianca. Each of them hugged Bianca''s leg from behind on each side. Bianca looked at Luke for help. Rainie pouted and did not want to get in the car. Their stinking daddy was very happy when he came backst night. However, he looked cold afterward and looked so grumpy that the two little kids got too scared to even meet him that morning. Bianca did not know that herte reply caused a man in Crawford Manor to lose sleepst night and get a one-eighty change in his emotions. "Are you sure you don¡¯t want to get in the car? I guess you guys will never have to get in." Luke returned to his usual serious look and asked the two clingy children as he got out of the car and pulled Bianca toward him. When Bianca got pulled, the two little kids hugging her legs were also pulled. Bianca helplessly lowered her head and said, "Okay, let''s get in the car. Why don''t you two tell me what you¡¯re angry about?¡± Luke shook his serious look off and went back into the car. Bianca took care of the two little kids and sat them in the back seats of the car. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Luke went to the manor¡¯s courtyard and parked the sports car that he had driven back. The road to his uncle''s house would require an off-road vehicle so he took out the Range Rover. 1 Bianca stood outside and waited for him outside of the manor. Luke did not n to make her meet Grandpa, Mom, Aunt Susan, Louis, and everyone else all at once because it might scare her off. "Aunt Bea''s mouth seems to have been bitten by a mosquito. It''s red and swollen..." Rainie took out her small school bag and rummaged through it. She took out a small box of mosquito bite ointment and said: "Aunt Bea, when my brother and I are bitten by mosquitoes, we use this and it makes the bite better in no time.¡± Bianca took the ointment over,"..." Luke looked at Bianca from the rearview mirror. Her red lips looked tender and beautiful to him. Bianca saw the man''s lustful gaze and turned her head away in embarrassment. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Luke''s Uncle Thought That Bianca Look Familiar On the way to Luke''s uncle''s house, Luke, Lanie, and Rainie, the family of three, plus Bianca, found a restaurant to sit down for breakfast. Bianca was very embarrassed because she felt that Luke and she looked out of ce. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Fortunately, she wore her workwear that day. She was worried that it would be time for work after watching the sunrise and would not have time to go home to change her clothes. If anyone were to look at them, she hoped they would think that she was Luke''s secretary. Bianca noticed that Lanie and Rainie seemed afraid of their father. When Daddy went to the bathroom, Rainie ate a mouthful of strawberry jam andined, "Aunt Bea, Daddy acts like a child who hasn''t grown up. He always makes me cry.¡± "My brother is better than me. He''s stronger than me so he''s never cried because of Daddy before.¡± Lanie nodded in agreement, "Daddy has a bad temper and doesn''t like tomunicate with others. We really want to take care of this psychological problem of his, but he never seems to acknowledge that he¡¯s sick." Bianca chuckled and wiped Rainie''s mouth which had jam all over. 1 When Luke came back from the toilet and saw the friendly atmosphere among the dining table, he asked jealously, "What are you guys talking about? You three seem to be very happy." ''Well, our happiness is gone now that you''re back..." Cut- Rainie poked a bread slice with a spoon, "I told Aunt Bea how many times you have made me cry.¡± "Aunt Bea, don''t be Daddy¡¯s girlfriend. If you get married to Daddy, I assure you, there will be many times that you¡¯ll cry." Rainie vowed and persuaded her heartbrokenly. Bianca nodded with obedience, "I see." Luke took a sip of hot milk. The temperature was just right. The waiter brought over Bianca''s cup of hot milk. He reached out to exchange the cup, "Drink my cup, it¡¯s not too hot." Bianca,"..." Lanie and Rainie looked at each other. ''Was Daddy caring for Aunt Bea? ''Does it mean he actually cares about others?'' 1 Somehow, it felt as if Daddy was possessed or something. He could look happy at one moment and pissed the next. Hot and cold. After half an hour, they finished their breakfast. 1 Two little kids walked in front, carrying their small school bags. Rainie leaned against her brother, whispering into his ears. Luke hugged Bianca''s waist from behind. It was not overly intimate but outsiders might see him as her boyfriend. Bianca was ufortable. "Don''t do that." She tried to hide away from him because she was worried about being seen. She did not actually mean anything by it but it was uneptable for him. There were millions of eyes on Luke''s every move. The tabloids did not focus much on him because he was always clean and handled his image well. Even if they followed him for years, they would probably not get any footage for the tabloids. However, everything would change from now on. Bianca was worried that she would be a burden to his look to the public. "Don¡¯t do that?" Luke walked with her, two meters away from the children. In a soft voice, he said, "If you sleep with me, I¡¯ll let you talk to me that way.¡± Bianca,"..." The parking was located some distance away from the restaurant. Bianca did not want him to tease her. She said seriously, "You scare Rainie a lot? Rainie''s a little girl. You''ll give her serious problems when she''s older if you continue to scare her from young." "The kid is speaking nonsense." Luke''s face said that he had never scared his daughter ever. ''Fine, Bianca found out about that.'' The man usually looked cold unless heughed. However, it was a rare thing to see himugh. Luke remembered what his daughter said to Bianca just now, "Aunt Bea, don¡¯t be Daddy''s girlfriend. If you get married to Daddy, I assure you, there will be many times that you¡¯ll cry." "Don''t listen to Rainie''s nonsense, I won''t make you cry. It doesn''t count if we''re on the bed, though." Luke teased. "Um, I''m going to help Rainie hold her schoolbag..." Bianca walked quickly to the front because she felt morefortable and that it was easier to get along with the two childrenpared to the adult. She was a twenty-four-year-old adult. Of course, she knew what him making her cry in bed implied... 1 Luke''s uncle lived far away. Before he sent the two little kids off, Luke got a call from his uncle. When he arrived, his uncle and aunt were already waiting outside in the courtyard. The mansions were located in the suburbs with a quiet environment. "Granduncle..." Rainie went over to him and it was obvious that she was very close to him. Lanie acted like a little man as he stood by the side, holding his sister''s hand. Since it was a hot day, he did not want to hug Granduncle or Grandaunt. ''This is..." When Granduncle looked up, he saw the woman standing next to Luke. Bianca greeted them immediately, "Hello." "Oh, hello." Granduncle stared at Bianca for a few moments, looking a little stunned. Luke looked at his uncle staring at Bianca. There was nothing strange on Bianca''s face. The only thing that stood out was her pure, harmless, fresh, and beautiful appearance. Bianca greeted Luke''s uncle and aunt politely. Luke was surprised by the strange look in his uncle''s eyes and asked," What''s wrong, uncle?" "This is..." The uncle''s eyes moved away from Bianca and asked his big nephew who was neatly suited up. "I...I''m his secretary," Bianca said. If Luke spoke first, he would probably have introduced her as his girlfriend. She was not ready to call them as her aunt and uncle yet. If Luke''s elders did not ept ordinary people of her status and thought she was not worthy of Luke, she knew it would only mean her asking for trouble. Luke was considerate of her feelings so he did not correct her. Uncle nodded, and said suspiciously, "Secretary?" Soon, Luke brought Bianca away with him. It was almost time for work. After Bianca got in the car, she fastened her seat belt, "I told my dad that I would apany him to the hospital for a medical check-up today. I''ve already applied for my leave and I''ll be back at the office in the afternoon. You can drop me off when you pass by the city." ¡¯I''ll go with you," Luke said as he started the car. "No, my dad..." She wanted to tell him that her dad did not know of his existence yet. If her dad was to ept a rich man as the future son-inw, it would require some time to persuade him. Luke understood and reached out to touch the back of her head. Heforted, "I understand. I will prove it to your dad that not all rich people are problematic." Bianca nodded. In the single-story mansion. Rainie and Lanie were ying with two soft orange cats in the courtyard... Granduncle looked at the two children in the courtyard, frowned as he thought deeply. He said to his wife, "The girl that was with Luke just now looks familiar." "How would you have seen her before? She''s just a secretary, even though she is very pretty. If Luke likes her, so be it. He''s a grown man. We can''t control who he wants to date." Grandaunt watered the flowers and muttered. Granduncle shook his head, "I¡¯m not talking about that. I meant to say, she looks like... Think about it. Who do you think she looks like when they were young? The resemnce is uncanny..." Grandaunt sighed and was speechless. "There are a million people in this country. There are probably tons of people that look alike. The movie star Mindy Young looks just like Karen''s daughter, Yvonne, even more so than her own sister!" Granduncle turned around because he could not continue the conversation any longer. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 An Angry p For The Fake Damsel In Distress Granduncle had his hands behind him as he went to the living room. Grandaunt held the reading sses in one hand and the watering can in the other as she continued to water the blooming flowers on the windowsill. The living room had an old cab with redcquer andrge peony patterns. Every green leaf that was drawn on looked very realistic. He opened the cab. There was a stack of newspapers on the left side of the cab. Granduncle had a habit of collecting old newspapers. On the top of the stack, there was a thick photo album. Granduncle took out the photo album and flipped through it until he found the photo that was bugging him. There were four people in the photo-granduncle himself when he was young, and three other girls in their 20s. In that photo, Allison stood in the middle with red trousers that were very popr in that era. However, she did not look as happy as the other two girls. On the left of Allison was Grandaunt when she was young. On the right of Allison was her best friend, Queenie Ziegler. She wore a white dress and had two intricate french braids. 2 Although the photo was taken 28 years ago, Granduncle knew he was not too old to remember a face wrongly. After staring at the picture for a long time, Granduncle suddenly thought that perhaps he was overthinking. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. A woman who became a secretary must just be a child of an ordinary person. Granduncle thought so deeply about it that he did not notice his wife was done watering the flowers and had entered the house. When Grandaunt saw the four people in the photo, she looked a little angry. She pointed at Queenie and said to the old man, "You can fix your lovesickness by sneakily looking at other people''s photos." ''What nonsense are you talking about?!'' Granduncle angrily put away the photos and stuffed the old album back into the cab. "You should admit to looking at other people''s photos if you did it. Daniel Tanner, don¡¯t say I didn''t remind you. Queenie is the Provincial Committee Secretary''s wife! You should be ashamed of yourself. She told you that she didn¡¯t like you back then. How dare a guy in histe 30s have a crush on a girl who''s 20 years younger than you.¡¯ Grandaunt was very jealous. The thought of the old man having liked another woman when he was young pissed her off. Granduncle did not want to argue with her, so he turned away and left the living room. Being an old man meant that he did not do petty arguments anymore. Queenie was Allison''s best friend. They grew up together, and Granduncle fell in love with his sister''s best friend. Even though she did not reciprocate the feelings, Granduncle was never jealous or resentful. Queenie married an excellent soldier and lived a happy life. After all those years, her husband had be the Provincial Committee Secretary. Daniel felt a little sorry for his sister. Compared with the girls who grew up with her, his sister''s rtionships and life were much moreplicated and tough. Paramount Hospital. Luke drove Bianca there. Bianca got out of the car, closed the door, and said to him, "Drive carefully." Luke did not say much. He stared at her slim figure entering the hospital before looking away. He picked up the phone and made a call. He said," Contact Dean Winchester of Paramount Hospital immediately. There''s a lung cancer patient with the surname Rayne that I want to be specially taken care of." When Bianca entered the hospital, she felt a little uneasy. Her dad had liver cancer when she was 18 years old, but when she found out about it, her dad was already in the hospital receiving treatment. Therefore, she did not have any experiences going through this. Paramount Hospital was very big and it took her a long time to make her way through the ce. It was an old building left from the Second Sino- Japanese War, so the exterior walls were very thick and strong. When Bianca went over to the receptionist, the receptionist asked her," Hello, is your father''s surname Rayne?" Bianca was surprised and nodded. "Yes." ''Please follow me.¡± The receptionist had an excellent attitude and showed her the way. Bianca followed in cautiously and was given a waiting number to see a specialist. She knew that it was probably Luke¡¯s doing... Nina was also at the hospital. When she saw Bianca, she asked, "Is Uncle here yet?" Bianca shook her head. Kevin said he was going toe by himself and did not need her to pick him up. Bianca knew that Dad was afraid Jennifer and her daughter would create conflicts with Bianca. "Don''t be too sad, or else I¡¯ll feel distressed too. There''s nothing much we can do to change what happens to a person¡¯s life." Nina did not know how to make Bianca feel better. Five years ago, Bianca was tortured by her dad who was suffering from liver cancer. Now that he got lung cancer, it was another horrible thing on top of the other for Bianca. It was adding ice on top of a refrigerator for Bianca. The blow was not going to freeze Bianca to death, however. Bianca had learned to keep warm and stay alive. When it was past ten, Kevin called. "Bea, I can only reach the hospital at around one in the afternoon. Is it alright if you go back to your office first?" Bianca was worried that her dad would note and said, "I''m waiting in the hospital. I won''t leave until youe." Kevin said, "I¡¯ll definitely go, but I have to sort some things out first.¡± Nina stuck her head next to the phone and heard everything. When Bianca hung up, she said, "Let¡¯s get something to drink outside. We can take our time and wait. It''s better if we get some fresh air instead of being stuck inside this hospital." "Yeah." Bianca went downstairs with her. The elevator in the hospital was always full of people, so Bianca and Nina took the stairs. When they reached thending of the stairs on the third floor, Bianca saw two people standing in front of a window. One was Marie, who looked sad, and the other was Anna, who looked nervous. "Mom? Why are you here?" Nina was surprised. When Marie saw Bianca, she left and went to the obstetrics and gynecology department without saying a word. Anna red at her daughter and Bianca who were a hindrance. She turned around and grabbed Marie''s arm as she begged. "Oh Marie, you can''t be mad at this kid. She¡¯s the flesh and blood of our Langdon family..." When Nina heard that, she had a fierce look in her eyes. She said to Bianca, "Go ahead, I¡¯ll catch up." 1 Bianca nodded. Since the breakup, the affairs in the Langdon family had nothing to do with her anymore. She did not want to be involved, so she went ahead and waited for Nina in front. 1 Marie said to Anna in tears, "Aunt Anna, it''s not that I don''t want to have this child, but Jean doesn''t want anyone to know that it¡¯s his child. He thinks that this child has done too much harm to others." The ''other'' person was obviously referring to Bianca. Bianca felt as if her reputation was being tarnished right in front of her. At the same time, Marie''s eyes stared miserably at Bianca who was waiting for Nina. Anna understood in an instant and straightened her face. She said, '' Marie, my son is too stupid. He was deceived by a pure-looking woman. I feel sorry for him. The two of you are good kids! Poor thing!" 2 "If it was up to you, what would you choose? How could my son feel so bad as to not acknowledge his own flesh and blood? She''s the shameless woman who embarrassed my son. How can she continue living her life as if she did nothing wrong? The person who should be ashamed is her, not you!" 1 Bianca heard everything. After all, Anna was shouting very loudly. There were many people lined up in the hospital by the stairs. They were watching the whole scene and talking about it. Nina looked at her old and confused mother and Marie, who yed the part of the damsel in distress. She pped Marie''s left cheek forcefully with her right hand. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 You Can¡¯t Be In A Rtionship If You''re Brothers And Sisters! 2 A crisp p sound was heard. Anna roared at the same time, "You¡¯re dead, girl! How dare you beat your sister-inw?! Will you take responsibility if you hurt the child in her stomach?" ¡¯I would rather die than give birth to this child..." The tears that Marie shed might have been real or perhaps they were fake. After she said that, she left as she clutched her cheek. Anna did not have time to p her own daughter and hurried toward Marie. As she chased her down, she begged. "Marie, slow down! You''re still pregnant with my grandson! I''ll let you make your own choice! You said that you have no sense of security after getting married and that there¡¯s no guarantee even after giving birth to your child. So tell me, let me know how I can make you feel safe and secure!" Anna, who was anxious to hold her grandson, followed Marie in a hurry. "Is this shrew never going to give it a rest? Does she want to destroy our family so badly? Isn''t she making all this noise to make my parents buy her a house?¡± Nina sighed with anger and gritted her teeth. Her own mother was confused and yed by a fake shrewd... While she went downstairs, Nina continued scolding. "How can my stupid brother deal with this she- devil? What a nasty person... After getting yed and dumped by rich men, she got smart enough to look for a mindless idiot like my brother. She¡¯d better stay away from me unless she wants to get another beating!" Nina was so angry that she wanted to tear Marie apart. A milk tea shop outside the hospital. Nina sat down and could not help but whisper, "I told my brother when you went abroad to stay away from Marie, but he didn''t listen. From being just friends, they became as close as family. Now, she''s having his baby.¡± Bianca lowered her head helplessly. At 11 o''clock, Luke called. Bianca nced at Nina and lowered her head to pick up her phone but said nothing. "Is there someone with you?¡¯ Luke''s low voice was heard over the phone. "Yeah." She was still not used to talking to him in front of her friend. She had only been in love for less than a day and still did not know how to act when she was with him. Luke asked, "Have you had your lunch?" "I''ve ordered, but it hasn''t arrived. I''m with Nina right now." Nina could guess who was calling from the side. She mouthed, ¡°Is that our boss?" Bianca nodded. 1 Luke asked about the situation in the hospital and initially wanted to meet her, but Bianca said that her father had not arrived yet. It would be a great surprise to her dad if he met him that way. Luke knew that he had to back down. At one o''clock in the afternoon, Kevin came to the hospital. Since Luke had made sure he was taken care of, the hospital staff gave extra care to Kevin. The ward that was arranged for him was the best room in the hospital. He was assigned to one male nurse and one female nurse. A top professor specialist doctor was also on his case. When Kevin put on the clothes for inpatients, he asked before lying down," Bea, this..." "Dad, one of my colleagues knows someone in the hospital, so..." Bianca did not know whether the reason she fabricated was reliable or not. However, the more she thought about it, the more unrealistic it sounded. Kevin did not believe her but did not say anything. The doctor began to examine him. Bianca had to go out. Nina leaned against the wall and whispered, "Didn''t you tell your dad that you''re dating your boss?¡± Bianca shook her head and sat in a daze on a chair outside the ward. She said, "If my dad knew about it, he¡¯d stop every treatment until he figures out what''s going on. If he doesn''t understand anything, he''d just think that my boss is ying with me.¡± "Actually..." Nina stopped talking but felt that her good friend would not be angry if she said what was on her mind, ''Actually, I think your dad is a little too extreme. If everything happened like what Marie''s mother said, your mom probably left him for a rich man when she was young. So your dad probably hates rich men for a reason, and that reason is a rich man stole his wife away. However, your dad shouldn''t clump every rich guy as scumbags who y with girls'' feelings. At least the rich man didn''t y with your mother''s feelings, unless your mom was fooled by him and your dad knew about it." Bianca lowered her head and said nothing. She always felt that her dad knew everything but could never say it. She had always been concerned about her dad''s poor condition and knew he should not be further annoyed, so she never let herself ask him anything. As time passed by, the want to know about her biological mother also faded with it. They sat on the bench, and Nina took out her iPad to watch a Japanese drama that she downloaded. She gave one side of the earphones to Bianca and said, "Watch this for a bit to pass time and distract yourself. Otherwise, you won''t stop thinking about it." Bianca rarely watched dramas. After watching it for a bit, Bianca took off the earphones and asked Nina incredulously, "I can''t believe this show is actually broadcasted. It''s immoral for a brother and a sister to be in a rtionship..." "It can''t be! How can they be brothers and sisters?!" Nina took off her earphones and said, "The main characters have different biological parents. You just didn''t watch the first episode, so you don''t know that they''re actually not rted." 2 Bianca barely epted that and continued watching. Kevin''s examinationsted for two hours. Even after today, he would still have toe back again the next morning for additional checkups. Bianca was distressed to see her dad lying on the hospital bed. Nina was called to go back to the office at around three. After she helped her dad settle in, Bianca left the hospital. After she took care of her personal matters, she would work overtime to rece her time off. Sue knew about the rtionship between Bianca and their boss, but their head of department did not know about it. As such, Bianca''s work life was separated from her private matters. Therefore, she was given some work to do. 1 Bianca did notin nor feel too tired to work. After office hours, Bianca was the only one left in the office. She worked overtime until 7:30. The sky outside was dark, and the city''s bright lights came into view. Bianca pressed her temples and got up to make a cup of tea in the pantry. 1 Suddenly, she heard a noise. Bianca was usually not as cowardly, but the empty office felt a little scarier than an empty home. A man''s steady footsteps were getting closer. She put down the cup in her hand to turn around in case it was Jean. However, when she turned around, the man''s sturdy and powerful body pressed against her tightly in front of the tea table. 2 A fiery kissnded on the side of her pale neck. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Why are you here?" Bianca did not expect it to be him. ''Lanie and Rainie went to Luke''s uncle¡¯s ce and he had to pick them up. How did he pick them up and get back so soon?* "Why don''t we get married right away?" Luke lowered his head, his thin lips pressed against hers. Bianca loved the man''s warmth and look in his eyes. In the narrow pantry, it was quiet around them with only the lustful sounds of him sucking her skin. She felt herself unraveling. When she felt weak, she leaned on his sturdy shoulders. She tongued him back as her timid and soft hands stroked along the man''s strong waist. Their lips and tongues gradually increased in temperature, so much so that it was burning hot. As the man kissed and unclothed her on the pantry counter, Bianca''s brain went nk. It felt as if a string was stretched tight and about to snap at any moment. "Uh..." She raised her head and could no longer bear the intensity of their passion. When the man¡¯s thin lips kissed her stomach, she shook her head... "No... Don''t touch that part..." Her parted lips let out a moan as she gasped for air. The red lips were closed by a kiss again. The violent kiss made her body tremble, and her soft moan stretched on longer. Her noises slid into Luke''s eardrum... 1 ''Do you want it?" His breathing was out of sync. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Don''t Hide, Baby Bianca suddenly regained her mind after hearing the man''s words. She pushed him away and squeezed out from under his body while he was not paying attention. Luke''s deep eyes were dark red. A certain part of his body was boiling intensely. His whole body coldly stepped forward and pulled her back again. He hugged her, and they were face to face with his arms around her back. After two staggering steps, he managed to press her on the burgundy armchair. ''You don''t want it anymore?" His bewitching voice made her heartbeat speed up and her face blush as his boundless love for her spread around her body. Bianca admitted to herself that she had secretly liked this man since the beginning of their rtionship, but that did not mean that she needed to do those kinds of things right away. ¡¯Um..." The lips that tried to say no were closed again by the man¡¯s lips. The base of her tongue was starting to get painful from being sucked. In the pantry, the only sound present was that of a love between a man and a woman. As the dim light illuminated them, the man had an even sexier aura to him. Bianca sank into the smell of nicotine on his body. The pheromones were on the verge of bursting. ''I... Um... Still have some work to finish... Ah..." When she brought up work, it annoyed the man. Before she could say anything else, she was picked up from the armchair by his sturdy arms. Without a ce to put her down, the man pressed her body against the cooler that was more than one meter wide. The condensation from the cooler soaked through her clothes and finally onto her silky back. Luke clung onto her soft body and left no gap between them both, making it almost hard for her to breathe. His dry and slightly callused hands rubbed her body as much as he could through her clothes. When he reached that part of hers, Luke did not care how hard he was pressing and rubbing. All the oxygen in her chest was about to be squeezed out, and Bianca moaned rapidly. The tight ck dress on her body was also rudely stripped off by the man with his big hands. Luke was about to lose his patience. His desire for her that had been pushed down for many years was about to erupt. He finally found the one who was made for him to pour his everything out, and she was so tender... ''Don''t be afraid. Don''t hide... Baby..." His restrained voice was filled with anxious enthusiasm as he pressed against her hard, preventing her from dodging it. She felt something on her thigh. The way it stuck so tightly against her made her tremble. She panted and lowered her head, watching Luke''s movements incredulously. As he held the back of her head and kissed her, he unbuckled his metal belt around his waist. That thing touched her lower abdomen shockingly. "No, this... This is way too fast..." Bianca knew that she was no prude because she had given her body to another man five years ago more than once. However, they had just gotten into this rtionship. They only dated for a day. Was all of this necessary? Luke was already telling her that he was going to wife her and trying to consummate it the next moment. He put her shy earlobes in his mouth and bit it gently. It did not take long until he went berserk and bit it harder and harder. A tingling tremor ran through her whole body. Now that Bianca was weak all over, the man suddenly turned her body over. Her face was facing him. She leaned against the cooler and felt the power of the man behind her in horror. Before he turned her around, she saw his furrowed brows and red corbone in a daze. The heat from Luke''s palm exceeded a normal human¡¯s body temperature as if a fierce beast in his body had been awakened. She was like meat on a chopping board that was destined to be ravaged and swallowed whole by him. "Rx, you¡¯ll learn to like it..." Luke said in a serious tone. As he kissed her pale neck from the back, it distracted her from her fear. His big hand that was dry and hot pressed against her navel. The feeling of panic and fear made her feel like a wounded little animal as she whimpered against the cooler in a daze. Her entire body trembled, and her brain was gasping for more oxygen... A strong sense of shame attacked her fragile soul. Luke rubbed his lips against her pale neck and her red ears. He was very deep in it. At that moment, he could hear his own gasps and groans clearly. ?No..." She could not bear his strength. Just like when he kissed her wildly, the strength stung her. "No... Ah... Take it out..." She knew that it was not the first time, but she could not handle him entirely inside of her. The veins on Luke''s forehead popped out. Bianca had her back toward him, so she could not see his face, but when she lowered her head, she could see an erged vein across his arm. "It hurts... Ah... Stop..." 1 She shook her head wildly as she leaned against the cooler. She looked to her left in a haze and saw the man¡¯s vein popping every time he thrust forward. Luke''s throat was tight, and his voice was dry. Even though he really wanted to and could no longer hold it, her cries of pain lingered in his ears. He was reluctant to continue, but he could not stop either... He turned her body over and kissed her lips while he rubbed her hands to soothe her body. However, she was getting tighter and tighter. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. She could no longer amodate the swollen him. Bianca was so tortured that she could feel a void inside her that wanted it even more badly. When she opened her eyes that were about to be wet with tears, she looked carefully at the man in front of her who was as hard as iron. His big hand that stroked the back of her neck was as hot as a searing iron. Wherever the hand went, it burned with heat. No woman could hold herself back from such temptation. The feeling of wanting to be filled by him grew stronger. He was trying very hard, and his brows furrowed deeply. She held his back with both hands as her fingers slid down the tough lines on his back. She gritted her teeth painfully and shivered. At that point, she did not want to back down anymore and was not about to. Finally, she cried in pain. Her neatly trimmed nails were almost embedded in the skin of the man''s back. Bianca was helpless at that moment and did not know what was going on with her body. It was not that she did not want to give it to him. Luke forced himself to hold off the floodgates that had been widely opened. He kissed her forehead repeatedly, his voice hoarse with distress," I¡¯m sorry. I was too impatient. Let¡¯s take it slow and you¡¯ll get used to it after some time.¡± She lifted up her face and tears slipped across her pale cheeks. Luke kissed away the salty tears. A domineering and selfish thought popped up in his head. He knew that no matter the circumstances in this lifetime and the next lifetime, or even the one after it, he would not let this woman go. Never. He would be with her forever. is the pain really bad? Do you want to go to the hospital? Or should I call a doctor over?" Luke asked with pity as he fixed her dress, put his coat on her, and looked down at her. Bianca shook her head. Luke fiddled with her messy hair and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. He pecked her pink lips and said, "Why don¡¯t you find a ce to rest?" "I haven''t finished my work yet," Bianca lowered her head and said in a muffled voice. She avoided his zing gaze that did not seem embarrassed at all. Work was work, and work should be done if a sry was paid. She did not want to dy it because her head of department needed the drawing the next morning. Luke seemed to understand her asional stubbornness, so he turned around and walked toward her workce. He quickly packed up her notebook and held it in one hand. Bianca''s cheeks were flushed as his other hand grasped her hand and pulled her to follow him. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Is Bianca Worth Only Half A Million? They walked hand in hand through the office area, down the elevator, and out of the building. Luke opened the door for her. After she went inside, he turned around, frowned, and lit a cigarette. The cool night breeze blew against the man¡¯s delicate facial features, but the heat from his body persisted. From the first time he met her, his hormones were already raging. He remembered ncing at the basketball court and noticing her small face that aroused a protective desire within him. Not only was her body small, but she was underdeveloped and even seemed malnourished. However, in the days toe, he realized that the only girl who kept shing in his mind was the little girl who was underdeveloped in the junior high school next door. He did not take any interest in the well-developed girls in high school that were right in front of him. Small towns were much more open-minded about puppy love than in big cities. The teacher would supervise and manage the teenage crushes, but not as strictly as the schools in A City. He was impulsive and thought about chasing her. One Friday evening, Bianca was walking back home from school when he followed her. The girl in front of him was always in her head and did not notice the high school boy behind her. When he had nearly followed her back to her house, he heard a group of people gossiping. ¡¯What was the old man Kevin thinking? He said that when Teddy grows up, he''ll marry off Bea to our Teddy. Tsk. Even if our Teddy can¡¯t find a wife to marry, well never even think of letting that Rayne girl marry into our family... IV "Bea doesn''t look like her dad, so she probably took after her mom. If she took after her mom, I''m sure she took after her mom in every aspect!" "Right? She''ll probably go crazy when she grows up. Who would marry a crazy woman? What if she runs away with a rich man within two years of their marriage? Crying won''t help you then!" "Also, my son came home from school the day before yesterday and told me that Bea Rayne is only in the third year of junior high but is already a little vixen. Apparently, she baited a rich male ssmate to buy her food and drinks!¡¯ It was on that day that Luke learned why Bianca usually did notugh. The neighbors''ments were not hidden from any passersby. He heard their words clearly, and Bianca must have heard them often too. Therefore, even though he wanted to chase her, he thought about how it would turn out if he really did so. After he heard about the gossip on the street, he decided to forget about it. It was not because he was like those people who disliked her over the possibility of her growing up to be like her vixen of a mother, or if she would be immature and wild. He just did not want to worsen her image in her neighbors'' eyes by being with her. Since she was still a girl, she should be pure and not be messed with. His family background wasplicated. They had enough money, power, and he had already finished his college courses. He even knew the topics like the back of his hand. He repeated a few grades so that he could stay in that traditional and seemingly unfriendly town for a little while. He might not be afraid of any rumors, but she probably could not handle it. Bea from the junior high school next door thought lowly of herself and never raised her head when she walked. Even though the teachers and even the principal noticed his wandering eyes on Bianca, she herself had never noticed it. Later on, he learned that her father had bought a second-hand house in A City and remarried someone else. He did not know why the father did not take his biological daughter to live with him. Anyway, he was the outsider, so it did not matter what he thought. He wanted to take her away very much. There was a desire deeply buried in his heart that took root every day. However, reality told him that it was impossible. He wanted to take her away, but first, he would have to ovee the obstruction which was both of his parents. When two people who were not yet independent lived together, the world would consider them to be eloping immaturely. She would be just like her mother, described by her neighbors as a tramp who ran away with a rich man. Luke dismissed the idea of taking her away and could only wait to integrate into society as soon as possible. He needed to work hard and be a solid shoulder that she could lean on. The premise was that she also had to grow up as soon as possible. She was five years younger than him. Back then, the days he spent waiting for her passed like years, i At the age of 19, he often went to a friend''s house to drink and inevitably came across porn. When he first learned about the love between a man and a woman, every time he closed his eyes, sinful thoughts of the weak little girl flooded his mind... The feeling of wanting to take her as his own got stronger. Until the ident that happened at the end of that year, hepletely lost his self-awareness to lead. His grandfather arranged for him to quit school and to disappear quietly. In the next few years, he gradually became independent. The first thing he did was to send someone to take care of her without letting her know about it. It was finally the day he waited for Bianca to be an adult. The girl who finished high school moved to A City and lived with her father and stepmother. She was still unhappy, but at least she was much happier than she was in the small town. Kevin treated her well, and her ssmates in A City High School were also very friendly to her. One day, the person he sent to watch Bianca returned to T Corporation''s top office to report to him that there was a boy in college who was taking good care of Bianca. Moreover, Bianca would also go to the boy¡¯s house to y on the weekends. The reason was that the boy¡¯s younger sister and Bianca were ssmates. Before Luke found out who the boy was and what he wanted from Bianca, he found out that Kevin had liver cancer the next day. After school that day, Bianca had her head down when she walked out of the school. Tears rolled down from her cheeks, but she did not make a sound when she cried. Luke waited at the school gate on the same day. As soon as his meeting ended, he left straight away and parked his ck Bentley MPV at the school gate. She passed by without noticing the mature familiar-looking guy who was trying to hand her a tissue to wipe her tears. 1This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Her mind was upied by her father''s liver cancer. All she wanted to do was just get to the hospital as soon as possible. When she finally noticed Luke, all she said was a thank you without even taking a look at him. She then left quickly. Kevin had liver cancer, and the prerequisite for getting a liver transnt was to have sufficient funds. Somehow, a crazed sicko introduced a 50- year-old man to Bianca. 1 If she promised to be the old man¡¯s little wife and have a child with him, he would give her half a million. The ugliest expression Luke had ever made was the moment when he heard that Bianca was only worth half a million. The priceless woman in his mind was now sold at such a price? Fortunately, she belonged to him now. She finally belonged to him out in the open. If she had not been too tight and could not contain his swollenness, he would have buried and embedded himself in her body, possessing herpletely and sending the love from his soul into every cell of her body. "What are you thinking about?" Luke asked her as he drove away from the company building and toward the hotel. Bianca shook her head. She was no stranger to the hotel suite that Luke exclusively got for her. The impression of the space strongly implied that it was the man''s private ce. After she turned on theptop, she started her work. However, she actually wanted to either finish the work in the office or finish it at home. It was just that Luke frowned and strongly demanded that she apanied him a little longer after she got off work. After she turned on her notebook, she looked for a ruler in her bag. At that moment, the man who just finished his cigarette on the balcony walked back and picked her up. He put her down on the bed, tried to pry open her dress, and said, "Take it off. Let me see how badly I hurt you." 2 Luke remembered grunting at a spot a few times even though it did not fit. He was worried that he had injured that spot of hers. Chapter 72 Chapter 72 He Was Charming And Attractive Bianca''s cheeks that had returned to its normal color turned bright red again. "No, I''m fine." She frowned slightly and tried to break away from the embrace. He started to heat up again. She was afraid that he would not be able to stand it and would lose control again. However, her strength was not enough to break away from him. She was pressed against the edge of the bed. The man stretched his hand downward. She looked at him in horror because she had no idea what he was going to do. She felt a breeze between her legs. Something was ripped off by him. She looked cowardly into his bottomless ck eyes. Her lips were kissed firmly by the man again. The man pressed his body down against her and started sucking continuously. She was afraid that the familiar pain woulde again and instinctively tried to stop it. Luke''s next move caused the blood in Bianca''s face to almost burst out. He checked her. Bianca was not hurt by his previous actions at all. It was just that it was very painful at that time. However, the pain was not there anymore at that moment. "Don''t... Don''t look..." She could not get rid of him, so she had to pull the nket to cover herself. She did not want to be so brazenly exposed in front of the man. Luke checked it over carefully. He was relieved that she was not injured because he would feel guilty if he hurt her. His big hand rubbed her pale legs and a shudder swept through her weak consciousness. A moan slipped out of her lips again from his passionate kiss... Shyness and embarrassment oozed out from her every pore. Bianca was about to copse. "Let¡¯s do it in another way. I¡¯ll make sure you enjoy it this time.¡± Luke was older and more mature than her. In that area, he was a mature man who did not need a teacher. Her eyes widened unexpectedly at the movement of his hands. At the next moment, she bit her lip and had to close her eyes because her whole body was trembling and tense. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Both of her hands firmly grasped the man''s arm and his suit. 1 Her snow-white toes curled up in shame, and the sheets turned into a wrinkled mess from the pressure. Luke''s tall and long bodyid on the bed sideways. He still had on his suit and leather shoes. He still looked like the gentleman he was during the daytime. His muscr body was half-pressed against her, and his lips ground against hers. "Um... Mmm..." Soon, Bianca almost lost herself. Her soul had drifted away in his hands. Her entire body ground against him while her cute toes kicked the sheets into a mess. Her entire body suddenly tensed up. "Enough, uh..." She felt ashamed that her body was opening up because of him. After a minute, Bianca could no longer hold on. Her face writhed, and her forehead was dampened with sweat. She moaned unbearably while her body squirmed, rubbing the silk sheets underneath. "Did youe so soon? Hmm?" Luke''s voice was full and nasally. It sounded sexy and intoxicating. Bianca trembled again. When she began to lose herself and sunk in, it was as if she passed out and did not know what happened next. Her body became so sensitive that she would scream out when she was touched... After who knew how long and a fiery lingering kiss, she was gently put down. The man walked to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and the sound of water flowing was heard. Luke washed his hands. His fingers were slender and beautiful. The joints were well-defined and every finger was full of strength. He dispensed some soap and washed each of his fingers. Luke looked at his left index and middle fingers that just entered her with a burning desire in his eyes. He remembered what he just did and wiped his hand with a wet wipe. For a moment, he was unwilling to wash her off yet. Back in the bedroom, he walked to the bed and hugged her while she looked down and put her clothes back on. He leaned against her and gave her a hot french kiss. After his kiss, he withdrew from her sweet little mouth. A silver thread of saliva was drawn from the corner of their mouths after the deep kiss. 2 Bianca did not know how she got into his car. She insisted on not staying in the suite and that she was not going to stay over the night they made love for the first time because Nina wouldugh at her. However, she did exactly that. Was it because he was too charming and attractive? Was it because she was too lonely and desperate? The ck Range Rover stopped by the side of the street. Luke got out of the car and went to a 24-hour convenience chain store. He walked straight to the women¡¯s products area and took a box of underwear. The cashier on duty stared at the tall man who had juste in and was so shocked that she forgot to greet the customer. Handsome guys were everywhere in A City, and many of them went to the convenience stores from day to night. Even though the cashier had seen many of them, she was still caught off guard by that tall and long-legged man with sharp as well as well-defined facial features. No current male celebrities were a match for him. Luke ced the box of underwear on the counter. He took out his wallet and asked, "How much is it?" When the cashier heard the man''s maic and low voice, her knees buckled. She stole a few nces at the man who was going to pay. She said, "85 yuan..." Luke put down 100 yuan and turned to leave. The cashier took the money with both of her hands while her eyes were still staring at the man''s departing back. He was tall and had an aura that was so cold, but he... Bought a woman¡¯s... Under... Underwear... His ascetic aura and the reality of his hedonistic nature drove people crazy. When he went back into the car, Luke handed her the box. "What?" Bianca felt her body go soft and weak. After she asked, she stretched out her hand and took it. While the two of themmunicated, Bianca never looked directly at him. Luke was very curious about why she was acting so shyly. After all, they did not actually do it that time. He just helped her with his fingers. He was looking forward to the day when she could fill all of him up. Bianca lowered her head and fiddled with the box. There were three pairs of underwear inside the box. She liked the style and colors. It seemed that he had remembered correctly. As she sat in his car, she was so embarrassed that her own breath burned herself. The one she was wearing had been torn apart by him in the hotel suite. Now, she was not wearing anything... Nina was surprised that Bianca came back. "Are you done with your overtime work? I thought that you were going to get abducted by your boss to sleep with him back at his house or something," Nina said as she took Bianca''s bag andptop. "I''ll take a shower first," Bianca said. After she said that, she hurried into the bathroom. Nina hummed a song and continued applying her mask as she watched a television show. Bianca was so tired and sore all over. Whenever she thought about the shameful thing she did, she felt miserable. 1 After taking a shower, she fell asleep on her bed within five minutes. When the rm clock rang, it felt as if it was only in a blink of an eye. However, by the time she woke up, it was already three in the morning. She had not finished her drawing fromst night, so she had to get up at three o''clock to finish her overtime work. Otherwise, she would not be able to hand over the drawing tomorrow morning. She turned on herptop and a notification box popped up in the lower right corner. It was a new email. Bianca opened it and found that it was an email from an unknown address. After seeing the contents of the email, she was shocked. Luke had sent her thepleted work. Last night, he helped her and finished her work... Bianca tried to type something but hesitated. After she finishedposing the email, she blushed and deleted it. In the end, she only sent out two words of gratitude. ¡®Thank you...¡¯ Since she did not have to work overtime, Bianca fell back into her slumber for two more hours. She set her rm to get up at five o''clock and nned to go to the hospital to see how her dad was doing before going to work. She went out before Nina. There were not many people on the street at that time. Only the supermarkets and pharmacies were opened 24 hours a day. Bianca walked to the subway station, looked at the pharmacy in front of her, and entered it. "Give me a box of contraceptive pills," she said to the cashier embarrassedly. Last night, Luke had rubbed between her legs. 2 The cloudy white liquid burned her skin. She was afraid of an unexpected pregnancy. After buying the contraceptive pill, she put it in her bag. She stood there and did not leave because she still wanted to buy another medicine. The type that reduced swelling. Swelling in that area. However, she was too scared to do it, so Bianca walked out of the pharmacy with her head down. She was unable to buy it. Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Made Sure Luke Was Killed At the Crawford Manor. A huge spread of Chinese-style breakfast wasid on the dining table. The old man had not been sleeping these few nights. He woke up easily whenever he heard tiny movements in the middle of the night. That grandson of his seemed to make a good show out of it. Every time he drove back in the middle of the night, there was always a lot of noise when he parked his car in the garage. It was hard for the old man to ignore his grandson when he had a spring in his walk and brought a breeze when he drove. However, the problem lied there. A diligent workaholic who only cared about hispany had not been working overtime in thepany recently and was not at home either. ''So where does he go in the afternoon till night time? ''Especiallyst night when he came back eventer than usual!¡¯ The old man secretly took his little great-grandson to ask him about it. The honest kid gave him some bad news. "Great-grandpa, Daddy tosses and turns in his sleep when he¡¯s back. Uncle Louis said that it''s insomnia from his loneliness, a physiological illness that men suffer at a certain period. Although I don''t understand what it means, I think that Daddy won¡¯t be able to eat well if he continues to toss in his sleep every night..." The little guy scratched his head, expressing that he was worried about his father''s lifestyle. After the old man listened to him, he patted his little great-grandson and said, "Your Daddy is in good health and will live a long life. That, I''m not worried about. I''m only worried that..." The old man did not exin in detail to the kid what he was actually worried about. The old man looked up with a serious face and asked his grandson, "Luke, aboutst night, is it true that you only went to sleep early in the morning?" Luke reluctantly took a sip of the freshly ground soy milk in front of him. After he heard his grandfather''s question, he put down the bowl and got up sternly. Someone quickly handed over his ironed zer. After the man wore his zer, he said, "I''m going to work now, please enjoy yourself." The old man was unhappy. He held the cane with his trembling hand, frowned, and thought, ¡®This grandson with extraordinary ability has been abstinent for many years and usually spends his time either at the manor or the office. These are the two ces that he frequents and only these two ces. He usually lives the boring life of a pensioner.'' All he wanted to do was drug his grandson, tie him up, and get a male doctor toe over to check if everything was fine with him and if his thing was still working! However, his grandson was now in this kind of situation! Louis had been tailing him for a few days. However, since his driving and sleuthing skills were not very good, Luke always found out every time he tried to follow him. Usually, it ended with Luke throwing him off by going through many different streets, leaving him to return home defeated. The old man could not figure it out. If his grandson wanted to date out in the open, why did he not just bring the girl back home to meet the family? Finally, they were able to have breakfast together today, but when the old man brought it up, the eldest grandson got up without a word and left for work. The more he thought about it, the more he was sure that his grandson was hiding something. ''Is it because the girl''s family doesn''t have a good worth? Is it really that bad that he can''t introduce her to us? ''Or is it because my grandson is a yboy? Does he just want to y around with a girl and dump her after he gets tired of her? Is it because he has no intention of marrying anyone at all? ''What an unfilial grandson! ''ying games with these kinds of things?! That''s not how a man should act at all!'' "Hurry up. After we''re done eating, take me to the office so that I can talk to your brother," the old man suddenly shouted at Louis who was still enjoying his breakfast. Louis, "..." ''What did I do to deserve this...'' The two little kids with their dangling calves and greasy mouths from the youtiao looked at each other. They did not dare to spill the beans about how their daddy might have a crush on Aunt Bea. After Susan finished her meal, she could not help but say, "Dad, no offense, but don''t you remember how your son acted when he was alive? Luke''s your biological grandson, the flesh and blood of the Crawford family. The apple doesn''t fall far from the tree. This behavior of himing back home in the middle of the night almost every day is probably because he''s with a little goblin from an establishment." 1 "Mom, you should really learn how to keep some things to yourself." Louis looked up from his food and frowned. The surrounding quieted down. Allison put down her bowl. "I''m done. I''m going to head upstairs.¡± The two little kids tried to figure out what ''little goblin'' meant. ''Is that some sort of little fairy? Does it mean she''s really beautiful?'' However, everyone seated knew what Susan meant. Luke and Louis''s father, Zachary, was flighty and had a lot of love affairs when he was alive. After he married Susan, he became even more of a yboy. 3 Zachary had warned Susan that she should just be at peace about being the madam of the house and that she should not care how many women he had outside. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Susan was married into the Crawford family for two years, but nothing came out of them. She barely had the chance to meet her husband, so how would she have been able to get pregnant and have children? Susan finally had it with all the cheating and could not hold it in any longer. She carefully arranged a trap and swore to kill her husband¡¯s other mistresses once and for all! In the middle of the night, Zachary was caught in bed with another woman. The mistress under him was the same woman Allison was sitting at the dining table today... Allison came from a normal family. In those days, the money earned was only barely enough to let them live on. However, she climbed onto the Crawforddder and pulled her family up with it. Step by step, the Tanner family started to shine as they stepped up thedder. Allison only hung out with her rich friends then and always tried her best to befriend the children of the popr families. Susan remembered that one of Allison''s childhood besties was Queenie. Queenie fell in love with an army boy that had an influential family. After that, Allison tried to be even closer to Queenie. She left her ex- husband and looked for someone to leech on. She thought that if she could not get Zachary Crawford who was at the top of the business circle, she would try to get an influential man from the army circle. 2 That was how a scheming young girl who went to work at the club and who pretended to be pure, tricked the man to buy her sob story. She sessfully deceived the man to leave his first wife and brought her son to the top. Susan knew that a trash of a man like Zachary would not actually fall in love with a woman. Zachary, the then business tycoon, just wanted a son. He was pleased with whoever could give him a son. Therefore, the mother who bore his beloved son, Allison, started her prosperous life. Even though Susan would argue and cry, most times she surrendered. Who was the one who made Allison''s son the righteous son? After taking a bastard home, Crawford Corporation that was on the verge of copse was resolutely saved just like that by changing thepany''s name to T Corporation. Bypletely dismissing the great achievements of the older generation, it finally became Luke Crawford¡¯s new empire. Perhaps that was the punishment given by the heavens to Susan for her loyalty to her husband... However, the devil in Susan would wonder if she had made sure Luke was killed that year, what would the future have held for her? The old man went straight to the root of it. When he went to the top floor office in the T Corporation building, he was greeted with his busy grandson. He raised his cane and pointed at his nose. He reprimanded. ¡¯ The Crawford family does not ept anyone who¡¯s corrupted! You know very well about the horrible things your father didst time! I won''t let you follow in his footsteps!" 2 "Grandpa, what did I do?" Luke got up, stretched out his hand, and pushed aside the mahogany cane that was about to hit his face. The old man''s copper eyes widened with shock. "What''s wrong with you? How dare you ask me what you did? You among all people should know better than anyone else!¡± Louis exined promptly. "Grandpa suspects that youe back home nearly at dawn every day because you''ve been hanging out with girls. So if you''re looking for girls in the middle of the night, it must mean they''re prosti..." Luke, who was suspected of hiring escorts for many nights,"..." "If you''re not doing what we say you are, why haven''t you brought the girl home to meet us?!" The old man took the opportunity to finally say what he wanted to say aggressively. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Poor Thing, She Has To Be With Luke Louis'' face also seemed to say that if he did not do it, he should bring the woman over to prove it... Louis had always been intrigued by the psychology of a strange man like his brother who had been abstinent for more than five years. A man like him could live a normal life without touching a woman? It was unheard of! "You think she''s unworthy to meet us? Do you know how bad that would make her feel..." the old man asked. After he asked that question, he stared at his grandson''s face to observe his expression. He was afraid that his grandson was an unfaithful lover who slept with someone every night but had disdain forthem. Luke figured that his grandpa had no other choice. His grandpa probably thought that he did not discipline his own son enough when he was alive. Even though that man was not worthy of his respect at all, his grandpa was still his sensible grandpa. It was probably because he was anxious for Luke to get married, so he had to ask. Tm afraid that you guys will scare her away.¡± Luke picked up a document and put it aside. He hinted that he was not trying to hide her from them, but it was because he wanted to hide them from her. 1 N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. The brother and grandpa who had just gotten insulted,"..." ¡¯She¡¯s very delicate and quiet in front of others. She''s shy around strangers, but you guys..." Luke raised his eyes and nced at his brother and grandpa, frowning with disdain. The grandfather who initially looked as if he was going to beat his grandson with his cane suddenly realized he was not acting like the kind old man that he was. He put down his cane and coughed embarrassedly. He returned to the kind old man look of his. Louis, who fueled the fire, could not help but say, "If she''s really the timid little white rabbit that you say, I think that you''ll be the first to scare her off... ¡ö Louis was an adult man with physical needs. He knew the intimacies between a man and a woman. With his brother''s strong physique and inexhaustible energy that had been hungry and thirsty for more than five years, he would probably leave no bones when he devoured the little white rabbit. ''Tsk, poor thing! She has to be with Luke. After serving him the whole night, does she still have the strength to do other things during the day?'' Bianca stayed in the hospital for an hour in the morning. From the hospital to her office, the taxi made it just in time. She did not arrive toote nor did she arrive too early. She sent the work that was asked by the head of the department and he was really pleased with it. He did not hold back his praises and told her that her work gave him a glimmer in his eyes. He also mentioned that it was not like a newbie''s work. It looked as if a master of ten years had done it. 1 Bianca thought that Luke was probably a master in designing. A message popped up from Sue that said, ''The head of the department said that your drawing is good and praised you highly. I already know that you¡¯ll be staying after the probation period.'' To be honest, Sue knew that even if her drawing was not good, Bianca was still going to be kept in the company. A powerful force like the boss was no joke. Sue sent another message that said, ''Do you know who the best designer is?'' ''I don''t know. Who is it?* Since Bianca was busy, she only replied five words. ''Our BOSS! DUH! Don''t you know? Five developed countries in the world have architectural works designed by our boss. Our city is fortunate to have one by him too. It''s the library in the city center. After our boss took over the family business and cleaned up their mess, he got too busy to draw and design anything.'' Sue typed vigorously and sent it. i Bianca was shocked to find out what she had read from herputer screen... ''When I took the subway and wandered around the city center out of boredomst time, I was attracted by the same exact library. Turns out it was designed by Luke himself?'' thought Bianca. ''Sigh. Even though we''re obsessed with design, we¡¯ll never be able to see something drawn by our boss.'' Sue sent Bianca a message again. Bianca opened the drawing that she had just submitted to her head of department. Her gaze was fixed intently for a long time on the drawing that he drewst night. When the phone rang, Bianca finally looked away from the drawing. "Hello, Doctor Thompson,¡¯ Bianca answered the phone in a soft voice and left the main office area. The hospital was calling and asking for Kevin''s ID card. Bianca nodded. "Okay, I''ll deliver it this afternoon." After finishing her work in the morning, she packed her things, went out, and took a taxi without even having her lunch. She rushed to her dad''s and Jennifer''s ce. Even though she did not want to see Jennifer, she had no other choice. His ID card was at home. It was not like her dad could get up and leave the hospital. Therefore, she knew she just had to endure it for a while, even if it was going to be horrible. On the way there, Bianca tried to call Jennifer. "Sorry, the number you have dialed cannot be reached at this moment..." She called the number a few times, but it could not go through. Bianca looked at the noisy street outside of her car window. She searched through her contacts for Marie''s number and called her. "Why are you calling me? Did your dad die? Did you call me to notify my mom and I to rush to his funeral?" Marie was ying a game on her phone when Bianca''s call showed up on the screen within seconds of her using her phone. Bianca did not want to waste time talking nonsense with her. She ignored her and said, "Are you at home? I need to go over to your ce to get my dad''s ID card." "I''m at home. You cane and get it..." Marie said. Bianca hung up and waited with a frown at the ce. On the other side, Marie got up from the bed, thought about it, and called Jean. "Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to talk to me? Come over to my ce. Now. I''m giving you 20 minutes." Jean was not at the office and was with his team leader outside. He had to rush over after he answered the call. His mother had fallen under the spell of wanting to see and hug her unborn grandson. In order to persuade Marie not to abort the child, she rushed to the bank with her ID card and took out some cash. She let Marie pick the house she wanted, paid the down payment, and put the house under her name. Jean almost went crazy from his mother''s angering actions. Afterward, Anna regretted it very much and thought that Marie was quite unreliable, but she was left with no choice. The house was bought. She could only make sure her son held onto Marie and get married as soon as possible so that they could give birth to the child. Then, they would see what was the next step. Even if she was cheated off her money, it was just a down payment. She thought that it was worth it if it meant getting herself a lively grandson. Jean sted Marie''s phone with calls that night, but she chose to ignore him. It seemed as if she chose to pretend to be embarrassed about it to make herself feel better. Now that Marie was taking the initiative and giving him a chance to meet within 20 minutes, he had no choice but to rush there. Since the door was not locked, Jean walked in straight away. There was no one in the living room or the bedroom. He walked toward the bathroom and asked, "Are you inside?" "Come in and we''ll talk, ¡° Marie ordered. Jean frowned and opened the door in front of him. Marie had just finished a bath. Her body smelled of her frankincense shower gel. Her soft body pressed against the man at the door while her little hands ran back and forth across his body with intent. "Wow baby, did you get excited with just a little touch?" The woman squatted down. Her sweet little mouth pressed against him. Jean furrowed his eyebrows, closed his eyes, and grunted uncontrobly. His big hands held her head tight. She raised her head and looked at him with her watery eyes, making sure to please him. She opened her mouth. "Hurry up, I have to go back to work." Jean urged impatiently. Since he was ovee by his desires, hepletely forgot to ask Marie why she switched from her previous cold attitude and suddenly became so enthusiastic toward him. The only thing he had in mind at that time was his pleasure. Marie squatted on the wet floor tiles. Her little hand touched Jean''s belt buckle, unfastened it gently, then unzipped his trousers. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 I Want You To Meet My Grandpa And My Mom "Uh..." Jean closed the frosted ss bathroom door with the back of his hand to enjoy what was happening with a peace of mind. He looked down and saw Marie''s pale and well-proportioned thighs as well as her round and supple toes. She stood on her tiptoes and leaned forward. Her body pressed against him and they got busy. "Uh, hurry up..." Jean pressed the back of Marie''s head and thrust forward. He urged her without a hint of gentleness at all. "Hurry up. Ah... You''re a naughty girl, aren''t you..." Bianca got out of the taxi and walked into the neighborhood. It was a very old neighborhood in A City. Many years ago, her dad bought a house in that neighborhood that had two bedrooms and one living room. In the house, it was littered with many of Bianca''s memories, but most of them were bad ones. When Bianca walked in, she looked at the old corridor that she had not walked through for more than five years. She remembered how she moved in to live with Marie before she graduated from junior high school. Dad had told her at that time, "This is your sister. She¡¯s two years older than you. You two should get along well, alright?¡± The then naive Bianca smiled and said, "Okay!" Marie also said, "Don''t worry, Dad. I¡¯ll take care of my little sister." What actually happened was that on the first night they stayed together, her nket was hogged away in the middle of the night. Before she could ask for the nket back, her sister whom she had yet to get to know lost her temper and kicked her onto the floor. However, it was debatable whether the sister was asleep or not when she did that. She knocked her forehead onto the cab next to the bed. She bled a little but endured the pain and did not cry. The next morning, Dad saw her injury and asked her what happened. The so-called sister suddenly rushed forward kindly, holding her face, and saying with distress, "Bea, how did you hurt your head? Did you get out of bedst night to drink water and didn''t know where the lights were? Wake me up next time. I¡¯ll get the water for you.¡± Since she was still young, she did not know how to continue after her sister said that. She thought that perhaps her sister did not sleep well and identally kicked her out of the bed. The house belonged to her dad, but the mistress of the house was Jennifer. Therefore, she knew she had to be on her best behavior if she were to stay under her roof. There was also an instance where the sister secretly smoked and drank in the room at night because it was what the popr girls did. Even though Jennifer knew that the cigarettes and alcohol belonged to Marie, she pped Bianca as she cursed at her. "How dare you pick up all these bad habits despite being at this age?! Children from small towns are seriously uneducated! Education! Don''t you know any better?! Do you think that it''s cool to smoke and drink? I''ll discipline those bad habits out of you!" In order to cover up her daughter''s bad behavior, Jennifer pped her until her face became swollen. When her dad came back from overseas, she cried and said that she wanted to go back to live with her grandfather. Even though life in the small town was horrible, it was better than all of this. She finally understood how scary and horrible a stepmother could be... Bianca took a deep breath and stood at the entrance of the house. When she was about to ring the doorbell, she realized that the doorbell was broken and the door was left ajar. Could it be that Marie knew she wasing and opened it for her? Bianca pushed the door open and walked in. "Uh... You''re such a little devil!" "Co... Co..." Bianca did not expect to hear the man''s rapid breathing that was apanied by his pleasurable moans as well as dirty talk. Marie''s cutesy voice asked, "Say, who''s more beautiful? Me or Bianca? If you don''t say it, I won''t finish it..." "You... It''s always been you... Hurry up and suck... Don''t stop..." Jean''s mouth was taken over by his brain that was ovee by desire. He felt as if his body was floating in the air. "Then why didn''t you chase me when you were in the UK but chased her instead? If you say that I''m more beautiful than her... Shouldn''t you go after the one who''s more beautiful..." Marie asked coquettishly. Jean was annoyed at that point. He was rushing and wanted to push Marie''s head even deeper. Marie did not oblige. The only thing left for Jean to do was patiently think through his words. He said, "It''s because you''re way too beautiful for me. I was afraid that you¡¯re way out of my league, so I didn''t go after you... I had no choice but to go after her instead. You''re a literal goddess... Way too beautiful for me..." 2 The horrible words did not make Bianca blush or feel angry. On the contrary, she felt calmer and unmoved by it. Her dad told the doctor that his ID card was in Jennifer''s dressing table drawer in their bedroom. Apparently, the drawer was dedicated to storing all their important documents. Bianca guessed that Marie knew she wasing, so she made sure to increase Jean''s appetite in time so that he would say those worthless words to provoke Bianca. After she found his renewed ID card, she took a better look at it. Dad lost his ID card twice in the past 40-something years, so he never brought his new ID card with him after that. Bianca put his ID in her bag and left the bedroom. Marie knew when Bianca hade in, and she saw Bianca leaving through the frosted ss door. She faked a moan to show that she was having a lot of fun... Bianca heard the moan and stopped in her tracks. She turned to look at the two ovepping figures in the bathroom and said with consideration, "I got the ID card. I''ll be leaving. Don''t worry, I''ll close the door for the two of you on my way out." m! The frosted ss door shook a little because Jean had hit the door with his back. After that, a strange sound came from the woman''s mouth. Marie frowned and looked at Jean who had suddenly withdrawn. She got angry immediately because she was afraid that Jean was affected by Bianca''s presence. If that was the case, her n to anger Bianca would have failed! Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Jean put on his pants immediately. The sound of him trying to fix his belt buckle was heard in the quiet house. He was very flustered and could not fasten his belt properly for quite some time. Jean pushed the door open and went out,pletely ignoring the kneeling and pathetic-looking Marie who had just helped him. He furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at Bianca. He said in pain, "Bea..." Bianca remembered how Marie had cursed her dad to death on the phone. She could not help but nce at Jean who had obviously lost his hard-on. She smiled. "Getting so soft so soon? You''re just in your 20s. I''m afraid your wife''s future won''t be as smooth-sailing..." "Shut up, b*tch!" Marie took a bath towel and wrapped it around her body. "How dare you talk about me like that! Aren''t you the same? Acting all pure but you''re a freak with other men! I heard that the two of you had an intense time and your ex-boyfriend even heard it from outside! How very interesting that some people can be as shameless as the two of you!¡± "At the very least the man in my room that night won''t get soft just because there''s someone outside the door..." Bianca said. Jean clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he recalled the moaning noises he heard through the door. Marie nced disappointedly at his thing that went soft right when he heard Bianca''s voice. She cursed angrily. "Trash!" After she left the neighborhood, Bianca called for a taxi. The words that Jean said to Marie to beckon her echoed in her ears. A man like Jean had feelings that were flimsy and cheap, like flyers on the street. Anyone who wanted it could just get closer and the person would pass them a copy freely. Bianca leaned tiresomely in the taxi and almost fell asleep. Luke''s phone call woke her up. She answered it. "After you get off work, can you join me for dinner back at home? I want you to meet my grandpa, my mom, and my other family members.¡± Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Slept With Someone Right From The start? "But " Bianca was hesitant and had many concerns. Today was the second day that she and Luke were officially dating. It was too soon to meet his family for dinner. To be honest, she had not mentally prepared herself yet. In addition to that, another very realistic and cruel problem was that Luke was way over her league in terms of their background. "Don''t feel pressured. In terms of our family, I¡¯m actually no better than you. If you look into my family, we''re basically the same.1'' Luke guessed what she was concerned about. Since he put it that way, there was no way Bianca could deny it. Since getting the call from Luke, Bianca felt as if a big rock was pressed against her chest. She felt out of breath and assumed that weight would only be lifted once she met his family. Her phone rang a few more times again. Bianca saw that they were all from Jean. She did not answer nor decline. She merely ignored the calls as if she never heard them. At that moment, Bianca was grateful that Marie set up those fake acts to provoke her. After watching their passionate scene in the bathroom just now, Bianca finally understood Jean''s other side. She finally decided to let go of any guilt left. On one side, Bianca agreed to go home with Luke for dinner. On the other side, the old man started getting busy while bursting with excitement. He was even more excited than celebrating the most auspicious time of the year, the Lunar New Year. ''If everything goes well, we''ll have another grandson in our house next year! '' The old man finished his bbering and swished his cane at Louis. "Now look at you! No fiancee to marry, no girlfriend, no kids! You''re useless! Hurry up and go back to clean up the house!" "Luke¡¯s only bringing a woman back at 29. Why are you rushing me? I''m a few years younger than him! Also, Grandpa, didn''t you say that those old- fashioned furniture of yours is your favorite? You told me that you¡¯d never change them!" Louis said. "Are you trying to kill me? Stop with that nonsense of yours!" The old man got so angry that he whacked him with his cane again. After they returned to the manor, Louis sat on the sofa and started hismands. The coffee table was reced. The sofa was reced. The dining table and everything else was also reced. The simple quaint furniture was all reced with Scandinavian-style furniture... The old antique furniture, which the old man usually did not allow anyone to move, was packed up by his servants and carefully carried to the warehouse. At four o''clock in the afternoon, the living room waspletely refurbished under Louis'' orders. nche came home from school and looked at thepletely different living room in a daze. He said, "Grandpa, what''s the matter? Where did our furniture go?" "Your dad will be bringing ady back tonight. So, Rainie and Lanie, listen to your dad and your great- grandpa tonight. You mustn''t be naughty, alright? ¡¯ The old man smiled with his face full of wrinkles. He was also afraid that the two kids would hate their future stepmother. "Ady?" The little guy nced at his sister. "Grandpa, what is she called?" Rainie hugged her great-grandpa''s thigh. She raised her head and asked him in a baby voice. "Her name..." Grandpa frowned and thought about it carefully. Previously, he heard his grandson in the bathroom during a call. He had vaguely heard the name. He said, "Something, Biya..." "Aunt Bea?" nche''s eyes widened again. The old man was surprised and lowered his head to ask his little great- grandson, "You know about this Aunt Bea?" "Yeah!" The people in the manor were busying in and out of the ce. The little guy stood in front of his very attentive great-grandfather and said, "We''ve been to Aunt Bea¡¯s ce before. Bea was very nice to US and cooked for US. However, Dad was adamant and stayed over at her ce." "There''s more." Rainie added on the side. "Thest time Daddy took US on a business trip, all three of US slept in Aunt Bea''s room." When the old man heard that, he became energetic and raised his eyebrows. He asked, "What? Your daddy slept with someone right from the start?¡± 1 Two little kids nodded their heads furiously! "Dad¡¯s very annoying. He always bullies Aunt Bea. Once, I saw my daddy bully Aunt Bea so much that he made her cry." nche was really worried about Aunt Bea. If she got married to him and ended up being bullied for a lifetime, it was better if they did not get married. After all, Daddy did not seem like a good man anyway. The old man leaned on his cane with both of his hands and sat upright on their new Scandinavian-style sofa. He was trying to figure out how deeply his grandson felt about Bea. Zachary was the old man''s son. He knew how Zachary chased Susan and made a promise to her, but he also ended up hurting her after they got married. Susan cried often because of that. Suddenly, half of her life was gone and dedicated to crying. Even though his son died, his daughter-inw, Susan, still wept whenever she thought about the past from time to time. The old man thought he knew his son but did not expect him to end up a scumbag. This time, he did not know his grandson at all. He was worried that this grandson of his would end up as a scumbag, hurting this Bea who seemingly cried because she was bullied. Louis went upstairs to look around. He came down and asked, "Where¡¯s my mom?"This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. At that time, a ck Mercedes stopped at the gate of the manor. The person who got out of the luxury car was none other than Susan. "Mom, why are you drinking in the middle of the day?" Louis came out, frowned, and propped up Susan who was seemingly unsteady as she stepped out of the car. She was a second away from falling at the door and bumping her head. Susan opened her eyes, looked at her son, and raised her hand to touch his face. She smiled and said, ¡¯My handsome son. You''re no worse off than the son that lousy woman Allison gave birth to.¡± "Mom, you''re drunk. I''ll bring you upstairs." Louis knew how his mother looked when she was drunk. The family never had a peaceful day. That day was special. She was not to make noise, so he had to take good care of his mom because it seemed as if the Aunt Bea that his brother and the two kids talked about was innocent. She should not have to witness their rich family''s sad scene. ¡¯I''m feeling horrible... Don''t stop me!" When they were almost at the door, Susan suddenly hit her son with her purse. She broke free from her son¡¯s grasp and scolded angrily. "Are you on their side now? Are you embarrassed by your drunk mother? Louis, take a good look! I''m your real mother! Allison, that mistress, ruined me!¡¯ 1 "I know, Mom. Let me help you upstairs to rest your head, alright? Your dear son is worried that you''ll get a headache." Louis tried his best to persuade her. Susan nodded when she saw that her son was being kind to her. She was drowsy and had half-opened eyes. Her son helped her upstairs. 1 The old man looked at them and sighed. The two little kids who were already used to scenes like that looked at each other and went upstairs. After they went upstairs, the two kids showered and changed into new outfits. To wee Aunt Bea''s arrival, nche also went to his uncle''s room to get a bottle of hairspray. He furrowed his brows andbed the back of his short ck hair with ab in front of the mirror. ''You look very handsome, Brother..." Rainie, with the princess dress, said to her brother who was combing the back of his hair in front of the mirror. "Really?" nche smiled. He bashfully said, "You¡¯re embarrassing me with all thosepliments!" Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Allison Asked, ''Bea, Is It? What''s Your Last Name?" When the two little kids went down, they saw a luxury car parked in front of the manor. ''A ck Range Rover! Daddy¡¯s back!1 "Aunt Bea, we missed you..." The two kids ran out. The first thing Rainie did was hug Bianca who just came out of the car. Bianca almost lost her bnce. She squatted down to pat Rainnie''s chubby little cheeks. "I missed you too." When the old man saw the perfect family scene, he was overjoyed. It seemed to him that his grandson''s marriage was imminent. If the adults agreed and the kids did not hate the stepmother, then there was nothing stopping them. "The two of you, stand properly over there. Don¡¯t drag Aunt Bea that way." Luke stepped down from the car with his long legs and stared at the two clingy little kids with a serious face. Rainie pursed her lips, snorted, and muttered, "Why is that you can hug her, but not us? Last time, you hugged Aunt Bea so hard that she cried..." Luke, Bianca blushed awkwardly. "So you''re the Aunt Bea that the children always talk about. I have to say, Luke sure knows how to choose them." The old man rushed over and tried to curry his grandson''s future wife¡¯s favor. The old man straightened his back. He was wearing a pair of dark gray trousers, a mini checkered shirt, and a vest. He was dressed very dapperly and fashionably, just like an old man who came straight out of a French magazine. 1 Bianca stood up immediately and said respectfully, "Hello, Grandpa. I¡¯m Bianca." "Wee. Please,e in and have a seat. These two children seem to know you very well. You guys seem close. I''m happy to see you guys getting along well." The old man treated Bea as if she was already his granddaughter-inw. The nanny came out to get gifts from the car. The things that Bianca bought were not expensive things. Even though they were not luxury goods, the old man liked them very much when he saw them. He thought that Bea was a realistic person, not ndish. She did not try to be someone she was not. Louis made sure his mother was okay before he went downstairs. "Hello Sister-inw, I''m Louis. I¡¯m his half-brother. We share the same dad... ¡¯ <0 This is from N?velDrama.Org. Bianca, who was suddenly addressed as ''sister-inw'', stood up awkwardly. She knew that Luke had a younger brother, but she did not know much about theplicated rtionships of the Crawford family. No one really knew whether the tabloids were real or fake news. "Hello, my name¡¯s Bianca." Bianca greeted him. Everyone sat down and started talking. Luke asked Bianca to sit next to him. Whether it was Grandpa, the two little ones, or his half-brother with the same dad, Luke knew he had to filter and block some things before they got to her. He had to be the one who decided what questions they could ask. Bea, how old will you be this year?" the old man asked. "24 years old," Bianca answered. "Luke is five years older than you? A difference of five years sounds great. Here, I have an article to show you guys," the old man said as he dug out a newspaper from the drawer of the coffee table and handed it to Bianca. Louis was speechless and thought that his grandpa surely had his tricks up his sleeves. Their coffee table was brand new, so why would there be a newspaper in the drawer? He knew straight away that his grandpa had known about their five-year age difference and prepared something in advance. Bianca took a look at it. ording to the newspaper, a study showed that rtionships where the man was 5 years older than the woman were the least likely to have conflicts. Apparently, those marriages ended up well and were rtively much more stable. "Where''s Grandma?" nche asked with furrowed brows. He looked very serious as if he was the one who cared most about Aunt Bea¡¯s official visit to the house. Luke nced at his son and noticed that he was wearing a small ck suit with a white shirt and a bow tie. If anyone saw him, they would think that he was the one who was supposed to bring his wife to meet his family that day. "You''ve got hairspray all over your head. Aren¡¯t you worried that flies thatnd on your head are going to slip and fall to their death?" Louis touched the back of his little nephew''s ck hair and said, "Did you finish up the entire can of my hairspray?" nche thought that his uncle was reckless and had spoiled his image in front of his entire family on this asion. Furthermore, he was embarrassed that his uncle did this in front of Aunt Bea. Fortunately, the empathetic Aunt Bea smiled at him and even stretched out her hand to pull him away from his embarrassment. He got to sit next to Aunt Bea. che peeked at his dad who red at him with his cold stare. However, he did not hold back. Even though that was his dad, he stared right back as if saying, ''I bet you wish you were me at my age now.'' The old man was afraid that Bianca would misunderstand the situation to mean that the family did not take her seriously. He exined. "Luke¡¯s mother has a very important fashion party to attend today. It''s my fault for failing to do the proper scheduling. When I heard that Luke had a girlfriend, I was too excited to meet you. I should''ve let you choose when you wanted to do this dinner. "However, Luke''s mother will be back soon." Bianca had seen Luke''s mother in a magazine before. Every time a noblewoman or an A-lister were invited to a party, Allison would always be invited as well. She was about to say it was okay when she heard the sound of a car at the gate. "Is Grandma back?" Rainie got out of her great-grandfather''s arms and ran to the door to greet her. Allison got out of the car and walked in beautifully. Bianca swallowed down what she was about to say and stood up when Luke did. "Grandma, Aunt Bea is here..." Rainie said as she went outside to hold onto her grandma''s LV bag. She slid it across her short chubby arm. Allison came in with a big smile on her face and said to the female stranger, "Sorry to keep you waiting, I didn''t know you wereing." "Oh, it¡¯s no problem. We just got here. Everything was in a rush and I didn''t get to tell you in advance as well," Bianca said politely and epted Allison''s warm hug. "Mom, sit." Luke did not want Bianca to socialize courteously with them for too long because it would be very tiring. Therefore, he quickly pulled Bianca''s body over gently and took her out of his mother''s arms. Grandpa saw the scene and nodded in satisfaction. ''Just a sentence and he''s already worried that it¡¯ll tire his future wife''s voice box out? It seems that this grandson of mine will be whipped in the future.¡¯ "Bea, is it? I heard our Rainie calling you that. What''s yourst name?" Allison sat down and asked. "Myst name is..." Before she could finish her sentence, Bianca saw a middle-aged woman in a floral qipao walking down the stairs. She did not look happy and had an aggressive aura with a ss of red fruit juice in her hand. "You b*tch! You can put away your act now!" Susan walked swiftly with her slight tummy. When she cursed Allison, she sshed the ss of juice at her face. When the juice was sshed, she put the ss down heavily. She looked at everyone who was present and said, "What? Were you scared that I¡¯ll make some noise so you got my son to lock me in my room?" Bianca was shocked and stood up. She did not know who the woman wearing the Gi qipao was. The nanny rushed over and wiped the juice from Allison¡¯s face with a tissue paper. Without a word, Luke sat there motionless as if it was not his mother who had a ss of juice sshed on her. The two little kids merely pursed their lips and kept quiet as if it was something that they were already used to. "Mom, listen to me and go upstairs!" Louis stood up and tried to stop her. Susan pushed her son away like a madwoman and turned around with the stench of alcohol on her. She looked at Bianca and suddenly sneered at her. It was a smile so cold that it could send a shiver down one''s spine... Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Felt Bad For Lanie And Rainie "Are you... Luke''s girlfriend that he brought to introduce to US?" Susan asked with tears in her eyes. "How''s your family background? If you¡¯re wronged by your future husband after your marriage, will your family be able to support you?" Bianca did not know how to answer her. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. When Louis introduced himself, he said that he was Luke''s half-brother and that they shared the same dad. That might mean that the middle-aged woman wearing the Gi custom- made qipao once shared the same man with Luke''s mother, Allison. Susan looked at the big family gathered together and walked toward Bianca with the stench of alcohol on her. "Be careful." Bianca quickly propped Susan up with agility when she was about to fall. Susan leaned on the sofa while being supported by Bianca. She frowned ufortably and said, "By the looks of your appearance, I can tell that you probablye from an average family. I advise you to know better and not to marry into the Crawford family." "Go back to your room upstairs!" the old man stood up and shouted. He was angry! "No!" Susan looked at the old man with a ferocious look in her eyes. Every time she got drunk, she always said the same thing for everyone to hear. She repeated for the nth time, "The person who should leave is Allison! I''m Zachary''s first wife!" Susan''s eyes burned with jealousy as she pointed at Allison. She wanted to humiliate her. "You b*tch! Who are you trying to fool by sitting there quietly? You''re just a go-go girl who sold her body at the club! I wonder how many guys you''ve had sex with before you came into the Crawford family. You''re lucky that Zachary was blind enough to not notice the cheap wh*re that you are!" Bianca nced at Luke nkly. Luke sat on the sofa with a calm demeanor. Even though his brows were furrowed unhappily, he did not try to stop Susan''s shenanigans. He merely lit a cigarette, closed his eyes, and took a puff. Bianca suddenly remembered what he had said to her on the phone previously. "Don''t feel pressured. In terms of our families, I''m actually no better than you. If you look into my family, we''re basically the same." That was what Luke had said to her before. "Are you sure you want to marry into the Crawford family?" Susan looked at Bianca and persuaded with all her heart. "My child, the Crawford family is indeed a very famous family in this city. The top of the top, in fact. But if you marry into this rich family, it''s equivalent to walking into an icy cold tomb. Your husband won''t care about you and your rtives won¡¯t sympathize with you either. "The main point is the mistresses who will be waiting to pounce on your husband. It doesn''t matter how inferior they are, or how low their wages are. Perhaps, it might even be a go-go dancer in the club who lets men touch her. A man will still take her hand and treat her as his baby. As for US wives, all we can do is be an honest wife and stay at home. We''re expected to be considerate of our husbands having their gay time outside, and maybe even ask him if he had fun." Toward the end of her speech, Susan grabbed Bianca''s little hand. "This is getting more and more absurd!" The old man mmed his cane on the ground. The old man lifted his head and softened his tone when he said to Bianca,'' Bea, your aunt has had too much to drink. Don''t take what she says to heart." Bianca looked at the old man. "Don''t get self-conceited just because of your seniority. Don''t you know that you''re helping your son¡¯s mistress discredit your daughter-inw?" Susan got up and shouted, "A fish rots from the head down!¡¯¡¯ "Mom, if you want to cause trouble, please do it at another time!" Louis was so angry that he bear- hugged his mother with all his strength and led her toward the stairs. The nanny was called over to help him. The two of them had to drag and pull her up before Susan was finally upstairs. Meanwhile, Bianca, who was downstairs, could still hear the sound of things being thrown upstairs. After Louis went upstairs, he did note back down. It was probably because he was worried that his mother would do something crazy. Boohoo! Her cries resounded through the manor. Luke hinted at Bianca to take the two little kids out to y. A field of flowers was nted at the manor. At dusk, the bees continued to diligently collect their nectar. Rainie looked at the bees and muttered, "They¡¯re always buzzing. Aunt Bea, do they eat the nectar immediately after they harvest it?" Bianca was lost in her head because of everything, so she did not hear what Rainie asked. "Auntie Bea?" Rainie crouched down and raised her head to ask. "Yes?" Bianca asked. She finally returned to her senses. "Aunt Bea, what''s a go-go dancer at a club who lets men touch her? Why did Grandma Susan say that about Grandma?" the little girl asked innocently. ''Grandma Susan was so fierce. She even cried. ''And then Grandma was sshed with red juice on her face by Grandma Susan.'' Rainie did not know who had it worse. ''Poor Grandma or poor Grandma Susan?'' Bianca crouched down and hugged Rainie¡¯s small body. She kissed her on her cheek and said, "If the adults quarrel, just forget what they say after the fight. Let''s count to three. We forget everything after three, okay?" ¡¯Okay!" Rainie closed her eyes happily and counted. "One, two, three... Aunt Bea, I''ve forgotten all about it!" "You''ve done well, Rainie." Bianca gave the child a tighter hug. She reached her other free hand toward Lanie who had been quiet the whole time. "You have to forget too, alright?" The little guy nodded, but his brows were still tightly furrowed. Bianca did not feel bad for any of the adults in the room. The only people she felt bad for were the two little kids in front of her. They should be innocent at this age, but they were stuck listening to a family who always said horrible words to each other. Yes, adults had the right to vent, but only at the right time and ce. Having witnessed the horrible things that happened in a wealthy family, Bianca held the two little kids. She could not help but wonder how her own kid was doing. She wondered if her kid''s family environment was as unhappy as theirs, or if it was theplete opposite and that her kid was living happily. Luke rmended that the family did not eat together for dinner that night. The old man did not force him to stay but only said that they should find a better time to have their dinner together. Luke went outside with his mother, Allison. "Do you guys want to stay at home or go out with Aunt Bea?" Luke came out and asked the two kids who still clung tightly onto Bianca. The four fat paws that clung onto Bianca tightly seemed to have revealed the kids'' choice. "I can''t believe that happened while you were here today. I hope it made youugh. For what it''s worth, I like you very much. By the way, you haven''t told me your name. I just know that they call you Bea." Allison looked like her previous self with her cleaned face and change of clothing. From afar, she seemed to have returned to her morous and elegant old self. "My name''s Bianca Rayne," Bianca replied calmly. The smile on Allison''s face froze in an instant. Her face sank as she confirmed what Bianca said, "What? Bianca Rayne? Did you say that your surname is Rayne?" 3 Bianca nodded. Luke looked at his mother and said in an impatient tone, "What is it? Is there a problem with the surname Rayne?" He felt that his mom was talking too much. He was the one she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with. There was no need for her to humor his weird family members. The act of him bringing her back to meet them was an act of the highest respect that he could give them. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Rubbed His Head And Begged "Oh, it''s nothing. I just think that it''s a rare surname.''¡¯ Allison was a woman who had seen the world. Even though she was turbulent internally, she looked as if nothing was bothering her on the outside. ''Bianca Rayne.1 Allison repeated the name in her head. Bianca looked at Allison onest time. She did not think too much about it. There were many people with her surname in her country, but a typical person would not know too many people with that surname. Since elementary school up to her working life, the people around her only knew one person, which was her, with her surname. Allison looked at her son leaving with Bianca. After his car left, Allison was the only one left standing in the garden of the manor. After a while, Allison took her phone out. She looked back to make sure no one was around her before Allison walked far away toward the swimming pool. She called the person she hated the most. "Sorry, the number you have dialed is unavable...¡± When she heard a beep, she got annoyed and furrowed her brows. She dialed the number again. She called the number so many times that her hands started to shake, but his phone was still turned off!Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Luke brought Bianca and the two kids to a high-end apartment in the city center. The ce was 210 square meters. It was luxuriously decorated and was at a good location. "Daddy, why haven''t you taken US here before?" nche walked around the whole ce. When he turned back, he raised his head and asked Daddy who was seated on the sofa. Luke looked at his son casually and said, "I bought it yesterday." ''You don''t want to go home anymore?" nche asked. "... This location makes it easier for me to go to the office." "It seems that... It¡¯s not far from our school, right?" nche said as he tried to recall. "I looked at the streets on the way here. When Uncle Jason took to us elementary schoolst time, he took this road there and it took less time to get to school." This apartment was located at the most central point in the city center. Traveling anywhere was really convenient. nche had indeed remembered it correctly. It was very close to the elementary school. ''So, what are you trying to say?" Luke sped his fingers together and looked deeply at his chattering son. "I mean, this is a big house. It has three rooms and is quite spacious. Are Rainie and I going to be living here together with you?'' nche said and looked in the direction of the bathroom. "I''ve thought it through. Aunt Bea will stay in one room, you and I will stay in another room, and finally, Rainie will stay in another room all by herself." ¡¯No..." Rainie, who was washing her face in the bathroom, exploded and said, "I want to stay with Aunt Bea and sleep with Aunt Bea in my arms." Bianca said promptly, "Aunt Bea has a ce of her own to stay in. The rent has been paid for half a year." Luke nced at his son sullenly. He had ruined his ns. ''Daddy, did I identally ruin your ns?" nche felt very guilty when he heard Aunt Bea say that she could not live there. Bianca finished washing Rainie''s pale little face and wiped it. She put the towel away after drying her. "Aunt Bea, please move here and stay with US." To melt his dad''s ice-cold eyes, nche went and hugged Bea who just came out of the toilet. He rubbed his head on her and begged her. ''You saw how it is at my home. I don''t want to go back anymore. But if we stay here, we''ll be stuck looking at Daddy''s grumpy face. His face looks as if we owe him a million bucks in his past life. He might starve US to death..." 1 nche said pitifully. Bianca thought about the best alternative. She crouched down and said," Since this ce is on my way to work every day, how about this? I''lle over every morning to make breakfast for you guys so that I can make sure that you''re well taken of before going to school." nche wanted to negotiate the deal, but he knew better than to force Bianca to do something that she did not want. He knew that forcing anything would not do anyone good and it might even backfire. Afterward, they had their dinner outside. When Bianca looked at the time, she knew it was time to go back home. It was past midnight and nche, who had just moved houses, could not sleep well. He went to the living room and used the remote control to open the curtains. The little guyid in front of the French windows and furrowed his eyebrows when he looked at the night view outside. "Shouldn''t you be in bed?'' Luke got up from his bed and lit a cigarette when he saw his son. He tossed his lighter on the coffee table in the living room and walked outside to the balcony where he sat down. nche followed his dad out and asked, ''Dad, are you angry?" "What should I be angry about?" Luke raised his eyebrows but did not look at his son. "Are you angry that Aunt Bea doesn''t want to live here?" nche said sensibly, "Daddy, you mustn''t be too selfish. We should think of it from Aunt Bea''s perspective. Why must she be obliged to take care of a secondhand husband and his kids leftover from the first marriage?" 1 ''A second-hand husband?'' Luke finally turned his head to look at his son. He said with disdain, "Wow, it seems like kids who have never been to elementary school are uncultured." nche was speechless when his dad looked down on him and made ament that was uncalled for, calling him uncultured. In two months, he would be enrolled in elementary school! Therefore, nche would have to endure his father''s humiliation for the time being! After enduring it, nche could not help but retaliate before going back to the room to sleep. "You went to elementary school and got into Oxford University with your straight As, but you''re almost 30 years old and haven''t gotten yourself a wife yet... I''m sure I''ll do better than you when I grow up." 4 Luke,"..." The little guy rushed and stomped back into his room, closed the door, and locked it behind him. He was afraid that his dad might be provoked and beat him. Early in the morning the next day, Bianca went out. Since it was on the way, Nina sent her to the hospital. As Bianca was getting out of the car, Nina said, "Are you seriously going to make lunch for your boss'' kids after you visit your dad? I can''t believe you''re bing their stepmother so soon!" Bianca said nothing, lowered her head, and unfastened her seat belt. ''Bea, just tell me." Nina held the steering wheel with one hand and smiled suggestively as she teased. "You''re willing to calmly endure our boss'' two kids and even volunteered to take care of them as if they''re your kids... Oh, my dear Bea, you''re taking on the role of the stepmother so quickly, but what''s the progress of taking on the role of his wife? You and our boss, have you guys... Well..." ''Well, what?" Bianca pretended to not understand, opened the door, and got out of the car quickly. ''Well, of course, I''m talking about the one where the two of you roll in the sheets!" Nina teased and called out. Bianca had already closed the door shut and entered the hospital. When Nina saw how she reacted, her eyes widened when she suddenly realized it. She whispered to herself, "You bad girl! So you really have rolled in the sheets with your boss! Time to get the certification of marriage, then! At the ward, Bianca gently pushed open the door and entered. Kevin was instantly in a good mood when he saw his daughter. "Dad, how are you feeling? I can''t seem to get through your phone." When the father and daughter started talking, the nurse went out to let them chat. Kevin did not have to do much in the hospital. He was rxed andid on the bed. "I was just about to call you when you came. I just realized that my phone was out of battery and just got it charged." Bianca took a chair to sit in and listened to her dad earnestly. "Bea, do you know about the demolition of our old ce in Luojiazhen? I''ve just sent out the contract agreement and now, we only have to wait for ourpensation... Cough! Cough, cough, cough!¡± Kevin said before he started coughing. Bianca stretched out her hand to pat her dad''s chest to make sure he could breathe properly. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Bea¡¯s Going To Get Married After recovering from the violent coughs, Kevin said, '' Can you apply for leave these two days... To visit Luojiazhen? Your grandfather is in the old house, and Marie''s mom might also be going there..." ¡¯Grandpa?" Bianca was surprised. ''Didn''t Grandpa go to Japan with Dad¡¯s sister? When did hee back?'' Kevin held his daughter''s hand because he was worried that she would get angry. He coughed and told her everything weakly. After he told her everything, the doctor came in just in time. The doctor was there to do the daily monitoring and examination. "Dad, I have to go first," Bianca said. Kevin nodded. She was lost in her thoughts as she tried to digest what her dad told her about Grandpa. She walked out of the hospital. In the ward, Kevin stretched one arm over to let the doctor draw his blood while his other picked up his ringing cell phone. "Hello, this is Kevin." Kevin was focused on the needle sticking into his arm and did not see who was calling before he picked up. Allison¡¯s voice sounded as if she had not drunk water in days. "What''s your daughter''s name?" ¡¯Why are you asking?" Kevin''s tone changed. When she asked about that, Kevin got mad when he realized the rude person on the line was Allison! When the child was growing up, she who was the mother had never asked what the child''s name was! "Stop the nonsense and just tell me!" Allison yelled like a madwoman. "Bianca Rayne. Her first name is Bianca, meaning white because I wanted my daughter to grow up pure, white, and clean, unlike you! You dirty and filthy woman!" After Kevin scolded her, he gasped for a few seconds to regain his breath. "Go ahead, tell me what you''re nning this time?!¡¯ At the Crawford Manor. The phone in Allison''s hand slipped from her hand because her fingers had suddenly be weak. The phone fell onto the ground. ''Bianca.'' Kevin said that his daughter¡¯s name was Bianca. Was all of this part of Bianca''s n to take revenge against her mother? ''Was her visit premeditated?'' Allisonughed mockingly. ''Bianca, you¡¯re just 24 years old, but it seems that your pure face isn''t how you are inside! It seems that you''ve yed US both!¡¯ 4 Luke only got up in the morning when he received a call from Bianca. "I''m sorry, I promised to go over and make breakfast for you guys, but it seems like I''m caught in a bit of a hurry. I won¡¯t be able to make it. Can you tell Lanie and Rainie for me?" After Bianca said that, she hung up the phone. The head of the design department had not arrived at the office yet, so Bianca had to make a call about her leave. She thought about Grandpa who she had not seen for more than five years. Her hands trembled as her tears flowed out without warning. An old man in his 70s and in poor health was living alone in a small town. Grandpa had raised her since she was a baby. Grandpa was the closest person to her, even more so than her dad. On the way back to the rental house, she made several phone calls in the taxi to apply for her leave. She told her head of department the reason as well as made sure her team leader, Sue, knew about it too. Lastly, she told Nina that she would not be back that night and that she would be away for a few days. When Luke tried to call Bianca, her line was busy. Bianca bought a high-speed rail ticket on her mobile phone and chose the express ticket. She quickly packed up a few clothes and daily necessities before going out in a hurry. A few years ago, her aunt took Grandpa to stay with her because he did not want to stay with his son. It was because it was hard to get along with Jennifer, his daughter-inw. The old man was worried that if he lived with a daughter-inw like her, he might not be able to live a long life. However, her aunt who was in a good marriage was suddenly abandoned by her husband and had to leave Japan. The old man who was being taken care of by his son-inw suddenly had nowhere to go. The son-in- law did onest thing for him and got someone to send the old man back to China. Bianca was a little mad at her dad about this matter. ''Why should Grandpa live in the old broken house in the small town? How bad is it that you can''t trouble Jennifer and Marie to take Grandpa to A City to live with us? This is from N?velDrama.Org. She embarked on the high-speed rail back to Luojiazhen in a hurry. The train station was sketchy and had a lot of thieves. Bianca had to make sure she was attentively protecting her little luggage. After she got into the coach safely, Bianca took out her notebook and started working. She put her earphones on so that she was not distracted by the outside noises. After she got busy for a while, she suddenly felt hungry. She took out a sandwich from her bag that she had prepared beforehand. She got on the train at 9:20 o''clock and finally arrived in Luojiazhen at 11 o''clock. After she packed her stuff up, Bianca took her luggage andputer bag before leaving the station. The station had not changed much. When she tried to recall, she could still remember her surroundings. It made her feel nostalgic. As she looked at the small town where she was born and raised, somehow, the tears welled up in her eyes. "Taxi! Five bucks per person!" The dark-skinned uncle hollered at the people leaving the station. Bianca got into a taxi. There were four people in the taxi and each of them paid five yuan. In ten minutes, Bianca arrived at the entrance of the old house. The two-story building was very dpidated. Bianca took a deep breath, stepped on the weeds growing from the cracks between the old bricks on the ground, and dragged her luggage in. She pushed open the iron gate and saw the red-bricked front yard. The weeds in the yard were not very high, and there were traces of them having been cut. As she continued inside, a cloud of choking smoke filled her nostrils. As she walked into the house, she saw Grandpa¡¯s hunched back. The old man coughed non-stop, and his old eyes were red from the smokeing out of the stove pit. His tears flowed down his cheeks. There was a bowl of rice and a bowl of leftover vegetables in the ck pot. It seemed that the leftover bowl of vegetables had been reheated a lot of times because there was barely any oil left in the vegetable soup. Bianca walked over. The sticks in the stove pit were crackling from the fire. She quickly reached out and hugged Grandpa. She cried, "Grandpa..." With a fire stick in his skinny hand, the old man raised his head and nced at Bianca. "You are..." "Grandpa, don''t you recognize me? It¡¯s me, Bea." Bianca wiped her tears like a little child and took out a piece of tissue from her bag. She carefully wiped Grandpa''s dirty face as she cried andined. "Why didn''t you contact me when you came back? If Dad can¡¯t travel, you still have me, your granddaughter..." "Bea? Is it really you? Your dad told me that you''re going to get married. I didn¡¯t want to be a drag and trouble your husband¡¯s family." The old man was thinking of his granddaughter. His old eyes stared at his granddaughter as he reached out to stroke her head. ''Ah, my little granddaughter is still a good kid.'' Since he could not see clearly, the old man did not recognize his granddaughter who had grown a lot. "You¡¯re not a drag and it won''t be any trouble." At that time, someone¡¯s deep and powerful voice came from the door. Bianca thought she had hallucinated the voice. She turned her head that was soaked with tears. The man looked as if he had fallen from the sky. As she followed the direction of the light, she also saw a ck Range Rover parked outside the door. She was too hurt about her grandpa and did not notice the noise of other cars. Big cars usually drove from day to night in the town, so she got used to the noise. The man in the suit and leather shoes stepped forward through the old and dpidated door frame. Since the door frames in small towns were built low, his unusually tall height was always particrly eye-catching wherever he went. When both of their eyes met, Luke''s dark and deep eyes looked serene. It was a type of sereneness that contained a sense of anger. He seemed to be angry at her foring here alone and not letting him be the first one to know about her troubles. Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Bea Recently Seduced The Man From Somewhere "He is..." Grandpa did not want to guess who the person was. If he guessed wrongly, it would be awkward. Luke walked in with his suit and straightened back. He reached out his hand politely and intimately wrapped his other arm around Bianca''s waist. His gesture seemed to allow Grandpa to understand their rtionship. "Are you the Jean Langdon that my son told me about?" Grandpa smiled and stood in front of the fire pit. He said, "I tried to remember your name well after Bea''s father told me the two of you have been together for more than five years now and that the two of you are getting married soon." Bianca was worried that Luke would correct him, so she immediately interrupted and said, "Grandpa, look how thin you''ve gotten! Were you not used to life in Japan?" "I''m old, and old people look like this." Grandpa put his arm around his hunched back and took the fire stick to another dpidated room. After he searched for something for a long time, the old man took two small stools out and put them on the kitchen floor. He invited his grandsoninw to sit. ¡®Come, boy. Have a seat here. We don''t have any nice furniture in this house." Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Bianca looked at the two dpidated wooden stools on the floor and nced at Luke nervously. She was worried that he would not want to sit on it. However, Luke was thoughtful and took Grandpa¡¯s feelings into ount. He stepped down his usual high horse and did not seem to mind sitting on the stool at all. He even pulled her to sit next to him and said, "Come and sit, let''s talk to Grandpa." Grandpa sat on the small stool that was already in the kitchen. "You can go ahead and talk to Grandpa. I need to get some groceries." Bianca pushed her luggage aside and took some money from her bag. She nced at Luke worriedly. Luke understood what she was worried about and nodded to signify that he understood. "Alright, I¡¯ll be out." Bianca nced at Grandpa before going out. After Bianca walked past the red-bricked front yard and exited the gate, Bianca looked up and saw a lot of people standing a few meters away. She could still vaguely remember some of those neighbors'' names. In the eyes of those neighbors, she was the daughter of a wh*re, so she had to be a wh*re now that she was all grown up. Those were the gossips she had heard all the time since she was a kid. Bianca walked to a mini-mart that sold fresh produce. Even though the people that discussed her behind her back were lesser, the story seemed to have progressed a lot. It seemed that the arrival of Luke and her had reawakened the old gossips that those people just about forgot. ¡®Is that Bea from the Raynes¡¯ old house?" a middle-aged woman pointed at her and asked the others in a low voice. Someone answered immediately, "It must be. Even though she¡¯s grown a lot, you can still tell that''s her. I could tell straight away that''s the little Bea." "Tsk. Times are different now. A river 30 years ago might be called the east river, but 30 yearster, it might be the west river. Look at how promising the Rayne daughter is, thenpare her to my daughter. My daughter only married a policeman from the county." ¡®Mrs. Wilson, don''tpare them that way. Your girl got married to the bestpared to all the other girls in our town.¡± "Well, it¡¯s not any better. The only reason my husband and I agreed to marry her off is because of the betrothal gift that''s worth 200,000. That, and the car that he bought for her dad that''s worth more than 100,000. Other than that, my son-inw has no merits! All he has is money! I hate it!" Someone stood up and praised Mrs. Wilson. "Well, your daughter married into a good family. I¡¯m 80 percent sure that this Bea is a mistress. Look at this man''s car. I bet it''s worth millions! Perhaps Bea recently seduced the man from somewhere and hurriedly brought him back to show him off to the townspeople." "This Bea is quite vain... She did the same thing as her shameless mom who ran off with a rich guy..." 1 Bianca bought vegetables, meat to cook the vegetables with, ribs, and seasonings from the mini-mart. When she returned from her shopping, the gossiping middle-aged women were still there. When she passed the front yard and entered the house, she saw Luke holding a bowl with leftovers in his hand. He was about to pour it out, but Grandpa stared at the bowl of leftovers with dismay. He was obviously trying to stop him, but he did not want to be rude. "Grandpa, eating this bowl of vegetables will not do any good for your health. On the contrary, it will cause more harm to you," Luke said that and dealt with the leftovers decisively. Grandpa sat down silently without speaking. Bianca stood at the doorway with the things in her hands. She could not say what she was feeling, but it was an indescribable sense of security that flooded into her heart. The well-clothed man walked into the kitchen. His white and slender fingers held the broken bowl. The diamonds iid on the luxury watch that he wore on his wrist glimmered reflections of light in the dark and shabby room. Everything lookedpletely out of ce. When Luke noticed that she was standing at the door and holding the groceries that she bought with a bbergasted look on her face, Luke put down the old and worn out bowl with the chipped edge down. He lifted his head and asked, "You¡¯re back? What did you get?" Bianca was moved by how he yed along and that he did notin about how other houses in the town had natural gas pipelines for their stoves. The ones that did not have them at least had gas tanks. Her old grandpa still used a fire pit stove by burning branches that he picked from the forest. Since Luke had spent a whole year in the town before, he knew about the customs of the townspeople. The main reason Luojiazhen was not fantastically developed was because of the inactions of the previous leader. Now that they had changed leaders, the economy of that ce was developing rapidly. The newly elected government and developers were working together to develop the town rapidly. Therefore, the value of Luojiazhen was going to follow suit. Luke bought a gas tank and the delivery man installed it within 20 minutes. "You can go and apany Grandpa, let me handle this." Luke walked toward the cutting board. He was worried that she did not know how to use the gas tank or that the old kitchen knife was too dull that she would identally hurt her fingers. "I¡¯m fine. You should go and sit. Otherwise, I''ll feel bad." Bianca was very grateful for him but also felt guilty. Of course, she would not let him make dinner. In addition to that, Bianca was surprised that he could cook. Luke looked at what she was cutting before the old man called him over to talk. Whether she was in the UK for those few years or when she was a tween in the small town, Bianca always cooked. When she was a kid, her grandfather would be busy doing farm work in the fields, so she would help pick the beans together on the weekends. When the sun was setting, she would run back home to prepare dinner for her grandfather and herself. She always used firewood to do so. Although she did not eat very well during those years, at least her stomach was filled. During the years when she was studying, she had the money from her dad and the money she earned from part-time work. At that time, she was so content with her life that it felt as if she was living in heaven on earth. Her cooking skills gradually became better. After she made sweet and sour ribs, Bianca brought it to the table and nced at her grandpa. Grandpa was smiling so widely that his eyes were almost closed. Luke was gesturing gracefully when they were talking about something. As always, he still looked like the boss that he was. However, Grandpa seemed to be listening attentively, admiring the grandson-in- law. He was grateful that God gave such an outstanding man to his granddaughter. "Okay Grandpa, enough with the chit-chatting. Come over and eat,'' Bianca called out as she ced the food on the table. The store delivered three high stic stools. The old foldable tables in the storeroom were all folded up. At that moment, Grandpa felt very embarrassed and was worried that his grandson-inw would feel contempt. "Jean, our little town is not as great as the city. Come, let us all eat and try out Bea''s cooking." Grandpa used his chopsticks and grabbed a piece of rib for Luke. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 A Weird Noise Came From The Next Room Bianca held the bowls and chopsticks. She looked at Luke who was sitting across from her with her sorry eyes. Luke probably hated Jean. When Grandpa called him Jean, even though it felt bad, he had to swallow it for the time being. "Grandpa, you should eat more too." Luke did not correct him and made sure the old man ate first. After he picked up food for Grandpa, he picked up two pieces of ribs for Bianca. "Thank you." Bianca picked up a few grains of rice with her chopsticks but did not dare to look up at him. She took a small bite of the rice before she bit into the ribs that he picked up for her. It was then when Bianca noticed that the ribs that Luke picked up for Grandpa and her were fine pieces of ribs. It was the type with one single bone and had meat that could be easily bitten off. He ate the backbone. The small town was not fancy, so ribs were sold together with the backbone. Bianca picked up a piece of fine ribs and put it in his bowl. "You should eat too. Don''t just pick food for Grandpa and me." "I''m not hungry yet." The man put the rib back into her bowl again. Grandpa paid attention to the details of the scene that showed the two people getting along. He was pleased. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The old man had lived for more than 70 years. The number of people and the type of people he had seen were too many. Whether his grandson-iw''s intentions were real or fake, he could see through him very clearly. Bea was brought up by me. She''s lived a very tough life. She lived on bread and water while the clothes she wore were second-hand clothes that other kids no longer wanted. When she was a child, her dad always had to leave her alone because he had to go to work, while her mom never saw her after she was born. This child has lived a hard life, but she grew a lot from it. Whenever I think about it, I can''t help but me myself..." When Grandpa told this story, he was heartbroken. Tears started to form in his eyes as he recalled the old times. "The granddaughter you raised is so much wiser than the daughters raised by wealthy families. Don''t me yourself," Luke looked at Bianca and said to Grandpa. "Let''s continue our meal. We don''t have to talk about that. I mean, I¡¯m living an alright life now..." Bianca knew why Grandpa said that he med himself, but that was not Grandpa''s fault. It was not her dad''s fault, either. The one who was at fault was the woman who abandoned her after giving birth to her. Grandpa was old and worn, but his wise eyes looked at his grandson-iw. He tried to figure him out. "In the beginning, when I saw how you dressed and your car parked outside, I was really worried that you would hurt my dear Bea and not treat her sincerely. It seems that I was being shallow and misunderstood you." Lukeforted the old man and said, "Grandpa, you have it the other way around. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to trouble you to persuade Bea this time. I''m afraid that I''ve done something wrong to make her run away from marriage. Upon hearing this, the old man said solemnly, ¡¯ If Bea tries to run from your marriage and let you down, I will goto the city myself to break my unfilial granddaughter¡¯s legs!" Bianca,"..." After a busy day, Bianca sent Luke to the town hotel in the evening. On the way there, Bianca wanted to remind him that the hotel in the town had limited facilities, but she remembered that he had stayed in the town for a whole year before, so she kept her mouth shut. The two of them walked over to the ck Range Rover that was parked in front of the house. Bianca walked on his left side, looked up at him, and said, "I''m sorry I let Grandpa call you Jean. If I told him that you''re not Jean, Grandpa will definitely start asking questions. Even if we clear everything up, I''m sure he won''t be able to stop thinking about it and will end up losing sleep over it." "It''s fine. As long as the grandson-inw that the old man sees is me, it''s okay." Luke''s deep ck eyes were fixated on Bianca. His eyes had a deep sense of possessiveness toward her. One of the shops on their way was still open. Bianca went in and asked thedy owner, "Do you sell chargers here?" Thedy owner looked at the two strange faces. From the way they dressed, she could tell that they came from the big city. She asked with hesitance, "What kind of phone? Let me see." Bianca used an iPhone, but the charger did not match Luke''s phone''s charger. Luke took out his phone and showed it to thedy owner. Thedy owner did not dare to touch the phone, so she looked from a distance and shook her head. "This is a small ce that sells chargers for phones like Huawei and Xiaomi. I''ve never seen a mobile phone like yours before." "Okay, thank you." There was nothing they could do but leave the store. They asked a few shops in the small town, but everyone said the same thing. Bianca knew that Luke probably drove over in a hurry and forgot to bring his phone charger. She med herself. She was anxious to see Grandpa, so she did not have time to tell him clearly about her family affairs. ''What should we do? How about you drive back tonight? It''ll only be two hours anyway." Bianca hoped he would take her suggestion. A man¡¯s career and his business were important. The bigpany was under his management. Now that his cell phone was out of battery, no one would be able to contact him. Luke pursed his thin lips as he kept quiet. His deep brows were filled with stubbornness. Thepany would not have any problems since Jason was there. Otherwise, what was the point of having the group of people he was paying a high sry to? "Nothing''s more important than you." Luke''s voice was deep and bewitching. It was a good thing theck of light at night time concealed her crimson cheeks on her pale face. "Let''s go, I''ll send you to the hotel." "What about you? Where will you stay?¡± Luke asked. They reached the hotel entrance. "Mister, I''d like the best room you have, please." Bianca took out some cash and asked the man behind her for his ID card while she silently prayed that they had a good room for him. i The owner looked up at Luke. The man''s ID card showed that the man resided in A City. He looked at the man who stood by the side. He was tall and long-legged. He had very distinct and sharp facial features. It looked as if a high- ranking leader was visiting an unremarkable little hotel. It was as if they should be greatly honored by his gracious presence. "I''ve checked him in. His room is thest room in the corridor." The owner got the best room for him. In one hand, Luke held his ID card and keys while he took her arm with the other hand. When they arrived in front of the room, Luke opened the door with the key and led her in. After he looked around the room, he turned around and pressed her against the wall. She was locked in his arms with her back against the wall. He looked down at her and said softly, "This ce isn''t that great. Can I stay with you at your grandfather''s house?" Bianca looked around the room. Even if the hotel was not great, it was still a hundred times better than grandpa''s old house. "No, you can''t. There aren''t enough rooms in Grandpa''s house, uh..." When she shook her head and said no, the man''s thin hot lips stopped her from continuing another word. Luke mped the woman''s slender waist with his big hands and kissed her domineeringly. He pried her teeth open forcefully with his lips and tongue. After they kissed for a while, his breathing quickened. He grabbed her body andid her on the bed. "Uh... Don''t..." She looked up at the man who was pressing up against her. Her eyes were watery and wide open while her pair of small hands pressed against the man''s big strong chest. The man in the suit and leather shoes was like a beast, pressing her down and flipping her over. At that moment, there was a woman''s voice in the next room that made Bianca''s body shake. "You devil... When did you... Come in... Ahhh... Are you not afraid of your wife... Ah... Finding out..." It was Jennifer''s voice! Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Allison Finds Bianca And A Showdown "The owner''s my buddy, so I asked him for a spare key to your room..." From what they heard, the unidentified man Jennifer was struggling from had a wife. His family lived in the small town. Bianca''s hand was grasping the sheet hard. She felt sad for her dad. Dad had struggled for more than 20 years to earn money to support Jennifer and her daughter. In the end, however, Dad was in the hospital enduring the pain from his terminal illness while his wife Jennifer was cheating on him. "You dirty man..." "Don¡¯t you like me being nasty? Anyway, I''m better than that guy of yours who either has this cancer or that cancer... Say it... Don¡¯t you agree..." "Ah... You''re good. You''re the best... Ahhh... Don¡¯t thrust so hard... You''re going too deep...¡± Too deep? I think you can still take a couple more inches in you!" the man said crudely, "You''re at such an old age now. Why are you still pretending... I can go deeper... You¡¯re not that tight either... And I¡¯m the only one who can make youe...¡± Bianca felt sick to her stomach! "You know this person?" Luke asked softly after he heard the voice next door. "She¡¯s... My stepmother." Bianca felt ashamed for her and her dad. Luke pushed himself up from her. Her body was like a clothing rack with a function of automatically making the clothes on her look neat. Instantly, she looked well-dressed and sophisticated again. "Let¡¯s go." He did not want her to continue listening to such disgusting things again. Bianca got up while she was still out of breath and followed him out. When she was at the hospital in the morning, her Dad told her that Jennifer might also go back to town. "Go out and wait for me," Luke whispered to her. He patted her shoulder, then stood by himself at the front desk in the hotel, unmoving. She had no choice but to go out and sit on a bench under the moonlight. He did not take the money returned by the hotel owner. Instead, he took out his wallet and put a pile of money on the marble countertop, saying," It¡¯s all yours." A room in the small town cost less than 20 bucks per night. If anyone came down to the small town, there were not many choices to stay in. At the few ces avable, most people would have to bargain for a long time before getting a room. The hotel owner looked at the cash on the counter and hesitantly asked, ¡¯ You are..." Luke gave all the money he had just withdrawn from the ATM in the small town to the owner. He lit a cigarette between his fingers and took a sip as his ck eyes narrowed. He said, "Go and do something for me." Bianca waited for Luke for two minutes. When she realized something was amiss, she went in to look for him. "I''ve checked out of the room." At that very moment, Luke strode out. "Why did you check out?" It either meant that he was driving back to A City at night or... He was staying with her at Grandpa¡¯s house. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. When Luke grabbed one of her small hands and felt that it was cold, he rubbed them as he said, "I was asking the hotel owner if there¡¯s a shop nearby that sells bedsheets and nkets." Grandpa''s ce only had one set of old nkets. The one she was supposed to use for tonight was found in the cab after rummaging through it. Since it was very damp, she hung in the front yard in the afternoon to dry it. Grandpa thought that her guest should stay in the hotel. Even though he was to be his grandson-inw, they were not married yet. Furthermore, he did not look like he came from an ordinary family, so he probably would not be used to such poverty in a small town. A City. Allison drove out by herself, parked the car on the side of an empty street, and repeatedly called her son¡¯s phone. "Sorry, the number you have dialed is unavable..." She called Jason instead. "Jason, this is Luke''s mother. Do you know where Luke is?" Allison asked. "I''m sorry, Madam. Mr. Crawford does not allow us to intervene with his private affairs." Jason received a call from his boss five minutes ago, but the caller number disyed was Bianca''s number. That meant the boss was with Bianca. As for where he went and when he would return, none of his subordinates had the right to ask. "Useless bunch of people!" Allison scolded and hung up. Allison had one hand on the steering wheel and her phone in the other. After thinking about it angrily for a long time, Allison remembered her best friend''s son Leon. She quickly made the call. "Leon? This is Allison, your Aunt Tanner. "Remember the blind date that I set up for youst time? You called her before meeting her, right? Send her number to me as soon as you can. "Okay, I''ll be waiting for it." Allison hung up after speaking. Three minutester, Leon sent Bianca¡¯s phone number over. At the town. The two walked out of the shop after buying a thin nket and bedsheets. Luke asked about Bianca''s stepmother. Bianca felt there was nothing to conceal, so she told him everything from the beginning. "My dad probably means to say that Jennifer wants the demolition money from my grandpa''s house. It has actually racked up quite a sum." "If your dad doesn''t allow it, then she won¡¯t be able to get it, right?" When Luke heard about Jennifer¡¯s story, he could imagine it clearly. Since Bianca lived under her stepmother''s roof, she had to suffer through a lot. Bianca looked at the road ahead, holding a pillow with cartoons on it." Since my dad''s in the hospital, getting angry will only make his condition worsen faster. Jennifer probably guessed that I wouldn''t bother my dad about it. She also probably thinks that my grandfather and I are easy to bully and that we''ll just let her tten and squish us." At that moment, the two of them who had just walked out of the shop heard amotion in the hotel next door. "You shameless b*tch! How dare you seduce my man! I''ll tear you apart!" Along with the curse, there was the sound of fabric being lifted. A very embarrassed woman came out of the entrance of the hotel. Bianca gasped in shock. It was Jennifer. ¡¯Did she get caught in bed by the man''s wife?¡¯ When Luke nced at Bianca''s stunned little face, he smiled cheekily without letting Bianca see that he was doing so. Bianca stared at the scene ahead. Jennifer wore a long skirt and her hair was being pulled by a tough-looking woman. The woman cursed as she grabbed Jennifer''s thigh through her skirt. She twisted Jennifer''s thigh so hard that she fell onto the ground and wailed. As for the man who was with Jennifer, he stood at the entrance of the hotel as he held his clothes timidly while his legs trembled... "B*tch! I''ll kill you first, then I''ll hack him to death when I get home! I''ve been wondering why a woman as old as you could be so low, squealing like a female swine in your house! I¡¯m going to cut your tongue out!¡± The woman put her body on top of Jennifer as she hit her with both hands. The scene was so gnarly that other people had to look away. Jennifer''s face was swollen and flushed while the corners of her mouth were bleeding. Bianca pulled Luke and said, "Let''s go home." Luke took off his zer and put it on her as he led her to the direction of the old house. Right after she entered the house, Bianca was still thinking about Jennifer''s retribution and heard her grandpa say, "Bea, your phone has been ringing fora longtime." Luke took the initiative to take the newly bought nket and bedsheets into Bianca''s room. He began to make the bed. He decided that he was going to sleep in her room tonight. The six missed calls were all from a number that Bianca did not recognize. When she picked her phone up, it rang again. She decided to answer it.'' Hello?" "Bianca Rayne? I''m Luke''s mother!" Allison finally got through! She sounded very urgent and angry. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Lose Your Mind And Won''t Be Able To Bear It The manner Allison was speaking in sounded very strange. Bianca was so shocked that she had forgotten to greet her. "Where are you? I want to see you right away, Bianca Rayne. I think we need to sit down and talk seriously. It¡¯ll be good for both you and me," Allison said selfishly. When they met at Crawford Manor, Allison treated her very warmly and called her Bea. This was the first time she had called her by her full name, Bianca Rayne. Bianca remembered that when she was five years old, she was pushed to the ground by other kids and ended up knocking her knee under her skirt on the gravel. One of her knees bled after getting scuffed badly. She had cried and gone home to look for her grandpa. She told him that she wanted her mommy and asked why everyone else had a mommy but her. The kids who had mommies always bullied her, calling her ''little bastard'' and that bastards deserved to be bullied! Grandpa, who was exhausted from her crying, stopped his kind demeanor and had a very serious expression on his face for the first time. Instead of calling her Bea, which was what he usually called her, he used her full name -Bianca Rayne. After her Grandpa called Bianca by her full name, he told her something that she would never forget in her entire life. Grandpa said with a serious face, "You don¡¯t have a mother. You have to remember that and grow up bravely. As long as I still live, I¡¯ll be the one raising you! Don¡¯t count on your mother! When I told you that your mother had gone out to work and have not yet returned, it was just a lie! It''s because I didn''t want you to be sad! ''Your mother didn¡¯t want you after giving birth to you. Those outsiders are right when they say that you were abandoned by your mother. ''The woman who is your mother is a gold digger and a horrible person! She betrayed your dad¡¯s love for her! She would rather throw her own flesh and blood away so that she can enjoy life! If it wasn''t for me taking you in, you might have grown up in an orphanage!" Now, Allison was calling her by her full name with a bad attitude. What would she hear from Allison? "Can we discuss it through the phone?" Bianca wanted to know immediately what was waiting for her. "This matter can¡¯t be said on the phone. I¡¯m afraid that you''ll lose your mind. I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t bear it. That''s why I have to keep you in my line of sight to ensure that you can control your emotions," Allison said and paused. "If you cant control your emotions, I¡¯ll help you control it.¡± As Bianca held her phone, her fingers shook uncontrobly. "I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t see you right now. I¡¯m visiting my grandpa in my hometown. The fastest I can make it... Will only be tomorrow." Bianca was anxious, but she could not bring Grandpa back that night because they would have to have an overnight drive. The old man would not be able to withstand a night of toiling. Allison thought for a while and said through the phone, "Okay, I¡¯ll wait for you toe back tomorrow." "Goodbye." Bianca was about to hang up. "Wait." Allison stopped and reminded. "You¡¯d better not tell Luke about this. At the moment, it¡¯s just something between the two of us that can be solved easily." "Okay, I understand," Bianca said. Allison was a little nervous and said, "Don''t try to be smart and secretly tell Luke. I can tell you that it''ll absolutely not end well for the two of you if you do. If you tell Luke about this matter privately, just you wait until you return to A City. You''ll regret it after you hear what I have to say. I can guarantee you that." "See you tomorrow," Bianca finished speaking and hung up the phone. Grandpa walked toward her with his cane and asked, "Who was calling? Your dad?" Bianca''s eyes flickered with uncertainty as she helped Grandpa in a reflexive manner. She said, "Grandpa, go to bed. I''ll bring you back to A City with me tomorrow after you get up. We''ll live together from now on." Grandpa was pulled back into his room by her. The room had a wooden bed with an old nket. Bianca crouched down to take off her grandpa''s shoes. She brought a basin over and washed Grandpa''s feet. After that, she took the newly bought towel and dried his feet carefully before helping Grandpa to lie down. Grandpa insisted and said, "I won''t go with you. It¡¯s not that bad living by myself here!" "No, I won¡¯t allow it. I want to live with my grandpa. Grandpa, you raised me when I was young. Since I¡¯m older now and am making my own money, I should take care of you and let you spend your old age happily." What Bianca meant was that he could not refuse it. She covered the old man with the nket before turning around and going out of the house. Luke was waiting outside the door. Bianca went outside. The air in the town was fresh, especially at night. The dew gradually became heavier and the surrounding flowers and nts were wet by it. They exuded a delicate fragrance. "Tonight you..." Bianca looked at him and wondered how his sleeping arrangement would be forthat night. The cigarette in Luke''s mouth was plucked out between his fingers. He leaned over and reached out his hand to talk to her, but at that moment, the door opened. The small piece of ss on the door was shaken by the vibration of the door opening. It made a noise. "Jean,e and stay in Grandpa''s house..." The old man was a little worried as he leaned on his cane. He shuffled out with his shoes. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Bianca said nothing. Luke pointed toward the outside of the door and said to the old man," Grandpa, I¡¯ll be sleeping in the car. It¡¯s spacious enough." "Isn''t it cold in the car? I don¡¯t want you to get cold." "It''s not cold. I brought a nket when I came." After Luke finished speaking, he went into the house and helped Grandpa back into the house again. After Grandpa was settled down inside, Luke walked out. He took his zer and car keys, looked at her with his deep eyes, and said, "I''ll sleep in the car tonight. Come out with me." Bianca walked behind him. She followed him out quietly for fear that Grandpa would suddenlye out and bring her back to bed. Outside the gate, the man opened the car door. He ced her zer on the car seat, turned around, and hugged her. He lowered his head and leaned his lower jaw on her head. He said, "I want to sleep with you. I¡¯m going crazy." Bianca let him hug her, but suddenly an inexplicable mncholy grew in her heart. When Allison approached her earlier, she expected that something bad was about to happen. Either she was going to persuade her to leave Luke, or there would be horrible drama like the television shows. Would Allison be giving her an empty check to fill? That was a trick used by the wives of the wealthy to make sure their sons did not date ordinary women. It was a trick used in the horrible drama television shows and in real life. However, the reality was often far worse than television shows. Luke lowered his head and kissed her lips. On that chilly summer night, his lingering kisses were fierce and hot. So much so that Bianca was unable to bear it and was about to faint fromck of oxygen. Grandpa''s supervision to make sure they did not sleep together was the right thing to do. In the elderly''s mind, they were not to live together unless they got married. After they returned to A City, the young people could do what they wanted, as long as they did not do anything right under the nose of the old man. "I should go back. I have to get up early tomorrow to sort out Grandpa''s things and help him pack up." Bianca was being held in his hard arms. Her weak body wanted to flee. She pulled her hand out to make him loosen his grip. However, her left hand identally pressed onto the man¡¯sher regions. The bursting hard muscle was identally caught by her little hand. She was so shocked that she curled up her fingers quickly as if she had burnt her fingers. When she thought of thest time he used his hands to help her in the hotel suite, Bianca blushed and quickly broke away from his body. She turned back quickly to walk back into the house. Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Threatened To Kill Her And Forced Her To Leave Luke 1 Luke leaned in front of the car, his fiery body wrapped under his shirt and trousers. He was still moring to ejacte. The man frowned and opened the car door to take his box of cigarettes and lighter. He lowered his head, lit a cigarette, and inhaled fiercely. It seemed that the only thing he could do was to smoke to suppress the unrest in his body. His eyes that were as ck as ink looked at the room with the dim lights. The old house had been empty for several years, so there were no curtains installed. Luke continued staring at the room until she turned off the lights after a while. That night, Bianca did not sleep well. Luke barely slept in the first half of the night either. He returned to the town. The quiet night inevitably made him feel emotional as he thought back about everything that he experienced in the town. All the good and bad flooded into his mind vividly. Bianca woke up with a headache just a little after five in the morning. She could not sleep well in a different environment. However, that was the second thing that was bothering her. The main thing was actually Allison''s words that were still ringing in her head. Moreover, she also had a nightmare. She dreamt that Allison threatened to kill her and forced her to leave Luke. When she got up, she folded her nket and went straight to Grandpa''s room. When Grandpa saw his granddaughtering into his room, he asked," Why are you awake so early? Why don''t you sleep a little longer?" ¡¯I usually get up around this time." Bianca went over and suddenly put her arms around Grandpa''s neck. She said, "Grandpa, I won''t send you to Dad¡¯s ce. He has gone out to work and won¡¯t be back for a long time. You can Grandpa did not notice the mncholy on his granddaughter''s face. The old man patted the back of his granddaughter''s hand. ''Grandpa knows that you''re filial, but you''re about to get married. I''m an old man. I''ll only be a burden." This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "You''re not a burden. How can taking care of my grandpa be a burden? I¡¯m sure my husband¡¯s family would want me to be a filial person. If they want me to be ungrateful and unfilial, then I won''t marry into a family like that..." Bianca smiled as she told Grandpa. However, her eyes were slightly damp. She did not know if it was because of her bad night, but for some reason, she felt a little empty. It was as if she was about to lose something important. Luke walked in from the front door. When Bianca saw his tall and straight figure approaching, she also noticed that he was carrying breakfast. Toast and sausages. 1 "Grandpa, let¡¯s have breakfast together." Bianca crouched on the floor to help Grandpa put on his shoes. She helped Grandpa to the kitchen. Luke apanied Grandpa as well as they ate and chatted. Bianca finished eating in a hurry, got up, and went to pack things up for Grandpa. She found that the daily necessities used by Grandpa were not old. On the contrary, they were luxury goods that even she would not buy for herself, i His bag that carried his stuff was a Prada. It seemed that the man her aunt married had a very good temperament and was generous. That was why he took her aunt and Grandpa to live in Japan. Their living conditions were probably good from the looks of the Prada bag. The old man had enjoyed a good life for several years before suddenly returning to this poor town. There must be a big gap in his heart. After Bianca packed up his things, she helped Grandpa change his clothes, and they got into the car. The neighbors who were up early saw this scene and asked, "Old Man Rayne, what are you..." "I''m bringing Grandpa to my house." Bianca recognized the pesky neighbor at a nce. After speaking, Bianca closed the car door. The neighbor immediately yelled out, "So is this the granddaughter who came to take her grandpa to the city to enjoy the rest of his life? Pfft. Don''t be like your aunt, sending back the old man after a little while. Your aunt married a rich man and suddenly she''s better than everyone else? In the end, she still had to rush him back to the country. If I had to guess, the daughters raised by the Rayne family are arrogant and flighty.¡± Bianca ignored the neighbor''s insults. Luke was inside the house picking up the old man''s bag that was filled with his daily necessities and clothes. He frowned and went out to see what themotion with the neighbors was about. Bianca looked at his annoyed face and hurriedly stopped him. She looked up at his eyes that were as cold as ice. Ignore these people." ¡¯Uncultured people,¡± Luke said angrily. ''I don''t think you can talk about culture in these neighborhoods." Bianca suddenly hugged Luke''s strong waist and put her small hands into his coat. When she thought about meeting Allison, she felt bad again. On the way back to A City. Grandpa asked Bianca, '' Where did your dad go to work again? Why didn''t he tell me about it when he called me a few days ago?" Luke nced at Grandpa and Bianca on the back seat through the rearview mirror. Bianca panicked a little and said, "Maybe he didn''t want you to worry, so he didn''t tell you that he went for outstation work. Actually, the ce he went to isn¡¯t too far away, but because it''s a short duration, he doesn''t have time off. He won''t be able toe back to see us." "What kind of work is he doing? Is it tiring?" The old man was worried about his son¡¯s health. Bianca''s mind was in overdrive to make up a job that did not sound tiring to tell Grandpa. While she was racking her brain thinking, Luke said, "He¡¯s doing supervisory work. It''s mainly just sitting in the office and going to the factory once a week to check the safety indicators. It''s generally a leisurely job that most people would like. It makes a lot of money too." When the old man heard what he said, he chimed on and on about how great the job sounded. Bianca looked gratefully at the man in front who was driving. After more than two hours'' worth of drive, they finally arrived in A City. Bianca contacted Ninast night and asked Nina to help her rent a two- room ce in A City. Nina asked about the reason and Bianca told her about Grandpa''s situation. Nina knew that Bianca was brought up by her grandfather. She told her straight away that she would not need to rent a house because she would move back home. The reason was that just a few days after she moved out, Marie tricked her mother into paying the down payment for a house. If she did not go back to stand guard, her stupid brother and mother would probably end up giving the house ownership to Marie. As she brought the old man up the stairs, Nina was still at home. ''Grandpa, I always hear about you from Bea. When she came here for school, we were in the same ss and sat together. Every time she thought of you, she would always cry," Nina said with a smile. After talking to Grandpa for a while, Bianca pulled Nina into the kitchen to speak privately. Bianca asked, "Are you sure you want to move back? Why didn''t you tell me about this before?" "I was just about to tell you but you went back to your hometown. Actually, I didn''t know how to bring it up because I promised toe and stay with you but ended up leaving you alone... But now, everything works out because your grandpa''s here." Nina patted Bianca on the shoulder. Bianca fell silent. "What''s the matter?¡± Nina felt that she had something on her mind and that it was a very serious concern too. Since Bianca had to meet Allison, Bianca told Luke to drop her off and that she would not be going out soon because she wanted to apany Grandpa. Therefore, Luke left and returned to thepany. Bianca said to Nina, "I have to head out for a momentter. If everything goes to n, I¡¯ll be back soon. Can you help me take care of Grandpa until Ie back?" ''Of course, no problem." Nina looked at Bianca with a weird expression as she tried to see what was going on in her head. "You suddenly don¡¯t seem like you anymore. Did anything happen? You don''t look okay..." "It''s nothing. Don''t worry about it." Bianca went out. i 20 minutester, Bianca sat in a nearby coffee shop. Across her was Allison. She was dressed up and graceful as usual. "Do you want to know who your biological mother is and where she is now? Forget it, let me tell you straight away then. You''re my daughter..." Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Crying Like A Wounded Little Animal "What did you just say?" Bianca''s face stiffened. Allison must be joking. Perhaps that richdy really hated her to the extreme and wanted to separate Luke from her. However, it was a little absurd to say such tant lies. "I said, you''re my daughter. Am I not clear enough?" Allison finished her sentence, reached out, and picked up her coffee cup. She took a sip from it, then raised her head to show an expressionless face. "So you can''t be together with Luke." 2 Bianca stared at Allison across her. One of Bianca''s hands was sped across her other hand beneath the table. Her palms were slick with cold sweat. She never told Allison that she had lost her biological mother when she was a child. ''How does Allison know about this? Did Luke tell her about it?¡¯ Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Bianca''s mind was in a mess. She also remembered that Allison was the mistress who separated Susan, who had gone crazy that day, and Luke''s father, Zachary. Allison then seeded in taking over Susan''s position in the family. Since Bianca was a child, she had always heard her neighborstalking about her biological mother running away with a rich man. That rich man was able to give her mother a good life. 1 On that note, it seemed that there was a slight possibility. However, so what if that was the truth? There were many bad women who became mistresses and ran away with rich men in this world. How could she be her biological mother? 1 Bianca shook her head. No, she did not believe it! Allison looked right into her eyes and attacked her weak spot again. "Bea, I never asked your father your name until you told me your surname is Rayne. You aroused my suspicion when you told me that your surname is Rayne that day. I was surprised and worried that you were rted to Kevin. "Because Luke was there, I didn''t want to ask you directly. I even wondered if you knew you were my daughter and that your father had told you. I thought that you were deliberately seducing Luke just toe at me for revenge, for abandoning your father and yourself...¡° When Allison said that, her face turned a little gloomy and twisted hideously. 1 "However, it seems that you didn''t know that you''re my daughter. You''re not with Luke just to take revenge on me." Allison''s face returned to its calm demeanor. Bianca could not ept it, just like how she could not ept the fact that her dad was diagnosed with liver cancer back then. She shook her head and did not want to ept it. "Don''t lie to me. Your lies are too low-level. It''s a lie that can only trick toddlers.¡± "A low-level lie? Do you think that I became T Corporation''s former chairman''s wife by talking nonsense and telling low-level lies?" Allison raised an eyebrow and said. Bianca looked at Allison and was unable to figure it out. Indeed, Allison checked all the boxes and was able to manipte her way into Luke''s father''s arms. Furthermore, she stood her ground and ended up being able to enjoy the life of being Mrs. Crawford for the rest of her life. 3 How could such a scheming woman not be shrewd? 1 A shrewd woman would not fabricate absurd reasons to deceive people. Even if she was stupid or an idiot, Luke had always been the smart one. If Allison lied, it would be revealed soon. After Bianca thought through that point, she closed her eyes and suddenly, her body became cold. Did that mean Allison was actually her biological mother? She sat motionless in her seat and calmed herself down for more than ten minutes. However, Bianca was not able to calm down. She got up, took her bag, turned around, and left. 1 "Stop right there!" Allison called out. Bianca stopped in her steps. Allison picked up her handbag and took out some cash from her wallet. She ced the bills on the table, walked up to Bianca gracefully, and said coldly, "I hope you don''t lose control. Find your ce and handle this rationally. Follow-up with Luke too. Otherwise, you''ll ruin him!" Bianca finally raised her head and looked at the middle-aged woman. Compared to her embarrassment and her being on the brink of breakdown, the woman was much calmer. When she announced the news, it was as if she was talking about what she ate for breakfast or lunch. This mother of hers who seemed to have fallen from the sky was really real? Bianca thought that she should confirm it. If that was really her mother, how could she be so cold when facing her daughter at that moment? There were no other emotions in her eyes. She waspletely expressionless! 1 Bianca wiped her tears and lowered her head to think. In fact, what she said was right. Why should she hope that the mother who abandoned her would have any feelings for her? After all, she had never seen her after she gave birth to her. If she was not that cold-blooded, she would not have been so cruel. The horrible feeling continued to spread in her heart as Bianca went downstairs. Allison went downstairs with her. Bianca called a taxi and got in the car. As she cried, she said, "Paramount Hospital, please." The taxi driver looked weirdly at her. He did not say anything. He merely turned on the meter and drove attentively. Behind her, Allison also stopped a taxi. Allison anticipated that people she knew would be around, so she did not drive for fear of being recognized. Therefore, she took a taxi and told the driver to follow Bianca''s taxi. Bianca was upset and crying so hard in the taxi that she lost her voice. Her tears rolled down like beads from a broken ne. ''How is this possible?'' Images shed across her confused mind. Luke came to the small town to attend high school. He was the tall and handsome guy in their school. Luke interviewed the employees that day. She went in and was asked some very personal and strange questions. Luke hugged and kissed her as he confessed to her. He told her that he had liked her a long time ago, and now he was finally independent. He was free from the mercies of the adults in his family. He could finally be open about it and love her openly. Luke in the hotel suite, raising up her skirt... Their intimacies. Bianca broke down and tried to breathe. The feeling of being suffocated made her curl up. She pinched her sore throat with both hands. She shook her head continuously and cried horribly without making a sound. ¡°Miss, are you okay?" the scared taxi driver asked. 1 ''What kind of blows did she suffer to have a breakdown of this extent?'' Bianca finally cried out. The taxi driver stared at her as he drove. He thought to himself that since she was going to Paramount Hospital, it was probably because the youngdy¡¯s rtive had passed away. Otherwise, why would she be so sad? At the entrance of Paramount Hospital. Bianca got out of the taxi and Allison followed suit. "Let''s go in together." Allison ran after Bianca, reaching out and grabbing one of her arms. Bianca gritted her teeth. She did not speak and pulled her hand away from Allison''s grasp as she stared fiercely at the woman who caused her all this pain... 1 "I know that your dad''s in the hospital. If you don''t want him to die of anger, you should sort out your emotions and think about your excuses. After that, you can try to prove whether I''m your biological mother or not," Allison said rationally. At that moment, Bianca''s cell phone rang. She was like a wounded little animal, revealing her antlers to defend herself against Allison. When she took out her cell phone, the caller ID said that it was Luke calling. She did not dare to answer the phone. She lowered her head and firmly grasped the phone. Her lips trembled as tears fell with every blink of her eyes. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Luke Came Onto Her Doorsteps Late At Night ¡¯You can¡¯t pick up the phone the way you are now." Allison did not need to look to guess who was calling. nca lowered her head as her tears continued to flow out. This is from N?velDrama.Org. ''Come on, wipe your tears and follow me." Allison could not say anythingforting. She took out tissues and handed them to Bianca as if it was the best thing she could do. Bianca rejected the two tissues Allison was giving her. She took another deep breath, wiped the tears from her face, and walked into the hospital. A sad person who kept crying while they walked in the hospital would attract a lot of people''s attention, but they would not stare because sad people were aplenty in a ce like that. The elevators in the hospital were not busy in the afternoon. Soon, Bianca arrived at the floor where her dad was hospitalized. ''I need to go to the bathroom." She knew she had to take into ount her dad''s feelings and not let him see her embarrassed and sad. Allison stood silently at the bathroom door, waiting. Bianca went in, washed her face with cold water, then looked at her crying red-eyed self in the mirror with a dull expression. Her brows were slightly furrowed. She was unable to rx. When Bianca came out, Allison reminded her. "If you don''t want your father''s condition to get worse, you have to be a little happier." Bianca looked up at that woman. She was really tempted to ask, ''Please, tell me, how am I supposed to be happier?'' Bianca walked past Allison and went to the ward. The nurse saw the patient''s daughtering and went out. Allison behind his daughter, his whole face fell. ¡¯Dad," Bianca called out. Kevin¡¯s expression as he stared at Allison seemed to hold one truth. It was indeed a look of a man''s hatred for his ex-wife. The truth was, Bianca understood that if Allison dared to tell her that, it meant that the matter was probably an unchangeable fact. ''I came here to tell you something," Allison took the initiative and said to Kevin, "I originally never intended to disturb both of you for the rest of my life, but by chance, I met Bea. Bea is very sensible and I like her very much. I was even more excited when I identally learned that her surname is Rayne." As she said that, Allison came over and put her arms around Bianca''s shoulders, giving a fake smile. "I didn''t expect my daughter to have grown so much. Since we¡¯ve met, I suppose it¡¯s just the fate of our motherdaughter bond. Since you''re not well now and the old man was just driven back from Japan, Bea is too burdened. I think that it¡¯s okay for Bea to have a mother like me for the time being." Bianca did not break away from Allison, fearing that Dad would see the w in the story. Kevin looked back and forth between Allison and Bianca. Allison''s sudden want to acknowledge her daughter puzzled him deeply. However, if his daughter did not object, that matter was his daughter''s business. As her dad, he would not use his own morals to restrain his daughter. " Al right, so you two have a chat. I''ll go out and wait." Allison''s hand that she had put around Bianca patted Bianca''s shoulder as a warning. ''Don''t say the wrong thing.¡¯ When only two of them were left in the ward, Kevin hesitated for a while before speaking weakly, "Bea, come here, I want to ask you something..." ''Dad, don''t say anything." Bianca did not want to be forced to recall the pain of being abandoned since childhood through her dad¡¯s words. At that moment, all she wanted to do was just stay quiet. She never thought that knowing who her biological mother was was important until that day. As for now, the problem was not about acknowledging her mother or not. "Alright. You can think things through by yourself first. I¡¯ll keep quiet." Kevin did not understand what was happening. He even thought that his daughter was stunned for a while because she could not ept the truth of being found by her mother yet. Bianca lowered her head and remained silent for a long, long time. "It''s your choice to choose whether to acknowledge this mother of yours... I think that it¡¯s good that when I¡¯m no longer in this world, at least you¡¯ll still have a rtive here with you." Kevin did not hold back from what he wanted to say. He hoped that his daughter was able to see the pros and cons clearly. Bianca finally reacted. She shook her head, raised her eyes, and asked, ¡¯ Back then, the neighbors said that my mother gave birth to me and went off with a rich man. Grandpa told me the same thing before. So why does she have a son who¡¯s four years older than me?¡± 4 After thinking for a long time, she finally found a clue from the mess that was her mind. However, she did not expect to see the look on Kevin''s face. Kevin had a look that showed he knew the whole story well. "About this, I knew that... "When your mother was with me back then, she wasn''t an unmarried woman. In fact, she had been hurt by others before and gave birth to a child. However, the father did not take responsibility for the child... "Later, I learned that the man who hurt your mother was a rich and powerful businessman. Your mother gave him a son. 3 "I just thought that an illegitimate child of a wealthy family would be acknowledged by the family sooner orter. Dad was also worried that your mother would return to that beast because of that son.¡± Toward the end, Kevin did not say anything. The answer was obvious. All the bad things he expected eventually happened. The illegitimate son was taken back to his wealthy family, and the child''s mother who also wanted that life left the ordinary man who healed her wounds and returned to the rich man without hesitation. Bianca did not know when she got back. She was like a walking corpse who had lost her soul and was currently unconscious. She was cooking dinner for Grandpa and Nina. Nina looked at Bianca while she spooned a scoop of rice into her mouth. She probed, "Did you lose your soul?" "Nah. You should eat more." Bianca quickly became normal and smiled reluctantly. "Woah, don''t smile. You look weirder that way than if you were crying." Nina concluded that Bianca had something on her mind. It felt even more serious after she returned in the afternoon. Since the two did not want to worry Grandpa, they did not talk much at the dinner table. Finally, after finishing the meal, Bianca went to wash the dishes. Her head was lowered the whole time. Nina was beside her. She frowned and said, "You look like you just cried..." "My dad''s condition hasn''t gotten better yet." Bianca found an excuse to dodge her from prodding about why she cried. "Is it really because of that?" Nina did not believe it. Bianca was afraid that she would not be able to control herself and end up confiding in Nina. She was very scared that she would tell her about those unspeakable things. After she finished washing the bowl, she gritted her teeth and bid Nina farewell. Nina would officially move back home from that night onward. Grandpa sat on a rocking chair on the balcony, ying with the bird. Nina had bought a bird from who knew where in the afternoon and hung the birdcage on the balcony. Bianca tried to hold it back as much as she could, but in the end, she could no longer hold it. She closed the door to send Nina out in the empty living room. Then, she leaned against the bathroom door and started crying. Click. The key was inserted into the keyhole and the door was opened. A weary-looking man came in. Luke was in his suit and leather shoes. It made him look mature and steady. His brows were furrowed and his face looked colder than usual. In his hands were his car keys as well as the house key that Nina took. With both of them face to face, the tears in Bianca''s eyes started flowing in panic again. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 As Long As I''m Sure That I Love You, It¡¯s Enough "Your friend gave me her key." Luke exined how he got the key in his hand. Bianca nced at him to signify that she understood, but her eyes were still red and swollen from crying. Luke suddenly took two steps toward her to check what was going on with her. However, when he saw that she was frightened by him approaching, he took several steps back. It was clear that she was dodging him instinctively. Luke did not know why she was avoiding him. He carefully recalled that she did not reject the hot kiss when he leaned on her body in front of the car before going to bed when they were still in the small townst night. In fact, she was receptive most times and responded enthusiastically. Since they were in the car with the old man in the morning, he did not talk much with her due to the old man''s presence. However, when they were conversing normally, she did not show such an alienated attitude toward him. It only started in the afternoon when he tried calling her but she did not answer even after multiple calls. There was no other way, so he went to her house to look for her. When he arrived at her neighborhood, her friend Nina just came out. Nina took the initiative and said, "Boss, I know you''re in a rtionship with Bea, but... Why is Bea being weird today? Is there something wrong between the two of you?" Luke did not know what was going on, so he could no longer wait and rushed over as soon as the meeting was over. To be honest, the meeting was very perfunctory. It was actually unprecedented within T Corporation. The person giving the presentation was very serious, but the boss who was supposed to be involved in the set of data was staring into space. He had been frowning, thinking about something that no one knew. "It''ste. What are you doing here?¡± Bianca had not sorted out her emotions from that day and did not want to say anything to him yet. Moreover, it was inappropriate to talk about that matter at the time being. At that moment, Grandfather, who had been ying with the bird on the balcony, got up from the rocking chair. After giving the bird onest nce, he opened the balcony door and walked back to the living room. When Grandpa saw Luke standing at the door, he was surprised. He asked his granddaughter, "Bea, Jean is here. Why are you making him stand at the doorway?" Bianca looked at Grandpa. There were too many things buried in her heart. However, there was an advantage to that, which was at the critical moment, she could understand what was important and what was not. She needed to check whether the matter was worthy of a breakdown. When her dad with lung cancer was not around, naturally, Grandpa''s health became the focal point. Everything else about Luke and herself could be discussedter. "Jean,e in and sit down." Grandpa greeted his grandson-inw. Luke nodded. Bianca looked at him walking toward the sofa in the living room and sitting down. "Bea, pour Jean a ss of water." Grandpa sat on the other side of the sofa and ordered his granddaughter who was standing still. Bianca had no choice but to go to the kitchen to get water for him. "Here." She brought the ss of water and walked toward the sofa. Luke reached out to take the ss of water. However, when he took the ss over, he also grabbed her hand. Bianca quickly retracted her hand as if she had gotten an electric shock or was bitten by something. Since the old man was sitting across him and he was not in a good position to speak out, Luke just took the cup calmly and ced it on his right side. His gloomy face looked at Bianca. Bianca''s little face looked bleak. "Have you been crying?" Luke asked even though he could tell. "No," Bianca retorted immediately. The man gave her a long, deep look. He did not let it go. "So why is the area around your eyes red and swollen?" Bianca nced at Grandpa worriedly and lied. "I didn''t sleep well in the old housest night. When I can''t sleep well, my eyes be this way." Since Grandpa could not see well, he did not notice the changes in his granddaughter''s eyes without his sses. He merely thought that it was just the young woman''s makeup. In Japan, the old man saw a lot of young girls'' various makeup looks. Although his eyesight was not that great, the old man''s ears still worked well. He could tell when something was wrong between the grandson-iw and his granddaughter. The way they spoke sounded weird. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ''The two of you can go ahead and talk. I need to go back to my room toy down. Sitting in the car for the whole ride tired me out." After speaking, the old man staggered back into his room with his cane. There were only two of them left in the living room. Luke got up and grabbed her wrist without letting her dodge him again. When she tried to break free from his grasp silently, the man took her to the kitchen even more forcefully. When they got to the kitchen, Bianca looked up at the man in front of her. She said numbly, "I don''t like it when you do this." Luke looked at the woman being uncharacteristically condescending. His thin lips tightened as his eyes grew colder. "Your overbearingness, your bossiness, I don''t like any of it." As Bianca talked, her eyes reddened. She looked up into his eyes. Thus began her acting skills that wereparable to a professional actress. "I didn''t spend these two days together with you because I like you. It''s because I was motivated by my sheer vanity." Luke clenched his big hand on her wrist tightly. "Jean betrayed me. I was eager to find a man to help me save my dignity. Since the man who came to me is the boss of mypany, I have no reason to refuse it. It felt so good finding a man better than Jean to hit him and his mistress in the face.¡¯ Biancaughed. "You used me?" Luke looked at the tears in her eyes where he could vaguely see his reflection. "Yes." Bianca blinked. When her upper and lower eyshes touched, her tears fell. "After I got my revenge, I learned that Jean and his mistress are getting married and that they''ll be having a child. When I heard about that, I was devastated and desperate. I was as sad as when I found out that my dad had cancer." As Bianca talked, she cried even harder. So much so that her hands started to tremble. "I wanted everyone involved with it to die. Jean, the mistress, and myself. This kind of bitter hatred, everyone else bes unimportant and that includes you." "Do you think I''ll believe this nonsense of yours?" Luke said with a serious face. He frowned and continued talking in a strong cold voice, "Your excuse is not valid. In fact, I don¡¯t care who you love. As long as I know that I love you, it''s enough." Bianca did not have the energy to talk to him too much since he was not going to believe it anyway. However, when she heard those heartfelt words from Luke, her scalp went numb and she had chills running down her whole body. It was because of that invisible special rtionship that could never be ovee. In the small enclosed space of the kitchen, the smell of Luke permeated everywhere. It was cool, smelled good, and one of a kind. Bianca exhausted all her strength to keep the distance that they should keep. She rejected his kisses and his aura, but the man''s hidden charm seemed like a virus. It spread around, blending into her breath, and getting sucked into her body. It felt as if her entire body waspletely infected. She said that she would stay away from him and run away from him, but when she was actually face to face with that man, she tried to be optimistic. ''What if he isn¡¯t Allison''s biological son?'' 1 However, that probability was too slim. Luke was a calcting man. If Allison was not his mother, how could he not know it? Chapter 89 Chapter 89 How Could He Stop?! Luke could not tell what Bianca was thinking. That feeling made him panic because he had hoped that they were able to know what each other was thinking in their rtionship. ¡¯Come here," he said those two words softly as he stretched out his arms and pulled her into his embrace. The moment the man¡¯s big hand touched Bianca''s back, she shuddered. Each distinct finger of his was like a soldering iron that burnt her skin. "Let go, don¡¯t hug me..." Bianca said tiredly and hoarsely. The woman in his arms had lost all her strength to break free. Luke hugged her even more tightly. His thin lips started from her forehead and kissed down inch by inch, sliding across her cheeks and finding her lips When both of their lips touched, Bianca cried out loud. Luke stopped all of his movements as his body stiffened. She felt his hot and rapid breath on her lips. ¡¯If you do this again, I will disappearpletely from your sight from tomorrow onward." Bianca threatened. She was cornered. Luke suppressed his passion and love for her. He closed his eyes and endured her threat. She did not even give him the opportunity to speak. He was domineering and resolute in nature, and his style of doing things had always been strong and ruthless-Especially when he was in front of the woman that he was crazily in love with asking him to stop. How could he stop?! At Crawford Manor. When he saw his dading back, nche followed his tall and long- legged daddy while he reminded timidly. "Don''t forget you promised Rainie and me that you¡¯ll go to the movies with us tomorrow." Luke said nothing and went back to his bedroom. nche stood at the doorway of the bedroom and saw his Daddy going straight for a shower. He seemed to be in a bad mood, so he did not dare ask for trouble. The next day. Rainie got in the car excitedly while nche followed her into the car. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. When nche nced at the man sitting silently in the back seat of the car, he pursed his mouth and did not speak. He was going to ask what they were going to eat after watching the movie. He was going to ask whether they wereing back for lunch, or were they going to eat out. The adult and two kids were in the car. The driver drove. nche was actually very dissatisfied with that day''s events. The most enjoyable way for a father and son to get along with each other was for the dad to drive. However, the driver was driving. It seemed as if the family of three was not close at all but rather distant. nche thought to himself that he did not understand the world of a workaholic adult man as he sat down aggrievedly. The driver asked, "Mr. Crawford, which cinema are you going to?" nche also looked at the gloomy man beside him, curious about which cinema that they were going to go to. "Check the booking page." It was as if Luke just remembered that they were going to the movies as he told the driver that. The driver stopped and checked the page for the movie ticket bookings. Rainie did not notice anything and continued humming and singing while Lanie furrowed his little brows. His face turned dark because he had a lot to say about Daddy¡¯s irresponsibility. When the driver heard the order, he did not check the movie genre carefully but only saw the title of the movie. He clicked in a hurry and checked the address of the cinema. T Corporation had countless industries under its name, and naturally, that also included major movie theaters. Upon arriving at the cinema in the shopping za, the cinema manager personally came out to lead the way. The adult was expressionless. The manager did not even dare to greet him and only humored the two little babies. Rainie and Lanie went into the theater with their popcorn and drinks. In the huge IMAX theater, there were only three of them. "Life?" nche ate a piece of popcorn while the film started screening and the title appeared on the big screen. Rainie watched the movie seriously. "How do people float around?" Rainie was curious about how people in the spaceship floated. However, all of her questions were unanswered. The only adult man present was silent. He had his legs crossed and was motionless like a statue without any warmth. His angr facial features looked terribly cold. Half an hourter, the little girl''s soft and heart-piercing cries resounded through the cinema. The frowning man looked over. "Rainie, don''t cry. Everything in the movie is all fake." nche''s little arms and legs leaned forward as he embraced his howling little sister. The monster in the movie grew up and became bloodthirsty and cannibalistic. It bit off the human''s hand and swallowed the whole person dry. The bloody image looked terrifying to adults, let alone a little girl. Luke finally got up, walked to his daughter, and reached out to take out the popcorn stuck in his daughter''s mouth. He carried her up and strode out of the cinema. The driver waited outside of the movie theater. When he saw the boss and the two kids walking out, he went to his car immediately. He opened the door and let the boss''s family get inside. When they came out, Rainie saw the real world outside and felt much better. However, tears still hung on her eyshes as her small lips were still pursed. She had her arms around her daddy''s neck. She was not going to let go and looked pitiful. They reached home. Allison went downstairs and asked, "Didn''t you guys go to the movies? Why did youe back so soon?" ¡¯Rainie started crying in the middle of the movie and wanted to get out. We had toe out." nche¡¯s tiny face looked emotionless. After he said that, he looked sadly at the girl who the cold and cool man put down. He had walked away from her. He whispered, "A certain adult was too cruel and didn''t care about what movies kids can and cannot watch. I don''t think he knows the difference either." Allison nced at her son who stood in the courtyard smoking. She guessed that Bianca told him they were breaking up or perhaps it was something else. However, considering her son''s irritability, Bianca probably did not tell him about their blood rtion. If she had told him the truth, she knew that her son''s temperament would cause anger outbursts as well as destruction. If that was the case, no one was going to get away from it! Louis just woke up and went downstairs while wiping his wet hair. He asked nche, "Who annoyed my little nephew?" "Who else? One of the adults..." nche pursed his mouth and secretly red at the tall and straight man who was standing in the courtyard. The man was smoking and had one hand in his trouser pocket. "Who annoyed your dad?" Louis also nced at Luke in the courtyard. From his back, he could tell that Luke was in a very bad mood. "How do I know what irritated him?" nche sat on the sofa and nced up at his uncle aggrievedly. Louis understood and went out. While he held the towel in his hand, he stood next to Luke. After observing for a while, he asked, "Did you have a quarrel with my prospective sister-inw?" 1 Luke frowned and looked intensely at the old-fashioned carved gate in front of the courtyard. "The more you work hard to please someone, the more likely that person will hurt you. One day, you''ll understand that the long-term, intimate, andfortable rtionship between men and women depends onmonality, harmony, and attraction. Not oppression and binding," Louis said carefully and cautiously. Although he had only met his prospective sister-inw that day, he could tell that she was a young girl with a very soft personality. She waspletely different from the mature and stable old man who had been abstinent for a long time. His hormones would break out right when he felt like it. When Louis looked at his cold face, he could guess that Luke was probably rejected when he tried to get her to do something with him. Louis guessed that Luke was probably in a really bad mood and to take it out on the kids. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 An Excuse To See Bianca After going to the hospital in the morning, Bianca went to work at T Corporation. She received a call from Allison at noon. ¡¯Did you know that Luke is in a horrible mood right now?" ''1 didn''t know." Bianca did not like hearing Allison''s voice even if the woman was her biological mother. Allison lowered her voice and reminded again. "I hope you can understand which one is more serious. Breaking up with Luke will cause him more than a few months of pain, but if you tell him the truth, I''m afraid the pain willst a lifetime." Bianca said mockingly, "I don''t know whether Luke should feel lucky or sad to have a mother like you." 2 After Bianca said that, she hung up and ced her phone heavily on the desk. Sue, who saw everything from the side, was sensitive on the matter and knew that Bianca was in a bad mood. Bianca got up and went to print a document. As she stood in front of the printer, she thought painfully about how Allison could be her biological mother. No matter how cold-blooded a mother was, they would never be indifferent to their own flesh and blood... There was an old saying that even a vicious tiger would not eat its cubs. Although Allison was not going to eat her, it was too cruel to let Bianca swallow all of the pain she had bestowed on her. The mother did nothing but warned her. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! She was so stingy that she did not even give her a word offort. "Aren''t you going to take the printed paper? What are you thinking about?" Sue came over, looked at the documents, and asked her with raised eyes. Bianca returned to her senses, quickly picked up the printed documents, and shook her head. "I didn''t sleep wellst night." Bianca did not bother whether Sue believed her or not. She returned the original documents to her colleague. She then sat in her seat and started working. The only way the brain would not rest was by being constantly busy. Once the brain rested, the wild thoughts woulde all at once. After a long time, it was finally noon. Bianca packed her things in her bag and got ready to go to the hospital during her lunch break. 1 Sue also got up from her seat to go to have her lunch. However, just as she got up, an email came from herputer. It was the head of the department telling her that the top management wanted some information from a document. He told her to get someone to send them up immediately because Mr. Crawford had personally called and asked for them. Bianca''s departing figure was caught by Sue''s peripheral vision. Sue hurriedly got up and stopped her. "Bea, where are you going? If you¡¯re not busy, can you take this document to the top floor? Mr. Crawford needs it immediately." Sue did not know whether Bianca''s rtionship with the boss wouldst for a long time. However, it was impossible for the boss to lose interest in Bianca so quickly at that moment. Perhaps the boss asking for the documents was just an excuse to see Bianca. Sue observed Bianca''s mood all morning. At that moment, she concluded that there was something between them and that the boss might be in the wrong. "Sorry Sue, I''m in a hurry. My dad''s doctor needs me to sign something," Bianca said. Sue was stunned. It would not be good to hold her back if there was a life and death situation. However, if someone else were to send the document, one could imagine how terrifying the boss'' face would look... When Bianca arrived at the hospital, she ran into Nina who was walking out of the hospital. Not only did she meet Nina, but Anna and Marie as well. "Well if it isn''t my dear sister." Marie was pampered and supported by the arm of the future grandma before Marie even looked pregnant yet. ''What? Your dad is still alive? I thought he would¡¯ve died long ago!" Marie had already gotten the house and was pregnant with a Langdon. She no longer had to pretend to be well-behaved. All her true colors were shown for the better. Since everyone knew she was evil, she would not have to be afraid of her mother-inw and sister-inw. She just wanted to humiliate Bianca in front of everyone. She knew that Bianca would not dare to beat her in front of all of them! If she tried to, Anna would be the first one to rush over and protect her grandson! Bianca looked at Marie without getting angry. She had too much going on in her life in these two days. Marie''s words were not lethal to her at all. On the contrary, they sounded quite nonsensical and boring. Bianca walked next to Marie and looked at the side of her face. She said nkly, "When you have the time, perhaps you should go and check whether your mother''s still alive. It''s best to care about whether your mother is still alive when you have time. I don''t want my dad to receive news about a trollop''s death." "My mother?" Marie was stunned for a while. She then looked back at Bianca who had already left. "Stop right there! Tell me what you mean!" "Look at what kind of friend you have. You can''t make a silk purse out of a sow''s ear!" Anna was worried that Marie would be angry, so she had to me her daughter for something to make Marie feel at ease. Nina came to the hospital with them today because she was afraid that Marie would scam money from her mother again. That was the only reason she had gone with them. ''1 think Bea¡¯s right. Even though her dad has cancer, he may end up getting better like how he did five years ago. Who knows what would happen within these two days? Everyone knows this kind of thing happens without warning." "What are you trying to say? Are you cursing my mother to die?" Marie got very angry. "Don''t argue with her! She''s your family after all!" Anna persuaded her to make peace. ¡¯Family my *ss!" Marie shook off Anna and pointed at Nina. "What kind of grievances do you have at me? Fine,e at me for your girlfriend, but who are you to curse my mother?!" At that moment, a gust of wind blew over and felt very refreshing. Nina looked at Marie with a sneer and slowly said, "Alright, I''ll curse you if that¡¯s what you want. A tiny breeze blew over, a mistress died at home. Look, I even tried to make it sound poetic for you. I hope it didn''t let a horrible person like you down.¡± Bianca had already entered the elevator of the hospital. There was no signal in the elevator. Therefore, when Grandpa was walking with the birdcage in his arm downstairs at their rental ce, his call did not go through his granddaughter''s phone... "Old guy, are you renting a ce in this neighborhood?¡¯ Two men in their 30s with scars on their faces looked the besieged old man up and down. ¡±My granddaughter rents the ce," the old man said with a trembling voice. He did not want to cause trouble for his granddaughter. One of the men nodded. "Okay, considering that you''re older and renting a house, you must not have much money. You weren''t looking when you were walking and when I tried to dodge you, my car hit the iron railings. Now, it¡¯s scratched. Look, the paint hase off. So how about this? I¡¯ll let you off if you pay me 1,000 bucks.¡± "1,000 bucks?" Grandpa was taken aback by the number. The car was an old Alto and its base paint had already fallen off. Grandpa thought that it must have been a mistake. "Since you can''t get through your granddaughter''s phone, let''s call this number. Whose number is this? Can he send you the money?" The hoodwink picked up the old man''s stic elderly identification badge that hung around his neck. On the back of the identification badge, Bianca had written her phone number on it. Yesterday morning, Luke was worried that Bianca would not be able to rush over to solve something if the old man encountered some difficult problems or got lost. Therefore, he also wrote his phone number on the elderly identification badge. The man with the scar dialed the eleven-digit cell phone number. Just when he had a good feeling about this number, someone answered the call. ¡¯There''s an old man walking around the neighborhood. What rtions do you have with him? He wasn''t watching where he was going and caused some paint to be scraped off my car. Look, can youe here so we can discusspensation?¡° Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Boohoo Aunt Bea, I Don''t Want My Daddy Anymore Luke quickly rushed from the office to the neighborhood where Bianca and her grandpa lived. The ck Range Rover stopped at the gate of the neighborhood. As soon as he got out of the car, his sharp-eyed subordinate came to report to the tall man. "Mr. Crawford, the people have been contained and the car has been towed away." "Good job," Luke said those two words indifferently and walked toward the frightened old man. The person behind him did not follow him. After reporting, he was not sure what to do next. The police took away the two scar-faced men. The traffic police department had also ordered a tow truck to tow away the already broken car. However, the crowd from the neighborhood were still excited and surrounded the old man. Luke walked up to the old man, helped him up, and said, "Grandpa, everything''s settled." "Sorry about the trouble... I couldn''t get through Bea''s phone so that group of people called you...¡± Grandpa was extremely sorry and out of breath. He kept thinking about how old and useless he was, always finding trouble for them. "No, Grandpa. It''s alright." Luke nned to take the old man home first. Luke nodded a little to the two aunties from the neighborhood who had taken care of the old man and picked up the old man''s birdcage. With one hand supporting the old man and one hand holding the birdcage, he went upstairs. The two aunties behind them said with admiration, "Tsk tsk. Look at the old man''s grandson-inw. Compared to everyone else''s son-inw, he''s handsome, drives a luxury car, and settled everything before his person arrived at the scene. It must be generations of umted blessings for the old man¡¯s family!" After returning to the office from the hospital in the afternoon, Bianca''s phone never rang. Naturally, she did not know what happened to Grandpa in the neighborhood. When it was time to get off work, Bianca called Grandpa. Before the old man could speak, Bianca asked, "Grandpa, what do you want to eat for dinner? How long has it been since youst ate fish? How about I buy a fish and fry it for youter?" She did not hear the expected reply from Grandpa. Instead, it sounded like someone took the phone over. Then, Bianca heard another old voice from the speaker, Bea, I''m your other grandpa, Luke''s grandpa.¡¯ Bianca, who was crossing the road, stopped immediately. How could Grandpa be with Luke''s grandpa? Beep. Beep, beep. It was rush hour and Bianca was blocking the traffic flow on the road in the downtown area. "Sorry." Bianca nodded apologetically to the car she was blocking. With the phone in her hand, she walked quickly across the road toward the subway station and asked, "My grandpa..." "Come over for dinner tonight. Luke''s at the office. The two of you cane back together. Alright! I''m hanging up now!" Old Master Crawford finished speaking and hung up the phone in a good mood. Bianca stopped in her steps again, unable to figure out how Grandpa got there. At that moment, a ck Range Rover drove over and stopped beside her. Bianca saw the man sitting in the car and felt as if a bone was stuck in her throat. She could neither spit it out nor swallow it down. "Get in the car.¡± After rolling down the car window, the man with the toughlooking face urged expressionlessly. Bianca did not get in the car. Instead, she asked him, "Why is my grandpa at your ce? "Why aren''t you saying anything?" Luke remained silent. ¡¯Don''t use this kind of method to force me to do something. I don''t mind having my grandpa live in your ce." Bianca was not about topromise. Luke always had a way to control her. As for her, the only thing she could do was try her best to hold him off so that he would not be able to sessfully control her. "Alright, I guess I¡¯ll just take care of your grandpa for the rest of my life," Luke said coldly and rolled up his car window slowly. The ck Range Rover quickly disappeared from the side of the road. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Bianca was stunned. 40 minutester, Bianca arrived home exhausted. Her phone rang just as she entered the house. The old man scolded her. "Bea, why have you be so silly? Why didn''t you go with Luke after getting off work? What games are you ying? I''m ordering you toe over right now!" 1 "Grandpa!" Bianca did not know what Luke told him when he got back. From what Grandpa said, it sounded like she was the one being unreasonable and causing trouble. "If you don''te, I''ll get a taxi immediately. I''ll pack up and go back to live in the small town." The old man threatened his granddaughter and hung up. At the Crawford Manor, the servants were busy making dinner. The two old men were happily ying chess in the garden. Old Master Crawford said to Old Man Rayne who just hung up his call with his granddaughter, "The young people now are not like our generation. Our Luke is very sensible and obedient. The two of them are having a hard time seeing eye to eye. Luke said he doesn''t know what he did wrong, so...¡± "It''s Bea''s fault." Old Man Rayne took the me. He yed a chess piece and said, "Bea''s also a caring and sensible child, but when young people are in love, there''ll inevitably be a bump. If there isn''t a big problem, I''ll teach her a lesson when shees over.¡¯ "No, there''s no need for a lesson. As their elderlies, the most we can do is just mediate forthem. Please don''t teach my granddaughter-inw a lesson." Old Master Crawford was worried as if she was his own granddaughter. When Old Man Rayne heard what he said, he felt at ease. ''The husband''s family acknowledges Bea and is friendly to her.'' When he hade over in the afternoon, Old Man Rayne got a big shock when ''Jean'' suddenly became ''Luke''. After listening to the ins and outs from his grandson-inw, the old man realized what had been going on. That Jean had cheated, betrayed, and even impregnated the mistress.'' That scumbag Jean is never getting near Bianca ever again!'' Fortunately, he could tell that Luke was treating his granddaughter sincerely. ''The chairman of a corporation, young and promising. When she wanted to go to the small town, he went. Poor thing even slept a night in the car. ''He wouldn¡¯t be willing to suffer sleeping in a car for a night if he didn¡¯t really sincerely like Bea.¡¯ With a cigarette in one hand, Luke was talking on the phone about work. The two twin babies behind him looked at the workaholic man contemptuously. Obviously, they had not forgiven him for the movie incident. They were still angry at their dad for picking a movie without thinking things through first. Old Man Rayne looked happier when he saw that his grandson-inw was a talented person with a sense of responsibility and leadership. If his granddaughter could marry such a man, it would mean that she had not suffered in vain for the past two decades. When Bianca arrived at Crawford Manor, the two little kids rushed out to hug her legs when they saw her figure approaching. She had not even gotten inside. It was as if she was a maic field, attracting and getting them stuck to her the moment they met. Luke put out the cigarette butt in his hand. He looked deeply terrifying when he furrowed his brows. He yelled at the kids, "Don''t make trouble, you two. Who told you you could hug her?" Bianca listened to his enigmatic voice and lowered her head. She coaxed the two little kids with a nice tone. "Can you two let me go in?" "Why are you crying?" When Bianca said that, she saw the tears forming in Rainie''s eyes. More and more started to flow out. Rainie threw herself feebly into Bianca''s arms, crying and rubbing her. nche''s tiny face said expressionlessly by the side, ¡¯We don''t know what happened to Daddy. It''s like he has lost his soul. He said that he''ll take us to the movies, but in the end, he didn¡¯t check what type of movie it was and picked Life for us to watch. It scared Rainie and we had to leave halfway because she started crying. She''s still having nightmares when she sleeps." "Alright, alright. Don''t be scared now. I''m here." Bianca heartbrokenly kissed Rainie''s little cheek and picked her up to coax her. Rainie cried even more sadly. Her two little hands sped Bianca''s neck as she muttered, "Aunt Bea, I don''t want my daddy anymore." Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Like A Family Of Three Bianca did not expect that Luke would take the two little kids to watch a movie like Life. Even though she had never watched it, she had seen several of her colleagues and ex-ssmates posting about it, saying how some parts of the film were scary and bloody. Some even called it disgusting. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Bianca nced at Luke and said nothing. She had the little kid in her arms and went into the manor with her head down. Rainieid on Aunt Bea''s shoulder, but she seemed to be able to sense it when she passed by her dad. She raised her head to stick her tongue out at her dad. Luke, Allison stood on the balcony on the second floor, looking at the scene at the main entrance downstairs with an ugly expression. ''Didn''t I tell her to stay away from Luke? Why is she here? Isn¡¯t she ashamed of herself? 1 ''She¡¯s acting like they¡¯re a family of three!¡¯ 1 After getting angry, Allison sorted the expression on her face and went downstairs. The two old men in the garden also saw the scene at the door. Old Master Crawfordughed and sighed with relief. "I''ve been looking forward to this day for almost five years now." "It¡¯s not easy to be an elderly at this age because all we want is the happiness of the kids.¡± Old Man Rayne moved onest piece to capture Old Master Crawford''s white piece. Even though Old Master Crawford lost the game, he still looked happy. The scene at the entrance was too harmonious. Before Bea even entered the door, she had picked up the child while the child stuck tightly to her. It was as if the child had just met her mother who just came back after traveling for a long time. As for his cold-faced grandson, Luke, he stood with a noble air by the side. Unknowingly, he had slowly but surely put away his role as the head of his family and turned into a husband who did not know how to admit his mistakes to his wife and kids. "Bea''s here?" Allison went downstairs and greeted Bianca with a friendly smile. Bianca stopped abruptly. Allison looked at the two old men who were still smiling and said, "Bea,e with me. I have something for you. Thest time we met, I was in a hurry and didn''t have time to give you my wee gift." After hearing that, Bianca finally raised her head and looked at Allison. ''Wee gift?" She was afraid that it was just an excuse for Allison to talk privately with her. "Ma''am, forget about the wee gift!" Old Man Rayne did not want his granddaughter to take any valuable things from the Crawford family yet. He thought that those things ought toe after their marriage. After all, they were not even engaged yet. "No, you shouldn¡¯t stop her!" Old Master Crawford waved at his daughter-in-w, Allison, and motioned to her to ignore what Old Man Rayne said. He meant to ask her to take Bea up. After all, the wee gift must be given. When Old Master Crawford looked back, he said to Old Man Rayne, "We already consider Bea as our family. On behalf of everyone in the Crawford family, I acknowledge Bea. You''re the grandfather, so you mustn''t butt in with the mother-inw getting along with the daughter-inw." When Old Master Crawford said this, the matter sounded more serious as it involved the rtionship between the mother-inw and daughter-inw. Old Man Rayne thought for a moment. He thought that it was reasonable that he did not butt in. Rainie had to get down from Aunt Bea and went to y on the swings with her brother. In the room upstairs. Allison took out a jewelry box with a ne iid with diamonds. She opened the box and brought it in front of Bianca. "I got this ne from attending a benefit on behalf of Luke. I bought it from an auction for six million. Now, I''m giving it to you." "I don''t want such an expensive gift." Bianca was not trying to be polite to Allison. She just wanted Allison to say what she wanted to say and not waste time. Allison did not really think that Bianca would not want it. She said with sarcasm, "You can resell it and get five million for it. Are you sure you don''t want it?" Bianca hated Allison''s face. Every second of looking at her face was torture. She said, "If you''re not getting to the point, I''ll be leaving." She then turned and left. Allison was stunned in the room with the jewelry box still in her hands. 20 minutester, Allison went downstairs and found Bianca in the kitchen. She was pouring a ss of water for Rainie. ''I¡¯m sorry, I thought you''d like things like jewelry..." Allison apologized, but her face remained arrogant. Bianca stopped pouring the water and looked back at Allison. "My dad said that you married into a wealthy family shortly after giving birth to me. I''d say you¡¯ve been living this luxurious life for almost 20- something years now. The Crawford family is a highly reputed family amongst the wealthy families, but why do you still act like a nouveau riche wife?" When Allison was called a nouveau riche wife, she clenched her jaw tightly. Her attitude seemed to worsen as she said ferociously, "Who are you to judge me? You''ve been poor your entire life! Watch your own actions and words before you be aughing stock!" "At least I wouldn''t abandon my husband and daughter to live a good life, trying to suck up to rich people." Bianca dropped the crudest bomb that had been on her mind. With that sentence out, it was as if years of pent-up resentment finally subsided. Yes, she hated the woman who gave birth to her but did not keep her. For more than two decades, she had not seen that woman, so all her questions and usations were hidden in her heart. Now, that woman was standing in front of her and acting contemptuously. She thought that there was no need for her to be shy about their motherdaughter rtionship. A woman like her did not deserve the respect of her kids. Allison had never been humiliated by someone younger than her that way before. In the past few years, the only person who had humiliated her was Susan! "Sure, talk all you want, but didn''t you rack your brain to get a part of this household¡¯s wealth as well? If you really don''t have a desire to live a rich life, whye here today?" Allison said sarcastically and bitterly. Bianca closed her eyes and listened to her own mother''s humiliating words. She was thankful that she did not inherit this woman¡¯s gene that felt contemptuous toward the poor but loved the rich. If it was not for Grandpa, she would not havee. She could not let Grandpa know about the truth. An old person like him would not be able to bear the impact of the news. A young person like her could not ept the cruel fact that they had the same mother but different fathers, what more an old person? Bianca could not bother exining it to Allison, so she walked out. Allison''s expression remained elegant, but she warned. "Don''t be delusional and try to jump over the lines of morality. Let Luke go. I''ll give you as much money as you want!" Bianca went next to Rainie. Luke was ying with the kids. Perhaps ying with the kids was a bit of a stretch. It was just Rainie and Lanie ying on the swing with someone pushing them. However, when he went over, he told the person who was initially pushing the swing to find something else to do. Rainie was still angry with Daddy. At that moment, Daddy took the initiative to push her on the swing. It was then she decided to forgive Daddy and not be angry with him anymore. After a while, however, the swing was pushed too high! The little kid got so scared that she cried. The two old men ying chess as well as Bianca who was holding the ss of water got shocked. They all looked over. Nobody knew what the man pushing the swing was thinking. His arms were strong and long, and he had used his entire strength on the swing. He was oblivious to the strength that a child could endure. Luke held the rope on the swing frame with one hand to stop the swing from moving and reached out to pick up his crying and trembling daughter... ''I don''t want to y with Daddy anymore. Boohoo..." Rainie was startled. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 You''re The Mother of My Children Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Luke had been thinking about something else just now and did not focus on ying with his children. However, he knew that if he stayed close to his daughter, he would definitely meet Bianca. Bianca walked over and shed a look at Luke. Then, she crouched down to wipe the tears from the little kid''s face. Rainieid on Bianca again. Bianca picked the child up and coaxed her. When she turned around and saw aplicated look on Luke''s face, she could not help but say, "If you don''t know how to y with kids, you can do other things." The two kids were about the same age as her kids. Bianca hoped that her kids were not being treated that way by a father like him. 1 Luke stood by the side with a calm expression. He looked at his daughter''s face that looked simr to Bianca¡¯s. He said in a daze, "Who are you to tell me how to be a dad? An outsider might even think that you''re the mother of my children." Bianca nced at the man swiftly. At dinner. The two old men took their seats. Allison was also there. Luke sat on the right while his two kids sat next to Bianca. They did not bother trying to be nice to their dad. nche used all of his strength to stretch out his hand to pick up a piece of rib. His chopsticks trembled before he finally picked it up. He put it in Bianca''s bowl. "Aunt Bea, please have it..." The little guy smiled like a son would to his mother. Luke, who had been forsaken by all his allies, picked up a piece of rib for himself and put it in his bowl but did not eat it. "Luke," Old Master Crawford called out angrily at his grandson. Although Luke was almost 30 years old, he would always be a grandson in the eyes of his grandfather. He knew what his elder''s scolding meant. The thing that Bianca was worried about was about toe. Luke picked up a piece of rib and ced it in Bianca''s bowl. When he picked up another piece, he carefully extracted the bone for her, leaving only the roasted meat. "Thank you." In front of Grandpa, Bianca had to pretend that everything was okay. Sure enough, when Old Man Rayne saw his granddaughter and grandson-in-w acting as before, he smiled and toasted with Old Master Crawford. Bianca gave most of her rice to Rainie and Lanie. When the nanny noticed it, she quickly grabbed Bianca''s rice bowl and filled it up for her. "That''s too much, I can''t finish it." Bianca tried to stop her. "It''s okay, you can eat as much as you want. If you can¡¯t finish it, I¡¯ll help you," Luke said at the right time, showing his thoughtfulness as a man. The nanny handed the rice bowl over and said with a smile, Miss Rayne, this rice is very fragrant. Please enjoy more of it." Bianca said thank you again and took the bowl. In some couples, some of them would not be willing to eat their partner''s leftover rice because they minded it. However, there were also some who did not mind and are willing to finish it for them. Her rtionship with Luke was far from that. Bianca felt that she had already made it clear, but when Luke said that, she wondered if his acting was too over the top. Was he really going to finish her leftover rice? Bianca was not too hungry but ended up finishing her rice because she did not want to embarrass him. How could the lofty rich boss finish her leftovers? Perhaps throwing it for her was more likely. During the dinner, Allison said nothing but a few high-sounding words. Bianca was thinking about how she could reduce the contact between Grandpa and Grandpa Crawford. If the two old men continued contacting each other this way, then Luke and she would be... Way too awkward. She thought about the time when she started liking him when she was a teenager. She was hooked on him-From the past few days when they were together to the news about them having the same mother, which was a storm out of the blue. Bianca needed some time to adapt and force herself out of that rtionship so that she could finally see him for who he really was. If she could not see him as her half-brother, then she would have to treat him like a stranger. It might be difficult to achieve since he had put her on a pedestal in his heart. However, she believed that there would always be a way... After the meal, Old Master Crawford took Old Man Rayne upstairs and told Bianca, "I''m lonely and so is your grandpa. Us two old men will be ying chess and drinking tea, so I''ve decided to keep your grandpa here for a little longer.¡± Bianca rejected it. "No, this is too much trouble for you." How could Grandpa live there when she was supposed to reduce her contact with Luke? "What nonsense about trouble are you talking about? Say, Bea, you¡¯re too far-sighted. Are you saying I can''t handle him..." Old Master Crawford made Bianca speechless. The man sitting on the sofa also said nothing. His sharp facial features were calm as usual. It was as if he did not care about it at all. All he did was hold his teacup up and sip his tea. Allison also said, "It¡¯s hard for the old man to meet someone he can y chess with. Just let him stay here for a while." 2 Bianca felt sick when she saw how fake Allison was acting. "Luke, get your car and take Bea home," Old Master Crawford ordered. Bianca did not want to be alone with Luke, so she picked up her bag and said, "I''ll just use the taxi app to get a taxi. He''s probably very busy." Luke ignored Bianca and took the car key. He went straight to the garage to get the car. The old man squinted his shrewd and old eyes. From the looks of it, his guess that the fight between his grandson and granddaughter-inw was not finished yet was right. He knew that he had to keep Old Man Rayne at their ce for a few more days. In another house, Jean went straight to his room after getting off work. Nina called him outside of his door, "It''s time for dinner, scumbag!" Anna scolded. "You naughty girl! Is that how you talk to your brother?!" Jean had a cigarette in his mouth. He rolled up the sleeves of his light blue shirt to his elbows. He squinted at the dialog on theputer screen and typed, ''I don''t have a picture of her, but we work in the samepany. I''ll try and take some body pics of her for you guys when she''s not looking.¡¯ Netizen A said, ''What kind of joke is this, bro? You don¡¯t have a picture of your own girlfriend?'' Jean replied, ''She''s my ex-girlfriend. We were always too busy going out and I never got to take many pics of her. But I can assure you that she''s very pure and beautiful.'' Netizen B said, ''Get some pics for us tomorrow and share them here. If I''m satisfied with her body, I¡¯ll exchange with you. I''ll give you my daughter-in-w to y with once, and you¡¯ll trick your ex-girlfriend toe out so that I can y with her once too. Alright?'' i Jean was smoking a cigarette and flicked the ashes into the ashtray. He hesitated for a while, then replied, ''No problem, it''s a deal.'' Netizen B said, ''The first time youe out to y, you''ll be shy about everything. But when you try it once and feel the buzz, you''ll know how magical that feeling is. I assure you that you¡¯ll get addicted. Next time, you may even have to beg us to f*ck your wife and ex-girlfriend. Being cuckolded can be addictive!'' At that moment, Nina pushed his door open and saw her brother close his notebook immediately when he saw her. Nina asked sensitively, "Why are you being so sneaky? Are you doing something shameful?" "I¡¯m working on a design n. What would I do if you saw it and giarized it?" Jean joked calmly, put away his notebook, and locked it into hisputer bag. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Luke Who Had Drank Too Much Jean walked out of his room and went to eat. Nina also went out with him. She told him that she was going to wash her hands in the bathroom first. After she made sure her brother was sitting at the dining table, she tiptoed into her brother''s room again. She picked up theptop bag and fiddled with it for a while. However, she realized that the lock could not be opened without the passcode. The material of theputer bag was special. It was not made of normal fabric and could not be cut open with scissors. "Sneaky man. I wonder what horrible things he¡¯s up to.n Nina was so angry that she wanted to smash hisptop. Nighttime had fallen. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. The ck Range Rover slowly drove on the street that had surging traffic. Luke drove intently. He was wearing a ck suit and white shirt which seemed to make his serious and distant expression look even colder. The first impression the man gave was always indifference. Bianca sat quietly in the passenger seat. "Do you mind if I smoke a cigarette?" Luke asked her for her permission very gentlemanly. Since he had asked in such a polite way, it put Bianca in an awkward position for no reason. All she could do was say dryly, "Whatever you want, Mr. Crawford." The two of them who were once intimate suddenly became distant. Luke¡¯s expression had not looked good the entire night. When he lit his cigarette, they happened to reach a red light. When the car stopped, Bianca felt restrained. When he smoked half of the cigarette, the red light turned green. Luke had his hand on the steering wheel. He said, "Is there anything you want to say to me?" Bianca felt cold all over her body as if she had to say something. The only thing she could say was, "Did you send my grandpa to Crawford Manor? When are you going to send him back? Or do you want me to pick him upon..." Luke did not get angry even though his face looked gloomy. "It depends on your grandpa. I can''t force him." From what he said, it implied that he did not force the old man to stay at Crawford Manor and that it was none of his business. The young man meant that he did not control the old man''s behavior. Bianca did not want to create another senseless fight because she did not want to leave room for his imagination. If they were meant to break up, they should. It was something that she needed to let him know face to face. When Luke reached the entrance of her neighborhood, he parked his car by the side of the streets. Before Bianca got out of the car, she tried to calm herself down as much as possible. She was trying to part with their abnormal fate that should not have been. As Bianca stared ahead, she stiffly said, "Let''s cut this knot smoothly and officially break up." After she said that, she immediately opened the car door and went out. She could not bear to face him. Luke sat in the car, looking through the windshield ss at the woman with the slender back that just entered the building. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel as the colors on his fingers slowly faded, bing paler. Bianca got home. She was the only person in the silent room. It was as empty as her lonely heart. Luke was a piece of muscle that had grown rapidly on her heart. However, someone stood up and said that the piece of meat had grown in the wrong ce and that it was morally hical for it to grow on her heart. What could she do? The only thing she could do was cut it off. Now that she had finally cut it off, her heart started bleeding... After the baptism of time, it was unknown whether the wound would heal or be infected with pus... Bianca put her bag down and slumped her body tiredly on the sofa without turning on the lights while the dim moonlight came in through the window. She had to shut her eyes because of her headache. However, resting did not let her feel any better. When Bianca opened her eyes again, she inadvertently saw a box of cigarettes on the coffee table. There was also a lighter. She knew what type of cigarettes and lighter Luke used. ''Since Grandpa was driven to Crawford Manor by Luke, he must have stopped by to pick Grandpa up. Does it mean he left the cigarettes and lighter...'' When she was a kid, she once filled a pipe for Grandpa, struck a match happily, and lit the tobo leaf in the pipe for him. "Grandpa, how old do I have to be before I can smoke?" She naively thought that children also had to smoke when they grew up as if it was a task that everyone had toplete. In the small town, most of them had the habit of smoking, regardless of whether they were men or women. That was why she had that perception. Grandpa told her with a smile and patted her head, "Girls can''t smoke when they grow up. Smoking is bad for your health. Always remember that, alright Bea?" "Okay!" She nodded innocently. Even though Grandpa said that smoking was bad for one''s health, he took a few more puffs. 20 minutes ago, when Luke was sitting in the car, he was in the same tormented mood as her. The only thing she could do was look out the car window and try to divert her attention. On the other hand, the only way he could suppress himself was through smoking. ''Can smoking really relieve a person''s depressive mood?'' Bianca did not know that on such a lonely, boring, and heartbroken night, all she wanted was to smoke his cigarette and light it with his lighter. When she took the first puff, she frowned and coughed. The smell of smoke permeated her mouth and nose. It was notfortable at all. The sadness in her heart was not quelled. Instead, it was worse. Bianca smoked the entire cigarette clumsily and awkwardly. Before she knew it, it was as if she had choked on something. She burst into tears. "Luke, stop drinking..." Louis grabbed the bottle of rum that was almost empty. Using alcohol to take his pain away and getting drunk outside. Those were the two things Louis knew that an arrogant and noble man like Luke would not ever do. Since he was smart and had always been rational, he knew that getting drunk never helped the situation anyway. Luke did not try to get the bottle that was taken away back. The drunk man put down his ss and lit a cigarette with his trembling hands. As Luke took a puff of the cigarette, his sexy Adam''s apple slid up and down. To him, Bianca was like water when he was thirsty. The fact that she was sweet and delicious was a secondary thing. The main thing was that she sustained his life. She made it a better life for him, allowing his vitality to be reinvigorated. It started to rain outside. Louis stood in the hotel suite and looked around. There was no female mosquito in sight, let alone a female service worker. He wondered what he should do. Should he stay back to take care of the emotionally out of control man? "How about I give Bianca a call?¡± That was the only thing Louis could think of. Perhaps the situation at hand had something to do with Bianca. It was better for the doer to undo what they had done. Louis picked up his phone and called Bianca. Bianca did not have his phone number saved, so when the phone was ringing, he wondered if she would answer his call. He could not get his hands on Luke''s phone. "Hey, Bianca? It''s Louis!" after she picked up, he quickly said, rMy brother drank too much, can you..." Before he could finish speaking, Bianca interrupted him. Louis held his phone and listened for a moment, then proceeded to hang up disappointedly. He knew not to call back again. It was because Bianca said, "From now on, I have nothing to do with any of his affairs. Don''t ask why because I don''t know either. Goodbye. I''m hanging up now..." Then, he heard the disconnected tone. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 What Are You Trying To Do? A Domineering Forceful Kiss! "Bianca told me that..." Louis did not dare to tell him the truth, but he could not think of a lie that could fool the very smart Luke. While he said that, he got stuck and could not continue his sentence. Luke fiercely squeezed a cigarette in the ashtray. He picked up his car keys and nned to leave. "How can you drive after drinking so much alcohol? You''ll regret it when you wake up tomorrow!¡± Louis had not ever seen Luke drunk. That was the first time he did not want his brother to get into an ident. "If you want to go somewhere, I''ll get the driver to send you there." Louis sessfully persuaded him to let go of the car keys. The whole city was flooded by the heavy rain. Linder the rainy night sky, Luke did not let the driver drive him nor was Louis allowed to follow him. He was drenched when he arrived at the neighborhood where Bianca lived. At her door, the man rang the doorbell for the first time, the second time, the third... The rented ce was not expensive as the facilities were only subpar. For example, the doorbell did not work. When someone pressed the doorbell from the outside, the red light would sh, but the person inside could not hear it. The neighbor who was an old couple had not slept yet and could feel that there was someone outside. When they opened the door to take a look, they saw a man in a suit and leather shoes standing at the opposite door. His facial features were tough, and the watch on his wrist was a luxury watch. Moreover, the type of phone in his hand made him look like an extraordinary person... However, the extraordinary-looking man was soaked and reeked of alcohol as well as the smell of rain. He looked quite pitiful at that moment. "Sorry if I''ve disturbed your rest." Even though Luke was drunk, he still had a sense of reason. He did not act like a big boss and apologized to the tenant at the door. "It¡¯s fine. Are you looking for someone?" The neighbor remembered that two girls had recently moved in. However, they noticed that there was only one girl left at the ce opposite their ce since yesterday. Moreover, she had brought her grandfather from the countryside to the city to take care of him. She seemed like a filial and good girl. "Yeah, I am." Luke nodded, his straight figure standing in the sight of the neighbor. The lights in the corridor were dim, and flyers about drain cleaning were put up around the ce. The 50-year-old woman who wore a pair of gold- rimmed sses looked at the drenched man and said, "Are you looking for your girlfriend?" Luke was about to nod but remembered Bianca''s words before getting out of the car. "Let''s cut this knot smoothly and officially break up.¡± He could not nod. If he told them that she was an ex-girlfriend, the neighbors might think that he had ill-intentions and came to pester his ex-girlfriendte at night. ¡¯My ex-wife." Luke found the most appropriate title to call Bianca at the moment. "Ex-wife? Are you her ex-husband? I didn''t know she was married." The aunty thought for a while and asked with a hint of gossip, "When did you guys divorce? It looks like the two of you are living separately." Luke nodded and said, "We just divorced this afternoon." "Alright, then take your time. Be patient. You''re young, after all. As long as the two of you still have feelings for each other, there''s nothing that you can''t get through." The uncle finished speaking and pulled back the gossiping wife. When they closed their door, the aunty looked at the foreign ssic romance novels that she had been reading a few pages of and could not help but sigh. "Just now, it felt as if I was in a romance movie. I hope that the couple next door will have a good ending." The uncle who preferred listening to Kevin Hart''s stand-upedy disdainfully curled his lips. "Do you even know them? Or understand their situation? Maybe he cheated on the girl.¡± 1 "Impossible." The aunty''s eyes glimmered with the light of literature and art. She said sadly, "I could see the love from the man''s eyes. From his head to his toes, I could tell that it was love. A love that sinks you in.¡± The uncle told her, "You can go ahead and read your novel. I''ll listen to some Kevin Hart to quickly to forget about this..." Nina called Bianca early in the morning. "Are you sure you don''t need me to pick you up? It''s on my way." "No, it''s alright. I''m going to the hospital," Bianca said to Nina while she washed her face. She was on speakerphone and had her phone on the sink. She was afraid that Nina would see how horrible she looked. "Alright. Remember to eat your breakfast. Take care of yourself." Nina was driving and hung up after speaking. Bianca washed her face and drank half a cup of water. She did not have the energy nor time to make breakfast. She nned to go downstairs to the supermarket to get a piece of bread and milk to take on the road. She grabbed her bag and was ready to go to work. The box of cigarettes and lighter on the coffee table caught her eyes. Every corner of the cigarette box attracted her attention. She could not forget how great it felt to cry after smoking a cigarettest night. When her entire body was immersed in the curling smoke and the smell permeated every corner, her sadness seemed to fade a little... She picked up the cigarette box and lighter and put them in her bag. The moment she put on her shoes and opened the door, she smelled the familiar smell of smoke. The next moment, she raised her head and saw a pair of eyes that looked even more tired than hers. Luke had both of his hands in his trouser pockets. His tall and straight figure stood in front of the door. He had a cigarette that was almost finished in his mouth while his eyes were scarily bloodshot. Bianca calmed down for more than ten seconds before she stood her ground and walked out. Now that she had decided topletely ignore him, she must do it. Otherwise, everything would be for nothing. There was no way to turn that thing around. Her rtionship with that man must never go further. Very few people would dare to cross the line of nature''s moral principles. The only way was to move backward while she looked at his tempting face. The only thing she could do was continue moving backward. Luke did not allow her to go to work. He did not let her leave either. He pressed his heavy and sturdy body against hers. He pressed her down onto the wall outside the door with his body while she was unguarded. Bianca did not know how long he had been standing there, but he was wearing yesterday''s outfit. "What are you doing? We¡¯re over." Luke was irritated by those words. He threw the cigarette away from his cold and thin lips and kissed her while he held her face with both of his hands. He lowered his head and kissed her fiercely and frantically. Bianca struggled desperately. The moment he kissed her, Allison''s face and those words popped into her mind... "Uh... You... Uh..." In any case, she could not push his stubborn and angry body away. The cigarette between the man''s fingers was still burning. The hot smoke from it crept toward her ears... i After kissing for a long time, Luke finally let go of her when he tasted blood in his mouth. Since he was not afraid of her biting and struggling, the tip of his tongue was badly bitten by the crying Bianca. Luke lowered his head while he still had her body trapped against him. He looked at her with his tired bloodshot eyes while his voice was tender, impulsive, and domineering. He asked, "What happened? Weren''t we good just the day before yesterday?" "That''s irrelevant. I''ve told you. The day before yesterday, I didn''t know Jean impregnated the woman..." Bianca made up a lie against her conscience. She tried hard not to tear up, but her red eyes betrayed her. i Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Luke rubbed her tear-stained cheek with his thumb. His voice was hoarse. ¡¯ I''m sorry. Throughout my 29 years of living, I''ve only ever liked you. I have no experience, so I didn''t know howto handle it and somehow, I''ve made things worse. 1 "One lifetime is a long time for me. I hope that you can understand that meeting the wrong person is more terrifying than living alone for the rest of my life. Are you really sure that we''re... Not the right person for each other?" Chapter 96 Chapter 96 He Was Both Fiery And Icy Which Made People Ufortable "We''re not the right person for each other," Bianca forced herself to meet his eyes and said seriously. Only then would her words be believable. In the past two days, she had been bursting into tears and was very depressed. Now, there was a permanent sorrow in her eyes. With the permanence of sorrow in her eyes, when she looked firmly at someone and said something, it was believable. Luke looked down into her eyes. His eyes were still as deep and fiery as before. However, his eyes seemed to be filled with the dregs from crushed ice. Both fire and ice were intense in his eyes. It was something that would make people ufortable when they saw it. "I''m going to work." Bianca dodged the man''s big hand and walked to the elevator. The elevator came quickly and she walked in. While she went down in the elevator, she struggled and had to breathe in the surrounding air gently. Bianca forgot to buy breakfast on the way and ended up going to the hospital hungry. The high-ss ward where Kevin stayed in as well as the attending doctor were all arranged by Luke from before. Therefore, Bianca quickly told the hospital that she could no longer afford to have her dad stay in the expensive ward. With her sry, she could not afford it at all. Plus, most of it had already been wasted on that. Kevin was moved to the general ward. However, he did not mind it at all. In fact, he was quite relieved. As Bianca held her dad¡¯s hand on the hospital bed, Kevin looked at his daughter and said, "Everyone always emphasizes equality, but sometimes things just aren''t that way. The world of the rich and our world of the poor has never been the same. I hope that you can live well by working hard and always remember that you should never wrong yourself, no matter what." "I understand." Bianca understood what her dad meant. Her dad probably thought that she got a sugar daddy for money... Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. To be honest, Kevin had been worrying about that for some time. In the high-ss ward, the famous doctor at Paramount Hospital was treating his lung cancer. That showed a problem. It meant that someone big was supporting his daughter from behind. Usually, those sorts of big people were men. If it was a woman, it would mean that it was a benefactor and he knew that a person like his daughter would have brought the benefactor over to meet him so that he could say thank you. Since his daughter did not bring the big person over, it might mean that his daughter was ashamed of the guy. Not because he might be ugly or anything, but because the gap between their financial status might be hard to exin. There must be a huge financial gap between his daughter and the man. Therefore, the man helped out by contributing money from the back. Kevin suffering from lung cancer had caused a huge drag on his daughter. He did not dare to intervene in her daughter''s private issues. After all, his daughter was already 24 years old. She was an adult who could make her own choices. When Kevin was transferred from the high-ss ward to the general ward, he was relieved because that probably meant his daughter had broken off with the big man. Regardless of whether his daughter was in a rtionship with a lover or an actual boyfriend, she was better off without him. Usually, when two people had arge financial gap, their rtionships could neverst long. After she settled her dad in, Bianca went to fill out the forms. The doctor consulted the dean and the dean personally called Jason. Jason was still at home because it was not time to go to work yet. He was surprised when he answered the phone and asked, '' Why the sudden request to change wards?" "Ms. Rayne said that her father and she can¡¯t afford the hospital''s high medical care. She requested to transfer Mr. Rayne to the general ward." The dean told the truth ording to the doctor''s report. "Mr. Winchester, please wait two minutes for me. I''ll ask my boss." Jason finished speaking, hung up, and called his boss'' private number. When Jason turned on the shower in the bathroom and adjusted the temperature of the water, he heard the tone from the phone that signified the line was busy. He called him a few more times, but it was the same. In desperation, Jason called Crawford Manor. "Hello? This is Crawford Manor." The nanny answered the phone. "Hello, this is Jason. Is Mr. Crawford home?" In the manor, Allison was sitting on the sofa reading the morning paper. She looked up at the nanny and asked, "Who''s calling?" 1 "Mr. Doyle." After the nanny said that, Allison thought for a while and put down the newspaper. She went to answer the phone. "Jason, why are you calling so early in the morning?" "Madam, I have an urgent matter and need to contact Mr. Crawford." Allison said, "Luke¡¯s sick. He was feverish when he came back this morning. Tell me what''s the matter." Jason thought for a while. ''Is Ms. Rayne a lover to Mr. Crawford? Is she an uneptable girlfriend for Mr. Crawford in his mother''s eyes?'' After hesitating for a moment, Jason lied and said that it was something regarding thepany. 2 Allison did not understand the things that went on in thepany, so she told him that when Luke woke up, she would call. After Jason hung up, he called the hospital. "If Ms. Rayne insists on changing his ward, then do as she says..." Bianca left the hospital and hurried to the office. She could not help but split into two when life got busy. One side of her was for work while the other was for her private life. When she arrived at the design department, she saw Jean standing at the reception desk. She saw him ying with his phone just as she got out of the elevator. Jean raised his head to look at her. When both of their eyes met, they said nothing to each other. "Morning." Jean took the rare initiative to say hello. Bianca pretended not to hear him and went into her office. She sat down, turned on theputer, and got busy. Jean took his phone and went to the men¡¯s bathroom. A female intern at the reception desk outside said to another intern, "Does Jean still have feelings for Bianca? I saw him taking pictures of Bianca secretly!" "Even though the two of them broke up, they''re still working in the same department after all. He sees her every day though, why does he need to secretly take pictures of her... I can¡¯t figure it out." The other intern finished the conversation and got to work. In the men''s bathroom. Jean blurred out the office in the background in case anyone recognized it. He left Bianca¡¯s body in the picture and sent it to his group. The first photo of Bianca was taken by Jean when he was pretending to be ying with his phone. It was taken when Bianca got out of the elevator. Bianca''s face was not in the photo. He only got her picture from the neck down. The second picture was taken by Jean from the back when she was going into her office. The photo showed Bianca''s entire back with her hips and tiny waist. Jean was anonymous in the cuckold group. Netizen A said, ¡®Hey new guy, I''d like a taste of your ex-girlfriend. An officedy, huh? Seeing that bodycon skirt makes me want to tear it off. The chick inside the skirt has a f*cking hot body. I¡¯m drooling just looking at her f Netizen B said, ''I''ve been with Netizen A''s wife before. She''s a lolita. At first, she was unwilling and awkward. Now, she¡¯s addicted to f*cking outside. When you have time, you can try his loli wife. She''s good at a lot of things. I''m sure you''ll be satisfied and will want toe back for more.'' Jean was smoking a cigarette in the bathroom. He squinted his eyes and lowered his head to reply, ''Let''s do it tonight. I''ll fix a ce tonight and you bring your wife.'' Netizen A said, ''No problem, my wife''s always avable. How about your ex -girlfriend? When will you get her for me?'' Jean replied, ''In two days, there''ll be a party to wee new colleagues in our department. Everyone has to go. After drinking and a karaoke session, I''ll arrange a chance for you.¡¯ Chapter 97 Chapter 97 The Morbidly Sexy Mr. Luke After making the arrangement, Jean returned to the office. He was in no mood to work. He lifted his head from time to time to look at Bianca. When it was time for lunch, Jean grabbed Bianca''s hand on their way to the staff cafeteria. There was a pleading look in his eyes. "Let''s talk. I just need five minutes of your time." "There¡¯s nothing else to say between us." When a rtionship ended, there were some men who were simply capable of turning themselves into the worst enemies with no chance of ever bing friends again. "Don''t drive me into a corner..." Jean''s pleading eyes instantly turned fierce. Bianca ignored him, pulled out her hand, and walked toward the cafeteria. Sue was thest to leave the office. Whilst checking her email on her phone, she went to the staff cafeteria and headed straight for Bianca. "If we canplete this project and create a sensation, then our worth will be doubled." "Doubled? Even for someone like me?" Bianca considered herself a rookie. Undoubtedly, she was shooting for the stars, but so was everyone else who joined the design industry. Unfortunately, only very few seeded. After taking her meal, Sue came over. "Including you, of course. Thepany''s very fair. As long as you''re capable, then you''ll be rewarded ordingly in the end." Bianca raised her head and stared at the solemn-looking Sue. For Bianca today, the word ''reward'' was an infinite temptation. The treatment for Dad¡¯s lung cancer required an innumerable amount of money no matter which hospital he was treated in. Money did not grow on trees, so she could only depend on herself to earn it. This was the reason why she chose not to resign and leave T Corporation. She needed money. If she applied for a job somewhere else, it was hard to say if she could make it through the application. Even if she could, she needed to pass a probationary period as well. Dad''s life was wasting away with every passing minute and second. She could not afford to dy even a single day. "How''s your dad doing?" Sue gave Bianca the drumstick from her own te. Bianca did not want it. "Eat. Look how thin you are. I''m on a diet." Sue insisted on giving it to Bianca. In fact, Sue had bought the drumstick for Bianca. "You haven''t told me how your dad''s doing." Sue continued to ask. Bianca had indeed been losing weight in the past two days. In just two days, she lookedpletely different as all kinds of pressure weighed down on her. After telling Sue a brief summary of her father''s condition, Bianca began thinking while eating. Dad told her that all his savings were in Jennifer''s bank card and asked her to get it. However, she figured that Jennifer would not hand it over. Bianca took a deep breath and pulled herself together. She still had to give it a try no matter what! This was a critical period for Dad to gather money to treat his illness. She could not let go even if there was only a one percent chance. Jean sat by the window at the other end of the staff cafeteria, away from the surveince camera. He took out his mobile phone and booked a king bedroom nearby. He was about to send the address to the cuckold group. He was about to send it when he hesitated. What if the people he knew on the inte were swindlers? It might not be safe to do that kind of thing in the hotel as it would not be worth it if someone caught him and ckmailed him instead. After thinking for a while, Jean asked forizen A''s lolita wife''s mobile phone number in the group. Then, he sent a housing estate address and agreed on a time. Admittedly, Jean was very excited as this was his first time doing something like that. When it was time to get off work, he was the first to leave the design department. He hailed a cab to the house Anna bought for him and Marie for their wedding. The house had not been renovated yet. They were currently scouting for a renovation team. Marie had the keys and so did he. Upon arriving at the house, Jean waited patiently for his phone to ring. Before he could finish his first cigarette, the other party called. The lolita''s voice sounded very pleasing to the ears. "I''m at themunity gate. Let me in..." After informing the security guards about it, the lolita wife was granted entry. Five minutester, the two met each other in the house. "I like ces like this. It''s very exciting..." Lori''s gaze swept around the room. It was clear that she had an unusual preference. Jean might be inexperienced, but he had a thrill-seeking heart. Soon, the gentle and affectionate sound of a man and woman intertwining ambiguously reverberated throughout the empty house. "Do you like me... Oh... Ah..." "Are other people''s wives... More... Mm... Experienced..." The lolita wife was lying on Jean''s body, her alluring eyes as soft as silk. '' Much better than those... Who are... Inexperienced... Ah... I can''t, please slow down..." Jean was bing wilder and wilder. This feeling was nothing he had ever experienced, not even in someone who was already as open as Marie "Gentle... Ah..." On the other side, Bianca contacted Jennifer by phone. Jennifer was beaten up by someone when she was in Luojiazhen a few days ago. Bianca did not know if she was currently in the police station or in the hospital. It was not practical for them to meet up and talk. Jennifer would not agree to it. The call going through was already considered progress. When Bianca had briefly exined the situation, Jennifer snapped. "Why isn''t Kevin dead yet! He''s nothing but a jerk. I can''t believe I was in love with him! I don''t have any money. I don''t have a single cent with me. All my savings have been used for his treatment!" "My dad said that he just gave you 100,000 bucks in May. That was a payment from the boss who used to work on the construction site. I don''t expect you to take it all out, but can you at least help at this critical moment when my dad''s life is at stake? I will return it to you in the future," Bianca suppressed her anger and said, giving in. Jennifer snorted and sneered. "The money he gave me is now mine! If your dad''s life is at stake, why aren¡¯t you borrowing money from your friends or rtives? Whye to me instead? Listen, I don''t have any money! You will only dy your dad¡¯s treatment if you continue to ask me for money. You''d better not me me if your dad dies because you dyed his treatment." Bianca stood weakly outside the subway station. "You and my dad were once a married couple. He worked so hard to provide for you and your daughter..." "Beep... Beep..." The sound of a busy signal was heard on the other end. Jennifer had hung up impatiently. Holding her phone, Bianca wanted to cry, but there were no tears left to cry. Her tears seemed to have been drained out. She looked at this flourishing city with bone-dry eyes as pedestrians hurried past her. Most of them were wearing a smile on their faces. She once thought that she could live a simr life, just like them. Once again, she was back in a living hell. At this very moment when her loved one was seriously ill, her economic problems had reduced her to be as inferior as an ant. Money could not be earned in a day. She knew this very well, but a serious illness waited for no one. Her phone rang again. Bianca had never saved this number before, though it looked familiar to her. "Hello, this is Bianca," she answered, fearing that it was a call from a client. "Aunt Bea, I... I..." nche was in the old mansion holding his uncle''s cell phone. Under the threatening gazes of two grandfathers, he stuttered and lied, "I saw your grandfather... Vomiting blood." "What?!¡± Bianca ignored the gazes of those on the street. Her face paled instantly in fright. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The little kid who had just lied pouted angrily and red at both grandfathers who looked perfectly fine. He punched the button to end the call... Luke was wearing a ck robe, the two straps tied loosely around his waist. He looked morbidly sexy. He got up to go to the bathroom, not knowing what both grandfathers and his son had in store for him. On the street, there was not enough time for Bianca to wait for a subway. Her hands were shaking in panic as she hurriedly hailed a cab. After getting in, she mentioned Crawford Manor''s address. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Bianca and Luke¡¯s Awkward Encounter In The Bathroom nche only said that he ''stole a peek and saw him vomiting blood'' before hanging up very quickly. Bianca was burning with anxiety, hence she dialed the number again in the cab. "What should I do?" Just as nche was about to return the phone to Uncle Louis, he panicked when the phone started ringing again. Uncle Louis had saved the number under the name ''Sister-inw Bianca.'' nche knew that this was Aunt Bea. "Pick it up." Old Master Crawford urged his little great-grandson. "Oh, okay!¡± nche looked like he was caught by the teacher for doing bad things as he stood up and picked up the call. "Hello, Aunt Bea... Are... Are you here yet?" "I¡¯m on my way. Tell me, Lanie, how''s my grandpa doing now? Does he need to go to the hospital? Why don''t you put an adult on the phone?" Bianca was thinking about whether to call an ambnce. Vomiting blood was no trivial matter. nche put the phone on loudspeaker. Under the guidance of the two old men, he said, "We''ve called the family doctor. My great-grandpa did. He''s still... Still in the room checking... Hurry up ande over, Aunt Bea!" After saying those words, nche punched the button to end the call again. "Good job. You¡¯ve done a sterling job!" The two unscrupulous grandfathers stroked the little great- grandson''s head and praised him. The little kid''s heart was pounding violently. He was ming himself very much. Under the threat and instigation of the two grandfathers, he could not believe that he had deceived the most kindhearted Aunt Bea... This was Jean''s first time, and he onlysted less than ten minutes, i His gun had surrendered. "You''re done already?" The lolita wife stroked his body with her fingers in a coquettish manner, looking like she still wanted more. This person in front of his eyes was someone else''s wife. Besides, she was extremely open and knew how to do everything, which exined why he could not bear it. "Shall we do it again?" Jean did not want to let go of this rare opportunity even though he still had the chance to have fun again next time if he wanted to. His work in the day, coupled with Marie''s forceful demands, exerted too much pressure on him. He just wanted to use his free time to enjoy himself and have fun... To restore his dignity as a man. Whilst holding someone else''s wife in his arms, he began round two. "Ah... Ah... Ah... Slow down..." The woman''s back was pressed against the wall, her skin rubbing against the rough concrete wall. It sent waves of pain to her body. "Oh... My hubby..." Jean was overwhelmed by a feeling of ''thievery''. This feeling had supplied his body and soul with a steady stream of happiness! "Am I better or is your hubby better? Tell me..." Jean stopped abruptly and questioned the woman aggressively. "You are... Of course, it''s you..." The woman implored him as she wept." Sob, sob... Give it to me... Hurry up and give it to me..." Jean felt a great boost to his self-esteem. "Sure, take all of it!" Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. After the second time, Jean went to the bathroom and found a hose to rinse himself with. The woman got dressed, picked up Jean''s phone that was lying on the floor, and started toying with it. ''What''s the passcode? C''mon, tell me..." the lolita wife said coquettishly. Jean remained silent, thinking that he should not reveal too much information about himself to the other party in this rtionship. All issues rted to his private life should be kept a secret... The woman went to the bathroom with his mobile phone. Jean was like a teenage boy who had just begun to understand love. All of a sudden, he yanked her back, wanting another round and another. After a quick relief, he felt the soreness on his waist. This time, he told the woman his mobile phone''s passcode. It was shameless enough for him to be in a rtionship like that where they were just out to have fun anyway. Now that they had gained physical satisfaction, they would not intrude into each other''s private life... After a quick scroll through his images and WeChat chat log, the lolita wife said with a smile, ''Wow, your wife''s pregnant?" "Girlfriend." Jean massaged his body and corrected her. ¡¯How long has she been pregnant?" "Only less than two months." "I know someone who''s very interested in this sort of thing. Do you want to introduce her to someone else?¡± The lolita wife raised her head, blinked, and said, "You''ll get the money. The introduction fee is very substantial..." Jean replied, "Is that even possible?" "Yes, this isn''t something you can buy easily with money." The lolita wife persuaded him. "I can see that you''re just out here to have fun. You definitely don''t mind doing this, right? You don''t love her anyway. Otherwise, why would you want me? I¡¯ll let you think about it. If you agree, then I¡¯ll be your mediator." Jean did not love Marie, and he was 100 percent sure of that. After having fun for the first time, his state of mind changed. A man should enjoy the pleasures of life while he was alive. He was sure that Marie would not be willing to do it, though. "This isn¡¯t something that she¡¯ll be interested in." "There are plenty of ways to make her do this voluntarily... As long as you''re willing, then you can leave the rest to me..." The lolita wife promised him with a solemn look on her face. Jean fell silent. "I''ll take it as a yes then." The young woman kissed his cheeks and sent a few pictures of Marie to her mobile phone. It would make it easier for her to introduce Marie to other men. Bianca arrived at Crawford Manor. The nanny led her upstairs. nche stood at the bedroom door and held his tongue like a well- behaved boy. He lowered his head, looking as if he had done something wrong... "Grandpa, why are you vomiting blood all of a sudden?" As soon as Bianca entered the room, she threw herself down at the side of the bed to look at her grandpa. Old Man Rayne was lying on the bed and panting weakly. As his body was covered with a nket, a thinyer of sweat started seeping from his forehead, making the old man look even more unwell. Old Master Crawford stood on one side and sighed. "Thank God his condition has stabilized. The doctor has prescribed him medicine to keep things under control. Your grandpa worries too much, and that causes high blood pressure." Bianca nodded and thanked Old Master Crawford. Grandpa was not exactly in poor health, yet he was not exactly in good health either. After all, every organ in his body was slowly deteriorating now that he had reached this age. "I¡¯ll take you to the hospital, Grandpa." Bianca tried to use this opportunity to take her grandfather away. Old Master Crawford, however, was no amateur at all. He said immediately, "No. The doctor said that your grandpa can''t stand getting tossed and jolted around in his current condition. He isn''t even allowed to get out of bed and walk, let alone sit in a car to drive through the city to go home!" Bianca lowered her head, feeling so dispirited that she did not know what to do. She could not keep asking the Crawford family to look after her grandfather. She and Luke had officially broken up. If she did not take her grandpa away from Luke''s ce, then that would be extremely shameless of her, no? "Go get your grandpa a wet towel to wipe off his sweat," Old Master Crawford ordered. This was Luke''s room. Initially, Old Man Rayne wanted to ''fake an illness'' in another room, but Old Master Crawford disagreed. In order to reconcile his grandson with his granddaughter-inw, he needed to fall ill in his grandson''s room. Luke had gone into the bathroom and had yet toe out. The toilet wasrge enough and was divided into wet and dry areas. As soon as the door was closed, the toilet was practically soundproof. Bianca did not know that Luke was at home. When looking for a wet towel, she pushed open the bathroom door without any hesitation. The moment she entered the bathroom, however, Bianca waspletely stupefied. Luke seemed to have just finished taking a shower and was currently opening the door and walking out of the bathroom from the wet area. There was nothing on his body... Not even a towel... She could see all his manhood at one nce! Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Cover The Spot Where He''s Not Supposed To Expose "Sorry, I... I didn¡¯t know that you''re inside..." As soon as Bianca closed her eyes, it dawned on her that she should turn around and walk out. After closing the bathroom door behind her in a haste, Bianca med both grandpas for not telling her that Luke was inside, though at the same time, her face was also flushed with embarrassment... The two elderly men knew that their grandson was taking a shower in there. They, who had decades- long experience with rtionships, knew very well that ''intimate contact¡¯ was necessary to improve a rtionship between a man and a woman. This form of intimate contact could be in the form of physical intimacy or visual stimulus. Without stimtion, there would be no room for wild and fanciful thoughts. Without wild and fanciful thoughts, there would be no further development. Old Master Crawford acted as though he did not notice Bianca''s embarrassment and moved a chair over to take a seat. He began peeling apples for Old Man Rayne. Bianca stood outside the bathroom, trapped in an impossible situation. When Luke came out in his dressing gown, he walked past her. The tall and straight male figure made a beeline for his huge bed. The dressing gown''s straps were tied loosely around the man''s waist, vaguely revealing his firm and well-proportioned abdominal muscles. Bianca went in and retrieved a damp towel, got out, and wiped the sweat off of Grandpa''s face. ¡¯Do you feel better now, Grandpa?" ''Much better... Grandpa''s health is worsening day by day.¡¯ Old Man Rayne felt extremely guilty for this was his first time deceiving his granddaughter by pretending to be ill, but since he had already started it, there was no way he could back out now. His granddaughter would be furious if his lie was exposed. Besides, he was doing this for the sake of two young people''s future, so he deserved to be forgiven. Seeing that Grandpa¡¯s lips were very dry, Bianca said, "Lie down, Grandpa. I''ll pour you a ss of water." The old man said immediately, "Pour Luke a ss too. I think he hasn''t drunk a sip of water since this morning." Bianca did not say anything. With Grandpa currently in the Crawford family recuperating and the old master of the Crawford family inviting the family doctor over to treat her grandpa, it was not really difficult for her to pour Luke a ss of water while she was at it. She came back in no time after pouring two sses of water. After feeding Grandpa two sips of water, Bianca took the other ss and handed it to Luke. Standing by his bed, Bianca held the ss in her hand but did not know how to start. Luke was wearing only a dark dressing gown. He was lyingzily on the big bed, cushioning the back of his head with both of his hands. One of his long legs was bent while the other straightened, looking even more flirtatious than the male models in magazines. 1 From Old Master Crawford''s angle, his grandson''s posture looked like that of a hooligan... On the dressing gown, not a single button was seen. There were only two straps around his waist that hung so loosely that it looked displeasing to the eyes. Old Master Crawford coughed. Not worried that he would make things even more awkward, he chided, "Look at yourself! Even your underwear is exposed. Is that how you''re supposed to wear your clothes?!" After getting scolded by his grandpa, Luke''s eyes shot open. He looked as though he had just noticed the woman standing by the bed. Bianca did not know where to look and lowered her head to put the ss of water on the bedside table. "Can I please trouble you to bring me a nket?" Luke''s hoarse and maic voice rang out deeply in this luxuriously-renovated room. Old Master Crawford reminded her in a timely manner. "There are nkets in the cupboard, so just grab one for him to cover up." Bianca nced at the man lying on the bed and noticed that his eyes were shut while his thick brows were slightly furrowed. His thin lips carried no trace of blood. He was probably not feeling very well. ''Who knows where this brat wentst night. He''s been having a high fever since he came back." Old Master Crawford disclosed his grandson''s illness so that Bianca would feel sorry for him. Bianca opened the cupboard and took out a thin dark gray nket. As her fingers clenched onto the soft nket, she could not help but think.'' How long did Luke stand outside my doorst night? When he hugged me in the morning, I could smell the scent of rain that had dried off on his clothes.'' It would be strange if he was not ill after he was caught in a heavy rain. After putting the nket next to him, Bianca walked back to Grandpa''s bedside to take care of him. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Lukey on the bed as though he had fallen asleep. His eyes were still, his breathing smooth. "Did someone say that my brother is sick?" As his voice rang out, Louis took vigorous strides in. He was dressed in racing gear and equipment from head to toe. He took off his gloves when he entered the house to see his brother. Seeing that Bianca was also there, Louis held her gaze. Bianca did not understand the profound meaning in Louis'' gaze. "He was absolutely wasted, got caught in the heavy rain, and stood at someone''s door the entire night. I''d say that the heavens are being generous to him that he''s still alive." Louis had no idea what happenedst night at all. In any case, he would just make up a cock and bull story to make the incidentst night sound as severe as possible. Bianca listened, dropped her head, and could not help feeling guilty about it. However, she figured awful incidents like that would be over very soon as all things would fade with time. Of course, she hoped that the so-called '' time'' could pass by as quickly as possible. ''What''s this nket for?" Louis asked, turning his head back. "That''s to cover your brother, to cover the spot where he isn''t supposed to expose. Young people nowadays are simply absurd. If this was our era, he''d definitely be called a hooligan and get criticized in public by the girls!" Old Master Crawford said with great distress and heartache. It was their family''s misfortune that they had raised an exhibitionist. Louis nced up and down and came to a sudden realization as he quickly covered the nket on the crotch area of ''the sick man¡¯... "So what if he¡¯s exposed? It¡¯s not like he¡¯s not wearing underwear. He has enough assets to expose himself, no? Bianca isn¡¯t an outsider. It''s not like she hasn¡¯t seen Luke''s body before." Louis corrected the old man''s misconception. Although Old Man Rayne was pretending to be sick, he did not forget to observe his granddaughter''s expression. Judging from how quickly awkwardness crept onto her granddaughter''s face, Old Man Rayne concluded that her granddaughter and his future grandson-inw had probably slept together a long time ago and had made love before. All of a sudden, the old man started looking forward with a very open mind, thinking how great it would be great if his granddaughter was pregnant with Luke''s child. In that case, this old man in his 70s would not have to work so hard to pretend to be ill anymore. Both young people would naturally end up together as well. Allison went out in the morning, and the family driver drove her back at about 11 in the morning. As soon as she walked through the door, there was no one in sight. Hence, she asked, "Where''s everybody?¡¯ "In Mr. Luke¡¯s room upstairs," the nanny who was wiping the furniture looked up and replied. "In Luke''s room? Luke is still ill, though. What are they doing in Luke''s room?" Allison did not want anyone to disturb his son. He should be recuperating in peace. "If I''m not mistaken, Old Man Rayne vomited blood earlier. The doctor was just here," the nanny whispered again. Allison was dumbfounded. "Vomited blood?" The nanny nodded. When Allison was young, she did not get to meet Kevin''s father. Back then, she followed Kevin to a small town to meet his parents. Soon after getting off the car, they arrived at the gate of Rayne''s residence on foot. Before entering the gate, however, she turned around in disgust and took a cab back to the city. As a result, the daughter-inw and father-inw never met. Prejudice against this daughter-inw had been ingrained in Kevin''s father''s mind. She was not a good woman as she despised the poor and curried favor with the rich. Kevin, however, refused toe to his senses and ignored his father''s warningpletely. Would Old Man Rayne die in the Crawford family now that he had vomited blood? Allison could not help but go upstairs to see what was going on! Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Why Are You Hiding From Something You''ve Touched Before? When things got to that point, Allison forced herself to straighten up and not be scared. She had gone through decades of misery and hardship. There was nothing she was afraid of. When she got upstairs and headed to her son''s room, Allison saw an extra bed in the room right away. Old Master Crawford was sitting next to Bianca on the bed. "What happened to your grandpa, Bea? I heard that he coughed up some blood." Allison looked nervous as she walked over and put down her luxury leather bag. "It''s his high blood pressure. Stress and anxiety worsened it. He has to rest well and not get mad. If he gets angry, his life might be in danger," the rmist Old Master Crawford said. Although it seemed as if Old Master Crawford was talking to Allison, his words were directed at Bianca. Old Man Rayne was sleeping. He was getting older, and his body needed to rest more. He must not miss a nap. "Shouldn¡¯t he go to the hospital?" Allison asked iprehensibly. "The hospital''s environment isn''t good for him. Our family doctor is always on call. It''s better for him to heal at home. Besides, his body can''t handle moving around at this moment,¡¯ said Old Master Crawford. When Allison saw how it was, she looked at Bianca. "Bea,e with me." Bianca had to get up and follow Allison out of the room. Even if she wanted to fight about it, she could not do it in the room. The doctor said that with Grandpa''s current situation, he must not get angry at all. After Allison walked out of the room, she turned around in front of her while she gritted her teeth. "What the hell are you and your grandfather up to?! Coughing up blood? It seems pretty convenient that he starts coughing up blood after moving into our house." "What ideas do you have to stop my grandpa from coughing up blood? I''m happy to hear them!" Bianca was furious. ''How could a woman like Allison exist on this?!" Allison started raging and pointed at Bianca. "You don''t want jewelry worth millions of dors. You don¡¯t want money, but I know that you''re trying to put out a long line to catch the biggest fish! How can you be so shameless at such a young age?! How can you bring your grandfather to stay with us and refuse to leave?!" i After she cursed her, Allison looked around and continued, "I want to see your grandpa cough so much blood that he dies. When you finallye to collect his body, I want to see you eat your words!" "I hope you have some morals left. At any rate, my dad¡¯s the son of the man in the room who coughed up blood. He epted you and helped you when you were abandoned." Bianca was sad that she had such a biological mother. If she could, she would rather not know who her biological mother was for the rest of her life. "Bea, your grandpa''s awake!" Old Master Crawford was standing at the door, calling to Bianca in the hallway. Allison, who was still full of anger, changed her expression into an empathetic one. She raised her hand and patted Bianca''s ck hair. She said to the old man, "I''m almost done with her, Dad. I''m just comforting Bea." Old Master Crawford was hoping that Bea would get along with her inws when she got married. When the old man saw how well Allison was treating her, he felt at ease. Old Master Crawford said to Old Man Rayne who was regaining consciousness, "Bea is talking to her future mother-inw outside. Allison''s a very domineering person, but she isn''t that way with people she likes. By all means, I think Bea is getting along well with my daughter-in-w." ''Allison'' Old Man Rayne asked, "What''s Allison¡¯s maiden name?¡¯ ''Tanner.¡± Old Master Crawford did not think it was a big deal. Old Man Rayne frowned and recalled the woman who had yed his son back then. He recalled that she had the same name... After his son got a divorce, he got drunk. When he was home, he would not stop saying how Allison Tanner abandoned him and their child, and how she ran away with a rich man. ''The Crawford family is very rich!¡¯ The more Old Man Rayne thought about it, the more frightened he became. The sweat on his forehead was no longer from being feverish, but it had be cold sweat instead. His lips trembled as he looked at Luke who was sleeping on the next bed. When Bianca came back, she saw that Grandpa was sweating, so she hurriedly wrung out the towel and wiped his forehead carefully. At lunchtime, the nanny got a wheelchair. Old Man Rayne was put in a wheelchair and pushed to the dining table. When they were at the dining table, Allison realized Old Man Rayne was looking at her from time to time which made her shake with fright. Did the old man recognize her? ''It can''t be!'' When he came here yesterday, he did not recognize her. That meant that Kevin did not show her picture to his family back then. ''So why does the old man suddenly recognize me after Bianca came to the house?'' Allison looked maliciously at Bianca who was helping the nanny serve everyone pasta and guessed. ''Did Bianca get so mad that she could not help it and ended up telling the old man about it?'' Allison felt as if something was stuck in her throat. Before Old Man Rayne picked up the tableware, he said intermittently, "Our old home is about to be demolished. Something about building a tourist spot... Sigh. I haven''t had my fill of staying in that old town yet..." Allison''s heart skipped a beat again. ''Why is he suddenly mentioning Luojiazhen?'' Old Master Crawford answered, "That ce has low economic conditions. Once they demolish and rebuild it, it¡¯ll be a brand new look. People of our age shouldn''t be too reluctant to give up the ce. We really need to support the younger generation who are rebuilding the ce.¡± nche raised his head and asked, "Great-grandpa, do you know that ce too? Is it fun? I want to go there!" "People at my age most likely have been there before." Old Master Crawford patted his little great- grandson''s head. Old Man Rayne asked Allison, "What about people your age? I¡¯m guessing you''ve never been to a small ce like Luojiazhen, right...?" Allison did not dare to pick up the cutleries. Her fingers were trembling, so she could only hide her hands under the table. With a calm smile on her face, she said, "I''ve never been there. This is the first time I¡¯ve heard of it. But I''m sure small towns have their charms. From what you say, I''m sure the air quality is very good with all the hills andkes there." Bianca fed Lanie and Rainie each some meatballs while she listened to Allison lying with a straight face. The corners of her mouth twitched slightly as she mocked Allison inside her head. "Bea, I¡¯ve told the maid to prepare two servings of pasta. You should go upstairs to eat with Luke. Since he''s sick, I''m afraid that he won''t eat much by himself." Old Master Crawford suggested. Bianca wanted to refuse, but her grandpa coughed loudly while clutching his chest. He said with difficulty, "Go on. Go and eat with Luke. Don''t make me angry..." When Bianca took the food over from the maid, she went upstairs unwillingly. The stairs were covered with carpet, and her soft slippers made it so that it was silent when she walked upstairs. The only sound that could be heard was her shallow breathing. When she walked to the door with their food, Bianca raised her eyes and was stunned to see something that would give her a nosebleed... Luke had taken off his dark dressing gown and was naked. He threw the dressing gown on the edge of the messy bed. His back was turned away from the door as he reached into his closet to find a shirt. Bianca got so shocked that she hid behind the door with the food. However, she could not help but y the image of the man with a belt in his hands and his muscr, well-proportioned, and strong body. Meanwhile, the curvature of his back was where she had touched and scratched while he was pressed against her body... ¡¯It¡¯s not like you''ve never seen it before. Why are you hiding from something you¡¯ve touched before?" The man''s cold voice was suddenly heard.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Bianca, You Really Need Help! Luke''s words were not flirty at all but just pure mockery. Bianca blushed and leaned against the wall behind the door. She slowly closed her eyes and swallowed down her saliva as she forced herself to breathe. She lowered her head and scolded herself in her head, ''Bianca, how can you be so sick? How can you think about doing those kinds of things with him?! ''Bianca, you really need help! ''Have you forgotten what''s your rtion with him? ''Please open your eyes!'' After she tried to repress herplicated feelings, Bianca entered the room with the food. Luke was already dressed in a dark gray shirt and ck trousers. It made him look even more mysterious, distant, and cold. Since he just woke up, his eyes still looked tired and dazed. When he looked at the woman who just walked in, he asked coldly, "Did you bring me food?" Bianca put down the te. She nced at him and said, "Grandpa told me to bring you food. I can''t say no to him." Luke buttoned the cuffs of his shirt with his fingers. He looked up at her and said, "Sit down. Let''s have a meal together. I know you haven''t eaten either because you were downstairs for just a while before coming back up." From the time, he was sure that Bianca had not eaten. However, Bianca did not sit down with him. "Take your time. I''m not hungry yet." Luke frowned and nced at the woman who went out of the room. She merely looked at the food, looked away, and walked to the study. 20 minutester, Bianca went back to the room. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. He had not touched his food. If they were a normal couple, she ought to worry about him as a girlfriend. However, the truth was that she and Luke were no longer in a rtionship like that. Whether he ate or not, it was not her responsibility to care. Otherwise, it might seem like an invitation to get back together. She took the te downstairs. When she got to the kitchen, Bianca exined the situation to the nanny. The nanny did not ask more questions and cleaned up the te. When Bianca saw that Grandpa had finished his food, she pushed him around the garden for a stroll. Since the pavement in the garden was t, there was no problem pushing the wheelchair by herself. When they got to the middle of thewn, Old Man Rayne said to the granddaughter pushing the wheelchair behind him, "Can you pour a ss of water for me? And can you lend me your phone? I want to use it." Bianca did not know what Grandpa was up to, so she naively gave him her phone. "Grandpa, I''ll get you the water." "Alright." Old Man Rayne watched his granddaughter leave before calling someone. Kevin knew that his father was in A City, and he also knew how his daughter convinced the old man. They made sure they were on the same page so that he would not slip up when Grandpa called him. Since Grandpa was worried that his granddaughter woulde back anytime soon, he only said a few words, "Kevin, can I ask you a question? Is your ex-wife called Allison Tanner? Is she currently in A City?!" When Kevin, who was lying on the hospital bed, heard his old man''s question, he had a bold guess that his old man must have met Allison and perhaps thought that her name sounded familiar. ''Did Allison not admit who she is? Otherwise, why is Dad calling to confirm? In order to avoid trouble, Kevin lied, "Dad, you must have remembered wrongly. It''s Julie Zimmer... My ex is called Julie Zimmer..." 3 After speaking, Kevin could hear his old man sigh with relief. 2 At Crawford Manor. 1 At that moment, Bianca came out with a ss of water. The old man hung up the phone. Bianca took a look at her phone and found that Grandpa had called Dad. However, from the looks of Grandpa''s expression, it seemed that nothing interesting happened. After she sent Grandpa upstairs, Bianca called Dad. "Dad, what did Grandpa ask?" "Your grandpa must have run into your mother. He called me to ask if your mother is called Allison Tanner. However, I lied to him and said it¡¯s been a long time, so he probably forgot her name. I told him that your mother is called Julie Zimmer... Cough! Cough!" Kevin coughed because he was talking too much. He did not object to his daughter''s contact with her biological mother but hoped that his daughter would not let Grandpa know about it. Bianca agreed. She did not dare to disagree with anything. In addition to her father''s emotions and health, she also had to worry about Grandpa''s emotions and health. As Bianca sat on the bench in the garden, she thought sadly about the next step. After thinking about it, it seemed that the only thing she could do was wait until Grandpa¡¯s condition stabilized and he stopped coughing up blood before she could bring him back. Whether it was staying at home or in the hospital for observation, it could only be done after his condition stabilized. At that moment, a ck Porsche Cayenne stopped at the gates of Crawford Manor. It was obvious that it was a new car. When the person got out of the car, someone came out from the manor. Allison hugged the man in his 30s who got out of the car and sighed." Xavier, we''ve been looking forward to youing out for a long time." ''Coming out? ''Where was heing out from?'' The man called Xavier Tanner smiled. His dark facial features suddenly softened a bit. "Thank you, Aunt Allison. Where¡¯s Luke?" "Upstairs." After Allison finished speaking, she walked past her nephew and hugged a tiny-looking girl. She smiled even brighter. "I almost can''t recognize you anymore, Von. How old are you now?" "I''m 19 this year, but I''ve already graduated and am going to start working soon." Yvonne Gideon smiled and showed two eye-catching dimples on her cheeks. The group of them talked andughed and went upstairs. Bianca stayed in the garden and did not know how to approach them. They were the Crawfords'' guests. It felt as if Grandpa and she were extras and hindrances in the manor. Suddenly, Bianca''s phone rang suddenly. "Come upstairs. Your grandpa is coughing up blood again." Allison''s impatient voice was heard. Bianca was taken aback. She put down everything and went upstairs. However, before she reached the room where Grandpa was resting, Allison suddenly grabbed her hand aftering out of a room. Allison looked at Bianca closely and asked, "Why are you running so recklessly?" "My grandpa..." Before Bianca could finish her sentence, she realized that Allison hade out of the study. Luke was sitting in the office chair with a cold expression. His sharp eyes were looking at her while she stood by the door. Next to Luke was the girl from downstairs earlier who imed to be only 19 years old. The girl stared at Luke''s jawline and Adam''s apple coquettishly as if she was bewitched. On the other side of the sofa was the man downstairs who Allison had called Xavier. He had his legs crossed. Bianca realized she had been tricked by Allison and that Grandpa did not cough up any blood. In front of her son, Allison pulled Bianca over-enthusiastically and said," Von just won¡¯t stop saying how she wants to marry our Luke. I told her that my son already has a girlfriend. And speaking of the devil, you came over right after I said that." "We''ve already broken up," Luke''s low voice suddenly said. After he said that, he frowned and continued his work. His face grew gloomier. Bianca was stunned at first, then she nodded. "I just haven''t told the two grandpas yet. I''m afraid they..." Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Luke Competes With His Son When Allison heard her son mention that they had broken up, she was overjoyed. However, on the surface, Allison looked heartbroken as if she had lost her prospective daughter-inw, Bianca. "Why did you two suddenly break up? What kind of a problem is so bad that can''t be resolved?" Bianca turned to leave. Allison pretended to try and stop Bianca. "Bea, I beg you... Don''t tell the two old men about this yet. Their bodies won''t be able to take it.¡± Luke raised his eyes and looked at the door where Bianca''s figure disappeared. At the same time, the other deep set of eyes in the room also looked toward the door. After that, Xavier''s gaze turned to his cousin, Luke. Allison had her back turned away from the three of them. She rubbed her fingers before turning to give Yvonne an encouraging look. Yvonne got the hint. She went to pour a ss of water and put it next to Luke''s left hand. "Here Luke, drink some water.¡± Luke stopped his work, closed his eyes, and raised his hand to pinch his eyebrows. He ignored everyone, including the excessively courteous Yvonne who was beside him. Xavier got up, stood in front of the window sill, and lit a cigarette. He had one hand holding the cigarette and used the other to push the window open. He nced inadvertently at the garden downstairs. The woman who his aunt had called Bea went to the garden. Even though they were far apart, he could still see Bea''s face clearly. As a veteran in love, Xavier understood that those words said by Luke just now were probably invisibly mixed with ice knives, cutting through Bea''s heart. Xavier listened to her aunt chatting happily with Yvonne about family affairs. It was obvious that his aunt was only pretending just now. The only person she actually liked and epted to be her daughter- inw was Yvonne who came from a well-off family. Deep down, she probably disliked Bea. After smoking a cigarette, Xavier put out the cigarette butt, raised his head, and said, "Aunt Allison, I''ll be leaving first. I have an appointment with a few friends at the wine bar in the evening.¡± Yvonne released her arm around Allison''s arm and said, "Goodbye, Aunt Allison.¡± "Come here more often. I still have a lot of skincare regimens I''d like to ask you about," Allison said. She looked at her son. "Luke, Xavier and Von are leaving. Won''t you send them to the door?" Luke picked up the phone and made a call. He looked solemn with his furrowed brows as he talked about business through the phone. He gave them a wave to bid farewell. "It''s alright, Aunt Allison. Don¡¯t forget about our family gathering on the weekend." After speaking, Xavier bid farewell to his aunt and left. Allison stood at the top of the stairs, watching the two of them exiting the living room on the first floor of the manor. When she turned back to the study, she waited patiently for her son to finish speaking on the phone before Allison said, "Since you''ve broken up with Bea, then Yvonne..." "We''re ten years apart. I¡¯ve regarded her as a little sister since I was a child. If you want her to be your daughter-inw, I''m afraid you''ll have to find another son." Luke did not give his mother a chance to matchmake him with Yvonne. Allison looked at his son who was making another call and was suddenly enraged. Allison asked herself what kind of bad deeds shemitted in her past life to get the karma of giving birth to such a cold-faced son who never followed along with what his mother wanted. 3 ''20 minutes ago, he just said that he''s broken up with that Bianca girl! Now, he''s giving an attitude and refusing another girl. What''s the matter with him?!'' i "What''s wrong with a ten-year age gap? I don''t think men care about marrying someone younger. Your dad didn¡¯t mind remarrying an 18-year- old wife!¡± When Allison saw that her son was still expressionless, she said, ¡¯ I¡¯ve promised Von that you''ll let her intern at yourpany for a bit.¡± "The internship is fine, but other than that, it''s out of the question.¡± Luke lit a cigarette, then raised his eyes. ¡¯I''m working, so don''t mention this kind of thing in the future." Allison went out and mmed the door angrily. Even though she gave birth to that son, she could not lord over him. Even Susan''s son knew to listen to his mother, but her son would not listen to a single word of hers at all! 4 The more Allison thought about it, the angrier she got! Downstairs in the manor, Bianca was sitting on a bench. There was a round table in front of the bench and herptop was on it. Grandpa was still sick in the Crawford family''s home, and his condition was serious. He was coughing up blood, after all. Therefore, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and call for an extended period of leave. Fortunately, Sue approved her leave. "Hello, my name''s Yvonne Gideon. I didn''t get to introduce myself when we were upstairs." Yvonne reached out her hand in a grand manner. Since Yvonne reached out to her first, Bianca had no choice but to stand up and reach her hand out to her. "My name''s Bianca Rayne.¡¯ Yvonne let go of Bianca''s hand and nced at Bianca''s hand. They were very white and soft. As a woman, she felt jealous when she touched it, let alone a man. "May I call you Bea? I''ll be working in your department from tomorrow onward. I heard from Aunt Allison that you''re also a neer in the design department but are more experienced. I hope that I''ll be able to learn a lot from you." "No, no. I¡¯m still studying too," Bianca said politely. Yvonne did notment and nced at Xavier. "Let''s go, Xavier." Xavier nodded to Bianca as a greeting despite it being a little insignificant. Bianca could only nod her head back. The two of them left. Bianca could not tell what impression Yvonne had of her. Whether she was a fiend or a friend, that would only be known with time. As long as her grandfather and her dad were under her care, she could not afford to lose the job no matter what. Bianca stayed downstairs until it became dark. It was mainly because Grandpa did not show signs of coughing up blood anymore. Even if she went up, she would not know what to say or do, especially when she got embarrassed facing Luke. When it was around eight, the mosquitoes in the surrounding grass were attracted to the light of her laptop screen. The one bad thing about summer was the mosquitoes. Bianca picked up herptop and went upstairs to Grandpa''s room. Originally, she was going to tell them in the afternoon that she was going to go back at night, but Old Master Crawford seemed to have guessed what she was going to say. Before she could say anything, he said, "You should stay here and take care of your grandfather at night. The two nannies at home have other stuff to work on. I''m just afraid that paid servants won''t treat your grandpa nicely." Bianca knew she could not keep leaving the care of Grandpa to Luke''s family, so she had no choice but to stay back. Old Master Crawford was listening to the radio in the room. When Bianca entered the room, Grandpa noticed that she was badly bitten by mosquitoes on her arms and legs, so much so that her fair skin had turned red. ''1 told you toe in earlier. Look at how badly the mosquitoes have bitten you..." nche was entering the room with a workbook in his hand. He was looking for Aunt Bea to ask her a question about his homework, but when he heard that she was badly bitten by mosquitoes, he immediately ran back to his room to look for mosquito bite ointment. When he was leaving his room, he bumped into his daddying out of the study. "Where are you running to?" Luke nced down at his son with his cold eyes. "Aunt Bea was badly bitten by mosquitoes. I went to get the ointment for her,¡± the little guy said tenderly to show that he was not running around for no reason. Luke looked at the ointment in his son''s hand and snatched it away. "Go back to your room to finish up your homework. I¡¯ll send it over for you." Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! The little guy was in a daze as he looked at Daddy walking into the room where Aunt Bea was... Shameless! Competing with his own son! Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Stop Moving Around. Are You Trying To Make Me Tie You Up? When Luke walked in, Bianca looked up and saw him. When he saw that she was making the bed, the man''s eyes contracted. He threw the ointment on her bed without saying a word. Bianca stopped making the bed as her eyes inadvertently shifted to the ointment stick on the nket. The ointment package read ''For treating mosquito bites on infants and young children''. Old Master Crawford held up his reading sses and saw him. He raised his head and asked his grandson, "How did you know Bea was bitten by mosquitoes?" Luke said nothing. ¡¯Apply the ointment quickly in case they''re poisonous..." When Old Man Rayne said that, he started telling everyone in the room. "When my poor granddaughter was a child, no one cared for her. She was bitten by a forest mosquito on her eyelid once. It swelled up horribly and got infected and inmed. If her father hadn¡¯te back home to bring her to the city for injections to reduce inmmation, I¡¯m afraid she would be blind now." "It wasn¡¯t that serious." Bianca interrupted because she did not want Grandpa to talk about her personal stories to outsiders. Luke stood on the edge of his big bed with his back turned to the two old men and Bianca. The bedroom was almost 70 square meters. His bed was ced in the innermost corner while Grandpa Rayne¡¯s temporary bed was ced below the tform. Before that, a dark sofa was ced there. The bed Bianca was making was a temporary foldable single bed. She had no other choice. She had to take care of her grandpa, so she had to sleep in the foldable bed. After making the folding bed, Bianca found that there was nothing but a thin and rough nket. Since it was the Crawfords'' home, she did not dare to simply move things around. Even if it was going to be ufortable from the chaffing, that would have to do for one night. Perhaps Grandpa would be better tomorrow and they would be able to leave. "Luke, why are you being rude? Go and get a proper nket for Bianca from the closet, you hear me?" Old Master Crawford was furious. Bianca looked up and said, "No, Grandpa Crawford. It''s alright." To be honest, that thin nket was the one that fell off of his bed. It was the one she gave Luke to cover hisher regions... After Bianca said it was fine, she saw Luke striding toward the cab with his long legs. When she took the thin towel before, she had to step on a chair to reach for it. However, he did not even need to tiptoe before taking it out with one hand. Soon, there was a new soft nket ced on the foldable single bed. "Make the nketter. Put on the ointment first." Old Master Crawford looked at the two young people and suddenly felt that the two of them were being a little awkward. Bianca did not want to face Luke awkwardly, so she took the ointment and went to the bathroom to apply it. When she passed by Luke, she lowered her head and thanked him softly. When Bianca entered the bathroom, both grandpas stared at the tall and long-legged Luke. Old Master Crawford walked over anxiously with his hands behind his back. He looked up at his grandson and scolded, "What''s up with that cold face of yours? Is this the way to talk to your future wife? From the looks of your behavior, it might seem that you''re trying to be single for the rest of your life!" "Old Crawford, leave Luke alone. Bea¡¯s also at fault. That child just doesn''t know when to give up.¡± Old Man Rayne could also tell that the problem did not lie solely on Luke. From the beginning, his granddaughter had been treating Luke distantly as if he was a stranger. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Go and help Bea put on the ointment. See how badly she''s been bitten." Old Master Crawford lowered his voice, his head about to blow up from anger. When the bathroom door was pushed open, Bianca was applying ointment on the back of her shoulder. Luke turned the doorknob with one hand and walked in. When he saw her slightly surprised eyes, the man walked in and closed the door behind him. Bianca immediately took her shirt and covered her shoulders with it. She looked embarrassed as she looked at him cowardly and said, "If you want to use the bathroom, I''ll leave." When she tried to walk out of the bathroom in front of him, Luke calmly pulled her arm. Compared to the strong physique of the man, Bianca''s body was extremely petite and soft. She did not know why he pulled her back. However, she was confined between his body and the marble sink. Although the bathroom was soundproof, the two grandfathers were outside. She did not dare to make any noise. She looked up angrily and asked him, "What are you doing?" Luke did not say anything. Instead, he took the mosquito bite ointment, squeezed it a little on the tip of his finger, then looked at her body to find the spots where the mosquitoes had bitten. "I can do it myself." Bianca tried to grab the ointment from his hand. If he came to apply ointment to her, she did not need his help. Luke did not let her take the ointment. He stared deeply into her eyes and stared at her for a long time. After she was scared from being stared down and sessfully softened, he started to move and apply the ointment onto her pale neck. She was naturally pale-skinned, so her skin was as white as snow. Therefore, the redness was particrly obvious from the bites. The cold ointment was applied to the red and itchy affected areas. Bianca lowered her head and took a deep breath, trying to calm her increasingly disobedient heartbeat. After applying on one spot, Luke realized that there were two more bites on her shoulders. He had already touched every inch of her body before. Therefore, he did not hesitate when he pulled off the clothes from her shoulders. Bianca protested. "Stop moving around. Are you trying to make me tie you up?" Luke nced at her pure eyes with his cold eyes. Bianca looked at the bathroom door and whispered, "If Grandpa asked you to help me put the ointment on, you can just pretend to do it. I can do it myself." She tried to take the ointment from the man''s hand again. "How did the mosquitoes bite you through your clothes?" His gaze was fixated on her skin. After meeting her again five yearster, he thought that he was the only one who had kissed her skin until it turned red. Little did he know, mosquitoes did that too. Suddenly, he felt a tinge of jealousy. 3 As Bianca listened to what he said, she felt that the affected bitten areas became less itchy. Now, it was only cool andfortable. She sighed. ¡¯ Have you never been bitten by a mosquito? Mosquitoes can always get you through the clothes.'' "I''ve never been bitten," Luke answered seriously. Bianca was stunned. Perhaps the man was so cold-blooded that mosquitoes retreated when they saw him. i After he finished applying the ointment on all of the affected areas on her body, she quickly put her clothes back on. Except for her neck and arms, she dared not expose other parts of her skin to him. "Were you bitten on your legs too?" Luke asked, looking at her legs. She did not have time to change out of her bodycon work skirt. When he looked at her thighs, she shrank in embarrassment. "It''s fine, I can do my legs myself." Bianca tried to grab the mosquito bite ointment from his hand. Luke insisted and did not let go. Bianca looked up, and her eyes were met with his dark eyes. It was fine to let him help put the ointment on the back part of her neck because it was harder for her to reach and see clearly. However, her legs were not a problem for her. She could have easily reached down herself without his help. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 If You Don''t Obey Me, Your Skirt Is Going To Tear Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. "Sit down,¡± Luke ordered with a sullen face. Bianca shook her head and did not follow as he ordered. 1 She thought that since they had broken up, they should not have such intimate contact with each other. When Grandpa''s body stabilized tomorrow, they would be able to move him out. There were only ten hours left until the time came tomorrow. It was not difficult for the ten hours to pass by at all. All they needed to do was sleep on each of their own beds. After they fell asleep and woke up, ten hours would have passed. ¡¯Sit down!" Luke lowered his voice and pulled her down. It was as if he had expected that she would not scream or struggle since both grandfathers were outside. He held her down and forced her to sit on the covered toilet seat. In the next moment, she found that she could not get up because her ankle was firmly grasped by his big hand. ¡¯We''re not in a rtionship anymore. You''ve even personally admitted it yourself. Therefore, it''s inappropriate to do things like this now.¡¯ Bianca did not dare to fight against him but chose to convince him with reason instead. However, Luke was already using his fingers to apply ointment to the affected area on her calf. Bianca gritted her teeth and hissed. She lowered her head and instinctively tucked her legs back. The ointment was cold. In addition to the touch of the man''s fingers on her leg, it waspletely different from his touch on her neck. It was inevitably quite ufortable. Luke heard her making noise, so he looked up at her. Bianca also felt that her reaction was too suggestive, but the cold feeling was definitely overly sensitive that produced a sort of shiver down her body, spreading across her limbs... Bianca no longer dared to move anymore. The lights in the bathroom were dim, and only the lighting at the mirror was on. Luke''s facial features seemed to look inexplicably dazy. His fingers were fine and pale. Each of them was well-defined and looked very good. Bianca remembered their night in the hotel suite when he used his fingers to help her... That night, it was equivalent to him doing it. As she recalled that night, she furrowed her eyebrows and scolded herself again. Her brain was not at the mercy of reason. She shook her head and bit her tongue to force herself to wake up and not to be tempted by the demon in her heart. She took a deep breath and told herself, ''Bianca, you have to remember what your rtions with him is!'' Luke used his fingers and applied the ointment onto her calf around a dozen times so that the ointment would be absorbed into the skin. He then squeezed some more ointment again to look for the next spot on her body. Her bodycon skirt was exposed in front. He could vaguely see between her legs. There were traces of mosquito bites on her pale skin beneath the shadows. It was very obvious. "Spread your legs," Luke said hoarsely as he looked at that part. ¡¯What?" When Bianca snapped herself out of it and suddenly heard him, she stared at him with widened, terrified eyes. She was in panic mode. Luke also looked up at her and saw fear as well as shyness in her crystal clear eyes. ¡¯That part is bitten by mosquitoes as well," Luke said, half-standing while lifting her skirt. He pulled her skirt all the way up to the base of her leg. Her pale legs were mostly exposed. "Don¡¯t go too far.¡¯ Bianca wanted to pull her skirt down to cover her thighs. However, his hand pressed tightly against the skirt. Luke got close to her face, and his heat gushed toward her cheeks. "If you don¡¯t obey me, your skirt is going to tear." Bianca gasped, exhaling unevenly. She looked at the man¡¯s eyes that were filled with crabbiness. ''Why is he being so aggressive?¡¯ "Your mother already knows that we¡¯ve broken up. The only two people who don''t know yet are our grandpas. Moreover, you might have a new person of interest to marry. Don¡¯t you feel sorry for her for doing these kinds of things with me secretly?" Bianca said anxiously. Luke listened to her vent and looked down at the mosquito bites between her legs. The clear ointment was applied as he rubbed his fingers back and forth on the affected area. After Bianca finished speaking, she lowered her head and nced at his hand resting on the affected area. Suddenly, every pore of her face started blushing. She subconsciously tightened her legs. There was a fire in Luke''s eyes. His thin lips were pressed tightly while his Adam''s apple slid up and down. "I''m going out." Bianca did not dare to stay any longer, for fear ofmitting a crime. Perhaps, she might be hung on the pole of shame. However, when she tried to get up, she moved too quickly and his big hand slid in between her thighs. Luke straightened up, grabbed her thin shoulders with both of his hands, pressed against her body violently, and forced an overwhelming kiss on her! "Mmm..." She pushed her hands against his hard chest and strong arms. Luke lowered his head as his lips looked for hers. As she tried to dodge, he forced his lips against her while he bit, licked, and ran his tongue over her fleeing tongue. Their body temperature turned boiling hot. Her mind and body tried to reject him, but her soul was weing and enjoying him. ¡¯Don''t..." Luke became crazier, holding herpletely in his arms and doing whatever he wanted... Bianca let out a few moans of struggle and bit his lip hard. She struggled in his arms and said, "Let me go... Otherwise... Mm... I''m going to shout..." She struggled and was starting to sweat a little. Her ck ponytail became messed up and some of her hair got stuck on her neck. She was unspeakably tired but full of temptation. Luke stopped kissing her and looked down at her with his scarlet eyes. He held her waist with one hand and stroked her small face with the other as he panted violently without a word. "Be rational. We can''t do this." Bianca breathed desperately, trying to calm herself and the man. Luke''s eyes were deep and terrifying, but when he was face to face with her, the deepness in his eyes were mixed with imperceptible tenderness from their past. The 24-year-old woman had matured and developed well. However, she still looked very pure. When the two of them came together, he felt more eager. "Until you''re married to someone else, I won''t give up." The man who stiffly said that they had broken up in the study went against his words for the first time in his life. After that, he let go of her and turned to the sink. He turned on the faucet to wash his face. Bianca stood behind him nkly. After Luke finished washing his face, he took a deep breath and dried the water on his face with a dry towel. He looked at her through the mirror with his face and eyes stained with erotic feelings. She lowered her head as if she was a kid who had done something wrong and could not bear the consequences. Luke went out first. Bianca calmed herself down in the bathroom for a long, long time. She did not go out until Grandpa called out to her... When she went out, she did not see Luke in the room. Old Master Crawford had already returned to his room to rest. Old Man Rayne saw his granddaughter''s eyes looking around the room as if she was looking for someone. Then, he said, "Luke left aftering out. I think he drove off somewhere!" Bianca sighed, wondering if he went outside to stay for the night because she might feel awkward with him here. The suite in that hotel was the ce he used to frequent. Biancay on the single foldable bed without much thought. Little did she know, Luke went to her rented ce and unlocked the door with the keys Nina gave himst time. While they were being intimate in the bathroom, the ointment on his fingers identally rubbed against her skirt. Whether she was going to stay at Crawford Manor or go back to the office, she had to change her clothes. Luke entered her room and opened the closet. While taking a set of her scattered clothes, he saw her bras and underwear... Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Don''t Act This Way, Everyone Is Watching Us Luke picked up a white bra and a white underwear with cartoons for her. i Meanwhile in the manor, Grandpa was already asleep in the room. His breathing sounded thicker than a normal young man¡¯s, while everything else was so quiet that one could hear a needle drop. Bianca could not fall asleep, so she tossed and turned. She thought about how she had to convince Grandpa to leave tomorrow. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. After leaving, should she let Grandpa stay at home or admit him to the hospital? If she brought him to the hospital, which hospital should she choose? She could not let Grandpa stay in the same hospital as Dad. While she was scratching her head over these thoughts, she heard something outside. A car drove into the vi. She wondered who it was since it was sote. ''Did Lukee back? Or is it Louis?'' After about five minutes, there were footstepsing upstairs. They sounded calm and powerful. When the door was pushed open, Bianca, who was under the nket, knew that Luke was back. The footsteps were getting closer. Even though Bianca was under the nket, she could smell his breath. The nket covering her head was gently lifted by the man, revealing her face. Bianca was afraid that he would know that she was still awake, and she was even more afraid that he would see her eyshes trembling. Although it was nighttime, she was always nervous when facing him alone. Luke put down the bag he was carrying and put it under her bed. At that moment, Bianca rolled over and covered her face with her arm. She was in the same position she was as before. The movements she made were quite unnatural. She wanted him to let him think she turned around in her sleep, but she made it look very obvious that she was pretending to sleep. Since she was afraid that he would notice it, she turned around to cover her face that might reveal her emotions. Luke leaned on the edge of the bed with one hand supporting his body while his other hand touched her messy hair. He whispered in her ear, "I got you a change of clothes as well as underwear. Remember to change into them tomorrow morning." When his sexy hoarse voice reverberated into her ear in the middle of the night, it made her body numb. On nights like these, it was easier for both parties to be hurt. Deep down, she knew that she should not have this kind of feeling. She knew that she must bring Grandpa back tomorrow no matter what. Cutting off the rtionship was imminent. He said that he would only let her go if she got married. Therefore, she would work harder. While she worked, she would take care of Grandpa and Dad. Moreover, she would also look for someone to marry. Otherwise, if she continued being entangled with him, both of them would only get hurt. The forbidden fruit must not be eaten. Once eaten, only eternal abyss would wait for them. She knew she had to take care of her family''s feelings as well as his. 3 When she turned around to cover her face with her arms, she bit her lip secretly as tears wetted her eyshes. He leaned on her again, his restrained breath gushing on her face. He stayed there for a long time as if he had restrained himself for a century. Finally, he gave her a kiss. The man''s wet and cold lips stayed on her face for half a minute before moving away. She could hear his hard breathing clearly. "Good night," Luke murmured heavily. Bianca heard him leaving. She heard him showering, changing his clothes, lying down to sleep, and getting up again. She did not know what he was looking for when he suddenly stood in front of her bed. When she opened her eyes, it looked like she was watching a screen. She did not know whether he was asleep. However, that night, she was very tired. She did not dare to turn in her sleep or breathe normally... 1 When it was past midnight, she finally fell asleep in a daze. Bianca woke up at around seven o''clock in the morning. When she got out of bed, she looked up and saw that Luke was not on his bed. However, she heard Grandpa slowly waking up. "Luke went for a morning run." Bianca nodded and got up to wash up. After washing up, she walked to Grandpa''s bed with a cup of water. She finally summoned the courage and said, "Grandpa, how are you doing? Shall we go home today, or should I take you to the hospital?" When she said that, she tried her best to smile so that Grandpa would not overthink it. Grandpa nced at her. "Why are you suddenly speaking like that? Your smile looks fake." Bianca was a little embarrassed after being found out by grandpa. However, she sat next to her sick grandpa and exined nicely. "Luke and I aren''t married yet, so I think it''s inappropriate for us to stay here for too long. It''s fine if it''s just for one or two days. But if we stay here for too long, what will people think of us?" When Bianca said those words, she was actually very worried that Grandpa would feel ufortable. She was even more afraid that Grandpa Crawford would get angry if he found out about what she said. He might be angry to find out that both of them felt like outsiders. However, the fact was that it was fine for most women to think that way because that was the truth. When Grandpa saw how serious she was, it did not seem like there was room for discussion. Therefore, after he gave it some thought, he epted the reasoning behind it and nodded. "I''ll go home with you today. As for the hospital... We won¡¯t go there." "Okay, I''ll listen to you, Grandpa." Bianca smiled instantly. "Aunt Bea, I bought you some pancakes!" nche was wearing a white shirt, bright yellow shorts, and a pair of white Adidas sneakers as he ran in. At the same time, a man followed behind the little guy. Luke nced at the grandfather and granddaughter. He saw how the granddaughter''s face bloomed with a very warm smile. His heart skipped a beat as the corners of his mouth instinctively moved upward. When she looked over, he concealed his secret smile. 1 His face turned back to the usual hard, iceberg-like expression. He walked to the bathroom to take a shower. "Aunt Bea, eat it while it''s hot.¡± The little guy held the pancakes in his hand while he looked at Bianca with eagerness. After Bianca sessfully negotiated with Grandpa, she was in a good mood, so she picked up a piece of pancake in the shape of a little rabbit and asked, "Have you eaten yet?" "I have," nche nodded sharply and said with hisrge, ck grape-like eyes, "Daddy said that food trucks are unhygienic. Rainie and I have never tried these before, but somehow Daddy bought some for us to try. He even let me bring some back for you." When Bianca took a bite of the pancake, she was moved. He let the kid bring it back for her? Luke was taking a shower. The water slid over his sturdy body and onto the ground. Earlier that morning by the pancake stall, a boy had made his girlfriend angry. Therefore, when they were having their morning run, the girlfriend scolded him the entirep until the boyfriend bought her a bunny-shaped pancake. His girlfriend smiled and warned her boyfriend coquettishly to not make her angry anymore. ''Does Bianca like rabbit pancakes too?¡¯ When he came out of the shower, he only saw his dazed son. Grandpa and Bianca were not there anymore. "Where did they go?" he asked his son who stood there in a daze. The little guy pointed his finger as his little pouty mouth said, "They left." Luke quickly changed his clothes and went downstairs. His face was serious, his body cold and extremely intimidating. When he got downstairs, he grabbed Bianca''s arm and ordered the person who was helping the old man get into the taxi, "Bring him to my car." The maid had no choice but to do it. Bianca suppressed her emotions, endured the pain on her wrist, and whispered to him, "Don''t act this way. Everyone¡¯s watching us. By the way, I''ve asked my ssmate to introduce me to a guy. I''ll be meeting him in the afternoon, so I''ve asked for a leave. I won''t be going to the office today. ¡ö After that, she raised her eyes to look at him. When she saw the anger in his eyes, she continued to add fuel to the fire, "If we get along well, I think I might get married to him soon." Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Young Master Lanie Had Met With An ident! In order to avoid and run away from him, Bianca had quickly set up a blind date and was considering getting married to a man she felt she could get along with. Luke could no longer restrain his raging anger. He stared her down. "Am I the gue? Why are you using this method of rejection?" Bianca started to get nervous after being stared down by him. She shook her head and lied. ''You''re not a gue, but someone like you has never been what I want in a partner. I merely used you to satisfy my vanity. After I got my revenge on Jean, my conscience finally spoke to me and now I''m retreating. There''s no wrong in that, unless you''re fine with me using you for the rest of your life?" Luke was not the gue in her eyes but something more than that. They had worked together and eaten together. Although they did not show their love publicly as they needed to look professional as an employer and employee, she could ept all that. However, forcing herself to approach other men to get herself a suitable boyfriend was herst resort. She had to resort to this method to tell herself as well as Luke that the two of them could never have a future together. "Since you''ve already started to use me, why not just use me for the rest of my life?¡± That was the biggestpromise he was willing to take. "One lifetime is a long time for me. I hope you can understand that meeting the wrong person is more terrifying than living alone for the rest of my life. Those were the words you personally told me. I understand myself, and I''m not that perfectly pure person you think I am in your head. If I get married to you, am I supposed to be the rich wife? What if Jean makes another promise to me and I end up giving it to him? What if I sleep with him to take my revenge against the mistress?" When Bianca finished, a tear came out of her eye. She sighed and did not dare to wipe away the tear for fear that the two grandpas in the distance would see it. She tried to keep it in, but in the end, she could not control her tears froming out. Even though her teardrop was shed because of their rtionship severing, her lips said, "When I think about my rtionship with Jean that I''ve been guarding for five years suddenly leaving me, I can''t help but feel my heart ache. I''m still salty that my boyfriend was snatched away by her, so now it¡¯s my turn to snatch her husband." 1 When Bianca said that, her eyes became reddish as she finished her final act. However, even if everyone in the world was deceived by her acting skills, he could never believe it. "I''ll let you take my grandpa to the hospital, but this will be the final time." Bianca nodded at him and turned to leave. Old Master Crawford and Old Man Rayne had their gazes on the two of them. When Bianca walked to Luke''s car, she did not look as hurt as before. Old Man Rayne saw her but did not ask any questions. Since his granddaughter got into the grandson- inw''s car, it might mean that it was not a big problem between the two of them. ''I''m leaving, Crawford!" When Old Man Rayne saw Luke get into the car as well, he waved at Old Master Crawford. ''When you get better, I''ll get Luke to send you here to y chess with me." With a smile on Old Master Crawford''s face, he waved until the ck Range Rover drove out of the manor. On the way to the hospital, Bianca looked down and fiddled with her phone. Grandpa saw this, and he knew she should not ignore Luke. He said, "Bea, you''re such a fickle child. Sorry, Luke, you''ll have to bear with her sometimes." Luke nced at both the two of them from the rearview mirror and nodded. "It''s fine." Bianca was replying to her ssmate''s message. At thest reunion, she friended a few of her old ssmates on Facebook. They were all who she thought had good characters. A few days after the reunion was over, a few people were chatting in the group, and one of them said she wanted to introduce her to a guy. Bianca did not dare to tell them that she was with Luke. She was afraid that they would be shocked. Therefore, she shied away, saying that she was busy at work and had no time to date. Now, even if she had no time, she would have to squeeze some in to start dating. Last night, she sent her ssmate a Facebook message to tell her that she was open to meeting the guy she mentionedst time. Sincest night, her ssmates had not stopped telling Bianca how good the man was. ''I won¡¯t introduce you to someone bad. He¡¯s a good buddy of my boyfriend¡¯s. He has always been single. He has a very good lifestyle and a good attitude. Why didn''t I introduce him to other female ssmates? Well, look at them! All the honest men have been yed by them! Poor things have their money all cheated away by those girls!¡¯ Bianca''s female ssmate replied a bunch of things. Bianca replied, ¡®Thank you. After I meet him, I¡¯ll seriously consider him.'' ''It''s no problem. I just want to y cupid and see a good marriage. I love it when a couple with great qualitiese together, the female ssmate typed. Bianca looked down at the meeting time and address saved on the screen of her phone. She started to space out. She deliberately ignored Luke who was driving. When she could not control her emotions by reason and could not help but think of Luke, she would immediately think of Allison''s face. It was to remind herself of something that they could never ovee in their rtionship. Luke drove the car and stopped at the entrance of Silver Hospital. Since Bianca had spaced out on the way, she forgot to tell him which hospital she wanted to go to for Grandpa''s check-up. However, he had already thought it through and avoided Paramount Hospital. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! "Thank you for driving Grandpa and me." Bianca helped Grandpa get out of the car. After Grandpa got down, she looked up and said to him. Luke looked into her eyes and saw confusion in them. "I still have a bunch of things I need to do, so I won¡¯t send you in." "Okay." Bianca nodded and helped Grandpa turn around to walk into the hospital. Luke also got in the car and drove off. Bianca helped Grandpa walk a few steps when she heard the sound of the car driving away. She did not look back. From that moment onward, she would try to forget the brief rtionship she had with him and start her new life. It took almost half a day for them to queue up for registration, check Grandpa''s body, and for the results. At about one o''clock in the afternoon, Bianca sent Grandpa, who seemed to be well, back to her rented ce. Grandpa muttered with a guilty conscience, "It was just some blood in my cough. It''s no big deal. My cancer''s gone and perhaps coughing up blood is not necessarily a sign of a serious illness..." Bianca did not think that Grandpa had pretended to be sick. "Grandpa, I¡¯ll be back to cook dinner for you in the evening. I have something to do outside now. Is it alright for you to be alone?" She knew that she had to work, socialize, and deal with a lot of things. It was impossible to stay with Grandpa and take care of him all day. That was what she thought. Perhaps when she earned a little more next time, she would be able to hire a caregiver. Since Grandpa could walk, speak, and was mentally clear, the caregiver would not be able to bully him. Usually, the elderly who were bullied had problems expressing themselves or could not speak. "I¡¯ll be fine. Go ahead and do what you need to do." The old man sat firmly on the sofa, turned on the TV, and started watching it. When Bianca saw that, she was relieved. However, when she went downstairs, her phone rang. It was andline number. "Hello, this is Bianca," she picked up and said. "Ms. Bianca! Come here quick! Young Master Lanie has met with an ident!" The nanny''s anxious voice came from the other end of the phone. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Aunt Bea, You Like Rainie More Than Me. Bianca Was Fooled "An ident? What happened?" Bianca''s voice changed with horror. "He... He said he¡¯s going to jump off the building... He doesn''t want to live anymore!" The nanny pleaded, "Ms. Bianca, pleasee and help!" Bianca said, "Let me talk to him.¡± The nanny called out to Lanie. When Bianca walked out of her neighborhood, the nanny spoke into the phone again, "Young Master doesn''t want to get on the phone. He said he must see you in person." "Don''t worry, he won''t jump." Biancaforted the panicked nanny. "I''ve heard of teenagers who failed the college entrance examination jumping off buildings and I''ve also heard of adults jumping off buildings for various reasons. However, I''ve never heard of such young kids wanting to jump off a building." When the nanny heard what she said, she replied, "Alright, Ms. Bianca. I¡¯ll go upstairs to see Young Master again." Bianca said okay. "If the little guy makes trouble again, call his father, or grandma, or grandpa, or his uncle..." There were many rtives the nanny could have called. She just got her grandpa out of Crawford Manor. She could not risk going in again just because of the little guy. At Crawford Manor. When nche heard what the nanny said about the phone call, he angrily said as he stood by the window, "Aunt Bea doesn¡¯t care whether I live or die?¡± "It''s not that she doesn''t care whether you live or die. It''s just..." The nanny just realized the absurdity of it. Who would believe that a child would jump off a building? Besides, Young Master was not an orphan without a father or mother. His family should be the ones responsible for his personal safety. nche exhaled angrily. At that moment, Louis was downstairs and saw what his little nephew was doing. He asked casually, "What are you doing? Isn¡¯t it time for school?" "I''m on summer vacation..." nche nced at his uncle speechlessly and contemptuously. Louis said delightfully, "If it¡¯s the summer holidays, why aren''t you ying outside? Is your hobby just standing by the window? Enjoying the view?" On the other hand, Bianca reached the subway station. Before she went in, her phone rang again. This time, it was not andline number but an unidentified phone number. Bianca had no choice but to pick it up. "Hello, this is Bianca." "Ms. Bianca! I''m the nanny who works with the Crawford family! I¡¯m the one who called you just now! Young Master is really going to jump off the building! If you don''t believe me, I¡¯ll show you!" After hearing what the Nanny said, Bianca took the phone away from her ear. When she looked down at her phone, the screen showed nche sitting on the third-floor windowsill. His tiny body was on the big windowsill. Since the windowsill was thin, the little guy was not able to sit on it properly. He was shaking, his back was toward the garden on the ground floor. Although there was awn, it was still hard ground. If he was not careful, he might fall off the sill and his tiny arms and legs would not be able to move anymore. "Don¡¯te near me, or else I¡¯ll jump down..." the little guy cried as he yelled. "Okay, I won''t go near you, I won¡¯t." The nanny asked Bianca through the video call, ¡®What should I do? I¡¯m just doing my job here. If anything happens to Young Master, I won¡¯t be able to pay with my life!" "Are there any other adults at home?" Bianca frowned and asked loudly. The nanny shook her head. "No, after you left, Old Master Crawford went out for tea with his veteran friend. Madam Allison went to the beauty salon to get a facial. Mr. Crawford is at work. I don¡¯t understand why I can¡¯t get through any of their phones. The main thing is that Young Master only wants to see you, Ms. Bianca." "Pass the phone to him. I¡¯ll talk to him.¡± Biancapromised. "Oh, okay. Let me pass it to him." The nanny handed the phone over. nche shook his head. "Don''te near me. I don''t want to talk to her. She¡¯s abandoned us..." "Lanie..." Suddenly, Rainie said in her sweet voice out of the blue. The nanny''s hand trembled and she dropped the phone. From the screen, Bianca vaguely saw nche falling off the window. The sound of the phone hitting the ground made the shocked Bianca''s palm turn cold. Bianca put everything down and hailed a taxi over. Even when she spoke, her tongue was twisted as she told the driver to drive to Crawford Manor. During the whole time, her head was down as she tried to dial the nanny¡¯s phone. "Sorry, the number you have dialed is unavable..." The call could not get through, but Bianca continued to call until she arrived at Crawford Manor. Upstairs in the manor. The nanny stared outside. When she saw Bianca getting out of the car, she said in a panic, "She¡¯s here. She¡¯s here." Louis nced downstairs to confirm that Bianca was here. When he saw that she was, he called Rainie over and ordered, ''Open your eyes." Rainie obediently followed suit. When the eye drops for infants and toddlers were dripped into her eyes, she squeezed them and dampened her eyshes. After the little niece got the eye drops, next was the little nephew¡¯s turn. "You two, rub your eyes until they turn red. I¡¯ll hide so Aunt Bea won¡¯t know that I''m home.¡¯ After Louis said that, he went out. He looked left and right before running away quickly. The nanny went downstairs to open the door for Bianca. As they walked up the stairs, the nanny said, "Luckily, he only broke one of his legs." Bianca nced back at the nanny with disbelief. ''Breaking a leg is deemed lucky?¡¯ 1Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. When Bianca entered Lanie''s room, she saw Rainie kneeling on the edge of the bed, arms around her brother. She had a big frown on her little mouth while her eyes were red and her face was covered with tears. She looked miserable as if she had just cried. "What did the doctor say?" Bianca walked to the bed and saw that Lanie had one of his legs in a ster cast. She felt so guilty that she did not dare to look him in the eye. If she had agreed toe over from the beginning, the child would not have thrown a tantrum and fallen off the sill. "Aunt Bea..." Rainie let go of her brother and walked toward Bianca. 1 Bianca picked up the sad Rainie and patted her head. Her voice choked up. "Don''t cry, it''s all my fault. I¡¯m sorry." nche wanted to arouse more guilt in Aunt Bea, but when he saw how Aunt Bea choked up because of Rainie¡¯s fake crying, his heart softened as he looked at them. He said with jealousy, "I¡¯m the injured one here. Aunt Bea, do you like Rainie more?¡± She did not expect the little guy to not me her for noting sooner. Instead, he was being cute to her. Therefore, when Bianca looked at Lanie, her eyes were red. "I''m hungry, Aunt Bea... I want to eat instant mac and cheese with extra cheese made by you." nche did not feel any pain in his body. Now that he saw Aunt Bea, he was satisfied, and his stomach was growling with hunger. "Do you guys have any mac and cheese boxes?" Bianca asked the nanny. The nanny smiled and nodded. She said, "Yes, Mr. Crawford usually doesn¡¯t let the kids eat it because it¡¯s unhealthy, but I¡¯ve hidden several packs for them. Usually for when they''re craving it." Bianca went to the kitchen with Rainie. The little guy who pretended to have a broken leg on the bed showed his pearly whites and gave a high five to the nanny. Bianca had her own methods to make the mac and cheese with extra cheese. The smell of cheese was strong and flooded the room. At the same time, Bianca saw the nanny''s face changing when she went into the kitchen. She told her with fear, "Ms. Bianca, Mr. Crawford''s back. If Mr. Crawford knows that I hid instant mac and cheese for the kids, I''m afraid I''ll lose my job..." Chapter 108 Chapter 108 She Cried From Being Scolded By Luke When she heard what the nanny said, Rainie got so scared that she walked over and hugged Aunt Bea. "What are we going to do? Daddy''s back." The nanny was also embarrassed that she had to ask Bianca for help. ¡¯If he asks, tell him that I''m the one who brought it," Bianca said. ''Thank you for being considerate, Ms. Bianca. My two sons are still studying. I really can''t afford to lose this job.¡± The nanny looked back at the corridor. When she turned around, she squeezed her hands nervously. ''I understand.¡± Bianca nced at the instant mac and cheese that was almost ready. The smell was everywhere. If Luke came in, he would have smelled it. Therefore, even if she threw it away now, he would still find out about it. It was better not to throw it out. Luke did not let his kids eat junk food because he was a young master who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Even if he used to live in a ce like Luojiazhen, he was still a rich boy. Quite often, the lifestyle habits of wealthy children were much different than the average Joes in life. He was still not over his messed up feelings for her. It was only going to end after she got officially married. It was mostly because Luke did not want to give up yet and was still being persistent. Bianca did not know why he liked her and thought perhaps it was because of the newness of her in his heart. If a man who hated junk food like him saw her feeding junk food to his kids, she thought that perhaps he would get angry, rage, and hate her a lot. Perhaps he would finally see what a lowly person she actually was and that she was not good enough for him. nche was on the bed. He proudly pursed his little mouth with a console on his hands, pressing and ying happily! ''You broke your leg?'' Suddenly, there was a low male voice. nche looked in the direction of the door. When he saw his old man in a suit and leather shoes walking in, the game console he was holding in his little hands almost fell off the bed. It was the gift that he got from Granduncle during hisst birthday. If it fell and broke, he would not be able to use it anymore. That was because Daddy did not like him getting addicted to ying video games. He ignored his dad and rushed to pick up the game console that was about to fall. ''Phew, thank God." nche hugged his beloved game console. He turned it off before looking up, blinking his thick eyshes at his dad. Luke stood by his bed and looked condescendingly at his son''s calf that was a smaller circumference than his own arm. ¡±Why did you jump off the building?" Because... Because I want to see Aunt Bea..." ''So you wanted to see Aunt Bea, but since she didn¡¯te, you decided to jump?'' Luke received a call from Louis after the incident. He was shocked when he found out that his son had broken his leg. Fortunately, Louis immediately told him that Lanie jumping off the building was all fake. There was intable fall protection that made it safe for anyone to jump even from the 30th floor, let alone the third floor. nche could hear the reprimand in his Daddy''s tone. He bowed to him with regret. "I was wrong, Daddy." ''If you want to see her, there are plenty of ways. Don''t risk it next time." Luke stepped forward and patted his son''s head. He turned around and walked out of the bedroom. When the nanny in the kitchen saw Mr. Crawford''s figure, she walked out of the kitchen and greeted. "Mr. Crawford." Luke nodded as he looked deep into the kitchen. Bianca was holding an insted bowl so that it would not burn a child''s hand when they held it. She put the mac and cheese that she prepared and brought it out with the tiny cutleries. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. After she took two steps, she bumped into the man who came into the kitchen. Bianca felt very awkward because she had just left in the morning. However, she was back again and in the kitchen making mac and cheese for his kids. It was a situation that was hard to exin. "What''s this? Did you make it?" Luke looked down at the white insted bowl in her hand and asked even though he already knew. ''It¡¯s instant mac and cheese with extra cheese. I bought it for Lanie and Rainie." Bianca took the fall for everything. The nanny who was standing in the distance listened. Even though she was relieved, she was also worried that Mr. Crawford would be very harsh and reprimand Ms. Bianca. Therefore, she did not know what to do. Ms. Bianca was only 24 years old and looked like she had a fragile soul. She wondered how Ms. Bianca kept her cool when Mr. Crawford usually blew his steam. ''If it was me, I would''ve already teared up.'' While the nanny was wondering whether she should step forward and admit that the mac and cheese was her doing and that it was not Ms. Bianca¡¯s fault, she heard Mr. Crawford quietly ask, "Do you have more? I''m hungry too" The nanny,"..." ''What? ''Did I hear something wrong? ''The parent who''s the perfect example and has never eaten junk food, who has always regarded junk food as poison and never allowed his kids to eat it, actually wants to eat instant mac and cheese?'' Bianca looked up at him. She was so surprised that she did know what to say. She was just about to feed junk food to his kids. ''Shouldn''t he be angry? ''Moreover, he wants some as well?'' Bianca swallowed nervously. She was standing on the Crawford family''s grounds. Naturally, she was worried that the head of the family''s moody temper would erupt. She thought that perhaps him saying that he wanted to eat it as well was just the calm before the storm. She was waiting for him to rage when she turned around to make him the mac and cheese. ''Daddy, there''s another pack." Rainie did not want Daddy to scold Aunt Bea, Lanie, or herself. If Daddy liked mac and cheese, it was great news for her. "Lanie and I will share a bowl, and since you''re the adult, you can eat one pack by yourself, Daddy." Luke looked at the insted bowl in Bianca''s hand. "Go, give it to them ande back to make me another portion." Bianca was stunned for a long time before she went to nche''s room. The nanny was in a daze as she tried to be busy. She found a small table and put it on the young master''s bed so that he could eat the food easier. "Eat slowly and be careful not to burn your tongue." Bianca patted the two little kids and turned to leave. The nanny looked at the two kids in the room. After Bianca walked out of the room, she walked toward the kitchen nervously. "I want extra cheese." Before Bianca entered the kitchen, she looked up at the source of the voice. Luke stood tall in the kitchen. The light from the sun made his sharp and angr features slightly softer. However, there was still deep anger in his eyes that was leftover from the morning that was not vented out yet. Bianca sighed to herself and went to open thest pack of instant mac and cheese. ''For a man like Luke, he can get any girl he wants.¡¯ Why was he so hung up on an ordinary girl like her? However, the answer was clear. He wanted what he could not have. Once he had a taste of it, nothing else was the same. She took another clean microwavable bowl which was just the right size for the mac and cheese. Bianca turned and went to boil some hot water again. When the water was boiled, she poured it onto the mac and cheese. As she poured the boiling water into it, the aroma of the cheese powder flooded the air. She put it in the microwave oven for another minute. Even though it was only a minute, it felt like it was going on forever. Suddenly, she heard the man''s voice from behind asking in a deep voice," Why didn¡¯t you go on the blind date?" Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Daddy, Can You Get Aunt Bea Back? ''I''ll be goingter. He hasn''t gotten off work yet." While Bianca said that, one minute had passed and the microwave oven dinged. Luke stood behind her about a meter away while he thought about the way Bianca talked about the guy. The guy represented another man who was about to enter her life. Bianca did not dare to overthink it because she was afraid that her emotions would get out of control. Therefore, she made herself focused on making the mac and cheese. It was the method of cooking that she learned online. After the timer was up, she tore open another pack of seasoning and put it in the bowl. She stirred it a little and put it back in the microwave for two more minutes. When the two minutes were up, she took out the bowl, beat in the cheese, and put it into the microwave for another minute again. Luke, who stood behind her the whole time, suddenly started daydreaming that they were newlyweds and that she was his new wife who was cooking food for her husband. In his daydream, even though his wife was busy, she would go home at noon to make him a meal. Bianca put all her focus on making the mac and cheese. It was not the usual way of making instant mac and cheese. After the one minute was up, she took out the bowl and gently stirred in the cheese. After the cheese was stirred in, she put it in the microwave for thest time, 1 It took another minute. As she waited patiently for one minute, she felt the man behind her standing very close to her. For some reason, she felt ufortable. When she turned off the microwave and took out the bowl, her fingers touched the hot microwavable bowl. She instinctively furrowed her brows and retracted her fingers. ''Where did you burn yourself?" As the man said that, a pair of big hands grabbed both of her hands suddenly. Bianca turned her body and retracted her hands back. "It''s okay, it wasn''t very hot." Luke frowned and had to let go of her. The nanny panicked when she realized Bianca was not wearing the mittens. She pretended to be busy with something, but it was because she was the one who forgot to give her the mittens. However, Luke managed to get the bowl out with a kitchen cloth. "Pour it into an insted bowl," Bianca said while nervously watching his hands that were not afraid of getting burnt. Luke''s fingers were angr, pale, long, and strong. When she saw them, she could not move her eyes away. So much so that she could feel his breath making her heart skip. 1 ''Your mac and cheese is done. If that''s all, I''m afraid I''ll have to leave first.'' After Bianca said that, she left the kitchen and walked to the bedroom. She took her backpack and said goodbye to the two little kids. "Aunt Bea, are you leaving?" nche could not believe it. Before he got an answer, he asked again, "Is my dad bullying you? I can get him to stay in the office and note back.'' Bianca smiled helplessly while sheforted the little guy. "He''s your daddy while I''m not rted to you." "Then you should just be a member of our family. Can you get married to my daddy so that you can be my mommy? Or maybe you can get Grandma to adopt you as her daughter so that you''ll be able to stay in my house," nche said naively. After Bianca heard nche''s words, her mind twitched. How could it be possible for Allison to adopt her? She was already her biological mother. She knew it was an impossible feat to get Allison to acknowledge her as her daughter in this lifetime. As for what the little guy said about getting married to Luke, it was also impossible. "Rest well. I''ll find another time to visit you." After Bianca said with a smile, she turned around and left the manor with a sad face. When she went downstairs, she opened the main entrance and tried to leave everything behind again. The people who lived there, whether it was the father or the two kids, were a fatal attraction. She knew she must leave as soon as possible. Every time she stepped into their lives, she would fall into it quickly. She knew she had to escape as soon as possible while she was not so deep in the mess yet. The Uber she booked had not arrived yet, but a message came from Bianca''s cell phone. The female ssmate sent her a Facebook message which said, ''I just gave your Facebook to my boyfriend''s buddy. If he adds you, you can go ahead and chat with him first.¡¯ Bianca replied, ¡®Okay.¡¯ Soon, she received a Facebook friend request. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. The guy used his own picture as his profile picture. He looked like a very upright man. He wore sses, a pair of white cks, and a light gray loose button-up shirt. From how he looked, he was about 26 or TJ years old. ''Hey, this is Brayden.'' ''Hello, I''m Bianca.¡¯ ''...I think you''re a down to earth person.¡¯ ''Is that so?'' Bianca was very bad at small talk, especially with someone she was about to have a blind date. "I can feel it. I know a little psychoanalysis,'' Brayden replied. Bianca continued replying to him until her Uber came and she got in. Initially, they nned to meet for dinner after he got off work, but while they chatted, Brayden became eager to see her. Since he found out that Bianca was free then, he took an early leave from work and left his office to meet his blind date. Bianca had no choice but to immediately go to the ce he said to meet. In the taxi, she kept hyping herself up to prepare for the date. She told herself that if they were suitable for each other, she would seriously consider him and try to get married as soon as possible. She thought that if he was not picky toward her, she should not let him down. At Crawford Manor. The little guy looked very sad and did not finish his mac and cheese. The nanny watched him sadly from the side. Generally speaking, children did not like new stepmothers, but those two kids were different. They were almost begging their father to marry a stepmother for them. Of course, provided that the stepmother was their Aunt Bea. As for what happened to Mr. Crawford and Ms. Bianca, the nanny did not dare to specte why it was that they could not get married. Perhaps Ms. Bianca knew she could not get along well with his rich family, or perhaps she did not want to bear the burden of being a puppet by marrying into a wealthy family. Perhaps she did not want to risk being cheated on if her husband went off the rails. If one party was affectionate but the other party was unwilling, it was a normal thing for them to not be able to be together. When she cleaned up the dishes and was about to take them out of the room, the nanny happened to see Mr. Crawfording in, so she turned sideways to make way for him. "Aunt Bea was scared away by you again!" nche med Daddy while he looked coldly and bitterly at him. Luke went to the room to get his car keys. He turned around and said," Aunt Bea is busy going on a blind date." The two little kids looked at each other. "Blind date? What''s that?" "A blind date is to look for a husband. When we were at Uncle Donney''s house on Christmas, Aunt Lily exined that she had done it before." Rainie recalled. nche scratched his head. But, what about Daddy?" Rainie snorted. "Aunt Bea doesn''t like Daddy." She med Daddy for not trying hard enough. nche wrestled with his fake ster cast from his leg tirelessly. After he got it off, he put on two tiny slippers and ran downstairs. The ck Range Rover was driving out of the garage. Luke lowered his head to light a cigarette with one hand holding the steering wheel. He was about to drive off when he saw his son standing in front of the car. nche was blocking the car with a pitiful look on his face. His attitude changed as he pouted. "Daddy, can you get Aunt Bea back? I''ve waited five years and finally found a woman who I want as my mother... If you don''t get Aunt Bea back, you can just go ahead and kill me with your car." Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Luke The Unqualified Father Luke tightened his grip on the steering wheel while his other hand had a cigarette in between his fingers. He put his arm out the window not to put out the ash but to wave at his son toe over. The little guy ignorantly walked over. Luke looked at his son with a deep look. "Do you think that she''ll be your mommy just because you ask her to?" The little guy scratched his head with confusion. When he realized what Daddy meant, he pouted. He realized what reality was and lowered his head in disappointment. "I get it. She doesn''t want to be our mommy." 1 When he saw how disappointed his son looked, he furrowed his brows and looked at the sky far in the distance. His thin lips parted as he took a drag of his cigarette. His kid was no longer blocking his car, so the ck Range Rover drove off. When the little guy got to the living room, he sat his butt on the sofa as he swung the tiny slippers off his feet sadly. 1 ''What happened? Why the sad face?" Louis, who had been in hiding, finally came out with a confused look. He did not know what happened at home while he was gone. ''Could it be that theplicated n to jump off the building was found out?1 "Aunt Bea never wanted to be our mommy," as nche said that, his entire face drooped. His face twisted, then dropped down like a sack of potatoes. He acted as if he was an orphan who no one wanted. Louis analyzed the situation ording to an adult''s thinking. It could only mean that Bea was still angry at Luke. ''Are the two of them continuing their cold war?'' If a kid jumping off the building did not fix the issue, it must mean that Luke was not being a good man. Perhaps, he was not a good man to her. ''Is it so hard to admit your wrongdoings to your woman?¡¯ "What are you crying for? me your daddy''s insensitivity. He''s like a block of ice!" Louis had nothing to do for the entire day. He woke up wondering where he should go to have fun. However, it seemed like he did not need to think about where to go anymore and decided that he would focus on solving Luke¡¯s problem. nche looked at his uncle as if he had found some hope. Louis suddenly felt that the responsibility was too big. "Do you know where Aunt Bea lives?" He decided to send his nephew over and put him at her doorstep. He thought that Bea would not be so heartless as to ignore an orphaned child. "Aunt Bea moved to a new ce that I¡¯ve never been to." "Alright, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll ask around. After I find out, I¡¯ll send you over there. You can''t count on your daddy anymore. It''s up to you now." Louis took out his phone. nche scratched his neck. "Aunt Bea¡¯s going on a blind date." "What?" Louis stopped dialing. "A blind date? Who told you that?¡± ¡¯Daddy told us...¡± As Louis talked to his nephew, the sound of a vehicle came from outside. Both of them looked outside. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! A ck Bentley RV was parked in front of the manor. The person who got out of the vehicle was Jason in a suit and leather shoes. When Jason walked in, he nodded to Louis before asking nche, "Young Master nche, where do you wish to go today? Tell me your heart''s deepest desires and I''ll bring you wherever you want to go." When Louis heard what he said, he thought about it for around two seconds, then motioned to his nephew. "Um... I want to go to..." nche hesitated as he nced at his uncle. He got the hint. He said, "I want to look for Aunt Bea." "About that..." Jason did not know how to reply to him. The boss called him just now and gave a specific order. He said, "After finishing the work at hand, go to the manor, pick up Rainie and Lanie, and bring them to wherever they want to go." Jason understood their situation. It was because the two children did not have a mother by their side since they were born, and neither did they have a great-grandma. Moreover, they did not have any close female rtives either. The only female rtive they had was Grandma who put her sole focus on fashion and was barely at home. She probably spent more time outside with the renowned wealthydies in her fashion circle than her grandchildren. Although his boss was a very cold man whether it was toward outsiders or his own family, as a father, he loved his kids but just did not know how to express it. After getting the order from his boss, Jason put down his work and rushed over quickly because the boss rarelypromised the care given to the two children. Though Jason believed that care should not be given by others and that the father should bring his own kids out to y for only then would they be satisfied, in these five something years, the boss had a hard time initiating the first step to show that sort of love. Therefore, it was difficult to ask the unqualified father to progress too much. However, his boss ordered him to apany the kids to have fun outside -Not taking them to see Bianca. Even so, Bianca was the only woman who had been able to win the eyes of his boss in years. He thought that it should be fine to take the children to meet her. After thinking about it for a while, Jason said cautiously. "Of course, you can see Aunt Bea, but have you guys decided on a venue to meet up?" The little guy shook his head pitifully and looked at his uncle with his innocent little eyes, asking for help. Louis called Jason over and turned him around as he whispered, "You know how my brother is. He always gives the impression of a cold-blooded and ruthless man. It¡¯s quite annoying. Recently, Bea had a fight with Luke, and since my brother doesn¡¯t want to step down, they''re currently in this cold war situation." Jason looked surprised. ''The boss is having a cold war with Bianca? ''Moreover, it''s the second time Louis called Bianca Bea. Does that mean Mr. Crawford brought Bianca to meet the family? It seems that the entire family is already quite fond of her.'' If Mr. Crawford was in a cold war with his woman and was not going to step down anytime soon, as subordinate, he knew what he had to do. "I understand." Jason nodded to Louis, then turned around and said to the child, "I''ll bring you to see Aunt Bea." "But, the thing is, I don¡¯t know where Aunt Bea is." The little guy scratched his head. He craned his neck up and said, "Aunt Bea went on a blind date..." Jason waspletely shocked. She went on a blind date when they were in a cold war. As Mr. Crawford''s special assistant, he could do a lot of things. Jason called Sue. When Sue answered the phone, Jason asked her, "Bianca from your department... Where is she at this moment?" ¡¯I''m not clear about this. She applied for leave today." After Sue told him that, she asked curiously, "What¡¯s the matter?" Jason did not tell her what was wrong but told her, "Find out where Bianca Rayne is right now. After you get the exact location, give me a call." He hung up the phone. In a steakhouse. Brayden had just sat down and asked the waiter for the menu. When they were ordering, Bianca''s phone rang. "Sorry about that, can I answer this?" ¡¯It''s fine, go ahead.¡± Brayden was not a man with many rules. Bianca answered the call. Sue asked, "Bea, where are you right now? I¡¯ll just give it to you straight. The department needs you right now but you don''t have toe back for overtime. We just need to know your specific location and I''ll send someone to give you the USB sh drive." Bianca thought that herpany sending a USB sh drive over to her would not affect the blind date much, so she did not think much about it and told Sue where she was. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 A Pair Of Twins Running Away From Home A ck Bentley RV drove on the highway with a winding path. The two children sat in the back of the RV. Rainie had a carton of milk in her hand, taking a sip from time to time. While Jason drove, he nced at the two children in the back seat from the rearview mirror. Next to the children was a SpongeBob Squarepants suitcase. nche had packed the suitcase and looked like he was running away from home. Jason did not know what to do with the child''s behavior and he did not know whether he should report it to his boss. After thinking about it on the way, Jason decided not to call the boss. He decided to see Ms. Bianca''s situation and how she reacted before he exined it to his boss. ¡¯I won''t go back anyway. What about you?" nche asked his sister. "I won''t go back either. Living in an orphanage is better than staying at home." Rainie had enough living in that big house without seeing Daddy. Moreover, she had enough of the two grandmas who constantly argued and fought. The only person they would miss was Great-grandpa. Jason listened to the childish talk of the two kids and got a headache. It seemed that no matter how capable he was, he still could not handle his boss'' family affairs. In the restaurant. Bianca and Brayden were having a good chat. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Brayden was an ordinary office worker who did not dress up like a rich person and neither did he seem like a country bumpkin. In short, he was a normal person. ''Since you work in T Corporation, I can pick you up and drop you off at work in the future if you don''t mind." Brayden meant that he was very receptive of Bianca. However, he was not sure whether Bianca was receptive of him. When Brayden noticed that she did not respond, he smiled awkwardly. '' Did I ask you that too early in our rtionship? Alright, I guess we can just see how it goes. Don¡¯t think of me as too rash." Bianca shook her head and smiled. "No, I don¡¯t mind you." After Brayden got a word of approval, his face turned red. Bianca was not an open person and Brayden was the same. The two of them inevitably got embarrassed when they chatted and ran out of things to talk about. Luckily, the waiter came in time and served their sds, steaks, and juice. Those were the things that ordinary working-ss people ordered when they ate out. Bianca looked up at the waiter and was about to thank him. However, before she parted her lips and before the waiter put down their steak, she noticed three figures walking in from the door. It was Jason and two little kids. Jason seemed to be asking the waiter about something while the two little kids rolled a heavy suitcase behind them as they looked around. It was obvious that they were looking for someone. When Bianca saw the scene, she became nervous. When she nced at Brayden, she suddenly felt guilty. ''I''m going to wash my hands." Bianca got up and walked toward the restaurant''s bathroom. Brayden looked back and found nothing unusual, then he turned around and cut Bianca''s steak for her. Finally, nche''s darting eyes found Aunt Bea from the entrance. Since he was a baby, Great-grandpa and Daddy taught him not to make amotion in public settings. Therefore, he threw his luggage and ran his little legs toward Aunt Bea. Bianca was by the bathroom. The little guy ran over and hugged her. She patted the child''s head. She crouched down and asked softly, "Why are you here?" ''I begged Uncle Jason to bring me here." nche hugged her tightly, his big ck eyes quickly turning red. Bianca was apassionate person. She was very grateful that the two children liked her and were satisfied with her. However, she could not be with their father no matter what. It was like paying one¡¯s price for another. In the end, what was fated could not be changed. ''Alright, be a good boy now. Go back." Bianca rubbed his face as she tried to coax him. "I won''t go back! I won''t allow you to go on the blind date! You must stay with Daddy!" nche became more emotional as he spoke. At that moment, two women came out of the bathroom. When they heard their conversation, they secretly judged her. ''How could the mother remarry? How irresponsible. She doesn''t even consider her child''s feelings.'' ''What a cruel woman.'' It had been five minutes since Bianca left her date, and usually, that was way too long to wash hands. She could not give up this blind date just because the child disagreed. It might make Luke misunderstand and she might even let down her ssmate who kindly introduced Brayden to her. The Brayden who fitted perfectly for her. ''Don''t cry. Don''t make amotion. I''m doing business. I''m not on a blind date." After hearing her exnation, nche believed her and said, "Okay, then Rainie and I will sit elsewhere while we wait for you, okay? You can meet us when you''re done." That seemed to be the only way. If she asked them to go, they probably would not budge and would probably cry loudly, making a scene. When Bianca returned to her date, she looked a little dazed. When she saw that her steak was cut, she looked up at Brayden and said, ¡¯ Thank you." "You don¡¯t look so good. Did something happen?" Brayden was sensitive and perceived something had gone wrong. "It''s nothing." Bianca shook her head. Brayden suddenly thought that perhaps she was on her period and that was why she looked pale and was ufortable. "Miss, can you pass us a menu," the two little kids said softly as they walked over and sat on the table next to them. Bianca looked over and did not expect the two little kids to sit so closely to her. She thought they would have waited outside. Jason was nowhere to be seen and was probably in the vehicle. At first, Bianca was very worried and could not get her food down. Fortunately, the two little kids did not make any trouble at all. All they did was eat and drink their sses of juice obediently. However, their conversation was quite peculiar and puzzling. "s, a child without a mother is like a de of grass." "At least a de of grass grows vigorously from the soil. Even though we have a daddy, we''re like dried-up grass. Sigh." When Brayden heard theints of the two children at the next table, he could not help but give them a few more looks. If those two children wore torn up clothes, he might think that what they said was true, but the two children obviously came from a well off family judging from their clothing. He wondered if they were children of celebrities filming a reality show. He wondered where their parents were. Brayden looked around but did not see any cameras or film equipment. After more than an hour had passed, Brayden¡¯spany executive called him. Bianca politely allowed him to leave first. She told him that she would be fine as she was waiting for someone from her office to send her a USB sh drive. "Alright, then I''ll be leaving first. After I¡¯m done with work, I''ll meet you again." Brayden got up and told Bianca. Bianca also stood up and bid farewell to him. At the same time, a man in a ck suit and white shirt suddenly walked into the restaurant. His slender legs and the cold look on his face showed that he was a person of status. He had an indifferent temperament. When they saw Daddy, the two little kids lowered their heads in fright... Bianca turned her head and responded awkwardly to Brayden''s polite goodbye. At the door, Jason just entered the restaurant and was watching his boss'' raging discipline. He picked up his daughter firmly with one hand and dragged his son with the other hand toward the door. "I don''t wanna go." nche broke free from his daddy''s big hand as he ran toward Bianca and hugged her thigh tightly. He cried out, "Please! Please, help me... Help me... Boohoo..." Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Luke Could Not Hold His Anger Any Longer! When the little guy threw himself at Bianca, she was thrown off bnce and fell on a cushion. No matter how hard she tried to control herself, her heart still beat uncontrobly. Her heartbeat clearly told her how nervous and scared she was then. ¡¯Boohoo..." nche cried desperately. His tiny and short stature made him look even more pitiful. Bianca patted the little guy and looked at the thick bandage wrapped around his knee. She had seen some blood stains on it from the moment she saw him. However, the fact that the cast was removed meant that he was not injured too badly. "Are you okay?'' Brayden was worried about Bianca''s fall. Fortunately, Brayden reacted quickly and ced a soft cushion underneath her. When Brayden nced at the child, he was about to persuade the child that if he had a problem, he should talk about it with his dad and not to hold on to a stranger. However, before Brayden could say anything, his phone rang. "Hello, Mr. Larson," Brayden answered. Mr. Larson''s impatient voice shouted, "Brayden, are you trying to get fired? Do you know what time it is?!" "Go, I can handle it here." Bianca was terribly flustered now and she had also heard Brayden''s manager shouting from his phone. Brayden looked into her eyes. He hesitated and finally told her, "Call me if you need anything." Bianca nodded. When Brayden left, he nced at the little boy''s father as he passed by him. Before he could say anything, Brayden saw the man with the furrowed brows staring intently at his stubborn son who would not stop holding onto a stranger. After the man stared at his son, he left with his daughter and turned away. The little girl also kicked her legs and did not want to go. Brayden knew better than to butt in into other people''s affairs. Even though it was worrisome for him to see the scene, he went out to hail a taxi down. When he was hailing down a taxi, he also saw the same man forcing his daughter into a ck Bentley RV before going back to the restaurant again. At that moment, a taxi stopped. Brayden got into the taxi and nced at the restaurant. Through therge, clean, and transparent floor-to-ceiling windows, the man walked toward where Brayden had eaten with Bianca earlier. The man stretched out his arm and grabbed his son who was holding onto Bianca tightly. The taxi drove away. Brayden rxed when he saw that the father had taken care of his son. "I won''t go! I don''t want to go back with you! I won''t! Daddy, you''re coldblooded and merciless!" nche struggled fiercely and was obviously stronger than the little girl. While Bianca looked at the child sadly, she also nced at the street outside the restaurant in a panic. Brayden was nowhere to be seen outside. She was grateful that Mr. Larson had called Brayden away in time. Otherwise, she did not know what the child would have said. In this lifetime until forever and ever, she was never going to have any type of rtionship with Luke. Her heart was already set on her new life. The waiter came over and carefully reset the table that had been moved by the struggling child. Bianca picked up her bag. When the waiter cleaned up their table, she went to settle the bill. "The gentleman with you has already settled it," the cashier said to her with a smile. At that moment, the man who left with his son came back into the restaurant. There was a yellow SpongeBob Squarepants suitcase in front of the cashier. With one arm holding his son, Luke picked up the small suitcase with his other arm. However, throughout the entire time, he did not look at Bianca. Bianca left silently. "Aunt Bea, save me... I don''t want to go! I don''t want to live with my dad!" nche''s stubbornness came through as he kicked his two short legs hard,pletely dirtying his dad''s ck suit. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! The little guy called out to her pitifully. He reached out a little hand to her and started sobbing. The waiter in the restaurant stole a few nces at them and realized that the child knew thedy. Otherwise, why would he know to call her Aunt Bea? Luke looked at his son''s pitiful appearance, then looked at Bianca who was standing indifferently two meters away. He could not hold his anger any longer. He lowered his head and shouted, "If you don''t stop making so much noise, I''ll give you up for adoption!" nche wished that Daddy did not want him either. ¡¯I''d rather that, then." Bianca was not being indifferent. She just did not want to intervene. She did not want to get involved by seeing, hearing, or thinking about them. However, it always took some time for thoughts to manifest into actions. When she decided to leave, she lowered her head and walked out of the restaurant, pretending that she did not hear any of that. The child¡¯s leg injury should be dealt with by his own father. "Boohoo, Aunt Bea... Don''t you love me anymore?" nche cried out heartbreakingly and struggled even more intensely while Luke got so angry that he threw the suitcase in his other arm. As the cartoon suitcase hit the floor with a bang, the lock on it broke. The little guy who sessfully broke free from his father''s arms ignored everything and ran to the door. "Aunt Bea, don''t go, okay?" Bianca initially wanted to walk away quickly, but before she could, the little guy hugged her thigh. When she looked back, nche had his knees on the ground because he ran too fast. His left knee and left arm were scraped badly, shocking Bianca when she saw him. His right knee was already badly scraped, so now both of his legs were badly injured. Bianca crouched down and picked up the child. She looked at the little guy in her arms with her red eyes. She liked him very much. She had previously dreamt of marrying Luke and raising his two kids together with him. However... Bianca was afraid that she would cry, so she lowered her head and touched the little guy''s forehead with her forehead. She did not let herself look into the little guy''s crying red eyes. She said, "Don''t ever do this again." She could not take the child away. It was not the child''s decision to go with whoever he wanted to. Rainie and Lanie were Luke''s kids, not orphans in the streets without parents. "Aunt Bea, you won''t abandon us, right?" the little guy stopped crying and asked innocently as he endured the pain of his chafed arm and bleeding scraped knees. Bianca shook her head but found herself scared to shake her head too obviously. She did not want the child to get hurt again because of his emotions. In the restaurant. The waitress who went to the bathroom to wash her hands started gossiping. ''What about that Aunt Bea? What do you think is going on? Did she let go of the rich and handsome guy to go for the working-ss man instead?" "What do you know? Rich men aren''t always good men." The waiter who wiped her hands analyzed. "First of all, he has two children. If she marries into a rich family, she''ll have to be someone¡¯s stepmother. I think that it¡¯s normal for some women to not want that... Also, the rich guy has a bad temper. Throwing things and forcing his son away? He''s so not gentle." "You can see it from another perspective too. Isn''t he angry because he''s embarrassed? The kid doesn''t want to go with his dad and wants to go with his Aunt Bea instead. In addition to that, that Aunt Bea is with another man. I think that really hurt the man''s self-esteem. If that happened to any guy, I think they''d also lose their temper." The other waiter defended the child''s father. "I guess you have a point..." The two waitresses walked out of the bathroom one after another. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Hoping That Daddy Would Not Misunderstand Aunt Bea When the waitress got back to her station, she saw the little boy tightly pulling the corner of Aunt Bea''s clothes as he looked timidly at the big and tall father. The cold-looking dad with a stern face looked at the kid hiding behind Aunt Bea. Bianca crouched down and picked up nche''s two pairs of shoes, his cartoon toothbrush, his watch, a few scattered T-shirts, and shorts, packing them back into the square yellow suitcase. When Bianca closed the suitcase, she realized that the lock was broken. ¡¯Excuse me, do you have tape here?" Bianca got up and asked the cashier. ¡¯Yes, please wait for a minute. I''ll look for it.¡¯ The waitress lowered her head and started rummaging. She found it in the drawer. Bianca took it, crouched down, and wrapped the suitcase with the duct tape. In any case, the suitcase could no longer be repaired or reused, so she just focused on keeping the little guy''s belongings inside it. She wrapped the suitcase nicely. nche lowered his head and said to Aunt Bea who was crouching and packing his things, "Aunt Bea, can I live in your house? I... I can pay you rent. IV The little guy still remembered that thest time he asked Aunt Bea to apany him to the summer camp, Aunt Bea refused. The reason for the refusal was that she had to work to make money and support her family. Therefore, he did not want to burden Aunt Bea by not paying because it would only make her life a little harder. "Where do you think you¡¯ll get the money from?" Luke asked him with a cold look. "I..." The little guy raised his head, looking at his father timidly. He opened his mouth for a long time before he got the courage to say, "I have the money I gotst Christmas and the coins I saved up in my piggy bank." nche had already nned it out so that he could use the money in his piggy bank to support himself for the ten something days that he would be running away from home. As for the money his family gave him during Christmas, which was a lot, he could use for his studies until he was ten years old. The money would be used to pay his school tuition fees, his meals, a few shirts, and a pair of shoes. He could use that money frugally. After that, he would still get money during his birthdays and the following Christmases. He was sure that he could live a good life without his dad. As for Rainie, he knew better than to bring her along. He was worried that his sister would not be able to bear the hardship of running away from home. He thought that it would be better for Rainie to stay with the Crawfords. When he was in the vehicle, he was too impulsive and asked his sister if she wanted to run away with him. The little guy med himself as he thought about things. ¡¯Thank you." Bianca returned the tape to the cashier and went back. The little guy was still pulling onto the straps of her bag. He did not relent and followed her every step. In desperation, she lowered her head and held nche''s small face. She said, "Be a good boy and go home with your Daddy okay?" Luke walked over, took his son''s other hand, lowered his head, and said, ¡¯ We¡¯re going home. From today onward, there shall be no nonsense like this. You shall never bother Aunt Bea again." Bianca tucked her hair awkwardly behind her ear. "But Aunt Bea said she''s working and not going on a blind date..." nche stated the facts and looked at Daddy with his big bright eyes, hoping that Daddy would not misunderstand Aunt Bea. i Sure enough, Luke looked at Bianca. Bianca looked back at him, thinking that he would understand that she only lied because she was worried that the child would make a big ruckus due to the blind date. Luke took nche''s hand and walked away. However, nche continued to pull on Bianca¡¯s bag strap stubbornly. The two adults and one kid left the restaurant. The women at the cashier continued looking at them. The waitress who gossipped in the bathroom earlier sighed weakly and said, "My life''s so boring. This kind of man either only exists in TV shows or they''re already taken by other women..." At that moment, Jason walked into the restaurant and took the little yellow suitcase. After Jason left, the waiter sighed again, "Sigh. If I can''t get married to that child''s father, at least let me marry the male assistant. He looks so manly...¡¯ Jason opened the passenger door of the ck Bentley RV. He stuffed the suitcase inside, turned around, and looked at the calmlooking boss in the back. Then, he looked at the little guy with one leg in the vehicle and one leg outside the vehicle. He looked incredibly funny with his little hand still tugging on Bianca stubbornly, but it was a dangerous situation as well. 2 ''1¡¯11 visit you another day as soon as I have time." Bianca had to continue to coax nche. nche hugged his father''s thigh with one arm while he pulled Aunt Bea with the other. "Don''t lie to me. I know a ten-year-old friend who had a mommy who used that lie on him. When she left, she told him that she¡¯d visit often and even bought a pair of nice sneakers as well as a Transformers toy for him. But it''s already been seven years. He doesn''t even remember what his mommy looks like anymore." Bianca actually wanted to be reasonable and say that she was not his mommy, so he could not compare her that way. However, the child seemed to be set on his thoughts, so she was afraid that her logic would not make any sense to him. Jason suddenly said, "How about this, Ms. Bianca? Why don¡¯t you apany Mr. Crawford to send the child back?" Bianca looked at Jason. Jason raised his arm and nced at the time on his watch before saying," You can calm Young Master nche and Young Mistress Rainie down, then go back home. You¡¯ll even make it in time to cook for Old Master Rayne." When the little guy heard what Uncle Jason said, he looked even more pitiful and pulled her even harder. He raised his little head with his tear-filled eyes. His little hand grabbed onto Daddy''s thighs while he used another to pull Aunt Bea. "Look, Young Master''s arms and legs are injured. The weather¡¯s hot. If we don''t get his wounds cleaned properly, it might get inmed,¡± Jason said emotionally. Bianca did not want to drag the thing on longer either. Since she already went to Crawford Manor in the morning, she thought that there would not be any difference going again. Since she was busy with the child, shepletely forgot about the USB sh drive. After getting into the RV, she suddenly remembered it on the way. She called Sue. However, Sue said, "I was just about to call you. I won''t be sending you the USB sh drive anymore. You can leave. I got someone else to do it." "Okay.¡± Bianca breathed a sigh of relief. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. The RV that Jason drove had a very luxurious design. Luke sat in the passenger seat with a cold look on his face. His legs were crossed, and he had a cup of jasmine tea from the refrigerator in his left hand. The tea was known to relieve stress. nche knew that he had been a naughty boy, so he poured a ss for Aunt Bea. Then, he poured the leftover tea for Daddy. The RV had a simple kitchte and a sofa. Rainie and Lanie sat on each side of Bianca with her in the middle on the sofa. Each of them leaned on her and gradually, the two little kids fell asleep. After they arrived at Crawford Manor, Jason got out of the vehicle. Jason carried nche out of the vehicle and went upstairs. At the same time, he ordered the nanny to call the family doctor to treat his wound. Bianca initially wanted Luke to carry Rainie, but Rainie was hugging her so tightly. They looked like a pair of mother and daughter. Bianca had no choice but to say, "I''ll do it..." She picked up the little kiddo who was stuck to her and got out of the vehicle carefully. Luke was worried that she would bump her head when she got out of the vehicle. He subconsciously protected the top of her head and helped her down. After she got out of the car, he withdrew his hand without a trace. After Bianca went upstairs and put the child down, she was about to leave. Luke had a cigarette in his mouth as he waited by the door. As she came out of the child''s room, he reached out and pulled her hand. While she was struggling and raged at him, he took away the cigarette from his lips. With one hand holding the cigarette, his other hand held the back of her head. Soon, he pressed his body against her hard and kissed her maniacally! Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Luke, Do Your Kids Know How Shameless You Are?! Bianca thought he must be crazy. Hopelessly insane! They were at Crawford Manor where his grandfather mighte back at anytime. There were also his other family members as well as the nanny who could appear at any time to witness this scene. However, what shocked her most was that she was being kissed by... Allison''s biological child. He was her... ''No, this can''t happen. ''It''s too messed up.¡¯ "Let go! Let go of me!" Bianca shook her head, pushing against his body. His wet lips and tongue tried to entangle hers. When she tried to speak, he took the opportunity to go deeper into her and licked every sweet inch of her mouth. A strong masculine breath rushed toward her face, causing goosebumps to rise from her skin. It was a signal from her body telling her that she was in danger. As the man kissed her and gradually squeezed her toward the wall, she fought harder. However, her strength was no match for Luke''s. His dark face closed onto her lips again, giving her no room to breathe. She twisted desperately, but it only caused the man to get angrier. While he bit her beautiful lips, Luke''s fingers that were holding the cigarette was around the back of her head. The cigarette butt was pressed against the wall because of her struggling. Sparks flew and the butt was not put out yet. He quickly untied his tie with his other hand. As her lips and tongue endured his violent raging frenzy, she felt her hands being held down by him. The next moment, Bianca''s eyes widened in horror. "What are you doing!" The man wrapped his tie around her hands a few times. He tightened it ferociously, tying her hands tightly with his tie while acting like a crazy man. Both of her hands could not move. Her first reaction was to run away. However, the man picked up her body andid her in his arms. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! No matter how hard she tried to kick, she could not break free. Luke picked her up like a demon and walked toward the bedroom. Once she tried to call someone for help, he lowered his head and kissed her lips hard, crushing them. In the end, only a muffled voice was heard. He sucked her disobedient tongue. After he took Bianca into the bedroom, he threw her onto the bed. The bed was springy and her body bounced on the luxurious mattress. Both of her arms did not have enough strength to push herself up. She saw Luke walking a few steps after throwing her onto the bed. Click. He locked the door. She knew what he was going to do. "Don''t be mad. If you do anything to me, I swear I''ll sue you for rape." Bianca squirmed and finally got off the bed. When the man locked the door and stood at the door with his back facing her, she wanted to escape. However, the chance of her escaping was zero. Even though it was impossible to escape, she had to at least try. When he turned around again, he looked at her with deep eyes and began to unbutton the delicate buttons of his shirt with one hand while his other arm tried to push her onto his body when she tried to escape. He pressed her body onto the bed. Bianca was like a fish on a chopping board, ready to be killed. Facing each other, Luke pressed her under his body as she panted. The man stared at her teary eyes and got up a little. His eyes suddenly turned a strong cruel hue as he held her disobedient body. He pulled her shirt up and pushed it toward her shoulders. The air conditioner was turned on in the bedroom, and she felt a breeze on her entire upper body. "No, you can''t do this." That was the most scared she had ever been. It sent a shiver down her spine. Luke pressed his face on her body when she opened her lips and was about to say something. "Uh... Ah..." Unbearable grunts came out of her little mouth. The feeling of shame came quickly. It came in a hundred folds, then a thousand folds. He ignored her screaming. 2 There was no one in the manor and the kids were asleep. Further, the room was soundproofed. The windows were closed and the air conditioning in the bedroom made it even so that no one could hearthem. If anyone were to be back and hear her scream, they would know that Luke was busy doing something, so they would most likely note in to bother him. At most, they would hint about a slight noise. At that moment, she saw a fruit knife on the cab. When Grandpa was recovering in his bedroom before, she asked for a fruit knife from the nanny so that she could cut fruits for Grandpa. Little did she expect, it was still in his bedroom. After a while, Luke finally broke free from her scarlet red lips. She was finally able to breathe, her eyes filled with aggrieved tears. ''Who do you think I am? Your toy? Something for you to let off steam?" After she said that, she began to cry louder. Struggling against him would not work, therefore she had to soften herself. Luke reached out and carefully wiped the tears from her face with his thumb, the veins on his temples popping up. As he stood next to the bed, he suddenly woke up and pulled her up. He pressed his forehead against hers. His voice was hoarse as he said, "Are you that unhappy when I touch you?¡± "Yes,¡± she said straightforwardly. "You enjoyed it very much at the hotel the other time. Was it all fake?¡± Luke kissed her delicate lips lightly and whispered, ¡¯Till this day, I still remember how you moaned." Bianca heard her breathing get irregr again. Her face was scorching hot and her tongue was twisted. It took a long time before she lied through her teeth, "I enjoy it even more when I''m under Jean''s body..." Before she could say another word, she felt the jealousy and anger erupting from the man. She regretted it when her body was suddenly pulled down from the bed by him. He turned her over and pressed her on the wall with his strong body. She thought that she should not have said such stubborn things. Instead, she should have continued to be soft and persuaded him with nice words... She tried to move her pale face that was stuck against the wall. However, she could only press her forehead against the wall while looking down at her own body. Her hands that were tied up by his tie could still move, but they did not have a huge range of movement. Luke breathed heavily behind her as he stuck his body onto her. Perhaps he was too angry, but he put his arms around her thin waist while his thin lips pressed against her ears. He said, "Let me see how you scream under a man." 1 "Luke, does your grandfather know how perverted you are?! Do your son and daughter know how shameless you are?!" Bianca faced the wall and was surrounded by his breath. Her shirt hung messily on her upper body while the skirt on her lower body was wrinkled. Luke''s wet and warm lips wrapped around her small round earlobe. "It''s enough for me to let you be the only one who knows how perverted and shameless I am." "Mmm..." The hot dampness in his mouth mixed with the nice smell of fresh tobo transmitted into her brain through her sensitive earlobe. She could not control the obvious shiver running through her body. He stretched out his hand and gently rubbed her pale but burning hot cheeks. He slowly said, "If you don''t have much experience, you''ll definitely call out to say that it hurts, right?" As he said that, the man''s finger came to her lips. He rubbed her burning red lips with his thumb as he said "I bet this little mouth of yours has never said such lewd words, begging a man to give you more and give it to you harder...¡± The scenes from more than five years ago filled his mind. Bianca could only bite her lip and close her eyes. She was almost out of breath. It was true that she had never shouted those words to a man before, including the time when she had sex with the man she made a deal to give birth for... Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Still Has Those Horrible Feelings Toward Him Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "How about I show you what a good time really is?" Luke pushed her shirt up. His big hands pressed against her skin while his thin lips kissed the back of her head. He took a whiff of the fragrance of her hair. Bianca looked away. She panted as she said, "You¡¯re not going to let me go today, are you?" Luke used practical actions to tell her whether he would let her go. He lifted and pushed up her tight bodycon skirt. She was on full disy for him and he was delighted. When she felt his fiery kisses on every inch of her body, methodically going closer, goosebumps rose all over her body. She was fighting with herself between her rational thinking and how much she was sinking into it. The fruit knife on the cab was in her view for a long time. What was left of her continued to stare at the fruit knife while the rest of her could not help but furrowed her brows and moaned slightly. Her body could not stand his teasing anymore, so her body inevitably started moving. As they fumbled around, she moved toward the cab. Luke kissed her smooth and pale beautiful back, imprinting traces of him on it. At the same time, the sound of his belt''s metal buckle being unbuckled reached her ears. She felt him pull his belt out and saw the belt being thrown by him onto the carpet casually. Finally, he unzipped his pants and was about to take her into the abyss to sink in together. ¡°No... Don''t..." Her body was trying to push him away. She panicked and grabbed the fruit knife. Luke thrust forward fiercely. He held her waist tightly with his two big hands as if he was about to break her before wrapping his arms tightly around her body. 1 She tried blocking him again and again until they reached the cab. During their intimate struggle, Luke was focused and did not notice that she had quietly reached for the fruit knife. Her heart beat faster as her trembling fingers gripped the fruit knife. If she gave him a stab, he would probably understand how much she wanted him to leave her alone. As she fought against herself, his thing came out and the moment he tried to insert it into her, she turned around desperately and thrust the fruit knife toward his arm. sh! The sound of the tip of a knife cutting into flesh was obvious. They were very close to each other and it was hard to miss it. After they stopped struggling against each other, Bianca''s hand trembled as she lost her grip on the fruit knife. She looked up at him in panic, then looked at his blood-stained sleeves on his white shirt. She was utterly shocked. Luke squeezed her chin with a grim expression on his face. He gritted his teeth, and there was burning anger that was about to explode against her in his fierce eyes. However, his anger was suppressed. Bianca trembled with fright like a kid who had done something wrong. Tears started falling from her eyes. Luke grasped her trembling hand and pressed her hand down onto his member. He asked in a dark voice, "Why don''t you stab this part? Or you are not willing to forget how much fun it gave you and you still want to use it again?¡± Her small face was clean and clear with some dampened makeup. Now that she had stabbed him, she trembled badly from fear. When nche woke up, he climbed out of bed and looked for Aunt Bea everywhere. He walked through every room upstairs and did not find her. He rubbed his eyes and went downstairs in a daze only to see his daddy sitting on the sofa in the living room. The doctor was packing up his medicine box and Daddy''s left arm was wrapped in a bandage. He forgot about Aunt Bea and walked over to Daddy. The little guy clung to Daddy and looked at the bandage with widened eyes before asking," Daddy, what happened?¡± Luke leanedzily on the sofa. He looked at his son with a darkened face without saying anything. "Where''s Aunt Bea?" the little guy asked when he realized that Daddy was fine. "She''s married to someone else and will be some other kid''s mother soon, so don''t bother looking for her in the future," Luke said coldly, got up, and walked into the courtyard. His son had to bring up Aunt Bea every single time. nche was left thinking about those words in a daze. ''She''s married someone else. ''Some other kid''s mother. ''I won''t let that happen!'' "Daddy, wait for me." nche wore a pair of tiny slippers as he chased after his daddy all the way to the garage door. Before Daddy was about to get in the car and drive off, nche hugged his thigh. Luke looked down at his son. He looked up at his daddy and pleaded, "Daddy, please... Please fight for her... I really want Aunt Bea to be my mommy...¡± "What''s so good about her?" Luke asked a question that annoyed him. Although he was asking his son, that question was also meant for himself. nche started listing down the reasons naively. "Aunt Bea is young, beautiful, virtuous, gentle, a homemaker, respectful toward the elderly, patient with children, and a lot more. Also, her mac and cheese tastes the best." Luke opened the car door. "A lot of women have the traits that you''ve listed. As for the mac and cheese, no matter how good it tastes, it''s still junk food. Too much of it will affect your physical development." "Daddy, you talk as if you don''t like Aunt Bea but you licked your bowl clean..." The little guy raised his head and used him. The nanny told him that Aunt Bea also made a portion of mac and cheese for Daddy. Daddy ate it all up and even licked the bowl clean. After returning home embarrassed, Bianca took a shower on the pretext of the hot weather. After changing into casual clothes, she went downstairs to buy groceries for dinner. After she made dinner for Grandpa, she went for a walk with him while her soul was still detached from her mind. When they got back home, Grandpaid down and quickly fell asleep. However, she could not fall asleep. Her bedroom door was closed and the lights were off. The world seemed a little dimmer. She dug out the cigarettes that she had kept in her bag fromst time. She lit one up. She was not addicted to nicotine yet, but the feeling of being choked ufortably relieved her anxiety a little. As she coughed out a puff of smoke, Bianca closed her eyes and suddenly remembered what happened at Crawford Manor. Before she stabbed him with the fruit knife, his penis had touched her vulva. She was worried that there might be an ident. After all, both of them were wet in a way. When she thought about it, she bit her lip as she cried secretly, trying not to make a sound as she held her knees to her chest. She had to remember to buy n B tomorrow. She scolded herself, ''Bianca, what''s wrong with you? You already know that you can''t, but your body still has those horrible feelings toward him.'' On that night, she finally fell asleep after being exhausted. Early in the morning on the way to work, Bianca started to get unhappy when she remembered that today was the day she would be receiving her probationary sry. At the office. Sue went to the pantry and said to Bianca who was making some tea, "We have a new addition to our team. Her name''s Yvonne Gideon. She told me that she knows you, but I can''t believe how arrogantly late she was today." Bianca did not say anything. "We have ourpany party tonight. I hope you haven¡¯t forgotten it. I can drive you there after work." Sue patted Bianca on her shoulder with a smile. She wondered if Mr. Crawford was going to join the party. Outside the pantry, Jean overheard the conversation between Sue and Bianca. When he went back to his cubicle, Jean started his chat with his group friends again. He sent a message to confirm, ''There''s no change to the address and time given to youst time. Come by tonight to meet my exgirlfriend. No p*ssying outst minute. I know you like the pure ones. My exgirlfriend is guaranteed to satisfy you.'' Chapter 116 Chapter 116 The Overtones Of Bianca Being used Bianca had lunch with Sue in the staff cafeteria. Yvonne only came to work after they were done with their lunch break. "Sorry, I bought a tie for my boyfriend yesterday. There was traffic on the way when I sent it to him this morning and traffic on the way to the office," Yvonne told her colleagues and sat down with a satisfied smile on her face. Bianca looked up at Yvonne. Sue sent a message to Bianca and asked, ¡®What¡¯s the story behind Yvonne?'' Since Bianca did not want to inflict drama between Sue and Yvonne, she honestly said, ¡¯Mr. Crawford¡¯s mother is fond of her and treats her like her future daughter-inw. However, I''m not sure about the specificity of her family background.'' Sue read Bianca''s reply and raised her head to look at Bianca with surprise. Bianca continued working after replying to Sue. After a moment, it finally dawned on Sue. When she turned back to look at Yvonne, she saw that the latter had started ying with her nails after putting down her bag. Sue thought to herself, ''This is such a silly girl. How could Mr. Crawford be attracted to someone like her?'' Sue was certain that as long as Mr. Crawford still had his vision, he would not marry a rich girl like Yvonne. It was finally time to get off work. It was a little after five o''clock when a group of people from the department walked behind the head of department, leaving the building one after another. Sue brought Bianca to her car. As she put on her seat belt, Sue nced out of her car into the distance. If we hadn¡¯t gotten in as quickly, I think Yvonne would''vee over to talk to us. Not to me though, but you." Bianca looked out of the car. It was true. Yvonne was heading toward them, but when she saw Bianca getting into Sue¡¯s car, she frowned and turned back to her own car. "Be careful, don''t let this domineering rich girl fool you." Sue reminded Bianca. Bianca nodded. Soon after Sue drove out, her phone rang. "Hello?" Sue answered with her Bluetooth headset. "Sue, is Bianca going with you? You''ll have to turn around. The ce we previously booked has been canceled. Ms. Gideon has booked a more luxurious ce. I¡¯ll send the new address of the ce to you.¡¯¡¯ The head of department finished speaking and hung up. Soon after, Sue received a message. When Sue opened it, she saw the new location sent by the head of department and said with a smile, "I see our rich girl is quite a generous person. How exciting! We¡¯re going to the city''s most exclusive high- end private club.¡± The car made a U-turn at the intersection. Sue raised her eyebrows and said to Bianca, "When we get there, order the most expensive thing on the menu, alright? You need to learn to have fun when it''s the right time. After seven years of working in thepany, this is the only time I''ve gotten this lucky." When they arrived at the private club, Sue parked her car. Each department had their own private room, and the respective rooms were sent to everyone''s phone. Sue went upstairs with Bianca and entered their department''s private room. Yvonne had arrived at the room long before them and was chatting with several young female colleagues in their department. "You girls look so pure and kind. When I was studying abroad, I met many gold-diggers. Whenever they knew about parties where the rich kids went, they would dress up on purpose, thinking that they¡¯re so pretty and would pretend to bump into the rich young masters. They always wore cheap clothes and brought imitation bags, though." Yvonne took a sip of water before continuing, "However, I never exposed them." A young female colleague echoed, "Von, you have a very good heart. If it was me, I would have exposed them so they would feel embarrassed of themselves.¡± Yvonne smiled softly and said enthusiastically, "There''s also another kind of girl who I find is the most difficult to deal with. She¡¯s the ultimate gold- digger but pretends to be a simple girl. She''ll wear jeans and T-shirts when she goes to the rich districts. She acts all pitiful and doesn''t wear makeup because she wants to show how natural she is, but she always manages to deceive one or two rich men without taste." "Seriously?" someone eximed. "Of course, some people like to show off while some like to pretend to be humble." Yvonne finished speaking and gave a pointed nce at Bianca. Sue sat on the sofa as she listened to what Yvonne said, staring at thetter''s expression. After working in the workce for many years, she could easily see through the overtones of Yvonne. She was obviously referring to Bianca. "If a simple girl catches the eye of a rich man, it shows that she has her uniqueness." Sue bravely went over and sat down beside Yvonne. Yvonne sneered, "What uniqueness? If youpare two people from different backgrounds, academically and wealth wise, they''re far too different. The only thing that the girl has going for herself is probably just her pretty face." Sue was not going to give it a rest until she pissed off Yvonne. "It''s mainly because girls look so good these days. It''s really amazing, especially like the girls you mentioned. Girls who don''t use makeup and look beautiful naturally, I think they''re just so rare and awesome." Yvonne''s face darkened with anger! She gritted her teeth and kept her mouth shut after that! The head of their department was a woman. After listening to their conversation for a bit, she knew it was just mindless gossip. The head of their department decided to ignore Sue who had for some reason, decided to provoke an influential person like Yvonne. She did not try to get involved and pretended that she did not hear anything. Although Yvonne was a brainless idiot, idiots were still humans whoughed and cried. As the head of the department, all she needed to do was to make Yvonne happy at work. She looked back, trying to give Sue a hint to not offend her in case it backfired and ended up hurting the entire department. If Yvonne filed aint, she would be the one to bear all the consequences. "Everyone, attention, please. I''d like to say a few words," the head of department used a microphone and told everyone. The music in the room was so loud that no one could hear each other unless they shouted. "Where are the drinks? Who''s getting them?" the head of department asked again when she saw that the alcohol was running low. Jean took the initiative and stood up. "I''ll go. I''ll also ask the waiters to get enough sses for us." The head of department nodded her head approvingly. She very much liked Jean''s efficiency. Jean counted the total number of people in their department and went out. Five minutester, several waiters came in one after another. The waiters brought in sses of champagne and passed them around the room. Everyone got a ss. The head of department said a few words, though they were mainly about weing Yvonne''s arrival. From her overtones, it was clear that Yvonne seemed like a special addition into thepany but the specificity of her family background was not disclosed publicly. After having her horns tooted, Yvonne smiled elegantly with her lips closed. She already had a n. After she became a permanent staff member and got married to Luke, the first thing she nned to do was get rid of Sue. She did not like anyone who was friends with Bianca. Finally, the head of department also presented Bianca and Jean who had been working for a full month with them, saying that they showed good performance at work. ¡¯Come, let''s give a toast." The head of department raised her ss. Everyone toasted, clinked, and finished their drinks. After the head of department finished her drink, sheughed and praised Yvonne again, saying, "Enjoy yourselves, everyone! However, I''d like to thank Yvonne again for such a generous treat." On the other side. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. In Crawford Manor. At the dinner table, Louis had investigated thoroughly the matter regarding Luke and Bea. He softly reminded Luke and said, "I heard that the design department''s party tonight will mainly involve drinking. Aren''t you afraid that Bea will drink too much and be taken advantage of by that scumbag, Jean?" Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Daddy Cared About Aunt Bea The Most Out Of Everyone "Ex-boyfriend?" nche was poking his steak with his knife. When he heard his uncle¡¯s words, he raised his head and looked at him. Rainie also raised her head, blinking. Her thick, jet-ck eyshes were twinkling. After being stared at by his little nephew and little niece, Louis exined with embarrassment, "Yeah, ex-boyfriend. Uh... Just before your daddy, Aunt Bea''s boyfriend..." After he exined, he felt as if a cold knife had been thrown at him. When he looked up, it was Luke with the inexplicably injured arm. After nche and Rainie heard his exnation, they looked at Daddy together. "Working in the same department as her ex-boyfriend? What a mess!" Susan chimed in. In the past few days, Susan had sort of been shooed out by her son. She was shooed off to y poker and cards, or shooed off to the cabin in the woods to get away from the city. Susan was not stupid and could guess why he did that. Allison''s son had a woman, and when he brought her back to meet the family for the first time, she witnessed the messy family affairs. In order to prevent events like that from happening again, these people wanted to send her out so that they could have a ''clean'' house. As long as Bianca set foot into the house, Susan could not be there. Susan pushed her anger down. However, when she found out that Allison''s future daughter-inw had an ex-boyfriend, she could not let the opportunity to vent out her anger go. Allison sat across Susan. When she raised her head and looked at Susan, Allison wanted to say that her son had broken off with that Bianca girl! However, she knew that the old man still did not know about that, so Allison suffered in silence. She had to continue to be courteous and did not give anyments. The old man who had been silent the entire time asked his grandson," Louis, can you rify yourself? What''s going on?¡± "Ah." Louis nced at Luke for fear that he had said the wrong thing. However, he did not try to hide it. Did it even matter if Bianca had an exboyfriend? That was not illegal! "Bea went overseas to study and was in a rtionship before this. However, their rtionship didn¡¯tst long. They were only together for a little over a year when both of them came back. They got into the samepany which is our family¡¯spany,¡± Louis said, panicking, "As a result, that scumbag cheated, betrayed Bea, and..." "And what?" The old man frowned. Everyone at the table stared at Louis. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Luke put down his fork and knife, "I''m done eating. Let me excuse myself." "And he cheated with Bea''s half-sister..." Louis concluded. Susan finally understood. "So are you saying that Luke and Bea only knew each other for less than a month...¡± After Luke went upstairs, Susan got the guts to say nastier things, "Father, you have to be cautious about choosing a granddaughter-inw. It¡¯ll be a shame if you chose a dirty girl like Allison. If it wasn''t for Luke¡¯s hard work to put our good name back in the media, I''m afraid our Crawford family would''ve been hated forever. If one day everyone finds out that Zachary''s wife was a stripper cum gold digger, I¡¯m sure T Corp''s stocks will take a big hit..." ¡¯Shut your mouth! Stop talking about nonsense in front of the kids!¡± It was Allison who threw her fork madly. Susan, who was interrupted, was not angry butughed instead. "Did someone get angry from being embarrassed? Which part of my words were lies? I''m just teaching the children from an early age to remember who the mistress is in this family. Who the real crooked, shameless, and lowest person is in this house!" ¡¯I¡¯m full." nche put down his cutlery and got out of his chair. "I''m full too." Rainie did as her brother did. The two children did not go upstairs and went to the garden instead. They wished they did not have to stay in this house. The private club. There were people using the bathroom in the private room. Bianca could not hold it any longer, so she went outside to find the general bathroom. Yvonne followed Bianca out and went all the way to therger general bathroom outside. When she saw Bianca entering the bathroom cubicle, Yvonne reached out and blocked the door that Bianca was about to close. "I have something to say to you. Why are you avoiding me?" Bianca looked up. Her pupils swelled as she looked at her. "I''m not avoiding you." "I''d rather not talk to a scheming woman like you, but I have some things that I have to remind you," Yvonne said sharply, "I''ve seen b*tches like you aplenty. Even though you''ve broken up with him, you''d better stay in yourne. Your only choice is to resign. If you do it, I''ll considerpensating you with two famous branded bags that you won''t ever be able to afford in your entire life." "Are you done? If you are, please get out." Bianca calmly shooed her off. Yvonne blocked the door from closing with force. "Do you understand me? If I tell you to resign, you will resign, b*tch!" When the other women came out of the bathroom, they all looked at Yvonne weirdly but did not bother with them. They continued and washed their hands. At that moment, a cleaner came in to clean. Bianca said, "Ms. Gideon, I''m sure you''re someone great. You don¡¯t need a lowly person like me to help you with your hot and botheredness." "What?" Yvonne cried out strangely, "You''re disgusting! Why does he even like you?" Yvonne did not dare to shout Luke''s name in public for fear of being heard as that might get his name in the tabloids. Bianca smiled. "Perhaps he¡¯s seen too many great people like you and likes the newness of things when he sees a disgusting person like me." Bianca started unbuttoning her skirt as if there was no one around. When she was about to take off her skirt, Yvonne mmed the door and went out. She stood outside the door, pointing at it as she shook her head. She sounded a little sleepy when she said, "And I thought my opponent was someone so fantastic. It seems that I''ve been worrying for nothing. Trash like you will be thrown away without my help. "A poor girl like you should know better! No matter how sneaky you are, you¡¯ll eventually find that you won''t be able to fit into a rich person''s world." Yvonne yawned and leaned against the wall. "Who do you think you are, walking into their world like that? What do you have to show? Your cheap clothes? Your broken family? Or perhaps your unsightly parents? "Tsk. Bianca, oh, Bianca. Tell me, what¡¯s so good about you?" The cleaningdy had her head lowered as she wiped the floor. She furrowed her eyebrows and rubbed the mop against Yvonne''s feet. "Let me through." "Ew! Disgusting! Seriously?! Poor people are the worst!" Yvonne let out a scream. Her shoes were rubbed by the mop and she suddenly ran out in disgust. While Jean was in the clubhouse, he sent a message to his group while he looked for Bianca. However, he could not ask other people about her whereabouts. If anything happened to Bianca after his friend messed with her, everyone would suspect him first. After searching for her for more than half an hour, Jean was still looking. He wondered if she got drunk and cked out somewhere. Jean finally replied to his group, I''m looking for her, don''t worry.¡¯ Outside, a ck Bentley RV was parked at the entrance of the clubhouse. The license te number was very eye-catching and domineering. Jason got out of the car and dragged the two little kids into the clubhouse. "Daddy, aren''t you going in? We''re here.¡± nche knew his Daddy''s pretense very well. Daddy always pretended to be all cold, but deep down, he cared about Aunt Bea the most out of everyone. Before they went in, the little guy decided to give Daddy a chance and asked him. Chapter 118 Chapter 118 He Did Not Dare To Touch Luke''s Woman The man in the RV wore a ck suit and a white shirt. He sat on the dark gray sofa and had his work laptop in front of him. He was focused as he stared at the constantly changing data on his screen. He said to his son in a busy tone, "If you''re having second thoughts about going in, we can go back." When nche heard this, he immediately grabbed and hugged Jason''s thigh. "Uncle Jason, bring me in." Jason patted the kid and smiled. The door of the RV was closed, and the vehicle was just parked at the entrance which was a no- parking spot. The exterior design of the RV made it seem extremely private and secured. The doorman was very polite and did not dare try to peer into the RV. As for the other cars, they could only stop behind because the ck Bentley RV was blocking the road in front of the entrance. After their bosses got off, the drivers had to take a detour to drive away. The bosses who got off took a look at the RV with the eye-catching license te number. However, they did not know who was inside of it. When they looked at the RV and how it was parked there, they knew better than to try and start anything with the person inside. Luke was still staring ahead at the set of data. Even though that was what his eyes saw, his heart was in another ce. His tough jawline that perfectly outlined the man''s facial features, the business-like environment in the RV thatte at night, and his hard brows that did not seem like they were going to rx anytime soon exuded an aura of indifference and ruthlessness. It was only after a while when Luke''s face finally looked a little human. He raised his wrist and nced down indifferently to look at the time disyed on his watch. Jason had already been inside for 20 minutes. However, he still had not brought Bianca out yet. Upstairs in the clubhouse. Jean anxiously swore profanities. He had searched everywhere and still could not find Bianca. His group of friends blew up his phone with messages in the group chat. ''Buddy, is this the way you do things? I don''t think it''s fair. I''ve already lent my wife to you, but when it''s my turn to get your ex-girlfriend, there seems to be a mistake?'' Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ''Are you online? Christ, can you reply to me?¡¯ ''Don''t me me for kicking you out of this group if you don''t reply! I''ve never met a person like you who does things this way!'' After reading those messages, Jean replied, ¡®Sorry, I didn''t expect this to happen. I lost my sight on her for a second and now she''s gone.¡¯ The person replied, ''Just ask people! There are probably hundreds of people in yourpany and you can''t ask a single person?'' Jean replied, ''How can I ask? Brother, I have to live on this job. This is the only toppany in the entire country that has a good job for my major. Please understand where I''ming from, okay? I''m still looking for her!'' The person replied, ''Understand where you¡¯reing from? Yes, I f*cking understand where you''re coming from. Can you understand where I¡¯ming from? I¡¯ve already taken a Viagra and if I don''t do anything about it soon, blood will probably start spurting from my b*ner.'' Jean, ''Just wait a little longer.'' At that moment, the already sleepy Yvonne suddenly appeared from the corner with a cup of coffee in her hands. When Yvonne got out of the bathroom, she felt super sleepy. Her eyes were a little swollen as if she had stayed up all night. However, since there was the department party that day, she had to hold on to her tiredness in front of her new colleagues. Despite getting a cup of coffee, she felt even more tired after taking a few sips from it. When Jean saw Yvonne trip, he hurriedly went over to help her. "Are you alright?" The coffee spilled on her shirt and made a stain. "Huh?" Yvonne looked up. Her body was against the wall, and beside her was her male colleague, Jean, supporting her by the waist. She shook her head with her tired eyes. "I''m alright." After she said that, it was as if thest trace of strength in her body was used up and her soft body fell into Jean''s arms. Jean suddenly felt as if he was in a bit of a predicament. His group chat pal requested for a cked-out woman, which meant that he was supposed to drug Bianca into sleep and send her to his pal. He thought that sleeping pills were safer than date rape drugs, so Jean was willing to do it as it was not as risky. However, after Bianca experienced the harm done by Mariest time, she was more aware of her surroundings. If he deliberately gave her a ss of wine, she would definitely not drink from it because she would suspect that he had done something to it. Therefore, he had to think of something else and cast a wider, drugging not only one single ss of alcohol. Little did Jean know, it was Yvonne with the influential family who got caught in his. He started worrying and thought about what he was supposed to do with Yvonne. He was toying with the idea of sending her to their department''s private lounge area but was worried that his colleagues might not believe that she fell asleep naturally. After all, everyone had not drunk much yet. If he said that Yvonne cked out from alcohol, they might not think that it was reasonable. Jean looked around. Since he could not find Bianca for a long time and he really wanted his pal''s wife, he made up his mind to send Yvonne to his pal instead. Although Yvonne was not as naturally beautiful as Bianca and did not look like a pure girl, at least her makeup made her look decent. Jean picked up Yvonne. Since he was afraid that passers-by would suspect him, he said as he walked to his pal''s private room affectionately, "I told you not to drink so much, but you wouldn¡¯t listen. What would you do if I hadn''te and picked you up?" His pal was waiting impatiently in the room. He had a bath towel around his waist. When he got a message from Jean, there was a picture of some substitute woman. He got so angry that he pulled off his bath towel. On the other side of the clubhouse. After Sue had been searching for a long time and failing to find Bianca, she pointed at the bathroom in front and said, "This is the only ce I haven''t looked. Wait here, I''ll go in and take a look." Jason brought the boss'' two kids as they stood outside waiting. "Aunt Bea will be fine," Rainie said to her worried brother. Before Jason went to the clubhouse, he had given Sue a call. Sue immediately went out of their private room. When she saw Jason, she told him that she did not know where Bianca had gone and was also very worried about her. After going around the ce, she still could not find her. In a situation such as that, Jason was very worried as well. Even though his boss did not verbalize his concerns, Jason knew why Mr. Crawford went with them personally. Even though he did not go upstairs and stayed in the RV, he knew that his boss wanted to make sure that Bianca was safe and sound. In order to ensure Bianca''s safety, Sue followed Jason''s instructions and looked for her in their private room. She noticed that several people were not in the room, Jean and Yvonne included among them. These were the two people who were hostile toward Bianca. The most enraging thing was that when Sue tried calling Yvonne, Yvonne told her, "Please, Sue. I¡¯m not whatever-her-name-is'' ve. How would I know where she is?" When Jean picked up her call, he told her, "I didn''t see her." Since the two of them had not seen Bianca, Sue had to find her friend herself. If she still could not find her, she was worried that Jason and the rest would make a big deal out of it and watch the security tapes. "I found her, I found her." Sue ran out in a hurry and pointed to the women''s bathroom with a weird expression. "Bea¡¯s asleep in the cubicle. No matter how much I shake her, she won''t wake up. I think something''s wrong. I think she''s cked out. I can''t seem to move her. Mr. Doyle, can you go in and carry her out?" When Jason heard what Sue said, he took out his phone. He did not dare to touch Luke''s woman. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Daddy, Are You Going To Sleep With Aunt Bea Tonight? After Sue reported the situation to Jason, she returned to the bathroom. ''Bea, wake up! Wake up!" No matter how Sue tried to wake or shake her, Bianca was still passed out with her head tilted, giving no reactions at all. Sue was terrified. Outside the bathroom, Jason notified his boss of the matter as soon as possible. "Uncle Jason, can I go in?" nche was anxious, but boys could not enter the women¡¯s bathroom. Jason lowered his head. "Let¡¯s wait for your father toe, then you can go in with him.¡± Every second felt like a year to nche as he stared in the direction of the elevator. Rainie let go of Uncle Jason''s hand and slipped into the women''s bathroom. She followed Aunt Sue¡¯s voice. When she saw Aunt Bea sitting on the floor in the bathroom, she crouched down and hugged her neck with her two tiny fleshy hands. She frowned and started crying. "Aunt Bea, boohoo..." While Sue continued trying to wake Bianca up, she had to pat the child''s head tofort the kid as well. Luke came upstairs and found the bathroom. Jason immediately led the way but did not dare to go in. Sue looked up when she heard peopleing in. The gloomy boss came in, looking in every stall and finally finding the stall they were in. She was relieved when Mr. Crawford picked Bea up from the floor, ignoring everything else. It was as if no matter how big a problem was, as long as a man like her boss was there and came forward to solve it, everything would be fine. Bea¡¯s body would be alright too. Sue took care of Rainie and ran out behind them. ''Find out what exactly happened!" Luke ordered Jason and walked toward the elevator. Jason handed over nche who was holding his hand to Sue and asked, ¡¯ Do you have a driver''s license?" Sue nodded nkly. Jason gave the car keys to Sue."Go down and get the two kids into the car." Sue understood that Jason had to stay back to investigate what happened. "Okay. Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Doyle." Sue knew that she was capable and took the car keys. She coaxed the two children to walk toward the elevator quickly. "Come on, let''s catch up." Jason found the person in charge of the clubhouse. After giving an exnation, the person in charge immediately arranged for someone to show the surveince tapes to Jason. At the same moment in another room in the clubhouse. Jean brought Yvonne over, threw her on the bed, and turned around to tell his pal, "I''m really sorry. I let her run away. Next time? I assure you that there¡¯ll be a next time." His pal handed Jean a bottle of beer. They clinked their beer and chugged it down. After drinking, his pal said, "Well, we¡¯ll meet again next time, then. She¡¯s not my type. I could easily get someone like her anywhere for a few hundred bucks.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. After drinking his beer, Jean was taken aback. "I¡¯ll leave her to you, then." His pal patted Jean on the shoulder,ughed, and opened the door to leave. Jean was left alone and did not know what to do as he looked at Yvonne on the bed. He was not interested in Yvonne. To be honest, there were too many girls who looked like Yvonne. She was just the typical influencer girl without anything special. When he walked toward the bed, Jean nned to help Yvonne take off her shoes, put a nket over her, and let her have a good night''s sleep. If she asked him about it the next day, he could say that she got drunk, so he kindly got her a room to rest. However, when his fingers touched Yvonne''s ankle to take off her high heels, he felt that his eyes started to burn hot. He could not help his gaze as they went up to Yvonne''s ankles and toward her calves. From her calves, he slowly lifted his gaze to look at her thighs. Yvonne was wearing a very short skirt. It looked fine when she was standing, but when she was thrown on the bed that way, the skirt shifted, revealing what was underneath... Jean let go of her ankles and looked at her breasts rising and falling as she breathed. He pulled her up. Since Yvonne was fast asleep, it did not matter how much Jean tried to push or pull her. There was no sign of her waking up. It was as if she had lost consciousness. Jean suddenly had an evil thought. At that moment, his phone vibrated. Jean took it to have a look. His pal sent him a message saying, ''I took Viagra but did not get to have your ex-girlfriend. Holding it in almost killed me. Now, you¡¯ll have a taste of what I had to endure.¡¯ Although there was a woman on the bed, with medicine of strong potency like that, the problem would not go away if he did it once or twice. In general, getting drugged and having to have sex without consent was a horrible feeling for Jean. In the security room. Jason saw that Yvonne was picked up by Jean. Jason recognized Yvonne but was not very familiar with her, so he did not look into it. He merely brushed it off as a young impulsive girl wanting to have something casual with Jean. Jason did not care what a consenting couple did. In the surveince videos, the person who went into the bathroom with Bianca was Yvonne. As for what happened in the bathroom, he could not tell from the surveince videos. Fortunately, a cleaningdy went in. Jason got the cleaningdy and asked her two questions. The cleaningdy told him exactly what she heard. The rich girl humiliated the poor girl in the bathroom with rude words for a long time. "Can you guarantee that what you''re saying is the truth?" the person in charge of the club asked her seriously. If anything happened in the clubhouse, the person in charge would have to bear the consequences. If the boss of T Corporation was unhappy, their clubhouse would need to be closed overnight for rectification. The cleaningdy nodded. "I''m telling the truth. I don''t lie." The image became clearer to Jason. The city center. The priceless high-end apartment near thepany building. Sue stood in the living room. Bianca was asleep on the bed in the bedroom, apanied by the two twin babies on the floor. They worried about Aunt Bea as if she was their biological mommy while the boss had his eyebrows tightly furrowed as he guarded her by her side, his gaze stuck on Bea''s face. This was what Sue had seen. "She¡¯ll wake up tomorrow morning. Perhaps she identally ingested a specially modified sleeping pill," the doctor said tactfully after giving her an examination. As soon as the twin babies heard the doctor, they let out a loud sigh of relief. When Sue heard some movement in the bedroom, she did not dare to go in and talk to the boss. As such, she called Jason instead. She exined in a whisper, then asked, "What should I do now?" Jason said, ''Don''t disturb the boss'' family. Drive the doctor back. I''m busy now. Park the vehicle at your ce for tonight. I¡¯ll pick it up tomorrow." Sue was surprised. "What? Park a huge Bentley RV at my ce? It¡¯s a Bentley, Mr. Doyle. I can''t afford it if anything happens to it!" However, Jason had already hung up. Sue was so angry that she threw her phone on the cushion. When only the three of them and Bianca were left in the apartment, Luke undid his tie and turned his head to look at the twin babies who were still beside the bed. He thought they were a nuisance. "Go to your own rooms to wash up and sleep, or I¡¯ll get Uncle Jason to pick you guys up and send you guys back to the manor.¡± "Daddy, are you going to sleep with Aunt Bea tonight?" Rainie looked up and asked innocently, pulling at her daddy''s trousers. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Sharing A Bed And Pillow With Luke Luke said nothing and nodded. "But I want to sleep with Aunt Bea too." Rainie stared at her Daddy eagerly, pleading slightly with her eyes. In Rainie''s eyes, Daddy had always been a very bossy and difficult adult. When nche got to the door, he heard his sister telling Daddy that she also wanted to sleep with Aunt Bea. He thought that his sister was too stupid and naive. Daddy would never allow it because everything was his alone, including Aunt Bea. "Lanie, bring your sister back to her room." Luke was strict with his son but a little gentler with his daughter. Therefore, he ordered nche instead of Rainie. nche walked over without a word, grabbed his sister''s chubby hand, and said, "Come, let''s go to sleep." After his daughter was unwillingly brought out of the bedroom by her brother, Luke took off his suit jacket, held himself up on the edge of the bed with his hands, and stared intently at the sleeping woman on the bed. Rainie''s room. "Take a shower, I''ll wait for you." nche adjusted the water temperature, went out, and pushed his sister in. Whether nche and Rainie were in the manor or at their new apartment, they were self-reliant. They had a children''s bathroom set up that was safe and easily operated by kids. Therefore, his sister and he always did things by themselves, including showering. Rainie showered for around ten minutes before she came out. She wiped her hair with a pink cartoon bath towel, then walked to her brother to let him blow dry her hair. He finished blowing her hair dry. Before going to bed, Rainie remembered that she had not called Uncle Louis yet. Uncle Louis told her to give him a call at night. There was a telephone in the room. Rainie picked it up and dialed the eleven phone digits awkwardly with her little finger. The other line picked up. ¡¯Hello?" Louis answered. "Uncle Louis, this is Rainie speaking..." ''Rainie? Are you with your dad? By the way, did you guys manage to find Aunt Bea?¡± "We found her, but for some reason, Aunt Bea was asleep. No matter how much we called out to her, she won''t wake up. She''s in Daddy''s bedroom now. The doctor was here too," Rainie told him in detail. Louis thought to himself that something must have happened. However, if the child said that the doctor went over and checked on Bianca, it meant that the doctor had left and Bea was fine. ¡¯Okay, got it. Make sure your brother and you go to bed early, alright?" Louis was about to hang up. ''But Aunt Bea''s hands are cold. I wanted to sleep with Aunt Bea so that I can help her cover her hands, but Daddy won¡¯t allow it,¡¯ Rainie continued toin in a whisper, "Daddy said that he was going toContent (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. sleep with Aunt Bea. How can I trust him to take good care of her?¡± Louis listened to what she had to say for a while andughed loudly. ¡¯Why can''t your Daddy take good care of her? If Aunt Bea''s hands are cold, your daddy will make sure to make them warm!¡± When Louis could tell what his little niece was getting at, he hurriedly spoke for Luke and tried to brainwash the kid. He said, "Don''t you want your Daddy to marry Aunt Bea and make her your mommy?" ''Yes." Rainie nodded. "If so, then don''t go to bed with Daddy and Aunt Bea anymore. And from today onward, pray every day and night for them to sleep together as soon as possible like I am." Louis said a bunch of things until his little niece understood. After she hung up the phone, she grinned sweetly and fell asleep. In the main bedroom. Luke went into the attached bathroom and filled the sink with hot water. He put a white face towel in the sink and after a minute, he wrung out the towel until it was half-dried, regardless of whether it was too hot for his hands. Before returning to the bed, he carefully wiped her cheeks, forehead, and pale neck with the warm white towel. As he wiped her, he had to lift her shirt cor slightly. As Luke looked down, his eyes inadvertently saw her chest rising and falling as she breathed, as well as the soft snow-white peaks looming inside. He continued to wipe down her entire body, every inch of it. Finally, Luke took off her clothes and put them in the bathroom. The night was gettingter. After taking a shower, Luke went to both of nche''s and Rainie''s rooms. When he saw that the kids were sleeping well, he turned off the living room lights, went back to his bedroom, and locked the bedroom door. Bianca was wearing a man''s pajamas which were mostly ck in color with light gray stripes. After he helped her put on the night robe and tied it around her body, he kept her lying on her side with her face to the left. Luke slept on the right side of the big bed. That way, he could avoid seeing her face in case he could not help but do some things he should not be doing. After all, he knew that he was a man full of energy and vitality. After tossing and turning, Luke still could not sleep. He looked at Bianca who was in bed with him. The woman''s soft, ck hair was scattered on the pillow he had once slept on. Her fragrance enveloped him. Her soft and slender body under hisrge night robe caught his eye. Luke moved closer to her. He pulled her and put her in his arms, resting her head on his broad shoulders. When his big hand touched the soft and delicate skin of the woman, his breathing became thicker. Finally, he turned her body over and looked down at her beautiful little pale face with no makeup on. Her lips looked pale at that moment, but they were full. The man lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers. Soon, her dry lips gradually became wet. Luke became yful as he licked along the gap between her lips. When he kissed her so much that his body became hot and bothered, he decided to attack in one fell swoop. He domineeringly pried open her teeth and took the sweetness from the deepest part of her mouth. Bianca did not know about all those intimate actions until the effects of the sleeping pill gradually wore off at four o''clock in the morning. After she regained consciousness, she felt a tightness in her lower abdomen. When she opened her eyes and looked down as she panted, she saw a pair of big hands wrapped around her. Since the curtains were not drawn, she could see the white horizon when she looked up. The view of the city from the room could not be more familiar. It was the apartment that Luke bought in the bustling downtown area. Why was she there? She was short of breath as she tried to recall what happenedst night. Her group of colleagues had a party. She only drank a bottle of beer and went straight to the bathroom. Yvonne chased after her and humiliated her. Then... Then... She found that she could not remember what happened next. She broke free from the big hands that were wrapped around her body. Bianca sat up with fear on her face and looked at the man who was fast asleep. However, he was soon awakened by herrge movements. "You¡¯re awake." Luke got up without being sleepy. He put on his slippers, poured a ss of water, and drank half of it with his head up. He had kissed her for too longst night and his tongue felt dry. After he drank the water, Luke poured another ss, walked up to her, and gave it to her. Both of them wore the same night robe. It was not made out of thick fabric, so no matter what style or how deep the color was, it made Luke''s body look stronger and sexier. She looked like a very small woman when she wore such a masculine and dark-colored men¡¯s night robe. Anyone who saw her would want to reach out and give her a pinch, squeezing her cheek. Chapter 121 Chapter 121 He Wanted Her To Want Him Willingly When she looked at the ss of water, Bianca felt thirsty as well for some reason. After he kissed her for almost the entire night, her lips were now dry and swollen. She took the cup of water and drank it. She then put the ss down before getting out of bed. When she walked to the bathroom, she seemed to remember something and suddenly looked back. However, before she could ask where her clothes were, the man pulled her into his arms with one of his hands while his other big hand wrapped around her lower waist tightly. He went in for a hot kiss. She exhausted all her strength to resist him. When she tried to grab his strong resisting arm, she felt something sticky... When she turned to look at her hand, it turned out that his sleeves on his night robe had been stained with blood. Since his night robe was dark in color, she almost could not tell. When his frantic kiss spread from her cheek to her lips, then to her neck, she saw that all her fingers were stained with the blood on his arm... Bianca suddenly felt a sense of futility. He was crazy. Helplessly crazy. He continued to kiss her, and he started kissing every inch of her body. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. As they kissed, he pushed her onto the bed. When shey down, Bianca had her eyes opened with despair as she stared at his body enveloping her. Her eyes were clear with a hint of hidden misery. ¡¯Why did you stop? Have you had enough kisses?" She opened her mouth and asked the man who was staring at her with a frown. Luke breathed heavily, his eyes cold. He knelt on the bed and stared at the woman under him for a long time before coldly saying, "How can I ever get enough of you?" Then, the man''s big hand grasped her ankles, i The man raised her legs high and pressed them by the sides of her head. ¡¯Ouch!'' Bianca cried out in pain. The position made her feel ashamed, but she had no way to run. The tie on Luke''s night robe was loose and he pulled it apart. Bianca watched as his scary thing was released. ¡¯You want it now? Did Jean make you sad against night so you want to repeat the same thing to him today? Seducing me to get your revenge on him?" Luke said angrily and shoved one-third of it into her at the same time. 1 Bianca sucked painfully through her teeth. She trembled and had her eyes furrowed as she shook her head. ¡¯If you want to do it, finish quickly. I''m sure you''ll be satisfied either way." He had a strong possessive desire for her and always got what he wanted. Last night, she was sure that she had been drugged. After the incident, she was extra careful when she went out. She would never touch anything from Jean. If Jean stood one meter away from her, she would walk away in fright. However, she still failed to protect herself. Such a life was too tiring. She just wanted her dad to recover, her grandpa to be happy, and to live a simple life like a normal person. However, it seemed that even the pursuit of a simple life had be unattainable. She had never wanted to die then and there so badly before. She would rather endure all the hardships and evils all by herself. If she died, she would be free from everything. The moment she closed her eyes, she would finally feel a sense of calm that she had never felt before, 1 However, the rtionship she had with Allison would probably make her end up in hell after she died. She wondered what kind of torture she would have to endure in hell. "Get out." Suddenly, a low and hoarse voice came from on top of her body. Her body felt lighter as the man on top of her got up and walked to the bathroom. He emphasized his words when he said, "I never want to see you ever again." Luke stood in the bathroom with a darkened face. He lit a cigarette and furrowed his eyebrows with his eyes closed. He bit the cigarette with his teeth, blowing out a puff of smoke. The images in his mind were all fromst night, especially of her chest being grabbed by his big hands. When she was asleep, she was much more obedient than she was after waking up. At that moment, Luke finally understood the truth. Something done without consent did not taste as sweet. He wanted her to want him willingly. Bianca thought she would not be able to get out of it that morning. After all, he often went crazy. Luke entered the bathroom and came out quickly. He went to the balcony without saying a word. She went to the bathroom to look for her clothes. However, when she picked up her pile of clothes, she found that she could not wear them at all as they were all wet. She looked around and found a baggie. She put the clothes into the baggie and buttoned up the pajamas that she was wearing as well as belting the night robe properly. She went out with that on. It did not really matter what she wore out anyway. If she did not show anything she did not want to show, it was fine. Compared with other clothes, the night robe covered her up nicely. She carried her things and quickly went to the entrance hall to get her shoes. Bang! nche was awakened by the sound of the door closing. "Aunt Bea?¡± nche suddenly opened his eyes and got out of bed. Sure enough, he saw his father standing at the balcony with both of his hands on the railing, looking down. Every time Daddy stood that way, it meant that he was in a bad mood. nche remembered Great-grandpa telling him that when Grandpa passed away, Daddy did not cry because Grandpa was a scumbag who married two wives. Since he brought back both women, nche had two grandmas. Grandma Allison and Grandma Susan. Of course, he knew that Grandma Allison was the mistress. A mistress gave birth to Daddy. nche was still young and did not understand much, but after Greatgrandpa¡¯s indoctrination and guidance, he understood that Daddy loved and hated Grandpa at the same time. It was a very messy feeling. After all, Grandpa was part of the reason that Daddy was alive. Great-grandpa had been frank before and said that Uncle Louis should not hate Daddy because Daddy did not choose to have a mistress as a mommy when he came into this world. nche usually overheard the elders in the family quarreling. Great-grandpa scolded Grandma Susan that day as he said, "Without Luke, 100panies would all end in bankruptcy if they were in your hands. Louis is a kind man, but he¡¯s not made for the business world." Grandma Susan said, "Old man, you don¡¯t have to make excuses for your partiality. Everyone in the Crawford family owes me, especially Allison and her son!" "Luke doesn''t owe you anything!" Great-grandpa''s voice broke as he said, ¡¯ Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you''ve done! Back then when Luke was a high school student, we sent him to a small town to study. But that wasn¡¯t enough for you, was it? You had to send someone to kill him. Well, little did you know, the person you sent to kill him told Allison about it, so Allison warned Luke to be extra careful. Luke even decided that he''s had enough living beneath the shadows as the mistress'' son. He decided that if he was killed, he could redeem his mother''s sins and reincarnate as a boy in an ordinary family. I¡¯m grateful that God allowed my grandson to live." 2 nche hid the adults'' secrets in his heart. As he grew wiser every day, he felt even sadder for Daddy. He hoped that Daddy would marry Aunt Bea so that he would not eat, smoke, or watch the news alone. Daddy''s lonely life was far too tedious and boring. When Luke came back from the balcony, he nced at his son. ¡¯Daddy, I know Aunt Bea''s gone," the little guy tried tofort Daddy as he muttered. He was worried that Daddy was too sad, so he followed Daddy''s big and tall body into the bedroom. 1 Luke went to the bathroom, closed the door, and separated himself from the chattering. Mr. Chatterbox was still talking but something had attracted his attention. He saw a small box on the ground. He crouched down, picked it up as he looked at it, and muttered, ¡¯Le-vo-nor-gest-rel? For emergency contraception..." Mr. Chatterbox scratched his head and opened the bathroom door. He showed the unopened medicine box and asked, "Daddy, is this box of medicine yours or Aunt Bea¡¯s?" Chapter 122 Chapter 122 The Photos Of The Three Of Them Were Taken! Luke heard his son muttering noisily outside the bathroom, including the words, ''for emergency contraception.'' He took the box that said It was for emergency contraception from his son''s hand. Luke looked at the small rectangr medicine box in his hand, his thoughts shifting to his arm that Bianca had stabbed yesterday. He did touch her, but it was only an angry-driven vent for revenge. In the end, he could not do it. nche and Rainie washed up, went to the hallway, and crouched down to put on their shoes. Then, they obediently waited for Daddy to go out for breakfast together. Jason had been waiting downstairs from a long time ago with the ck Bentley RV behind him. Since his boss had injured his arm, Jason was responsible to do all the things for him as his assistant. Even though Luke hurt one of his arms, he still carried his daughter when he walked out. Jason opened the vehicle door for his boss to put the child in his arms into the vehicle. Not long after the car drove out, Jason noticed a car following behind him. "We''ll talk when we¡¯re at the pancake ce." Luke had aptop in front of him to finish the work from yesterday. Jason listened to his boss¡¯ orders and ignored their stalker. They arrived at the twins'' favorite pancake ce. Luke got out of the car as he held his son in one hand and his daughter in the other. When they walked toward the shop, the owner of the pancake ce recognized them. The owner smiled cordially and opened the door for them. Jason parked the car and walked to the shop after they were already in. In a white Volkswagen Golf tens of meters away from the shop, the driver was ying with his phone while a scantily-d woman was in the back seat of the car with camera equipment in her hand. She was shooting in the direction of the pancake ce. Jason bent over and knocked on the window of the car, asking, "What are you doing?¡± Both the female paparazzi and the driver were taken aback. They were only paying attention to Luke Crawford and his two kids,pletely forgetting about other people. "Get out of the car or I''ll get the police." Jason did not look like he was joking at all. Both the female paparazzi and the driver got out of the car. The driver had nothing to do with that matter because he was just an ordinary driver hired by the tabloids. However, he had worked with the paparazzi enough to think of them as colleagues and friends. "Calm down. You don¡¯t have to be so fierce to thedy." The driver smiled and stepped forward to do anything in case the angry man tried to hit her. It was never easy to deal with situations like that where they were caught secretly taking pictures. Some rich and powerful men had snatched the equipment before and usually broke them on the spot. For the ones with worse tempers, it was not unusual if they yelled and fought with them. "Which magazine are you from?" Jason asked. The female paparazzi said, "New Magazine. I don''t think you''ve heard of it. I¡¯ve actually gotten permission to film Mr. Crawford today." Jason frowned, not understanding what permission she had and who she got It from. The female reporter took out her cell phone and dialed a number. "Xavier, I''m here to take pictures of your cousin, but a man who ims to be your cousin''s assistant... Okay. Um, I''ll give him the phone...¡° The female paparazzi handed her phone over to Jason. Jason took it. Xavier''s voice was a little hoarse as if he had just woken up. "Hello, I¡¯m Xavier Tanner, Luke''s uncle''s son. I''m his cousin. Don''t make It hard for the female paparazzi in front of you. I¡¯ll call Luke and tell him about this, so you don''t have to worry." "Goodbye." Xavier finished, hung up, and threw his phone on the bedside table in the hotel. The sound of the phone hitting the bedside table woke up the sleeping woman on the bed. Marie groaned and slowly woke up. She slowly opened her sore eyes. The first thing she saw was the tall figure of a man she did not recognize walking toward the bathroom. Suddenly, she remembered what happenedst night. Jean called herst night and said, ¡® Marie, I''m drunk and can''t drive. I can''t find my designated driver. Can youe over?" She did not want to pick up Jean at first, but when she heard a woman''s voice over the phone, she went. If she did not go, she was worried another woman would take advantage of him. She finally got Jean to be her fiance after a lot of hard work. Next month, her dear mother would receive the money for the demolition of Luojiazhen. After that, Jean and she would get ready for their wedding. However, when she got to the clubhouse, she was mistaken for another woman before she could find Jean. She was taken into a private room and for some reason, she met a lot of famous and prestigious people. Marie admitted that at that moment when she was drunk with the fantasy of living the extravagant life, Jean seemed like just a small and unremarkable ordinary person. Among the rich men, one of them was the man who asked her outst night. Even though she was carrying Jean''s child in her womb, had forced Jean''s mother to buy a house for her unborn kid and her as a wedding gift, and promised to get married to Jean, she could not help giving in to the temptations even though they were immoral. In her dreams, she had always wanted to live the life of a rich young wife. When she was overseas during those few years, she worked hard and tried, but all of the rtionships ended in failure. She gave up. The only thing left that she could do was move back and steal Bianca''s boyfriend. Since Jean was born in a well-off family and lived in the same town, he could afford to get a car and a house. Marrying Jean was better than marrying a poor d*ck. Marie got up and got out of the bed barefooted. There was a pair of men''s trousers thrown on the ground. She picked it up, then picked up the suit jacket. When she was about to hang them up, she saw a business card in the suit jacket pocket. When she took out the card, it had Xavier Tanner''s name on it. Hispany and phone number were also there. Marie secretly hid the business card in her handbag. There was the sound of water running from the bathroom. She tiptoed back into the bed and waited for the man in the bathroom to finish his shower. When he was done, she pretended to wake up and gently turned over. While she turned over, she purposefully exposed half of her breasts. "Are you pretending to be asleep even though you''re already up?" The man was able to see through her immediately. When she blushed from embarrassment, the man had already walked over, turned over her body, and pped her lower back. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! She frowned painfully. "Are you trying to seduce me?¡° Xavier''s voice did not fluctuate, and he went into her without feeling sorry. "No... It hurts..." Marie was willing to entertain him, but she wished that he was gentler. Xavier was not gentle at all and every thrust was like a jab trying to kill her. After a while, she was tortured and sweating all over. Her fingers were grabbing the nkets. 1 Her body hurt. It took a long time before it started to feel a little good, but as soon as she started enjoying it, the man threw away her two legs. "Disappointment!¡° he said, turning away. Marie was worried that she had annoyed him and made him ufortable. However, when she got up to stop him, she was startled by the pool of blood under her. Immediately, her lower abdomen began to cramp in pain. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Found Out That nche Looked Like Bianca "Ahh! Help me! Help me!" When she saw the pool of blood under her, she yelled. Xavier put on the ironed suit and shirt that his assistant delivered in the morning. He lit a cigarette and dialed a number. He smiled like a fox when he said, "I hope you can understand my cousin. When I was in prison, her brother was good to me. After I got out, there was nothing I could do to repay him. Wait, I guess I found out that her sister did really horrible things." 2 Marie, who stood in the pool of blood, watched the man ignore her as well as the blood on the bed. He merely called someone, opened the door, and left the room. Marie took her cellphone in a panic and found that it was turned off. She turned her phone on and called 911. At that moment, the closed door opened again. A woman and two men came in. It was the female secretary at the clubhouse entrance who admitted her by mistakest night and brought her to Xavier. The female secretary looked at the bed coldly and ordered the two men who came with her, "Get her dressed and get her in the car." The two men walked toward Marie. "What are you trying to do?" Marie wanted to hide. The female secretary said, "If you don''t want to die, just do as I say. I can always leave you to die in this hotel and nobody will hear your cries or find you." Marie was frightened. She cluelessly held her aching lower abdomen with both of her hands. Her face was pale as she was brought into the car. At the hospital. Marie was given anesthesia and went in for surgery. After she came out of the surgery and the anesthesia wore off, the doctor told her that the child in her womb was gone. "Should I notify your fianc¨¦?" the female secretary asked, adding another terrible thing to her list of cmities. Mariey on the bed weakly. Her lower abdomen was very painful. However, the most painful thing was that the doctor had ruthlessly announced she would never be pregnant again because she had no respect for herself. When Jean and Anna arrived, Jean was much quieter than his mother who was panicking like a headless chicken. If he was willing to y with his inte pals and agreed to the young lolitady fromst time to give Marie to other men, it meant that he was fine with it. He had no feelings for Marie anyway, so it did not matter whether she cheated on him because he was cheating on her too. When Anna entered the ward, she rushed over and pped Marie. p! Marie, who had just fallen asleep, woke up with pain. The pale Marie stared at Anna. "Crazy woman, did you forget to eat your f* eking medicine?" Anna gave her another beating again. pping her big fat mouth was not enough. She panted with exhaustion and continued hitting Marie''s face with her handbag. "Shameless! You messed with other men and killed my grandson!" Anna scolded as she cried. She was heartbroken that her grandson had lost his little life because of his slutty mother. Anna suddenly regretted that she was stupid enough to impulsively pay for the woman''s down payment for a house. T Corporation. Nina got a call from her mother, so she went up to go to the pantry. After Nina was in a spot where there was no one around, she frowned and said, "Alright, the child''s gone, so don¡¯t cry anymore. Just take this as a lesson to learn from, alright? There''s nothing else you can do." "My grandson!" "Your grandson?¡± Nina was speechless. "It¡¯s not that I look down on my brother, but you can''t be sure if that fetus was even rted to you." At the hospital, Anna had her handbag in her hand. She was walking toward the bus stop when she suddenly came to her senses after listening to her daughter. What her daughter said made sense. She could not be sure whether the child was her son''s. After getting on the bus, Anna still could not swallow the fact. Her eyes were still red from crying. She then thought to herself that after two days, she would force the little b*tch to cough out the down payment for the house. The bus made a few stops before stopping at a red light by the street. There was arge shopping mall organizing a big event. There were several middle-aged women discussing it on the bus. "They''re selling toilet paper for so cheap! Two dors for a whole bag? Is this real?" "There was this pair of shoes in the advertisement. I went to try it with my daughterst weekend. Even after the discount, it was still 200 dors. But now it''s only 80 dors." Anna peered over. When she looked over, she saw someone familiar standing in front of the mall. She was distributing flyers. "Wait! Wait! I need to get off!" Anna did not care that the bus driver told her that it was not a bus stop because it was merely a red light intersection. She forced herself down. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! After getting out of the bus, Anna quietly walked over. After she stared at the person distributing flyers for a long time, she was sure that it was Bianca. "Hello, if you have the time, please take a look.'' Bianca handed out the flyers and did what her boss told her to do. Anna stood behind an advertisement board, took a picture of Bianca, and sent it to Nina. She asked her what was going on. ¡¯What else? Bea''s dad is still sick and she''s under heavy financial pressure. How can she stay afloat without a part-time job?" "Doesn''t she... Have a sugar daddy? So why is she doing this? Did he force her to do this?" Anna asked. "Hold up. That gossipingdy''s going to get retribution sooner orter!" Nina worried about her mother''s logic. "What kind of sugar daddy would get his sugar baby to pass out flyers under the scorching hot sun? Don¡¯t you know that even thousands of dors of skin products aren''t going to get your skin back after being exposed to UV rays?" Anna looked at Bianca who was working hard passing out flyers in the distance. She suddenly felt heavy. She thought about the things that had happened over the past month. She had mistakenly regarded Marie as the good girl and wronged such a hard-working prospective daughter-inw... 1 Anna sent the photo of Bianca passing out flyers to her son. She added, " Jeanie, can you heed my advice? Get Bea back. I''ll send you Bea''s current location." 3 T Corporation Building. Luke sat in the office with a strong maic aura. After finishing his work, he rushed to take his two kids to his uncle''s house. After Xavier was released from prison, his rtives and friends wanted to congratte him, so there was a feast at his uncle''s ce. "Granduncle..." When Jason got to the Tanner''s ce, Rainie got out of the car and ran toward Granduncle. The old man happily picked up the little girl. At the same time in the Tanner''s backyard. A child of his rtive was learning to swim in the swimming pool. Xavier ordered his assistant to go and apany the kid to swim to ensure the safety of the child. How could the assistant not follow his orders? His assistant put down his phone, took off his clothes, and jumped straight into the pool! At that moment, the assistant''s cell phone buzzed twice. Xavier lowered his head and nced at it. He saw a familiar name on the screen. Bianca Rayne. He picked up his assistant''s phone on the ground and opened his message. His inte pal sent a message that said, ''Bianca Rayne. This is her current location. It was my fault that you didn''t get to f*ck herst night. Would you like to see her in person at the entrance of this mall?" Attached was a photo of Bianca passing out flyers. Xavier forwarded the photo and sent it to his phone. He silently noted the location of the mall, then deleted the message from his assistant''s phone. When Xavier had his car keys and was about to leave the house, Luke brought his son in. Xavier looked at nche seriously for the first time. Before the kid was a month old, Xavier was incarcerated. After five years, he took a closer look at the kid. He seemed to think that the kid looked a little bit like... Bianca from the photo just now. Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Luke Did Everything A Husband Should Do For His Wife nche, who was being hugged by Granduncle, nced at Xavier who had been staring at him. He blinked cluelessly and got a little scared, so he turned his head away and grabbed onto Granduncle''s neck. nche was a little ufortable being stared at. ¡¯Come on, give Uncle a hug!¡± Xavier stretched out his hands toward nche. nche did not recognize this uncle and did not like the look in his eyes, so he did not look back because he did not want to give that uncle a hug. Granduncle said to the child in his arms, "Lanie, this is your uncle." But I''ve never seen him before." nche thought that this uncle looked like a meanie with fierce eyes. "He''s really your uncle. He''s my biological son. What are you afraid of? If he scolds you, just tell me and I''ll peel his skin off.¡± When Daniel said that, he stuffed the child into Xavier''s arms. Xavier hugged him safely. nche was a little reluctant and looked at his daddy for help. He did not want to look at Xavier''s face. Xavier carried nche and walked toward Luke who was sitting with Rainie on hisp. "It seems that it''s time for me to settle down and start a family," Xavier told Luke. nche nced at his so-called uncle, pouted, and said, "Are you not married yet?" "Yeah, just like your daddy. No one wants old men like us." Xavier smiled but carefully looked at the child''s face. He took a good look from his eyebrows all the way to his chin. After taking a good look, Xavier raised his head and nced at Rainie. Luke nced at his rtives in the distance with a sullen gaze. He asked casually, "So which second- removed cousin is rted to the female paparazzi?" Xavier stared at nche''s little face and studied it carefully while he said," That female paparazzi is just the sister of a friend of mine from prison. The friend was good to me. After being released from prison, I nned to give his family some money, but his sister didn''t want it. She just wants to be famous in the paparazzi world. She told me that she wants to be the first female paparazzi in the country." 1 Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! nche listened to what the adults were talking about, staring at his strange uncle who did not blink. He did not understand why his uncle stared at him even when he was speaking. "Since she''s not about the money, she decided to be the country''s number one female paparazzi. I''m pretty impressed by her dedication, but she¡¯s not my type," Xavier said and raised his hand to squeeze nche''s little cheeks. He smiled and continued, "So then I thought you never had any scandals and the media had never reported about your private life. Moreover, your assistant always stops anyone from taking pictures of you. That''s why I told her she could take your pictures." At that moment, he used his big hand to squeeze nche''s face. "This kid is so cute." Xavier decided to stop torturing the kid and let go. He sat back in his chair and said, "If she exposes the formidable T Corporation''s big boss'' private life, I''m sure herpany will soar overnight. She¡¯ll be able to get famous in the industry for sure." Luke had another question of concern. "If the female paparazzi isn¡¯t your type, what kind of woman is?" Beforeing over, Luke received a call from his uncle. The old man merely wanted to express his sadness about the past few years. When Xavier was in prison, his dad had grown older. Finally, he was able to see his son get released from prison. As a father, Daniel only wanted to see his son change his evil ways and do good. He was already 30- something. He had enough fun. He thought that getting married would set his son¡¯s path in the right direction. It was useless to persuade his own son to get married as soon as possible. If his tone was a little sterner, he was afraid that his son might just live outside. As ast resort, Daniel asked his nephew for help. That was why he told Luke about it. Luke himself was not married yet, so it felt a little hypocritical to advise someone else to get married. However, when Xavier brought up the topic himself, he told Luke that it might be time for him to get married and start a family. Luke thought about the hardships his uncle and aunt had to endure over the past five years. Xavier was over there looking at che''s little face, thinking about a certain woman. He raised his eyebrows and looked at Luke. "Why? Are you nning to introduce ady to me based on my type?" "Why don¡¯t you tell me more about it?" Luke picked up the cup of tea on the table and gracefully took a sip. "I don¡¯t really have a type. Why don''t you introduce someone to me instead? I¡¯d prefer a woman who likes spending time with kids." Xavier said nonchntly, "I like kids. I heard that in order to have twins, either the father or the mother must have the genes for it. Our Tanner family doesn¡¯t have any twins, so I can only count on the woman." nche knew that Rainie and he were twins. That meant Mommy was very good. Luke''s slender fingers yed with the teacup. His face remained expressionless, but his mind went back to more than five years ago. When he learned that Bianca was pregnant with twins, he was signing an important document. As soon as Faye told him the news, he stopped what he was doing even though he was already signing halfway. 2 He knew how hard it was for a woman to go through pregnancy, especially for a young girl who was 18, almost 19. She was pregnant with two babies after getting pregnant for the first time. It made him even more interested. In the background, he did everything a husband should do for his wife. However, she did not know about any of it. He never thought of forcing her. However, life just seemed to happen that way. He had no choice. If she did not get pregnant with him five years ago, she would have a hard life pleasing another man and giving birth to another man''s children in exchange for her father''s medical bill. 1 He selfishly tried to own her, but he also wanted to help her. At the same time, when he provided the treatment expenses and liver donor for her, he also satisfied the love and selfishness that he had buried in his heart for many years. Bianca gave birth to twins for him and every time he thought about it, he was indeed very proud. "Forget it. I need to meet someone first. You''re not paying attention anyway." Xavier guessed that Luke¡¯s mind was drifting off probably because he was thinking about the twins¡¯ biological mother. nche snorted. The pesky uncle was finally gone. Xavier went to the garage to get his car. He got in the car and stepped on the elerator to reverse the car out of the garage without telling anyone. He left the family gathering. When Daniel saw his doing, he immediately called his son, "What tricks are you ying? Come back! Everyone came here to celebrate your release from prison. How could you leave just like that?" "I¡¯ll be back soon," Xavier said and hung up. After speeding for about 30 minutes, he finally arrived at the mall in the photo. He parked the Porsche Cayenne in a parking spot by the roadside. Xavier then walked toward Bianca who was distributing flyers. "Hello, if you have the time, please take a look. Thank you." Bianca repeated the same words as she handed a flyer to a passerby. However, the person who took her flyer stood there, not moving after taking it. Bianca looked up at the person. "Oh, it''s you. If I remember correctly, you''re Luke''s... Ex-girlfriend?" Xavier pretended to be surprised to see her coincidentally. He gave her a gentle smile. Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Bianca Who Suddenly Fainted Bianca looked up at Xavier and recognized who the man was. When Grandpa suddenly coughed up blood in Crawford Manor the other day, he stayed there to recover and rest. While they were there, that man and Yvonne were with Luke in his study. Since Bianca''s impression of Yvonne was bad, she decided that the man might be a bad person too. At that moment, someone passed by. Bianca ignored Xavier and passed the flyer to the passerby, repeating the words, "Hello, if you have the time, please take a look. Thank you." Xavier turned to look at her. Bianca wore a ck cotton T-shirt with a knot tied at the back of her waist and a pair of denim moderate-length shorts. The way she dressed made her look like a female college student who had not graduated yet. "Don''t you need to go to work today?¡° Xavier asked, taking his gaze away from her small waist that would make anyone want to grab it. Bianca continued handing out the flyers as she looked back at him, candidly saying, "No." The truth was that she needed to go to work that day and she still had some unfinished work. However, since she did not have to punch in at work that day, she sneaked out secretly to hand out flyers to make extra money. Even though handing out flyers did not make much, a few days on the job would rack up enough money to buy Grandpa''s monthly cardio- cerebrovascr medicine. As for her sry, it was not even enough to pay for her father''s lung cancer treatment. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. She did T Corporation''s designs and drawings only at night when she was back home, so all of her part-time jobs were during the day. Xavier stood there unmoved. However, there was an aura around him. "For a second, I thought that you resigned after breaking up with Luke." Not knowing why the man suddenly brought up the topic, Bianca handed out another leaflet. "I believe he¡¯s not the type of man who gets revenge on his exes.¡± Xavier smiled after listening. Bianca continued handing out the flyers. Xavier left silently. A few minutester, the disappeared Xavier appeared again with a bottle of mineral water in his hand. She raised her brows slightly because of his seemingly lofty and unyielding character. "Your lips look very dry. Have a drink." He handed it to her. Bianca shook her head, refusing politely. "Thank you, but I''m not thirsty." Xavier did not know how to get through her. He continued holding the bottle of water in his handsome big hand as he stood awkwardly on the spot, facing her. "How¡¯s the pay for handing out flyers like? Is it by the hour or ording to the number of flyers distributed?" Xavier looked at the thick stack of flyers in her hand and became curious. A middle-ageddy beside her that had a sandwich board on seemed to know the ropes. She came up to them and said, '' ording to the number of flyers distributed. After the stack of flyers is distributed, she can im the pay.¡± Xavier nodded at the middle-aged woman. The middle-aged woman continued standing at her station. Xavier began to observe carefully. He found that Bianca was being too honest. Every time she handed a flyer, she would hand it to them with sincerity. However, there were countless people handing out flyers on that street and countless passersby who received them. By the time they got to Bianca, they would be annoyed by all the flyers. Most people rejected the flyers that she tried to pass out. If she had to finish that stack of flyers, perhaps she might not even finish distributing them until the next day. "Leave it to me." Xavier took more than half of the stack from her hand. Bianca was stunned. Suddenly, there were only ten flyers left in her hand. She felt that he was very rude. He suddenly appeared in front of her, asked her strange questions, bought water for her, and now he wanted to distribute her flyers for her? What was he trying to do? "Thank you, I appreciate your kindness." Bianca was about to take the flyers back. Xavier was tall and long-legged. He was not much different from Luke, but his temperament was different. When Bianca was faced with Xavier''s height, she realized that she could not reach the stack of flyers he had maliciously lifted above his head even if she was on her tippy toes. "The earlier you finish handing these flyers, the earlier you''ll get to eat your dinner. What''s wrong with that?" Xavier looked down at her, his eyes doting as he dered. When two girls passing by saw that scene, they covered their mouths and looked on enviously. They said as they walked, "Look at her boyfriend. He''s 10,000 times better than your second-generation rich boyfriend. Would your boyfriend lower himself down to distribute flyers for you?" Since Bianca was not deaf, she heard what they said. Meanwhile, Xavier had already walked further front, around a dozen meters away as he continued handing out flyers to people passing by. Compared to Bianca, Xavier''s flyer distribution skills were so much more different. "Give me one." Some girls even asked Xavier for the flyer shyly. In just a moment, the flyers were gone. The empty-handed Xavier shrugged helplessly at Bianca. It seemed that Bianca''s task to distribute the flyers that day came to a forced end. The only thing left for her to do was brace herself to go upto her supervisor to get her pay. Her supervisor was a middle-aged woman in her 50s. Years of toil could be seen on her incredibly serious face. Her main job was to stare at them to make sure none of them were sleeping on the job. When she handed that day''s sry to Bianca, the middle-ageddy rolled her eyes. "If you have a boyfriend who drives a luxury car, why are you handing out flyers? Don¡¯t bothering tomorrow. This job is only for poor people who need it!" Bianca was about to exin herself when the middle-ageddy looked away, got up, and left. For no reason, she lost her job just like that. Bianca choked back her anger. After she got her pitiful pay for the day, she walked to a noodle shop across the street. She had not drunk a single drop of water since morning. It was not that she was not hungry. She was so hungry that she was having gastric pain, but for some reason, everytime she smelled food, she would feel nauseous and gag. After being under the sun for almost six hours, her body felt really weak. However, she forced down a bowl of noodles to replenish her energy. Otherwise, she would not have any energy left to be angry. Xavier followed her across the road. ¡¯Don''t follow me. I don¡¯t know you." Bianca''s thin cheeks looked bitter. "You can¡¯t say that anymore if we have a meal together. I want to try this noodle ce too. Can you not be angry with me?" Him being gentle and trying to get on her good side did not sound sincere. "You can eat here, but I¡¯ll go to another ce.¡± She did not dare to provoke him, so she chose to hide away instead. Bianca left after saying that. "Wait." Xavier grabbed Bianca''s arm, looked at her, and said calmly, "I just want to be friends, not eat you." "I¡¯m sorry, I don''t want to be friends with you.¡± Bianca did not want to cause any more trouble, especially with wealthy boys like him-Especially one who was rted to Luke. Xavier did not let go of her hand. She tried pulling her hand back, but she could not move! After struggling, her body shook violently as if it was thest straw that finally broke the camel''s back. Her eyes were blurry as she looked at the setting sun. She felt dizzy until all she saw was nothing. Xavier furrowed his brows and grabbed Bianca who had suddenly fainted. After he managed to hold onto her, he carried her into his Porsche Cayenne that was parked on the side of the road. At that moment, his phone rang. Xavier answered irritably, "Who is it? If you have something to say, make it quick!" "Uncle, Granduncle asked me to ask you when you''ll be back?" nche''s soft and contemptuous voice came from the end of the line. The kid was obviously forced to make the call by his granduncle. After all, the old man did not like talking to his deviant son. Xavier looked back and saw Bianca lying in the back seat of the car,pletely unconscious. He looked at her soft eyebrows and said, "I''m going back now. I¡¯m even bringing an aunt back for you.¡± Chapter 126 Chapter 126 But You? You Can¡¯t Even Get Aunt Bea "An aunt? What aunt?" nche asked as he stood next to Granduncle, pursing his lips cluelessly. Both Granduncle and Grandaunt''s eyes lit up in an instant. Did the blockhead finally open up? Did he finally get together with a girl he liked and was going to bring her back to meet everyone? Tears of joy filled their eyes as the old couple looked at each other. It was as if all the hardships they had endured over the past few years were finally released. They were relieved. Their son was finally bing a good man. After a few years in prison, it seemed that the time spent was not in vain. In the beginning, Granduncle had forced nche to make that call. He even whispered for nche to turn on the loudspeaker so that he could hear it too. Therefore, nche followed the orders and turned on the loudspeaker. As soon as the loudspeaker was turned on, Uncle Xavier said, "Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s a beautiful aunt. You¡¯ll definitely like her." When the old couple heard how nice his son was being about the girl and even described her as beautiful, they knew that their son had probably fallen in love with her for him to think so highly of her. "Okay, Uncle Xavier. We¡¯ll be waiting for you and the beautiful aunt." nche hung up the phone like a good boy. After the call was ended, Grandaunt asked excitedly, "Sh-Should I p- prepare anything?" "Of course.¡± Granduncle forced himself to calm down. He furrowed his brows and gave it a thought before raising his head to tell Grandaunt, "This will be her first time visiting us. We must give her a good impression. Hurry, look for something good that we can give her. If you can¡¯t find anything, we¡¯ll give her an expensive gift card.¡± "I''ll go and find it." Grandaunt turned to go upstairs. Granduncle stopped her again. "Wait, wait." Grandaunt stopped in her steps. "Remember, you can¡¯tin about the girl¡¯s background, her looks, or her personality, okay?" Granduncle was afraid that his wife would be displeased and mess up this chance for his son. "As long as it''s a girl who breathes, I won¡¯tin." Grandaunt smiled and hurried upstairs. Daniel never cared about what Xavier''s partner should look like since his son had always been very picky about his women. Before he went to jail, Louis and he were known to sleep with plenty of young movie stars. Daniel had tried educating his son about his irresponsible behavior. However, it did not go through him and he ended up sending his son to prison. Until that day, he could only condemn his son''s past secretly. In less than ten minutes, everyone in the Tanner''s manor knew about the news of Xavier bringing his girlfriend back for everyone to meet. All the adults in the Tanner family had watched Xavier grow up. They had always felt sad for the kid, so when they found out about Daniel''s luck changing, all of them were happy for him. Grandaunt quickly got ready. All of the older family members had a few pieces ofmemorative jewelry on them, but most of them were antiques. They were worried that it would not be of a young girl''s taste. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Six years ago, Xavier brought back a diamond ne from abroad. It was very beautiful. Even though Grandaunt was old, she was still a woman. She loved it very much, but the style was more suited for a younger person. Therefore, Grandaunt never wore it. She was worried about what others would think of her. When she received it from her son, she even joked with her son. "When you marry a wife in the future, I¡¯ll give it to her.¡± That was why Grandaunt found the ne and nned to give it to her. The female rtives beside Grandaunt held her hand and said, "This is the end of your hardship. Xavier''s bringing a girl home to introduce to everyone. It must mean that it''s serious this time.¡± Grandaunt was almost moved to tears. ''Yeah, my Xavier has never brought a girl home for us to meet. The only time we ever see them is in the tabloids." This time, I''m sure she''ll be your daughter-inw." The female rtive patted Grandaunt''s hand. "Time to wait for their wedding! Who knows, maybe the girl is already pregnant with Xavier¡¯s child and you''ll get to hug your grandson by next year!" Grandaunt thought of the possibility of it happening and smiled widely. Everyone in the manor waited for more than 20 minutes. Every minute and every second was torturous for the old couple. They wanted to see their future daughter-inw as soon as possible. Just when everyone was kept on their toes, the Porsche Cayenne finally drove toward the manor. However, the Cayenne reached the ce faster than expected. By the time the gate opened, the car did not bother driving into the parking spots. Instead, it arrived in front of the main entrance. The two servants who wereing out of the living room on the ground floor of the manor were shocked. They were almost hit by the car and hurriedly ran aside in a panic. Daniel and his wife also had a big shock. ''What''s going on? ''Don''t tell me that there''s been an ident!¡¯ Xavier got out of the car and opened the back seat door with agility. His suit jacket carefully covered the woman''s face as he carried her out of the car. Everyone in the courtyard could only see the woman''s long ck hair and her two long pale legs. "Get a doctor to my room." Xavier shouted at the frightened servant. The servant nodded quickly. After Xavier gave her a stern look, the servant quickly took out her cell phone and called the doctor. Daniel came over and asked, "What happened?" "I-I, I don''t know. He just told me to call the doctor and get the doctor to his room," the servant who had not recovered from the shock said. Grandaunt tried to calm Granduncle down. "Don''t worry, I''ll go up and see what''s going on." Granduncle nodded but did not follow. The father and son had never gotten along. He was worried that they might start quarreling. Everyone waited for Grandaunt to go up and see what was the deal so that she could report to everyone else downstairs. A discussion started in the distance. A young girl who looked like a high schooler said happily, "Hehe. Xavier has good taste. Even though he covered her face with his suit jacket, I could still see her. My future sister-inw wears very simple andfortable clothes. She¡¯spletely different from the disaster of a woman I imagined." Another young girl agreed and said, "Of course, Xavier¡¯s very picky when he¡¯s serious. He knows what kind of girl is suitable to be a wife. s, I hope that Xavier will always be as concerned for her even after they get married and not let her down." nche had a ss of juice in his hand. He finished the drink and mmed it on the table which made a loud noise. "Have you gone mad?" Luke''s calm gaze suddenly became cold. "Oh, you still hear sounds around you? And you''re asking me if I''ve gone mad?!¡± nche talked like a little adult as he lectured Daddy. "Well, I''m bitter. Uncle Xavier has gotten one, but you? You can''t even get Aunt Bea. I hope I got less of your genes, or else I''ll grow up to be an almost 30-year- old man who can''t get a wife." Luke pretended he did not hear it. Instead, his mind drifted off to the image of Bianca''s light pink lips and her natural, feminine face. Soon, he felt all his toughness melting. However, he quickly furrowed his brows and suppressed his feelings of yearning and longing. Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Made Luke Very Curious nche no longer wanted to talk to Daddy. He took a towel to dry Rainie''s fingers when she was by the pool, ying happily. "Why did you get your hair wet? You¡¯re a girl." nche sighed. Apart from her strict dad, there was her older brother who was slightly older than her. i He crouched in front of the pool, drying his sister¡¯s hair and face while he solemnly wondered how much easier life would be with a mommy. Since he was a baby, he always hoped that his mommy woulde back to look for Rainie and him. He thought that even if Mommy did not get back together with Daddy, at least she would visit them on the weekends to see Rainie and him because that would be enough. However, it was different now. nche no longer hoped that Mommy woulde back to look for them. He just wished that Daddy could marry Aunt Bea and make her their mommy instead. That way, Rainie could also have a beautiful childhood like other girls. "Is that... Yvonne?" someone asked and pointed at the manor''s gate. nche looked over and saw a pink sports car entering the manor. A gaudy-looking middle-aged woman smiled and said to the people beside her, "It''s our Yvonne. It¡¯s been less than a week since she returned from studying abroad. She didn¡¯t even have time to rest before she started working. This kid got a job younger than I did." After Mrs. Gideon finished speaking, she stepped forward to greet her daughter who got out of the car. Yvonne parked the car and nced at the people in the manor while she walked over with a smile. When her mother walked toward her, she lowered her voice and said, "Are you crazy? Why are you wearing the shiest designer clothes and a gold chain?! Anyone who sees you will think that you''re a nouveau riche. What''s the point of me showing you all of those fashion magazines to learn how to dress up?!" Mrs. Gideon was embarrassed. ¡±1 did learn how to dress up. Why would you say that I didn''t?" "Whatever, shut it. I knew you''d embarrass me," Yvonne gritted her teeth and told her mother. She changed the look on her face and walked toward her aunt. She smiled and hugged her. She said softly, "Aunty, you''re getting younger by the year. I can hardly recognize you." "You really know what to say to a woman to make her happy." Her aunt smiled so widely that her smile lines showed. "I heard from your mother that you''ve started work?" "Yeah, I have." Yvonne looked around before saying shyly, "At T Corporation." Even though Luke sat there in a low-key manner and was only looking at his twin babies calmly from the start, it was still enough to attract people''s attention. Many rich girls had been staring at him from the start, eager to get closer to him but also too nervous to make a move. Yvonne''s aunt saw Yvonne gazing at Luke. She put two and two together when she realized Yvonne started working in T Corporation right after returning to the country. "Von, you''re so lucky. T Corporation''s very famous. I''ll be waiting for the invitation to your wedding." The woman patted Yvonne on the shoulder. Yvonne nodded sweetly which meant that her aunt''s guess was right. The rich and powerful never bothered hiding their gossip. Yvonne''s crush on the big boss Mr. Crawford was widely known for quite some time. By the time dinner began, the gossip of Luke and Yvonne being a thing became more exaggerated as it spread. "Luke Crawford will do whatever it takes to marry Yvonne Gideon." When another richdy heard about the rumor, she said in surprise," Yvonne? She¡¯s not even that prettypared to my daughter!" "Even though your daughter''s beautiful, between a 27-year-old and a 19-year -old, who do you think the man would choose?" The person who told her the rumor asked before tutting. When the 27-year-old heard that, she was speechless. She snorted while holding her wine ss. "Yeah? Just because that Yvonne chick is young, she can marry into the Crawford family? I¡¯d like to see her try." In the distance, the main character of the rumors, Yvonne Gideon, was trying her best to win over nche and Rainie. Jason rushed over ten minutes ago because he was worried that his boss had to drink out of courtesy and social reasons. If he did, Jason would have to take care of the two kids. If Luke was worried about it, Jason, as his assistant, should be even more worried about it. People who tried to get close to Luke usually had some agendas businesswise, so if they tried to get close to Luke when he was with his two kids, it would mean they had a bigger agenda. For example, Miss Yvonne, who was ying with his boss'' two kids. Jason did not interrupt and just stared at them by the side. nche had a game console in his hand and was concentrating on ying the game while Rainie was looking intently at his gamey. Yvonne could not butt in because she had no idea how that game worked. After being awkward from trying too hard, she took out her phone, found out a game that she usually yed, and handed it to nche. "This game¡¯s very popr. Would you like to try it?" nche nced over at the game interface. Jason immediately stopped her. "Ms. Gideon, the game Young Master nche is ying is different from this adult game that you y. The boss won''t allow Young Master nche to y this sort of game." "What''s wrong with an adult game? How can games be separated for kids and adults? Isn''t it fine if it''s fun?¡± Yvonne''s face suddenly darkened as she rudely said to Jason, "You¡¯re not my dad, so why are you telling me what to do?¡± Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Jason finally understood that although Ms. Gideon was in the circle of A- listers, she was most likely the odd one in the group because for her to act that way publicly, it was very unrefined and embarrassing. Jason did not want to waste his time in front of people like her, so he told the two children, "Come, let''s go in.¡± nche was wearing a ck baseball cap with headphones covering one of his ears while holding his game console in his left hand. He held his sister''s hand with his right hand and tried to run away from Yvonne who was like the wicked witch of the west. The people around them saw what happened. Yvonne initially wanted to prove to those people that she was going to get married into the Crawford family and that it was only a matter of time before Luke approved of it since Aunt Allison had already approved her. Yvonne herself knew that she could not go over and grab Luke''s arm abruptly or greet Luke bluntly because everyone would be able to tell that Luke was not into her at all. Therefore, the only thing left for her to do was to start with the two children. She wanted to let everyone see that her rtionship with Luke''s two children was good and that it would not be long before she got married into the Crawford family. However, it was now all gone. The Tanner family dinner. All the well-known people were seated. Luke was offered to toast a few drinks and started to get a little tipsy. At that moment, it had been three hours since Xavier carried his girlfriend upstairs. The doctor had already left earlier on. Xavier''s girlfriend should be fine. Otherwise, the doctor would not have left. Moreover, Xavier and his parents would not be downstairs entertaining the guests. However, both Luke''s uncle and aunt kept taking nces at him. There was obviously something they knew that he did not. That made Luke very curious about who Xavier¡¯s girlfriend was. Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Oh Bianca, Weren¡¯t You Just On My Bed? "Excuse me, I have to use the bathroom." Luke finished another ss of red wine, put down his ss, and nodded to the influential people on the table. Then, he turned around gracefully before leaving. The dinner was set in the air-conditioned living room. It was a cold evening outside, and the dinner was very lively. Jason saw his boss heading upstairs, so he took the two kids and walked toward the stairs. "Uncle Jason, why are we going upstairs?" nche asked with his little fingers still pressing on the buttons of his game console. He was blinking his big eyes. "To look for your dad.¡± Jason could not exin too much to the child. After taking the two children upstairs, Jason asked the two children to put on their shoes while they sat on the chairs next to the stairs. He continued, "Let''s sit here and wait. Your dad went to the bathroom." nche nodded. He waited for Daddy toe out of the bathroom. But Uncle Jason, I still want to stay." Rainie thought that waiting for Daddy meant that they were going home with him. "If you still want to stay, you guys can tell your dad after hees out. He''ll most likely agree to let you stay here for a while." Jasonforted them temporarily. Soon, the two children''s focus went back to the game. Jason nced at the upstairs corridor in the Tanner''s manor which was empty. He was not sure which room his boss went to. Perhaps he really just went to the bathroom. Jason thought that he never made mistakes in his observations. Earlier, Luke kept ncing at the top floor before going upstairs. He was not sure why his boss did that and wondered if there were secrets hidden upstairs. At that moment, Yvonne came up to them. "Ms. Gideon, please stop right there." Jason reached out and stopped her. "A good dog doesn¡¯t stand in the way." Yvonne looked at Jason contemptuously. When she was downstairs in front of everyone, she tried to please Luke''s two children, but they were taken away deliberately by Jason. She was so angry and had nowhere to vent, so she could only comin to her girlfriends overseas. One of her girlfriends gave her an idea, which was to ignore Luke¡¯s assistant and treat him like a dog. That was why she said such words to Jason. Jason did not move and said calmly, "Ms. Gideon, I''m afraid you''ll have to think of me as a bad dog then." Yvonne looked at the person who would not move out of the way. She could not help but choke and said in a low voice, "Do you know who I am? I''m Yvonne Gideon. My dad¡¯spany might be working closely with T Corporation in the future! How dare you try to stop me? Aren¡¯t you afraid of what I''ll do to you after I get married into the Crawford family?" "Ms. Gideon, I hope that you understand that I''m just doing my job." Jason remained polite, i Yvonne looked in the direction of the toilet upstairs and stomped anxiously. It was a great opportunity. Her girlfriend overseas was a goddess. Whenever she liked a man, she would get him. As such, her advice was always reliable. Yvonne knew she was impatient, but that opportunity then and there was the perfect time and ce. She had stayed toote at the partyst night and probably got too drunk or something. The only thing she remembered was her doing something with thatme Jean. However, little Jean was very easy to deal with. She was able to shut him up with a little bit of money. It was just that when she got up at noon today, she found out that she got her period. It was the first day of her cycle, so it was not much. Now that she had encountered a situation like this, her girlfriend gave her an idea to pretend to be drunk while going into the bathroom. Then, she should fall onto him and take off his pants. Her girlfriend guaranteed that he would give in to her. If he did not give in, she could find an excuse to save the situation. After all, she was ''drunk'' and did not remember anything. Since she was doing things under the influence, she would not be able to think things through carefully like a sober person. If he gave in, she would be killing two birds with one stone. Not only would he have to be held responsible for her losing herself, but she could also take advantage of her first day of period. She could pretend to cry out for pain and make him think that she had given him her precious virginity. The opportunity was there! However, that damn Jason was in the way! Yvonne wished she could spread out her wings and fly into the bathroom, grab the tall and big man she liked, and pull off his pants when he was not paying attention. Jason did not know what the trashy girl was thinking. He reminded, saying," If you make Mr. Crawford angry, I''m afraid that everything will be for nothing despite your connections, Ms. Gideon." Yvonne looked at the annoying fly-like Jason. The room upstairs. When Bianca gradually regained consciousness, she could barely open her tired eyes. Her eyeballs were hot and her eyelids were heavy. It was as if she was suffering from a serious illness and had not recovered. Moreover, her lips were also very dry. After a long time, she recalled bit by bit of what happened at the roadside. Her train of thought suddenly got to the point and she could not help but wonder where she was. Was she at the hospital or at home? She moved her dark and thick eyshes unsteadily and felt a scorching gaze on her body. She gasped for air and struggled. Finally, it was as if she had opened her eyes in a nightmare when she looked at the person beside the bed. His eyes met hers and both of them were very surprised. Bianca was surprised that the man beside the bed was Luke. Why was he here? After she thought for a long time, a specific rtionship suddenly clicked in her head. Xavier and Luke knew each other and were cousins. As she had fainted, Xavier brought her to Luke. This seemed reasonable. It was just that when Luke looked at her, he was not only surprised, i Ten percent of him looked surprised, but the remaining ny percent of the man¡¯s eyes looked peculiarly deep. It was so bizarre that she was not able to read him at all. As the two of them looked at each other calmly, Bianca was the one who looked away first. She tried to prop herself up slightly. However, her ears became inexplicably hot, turning from white to pink. Luke continued looking at her with extreme dominance and unscrupulousness. Bianca wanted to get out of bed, but she identally saw the screen that lit up on his ck phone. Before she woke up, he was searching for something on the inte. The words disyed on the screen of the mobile phone said something along the lines of ''I almost had sex with my girlfriend more than once and she didn¡¯t take the morning-after pill, so will she get pregnant? What''s the chance of pregnancy?'' Bianca curled her fingers into her palms. She did not expect that he would ask something like that. Especially thosest few words that followed. She blushed as her heart skipped a beat when she saw it. The doctor quickly answered at the bottom, ''It''s likely that a pregnancy will ur. It''s rmended that emergency contraceptive measures are taken." Luke first looked deeply at her beautiful pink fingernails, then at her flushed cheeks. He said mockingly and slowly, "Oh Bianca, weren''t you just on my bed? I can¡¯t believe how fast you got onto Xavier''s. You''re pretty good. Perhaps I¡¯ve underestimated you previously?" Bianca got out of bed in a panic and gritted her teeth even though she was dizzy and could barely stand straight. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! She did not want to exin herself to him. She would not say a word even though she really wanted to say that it was Xavier who got into her business in the streets and that she could not drive him away no matter what she did. She wanted to say that she did not faint on purpose so all that was none of her business. However, she knew that she could not say anything about it. If she told him that, it would not be cutting him offpletely. 1 Bianca asked herself, ''Don''t you want Luke to think that you¡¯re a woman of loose morals and that you''re unclean?'' So be it. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Yay! Daddy Kissed Aunt Bea! At that moment when the air in the bedroom was heavy, she managed to find her cell phone. After turning it on with difficulty, all her notifications flooded in. Brayden texted and asked her, ''Bea, what time are you getting off work? Shall we have dinner together tonight?'' Bianca rushed back to reply to Brayden. After replying to him, Bianca did not dare to look back at Luke who was next to the bed. She took a soft breath, turned the doorknob, and walked out in a pretend huff. She carefully closed the bedroom door. Bianca looked around and realized that she was in a manor, presumably Xavier''s home. There were sounds of sses clinking from downstairs. It sounded like a cocktail party. Bianca looked around and there seemed to be no other way out except for going downstairs and leaving through the main entrance. She walked toward the stairs and did not dare to make a sound. "Ms. Rayne?" As Jason walked upstairs, he happened to bump into Bianca who was looking down from the stairs on the second floor. As they looked at each other, Bianca said awkwardly, "Hi, Mr. Doyle." At that moment, Jason finally understood why his boss kept looking upstairs and why he left midway during the dinner to go upstairs. However, Jason wondered why Bianca was upstairs in the Tanner''s manor. Jason was good at reading people. While he was walking around the Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Tanner''s cocktail party, he inadvertently heard the rumors going around. Everyone was saying that Xavier had changed his bad ways and finally brought back an actual girlfriend that night, but the girl was in poor health and passed out due to heatstroke. As soon as he got home, she was unconscious and was brought up by Xavier to rest. Apparently, the doctor came and gave Xavier''s girlfriend an IV infusion for her heatstroke to get better. When Jason lowered his head and nced at Bianca''s hand, he saw that Bianca''s left hand had signs of infusion. Jason had no right to interfere or question his boss'' personal feelings and affairs. He only raised his head and reminded, saying, "Most of the people downstairs are influential people, Ms. Rayne... I''m afraid that you won''t be able to leave for the time being." Bianca wished that she was invisible there and then so that she could leave immediately. However, the reality was that she was not invisible at all. "Aunt Bea?" nche held the game console in one hand and adjusted the small headphones on his small ear with his other hand, bringing his sister toward them. The two little kids rushed upstairs. Unsurprisingly, Bianca''s thigh was firmly hugged by them. When Aunt Bea was in front of them, they would choose her over the game console anytime. "I''ll head downstairs." After Jason saw them, he left quickly, leaving his boss'' children and Bianca. "Aunt Bea, where''s Daddy?" Rainie raised her head and asked while holding onto her skirt with her little hands. She could not stay at the stairs forever. Now that the two kids were clinging on to her tightly, it seemed that the only thing she could do was send the two kids to their dad. When she opened the door, Bianca saw the long-legged Luke standing tall in front of the French window with one hand in his pocket and the other hand pinching the area in between his furrowed brows. When he saw here in with the two kids, Luke put down his hand and stared at her. "I have something else to do. Can you stay with your daddy for now?¡± After she brought the two kids into the room, she crouched down and tried to persuade them, which meant that she was leaving. However, the two little kids were also very smart and would not agree to be put down suddenly. It was equivalent to abandoning them! "I want to be with Aunt Bea." Rainie pouted childishly while her tiny arms wrapped around Bianca''s neck. She rubbed her face against Bianca''s skin, i Bianca''s heart softened when Rainie''s thick and long eyshes blinked like a tiny brush, brushing against her skin. Luke did not bother helping her out of Rainie¡¯s grasp but allowed the child to cling even more on to her instead. At that moment, Bianca''s cell phone beeped again. She took it out to check her notifications. Brayden replied in a text, Til pick you up.¡¯ ''No, it''s fine. Just tell me the ce. I¡¯ll Uber there,'' Bianca typed and quickly replied. Brayden said, ''I should pick you up. As a boyfriend, this is my duty.'' Bianca replied, ''No, really. It¡¯s fine but thank you. There''s too much traffic during the rush hour anyway.'' nche could read what she was typing and looked up at Bianca sadly. He asked, "Aunt Bea, why does this person say that he''s your boyfriend? I thought that Daddy is your boyfriend." Bianca did not look up to see the expression of the man by the window. She just lowered her head to exin to the little guy, "This man is my real boyfriend." "What about Daddy?" Rainie asked. "Your daddy is my boss at work." Bianca smiled and patted Rainie''s pale face. 3 nche heard what she said and turned his head to look at his daddy who was standing in the distance. He looked sad and asked, "Daddy, is that right? Is what Aunt Bea said true? Slowly, Bianca took the little hands that were wrapped around her off of her body. She was preparing to leave cruelly regardless of the pitiful appearance of the two babies. Luke witnessed that scene with his own eyes. When he saw his son and daughter''s big eyes filled up with tears, he said coldly to Bianca who was about to go out, "Stop right there!" When Bianca heard his thunderous voice, she instinctively stopped. nche and Rainie who were about to burst into tears were also frightened by his voice. They choked on their broken sobs and looked at Daddy who was walking toward them from the window. Bianca turned her head and stared into his bottomless eyes. "Why are you telling me to stop?" When she finished asking him, she felt Luke lean toward her. The moment he leaned toward her and pressed down against her, a ck shadow blocked her sight and pressed her against the door. The hot and humid touch on their lips gradually heated up. He sucked her lips domineeringly. The surrounding air was still, and her frightened heart beat faster. So much so that she could hear the sound of their saliva intertwining while he sucked her lips. Bianca pushed against him hard! However, at the next moment, Luke lowered his head and suddenly sucked all of her lips into his mouth. The man¡¯s breath in her ear became heavier and heavier. After a long time, he finally let her go. "Aunt Bea isn¡¯t someone else''s girlfriend, she¡¯s Daddy''s girlfriend." When Luke let go of her lips from his mouth, he looked back at the two babies and said those words. He rubbed her red lips with his thumb. nche and Rainie were about to cry, but when they heard what Daddy said, they rejoiced. They were jumping up and down, running in circles. "No, you''re not... Mm..." When Bianca tried to say that he was not, her slightly opened lips were once again blocked by the man who looked back. Luke did not kiss her overwhelmingly nor made it erotic. After all, they were in front of the kids. As a dad, he always had to restrain himself, but only kissing was going to solve the problem for them, i Rainie pped her hands happily. "Yay! Daddy kissed Aunt Bea!" At the height where the kids could not see, Luke held her pale face and kissed her pink lips even more until they became red and swollen. That woman was the one who gave birth to the two twin babies for him. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Tell Her Whose Kids Those Are To Force Her To Marry Him? i However, he did not want to use the children to ckmail her. 1 The beginning of a rtionship should start for the sake of marriage. Once they got married and became husband and wife, their rtionship should be eternal and endless. However, he was stuck in a deadlock that could not be broken. Their rtionship started too early. He did not even have the time to meet her formally and confess to her. Instead, they had children right from the get-go. Twins too! The moment she resisted him, he could just tell her that those were her kids and forced her to marry him. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. However, to what extent would the love be if he forced her to get married to him just because she loved those two kids? Would she be willing to abandon her own freedom and everything for the sake of her kids so that she could be by their side? If they went that route, the union of their marriage would not be pure. The hatred in her would drown all his love for her. It would not be love that bound her and kept her by his side. It would just be the two children. He did not want to force her that way. i As he told himself before, he wanted her to want him willingly. In the bedroom, the two adults were grasping onto each other. The two little kids held Daddy''s and Aunt Bea¡¯s thighs. They looked like a harmonious family of four. There were three or four peopleing upstairs outside. Their footsteps could be heard. While Grandaunt walked upstairs, she said, "I went around the house and couldn''t find Luke. Just now Old Man Lou told me he saw Luke go upstairs. Granduncle''s tone was serious. "So what if he went upstairs? What would he have trouble doing?" Jason, who followed behind, could not help but start sweating. What happened in the past two minutes caught him by surprise. After listening to the conversation between his boss'' uncle and aunt, he did not know what was happening. Everyone in the Tanner family''s manor was spreading a rumor that Xavier had brought back a girl who was dressed inly, pale, and slim. They said she was probably good-looking and that she fainted, which was why a doctor came and gave her an IV drip. He was sure they were talking about Bianca. However, Jason knew that his boss had taken a liking to Bianca. His boss even brought Bianca back to the Crawford family¡¯s manor and his family had also taken a liking to her. Everything was going well, so why was Bianca suddenly Xavier''s girl? Was there a misunderstanding, or was that Bianca''s kink? Perplexed, Jason went upstairs with his boss¡¯ uncle and aunt. He was worried that there would be a conflict. Downstairs. Xavier went into the living room from the courtyard and asked his uncle beside him, "Where are my parents?" "Upstairs. Both of them went upstairs," his uncle said. Xavier went upstairs. When he reached the second floor, he heard his mother''s voice. "Luke, I need to tell you the truth. It doesn¡¯t matter if a persones from a rich or poor background. Bea is a beautiful and good girl. I''ve taken a liking to her. I hope that you won¡¯t put too much pressure on Bea. Otherwise, I''ll have to get her, my future daughter-inw, to resign from yourpany." When Xavier heard her, he walked into the bedroom. Everyone looked up at Xavier. "Bring the two kids downstairs," Luke told Jason, i Jason nodded and immediately led the two ignorant little kids downstairs. In the bedroom, Luke looked at Xavier somberly. Bianca took her bag and went out without raising her head. Before she went out, she passed by Xavier''s mother and said, "It''s a misunderstanding. I''m not in a rtionship with your son." Grandaunt frowned and hurriedly pushed her son at the door. "What are you still dreaming about? Chase after her!" Xavier turned and chased after her down the stairs. Luke''s aunt tapped his uncle''s back, hinting at him to say something. Luke''s uncle stood at the door and said to his nephew who was standing in the bedroom, "Luke, the young people of your generation are more educated than ours. You guys are more open-minded than the older generation. You shouldn''t try to break up Bea and Xavier. You should just let them love each other so that society as a whole would be able to get past some of the traditional thinking." "Yeh." His aunt echoed, saying, "Luke, Bea didn''t choose to be born in an ordinary family, nor did she choose to be a mere designer after her studies. She didn''t choose what family she would be born into. Besides, Xavier has had problems and even went to prison. I can''t say for sure if he''ll be a good husband, but I don''t think that Bea isn''t worthy of Xavier. "I asked Xavier. He told me he''s the one who chased after Bea." His uncle made that up for fear that his nephew might think that Bea seduced Xavier. Luke turned around and looked at his uncle and aunt. "I never said that Bea wasn''t worthy of Xavier." "Then you..." His aunt paused. "Are you saying that you think Xavier is not worthy of Bea?" Luke''s face darkened. Aunt Tanner knew how her son was and did not try to defend him. She raised her hand and promised, saying, "I swear on my life that Bea will marry into the Tanner family and I promise to never let her feel that she made the wrong decision!" Luke did not know how to continue talking to them, so he just waved to stop them from saying anything more before hurrying downstairs. In the courtyard. Yvonne was startled when she saw Bianca. When she saw Xavier chasing after Bianca, she thought to herself, ''What the hell? Why does Xavier look so nervous? ''Could it be that Xavier has also fallen in love with Bianca? ''Is he fooling around with her like he did with other girls, or is he seriously in love with her?¡¯ When Luke was about to drive away, he ran into Xavier who was on his way back after a long drive. He was by himself, so he had probably failed to get Bianca to stay. Xavier looked at Luke in the driver''s seat and said with an evil smile, "I didn''t mean to make everyone misunderstand, but all of them think that she''s my girlfriend. It would''ve been impossible to exin it to everyone. Plus, you guys broke up. She fainted by the roadside today and I was kind enough to bring her back." Luke''s stare was like an icicle knife shooting at Xavier. He stepped on the elerator and the car quickly drove away from the manor''s gate. Xavier continued looking at Luke driving away until his car was out of sight. At that moment, a hand tapped him on the shoulder. When he looked back, it was Yvonne with a ss of wine in her hand. "Xavier, are you interested in Bea?" After Yvonne asked that, she pursed her lips. Xavier could not tell what he felt. He looked at the various women in the distance, then looked back at the 19-year-old in front of him. None of them looked special to him and he could not tell what their age was either. He nodded tiresomely at the young Yvonne. "Yeah, I am. This is probably the most interested I¡¯ve ever been in a woman." Yvonne did not like hearing othersplimenting Bianca. "What you can''t get is the best. I know you men too well. Xavier, do you want to marry her?" Xavier was puzzled. "What wishful thinking are you indulging in? To clear away Luke''s ex before marrying into the Crawford family?" "Just tell me if you want to get married and tell me if you want to marry Bianca. If you do, I have a way." Yvonne could not wait to clear off the obstacle that was Bianca. Bianca could get married to anyone. Of course, it was all the better if it was with Xavier. When she finally became a married woman, Luke would belong to Yvonne. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Luke, Are You A Pervert?! Yvonne was busy thinking about things. Among the wealthy bachelors of A City, who was the most difficult? No, not the young yboys nor the fickle-minded prince. It was none other than the cold and indifferent Luke Crawford. Especially when dealing with women, Luke was extremely indifferent. Yvonne needed to admit that she had a lot of chances to get closer to Luke, but after all those years, the two of them were practically strangers. However, Yvonne never felt humiliated because other women were treated just the same. Bianca Rayne alone was the outlier who Luke seemed to have taken a liking to. Yvonne could not wrap her head around why that mediocre Bianca was so beloved by Luke! However, no matter what Bianca used to get Luke to be hooked on her, she knew she had to solve the Bianca problem as soon as possible. She wanted to make Bianca a dirty whore, inside and out. If Bianca got married to a poor scumbag and suffered a torturous marriage while living in a hell on earth, Yvonne would be overjoyed. However, it was obviously irrational, 1 Xavier''s family was rich and was a slightly influential family as well. Once Bianca got married into the Tanner family, she would have to be a good and obedient wife, do her wifely duties, and always listen to her inws and husband. 2 There would not be a chance for her to seduce Luke anymore. Furthermore, Xavier and Luke were cousins. 2 If Bianca seduced her husband''s cousin so brazenly, it would be asking for trouble. Xavier''s identity was like a shackle that would be able to lock Bianca firmly, preventing her from taking another step closer to Luke. Even if it was just one step toward slight flirtatiousness, Bianca would be guilty on the count of morality and would be nailed to the pir of shame. The more Yvonne thought about it, the more she realized that it was the perfect n! City Center Fourth Ring. Luke drove his car out of the road from the vi estate and onto the highway. There was a car in front which was owned by the Tanner family driving at a constant speed. It was following behind Bianca. Luke elerated and made a sharp turn, stopping sideways. The car that was sent by the Tanner family stopped immediately. The person rolled down the window and asked respectfully, "Mr. Crawford, what are you..." "You don¡¯t need to follow her anymore. Since it¡¯s on my way, I can send her back.¡± Luke looked at the Tanner family''s driver with a deep look. The Tanner family''s driver was sent by Xavier. The driver exined that thedy would not let Master Xavier send her back and insisted on walking to the roadside to get a taxi. Since Master Xavier did not want to embarrass her or make her angry, he went back obediently and sent someone to drive out to follow thedy to ensure her safety. Ensuring her safety with this method was a headache. At home, Master Xavier said, "Even if she gets a taxi, you must continue to tail her until you see her reach home safely beforeing back." Master Xavier acted as if every taxi driver was a bad guy. "Okay. Sorry to trouble you then, Mr. Crawford.¡± The Tanner family''s driver thought that it would be fine as Mr. Crawford was close to Master Xavier. Even though they were not brothers, they were closely rted by blood. If his cousin sent her back, it would be safe for her as well. After dismissing the Tanner family''s driver, Luke drove his car toward the thin figure on the side of the road ahead. After Bianca heard a honk from the back, she lowered her head and walked toward the side of the road to give way but did not look back. Her mind was still filled with too many things. The car honked again. The honking persisted. Bianca had already retreated to the innermost side of the road, and there was no way for her to take another step aside, so she could not help but look back. The ck Range Rover driven by Luke drove past her domineeringly, frightening her so badly that she almost fell on her butt onto the roadside guardrail. The car braked sharply and stopped in front of her. Luke got out of the car dressed in a well-tailored ck suit. A few buttons on his white shirt was unbuttoned casually, revealing the man''s sexy corbone. When he walked over, she lowered her head and subconsciously wanted to hide from him. "You can¡¯t get a taxi from this spot nor are there any taxis passing by. Are you trying to walk back to the city on foot?" Luke asked in a low voice with a hint of anger. He stretched out his left hand and tried to hold her right hand. However, she dodged quickly and put her hands behind her. Obviously, Bianca was adamant about not getting into his car. It was just as how she had rejected Xavier''s ride earlier. In order to make Luke give up, she was willing to date and get married as soon as possible. However, the man would definitely not be Xavier Tanner because they were not even from the same world. If she ended up getting married to a rich person, thetter part of her life might be a tiring one. The most important of all, Xavier and Luke were cousins. Brayden was still texting her, which meant that he was fond of her. The way he chatted and did things was very simple. It lined up with her upbringing and family background. She knew that she could not let Brayden down. The trees on both sides of the road made slight noises because of the wind. Bianca raised her head and looked at the man in the expensive suit before her. She walked past him, then continued walking away. If she got tired and could not continue walking anymore, she would find another way. Luke looked at her departing figure with a gloomy gaze. He took two steps forward and with great strength, he grabbed her waist. "Ah! What are you doing?!" Bianca eximed as she tried to pry open his big hands. When the car door opened, Luke clenched her wrists without any signs of letting go and took her to the side of the car while he looked for a delicate box in the car. It was a tie box which looked very valuable. After he opened the box, he took out a brand-new light gray tie and tied her hands from behind. "Luke, are you a pervert?!" Bianca''s eyes were already red from panicking. It was the second time her hands were tied up by him. 1 Luke ignored her screams, picked up the useless tie box, and threw it into the trash can on the side of the road. No one had used it for a year. The tie was given to him by an aunt. Then, he stuffed Bianca''s mouth with a clean pocket square. Apart from shaking her head at him and moving her legs, Bianca had no other ways of resisting. "Shaking your head? What do you mean? Are you surrendering to me and telling me that you were wrong? That you shouldn¡¯t have seduced Xavier? That you shouldn''t have tried to cheat on me with my own cousin? Is that what you¡¯re trying to say?" Luke spoke for her. Bianca''s mouth was stuffed with a pocket square. It was something like a handkerchief but different. It was typically used by rich people and noblemen like Luke Crawford. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. She tried to move her mouth back and forth, but she could not get rid of the pocket square that was blocking her mouth. At that moment, her phone vibrated. Luke''s big hand reached into her bag and took out her cell phone. Brayden sent the address of their dinner ce and said, ''This dessert ce is good. I searched for a long time before I found this one. I heard that girls in love like to go there. I hope you like it too.'' Luke''s whole body exuded cold air for a moment. It was as if there was a violent storm in his sharp face. His big, well-defined hand grabbed Bianca''s chin and suddenly raised it. Fear shed in her eyes as her raised head stared at his delicate and cold handsome face. "Does your boyfriend know that you might be pregnant with my seed?" Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Luke Couldn''t Ovee His Possessiveness Bianca wanted to tell the crazy guy that what they didst time would not make her pregnant. However, her mouth was stuffed with the tie, so she could not say anything. Then, she remembered what Luke searched for and what the online professional doctor replied. The doctor said that forey might cause some chance of pregnancy even though the possibility was small. However, there was still a slight chance. When she thought about it, she became flustered. In the past few days, she got so tired that her brain was mentally drained. Her mind was chaotic and she could not remember whether she had taken the emergency contraceptivest time, i Bianca remembered that she had bought the medicine and put it in her bag. However, she did not remember whether she had taken it or when she had taken it. Bianca never thought that she would be worried about getting identally pregnant. Being pregnant with Luke''s child was going to be torturous for her. The ultimate sinful act... Before she knew it, her grief overcame her. '' Why are you crying?" Luke saw tears forming in her eyes. They slowly rolled down her cheeks. He could not bear to see her cry and asked her softly. The gloom on his face gradually faded. Bianca looked at him without blinking until his lips lightly kissed her eyes. She closed her eyes instinctively. Her eyelids suddenly felt a warm touch when his thin lips pressed against them, kissing away her tears. Then, it followed downward, kissing away the tears on her cheeks. Luke''s voice suddenly became hoarse. "What do you want me to do? You came into my life and now you¡¯re gone. Didn¡¯t you expect that I wouldn''t be able to let you go after you withdrew so quickly from me?¡± Bianca was speechless. All she did was just cry. She had no other choice. "I like you. I liked you since we lived in the small town, but having a crush is something I could ovee. However, love for me is different. I couldn''t find any way to stop myself from falling in love with you. I couldn''t find a way to stop the possessiveness that''s aroused when I love you." Luke''s Adam''s apple rolled up and down as he spoke. She lowered her head and tried to hide her emotions. Luke was silent for a long time and finally sighed. "Forget it." After he let go of her body, he turned around and lit a cigarette. After taking a few drags of his cigarette with his back facing her, the temptation of nicotine did not make the man''s mood better. On the contrary, it made it worse. On the way home, neither Luke nor her said anything. When they reached the entrance of her rented ce, she got out of the car. Her eyes were dry and painful, and she told herself not to look back after getting out of his car. Grandpa was at home. "Bea, you''re back?" "Yeah." She nodded and went into her bedroom. Grandpa was watching the news. Before going out to meet Brayden, Bianca cooked dinner for Grandpa. She made some spaghetti and nched veggies for him. It was his favorite. Bianca served dinner to Grandpa. "Grandpa, while your teeth are still intact, you should eat more meatballs." When Grandpa took over the te, he could not help feeling sentimental." Sigh. Sometimes I can''t help but think that it''s not good to live too long. I¡¯m getting older by the hour and bing more of a burden to you..." Bianca hurriedly calmed her grandpa. "You¡¯re not a burden, Grandpa. I feel happy to have you around... When I eat with you while we watch TV shows together, I feel happy that I have family with me." Having said that, she was afraid that Grandpa would see her red and tear- filled eyes. She hurriedly got up and hid in the kitchen. She said as she walked toward the kitchen, "I think I forgot to turn off the vent. Let me check." Brayden had booked a slightly luxurious ce. When Bianca sat down, she looked around nervously. Brayden seemed to see through her thoughts and consoled, saying, "It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s only a one-time thing, unless you feel likeing again. I just want you to enjoy dates like other girls and enjoy what you deserve. Don¡¯t worry, I won''t always be this extravagant." iContent protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Bianca did not expect that Brayden would say those things. After they had their main course, they ordered their desserts. The desserts were the highlight in that ce. However, when Brayden ordered desserts, the waiter said, "Sorry, Sir. The pastry chef had an emergency and went back home. These desserts are unavable at the moment. Would you like to take a look and change to another one?" If they did not get that specific one, then it would have been meaningless to eat there. Brayden did not want to romanticize his life nor was he a romantic person. As long as a girl was willing to be with him and live the rest of his ordinary life with him in the future, he would give himself fully to her. He thought that when they hung out with friends in the future and the topic was about the city¡¯s most famous dessert, his wife Bianca would be able to say that her husband brought her there to eat it before without feeling inferior. "When I made a reservation, I was told that the pastry chef was avable." Brayden could not imagine that a pastry chef in a high-end restaurant could just suddenly leave. When he looked at the diners next to them who hade slightly earlier than them, there was that specific dessert on their table. It seemed that the pastry chef left at the worst timing. "It''s okay, everything¡¯s the same for me. I¡¯m not much of a sweet tooth, anyway." Bianca did not want Brayden to feel ufortable, so she said that on purpose. The waiter insisted that the pastry chef was not there and apologized to Brayden with a smile. Brayden had no choice but to switch to another dessert. When the two left, Brayden drove Bianca home. They were officially together. "Would you like to meet my parents and sister?" Brayden asked her while he drove. "You should decide this. If you think that it¡¯s the right time and want me to meet them, I will." Bianca felt that meeting the family did not equate to getting married right away anyway. It was fine to meet his parents. If his parents did not think that she was worthy of their son, she might quit the rtionship early on so that she would not be hogging a good and simple man like Brayden. They talked all the way until they reached her neighborhood. Brayden followed the navigation prompts and finally parked his car at the gate of the neighborhood. He said reluctantly, "We¡¯re here." Bianca unfastened her seat belt, thanked him, and got out of the car. "I¡¯ll take you to that dessert ce again next time." Brayden felt sorry. Bianca nodded and left without being overly courteous. When she returned home, she switched on the lights and called out," Grandpa?" No one answered her. "Grandpa?" Bianca put down her bag and went to look for him in his room, but there was no one there. After looking around the house, she still could not find him. When Bianca tried to call his phone, the automated voice said, "Sorry, the number you have dialed is unavable at this moment." At that moment, someone rang the doorbell. Bianca did not think much about it and assumed it was Grandpa who hade back from a walk. However, when she opened the door, there was a young man in a uniform standing at the door. "Hello, this is your express dessert delivery." 1 The young man politely presented a delicately packed food box. Bianca was startled. ''Dessert? Who sent it?'' The restaurant''s name on the dessert box was exactly the one where she and Brayden went to eat. ''Didn''t the pastry chef go home urgently? ''Who made this dessert? ''The main thing is, where''s Grandpa?¡¯ Bianca ignored everything and went downstairs to look for her grandfather who had suddenly disappeared. Chapter 133 Chapter 133 He Was The Perfect Lover And The Best Husband Bianca searched for Grandpa for nearly an hour. However, she still could not find him anywhere. She started panicking. After she went back upstairs and looked around the empty rental ce, she found that Grandpa had completely disappeared. Grandpa''s cane was gone as well. ''Could it be that he was walking with his cane when he went downstairs?'' However, Bianca knew that Grandpa did not normally use his cane unless he was traveling long distance and needed it for support. Dispirited, Binaca walked into Grandpa''s bedroom. She remembered that before she went on the date with Brayden, Grandpa was fine. However, during dinnertime, Grandpa had said earnestly, "Sometimes I can''t help but think that it''s not good to live too long. I''m getting older by the hour and bing more of a burden to you..." ''Could it be that Grandpa ran away from home?¡¯ Bianca shook her head. Grandpa would never do such a thing. When she opened Grandpa¡¯s closet, Bianca took a closer look. She was not sure how many sets of clothes Grandpa brought to A City. She could not tell if there were a few sets of clothes missing or not. 1 However, the closet looked like it had gone through some ruffling. ''Did Grandpa really take his clothes and cane and ran away from home...'' Bianca could not calm herself down, so she took out her cell phone to call her aunt who she had not talked to for a long time. However, even if Grandpa ran away from home, he would not have gone to her ce. "Sorry, the number you have dialed is not in service..." The not in service tone was heard from her phone. Her aunt''s cell phone number was not in service, which meant that it had been a long time since she used that number. Bianca called her dad. Kevin just chatted a little with her and sounded normal, telling her that he was fine and that she should not worry. He also told her to have a good day at work tomorrow. These were things he normally said. When she heard what her dad said, Bianca knew that Grandpa''s disappearance had nothing to do with him. All her doubts pointed to the possibility of Grandpa running away from home because he did not want to burden his granddaughter... When Bianca furrowed her brows and got even more anxious, she inadvertently saw the food box on the floor near the wall in the doorway. She went over, crouched down, and opened the food box. There was a card inside. The image printed on the card was romantic and warm. There was no name written on it to signify who it was from. i Bianca''s heart was more flustered than before. She pursed her lips and stood up with difficulty. She was silent for about a minute. When she looked down at the desserts on the ground again, she suddenly remembered that Luke stopped her on the way back from Xavier''s manor as she was walking back to the city. Perhaps Luke saw the text that Brayden sent to tell her about the dessert ce that was all the rage with girls. How did Luke react? He looked cold and indifferent with a really stern look on his face. However, once the childish side of him appeared, it was scarier than high school students in love. He was going to be salty and petty about everything. Bianca hardly needed to think before she guessed who sent the dessert. Bianca took her bag, opened the door, and went out. At the same time, she gave Luke a call. By the time she got downstairs, she still did not manage to get through to Luke¡¯s phone. After calling him several times, her phone prompted that the number she dialed could not be reached at the moment. As Bianca stood in the elevator, her mind started wandering off. ¡®Luke must''ve sent someone to take Grandpa away. It¡¯s impossible for Grandpa to be lost. He must be drinking tea and ying chess with Old Master Crawford.'' Last time, it was Luke who took Grandpa to the Crawford manor. After that, Grandpa told her that he was walking around the neighborhood when he was surrounded by a bunch of hooligans. Grandpa said that it was a good thing Luke rushed over and sorted it out. That was why Luke brought Grandpa back to his ce. When Bianca left her ce, she hailed a taxi. As she sat in the taxi and looked at the dazzling city scenery, she thought with a sense of mncholy that Luke was indeed a very caring man. Any girl who had him as a partner would think that he was the perfect lover and the best husband. It was just that in this lifetime, no matter how much they liked each other, they were just not meant to be. On the way there while Bianca was in the taxi, she still did not get through Luke''s phone. She thought he might be in the Crawford manor. After she reached the Crawford manor, she got out of the taxi and turned around to tell the driver, "Mister, can you wait here for me for a while?" The taxi driver nodded. Bianca walked toward the Crawford manor''s door and rang their doorbell. She decided that she would take Grandpa away the moment she saw him. Soon, the butler cum driver answered the door. "Ms. Rayne, why are you here?" The butler was surprised. "I''m here for my grandpa," Bianca looked at the butler and asked politely," Is my grandpa here?" The butler''s following words made Bianca''s just recently calmed heart panic again. "Your grandpa isn¡¯t here.¡± "He isn''t?" Bianca looked at the courtyard which was indeed very quiet." Well, is Luke here?" Bianca was sure that Luke had sent someone to deliver the dessert. "Mr. Crawford isn¡¯t here either, nor Young Master Lanie and Young Mistress Rainie," said the butler. At that moment, Allison came out of the manor. When she saw that the person at the door was Bianca, Allison walked over, waved her hand, and motioned the butler to go in. The butler nodded to Bianca before stepping back. When there were only two of them left at the door, Allison looked at Bianca coldly. "What are you doing here?" "It has nothing to do with you." Bianca closed the door and turned to leave. She did not want to hear another word from Allison. Allison stood at the door and sneered at Bianca who was getting into the taxi. She looked back at the butler who just left and called out, "Wait." The butler stopped in his steps. "What did she say to you just now?" Allison asked.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. "Ms. Rayne first said that she was here to pick up her grandfather. I told her that her grandfather was not here. Then, she asked if Master Luke was at home. I told her that Master Luke, Young Master Lanie, and Young Mistress Rainie were all not at home," the butler said truthfully. Allison lowered his head and thought for a while. ''Grandpa Rayne left without saying goodbye? Otherwise, why would his granddaughter be looking for him everywhere? Has she been looking for him for so long that she even came to the manor?'' Bianca asked the taxi driver to drive toward the city center. Since nche and Rainie were not in Crawford manor, they were most likely with their father. Perhaps they were staying over in the apartment in the city center that night. She still could not get through Luke''s phone. When she reached the apartment, Bianca did not have a keycard, so the service personnel did not let her in. Finally, Bianca said, "I know the door number. I''ll ring the doorbell and the owner inside will let me in." The service personnel nodded. Bianca pressed on the inte inside the service desk. The personnel at the service desk made an exception to let her use the inte because the young lady imed that her grandfather was missing and that a life was at stake. The inte was generally not used in the property because they would not want to disturb the distinguished residents. After all, everyone who stayed there was made of money. Most of them were really famous people. When the bell for the inte rang, the service personnel and Bianca were already on their way up in the elevator. "It''s Bianca. Can you let me in?" Bianca''s voice was low. The moment the inte connected, Bianca spoke out before Luke had a chance to speak, i "Come up," Luke paused for a few seconds before saying. Chapter 134 Chapter 134 You¡¯re My Superior, My Boss, My Older Brother... When she got out of the elevator, the property''s service personnel behind her said to the man by the door, "I¡¯m very sorry, Sir. She said that she knew you." Luke nodded. The property''s service personnel then left. As she looked at the man by the door, Bianca asked with reservation, "Did you see my grandpa?" She was the one who said she wanted to be out of his life, but now, she was the one who came to his doorte at night to ask him things. Bianca could not help but be reserved and feel awkward. However, she had no choice but to go through with it so that she could find Grandpa. "What happened to your grandpa? Is he not at home?" Luke initially had his head low as he tied his night robe. When he heard her words, he raised his head and asked her. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Bianca observed his expression and eyes. She realized that he looked genuine about not knowing where her grandpa was. The sudden drop of her heart made her feel at a loss. She shook her head and pressed the elevator button with trembling hands. She nned on heading back downstairs. When Luke saw her pale cheeks and twinkling eyes, he went out and walked to the elevator. When she was struggling to keep herself from crying, he threw her on the sofa and put his arms in front of her. His dark eyes were indifferent as he asked in a deep voice, "What happened? Tell me everything now!" There were tears in Bianca''s eyes. At that moment, the two little kids came out of their rooms. Rainie had a white bear plushie in her arms while in a daze. She was rubbing her eyes while Lanie was so anxious that his slippers were on the wrong foot. He simply stared nkly at the strange adults on the sofa. "Go back to bed. I¡¯m talking to Aunt Bea." Luke turned back with his brows furrowed. Lanie pursed his mouth, did not speak, and took his sister back to their rooms. Before they went back to their rooms, they nced at Aunt Bea a few more times reluctantly... Bianca also nced back at the two kids. However, she could not fake a smile for them. Her phone rang. Bianca immediately took it out to check as if she had been waiting for something important. It turned out to be a voice message from Nina. Nina had sent her a voice message, "I didn''t see your grandpa. What¡¯s the matter? Bea, is everything fine? Did your grandpa get lost? Where are you now? I''ll be over right now, don''t worry!" Luke took her phone over and replied for her, "No, it''s fine now." After he said that, he took her phone and stared at her eyes that were hidden under her thick eyshes coldly. "I¡¯m going to get changed. Wait for me." He took her cell phone away, so she could only wait for him. The man probably only wore suits and ties for 365 days of the year. At any time, he could just start talking business. When Bianca left the apartment with him, it attracted the attention of several people at the front desk. "They''re a couple, right?" a girl at the front desk asked another girl on duty. The older girl on duty, who was busy checking information, raised her head. She looked at the two walking out and said, "They''re a couple alright, but I can sense some distance between them. Otherwise, why didn¡¯t the woman have a key? We had to send someone to help her enter the building to look for the man. Maybe they''re just lovers. Lovers on the down-low." "Maybe they¡¯re having a fight. From what I see anyway, the man looks totally in love with the woman. He''s not how a fickle sugar daddy treats their sugar baby..." The older girl on duty was surprised. "What kind of a joke are you saying? There are so many normal- looking girls like her out there. Where would she get the nerve to y hard to get with that man? Perhaps she''s tired of life or maybe she''s never been dumped before and wanted a taste of it?" The girl at the front desk curled her lips and said to the older girl on duty," What normal-looking girl? I''d like to see you try and get a pure natural face like hers. Not ten of them, just one. If you''re able to, then I''ll give you an apuse." The older girl on duty stopped talking. Luke drove the car out of the parking lot. 1 The ck Range Rover stopped at the entrance of the apartment. He rolled down the window and looked at her. "The subway will stop running soon. Are you going to rent a car? If you do, I''m afraid you¡¯ll run out of cash soon. Even if you manage to find your grandpa, your dad''s still sick and needs the money for his treatment." He forced her to get in the car and ept his help. Whether it was before or after breaking up, she had been using her own money to pay for her father¡¯s treatment and to support herself. This year, she had another person to take care of, her grandpa. She was overburdened. She had to use every penny in her purse wisely. Bianca got into the car and silently rested her head on the car seat. "Do you have any other rtives? Did you try to contact all of them?" Luke drove steadily and nned to send her back to her ce one more time to see if the old man was back but could not get into the house. "If I can¡¯t contact the rtive, Grandpa won¡¯t be able to either," Bianca said after racking her brains. In the car, Luke called his grandpa. Old Master Crawford said that he had not seen Old Man Rayne and asked if anything had happened. Luke dodged the question and hung up. He then looked at her. "Let¡¯s make a police report. Don''t worry, your grandpa will be fine.¡± If she made a police report, the police''s response would be that the case could not be opened for investigation until 48 hours after the disappearance... Since Luke was rich, powerful, and well-connected, he only needed to call Jason to make the arrangements. Jason went to the police station alone, exined the whole story, and handed in the photos and information of Old Man Rayne to the police. After he drove back to her rented ce, Luke walked behind Bianca as they went upstairs together. When they opened the door and was greeted with a dark and extremely quiet ce, they knew that Grandpa had note back. They went back downstairs again. Luke apanied her to every corner of the neighborhood and even went to all the streets outside the neighborhood. However, Grandpa was still not found. It was almost at the end of September, so it got especially cold at night. Bianca could not tell whether she was cold or if she was panicking, but her body started trembling. The police had checked all the surveince cameras around their neighborhood with nothing much found. There were more broken surveince cameras than actual working ones. "Do you think that Grandpa might have gone back to the small town?" Luke asked as he walked behind Bianca. Bianca looked back at him, the tears in her eyes still brimming even after a few hours. Toward the end of the night, she was like a fragile and sad worm that was scared to stand head-on with anyone in the world. Luke stepped forward and grabbed her small hands with his big hands. He wrapped them tightly and pointed at the car parked by the side of the street in the distance. He said calmly, "Let''s go back to the small town to have a look. We¡¯ll leave this ce to the police." Bianca had no other choice. On the way back to the small town, Luke insisted on giving her his suit jacket. She was actually really cold. "Sleep. I''ll wake you up when we¡¯re there." Luke lit a cigarette and rolled down the window to let the smoke out. Since he was drivingte at night, he had to smoke to keep himself awake. Bianca closed her eyes for a while, then opened them again. Every time she could not sleepte at night, she always tried to change her love for Luke into a love between family members. 2 That way, there would not be any guilt. The man who was concentrating on driving noticed that she was having a hard time sleeping. He asked, "What are you thinking about?" She looked at Luke and calmly said, "I''m thinking that... You¡¯re my superior, my boss, and maybe, I can think of you as my older brother...¡± 4 The driving man flicked the ash into the car ashtray. As if he had heard a joke, his cold lips said softly, "Older brother? Are you sure you want an older brother who wants to sleep with you every day?" Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Quiet And Filled With Tension Bianca''s cheeks were flushed. The atmosphere in the car became quiet and filled with tension. She was huddled up in the passenger seat of his car. For some reason, when he was around, Bianca felt much more at ease. After thinking about it for a long time, Bianca attributed the source of the sense of security to their blood rtionship. Staying by her brother''s side allowed her to feel grounded. That logic did not sound wrong because that was normal among siblings. Gradually, Bianca fell asleep. She was relieved that she finally found a ce where she should be. From a psychological point of view, she regarded him as her brother. That way, when the two of them were alone, it would not be weird morally. Luke drove to a toll booth. When he passed the toll booth, he turned his head and nced at the woman next to him who was huddled up in the passenger seat. In the past few days, she was not able to eat well, sleep well, and even fainted. Finally, she could take a rest. The ck Range Rover drove steadily on the road. Luke looked at the passenger seat from time to time and was relieved to see that she was not awake and still sleeping soundly. When he arrived at the small town, it was inevitable that the roads in the small town had potholes. When Bianca woke up, her body was sore and ufortable. She looked around and realized where she was. She grabbed his suit jacket with her fingers and looked at the man in the driver''s seat. She said, "Sorry, I fell asleep." Luke concentrated on his driving. He made a turn and drove toward her house. He asked casually, "Why are you saying sorry for falling asleep?" Bianca opened her mouth, not knowing what to say. He drove to the small town in the middle of the night to help her find her grandfather. Since he had to drive for a long time, the driver would feel lonely and bored. It would be better if there was someone to talk to. However, she identally fell asleep. The drive here must have been monotonous. A City. Xavier stayed out to party until after midnight before returning home. Daniel, who had fallen asleep earlier on, was suddenly awakened when he heard the sound of a car driving into the manor. After being awakened, he pushed his wife who was sleeping beside him." Wake up. Hey, wake up." Luke¡¯s aunt woke up and looked at her husband in a daze. "Did our son juste back? That darn kid! Does he know what time it is?¡¯¡± Mr. Tanner was angry with nowhere to vent. Since his son was an adult, he could not discipline him. Mrs. Tanner got up and checked the time. It was indeed veryte. Before their son went to jail, he always stayed upte outside partying and would onlye back at dawn. Constant partying finally got him into trouble andnded him in jail. "I''ll go downstairs and have a look. You stay here." Mrs. Tanner was worried that if Mr. Tanner went down, he would start a fight with his son. She said that as she put on her night robe and slippers. Then, she walked out of the bedroom. Mr. Tanner sighed and leaned on the bed frame. He could not sleep because of his son and mmed his fist on the old-fashioned pillow. After Mrs. Tanner went downstairs, she was just in time to see her soning back from outside. When he entered the door, Xavier looked up and saw his mother who looked upset. "What''s the matter? Can¡¯t sleep? Aren''t you supposed to get more beauty sleep the older you get?¡± Xavier said sweetly as he prepared to walk upstairs. Mrs. Tanner was not affected by her son''s words. She said, "Stop right there.¡± Xavier stopped and looked back at his mother. The pair of mother and son looked at each other. There were tears hidden in Mrs. Tanner''s eyes, and every wrong she had ever felt started flooding out. "Are you trying to kill us from anger bying back in the middle of the night? No wonder Luke looks down on his own cousin. He couldn''t even give his blessings for you to date his secretary! Tell me, apart from your physical appearance, which part of you is actually human? Which part of you is something worth respecting?!" Since he was young, Xavier had always been the most handsome boy around. Even Mrs. Tanner was very proud of it. Who would have thought that his good looks ended up attracting countless women to die and live for him, making him an unserious yboy? If Mrs. Tanner could choose, she would have rather her son be born ugly! Luke was Allison''s son and Allison was Daniel''s sister. Even though Mrs. Tanner knew Allison since they were young, they never had a good rtionship. Mrs. Tanner never liked her sister-inw, Allison. She always thought that Allison looked down on the poor and sucked up the rich. No matter what, she would do anything to climb thedder to fame. Even at the age she was then, she was still the same. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Since Mrs. Tanner did not like Allison, naturally, she would not like Luke either. If she asked herself truthfully, Mrs. Tanner knew that she was just jealous of Allison. She was jealous of Allison''s self-disciplined and excellent son. Most importantly, Luke gave Allison a pair of twins as grandchildren earlier on. "I''ll live my life the way I want and he can live his. Why should I want his respect?" Xavier had not drunk that night. He was sober and furrowed his brows as he looked at his mother. "Did you really just ask why you would want his respect?!" Mrs. Tanner cried out from anger. She pointed to the living room that was full of guests the night before and said, "Everyone who was here makes up the circle of rich people in A City. Everyone knows each other. Take this afternoon for example. Allison didn''t attend our gathering because of a stupid little fashion event in her entertainment circle. Do you know how many people areughing behind our backs because of that?¡± Mrs. Tanner did not dare to tell her husband about those feelings of hers for fear that he would call her argumentative. What could she do? The only thing she could do was swallow her anger and tell her son in the hopes that her son would be able to rise up! Xavier saw the wrinkles in the corners of his mother''s eyes and saw through his mother''s bitterness. He was silent for a moment before saying, "Go back to sleep. I don''t care who gives me blessings for my marriage. No matter what, I''ll marry Bea for you." After Xavier said that, he turned and walked upstairs. As Mrs. Tanner looked at her son''s departing back, she finally breathed a sigh of satisfied relief. In the small town. Luke got out of the car and moved the iron lock on the gate with his big hand. There were no signs of it being opened before. The walls that surrounded the front yard were high, and there were nodders around. There were no lights in the front yard either. "Grandpa didn''te back," Luke turned around, lowered his head, and said to Bianca. Bianca stood there and was very quiet. The quieter she was, the more distressed he felt. He walked over and hugged her into his arms as he lowered his head to kiss her on her forehead. "Don''t worry, let''s wait to see if the police have any new news." He calmly soothed. Little by little, the sounds of her frightened inhtion echoed in the quiet night. Luke suddenly lifted her face, and as expected, he could clearly see tears streaming from her eyes. "Don''t cry." Luke did not know how tofort someone, especially girls. The only thing he could do was hug her tightly and press her head on his chest. He used his big warm hands to stroke her cheeks and head. With her tiny shoulders wrapped in his arms, he wished that he could just wrap her uppletely into his body. Bianca was afraid that something bad might have happened to Grandpa. Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Luke Asked Her If She Was On Her Period She cried in Luke''s arms for a long, long time until the surrounding crickets quieted down. Bianca had tired herself from crying and felt a faint soreness in her lower abdomen and lower back, i It was a feeling that she had for years which she experienced once every month. Only this time, it seemed to havee many days in advance. When a woman''s body did not get enough rest, the body would react abnormally, and that included having irregr periods. Bianca withdrew from his arms. She was anxious and embarrassed. She squeezed out the warm tears from her eyes. When Luke''s chest suddenly felt empty, he looked sadly at her and asked, "Should we head back to A City or continue looking around the town? Does Grandpa have any rtives in town?" He would respect any decision she made. "Grandpa doesn''t have any rtives in town..." Bianca suddenly thought that if Grandpa really ran away from home, he would never return to town. When she thought about it, she started worrying about Grandpa being in danger. All the horrible images flooded into her mind all at once. Luke seemed to know what she was thinking and stepped forward. Hebed down her messy hair while she cried in his arms. "No news is good news. If anything happened to Grandpa, someone would¡¯ve told the police by now." Bianca looked up at him, instinctively believing every word he said. Without her knowing it, she relied on him wholeheartedly. "Really. Trust me." Luke''s deep eyes looked into her fragile eyes. Bianca nodded. ''It''ll be okay. Grandpa will be okay.'' It was as if telling herself that over and over again would make Grandpa be safe... "Get in the car. Let''s head back to A City." Luke ced his big arm on her left shoulder and led her to the car. However, Bianca suddenly stopped and thought about it. She said, "Wait here. I need to go to the supermarket to buy some things. Don''t follow me." This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. After she said that, she left. It was dark everywhere with no street lights around. The only light source was the moonlight. Bianca did not dare not to get into his car straight away because she was afraid that she would stain his car seat. Furthermore, she knew that her period was only going to get heavier with time... Luke stood tall and straight at the gate like a night knight who had justnded on earth. In front of him was his parked ck Range Rover. Luke stared at her thin figure walking toward the supermarket. He did not hold back and followed her in. The Raynes¡¯ old house was some distance away from the supermarket. Since it had been a long time since she was back in the small town, she was a little unfamiliar with the ce now despite it being her hometown. Luke could not bear seeing her figure leave his sight. When she arrived at the supermarket, Bianca took out her cell phone and turned on the shlight to look for the supermarket doorbell. In small towns like Luojiazhen, supermarkets usually closed after nine. No one came that early unless it was for urgent matters. "Why isn''t there a doorbell?" Bianca muttered anxiously while searching for it. Luke approached, reached out his arm, and knocked on the door. "Anyone there?" The man''s voice was maic, and he quickly heard the owner inside asking, "It''s the middle of the night. Who is it?" "We¡¯re here to buy some things. Can you open the door for us..." Bianca said first. Luke''s cold and hard voice was able to wake up the owner, but perhaps the owner would not dare to open the door to such a scary voice. When the owner heard that there was also a girl, the owner put on a robe and opened the door for them. The owner was a middle-aged woman, and she looked up at the two people outside the door. "You don''t look like locals." The owner hesitated whether to close the door on them. "I need to buy something," Bianca said. She turned around and said to Luke, "Stand outside and wait for me. Don''te in." Luke did not go in. Bianca took out her money and bought a pack of sanitary pads. After the female owner collected the money, she showed her out. It was the middle of the night and they were two non -locals. Even though the girl looked beautiful and harmless, she still had to be on her guard. "Excuse me, may I use the toilet?" Bianca asked for help. "Toilet?" The female owner refused loudly. "No! Go somewhere else!" After she said that, she drove her out. Bianca had no choice but to leave the supermarket. Even though she had bought her pads, there was no ce for her to put one on... Luke lit a cigarette outside the door, took a puff, and looked back at her. He asked, "What''s the matter?" Bianca looked at the distance. There were no lights around except for the guest house. "What''s the matter?" Luke suddenly became serious and found that she had been acting mysteriously since going to the supermarket. He felt that she was deliberately hiding something from him. "It''s nothing. Let''s go to the guest house," Bianca said, shoving the sanitary pads into her pocket. Luke grabbed one of her wrists and brought her in front of him. He used his other hand to grab the thing out from her denim shorts'' small pocket to see what it was. It was a pack of daily ultra-thin sanitary pads. With a cigarette in Luke''s mouth, he squinted his eyes and looked at her. "You''re on your period?" "I..." Bianca''s cheeks flushed as she lowered her head. ''How does he find everything out? ''And he just says it straight out bluntly.'' Luke returned the pads to her. He said in a deadpan voice as he ordered her, "At special times like these, I hope you rest well. If you continue running around and working too hard, you''ll burn yourself out." The man walked in front while she walked behind as he pulled her by her wrist toward the guest house. Since it was a small town, there was only that one small guest house. After checking in, she put on her pad in the bathroom while he waited outside. He stood outside the bathroom and waited because he was worried that the other guests from the other rooms would frighten her if they came to use the bathroom. "Let¡¯s stay here for a night. Jason has already arranged for someone to guard your neighborhood and your ce to look out for Grandpa. The moment we find out anything about him, we''ll be notified immediately," Luke said to her while she was inside the bathroom. However, he was also worried that she would not be able to rest well, so he had to lie. "Also, I don''t think I can drive anymore. I don''t want to get us into an ident from me driving lethargically." There was nothing for Bianca to refute. As such, she agreed to stay in the town for a night. After he sent Bianca back to their room, Luke went out to ask the owner for simple toiletries to be sent to the room. While she showered, he asked the owner to make a warm supper as well. In order to make some money, the owner quickly put down her cell phone poker game that she was ying and happily ran to the kitchen to make some porridge. "Is there anything that your wife doesn''t eat?" thedy owner came out and asked. Luke thought for a while and said solemnly, "She''s on her period, so avoid those things that she''s not supposed to have while on it." Thedy owner was taken aback for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, got it. No worries." Luke nodded back. "Thank you." After a while, thedy owner''s husband came into the kitchen while thedy owner prepared a nutritious bowl of porridge. She whispered, "Look how gentlemanly, polite, and considerate he is to his wife. Meanwhile, you ipetent stinking man just nag at your wife all day long." After eating the hot porridge, Bianca''s stomach felt better. Even though there was only one room and the two of them had to share the same bed, she believed that he would not do anything to her with Grandpa missing. Therefore, she was able to close her eyes peacefully and finally get the rest she desperately longed for. When it was around three in the morning, she was sound asleep. Luke''s hot body enveloped her as he held her in his arms. Since she had just started her period cycle, it made her body cold and weak. Her body automatically yearned for a warm ce. Before she knew it, she was huddled up in his arms. Luke did not sleep a wink because he was worried about her. His warm and rough left hand stretched out into her shirt to warm up her lower abdomen. He wanted to help her keep warm so that she was able to sleep better. Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Bianca And I Have Two Kids Bianca slept until seven o''clock in the morning. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Mornings in the small town were no better than mornings in A City. Since the main street was only a few meters away from the guest house, it was very noisy. The sound of people selling things early in the street naturally floated toward Bianca''s ears. After she slowly woke up, Bianca saw that she was in the guest house''s tiny room. It was mostly empty except for the narrow bed shey on. The windows were open and the air conditioner was turned off. Although her body was ufortable due to her period, she was able to get one of the most peaceful nights of sleepst night in recent days. Bianca got up, took the phone next to the pillow, and looked at the time. It was already past seven o''clock. Where did Luke go? When she left the room to change her pads, thedy owner passed by her and said to Bianca, "You¡¯re up early. Your husband is outside having a smoke." Bianca nodded nkly. The husband she mentioned was obviously referring to Luke. After she went to the bathroom and washed up, Bianca nned to have breakfast with him before returning to A City. Since Grandpa was not in town, he would not being anytime soon. After yesterday''s helpless and flustered time, Bianca thought about it logically and thought that Grandpa most likely did not run away from home. If Grandpa did in fact run away from home, the purpose of running away was to reduce her burden. However, why would a grandfather want to relieve a granddaughter''s burden? The answer was because the grandfather felt bad for the granddaughter''s hardships. However, a grandpa who cared so much about his granddaughter would not leave without saying anything because he knew that would only make the granddaughter more worried. As such, Bianca was sure that Grandpa did not run away from home. Perhaps he was lost, could not find his way back, or maybe there was another reason... She did not dare to continue imagining... However, as Luke had saidst night, "No news is good news." Luke finished smoking and walked back inside. Bianca checked out of the guest house with him and they went to a nearby breakfast stall. After she sat down, he ordered soymilk and donuts. He told the stall owner, "One bowl of soy milk with no sugar and one bowl of soymilk with two spoons of sugar." "Okay!" the stall owner answered happily. Luke sat down opposite Bianca. The people who came to the morning stalls consisted of adults who woke up early in the morning with nothing to do, middle-aged and elderly people, and students who went to the nearby elementary, middle, and high schools. Luke''s car as well as the owner himself attracted a lot of attention. The town was a poor town, so men in suits and leather shoes looked tough and handsome. These kinds of men only appeared asionally in newspapers. Moreover, they also saw them in tabloids from the cities. The magazines often published well-dressed and good-looking male celebrities from Hollywood. They seemed to look manly in everything they did. Now that a mature-looking man was suddenly sitting down at the morning stall, everyone could not help but wonder who he was and what he was doing in the small town of theirs. No matter how others stared at them, Bianca lowered her head as she bit her straw. She continued to drink her soy milk in silence. Since she was a child, she always ate donuts with Grandpa at this ce. Back then, it was a couple who ran that stall. They were the current owner''s parents. It still tasted the same. Since then, she had always drunk her soy milk with two spoons of sugar. Luke ordered soy milk with two spoons of sugar without even asking her. Bianca was curious and wondered if it was a coincidence. "Can you finish it?" Luke asked about the donuts in front of her. Bianca looked up at him and shook her head. Luke picked up the donuts in front of her and finished them for her. While drinking soy milk, Bianca thought silently. If she had lived under the same roof with Luke since she was a child, what would it be like for her? Whether she lived in a poor family as a Rayne, a rich family as a Crawford, or even an orphanage. She wondered what fate would be like for her brother, Luke, and her. If she had a handsome brother, many women around him would want to be her sister-inw. As for her, if there was a suitor around her, she wondered if a brother like Luke would be strict about the boys she chose and if he would pick the best boyfriend for her. "What are you thinking about?" Luke ate his breakfast but kept his eyes on her. "I was thinking that if you were my older brother..." Bianca raised her head with a serious expression on her face. She looked at him with longing and imagination. However, before she could finish, he interrupted with a frown and said, "Are you forcing incest on me?" H It Bianca did not dare to speak anymore. There was mncholy in Luke''s eyes. He did not understand why she kept insisting to consider him as a brother. He wondered what strange idea it was or if she had weird kinks that no one knew... At that moment, a couple sat down at the table next to them with an infant in their arms. When the woman sat down, the man went to get a bowl of pudding for her and some donuts. "Hurry up, I can''t hold the child anymore." The woman tried to hold down the very lively baby. The man took a te and picked up the donuts while looking at Luke and Bianca from time to time. As he continued looking, his wife noticed it. The wife thought that her husband was looking at a beautiful woman, so she looked over as well. However, she ended up like her husband, staring at them. It took the child in her arms almost slipping out like a fish before the wife returned to her senses and eximed, "Little boy, be honest with me. Are you a fish? Why do you keep squirming around?" When the husband came back to sit down, he was still looking at the table next to them. He thought they looked familiar but was not sure, so he did not say anything. That was until a middle-ageddy came over. She was the neighbor who met Bianca when she came over thest time to pick up Grandpa. "Isn''t that the Raynes¡¯ Bea? Why is she back?" the middle- ageddy asked. The couple on the next table nced at each other. At first, the man thought that the man who sat at the table beside them was his old ssmate, Luke Crawford. However, his appearance had changed over the years. He was taller and had a powerful aura, so much so that it would stop people in their steps. How would he dare to say hi and ask Luke if he was his old ssmate? ''If the woman is Bianca Rayne, it means that the one sitting opposite is Luke Crawford...'' "Do you remember me? Back in high school, you gave me a basketball." The husband who had taken the child looked over and said hi to Luke. Luke and Bianca looked over at the same time. 20 minutester. In the small town''s high school field, Bianca had always stood at the high school''s yard as she looked over the walls that separated the junior high school and the high school. She would recall many things about her standing by the wall, peeking over it. She still remembered every jump and dunk Luke made on the basketball court. "At first, I wasn¡¯t sure if it was you. I just thought that you looked familiar. When I heard my aunt saying that she''s the Raynes'' Bea, I concluded that you''re my high school ssmate. Are you guys married yet?" The father with the child smiled honestly. He was both excited and embarrassed to reminisce about the old times with such a rich ex-ssmate. "Yeah, are you guys married?" the child''s mother also asked when she realized Luke Crawford had fallen in love with her junior high schoolmate. She wanted to know about the story of how he disappeared while he waited for Bianca to grow up- Luke nodded. "Yeah, we''re married. Bianca and I have two kids.¡± Chapter 138 Chapter 138 He Picked Her Up and Pressed His Lips Onto Hers "Two? That''s fast! You guys have already given birth twice..." The child''s mother looked at Bianca with shock. "You don''t look like you''ve been pregnant before! I would''ve never guessed it! A mother of two!" Bianca smiled awkwardly. 2 After chatting for a while and before leaving the town, Luke called his ex-ssmate to talk between the two of them. 1 Luke looked very serious as he said something to his exssmate. The ex-ssmate who was carrying the child listened seriously, then nodded his head before nodding again. On their way back to A City, Bianca did not ask him about anything. In a daze, she slept in the car again. When they were back in the city center, the road was stable again. Luke also drove slower because he was afraid that she would wake up. In the end, she slept all the way until they reached the apartment. She was slowly woken up by her period cramps. 1 When Bianca opened her eyes, she forcefully took a few breaths. She pressed her lower abdomen with both of her hands while her face suddenly turned paler than ever. There was even a thinyer of sweat forming on her forehead. When Luke, who was outside the car, turned out after finishing his cigarette, he saw her in excruciating pain. "What''s wrong? Are you in pain?" Luke opened the door and pulled her face over as he frowned. Bianca could not think about anything and merely had her eyes shut while she nodded. "Let''s head upstairs and lie you down to rest." Luke did not waste another second or minute before he carried her out carefully. Bianca did not let him carry her. She wanted to walk by herself. "Don''t move, or I''ll ask Jason and all the police to withdraw." Luke did not want to reason with her nor did he want to patiently talk to her. The simplest and fastest way to get results was to just use brute force. Sure enough, she did not move. Nothing was more important than finding Grandpa. She was just an ordinary citizen, an average Jane. Only powerful people like Luke Crawford had passes in doing certain thingspared to ordinary people. This was the reality of it. The cruel and powerful reality. There was everything in the apartment, but Luke was helpless when facing a woman with period cramps. 1 Bianca was forced to lie on his big bed as she grasped at the nket. The long-legged Luke stood tall in the kitchen as he looked at the brand new kitchen utensils that had never been touched before. He was feeling helpless. His phone rang. It was a call from Jason. "What''s the situation?" Luke answered the call. Jason did not dilly-dally and got straight to the point. ''There are two things. The first thing is that Ms. Rayne''s grandfather is still not found. The police said that we can temporarily rule out the possibility of him being in a car ident or being harmed by someone since there haven''t been any matching reports. As per your instructions, I''ve gotten through with the TV station and the missing person notice will be broadcasted this morning. Now we''ll just have to wait if anyone calls for the missing person reward. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! "The second thing is about the night that Ms. Rayne was drugged with sleeping pills. The person in charge of the entertainment venue has investigated it. The incident has something to do with Ms. Rayne''s ex-boyfriend, Jean Langdon." When Luke heard Jean''s name, his face turned cold immediately. "Put him in jail!¡± "I''ll immediately arrange for the police to go over." Jason knew that Jean had offended the boss. The neighborhood where Bianca was renting was in chaos. Some middle-ageddies who saw Grandpa thest time he was met with hooligans were also concerned about whether they had found the old man yet. When Jason was about to hang up, he suddenly heard his boss from the other side of the phone asking seriously, "Has your ex-wife ever had period cramps?" N II Jason was stunned but told the truth. "The two of us are divorced because she thought I didn''t care enough about her, so I suppose I''m not really sure about this matter." Luke was about to hang up. Jason saw Sue''s car approaching the neighborhood and hurriedly said, "There¡¯s a woman in front of me who would be more experienced in this. May I ask her for you?" "Make sure it has personally worked for her before." Luke did not search for information about it on the inte because he was worried that the methods were ineffective and would only make Bianca suffer more. Jason took his phone by his side and walked toward Sue''s parked car. When Sue got out of the car, he immediately held her down and asked, "Have you ever had period cramps?" 1 "Huh?" Sue looked dumbfounded. Jason showed his phone. "I''m asking for Mr. Crawford." Sue nodded. "What methods have personally worked for you to alleviate the pain?" Jason continued to ask. Sue did not dilly-dally and hurriedly exined the methods that were effective for her personally. After she exined, Sue saw Jason reporting it back to their boss. When Jason hung up, Sue was about to cry. "Everyone''s body works differently. If this method doesn¡¯t work for Bianca, will Mr. Crawford fire me...?" Jason nced at Sue but said nothing. In the apartment. After Luke received Jason''s call, he went downstairs and went to the supermarket. Aftering back, he mixed brown sugar with white wine. He stirred the mixture evenly and lit it up. After the fire went out, he brought it into the bedroom. He sat her up on the bed. "Drink it while it''s hot." Bianca''s face turned paler from the pain. When she looked at the white wine mixed with brown sugar in the bowl, she shook her head. "Just give me a painkiller." 1 "Pain-relief tablets only treat the symptoms temporarily. You¡¯ll still have to use it next time and you¡¯ll be dependent on it,¡± Luke said, taking a sip of the hot white wine mixed with brown sugar. He picked her up and pressed his lips onto hers, feeding the mixture into her mouth. 1 It was a horrible drink, but he fed every sip to her. When the bowl was finished, she saw him take a pillow and put it under her waist. Both of them were wearing clothes. He leaned against the bed frame and held her in his arms. From time to time, he rubbed both of his hands to warm them up and pressed his palms against the cold skin of her abdomen just likest night. He helped her relieve the cold in her body. When Bianca saw Luke doing all of that, she started crying so hard that she started shivering. She did not know if hiding the truth from him was good or bad. 1 When she knew that the two of them were rted by blood, she felt that the person who told her was extremely cruel. Allison had badly harmed her and caused her to mentally suffer. She was choking on her sobs. Therefore, she did not want him to endure it ever. She did not want to do the same cruel thing to him. Luke hugged her but did not dare to kiss her. He only continued warming his hands to generate the heat to warm her lower back and gently massaged her lower abdomen. "We¡¯ve crossed the line. We¡¯ve crossed the line..." Bianca knew that they had crossed the line by doing that. However, he did not know anything, so she was the only one who bore the weight of the sin. "What line have we crossed?" Luke asked. She endured all the physical pain and inner suffering by sitting up and walking toward the door. She did not dare to rely on him anymore. He grabbed her arm and asked, "Where are you going?" Luke could faintly feel that something was up between him and her. If he could not get rid of the thing that had put up a wall between them, he would not get any results and she would not get relief. He was angry, but he did not want to explode on her. Even though she told him that it was Jean who was stopping them from being together, he never believed it to this day. Jean was not a good man and Bianca was not that stupid. "I have to head home and check the situation. My period cramps won¡¯t kill me. I¡¯ll be fine." When Bianca said those words, she did not dare to look up. After she said that, she opened the door and left. Luke''s deep eyes were red all over. Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Crazy Or Having A Manic Episode? Bianca entered the subway. On the way from Luke''s apartment to the subway station, she did not look back, but she knew that Luke was following her the entire way quietly. He was still worried about her. The train moved, and after many stops, it finally arrived at her destination. Bianca went down and walked toward the exit. Her neighborhood. Bianca saw the police and Jason. She walked toward Jason. After Jason saw her, he stopped smoking and turned around to look at her. Initially, he thought that she was with Mr. Crawford. "Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Doyle. Go back and rest," Bianca said gratefully and sincerely. Jason knew that his job was to do things for other people. However, it was the first time someone had verbally thanked him, so he could not help but be a little embarrassed. "It''s fine. If you want to thank someone, thank Mr. Crawford." He would never forget to give credit to his boss. Bea!" Sue got out of the car with aptop in her hands. Bianca raised her head and looked at Sue. Jason also looked at Sue and ordered, "Go upstairs with Bianca." Sue understood what Jason meant. Since Bianca¡¯s grandpa was missing, it was clear that she was anxious. Therefore, as Bianca''s good colleague and friend, she knew she shoulde over to apany her. However, when she found out that Bianca was not at home and was with the boss, she stayed back to help Jason. "Let''s go. Leave the matter to Mr. Doyle here." Sue called over to Bianca. They went upstairs together. Bianca opened the door, and her rented ce was eerily quiet. "Please, have a seat." After Bianca invited Sue to sit on the sofa, she went to the kitchen to heat up some water to drink. Sue was very busy. She continued her work without lifting her head as she said, "Grandpa will be fine. Don¡¯t work yourself up too hard by worrying about him until you start falling sick." Bianca stared at the rocking chair on the balcony where Grandpa often sat. After being morbidly lethargic for the entire day, her ufortable body made everything worse. When Sue finished her work and went to look for Bianca after putting away herptop, she found that Bianca was curled up on the bed like a wounded kitten. She looked very pitiful. Sue decided to stay at her ce for the night. The next day, Bianca''s period cramps were gone. When she woke up and found that Sue had stayed over, Bianca went to the kitchen to make breakfast. Sue woke up when she heard movements in the house and nced at the strange environment before remembering that she had slept over at Bianca''s housest night. In the kitchen. Bianca beat two eggs in a bowl. After she beat them well, she put them down. She picked up the kitchen knife and cut the washed vegetables. In that month, mornings were freezing. One could easily catch a cold if they went out withoutyering up. Bianca could not help but get worried about how Grandpa was doing. Was he bundled up? Was he cold? When she kept thinking about it, the kitchen knife that was cutting the vegetables identally cut her left index finger clumsily. It took a long time before Bianca felt the pain. Sue dug out toiletries from her bag and took them to the bathroom. When she passed by the kitchen entrance, she inadvertently caught a glimpse of Bianca''s left hand that had blood in between her fingers. "What the heck happened?" Sue dropped the toiletries from her hand and rushed toward the kitchen. She pulled over Bianca''s finger to look and shuddered when she saw the scarlet blood. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Bianca lowered her head and said without feeling anything," I''m going to look for some gauze." "How could you be so careless?!" Sue took the gauze that Bianca found. She immediately knelt on the carpet in front of the sofa and bandaged Bianca up with her brows furrowed. While Sue bandaged her finger, she murmured angrily, "I can understand that you''re feeling terrible for not having found Grandpa, but you can''t keep being like this. Grandpa''s getting old. We mortals will never know what fate waits for the elderly in the end. Not just the fate of your grandpa, but everyone''s grandparents or parents. As they grow older, all of us young people will eventually encounter the same problem and go through a sort of loss in our lives.¡± Bianca nodded as warm liquid filled her eyes again. Sue looked up at her and was afraid that she would cry. She said, "We can''t do anything about Grandpa right now, so we should just leave it to the police. Maybe if you go to the office with me, you might feel better after making yourself busy. Maybe Grandpa will be at home after we get off work." Bianca nodded. She could not leave work behind because Dad was still in the hospital with lung cancer. She had to take care of him. Early in the morning in T Corporation, everyone was in formal attire. Sue and Bianca entered the elevator together and went to the design department. "Why are the police here?" Sue saw two serious-looking police officers sitting in the reception area. As soon as her colleague was about toe over to gossip, the head of the department''s office door opened and she called out to Sue. "Come in." Sue did not have time to hear the gossip and hurried over. In the head of the department''s office. The female head of their department looked annoyed as she said to Sue, "Will it be okay if the project that Jean and his team is in charge of is passed to your team?" When Sue heard that, she was overjoyed. "No problem. No problem at all." That was a big project. Anyone in the design department would want to have a piece of the tempting big cake. The head of department nodded. "Alright, that''s good. As for the handover, we''ll wait for top management to arrange it." Sue wanted to ask what happened. However, she could tell that her head of department was not in a good mood, so she did not ask any more questions. After she left, Sue nced at the reception desk. The police were still there. Soon, Jean arrived at work. The two police officers at the reception followed him. The moment Jean put down hisptop, the police showed their IDs and handcuffed Jean straight away. All his colleagues were stunned! Bianca also looked over. They heard the police say, "We have proof to suspect that you''re rted to the drugging case that involves a female colleague in a private clubhouse. We''re bringing you to the station, so cooperate with us for the investigation." His colleagues were shocked when they heard that. ''The clubhouse? Drugging?¡¯ Everyone wondered if it was rted to their department gathering that night and wondered which female colleague Jean had drugged. Jean had a horrified look on his face. He was silent for a moment. He ruled out the possibility of Yvonne telling the police. Then, he looked at Bianca with hatred. He broke free from the police and walked toward Bianca. When Bianca looked up to see him, there was no time to dodge before his handcuffed hands lifted up the folders on her table and smashed them on Bianca''s face. "Corporate with us!" The police immediately stepped forward to stop him and pressed him to the ground. 1 His female colleague was shocked and looked at Bianca sympathetically. When she looked at Jean who was being taken away by the police, she said, "Is Jean crazy or is he having a manic episode?" "Are you okay?" Sue came over and patted Bianca''s shoulderfortingly. When their head of department walked out and nced at Bianca, she looked even more annoyed. "Sue, bring your team to the top floor. The boss wants a meeting." Sue nodded and turned back to whisper to Bianca, "Come, let''s go up for the meeting." She hoped that their boss would take some time tofort Bianca. Thefort of her colleagues could not bepared to her boss''. Most women would want their man''s shoulders to lean on when they were at their lowest. Bianca held the painful tears back. She took the relevant documents and herptop to go up with Sue as well as the rest of her team. After that, she found a seat in the corner and sat down quietly. "Mr. Crawford is here," someone said aloud. Chapter 140 Chapter 140 I Need A Wife There were faint red marks on Bianca''s face which were particrly eyecatching. Sue sat in front and was nearer to the boss. She held a signing pen and did not dare to look her boss in the eye, even more so than usual. The air-conditioning in the conference room was on full st, but when their boss'' face darkened, the room felt colder. It was as if the air had condensed into an invisibleyer of ice, freezing everyone''s expressions. "What''s happened to your face?" In the silent atmosphere, the boss suddenly asked calmly. No one dared to answer. Since the head of their department had not arrived yet, as the team leader, Sue had to put on a bold face and tell her boss in detail, "A male colleague suddenly went crazy and grabbed a bunch of folders to hit Bianca in the face." It was a serious meeting and not a private one. Bianca looked up and said," It''s nothing. Thank you for your concern, Mr. Crawford." When Sue heard that, her heart cracked! Bianca was acting too distant. Sue carefully nced at their boss'' face. She could sense anger from their boss'' handsome and angr face... Rage even... "Jean?" After a long silence, Sue suddenly heard their boss say his name. Everyone just nodded. The next moment, they saw their boss'' eyes darkening further. Mr. Crawford said to everyone present in a low voice, "If anyone takes the opportunity during a department gathering to drug their female colleagues, we¡¯ll make sure they¡¯re dealt with!" The female colleagues present looked fine, but the male colleagues who had never done such things trembled... It was as if one person, who was Jean in this case, had gotten every male colleague in trouble. Luke''s cold gaze surveyed all the male colleagues present. He then solemnly said, "Those who wish to go to jail, feel free to continue acting recklessly in mypany." Sue let out a breath of relief. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. It seemed that Mr. Crawford was finally going to set Bianca free. The meeting was brief. In the past, the big boss never had direct meetings with the employees of the design department. asionally, the head of their department might see the boss. Most times, the subordinate in the design departments asked the head of their department to take the bullet and be the scapegoat whenever the big boss was angry. Sue concluded that since Bianca entered the design department, the entire design department seemed to have be thepany''s popr department. They would see their respected boss almost every other day. The meeting ended. When the group of colleagues went down, another team looked sad with their heads drooped. The boss had to vent his anger somewhere. Even though Jean was the only one on the team who did something wrong, the entire group was brought down with him. Guilty by association! No one dared to question the boss'' anger. All of them bowed their heads and cursed Jean in their hearts. How could that damn b*stard drug a female colleague? He created a bigmotion in the company and caused each one of them to be scolded severely individually by the boss. The most irritating and ridiculous part of it was that all of them were a group of old men who could be someone''s grandfather. They were humiliated by the boss without the use of swear words, just like how a grandfather would scold their grandson. Moreover, they could not say anything back. They heard that rich people were psychologically distorted. Therefore, a man like Mr. Crawford who was rich, powerful, and not married, should have the most distorted and perverted mind. Therefore, they thought that it was better to not mess with him. Otherwise, they would have to watch their every step. When Bianca was about to go down, she was stopped. Jason stopped her at the door of the conference room. He was sent on a mission. If he went up without bringing her, he would not be able to report back. When Sue saw what was going on, she ran off immediately and threw the poor creature, Bea, from under her wings. She hoped all the best that the poor thing would fall into the palm of their boss'' hand soon so that she would be held firmly by him, and when they were out, for her to be put in his pocket or even kept inside his mouth safely. What was he going to do to her on the second day of her period...? 1 When Bianca thought about it, she nodded and followed Jason up. After Jason brought her there, he prepared the first aid kit. After setting aside the first aid kit, he left. Luke pulled the motionless Bianca into his arms. Bianca stood up in shock. "I thought you wanted to see me for actual work M "Are women always this fickle?" Luke got up, taking the antiseptic lotion and cotton swab. The swab was moistened and he pulled her back as he carefully applied the liquid medicine to the red marks on her cheeks. During the dabbing process, he gently blew on her red marks. A burst of coolness was felt on her face, and the hot sensation of the red marks was gradually reced by coolness. She calmed down suddenly and allowed him to put the liquid medicine on her. There was only the sound of both their breathing in the office. Luke lowered his head and asked, "Why are you suddenly a good girl again? Are you thinking of me as your older brother again?" Bianca blushed hard. "Tell me, do you have some special kinks? Or perhaps you like... The feeling of breaking free from the bondage of morality?" Luke''s free hand pressed onto her waist. While she was in a state of shock, he pulled her into his arms. He closed his eyes as he lowered his head to kiss her lips. His breathing was heavy as he sucked in with all his breath. In a low voice, he said, "I can be your brother..." Bianca shook her head. ''Not like this...'' She never wanted it to be this way... By older brother, she meant an actual older brother. An older brother rted by blood... Rather than special kinks and interests that he had mistakenly thought. ¡±My face hurts. I''m sorry..." Bianca did not want to speak anymore. It was as if talking just made it worse. She just wanted to break free from his embrace and kiss. She wanted to escape from this ce. 1 In the design department, Sue saw Beaing back and could not help butugh with her head lowered as she worked. She thought that their boss was amazing. Bea had gone up in despair, but when she came back down, her face was all red while her lips were also scarlet and swollen. Bianca tried her best to concentrate on her work and worked until it was the end of office hours. She felt that she was probably the first person to rush out of the office. Before the rush hour came, she walked across the road to the subway station. Her phone rang for a long time before she heard it. After answering the call from an unknown number, she stood still. She looked around with panic before she finally saw a Porsche Cayenne approaching. Then, the person on the other line hung up. Xavier rolled down the car window and looked at her. "Get in the car. Maybe I can help you find your grandpa." Bianca''s entire body was numb and her brain could not think for a while. Xavier''s tone clearly meant that he knew where Grandpa was. However, he had used the word ''maybe''... "If you''re too bored, please go find someone else to mess with.¡± Bianca tried to stay sensible as she grasped her phone tightly. Xavier was silent for a moment as he held the Cayenne''s steering wheel with his big hands. After that, he raised his head and looked at her with furrowed brows. He held up two passports. "One¡¯s yours and one''s mine. If I told you I got your passport from your grandpa, will you believe me?" When Bianca saw the passports, her hand that was gripping her phone started shaking. Xavier opened her passport and showed it to her. It was indeed her passport. "Even though I have friends in the Civil Affairs Bureau, I wanted to make sure that we arrive before they get off work to avoid troubling my friend," Xavier said and strode out of the car with his long legs. He embraced her as if he was a husband taking care of his wife. He warned in a neither dear nor distant tone into her ear, saying, "If you disobey a man who has been to jail, you''ll lose the grandfather who brought you up." Bianca gritted her teeth secretly and struggled to get free. She looked at him as if she was looking at a monster. Xavier did not loosen his tight hug on her still. "I need a wife, and time is running out. Either we register our marriage before six o''clock, or you can collect your grandfather''s body after six. You can choose one of the two." Chapter 141 Chapter 141 My Wife, Bianca From the sound of Xavier''s tone, he did not seem like he was joking at all. It was precisely because of how serious he looked that Bianca could feel cold sweat all over her body when she looked at him. ¡¯You''re the one who took away my grandpa?" Bianca asked. Xavier looked at her eyes that were full of panic and hatred. He answered her seriously, "Duh. Who else would take away your grandfather secretly?" Both of them looked into each other''s eyes. With tears in her eyes, Bianca hit him like a madwoman as she tried to get away from him. "You despicable and shameless man! You''vemitted a crime! You''ve kidnapped a person!" Xavier grabbed her fragile body with his big hands. He no longer allowed her to punch and kick him as she pleased. "What do you know about crimes, little girl? You¡¯re just a little girl who''s still wet in your ears!" When she could not kick or move anymore, Xavier pointed the screen of his phone to her. She watched. A video yed on Xavier''s cell phone. She could not tell who the person recording was, but the person in view was Xavier and Grandpa. They looked very close like a grandfather and his grandson. "Grandpa, Bea didn''t want you to find out that she passed out from tiredness. So when we get there, you have to pretend to not know about it when she wakes up," Xavier smiled and said to Grandpa. At the same time, Xavier helped Grandpa carry his suitcase. Grandpa looked very grateful for Xavier and left with him. The CCTVs in the neighborhood did not work. Only when something major happened, the city councils paid attention to it and sent people to rece them. Therefore, the scene where Xavier took Grandpa away was not in the surveince tapes. After the video was yed, Xavier yed another video. The old grandfather was tied at his mouth. He was struggling and could barely make any noise. There was a young man with an iron rod who hit it on the pole that Grandpa was tied onto. The loud noise and shock nearly made Grandpa faint from fright. ''An old man like him won''t be able to withstand it...'' ¡¯I¡¯m going to call the police." Bianca could not believe what she was seeing in the video. 2 She shook her head and cried as she said to Xavier, "Do you want to go to jail again? Release my grandpa. I don''t know what you''re trying to do, but what does you needing a wife have got to do with me? Please, go find someone else..." Xavier did not say anything else. He put away his phone and showed her the time on his watch. It was ten minutes after five. Before she looked away from his watch, she heard a loud noise. He threw the phone toward the middle of the road and a car passing by ran over it. The phone waspletely crushed under the car. "Since I''ve done this, you nor the police will be able to get any substantive evidence." Xavier let go of her. Before he turned around, the man raised his eyebrows and left her with a sentence. "It''s almost six o''clock. You''d better think clearly and decide whether you want to collect your grandpa''s body or register our marriage." i After speaking, he turned around. When he was about to light up a cigarette, Bianca asked while she was out of her own wits, "What about thew?" Xavier heard her voice and turned around again. "Thew? Laws are determined by man and cases are investigated by man. You should know that there are people outside of thew. Besides, I haven''t done anything yet." ¡¯But you said that you''re going to do it!" "Do what? End your grandfather''s life?" Xavier stared at her and earnestly said, "Even if I get caught in the future, let''s not discuss whether I¡¯ll be punished by thew for now, since the police won''t get any evidence. Let''s just focus on whether I think your grandpa¡¯s life is worth betting on. Even just that is quite fun." ¡¯You pervert." Bianca was sad and angry. 1 Xavier seemed to disagree with her statement and thought for a while. "I''m sure there are others much more perverted than me in this world. Haven''t you met anyone more perverted than me?" It was clear that he was referring to Luke. "It''s 5:20 pm." Xavier nced at the time and stepped forward, grabbing her trembling hand. The T Corporation Building.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Luke left the office and drove the car out from the basement parking. He took his phone and gave Bianca a call. "Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavable..." He called her a few times, but no one picked up. He called Jason. Jason answered but said, "Sorry Mr. Crawford, I didn''t see Ms. Biancaing back to her ce.¡± "Go up and ring her doorbell. Call me backter." Luke finished speaking and hung up. The ck Range Rover drove straight to the nearby children''s extracurricr sses. When nche led Rainie out, he saw Daddy on the phone. Century Hotel. Daniel and his wife greeted their rtives who had been called over at thest minute. When he was free, Daniel looked at his wife and whispered, "Look what you did. Everything''s in a rush. Couldn''t we wait till next weekend to have this dinner?" "No," Mrs. Tanner stared at him and whispered to her husband as she grumbled, "I¡¯ve waited too long for our son to finally get married. How can I suppress this joy in my heart?" Daniel stopped talking. Everyone was already invited and the dinner was going to happen anyway. Allison rushed to the hotel, got out of the car, and went up. At the entrance of the private hall, Allison hugged her sister-inw and said with a smile, "I thought that it was a pity that I had to miss Xavier''s celebration party after his release but who would''ve thought that I''d be here for Xavier''s reception dinner today? Please forgive me, I''ve just been so busy." "It¡¯s fine." Mrs. Tanner smiled. "Last night, I was just telling Xavier that you were even angry on behalf of me for not doing his duty as a son. I told him that you didn¡¯t want to attend his party because he was already a man in his 30s who still hasn''t gotten married and doesn¡¯t have kids. Who would''ve thought? Xavier informed us that he¡¯s going to get married today. He¡¯s tied the knot and kept his promise." Allison could tell that her sister-inw was showing off, and she could hear the hint of sarcasm in her tone. Since she wanted to show her brother some respect, she did not try to argue with her. She went inside and sat down. Everyone seated in the private hall were rtives, so Allison quickly started chatting enthusiastically. When Daniel entered the private hall, he called Allison over. Allison turned around. Daniel asked, "Why didn''t Lukee with you? Didn''t you say that you were going to call him?" ¡¯Granduncle..." Just when Daniel had finished asking her, a kid''s voice was heard. Two little kids ignored their daddy as they ran into the private hall together. Instantly, the two little kids became the center of everyone''s attention in the room. At the lobby of Century Hotel. Xavier entered the hotel with two marriage certificates in his left hand and his wife in his right hand. Bianca was like an unconscious puppet at the mercy of Xavier. In the elevator, Xavier''s soft voice sounded, "Don''t look so sad. Your grandfather has been sent to the hospital. Once you finish this dinner with me, I''ll take you to see your grandpa." As the elevator ascended, Xavier finished speaking. He turned around and helped the expressionless Bianca. He tidied her hair and stared at her clean, beautiful little face... The elevator door opened. He grabbed Bianca''s hand and she was forced to walk to the reserved private hall. When the door of the hall was pushed open, cold air rushed toward her face. Before she had the courage to look up at everyone, she heard Xavier putting down the two marriage certificates on the round table. With one hand on her waist, he introduced her to everyone. "My wife, Bianca." Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Why Did You Call Aunt Bea Your Wife? "Aunt Bea..." Bianca heard a voice and looked up. It was Lanie. The Tanner family even invited the Crawford family... The interior design of the private hall was luxurious. The round table was seated fully around. She knew some of them while the others were strangers. The table was also full of expensive dishes and famous wines. Rainie''s little pink chubby face emerged from the desserts. Her eyes inevitably swept over to the man''s suddenly darkened face. Bianca immediately felt as if dark clouds were pressing down on her. She lowered her head and tried to pull her hand out of Xavier''s big hand. Not only did Xavier not let go of her, but he also pulled a chair out while still having his arms around her. He said, "Sit next to my mom." The colors of the two marriage certificates were dazzling. They were as red as two big pools of mosquito blood. ''From now on, we''re a family, Bea. Don''t be scared. No matter what, I¡¯ll always be there as your mother." Grandaunt said those words specifically for her son. She hoped that her son would not bully Bea. Moreover, she also said those words to Luke. As Bea''s boss, Grandaunt wanted to make sure that he did not just think of her as only her subordinate but also his cousin-inw. He was also to respect her as his cousin-inw. On the big round table, the others echoed in a few words. They were unable to say much else... The atmosphere at the table felt weird. "I need to go to the bathroom." After Bianca said that, she stood up and left the private hall. She was embarrassed like never before. However, Luke''s family being there was still a secondary concern to her. Grandpa''s safety was still the most important thing. Xavier had shown her a video shot by someone. Her wounded Grandpa had been sent to the hospital. She still did not know which hospital it was. It was not realistic to look for him in every hospital. Even though marrying a devil would make her life miserable, she had no other choice... In the private hall. Allison saw how dirty Rainie''s fingers were and said, "Rainie, look how dirty your fingers are. Come, I''ll take you to wash your hands." Rainie''s meaty little fingers were covered with dessert crumbs. When they exited the private hall, they walked to the nearest women''s bathroom. In the bathroom. Bianca felt nervous when she saw Allison bringing Rainie in. "Rainie,e and wash your hands." Allison took care of the child first. While she washed her hands, she asked Bianca, "Did Xavier and you actually get married?" "Yes.¡± Bianca saw the shock and anger in Allison''s face. Allison could not say anything else in front of the kid. It was true that she had asked Bianca to leave her son, but she never agreed that Bianca could get close to his rtive! She prayed day and night that Bianca would marry someone far away. It would have been best if she married someone overseas. If she could not find someone to marry, it would also be great if she was met with an ident and died! Unexpectedly, Bianca left the Crawford family and went to the Tanner family. Instead of getting farther, she got closer. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Allison took her granddaughter back to the private hall. Bianca went back to the private hall afterward. She could not hide there for the rest of her life. She wanted to finish the dinner as soon as possible so that she could see Grandpa earlier. When she returned to the private hall, she bumped into Lanie who was holding a backpack. He was telling his sister, "Rainie, we¡¯re leaving." "Aunt Bea... Can youe and...¡± Rainie said nothing. He was going to say ''Aunt Bea, can youe and stay over at Daddy''s apartment tonight?1 However, before he could say the second half of his sentence, his daddy''s big hand squeezed his mouth. 1 "Your mouth is full of crumbs. How udylike." Luke held his daughter in one hand, frowning. He wiped the crumbs from his daughter''s mouth with his thumb. Grandaunt said hurriedly, "Luke, if you''re busy, go ahead and leave first!" She was eagerly hospitable because Grandaunt thought to herself that the sooner that cold man left, the sooner Bea would feel more at ease. Xavier brought Bianca over to sit down before saying, "I''ll send them off." Soon, the three Crawfords were gone from the private hall. Bianca felt a little morefortable. Outside the hotel. Xavier opened the car door, patted Lanie''s head, and said, "Little kiddo, you''re pretty good at taking care of your little sister." nche brought his sister all the way to the car, then asked, "Uncle, why did you call Aunt Bea your wife?" "Next time you see her, she¡¯s your aunt Bianca Tanner," Xavier exined patiently to the little guy. After he exined, he looked at the kid who looked a lot like Bianca again. In the hotel lobby, there was an officer who saw Luke. Naturally, he went up to him to say hi. He started talking as Luke listened. The topic they were talking about was none other than properties in A City that were on the market recently. Luke was not in the mood to talk about business stuff, and his brain was still muddled with thoughts. Xavier was outside talking to the naive kids. When they saw that Luke was still busy, they went back up. Luke drove back to the manor and did not return to the apartment. He dropped the two kids off to their Great-grandfather and nanny to be taken care of. When Luke took his suit jacket and was about to leave, nche asked in a puzzled manner, "Daddy, Uncle Xavier told me Aunt Bea will be called Bianca Tanner the next time I see her. Is that right?" Luke paused for a while. However, it was only for a moment before he left the manor without a word. Both Great-grandpa and the nanny in the manor''s living room were startled. The nanny hurried over to pick up Young Master Lanie and Miss Rainie''s bags. Her lips were sealed and she did not dare to utter a word. ¡®Ms. Bea has been getting along well with the three of them, so why did she suddenly Old Master Crawford raised his eyebrows and called his little great- grandson over. "Come here and tell Grandpa what''s going on." nche told him everything he heard. Suddenly, he felt sorry for Daddy... It was ten something at night when Xavier brought Bianca to see Grandpa. Grandpa was slightly injured and he was not in a good mental state. He was still passed out. 1 Bianca did not realize when Xavier had left. She only wished that Xavier would just get the hell away from her. She stayed overnight in front of Grandpa''s hospital bed. The next morning, Bianca listlessly gave Sue a call to ask for a leave. However, she was not sure if her leave would be approved. When Sue heard that she was asking for a leave, she immediately said, ¡¯ Take care of your grandpa first. The project is still being handed over, so don¡¯t worry about rushing back to work." ''Thank you." Bianca was very grateful for Sue''s help. After staying by Grandpa''s side for a week, she still had to see Dad in between those days to sign and pay for his bills. In the afternoon, Bianca looked at her bank ount bnce that was only left with a few digits. She had no choice but to motivate herself and get back to work. The design department. ''Bea, you''re back?" A female colleague who was in the midst of something looked up at her and said, "Your team has gone up to the top floor for a meeting. If you go now, you might still be able to listen to the summary." Bianca nodded and thanked her. She did not have time to organize her stuff. She took herptop and went up. When she was heading up to the top floor, all her teammates had just finished the meeting and were going down on another elevator. When she knocked and nobody answered, she gently pushed the conference room door open but found that there was no one left inside. Bianca knew that the project was being handed over a few days ago and everything important would be talked about at the meeting. She did not want to drag her team down, so she wanted to turn on the recorder in the meeting room to rey the meeting. The camera was in the cubicle. When she walked over with theptop in her hand, she saw the grim- looking Luke smoking a cigarette while sitting silently at the huge conference room table, i The man''s solemn eyes also met hers. Chapter 143 Chapter 143 How Are You Going To Thank Him? When Luke¡¯s eyes fell on her, there were no obvious reactions. Just when she was at a loss and did not know whether to exit or stay, he frowned and put out the cigarette butt in the ashtray. He took his phone, got up, and left the huge conference room. The meeting room had two doors. He walked through the other door. Bianca stood there for a long, long time before she remembered what she was there for. She turned on the machine and turned down the volume. After putting on the headset, she then looked at the meeting content disyed on the projection screen. She jotted down the key points while she watched the recording, her fingers typing away on herptop''s keyboard in front of her. After recording down the content of the previous meeting, it was already past three in the afternoon when Bianca went back down. Sue had been waiting for her for a long time. When she saw Bianca, Sue thoughtfully ced a cup of coffee on her table. "I heard from Jason that you''ve found your grandfather." Bianca took the cup of coffee and ced it next to herptop. While she turned on herptop, she said, ''Thanks for your hard work with Mr. Doyle. I owe you two a meal." Sue joked, saying, "Thank us for what? We''re not part-time workers. It was part of the job. The person you should thank is Mr. Crawford." Bianca''s fingers that were tapping the keyboard paused. Sue nudged Bianca with her elbow and smiled. "How are you going to thank him? Are you going to give him a fun time tonight?" Bianca''s fingers that had stopped on the keyboard did not move. When Sue noticed that there was something wrong with Bianca, she lowered her head and saw that Bianca¡¯s fingers were all curled up. Her facial expression indicated that Bianca had something on her mind, something serious. "What¡¯s the matter? Did you and the boss... Quarrel?" Sue finished asking and recalled Mr. Crawford''s mood at the meeting that day. There was no obvious difference. Sue secretly scolded herself for being too naive. During the meeting, she thought that the boss was in a bad mood because Jean had drugged Bianca with sleeping pills. However, it seemed that it was not the case. "I''m not in a rtionship with Mr. Crawford, and..." Bianca thought for a while. She lowered her head and said, "I¡¯m married." Sue looked at Bianca and was silent. After a long time, Sue let out augh. "What kind of joke is that? Saying that you''re married is the same as my mom telling me that she''s not my biological mom and that my real mom is actually the queen of Ennd!" Tm not joking." Bianca looked straight into Sue''s eyes seriously. Sue, Bianca was married. Bianca actually got married. Sue could not believe it. ''So who''s Mr. Crawford to her?'' As the powerful CEO of T Corporation, countless women from influential families wished that he would propose to them and get married to him. However, none of them could move Mr. Crawford''s heart, so much so that there was not a single woman in his private life ever. However, her boss fell in love with a married young woman... Sue thought that the world was crazy. She sat back in her seat and Sue tried to put her focus back on her work. However, she found out that she could not do it. ''How could Bianca be a married woman with a husband while having a rtionship with our boss?'' She wondered if the lust between the two of them was unstoppable, which blinded her boss and put him into deep trouble, or was it Bianca who pretended to be innocent and deceived their boss, so he found out about the truth of her being married. Was that the cause of the anger in the boss'' face during the meeting? Bianca buried her head in her work and looked haggard. Sue tilted her head and looked at her. She could not believe that Bianca could do such a thing, ying two men. At the same time, she could not believe that she had made the wrong judgment on a person. If you have nothing on tonight, let''s go out and have a drink together.'' Sue sent a text to Bianca. After sending it and thinking about it, she was worried that Bianca would refuse, so she added, ''You can make it up for me for helping you guard your house while waiting for your grandpa.'' Bianca responded that she was fine with the n. When working hours were almost done, Bianca went out to wash her coffee cup and ran into Nina who had just returned from work outside. Nina directly told Bianca, "I''ll go to your house after I get off work to talk about something." Sue walked over. "I''ve already made ns with Bianca to drink tonight. If you don¡¯t mind talking about it while I''m around, why don¡¯t the three of us go together?¡± Nina did not hate Sue, so she nodded immediately, "No problem." When it was time to get off work. The three of them went to the bar together. "Is this your first timeing here?" Sue was obviously a regr customer there and asked Bianca after sitting down. Bianca nodded slightly. Soon, the waiter brought the beer over. Nina uncapped the beer and poured them into three sses. After she sat down, she picked up her own ss and started drinking. After quenching her thirst, Nina said, "In the past years, Bea has never had a chance to go to a bar. She was only met with bitter days after moving to A City. I could see all of it in her eyes. Her stepmother''s bullying and her dad''s worsening health... In short, everything bad caught up to her. There are too many things about Bea that you might not know, Sue. I know about all of them." 1 After listening to what Nina said, Sue looked at Nina who took another sip of beer. "Do you also know that Bea is married?" "Pff-" The sip of beer was sprayed all over the table. Even though Sue was shocked by her reaction, she also took out a few tissues for Nina. Nina looked at Bianca. "You''re married? Why don''t I know about that? Who did you marry?" At the same time when Nina asked, she wondered if Bianca had secretly married their boss. "I just got the marriage certificate a week ago. Let''s not talk about it. In conclusion, the only rtionship I have with Mr. Crawford is that of an employer and employee now." Bianca did not want to mention Xavier to anyone. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! At the same time, Sue and Nina thought about the week before... ''Wasn''t that the critical period when... Bianca''s grandfather disappeared? ''Is it possible that there''s a rtion between her getting her marriage certificate and her grandpa''s disappearance?'' After half an hour. There were a dozen empty beer bottles on the table. Nina patted Bianca on the shoulder and said, "I don''t me you at all. My brother did that to himself. In case you didn''t know, my brother... My brother was going to..." After Nina said that, she could not continue. After her brother went to the police station, she apanied her parents there. The police found a lot of bad information on her brother''s phone. Nina also saw the information and photos. She finally found out how dirty her brother was. "What was he going to do to me?" Bianca asked. "Forget about it, it''s all over now..." Nina poured another ss of beer for Bianca and Sue. Amidst the slow music in the bar, someone¡¯s phone rang. "Whose phone is it?" Nina asked around and finally said to Bianca, "I think it''s yours." Bianca did not drink much because she was bad at holding her liquor. However, she was already starting to feel a little tipsy. When she took out her phone to see who it was, she saw that the call was from an unknown number. Bianca answered her phone. "Bea, I don¡¯t care what you''re up to right now, but get back home this instant." It was Xavier¡¯s mother, Luke''s aunt''s, voice. Bianca could tell from her tone that she was suppressing her anger. "What''s the matter?" Bianca did not understand that family nor did she want to deal with the meaningless annoyance that the family had created. "Are you seriously asking... What''s the matter? What''s not clear to you? Old Master Crawford is at our doorstep asking for you, telling us that we¡¯ve abducted his granddaughter-inw. Come back right now and exin it to him! I can''t believe that I was tricked!" Chapter 144 Chapter 144 Daddy, Let''s Take Aunt Bea Home The Tanner family¡¯s manor. Daniel stood on the balcony on the second floor, currently in a bad mood. Mrs. Tanner went upstairs and took a long time before she found her husband. "So what are you going to do?¡± Mrs. Tanner knew her husband''s temper. Usually, he was calm, but his son always managed to push him to the edge. After all, she was the one who gave birth to her son. No matter how much of a jerk he was, she still wanted to protect him as his mother. Mr. Tanner snorted. "When your sones back, let''s see what reasonable exnation he¡¯ll give Old Master Crawford." Mrs. Tanner was anxious. "Isn''t this obvious? What exnation do we still need? Don''t you understand your son? The most important thing right now isn¡¯t to listen to our son''s exnation but to think of a countermeasure to calm Old Master Crawford down from his anger!" As his parents, they knew their son¡¯s thoughts and ways best. They thought it was strange that their son had suddenly announced his marriage and hurried to obtain the marriage certificate... Furthermore, when they recalled their son bringing Bianca back that day, she was passed out. When she woke up, Bianca left without any exnation... Moreover, Bianca was unhappy at the dinner with their rtives after receiving their marriage certificate that day. When they put everything together, Mrs. Tanner could analyze it clearly. It seemed that the union between their son and Bianca was not legitimate. She was worried that there might be something hidden... i Daniel turned around. "I''m supposed to think of a backdoor for him? He''s in his 30s! I''ve had enough cleaning up his messes! The elderly Old Master Crawford has brought his little great-grandson over to ask for an exnation and you want me to do it? How will I be able to show my face in the future?" Mrs. Tanner had no idea and did not have a word of reason, so she could only start finding faults in his family. As Mrs. Tanner looked at the car parked by the gate downstairs, her voice was filled with sarcasm. "Anyone who didn¡¯t know would assume that that sister of yours isn¡¯t rted to you. Anytime something big happens, she just stays inside the car and doesn''t even bothering in! Is she better than all of us?" Daniel said, "Don''t bring other people into this. The only person you should care about is your son and yourself. It¡¯s your fault that you''ve spoiled him and made him the bad apple that he is now!" "The bad apple that I made? Daniel, are you looking down on the son that I gave birth for you? I know you like Queenie, but Queenie isn''t into you. My, my. Queenie really knows how to pick her man, a Provincial Committee Secretary at that. Unlike you, who never gets what he wants. By the way, isn''t Queenie¡¯s husband sterile? Would you like to lend a seed to Queenie? She''s the dream goddess of your heart anyway!¡¯ Mrs. Tanner was irritated and spoke without thinking, "Every time I try to say something about your sister, you¡¯ll just refute me. With your disaster of a sister, no one would want to work with the Crawford family. What? Were you going to say that I''ve spent one or two percent of the Crawfords'' money? Every time something happens, I need to degrade myself and apologize? Since we''re living under the dictatorship of the Crawford family, does that make Old Master Crawford our dictator?" They continued arguing noisily upstairs. An Audi drove in downstairs. When Bianca opened the door and got out of the car, Nina, who sat in the passenger seat, turned her head to say, "Don¡¯t be afraid. We¡¯re here." "If anyone tries to bully you, give us a call and we''ll go in to support you." Even though Sue had too much to drink, she was still able to think clearly. No matter what Bianca was there for, she was not going to leave Bianca alone at night. Nina¡¯s boyfriend who drove an Audi also came in handy. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Bianca got out of the car and met Allison before reaching the gate of the Tanner manor. Allison got out of the car and did not go in with the old man because she was waiting for Bianca. After looking around, Allison spoke in a voice that only the two of them could hear. "Rainie was there last time, so I couldn''t ask you, and you never answered your phone. So tell me now, what the hell are you up to? You just left my son and now you''re harassing my nephew? What''s your intention?" "I don¡¯t have any intentions. Why don''t you ask your nephew what his intentions are?" Bianca said. Allison sneered, "Marrying your cousin? You''re seriously so shameless... Is that how your grandfather and dad taught you?" i Bianca looked at Allison calmly. "It might also be the bad gene from my mother''s womb." After that, she passed by Allison and entered the Tanner manor. She knew that Xavier was her cousin, but she was worried that the secret concealed in her heart would be spilled out because of Xavier''s threat. In the end, she just wanted to make sure Luke was not hurt. Their marriage had been crooked since the beginning. In the marriage, the two of them could not do anything with each other unless one party used force. However, she would never agree to be alone with Xavier. When Dad got better, she was going to leave A City no matter what. Suddenly, it urred to her that there was a lottery ticket that she bought on the way to the bank today. Bianca prayed every minute and every second that God would let her win the lottery so that she could resign without worry and leave the ce. She would never have to worry over money anymore. When Bianca went in and saw Old Master Crawford, Allison also came in and sat down. Daniel and his wife also came downstairs. "Bea, can you tell us what¡¯s going on?¡± Daniel knew that the whole thing was most likely his son¡¯s doing, so he still had a good attitude toward his daughter-inw. Bianca was face to face with all the adults in the room. As she stood there and was forced to exin... When Bianca did not say anything, Mrs. Tanner took the opportunity and asked her, "Old Master Crawford is here today as well as Luke''s mother. Let me ask you one thing and you must tell the truth. You were Luke''s girlfriend before and even met the Crawford family. You guys have talked about getting married and no one in the Tanner family, including Xavier, knew about it, right?" Mrs. Tanner did not want to take up the responsibility and poured all of the sewage on Bianca. Bianca understood the situation. Even though she had been drinking, she could still think clearly. This mother-inw of hers was not acting very much like a mother but was treating her as a target instead. "I thought Xavier was also at home. I don''t have much to say when he¡¯s not here. You can ask him when hees back." After speaking, Bianca left without looking back. 2 "Aunt Bea... Don''t go." nche ran over with his short legs and hugged Bianca at the door. Old Master Crawford did not stop his little great-grandson. When Mrs. Tanner saw Lanie clinging onto Bianca that way, she frowned and had an instant headache. She could not imagine how close Luke had been with her daughter-inw before. The sight of Luke¡¯s son grabbing onto Bianca''s thigh... It was like a sudden thunderbolt during a clear day. Mrs. Tanner realized that the vixen who was Bea was more powerful than she realized. It was a good thing she noticed it earlier on. Otherwise, a menace like her would cheat on her son sooner orter. Bianca looked down at the little guy. She really put everything out in the open. All she wanted was to tell everything, but she could not. She had finally extinguished the fire in Luke''s heart. If the fire was rekindled, she was afraid that... The two of them stood in front of the living room looking like a pair of mother and son. Outside the door, there was a shadow. Bianca thought Xavier was back, but the next moment, the tall man who opened the door was- "Daddy, let¡¯s take Aunt Bea home." The little guy looked innocently at his dad who entered the door. He looked to Daddy for help with his cute pink face. Chapter 145 Chapter 145 We Slept Together Luke stood at the door. She was not sure if the man was standing there intentionally, but her way out was blocked. There was just a door, but his body was firmly blocking the way... Allison sat on the sofa and remained silent. She let the Tanner family speak first. Her brother had the first say, then her sister-inw could add on. On the Crawfords'' side, she had Old Master Crawford. She did not have the ce to speak at all. That moment, her son, who was the head of their household, came over. Everyone who was human in the living room did not speak. Allison wanted to move things on faster. No one wanted to get rid of Bianca more than she did. In the end, she could not help it anymore. Allison got up from the sofa and walked to the door to take nche over. At the same time, she said to the two people who were blocking the doorway. "Sit down. Xavier should be back soon." "Grandpa called me over. What''s the matter?" Luke''s calm voice sounded. He heeded his mother''s words, went to the living room sofa, and sat down. When he moved and made way, his slender fingers left a gap at the door behind him. His action was a signal for her to leave. Bianca''s eyshes batted. She grabbed the doorknob, twisted it, and pushed the door open. Only the Crawford family and the Tanner family were left in the living room. Mrs. Tanner could not hold her emotions in anymore. She said sarcastically to everyone present, "I¡¯ve lived for a very long time. I''m sure I''ve seen many types of people. Normally, I''d say I could easily tell if someone''s a bad person, but I may have to admit that I''m actually quite blind to it!" Daniel did not know what had happened to his wife. Mrs. Tanner spoke for her son who had not yet returned, "You guys should know what kind of girls Xavier''s exes were. They''re usually found on gossip tabloids. However, girls like Bea look harmless. Suddenly, she appeared in front of Xavier and now he can''t walk. In fact, he''s lost. Even though Xavier has only met her for a few days, she persuaded my son to marry her..." Old Master Crawford looked up. "So are you saying that your son is at a disadvantage in this situation?" "What else-" Mrs. Tanner looked at Old Master Crawford bitterly. Before she could finish, Daniel held her arm. Mrs. Tanner had no choice but to stop and swallow the rest of her words. Old Master Crawford nced at his grandson who did not seem to take this matter seriously. "Luke, did you know that Bea suddenly got married to Xavier?" nche also looked at his Dad... Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! The Tanners'' housekeeper made tea and respectfully poured a cup for everyone. Luke saw the tea in front of him but did not drink it. Instead, he lit a cigarette, raised his eyebrows, and said, "Bea''s grandfather disappeared inexplicably a while ago, so Bea and I went back to her hometown to look for him. We even called the cops. One night before she got married, we slept together." When the old man heard that, his eyes widened... Daniel, who was his uncle, could not calm down after hearing that... One was his own son and the other was his nephew. What kind of evil was going on? Luke took a puff of the cigarette and said, "I¡¯m curious as well as to why Bea got married in a hurry when her grandpa disappeared and was not even found yet.¡± The old man put down his teacup and could not stomach the tea anymore. "Bea''s grandpa has been found?¡± "The night she got married, he was found and sent to the hospital." Luke''s deep gaze swept across the elders present. In his tone, he was deliberately revealing some kind of information. He believed that his uncle and aunt were smart enough. They had been cleaning up after Xavier for more than ten years now. Indeed, they knew what their son had done. When the time came, he did not wish to do anything crazy. He just wanted to give them a warning and to clear things up. Bianca was easy to bully, so when she kept everything and swallowed her anger, he could not hold it in anymore. Mrs. Tanner was no longer arrogant anymore, and her hands started shaking a little. "I think it¡¯s clear to everyone what the situation is. I hope you can educate your son well and clear things up with Bea as well as with us." Old Master Crawford picked up his cane. He propped himself up with the cane and stood up with a cold face. Daniel sent the Crawfords off. Mrs. Tanner did not follow them outside. The housekeeper stood at the entrance of the kitchen and did not dare to go out to clean up the teapot as well as the cups on the coffee table for the time being. When all the Crawfords were gone, Daniel stood at the door for a long time before turning back to the house. As soon as he entered the house, Daniel pointed at the house phone. "Call that damned son of ours right now! Tell him I died and tell him toe back to arrange for my funeral!" Mrs. Tanner quickly called their son. After she made the phone call, she did not dare to provoke Daniel anymore. She sat on the sofa nervously, thinking about how to solve the problem. More than an hour passed by. There was the sound of a caring in from outside, and soon, someone emerged at the door. ng! As soon as Xavier entered the door, his father threw the teacup at him. It was an expensive teacup that his dad had begged a rtive to buy. It cost a lot of money. They specifically went to another country to get it for his dad. Xavier knew about the existence of the teacup before he even went to jail. Now, his father smashed the teacup on him. The teacup fell to the ground and broke into pieces. He could imagine how angry his father was. "What are you doing? Get here and exin to your dad why Bea got married to you." Mrs. Tanner dragged her annoyed husband over and sat him down. Xavier frowned. "What do you mean why she got married to me? What else can the reason be if not for love?¡± "Bullsh*t!" Daniel looked incredibly annoyed. "What did the Crawfordse and tell you?" Xavier sat down, took a teacup, and poured a cup of tea leisurely. "Did they tell you that Bianca''s grandpa going missing was my doing? That I did that to threaten Bianca to marry me?" "Are you admitting that you did it?" Daniel was so angry that his face was red as his neck swelled up. He picked up another teacup and tried to throw it at him again. "Put it down, put it down." Mrs. Tanner tried to stop him. She was so panicked that she almost cried. "Just listen to what your son has to say.¡± Xavier took a sip of tea, put down the teacup, and raised his eyebrows. He looked at his father and said, "I didn''t kidnap Bianca''s grandpa. I¡¯m sure who did it will be revealed sooner orter. However, I did take advantage of her grandpa being in danger to force Bianca to be my wife." ''You b*stard!¡± Daniel was about to get up to beat his unfilial son. Mrs. Tanner grabbed her husband and said, "Our son didn¡¯t break thew. It was someone else who did it. Didn''t you hear him?" Xavier turned the teacup in his hand and whispered in a low, dark voice, "If I hadn''t gone to jail, Bianca might¡¯ve been your daughter-inw five years ago." "What did you just say?" Mrs. Tanner tried to get more information out of her son about how the Crawfords should be med. It seemed like he was saying that even if the Crawfords were not to be med, it was Bea''s fault. In the end, it seemed like the Tanners did not do wrong... Xavier got up and said, "Nothing. Don''t bother me about my personal life in the future anymore. Even I have my limits." Mrs. Tanner looked at her son who was going out. "Where are you going?" "To pick up my wife and go to sleep." Xavier was sure that Bianca must be in the hospital to take care of her grandpa at that moment. He drove straight to the hospital, went upstairs, and pushed the ward''s door open. Xavier was not surprised by what he saw. nche was here, and so was the child''s father... When nche saw someoneing over, he defiantly gave Bianca a kiss. Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Her Cheeks Turned Bright Red Bianca looked up and saw Xavier. ¡¯How''s Grandpa doing?" Xavier did not disturb Bianca and the little guy. He walked straight toward the front of the bed. No one answered his question. Bianca instinctively put her guard up. The little guy at her feet held her thigh and raised his head. He mouthed without making any noise, "Don''t be scared, Aunt Bea. Daddy will be back soon." Xavier sat in front of the bed and looked at the old man with the scabs on his face. He could not help but feel resentful. How could those people hurt the old man like that? i However, if he had not been hurt, Xavier would not have been able to force Bianca to obey him. After thinking about it, he started to have an internal struggle. ¡¯Is it wrong to do whatever it takes to achieve my goal? Or is it human nature to do so? If you''re not ruthless, you''ll miss out a lot.'' Grandpa woke up. He weakly asked, "Xavier, you¡¯re here?" ¡¯Grandpa." Bianca came over and hurriedly put a pillow behind Grandpa''s head. Xavier said, ¡¯Sorry, Grandpa. If it weren''t for my negligence, you wouldn''t have been kidnapped." The old man was sent to the hospital by Xavier himself, and Xavier had already thought of his alibi since the beginning. His alibi was consistent with the kidnapper''s alibi. The kidnapper in the empty factory had insulted the old man. "You''re Xavier''s grandfather, right? F*ck! Your grandson reported our boss for raping the girl! He''s got a big f*cking mouth! I''m going to mess you up real good today and let your grandson cry for you!" Xavier had watched the video, so he knew what to say as his alibi. ¡¯I don¡¯t me you...¡± Grandpa said. The old man was referring to the fact that Xavier had called the police to catch the beast who raped the girl. That kind of justice was right. However, since his granddaughter and a five-year-old child were there, Grandpa did not say anything. Xavier stayed for ten minutes before saying that he needed to go back. Grandpa called over his granddaughter who was standing by the window with her back facing them. He was oblivious to how she was feeling. "Bea, go and send Xavier off...¡± Bianca had something to say to Xavier, so she went out to send him off. nche threw off his shoes and climbed onto the hospital bed. "My greatgrandpa came to see you just now. Before you woke up, my father sent Great-grandpa back." ''Your great-grandpa was here?¡± Old Man Rayne was taken aback. The little guy blinked his big eyes that looked like Bianca''s. "Great-grandpa said that he''ll bring a chessboard and win a few games tomorrow!" i Xavier walked to the elevator and saw Bianca turn around. The man''s dissatisfied voice sounded from behind her, "Is this what you mean by sending me off?" Bianca came out because she initially wanted to talk to him, but after thinking about it, what was there to talk about with such a despicable man? Would she be able to talk through his senses? She did not think so. Bianca walked back to the ward. Her phone vibrated. When she took it out, she saw that it was a voice message on Instagram. However, it was from an unknown user. Bianca clicked and put the phone near her ear to listen to it. Xavier''s voice sounded from the voice message, "Did youe out to send me off because you had something to tell me?" When Bianca heard his voice, she frowned and looked at her phone. When did Xavier follow her on Instagram? Could it be that he followed her when she passed out that day? She deleted everything. She got another voice message from him. Xavier said, "You were going to say something but stopped yourself. I think it was wise that you didn''t talk to me. I had a feeling that you were going to say something that would disobey me. Perhaps you were going to ask for an unreasonable request such as a divorce. Good thing you didn''t say it. Otherwise, I don¡¯t know what crazy acts I would¡¯ve done in the hospital." Then, a third voice message. "When I went out, I told my parents that I was out to pick my wife up and go back home to sleep. If I go back by myself now, your inws may think you''re not sensible..." "Why hasn''t Lukee to pick up Lanie yet?" Grandpa asked his granddaughter who was still standing like a silly girl at the door. When Bianca heard what Grandpa said, she came back to her senses and blocked Xavier''s ount. "Maybe the road was congested," Bianca said hesitantly. She wanted toy her cards on the table and tell Grandpa that she would never be with Luke and tell him not to mistake Luke as his grandson-inw anymore... However, it was always harder for the elderly to ept new things. She covered her grandpa with the nket, lowered her eyes, and said," Grandpa, I think that there''s a big gap between Luke and me. Do you think...¡¯ Grandpa raised his eyes and looked at his granddaughter. Bianca looked at Grandpa, then at nche. She did not want nche to hear their conversation, but the kid was too young to go somewhere by himself. She thought that she would just let him hear it. "Sure, there''s a gap. We have to admit that..." Grandpa tried to calm his granddaughter''s inferiority complex. "However, you''re with him not for the money, but for him, aren''t you?¡¯ ¡¯I¡¯m... Not interested in him anymore. I''m too tired. Too tired.¡± Bianca knew that going down that line of thought was right. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Grandpa was stunned and did not know what had happened. However, Grandpa also saw that there were tears forming in his granddaughter''s eyes that she could not hide... The five-year-old nche heard what Aunt Bea meant. He pursed his lips and said, "Daddy''s a pretty good man..." She looked at the little guy and thought that once she exined it to Grandpa, she would never have to see Luke, Rainie, or Lanie ever again. It was just that there was unexinable grief in her heart. 1 nche suddenly felt insecure and started talking about his daddy¡¯s good traits. "He''s good at making money, he''s tall, handsome, and has good genes... Even though he has a bad temper, Grandpa says it''s because he''s too tired from work. He can''t stand stupid people holding him back and wasting his time. That''s why he loses his temper. Oh yeah, and Daddy doesn''t know how to do theundry or cook, but all these can be learned..." ¡¯Apart from these, your daddy isn¡¯t that special." Bianca purposely added nonsense to silence the little guy. nche was really anxious and tried his best to think of Daddy''s good points. ¡¯I¡¯m not a good match with your dad.¡± Bianca hugged the little guy in her arms. It was clear that they were going to be separated soon. However, for some reason, her heart still felt sad and stuck in the mud. As Aunt Bea hugged nche in her arms, before nche started feeling sad, he saw his daddy who had been standing by the door for some time. "Daddy?" "Get down and put on your shoes. It''s time to go back home." Luke took his son off the bed and let him put his shoes on by himself. The little guy only found one shoe. He did not know where the other shoe went when he threw it off just now... He had one shoe on as he searched for the other shoe. While Bianca packed up nche''s small school bag and put his pencil case in, Luke walked over and stretched out his hand, taking his son¡¯s small school bag and closing the zipper. He said in a neutral tone, "Do I need to have good traits in order to sleep with you?" She looked back at Grandpa who was lying on the bed. After making sure Grandpa did not hear it, her embarrassed face turned hot. When the man insulted her, she was very angry. "Yes, a lot of them. None that you possess!" As far as she knew, the man''s only talent was earning a lot of money with a numb spirit. Other than that, he did not have any other talents. Of course, for people all over the world, the ability to make lots of money was a better pointpared to other guys with millions of good traits. After she spoke to him, she turned around. However, he caught her by her wrist. She turned her head around, and the man¡¯s frank words hit her flushed cheeks word by word. "Which part of my good traits on my body have you not tried?" Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Unexpectedly, Luke Tightened His Grip On Her Wrist! Luke''s brows furrowed slightly, his dignified expression still a little upset. She knew why he was feeling upset. ''Can you show some respect?" Bianca pulled out her hand to avoid any more unnecessary touching. Out of her expectation, the man gripped her wrist even tighter the very next moment. Luke''s deep and piercingly cold gaze was chilling as he looked at her flickering eyes. "How do I show my respect to you? Should I address you as my cousin-inw?" His tone was sarcastic and cold. Bianca was once again annoyed by his words. "If that¡¯s what you want to call me, I don''t mind.'' Just when the man was on the verge of breaking her wrist, Grandpa said," Bea, have you packed the kid¡¯s school bag?" Bianca could not say anything from the pain she was feeling. Her wrist would have broken if he had not loosened his grip. Luke''s cannibalistic appearance was reflected in her misty eyes. She lowered her head, gritted her teeth silently, and broke away from his grip... "Say goodbye to Grandpa." There was no expression on Luke''s face when he told his son as he reached the door. The little guy took his daddy''s hand, turned his head, and waved his other hand toward the hospital bed. "Goodbye, Great-grandpa. Have a good rest. I ... I''lle and see you tomorrow..." ¡¯Okay, I''ll see you tomorrow," the old man said. The little guy was taken out of the ward by his dad. Before the ward''s door closed, he looked back at Aunt Bea who had note out. He walked along the corridor and looked up. "Daddy, I think Aunt Bea is secretly crying." Luke did not look at his son. "You''re mistaken." The little guy insisted, saying, "I''m not mistaken..." The man frowned. Bianca thought that Grandpa would ask why she suddenly minded the difference between their family background and why they suddenly broke up when everything was going fine. However, Grandpa did not ask her. Grandpay on the hospital bed. He did not sigh nor frown. He did not want to put pressure on his granddaughter. Brayden texted her. After reading his text, she went over and tucked the nket for Grandpa again. She tucked the corner of the nkets before going out, gently closing the ward door... Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Brayden was at the entrance of the hospital. When he saw Bianca, he asked with care, "Is your family member in the hospital?'' ''Yeah. My grandpa." Bianca did not intend to hide it. ''Shall we have something to drink?" Brayden pointed to a coffee bar outside the hospital and said. She nodded. She wanted to sit down and talk anyway. They arrived at the coffee bar. Brayden ordered two cups of coffee. Since they had eaten together before, he knew what she liked. The coffee did not arrive even after a long time. Brayden asked, "Why''s your Grandpa in the hospital?" ''Just the typical thing old people get. He¡¯ll be discharged in a few days." Bianca could not say that her grandfather was kidnapped and injured. It might scare Brayden. Brayden nodded and fell silent. He carefully studied the words she said, especially the words ''the typical thing old people get''... After a while, he looked up. "Are you taking care of him by yourself in the hospital? Where are your parents?" At that moment, the coffee came. The waiter put down the coffee and left. "My dad,1 Bianca squeezed the coffee cup with her fingers as if she was numb from the heat. "My dad''s also in the hospital. My mom left my dad and me after I was born." Brayden did not drink from the cup of coffee that he had brought toward his lips. After learning about Kevin''s condition, Brayden was silent. After the silence, he frowned again. Finally, Brayden got up and left. Bianca waited until almost all the customers in the coffee bar were gone before finding the strength to go out. She thought that breaking up was a good decision. Perhaps they should not even have dated in the first ce. Early in the next morning. Bianca had finished packing breakfast for Grandpa and went to work. When she was on the subway, her phone rang. It was from an unknown number. ''Hello? Is this Bianca?" It was a woman''s voice. ''Hello, this is Bianca speaking." The subway station at the hospital never had any seats. She stood and held the handrail tightly with her left hand. ''I''m Brayden''s mother. I have some things to talk to you about." Bianca was shocked. "Sure, Mrs. Collins...¡¯ ''Brayden came backst night and drank a lot of alcohol. Brayden never did things like this before. His dad and I asked him why he drank. Perhaps it was the alcohol helping him to tell the truth, but he didn''t hide it from us and told us about the two of you." Mrs. Collins was not a person of power, but she just had to say something when Bianca''s family''s conditions were uneptable. As Brayden¡¯s mother, she did not know what Brayden thought, but since he was a child, he was always kind, pure, and did not see the bad side of people. "Brayden''s father and I think that the two of you... Should just break up! ''Hello? Ms. Rayne? Are you listening?" Brayden''s mother asked anxiously. Some parts of the subway line had very bad signals. She knew what Brayden''s mother said and was about to respond when it seemed that his mother could not hear what she said. When the line was better, she could hear a change in Brayden''s mother''s tone of voice. She said sharply, "What¡¯s the meaning of you not talking? Are you not taking my words seriously? Ms. Rayne, I advise you to think things through clearly. Don''t take advantage of Brayden. Even if Brayden makes a lot of money and his savings are a lot, he can''t give them to your dying father or splurge it on your sickly grandfather. Don''t bring your problems to a good person, you leech!" After she finished saying that, Brayden''s mother hung up the phone. Bianca heard the tone that signified the call had ended. At that moment, her train arrived at her office''s station. It was the downtown area and most people were getting off at the stop. Before Bianca had time to digest what Brayden''s mother said, she squeezed so hard out of the door that a button got pulled out from her shirt. When she finally got out of the subway station, all her notifications came flooding in. Her female ssmate from thest reunion sent her a message, ''Bea, are you looking for a part-time job? I know of an avable part-time job. Would you like to do it with me? At least we can keep each otherpany! ''The basic sry is 300 bucks per night. The more you sell, the moremission you''ll get. However, the catch is that the things are a little hard to sell... ''[Picture] It''s this thing. Take a look and see if you can ept it and promote it in an entertainment club. However, you can rest assured that the club is run by my friend¡¯s uncle and is a proper ce. There won''t be any weird guys around. If you''ve seen my message, give me a reply. Bye-'' After Bianca read the messages, she replied, ''Sorry, I was in the subway just now. I just managed to squeeze myself out.¡¯ ''So do you want to do this part-time job with me?¡¯ the female ssmate said. Bianca hesitated when she looked at the word Durax that was an imitation of Durex in the picture. However, she needed money, and selling anything was the same to her. Selling condoms would allow adults to have sex responsibly and it was a form of respect for women''s bodies as well. ''Send me the time and ce,¡¯ Bianca replied. After replying to the text, she looked up at the traffic light on the crosswalk which had turned from red to green. When she was just about to cross the road, she turned her eyes inadvertently and froze in ce... 1 Someone walked out from the subway station ten meters away from her! It was none other than Faye Thomas who had arranged for her to give birth to her employer five years ago! Chapter 148 Chapter 148 The Scheming Man! Faye crossed the road. Bianca stared at Faye who was more than ten meters away. The woman then crossed the road from another crosswalk... Bianca did not cross the crosswalk to get to work, but she was sneakily following Faye... Her work, her project, and everything else became unimportant at that moment. ''Bianca, why are you doing this?¡¯ As she walked, she interrogated herself. In the end, however, she could not get a real answer. She refused to admit to herself that she actually wanted to see the kid that she gave birth tost time, even if it was only one look. That was why she subconsciously followed Faye and tried to find more information about the kid fromst time. Faye crossed the road and walked straight to the T Corporation building. Bianca looked up at thepany logo and frowned. ''What was Faye doing here?'' In such a short time, she could not think of an exact answer. Bianca followed Faye into thepany. When she passed through the revolving doors, she deliberately avoided Faye''s line of sight, fearing that Faye would try to lose her if she noticed her.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! As soon as she entered the building, Bianca saw Jason walking out of the elevator. Faye walked directly toward Jason. From the looks of both of them, they seemed to know each other. In fact, they looked like they knew each other well... Bianca could not help but squeeze theptop bag she was carrying... In front of the elevator. When Jason saw Faye, he stepped forward and greeted her politely with a smile on his face, "Aunt Faye, long time no see." Faye and Jason walked toward the elevators together. ¡¯It''s been a long time. I heard that you''ve done a good job here. Your uncle and I are very pleased." Jason pressed the button for the elevator and said, "I''m eternally grateful for Uncle Charles'' training. Oh yeah, why are you here? Didn¡¯t youe here with Uncle Charles?" "He¡¯s busy with something else." Faye tried to dodge the question. When the elevator''s doors opened, Jason allowed Faye to enter first and pressed the button in the elevator. "If you''re ever here again, tell me in advance and I''ll send a car to pick you up." Faye nodded. However, she was questioning it inside. Five years ago, Master Luke got a son and a daughter. After she and her husband retired early to lead a fulfilling and leisurely retirement life, they rarely came out to meet people. After all, she had only shown her face during the transaction of the children that year. If the woman saw her and followed her... She would be able to make a link very quickly through her identity and figure out that she had given birth for the Crawfords. Moreover, Luke had two children. Sooner orter, these two kids were bound to be exposed. Fortunately, the woman that she did the thing with had a simple heart. If she had other agendas, it would be big trouble. The Crawfords would be constantly threatened. If money was what she wanted, it could be dealt with, since the Crawfords had a lot of that. However, the thing she feared most was the woman getting insatiable and wanting more unrealistic things. In the unlikely event that they could not agree with each other, the children would be the ones who got hurt. When that time came, the worst possible thing that could happen was Master Luke''s children getting targeted andbeled as a weird transaction from surrogacy. After she took into ount thoseplicated factors, Faye and her husband tried their best to keep Master Luke''s secret. That was why they rarely went out. Even if they did go out, they always went by private drivers. However, the strange thing was... Master Luke suddenly called her today and asked her toe over by subway. Faye did not dare to question why she had to take the subway. Even if she did not have a special driver as before, at least she could get a taxi or get someone to drive her. However, Master Luke clearly said to take the subway and get to the office around 8:30 am. Faye got on the subway early in the morning which she had not taken for a long time. There was a huge crowd during the morning rush hour... The girl who gave birth to Master Luke''s kids back then should be 24 years old by now. Whether she was overseas or in the country, she was most likely working. There were several lines in the subway and each line had uncountable stations. Furthermore, each station had a lot of people getting in and out, so the chances of meeting each other were extremely slim. After walking out of the subway station, Faye straightened her back and walked freely on the road. On the top floor of the T Corporation building, 1 Faye followed Jason into the CEO''s office. ''Master Luke.¡± Before Faye could finish her sentence, the two little kids from the sofa ran toward her and clung to her. "Grandma Faye..." "Oh, my two little babies." Faye liked them very much and hugged them. " Come and show Grandma what handsome and beautiful kids you''ve grown into." Faye had no kids and watched the twins grow up. Every year, the two children would go to Charles and her ce for ydates. Luke signed his name on a document and raised his head. On his usually serious face, there was a rare look of rxation. "If you like Grandma Faye so much, you guys can go over to her ce for a couple of days." Faye was still immersed in the children''s yfulness. However, when she suddenly heard Master Luke say to let the two kids go home with her... To y for two days... Did she hear it wrongly? Luke took another document, scanned the terms of the document, and said without looking up, "Didn¡¯t you guys always want to take the subway?" There were many things that Faye did not understand that day. At that moment, however, it was clear that she would be taking Master Luke''s children on the subwayter. nche looked at his daddy and asked, "Really?" Luke raised his head. There were secrets hidden in his eyes. "Go now, and don''t give Grandma Faye too much trouble." "Long live Daddy!" "Long live Daddy!" The two little kids gratefully looked at their handsome daddy as they screamed in unison. Luke lowered his head and kept busy. nche took his sister''s little hand and left with Grandma Faye. Outside the office. Jason did not understand. "Are we really not getting them a car?" "It''s okay. I''ll take these two kids on the subway since they''ve never experienced it before." Faye took Rainie and Lanie into the elevator. ¡¯Boss gave the okay?" Jason kept pressing the elevator button and did not let the elevator door close yet. ¡¯Yeah." Faye did not have time to think about anything else. She just wanted to take the two kids out. After she went outside, she called her husband to tell him that the two kiddos were going to stay at their ce for two days. When Faye thought about that, she rubbed Rainie''s cheeks. "I bet that Grandpa Charles was smiling from ear to ear when he heard that the two of you areing." "I miss Grandpa Charles a lot," Rainie looked up and said. Jason released his hand that was pressing the elevator button. The elevator door closed and went down. ''Mr. Crawford is allowing the two kids to take the subway?'' It was too weird! 20 minutester, there was a meeting in the conference room. After the senior officer ran the meeting, he reported to the president''s office. ording to previous meetings, the boss rarely asked questions about the project. However, the project was different this time. The project was set to develop in a small town that seemed to have something to do with the boss. It was because the boss mentioned that certain details needed to be reviewed by him. If necessary, the boss would design it himself. Chapter 149 Chapter 149 She And Luke Were Never Siblings! i "The department head of the design team told me that there''s a neer in their department called Bianca Rayne. I heard that Bianca''s hometown is located in the town where our project is going to be developed. I wanted to learn more about the customs of the town from her at the meeting, but her team leader said that she didn''te to work..." After the senior officer finished speaking, the officer looked up at the boss. After observing the boss, he found that his boss did not look annoyed. On the contrary, there was a faint smile on his face. A fleeting smile. After working at T Corporation for many years, it was the first time he saw the boss smile... Furthermore, it was because a subordinate was absent from work for no reason, i Luke''s sharp eyes rested on the town''s design drawings. He was not surprised that Bianca did note to work. At the subway station. Bianca bought a ticket and went in. 1 Not far ahead, Faye led the two little kids and they stood together while they waited for the train to arrive. There was no expression on Bianca''s face. When she was at the lobby of the building, she watched Faye follow Jason up to the top floor. She did not dare not follow them. That was where Luke worked. Without formal orders and summons, ordinary employees were not to enter the forbidden area that belonged to the boss, i In the long process of waiting for Faye toe back down, she had a strange hunch in her heart. ''Faye knows Luke? ''What''s their rtionship?'' She recalled back to that distant year. Bianca remembered that Faye was her employer''sdy butler who was solely responsible for his internal affairs. Since she was abroad five years ago, she saw over 50 bald wealthy businessmen on the television shows that Nina watched and no longer wanted to think about what happened five years ago. It disgusted and nauseated her. She hated herself for the hardships that she was given by fate and how powerless she always felt. Now that she saw Faye again and found her going to T Corporation to meet Luke on the top floor, she could not help but remember the moments from the distant year. Every lingering night, she was forced to endure the powerful thrusts from the man''s waist and to smell his good-smelling cologne... All of it tallied with Luke. It was just that if she imagined itst time, how could she believe that it was Luke? When Faye came down with the two children, Bianca felt that every blood cell in her body had frozen up. 1 Lanie and Rainie clung to Faye and called her Grandma Faye. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Two little five-year-old kiddos appeared to be very familiar with thedy butler... However, everything up till then was just an assumption. Back then, Faye told her that she gave birth to a baby girl... Lanie and Rainie were twins. In the subway station, she stood behind Faye and the two little kids. She was mentally tortured by all her thoughts. For example, did Faye deliberately deceive her back then? i Did she deliberately tell her that the baby was a baby girl? She tried to remember the size of her belly back then. It was average-sized. She had no other experiences topare it with, and neither could she tell whether she was pregnant with twins. She was only 18 and did not know much. Every result given to her from the doctor''s examination was perhaps in ordance with the employer''s instructions and not entirely credible. Bianca thought again, ¡®If the employer was Luke, why did he hide it?'' During those nights when she was blindfolded and under the man, she could not tell how he looked. Meanwhile, he saw her face as well as her body every time... The more she thought, the more tired she was. She started to question herself and could not be sure whether Faye''s employer from the deal was Luke... The train arrived. Faye brought the two little kids on. After Bianca snapped out of it, she carried herptop and went on. The train started moving and Bianca squeezed in between the crowd to look inside. A young man stood up and gave his seat up to Faye. "There''re many people on the subway..." nche looked around. Bianca hid from the little guy. "Lanie, can you drive the trains when you grow up? That way, I can ride a train as long as this every day," Rainie asked her brother seriously. Faye looked down at the two little kids and smiled kindly. After passing a few stations, the initially full train carriage had fewer people now. Faye coaxed the children and asionally looked up around to make sure she was protecting the two children while her mind worried about something going wrong. After all, the two little kids were not kids from a normal family. They were the son and daughter of T Corporation''s CEO. When bringing them out this way, she could not help but worry about some safety concerns. Faye knew she had to be alert. The fact that Master Luke allowed her to take his two children on the subway was ridiculous. If Old Master Crawford knew about it, he would have stopped him immediately and prevented Master Luke from messing around. When the train became less and less crowded, Bianca sat down in another carriage. From time to time, she looked at Faye in the left carriage with Lanie and Rainie. When there were a lot of people, Lanie and Rainie remembered their daddy''s words and did not run around in case it caused a hassle for Grandma Faye. Now that there were fewer people, they started to have fun. Faye lived in a remote area, and as the train went toward that direction, there were very few people left. "This carriage is mine! Roar!" Lanie announced from the empty carriage. "It¡¯s mine, Lanie. You''re in charge of driving it and I''m the passenger." Rainie pursed her lips. "I wish Daddy would give us a subway." "It''s not a subway, it''s the-" Lanie said when he suddenly saw someone from the carriage next to theirs. "Aunt Bea?" He recognized her from her back. Rainie nced toward where her brother was looking. When the train arrived at the station, it was one stop away from Faye''s ce. When Bianca saw that Lanie wasing toward her, she stood up. At the same time when she met eyes with Lanie, she saw Faye who looked guarded and stupefied. Judging from Faye''s expression, Bianca could tell that Faye remembered her. "Come back here, Lanie and Rainie!" Faye was afraid that Bianca would snatch the kids, so she panicked and pulled Rainie and Lanie''s little hands. "Aunt Bea, why are you here?" Lanie was grabbed by Grandma Faye when he asked Bianca at the door casually. "I¡¯m on my way to work," Bianca exined to the child with a pale face while looking at Faye. Their eyes met. Bianca tried her best to keep calm and greeted Faye, "Hello." Faye ignored her greeting and furrowed her eyebrows as she thought. ''Do Lanie and Rainie know this woman? How did they meet? Do they know that this woman is their mother? ''Does Master Luke know that the children have met their mother?'' When they arrived at the station, the train stopped. Bianca smiled at the children before getting off the subway. Lanie and Rainie called out behind her and wanted to get off the train as well, but Faye desperately pulled them back until the subway door closed and moved away from the station. 1 Bianca sat on the bench at the subway station for a long time. No matter how much she tried to calm herself down, her feelings were still in a mess. Did she give birth to two healthy and smart children with her half brother? It was impossible. ''Were Lanie and Rainie birthed by another woman?¡¯ Bianca shook her head. She was more inclined to guess that Allison had lied and that Luke and she were not siblings... ''nche and Rainie. B.R. Bianca Rayne.'' When that clicked in her head, Bianca felt that she was hopelessly stupid. How could there be so many coincidences? The names of the two little kids were deliberately chosen by the child''s father. When she stood up and left the subway station, Bianca went straight to the office. There was not a method more effective than to ask her questions directly to Luke in person... Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Gave Her An Exact Answer Bianca took the subway to her office. On the way there, she took out her phone and could not resist calling Luke. She urgently wanted to get an urate answer from that man. ''Sorry, the number you''ve dialed is unavable. Please try againter." ''Why is his phone turned off?'' Bianca frowned slightly and did not give up. She called him again. However, she got the same result. The number she dialed was Luke''s private number. Outsiders did not have it and only his family and close friends had it. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. He was the only one who could decide whether to turn it on or off. However, Bianca remembered that Luke once personally told her that that phone was turned on 24 hours a day and that she could find him whenever she needed. When she thought about it, she understood why Luke''s private phone was turned off. Previously, his thin and sexy lips were intimately pressed against her cheeks before they moved toward her ears. When he kissed her, he told her that she could find him anytime. When he said that to her, they were passionately in love... It was just that the period of their passion was short,sting only two days. It was as if it never happened. He had been enthusiastic about her, and then just like that, it was gone. The train continued its way from the remote suburbs to the city center. Bianca had a seat from the start of her journey back. As she held herptop bag, she found Luke''s work number. She knew that Luke never answered his work phone. Jason was the one who filtered his calls before asking his boss for further instructions. Jason would only put him through the call if he was willing to pick it up. The first time she called, the phone was on a call. The second time she called, the call was finally picked up. Jason¡¯s extremely formic voice sounded. "Hello, this is Jason." In recent years, everypany and individual who has dealt with T Corporation knew who Jason Doyle was. Just like in ancient times, everyone knew the popr counselor who advised the king. 1 "Hello, this is Bianca Rayne from the design department." She did not want people in the subway to hear her conversation, so she whispered. ''Ms. Rayne?" Jason was surprised but resumed as usual. "Why are you calling?" "I¡¯m looking for Mr. Crawford." In front of Jason, she did not dare to call him Luke directly. After Jason heard that, he said softly, "Mr. Crawford isn¡¯t here. Did you try his personal number?" As his subordinate, he never dared to intervene with his boss'' personal matters. "I tried, but his personal phone is turned off," Bianca said. Jason was surprised that his boss'' personal phone was turned off out of the blue. His boss was acting very unusually that day. "The thing is, Mr. Crawford left the office half an hour ago. I don''t know where he went. Except for official work, I usually don''t ask him about his private affairs..." What Jason meant was that there was nothing he could do. He really could not help her. His boss did not have a tracking device on him, so Jason had no idea where he went. He could only hope that Bianca did not me him. "Okay, thank you, Mr. Doyle..." Bianca said disappointedly. ¡¯You''re wee. Goodbye." Jason ended the call. In the subway. In her countless call history, Bianca almost blew her head up trying to find the Crawfords''ndline. It was thendline that the Crawfords'' nanny had called her on more than once before. Fortunately, the number was still there. "Hello, is Lu... Lanie¡¯s father at home?" She changed what she was going to say halfway through because she did not want to reveal who she was. She hoped that the nanny did not remember her voice as plenty of people called their home every day. The nanny said kindly, "Is this Ms. Bianca? Young Master Luke isn''t at home today. He was out since morning and hasn''te back yet." "Thank you. That''s fine, then." Bianca hung up awkwardly. She put her phone back into her bag. She lowered her head and closed her eyes. She was very tired and wished the train went faster. Out of the crowd of people in the prosperous city, she felt like a speck of dust that was picked up by the wind, floating around. Without a certain answer from Luke, she could not settle down. Before going back to the office, Bianca went to Luke''s apartment. ''Perhaps he went back to the apartment to rest? When she came to the reception table, the service personnel recognized her as the woman who was with the big boss tenantst week. ¡¯Sorry, the male tenant hasn''t returned for many days," the service personnel said to Bianca with a smile. "Thank you." Bianca nodded. After that, she turned around and left with disappointment. The office building was not far from the apartment. Bianca walked back to the office. Jason was about to go out and even had the valet park the car at the main entrance. "Mr. Doyle." The valet handed the car keys to Jason. Jason was about to get in the car before he ran into Bianca at the entrance. Jason nodded to Bianca and was about to get in the car to leave. "Wait, Mr. Doyle. I have something to ask you!¡¯ Bianca called out. She had not been able to find Luke, so she resorted to herst choice. Jason turned around and looked at Bianca who was acting weirdly. He asked, "What''s the matter?" "Do you know Faye Thomas? I saw hering to the office this morning. She took Mr. Crawford''s kids after." Bianca did not know how to ask him for fear that Jason would take precautions and conceal something from her. Jason was dumbfounded by the question. To be honest, the private affairs that Faye handled for his boss in the past were very important. Previously, the couple, Faye and Charles, retired early in order to keep some secrets for fear that they would be exposed. When Bianca asked the question, Jason frowned and did not know whether to speak about it. Even if he wanted to say something, where should he start? He was afraid that it would cause more problems if she got herself involved. It seemed like no matter what he did, it was a bad choice. Bianca looked at Jason who seemed frustrated. She seemed to have guessed something. She asked, "I''m not asking a lot. I just have one question. Faye Thomas worked for Mr. Crawfordst time, right?" Jason nodded embarrassedly and said, "I can''t speak about Mr. Crawford''s personal affairs. Bianca, I hope that you can understand where I''ming from. She used to work for Mr. Crawford but she retired five years ago." Bianca''s eyes flickered. Jason said five years ago. That was equivalent to giving her an exact answer... As for why Faye retired five years ago and stopped working, it fully exined that the Crawfords tried to cover up the fact that he had hired a surrogate. "Thank you, Mr. Doyle." Bianca finished asking and turned to the office building. After walking from the entrance to the elevator, she entered the elevator. The entire time, Lanie and Rainie¡¯s cute faces were ingrained in her mind... Both of them were her children... 1 She stood in the innermost part of the elevator. With her head bowed, she could not contain her adrenaline. Suddenly, she was crying. Ten minutes ago, she was eagerly looking for Luke everywhere she could think of. Now, the words that Jason said had confirmed all the suspicions in her heart. Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Bianca Sold Condoms Before Luke''s Eyes! When she was back in the design department, she turned on herptop and looked at the current appearance of the town that was to be developed. Luke wanted to develop the small town which she had never thought of. ording to neighbors, the development of the town seemed to have been going for several years now. Most of the houses were marked for demolition. ''Are you alright? Will you be able to work well?'' Sue sent a message and asked Bianca. Bianca replied, ¡®I¡¯m fine.'' Even though Bianca said that she was fine, the truth was she was still distracted and could not get herself to focus on work. After working for a few minutes, she would start thinking about those two cute little kids, Rainie and Lanie. Their faces would float into her mind. After drawing something for half an hour, Bianca got up to get some water to drink. She started thinking about Luke''s strange temperament again. Lately, she could not tell how he was feeling. When they were in the hospital yesterday, he had humiliated her with words and was probably in a bad mood. She was not sure if his mood would have gotten better by the time they met again. She wondered if he would continue humiliating and embarrassing her. When Bianca thought about that, she started getting depressed.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. She just hoped that he would not act too rashly because she was willing to bear everything else for the sake of the children. The bright smiley pink faces of the two little kids filled her mind again, covering Luke''s cloudy face. When Bianca drank the water, she could not help but smile. She was lucky that the two little kids liked and clung to her. Maybe a mother and her children were like flesh and blood-inseparable and could always recognize each other as well as were attracted to each other... "Why are you so happy? I¡¯m d you¡¯re smiling. For a minute, I thought you¡¯d never smile again." Nina came to make coffee. She rubbed her temples with her fingers. "I think I drank fake alcohol yesterday. My head hurts like hell." Bianca did not say why she was smiling. She did not dare to share her inner joy, for fear that others would not believe it. Everything still felt like a dream to her. Her dad had lung cancer and her grandpa who was getting old had just experienced kidnapping and was still hospitalized. Meanwhile, she was forced to marry Xavier and life was dark for her. However, it was as if the sun had risen up and lit up the darknds. The flowers were blooming and the warm spring breeze was blowing. Lanie and Rainie were her sun, her flowers, and her spring breeze. Although Luke had a terrifying temper and might still be angry, she did not give up hope of getting the answer from the children''s dad yet. Before she got off work, Bianca called him again. "Sorry, the number you''ve dialed is unavable. Please try againter." After work hours, she walked out of the office building. Under the dim light of dusk, Bianca went to the subway station. When she arrived at the hospital, the first thing she asked the doctor was about her dad''s condition. Then, she went to the ward to see her dad and ced the vitamins that she bought for him by the bedside. The caretaker also arrived. She was a middle-ageddy in her 40s. 2 As Keviny on the hospital bed, he said weakly, "You hired someone? It must cost a lot..." Biancaforted her dad and said, "It doesn''t cost much. We don''t have rtives here either. Even if we do, they can''te to the hospital every day to take care of you, so it makes sense to hire someone. Otherwise, if I continueing here every day, we won''t have a source of ie anymore." Even though she was adamant not to put a stranger in charge of taking care of her dad, that was reality. If she did not hire someone, she would have to quit and go there herself. However, if she quit, she would not be able to support Dad in the hospital anymore. She was a new staff in T Corporation who had passed her probation period and became a full-time employee. T Corporation paid their employees on time. Every month on the same date, her base pay would be transferred into her bank ount. The pay for the project would only be distributed after the project was almostpleted. That was why despite Luke and she had been fighting, she still did not quit. If she quit her job, she would not be able to get the money from the project. This was a project worth up to tens of thousands of dors. That was money for Dad''s hospital bills as well as money for Grandpa''s and her food and rent. ¡¯Did your mother... Look for you recently?" Kevin could not help but ask. It seemed to have struck Bianca''s nerve. She looked up at him. "Dad, am I really Allison''s daughter?" Kevin thought that his daughter was still not able to ept that fact. "How could it be fake? It''s true that your mother has changed a lot, but... She''s still your mother... Be patient with her. When I''m not here in this world anymore in the future, it''ll be good if you still have someone to lean on." i Bianca lowered her head. She wanted to say that she did not want to have someone like that to lean on, that she was able to live on her own terms. After all, she had already ovee the worst parts from her childhood to adulthood without her. 1 Now that she was at the age where she could support herself, she no longer needed that mother of hers. Besides, how was Allison ever a mother to her? While she chatted with her dad, Bianca took out her phone and searched the question, ''Can half- brothers and sisters give birth to healthy offspring?'' The answer she found was no. She was not focused on the moral and ethical issue aspect of it. She only looked if there would be any issues with the children''s health. She was sure that between Luke and herself, one of them must not be Allison''s biological kid. The Crawfords were not any typical wealthy family. They were a famous family in the city. If a family of their caliber wanted to reim an illegitimate child back to the family, they would have been very cautious and would have tested the DNA strictly. Therefore, after thinking about it, Bianca felt that perhaps she was not Allison''s child. Since her dad was still in bad health, Bianca did not want to confront him about the problem. She stayed back for a while before leaving to see Grandpa. After Bianca apanied Grandpa to dinner, she put down herptop and followed the address that her ssmate had given for the night part-time job. At the club. "I''m guessing you don''t stay upte often? Have a cup of coffee in case you get sleepy." Her female ssmate handed her a cup of coffee. Bianca took it as she stared at the pile of condoms in front of her... After getting Bianca familiar with the condoms, her female ssmate took her into the corridor of the club to begin promoting in a private room, depending on how the guests looked. Bianca entered a private room, and as soon as she spoke, the guest picked up the condom from her suitcase and looked at it. "What the crap is this? An imitation of Durex? Isn¡¯t this copyright infringement?" "Sorry, I took the wrong one," her boss said that when they encountered that kind of guest. They should just take back the condoms and retreat. Bianca went out of the private room. As she stood in the corridor, she saw a row of VIP rooms in the distance. She was in charge of this side while her female ssmate went in the other direction. As she held the suitcase with the imitation condoms, Bianca frowned. Part- time jobs were either physically draining with hours of standing in the sun or this type that required her to sell things that troubled her conscience. Money was hard toe by. She plucked up her courage and walked toward the VIP room, opening the door. The lights in the private room were dim. She took a look around. Some were ying poker while some were singing karaoke. A few were talking as they drank. These men were either in suits and leather shoes or wore brand-name casual clothes from head to toe. They looked like they were very rich and not lowly people. Bianca went in, took a deep breath, and started to promote. "Hello, do you need any birth control products?" When a man heard the cowardly tone of the woman, the man sitting on the scarlet sofa in the corner with his legs crossed raised his head suddenly. "What are you selling?" the man asked. Bianca heard that someone finally noticed her and hurriedly looked over. She said, "I''m selling birth control products. Are you interested, Sir?" However, when she saw Luke lighting the cigarette with a gloomy face and sizing her up behind the smoke, she slowly swallowed her sentence back... Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Bea Sat In Luke''s Lap... She had been looking for this man all day. Unexpectedly, she ran into him here. It was just that the situation... Looked a bit bad. He was a wealthy and spendthrift customer, while she was the ordinary service staff in all aspects. She was even holding her suitcase and selling birth control products. Luke exhaled a mouthful of green smoke. When he spoke to her, everyone in the private room who could hear them also looked over. All the men present were his old acquaintances. Most of them went to a school with him and some had been ssmates with Luke since elementary school. The other half were inseparable good family friends. Very few of those men were married, and the unmarried men had girlfriends as well as various friends with benefits. Luke alone was the only one without dirt among the people around him. Due to the puzzling fact, someone who did not fear death once sent a beautiful and obedient guy to Luke''s bed. What he thought was that if Luke did not like women, he should be interested in men. However, the beautiful and obedient guy was returned, defeated and without confidence. If Mr. Crawford did not like women, then why did he not like him? After years of observation, his friends hade to the understanding that Luke did not like women or men. Perhaps he was asexual. Perhaps it was due to his busy work life and the fact that he put too much emphasis on his career that Luke did not care about falling in love. He would rather be an emotionless, loveless asexual. He was a rare and superb monster among men. Maybe he was afraid that he would have no sessors, so he got a woman to give birth to his two little babies. At that moment, however, Luke did the most unbelievable thing. He initiated a conversation with a woman selling birth control products. The man ying poker got up, plucked the cigarette between his lips, and called out to Bianca, "Whatever you''re selling,e and have a seat." Bianca was brought toward them just like that. ¡¯Sit next to him." The man was very gentlemanly and polite as he respectfully invited Bianca to sit beside Luke. When the man saw that she sat down obediently, he poured her a ss of mineral water. His expression, actions, and attitude were simr to the way he would treat nche and Rainie. He was afraid that Bianca would run away. That was the first youngdy that Master Luke had taken an interest in after 29 years. She could be easilypared to a rare dodo bird! ¡¯Go ahead and talk. If you need anything, just call me." After the man seated her, he went back to his poker game and smoked. The corner where Luke was was isted from the others. The poker guy who poured the ss of water for Bianca even thoughtfully closed the room divider behind him before leaving. He did not spy on the two inside either. ¡¯What are you selling? Open it up for me to see." Luke''s gaze was still shrouded by the green smoke looming in front of him. She did not move. She did not speak either. After looking at her for a while, he stretched his hand over and opened her small, unlocked suitcase. The suitcase was full of peddling items. They were two rows of them tied with stic bands, disying neatly in rows. In her suitcase, all the items were packed in colorful paper with tacky designs. There was also ayer of transparent stic packaging on the outside of the paper package, which was waterproof and protected the paper package from damage. Luke stared at the items as he held his cigarette with his left hand. He reached out and burned the packaging of the items with his cigarette butt. She thought that he was going to point to the goods that he was going to buy. When she found out that her stuff was burnt, she was silent. She knew how bad the man''s temper was, how mean he was, and how verbally abusive he was when he was upset. However, when she thought about Lanie''s and Rainie''s cute faces... Her conclusion about everything from Jason was the result of her own analysis. Although it was reasonable, itcked substantive evidence. To say his children were her children was not something to be done willy- nilly. Bianca wanted to hear Luke say it personally because he was the most credible source. At that moment, the man''s gaze on the birth control products was like a king''s power over a life and death situation. Perhaps it was his smoking or the weather getting colder, but Luke''s voice sounded very hoarse. "Does my family, the Tanners, know that you''re selling these?" Bianca knew that she would not be able to talk through the man that day. When he spoke, he was full of malice. ¡¯If you¡¯re married to Xavier, why are you selling birth control products in establishments like these? Is he not treating you well? Are you that badly in need of money?" Luke asked with a harsh tone as he frowned. ¡¯Sorry, my boss told us that we can''t sit down and chat with guests. If you''re not going to buy anything, don''t waste my time for other potential buyers." Bianca held her suitcase and got up. She did not care about him burning her packaging either. When she tried to get up, Luke stretched out his hand and grabbed one of her small white hands. Everything was natural. The man¡¯s big hand was tightly wrapped around her little hand. When he saw that she was standing stubbornly with her back to him without looking back, Luke stopped being polite and looked like he was going to murder someone. His big hand pulled her and she fell into his hard chest. As Bianca was face to face with the man''s killer eyes, she did not know where to look. She had goosebumps all over her body and the suitcase she was carrying was knocked open... She was panting. She wanted to struggle, but she was trapped in his arms and could not move. The man¡¯s body smelled of cologne mixed with a scent of tobo. She was flustered, and the space that was separated from the room instantly heated up. "If you¡¯re looking for someone to escort you, you can ask for the bar hostess... There''s plenty of them here. All of them are sexy and beautiful..." she said flusteredly as her ears got hotter. Luke ignored her, picked up a box of birth control products, and took a better look at it. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. "Do you think anyone whoes here to y will buy your condoms?" He had never used one before. While he asked her, they were very close to each other. She could feel his breath on her initially fair cheeks that had gradually turned rosy. "Let me go..." Bianca could not get out from his grasp and instinctively grabbed the man''s wide shoulders with both of her hands. She used those shoulders to support herself as she tried struggling out again. However, her posture turned out to be too sexual... As she rubbed against him, his body was on fire. He stared at her shy face and held her down in his arms. He opened up a box, frowned slightly, and lowered his head to ask her, "Tell me about the benefits of using this thing." Bianca smiled embarrassedly with red cheeks... Luke''s eyes moved toward her pink cheeks and lips. His sexy voice gave her a fatal temptation. "If you obey me tonight, I''ll fulfill any request. Even if it''s for you to never see me again. I won''t break my promise.¡° Bianca looked at him incredulously. Somehow, she felt as if it was a trap... Lanie and Rainie were between him and her. It would not be realistic at all if they never saw each other again. She could not ever not see their children, and she believed he felt the same way. Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Luke Admitted It Himself! Right then, however, Bianca could not care less. Even if she knew it was a trap, she walked right into it without hesitation. She even knew what request she was going to ask him. Her request was none other than the fact that she wanted to know if Lanie and Rainie were her children and if he was the employer from five years ago... "The advantage of using this thing is..." Bianca embarrassedly regurgitated what she had learned during the half-hour training. "In addition to the contraceptive function, the most important function of condoms is to prevent the spread of various sexually transmitted diseases. It effectively reduces the infection rate ofmon diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhea, and AIDS. Therefore, it''s also a form of protection..." Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Her head was filled with the two questions that she wanted to ask him. Bianca hurriedly answered the questions he asked before. "Then what about this?" Luke put down the birth control product and picked up a sex toy. On the packaging box, it said ''Long Distance Remote Controlled Vibrator For Lovers¡¯... It was very imaginative and fascinating. It was for massages. As a man, Luke knew nothing about how to massage someone at that moment. "You sell this kind of stuff as well? You sure have a lot of different types of products." Luke''s calm gaze that he used to look at her was like a hidden knife with a hint of anger beneath his warmth. ¡¯ Did your boss teach you how to introduce this product to a man?" Bianca had her mouth closed tightly. Her emotions that were slightly eased tensed up again. She did not know how to say it. He was serious and said, "Tell me.¡± Bianca looked at him in a daze, as if she was afraid of being burned by his sight. She looked away like a student who was suddenly named by the teacher to recite a text. She recited out of her memory with hesitation. "For this one... This one, even if you''re separated from your lover, the two of you can... Can still enjoy-" No, she said the wrong word. "Pleasure each other... "This one can be operated and controlled by your cell phones, giving you absolute control... It has intelligent control which allows you to freely change the vibration mode... "Another thing is that..." She swallowed awkwardly. "You can also create a vibration pattern by yourself. You can choose the length... And the intensity of it... You¡¯ll be able to enjoy it with your lover... Anywhere in the world..." After stuttering the entire sentence, Bianca''s cheeks were hot. The rosy color spread from her cheeks to her earlobes. Her small and delicate face revealed her pureness as well as her temptations and desire. 1 Luke lowered his head suddenly, holding the thing that she introduced in her hands. He rubbed it for a long time, then whispered in her ear, "I want this toy." ''He... He wants...'' ''What''s he going to do with this t-thing...? "Um, this is marketed toward women... And it''s also for women''s usage." She reminded him kindly. However, after she reminded him, she regretted it immediately. Luke''s voice became thick and heavy, "I¡¯m buying it for my wife to enjoy while I¡¯ll be controlling it. If I remember correctly, that¡¯s what you said." ''His... His wife...'' The smell of the man was sucked into her lungs, and the heat from the man prated through both of their thin clothes, burning her skin. The most terrible thing was that from the beginning, he had an erection. Even now, his part waspletely erect. His thing was so terrifying that it might just eat her up. When both of them looked into each other''s eyes, she stopped struggling for fear that if he became upset, he might do something. She stared at his lips, his jawline, his sharp nose, his handsome eyebrows, and his deep eyes. She could not help but think of their past few times... When she was not able to fit all of him... Then, her mind started to think about memories that should have been blurry five years ago which had suddenly be the current night she was in presently. How she cried from the pain and then a little after, she was cheeky and happy... She shook her head and scolded herself in her head. Why would she think of those times... She wondered if she was the type of person to not help but start fantasizing about all the bad thoughts the moment she suspected that the two of them were not rted. Bianca did not dare to admit that part of herself. She wanted to calm her breath, but when she opened her mouth, it turned into anxious pants. The air seemed as it was suddenly frozen with only her wisps of breath that seemed to seduce him, lingering in the man''s ears. "What''s wrong? Why''s your breathing so fast?" the man asked maliciously and knowingly, leaning forward with his sharp features. His lips were about to touch hers. Her breath became even more chaotic as she breathed, looking at the man''s tough and charming facial features. She swallowed her saliva... ''I really like your performance," he said seriously but did not press her against him nor kiss her. Instead, he leaned back as soon as his body rxed. The man leaned back on the sofazily, heartily satisfied with the way she swallowed her saliva when she looked at him. He touched the back of her head with his big hands, rubbing her faintly scented ck hair. He pressed the petite her toward him, and his scorching close gaze wandered on her cheeks, her lips, and her neckline with her good-looking corbones. In order to sell goods, their boss required the girls who worked part-time to wear a uniform, which was the school uniform that she was wearing now. In fact, the style of it was very conservative. However, some men love that outfit. After a few nces, they could not help but buy something to support them. Luke had seen her wearing a school uniform before, which was a short skirt and a shirt. Even back then, Bianca had worn her school uniform during her pregnancy because she was still a student and had no time to change her clothes. As such, she always wore her school uniform to the manor with Faye. When the man embraced her waist with his big hands and sped the back of her head toward his chest, he lowered his lips and was about to touch hers. She panted as her little hand rested on his hard chest. She blinked her confused and moist eyes as she looked at him. "You said... If I obey you, you¡¯ll grant me a request." "What''s your request? Is it the same thing you''ve told me before, about how you only like Jean in this lifetime and are unable to give your heart to someone else?" Luke endured ufortably especially at that spot right there. It started to hurt when it rubbed against the top of the fabric of his pants. Bianca shook her head. "I want to ask..." She could not bear the fastness of her heartbeat and could not say the words out. Since she was sitting on hisp, her heartbeat was elerating. Now, she could not even form words anymore. ¡¯I want to ask you about Lanie and Rainie... Who... Who''s their mother?" Initially, she wanted to ask if Lanie and Rainie were her children, but when the words came to her lips, it became a very implicit question. She was incredibly embarrassed. After asking that, Bianca''s heartbeat banged against her chest scarily. She lowered her head and waited for a long time for the response. However, there was not one. She mustered the courage and raised her head. His facial features were subdued. He was so close to her that neither of them could tell whose scorching breath it was. "Perhaps we should do it again for real, then you''ll know who the mother of my two children is," Luke said in Bianca''s ear roughly, panting. ''That''s basically him admitting it...'' She gave birth to both Lanie and Rainie. He was the man who helped her and wanted her. Chapter 154 Chapter 154 The Two Children Became The Man''s Best Bargaining Chip After Bianca got her nearly urate answer, she calmed herself down and breathed. After a long, long time, she remembered that she had to get off from his hot and hardp. When she tried to move, she found that her legs were jelly. She could not stand up. It felt as if her legs were not hers anymore. The man''s thin, hot lips pressed against her earlobes. The shallow kisses as well as the heavy and hot breaths going into her eardrums made her numb all over. Her face flushed as her heartbeat quickened. She could not move anymore. "Don''t... Don''t do this..." Bianca gasped, but she could not help but sink into his warm masculinity. "Don''t be afraid. No one¡¯s going toe over." Like a treasure in the palm of his hand, Luke picked her up and guided her to straddle him. Bianca could not sit that way at all because the man''s erection was... Too big and her skirt was too thin. The feeling of her unable to sit down made her blush. When he saw her predicament, Luke adjusted her to let her go down, but his gesture made her face even redder. When they were face to face, she looked up and saw the man''s sharp facial features and his eyes that were stained with lust. When she lowered her head, she saw the spot in the man''s pants that was standing straight up. Bianca could not help but swallow a mouthful of saliva. Her mouth was dry, and she wanted to get away from him like her life depended on it. "Stop moving-" The man grabbed her wrist, his big hands grasping her disobedient thigh on top of him. Although they were separated by his pants, that did not stop his body from being lit up by her. There was a thinyer of callus on the palm of the man holding her ankle. It was caused by year-round strength training and manning the steering wheel. His touch was a bit rough and dry. "Why are you running away? Are you thinking of your Jean again? Does sitting on myp make you feel guilty about betraying your first love? Or is it because you feel guilty for being unfaithful to your husband?" Luke looked at her face, suddenly bing gloomy. Her first love. Jean turned out to be her first love. It felt as if there was a bone stuck in his throat-A hard bone that he could not swallow or spit out. While he was stuck in the madness from the bone in his throat that was Jean, Xavier was also her husband. This woman always managed to trouble him. However, he could not help but love her very much. Luke''s big hands that grasped Bianca''s ankle moved up slowly. The palm of his hand felt the skin of her ankle and moved to her calves before stopping. The man jokingly squeezed Bianca''s well-proportioned pale calves with his big hands and rubbed them back and forth. It tickled Bianca''s calves and caused her to subconsciously engage her calves and rubbed them back. That managed to relieve the tickling on the calves. However, Bianca was still straddling Luke''s thigh. The ce where she rubbed her calves was against Luke''s thighs. A raging fire started burning from Luke''s thigh through his trousers, and it slowly burned upward until it reached the man''s tight lower abdomen. Bianca was still thinking about how tomunicate with him next. She wanted to see Lanie and Rainie, as well as take a closer look at her two children. "Mhh-" Before she could think about it, the man''s hot and wet lips kissed hers. Her eyes widened, and her hands were against the man''s shoulders to prevent him from getting nearer to her. She wanted to say something, but when she opened her mouth, she created the best time for the man to go in. It was as if the man approached and she obediently opened her wet mouth to greet him. "Unh... Haa..." Luke domineeringly plundered her mouth, making her out of breath. Her mouth was so ruffled that it went numb and her body started reacting differently. When Luke heard her wispy pantings, his big hand moved up from her calf and all the way to the base of her thigh. Bianca''s smooth thigh was very sensitive. When the man¡¯s rough palm touched her, she shuddered with goosebumps. "What are you going to do?¡± Bianca was sweating, her heart suffocating. It was as if she had lost her soul and woke up after finding it. It was clear that she was awkward from them kissing, so she quickly separated her lips from his. The ruffled hem of Bianca''s ck short skirt was naturally lifted up when the man''s big hand came to the base of her legs. The air-conditioning in the extravagant private room was well chilled. It was as if the men in suits and leather shoes were born with naturally hot bodies and could not live without air-conditioning. Luke''s body was getting hotter and hotter. Suddenly, her short skirt was lifted and Bianca felt a breeze on her body. Otherwise, she would not have known how long she had sunken into his kiss. After being kissed by such a man, no woman would be able to regain her sanity that easily. Luke''s scorching and deep gaze suddenly looked at the soft spot where his big hands were. He frowned slightly. "You didn''t wear safety pants today?" 1 Their eyes met, and he was angry. Angrily, Bianca pulled her skirt out of the man''s hand and covered her exposed part. ''Why does it matter to him whether I wear safety pants or not?!¡¯ "Why are you covering yourself? I asked you why you didn''t wear safety pants." Luke was like a stern parent disciplining his daughter. He remembered that when she wore her uniform and was brought to the manor by Faye, she wore safety pants that were taken off by himter that night. Since then, he had always hoped that she would dress conservatively and protect herself in other ces where men flocked. It was his so-called darn possessiveness! It was uncontroble and was about to explode! Bianca did not want to exin herself. It was her first day on the job, and she did not expect that her boss would make them wear this kind of short school uniform skirt. If she had known in advance, she would have prepared a pair of safety pants. After all, there were many perverts who would love to sneak a peek and take sneak shots in the city. The news always reported about them, so it was necessary to protect herself. "Are you trying to seduce someone by dressing this way?" Luke held the back of her head with his big hands. He forcefully turned her head to look at him. He was angry at her for not protecting herself, but he actually wanted to teach her a lesson. He wanted to punish her so that she would remember it forever! What if she encountered a man who wanted to do bad things to her while she was on the job? Who would save her? "Why aren''t you saying anything? Are you mute?" Luke got even angrier. His big hand reached into her skirt and touched luscious foliage... When Luke pressured her that way, Bianca pushed him hard and resisted him as her face blushed. She wanted to remove his hand. Even though she was also very angry, the man threatened her in a deep voice, saying, "If you continue moving around, don¡¯t even think about seeing the kids anymore.¡± In an instant, Bianca did not dare to move anymore. The two children became the man''s best bargaining chip. Luke''s big hand was still under her skirt. Instead of removing his hand, he pushed the boundaries even more. A cell phone was on the scarlet sofa. It was ck and thin. It was Luke''s phone that had his personal number. The screen was shing. Bianca noticed it. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. She was tortured by his well-defined fingers, but she soon felt a different kind of feeling. Bianca did not know how to tell him. She shook a little as she tried to tell him, "Your phone, uh... Your phone is ringing..." Chapter 155 Chapter 155 The Day Had Finally Come When Luke Touched A Woman Luke kept stimting Bianca as he watched the expressions on her face happily. From time to time, the man bit her lips. He seemed to be enjoying the process. The name ''Charles Finn'' was disyed on his phone screen. Luke looked over and reminded her as he picked up the phone. "Hold my neck and don''t move. If you do, you might fall.¡± She straddled hisp and did not grab onto anything. If she leaned back, she would really fall. "Uncle Charles, is there anything wrong?" Luke was worried that something had happened to the two children, so he needed to answer Charles'' call. Charles said something. Bianca gradually calmed down and tried her best to pull herself away from the strange feeling when he had dominated her. She did not care about whether it was awkward but slowly made sure that her legs were not sore as she reached toward the ground. She stood up without hesitation. After her skirt left the man¡¯s big hand, her skirt naturally fell down. She did not dare to look at his face. Bianca crouched down and picked up the sex toys and birth control products. She packed them up quickly and zipped up her suitcase. As Bianca tidied up her things, she also tidied the messy hair that he had made a mess of, as well as her bra straps that were loose and half hung on her shoulders. The skirt was still okay because it was made out of fabric that did not wrinkle easily. As for the inside of the skirt... Luke did not take off her underwear but slipped his fingers in from the side. When Bianca was about to walk out of the room divider with her suitcase, she heard Luke say from behind her, "Are Rainie''s eyes okay? Did you send her to the hospital?" "What happened to Rainie?" After Bianca heard that, she turned around and looked at Luke worriedly. Luke frowned, his two stained fingers were still on his knees and not touching anything else. He nced at her, silently listening to Charles'' report on the phone. Finally, he got up and said, "I''m heading there right now." After that, the man hung up. Bianca walked over and asked him, chasing him like a parent in the hospital asking a doctor, "What''s wrong with Rainie? Say something." Luke in the fully suited attire looked back at her. Under the heavy lighting, the tall and upright man looked like a dark psychopath. He asked, "Weren''t you in a hurry to sell your birth control products?¡± "The packaging is all broken. How can I sell them..." she said as she looked down at the suitcase. Actually, she just wanted to see Rainie with him. She already liked Luke¡¯s kids when they were her boss'' kids, despite there being a sort of distance between them. Now that she found out that the two of them were her own flesh and blood, she could not help but worry even more about them. Luke turned around. There was a sink there. He turned on the faucet and washed his hands as he said, "Since the packaging is broken, how are you going to do your business?" Bianca did not say anything because she had no money topensate them. The cost price of the box of things was very cheap, but her boss had marked up the price to sell the cheap items at a high price. She knew that he would make herpensate him ording to the selling price. Luke looked at her through the mirror. He dispensed some soap and said," Come and get my wallet. Pay for it and deal with it as soon as possible. Let¡¯s pick Rainie up together." Bianca was stunned. Luke was almost done washing his hands. He said in a deep voice, "If you''re going to go any slower than that, you don''t need to think about going anymore." Bianca no longer hesitated. She walked toward him and reached into his pants pocket with her little hand. She ignored his hard thigh and asked, ¡± Your wallet..." ''It''s in the pocket of my suit jacket." Luke just finished washing his hands, but since his hands were still wet, he stood up straight and asked her to get the wallet. ''Damn it.'' Her touch lit up his body again. Bianca stood in front of the tall and upright man. She could still smell the leftover lusty musk on his body as she took his wallet from the inside pocket of his suit jacket. Since the two of them were close to each other on the sofa and were so tight that they were almost one person, his body temperature was still on his wallet. "Use my card if there isn''t enough cash. Don''t waste any more time with other people." Luke looked down at her. He found that his love was very morbid because he could not bear to see her speaking to other men. He would prefer that she only had brief exchanges andmunications with other men. Bianca lowered her head and said,"... Okay" She took his wallet and was about to go out. When she was about to turn back to ask him what his card pin code was, she saw him turning back. Their eyes met and it was as if he knew what she was thinking. "The pin number is the children''s birth date." Bianca gasped quietly. She held the suitcase and emptied out all the birth control products in it. As she walked toward the corridor, she counted how much those things totaled. In the private hall, when everyone saw Bianca going out, someone sent the guy who gave Bianca a ss of water to see what happened. The man walked over, removed the room divider, and looked around. He found that the faucet on the sink had been used. It must mean that someone must have washed their hands or washed some other part of their body. There were also signs of movement on the coffee table on the ground. It was definitely not moved by someone on purpose. It looked as if it was identally bumped into when two bodies were colliding intensely. There were wrinkles on the scarlet sofa leather surface. When a man and woman did something intensely, their bodies would also move when they thrust into each other, and it was normal for the surface of the sofa to look that way. "This woman who looked like a human, is she in fact a subus?" The person who was sent to see what happened could not believe his eyes. The day had finallye when Luke touched a woman. Luke stood in front of the sofa and lit a cigarette. He slowly exhaled a puff of smoke and frowned, "Don¡¯t joke. She''s the mother of my children." "What? M-Mother of your children?" All of a sudden, everyone was shocked. How were the twin babies born back then? It was not through surrogacy or IVF, but they were born from the close union of two people? The person who was sent to see what happened wiped his face and realized that Master Luke was not an asexual at all. He was just a loyal man. He guarded himself carefully for the biological mother of the twin babies. Before, everyone was worried about this abstinent guy, but now, they could not help but feel the chills. No one in the group of worrying men had more kidspared to the man who had been abstinent for a long time. When they thought about it again, it seemed that the father of the twins had lost their virginity earlier than all of them present. They were furious! No one cared about Luke anymore. The people ying poker resumed their poker while the ones singing karaoke continued their singing. When everyone knew about the truth, they started ignoring Luke! Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. They also sneered at Luke and thought of him as a beast in clothes. They now saw him as a lowly punk. However, Luke merely smoked his cigarette as his sharp eyes carried an air of satisfaction when he smiled. This caused them to be even more irritated at him. On the other side. Bianca''s female ssmate heard that she had sold out all the boxes, so she immediately removed her makeup and followed Bianca''s natural look. She also tied up her hair like Bianca who wore an ordinary ponytail. It seemed that this image made more sales. Bianca used Luke¡¯s card and keyed in the correct amount of money into the PCS terminal. Even though it was Luke¡¯s money, she could not help but feel the pain when she saw the amount. It was way too expensive. Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Luke Enjoyed ying The Role Of The Husband Luke gave Bianca a call as he stood outside the club. Tm at the entrance. You¡¯ll see me when youe out." ''Okay, I''m going out right now." After Bianca hung up, she changed into her clothes and hurried out. The ck Range Rover was parked domineeringly at the most conspicuous position in front of the entertainment club. ''Get in." Luke secretly held her waist, opened the door with his other hand, and even quietly protected her head with his hand when she got in the car in case she knocked her head on the car door frame. Bianca sat down in the passenger seat and lowered her head as she fastened her seat belt. Luke closed the car door and finished smoking a cigarette. He narrowed his dark eyes and walked toward the trash can in front of the club to put out his cigarette before getting into the car. Bianca wanted to hurry him and wished he did not smoke, but she was scared that it might anger him. When she saw that he was not in a hurry at all, she could not help but wonder whether the situation with Rainie''s eyes was actually serious or not. Otherwise, why would the father of the child not be in a hurry? It would take at least one and a half hours to drive from the city center to the vi where Charles and his wife, Faye, lived in the suburbs-And that was if there was no traffic congestion. Luke focused on driving and was silent. Bianca did not dare to utter a word either, so the car was very quiet. While they waited for the red light outside Third Ring, the silence in the car was broken by the ringing of her phone. Bianca hurriedly took out her phone to see who was calling. The caller ID showed that it was Brayden calling. The only thing she would be talking to Brayden about was their rtionship issue. It was most likely going to be their breakup as it was already decided earlier on. In the subway, she had already answered Brayden''s mother''s call. Bianca did not want to answer the call from Brayden anymore, so she declined the call. After the phone was quiet for about 30 seconds, Brayden called again. Bianca declined the call again. This went on over and over again. It seemed like Brayden needed to talk to her. Bianca did not dare to turn off her phone in case Grandpa or Dad called about something important. ''Are there any calls that you can''t answer in front of me?¡° Luke started driving and nced at her with his dark eyes as he asked in a deep voice. The red light on the road ahead turned green. ''It''s nothing concerning you. I just don''t feel like answering it," Bianca said and answered her phone.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. The lights on the street at night were brightly lit with happy-looking people walking on the street in twos and threes with smiles on their faces. However, Bianca was not like them. She could not even remember when sheughed that happily in the 24 years since her birth. "Hello," Bianca answered. "Why didn''t you answer the phone?¡¯ Brayden''s voice was quiet. "Did my mom call you?" "Yes, she called me this morning,¡¯ Bianca said. "I''m sorry..." Brayden was silent for more than ten seconds before saying, "I don''t know if my mother said anything insulting to you. If so, let me apologize on behalf of her." Bianca leaned her head against the car window and lowered her head. "It''s okay, you don''t need to apologize." She was no saint either. She was also angry and speechless when Brayden''s mother said those things to her. However, she just wanted to sort out the status of their rtionship as soon as possible and end the call quickly. "Bianca, I would like to believe that you''re a good woman... I also believe in you. I don''t think that you''d deliberately deceive me. It''s just that between us...'' Brayden had a hard time speaking. After a long time, he finally said, ¡¯ It''s not easy for me to earn money either. I¡¯ve been cheated out of my money by too many women. That''s why I... I have to guard against..." The corners of Bianca''s mouth twitched downward. Brayden mentioned the words ''deliberately deceive'' and finally said that it was not easy for him to earn money... That meant that Brayden thought the same as his mother. He also thought that she was looking for a boyfriend for financial support to be a leech. He thought that perhaps she was bringing her dad with lung cancer and elderly grandfather to leech off of her boyfriend or legal husband. It was just that Brayden''s words were more euphemistic so that it did not sound so bad or harsh. ''I understand. Goodbye." Bianca knew that even if she said anything, it would be useless. Saying more would just sound like she had an agenda, with every word making it worse. She might as well not exin anything. After finishing the call, Bianca leaned her head against the window, closed her eyes, and tried to think about Lanie and Rainie''s cute faces. She tried to look for the light in the dark. Her cruel life had taken away a lot from her, but today, she was given a pair of twin babies. What else did she have toin about? It was worthy of a celebration! She no longer wanted to care about what other people thought of her. She just had to work hard and keep her head forward, focusing on her dad, grandpa, and her two babies! After repeating that to herself, she found that she felt better. It felt as if she had found the motivation for her life. In a silent atmosphere, Luke asked, "What happened? Do you need any help from me?" ''Thank you for your concern. I''m fine," Bianca replied politely. She was still scared of him, but she knew she needed to face him if she wanted to get closer to her children. Luke drove seriously. The two did not say anything to each other during the entire trip. When they arrived at the ce where Faye and Charles lived, the ck Range Rover stopped at the entrance. Luke got out of the car and saw Bianca unfasten her seat belt, meaning that she wanted to get out as well. The man stopped and waited for her before walking around the car and reaching the door. They looked like a young couple who came to pick up their children from his parents'' house. That unexinable feeling twitched Luke''s mouth secretly. He very much enjoyed ying the role of a husband. He rang the doorbell. They waited until someone came out to open the door for them. Bianca seemed as if she suddenly remembered something and hurriedly looked for the man¡¯s valuable wallet from her bag. She gave it back to him, "Oh yeah, I almost forgot to return this to you." Luke took his wallet and nced at her. Bianca already had her gaze back at the vi anxiously. She wanted to see the two children very badly. Faye knew how to do housework since she was young and was a good cook. Therefore, they never hired a housekeeper and came out to open the door personally. "Master Luke, you''re here." Faye called him by the title she used many years ago. She opened the door and saw Bianca standing next to him. In the subway, Bianca had said hi to Faye. However, when Bianca appeared in front of Faye without warning, Faye looked as if she had seen a ghost. ''Come in quickly." Faye looked at Bianca for a long time, then at Master Luke who had already entered the vi. Even though there were many questions in her heart, she put those questions aside and invited Bianca to enter. ''Thank you." Bianca nodded politely and walked in anxiously. Faye closed the door and followed behind Bianca. ''Master Luke, who has always been picky and strict, found a girl who was graduating from high school to give birth to his baby at that time. It must mean that he didn''t dislike the girl. Perhaps he has even taken a liking to her. ''Later, Master Luke came over every night to share the bed with the girl. He tossed and turned her every night so that she wouldn''t be able to get out of bed. No one would believe it if he said he has no feelings for her.'' Faye stood at the door, looking at the mother who picked Rainie up and the father who took the children''s school bags and toys. She knew the answer in an instant. If the lovers finally got married and even had children toplete the happy family... Faye thought that God was finally blessing them! Chapter 157 Chapter 157 A Harmonious Family of Four! Bianca carried Rainie out. nche went to the door and picked up his sisters'' shoes before running out. "Say goodbye to Grandpa Charles and Grandma Faye." After Luke finished speaking, he walked to the ck Range Rover, unlocked the door, and opened it before chucking the backpacks in. "Goodbye Grandma Faye, goodbye Grandpa Charles. Take care of yourselves." nche rushed over, put his arms around the necks of the two old people, and gave each a kiss. Bianca turned around and said politely, "Goodbye." Faye and Charles both smiled contentedly and nodded. Luke stretched out his big hand to embrace her waist and walked back to the back seat of the car. He let her into the car and seated her in the backseat with the children. Since there were children, there was no other way. The backseat was the safer choice. For caution''s sake, he could never afford to let anything happen to his two kids and Bianca. "Aunt Bea, why¡¯d youe with Daddy?" nche got in the car and asked Aunt Bea in confusion. Rainie pursed her lips and did not speak. One of her eyes was identally hit by a neighbor''s kid. It was fine, but opening her eyes was a little painful. The little girl pouted her tiny mouth aggrievedly and put her fleshy chubby arms around Aunt Bea, burying her face into Aunt Bea''s soft chest. Bianca kissed Rainie in her arms and looked at Lanie again. "I... Just happened to be with your daddy. I heard that Rainie had hurt her eyes, so we came here together." "I see.¡¯ nche nodded and sat down. He wondered if Aunt Bea could go back home with them too. The car drove toward the city center. nche wanted to invite Aunt Bea to go to their ce, but he did not dare to say it in case Daddy got angry. On the way back, nche did not know whether to say it, so he just kept quiet until they reached a red light. Then, he looked at Daddy who was driving in the driver''s seat in front. Luke saw his son¡¯s gaze from the rearview mirror. Both the father and son seemed to know what the other was thinking, and the father could guess why his son was silent. nche did not dare to speak up because he was afraid of his daddy. Aunt Bea was nice and gentle. He would not be afraid of her at all. It was only because of Daddy. However, he saw that Daddy''s gaze did not look cold or stern from the rearview. Instead, Daddy winked at him. When nche was sure that Daddy was encouraging him, he turned his head and was willing to take the risk. He invited her, saying, "Aunt Bea, can you... Can youe home with us tonight?" "And go... Go back tomorrow..." After nche said that, he knew he was asking for a little much, but he could not help it. Aunt Bea was as gentle as a mommy. Other kids had good mommies like her, so Rainie and he also wanted one. Bianca was a little embarrassed, and she could not help but look at the man driving in front. Luke was focused on his driving as if he had not heard what the kids said to the woman. He was silent. "Daddy... Only knows how to earn money. He doesn''t know how to take care of my sister, and I... I''m just a kid,¡± nche said miserably about his family''s conundrums. The life of a single father with two children was very difficult. Bianca did not know how to tell Luke. It was true that she had given birth to the children, but it was a ck and white contract at the beginning. She took the money,pleted the task, and agreed to leave. The custody of the children was in the hands of the father. If anyone wanted to stay in the house, he had the final say. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. "Do you... Need my help?" Bianca cautiously asked the man in front who was focused on his driving. She wanted to stay with the children. She wanted to take care of Rainie. The neighbor¡¯s kid hurt Rainie''s eyes and she was calling out in pain, but as her mother, Bianca¡¯s heart was hurting more than Rainie¡¯s eyes. She held the child tightly and had the urge to not let go. "If we''re not holding you back from your other arrangements, we''d like your help." Luke tried to think of the appropriate words to say because he was still angry at her. He was angry that somehow, she had married Xavier. However, he still needed her badly. He needed her to take care of the children and for her to be in his line of sight so that he would feel at ease. "You''re not holding me back. I don''t have any arrangements going on today." After Bianca got Luke''s approval, she lowered her head and buried her face into Rainie''s little body. That fragrant and soft hair was her daughter''s. That kind of happiness was unprecedented for her. Rainie gradually fell asleep in Bianca''s arms, mainly because she had cried too much during the day. When she saw Aunt Bea and Daddy, she acted like a baby and wanted huggies. After she got her huggies, she fell tired. The ck Range Rover drove toward the apartment in the city center. The car was parked at the parking lot. Bianca held Rainie and waited at the entrance of the apartment with nche following behind. After Luke parked the car and came over, he carried the children''s backpacks and some other items in his hand. He reached out to Bianca," Aren''t your arms tired? I can carry her.¡¯¡¯ Bianca subconsciously drew back. "It''s fine, I''m not tired." Luke could not help but smile as he looked at her as if she was fearful that someone would snatch her child away. He held his son''s hand and walked inside. The people at the front desk saw the four of theming in and instinctively marveled in their hearts. ''What a harmonious family of four! ''Isn¡¯t that pure-looking girl the lover of the gentleman? Are they actually married? ''They look like they''re married! ''Last time when this woman wanted to go up, I had to get our staff to beep her in! ''Maybe they''re not married! ''Does this mean that she''s the stepmother... ''This woman must have a hard life, taking in both of the gentleman''s children.¡¯ When Rainie woke up when she got out of the car, she was a little grumpy. When they arrived up at their door, Luke entered the password to unlock the door. nche stood behind Aunt Bea and looked up at his sister who was being held by Aunt Bea. He tried to make his sister happy and said, "Rainie, just now when you were sleeping, Aunt Bea agreed to have a sleepover at our ce tonight..." Before Rainie could react, the man who opened the door said something. Luke opened the door and stretched out his hand to wrap around the woman''s waist who was behind him. He motioned her to go in and looked back at his son with a frown. "You¡¯re not allowed to disturb Aunt Bea tonight. The two of you will sleep in your own rooms." "But-" nche thought he was going to share a bed with Aunt Bea, so his little face was unhappy. ''Why is Daddy stopping me?!'' "No buts," Luke said, entering the apartment. nche was angry outside the door. He was just a weak little kid and could never ovee big old Daddy. No matter how angry he was, Daddy was still the adult, and he was just a kid with no say in things. He tossed his shoes off. Then, nche went to the bathroom barefooted to pee. Luke took the clingy Rainie from Bianca so that Bianca could change into her slippers and rest for a while. However, Rainie grabbed Bianca''s cor with her small hands and when her daddy picked her up, Bianca''s shirt was unbuttoned before Rainie could retract her hands. Her bosoms were round and perky. They wobbled a little as if wishing toe out. "Let go of Aunt Bea''s clothes." Luke peeled off his daughter''s five little fingers. His gaze changed from deep to hot. He retracted his gaze away from the ce where he had recklessly yed with and fondled at the club previously. 3 Bianca blushed and adjusted her shirt. She turned around awkwardly and found herself a pair of slippers in the shoe rack. Chapter 158 Chapter 158 If The Children Were Happy, The Father Was Happy After changing into her slippers, Bianca took Rainie back from the man''s arms. ''Have you eaten dinner? Are you hungry?" Bianca was like a new mother doting on her child, afraid that her child might have a grumbling stomach. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. "I''ve eaten dinner. I''m not hungry," Rainie said like a good girl. The child sounded like a baby still and Bianca could not help but smile. Luke went to the balcony, lit a cigarette, and turned his head. Through the ss doors, he saw the interaction between the mother and daughter in the living room. Rainie had one of her eyes bandaged while the other eye was opened. As she looked at Aunt Bea, the child''s eyes seemed to be twinkling. It was obvious that the child was really happy. Luke watched them for a long while as his gaze grew deeper. In the living room. "Shall I... Give you a bath?" Bianca''s lips lingered on Rainie''s face as she took in the child''s baby smell, letting herself into the reality that Rainie was her own daughter. Rainie nodded. "Okay, I¡¯ll smell nice after a bath.¡± Bianca carried the child and went to the bathroom. nche packed up his backpack and his other things. He stood at the door of the bathroom like a good boy and told Bianca, "Aunt Bea, the innermost lever is the switch. The baby shower gel is in the white bottle..." He told her repeatedly until Aunt Bea remembered all of it. When the sound of water sshing in the shower was heard, nche continued to say responsibly, "Aunt Bea, if you need anything, just call me. I''m right outside." Bianca took off Rainie''s clothes and socks, setting them aside. When Bianca heard what Lanie said, she was very pleased. Even though the little guy grew up in a wealthy family like the Crawfords and was polluted by such a vtile father, he still ended up growing up into a responsible and cute boy. It was a rarity. "Got it... Thank you, my heart-warming little man," Bianca cupped Rainie''s face with both of her hands and said softly toward the outside of the bathroom. nche stood outside of the bathroom, leaning against the wall. He bowed his head shyly from being praised, tugging his fingers. Chirp, chirp, chirp... After smoking a cigarette, Luke returned to the living room from the balcony. No one was in the living room. As he walked toward the bedroom, Luke heard the sound of the showerheading from the bathroom. He looked down at his son standing at the door and saw the little guy looking at his fingers shyly. The father, who did not understand what was going on in the boy''s head, frowned and asked, "What''s this look on your face? Are you having cramps? "I... I was praised by Aunt Bea..." nche started to stammer when he spoke. After speaking, his face blushed even more. Luke could not understand him and was speechless. The sound of the phone vibrating came from the living room. When Luke looked over, he saw Bianca''s bag on the sofa. He looked at the closed bathroom door and walked toward the sofa. He took out the vibrating phone from her bag. When he saw that the caller ID was Xavier, he frowned. Without hesitation, he declined the call. Since Rainie hurt her eye, she was to avoid water from getting onto her wound. That was why showering was a little hard. Bianca held the showerhead over Rainie''s body and let water flow down. Rainie had always been envious of other children ying in the water with their mommies since she was a child. Now that she had Aunt Bea with her, she could not help being naughty. "Hehe!" Rainie''sughter came from the bathroom. "Ah! Stop it-" Bianca tried to stop the kid from making trouble, but her tone was very gentle and doting. After two or three minutes, the bathroom returned to its initial tranquility and the sshing sounds from the showerhead stopped. Rainie''s body smelled nicely of soap and her dusty hair was also washed clean. Bianca wiped her face dry with a soft towel. She did not get any water onto her injured left eye. When she wrapped the little princess''s wet hair in a bath towel and went out, Bianca lowered her head and asked, ''Does your eye hurt?" Rainie knew that the doctor told her it would be a little painful, but as long as she did not scratch or rub it with her hand, it would be fine. She would get another medicine tomorrow, and her eye would be fine in a few days. "As long as I have you, Aunt Bea, it doesn''t hurt anymore," Rainie''s small pouty pink mouth said. Bianca got out of the bathroom and liked how she felt needed by Rainie. She carefully wiped Rainie''s hair until it was half-dry. At a bar at night. Xavier walked all the way from the bar to the back door of the bar. After he went out from the back door, he reached a dark alley with doors on both sides. That bar belonged to Xavier''spany many years ago. "Boss." The waiter passed by, nodded politely at Xavier, and nced at the woman following his boss. He did not dare to say anything else. He nodded and hurried away to serve the guests. Xavier was still calling Bianca''s phone. In the beginning, it said, "The number you have dialed isn¡¯t answering." After a while, it became, "Sorry, the number you have dialed is unavable." The phone tones were easy to interpret. In the beginning, Bianca was not answering the calls and let the phone rang. Later, Bianca either went to a ce with a bad signal and could not connect or she had blocked his phone number, which caused him to be unable to reach her. Xavier''s unhappiness was written all over his face. Marie, who had been following behind Xavier, looked very pitiful with tears in her eyes. She was merely wishing for his love. Xavier went to the alley. Marie continued to follow him. Since her admittance to the hospital to recover, she had thought things out. Since her physical conditions would not allow her to marry a rich man and give birth to his children, the only thing left for her to do was leech money off the man. The more the better. Halfway through the alley, Xavier turned his head and looked at Marie with contempt. "Why are you following me?" Marie pursed her mouth and said nothing. Xavier was upset and wondered where Bianca had gone. 1 She was still his wife. If she went somewhere and did not tell her husband, it seemed that she was in for a punishment. "Stop right there..." Marie called out toward the man who turned and left. Xavier turned around, looked at her, then walked toward her. He dismissed her as if she was a prostitute. He took out a wad of money from his wallet and threw them at her face. ''Take this money and get lost." "I won''t go. I¡¯m this way because of you. Don''t you have any sympathy?¡± Marie did not know if ying the sympathy card with such a man would work, but it was the only thing left she could do. As she said that, she wrapped her hands around the man¡¯s strong waist. Xavier''s money fell to the ground. He looked down at the woman clinging to him with contempt. He chuckled and grabbed her neck with his big hands and pressed her against the alley wall. Marie¡¯s forehead was rubbed against the wall and she did not know whether her skin was chaffed. ''You couldn''t wait to be f*cked after your kid died from being f*cked too hard?¡± Xavier acted like her abuser, tearing off her gaudy and colorful clothes before going straight in! "Uhh... Aah..." The pain Marie felt caused her to sweat all over her forehead while her newly manicured shiny nails dug into the rough surface of the wall. It was an unbearable pain! Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Sharing The Same Bed with Luke! After a long time, Marie felt as if she was going to die from the pain. It was just a casual hookup, but Xavier was as aggressive as someone who had taken Viagra. "No... It hurts... It hurts..." Marie regretted it and thought she was going to die there and then. "What¡¯s wrong? Isn¡¯t this what you want?" Xavier did not stop venting out on her. He thought the woman never meant what she said and deserved to be punished! Marie struggled weakly and shook her head. "I don''t want it, I don''t want it anymore..." No one was in the alley because the bar staff saw the boss going into the alley with a woman. They decided it was better not to bother him. In case the two of them were... Marie felt a hot pain on her body as if she was being torn apart. She copsed onto the granite pavement in the alley and curled up in a ball. The banknotes on the ground were very eye-catching. The tears on her eyshes dried up and her cheap makeup was smeared on her wet face. She pulled her broken nails away from the wall. Her hands were shaking as she picked up the money on the ground one bill by one bill. After an hour. Marie took a taxi back home. When she took her key out to open the door, the door was opened from the inside. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. "Where the hell did you go? Why are you only home now?" Jennifer stood at the door and shouted, "You¡¯re pregnant and walking around the street in the middle of the night? Are you trying to kill the baby?! If the Langdons find out, how are you going to exin yourself?" Marie looked at her mother who suddenly appeared. She had an awful look on her face. "I thought you were dead." Jennifer choked, then shouted, "You stupid girl! Is that the way you talk to your mother? What made you think I''m dead?" "If you weren¡¯t dead, why didn''t you contact me?¡± Marie put down her key and her bag. She took off her shoes and went into the house. "I''m hungry. Make a bowl of noodles for me." Jennifer looked at the high heels at the entrance. She was surprised. "Why the hell are you wearing such high heels when you''re pregnant-" "The baby¡¯s gone. I had a miscarriage and I might never get pregnant ever again for the rest of my life!" Marie went into the bathroom, undressed herself, and told Jennifer in detail about how she got her miscarriage. She vented, cursing while she talked. Jennifer was shocked at first but then became sad. Jennifer knew her daughter best. She still remembered her daughter getting an abortion for the first time when she was just 14. "Why would you hook up with someone while you were pregnant with Jean¡¯s baby? Did you really think that you were going to get that second- generation rich guy? You''re too naive! Now that you''ve lost the ability to get pregnant, what are you going to do in the future?! Tell me! Am I supposed to support you for the rest of my life?" Marie wanted to take off her underwear, but both her legs hurt every time she moved. She tried her best to shut her eyes and allow herself to faint. After she got home, she just wanted to take a good rest. However, before she could sit down, she found that she was bleeding down there. "Mom... I''m bleeding..." Marie said in horror. Her eyes were bloodshot. "What?" Jennifer wanted to continue scolding her, but when she heard her daughter''s words, she hurriedly opened the bathroom door and went in. "What the hell did you do?!" Jennifer was going crazy. Marie started crying out of fear and told her about what happened in the alley just now. "I... I thought he would be responsible. I didn''t know that he''s so violent. He... He¡¯s very rich and handsome..." Jennifer quickly grabbed her cell phone and dialed 911. "Okay, hurry up." Jennifer trembled as she spoke to the dispatcher. After she ended the call, she turned around and threw the phone onto the ground before scolding Marie, "Have you lost all your will to live because of a guy? Can¡¯t you fight for yourself?" "What do you want me to do? Do you want me to kill myself?!" Marie was furious after being scolded. She sneered, "Aren''t you the same? You can¡¯t live without a man too! Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that you''ve been hooking up with people¡¯s husbands when you were in the Raynes'' old house and got beaten up." Jennifer did not expect her daughter to know about it. "Even though I¡¯ll always be your daughter, at least I''m better off than you. The men I''m with are richer and more handsome than your men. Unlike you when any country bumpkin can satisfy you!" Marie vented all of her recent pent up anger on her mother. The other side of the city. nche came to Rainie after he took a shower. He patted his sister''s dry hair and said, "I¡¯m going to bed. You''ve been a good girl." "Okay." Rainie was very well-behaved that day. nche looked up at the adult and asked shyly, "Aunt Bea, when I... When I wake up tomorrow morning, you won''t have sneaked away, will you?" Bianca felt a scorching gaze staring at her. Without looking up, she knew it was Luke standing behind her. She would want to stay longer with the children. With Luke''s permission, of course. If Luke did not allow it, she would only be able to visit the children secretly for the time being. After all, the children were about to start elementary school. "I won¡¯t." Bianca patted nche''s head. "Good night, Aunt Bea. Bye!" nche kissed Aunt Bea before running back to his bedroom to sleep. Rainie swung Aunt Bea''s arm like a baby, insisting on sharing a bed with her. Regardless of her daddy''s consent, Aunt Bea agreed. Luke said, "Rainie''s bed is too small. You guys will sleep in my room tonight." i Bianca had no objection because she saw that Rainie''s bed was indeed too small. It could only sleep a child and not an adult. Luke found a shirt and a pair of pants for her. "You can change into these after your shower." "Thank you." When Bianca took the clothes, she was grateful to him for lending her clothes to wear. She was even more grateful that he allowed her to share a bed with Rainie and was willing to give up his big bed for them while he was going to sleep in his daughter''s bed. ''Luke¡¯s tall and has long legs. If he sleeps in a child''s bed, it¡¯d be ufortable because he won¡¯t be able to stretch out his arms or legs...¡¯ Bianca thought. After she took a shower, her hair was only half-dry. Bianca saw that it was gettingte, so she decided to divide all the children¡¯s and adults'' clothes into different baskets. She washed the light-colored clothes first, then the dark-colored clothes. Finally, she put them in the dryer to dry them. After she hung them up in the living room, the man stood behind her without saying a word. Bianca felt the scorching gaze behind her and she tidied up the clothes with her head lowered. She said, "I''ll steam your clothes when I get up tomorrow morning." Luke said in a deep voice, "It¡¯s fine. You should sleep earlier.¡¯¡¯ Bianca took her fingers away from his shirt and said, "You too... Good night. Luke watched her going into his room. The man''s shirt and pants when worn on her body looked loose. When contrasted with her slender and pale neck, she looked especially beautiful. Bianca walked into the man''s bedroom and closed the door. When she went to bed, she found that Rainie was not asleep yet. Rainie tried to hold onto being awake but was almost half-asleep. She buried herself into her arms and said cutely, "Aunt Bea, you''re back." Bianca held Rainie and let the child bury into her chest like a baby. However, at that moment, the bedroom door opened. Luke walked in wearing a dark-colored night robe. His body looked sexy and strong as he turned off the lights after walking in. He walked straight to the other side of the big bed that was near the windows. He lifted the nket and got into bed. Bianca, Chapter 160 Chapter 160 Luke, You''ll Wake Up The Kids If You Continue This Way... Rainie fell asleep in a daze and was almost unconscious. Her little meaty hand happily wrapped around Aunt Bea''s neck. She buried herself more in Aunt Bea''s chest with content. She pouted her little mouth and said, "Aunt Bea, you smell so nice..." Luke, who was lying on the other side of the big bed, In the spacious and luxuriously decorated bedroom, only two dimly lit wallmps were turned on above the bed. That was why the rest of the bedroom was covered in darkness except for around the big bed. Bianca gently patted Rainie''s hair with her hand, trying to let the child fall asleep faster. Rainie''s strength surpassed her imagination as a mother. She did not cry or make trouble and fell asleep like a good girl. "Aunt Bea, I want to touch your boobies." Rainie closed her eyes, and her little fleshy hands fumbled down. Bianca knew that it was normal for a five-year-old child to want to hold their mother''s breasts to sleep... However, there was still a man in the big bed. She could not help but be embarrassed. After struggling with the thought, Bianca looked down at Rainie in her arms and decided not to reject the child.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. After more than five years of separation, the daughter was making such a simple request to her mother. She could not refuse her daughter''s request. "Okay. Go to sleep after you touch them, okay? I¡¯ll cook you a delicious breakfast tomorrow morning." Bianca grabbed the child''s little fleshy hands and stuck them under her shirt. After she touched what she wanted to touch, Rainie rubbed herself on the adult''s arm like a happy child sleeping in her mother''s arms. The scene looked like it was from the cartoons, and the child finally fell asleep sweetly. Luke, whoy on the other side of the big bed without being able to fall asleep,"..." Bianca, who took good care of her daughter, did not change her position while shey on the bed. She slept on her side and did not move for fear of awakening her sleeping daughter. As dawn fell, Bianca fell asleep in a daze. Even though she was asleep, her subconscious still remembered that her daughter was in her arms. She was afraid that she might crush the kid. As she slept, she vaguely felt her daughter¡¯s little fleshy hands that were holding her breasts being taken away. There was a damp feeling at the spot where her daughter''s fleshy hands had covered. In her sleep, Bianca reached out to hug her daughter who was sleeping next to her. She wanted to let her daughter know that she was still there. However, when she reached her hand over, she did not feel her daughter. After reaching out and feeling around again, it was still empty. The only thing she felt was the silk bed sheet. Bianca seemed to have had a nightmare and suddenly woke up! After opening her eyes, Bianca sat up. Her mouth was slightly ajar as she looked around, her brows furrowing slightly. There was no one in the huge bedroom. The wallmp was on and there were traces of a child lying on the bed in the dim light. However, the child was gone. After she woke up for around ten seconds, Bianca got out of bed, put on slippers, and was about to get out of the bedroom. At that moment, she reached the door and happened to see a man walking out of the child''s bedroom. Luke gently closed the door of his daughter''s room and was about to return to his room. The two of them met eyes and Bianca stood there as she asked him," Why... Why*d you take the child away?" Bianca''s skin after waking up was like a peeled hard-boiled egg-White and smooth with a particrly delicious luster. The pants she wore on her lower body and the men''s shirt she wore on her upper body were all wrinkled because slept in them. However, the wrinkles on her clothes seemed to have molded beautifully to her body as if they were part of her. ''Your sleeping posture was not that good and you were pressing onto Rainie." Luke took his gaze away from her, walked past her, and entered the bedroom. ''What?'' Bianca frowned. Her sleeping posture was not good? ''Seriously?!'' Bianca turned around and followed him. "My sleeping posture has always been fine. When I was young, Grandpa told me that. When I was older, my ssmates always told me that as well as anyone who had ever shared a room with me. Mmpff-¡± While the man held up her cheek, her chattering little mouth was kissed hard by him! Bianca stood on tiptoe instinctively to match his height. After she realized what he was doing, Bianca waspletely awake and pushed his hard chest. "Aah... Uff..." Luke pushed his luck and held her cheeks with his two big hands. When he reached the back of her head, he stroked her soft and airy hair. The nice smell from the woman''s hair slowly wafted up. It went into his nasal cavity, then his heart and lungs, slowly melting into his bloodstream. The painful numbness in such a blurry night seeped into every inch of the woman''s skin through the thin calluses on the man''s fingers. "No, I beg you... Please don''t..." The man¡¯s lips finally left her lips, allowing her to speak. The next moment, however, she was overwhelmed by the man''s tempestuous kiss. The man attacked her cheeks, her flickering eyshes, her lips, nose, and chin with his wet kisses. "No, aah..." Bianca lowered her head in horror and watched her shirt being unbuttoned. The loose men''s shirt dropped off her shoulders instantly by the man''s big hand. Her bra was unsped from the back. Then, her bra''s straps hung loosely on her thin pale arms. The shirt fell onto the ground as the man leaned his entire body onto her, burying his head in the ce where his daughter had slept before. He opened his mouth... Bianca''s body tightened up. It was as if she had an out of body experience. Luke picked her up in one go and put her on the bed while he took off therge men¡¯s pants that she was wearing. "Luke, you¡¯ll wake up the kids if you continue this way-¡± Bianca struggled and pushed him away with her hands, kicking him with her feet. 1 Luke pressed her onto her and opened up his night robe condescendingly. "You..." Bianca was rendered speechless as her eyes widened. ''He only wore a night robe to bed.'' Bianca shook her body when his big hand gripped her unbearably tiny waist which made creaking sounds from the bed. Her body also trembled with the shaking. The door of the small bedroom opened. nche, who had woken up to pee, heard movementsing from the room, so he went and knocked on the door. After he knocked, he opened the door. "Daddy? Aunt Bea? What are you guys doing?" The little guy stood in the doorway of the adult''s bedroom and with sleepy eyes, stared at Daddy and Aunt Bea who had not fallen asleep. Bianca had a nket wrapped around her body and was still panting when she said casually, "I... I saw a big rat.¡± "A big rat?¡± nche was starting to get more awake. ''There¡¯s a big rat in Daddy''s room!¡¯ Bianca''s face was as red as cooked shrimp. "How big is the rat? Is it a rat spirit?" nche asked with eyes wide open. Bianca did not know what to say. Luke stood beside the bed and tied up his night robe. When he looked back at his son, he frowned and said, "It''s none of your business how big the rat is. Go back to sleep." "Daddy, you didn¡¯t let me rear a big rat but now that there¡¯s one in the house, can we keep it if we find it? It came to our house, after all." nche, who had been wanting a hamster, said while he shushed them. "The big rat wants to y with Aunt Bea," Luke said sternly. "The big rat might scare Aunt Bea-" nche said but was thrown back into his room by his daddy. On the bed in the bedroom, the steaming warmth gradually spread across Bianca''s body. When she thought about the hideous big rat on a certain man''s body, she could not help but tremble. Chapter 161 Chapter 161 Bianca Doing The Duties Of Luke''s Wife As Luke walked back to his bedroom, he happened to see Biancaing out of the bedroom with a nket and pillow in her hand. When their eyes met, Bianca immediately dodged his gaze and lowered her head, grasping the nket in her arms with her fingers. Luke frowned and looked at her without speaking. After a while, Bianca said, ''Til sleep on the sofa." She was about to pass by the man to walk toward the living room, but the nket and pillow that she was holding in her hands were taken away by the man. Bianca looked at him. However, she saw the back of the man leaving. Under the dark-colored night robe, the man¡¯s back was straight and his arms were broad. No matter how she looked, he had a perfect body. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. She saw Luke spreading out the nket impatiently before throwing the pillow from his hand. Hey his body on it before it wasid out nicely. Bianca took a small step forward. As a woman, she was a little OCD and could not help but want to straighten the nket out for him. In the end, however, she held the urge back. Rainie''s bedroom was not far from the master bedroom, so Bianca walked toward her room. She pushed open Rainie''s bedroom and the light from outside the room slowly shone in so that Rainie would not be awakened by the bright light. When she saw that Rainie was sleeping soundly, Bianca felt relieved. Bianca gently removed Rainie''s little fleshy hand from her face and tucked it under her nket before turning around. She then went to Lanie''s room. Lanie also looked like he was sleeping well, but his sleeping position was not as proper as the girl¡¯s. Bianca lowered her head and kissed her son''s forehead very carefully. She looked at her son''s baby- like face and felt that her son''s sleeping position looked like a certain man¡¯s who was outside... She could not help but sigh at the power of gic inheritance. Chapter 162 She slept well the entire night. Early the next morning, Bianca was the first to wake up. Even though the apartment was located in the most bustling part of the city center, the windows of the apartment were able to provide excellent soundproofing when they were closed-Regardless of how busy or noisy it was outside. In the morning, the apartment was quiet. Bianca went to see the two children first. Rainie was sucking on her finger and sleeping soundly. Lanie had kicked the nket off the bed but was also sleeping soundly. Bianca covered him with the nket again. As for a certain man sleeping on the sofa in the living room, the nket had fallen onto the ground for a long time. Bianca could not help but think that since she upied the man of the house''s big bed and caused him to sleep on the sofa, it was okay to help him with his nket. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. She walked over, picked up the nket on the ground, and covered the man gently. Lukey on the sofa with his brows furrowed as he slept while his angr face was tight and serious. Covering an adult man with a nket, especially a man who was about 1.9 meters tall, was different from covering a five-year-old child with a nket. After she covered his upper body, Bianca took the nket edge that had fallen onto the ground. When she put the nket on his lower body, it was inevitable that she saw his thighs that were not covered by his night robe. They looked strong and powerful without too much hair. It was a sight that would make a woman''s heart pound if they saw it. After covering the whole family with nkets, Bianca tried to calm her beating heart by washing up. It was still early and people would usually sleep for one more hour, but her circadian rhythm woke her up at that hour every day. After washing up without making much noise, Bianca took off the men''s shirt and pants to put on the clothes that had been washed and driedst night. The air was too quiet. Since she was alone in the empty bathroom, her mind could not help but wonder. For some reason, scenes fromst night made her blush and quickened her heartbeat. Especially when Luke took off her shirt, buried himself in the ce where Rainie had slept, and opened his mouth. The man''s hot breath, his wet lips... His panting voice... Knock, knock, knock. Someone knocked on the door. Chapter 163 ''Who is it?" Bianca''s subconscious reaction was to be flustered as if she was fantasizing about some unspeakable images and was caught. She blushed as her heartbeat quickened. When she opened the bathroom door, it was Luke who was standing outside. Bianca stepped away and said, "I''ll go out to let you wash up." Luke walked into the bathroom and said to her without looking back when she went out, "Steam a shirt and find another pair of pants for me. Thank you." "Okay." She nodded and agreed, then closed the bathroom door. She was not used to his sudden politeness. A stark white men''s shirt was hung on the hanger in the living room. Bianca found the steamer, looked at the operating function, and skillfully steamed his shirt. After steaming the shirt, Bianca went to find a pair of men''s trousers. Luke''s dressing room wasrge and almost as big as the two-bedroom and one-living room ce she rented. All of his pants were steamed and in two neat rows with hundreds of them in various colors. Bianca took out a pair of light gray cks which should look good with his white shirt. In Bianca''s eyes, Luke had a typical male model figure-strong and sexy like a natural walking hanger. The children were not awake yet. Luke finished washing up, walked out, and went to their bedroom to wake up the two young ones. After helping the adult wash up and get dressed, Bianca went to check on the two younger ones. After half an hour, the adult and the two small ones were all dressed. Bianca had also made a simple breakfast. Breakfast''s ready," Bianca said embarrassedly. She used to say that to Nina, Grandpa, and her housemates in her dorm while she was overseas. Now, it was Luke and the two children. Sure, the children were her biological kids too, but they were not an actual family, so it was a bit embarrassing to say that. Luke picked up his baby-like daughter while still looking serious and said, ¡¯ Go have breakfast first. I haven''t buckled my belt yet.¡± "Ask Mommy to buckle it for you...¡¯ Rainie whispered. The apartment was very quiet. Except for the man''s maic voice that just spoke, only Rainie''s sweet voice was heard. Bianca naturally heard it too. After nche put on the baby cream, he looked up and said, "Our teacher asked us about how Mommy and Daddy''s rtionship should be. When we didn''t know how to answer, the teacher gave us an example. She asked,'' does Daddy take care of Mommy when they cross the road? Does Mommy tie Daddy''s necktie or buckle his belt?"'' It seemed that it was because Rainie remembered what the teacher said, so she suddenly asked Mommy to buckle Daddy¡¯s belt. Luke looked up at Bianca. ¡¯I..." Bianca did not think that it was appropriate. She was Rainie''s biological mother, yes, but not Luke''s wife. nche thought that Aunt Bea could not find the belt so he quickly ran to the dressing room, pulled out a drawer, took out one of the countless belts, ran out, and handed it to Bianca. When Bianca held the belt in her hand, it was as if she had burned her fingers. Under the expectant gaze of the two children, she lowered her head and walked toward the man standing in the morning light. She did not dare to look at him. She was like a wife taking care of her husband who was about to go out. She carefully put the belt in the loops and adjusted it... N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ''What''s the matter?" Luke lowered his head and stared deeply at the busy woman around his waist. He realized that her white cheeks were flushed red. Her shy demeanor around the kids and her moving around him caused the fiery desire in his body to come out from its hiding. Chapter 164 Chapter 164 His Words... Make Her Ears Hot ¡¯I, I don''t know how to..." Bianca fumbled around the belt and tried to pinch the metal buckle on the belt. She wanted to carefully study how the metal buckle worked, but... When she faced such a male body, Bianca could not help but think of the ferocious big rat under the man''s night robest night. The heat from her cheeks was about to boil her face off. Her dry lips said she did not know how to before she gave up. She went into the kitchen to hide. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. As she stood in the kitchen, her back pressed against the cool wall of the kitchen as if this would relieve the warmth on her face. Bianca was angry with herself for not being strong enough. Even if a man was handsome, she should be immune to his looks by now, so howe every time she saw Luke''s body, her face still blushed and her heartbeat still quickened? She thought perhaps that she was bewitched. Luke buckled his belt himself. Instead of being angry, he was quite happy. Did that mean that Bianca had never helped a man buckle his belt? Perhaps she had only ever done it for him. Luke went to the kitchen and stood in front of her. 1 Bianca just raised her head and nced at his tough brow bone before instinctively lowering her head. She did not dare to look up again. Luke was not sure how shy girls were. Were they the same as men, putting everything out at night? For example, he would take it down a few notches during the day. 2 Luke looked at her and said frankly, "I''m sorry about what happenedst night. I thought you were hinting at me by staying." The man''s voice was particrly deep and mellow, and his words... Made her ears hot. 1 Bianca was also a young adult. She was only 24 years old. Among her ssmates, 24-year-old girls from good families were still treated like a little princess. During her free time when she was studying, she would also surf the inte. ording to legends, men with good-sounding voices could make a person pregnant after hearing it. Bianca felt that Luke''s voice was able to do so. Regarding whether she was hinting at himst night, after considering it for a long time, Bianca felt that she should make it clear. She raised her head and looked at him. "It''s my fault for giving you that idea. Me staying backst night was... Was not a hint." She chose to sleep in his big bed because she thought Luke was going to sleep in Rainie''s small bed. The sound of spoons clinking on bowls came from the dining room. The two little babies had sat down and started eating their breakfast. "I understand. Let''s have our breakfast first." Luke did not say anything else. He raised his eyebrows and looked at the woman who looked serious. Then, he led her out of the kitchen. On the dining table, there were slices of toasts and a cup of hot coffee in front of Luke''s ce. A newspaper was also ced on the table. "Aunt Bea, my shoes are broken..." Rainie looked up with one eye bandaged and the other eye opened. She looked funny and pitiful. nche said, "Ask Aunt Bea to take you to buy a new one, okay? Daddy''s too busy and he''s going to his office to work." Bianca heard what nche said and nodded. "Okay, I''ll bring you to buy new shoes." nche happily put three slices of bread together and squeezed them to eat. While he ate, he told Aunt Bea how busy Daddy was. Last time, when his sister and he went to buy shoes, Great-grandpa was the one who always took them, but he always chose old-fashioned shoes! Great-grandpa always picked old tree bark colors. Wearing those made them feel like they were going to join the army to march or fight in a war! Other times when Grandma brought them to shop for shoes, Grandma would always be very busy and on the phone. From time to time, she would even lose them. Later on, their nanny and driver were the ones who brought them shopping. That arrangement was actually alright. The nanny and driver never cared about the styles of shoes and clothes they bought. His sister and he were able to choose whatever they liked. However, it did not feel as good overtime. The other children were brought by their parents to go shopping together. After listening to the two little guys, Bianca felt distressed. She could not help but raise her eyes to look at the man on the other side of the table who had been quiet the entire time. ''Was this how he acted as a dad to the kids during the past five years?¡¯ Strictly speaking, such a father was ipetent. However, Bianca regained her senses and thought, ¡®Luke has always been a cold person, and the reason he had kids was to get on the good side of his family.¡¯ The children were just a bargaining chip he used to seize power, and he probably did not have deep feelings for his children. A father like him usually did not have the time and energy to apany his children, so that was no surprise there. At the end of the table, Luke, who was focused on the newspaper in his hand, asionally took a sip from the cup of hot coffee. He listened to the conversation between the children and Bianca. Then, he got up and said," After shopping, let''s watch this y.¡¯* Bianca and the two children looked at the dad. Daddy simply put down the newspaper, got up, and left the dining room. When the newspaper was ced on the table, Luke¡¯s finger had clearly pointed on a spot where there was an advertisement. The advertisement stated a time that afternoon. A certain y would be shown in a certain theater in A City. "Oh yeah! I wanted to watch this y!¡± nche saw the name of the y and showed a strong desire to watch it. Bianca initially wanted to reject Luke''s arrangement, but Lanie looked like he was very eager for it... The family finally finished their breakfast. Bianca cleaned up, washed the dishes, and hid in the bedroom to call Sue before going out. "Sorry, I have to apply for leave again today..." Even though she always applied for leave during the day, she always stayed upte at night to finish the tasks assigned by the team. It was just that she would always miss the meetings during the day which was not good. However, she was really worried about the unqualified dad taking care of Rainie and her injured eye. Sue said, "The head of our department came to ask me about you just now. She wondered what luck befell on you that the boss never gets angry at you for applying for so many leaves, especially on critical days like these. The boss also ordered the project to be shelved first and to go to the site after a few days before deciding about what to do." That meant that even if she went to work on those days, she would have nothing to do. After the relevant personnel in charge of this project returned from a field trip to the town, they would make further ns. Meanwhile, the other projects Sue and others were working on were in the final stages. Since Bianca was new, she would not be able to work much on them. It was much toote to learn about all the details of the projects as well. By the time she finished learning about the details, the project would have been finished by then. After breakfast, they went out. The two children sat in the back seat of the car. Since specially customized child safety seats were installed, there was no ce for Bianca to sit. Bianca had no choice but to sit in the passenger seat. Rainie''s shoes were damaged by the neighbor''s child, so she was in need of a new pair to be happy again. Luke drove straight to the shopping center two blocks away. After he parked the car in the basement, Luke picked up his daughter while Bianca took Lanie''s hand as they went into the shopping center together. Lanie knew exactly where the shoe shop was. The salesgirl was very beautiful and said sweetly, "Little cutie, do you want to wear parent-child matching shoes with your mommy and daddy? Our new style just came in!" Chapter 165 The Adult And The Two Kids, Were His Family ¡¯What are parent-child matching shoes?" Rainie asked the salesgirl sweetly. "Wait a minute, I''ll show them to the little cutie." The beautiful young salesgirl disappeared. When she came back, she had four boxes of shoes in her hands. In order to sell the shoes, the salesgirl worked hard to promote them. They were four pairs of identical white sneakers. They were simple, clean, wide, and had a red brand logo behind the shoes. The young salesgirl ced them on the floor for the kids and the adults. ¡¯ This pair is for your daddy, this pair is for your mommy, and this is yours, while this pair is for your brother. The whole family will be wearing matching shoes. Look how nice it is." Rainie understood what the young salesgirl meant. She turned around to look at Aunt Bea and her brother. She muttered quietly, "A pair for Daddy, a pair for me, a pair for Aunt Bea, and a pair for Lanie." "If we walk on the street this way, others will know that we''re a family, right? nche asked nkly as he looked at a huge advertisement on the wall in the distance. Bianca lowered her head and covered her faintly painful forehead with her hand as she looked at the wall advertisement in the store. The matching shoes seemed to be the gship product of the brand that season and were advertised everywhere. On the wall advertisement in the store, there was a picture of a celebrity and his family. In the advertisement, the family was hiking and everyone wore the same shoes with the same clothes and the same baseball caps. First of all, a pair of that brand''s shoes cost thousands of dors which were too extravagant for her. Secondly, she was not yet the legal mother of the children. Even if she wanted to wear parent-child matching shoes with the children, it was not the right time to do so. The salesgirl was still trying to sell the products to them. It was obvious that the kids¡¯ dad was rich and bought things based on preference and not price. Getting the child on board was equivalent to reaching into the child''s father''s wallet. Yes, that was right. Luke was just sitting by the side and did not care about what shoes they picked. He had a straight face and looked like a cold benefactor who was only responsible for paying with his credit card. Every line of work was hard work. Bianca knew well why the salesgirl was pushing it hard. However, when Bianca tried to open her mouth to tell the salesgirl that she was not their mother, the words would note out. It was because Lanie and Rainie were indeed their biological children. Nothing could change that fact... Rainie fell in love with the parent-child shoes and looked at her brother with one of her eyes. 1 nche walked over and whispered to his sister, "Go and tell Daddy. Since you''ve hurt your eye, Daddy will listen to you." ''Okay, Lanie." Rainie ran toward the sofa anxiously. Luke sat on the leather sofa in the store with his legs folded. There was a ss of water that was poured by the salesperson on the low table beside him. "Daddy..." Rainie ran over with one of her eyes wide open and clung to her dad. Her two small meaty hands pulled away from the financial magazine from herdaddy''s hand. Luke did not pay any attention to the sales staff and the children from the moment they stepped foot into the shop. After his daughter came over, he got up, picked up his daughter, and asked, "Have you chosen one? I¡¯ll go and pay for it.¡± The adult and the little girl went toward the shoe disy. It was only at that moment when the salesgirl saw the man''s face up close. The man exuded a mature and stable aura. He had a very serious expression on his face, but the way he held his daughter was very loving. The salesperson could not help but take a few more looks at him. For some reason, the man... Looked a lot like the person on the cover of thetest issue of Finance Magazine... "Daddy, can we wear parent-child shoes?" After Rainie said that, she was afraid that Daddy would refuse, so she buried her little face in her daddy''s shoulder, ready to cry. "Sir, these four pairs of shoes are thetest..." The salesperson exined everything. Luke understood the concept and meaning of parent-child shoes. There were four pairs on the ground, including his and Bianca''s. Bianca felt Luke''s gaze, so she looked at him too. When their eyes met, Bianca shook her head and wanted him to refuse the child''s request. 20 minutester. Luke put the four shopping bags in his hand into the car. The moment he closed the car door and turned around, the man''s sharp gaze swept across a view of white colors. Bianca, Rainie, and Lanie were wearing identical shoes. Luke could not help but smile inside. Behind him were two children and their mother. Anyone who saw them would know that the three of them, the adult and the two kids, were his family. It was because he also wore the same pair of white sneakers. Luke remembered that he only wore these kinds of shoes in middle and high school. After he joined the business world, his indifferent and serious everyday ensemble consisted of suits, button-up shirts, and leather shoes. At ten o''clock, Jason sent the ticket collection verification code for the y. The y started at 2:40 in the afternoon. There would be enough time to have lunch before it started, but it was still too early for lunch. Lanie waited in the parking lot and secretly told Bianca that he wanted to go to the yground. The responsibility for persuading Daddy was pushed to Bianca by the two little kids. Luke saw Bianca walking toward him. When she was in front of him, she said, "Lanie and Rainie want to go to the yground. Is that okay?" ''Are you upset about something?" Luke asked the woman inContent rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. front of him as his brows furrowed. She was only upset about wearing parent-child shoes. "If I openly wear the same shoes as the three of you out on the streets, I''m worried that people will start writing articles if we get our pictures taken," Bianca said. A few days ago, the tabloids were full of news about him carrying his children out for breakfast. Every single woman in the city would take advantage of that as well as post videos about who would marry a man like him. Luke frowned. "What article? Are you worried about the media giving you the title of my lover or are you worried about being known that you¡¯re the mother of my two children?" Bianca wanted to say both. Luke locked the car and looked at the same shoes the two of them were wearing. Suddenly, he was like a man who just started dating as waves of jealousy flooded over him. "Or are you worried about being seen by the man on your marriage certificate?" Whenever it was about Bianca, his lust would fill his stomach while anger filled his head. "I didn''t..." Bianca shook her head immediately. Luke seemed to be satisfied with the answer. He lit a cigarette, lowered his head, and said, "Good. Wear these shoes all the time. If you ever take them off, don¡¯t even think about seeing the kids.¡± Bianca was speechless. After apanying the children to the yground, Bianca went to the hospital before lunch. At the same time. Xavier, who just drove out of the hospital 20 minutes ago, received a call from his mother. "Xavier, do you remember that you promised to apany us to watch a movie or a y? I bought three tickets for the y and the show starts at 2: 40 in the afternoon. Can youe and pick us up?" Since the quarrel between the father and the son still made it awkward between them, Mrs. Tanner decided to take the opportunity to ease the rtionship between them. Chapter 166 Chapter 166 A Good Husband Xavier did not reject his mother. He really did need a chance to resolve the conflict with his dad. Compared with his father, Xavier thought that he needed to be the bigger person and step down. The truth was that his father had never gotten angry with him as an unfilial son for long. Every time it happened, he was only angry on the surface, but in less than ten minutes, he would soften up. His promise to apany his parents to watch a y or movie happened more than five years ago when he was in prison. At that time, when his parents visited him at the prison, he was always brought out by the prison guards while dressed in his prison clothes and in handcuffs. After sitting down, Xavier saw that his parents looked as if they had aged a decade. He stammered and opened his mouth, but no words came out. He never spoke much with his parents. At that time, he heard his mother cry across the thick ss. She said, "Son, don''t be sad while you''re inside... In the future, be a better person and don''t break thew willfully anymore. Mom and Dad still love you. When you''re released, heed our advice. Get married and have children. Our family will be reunited, and we''ll live peacefully and have a good life..." His mother said a lot that day. It was mixed with crying, so he could only understand her vaguely. However, he clearly remembered that his mother said, "If you ever feel sorry for your father and me, then you can make it up to US after you''re released... We don''t need you to have any great achievements, just apany US to the movies or y. We''d be content..." When Xavier listened to those words back then, he was motionless like a person without emotions or soul outside. However, he was surprised that his parents'' expectations for him were so low. It turned out being filial to his parents was as simple as that. All he needed to do was apany them to a y or a movie. For such a simple thing, he had never done it for his parents in the 20 years before he went to prison. Today, Xavier drove on the street and was a free man out of prison. When his mother called and told him that she had bought three tickets for the y, it reminded him of the scene five years ago. His memories slowly reminded him that it was time for him to fulfill his promise. When she went to the hospital to visit Grandpa, Bianca did not let Luke and his children enter the ward. After all, she told Grandpa that they were not a good fit. If they appeared together again so quickly after that, she would not know what to say. After serving lunch to Grandpa, Bianca left first because she had something else to do. Before she left, she picked up herptop that she left in the hospital after getting off work yesterday. In case Sue had a task for her, it would be more convenient if she had herptop with her. After lunch, Grandpa strolled around the ward and waved at Bianca, signaling that she should go about her business. When Bianca walked out of the hospital, she saw the ck Range Rover parked in front of the hospital. When she walked to the car, Luke, who had been smoking a cigarette from somewhere, also came over. The man took herptop with one hand and opened the car door with the other to let her get in the car. ¡¯What should we eat?" Before she could thank him, the man asked. Bianca looked back at him. "Let Lanie and Rainie decide." Luke nodded withoutmenting and immersed himself in the role of a good husband. No matter what, he would let the children and the children''s mother have the final say. After getting in the car, Luke was only responsible for driving. Bianca searched for a lot of restaurants on her phone and let Lanie and Rainie pick from the back seat. Lanie put down the game console in his hand, put it aside, and took Aunt Bea''s phone to decide with his sister. With one eye open, his sister looked at the phone screen. Her thick and dark eyshes flickered. "Have you chosen?" Bianca turned around and asked them. Lanie stared at the phone screen and was having difficulty deciding. "Not yet." "Take your time. We''re not in a hurry." Bianca thought that since she had already applied for leave for that day, she should just spend the whole day focusing on the two children. Just when Lanie and Rainie were deciding, two text messages appeared on Bianca¡¯s phone screen. Nina''s first text said, ''My mom came to the office and I just sent her away five minutes ago. Good thing you didn''te to the office. Otherwise, she would''ve pulled you into it. My mom''s too terrifying. This olddy thinks that everything is someone else''s fault and never reflected." In the second message, Nina typed and said, ''My mom consulted awyer. Apparently, my brother may have to be sentenced for more than a year. Sigh. ''Why is it that I don''t feel sad or angry after hearing it? Instead, I feel like having a burrito. Am I not a sensible person, Bea? I know that my brother has gone astray. If he doesn''t get sentenced to prison and reform himself for a few years, he won''t understand how big a mistake he has made.¡¯ Lanie and Rainie did not know what the context from Nina''s text was, but they noticed the word burrito... From the sound of it, it sounded delicious. Lanie raised his head and asked Bianca in the passenger seat, "Aunt Bea, what''s a burrito?" ''A burrito?¡¯ There were a bunch of question marks in Bianca''s head. She turned around and took her cell phone. When she looked down, all the restaurants she searched for were high-end ones. There should not be a burrito selection inside... After all, the children''s father was dining with them. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. People like Luke were only suited to dine in high-end restaurants. At that moment, Nina sent a third text message. Bianca happened to see it and clicked in to see the first two text messages. It was then when she understood why the two little kids asked for burritos. "Have you guys tried... Burritos before?" Bianca probably knew the answer already, but she just wanted to confirm it. The two little kids said, "No, we''ve never tried it.¡± If Lanie and Rainie had not grown up with Luke but with her instead, it would be a much different story. The gap between rich people andmon people was much too big. The two little kids in the back seat of the car expressed their desire to eat burritos, but Bianca had to ask the children''s father first. Bianca thought that burritos were delicious, but a man like Luke might think of it as junk food- Unhygienic and unhealthy. Since she did not want to argue with him in front of the children, Bianca thought about it and remembered that she could text Luke. Thest time when they were together, they texted a lot. Bianca typed a message and sent it to the man driving. ''They want to eat burritos. Is it okay?'' After sending it, Bianca waited for him to reply. Luke was focused on driving. Bianca waited for two minutes and could not help but remind him with a guilty conscience. "I think I heard a text message from your phone.¡± Luke did not hear the notification but picked up his phone and clicked on it. It only took him a few seconds to see the message. Luke chuckled, typed, and sent, ''Whatever you want.'' Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Every Breath Had An Implicit Meaning Bianca awkwardly led the way. Not every shop sold good burritos. To be on the safe side, Bianca asked Luke to drive them to her old rented ce. After returning to the country, Bianca had stayed there. She was very familiar with the shops nearby and knew which shops had delicious food. The ck Range Rover parked domineeringly on the side of the road, causing the surrounding residents to look at the people in the car. They saw the father with the straight back and the fair-skinned, lovely pair of twin babies who looked adorable from all angles. It was lunch hour, so the burrito shop was full. The owner yelled, "Number 23''s burrito is done!" A high school student in school uniform came to the cashier, handed the owner a round card that wrote ''No. 23¡¯, and took his burrito away. Thedy owner saw the family of four entering the door and her eyes lit up. It was not because she had more customers, but because the four of them were too attractive and looked like celebrities. ''Perhaps they''re celebrities!'' "Please, have a seat. There are seats inside!" Thedy owner weed them warmly. She asked people from different tables to share a table so that there would be a free table. "For tables number and one and number two, please share a table as we need more space due to it being lunch hour!" The high school students in their school uniforms held their own burritos and hurriedly sat down at another table to join another couple so that the four-person table was freed up. Thedy owner wiped the table vacated by the high school students and seated the family of four. "What would you like to order?" Bianca nced at Luke and remembered his reply about them having whatever she wanted. She nervously and decisively decided, "Four burritos. Two original vors and two non-spicy ones." "We can eat spicy food..." Little Lanie and Rainie said together. Bianca was not sure whether to believe them and looked at the children''s dad again. Before Luke sat down, he said, "Lanie can take spicy food, but Rainie can''t. The doctor exined that she should avoid it." Bianca changed the order with thedy owner. Thedy owner took the order down and gave it to her husband. When she put the tableware on their table, thedy owner asked Bianca quietly, "Are you guys celebrities?" "No," Bianca shook her head and exined, "I used to rent a house in this neighborhood and have eaten at your store many times." Thedy owner wiped the table again as if she did not hear what she said. She smiled while wiping, "And I thought that you guys were celebrities trying to experience the life of normal people. What''s the name of that... Reality show called... Real People? If my shop is fortunate enough to get on the show, we¡¯d go viral!" Bianca knew it was all because of Luke. "We''re really not celebrities..." Strictly speaking, Luke was not a Hollywood celebrity. He was more mysterious than that. Fortunately, most of the people in the shop were ordinary people. Some of them were migrant workers at nearby construction sites. They were very old and most likely did not go on social media nor paid attention to financial news. Therefore, they would not know who Luke Crawford was and they did not have to be bothered by anyone. "Your burritos are done!" Thedy owner brought it over for them. Lanie and Rainie took the cutleries and started to eat excitedly. It was obvious that they liked it very much. Bianca suddenly felt very satisfied and happy. Was it because the two little kids inherited her ordinary genes that they could adapt to any food so quickly as well as enjoy them? One o''clock in the afternoon. Luke drove and they left the street. His phone rang. Luke answered. "What''s the matter, Grandpa?" "Luke, my sister came to A City with a medical team. You know how sick her husband got, right? He''s barely holding on and is confused most of the time. My sister thinks that it''d be nice if Lanie and Rainie came to the hospital to visit him and tell him that they''re his grandchildren so that at least he can leave this world a little happier," Old Master Crawford said. The two little kids in the back seat of the car also heard Luke''s call which was on loudspeaker. Bianca heard it too. "Does that mean that we can''t watch the y anymore?" Rainie really wanted to watch the y with Daddy and Aunt Bea. Bianca did not dare to butt in regarding the Crawford family''s affairs. "We can watch the y another day," Luke said and decided. 40 minutester, Jason picked up Lanie and Rainie. "Aren''t you going?" Bianca sat in the car and did not dare to get off. They were at the main entrance of the office. If she got out of his car then, there would be countless eyes on her. Luke started his car. ''I''m going, but I''m worried that he might remember that I''m the kids¡¯ father." Lanie and Rainie were pretending to be their family''s grandchildren. It was a white lie with good intent for the dying old man. "Would it be okay if you stopped the car 100 meters away from here? I¡¯ll get off and walk back," Bianca said. Luke did not listen to her and drove the car toward the theater. "I think we need to talk about the kids." The car no longer had the lively atmosphere of the two children. There were only two adults left in the car. The atmosphere was vtile, and every breath made had an implicit meaning. Bianca was willing to give up anything to discuss the kids that she even forgot about the thought of getting out of the car and going back to the office. Bianca was silent during the entire way to the theater. She waited for him to bring it up. However, she did not know what was on his mind because he did not say anything either. The time to watch the y was not a good time to discuss that matter. However, Bianca had no choice but to ask helplessly, "Can I see them often?" "Yes." The Range Rover reached an intersection. Luke nodded and focused on the road. His big hand steered half a circle and the car drove to another street. Bianca breathed a sigh of relief. "Can I, asionally... asionally pick them up and have them stay with me for two days?¡¯ That request was not asking for too much from the point of view of the children''s biological mother. She just wanted to be closer to the kids. Regarding the question, Luke thought about it for a few seconds and also nodded in agreement. Bianca was really satisfied and also changed her mind about him. Outside the theater. In the parking lot, Luke''s deep gaze fell on the Porsche Cayenne that was parked two parking spaces away from him. When he looked at the license te number, it was indeed Xavier''s. ''Did hee to watch the y as well?'' Based on the Xavier he knew, he would not havee alone.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Bianca initially did not want to watch the y with Luke. After all, Lanie and Rainie were not with them and it might make it seem as if they were going on a date. However, Luke was very reasonable and persuasive. Since Lanie and Rainie were looking forward to the y very much but could not make it, she should watch it and tell them all about it as their mother. It would be a way of showing her love to them. Luke and Bianca''s tickets were not in the first row. When Jason booked the tickets, he knew what his boss would want. He would not want to be recognized because it would indirectly use up the time that he had freed for spending time with his children. He was afraid that once recognized, it could suddenly lead to negotiating business affairs. After they were seated, Bianca looked at the center of the stage. They waited for the y to start. At that moment, a cold and familiar voice sounded in front of them. Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Bea''s Pregnant Xavier turned his head and said to thedy next to him, "Mom, the y is about to begin. Let''s not talk anymore because it might affect other people¡¯s watching experience." Xavier''s voice was cold and without many undtions. No matter who he was talking to or what he was doing, the man spoke in that cold tone and his voice was easy to identify. The main reason why Bianca could remember Xavier''s voice was because he was a horrible person who took advantage of others and had done despicable things. That was why she remembered his voice. She remembered every word that Xavier had threatened her with. Suddenly hearing Xavier''s voice in the theater and seeing his expressionless profile caused Bianca''s good mood to turn sour quickly. "Isn''t this just the start? Who would I affect?" Mrs. Tanner''s voice was deliberately lowered, but she still could not help her surging mood as she nagged, "Don''t think I don''t know that you''ll send someone to send your dad and me back without giving US a chance to speak." Xavier listened to his mother''s words but did not give her an answer. Silence implied that it was the truth. Mrs. Tanner struck while the iron was still hot. "Your father and I were very happy about your marriage, but it''s only been a few days of your marriage before Old Master Crawford came to our doorstep, saying that you abducted his granddaughter-inw. If this rumor gets out, neither of US would look good. Xavier, heed my advice. Just get a divorce." Xavier still did not say anything. He looked straight ahead as he looked at the brightly-lit big stage. Daniel also added, "Although your mother and I always nagged you about getting married and having children, we never thought that your marriage would be this way. Now, it has affected our harmonious rtionship with our rtives. Look at what you''ve done." ''You can have whoever you want. Why should you give more trouble to Aunt Allison? Besides, what good is that Bea? She doesn¡¯t even have a good family background or education." Mrs. Tanner could no longer bear it and cut in after her husband. Deep down, she looked down on her sister-inw, Allison, but at that moment, she used the Allison card. Otherwise, she was afraid that her son might continue being his stubborn self. Xavier still did not say anything. As the lights in the theater began to dim, it meant that the y was about to begin. Mrs. Tanner nced at the stage as the emcee came up. In a hurry, Mrs. Tanner said to her son sitting next to her, "If it weren''t for you, this Bea kid would have been your aunt''s daughter-inw by now. Xavier, your aunt came to see your dad and me more than once." Xavier finally responded and asked coldly, "What did she say to you guys?" "What else would she say?" Mrs. Tanner¡¯s voice was not lowered, and her voice was ovepped with the voice of the emcee on the stage. She said, ¡¯ Your aunt told me that she has regarded Bea as her daughter-inw for a long time. However, Bea suddenly became her niece-inw. It boggled her. Since you guys just got married and haven¡¯t done anything with each other yet, why don''t the two of you just get a divorce?" 1 Xavier''s aunt obviously referred to Allison. Bianca sat in the row behind them and did not dare to move. When the lights dimmed down, she felt a little better. As Xavier''s newly appointed wife, Bianca admitted that she hoped that the parents would be able to sessfully persuade their son after hearing Luke''s uncle and aunt persuading Xavier to divorce her. As for everything they said about Allison, Bianca did not believe a single word. Even if Allison instigated Xavier to divorce her, it was because Allison had other ns in mind... Bianca did not know what would be waiting for her after the divorce. Perhaps she should take the initiative to find the answer. In the theater''s VIP hall, only the stage was lit and most of the people were watching the y seriously. Bianca was no longer in the mood to watch the y. Xavier, who was in front of their row, watched the y attentively. Both Xavier''s parents nced at the stage for a while before looking at their silent and cool son. When they saw that he was that way, it was obvious that Xavier had a perfect n. I''m going to the bathroom.¡¯ Bianca texted Luke. After she sent the message, she saw the man next to her reading the message on the phone. She got up without blocking people''s views and crossed over her seat to go to the bathroom. The y was tormenting Bianca. She wanted to watch it seriously initially so that she could tell the two kids all about it when she was back. However, Xavier and his parents were sitting in front of their row. If they turned around, they would be able to see Luke and her. In a distressed situation such as that, she was restless. After a long time, Bianca was still not back and the y had been going on indefinitely. However, Luke heard Xavier suddenly saying something to his parents. He said, "Bea¡¯s pregnant." 3 Luke''s gaze that was on the stage started to frown deeply. Xavier''s parents looked at him in disbelief. At that moment, Xavier''s parents were absolutely shocked by their son''s gentle words that hit very hard. When the y reached its climax, Bianca returned. She was afraid that the people in front of their row would see her, so she walked very carefully. After sitting down, Bianca found that Xavier and his parents were very quiet while Luke nced at her as if he had ice knives as his eyes. The atmosphere waspletely different from before, but she could not tell what was wrong. Every second and every minute passed by. Finally, the y was over. At the moment when the y ended, the lights in the theater were turned back on. Xavier''s parents were almost the first to get up among the audience because they had a lot of things in their heads that needed to be digested! They needed to think about what to do next! Bianca initially wanted to leave first but did not expect Xavier''s parents to get up so quickly. In order to avoid them, she had to wait for them to leave first. When Mrs. Tanner almost reached the aisle, she looked back at her son. When she saw that her son had not gotten up and left his seat, Mrs. Tanner urged him with a bad temper. "What are you waiting for? You can''t hide from your dad and me forever." Mrs. Tanner''s initially good attitude became irritable. Although as his mother who would dote on her son and would never me him for anything, that son of her hurt them too much. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. He was willful and reckless, causing one problem after another to his parents. He did not care that his old parents had to give up a lot of things to protect him. Xavier got up but still had that cold look on his face. He was stubborn and would not change under any circumstances. When he left his seat, Xavier saw that his mother''s expression had changed. He frowned and looked at the row behind their seats. Xavier had sat in the third row with his parents to watch the y. On the fourth row, almost everyone left except for a man and a woman. "Have some self-respect!" Mrs. Tanner cursed in a low voice. Xavier wondered what his mother was looking at. She was frowning and looked disgusted. Xavier followed his mother''s gaze and looked over. Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Catching Luke and Bianca In Action! Daniel had already walked out and was waiting outside. Xavier walked out of the third row and went to the aisle. He stood in the aisle that had a clear view of the fourth row. He looked at them again. At that moment, almost everyone in the audience had left. On the stage where the y showed, the props crew started moving the props backstage. In the fourth row, there were two people kissing each other and making out heavily. The man''s big hand went under the woman''s shirt in public. They wondered how lewd they were when they were in their own privacy. Mrs. Tanner did not see what the two people looked like. She walked out and urged, saying, "Let''s go. Your dad is waiting for US outside." Xavier frowned and continued looking at the two kissing in the distance in the fourth row. However, when Xavier saw that the two of them were wearing couple shoes, Xavier stopped frowning and left the theater with his mother. Daniel stood outside and saw his wife and soning out. He did not look very happy. "What took you so long?" "A young couple was making out in public for everyone to see. Gosh, the moral degeneracy of the world." Mrs. Tanner muttered, walking to the parking lot with her husband and son. When they arrived at the parking lot, the driver arranged by Xavier was already waiting. Daniel knew the driver. Five years ago, the kid worked with his son and drove for the bar. ''What''s the meaning of this?" Daniel asked. Xavier exined, "You guys should go home first. I still have something to deal with because I put it off to watch the y with you guys. If there''s anything you need to tell me, tell me at night. I''ll be back for dinner." When Mrs. Tanner heard what he said, she took her husband''s arm into the car to avoid the father and son arguing again. Daniel said nothing and got in the car. Before getting in the car, Mrs. Tanner turned around and said, ¡°If you say that you''ll be back for dinner, you''d better be. Don''t let your dad and me wait for you. We''ll have to discuss what you''re going to do with Bea." Xavier promised. "Don''t worry about it." The driver drove the two elderly people home. Xavier turned to unlock his car. When the unlocking tone sounded, he saw a ck Range Rover parked two parking spaces from his car. He paused. Luke had an identical ck Range Rover. Of course, there were countless people driving the same car in A City. Therefore, the only way to know for sure was to check the license te number. Xavier did not know why he started suspecting it and walked toward the ck Range Rover. When the license te number entered his line of sight, his deep eyes looked deeper. The extremely dazzling license te number was not only pleasing to the eye but also showed the extraordinary social status of the car owner. Xavier''s mouth suddenly became dry as he closed his eyes. At that moment, countless images shed through his mind. Sincest night, she could not get through Bianca''s phone. He could not get through to her phone the entire night. After calling her phone, it was unanswered at the beginning and turned forever into a "Sorry, the number you have dialed is not in service"... From the minute he saw the ck Range Rover, Xavier was sure that he was blocked by Bianca. He had a feeling that that was what happenedst night. He only needed to call Bianca''s number on any cell phone to be sure of it, but he did not do that. He had stayed outside Old Man Rayne''s ward the entire night. In the end, Bianca did not show up. When it was dawn, he had stayed up all night and was starting to feel very ufortable, so he went to the bathroom to wash his face with cold water to energize himself. Xavier was not sure what he was doing. He did not like Bianca. It seemed that jealousy had derailed him. Furthermore, he was bing a person he did not know. When he snapped out of it, he realized he still had the duty to look for his wife. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. After all, they were still married legally. Thew was behind him. Even if the other person on the marriage certificate did not care about the rtionship. Before lunch, he figured that Bianca always went to see Grandpa, so he went over and waited, but she never showed up. After he left impatiently, he arrived at that point where he saw the ck Range Rover in the theater parking lot. Xavier left the parking lot nkly and returned to the theater. The two people kissing in the fourth row of the VIP hall looked like Luke and Bianca appearance and clothes-wise. It was just that he did not get to see their faces at the time. How could it be so coincidental? Luke and Bianca secretly met up and happened to be seated behind Xavier and his parents? Xavier returned to the VIP hall, but it was already empty. As Xavier stood at the entrance of the VIP hall, he could still recall the scene that he had just witnessed with his own eyes. He had a sudden gut feeling, but it onlysted for ten seconds. Why would Luke and Bianca wear couple shoes? In terms of Luke''s style, Xavier had never seen Luke wear a pair like that in his entire life. However, Bianca was still rtively young. No matter how experienced she was or how hard life had hit her, she was still only 24 years old. It was the age where it would be popr to wear white shoes like those. After Bianca walked out of the theater, she walked to the subway station by herself. She did not go with Luke. Luke had already promised her that she could see her children any time and even pick them up to sleep over at her ce on the weekends. Therefore, she did not need to get closer to him in order to spend more time with the kids. Just before she left, Luke said with a cold tone, "If you don''t want to face him, you can go now. Otherwise, with Xavier''s suspicious personality, I''m afraid he''ll try and return to the theater to find US together. It''ll affect the rtionship between your husband and you." ¡®What''s wrong with this man? ''He says the weirdest things.'' As she stood in the subway at that moment, Bianca closed her eyes irritably. When she agreed to register her marriage with Xavier, Bianca had already figured out a way out. 1 Saving Grandpa was imminent, but she did not want to impulsively throw away the long second half of her life. When the time was right, she would not hesitate to sue for a divorce. A marriage certificate could not be like a chain that bound a living person for life, not allowing them to break free. When Bianca almost reached her neighborhood, she received a text from Nina. ''Are you at home? No one answered the door. I really don''t want to go home and be scolded by my parents...'' Nina said. Bianca walked home and replied, Tm heading upstairs now.'' Upon arriving at her rented ce, Bianca saw Nina waiting at the door. When the two entered the house together, Nina nced casually and saw the shoes on Bianca''s feet. She screamed. "Oh my God, 6,400-" When Bianca entered the room, she put her bag down and changed into her house slippers. She looked up and asked, "What''s 6,400?" Nina entered the ce and took her eyes away from Bianca''s pair of shoes. "These shoes are advertised in major magazines. If I remember correctly, they''re parent-child shoes... In the family catalog, the price for the mother''s pair is 6,400 dors..." "6,400 dors?" Bianca frowned. She was poor and thought that the highest price range for a pair of shoes was 200 or 300 dors. The doorbell rang. "Someone''s here? Wow, could it be your boss?" Nina teased Bianca and turned around to open the door. Before Bianca could stop her, the door was opened. Xavier stood outside the door. ''You are... Who are you looking for?" Nina asked suspiciously and looked at the man with the killer aura in the suit outside. Chapter 170 Chapter 170 You Cannot Just Burn A Six-thousand-bucks Pair Of Shoes Bianca saw that the man standing outside was Xavier Tanner. This indirectly shows that Xavier went back and forth in the theater and went back to the VIP Hall to look for her, to no avail. In a fit of rage, the man came to intercept her. He had watched hiswfully wedded wife cuckooed him with another man right under his nose. Yet, he missed out on the golden opportunity to catch them red-handed. At this moment, as the husband, the entire ordeal must be unspeakably unbearable, even though it might be a loveless marriage between the two- there was not even one-tenth of love in their marriage. In truth, Bianca did not think it was considered cheating to visit the father of her child. However, in Xavier''s eyes, seeing Luke kissing her was directly tantamount to cheating. "Bea, is he your friend?'' Nina stood at the door awkwardly. Based on the look Xavier gave Bianca, Nina assumed that there was a high probability that Bianca knew this man. Bianca answered Nina with silence. Nina could not help thinking that she would know Bianca''s friends within the country too. As for new colleagues that Bianca just got to know in thepany, she probably knew them better than Bianca. Among those people, the man outside the door was never part of any of those groups. The only possible exnation was that this man was someone whom Bianca knew when she was studying abroad. Now, both of them returned to their home country and remained in contact... However, based on the expression on the man''s face as he stood outside the door, Nina felt that the man''s rtionship with Bianca could be moreplex than merely being ordinary friends. "Would... Would you like toe in and have a seat?" Nina said. Xavier did not pay Nina any attention as she stood waiting in front of the door. Yet, his eyes were burning with a murderous re as he shifted his gaze at the little white pair of women''s shoes on the shoe rack at the door. The ambiguously flirty scene that he witnessed in the VIP Hall suddenly reappeared in his mind. "Come in. Coincidentally, I have something to tell you, too," Bianca said coldly. Then, she turned around to the kitchen to fetch some cups and poured them two cups of water. After exiting the kitchen, Bianca put the two cups of water on the tea table. Nina left her position at the door since the man had already passed through the door. The man was tall with long legs, and he carried himself rather well too. Yet, whenpared to the big boss, this man somewhatcked the sophistication of the bourgeoisie. Instead, he emanated a roguish ruthlessness. It felt like a suit was draped over his body like a sheepskin that was brutally draped over a wolf''s body. "Here are your slippers." Nina helped to retrieve a pair of slippers from the shoe cab. When Xavier lowered his head to change into the slippers, he frowned. He was surprised at the size of this pair of men''s slippers. Nina did not know the man''s identity, so she kindly exined, "These slippers belong to Bea¡¯s grandfather. You can make do with them first." Hearing that this pair of men''s slippers belonged to Bianca''s grandfather, Xavier put them on without a second thought. All three of them stood awkwardly in the living room. Nina always felt that the atmosphere between Xavier and Bianca was strange. Having a hunch that they had a secret to share, Nina said to Bianca self-consciously, "I''ll head off to my bedroom and surf the Inte. Holler if you need anything.¡± Bianca nodded. With Nina here, Bianca was courageous enough to let Xavier into the house. Otherwise, she would never meet a person who took thew for granted in private. What Bianca was truly thinking was that if Nina found out who was outside the door from the peephole first, she would never have let Nina open the door. Let Xavier ring the doorbell until night, and still, she would not open the door. There were only two people left in the living room, but Xavier did not sit down. Instead, he went directly to the shoe cab and took out the white pair of women''s shoes. Looking at it repeatedly, he walked to the kitchen with the pair of white shoes in his left hand. "What are you doing with my shoes? Put them down." Bianca followed after him into the kitchen, baffled as to what he was nning to do. Xavier turned on the gas valve. As he stared at the mes on the gas stove grew redder by the second, he simply threw the pair of petite white shoes on the burning stove. Bianca wanted to snatch her shoes from the fire, but her strength and height could notpare to Xavier''s. She would not be able to get them back even if she used up all her strength to tear him away. As a button on Xavier''s shirt was torn off by her, the shoes were already scorched by the fire. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡¯If you¡¯re having a mental attack, go to the hospital and get your prescription..." muttered Bianca in incredible disbelief. Using the inte as a mere excuse, Nina simply stuck her ear to the door due to boredom. That man looked terrifying. What would happen if he took advantage of Bianca? As Bianca''s best friend, she must be alert at all times! Now, as she listened to Bianca''s burst of anger, Nina ran out of her bedroom immediately. Seeing that there was no one in the living room, she immediately headed to the kitchen. After assessing what was happening in the kitchen, Nina quickly turned off the gas and looked at the pair of sneakers that got burned out of shape. Having no better ideas, she retrieved a basin of water and poured water on it. The fire waspletely extinguished. However, the kitchen was filled with a strange burnt smell. After opening the windows for venttion purposes, Nina looked back at Xavier in horror. What the heck, did this man suffer from some kind of brain damage?! ¡¯It seems like I¡¯ve overestimated your personality. I must be out of my mind to think that I could talk things out with you.¡¯ Bianca was so angry that she wanted to p herself. Xavier closed in on Bianca with a horrifyingly dark expression. Nina, who stood by the window, strode over and wedged herself in front of Bianca. She looked up at Xavier and said, "Stop fooling around. This is a society ruled byw. Voice out your problem. You can¡¯t just burn a six- thousand-bucks pair of shoes. What''s wrong with you? You''re not just apologizing to Bea; you have topensate her too!¡± Xavier did not listen carefully to a single word Nina said. Looking at Bianca behind Nina, Xavier red at her in an amber coldness. " You''d better uphold your duty as a wife. Otherwise, don''t me me for what happens next!" "That''s all you can do? Kidnap my grandfather and threaten me again? You wanted me to marry you the first time. What is it this time? Sleep with you or give you a child?¡¯ Bianca felt that she was born a human being, and she was in no way inferior to others. She did not have to be subjected to this kind of control. However, Xavier was a man who has a criminal record and had gone to prison before. He was the kind who would do everything his way. Nobody could afford to provoke him unless they no longer valued their own lives. Bianca wanted very much to have that fearless boldness too. She wanted people to fear her, too, instead of always being the scared one. She used to hold back for her father and grandfather. Now, she had Lanie and Rainie to worry about too. When could she ever break the cycle? Wedged in between the two, Nina was slightly confused... She recalled thest time they drank when Sue said that Bianca was married. Nina had a sudden epiphany-this man kidnapped Bianca''s grandfather and threatened Bianca? "You''re the one who hurt Bea''s grandfather? Scum, do you any shred of humanity? Bea''s grandfather is so old. Don¡¯t you have parents and grandfathers?" Nina did not know what kind of pervert Bianca had met. Xavier, however, was very rational. Instead of giving anyone a chance to have something on him-or record what he said-he took out his mobile phone and started audio recording. ¡¯Repeat what you just said." ¡¯I''m not scared of you! I''ll say whatever I want!" Nina repeated her words straight away. Xavier recorded Nina''s words and put away his mobile phone. "What goes on between US stays between US. You keep everyone else out of this. I''ll get a professionalwyer to solve the issue with our divorce," Bianca said decisively. She was not sure of Xavier''s personality. Even though she knew that he was shameless, she only knew one side of that. As for how shameless he could be, Bianca could not tell for sure. Chapter 171 Chapter 171 She Made Luke¡¯s Pants Turn Wet, How Embarrassing "As long as we''re not divorced, I still consider you my wife. If any other men want to have any rtionship with you, they''d bear the title of being an adulterer and risk having their reputation swept awaypletely." Xavier uttered his hostile warning before leaving. Nina leaned against the cold wall in the kitchen and asked Bianca, who was busy in front of the kitchen counter. "What the hell is going on? That man''s crazy. What on earth is he scheming after he forced you to marry him? I just can''t see him actually liking you, and his possessiveness came so inexplicably." There was no need to question it. Nina knew that those matching shoes must have been worn by Bianca and the boss'' children... However, how did that pervert maniac find out about it? He must have known, otherwise, he would not havee here to give Bianca a warning. He made her abide some sort of female virtues, and went as far as setting the matching shoes on fire by the stove. Bianca opened her mouth slightly, and her eyshes trembled. "Anyone who has been in jail before must''ve been psychologically distorted to be able tomit a crime. So, anything he does is no longer strange. But you''ve correctly pointed something out; he truly doesn''t have any interest in me at all. None of his former partners had the same characteristics as me, so there''s only one reason for him to force me into marriage." "What''s the reason?" Nina asked. Bianca ced the scorched ck shoes into a bag, wanting to throw them outter. "He¡¯s Luke''s cousin." "What? They''re cousins... Then, you..." Nina considered Bianca to be her best friend; hence she should sympathize with her for this miserable ordeal. However, for such a dramatic plot line to happen right under her nose, it was truly remarkable... ''They''re probably having some vendetta against each other. They''re acting polite and amiable on the surface, yet Xavier¡¯s been secretly having apetition with Luke." Besides, Bianca could not find a reasonable exnation as to why Xavier wanted to marry her. He was a full-grown man. No matter how capricious and psychologically distorted he was, he would not have done such a major thing for no good reason. Nina felt dreadful. Entanglement between the wealthy families'' children was truly beyond the imagination of ordinary folks. "So, you''re caught right in the middle of a crossfire between these two men," Nina sighed. Bianca nodded. It was half-past eight in the evening. Nina started to pack things up. "I''m heading back now." "Aren¡¯t you staying here?" Bianca thought Nina was going to spend the night. "No," Nina replied as she cleaned up. "I don''t really want to listen to my mom''s nagging, but I''m worried about her heart problem. My parents must have fallen asleep by now, I¡¯ll be more at peace if we¡¯re all under the same roof." Bianca could understand Nina''s feelings, so she did not try to make her stay. "Drive safe and slow," Bianca sent Nina out the door. She watched as Nina went downstairs; her figure disappeared into the night. She was left alone in the empty room. After washing up, Bianca was getting ready for bed. However, the doorbell started ringing at this hour, i Bianca changed into her pajamas and walked to the door instinctively. Before she could look outside the door''s ss, she heard a familiar cry. It was Rainie. Bianca could not think of anything else before opening the door. Luke was holding onto Rainie, as he held onto the angry little fellow, nche, with his other hand. ''What''s happened?" Bianca took her daughter into her arms. nche was carried into the house by his father. "Bad Bea, hmph..." Rainieid into Bianca''s embrace, who smelled like body wash and cried aggrievedly. "Don¡¯t cry, Rainie. Come now, your eyes might get worse." Bianca looked at the children''s father with a puzzled expression. Sheforted her daughter in a distressed manner as if she were a new mother again. "Lanie soiled Rainie¡¯s new shoes," Luke said before heading to the bathroom. Bianca did not say anything to the man, who seemed rather familiar with her house. nche did not feel like he had done anything wrong, yet he said with a guilty conscience, "But, it''s only a little dirty. I, I even wiped it clean for her "Big Brother¡¯s a meanie, Big Bro is bad. Sob..." Rainie continued to cry. Before long, a toilet flush was heard, and Luke walked out of the bathroom immediately after. Bianca had to coax Rainie for quite some time before she calmed down. She took off the gauze on Rainie¡¯s eyes and checked their condition. ording to the doctor''s instructions, she needed to wipe off her eyes'' tears and re-sterilize the eye area. Then, she needed to ce a new piece of gauze over it. "Miss Bea, can I have some water..." nche was thirsty after apologizing to his sister so much. "Alright. I''ll pour some for you," Bianca finished up with Rainie¡¯s matter and headed to the kitchen. The water that she had boiled earlier had not cooled down just yet. The water was at the right warm temperature, so Bianca poured it out into two sses. Rainie got off the sofa and strolled back and forth in the room. Bianca gave a ss to Lanie, and he lowered his head to take a few sips. As for the other ss of water, Bianca handed it to Luke, who was sitting on the sofa. "I want to sleep with you, Miss Bea." Rainie suddenly hugged Bianca''s thigh from behind. Bianca was not standing straight, and the ss of water on her hand was not grasped tightly. Before Luke could reach out and take it from her, she poured all over the man''s most awkward position.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. "I''m sorry, I..." Bianca went ahead to look for the tissue box. Luke looked down at the water stain between his legs and got up without any expression on his face. Then, he went straight into the bathroom. Bianca calmed down the embarrassment she felt and tried to ease the tension between Rainie and Lanie. Lanie was starting to behave like his old self once more, a big brother who liked to take care of his younger sister. The young one was no longer in a grievance over her big brother identally soiling her shoe as well. Seeing that the bathroom door was shut the whole time, Bianca went over to knock on the door. Momentster, the bathroom door was pushed open. The tall man stood under the dimmed bathroom light as he frowned slightly. He was patiently drying out his crotch that was soaked by water. "I couldn''t handle the two of them, and I don''t have the energy to keep walking around. So, I brought them over to you." Luke was wiping the water stain off his pants with a white towel as he politely exined why he came here in the middle of the night. ''Thank you for sending them over to me," Bianca replied gratefully. It was a parent¡¯s responsibility to take care of their children daily, and it gave her a sense of warmth and happiness. Luke said nothing in return and looked at himself in the mirror. Bianca continued, "What do we do with your pants? Do you want to give Jason a call and ask him to bring a pair of pants over? Otherwise, you can''t leave like thister...¡± Luke smelled the woman''s sweet smell and said calmly, "Jason is not omnipotent. He has a life, and he¡¯s probably on a date.¡± Bianca suddenly realized that it would indeed be rude to bother someone on a date. "It is dark outside, so even if you go out like this, no one would notice." Bianca was thinking of an idea for the man. She might have stepped on an unknownndmine. Luke threw the white towel on his hand into the washbasin. The man''s facial features were engraved profoundly, and he seemed irritated. He gazed right onto her cheeks as he closed in on her. His voice was the same as always, steady and unflustered. "If the news media photographed me near my house, what would the gossip magazines'' headline be tomorrow? Would they write that I was outte at night, returning with my crotch bulging and wet? And that I came to knock on someone''s door, begging for pleasure, yet I came back in embarrassed despair?" Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Stay the Night Before Leaving Tomorrow Bianca felt helpless. If that man who was always in the center of attention went out just like this, he might be photographed by those paparazzi who were responsible to capture his private life. Then, they would use those photos to create some fake news. However, if he wanted to change before going out, it was unrealistic as well. After all, Jason, who he was able to order around whenever he wanted, who never once screwed up, had screwed up and went on a date. Bianca knew that breaking up someone''s marriage was a heinous thing to do. After all, Jason was pretty old and it was difficult for him to meet the other love of his life. However, what should she do now... Bianca looked at the time and her eyshes trembled. "It''s toote now. The mall is near closing time too. If I went out to buy a pair of pants for you, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to get there before they close." "So, after everything you said, what you''re trying to say is that I can only stay the night with you and leave the next day?" After he said that, Luke did not look at her anymore. He walked out of the toilet with a dark expression on his face. Bianca stood in front of the toilet with a nk expression on her face. Her fingers were on the door frame and she was speechless. She never said she wanted to let him stay the night. Plus, he even had a look of disgust on his face. Was her house that horrible? "Miss Bea, where am I sleeping?" Rainie opened one eye and the area around her eyes was red. She asked while hugging Bianca¡¯s leg. Bianca lowered her head to look at Rainie and then she picked her up. After that, she walked into the bedroom. "Let''s sleep on this bed together, okay?" "Okay..." Rainie buried herself into Bianca¡¯s arms happily. Luke had the hob on in the kitchen as he smoked. Lanie stood in the living room and he did not know where he was going to sleep. It was obvious that Miss Bea¡¯s bed could only fit two people. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. If Miss Bea wanted to sleep with Rainie, then that would mean he had to sleep in the other room, right? He wanted to sleep with Miss Bea as well. Thankfully, he was brave. He was used to sleeping alone in one room so he would not feel scared. "Dad, why are you still here?" After the little guy finished drinking his water, he walked into the kitchen with his cup. He stood on his tiptoe to try to reach the kettle for more water. Instead, he saw that his father was still here. Luke turned around and looked at his son with a glum expression on this face. Did all of them want him to leave? The little guy was stunned while his father looked at him. He poured some water and lifted his head to peer at his father. "Do you want to stay here too? Then, are you going to sleep on the sofa or are you going to sleep in the same bed with me?" Bianca had already bathed Rainie. The condition of her rented apartment was nothingpared to their father''s apartment. There was only a simple showerhead in the bathroom. Something was wrong with the heater as well, so the water would be hot and cold simultaneously. "Put this on. Don''t catch a cold." Summer was ending and fall was almost here. The air in the morning and night had be colder. Bianca did not want the child to catch a cold, but Rainie did not have any pajamas since she came without notice. It was toote to buy some for her as well. So, she could only find a T-shirt of her own and put it on Rainie. She was worried that the water on Rainie''s hair would seep into the gauze in front of her eyes so she did not wash her hair for her. "I''ll take you to hide into my nket." Bianca carried Rainie onto the bed and put the nket on her. Then, she leaned down and nted a kiss on Rainie''s forehead. 1 Rainie opened one eye and looked at Miss Bea who just kissed her forehead. She said sweetly, "Goodnight, Miss Bea!" "Goodnight." Bianca nodded. 1 Rainie closed her eyes obediently and started to drift off. She did not make a fuss as she was worried that Miss Bea would hate her and her brother. She was also worried that Miss Bea would think they were nuisances. After Rainie showered, Lanie went to shower as well. After the shower, the little guy walked out shyly. He covered his little body with the clothes he wore just now. He also covered his face with the towel shyly. He did not say anything to his father. He walked into the room Grandpa Rayne stayed before. The nket was brand new. It was soft and fluffy. Plus, there was also the faint smell of detergent on it. However, the material of the nket was something basic. It was not as expensive as the one in the bedroom in the Crawford household. However, Lanie felt that he liked this nket more. Bianca watched as Rainie fell asleep before she closed the door and exited the room. There was a pair of father and son who was maybe still awake in the small rented apartment. Bianca still needed to take a look at them. After she walked out of the bedroom, she was Luke who was sitting on the sofa while watching television. Then, she looked at the channel on the television. He was watching CNBC. Bianca was surprised. The channels men loved were so dull and boring. He was able to watch all kinds of news. Luke stared at the television screen without blinking. His features were prominent and his short ck hair was neat and clean. Plus, he had a strong and powerful aura to him. One could spend time to think over every detail of this man. Even his fingers were different from any other normal man. When she was at the age of the first awakening of love, she saw a lot of couples in school. She had seen a lot of instances where the boy''s fingertip would touch the girl''s cheek. She had also fantasized shyly about her face being caressed... i The sofa in the rented apartment was more than basic. However, it became more high end because of the man who was sitting on it. However, perhaps the screen on the television was too small and the image was not clear enough, so the man was watching very seriously. His brows were even knitted together. Bianca was poverty-stricken so she did not have a choice. A household with an average ie could only afford a television like this. Plus, this television was also kindly provided by thendlord. She would not want to spend this kind of money. She ignored the man who was focused on the news. Then, she pushed open the door to the room and walked in quietly. Lanie fell asleep as well. He had kicked away the nket and he was sleeping like an octopus. However, he fell asleep around the same time as Rainie, so it was apparent that these two kids had a strict daily routine. This was all thanks to the Crawfords who raised and educated them. After staying in the room for a while, Bianca walked out. Luke was still watching the news. Bianca poured a ss of water for him and said after figuring that she would break the awkwardness, "You should sleep in my grandpa''s room after the news. It''ste so I¡¯m going to bed now." Bianca felt that she had nothing to talk to him whenever they were alone. Luke lifted his head to look at her and their eyes met. Perhaps she was overthinking, but Bianca felt that Luke nced at her stomach briefly. "Do you not have the n to give birth again in the future?" Luke took over the ss Bianca put down just now. He did not drink the water, but instead, he ced it in front of him. Bianca was confused. She wanted to go back to her room but she stopped. She turned around to look at him and saw that his vision was on the ss of water. Why did he ask that? Bianca was puzzled. However, she said, "If this was before, I would... However, the first requirement was to find a man that I would be willing to have a child with." "Did you find him?" Luke asked. He got up and stood there towering over her. He was such a sight to behold. Then, he picked up the remote and turned the television off. Bianca shook her head. "I don''t want to have children anymore." She wanted to give all her love to Rainie and Lanie. Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Avenge Bianca and Support Her! "Do you n to abort it if you''re pregnant?" Luke looked at her with his intense eyes. At the same time, he removed his watch on his wrist. Bianca felt that it might be time for him to rest. However, at the same time, she thought that this conversation was ridiculous. "Why would I make myself pregnant... Even if I did that with someone, I''d ask them to use contraceptives. So... there would be no question of whether I''d abort the child if I''m pregnant." After she said that, she went back to her room. Luke stood in the living room. His unflustered manner looked out of ce in this small living room. He removed his watch and undid the buttons on his shirt. He sighed as he watched her going back to her room. Xavier had used her grandpa to force her to get a marriage certificate with him. That was the truth. A few days ago, his uncle and aunt told him that Xavier got married. After she reached the hotel, the case of her grandpa''s disappearance was solved the moment Xavier brought Bianca into the private room. Aside from attacking Bianca''s weakness which was her grandpa, Xavier had no other choice. Xavier was a sensitive and paranoid person. This kind of person would be extremely careful when they were going about their business. However, if you yed with fire, you would eventually get burned. After Xavier served time and was released, he was even more careful than he was when he was in his 20s. He kidnapped Bianca¡¯s grandpa without a trace. What he did was wless. He did not leave any evidence at all. Thew would have thest say in punishing someone¡¯s crimes, however, it would need concrete evidence. Bianca was not Xavier''s opponent. However, for all those grievances that she suffered, Luke was willing to uphold justice for her at any time. He was willing to support her fully as long as she said the word. Luke turned off the lights after he took a short shower. The rented apartment plunged into darkness. Even if there were no curtains, no one would be able to look into the house. He wrapped the small towel around his waist and went to have a smoke in the kitchen. Rainie''s dinner was too salty because her father¡¯s aunt had brought some pickles to the hospital. That was the first time Rainie had those and she thought that they were tasty. As such, she ate a little too much because she was gluttonous. While she was sleeping, she called out drowsily, "Water. I want some water Bianca was not asleep yet, so she stayed by Rainie''s side and watched her without shifting her gaze. When she heard that Rainie was thirsty, sheforted her softly and got up to fetch her some water. When she opened the door, she saw that the living room was dark. Hence, she figured that Luke had to be asleep. As she was walking to the kitchen, Bianca''s mind started to wander. When Rainie and Lanie were in Crawford Manor, no one slept with them. Would the children hold it in when they were thirsty in the middle of the night? Using the light from her cellphone, Bianca came to the kitchen and turned on the lights. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. When she lifted her head, she was shocked. The man''s body was exposed. His muscles were firm and strong while his shoulders were broad. The V-shape below his lower abs looked seductive. Moving downward... Bianca turned her face away. Her face was now red and hot. Her hand that was holding the phone trembled along with her body. The image of the man''s body part that needed to be censored was stuck in her brain. How terrifying! Even though she had seen it before and had felt the man¡¯s body, now, Bianca was still so shocked that she ran back to her room. Shepletely forgot to get water for Rainie. Rainie was in a deep slumber anyway, so she had stopped thinking about her thirst. Luke did not have pajamas on, but he wrapped the towel around his waist before he walked out of the bathroom. However, the towel was too small, so it was difficult for him to wrap it around him and that was why it fell. Hence, he just left it aside and did not put it back around his waist. After a smoke, Luke put the cigarette out on the clean ashtray he took in from the living room and walked back to the living room. The wetness on his pants was still not dry yet. However, he still put it on as he did not want her to be so scared that she did not dare toe out anymore. Bianca should being into the kitchen for water. If not, she would not go into the kitchen at this hour. Luke went into the kitchen to see if there was some water so that he could fetch her some. He came into the kitchen four times in one night. It was a ce that was only a few square meters wide. However, he only saw the button of a man''s shirt now. He bent down and picked up the button on the corner. Five years ago, the image of his aunt crying and wanting to die at home kept on reying in his brain. All mothers were great. As such, in a mother¡¯s eyes, her son being locked up for five years in prison would be a great tragedy. His aunt had stayed in Xavier''s room and refused toe out. At that time, she had cried and said, "He was still fine back then. He started a business and had a girlfriend. He even came back with a few shirts in thest few months and told me his girlfriend designed these. I was hoping for him to get married and settle down. I was hoping that a woman would be able to control him, but who knew... How could hemit a crime just like that..." Luke nced at those shirts, and the designs of the buttons were special. They were designed by a well-known female designer in the country. That female designer did revolve around Xavier constantly. The button on Bianca''s kitchen floor was extraordinary. It was no doubt that it was created by that female designer. Jealousy would make someone lose their sanity, and it would also make someone narrow-minded and sensitive. He recalled the things Xavier said when they were in the theater, then he looked at the button at the corner of the kitchen floor. He looked at the parent and child shoes that went missing in the shoe rack. In that instant, Luke''s dominance was awakened! Inside the bedroom. Bianca could not sleep. She tossed and turned until her phone rang. She reached over and took a look. It was an Instagram DM. She opened it and saw that it was from Luke. ''Come out or I''ll go in.'' What was he doing in the middle of the night? Bianca got out of bed and walked out of the bedroom. When she closed the door, she saw the man who was standing at the shoe rack by the door. Bianca did not know why Luke''s expression was so grim. "Where are the parent and child shoes I bought for you?" he asked. His eyebrows were furrowed together as he approached Bianca. Bianca recalled the scene when the shoes were in mes and felt guilty. However, if she told him the truth about the shoes, she was worried that she would infuriate him. She backed away to get away from the man who was approaching her. She said, "I sent them to the dry cleaners. Mypany wants us to wear high heels to work tomorrow...¡± "I¡¯ll wait for you to get them back from the dry cleaners. Can you imagine the fuss Rainie and Lanie would make when they notice that the shoes are gone? Also, how do you exin that button? I got it from your kitchen floor." Luke held the button with one hand and grabbed her thin wrist in the other. He held her and forbade her from running away. Bianca did not have the energy to run away. She would not be able to escape anyway as she was trapped by him. She lifted her head and stared at the button. Even after a long while, she still could not remember where that button came from. She only had her grandpa and father ever since she grew up. Her father and grandpa rarely wore buttoned shirts. Even if they did, it would be the most basic ones. Their buttons would be either white or grey. A button was so small, so it would be hard for the naked eye to see the design on it unless one got close to the chest of the wearer to have a look. However, which woman would get close to every man¡¯s chest to see what their buttons looked like and remember them? Bianca did not know who this button belonged to. "In the future, when the kidse over during the weekends, they''d have to see another man with you here. I guess letting Rainie and Laniee over is a mistake." After Luke said that, he removed her wrist. Then, he tossed the button into the bin in the living room. Luke was agitated. He was extremely agitated. He lost theposure and calmness that he had for the past 29 years. As the man walked to the door and was about to leave, he felt the woman tugging on the shirt under his belt from behind. Her hands were like a cat''s ws. They were grabbing its owner''s shirt at a crucial moment. Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Luke Crawford Was Talking Dirty... Bianca felt the man turning around. However, she did not dare to lift her head. "Xavier... Xavier came over in the afternoon. I fought with him over some minor inconveniences. Perhaps the button fell when it happened." Her tone was calm. She did not want to be the prisoner he was interrogating as she was not at fault for what happened this afternoon. ''What did he do to you? Why did you fight?" Luke lowered his voice and the temperature dropped by 1,000 degrees Celsius. "Just an argument, nothing more. My friend Nina was also here. She was between me and Xavier.¡± Bianca lifted her head to look at him. She looked into his eyes to try to exin herself. 2 Actually, she did not know why she bothered exining so much to him. Perhaps, it was because he was the father of her children. After she exined everything that made him mad, Bianca did not get his reply after a long while. However, his hot breath that was mixed with a strong masculine scentnded on her face. Bianca wanted to lift her head, but her lips were immediately captured by this man. The kiss was very soft. However, it was this man¡¯s gentle gesture that opened every pore on her body. With thebination of their saliva, the atmosphere started to be lustful. One of Luke''s hands was caressing her fair neck as it felt the temperature of her body rising while his other hand was on her waist. He pinched her bottom deviously through her pajamas. Bianca would feel her sanity getting devoured bit by bit. She wanted to stay sane. At the same time, she was also trying her best to look for every ounce of sanity. After a long while when she finally sensed the danger and was about to push him away, she realized that throughout their kiss, the man had already brought her from the door to the narrow living room. The sofa that was ready for them to get tangled up with each other was just behind her. When she sensed the danger, Bianca turned her head away and took in a deep breath. The window of the living room was open and the cold air came in through the window. It awakened most of her sanity. ''Your face is redder than the time we made Rainie and Lanie," said Luke in a hoarse voice. One of his large hands went under her pajamas slowly. Bianca backed away from fear. She took in huge gulps of air with her red face. She wanted to grab the man¡¯s hand that was invading her, but she was toote. Her sensitive buds on her chest had already been captured by that man. "Please don''t. Rainie and Lanie are here." Both of her hands were grabbing the man''s arm to prevent him from moving. However, the firm and strong muscles on his arm made her heart tremble. Looking at Bianca''s terrified and red face, Luke used his thumb to flick her bud nonchntly. "Oh... No... Don''t touch..." Bianca''s eyebrows were slightly furrowed. She gasped for air as her lips were red and swollen. Her slender fingers were trying to pry away the man''s hands that were all over her body. The redness on her face was building and building. All of the blood in her body was flowing in the opposite direction. The woman started to moan and plead subconsciously. Luke''s entire body felt numb when he heard that. Something had started to tower from under his pants. The man''s hand traveled south from her waist. Then, he pressed down and pulled her into his arms. There was no space between their two bodies. They were rubbing against each other using the ces that were in contact. Weird sensations started to devour her body, and Bianca almost turned into a puddle of water. The man''s lips and tongue were extremely hot. They approached her and kissed her lightly on the lips. Then, they captured her lips and started sucking. After that, the searing kiss started to burn and crash into her throat. A pair of hands were caressing her smooth back repeatedly. Her consciousness started to weaken and drift away. Bianca felt that the bottom of her pajamas had already left her body. The man''s voice said seductively next to her ear, ''You make me tremble, boil..." The breaths of the two of them were intertwined together. There were fires burning in their throats and noses. Bianca''s consciousness started to drift. However, she could clearly hear what Luke said in between his groans. He was saying the things that were only said while doing this kind of thing. Dirty talk... "Ah... Ah... No... Ah..." The desire that was hidden deep inside her body was being pulled out. Bianca hated herself for being unable to resist his seduction. "Good girl, you know you like this." Luke breathed next to her ear in an unrestrained manner. Then, he took her earlobe into his mouth. Bianca thought she would sumb to himpletely. However, thankfully, Rainie woke up. Perhaps she did not see anyone next to her when she woke up, so she started crying. She called out to Aunt Bea again and again while wiping away her tears. It took Bianca mere seconds to wake up from lust. However, when she had to face the harsh reality after waking up, it was way scarier and shameful than falling in love. She could not find her pants. Her conservative pajama top had been pushed open to reveal her neck that was covered in love bites. "Coming." Bianca rposed herself andforted the little girl who was holding the doorknob. Rainie''s wounded eye would be Bianca''s top priority as a mother. When Bianca was about to go take care of her daughter, Luke frowned and pulled her back. He only hugged and kissed her. It was not enough to suppress the me of desire in his body. Bianca turned around and saw that the lust on the man''s face had not yet disappeared. When the man pulled her back to him, she could even feel his energetic manhood crashing onto the most shameful part of her body. "I''m going to take a look at Rainie. I don''t think you''ll enjoy yourself as much with the kids around..." Bianca was worried about Rainie, so she started babbling nonsense. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Unbeknownst to her, every word she said had already been carved into the man''s brain. He would not enjoy himself as much if he did it with the kids around... Then, what if the kids were not around... Bianca did note out anymore after going back to her room. Rainie, who was just looking for her a second ago, was lying in bed while staying in her arms. While she was falling asleep, she mumbled, "Aunt Bea, you smell like Daddy..." Bianca''s face heated up from guilt as she wiped away the tears on Rainie''s eyshes. Then, she kissed Rainie''s cheek. "What does your daddy smell like?" 1 "Um, it''s a nice smell. Sometimes, Daddy will smoke when he¡¯s angry. I don''t like the smell of smoke," Rainie mumbled in disgust. That night, Bianca would wake up several times. She would hold Rainie''s hand in hers because she was worried that Rainie would scratch her wounded eyes when she was asleep, i Even though Bianca did not have much sleep, she was still refreshed and energetic the next morning. She took out the vegetables, fruits, milk, and bread from the fridge and made some breakfast that her past self would consider as pretty hearty. After Rainie wounded her eye, she started to throw even more tantrums. She said while eating her milk and bread, "Daddy, when you came to pick me and Big Brother up yesterday, you told Great-grandpa that you''ll go to a small town for a few days. Is it fun there? Can you take me and Big Brother someday?" "It''s not fun." Luke regained his manner of a serious big boss. Not only did he reject the kids, but he also said sternly, ''You two should be done with your recement sses. I''ll let Uncle Jason send you two to school today.¡± Rainie and Lanie,"..." After they looked at each other, they lowered their heads. Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Their Stupid Father Would Definitely Listen to Aunt Bea Bianca lowered her head and ate her breakfast while she listened to the conversation between the adult and the children. She wanted to say something. She wanted to say that the town was fun... There were certain sceneries that children living in cities were not able to see. "Aunt Bea..." "Aunt Bea..." The two children started begging Bianca. Lanie and Rainie knew that their stupid father would definitely listen to Aunt Bea, so they wanted to ask Aunt Bea for help. They wanted her to help them take care of their stupid father. Luke looked at Bianca, and his stern eyebrows started rxing slightly. His attitude did a 180 change after talking to his children sternly. ¡¯The other children started school one month ago. Lanie and Rainie are one monthte." When Bianca heard that, she looked at the children with a surprised expression on her face. ¡®Then you two should go to school..." Lanie and Rainie became deted instantly. It was eight in the morning when Luke made a call to Crawford Manor. Lanie and Rainie''s bags and uniforms were all prepared. Then, Jason drove over to pick the items up. When he arrived at Crawford Manor, the people in the manor were all having breakfast. The old master¡¯s butler cum driver walked over and opened the door for Jason. The two then walked in together. Before they walked in, Jason heard the boss'' mother, Allison, talking. "Dad, I like Bea too, but what I''m worried about is that it might be bad for us if word about this gets out. What will happen to the Crawfords'' reputation? My inws would be fine. The Tanners isn''t a big family. No one would pay attention to us if nothing major happened, but the Crawfords aren''t the same..." Allison did not have the mood to eat the porridge in front of her. The old master ate his breakfast slowly. "Even if the entire city knows about this, we''re in the right as well. That Tanner kid had no right to say anything. If we''re in the right, we won''t be afraid of anything. If we keep trying to preserve our image, then you''re allowing that Tanner kid tomit crimes!" Allison''s face fell. "Dad, I''m the daughter-inw of the Crawfords and I gave birth to an exceptional heir for the family. Even if what Xavier did is wrong, he''s still my nephew. Can you at least preserve some dignity for me? Don''t force my inws to break their rtionship with the Crawfords. Xavier is in the wrong, but there will be a big price to pay if we dig into the facts about who''s right and who¡¯s wrong. Xavier might even lose everything!" "Lose everything?" The old master lifted his head and tried to clear up his vision to look at his daughter-inw who was not what she seemed. ''That Tanner kid is the one who did this to himself. Plus, I believe the Tanners can rebuild themselves. They won''t be able to go hungry nor die just like this!" After he said that, the old master mmed down his utensils. The maid went over after she heard the noise and handed the old master his cane. It was getting cold recently and the old master''s rheumatism was getting worse. He needed a cane to support himself. Susan walked downstairs with a pair of silk pajamas on and looked at Allison who was utterly defeated. She could not help but mock, saying, "I guess the old master knows that you Tanners are used to doing all sorts of heinous things. Look at you. You''re just a mistress who became the legally wedded wife. You''re a call girl who turned into the madam of a rich family. Do you think you''re the owner of this family now-" "Susan, you best shut your mouth!" Allison mmed her hand down on the table and stood up. She did not care about her image anymore. Susan was indifferent. She sat down and took the bowl of porridge that was handed over to her by the maid. "What are you screaming about? Do you think I¡¯m the maid who serves you? If you Tanners are not sinister by nature, ording to your fate, you would be a piece of trash that I won''t look at even if you washed my feet for me." The butler and Jason walked in at the same time. Even though they were used to this, they still coughed to tell the matriarchs of the family not to go overboard. Jason nodded at the two matriarchs and followed the maid upstairs to take the young master and youngdy''s bags and uniforms. On the other side, Bianca followed the adult and the children out the door. She went to her office first before handing the children to Jason. Luke''s car was parked in the parking spot of the residential area. He put Lanie and Rainie into the car and shut the door. Then, he opened the passenger seat to let Bianca get in. After Bianca recalled what he saidst night, she looked around and asked, "Aren''t you scared that someone will take your picture if you park your car here?" Bianca did not want to get into the tabloids with him. She would attract a lot of unreasonable hate and resentment from a lot of people if that happened. "I''ll pay more attention to this next time." Luke''s hand that was resting on her waist naturally pinched her without warning. Only the two of them understood this intimate gesture. Bianca''s face was red as she got into the car hurriedly. When they were near her office, Bianca asked to get out earlier. This was her first requirement of hitching a ride with him. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Luke stopped the car as per their agreement. "You two be good in school, okay?" After Bianca got out of the car, she stood at the back of the car to comfort the devastated children. Lanie and Rainie nodded miserably. "Okay..." "Good children!" Bianca took a step back and stood next to the road. She waved goodbye to the children with a warm grin on her face. The car started and Luke looked at the person who was getting smaller and smaller from the rearview mirror. "Daddy, pay attention to the road." Rainier reminded him with one of her eyes opened. Inside the building of T Corporation at nine o''clock. Everyone was especially busy. Bianca went to take a brand new marker pen and ced it in her drawer. After she sat down, she remembered that the children should be in school now. She wondered if they could get used to this. i She was extremely busy until noon. Bianca got her superior''s orders that she and a few of her colleagues needed to follow their superiors to the developing town. When the head of the department came and announced this, Bianca did not have any special expressions on her face. She would just treat this as a normal task. However, the other female colleagues were extremely jealous. To be frank, Bianca just wanted to stay in A City when she thought about Lanie and Rainie¡¯s dependent state. As such, when Luke left the kids with her, she would rece the fatherly love with her motherly love to take care of them. She got herself familiar with the information of the town until lunchtime. Sue was not here, so Bianca followed her other colleagues to the staff cafeteria. She ced some pasta and some vegetables on her tray. She was about to sit down with her colleagues while talking happily. At this moment, a man in a suit walked over. He was wearing a pair of gold- rimmed sses and had a briefcase in his hand. "Hello, are you Miss Rayne?" Bianca nodded. "Hello, I''m Bianca Rayne, and you are-" "Can I sit down and talk?" The man handed Bianca a name card. After he said that, he looked at everyone who was standing next to Bianca. A female colleague parted her lips slightly. She could tell that the two of them had something to talk about, so she got the others to sit down at another table on her own initiative. When Bianca saw the name and upation on the man''s name card, she was shocked. Walter Long! One of the topwyers in the legal world in and out of the country! Walter sat down elegantly and went straight to the topic. "Miss Rayne, ording to Mr. Crawford, you should immediately divorce your husband." Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Bianca''s Face Was Red "Look! Isn''t that Walter Long?" A female colleague looked over to Bianca¡¯s table while she was drinking her soup on the other table. She blinked and lifted her head in disbelief to ask her colleagues who were on the same table as her. Her colleague turned around and took a look. Then, they widened their eyes. "It really is Walter Long..." Not only was their table discussing this, but the other tables were talking about this as well. On the other table, a lovestruck woman took out her phone and secretly took photos of Walter. She said, "Last year, he was reputed as the hottest man with gold rimmed sses in the country by netizens. I finally get to see him today. He''s indeed so exceptionally handsome." There was no tantmotion in the staff cafeteria, but it was not quiet either. After Bianca heard what Walter said, she benefited a lot from him. Awyer''s enunciation was so clear and concise. His statement was easy to understand as well. That day during nightfall, Bianca got into Xavier''s car at the entrance of the subway and was forced to go get a marriage certificate. Back then, she thought there was no big deal. After all, she still survived after so many years. She gave birth to someone''s children for her father''s liver donor and medical fees. Why would she be scared of marrying someone? Her life was already in shambles anyway. Sometimes, Bianca wouldment at the unfairness of life and fate. Perhaps she did too many bad things in her past life, so that was why her life now was so horrible. However, it was fine. She would be patient and get through these obstacles one by one. There would be an end to a horrible life too. When she got the marriage certificate, Bianca decided to find awyer to get a divorce the next day after the sun rose. The process might be difficult, but just like getting through an obstacle, she would eventually see the light and get her divorce. However, because of her grandfather¡¯s health, she dyed finding awyer again and again.. Unbeknownst to her, Luke had already found one for her. Plus, he even got her such an exceptional lawyer... Walter did not behave like any uppitywyer would. Coincidentally, he was hungry. As such, he bought lunch at the staff cafeteria of T Corporation. He talked to Bianca while he ate. "I think it should be easy for me to get a divroce, right? When can I cut off all ties with him?" There was a ss of unsweetened lemon juice next to Bianca. She did not drink it. Walter said, "The organic cauliflower here is not bad. I think that you can have more of this. Actually, for me, there''s no marriage that''s difficult to get a divorce. However, during this process, the court won¡¯t approve your divorce immediately just because you want it. You have to go through all the legal processes as well." Walter drank some water and continued, "Since you only requested a divorce and both of you don¡¯t have kids, there won''t be a problem of custody. Plus, there¡¯ll be no problems with the share of assets. You''ll save a lot of time and effort if you can just settle this out of court." Bianca understood. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Afer Walter finished his lunch, he called Luke before he left. Bianca felt that she should walk with Walter out of courtesy or gratefulness. After entering the lift of the staff cafeteria, Bianca pressed the button to the lower ground floor. Then, she stood diagonally across from Walter. The lift went down. Walter smiled and said to the man on the other end of the phone, "Really? Are you worried that your female employee isn¡¯t able to afford my expensive consultation fee because of your overflowing kindness, Mr. Crawford? Is that why you¡¯re helping her? "I don''t own the court. We still have to go through all of the process. It¡¯s just like how you fell for a woman and you¡¯d still try everything to win her over, right? If there''s no process, then it''s a deal or a business transaction." The lift got to the tenth floor. What Luke said over the phone was unknown, but Bianca heard Walter say, "Why do I feel like you¡¯re kidnapping someone else¡¯s wife? You¡¯re even more concerned about the progress than the person involved." Walter''s indirect mocking and taunts made Bianca''s face heat up. She soon turned red. Perhaps, she should not have stopped Luke from taking away her grandpa back then... The environment of the amodation Luke arranged for Grandpa might be better. However, the most important thing was that it was much safer. If she had not taken her grandpa back to her rented apartment, her grandpa would not have been kidnapped by Xavier. She would not have been forced into bing his wife either. Then, Luke would not be the man who kidnapped someone else''s wife ording to Walter. However, it seemed like Walter had a good rtionship with Luke and was just joking. Bianca sent Walter to the lower ground floor while her mind was racing. Then, she exchanged some courtesies with him. Walter nodded and turned around to go to where he parked his car. The door of the elevator closed, and Bianca pressed the button to the floor where the design department was. Back to the design department. Bianca spotted Yvonne in her office. She did not greet her before going back to her seat and started taking care of her work. She would be able to go back sooner if she finished her work sooner. That way, she would be able to go to the hospital to visit her father. Yvonne came to work with her mother after lunch. She came from a huge background and had support, so that was why the head of department did not dare to say anything to her. "I heard that you had lunch with Walter Long in the staff cafeteria? You know so many people and you have so many tricks up your sleeves." Yvonne sat on her seat. She did not even turn on herputer. She merely yed with her phone while rolling her eyes at Bianca. Her gaze was filled with disdain. Bianca lifted her head and looked at her. Yvonne wanted to say something, but she heard the other colleaguesing back from lunch. Plus, Sue and Nina had also walked in while chatting happily. As such, she shut her mouth. When it was about three o''clock, Yvonne received a call in the quiet working area. "Honey, what¡¯s wrong?" Yvonne purposely made her voice sound disgustingly sweet. She also had a sweet grin on her face. "What''s going on? Don''t you love it when I call you honey? You''re horrible. You''re such a rascal behind everyone''s backs and you still want to pretend to be a gentleman in front of everyone. Your employees won''tugh at you anyway." The women in the office all fell silent. Everytime Yvonne talked to them, she would purposely expose a lot of information. The only thing she did not say was that the boss was her support and he was her man. At this moment, Yvonne was calling the person as her honey. It could only mean that the person calling her was their boss. Nina looked at Bianca in disbelief. Even though Bianca would always bury her head in her work, Nina could tell that Bianca''s brows were furrowed together. It was not too apparent, though. This could only mean that Bianca was bothered by this as well. "I''m truly suspecting that you only like me for my young body. Hmph!" Yvonne simpered and said to the man on the other end of the phone. After she said that, she pretended to hang up the phone angrily. Yvonne then threw her phone on her desk. Nina nced at Yvonne speechlessly. She did not even want to try to guess. Was their boss like the rest of the men in the world? Was he also weak when faced with young and hot bodies?" After all, Yvonne was only 19! She had a sweet and childish voice. Plus, she was a master of simpering. She even knew how to ster herself to the men around her. Nina figured that everyone in the office, including Bianca, were all thinking about the same things Nina was thinking about. Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Listen to the Children and Woman... Everyone was packing up to leave at five o''clock when someone delivered a massive bouquet of roses over. "Excuse me, who¡¯s Miss Yvonne Gideon?" "It''s me. What¡¯s going on?" Yvonne grabbed hertest Chanel bag and walked over to the entrance of the office. "Flowers for you. The guy who delivered this said that he doesn¡¯t want you to be mad at him and that he''ll marry you when you''re at the legal age of marriage." The delivery guy handed the bouquet to Yvonne. Yvonne took the flowers and looked at the card inside the bouquet with a grim expression on her face. Then, her face lit up. She threw the card into the bin shyly before leaving the office. "Gosh, I can''t believe the frigid boss would send flowers to a girl just to make her happy," a female colleague said and went to pick up the card from the bin. A few of the female colleagues also curiously approached her to take a look. It was unknown what was written on the card, but in the end, the female colleagues eximed in surprise, "The boss was a guy with so much selfrestraint! We can''t believe all those motivational quotes online indeed. Men would always prefer the young and sweet ones!" A male colleague who was putting away hisptopughed and said, "You people always stay upte to draw. Of course, your skin isn''t as good as before. How can youpare to a pampered and spoiled young missus like Yvonne? It''s only normal for Mr. Crawford to prefer a 19-year-old little chick. It''d be unusual for him to not like her!" At this moment, Yvonne came back again. Everyone shut their mouths. "My card." Yvonne wanted to head to the bin the moment she came in. However, she saw the card in the hands of a female colleague. However, she had already expected this. The person holding the card must have read the card out loud. This meant that Bianca had to have heard it as well, right? Yvonne was pleased with herself. Her effort of putting on this show was not wasted at all. "Here. I was worried that you''de back for this, so I picked it up from the bin," the female colleague said guiltily. Yvonne replied, "Thanks. I regretted throwing this card away. I¡¯m worried that he''ll punish me tonight..." The ''he'' she mentioned was their boss who towered over all of them. Plus, thebination of ''punish'' and ''tonight'' was the sure-fire kill that made everyone think of something intimate and lustful. Of course, they would think of something rted to the bedroom... When Yvonne wanted to leave while feeling all giddy and shy, Nina said naively, "Flowers from your darling? Why did he send it to the office? Are you guys living separately because your rtionship is in shambles?" Everyone was watching this happening expectantly. Yvonne frowned. When she was about to scold Nina, Sue said, "Nina, your listening skills are so bad. Didn''t Von say that she''ll get punished by her darling if she threw the card away? They''re not living separately. Sending the flowers to the office is another kind of love, you know?" "Punish? Why? Is it because Von''s family is not as reputable as his, so she needs to kneel and kiss his feet like a ve? She would even be punished if she makes him mad? Wow, I don''t think a normal person would want this kind of love. It feels like the rtionship of a master who bought a ve back in the old times. The ve will need to wash the feet of the master and warm his bed for him. At the end of the day, there will be no benefits for the ve. How cheap..." 1 Yvonne''s bashful face had turned as red as a tomato. "Nina, you''re doing this on purpose, aren''t you?" Yvonne shrieked without caring about her image. She threw the flowers at Nina before anyone could stop her. With the help of Sue, Nina was able to dodge it. After turning around, Nina said like a little bunny rabbit, "I''m so worried now. Yvonne, you were so scared of your darling punishing you because you threw away the card, but now, you''ve tossed your flowers. Would your darling hit you so hard that all of your teeth will fall out?" Everyone in the office was watching what was going on. They were stifling in waves ofughter, not even concerned about leaving on time. Sue figured that she would stop things when she felt that it was enough. She grabbed Bianca and Nina before leaving the design department. Yvonne stayed in the office. She released all of her anger for Nina on Bianca instead. "You shameless sl*t! You failed to seduce my boyfriend and you asked your friends to humiliate me! Who do you think you are? I¡¯m able to defeat you easily with my looks, age, and family background!" The people who were still in the office all felt that Yvonnecked certain qualities and was uncultured, other than that, they were guessing whether Yvonne was yelling at Sue or Bianca. Who had seduced the boss? If any of the female employees in the design department was able to meet the boss privately, then this woman was really something else. She had to be a real-life subus. Bianca went to the hospital to visit her father, and finally, she went to see her grandpa. However, she got a message on her phone while she was on the way. Luke acted first before reporting to Bianca that he already sent her grandpa to a safe ce. There were people taking care of him, and the environment was nice. If she was willing, she could also move there. After she read the message, Bianca did not have a strong feeling to take her grandpa back. It had alreadye to this, and she did not dare to let her grandpa get into any danger with Xavier, the psychopath, around. Her grandpa was an old man who was in his 70s. He could not go through any more torture. He should be living happily in peace. 2 As for her debt to Luke, she would pay him back in the future. Bianca typed the words ''thank you¡¯. When she was about to hit send, she received another message. Luke had sent her a voice message. His voice was deep and alluring, reverberating in the air around her. "Send me your location. I''ll go pick you up. Today is the kids'' first day at school. They would want their parents picking them up together." After she heard this, Bianca did not have the heart to reject him. She sent him her location and stood next to the road. Today was her two precious babies'' first day in school. Bianca wanted to go pick them up, but she did not dare to say it out loud. She was worried that she would attract any unwanted attention if she appeared at the entrance of the school with Luke. In the deepest part of her heart, she wanted to go so badly. Thankfully, he was the one who proposed this idea. At the entrance of the elementary school. The children refused to eat at a restaurant after their first day. They insisted on eating Aunt Bea¡¯s food. "But Aunt Bea is tired after an entire day at work." Luke wanted to eat Bianca''s food as well because it tasted like home. Yet, Bianca was indeed exhausted after a whole day of work. Bianca squatted on the ground and wiped the sugar away from Rainie¡¯s lips. After she heard what Luke said, she replied, "It''s fine. I have nothing to do when I get back anyway. Plus... I want to cook for them." 1 No mother in this world would want their children to eat out every day. These two children were at the age where they would need enough nutrients to grow. Luke lifted his eyebrows and disyed a look that said he did not have any opinions. He would follow everything the children and woman said. On the way home, they went to get some groceries at the supermarket. Bianca went on her own because she did not want someone who looked like he had just walked out of a financial newspaper standing next to her and attracting all the attention of the middle-aged women there. If she was not careful, she would bebeled as being his sugar baby. Back at her rented apartment, Bianca took out the brand new slippers and handed them to the three of them. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Luke changed into their inside shoes and looked at Bianca who had carried all of the supplies into the kitchen. He admitted that he was longing for the feeling of home. If Bianca was not here, then this family would not beplete. Chapter 178 Chapter 178 The Amorous Rtionship in the Kitchen! Bianca busied herself in the kitchen. She heard the two little kids ying around in the living room. After a while, she heard Rainie letting out a little howl before everything went silent. Bianca stopped plucking the vegetables and went out to take a look. She squatted down and removed Rainie''s hand that was rubbing her eye. "What happened?¡± "I identally poked my eye," Rainie said while ming herself. She made Aunt Bea worried! "Are you okay? You can tell me if it hurts." Bianca approached her with her gaze filled with kindness. She blew gently on the gauze over Rainie''s eye. Rainie said sweetly, "I don''t feel any pain when Aunt Bea blows it for me." Bianca saw that the little girl was indeed not in any pain anymore and smiled warmly. She caressed her head. ''Then be a dear and do your homework with Lanie. We''ll be able to eat soon." Rainie nodded. nche took out his bag and opened it to find his pencil and books. Then, he started doing his homework with his sister. The two children longed for the love of a mother, so they were afraid of making any mistakes. They were scared of losing Aunt Bea who was like a mother to them. The only weapon they could use was to be obedient and lovable. Bianca went back to the kitchen in satisfaction after she saw the two kids doing their homework obediently. Cooking was not usually something that would make her happy, but it was a joyous thing for Bianca to cook for Rainie and Lanie. "Do you need help?" A deep masculine voice sounded behind Bianca. After removing her high heels when she got home from work, Bianca was only five foot four. Compared to Luke, who was six feet two, their height difference was extremely evident. It made her look petite. Bianca wanted to shake her head to refuse when she saw the man''s slender fingers reaching over to take away the potato that she was about to peel. Everyone who knew Luke would probably guess that an eligible bachelor like him would have an interesting nightlife. He would have all kinds of socialites, young misses, and influencers throwing themselves at him. To fully describe this man''s interesting nightlife, one could only describe him as having all kinds of beautiful women in his arms. If not, it would not be interesting enough! However, who could imagine that the boss of T Corporation, the country''s number one registered architect and the head of the directors of design with a status higher than all of the directors of design in T Corporation, would be peeling potato skins in a little rented apartment that was less than 60 square feet. 1 N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Despite Bianca being not as lovestruck as the other women, she was still extremely surprised by the sight she saw. "I think... I think I should do this." Bianca watched him from one side. She did not go and clean the other vegetables. It felt weird to see the boss peeling potatoes. "I brought my entire family to eat at your ce. I''m afraid that you¡¯llin about me if I don''t at least help out." The man was focused on peeling the potatoes. Perhaps the potato could not stand being tortured by Luke, so it slipped from his grip and the peeler landed directly on his hand. Bianca''s eyes widened. She did not know whether to get the first aid kit from the living room or to turn on the tap for him to wash the wound. "Why are you so careless? I told you I''ll do it...¡± Bianca made him wash the wound himself. After she said that with a frown, she took the first aid kit into the kitchen. 2 The blood waspletely washed away by the water before fresh blood poured out from his wound again. After Bianca applied some antibiotic cream on his wound, she took out a bandaid to put on Luke''s wound carefully. Luke did not even frown during the entire process. He looked at the woman who was way shorter than him. She was mumbling warmly about how careless he was while taking care of his wound. Bianca mumbled a lot of things, and after she calmed down, she realized perhaps she was too concerned about this. Suddenly, the air between the two of them became amorous. "I¡¯m going to cook. The hob is pretty old, so some of the smell might not get absorbed," Bianca turned on the bog and said without turning around. She was indirectly telling him to leave. Not only did Luke not leave, he even lit up a cigarette. As he was smoking, he glued his eyes on her back and watched as she cooked. 1 He could not have enough of her. The kitchen was tiny, and Bianca was busy cooking. When she turned around to take the condiments from her tiny fridge, she saw a wisp of smoke and the man''s defined features. Plus, his eyes were also looking at her heatedly. She quickly took the condiments and stirred the vegetables in the pot. She said to the person behind her, ''The kitchen is too small. You should go out and wait." "I''m afraid that the smoke will choke the children." He used the excuse of protecting the children to stay in the kitchen. He said that the kitchen had a hob, so it was suitable for him to smoke here. Bianca could not help but curse silently, ''You should just stay in the kitchen forever then.'' The dinner was hearty. When Bianca walked out with the dishes, she felt her face heating up. Perhaps the kitchen was too hot, so she felt as if she was being toasted inside. During dinner, the children were sitting on the north and south end of the table. They were between the adults who were sitting on the east and west sides. For the Crawfords, they were not allowed to talk during dinner, but Bianca did not know that. At the end of the day, no one talked at the dining table. When they were almost finished, Lanie looked at the empty te in front of him and ced his fork down shyly. "Aunt Bea, can I still stay here?" Of course, Bianca would be more than happy to let him. She even wanted Rainie and Lanie to stay here every day. However, she still needed their father''s permission. Luke was done as well. He got up and looked at the children. "Be nice. Don''t disturb Aunt Bea." "Yay! Hooray, Daddy!¡± nche jumped down from the chair and lifted his head. ¡°Daddy, please take me and Rainie to get new pajamas." Bianca lifted her hand and knocked herself on her head vexedly. She had only bought groceries and slippers just now. She forgot to get them pajamas. Perhaps she would let Jason get some for them from Crawford Manor in the morning. When Luke picked up his suit jacket, he turned back to look at Bianca. He was apologetic. "I have something to take care of tonight, so you should take them.¡± After hesitating for a while, Bianca nodded without saying anything. After they were done, Bianca cleared the table silently. The little kids also helped her out. How would Bianca let the kids do this? However, she did not want to reject the kids¡¯ kindness, so she handed Lanie four spoons and Rainie four forks for them to take to the kitchen. Luke had already grabbed his suit jacket, but he did not leave yet. His eyes were on Bianca. He frowned slightly when he detected that she was not in a great mood. He noticed that Bianca was pretty out of it ever since they picked up the kids after work. She became even more inattentive when he said he had to take care of something tonight. Did she not want him to leave? Luke could note up with any other excuses. "Remember, don''t run around when you guys go shopping with Aunt Bea. Also, after you guyse back, remember to shower before going to bed. I''m going now." Rainie and Lanie blinked their huge eyes after their father reminded them. Then, they watched him leave. 2 Luke lifted his head to look at the kitchen and saw Bianca washing the dishes with her back to him. Was this woman mad at him? Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Don''t You Want Me? I''ll Give Myself to You After Luke left, Bianca felt relieved, though notpletely. She washed the dishes in the sink as she sighed in her heart. She did not know what was wrong with her. When he said he had something to take care of tonight, she could not help but recall what Yvonne said in the office. Yvonne was right about this. Perhaps it was true that all men liked the bodies of young women. Even though Bianca felt that at only 24 years old, she was not old and was in fact pretty young, she was no match for the 19-year-old Yvonne. In men¡¯s eyes, there was a huge difference between a woman who had given birth and a woman who had not given birth. The inte was pretty advanced now. Bianca knew there were a lot of horrible men and stupid women. It was just a matter of one bad thought whether she would be one. 2 A man like Luke was rich and powerful. He was good-looking and even had a hot body, so it was not weird that women would cling to him. How would he love a woman forever just because he confessed his love to her? Jason arrived downstairs at 7:40 PM. When Bianca brought the kids downstairs, she nned to take the subway. The little kids also stated that they loved the subway. "Mr. Crawford called me before he went about his business. He told me that I have to get here before you go out," Jason said. He was treating Bianca like she was the bossdy. However, Bianca recalled what Luke had saidst night. He said he did not ask Jason to send some clean pants over because Jason was on a date. It was important for a man to apany his girlfriend. Plus, it was time for him to get work. Bianca did not want to trouble Jason and was worried that his girlfriend would be mad, so she said, "It¡¯s convenient and faster for US to take the subway. You can just go about your business, Mr. Doyle." Jason smiled and said, "My life is dedicated to working for my boss. Don¡¯t be so polite with me, Miss Rayne. Get in." Bianca still refused to get in. Jason should have some private time too! "Perhaps you¡¯ve never brought the kids out before, so you have no idea how tiring it is. If you don''t pay attention for one second, the kids will...¡± Jason did not dare to exaggerate. He did not want to be responsible for this. They were the prince and princess of the Crawfords. In the end, Bianca and the kids got into the Bentley. They were just going to buy some pajamas. This was too much! Centercourt Mall. Bianca did not know what price range the pajamas should be in. However, in order to make her precious babies happy, she was willing to spend more. Back then, she missed out on five years of her children''s life. Now, she could only slowly get used to their lives. On the other end of the city, Luke sat in his office and started working. This was the second time he transformed into a workaholic after he was rescued from the crisis upon inheriting Crawford Industries. Every minute and every second was important to him. His world had already been upied by the dull and boring numbers and data. The neverending tasks and duty would be brought in front of him the moment he woke up until the moment he went to rest. He had to keep signing and keep reading contracts. He also had never- ending decisions to make. Before he went to the town, he still had to settle at least ten days'' worth of work here in advance. Every day he got to spend with Bianca was extremely precious. He did not want to be disturbed and upied by his busy work when that time came. It was 9 PM when Jason went back to the office building. The night view of the busy city was reflected in his eyes through the ss windows. His busy boss'' eyes were shifting between the documents and theputer screen. He was like a person made out of iron. He never knew what exhaustion meant. He had too much on his shoulders. Bianca put the children to sleep. Then, she got up and got herself a ss of water in the kitchen. She nced at the time and noticed that it was almost ten. Luke was not back yet. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. She had her back against the counter. She stood there silently with her ss and forgot to drink it. Before Luke left, he did not specify whether he would leave the kids to her the next time this happened again. Should she do whatever she wanted with them? Bianca did not know why she was slightly upset. It should be a good thing that he had left. He would not be an obstacle to her. However, why did she feel like this? Was she feeling injustice for the kids? Was it because back then they had the love of a father but lacked the love of a mother, and now, they had the love of a mother but were without the love of a father? After pondering for a while, Bianca decided to go to bed after she developed a headache. However, she had a nightmare. She dreamed that Lanie and Ranie told her they hated her. Lanie pointed at her and said, "Go away! I don''t want a mother like you! It''s you! It''s all because of you! You¡¯re the one who pushed Daddy away to that horrible woman! We don''t have the love of a father anymore and we''ll never get to see him again! Daddy has a baby with Aunty Yvonne and he doesn''t want US anymore!" Bianca woke up from her sleep in the middle of the night. She opened her eyes and looked around the room. Aftering back to her senses, she looked at Rainie who was sleeping next to her using the aid of the moonlight. She touched her face that was drenched in sweat and sat up. She turned around to look at the time and it was already 1 AM. Bianca went out to take a look. There were only three pairs of shoes at the door. This meant that Luke was not back yet. She had given him a spare key yesterday. 1 Where did he go? Was he with Yvonne? She recalled the times he got blue-balled when he was with her and his pained face when he could not get release. When she thought about that, Bianca could not breathe. Did he go to Yvonne... to get release? Yvonne would satisfy his needs... As she kept thinking about this, it felt like she had gone into a trance. She finally came back to reality a few momentster. She pressed onto her head with both hands to wake herself up. ''Bianca, what¡¯s wrong with you? ''You''re not Luke''s wife. Are you perhaps meddling a little too much in his life? ''You gave birth to Lanie and Ranie for him five years ago. It was just a trade. Now, he''s allowing you to get in contact with the kids, so why are you stillining? ''You want to dominate a man who towers above everyone. Are you brainless?* After some self-realization, Biancay down again. After a long while, she finally felt sleepy. However, her nightmare continued. She had this kind of experience before. However, it was not as draining as this time. In her nightmare, Rainie hugged her father''s leg and red at her. She said, "I don¡¯t want you either. My daddy raised US for five years and what about you? Where were you? My daddy doesn''t like you, so we don¡¯t like you anymore!" "Don''t go. Please don''t go." She became a shrew in her nightmare. She watched as another woman took her babies away. She grabbed Luke''s sleeve and pleaded with tears streaming down her face, "Don''t you want me? Ill give myself to you. I''ll give myself to you now. Please don¡¯t take Lanie and Rainie away..." "I''m not leaving. I''m here," a man''s deep and alluring voice said in her ear hoarsely. Bianca did not know whether it was a nightmare or reality. She struggled for a while. When she opened her eyes and peered through her tears, she saw that it was morning. Luke''s delicate features were magnified in front of her. She was stunned as she lifted her head in his arms. Then, her lips identally touched his lower jaw. Chapter 180 Chapter 180 The Two of Them Became Sweet and Intimate All of a Sudden She breathed in the man¡¯s refreshing scent. After gasping for air for a while, Bianca finally settled back into reality. "Did you have a nightmare?" Luke¡¯s cold lips pressed on her forehead. Then, hisrge hand pushed her messy hair behind her ear. He looked at her fair face and wet eyes. He said softly, "Don¡¯t be scared. I''m not going anywhere." Bianca felt d. She was d that it was just a nightmare. The reality she saw after she opened her eyes was not as bad as her nightmare. 1 One of her hands grabbed the man''s firm waist while another grabbed the shirt in front of the man''s chest. She opened her mouth after she heard the man''sforting words, but she did not say anything. The air in the small room plunged into silence. After a long while, Bianca''s limbs regained feeling. Then, she removed her hands from his waist and chest. The shirt that Luke was wearing was wrinkled after Bianca let go. "I''m sorry. I-I''ll iron it for you." Aside from this, Bianca had no other words. After she said that, she was about to get up. Luke pulled her back and pressed her in his arms. He said firmly, "Sleep more. It¡¯s still early." The man''s hot breathnded on her cheek and ear. The atmosphere between the two of them became sweet and intimate all of a sudden. Perhaps the temperature today was higher and Luke was beside her, so the air around Bianca felt all warm and toasty. It was easier for her to fall asleep. Ever since she was 18, she rarely slept in. The temperature of Luke''s body and the air around him felt safe. Bianca admitted that she would sometimes feel reluctant to give him up. Whatever. She would just treat this as her being semi-conscious. She was allowed to cling to him. Her trembling eyshes finally calmed down. Her heavy breathing after she woke up slowly calmed down as well. This time, Bianca did not have any nightmares after she fell asleep. The bed in the bedroom was not big. Even though it was a queen-sized bed, it was not enough for two adults, especially a tall adult with long legs. There was no room for the bottom half of his legs. When Bianca slept here with the five-year-old Rainie, she did not dare to move too much. She was worried that she would fall on the child. Luke was tired, but he did not sleep. He had stayed in the office until 5 AM. There was no traffic in the morning, so after he went back to the rented apartment, it was not even 5:30 AM. He opened the door with the spare key before going over to his son''s room. The little guy had his leg over the nket, having kicked it away. He was sleeping soundly and was snoring lightly. After putting the nket on his son, he went to Bianca''s room. Rainie was sleeping in a better positionpared to Lanie. She would only change to one or two positions during the night. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. When he was about to close the door and leave, he heard movements from the bed. He turned around and saw Bianca frowning. There was a sheen of sweat on her face, and she was stirring lightly on the bed with a pained expression. Luke did not know what kind of nightmare she was having. He walked over and tried to wake her. Bianca was sleep-talking. She rambled on and on, but it was unclear what she was saying. Eventually, Lukey on the bed on his side and pulled her into his arms. He grabbed her hand and kissed her forehead to try to make her feel safe. Then, he clearly heard her saying, "Don''t go. Please don''t go." Those five words she uttered made him frown. One''s dream would reflect what a person was thinking about during the daytime. Luke did not know who was the person she was begging and pleading in such a pitiful manner not to leave her. Biancacked a mother''s love since she was young. Though she had never said it out loud, she must have longed for a mother''s love when she was a child. She must have wanted to know who her mother was. Just like Lanie and Rainie, after they grew up, they would swallow down all the pain that they should not even be suffering in their childhood. They had never asked for their mother when they were young. However, in reality, Lanie and Rainie longed for their mother as well. Now that they had Aunt Bea, they were so dependent and fond of her even when they did not know that she was their mother. 1 Lukeforted the sleeping woman. He would rather believe that she was missing her mother and wanting to make her mother stay instead of someone else. A garbage ex-boyfriend like Jean was not worthy of her wanting him to stay. He recalled how after the police investigation they found out Jean had taken and sent Bianca''s nudes to other men as a business trade. Luke wanted so badly for him to rot in jail forever. He thought about a lot of things in the midst of his jealousy. Then, Bianca said fearfully in her dream, "Don''t you want me? I''ll give myself to you. I''ll give myself to you now. Please don''t take Lanie and Rainie away..." At this moment, he knew that the man in Bianca''s dream was him. Luke held her closer to him. He had never coaxed his daughter the way he was coaxing this woman now. He allowed her to grab his shirt and waist to prevent him from leaving. 1 The woman''s warm and soft fingers scratched all over his waist. That was a gesture of insecurity. That was a gesture of her longing for him to stay. However, since he was already suffering from morning wood, these gestures made him even more aroused. Luke had never suffered from such a bad case of morning wood before. He coaxed her back to sleep and ced the nket on her shoulder. Then, he got up gently and went to the toilet. When Lanie woke up, he ran to the toilet because he needed to pee. "Daddy, why are you awake so early?" The little guy opened the door and saw his father. After he hesitated for a while, he asked while he peed. Luke had finished washing his hands and was cing down the white towel Bianca had prepared for him yesterday. Before his father could respond, the little guy had finished peeing and he walked out while holding his pajama bottoms. He mumbled energetically," Daddy, bring my clothes and shoes over after school later. It''s almost fall. Also, bring over my clothes and shoes for winter too." Luke turned on the television and ced down the remote. He asked, "Are you nning to stay here forever?" "Of course. Why would I want to go back to that icy household?" When he walked to the door of the bedroom, the little guy turned around and looked at the serious man on the sofa while holding his pajama bottoms in confusion. "Aren''t you busy? You always say that. You said you don¡¯t have time to take care of US. Now that we have Aunt Bea, you can go on with your business. Don¡¯t forget to pay for our tuition fees. Aunt Bea works hard taking care of US. I don¡¯t want to be an economic burden for her." The man who was watching the morning news said tly, "Your greatgrandpa will miss you." "If he misses me, I''ll go back to visit him and I''lle back here at night. Or maybe, we can get Great- grandpa to live here too." The little guy''s world was so simple. Luke frowned, his lips pressed together in a thin line. He did not say anything for a long while. It was unknown whether it was because of the morning news or what his son said. 1 The little guy went back to his room timidly. Grandpa Rayne had always stayed in the master bedroom, and it was three square feet bigger than the other bedroom. Bianca slept for more than an hour in the other bedroom before finally waking up. When she walked out, she went to clean herself. She stood in the toilet for a long time while the toothbrush dangled from her lips. A million thoughts raced across her mind and her head was so muddled that she did not know whether she had a solution or not. Then, she walked out. The morning news had already ended. The curtains of the living room were closed and it was not too bright inside. The tall and slender many on the sofa. He had fallen asleep with a frown on his face. Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Mr. Crawford Who Was Abandoned by His Wife and Children Bianca grabbed the only nket in her house, spread it open, and ced it on the man. After she ced it on him and was about to smooth down the edges for him, her thin arm was grabbed by a huge force when she was about to retract her arm. Bianca lifted her head, and her eyes were met with the man''s deep eyes. His eyes were able to capture her soul. He grabbed her all of a sudden. Bianca did not have time to react before she fell onto the floor in front of him. She held her breath as she faced him. Bianca swallowed her saliva awkwardly. Her entire body went limp and became warmer while he looked at her with heated eyes. Luke had a standard pair of double-lidded eyes. His brows were delicate and firm, which defined his elegant features even more. Plus, it also made him more reliable and mature. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. She stared at the man''s tall nose and his thin yet seductive lips. They were in such close proximity with their breaths intertwining. It was such a beautiful morning too. No women would be able to resist this, i Bianca was only human. She was not a saint. Bianca''smon sense was drowning in this feeling that they were able to ignite a spark at any time. She was falling deeper and deeper... "Aunt Bea..." Rainie walked out of the bedroom while mumbling. The gauze on her eyes was about to fall. When she walked over, she fell into Bianca¡¯s arms immediately. Bianca held Rainie and rposed herself. Then, she asked, "What happened? Did you not sleep well?¡± "Can you and Daddy send me to school? Please?" This was the child''s wish. She had this dream ever since she started learning at the age of three. All of the kids she knew experienced the intimate moment of their parents sending them and picking them up from school. She was so envious. Even though Lanie did not say it out loud, she knew that Lanie was envious that the others had both parents around, 1 Bianca did not agree immediately. There were a lot of people at the entrance of the school. She was afraid she would be in some unnecessary trouble if she sent the prince and princess of the Crawford family to school. The man sat up from the sofa and looked at Bianca. "Lanie and Rainie had wanted a mother for a long time. If you look from all perspectives, they''re indeed not as happy as the other kids.¡± Luke''s words were profound. What he meant was Lanie and Rainie wanted a ''mother'' and not ''Aunt Bea*. Even though she did not dare to take a wild guess, what he meant was pretty obvious. She looked at Rainie in her arms and nodded. Bianca did not like to cook, so she did not put much effort into cooking back then. However, for the sake of the kids, she would whip up all kinds of breakfast for them. She was afraid that the kids would get bored of living with her and they would think that she was dull. She steamed some rice and made the rice into cute panda shapes. Then, she used some colorful vegetables to decorate the rice balls before pouring a delicious sauce on them. "Yum! I ate a colorful panda. Don''t cry, because you''re my food and you''re not a real panda baby..." Rainiemunicated with the food while she ate. Luke ate his nd breakfast at one side. He did not say anything. There were four sides to the table, but Bianca and the children were all at one side of the table. They were eating rice balls of all kinds of shapes with all kinds of sauces. They looked harmonious. On the other end of the table, Luke ate his in toast with a jar of strawberry jam. He also had a ss of warm milk. The four of them were having breakfast at the same time, but it was obvious whose breakfast was made with no effort at all. Luke got up after finishing his food slowly. ''This will be thest night you two stay here. Go back to the manor with me tomorrow." Lanie and Rainie stopped eating. They lifted their heads to look at their father, but their father had his back toward them. They did not want to go back! Hmph! Stupid Daddy! Bianca saw thising, so she caressed the children''s heads and went back to the bedroom to change. When she came out after changing, she saw Luke on the sofa watching the news. However, Bianca could tell that he was not interested in all of the news. It was obvious he was not interested in the news of this house. He was only passing time. Was a man''s world so dull? Bianca could not help but feel sorry for him. No. To be precise, only an upright and honest man''s life would be dull. He only had work, family, and love for one person. Nothing else. The other kind of men would have a more interesting life. They would not feel any boredom. On the contrary, a man like this would feel that he did not have enough time. He would want to use half of his time to indulge in entertainment and debauchery, while the other half of the time would be spent sweet-talking to different women. Before they left the house, Bianca ironed all the wrinkles on Luke¡¯s shirt for him. While she was ironing, Bianca could not control her eyes from scanning his white shirt in obscurity. It was as if she was a wife who was looking for evidence that her husband might be with another woman the night before, 1 Halfway through ironing Luke''s white shirt, Bianca realized that this was not the one he was wearing when he left. During the process of him leaving anding back, he had changed his shirt. On the way to school, Bianca did not say a word. Her mind wandered continuously. She did not even hear Rainie when she was talking to her. After sending Lanie and Rainie, Bianca followed Luke to the office. As per their usual agreement, she got out a distance away from the office. Luke felt that this was unnecessary, but he just let her do whatever she wanted. He did not want to force her too much. When Bianca went into the design department, Yvonne was not here yet. Yvonne finally came to work at ten o''clock. She smiled at her colleagues and said, "Sorry I''mte. I slept toote yesterday. I was so exhausted..." A female colleague teased Yvonne, saying, "Von, your husband must be strong in that department, right?" She knew Yvonne loved this kind of conversation. If she was happy, she might give her the perfume that she rarely used. Of course, anyone would want free things. This kind of dummy was the easiest to fool. 2 As such, Yvonne became the person everyone would tter with every opportunity. Or rather, it could be said that she was a foolish spendthrift! "Oh, you! You already know it and you''re still asking me..." Yvonne protested coquettishly. Then, she got up to make coffee in the pantry. Nina sent Bianca a message. ''Bea, was the boss with youst night?¡¯ When she saw the message, Bianca hesitated. She typed while going against her heart, ''Yeah.'' Sue got up at this moment. When she went out to go about her business, she ran into Jason and could not hold her anger. Sue told Jason what Yvonne would say during her ''horny hours¡¯. After Jason heard that, he frowned. "Really?¡± "Of course! If you don''t believe me, you can go look at the security footage!¡¯¡¯ Sue was getting closer and closer to Jason, so she was speaking less politely now. She did not hold back and was more carefree around him. Jason looked at Sue who walked out of the office. His brain could not register what was happening. That woman had a dark expression on her face, but why... Why did she roll her eyes at him when she spoke to him? Jason had some duties he needed to take care of, but he kept on thinking about how Yvonne was being so lecherous during work hours that she would make up stories in front of Bianca. He could not concentrate on his work anymore. When he went back to the top floor, Jason felt that he should let his boss know about this. Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Why Didn''t He Take in Other Women''s Grandfathers? Jason told his boss everything that he should tell him in obscurity. As his personal assistant, he believed that his boss was a smart man. He should be able to guess what Yvonne did. 1 However, the boss was still a boss at the end of the day. He was experienced in life and with his identity, he would not go about his business like a tyrannical and unreasonable scoundrel. His boss would not show any of his thoughts on his face. He was so unpredictable that no one could guess what he was thinking about. As such, Jason could not guess how the boss would take care of this. He could only wait and see! He would go and take care of his work first! In the design department downstairs. Ever since Yvonne started working here, the topic of everyone''s conversationpletely changed. One second, they would talk about the well-known socialites in the city, then they would talk about the celebrities in showbiz in the next second. asionally, they would talk about the bigwigs and capitalists. A white-cor''s office hours were dull and boring. It was only work and more work. Everyone would be happier if they could talk about some exciting gossip to entertain themselves. The most important part of this was the topic would always revolve around Yvonne. Even the head of the design department would not dare to stop them when he came across this. As such, they could only let Yvonne do whatever she wanted. On the other hand, Sue was extremely agitated. However, since the head of the design department did not say anything, a minor team leader like her would not dare to say anything to stop this too. She could only endure it. This time, a female colleague asked Yvonne, "Von, do you know Leia Norman? Have you seen her in person before?" Yvonne thought for a while. "Of course!" "Is Leia pretty in real life?" The female colleague was extremely curious. "In real life..." Yvonne hesitated for a while, contemting. "She¡¯s just okay in real life. She depends heavily on makeup and photoshop." Yvonne had never met Leia before, but she knew her. Leia was the rising star of the entertainment industry this year who was born after 1995. She was the female lead in a well-known director''s movie and after that, she became an instant hit. The female colleague worshipped Yvonne for knowing so many celebrities. She continued gossiping. "Von, you¡¯re so close to so many people in the showbiz. Based on your calctions, do you think Leia would continue her fame?" "Why do you have so many questions?" They were so noisy that Nina could not continue with her work. How annoying! The female colleague looked at Nina innocently and said, "I follow these celebrities¡¯ news and have pretty high hopes for Leia Norman. If she has a clean private life, she''ll have a great career in theN?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. future. When that happens, I want to be her fan who has invested in her career." Nina was speechless. She stared at herputer screen and tapped on her keyboard. She said sarcastically while she worked, "If you have time to ask about a celebrity like Leia Norman, why don''t you have time to listen to the doctors when they tell you about your mother''s health?" The female colleague choked. Indeed, her mother''s doctor had called around ten o''clock to tell her about her mother''s health. However, she did not listen. She told the doctor to talk to her mother instead. She loved to gossip about the entertainment industry. This was not illegal, right? Yvonne looked at Nina from the corner of her eyes. Then, she averted her gaze and told the female colleague, "If you want to be Leia''s fan, then you''ve got the right person. I can guarantee that as long as Leia wants to stay in showbiz, no one''s able to stop her from rising to the top." ''Why?" The female colleague wanted to know more. "She has a strong background." Yvonne lifted her brow and looked at the female colleague. "A background that you won''t be able to imagine. However, I can''t say much." Yvonne¡¯s mother married a millionaire. The circle for the rich and powerful in A City was only this big, so everyone would know about the people who they should know and who they should not know. Plus, if there was something major, it would spread across the circle instantly. The Provincial Committee Secretary''sst name was Norman, and his name was Jack Norman. On the other hand, Jack''s wife was Queenie Zeigler. When Queenie was young, she was best friends with Luke''s mother, Allison, and Xavier''s mother, Lacey Foster. 2 Jack and Queenie had no children for some reason. 2 Ten years ago, however, Queenie brought back a girl who was around ten years old when she visited the orphanage that she frequented. That girl, who was now Leia, was already 20 years old. 1 Which one of the young female celebrities in showbiz would have a better family background than Leia? Other than that, none of theizens knew about Leia''s background and none of them dared to say anything about this. They were worried that they would be shut out if someone found out about this. On the other hand, the big bosses in showbiz knew clearly who Leia''s adoptive parents were. All of them ttered Leia with a tacit mutual understanding, treating her like she was a princess. It would be easy for Leia if she wanted to climb up thedder. Yvonne was jealous when she thought about the glitz and mor Leia received in showbiz. She was envious of how Leia was ttered by so many celebrities. It would be perfect if she had the chance to get into showbiz as well. This girl was orphaned for ten years and became a star after ten years. How would one not feel jealous of this unfair treatment? Yvonne did not dare to talk bad about Leia, so she only told the female colleague about this. She said that Leia was not that pretty in real life and all of the photos of her online were photoshopped. In reality, Yvonne had never seen Leia in person before. They were chatting so carefreely over here, and on the other side, Bianca was so busy that her head was spinning. She kept hearing the name ''Leia Norman'' being repeated again and again. After a busy morning and a quick lunch in the afternoon, Bianca grabbed her bag and ran out of the office at three o''clock. On the way to visit her grandpa, she went to a few printing shops that could print business cards. In the end, she chose the cheapest one. Bianca left her address to the shop owner and told them to deliver to the office as soon as they were done. Grandpa Rayne''s ce was quiet and peaceful. The air was better than the one in the city. After getting there with the address given to her, a caretaker opened the door for Bianca when she got there. After she got in, she saw a housekeeper cleaning the ce. "Hello, Miss Rayne," the caretaker greeted her kindly. "Hello,¡± Bianca replied politely as well. Her grandpa''s wounds were almost healed. In this kind of environment, he was more energetic. Bianca felt that she did the right thing by epting Luke¡¯s help. Her ego was not as important as her grandpa''s health and peace. While walking around the courtyard with his granddaughter, Grandpa Rayne said, "Luke cares about you, so that''s why he''s taking care of me. You should remember this." "He''s kind," Bianca replied, hitting the ball to the sideline. Grandpa Rayne mmed his cane down on the ground and looked at his granddaughter. He frowned and lectured, "Of course he''s kind! Luke is very considerate of you. He¡¯s taking care of me to lessen your burden, so you should remember this. Do you think he''d take me in if he¡¯s just kind- hearted? There are so many poor old men out there, so why doesn¡¯t he keep an entire courtyard full of other women¡¯s grandfathers?" Bianca was amused by her grandfather. Grandpa Rayne continued, "Don¡¯t throw stupid tantrums and don''t try to break up with him because you undervalue yourself. He likes you, so there must be something in you that attracts him. The families need to be well- matched in terms of social status, but some husbands and wives are unhappy even if they havepatible social statuses." Chapter 183 Chapter 183 Luke Crawford Who Rarely Showed His Face Showed Up Because of Her While Bianca was talking to her grandfather, her phone rang. "Grandpa, I''m going to take this call." Bianca withdrew her arm that was starting to hurt from his grip and took out her phone from her pocket. It was Sue. Bianca picked up the call and asked, "What''s wrong, Sue?" Sue told her briefly, "Bea, the development of the town would need at least half a year if things get along with no breaks, so after the consideration of thepany¡¯s upper management, the outdoor training this year will go on earlier than scheduled. Come to the entrance of the office tomorrow at eight. Don''t forget to bring the necessities for going outdoors. I think that''s it. If you have any questions, you can text me. I''ll tell the other two who¡¯re not in the office." "Alright," replied Bianca before hanging up. When she studied overseas, Bianca would take part in expansion activities when she had the time. She could treat each time as training and a way to rx. After having dinner with her grandpa, Bianca cleared the table quickly. 1 "Miss Rayne, don''t wash the dishes. If Mr. Crawford knows about this, he''ll fire us!" The caretaker stopped Bianca. She would be the future daughter-inw of a rich family, so should she not live like a princess? Perhaps Miss Rayne was not used to living like a princess after having her Cindere story? The caretaker was new here, so she did now know anyone other than Mr. Crawford and Mr. Rayne. As such, she was always cautious when she went about her business. She was scared to offend anyone. However, from the looks of it now, Miss Rayne was 1,000 times or even 10,000 times better than how she imagined she would be. Bianca was forced to stop in the end. It had be her habit to wash the dishes after dinner. "Grandpa, I¡¯lle to visit you when I have time." Bianca stopped her grandfather who came to walk her out. She turned around and walked down the stairs to the subway station outside. While she stood at the side of the road that was nted with trees with yellowing leaves, Bianca looked around. There were not a lot of cars here, but they were all expensive cars. She walked to the subway station and turned around to look at the mansion her grandfather was staying in. She figured it was not that far away from the mansion Faye and Charles were staying in. Bianca lowered her head to walk to the station. There was another worry in her heart. Crawford Manor. Lanie and Rainie were brought back by the driver. Allison was at home today, so she brought two sses of milk upstairs. Then, she asked her grandchildren who were doing their homework," Where were you two these two days? Were you staying with your father?" The kids'' father was a busy man. He was usually absent. Would he have the time and energy to pick up the kids from school and take care of their wellbeing? Just dinner alone would be a huge problem. Plus, the kids'' father was extremely strict. He would rarely give the children junk food. "We..." Before nche could say anything, he spotted his father who wasing upstairs and heading to their room. The floor was fully carpeted, so there would not be any noises when one was walking. Allison looked over to where her grandson was looking and saw her son. She asked, "Were you taking care of these two yourself? Can you even do it?¡± Allison wanted her grandchildren to stay at the manor. This manor was the Crawfords¡¯ foundation. Everyone stayed in this manor. There was a huge meaning to his manor aside from its market value. No matter how many years had passed, Allison would not want to give this manor to Susan and her son. In other people''s eyes, anyone with their hands on this manor would be the true matriarch who was recognized by the Crawfords. After Susan found out about her husband''s affair, she suffered from depression, so she had backed out from the circle of fame that consisted of socialites and wealthy madams. Now, she was much better, so she started getting out there. On one hand, she was reiming herself, but on the other hand, she was getting back at the mistress who had wormed her way into this position. Allison admitted that she was a mistress who wormed her way into the position she was in now, but she felt that it depended on one''s skills to obtain both marriage and love. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Susan was the one who could not keep her man, so that was why this happened to her. Susan was everywhere in this manor and insisted on staying here despite how unhappy she was. It could also be said that Susan wanted this manor. Allison was no better. She was also unhappy but refused to move out. If she moved out, then this manor would belong to Susan and her son. The old master was remorseful toward his previous daughter-inw, Susan. As such, he was always trying to make up for his son''s wrongdoings topensate Susan and her son. However, the old master had not transferred the manor to Susan and her son. The old master was not concerned about his eldest grandson, Luke. After all, his eldest grandson had his business and properties. He even had so much money that he would not be able to spend it all in several lifetimes. What the old master was concerned about were the feelings of his greatgrandchildren. The two of them were used to staying in this manor. Hence, how could he transfer the manor to Susan? Susan hated everything about Allison, including Allison''s adorable grandchildren. Susan was unable to do anything heinous to children, but it was not unlikely that she would kick the two little children out of the manor. After all, out of sight, out of mind. If one were to step into her shoes, which legally wedded wife would be able to tolerate a mistress¡¯ son and her grandchildren after her husband cheated on her? The only ones who were able to tolerate them were saints. Susan was not a saint. She was just a normal human being. After some consideration, the old master did not transfer the manor to Susan. However, now that her son had brought her grandchildren to live outside, perhaps they were nning to live out there long term. It was impossible for Allison to not feel anxious. If that was the case, the old master might really transfer the manor to Susan. If Susan became the owner of this manor, Allison knew she would not be able to stay in this manor that she had lived in for so many decades. 2 It was not scary to live outside. What was scary was what people would say about her. 1 Allison knew for a fact that the women in the circle would criticize her for being a mistress at the end of the day. No matter what she did, she would not be able to live in Crawford Manor even until the day she died. Allison Tanner would not be buried in the Crawfords'' family cemetery, 1 The more she thought about this, the more upset Allison felt. Her son would not talk to her about private matters like this. Whenever she tried to ask him about it, he would only answer coldly, "Someone is taking care of them with me.¡± Allison wanted to ask her son who was the person taking care of the children with him. However, Luke merely frowned and pointed at the spelling mistake on Lanie''s notebook. "You missed out an ''e'' for the word ''deep''. Did you eat it?" "Oh." Lanie was only five, and he was a year younger than the rest of the children in his ss. When his father told him about the missing ''e'', he grabbed his pencil and added the ''e''. Allison left quietly after she sensed her son¡¯s refusal to talk to her. The next day, everyone in T Corporation joined the outdoor training. It would go on ording to departments. Everyone in the department would be split into groups so that the activities would run smoothly. They had to hike, swim, pic, take part in some activities, and talk about corporate culture. After the entire day, everyone was exhausted. At 6 PM, the sky was still bright, but the sun had started to set. As the boss with the most power in thepany, Luke rarely showed himself. ording to the employees, this was the first time he appeared to say a few words to everyone in each department of thepany. It was not the design department''s turn yet. "Von, did you ask the boss toe over when you were having pillow talk with himst night?" The female employee who was brain-washed by Yvonne asked after making a reasonable guess. Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Ah! The Boss Is Such An Amazing Boyfriend The other colleagues from the design department looked over at Yvonne after they heard that. If it was really all thanks to Yvonne''s pillow talk! Yvonne was so powerful! There was one couple in the crowd. The guy whispered to the girl, ''The boss is such a solemn and cold man. Plus, he always distances himself from the crowd. It¡¯s so amazing that he''d show up in an outdoor activity after some pillow talk with Yvonne." The girl rolled her eyes. "What does this mean?" "What?" The guy chuckled. He really had no idea. The girl scoffed sarcastically. "Don''t you men have any idea what this means? It means that even a guy in such a high position won''t be able to resist the seduction from a little minx. If they serve you right in bedst night, then you''d be able to do every f*cking thing for them!" "Damn, I..." The man looked sullen. "We''re talking about serious business. Why are you attacking me?" "Why do you think I¡¯m attacking you? Our boss is a serious tyrant and he''s already like this, let alone a poor loser who''s always on your phone talking sh*t about other people in your free time." After the girl said that, she punched her boyfriend heavily. Bianca sat on arge rock because she had a cramp in her leg. She lowered her head and endured the pain in her leg while gritting her teeth. The pain in her body was already making her agitated. At the same time, the couple started fighting after their banter. They were at loggerheads with each other now. It became even noisier now. The guy had no idea why the girl was mad. He grabbed the girl and said," Go get more information on what¡¯s happening. If it''s really because of Yvonne''s pillow talk, then you should immediately go help her carry her bag and fetch her water. It''s easy to suck up to a stupid bossdy like this." ''You dumbf*ck!" The girl turned around and uttered two words. Bianca heard the entire thing. Perhaps the couple was not bothered by her at all and that was why they did not hold back. Plus, everyone in the office was thinking about sucking up to Yvonne. However, none of them dared to say it out loud. When Bianca heard the girl cursing at the guy, she did not feel awkward, but instead, she felt like it was music to her ears. On the other side, Yvonne was blushing. She looked at the boss who was talking to the department staff next to them. Her heart raced as she said to the female colleague vainly, "I didn''t expect this as well. I only mentioned it before sleep and he''s... He''s really here..." Her bashful behavior and her shameful words proved one thing. It was all thanks to her pillow talk that their boss would show up today. Bianca lowered her head. "Ah! The boss is such an amazing boyfriend!" someone yelled. The female colleagues who heard what Yvonne said surrounded her and eximed in jealousy and envy. Nina heard that ear-piercing conversion as well. She could not help but look at Bianca with anger in her chest. What was going on? Since when did the boss be the man on Yvonne¡¯s bed? Plus... they even had pillow talk before bed? Yuck! If there were a lot of people, there would be a lot of conversation. At the same time, there would be a lot of people eavesdropping as well. As such, Nina did not go and ask Bianca directly. There was loud apuse from the department next to them. Then, Luke came to their department while being surrounded by a powerful aura. There were two aggressive-looking men in suits behind the boss. They were in charge of security. On the other hand, Jason was standing diagonally behind Luke. He was frowning as he reported something to Luke. ''The boss is here. Tidy up your clothes." The female department head reminded everyone at the right time. How would they appear if they looked like they were ready to pounce on the boss at any moment? They were the design department, not the love-hungry department. While they stood in an orderly fashion, they lowered their heads to tidy their clothes as well. They had just finished swimming, so they did not have time to change out of their swimming suits. Some of them covered themselves with towels while some put on their coats. Bianca went swimming too. Swimming was her favorite sport as it could lower her stress levels. However, this was her first time swimming outdoors in A City during this chilly season. She had not wiped her wet hair and simply stood on the ground. Her leg would cramp up from time to time. The water was too cold for her, but she was so upied by the pain that she did not have the time to be concerned about other things. Bianca wrapped the towel that thepany provided for them around her body. However, the towel was not big enough. If she started wrapping herself from the neck, it would only reach her thighs. In order to stay warm, Bianca squatted down to cover her entire body. Her calves felt slightly warmer, hence her legs were not cramping as much anymore. Luke¡¯s deep and alluring voice sounded from more than ten meters away. Bianca was still squatting in the crowd. After a long while, she finally lifted her head. Several pairs of long legs were standing in front of her. Everyone only covered their upper bodies. Bianca''s mind started to wander. She figured if Yvonne was not lying, she would feel a stabbing pain in her heart. Then, her calves would start to cramp. She was in such a horrible mood. No one in the entire department dared to say anything. The field was as quiet as a cicada in winter. Only the boss'' arrogant and seductive voice lingered in everyone¡¯s ears. Luke''s voice shocked everyone who had never heard him talk before. Even the ones who had heard his voice before were still shocked. However, at this moment, everyone noticed that the boss was staring at the crowd intensely at the end of his speech. A female colleague poked Yvonne and said quietly, ''Look, the boss is looking at you. Ah! Von, the boss spoils you so much!¡± "Even the most perfect man would have a weak spot. Von, teach us how to capture a man''s heart when we get back. You''ve trapped the dream man of every woman in this city with just one try. You have the unbending iron wrapped around your fingers. This is just like a drama about office romance," another female colleague said enviously. Yvonne was also fantasizing about all those wonderful things said by her colleagues. ''The boss ising! Von!" the colleague next to her made way for her and eximed in a small voice. The colleagues in front of her made way for the boss as well. The department head and Sue were not irrelevant employees. They were used to all kinds of scenarios. They were waiting patiently to see what the boss wanted to do. Yvonne was standing at the back. She did not know what happened to Luke today that caused him to take the initiative. Perhaps... Perhaps he finally realized what kind of pleasure and joy a 19-year-old young woman like her could give him? N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. She lowered her head and tugged on her swimsuit secretly to expose her chest even more. Then, Yvonne bit her lip and lowered her head bashfully. Even though her heart was racing when she had her head lowered, Yvonne could feel that Luke''s tall and slender body was in front of her. However, the man... Yvonne did not feel the man stopping in front of her. On the contrary, he walked past her. She did not understand! She lifted her head to look over. The colleagues who thought that Yvonne was the boss'' lover this entire time had their jaws on the floor. "Von..." the female colleagues who gossiped with her earlier called out to her in puzzlement. Nina looked at Sue who was standing two meters away from her. She said in her heart, ''Did Yvonne just shoot herself in her foot?'' She made up such a colossal lie and it was finally exposed! Chapter 185 Chapter 185 They Could Not Believe How Much the Boss Spoiled His Woman! When Bianca did not hear any soundsing from the front, she raised her head despite her horrible mood and cramps. It was then that she saw the man walking over to her. 1 He was tall and his legs were long. He looked very serious. When he was wearing a suit, he looked like a god. The boss was still a boss at the end of the day. No matter where he was, be it a forum on the financial street in New York or the meeting room in the office, or even the countryside where they would sometimes hold events, he was still able to maintain a serious face. 1 It was as if nothing or no one in this world was able to make him change his expression. His face and eyes were always filled with heartlessness. Even if he had driven all the way to the countryside, he was still wearing his usual and tastefully chosen suit. He was always giving everyone a feeling of sophistication and extreme fussiness. Bianca would never expect Luke to walk over to her. Why was he here? He had his back against the setting sun. Bianca looked at him while squinting her eyes. Then, she turned around to look behind her. She was sure there was no one behind her. Then, he was here for her. It was not that Bianca did not want tomunicate with him. It was just that she did not want to communicate with him in front of everyone in the office. "What''s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Luke squatted down without the arrogance of a boss. His eyes were filled with worry as he scanned her ankle and pale face. At this moment, their gazes met. Bianca frowned slightly, and she noticed he was frowning too. He was worried about her. She figured that maybe he only came over because he was worried. She shook her head and lowered her head so that she would not look into the man''s eyes. She exined, "I¡¯m fine. Just go on with your business." She did not want to be the center of attention. Luke got up, and the scenery behind them along with the surrounding employees became an irrelevant background. He called out, "You. Come here." Sue came over after she was called. "What''s wrong with Bianca?" Luke''s eyes were filled with concern, but when he was talking to Sue, his eyes were serious. "She..." Sue was never afraid of anyone even if they were her superiors. However, when she was faced with such a powerful boss, she stammered," Bea... Bea is experiencing bad cramps. The water where we went swimming in was too cold and Bea''s body is weak." When Sue said the word ''cramps'', Luke had already turned around and squatted down. When he was about to reach out and touch Bianca, he asked, "Can you stand by yourself?" Bianca watched as the man reached out his hand to her. Subconsciously, she wanted to stand up, but when she moved her calf even a little, the pain intensified. She furrowed her brows. When he saw this, Luke grabbed her and carried her bridal style without saying anything. "Put me down. Put me down now." Bianca''s voice was small. She sounded like a mosquito, but it was loud enough for the man who was holding her to hear her. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. "If you move, I''ll kiss you in front of everyone." Luke carried her and walked to the ck Range Rover that was parked not far away. When she struggled to get down, he lowered his head to look at her. He looked at her with ridicule and pity in his eyes. Everyone at the scene had their jaws on the floor. On the other hand, Yvonne watched her man carrying Bianca away. She was so mad that she threw away the shawl in her hands. Not a single voice could be heard. No one dared to ask why the boss carried Bianca away. Meanwhile, the rumored lover, Yvonne, did not even get to touch the boss'' shirt. The boss did not even look at Yvonne. It was as if she was oxygen and she was at the same level as the other normal employees. She was not even qualified for the boss to look at her. The sun had set and the activities came to an end. When the next department was packing their things, they started talking." What''s Bianca''s rtionship with the boss?" "Bianca can''t walk. I think she fell or twisted her ankle. Maybe the boss is a kind person, so he was willing to help his female employee," someone replied innocently as they were packing their things. ''The boss is a kind person? Are you blind? When was the boss kind? He''s frigid, okay? No, he''s the most frigid person in the world! The most!" The female employees who heard about the boss¡¯ past sighed and said, "If Bianca really fell or twisted her ankle, the kindest thing the boss can do is order someone to call 911. In reality, he would not care at all. I heard that he''s also cruel to himself, let alone someone else." When Yvonne took her bag to her car, she heard their conversation. The people from the other department never talked to Yvonne before, so of course, they would not know who Yvonne was. They continued, "The boss carried her to the car himself. It¡¯s more than enough to say that the two of them have an unusual rtionship. You guys have no idea, right? Everytime the design department hires someone, they''d have to go through the boss. After all, the design department is important to the company. The boss must have already had his eyes on her when she came for the interview." "I heard that no woman has ever sat in the boss'' passenger seat before. Someone asked Mr. Doyle about this during the annual dinner, but he replied, ''if they''re not his wife or daughter, why should they sit in his passenger seat?''" The woman packed her things and looked at Jason. "I''m going to ask him why that woman is allowed to sit in the boss'' passenger seat now." Jason grabbed Bianca''s things and walked back to the ck Range Rover. He did not disturb his boss and Bianca. He merely ced Bianca''s things in the car. Then, he closed the door and left. He got back to his car but before he got in, he took out his phone and sent a message. Sue was standing some distance away. She got the message and took a look. Immediately, Sue packed her things and called out to Nina, "We''ll go back in Mr. Doyle''s car.1'' Nina was confused. "Really?" Was she riding on someone else''s sess now? The colleagues who sucked up to Yvonne back then were all looking at the boss'' imported ck Range Rover. They were in utter disbelief, and their expressions had changed. The boss was in the car with Bianca alone. What were they talking about? Some of the employees from the other department did not know the rules. They took out their binocrs to peek at them. It was as if they were peering into the lives of celebrities when they peeked at their boss'' private life. From the binocrs, the ck Range Rover''s windows were tinted. They could only vaguely see what was going on inside. The boss was using the towel that was handed out by thepany on Bianca''s body to dry her hair. He looked like a father who was drying his daughter''s hair. His eyes were filled with love. Then, the boss removed his suit jacket and bundled Bianca up. She was frowning as she shook her head violently in the passenger seat. The way he cared for her was extremely domineering! In the end, what blinded them the most was the boss leaning over and using his slender fingers to press on Bianca''s calf while massaging it repeatedly. All these scenes were ipatible with their boss'' icy and arrogant image that they had in their hearts. Chapter 186 Chapter 186 The Man''s Hot Breath on Her Face "What did you see? Tell US." The few female colleagues from the finance department who were watching from one side asked their colleague who was holding the binocrs. The girl with the binocrs was a newbie in the finance department, so she was more naive. She told everyone what she saw. However, when everyone heard that, they all shared looks of confusion at the same time. Tm telling the truth," the female colleague holding the binocrs said innocently. Her colleague turned around and looked at her. "Child, you have such a mouth for making up stories. You can even submit your manuscript to romance magazines. If you say you saw that woman sitting on the boss¡¯p, kissing him furiously while seducing him and maybe grabbing his belt to force herself onto him, then I might believe you." The boss was drying that woman''s hair and wrapping the towel on her? Plus, he even massaged her calf? What a colossal joke! Another colleague carried her items. ''That woman is pretty good-looking, but there are even more beautiful women in the public rtions department. I''ve been here for so many years and I''ve never heard any rumors of the boss having an affair with any of the women in the public rtions department. I don''t believe that the woman from the design department is involved with the boss. We should watch from the sidelines and only make our decisions then." The people from the finance department dispersed. The finance department newbie who was holding the binocrs was still standing there stupidly. She looked over at the boss'' car, but his car had already driven away. She watched as the car drove away and wondered if there was something wrong with her brain. Maybe something was pressing on her optic nerves so that was why her eyes were not working well? Was it all merely an illusion? Yvonne went back to the city center in the same car with her colleague from the design department. When they were on the way here, the bus was filled with sounds of gossip. Their topic was surrounding Yvonne and the boss. However, on the way back, no one was talking. Some of them were ying on their phones while some of them pretended to be sleeping. In short, the silent atmosphere infuriated Yvonne who had everyone revolving around her just earlier. Yvonne was the first one to get down from the bus when it arrived in front of the office. The remaining colleagues from the design department all pressed their lips together and sighed. Yvonne had created such a huge lie. The vainer she was before, the more embarrassed she would be now. The boss had embarrassed Yvonne in front of everyone earlier. Everyone got down from the bus. "Madam, are you feeling unwell?" Thest person to get down from the bus turned around to look at the department head. She was still in the car with her head leaning against the window. The department head replied, "I''m fine. I''m just a little car sick. You should get down first." "Okay!" Thest employee got down from the bus. The department head looked ahead, and through the windshield of the bus, she saw Yvonne who was standing in front of T Corporation''s building. Then, a yellow sports car stopped in front of Yvonne almost instantly. Yvonne opened the door of the sports car angrily and threw her items into the car before getting in. ording to her outfit and her car, Yvonne was undoubtedly a reputable youngdy from a wealthy family. Aside from her moral standing and selfcultivation, her background was at least on the same level as the president. After all, there were no women around the president. He had zero contacts with either socialites or celebrities. Yvonnended the job in the design department out of nowhere, and she waspatible to be the president''s woman in all aspects. As the department head of the design department, of course she would have to take good care of the future bossdy whonded this job. However... Perhaps she had worshipped the wrong person? She believed the fact that the boss left with Bianca would spread through the entirepany soon. Then, the design department would also be in the spotlight. After all, the woman the boss was after was from the design department. As the department head of the design department, not only did she not feel proud, but instead, she felt like she was in deep waters. In order to make Yvonne happy, she had caused so much trouble for Bianca. She should have let the newbies serve tea or coffee. Yvonne was still on probation while Bianca had be an official employee a month ago. However, during this period, Bianca was still serving coffee and tea for everyone. Just yesterday, Yvonneined about the dirty floor. As the department head, she had ordered Bianca to thoroughly sweep and mop the floor just to make Yvonne happy. After so much confusion and trouble, she finally found out that Yvonne had just been lying! Bianca was the one who was involved with the boss! She recalled how Sue and Nina had also gotten into Jason''s car. She was the department head and she had to go back on the same bus with the normal employees. She felt extremely frustrated. After Yvonne got home, she went to bed after taking a shower. Before she slept, she called Allison and cried, "Aunty, I can''t take this anymore. Luke embarrassed me in front of everyone today. I''ve decided to resign on Monday. I''m sorry, Aunty. I''ve let you down." Allison asked, "What happened, Von? Tell me slowly. Just tell me everything. I''ll stand up for you. Don¡¯t cry. Tell me, how did Luke embarrass you?" Yvonne''s mother came into her daughter''s room at this moment. She had heard everything her daughter said. Yvonne told her mother to be quiet and turned on the speaker on her phone while sobbing. After Allison heard the entire thing, she said disappointedly, "Von, did you make a mistake? Bianca¡¯s married. She has a marriage certificate with another man!" Yvonne stopped crying. She came to a realization all of a sudden. Bianca was forced by Xavier to get that certificate. As such, this entire thing was too despicable, so Yvonne did not even bother to remember this. After Allison told her this, Yvonne knew what she should do. Yvonne''s mother was on the other side and had no idea what was going on. She knew that her daughter had been wronged and she also came to the conclusion that another woman was trying to seduce Luke. She was furious. "Which b*tch is trying to steal your man? And she''s even a married woman? Do you think this is worth crying over? Teach that little b*tch a lesson! Let her know what kind of woman she is. Do you still need me to teach you this step by step?" "Aunty, I would¡¯ve forgotten about this if you hadn''t reminded me. Thank you. I know what I should do." Yvonne''s tears had turned intoughter. Bianca was carried upstairs by Luke. After getting massaged by hisrge hands, her calves did not cramp anymore. However, the man was still worried. "Go on with your things. I''m fine." After Bianca got home, she changed into her home clothes and went to fetch him a ss of water in the kitchen. Then, she urged him to go on about his business. Today, she was happy. What Luke did in front of everyone was proof that he did not have that kind of rtionship with Yvonne. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. "Are you happy that I cleared up my rtionship with Yvonne with my actions?" the man said calmly while drinking his water. Bianca was exposed by that man in that instant. She watched as he got up after he questioned her. Then, he started to approach her. Closer and closer... In the end, she was trapped at the corner of the wall with the man''s hot breath on her face. Chapter 187 Chapter 187 In the Middle of the Night, Bianca Felt Her Bed Sinking! When her skin was surrounded by the man''s hot breath, she almost copsed because her knees were turning weak. Her face was also extremely red. Bianca thought Luke was about to kiss her again. It always happened back then. After all, this man was always thinking about doing that sort of thing. However, the man did not do it this time. His thin lipsnded on her smooth cheek as he closed his eyes. He kissed her cheek for a very long time. He kissed her for so long that he only backed away after she had to hold her breath. He said, "Don¡¯t make me worry for you. Don¡¯t hide everything in your heart no matter what happens." Bianca lowered her head. She did not know what he was talking about. "Go get some rest. We¡¯ll go to the town together tomorrow." Luke''s long and slender fingers were initially holding her chin, but he had retracted them now. His movements were slow and unwilling. Bianca was exhausted after an entire day of outdoor activities. Her entire body ached and she wanted to have a good sleep. However, where was he going? She watched as Luke opened the door to leave. Bianca''s heart was conflicted. Luke had disappeared for the entire nightst night. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. After dinner, he left the kids with her and left. When he got back, it was already early in the morning. Where did he go in the few hours in between? She had no idea. Perhaps, no one else knew about this either. A sessful man would naturally have the ability to keep his privacy. If he really went to Yvonne''s ce, then what he did this afternoon would be just an act. On the other hand, he also utterly disrespected Yvonne. In a rtionship like this, Yvonne was the pettiest party who had to patiently and silently endure things. It was not strange for a hot-headed 19-year-old who was ignorant of the affairs of life to be willing to indulge in the world of an adult man. However, these were all baseless hypotheses. To be honest, Bianca did not want to guess Luke''s behavior like this. Even if most of the sessful men had all kinds of negative news about them, Bianca was still willing to believe Luke unconditionally. The reason was that he was an exceptional man. Plus, he was Lanie and Rainie''s father. As for where he wasst night, Bianca shook her head and told herself to not think about it anymore. However, how would a human''s heart be so rational? When Bianca was in the shower, she continued guessing. Did Luke go back home to sleep? Did he go back to the manor or back to his apartment? However, the children were with her. As the children¡¯s father, he had no reason to sleep at another ce. After all, Luke was not a nobleman who practiced the old tradition of men and women not touching hands when giving or receiving things. Bianca was overthinking the entire time she was in the shower and even when she got to bed. She clutched her nket and fell asleep slowly. In the middle of the night, Bianca was deep in slumber when she felt her mattress sinking. The bed in the rented apartment could notpare to those high-end beds in Crawford Manor. It might not even be better than those of slightly higher quality second-hand beds in the second-hand market. It was only an iron frame with nks of different thickness on it. When a woman and a childy on it, they could sleep in any positions they wanted. However, when a man got on top, it would sink as it could not hold the man''s weight! Bianca was still drowsy with sleep and it was all thanks to the outdoor activities this morning. She fell asleep quickly and was groggy. Why was she so hot? Was it not fall? Why was it as hot as summer? It was so hot that she could not even breathe. When she let out a small moan and opened her eyes, she vaguely saw a man in a white shirt and ck pants. He was on top of her as he suckled softly on her lips. "Ugh... You..." Bianca finally woke up. If this was a dream, then it felt so real. She was wearing her pajamas, but the material was thin. She thought she would be sleeping alone when she showered before bed, so... She did not put on a bra... She had been out for the entire day. She hiked and swam, so she figured she should be in the most comfortable state when she got home. Bianca forgot about Luke having the spare key to this ce. Bianca moaned unintentionally. It sounded mellow yet soft. Luke was like a husband who finally came back after going on a long business trip. He did not announce his arrival nor tell her about his return. Instead, he chose to appear on his beautiful wife''s bed with his hormones surging on this beautiful morning. He kissed her furiously like he was telling her about how much he missed her. Their bodies were pressed together with only ayer of clothes between them. After a while, Bianca''s young and tender body started transforming greatly under the hands of the man. Her pajama top had been pushed upward. Luke''srge hands grabbed her thin and fair waist. He had been working overtime in his office, so his eyes were tired. However, there was a hint of lust in them. There were mes in the man''s eyes. Bianca felt good. Her body was going against her mindpletely. She could not hide her body''s honesty. "Ah... Ha..." Perhaps subconsciously, she knew aside from her and him, there was no one else in the rented apartment. Maybe that was why she was being so unrestrained. "Are you that sensitive?" Luke''s voice was getting hoarser as his eyes turned red. His eyes were bloodshot from staying upte and it made the man look even more sinister, but at the same time, he also looked sexier. Bianca''s entire body was soft. Her ck hair was syed out on the pillow. Her fair skin was as smooth as jade and there was a strong contrast when it was next to the man''s tanned skin. "You were like this the first time I touched you. You were biting your lips and wanting to scream, but you stopped yourself..." Luke kissed her neck and corbone. 1 The man¡¯s voice was nasally, and the woman trembled after she heard that. Bianca was struggling to breathe. Her thin body was flipped over by the man''s strong hands. Now, her back was against him while her face was buried in the pillow. Then, her body was pressed down by the man''s weight. Her pajama bottom was also tugged away by the man. Knock, knock, knock. "Is anyone home? Bianca?" There was someone outside knocking on the door, and then Allison''s voice sounded. Allison was standing outside the door, pressing on the doorbell. However, no one opened the door after a long while. Bianca''s next-door neighbor came back from the market and told her kindly, ''The doorbell hasn''t been working for a long time. Thendlord hasn''t got someone to fix it yet." It was only then that Allison knew the doorbell was not working. Then, what could she do? She could only knock on the door to ask the people inside to open up. Before she came over, Allison had called Bianca. However, she was notified that Bianca had switched off her phone. As she was knocking on the door, Allison lowered her head to read the message from Yvonne. Yvonne''s message read, ''Aunty, I really don''t want to disturb you so early in the morning, but I have no choice. A slow remedy doesn''t address the current emergency. Luke wants to bring Bianca to that secluded little town this time. I''m worried that they might do something that¡¯ll ruin the family¡¯s good name. It''ll be horrible if word about this gets out." Initially, Allison felt annoyed. Yvonne never knew how to take care of her own problems. She only knew how to cry and ask for help. "What''s able to ruin the family''s good name? Luke knows what is appropriate." Allison still trusted her son. "But, that¡¯s a secluded little town... A single man and a single woman... burning with passion or desire..." Yvonne mumbled. Chapter 188 Chapter 188 Seduced By Her Charm With No Way Out! "A secluded little town... A single man and a single woman... burning with passion and desire..." Each phrase that Yvonne mentioned led Allison toward far-fetched thoughts! When Allison thought of that, she realized that she had to stop something from happening! It was a well-known fact that even the greatest hero would eventually stumble when faced with the allure of a beautiful woman. History had proven that fact time and time again. It did not matter whether Bianca was objectively beautiful. She was a beautiful woman in the eyes of her son Luke, and that had clouded his judgment! Allison was once young. She knew that the passion between a man and a woman could re with a single stray thought. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She lifted her fist and continued to pound on the door. The sounds of the knocking reflected the increasing anger in Allison''s heart, from "knock knock knock" to ¡¯bang bang bang"... "Bianca, if you''re at home, stop hiding from me!" The rental room was nothing special. Its thin walls did not inste noises very well. If someone shouted outside the door on a quiet morning, the person inside the room should have been able to hear it clearly. "Has my mother ever looked for you?" Judging from the fact that Allison was pounding on the door incessantly and her tone of voice, Luke could tell that her mother was not being friendly. Luke kissed the fair neck of the woman next to her and left a left bite. At the same time, he went through his memory. As far as he remembered, his mother was not familiar with Bianca. They probably met two or three times at most. However, from the tone of voice of his mother outside the door, he could tell that she had somehow gotten closer to Bianca, to the point that she did not use any formalities or courtesy. ''Maybe Mother once interrogated Bianca why she had married Xavier Tanner when the two of US were getting along just fine,'' he thought. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. The dispute might have stemmed from a mother''sck of understanding of her daughter-inw. ¡¯I''ll... urn... open the door..." Bianca tried to get up. In the next moment, the man''s hands hugged her delicate body tightly. Their bodies clung together closely, and the two bodies were wet with sweat. ''You want to open the door now? Do you think I can hold it back anymore?" Luke¡¯s hoarse voice was incredibly sensual. It titited Bianca''s eardrums, which had be extra sensitive after the forey. The weight of the man was too much to bear... Allison continued yelling outside. "You don¡¯t want everyone in the neighborhood to know, right? Then come out of the room now! There''s no use stalling!" Allison was threatening Bianca toe out. Bianca was blushing intensely. There was not an inch of her fair skin that was cool and dry. She was getting flustered when she heard what Allison was yelling. "You... you heard that too, right? Let... let me... ahh..." The man lowered his head and looked at Bianca''s waist wriggle as she struggled to get up. The fires of passion were burning so fiercely inside him that it almost hurt! As she struggled, she tried to turn around so that she could speak to the man. She heard some rustling sounds and realized that the man had undone his belt. Following that, his pants swiftly came off in one fluid motion. She saw that horrifying thing! Luke was on the verge of losing his mind. He would not let go of the woman in his arms, even if there was an earthquake! "If there''s anything, she can talk with you over the phone. I can''t hold it back anymore." In the cramped rental house, the man plowed into the woman''s awkward body. Bianca knew that she would not be able to escape. However, she could not ignore the ruckus caused by Allison either. The neighbors must have heard it, and she did not want to move house one more time to avoid gossip. It was extremely tiresome to be always moving. She slowly loosened the grip on her pillow and grabbed her phone. A torrent of messages flooded in once she turned it on. She did not have time to read through the messages. Instead, she found Allison''s phone number and dialed it. Outside of the door, Allison soon answered the call. ''You''ve finally decided to turn your phone on? Are you nning to talk to me like this instead of face to face? I know that you''re at home, Bianca. Should I be discussing certain topics with you while standing in the corridor? You might be shameless, but I''m not!" Allison rambled on without offering Bianca a chance to speak. In all her years after marrying into the Crawford family, had she ever been so aggrieved? Since when did she have to stand outside of a house and beg someone from the younger generation to open the door? Bianca brought the phone to her ear. She wanted to speak but had no retort for Allison''s words. What could she say to Allison? "Your son is on heat now and is forcing himself upon me on the bed?" After missing the chance to speak, Bianca lost control of her voice. The sounds she made were in direct response to the sensations on her body... "Ah... so slippery..." 1 Luke let out a low, throaty growl. His rough hands slid under her body. His palm pressed against the skin of her abdomen, while the back of his hand was pressed against the sheets. Bianca could not speak another word, though her hand gripped her phone firmly. Her eyes were closed as she pressed her forehead on the pillow. Every pore on her body was open... "Are you listening to me, Bianca?" Allison spoke through the phone. Bianca was listening to her, but she could not make a sound. Any attempt of speaking would result in uncontroble moans... Luke''s heart was thumping hard, as though it would burst out of his chest! Bianca was drenched in sweat. She closed her eyes and endured the unfamiliar feeling of being vited. She almost forgot that she was in a call with Allison. "Ha... ah... ha..." She began to moan haltingly. Normally, Bianca''s body could not amodate his girth. Now that Allison was outside the door trying to force her way in, Bianca became more nervous, and her mental state was reflected on her physical body. "It... hurts..." Bianca ended the call and started screaming without any regard for decency. Her fists clenched the bedsheets, which caused it to crumple... Luke took pity on her. He was out of control, but he knew that it was not the best time to go wild. It would be better if his mother were not outside. At least Bianca would be more rxed. Under the current circumstances, she could not rx. ''Can we do this... next time..." With tears in her eyes, she wanted to turn around and look at the man, but she could only see his muscr legs that were kneeling on the bed. "Please... get your... mother to leave..." "OK," Luke replied immediately but decided to make it difficult for her anyway. ''I still need to finish though." ¡®The blue balls will kill me!'' 2 Bianca was lifted in the man''s arms. Her panicked gaze swept the room and the man''s body. "I''ll... help you..." Her face was blushing intensely. "How?" Luke thought that she did not know. "I..." Bianca had never done it before, but she could roughly guess. Her heart began to thump irregrly. She closed her eyes to avert his gaze, then reached down with her two delicate and petite hands. ''Open your eyes and look at it!" Luke grabbed her hand and helped her locate it. Chapter 189 Chapter 189 The Adulterer Is Her Own Son! Outside the door, Allison''s gaze moved from the phone screen back to the door. Her feminine instincts told her that something was not quite right since the morning. ''Bianca called me but did not say a word... ''What is she trying to do? ''Also, I thought I heard... soft moans? ''Were they from Bianca?1 A chill went down Allison''s spine when she thought of that! ¡¯Open the door now, Bianca! Open the door!" Allison could not wait to see who the other adulterer was. Before she got there, she had given a call to her brother to confirm that Xavier, their son, was still sleeping upstairs. Allison also knew that it was impossible for her son to be in the house. Jason had said that his boss had worked overtime for the past two days. After work, he would sleep in the office. ording to Jason, Luke worked overtime so that he did not have to bring any work to the small town and could give all his attention to Bianca. Allison was resentful. Since when had she, Lanie, or Rainie, ever received such treatment from her son? However, she did not expect that Bianca was a seductress! Bianca''s husband was sleeping alone at home, and her admirer was working overtime in his office, but she was having an affair with another man so early in the morning... Allison swore that she would expose Bianca''s adulterous side today! Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Upon reaching that decision, Allison raised her voice and yelled at the door, "Don''t think that I don''t know what you''re doing inside, Bianca! Let me tell you, I''ll be waiting for you in front of the door today! I won''t leave unless you open the door! If you want to sneak away, you''d better grow a pair of wings and fly out of the window!¡± Allison yelled like a shrew. The wooden bed in the cramped rental house began to creak in the rhythm of the man''s rapid movements as he kneeled on the bed. Apanying that was the irregr breathing of the two people. Bianca struggled to remain lucid. She was afraid that he might lose control and morph into a ferocious beast, so she abandoned all decency and gripped on it when he was almost done. "Ah..." Luke''srge hands gripped her petite hands. Countless more repetitions. Finally, he came. Bianca leaned against the windowsill and looked at the beast-like man in front of her. She managed to calm down after taking many deep breaths. She slowly pulled her hands back. Her face was in a shade of deep red. She covered her body with the nket... Luke lowered his head and closed his eyes, savoring the moment. Eventually, the lump in his throat moved. He gulped and opened his eyes. Bianca saw the passion in the man''s gaze. It was so fiery that it could melt her. The smell of masculine hormones permeated the room, erasing all boundaries and obstacles between the two. Bianca wanted to lower her head, but the man''s slender yet strong fingers lifted her chin and forcefully brought it close to his thin lips. She was assaulted by a longing, passionate kiss until her tongue and lips were starting to hurt. The man removed himself from her oral cavity and continued to kiss her cheeks and neck, his hot breath tickling her ears... Allison continued to wait outside the door. A whileter, she was beginning to lose her patience! She continued to dial Bianca''s number! It went through, but no one picked up! Just when Allison clenched her fists once more and was about to pound on the door, the door opened. Bianca stood there, dressed in a set of conservative cotton pajamas. Allison was stunned. She looked at Bianca standing just beyond the doorway, then her gaze moved downward, and she noticed a pair of male leather shoes on the floor. Being experienced in fashion trends, Allison knew from the brand and craftsmanship that it was crafted by an internationally renowned shoemaker and carried a hefty price tag. "Not bad. Did you manage to lure in a bigshot?" Allison''s gaze turned away from the shoes and regarded Bianca with some disbelief. Bianca closed the door after Allison stepped in. She turned around, took a pair of slippers, and handed them to Allison. Allison kicked away the slippers disdainfully, stepped into the living room with her high-heels, and put her handbag on the couch. ¡¯Where''s the man? Doesn''t he have the guts toe out?" Allison was prepared. If the other party were some big shot in the A City financial or entertainment circles, she would use her identity as Xander''s aunt to call out the adulterer. ''There''s no man," Bianca said calmly. She went into the kitchen to get Allison a ss of water, then ced the ss on the coffee table in front of the couch. Allison did not drink from it. She sat down modestly on the couch, looked at Bianca, and said, "There''s no man?" Bianca nodded. "None." Allison stared at Bianca for a long time, then turned to look at the closed bedroom door and finally at the pair of shoes near the entrance. "So, can you exin the shoes next to the door?" "Your son wore them thest time he was here, and Lanie identally sshed water on it. Jason brought him a fresh pair of shoes, and he left them here," Bianca exined. ''How much more shameless can you get, Bianca?" Allison tossed the ss on the coffee table, got up, and stomped toward Bianca. Before Bianca could react, Allison tore away her pajamas. "What are you doing?" Bianca was angry. ''You say that there''s no man here? You''re serving an adulterer behind my nephew and son''s back in the morning! I¡¯ve never known you to be like this, Bianca!" Allison red at the marks of passion on Bianca''s snow-white skin. On the neck, on the corbones... There were even love bites on the shoulder des. One could imagine how intense the love-making had been! p! Furiously, Allison delivered a p on Bianca''s face. ''You''ve married my nephew, yet you have an affair with another man. How shameless can you get?'' Allison lifted her hand and prepared to deliver another p. Bianca grabbed onto Allison''s wrist! She narrowed her eyes and fixed her gaze on Allison. "Haven''t I always been a shameless woman to you? You think that I''ve seduced your son, who ording to you is my biological brother. When I failed to seduce him, I''ve also married your nephew, who also has blood rtions with me. Haven''t you always said that I''m born to be a nuisance to you? Why did it take so long to p me? Why didn''t you do so in front of the Crawfords and the Tanners?" Allison was flustered for a brief moment. Her hand shuddered, and her gaze wavered. All she wanted to do was call out the adulterer, not let the man in the bedroom know that she had blood rtions with Bianca! Her reputation would be in tatters if word got out! It was toote. The bedroom door was opened gently. The man who stepped out of the room was dressed smartly in a business suit and leather shoes, though his gaze seemed to have frozen the air around him. Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Luke Crawford Is Furious! Luke was caught by surprise. Any lucid person capable of reason could understand what was going on from the conversation. "Don''t think that I don''t know what you''re doing inside, Bianca! Let me tell you, I''ll be waiting for you in front of the door today! I won''t leave unless you open the door! If you want to sneak away, you''d better grow a pair of wings and fly out of the window!" His mother yelled those words while he was making out with Bianca. At that volume, it was impossible for him to ignore it. He did not stop his actions because he thought his mother wanted to stop her son from making out with his cousin''s wife. After all, that was against all social norms. However, after his mother stepped into the house, she had said, '' Not bad. Did you manage to lure in a bigshot?" Luke knew that something was amiss from those words. He could not exactly tell what was wrong, but he knew that his mother came to Bianca''s house for a totally different reason than what he expected. The ensuing conversation between Allison and Bianca would have been confusing to someone who did not know what was going on. "You say that there''s no man here? You''re serving an adulterer behind my nephew and son''s back in the morning! I''ve never known you to be like this, Bianca!" Luke had cleaned up his body while his mother rained those usations on Bianca. Then, he heard a p! The p was like a cold and thin de cutting his face and drawing blood. The two people outside were the woman who had raised him and the mother of his two children. They were getting physical at each other! After Luke resumed his usual neat and business-like appearance, he frowned and walked toward the door. Just when he ced his hand on the doorknob, he heard another revtion that struck him like a lightning bolt. ''Haven''t I always been a shameless woman to you? You think that I''ve seduced your son, who ording to you is my biological brother. When I failed to seduce him, I''ve also married your nephew, who also has blood rtions with me. Haven''t you always said that I''m born to be a nuisance to you? Why did it take so long to p me? Why didn''t you do so in front of the Crawfords and the Tanners?" That was what Bianca had said. Luke finally understood. He understood why she had left him, why she said that she could not forget about Jean Langdon, and why she would match herself with some lowly employee from anotherpany! He thought that she had lost her mind when she said that it would be nice if he were her elder brother... He had assumed that Bianca had some weird fetish. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. There were actual reasons behind those actions, and his mother was the instigator! "Son." Allison panicked. She kept away her hostility and put on a kindly and benevolent expression. "I¡¯m so angry at Bianca here that I''m muddled. I thought that she''s having an affair with some shady man." Luke ignored his mother. He walked toward the coffee table, picked up the cigarette box and lighter that he left there earlier, and lit a cigarette. He took a drag and said to Bianca, "Pack your luggage. We''re leaving at nine o''clock sharp." Bianca''s cheek was swollen. Allison had pped her hard. Luke''s eyes were transfixed on her cheek for a long time. Eventually, he looked away and left the house with his mother. Peace returned to the cramped rental house. Bianca went to wash up. She stood in front of the hand basin and sshed some water on her face. When she decided to burn bridges with Allison, she knew that she would never be able to repair the rtionship between them, no matter what the oue might be. Even if they took a DNA test and confirmed that she was Allison''s child and Luke was not, they could never return to a mother and daughter rtionship. Her thick and ck eyshes were saturated with water droplets and were trembling slightly. She did not know if that was tap water or her tears. Crawford Manor. At about seven o''clock, Jason came to fetch Lanie and Rainie to school. Susan and Louis lived on the west side of the manor, so they were oblivious to what was happening on the east side. Old Master Crawford was downstairs watching the two gardeners water the nts. He did not pay much attention when his eldest grandson and daughter-inw walked into the house and up the stairs. His ears pricked up when he heard vague argument noises. As far as Old master Crawford remembered, even though his eldest grandson Luke might be assertive and domineering, he never disyed his aggressive side in front of family. He would rather pretend that he did not see or hear anything that he did not wish to see, as long as it was not immoral or illegal. Why would he be angry at his mother this time though? Upstairs. On the trip back home, Luke did not say a word to his mother. She knew her son''s temperament very well. The less he spoke, the more feared he was. Allison did not want the tension to continue. She was afraid that his son would believe what Bianca said. "I''m doing this for your own good, son. I know that you have a mind of your own, but you should know that many men have ruined themselves because of a woman. T Corporation is currently leading the race. You shouldn''t lose sight of what''s important to you because of a woman, Luke!" Allison wanted to use a perfect lie to cover up her actions. When he heard his mother''s words, Luke stopped walking and stood at the doorway. He turned around and red at his mother with a razor-sharp gaze. "Didn''t Father do the same thing back then? He abandoned hiswfully-wedded wife and had an affair with you. What''s so surprising if I did something against social norms? I have your blood in my veins." Back then, when Zachary Crawford and Susan Armstrong''s name appeared on the same marriage certificate, Allison Tanner was already officially recognized as Zachary''s second wife. Two wives serving a husband, as though they forgot that they were in a monogamous society. ''Luke, don''t forget that Bianca is Xavier''s wife! Your grandfather won''t forgive you if I told him about what you and Bianca did this morning! You might not care for the Crawford family''s reputation, but your grandfather does!" Allison brought out Old Master Crawford''s title because she knew that she had no moral ground to stand on. "Go and tell my grandfather then! You can go and tell him right now!" Luke was furious. His expression was indescribably dark. 1 The caretakers who heard that trembled involuntarily. Luke''s gaze was ice-cold. "If not because of you, my dear mother, Bianca wouldn''t be forced to marry Xavier. As for how I''ve be Bianca''s brother, I''ll get a thorough exnation after Ie back!" 2 Chapter 191 Chapter 191 Luke Crawford Is Going Against Social Norms! Allison did not like Bianca. She hated her ever since she knew that Bianca was a Rayne and was Kevin Rayne¡¯s daughter. Any other woman could marry Luke and be her daughter-inw, but absolutely not Bianca! She had concealed her true sentiments about Bianca out of consideration of her son''s feelings and the family''s harmony. Instead, she plotted covertly to keep her away. She felt a little guilty looking at how angry her son had be, but at the same time felt that she did not need to keep up with the act. She would openly and brazenly keep that woman away from him! Even if she would burn bridges with Luke, they were nevertheless mother and son. That was a rtionship that no one could write off for the rest of their lives. "You want an exnation? About what? About how I''ve gone with that scumbag Kevin Rayne after I was dumped by your father?" Allison confessed, considering her son''s intelligent and relentless temperament. As expected, Luke looked extremely shocked. Allison scrunched up her face and started crying. "I didn''t want anyone to know about that unmentionable past. When he was alive, your father was domineering and merciless. He won''t forgive me if he knew that I went with that scumbag Kevin Rayne, and he won''t ept you as his son either! I''ve hidden that secret from everyone for more than twenty years! "Now, even though your father is gone, I still wished you hadn''t known about that contemptible episode. That''s why I tried everything to stop you from being in contact with Bianca. I thought that you weren''t serious with her, and if that were the case, you should have left her as soon as you can. I don''t want you to end up like your mother, forced into a dead end by a Rayne..." As she spoke, she went over to the vanity and opened a safe. Inside was a stack of receipts. All the jewelry and other expensive things were gone. "Look at these!¡¯ She handed the stack of receipts to her son. Luke looked at them. They were receipts of jewelry sold for money. Like most other women, Allison loved jewelry. Over the years, Luke had attended many charity events with jewelry put on auction. However, there were no females in the household other than his mother and his very young daughter. He would not hesitate to bid on the items and pass them to his mother since he knew that she loved jewelry. He was surprised that all that jewelry had been turned into money. Logically, his mother should not have been short on spending money. However, ording to the Crawford family tradition, all expenditures were recorded and tracked. It was a habit passed down from Old Master Crawford''s father. Whenever someone in the family spent money, it would be recorded down, so that no one would use the family money for illicit means. Now that the expensive jewelry had turned into money, where did the money go? Allison sighed when her eyes met with her son''s interrogative gaze. "Kevin Rayne is ill, and he needs a lot of money for treatment. It was the same time when I forced Bianca Rayne to leave you. "She knows about my sordid past with her father, and she tries to give me trouble whenever she could... "From then on, the father and daughter ckmailed me countless times, i "Now that all my jewelry is gone and I don''t have any more money to give them... that was what you heard earlier. It doesn''t matter if it was a coincidence or a well-devised plot, I''m confessing to you... "Any mother in this world would not want her son to be involved with that sort of woman. She''s not meant for you! I was forced to lie to her, that she was my daughter, just so that she could leave you. I wanted to prove to her that I would provide her everything as her mother, and she can ask for money from me whenever she wants, as long as she leaves my son alone! "I didn''t expect her to reveal the secret between us. I think she knows that I don''t have any more money for her, and so she wants to take revenge on me! Only when she managed to break you away from me, she would be able to seduce you. She wants you to stand on her side to oppose your birth mother!" The gears in Allison''s brain whirred at record speeds as she spoke. Anything to irredeemably ruin the reputation of Bianca and her sickly father! As Luke listened to all that, he was not swayed by his mother''s hysteria. Instead, he was indescribably angry. ''Why does Mother insist on not speaking the truth?'' Luke knew whom he should trust. Before he left the scene, he looked at his mother and said to her, "Bianca isn''t plotting anything, but she''s not an idiot either. Many women want money from me, but she isn''t one of them. I''ve never doubted my ability to judge a person''s character, and I¡¯ve always known that there''s more to you than meets the eye." Allison''s heart sunk into despair when her eyes met with her son''s icy gaze and she listened to those words. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Her son did not believe him, no matter how hard she tried to convince him! He only trusted that seductress! Luke paused for two seconds and continued, "If a son is unwilling to even trust his mother, perhaps the mother ought to reflect upon her actions. Maybe she has meddled too much." The caretakers went downstairs. They knew that they should not eavesdrop on the conversations among their masters. It was best not to get involved at all! Luke walked down the stairs. The caretakers cleaning downstairs paused their chores and greeted him "Sir" or "Young Master." Luke''s brows were raised dangerously. As he walked across the yard, he looked like a bad-tempered noble from a period drama. "Luke, what''s going on so early in the morning..." Old Master Crawford noticed his grandson leaving the manor. He wanted to speak to him, but Luke did not even turn around. Instead, he got into his car, floored the gas pedal, and sped away. Without her son''s trust, Allison had to rely on other forces to stop Bianca from entering the Crawford household. Now, only Old Master Crawford was the only one who could control her son! "Shouldn''t you do something about this, Father? It''ll be a disaster!" Allison cried dejectedly as she walked down the stairs. Old Master Crawford was surprised. Allison told him about what happened earlier that morning. "If the Tanners know that Luke made out with their son''s wife, I can''t predict what they''ll do! Indeed, Xavier has snatched Bianca away from Luke, but their marriage is legally protected. Father, are you going to allow your grandson to ruin the family''s reputation?" When Old Master Crawford heard that, his chest immediately tightened, and he could not breathe. Allison quickly stepped up to steady Old Master Crawford while yelling at a caretaker near the door. "Quick, call Young Master Luke! Tell him that his grandfather is suffering a heart attack!" Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Bianca¡¯s Phone Could Not Be Reached The caretaker immediately did what she was told. Her fingers were trembling as she dialed Luke''s number. No one picked up the first call, and the second call was also unanswered! However, the call went through every time. After countless calls, the call was eventually picked up. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. "Sir, Old Master Crawford had a heart attack and is not in the hospital. Please go and visit him!" The caretaker said hoarsely. A City Hospital. Old Master Crawfordy on a bed. The doctors managed to resuscitate him, and his vitals were returning to normal. Allison was sitting on a chair next to bed, guiltily wiping away her tears. Susan and Louis were informed about the news and got to the hospital as quickly as they could. As Zachary''s second son, Louis had a deep affection for his grandfather. After all, he had spent most of his time as a child with Old Master Crawford. Old Master Crawford might be strict, but he was a responsible grandparent. In fact, he was closer to his grandfather than his father, who had passed away from illness when he was young. There was another reason why Louis was grateful to his grandfather. Back then, when his father wanted to abandon Susan, hiswfully wedded wife, and marry Allison, Old Master Crawford did not agree to it. He made every effort to oppose his son and ensured that Susan and Louis had a ce to stay in Crawford Manor. He vaguely remembered that the Armstrong family was on the brink of ruin when his father wanted to divorce his mother. If not for Old Master Crawford, Susan and Louis would have been mercilessly driven out of the household and left on the streets to be publicly condemned, while Allison would have reaped every benefit. Louis had always been grateful to Old Master Crawford, though he kept it hidden under his rebellious exterior. He had always wanted to repay his grandfather, but unfortunately, he did not have any business sense. On the other hand, his elder brother was like a heaven-sent gift, a perfect heir to Crawford Industries. Too bad that Luke''s birth mother was despicable. Louis''s brows were tightly knotted as he looked at the old man lying on the hospital bed gasping for air. He thought that Old Master Crawford should have lived to a hundred years old, free from disease and pain. Meanwhile, Susan nced at Allison, who was still crying, and thought that there was more to the incident than meets the eye. "I thought that Father was still fine when I left the house earlier this morning. Why did he suddenly suffer a heart attack?" She asked. Susan knew very well Allison''s character! Would that despicable woman cry so hard because of Old Master Crawford¡¯s heart attack? Not unless the sun rose from the west! There must be some other unmentionable reason! The VIP hospital ward was very spacious. On the other side of the bed and cabs was a set of couches and a coffee table, like a living room. Luke was silent ever since he stepped into the hospital. From the time Old Master Crawford was wheeled into the emergency room, across the unbearably long stretch of time when the doctors tried to resuscitate him, until he was wheeled back out and into the ward. In the silent ward, no one answered Susan''s question. The nurse attending to Old Master Crawford was gently massaging the back of his hand so that he did not feel any difort from the IV drip. Luke''s firm footsteps echoed in the ward. It was past the promised time that they should meet and depart to the town, but he could not reach Bianca on her phone. He was immensely worried. That p on her face earlier was too hard. Old Master Crawford stirred. He could discern whom those footsteps belonged to, even when his eyes were closed. He opened his mouth and called out weakly, "Luke... wait..." Susan looked at Old Master Crawford. Louis turned to look at his elder brother, who was about to leave the ward. They immediately pinpointed the source of the problem. Luke had somehow caused Old Master Crawford''s heart attack. Susan was confused. How would the filial and sensible Luke ever agitate his grandfather so much? Allison took a napkin that was handed to her by a nurse. She wiped her eyes and said, "Please step outside for now.¡± Louis did what he was told. He knew that Grandfather had something to speak to Allison and Luke. Susan did not want to leave. She wanted to know what was going on, but her son dragged her out of the ward. The nurses left the ward as well. Only Old Master Crawford lying on the bed, Allison sitting next to the bed with puffy eyes, and Luke standing rooted next to the door remained in the ward. Allison lowered her head and wiped her tears. "Luke, I know that you must be hating me for telling your grandfather what happened. You must understand that I have no other choice!" She knew that Old Master Crawford would be struggling to speak, so she took the opportunity to make her point. "Don''t you know how hard it was to raise you all alone? The family did not recognize me, and my friends did not help me. You were my onlyfort. Unfortunately, reality is harsh, and to protect you, I could do nothing but bow and ept help from Kevin Rayne." Those words were spoken to both Luke and Old Master Crawford. She did not have to be afraid of the violent and merciless Zachary, but the patriarch of the Crawford family was still alive. If her son would not stand on her side about what happened earlier that morning, she could only find Old Master Crawford for help! Old Master Crawford was frail and easily agitated, but she had no other choice but to endanger his life so that the incident could be resolved! No matter what, Bianca cannot marry into the Crawford family! Luke''s cold voice echoed in the ward. "As far as I know, before I was brought into the Crawford family, I grew up in an orphanage!" Luke never resented his past. He sympathized with Susan, though he also knew that he had to love and respect Allison, the woman who had given birth to him, even though she was in the wrong. However, he could not get any closer to Allison for what she did. That was why he had respected and loved her from afar and never spoke to her heart-to-heart. From his ordeal in the orphanage to being brought into the Crawford family, Luke had learned a lot about the ugly side of adulthood. The arguments and scandals in Crawford Manor taught his young mind a lot about morality. He had a mother who was a mistress that had traded morals for riches. That was an irrefutable fact. Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Finally, She Arrives At the Small Town Old Master Crawfordy on the bed with his eyes closed, listening to the conversation between his daughter-inw and his grandson. In that half a minute, Allison had found an excuse to shift the me to Susan. "I''ve never known that you''ve suspected me so much... I would tell you if you asked, but you''ve never asked!" Allison revealed a pained look, as though she struggled to recall her insufferable past. She started sobbing again, soaking the napkin with her tears. "I was forced out of A City when I had to leave your birth father. What else could I do when you were so young? I could only hide in the remotest towns. Susan Armstrong was relentless. She and her minions could find me no matter where I went! "Back then, Susan was childless. You should know how much importance a woman married into a wealthy family ces on providing an heir, and you too, Old Master Crawford! And I had to give birth to a boy! "I don''t know if Susan knew that I had given birth to a boy, so I had to hand you to an orphanage to protect you. At least you''ll receive good care over there. It''s better than running and hiding in constant fear... I didn''t know if I''d live or die!" Old Master Crawford frowned when he listened to Allison''s barbed words. His biggest misfortunes were his two daughters-inw, Susan Armstrong and Allison Tanner. Susan was born and raised in a wealthy family whose status matched the Crawfords. However, it was exactly because of Susan''s noble and strict upbringing that caused her marriage to fail. Of course, the main culprits were her husband, who did not know how to appreciate his wife, and the mistress, who seduced a woman''s husband. Compared to prim and well-mannered Susan, Allison was much more vivacious. Susan could have never learned how to flirt with a man like how Allison did. Susan had looked down upon such behavior! Old Master Crawford wondered since when Susan had stopped being sensible and became an unreasonable shrew. Perhaps it was since she found out that her husband harbored a mistress and seldom returned home. She did not enjoy the warmth from family and marriage, and she had to suffer both mental and physical abuse from her husband. The shameless and despicable mistress had utterly defeated the legally wedded wife, who did not know any underhanded tactics. The Armstrong family fell into ruin and could not support Susan, which caused the mistress to be even more brazen. Old Master Crawford might have stood behind Susan, but no matter what he did, he could not help her win back her husband''s heart. It was as though Susan foundfort in her madness. Old Master Crawford always knew which of his daughters-inw had a magnanimous exterior but a wicked heart, and which one had a venomous exterior but a kind heart. Naturally, Old master Crawford did not believe what Allison said. He knew that Allison sent her son to an orphanage not to protect him. Instead, she did not want him to be a burden when seducing Zachary! Old Master Crawford opened his eyes and looked at his grandson at the door with an unfocused gaze. "Luke,e here and listen to your grandfather..." Allison paused her sobbing for a few seconds. She wanted to hear how Old Master Crawford would resolve the incident. She hoped that her act would gain her some sympathy from the patriarch. Luke was worried about Bianca, but he also did not wish to see his grandfather''s life in danger. Old Master Crawford gathered his strength as he watched his grandson walk toward the bed. He furrowed his brows and said, "If you tarnish the reputation of the Crawford family, I wouldn''t be able to rest in peace..." "It''s not as serious as you think, Grandfather. You should rest and recuperate," Luke said calmly as he tucked his grandfather in the nket. Old Master Crawford was fond of his eldest grandson, who spoke confidently and never disappointed anyone. As long as his eldest grandson gave the word, the matter would be handled to his satisfaction. He had to admit that he was starting to nag. "I''ve always recognized that Bianca is my daughter-inw. If I hadn''t, I wouldn''t have rushed to the Tanners and demanded them to hand her over when I knew that she was to be married to Xavier..." Luke nodded. From that incident, he could tell that his grandfather was satisfied with Bianca. He had never doubted that. Old Master Crawford continued, "However, Bianca is that Tanner kid''swfully wedded wife. Their marriage is protected under thew! I''m telling you this because I''m afraid that you might act out of impulse and make a grave mistake!" "I wont. I know what to do." Luke stood next to the bed dressed neatly in a business suit, which comforted Old Master Crawford a lot. Allison could hear that the conversation was not progressing the way she wanted, so she immediately interjected. "Do you still believe his words, Father? This morning, Luke... woke up on Bianca''s bed! In other words, he was sleeping with someone else''s wife!" Luke cast a sullen nce on his mother. Allison ignored it. "If you allow him to do so, how different would he be from what I did with his father back then? Zachary and I have admitted to our mistakes, Father, and Zachary has regretted his actions. All I hope for is for Zachary to be able to rest in peace..." Old Master Crawford closed his eyes. After a long time, he sighed. "Listen to your grandfather, Luke. As long as Bianca remains married to that Tanner kid, you should hold fast to your principles. We cannot be the subject of ridicule..." "Do you still agree that Luke should go with Bianca, Father?" Allison frowned and looked at the stubborn Old Master Crawford. On the high-speed rail to the small town. It was not the peak season, and not many travelers were present on the train. Bianca sat in the cabin and looked at the half-drawn picture on theputer screen. The other members of her team had gone to the small town by car. They did not ask her to go along with them. Perhaps they knew that she would be traveling with the boss. Luke did not appear at the promised time, so she went ahead by herself. As the train neared the small town, Bianca lifted her eyes from theputer screen and took a few more nces at her hometown. At one o''clock in the afternoon, Bianca arrived at the small town with a silver two-foot-tall suitcase in tow. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. "Hey, Bianca!" A colleague from the HR department had been waiting for her at the station. As she walked toward Bianca, she said, "I tried calling your phone but couldn''t get through." "Oh? Let me see." Bianca took out her phone from her handbag and noticed that her phone had somehow shut down on its own. The colleague brought Bianca to a two-story building and handed her a key. "You''ll have to stay here for a while. This is the best ce thepany can afford to rent. Keep your key safe. Now that I''ve settled you down, I''ll have to rush back to thepany. If you need anything or have any questions, don''t hesitate to call me..." Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Bring Bianca Back For Me! After the exnation, the colleague went downstairs. On the second floor, Bianca opened the door with the key. It was a room of about three hundred square feet. The floor was covered in light-colored wooden tiles. In the apartment were a single bed and a simple closet. Before she managed to unpack her luggage, another colleague from another department appeared at the door. It was a young male colleague in histe twenties. He stood outside of the apartment without going in. "You''re Bianca Rayne from the design department, right? Nice to meet you. I''m Joe Carlson." "Nice to meet you. I''m Bianca Rayne." She greeted the colleague. Joe pointed downstairs and said courteously, "Everyone hasn''t had lunch yet. We went to the restaurants in town, and the conditions were... less than ideal. Some of the girls who are used to living in the big city could not ept it. I heard from my department lead that you grew up here, so I thought I''d ask if you could bring everyone around to familiarize themselves with the ce. We can also get some ingredients and make lunch ourselves." Bianca understood what he was saying. She ced her trunk down and nodded. "No problem. I''ll go down now." "There''s no rush. You should settle down first." Joe nodded and went downstairs. She looked at the watch and saw that it was almost two o''clock. ''Oh no, I''ll have to rush! ''Otherwise, we might as well be making dinner!¡¯ She opened her trunk, took out her power bank, and plugged it into her phone. She did not have time to unpack everything else. Instead, she took the key and her purse, then followed Joe downstairs. Several messages came in. The first few were missed call notifications from Luke. Then, it was a text message. The message read, [Call me back when you turn on your phone.] She was out with her colleagues, and it was inconvenient to call him, so she replied to his message. [Well talkter. I''m going to get food ingredients with my colleagues.] 1 As she chatted with her colleagues, she received another message. [Don''t let me find out that you''re cooking for other men!] That was Luke''s reply. A City. After Allison left the hospital, she went to her elder brother''s house. Daniel was surprised to see his sister suddenly showing up. "What happened? You look like you''re in a rush." Allison nced at Lacey, her sister-inw who was walking down the stairs, then at her brother, "What else could it be if not for something among the young ones? Bianca might be your daughter-inw, but she has a... rtionship with my son." Daniel and Lacey could hear the implications in Allison''s words. Their expressions became unpleasant. No parent would want to hear their daughter-inw having an affair with another man, even though it might be the truth. Allison knew very well that her brother and sister-inw did not desire to hear that, but she had to say it! "Last year, thepany received the full development rights to a town next to A City, and development had just started. Your daughter-inw is part of thepany''s design department, and she went to the town too." Allison smirked. "If not that I stopped my son with all my might, he might be there now too!" Daniel lifted his head. "What?" Lacey was not fond of Allison, and so she was thinking from a different angle. "Bianca is my daughter- inw. He should know that! Yet he still..." She said angrily. "Sister-inw, you should understand it''s not my son who wants to go along with her!" Allison interjected. "It''s your daughter-inw that''s been throwing hints to my son. Would you expect a young man in his prime to reject a seductress''s advances?" They were about to argue when Xavier woke up after a long sleep. "What are you bickering about? Who''s the seductress?" Allison, sitting on the sofa, looked at her nephew who was walking down the stairs. "Who else, if not for your wife? No other woman would have that much charm!" She said gently. The caretaker poured a ss of water for Xavier. Xavier took the ss, downed a big gulp to quench his thirst, and handed the ss back to the caretaker. "You''re also a woman, Aunt Allison. Why are youbeling every charming woman as a seductress?" Allison was aggrieved. "I''m not wrong in calling her a seductress! She''s born in a poor family, her father and grandfather are chronically sick, and she manages to survive by flirting with other men. If that¡¯s not a seductress, what is?" "By your logic, you''ve seduced my wealthy uncle-inw who had died. Shouldn''t you be a bigger seductress then? I think you''ve done much worse than what Bianca is doing to Luke and me." It was the first time that Xavier had talked back to his aunt. Allison''s expression darkened at that instant! However, Xavier was smiling as he spoke. She could not tell if he was joking! Daniel was not experienced in dealing with private household matters, especially those that concerned his son. He did not wish to meddle, and there were words that a father-inw ought not to speak. He turned to look at his wife. Lacey understood what Daniel meant and turned to look at her son. "You should keep a close eye on your wife, Xavier. The two of you have a legal marriage certificate, and we''ve already announced your marriage to all the rtives. Your father and I had indeed hoped that the two of you would divorce and sever all ties, but now we tolerate her because of the baby in her womb!" "Wait, do you mean that Bianca... is pregnant?" Allison had never heard about that before. She had her doubts. Lacey turned to look at her sister-inw and nodded. "That''s right, she''s pregnant. That was why your brother and I epted her. We don''t mind an heir to the Tanner family." Allison tried to process the information. She did not know if it was good news or bad news. Lacey spoke to her son, "Bianca is your wife. If you''re not concerned about her, it''s also not our position to be concerned about her. You know that she''s not close to us, and she doesn''t evene home. I wouldn''t care as much if not that she''s bearing a child. What is she doing in that small town? Does she intend to abort it in an ident?" Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Daniel was getting old. He was worried that his son might get himself in trouble again. He would be satisfied if he could have a grandson. He was immediately furious when he heard that his daughter-inw was out working in a small town while pregnant. He pped his thigh and pointed at Xavier, "Go now and get her back! I don''t care where she goes after she gives birth, but I wont agree to what she''s doing now!" Chapter 195 Chapter 195 A Faint Feminine Scent After sessfully raising a ruckus in the Tanner family, Allison went home. Back at the hospital, Allison did not see Susan and Louis. Old Master Crawford was lying on the bed while Luke was sitting next to him. She could see that her son was very concerned about his grandfather''s condition. Looking at the scene, she mouthed a silent prayer that Old Master Crawford would recover slower. If his condition worsened, her son would have to stay by his side! That way, the eldest grandson of the Old Master would not be able to leave for the small town! i Otherwise, constrictive social norms wouldbel him as an unfilial grandson! Allison felt as though she was losing her humanity in her attempts to separate Bianca from her son. She had no other choice. If Luke married Bianca, her life would turn into a living hell. Bianca seemed like her nemesis! The caretaker in charge of Old Master Crawford''s diet arrived to deliver lunch. Allison took out the lunch boxes from the bag. "Father, Aunt Jemma made all your favorite food. It''s also good for your health." As Allison spoke, she sat down and spoon-fed Old Master Crawford. Old Master Crawford might be ill, but he had an appetite. After feeding him for a while, she found the appropriate time to speak," There is something that I have to tell you, Father." Old Master Crawford did not say anything, implying that she should continue. Allison did not look at her son and continued speaking, "Earlier, my elder brother asked me to go to his house because he had something to tell me. Over there, I''ve heard that Bianca... is already pregnant with Xavier''s child." As expected, Old Master Crawford''s expression froze when he heard that. If Bianca loved his grandson and not the Tanner kid, then she should have saved her virginity for his grandson! If the Tanner kid had forced himself upon her, he would sue him in court! If she had secretly borne a child for the Tanners, that was being unfaithful to Luke! Old Master Crawford did not expect that. "There''s no such thing." Luke looked sinisterly at his mother on the other side of the bed, then exined to his grandfather, "That was a lie that Xavier made up to appease my uncle." Allison did not expect the truth to be like that... She once again felt nervous... The tension between mother and son reached a peak. In apse of concentration, she nearly dropped the spoon in her hand. In the small town. Bianca did not cook. She prepared and cut the ingredients and also bought cutlery, cookware, and other kitchen utensils. She did every other chore except for cooking. The young colleagues got to know each other better as they chatted while eating. At the end of the meal, they also drank some beer. Bianca did not have a high tolerance for alcohol and only drank a ss. After cleaning up, Joe said excitedly. "The air in the town is so fresh. I can''t wait to see what the ce would look like after development." There was nothing attractive about the town except for the scenery around it. They had to live in the town for a period so that they could personally experience its beauty and culture and draft a perfect project proposal. Bianca was doing the dishes in the kitchen. At that moment, a car drove over. Everyone turned to look at it, but Bianca could not see it from where she was. A Porsche Cayenne drove toward the two-storypound and parked in front of it. A person each stepped out of the driver seat and the passenger seat. The person who got out from the passenger seat said, "This is the ce. I''ll be going home!" Xavier took out several dor bills from his wallet and handed them to the person. The town folk took the money and happily jogged away. It was public knowledge since a few years ago that the town was to be developed. Now that the developmentpany sent a team over, it was major news to the people living there. Everyone knew about their presence. Xavier did not know where Bianca was exactly, and she did not answer his calls or reply to his messages. He asked around in town, and someone brought him there. The T Corporation workers sitting in the courtyard did not know who Xavier was, but they acted cautiously when they saw how he dressed and the car he drove, worried that he might be from the higher management conducting a spot check. "Anyone here can tell me where Bianca Rayne is?" Xavier''s words and mannerisms made everyone think that he was like a hooligan. Someone pointed toward the kitchen. Xavier turned to look in that direction and started walking there. Bianca was washing several cups under the tap. The flowing water made a lot of noise. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. While she fixed her gaze upon the sshing water, a pair of arms abruptly hugged her from behind. In the courtyard, Joe looked at the scene in the kitchen with surprise. The sink directly faced the kitchen entrance, so everyone outside could see what was happening inside. However, a person standing at the sink could not see what was happening outside. "Isn''t she... with the boss..." Joe looked away embarrassedly and asked a colleague from the design department. Bianca was from the design department, and Joe thought that the people from the design department would know more about Bianca. The colleague from the design department was equally as confused. As she guessed who the person hugging Bianca might be, she took out her phone and gossiped to her colleagues in A City. In the kitchen, Bianca dropped the pot in her hands and took several steps away. She regarded Xavier''s sudden presence in the kitchen with fear. "Should a wife act like that when her husband hugs her?" Xavier was not angry; he did not like Bianca anyway. However, he could smell the faint feminine scent that Bianca left on her body. He thought that it smelled quite nice. Meanwhile, outside the courtyard, the colleague received a voice message from A City. "Bianca doesn''t have any rtionship with the boss. Yvonne already told us when she came to work today, saying that Bianca is the boss''s uncle''s son''s wife. It''s a long way. In any case, the boss is concerned about Bianca because they''re rtives. Also, I''ve heard that Bianca is pregnant, and that''s why the boss is so concerned," The colleague said as she was getting off work. Sue, who was nning to stay behind and work overtime, turned to look at the colleague who had sent the voice message. Soon, the colleague replied again, "Who else could have hugged Bianca''s waist in front of everyone, if not for her husband? Give them some private space!" Sue opened Jason''s chat window and sent him a text message. [What''s going on? I''ve heard that the Xavier guy is in the town and making a move on Bianca. Does the boss know about this?] Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Are We Going To Visit Miss Bea? When Jason received Sue''s message, he was waiting in front of the school for the boss''s two babies. "Uncle Doyle!" Rainie ran out of the gates and into Jason''s arms. Jason lifted the little princess with one arm, then took the little prince''s hand with his other hand and walked toward the car. "When will Daddye and pick us up from school again, Uncle Doyle?" Lanie asked a futile question. He and his sister knew that Daddy was very busy. On the rare asion that Daddy was home, he was usually distant and responsive. It was as though they did not have a father. Now that their Daddy was warming up to them, he disappeared without a trace for the past two days. As Rainie was ced in the car by Jason, she heard her brother''s words and looked innocently at Jason, waiting for an answer. After settling the two children in the car, Jason said seriously, "Your Daddy is very busy now, and he can''t leave his job. Let your Uncle Doyle ask him again when he will be free to pick you up from school." Jason closed the door of the Bentley and sat on the driver seat. Jason started the car and drove toward Crawford Manor. He also sent the information obtained from Sue to his boss. Ten minutester, Jason received a new directive. The two children in the car noticed that Jason steered the car into an unfamiliar street. "Aren''t we going home, Uncle Doyle?" Lanie stood tiptoe in the car and leaned to look out of the window. ''Are we going to look for Miss Bea? That''s great!'' "I¡¯m bringing you to meet your Daddy." In the small town. Bianca grudgingly cleaned the tes and bowls and dried them. Through gossip, the colleagues in the courtyard knew the identity of the man who arrived in a Porsche. The married couple needed some private space, and so they went back to their rooms. Xavier stood at the kitchen doorway and looked at the woman busily arranging the kitchenware in the cupboard. "This is my first time seeing you doing chores ever since we married. When are you going home to cook a meal for your inws?" Bianca listened to those words and gave no reply. She dried thest te and ced it in the cupboard. She thought that Xavier was there to deliberately annoy her. She dried her hands and stepped out of the kitchen. Walking across the silent courtyard, she was about to take the stairs when the man abruptly grabbed her wrist from behind. Bianca instantly turned around. When she saw that punchable face, she yelled without any regard to her surroundings, "Let go of me!" However, her strength was no match for the man. Xavier''s grip on Bianca''s wrist was so tight that her hand turned red, though he maintained a gentle and warm smile on his face. "You and I are husband and wife. Can we not butt heads all the time?" "Since when are we husband and wife?" Bianca shook her head coldly. "I''ve never considered us to be husband and wife. You can ce the marriage certificate in front of me, and I would think of it as nothing more than a piece of scrap paper with some words on it." She forcefully pulled her hand away! Her colleagues sitting next to the window on the second floor saw what was going on in the courtyard. The windows were closed, and so they could not hear what Bianca was saying. However, they could see that Bianca was having a big altercation with her Cayenne husband... Back in her room, Bianca immediately closed the door and locked it. She was worried that Xavier might act on an impulse and barge into her room. She briefly cleaned the three-hundred-square-foot room and sat on the floor. Pulling over a small table, she ced herptop on it. A few minutester, her phone started ringing. The call was from Walter Long, the famouswyer. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. "Hello, I¡¯m Bianca..." Bianca quickly answered the call and stood up. "I remember that you have my Instagram contact. Hang up now and send me your location. I''lle and look for you by GPS," Walter said. "Is it something about the divorce? Can''t we meet tomorrow?" Bianca asked. She had heard that Walter charged his clients by the minute. His time was literally very precious! "Boss''s orders. He said that there should be some progress to the divorce, but I''m not going there to look for you." Bianca thought fora bit. ''The Boss'' that Walter is referring to should be... Luke... ''As for the progress on the divorce...'' Bianca looked out of the window, saw Xavier ying with a wild puppy in the courtyard, and immediately understood. Walter tried to set up a meeting with Xavier in A City but failed. Perhaps Xavier could guess why Walter was looking for him. Xavier and Luke were cousins, but they did not see each other eye to eye. Perhaps Xavier knew that Walter was very close to Luke. He must have concluded that Walter was working for Luke. As such, he would rather not meet the lawyer. Now Xavier was in the small town. If Walter came over as fast as he could, they would definitely meet each other. After the call ended, she sent her location to Walter, who was making his way there as fast as he could. The sky grew dark an hourter. Xavier did not leave. Instead, he went upstairs and knocked on Bianca''s door. Bianca sat in the room, feeling apprehensive. She did not want to open the door. However, if she did not open the door, Xavier might think that there was no use in him staying in the boring little town. He might return to A City right then. If that happened, Walter would not be able to intercept him. Arriving at that thought, Bianca got up, unlocked the door, and returned to her seat to continue working. "Are you so busy?" Xavier entered the room, saw that there were no chairs, and sat on the floor like Bianca. After a while, Xavier felt tired sitting on the floor. He stretched out his legs andy down, though he asionally stole nces on Bianca''sptop screen, scrutinizing the designs that she was making. Eventually, his gaze drifted from theptop screen to Bianca''s serious face. After an unknown amount of time, Walter arrived at the room. Xavier had already fallen asleep. "Sorry for waking you up, Mr. Tanner," Walter said diplomatically. Xavier slowly opened his eyes. He had a headache. His gaze immediately fell on Walter''s world- famouswyer face. "It''s so hard to set up an appointment with you, Mr. Tanner. Fortunately, my efforts have paid off." Walter sat on the floor, took out a stack of paper from his briefcase, and handed it to Xavier. When Xavier saw the two copies of the divorce agreement and a signature pen in front of him, he looked around the room and discovered that Bianca was nowhere to be found. ''How dare that woman deceive me?'' Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Criticizing Luke Crawford Bianca was nowhere to be seen. Xavier might not care about what other people thought of him, but he did not want to be the subject of ridicule of the employees of T Corporation. He left the town so that he would not look too desperate in pursuing Bianca. Walter kept the divorce agreements and the signature pen back into his briefcase. Then, he went to his car and followed the "defendant" of the divorce case out of town. As he drove, Walter took a swig of an energy drink. It was the first time in almost thirty years of his life that he had to personally track down a defendant. No other people would enjoy such treatment. Strictly speaking, he could not be bothered with divorce cases, unless they involved billionaires! After the cars left, the colleagues upstairs started talking among each other. Their room doors were open. While Joe was distributing bottled water bought from the grocery store among the female colleagues, he overheard one of them saying, "How amazing. Even Walter Long is here." "Why is he here?" The other colleague did not know what was going on. "Why else? I heard that Walter Long and Bianca''s Cayenne husband left her room one after the other. Walter mentioned something about a divorce agreement, and Bianca''s Cayenne husband was like, ''I''ve never agreed to the divorce. I''ve never even thought about it."'' ''It''s obvious that Bianca wants the divorce... ''The man driving the Cayenne, who is the rumored cousin of the boss, does not want the divorce... ''Going by that logic, Bianca must be the one who hired Walter tomunicate with her husband.'' Joe''s hand that was holding a can of Red Bull froze in mid-air. "Just who is Bianca from the design department? Not anyone can hire Walter Long even if they have money. That''s Walter Long, the famouswyer, not anywyer from a firm on the street." Even if Bianca had the money, she did not have the status. ¡¯I don''t know.¡¯ The colleague shrugged. Meanwhile, Bianca was standing in front of her grandfather''s house. Before going to the small town, Bianca looked for her grandfather. She reminded him to take his medication regrly and to rest often. Her grandfather told her that she should focus on her work and not always think about him. It was good to be ambitious, but she should not overwork herself. Before Bianca left, she had asked for the key to her grandfather''s house. While Xavier was sleeping in the house, Bianca received a text message from Walter. Walter could only find the general area from the provided location. He did not know the room that Bianca and Xavier were in. Bianca carefully got up without rousing Xavier, then met up with Walter in the courtyard. After giving him the room number, Walter told Bianca that she could leave the rest up to him. He also suggested that she stay away from her room for now, in case Xavier threw a tantrum. For her colleagues at T Corporation, the dingy little town had nothing going on. She understood how they felt; after all, they had grown up in the big city. Bianca was different. She had stayed in ces with worse conditions. Moreover, the "dingy little town" had special meaning to her. She retrieved the key, opened the heavy and decaying steel gate, and stepped into the courtyard of the old house. The abandoned courtyard held many of Bianca''s memories in her childhood and youth. When she was six years old, her grandfather raised geese. They fed the young geese with grass. Her grandfather used a cleaver to chop fresh grass into tiny bits on a stone block, and she would ce the chopped grass into arge bowl for the geese. She had asked her grandfather before, "Grandpa, Mommy hasn''t visited me for several years. What if I see her on the street when I''ming back from school, and she doesn''t recognize me?" "Don''t you like living with Grandpa? Where your Mommy is, there''s no geese, no grass, and no fresh air!" The young Bianca could tell from her grandfather''s words that he knew where her mother was. Until today, she had to admit that her grandfather and father must still be thinking that Allison Tanner had given birth to her for the Rayne family. Grandfather did not seem to have an impression of Allison. After so many years, he might have even forgotten the name of his daughter-inw whom he had seldom met. However, Bianca''s father, who was currently lying on the hospital bed suffering from lung cancer, did not seem to know that his daughter was most probably not given birth by Allison. If that were the case, who was the one who had given birth to her? She did not remember her father mentioning any woman other than Allison Tanner. Her father should have known if she was born of another woman, but why would he think that it was Allison? A City. Old Master Crawford woke up at about nine o''clock, feeling thirsty. He looked around the room. Luke was not present. In the ward was a nurse, his two treasured great- grandchildren, and Jason Doyle. "Where''s Luke..." Old Master Crawford asked weakly. Jason''s expression did not change. "Boss went out to buy some study material for Lanie and Rainie," he answered. "Why did he go himself..." Old Master Crawford obviously did not believe it. Rainie rubbed her eyes and mumbled, "Our teacher gave an assignment for us. She wanted our parents to personally buy our study materials so that they know what we learn in school. Daddy has to go to a specific store to buy it. Otherwise, the teacher would know, and she''ll scold us in ss." Jason nodded and sighed helplessly. "I hope Boss won''t buy the wrong things!" Old Man Crawford grunted. "He''s already an adult. Can''t he do something so simple?" Jason continued, "I''m usually the one to buy the kids'' study materials. Boss doesn''t like going to crowded ces." "Sure, he doesn''t like crowded ces! Why, does he think that he''s so handsome the parents of the other kids would fall for him? How conceited! ¡¯ Old Master Crawford took the opportunity to dress down his grandson, who indeed had outstanding looks. "If he knows that he shouldn''t flirt with other women, then Lanie and Rainie would still have a mother. Look at what he did..." He had managed to catch Bianca''s eye, but the situation had taken an awkward turn. So what if his grandson was handsome or rich? At almost thirty years old, he was still single. He was worse off than people who are less handsome or not as rich as him. He enjoyed "criticizing¡± his grandson for a while and eventually drifted off to sleep. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. At the same time, in the small town. The small town was quiet at night, a far cry from the bustle of the big city. Bianca''s colleagues were preparing to go to bed, but they suddenly heard a car driving over. They looked closely and saw that it was the boss''s car! The model and car te were unique. They could recognize it immediately. All the workers, both male and female, immediately put on proper clothes and quickly gathered at the courtyard. Luke did not get out of the car. After parking in the courtyard, he looked around at the people there and asked, "Is Bianca asleep?" "Uh... I don''t think so," One of the female colleagues answered after ncing at an unlit window on the second floor. "She went out earlier, and I don''t think she''s back yet. She said not to worry, she''ll only be taking a look at her old house." "You should rest early," Luke replied curtly, then reserved the car and left the courtyard. Chapter 198 Chapter 198 An Intimate Yet Awkward Atmosphere After Luke''s car left the courtyard, the workers lost all mood to sleep. The boss had arrived suddenly, and he had departed from the scene just as quickly, like a passing gust of wind. However, they were inexplicably nervous. It felt as though their boss was conducting a spot check on their work. They thought that their performance was not up to standard, and it was uneptable in their boss''s eyes. Joe could not contain his curiosity anymore and asked his colleagues, ¡¯ How''s the rtionship between our boss and his Cayenne-driving cousin?" His colleagues all shook their heads. "How would we know?¡± One of the female colleagues answered. "The boss has always kept his personal life a secret. Even the paparazzi couldn''t find out anything." All that was known about their boss''s personal life was a photograph exclusively published in a recently popr magazine, showing their boss bringing his son and daughter out for breakfast one early morning. Many female workers in the office bought the magazine and browsed through it at work. They thought that their boss, who was not only handsome and capable, but was also a single father who doted on their children, was extremely manly and attractive. That female colleague was one of the workers who had a crush on their boss. She ced the photograph on her work desk and looked at it asionally, using it as an encouragement to work harder and improve herself so that she might find an outstanding man like her boss. Joe pondered over the situation. He did not feel sleepy at all. He went back to his room to retrieve a jacket and told everyone, "Does anyone want to follow me to search for Bianca? We''re in this town as a team. What if Bianca went out alone sote at night and found herself in danger?" If something happened to Bianca, it would be hard for them to exin to their superiors! The small town might be honest and down-to-earth, but that did not mean that everyone there was a good person... Bad people existed in every corner of the world. The difference was a matter of proportions... The female colleague volunteered herself. "I''ll follow. When we went to the wet market with Bianca earlier, she told us where her old house was. We even passed by the entrance. I''ll bring you there." The other colleagues nodded. "Be safe!" After the ck Range Rover left the courtyard, the two colleagues also left to search for Bianca with shlights in their hands. Meanwhile, at the old house, Luke abruptly came into Bianca''s view... Luke had left A City for the small town of his own ord. He did not ask for anyone''s permission, nor did he inform Old master Crawford or Bianca. "Why are you here sote...?" That was the first thing Bianca said to him. Luke stepped into the courtyard and toward her. ¡¯It''s already sote. Why aren''t you asleep yet?¡± Luke walked through the tall grass and weeds of the courtyard. In the dark night, one could not discern their actual color. The man''s leather shoes stepped on the grass, exuding a unique and mysterious charm. His presence was like a stalk of opium poppy, alluring yet dangerous. He stopped in front of Bianca and looked at her ambiguously. She lowered her head and found herself flustered. "Is your grandfather okay?" "He''s fine. His condition is stable." As Luke answered the question, he transfixed his gaze on the top of her head. They had agreed to go to the small town together, but he did not show up at the promised time. Later, Bianca received a message from Luke about his grandfather. Only then did she know that Old Master Crawford suffered a heart attack and was in the hospital. Luke did not tell her the reason for his grandfather''s heart attack, though Bianca could guess that it had something to do with Allison catching them in the act that morning. Allison must have gone home and told Old Master Crawford. Bianca understood that even though Old Master Crawford did not reject her presence, it did not mean that he allowed the younger generation to step past moral bounds. Legally, she was still Xavier Tanner''s wife. For a conservative old man, he might not be able to ept the fact that Luke had stepped out of someone else''s wife''s room so early in the morning. "Does your grandfather agree to youing here?" Bianca could not find any other conversation topic. The courtyard was dark and silent, save for the chirping of crickets. The atmosphere was not peaceful but instead unnerving. Luke looked seriously at the woman in front of him. She did not know what he was thinking, nor did he reply to her question. A whileter, he furrowed his brows and lit a cigarette. Bianca''s gaze drifted to the cigarette between his fingers and focused on it She was engrossed with looking at the cigarette and happened to look at his fingers. Bianca had observed the fingers of many men before, though none of them had fingers as animated and strong as Luke''s. Luke noticed that she was looking at him, but he did not call her out. He lifted his hand and brought the cigarette to his lips. As he took a drag from the cigarette, he noticed that her gaze was brought upward. As Bianca''s gaze followed the trail of the man''s hand, her eyes eventually met with Luke''s. She knew that she was at a disadvantage, and her face blushed... The atmosphere became awkward again. Bianca tried to find a topic to alleviate the tension. "It must''ve taken you three hours to drive here. Have you had dinner? Should I find something for you to eat?" Bianca smiled gently. She wanted to bring him away from the awkward yet intimate atmosphere of the courtyard. She was about to step away when the man stopped her. The hand that was holding the cigarette gently grabbed her wrist... Luke whirled around and hugged her close from the back. Bianca could not stop her heart from thumping hard. She wanted to turn around, but she did not have the courage to meet his gaze. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. No woman could resist his domineering aura, his tall nose bridge, his thin but sexy lips, his sculpted face, and that fresh masculine smell mixed with the faint scent of tobo... Luke''s actions were deliberately slow as he took in her fresh scent. His arm went around her waist as he said solemnly, "It was a long drive, and I am indeed hungry." "Then I''ll... I''ll bring you to... to dinner..." Bianca stammered. She had just finished the sentence when the man''s grip on her waist became tighter. Suddenly, she lost all strength. The man turned her around and pressed his lips on hers. "Nothing can sate my hunger except you," he said hoarsely. Chapter 199 Chapter 199 She Has Be Luke Crawford¡¯s Woman She could not resist the man''s unrestrained yet passionate kiss. On their faces, their scents intertwined into something familiar yet unfamiliar. Perhaps it was because they had almost made out once earlier that morning, and now they had the chance again, Luke felt as though he had morphed into a voracious beast. His unrestrained urges ravaged her supple lips. He could catch a hint of agony in her moans, though he did not reduce in intensity. He wanted to swallow her whole and take the body that he had been hungering for. The man was like a child who had tasted candy for the first time. He had desired her body for a long time. That morning, he had the opportunity to taste its distinctive sweetness. When given delicious candy, any child would have done the same. They would greedily undress it from the wrapping, bring it into their mouths, and use their warmth and saliva to dissolve it. They might do so gently or violently, but the sensation was theirs to own... 4 Luke on Bianca was like a greedy child on delicious candy... "Mmhh..." Bianca''s body went limp as Luke hugged her tightly in his arms. His oral cavity was warm and moist. She was drowning in his savage kisses... 1 She was about to lose her mind. All sense of propriety and decency was gone. Only his tongue and hands guided her consciousness... The air in the small town was cool and fresh, but Bianca struggled to breathe in the thin air around her. All she could smell was Luke''s masculine yet dangerous scent. It was the smell of hormones, reflecting the state of his mind and body... i "Mmh... mmh..." Bianca found the opportunity to catch a breath. After moaning twice, the man once again firmly sucked the tip of her tongue. The scene reyed itself again and again. A breeze blew past them. The scent of dew-stained grass assaulted her nostrils. Instead of refreshing her, the scent had intoxicated her... The kisses became more and more passionate. Even his hand that had gone under her clothes felt warmer and drier... "Shall we move to the car?" Luke asked alluringly. Bianca became lucid when Luke spoke. She blinked and tried to push away the man''s rigid body. ¡® Aren''t you... going back tonight..." Before the man could answer, she seemed to have guessed what he would say, and so she hurriedly continued, "Your grandfather wouldn''t want this...'' Luke also regained control of his sanity. However, his arms remained firmly around her waist. Bianca was sure that she loved the man from the bottom of her heart. It had started as admiration from a student toward her upperssman, whichter became an admiration toward someone of higher social status. She was incredibly proud when she realized that said person was the upperssman that she had admired. Later, she found herself to be the woman of that man, and that she had given birth to a pair of twins for him. She felt as though she was enveloped by all the happiness and bliss in the world, especially when the father of the children remained interested in her. It was no longer a one-sided, callow, and unrequited interest, but a mature, sensual, passionate, intimate love... The desire to im each other¡¯s body and soul was mutual. Luke¡¯s gaze turned domineering and seductive. As long as she wanted it, no one would stand in their way. "So what if my grandfather doesn''t want this?" As the man spoke with his low and resonant voice, Bianca was lifted off her feet! Luke stepped past the weeds in the courtyard and toward the front door. "What do you want to do? You can''t..." Bianca was flustered when she looked at him. She wanted to break free of his grasp. "What else can I do with you?" The man reached into her pocket and took out the key to the door. The key to the front gate was bigger. The slightly smaller key was the key to the door of the house. Luke remembered that he was a student thest time he held an old- fashioned key like that. Back then, he lived in a two-story building. It was the best house in town. "Bianca, are you there?" Joe spoke in a neutral voice as he held a shlight. 1 He was afraid that the neighbors would be angry if he were too loud, but if he were too soft, Bianca might not hear him. The front gate to the house was closed but not locked. He shone the shlight around the courtyard and did not find anyone, though he saw many old and broken items stacked everywhere. A city boy like him would not have ever seen some of those things, much less know their functions. He felt quite ufortable standing there. Not everyone enjoyed being in a primitive habitat. "Doesn''t look like Bianca is here. This ce is dark and creepy," the female colleague said. ¡¯Didn''t you say that Bianca pointed to you where her old house was? Do you remember if the front gate was locked?" Joe asked her as he shone the shlight around. "We nced at the house from the street. It''s too far to notice whether the gate was locked. I briefly remembered the height of the house and the quality of the windows and doors so that I could determine the condition of Bianca''s old house," she said with her arms folded. The nighttime weather in the small town was too cold! She was shivering! N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Joe led the female colleague away. "Perhaps the old house isn''t locked in the first ce. I don''t think there''s anything in the courtyard worth stealing." "Yeah," the female colleague agreed. "I guess Bianca must havee here only to take a look. If this was her childhood hometown, she might have gone to stay over at a rtive''s house." The voices faded away in the distance. Outside the gate, Joe shined his shlight onto the boss''s car. "Is the boss here to look for Bianca? Where is he then? Is he here to speak to her on behalf of his cousin? You women... It''s already a feat to marry one''s boss''s rtive, but it''s another to have the boss help save your rtionship." The two colleagues left the scene. Meanwhile, in the old house. The lights were not turned on. It was pitch-ck inside. The beds on the northern side were for sleeping, but the mattresses were damp and caked with dust. Lying on them would be very ufortable. The window on the southern side was covered by a in curtain. Even though the house was dark enough, Bianca nevertheless pulled the curtains out of fright when she noticed her two colleagues entering the courtyard. At the same time, Luke entered her from behind. Their breathing instantly became heavier... Chapter 200 Chapter 200 Why is the Boss Here So Early in the Morning? Bianca stifled her moans. Her entire body was taut as she tightly gripped the curtain in front of her... The curtain was not fastened securely. As the man behind her slid another inch into her, she gasped, and her mind turned nk. The curtain dropped... "Rx." Luke lowered his head and kissed her nape. Her fair skin under the moonlight looked smooth and tender. His movements were deliberately slow, and his mouth left various marks on her body. She had no defense against the man''s invading lips and tongue. Bianca lifted her chin and pressed her entire body on the window. The man behind her continued to press forward inch by inch as though he was possessed. She could clearly sense that her breathing was bing morebored. She took quick and shallow breaths so that she would not suffocate. The weather became colder. When Bianca opened her eyes, she could see the window fogged up by her breath. The difortsted for a mere five minutes and turned into a mind- numbing sensation... It was a familiar feeling. No matter if it was five years ago when she had gotten used to the man''s presence, or this year when she had a close call with the man at the hotel, she had the same trembling sensation... One of Luke''s hands pressed against Bianca''s stomach and rubbed against the ss window, while the other held her shirt up. He could sense that Bianca was in the mood. "Do you like this..." he asked her in between heavy gasps. Apanying the words was a sudden, quivering sensation... Bianca''s mouth could not form a single word. When the man clung onto her and kissed her, all she could emit were soft moans... The moon continued to rise in the night sky. The sound of the crickets in the courtyard was drowned by the couple''s intertwined breathing sounds. Luke knew that the woman desired him and that she would go to any length to im him. At this stage, he felt as though he was the candy in the woman''s mouth. In the metaphor, the woman was now like the greedy child eagerly swallowing the candy. Luke opened his lustful eyes and looked at Bianca in his embrace. They finally faced each other. Her jet-ck hair brushed against his arms. 1 The house was unheated, but she shook her head and said that she was unbearably warm... Luke did not understand whether she wanted to continue or stop- "Mmm," Luke let out a stifled moan. He felt a sensation that he had never encountered before. Like a candy that was dry when initially removed from its wrapping, but when put into a human''s warm and moist oral cavity, it would be constantly stroked and moistened by the mouth and tongue, its vor spreading around the oral cavity... i The candy might be big, but the waves of saliva and motion would ustom it to the warmth and moisture of the mouth... After they entered the house and noticed the two intruding colleagues, Luke ced his phone on the very narrow window sill. The couple''s movements bumped against the wall, causing the phone to fall on the concrete floor. Bianca was lifted in his arms, and her face was brought to the same level as his. Their faces were next to each other, and their souls were lost in each other''s eyes. She slightly opened her eyes when she heard the phone hit the floor and weakly looked around to locate its faint glint. The phone was vibrating. Someone was calling him... "Focus!" Only the woman''s delicate and charming body remained in Luke''s eyes. Nothing else was as important. Bianca could not resist his low and resonant voice. It was too bewitching... Only then did she realize that she was in an awkward pose. Her arms hugged his neck, and if she looked downward... It was as untamed and terrifying as it could be. She did not expect that she could face a man like that one day... entirely sincere... without reservations... "Mmh..." Bianca moaned. The man pressed her dangerously against the window, perhaps punishing her for not focusing. Bianca did not know where her shoe went. Her bare legs wrapped around the man''s sculpted waist and her fair toes curled up and rubbed against the shirt of his lower back. 1 She did not want to be caught in this situation. However, the man seemed to be deliberately making her face it. Luke could not hold back his violent movements. He rocked up and down, mming audibly against the flimsy window... The man sucked on the woman''s supple lips. She nearly suffocated, each breath was as though her last. She wrested herself from the man''s savage kisses and could not hold back anymore. Her halting screams filled the dark, damp, and old house. "Mmh... ahh... hah...¡± ¡±Mmm... nggah... ah... ahhhh..." The next morning, a female colleague knocked on Bianca''s door. Joe happened to see that as he walked along the corridor. '' Did Biancae backst night?" He asked. The female colleague replied softly in case Bianca was still resting. "I heard some movement. She''s definitely in the room.'' She remembered that she vaguely heard Bianca return at about one o''clock at night. There might be the voice of a man too. Being half asleep, she could not discern who the man was. When she finally got up and looked out of the window, she could see a car driving away from the courtyard. Its blinding lights obscured the model. From the brightness of the lights and the sounds the car made as it drove away, she could guess that it was either the boss''s Range Rover or Bianca''s husband''s Porsche Cayenne. "Are you awake, Bianca?" She knocked on the door again and called out. She spoke quite softly, loud enough that the person in the room would hear her if they were awake, but not loud enough to rouse them from their sleep. After a few knocks, no movement came from inside. The female colleague guessed that Bianca was still asleep and went downstairs. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. At eight o''clock, the colleagues brought breakfast to themunal table in the courtyard. "Should we call Bianca?¡± Joe asked. The female colleague stopped him. "Let her be. We''ll have breakfast first. She might need more rest." Joe could only sit down and eat his breakfast. The female colleagues who had made out with their boyfriends before knew that women would be especially tired after a session. Their legs would be so worn out they wished they could stay in bed the whole day. If Bianca returned sotest night, it meant that she was not staying over at her rtive''s house. Perhaps her husband had returned and managed to persuade Bianca to return to him, after which they had a quickie. As the workers of T Corporation gathered at the table to eat, a car drove in from the distance. When they saw the car te clearly, the people at the table stood up and tidied their attire. Why did the boss arrive so early? Chapter 201 Chapter 201 You''re So Caring Toward Your Cousin''s Wife, Boss... The ck Bentley limousine did not drive into the courtyard but instead was parked outside. Luke was not driving his car. After Jason parked the car, he got out and opened the door to the back seat. The boss and his two children stepped out. Just as usual, Luke was impably dressed in his business suit and leather shoes. However, one could easily tell from his face that he was more vibrant than usual, as though he had heard some good news. Rainie was in her father''s arms, smelling of her father''s cologne, while Lanie ran excitedly into the courtyard wearing his backpack. "Hello, handsome young man!¡± One of the female colleagues greeted the boss''s son. ¡®This trip is so worth it! ''The amenities might not be as good as the city, but I get to see the boss''s handsome face and his cute kids! ¡®How blissful!1 Lanie looked around the crowd but did not find Miss Bea, though he did not forget his manners and returned the greeting, "Good morning, Pretty Miss!" The female colleague who was called "Pretty Miss" grinned widely. Joe put himself in charge and tried hard to keep things under his control. He stepped forward and shook hands with Jason. While Jason sat down for breakfast and everyone chatted, a female colleague noticed that the boss was walking alone toward the two-story building. That was where everyone''s rooms were. She could vaguely see him carrying a paper bag in his right hand, and it seemed to be holding food. ''The boss is so caring toward his cousin¡¯s wife...'' Indeed, Jason did not have the time for breakfast before he started driving. The two children woke up very early and insisted oning too. "Rainie, can you tell Uncle Doyle what you want for breakfast?" Jason pointed at sliced bread and milk with his left hand, and at buns and oatmeal with his right hand. "Oatmeal, please," Rainie said as she took out a picture book from her backpack and showed it to the adults around her. "Daddy bought this for me. I''ll get 100 marks if I read it..." In the upstairs room. Bianca was not woken up by themotion downstairs and the knock on her door, but she was roused from her sleep when her phone vibrated. She thought that her phone was faulty because it always turned itself off, even though there was still 60% of power left. She was nning to order a new phone online, or she might go to town and find a reliable store. It was entirely up to luck if she could pick up a call... The call was from an unknown number, but she answered it anyway. Lacey''s voice was heard over the phone. "Bianca? I''m Lacey, your mother-in w." Bianca was curled up in her nket. "I know who you are. Is there anything? ¡¯ She spoke diplomatically. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Lacey did not appreciate Bianca''s courteous yet distant tone of voice. It sounded as though Bianca wanted to distance herself from the Tanner family. "I''ll cut to the chase. It''s like this. I''ve heard from my son that you''re pregnant with his child. I''d like to give you some advice, both as your mother-inw and as a fellow woman, that you should rest more when you''re pregnant. Don''t overwork yourself. Why did you go to that small town when you can work comfortably in A City?" Lacey was expecting Xavier to bring her back when he went to the town yesterday. She did not expect that her son would return alone. Xavier did not answer any of her questions. He went to the bar to drink with his friends and returned at about eight o''clock in the morning. It was the afternoon when he woke up. Lacey was worried about her grandson in Bianca''s womb. That was why she made the call. Bianca was groggy and thirsty after she woke up. She pushed herself off the bed while holding the phone next to her ear. She stepped into the tiny washroom, rinsed her mouth with mouthwash, and felt a lot better. "What child? You might be mistaken." Before Bianca could exin, Lacey heard a delivery notification on her phone. "Wait, I''ming!" Lacey said. Bianca did not reply, nor did she end the call. She was not sure how serious she should regard the fact that Lacey thought that she was pregnant with Xavier¡¯s child, but she wished that the Tanners would not be mistaken. She had to exin herself. Meanwhile, in A City, Lacey signed on the delivery slip while she looked at her phone screen, making sure that Bianca did not end the call. The recipient of the package was "Bianca Rayne." On the spur of a moment, perhaps she was suspecting that her daughter-in-w was deceiving her, she opened the package. The package was very light. It had only a piece of paper inside. It was a physical examination report. As a former office worker, Lacey knew that it was a physical examination required by work. Back then, that was how she knew that she was pregnant with Xavier. Not only Lacey, but many newly-married women found out more about their physical conditions through work-rted physical examinations. Lacey browsed through the report but did not see any terms indicating that Bianca was pregnant. She remembered what Bianca said earlier in the call. "What child? You might be mistaken." She immediately understood. Her son had not told the truth to his mother! To win the support of his parents, Xavier had lied to them about a child! Meanwhile, in the small town. While Jason ate his breakfast, he received a notification on his phone that his package was sessfully delivered. On the second floor. Bianca was about to exin herself to Lacey when she realized that Lacey had ended the call. She stood in the washroom staring nkly ahead, then looked at the time and realized that she had to wash up and go downstairs. She had to work even though she was not feeling well. She ced her phone away and washed her face with cleansing foam. As she wiped her face with a towel, she noticed with the corner of her eye that a man had appeared in her three-hundred-square-foot room. Luke ced the bag in his hands on the table. The food inside was still hot. Small water droplets clung onto Bianca''s unblemished face. Those refined eyebrows, those gentle eyes, and those red lips slightly swollen fromst night''s abuse... Her hand holding the towel froze in mid-air. She knew that he would be looking for her today, but did not expect that it would be so soon. While she collected her thoughts, Luke walked toward her, hugged her tightly, and kissed her heavily. At the same time, he closed the bathroom door. "Mm... ah..." It was as though the fires of passion fromst night were still burning. Those disgraceful memories assaulted their senses and broke down their defenses. Luke lustfully tasted Bianca''s lips. Afterst night''s experience of how hard it was to push his way in, his true feelings toward a woman overwhelmed his sanity. He nibbled on her earlobe and whispered, "I like the way you moan..." 1 Chapter 202 Chapter 202 Luke¡¯s Morning Tenderness Downstairs, at the courtyard. The buns were bought by some colleagues in the morning shift, while a female colleague cooked the oatmeal in the kitchen. All of them agreed that the store-bought oatmeal was too gritty. It was the first time that the boss''s kids ate small-town homemade buns. They ate two each, and that was not enough. Rainie stuffed her mouth full with a bun and blinked innocently at Uncle Doyle. She asked for more while chewing. "Don¡¯t rush. I''ll go and buy some more." Jason ruffled Rainie''s hair. As he got up, he turned to the other colleagues and said, "I''ll get some for all of you too." The buns were not enough for everyone. The sudden appearance of the boss, his assistant, and his two children meant that the colleagues had to share their food with them. The scene in town was bustling. Jason stood in front of a food truck and bought fifteen chicken buns. When he took out his wallet and was about to pay, he noticed a woman dressed neatly in office wear entering the courtyard. She looked to be in her thirties. "That''s $1.80 each, so fifteen of them will be $27." The owner of the food truck took the money and handed the bag of buns to Jason. Jason took the bags and said politely, "Thank you." Back at the courtyard, he saw the woman standing in front of themunal breakfast table and asking gently, "May I know if there''s a woman named Bianca Rayne here?" Everyone at the table turned to look at the imposing woman. When they were about to speak, they turned their heads in unison to look at Jason. The boss was upstairs, so Jason was the next person in charge. As mere subordinates, the office workers naturally looked to their superiors for guidance. The woman in her thirties was clutching a limited edition Hermes handbag, and her skin was fair and delicate. She noticed that everyone was looking behind her and turned around too. She noticed Jason standing behind her. As a man nearing his forties, Jason was calm andposed. "May I know who you are?" "Nice to meet you. I am Wanda Rayne, Bianca''s aunt. I heard from the people in town that they saw Bianca here," Wanda introduced herself and exined her intentions. Jason nced at Wanda and handed the bag of buns to Joe. "Bianca is still upstairs. She hasn''te down yet. Do you want to sit for a while?" He told Wanda. "Can I go upstairs to look for her?" Wanda was eager to meet her niece, whom she had not met for many years. "I''m sorry, Ms. Rayne. Our boss is upstairs. He might be discussing something important with Bianca." Wanda nodded understandingly.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Jason took a chair for Wanda and told her that she could join them for breakfast. Wanda politely declined, saying that she had already eaten. Upstairs, the man pinned the woman on the bed. His hunger for her could not be sated. The temperature in the cramped room began to increase... Bianca was drenched in sweat. Sunlight glistened on her smooth and supple skin. She could see that her leg was bent at a difficult angle, thanks to the man. "Please... stop... I beg... you... mmh... ahh..." She was on the verge of a breakdown when faced with the man''s insatiable lust. She opened her mouth and gasped. Her mature body was split open by the man''s intrusion, and she was on the verge of passing out. However, she had to admit that after the session the night before, she was craving to be filled with the man''s savagery... As the primal screams echoed in the room, Bianca could feel that the bedsheets under her were stained. It was quite a big stain. The sticky feeling on her skin was extremely ufortable. Breakfast time was almost over. The food trucks and mobile breakfast stalls went away one by one. She could hear her colleagues chatting downstairs. After a bout of frontal abuse, the man flipped Bianca on her stomach. The wooden floor was creaking to the man''s rhythm. 1 "Mmh... ahh..." Bianca grabbed the pillow tightly. She did not dare to scream. Her body and the crumpled bed sheets moved up and down with the rhythm. Eventually, she climaxed at the same time with the man, then slowly faded away to peace... The sun was shining directly into the room, though Bianca was barely conscious. When the man got up and removed himself from her, she saw it. She felt that her mouth and throat were dry, and she could not summon an ounce of strength. She struggled to keep her eyes open, and she could vaguely see the clothes and debris scattered all over the floor... From the washroom to the bed, the couple had knocked over her trunk and made a lot of noise. Then, their activity in bed loosened the floorboards... Bianca began to hyperventte when she thought about that. Luke''s appearance at the courtyard so early in the morning must have attracted her colleagues'' attention. She wondered if anyone could hear what they were doing in the room. She prayed that they had not. The smell of hormones and desire permeated the small room. Just when Bianca was struggling to stay awake, the man was dressed once again in his business suit and leather shoes, standing in front of the bed. Other than his sculpted facial features that were still oozing with the passion from before, there was no sign that he had just made out with a woman. Bianca noticed that he was holding a damp white towel. The man leaned on her cheek, and his resonant voice filled her ears. "Are you going to take a shower yourself, or should I help you?" Bianca did not want to get out of bed. It was too humiliating. Intimacy filled the air. Seeing that she was not getting up, Luke silently removed the nket, then carefully wiped her body with the towel with extreme tenderness, as though he might bruise her delicate skin. "Let me do it." Bianca was surprised. She somehow summoned the strength to sit up. Luke''s bony hand that was holding the warm, sanitized towel paused. Standing at the edge of the bed, he towered over the graceful woman and stared at her indulgently. He gulped, then carried her in his arms. "What are you doing? Stop!" Bianca could only feel fear as she looked at the man''s sculpted features. Chapter 203 Chapter 203 Why Are You Shy? Haven''t I Seen Everything? Bianca could sense the forbidding aura emanating from the man''s body, though she was also reminded that the man had an opposite sentiment. Rather than forbidding, he only wished to indulge himself. Her heart started thumping hard, and her mouth started salivating when she remembered the ferocious beast hidden under the man''s trousers. ¡¯You... can wait outside... I can take a shower myself." After the multiple sessionsst night, Bianca was too embarrassed to lift her head. That dark, rundown, deste old house became warm and sizzling because of his presence. The smell of dirt and moisture was strong in the front yard, though the man''s wild kisses and heavy breaths covered it. She could give him her all, as though she could meld herself into his passionate body. Then, it was another round of intimacy in the car. Bianca thought that Luke was a cannibalistic demon. No matter day and night, he always hungered for her. However, she had given herself to him so many times! Fortunately, the darkness of the night had obscured her blushing face so that she did not feel too awkward when being alone with him. However, she could not hide from the intense session early in the morning. Bianca did not expect that she had gotten used to it so quickly. She had been chaste, then she had a man, and they had made out so frequently... ''Why, are you still embarrassed? Haven''t I seen every inch of your body?" Luke gazed profoundly at Bianca. He lowered his head and kissed his lips, licking and sucking those pink and tender lips. "Mmh," Bianca moaned. She tried to lift her head to reject his gluttony. Her weak and delicate body was no match for the man''s strength. Instead of pushing him away, she looked as though she was deliberately flirting with him, dragging him deeper into her trap... Eventually, Bianca was thoroughly ravished once more. She felt as though her bones wereing apart. When the couple stepped out of the room, Bianca kept a distance away from him because of guilt, pretending that they were nothing more than a worker and her boss. She reminded herself once again that she should stay away from that man, lest her bones would eventuallye apart. Doyle noticed Luke and Biancaing out of the room one after another. His boss was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, looking calm andposed as usual. Meanwhile, Bianca was dressed in a pair of faded calf-length jeans, a blue short-sleeved top, and a thin jacket, and held a workptop in her hand. She looked clean and modest. No matter how he looked at them, he could not think that they had anything more than an employer- employee rtionship. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. The other colleagues noticed their boss and Biancaing out of the room too. One of the female colleagues went to Bianca, not out of ttery, but out of concern as a fellow worker on a business trip. "Have you had breakfast? We''ve saved some oatmeal and buns for you," she said. The female colleague vaguely remembered that the boss was carrying a paper bag in his hand as he went up the stairs. The paper bag looked like it contained food. It was hard to miss. Indeed, Bianca hesitated when she replied to the colleague, "Thanks, but I''ve, I''ve eaten." Bianca could only tell the truth. In the room, the man had forcefully fed her nutritious food. She was too full to eat the oatmeal and buns. Also, everyone in the courtyard must have seen Luke going into her room to look for her. If she had tried to lie, she might attract unwanted attention to herself. ''Miss Bea!" Rainie came over to hug Bianca''s thigh. She looked upward with her round and soft face. Bianca knew that the children were here, but their Daddy had stalled her upstairs for too long. She wanted to hug the two of them. She ced theptop on the table, then kneeled down and hugged Rainie and tapped her forehead against the child''s while a smile. "I miss you..." She spoke so softly that only the little girl could hear her. Rainie wanted to reply ''I miss you too" but her mouth was blocked by Bianca''s cheek. Rainie did not understand that Bianca wanted to stop her from speaking. She thought that Miss Bea wanted a kiss. "Muah!" Rainie happily kissed Bianca''s cheek. Bianca looked at Rainie happily. She did not want the others to hear her say that she missed the boss''s children, in case they thought that it sounded strange. More than that, she did not want the other to hear the little girl say that she missed "Miss Bea,'' which would be too suspicious. Yvonne had spread the half-rumor and half-truth that Bianca was Xavier''s wife. In the eyes of everyone in T Corporation, Bianca was indeed Xavier''s wife, that was, until she was divorced from him. Given those facts, it was normal that she had something to talk to the boss in private, and that she was close to the boss''s children. After all, everyone knew that their boss Luke was Xavier''s cousin. It was normal for rtives to be close with each other. Bianca knew her boundaries. In public, she did not want to overstep her role as the boss''s cousin''s wife. She might be in the small town, but Nina had told her about every piece of gossip in the office. Meanwhile, Jason did not want to interrupt Bianca by saying hello to the two children. He waited by the side along with Wanda. When Bianca was done, Jason said, "Ms. Rayne here says that she is your aunt." Bianca looked at the woman standing next to Jason with surprise. Wanda was clutching a limited edition Hermes handbag. Her clothes and essories were also very extravagant. Her extravagance exceeded not only the white-cor workers of T Corporation in the courtyard, but even the higher management back in A City. ¡¯Bea?" Wanda smiled brightly. Bianca nodded nkly. "Nice to meet you. I... I''m Bianca Rayne." She was not very familiar with that aunt of hers. She had her phone number, but she had never contacted that aunt of hers that married a Japanese husband and migrated there. She suddenly remembered what her grandfather told her. Aunt Wanda divorced her husband and had to move back. She was very sad and dejected. Wanda had sent Bianca''s grandfather back to the old house, but her whereaboutster were unknown. Her grandfather had said that when Aunt Wanda returned, she was using a Prada luggage bag. That implied that Aunt Wanda was loaded. If that were the case, why did Aunt Wanda ce her elderly father in an undeveloped backwater small town? Chapter 204

Chapter 204 He Is Eager to Possess Her

Bianca and Wanda went upstairs to talk privately. Luke was on an international business call. As he talked on the phone, he could see from their gestures that the conversation between Bianca and Wanda was unnatural. However, he could not clearly hear what they were speaking about. When he ended the call, Luke saw from the corner of his eye that Bianca and Wanda disappeared around the corner. "She says that she is Bianca''s aunt.¡± Jason came over and reported the situation truthfully. Luke turned away and instructed Jason, "Run an investigation on that aunt''s background.¡± Jason bowed. Luke cast his prating gaze upon the second-floor window that was pushed open. His expression remained impassive, though his urges were rising again. In the second-floor room. Bianca was feeling embarrassed, not only because it was her first time meeting the aunt she had heard in rumors, but also because she was afraid that her aunt might catch a whiff of the masculine hormones that permeated the room. She felt as though she had done something wrong. Wanda nced around the room and asked curiously, ¡°The man that came downstairs with you..." "He''s my boss," Bianca answered before her aunt could finish asking the question. Bianca was still young and not very well-versed in social interaction. She could notpletely mask her emotions when it came to discussing certain matters Wanda noticed the subtleties in her niece''s expression. To her, Bianca was still naive; at least her niece did not have the skills to remain emotionless. She also thought of the situation from another angle. Perhaps her niece was not very close to her yet, and that was why Bianca had deliberately chosen that expression when telling a lie. Wanda realized that she was quite fond of her niece. Wanda sat down and invited Bianca to sit down next to her. As Bianca sat down conservatively, she subconsciously ran her fingers over the bedsheets, afraid that her aunt might notice the wrinkles and stains...Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. She was feeling guilty until she remembered that the bedsheets had been changed earlier. The bedsheets they were sitting on were fresh. The cool fall breeze blew through the open window, refreshing the stale air inside the cramped room. "Are your grandfather and father living with you now?" Wanda asked a question that she was concerned about. Bianca nodded. She was somewhat resentful toward her aunt. "My father has been living in A City, but I only brought my grandfather thereter. I couldn''t bear to watch my grandfather living all alone in the old house, and I don''t think any granddaughter in this world would bear to see their grandfather having to eat, sleep and perform chores without anyone to support them.¡± "I''m sorry, this is all my fault,¡± Wanda admitted to her shorings. She looked into Bianca''s eyes and continued, "I was newly divorced from my husband back then. I was suffering from depression and had several failed suicide attempts. In a fit of rage, I sent your grandfather back here without any consideration for him. I''m sorry." Bianca had many grievances to tell her aunt, but when she heard that Wanda sank into depression after the divorce... From news reports, she knew the amount of suffering that depression could bring. All the grievances that she held against her aunt were magically gone. "My intention in looking for you is sincere.¡± As Wanda spoke slowly, she took off her wristwatch. Bianca did not know what her aunt wanted to do, but she was shocked when she saw the scars on her wrist. The crisscrossed scars looked ghastly. "I''ve slit my wrist more than once. Your grandfather saw me bleed and sent me to the hospital.¡± Wanda smiled self-deprecatingly. "When I''ve finally walked out of my depression, I wondered why I only liked to slit my wrist... it''s ugly, and it''s a slow and painful way to die." Bianca looked at her aunt''s face. Wanda had described her painful past so casually, she was even smiling... Bianca could feel a chill course down her spine. How painful and agonizing was depression? She only knew that her father did not have depression, even though he had suffered from cancer for many years. What ordeals did her aunt go through? Wanda wore her watch again and rubbed against the chain. "The reason I''m looking for you this time is that I have a request. Other than you, I don''t have any younger rtives in the family.¡± "What is it?" Bianca asked. As long as it was not something illegal or immoral, Bianca thought that she would do her best to help her aunt. "I have a sum of money for your grandfather. I mean, your grandfather is already old, and he might be stricken with illness at any time. Your financial resources might be limited, but of course, I''m not looking down upon you." Wanda was worried that her niece whom she had met for the first time might misinterpret her intentions Bianca nodded. She understood that her aunt bore no malice. Wanda continued, "This is quite a huge sum, and I''ll be transferring it to your bank ount. That''ll make it easier for you to take care of your grandfather in A City." "Aren¡¯t you living in A City?" Bianca asked. Wanda hesitated for a while but eventually told her niece the obstacles that she was facing. Otherwise, she feared that she might not be able to convince her niece. When Bianca saw Wanda off, she stood in a daze at the entrance to the courtyard, watching the white sports car leave... Aunt Wanda said that she was not going anywhere. She would be living in A City, but there were factors beyond her control that stopped her from visiting Bianca''s grandfather. Bianca did not know how tofort her aunt. She could only try to empathize and sympathize with her. When she came to her senses, Bianca noticed that she was left alone in the courtyard. Her colleagues were on a surveying trip to a river that flowed through the town. She retrieved herptop and nned to hail a taxi bike. When she stepped out of the courtyard and turned a corner, she noticed a car parked on the roadside. The car window rolled down. Jason was sitting inside. Bianca quickly rushed over and apologized to him. Jason must have been waiting for her, and she felt as though she was a burden to her team. Once she sat in the car, Rainie clung to her like a piece of gum and started humming a tuneless song. "You''re always clinging onto Miss Bea. She might find that you''re a nuisance.¡± Lanie lifted his head from his book and reprimanded his sister. Chapter 205 Chapter 205 Luke¡¯s Public Disy of Affection! "Miss Bea... is that true?" Rainie looked at Bianca with her tearful puppy eyes. Bianca lowered her head, kissed Rainie''s forehead, and tousled her hair.'' No, I won''t ever think of you as a nuisance." Perhaps Bianca''s tone of voice might have been too serious. Not only was the young girl utterly convinced, but her words had even startled Jason, who was driving. Jason considered himself a weathered man who had seen all sorts of people, from the noble and mighty to the wretched and despicable, in his many years working with his boss. He thought that he was very well-versed in reading another person''s character and could easily tell a truth from a lie. At that moment, Jason could not sense any hint of untruth in Bianca''s words. He could not help but steal a nce at Bianca through the rearview mirror. For a fleeting instant, he thought that he was looking at the two children''s birth mother... In A City Hospital. When Old Master Crawford woke up, he did not see his grandson or his two great-grandchildren. Instantly, he began to worry. Allison went over at the first avable moment and tried to nt ideas in the old man''s head. "Father, do you want to call Luke and ask him?" "What should I ask?" Old Master Crawford replied in between bites of his breakfast. The nurse who was spoon-feeding Old Master Crawford kept her head low and dared not to speak. She knew that the family was not an ordinary one. "Don''t you know how crazy young people can get these days? I''ve underestimated what Bianca can do. I''m sure that Luke must have gone to that small town to look for her!" Allison might not understand her son well, but she knew what despicable lengths Bianca could go. No man would have been able to withstand the charms of that woman! Old Master Crawford did not appreciate Allison''s tone of voice, though he shared Allison''s worry about what might happen. If a man and a woman did not control themselves while they were alone, it was easy to make a big mistake. "Give me the phone," Old Master Crawford ordered Allison, ¡°Call Luke''s office first." Allison had called Luke''s office earlier. No one answered the call, and it was diverted to the secretary''s phone. Allison dialed the number in front of Old Master Crawford and turned on the speaker. Again, no one answered the call. The result was the same after several tries. Old Master Crawford furrowed his brows. He looked at the phone and said, "Dial Luke''s number." Allison did not want to make the call. Even if she did, her son would make up an excuse to end the conversation. It would be different if Old Master Crawford were the one speaking. Luke was not one to go against his grandfather, especially when his grandfather was bedridden in the hospital. Very soon, the call was answered. The person who answered the call was Jason. "Good day, Madam Tanner," he said. ¡¯Jason? I''m Luke''s grandfather!" Old Master Crawford spoke loudly and clearly into the phone. "Old Master Crawford! Can I help you with anything?" Jason replied politely. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. "Where''s Luke? Why did you answer his phone?" The old man was suspecting that his grandson had gone off to do something shady. "It¡¯s like this, Old Master Crawford. We''re at a small town surveying the area for a future development project. We''re here since early in the morning to meet with several people from the town council, and we''re so busy that we haven''t had a drink of water yet." He continued, worried that Old Master Crawford did not believe him, "You haven''t been traveling for several years, Old Master Crawford. How about I take a video of the surroundings for you? You can see how beautiful this ce is, and I would also like to request your precious opinions. Mr. Crawford has always kept you in his mind, and I believe that he will appreciate your thoughts on the matter!" ¡¯Take the video then!" Old Man Crawford did not want to look at the scenery but rather what his grandson was doing. His pride was also satisfied when he heard that his grandson wanted his opinion! As he spoke, Jason turned on the camera and took a panoramic video of the scenery around the river. There were hills and thick vegetation, and the air was fresh, unlike the city. Jason exined in the video. "Do you see the mountain in the distance, Old Master Crawford? It is famous for its mushrooms, and we''ll bring some back for you. It''s currently harvest season for mushrooms, and I believe they''re just as good as Italian ones." Jason sent the video to Old Master Crawford in the hospital. In the video, Luke and the town administrators were standing next to the river, pointing at the distance and talking about something. They wore serious expressions on their faces. The other workers were almost nowhere to be seen. Old Master Crawford was relieved after watching the video. He had seen those town administrators on the news before and had even had dinner with several of them. Jason could not have faked it. Town administrators would usually keep a close eye on development projects that affected the entire town. As the boss of T Corporation, Luke would necessarily have to apany them to survey the landscape of the town, as well as apanying them for business lunches and dinners. He would not have any free time for himself untilte in the night. If that were the case, he would not have the time for romance. Old Master Crawford handed the phone back to Allison and spoke to her solemnly, "As Luke''s mother, you shouldn''t always be suspecting your son. With so many people around, Luke should know what to do even if he has the intention..." Allison''s hand was trembling with anger when she took the phone. In the small town, at the river. Luke was briefly exining to the administrators the changes to the town brought by the development project. Meanwhile, Bianca was holding Rainie''s hand in one hand and her workptop in the other. She was keeping a close eye on Lanie, who was very excited upon seeing the river. The river was flowing fast. It would be dangerous if the child fell inside. ¡¯There¡¯s a fish, Miss Bea!" Lanie excitedly kicked away his shoes and wanted to run into the river. Bianca and the two children did not see Luke, apanied by the group of town administrators, heading toward their way. ¡¯Don''t try to catch the fish. Come back here, Lanier Bianca had to let go of Rainie''s hand and put theptop down. She rushed over to grab Lanie. The river bed was full of uneven stones. Bianca nearly tripped when she managed to pick Lanie up... but she was grabbed to safety by a solid wall of muscle behind her. Bianca was grabbing Lanie, who was squirming like an eel, but the fish had swum away... 1 She turned around and saw Luke''s face. His domineering and unrestrained masculinity enveloped her. He wore a sullen expression on his face, wordlessly reprimanding his son in Bianca''s arms. Lanie cowered timidly when he turned around and saw his father''s face. He wanted to apologize but did not dare to make a sound. Luke''s hands warmed Bianca''s waist. His thin and sexy lips almost touched her earlobe. '' Are you hurt?" He asked. Chapter 206 Chapter 206 Are You Drunk? Bianca shook her head woodenly, indicating that she was OK. Worried that his sullen expression might frighten the child, she hastily moved away from his arms and nodded at him as a sign of thanks. Luke''s arms were empty all of a sudden. He looked at Bianca, who was bringing his children away to y somewhere else, with a mixture of care and me as resentment grew in his heart. He was not happy about how coldly Bianca had responded to him earlier, even when he considered that she was doing so because other people might see. He was also not happy about his excessive desire to im her as his own. How he wished that he could walk over, hug her in his arms, and announce to everyone that Bianca Rayne was Luke Crawford''s woman! Not only that, the woman had given birth to children for him! Not one, but two! Bianca lowered her head, nodded at the town administrators'' feet as a greeting, then ran away with her head lowered as though she was escaping. She was worried that the town administrators might misunderstand. "How tender and loving, Boss Crawford! Why haven''t I seen that side of yours whenever we have dinner?" A middle-aged male town administratorughed and joked when he saw that scene. Luke¡¯s masculinity was uniquely attractive. He looked mature and dependable, yet his physical features were striking. Not even many male celebrities shared his charms. With his sculpted and masculine features, especially that profound gaze, any woman would have fallen for him in just one look. Unfortunately, that almost-impable man had never shown any interest to any woman who had presented themselves to him. Everyone standing around that handsome yet forbidding boss witnessed how he fixed his gaze on that unremarkable woman... Bianca heard what the town administrator said as she ran away. She became more fearful and ran away even farther. During the survey of the river, Bianca hid away from Luke in case someone else saw their interactions and gossiped. They did not have time for lunch, and so they had an early dinner. The boss and Jason had dinner arrangements with the town administrators, and they were absent at themunal table. ording to one of the veteran colleagues, business dinners with administrators were merely a preliminary act to something more important that happened after dinner. There were many ways men could find entertainment, some of which were beyond normal imagination. Everyone knew about the fact that the boss had hugged Bianca''s waist while they were at the river. Considering that Bianca was the boss''s cousin''s wife and that she was carrying the boss¡¯s son in her hands, it was normal for him to help her steady herself.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. They thought their boss to have a warm and considerate interior despite his cold and distant exterior, at least toward his rtives. No one thought of anything further than that. As they chatted, Joe decided to speak up for men. "Don''t keep on saying '' Oh, men are just like that.'' What about men? We''re not born to be objects of your criticism!" A female colleague chuckled derisively. "There''s nothing wrong with you because you don''t catch our attention anyway." Then, she turned to look at Bianca. "Bianca, you don''t mind us gossiping about the boss, right?" They were eager to gossip, but they had to be considerate about Bianca''s feelings. Bianca was a little cautious, though she said, "Go ahead. I''m not that... close to the boss anyway." They believed it! The female colleague leaned closer. "This happened sometimest year. A young movie star was caught on camera going to one of those after-dinner activities, and she was hospitalized for a month after that. It was rumored that the movie star had been sitting in the boss''sp. Of course, that was merely a rumor. No one had photographic evidence of the movie star and the boss in the same frame." ''How... horrific... I hope that it''s only a wild rumor and not the truth.'' After dusk, Bianca brought the two children that were ying in the courtyard back into the room. Her colleagues asked whether the boss would being to pick up his children, but Bianca made up an excuse. Everyone was almost asleep by nine o''clock. They were getting used to the small-town peace and quiet at night. Bianca was awoken by her phone. She had turned it to silent mode in case it woke up the children. She saw the number on the illuminated phone screen and got up. She hesitated for a while before answering, "Hey, is there anything?" "Why did it take so long? Open the door!" The man''s resonant voice was heard over the phone. She looked at the two sleeping children and answered, "It''s already sote. How about you let them sleep here tonight, and you go back to A City by yourself?" She did not want to wake the two children up, nor did she want to be separated from them. She did not ask for too much. Spending one night with them would be enough. Business dinners with administration usually involved alcohol and entertainment. It was normal for the boss to forget about their children while conducting business. With that excuse, she could spend another night with the two children. She did not expect that he was sober after the alcohol. "I''ll decide whether I want to take the children away after I go in. Open the door for me first." Luke spoke softly, though his tone sounded like amand. Bianca looked at the two sleeping children, then at the door. "Did you drink too much? Maybe let Jason bring you to an inn tonight, or maybe back to A City? You shouldn''t..." She spoke softly. Nighttime in the small town was extremely quiet, especially in that building. If Luke went in and did something out of line under the influence of alcohol, she would not be able to find any excuses in front of her colleagues. "Why, are you afraid that I might want you? It''s not like we''ve never done it before. Didn''t you enjoy it?" Luke''s hoarse voice over the phone was especially seductive. ''What nonsense are you talking about? Shh!" A warm current coursed from Bianca''s ear, onto her cheeks, then her neck. Her heart was thumping wildly. When one went up the stairs, they would arrive at a smallmon area surrounded by multiple rooms. Her colleagues were staying in the other rooms. If they saw Luke standing in front of Bianca''s room, they could reason that their boss was there to pick up his children. However, if someone had heard what he said, they would know that there was more to their rtionship! How would she survive in thepany? Chapter 207 Chapter 207 A Family of Four, Sleeping Together! With no other choice, Bianca gently opened the door. The children continued to sleep in the small three-hundred-square-foot room under the moonlight, though the two adults immediately hugged each other at the door. Bianca wanted to turn around and head into the room, but the man hugged her delicate body tight in a vice-like grip. "Don''t do that. The kids will see us if they wake up..." She was panting hard in Luke''s arms. Luke was already an unrestrained beast when he was not drinking, now that he had taken alcohol... Bianca did not want to imagine it. She could only pray that he did not go overboard. "I won''t force you if you''re not willing. You have to tell me if I''m hurting you. Don''t hold back." Luke brought his thin and sexy lips behind her ear and kissed her fair skin, trying hard to hold back his urge to overpower her. Bianca was silent in his arms. She felt slightly more at ease when the man promised her that. She thought it was ironic that Luke was usually an untamable beast, but he became more empathetic when he was intoxicated. They were hugging for an unknown amount of time when Rainie turned in her sleep and mumbled for her Mommy. Bianca struggled out of the man''s embrace and went to attend to the child. Luke continued to stand at the door, his clothes still intact. His profound gaze carried a hint of lethargy, perhaps because of the alcohol. He saw Bianca sit next to Rainie and gently pat her back. A hint of a smile appeared on his face but disappeared in a sh. "Mommy is here...'' Bianca whispered into Rainie''s ear, hoping that Rainie would dream a happy dream in which she had a Daddy as well as a Mommy. Rainie calmed down very soon, though her plump finger was hooked on the hem of Bianca''s pajamas. Bianca did not move in case her movement would wake the child. Luke took off his shoes. Bianca had mopped and scrubbed the floor at least five times so that it was spotless. She and the two children slept on the floor because the single bed was not big enough. Luckily, the floor was not cold or damp. Luke went to the bathroom, perhaps to wash up. Bianca''s conscience told her, "You can''t let this man stay here overnight. Everyone staying here is an adult. They might not discover anything for the first time, or the second time, but it would be hard to cover up your tracks for the third time. Before she had a proper title, she did not wish that the noble Luke be disgraced. Rainie did not let go of Bianca''s pajamas. Bianca was tired of sitting in that position andy down on the floor. She could hear the soft sounds of rushing watering from the bathroom. Perhaps the man inside was also trying not to make too much noise, in case he woke the children up. Even so, she was distracted. Even though there was no practical difference whether she was still married or divorced with Xavier, Bianca admitted that she was looking forward to the day when the deed was officially done. Luke might not mind, but that did not mean that he did not care. The marriage certificate was nheless a thin barrier that separated the two. When Luke got out of the bathroom, Bianca was still awake. She could not sleep. "Where should I sleep?" As he spoke, he stood in front of Bianca and the two children, took off his expensive jacket, and tossed it on the floor with his children''s clothes. Bianca, lying down next to the children, did not dare to speak a word. She was worried that if she spoke, Lanie and Rainie might be awoken from their sleep. She was at a loss for what to do when Lukey down beside her... She could feel the warmth of the man''s body enveloping her back. One of his arms fell on her body, hugging her from the top. Bianca wanted to turn around and tell him to go back to A City. She hesitated when she saw Rainie''s finger still clutching on the hem of her pajamas. She did not have any experience in raising children, and she felt guilty for not being able to be by the children''s side for all these years. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Because of her guilt, she indulged in her children and did not want to disturb her children''s sleep even a little. The man''s hand reached the waist of her pajama pants and slowly moved inward. As his coarse and calloused palm touched her skin, Rainie''s finger on the hem of Bianca''s pajamas sessfully became an obstacle to Luke''s drunken advance... Bianca leaned slightly closer to Rainie. She smiled as she looked at her sleeping daughter who had protected her mother... "What''s going on?" Luke frowned and sat up to look at the situation between Bianca and Rainie. Linder the dim moonlight, he could see his daughter clutching onto the hem of Bianca''s pajamas. His bony and slender fingers pinched his daughter''s plump hand and pulled it away. Then, the many down once more. Bianca was flipped over, and her forehead and nose struck the man''s solid chest. "Why are you so eager to keep my kids here and drive me away? Do you expect me to go back to A City?" Luke''s tone of voice sounded assertive and domineering. His eyes looked into hers unblinkingly. ''I''m just... afraid that someone else might see.¡¯ Bianca did not dare to look into his eyes. The man''s arms were tightly hugging her. When she lowered her head, it seemed as though she was burying her head into his embrace... Luke was quite pleased with that gesture, and his anger was reduced by half. He continued to stare at the woman in his embrace. "Perhaps they''ve already suspected our rtionship. When I came to the town in the morning, the first thing I did was to go to your room with breakfast. They clearly saw that." "No," Bianca interjected and tried to debate, "It might not be normal for a boss to personally buy breakfast for their employee, but... they know that we''re also rtives, and it''s normal for rtives to buy breakfast for another." "Rtives?" Luke''s gaze became sharp. He wanted to give her another chance to repeat what she just said. However, Bianca did not notice Luke''s gaze turned angry. She continued to exin, ¡°In their eyes, I''m your cousin''s wife. I think it''s quite usible that you''re buying breakfast for your cousin''s wife who might be undergoing a divorce...¡¯ ''Is that so? So it might be usible in their eyes that their boss is sleeping with his cousin''s wife?" As he spoke that, Bianca suddenly felt a gust of wind on her buttocks. Luke had pulled off her pajama pants! Bianca lifted her head, opened her eyes wide, and stared at Luke. She did not dare to struggle too violently because of the two children sleeping behind her... Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Luke Is Excited "Quit it. You''re drunk." Bianca found the courage to look at him eye-to-eye, though her timid gaze was immediately engulfed by the man''s domineering gaze. She was at a disadvantage. She wanted to alleviate the situation. It was fine if she had to yield, as long as he did not be aggressive. She did not want themotion to wake up the children or let her colleagues hear anything out of the ordinary. They might think that she was having an affair... Luke did not take off his shirt and pants. As their two bodies clung to each other, she could even feel the man''s metal belt buckle pressing on her abdomen. That was how she could constantly feel the strong presence of the man. "Can''t you just say something nice?" The man was busy at work for the whole day and had a lot to drink, so he must be extremely tired. He pulled her pajama pants to the original position and also made sure that her top covered her lower back so that the wind would not get to it. Now that the man seemed to have calmed down, Bianca decided that she should keep quiet... She started to count sheep and hoped that the drunken Luke would fall asleep soon. When she counted to 78, the man hugged her close, though his eyes remained closed. "I told you to say something nice. Did you ignore me?"N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Bianca was getting ready to fall asleep, but his hoarse and resonant voice woke her up. She opened her eyes a little and saw the man''s high nose bridge, angr brow ridge, and furrowed eyebrows. It was as though he would not sleep if he did not hear "something nice." "I, I don''t know what you mean by ''something nice''..." Bianca had never known this side of Luke. After drinking, he hugged a woman and desired to hear "something nice," a total opposite from the usual distant and aloof boss. Even so, Bianca considered herself lucky. If not fortheir special rtionship, she would not have been able to see that domestic side of him. Luke''s eyes remained closed, though his strong arms brought her a little closer to him. "Stop messing around," she mumbled, and any further words were muffled by his lips pressing on hers. The small room was quiet. When Lanie kicked away the nket and his foot fell on the floor, the sound it made was especially loud... Bianca wanted to push away the man who was trying to kiss her. "Mmh," his tongue parted her lips and assaulted the deepest part of her mouth, tickling her tongue and sucking her lips. At that moment, their tongues and lips were as one... Bianca blushed intensely as she heard the sounds of kissing and sucking... She could feel Luke getting more and more excited and started to feel afraid when he was getting closer to his breaking point... ''The kids are here...'' She could not let him do what he wanted, no matter what. The drunken man might not even remember that his children were in the same small room... "Miss Bea..." Rainie flipped over, and both of her handsnded on Bianca''s pajamas. The child did not wake up. Perhaps she remembered that she was not sleeping alone in her cot in her room, but together with her brother and Miss Bea. That was why in her dream, she remembered that Miss Bea was sleeping next to her. Luke was panting, but he tried hard to keep down the noise he made. His eyes that abruptly opened were burning with the blood-red fires of passion, but if he continued to press against Bianca, he would be crushing Rainie''s two little hands. ''Get off me! If you don''t want to leave... you can rest here for a few hours. I''ll wake you up when it''s time..." Bianca was also panting heavily as she spoke. She was lying face-up on the floor. Her pajamas were partially unbuttoned, and her chest heaved as she panted. It was an alluring sight. Rainie had almost turned ny degrees in her sleep. After all, they were sleeping on a nket on the floor, and there was no danger of falling. Bianca did not change the child''s position. As Bianca shifted a little, she realized that Rainie was hugging her with the two hands and was curling into her bosom. Bianca kissed Rainie''s cheek gently and closed her eyes, at ease that the child had be her shield. Meanwhile, Lukey with his back on the floor. He had never slept in worse conditions, and the bulge in his pants slowly died down. What was left in the small and quiet room was the remnants of intimacy and the man''s soft panting. The next morning. Rainie giggled and wriggled in Bianca''s arms, and her plump hands pinched Bianca''s earlobes. Bianca was awoken. When she opened her eyes, she saw her daughter''s angelic face. She brought her daughter closed and kissed her cheek. As they were ying, Bianca suddenly remembered something and turned around. The man was long gone, though signs of his presence remained. "What happened. Miss Bea?" Rainie pouted as she kneaded Bianca''s hair. Bianca turned back to look at Rainie. She could not hear any other sound other than her daughter''s. ¡¯Perhaps... he left before everyone else woke up.* She was thankful that he was considerate of her image. After washing up, she brought the two children downstairs for breakfast. "Oh? The boss''s two kids are staying here today as well?" A colleague asked her. Bianca looked at her colleague and answered truthfully, "I''m not sure either. It''s Monday tomorrow, and they have to go to school." "That means that the boss wille back. Otherwise, who will send the kids back to A City? Oh, I envy you, Bianca. The boss''s cousin must be a good man. If the boss made an error of judgment and somehow has his eye on me, I''ll even be smiling in my sleep. Haha! Then we''ll be rtives too!" Bianca smiled awkwardly and did not say anything. Meanwhile, Joe was browsing on hisptop. "The boss has never made an error of judgment in his many years helping thepany. Perish the thought!" The female colleague was just about to retort Joe when she saw that he became visibly stunned. His eyes opened wide to read thetest news on his browser. Then, he turned to look at Bianca... Chapter 209 Chapter 209 Wow, Bianca, You''re Famous! "What''s wrong?" Bianca felt quite ufortable when she saw her colleague looking at her like that. She thought that Joe''s expression was quite creepy. "Well, see for yourself!" Joe did not know how to describe what he saw and so pushed hisptop in front of Bianca. Still confused, Bianca took theptop and looked at the screen. Her colleague also leaned close and looked at it. Every young man and woman in the country must have read the news! The headline was an indication of how popr Leia Norman was. "Shocking! Man Seen Riding With Leia Norman At Night To Celebrity''s House. Later Confesses That He Is Married!" N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Bianca was incredibly flustered just by reading the headline. She clicked on the headline and entered the article. Apanying the article was a screenshot of a newly registered Twitter ount, and the first tweet was a photo of a marriage certificate! The Twitter ount belonged to none other than Xavier! On the marriage certificate was clearly shown Bianca''s name, date of birth, and photo! The female colleague immediately opened the Twitter app on her phone and searched for the ount in the news article. Even though the ount was newly registered, it was already verified! The profile mentioned that he was the owner of a bar. "Your husband runs a bar, right, Bianca?" The colleague asked. Bianca did not hear the question. Her head was spinning as she read through the article with the utmost concentration. When she finished reading the thousand-word article, she roughly understood what happened. Latest night, the young celebrity Leia Norman rode in the same car with Xavier Tanner and returned to Leia''s neighborhood. Xavier was a normal civilian. The only thing extraordinary about him was that he was slightly richer and more handsome than the typical man, though that was not enough for the paparazzi to pay attention to him. However, he was riding in the same car with Leiate at night. That would create a big scoop... A female colleague who had bought buns for everyone came in from outside. Her head was lowered reading on her phone, and she nearly tripped. "Wow, Bianca, you''re famous now! You''re in the same article as Leia Norman!" The female colleague sitting next to Bianca came to her senses and asked her carefully, "Um, Bianca, you should know who Leia Norman is, right? Do I have to bring you up to speed about her?" Bianca nodded, though her eyes remained transfixed to the screen. Her delicate eyebrows were slightly furrowed. The female colleague decided to keep quiet. If she said too much, she was afraid that she might identally hurt Bianca. Entertainment gossip like the article was not to be fully trusted, though there had to be some grain of truth to it. Bianca skimmed through thements. Someone said, "This Mr. Tanner should be only friends with Leia. I have done my research in micro- expressions, and I can tell what''s going on in the photos and the video. Don''t worry, fans of Leia Norman, your idol doesn''t have any improper dealings with that guy." That was the top-ratedment, as voted by fans of Leia. It was as though thatment was the most trustworthy one in the world! Another person said, ¡¯Can we not involve Mr. Tanner and his wife Ms. Rayne in this? They''re not in showbiz, and it''s not appropriate to drag normal civilians into the discussion. I believe that if Mr. Xavier and Ms. Rayne know Leia, they should be good people." Of course, someone else said, "Hahaha! All of you stan Leia Norman a little too hard. Your queen Leia probably can''t stand being alone at night, and that''s why she brought a man home. Isn''t that obvious from the video? "Might this Mr. Tanner be Leia''s sugar daddy?¡± Some people were sympathetic toward Bianca. "I think Ms. Rayne is the real victim here. Her private life is suddenly brought into public view. Would she even be able to keep her job? Her newly-wed husband is having an affair with a celebrity. She must be devastated. "I don''t think Mr. Tanner is actually protective of his wife by disying his marriage certificate. He doesn''t mind exposing his wife''s personal details to prove Leia''s innocence. Doesn''t that show that his heart is with Leia?" Another person agreed. "Right, I don''t think that Mr. Tanner is a mere bar owner. Someone who would be able to spend a night with Leia isn''t going to be some random civilian. Look clearly, sheeple! This man is the cousin of Luke Crawford, the CEO of T Corporation. He was sent to prison five years ago! Indeed, female celebrities are fond of men with checkered pasts! Leia isn''t anyone different! "Sigh... all of you are simping Leia Norman, but Leia is sleeping with another man at night. The most pitiful person here is Ms. Rayne... I hope she can say something about this..." Bianca mmed theptop shut! Carefully, Joe pulled theptop away from Bianca in case it took further coteral damage... There were two types of people in the courtyard at the moment. One, Bianca White, the poor wife whose newly-wed husband was exposed to have an affair with Leia Norman. 1 Two, everyone else. Bianca took out her phone and, in a rare circumstance, dialed Xavier''s number. The line was engaged, and she could not get through to him. At the same time, messages poured into Bianca''s phone. They were all constory messages from her colleagues and old ssmates, though they were quite eager to watch the drama unfold. Of course, some people genuinely cared for her, such as Nina and Sue. She gave up on calling and sent Xavier a message. [I hope that you can delete that photo of the marriage certificate as soon as possible, Xavier! You''re not respecting my privacy!] A City. Marie was about to go out of the house when Jennifer grabbed her wrist. ¡¯ Where are you going? Do you have any spending money for your mother?" Marie turned around and looked at her useless mother. She reluctantly took out two twenty-dor bills from her purse and flung them at the shoe cab next to the entrance. "I don''t have any more money! Why don''t you sell the house and move back to your hometown?" Jennifer ignored her daughter''s words. She took the money, mumbled that it was not enough, and went back inside. Marie stood angrily at the doorway for several minutes before leaving. She had already read the news headline. ''Bianca is Xavier''s wife? Is that a joke? Did Bianca marry Xavier Tanner, the man whom she slept with? ''What right does she have?'' While she stood at the roadside waiting for her ride, she sent a text message to Xavier: [I hope to meet you as soon as possible. Otherwise, you''ll regret it!] [Have you gone mad?] She soon received Xavier''s reply. His tone was cold and aloof, like speaking to a pet. [I''m not mad. Bianca is my sister, and I know a lot of things, both good and bad. I don''t think you want me to go to the paparazzi, or... create a new Twitter ount and divulge everything?] Marie threatened. Chapter 210 Chapter 210 Luke¡¯s Favoritism In the VIP hospital ward. A tall and well-built figure walked out, and an elderly male voice roared in anger! ¡¯Luke, you ingrate!" Old Master Crawford shouted and mmed the table. Luke heard how angry his grandfather was, but that did not stop him from steadily walking away. The marriage between Xavier Tanner and Bianca Rayne was nothing remarkable, though thanks to Leia Norman, the popr celebrity, it was brought into public view. When the newspapers reported Xavier and Bianca''s marriage certificate, Luke, as the man who had slept next to Bianca, was livid! Withered leaves scattered on the sidewalk outside the hospital, which added to the mncholy of the city in the fall. A ck Bentley was parked on the side of the road. When Jason saw his boss, he got out of the car and opened the passenger door. After that, Jason got back into the car and started driving. After leaving the hospital gate, he reported to his boss, who was frowning while browsing his phone, "I''ve already contacted the relevant parties. The news should be suppressed soon." His boss did not answer. Jason knew that the boss must be feeling miserable at the moment and was not in the mood to listen to anyone speaking. No man in this world would be able to bear seeing the rtionship between the woman he loved and another man be "legalized" in public! Yes, now everyone knew that Xavier Tanner and Bianca Rayne were legally married. The undesirable circumstances behind that marriage did not matter. As Jason drove, he received a message from the PR department of a rted website. [Sorry, Bro, we''ve already settled the incident with the fastest possible speed. Please let Mr. Crawford know.] Meanwhile, in the hospital ward. Allison, Susan, and Louis appeared early in the morning. Old Master Crawford was annoyed just by looking at those people! ''Where is Luke, Father?" Allison could not help but ask when she did not see her son. Old Master Crawford had a deal with the physician. The physician was supposed to say that Old Master Crawford''s condition was as serious as it could be, to the point that any agitation would cause him to fall into aa. However, the young doctor who did the morning rounds did not understand. "You''re fine, Sir. In fact, your condition is better than most people of your age,¡± he had said. Old Master Crawford was preparing to bribe the oblivious doctor when Luke happened to arrive in the ward after having rushed back from the small town and overheard everything. Old Master Crawford did not speak a word out of frustration. ¡¯Say something, Father. I told Aunt Jemma to show you the news earlier. If you don''t stop Luke, he might be embroiled in the scandal." Allison thought that she would not hold any sway over her son. She would need the patriarch to do it. Old Master Crawford had a headache. He waved his hand and said weakly, "Let me get out of this hospital and stop bothering me..." When Susan saw that, she quickly got her son to hold down Old Master Crawford, who was nning to get out of bed and settle his own discharge procedure. ¡¯Excuse me for nagging you, Father, but you''re not well yet. You shouldn''t trouble yourself." Louis also went to hold down Old Master Crawford. ''Lay down and rest, Grandfather. If my brother is here, he won''t let you be discharged so soon." He could not let the old master suffer any harm! Old Master Crawford helplessly thought, ''If your brother is here, I don''t know how to face him... My reputation is ruined after he found out that I''m faking my sickness.'' Allison saw that Old Master Crawford had calmed down and reiterated her business. "Old Master, Luke is..." ''That''s enough of him. I believe that... cough cough... Luke will... will know what to do..." Old Master Crawford spoke weakly. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. "You ought to give the matter a rest, Allison! Otherwise, the old master''s condition might worsen before you get to solve your son''s problem!" Susan could not bear to see her usually healthy father-inw cough and shiver. In a bar somewhere in A City. Marie was considered a regr there. The venue was owned by Xavier, and only regrs were permitted inside. New customers had to be introduced by regrs so no shady individuals could sneak in. The bouncer knew that Marie had a special rtionship with his boss and so he let her in without asking questions. When Marie got upstairs, Xavier had just gotten out of bed. "Let me help you." Marie quickly stepped forward when she saw that Xavier was putting on his shirt. Her soft and well-maintained hands buttoned up the man''s shirt while rubbing and fondling his sturdy chest. ¡¯Just speak if you want anything. I''m not interested in you!" He was not desperate enough to make out with a woman who had just threatened him! Marie scrutinized the man''s expression and confirmed that he was not interested. "You should know that I''m jobless now," she said coyly, "And I''m not patient enough to work in those jobs. I hope that you can help me because I¡¯ve let you sleep with me so many times, or because I''m Bianca''s sister..." Xavier poured himself a ss of water and drank out of it. He paused and frowned. "Help you? How?" ¡¯Help me get into showbiz. Is that possible?" Marie did not beat around the bush. She looked at the seemingly all-powerful Xavier with sparkling eyes.'' The public opinion on the Inte is that you''re Leia Norman''s sugar daddy. I thought about it, and it made me wonder. Youmitted such a serious crime five years ago, but you only got five years of prison instead of life. I don''t believe that you don''t have any connections." Marie thought that Xavier knew how to keep a low profile after having suffered in prison. She wondered how well-connected Xavier was. Leia''s debut was a starring role in a movie by a renowned director, and she even got to walk the red carpet at international film festivals. How did Xavier manage to help her do that? "I''m not expecting treatment like Leia. I know my limits..." As Marie spoke, she leaned forward and rubbed her soft breasts on the man''s broad shoulders. ¡¯I only want to get by. I don''t mind any minor roles..." Meanwhile, in the small town. One of the female colleagues was browsing for updates on her phone while working. Suddenly, she realized that all rted news was blocked. She could not find anything no matter how she tried. "What''s going on? It''s saying that my search terms are viting thew? I can¡¯t even search for Bianca Rayne?" Bianca heard the surprised cry of her colleague. She apprehensively stopped typing on her keyboard and picked up her phone. She realized that she could not search for any names of the people rted to the incident. The search returned zero results. Instantly, everyone stopped discussing the incident. In fact, searching for "Bianca Rayne" returned a warning that the user had vited thew... Chapter 211 Chapter 211 A Strong Oppressive Aura ¡¯What''s going on? ''Why would searching for ''Bianca Rayne'' be a vition of thew?'' While Bianca pondered over the question, her colleagues noticed a ck Bentley driving into the courtyard with two equally extravagant cars following behind. The cars raised a cloud of dust; they were on sandy, unpaved ground after all. However, the people could not ignore the fact that the cars had consecutive te numbers. The workers of T Corporation stood up in unison and discreetly put away their phones. They regarded the people who had gotten out of the cars with the utmost seriousness. Jason stepped out of the first car. He walked directly toward Bianca. Bianca stood up. She was still thinking about thements on the Inte when she heard Jason tell her, "Boss wants you to go over, Ms. Rayne." Bianca did not move. ''If Luke is in the car, why isn''t he getting out?'' "Don''t worry. It''s official business," Jason exined. He seemed to understand Bianca''s reservations. At that moment, Bianca noticed that two people stepped out from the third car parked in the courtyard. They were from higher management. The two managers went to look for Joe and another female colleague. After a brief discussion, the two workers packed up theirptops and cameras and followed the managers into the car. ''It looks like Luke is really here for official business! ''It''s just that... it''s only been a few hours sincest night. Isn''t it exhausting for him to travel between A City and the town to handle everyone?" Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. "Give me a moment." Bianca packed up herptop as she replied to Jason. A City. Xavier was being pestered by Marie when his phone rang. He nced at the phone number and picked up the call impatiently." What''s the matter?" "What else? It''s the biggest news, of course!" Leia''s pampered voice was heard over the phone. "Did you find someone to suppress the news? It happened so fast." "Suppress the news?¡± Xavier had just gotten out of bed and did not know thetest developments. "Right, the news is suppressed. Earlier, everyone on the Inte is talking about it, but you can''t even find a word of it now. What else could it be, if not that some influential figure is actively suppressing it? My agent even says that searching for your wife''s name results in a vition warning..." That was how Leia concluded that someone must be suppressing the news. However, she was not pleased that Bianca enjoyed a better treatment than her! Xavier frowned harder and harder as he heard Leia speak. As he told Leia that he did not do anything to suppress the news, he lit a cigarette and dragged on it impatiently. "Is that... Leia Norman?" Marie tried to guess the other party''s identity from Xavier''s words. Xavier''s impatience turned into stern anger. He pointed fiercely at Marie with the fingers holding the cigarette. "Shut the hell up!" Marie''s face turned pale from fright. Leia did not care to whom Xavier was talking. She hung up after finding out that Xavier was not behind the suppression. A luxury RV drove into a heavily-guarded path that led to a mansion. Before Leia got out of the vehicle, she turned around to stop her agent who was also preparing to get out. "You don''t have toe in today, Bunny. I want to spend some time with my mother." Bunny knew that she was unwee there. She lit a cigarette and waved at the driver, indicating that they should leave the scene. After the RV left, Leia stood in front of the door and tidied her appearance. She took off the high heels that she wore on the journey, held them in one hand, and limped into the mansion barefoot. Queenie was watching a talk show when she looked out of the window and noticed her daughter limping. She quickly put her ss away and went to help her daughter. "What happened, Leia?" "Nothing. I sprained my foot." Leia sat on the couch and lowered her head, seemingly in a lot of pain. "The heels are too high. I ought to talk to your agent. You don''t have to be so hardworking at a press conference. I know that you''re not used to wearing high heels. When you leave tonight, bring some t shoes with you, ¡¯ Queenie said pitifully. "I miss you, Mom..." Leia suddenly sobbed. Her arms hugged around Queenie''s neck and she said coyly. Queenie stiffened. She patted Leia''s back and said, "You still act like a little girl. Isn''t your Mom here for you? I saw the news earlier today. That''s the entertainment scene nowadays. If you''re tired, you can alwayse home. You don''t have to be an actress." "But... that¡¯s your dream. If you couldn''t achieve it when you were young, let me fulfill it for you..." Leia said foolishly. Queenie had no response to that. She felt a pang of mncholy when she was reminded of past events. Her dream was to be a drama actress that won des. However, before she could realize her dream, she had met Jack Norman, her current husband from a military background. The Norman family did not wish that their daughter-inw make public appearances. She had to kill her dream of making it big in showbiz. Her next dream was to bear a child for her husband, but then... Fortunately, they adopted an obedient and intelligent child ten years ago. Ten yearster, Leia had never let her mother down. "Mom, all the news on the Inte has been blocked. Did Dad get someone to do it?" Leia was curious. If Xavier did not do it, then it must have been her father. Otherwise, no one else could have done it! Jack Norman was a Provincial Committee Secretary. He had the authority to do so! Queenie ordered the caretaker to rub some ointment on Leia''s ankle. Then, she spoke, "Your Dad is still in a meeting in the Capital. I don''t think he knows about it yet." Leia frowned. ''Then... who could it be?'' Leia lowered her head and hastily typed a message for Xavier. [I won''t be at ease if I don''t know who ordered the suppression. Let me have a meeting with your wife as soon as possible.] Meanwhile, in the small town. Jason led Bianca to the car. She shivered when she sat inside and felt an overbearing presence. She put away herptop bag and stole a nce at the man sitting next to her. Luke was sitting casually, dressed in an expensive bespoke suit. He did not wear a tie, which exposed his sculpted corbones and alluring Adam''s apple. She could not tell the man''s expression from his facial features. His thin lips were pressed in a straight line. ''I guess he must have read the news too?¡¯ Bianca thought. Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Wordless Intimacy Luke''s body emitted a frosty aura, which warned people to stay away as far as possible. Bianca pulled her jacket together and turned her head weakly to look outside the window. She did not say a word. After Jason helped Bianca sit in the car and closed the door, he went to get the two children who were doing their homework out of the room and into the car. The back seat of the Bentley was spacious. The children were carried into the car one after the other, but the father did not reach out to catch them. In fact, when he nced at the children, it was full of disgust and annoyance. The two children were used to that and did not feel particrly sad. Rainie shifted closer to Bianca and asked her, "Can I sit together with you, Miss Bea?¡± ''Of course. You cane closer..." Bianca said gently. She took Rainie''s hand and brought the little girl into her arms. The scene looked like a family of four on their weekend family trip, but the father was too aloof and distracted... Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Lanie also wanted to go closer to Bianca, but when he saw his father''s dour face, he sheepishly shrunk back. The little boy could tell that his father was in a bad mood. He sat on the soft leather seat opposite his father, fastened the seatbelt, and stared wordlessly at his father. A City. After Xavier washed up and changed his clothes, he drove away from the bar. Marie was together with him. There was no reason other than the fact that Marie said that she was Bianca''s elder sister... In Xavier''s eyes, Marie was no different than a call girl - cheap and affordable to the masses. However, ever since he knew that Marie was a Rayne and was Bianca''s sister, she became special to him. Making out with Marie was an indescribably cathartic experience, even though Marie and Bianca shared neither father nor mother. He even had a perverted fantasy that Marie was Bianca''s birth sister. That way, he would have gained an advantage over Bianca somehow. Unfortunately, Marie was not. Sitting in the side passenger seat, Marie constantly observed Xavier''s expression. The car was speeding on the road, and Xavier''s expression was unreadable. His gaze was dangerously sullen, and his lips were tightly pressed together. asionally he took a drag from his cigarette but exhaled through his nostrils. Xavier parked his car in front of a private restaurant. Leia was dressed in a hoodie and casual clothes. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, and she wore extra- large sses. She looked like a typical female college student. The restaurant was owned by a close friend and she did not have to worry about paparazzi. Even so, she remained cautious whenever she was out in the public. The paparazzi could be everywhere. She was cautious the night before, but they managed to take her photo anyway... When Xavier entered the private room on the second floor, Leia looked at him and asked, "Who''s that behind you?" Marie was stunned. It was her first time meeting a famous celebrity in real life. However, Leia did not seem as pure and innocent as shown on TV. She immediately realized that most of Leia''s photos were airbrushed. Even so, Leia''s appearance was remarkable. Her facial features were unique, and her figure was blessed. Marie envied Leia -- They were both mortal humans born on this earth to survive, but why was Leia so much luckier than her? "A friend," Xavier replied nonchntly. That was her introduction. He sat down and red wordlessly at Leia. Leia knew what Xavier wanted to ask. "My mom said that my dad is having a meeting in the Capital. He probably hasn''t found out about the incident yet." Now that Xavier found out that the suppression was not done by Leia''s parents or her agency, he lit a cigarette and started thinking hard. When his thoughts fell on Luke, he chuckled coldly. "Indeed, he''s more meticulous than me." "What? Who is more meticulous than you?¡± Leia asked. "It''s nothing." Xavier tossed his lighter on the table, then spoke without giving any regard to Marie. "Didn''t you want to meet my wife? Let''s go after lunch." ''So fast?'' Leia was surprised. Marie was silently watching Xavier and Leia''s interactions. Her eyes met with Leia''s, and she smiled awkwardly at her. Leia saw that Marie was nervous. She did not know who that stranger was yet, and so she behaved courteously. "Nice to meet you." "N... Nice to meet you. I''m Marie Rayne!" Marie immediately introduced herself as though she was ttered that the celebrity had noticed her. Xavier looked at Marie''s naive response with disdain. He closed his eyes and took another drag of his cigarette. "She wants to break into the entertainment industry. If it''s possible, you can be her mentor. She says that she doesn''t mind being an extra." Leia and Xavier were not in the upper echelons of society but they were in an exclusive circle apart from typical rich people. Leia noticed Marie''s surname and heard the disdain in Xavier''s voice. She nodded and agreed. "Do you want to be an actress? That will take a lot of patience. If you''re willing, I can be your mentor, and I''ll pass on any suitable opportunities to you." "Really?" Marie''s jaw dropped, and her eyes opened wide. "Thank you, Ms. Norman! Thank you so much!" Marie''s ted voice echoed in the private room. She was close to falling on her knees. Now that Leia agreed to be Marie''s mentor, the three went together to the small town to look for Bianca. Meanwhile, in the small town. On the journey, neither the adults nor the children spoke a word. Rainie sat on Bianca''sp. She was very at ease, and soon she fell asleep. The two other cars arrived at their destination. The higher management from T Corporation, the town administrators, and the two colleagues got out of the cars. Bianca looked at the little girl sleeping on herp and felt quite troubled. She had already felt troubled when she had to sit beside Luke. However, the man looked like he was in a bad mood. She did not want to add fuel to the fire by moving to another car; she was not sure what he might do. Bianca dared not be too intimate with his children in front of other strangers in case people started gossiping. "Please carry the children," she asked the man next to her for help. Luke had drunk too much and did not rest well the previous night. He also did not manage to make out with Bianca even though they were physically intimate. His temper rose and fell, influenced by his hormones. The morning was not peaceful either. The marriage certificate of Xavier and the woman in his arms was all over the Inte... That anger would remain until his and Bianca''s name appeared on the same marriage certificate. Luke massaged his temples, got out of the car, and walked to the other passenger door. As he took his daughter from Bianca''s arms, his hands inadvertently brushed over Bianca''s chest. Chapter 213 Chapter 213 Bianca¡¯s Heart Quivered "I wanna sleep, Daddy..." Rainie slumpedzily over Luke''s shoulder and pouted. Bianca got out of the car. She lifted her head and looked at Luke''s profound eyes. The part of her chest that Luke had touched felt swollen and painful. It was more sensitive than the day before. She wondered if it was almost the time of the month, and a brief calction revealed that it was the case. Luke carried his daughter and looked at his son, who did not seem to be of much use, then looked at Bianca. "Stay here and apany the children." At the same time, he ced the little girl in the car. Jason had work to do. After all, a boss''s assistant had to take care of his boss in addition to his own work and was usually busier than the boss himself. The car was parked in the outskirts of the town, and a five-year-old girl was sleeping inside. No parent would be at ease. Bianca was more than willing to stay back and take care of her daughter, but she nced at her colleagues who had gathered some distance away and said, "How would they see..." ''Let them draw their conclusions," the man said coldly. After putting Rainie down, he lit a cigarette and took a drag. When he passed by her side, he stared straight at her. "No matter what it is, you were the one who slept with me." N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. He spoke softly, but those words were like needles in Bianca''s ears. Bianca thought that Luke was acting out of jealousy today, even though he might not admit to it. A considerate man would think of the big picture and not let any aspect of the situation turn for the worse. That was the sign of a man''s maturity and responsibility. Bianca loved men who were like that. She appreciated a man who could think and strategize, not an arrogant hooligan who only knew howto use violence to solve everything. Luke''s exterior might seem calm and collected, but he was also very capable of jealousy. Bianca heaved a sigh of relief when he saw the man walk away while frowning. She got back into the car, slowly leaned forward, andnded a gentle kiss on her sleeping daughter''s pink cheek. Meanwhile, the other people toured the area. The workers noted down the boss''s feedback and prepared to make changester. During lunchtime, someone drove back to town to buy lunchboxes for everyone. Food options were limited in the small town, and everyone ate the same thing. After Rainie woke up, Bianca brought the children out of the car. She was supposed to be working. If she remained in the car, someone might gossip that she waszy. She did not want to be seen as privileged because she was the boss''s cousin''s wife. Her colleagues would not appreciate that. Rainie yed with her brother when she was awake. Bianca asionally nced at them while at work to make sure that everything was OK. While they were eating and Rainie was looking intently at the sauerkraut in Bianca''s lunchbox, a Porsche was seen driving toward them. The car raised dust clouds in the distance, though the dust clouds died down when the car got near. The wheels drove past a puddle, sshed water all around, and stopped in front of the crowd. Bianca''s hand that was feeding Rainie froze in mid-air. She could immediately tell that it was Xavier''s ride. ''Why is he here?'' ''It''s Uncle Xavier.¡¯ Rainie looked at the man who had gotten out of the car. He looked casual and energetic. ''Looks like he slept very wellst night.'' 1 When Xavier walked toward the crowd, Bianca could hear that her colleagues started to gossip. She could not hear exactly what they were saying, but she could guess that it was about the headline earlier that morning... They were thinking that Xavier was there to apologize to his wife for having an affair with Leia Norman, the famous celebrity. Some of the colleagues were even thinking that Bianca had already known about her husband¡¯s affair, and that was why she wanted a divorce. Now, everyone knew about that affair. No woman would be able to take that lying down. If Xavier did not want the divorce, they could not guess the reason. Scandals were replete in wealthy families. No matter how entertaining the rumors can get, they were often not as interesting as the truth hidden behind the walls of those families. Xavier carried a case of expensive imported drinks in his hand. A ten- ounce bottle usually cost six dors in the grocery store. A regr office worker would rarely drink that. With six dors, they would rather get Starbucks. ''Thanks for your hard work, everyone. Please have a drink." Xavier ced the case of drinks on the table and greeted the workers who were having lunch. ¡¯Good day, Uncle Xavier,¡¯ Rainie greeted Xavier politely. Xavier turned to look at the little girl next to him. He bent down and reached out, "Here, give Uncle Xavier a hug!" "Come here and eat your lunch." Bianca pulled Rainie next to her side, got her to sit down on a rock, and continued spoon-feeding her. Rainie opened her mouth and ate the sauerkraut that was fed to her. She had never tasted it before and thought that it was delicious. Her colleagues went to take a drink each and said thank you. One of the female colleagues opened the bottle and took a gulp. She spoke to Joe, "See that? It''s obvious that he usually brings something for the crew whenever he visits the celebrity on the film set. He''s using the same tricks on his wife." Joe pretended not to hear or see anything. He would rather not ruffle any feathers. No one recognized Leia in her casual clothes and hat. They thought that Xavier had brought along two of his female friends or rtives. Perhaps they were there to persuade Bianca to change her mind. The colleagues took their drinks and went away, eating their lunch and reviewing their work while stealing nces in Bianca''s direction. They saw someone take out a camera and snap photos of Bianca, Xavier, and the tall and slender woman that came along with Xavier, but no one got to see her face clearly... Among those people, Bianca was the only one who was at a loss. Eventually, she stood up and prepared to leave with Rainie. ''Sorry, I still have work to do." Just when Bianca turned around, Luke came down from the hill with Jason and two other employees carrying surveying tools. The two employees went to collect their lunchboxes, and Luke walked toward Bianca. He looked at Xavier and furrowed his brows. He also recognized that the woman looking at her was Leia, though he did not regard her any differently. "Why are you suddenly here?" Luke asked Xavier without disying much emotion. One of his hands patted Rainie lovingly on her head, while his other hand reached out to take Bianca''s cup, then took a gulp of the lemon- infused water like it was the most normal thing in the world. Bianca''s heart skipped a beat. Leia was surprised. The part of the cup where Luke drank from had a faint lipstick mark... Chapter 214 Chapter 214 What Is That? An Indirect Kiss! The employees of T Corporation fixed their gazes on the crowd, perhaps because their boss had appeared in front of them. Leia was worried that she might be recognized if she stood there for too long, so she turned around and left. When she returned to Xavier¡¯s Porsche Cayenne, she lightly furrowed her brows. Marie was not familiar with Leia yet, and she regarded Leia as a celebrity way beyond her league and herself as a lowlymoner. For a moment, she did not know how to speak to Leia. Leia was not bothered with Marie''s presence. Instead, she kept thinking about the scene earlier. Leia already knew who Luke was. As one of the darlings of A City, and now that she had be one of the most famous celebrities, she held two extremely enviable identities. One of Leia''s friends once asked her what kind of man she would want to marry in the future. She had admitted that she had her eyes on someone, but she was not sure whether fate would lead her to him. However, with the target in mind, she could work hard toward achieving it. Of course, the target had to be worth the effort, 1 Her father had a prominent status and would expect that his daughter would marry someone equally prominent. She also knew that her father had some candidates for his son-inw, and they were all future politicians. Leia had thought that there was nothing wrong with marrying a politician. Her social status would rise as her husband was promoted up the ranks. However, her opinion changed after she ventured into showbiz. She found that businessmen who could control and manipte the market were much more attractive than politicians. She was a straight woman, and she was naturally attracted to mature and attractive men. She often fantasized what sort of bodies they might have hidden under those impable business suits. She also loved to wonder what they were thinking behind those mysterious gazes. Luke Crawford checked all the boxes... The social circle of A City was not that big. Whenever single women gathered together after lunch, they would gossip about any outstanding men who caught their eye. Of course, someone had suggested introducing Leia to Young Master Crawford, but she knew that Luke had two children. She was privy to information that was not known to the general public, and she knew very well that it was not anything surprising that a wealthy and sessful single man would have a woman bear children for him. However, Leia considered herself to be still young. She did not want to be a stepmother, even if Luke''s qualifications were perfect. Moreover, there were two children. She felt ufortable just thinking about it. Now that she had seen Luke Crawford in the flesh, she had to admit that she was utterly smitten by the man''s charm within ten minutes. Drinking from his cousin''s wife''s cup and cing his lips where her lipstick marks were? What was that, if not an indirect kiss? He did that in front of her husband Xavier too. Leia thought that it was not a coincidence. Leia thought that she had gained a lot in her trip to the small town, but at the same time, she felt that she had lost a big chunk of her heart. She clearly knew the reason why she felt so. On the journey back to A City, Xavier did not stop smoking, and his brows were knotted tightly. Leia had requested to sit next to him so that she could observe his reactions. She saw Xavier''s dangerously sullen face and started to wonder about Bianca''s rtionship with the two cousins... N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Back in A City. Leia went back to her home and walked into her room as though she had lost her soul. After a shower and changing into pajamas, she picked up the script for tomorrow''s film shoot and browsed it. Soon, her thoughts were overtaken by the memories of Luke''s stern and sculpted face. She put the script down, then took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. Meanwhile, Marie followed closely behind Xavier up to the room above the bar. The street was only lively at night, especially after midnight. In the daytime, it was so quiet that they could hear a bird chirping somewhere across the street. Xavier opened the window to let the air in. While he unbuttoned his shirt, he turned around and pinned Marie on the bed. "Ah!" Marie eximed in surprise. Then, she felt a chill on the lower half of her body. Xavier had taken off her pants! Her fair legs were brought into view. The cold fall wind blew on her bare skin and caused her to shiver. The sheer white curtains brushed against her cheeks and nose... "Ah... the door is open..." Marie said coyly and pretended to be embarrassed. She was experienced enough to know how to pique a man''s interest in her body. The atmosphere was perfect, and her body and her voice were tantalizingly close... When Xavier was about to mount her, he realized that he was not in the mood at all! Marie continued to put on an act and waited for the man''s next move. When she stole nces at the man''s expression, she realized that she might be losing her charm... Did he already have his fill? The news article said that he was with Leia the night before. Marie knew that she had to rely on Leia, and she never could forget that Xavier was the one who introduced her to the celebrity. In other words, her fate wholly depended on Xavier''s mood. What was most important was that he was happy. Marie did not care for her image or decency. After all, she was used to it. She got up, kneeled in front of Xavier, and reached between his legs. "I... urn ... I''ll help you..." In the small town. After a long day of work, it was almost sunset. Bianca seemed troubled. She did not want to be involved in scandals, but scandals had alwayse to look for her. As the saying went, "Man proposes, heaven disposes." She could do nothing but to leave it up to fate. The two children got into the ck Bentley and sat tight. The man closed the door and turned around to look at Bianca, who was clutching her workptop. "I''m bringing them to a children''s movie at eight o''clock tonight. Do you want toe along?" Bianca reflexively wanted to say yes, but her conscience told her that she should not... "Get in the car." Luke reached out to take her hand. 1 Just when he was about to touch her hand, she took a step back out of fright and nced at her colleagues standing not far away. "I''m not going. Maybe next time. You should apany them..." She tried to maintain her distance. She felt immensely guilty for not being able to give the children a mother''s love. "What are you worried about?" Luke tossed his jacket into the driver seat car window, undid his tie, and towered over her. "Are you afraid that you''ll appear in the news again if someone catches us together?" Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Luke is Emotionally Unstable Again... "It''s not that..." Bianca''s denial was weak. "I know that even if someone catches us in the act, you have the clout to suppress the news. I''m just a little tired after a full day of work, and I just want to go back to my room and rest." Luke''s gaze on her was profound. He leaned close to her, deliberately lowered his voice, and spoke each syble clearly. "I''m not going to suppress the news if the scandal breaks out. When I saw the news this morning that you are his legally wedded wife, I was so jealous that I was losing my mind. Now that you''ve appeared on the news with him, do you still mind that you''ll have a scandal with me?" Bianca was worried that the children might hear. She might be surprised, but she kept her voice low, "That was just an ident. There''s nothing to be jealous of. Don''t be childish." She knew that Xavier bore no love for him, and he only forced her into a marriage out of malice. Even if he had a shred of affection for him, there was nothing to be proud of about that warped marriage. 2 However, she was not a man, and she would not understand how men felt when they were jealous. Bianca did not speak any further in case that irked him. She was more concerned that her children would be the victims of his anger on the drive back home. Without her looking after the kids, she was worried that the man might mistreat them. After all, she noticed that the two children were unnaturally quiet when they were near their father. Luke might be ovee by jealousy and envy, but Bianca remained lucid. She could not leave with him. "If you don''t let me affirm my dominance this one time, I don''t think I can ever forgive you." Luke''s expression was sullen as he looked at Jason walking toward them. "If I''m desperate enough, I don''t mind sending our photos in bed to the media. I think it should be quite exciting when they find out that you''re also an adulteress who has an affair with another man." The man turned around. Bianca remained rooted on the ground. Her hand clenched her workptop tightly, and those words reyed in her mind. ''Photos in bed... ''How does he have our photos in bed?'' Bianca admitted that she was a light sleeper. As far as she remembered, neither of them had touched their phones while at the old house or the room. Where did he get the photos in bed? Jason walked over, greeted Bianca diplomatically, then got in the car and drove away. Jason both respected and feared his boss''s woman. He did not know whether to treat her as a colleague or as a friend. After the ck Bentley disappeared from view, Bianca remained rooted on the spot. ''Maybe I''m not actually a light sleeper after all? Did I not notice that he woke up in the middle of the night to take my photos?'' She blushed intensely when she was reminded of the man''s unending vigor and how she had almost passed out in those intense make-out sessions. Perhaps she had actually passed out, and the man had taken her photos... When she walked nkly with her colleagues back to the courtyard, she sent a text message to Luke. [When did you take the photos?] Bianca kept an eye on her phone for the next ten minutes, but he did not reply. [Did you see the message I sent earlier? If you took the photos, I hope that you would delete them.] Bianca sent him a second message. She wanted to send him a voice message, but she was worried that Jason or the children might overhear when Luke yed the message. About half an hourter, the colleagues started to prepare dinner in the kitchen. Bianca put her phone away and went to help. It was half-past six when they finished dinner, though the sky was not dark yet. She had not received any reply to her messages. Bianca guessed that he must be still angry. She had no choice but to call him... She also wanted to ask if he had taken his anger out on the children... "Sorry, the number cannot be reached at the moment. Please try againter Bianca had to give up when she heard the automated message. That night, she flipped around on the bed and could not fall asleep. At about nine o''clock, her aunt Wanda sent her a message. She looked at her aunt''s profile picture and thought that it did not look like the real person. They chatted for a while. In the end, Bianca said: [I''m only going back to A City with my colleagues on the weekend. I''ll visit Father first, then Grandfather. I''ll record their videos for you.] She finally felt sleepy at eleven o''clock, though her sleep that night was fitful. The next morning, Bianca got up and prepared to wash up when she noticed that her phone was blinking. Nina had sent her several messages. The first one: [Are you awake, Bea? I didn''t want to call you and disturb your sleep. Please reply when you see my message.] The second one: [You''re in the news again. Don''t tell me that you''re not awake yet? Any of your gossipy colleagues wake you up?] The third one: [Alright then, have a good rest. It''s better to rest more than to worry about the news.] After reading the messages, she immediately opened the browser. The news was all over the ce. There were many photos too. Not surprisingly, the photos were from yesterday. They were of her sitting in the countryside eating her lunch. Next to her was Leia in casual clothes and Xavier who wasughing and carrying a child. Many people were in the background, but they were all blurred out. Every headline, photo, and article led the public opinion to a conclusion -- Bianca and Leia were friends. If Bianca was Xavier''s wife and Xavier was more like a brother to Leia than her lover, then Leia would respect Bianca''s identity as something like a sister-inw.'' Leia''s fans defended their idol. "Why is Leia attracting so much negative attention when she''s only newly popr? Look at the hate she''s getting! See? There''s photo evidence that Xavier and Leia are like brother and sister. Their rtionship isn''t as shady as you think!" Bianca did not care how the media spun the stories. She did not want to care. There was no other way other than to pretend that she did not see it and only focus on her work. However, she could not help but wonder if a certain man might be going crazy once again when he saw Xavier and her making the headlines once more... She could not be at ease. Bianca could not get through to "that man," and she had to call Jason. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. It was still early in the morning. Jason had made a few calls to several media outlets. His boss was unhappy when he saw the headlines highlighting Bianca''s status as Xavier''s wife. In between calls, his phone rang. He nced at his boss, who had morphed into a workaholic after returning to A City, then said, "Mr. Crawford, there is a call from Ms. Rayne." Luke''s phone was turned off, and that was why Bianca could only call Jason. Luke nodded, and Jason answered the call. Jason ced his phone on the table and turned on the speaker. Bianca asked many questions, and Jason answered them. Finally, Bianca said. "Thanks so much, Mr. Doyle. I''m afraid that he has a bad temper and he would throw a tantrum on the children..." ¡¯..." The "bad-tempered man" remained silent. Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Getting Mommy to Come Home Jason was suddenly silent. While Bianca took out the tes and cutlery from the cupboard, she asked, "Is everything OK, Mr. Doyle? Can you hear me?" One minute passed, then two minutes... Jason did not make a sound... The other colleagues had all woken up. Several people were doing chores in the courtyard. Joe was watering the nts and was rambling on, "I saw from the weather report that it''ll be turning cold from Wednesday on. These pots need to be brought indoors. Is anyone willing to take two? Otherwise, I''ll be bringing them all into my room." It was noisy outside. Bianca could not hear any sound from the other end of the phone. On the third minute, Bianca decided that she would end the call. Perhaps the reception was bad, or perhaps Jason was busy with work. Suddenly, Jason spoke. He sounded especially clear. "I''m sorry, Ms. Rayne. The reception was bad earlier," Jason exined. "It''s fine. I thought that was the case. I was about to hang up." Bianca handed the tes and cutlery to another colleague. The female colleague brought the tes and cutlery away to themunal table. "What did you say earlier, Ms. Rayne? I didn''t hear it." Jason had heard it clearly, but he deliberately asked another time. Bianca was very worried that the children''s father was passively abusing them. She repeated, "I said... I''m afraid that he has a bad temper and might throw a tantrum on the children." Jason wondered why Bianca was so concerned about the boss''s children. Of course, that was a private matter between his boss and his woman. He was only an assistant, and he was only doing what his boss told him. "Let me be honest, Ms. Rayne. I really don''t know whether Mr. Crawford threw a tantrum on the children after we got back to A City, but I''ve heard..." Jason suddenly paused. "What did you hear?" Bianca¡¯s heart jumped to her throat. Jason continued, "Boss received a dinner invitation after he got back yesterday. He left the two children in the apartment, and no one was around to take care of them. At dinner time, Lanie brought his sister down with some money to buy something to eat. The security guard outside the neighborhood saw them but did not stop them. Ever since they left the apartment, we didn''t hear any news of them..." "What?" Bianca''s voice wavered. How could they have no news of the children? Jason continued to exin, "I''ve only heard about it this morning. Boss drank a little too muchst night, and we haven''t managed to contact him at the hotel." Suddenly, Jason heard the busy tone over the phone. Bianca rushed back to A City as soon as he could. She did not exin much except for telling the team leader Joe, "Sorry, there''s a family emergency. I have to go back." Joe nodded hastily. He could not possibly ask someone with a family emergency to stay behind. She kept on dialing Luke''s number as she took the high-speed train back to A City. The phone was turned off. On the other side of the city. The leaves in front of the mansion had turned golden yellow and red. It was a spectacr sight. The three cars that drove in from afar were of the same model. The car in the middle was slightly different. The person sitting within it was Jack Norman, who was returning from the Capital. When Queenie received the phone call, she went downstairs with her daughter. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Leia stepped forward and took the briefcase from her father''s hands. "The weather is getting colder, Dad. Is it cold in the Capital? You ought to take care of your health when you''re away." Jack nodded. "Have you two had breakfast?" "We''re waiting for you since we know that you''reing home," Queenie spoke while handing her husband¡¯s jacket to the caretaker. The caretaker went away and hung the jacket on the rack. Another caretaker had prepared steaming hot porridge for everyone. When Jack was home, a newspaper was prepared alongside breakfast. Every male in the Norman family had the habit of reading the paper while having breakfast. Leia noticed that her father was tired. She stood up from the table. "I''m full. You can continue without me." "You''re not eating enough. Don''t starve yourself. Take care of your health." Queenie was worried that her daughter did not want to gain weight. "I was too hungry before Dad came back, so I ate a bun in the kitchen," Leia pouted and said sheepishly. "Naughty girl," Queenie said. "Shall I read the paper for you, Dad?" Leia took the newspaper. "You should be done with breakfast by the time I''m done reading. You can rest early." Queenie appreciated her daughter''s kind act of concern. Leia started reading from the paper. After being adopted by the Norman family for many years, she knew the type of news that Jack liked. Jack''s expression would visibly lighten when he heard news headlines that interested him. Eventually, Leia reached the finance section. Leia knew that there was financial news about Luke in the papers today. She had read the papers when they were delivered earlier. That was why she decided to read the papers to Jack that day. "With the small town''s development near at hand, property prices in the eastern suburbs of A City have been at an all-time high. This development strategy indirectly benefits the economy of A City." Leia left that paragraph to thest so that she could hear her parents discuss it. There was also a ck-and-white photo appended to the news. It was a serious scene of the opening ceremony. Luke was dressed in a business suit and leather shoes. He stood in the middle of a group of town administrators and politicians. With his mature and dependable temperament, he was the most outstanding in the group. Leia was engrossed looking at the photo. Her slender fingers ran over the man''s well-built body. "What''s wrong, Leia?" Queenie noticed that her daughter stayed on the finance section a little too long while running her fingers over the page. Queenie was once a young woman. She understood what her daughter was thinking. "It''s nothing... I''m done with the papers. I''ll be upstairs revising my script." Leia guessed that her mother knew what she was thinking. She put the newspaper away and ran away blushing. Jack was a typical chauvinist who did not know what women were thinking. He looked at his wife confusedly when he saw his daughter run away suddenly. Queenie sighed. "Our daughter has feelings for Allison Tanner''s son." Jack understood immediately. He took the newspaper and nced at it. ¡¯ That''ll be easy. I''ll go and pull some strings. Looks like our daughter has good taste," he said satisfactorily. Back at A City, Bianca first got the apartment key from Jason. On the way back to the apartment, she remembered what Jason told her." Frankly speaking, I don''t have anything negative to say about how Mr. Crawford handles his business or everything else, but I don''t think that he''s suitable to raise children." She inserted the key into the apartment door, thinking if she should look for any hints that the children left behind, perhaps a written note. Once she opened the door and stepped into the house, she saw the man who was supposed to be drunkenly asleep in the hotel lying on the sofa with a deep frown on his face. He seemed to be asleep. He was hugging Rainie in his arms tightly, and she was drooling. Meanwhile, Lanie was sprawled like an octopus on the other half of the couch... Chapter 217 Chapter 217 Mr. Crawford Continues to Hoodwink Bianca... Bianca put the keys away, changed into slippers, tiptoed into the bedroom, and found two nkets. She draped one over Lanie''s body and the other over Rainie, who was sleeping soundly on Daddy''s tummy... Bianca was about to walk away when the man on the couch suddenly opened his bloodshot eyes. His eyes looked tired under the angr brow ridge. Blood vessels could be seen at the corners of his eyes. On other days, she would tell her not to work so hard and rest more, out of concern as his employee or as the father of her children. However, Bianca was speechless. Every word that Jason said over the phone lingered in Bianca¡¯s mind. "Boss received a dinner invitation after he got back yesterday. He left the two children in the apartment, and no one was around to take care of them "Boss drank a little too muchst night, and we haven''t managed to contact him at the hotel..." Luke was wholly unqualified as a single parent. After Luke woke up, Rainie also woke up. After Rainie woke up, Lanie woke up too. Lanie rubbed his eyes. When he saw that Rainie was there, he hugged her thigh and said pitifully, "Why are you here, Miss Bea?" His voice sounded very nasal, perhaps because he had just woken up. When Bianca heard that, tears welled up in her eyes. She crouched down and touched her son''s face. "Where did you bring your sister yesterday? You know that we''re all worried about you, right?¡± ¡®Yesterday, Daddy, Rainie, and I were napping in the house. In the morning, Daddy went to the grocery store and tried to cook breakfast. Even though Daddy looked gloomy and his fried eggs were inedible, Rainie and I are very happy that he''s willing to learn,'' Lanie thought. However, when Daddy came back home, busy from work, he told Lanie and Rainie in a stern tone that they needed to tell a lie if they wanted Miss Bea to be their mother and live with them forever. They needed to make Daddy the bad guy. Then, they would wait with Daddy for Miss Bea. She would definitelye. As they waited, Lanie and Rainie fell asleep. "I''m sorry, Miss Bea. I won''t do it again," Lanie apologized. He sounded repentant, and he buried his face in Bianca''sp. Bianca hugged the little boy, touched his cheek, and kissed his head." Please don''t do that next time... Tell me, where did you and Rainie gost night? Were you scared? How did you get home?" The barrage of questions confused Lanie, who was not prepared to answer any of them. He turned and looked at his father with his puppy eyes. Luke went to the bathroom. While he washed his face, he said with a hoarse voice, "The kid found shelter in a KFC for the night. My phone was off, and there was no one in the manor." Perhaps the kids had called the manor, but no one picked up. Even if they took a cab there, the door would be locked. However, both Luke and Jason had the key to the apartment. "Why didn''t you go and look for Daddy or Uncle Doyle?" Bianca asked doubtfully. Lanie pressed his lips together, worried that Bianca would think that he was stupid... ¡¯Stupid daddy! Do you expect me to make up so many excuses?'' "I... I don''t have money to take a cab, and I''m afraid that we found a baddie driver who might kidnap us..." Rainie''s expression evoked more pity. She looked like she had just woken up and about to cry. Afterforting the little boy, Bianca went tofort the little girl. When they were more at ease, Bianca kissed them and said, "You must be so tiredst night. Go to the bedroom and sleep." The two little ones were not sleepy at all, though they had to keep up with the lie. They pretended that they were tired and snuggled into the nket... Bianca saw the two children close their eyes, and left the bedroom, and closed the door. Once outside, she looked around for Luke. He was not in the living room or the bathroom. She finally found him standing at the balcony smoking. His broad shoulders once made Bianca feel safe, but now she did not trust him as much. She stepped into the balcony. "If you don''t have the time to take care of the kids, I''d like to help," she said without any consideration for the consequences. No mother in this world would want to hear the news that their children were starving or lost. "I''ve never taken away your right to take care of them." Luke snuffed the cigarette in the ashtray and turned around to speak to her. The balcony was cramped. Bianca looked at the tall and well-built man in front of her and did not know what he was thinking. Luke looked like a noble gentleman no matter the time or asion, but an individual who had lived a simple life could not imagine howplicated his life could be. Bianca remembered that Jason had said that someone had invited Luke to dinner. She could not help but wonder how important the dinner could be for a father to leave his children alone for the entire night. She was indignant that Luke did not know how to take care of the children, but she thought that she did not have the right to reprimand him. Luke looked at her and asked her a question she could not answer. ''''Given your current condition, how are you going to take care of the children?" "I..." Bianca was at a loss. She looked at Luke with frustration. She stood there for a long time until Luke walked away and left her on the balcony... Lanie and Rainie were only five years old. They would not know how to take care of themselves. Old Master Crawford was elderly, and he was in the hospital. The caretakers in Crawford Manor could not be wholly depended upon as they had other tasks to do. The only suitable candidate was their grandmother Allison. Allison was not too elderly, and she was capable of taking care of her grandchildren. However, she was not relieved when she was reminded of Allison''s antics. The two young children could only depend on their single father. Bianca remembered what Jason said aboutst night and felt sorrier than ever. She went to the bathroom and spoke to the man who was shaving. "I can travel between the small town and A City. The trains are convenient, but I wouldn''t be able to fetch them to and from school." Luke did not stop shaving. Bianca could not tell what Luke was thinking from his reflection in the mirror. Soon, the smell of aftershave permeated the bathroom. He turned around and looked at Bianca''s nervous face. "I agree with whatever your decision might be, but my mother might not." Bianca nearly forgot how troublesome Allison could be... Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Luke seemed to have thought of how to solve that problem. "So, well go to do a DNA test in the afternoon." No one could stop a mother from reuniting with their children... Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Her Face Blushed Instantly Bianca was flustered when Luke suddenly mentioned that they were going to do a DNA test. What if Luke was mistaken? What if Lanie and Rainie were not her children? Suddenly, Bianca¡¯s heart was ovee by worry and apprehension. Her desire to be the children''s mother was too strong, which was why she was afraid of losing it all. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Even if the probability that she would lose the children might be 0.01%, the pain felt as though she had a knife stuck to her throat. Bianca did not ask Luke the exact time they should go to do the DNA test. She wanted to run away. After deciding on the DNA test, they did not have any other topics of conversation and looked at each other silently. They were alone in a room, which made it easy for the atmosphere to be intimate. ''I''ll go and contact the colleagues in the small town." Bianca found an excuse to move to the living room. However, her delicate wrist was immediately grabbed by the man''s strong hand. He pulled her back, and she mmed into a wall of solid muscle. She looked up, and her thick and luscious eyelids trembled. Luke could see a hint of tenderness in those big, watery, and animated eyes. He almost could not restrain his urges. Bianca dared not look at him eye to eye. She could see the man''s Adam''s apple moving up and down, and his masculine presence caused her to blush. He brought his lips to hers. Her heart started thumping wildly, and her breathing became irregr... While they kissed, she was so nervous that she almost bit her lip. Luke was not going to let go of her so easily. When he paused to take a breath, he whispered into her ear, "You''re a little awkward today. It''s not the first time we''re doing this." Bianca''s face turned red. She summoned courage from somewhere, shoved Luke away, then rushed out of the room while covering her blushing cheeks. When she left for A City, Bianca brought her workptop with her in case she needed to do some work while away from the small town. Currently, she was working seriously,municating with her colleagues in the small town. At half-past eleven, Lanie and Rainie got out of the bedroom. "We can''t sleep anymore, Miss Bea," they said while rubbing their eyes. They looked around and did not see the other adult. Lanie and Rainie hopped behind Bianca and rested their meaty arms on her back. Lanie looked at theplicated design on theptop screen and asked, ¡¯ Where''s Daddy?" Luke was currently in the study. While Bianca worked, she heard him make two phone calls, though she could not discern what he was talking about. The door to the study was closed, and not much noise came out. "Miss Bea, I''m hungry..." Rainie snuggled into Bianca''sp, mbered up her body, and hugged her neck. "What do you want to eat?'' Bianca hugged the little girl, and a smile bloomed on her face. She gently kissed Rainie''s forehead. When Luke came out of the study, he saw that moving scene in the living room... Bianca yed with Rainie for a while. She panted, feeling a little exhausted, but she noticed with the corner of her eye the man standing there. Her arms froze in ce. She turned to look at the man. ''Let''s eat out. I''ve already made an appointment with theb." After speaking to Bianca, Luke turned to speak to the children, "Go and change your clothes. Don''t be so clingy." The two adults and two children left the apartment. Bianca walked behind. The two children walked next to her. Luke''s legs were the longest and therefore walked the fastest. Soon, he drove the car out of the parking lot and opened the doors to let Bianca and the two children in. The receptionist of the high-ss apartment saw the scene and thought that it was a happy family. Unfortunately, she could not use her phone while at work. Otherwise, she would have taken a photo and uploaded it to Instagram. After all, that was the CEO of T Corporation! As the car drove toward the restaurant, Bianca was so nervous about the test results that she did not speak. The female restaurant owner greeted them at the entrance. She wanted to see who Bianca was. For someone like Luke, the DNA test had to be done in absolute secrecy. They could not afford to make any mistakes. Many people in the elite society knew that Luke had a pair of twin children at a young age. Everyone was curious about who the birth mother was, but no one had managed to find out. Someone guessed that he must have employed a surrogate mother. Even so, who could the mother be? Sitting in her seat, Bianca felt ufortable when she noticed that the restaurant owner was sizing her up. "I''ve heard from Luke that your name is Bianca? What do you like to eat? Do you have any preferences?" When the female restaurant owner asked that, her eyes were transfixed on Bianca''s face. She thought that her young and fair face looked somewhat familiar. Her gaze made Bianca anxious. "Yes, I am Bianca Rayne, and you can call me Bianca. I don''t have any preferences,'' she replied courteously. "Then... I''ll prepare several signature dishes for you," the restaurant owner replied gently. "Thank you." After the restaurant owner left, Luke exined, "Aunt Neile is friends with my mother and aunt. They''re ssmates in elementary and middle school.'' Bianca became even more nervous. "Then wouldn''t she tell..." Luke interjected, "She won''t. She stopped being friends with my mother when they were younger, but I don''t know why." ''Stopped being friends...'' Bianca thought that Aunt Neile was somewhat adorable. When the person came to take their DNA, Bianca''s heart was at her throat. She was a woman who was holding a briefcase. Before she opened it, she shook hands with Luke and Bianca. Then, she lowered her gaze and saw that Lanie and Rainie were extending their palms toward her. "Nice to meet you,'' she shook hands with the children. "Nice to meet you, Miss!" The two children said in unison. Taking the samples was easier than Bianca thought. It took less than ten minutes. After the person left, Lanie asked, "Daddy, why did thedy take our hair?" "She wants to see if you''re a smart boy." Luke made up an excuse. Then, he handed a te of cut steak in front of Bianca. Bianca looked awkwardly at the steak that had been cut into neat slices... Downstairs, in the kitchen. The female restaurant owner crossed her arms and wracked her brain, wondering why did that young woman upstairs look so familiar. ''I know she looks like someone... ''She looks like... a younger Queenie Zeigler, I think?'' Chapter 219 Chapter 219 He Wants Her to Make That Important Life Decision After the waiters served all the dishes, they left the private restaurant room. The restaurant¡¯s service was personalized. The owner did not believe that the customer was always right, and it was up to her if she wanted to serve those that came through the doors. Her customers were either regrs or those whose personalities and mannerisms were to the owner''s satisfaction. Of course, they had to be able to afford the food there too. Anyone rude or boorish would not be able to taste the spectacr food of that restaurant. Shakira Neile, the owner, had a temperamental character. She had offended many people in her career, especially the nouveau riche who had money but no manners. She could afford to offend those people. Her husband and son were influential VIPs. Bianca took a few bites and turned to feed Rainie, who was clinging onto her and causing her heart to melt out of tenderness. Even if Rainie threw a tantrum and did not want to eat the delicious food served on the table, she would ditch Luke and Lanie so that she could go home and cook for her. "You should eat this too, Miss Bea. It''s sweet!" Rainie mumbled as she chewed the food in her mouth and stared at Bianca with her big eyes. Bianca smiled. With her fingers, she wiped away some sauce on one corner of Rainie''s mouth. The female restaurant owner came into the room once more. Luke was taken aback. It was not appropriate for outsiders to step into the room when the family was having a meal. Shakira coughed gently. She knew that it was abrupt for her to intrude upon the family''s mealtime, and it was not her usual style to impose her seniority upon others. However, she could not hold back her curiosity when Bianca''s face reminded her of a younger Queenie! Shakira pulled a chair, sat down casually, and looked at Bianca. "How is the food, Bianca? Does it suit your tastes?" She asked. "It''s delicious. I can see why you''re so famous." Earlier, Luke had brought her up to speed about why it was so difficult for a typical person to eat at that restaurant. Shakira nodded satisfactorily. She paused for a bit and asked the question she had been dying to ask, "I''m curious, Bianca, how old are you?" "I''ll be turning twenty-four this year," Bianca answered truthfully, though she did not know why the middle-aged woman asked her that. There was no reason to keep her age a secret. "Twenty-four..." Shakira mumbled, seemingly lost in thought. ''Was it twenty-four years ago when Queenie bore her first child?'' Shakira was not sure because it had been too long ago. However, that child did not survive. That was the lowest point in Queenie and Jack''s lives. Shakira was Queenie''s ssmate and best friend, but she never asked Queenie how they lost the child. After that, Queenie never bore a child. Jack came from an illustrious family with a political background. The elders could not tolerate not having an heir. Shakira did not know how the matter was eventually resolved. However, she heardter that Jack admitted to his parents that he had be infertile. Theck of a child had nothing to do with his wife. Shakira had been ssmates with Queenie since elementary school. She knew about Queenie''s pregnancy. On the day that Queenie found out that she was pregnant, they even went to the hospital together to confirm it. When Jack found out that his fiancee was pregnant, he started making preparations for the wedding, even moving forward the wedding day that the family had decided for him. After the marriage, Queenie and Jack left for overseas. After that, her child was gone. She dared not ask if the child was stillborn or miscarried. Queenie had never been pregnant after that. When she looked at Bianca''s face, Shakira could not help but wonder if Queenie had given birth to the child, but the child was abducted. ''Is Bianca Queenie''s child?'' N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. While thinking about the matter in the kitchen, Shakira did not believe that there would be such a coincidence. However, she remembered a news report she saw on TV a few days ago -- A young man identally found out that he was very fond of spicy food, but his parents were from the north of the country and had never eaten spicy food. On a whim, he decided to investigate his background and found out that he was adopted... If there could be such a coincidence, then there was a slim chance that Bianca might be Queenie''s child. Shakira thought that she would not be able to sleep if she did not ask the question. Queenie was her best friend and confidant. She could not bear to see Queenie suffer. Perhaps Queenie''s life would beplete if she could be reunited with her birth daughter. "Aunt Neile?" Luke could not help but open his mouth when he saw the scene. "Ah?" Shakira came to her senses. She paused for a while and smiled sheepishly. "You should know how critical your mother can be, Luke. Even if Bianca is the two children''s birth mother, I don''t suppose your mother can look at them with her diamond-encrusted eyes." The people in the room, including Luke, Bianca, and even the two children knew Allison''s personality very well. However, Allison was never an obstacle between Luke and Bianca. If Bianca wanted it, no one else could sway Luke''s decision to im her as his woman. Shakira looked at Bianca again. "Pardon me, Bianca. I''m not saying that you''re not a match for Luke, but Luke''s mother isn''t someone you can afford to cross. I thought that you might be too nice, and that''s why Allison Tanner might not be fond of you. Can I ask you another thing, Bianca? What do your parents do?" That was the real question that Shakira wanted to ask. She had to preface with another question so that she did not seem too intrusive. At that moment, what Shakira hoped that Bianca would say was, "I''m an orphan. I don''t know who my parents are." If that were the case, there would be a possibility that Bianca was Queenie''s birth daughter. The chance might be extremely slim, but there was hope nheless. Luke looked at Bianca, concerned that Bianca might feel awkward. He was about to make up an excuse when Bianca replied, "My father is a menial worker. As for my mother, I''ve never seen her before..." Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Do You Want to Be My Daddy''s Wife, Miss Bea? Luke looked at Bianca and tried to discern her feelings. When Luke was a child, he did not have his father and mother by his side. However, he knew that his mother was the one who sent him to an orphanage. In those few years living in the orphanage, his mother had visited him a few times. Back then, he had several questions. ¡¯Who is my father? ¡¯Why does my father nevere to see me? ¡¯Does my father want me?¡¯ Luke knew how it felt to be abandoned, and that was why he wanted to shower all his love and care on Bianca. However, he knew that he could never match the love and care given by one''s parents. Bianca had never met her mother. Like Rainie sitting next to her and Lanie sitting opposite her, they had always eagerly hoped that their mother would appear in their lives and love them. Unfortunately, Bianca''s mother never appeared, even until the day she became a mother herself... Lanie was sitting next to his father and eating his meal like a gentleman. At that moment, he lifted his head to look solemnly at Miss Bea sitting opposite him. That was when he found out that Miss Bea did not have a mother either, just like him and Rainie. Shakira pressed her lips and said nothing. She was processing Bianca''s answer. Her heart had been in her throat after asking that question. She hoped that her questions had not been a waste of everyone''s time. Unfortunately, she realized that she had been too sensitive and that she had perhaps gone overboard in an attempt to help her best friend find her child! However, Bianca said that she had never met her mother... When Shakira heard that, she could not tell if she was excited or relieved. "Why haven''t you met your mother?" Shakira followed up with another question and stared unblinkingly at Bianca. Bianca was feeding Rainie another spoonful of food. Her hand froze when she heard that question, and she wondered why Aunt Neile was asking her about personal matters. "I''ve never known you to be a gossip, Aunt Neile," Luke interjected appropriately and stopped Shakira''s interrogation. No one would appreciate a stranger dredging their painful pasts, including Bianca, who was grateful for Luke¡¯s interjection. However, Shakira did not seem as though she was giving up. She looked at Luke with a concerned expression and said, "You should know that I¡¯m not on speaking terms with your mother anymore. Now that I''ve met an enemy of my enemy, you can see why I''m so fond of her." The "enemy¡± was, of course, Allison Tanner. The "enemy of an enemy" naturally referred to Bianca, whom Allison disliked. Bianca fed Rainie some lightly sauteed but incredibly vorful broli and said, "Here, take another bite.'' Rainie lifted her head and looked at Bianca while she chewed on the broli. Her eyes were brimming with concern toward her Miss Bea. She wanted tofort Bianca, but too many people were around... On the other hand, Bianca thought that Shakira knew Allison very well. Not only did Allison dislike her, but one could also say that she hated her. "Enemy" was an appropriate description. "Don''t be a stranger, Bianca. You shoulde here more often. I''ll cook for you whatever you want to eat. Also, if Allison Tanner bullies you, you can let me know, and I''ll stand up for you." As Shakira spoke, she subconsciously reached out and held Bianca''s hand. Bianca lowered her head and dazedly watched Shakira pat the back of her hand... Now that Luke had spoken, Shakira knew that she should not stay in the room for too long. However, knowing the fact that Bianca had never met her mother before was immensely useful to her... "Enjoy your meal then. I won''t disturb you. Look at how sullen you are, Luke, as though I''m snatching your wife," Shakira teased, then got up and went out of the room. "Wife?" Lanie was stunned. His big and round eyes darted between Luke and Bianca. "Miss Bea, are you going to marry my Daddy?" He said, though his face was blushing. Rainie also turned to look at Bianca with anticipation. Bianca hugged Rainie closer, in case she fell down. "I want you to be my Mommy, Miss Bea. We can be a family with Daddy and Lanie..." Rainie said. Meanwhile, the serious man, who was eating his lunch, lifted his head and looked at Bianca when he heard the question. His gaze was profoundly intense. Bianca''s grip on Rainie''s hand subconsciously became tighter. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. She wanted to live together with Lanie and Rainie. She hoped that she could personally take care of Lanie and Rainie, and perhaps even make up for lost time... At that time, a ck Mercedes Benz drove away from the restaurant. Luke''s profound gaze reflexively looked at the direction of the sound. He saw Shakira''s car driving away. On a certain street in A City. Shakira sat in the ck Mercedes Benz, wearing a tan-colored coat. She took out her phone from the ck brand-name handbag next to her and dialed a number. The name "Leia Norman" appeared on her screen. Leia was on an outdoor set shooting a film. She was stepping out of her RV parked next to a forest path. "Hello, Aunt Neile. Is there anything?" She picked up the call and asked. Shakira was happy for Queenie when she heard Leia''s sweet voice. Even though Queenie had lost her birth daughter, she was fortunate to have a kind and caring adopted daughter. "It''s like this. I want to ask a few things about your mother''s past and maybe a favor, but I don''t think it''s convenient to talk over the phone. Are you free for a short meeting?" Leia stopped walking, and so did Marie behind her. "I''ll share my location, Aunt Neile. You can get the driver to drive over. I''ll be here shooting a film this afternoon, and I can''t leave." "Alright. Send it over." Shakira ended the call after she said that. The production crew was setting up the film set in the forest. As Leia shared her location with Shakira, she could not help but wonder why her Aunt Neile looked for her. ''What does she want to know about Mom?'' It would be another hour before Shakira arrived. Leia took off her coat, then went toward the film set surrounded by make-up artists and production assistants. Marie looked at the camera and felt incredibly excited. She wondered when Leia would introduce her to the who''s who into the industry. As she held the coat that Leia passed to her, she considered that Leia would be shooting for a very long time. Even though Marie was a nobody, she was not going to stand there and wait in the cold. Chapter 221 Chapter 221 First Time Calling Bianca "Mommy* Assaulted by the cold wind, Marie felt that her face was bing stiff and her limbs were bing icicles. She turned around and saw the RV parked in the distance. After that morning, she was familiar with the RV driver. She brought the coat with her, went to the RV, and asked the driver to open the door. She could not stand the cold anymore. The driver recognized Marie. He thought that she was Leia''s new assistant or something. He opened the door to the trailer. Marie sat inside, rubbing her fingers, trying to warm herself up. Meanwhile, at the shoot, Leia was not concentrating. The director was nationally renowned, and his movies were widely acimed. He was a regr at award ceremonies. Countless actresses wanted to star in his movies but there were not many that could impress him. The director put Leia Norman in the starring role out of desperation. One of his biggest funders had withdrawn their financial support, and production of the movie was stalled. Just when he was running out of options, someone approached him with an investment, though one of their conditions was that Leia Norman had to star in the movie. Caught between the allure of the investment and being forced to change the female lead, the director agonized over the decision for two months. Finally, to realize his dream of bringing his script to the screen, he bowed to money. Leia''s debut was in a domestic movie that received generally favorable reviews. The director knew that Leia had an elevated social status and had a politician as a father. However, he was not worried about that. Instead, he thought that if he could obtain the investment and at the same time polish Leia''s acting skills, that would be a win-win situation. There were no hitches in her previous two shoots, but somehow she could not get it right today after many takes. "Cut!" The director roared angrily once more! Leia was not in a good mood either. The male lead was a handsome middle-aged man in his forties. He kept a low profile in the entertainment industry, though all the movies he acted in were critically acimed, and he had gone up the awards stage many times. None of the female leads in his previous movies was like Leia, an empty beautiful shell without any substance. The male lead wiped his face annoyedly and went aside to take a break. Leia saw that the male lead''s agent cast a disdainful gaze at her. "You should rest for a while, Leia." Her assistant walked up to her and handed her a ss of lemon- infused water. Leia took a sip of the warm water, but she was still cold. Her bad mood was intensified when she did not see Marie, who was tasked with holding her coat. "Where''s my coat?'' Leia asked her assistant. Her assistant hastily asked the other people to look for Marie. "It''s fine. I¡¯ll check on her." Leia was looking for an outlet to vent her anger. When the driver opened the door to the RV trailer, Leia saw Marie slumped inside thefortable high- ss room. She had already fallen asleep! Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. She was even using the coat as a pillow! "Well..." The two female assistants did not expect the new hire Marie to be so daring... Leia shook her head. "She¡¯s new, and she probably doesn''t know anything. I ought to be more patient with her." The two female assistants understood that Leia had always been kind toward her assistants. Another female star would have thrown a tantrum on the spot. Leia went inside. The assistants closed the door so that Leia could rest. The trailer was tall and spacious. The driver''s cabin was separated from the trailer, and so the driver would not be able to hear what was going inside the trailer. Only Leia and Marie were in the cavernous trailer. Marie was fast asleep with no signs of waking up. With a long face, Leia walked over, raised her leg, and brought her foot down on Marie''s hand on the couch... "Ah!" Marie was awoken by the pain. She immediately pulled her hand back. She rubbed her hand that was in pain. About ten secondster, she came to her senses and realized that it was Leia Norman who had stepped on her hand! She lifted her head and saw that Leia had meant to do that! "Don''t you know that it''s the fall now? Once I''ve finished a scene, you need to immediately drape my coat on me. Are you an idiot?" Leia was yelling hysterically. She was venting all her grievances on Marie. Marie gasped for air and held back the urge of pping Leia. "I''m sorry. I was too cold outside, and that''s why I came in. I didn''t expect myself to fall asleep..." She apologized. "Too cold?" Leia nced at Marie''s clothes and grinned sarcastically. "Yet you bare your legs in the fall! Tell me, are you trying to flirt with someone? Look at yourself in the mirror! Do you think you can achieve anything with your attitude?" 1 Marie''s facial expression changed several times. She would still be subject to Leia''s verbal abuse if not for Shakira''s car arriving on time. Marie knew to remove herself from the scene when Leia helped Shakira into the trailer. She hid behind arge tree and lit a cigarette. She was cursing Leia to hell in her heart! In the trailer. After Shakira exined her reason foring, she asked, "Aunt Neile, why are you suddenly asking about my mother?" ''I know that you''re the apple of your mother''s eye, and you''re trying your best to look for treatments for your father''s infertility so that your parents can have a child of their own. I want to tell you that... there''s a possibility that I''ve found the child that your mom lost!" "There''s a possibility?" Leia thought that she had misheard. ''I can''t guarantee anything yet. I''m still trying to warm up to the individual, and I didn''t want to tell your mother in case the oue disappoints her. That''s why I''m asking you for help. Could you find out how your mother lost her child back then?" Shakira said. Leia was stunned for a moment, though she resumed her smile soon. ¡° That''s great! Dad and Mom will be very happy if they could be reunited with their birth daughter..." "I shouldn''t disturb you for too long," Shakira said and prepared to leave. Leia helped Shakira out of the car. "Goodbye, Aunt Neile. I''ll let you know if I find out anything." However, Leia''s mood had plunged into the dark abyss. After Shakira left, her expression became equally dark! ''Reuniting with her birth daughter? What a joke!'' Meanwhile, Luke drove his car while Bianca and the two children sat in the back seat. "I have something to tell you, Miss Bea..." Rainie leaned onto Bianca and kneaded on Bianca''s shirt button with her meaty hands. She pursed her lips and did not lift her head. Bianca looked down and pressed her forehead onto Rainie. "You can tell me whatever you want. You don''t have to be shy..." "Mommy," Rainie called out timidly. Chapter 222 Chapter 222 Luke Might See It... That was the first time Bianca was called "Mommy." For the typical person, that word was as normal as it could get. In fact, those were usually the first words of a newborn baby. However, to Bianca, those words were an unfamiliar luxury. It was unfamiliar to her because ever since she knew how to speak, she had no one to call "Mommy." In her twenty-four years of her life, she did not have the opportunity to call anyone that name. She was pregnant at eighteen years old but was separated from her children at neen. In the period she was studying overseas, she encountered many young mothers. Some of them were single, and some of them were clinging on to their equally young husbands'' arms. However, they had their young children next to them, calling them "Mommy" in a differentnguage. Whenever Bianca saw that as she wandered on the streets, she would think of her children. She wondered if they have the chance to call someone their "Mommy" like the other children. Perhaps they would share a different fate than her. No matter the season or asion, she would be walking forlornly on those foreign roads by herself. She would wonder where her children were and what they were doing, and if they would miss their Mommy, just as she had missed her mother when she was a child. 1 When her father fell sick, and she had to bow to the harsh realities of life, she eventually forgot that sentiment. If that was how life would treat her, she did not have the luxury to fantasize about the love from a mother or any familial rtions. After all, she had failed as a mother. Bianca was flustered when Rainie called her "Mommy." She pressed her lips together and held the little girl tightly in her arms. The interior of the car fell silent. No one made a sound. Through the rearview mirror, Luke looked at her daughter clinging onto Bianca. Now that Rainie had called Bianca "Mommy," he felt as though he could be a proper father too. Perhaps he was sharing Bianca''s pride as a parent. Tears welled up in Bianca''s eyes. Her eyes turned red. "What''s wrong, Miss Bea? Are you unhappy that I called you Mommy?" Rainie looked at Bianca with her crystal-clear eyes and blinked innocently. The more Bianca looked at Rainie, the more she thought that the little girl looked like her. "No, I love it a lot." Bianca looked nkly at the little girl in her arms. She felt like Rainie had once been part of her. Rainie did not know why Miss Bea was crying. When her plump little hand touched Bianca''s face, Bianca''s phone started ringing. "Return to your seat, Rainie." Luke did not smile much. When he said those words, it sounded like a sternmand. Rainie obediently did what she was told. "Aunt Wanda," Bianca answered the call from her aunt. "Are you in the small town? I''ll be transferring you a sum of moneyter in the afternoon," Wanda said. "I''m in A City," Bianca said truthfully. ¡°You''re transferring so much money to me, Aunt Wanda, I..." "What''s wrong with your voice? You sound weird," Wanda interjected. "No, perhaps I caught a cold..." "Since you''re in A City, let''s meet. You can tell me if you have any concerns, ¡¯ Wanda said. At three o''clock in the afternoon, Bianca met with her aunt Wanda at a fifthfloor cafe in a shopping mall. Wanda was sitting on a brown cloth seat in the cafe, sipping on her coffee. ¡¯ I''ve never hidden anything from you, Bianca. I don''t have any children, my father is elderly, and my brother is sick. I''ve heard from your grandfather that my brother feared your stepmother and that she was not a kind person. Were you bullied?" Bianca did not wish to talk about the times when she had to rely on another. "She was alright, but it''s in the past anyway." ¡°Your aunt is perhaps the only rtion that you have with some mobility. Who else should I give my money to, if not to you?" Wanda said. Bianca still could not ept it. The woman sitting in front of her was not too old, and she was also beautiful and well-educated. Her previous marriage was a blissful one too. However, fate had yed a trick on that woman by bestowing her with an incurable disease. When they first met in the small town, Wanda had told Bianca about her disease and how long she had to live. That was when Bianca understood why her aunt Wanda had sent her grandfather back to the small town to live alone and disappeared without a trace. When Wanda found out about her disease, she had experienced unspeakable fear and suffering. "If you feel pressured by taking this sum of money, then I can give you an idea. You have a degree in design, right? You can take the money and start your own design studio. I have a few ssmates from college in the same industry. Perhaps I can hook you up with them," Wanda said helplessly. Bianca still could not ept it... "Treat it as though you''re working for me. It''s still better than working in your current job. Not only do you have to work overtime, but you also don''t have time to take care of your grandfather and father. If you work for someone else, how are you going to realize your dreams? Does yourpany appreciate what you do for them?" Wanda''s words hit a soft spot in Bianca''s heart. Every design student ventured into the field because of their passion, but not many people would have the opportunity to make it big. Without anyone to put them in the spotlight, all they could do was to realize someone else''s dreams. It was a thankless grind... Wanda thought that Bianca was stubborn. After coffee, Wanda took Bianca shopping in the mall. Bianca said that she was not short of beauty cream and other supplements. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Eventually, they wandered to a lingerie store. "Do you have a boyfriend?" When they arrived at the underwear section, Wanda turned around to ask her conservatively dressed niece. "I guess..." Bianca did not know how to exin herplicated situation to her aunt. ''What do you mean by that? Perhaps you have a crush, but you don''t know how to win his heart?" Wanda was concerned. Bianca did not reply. "You ought to unt your femininity. Look at the clothes you wear. I can guess that your underwear cant be sexy." Wanda picked out three sets of lingerie for Bianca. "This is made of real silk. It''ll fit the curves of your body very well... no man can resist these delicate, feminine items..." Bianca was blushing when her aunt said that. Those pieces of underwear were too skimpy and bold. She was worried that if she wore those, Luke might one day see it... 1 Chapter 223 Chapter 223 Why Are You Embarrassed So Easily? "No, Aunt Wanda, I don''t want those..." Bianca pushed those away while blushing fiercely. She thought that the lingerie her aunt had picked for her would bring her trouble. She held her head down, not even wanting to look at those items. Wanda could not understand what her niece was thinking. "You''re only twenty-four years old, Bianca. Not forty-four or fifty-four! If you don''t wear these now, don''t tell me that you¡¯d only wear them when you''re older? That won''t have any effect!" Wanda dragged Bianca to the fitting room. "No, Aunt Wanda, I can''t possibly... they''re too..." Not only was her aunt dragging her to the fitting room, but the sales clerk behind her was giving her countless reasons a young woman should buy sexy lingerie. Bianca knew very well that a young woman ought to know how to unt their curves, but the lingerie that her aunt had picked out was too embarrassing. Wanda knew how to enjoy her life to the fullest. She was destined to live a short life, but in the decade and a half since her twenties, she had never gone against the desires of her body and soul. In the fitting room, Wanda stripped off Bianca¡¯s conservative clothes while muttering, "Fortunately, I don''t have a daughter. I''d have a headache if she were as stubborn as you. No matter if you''re a man or a woman, you shouldn''t be ashamed of talking about sex, especially with the one you love. What''s there to be shy about? You only live once, so you ought to experience as many things as you can." ¡¯Please, Aunt Wanda..." Bianca hid in the fitting room, looking at the strips of cloth that barely qualified as clothing. Her face was so hot that one could fry an egg with it. Wanda looked seriously at her niece. "Listen to your aunt. A woman is like a blooming flower that needs tender loving care. You ought to ce your pleasure as your top priority, no matter if it''s carnal or spiritual. Why are you so easily embarrassed, Bianca?" Bianca did not want to try on the lingerie, much less buy them. "Stop resisting, Bianca. I''m not feeling well. If you identally shove me to the ground, I might pass out." Eventually, using both verbal persuasion and physical threat, Wanda managed to put on the lingerie onto Bianca''s body. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Bianca''s skin was dazzlingly fair. She was blushing intensely when Wanda did not go out of the fitting room but instead stayed there to watch her niece put on the lingerie. "Just wait here. I''ll go out and take a look." As Wanda spoke, she took Bianca''s student-like underwear and stepped out of the fitting room. "Where are you bringing my underwear, Aunt Wanda?" Bianca called out. However, it was toote. Wanda took Bianca''s underwear and tossed them into the garbage bin. She did not like how conservatively Bianca dressed. Bianca looked at herself in the full-body mirror in the fitting room. Her breathing was bing faster, and her heart was thumping hard. The design was too daring. "Here, try these on." When Wanda returned, she was holding a clean and sterilized set of lingerie that could be directly worn. "What''s that?" When Bianca took the lingerie, she felt that it was still warm, as though it had been toasted. Bianca had never gone to a high-ss lingerie store before. She took the lingerie and put it on. When she looked at herself in the mirror again, her face turned red like a cooked prawn. Her mouth went agape, and she shook her head. "This... doesn''t look like underwear." "What are you doing? Don''t take it off." Wanda smiled when she looked at how perfectly the lingerie had fit her niece''s curves. "This is beautiful. If I were your age, I''d buy a hundred sets and wear them every day. I''d even be charmed of myself." Bianca did not want to try any more lingerie. She was too embarrassed. Silk andce lingerie was her limit. She tried to ept those. However, the one that Aunt Wanda brought her, the set that she was trying her best to take off, was more like fetish wear. Bianca thought that she would never ept wearing something like that. "Aren''t you going to wear it? Your previous underwear made you look like a spinster. I''ve already thrown them into the bin," Wanda told her truthfully. "You''ve thrown them away?" Bianca understood suddenly that her aunt was forcing her to give in... "It''s fine. No one will see me under the thick clothes anyway." Bianca did not submit to her aunt''s will. Fortunately, it waste in the fall, and the weather was cold. She wore a hoodie with a cartoon print and a coat outside. Under those thickyers of clothes, no one would notice that she was not wearing any underwear. She would rather die than wear that sexy lingerie. Somehow, she felt embarrassed and guilty. Wanda did not continue to make her niece''s life difficult. When she took the lingerie out of the fitting room, Bianca was already standing outside the store. She went to the checkout counter to pay. "Deliver these to this address," Wanda said as she wrote Bianca''s address on a piece of paper. Meanwhile, in an opposite section of the mall, Marie stood in front of a rack of bras, looking at Bianca walk away and disappear from her sight. She took out her phone and sent Xavier a message. "Aren''t you here yet?" "I''m heading up the esctor. Where are you?" Xavier gave a call to her. After Leia stepped on Marie''s hand to release her anger, Leia''s other assistants continued to serve her. Meanwhile, Marie went to look for a clinic and got her bleeding fingers bandaged. After the treatment, she had the urge to go shopping. That was the way she could put up with Leia''s tantrums. Every dog would have its day. Who knows if Marie would be the one to step on Leia¡¯s hand in the future? Forty minutes ago, Marie saw Bianca having coffee in a cafe with a well- dressed woman. Marie knew that she was jealous of Bianca! That had been a fact for a long time! What did Bianca have to deserve Jean''s love? Marie did not think that she was any worse than Bianca in terms of her looks and body! Eventually, Jean dumped Bianca. Then, Xavier came into her life! Who was Xavier? He was the man whom Marie dreamed of. He was the man who provided Marie with everything! Unfortunately, that man was Bianca''s husband! If not for the news article, she did not know that Xavier and Bianca were married! How could Bianca be so lucky to captivate those men? Marie could not understand. Marie''s jealousy grew like weeds. She did not want to see Bianca live a happy and peaceful life. Instead, she wanted to see her suffer. That was why she gave Xavier a call. As far as she knew, Xavier and Bianca''s marriage was not a happy one. If that were the case, she wanted to see the marriage fail! After all, Bianca did not seem to care about that marriage! Chapter 224 Chapter 224What Embarrassing Things Did You Buy Marie walked to the esctor and met up with Xavier, who had hurried there. Xavier did not even nce at her. He looked around but did not find the person he was looking for. ''Where is she?" He asked Marie. At the same time he asked the question, he red at Marie with a stern gaze, as though saying, "You''re dead if you had lied to me!" ''She walked away, and I didn''t stop her. I thought I saw her buying some embarrassing things," Marie said. Embarrassing things? Xavier nced around the shopping mall. All the stores there sold lingerie, but could there be another store that sold something more explicit? As far as he knew, Bianca was not so open-minded. "You can go to the store and ask if you don''t believe me." Marie led the way to the store. At the high-ss lingerie store, Marie asked the sales clerk, "Can you tell me what the beautifuldy bought earlier?" The sales clerk replied with a smile. "Several sets of lingerie." Then again, the store sold lingerie exclusively. There was nothing to hide. "Can you show me the designs? I''m interested in buying them for myself," Marie continued. The sales clerk led Marie to the disy. Xavier saw the sales clerk introduce the three sets of lingerie to Marie. The first two sets were already alluring enough. The third set was the most ridiculous. It was made out of sheer ck cloth Marie ran her fingers across the third set of lingerie and said embarrassedly, "Is... this even lingerie?" ''This is the best-selling design in the current season," the sales clerk said. She did not read entertainment news, and that was why she did not recognize Xavier. She smiled at Marie and continued, "The material is soft and thin, yet it can protect your skin. You can feel it with your hands. Most importantly, most of your breasts will be exposed when wearing this. It''ll provide a lot of enjoyment to you and your husband''s sex life." The sales clerk did not shy away from using taboo words. Xavier red coldly at the revealing set of lingerie. Who was Bianca buying that for? When Marie was about to buy a set of lingerie so that she could entertain Xavier, she heard the man beside him coldly spit out two words. "Filthy woman!" "Where are you going, Xavier?" Marie was shocked by those two words. She apologized and returned the lingerie to the sales clerk, then quickly rushed out to chase after the man. As she followed carefully behind Xavier, she could not help but think, ''Was he referring to Bianca?'' After driving out of the shopping mall parking lot, before he reached the intersection, Xavier noticed Bianca standing at the bus stop. That graceful figure should have been unremarkable, but it happened to catch Xavier''s eye. Marie looked in the direction that Xavier was looking. She became flustered when she saw Bianca. Bianca was not carrying anything in her hands. Earlier, she saw the well-dressed woman drag Bianca into the lingerie store. When they left the store, Bianca was indeed empty-handed. However, the other woman was at the counter paying for something. After that, when Marie answered the call from Xavier, she did not notice whether the other woman left the store with shopping bags. ''What''s going on? Didn''t the woman buy the lingerie for Bianca? ''Why isn''t Bianca carrying anything in her hands?'' When Xavier stopped his car at the bus stop, many people looked at it in frustration, wondering where would the bus stop if the Porsche Cayenne upied the space. Bianca was also one of the people who looked over. However, her eyes widened when she saw the maning out of the car. It was as though she had seen the devil. Xavier got out, mmed the door closed, walked up to Bianca, grabbed her wrist, and dragged her away. His gaze was cold and bloodthirsty. "Let go of me! Are you out of your mind?" Bianca stumbled and tried to pull her hand away. Her other hand grabbed onto the bus stop sign. Xavier turned around and cast a chilling gaze on her. "Go home with me. You''ve always wanted me to sign the divorce papers, right?" Bianca knew what kind of person Xavier was. She knew that she could not believe him. She shook her head and continued pulling away. "I''ll leave it to mywyer to handle the divorce papers. Our marriage will be annulled when it''s time. I won''t be deceived by you again." The man had once abducted and harmed her grandfather just to get her name on the marriage certificate. If she had followed him this time, she did not know what he might do to her. Bianca did not want to follow him, even if he said that he wanted to divorce her. That was a huge trap. Meanwhile, Marie got out of the car and heard that Bianca and Xavier were on the brink of divorce. Something sprouted in her cold and barren heart. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. "Where are you going if you''re not following me home? You''re a seductress under that clean and innocent face. I''m sorry, even if you''re a seductress, I''ll be the first one to have a taste of your body!¡± Xavier looked at Bianca from head to toe with his perverted and domineering gaze. Xavier did not see Bianca carry the shopping bags with the lingerie. He reached out and grabbed her handbag that was slung over Bianca''s shoulder. Bianca''s handbag held her identification documents and bank cards. Under the watchful gazes of the crowd at the bus stop, the two people started fighting for the handbag. "That''s enough, Xavier Tanner!" Bianca shouted as she held on to her handbag tightly. Xavier chuckled coldly. "That''s enough? So, should I let you bring those filthy things in your handbag to have a tryst with another man?" Bianca did not know what he was talking about. Xavier flipped the handbag, and its contents spilled on the road in front of the bus stop. All the usual things were in the handbag, but there was nothing filthy! Xavier was also surprised. Bianca managed to snatch her handbag back. She crouched down and picked up the items on the road. "Hey, Miss, the bus ising! Move aside! Otherwise, the bus might hit you!" Two women in their fifties dragged Bianca away before the bus came in. At the same time, they cast a disdainful nce at Xavier. They''ve never seen such a scumbag before! The bus braked abruptly. The two women paid for Bianca''s fare and escorted her onto the bus. As the bus left the bus stop, Marie cowered in a corner and did not say a word. Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Luke Crawford, That Animal, Had Laid His Hands On Her First! Xavier sat on the leather driver''s seat in the Porsche Cayenne with his eyes closed and brows tightly furrowed. One of his hands was pressed on his temples, while the other hand held a cigarette which he asionally took a drag from. Marie wanted to go into the car and exin herself, but she did not find the courage to do so. Xavier''s expression was extremely unpleasant at the moment. Now that she had made him angry, she was going to suffer. However, if she did not try tofort or persuade him, she would suffer equally. Xavier had introduced her to Leia. Leia did not treat her like a human and had even stepped on her fingers. Even if she left Leia, who else would treat her like a human and take care of her? Even Marie did not treat herself like a human. As long as she stood by Leia, perhaps Leia would eventually give her an opportunity to make it big! After the Porsche Cayenne drove away, Marie hailed a cab, got on, and instructed the driver to follow the Porsche. Xavier went back to his bar. He found a quiet seat next to the window and enjoyed the breeze while appreciating the dark red liquid in the ss. Soon, he downed half a bottle of wine. A waiter came over. "That''s not good for your stomach. Boss." The wine had a high alcohol content. The typical person would not be able to withstand half a bottle of it. Xavier did not say anything. He waved his hand and dismissed the waiter. The waiter did not say anything and went away. Xavier poured himself another ss. He thought that the alcohol would numb his feelings, but he only felt more lucid after downing half a bottle. Bianca Rayne! What a stunning woman! Xavier could not forget that graceful body that was standing at the bus stop. As his thoughts wandered, the alcohol brought him back to the memories five years ago. That was before he went to prison. His childhood friend, who had asked him for a favor, invited him for a drink. That friend told him that he had obtained a virgin from a middleman, and he could do whatever he wanted to her. Xavier was not interested in transactions like those. However, he did not mind taking a look. The nightclub was dimly lit. Xavier sat on the couch, as dignified as a buyer could be, looking at the frail body appear in his field of view. Bianca was enveloped by an aura of soft light. Her head was lowered, and she was too embarrassed to look at anyone eye to eye. Xavier remembered that in his experience of making out with countless women, Bianca was the youngest, most tender woman he had ever seen, as though she would bruise if he pinched her a little too hard. She was wearing a white dress and a in pair of canvas sneakers. She looked cheap from head to toe. Xavier admitted that he could not bear toy a finger on that young woman with a delicate face and a timid character. He might have been as experienced as an ancient emperor with a harem, but he could not bear to bring any harm to that girl who stood in front of him. Eighteen-year-old Bianca Rayne was like an unripe peach. She had the preliminary curves of a mature woman, but she would have been tasteless and astringent instead of sweet and juicy. "Do you know how to serve a man?" Xavier asked. "N... No... but... I can learn..." She stammered while keeping her head down. Xavier could tell that it took her a lot of courage to speak those words. She was even biting her tongue after her reply. Her brows were tightly furrowed in pain. Xavier fantasized about how she would be when she was more mature. Not wishing to corrupt her, he held his urges back, nor did he allow her to serve any other man. Instead, he talked to the middleman that night and asked him for her price. He did not wish for her to be ravaged by someone else who could afford her. The negotiations wereplete. All that was left was the money to exchange hands the next day. Unfortunately, he met with an obstacle. The middleman called him and said that another party hadpleted the transaction. That person would provide all financial and medical resources to that girl''s family. "Who''s that buyer?" Xavier¡¯s voice was trembling as he asked that question. ''It was the other party''s assistant whopleted the deal. The assistant said that his employer is a man in his fifties, and he desires a woman to bear children for him," the middleman answered truthfully. After the call ended, Xavier was ovee by anger and threw his phone on the ground. He detested the fifty-something-year-old man who had set his eyes on a young woman. That matter had bothered him over those years. Five yearster, after he was freed from prison, he saw a familiar face in Crawford Manor... She was Bianca Rayne, the young woman from five years ago... She was no longer dressed in that cheap, pilling white dress or that very worn and heavily-scrubbed pair of canvas shoes. She looked exactly how a mature woman should be. She had grown into a ripe, sweet, and juicy peach. Xavier felt as though someone had snatched something important from him. Luke Crawford, that animal, had snatched the young woman that Xavier dared not touch! He was used to ying dirty anyway, and so he did everything so that he could be married to Bianca. He wanted to get back at Luke. Five years ago, he might have been reluctant toy a finger on a callow young woman, but he had to admit that five yearster, he had been irredeemably caught up in this game of revenge. He could not tell if that ripe peach was too alluring five yearster, or if he still missed that unripe and astringent peach from five years ago. In any case, Bianca Rayne was Bianca Rayne and not a peach from a grocery store. Humans were creatures with souls. It was fun to toy with one, but it was extraordinarily difficult to im one. Marie stood some distance away from Xavier, watching him drink ss after ss. She dared not stop him. When she could see that Xavier was drunk, she stepped up and helped him walk, trying to gain his favor. "Be careful. Do you want to rest upstairs?" "Who... who are you?" Xavier looked at the woman who was supporting him. Through his intoxication, all he could see was Bianca Rayne. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Bianca was cold and distant. Marie helped him up the stairs. Xavier teetered as he walked. He did not sway too much, and he ced the weight of his body on the banister instead of on the woman next to him. After they went into the room, before going to the bed, Xavier pinned Marie on the blood-red couch next to the door. The man on top of her had never been so gentle. He kissed every inch of her body while panting, every breath carrying the hint of passion... Chapter 226 Chapter 226 She''s Nothing But Used Goods Xavier abruptly stopped when he was inches away from Marie''s lips. "I admit that I''m not an animal like him. Otherwise, you''ll be bearing a child for me five years ago..." He said, aggrieved. Marie did not take any alcohol and was entirely sober. However, she did not understand what Xavier was talking about. Who was not like an animal? Who was the animal? Who bore a child for someone else five years ago? Marie''s passions died down after listening to Xavier''s words. Drunk people had amon problem. They would say certain truths that they would not while they were sober! She did not want to miss any truths the drunk man might divulge. She hoped that he would tell her more secrets. "What... are you talking about... ah..." Just when Marie opened her mouth, her passions were rekindled by the man''s hand. Xavier brought her to the bed, closed his eyes, and pinned her down. He ced one of his hands behind her head and fondled her cheeks with the other. "Why couldn¡¯t you wait for me, just for another day? I''ve already prepared the money for you. How did you agree to sell your body to a fifty- something-year-old man? What were you thinking? Weren''t you disgusted?" He mumbled. Eventually, he found out that the person who had given Bianca financial and medical resources was not a fifty-something-year-old man but the young and handsome Luke Crawford. However, the information presented to the middleman and Bianca was not so. "Are you an idiot? Hmm?" Xavier held the woman in his hands with the utmost tenderness, and their foreheads touched each other. The alcohol in his system gave him nothing but agony. He continued to divulge his sentiments because of the alcohol. ¡¯ Don¡¯t you know, five years ago, I wanted to go to the hospital to meet your father with liver disease and tell him that his daughter had sold her body to a halfcentury-old man in exchange for his life..." Marie''s eyes opened wide in shock when she heard that. Her passions had entirely died down and would not be rekindled no matter how the man fondled her... ''Five years ago... liver disease... ''Isn''t he talking about Kevin Rayne, Bianca''s father? ''The time and circumstances matched. ''Sold... sold her body?'' Marie was at a loss. She tried to recall what Xavier had said earlier and analyzed the main points. ''Was Xavier going to buy Bianca''s body five years ago but failed? Bianca was bought by a fifty-something-year-old man? ''Was she bought to bear someone else''s child?'' Marie had no response to the shocking revtion. Marie came to her senses when she noticed the bulge in Xavier''s pants, indicating that his urges were still raging. ''Did he think that I am Bianca? ''Is that why he wants to continue? ''Were those words meant for Bianca?'' Marie recalled that Xavier had not been interested in her recently. Even after both of them had taken off their clothes, he would abruptly stop and lose all interest. She could only leave the room dejectedly. She was wondering if he had been facing any health problemstely. Perhaps he had made out with too many women. Perhaps he was bored of making out with women and shifted his interest to men. From Xavier''s pants, Marie could tell that he was still interested in women. In fact, he was at the peak of his health! N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Marie could feel tears welling up in her eyes, though she could not tell if that was because of sorrow or anger. Was she that unattractive? She resigned to fate that she was not as lucky as Leia, but she could not bear it when Bianca was better than her! How dare she? "Look at me carefully... who am I?" Marie was wholly devoted to Xavier. Xavier provided her with everything, and she admitted that he was the man for her. However, she could not bear being mistaken for Bianca. Marie had hated Bianca ever since her mother was married into the Rayne family and she saw Bianca for the first time! If Bianca considered herself to be the legitimate daughter of the Rayne family, Marie would drive her away and im everything that she owned! Xavier told her everything that he wanted to tell Bianca. To Marie, that was the highest insult. Marie looked at the man tearfully yet defiantly as he forcefully pinched her jaw. "We''re not born from the same mother or the same father. We don''t even look alike. How did you mistake me for her..." Marie did not look like Bianca at all. Not one bit. Under the influence of alcohol, Xavier seemed to have stepped into a fantasy world. The more he thought about Bianca, the more he considered every woman around him to be Bianca. Xavier narrowed his eyes and looked carefully at the woman on the bed. His brow ridge and his sculpted double eyelids trembled slightly. Bianca''s face and Marie''s voice ovepped. He could not tell who the person under him was. That caused him to be inexplicably furious. No matter who the woman on his bed was, he had to reim his pride as a man. He shoved the woman toward the door. "Get lost! What right do you have to sleep on my bed? There are a thousand types of beauty, but you''re so painfully ugly!" Xavier did not want to admit that he cared for any woman, especially that filthy, despicable woman! She was nothing more than used goods that had given birth to Luke Crawford''s children! Meanwhile, Bianca rode on the bus to visit her grandfather. After making sure that her grandfather was healthy and he had been keeping up with his medication, she went to the hospital, where her father was. At dinnertime, Luke sent her a message to ask her whereabouts. Bianca replied: [I''m staying the night with my father today. We have a lot to catch up on.] Luke did not want to intrude upon the precious interaction time between father and daughter. He replied to her that he would be returning to the small town the next morning but back to A City that night. He would send the children to school in the morning, but he hoped that Bianca could fetch them back from school. Bianca replied: [No problem.] Soon, it was the next day. Luke spent his day going around the small town. He had a lot of childhood memories there, which made him at ease. Before he returned to A City, a courier arrived at the courtyard. "Package for Bianca Rayne!" A female employee ran out and was about to sign the delivery slip when she saw her boss walk over imposingly, take the package, and sign the delivery slip. She saw the boss wield his signature pen with his slender and well-jointed fingers, then tossed the package into his car... Everyone in the courtyard was surprised. "Woof woof!" Even the puppy in the courtyard barked as though it could not believe that the boss had imed someone else''s package as his own. Luke got into the car and drove away toward A City. If the other people would misunderstand his gesture, that would be exactly what he wanted. Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Digging Up Some Dirt On Bianca In Kevin Rayne¡¯s house. Jennifer came back from a session of bridge. She went to Marie''s room to check on her and found that her daughter was huddled under her nket. "What''s wrong with you? Haven''t you slept enough?" Jennifer flipped over the nket and asked Marie. Marie turned around and frowned. "Go away! Don''te into my room!" "Are you sick? Did you catch a cold?" Jennifer saw that her daughter looked miserable. She touched Marie''s forehead. Indeed, Marie was having a cold and a fever. She almost made out with Xavier in the room above his bar. Xavier had already taken off her clothes, but his interest was dashed after realizing that he had mistaken her for the wrong person. She was even forcefully shoved out of the room. Thete fall weather was cold, and that was how she got a fever. Early in the morning, Marie had called in sick to Leia''s agent. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Marie''s mind was not upied with Leia Norman, but with Bianca Rayne... Marie''s head was spinning after sleeping for an entire day. She sat up and leaned against the headboard to think about things. Jennifer came into the room with a ss of warm water and two aspirin. ¡¯Here, take some medicine." Jennifer sat down on the bed next to her. Marie took the water and aspirin but did not eat them. Instead, she looked at Jennifer, "Mom, do you remember Uncle Kevin''s liver cancer five years ago..." "Of course I remember. Why did you suddenly ask about that?" Jennifer was taken aback. Marie remained calm. She had been brooding over the matter for an entire day. "Then do you remember who was the one who provided Uncle Kevin with the organ recement and paid for his medical fees?" Jennifer furrowed her brows and thought about it. "I think... Bianca mentioned it before. It''s some charity foundation that unconditionally helps patients with liver cancer. Right, it''s a charity foundation." Otherwise, Kevin would rather forgo treatment. He wanted to use his savings to send Bianca to college. Marie swallowed the aspirin and looked at Jennifer again. "I have reliable information that it wasn''t a charity foundation that helped Uncle Kevin." "Why wouldn''t it be?" Jennifer was confused. If not for the charity foundation, where did he get that much money? Even if he emptied his savings, that would not have been enough! Marie smiled sarcastically and lowered his gaze as though she had finally found some dirt on Bianca. "Bianca had sold her body to a fifty-something- year-old man for that money..." ¡¯..." Jennifer was speechless. ''Impossible! ''How could that be?¡® Marie''s gaze became excited, even though she was feeling terrible from the fever. She told Jennifer her idea, "Go to the hospital with me tomorrow, Mom." "Why are we going to the hospital..." Jennifer remained confused. "We should go to the hospital to talk to Uncle Rayne. Perhaps he should transfer the title of this house to us..." Marie massaged her injured fingers as she spoke, thinking of what to tell Kevin when they meet at the hospital tomorrow. In the apartment in the city center. After picking up the children from school, Bianca took them to the grocery store to buy vegetables, meat, milk, and bread, for tomorrow''s breakfast. She was busy preparing the next meal in the kitchen. The door was closed, and she did not realize that Luke hade home. In the living room. Lanie was concentrating on his homework. He gripped the pencil tightly and was copying new vocabry. Rainie was slumped on the couch with her face down. She did not seem to be in a good mood... "Why didn¡¯t you ask your sister to do her homework with you?" Luke asked his son. Lanie lifted his head and looked at his father, then at his sister. "She says she doesn''t want to go to school anymore." Rainie''s body wriggled a little. ''I don''t wanna do homework. Hmph!'' Luke was not in a rush to discipline his children. He went to take a shower first. When Bianca served dinner on the dining table, Luke had finished taking a shower and dressed in dark-colored casual clothes. He seemedfortable, but his presence was domineering. "Come and eat," Luke spoke in the direction of the living room. He spoke softly, but the children reacted as though they had received a royal decree. Lanie turned to nce at Rainie and tried tofort her. "Don''t be sad, Rainie. Going to school can be fun too.'' "It''s not fun at all!" Rainie pouted angrily. She was about to cry at any time. Bianca did not look at Luke. Instead, she looked at the two children. Lanie was getting used to school life, but Rainie had not. After the initial excitement of going to school, Rainie was beginning to hate it. Most school-going children would experience that. Proper guidance was necessary. "Let''s have dinner first, and we''ll talkter. OK?" Biancaforted Rainie and carried her to the chair. Luke seemed to have a clue of the situation. "What''s going on?" He asked. Bianca looked at his stern face. She was worried that he might frighten the children. Lanie picked up his spoon but dared not begin eating. "Rainie said that she doesn''t want to go to school anymore. She doesn''t want to do homework." ''You don''t want to go to school anymore?" Luke took a bite and asked. ¡¯ You don''t want to go to school tomorrow, or ever?" Bianca did not know how Luke usually interacted with his children. She sat down and quietly observed them. Rainie pouted. Her eyes were teary. "I don''t want to go to school anymore." Bianca noticed the visible change in Luke''s expression. "Let''s eat first. We''ll discuss this after dinner." At least Rainie calmed down a little. The dining table was silent. They finished dinner quickly. While Bianca was cleaning up, Rainie hugged her leg and started bawling. "Miss Bea, I... I don''t wanna go to school... I''ll be... a delivery girl when... I grow up... I¡¯ll... I''ll... make money for you, and you can bring me away... Boo hoo... I... I''m scared of Daddy..." The little girl sobbed. The tip of her nose and her cheeks were red. Bianca quickly picked Rainie up and ced her on the couch in the living room. She stayed with the little girl to calm her down for the next hour when the man came out of the study and pointed at the delivery package." It''s for you. Open it up and see." Rainie stole a nce at Luke. ''Stupid Daddy...'' Bianca gently picked Rainie''s nose. "I''ll go teach Daddy a lesson now. Bad Daddies need to be taught a lesson..." Rainie nodded vigorously. Bianca took the package in her hands and opened it as she walked toward Luke''s study. "Where''s the package from?" She asked, looking for an opening to talk about the children. Bianca opened the package and took out the contents of the ck stic bag. "Can''t you be a little gentler to the children..." The contents of the package slipped out of Bianca''s fingers and fell on the floor. Bianca lowered her head to look. When she saw clearly what it was, her face instantly blushed into a deep red color. ''You bought this?" Luke''s gaze fell on the items on the floor, then turned upward to look at her chest... Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Isn''t the Bed Big Enough For You? An eye-catching puddle of ckness could be seen in the middle of the study floor that was covered by lightly-colored tiles. It was obvious to the naked eye that the lingerie was designed to tease and excite. Bianca, still blushing, picked up the lingerie in her hands and hastily left Luke''s study. She went into the bathroom, closed the door, and looked at the things she was holding in her hands. All the pieces did not use much cloth. She could hold everything in one hand... That was too embarrassing! She took out her phone and messaged Wanda. The lingerie was exactly the same designs as those her aunt picked out for her in the store! How did that end up in Luke''s hands? Soon, Wanda sent a reply. [That''s right, I paid for the lingerie and had it delivered to you. What else could I do? You didn''t want it when I gave it to you at the store...] [I really don''t need the lingerie, Aunt Wanda. Can you return it?] Bianca did not know how to exin her grievances. Everyone desired different things. Bianca had no desires in that aspect of her life. For her,fort was the most important when choosing underwear. Obviously, none of the three sets of lingerie lookedfortable. In fact, she would feel extremely awkward wearing them.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. [You can¡¯t return lingerie, especially after you''ve tried them on in the fitting room. It took the sales clerk a lot of effort to sell it, and you want to return it? Can you bear to deprive her of her salesmission?] Bianca dashed the idea of returning the lingerie, as though by doing so, she would be an irredeemable viin. Bianca started typing a reply to her aunt. Before she could hit send, Wanda sent a voice message. Bianca brought the phone close to her ear, in case Luke and the children might be listening outside. "I''ve asked you, and you said that you have a boyfriend. Trust me, no matter how close the two of you might be, your rtionship will eventually grow stale. You need to whet his appetite sometimes so that he can excite you as well. It''s beneficial for the two of you, so why not try something new? Wanda sounded deadpan as she said that, as though she was a teacher disciplining her student. However, Bianca was blushing intensely when she heard that. Her questioning of her aunt had turned into a lesson from her aunt to her. Lanie knocked on the bathroom door. Bianca came to her senses and quickly opened the door. She saw the little boy squeezing his legs together and clutching his pants. "Miss Bea! I need to wee!" "Come in quick." Bianca pulled him in and closed the door for him. The delivery bag and packaging were torn and had to be thrown away. After a trip to the trash can, Bianca was still holding onto the lingerie. She could not bear to throw away the expensive items of clothing. Eventually, she stashed the lingerie into her handbag. She would figure out what to do with themter. "Are you sleepy yet, Rainie?" Bianca carried her daughter in her arms and asked softly. She kissed Rainie¡¯s soft cheek and asked, "Shall we take a bath then go to bed?" Rainie nodded groggily. Her arms were hugging Bianca''s fair neck. Bianca brought the slightly heavy Rainie into the bathroom. The little girl was drowsy all the way there; with Bianca carrying her, she did not have to worry about anything. "Who was the one who gave you baths before this?" Bianca wanted to know about Rainie''s life before she arrived. The little girl slumped across her shoulder and mumbled, "The two grannies take turns to bathe me. One of the grannies slipped and fell, and the other granny bathed me after that. I didn¡¯t want them to fall again, and so I bathed myself." The "granny" that Rainie mentioned was obviously not Allison but the two caretakers in Crawford Manor. "Has your Daddy ever given you a bath?" Bianca felt sorry for the little girl. No matter how much she would try to make up for the five years of Lanie and Rainiecking a mother¡¯s love, she would not be able to make up for everything. After all, no one could return to the past. Rainie pouted when Bianca mentioned Luke. Her eyshes fluttered, but she did not open her eyes because she was sleepy. "Daddy only bathed me once. I was naughty and sshed water on his shirt, and he threw a tantrum at me. I didn''t dare to let Daddy bathe me after that." Bianca felt aplicated mix of feelings. Tm sorry. I¡¯ll be a good Mommy to the two of you. Daddy won''t have to scold you anymore.'' That thought repeated in her mind. ''If the DNA test proves that I am your mother...¡¯ After tucking Lanie and Rainie into their beds, Bianca packed up the children''s homework and backpacks. It was half-past nine. She did not disturb the man who was busy working in the study. Instead, she took her things, gently opened the door, and left the apartment. She nced at the time when she stepped outside. Fortunately, she could make it in time to take the subway back to her rental house. It took her forty minutes to reach home. The rental house had been unupied for several days. She switched on the kitchen lights, put a kettle on the stove so that she had drinking water, then rolled up her sleeves and started to clean up. She would not be able to sleep well if she did not clean up. Without anyone living in the house, she felt as though a thinyer of dust coated on everything. When she was almost done cleaning up, the doorbell rang. Bianca was recing the bedsheets. She put down the bedsheets and looked toward the door, feeling a little uneasy because someone rang her doorbell at night. She checked her phone and found that she had received no notifications. If the person at the door was someone familiar, they would have informed her that they wereing. The doorbell rang again. She walked to the door uneasily and looked through the peephole. When she saw that the man standing outside was not Xavier or any other unfamiliar face, she subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. She opened the door and asked, "Why are you here?" Luke stood outside the door and looked at her from head to toe. He did not say anything but instead strode into the house. Bianca did not understand why he was there. She closed the door. 1 She wanted to pour a ss of hot water for the man when he suddenly said, "Why did youe back when you''re already there?" It took Bianca some time before she understood what he meant. "I saw that you don''t have enough beds there, so..." Luke¡¯s mood brightened when he heard that. "Isn''t the bed big enough for the two of us?" Bianca knew what he was trying to say. "I''ll get some water for you." She shifted the topic. Luke silently walked over and pulled her into his arms. He leaned down and breathed on her blushing face. "Did you lure me here because you think that the small bed in this rental house is more comfortable?" Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Taking Care of the Two Little Ones and the Big One "Ah! Let go of me!" Before Bianca could reach, Luke had lifted her off her feet and dashed into the cramped room... She looked at Luke''s face while her hands wailed at his solid chest under his shirt. She did not want to be captivated by the man''s mature charisma. She gulped and said apprehensively, "What... do you intend to do?" Not only were the two people not married and so it was inappropriate for them to make out, but she also could not stand making out so frequently. In the small town, Bianca lost count of the number of times the man had asked it from her. After they made out, she felt groggy and lethargic. She could not focus on her work. That also happened five years ago, when she was with her benefactor. She thought that she did not have to wait for the DNA test results. From how relentless and eager Luke''s sexual habits were, she was almost sure that the benefactor five years ago was him. She felt that it was unfair that he did not seem to suffer any consequences after every session. He could stand up and go to work as though nothing happened. Bianca was still reeling from the activities the day before, but he was hungry once more. Luke seemingly ignored Bianca''s refusal and struggle, and he continued to walk toward the small room. He lowered his head to look at her; his gaze was profound and hungry, as though he was going to swallow her up with his eyes. Meanwhile, Bianca could only look at him wretchedly. Bianca thought that he was going to "let her go" but his gaze suddenly turned sinister. Suddenly, he carried her over his shoulder. Bianca felt dizzy when she was suddenly lifted up and turned upside-down. Before she could get used to the blood rushing to her head, she suddenly felt a cold breeze across the lower half of the body. The man had stripped her pants off and tossed it behind him... Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. He only knew that he had a fondness for that sort of thing when he ced her on the rather shabby second-hand bed in the room. The bedsheets were partially undone. He could smell a faint and familiar scent on it. Luke leaned over to kiss her. Bianca lifted her head and arched her body to push him away. "No... no... mmh..." 1 "I want, I want you..." Luke whispered coarsely. He reached behind and held her delicate waist. As he savored her tender lips, he pushed her white sweater upward. Bianca had worn the same clothes since she returned to A City from the small town. The fall was colder, and the clothes were not as thin and light as summer clothes. When she was busy, she sometimes would forget to change her outerwear. She had hurriedly rushed back to A City from the small town because she was concerned about the two children. She did not bring other clothes with her. She did not want to spend the money to buy new clothes, nor did she find the time to get fresh clothes from the rental house. After meeting Aunt Wanda at the shopping mall, she went to the hospital and spent the night there with her father. In the morning, she brought her workptop to spend time with her grandfather, and she was busy with work until it was time to pick up the children from school. Then, she went to buy groceries, make dinner, and put the children to bed. That was when she found some free time to return to her rental house... She did not expect that after taking care of the two little ones, the big one followed her to her house and asked for a different sort of care... i Luke pushed her sweater up and saw that she was not wearing anything inside... The underwear that she was wearing had been thrown away by Wanda at the shopping mall. No one would have noticed that she was not wearing any underwear beneath the thick sweater and long-sleeved jacket. However, the sweater was pushed away. Everything was in in sight... Bianca was feeling tired and worn out, but under his teasing, she opened his mouth slightly and started moaning... "You''ve bought that sort of lingerie, and now you''re not wearing anything underneath. Tell me, where did you learn these tricks?" As Luke spoke, he closed his eyes and sucked on Bianca''s red lips. The wild thumping of their hearts echoed in the silent room, sometimes fast and other times slow. It waste in the night, and no sound came from the dark outside. In the cramped room of the rental house, the wooden bed creaked along with the rhythm of its inhabitants... "I''ming... ahh... mmh... "Ooh... ahh... ah!" Bianca felt as though her soul was bewitched. She was half-conscious, and her body was trembling uncontrobly... When peace returned to the rental house and the man went to the bathroom, Bianca could vaguely hear that her phone was ringing. She brought her pajamas to the small town, and there was none left in the rental house. If Luke had his fill for the day, she would change the bedsheets and sleep without any clothes on. Now that Luke was not in the room, she took off her sweater before answering the call. She pushed herself off the bed with her sore limbs and picked up her phone on the floor. The call was from Nina. There were nine previous missed calls. That was the tenth call. "Hello?" Bianca answered it. "Why didn''t you answer the call earlier? I was about to go to your house to look for you! I''ve called you ten times!" Nina was very anxious. "I... I was in the shower earlier," Bianca exined. Nina could hear that Bianca was still panting. She thought that Bianca had rushed out of the bathroom. "I heard from your colleague in the small town that you came back to A City in the morning. Will you be going to the small town tomorrow? If you are,e over to thepany tomorrow morning. I need you to bring a certified original document to the town. They need it urgently." "Mm, I''ll go over to the company tomorrow morning then." Bianca considered herself lucky that she had not reserved the high- speed rail ticket for the next day. Otherwise, she would have to change the time. At that moment, the room door was opened. Bianca felt her face grow hot when she saw the mane in. Even her breath felt hot. The temperature in the room rose as the man came close to her... "Are you going to take a shower now, or will you do that when you get back to my ce?" Luke resumed his neat appearance and aloof expression after his shower. His looks were captivating, no matter if he was wearing a tight-fitting shirt or a bespoke suit. Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Luke¡¯s Tender Loving Care Bianca had just ended the call with Nina. She hugged her legs close to her and tried to hug them under the oversized sweater. She did not want to meet his gaze and expose her weak point. However, she did not look any better by shying away. Their bodies might have bonded many times, but Bianca could never bring herself to look at him directly in the eye. Even when fully-clothed, his body aroused sinful thoughts in her mind... Those long and masculine legs alone carried deadly appeal. Luke lowered his head and looked at her with a gentle gaze. Seeing that she did not speak, he stroked her hair and asked her, "You don''t feel like leaving? I didn''t bring my pajamas. How about if we sleep here together. I haven''t had enough earlier anyway." The man''s lips pressed on her hair and slowly moved down to her brows. Then, his moist tongue extended toward her blushing cheeks... Bianca had to admit that she was still feeling the remnants of excitement from earlier. Now that he was kissing her one more, she shuddered reflexively when she heard the cloying sounds from his lips. Their breaths intertwined and became heavier and faster. Bianca slowly came to her senses. Her cheeks were hot as though they had been scalded, and her throat was ufortably dry... While she tried to break free, Luke''s eyes seemed to have turned blood red from his lust, and his Adam''s apple moved up and down. As he continued to savor the woman''s saliva, he wrapped his hands around hers and fondled her slender fingers. He pressed her meek fingers onto his body and announced hoarsely, ¡¯It''s toote, neither of us is leaving ''I don''t think I can take this any longer...'' Bianca thought. ''I wonder if this''ll take some years off my life... ''He''s already a few years older than me anyway...'' The man''s domineering attitude told her that it was toote for her to slip away. "I''ll have to go to thepany early next morning to pick up something, then I''ll have to rush to take the high-speed rail. If we do it again, I''m afraid I won''t be able to wake up. Can we... not do it?" She said softly as she was pinned under the man''s arms. "You can take the day off tomorrow." Luke gently kissed her hair. His tone of voice was soft but assertive. Luke considered that her body was reaching her limit and therefore did not exert her too much. Instead of taking his coat off, he reached toward his waist and undid his belt. "Ah!" He abruptly carried her with his hands. The man turned around and pinned her back against the wall. The next moment, she realized that her arms had instinctively clung to the man''s neck and her legs were around his waist. They were in a rather awkward position. Luke did not give her time to catch a breath. He casually toyed with her lips and made her start to gasp for air... i It was after midnight before peace returned once more to the house. The shower area of the bathroom in the rental house was very small. One person could barely fit inside to take a shower. Clearly, they could not take a shower together. Bianca was barely conscious that the man remained inside her for a long time after he hade. Eventually, he ced her on the bed. 1 The man''s actions were very gentle, but she was aware. She slowly curled up beneath her nket and lost consciousness. In her dreams, Luke was tirelessly demanding it from her, like a tenacious man-eating demon. For someone who had limited stamina like her, it was a nightmare, and she was eventually startled awake. She opened her eyes and gasped for air. When she saw the scene in front of her, she did not have the energy to blush or feel embarrassed. Instead, she looked at the man in front of her. "What... what are you doing?¡¯ "Wiping you down. You''ll sleep better that way." Luke was holding a warm towel in his hand. The water heater in the bathroom was rather crude. He had depleted its tank of hot water, and it would take some time to replenish. He had to go to the kitchen, boil a kettle of water, pour it into a basin, then soak a towel into it. He waited for the towel to cool down a bit before he used it to wipe her skin. Luke had not done that sort of menial work since he was a child. Not even his two children enjoyed such caring treatment from their father. ''I¡¯ll go take a shower." Bianca tried to get off the bed as she spoke. Luke handed her the hot towel. "There''s no more hot water in the tank." ''What happened to the hot water?¡¯ As she held the hot towel, she remembered that Luke had taken two showers. That was why there was no more hot water. ¡¯I''ll just wipe myself. You can go back." Bianca spoke to the well-dressed man. She remained curled under the nket. Luke did not move. He looked at her sternly. Bianca continued, "Lanie and Rainie will be miserable when they wake up, and no one is there to take care of them. I¡¯m not there, and you''re not there too." When she wasforting Rainie earlier, she found out that their father rarely showed a friendly face toward the children. She was angry when she heard that. She wanted to argue with him, but before receiving the DNA test results, she felt that she did not have the right to do so. Luke became impatient. He frowned and told her, "Follow me back if you really care about the kids. "If you don''t follow me, I can''t guarantee that Rainie won''t be crying tomorrow." The children were Bianca''s soft spot. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Luke could tell that Bianca felt guilty about being absent from the children''s lives for the past five years. Time waited for no one. If she did not make up for her absence, then she might not have the chance. She would take every opportunity to pamper them. From Luke''s gentle threat, Bianca could tell that Luke randomly alternated between a heart of stone and a heart of gold. She decided to get herself ready before he changed his mind. Luke had not had a drag for most of the night. He stood at the corridor outside the house, lit a cigarette, but could not savor it. In the house, Bianca carefully inspected the marks on her body. She blushed intensely. There were several faint red marks on her chest. They looked like Luke''s fingers. ''How much strength did he use... ''Will he eventually break me?'' After wiping down and dressing up, Bianca returned to the apartment in the city center with Luke. The children had be a bargaining chip for controlling Bianca... Chapter 231 Chapter 231 I''ll Spill the Beans On Bianca! When the two adults arrived at the apartment, Bianca went to the children''s rooms to check on them. Lanie and Rainie were sleeping soundly, though the boy kicked away his nket as usual. Bianca took the nket on the floor and carefully tucked him in. The children''s beds could not fit another adult. Bianca had no choice but to sleep together with Luke. When shey on the bed and was about to fall asleep, Luke was still busy working in the study. Bianca had heard from Jason that Luke would usually lose track of time whenever he got busy. Sometimes, the boss would even neglect his health. With the development project going underway in the small town, he became busier. The boss had to handle stacks of work every day. Looking at how he exerted himself at work and on the bed, he was really neglecting his health... The next morning. Marie''s fever finally subsided. "Are you done yet, Mom?" Marie stood at the entrance anxiously with a handbag slung over her shoulder. "I''ming! I''ming!" In front of the mirror, Jennifer put on lipstick and checked on her mascara again. When Jennifer came to the doorway to put on her shoes, Marie said, "I don''t know if bringing you along is the right decision." "Why wouldn''t it be?" Jennifer said unhappily. Marie looked at Jennifer''s ghastly face. "You don''t have to put on make-up if you don''t know how to. You''ll be a big embarrassment!" "What''s wrong with my face? I think it looks good." Jennifer touched her face embarrassedly and looked at herself in the pocket mirror. Marie did not want to say anything. She turned around and left. Jennifer quickly followed behind. At the hospital. When Jennifer and Marie arrived on the floor Kevin was in and stepped out of the elevator, they were shocked by the scene in front of them. They thought that some VIP was staying in the hospital. Guards were stationed throughout the corridor. "Who are you, and who are you looking for?" A casually-dressed middle- aged man in his forties approached Jennifer, who was snooping around. Marie stepped forward and answered politely, "Hello, is Kevin Rayne on this floor?" The man continued to look at Marie and Jennifer doubtfully. Marie tried to put up a confident front and continued, "This is my mother. She''s Kevin Rayne''s wife. We want to visit him. Maybe you can tell Uncle Kevin that we''re here and if he''s willing to see us?" There were five guards in total, and the person in charge was talking to Marie and Jennifer. Jason had stationed them there under his boss''s orders. They wanted to stop Allison from causing trouble. Allison wanted to separate Bianca from his son. If she could not do anything to Luke or Bianca, perhaps she would approach Kevin. Ever since Luke knew Allison''s intentions, he had tasked Jason to guard Kevin. The person in charge went into the ward and asked for Kevin''s decision. Kevin was visibly agitated when he heard that Jennifer was here. He nodded slightly and panted. "Let them...e in..." Five minutester, Jennifer and Marie appeared in the ward. Jennifer listened to Marie''s advice and wiped away her lipstick. She looked older after that. Jennifer sat down next to the bed and smiled at Kevin. "I haven''t been visiting you because I''ve been busy working several jobs. You should know that I can barely get by. Our savings have been used up when we sent our kids to college five years ago." Kevin frowned slightly when he listened to Jennifer''s words. Jennifer continued, "I''m your wife now. Even though this is your second marriage, I''ve spent a lot more time with you than Bianca''s mom. Naturally, you should treat me better. You also said that you will treat Marie like your birth daughter... Marie lifted her head and looked at Kevin on the bed. To treat his cancer, Kevin had undergone many chemotherapy sessions. Unfortunately, it brought along many side effects. Kevin was having a fever since the morning, and fits of dry coughs would asionally seize him... He was coughing agonizingly on the bed. Jennifer, his wife, did not attempt tofort him but instead spoke faster as though she was worried that he died before she got what she wanted. "You should know very well that Bianca found a rich man. We don''t mind if you¡¯ve been keeping that from us. After all, Bianca and I don''t see each other eye to eye, and I don''t intend to ask her for anything. Marie is going to marry soon, and I''d like to discuss with you if you could sell our house so that Marie can use the money for her wedding." Kevin did not listen to what Jennifer said. He coughed harder, and his frail body arched up. His breathing sounded like a broken trumpet. Jennifer frowned. She stood from her chair and spoke louder, "Do you hear me, Kevin Rayne? I''m not asking a lot from you, just a house for our Marie. Bianca found herself a rich man to take care of your medical treatment. Doesn¡¯t matter if she¡¯s just going to be a sugar baby or the man''s legal wife, she''s already made it. It''s not too much if you give the house to Marie, right?" C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Marie stood by the bedside, watching Kevin cough his lungs out. His sicklyplexion turned dark red, and his lips turned blue. ''Don''t die just like that!'' Marie thought. She walked over and said, "Uncle Kevin, are you coughing because you''re angry about what my mom said? It''s not like you''re happy that my mom made a good suggestion, right?" Jennifer quickly stepped in and interjected. She was worried that her daughter might misspeak and make the situation worse. In all their years together, Kevin would always grant her whatever she desired, as long as she was persistent... Marie shoved her mother away and looked at Kevin unpleasantly. "I''m not going to talk too much, Uncle Kevin. I only want the house. It''s either you give me the house now, or I''ll expose all of Bianca''s scandals. If you can''t get out of bed, then I''ll teach that filthy daughter of yours on your behalf..." Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Things Don¡¯t Look Too Good... Kevin wanted to say something. He lifted a trembling finger and pointed it at Marie. Jennifer turned around to look. She saw that her daughter was ring defiantly at Kevin with an unpleasant expression on her face. Kevin''s mouth was slightly open, and he was gasping for air. However, there was no way an agitated late-stage lung cancer patient was going to catch their breath... "Stop talking, Marie. Get out of the room!" Jennifer rushed up, grabbed Marie''s shoulders, and pushed her toward the door. While her back was facing Kevin, she winked at Marie and whispered into her ear. "Let Mom handle this. You''ll get what you want." "You can''t handle it!" Marie red at her and shouted. She shoved her mother away once more. Marie felt that her mother was being nothing but a burden. She stepped up next to the bed again, towered over the pathetically frail Kevin, and grinned mockingly. "You''ve been staying in the hospital for a long time, Uncle Kevin. Perhaps you don''t know many things that have been happening outside. You listen to whatever lies Bianca feeds you.'' She took out her phone, found the screenshot of the news article, and brought it in front of Kevin. Kevin tried his best to focus his gaze on the contents of the phone screen. "Do you see that, Uncle Kevin? Your daughter is already married. This man ... is treating her quite well..." Marie told a lie and continued, "You also wish that Bianca can live a happy life, right?" Kevin''s face was still red from the coughing, but his eyes were transfixed on the screen. Marie continued with a smile, "Bianca''s husband will provide her with all her needs. She can have all the mansions and luxury cars that she desires. Tell me, Uncle Kevin, why am I not as lucky? Bianca is living in a mansion, but I have to stoop down and beg you to give me that two-room apartment. This is unfair!" Marie''s frenzied voice echoed in the hospital ward. ¡¯You don''t know what your daughter did five years ago, right? Shall I tell you from the start?" Meanwhile, at the apartment. After Bianca woke up, she wanted to make breakfast, but she realized that Rainie was awake and was hugging her leg. ¡¯It''s still early. Be a good girl and go back to bed..." Bianca crouched and carried Rainie in her hands. The little girl closed her eyes and leaned onto her neck. "I want to sleep with you..." "You can sleep with me, but you''ll have to promise me that you''ll go to school. OK?¡± Bianca was worried that if Rainie continued to resist going to school, she would anger her unqualified father at the breakfast table. When that happened, the little girl would be reduced to tears. Just as expected, Rainie started throwing a tantrum when "school" was mentioned. "I don''t wanna! I don''t wanna!" She screamed. Biancay down with Rainie on her bed and patiently tried to reason with her. Eight o''clock. Rainie eventually fell asleep. Bianca got out of the room and prepared breakfast. She heated some milk in the microwave, and also boiled broth on the stove. When Luke came out of the study and onto the bed, it was already three o''clock. Luke was Lanie and Rainie''s father. Bianca wished that he would not have any health problems. However, a businessman was always busy with many responsibilities. Workingte into the night was the price he had to pay for devoting his time to take care of Bianca and the children in the daytime. That was why she wanted to make some nutritious bone broth for him. When Luke got up, the two children were also awake. He wondered how Bianca managed to convince Rainie, who had already washed her face, changed her clothes, and was currently packing her little flowery backpack. To Luke, they were beginning to look more and more like a family. In the bathroom. Lanie was about to flush when Daddy flushed the toilet for him. "Stop wasting time and quickly wash your face.'' Eight words! Before that, Luke had always used three words to impatiently order his son. "Wash your face!'' The little boy hastily washed his face. His father handed him a clean and dry towel. Lanie might be young, but he could not help but think that there was something unusual about his father''s behavior. ¡¯You''re my son. Why shouldn''t I be nice to you?" Luke said as he brushed his teeth. After that, the father and son stepped out of the bathroom together. Luke, Lanie, and Rainie sat at the table. Rainie suddenly got off her chair, saying that she wanted to help Miss Bea bring the food to the table. Of course, Bianca did not want the little girl to carry something too heavy. She handed Rainie a hard-boiled egg and asked her to bring it to the table. Eventually, the family of four was seated around the table. Bianca filled a bowl with broth and set it in front of Luke without saying a word. Then, she poured warm milk for the children. Luke looked at the steaming hot bowl of bone broth in front of him, then at Bianca with an unbelievably gentle gaze. Bianca''s head was lowered, though she could feel the man''s reserved yet passionate gaze on her face. She could feel her cheeks heating up... The two children chatted with each other while they ate their breakfast. They did not notice what was going on between the adults. Luke downed the bowl of broth very quickly. He gracefully handed the bowl to Bianca and said greedily, "One more bowl." Bianca did not say anything. Even if he did not ask for it, she would fill up the bowl for him anyway. She was also going to fill up a sk with the broth so that he could bring it to work. Just when she stood up, her phone started to ring. ¡¯¡¯Hello?" Bianca said as she lifted the pot lid. Luke was already done with breakfast, though he lingered at the table because he relished the feeling of aplete family. As he nced at the time on his wristwatch, his phone started ringing. It was from Jason. When he answered the call, he heard something fall and break in the kitchen. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ''Mr. Crawford, Bianca''s father, took a turn for the worse. It''s not looking too good. He''s in the emergency room now..." At the same time, in the kitchen. Bianca had received a call from the hospital. Her mind went nk, and the pot lid went crashing onto the floor. Chapter 233 Chapter 233 Sorry, We''ve Done Everything We Can At the hospital. Kevin was undergoing emergency surgery. The operating theater light remained lit. Jason rushed to the apartment and sent Lanie and Ranie to school. Luke postponed an important meeting in the morning and went with Bianca to the hospital. Kevin had lung cancer and not some minor illness. Families of cancer patients lived in the worry that the patient''s condition might suddenly worsen and leave them behind. Bianca had experienced the pain and agony of waiting in front of the operating theater five years ago. She was not unfamiliar with that sensation. However, her worries had been alleviated recently, thanks to her being busy at work, and to reconnecting with Lanie and Rainie. She had a hunch that her father would soon recover. Every time at the hospital, the doctors and specialists would tell her, "Mr. Rayne''s condition is stable. It''s a good sign. Don''t worry." She had believed their words... Justst afternoon, the doctor had said, "Mr. Rayne''s condition is improving. His organ functions are returning to normal." When Bianca heard that, she felt that God had finally taken notice of her... She did not expect the bad news toe so suddenly. Time passed. She did not know how long it had been before the operating theater light was switched off. Bianca stood up from the bench. Her limbs were numb as she looked at the doctor''s tired eyes, waiting for the good news. Luke had paid for Kevin''s stay in the hospital and specialist treatment. Otherwise, the typical family would not have been able to enjoy the care of the VIP hospital ward, let alone afford a specialist. "Sorry. We''ve done everything we can." The doctor took off his mask and said apologetically. Luke heard that and turned around. He saw tears gushing from Bianca''s eyes. "How is that possible? How..." Bianca mumbled as tears streaked down her cheeks. He had made it through the ordeal five years ago. Five yearster, she was unprepared that he did not. The doctor nodded apologetically at Bianca and Luke. Then, he walked away. The corridor became silent. Luke hugged her tightly in case she broke down. She was helpless and inconsble. "How could this be? Father... he... he was still fine yesterday..." Nothing could stop Bianca''s bitter tears. In the man''s arms, her only release was to hold the man''s coat so tightly that the coat was crumpled and her fingers hurt. Assaulted by a thousand thoughts and emotions, she told herself that she had to ept the fact that her father was gone. Otherwise, what could she do? When she was mentally prepared, her father had pulled it through. However, when she was not prepared, her father had left her abruptly, forever. Earlier, after Jason sent the children to school, he rushed to the hospital. The patient was in the operating theater, and the boss had arrived with the patient''s daughter. He relieved the guards from their posts. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. The guards were hiding downstairs. Jason met with them after he got out of the car. The guards that were stationed outside the ward were frowning and their gazes were shifty. Jason thought that something was amiss. "Haven¡¯t you left?" Jason asked calmly. He did not sound angry, but the guard hastily stubbed out his cigarette and replied tremblingly. "Can... can we leave?" He stammered. In the forty-odd years of his life, Jason had be an acute reader of someone''s thoughts from their expressions. From the way how flustered that guard looked, Jason could tell that he was hiding a lot of guilt. "Tell me truthfully the situation upstairs," Jason said. "There''s... nothing abnormal. All of a sudden, the doctors and nurses rushed into the ward." The guard sounded hesitant when he said that. Jason was displeased when he received that reply. "Now that the situation is uncertain, and the boss and the patient''s daughter are deathly worried that they would receive bad news from the operating theater. When things calm downter in the afternoon, they will receive a report from the hospital anyway. By then, it''ll be toote for you to tell the truth. If you continue to hide anything from me, I won''t be able to help youter!" The guards were only lowly mercenaries who had not encountered such situations. They were currently very afraid and did not know what to do. They were even scared out of their wits by Jason¡¯s words. "Alright, alright, I''ll say it, Bro," one of the guards confessed, "Before the patient''s condition took a turn for the worse, two people went into the ward. One of them said that she was the patient''s wife. I mean, if we turned her away, what if the patient wanted to meet them? Indeed, we''re here to keep strangers out, but if we can''t satisfy the patient''s needs and his condition took a turn for the worse, we can''t possibly bear the responsibility The person''s words were jumbled, though he managed to present the main points. Indeed, they were caught in a difficult position. The current situation was that they asked for the patient''s permission to allow the two into the ward, and that had caused the patient''s condition to worsen. However, if they had turned the two away and made the patient agitated, which caused his condition to worsen... No matter how they looked at it, the former situation was better. After all, the responsibility would fall on the patient''s wife! After discerning the situation, Jason pondered for a moment before heading upstairs. No one was at the operating theater. The light had been switched off. Jason went to Kevin¡¯s ward and saw two nurses cleaning up the room. "Is the patient still in the operating theater?" He asked. "They failed to revive him. He''s brought away from the operating theater to the morgue," the nurse replied. Jason was stunned. ''They failed... to revive him?'' Death always happened so suddenly. Eventually, Jason found his boss''s whereabouts. Luke sat in front of a bed in the hospital. His eyes were transfixed on Bianca on the bed. She was hooked to an IV drip. "Is Ms. Rayne OK?" Jason asked carefully. His boss must be in a bad mood. Luke''s brows were tightly furrowed. "Hypoglycemia. She passed out because of extreme sorrow." Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Luke¡¯s Anger It was considered normal for someone suffering from hypoglycemia to pass out from extreme sorrow. As far as Jason knew, hypoglycemia was not a serious disease anyway. When he heard from his boss that Bianca had passed out, instead of asking his boss to talk in the corridor, he told his boss in the ward what he had found out about the situation earlier. "Before Mr. Rayne''s condition took a turn for the worse, his wife brought his daughter to visit him..." Jason observed his boss''s expression as he spoke. Luke turned to look at him with surprise. "His wife and daughter visited him?" "Yes. His wife is Jennifer Lee, and his daughter is Marie Rayne. Mr. Rayne and his daughter share the same surname, but she is not his birth daughter. Jennifer had given birth to her ex-boyfriend''s child when she married Mr. Rayne," Jason exined. ''Why are they here?'' Luke frowned hard. He believed that the matter was not as simple as one might think. Jason reported truthfully, "Mdm. Jennifer Lee told the guards that Mr. Rayne has been looking for her so that they could discuss ownership of the old house in the small town, but she has been busy working multiple jobs to support the family and treat Mr. Rayne''s illness. She only managed to find time to visit him today. The guard thought that it was very important, and after getting Mr. Rayne''s permission, let the two into the ward." As Jason spoke, he noticed that his boss''s expression became more and more unpleasant. On the bed, Bianca''s eyshes fluttered. Back in Kevin¡¯s house. Jennifer unlocked the door, went inside, ced her handbag away, and changed into slippers. She circled the living room while muttering, "What should I do? What should I do? How did he die so easily? Oh my god, is this a bad dream?" Marie was also feeling afraid as she watched her mother making circles in the living room. She sat on the couch and tried to calm herself down but could not. Kevin seemed fine when they left the hospital. He had even agreed to give her the house and that he would settle the procedure within the week. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. They happily sat in the cab and appreciated the fall cityscape. They even went to the mall before going home. Right before they left the mall, they received a call from the hospital. Kevin had given the hospital the phone numbers of his spouse and children in case of emergencies. Jennifer was stunned when she heard that the patient had passed away. She held the phone to her year but did not say a word for a long time. Eventually, she stammered, "Can... can you say... say that again? What? He ... passed... passed away?" ''Wasn''t he alive and kicking earlier? How did he die just like that?'' Now that they were back home, Jennifer seemed to have thought of something and pointed at Marie on the couch. "What did I tell you? Don''t use those harsh words on your dad, but you don''t listen! Couldn''t you see that he was about to croak from the way he coughed? Don''t you know that you shouldn''t agitate him when he''s so sick?" Marie did not feel an ounce of guilt. She lowered her head and started to cry. She cried not because she was sad that Kevin had passed away but because she was afraid someone might find out that her words had killed him. "I didn''t want it to turn out that way. Who knew... he died so quickly.." Marie remained on the couch for the next half an hour before standing up. While Jennifery on her bed nursing a headache, she saw her daughter going into her room and turning on herputer. Marie searched on the Inte if one could be found guilty of anything if their words caused someone to die. As the children''s saying went, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." What should happen if words caused someone''s death? Eventually, she found an answer in an article on a legal website. However, the article used too many technical terms, and she did not fullyprehend it. Eventually, she still did not know whether she was guilty of anything. Marie continued searching the website. Eventually, a pop-up appeared, instructing her to type in the message box if she had further questions. She hastily typed a paragraph, briefly exining the matter, and clicked send. She received a reply soon. [That will depend on where you spoke those words. If you publicly insulted someone and caused their death, it can be considered nder, which is punishable by prison. However, if you spoke to them in private, you don''t have to bear responsibility.] Marie''s fingers were shaking. ''We were in the hospital, but the door was closed, and there''s only three of us in the room. That''s not considered a public ce, right? ''But I''ve said something that ndered Dad!'' Sitting in front of theputer, Marie convinced herself that the situation earlier was thetter and forced herself to calm down. If she had spoken those harsh words in private, she did not have to bear responsibility. Moreover, Kevin''s condition only worsened after they left the hospital. She felt a lot better after arriving at that conclusion, though her heart remained in her throat. ''Get up quickly, Mom!" Marie stood in front of Jennifer¡¯s bedroom and pulled Jennifer up. "Follow me to the hospital." "What do you intend to do?" Jennifer had only managed to enjoy some calm when her headache came back again after Marie mentioned "hospital! "You''re Bianca''s father''s wife, and so we have to go! Now that her dad''s dead, we''ll have to show that we''re sorry, even if we fake it. Otherwise, I''m afraid that we''ll get into trouble!" Marie''s eyes were brimming with tears. She was on the verge of a mental breakdown. On the rooftop of the hospital. Walter Long, the famouswyer, rushed there after receiving a call. After discerning the situation from Jason, he walked toward Luke, who was smoking while facing away from them. "How do you n to resolve this matter?" Walter asked. Luke turned around. "You should know very well how to resolve this matter! '' He said while suppressing his anger. "I indeed know very well, but are you sure that you want to put them in a state where they can never redeem themselves?" Walter looked at his good friend, not knowing how powerful love could be. It was the second time that the world-renownedwyer was personally hired to handle Luke''s woman''s matters. Luke''s expression was sinister. He pointed the cigarette between his fingers at Walter and said, "This is what they deserve!" Chapter 235 Chapter 235 Luke¡¯s Insistence and Ruthlessness "OK. Leave it to me." Walter did not attempt to convince his friend again. Luke was stubborn, and he would not take back anything he said. After that, Walter took his briefcase and left the rooftop. At the same time, Jason was talking to someone over the phone. He nodded, grunted several times, gave the hospital''s address, and hung up. He kept his phone, turned around, and saw Luke''s horrifyingly sullen face. However, he walked over and said, "The DNA test results are ready, Mr. Crawford." Luke finished the cigarette and stubbed it out. "Pass it to me." Jason nodded, then went downstairs and waited for the authoritative DNA test report. He was not curious about the contents of the report. As Luke''s personal assistant, he knew that he had to maintain his professionalism. That included knowing when to look away. If he was curious about everything, he would have been dead a long time ago. Bianca opened her eyes after Luke and Jason left the ward. It was the first time that she had passed out from her hypoglycemia. In her teens, she had left her grandfather, who had taken care of her since she was a child, and went under Jennifer''s care. Back then, Bianca remembered that she would often tremble and her head would be dizzy because of her hypoglycemia, but she would recover after a short rest. She would be hiding in her room and cry anyway, so no one would notice that she had her dizzy spells, though her face looked very pale after. Whenever her father asked about why herplexion was terrible, Jennifer would say, "That''s because she eats junk food instead of proper meals! Look at her face. There''s not even a hint of color!" "I don''t eat junk food.¡± Young Bianca knew how to speak up for herself. She did not tell that to her evil stepmother. Jennifer would not be convinced anyway. That was directed toward her father. Out of the four people living in the house, Bianca was closest to her father Kevin. However, her father would choose to believe Jennifer instead. "I''ve told you many times not to binge on junk food! You never listen! I don''t know how your Grandpa disciplines you." The thrifty and kind grandfather would be med as well. It was that time when Bianca knew that there was no use exining yourself to someone who was not going to believe you anyway. She did not have a mother since young, and her father was always at work. In those years that she lived with her grandfather, Bianca had never suffered from hypoglycemia. Life might be difficult in the small town, but she was well-fed with home-grown vegetables and fresh meat from the market. At least she received proper nutrition. Even when she was bullied in middle school, she had never passed out. When she moved to the city, Jennifer would only cook delicious food for Marie. Bianca ate the leftovers, but most of the time, there would be nothing left, even a scrap of meat. She often ate dry white bread. Eventually, she got used to the taste. She had no ie when she was in college, and she did not have spare money to go to nightclubs and bars as Marie did. Fortunately, she was spared the dark side of humanity. Bianca felt aplicated mix of emotions when she recalled her past. She eventually sumbed to the harshness of reality, willingly giving up her body when her father was critically ill, even though the reason she gave up her body was different from Marie''s. There was nothing more pitiful than someone who had given up. After she calmed down and contacted the "middleman," she gave birth to a pair of children to her benefactor and suffered countless days and nights. She felt slightly at ease, now that she knew that her benefactor was Luke Crawford. However, if her benefactor was not Luke Crawford but a despicable and perverted old man, would she be equally at ease? Her nightmares would have persisted in those five years. To encounter Luke Crawford instead of some other pervert and give birth to a pair of children for him. Bianca believed that any other woman would be happy if ced in the same circumstances. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. However, Bianca could not forgive herself for selling her body. Even if everything ended well for her, that could not change the fact. She walked along the corridor to the doctor''s office while thinking about all that. After knocking on the door, she went into the office. Earlier, Jason did not know that Bianca had overheard everything he told Luke. The doctor was caught in a dilemma when Bianca exined herself to him. The private hospital was not like a public hospital. Its service toward its patients was top-notch. "Kevin Rayne is my father, Doctor. Are you saying that... I don''t have the right to find out what happened to him?" Bianca said weakly. The doctor was holding his phone in his hands, about to make a call to someone. Bianca reached out and stopped him. "Don''t tell my friend. I''m afraid that he won''t allow me to review the security footage. I think... I have the right to review it. I''m very grateful to you for doing your best for my father, and that''s why I don''t want to involve thewyers..." Her implication was clear. The doctor furrowed his brows. Considering that nothing he was about to do was illegal, he nodded and agreed to Bianca''s request. Ten minutester, Bianca received a copy of the security footage. The original had been given to Mr. Crawford. Bianca yed the footage. She had not watched half of it when her hands were already trembling. ''Jennifer and Marie. How money-hungry can they be? ''The Rayne family has provided them so much over the years. Does the woman who cuckolded her husband when he was suffering from lung cancer deserve anything more?'' Marie''s sinister voice could be heard. '' Now that I¡¯ve mentioned it, Uncle Kevin, you must have remembered." Kevin seemed visibly weaker than the first half of the video. He was struggling and coughing earlier, but now he was lying on the bed and gasping... Marie grunted and continued, "Think carefully, Uncle Rayne. When you were in the hospital five years ago, didn''t Bianca disappear for a while? She was satisfying an old pervert''s carnal pleasures. After that, she became pregnant and didn''t want you to know. That''s why she didn''te often to visit you in the hospital, and she always wears loose clothing when shees. Haven''t you ever suspected why she behaved so irregrly?" Chapter 236 Chapter 236 Take Them to the Police Station! "A charity foundation that provides financial and medical resources without asking anything in return? That''s nothing but Bianca''s horrible lie..." Marie chuckled sarcastically and shook her head. "Has anyone from the charity foundation contacted you while you were receiving treatment? Did anyone follow up on your condition? These foundations should have strict procedures. You''ve used a liver from them. Their people will be keeping a close eye on your condition until the day you die!" Marie''s words seemed to make sense. Five years ago, whenever Bianca visited Kevin in the hospital, she did not stay there for too long, in case her father noticed something. She banked on the fact that her father was gravely ill and could not focus his attention on her. That was how she managed to deceive him. She also found a lot of excuses, which her father believed without any doubt. Now that Marie had divulged everything, Kevin must have been able to remember those memories from five years ago. If he could pay attention to the details, he would have discovered that Bianca was indeed hiding something from him... The elderly man lying on the bed became weaker and weaker. His wrinkly fingers eventually curled up, but he could not hold a fist and slowly loosened his grip... Bianca could see that tears were welling up in her father''s clouded eyes. She did not know how her father felt. However, she could see from the video that he was in disbelief about what his daughter had done. Eventually, he was convinced by Marie that she was telling the truth... ¡¯I''m sorry, Dad..." She spoke to her father in the video. She would have said it to him, but he was already gone. Tears kept on falling. In the video, Marie strutted smugly like a chicken and continued to talk,'' I''ve already told you what I should say, Uncle Kevin. I don''t wish to damage your impression of Bianca, but that''s indeed what she did. You can''t me me for that." The man on the bed closed his eyes, perhaps out of guilt or out of despair. Marie walked close to the bed again and put on a smile on her face. "Now that Bianca found herself a rich man, I admit that she has her way with flirting with men. You can see from the news article that she¡¯s enjoying her life now. It''s the truth. You can see for yourself if you go on the Inte. They can try suppressing the news, but there''ll be remnants. If you don''t wish for me to tell her husband and his family about Bianca''s tattered past, then hand over the house to me and Mom within the week..." At this time, there was amotion outside the hospital ward. Bianca thought that she heard Jennifer and Marie''s voices outside. She wondered if she was hallucinating because of her hatred toward the two. She ced the tablet away and walked out. In the corridor, a few security guards were standing in the way of Jennifer and Marie. "I''m the wife of Kevin the deceased. The woman inside isn''t my birth daughter, but she''s at least my stepdaughter. Can''t I visit her?" Jennifer looked sad and lethargic as she shoved the security guards and used them of being merciless. The security guards received the order that no one could enter the ward except for Luke and Jason! "This is yourst warning to leave now." The security guard started shoving the mother and daughter away, showing no hint of sympathy. Bianca walked out into the corridor, her frail body under the light-blue and white striped patient''s gown. Marie noticed Bianca first. She elbowed Jennifer and told her to look. Jennifer turned her head and immediately noticed Bianca. She wanted to start crying and remind Bianca of their rtionship, but she chickened out when her eyes met with Bianca''s withering gaze. "Bianca... are you... feeling better?" That was the only thing that Jennifer managed to say. Bianca walked past the security guards and looked at them with a pale face. "Aren''t you afraid of retribution?" Fear rose in Marie''s heart when she heard of that. She also saw her mother shudder and m up. Marie knew that Bianca must have reviewed the security footage. It was normal for high-ss medical facilities to have security cameras everywhere. Earlier, she had forgotten about that. Also, she had not expected that Kevin would die so easily. Bianca would not have checked the security footage if a human life was not involved.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. "What do you mean, Bianca? We didn''t cause Dad''s death, but we''re still very sorry, and now...¡¯ Bianca did not let Marie finish her sentence. She looked at the mother and daughter with a prating gaze. "I''ve known the two of you since my early teens. From the day I moved into the big city, you''ve sessfully made me hate the city and miss my grandfather in the small town...¡¯ The security guards looked at the woman, not sure how to report to their boss. "Not only you two have conspired against me, but my father would rather believe the lies you told him than me. He''s been too kind to you..." Scenes from memories past shed in Bianca''s mind as she said that. Tears were about to fall from her eyes. ''Dad, are you seeing all this in heaven?'' She thought. Before he died, he must have regretted that he harbored Jennifer and Marie. If he was not regretful and disappointed, why would he dry-heave and vomit blood, then leave without leaving anyst words? ¡¯Listen to me, Bianca." Jennifer tried to exin. ¡¯I don''t want to!" Bianca was hysterical. She yelled at Jennifer weakly, not even able to wield the strength to p her stepmother. "I hope that Dad in heaven can see your true colors! If there''s divine justice, I hope you will suffer a hundred times, no, a thousand times of the pain you brought to Dad!" While the confrontation happened in the corridor, Luke and Jason appeared at the same time. Jason''s expression sank when he saw the scene. "Why are you all standing there for? Take those two lunatics to the police station!" He ordered the security guards. The security guards immediately fell upon Jennifer and Marie. Luke nced at Bianca who was currently emotionally unstable, then turned to look at the mother and daughter. He held the DNA test report in one hand, and with the other, stubbed out his cigarette on Marie''s cheek. "I don''t care whether if you''re male or female; only if you''ve insulted Bianca!" He said coldly. Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Announcing the Identity of the Birth Mother to the Children Luke pressed the glowing cigarette onto Marie''s delicate, well-maintained cheek. In a shock, she immediately covered her face, her brows tightly knotted from the pain. She looked at the tall and mysterious man standing in front of her, and it was only some timeter that sheprehended what he said... ''Is he standing up for Bianca? ''Did he mistake her for someone else?'' "You''re... you''re the lunatic!" Jennifer did not recognize who Luke was, but from his appearance, she could tell that he was not a good person. Even if he bore ill will, he should not have hurt Marie. Even if he wanted to hurt Marie, he should have pped or kicked her and not scorch her face with a cigarette. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Jennifer had relied on her looks to get money from other men when she was Marie''s age, but now, she had to rely on Marie. If Marie''s face was ruined, then she would not be able to get money from men. Jennifer tried to struggle away from the security guards so that she could see if her daughter''s face had any injuries. However, she was not strong enough. "Behave!¡± The security guard shoved Jennifer onto a chair. The back of Jennifer''s head knocked on the wall. She rubbed the back of her head and began to act like a shrew. "Ow... ow... I think I might have suffered a concussion! Help! Help! That guy is bullying a defenseless woman!" "Shut up!" The security guard stepped up and gripped Jennifer''s chin so that she could only make muffled sounds. Luke had encountered his fair share of cunning and underhanded people in his business dealings, but he had never seen someone as despicable as Jennifer and her daughter. Jason and the security guards took care of the situation in the corridor. Luke turned around, took off his coat, and draped it over Bianca, not caring what the other people thought. Marie could still feel the sting on her face. She saw the scene happening in front of her while covering her face. She remembered who that man was. Earlier, she was intimidated by the man''s domineering presence. After racking her brain for a long time, her brain eventually fell on the name "Luke Crawford." She knew a lot of rted information about that name. Luke Crawford was a famous pioneer in the business world, the CEO of T Corporation, the youngest entrepreneur, the richest man in A City... Those titles and appetions surfaced in her mind. She did not expect Bianca to know that person. Marie could not believe what she saw. Sheughed nkly out of her disbelief... Marie felt that his wealth and personal achievements were such a big contrast to the person he was caring for! How was it possible that the two people with drastically different backgrounds know each other? The police station was not far away from the hospital. The police arrived within five minutes of receiving the call. Jennifer pretended that she was sick, but the police knew how to deal with her. Otherwise, every criminal would pretend to be sick when they were about to be arrested. Jennifer was whispering to Marie on the way to the police station, but Marie kept her head lowered and pretended not to hear. Ever since she had dropped out of middle school, she tried to get close to the rich boys in her ss, or those yboys who hung out in the nightclubs. She had epted how those boys had yed excessive pranks on her, forced her to drink and dance, or even make out in bed... She knew her objective. She wanted to be a girlfriend of a rich boy. That would be very morous. Her rich boyfriend would buy nice things for her to eat. It might only be a pack of Oreos or a cup of instant ramen, but she would sit in front of the crowded school cafeteria during lunch break, and every student would look at her eat. Most of those students could only afford in bread or a Twinkie. Bianca was one of those poor students who could only afford in bread. Marie could not forget how pathetic Bianca looked when she first transferred to the school. What right did Bianca have to receive such treatment from Luke? So what if Bianca had kept her head down and studied hard? She was that pathetic, malnourished, hapless little girl! Marieughed out loud when she thought of that! In the hospital, Luke clutched the DNA test report in his hands but had no intention of showing it to Bianca. It was supposed to be a joyous asion, but Bianca''s father had suddenly passed away. Bianca was Lanie and Rainie''s mother. That was a fact. Luke was very sure about whom he loved, not only now, but five years ago, or even earlier, when he was a student. He had many regrets in life, such as having irresponsible parents, or how he had two children born out of wedlock, causing the children to grow up without a mother''s love. However, he had a tender spot in his heart. It was like a garden with a sign that read, in big and bold letters, ¡°First Love." He considered himself luckier than many other men in the world. After her hysterics in the corridor, she followed the doctor''s advice and rested on the bed. Earlier, she had removed the IV catheter from her hand by herself when she went to the doctor''s office to ask for the security footage. It was beginning to swell, and the doctor had to insert another catheter into her other hand. 2 Luke stood in front of the hospital bed. His arms gripped the footboard, and his eyes were transfixed on Bianca, who was crying with her eyes closed. Jason was waiting for his boss at the door. Luke went to whisper in her ear, "Rest well. You don''t have to worry about anything." He turned around and left, still clutching the DNA test report. The important business meeting in the morning had been postponed to noon, then from noon to the afternoon. Luke sat in the spacious ck Bentley which drove away from the hospital. As the car turned a corner, Luke instructed, "Don''t send Lanie and Rainie back home after school. Bring them to me at my office." Jason nodded. "Understood." ''Is he going to announce the identity of their birth mother to them?'' A curious thought appeared in Jason''s mind. He was very happy to witness the two children who had addressed him as ¡¯ Uncle Doyle" finally know who their birth mother was. Jason was quite sure that his guess of the birth mother¡¯s identity would not be wrong... Chapter 238 Chapter 238 Bumping Into Mr. Crawford Forty minutester, the car arrived at the office building. The ck Bentley stopped in front of the entrance. Luke stepped out of the car with his leather shoes, and he held the DNA test report in his hand. Nopany employee would dare to make a fuss in front of their boss, especially by standing in front of their boss''s way. However, Yvonne was about to do that. She was talking to the receptionists in the lobby. "My friend isn''t someone bad. What mischief can we do if we go to the top floor? There are security cameras everywhere. Why can''t we go there and hang around for ten minutes?" The receptionists might be lowly employees, but they had greeted their fair share of VIPs before. Of course, they had seen many individuals like Yvonne who disyed their intelligence, or theck of it, the moment they opened their mouths. The receptionists knew that Yvonne wanted to bring her friend to the top floor so that she could show off. The top floor was the CEO¡¯s office. Even though Mr. Crawford might not be in the office often, the top floor was nheless forbidden territory. None of the employees may enter without permission. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. "I''m sorry, Ms. Gideon, you can bring your friend to the floor you work in, or themon area on the second floor," one of the receptionists answered diplomatically. Yvonne''s face was green with anger after she heard the receptionist repeat the same thing again. She mmed her palm onto the marble counter. ¡¯ Are you a robot? Do you only know how to say that? You''re too inflexible!" The two receptionists looked at each other. They retained the apologetic smile, though their gaze was bing disdainful. Yvonne might be ignorant, but she could see the disdain in the receptionists'' eyes. She sneered and said, "Just you wait. I''ll get Brother Luke to fire the two of you tomorrow!" There was only one Luke in the entirepany. Yvonne thought that the two receptionists would be intimidated when she name-dropped the boss... Unfortunately, she was wrong. The two receptionists looked at the entrance with smiles on their faces, then bowed at the same time. "Good afternoon, Mr. Crawford." Yvonne turned around and saw the man entering through the revolving entrance door of the building. Disregarding his forbidding aura, Yvonne pounced over to the man and said coyly, "Brother Luke, they..." The receptionists began to look flustered. Their senior in college had rmended them to apply to T Corporation. They also knew that ever since Luke took over the reins, he had made sure that thepany rules applied to everyone, including himself. That Yvonne had called the boss "Brother Luke" in public... If she was really someone personally close to the boss, they were uncertain if they would get to keep their jobs. Luke did not allow Yvonne to get close to him. He used the hand that was holding the DNA test report to block her advance and asked casually, "Why is she still in thepany?" That question was meant for Jason. The boss might not sound angry, but Jason nevertheless admitted his oversight. He knew very well how much the boss hated Ms. Gideon, especially today when Kevin Rayne had passed away. Yvonne was digging her own grave! "I''ll handle this right away!" Jason nodded solemnly. Then, he took a step forward and, with a fierce expression, gestured to Yvonne as though saying "This way, please." Yvonne''s grievances were stuck in her throat. The receptionists exhaled heavily, relieved that they were not going to get into trouble. If the boss arrived at thepanyte today with his brows tightly knotted together, it meant that he had something serious guing his mind. Yvonne happened to be unlucky to meet him in the lobby. Yvonne, who had been coyly calling her boss "Brother Luke," was also wondering what was going to happen to her. "Why is she still in thepany?'' What does that mean?'' She did not understand. ''Where else should I be during office hours, if not at thepany?'' Jason sighed and said, "Ms. Gideon, please go upstairs and pack up your belongings." "Why should I pack up my belongings?" Yvonne had a hunch that she was getting fired and began to throw her spoiled-rich-daughter tantrums. "I''m doing fine here. Are you telling me to leave?" Jason was speechless for a moment. ''Yes. I''m telling you to leave.'' Meanwhile, several other employees who were stepping into the elevator grimaced. They were thinking of the same thing, ''That Yvonne doesn''t know her position. She got into trouble during the outdoor expedition thest time, and now this.'' They were all secretly trembling when they saw how serious and harsh their boss was earlier... In the conference room on the top floor of the building, the meeting started. Jason knew that the meeting would not be ending anytime soon. The boss would definitely want to run through the entire agenda so that he could focus on settling Mr. Rayne''s affairs. If Mr. Rayne were still alive, he would eventually be the boss''s father- inw. At the lobby, the police came to arrest Yvonne for a serious crime. Not only was Yvonne scared into tears and kept on denying that she did not exhort someone to abduct her colleague''s grandfather, but even the department leader of the design department also called the top floor. Jason remained silent. He did not answer any callsing from downstairs. He felt that Yvonne had brought it unto herself. If not that she had made several mistakes in a row because of her impetuosity and angered the boss, she would not have to go to prison at such a young age. Time passed by slowly. Eventually, it was half-past four. Jason nced at his wristwatch, then went to the school to fetch the two children back to the boss''s office. They arrived at five o''clock, though it was only until seven o''clock when the conference room doors opened. The two children had already fallen asleep. Chapter 239 Chapter 239 Proof That We Are Family Everyone who had participated in the meeting was thoroughly exhausted, though Luke looked as though he was an emotionless robot. He strode energetically toward his office. "Daddy... mmm..." Rainie was the first to wake up when she heard her father''s steady footsteps. She mumbled and rubbed her eyes. Luke nodded at the little girl and tried to smile at her, though his smile was more like a reluctant stretch of the corners of his mouth. Previously, his interactions as a father toward his children were more like formic obligations rather than gestures of intimacy. That was the first time that he showed some kindness to his children. Rainie was shocked when she looked at her dad. She thought that he looked better when he was crying. She nned to tell Miss Bea that Daddy was acting weirdly today, as though he was a cunning wolf who wanted to lure an innocent little rabbit into his den and snap its throat... Whoosh! Rainie hid behind the couch. Perhaps Daddy was not himself today. Luke did not know what his daughter was thinking. He thought that the smile was kind, gentle, and fatherly. He sat in hisfortable office chair and deliberated how he shouldmunicate with his children. At that time, the secretary came into the office with a cup of freshly brewed Americano. She nodded to him and left the office. Luke took a sip of the coffee. Then, he looked at the confused children and finally took out three things from a drawer. Two of them were the same. They were colorful picture books. The other was a document envelope made of kraft paper fastened by string. The two children blinked, wondering what their father''s intentions were. Luke was not used to indulging his children. He tossed the picture books on the dark-colored office table and told them, "These are for you. You can take one each." "These are for us?" Lanie and Rainie did not know what was going on, though they quickly hopped down the couch, scampered over to the office table that was almost as tall as them, then tiptoed to look at what was on the table. Their attention was immediately captivated by the colorful picture books. "Thank you, Daddy!" Lanie tore the wrapping apart, threw it into the trash can, and eagerly flipped through the picture book. Rainie was also tearing away the wrapping, though she was looking at her brother''s book as though Lanie''s book was somehow better. Luke silently observed his two children. He did not expect that he understood what they wanted. A simple picture book could brighten their day and even make them forget that they were hungry. Just when he was feeling smug about making his children happy, he opened the envelope containing the DNA test report. He believed that if he was correct about his decision to give his children picture books, then his speech to themter should be correct too. At the same time, Yvonne''s mother and herwyer arrived at the police station. After asking around, Mrs. Gideon and thewyer eventually could meet Yvonne. Yvonne thought that her tears had already run dry after crying out of fright for no less than a hundred times. However, once she saw her mother, she burst into tears again. "Mom! Mom... you have to save me..." Mrs. Gideon stepped forward, hugged her daughter, and patted her back. ¡¯ Don''t worry. I''ve brought the lawyer here today." Mrs. Gideon was not too old, and she was not very well-educated. However, she knew how to primp herself and had won her current husband''s heart by being more flirtatious than the other women of her age. Now that medical technology was getting more advanced, she was also trying to have a test-tube baby, so that she could bear a child for her current husband, preferably a son. She paid less attention to her daughter because she was focused on the test-tube baby. Thewyer remainedposed. He gestured at the mother and daughter, inviting them to sit down. Thewyer looked at Yvonne and said, "Nice to meet you, Ms. Gideon. Your mother has given me a rough summary of the incident. Now, you have to tell me the truth because I will be your defense lawyer when the case goes on trial, and I am the only one who can help you." Yvonne nodded. "Yes, I will answer all your questions truthfully." "Let me ask you, Ms. Gideon, are you complicit in the abduction of Bianca Rayne''s grandfather?¡± Thewyer asked his first question. When Yvonne heard the question, she looked at her mother. Mrs. Gideon was someone with no opinion of her own. Her attention was focused on flirting and bridge. When such incidents happened, she only had her husband or herwyer to rely on. However, her current husband had said that he could not help Yvonne. The party that was bringing Yvonne to court was someone with a lot of clout. The police could not divulge their names. It meant that Bianca had someone influential supporting her behind the scenes. "Quick, tell thewyer," Mrs. Gideon urged. Yvonne was shocked when she saw that her mother had trusted thewyer so much. She instantly told the truth, "I''ve told you that I''m not the one involved in the abduction. All I did was tell someone else the idea, and that person hired someone else to do it..." Thewyer recorded it down, then lifted his head and asked, "Who is that'' someone else'' you mentioned?" Yvonne hesitated and did not speak. "I need to know that person''s name and status and your rtionship with them," thewyer said. Yvonne thought for a bit and told thewyer Xavier''s name. She tried to push all responsibility to Xavier and emphasized to thewyer, ¡¯ I only suggested to him to do so because I sincerely hoped that Bianca Rayne could be his wife. I only provided the suggestion. The actual deed was done by Xavier himself..." Thewyer nodded and recorded it all down. Yvonne''s tense expression loosened a little, but she soon remembered that she might have to spend the night at the police station and started shivering again. For someone kept awake by troubling thoughts, one night was a very long time indeed. The next morning. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. The sky was already bright before six o''clock. Bianca got up from the hospital bed. Her bones were aching. She had to remain in the same sleeping position. Her bones could not take it. When she opened her eyes, she was pleasantly surprised to see the two children standing next to the bed. Their eyes were sparkling with excitement. "You two..." Bianca had only opened her mouth when Rainie leaned over, hugged her neck, pecked her cheek, and whispered, "I love you, Mommy..." Bianca was stunned. Lanie was rtively calmerpared to Rainie. He brought her a ss of warm milk and said, "Good morning, Mommy. This is the first time I''ve greeted you good morning, and I will greet you every morning." Bianca was stunned for a long time before she took the ss from Lanie. She wanted to say something, but her mouth was dry, and her throat hurt. She did not know how to react. Lanie pouted and seemed a little shy. "Rainie and I looked at the DNA test report. We don''t really know what it says, but Daddy says that it''s proof that we''re a family." Chapter 240 Chapter 240 Show Them No Mercy Bianca only remembered about the DNA test report when Lanie mentioned it. Now that Lanie had said it, it meant that the DNA test had proved that Bianca was indeed the two children''s birth mother. Before that, Bianca was only seventy or eighty percent sure. Now, she was finally at ease. It should have been a joyous asion when her status was confirmed, but Bianca did not seem as happy or excited as she expected. That was because her father had passed away. Bianca had to ept that painful fact, no matter whether she was awake or in her dreams. All the good news seemed to be shrouded in a thinyer of dust. Lanie kicked away the little boots on his feet and hopped onto the bed. Once on the bed, he realized that there was not enough space for him to sit cross-legged. Instead, he kneeled next to Bianca. Fortunately, the bed was big enough for that. He took the ss of warm milk from Mommy''s hands and noticed that there was some sediment inside. Lanie quickly stirred the ss with a spoon. "Take your breakfast, Mommy," Lanie said as he stirred the pure-white liquid with a spoon, "There''s protein powder inside. The doctor said that your body is too weak. You need more nutrients." Bianca took the ss and slowly drank the milk. The little boy remained persistent after she had drunk the milk. He gave her more things to eat. Rainie handed Bianca a napkin so that she could wipe away the stains at the corners of her mouth. Bianca was gued by troubles and found everything to be tasteless, though she appreciated her two children''s presentation of love toward her. Those gestures warmed her heart. She wondered what she did to deserve such nice children. When it was time to go to school, Jason knocked on the door, came in, and brought the two reluctant children away. Luke had been waiting outside the ward all the while. He did not go in but instead tasked the two young children to take care of their mother. The children were sure to brighten Bianca''s day. After spending twenty-four hours in the police station, Jennifer and Marie were set free. That was standard procedure. The mother and daughter did not do anything serious. The ruckus at the hospital was only considered a misdemeanor. Marie turned on her phone once she was out of the police station. She received a flood of messages. One of them was from Linda, one of Leia''s assistants. [Why aren''t you reporting to work, Marie? You only hurt a finger. It''s not like your entire wrist broke.] Marie did not reply to the message because the police had confiscated her phone. Linda had sent her another message an hourter. [Wow! Do you think you''re beyond reproach? You ought to pay more attention to your work if you want to be anyone in the industry. You don''t even tell anyone that you''re taking time off work, and you don''t even reply to my message! Who do you think you are?] "You witch!" Marie did not think highly of Leia, much less her assistant. ''Who does Linda think she is? All she does is serve Leia''s whims. Does she think that she''s a celebrity too? ''Not only that, she''s ugly beyond words.'' Marie tried to calm herself down and quickly replied. [I''m sorry, Linda. I was detained in the police station for a night, and I only managed to get out just now. Where''s the film shoot today? Send me the location. I''ll head there right away!] Then, she took a selfie of her in front of the police station and sent it over to Linda. Soon, Linda replied. [Why are you at the police station? I''ll send the location to you. Come over quickly.] [Alright. Thank you, Linda. I''ll tell you the details when we meet.] Being a celebrity''s assistant was quite boring. No entertainment news in the papers could be as exciting as the gossip that spread among assistants at a film set. Linda was fond of gossip. Her colleague was detained in the police station for some reason. That was considered gossip too. Marie hailed a cab and shoved her mother into it. "Go home by yourself. I have other things to do." Jennifer stumbled, though she managed to steady herself by holding on to the cab. She turned around and spoke to Marie, "Careful about that burn mark on your face. Also, remember to call Bianca and be polite about it." "Don''t worry. I know what to do." Marie turned around and left after she spoke. At that moment, Marie did not know that there was a greater cmity waiting for her, nor did she know about what Walter Long could do to her. Instead, she was naively thinking, ''What can Bianca do to me anyway? Does she think that she can sue me? She can''t possibly me me for angering her dad with mere words. ''He deserves to die anyway! ''All the Raynes are unlucky and short-lived!'' Jennifer frowned as she watched her daughter skip away happily, then she sat in the cab. After staying in the police station for one night, Jennifer knew the true meaning of fear. However, after being forced into a dead end, she was not quite ready to admit defeat yet... In thest few years of his life, Kevin had focused his attention on his second wife. Bianca did not hold a grudge against Kevin for that. She thought that it was normal to focus his attention on his wife rather than his daughter from the previous wife. After all, Kevin had used his life savings of a few ten thousand dors to fund Bianca''s tuition fees. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Even though that money could only pay for about half a year of tuition, she was nheless grateful. Kevin''s death must be a huge blow to Bianca. Jennifer was worried that Bianca might channel her sorrow into anger. At the film set. Marie bought some roasted chestnuts as a gift. When Marie arrived, she apologized and made up with Leia''s two assistants. The assistants were appeased. Marie did not have to do much that day. It waste at night when Leia was finished with the shoot. She was exhausted, and though she noticed Marie''s presence when she walked toward her RV, she said nothing and only red at her coldly. Back in the trailer, Leia checked her phone for messages. One of the messages was from Queenie. [Leia, make yourself avable on the night of the 26th. Let your agent arrange with the production crew. Your dad has a meeting followed by a dinner that night. Luke Crawford will attend the dinner. You want to be acquainted with him, right? Your dad has agreed to introduce you to him. Treasure the opportunity.] Leia blushed when she read the message. Immediately, she typed a reply with her slender fingers. [Got it, Mom. Thank you, my dear mother!] Chapter 241 Chapter 241 Daddy Is Bringing Mommy Home Leia felt a lot better after she replied to her mother''s message. She opened the trailer door and called out gently, "Come over here for a bit, Marie." Her tone of voice sounded like a noble beckoning for their servant or an owner calling for their pet. Marie was not happy when she heard that, though she faked a smile and jogged over obediently. "Do you need me for anything?" ''Of course I need you for something!'' Leia thought as she looked at Marie with disdain. ''Can''t you be a little smarter as an assistant?'' "Why don''t you ever address me whenever I talk to you?¡± Leia said warmly. The surroundings might be dark, but Leia''s impable features had seemed to brighten the night a little. Members of the production crew passed by while carrying props. "It''s like this. You''re six years younger than me, and I''m not sure how I should address you," Marie said awkwardly. "Ms. Leia" sounded too formal. She did not feel close enough to Leia to call her by only her name. After all, she was only a lowly assistant. Marie could never forget the humiliation she suffered when Leia stepped on her fingers. Leia smiled genially when she heard Marie''s words. "You can just call me Leia." Some of the crew members overheard what Leia said. "You''re too kind, Leia!" "I shouldn''t have taken my degree in photography! It''s much better to be Leia''s assistant!" As they gossiped, they praised Leia''s generosity and friendliness. Leia smiled, then went back into her trailer to change. While Marie applied some makeup remover to a cotton pad, she thought to herself, ''Those people in the production crew call her ''Leia'' because they''re her seniors. If I call her ''Leia,'' she might not actually like it.'' With that thought, Marie decided that she should find a more influential benefactor and get away from Leia as soon as possible. She would scale greater heights and be a hundred times more morous than Leia Norman! On the drive back to the city center. The RV drove into the downtown area. Leia was not in the mood to look at the bustle of the city outside but instead kept on calling Xavier''s number. Eventually, at about seven o''clock, Xavier answered the call. Leia sat up straight and furrowed her brows. "Why didn''t you answer the call sooner?" Xavier had only gotten out of the police station and regained the use of his phone. "Why are you looking for me?" Leia answered, "I have something to ask you. You''re the only one I trust who can give me advice. If you don''t have anything else, let''s meet up." Xavier continued to walk out of the police station while he lit a cigarette. ¡¯ Alright, you decide on a ce.¡¯ Having dinner with a famous celebrity should be a secretive affair. Even so, theirst encounter was caught on camera and went in the news anyway. However, if not for that, Xavier would not have the opportunity to show everyone in the country that he had a legal marriage certificate with Bianca Rayne! Xavier took a drag of his cigarette and puffed out a cloud of light blue smoke. His lips curled upward into a smug grin when he thought of that. Xavier was about to get into his car when Mrs. Gideon rushed up to him from behind and stepped into his way. "You can''t frame my daughter, Xavier Tanner!" Her voice was hoarse from screaming. Awyer followed behind Mrs. Gideon. The forty-year-old woman pounced on Xavier and grabbed his cor, though she was quickly shoved away. "Have you lost your mind? Do you want to apany your daughter in jail? ¡¯ Xavier looked at Mrs. Gideon, who had fallen onto the ground, with a savage gaze. Thewyer quickly went over and helped Mrs. Gideon to her feet. "You''re a wicked person, Xavier Tanner!" Mrs. Gideon wasughing out of anger. "You said that my daughter was the one who orchestrated her colleague''s grandfather''s abduction? Can you say that you''re not involved? I think that you''re the mastermind!" Xavier remained calm. "Mrs. Gideon, I''m good friends with Yvonne, and you are acquaintances with my parents. If I¡¯ve done anything wrong, I will admit to it instead of framing it on a neen-year-old girl. I can say that I''m not involved in the abduction at all." This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Mrs. Gideonughed as though she had heard a very funny joke. "You said that you''re not involved? One day, the truth will prevail!" Xavier frowned and continued to speak, "Yvonne knows that I love Bianca, my current wife, and that was why she gave me the suggestion to abduct Bianca''s grandfather and force her into a marriage. I thought that Yvonne is too young to understand that a rtionship born out ofpulsion will notst long. If I can win my wife''s heart by normal means, why would I need to do that immoral deed? I¡¯ve also advised Yvonne not to do anything rash, but she didn''t seem to pay any heed." Thewyer remained silent. However, Mrs. Gideon began to waver. On one hand, she thought that even her daughter might be rash, she would not be so stupid to singlehandedly abduct the grandfather of her rival in love. On the other hand, Xavier seemed tooposed, as though he really did nothing wrong. "Let''s go, Mrs. Gideon," thewyer urged. Mrs. Gideon left with thewyer in a daze. She was still confused. Xavier knew that if the police had arrested Yvonne and were beginning to investigate the case, "someone" must have been pulling the strings. Fortunately, all the evidence pointed to Yvonne! However, Xavier was angry at the fact that Luke was helping his wife. Luke and the children were at the hospital to bring Mommy home. Jason opened the car door. Lanie and Rainie were very well-behaved. "Careful, Rainie..." Rainie quickly bent down and grabbed Rainie''s leg to help her hop into the car. 2 Lanie was a lot more nimble. He took a step into the car and hopped inside like a gant price. 1 Luke stood behind Bianca. His hand, adorned by an expensive luxury wristwatch, held Bianca''s waist and helped her get into the car. Jason closed the car door after all four of them had gone inside. Even though Bianca had such a winding history with the boss, Jason felt that she was a lucky person for having someone to support her in her toughest times. Chapter 242 Chapter 242 Who¡¯s the Real King of the Family? The ck Bentley slowly drove out of the hospital. Bianca looked at the two cute children, and her mood brightened instantly. Luke did not look at the children like Bianca did. Instead, he was looking at Bianca''s face. Bianca was oblivious to that. The two children clung to their mother and chatted with her ceaselessly. ''Am I not as important as the children?'' Luke thought. Suddenly, he was jealous! Rainie pouted and said to Bianca coyly, "When I was three years old, Grand Auntie came over for Christmas and brought her two granddaughters along. They''re the same age as me, but they have pretty braids. They told me that their mommy braided their hair for them. Why don''t you have a mommy? I was so angry that I cried." Bianca looked at Rainie''s aggrieved expression and hugged her tightly. She kissed Rainie''s forehead and said, "I''ll do your braids for you every day." "Mm, thank you, Mommy!" Rainie snuggledfortably in her mother''s arms. However, the little girl suddenly felt a chill coursing down her spine. She thought that someone scary was looking at her. After Rainie was doneining, it was Lanie''s turn. "When GreatGrandpa brought me to the park to y with the other boys, their mommies will be there handing them their water bottles whenever they''re thirsty. I''m the only one standing there wiping my sweat with my shirt sleeve, and I got scolded back at home." He wanted to say "I got scolded by Daddy," but Luke was currently ring at him. Even though Lanie did not specifically say who scolded him, it was clear who did it. It could not be their great-grandfather, who doted upon the two children. It could not be the caretakers either, knowing that the patriarch of the family spoiled them. That left Luke, who failed as a father. Bianca did not look at Luke grudgingly, though her impression of him fell by a bit. The father, who had been ignored all this while, abruptly grunted. He nced at the two children with a gloomy face and said, "Don''t you think you talk too much?" The children looked at their father and were about to apologize when Bianca said, ¡®Can''t your attitude be better when treating your children?" Bianca had meant to say that for a long time, and she finally said it today. Luke, who had been reprimanded, seemed slighted, but he did not say anything. He shut his mouth. The two five-year-old children seemed to have noticed that slight change... In the household, their father was like the king. Everyone had to listen to him. Now, the queen seemed to be taking over the throne... Meanwhile, Leia met with Xavier. Marie stayed in the RV waiting for Leia. After the previous incident, she dared not go too close to Xavier. Leia did not bring her two other assistants with her, only Marie. That meant that she trusted Marie to her personal life and that Marie would not divulge Leia''s whereabouts. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Marie did not think so. She thought that Leia only brought her along and not the two other assistants so that Leia could bully her. After all, Leia had to maintain a mature and dependable guise in front of the public. In the restaurant. Xavier was cutting his steak when he asked, "You intend to get close to Luke Crawford? Did I mishear? This is news to me." 1 The lives of adults in elite society might look morous, but that might not be the case behind the scenes. It was normal for them to go on dates or make out if they met each other at a party and desired each other. Of course, they had to maintain the illusion of mor. Those young men and women had to keep up with their appearances. If Leia would want to marry someone with simr social status, and that person was the young and aplished Luke Crawford, it would be a good thing for Leia. To be frank, Xavier was eager for that to happen. However, he had a question. ''What''s so good about Luke Crawford that so many women desire him?'' Many people, including males and females, desired Luke, though not many people put their thoughts into action. The first reason was that Luke had a mind of his own. No one could control whom he liked or did not. If someone did not catch Luke''s eye, there was no use of them trying to gain his favor. Secondly, even if many people wanted to pursue him, there were usually no chances for them to approach Luke privately. At the bare minimum, one needed to have a simr social status. Not only was Leia good-looking, but her family had a lot of clout. How many young women could say that their father was Jack Norman? Only Leia could. Leia pondered for a moment before giving Xavier her answer. "I can''t say what''s so good about him, but there''s no one in this world like him." Xavier felt incredibly jealous when he heard those words from Leia''s mouth. He nodded and said, "Mm, looks like he''s utterly captivated you. Keep it up. If you don''t win his heart, I''ll always look down upon you." Leia remainedposed. Xavier could see that she was scheming something. There must be a reason why Jack and Queenie adopted Leia instead of any other girl in the orphanage. Xavier believed that it was because she was a schemer. Indeed, ever since Leia was adopted by the Normans, she had worked hard and became a famous celebrity. She was at the peak of her life. Not any woman could have achieved that. "I don''t think I''ll be of much help, but as Luke''s childhood friend, I can tell you the things that he likes and dislikes," Xavier said. Even though he said that he would not be of much help, he knew that he would give his everything to help Leia! If Leia could win Luke''s heart, then Bianca would be ditched! At that time, he would be more than willing to ept Bianca into his life again! Chapter 243 Chapter 243 Two Considerate Children Leia stirred the coffee in the cup with a spoon. She lifted her head and asked conservatively, "Brother Xavier, what I''m most concerned about are his two children. Where did he get them?" Xavier was surprised. Brother Xavier? That title was too sharine-sweet. As far as he remembered, thest time Leia called him "Brother Xavier" was when she had recently stepped out of the orphanage and into elite society. She gave everyone appetions such as "Brother" or "Sister." As her social status climbed, she found herself to be equals with Xavier and stopped calling him "Brother." Of course, she could be equals with Xavier because she was Jack Norman and Queenie Zeigler''s daughter. In fact, as a Norman, she was of a higher status. Xavier had never considered Leia to be part of his n in trying to separate Bianca from Luke. However, Xavier quickly thought of something. "To be frank, I don''t know where the two children came from, even though my family asionally talks about it. I can guess that Luke doesn''t have a close rtionship with the children''s mother." That was what Leia wanted to hear! She hoped that Luke did not have any rtionship with the children''s mother at all! As far as she knew, Luke had never allowed any woman to get close to him. If the mother had borne Luke''s children, it meant that they had slept in bed Leia needed to know who her opponent was before she initiated her n. That way, she was sure to win. "Can you tell me how you made that guess?" Leia wanted more concrete evidence. That way, she could be at ease. Xavier did not want Leia to fail, and therefore he did not make up any excuses. "I really don''t know what happened between Luke and the children''s mother. After all, no one knows the true identity of the mother, other than Luke," he said truthfully. Leia nodded seriously. "You should know that Old Master Crawford wants an heir, even if Luke has no desire to sleep with women. If someone is willing to give birth to Old Master Crawford''s great-grandchildren, it shouldn''t take much for the family to ept them." What Xavier said was technically the truth. The only thing he omitted was that the children''s mother was Bianca. Leia seemed dejected when she heard that. "I wonder how did Luke manage to convince the mother of the children to leave them behind." "Money ought to do the trick." Xavier could see Leia''s worries. That was indeed the truth. Back then, Luke and Bianca''s rtionship was indeed mary. Leia smiled a little when she heard that. From Xavier''s words, she could tell that Luke was distant, aloof, and was not concerned with rtionships. He would rather take care of his business than women. He was a worthy challenge! She would prevail! She wanted Luke¡¯s world to revolve around her! Leia stole a nce at Xavier, then recalled the time in the small town when Luke shared a drink with Bianca, Xavier''s wife... The rush hour traffic in the city center had not subsided yet. Jason drove the car steadily on the road. After about half an hour, Luke and his family arrived at the apartment. After sending the boss to the front lobby, Jason drove the car away. Before they got into the elevator, Luke said, "I''ve already handed the case to Walter. I know that you''ve reviewed the security footage before your father passed away." Bianca was taken aback, though she eventually figured out what he was saying. She was still suffering the after-effects of hypoglycemia. "If theye and look for you, you can call me any time." Luke was worried that Bianca''s life would be disturbed. Bianca kneaded her hands, looked at him, and said gently, "Thank you." They did not say anything after that. When the elevator arrived, Luke hugged Bianca''s waist, and they stepped inside. Everyone was silent when the elevator went up. At the door, Rainie seemed to have suddenly remembered something. She turned to speak to Bianca, "You have to remember our house number, Mommy. It''s 3369. How about I write it on a piece of paper so that you can put it in your handbag? Don''t get lost again. Big Bro and I will be worried." Perhaps Rainie had seen in a video somewhere that elderly people would carry a slip of paper or a tag with their address on them so that they would not forget where they lived. Bianca looked at Rainie while thetter spoke. She could feel a twinge in her nose. ''Again? ''Since when have I gotten lost?'' Lanie seemed to have guessed what Bianca was thinking. He skipped into the house, but instead of changing into slippers, he took out Mommy''s slippers from the shoe rack and ced it in front of her. "Daddy said that you got lost, and that''s why you weren''t with us." Rainie nodded and clutched onto the hem of Bianca''s sweater. Bianca was speechless for a moment. After the family of four changed into slippers and stepped into the apartment, Bianca looked gratefully at Luke, who was walking toward the living room. Bianca was apprehensive about how she should exin to the children that she had abandoned them after giving birth to them. To the children, that was irreparable harm. No matter how she might exin it, the children would onlyprehend it as ''Mommy abandoned us." The first five years of a child''s life were very important, yet they had to go through it alone. She was wracked with guilt and helplessness, but she did not expect that Luke had given the children a seemingly usible excuse... N?velDrama.Org (C) content. When the children were older, they would fullyprehend why their mother had been absent. "Thank you," Bianca said when she saw that the man stood in front of her with no intention of moving away. "How are you going to thank me?" The man said with his hoarse and resonant voice. It was brimming with desire. Chapter 244 Chapter 244 The Passion In His Gaze Bianca lifted her head and looked into his eyes. She was reminded of their carnal rtions from five years ago, then at the rekindled passions from a few days ago. Bianca felt that Luke had given her a sense of belonging. It was as though her feelings had been held hostage for five years and were now set free. It was like wandering in a storm for a very long time and finally finding a safe haven that only belonged to oneself. "What are you thinking? Your eyes are red." Luke felt sorry for Bianca when he looked at her frail expression. Luke admitted that he was currently assailed by primal urges for Bianca that were rushing like the iing tide. He could not calm his heart whenever he looked at her. ''Have I gotten a craving for her? ¡¯Perhaps so.'' On one hand, he was someone who had tasted carnal pleasures. He desired the sensations that her body gave him. On the other hand, he was possessive toward her and wished to own her everything. Otherwise, he would not be at ease. Bianca could not stand his passionate gaze. When Luke''s fingers brushed over her eyelids, she forced herself to calm down and not think of those unhappy experiences in the past. Suddenly, she heard something fall in the bathroom, then Rainie mumbling something... Bianca pushed Luke away and rushed toward the bathroom. Once again, the children had interrupted the scene... In the bathroom. Rainie stood tiptoe on a stool, trying to reach for a small box on the rack. She missed, and the items on the rack fell on the floor. She stepped down from the stool, crouched, and picked up a box of toothpaste from the floor. "Are you OK? Did you bump into something?" Bianca crouched down and examined Rainie. ¡¯I''m fine." Rainie picked up a brand new tube of toothpaste and a toothbrush. "I picked this toothpaste for you, Mommy. It''s strawberry vored." Bianca took the tube and saw that it was strawberry-scented children''s toothpaste. It looked cute and smelled nice. Children would love it. Then, Rainie offered Bianca a new bottle of strawberry-scented shower cream, strawberry-scented shampoo, and other strawberry-scented toiletries. Bianca noticed that the new pair of slippers that she was wearing had a big strawberry embroidered on each of them. She guessed that Rainie must have picked it for her. "Who brought you to buy all these?" Bianca asked softly. "Daddy did..." Rainie answered truthfully. Nine o''clock. Bianca had washed up. Not only did the man take care of her, but her two children were also taking care of her. Bianca and Rainie took a bath together. Rainie cleaned herself first, and she said she wanted to help Mommy take a bath. All Bianca wanted was to be a good mother and help Rainie in the bath. Rainie shook her head and said that she was used to taking baths alone, but she was afraid that Mommy might pass out again. She wanted to help Mommy in the bathroom. asionally, she would hand over the shower cream to Mommy. When Bianca was done, Rainie handed her ab and towel... When Bianca stepped out of the bathroom, Lanie had ced her slippers at the door and had peeled a banana and an orange. He took several fruits and handed them to Daddy in the kitchen. Luke took the fruits, ced them in the sink to wash them, then cut them into slices and wrapped them in cling wrap... Lanie had specifically requested for the cling wrap. He said, "You must wrap the fruits in cling wrap, Daddy. In the old house, Granny Lindell would wrap the freshly cut fruits with cling wrap..." Luke was not used to domestic chores. He could only listen to what his son told him. Bianca appreciated the treatment, though she was more used to being the one serving others instead of being served. Bianca leaned on the headboard of the bed before she slept. She was dressed in a pink nightgown. Her half-dried hair draped over her shoulders. The skin on her face was not dry either; Rainie had applied some strawberry-scented moisturizing cream for her. "You should only sleep after you''ve dried your hair." Rainie leaned next to Bianca, holding a picture book in her hands and reading the story to Mommy. She also reminded Mommy from time to time that she should only sleep after her hair was dry. Otherwise, she would get a headache the next day. Granny Lindell from the old house had told her that. In those few hours of interaction with the children, Bianca felt both happy and sad. She was happy that her children knew how to take care of themselves. On the other hand, she was sad that the person who had taught them how to take care of themselves was Granny Lindell, the caretaker in Crawford Manor. Luke was busy at work, so it was understandable that he did not have the time to teach the children how to take care of themselves. However, he asionally educated the children on the philosophy of life. Their great-grandfather also took good care of them. Bianca was sad that the children did not have a mother to guide them through life. Even their grandmother did not educate them. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Luke was working in his study. Whenever he went to the bathroom and walked past the bedroom, he would steal an impatient nce inside. The nce was not directed toward Bianca, but rather Rainie, who was leaning next to her and did not go away. About an hourter, Luke once again passed by the bedroom. He saw that Rainie was asleep in her mother¡¯sp. Her mouth was slightly open, and she was blowing bubbles. Luke stepped into the room without saying a word. His intentions were clear. Bianca saw that Luke was reaching out to carry the little girl away. "Careful. Don''t identally wake her up," she reminded him. Their eyes met. Luke towered over the bed and looked at Bianca cradling Rainie in her arms. Luke''s gaze was profound. Bianca did not know what he was thinking. Luke carried Rainie back into her room. He suddenly realized that for the first time in five years, he had truly be a father. ¡¯Careful. You''re holding her the wrong way,¡¯ Bianca had said to him. Indeed, women were more considerate. In the bedroom. Bianca could hear the sound of flowing water in the bathroom. Luke took a shower and returned to the bedroom, only wearing a towel around his waist. He saw that Bianca was still reading that childish picture book. ''What''s so good about that book?'' Bianca was about to turn a page when the man took the book away, tossed it behind him, and turned off the lights. She did not feel sleepy even though the surroundings were dark. Now that she had officially be Lanie and Rainie''s mother, she had no excuse to say no to him. She was ufortable sleeping on the same bed with Luke, but she had to bear with it. Chapter 245 Chapter 245 As Though He Is Possessed Bianca closed her eyes and started counting sheep. One, two, three... when she was at twenty-three, she felt the man leaning closer on her back. His warm and rough hands encircled her delicate waist and reached into the stic band of his pajama pants. Bianca was sleeping on her side. Luke''s warm hands rubbed and massaged her abdomen, and her legs instinctively bent... When she bent her legs, her butt was pushed outward... Her butt pressed against the man''s body. She could feel something awaken beneath the man''s pants and was poking her body. "What are you doing?" Bianca frowned slightly. She was not in the mood tonight. The bedroom was dark, though eventually she got used to the darkness. Luke''s arm supported his head, and he was leaning on the bed looking at her. His head moved forward, and he kissed her fair cheek. "The doctor rmends that you should exercise more often. It''ll be good for your hypoglycemia," he said. "Exercise...¡± Bianca''s mind turned nk. The doctor must have meant something like jogging or yoga, not "exercise" in bed like what Luke thought.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Bianca was rtively conservative in that matter, but Luke insisted on doing it his way, like a spoiled child. No matter how Bianca refused him, he insisted on doing it as though he was possessed... "If you''re tired after doing it, then sleep. Otherwise, I''m afraid that you''ll stay up all night thinking of nonsense." As Luke tried to convince her, his hands had already lifted her nightgown. The moon was silvery-white, shining on Bianca''s fair skin... Before tonight, Bianca did not know that a man woulde up with a million valid reasons to convince a woman to say yes. He might say that "It''s for your own good," but at the same time, it fulfilled his carnal desires. Luke kissed the woman next to her many times in the long night. Every kisssted for very long, and he paused for a short while before doing it again. Bianca gasped for air. She was not sure if her hypoglycemia would hit again and cause her to pass out. Fortunately, she did not. Luke growled softly and stopped. Bianca waited for a long time before she pushed him away. "Get off me..." Luke saw her bury her face under the nket. "You still look like you''re in college. Why are you still so easily embarrassed?" He said. "Embarrassed about what?" Bianca knew what Luke was talking about, but somehow she thought that he might be referring to something else. Luke caressed her delicate skin on her waist. "About everything all the time. How many times have we gone to bed with each other? You''re the one who gave birth to the kids. What else do you still have reservations about?" Bianca thought of what he said... Luke continued, "You don''t have to worry if you''re easily embarrassed in bed. I like how you''re blushing at everything." Bianca blushed even harder when she heard that. "Everything still feels so surreal..." Luke furrowed his brows and indicated to her to continue. Bianca continued to let her subconscious speak for her. "I guess it''s because Ie from a poor family, so it''s a different world than you... I don''t think I can fully grasp how people like you think, and even if I do, I don''t know what to do with it... I can''t really exin it, but it just gets surreal every time I try to think of my situation." Luke did not know why Bianca remained confused. Perhaps he was not doing a good job. Otherwise, she should have been at ease. However, he could understand why Bianca felt confused. Ever since he returned to Crawford Manor, he had witnessed many men and women lose themselves in theplicated rtions of elite society. Every time, the responsible party was the man. Luke tried to think of how to make Bianca feel less confused, but at the same time, he thrust in her again. "How about this? Does it feel real enough?" 1 Bianca was exhausted experiencing his "reality"... Bianca slept soundly that night. The next morning, when she woke up, the two children had finished their homework, packed their backpacks, then scampered over to take care of their Mommy who had just gotten out of bed. Rainie squeezed toothpaste on Bianca''s toothbrush. Bianca felt a lot better. After losing her father, Lanie and Rainie were the best cure for her depression. When it was time to go to school, Jason came and picked up the kids. After making breakfast and helping the children pick their clothes and wear their shoes, Bianca finally found some free time for herself at half-past eight. Luke stood at the kitchen doorway. "Leave the dishes forter. Rest a while.¡± Bianca continued doing the dishes. "I''m tougher than you think. You, Lanie, and Rainie don''t have to treat me so well. It''s not like I always pass out..." She did not want Luke and the children to treat her like a patient. Suddenly, Bianca found that Luke was right behind her, looking at the woman doing the dishes, and whispering into her ear, "You''re tougher than I think? You were biting me and screaming for me to stop last night..." Ssh! The bowl fell from Bianca''s hand and into the sink when she heard that. The entire stack of dishes toppled. Luke turned her around and pulled her close. He lowered her head and tasted her pink and supple lips. "Stop fooling around and go to work..." Bianca said. On the other side of the city, at the film set. Marie was stunned when the police came to look for her. ''Bianca, that witch, she''s bringing me to court after all!'' An hour earlier, Linda had received a call from the police. She did not inform Marie but instead told Leia when she was resting between takes. That was when Leia found out about Marie''s incident. She did not expect that Bianca''s father had passed away. However, Xavier seemed just as usual. He did not look like someone whose father-inw passed away. Leia thought that she should pay more attention to Bianca after her shoot ended. Bianca might be sad, but someone had to sort out the mess. Xavier, her husband, did not seem to care at all, so who was the one who was taking care of Bianca''s father''s affairs? Was Bianca doing it herself? Leia focused her attention on that question and ignored Marie. Marie was yelling and cursing as the police officers brought her away. "I hope you die a horrible death, Bianca! You''ll die early like that father of yours! How underhanded. Do you think that you can im the house for yourself?" "Shut up!" A police officer reprimanded her and shoved her into the police car. Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Pampered by Luke''s Supplementary Card After Marie was brought away, Leia took the rest of her break halfheartedly and continued the shoot. The tearful scene had been reshot from morning to night, but the director was not satisfied. "Never mind. Let''s wrap up for today. Go home and think through the scene and we''ll try again tomorrow," the director said disappointedly to the male and female lead actors. Leia was not in the mood to think about the shoot. She wanted to leave the set as soon as she could. Her acting career was important, but it was not as important as finding an opportunity to meet Luke so that they could get married. When the RV was about to leave the film set, Leia gave Xavier a call. Xavier was at home ying chess with his father. Lacey was pleased when she saw that Xavier and his father were at peace with each other. She kept on serving them fruits and drinks. When Xavier''s phone rang, he saw that it was from Leia. He answered the call, though his eyes remained on the chessboard. "Yes?" "Where are you now? Can we meet?" "Not now, maybe tomorrow. I''m ying chess with my father, and it''s a close fight." After that, Xavier made his move. Daniel smiled and picked up one of his pieces, though he did not make his move. He did not know why his son had suddenly returned home to y chess with him, but he was nheless very satisfied. "It''s fine if we don''t meet. Let''s talk on the phone. Um... do you know that Bianca''s father passed away?" Xavier immediately sat up straight. "What? Bianca''s father passed away? Where did you hear that?" "So, you weren''t informed. I dug around for information when the police came to the film set to take Marie away. They said that Marie was liable for Bianca''s father''s death. Two days ago..." Before Leia could finish, Xavier ended the call. Daniel, who was holding a chess piece in his hand, and Lacey, who was peeling an apple, heard what their son said earlier. "Why did Bianca''s father pass away?" As Lacey spoke, she identally cut her finger with the fruit knife. "You should be careful too," Daniel said as he stood up from his seat. The caretaker in the house quickly came over with the first-aid kit and bandaged Lacey''s finger. Xavier put on his jacket and prepared to leave the house. He had a gloomy expression on his face. "I''m not sure about the details, but I''ll ask her for it." He knew that Bianca would not answer his calls. However, that did not stop him from trying. Just when he was about to get into his car, Lacey came out with her coat and handbag. "I¡¯ll go with you too." Xavier stopped her. "You shouldn''t go. I''lle and pick you up when I find out anything." He did not want to see how coldly Bianca treated her. No mother would be willing to see their son being coldly treated by his wife. If that happened, the rtionship between mother and daughter-inw would be worse. Throughout the night, Xavier could not get through to Bianca. Eventually, his phone ran out of battery. Xavier had found out the hospital Kevin was in. When he arrived at the hospital, the personnel told him that the patient''s daughter had left. Xavier disyed his marriage certificate and told them that he was the patient''s daughter''s husband and that he wanted to know more about the cause of the patient''s death. One of the nurses was an avid fan of entertainment gossip. She recognized that the man was Bianca''s husband. That was why she told him everything she knew. Xavier''s gaze turned cold and harsh. He knew that Marie was despicable, but not to that extent. The rumors about the incident that happened in Kevin Rayne''s ward had spread throughout the hospital. All the doctors and nurses knew about it. After getting the details, Xavier left the hospital. He did not go home, nor did he go to the bar. Instead, he drove away and stopped at the parking spot nearest to the hospital. Someone had just parked there. It was a Volkswagen Golf. Xavier got out of the car and handed that person a stack of banknotes. "Do you mind parking somewhere else? I want to park here." The driver was shocked when he looked at Xavier and the stack of money. ¡®Is this real life? ''Isn''t this just a normal parking spot? Is it gold-ted?'' He took the money and drove away. Xavier sat in the car but did not turn off the engine. He turned on the thermostat so that he was warmer, lit a cigarette, and looked in the direction of the hospital. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. He could have gone home and returned early the next morning. However, his thoughts were in a jumble. He wanted to find the best spot to stake out so that he could see Bianca the first thing in the morning. The nurse said that Kevin would be cremated tomorrow. For Xavier, the night was unbearably long. However, for Bianca, it was too short. Bianca was startled away from her dream. She dreamed that she was back in her middle school days, and Jennifer and Marie were bullying her. The pocket money that she hid in her backpack was stolen by Marie! Then, the money that she hid in her clothes was snatched by Jennifer! The dream shifted to another scene. They were teleported into a courtroom. Jennifer and Marie were begging her to withdraw thewsuit, and in an act of mercy, she agreed to it. However, in real life, after hearing what Walter had to say about the case, Bianca swore that she would not forgive them! She got out of bed. As she made breakfast, she told herself, "Never mind. Whatever happened in the dream will turn out to be the opposite..." Rainie also just got out of bed and heard her mother talking to herself. She rubbed her eyes and asked, "What will be the opposite, Mommy?" Bianca turned around and wanted to respond to her daughter when she saw the man standing at the door. Luke had brushed his teeth and changed into his suit. He looked smart and smelled of aftershave. He took a card that looked special and ced it on the kitchen counter." Keep it safe. It''s my supplementary card." Bianca stared at the pure ck card with a gold stripe running across it. For a long time, she did not say a word. Was it really true that whatever happened in a dream would turn out to be the opposite? She had dreamed that Jennifer and Marie had taken away whatever money she had left, but now she was presented with a supplementary card. Bianca knew that she could never hit the credit limit of that card... "If you have the time, bring the kids to buy winter clothes. Sorry, I''m too busy." Luke thought that Bianca might reject his offer and so he used the children as an excuse. That way, Bianca would have a reason to take the card. Indeed, she could not reject the card because Luke had said that. She could not afford to buy winter clothes for her children... Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Luke Was Speechless She felt a twinge in her nose and an indescribable feeling in her chest. No one had unconditionally treated her so well like Luke did. Bianca''s long eyshes fluttered. She picked up the limited edition ck credit card. She had read about it in a finance magazine before. The morning sun shone through the wide floor-to-ceiling, into the kitchen, and onto Luke¡¯s sculpted, angr side profile. The man was unbelievably perfect! She was only a in, unremarkable woman, but she was lucky enough to gain his love and pampering. "Thank you..." Bianca was starting to sob when she spoke. The man had given her warmth andpanionship at her lowest point. Her father''s passing had left her clueless and helpless. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. That was a huge blow. Fortunately, Luke was by her side. There were her children too. Lanie and Rainie were like angels. They were the proof of her rtionship with him. She was unlucky, but at the same time, she was the luckiest woman. Fate had been kind to her. Luke gently kissed the wet corners of Bianca''s eyes and gently scraped the bridge of her nose. "You don''t have to thank me, silly. Meeting you has been the best thing that happened in my life. You might have lost your father, but I and the two children are with you." The man''s voice was low and resonant. It could make Bianca''s wildly thumping heart instantly calm down. "Big Bro and I will always be by your side, Mommy! Well stay together forever!" The soft and cute little girl wearing princess pajamas hugged Bianca''s leg, tickling it with her curly long hair. Bianca carried her daughter that was as soft as a snowball into her arms and kissed her cheek. The little girl giggled, which attracted Lanie''s attention. He had just gotten out of the bathroom after brushing his teeth. He leaned on the doorway, looking jealously at his sister in Bianca''s arms. He wanted Mommy to carry him too, but Daddy said that he was a big boy, and he should not act effeminately like his sister. Lanie tried to look away from the scene, but Luke could catch the glint of jealousy in his son''s eyes. The little boy saw his father walk toward him. "Daddy..." Lanie called out. Luke bent down and picked up the little boy in his arms. Lanie blinked, and his mouth opened in surprise. One could fit an egg inside! ''Daddy?'' A volley of fireworks had exploded in his heart! ''Daddy is hugging me! ''It''s not a normal hug, but aforting hug!'' Luke could smell a milky scent on Lanie''s body. Luke always had the opinion that girls needed to be pampered, but boys had to be trained. He hugged Rainie many times, but not so much the precocious Lanie. Now that he was carrying his son in his arms, Luke might look aloof, but if one looked closely at his eyes, one could see that there was a current of warmth swirling inside. His movements were gentle, but the tone of his voice remained cold." You''re a Crawford, and you should learn how to stay calm instead of overacting over some minor thing. Your performance earlier was not up to my expectations. Remember, there''s no second chance." Lanie curled up in his father''s arms. He was happy even though his father was lecturing him seriously. "Mm!" He nodded and his eyes sparkled. Bianca nced at Luke unhappily and reprimanded him, "Lanie is still young. Why are you so serious?" When Luke heard her voice, he was reminded of their intimate romp on the bed the night before... Bianca had writhed and bloomed beneath his body, like a fairy of the woods. Luke could feel his blood turning hot. He could feel something hard between his legs. It was forming a bulge in his pants, ready to strike. "Ow! Are you hiding something in your pants, Daddy? Something is poking my foot," Lanie said as he felt his bare feet hit something hard. He looked at his father curiously. "Mommy! Does Daddy have a tumor? We should bring Daddy to the hospital. He might have a tumor like Granny Florence and needs to cut it off ..." Rainie sounded as though she was about to cry. Granny Florence was Lanie and Rainie''s caretaker. She was very kind toward the two children, and they loved her very much. However, a tumor grew on her neck, and she had to stay in the hospital to remove it. Rainie was worried that Daddy would be like Granny Florence! Luke and Bianca were speechless. ''Are you sure you want Daddy to cut off the thing that would provide Mommy happiness?'' Bianca looked at the bulge in Luke''s pants. Her face was blushing intensely. She did not expect that his urges would rise again, after what they did the night before... She wordlessly looked at Luke''s eyes. Luke feigned helplessness. He could do nothing when his "little brother" betrayed him. He could only me Bianca for being so attractive. Luke coughed lightly and said, "Daddy''s fine. I only need to take a cold shower. Listen to your Mommy and don''t make her mad." He ced Lanie on the floor, then headed toward the bathroom, leaving the confused Lanie and Rainie in the kitchen with Bianca. "Mommy, can cold showers heal tumors?" Rainie was persistent in getting an answer. "Well... Daddy ate spicy foodst night, and he needs to cool himself down with a cold shower. Remember, Lanie and Rainie, don''t eat too much spicy food when you''re older," Bianca exined to her children with a poker face. At the same time, she could exin away why she was blushing so intensely. "Mm, we''ll listen to you, Mommy. We won''t eat spicy food," the two children answered at the same time. Bianca felt guilty that she was not telling the children the truth. She brought the kids to the living room and gave them picture books. Then, she returned to the kitchen and made breakfast for the family. However, when she was reminded that her father had passed away and Jennifer and Marie''s arrogant faces, all her good mood was gone. This time, she would not forgive the despicable mother and daughter no matter what! Chapter 248 Chapter 248 Look, Daddy Is Feeding Mommy! Now that she was not living alone, Bianca prepared more food for breakfast. However, she had limited experience in preparing a meal for a family. She prepared many different items so that the children could eat what they wanted. On the big breakfast table were ham sandwiches and scrambled eggs. Next to them was French toast and fresh milk, and also oatmeal seasoned with vani and cinnamon. In the middle of the table was a grilled salmon steak. Luke was already dressed neatly in his business suit. He sat cross-legged on the chair, his casual posture giving him a natural air of nobility. His sculpted features were perfect yet distant. Bianca thoroughly appreciated the elegant way Luke ate his breakfast. Lanie and Rainie were well-trained to take their meals without speaking. They sat next to Bianca and operated clumsily with their utensils. When Bianca saw that, her motherly instincts were triggered, and she started to feed them. She picked up a slice of ham with a fork and brought it toward her daughter''s lips. "Open your mouth, Rainie," she said with a gentle smile. Rainie lifted her head and looked at her mother. She opened her mouth, and the ham went inside. That was not the first time she had eaten ham, but that was perhaps the best bite of ham she had ever tasted! Rainie blinked smugly at her brother, as though saying, "Look, Mommy is feeding me!" Lanie looked at his sister with his big and round eyes. He was shoveling oatmeal into his mouth. He swallowed the mouthful of oatmeal and looked expectantly at his mother. "Feed yourself!" Luke said brusquely. He knew what his son was thinking. Even he had never been spoon-fed by Bianca. He did not want his son to cultivate that bad habit! After being reprimanded by his father, Lanie could only take the spoon and feed himself. Rainie witnessed the scene. She knew that her father was talking to her brother, but it sounded like he was talking about herself too. She picked up her spoon and refused her mother''s feeding. However, Bianca thought that Luke was too harsh on her children. She was just about to say something when a fork holding a small piece of salmon was brought to her mouth. The two children''s eyes popped! ''Daddy is feeding Mommy!'' This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Bianca felt a little embarrassed opening the mouth and slowly swallowing the piece of fish. She looked at Luke''s handsome face and wondered what he was thinking. Lanie and Rainie looked at their father with their puppy eyes. Luke''s eyes met with the expectant gazes of his children and seemed to have a sudden pang of conscience. He picked up a big piece of salmon, removed the bones, and ced half of it on each of their tes. Lanie frowned and grumbled, "But Daddy, Rainie and I don''t like fish..." Rainie added, "Yeah, Daddy knows that Big Bro and I don''t like fish, but he''s giving us fish. Don''t you think that Daddy is naughty?" The little girl turned to look at her mother for some constion. It was as though their father did not know what they liked to eat and what they did not. "If you don''t want to eat it, then you don''t have to. I''ll give you something else, alright?" Bianca spoke to her children patiently. Luke did not lift his head, but his tone of voice was absolutely authoritative. "Kids should not be picky with their food. You have to finish the fish on your tes today." He knew that Lanie and Rainie disliked fish, but it was not good forthem to be picky about food at such a young age. He wanted to rid them of the bad habit. "Stupid Daddy, I don''t like fish! Bad Daddy! I hate you!" Rainie was usually obedient, but she found the courage to talk back, perhaps because her mother was on her side. She pushed her te away and said angrily, "I don''t wanna eat fish. I don''t wanna!" Bang! Luke mmed the table. All the tes and cutlery on the table shook. Lanie quickly pulled back his outstretched arm. ''Oh no, Daddy is angry...'' "Hmph! Do you see that, Mommy? Daddy is forcing us to eat something we don''t like. Boo hoo... I''m done with breakfast..." Rainie angrily hopped down from the chair. Rainie wanted to stop her, but the little girl had dashed away toward the door. "Rainie Crawford, if you step out that door, then don''t evere back!" Luke said sternly. A barefaced threat! Rainie turned around to look at her father''s ice-cold face and instantly lost her nerve. She turned around, sat back on the chair, picked up her fork, and started to eat the fish with tears in her eyes. Bianca found it incredulous that the man had used such brunt means to educate the children. "They''re only five years old, Luke!" Bianca said with surprise, "Don''t you think that you''re too harsh on them?" "Eat all the fish on your tes. I dont want to see a single scrap!" Luke ignored Bianca and continued to order his children. "I don''t wanna eat fish, I don''t wanna..." Using her fork, Rainie angrily mashed the piece of fish in her te into bits. "I''m really full, Daddy. Can I eat this next time?" Lanie asked carefully while observing the changes in his father''s expression. Luke looked at the two children. ''Should I me Bianca if the children grow up to be picky eaters?'' The two children were thoroughly terrified. Eventually, they resigned to fate and slowly ate the fish on their tes. Bianca was shocked. She knew that Luke was sometimes cold and distant, but he had a gentle and domestic side. She did not expect that he could be so domineering over his children. Bianca finally knew why the two children had feared their father! ''This is just... ''Even if they don''t like fish, there are better ways to persuade them. Why must he resort to threats? ''They''re young children after all.'' Bianca, who had been pampering her two children, mmed her fork on the table. "Luke, is that how you usually treat Lanie and Rainie?" She said angrily, unable to take it anymore. Luke finally came to his senses when he saw Bianca''s slightly furrowed brows. In Crawford Manor, whenever the children were picky about food at the dining table, he would always get angry. He forgot that Bianca was sitting at the same table. How was he going tofort her? Chapter 249 Chapter 249 The Happy Family Is An Eyesore Luke let out a gentle sigh. Now that he had sessfully cowed the two little ones, he had to take care of the big one. He failed as a father. He stood up helplessly, went to Bianca''s side, and gently hugged her delicate body into his steel-like arms. He gently stroked her back and said, "Alright, it''s all my fault. Don''t be angry, OK? I''m afraid that they might grow up to be picky eaters, and that won¡¯t be good fortheir health. I won''t be so harsh on them the next time." Seeing that he was apologizing earnestly, Bianca decided to let the matter rest. "You''ve made your promise that you won''t ever do what you did today. They''re children after all." Luke could breathe easier, seeing how Bianca became less angry. God knows how much he cared for her feelings. "..." Lanie and Rainie rested their cheeks on their hands. They could not believe what they saw. Daddy changed a lot ever since Mommy was here. They had nothing but admiration for Mommy for being able to tame the tyrant-like Daddy. The episode at the breakfast table came to an end. After breakfast, Luke brought Bianca and the two children to the hospital. It was Bianca''s father¡¯s funeral today. She wanted to bring the two children to meet their grandfather for the first andst time. At the hospital. In the smoke-filled car, Xavier smoked cigarette after cigarette. He stayed up for the entire night. Even now, he held a burning cigarette in his hand. He clearly knew who was the man by Bianca''s side now, and how much she hated him. However, that did change how he felt for her. He felt bitter for how Bianca had been so cold toward him. Bianca was his legally wedded wife, but he had to stake out at the hospital just to meet her. He thought that it was incredibly ironic, though it was he who had married her using underhanded means in the first ce. The appearance of the family of four at the hospital entrance made his eyes hurt. The tall and well-built man was like a guardian angel, protecting the beautiful and delicate woman. They held the two angelic children with their hands as though they were the perfect family. That perfect family walked toward the hospital entrance. Xavier could not calm down when he saw that scene. He stubbed out the cigarette in his hand, kicked open the car door, and stomped his way out. He was the one who had met Bianca first. Back then, Bianca was too young and naive, like an unripe peach. He wanted to wait for her to mature. However, his generous gesture was not repaid in kind. That animal Luke Crawford had taken what belonged to him. How was Xavier going to take that lying down? "Bianca!¡± Xavier grabbed Bianca''s hand. His bloodshot eyes were filled with anger. "I''m your husband, but you don''t let me know that something so serious has happened! Was I going to be oblivious to the news that my father-inw has passed away, if not that I heard it from someone else?" "Let go of me, Xavier!" Bianca wanted to remove her hand from his grip, but his hand was like a metal vice. Bianca sneered. "Husband? I think you should know better than anyone else about how you managed to involve me in this travesty of a marriage... To me, you''re nothing but a stranger. No, you''re not even a stranger. You''re an underhanded scoundrel!" Bianca''s words were like a rain of needles that stabbed into Xavier''s heart. Xavierughed and pretended to be unaffected even though he was hurting inside. "So what? Even if you don''t love me, your name is next to mine on the marriage certificate. As long as I''m here, you''re my legally wedded wife. Your rtionship with Luke Crawford can never be valid!" Suddenly, Xavier felt a sharp pain on his wrist. He reflexively let go of Bianca''s hand. He turned around angrily and saw that Luke was gripping his wrist with such force that he thought that his wrist was going to break. Luke was dressed in a bespoke ck suit that perfectly fitted his sculpted body. He looked as noble as usual, though his expression was so icy that the air around him seemed to freeze. Luke''s gaze was murderous. "Bianca''s father''s funeral is today, Xavier, and I''m not in the mood to deal with you. If you''re here to pay your respects, then you may do as you please. If you''re here to cause trouble, then I don''t think that we can be friends anymore!" The two children seemed to have felt the weight in their father''s words. They hid behind Bianca and looked at the two adult men without saying a word. Luke let go of Xavier''s wrist, then walked with Bianca and the two children into the hospital. Xavier looked at his wrist that was still aching. A bruise was forming. He would deal with Luketer. The most important matter at hand was Bianca''s father''s funeral. In the morgue. Keviny in the casket. His face was extremely pale. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. He looked as though he were asleep, if not for the fact that he was not breathing. "Come over here and pay your respects, Lanie, Rainie. This is the first time and thest time you''ll meet your Grandpa Kevin." Bianca tried hard to hold her tears back. She brought the two children next to the casket and asked them to bow. The two children saw the tears in their mother''s eyes, then turned to bow respectfully at their grandfather, who seemed to be sleeping in the casket. "This is my first time meeting you, Grandpa Kevin, but you can''t see me..." Lanie said solemnly, "Mommy says that you''re in heaven now. I hope that you can be happy there. I''m a big boy now, and I''ll take care of Mommy for you. Don''t worry, Grandpa Kevin." After Lanie was done, Rainie continued to introduce herself. "Grandpa Kevin, I''m Rainie, the sister. I''m very cute, and I know the alphabet. I love to draw and tell stories. Oh, I know how to dance too... I''ll take care of Mommy with Big Bro. Don''t worry, Grandpa Kevin." Tears blurred Bianca''s eyes when she saw the scene in front of her. She covered her mouth with a hand so that she did not cry out loud. A solid wall of muscle hugged her from behind. Luke wiped away her tears and gentlyforted her. Then, he turned to speak to Kevin. "You can leave Bianca in my care. With me around, I''ll make sure that no harmes to her." Some distance away, Xavier stood rooted on the spot like a wooden mannequin. A cold sneer appeared on his face as he watched the "happy family" pay their final respects to Kevin... Chapter 250 Chapter 250 Guardian Bianca Like An Angel Xavier was Bianca''s legal husband. He should have been in Luke''s position, doing what Luke was doing. That was more than a joke! Xavier walked to Kevin''s casket, his heart filled with indignation and grievances. "I''m sorry that you''ve never met me while you''re still alive. I''m Xavier, your son-inw. It''s a pity that Bianca and I didn''t hold a grand wedding ceremony before you left. Don''t worry. I''ll hold the biggest wedding ceremony that the world has ever seen. Bianca shall be my wife and only my wife. I swear that I''ll take good care of your two grandchildren too." Xavier turned to look at Luke with an instigative gaze. As expected, the man''s eyes shed with hostility and curiosity. ''It''s fine. He can have the upper hand for now.¡¯ Xavier felt a little better when he saw that Luke was angry but could not release it. However, fires of anger started burning once again in Xavier''s heart when he saw Bianca, in her sorrow, being hugged andforted by Luke. ''Bear with it.'' Xavier told himself repeatedly as he rubbed his throbbing temples. It was not the time to raise amotion. Otherwise, Bianca might hate him even more. Bianca started speaking, "You''ve suffered a lot in your life, Father. Jennifer and her daughter only know how to exploit you like a money-making machine... you''ve been foolish to trust them and let them use you. I have to admit that I hate them to the bone. If not for those two pests, you wouldn''t have suffered like this... Don''t worry, Father. I''ll reim justice for you." Bianca remembered the scene in the security footage when the two avaricious women used those words that were dripping with poison to agitate the coughing, dying man just so that they could get a piece of his inheritance. She saw with her own eyes how her father had despaired, but she could not do anything to save his life. At that moment, she wanted to crush Jennifer and Marie into a million bits! A hint of determination shed in her sorrowful eyes. She swore that Jennifer and her daughter would receive the punishment they deserve! Luke had single-handedly nned Kevin''s funeral. It would be held at the Rayne family house. Xavier had wanted to hold the funeral at the Tanner family house, but Bianca''s words had extinguished his enthusiasm. Bianca had said, "Xavier, if you want to hold a funeral for my father, then you can buy an urn. I will never let you touch my father''s ashes." Xavier knew that Bianca''s frailty was only an exterior trait. Deep inside, she was extraordinarily unyielding. He could only swallow his pride and relent. ''Fine. Bianca is in a bad mood now because she has just lost her father. I shouldn''t agitate her. ''We''ll see what happens after the incident passes!''This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Funeral wreaths were ced all over the Rayne family house. The atmosphere was solemn and sorrowful. Kevin''s portrait was ced on the wall. His gentle gaze looked down upon the mourners in attendance. It was a sorrowful scene. Bianca was dressed in ck and wore a veil. Her face was as pale as a sheet of paper. She kneeled in front of her father''s portrait and stayed there, no moving. Only her flowing tears indicated that she was alive. The two children were also dressed in ck and stayed next to their mother. Wanda was also dressed in ck. Her face was sorrowful. She did not expect that she missed the chance to meet her brother for onest time and that her sickly father remained oblivious to the fact. Luke wore a ck band on his arm. He helped Bianca attend to the visitors. Some of them were Kevin''s colleagues and friends, and some were Luke''s business partners who hade after hearing the news. They were curious about why Luke would help an employee in hispany manage her funeral. More curiously, his two children were at the funeral and staying next to Bianca. Those usually shrewd businessmen could not figure out what was going on. In any case, they used the opportunity to gain Luke''s favor. As businessmen, they prioritized their benefits. They knew what to say and what not to say. Their presence at the event was a mere social obligation. On the other side of the venue, Xavier was dressed in all ck and was enthusiastically greeting the mourners using his identity as Kevin''s son-in-w. Two equally handsome men were guarding the door for Bianca. The tension between them was palpable, but at the same time, they acted in harmony with each other. The mourners were confused about what was going on, and some of them whispered to each other. Sue and Tom, Bianca''s colleagues, also came to mourn Bianca''s father. They brought a wreath, then spoke to Bianca for a while before leaving. Nina did not know how Bianca''s father suddenly passed away. Earlier, in a phone call, Bianca had even happily told her that her father''s condition was recovering. The loss was sudden and unexpected! Nina might not know the reason behind Bianca''s father''s sudden death, but she knew that Jennifer and Marie were arrested by the police. She could guess that the death had something with the two despicable individuals. Nina ced the wreath under Kevin''s portrait and bowed solemnly at him. She bent down, patted Bianca''s shoulder, andforted her. "I''m so sorry for Uncle Kevin''s passing, Bianca. You''ll have to stay strong. Uncle Kevin wouldn''t want to see you like this." Bianca lifted her head. With her tear-filled eyes, she looked at the two children staying by her side and at Luke busily attending to the mourners at the entrance. She slightly nodded and felt a little better. At the entrance, Luke''s impably handsome face, domineering presence, and distant expression captivated everyone''s attention. His tall and well-built body and solemn presence gave the venue an air of nobility. The man who loved her was here. Her two children were here. Bianca might have lost her father, but she was still loved. If she could spend the rest of her life with the man, there was nothing more that she would ask for. Allison stood in a secluded corner. She took off her sunsses and stared coldly at Kevin''s portrait. ''Heh...'' The only stain in her life had died. There was nothing more to be afraid of, except for... She narrowed her eyes and focused her gaze on Bianca! No matter what it took, Allison would separate Bianca and her outstanding son! Like an arrogant queen, Allison turned around and left... Chapter 251 Chapter 251 Ferociously Biting Her Tender Lips In the evening, the mourners who hade to pay Kevin theirst respects had left. Only several people remained in the house. The two children were hungry. Wanda brought them away for dinner. Luke received an urgent call. He informed Bianca about it and hurriedly left. Bianca was currently cleaning up the house. The Rayne family house was a simple house with two rooms. She looked around her, finding her surroundings familiar yet foreign. After all, she was only brought there when she was a teenager. Memories of her father surfaced, though they were of somewhere else. That was the time when Jennifer and her daughter had not moved in. Whenever Kevin visited Bianca in the small town, he would carry her on his shoulders and call her "my dearest darling." She remembered that she had a high fever when she was six years old, and she had faded in and out of consciousness. Even the doctor was helpless. She vaguely saw her father kneeling in front of the doctor and begging him to save his daughter. She remembered how helpless and undignified her father was at that moment. Perhaps fate had given her another chance at life. Her fever went away, and she miraculously survived. Bianca had always known that her father loved her. She knew her father''s temperament. Her father might love her, but he was too timid to express it. If her father had not loved her, he would not have bequeathed the house to her in his will. However, it was exactly because of the house that Jennifer and her daughter had caused Kevin''s death! Bianca tried to suppress her emotions. She nced at her father''s portrait again. She could feel a twinge in her nose. "Father..." she called out weakly. Someone had left the house door unlocked. Xavier sneaked into the house; he had changed his clothes. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. He grabbed Bianca''s wrist and said coldly, "You''ll have to follow me back today, Bianca." He did not want to cause a scene at the funeral. However, he could not take it anymore, seeing how Bianca was happy with Luke and his children. Bianca pulled her hand away and looked at him indifferently. "Keep your hands away from me. I don''t know you that well." A glimpse of sorrow shed in Luke''s eyes when he heard that. "You don''t have to act so weirdly with me. Should I remind you again of the fact that I am your legally married husband?" 6 Bianca suddenlyughed. Bianca was a beautiful woman. Her beauty might not be as morous and attractive as a blooming rose, but she was modest and refreshing like a lotus bud in a pond. Whenever sheughed, she carried a unique gentleness that differentiated her from other women. Xavier''s eyes shed with passion. He knew that Bianca was a treasure. When she was younger, she carried a callow beauty different from other women. Now that she was mature, she carried an irresistible charm. How could he give her away just like that? Five years ago, he had lost her once. Now that he had her in his clutches, he was not going to let go of her that easily, even if he had to bleed. "Our farce of a marriage will be over soon," Bianca said as she calmly stared at him. The air seemed to freeze at that instant. Xavier''s gaze turned turbulent. His eyes seemed to be coated with a thinyer of frost, and his handsome face began to tremble. He tightened his thin lips as though he was trying his best not to let his temper explode. "You want a divorce, Bianca? You must be dreaming!" Xavier pinned Bianca on the table. His face was dangerously close to hers. His gaze shed with determination as he red at her pale face. "Do you think you can sessfully divorce me with Walter Long''s help? So what if Walter Long has never lost a case? Not even God can help you as long as I choose to stay with you!" Bianca was not in the mood to talk to him. She tried to push him away." Get lost..." Xavier gripped her lower jaw and brought his face even closer. "I''d rather bind you to me with marriage than to let you go. Only death can part us!" Bianca gasped in fear. She looked at him with utter disdain. "You''ve lost your mind, Xavier Tanner!" Bianca''s disdain seemed to be the straw that broke the camel''s back. Xavier chuckled and said, "Look at how animated you are now. I wonder... if you''ll still react the same if I pin you on the bed?" p! Bianca''s palmnded on Xavier¡¯s cheek. Xavier could not believe that Bianca had pped him. How dare she? The veins on his forehead seemed to be bulging, and ayer of frost seemed to be gathering on his face. He gripped Bianca¡¯s lower jaw tightly again, the harshness of his gaze threatening to skin her alive. "Who do you think you are? You''re nothing but used goods. Who gave you the nerve to hit me? Hm?" Xavier had been spoiled since young. There was nothing that he wanted that he did not get. Even after he grew up, he was the one who pped others, and never the other way round. Who would darey a finger on him? Now, the seemingly weak woman had pped him. He would be the subject of ridicule if word got out! He lifted his hand and prepared to teach the woman a lesson. When his eyes met with her defiant yet tearful gaze, he put his hand down, leaned forward, and devoured her lips. He was like a ferocious beast, showing no mercy at all! "Ugh... get... get lost..." Bianca was furious. She did not stop struggling. Unfortunately for her, the man was much stronger. She could dodge his kisses, but she could not get away from his vice-like grip. Kevin''s portrait wordlessly looked at how his daughter was vited. Even the air was sighing in despair... In her struggle, she toppled a porcin vase that held a chrysanthemum. The sound of the vase breaking attracted the attention of Wanda and the two children, who had just arrived downstairs. Bianca''s eyshes fluttered. Her tear-filled eyes were glimmering with humiliation. Just when tears began to fall again, Lanie dashed into the house. When he saw that Xavier was bullying his mother, he pounced onto Xavier''s leg and bit down! The boy''s sharp teeth pierced Xavier¡¯s skin, i Instantly, Xavier¡¯s pants were stained with blood... Chapter 252 Chapter 252 This Savage Whelp Is Indeed Luke''s Son! Even the usually docile Rainie was angry when she saw her Mommy bullied. She grabbed a mop that was conveniently nearby and smacked it on Xavier. "Bad Uncle Xavier! You''re a bully! I''ll kill you!" She screamed out. "Hiss!" Xavier felt the intense pain in his leg and let go of Bianca. Bianca frantically ran away. Her eyes were brimming with hatred, and her lips were swollen and red with hints of blood on them. She looked as though she was more than willing to murder Xavier. Xavier licked his lips. His tongue was hurting. If he did not let go of the woman, she might even have bitten off his tongue. He looked down, and upon seeing that Lanie was still biting him, dragged the little boy away. He rolled up his pants. Lanie seemed to have almost bitten off a piece of flesh from his leg. ''That savage whelp. He''s indeed Luke''s son!1 Xavier nced at Rainie. She was trembling with fear, but she continued to stand in front of Bianca holding the mop and baring her teeth as though protecting her mother. He smiled. ''These two little whelps are interesting. They''re as impulsive as my cousin Luke.''N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Luke Crawford might seem like the noble, handsome, and elegant Prince Charming in many women''s dreams, but he was actually a cruel and merciless man. Luke''s incredibly sharp perception and ruthless business tactics made even the most veteran swindler stay away from him. In a few years, he had brought T Corporation from the brink of ruin to never- before-seen heights. T Corporation had its influence in all fields. The entire business world was subject to Luke''s whim. The other businessmen called him "Cold-Faced Devil". Lanie and Rainie stood holding hands in front of Bianca, protecting their mother and ring at Xavier as though he was a wicked beast. Bianca was moved by their children''s gesture. She found the courage to stand upto Xavier. Meanwhile, Wanda was thoroughly confused and did not know how to react. As far as she knew, her niece was in a rtionship with Luke. That was what she gathered from what her niece told her. However, at her brother''s funeral, that man named Xavier Tanner had proimed himself to be Bianca''s husband and had even shown her their marriage certificate. She did not know that her niece was married. ''If Bianca and that Xavier were legally married, then... ''What is her rtionship with Luke? ''Is my niece having an extramarital affair?'' "Go away now, Xavier Tanner. The Rayne family does not wee you! I''ll divorce you for sure!¡± Bianca said determinedly. "Do you think that the Crawford family will ept you for who you are after we''re divorced, Bianca? Old Master Crawford cares about the family reputation a lot. Do you think that he''ll ept used goods like you? Stop dreaming! I''d rather die with you than let you go. Just you wait, I''ll make sure that you return to the Tanner family with me." Xavier had lost all reason. He took a napkin and wiped away the blood on the corner of his lips. Then, he scrunched the red napkin into a ball and tossed it into the trash can. He turned around and mmed the door on his way out. Wanda was startled by the sound the door made. She came to her senses when she saw her niece''s paleplexion. "Are you OK, Bianca?" She asked worriedly. "What''s going on with that man? Aren''t you in a rtionship with Luke Crawford? Since when are you his wife? You''ve never told me that you''re married. Should I give a call to Luke..." Bianca shook her head. She seemed lethargic. "I''ll tell you about it next time, Aunt Wanda. I just want to rest now." So many things happened. The repeated blows to her psyche had caused her to be weary. All she wanted now was some peace. "Alright, go and take a rest. I''ll do the cleaning up." Wanda felt sorry for Bianca when she saw how tired her niece was. As she helped her niece walk to the bedroom, her heart ached when she held Bianca''s emaciated arm. Now that her brother was gone, her only rtions were her niece Bianca and the two cute children. She would be gone soon, too. When that happened, what would happen to Bianca and her children? The two children stayed next to their mother. They knew that she was not feeling well. Bianca closed her eyes and rested on the bed. The ache in her chest was spreading. Lanie and Rainiey on each side of their mother and held the hem of her shirt, afraid that she might leave anytime. She hugged her two children tightly as though they were her only salvation. Xavier''s words echoed in her brain. They might sound harsh, but they were the truth. The Crawford family''s status was at the pinnacle of A City. Even if she were not married, her status was still far below Luke''s. Luke might not care about what other people thought and insist on marry her, but to everyone else, she was only a fool. What should she do? Meanwhile, on the other side of the city. Everyone in attendance at the dinner was an important person in A City. Luke was familiar with many of them. There were also several people whom he had just met. Earlier, he had received a phone call inviting him to the dinner. He was reluctant toe, and currently, he was feeling very annoyed. Bianca needed hispanionship, but he could not be by her side. That made him feel guilty. A man in his fifties sat in the middle of the hall. His gaze was sharp and he carried himself imperiously. He was none other than Jack Norman, the Provincial Committee Secretary. Next to him was an elegantly dressed young woman who had been making himugh. She was Leia Norman, her daughter. Leia stared at Luke with an infatuated gaze. Under the lights, the curves and lines of his face and body were as perfect as a sculpture. At present, Luke seemed to be listening attentively to Jack''s speech. His eyes were animated and eye-catching, and the corners of his lips seemed to be curled up in a faint smile. She was thoroughly obsessed with that man, and she swore that she would im him no matter what. Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Missing Bianca At Home Jack sized up the man who had imed his daughter''s heart. The man was robust and mature. He looked like a man who had seeded in life. Furthermore, the man knew that he was the Provincial Committee Secretary but had no intention of sucking up to him. He was polite but kept his distance. Jack nodded in satisfaction. Luke was a man worthy of Leia''s affection. If his daughter wanted him, then he would do his best to fulfill her wishes. After Jack introduced Leia to Luke, he asked, "I''ve heard that the CEO of T Corporation is a man of many talents, and now that I''ve met you, that seems to be the case. I wonder if you are married?" ''I''m not married, but I have two five-year-old children.¡¯ Every gesture that Luke made caused Leia to swoon. Jack was slightly disappointed when he heard that Luke had two children. However, he did not mind that, seeing how infatuated his daughter was and considering the wealth and influence Luke wielded. If he married Leia, then she could eventually give birth to her own children. Luke''s wealth would be able to sustain as many children as they wanted. Meanwhile, Leia was in a daze as her eyes were transfixed on Luke. She wore light make-up tonight. She knew that Luke was more fond of women without too much make-up and that she had to present an elegant appearance to Luke. She knew how to dress up to entuate the curves of her body. Leia was dressed in a silk evening gown. It was modest and elegant but at the same time carried a hint of allure. With her light make-up, she looked very feminine. Looking at how the other men at the same table had regarded her, she knew that she was an attractive woman tonight. Leia held her father''s arm and smiled gently. "Mr. Crawford, I''ve heard from my agent that T Corporation is involved in many businesses. One of the perfumes under your brand is looking for a new spokesperson. I''d like to know if I''m qualified?" Leia knew how to present her most seductive side. When looking at a man she was interested in, she would not look at him straight in the eye. Instead, she would nce at him from the corner of her eye to increase her charm. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. She also remembered to present the sweetest smile she could. That was how she had captivated the hearts of many men, then left abruptly, leaving them heartbroken. Luke nced at her indifferently. "You are a beautiful woman, Ms. Norman, and that is why you''re so popr in the entertainment circle. If you would like to be the spokesperson of our brand, you don''t even have to rely on your father''s connections. I believe it will be very easy for you to be selected, just by your appearance and talents alone." The other guests at the dinner also voiced their agreement. "If you''re the spokesperson of the perfume, many celebrities will definitely buy it!" ''That''s right, Ms. Norman. Your beauty is outstanding. I''ve watched the movie you starred in. You''re a real diva for getting an award in your movie debut!" Those people held political positions in the city, and they were very good at ttery. Everyone knew that Leia Norman was a horrible actor. Her performance in her debut role was indeed spectacr, but that was because the director knew how to utilize her experience in her role. Leia was raised in an orphanage. That was how she was able to portray her role in the movie perfectly. However, she was terrible at other roles. Her next movie in which she held a starring role was "A War of Seven Nations." The movie enjoyed a star-studded cast. Not only were Theo Shaddock, the popr movie star, and Sean Lannery, the veteran actor cast to be the male leads, but a veteran actress was also paid ten million dors to be Leia Norman''s supporting role. Those celebrities were cast to boost Leia''s poprity. However, the movie bombed hard at the box office. Leia''s stiff and embarrassing acting was perhaps not the biggest reason. The plot was convoluted and was described byments as "an earth- shakingly bad movie." It had a rating of 3.9 on IMDB. Many celebrities'' careers were ruined. Leia was rtively unaffected. She had strong backing from her family. Even though her acting skills were sorelycking, she continued to receive acting roles in many movies. The guests at the dinner knew that if they could gain Leia''s favor, it would be easier for them to forge rtionships with Jack. Leia was secretly delighted when she heard the ttery. However, she reacted modestly, "It''s nothing. Acting is my passion. It''s all thanks to Dad that I manage to find a foothold in the entertainment industry." Luke was a shrewd man, and he knew about the intricacies of rtionships. He would rather not call Leia out in public. T Corporation had invited international celebrities to be their spokespeople so that they could present a global image. Using Leia as the spokesperson would lower their standing. However, with Jack Norman around, Luke could not directly say no. He was not in a position to offend Jack yet. After all, it was fine if he let Leia be the brand spokesperson. Thepany could afford to suffer the financial losses. That was because he would gain those losses back from his rtionship with Jack Norman. Jack patted his daughter¡¯s hand and turned to speak to Luke. "I only have a daughter, and I admit that I''ve spoiled her. No matter what she wants, I''ll support her with all I can. If Leia can be the spokesperson of that perfume, you''ll have to take good care of her." "Mr. Crawford is a gentleman, Dad. He¡¯ll know what to do,¡± Leia said, as though she was already sure to be the brand spokesperson. Goosebumps rose on Luke''s skin when he heard Leia''s cloying voice. Suddenly, he missed Bianca''s sweet and flowing voice... However, he smiled diplomatically. "It''s an honor that you can be the spokesperson of our brand, Ms. Norman." Jackughed heartily. "Good! Well, I''ll leave it up to you young ones now." Luke smiled discreetly, and his gaze sharpened. "Right, Mr. Norman. Mypany has tendered our proposal about the seaside resort development project, and we are still waiting for approval from the Environmental Protection Agency. It seems it''s taking a long time this time. I wonder if there''s a change in protocol?" Chapter 254 Chapter 254 I''ll Shelter You From the Wind and the Rain Jack ced his wine ss on the table when he heard Luke''s words. His face was slightly red from the alcohol. "Don''t worry, Luke. I''ll get my men on the case. You''ll receive the approval tomorrow. Remember, take good care of my daughter." The more Jack looked at Luke, the more satisfied he was. From their conversation, he could understand that Luke was a shrewd and assertive man and would be the perfect son-inw. Jack had addressed him as "Mr. Crawford" earlier, but it was now "Luke." Everyone who heard that knew that Jack was trying to y matchmaker. Those people looked enviously at Luke. In a mere few sentences, Luke had won the rights to develop the seaside resort worth tens of billions of dors. However, they knew that they were no match for Luke''s handsome looks and sharp business acumen. Even though they might be envious, they knew that Luke deserved it. "Congrattions, Mr. Crawford! With this development project in your bag, T Corporation will be pushed to greater heights," a balding middle-aged man praised him. "Mr. Crawford, you are a rare business prodigy. You''ve led yourpany to record profits. I admit that I''m no match for you!" Another pot-bellied man in a business suit also said. Luke shed an ambiguous smile and raised his ss toward Jack. "Thank you for your approval, Mr. Norman. I will make sure that the seaside resort can bring the most benefit to the city." Of course, he did not mention anything about taking care of Leia. He knew that the dinner would be one that was fraught with lies. However, he was surprised that Jack seemed to be trying to match Leia with him. After all, he never had any interaction with Leia. All he knew about her was her name and how she could not be any more popr despite the resources poured into publicity efforts. The only woman whom he loved was Bianca Rayne. He had never been interested in any other woman, much less a pretentious one like Leia Norman. Running hispany for many years had honed his perception. He could tell from the first nce at Leia''s eyes that she was oozing with ambition. He was not going to let her close to him. If anything, he would want to keep her away as far as possible. However, Leia did not know what Luke was thinking. She was very happy at the moment. Love and tenderness brimmed from her eyes as her eyes were transfixed on Luke. Now that Luke had given her the assurance, her chances of scoring the spokesperson role were almost one hundred percent. She knew that Luke only agreed to it because of her father, but what about it? If she could interact more often with Luke, she was confident that she would eventually win his heart. Late at night. Bianca put the two children to bed. She curled up on the couch in the living room, reading a book. The dim yellow light illuminated Bianca''s gentle and beautiful face. It was a tranquil scene. Currently, she was lost in the pages of the book. It was a story of love and lust, and sin and redemption. The male and female lead characters were siblings of different mothers. "This is not a love story, but a story about love." That was how Bonnie, the female lead character, had opened the book, i Lewis, the male lead character, was deeply in love with Bonnie. However, they were forced to separate under the pressure of morality and public opinion, i In the end, Lewis held a cup of poisoned coffee and stood in front of Bonnie. "I love you, Bonnie. I don''t care if you''re a good person or a bad person. I love you for who you are," he said to her sorrowfully. He downed the poisoned drink without any hesitation, even though knowing that his life would immediately end. Bianca felt down after finishing the story. Original sin. That was the origin of love and lust. Love was instinctual, but incestuous love was a sin. If she and Luke were siblings of a different father, would she suffer divine punishment? Her greatestfort was that her two children were cute and healthy. She could not believe Allison''s words. However, she had to do the DNA test with Allison, to confirm that she was indeed not Allison''s daughter. 1 Someone had said that love was like a sickness. So was that why she felt like dying? If she had to be separated from Luke, she imagined that she would fall into endless despair. Suddenly, she felt that she was enveloped in a warm embrace. Luke was not his usual cold and aloof self. Instead, his eyes were brimming with care and tenderness. "You''re already a mother now. Why are you still so mncholic?" Luke was worried whenever Bianca cried. She might look delicate and lovely, just like in Lord Byron''s poem: I saw thee weep-the big bright tear Came o''er that eye of blue; And then methought it did appear A violet dropping dew. Bianca''s tears were indeed beautiful and endearing like dewdrops from a violet. However, Luke preferred to see Bianca''s smile. That was more beautiful than a flower petal that had been kissed by an angel. Bianca stopped her tears and gazed at Luke''s face. He smelled of alcohol, and his expensive shirt was crumpled. His short hair covered his forehead, and he looked tired. Even so, his sculpted face was filled with tenderness as heforted her. Bianca could only feel warmth. She helped him undo his tie, then tiptoed and hugged his neck. "I''m afraid that our peaceful life will be disrupted. I''m afraid that we will be separated. I''m afraid that our children will suffer because of us. I''m afraid about all these unknowns..." Luke gently held her icy hand and warmed it in his palm. He lowered his head and kissed the corner of her eye. "I''m here for you, silly. I''ll shelter you and the children from the wind and rain. All you have to do is take care of the children and give them the mother''s love they have lost in the past. Leave everything else to me." C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Bianca stared into the man''s eyes. His hands were clutching hers. Her skin was the color of snow, while his skin was the color of bronze. The contrast was stark but in harmony. The man''s hands were as warm as his smile. Bianca''s world brightened... Chapter 255 Chapter 255 Luke Is Wildly Aroused Bianca could feel that a hole in her heart was being filled up with bliss. Luke was hugging her tightly. She could hear the strong rhythm of the man''s heartbeat. It was beating in sync with hers. Luke''s lips gently fell on hers. Bianca was already the mother of two children, but she seemed to retain her charming inexperience. Her body emanated a sweet fragrance, and that had greatly titited Luke. "Mmh... Luke..." Bianca''s body was going limp because of Luke''s teasing. She came to her senses and pushed Luke away so that he did not go overboard. "You can''t do it here. This is the living room... You must also be tired. Go and take a shower first." Bianca, Wanda, and the two children were staying the night in Kevin''s house. Not only was the living room, which had been the venue for the funeral earlier, not suitable for vigorous exercise, but Aunt Wanda, who was sleeping in one of the rooms, might suddenly wake up... If Wanda caught them in the act, that would have been more than awkward Luke also knew that their current location was not suitable for intimacy. He heavily nibbled Bianca''s supple lips and appreciated the fair and delicate skin of the woman he loved. After the intense kissing earlier, Bianca''s face was tinged with a shade of red. Her eyes that were as clear as spring water shed with a hint of passion, and she bit her lower lip. How could someone who looked so angelic be so seductive at the same time? Luke stroked her smooth cheek, trying hard to keep his urges down. "I''ve been busy the entire day. Don''t you feel any pity for me? Shall we take a bath together? Hm?" Bianca blushed even harder. "Stop messing around, Luke..." Luke knew that Bianca was easily embarrassed, and he stopped teasing her. After all, he was quite tired. He kissed her once more, then went into the bathroom, took off his coat, and unbuttoned his shirt, revealing the solid muscle underneath. His figure was as sculpted as an international male model. Any woman would go crazy over his body... Near midnight, Luke came out of the bathroom and walked gently to the bedroom. Under the dim light, he could see the tranquil sleeping faces of Bianca and the two children. Seeing how the two children have a faint resemnce to their mother gave him warmth. At that moment, he could feel that all was well with the world. Luke gently climbed onto the bed and hugged Bianca and the two children with his arms. All his urges disappeared at that instant, and he realized that the warmth that aplete family provided was much more satisfying than sex. Bianca was a light sleeper. She could feel the heat he emanated as he got nearer. Instantly, she woke up from her dream. She felt her mouth be dry when she looked at the sculpted muscles of the man''s topless body. She subconsciously leaned closer to the children and coughed gently." Have you had your shower? You should rest soon. You still need to go to work tomorrow." Luke noticed Bianca¡¯s little gesture. Without saying a word, he hugged her tighter. His profound gaze was like an ancient pool of water, rippling under the moonlight and returning to calmness. It was silent and mysterious, yet unfathomably deep. Bianca could see the desires in Luke''s eyes, even though he did not say a word and instead silently looked at her. She began to feel uneasy. After experiencing it several times, she knew that the man would morph into a beast when ovee by urges. With the two children on the same bed, she could not allow him to do whatever he wanted. She gulped cautiously and reminded him again, "It''s alreadyte. You should sleep..." "Mm," Luke replied with his low and resonant voice. Water droplets seemed to gather at the tips of his hair. He looked refreshing... and sexy. Luke caressed Bianca''s hair as though he was appreciating a piece of fine silk. "Jennifer and Marie''s court trial should begin on the 7th of next month. What do you intend to do?" Luke''s impression toward the mother and daughter was thoroughly negative. He thought that just looking at them would degrade him. As much as he would like to off the mother and daughter directly, he wanted to seek Bianca''s opinion first. Bianca calmed down unexpectedly when Jennifer and Marie were mentioned. "They were the ones who caused my father¡¯s death. They''ll have to pay." "Alright. I''ll support your decision no matter what it is. However, before the trial, I will have to remove Xavier from the picture. I want to give you a status, Bianca. I want you to be my wife and Lanie and Rainie''s mother," Luke promised her. Bianca''s faint body scent was like blooming osmanthus flowers. Her scent tickled his nostrils, causing his urges to re. As Bianca looked at him with her clear eyes, she could feel a warm current coursing through her body. However, she suddenly remembered Allison''s words. "Your mother said that we''re siblings of different fathers. We''ll be defying social norms if we go together. You should know that we can''t be married. I don''t think you know that my mother is indeed my father''s ex-wife, and they''ve spent some time together..." N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Luke frowned when he heard that. When Allison met Bianca at her rental house earlier, Luke could hear from their conversation that something was amiss. He wanted to investigate it, but he had shelved that idea since he was busy with work. However, he could guess the reasons and the oues. He caressed Bianca''s cheeks andnded a gentle kiss on her forehead." Silly girl, do you actually believe what my mother says? Think about it. If we''re really siblings, how could you give birth to two healthy, cute, and intelligent babies? You don''t have to worry about anything else, Bianca. Just follow your heart, and I''ll take care of the rest." "But..." Bianca wanted to say something when Luke''s fingers lifted her chin and his lips pressed down heavily on hers. "You''re talking too much. I don''t mind doing some exercise before we sleep." Luke flipped over and pinned Bianca underneath him. Bianca felt as though her bones were being crushed into powder, though he continued to press downward as though intending to fuse his body with hers. The object between his legs was as hard as steel, pressing against the most vulnerable spot of Bianca''s body. Bianca was shocked. No... not now... the kids are asleep..." She said softly. "Don''t worry. They''re heavy sleepers." Luke wanted to tear away Bianca''s pajamas right now. Just when the man was about to breach the gates, he could suddenly hear a crisp and young voice. "Daddy? Why are you on top of Mommy?" 1 Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Daddy, Why Are You Riding On Top of Mommy? Upon hearing that childish voice, Luke almost immediately went limp. Lanie and Rainie had woken up some time ago. Their eyes were open wide, looking at Daddy and Mommy curiously. Luke hastily got off Bianca''s body and covered themselves with a silk nket. Bianca was thoroughly embarrassed. She wished that the earth would swallow her up at that instant. Luke was both frustrated and angry when the two children had interrupted their session. However, looking at their curious and doubtful faces, he could not release his anger on them. "Daddy, why were you riding on Mommy?" Rainie said while looking inquisitively at Bianca, who was going to cover her face with the nket. Meanwhile, Lanie red at Luke with his beautiful eyes. He noticed that his mother''s face and eyes were red... Lanie pointed at Luke with a plump finger and shouted, "You''re so heavy, Daddy, yet you''re riding on Mommy. Are you bullying Mommy?" A stifled scream from Bianca had woken him up earlier. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Daddy''s body was on top of Mommy. ''How can Daddy do that? ''Mommy is so gentle, and she isn''t feeling well. Daddy is so big and heavy. He shouldn''t lie on top of Mommy!'' Somehow, Luke was feeling quite embarrassed. Usually, not even a thunderstorm would wake the two children. Now that he wanted to share some intimacy with Bianca on the bed, the two children had caught them in the act. "Daddy wasn''t bullying me earlier. I felt a little cold, and that''s why Daddy pretended to be a nket and covered me... Be good children and go to bed. You have school tomorrow," Bianca said unconfidently. Lanie and Rainie got up, carefully checked Bianca for any bruises, and waved their little fists at Daddy as a warning to not bully Mommy. Bianca coaxed them for a while more before they drifted off to dreand once again... Luke did not know how to react to that. Bianca had supnted his position in the household. He was not jealous of that. In fact, he was happy that Bianca had be an important person to the two children. It meant that Bianca had sessfully won over the children''s approval. "Come here..." Now that the two children were asleep again, Luke wanted to bring Bianca into his arms. Before he could even touch Bianca''s clothes, the usually gentle rabbit kicked him between his legs. Luke was caught unawares, and he gasped in pain. Bianca''s eyes were full of disdain. "Don''t touch me for the next month." She turned around, hugged the two children, and closed her eyes. Luke looked at Bianca''s back. He would lose his mind if he could not touch her for the next month. Now that he had tasted Bianca and was used to doing it whenever he liked, was he going to survive living as an ascetic? Luke decided that he would make a new room for the children, and it would be ced as far away from their room as possible! On the other end of the city. In a nightclub shrouded by the darkness of the night and the blinding neon lights, men and women moved and swayed to the beat of the music and the shes of the strobe light. Their bodies grazed against each other, creating sparks of passion. Xavier meandered amid the dance floor, epting the advances of the women who threw themselves at him. He was half-drunk, and he looked like a yboy. ''See? Women still want me. I don''t even need to go after them. ''All the women here are charming and seductive. Most importantly, they are obedient, and they love me. ''Who does Bianca think she is? ''What does she have, other than that pure face? This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ''Not only she doesn''t know how to win a man''s heart, but she also gave birth to two children to my cousin. She''s only used goods and doesn''t even deserve to be a footstool, so why do I insist on not letting her go?1 Xavier retreated from the dance floor, hugging a sexy woman in each of his arms, and sat down at the bar counter. The bartender quickly handed each of them a cocktail. "Here are your drinks, Boss...¡± Xavier drunkenly pinched the cheek of the woman who was sitting on hisp, then fondled the arm of the curly-haired beauty sitting next to her. "Tell me, do you love me?" He asked cynically. "Of course! You''re prettier than me. I love you just forthat face alone!" The sexy woman giggled and told Xavier. The other woman did not admit defeat. Shended a heavy kiss on Xavier''s cheek. "You''ve always been generous, Xavier. We all love you!" Xavierughed heartily. He was about to make his next move when he heard the sounds of beer bottles breaking and the shriek of a woman. He narrowed his eyes and saw several hooligans bullying a beautiful woman in a tight white top and a micro mini-skirt. Xavier was already feeling horrible, but that made his mood worse. His usually-smiling slit eyes shed with darkness and savagery... How dare someone cause trouble on Xavier Tanner''s turf? He waved his hand, and the security guards moved into action. He did not have to bother himself with minor incidents like that, but he was in a bad mood, and he needed a ce to vent his anger. In a short while, the hooligans scattered and ran away in all directions. Xavier was terrifying when he was on his violent rampage. He did not seem to care about the consequences. Spilling blood was not enough. He looked as though he would not rest until those hooligans were dead. The other guests in the immediate vicinity had run somewhere else, though the woman who had just been saved stood there indifferently. The woman was in her mid-twenties. She was tall and slender, and though her face was pale, she carried a domineering and frigid presence. Blood was still dripping from Xavier''s arm. He looked dazedly at the woman standing in front of him. ¡®Who is she? ''Why does she look familiar?'' A thought shed in his drunken mind, and he grinned. ''So it''s her. ''That''s Walter Long''s ex-girlfriend, whom he had devoted his life to... ''Her name is... Shandra Cullen.'' Chapter 257 Chapter 257 How Would You Feel If That Happened To You? Xavier sat at the bar counter under the dim lights, helping himself to a ss of dark red liquid. His injured arm was wrapped in bandages. His thick eyshes obscured the violence in his eyes. "Thank you for your help, Mr. Tanner. You can contact me if you need anything." The woman sitting in front of him handed a name card to Xavier. Xavier took the card. Eminent Advocates & Solicitors. Shandra Cullen. Senior Lawyer. Memories of the past came back. Back then, Xavier went to the same university as Walter and Shandra. Walter and Shandra were ace students of thew college, and they were also known to be a couple. Their rtionshipsted through all four years in college. For some reason, they broke up after graduation. Shandra left the country, and no one knew what happened to her. Walter drowned himself in alcohol for a period and eventually resumed his normal life. "What a coincidence, Ms. Cullen. I happen to be in the middle of a difficult case. I''ve devoted my life to my wife, but my wife wants to leave me for another man. I''m not willing to agree to the divorce. I¡¯d like to hire you to be mywyer for this case. You can name your price," Xavier said. "Mr. Tanner, you should know that you can''t force someone to love you. Many women are willing to flock to you for your status, so why would you waste your time and effort on a woman who doesn''t love you?" Shandra said indifferently. "I''m sure that you''ve been in love before, Ms. Cullen, and you should know how it feels to love someone. It''s like seeing a cake in a bakery''s disy, and you want to eat it very much, but the storekeeper tells you that the cake has been sold to someone else, and the baker has already passed away, so there''s no way that you''ll be able to taste it. You''re frustrated that you can''t taste it, even though you''ve fantasized countless times how it would taste like. One day, you find someone else eating the cake that you have been obsessed with. How would you feel if that happened?" Shandra smiled, took a drag of her cigarette, and elegantly blew a smoke ring. "You must be joking, Mr. Tanner. There are so many equally delicious cakes in this world, and you can afford to pay for any of them." Xavier nced at Shandra and said, "Do you know who is my wife''swyer, Ms. Cullen? His name is Walter Long, the renownedwyer..." Walter Long was indeed a luminary amongwyers. He was thewyer in many influential cases, such as a property dispute between the CEO of a major company and his wife, the first divorce proceedings involving billionaires in South City, and various child custody cases and property disputes among the wealthy and influential. He had never lost a case. A hint of disdain shed in Shandra''s eyes when Walter''s name was mentioned, though she soon resumed herposure. "Alright, I''ll take the case," Shandra said. The woman tapped the bar counter rhythmically with her fingers, and she slowly closed her eyes. ''Walter Long, I''ll take back everything that you''ve taken from me!'' Xavier smiled like a cunning fox. ''You want a divorce, Bianca? ''No chance in hell!'' Early next morning. After breakfast, Luke went to thepany. Jason arrived to pick up the two children, but they insisted on getting Mommy to bring them to school. Bianca could not bear to let her children down and agreed to bring them to school herself. The two children went to a high-ss kindergarten. Not only it taught This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. English, French, and German, it also emphasized on holistic development of a child''s talents. The kindergarten upied a vast area. It included a swimming pool, several wading pools, a vegetable garden, an aviary, and several y areas and workshops. The children''s meals were prepared by a professional nutritionist. Luxury cars were amon sight at the front gate. If one was lucky, they might even spot a celebrity bringing their children to school. Bianca witnessed a scene that morning that made her feel down. A plump boy pulled on the hem of his grandfather''s shirt. "I don''t wanna go to school, Grandpa, I wanna go home..." he wailed. The old man looked at his grandson, feeling utterly embarrassed. "School is fun, right? You can have so many friends here..." he tried to persuade the little boy. A middle-aged mother smiled and told the old man, "You can''t be too soft with them. Kids are all the same when they first go to school. They''ll eventually get used to it." Bianca lowered her head and looked at the two children that were holding hands with her. They were quietly observing the scene. Bianca wondered what they were thinking. She also felt sorry for them. Were Lanie and Rainie like that on their first day of school? She held Lanie and Rainie''s hands tightly, and as they walked past the crying boy, she sighed. The teacher of the ss was a gentle woman. When she saw Bianca bringing the children to school and found out that she was their mother, she eximed, "You''re a beautiful woman. No wonder your children are so good-looking." Bianca smiled politely. After seating the children in the ssroom, Bianca did not immediately leave. Instead, she stood at the window, silently observing their children''s behavior in school. Lanie and Rainie were very good-looking indeed. They stood out among the crowd. Lanie was more introverted. He did not talk much in ss, and he usually wore a serious face. He sat straight and listened attentively to the teacher. Bianca thought that he looked a lot like his father. She shook her head helplessly. ''I guess this is what people mean when they say ''Like father, like son''...'' Rainie was the cheerful and extroverted one. She was like a little celebrity. Not only did she have good grades, but she also knew how to sing and dance. All the children in the ss seemed to like her. She was like a sun that emanated heat and warmth to the people around her... Chapter 258 Chapter 258 Luke¡¯s Birthday Lanie was feeling unhappy. He did not want to stay in ss. He was a precocious child, and he learned very quickly. His father had hired a personal tutor for him, and his intelligence was at the level of an elementary student. However, he had to remain in that ss so that he could apany his sister. Lanie thought that the teacher on the podium and the other children in the ss were silly. He did not like how they wagged their heads when they spoke. Rainie did the same too, but she was his sister. He also thought that the teachers did not sing well. He would rather listen to his mother hum tunes to him and Rainie. He did not want to learn from the teacher. He had memorized the French song after listening to it twice. Unfortunately, the other children in the ss had not picked it up, and the French teacher had to repeat it again and again. Lanie kept his lips tightly pressed together as he looked at the French teacher patiently repeat the song one more time. He felt uneasy when he saw their mouths open and close, and their childish voices formed a discordant chorus. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. He turned his head and looked at Rainie. She was attentively repeating after the French teacher. Her voice was shrill and young, but it was clear and melodic. He could easily pick out her voice from the other children in the ss. Lanie frowned. If not that he was worried that the other children in the ss might bully her, he would not want to attend kindergarten. Suddenly, Lanie''s eyes sparkled, and he came to life. He saw that Bianca was standing outside the window, looking at him and Rainie with a gentle smile on her face. "Mommy!" Lanie blurted in his surprise. However, his voice was drowned by the singing voices. Bianca could not hear his voice, but she could guess what he was saying from his mouth shapes. She ced her index finger on her lips, instructing him to be quiet. Then, she pointed at Rainie, the teacher, and the other children, telling him to sing along with the French teacher. Lanie frowned and shook his head. Bianca smiled, though she pretended to be angry. Lanie pouted. Then, he opened his mouth slightly and started singing the song with the rest of the children. Bianca smiled and shook her head when she saw Lanie''s reluctant expression. After ensuring that her children were well-suited to school life, she took a cab and went to thepany. After all, it was not too appropriate for a new employee like her to take too many days off. At thepany. Bianca stepped into the design department and saw that everyone else was at their desks working diligently. Several well-informed female colleagues were surprised to see her arrive at the office. As Bianca walked to her desk, she could sense that some of her colleagues were pointing at her and whispering among themselves. "Sigh, I''d like to be so close to the boss too! Then I cane to work whenever I like..." "Too bad you don''t have a pretty face like her!" Bianca did not say anything. She sat in front of her desk, turned on theputer, and ignored the whispers. Even though she might look calm, she nevertheless felt some unease. After all, no one wished to be the subject of gossip. Sue deliberately coughed, and the whispers stopped. She walked over and patted Bianca¡¯s shoulder. "Don''t pay too much attention to them. They''re gossiping because they have nothing better to do. You should just focus on your work." Bianca smiled gratefully at Sue when suddenly she heard the door open abruptly. ck, ck, ck. A pair of white three-inch high heels stepped rhythmically on the floor. The woman was dressed in a white office suit. She was walking toward Bianca while holding a folder. The woman carried a unique aura. She looked beautiful and charming, but her chin was lifted high, and her gaze was arrogant. "Are you Bianca Rayne?" The woman towered above Bianca and asked her. "Bianca, this is Mavis Laviere. She had been transferred here from an overseas subsidiary and is the supervisor of our design department." Sue gently elbowed Bianca and filled her up on who the unfamiliar woman was. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Laviere..." Bianca hastily stood up from her chair and extended her hand. Mavis Laviere''s name was well-known in the international design industry. Bianca had always admired her. Mavis had graduated with a double master''s degree in architecture from MIT, and she had won numerous awards in international designpetitions. Bianca was very excited to meet her idol. She did not expect that the renowned Mavis Laviere was so young and was in A City... Mavis shot a nce at Bianca but did not respond to Bianc''s offer of a handshake. Suddenly, the atmosphere became awkward. Mavis flung the folder onto Bianca''s desk. "I don''t care who was the one who hired you, Bianca, but if you''re in the design department, you have to follow the rules. I''ve checked your attendance record, and you''vee to work for less than two weeks in the past month. Do you think your father runs this company?" Mavis''s attitude was assertive and domineering. "I''ve followed all standard procedures when applying for a leave of absence, Ms. Laviere," Bianca replied after Mavis was done speaking. Nina, sitting two desks away, raised her hand and interjected. "Yes, Ms. Laviere, I''ve submitted her requests, and the department lead has approved them." Mavis shot a withering nce at Nina and said, "Next time, submit your requests through me. That will be the new rule, and everyone is expected to follow it. You will receive no bonus this month, Bianca." Mavis did not stay there for too long. After she spoke, she turned around and went into her office. Bianca was in a daze as she looked at Mavis. Somehow, she could feel a sense of enmity from her supervisor''s eyes... ''Enmity? ''Was that enmity? ¡®This is the first time I''m meeting her. There''s no reason for her to pick on me...'' Bianca stashed away that thought. She returned to her seat and continued working. Some people looked at Bianca with pity, while others gloated. Nina came over to Bianca''s desk on her swivel chair. "Are you OK, Bianca?" Bianca did not seem affected by the incident earlier. She smiled at Nina and said, "I''m fine." Nina continued, "Right, the work email password of the design department has changed. It''s 120886." Bianca was taken aback when she heard that string of numbers. ''Aren''t those numbers... ''Luke''s birthday?'' Chapter 259 Chapter 259 The Boss Went Into Bianca''s Room and Didn¡¯t Come Out Until the Next Morning... The reason why Bianca remembered that string of numbers so well was because, in one of their make- out sessions, she had asked him about his birthday. She was in the throes of ecstasy when the man whispered those numbers into her ear repeatedly and forced her tomit those six digits to memory. "What''s wrong, Bianca?" Nina was confused. Very few people knew about Luke''s personal life. That was why the majority of the workers in thepany did not know about Luke''s birthday. It was also not avable on the Inte. "It''s nothing. Why is the password changed?" She asked curiously. "I don''t know. In any case, the password changed when the new supervisor came in. Who knows what she''s thinking? I have to admit that I don''t like her though. She''s too domineering like a bully. I guess she''s been putting up a humble guise in those TV interviews," Nina could not help but tell Bianca her opinion of the new supervisor. ''Well, she has the talent and fame to be a bully. Whatever. We''ll save the talk forter." Bianca returned to her work. Nina was a candid person, but it meant that she would easily offend other people. However, she had been changing her attitude ever since she started working. Nina noticed that Bianca was studying other designs and told her, "I have some designs from the seniors. You can study those instead. You''ll have to study thepany''s previous designs if you want to blend in. I''ll send some notable projects to your work email." Bianca nodded to her as a sign of thanks. Even though Bianca had managed to find a spot in T Corporation, she had to continuously improve herself to keep up with the incredible pool of talent. If she wanted to unt her own style, she would have to rely on her abilities and be a better designer. Meanwhile, in Mavis''s well-decorated personal office. Mavis sat in front of theputer holding a design document in her hand. One of the corners of the document was crumpled and dog-eared. She had only been overseas for a short period, but she had found out from her spy that Luke was having an ambiguous rtionship with one of the new employees. It was said that Luke took very good care of his cousin''s wife. In fact, he had even gotten physical a few times because of her. He had rejected Yvonne Gideon, the marriage candidate that his mother had selected for him so that he could be with that woman... The rumors sounded incredulous, but Mavis was nheless uneasy. She had desired that man for a very long time, so how was she going to allow another woman to im his heart? 2 Mavis was not bothered by those women who had devoted themselves to him. She knew that Luke hated those women and would not reciprocate their advances. However, she could feel that Bianca was a real threat. Her feminine instincts told her that there was more to Bianca than meets the eye. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. "Ms. Laviere." The design department lead came into the office with a steaming hot cup of coffee. She was Mavis''s spy in T Corporation. She would observe Luke''s movements and report them to Mavis. However, no one knew what Luke''s personal life was like. Even the spy could only find hints and scraps of information from rumors and gossip. Mavis massaged her temples and indicated to the department lead to put the cup on the table. "What''s the identity of that Bianca?" She asked. The department lead remembered the trouble that Bianca had caused her, and she spilled everything that she knew about that woman. "Ms. Laviere, you might not know that Bianca was brought into thepany personally by the boss. She doesn¡¯t have any abilities, shees to work whenever she likes, but no one dares to call her out... Last month, when our team went to the small town, a colleague saw the boss going into Bianca''s room and did note out until the next morning. The next day, everyone could see that the wench had been ravished. Even her neck was full of hickeys. How shameless..." She might have exaggerated some parts of her story. The department lead felt smug and happy as she saw how Mavis''s expression sank. She had sided with Yvonne and bullied Bianca based on the fact that Yvonne was Allison''s chosen candidate for Luke''s wife. Unfortunately, that worthless Yvonne was nowhere to be found... She was afraid that Bianca would seek revenge on her and cause her to lose her job. Unexpectedly, Mavis returned to the country. The design department lead obtained her post because she knew how to gain Mavis''s favor. That was how she had be Mavis''s confidant and spy in thepany. Thinking of that, the department lead became even more eager. She wanted to continue gossiping about Bianca, but Mavis waved her hand in annoyance and instructed her to leave the office. The department lead sheepishly went away. Mavis took the document in her hands again and tried to suppress her anger. Then, she put on an indifferent expression. She got up from her chair, left the office, went up to the CEO''s office on the top floor, and knocked on the door. "Come in." The man answered crisply. Mavis''s eyes were instantly attracted to the man sitting in front of his table working. He carried a maic presence. 1 Luke was dressed in his bespoke business suit. He was handsome but at the same time bewitching. He was more attractive than half a year ago when Mavis left the country. Mavis stepped forward and presented him with the design document. "This is the design document for Nimbus International. Please take a look." Luke put away the pen in his hand and took the document. At the same time, his slender fingers massaged the bridge of his nose. Mavis knew that it was one of Luke''s mannerisms whenever he was tired. Bianca from the design department was like a thorn in her heart. However, she did not express her intentions. Luke flipped through the document and said, "Ms. Laviere, your design style looks different from your previous works. Are you in a bad mood?" Mavis''s heart skipped a beat. Indeed, she was in a bad mood while she was working on the designs, and she had omitted some details. Whenpared to her usual meticulous work, she did not expect that Luke noticed the differences. She had to admit that Luke was incredibly perceptive... Chapter 260 Chapter 260 You¡¯re Just His ything When He''s Bored "Do you have something on your mind, Ms. Laviere? Or are you not used to the local weather?" Luke asked curiously. "I think I''m still not used to the weather here. I''ll try to adjust myself so that I can be at my optimal condition," Mavis said coldly. Luke nodded. "Mm. I''ve always believed in your capabilities, Ms. Laviere. You can keep the document here. Well discuss it in detail tomorrow." "Alright." Mavis turned around and left. Luke nodded in satisfaction. That was Mavis for him. In front of him, she had been distant and aloof, as though she desired nothing, and no earthly temptation could move her. That was what Luke liked the most about Mavis. She was capable, professional, and not bothered by personal matters. Those were the qualities of a perfect worker. "Ms. Laviere," Luke called out her name right when she was opening the door. Mavis stopped walking. With her face turned away from Luke, she smiled smugly. She turned around and resumed her usual, aloof expression. ¡¯Is there anything else, Mr. Crawford?" "You''ve been working hardtely. The subsidiarypany in Argentina under your lead has recorded several percentage points in growth. If you want a reward, you can have cash or stocks. Well talk about it at dinner after work." "Alright." Mavis maintained her indifference. Once she stepped out of the office, her smile bloomed like a flower. She knew how to control her emotions, knowing that the man she loved was not fond of women who pestered him. So many women had fallen at Luke¡¯s feet over the years, but he had rejected all of them. She was the only woman who could stay by Luke¡¯s side for so long. The workday ended at six o''clock. In the design department, Bianca was friends with Sue and Nina. She was not too close with the other colleagues. Sue waved at them and left the office first, while Nina held Bianca''s hand and the two women left the office together. As they walked, Nina told Bianca about the gossip while Bianca was away from the office. "Do you know that a male employee from the finance department embezzled a few hundred thousand dors just so that he could pay a camgirl? He was arrested the other day... "There''s a man from the marketing department who looks dependable, but he was actually two-timing and his girlfriends found out... "A girl from the PR department was flirting with another guy, and her boyfriend beat her when he found out..." Bianca was not in the mood for gossip, so she quickly forgot about what she heard. At thepany entrance, she saw Luke''s ck Bentley drive past them. The window was rolled down. Bianca could see Luke sitting inside, but he did not seem to notice her. Mavis was sitting in the side passenger seat. A gust of wind blew past them. Bianca and Nina could smell a faint whiff of Chanel perfume from Mavis. Mavis sat there like a noble queen. When she noticed Bianca, her beautiful eyes shed with mockery and pride... Luke noticed Bianca in the rearview mirror. Suddenly, he had a strange thought. He wanted Mavis to get out of the car at that instant and ask Bianca to get in. It was the first time that he had a woman of his own. He did not know how to express himself. He shook his head and banished that thought. Nothing was going on between Mavis and him. She had brought profits to thepany, and he was buying dinner for her to reward her. Luke and Mavis were nothing more than a boss and his employee. He would exin that to Biancater. Bianca had always been understanding. She would know that business dinners were part of Luke''s job. The ck Bentley disappeared from Bianca and Nina''s view. Nina carefully turned her head and sneaked a peek at Bianca. She knew that Bianca was someone special to Luke. Now that they had seen Luke ride a car with another woman, Bianca must be thinking of something. "Are you OK, Bianca? Ms. Laviere has just returned from overseas. I believe Mr. Crawford is taking her out to dinner to celebrate her return. It''s nothing out of the ordinary," Nina said gently. Bianca turned away. She might pretend that she was unaffected, but she was nheless a woman and thus felt uneasy about the situation. However, she believed that she could trust Luke. She knew that Mavis was a capable and dependable employee, and it was reasonable that they went out for dinner. It was impossible for her not to be worried, but she chose to believe him. "It''s fine." Bianca suppressed her worries. "The bus ising. Let''s go." Not far away was a bustling public square. In the middle of the public square was a musical fountain. Past the public square was a bus station. She could take bus number 52 to go directly home. When Bianca started working, she had an extravagant thought. She wanted a car of her own so that she couldmute between home and work more easily. However, she did not have any savings, and she did not want to use the credit card that Luke had given her. She might feel beholden to him if she did. She would try to save up as much money as she could. With the year-end bonus, she should be able to afford an economical car. While they were traversing the public square, someone suddenly grasped Bianca''s arm! Bianca turned around to see. It was Xavier! "Why can''t you leave me alone, Xavier?" Her expression instantly sank. "I am your husband," Xavier said sternly. "I''m here to pick you up from work. What''s wrong with that?¡± Nina was vaguely aware of Bianca and Xavier¡¯s rtionship. Seeing that Xavier was grabbing onto Bianca''s arm, she stepped in and reprimanded him. "I say, Xavier Tanner, aren''t you a shameless one? Bianca is a couple with Mr. Crawford, but you insist on stepping between them. Nobody likes that. Don''t you know?¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Xavier turned his head to look at Nina. He looked as though he was a cobra baring his tongue. "You don''t have to work here anymore, my wife. Let me take care of you," Xavier said earnestly as he looked at the T Corporation building and something sinister shed in his eyes. "Look at your eyebags. Luke Crawford doesn''t know how to pamper you. Come home with me. HI take good care of you." Bianca pushed his hand away. "I''m very happy working here. Also, don''t ever call me your wife again. HI make sure that this forced marriage is over as soon as possible. Don''t evere and disturb me again!" She turned around and quickly walked to the bus station. Xavier stepped in front of Bianca and blocked her way. "I won''t divorce you, Bianca. Do you think that Luke Crawford really loves you? Tch... you don''t know that he has an affair going on with Mavis Laviere... You''re only nothing but a ything to him when he''s bored. Now that Mavis is back, do you think that hell want to be together with you?" Bianca could feel her heart clench when she heard those words... Chapter 261 Chapter 261 Lanie Crawford Is Fiercely Protective of His Sister! Xavier stepped forward and held Bianca¡¯s shoulders, not letting her leave. He looked into her eyes and observed the changes in her expression. Deep down inside, Bianca was not as calm as she looked. She was bothered by what Xavier said. Tears were welling up in her eyes, but she tried to push Xavier away. "You don''t have to try to break us apart. I''ll believe Luke no matter what he does." She took Nina''s hand, and they walked away defiantly to the bus station. Xavier did not give chase. His brows were tightly furrowed, and his fists tightened and loosened... ¡¯You''lle back to me someday, Bianca.'' Bianca wanted to take the bus home, but in her irritable mood, she decided to go to the kindergarten to pick up the two children instead. She gave Jason a call and found that he was on his way to pick up the children. She told him that she would be picking up the children with him today and asked him to wait for a while if he arrived first. After ending the call, Bianca waved goodbye to Nina and took a cab to the kindergarten. The kindergarten was only about four blocks away, and it was on the same side of the road. Bianca arrived there very soon. At the entrance, Bianca could hear several childish voices. "My Daddy is the CEO of a bigpany. He''s a very important man!" A little boy said arrogantly. "How important can he be? Is he as important as my Daddy?" The familiar voice of a girl belonged to Rainie. "Of course, my Daddy is more important than your Daddy! He''s very amazing!" The boy continued. Rainie did not relent. ''My Daddy is the most important person. No one dares to talk back to my Daddy!" The boy was not going to admit defeat. "That¡¯s nothing. My Daddy is so important that even the teachers and the headmaster have to stand up straight when they see him," he said. "Hmph! My Daddy owns a bigpany with many, many people inside. All of them have to bow to my Daddy when they see him," Rainie said smugly. "What''s so great about it? I don''t need to queue up in the clinic when I mention my Daddy''s name!" The boy''s voice became louder. He seemed to have gotten the better of Rainie. She scratched her head and looked at Lanie. "Big Bro... he''s a bully..." Lanie rubbed his temples. He thought that the two children were very childish, but he did not wish to see his sister being bullied, even verbally. He was very protective of his sister. "Hmph! So do you admit that my Daddy is more important now?¡± The boy seemed very pleased with himself. Lanie suddenlyughed. He was as charming as a prince in a fairy tale, but somehow, the boy felt a chill course down his spine. "If you say that your Daddy is so important, Simon, then let me ask you. Can your Daddy skip the queue when he takes the bus?" Lanie asked. "Of course! You don''t say?" The boy named Simon lifted his chin. Lanie grinned. "Oh... so your Daddy takes the bus! My Daddy only drives his Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini, or Rolls-Royce. He never takes the bus." ¡¯..." Simon looked at Lanie wordlessly. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Lanie held Rainie''s hand and smiled charmingly. "Have you seen any important people take the bus, Simon?¡± Simon opened his eyes wide. His plump cheeks were turning red with anger. ''Grrr! I''ve been tricked!'' Bianca nearly burst out inughter when she heard the childish argument. She knew that she should not encourage her children to brag about their father, but she did not know that her son was so cunning. Lanie ended the argument with one question and left the opponent at a loss for words. "Lanie, Rainie, Mommy is here to pick you up..." Bianca waved at the two children and gently called out their names. The two children were ecstatic when they saw their mother. Rainie pounced onto Bianca like a happy little sparrow. "Mommy!" Lanie walked over and stood by Bianca''s side like a mature gentleman. Bianca kissed Rainie''s cheek. Then, she looked at the other boy. Her heart melted when she saw his face. The boy''s face was round and plump. The skin was as fair as porcin, his eyshes were thick and long, and his eyes were big and animated. His face was perfect, and Bianca had the urge to squeeze it. However, he looked too arrogant, as though he was a spoiled brat. Bianca had no resistance against a child so cute and handsome. She waved at the boy. "What''s your name, young man? Aren''t your parents here to pick you up yet?" "Mommy, he''s Simon Holston, the terror of ss 2. Not only does he like to pull my ponytail, but he also picks fights with the other boys. Even the teachers can''t do anything about him... Mommy, let''s leave him alone and go home." Rainie was unhappy that Bianca''s attention was focused on Simon. Simon was stunned for a while. Then, he walked toward Bianca with some hesitation. He might be always picking fights with Rainie, but Rainie''s Mommy looked beautiful and gentle. Simon had never met his own Mommy before. He felt a pang of jealousy when he saw Bianca kissing Rainie''s cheek. Subconsciously, he wanted to get closer to Bianca. ''Where do you live, young man? Shall we take you home?" Bianca patted Simon¡¯s head. At the same time, Jason parked his car at the entrance, and he beckoned at them to go in. "It''s fine, thank you. Uncle Clement will be here to pick me up soon..." Simon said sheepishly. He was blushing. Bianca sighed. She felt that she should wait there until the little boy''s parents came to pick him up. After all, it was not safe for a small child to be waiting alone at the entrance. She continued talking to Simon and tried to resolve his grudge with her two children. Soon, the three children became friends again. The Holston family driver arrived soon. He had encountered a minor ident on the road, and that was why he waste. The driver heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that Master Simon was standing at the entrance talking to a beautiful woman and two cute children. If something happened to Master Simon because of him, his boss would skin him alive. He thanked Bianca and left with Simon. As the car drove off, the little boy peeked at Bianca from the window. Bianca wondered why the arrogant little boy seemed so forlorn and lonely... Chapter 262 Chapter 262 Such A Gentle Gaze... Back at home, the two children went to the study and did their homework, while Bianca went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. In the sink was a basin half-filled with water and two fishes. Bianca was going to prepare fish for dinner. Fish was very nutritious. It was the perfect food for a child''s physical and mental development. Her children might be picky eaters, but Bianca wanted to try to change their food habits. After seeing Luke and Mavis ride in the same car, she was not in her element. She told herself not to overthink, but she could not control certain things. She picked up a fish from the basin and treated it as Luke. Whack! Whack! She hit the fish with the rolling pin, and it went still... She wanted to give a call to Luke, but she thought that it was beneath her dignity to do so. If Luke was really talking business with Mavis, then her call would be an unnecessary distraction. However, she nevertheless felt uneasy when she was reminded of Xavier''s words... She would rather not think about it. Soon, the dining table was set up, and roast fish and maple syrup mashed potatoes were served. Bianca went to get the children to have dinner. "Wow, the dinner smells so good! I''m so hungry..." Rainie said cutely as she rubbed her growling tummy. Bianca scraped Rainie''s nose gently with a finger. "Then you should eat more today." "Isn''t Daddy come home for dinner tonight?" Lanie asked while shoveling a spoonful of mashed potatoes into his mouth. Bianca nced at the clock on the wall. It was gettingte. She shook her head and said. "He''s busy with work today. Be good children and eat your food." The two children were very silent tonight. They ate their meal without any protest. After dinner, they were beginning to yawn. Bianca helped them take a bath. In the bedroom, she tucked them into the quilt and patted their heads. "Good night," she said gently. The two children slowly closed their eyes and mumbled good night. The two children looked almost identical. It was a heart-warming sight. Bianca gently ran her fingers across the children''s smooth and delicate skin. She smiled when she remembered that the children were the proof of the love between her and the man of her dreams. However, she became nervous as the clock continued to tick, but Luke showed no signs of returning... ssical music yed in the high-ss restaurant. It was a popr dining spot for couples. Luke sat in front of the table. His bespoke Armani suit and handsome, sculpted face gave him a noble aura like no other. The lights shone diagonally on his face, which gave him an air of mystery. Mavis fiddled with the foie gras on her te half-heartedly, trying very hard to suppress her infatuation with Luke. "Now that Lanie and Rainie are growing up, I wonder if you have time to pursue a rtionship, Mr. Crawford?" Luke leaned back on his chair and looked directly at Mavis. "I didn''t know that you''re interested in my personal life, Ms. Laviere." "I guess it''s because I¡¯m getting older, and that makes me focus on different things in life. I used to be singrly focused on work. Work is still important to me now, but I''m beginning to pay more attention to my rtionships and health. You are an outstanding man, Mr. Crawford. I wonder what would your ideal woman look like?" Ever since she started working for Luke, she knew that the man kept his personal life secret. He was never fond of appearing in the limelight. One could count on one hand the number of times he made a public appearance. Of course, no one had seen him with a woman. She had thought that the boss was not interested in women. When she found out that the boss had a pair of children, she was both shocked and angry. However, she could not find out who the mother was. That had discouraged her greatly. However, she was not going to let the children be an obstacle. As far as she knew, Luke was not married. She would eventually be Luke''s wife if she tried hard enough. Bianca''s image appeared in Luke''s mind as he looked at Mavis. ''She should be about five-foot-five. She should also have straight ck hair, big eyes, fair skin, and a quiet personality." Mavis''s heart sank when she heard Luke describe his ideal woman. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. She was five foot eight and had curly hair, not to mention her aggressive personality. It was the total opposite of Luke''s ideal woman. She remembered asking the same question a few years ago. His reply back then was that he liked a diligent and assertive woman that could help him in his work. That was why she had strived to be Luke''s ideal woman. Now that she had the personality, his preferences had changed. That made Mavis furious! She was beautiful and came from a wealthy family. At work, she was capable and diligent. In her opinion, no one would be a better fit for Luke than she was. She could see Luke''s gaze turn gentle and indulgent when he described his ideal woman. At that moment, she suddenly had an urge to kill. In all her years working with him, she had never seen his gaze be so gentle. Five-foot-five, straight ck hair, big eyes, fair skin... That was the description of Luke''s ideal woman. Mavis could only think of Bianca. That woman was a perfect fit for Luke''s description. She continued eating her meal without showing any expression on her face, though her grip on the cutlery was subconsciously tighter, revealing her true feelings underneath... ''Bianca, right? ''I will not show any mercy to anyone who steps in my way of bing Luke''s wife!'' After dinner, when Luke''s car passed by a 24-hour convenience store, Mavis said to him uneasily. "Mr. Crawford, can you stop for a moment? I need to get something." Luke was in a hurry to return home, though he asked the driver to stop the car anyway, seeing how nervous Mavis was. She got out of the car and hurried into the convenience store. Soon, she returned with a ck stic bag in hand. After Mavis got back on, the driver started the car and sent her home. Unknown to the man, under his seat was a pair of crumpled ckce panties with its price tag torn off... Chapter 263 Chapter 263 Bianca¡¯s Heart Skipped A Beat! Luke finally returned homete at night. When he opened the bedroom door, he was greeted by the tranquil scene of Bianca sleeping with the two children. The two children were neatly tucked under the quilt. Bianca was dressed in a silk nightgown. Her limbs that were as fair as ivory were outside of the nket. Her cheeks were so soft and tantalizing... Luke pinched Bianca¡¯s cheeks, which woke her up. Bianca opened her eyes groggily. She looked like a newborn fawn. Luke could feel his abdomen be tight when he saw Bianca''s innocent yet alluring appearance. "You''re back.*'' Bianca rubbed her eyes. Luke hugged her and gently kissed her forehead. "I''ll go take a shower. You should sleep." He tucked Bianca under the nket and said to her as though reprimanding a child, "You''re already an adult, but you still kick the nket when you''re sleeping. What if you catch a cold?" Bianca wanted to say something, but he kissed her and walked away to the bathroom. Bianca looked at his back, not sure how she should react... In her hand was a brown strand of hair. She caught it on his shoulder when they hugged. She wondered if he had noticed it. Looking at the strand of long hair, she was not sure how to feel. Her hair was straight and nk, but the strand of hair was curly and brown. It clearly did note from her head, so... ''Is it from Ms. Laviere?'' Soon, Luke was done with his shower. He was a very efficient man, whether at work or in life. He stepped out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. Bianca stared at him. Needless to say, the man was outstanding. Not only was he incredibly wealthy, but he also had a handsome face and a sculpted body that made women crazy. His body did not have an ounce of extra fat. His muscles gave some texture to his skin, but they were not exaggerated. Those muscr legs were strong and alluring. He walked into the bedroom barefoot, his hair still glistening wet. No wonder so many women fell for him... In Luke''s eyes, Bianca was just as attractive. Bianca, in her pajamas, her face unadorned by make-up, was uniquely different. "Help me dry my hair.¡± He could have done it herself, but he wanted her to do so. 2 Luke''s hair was soft andfortable to the touch. The two children''s hair was just like his. The weather outside was cold, but there was a heater in the room. His hair dried very quickly. Luke noticed that Bianca was behaving differently. He looked at her, slightly confused. Bianca felt a little better when their eyes met. "What''s wrong? Is something the matter?" Luke was not good at reading expressions, but even he could tell that Bianca was not in a good mood. However, he did not know why she was behaving like that. ''She was still fine yesterday. What happened today?'' Bianca turned her head away, feeling restless. ''He went out to dinner with Ms. Laviere for so long. Doesn''t he know how to exin himself?'' It might have been just a normal dinner, but how was he going to exin the strand of hair she found on him? Seeing that she did not speak, Luke carried Bianca onto the bed, turned off the bedside light, and hugged her close. Bianca could not sleep that night. Her conviction began to waver... When Bianca woke up the next morning, Luke was already gone. The two children were still sleeping. Bianca felt a little lost. She would have thought that Luke had not returned, if not that his scent lingered on the bedsheets. She got out of bed and noticed that he had left a note on the bedside table. "I''m away for a business trip. I need to take care of something in Western Europe. Sorry that I can''t be with you and the kids at the breakfast table. I''ll be back as soon as the matter is dealt with. Love you." Bianca felt a little better after reading the note. She had to keep her faith in him. Bianca set the tes and the food at the dining table. She prepared all the food that the children liked. She stared at her own te, unable to take even a bite. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. "What are you thinking, Mommy? Let''s eat together!" Rainie pulled her mother''s arm. She seemed uncertain. "Yes, let''s eat." Bianca picked up her spoon and shoveled the oatmeal into her mouth. Lanie and Rainie were surprised. ''What''s wrong with Mommy today?'' After breakfast, Bianca cleaned the table while Jason came to pick up the children. Jason drove a Porsche today. The two children hopped into the car with their backpacks. Bianca did not want to bete for work. She asked Jason if she could ride in his car. She had just opened the car door when Rainie suddenly said, "Mommy, did I leave my English textbook in Daddy''s ck car? Can you help me look for it? The cover is green, and I need it for ss today." Bianca knew that Rainie was a scatterbrain. She shook her head helplessly and went off to look for her textbook. Luke had several cars of different colors. The ck car that Rainie mentioned must be the Bentley that Luke and Mavis were riding in the day before. Bianca took the car key from Jason. She opened the car door and looked around the car for Rainie''s book. It was not in the front seat. She went to the back to look for it. Soon, she found the book between two seats. She was about to step away when something small and ck under a seat caught her eye. Curiously, Bianca reached out and took it. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw clearly what it was. It was... a woman''s panties. Bianca was shocked as she held the pair of sexy panties in her hands. Her beautiful eyes shed with disbelief, and her body began to tremble... Soon, all color was drained from Bianca''s face. She felt her heart wrench. If that woman''s hair had identally dropped her hair on Luke''s shoulder... How would he exin the panties? If he did not have an intimate rtionship with the woman, how would her panties be left in his car? Chapter 264 Chapter 264 It Was Painful, But It Cleared Her Mind... Jason dropped the children at school, then drove toward thepany. Bianca sat in the back seat. The window was open, and she allowed the cold, piercing wind to blow on her face. The wind cut her delicate skin like a knife. It was painful, but it allowed her mind to be clear. Jason nced at her and said, "The weather is cold today, Ms. Rayne. Mr. Crawford will me me if you catch a cold." Bianca shook her head but did not reply to him. She closed her eyes. Jason was curious when he saw hownguid Bianca looked. Did she have a fight with the boss? He did not think so. After being his boss''s assistant for so many years, he knew how important Bianca was to Luke. Luke loved her more than anything else in the world. Why would he fight with her? Meanwhile, in a shopping mall. Allison was dressed in a luxurious white fur coat and held two bulging shopping bags in her hand. She was at the checkout counter with two of her richdy friends. The shopping bags were filled with luxury items. Allison''s favorite hobby, other than spa makeovers, was shopping. She found that nothing was more enjoyable in life than having money to spend. She had enough of being poor. Using her beautiful face and underhanded tactics, she had sessfully lured in Luke''s father. Then, using her son as a threat, she became thewfully wedded wife of Zachary Crawford and enjoyed the high life that came with the status. So what if she was a despicable mistress? So what if Zachary''s previous wife was still around? What was most important was that she found a position in the Crawford family! Not only had she defeated Susan Armstrong, but her son was also in total control of T Corporation. She was set for the rest of her life. Now that Kevin Rayne was dead, the only blemish in her life was gone. Allison thought that whatever she did in her life was totally worth it. Unexpectedly, when she swiped her credit card, the sales clerk told her, ¡¯ I''m sorry, Madam, but you have reached your credit limit. Do you have another card?" Allison mmed the credit card on the table, which frightened the sales clerk. "Don''t you know who I am? How can my card reach the credit limit?'' Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Indeed, Luke had set a credit limit on his mother¡¯s credit card so that she did not overspend. After all, money did not grow on trees. Every month, she received ten million dors from thepany''s finance department. Once she used it up, that was it. Allison was vain, and she spent her money recklessly. She reached her credit limit especially early this month. Mrs. Willow next to Allison also spoke up. "You''d better not be mistaken. I''ll let you know that his son is very rich. You can''t afford to offend Mrs. Crawford!" On the other side was Mrs. Mallory, looking at the sales clerk with disdain.'' You''re just a wage-earner. How dare you talk back to Mrs. Crawford? Do you still want your job?'' The sales clerk felt miserable. She was only telling the truth, so how did that be talking back? With no other choice, the sales clerk showed them the screen on which the list of items and the credit limit notification was disyed. "I''m not mistaken, Madam. You''ve exceeded your credit limit. The total of the items is $1,049,000, and the reminder says that you don''t have enough on your credit card." Allison scowled. She immediately gave Jason a call, telling him to contact the finance department to increase her credit limit. ''I can certainly do that, Madam, but I''ll have to ask for approval from Mr. Crawford first," Jason replied. ''You''re useless!" She yelled through the phone. She gave a call to Luke, but his phone was switched off! Meanwhile, Leia was in her disguise and was strolling around in the shopping mall with her agent when she saw Allison at the checkout counter. Naturally, Leia had investigated the family situation of the man she was infatuated with. She recognized who Allison was. Allison was already more than half a century old, but her face was well- maintained. The fur coat that she wore gave her an air of nobility. However, Leia could tell from Allison''s speech and mannerisms that she was nothing more than a philistine. She was not a true socialite, like her adopted mother Queenie. However, she knew how to take advantage of people like Allison. They were easy to tter and easier to manipte. Leia would have despised a woman like Allison, but Allison was Luke''s mother. That was why Leia approached her. "Let me pay for this, madam." Leia ced her golden credit card on the counter. She turned and smiled at Allison while introducing herself. "Nice to meet you, Madam. You''re Luke''s mother, right? I''m Leia Norman, one of Luke''s friends and a spokesperson for one of the perfume brands of hispany." Allison could not help but size up Leia. Leia had thin eyebrows and big eyes. She did not look like she underwent stic surgery like other celebrities. Her facial features were petite and delicate, and she had a sweet smile. Mrs. Willow leaned toward Allison''s ear and whispered. "Leia Norman is a popr celebrity. I''ve heard that her father is Jack Norman, the Provincial Committee Secretary." Mrs. Willow''s husband often had secret rendezvouses with third-rate celebrities, and Mrs. Willow herself was not a stranger to the happenings in the entertainment industry. She knew about Leia Norman, a second-rate actress that only became popr because of her background. When Allison heard what Mrs. Willow told her, she instantly smiled. "I thought that you''re a beautiful woman on TV, but I didn''t expect that you look better in real life. You shouldn''t pay for me. I''ll get Luke to transfer the money to you when I get back!" "Don''t mention it, Madam, it''s nothing much," Leia replied. "Oh, you''re too kind." Allison held Leia''s hand and did not let go. "It''s more than a million dors. It''s not a small sum." ''It''s fine.¡± Leia shed a sweet smile. "This is my first time meeting you. Consider it as a present." Allison continued to decline Leia''s offer a few times but eventually epted it. Allisonughed happily and asked, "You''re so pretty, Leia. You should already have a boyfriend, right?" Leia sheepishly lowered her head. "You must be joking, Madam. I''ve been focused on my work for the past few years, and I don''t have time for a rtionship." "You have so many good qualities, but you don''t have a boyfriend? Oh my god! Why don''t you be my daughter-inw?'''' Allison said in jest. "You don''t say, Allison. Leia is so beautiful, and her family is of matching status. I think she''ll be a good match for Luke," Mrs. Willow interjected appropriately. ''Too bad my son is too young. Otherwise, I''d love to have a daughter-inw like Leia...¡¯ Mrs. Mallory said. Mrs. Willow and Mrs. Mallory showered praise upon Leia. They did not want to offend the daughter of the Provincial Committee Secretary! The two wealthydies knew how to tter someone. Leia smiled brightly when she heard that. She blushed when she heard that she was a perfect match with Luke. Allison grinned from ear to ear. If she could get her son to marry the daughter of the Provincial Committee Secretary, her position in the Crawford family would be elevated to another level. On the other hand, it meant that Susan''s position would be lower. With the Norman family''s help, her son''s business would growrger. That was a total win for her. Allison could tell from Leia''s mannerisms that she had a good upbringing, unlike Bianca. The more she looked at Leia, the more she wished that Leia was her daughter-inw. She wondered if Leia would be able to lure his son away from that seductress Bianca. ''If you''re free, you cane over to my house and visit me anytime. I''m so bored at home,¡¯ Allison ventured. Leia nodded. "Of course, don''t worry." As Allison walked away with her two richdy friends, a cunning smile rose on Leia¡¯s face... Allison was Luke''s birth mother. She was easily satisfied by material things. With Allison''s support and her own unique charm, she believed that she would eventually win Luke''s heart! Chapter 265 Chapter 265 She Was Stunned By Luke''s Charisma! Bianca seemed absent-minded the entire workday. She made many mistakes, and the department lead red at her. "What''s wrong? Is something bothering your mind?" Sue and Nina had asked her. Bianca shook her head and said nothing. Some things were not meant to be shared with other people. She tried to find many reasons to convince herself to trust Luke. Eventually, she could not hold back her doubts anymore and gave Luke a call. She dialed his number several times. The response she always got was, ¡¯ Sorry, the number you have dialed is not in service." Her heart sank to the bottom of the abyss... She got off work right on time and returned to the apartment. Even though she had two children by her side, Bianca felt that the family was iplete without a certain someone. The two children ate their dinner silently. She turned on the television. On the television was a news report. The tall and well-built man in her dreams appeared on television. Rainie instantly recognized the man. She pointed at the man with a finger and eximed in surprise, "Look, Mom, Daddy¡¯s on TV!" Meanwhile, Lanie was eating his risotto in small bites, though his eyes were transfixed on the figure on the television screen. Bianca was surprised. She did not expect to see Luke on the financial news. He was dressed in a fitting business suit. His sculpted face looked handsome and determined. However, his gaze was cold and distant, which gave him a noble temperament that made him stand out from the crowd. He was surrounded by reporters with cameras and bombarded by piercing questions. He maintained hisposure while he answered those questions, though one could see from his slightly drooping lips that he was not very happy. A bearded foreign reporter asked, "Mr. Crawford, the Regal Chain of Restaurants under T Corporation is one of the most popr restaurant chains in Western Europe. The main reason why Regal is so popr is because of your relentless pursuit of quality. Recently, a reporter went undercover as a waiter and found many underlying problems in one of your restaurants. Let¡¯s not mention that the training was more like a formality, but even the employees did not bother to sanitize the kitchen utensils properly. Moreover, there was a problem with passing dead fish and shrimp for live ones, and also with using recycled oil and artificial fruit juices. What is your opinion on that, Mr. Crawford?" Luke''s eyes narrowed slightly, and his gaze turned cold. His voice was booming and intimidating. The reason why T Corporation grows year after year is because we are a crediblepany. I will make a promise to every one of you here - We never pass dead animals as live ones! The Regal Chain of Restaurants has always kept true to the principle of immediately discarding any dead marine produce. There is no worry about us using artificial fruit juices, and we have long-term contracts with the most qualified waste oil disposalpany. Furthermore, T Corporation owns the biggest vegetable ntation in the country, and I can guarantee with my reputation that we only use the freshest ingredients. We will spare no expense in conducting investigations if those incidents you mentioned happened, but I can tell you right now that they are mere rumors!" 1 The reporters that surrounded him quietened down a little after Luke made his convincing speech, but more reporters wanted to raise an issue. A tall, brown-haired reporter squeezed to the front and spoke, "Mr. Crawford, your statement is very different from the information that the media has received. By speaking on behalf of a brand under yourpany, aren''t you harboring their faults? Last month, an investigation of the Meat Locker in the Oxford area found that they have been using filtered recycled oil, and that restaurant happens to belong to the Regal Chain of Restaurants. Mr. Crawford, you said earlier that using recycled oil was a mere rumor, so how do you exin that?" The other reporters burst intoughter. Those nationalistic reporters did not want to see a foreign chain perform so well in their country. They were not happy that T Corporation owned almost half of the restaurants in the country. Now that they had the perfect opportunity to put down the Regal Chain of Restaurants, they were not going to miss it. They expectantly waited for the answer from T Corporation''s CEO. It was an incisive question. If Luke did not give a satisfactory answer, that would cause T Corporation''s century-old reputation to be in tatters. The cameras shed non-stop. They were eager to find out more about this scandal! The two children did not understand what was going on in the news report, but they were happy to see their father appear on television. Bianca stared at Luke nervously, as though she was the one being surrounded by reporters. She did not know what to do. Luke remainedposed throughout the interview. He did not seem to be bothered by the questions at all. He nced at the brown-haired reporter who asked the question, noticed thepany on his microphone, and started to speak calmly. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Luke''s voice was loud and authoritative, as though his statements were not to be questioned. "You''re from the New Metro Times, right? Didn''t your paper get sued by multiplepanies two weeks ago for false news? As far as I know, your reporting has been proven to be almost always based on hearsay, and yourpany has at least three ongoingwsuits. Can your paper stop publishing sensational news to boost sales?" The brown-haired reporter''s face turned red from Luke''s retort. Luke continued, "Indeed, the Meat Locker used to be part of the Regal Chain of Restaurants. However, T Corporation has terminated our rtionship with them since March 2016. You can find the announcement of termination on Regal''s official website, and you can check it for yourself if you have any doubts. Finally, I would like to say that the Regal Chain of Restaurants wees any scrutiny from the public or the media made in good faith. Feel free toe to our kitchens to inspect our operations. We do not intend to keep any secrets from the public, and you don''t have to be so dramatic as to send undercovers. Our doors are always open for you!" The man''sposure and witty answers impressed the people in attendance. No one dared to ask any more questions. Bianca was also stunned by Luke''s courage. She did not expect that Luke, who had been gentle and elegant in front of her, would be able to win over a crowd in a crisis. He made it look so easy, even though it would have been very difficult for other people. Bianca admired him even more after that scene. However, she froze when she saw Mavis standing next to Luke... Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Taking Possession of Bianca On the television, Mavis was dressed elegantly. Her curly hair was swept to her back, which made her look diligent and capable. Standing next to Luke, they seemed like a match made in heaven. Luke looked directly at the camera with a mature and determined gaze. He remained calm in the face of the reporter¡¯s incisive questions. "The restaurants under T Corporation have been maintaining a high standard of quality, the proof of which can be obtained from the FDA. I suspect that there is some other reason that is causing the problems faced by the Regal Chain of Restaurants. We are still investigating whether it is a natural or a man-made cause. Once the results of the investigation are out, T Corporation will host a press conference and give the public a satisfactory answer!" Bianca frowned. The Regal Chain of Restaurants under T Corporation was facing some problems about the quality of their food in Western Europe. The problem was not so much about financial loss, but rather the loss of reputation of a century-old company. Reputation was very important for a multinationalpany. If T Corporation could not solve those problems, then they will suffer from public criticism, which will negatively affect their expansion in the region. After Luke, Mavis continued to answer the questions from the reporters. 1 She carried a strong and dominating presence. Her answers were sound and valid. No one could offer a retort. After all, she was famous for her passion and versatility at work, just like Luke. Not only did she answer the questions from the reporters perfectly, but she also skillfully deflected the problems back to the reporters. The reporters were stunned when they heard Mavis''s answers and praised that she was indeed Luke''s strongest assistant. Bianca stared at the scene in a daze. She was assailed by an inexplicable feeling of anguish. If she were the one standing next to Luke at that moment, she could not say that she would perform as brilliantly as Mavis. Bianca knew that she was not very good with words. Meanwhile, Mavis was not only renowned for her extraordinary looks, but also her highhanded approach to matters and her outstanding interpersonal skills. It was the first time that Bianca felt inferior in love. Perhaps what Luke needed the most was a strong and capable woman that could keep up with his pace. Bianca was soft and pliable. Not only could she not bring him any benefit to his work, but she might even also be a burden... ''Why did you turn off the TV, Mommy? I can''t see Daddy!" Rainie suddenly protested. Bianca came to her senses. She had subconsciously turned off the television. She picked up the cute little girl that had run to her side and ced her on the couch. "Daddy is overseas handling some business. He will be back in a few days. Have you finished your dinner?" Bianca found sce in the little girl in her arms. She was still a good mother. Rainie nodded. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. The little girl might not be as perceptive or considerate as her brother, but she could see that her mother was acting weirdly recently. ''Mommy would randomly space out. I wonder why? Is it because of Daddy?'' "You should rest today, Mommy. Big Bro and I will do the dishes," Rainie said coyly. "Be a good boy, Lanie. Go and y with your little sister. I''ll go and do the dishes. You can help me with my chores when you''re older..." Bianca said gently as she stroked Lanie''s hair. Bianca wasforted by her two obedient and considerate children. However, they were only five years old, too young to be helping with chores. Some children from poor families were forced to be independent at that age, but that was because they had no other choice. Bianca kissed the two children''s cheeks and turned on the television again. She tuned into their favorite cartoon channel and took out their toys. Then, she walked to the kitchen, filled with worries... Late at night. Nina drank a little too much at the karaoke bar with her friends. She said goodbye to her friends and stood by the roadside, waiting for a cab. A wretched couple walking toward her while cuddling each other caught her full attention. She knew who the man was. He was Xavier Tanner, the yboy. The woman in his arms had long hair and a pure face. She wore a white Chanel-style jacket, a deerskin miniskirt, and a pair of modern high-heeled boots. Her legs were bare, despite the cold weather. What surprised Nina most was that the woman looked somewhat simr to Bianca. If not that she knew that Bianca would not dress up so provocatively, she might have thought that the woman was Bianca from her silhouette! Xavier did not notice Nina. He kissed the woman while cuddling her as they walked toward the hotel nearby. His hand brazenly reached into the woman''s miniskirt. "Just you wait, my little honeybun, I''ll pamper you real good..." "Don''t be like that. Mmh... we''re still in public..." the woman gasped while she pushed him away, though her body did not reject his. "Don''t be like this? What should I do then? Hm?" Xavier did not hide the fact that he wanted her body. "You don''t have a choice in this, you wench!" There was no hint of love in his eyes. His body was acting out of passion and instinct alone. ''This woman looks like Bianca, but she''s more interesting than that boring Bianca. ''At least, she can make me desire her. ''So many women are willing to throw themselves at my feet, so what''s so great about Bianca?'' His teasings became more intense when he thought of that. As a yboy, he knew how to conquer a woman''s heart. He and the woman walked into the hotel. Nina felt disgusted watching that. How dare Xavier not let Bianca go and act as though he loved no one but Bianca, but at the same time have an affair with another woman? How despicable! She wanted to leave the scene as soon as she could, but suddenly her eyes sparkled! She thought of an idea and followed behind them... Chapter 267 Chapter 267 Luke Loses His Temper The night sky was as dark as ink, and all was silent. The two children had gone to bed a long time ago. Bianca remained in front of theputer, creating designs. Bianca was not in the mood to work, but she had no choice. Once she stopped working, all sorts of questions and doubts would fill her brain. The clock struck eleven. Bianca stared at theputer screen for a long time. The man had not given her a call. She went to the bathroom and took a shower, trying to keep herself awake. Dressed in a nightgown, she sat in the living room and tried calling Luke''s number again. Bianca was afraid to hear the dreaded automated voice again. The phone rang for almost a minute, but no one picked up. Just when she was about to hang up, someone answered the call. "Hello?" It was the voice of a woman. All of a sudden, Bianca''s eyes misted, and she felt her heart wrench. She tried to keep her voice calm and steady and asked, "I''m looking for Luke Crawford. Is he there?" "Oh? Luke is in the bathroom now. Who is this? I''ll tell him to call you back when he''s done," the woman''s voice replied. Bianca was stunned for a long time and ended the call. Then, she turned off her phone as though she was trying to hide from something. She pulled her nightgown. The heater in the room was on, but she felt cold. The moonlight shining through the windows gave a forlorn atmosphere. Bianca''s heart was trembling. She felt extremely uneasy. What was the woman doing in the man''s room sote at night? Did that mean... The man had said to her, "My phone will always be turned on for you. You will always be able to contact me." That promise had felt soforting. However, it had be a cruel joke. Bianca''s heart was wrenching miserably. In the hotel suite. Mavis looked at the screen after the call was abruptly cut. The name on the screen was "Bianca." The corners of her lips curled upward into a cruel smirk. She deleted the call record and gently ced the phone on the table. The position and angle of the phone were exactly the same as how it was before she picked it up. She had always been a meticulous worker. She would not leave any evidence of tampering. She had just ced the phone down when Luke stepped out of the bathroom. He was dressed in a loose bathrobe. On his knockout gorgeous face was a pair of profound eyes whose gaze was as frigid as a cier. They might seem gentle, but there was no hint of mercy in them. His thin lips were redder than a woman''s. They looked seductive, but at the same time, uncaring. That man who was more beautiful and elegant than a woman had singlehandedly brought T Corporation to its current position with his shrewd perception and merciless tactics. Only a man like Luke could be a match with Mavis. Luke''s expression turned cold when he saw Mavis present in his room. "It''s already sote. Is there anything?" Mavis lifted her head and revealed her snow-white neck. She was dressed in a sheer nightgown. All the curves of her figure were bared in in sight. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. She believed that if she unted her charms, no man would be able to resist her. The corners of her lips curled slightly upward, shing a smile at Luke. It carried the maturity of a grown woman and the bewitching mor of a pixie. She pointed at the piping hot supper on the table and said, "You''ve been busy the entire day, Mr. Crawford, and you haven''t eaten anything. I got the kitchen to make some supper for you. Eat something. If not for me, you ought to make sure you''re healthy for the benefit of T Corporation." Luke remained indifferent. "There''s no need. I''m not hungry. You''ve also worked hard today, Ms. Laviere. You should go back and rest." He picked up the phone on the table. Mavis''s long eyshes obscured her true feelings. Luke did not seem to notice anything wrong with his phone. He gave Bianca a phone call. He dialed her number several times, but her phone was turned off! Luke''s expression sank instantly! He had been busy the entire day handling thepany''s PR crisis, and he had to negotiate several purchase orders... He was so busy that he did not have the time to eat or rest. Of course, he did not have time to give Bianca a call either. He wanted to wait untilte at night when it was peaceful so that he could speak to her privately. He did not expect that she had turned off her phone. Luke understood Bianca well. If she did not receive his call, she would not be able to rest well. That left Luke in a bad mood. He picked up the ss to take a sip of water but found that the ss was empty. In a fit of rage, he flung the ss toward the wall! The ss shattered loudly into a million pieces when it struck the wall. Mavis was shocked by Luke''s sudden outburst. As far as she knew, Luke had always been calm and collected. She had never seen him throw a tantrum. Was it because of that woman? What she thought of that possibility, Mavis could not help but feel jealous. That Bianca woman was so normal that she was almost forgettable. What made her so special that the man she loved would throw a tantrum over her? Mavis took another ss and poured a ss of warm water for him. "Are you OK?" She asked gently. Luke was frowning hard. His eyes shed with hostility as he tried his best to suppress his emotions. "It''s alreadyte, Ms. Laviere. You should return to your room and rest." Mavis could sense that he was unhappy. The smile on her face froze for a moment, though she said tactfully, "You shouldn''t be angry sote at night. Is there something that you can''t solve?" She briefly cleaned up the broken ss on the floor. Just when she was about to say something nice to Luke, she heard something that she did not wish to hear. "Get out!" "What?" Mavis was shocked. She could not believe what she had heard. Luke looked at Mavis, who was crouching at the corner of the room picking up ss shards like an idiot. "Don''t let me repeat myself, Ms. Laviere!" He said impatiently. Mavis noticed that he had not touched the supper that she had brought him. She thought that she was being considerate for bringing him supper and helping him clean up, but he had chased her away instead. Mavis''s usually expressionless eyes misted up. The Laviere family was not ultra-rich, but they wielded a considerable amount of wealth and influence. Moreover, she was the beloved daughter of the Laviere family, who had never faced any hardship in her life. She had tried to improve her abilities just so that she could be by his side. Now that she had been treated this way, she could not help but feel aggrieved and dejected... "Alright. You should rest early too. If you''re hungry, eat the food I brought you. It''s not oily or spicy, so you can safely eat it. Good night." Mavis was an intelligent woman. She knew how to make a graceful exit. She knew that Luke did not like women who pestered him. Perhaps she had overstepped her boundaries tonight. She opened the door gently and left the room. Luke dialed Bianca''s phone again, but he got the automated message that her phone had been turned off. His expression turned colder and colder... Chapter 268 Chapter 268 He Was Alerted by the sh of the Camera! Meanwhile, Nina followed Xavier and the woman in his arms into the hotel and watched them enter the elevator. The high-ss hotel prioritizes the privacy of its customers. To ensure that she could capture video evidence of Xavier''s affair, she had to pretend to be a customer and pay a hefty amount of money to stay in the room next to them. When Nina went into the elevator and swiped the ess card, a drunken man stumbled into the elevator at the same time. The drunkard was tall and burly. He wore a ck baseball cap which obscured his face. He was heavily intoxicated, and his body fell on Nina. Nina was livid and kicked him away. "Ding!" The elevator arrived at Nina''s floor. Nina quickly stepped out of the elevator, but the drunkard grabbed onto the hem of her shirt and did not let her go. He kept calling her "Hey, chick," and tried to fondle her breasts. Nina was about to blow her top because of the drunkard''s antics. In a fit of rage, she hooked the drunkard¡¯s elbow and heavily mmed him into the elevator wall. Bang! The man fell on the floor, and his ck baseball cap fell from his head. His sinister face was brought into view. "Why does he look so familiar?" Nina looked at that face and wondered. Nina crouched on the floor and carefully looked at his face. He had a sculpted face with deep-seated features. His facial features were handsome, but he looked more like a scoundrel. Nina soon recognized who he was. He was Pierre Mallory, her nightmare in elementary and middle school. Pierre was notorious for being a yboy. He had started flirting with girls when he was in middle school, and he changed a girlfriend every three days. Nina was his ssmate for several years, and she hated people like him. However, he liked to y pranks on her and had often angered her. In the third year of middle school, Pierre went overseas to further his studies. She thought that she would never see him again, and she was very happy about that. She did not expect to meet him under such circumstances. He was still the same. Nina kicked him several more times. After all, he was drunk, and he would not know who had kicked him. After releasing her anger, Nina carefully walked toward Room 6617. In a wild stroke of luck, the door was ajar. Perhaps the couple was too much in a hurry to do the deed. Nina was ecstatic. She had asked awyer about how to force a divorce. Thewyer had said that if the woman could find concrete evidence of the man''s extramarital affairs, the court will side with the woman and enforce the divorce. She was not going to let that opportunity slip away. She took out her phone and stuck it through a crack in the door. Xaviery on the crumpled sheets of the king-sized bed. His eyes were narrowed, and his expression was obscured by his long eyshes. His thin and sexy lips were slightly open, gaping hedonistically because of the sensory pleasure. The woman squatted on the floor. Her lips and tongue were working diligently on his most vulnerable organ. She moaned sensually, continuously tempting Xavier. "Daddy, I want..." The young woman said coyly. Xavier lowered his head and lifted her chin. "You want it? Then work harder! ¡¯ He smiled menacingly. The young woman moved her mouth with greater frequency. Xavier let out a low roar. Just when he was going to pin the young woman on the bed, he was alerted by the sh of a camera! ¡¯Oh shucks!¡¯ Nina was about to kick herself because of her carelessness. In a hurry to capture evidence, she had forgotten to turn off the sh of her phone camera. That ruined everything! She kept her phone away, turned around, and started to run. She only took a few steps when she felt a hand grip the back of her neck. The hand was very strong. She almost could not breathe. Tremblingly, Nina turned around to look at the owner of the hand. Her eyes met Xavier''s cruel and bloodthirsty smile... Bianca slept fitfully that night and woke up early the next morning. It was the weekend and she did not have to wake up so early. However, she had a headache that kept her awake, and she did not have the habit ofzing in bed. She kissed her two children, who were still asleep, and turned on her phone that had been switched off the entire night. There were many missed call notifications, all from Luke. She also received a text message. [Bianca, I was too busy yesterday, and I couldn¡¯t find the time to call you. I''m sorry. When I''m not by your side, please try not to turn your phone off. I''ll be worried if I can''t contact you. Please give me a call after you read this message.] Bianca tossed the phone onto the bedside table. She felt weak. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. So many things happened in the past two days. Her head was in a muddle. She was troubled by those baseless suspicions. She changed her clothes and prepared to make breakfast. At home, she was dressed in a T-shirt and jeans. The simple clothes on her tall and slender body made her look pure and beautiful like a college student. She went into the bathroom to brush her teeth. When she stepped out, she heard her phone ring. The phone call was from Nina. She was about to pick up the call when it ended. Soon, she received a message. [Bianca? I''m in Room 6617 of Yale Hotel. There''s something I have to discuss with you. Come over here quick.] Bianca was quite surprised. Nina was a candid person. If there was anything urgent, she would usually call her instead of sending a text message. Was there something that she could not speak about over the phone, but instead requiring the privacy of a hotel room? Bianca felt uneasy. She returned the call to confirm it was indeed Nina who sent her the message. At the hotel. Xavier sat on the king-sized bed with his legs crossed, fiddling about with Nina''s phone. The swirling cigarette smoke made him look dangerous. When he saw Bianca''s call, he hung up without giving it a second thought. He might not have many interactions with Bianca, but he knew her personality well. Bianca might be meek, but she could not ignore a good friend in danger. Nina was her best friend and ssmate. Even if Bianca might suspect something, she would still rush over to ensure that Nina was safe. Xavier felt a little better when he thought of that. His eyes sparkled. Then, he got up and went to the bathroom. On her way there, Bianca gave Nina several calls, but none were picked up. Bianca did not know what happened to Nina, but she was worried, and therefore she went to Yale Hotel. When she arrived at Room 6617, she saw that the door was ajar... Chapter 269 Chapter 269 Bianca Trembled With Fear! The suspicion in Bianca''s heart grew stronger as she neared the room... Her heart was beating faster and faster, though she forced herself to be calm. She knocked the door twice out of courtesy, and she heard a low and familiar male voiceing from inside. ''Come in." She pushed open the door and smelled a strong scent of cigarettes which made her even more nervous. Looking around the room, she did not see Nina inside. Just when she was about to turn around and leave, a hand pulled her into the room from behind, and the door closed with a bang. rm bells rang in Bianca''s heart when she saw Xavier! She did not know what was going on. "Did you send the message using Bianca''s phone, Xavier? What do you want?" She asked angrily. 4 Xavier cackled ominously. He gripped Bianca''s chin and wanted to force a kiss on her. Bianca was not going to yield. She reflexively pped him, but he caught her wrist in time. Xavier appreciated Bianca''s body with his eyes. He kneaded her fair and delicate wrists, and his thumb rubbed her palm. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Bianca lifted her left arm, but he tutted at her. He ced a finger on her lips to tell her to be quiet. "Be a good girl. You don¡¯t always have to be so physical when you meet your husband. Did youe here just to p me? Don''t you want to know what happened to your BFF? If you listen to me, I might tell you something about her..." Bianca red at her and suppressed her disgust. "Do you want to go to prison again?" Xavier sneered. He ignored her threat and kissed her face again. Bianca reflexively dodged. Xavier''s expression sank immediately, and he gripped her lower jaw hard as though he wanted to crush her bones. The woman was weaker than the man. Moreover, Bianca wanted Xavier to tell her what happened to Nina, and so she did not want to agitate him even more. She red at him with hatred in her eyes. "Don''t involve other people in our matters, Xavier. Nina is innocent. Don''t channel your hatred to her." Bianca''s lips were trembling out of anger. Xavier cackled ominously. "It''s either you spread your legs, or you can wait for something bad to happen to your BFF. You decide!" "You''re insane!'' Bianca was shaking. He had held her chin high, and Bianca red defiantly at Xavier''s sinister gaze with no intention to back down. "Are you still pretending to be virtuous? You''re already not a virgin. I wonder how many times you''ve made out with Luke Crawford. I''m your legally wedded husband, so I should be the one to make out with you. Do you think I''ll forgive you for cuckolding me?" Xavier said brusquely. His expression was as savage and ruthless as usual, as though he was going to snap off her lower jaw at any time. "Pah!" Bianca snapped, though in the next moment, Xavier''s lips kissed heavily on Bianca''s. His kiss was forceful and violent, as though he was going to crush her face. Bianca could not struggle out of it. She was getting dizzy, and in her desperation, she bared her teeth and wanted to bite him. Xavier knew what wasing and quickly let go. Bianca wiped her lips as though they had touched something filthy. She was about to open her mouth when he abruptly lifted her off her feet and flung her on the king- sized bed. Bianca bounced on the bed once, and Xavier pounced on her body. Bianca was trembling with fear. She recklessly kicked at him while screaming hysterically. "This is assault, Xavier! I will sue you!" Xavier took in the refreshing scent of the woman pinned under him. He pressed down on the soft and delicate body. "After being married to me for so long, it''s about time you fulfilled your duties as a wife," he said smugly. "Get off me! We''ll be divorced soon, and I''m not your wife. If you darey a finger on me, Luke will never forgive you!" Bianca could not move, and her face was red with anger. She tried to use Luke''s name to scare him away. However, she did not expect that mentioning Luke''s name only agitated Xavier. Xavier was not happy that he had to y second fiddle to Luke for all these years. Whenever he was reminded of that fact, his anger would grow in intensity. The woman had to mention Luke''s name. Luke, that animal, had imed what was supposed to be his. The anger suppressed in his heart was about to explode like fireworks. "So what about Luke? He''s the one who snatched you from me. How dare you mention his name? If you dare mention the divorce again, Bianca, I''ll kill you!" Xavier was violently ripping Bianca''s clothes away. He was about to crush her ribs. The usually meek Bianca seemed to have lost her mind at that moment. She wed, kicked, and bit him as though only one of them would be leaving the room alive. However, Xavier was far stronger, and he easily subdued her. Bianca''s skin was fair and soft with a hint of pink. Xavier ran his fingers over her skin which was as smooth as milk. He was getting excited that he would be tasting her goodness soon! With one hand, he gripped both of Bianca''s wrists so that she could not move away. While he was tearing off Bianca''s jeans, she suddenly stopped moving and did not struggle... He looked at Bianca''s face, but she was still as though she was dead. Tears streaked across her pale face, though her eyes were bloodshot and brimming with her hatred and disgust toward him. At that moment, he lost all interest. He got up from the bed and lit a cigarette from the box on the bedside cab. Like a skeleton that had lost its soul, he took drag after drag, forcing himself to calm down. There was no point in forcing it. That stubborn woman would eventually bow to him. Xavier felt bored when he saw Bianca lying on the bed like a dead fish. He took out his phone and tossed it in front of her. "You want to know where your BFF is, right? She''s inside." Bianca pushed herself up and picked up the phone. When she saw the video on the phone, she started shaking once more... In the video, Nina''s mouth was gagged and could not make a sound. Her eyes were brimming with fear! Her clothes had already been torn away from her body, save for several scraps that covered her private parts... She was surrounded by several men. One could easily tell that they were hired thugs. The person standing in the middle was fondling Nina while spewing unmentionable filth from his mouth. Nina struggled, and defiant tears fell... Bianca opened her eyes wide. She could not believe what she saw. Hatred was brewing in every cell of her body. She gasped audibly and tossed the phone on the floor as though it burned her hands. ''Xavier, you''re worse than an animal!'' Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Will You Agree to Anything? Bianca was trembling with rage. She tried her best to suppress her feelings and managed to calm herself down. "Don''t involve other people in our matters, Xavier. Nina is innocent. I hope that you can let her go." Bianca forced herself to be calm, but she found that she could not be calm at all. Xavier stubbed out his cigarette and looked into her eyes. "That''ll be easy, Bianca. I don''t want the divorce." "Xavier Tanner, you despicable man!" Bianca wanted to tear him into a thousand pieces. "It''s not like you don''t know me. I''m willing to do anything as long as I achieve my ends!" Xavier was not embarrassed by Bianca''s reproach. Instead, that piqued his interest. "The man in the video is Pierre Mallory, the Second Young Master of the Mallory family. You should have heard about the Mallory family, right? Pierre is a vicious one. He always repays his grudges no matter how small they may be. If you''re lucky, you might survive after losing a hand or a foot. If you''re not, you''ll be sleeping with the fishes. Your silly friend kicked Pierre while he was drunk. What do you think Pierre would do to her? Oh, right, it''s not the end for her yet. I''m considered good friends with Pierre, and he owes me a favor. If I give the word, there might still be hope for your friend. Of course, that''ll depend on your performance." Bianca was turning numb. "Xavier, you can ask for anything other than canceling the divorce." This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Xavier sneered and towered over her. "Ask for anything? Can I ask for you then? Will you give yourself to me?" Bianca wasughing out of her anger toward his shamelessness. Xavier ced his hand on her shoulder. Bianca felt as though a poisonous cobra was entangling her. Her back was straight, and goosebumps rose all over her body. Xavier did not seem to be bothered by her fear. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, "You don''t have to worry about the divorce. If I want the divorce, I''ll let you know, but I can tell you that you''re destined to be my woman for the rest of your life!" Biancaughed. "What''s the point of all this, Xavier? A marriage without love is like gripping a handful of sand. Try as you may, the sand grains will eventually slip away. You should understand that a marriage like this brings both parties nothing but agony and torment." "It might be agony, but it''s sweet agony. I enjoy the process of being restrained and tormented." "How can you be so stubborn?" Bianca screamed. "You only live once, so why would you waste your time on a woman who doesn''t love you? We are notpatible at all. I''ve said many times that I will hate you for as long as I live." "I will make you love me." He said determinedly as he abruptly hugged her waist and brought her close. "That¡¯s impossible. I will divorce you!" Bianca gritted her teeth. Xavier''s eyes shed with hostility. He pinched her delicate cheek. "Just wait and collect your BFF in a bodybag then!" Bianca had never felt so defeated. Her chest was filled with anger and grievances, but she had nowhere to release it. She felt that she had fallen farther into her nightmare, toward the dark abyss of death. She struggled to breathe. Only the thumping of her heart told her that she was still alive... ''What... should I do?'' Friendship and love were equally important to her. She could not live on if she lost either one... Meanwhile, the two children had already changed their clothes, made their bed, and were watching cartoons on television. They did not see their mother when they woke up, but they saw a note that their mother left them. She said that she had something important to do and would be back soon. The two children did not throw any tantrums. Instead, they changed out of their pajamas, brushed their teeth, sat on the couch, and turned on the television to watch cartoons while waiting for their mother to return. Ding dong. The doorbell to the apartment rang. "Can you go and see who it is, Big Bro? Is Mommy back?" Rainie turned to look curiously at the front door. Her hair was fluffy and unkempt. Lanie brought a stool to the door, climbed on it, and looked through the peephole. It was Walter Long. "Uncle Walter is here. I''m opening the door!" He turned his head and told Rainie. Bianca had reminded them multiple times that they should not open the door for strangers if there were no adults at home. The two children had remembered that well. Lanie opened the front door. Walter stepped into the apartment, and Rainie pounced into his arms." Uncle Walter!" Walter was thewyer on retainer of T Corporation. He frequently interacted with Luke, and Lanie and Rainie knew who he was. Moreover, Walter had always brought the children small gifts whenever he met them. That was why the children liked him. "You''ve grown heavier, Rainie. I don''t think your Uncle Walter can carry you, ¡¯ Walter joked as he held the little girl in his arms. Rainie pursed her lips. "That''s because Mommy makes delicious food, so I''ve been eating a lot." Walter smiled. Bianca seemed to be a good influence on the two children. Earlier, they had been mature and considerate, but theycked the youthful vibrancy children should have. Now that Bianca had walked into their world, the two children had be happier and more energetic. "Did you bring any gifts for us today, Uncle Walter?" Rainie asked as she stared at Walter with her big and animated eyes. Walter nearly burst out inughter. The little girl might be small, but she had Luke''s shrewd genes. "No. I forgot to bring any gifts today," Walter teased. The little girl pouted. She seemed unhappy. Suddenly, Walter took an exquisite princess hairband and ced it on her head. "Thank you, Uncle Walter!" The little girl ran to the dressing mirror and made vain poses. Walter looked at Lanie, who was sitting quietly on the couch like a gentleman. He handed the little boy a jigsaw puzzle. "I bought this for you from my trip to Canada a few days ago, Lanie. Where''s your Miss Bea?" Walter knew that Bianca was living together with the children, but he did not know that Bianca was their birth mother. Just when Lanie was about to answer, the front door opened, and Bianca walked in. Her face was deathly pale... Chapter 271 Chapter 271 Luke''s Extreme Possessiveness Bianca was visibly surprised when she saw Walter sitting on the couch. Walter was dressed in a fitting business suit and wore a pair of gold- rimmed sses on his face. He looked diligent and capable like a societal elite. "Good morning, Ms. Rayne." He smiled and greeted Bianca. Rainie ran to Bianca''s side when she saw her and twirled around happily. ¡¯ Look, Mommy. Uncle Walter gave me this hairband. Doesn''t it look nice?" Bianca''s troubles were not relieved by the little girl''s cheerfulughter. She picked up Rainie in her arms and squeezed a smile. "It looks nice. You''re the nicest little girl in the whole world," she said. The little girl''sughter echoed in the living room. Rainie kissed Bianca on the cheek and said, "I love Mommy the most!" Lanie was sitting on the couch, channel surfing with the remote control in his hand. He rolled his eyes toward his sister¡¯s childish actions. ''How vain,'' he thought. It was the first time Walter had seen the two children interact with Bianca at home. He was quite surprised at how close they were. The two children were mature at a young age, and they would not be so intimate with any random person. Some women had tried to get close to Luke by offering to take care of the two children. They wanted to gain the children''s favor, but the two intelligent children had always exposed their lies... He was shocked that the two children were living so harmoniously with Bianca, as though she were their birth mother. Bianca slightly nodded at Walter. Her face looked dejected without the slightest hint of a smile. "Good morning, Mr. Long." She once again confirmed Walter''s renown. There had been a serious case in Loughton. Several wealthy yboys from eminent families had gang- raped a sixteen-year-old girl and caused her death from excessive bleeding. The girl''s family might be poor, but her parents did not ept any offers of marypensation from the families. Instead, they ignored their threats and swore to bring those perpetrators under justice. Seeing that their threats did not work on the girl''s family, they announced openly, "Anywyer who takes on the case will not live to see the first day of the trial!" No one in the entire Loughton dared to take up the case, except for Walter long. Under immense pressure and theck of evidence, Walter managed to find some leads and, with his impable logic, overturned the case for the young girl and managed to get the perpetrators sentenced to life in prison. Walter Long rose to fame after that case. Since then, his name had appeared in many invitation lists of dinners among society''s elite. "I have something to discuss with you in private, Ms. Rayne." Walter pushed his sses and coughed gently when he saw that Bianca was in a daze. "Babies, Mommy has something to discuss with Uncle Walter. Go into your bedroom and y. Lanie, help your sisterplete the jigsaw puzzle. I have a present for youter." Bianca tousled the two children''s hair and asked them to go to their room. Bianca knew that Walter was here to talk about her divorce case. She poured a cup of hot tea for Walter. "Here''s some tea, Mr. Long." "Thank you." Walter took the cup and sipped it several times, then took out a document from his briefcase. "The paperwork isplete, Ms. Rayne. Now, you can bring the case to the court so that we can start the divorce proceedings. You''ll have to bring your identification document, your marriage certificate, and any proof of property if you need anything divided. After that, the court will give you a date for the trial and serve the papers to Xavier Tanner. When that happens, let me know the date and time of the trial, and I will defend you in court. I''ve listed down the steps in the document. You can read through it when you''re free." Bianca sat on the couch with a vacant expression on her face. "Mr. Long, if I proceed with the divorce, what are the chances that I win?" "A hundred percent. I''ve never lost a case before," Walter said confidently. He was not boasting. He had absolute confidence that he would win. After all, not many people could say that they were the bestwyer in the country. Bianca lowered her head to look at the document in front of her, then lifted her eyes to look at Walter''s smiling face. Her hands trembled slightly. A long whileter, she lifted her head and said, "Thank you, Mr. Long, but I don''t think I''ll be needing this for now. I don''t think I''ll proceed with the divorce." Walter looked at Bianca with disbelief. No one else knew better how badly Bianca wanted to be divorced from Xavier. She had called Walter multiple times to be updated about the progress of the paperwork, so why did she suddenly change her mind? Moreover, Luke was an incredibly possessive man. He would not tolerate Bianca to be another man''s wife. What happened? "Can you tell me the reason, Ms. Rayne? Does Luke know about this? Is there something wrong with him?" Walter was an intelligent man. He could see from Bianca''s expression that something was amiss, which raised his suspicions. Bianca remained calm, but she could not hide the sorrow from her voice. ¡¯ It''s my problem. It has nothing to do with Luke. Please give me some time to reconsider this, Mr. Long." Walter ced the document on the table. "Alright, you can contact me again when you''ve made up your mind. I''ll be leaving for now. Goodbye." As soon as Walter closed the door behind him, Bianca¡¯s forcedposure instantly shattered. She was frustrated, aggrieved, dejected, and sad. All those feelings had been brewing inside her. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. She had never felt such despair in her life. At that moment, someone banged at the front door of the apartment, as though they were kicking the door with their high heels. Bianca stood up from the couch and opened the front door. Allison, dressed in luxury clothes, walked in... "Why... why are you here?" Bianca blurted in surprise. She remembered the two children in the room and gripped the doorknob tightly. She did not want Allison toe in... Chapter 272 Chapter 272 Anyone But Bianca! Allison nced at Bianca with disgust, walking into the living room, and tossed the expensive LV handbag on the couch as though she was in her own house. Her gaze swept over the living room like a radar. She did not see Luke anywhere. Then, she went into the bathroom to search for clues. Bianca stepped unhappily in front of her. "What are you doing here? What do you want?" Allison saw a pair of men''s slippers and two child-sized slippers next to the shower. She almost blew her top! She pointed at Bianca''s face and started to yell. "Is it fun being a seductress? How shameless can you be, Bianca? You''re now Xavier''s wife, so what are you doing with my son? Not only have you taken hold of him, but you''re also not showing my grandchildren any mercy! I was wondering why I haven''t seen Luke and my two good grandchildren in the house. So they''re with you. Is there any other woman in this world that''s as shameless as you?" Bianca was trembling after hearing Allison''s harsh words. The two children were in the bedroom, and they might hear what Allison was saying. Bianca was not in the mood to argue, so she said, "I''m not going to argue with you today. If you''re here to pick a fight with me, then I don''t wee you." Bianca was telling Allison to leave. She knew that Allison was her father''s ex-wife, but she was not fond of her at all. Allison became angrier when she heard that. "Look at Kevin''s daughter. Not only you''re not embarrassed by the fact that you''re having an affair, but you''re also driving your birth mother away from the house. Since when has my daughter be so shameless? You know that you''re siblings of different fathers with Luke, but you''re still clinging to him. Don''t you know that no one can ept that?" Bianca remained calm in the face of Allison''s hysterical ramblings. Her eyes were as deep and calm as ancient wells as she looked at Allison in front of her, regarding her as nothing but an insect. That made Allison angrier. She wanted to p that fair and delicate face in front of her. Finally, Bianca spoke when she looked at Allison''s hideous face. "I''m not calling the police on your intrusion because you''re my father''s ex-wife, but that doesn''t mean that you''re my birth mother... Madam Tanner, you must know that we are so different, no matter our appearances or our personalities. Are you sure that I am your daughter?" "You... what do you mean?" Allison was shocked. A hint of shame shed past her face. "You should know very well what I mean, Madam Tanner,¡± Bianca said. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Allison''s harsh tone of voice became gentler. "What nonsense are you saying, just so that you can be with Luke? If you''re not my daughter, then who''s your mother? You''re indeed born from my womb, and you living together with Luke is going against all morals! Have you lost your mind? Can''t you ept the fact that I''m your birth mother?" "Look into my eyes, Madam Tanner. Look into my eyes and tell me that I am your birth daughter." Bianca stared straight at Allison with a piercing gaze, which intimidated Allison. "Of course, you''re my birth daughter. Why would I lie to you?" When Allison said that, her eyes subconsciously looked toward the right as she racked her brain for an excuse. Suddenly, Bianca rxed and smiled. She felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted from her. "What are you smiling at?" Allison felt uneasy when Bianca suddenly smiled. She was not sure why she felt that way. Bianca stood calmly in front of Allison and looked into her eyes. "I was unsure whether you''re actually my birth mother, and that has caused me a lot of anguish whenever I''m together with Luke. Now, I can confidently say that you''re not my birth mother." "Wh... what?" Allison stammered, at a loss for words? "Madam Tanner, perhaps you don''t know that I took an elective in psychology when I was in university. ording to the psychoanalyst David Liberman, a person''s gaze will shift to the right whenever they use the left half of their brain, and to the left whenever they use the right half. When someone tells a lie, they would use the logical left half of the brain toe up with an excuse, which means that their gaze will shift to the right. When I asked you whether I''m your birth daughter earlier, your gaze shifted to the right. That proves conclusively that you''reing up with an excuse to cover your lie... Am I right, Madam Tanner?" Allison opened her mouth but did not say anything out of shock. She was not well-educated, and she did not know what Bianca was going on about the left half and the right half of her brain. However, what she knew was that Bianca was sure that Allison was not her birth mother, and that had made her flustered. That was not what she wanted! If that woman thought that she and Luke were siblings, she might leave him because of moral principles. Without that worry, Bianca would pester her son even more! Allison did not mind anyone bing Luke''s wife; anyone except Bianca! "I don''t care about your wild theories. You are my daughter, and that''s a fact. We can get a DNA test if you don''t believe me." Allison gripped Bianca''s wrist, and her sharp nails dug into Bianca''s fair skin. "I''ll warn you again, leave my son alone! Why can''t you behave and be Xavier''s wife but instead try to be Luke''s mistress? Why don''t you be a prostitute instead?" Bianca was agitated by both Allison''s tight grip on her wrist and those harsh words. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch a breath. She had to keep calm when she thought of the two children in the room." I''m not in the mood to argue with you, Madam Tanner. Leave my house at once, or I''ll call the police!" Allison''s expression darkened instantly. She lifted her hand and prepared to p Bianca when the two children came out of the bedroom. "It''s really you, Grandma! Big Bro and I heard your voice from the bedroom. Are you here to visit Big Bro and me?" Rainie said to Allison. "Grandma! Mommy is taking very good care of Rainie and me," Lanie said. Allison''s temper became calmer when she saw the two children appear in front of her. However, her temper red again when she heard Lanie call Bianca " Mommy." ''How dare that Bianca deceive my two grandchildren? Doesn''t she feel any shame when they call her Mommy?¡¯ Chapter 273 Chapter 273 Coldness shed In His Dark Eyes... Allison took a deep breath. She did not want to throw a tantrum in front of her grandchildren. ¡¯Don''t be deceived by this woman, my babies. She''s a wicked woman, a seductress with a ck heart. Be good children and follow your Grandma home. Your Great-Grandpa misses you...¡± Bianca could feel her heart being torn into pieces. Allison had said that about her in front of her children. She was about to speak when Lanie suddenly turned around. "You''ve be prettier, Grandma. I hope that you won''t be angry or lose your temper. My teacher said that you''ll be ugly if you''re always angry. I hope that you''ll be forever pretty, Grandma," Rainie said as she diligently massaged Allison''s legs. Allisonughed when she heard Rainie''s words. She enjoyed the special treatment, and her tone of voice became gentler. "You¡¯re such a charmer. Have you been eating sweets?" Rainie counted on her cute little fingers. "One, two three... hmm, I can''t remember how many sweets I''ve eaten, but it was a lot." ''You''re such a cheeky little girl." Allison kissed her granddaughter¡¯s cheek and smiled even wider. Lanie took an orange from the fruit basket, peeled it, and handed it to Allison. "This is a Valencia orange, Grandma. It''s very sweet. You should try it." "Good boy, Lanie. You know how to make me happy." Allison ate a wedge and tousled the little boy''s hair. She had always loved her grandson who looked like her son. ''Please don''t be angry at Mommy, Grandma. Rainie and I wanted toe here. If you want to scold someone, then scold Rainie and me. It''s all our fault." Lanie lowered his head and waited for Allison to discipline him. Bianca was shocked. The anger in her chest receded by quite a bit. The two children had tried to please Allison so that their grandmother would not be angry at her. At that moment, Bianca was ovee with both bliss and sorrow. Allison was forced to hold her anger back. She would never scold or reprimand her beloved grandchildren, but she could not bring herself to like Bianca. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Allison was not in the mood to eat the rest of the orange. She ced it on the coffee table, held Lanie and Rainie''s hands, and walked toward the door. "This is not your home. Follow your Grandma back to Crawford Manor. Your Great-Grandpa misses you so much that he can''t sleep at night." "I''m not going back to Crawford Manor, Grandma. I want to stay together with Mommy." Rainie struggled with all her might in her first act of defiance against Allison. Allison favored sons over daughters. She spoiled Lanie, but she could not tolerate Rainie throwing a tantrum. She reached down and smacked Rainie''s bottom hard several times. "Why don''t you listen to me, huh? This is not your home, so why are you staying here? Do you enjoy seeing me angry? You''ll have to go back today. No talking back!" Rainie''s body was delicate. She could not withstand those heavy blows. Moreover, it was the first time that Allison had smacked her. Rainie felt incredibly aggrieved. Huge tears fell from Rainie''s eyes and down her cheeks. "Boo... hoo... I don¡¯t like Grandma anymore..." she wailed. Allison was about to beat Rainie again when Bianca stopped her. Bianca stood in front of Rainie and red sternly at Allison. "This is my house, Madam Tanner. You''re in no position to make a scene here. Rainie is so young, and you''ve hit her so hard. What if you injured her? Go away now. We don''t wee you!" She shoved Allison out of the door and mmed the door shut! Bianca did not open the door, no matter how Allison yelled and screamed outside. Allison gritted her teeth, then stomped away on her high heels... In the house, Rainie was inconsble. Bianca hugged Rainie tightly. She took off her pants and saw several red marks on Rainie''s delicate bottom. That made her hate Allison even more. She knew that Allison hated her, but how could she bear to be so violent against her granddaughter? If she could not divorce Xavier and Luke married another woman, she could not guarantee that the other woman would treat the children as her own. What if their stepmother was evil like Jennifer? What should the children do? T Corporation Headquarters, Western Europe branch. The higher management conference room was furnished in the medieval style. All the furniture was made of polished oak and blended both ssical and modern influences. The higher management of the Western European branch of T Corporation had all gathered there, looking fearfully at the man sitting in the CEO''s chair. Luke sat straight on the CEO''s chair. His facial features were impable, and his gaze was as sharp as a hawk, as though he could see a person''s thoughts. He knocked on the table rhythmically, though forthose people in the conference room, it felt like he was knocking on their hearts. It was an oppressive feeling. The man might be young, but he was intelligent and shrewd. His IQ of 200 was not only good for evaluating sums and figures but also good for evaluating thoughts and personalities. That was how the Regal Chain of Restaurants had grown explosively over thest few years, overtaking local businesses and bing a force to be reckoned with in the restaurant industry. Mavis Laviere, the beautiful woman sitting next to Luke, was equally as capable. She was not to be taken lightly. Luke hid the emotions in his eyes and started to speak with his resonant voice. "The Regal Chain of Restaurants is a major international brand with an immense market value. The media has been keeping a close eye on us. Now that there''s such a big slip-up, shouldn''t all of you reflect on the incident? Mr. Robel and Mr. Smith, the two of you are the manager and vice manager of our Western European operations. What do you have to say?" The two European middle-aged men who were named were visibly flustered. However, they were veteran managers and knew how to regain theirposure soon. Mr. Robel, the manager of the Western European subsidiarypany, spoke first. "This has been an unforeseen incident, Mr. Crawford. Before our PR department could react, the media had already published the news. This must be the handiwork of Clos Maggior, our biggest rival! Clos Maggior has always wanted to be the head honcho of the European restaurant industry, but they''ve always lost to Regal. Ad, their boss, has always borne a grudge against us. It has to be them, Mr. Crawford. I can''t think of anyone else. How sneaky of them to use such underhanded means to topple our lead! We can''t let Clos Maggior run rampant over us, and we shouldn''t forgive Ad!" Mr. Smith, the vice manager, did not say as much. "I believe that this has indeed been our mistake, Mr. Crawford. I apologize for the losses suffered by thepany, and I am willing to ept any punishment." His apology was genuine. Luke took a drag of his cigarette. His gaze turned cold as he observed the two very different reactions... Chapter 274 Chapter 274 She Could Not Go Against Luke¡¯s Orders! ¡±P... Please give us another chance to correct ourselves, Mr. Crawford! We promise that it won''t ever happen again!" Cold sweat poured from Mr. Smith''s forehead when Luke red at him. He hoped that Luke would give him another chance. However, Mr. Rebel''s eyes shed with disdain. He was a nationalistic man, and he did not believe that the foreigner would do anything drastic to them! Moreover, not only was he the general manager, but he was also the head chef. His culinary skills were top-notch. Regal would stand to lose a lot without him! Out of everyone¡¯s expectations, Luke said, "I apologize, Mr. Robel, but Regal has no further need for your services. You can clear your desk and leave." "What? I''ve toiled for Regal for the past three years, and this is what I get? How dare you fire me, you filthy foreigner?" Mr. Robel was livid. He stood up abruptly, mmed the conference table, and swore at Luke. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. The other members of the higher management dared not speak a word. ''What''s gone into Robel''s head? How dare he insult the CEO? ''Does he have a death wish? Doesn''t he know that Mr. Crawford''s nickname is the Cold-Faced Devil?'' Mavis looked at Robel as though she was looking at a dead man. Luke''s gaze onto Robel was like a pair of daggers that pierced his heart. Robel felt a chill course down his spine. Luke smiled. A hint of mockery shed on his elegant lips. "You''re not a rookie anymore, Robel. With your years of experience, no one will believe you if you say that you can''t solve this minor PR crisis. Of course, I''ll give you a chance to redeem yourself if this is actually a PR problem. You''re on T Corporation''s payroll, yet at the same time, you double as Clos Maggior''s undercover agent. Not only do you want to steal our trade secrets, but you also want to ruin Regal''s reputation. Why should Regal retain a scoundrel like you?" Robel''s face and neck turned red with anger. "You... You''re speaking nonsense. There''s no such thing. This is nder, Luke Crawford!" Luke blew a smoke ring onto Robel''s face, which caused his eyes to tear up. The man lifted his hand, and the figures and spreadsheets on therge screen in the conference room disappeared. Following that, a video of Robel taking a bribe from Clos Maggior''s owner while handing over top secret recipes appeared... The video was blurry, but everyone could see that it was Robel. The conversation could also be clearly heard. Robel''s face turned pale in an instant. His impression of the foreign man had changedpletely. He had been undercover for so long, but Luke had found incriminating evidence and had exposed him in a matter of days. How horrific! Robel began to beg Luke. ¡¯I''m sorry, Mr. Crawford. I won''t do it anymore...¡± Luke red at Robel coldly and said to him mockingly, "Mr. Robel, you''re suspected of stealing Regal''s trade secrets. I believe the court will give an impartial judgment." Just as he finished speaking, the conference room doors opened, and several burly men in police uniforms walked in. They produced their handcuffs and said, "Mr. Robel, you''re suspected of commercial espionage. Please cooperate and follow us." Robel tried to struggle, but he was eventually restrained and carried away. Luke turned his head to look at the pale-faced Smith. "Regal''s general manager position happens to be vacant, Mr. Smith. You shall be acting general manager for now. The position can be permanent, based on your performance," he said. Smith looked at Luke with surprise. He was not sure what the boss was thinking. He was at fault in this incident, so why did the CEO not punish him, but instead temporarily promote him? Luke could see that Smith was shocked. He stubbed out his cigarette and exined with his resonant voice. "Everyone will inevitably make mistakes. You''ll have a chance to redeem yourself as long as you don''t overstep certain boundaries. Of course, you''ll only get one chance.¡± Luke knew that the people of that country were generally hostile toward foreigners. It was not easy to establish a foreign presence there. If he had fired both managers, the other higher management might turn against him. By punishing one and sparing the other, he could inspire both fear and respect in those people. The other members of higher management eximed in surprise and discussed with each other. They knew what Luke''s motives were, and they were more respectful of him after that. Mavis stole nces at Luke. She could not hide her ambition in her gaze. After the meeting, the other members of higher management left the room. Luke remained in his chair, staring at his phone. He browsed through his inbox, looking for any new messages from Bianca. Bianca had not messaged or called him, which caused waves of resentment to grow in his usually calm and still heart! Mavis walked toward Luke. She was sure that she would eventually conquer that man''s heart and im it as her own. She fantasized that he would propose to her. Mavis shed a confident smile as she approached Luke. "Now that the PR crisis in Western Europe is almost over, the PR department will be holding a press conference in a few days to rify the matter, and our reputation will be restored. You''ve been working hard over the past few days, Mr. Crawford. I have a friend who runs a spa nearby. Would you like to try?" Luke''s eyes were transfixed on the phone, and he did not say a word. Mavis thought that he had agreed to it and was ecstatic. "If that''s OK for you... I''ll let my friend know. Maybe I can drive you thereter? It''s about an hour and a half away from here...¡± Mavis hastily stacked the documents on the table. She was so excited that she lost her footing. She sprained her ankle and nearly fell on the table. Her waist mmed into the sharp corner of the table, but she did not feel any pain. She was so happy that she could fly. However, in the next moment, she heard Luke''s frigid voice. "Ms. Laviere, book the fastest flight back to A City at this instant!" Mavis was shocked. She looked at him in disbelief. "Mr. Crawford, aren''t...¡± "I will not repeat myself.¡± Luke rose from the chair. He stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, silently brooding over something. "Yes, Mr. Crawford. I''ll get it done at this instant." Mavis was dejected, but she dared not go against his orders. She went out and got her assistant to book the fastest flight back to A City. Luke did not receive a call from Bianca. He felt lost. He guessed that Bianca might be angry. He knew that he would not be able to exin himself over the phone. He would have to pamper her. Chapter 275 Chapter 275 Luke Is Back To Pamper Bianca... On the other side of the world, Leia found Xavier in the bar. He was drunk, and she dragged him away from the pile of drunkards. "What''s wrong with you? I thought that you have a certain way with women? Has it all gone to the dogs? You can''t even handle just one Bianca! " Leia snatched Xavier''s wine ss and tossed it carelessly on the floor. Xavier''s eyes shed with hostility. ¡®Get lost! You don''t have to interfere with my personal business!" Leia was dumbfounded. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. As Jack Norman''s daughter, no one had dared to speak to her with that tone. She wanted to teach Xavier a lesson, but she remembered the reason she was there. "I''m not here to pick a fight with you, Xavier. You love Bianca, right? Why aren''t you out there pursuing her, but instead drinking your brains away?" Earlier, Allison had given her a call and invited her to go shopping together. Leia agreed to the invitation because she wanted to gain Allison''s favor. Unexpectedly, Allisonined to her that Bianca held sway over Luke and did not let him go. "That shameless woman, she''s already married to Xavier, but she keeps on pestering my son!" She had said. Leia''s enmity rose from there. Luke was destined to be hers. Any woman that appeared next to him was her rival. That was why she came to look for Xavier. Xavier was dizzy, and his temper was short. "What do you know, you woman? Bianca will eventually return to my side. I''m holding her best friend hostage. She will listen to what I say!" Leia''s eyes sparkled when she heard that. She must have thought of some idea. She leaned close to Xavier''s ear and whispered something. Xavier''s unfocused gaze suddenly sharpened and sparkled! Then, he gave a threatening call to Bianca. "Don''t you want to ensure Nina''s safety? I''ll let her go if you sleep with me. I''ll even agree to divorce you. Otherwise, Nina will be vited and killed by those brutes! I''ll be waiting for you in Room 6617." Bianca''s face turned pale as a sheet. The phone in her hand slipped from her grip and fell on the floor. Xavier''s words over the phone had chilled her to the very bone... Late at night, the wind rose. Large drops of rain fell on the window panes, threatening to shatter them. Bianca sat on her bed, staring at her phone. The unease was growing in her heart. The extravagant silk nket carried no warmth. She was almost shivering from the cold. With trembling hands, she dialed Luke''s number once more. Again, she heard the robotic female voice. "Sorry, the number you have dialed is not in service." Bianca''s heart was fraught with bitterness and despair. The only person she could depend on was Luke, but his phone was switched off. Ding! Ding! Ding! She received several messages from "Nina." She quickly opened the messages and was instantly shocked! Nina was naked in those photos. They were taken from many angles, and they were so high-resolution that she could see Nina''s facial pores... Nina''s look of despair was like a sharp de that sliced Bianca''s heart! She wanted to call Xavier, but in her anger, she did not manage to unlock her phone. She got up from the bed, got dressed, and prepared to go out of the house. She had to save the innocent Nina no matter what. Lightning crackled. shiro Following that was an earth-shattering crash of thunder. The two sleeping children were woken up by the loud noise. Rainie was the timid one. She instantly bawled when she was startled awake by the thunderp that sounded like the growl of a monster. She cowered in her Mommy''sp and kept on calling out "Mommy." Meanwhile, Lanie''s entire body went taut, betraying hisposed expression. Bianca felt sorry for them. She gently hugged the two children, soothed them with her voice, and hummed lubies. Half an hourter, the two children were once again asleep. A few droplets of tears remained on Rainie''s curled eyshes. Even in her sleep, her hand still clutched onto the hem of Bianca''s shirt, as though afraid that Mommy would leave and never return... Bianca was crestfallen. Her body trembled involuntarily when her eyes caught sight of those photos. She did not give up and continued to dial Luke''s number. "The number...""... out of service..." The pleasant female voice sounded like the call of a devil. Bianca''s face was drenched in tears. More messages continued to pour in. Bianca did not want to open them out of fear, but she eventually did so with a trembling finger. The messages came from Nina''s ount, though they were not photos this time but videos. Nina was naked and was pinned down by a strong man with a ferocious cobra tattooed on his back. His member was poised at Nina, ready to strike... Nina struggled and screamed in panic. Her hair was scattered like a lunatic, and she was shivering like a rabbit about to be skinned. Miserable tears fell from her face like pearls, and she kept on screaming "Help me, Bianca, help me..." The caption read: [You know that my patience has limits, Bianca. If I don''t see you in half an hour or if you inform the police, this''ll be thest time you see Nina alive.] Those words belonged to Xavier, but they were sent using Nina''s ount. Bianca gasped for air while tears streamed down her face. Her grip on the phone was going to crush it into bits. She closed her tearful eyes, then replied to Xavier''s message: [Don''t hurt Nina. I''ll be there in half an hour.] At the same time, a Boeing WH786 streaked across the night sky. The white wings of the airne were a stark contrast to the darkness of the night. Suddenly, the airne was caught in a turbulent stream, and it shook like an injured bird. In the next second, the airne fell sharply! The calming voice of an air stewardess could be heard over the broadcast system, but panicked screams and loud sobs echoed in the economy ss section... In the first-ss section, Luke sat on a ck leather seat. His handsome face remained calm, even though the ne was falling. Not a hint of panic could be seen. In his hand was a ck wallet which held a photo of a beautiful woman and two children. His calloused fingers stroked the woman''s smiling face. There was a warm gentleness in his eyes. He knew that there would be a thunderstorm over A City, but he chose to return on that day anyway. His woman was angry at him, and he had to return to personally pamper her Chapter 276 Chapter 276 Luke¡¯s Destructive Fury! Half an hourter, Bianca appeared in Room 6617 of Yale Hotel. When Xavier opened the door, he saw Bianca drenched to the bone. Her ck hair was scattered, and she was as pale as a ghost. The expression on her face was utter despair. "I''m here. Can you let go of Nina now?" 1 Xavier was stunned for a moment. He violently dragged Bianca into his embrace without a care for her freezing cold skin. His index fingers stroked her lips, and his eyes gazed piercingly at her. "Indeed, I was right. My wife is a loyal woman." Bianca''s eyes shed vengefully. "I''m here. Let Nina go!" "There''s no rush." Xavier pinched her chin with his fingers, and his eyes took in Bianca''s soaking-wet body. "I can''t bear to see you cold and shivering. Be a good girl and go take a shower." Bianca walked to the bathroom like a doll without a soul, then obediently took a shower. She stepped out of the bathroom dressed only in a bathrobe. She repeated the same sentence. "Let Nina go." Wet long hair fell on Bianca''s shoulders and back like seaweed. Her face had been cleansed by warm water, but it still looked pallid and lifeless. Her delicate body was frail like a twig in the wind, and her ck irises seemed to have been shrouded behind ayer of dust and contained no light. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Xavier brought two sses of wine and handed one to her. "Have a drink. This''ll warm up your body," he said. Bianca did not want to take the drink, fearing that Xavier might have drugged the wine. Xavier once again reminded her about Nina, which caused her to gasp. She reached out and took the ss. Staring at the blood-red liquid rippling in the ss, she forced herself to temporarily forget her fear and despair and downed the wine in one gulp. Red liquid dripped down from the inner walls of the wine ss like bloodstains, reflecting an eerie light... Bianca''s body suddenly became weak. She could feel a warm current coursing through her body, and she felt as though her skin was on fire. Her knees went weak. She was about to fall on the floor when Xavier caught her in his arms. Xavier was grinning smugly. Bianca clenched her fists and wanted to punch Xavier but realized that she had no strength. As she iled her arms around, she identally toppled a wine ss ced on the corner of the table. Her rising primal urges caught her by surprise. In her anger and despair, she bit hard on her lips, which were turning purple. "Xavier... Tanner... you... scoundrel!" Xavier pushed her on the bed and took off all his clothes except for a pair of boxers. He took a step closer to Bianca and towered over her, looking into her drug- addled hateful eyes. "I''m a scoundrel? This isn''t the end yet. Shall we take this further?" He grinned evilly. He walked over to the cab, took out a camera from the drawer, ced it on the table, and angled it toward Bianca on the bed. Bianca realized what he was going to do. She lifted her head and looked at Xavier''s despicable face with incredulity. She wanted to run away, but her legs had no strength. Moreover, the warm current that was burning inside her was tormenting her. Bianca felt as though she was about to die. Shey sideways on the bed, writhing ufortably, grabbing the cor of the bathrobe with one hand while rubbing her body frantically with the other. Her fair and slender neck was exposed to Xavier. Her arousing cleavage was even more eye-catching. Xavier was ovee by his primal urges when he saw that! Xavier had made out with many women before, but it was the first time that he had seen one as pure yet seductive like Bianca. He pinned her under his body and whispered excitedly into her ear. "We''re just going to do this once, Bianca. Don''t worry, I''m very skillful, and you won''t feel any pain. I''ll never get another chance like this, and I''m not going to let you go. I''ll love you forever, even more than Luke Crawford..." Bianca was in agony because of the drug, but she bit her tongue hard to keep her head clear. Horrifying traces of blood seeped out of her lips. Xavier could not take it anymore. He kissed her wildly while pressing his member on her body. "Luke, save..." Bianca roared in despair. Xavier was angered by that name. He covered her mouth with his hand. Just when he was about to forcibly enter her, the door was abruptly kicked open. The two people on the bed were shocked! Xavier turned around and saw two figures standing in the darkness. The person in front was a tall and well-built man. Currently, his face was twisted in anger, and he looked like a demon from hell! "Luke...¡¯ 3 When Bianca saw the man, the despair on her face and the fear in her heart instantly faded. Luke strode into the room. His body was obscured by the dim yellow light. His fury was palpable. One might catch fire and be reduced to ashes if they got too close! His gaze was savage like a wolf or a vengeful ghost who had made its way out of hell. The air around him seemed frigid, as though he was the Grim Reaper himself! Even Xavier, who had experienced his fair share of perilous encounters, cowered when he saw Luke. Jason, following behind Luke, was surprised to see Bianca with the boss''s cousin. Xavier suddenly felt guilty when his eyes met Luke''s savage gaze and stifling presence. Even so, he grinned and opened his mouth. "You''re here, my cousin! Are you here to see me and my wife make out? How...¡¯ Before he could finish his sentence, Luke pounced on him like a lunatic. His eyes were bloodshot, and he clenched his hand into a fist and punched at Xavier! Luke''s fury was forceful and destructive like a thunderstorm! Xavier might have dodged the first punch, but he was not going to dodge all the punches that rained on him. He did not wish for Bianca to get hurt. He hugged Bianca as Luke''s punchesnded on his body, as though daring Luke to kill him. The veins on Luke''s forehead bulged, and the veins on his temples were throbbing. Anger coursed through his body, and he channeled it into his strength! How dare Xaviery a finger on his woman? Luke cast a piercing nce on Bianca''s body. Her private parts were covered by the bathrobe, though he could see the horrific kiss marks on her neck. Chapter 277 Chapter 277 Bianca Was Unfamiliar With That Side of Luke''s Personality Countless bruises dotted Bianca''s arms. Flecks of dried blood crusted on the corners of her lips. The camera on the table was recording the scene on the bed... Luke''s devastating anger was unstoppable! He kicked Xavier onto the floor and smashed the camera into bits! Xavier was dazed from the kick. Before he could retaliate, Luke picked him up from the floor and tossed him toward the wall like a piece of trash. His bones struck the wall. Judging from the sounds alone, it was incredibly painful! "How dare you touch her, Xavier?" Luke''s hellish voice carried an obvious murderous intent. Jason and Bianca shuddered when they heard that. Bianca huddled her knees in a corner, forcing her tearful eyes to stay open. She was shivering from fright and from trying to fight the effects of the drug. Luke noticed Bianca''s unnaturally red face. He knew that she had been drugged. Instead of bringing her away, he looked at her coldly. He was frustrated about the woman''s silliness; she had presented herself to that despicable man. 1 He had to teach her a lesson, but he was not going to release his frustration on her. Even so, his gaze turned frosty when he saw the evidence of violence on Bianca''s skin. "I''m making out with my wife in the room, but you barged in and assaulted me. What''s going on? Don''t go overboard, otherwise you''ll ruin my wife''s happiness." Xavier remained a yboy, even though he was already bleeding from the corners of his mouth. Luke looked down at Xavier, and his gaze shed with hostility. "I''ve tolerated you because we''re rted by blood, but today, you''ve disappointed me," he said in a low voice. He walked over elegantly, like a panther poised to strike and ready to devour the wretched man at a moment''s notice. That had caused Xavier to be inexplicably nervous. Xavier knew that his cousin might be handsome and gracious like a noble, but deep inside, Luke was ruthless and cunning. He knew that Luke had a ck belt in karate and taekwondo. He was no match for him. In fact, he was sprawled on the floor after the first attack. 1 Xavier suffered internal injuries after the fall, and four or five ribs had broken. He found it hard to push himself up from the floor, and the intense pain in his chest made his breathing difficult. "Are you going to turn the two families on each other, just for a woman?" Xavier said with much difficulty as his eyes met with Luke''s frosty gaze. Jason sighed and shook his head. ''You''ve brought this upon yourself,'' he thought. ''You should¡¯ve known better than toy a finger on Ms. Rayne. Don''t you know that she is the boss''s most beloved? ''Not only have you vited her, but you''re also provoking the boss''s anger. You must have a death wish.'' Luke nced at Xavier, slowly crouched down, and picked up the wine ss that was broken in half. He gently brought his nose to the inner wall, which was stained with blood-red liquid. The dangerous scent made the corners of his lips curl in a sinister manner. "Joyvibe? The drug that can turn any virgin into a ravenous floozy? You do know how to enjoy yourself, Xavier." Xavier cackled as though he was not afraid to anger Luke. "If you wish to learn more about it, I''m more than willing to share my experience with you. I thought I¡¯d slip her a pill so that it''d be more exciting in bed. Just look at her! Isn''t she tantalizing? I haven''t even gotten to show her my manhood before you barged in and ruined the fun. How unlucky! "Ahh!" A stifled scream shook the room! Xavier found out that Luke had mercilessly thrust the broken wine ss into his palm. Under Luke''s immense force, ss shards pierced through the skin of his palm, sending blood spurting everywhere. "Luke Crawford, how dare you..." The smile on Xavier''s face vanished. His face was contorted from the pain on his palm, and his gaze darkened like an approaching storm! Bianca yelped when she saw the grisly scene. Her body was trembling slightly. She could not believe what Luke had just done. The shock had made here to her senses. ''He... ''He pierced half the wine ss into Xavier''s palm...'' Bianca gasped. Xavier was Luke''s cousin. Now that Luke had hurt him, Allison would be raising hell, and the Tanner family woulde to look for him for an exnation. That side of Luke was wholly unfamiliar to Bianca. The Luke she knew might be dominating, but he was nheless gentle and chivalrous. The Luke in front of her was cruel and merciless. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. "Kill me now if you dare, Luke Crawford. If you don''t kill me now, then I''ll eventually kill you! Bianca caught my eye first, but you snatched her away from me. That''s it, we have no more rtions to speak of!" Xavier red at Luke murderously. His face was contorted from anger. The pain in his palm and chest caused him to be drenched in cold sweat. However, those words had struck the deepest recesses of Luke''s heart. Luke red at Xavier, who remained stubbornly defiant despite trembling in pain. His right hand shot out and grabbed Xavier''s neck as though he was going to choke him to death! Luke grinned mockingly. His words were like icicles. "Listen carefully. Bianca is mine. If you darey a finger on her again, your life is forfeit! Do you miss prison life? Perhaps I shall send you there forever? Hm?" Then, he tossed Xavier onto the floor like tossing away filth. Walking to the corner of the room, he picked up the shivering Bianca with one arm as though he was picking a feather floating on the surface of ake. "Mr. Crawford, Xavier is bleeding profusely, and his injuries are quite serious. Should we call an ambnce?" Jason, who had been following behind Luke, asked cautiously. He knew that Xavier was Luke''s elder cousin, which meant that they were close rtives. Moreover, Allison was very fond of her only nephew. If conflict broke out between the two families, Allison would be giving her son trouble every day, especially if she found out that Luke was the one who had done that to Xavier. He knew that Xavier deserved what was done to him, but he could not help but feel sympathetic. Luke did not even cast a nce at Xavier. He carried the feverish Bianca in his arms and walked out of the room, saying, "There''s no need. He''s lucky if he survives, but if he dies, then let it be." Xavier watched helplessly as Luke took Bianca away. His eyes slowly closed. i Xavier''s chest was giving him extreme pain. He coughed out a mouthful of blood, and soon, his consciousness faded to nothing... Chapter 278 Chapter 278 Let Go of Me, Luke Crawford... Luke walked toward the parking lot with Bianca in his arms. Shey there limply, wrapped up in Luke''s windbreaker with only her head peeking out. Through the opening of the windbreaker, she could see Luke''s divine facial features shrouded by an aura of hostility. It was colder than the piercing wind outside, and it made her teeth chatter. Bianca''s face remained unnaturally red. She writhed ufortably in his arms. "Luke..." She sounded as though she was crying. She had pretended to be strong earlier, but the pretense was all but gone. Bianca did not know why she cried when she saw him, but she could not control her emotions. Her insides were burning, forming a stark contrast with the chilly weather outside. Luke''s unpleasant expression made Bianca uneasy and aggrieved... He continued walking forward as he held her tightly, though he had never once lowered her head to look at her. Bianca could feel that his anger was mounting. They reached the car, and Jason carried her inside. Jason started the engine and turned his head to ask, "Mr. Crawford, are we going to the hospital or Ms. Rayne''s house?" "I want to go home." Tears started to slide down Bianca''s cheeks when she saw that Luke was ignoring her. Luke''s jawline was taut. "To Earlston." Earlston was a five-star hotel under T Corporation. It was almost two o''clock in the morning. Jason sped to the hotel entrance and reached there quickly. Bianca was dipping in and out of consciousness. The effects of the drug made her miserable. She writhed in Luke''s arms and even rubbed her body against his. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Bianca was not being herself, though she remained as charming as ever. However, her almost- scorching body heat reminded Luke about the drug in her veins. The man''s eyes shed with hostility when he was reminded of Xavier''s inhuman deeds. ''This woman doesn''t know how to keep herself safe. ''She knows that Xavier isn''t a good person, but she goes to her anyway. She would have been vited if not that I arrived there on time.'' 3 When he was reminded that Xavier had nearly vited his woman, he wished that he could chop Xavier into a million pieces. The front desk manager went up to greet Luke when he stepped into the hotel. She was visibly surprised when she saw Luke carry a woman in his arms, but she knew better than to say anything. The manager wanted to escort them to the presidential suite, but Luke waved his hand, indicating that he did not want to be followed. He brought Bianca to the elevator lobby. "Let go of me, Luke..." Bianca''s voice was hoarse. The drug was still in full effect, and she felt as though she was about to die. "Are you scared now? It''s toote!" Luke heavily nibbled on Bianca''s earlobe. Bianca''s nasal cavity was filled with the man''s scent. She greedily took in a deep breath as though his presence would expel the scorching heat in her body. Luke noticed her subconscious actions. He saw that Bianca''s skin was red- hot and wet with perspiration, and the corners of his lips curled up in a sinister smile. "Look at you now, Bianca. I should record this and show it to you when you''re conscious..." Bianca''s eyes misted up with tears when she heard Luke''s mockery. She shied away from his gaze, and waves of agony assaulted her mind. How was she going to exin to him that she had no other choice? If she did not do what Xavier ordered her, Nina''s life would be in peril. Moreover, his phone was switched off when she needed him. What else could she do? 1 Luke thought that Bianca had looked away out of guilt. His heart was fraught with aplicated mix of emotions. His smile became colder. "Do you think that I can''t satisfy you? I was only away for a few days, and you''re so eager to get into another man''s bed? I never knew that you''re such a loose woman!" Luke''s harsh words pierced her to the bone. The relentless usations made her spine shiver. She looked into his eyes, full of disbelief. She saw that the veins of his forehead were bulging out of anger. "Do you think that I''m that type of woman, Luke?" Bianca said disappointedly. In the twenty-four years of her life, Luke was the only man she loved. It was not an exaggeration to say that she had devoted her heart and soul to him. Ever since she met him since they were young, he was like glimmering starlight that had illuminated her barren heart, spread across her body, nted a seed of confidence in her ck, hollow eyes, and brought her out of her inferior self. Since then, every single one of his words and movements had swayed her. Thinking of him became an addiction she could not quit. Bianca knew that Luke was going to be her downfall. However, the man whom she loved was using such harsh words on her. Pain drowned her like the iing tide. She hid away the sorrow in her eyes and looked straight at Luke. She was trembling with anger, but she did not want the misunderstanding to deepen. "I don''t care what you think of me, Luk, but the truth is not like what you think." i The corners of Luke''s lips curled upward into a sinister smile. His dark brown eyes shed with a dim light as he looked at how pathetic Bianca was. He leaned close to her ear. "It''s not like what I think? Then what is it? I saw with my eyes that you were lying on Xavier''s bed with him over your body. Why, do you enjoy him viting you?" Luke''s words were like a red-hot iron brand that pressed on Bianca''s heart. If a sword could kill, what was more lethal than a sword were harsh words from a loved one that questioned one''s loyalty. Bianca was losing her mind from her fever. The strange sensation in her lower abdomen humiliated her, but the man''s words had plunged her into despair. She struggled relentlessly in his embrace, punching and kicking, but she could not break free. "Let go of me! If you don''t believe me, then why do you still care for me? Whatever happens to me... has nothing to do with you...¡± Bianca screamed helplessly. She had never felt so hopeless. Her joy of seeing Luke in his direst moment had been drowned by anger. The heat inside her and the coldness outside of her assaulted her senses. The more she struggled, the more her body rubbed against Luke''s body. The sensation was driving her crazy. Ding! The elevator door opened. Luke brought the crying and struggling woman into the elevator. He held her close to him, no matter how she screamed. His face maintained the expression of a conqueror... Chapter 279 Chapter 279 She Desired His Strong Embrace Luke stepped out of the elevator and walked toward the extravagant suite. The retinal scanner identified Luke, and the custom-made intricate lock opened with a click. "Let me go, Luke..." Bianca''s hoarse voice sounded seductive because of the drug''s effects. She felt even worse than before, trying very hard to suppress the urge to pounce on him and forcing herself to remain sane. Luke''s mouth leaned closer to Bianca''s earlobe. His sinister smile grew wider. "Then you''ll have to see if I''m willing to let you go." Luke carried Bianca''s writhing body to a cavernous room. Countless small lights lit up automatically. They stretched from the wall up to the highest point of the dome. Soft silver light illuminated the room. What was most surprising was that the dome was made of ss. Through the thick ss panels, they could see the beautiful stars in the night sky. The moon was like a mirror, shining brightly in the night sky, adorned by innumerable stars of different sizes and brightness like glittering gemstones. They blinked like naughty pairs of eyes, telling the mortal world their stories and the mysteries of the cosmos. It was a breathtaking sight. Bianca instinctively gasped. At that moment, she did not know that she was just as beautiful and attractive to the furious man! "Do you like it here?" Luke''s low and resonant voice brought Bianca from the heavens back into the room. Bianca''s ck irises shed with a hint of embarrassment. She tried to shove Luke away with the little strength that she had. "If you''re bringing me here to humiliate me, then you don''t have to..." Luke red at her coldly. He grabbed onto the bathrobe that barely covered her body and with a loud ripping sound, tore it off her and tossed it on the floor. Then, he pushed her backward, and she fell onto the bed. "If you crave for men so much, shall I satisfy your cravings tonight?" "You..." Bianca had braced for impact, but she did not expect that the bed was so soft, and she did not feel any pain at all. However, she shrieked in surprise, humiliated by the fact that her naked body was presented in full view in front of him. Even though Luke and Bianca had intimate bodily contact many times, she was still not used to it. What she did not expect was that the voice that came out from her mouth sounded so coy and seductive. Her skin was hot and red, unlike a typical hot sh. Waves of warmth assaulted her lower abdomen. She was embarrassed and angry by the sensations she felt down there. ¡®What did Xavier drug me with? It''s too potent...'' Bianca''s forehead was drenched in sweat. She curled up like a prawn and tried to hide her supple breasts. Unfortunately, more than wanting to hide her body, she desired even more to have the man fall on her and bring her into his embrace. Bianca continued to writhe under the effects of the drug. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Lying on the soft bed, her sanity had been overtaken by primal urges. She started to fondle her ample breasts. Her beautiful and delicate body was presented in front of Luke, glistening like a blooming daisy bud. Luke noticed that Bianca''s gaze was gradually bing unfocused. The drug was still in effect. In fact, it seemed to be getting stronger. Undeniably, the current Bianca was pliant and tantalizing. It had caused his desires to swell! Luke tried very hard to suppress his urges while trying to alleviate her suffering. He sat down beside Bianca, gripped her boiling-hot lower jaw, and asked her in a low voice, "Look at how desperate you are now. No wonder Xavier doesn''t want to divorce you." "Luke, you..." Bianca was exasperated and furious. She panted for air and could not form aplete sentence. She was not in the position to offer a retort. She felt as though her body was being nibbled inside out by a thousand worms. The agony made her want to throw herself at the wall. She was aching for his salvation. Finally, Luke carried her in his arms... Bianca thought that her release wasing. She did not expect that the man brought her to a big oval- shaped bathtub and dropped her inside. Bianca plopped into the bathtub. The water in the bathtub was very warm, which aggravated the feverish appetite of her already hot body. She struggled, trying to get out of the bathtub. The fragrance of the rose petals floating on the surface stimted her senses. Her frail nerves could not feel anything but the heat from the bathwater. It was driving her crazy. Suddenly, the refreshing scent of body wash entered her nostrils. Bianca saw Luke empty a whole bottle into the bathtub, not leaving behind a single drop. "Clean yourself. I don''t want to smell a single trace of another man on your body!" Luke''s words caused Bianca''s chest to pulsate with pain. 1 It was then that Bianca realized that Luke minded so much about her being touched by another man. Bianca tried very hard to contain the feeling of anger and humiliation. Tears stung her eyes. If he thought that she was dirty and untrustworthy, then there was no point in exining herself. Why did she have to exin herself when he already assumed that she was an unfaithful woman? "If that''s what you think about me, Luke, then I don''t think there''s anything left for me to say. I''m not a good woman. A good woman would not sell her body to a man, much less give birth to two children for money. Right, I''m a dirty woman, but what about it? You''re nothing more than a rich man who was willing to spend money on me. Do you think that you''re that virtuous? What right do you have to judge me?" Bianca defiantly looked into his eyes that were shing with hostility. She did not want to show her weakness in front of his judgmental gaze. Luke wavered when he heard Bianca''s words. He crouched to her level and looked at her skin that had been reddened by the warm water. "Bianca Rayne, you are destined to be my woman the moment I bought you. If another manys a finger on you, he will not live to see the morning sun!" His tone was dominating. 2 Bianca swallowed her tears, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. "So, to you... I''ve always been just a woman that you''ve bought. Now I know. Thank you for telling me. It seems that I''ve been thinking too highly of myself, Mr. Crawford." 1 Luke was livid when he heard her call him "Mr. Crawford." That woman could somehow force him out of hisposure! He became angrier when he saw the ring kiss marks on Bianca''s skin. He pushed her body into the water, scooped up some water with his calloused hands, and started to scrub her delicate skin! Chapter 280 Chapter 280 He Wanted Their Bodies to Fuse Together "Nggh... it hurts...'' Bianca thought that she was going to be yed by how forceful Luke''s movements were. Her fair skin was turning pink. The man red coldly at her. He wanted to remove all the traces of another man on her body! When Luke carried Bianca out of the bathtub, still choking on bathwater, her skin was like a cooked prawn. The man brought her in front of a floor-to-ceiling window. The suite was on the top floor of the hotel. Looking out of the window, Bianca could see the entire city. The city below was lustrous and dazzling, as though it was adorned by precious metals and gemstones. The scene looked like a dream. In front of the window was an exquisite recliner. Someone sitting there would be able to take in the view of the entire world outside the window. Bianca was vaguely aware of what he was doing. Her muddled brain seemed to have regained some consciousness, and she shook her head in shock. "Luke... no... not there..." Bianca was afraid that Luke would do the unmentionable act in front of the window, facing the spectacr night view of the city. However, her body''s reaction was the opposite. She was ovee by desire, and her hands clung onto Luke''s tall and muscr body! Luke smiled devilishly. He ced her on the recliner and grasped her ample thighs with his two hands. Bianca wanted to resist, but her fair and slender legs spread wide and encircled his strong and lean waist! The man''s gaze was as sharp as a falcon. His eyes were transfixed on the writhing woman on the recliner. She was incredibly tantalizing, and she evoked feelings of pity and tenderness like a white Persian cat ying with a ball of yarn. Bianca lifted her gaze and looked at the starry night sky. It was then when she realized that her legs were spread facing the city outside of the window She was suddenly seized by panic and instinctively wanted to shy away." Don''t..." Bianca shook her head and pleaded. She was not that liberal. She would feel embarrassed if they made out in that exposed location. Luke bent over, revealing a grisly smile to her. "That''s not up to you to decide, Bianca. Your body is yearning for my touch," he said provocatively. He did not tell her that the ss dome was cleverly designed so that one within the dome could see everything outside, but no one outside could see what was happening inside. Bianca writhed and moaned like a fluffy kitten. Her clear eyes were unfocused. "Bianca, have I told you before that I like the way you moan?" The floor-to- ceiling window reflected the scene of their naked bodies mingling with each other. Bianca''s mind was nk. Her desires caused her to brazenly kiss all over his body. 1 He teased her like toying with a pet, fondling her most vulnerable parts, but did not enter her. i The sensation was driving Bianca crazy. If she did not release, the potent effects of the drug would destroy her. However, she was reminded of the words he said... Tears slid down Bianca''s cheeks. She closed her eyes, not wishing to see his face. Luke''s anger receded when he saw Bianca''s aggrieved tears. He sucked her tears with his thin lips, thrust forward, and entered her. Bianca could vaguely hear him moan, "I''m sorry, Bianca. I lost control when I saw that shocking scene. That''s why I''ve said so many harsh words. You don''t know how much I care about you..." i He loved her too much. If another man nced at her, he would think that that man was going to snatch her away. When he found that Xavier had almost vited her, it felt like being stabbed with a knife. Bianca was the best thing that happened to him in his youth. Luke''s youth was like a barren snowfield that never experienced the warmth of spring. Bianca was like a sprouting vine that had found its way into the wastnd, spreading verdant life, blooming with flowers, and coloring his drab world. That woman might seem unremarkably in to other people, but he was willing to devote his all to her... The incident had brought them slightly apart. The intimacy throughout the night was more of satisfying a primal urge rather than gaining pleasure from mutual intimacy. At the climax, Luke hugged Bianca tightly as though he wanted to fuse her flesh and blood into his body. She could hear him whisper "Sorry" time and time again. In tears, Bianca fiercely bit down on his neck as though ripping away a piece of his flesh... Luke did not even frown. His thrusting motions became more intense, threatening to tear Bianca apart... It was a wild night. The next morning, the sun shone through the ss ceiling and into the cavernous room. The starry sky faded away, reced by blinding sunlight. It was eight o''clock when Bianca woke up. She opened her eyes and saw that she was the only person left in the suite. She felt dejected when she realized that Luke was gone. She tried to move, but it felt as though her skeleton hade apart. ''What an animal!'' She silently cursed. She suddenly remembered the two children who had been left at home. That made her panic and filled her with guilt. 1 Just when she was about to give the children a call, she heard the frantic ringing of the doorbell. Bianca was surprised, thinking that Luke hade back. She draped her body with a bathrobe, opened the door, and Faye Thomas, the previous caretaker, walked in. Faye noticed the mess on the floor. Paper towels spread over the exquisite carpet. The smell of hormones lingered in the air, and Bianca''s neck was dotted with hickeys... This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Faye obviously knew what had happened the previous night. That did not bother her too much. She remained indifferent and ced a set of clothes on the bed. "These clothes are from Mr. Crawford." "Thank you." Bianca felt awkward when her eyes met with Faye¡¯s candid gaze. She was not used to being exposed in front of others. "Ms. Rayne, Mr. Crawford wants you to know that he has already brought the two children to Crawford Manor. Right, I would like to remind you that you should not leave the two children alone at home, no matter what happens. After all, they are still young, and they need thepany of an adult, especially Rainie. She is afraid of thunderstorms." Naturally, Faye knew that Bianca had left Lanie and Rainie at home before she went out. That was the first time that she was unhappy about Bianca. The two children deserved better than to stay in a low-cost apartment in an old neighborhood. What was she thinking when she left the two children behind at night? What if a criminal broke in and something happened to them? 2 Chapter 281 Chapter 281 How Long Has It Been Since Our Boss Last Made Out With You? Bianca felt guilty when she thought about the two children. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that they were safe. Fortunately, nothing happened to them. She would forever regret it if something did. ¡¯I promise that it won''t happen again," Bianca said determinedly to Faye. Faye nodded, then left the room. In any case, she was quite satisfied with the young woman. Bianca was beautiful, had a gentle personality, and was caring and considerate. Not only did she have the boss''s love, but she was also the birth mother of the two children. Together, they could form a happy family in which the two children could thrive. However, as a mother, she still had a lot to learn. After Faye left, Bianca opened the box. Inside it was a set of pure white Chanel clothes. The design was modern and elegant, and the tailoring was immacte. Bianca had seen the clothes in one of the recent fashion magazines. The clothes cost one year''s worth of her sry. She could not have afforded those expensive clothes. However, if she did not wear those clothes, there were no other clothes for her to wear... She had to go to thepanyter. Nina was still in Xavier''s hands, and her fate was unknown. She wanted to go to thepany to beg Luke; he was her only hope. Earlier, Ms. Laviere had reprimanded her for taking leave from work. Requesting for more leave would be impossible. With no other choice, Bianca put on those clothes. To her surprise, the clothes fitted her perfectly. T Corporation. Bianca''s appearance at the design department caught her colleagues'' attention. When one of the colleagues saw the clothes on her body, her reaction was so loud and shrill that almost the entire office heard it. "Wow, Bianca! Are you wearing thetest Chanel designs? That should cost at least a few months of my sry at least. I''m envious!" She might say that she was envious, but it was more like jealousy. ''See, this is the treatment you get if you''ve slept with the boss,'' she thought. When Bianca first arrived at thepany, she was dressed as inly as one could get. Now, her clothes evoked jealousy and envy from everyone. ''This is just a bootleg. I can''t afford the real thing," Bianca exined patiently. Sue, who had been focusing on drawing a blueprint, turned her head and scrutinized Bianca''s clothes. She was quite up-to-date with fashion and could see that Bianca was wearing genuine Chanel clothes. She smiled but did not say anything. The female colleague felt a little better when Bianca said that her clothes were bootlegs. "I thought so. Your sry isn''t as high as mine, so how would you be able to afford the real deal unless a man paid for you?" Bianca''s expression sank when she heard that. Sue had been protective of Bianca. She rolled her eyes toward the female colleague and said mockingly, "Bianca could''ve used her looks and not have to worry about money, but she chooses to make a living with her talents in design. Someone here, on the other hand, not only has mediocre looks but also an unlikeable personality... even if she strips naked on the bed, there''s nothing to see on her withered and t body anyway. Sigh, no wonder she''s trying topensate." The other colleagues covered their mouths and giggled discreetly. Sue had hit a sore spot. The female colleague red at Bianca''s ample bosom. She had always felt insecure about her pancake-like A-cups and had always worn thick chest pads. She was at a loss for words when Sue called her out publicly. She silently swore that she would save money for the next few months so that she could get them fixed at the stic surgeon. Bianca was not bothered by the exchange of words. If it were a few years ago, she might have argued with the colleague, but now she only treated it as a joke. Her character had be stronger after her ordeals. The only thing on Bianca''s mind now was how to convince Luke to save Nina. After all, he was so angry the night before. He had acted like a rampaging tyrannosaurus. Even now, Bianca could vividly recall the scene where the man had impaled Xavier''s palm with the broken wine ss... C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. A shiver coursed down her spine. She knew that the incident had formed a barrier between them. She wondered if he would help her save Nina, at least for old times'' sake. While Bianca was deep in thought, Sue suddenly pulled the silk scarf around Bianca''s neck. She gasped when she saw the beastly marks on Bianca''s neck, the evidence ofst night''s intimacy. She leaned close to Bianca''s ear and asked, "How long has it been since thest time our boss made out with you? Tsk tsk, he doesn''t know how to be gentle. I feel sorry for you just by looking at your neck alone... tell me, how does our boss perform in bed?" ''Stop teasing me, Sue," Bianca''s face blushed intensely. Even her ears were pink. Bianca pulled her scarf tightly, looking warily at Sue in case she tried to prank her again. "Alright, I won''t tease you anymore. Take this document to Mr. Crawford''s office." Sue chuckled. She did not expect that Bianca was still overly conscious, considering what Bianca had been through. Sue handed a document to Bianca; it should have been her job, but she did not want to face the boss''s frosty presence, despite his breathtakingly handsome face. Bianca was Mr. Crawford''s woman. The boss would disy his humane side whenever he was with Bianca. She would be the best recement for Sue. At that moment, Bianca did not want to meet Luke. After all, what happenedst night had traumatized her. However, she forced herself to go when she thought of Nina. The CEO''s office was on the top floor. While Bianca waited in front of the employee elevator, she saw an eye-catching figure. The woman had a splendid figure, and she wore an oversized pair of sunsses, covering two-thirds of her face. Only the woman''s high nose and sexy red lips could be seen. She walked toward the CEO''s personal elevator, opened the door, and went inside. The elevator doors closed and started to rise. Soon, the elevator arrived on the top floor. Ding! The doors of the employee elevator opened. Dejectedly, Bianca went inside with a few other female colleagues. "Eh, who was the woman just now? She seems familiar. There''s a unique aura around her. Why would she be so brazen to use the boss''s personal elevator?" One of the female colleagues asked curiously while poking her friend''s shoulder. Her friend chuckled. ¡¯Who else could it be? That''s Leia Norman, the celebrity. I heard that she''s the new spokesperson of one of the perfume brands. Supposedly, the boss brought her in personally and reced the previous spokesperson, an international celebrity, with her... Mr. Crawford never practiced favoritism before this. Do you think that he''s interested in her?" Another female colleague joined in the gossip. "As far as I know, Mr. Crawford has stayed away from women over the past years. He doesn''t even have a rumored girlfriend. It''s not surprising that he''s interested in Leia Norman; he''s male after all. Moreover, Leia Norman''s father is the Provincial Committee Secretary, so their statuses match..." Bianca did not hear what they said next. Those earlier words echoed in her mind. She could not think of anything else. They had said that Luke had personally endorsed the famous celebrity as a spokesperson. They had said that Luke''s social status matched the daughter of the Provincial Committee Secretary. Her body became weak when she looked at the CEO''s office doors at the end of the corridor. Her legs felt as though they were filled with lead, and she could not find the strength to take even a single step... 1 Leia entered the CEO''s office while holding a sk of chicken soup. Luke''s office was oozing with extravagance, but it was equally elegant and stylish. Luke was not working in front of his desk. Instead, he was standing next to the window. His six-foot-four-tall body stood straight, and his well-built body was iparable even by the top male models. His dominating presence inspired fear even from afar, i Leia grinned slightly. The man held away over the entire T Corporation and the economy of the city. So many rich and wealthy women had tried to im his heart, but he had never reciprocated their affections. Leia was satisfied by the fact that he had no rumored girlfriends. 1 Chapter 282 Chapter 282 Some Men Are Ridiculously Elegant... Leia ced the sk of chicken soup on the table and called out gently, ¡¯ Mr. Crawford." Her mother had said that the fastest way to a man''s heart was through his stomach. Of course, Leia did not know how to fry an egg, let alone make chicken soup. However, Queenie, her adopted mother, was a good cook. Luke turned around. The female celebrity was dazzled by his impable facial features. Undeniably, Luke was a very handsome man. He was handsome not only because of his sculpted face but also because of his mature character. Luke might look young, but he carried the dominating and enigmatic deportment of a king. That must have been the culmination of many years of experience in the harsh battlefield of the business world. ''Mr. Crawford, I''d like to discuss with you about our coboration. Right, I''ve also brought some chicken soup for you. I hope you''ll like it," Leia said. Luke frowned slightly. "Thank you, Ms. Norman. I''m sorry, I''ve already had breakfast, so you shouldn''t have done so much for me. Mr. Doyle, my assistant, will contact you about the details for our coboration. You don''t have to worry," he said coldly. When she saw that Luke was acting so coldly toward her, Leia felt ufortable as though she had a bone stuck in her throat. She nced at the stacks of documents on Luke''s table and cautiously asked, "Did I disturb your work, Mr. Crawford?" Leia would sometimes feel inferior about her status, despite her father being an important politician. After all, she was only a girl who was raised in an orphanage, and not Jack and Queenie''s birth daughter. There was a possibility that their birth daughter might be alive, and she would one day return to rece Leia''s position in the family. She needed to find some insurance for the rest of her life, in case the real Ms. Norman returned to the family. Even if Jack and Queenie would abandon her in the future, she would still be able to enjoy the high life without any worries. So what if Luke had two children? Many beautiful and famous female celebrities married wealthy husbands, even though they made enough money to support themselves. Leia thought that it was a wise decision. A woman''s youth and beauty could onlyst for so long. Many young talents entered the industry every year. Once a celebrity grew old, how would they compete against those who were younger and more beautiful? It was indeed a prudent choice to get hitched to a capable and wealthy man at the peak of her career. The man in front of her checked every box in her list of requirements. However, the man was too enigmatic. She could not understand him. Was it because he was born aloof, or was he nurtured to behave that way? Luke seemed to have seen Bianca from Leia''s dejected expression. He seemed to have understood something... "No." His icy voice seemed to have warmed up by a little. Leia was ecstatic when she heard that his voice had be gentler. Her gaze was brimming with admiration. "Mr. Crawford, my father has been talking about you since that dinner. I wonder if you would be free toe over to visit our house?" She ventured. Luke remained indifferent. "I''ve been busy recently. When I have less work, I will find the time to may Mr. Norman a visit." 2 Leia smiled sweetly as though honey dripped from her lips. She handed a name card to Luke. "That decides it. You can call me anytime you''re free, Mr. Crawford. This is my personal number." Luke took the name card without showing any expression. Leia felt even happier, though the smile on her face remained proper. "I won''t take up any more of your precious time then. See you soon.¡¯ She knew that she had to be patient in winning the man''s heart. Seeding on her first attempt would be impossible. She wanted to pique his curiosity, then lure him in with her charm. Leia''s movements were natural, and her mannerisms were impable, the sure signs of a wealthy upbringing. Somehow, Luke thought that she was pretentious. He had seen so many women like her, and he had detested every one of them. However, he did not say anything to Leia because of her father. After the celebrity left the office, Luke smiled coldly, then tossed the gold- stamped card into the trash without hesitation... Leia calmly stepped out of the office. Once the door closed behind her, she shed her pretense. The floor cked as she stepped on it excitedly with her high heels. Her smile bloomed like a flower, and she could not help it but shriek in excitement! The elevator doors opened, and she walked into it. At the moment before the doors closedpletely, she seemed to notice a beautiful figure dressed in all white at the corner of the corridor. That figure seemed familiar, though her long, ck hair covered her face and could not be seen clearly... Leia guessed that it might have been just a regr female employee. She did not have to worry about it. However, she nheless felt uneasy when she saw her beautiful figure. Perhaps when she became Mrs. Crawford, she would have to get rid of all the good-looking female employees in thepany... Leia wore sunsses, and Bianca could not discern her expression. However, she did notice Leia''s lips that were curled upward. Bianca wondered what Luke had said to her that made her happy. Was it something personal between them? She dashed her nonsensical thoughts and knocked on the door. "Come in." The man''s voice was crisp and resonant. Bianca opened the door and immediately choked on smoke. She frowned as she looked at the source of the smoke. The unbelievably handsome man sat casually on his leather chair. Between his finger was a cigar with a glowing tip. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. The color of the cigar was a pale green, like a budding tobo leaf. The scent of the smoke was refreshing like soil after the rain. It suited Luke''s temperament very well. At that moment, Bianca thought that Luke seemed like a mmable work of art... Chapter 283 Chapter 283 I''m "Luke" To You In Bed, But We''re Strangers Now? i Luke shot a nce at Bianca. She was impably dressed in a fitting set of women''s clothes. Her slender and fair legs were exposed beneath the skirt. Her hair fell on her shoulders and back like a waterfall. Her face was delicate and clean, her eyes were like stars, and her lips were adorned by a faint coat of lipstick. The silk scarf gave her a unique charm, though he knew that she wore it to hide the marks on her neck. Her elegance was like a cherry tree in full bloom, i Luke felt his lower abdomen pulsating enthusiastically when he was reminded of Bianca''s exquisite performance the night before. However, his gaze turned cold, and he pressed his lips when he thought of the woman''s silly actions. Bianca was fearful when she looked at him. She dared not breathe too loudly, in case she somehow angered him and he refused to save Nina. Bianca cleared her throat and ced the document on his table. "These are the documents you requested, Mr. Crawford." She felt bitterness in her heart when she smelled the tantalizing scent of chicken soup wafting from the sk. ''Has that Leia woman gotten so close to him? She even brought him chicken soup...'' "Why, you call me Luke in bed, but suddenly we''re strangers now?" Luke''s anger mounted when he saw that Bianca was trying to avoid him. Bianca was surprised by those words. She stared at his handsome face and reminded him, "We''re at work now. You''ve always been impartial, Mr. Crawford. I don''t think you want to bring your personal life into your work." Luke narrowed his eyes, and they shed with hostility. "Do you know what you are talking about, Bianca Rayne?" Bianca had known him for a while, and she could guess with decent uracy about his current mood. She knew that he was about to lose his temper, even though she did not know why that was the case. She sighed and decided to bring in the main topic. "I don''t want to argue with you, and we can settle whatever''s between us at ater time. I only want to request one thing from you..." The surroundings suddenly turned eerily quiet. Bianca felt as though she could not breathe. Luke took a drag of his cigar. "What is it?" He asked coldly. Bianca bit her lower lip so hard that it was almost bleeding. "Please... save Nina..." Luke red at her coldly. A stray hair was resting on his forehead, which added a hint of disorder to hisposed maturity. He tapped the cigar on the tray and continued to speak with a tinge of mockery in his tone. "If you hate me that much, then why do you ask me for favors? Are you that miserable when you''re with me, Bianca?" N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Luke was unhappy when he saw how Bianca had been avoiding him. He was used to her relying on him and clinging to him. He was not used to Bianca''s distance. He knew that he should not have said those words to Bianca, but he could not control himself because of his anger... Bianca kneaded her hands and clenched her fists. "Even if you don''t want to do it for me, please save Nina on the consideration that she is an employee of T Corporation. Xavier''s men took her away because of me. He had threatened me by getting his men to vite her if I didn''t... sleep with him. He sent me many photos and videos of Nina. Seeing her in despair, I had no other choice... She''s my best friend, and she got into this mess because of me. I can''t bear to see her suffer." Bianca''s tears fell uncontrobly. She covered her mouth, not willing to lose control of her emotions in front of him, but her tears continued to fall. ''That''s why you yielded to Xavier''s threat?" Luke stubbed out the cigar and stood from his chair. His gaze on Bianca was like a wild beast on the verge of a rampage. Bianca took a deep breath and clenched her fists. "Yes." Luke''s fist mmed onto the office table. The stacks of documents fell to the floor. He tried to control his emotions, but his words remained harsh. '' Have you lost your mind? Do you think that you can solve the problem by going there alone? What can''t that scoundrel do? Should I say that you''re brave or stupid? Can''t you call me for help?" i Biancaughed drily and said, "Don''t you think that I will call you for help? I couldn''t reach you. Your phone was switched off... I was losing my mind, but I can''t contact you. Don''t you know how fearful and desperate I was? Nina is my best friend, and I was running out of time. How could I ignore her?" ''What about the police?" "Xavier threatened me, saying that I''ll see Nina in a bodybag if I call the police... "I can''t leave Nina alone in danger. What else can I do? I had to take the gamble..." Luke suddenly remembered that when he got off the ne and turned on his phone, he noticed many missed calls from Bianca. He thought that she missed her and did not worry too much about it. 1 He realized that Bianca had tried to call him for help, but what did he do? Not only did he not believe her, but he had mistaken her intentions when he saw Bianca in bed with Xavier. His heart was wracked with guilt and pity. "I''m sorry. I... I didn''t know about that." Luke stepped in front of Bianca and looked earnestly into her eyes. Tentatively, he reached behind Bianca and brought her delicate body into his embrace. She was painfully thin. The man''s lips kissed her eyshes and continually apologized to her. Bianca shoved him away. She was disappointed by what happenedst night and how he had treated her. "Nina is still in Pierre Mallory¡¯s hands, and I don''t know her current situation. I hope that you can save her as quickly as possible, Mr. Crawford. I will forever be in gratitude," she said coldly. Then, Bianca turned around and walked out of the office. Luke''s gaze was wracked with guilt and wistfulness as he watched Bianca leave the office. He clenched his fists and punched the office table again. Blood seeped out from the broken skin, but he did not feel pain at all. 1 He pressed a button on his office phone and summoned Jason. Chapter 284 Chapter 284 Am I Scary? When Jason stepped into the office, he saw that his boss was leaning against his chair. The man''s tie was slightly undone. Jason was surprised to see that he seemed dejected, as though the world had abandoned him. Jason thought that his boss had overworked himself. After handling the incident in Western Europe, the boss immediately took a flight back to A City. Back at thepany, he attended several meetings in which he had to make important decisions. Perhaps he had not slept well for a few days in a row; after all, he was a workaholic. However, Jason could not remember that his boss was ever so dejected. "Mr. Crawford..." Jason took out his notebook and prepared to report business updates to Luke. He instantly shut his mouth when he noticed that Luke''s eyes were closed, perhaps resting. Jason looked at Luke''s face carefully. His gaze was filled with admiration and respect. As CEO of T Corporation, Luke Crawford had always been resolute and assertive. Not only did he have natural-born intelligence, but he also had acquired leadership and management skills. When he took over T Corporation at twenty-one years old, it was on the brink of ruin. In a few years, Jason witnessed with his own eyes how his boss had increased thepany''s profits by several hundred times and grown it to be a multinational conglomerate. At the same time, he also witnessed how Luke had changed from a positive and gentle youth to be a cold and ruthless man. He regained some of his humanity after meeting Ms. Rayne, though last night''s incident seemed to have reversed things. Jason could not understand why Bianca would end up pinned under Xavier''s body, despite his boss loving her so much. He knew that Bianca was set up and drugged, but he was uneasy that she had been gullible enough to fall into Xavier''s trap. She would not be able to stand beside Luke at the peak of his career. Luke needed an intelligent and assertive woman so that they could grow T Corporation to greater heights. Bianca was not like that. ''Mr. Doyle." Luke''s resonant voice broke the silence of the office and also brought Jason out of his quiet contemtion. "Yes, Mr. Crawford." Jason stood up straight and took out his notebook once more. Luke opened his eyes and said coldly, "Get HR to send an email to all employees that Manager Olson of the work safety department shall be terminated with immediate effect for neglecting his duty and nearly causing an ident in the newly-constructed Friendship Mall." Jason jotted it down in his notebook without hesitation. ¡°Yes." ''Tell the executive directorthat I''m very interested inTeskell Corporation''s newly developed energy source, and I want a dossier on that company in a week. Also, prepare a merger and acquisition proposal forthatpany." "Yes." The boss was usually interested in two types ofpanies. Either they were very profitable, or that their boss had offended Luke. The former would usually end in acquisition, while thetter inplete annihtion. T Corporation spent a lot of money on charity activities, but Luke was not a charitable man. The business world was a harsh one. If one did not crush another while thetter thrived, the former would eventually be crushed. "Don''t set up any appointments for me in the next few days, and cancel the meeting with JK Corp this afternoon. Contact Percy Mallory and tell him that I have something to discuss with him.'' Luke''s eyes were fully open. The gloom on his face became more and more intense. It was a spine- chilling sight. Jason was caught by surprise. He nearly dropped the notebook in his hands. Luke remembered how Bianca had feared him. He red at Jason and said, "Am I scary, Mr. Doyle?" He had to save Nina today. Otherwise, Bianca would remember that grudge forever. He was indeed culpable for what happenedst night. Bianca had been a victim, yet he continued to bully her. He was not sure how to cate Bianca yet. Even though Luke might be a force to be reckoned with in the business world, he was helpless against Bianca. ''No, you''re not scary." Jason was almost breaking out in cold sweat. "I''ll contact Mr. Mallory right now, Mr. Crawford." At almost forty years old, Jason was more mentally resilient than most other people, and he quickly resumed hisposure. However, he almost could not withstand his boss''s terrifying expression earlier. Luke''s gaze could kill. Even if one did not die, they would be horribly maimed. Moreover, what was most painful was the process and not the result. At the hospital. Xavier was heavily injured. His head was wrapped in blood-stained bandages, his youthful and handsome face was bruised, and his eyes were swollen shut. Even his parents could not recognize him at first nce. His most serious injuries were internal. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Luke had broken four of Xavier¡¯s ribs and had impaled his palm with the wine ss. The doctor spent more than half an hour trying to remove all the ss shards with a pair of tweezers. Xavier was lying on the bed hooked to an IV drip. Not a single trace of vitality could be seen. Daniel and Lacey, his parents, sat by the bed, worrying so much about their only son that their hair was turning white, i Lacey felt as though someone had scooped a bloody hole in her heart with a knife. No matter how misbehaved Xavier might be, he was nevertheless her son, and she could not bear to see him suffer. Lacey wiped tears off her face with a handkerchief. "Who is the merciless wretch that did this to my son?" She wailed. Daniel was livid. Xavier had been causing trouble ever since he knew how to walk, and Daniel had to clean up after him. He had even burned several bridges to protect his son. He gnashed his teeth when he saw his son in that pathetic state. If he knew that Xavier was going to end up like that, he should havee into a sock! "That''s enough of your wailing. You''re the one who spoiled him! I told you that you shouldn''t have pampered him, but you don¡¯t listen. He wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this if you hadn''t spoiled him. He just got out of prison, and what did he get himself into this time? Do you think he''d be like this if he hadn''t made those friends?" Daniel wanted to throw something out of the window when he saw that Lacey was inconsble. He was angry when he remembered how Lacey had pampered his son. It was toote to discipline the child now. The bad habits were already rooted in his personality. Daniel thought that Xavier''s good-for-nothing friends hadnded him into trouble again... Chapter 285 Chapter 285 Luke Is A Scoundrel Too Lacey wailed even louder after she heard her husband reprimand her. Eventually, she lifted her head and looked at Daniel. "Now you me me for pampering the kid, but what have you done? All you know is make money. Sometimes you don''te home at night, and sometimes you fly out for business trips for extended periods. Don''t you know your son''s personality? Do you think that I alone can discipline him?" ¡¯I have to support the family. You don''t have a job, so how am I supposed to pay the bills if I don''t work hard?" Daniel said. He had toiled hard for the family over so many years, and now his wife was ming her for not taking care of their son. That made him angry. 1 As Daniel and Lacey argued, Xavier eventually came to. His head that was already throbbing hurt even more when he saw his parents almost getting physical with each other. ''Alright, that''s enough. Can''t you just let me rest?" Xavier said with an annoyed expression. Ever since he was a child, his parents had never stopped fighting with each other. Sometimes, they would throw vases and tes at each other. When they got serious, they would threaten to wreck the house. Through the years, as they grew older, their fights did not lessen. Instead, they became even more frequent with increasing intensity. That was why Xavier would rather hang out with other hooligans instead of going home. No child wanted to watch their parents argue and fight. "Are you OK, Xavier? Why are you hurt again? I''ve already told you so many times that you should stay away from trouble when you''re out there. Look at you, you''ve just gotten out of prison not too long ago and you''re already injured so heavily. Don''t you know how distressed I am?" As Lacey spoke, she began to wipe her tears again. Daniel sighed. He looked at Xavier lying on the bed and wished that his son had died. There would be one less menace on Earth that way. Then, he shook his head to clear that thought. He could not abandon his only son. Xavier was irritated by his mother''s incessant crying. "Alright, Mom. I''ll stay out of trouble. Stop crying," he said impatiently. His eyes shed with hostility when he thought how Luke had thrashed him. He would eventually repay this grudge. In all his years, he had never been beaten so badly before. Even while in prison, he had been the bully and never the bullied. ''Tell me honestly, Xavier, who''s the wretch that hurt you like this? I''ll make sure that you get your justice!" That was the first time that Lacey made such a resolute promise. Xavier did not n on telling his parents, in case they worried about him. However, he thought of how Luke was rted to his family and came up with an idea. "Who else? It''s your favorite nephew, Luke Crawford. Don''t you know how shameless Luke is, Mom? Bianca is my wife, but he''s iming her as his own. Not only is he making me a cuckold, but he barged into my room when I was making out in bed with my wife, which is an entirely normal thing to do in a perfectly legal marriage. He injured me and took her away. Have you ever seen a cousin who behaved that way?" ''What? It''s because of Luke? That''s impossible. Luke might be quiet and reserved, but I know that he''s an intelligent boy. Could there be a misunderstanding?" Daniel did not believe Xavier''s im. He was defending his nephew. He knew that his sister Allison was not reliable, but Luke had been an outstanding child. Daniel did not believe that Luke would do something so reckless. Xavier was furious when he heard his father''s words. "Who''s your son, Dad? Me, or Luke?" He said mockingly, "Do you trust him that much? Would I lie to you when I''m so heavily injured? Even you''ve seen that there''s something fishy going on between Bianca and him. If Bianca and I are divorced, then I have nothing to say, but the main point is that we''re still married, and that woman is already cuckolding me! Shouldn''t you ask Aunt Allison to rein in her son? You wouldn''t want your grandchild to have Luke''s genes, right?" Lacey wiped her tears. Her eyes were already red and puffy. "See that, Daniel?" She said indignantly, "Like mother, like son. Your sister is a loose woman, and her son is a yboy. He could have gotten any woman with his status and wealth, but he insists on iming his cousin''s wife! That''s immoral! All you Tanners are the same. Oh, how unlucky do I have to be to marry into your family?¡¯ Lacey had always looked down upon her sister-inw. Even so, it was undeniable that Allison had used her charms to find herself a position in a wealthy family. Now, she was even the matriarch of the Crawfords. Allison might be an underhanded woman, but her son was capable and talented. That was why Allison could be living the easy life now. Lacey might look down upon Allison, but she could not deny that she envied her to a certain extent. She envied Allison for being the matriarch of the Crawfords, for having such an outstanding son, and for having two cute and obedient grandchildren. Now, she had found a w in Allison''s son. He fell in love with a married woman. That gave Lacey more ammunition to attack Allison. No matter how outstanding Allison''s son might be, he nevertheless coveted Xavier''s wife. Daniel was infuriated by the conversation between mother and son. He was even angrier when he was reminded of that two-timing Bianca. "What''s so good about that flirt? If she has such loose morals, why don''t you divorce her?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Xavier red stubbornly at his father and said threateningly, "I don''t care what kind of woman she is; she is the woman I want. No one else will do. If you want a grandchild, then help me retain her. Otherwise, you won''t ever get a grandchild." "You... ingrate!¡± Daniel grabbed the pillow and was about to use it to thrash Xavier. He stopped himself when he saw his son''s injuries. ''TH call Allison toe over to the hospitalter. She''ll have to discipline her son!" The phone carelessly tossed aside on the office table suddenly rang. Luke stubbed out his cigarette and answered the call. ¡¯Hello?" ¡¯Long time no see, Mr. Crawford. I''m surprised that you remember this old friend of yours." The voice that came through the phone was pleasant and melodic. One almost could not tell whether the voice came from a male or a female. Luke stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in his office and looked down at the entire city. "I have a request for someone, Mr. Mallory. One of my woman''s friends is in your younger brother''s hands. I owe you a favor. Let me buy you dinner next time.'' The other end paused for a while before speaking. The tone of his voice was curious. "Your woman? Since when did you have a woman?" Luke chuckled and said cynically. "The kitten of mine has quite the temper. I''ll bring her to meet you when she''s tamed." The other end of the phone paused for a while, seeming at a loss for a reply. Then, heughed. "Alright, I''ll give Pierre a call." The call ended. Luke''s gentle eyes looked at the traffic on the road below. The smile on his face gradually faded... His kitten was throwing a tantrum. How should he tame her? Chapter 286 Chapter 286 That Was the First Time Luke Climbed Through A Window Regal Capital. At night, Bianca sat in front of the floor-to-ceiling window after she took a bath. She tilted her head and looked outside. The street lights in the neighborhood were dim, and she could only see several faint shadows. She did not turn on the heater in the house. Bianca was dressed in thin cotton pajamas. It was slightly cold, but that was how she could keep herself conscious... None of the furnishings of the room had changed, but she felt that it was barren and deste. It wascking the warmth of her two babies. She was alone, and even the air in the room tasted bitter. She thought of Nina, whose fate was currently unknown, her two children, and Luke, whose temperament had suddenly changed. She buried her head in her knees. Outside of Bianca''s neighborhood, Luke tried to reach her over the phone but to no avail. He knew that Bianca was at home; he had gone to Kevin''s former house and found Wanda staying there by herself. She was not at the new house she had rented for her grandfather either. She did not have many friends in thepany, only two that she could talk with. Luke knew that Bianca would not go trouble her friends when she was feeling down. She would also not spend the money on renting a hotel room. The only ce she could be would be the rental house that she had left vacant because she had an argument with the woman next door. There was still some time on the lease. Every apartment block in the neighborhood had two gates, the first of which required an ess card. Luke was seldom there, and he did not have a card, which meant that he was stuck outside. The weather had turned cold, and everyone stayed at home. Nobody went in and out at night. He waited there for twenty minutes, and he had stubbed out several cigarettes on the garbage can nearby. No one opened the front gate of Apartment Number 12, where Bianca lived. Luke''s patience was running dry. He carefully examined the structure of the apartment block. He was a genius designer. It did not take him long to figure out a way up. The old-fashioned apartment block had a simple structure. Each of the balconies was old and narrow, but it could fit exactly one person. He took thest drag of his cigarette and stubbed it out. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. With his right hand, he gripped the time-worn water pipe that ran down the wall. It was somewhat sturdy. He put one of his feet on a peeling depression in the wall, gripped the pipe tight, and pulled with his strong arm. He concluded that the pipe might look fragile, but it was enough to support an adult man''s body weight. He gripped the pipe with both of his hands, then pulled himself upward. His ck windbreaker fluttered in the night sky in a mysterious and elegant arc With the upward thrust, his incredibly agile body soared into the air, and from there, he gripped the balustrade of the second-floor balcony. He flipped over the balustrade and found himself standing on the second- floor balcony. Using the same method, he went up to the third floor, then the fourth floor. Bianca lived in Unit 509, on the fifth floor. Her house should be the fourth window counting from the eastern end. After estimating where her house was, Luke climbed along the wall and soon arrived below the window of Unit 509. The window was half open, not to mention that there was no anti-theft. Luke was happy that he could get in so easily, but his expression sank when he realized that the house was not safe for Bianca. If he could get in so easily, then what about thieves or other bad guys? He opened the window fully and entered the house. He remembered that the window opened to the living room. Once he got in, he realized that something was amiss. Bianca usually kept her living room clean. The living room that he was currently in was as disorganized as it could be. The entire ce was piled with trash and other misceneous items. Unwashed pots, pans, and bowls were stacked on top of clothes, bedsheets, and footwear. Several cups of instant noodles were scattered on the coffee table. The utter foulness of the ce made Luke the clean freak frown hard! He realized that he had entered the wrong house. Just when he was about to retreat through the window, the bathroom door opened. A two-hundred-pound woman stepped out. The folds of fat and flesh on her body were jiggling. When she saw Luke appear in her house like a phantom, she immediately shrieked in panic and quickly covered her body with pajamas. "Ahh! Thief! Rapist! Help!" The shrillness of her voice was enough to pierce one''s eardrums. Luke pondered about the position of the house. ''Bianca''s house should be here. Where was I mistaken?'' Luke frowned and said, "I''m sorry to disturb you. Can you tell me if this is Unit 509?" "Ahh! Help!" The fatdy closed her eyes tightly and shrieked hysterically, afraid of the sudden presence of that man. "Shut up! I''ll kill you if you make another sound!" Luke''s sinister voice sounded as though it was from hell. He was almost turning deaf because of the woman''s inhuman shrieks. Not only that, he was frustrated that he had seen such an eyesore instead of Bianca, which made his tone of voice sound threatening. The fatdy did what she was told; perhaps she was stunned by the hostility in his voice. When she saw Luke''s handsome face clearly, her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets! ''Oh my god, this guy is too charming! He''s a hundred times more handsome than those Swedish hunks on TV!" She had only seen men of that caliber in drama series or magazines. It was her luck that she could meet one in real life. Was he a surprise from heaven? "I''m asking you, what''s the number of this house?" Luke''s impatience was evident on his face. The fatdy was not afraid anymore. Instead, she blushed intensely. "This is Number 506.1 only moved here a few days ago, and I haven''t cleaned up yet. Don''t mind it at all, handsome! I''ll clean up in a while and make dinner for you. My cooking is very good..." "Where''s Number 509?" Luke interjected. "Number 509 is three houses to the right... Can I have your phone number, please?" The fatdy said coyly. Luke immediately jumped out of the window and nimbly jumped to the balcony on the right! "Don''t go, handsome! I''m still a virgin! Come back!" The fatdy stuck her head out of the window and called out to Luke lovingly. Luke had a fright and nearly lost his footing! He turned back to see the fatdy staring at him and calling out to him. When he arrived at the balcony of Unit 507, he noticed arge cactus nt in a pot. He broke off a piece without a care for the sharp spines, then threw it at thedy''s forehead! Thedy shrieked in agony and fell backward. Then, the world resumed its silence... Luke took a breath of relief when he arrived at the balcony of Unit 509. It was the first time in Luke''s life that he climbed up a building, and it was also the first time that he had met such a crazydy! He was about to climb through the window, like what he did before. When he wanted to open the window, he was shocked. Bianca would usually leave the window open, but this time they were locked... 1 Chapter 287 Chapter 287 Let Me Out, Luke Luke''s arm muscles tensed. He confirmed that the house was indeed Bianca''s, then knocked on the window and said softly. "It''s me, Bianca. Can you open the door? Or the window?" Luke called out several times, but there was no response. He wondered if Bianca could hear him. That made Luke nervous. Did something happen to Bianca? He instantly lost hisposure when he thought of that. Moving along the balcony, he arrived at the window of her bedroom. Fortunately, the window was not locked, and he quickly climbed into the room. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Instead of feeling the warm air from the heater, the temperature in the room was the same as outside. He shivered uncontrobly. The room was dark and quiet, as though no one lived in the house. That made him feel more uneasy than ever. He quickly opened the bedroom door and went out to the living room! Instantly, he saw Bianca curled up on the couch, only dressed in thin pajamas. She seemed to be lost in her own world, not realizing Luke''s intrusion. Looking at how lonely she was, Luke was astonished. He could not help but to walk toward her, crouch down, and hug her close in his arms. His hand touched his abnormally hot forehead, and all those harsh words he nned to say instantly turned into a gentle, helpless call." Bianca..." Bianca''s hollow gaze turned around. She was shocked when she saw that Luke was in her house, but her gaze turned cold and indifferent right after that. She said angrily as she looked at him with unfocused eyes. "How did you get in here? Why are you here?" Luke felt helpless when he saw Bianca behaving that way. "Why didn''t you turn on the heater when it''s so cold? Don''t you know that you have a fever? Why are you so childish?" "Go away. I don''t need your care..." Bianca tried to struggle out of his arms. Not only was she delirious because of her fever, but she was also feeling resentful and angry. Luke ced his palm on her red-hot forehead and cheeks and sighed. He went to the bedroom and took out a down jacket, grabbed her struggling hands, and draped the jacket over her body. "Stop fooling around. You''re sick. I''ll take you to the hospital." "You don''t have to care about me... who am I to you? Whatever happens to me is my own problem. There''s nothing for you to worry about. Go away. I don''t want to see you..." Bianca sobbed. Luke could tell from her voice that her nose was blocked. On their way down the stairs, they bumped into Daisy, who had just gotten back from ying bridge with her friends. She frowned hard when she saw the young and handsome man carry Bianca carefully in his arms. After they walked past her, Daisy''s expression scrunched up into a disdainful sneer. She wondered why that man would be so protective of that loose woman. There was another reason why Daisy felt disdainful toward Bianca. Her daughter was about the same age as Bianca and was working in a major newspaper as a junior reporter. She might be a new worker, but Daisy felt that her daughter had a lot of potential. That was why Daisy had boasted that her daughter was an outstanding woman when she talked to her friends. However, Daisy was worried about the fact that her daughter did not have a boyfriend yet. She imagined that her daughter would eventually find a rich boyfriend, and she did not urge her daughter to go into a rtionship. When she arrived at her neighborhood, she was awestruck by the appearance of a luxury car parked there. The street lights might be dim, but she was materialistic enough to know what the car was worth. Daisy had seen the man drive that car thest time he was in the neighborhood. She was unhappy that a loose woman like Bianca could find herself that rich boyfriend. 1 ''This man looks not bad. He''s handsome and rich. If I have the chance, I''ll introduce my daughter to him,'' Daisy thought. She imagined that her daughter would be able to charm the man''s feelings. Meanwhile, Luke''s entire focus was on Bianca. He did not notice Daisy absorbed in her fantasies, much less realized that he had be Daisy''s ideal candidate as a son-inw... Luke carried Bianca to his car that was parked outside the neighborhood and ced her on the side passenger seat. Bianca''s hands hugged her shoulders and curled on the seat without saying a word. Her gaze was hollow andcking the usual vigor. She saw that he was about to start the engine and suddenly opened the car door. She did not want to be in the same car as him. Before she could get down, Luke pulled her wrist and locked the door. He wrenched her head around so that she faced him. "What happened to you, Bianca?" Bianca struggled away. ¡±1 don''t want to be together with you,¡± she said coldly. Seeing that Bianca would rather look out of the window than at himself, Luke''s anger rose. He gripped the steering wheel tightly and said, "I know that I was wrongst night, Bianca, and I''ve already apologized to you... I don''t know what I should do so that you won''t be angry with me. Can you tell me so that I''ll do it?" Bianca closed her eyes and ignored him. She pulled on the car door handle, but the door did not budge. She turned her head and said coldly," Let me out, Luke." There were too many misunderstandings between them. His actions and words the night before had hurt her too much. If all it took to redeem oneself was a word of apology, there would be so many more evil-doers in the world. Bianca pushed the car door again. Seeing that the door remained closed, she turned around and red at him. "Let me our!" Bianca''s face was flushed from the fever, and she was coughing from anger. Luke narrowed his eyes dangerously. He put on the seatbelt for Bianca and started the car. "I''ll take you to the hospital first. We can discuss anything when we get back." Bianca slumped on the seat with a calm expression as though she had lost all her strength. She knew the man''s character. There was no point butting heads with that dominating man. As the car sped along the road, Bianca turned to look outside the window, not willing to look at him. Luke''s gaze was dangerously gloomy. He floored the gas pedal and drove the car at maximum speed. At the hospital''s parking lot, Luke carried Bianca in her arms and dashed toward the outpatient department... Chapter 288 Chapter 288 Luke''s Meticulous Care Bianca hated the smell of disinfectant in the hospital. In her fevered delusions, memories from many years ago came back. She gently pulled the sleeve of Luke''s coat. "I don''t want to see a doctor." Luke was already worried and impatient when he saw how serious Bianca''s fever was. He became furious when Bianca acted like a child. He hugged her tighter and started reprimanding her. "Behave. You have such a high fever. What happens if you get sicker?" Bianca looked at him weakly. Luke thought that she was only throwing a tantrum. He leaned close and kissed her lips; his movements were gentle as though he wasforting a child. Many people were waiting in the outpatient department on the first floor. They were unhappy when they saw Luke trying to cut in line. A hot- tempered man even yelled at him. A doctor in his white coat noticed themotion in the outpatient department. He pushed up his sses and told the nurse to get the patients to line up. The nurse noticed Luke, and her eyes opened wide. ''Wow, what a handsome man!'' She thought. She went to Luke and was just about to say something when she was intimidated by Luke''s sinister expression. She hastily took two steps back and looked at the busy doctor for help. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. That man seemed to be in a bad mood. The doctor was frustrated. He nced at Luke, who was trying to cut in line, and tossed away the fountain pen in his hand. "What are you doing? Can''t you see that so many patients are waiting in line? Get to the back!" "Enough nonsense. She''s having a fever. Treat her now." Then, Luke ced Bianca on the chair. The doctor took a closer look at Luke. He noticed that Luke was dressed in expensive clothes, and he might have seen Luke''s impable features in a financial magazine before. He was experienced enough to know that he could not afford to make that man angry. Luke had never gone to the outpatient department or the public hospital. He did not know that he had to queue up. Whenever he went to a hospital, there would be someone attending to him personally. The other patients in line kept their mouths shut when they saw Luke''s demonically angry face. Helpless, the doctor said to the nurse. "Ms. Walters, please take thedy''s temperature." The nurse took the thermometer and was about to remove Bianca''s clothes to take her temperature. Before the nurse couldy a finger on Bianca''s clothes, Luke snatched the thermometer and said, "Let me do it." He did not want Bianca to be touched by other people, including other women. Luke delicately took Bianca''s temperature. Bianca was wrapped in a thick down jacket. Luke was worried that she might be cold, and he took off his windbreaker and draped it over her. The young nurse was envious of the amount of care that Luke showed Bianca. ''Handsome men are the most responsible ones!'' She thought. On the other hand, it was the ugly ones that were unfaithful. She remembered that she read an article on the Inte earlier. A survey found that handsome men were less likely to have an affair, while those that look ugly but down-to-earth were often involved in extramarital affairs, i One could see that it was the case by looking at the popr figures in showbiz. For example, popr actor XX Jackman, actor, producer, and director XX Washington, and famous singer XX Jovi were known for their handsome looks as well as being faithful to their wives. They were role models when it came to celebrity marriages. On the other hand, certain celebrities who were not that good-looking, such as XX Thompson, who was married to a famous model, was caught in a sex scandal... so many in-looking celebrities were caught in affairs, as though it was expected of them. Seeing the handsome man in front of her take such good care of his girlfriend as though she was his treasure, the nurse was even more determined to find a handsome boyfriend for herself. However, the man''s girlfriend seemed to be throwing a tantrum. Not only was she not grateful for the care she received, but she even seemed to be avoiding the man''s touch. The nurse felt indignant for Luke, and at the same time, another question surfaced in her mind, ''Why do all these handsome men have a girlfriend with a bad temper?'' Luke''s hostile voice rang out, breaking the nurse''s train of thought. "103.8 degrees. That''s very serious! Give her an injection now, doctor." The doctor quickly prescribed some medicine for Bianca. The nurse prepared the syringe, rolled up Bianca''s sleeve, and rubbed her arm with an alcohol swab. Just when the nurse was about to pierce the syringe into Bianca''s arm, Bianca saw the needle and started to shake as though she was having a nightmare... The nurse looked at her with surprise. She thought that Bianca was scared of injections. "It won''t be painful, Miss,¡± she said gently. Bianca stood up from the chair as though she had seen something horrific. She shoved the nurse''s hand away and dashed toward the exit. She tripped over something, sprained her ankle, and nearly fell on the floor. A pair of long arms grabbed her delicate waist in time. "Stop this nonsense at once, Bianca!" She heard Luke''s angry voice ringing next to her ears. "I don''t want an injection. Let me go! Let me go..." Bianca struggled with all her might and wailed. However, she could not move away from Luke''s vicelike grip. She sobbed helplessly and softly. "I don''t want an injection, Luke. I don''t..." No one knew how much Bianca feared needles. It was her worst nightmare. Jennifer and her daughter hade up with multiple ways to torment Bianca. Beatings, insults, and sleep deprivation weremon urrences. Eventually, Jennifer was afraid that Kevin might notice the scars on Bianca''s skin and they thought of something sinister - They would use long needles to poke at various spots on Bianca''s body... Back then, Bianca was young and malnourished. She could not put up a resistance against Jennifer. The needle wounds were excruciatingly painful, but they were invisible to the naked eye and healed very fast. Whenever sheined to her father, he would say that she was making up stories. The nightmare stopped when she moved out to a dorm in high school. However, that had caused her to be deathly afraid of needles. The hospital staff and the other patients looked at each other. They could not understand why that young woman was so afraid of needles. However, they shied away from Luke''s horrible gaze and instead whispered to each other. Bianca was on the verge of a mental breakdown. Her silky hair was disheveled. She tried to pry away Luke''s arms that were on her waist. "Please... I beg you... no injections..." Luke was almost losing his patience. He dragged her forcefully to the doctor''s table and sat her down in front of her doctor. In his anger, he pushed her too hard, and Bianca''s stomach knocked onto the corner of the table. She gasped out of pain. "Stop fooling around, Bianca." Luke was never known to be a patient man. Bianca''s public tantrum was already far more than he could tolerate... Chapter 289 Chapter 289 If You Can Be So Gentle and Obedient All the Time, Bianca... Luke turned around. He wanted to step outside to smoke so that he could calm down. He was about to step out of the exit when a small but pale hand gently grabbed onto the hem of his shirt. He turned around and saw Bianca''s tear-streaked face. "Please, Luke, don''t go," she begged. She was crouching like an abandoned kitten, which softened Luke''s heart at once. The smell of disinfectant almost made Bianca throw up, and the syringe in the nurse''s hand made her extremely afraid. She carried too many painful memories in her mind, and they had caused her to be fearful even years later. Bianca''s trembling fingers tightly held onto Luke''s finger. She was afraid that he would abandon her in this nightmarish ce. She fell into his arms. Luke had never seen her so fragile before. It was not umon for a child to be so afraid of needles. However, Bianca was an adult, and there must be something that he did not know that caused her phobia. Til have to investigate this when I get back,'' Luke thought. He carried Bianca in his arms. Seeing that she was rubbing her stomach, he knew that the table must have hit her there. He began to regret what he did earlier. He should not have been so unreasonable with her. Bianca calmed down when she was in Luke''s embrace. She hugged her neck tightly as though he was the only one she could trust. Those strong arms were like a safe haven that temporarily shielded her from those painful memories. Luke held her tight and took her petite hand into his hand. "It''s fine. How about we go to another hospital?" He tried to persuade her. Bianca shook her head. "I don''t want to go to the hospital. I only want to go home," she said earnestly. The hospital was a ce where life and death converged. The lives of many newborns started at the hospital, but at the same time, so many frail lives ended there. The hospital had needles which Bianca feared. Her father died in a hospital. She had an aversion toward hospitals. Luke stared at Bianca, not giving any of his emotions away in those profound eyes. "OK, let''s go home," he said. Bianca grabbed the man''s sleeve tightly, as though she was afraid that he might reverse the decision. Her eyes were transfixed on the man''s feet. When she felt the cold and piercing wind of the outdoors blow on her face, she loosened her grip slightly. As Luke carried her to the parking lot, he realized that Bianca seemed to have loosened her grip around his neck. He lowered his head to see and found that Bianca had fallen asleep. He kissed her forehead gently and carefully ced her inside the car. The ck Land Rover sped on the road and melded into the night. Luke did not bring her to other hospitals. Instead, he brought her back to his mansion and called the Crawford family''s private doctor. When Johann Stiles received Luke¡¯s barrage of calls, he had justpleted two consecutive major operations. Both patients were luminaries in the business world. He had to give them his best. The two operationssted about a day and a night in total. Johann had just arrived at home, brushed his teeth, and was about to go to bed when he received Luke''s call. The frequency of the calls made Johann think that Luke was about to sumb to his injuries. He instantly got into his car, floored the gas pedal, and arrived at Luke''s mansion. He realized that he had been deceived when he arrived there. When Luke told him to attend to a young woman''s fever, he nearly threw away his stethoscope and quit on the spot. Johann had a doctorate of medicine from Harvard, and all his patients were VIPs. His time was very precious. He felt that Luke was wasting his time by asking him to treat a mere fever. However, he dared not lose his temper when he saw Luke''s incredibly sullen expression. Instead, he grumbled in his heart about how Luke was a master maniptor. "It''s just themon cold. There''s nothing to be worried about. If she''s afraid of injections, then I''ll prescribe some tablets that she can take with warm water. She''ll be fine soon. Also, I''ve applied some medication to her sprained ankle. She¡¯ll be up and running in a few days.¡± After Johann treated Bianca''s ankle, he looked at her deathly pale but beautiful face. "I say, Mr. Crawford, I''ve never seen you with a woman for the past few years. Did you get addicted to her or something? Look at the hickeys on this girl''s neck. You can tell how violent the man was. I''m afraid that you''ll scare her away." Luke sat on the bed, casting a gentle gaze on Bianca''s tranquil sleeping face. However, he nced at Johann, and his expression sank instantly. "Where are you looking? Do you still want your eyes?" Johann was intimidated by Luke''s threat. He rubbed Bianca''s swollen ankle and said, "This is how you should massage her ankle. I''ll give you some ointment, and you can massage it five to ten minutes every morning and night. That''ll heal her swelling fast." Bianca was awakened by the pain from Johann''s movements. She involuntarily tucked her legs, pressed her lips together, and moaned, "Ow..." The woman''s groggy voice sounded intimate. Luke''s Adam''s apple moved up and down. Luke pped Johann''s hand away from Bianca''s ankle. "Are you tired of living? Stop touching my woman." His expression was sinister. Johann pouted. ¡¯Are you being ungrateful to my help now? I''m a world- renowned doctor. How did I be a friend to a profiteer like you? I''ve made a wrong decision." As he said that, he took out a bottle of ointment from his briefcase and handed it to Luke. "I''ve recently developed this ointment, and it''s very effective at reducing swelling. Don''t forget to transfer the consultation fee to my ount. My time is very precious." Luke took the bottle of ointment and said coldly, "Leave the medicine here. Now you may leave." Johann was used to Luke''s temper. He bad-mouthed Luke for a bit, saw that it was gettingte, then gave Luke a few more words of advice before leaving. Bianca was fast asleep peacefully. Her delicate body was curled up under the down nket. Under the fluffy nket, her body seemed to be non-existent. Luke''s cool hand touched her hot skin and felt that her fever had subsided by quite a lot. His tightly- knotted brows subsided a little... He took off his shirt, got onto the bed, and hugged her into his embrace. Bianca''s fiery-hot skin came into contact with his cool body. Nothing came in between them, and their bodies intermingled. Luke wanted to im her body right there and then. However, he suppressed his urges when he saw how sickly Bianca was. Instead, he gently kissed her delicate cheek. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ''If only you can be so gentle and obedient all the time, Bianca...¡¯ Chapter 290 Chapter 290 Let¡¯s Help Daddy Win Miss Bea''s Heart! Crawford Manor. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Lanie and Rainie sat on the soft couch in the living room, though they were not ying cheerfully as before. They were wearing frowns on their long faces. The children''s childish faces looked like adults, which seemed quiteedic. Rainie looked at her brother unhappily and said, '' Big Bro, our house is much bigger than Miss Bea''s house, but I don''t feel happy at all. I want to live together with Miss Bea..." Luke and Bianca had a peculiar rtionship. Bianca had told the two children that they could call her "Mommy" in private. However, when they were not at her house, they had to call her "Miss Bea." The two children did not understand why they could not call their mother" Mommy" in front of other people, but they were obedient children and listened to their mother. Lanie sat on the couch. He took in a deep breath, then spread out his arms helplessly like a little adult. "I want to live with her too, but the main point is, Daddy is too silly. He still hasn''t won Miss Bea''s heart yet. If Daddy marries Miss Bea, we can stay together with her every day." Rainie widened her eyes delightedly. "Really? Big Bro, shall we help Daddy with winning Miss Bea''s heart?" Lanie replied, "Mm, but we have toe up with a n. Right, we can ask Uncle Xavier. He always has many prettydies by his side. Everyone says that Uncle Xavier is a yboy, which means that he has experience with courtship." "What¡¯s a yboy, Big Bro?" Rainie asked. Lanie was wondering how he should exin it to Rainie. "A yboy is a man who likes to flirt with pretty girls. You see how Uncle Xavier always dresses up in colorful clothes, right? That''s what usually yboys love to wear..." Rainie seemed to have understood something. She nodded and said, "Oh... I understand now. So that''s a yboy! I love pretty girls too, Big Bro. You should wear colorful clothes like Uncle Xavier too, and many pretty girls will like you! You should be a yboy too, Big Bro!" Lanie was speechless. Lanie pressed her palm on his forehead. He did not know how to talk to his sister anymore. The caretaker, who was cleaning up the toys, could not help butugh when she heard the two children''s innocent conversation. "What are youughing about, Granny Florence? Was I wrong?" Rainie looked at the caretaker with her puppy eyes. Lanie looked seriously at the caretaker. He acted just like a mini Luke Crawford, which made Granny Florence startled. "It''s nothing. What fruits would you like after dinner tonight, Young Master Lanie and Young Miss Rainie? I''ll prepare them for you..." The caretaker quickly changed the topic of conversation. "I don''t want fruits. I only want Miss Bea." Rainie said with her childish voice. As she spoke, tears started to well up in her eyes. Lanie held his sister''s hand tightly, not sure how to comfort her. To be frank, he wanted to live with Miss Bea too. The caretaker was at a loss of what to do. Bianca was like a thorn in the Crawfords'' side. She upied an awkward position in the family. Allison hated her, and even Old Master Crawford, who had acknowledged her at first, had started to reject her. Susan, on the other hand, was silently observing from the sidelines. The only Crawford family members who epted Bianca were Luke and the two children. Old Master Crawford came down from the stairs with his walking stick. He was perplexed when he saw that the two children were obviously in a bad mood. "What¡¯s wrong?" He asked. Old Master Crawford might be old, but he nheless wielded authority in the household. He had spent his life amid the most powerful and influential in the city and knew how to carry himself with authority. When he cast his stern gaze, even Allison and Susan dared not misbehave. Everyone in the Crawford family feared him, except for Luke. However, the old man loved his great-grandchildren very much. The two children carried Luke''s genes, and Lanie, the great-grandson, looked and behaved like Luke when he was younger. Rainie, the great- granddaughter, looked adorable and sweet. She might be timid, but she had a way with words. The two children were smart and precocious, which always made Old Master Crawford happy. He loved the two children a lot. Now that he saw them frowning, he asked his two great-grandchildren, "Did someone bully you? Tell your Great-Grandpa." Lanie looked at Old Master Crawford with his puppy eyes and begged, "I miss Miss Bea, Great- Grandpa. Can you let Miss Beae and live with us?" Rainie hugged Old Master Crawford¡¯s leg. "Miss Bea is a good cook, GreatGrandpa. If you don''t believe me, you can ask her to cook for you when she moves in with us." Old Master Crawford''s expression changed instantly. "That Bianca? You have to keep a distance from her. She¡¯s not going to marry your father, and the two of you will have a new mother soon. Understand?" Old Master Crawford was stubborn and old-fashioned. People of his generation ced a lot of importance on the reputation of the household. Bianca was married to a Tanner, who shared close rtions with the Crawfords. Even if she divorced Xavier, Old Master Crawford would not let her remarry into the Crawford family. He did not want Luke, the grandson that he was most proud of, to be criticized by others! He would have been able to ept it if not that Xavier and Bianca''s marriage was publicly known! Facing Old Master Crawford''s frighteningly serious face, and hearing that they would have a new mother soon, Rainie burst into tears. "I don''t want someone else to be my mother!" She wailed, hopped down from the couch, and ran upstairs. Lanie nced at Old Master Crawford. That was the first time the little boy looked at the great-grandfather with resentment. After which, he followed his sister up the stairs. Old Master Crawford watched their backs. His hand holding the walking stick trembled slightly, then he sighed heavily. Meanwhile, on the other side of the city. It was drizzling as night fell. People were shivering from the cold, though the entertainment outlets in the city remained as bustling and lively as ever. In a VIP private room. Pierre Mallory treated Nina like a toy. She was almost naked. He paid no attention to the hatred in Nina''s eyes. Nina''s tears had already run dry, though she was protective of her own body like a hedgehog. If one day she could get the better of Pierre, she swore that she would return the humiliation tenfold! Chapter 291 Chapter 291 Good Morning, Darling Pierreughed when he saw Nina''s face. His seemingly serious face was tainted with degeneracy. "You look just as cute as before when you''re angry. Why, are you not satisfied yet? Should I have pampered you more?" Nina red at him as though he was her sworn enemy. She spat at him and started cursing him, as well as his parents, for giving birth to a piece of trash like him. Her words and actions once again angered Pierre. Earlier, when he received a call from his good friend Xavier, requesting him to keep Nina in captivity so that she could be used as a bargaining chip with Bianca, he agreed to it without hesitation. Too bad for Nina, Pierre had a grudge against her since they were young! The woman deserved to be taught a lesson for kicking him between the legs. He would have been crippled if not that he was lucky. She deserved all the torment when she was in his hands. Pierre stripped Nina of her clothes, teased her, and threatened her that he would let hisckeys have their way with her if she did not obey him. He wanted to tear away her disguise ofposure, strip her of her dignity, and watch her beg in fear. However, he did not expect that the woman would be so stubborn. She would rather be repeatedly vited by hisckeys than to let himy a finger on her. Pierre pinned Nina under him, which made her struggle violently. He tore away the remaining scraps of clothing on her body. Just when he was poised to enter her with his rock-hard organ, his phone suddenly rang! "Brother." Seeing that his elder brother Percy was calling him, Pierre dared not ignore the call, even though he had to temporarily suspend his urges. "I don''t care if you toy around with other women, but you have to let go of the one you''re currently holding." Percy''s tone of voice was as assertive as usual. "You know that I have a lot of women, Brother. How do I know which one you''re talking about? I''m also just about to enter, and now you''re telling me to stop. Do you wish to see your younger brother die of blue balls?" Pierre replied to his brother over the phone while his other hand covered Nina''s mouth. "Enough excuses! Luke Crawford has personally requested me to deliver Nina to him, so you can tell that she''s well-protected. Luke isn''t someone you can trifle with. I''d advise you to watch your back; even I can''t save you if Luke is angry." The phone call ended right after that. Pierre turned his head and looked at Nina angrily. He hesitated when he thought of the sly and cunning Luke, whom his brother dared not oppose. However, he was not going to let go of Nina that easily. He pressed his lips and smiled coldly. The ferocity in his eyes was chillinducing. Without any hesitation, he entered the most vulnerable part of the woman''s body! "Ahhh!¡± A shrill and agonized scream echoed in the private room. Tears of despair fell from Nina''s eyes. Meanwhile, when Bianca woke up, she felt a splitting headache, and her body was alternating between waves of heat and chills. It made her very miserable. Her breathing wasbored, and her throat felt like it was on fire. Undoubtedly, those were the signs of a serious cold. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. She opened her eyes and saw the blinding sunlight that shone through the window, which almost made her tear up. That was why she realized that she did not draw the curtains the night before. She could see the clear blue sky outside of the window. asionally, a few sparrows would fly past. Seeing that it was gettingte, Bianca wanted to get out of bed, but she realized that she was pinned down by a pair of strong arms. Bianca''s back was pressed against Luke''s solid chest. It was hard for her to even turn around. Her pale face blushed, and her breath grew hot when she thought of the scenes from the night before. Her bodycked strength, which was an aftereffect of the high fever. She pried the man''s arms away from her with all her might, but she did not expect that the man would once again pull her into his arms just when she was about to get up. This time, her face was brought so close to his that they almost touched. Bianca''s gaze fell on the man''snguid face. She felt aplicated mix of emotions when she looked at his perfectly sculpted face... She did not know how their rtionship had be like that. The man always showered her with sugar-coated words and actions after hurting her. No matter how alluring those words may be, he did not know that sugar would cause toothaches, and the pain would make her think twice about epting more of his sugar in the future, i While Bianca''s thoughts wandered, Luke silently opened his eyes and kissed her lips. "Good morning, darling." Bianca did not want to entertain him. She pushed his arms away and looked around as though searching for something. Luke propped up his head with his right arm. He lifted his left hand that was holding a ckce camisole. His index finger was pushing against one of the bulges. "Are you looking for this?" He said with a naughty smile. Bianca blushed. She wanted to snatch the camisole from his hand, but Luke took his hand away, and she missed. The man¡¯s repeated teasings were making her gasp for breath. Eventually, she fell silent and did not say a word. Luke flipped Bianca''s body and made her face him. He saw that her expression was indifferent from anger, and her face was flush and her lips were dry. Losing all the mood to tease her, he got up from the bed and said, ''TH go and get you a ss of water." Bianca felt her head spinning. However, she was nervous when she remembered Nina. "How''s Nina now? Is she safe?" Luke handed her a ss of warm water. "She''s fine. You''ll see herter today." Bianca felt slightly more at ease when she heard that. She took a sip of the water, which soothed her throat. Then, she got out of bed and put on her clothes. "What time is it now? I want to go to work." "You''re so sick, but you still want to go to work? Be a good girl and stay at home today. You''ll take the day off.¡¯ Luke pinned her down and covered her with a nket. He was furious when he remembered how Bianca had deliberately stayed in the cold for half the night. However, he could not bear to reprimand Bianca when he saw how sickly she was. He could only tell her to take the medicine that Johann prescribed her. "No, my colleagues are not happy that I''ve been taking days off. I..." "I''ll fire whoever''s unhappy with my decision!" Luke tucked her in. "Stay in bed and take the day off. If I see you in the office. I''ll fire Nina on the spot." Luke was smiling while he said those, though Bianca knew that he was serious. That had made her angry and helpless. ''How dare he use my best friend to threaten me... ''Since when did the CEO of T Corporation be such a hooligan?'' Chapter 292 Chapter 292 Shocking! Major Scandal! Luke prepared a sumptuous breakfast for Bianca. He watched her finish the entire thing before going to work. After he left, the home was deste. Bianca was feeling bored at home. She turned on herputer and saw that people were sharing a link. She clicked on a link. It was a forum post on Xeddit. Xeddit was one of the major international social sites. It was full of news articles, scoops, and rumors about society¡¯s elite. Luke Crawford''s name was a popr topic on the website for the past few years. One could easily see how eager people were to know about his personal life. If one searched for "Luke Crawford" in the search bar, the results were countless. Bianca read several discussion threads about him. One was about why he remained single. Some people guessed that he was gay, some guessed that he was ugly and his photographs were all edited, and some guessed that he had a disease. The discussions made good points, which invited intense discussion from theizens. Luke might seldom appear in public, but he had many diehard fans on the website. Many of the people there defended him. Bianca did not know that Luke enjoyed such a reputation among theizens. An article on the top of the site caught her attention. The title was bombastic. "Major Scandal! X Corporation CEO Beats Up Cousin In Anger And Assaults His Wife! Simply Intolerable!" Before she clicked on the title, she already had an ominous feeling about it. The article was only up for less than three hours, but it already had several million views and more than ten thousandments. One could easily see how popr the article was, and how much theizens were eager for gossip. The nickname of the article writer was ''CuckedTurtle." Bianca''s eyelid twitched when she saw that nickname. Then, she started reading the article. The article was about how CuckedTurtle had fallen in love with his wife at first sight, and how he had pampered and spoiled her after they were married. He had spent all his money on her, and they gave birth to a pair of cute twins. To sustain his wife''svish lifestyle and pay for the two children''s expenditures, he even went to prison for five years. CuckedTurtle attached the wedding photo of him and his wife, as well as photos of him in a prison uniform and the photos of his two children. All the faces were blurred out, but one could tell that they were genuine. After the photos, the writer continued that when he got out of prison, he realized that his wife was having an affair with his cousin. At that moment, he had the urge to kill his wife, but he was devoted to her, and he even fell on his knees to beg her to end the affair. His wife said that she knew that it was wrong, and she had tried to end that immoral affair more than once. However, she was too madly in love with the writer''s cousin, and she admitted that she could not end the affair. With no other choice, CuckedTurtle went to negotiate with his cousin. In one of the photos, the name of the prison could be easily seen. A City had a prison with that name, which made people believe that CuckedTurtle was telling the truth. After all, no one would so willingly expose their unmentionable past. Theizens were sympathetic toward CuckedTurtle. He loved his wife, had two children with her, went to prison for her, but his wife had an affair with his cousin. CuckedTurtle also said that his cousin came from a wealthy family and was the heir to X Corporation. His social status was far lower than his cousin''s, but he wanted justice from his cousin to defend his dignity. Unexpectedly, not only did his cousin inflict heavy injuries on him, but he also teased and flirted with his wife in front of him. His cousin even threatened to kill him and abuse the two children if he ever came between them again. CuckedTurtle attached several photos of his injuries in the post. He was wrapped up in bandages, his leg was in a cast, and he had a breathing tube attached to his mouth. He looked as though he was beaten within an inch of his life. His face was not blurred out, but the bandages on his face obscured his face anyway. It was a pitiful sight. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. The posts in the forums were for a targeted audience. The subjects of gossip were usually celebrities or people who lived in the upper echelons of society. Everyone posted andmented under the guise of anonymity, and there was no worry that their identities were exposed. There were even celebrities that spread gossip of another to take revenge. At the end of the post, CuckedTurtle said that his love had turned into hate, and without any other recourse, he could only turn his sorrows into words. The post was very well-written and was filled with photos. Some descriptions were vivid and moving. The post fully portrayed his feelings of love, hate, and helplessness, as well as how despicable that immoral couple was. At the bottom of the tear-jerking post was a blurry photo of a man and a woman hugging. Their faces were not seen clearly, but Bianca felt a chill course down her spine. The woman in the photo was her, and the man dressed in a suit that was hugging her was Luke Crawford. The faces of the two children were blurred, but Bianca could tell at first nce that they were her two children. She was first confused, then she was indescribably angry. Bianca did not know who the writer was, but how dare he involve her children in it... The wedding photo was a screenshot from Twitter. Bianca suddenly remembered that it was the exact photo that Xavier had posted on Twitter. Bianca''s face turned pale in an instant. Did Xavier post the article under a nickname to take revenge on her? If it were really him, she was exasperated by how he had twisted the truth! Bianca was curious about the reactions, and she scrolled down to read the variousments the netizens had left. Some people expressed their sympathy toward the writer, some were mocking and disdainful, while some were eager for more details to surface Theizens were eager toment on scandals that happened in wealthy families, especially those that challenged social norms and morals. A lot of thements also criticized CuckedTurtle''s wife and cousin. "How immoral!¡¯, "Where''s the justice?", "This is incest!'', "They''re animals!''," Go and die!'', "Hang them!'', and so on... "EagerBystander¡±, a veteranizen, quickly identified that CuckedTurtle was Xavier Tanner of Tanner Corporation. It meant that the "heir of X Corporation¡¯ was Luke Crawford, the young CEO of T Corporation! Naturally, the flirtatious woman was Bianca Rayne... After EagerBystander exposed the identities of the people involved in the post, the online crowd flocked to the post. After finding out that the cousin mentioned in the post was Luke Crawford, thements exploded in activity... Chapter 293 Chapter 293 Stepping On Luke''s Toes The actual identity of the "cousin" was actually Luke Crawford? After the sensational news broke out, thements were split into three camps. The first was Luke''s devoted supporters, who defended Luke''s reputation with hard-hitting points. A gentle, handsome man who regrly topped the list of wealthiest people could have gotten any woman he wanted. Why would he go after the wife of another man? The second was his detractors. Theirmon consensus was that no one knew how Luke behaved in private, despite his frank and candid public personality. Perhaps hidden under that gentlemanly guise was his true sadistic and incestuous self! The elite society was full of scandals like these. Not only affairs happened between cousins, but they even happened between father and child. They thought that the post was absolutely true. Those people generally had a negative outlook on life, and they believed that everyone else was as negative as them. The third was those who imed to be neutral. They would keep quiet and watch the news unfold... In less than an hour, the post received thousands ofments between the supporters and detractors. They debated about the validity of the post; some of them even sounded like professional debaters. Bianca had witnessed the power of public opinion. In any case, everyone had their opinion, and the incident would not reach a conclusion anytime soon. Bianca furrowed her brows. She did not know what CuckedTurtle''s intention was; all she knew was that she could not forgive the writer for involving her children. Why should innocent children be involved in an incident among adults? She picked up her phone and was about to call Luke when she received a call from him. Bianca answered the call. "I saw the post," Bianca said before Luke said anything. ¡°Don''t worry. I saw the post as well. I''ll handle this," Lukeforted him. Bianca did not know how he was going to handle the scandal, but his words seemed to give her assurance. Her anxious heart gradually calmed down. She believed in Luke. At the hospital. Xavier Tanner, the man wrapped up in bandages in the photos, was smoking casually. His lips curled into a sinister smile as he watched the heated debate in the post. He turned to look at the man standing next to the bed and said, "That was an excellent post. I was not wrong to find you." The man was in histe twenties, and his face was unshaven. He was jobless, and he earned money by posting cliched love stories in the fiction forums. He was a spendthrift, and he usually had to go hungry. He epted Xavier''s job without hesitation. After all, Xavier had given him 20,000 dors as an advance. Making up a semi-realistic story about a scandal between wealthy families was too easy for him. He did not care for the truth but only for the money. Xavier handed the young man a card. "Here''s the remaining 180,000 dors. You''ll have extra rewards depending on how the situation evolves." The young man took the card and smiled tteringly. "Thank you, Mr. Tanner. Please look for me if you need more posts like that one." After the man left, Xavier stubbed out his cigarette. He could not hide the smug smile on his face. ''Aren''t you forcing my hand, Luke and Bianca? I''ll see how you handle this!" T Corporation. The atmosphere in the CEO''s office on the top floor was ice-cold. His eyes were transfixed on hisptop screen. He was not looking at business information, but that popr post on Xeddit... Jason stood next to him, almost shivering from his boss''s icy temperament. It seemed that his boss would be ruthless whenever Bianca was involved. "Contact Xeddit and get them to ban the author''s ount. Find the identity of the author and bring him to the police station. If he has the guts to spread false news, then he should also be prepared to suffer the consequences. Summon the board of directors. I want to acquire all assets of the Tanner family in the shortest time possible. If Xavier wants to y, then two can y that game. Contact JK Media. I have something to discuss with Eugene." Luke closed his eyes to hide the hostility in his gaze. When he opened his eyes again, he looked impassively at his assistant. Jason was secretly afraid. He nodded his head and carried out his boss''s orders. Luke''s gaze was transfixed on the wedding photo with the subjects'' faces blurred out. He smirked coldly... "You can attack me however you want, Xavier, but your fatal mistake is to expose my woman and my children''s identities. ''It seems that you have not learned your lesson. If you have a death wish, then I shall dly fulfill it!'' N?velDrama.Org (C) content. The man''s ice-cold expression was like a wild beast in the dark unsheathing its ws and starting its retaliation... Leia had finished shooting a scene. She was resting by the side and was on a video call with a good friend. Suddenly, her friend sent her a link and smiled cryptically, instructing her to open the link. She was one of Leia''s closest friends, and Leia kept no secrets from her. Naturally, she knew that Leia admired Luke Crawford. She instantly forwarded to Leia any gossip about Luke. Curiously, Leia opened the link. She was incredibly excited after reading through the article. Her intuition told her that the three people mentioned in the article were Luke, Bianca, and Xavier. Theizen''sments left below the post confirmed her intuition. She did not care if the contents of the post were true or false. Anything would pass for truth as long as Bianca''s reputation could be ruined! Leia took off her costume, put on her clothes, informed her assistant, and left the film set while wearing her makeup. She did not even inform the director or the producer. The director was about to call Leia to prepare for the next scene but instead saw her leaving the film set on a luxury car. He was so angry that he threw the script on the ground! ''This is a big-budget period production, and every minute costs money,'' the director thought. ''Even celebrities who are more popr than her won''t leave the set just like that, but Leia left on her own ord without telling anyone. Who does she think she is? ''She only gets to be so brazen because her father is the Provincial Committee Secretary. ''If she ever loses her status, she''ll be worth nothing in the entertainment industry!'' Leia went to the shopping mall, bought several luxury handbags and diamond essories, then rushed to Crawford Manor. She gave the presents to Allison, which made her immensely happy. "Aunt Allison, there''s something about Luke that I don''t know if I should tell you... " she stammered. Allison was in a good mood. She patted the back of Leia''s hand and said gently, "You don''t have to be a stranger, Leia. Just tell me what''s on your mind. I don''t like people who beat around the bush." Leia hesitated for a while, then browsed to the post and handed her phone to Allison... Chapter 294 Chapter 294 High-Profile Family Excursion! For the first time in Luke''s career, he skipped work after the emergency shareholder''s meeting. He went to the kindergarten and picked up Lanie and Rainie, fulfilling the responsibilities of a father. Sitting in the car, Lanie asked him curiously, ¡¯It''s not the weekend today, Daddy. Why do you have time to rest?" As far as the boy knew, his father was a workaholic who even worked on weekends sometimes. Lanie thought that it was abnormal for his father to be out of his office during office hours. "No more sses for the day, Big Bro! I''m so happy..." Rainie rested her cheeks on her hands and said excitedly. She was at the age where she would rather y outdoors than sit in the ssroom. Through the rearview mirror, Luke looked at the two children sitting properly in the back seat and said, "I''ll bring you two and Mommy to the theme park today. We''ll go home and pick Mommy up." The two children opened their mouths in shock, as though they had heard something incredible. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ''Daddy is bringing us to the theme park? Is the sun rising from the west? Daddy usually hates crowded and lively ces. Usually, Uncle Doyle would be the one who brings us there.'' However, they were nheless happy by Luke''s decision. They saw other children at the theme park with their parents, and they were dejected by the fact that they did not have a mother. They did not expect that they would be able to go to the theme park with both of their parents. ''Is he crazy?¡¯ That was Bianca''s first thought when she heard that Luke wanted to bring her and the kids to the theme park. However, she saw the anticipation in the children''s eyes and had no choice but to go along. Instead of his usual business suit and leather shoes, Luke was dressed in a white down jacket, a pair of dark-colored jeans, and white sneakers. That made him look a lot younger, as though he was a newly-graduated university student. Bianca was reminded of how Luke looked when he was younger. Back in university, he was energetic and handsome. She recalled the scenes in which Luke yed basketball with his friends. Her affection for Luke at that time was like a young girl''s affection for an idol, i Yearster, they were together once more, and they had a pair of cute children. That was quite unbelievable. The theme park had fewer visitors on a weekday, but it was as lively as usual. It was not the first time the children went to the theme park, but they were happier than usual because their Daddy and Mommy were with them. Luke bought the tickets. They passed through the security check and headed toward the entrance of the theme park. The handsome father held the beautiful mother¡¯s hand. By their sides were two cute children. The perfect family of four caught a lot of attention from the other visitors. They visited the various attractions as they went around the theme park. When they passed by food stalls, the usually strict father would buy snacks for them. It was a fun day for the family. In a hidden corner, two men whose faces were obscured with baseball caps held high-definition SLR cameras in their hands. They captured all the happy and intimate scenes of the family. Luke was used to sitting in his office or going to high-end ces. He had never shown any interest in going to theme parks and thought that the attractions were childish. This time, he was there to apany Bianca and the two children. While Bianca and the two children yed, he could not be only standing by the side and watching. Bianca, Lanie, and Rainie looked at him with expectant gazes, and he had no choice but toply. Reluctantly, he joined in the games which he thought were very boring. The theme park had an artificial beach in a temperature-controlled ss dome. Colorful shells and pebbles adorned the beach that was surrounded by tropical trees and flowers. The artificial miniature sea shimmered beautifully under the afternoon sun. The artificial beach was crowded. Many people were either sitting or basking. Young mothers sat in groups, chatting about raising their children while they watched their children y. Several adults waded the shallow water with their children, who were happily picking up shells and cing them in their buckets. In the artificial sea were several intable motorboats. People were having fun in them. It was a bustling scene. It was warm inside the ss dome. Bianca helped Lanie and Rainie take off their jackets and boots and rolled up their pants legs. She took off her shoes, gave the children''s jackets and boots to Luke for safekeeping, then jogged toward the beach with her children in tow... Lanie and Rainie instantly became the focus of everyone''s attention. They made fast friends with the other children. Bianca crouched on the beach, smiling while watching the children y. She asionally kissed the children''s cheeks, which made themugh with delight. The loving scene made people envious. Luke took out his phone and secretly recorded a video of the heartwarming scene... Suddenly, one of the intable motorboats lost control. It sped from the far end of the artificial sea toward the beach! The driver of the boat was a young mother. A four-year-old girl sat in herp, and her face was already wet with frightened tears. The young mother was screaming hysterically. "Move away! I can''t control the boat! Move away..." Everyone on the beach shrieked in panic and brought their children away! A three-year-old boy was wading unsteadily in the water while grabbing handfuls of sand. His parents were nowhere to be seen. The young boy turned to look at the motorboat heading toward him. His eyes were wide open, and he did not know what was going on. The people shrieked when they saw that. Some women closed their eyes, unwilling to see what would soon happen. Bianca noticed that as well. Instinctively, she ran over to the little boy and shielded him with her body. Her mind was nk at that moment. All she knew was that she had to protect the boy. She closed her eyes, bit her lip, and waited for disaster to strike... Chapter 295 Chapter 295 You Are Important To Me She did not know how much time had passed when a strong hand pulled her and the child in her arms aside. Luke tightly grabbed onto Bianca, and his face was pale. "Are you an idiot, Bianca? Don''t you know that what you did was very dangerous?" He said angrily. He counted his lucky stars that the young mother fiddled with a lever or a button and managed to stop the motorboat right before it struck Bianca. The motorboat was only one fist''s distance away from Bianca and the child. If she had been a split second slower in stopping the boat, an unimaginable disaster would have happened. When Luke saw that scene, he could feel his world crumbling around him. His leg muscles were pumping as hard as they could as he ran toward Bianca, though his body was shaking. When he saw that Bianca was safe, his face was contorted by the fear and anger in his heart. It was a dangerous scene. "He''s... he''s still a child, and he doesn''t know what to do. If I didn''t save him, he would''ve been badly injured or died under the boat. I didn''t think too much; all I knew was that I had to save him," Bianca exined. Even now, she could not believe that she had done that out of instinct. Perhaps that was the instinct of every mother. Luke was a man who did not know how to take care of children. He could not understand it. Luke saw that Bianca was starting to feel afraid and yelled at her, "Even if you don''t think about yourself, at least spare a thought for me and the children. Promise me, Bianca, promise me that you won''t do this ever again. The children and I can''t afford to lose you." He did not know what to do if he really lost Bianca. Bianca and the children''s safety was his top priority. No one else couldpare. The sensation of nearly losing her almost drove him crazy. "My son!" A portly middle-aged man shouted while he ran over. Tears were almost falling from his eyes. The man had stepped out of the ss dome for a smoke, but he did not expect that his son would encounter a near-fatal ident. His heart nearly shattered when he saw the motorboat rammed toward the little boy. He was too far away, and he would not reach his son in time. The boy was his only son after many years of marriage... Suddenly, he saw a young woman shielding his son under her embrace. Fortunately, the motorboat managed to stop in time. If something happened to his son, how should he exin it to his wife and parents? The father examined the son and made sure that the little boy suffered no harm. He turned around and wanted to thank Bianca, but he choked on his words when he heard Luke reprimanding Bianca. Those words of gratitude were stuck in his throat, and he was unable to say them.N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Luke was livid, but he had to gaze at Bianca gently. The man was incredibly handsome, and he stood out in a crowd of normal people. Now that he was angry, the people around him felt a chill coursing down their spines, and they looked at him with fear. "Boo hoo... boo..." Rainie ran over and fell into Bianca''s arms. Her face was wet with tears. She was shocked by the scene earlier and was afraid that the motorboat might run over her mother. Lanie''s eyes were red. He tugged the hem of Bianca''s shirt tightly, and he sounded like he was sobbing. "You gave us such a fright earlier, Mommy. Thank goodness you''re fine..." Bianca was also very afraid. Fortunately, she was not hurt. Her heart wrenched when she looked at her two cute children. If something had happened to her, what should Lanie and Rainie do? Of course, those were mere hypotheticals. In an emergency, she did not have the time to consider that. Luke''s anger subsided when he saw that Bianca''s hands that were hugging her children were shaking. All that was left was a strong sense of tenderness. Under the public eye, he hugged her tightly. Her head dug into his chest. Luke might be acting more gently, but his tone of voice remained harsh. "Don''t cry. I won''t be angry at you. Even if you want to be a hero next time, you ought to consider your position first. To me, you are very important." The boy looked at the pretty woman who had just saved him and at her two children. They were crying, and so he started bawling too. The middle- aged man tried his best tofort his child while the onlookers whispered with each other. The young mother, who had nearly caused an ident, got off the motorboat and apologized incessantly to Bianca, but Luke reprimanded her sternly. Luke''s anger was raging. He was used to being a boss, and he treated the young mother as one of his subordinates. She struggled to catch a breath under Luke¡¯s forceful presence and wished that she could disappear into a hole under her feet. The young mother''s daughter was about the same age as Lanie and Rainie. Seeing that her mother was being scolded by a fierce man, she started bawling too. Luke shot a savage nce at the young girl. "Shut up!" He roared. He never showed any mercy toward crying children, even his own! The little girl was used to being pampered. She bawled even louder when she saw Luke''s horrific expression and heard Luke''s rebuke. The young mother knew that it was her fault and she dared not talk back to Luke. She crouched down and tried tofort her daughter. The scene was very chaotic, with multiple children crying... The staff of the theme park received notice of the incident and rushed over. Luke sternly warned the theme park staff that they should temporarily shut down operations and only resume after the equipment had been certified safe. Then, he went away with Bianca and the two children. When Shandra arrived at the hospital, Xavier was still wrapped in bandages and lying on the hospital bed. He leanedzily on the headboard and ate fruits. Shandra nced at him curiously. Tve heard that you''ve been beaten badly, my old schoolmate, and that''s why I''vee to visit you. If I knew that you''re so ''energetic,'' I shouldn''t havee." Xavier tossed a purple grape into the air and caught it with his mouth. He was having fun. He took out a napkin and elegantly wiped the corners of his mouth. "Even if you don''te today, I''ll still be contacting you in the next few days. You should know the situation on my side. I want to know how I can stop Bianca from divorcing me and get the court to withdraw the application. If it reallyes down to getting a verdict in court, what are our chances of winning?" Shandra''s eyes sparkled. ''If Walter Long isn''t Bianca''s defendingwyer, I can say that our chances of winning are almost a hundred percent." Chapter 296 Chapter 296 This Is Mr. Crawford''s Idea. If Ms. Rayne Knows... Shandra was not bragging. Other than losing to Walter several times, she had never lost awsuit against anotherwyer. Xavier smiled mockingly when he heard Shandra''s answer. "My dear schoolmate, I remember that you''re always the top scorer in thew college, and Walter is always second ce. I thought that you''re more outstanding than him. Why is that not the case now?" Back when they were in college, Shandra''s sharp tongue inw debatepetitions was a force to be reckoned with. Walter was also an outstanding student, but he was always several points below Shandra. Shandra''s indifferent expression wavered slightly when she heard Xavier''s words, but she soon resumed herposure. Back in school, Walter had always let her win. He knew that she hated losing, and she would be depressed for a while if she got second ce. At first, she did not know that Walter was letting her win. When she stepped into society and was faced with difficulties at work, it was only then that she realized that the man had been taking care of her. However, no matter how caring he might be, that could not cover the fact that he had hurt her greatly. When she thought of Walter being together with another woman, Shandra''s eyes shed with resentment. Walter Long shall be Shandra Cullen''s sworn enemy for all time. If she had to suffer, she would not let Walter livefortably either! Shandra quickly tucked away her personal feelings on the matter and resumed her professionalism. "Things are different in school and society. Everything is theoretical in school, and I only realized that it''s different after I started working. Shouldn''t you know that very well, my old schoolmate?" Xavier peeled an orange and handed it to Shandra. Seeing that she did not ept it, he ate a slice. "I don''t care what grudges you have against Walter, and I don''t care what methods you have to use, I want you to win this case! It''s either you defeat Walter in court, or you get Walter to withdraw himself from the case." Xavier thought that the second option was not very probable. After all, Walter was thewyer on retainer for T Corporation, and he had always listened to whatever Luke said. If Luke wanted Walter to break up Xaiver and Bianca, was there a reason that he should refuse? Shandra smirked, and her lips curled into an eerie smile. "Don''t worry. I''ll win the case for you, no matter what it takes. Just wait for me. I''ll give you a satisfactory answer." Xavier looked at Shandra''s confident grin and smiled. He was eager for the showdown to start. Mavis was in the Western Europe branch tying up the loose ends of the Regal PR crisis. She took a puff of her cigarette, then opened the link about the "Major Scandal" that the department lead had sent her. i She read the article carefully. Then, she listened to the department lead''s report about the rtionship between Bianca and the CEO. It seemed that they had a misunderstanding between them. Mavis smiled with satisfaction. Her little trick was worth it. Any woman would be suspicious of their man if they found women''s lingerie in his car. Moreover, she had answered Bianca''s call that was meant for Luke. Bianca must be very suspicious of Luke''s loyalty... The sensational news that had appeared out of nowhere was a very big help to her ends. Luke might ignore public criticism and insist on being together with Bianca, but his family would not allow that remarried woman to enter their doors. Mavis felt better after thinking of that. She decided that she would finish her work there as soon as possible, then return to A City. She had been waiting for Luke for so many years, and she decided that she would not wait any longer. Luke was hers, and no one else can take him away from her! 1 When Jason picked up Nina from The Glitz, he was shocked by how little she wore and how haggard she looked. Thest time he had seen her was a few days ago, but the cheerful young woman was a shade of her former self. Her eyes that curved like crescent moons whenever she smiled were hollow and lifeless. Her neck was filled with ck and blue bruises, the signs of abuse. Jason knew what the bruises meant. He was shocked by the fact that even though his boss had told Percy to get his younger brother to let Nina go, she was nevertheless ravaged. He sighed deeply when he saw how Nina''s body was frail like a puppet without its strings, as though she could copse into a heap at any time. Nina was good friends with Bianca. If Bianca knew that her friend had be like that because of her, she would be incredibly guilty. Jason took off his coat and draped it over the shivering Nina. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. "I''ll bring you to the mall to buy some clothes, Ms. Langdon. If you go home like that, it''s..." "It won''t be nice" was what Jason wanted to say, but he did not finish the sentence. He felt that speaking even an extra word would be of no use. Nina shook her head gently. "Thank you, Mr. Doyle, but there''s no need. Please send me home." As the car departed, Nina turned her head and nced at The Glitz. That was where she had lost herself. Pierre had toyed with her for one day and one night with all sorts of brutal methods. She closed her eyes, feeling extreme hatred. One day, she would take her revenge! The car stopped in front of Nina''s neighborhood. Nina was just about to open the door when Jason stopped her. "Please wait a moment, Ms. Langdon." "Is there something else, Mr. Doyle?" Nina asked. Jason took out a signed check from his coat pocket, hesitated for a moment, and handed the check to her. Nina nced at it. On it was the number "2" followed by six zeroes. Two million dors. She did not take it but instead asked, "What''s the meaning of this, Mr. Doyle?" "This is Mr. Crawford''s idea. When he knew that you were in Pierre Mallory''s hands, he instantly called Pierre''s brother Percy to get him to let you go. He did not expect that Pierre was a scoundrel, and I''m sorry that it took us that long to pick you up... Mr. Crawford knows that you are good friends with Ms. Rayne. If she knows that you have been abused by Pierre because of her, she would bear that guilt for the rest of her life. Mr. Crawford hopes that you won''t mention the incident in front of her, and the two million dors is compensation for your loss..." Nina suddenlyughed. Sheughed so hard until her tears started flowing. Jason stared at Nina, wondering how he shouldfort her. Suddenly, Nina snatched the check from his hand and, without saying another word, opened the door and stepped out. The frail figure walked slowly into the neighborhood. Chapter 297 Chapter 297 Now That You''ve Slept With Another Man, You Might As Well Sell Yourself! Anna, Nina''s mother, was currently cooking in the kitchen. When she heard the door open, she peeked out to see who it was. She saw her daughtering in through the door with a man''s coat draped over her body. Then, she saw the bruises on her daughter''s neck. Anna flew into a rage and hurled the te in her hands onto the floor! Her son was still in prison, but her daughter had the mood to flirt with other men! "Mom.¡¯ Nina was physically and mentally tired. She briefly greeted her temperamental mother and headed to her room to rest. She had not taken two steps when she heard a loud p! Suddenly, she felt a searing pain on her cheek! Nina covered her face and looked at her mother with disbelief. Anna poked her daughter''s forehead with the sharp fingernail of her index finger as though intending to scrape off the skin. "Where have you been, you useless child? Tell me honestly, have you been sleeping with other men? I told you countless times that a woman should know how to love their own body. If you lose your virginity, then your worth will decrease by a lot. Have you forgotten what I''ve taught you?" Anna was livid. She was very concerned about whether her daughter Nina was still a virgin. As an uneducated, old-fashioned woman, she valued sons way more than daughters. Nina''s position in the familiar was nowhere near her brother Jean''s. One was sent to an overseas university, while the other went to a local university and had to work to fund her own studies. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. To Anna, daughters were a loss-making investment. Unfortunately, her precious son was sent to prison, and the family incurred a huge debt from thewsuit. She also had a mortgage to pay and some bribes to ce. With no other choice, Anna could only ce her hopes on her only daughter. Nina might look somewhat in, but she had an excellent figure. Most importantly, she was a virgin. Anna had been talking to a friend of hers and found out that her friend''s daughter was a rich man''s mistress. Not only was she given arge house, but she could also get a lot of money as long as she opened her mouth. That had piqued Anna''s interest. As far as she knew, her friend''s daughter had a tattered reputation and had worked as an escort in a nightclub. If a woman like that could find a generous sugar daddy, then Nina would be able to use her identity as a virgin to find a better man. i She had raised Nina with a lot of effort so that she could get a lot of money when she married her daughter off. She had even asked her friend to ask around about any rich businessmen who might be interested in marrying a virgin. Her friend''s daughter had agreed to be a matchmaker and said that she would give her a reply in the coming days. Before her friend coulde back to her with an answer, her daughter had been... Anna was exasperated. She even had the urge to kill her daughter! The difference in price between a virgin and someone who was not was heaven and earth! Tm very tired, Mom. I want to rest.¡¯ Nina''s heart wrenched. She had returned to the house in such a sorry state. Not only did her mother not ask her what happened out of concern but instead reprimanded and insulted her. Nina was heartbroken. Nina''s attitude angered her mother. Anna grabbed her hair and pulled it so hard that her scalp was almost tearing off. "Watch your attitude! Answer me, are you still a virgin or not?" Nina''s scalp stung with pain, and her body was weak. "I''m not a virgin! I was raped! Are you satisfied?" She roared in despair. Anna was stunned by her daughter''s answer. When she came to her senses, she picked up the nearest object within reach and hurled it at her daughter! As she did so, she continued scolding, "You idiot! Your brother is suffering in prison, but you''re outside sleeping with other men. You deserve to be raped! I thought you would have made some money for me, but you''ve blown it!" Anna swung the stic broom onto Nina''s body, which hurt her to the bone. Nina dodged and grabbed onto the stic handle. She red at her mother calmly through tearful eyes. "Am I nothing but a money-making tool to you, Mom? Am I not your birth daughter? Why do you treat me so differently from Brother?" Anna was livid when her daughter mentioned Jean. "How dare you mention your brother? He''s in prison now all because of that Bianca! You''re not earning money to save your brother, but you''re always messing around with that woman. Do you n to send me to my grave?" "Jean''s the one who committed a crime. He tried to drug Bianca and give her to other perverts. He''s an immoral brat who deserves everything that''s happened to him!" Nina yelled at her mother. Anna was the one who had spoiled her son and groomed his twisted personality. Who else could she me? Anna became angrier when she heard that. She started pping and wing at Nina. Nina tried to dodge, but several bloody gashes appeared on her face. "Your brother needs a lot of money. Now that you''re not a virgin anymore, you''ve be worthless. If you''ve already slept with a man, why not do it a few more times for money? Find a good ce, and you''ll get a lot of money every time you sleep with a man. Consider that repayment for my many years of raising you!" Nina red at Anna''s materialistic face. Her hand was burning as she clutched onto that check. She could not hold back her tears anymore. Her birth mother had asked her to sleep with other men for money. What a cruel joke! She threw the crumpled check at Anna''s face and said sarcastically, "You want me to sleep with a man for money, right? I hope this is enough for you! Then, she stomped toward her room, enduring the pain that came from her lower torso. Anna was surprised by her daughter''s outburst. She picked up the check from the floor, saw the number written on it, and ecstatically pped her thigh. She took her handbag and went to the bank, forgetting that she was halfway cooking. She did not even look at her daughter, who had just returned from an ordeal. When Bianca found out that Jason had picked up Nina, she was anxious to look for her. She had been constantly worried about Nina''s whereabouts. Luke stopped her. ¡®Nina has been through quite a lot, and she''s resting at home. You should visit her in a few days when she''s in a better mental state. Moreover, she might not want you to see her in such a sorry state." Bianca felt guilty when she heard those words. Nina was abducted because of her. Bianca could not sleep well when she thought about it. She could not rest at ease if she did not confirm with her own eyes that Nina was safe. After Luke brought the two children back to Crawford Manor, Bianca tried calling Nina but could not get through. She remembered that Xavier had taken Nina''s phone away. Anxious to meet Nina, she went out of the apartment and took a cab to Nina''s house. Chapter 298 Chapter 298 Bianca Narrowly Won and Stepped On Dor Bills As She Left! After cashing in the check, Anna was on cloud nine. She had expected the check to be a dud, but she did not expect that the bank staff took it respectfully and transferred the amount to her ount without a hitch. Anna withdrew 100,000 dors in cash and kept the rest in her ount. On the way back, she took the cab for the first time. Sitting in the cab, Anna thought that she was in a dream. She realized that she was awake after pinching herself several times. The cab driver stole several nces at Anna when she was pinching herself while holding a bulging ck handbag. Anna hugged her snakeskin handbag close. "What are you looking at? Focus on your driving!" When she opened her mouth, her shrewish and miserly temperament wasid bare. She was afraid that the cab driver might snatch her handbag. Anna did not know where her daughter had gotten that much money, but that was none of her business. She did not care if her daughter was sleeping with other men for money, as long as she had money to spend, i She nned to cook some delicious food for her daughter and gain her favor. If her daughter would give her more money, she could perhaps use it to line the pockets of the prison authorities. The cab driver smiled and shook his head. He was not going to argue with that shrew. Unfortunately, the road was under construction and was quite bumpy. Anna was still cursing when she arrived at the neighborhood. "Don''t you know how to drive, you mongrel?" She cursed. Anna had a sharp tongue, and she could spew out curses for an entire day without repeating herself. The pedestrians that walked in and out of the neighborhood entrance looked at her as though they were looking at a monster. They would rather stay away from that uncivilized woman... Bianca had just arrived at the neighborhood and happened to hear Anna''s loud cursing voice. That made her frown. She was not expecting to meet Anna at the neighborhood entrance. She would have ignored Anna, but Anna was Nina''s mother. All she could do was brace herself and walk toward the woman, "Madam, is Nina at home?" Anna was unhappy that someone had interjected her tirade. When she turned around and saw that it was Bianca, the fires of anger in her heart surged! "Why are you here? Isn''t it enough that you¡¯ve ruined my son, and now you want to ruin my daughter?" Anna shrieked. She had the urge to stab the cheap woman in front of her with a knife. Her son would not have gone to prison if not for her! "Madam, Jean deserved to go to prison. If he didn''t do anything wrong, why would he be arrested? I''m here to visit Nina and not to argue with you," Bianca said impassively and continued to walk toward the neighborhood. Before Bianca broke up with Jean, Anna had readily believed what was told to her by the gossips in the neighborhood and thought that Bianca had a sugar daddy elsewhere. Not only had Anna fought with her, but she had harbored the illicit affair between Jean and Marie. Bianca''s impression of Anna was wholly negative. However, Bianca did not intend to do anything to that woman, seeing that she was Nina''s mother. She wanted to avoid Anna as much as possible. Even though Bianca thought so, Anna was unrelenting. She stepped in Bianca''s way and, forgetting that it was bulging with cash, whirled her snakeskin handbag to hit Bianca. "Leave now, you ruinous wench! We don''t wee you! Jean was devoted to you, but you conspired with other people and sent him to prison... Have you forgotten who was the one who stayed beside you when you were overseas? Not only are you not grateful to my son, but you''ve falsely used him of a crime. Why don''t you go and die, you heartless woman? Nina was an idiot to have believed you! Get lost now! I don''t want you to ruin our family!" Anna, shrew that she was, cursed and hit Bianca. Bianca tried to block and dodge, but her strength was no match for Anna, who was stronger because she was used to doing menial chores. Several long and red scratch marks appeared on Bianca''s neck! None of the onlookers dared to pull them apart. Everyone who lived in the neighborhood knew that Anna was an unreasonable shrew. She was unstoppable whenever she was on one of her rampages. No one was willing to put themselves in trouble. They all looked at Bianca with pity, wondering why would that beautiful woman cross that crazy woman... Bianca could not take it anymore. She grabbed Anna''s hands with all her might and shouted angrily, "That''s enough! I wont go easy on you!" Anna was almost foaming at the mouth when she looked at Bianca''s pure face that reminded her of her son currently suffering in prison. She pointed at Bianca''s nose and cursed, "You loose woman, when you were together with my son, you had an affair with a wealthy man, and you caused my son to go to prison. How dare you show up at my house now? Where did you get the gall to do that?" The onlookers started whispering when they heard what Anna said. They even regarded Bianca differently. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Bianca''s expression sank when she heard Anna''s half-truths. "Don''t you feel ashamed telling those lies, Madam? Your son was the one who drugged me and tried to get other men to vite me... No woman would forgive their man for doing so. All I did was follow the standard legal procedure. No one framed him." "So that''s why Mrs. Langdon''s son went to prison! Tsk tsk, I thought he looked like a gentleman but didn''t expect that he''s a pervert..." "Look at his shrew of a mother. Would you expect the son to behave any better?" "Now I''m scared to live in the same neighborhood as them. There''s no one decent in that family. Let''s avoid them in the future!" Public opinion instantly changed. Anna gnashed her teeth angrily! Bianca walked away. She knew that she would not be able to see Nina today, and she did not want to bring the argument up to her house. She would return in a couple of days. Unexpectedly, Anna flung her snakeskin handbag at Bianca''s head! The snakeskin handbag was not very sturdy. It was already bursting at the seams when Anna used it to hit Bianca earlier. Bianca nimbly dodged away, and the snakeskin handbag mmed heavily on a tree trunk. The handbag burst, showering the surrounding with green dor bills... Bianca stepped on the bills and walked away. She did not even turn around and look. Meanwhile, the onlookers saw that the banknotes were scattered all over the ce by the wind. They happily picked up as many as they could, stuffed them in their pockets, and ran away. Bianca could vaguely hear Anna cursing and yelling, but at the same time also crying and wailing to stop the other people from taking her money... Chapter 299 Chapter 299 Lanie Gave Daddy A Thumbs-Up! Bianca was not able to meet Nina. She was not relieved. However, she was helpless against Anna. Anna bore a deep-seated grudge against Bianca, and there was no way she was reasonable enough to listen to Bianca. However, Anna was nevertheless Nina''s mother, and she could not do anything to her. Bianca thought of Sue. If Sue went to visit Nina, Anna would have no excuse to drive her daughter''s colleague away, as unreasonable as she might be. Bianca gave a call to Sue, tactfully saying that Nina had fallen sick. Bianca also exined that Nina''s mother bore a grudge against her, and it was not convenient for her to go and visit, which was why she asked Sue to visit Nina on her behalf. She did not tell Sue about what actually happened to Nina. After all, no woman would want other people to know that they were abducted and vited. Sue agreed to it immediately and promised that she would visit Nina after work. She also asked Bianca to send her Nina''s address. Bianca was physically and mentally tired when she arrived at her apartment. She changed into her slippers, went into the bathroom, and took a hot water shower. Her neck stung when the hot water sshed on the scratches. She did not treat her injuries, thinking that those scratches were nothingpared to what Nina went through. Bianca slowly closed her eyes... It was all Xavier''s fault! She did not know why he was so obsessed with her. Not only had he harmed her, but he had also harmed her best friend. That was unforgivable, even if she killed him with her own hands. A storm was brewing in Crawford Manor. When Luke came back with the two children, he saw Old Master Crawford sitting in the living room, holding his walking stick, and with a gloomy expression on his face. As usual, his mother Allison wore impable make-up, inadvertently unting a new pair of crystal bracelets to Susan. Susan''s already unpleasant expression was filled with envy and resentment. Louis was sitting seriously on the couch, a far cry from his usual carefree attitude. He shot a nce at Luke when thetter stepped in through the door, as though saying, "Bad news, Luke! Grandpa knows about the scandalous post on Xeddit. Careful of his anger!" Luke ignored his brother''s sign and patted the two children''s heads. The two children happily ran toward their great-grandfather and greeted him, which made Old Master Crawford instantly delighted. He nearly forgot that he was going to interrogate his eldest grandson. Susan snorted and started to speak sarcastically, "You''ve finally decided toe back! Everyone on the Inte knows that Young Master Crawford has beat up his cousin and imed his cousin-inw! As the saying goes, like mother, like son. The Crawford family reputation is in ruins now. Shouldn''t you say something about this, Father?" Allison was unhappy when she heard that. She frowned and said, "Can you believe that nonsense you read on the Inte, Susan? Everyone knows how outstanding my son is and how much he has contributed to the family. Why would he flirt with another woman? It''s that shameless Bianca Rayne that''s pestering my Luke!" "Your son is involved in a major scandal, Allison Tanner. Not only you''re not reflecting upon your failed education, but you''re still making excuses. Aren''t you shameless? Of course you are, and your son is just as shameless as you!" "Of course. My son isn''t as delicate as your son. Who could be a better decadent than your son? I''m not exaggerating if I say that Second Young Master Crawford would poke anything that moves. He sleeps with a different woman every night, and he will eventually die on the bed of another woman," Allison retorted mercilessly. Susan, being born in a wealthy family, was no match for Allison when it came to hurling insults! She shook with anger and wondered how Zachary had his eye on such an uncultured woman. She was secretly delighted that Allison had revealed her vulgar side! Louis was speechless. He was only sitting there not doing anything, but he was not spared anyway. Old Master Crawford had a headache when he saw his two daughters-in-w arguing with each other. He wanted to drive them away from the household. He mmed one end of his walking stick on the floor and assumed an authoritative air. "That''s enough! If you want to argue, go outside!" Susan and Allison immediately shut up when they saw that Old Master Crawford was angry. However, the hidden resentment in their eyes was palpable. When Luke calmly sat down on the couch, Old Master Crawford did not beat around the bush and instead started his interrogation. "Luke, are the rumors on the Inte about you, Bianca, and Xavier true? Is it true that Bianca and Xavier are a couple, but you interfered and snatched the woman?" C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Allison was discontented. She spoke up for her son. "How could that be, Father? Luke''s qualifications are so much better than Xavier''s. Why would he need to ruin their marriage? Moreover, you can tell that Bianca is a loose woman. She''s born and raised in an insignificant family, and she''s embarrassingly petty. She must be the one who tried to flirt with Luke. Allison stole a nce at his son. Luke was mature and dependable, and many daughters of wealthy families dreamed of marrying him. Even Leia Norman, the daughter of the Provincial Committee Secretary, was smitten with him. That showed how attractive her son was. No matter what happened, Allison would not allow the lowly Bianca to im her son''s heart. "Hah! Are you talking about yourself? I wonder if you''ve forgotten about how lowly you were back then. How dare you criticize other people?" Susan mocked. Allison gritted her teeth in anger. "Are you purposely picking on me, Susan Armstrong?¡± "Bianca is my woman, mother. I hope that you can treat her with respect!" Luke''s expression was gloomy, and the words that came out of his mouth were like ice. He did not like other people talking down on Bianca, including his birth mother. "You..." Allison was instantly unhappy when her son had rebuked her in front of everyone, especially Susan. "Don''t be deceived by Bianca, son. She''s a materialistic and selfish woman who is no match for you. You deserve a better woman." Luke raised his head and stared at his mother. His expression was as icy as ever. Allison sighed and said no more. Luke turned his head and spoke determinedly toward Old Master Crawford and Allison. "Grandfather, Mother, don''t worry. I don''t care if you don''t know Bianca or if you don''t want her in the household, she is the only woman for me and the only mother of the two children." Lanie discreetly gave his father a thumbs-up as he looked at Luke with admiration. ''Good job, Daddy! You''re not afraid of Great-Grandpa''s presence or Grandma''s tantrums. You''ve done your best so that we can live together with Mommy!" Chapter 300 Chapter 300 This Is Luke''s Request. I Can''t Say No. Old Master Crawford was furious when he heard Luke say that he would not marry anyone except Bianca. He knocked his walking stick on his grandson''s body. "You ingrate! Do you really intend to marry that disreputable woman? Have you ever considered what that would do to the reputation of the Crawford family? Do you want us to be the joke of A City?" Luke stood straight. The words that came from his mouth made Old Master Crawford angrier than ever. "What reputation do we currently have, Grandfather?" He nced at his mother and Susan sitting on the couch, and his implications were clear. The atmosphere became tense. Was there any other man in modern society that married two concurrent wives? Old Master Crawford struggled to catch his breath when he heard what Luke said. Louis, sitting beside him, gently patted his grandfather''s back." Grandpa, the doctor says that you shouldn''t get angry. You''ll have to control your temper. Otherwise, you''ll have to stay in the hospital for a few days again... ouch! Old Master Crawford whacked Louis''s head with his walking stick, which caused him to wail in pain and look at his grandfather resentfully. The old man nced at Louis ferociously, indicating his sour mood. "Just keep your mouth shut. Your brother angers me, but you''re not an angel either. You have a scandal with a celebrity every other day. Do you think that I cant control you because I''m old and useless?" "..." Louis was speechless. ''Aren''t we talking about Luke here? Why are you disciplining me?" Susan could not hold back her anger when she saw that her precious son was reprimanded. "That''s not the case, Father. Who''s the one who keeps Louis away from the business? Luke handles everything in T Corporation, while Louis only has a decorative general manager title. Louis is unhappy about this preferential treatment, and that''s why he has to pursue pleasure outside. Can you me him? If Louis takes over T Corporation..." She was indignant whenever she thought about that. Her son should have been the heir of the Crawford family business, but the son of that wretched woman Allison took over the reins instead. That had been a sore spot for over so many years. To her, all of the riches of the Crawford family should belong to Louis, and Allison and her illegitimate son should be driven out of the household! Louis was instantly annoyed when his mother suggested that he should go into business. "I''m not meant for business, Mom. T Corporation will go up in mes in a matter of days if I take over the reins, and I don''t want to singlehandedly bankrupt the family. Don''t even mention me taking over T Corporation again. Otherwise, I won''te home." N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Allison gloated as she looked at Susan and her son. So what if Susan was the legitimate wife? She had a useless son. Old Master Crawford knew that he had let Susan and her son down. However, Louis was not interested in inheriting the family business, and he did not have the acumen and assertiveness to lead T Corporation. The old man had let Louis take over several subsidiarypanies. However, Louis did not have the talent in business management. As expected, those businesses went bankrupt one after another. He could not imagine what would happen if he let Louis take the helm of T Corporation. Thepany might eventually cease to exist. "Enough talk. Louis, from tomorrow on, you''ll learn business management from your brother. I don''t want to see you wasting your life away!" Old Master Crawford sighed and said authoritatively. Louis wailed. "That can''t be, Grandpa! You want me to work? I don''t think I''m ready for it..." "You''re twenty-seven years old, not a child! All you know is y. Should I beat some sense into you?" Louis immediately shut his mouth when he saw that his grandfather was about to throw his walking stick at him. Why does Grandpa like to get violent without provocation? He should change his bad habit!'' Luke watched the interaction impassively. He was used to watching arguments in the household. Being with Bianca felt more like a family. His gaze turned gentle when he thought of Bianca. "Grandfather, Mother, I will proim my resolve here and now. I will not marry any woman other than Bianca Rayne, regardless of what you think." Then, Luke took the two children upstairs. The atmosphere in the living room was stifling. He did not want to linger there for too long. Old Master Crawford was preparing to vent his disagreement, but Luke had left the scene just like that. His body shook with anger! Luke frowned. He looked at the furious Old Master Crawford, then turned to speak to Louis. "Louis, call Johann and get him to nurse Grandfather back to health." Allison''s face was thunderously dark when Bianca was mentioned. Her mind automatically rejected the repulsive thought that Bianca would be her daughter-inw. She would not allow that to happen. In the cafe. As usual, Walter was dressed in a business suit, leather shoes, and a pair of gold-rimmed sses. His gentlemanly presence attracted a lot of attention from the young women around him. His slender fingers rhythmically tapped on the table. He might look calm andposed, but deep down, he was terribly nervous. He could not believe it when he received a call from Shandra. He thought that she was pulling a prank on him. It was only when he saw Shandra walk into the cafe, still as cold and aloof in his memories, that he believed that Shandra was back. "Long time no see." Shandra sat down opposite him. Her gaze on Walter was calm and collected, hiding the hatred that she felt for him. "How... have you been?" Walter asked with much difficulty. The bestwyer in the country stammered when he spoke to his first love. Walter knew very well how Shandra was doing. He had been monitoring any news of her. Shandra smiled mockingly and told him her intentions. "You don¡¯t have to worry about how I have been. I''m here today because I want you to relinquish your role as Bianca Rayne''s defensewyer." "You know that I can''t..." Walter looked at Shandra''s face greedily. However, he could not say no to Luke. He was greatly indebted to Luke. If Luke had not supported him when he took on that gang-rape case that shook the nation, he would have been torn to shreds by those influential people. Luke was a significant influence in his rise to fame. He could not refuse anything that Luke asked of him. Shandra smirked and retried a paper document from her briefcase. "We''ll see about that. Take a look at this first." Curiously, Walter took the document. His eyes abruptly widened when he read through the contents of the document. Following his disbelief, his eyes brimmed with utter agony, and the hands that held the document started shaking... Chapter 301 Chapter 301 Luke Could Instantly Guess the Reason CEO''s office, T Corporation. "Mr. Crawford, I cannot be Ms. Rayne''s defensewyer in her divorce case. I''m sorry." Walter stood in front of Luke¡¯s desk. His face was scrunched up. He was wracked with guilt for having declined Luke''s request. After all, he enjoyed his current fame because of Luke. Walter carefully nced at Luke. Luke was sitting casually on his chair. The sunlight that shone into the office from the floor-to-ceiling window highlighted his sculpted features. He took a puff from a cigarette. Amid the swirling clouds of smoke, his slightly furrowed brows indicated his displeasure. "Reason?" Luke flicked his cigarette. His harsh face showed no emotion. "Shandra is back." Walter''s expression was unreadable. "I''ve owed her too much. She even... removed her womb because of me. I didn''t know that I''d caused her so much damage. I''ve always wanted to repay the debt, but she never lets me. She''s too prideful to ask for anything from me, except this time..." "Shandra Cullen is Xavier''s defensewyer?" Luke instantly got to the point. "Yes." Walter clenched his right fist tightly. Luke knew about what happened between Walter and Shandra. Shandra was a prideful individual. She was an outstandingyer, and she had made a name for herself for her penchant for engaging in quibble. However, Shandra was never particr about her cases. She epted any case for the right price, even if her client was a notorious criminal. That was why she had a mixed reputation amongwyers. Walter continued, "Mr. Crawford, I have already contacted Mr. Irving Scott of Viva Law Firm. He usually handled international cases and is renowned inside and outside of the country. I know him quite well, and he has agreed to take over Ms. Rayne''s divorce case. This is his information." Walter handed a folder containing information about Irving Scott to Luke. Luke did not read it immediately. He furrowed his brows, seeming to ponder about something. "Alright then. Mr. Scott shall handle the divorce case," he said. Walter breathed a sigh of relief. However, Luke''s next words made Walter nervous again. "You should find some closure between you and Shandra. You might ept her demands this time, but what about next time, or after that? The rules of this world are harsh. No one would unconditionallyply with her, unlike you." Walter was on his way out of the office. He paused in his footsteps for a brief moment, let out a sigh, and went out through the door. Leia was having dinner with her parents when she received the call from the detective agency. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. She nced nervously at her parents, saw that they were having small talk with each other, and went to the balcony before she answered the call. Queenie handed a chicken wing to Jack while she noticed her daughter was acting secretively. "I say, Jack, do you see that? Our daughter has her little secrets now. She must be answering a call from her crush." "Leia isn''t young anymore," Jack replied, "She should be already finding a partner in marriage and leave the entertainment industry as soon as possible. A woman should stay at home and take care of the children. Jack was a chauvinist. He could not understand the mind of a woman. To him, he pursued whatever he liked without beating around the bush. That was how he had courted Queenie. Their rtionship bloomed without any incident. In fact, their courtship did notst for long before they married. Queenie was intelligent, considerate, and gentle. It was Jack''s ideal personality, and he had devoted everything to her. He might be an important politician, but he was also loving toward his wife. Queenie did not fully agree with what Jack said. If not for him, she would have fulfilled her dreams by venturing into the entertainment industry. However, she did not offer a retort. Instead, she said, "You''ve seen our daughter''s crush before, and I''ve also seen his photo on the magazines she bought. He looks handsome in the photos. How does he look like in real life? He should be an outstanding individual for being able to manage a multinational corporation." Queenie was worried that Luke in the magazine might look different in real life. After all, it was not surprising if the photos were edited. Jack seemed visibly excited when Luke was mentioned. "Doni worry about that. Luke is indeed as handsome as our Leia is pretty. The only thing is that he has two five-year-old children..." "The children won''t be an obstacle if he has an eye for our Leia. In fact, the children might be a catalyst to deepen their affection toward each other. Leia is a gentle girl, and I believe she should adore children. If she can''t take care of them, she can send the children here. I''m very willing to take care of them for her." Queenie suffered heavy bleeding when she was inbor. Not only had she lost her child in her womb, but it had also caused her to be infertile. That had always been a psychological burden to her. No one knew how eager she was to bear a child. Every time she walked on the street, she would have the urge to hug every cute child she saw. While they chatted, Leia ended the call and returned from the balcony. After greeting her parents, she was in a rush to head out. ¡°I have some business outside. Enjoy your dinner. You don''t have to wait for me." She put on her coat and was about to open the door. Jack was unhappy. "It''s already sote. Who are you meeting?" He was a strict father. He would not interfere in his daughter''s personal life if she stayed outte at work. However, she was at home, he did not like her going out at night. That was improper! Leia was anxious, but she patiently exined to her father. "My agent called me earlier, saying that there''s a problem with the . I''ll be back in an hour." Jack did not say anything, but he frowned harder. He looked down on people in the entertainment industry, thinking that it was beneath his status. For a conservative family like the Normans, he did not wish for his daughter to show her face in public. He thought it would be better if his daughter got a job as an office worker instead of an actress. However, his wife had supported his daughter''s career choice, and he had no say in it. Queenie stopped Leia, carefully wrapped a scarf around her neck, and gently told her toe back soon... Chapter 302 Chapter 302 Queenie''s Birth Daughter Is Still Alive! Leia was disguised in a thick woolen cap, a wide scarf, a mask, and a pair of sunsses. No one could tell that the woman dressed up in bulky clothes was the slender and beautiful female celebrity on television. She went into a private room. A man in his thirties with high cheekbones was already waiting for her inside. He had a full beard on his face, and though he might seem hostile, one could tell that he was not a bad guy from the sparkle in his eyes. Leia sat down on a chair and asked, "Did you find anything? Are there any updates?" She had been extremely worried over the past few days. What if her adopted mother''s birth daughter appeared out of nowhere and took over her position in the Norman family? The bearded man pushed a stack of documents in front of her. "We''ve found something. There are records from the hospital when your mother was giving birth, as well as the name lists and current statuses of the doctors and nurses that were working during the delivery. Your mother''s birth daughter... is still alive." i This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. That final sentence was like a thunderbolt out of the blue that split Leia into two! Her hands that were holding the document started trembling. ¡¯What... what did you say? My mother''s birth daughter is still alive? Where is she?¡¯ Leia''s bloodshot eyes were filled with viciousness, which shocked the bearded man. Leia was startled when she saw how shocked the bearded man was. She calmed down and said, "My adopted parents have missed their daughter for very long. They''ll be very happy if they find out that their birth daughter is still alive. Please find my sister for me, and let me know as soon as you find her. I wonder how much she has suffered over these years. If we can find her, we can make it up to her..." The bearded man seemed to be moved by her speech, but he did not say anything. His earnest shed eyes shed with cunning, and he said, "Do you know how hard it is to investigate something from more than twenty years ago, Ms. Norman? My agency has expended a lot of time, money, and energy to find the information that you''re reading now. We don''t have any news about your sister yet, but we should be able to find her whereabouts if you could..." The bearded man rubbed the thumb and index finger of his right hand back and forth. Leia knew what the man was trying to imply. "Don''t worry. If you can find my adopted parents'' birth daughter, you will be very handsomely rewarded." Everyone knew that celebrities in the entertainment industry made a lot of money. Even an endorsement deal could earn them far more money than a normal person would make in their entire life. Leia was not the most famous celebrity, but she had an influential father, and she had made a lot of money from various film shoots and endorsement deals. Leia took out her phone and transferred a sum of money to the bearded man. The bearded man smiled. "You''re very generous, Ms. Norman. Your sister would be very happy if she knew that she has a sister as kind as you." Leia smiled but did not say anything. Her parents'' birth daughter had disappeared for so many years. Why would she suddenly appear? She could not let that woman appear in front of her parents'' eyes, much less snatch her position in the family away! Bianca, Lanie, and Rainie nestled on the couch, looking through the photo prints from the theme park excursion. The two children were more excited than Bianca. As they looked through the album, they picked out each other''s funny faces captured on film. Rainie pointed at one of the photos featuring Lanie and said to Bianca," Look at Big Bro''s ugly face here, Mommy. He''s surrounded by so many little girls, but he''s not smiling at all! See, isn''t he ugly?" Bianca nced at the photo and chuckled. Her son was surrounded by a crowd of cute little girls. They were tugging his shirt, and some were even reaching out for his hands. Lanie seemed to be disgusted by their presence and wanted to push them away. That was when the photo was taken. The camera had perfectly captured the sneer on his face. Bianca was slightly worried. If her son was already so attractive when he was so young, would he be constantly swamped by women when he was older? She was worried that her son might be too handsome! Lanie was not happy when his mother and sister wereughing at him. He skimmed through the album and found several photos of Rainie. One was of her sobbing because she was afraid of heights, another was when she was pulling a funny face, and another was when she pouted... "Look, Mommy! Rainie is so ugly in these photos!" He started to make fun of his sister with his childish voice. "She''s already five years old, but she''s still afraid of heights! Looks, she''s pulling an ugly face here..." "Hmph! I might be ugly, but you''re my brother, and so you''re ugly too!" Rainie pulled her cheeks and stuck out her tongue. Bianca felt a different sort of bliss when she observed her children''s interactions. She thought that Luke, Lanie, and Rainie were extremely good-looking in those photos, no matter from which angle they were taken. Luke was reading a financial magazine at the side. When he saw that Bianca was thinking about something, he put away the magazine and asked her gently, "What''s wrong? Are you in a bad mood?" Bianca brought the photo album to him. "These are the photos that we took at the theme park." Luke took the album and browsed through a few pages. In those photos, he saw Bianca and the two children smiling like blooming flowers, and his gaze turned gentle. "Mm, very beautiful." Her presencepleted the family. The children were happy and lively because of her. "Luke, I''d like to... ask you something." Bianca''s expression suddenly turned serious. "Say it." Luke put away the financial magazine in his hand when he saw that Bianca was in a rare serious mood. "I want to ask you, can you exin thece panties in your car? And... when I called you while you were away, a woman answered the call." Bianca finally asked the questions that she had kept for so long. Chapter 303 Chapter 303 Daddy, Why Are You Eating Mommy''s Mouth? Luke did not know how to answer those questions. Since when was there a pair ofce panties in his car? Luke wracked his mind, but he could not think of anything. Had was a clean freak, so no stray article of clothing should have appeared in his car. Moreover, not many women traveled in his car. He could only think of his mother, Bianca, and Rainie. Rainie was still a child, and she would not be wearingce panties. Bianca could see that he was confused. "I found it under a car seat in the ck Bentley when I was looking for Rainie''s English textbook... it was a pair of ckce panties." Bianca stood up, went to the room, and retrieved the evidence. The existence of the ckce panties had always been a thorn on Bianca''s side. If she did not ask him, she would always be suspicious of him. C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Luke remained confused. "Aren''t those panties yours? Did you buy them and leave them in the car?" "Would I have asked you the question if the panties are mine?" Bianca asked. Luke sank deep in thought. Bianca continued, ¡¯Also, when you were in Western Europe dealing with the Regal PR crisis, I called you that night, but a woman answered the call. She said that you were taking a shower and asked me who I was..." Luke furrowed his brows slightly. Suddenly, he remembered that Mavis had asked him to stop at a convenience store on the way back from the dinner. She rushed inside and bought some toiletries. Did she stuff thece panties under the seat after that? When he thought of that possibility, his dark irises shed with a shocking coldness. If that were the case, then Ms. Laviere would have disappointed him. Not only that, no one should have touched his phone or answered calls on his behalf without his permission. While he was in Western Europe, only Ms. Laviere had entered his room. However, the position of his phone and the call records did not indicate that anyone had picked up his phone. Luke could tell from Bianca''s eyes that she was not lying. He also believed that Bianca would not joke about such a serious matter. If either one of the two incidents happened, it might only be an ident. However, if both incidents happened not too far apart from each other, there was reasonable ground for suspicion. Someone must be behind them. To Luke, Ms. Laviere was a workaholic. She was focused on her work, and even though many outstanding men tried to court her, she had rejected all their advances. Luke did not think that Mavis would be interested in a man that did not show any interest in her. After all, he did not show any interest in anything other than work or Bianca. If Mavis was indeed the person behind both incidents, what was her motivation for doing so? Of course, if that were part of Mavis''s schemes, Luke would be sending her overseas for a long time. Luke hugged Bianca''s waist while she was not paying attention and pulled her into his arms. Bianca felt uneasy when she did not know the truth yet. She was just about to protest, but her eyes met with Luke''s profound gaze... "What... are you doing? The children are here." Luke''s lips were pressed on Bianca''s sensitive earlobes, which made her tremble uncontrobly. She stole a nce at Lanie and Rainie. The children were focused on building a castle with building blocks and did not pay attention to what was happening between their parents. However, she remained embarrassed. "Don¡¯t be like that, Luke..." Bianca spoke, but her voice was low and hoarse. Luke pinched her chin harder and looked at her as though he was going to draw her into his eyes. "Do you trust me, Bianca? I really have no idea that those things happened, but I''ll investigate it thoroughly and give you a satisfactory answer. You should know that I don''t need much from you other than your truth. Do you understand?" Bianca stared at Luke''s earnest, sparkling eyes. The tenderness in his eyes was like a pool of water. She could not help but soften her attitude. Was that love? She loved Luke. When she was with him, she hoped that she could be a sloth, so that she could cling onto Luke at all times. However, if she lost her identity in the pursuit of love, she would only be a burden. She tried to change herself so that she did not have to cling to Luke too much. She took a deep breath and looked into Luke''s eyes. "I trust you. I don''t regret the things I''ve done with you, including what we''re doing now. However, I only hope that we can support each other. I won''t hurt you, and I expect that you don''t hurt me as well. It''ll be hard for us to forgive each other." Luke pressed his lips tightly together when he heard those words. Those words shocked him. He finally understood that a woman''s heart was frail and delicate, no matter how strong a front she might put up. Bianca would not forgive him if he betrayed her. Luke gently grasped Bianca''s fair wrist and squeezed it. He caressed her soft hair and said only one word, ¡¯ Alright." That was a promise to Bianca and himself. Bianca might not know that Luke had considered herself to be the only woman in her life since he was a younger and more cynical person. His fingers gently lifted her petite chin, and he lowered her head to kiss her cherry lips. He nibbled her neck, which caused her to shudder. Luke wanted to kiss her even harder. Bianca was almost lost in the intimacy. Inadvertently, she noticed two pairs of curious eyes staring at them. She was shocked and hastily shoved Luke away! ''Oh my god... we forgot that the children are here...'' Bianca''s fair face blushed red instantly. "Daddy, why are you eating Mommy''s lips? Does she have candy in her mouth? Can we taste it too?" Lanie ran up next to his mother and looked at her lips, wondering what the candy in her mouth would taste like. i ''Why was Daddy licking and sucking Mommy''s lips? ''Is Mommy hiding delicious candy in her mouth, and Daddy is sneakily eating it without letting me and Rainie know? ''Doesn''t Daddy hate sweets? That candy must be delicious!'' Chapter 304 Chapter 304 Who Knows What Luke Is Thinking? Lanie got excited when he thought about that possibility. He might be a boy, but like Rainie, he loved sweet stuff. Mommy''s lips looked really sweet, and Daddy seemed to be enjoying them. He wanted to taste if the candy in Mommy''s mouth was delicious. Lanie was a smart boy, but he was too young to know what kissing was. The only exnation he could come up with was that Daddy was eating candy from Mommy¡¯s mouth. "I want to eat the candy in your mouth too, Mommy. What vor is it?" Rainie also skipped next to Bianca and stared at her lips. "N... No, we''re not eating candy." Bianca was embarrassed. She did not know how to exin it to her children. She red at Luke, who responded with a helpless expression. When they were in the mood, they would not notice that their children were there! It was not the first time that the children had interrupted their intimate moments. It was a drag having to make sure that the children were not looking before they made out. That made Luke decide that two children were enough. Any more of those precocious brats would be a hassle. Lanie and Rainie stared curiously at their parents, wondering if their words were to be believed. Bianca crouched on the floor, brought her eyes to the children''s level, and tried to exin to them. "Just now, Daddy was kissing Mommy, just like how I always kiss your cheeks. It''s an expression of love, and it shows that Daddy loves Mommy very much. Do you understand?" Lanie and Rainie were precocious. Lanie''s big eyes rolled around, and he soon understood what Mommy was saying. The way Daddy kissed Mommy was different from how Mommy kissed them. However, he was nheless happy that Daddy loved Mommy in a different way. "So that''s how you show your love, Mommy? When we grow older, can Big Bro and I kiss like that?" Rainie asked innocently. "Only Daddies and Mommies can...¡¯ Bianca replied. Luke''s expression sank. He picked up Rainie like picking up a kitten and brought her to the bedroom. "You haven''t finished your homework today, right? Be a good girl and stay in your room to finish your homework. Otherwise, there''ll be no dinner for you tonight." Rainie wriggled in Luke''s hand. "Hmph! You only know how to threaten me like that!" C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. She nheless relented and obediently did her homework. After all, she loved eating, and nothing coulde in between her and food. Lanie pulled a long face. He snuggled on Bianca''sp and looked at Luke unhappily. When Luke turned around, he hugged Bianca even more tightly. "What are you doing, Lanie Crawford?" Luke looked at the little boy in confusion. Lanie looked at Luke with some hostility in his eyes. "Don''t kiss Mommy anymore!" "Why?" Luke was curious. Lanie red at him angrily. "Look! Mommy''s lips are all swollen now. It must be very painful.'' When he saw Daddy kissing Mommy earlier, he did not notice that Mommy''s lips were swollen. Even if Daddy loved Mommy, he should not have made her lips swollen! Luke nced at Bianca''s swollen and supple lips, then at Lanie. "It doesn''t hurt. Your Mommy likes it that way." Bianca ignored Luke''s teasing and hugged Lanie more tightly. She silently swore that she would keep the kids away when they made out. Lanie stomped his foot when he saw that Mommy did not reply. "You''re lying, Daddy! Shame on you for lying to children! Mommy is sad; she doesn''t like you treating her so violently!¡¯ Luke rolled his eyes at his son, but when his gaze floated over to Bianca, he looked at her charmingly. "Do you think that Mommy is sad? The more Daddy treats Mommy that way, the more I love her." Lanie thought that Daddy¡¯s gaze was detestable, as though he was interrogating him. The little boy took a deep breath and hugged Lanie''s neck with his meaty arms. "I''ll protect you, Mommy. Bad Daddy won''t be so rude to you anymore. Your lips are swollen, and it must hurt when you eat. How do you reduce the swelling?" i "My lips don''t hurt, Lanie. Daddy isn''t bullying Mommy. You have to trust Daddy that he loves Mommy as much as you do." Bianca felt warmth in her heart when she saw that the little boy cared so much for her. The two caring and intelligent children were her most treasured gifts from heaven. Lanie seemed visibly relieved, but his face was still scrunched up. "Daddy, I''ll forgive you this time because Mommy said so. I won''t go so easy on you next time." Luke nced at the little boy impassively, i He turned to look at Bianca, and his gaze turned as gentle as a spring breeze. Lanie felt a lot better when he saw that. Then, he ran into the bedroom. Daddy seemed to have a lot to tell Mommy, so he would not disturb them. He went into the bedroom to do his homework with his sister. Daniel sat in the CEO''s office, listening to the reports from his subordinates. He was extremely tired and stressed. "Mr. Tanner, our contracts have all been outbid by T Corporation, and no one is willing to work with our company. If this goes on, the financial situation of thepany will be worrying." Manager A reported to Daniel while wiping away cold sweat on his forehead. "One of our major shipments is detained at the customs, Mr. Tanner. I''ve contacted the authorities, but they said that there''s some problem with the formalities. A substantial portion of our liquid funds are stuck in that shipment, and the banks are refusing to grant us any loans. We don''t have any other sources of ie. Look here..." Manager B sighed. Manager C said helplessly, "The stock markets have been unstabletely, and our share prices have bottomed out. The shareholders areining, but T Corporation has been buying every single share out there... Mr. Crawford of T Corporation is your nephew, Mr. Tanner. Is there some misunderstanding between you two? Otherwise, why would T Corporation be attacking ustely?" Daniel''s expression seemed extremely unpleasant. How would he know what his crazy nephew was thinking? Luke had always ignored Tanner Corporation, so why would he suddenly act upon them? Was he forcing his uncle into a dead end? Chapter 305 Chapter 305 Ruthless Annihtion! Hilton Hotel. He knew from his sister Allison that his nephew Luke was in a business meeting at the hotel and rushed there instantly. He waited patiently until the meeting was over and instantly saw Luke in his business suit walking out of the hotel escorted by a group of elites. Every one of those people was outstanding, but Luke''s dominating presence and impable face made him stand out from the crowd. "Luke," Daniel called out to him. Luke noticed his uncle and waved at the elites. The other people knew that it was their time to disperse. Only Luke and Daniel were left in the lobby. "Is there something, Uncle Daniel?" Luke asked, even though he knew why his uncle was there. "Can you tell me where I have offended you, Luke? Are you nning to ruin mypany? What can I do to make you spare Tanner Corporation?'' Daniel spoke humbly to Luke so that he could save his life''s work. In only a few days, Daniel''s elderly countenance became more haggard than ever. Hispany was facing a life-and-death crisis. He would bow to his junior if that was what it took to save hispany. However, he could not understand why T Corporation would be attacking his company. Luke smirked. "You shouldn''t be looking for me today, Uncle Daniel. If you want to know the reason why, you should ask that precious son of yours." If Xavier signed the divorce agreement and promised that he would not bother Bianca anymore, he might have forgiven Tanner Corporation because they were family. He would have annihted Tanner Corporation if not that Daniel was his uncle. Xavier had overstepped his boundaries this time, and Luke acted at the fastest speed to cripple Tanner Corporation. Daniel nearly popped a vein when he heard that his son was the cause." Xavier? What did that good- for-nothing scoundrel do this time?" His son had always caused him anxiety. "Xavier hired someone to spread false information on the inte and had severely damaged mine and Bianca''s reputation. More than that, he had involved Lanie and Rainie in it. The children are still young, and they are innocent. If you don''t want Xavier to make any more mistakes, I would advise that you discipline him before I do that myself." Daniel felt burned out by the information he received from Luke. It was his son again. He leaned against a Roman column and barely managed to stay upright." You''re attacking Tanner Corporation because of Bianca Rayne?" Luke nodded. "How can you treat your uncle like that, Luke? Why would you attack your rtive just because of an outsider?" Daniel was in disbelief. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Daniel had always been impressed by Luke''s outstanding capabilities. However, why would the usually reasonable Luke be so stubborn about a woman? More than that, why would he attack his uncle''spany just because of a woman? Daniel did not expect that his junior had defeated his decades of experience running a business. It had been almost thirty years since he started Tanner Corporation. How could it be crippled by Luke, the rising star of the business world, in a matter of days? "I''ll give you twenty-four hours, Uncle Daniel. You might be able to save yourpany if Xavier signs the divorce agreement. Otherwise, you can''t me me for being ruthless." After saying that, Luke walked around Xavier and went away, i With trembling hands, Daniel made a phone call to Allison. Old Master Crawford went to y chess with his friends, Susan went to visit her parents, and Louis was having fun somewhere. Only Allison, her son, and a middle-aged female caretaker remained in Crawford Manor, i Allison was sitting on an antique rosewood stool. Her expression was extremely unpleasant. In front of her was a cup of tea, and opposite the coffee table sat Luke. "Mother." Luke knew that his mother had summoned him back home to reprimand him. He ignored her ghastly expression. Allison was almost losing her temper. "Don''t call me Mother. I don''t have an ingrate for a son! Daniel is your uncle. Why would you attack hispany?" "Uncle Daniel''s management style is old-fashioned, and he has made many bad decisions. He is stubborn and doesn''t listen to his subordinates. Tanner Corporation has been losing money, and its internal ounts are a mess. Even if I don''t do anything to them, they won''tst for a few more years..." Luke said calmly. Allison was furious. "I don''t want to hear all that. In any case, I don''t want youying a finger on your uncle''spany!" Allison did not quite understand what her son was talking about, but she was quite protective of her brother, though it was more because of her selfishness. She was born and raised in a small family that was neither rich nor influential. Using her seductive looks and relying on Zachary Crawford, she found her position among society¡¯s elite and brought prosperity to the Tanner family. It was only when Allison entered the upper echelons of society that she found out that most socialite wives came from wealthy families. With the support from their families, they did not get bullied by their inws. Tanner Corporation thrived with her help, but it was a small frypared to truly wealthy corporations. Susan had always looked down upon the Tanners. If Tanner Corporation fell to ruin because of her son, Allison would lose her support. Susan would have even more reason to deride and mock her. Allison mmed the table hard with her palm when she thought of that. "It doesn''t matter! I don''t allow you to run rampant over Tanner Corporation!" Luke did not even blink, which intensified Allison''s anger. Just when Allison was about to go on another tirade, a sweet feminine voice was heard from outside. "I''m here to visit you, Aunt Allison." Luke''s expression turned cold when he heard that voice. Allison''s eyes sparkled. "Is it you, Leia? Come in quickly!" She said excitedly. Leia walked in through the door. She was dressed in a white fur jacket and wore light make-up, knowing that Allison preferred women who did not wear heavy make-up. If one did not look at her face closely, they would think that she did not put on any makeup at all. ''Hmm... Leia is pretty and considerate. She also has a good upbringing...¡¯ Allison was more and more satisfied when she looked at the perfect candidate for her daughter-inw... Chapter 306 Chapter 306 In An Act of Impulse, She Kissed Him Leia''s mannerisms were elegant. Each of her movements exuded charm." Long time no see, Aunt Allison." She said gingerly when she saw that Luke was also there. "You''re here too, Mr. Crawford..." Luke nodded at her as a courtesy. Allison stood up and greeted her warmly. "Make yourself at home, Leia. You''re not at work now, so why are you calling him Mr. Crawford? You can call him Luke." "That''s not very appropriate, right?" Leia was talking to Allison, but her shy gaze drifted to Luke. Allison held Leia''s slender hand and said excitedly, "It''s just a name. I don''t think he''s so petty that he wouldn''t want someone else to call him by his first name! I was wondering why haven''t youe to visit me for more than a week, and now you''re here." Luke subconsciously frowned. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. He did not know that Leia had be so close with his mother. Leia''s impable face blushed when she heard Allison''s words. "I''m here to deliver you a present, Aunt Allison. Do you remember the ruby tiara that we saw at the jeweler''s thest time we went shopping, and it was out of stock? I was there two days ago, and they''ve brought in some new designs. I saw one that was simr to the one that you like, and so I bought it for you." Leia took out an intricate wooden box and handed it to Allison. Allison opened it and saw that it was the exact ruby tiara that she wanted! The tiara had a flower-and-leaf motif and was adorned with pearls and rhinestones. Every gem was sparkling and clear while the pearls were gleaming. It looked extravagant but not tacky. Allison adored the tiara. She might not be too well-versed with manners and etiquette, but she knew how to dress up. If she did not open her mouth, she would pass for a noble socialite. She stroked the tiara and said emotionally, "You''re so considerate, Leia. I''d die happy if Luke were half as considerate as you." Leia smiled sweetly. ''I''m sure that Luke loves you very much, Aunt Allison. He''s probably busy with his work, and he doesn''t have that much time to apany you." Allison felt relieved when she heard that. She wore the tiara on her immactely permed hair and asked Leia, "How do I look, Leia?¡± Allison was currently wearing a dark-blue handmade gown at that moment. She might be in her fifties, but her entire get-up made her look ssic and noble. One could see how beautiful she was in her younger days. "The tiara looks very good on you, Aunt Allison. Your gown looks fabulous too..." Leia praised. Allison could not stop grinning. "You have a silver tongue, Leia. I''d be overjoyed if I have a daughter like you. Luke bought this gown for my birthday a few months ago." "Luke has good taste, Aunt Allison," Leia continued to heap on the ttery." I wouldn''t have been able to pick a gown that would match your personality. "If you like it, I''ll get Luke to buy another gown for you," Allison said. Leia shyly lowered her head and said nothing. Allison did not stop dressing down Luke. "I''d rather give birth to a daughter. See how considerate Leia can be? She remembers what I like and came here to give it to me. What can you do other than make me angry?'' Luke did not reply. He leaned back on the couch and silently watched the financial news on the television. While Leia chatted with Allison, her eyes asionally stole nces at Luke. The infatuation in her eyes was evident. Allison knew what the young woman was thinking, and she did not call her out. They continued chatting for a long time. Seeing that it was gettingte, Leia got up and excused herself. It was drizzling outside, and the north wind was blowing. Stepping out of the warm house, Leia was suddenly plunged into a bone-chilling cold. Allison wanted Leia to stay the night, but Leia knew that her father would not be happy if she did not return. Allison tried to create an opportunity for her son. "I won''t be at ease if Leia has to go home in such terrible weather. Why don¡¯t you send her home?" The weather might be cold, but the city remained bustling. Many cars traveled on the expressway, though the traffic was slightly lighter than before. Crawford Manor was at the east of the city. It was about an hour''s drive away from Leia''s house. Leia was very excited as she sat in the heated luxury car. She looked at the noble gentleman at the wheel and said softly, "Thank you for sending me home." "Don''t mention it," Luke said impassively. His expression darkened when he saw the heavy traffic in front of him. ''What''s wrong with everyone? Why is everyone out on the road despite the terrible weather?'' At that moment, he wished that he was hugging Bianca in his arms in her apartment. It was only with her that he would shed all pretenses and be his true self... The two people did not speak much on the journey. Leia tried to find a conversation topic, but Luke was not interested in engaging. She eventually kept quiet and silently took in the man''s cool scent. Just when she was lost in thought, thinking about how she should get closer to him, the car suddenly stopped. "We''re here." Luke parked the car in front of the Norman family mansion. Leia was brought out of her fantasies. She looked at the front gate of her house, then at Luke''s handsome profile. Suddenly, she leaned close and kissed his cheek, then ran out of the car while blushing... Luke was stunned. He did not expect that Leia would do that. Instead of counting his lucky stars, he took out a clean handkerchief and wiped his cheek repeatedly with disgust. Then, he tossed the handkerchief into the trash can! The silver car sped away like a violent wave and disappeared into the dark night... Chapter 307 Chapter 307 Luke Is Ruthless When He¡¯s Angry! Late at night. Xavier called Pierre and asked him, ¡®You''ve released Nina?" "My brother called to tell me to let her go, and I can¡¯t disobey him. Don''t worry, I''ve already taken her nude photos. Just let me know if you need any help," Pierre saidzily. "Whatever. We''ll talkter.¡¯ Xavier hung up the call unhappily. Nina was an important pawn in his n. He could use her to threaten Bianca. Now that he had lost a pawn, his power over Bianca decreased. Luke was closing in on his family business as though he wanted to raze Tanner Corporation to the ground. That had troubled him greatly. He had ended the call when his phone suddenly rang again. He frowned hard when he saw the call notification. It was from his father. There could be no good news. Xavier did not want to pick up the call, but the phone continued to ring. With no other choice, he braced himself and answered the call. "Hello, Dad "How many problems must you bring me, you scoundrel?¡¯ Daniel''s angry voice could be heard over the phone. ¡®Don''t you know what you have done? How dare you oppose Luke? You ought to know that he''s ruthless when ites to business!" "Why are you always scolding me, Dad? He''s the one at fault,¡¯ Xavier retorted impatiently. Daniel felt his chest tighten when he heard Xavier¡¯s retort. "I was wondering why thepany is under attackter. I went to meet Luke and he told me that it''s because of that Bianca woman. Cant you be a little more considerate to me, Xavier? Why must you fight with Luke over that woman?¡± "That''s not entirely correct, Dad. I''m not fighting with him over that woman. He''s trying to snatch her away from me. My marriage with Bianca is entirely legal and protected byw. Luke is the one who is trying to separate us. You should know who is right and who is wrong." Xavier was indignant. "Can you stop opposing him, my son? You''re not his match. Listen to your dad and divorce Bianca. You''re still young, and you can find a better woman. If Luke wants that woman, let him have it." Daniel sighed. "Do you really want to see thepany that I''ve built up over the past three decades fall into ruin?¡¯ Daniel sat on the couch as he talked to Xavier. He seemed older by ten years. Lacey also sighed. The atmosphere in the cavernous mansion was lifeless. Daniel looked at his son''s portrait that hung on the wall. He had been handsome since he was young, and even though he could be naughty, he nevertheless listened to his father. Now that the boy had grown up and had a mind of his own, Daniel could not control him. Xavier''s stubborn and arrogant attitude would eventually lead him to his downfall. "You don''t have to worry about me, Dad. I''ll handle it. I''ll also save thepany. So that''s it for now. I''m busy. Bye." Xavier immediately hung up. Daniel was so angry that he nearly had a heart attack. He channeled his anger to Lacey. "Look at how you''ve brought up your son! I''ve cleaned up his mess so many times since he was young. Because of him, thepany is on the verge of ruin. If you hadn''t spoiled him, he wouldn''t have be like this!" Lacey was exasperated when she saw that Daniel was ming her for everything. She pointed at Daniel and cursed, "Do you have a heart, Daniel Tanner? I''m the one who spoiled our child. So you''re innocent then? If not that..." Her tirade was full of usations against her husband. Lacey behaved like a shrew, insulting Daniel and flinging things at him. In his frustration, Daniel left the house and mmed the door, leaving Lacey sitting on the floor and crying... The caretaker gingerly stepped forward and helped her up. At the same time, a man in histe twenties with an unshaven face nimbly inputted severalmands on hisputer and deftly surfed the periphery of the Inte. "This is strange. Where have all my posts gone?" He mumbled to himself. He tried to search for the posts that he had made for his client but could not find anything, whether he tried searching for the topic or any keywords. His connection was either interrupted, or a notification appeared, saying that his content was blocked for legal reasons. The unshaven man''s name was Gus Chalmers. He was a full-time writer on the Inte, and he had been hired by Xavier to write those posts. He had studied programming in college, and he considered himself a hacker. Gus would sometimes infiltrate the internalwork of a police station. He had never been caught. That was why Xavier could trust him to carry out his request. However, Gus had realized that all the posts he made for his client had disappeared. It was the first time that he felt anxious. His heart was thumping hard, and he had an ominous premonition... Gus was not a superstitious person. He opened his notepad and prepared to copy and paste what he wrote on Xeddit once more. However, he realized that he could not post it, even with his custom backdoor programs. Gus started to sweat. ''What''s going on?'' He thought. At that time, he received a call from Xavier. "What''s wrong with you? Why have all the posts disappeared?" Xavier was exasperated. "You told me that you''re a hacker as well as a writer, and that''s why I gave you the job. All your posts have disappeared in a few days. You disappoint me, Gus!¡® Gus''s face turned pale. He did not know why that had happened. The matter was out of his control. "Don¡¯t worry, Bro. I''ll think of something...¡± While he was speaking, his room door was kicked open, which almost caused Gus to fall from his chair! "Who are you? What do you want? Is this a robbery?" He could only stare wide-eyed as several men and women in police uniforms barge into his room and point at him with handguns. "Freeze, police!"N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Gus lifted his hands high. He almost wet his pants. One of the male police officers produced his police ID and said coldly," You are suspected of committing cybercrime. Pleasee with us!" Beep... beep... beep... On Xavier''s side, his phone call with Gus was suddenly cut off. He could only hear the busy tone. His heart sank and his eyes shed with a sinister light. He stubbed out the cigarette that had nearly scorched his fingers. Chapter 308 Chapter 308 Singling Out Bianca When Bianca went to work on Monday, she realized that her colleagues were looking at her in a variety of expressions, including sympathy, pity, disdain, and glee. Some people were whispering behind her back, but only Sue was the one who cared for her. Sue could not take it anymore. She pulled Bianca to a corner and asked her about the post on Xeddit. "Bianca, I''ve read the post, and I think that it''s a false rumor. I know your character, and I don''t think the woman in the post is you. Don''t worry about it. You only have to focus on your work." Bianca was moved. She had a colleague who believed in her when everyone else was doubtful. She said that she was fine and asked Sue about Nina. "Nina was in low spirits. Her illness seemed to be quite serious, and she didn''t talk much," Sue answered, not quite sure what was going on. Nina used to be a positive and energetic young woman. No matter how sick she was, she had never been so lifeless. Bianca felt guilty when she heard Sue''s description. "It''s all my fault..." Sue did not know how Nina''s condition was rted to Bianca. She jokingly tapped Bianca''s shoulder and said, "What do you mean? We all get sick at some point. Her sickness has nothing to do with you. She''ll be fine after a few days'' rest. Don''t worry, her mother is taking care of her at home." "Have youpleted the design, Bianca?" The department lead walked into the office when Bianca was lost in thought. She was dressed in a dark-colored woolen jacket with a V-neck. Her pale cleavage was vaguely visible underneath. As she walked, her breasts jiggled up and down, which made for an eyecatching scene. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. "What design?" Bianca was confused. Sue tried to speak up for her. "So many things happened to Biancately. She''s just returned from her leave. Can you give her two more days?" "You''re really not qualified to be an employee of T Corporation, Bianca!" The department lead said unhappily. "Do you think that your family owns the company, that you cane and go whenever you want? You might have taken a leave of absence, but I''ve sent all your tasks to your work email. Didn''t you have time to check it?" Bianca did not reply. She knew that she had neglected her duties. Indeed, she had not been checking her work email for the past few days. She did not expect that the department lead would assign tasks to her because she was on leave. However, Bianca was not one to shirk off responsibilities. "I''m sorry, Madam," she said, "I didn''t check my mailbox, and so I didn''t see the tasks you''ve assigned me." "You''re not dedicated to your job, Bianca," the department lead scolded loudly, "Don''t you know that you should at least check your mailbox even if you''re not in the office? As a designer, how could you ignore your mailbox for days?" "I''m sorry, it''s all my fault. I promise that this won''t happen again." Bianca kept on apologizing. "What''s the point of apologizing? You''ll have to submit the design by tomorrow. The client has already asked for it several times. If we dy the submission because of your personal reasons, you''ll have to bear all the responsibility," the department lead said disdainfully. "Alright. I''ll get to it now." Bianca understood that the department lead was making life difficult for her. It was indeed her fault for not checking her mailbox when she had the time. She took it as a lesson and reminded herself that she would not make the same mistake again. Bianca opened her mailbox. Indeed, the department lead had sent her an email two days ago. ording to thepany rules, an employee need not perform any work- rted tasks while they were on leave, but the department lead was deliberately finding fault with Bianca. She had received some benefits from Mavis and was encouraged to make Bianca quit. Adding on to the fact that the department lead was not fond of Bianca, she was all too eager to y the role of the viin. Sue stole a nce at the contents of Bianca''s mailbox. She noticed the name of the client and instantly frowned. "Bianca, why did the department lead assign such a difficult task to a new employee like you? There are so many experienced designers in the company." "Is there a problem with the design?" Bianca asked curiously. "The problem isn''t with the design but with the client. Six famous designers in ourpany produced more than a dozen drafts for them, but not only had they rejected everything, but they also said that our designs are worthless... I handed in two drafts as well, but they''re both rejected. I''m not sure what kind of design the client wants, but I don''t think they ought to be nitpicking so much. Think about it, even the most famous designer in thepany got rejected, and you''re just a rookie..." Sue said indignantly. Bianca did not say anything. She was lost in thought. If the department lead assigned the task to her, she would do her best no matter how difficult it might be. "Prettydies! Anyone here willing to make me a cup of coffee?" An attractive masculine voice was heard from outside. A momentter, the handsome Louis walked in through the door. When the department lead saw him, she puffed up her chest and blushed." Good morning, Vice President Crawford. I''ll get the coffee for you." Louis Crawford might be the vice president of T Corporation, but he had nothing except for a title and seldom appeared in thepany. Even so, many female employees of T Corporation admired him, not only because he had a substantial stake in thepany because he was from the Crawford family, but also because he had a charming appearance and a silvertongue. Luke Crawford was too distant and aloof. The female employees would rather fantasize about getting married to Louis. Either way, one would still be a Mrs. Crawford. One of such female employees was the lead of the design department. Bianca shot a quick nce at Louis, then returned to perusing the design brief. As much as she tried to diminish her presence, Louis immediately picked out Bianca. "The prettydy in the yellow coat over there, can you make a cup of coffee for me? I''ve heard from my elder brother that you make good coffee." The only woman with a yellow coat in the office was Bianca. Bianca lifted her head. She felt helpless when she looked at Louis, who pretended not to recognize her. Meanwhile, the department lead had the urge to disfigure Bianca''s pretty face! ''This is ridiculous! She''s new in thepany, but she has gotten the CEO¡¯s attention. Now, even the vice president wants her to make him coffee!'' Chapter 309 Chapter 309 Sending Shockwaves Across A City! Soon, Bianca made a cup of coffee and served it to Louis. "This is the coffee that you requested, Vice President Crawford." She returned to her desk and continued working seriously. Louis took a few sips. Indeed, the coffee was fragrant and at the right temperature. It was different from how other people made it. Louis gestured a thumbs-up at Bianca and asked curiously, "Your skills are pretty good. Have you been a barista before?" His appreciation toward Bianca was genuine. Not only was she beautiful and amiable, but she could also make the most delicious cup of coffee. "For a while, yes," Bianca answered as her eyes were transfixed on theputer screen. That was when she went overseas after giving birth to two children. Back then, she had to work part- time at a cafe to make a living even though she was suffering from depression. Before she knew it, it had already been five years. Louis nodded and rubbed his chin as though thinking of something. "Do you know how to cook then?" He wanted to get to know Bianca more so that he could help his elder brother. Bianca was busy with work. She nced at Louis and wondered if the vice president had nothing better to do than chat with her when everyone else was neck-deep with tasks. He might be able to ck off because he was the vice president, but Bianca was only a lowly employee! The department lead interjected, "Young women nowadays are so pampered, Vice President Crawford. Bianca wouldn''t know how to cook, but my father is a chef in a restaurant, and I have been learning from him since I was young. I..." When she was bragging to Louis about her culinary skills, the man was standing behind Bianca, watching her sketch a design instead of listening to her. The department lead''s face contorted out of anger. The other female colleagues covered their mouths and giggled when they saw how the department lead could not gain the vice president''s favor. That made the department lead feel more humiliated than ever. She red angrily at those female colleagues, turned around, and walked back to her office on her high heels. Louis observed Bianca, who was thoroughly focused on her work. The woman had a gentle face, but her jawline was taut when she was serious, which made her look more mature and attractive. However, he frowned when he saw what Bianca was doing on her computer. "Good morning, Mr. Crawford!" Suddenly, Sue stood up and said loudly, which attracted the attention of everyone in the design department. They saw Luke walk through the door. The man was dressed in a ck business suit which perfectly outlined his sculpted body. However, he seemed more inhospitable than usual and caused the employees around him to shudder. Everyone greeted him, and Luke nodded slightly as a response. "Make me a cup of coffee, Bianca." He was unhappy when he noticed that Louis was bent over behind Bianca''s back. After making that request, he told his younger brother to meet him in the CEO''s office on the top floor, then turned around and went to his elevator. Was the boss there to specifically ask for coffee or to look for his younger brother? Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Either reason was ridiculous! "Wait for me, Brother! Why are you so cold? No wonder everyone calls you the Cold-Faced Devil!" Louis shouted as he chased Luke from behind. The employees were quite impressed by how Louis had called Luke by that nickname. In the CEO''s office, Louis sat on the couch and said with a wide grin on his face, "That prospective wife of yours isn''t too bad, Brother. She can even make good coffee too. I''d consider making up to her if not that she''s already yours." Luke''s expression remained cold. "If you can still be flirting around in the design department, you look like you have too much free time. Never mind, we need someone in East Africa to negotiate the contract. You can go there the day after tomorrow." Louis wailed. "You can''t do that to me, Brother! You know that I have no talent in business, so why are you sending me to that deste ce to negotiate a contract? What if I mess up?" "If you mess up, then don''te back. You can learn a lot from the branch headquarters there." "...¡° Louis was speechless. ''He must not be my elder brother. If he''s my elder brother, he wouldn''t have dispatched me there.'' While they were chatting, Bianca was far away, making a cup of coffee for the boss. When she entered the CEO¡¯s office, she heard Louis say, "Brother, she makes good coffee. Can I get her to make me a cup of coffee every day?" "Make your own coffee. Bianca only makes coffee for me." Luke did not want Bianca to make coffee with another man, even if that man might be his younger brother. "Say, aren''t you a little too possessive of your future wife?" Louis shed a cheeky smile on his handsome face. "Shut up!" Luke interjected. "Here''s the coffee you requested, Mr. Crawford." Bianca ced the cup on the table and was about to leave when she heard Luke''s distant yet caring voice, "Are you used to working here yet?" "I''ll manage. I''ll try my best to catch up with my colleagues," Bianca said seriously. "Mm. Go and do your work then." Luke''s cold expression seemed to have warmed up by several degrees as he watched Bianca leave the office. Louis was quite surprised. ''My elder brother can be a robot when ites to work. Looks like he''s gaining some humanity when Bianca is around.'' However, Louis resumed his serious expression when he thought of the contents of Bianca''s task. "Brother, Bianca is still a design assistant, but I saw that the department lead gave her an important task. Can a new employee like her handle that? I''m sure that the department lead is deliberately making her life difficult." Louis might be a yboy, but he had a sharp eye for reading expressions, especially from females. He nearly wanted to throw up when he saw how the department lead was trying to gain his attention. He might have bothered to entertain that woman for a while, if not that Old Master Crawford was keeping a close eye on him. "Bianca is a new recruit. If she wants to make her mark, then she''ll have to show what she can do. She is talented and diligent, but she is too sensitive and self-conscious. She''ll need to experience some hardship. Moreover, if she can''t handle such a minor task, then she won''t be of much use as an employee. Even if I can harbor her for now, she won''t enjoy it in the design department," Luke exined. He hoped that Bianca could grow and thrive in the design department... At the same time, an article personally written by Eugene Hawking, CEO of JK Media, sent shockwaves throughout A City! Chapter 310 Chapter 310 Is That Idiot In the Article Really Luke? "How Envious! After Ten Years of Courting His Sweetheart, Luke Crawford of T Corporation ims A Beautiful Woman and Two Cute Twins!" The title of the article from JK Media was incredibly eye- catching. The contents of the article were incredibly cliched. However, Eugene had a gift for writing, and the subject was Luke Crawford of T Corporation. The article created shockwaves once it was published in newspapers and magazines! The article was roughly like this: About ten years ago, Luke Crawford went to a school in a small town because of his ill health. There, he met with Bianca Rayne and fell in love at first sight. The two young lovebirds dated each other in school and shared many good times together. Later, Luke was forced to return to A City because he had to take over the family business. However, he promised Bianca that he would take her as his wife. Many yearster, Luke had grown into a handsome man, and Bianca had be a beautifuldy. When they eventually met again, a real-life Cindere story ensued. The couple rekindled their love once again, and they cohabitated for a period. Unfortunately, Luke''s family disapproved of the rtionship because of Bianca''s lowly status. Luke''s mother opposed them the most and had even arranged a marriage for him while he was not at home. Together with a young woman from a wealthy family, they had forced Bianca to flee from A City. When Bianca was leaving, she had given a call to Luke, who had justnded at the airport. He instantly rushed back, but unfortunately, he met with a car ident. Luke lost his memory because of that and forgot everything about the woman he had sworn to protect with his life. A few monthster, when they met again, Luke did not recognize Bianca. Bianca sank into despair, but she realized that she was pregnant. To show her love for Luke, she gave birth to twins and nned to raise them herself despite condemnation from the public. However, when the Crawford family realized that Bianca had given birth to Luke''s children, they mercilessly snatched them away and drove Bianca out of the country, in fear that Luke might regain his memory when he saw her and the twins, 1 Eugene described how Bianca had suffered while she was alone overseas, like how he would write the tragic backstory of the female lead in a romance novel. Meanwhile, Luke might have lost the memory from the car ident, but he vaguely remembered a female figure. Eugene exined that it was why Luke did not have any desire for any other woman after that. Five yearster, the couple reunited once more. They had spent so long apart, but unfortunately, fate was not so kind to them... Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Eugene had narrated the real-life Cindere story as vividly as he could. The twists and turns in the couple''s rtionship were as cliched and moving as they could be. The article not only appeared in the magazines and newspapers under JK Media but was also copied and shared in all major Inte outlets. Attached to the article was a "family photo" of Luke, Bianca, and the kids at the theme park, as well as a video clip of the two angelic children calling out for their Daddy and Mommy. It was a touching scene. The article from JK Media had garnered a lot of sympathy for Luke and Bianca''s rtionship. JK Media was renowned for its unbiased and authoritative reporting. The article read like something from a tabloid. However, that did not diminish the people''s trust in JK Media. Rather than believing a Xeddit post from an anonymous source, they would rather believe an article from a reputable mediapany. Instantly, public opinion turned to support Luke and Bianca. Everyone who read the article was moved by Luke and Bianca''s unwavering loyalty to each other. They understood: The mother of those two cute children is Bianca! That was why Luke had never been seen with another woman. He had loved the same woman over ten years and did not even forget about her when he lost his memory! How touching! No wonder the children did not have a mother. Luke''s family had separated their parents. Now that the family of four had reunited, it was going to be a happy ending All the newspapers and magazines under JK Media sold out that day. However, Luke resentfully gritted his teeth when he read the article. ''Is that idiot man in the article really me? ''What nonsense is Eugene writing? It''s totally different from the information I gave him. Did he make up most of the plot? Does he have a death wish?'' Luke gave a call to Eugene. "What did you write? That''s not what I gave you. Eugeneughed. "So what do you think about my writing skills? I told you that I''d write a masterpiece that will move everyone who reads it, and it turns out that it is indeed the case. I say, Mr. Crawford, the things you write aren''t going to convince anyone. It reads like a boring financial report. You should learn from me next time." Luke was not sure how he could get across to Eugene. However, he understood that JK Media was an authoritative source of information. The article might be cliched, but it nheless could restore Bianca''s reputation. He was willing to y the idiot for that. "Whatever it is, thanks anyway. What do you want?" Luke asked. Eugene did not hold back. "The piece ofnd to the west of the holiday resort in Southern A City." "The piece ofnd is worth billions and has a lot of potential. As long as it is developed properly, it will attract a lot of investors. Its future value is more than ten times what it''s worth now. I didn''t expect that you have an eye for that as well," Luke said gloomily. He had been keeping an eye on that piece ofnd. In fact, he was sure to win the bid. Eugene''s heartyughter carried a hint of cunning. "We''re all businessmen. You should know that there''s nothing more important to us than profits." "Sure. It''s yours. Thanks for helping." Luke agreed to it readily, even though he was quite reluctant. Luke had promised Eugene that he could ask for anything he wanted. He was not going to go back on his words. "That''s why I like doing business with you! However, Xavier isn''t divorced from Bianca yet. Aren''t you worried that Xavier might do something drastic when you force him into a corner?" Eugene asked curiously. I''ve made arrangements forthat," Luke replied. He had tasked Jason to run some errands for him earlier. Jason should be almost returning. Jason had always been dependable. With him around, Xavier would... At that time, Jason knocked on the door and entered the office. Chapter 311 Chapter 311 Luke Crawford, A Cunning Wolf! The boss looked as intelligent and noble as usual. A single nce from him could instantly change how people treated him. Jason walked over with a respectful expression on his face and handed a thick stack of documents to Luke. "I''ve almostpleted everything that you''ve asked of me, Mr. Crawford. Among those who had abducted Bianca''s grandfather, one of them, going by the name of Dawson Lynch, remains in A City. Perhaps he thought that the best ce to hide is in in sight. Dawson bought himself a fake identity and managed to stay hidden for so long. However, he is a habitual gambler, and our men found him at a casino a few days ago. Now that we have Dawson in our hands, we can reopen the case of Bianca''s grandfather''s abduction. We can use Dawson to use Xavier of being the mastermind instead of Yvonne. That way, he''ll be locked away for a long time. Also, I''ve managed to uncover a lot of evidence of Xavier''s crimes over the past few years..." "Thank you for your hard work." Luke patted Jason''s shoulder. His dark irises were sparkling. Bianca received a call from Xavier right after she got off work. She had never been in contact with Xavier ever since Luke had beaten him up. When she saw his name on her phone screen, memories of being nearly vited surfaced in her mind again. Bianca did not want to answer the call. However, when she thought that she would have to be in contact with him so that they could sessfully divorce, she braced herself and answered the call. "Yes?" "Let''s meet and talk about the divorce. Come alone," Xavier said. Bianca was full of doubt. She did not believe that Xavier had called her to meet just so that they could discuss the divorce. That was a lesson she had learned the hard way. She would not be so easily convinced to meet him alone. "If you don¡¯te, then you can forget about the divorce. I¡¯ll see you at Clearwater Tea Room," Xavier said coldly. Then, he ended the call. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Bianca was in a daze as she looked at her phone. She shuddered uncontrobly when she was reminded of Xavier''s despicable face. She thought that it would be best for her to not ever meet that man again until they divorced. Bianca decided that she should ignore his request. After thinking about it for a moment, she gave Luke a call. After Xavier ended the call, he sped on the road and arrived at Clearwater Tea Room. He reserved an elegant and quiet private room so that he could talk with Bianca. Furthermore, he had not seen her for a long time and had missed her. The article from JK Media had made him worried. He did not expect that Luke would divulge the fact that Bianca was Lanie and Rainie''s birth mother. He also knew that Gus was arrested; all his posts on Xeddit were removed without leaving a trace. He was aggrieved. Bianca had treated him like trash, but he could not let her go. It was as though he was addicted to her. Perhaps the initial impression when he met her five years ago had caused all the ensuing grievances. He was not going to let her go, no matter how painful it might be... An elegant and calming tune was ying in the tea room. Time slowly passed. The ashtray in front of Xavier was piled with cigarette butts, but Bianca was nowhere to be seen. He was getting impatient. Just when he took out his phone and prepared to call Bianca, the door suddenly opened, and Luke stepped in dominatingly. Luke sat down elegantly on a chair, in front of Xavier''s sullen gaze. It was not the first time that the two equally dominating men had sat in front of each other. However, their mental defenses were at full force, as though the other party would attack them at any time! "Why are you here?" Xavier said unhappily. He could still feel some pain from his broken ribs. I''ve invited Bianca toe, but why is Luke here? ''Well done, Bianca. Do you think that I can''t do anything to you because Luke is on your side?'' Luke took out an envelope from a folder and pushed it toward Xavier." Here, a present for you." Xavier nonchntly took it. He opened the envelope and saw a CD and a thick stack of documents inside. He browsed through several documents. His eyes opened wider and wider, and his gaze gradually became fearful. Xavier''s palm mmed heavily on the envelope. His handsome face was taut from anger and fear. "What''s the meaning of this, Luke Crawford?" Luke poured a cup of tea for himself. "It''s easy. I hope that you can divorce Bianca." At that moment, Xavier wanted to rip all the things in the envelope into shreds! He leaned back on the chair and pretended to be calm. "Do you think that you can threaten me with that? They all happened in the past, and there''s not enough incriminating evidence. What can you possibly do to me? Don''t think that I can''t do anything because you''ve swayed the public opinion by using JK Media... My marriage with Bianca is entirely legal. If you force me into a corner, I''d rather take you down with me!" Xavier might have sounded defiant, but he was feeling a chill course down his spine. Luke had uncovered many of his previous crimes, including a fatal hit-and- run car ident, criminal possession of firearms, moneyundering, and so on. He thought that he had covered all his tracks, and even if he did not, his father would clean up the mess for him. That was why he had escaped justice for so long. The only time he was caught when he was arrested in public five years ago. With so many witnesses, he could not deny his wrongdoing, and that was why he went to prison. Xavier did not expect that Luke had uncovered so many crimes he hadmitted from so many years ago. Those crimes should have been perfectly buried. Now that they were brought up again, Xavier not only felt apprehension but also surprised by the extent of Luke''s influence! The man might look gentle and tame, but he was actually like a cunning wolf, observing you from a dark corner, then pouncing on you and snapping your throat when you least expected it! Chapter 312 Chapter 312 An Intense Silent Battle Between Two Men! Xavier''s words did not cause the slightest change to Luke''s expression. Luke''s grip on his teacup tightened a little. "You can always give it a try. I''d like to see if you''ve learned anything in your five-year stint in prison.¡± Xavier''s expression was extremely unpleasant. He knew that the evidence in the folder was enough to lock him away for a long time. He could not hide the burning anger in his eyes. "Do you think that you''re innocent, Luke? T Corporation must have many illicit deals behind the scenes, right? Don''t think that I don''t know that you''ve manipted the stock market and nearly caused an economic crisis in A City from which you''ve gained a lot. Do you think that you can deceive everyone? Should I guess how you''ll end up if I manage to find any evidence of T Corporation''s crimes?" Anypany would be involved in under-the-table deals, especially a multinationalpany like T Corporation. There was no need to borate on what would happen to Luke if those illegal dealings were exposed! Luke''s gaze shed with a shocking coldness. "By all means, try if you think you can." If it were so easy to expose T Corporation, it would not have grown to a multinational conglomerate. Moreover, T Corporation paid an astronomical sum as capital costs to certain governmental departments every year. Even if there were any illegal deals, the authorities would usually let it slide. It was indeed a childish act for Xavier to threaten Luke that way. It seemed as though Xavier had wasted his time in prison. The two men stared at each other, fighting a silent battle. The music in the tea room stopped, which made the atmosphere more intense than ever! Luke calmly stood up, carefully straightened his coat, then headed toward the exit. Before he left, he said with his resonant voice, "You can choose to divulge your marriage status with Bianca, but I will expose your evidence that you masterminded Bianca''s grandfather¡¯s abduction, so everyone can see how you made Bianca marry you. With all the gathered evidence, any single crime can lock you away for a long time. If you go to prison this time, you won''t be as lucky as thest time. I''ll make sure that you stay inside forever! So what if everyone knows that Bianca was once married? I don''t care about it, even if the entire world opposes us. I''ll still treat her like my treasure, and I will take her hand in marriage. I think you should know my personality well enough that I''ll carry through with my promises. That''s all I have to say to you. I won''t show you any more mercy!" 1 After Luke left the room, Xavier was ovee by a fit of rage! He angrily tore the "evidence" in the envelope into shreds, then flipped the exquisite oak table and stomped on it, reducing it to firewood. His thoughts were currently in a mess. Should he persist, or should he let go? If he persisted, what might wait for him was a lifetime of prison, but he was not going to let go of the marriage that he had so arduously gained. Leia was having tea at Shakira''s restaurant. When Shakira noticed that Bianca had several simrities to Queenie, she had asked Leia to investigate Queenie''s birth daughter. Shakira did not find Queenie immediately because she did not want to remind Queenie of the pain she had suffered many years ago. If she were mistaken, the blunder would be a huge blow to Queenie. As Queenie''s best friend, no one knew better than Shakira the pain Queenie suffered from losing her birth daughter. Before Queenie adopted Leia, she had lived her days in anxiety and agony. Her beautiful face became emaciated, and she did not have the slightest hint of vigor. Her condition improved after she and Jack adopted Leia. If Queenie''s birth daughter were still alive, Shakira would be happy for her best friend. Shakira poured Leia a cup of Darjeeling. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Leia picked up the cup, took a sip, and thanked Shakira. Shakira smiled. "You don''t have to be so formal, silly girl. I''ve been friends with your mother for decades. Back then..." She told Leia stories about her shared past with Queenie. Then, she also asked about Leia''s recent condition. "Leia, did you ask your mother about that sister of yours?" She asked indirectly. Leia took a small sip of the tea. She felt as though her heart had been pierced by a needle. She thought that Shakira had asked her on a whim to find out about her mother''s birth daughter. It turned out that Shakira was serious about helping her mother find her birth daughter. Leia instantly felt resentful. Queenie was not anxious about finding her birth daughter, so why would Shakira, as an outsider, be so enthusiastic? Did she have nothing better to do than meddling in another family''s affairs? Even so, Leia did not reveal her actual thoughts toward her senior. After all, Shakira''s husband was also an important politician from an influential family. She pinched her thigh hard, and the pain caused her tears to flow. "Aunt Shakira, I mentioned that to Mom, but she started crying and didn''t stop for an entire night. She said that my sister was stillborn, and she did not even get to look at her before it was taken away. Mom had always felt guilty that her body was too weak..." Shakira''s heart wrenched. It was the correct decision not to look for Queenie. If Queenie could be so sad from the mere mention of that baby, it seemed that she was still traumatized. However, Shakira had a hunch that the baby was still alive. She could not exin why, but she had trusted her intuition. "Then you shouldn''t mention it to your mother again, Leia. Sigh, it''s been so many years, but your mom hasn''t gone through it... But I don''t think that the matter is as simple as it seems. I''ve had this hunch that the child is still alive, but I''m not sure if I''m mistaken..." Shakira said while pressing her forehead. Chapter 313 Chapter 313 Luke Is Preparing the Wedding of the Century! "Aunt Shakira, Mom says that my sister was stillborn, and that must be true. Just think about it. Would anyone lie to my Dad and Mom?" Leia said with a sorrowful face. Shakira thought about it and decided that it was the case. Back then, Jack might not be the influential politician he was now, but he was a rising star in the political world who had made a name for himself. No one would dare lie to him or steal his child. However, somehow Shakira felt uneasy about it. "Don''t worry, Aunt Shakira, if my sister is still alive, I believe that I will eventually find her someday. My sister is my adopted mother''s birth daughter, which means that she is my elder sister. I''ll ask other people to look for her too," Leia said, which made Shakira feelforted. "You''re a good girl, Leia. Your mother is lucky to have adopted you, you''re so kind and understanding..." Shakira felt emotional when she said that. She had always been satisfied with Leia''s intelligence and maturity. "You''re joking, Aunt Shakira. It''s my basic responsibility to share my mother''s worries. I''m willing to do anything so that my mother is happy," Leia smiled and said. She was very good at sweet-talking, and Shakira was very happy when she heard that. Shakira could not stop praising that Leia was a considerate daughter and that Queenie was a lucky mother. The big LCD screen in the restaurant was ying entertainment news. "News sh! The identity of T Corporation''s Luke Crawford¡¯s twins'' birth mother has been revealed to be a formerly unknown employee... "ording to an article, Luke Crawford and Ms. Rayne, the mother of the twins, have known each other for more than ten years. Circumstances forced them to separate, but they have since reunited. ording to reports on the Inte, Luke has been very caring to the woman he loves. Not only is he giving her all types of expensive jewelry and a luxury mansion, but there have also been rumors that he is nning the grandest wedding of the century. Said rumor has not been confirmed yet." In the news report, Bianca''s face was blurred out. What could be seen was only her long ck hair and her petite oval face. The two children''s faces were also blurred out, though Leia''s eyes hurt when she saw the loving family of four together! The teacup slipped from her fingers and fell on the floor. She did not realize that the teacup was cracked. Instead, she looked at the television in a daze. Her mind was nk. ''The mother of the twins is Bianca Rayne? How could it be her?'' That was the only thing she could think. Leia was lost in thought, which made Shakira suspicious. "What''s wrong, Leia?" Shakira asked out of concern. She called out Leia''s name several times before Leia came to her senses." I''m fine, Aunt Shakira," Leia said dejectedly, "I''ve probably overworked myselftely. I''m sorry that I broke your teacup..." Shakira smiled and shook her head but said nothing. She turned to look at the television and mumbled to herself, ¡¯That boy Luke usually doesn''t get many rumored scandals. He''s not fond of gossip rted to him, and he would shut down any media outlets that report on him. How did this piece of news get on the air? That''s strange. Most of the news reports are fake, but is it true that the birth mother of Luke''s twins has been found? That woman looks familiar..." "If there''s nothing else, I''ll be taking my leave, aunt Shakira. I''m not feeling very well. I''ll come and visit you another time." Leia suddenly stood up and prepared to leave. Shakira knew that Leia was a celebrity and was engaged in many jobs. She did not wonder why Leia suddenly acted abnormally, and she did not ask her to stay back either. Leia, feeling disturbed, went to Xavier''s bar without putting on a disguise. Several of her fans recognized her as soon as she stepped in. Leia was not a first-rate celebrity. Her acting debut was a starring role in the movie "Orphan Girl." After that, she did not have any notable roles, and her poprity stagnated at a certain level. However, she received many jobs because of her family background, and even though she had roles in many trash films, she was nheless considered famous in the entertainment industry. It was not a surprise for her to be recognized by her fans. They noticed that she was not escorted by bodyguards and wanted to get her autograph. "Hey, that''s Leia Norman! I didn''t know that she goes to bars too. I love you, Leia! Can I have your autograph?¡± Leia was not in a good mood. She was not friendly toward her fans. The young people at the bar were excited that a celebrity appeared there. They jostled among each other and stopped Leia from leaving. Several unruly men even tried to cop a feel amid the chaos. Leia Norman was a movie star known for her pure and sweet looks and was the daughter of Jack Norman. She seldom made public appearances, and that was why the men took the opportunity to take advantage of her. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "I like you a lot, Leia. Give me your autograph!¡± "I love you, Leia. You''re the woman of my dreams..." The situation got out of hand quickly. Even the security could not control the crowd. Leia''s breasts and behind were repeatedly fondled by perverted hands. The feeling was disgusting that it made her almost throw up, and she was about to lose her temper. She red at her fans and yelled hysterically at the crowd. "Get lost, all you peasants! Do you have a death wish? Get away from me!" Leia''s life had changed drastically ever since she was adopted by the Normans. She barely had a full meal in the orphanage, but now she did not have to worry about food or clothes. She went to an elite school and had a personal driver. Many people sucked up to her because of her father''s social status. That had made Leia think that she was superior to others. She thought that those who were poorer than her were mere insects, and that had distanced her from the unwritten rules of society. She was livid that those "peasants" had groped her. The fans were shocked by Leia''s words. They could not believe that the woman in front of them was the same gentle and morous movie star they saw in the movies! "What? Is this crazy woman really Leia Norman? She sounds like a shrew..." "Did you hear what she calls us? She''s saying that we''re peasants! So what if she''s a politician''s daughter? She''s bringing shame to her father!" The people started criticizing Leia. Countless phones captured that moment. Leia hated those fans. With the help of the security, she managed to squeeze her way out... Chapter 314 Chapter 314 Luke Has Announced Bianca''s Identity Eventually, Leia managed to extricate herself from the mob. When she found Xavier in his room, he was drunk as a fiddler, which gave her a buzzing headache. ''Why is Xavier so useless? Not only he can''t manage his marriage with Bianca, but he''s here drinking his worries away!'' Leia took her sunsses off and angrily kicked Xavier, who was slumped in a pile. "Get up!" Xavier lifted his head from amid a pile of empty beer bottles. When he saw that Leia was in front of her, his unfocused gaze seemed to have cleared up a little. "Say, aren''t you busy all day, you big movie star? Why do you have time to visit me?" He said impatiently. "Don''t you know why I''m here? I thought you already have a marriage certificate with Bianca, so why would she appear in front of the media as the birth mother of Luke''s twins?" Leia asked exasperatedly. Leia thought that the birth mother of the twins was only a tool for childbirth and was no one important to Luke. However, she did not expect that the media had widely reported on the birth''s mother identity. She felt an indescribable sense of fear when she saw the photo of Bianca together with Luke and the two children! Xavier looked at her vaguely and said, "I was so close to iming Bianca, but Luke suddenly barged in. Do you think that''s a coincidence, Leia?" Leia became even more fearful when she was reminded of that incident.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Their original n was to drug Bianca, record her making out with Xavier, and using that to ckmail her. That n should have been wless. Leia thought that Luke could not bear to see the woman he loved in bed with another man. No man could. When that happened, the rtionship between Bianca and Luke would be over. That was why Leia sent an anonymous message to Luke. She knew that Luke was a smart man, and he would not believe her if she said that Bianca was having an affair with another man. If Luke did not go to check on her, then her n would fail. In the message, she said that Bianca had an ident. Luke would definitely go to the hotel if he truly cared for the woman. He would be just in time to see Bianca and Xavier intertwined on bed... She did not expect that Xavier was too slow. 1 The stage had been set, but Xavier had failed at thest moment. How useless! Leia felt guilt when faced with Xavier''s question. She dared not look at him. ¡°You''re the slow one, and you only have yourself to me. She''s already right in front of you, but you didn''t even do anything! Now that Luke has publicly announced Bianca''s identity, I''d like to see what you''d do next. Bianca is your wife. Why don''t you announce to the public that you''re legally married to her? Do you have the guts to, Xavier Tanner?" Leia''s words had utterly angered Xavier. He stumbled to his feet and urately grabbed Leia''s neck. His prating gazended on her body, and his ambiguous smile sent a chill coursing down Leia''s spine! 1 Xavier''s icy cackle echoed in the room. He looked disdainfully at the quivering Leia and said, "Who do you think you are to talk to me like that? Don''t forget that I''m always a true son of the Tanner family, and you''re just a pathetic worm picked up by Jack Norman from the orphanage! Do you think that you''re actually anyone special just because you''re a Norman? You''ll always be a fake daughter no matter what you do!" "So what if I''m not my parents¡¯ birth daughter? They treat me like one anyway. Do you believe that if I tell my father about this, you won¡¯t be able to survive in A City?" Leia said through gritted teeth. "You can try that!" Xavier said nonchntly as he increased the strength on the grip around her neck, causing her to gasp. "You''ve been acting as the obedient little girl in front of the Normans and your audience. That must be tough, right? Have you forgotten about the things you''ve done while you were in the orphanage? I''d like to see how disappointed everyone will be if they find out that you''re actually a selfish, ruthless, and materialistic girl under that virtuous guise!" Leia¡¯s pupils dted with fear. ''How did he know about the incidents in the orphanage?'' If her adopted parents knew that she was adopted through underhanded means, her perfect disguise would instantly crumble, and what would happen to her then... ''No, I will not let anyone ruin everything that I have strived for!'' "Brother... Brother Xavier, I was wrong. I shouldn''t have talked to you like that. Please forgive my transgressions. I had lost control of my temper. Can you please let me go first?" Leia pretended to be weak. That was the only way to appease that temperamental man. She knew that she was better than that man, but somehow she could not dominate him. She was frustrated that she was not the one in control. Xavier grunted coldly and let go of her. Leia panted hard and coughed. She seemed miserable, but in her heart, she was imagining a thousand different ways of how to torment and kill that man. Til see what Dad will do to him!'' She thought. 1 ''Also, Bianca is a threat. She shall not be spared! ''Mom is a wise woman. She''ll know what to do.'' "Look, Mommy! The four of us are in the papers today!" Lanie smiled as he took the newspaper and showed Bianca. "I didn''t know that there''s a touching love story behind Mommy and Daddy." Lanie might be young, but he was extremely intelligent. He had learned all the elementary school level vocabry, and he understood the news article. Rainie did not know as many words, but she could understand the gist of it. Biancaughed. Eugene was a top-notch media person. His writing skills and insight were extraordinary. Any of his articles would cause intense public discussion. The article on Luke and Bianca was a sessful one, though Bianca was impressed by the fact that Eugene could write something so cliched yet popr. Bianca sat in front of herputer and started to draft a blueprint. The client was an elderly person by the name of Mr. Norman. It was said that Old Mr. Norman''s son was an important politician in A City. Old Mr. Norman was also said to be an entric person, and he was very picky about the designs he liked. That was why the other drafts were rejected... Chapter 315 Chapter 315 What Is the Real Reason for Her Disapproval? Old Mr. Norman wanted to build a new house over the old family house. Bianca had seen the other designs at thepany. Some designs were modern mansions, some were ssic manors, and some had Eastern influences with zen gardens... Old Mr. Norman had rejected every single one of those designs. Eventually, Old Mr. Norman got impatient and started calling the designers of T Corporation idiots. He was not happy that all the elite designers in a multinational corporation could not produce the design he wanted. The most troublesome thing was not that Old Mr. Norman was picky but that he did not exin what he desired. It was not easy to be a good designer. Not only would a good designer be creative and produce consistent quality work, but they also have to possess incredible aesthetic skills. Bianca had studied architectural design when she was in an overseas university. She knew all the basics, but her brain was still in a muddle. She did not know what Old Mr. Norman''s desired house was... She looked at the drafts she made in thepany earlier during the day, and she was not satisfied with it. It felt as though something was missing. Just when she was deep in thought, the doorbell suddenly rang. She thought that Luke had gotten home, and she opened the door excitedly without looking through the peephole first. Unexpectedly, Allison appeared in front of her. The middle-aged woman''s impable features were as arrogant and haughty as usual. "Why are you here?" Bianca blocked the doorway. She had no intention of letting that woman into the house. Allison only spelled trouble. Bianca would not want to see her if she had any say in it. "It''s so cold outside, and I''ve traveled for so far just to look for you. Can''t you at least invite me inside for tea? Where are your manners?" Allison sized up Bianca from head to toe. "Do you think that I can¡¯t do anything to you just because my son is harboring you? Look at your face. You''ve grown prettier since thest time I met you...¡¯ The socialite woman''s sharp nails dug into Bianca''s cheeks as though she wanted to pierce through the delicate skin. Bianca was the woman who had seduced her son. Her son even went to the papers and announced that Bianca was the twins'' birth mother. How was that possible? The mother of the two cute and lovable children could be anyone, but not Bianca Rayne! Allison did not believe the news when she first read it. She went to look for Bianca so that she could take Bianca''s hair for a DNA test. She did not want that despicable woman to be the birth mother of her obedient grandchildren. If Luke had not lost her mind because of Bianca''s charm, he would not have told such a big lie so that the Crawford family would ept her! Bianca felt a sharp pain on her face and instinctively shoved Allison away. Allison, wearing high heels, tripped when she stepped backward and fell down. Allison had never been treated like that before. She was stunned. Just when she was about to yell at Bianca, she saw Luke''s car drive toward the mansion from the corner of her eye... She immediately thought of an idea! Instantly, she ruffled her hair and crumpled her clothes so that she looked miserable. Then, she started crying while sitting on the floor. "Bianca, you heartless woman! Not only you didn''t let me into the house, but you''ve also beaten me! My son must be blind to love a despicable woman such as you..." Those harsh words were like knives that stabbed Bianca''s heart. Bianca was furious, but she could not bear to get physical on Allison, nor did she know how to offer a retort. Without any other choice, she dragged Allison''s elbow out of the door, then mmed it shut with a bang! Luke could hear Allison''s tantrum from afar. He quickly parked the car in the garage, then hurried toward the mansion. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. He happened to see Bianca drag his mother and throw her out of the house. Luke''s expression sank. His mother was there to cause trouble again! "Look at what that Bianca did to me, son! Not only does she not respect me, but she even threw me to the ground. You can''t be with a woman like her. If you don''t drive her out of the house at this instant, I might as well just die..." Allison sat on the ground and pped her thighs while making up stories about Bianca. She wanted to make Luke hate Bianca as much as possible. "Who asked you toe here, Mother?" Luke''s expression was dark as he looked at his mother. At that moment, she did not look like a socialite at all. He had just repaired his rtionship with Bianca, but now his mother was here to pull them apart again. Naturally, he was not too happy about that. "Luke..." Allison looked at her son with fear as though she was looking at a stranger. She started sobbing and said, "Is that how you talk to your mother, you ingrate? Can''t I visit my son? See, that seductress haspletely bewitched you. You don''t even side with your mother anymore ... How could you bear to see your mother abused like this? Oh, poor me..." "Mother!" Luke could not take it anymore. He pulled Allison from the ground. He had nothing but impatience toward his mother''s childish actions." You''re not hurt at all. You might be able to fool someone else, but you can''t fool your son! Bianca isn''t as unreasonable as you so. I trust her. Stop making a fuss here. I''ll send you home." Luke knew that his mother had always wanted to break up him and Bianca. He did not expect that she would use such underhanded means. Did his mother think that Luke was a gullible child? Allison''s feigned grievance froze on her face when her lie was exposed. There was an indescribably tense atmosphere between her and Luke. She could not move her body as though it was tied up tightly by chains. Her n to break up her son and Bianca had failed. She felt despair as she looked at her son''s prating gaze... Her outstanding son had been irredeemably bewitched by Bianca! Allison did not relent. She continued to cry and thrash about and even tried to cling to the ground, just so that Luke would break up with Bianca! Bianca, standing behind the closed door, could hear everything outside. Her heart was wrenching. She could not understand why Allison opposed their rtionship so much... Chapter 316 Chapter 316 Luke¡¯s Guidance "Stop this nonsense! I''m ashamed of you!" With no other choice, Luke grabbed his mother with both arms, stuffed her into the car, locked the doors, and quickly drove away! Bianca was still trembling after Allison was brought away. Her hands were tightly clenched into fists, and her fingers were ice-cold. Through the window, Bianca could see Allison knocking on the car window and trying to get out. Allison could shed her image of a socialite and act like a savage just so that she could break up Bianca and Luke. Bianca did not understand. She could not rest at ease if she could not get Allison''s approval to be with Luke. She remained silent for a long time. The heater was on, but she could not feel any warmth at all! Divorcing with Xavier was the least of her worries now. Even if she could be free of that marriage, there were still multiple obstacles before she could be together with Luke... She sighed, rubbed her temples, and forced herself not to overthink. Sitting in front of herputer, she got to work and temporarily forgot the problems in real life. Bianca suddenly felt inspired after that brief episode. She suddenly had a good idea for the design. Old Mr. Norman had rejected all the designs by the other more senior designers in thepany. Perhaps it was because the designs only showed the house. What if she added some more aesthetics to the design itself? Bianca considered it seriously. Old Mr. Norman''s son was an important person, and Old Mr. Norman himself was a retired politician. As an influential person, Old Mr. Norman must be used to a fast-paced and regimented life. After his retirement, he must be depressed because his social circle shrunk by a lot. That might be the cause of his entric behavior. Bianca thought that the old man would need a ssic-style building to cultivate his mind. It would be great if the house came with awn for all types of nts so that the old man could do some gardening and have some pets. If she could design an otherworldly paradise in the middle of the bustling city, she believed that everyone would appreciate it. With that thought in mind, she scrapped her previous draft and went back to the drawing board. The workflow was smooth, thanks to her unending inspiration. Soon, it waste at night. It was only when Luke returned and hugged her from behind that she came to her senses and realized that it was already one o''clock... Luke was surprised when he saw Bianca''s design. He knew that the woman might be pliable, but she had a talent in design. Her design did not disappoint him. In fact, he was quite impressed! The blueprint looked like the Royal Botanic Gardens of Ennd, though instead of a ssic style, there were touches of modernity to the buildings. On the design sketch, thewn was a nice touch. Surrounding the house were rows of trees on awn of green grass, and in a corner was an ornamental rock garden and an artificial waterfall. The most eye-catching part of the design was the peach trees that dotted the periphery. The bright colors of the myriad flowers and the towering pines created a breathtaking sight. Most interestingly, there was a vegetable patch in that "farnd" that grew all sorts of edible crops. Under the lettuce leaves were several yellow chicks chasing each other and pecking the ground. Several geese swam leisurely in the pond next to it Luke sat down next to Bianca and sat her on hisp. He kissed her cheek. His gaze carried unabashed praise for her. However, Luke did not hesitate to provide constructive criticism to Bianca''s design. "Your sketch is beautiful, but there are several ws in it. Look here, you''ve done a good job to make the ce look like an otherworldly paradise, but you''ve forgotten to take into ount Old Mr. Norman''s budget. The designs over here are not very user-friendly to the elderly Old Mr. Norman and his wife..." Bianca listened to him seriously. Luke''s criticism was frank and incisive. He might be the CEO of T Corporation, but he was also a top-notch designer. Bianca knew that Luke was multi-talented in design. The aesthetic properties of his designs were inimitable. That was why he was famous both in and out of the country and was even one of the top ten designers in the world. He was also someone whom Bianca admired. Bianca learned a lot from the master designer. She soon corrected the ws of her design. It was almost two o''clock in the morning when she was done. Luke saw that Bianca was extremely tired. When she was not paying attention, he picked her up by the waist! "Ah... let me down, I haven''t saved the project yet!" Bianca shouted frantically. Luke reached out and tapped several buttons on the keyboard, which saved the project. Then, he turned around and carried Bianca to the master bedroom. "It''s already veryte. You should rest soon. Otherwise, you won''t be able to wake up in time to go to work." Luke ignored Bianca''s struggle and kicked open the master bedroom door. In his arms, Bianca felt the man sending her pulses of heat. That made her feel warm, but she was ufortable by Luke''s resolute attitude. Moreover, she was still angry over the fact that Luke''s mother hade to look for trouble with her. She startedining, "Your mother doesn''t wish that you stay together with this married woman..." Allison''s words resurfaced in Bianca''s mind again, which made her chest tighten. That was why she released her anger on Luke. "Do you think that I''m that easily manipted, Bianca? You should know where my heart stands on this issue.¡± Luke was somewhat agitated by Bianca''s words. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. He wanted to reprimand her, but his heart softened when he saw Bianca curled up in his arms. His mother was to me for all that. Chapter 317 Chapter 317 I¡¯ll Forgive You If You Feed Me Bianca was like a juicy ripe peach that suited Luke''s tastes. No other woman could rece her. In Luke''s opinion, he had done a lot so that they need not hide their rtionship. However, he was frustrated and helpless that Bianca did not seem to want to move forward together. Luke''s words had caused Bianca''s heart to wrench. She knew that she was important to him, but she could not shake away the feeling of inferiority. That feeling was like something stored in her chest that would asionally re up and explode, making her chest hurt and obliterating her feelings of security. Bianca knew that the fault was at Allison, who was trying to pull them apart, and not with the man who loved and protected her. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. She looked at Luke''s profound and patient eyes and felt guilty. "I''m sorry. Your mother came here to cause trouble, and I couldn''t control myself..." "You don''t have to say sorry to me. It''s not your fault, Bianca. It''s all the issues in my family..." Luke took out a cigarette from his pocket and wanted to light it, but controlled himself when he remembered that the heater was on in the room. Bianca noticed that Luke had been smoking more oftentely. Luke walked next to the floor-to-ceiling window and drew the curtains. His eyes shed with a deep-seated yet helpless agony as he looked outside into the dark night. "I''m sorry, Bianca. You''ve suffered because of me." He spoke very softly and gently with his back facing her. He dared not turn around to face her. It was his first time saying those words so seriously, and they carried so much agony and helplessness. However, theirplicated rtionship could not be resolved by those simple words alone. Bianca leaned peacefully on the headboard. She was stunned when she heard those wordse out of Luke''s mouth. To her, Luke was always the perfect one. He was the one whom fortune favored, and he was used to people looking up to him. Now, he was apologizing to her... "I''ve been living a lonely life for so long," Luke continued to speak, as though speaking to himself, "You might think that I''m living a morous life now, but you don''t know that I used to feel inferior because I couldn''t shake away the fact that I was a child born out of wedlock. When I was caught in the ident back then, I didn''t even want to continue living... "You don''t know that I suffered from serious depression when I was younger and had to rely on heavy medication every day... "That was until I went to the small town and met you. "You were like the morning sun, bringing light and hope to my life. I was so happy to see you, but you were still in middle school, and I didn''t tell you my feelings for you in case you might be intimidated. I could only bury those feelings deep within me... "I left the small townter, with those feelings inside me. "I didn''t expect that I''ll be lucky again a few yearster. I know that you were bought to be a surrogate mother because you needed money, and I managed to rece your original buyer. My wish came true, and you gave birth to two lovable children for me. "I thought that I had lost you forever, Bianca. I thought I would have no more regrets if I could be rted to you through our children, but I didn''t expect that we''de together again. "So many things have happened between us. I believe that if we are determined, no obstacle cane between us. What I didn''t expect was that whenever I try to move forward with you, you hesitate and move backward..." He stopped speaking for a while. His brows were furrowed, and his fingers were shaking slightly. He took a deep breath and looked at the infinite night sky with his dark irises, as though it took him a lot of courage to speak his true feelings. He did not even want to turn around to look at her, for fear that she might see the inferiority in his eyes. The low and resonant voice echoed in the room. It carried a hint of mncholy and dejection which hurt Bianca''s heart like a thorn. Bianca looked at the man''s tall and broad back. He seemed forlorn. She stood up, gently walked behind him, and hugged his muscr waist from behind. She clung to his body and said softly, "I''m sorry, Luke. I will not cower anymore..." Luke''s body stiffened. He turned around to look at her frowning face and brought her into his embrace. "Silly girl." Bianca smiled at him. Her bright and pure smile instantly drove away all of Luke''s mncholy. He carried her and gently ced her on the bed. Luke''s eyes sparkled when he looked at Bianca, who was smiling like a blooming flower. "If you want to apologize, then you should mean it. I''ll forgive you if you satisfy me tonight!" He hugged her delicate waist and pinned her body under his. His masculine hormones intermingled with her delicate body scent, which caused Luke''s urges to re. His eyes shone with the fires of desire, which made Bianca start to tremble. She obediently closed her eyes, allowing him to tear off her clothes from her body and rid herself of all restriction. The man''s extremely warm body pressed on the woman''s fair and sensitive skin. Her petite hands inadvertently grabbed something hard and throbbing like an iron brand, and she shied away... Luke smiled but held her hand tightly, pinning her down like a helpless little rabbit. Bianca was nervous when she saw the beast-like sparkle in Luke''s gaze, even though they had made out so many times. She gulped and said softly, "Can you... be a little gentler..." Luke smiled hoarsely. "Be a good girl and rx..." Then, he suddenly entered her! Bianca clung to him and moaned, "Ahh... mmh... it hurts..." 1 Sweat beaded on Luke''s forehead as he tried to control his strong desires. He licked her petite earlobes with his tongue. "You''ve already given birth to two children, and you''ve done it so many times. Why are you still... hmm?" His voice was unbearably sexy. "...'' Bianca looked at him while blushing. Every time she felt as though she was going to die, but the repeated thrusting brought her back to life. Eventually, she lost the energy to moan. The sun was about to rise... Chapter 318 Chapter 318 Luke Makes An Exception for Bianca The next day. T Corporation. "This is the design you wanted, Madam. I''ve sent a digital copy to your mailbox," Bianca said as she handed the printed design to the department lead. The department lead looked at Bianca suspiciously. Her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when she saw the incredibly beautiful design." You drew this yourself, Bianca?" She asked incredulously. Bianca nodded calmly, wearing a tranquil smile on her beautiful face. The department lead carefully looked at the design several times. The design in her hands was wless. Even she could note up with something like that. The usually arrogant department lead suddenly had a newfound understanding of the rookie design assistant. Did Biancae up with the design herself? "Bianca, you should know that if we find out that someone else did the design, the consequences are dire," the department lead said sternly. Bianca looked at her calmly. "I stayed up veryte to work on it, Madam. I can remember every single detail. Should I describe them to you?" Sue heard the argument and came over. She could not help but steal a peek at Bianca''s design. She was instantly struck speechless. "Not bad, Bianca! This design is amazing," Sue said as she gave Bianca a thumbs-up. "Not only does it have a ssic charm, but you''ve also included high-tech essibility features. I wouldn''t have expected that it came from you." "You tter me, Sue. I still have a lot to learn from you,¡± Bianca said modestly. Bianca could finally breathe a sigh of relief. She had spent a lot of effort working on the design, and she hoped that Old Mr. Norman would like it. The department lead kept the design away and grunted mockingly. "Don''t think that your task is complete just because you''ve finished the design. If the client isn¡¯t satisfied, hmph..." Then, she stepped out of the office on her high heels. Bianca was not bothered by the department lead''s sarcasm. She returned to her desk and cautiously asked Sue, who sat opposite her, "Sue, is Nina... fine?" Nina had not returned to work since that incident. Bianca could not visit her, thanks to Anna always being in the way. It had been almost a week, but she did not have any news of Nina. Bianca was extremely worried. "Nina''s fine. She said that she''s been feeling a lot of pressure from worktely, and she decided to take a few days off since she''s sick. She''lle back to work when she''s feeling better," Sue said. Bianca felt slightly relieved, but she was still worried. Nina would not have suffered if not for herself. Even if she wanted to make up to Nina, she wondered if they would be as close to each other as before. Just when Bianca was lost in thought, the department lead returned to the design department. She pped her hands together and said loudly to the employees," Everyone, put away your tasks on hand for now. All the designers, please follow me to Conference Room A606 for a meeting." Upon hearing the orders, the designers stood up and followed the department lead. Biancaughed awkwardly. She had been in T Corporation for a while, but her position remained as a design assistant. Assistants were not qualified to attendpany design meetings. She remained in the office with a few other new recruits. When Bianca was looking through a design brief, the office phone on her table started ringing. Bianca picked it up and instantly heard Luke''s orders. "Come to Conference Room A606 for a bit." "Yes, Mr. Crawford!" Bianca stood up from her seat and walked happily to the conference room. The elite designers across many departments sat in the conference room. T Corporation was a multinationalpany, and there were many design departments covering various fields such as architecture, fashion jewelry,ndscaping, environmental design, industrial design, interior design, and so on. Conference Room A606 was on the 88th floor. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. The room¡¯s design was extravagant and had a high ceiling. Several famous art pieces were hung on the walls, exuding an artistic atmosphere. In the room, all the men were smartly dressed in business suits and leather shoes, while the women were dressed in elegant office wear. Everyone looked confident, and one could tell that they were the best in their field. Bianca felt a little insecure as she walked past those elite designers. She headed straight toward Luke, trying hard not to look at the people around her. "Did you look for me, Mr. Crawford?" Luke pointed at a vacant seat. Without lifting his head, he gave a simplemand. "Sit down." "That''s... not very appropriate," Bianca said softly. She knew her position in thepany. She was not qualified to participate in the design meeting. Luke frowned authoritatively. "Just shut up and sit down." Sue sat nearby and saw the exchange. She understood that the boss wanted Bianca to join the meeting. She pulled a chair next to her and said to Bianca, "Sit here, Bianca." Bianca could only sit down next to Sue. "Thank you, Sue." "Don''t mention it. You''ve been in the company for a while, Bianca, not to mention that your designs are so great. I believe that you''ll officially be a designer sooner orter, and you will have a bright future in T Corporation. You should join in the meeting. That would be good for your experience and future growth," Sue said with a gentle smile. "Mm," Bianca replied and waited for the meeting to start. The department lead noticed Bianca. When her gazended on Bianca, whose head was lowered, she was stunned, after which her face scrunched up with jealousy and resentment. Bianca should not be qualified to attend the design meeting. However, not only was she in attendance, but she was also sitting so close to the CEO. What gave her the right? Bianca must have slept with the boss and got him to make her an exception. 1 The department lead''s disdain toward Bianca grew even more. ''Just you wait. Once you can''t satisfy the boss''s carnal desires, you''ll eventually be abandoned!'' However, she could not help but feel jealous when she remembered the design that Bianca handed in earlier. If that was truly Bianca''s design, then Bianca''s talents could not be ignored. The department lead suddenly felt immense pressure on her back. If she did not stop Bianca, that young woman would soon be promoted and might even rise above her... She began to feel afraid. She red at Bianca and swore that she would humiliate Bianca in public! Chapter 319 Chapter 319 What Are You Doing, Mr. Crawford? The design meeting started. Luke was seated in the leading position. He wore a ck business suit and sat straight and tall, a formidable presence in the crowd. His gaze was profound, and his lips were tightly pressed together, which gave him a dependable and authoritative air. He made a brief speech, after which he listened attentively to the reports by the leaders of various departments. The main topic of the meeting was ¡¯increasing design productivity.¡¯ The designers discussed thetest trends in design and exchanged their experiences. Everyone might be from a different department, but there were still some things that they could learn from each other. They shared design resources and had a lively discussion about the Finishing Touch Workshop and the Divine Inspiration Showcase, two world- renowned design studios. The two studios had only started a few years ago, but they had gathered a wealth of design talent and started several worldwide trends. T Corporation was a multinationalpany and hired the world''s best designers who walked at the forefront of design. Not only were they sensitive to new trends, but they were also willing to learn. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. The discussionsted for more than an hour. Next was the monthly work summary by each department. In this segment, each department lead would report on what they had done in the past month. They wouldmend certain designers that had done well, as well as give constructive criticism to anyone who needed to improve. Every designer who was praised this way smiled delightedly. After all, being praised in front of the CEO meant that there would be a pay raise, as well as a higher chance for promotion. Those who were criticized were dejected and fearful for their position in thepany. T Corporation paid their employees the highest in the industry, and they would not want to lose their jobs. When it was the architectural design department lead''s turn, she shot a nce at Bianca, then started her report. "In the past month, the architectural design department has twomendable employees. They are Tom Lewis and Sue Carter. Tom haspleted the most projects in the entire department and has brought sizable profits to thepany. Meanwhile, Sue''s work has been widely praised by our clients. On the other hand, I have to say something about thezier employees in the department..." The department lead''s prating nce shot toward Bianca. Bianca had a bad feeling when she saw the department lead''s sinister and calcting gaze. Indeed, the department lead''s ensuing speech made Bianca feel embarrassed. "Ms. Bianca Rayne, as a design assistant, you should have worked harder so that you can formally be a designer, instead of cking off like what you''re doing now. You''ve been in thepany for a few months. Not only you don''t have manypleted designs, but you are also frequently absent from work. Don''t you know that you should have been more diligent? You should know that ourpany might have abundant financial resources, but we''re not a charity foundation, and we have no ce for idle people in our ranks..." The department lead''s speech generated an uproar. All the designers looked at where the department was looking, and their gazes fell on Bianca. They started to whisper among each other, ignoring Luke''s gloomy gaze. Thepany rules were clear. Only formal designers could attend the design meetings in Room A606. Why would the woman be there if she was only a design assistant? It could not have been an ident. She would not have found the ce if no one had informed her about the meeting. Did it mean that the boss was ying favorites with that woman? The boss was never seen to be with a woman, and he never had any scandals except for that article from JK Media. Was the unremarkable design assistant the woman in the article? All sorts of wild theories and dubious gazes turned toward Bianca... They could see that Bianca was young and beautiful. She had snow-white skin and a pair of clear and animated eyes. However, she seemed to be embarrassed by the department lead''s public criticism. Bianca was restless on her chair. She tried to hide away from those usatory gazes. The department lead felt pleased with herself. ''That Bianca is sleeping with the boss, right? I''d like to see if Mr. Crawford would harbor her in public.'' She dared to criticize Bianca publicly because she was telling the truth. She also knew that Luke had been impartial, and was confident that he would not speak up for her because their rtionship was illicit. Luke twiddled the fountain pen in his hand. His eyes shed with a shocking coldness that could chill one to the bone. The department lead saw that and quickly averted his gaze. ''How shocking! ''I have criticized Bianca in public. Would he do anything to me?'' The department lead suddenly felt unconfident about what she had done. However, she believed that Luke would not openly harbor Bianca under everyone''s eye. She would like to see how Bianca would extricate herself from this mess! Of course, she had underestimated how protective Luke could be. The man''s gaze was unbelievably profound, as though it stretched toward the farthest reaches of the universe. He shot a nce at Bianca, who was tucking her head in. That woman was indeed talented, but she did not have the maturity to survive in the workce. Chapter 320 Chapter 320 Bianca Wows the Crowd! On the screen was a magnificent skyscraper under a starry sky. Its design was bold and exquisite, and it looked more like an alien construct in a sci-fi movie. Its outer walls had mysterious and mesmerizing carvings. More shockingly, each segment of the skyscraper could resolve independently. The exterior ss panels could reflect the entire city. It was an impable work of art. The designers were incredibly excited when they saw the design, and they started chattering, endless praising its originality. Luke knocked on the table, and the tumultuous conference room slowly quietened down. The man shone aser pointer on the screen, and his seductive voice could be heard over the speakers. "I designed this fantasy-like skyscraper myself, based on future design trends. Can anyone give an opinion on the strengths and weaknesses of this design? Who''ll be the first?" The designer admired their boss even more when they heard that he had designed the skyscraper himself. As one of the world''s top ten designers, Luke''s designs were extraordinary. However, he had been devoted to business matters for the past few years and seldom produced designs. However, by looking at the skyscraper on the screen, one could see that he still had an eye for design! Everyone instantly fell silent after the boss asked that question. They wanted to take the opportunity to tter their boss, but they did not want to be the first either. What if they did not give a perfect answer? That would cause them to be humiliated in front of the other elite designers. No one stood up to give theirments. "You''re the leader of the architectural design department, Be Sloan. You''ll answer the question." Luke did not hesitate to name names. Be Sloan was the leader of the architectural design department. She was also the one who had criticized Bianca earlier. She stood up from her seat while trembling. Her mind was nk. Even though she was a veteran employee in thepany, she felt anxious when everyone was looking at her! "Mr... Mr. Crawford, I think that your design is fantastic. You''d only see such a high-tech design in sci-fi movies... but your design is much better than those you see in sci-fi movies. I can see that you have used all right angles and countless connecting corridors in the interior design of the skyscraper, which indicates a blend of Gothic and post-modernist influences. It will be an icondmark. I think that your design is perfect, Mr. Crawford. There are no ws at all!" Be might be self-centered and haughty, but she had an eye for design. Otherwise, she would not have be a department lead. However, she was flustered when being put on the spot in front of so many elite designers. That was what she coulde up with after racking her brains. She could not spot any ws. The design was indeed perfect. Even if she did spot any ws, she could not have criticized the boss in front of everyone! Her forehead was coated with a thin film of sweat after she gave her reply, but she dared not wipe it off. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. She stole a nce at Luke sitting in the leading position. Luke sat there calmly with an impassive expression on his face, which made her even more apprehensive. "What do you think, Bianca Rayne?" Luke turned to address Bianca. Bianca stood up hesitantly. She was even more nervous than her department lead. She took a careful look at the design and started to speak slowly. "You''ve utilized Al and machine learning in your design, and that''s why it exudes a superhuman tenacity. "By using optical principles, the exterior ss panels also be a giant mirror that reflects the majesty of the entire city to the people standing inside the building, which can be a feast to the eyes. "Unlike other skyscrapers that block one''s view of the surroundings, this skyscraper can perfectly capture its surrounding view onto itself. "Secondly, the skyscraper uses a modr design made out of flexible material, which means that it will be resistant to earthquakes. "However, the skyscraper is too tall, which makes it stand out awkwardly when looking at the city skyline in its entirety. "Also, standing on the top of the building might give you a magnificent building, but it is very imposing to look at the building from the ground level. "Most importantly, even though the building might look wless, that is where its greatest w lies, because..." Bianca seemed to have transformed into apletely different person when it came to talking about design. Her voice was crisp and pleasant, and she was incredibly knowledgeable with keen insight. Her design skills were equal to that of a top-notch designer in thepany, which surprised Luke and the other designers. Luke knew that Bianca had a talent in design, but he did not expect that she was so talented. The audience was mesmerized by Bianca''s analysis of the skyscraper. Apuse rang out more than once. Be was incredibly jealous. ''Isn''t she just a newly-recruited rookie?'' She thought. ''Her previous designs aren''t that remarkable. Why would she have such an incisive opinion on this design?'' ''Maybe the boss showed Bianca the design earlier and told her about the ws, and that is why Bianca could speak so fluently and point out the ws so urately. ''That must be the case!'' The designers regarded Bianca differently after her analysis. They were impressed by her performance, but at the same time, they were surprised that the outstanding woman was a rtively new recruit. Mr. Crawford had said that he had personally designed the skyscraper, and that young woman had openly criticized it. The veteran designers would not have dared to be so candid. Unexpected to everyone, Luke smiled when Bianca pointed out the ws in his design. Luke was already a very handsome man. When he smiled, it moved everyone, like a gentle spring breeze forming ripples on a still pond surface. The male employees were wide-eyed and ck-jawed. Was that man who was smiling brightly their usually strict boss? The female employees were smitten. They were mesmerized by that angelic face... Chapter 321 Chapter 321 Old Mr. Norman Approves Bianca''s Design! Luke nodded, satisfied. As expected, Bianca did not disappoint him. He had deliberately included several ws into the skyscraper''s design which could not be spotted by a cursory nce. Someone with advanced design skills could see that it was a wed design. Bianca was right. The biggest w of the design was that it was too perfect. By exaggerating all realistic elements in the design, it had be something surreal. Human technology would not be able to realize that design in the next hundred years. The other ws that Bianca had pointed out were also very urate. Luke pped his hands and said, "That''s right. Ms. Rayne has pointed out the ws of my design which I have deliberately included. All of you should learn from Bianca. Don''t be afraid to point out my ws, even if I''m the CEO of thispany. Understand?" Bianca was shocked, but a smile soon appeared on her face. Luke was not only the CEO of T Corporation, but he was also a world-ss designer. He could have been conceited, and no one would dare say a word. Geniuses are usually entric. They would not tolerate anyone criticizing them. However, Luke was not angry when someone pointed out the ws of his designs. Instead, he smiled and encouraged everyone else to do the same. That showed that he was not conceited and was deserving of everyone''s admiration! "I didn''t expect that toe out of you. Don''t tell me that the boss has already shown you the design before this?" Be whispered jealously into Bianca¡¯s ear. "The boss doesn''t usually give praise in public, but he did that to you. You must have given the boss a good time in bed, right?" Bianca ignored the department lead''s mockery. She knew that if she reacted to Be, Be would pester her even more. Instead, if she ignored Be, Be might eventually lose interest and go elsewhere. Indeed, Be was furious when she saw that she could not get a rise out of Bianca. However, she could not lose her temper in front of the boss. She red at Bianca resentfully and stopped talking. "Bianca Rayne, from today onward, you''ll officially be a designer of thepany," Luke said impassively. "Thank you, Mr. Crawford. I will do my best," Bianca said confidently. She was overjoyed by the promotion. Her efforts had finally paid off. Luke narrowed his eyes and looked at Bianca. He continued, "We have a big coborative project with Vivi Grouping up soon. You''ll be in charge of the project together with Tom Lewis and Sue Carter." Everyone was shocked by that decision. Vivi Group was also a major multinationalpany, and T Corporation had a 25% stake in it. They shared a peculiar coborative andpetitive rtionship. The uing project was to revamp a historic town to bring in tourism. Sue and Tom nodded approvingly at Bianca. Bianca was good-natured and humble. Many employees in the department liked her, except for those who were envious. For example, Be Sloan, the department lead. She almost popped a vein when she heard that the boss handed the project with Vivi Group to Bianca, Sue, and Tom. It was not out of her expectations for Tom and Sue to take on the project, but what right did Bianca have to be involved? Was she, the department lead, going to be ignored? Be tried to keep her temper down as she spoke, "Mr. Crawford, Bianca is still a new employee, and her experience iscking. I don''t think that she will be able to take on the responsibility. Instead, I..." Luke red at Be. "Why, are you questioning my decision?" Be''s knees instantly went weak! She realized that she had challenged the CEO''s authority. What a stupid thing to do... She knew that Luke never went back on his decisions, and no one would be able to change his mind after he had decided on something. Be knew better than to agitate him at this point. She pressed her lips and said sheepishly, "I didn''t mean that, Mr. Crawford. Bianca is indeed talented. I think it''s a good idea to work in a team..." The other designers looked at Bianca with mixed emotions. They had reached their current position in thepany over many years of blood, sweat, and dead brain cells. Under T Corporation''s strict structure, a design assistant would take almost a year to be a formal designer. How lucky was Bianca? Not only had she be a designer in a few months'' time, but she also got to handle a major project with other design managers! That was incredibly lucky! Bianca sighed. Other people might be envious of her, but she felt as though a hot potato was forced into her hands. She did not understand why Luke had made her, a new recruit to thepany, in charge of such a major project. That should have been handled by the department leadin an old mansion somewhere in the suburbs. A low-profile luxury car stopped at the entrance, and a middle-aged couple walked out. The man had a square jaw and carried an imposing air. Even his casual clothes could not diminish his authoritative bearing. The woman was gentle and beautiful, as though one could not tell her actual age. She carried herself gracefully, and she had an inexplicable air of mncholy that evoked pity. They were none other than Jack Norman and Queenie Zeigler. They were at the old mansion to visit Chris Norman, Jack''s father. Chris had lived in the old mansion ever since he retired. Jack knew that the old mansion was deserted, and he had suggested to his father that he should rebuild the house. Perhaps the old man would feel better if he lived in a new house. They heard heartyughtering from inside the house as soon as they stepped through the door. Theughter belonged to no one other than Chris. "Why are you so happy, Father?" Jack asked as he helped his wife through the threshold. His father used to be an influential politician who did not usually unt his moods. It was rare that he laughed so heartily. An elegant noblewoman walked up to the couple as soon as she saw them walk in. The delight was evident on her face. "Your father and I have been wondering when you''lle and visit us. You''re finally here." 2 Chris saw that his son and daughter-inw hade to visit. He handed the design to his son and said happily, ''See? I''ve finally found a designer who understands what I want. This kid is talented!"Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 322 Chapter 322 Let¡¯s Wait for the Designer to Come Jack was stunned when he saw the beautiful and exquisite design of the new house. When Jack saw the signature of the designer, a certain "B. Rayne," he said," I''m d that you like the design, Father. If you are satisfied by this designer, then we''ll get them to furnish the rooms after the house is built." "Mm. I''ve never been so satisfied by a designer before. I like what this boy does!" Old Mr. Norman said happily. He seemed to be at the peak of his health because of his mood. Jack smiled at his mischievous father. "I believe B. Rayne is female." Old Mr. Norman red at him. "No, I''m sure that he''s a boy." Queenie smiled when she saw how the father and son were quibbling over a name. "Why don''t we wait until the designeres over to survey the ce? By then, you''d know if they''re male or female." Queenie felt that the designer was female. Only a woman would submit such a meticulous and romantic design. ''B. Rayne...'' Queenie memorized that name. She suddenly felt something strange in her heart. It ached a little. "Why isn''t Leia here today?" Old Mrs. Norman held Queenie''s hand and asked. Leia was beautiful and had a charming way with her words. The old woman was quite fond of her. "Leia is busy with her worktely, and her schedule is packed. That''s why she''s not here today. We''ll bring her over again in a few days when she''s less busy,¡± Queenie exined. Chris seemed unhappy at once. "When is Leia nning to retire from the entertainment industry? How can a daughter of the Norman family have such a public profile? How shameful!" Old Mr. Norman had never been fond of Leia. When Leia was first brought to the household, she seemed to be a sweet and obedient girl. Old Mr. Norman, in his many years of experience, was an urate judge of character. He knew that Leia was not as innocent as she seemed. However, Jack was insistent on adopting her, and he could only heed his son''s will. Jack''s family lived apart from their parents, and Chris had seldom met Leia. The three people woulde and visit them for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and Chris was ambivalent toward the adopted granddaughter that he was not very fond of. He did not expect that Leia would enter the entertainment industry after she grew up. The entertainment industry was a chaotic ce. No one could enter the industry and remain untainted. All the celebrities might look morous, but who knew how many unspeakable secrets did they hide? The Normans were a family of politicians. Old Mr. Norman regarded the family reputation very highly, and he could not forgive Leia for bing an actress. Leia had tried to gain the old man''s favor every time she visited but with little effect. Queenie lowered her head and said nothing. She knew that the old man would be irritated if she tried to speak up for her daughter. She was once discovered by a talent scout and was offered a spot in the industry, but her inws had strongly protested against it, and that was why she had to abandon her dream and go into business. Queenie might have made a name for herself in the business world, but her unfulfilled wishes carried on with her. That was why when Leia thought of bing an actress, she had nothing but encouragement and support for her. "Father, I''ll arrange a marriage for Leia soon. She''ll have to retire from the industry after that," Jack replied. "That will be the best!" Old Mr. Norman said. "Alright, that''s enough. It''s rare that Jack and Queeniee and visit us," Old Mrs. Norman shot a nce at her husband, then turned to speak to Queenie, "I''ll see if lunch is ready. Follow me, Queenie." Queenie nodded and followed Old Mrs. Norman into the kitchen. After lunch, Jack and his father went to the study to discuss something, while Queenie and Old Mrs. Norman sat in the living room and chatted. A huge frame was ced on one of the walls. Various ssic photos were framed inside. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Queenie noticed an old family photo in one corner of the frame. In front of a red backdrop, Chris and his wife sat on the chairs with peaceful expressions on their faces. Behind them were Jack and the then- pregnant Queenie. Her right hand gently rested on her round stomach, and she smiled sweetly as she leaned on her husband''s shoulder... "Looking at old photos again, Queenie?" Old Mrs. Norman saw that Queenie''s eyes were transfixed on the photo in the frame. She seemed sad as her fingers stroked the photo in which she was pregnant. Old Mrs. Norman gently patted her daughter-inw''s hand andforted her, "It''s been so long, and you should let it go. Some things just aren''t meant to be. If not that Jack was injured and became sterile, you won''t have to... Leia is grown-up anyway, and she''s an intelligent and filial child. There''s still hope for you." Chris and his wife did not know that Queenie had lost a lot of blood when she went intobor. Jack and Queenie had hidden the real reason from them. Jack loved Queenie, and he was afraid that his parents might treat Queenie unfavorably if they knew the truth and even force them to divorce. That was why he had lied to his parents, saying that Queenie''s infertility was caused by his injury. His parents had never doubted that, and they had never suspected Queenie''s problem. After all, Queenie had managed to bear a child, even though the child was stillborn. It was a tragic event, but it proved that she was capable of bearing children. If Queenie never bore a child after that, the problem might be indeed on their son. Old Mr. and Mrs. Norman were quite satisfied with Queenie as their daughter-inw. Not only was she capable, diligent, and considerate, but most importantly, she did not leave Jack despite his sterility. As Queenie stared at her pregnant self in the photo, tears nearly fell from her eyes. She looked guiltily at Old Mrs. Norman. Not being able to give birth to a child was the biggest regret of her life. Her husband had lied to his parents to protect her. The lie had persisted over so many years. ''Father and Mother would be disappointed if they knew the truth...'' She thought. ''If that poor child were still alive, she would have been twenty-four years old this year. Would she have found a soulmate and bore children?'' Chapter 323 Chapter 323 Bianca and Xavier at the Civil Registry Office, Divorce! Monday, 10 am, in front of the Civil Registry Office. Bianca did not expect that Xavier gave her a call, telling her to wait at the entrance of the Civil Registry Office. He would proceed with the divorce. At first, she did not believe it. She thought that there would be a long and arduous legal battle before she could end that marriage. She did not expect that Xavier would change his mind that easily. Bianca knew that her workce attendance was sporadic, and she knew that people would be talking behind her if she was absent from work again. However, she was anxious to be free from that marriage, and she braced herself before she requested another day of leave from the department lead. Then, she rushed to the Civil Registry Office. Standing at the crossroads, she anxiously nced at the time on her phone. It was getting close to the appointed time. Was Xavier going to change his mind? Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Just when she was about to give Xavier a call, she saw him walking over toward the building. The man was as devilishly handsome as ever, and his eyes carried that usual seductive charm. Many young women turned their heads toward him and smiled as he walked past, which made Bianca shake her head. Those young women could only see Xavier''s handsome looks, but they did not know the evil that was hidden beneath his skin... Bianca felt the temperature drop as Xavier neared her. Her limbs turned stiff, and she could not move. Memories of that night had hurt her too much. She could not forget the scene where he had almost vited her. Xavier looked at Bianca. He was caught in a daze. She was as beautiful and charming as ever. Her long eyshes seemed to be tipped with frost, perhaps because of the cold weather. As they trembled, tiny snowkes seemed to fall like microscopic butterflies. The sight took his breath away and shook him to the core. He thought that he had killed all feelings for that woman, but at the moment he saw her, he could not help but be moved by her beauty. If only she would treat him a little better and pay him a little more attention, he would not let her go even if Luke would send him to prison! However, Bianca''s words shattered that fantasy. "Now that you''re here, let''s get this done with." Xavier''s eyes were transfixed on Bianca''s face. He grabbed her elbow, and he could not control the anger in his voice. "Do you want the divorce that much, Bianca? You can''t wait to fall into Luke''s arms, hmm?¡± "What are you doing, Xavier? We''re in public!" Bianca was shocked by his sudden gesture. She wanted to shove him away, but his grip on her became tighter, and he pulled her into his embrace. Bianca pushed against his chest and tried to stay calm. "Don''t be like that, Xavier. I''ve said that we''re not meant for each other. You''ll eventually find the woman for you..." Xavier pressed his lips together. His expression was unbelievably sullen! He did not want to hear that they were not meant for each other! He wanted to curse out loud, but he stopped himself. Xavier''s ice-cold fingertips touched her delicate face. The face was beautiful, but right now, it showed him nothing but disdain and rejection. He fell into despair. He had done so much for her, including opposing his own parents and leaving the family. Even if Bianca''s heart was as cold as ice, she should still have felt his warmth. Unfortunately, the woman''s heart was colder than ice. Bianca clenched her fists and stomped on Xavier''s foot with her high heels. "No matter what happens, I want this divorce!" She said coldly, "If you don''t n to go through with the divorce today, you can go home, and I''ll see you again in court. If that happens, that wont end well for you!" Bianca was determined to divorce Xavier. She wanted to be out of that joyless marriage no matter what it took. To be forced together with him was nothing but endless torment and pain. Xavier''s heart ached when he heard those words. Looking at her resolute expression, he suddenly let go of her. "Let''s go in. We''ll proceed with the divorce." She had no feelings for him, and forcing her would only invite more hate. Was that worth it? Xavier walked toward the Civil Registry Office inrge strides. From the back, he seemed inconsbly forlorn. Bianca stood there in a daze. When she came to her senses, she quickly followed behind him. In the Civil Registry Office, more people were applying for divorce than marriage. In front of them were three couples. The couple in the front was middle-aged. The man was short and plump with an unremarkable face, while the woman was gaunt and miserable. She was probably in her forties, but her sideburns were turning white. The staff of the Civil Registry tried to mediate and asked the couple the reason for divorce. The man was in a bad mood. He mmed the table impatiently and said, "I want a divorce! Do I need a reason? Can''t I say that I don''t like this crone anymore? Look at her, she doesn''t wear makeup, and she doesn''t know how to dress up. She brings me nothing but shame! I don''t mind if she stays at home and shuts up, but she''s tried to meddle whenever I have to stay outte for work. What use do I have for her?" The woman cried angry tears when her husband said that. She pointed at his nose and yelled, "Do you have a heart, Moe Larson? Back then, you were so poor that you could only afford to eat bread and salt every night, yet I chose to marry you. I didn''t expect that you would start to misbehave afternding a windfall. I don''t care if you have affairs outside, but you even brought that wench back. I was blind to have fallen in love with you..." The man''s embarrassment turned into anger when he heard his wife expose his misdeeds in public. He lifted his hand and pped her several times! The woman spun around, fell on the floor, and started bawling while spewing curses at that man. The office instantly descended into chaos. Everyone''s gazes fell on that couple. Bianca felt emotional when she saw the scene. In a marriage, the woman was always at a disadvantage. Without a career, a woman would devote all her time and effort toward her husband and children. Eventually, she would not be as beautiful as before, and that would make her husband be bored of her. Marriage crises would usually happen by then, such as the couple in front of her eyes... Bianca decided that she would keep working even after she married Luke. She would not abandon her career! Chapter 324 Chapter 324 Finally Divorced; The Price for Flirting with Bianca! The second couple in line looked young. They should be in their twenties. The man looked somewhat handsome, though his neon-green hair was extremely eye-catching. The thick gold chain that he wore around his neck was dazzlingly shiny, and hisnky legs were covered by a pair of hole- filled jeans. He stuck his hands into his jeans pockets, and he looked like a hooligan. The woman next to him had the face of an Inte celebrity. She wore a pair of cosmetic contact lenses that made her irises shockingly big. Her sharp chin had obviously undergone stic surgery, and her face was thered in thick make-up. She held a cigarette in between her fingers and casually took a drag from it, which seemed at odds with the rest of her personality. ¡°Reason for divorce?" The female staff member frowned and said angrily to the woman, "Smoking is prohibited here. Please leave the building if you want to smoke!'' "Why are you so nosy? Am I disturbing you by smoking? Enough nonsense and get that divorce done immediately!'' The woman seemed gentle, but one could tell that she was rude when she opened her mouth. The female staff member was red with anger. She was about to lose her temper when the male staff member next to her tugged her shirt sleeve to remind her that she should not get angry. After all, they would meet all types of people in their line of work. The female staff member calmed down and continued her questioning." Can I have a reason for your divorce? Are you sure that you don''t need any mediation?" Inte Celebrity Girl pouted and looked disdainfully at Green-Haired Cool Guy with an emascting gaze. "Mediation? This idiot goes on Tinder and finds dates without my knowledge, and he makes out with a different girl every day too! If not that I identally saw the chat records in his phone, I wouldn''t have known that he''s made out with so many women! I don''t know if he might catch a disease from somewhere, and I don''t want to live with him anymore!" Green-Haired Cool Guy did not want to be outdone. He pointed at his wife and yelled, "Do you think that you''re in any position to criticize me? You post all sorts of revealing photos and videos on Instagram, so why don''t you just take off everything and flirt with other men? When I went to a hotel for a delivery a few days ago, I saw you going into a room with a balding middle-aged man. I wanted to rip you apart right there... I''ve had enough of you anyway, and I don''t care what you do with your body. Let''s just get this over with!" The young couple started spitting at each other as though they were children. Eventually, they started kicking and punching at each other as though they were in a fight to the death! That was the first time Bianca saw a couple that hated each other so much. The Civil Registry Office was indeed a scary ce. Even Allison was nowhere as rude or violent as either of the two young people. They eventually received their divorce certificate. Inte Celebrity Girl turned around and walked away without looking at Green-Haired Cool Guy. While Green-Haired Cool Guy was on his way out, he happened to see Bianca, who was queuing in the fourth position. He saw that Bianca was beautiful and had an excellent figure. Ignoring Xavier next to her, he winked at Bianca and whistled at her. Xavier was already in a terrible mood because he was forced to divorce Bianca. When he saw the young hooligan flirting with Bianca, he found a release for his anger. He took a step forward and grabbed the young man''s cor. With bloodshot eyes, he asked the young man, "Were you flirting with someone? Hmm?'' "I..." Green-Haired Cool Guy was shocked by Xavier''s violent temper. He could not finish aplete sentence. "Are you blind? Didn''t you see me standing next to her? How dare you flirt with my wife!" As Xavier raised his voice, he also lifted the young man off his feet. "...'' Green-Haired Cool Guy was speechless. The young man struggled in Xavier''s grip. He was almost crying. He knew every couple who stood in line was about to divorce. They had no affection toward each other, and some of them even wanted to stab each other. He thought of flirting with Bianca only because she looked pretty, but he did not expect that her husband was still so protective of the woman he was about to divorce. "Bro, I didn''t know that she''s your woman. I wouldn''t dare..." Green-Haired Cool Guy begged as he trembled in fear. Xavier tossed him heavily on the floor. ¡®Get lost!'' The young man was scared of his wits. He scrambled to his feet and dashed out of the Civil Registry Office. It was finally Xavier and Bianca''s turn. The two staff members saw that the man in front of them was handsome and the woman was beautiful. They seemed to be well-educated and were a good match for each other. Why would such a match made in heaven want to divorce? The staff members asked them the reason for the divorce. The female staff member thought that it would be a pity if they separated." Are you two sure that you want to divorce? It''s normal for couples to drift apart after an argument, but that doesn''t mean that you can''t work things out together. The two of you seem like a good match, and I believe that many people would be envious of you. Should you reconsider your decision?" "I don''t have any feelings toward him," Bianca said without emotion." Moreover, our marriage isn''t a proper one. I don''t want to live with him anymore. Also...'' She paused for a while, then leaned close to the female staff member''s ear. "The man might look like a gentleman, but don''t be deceived by his looks. Not only he''s violent toward me, but he''s also impotent..." The female staff member looked at Xavier with a shocked gaze. She had thought that he was a gentleman because of his looks. However, that instantly changed into disdain. ''Wow, I didn''t expect that this guy is a violent bully, and he''s also impotent! No wonder his wife wants to divorce him. ''The woman looks so delicate and frail. How could she withstand his beatings? ''He deserves to be single!'' Xavier was a little creeped out by how the female staff member was looking at him. He was a little angry that she was looking at him as though looking at a pervert. ''What''s going on? Why is she looking at me like that? ''What did Bianca say to her?'' Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Xavier could guess that it was not something positive. The female staff member seemed to believe everything that Bianca said, perhaps Bianca looked too innocent, or maybe because females tended to trust each other. In any case, the woman stamped the divorce certificate without any hesitation after Bianca whispered in her ear. Bianca felt very relieved after the divorce was done. She smiled cheerfully, a stark contrast to Xavier''s sullen expression... Chapter 325 Chapter 325 His Kiss Is So Gentle and Indulgent Outside of the Civil Registry Office. Xavier looked intently at Bianca''s pure and delicate face as though intending to imprint her face in his eyes. Her jet-ck hair was tied up in a bun behind her, and her scarf was folded into a pretty shape by her dexterous hands. She did not wear any make-up on her face except for a thin coat of pink lipstick. She looked sweet and beautiful. Her eyes were sparkling with joy... What should he do? He did not want to let her go. "Bianca, I know that I''ve used hical means to obtain our previous marriage. If I can change myself and try to pursue you again with a new personality, would you ept me then?" Xavier suddenly asked. "What?" Bianca was wholly immersed in her joy of being single again. She was not listening to what he was saying. Xavier''s tall body cast a shadow on her face. "I said, would you consider it if we start over again?" He looked at her expectantly. He knew what Bianca was going to say, but his heart was nevertheless incredibly nervous. "That''s impossible," Bianca said. She said it directly, without giving it a single consideration. Xavier''s lips were pressed together in a straight line as he tried to restrain his turbulent emotions. "I''m serious, Bianca. I won''t use any hical means to obtain you. If you can forgive me, I''m willing to do anything to win your heart." "I''ve said it. It''s impossible! We''re no longer rted, Xavier. Stop pestering me. Otherwise, I won''t go easy on you!" Bianca said angrily. She turned toward the road and waved her hand. A vacant cab drove over, and Bianca sat inside. The cab left, leaving behind a cloud of exhaust fumes. Xavier choked and started tough self-deprecatingly. Bianca hated him to the core. She did not even look at him when she left. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Bianca directly went to thepany after she left the Civil Registry Office. She was going to tell Luke the good news that she was divorced. In an incredible coincidence, Bianca received Luke''s call right as she stepped into the elevator. He asked her to meet him in his office. When she arrived at Luke''s office, she saw that Luke was perusing a document and did not notice her arrival. She tiptoed behind him and suddenly covered his eyes with her hands." Hello, guess who am I?" "Hm... let me guess, who could have sneaked into my office? Tsk, these hands are so tender. It must be a sexy fairy..." Luke''s hands went all over Bianca''s body and even mischievously pinched her roundness several times, which made Bianca blush intensely. Bianca could not help but let go of her hands. ''How naughty! ''Who would¡¯ve thought that this cool and forbidding man is actually a scoundrel?'' Bianca pulled Bianca into his embrace and assaulted her with kisses. 8 "Mmh..." Bianca pped her limbs like an unruly bird. She nervously looked at the door in case someone would suddenlye in. They were in the CEO''s office. Anyone could havee in to report on their work. How would Bianca be able to survive in thepany if someone saw them? "Don''t worry. Without my permission, no one cane in," Luke said jokingly as he looked at the charming woman in hisp. ¡®We haven''t met for a while, Bianca. Do you miss me?" Bianca was speechless. ''Are you kidding? We haven''t met for a while? ''Who was the beast that had tormented me in bedst night?'' Bianca shot an angry re at Luke, but Luke''s kiss had almost made her out of breath. Her face was turning red. A stray strand of hair clung to Bianca''s neck. Luke carefully pushed the errant strand away behind her ear and hugged her tightly in his arms. He leaned close, and his sexy thin lipsnded on her delicate face. Her skin was as smooth as a peeled egg. Her unblemished face was different from those other faces that were thered with too much powder. Luke gripped the back of Bianca''s head so that her face looked at his. The man''s thin lips went down the bridge of her nose and eventuallynded on her lips. His kiss was gentle and indulgent. It had made Bianca forget her surroundings. She even forgot to tell him that the divorce was already a reality. However, Luke seemed to be too eager. He was not going to stop at just a few kisses. His hand slowly reached into her shirt... The man''s fingertips were cold. Bianca shuddered when he touched her skin. Luke''s other hand clung to Bianca''s slim waist. When he was about to take off her clothes, she abruptly came to her senses. She frantically grabbed his hand. "Don''t do that, Luke. This is an office." Luke used voice controls to lock the door, then continued to indulge in his immorality. "Don''t worry, I''ve locked the door. No one cane in." Bianca did not feel that it was appropriate. 1 She could not get past her mental obstacle. To her, an office was not the ce to make out. She felt ashamed when Luke tried to make out with her in the office. Moreover, she was not that bold. Bianca held on to her jacket and did not let go, which made Luke chuckle softly. The man''s voice was hoarse because of his desires. "Why are you so shy even though we¡¯ve done it so many times, hmm?" He reached under the hem of Bianca''s shirt, and his hand swam around Bianca''s skin like an eel. "Let me tell you some good news, Luke. I... I''ve finally divorced Xavier..." Bianca looked at him, racking her brain for any idea to get him away. She told him the good news so that she could divert his attention. "Mm." Luke''s reaction was calm. He had forced Xavier to a dead end. If Xavier had any sanity or intelligence, he should know what to do. 2 "..." Bianca was dumbfounded. Chapter 326 Chapter 326 Let Me Be Your Shelter "The oue is within expectations. If Xavier doesn''t proceed with the divorce, not only will his family go bankrupt, but he will be sent back to prison." Luke gently kissed the tip of Bianca''s nose as hey his gentle gaze on her. "Prison? Why would that be the case?" Bianca did not understand. She did not know that Luke had gathered a mountain of incriminating evidence of Xavier''s crimes to force the divorce. Luke did not want her to know anyway. He felt that she would be happier that way. He would be the one to shelter her from trouble. The man''s profound gaze seemed magical. It had made Bianca''s heart thump faster uncontrobly. She instinctively covered her eyes. The man was a menace. Just by looking at her, he could make her heart go wild. Luke pulled away her hands that covered her eyes and leaned closer to her. "Why are you still shy, hmm?" The man''s impable face was filled with a mysterious charm, which made Bianca''s throat dry. Before she could react, Luke carried her in his hands and brought her into the next room. Luke''s office was equipped with a living room, a bedroom, a bathroom, a study, and several entertainment rooms so that he could rest while he worked. The design of the room was unique and modern. It was well-equipped and well-furnished, like a mini vi. Bianca saw Luke carry her into the bedroom and lock the door. The man was like a hungry wolf, stripping away her clothes in no time. His dark irises were emanating an eerie light. Bianca flipped the nket open frantically and hid her body inside. However, Luke was faster and pinned her under his body. The man smiled devilishly and whispered into her ear, "Don''t be afraid. I''ll be gentle..." Bianca''s face and neck were red. That was the same thing he said the night before, but he could not control himself. Not only he had caused her intense pain, but her bones felt like they wereing apart. Bianca did not believe what the man said. Luke''s handsome face leaned close andnded gentle kisses on her neck and cheeks. "It won''t hurt this time. I promise..." he said hoarsely. Bianca was slowly enthralled by his gentle charm. To Luke, any of Bianca¡¯s poses was like a breath-takingndscape. In the thick of their passions, even the dust in the air felt gentle. After the deed, they straightened their clothes. Luke gently hugged her and rubbed his lips over her earlobes. "Go with me to a dinner party tonight, Bianca." If he was going to bring her into his world, then he would have to start making public appearances with her. Bianca hesitated. "But I''ve never been to any of those dinner parties. I''m afraid that I..." She was still timid. Luke''s usual dinner parties must have many socialites. She never had any experience and was afraid that she might embarrass herself. "Don''t worry. I''ll be there for you. If you are going to be my woman, then I''ll have to dere your rtionship to me." Luke handed her a gold credit card. "Get Sue Carter to shop some clothes with you after work. You can take the card." "It''s fine. I''ve barely used the ck credit card you gave me earlier, and it''s still in my handbag. I can use that one to buy clothes. Alright, I''ll be going back to work." Bianca did not want to take another credit card from him. She was paid a sry at work, so she felt that it was awkward to be using his money. Luke gently scraped Bianca''s nose when he saw that she was determined." You''re eventually going to be my wife, silly girl. Why won''t you take the things I give to you?" Bianca blushed. She straightened her clothes and escaped back to the design department. Back at work, Bianca giggled audibly when she thought how gentle and caring Luke was while they were in bed. Sue saw that Bianca was in a good mood and gently bumped her arm." Hey, focus on your work, Bianca. What could you be thinking of?" Bianca came to her senses and blushed. ¡¯It''s nothing." Sue smiled mischievously. "Doni deny it!" Bianca tossed a pen in front of Sue and pretended to sound angry. "Draw your sketches!" After work, the employees of T Corporation gradually left the building. Bianca needed to get an evening gown to join the dinner party, and so she asked Sue to go along with her. Usually, Bianca found it hard to make a decision. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Sue knew more about fashion than her, and that was why Bianca decided to bring Sue along. Sue did not have anything urgent to do after work anyway and immediately agreed to it. In the evening, Bianca sat in Sue''s car, and they went to thergest shopping mall in A City. Just when Sue parked her car, Bianca noticed that Xavier''s car was parked nearby. Xavier was leaning on his car. A beautiful short-haired girl clung to his arm. The woman looked to be in her early twenties, and she was dressed very trendily. Her ears were adorned with multiple gems, and she had a diamond nose ring. From her expression, one could tell that she was arrogant and capricious. Sue saw the two people too. She patted Bianca''s shoulder and said, "How about you two chat first? I''ll wait for you at the entrance." Xavier did not expect that he would meet Bianca there. He quickly pushed the young woman away and frantically exined to Bianca, "She''s my cousin who has returned from overseas..." "What a coincidence to meet you here. Your cousin is very pretty," Bianca nodded and said sincerely. Xavier was shocked. He could see that Bianca did not feel jealous that he was with another woman. The praise was sincere. Not only that, but Bianca did not seem to show any concern for him, which made Xavier''s heart wrench. "Bianca..." Xavier hesitated, thinking of what to say. The short-haired woman walked in front of Bianca and unfurled her scarf." Wow, this is a woolen Hermes scarf! Each one costs at least a hundred thousand dors, and I can''t even find them in the luxury stores overseas! How did you get it? Is it a bootleg?" She said exaggeratedly. Chapter 327 Chapter 327 Hating Bianca Even More "No, this isn''t genuine. I bought a bootleg." Bianca took a few steps backward. She was not too fond of being so close to strangers. She did not expect that her scarf was a luxury brand. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Luke had given her a scarf when she was cold. The woolen scarf was light and warm, and the material was gentle on the skin. Her neck was protected from the cold when she wore the scarf, and she had epted it. If she had known that the scarf was so expensive, she would not have epted it. Xavier''s cousin pouted. "I thought so. Look, all your other clothes are so cheap, so how could you afford a genuine item? Hermes is the king in the kingdom of fashion. Even I, a frequent shopper in luxury fashion stores, could not even buy it, so how could you?" "Watch your words, Melissa!" Xavier''s tone of voice instantly became stern. The short-haired woman sheepishly shut her mouth, though she mumbled," Hmph, stupid cousin. How dare you bully me? I''ll tell Uncle and Auntie when I get hometer..." Xavier ignored her. His eyes were transfixed on Bianca. When Melissa unfurled Bianca''s scarf earlier, she could clearly see a love bite on Bianca''s neck. His eyes instantly turned bloodshot, and he nearly could not control his emotions. Xavier knew that Luke had left that love bite on Bianca''s neck, and that mark reminded him that the woman was no longer his. However, he could not let her go just like that. The sensation was pure agony. Bianca frowned when she saw how dejected Xavier was. She wanted to walk around him and toward the shopping mall entrance, i Xavier grabbed her hand. "Can I say a few more words to you, Bianca?" "There is nothing between us, Xavier. We don''t have anything more to say between us. Let''s not meet each other. Even if we do, we''ll treat each other as strangers. "You should know that Luke is very possessive. He doesn''t have a good temper, and I don''t want you to anger him again," Bianca said. "Did Luke promise that he''ll take you as his wife, Bianca? Did he say when you''ll get your marriage certificate? A man''s promise is like a passing gust of wind. You cannot believe what he says before he proves himself with actions. Don''t be deceived by him," Xavier advised. "So what? I don''t mind it if he deceives me." Bianca smiled. Even though she was dressed in woolen clothes, the curves on her body could be seen. Xavier lowered his head dejectedly. ''This woman must be mad. She doesn''t mind Luke deceiving her.'' He knew that he was in no position to give her any advice, but he was not going to take it lying down. "Is there anything else, Mr. Tanner?" Bianca asked, "If there¡¯s nothing else, then I''ll take my leave." "I''ve never wanted to hurt you that way, Bianca. I apologize for what I''ve done to you. Can you forgive me?" He had used underhanded tactics to obtain her because he wanted her too much, not expecting that everything he did had hurt her and made her fear him. "It''s all water under the bridge now." Until now, Bianca could not understand why Xavier was so stubborn. If she could not understand it, then there was no point in struggling for an exnation. After all, she was only an insignificant episode in his life. He might have caused her a lot of trouble, but that was all in the past. The atmosphere in the parking lot became awkward. Neither of them knew what to say. Bianca sighed. "I''ll be leaving." Xavier watched as Bianca''s delicate body walked away. It was until very longter when Melissa stepped into his field of vision angrily. She crossed her arms and said mockingly, "She''s already gone, Xavier. Why are you still so attached to her? You have bad taste in women. I was wondering if the woman you love would be some sort of diva, but she''s just so-so. Why, have your tastes changed? But don''t you think that the woman is as in as she can be? Those materialistic types are a dime a dozen..." "Get lost!" Xavier was already in a bad mood, which was exacerbated by what the short-haired woman said. He shoved her away and went into the car. Melissa frantically mmed the car door. "Where are you going, Xavier? Auntie Lacey said that you have to go to the mall with me to buy some clothes. How can you leave me here? Get out..." Xavier ignored her. He started the engine and quickly drove out of the parking lot. Melissa stomped her foot in anger. In her heart, she cursed Xavier ten thousand times, but she was not going to leave without buying anything. She took out her phone and dialed a number while trying hard not to lose her temper. "Yancy? It''s me. I''m back in the country. Come quickly to XX Mall. I''ll buy you two outfits. Just get over here as quickly as you can!" Sue was feeling bored, and she went to y under the Christmas tree with several children. She saw Bianca walking in, her face all red from the cold. They went to a cafe nearby, and Sue bought tworge vani milk teas to go. One was for Bianca, and the other was for herself. Bianca felt warmer when she held the piping hot tea in her hands. "Thank you, Sue." "I hope Xavier didn''t give you a difficult time?" To Sue, Xavier was nothing more than a hooligan. Xavier knew that Bianca was the woman Luke loved, but he tried to snatch her away from Luke and had done so many bad things to Bianca. Sue did not have a good impression of him. "No. We''re only strangers now." Bianca took a sip of the milk tea. "This is the best drink for cold weather. Mmm, this is delicious. You''re so kind, Sue. I''d marry you if I were a man!" Sue chuckled when she heard Bianca''s childish words. Bianca was a totally different person from the talented and serious designer in the office. Sue brought Bianca into the mall. "Let''s go and shop for some clothes. You should buy a few more for your everyday wear. I always see you wearing the same few outfits..." "I only need an evening gown. I don''t want to buy anything else," Bianca said. "What shall I do about you? We''re not in olden times when resources are scarce, and each item of clothing has tost for years. You''re a woman, and you should learn how to dress up. Look at our department lead. She goes to work in a new outfit every day. You might be beautiful, but you also need to learn how to present yourself. Careful that the boss is seduced by another woman," Sue rambled on, trying to change Bianca¡¯s mind. Bianca smiled. If Luke were that kind of a man, she would not have been together with him. The two women walked around the mall and found a luxury fashion store that held an extensive selection of evening gowns. They went inside. Bianca found a beautiful blue gown that she liked. Her fingers ran over the soft material. Just when she was about to take it, another hand took the gown at the same time. Bianca looked at the owner of that hand. Unexpectedly, it was Leia Norman Chapter 328 Chapter 328 Bianca Annoys Her Love Rival "Wow! Isn''t that Leia Norman? I didn''t expect to meet her here!" Sue whispered excitedly next to Bianca''s ear. Sue was a fan of television dramas, and she asionally followed entertainment news. Naturally, she knew who Leia was. Leia wore light make-up, and her hair was tied in a ponytail. She was dressed in luxury brand casual clothes that entuated all her body curves and made her look elegant. Bianca was not familiar with Leia. As far as she knew, Leia Norman was a celebrity, i Leia seemed a lot more beautiful in the movies. Both of them had met in real life, but they had never interacted with each other. When Bianca saw that Leia was choosing the same gown, she smiled politely and let go. "I''ll go look at the other designs,¡± Bianca said. To her, she did not mind relinquishing her choice to Leia. After all, there were so many other designs in the store. However, Bianca did not expect that her act of courtesy was interpreted as an act of provocation. Leia wore high-heels, which made her taller than Bianca in ts. She stood arrogantly before Bianca and said, "All the gowns here are one-of-a-kind in the world. They¡¯re only for sale and not for rent. You shouldn''te here if you can''t afford it. Not everyone deserves to step in this store." Bianca was surprised by Leia''s sudden hostility. As far as she knew, she was not acquainted with the celebrity, so why would Leia single her out? Sue had taken out her phone and was going to discreetly snap a few photos. Her good impression of Leia instantly vanished when she heard what Leia said. Leia''s roles in the movies were always pure and gentle. Was that her true colors? "You''re here to shop for gowns again, Ms. Norman? We''ve received a new shipmenttely. You''ll definitely find something you like," a sales clerk came up to Leia and said. Leia was a regr in the store. Not only she had an influential family, but she was also a celebrity. The sales clerk was very eager while serving her, while she ignored Bianca at the side. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Leia was very pleased with the sales clerk''s ttery. She shot a nce at Bianca and grunted disdainfully. "Why would you allow shabbily-dressed people into the store?" Bianca frowned as she looked at Leia, not sure why the celebrity was being so hostile. The sales clerk immediately ttered Leia, "You can treat it as though they aren''t here, Ms. Norman. What gown would you like? I have a catalog here. Do you want to see it?" "Do you know her, Bianca?" Sue asked. She could sense the enmitying from Leia and the sales clerk. Bianca shook her head. "I don''t know her." Sue could not understand why Leia was so hostile to Bianca if they did not know each other. Was it because Leia treated "peasants" with disdain? How rude! Leia walked in front of Bianca and sized her up from head to toe. She sneered and looked at Bianca as though Bianca was an object put on sale. Bianca felt uneasy when Leia looked at her that way. "So that''s all you''ve got,¡± Leia chuckled and said those words that baffled Bianca. Bianca could not tolerate Leia''s arrogant attitude anymore. "Do you know that you''re very rude, Ms. Norman?" Bianca''s expression turned cold. Leia''s gaze on Bianca seemed even more disdainful. ''Is this the woman that Luke loves? She can''t even withstand the slightest provocation.'' Leia thought that she was better than Bianca in every aspect, so why did Luke love Bianca? Sue red at Leia, then held Bianca''s hand and took her to another disy rack. "Let''s ignore that crazy woman, Bianca. She''s a celebrity, but listen to the things she says! I thought she''d be gentle in real life, like how she is in the movies. So, that''s all fake. Tsk tsk, how pretentious..." Leia''s smirk froze on her face. She suddenly realized that she was in the mall and nearly broke out in cold sweat. She singled out Bianca earlier and forgot that they were in a public ce. What if someone had recorded that interaction? Her tantrum in Xavier''s bar had been caught on video, which had negatively affected her pure image. The talentpany treated the PR crisis as an emergency and managed to salvage the situation before it got worse. Even so, for some of her fans, her image had been permanently tainted. Leia swept her gaze around her and noticed that there were only a few other customers picking gowns at some distance away from her. She breathed a sigh of relief. When Leia saw Bianca picking a pure white gown, she walked in front of her and said, "This is the newest design from Gi. This gown itself will cost you many years of your sry. You can''t afford it, right? Just pick something, and I''ll foot the bill." Leia''s condescension was obvious. Biancaughed out of exasperation. Before she could say anything, Sue sneered. "Why, does the celebrity think that she has a lot of money? Let''s not waste the opportunity, Bianca. Why don''t you pick a few more gowns? Oh, I think I''ll need one too. Since you''re so generous, Ms. Norman, how about footing the bill for me as well?" "Suit yourselves," Leia said generously, "Normal wage-earners like you two won''t make enough money in your life to buy any single item here. Oh, no, some women rely on their appearances to seduce men and get the men to pay for what they desire. I don''t see your man around you. Has he ditched you?" Bianca did not know why Leia was so hostile toward her, but she felt incredibly uneasy... Bianca looked straight into Leia''s eyes, and for the first time, she unted her rtionship with other women. "My man? He''s very busy, and he doesn''t have the time to go out with me today, but he''s so considerate. He got Sue to apany me to pick a gown. He also called me earlier, saying that he''ll come and pick me up after I''m done shopping. Sigh, I wish that he can leave me alone sometimes!¡± Sue could not help but cover her mouth and giggle when she saw Bianca''s exaggerated performance. Leia''s mocking smile froze on her face after hearing Bianca''s words... Chapter 329 Chapter 329 Slipped It Into Bianca¡¯s Pocket Leia wanted to retort, but at that time, Sue picked a purple evening gown and brought it to Bianca. "You''re here to pick a gown and not a fight with crazy women, Bianca. Let''s go and try this on..." Sue pushed Bianca to the dressing room. Then, she sat down and flipped through a magazine. The luxury brand fashion store had top-notch service. Not only were the furnishings extravagant, but the customers could also get a variety of hot drinks for free. Sue enjoyed her time there. Her experience would have been perfect if not for that materialistic sales clerk and that arrogant Leia Norman! Soon, the dressing room door opened, and Bianca stepped out. Sue gasped when she saw Bianca, who seemed like a different person when she was dressed in the gown. Bianca was a beautiful woman, but she was always dressed in in clothes and no makeup. She was unremarkable, and she looked more like a college student than a working adult. Now that she was dressed in a luxurious evening gown, she exuded a different character. The purple evening gown was made of the most expensive silk and was incredibly attractive. However, what was more attractive than the evening gown was the woman wearing it. Her fair skin contrasted with the rich purple color of the evening gown, and her impable face made for a divine scene. The back of the gown was almost hollowed out and could perfectly disy Bianca''s alluring curves. That made her look pure and seductive at the same time. Bianca looked into the mirror. She could not believe that she was looking at herself. Indeed, as the saying went, "Fine feathers make fine birds." The eyes of the materialistic sales clerk nearly popped out of their sockets. She had to admit that the gown fitted that woman perfectly, as though it was specially designed for her. None of the other customers could look so good in that gown. Even Leia was stunned. Jealousy was brewing in her heart! Suddenly, a sarcastic voice came from outside. "Wow, so the saying is true, fine feathers make fine birds! I didn''t expect that a country bumpkin could look so good in that dress. However, that dress won''t be able to remove her boorishness!" Bianca turned to look in the direction of the voice. It was Melissa, Xavier''s cousin. Melissa swaggered into the store. Behind her was a muscr woman with thick eyebrows who looked somewhat daunting. The thick-browed woman followed Melissa like a pet dog. She carried big and small shopping bags in her hands, and some were even hung around her neck. It was quite an impressive sight. Bianca did not like Xavier''s cousin one bit. "Miss, do you allow such vulgar people into your store?" Sue asked the sales clerk. Melissa was angry because that woman had caused her to be ignored by her cousin Xavier. "Who''s the vulgar one?" She lost her temper. Leia gloated as she watched the ensuing drama. She did not expect that Bianca was so unpopr, but at the same time, she wondered who that woman was. No matter who she was, Leia was happy to see Bianca being publicly humiliated. Bianca ignored Melissa. She took out her ck credit card and went to the cashier counter. "I''ll be paying for this, please." "Wait! I want that gown!" Melissa said arrogantly as she pointed at the gown that Bianca was wearing. "Miss, the gown has been reserved by the youngdy in front of you. How about I rmend you several other gowns?" The sales clerk smiled and brought out the catalog. Melissa smirked. Her full attention was on Bianca''s gown. She wanted the gown that Bianca was wearing. Moreover, that woman was one of Xavier''s exes. That made her want it even more! Melissa did not know the rtionship between her cousin Xavier and that woman, but she was rmed by what happened at the parking lot earlier. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. She knew that her cousin Xavier was a yboy, but she realized that he had totally changed ever since she returned to the country. He did not have any women apanying him. Melissa was happy for him, but she did not expect that her cousin was so devoted to that woman. Otherwise, he would not have been so agonized when the woman ignored him, so much that he would drive away and leave her behind at the parking lot. Melissa had a crush on Xavier since she was a child. If not that her family moved overseas, she would be still pursuing Xavier. Now that she found the opportunity to return to her home country, she would want to captivate her cousin''s heart so that he would marry her. 2 "There''s only one of that gown, Miss. Furthermore, it''s a size S, and your bone structure is slightly too big. You won''t fit well in that dress... There''s a white gown in our store that will suit your body type. Would you want to take a look?" The sales clerk picked a European-style gown and handed it to Melissa. Melissa shoved the sales clerk away and said haughtily, "No, I only want the gown that she''s wearing! That gown must cost a bomb. Can a poor loser like her even afford it?" Leia thought that the woman was stupid. ''Can¡¯t she see the ck card in Bianca¡¯s hand? ''That''s a limited edition ck credit card with no credit limit. She can buy out the entire store if she wants to!'' Leia stood aside and watched the drama. To prevent her fans from recognizing her, she put on her sunsses and crossed her arms. Sue wanted to help Bianca, seeing that she was being bullied. She did not expect that Bianca red at the young woman and said coldly, "Didn''t your parents teach you any manners, little girl? Look at you. Not only you''re being unreasonable, but you''re also spouting filth from your mouth! You should go back to school." Bianca''s eyes shed with disdain, which caused Melissa to be angrier. Bianca was five feet and seven inches tall. With her high heels, she towered over Melissa. 3 Melissa''s chest heaved out of anger. Then, she turned her head and shot a nce at the thick-browed girl... Bianca stopped being bothered by Melissa. She paid for the gown, then changed back to her clothes. She did not notice that the unremarkable thick-browed young woman had slipped a ne into her coat pocket while she was not paying attention Chapter 330 Chapter 330 Luke Arrives Just In Time! After Sue saw that Bianca was done purchasing her gown, she said, "Now that our business is done here, we¡¯d better go. There are several skunks here stinking up the air." She waved her hand in front of her nose as though there was really something in the air. Leia and Melissa¡¯s expressions turned unpleasant. Was that woman talking about them? "Hey, watch your mouth! Who are you calling a skunk?" Melissa was furious. Bianca held Sue''s hand and answered coldly, "Whoever that replies." Melissa angrily kicked the thick-browed young woman''s shin. "Go and beat up those two for me!" Yancy was loyal like a dog. She put down the shopping bags in her hands and started to pounce at Bianca and Sue. Before she couldy a finger on the two women, Sue stretched out her leg and tripped the woman! Then, she grabbed Yancy''s body and easily performed an over-the-shoulder toss. The tall and bulky womany face-up on the ground and could not get up for a long time. "Is that all you have? You don''t know that I have a ck belt in karate!" Sue gestured condescendingly at Melissa. "Let''s go, Sue." Bianca gently tugged Sue''s hand. Just when they were about to leave, Melissa shot a nce at Yancy, who immediately started yelling frantically, "Ah, Melissa, the diamond ne you just bought is missing! It was in the shopping bag earlier..." Melissa pretended to look surprised. "How is that possible? The ne is very expensive. I bought it for 900,000 dors!" N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Yancy got up from the floor and waved a receipt in her hand. "The ne is really gone, Melissa, and the box too! I only have this receipt left..." The sales clerk was rmed when she saw the scene. "Miss, perhaps you might have misced the ne in another bag, or might you have left it in the jewelry store?" After all, she had to bear responsibility if the expensive ne went missing in their store. "No. I ced the ne in my handbag. I just bought it earlier.¡± As Melissa spoke, she emptied the contents of each shopping bag and rummaged around. "When I stepped in earlier, I saw the ne in the shopping bag, but when I was talking to that woman, my ne suddenly disappeared! I bought that ne for my mother''s birthday..." Several sales clerks crowded over and looked at the receipt. Indeed, it was bought not too long ago. They helped Melissa look through her bags, but they asionally shot suspicious nces at Bianca and Sue. They did not suspect Leia because of her status. Moreover, she could have afforded the ne, so why would she steal? After a long and futile search, Melissa pointed at Bianca. "My ne went missing after our argument. I think that she and her friend are highly suspicious!" Sue was instantly furious. "Watch what you say! Who cares about your stupid ne? I wouldn''t want it to ruin my neck!" One of the sales clerks suggested, "Everyone is here when the ne went missing, and so everyone is a suspect. How about if we check everyone''s bags?" 1 Leia looked at the surrounding chaos and shrugged. "Search all you want. It''s none of my business." Earlier, she had seen Yancy slip the ne into Bianca''s coat pocket. She was not going to say anything because the matter did not involve her. Moreover, she was happy that Bianca was being framed. 1 "Are you nning to search all of us without our permission? Do you still have thew in your eyes?" Bianca said calmly. The sales clerk was shocked by Bianca''s cold voice. However, she insisted, "A customer has lost something here, and all of us are responsible. If you''re innocent, why would you be afraid of being searched?" "No one can search me. If I knew that I''d be involved in this nonsense, I wouldn''t have stepped into this store even if you paid me money!" Sue blurted. The sales clerk hesitantly said, "All of us will have to be searched. Please open your bags. Otherwise, if thedy calls the police, it''ll be more trouble for all of us." "You can search my bag first," Leia said cooperatively. One of the sales clerks searched Leia''s handbag thoroughly. "The ne isn''t in Ms. Norman''s handbag. Now that even the celebrity is willing to cooperate with us, can you two do the same?" "I dare you to touch my handbag!" Sue raised a fist and weaved it precariously toward the sales clerk. The sales clerk remembered how the seemingly slim woman had tossed the bigger woman over her shoulder and stepped backward. "Neither of us haveid a finger on that supposed ne. What right do you have to search us? I dare you to touch my handbag without my permission!" Bianca said coldly. "It''s my ne. I''ll do the searching myself!" Melissa reached for Bianca''s coat. Bianca was protecting her handbag. She did not notice that Melissa''s hand was reaching for her coat pocket! Just when Melissa was about to touch Bianca''s coat, a tall and strong figure brought Bianca into his embrace. Melissa missed, and she mmed into an arm that was as hard as an iron wall. Shocked, she looked upward and saw an incredibly handsome face. Even her cousin Xavier was no match. Melissa was dumbstruck. How could there be such a handsome man? Leia noticed the man. She quickly turned around to prevent herself from being recognized, but it was toote. The sales clerks were shocked when they saw Luke''s sudden appearance. Luke, as the CEO of T Corporation, often appeared on the cover pages of financial magazines. Naturally, the sales clerks recognized him. "Good... good evening," they greeted Luke. "Why are you here?" Bianca asked, surprised. She had lied to Bianca earlier to make her angry. She did not expect that Luke would actuallye to pick her up. 2 Luke took her hand and looked into her eyes. "My woman is bullied in public. Why shouldn''t Ie?" Bianca did not know that Luke had installed tracking software into her phone ever since thest ident. He was not going to track her at all times, but in case of dire emergencies, Luke could reach her in time. Luke had heard themotion when he stepped into the shopping mall. He understood that Bianca was being framed. Anger rose in the man''s eyes as he looked at those troublemakers in the store. Chapter 331 Chapter 331 Standing Up for His Woman! Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "Get your manager here," Luke said. One of the sales clerks frantically went to the manager''s office. Soon, the manager arrived on the scene. He was shocked when he saw Luke. Then, he bowed and said fawningly," It''s rare that you visit my little store, Mr. Crawford. Can I help you with anything? I''ll get someone to wrap up anything that you want." Luke did not say anything. He opened his wallet. The selection of gold cards inside was dazzling. He picked out one and handed it to the manager. "Everything in the store." Sue''s eyes opened wide. She wanted to apud Luke. ''Wow, our boss is so cool! ''Not only is he incredibly generous, but he is also very protective. That''ll show those despicable people!'' "Alright, very well. Now, everything in the store belongs to you. You can do whatever you wish," the manager said excitedly. Then, the manager took the credit card away to process the transaction. The sales clerks were speechless. Leia was silently seething. Why did Bianca deserve Luke''s love? She became even more determined to marry him. After all, wealthy and handsome men like his were exceedingly rare. However, Melissa was not going to let the matter rest. The man might look handsome and seem rich, but he favored the woman whom she hated. That made her hate the man as well. "Hey, I don''t care who you are, but you''d better mind your own business!" Melissa said rudely, "That woman might have stolen my ne. Do you want to harbor a thief? My ne is custom-made. It''s very expensive!" Melissa was away from the country for a very long time. Her social circle consisted of young men and women who came from wealthy families. She was not acquainted with Luke, nor did she pay attention to the financial news to know who he was. She thought that the man was just the typical rich and handsome guy. Melissa pointed a finger at Bianca while trying to contain her anger. "No matter what you say, I''ll have to search her body. Why would she be afraid of being searched if she''s not guilty?" "What if I don''t have your ne?" Bianca asked calmly. She did not have anything to fear. "If I don''t find the ne on you, I''ll apologize to you publicly andpensate you for your time!" Melissa said confidently. "Alright, go ahead and search then." Bianca spread her arms, inviting Melissa to search her. Melissa snickered and walked close. She was going to reach for Bianca''s coat pocket. However, Luke''s hand gripped her wrist like an iron mp. It felt like he was almost going to break her wrist. "Stop it. Who gave you the authority?" The sales clerks looked at each other and dared not say anything. Anyone who could afford to shop there was wealthy and influential. The sales clerks could not afford to cross any of them and therefore chose to stay silent. Luke seemed hostile because he was impatient. Melissa trembled out of fear, but she pretended to be calm. "Please let go of me, mister. Otherwise, I''ll involve the police in this!" With her free left hand, she took out her phone and prepared to dial 911. Luke snatched her phone and threw it heavily on the floor! The phone was instantly smashed into bits. Melissa¡¯s mouth opened wide when she saw her new phone was destroyed. She did not expect that the man might look gentle, but was actually so violent! "I''ll pay you back for the phone, but I''d like to see you try touching my woman!" Luke said viciously. Melissa stood rooted to the floor. Luke took Bianca''s hand and they headed toward the door. Before they left, Luke turned around and said to Sue, "I''ll leave the rest to you." Sue nodded quickly and said, "Thank you for cing your trust in me, Mr. Crawford. I''ll handle the rest from here." She could not believe her luck. Now, the boss had recognized her and had even ordered her around as though she was his assistant. Bianca was indeed her lucky star. Sue felt that her status was elevated whenever she was with Bianca. Now, she felt like she was at the same level as Mr. Doylw. If this went on, she would be getting a raise soon! Bianca followed behind Luke. He had tightly held her fingers in his palm. The man''srge hands were warm and solid, and Bianca felt safe holding them. She sighed, wondering why would drama follow her everywhere she went. Everything happened so suddenly. "Luke, it''s not worth it for you to buy so many expensive things," Bianca said. Luke continued to hold her hand and walk away from the store not saying a word. She continued, ¡®I think that I..." Soon, Luke noticed that Bianca was wearing high heels. He slowed down his footsteps and looked at her with his handsome face. "You don''t have to worry about me. It''s not a lot of money." "Alright, I won''t worry about you then." Bianca knew that Luke had an assertive personality and a wealthy family background. In that single transaction, he had probably spent more money than Bianca could earn in her entire lifetime. However, the amount was negligible to him. "The dinner tonight is Old Mr. Norman''s 70th birthday. There will be many VIPs in attendance, but you don''t have to worry. Just stay by my side," Luke said as he caressed her long hair. "Is it the same picky Old Mr. Norman?" Bianca asked. "Yes. Old Mr. Norman might seem serious, but he''s a candid person. Don''t worry. He won''t do anything to you as long as I''m there," Lukeforted her. Bianca nodded and hugged his arm more tightly. She was not afraid of anything as long as he was by her side. Back in the store, Melissa looked at her broken phone. "Who''s that arrogant man?" She asked, not willing to let the matter slide. Leia was not in the mood to entertain that stupid girl. She stepped around Melissa and went on her way. Melissa spat in her direction and sat down on the floor. "I''ve lost my ne in your store today, so you''ll have to give me a reasonable solution. Otherwise, I won''t leave!" She did not want to lose that ne. After all, it was worth 900,000 dors. If she had lost it, she would definitely be scolded. Sue nced condescendingly at her. Then, she got the sales clerk to summon the security guards, who forcefully dragged Melissa and her friend out of the store... Chapter 332 Chapter 332 Her Heart Quivered Uncontrobly Night fell, and a sky of stars shone over the earth. The outdoors might be thick with snow, but Millennia Hotel was brightly lit. Old Mr. Norman''s 70th birthday party was held there. All the important figures from the business, political, and military circles were there. The hotel was decorated grandly with a gigantic crystal chandelier, a warm firece, and an extravagant mural. Old Mr. Norman sat straight, dressed in a ssic suit. He carried the authority of a politician in each of his movements. He remained spirited even though he was old. Currently, the guests were offering their birthday wishes to him. Every guest in attendance was a socialite. Old Mr. Norman might have retired, but he was nheless influential in the political circle. Furthermore, his son Jack was also an important figure, and the guests were eager to suck up to him. Mr. and Mrs. Jack Norman were in the lobby greeting the guests. Queenie was in her element, while Jack was not very fond of such situations. However, his father wanted his birthday celebration to be grand, and that was why Jack had organized one for him. "Happy birthday, Grandpa! I wish that you will remain healthy and prosperous always!" Leia''s sweet voice could be heard amid the bustling crowd. She was dressed in a pure white oblique shoulder evening gown for the party. She wore an appropriate amount of make-up on her petite face, which made her look exquisite. In fact, she looked elegant and ethereal, as though she was not from the mortal ne. With so many important guests around, Old Mr. Norman could not treat his granddaughter coldly. However, he was not too enthusiastic either. "Thank you foring to visit me even though you''re so busy," he said to Leia. Leia''s smile froze on her face. Did Old Mr. Norman imply that she seldom visited him? She knew that even if she visited him, he would not want to see her anyway. She was not one to bring contempt upon herself. Of course, Leia hid her true feelings in front of everyone. She smiled sweetly and handed a gift box to her grandfather. "You''re my one and only grandfather, Grandpa, and it''s your birthday today. I''ll have to visit you no matter how busy I am. I can find other jobs, but I only have one Grandpa..." Old Mr. Norman was indifferent toward Leia''s ttery, but Old Mrs. Norman was smiling from ear to ear. "You''re so considerate, my dear Leia. I heard that you were overseas for a movie shoottely. Are you still jegged?" Old Mrs. Norman said gently as she held Leia''s hand. Leia mischievously stuck her tongue out. "I''m fine now, Grandma. I''m still very healthy. I bought this present for Grandpa when I was overseas. I hope you''ll like it, Grandpa." "What did you buy, Leia? You shouldn''t have spent so much money on a present..." Old Mrs. Norman opened the wrapping as she spoke. In the box was a tobo pipe made of carved jade. One could see that it was worth a lot of money. "You''re so considerate, Leia. Just a few days ago, the old man mentioned to me that he wanted a tobo pipe, and now his wish came true on his birthday. How did you know that your Grandpa wanted a pipe?" Old Mrs. Norman smiled and said. Old Mr. Norman looked at Leia with aplicated gaze but did not say anything. Leia smiled. "As long as Grandpa likes it." Once, when she was in her grandparents'' house, she overheard her grandparents'' conversation and found out that Old Mr. Norman liked to collect antique tobo pipes. That was what gave her the inspiration for the present. "You''re so nice to your Grandpa, Leia. That makes me jealous. Never mind, it''s his birthday today. He deserves the attention," Old Mrs. Norman said deliberately, but one could see that she was looking at Leia with a loving gaze. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. The guests were envious of how Leia was close to her grandparents. Leia hugged Old Mrs. Norman''s neck and said coyly, "I''m not that heartless, Grandma. I''ve prepared something for you too!" Leia waved her hand, and her agent that stood by the side brought over an exquisite box. "This is for you, Grandma!" Leia handed it to Old Mrs. Norman. Old Mrs. Norman was surprised. She opened the box and found a ssiclooking shawl inside. All the female guests looked at the shawl with admiration. "What a pretty shawl!" "The embroidery is so well done!" Old Mrs. Norman was delighted when she heard the praise from all around. Leia''s agent interjected appropriately. "Madam, Leia was the one who did the embroidery on the shawl. She spent more than a month doing that and even declined several movie appearances!" The female guests eximed in surprise when they heard that. "Did... did Leia really embroider that? Oh my, that looks amazing!" The guests seemed to be in disbelief. "Ms. Norman isn''t only a good actress, but her handicraft is top-notch too! You have a good granddaughter, Old Mrs. Norman!" "Old Mrs. Norman, my son has just been promoted to a major general this year. He''s still single. Do you think that you can be a matchmaker..." Leia smiled modestly and behaved elegantly. She lowered her head shyly when faced with everyone''s praise, and her gentle and pure looks charmed the crowd of nobledies as well as those young bachelors that did not know her true personality. Suddenly, someone in the lobby eximed loudly! Leia turned around curiously and looked toward the direction of the exmation... An outstanding couple appeared in the lobby. The man was tall and well-built. He was dressed in a bespoke suit. His face was dangerously charming, and his gaze was as cold as Arctic ice. When he turned to look at the woman that was holding his elbow, his gaze softened. The man was Luke Crawford, the CEO of T Corporation. When Queenie looked at the woman by Luke''s side, she thought that face seemed familiar, and her heart quivered uncontrobly... Chapter 333 Chapter 333 Bianca Seems Inexplicably Familiar The woman who stood next to Luke was beautiful. Bianca was dressed in a purple evening gown. When she moved, she was as graceful as a flower. The shape of her eyes was like crescent moons whenever she smiled, and those eyes were sparkling like stars. Queenie had seen many outstanding young women, but the young woman in front of her felt somewhat familiar. What made Queenie most surprised was that the young woman''s facial features looked simr to her when she was young... When Bianca saw Queenie, she also thought that the elegant middle-aged woman seemed somewhat familiar too. Queenie had gentle features. At the dinner party, her makeup and clothes hid her true age. Everyone thought that she was noble and friendly. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. "Wee to Old Mr. Norman''s 70th birthday party. This way, please..." Queenie greeted the young couple. Queenie was fond of Bianca because she thought that the young woman looked familiar. However, when her eyes fell on Luke, she was entirely captivated. The young man was tall and well-built, and he carried a dominating presence. He was much more handsome in real life than in magazines. Leia had good taste, but... "Mrs. Norman." Luke nodded slightly and greeted Queenie. Queenie regarded Luke as though she was her future mother-inw. She was very satisfied, i ''The young man indeed looks outstanding, but why does he bring another woman to Old Mr. Norman''s birthday party? ''Doesn''t he know Leia''s feelings for him?'' Queenie thought. Even though Queenie was fond of Bianca at first nce, she was protective of her daughter, and she hoped that Bianca was not by Luke''s side. More than twenty years ago, she had lost her birth daughter. At the lowest point of her life, Leia had appeared in her life like an angel from heaven and alleviated the pain of the loss of her child, i After so many years, Queenie treated Leia like her birth daughter. She felt uneasy when she saw another woman appear by the side of the man her daughter loved. A woman''s intuition is very sensitive. Bianca noticed Queenie''s change in attitude. She did not understand why the noble and elegant woman would regard her as an enemy the first time they met. That made Bianca feel apprehensive. Luke did not have that worry. He held a gift box in his left hand and Bianca''s hand in his right, walked around Queenie, exchanged some pleasantries with Jack, and walked toward Old Mr. Norman. Old Mr. Norman was currently sipping some tea. He already had a mountain of birthday presents in front of him. They were mostly healthcare products and local specialties. Everyone knew that Old Mr. Norman was an honest and upright politician. Once, a bureaucrat had tried to stuff a huge sum of money into a gift box in an attempt to bribe him. However, Old Mr. Norman instantlyunched an investigation on that bureaucrat, which sent him to prison. Old Mr. Norman''s resolute decision had intimidated the other bureaucrats who wanted to use money to influence his decision. They wanted to overthrow him, but Old Mr. Norman was connected with a more influential VIP. Those people had no choice but to behave. That was why Luke admired Old Mr. Norman. Nowadays, there were not many honest and upright politicians like him. Even after Old Mr. Norman retired, Luke nevertheless kept that respect. He ced his gift into the pile and greeted Old Mr. Norman. "It''s your 70th birthday today, Old Mr. Norman. I would like to wish you a healthy life. I brought you some cake from overseas, and I hope you''ll like it." "Thank you, Luke. You know that I love cake, and you even bought some from overseas. I don''t know what else to say." Old Mr. Normanughed heartily. Old Mr. Norman knew who Luke was. He was Old Master Crawford''s grandson. When they were younger, Old Mr. Norman and Old Master Crawford were close friends. One became a politician, and the other became a businessman. The differences between the two grew bigger, and they drifted apart from each other. Even if their opinions might be different, Old Mr. Norman nheless admired Old Master Crawford, who had founded T Corporation and built it from the ground up. Old Master Crawford''s biggest regret was Zachary. That had made Old Mr. Norman look down upon Old Master Crawford''s son, who only knew how to y. The only use that Zachary had was that he birthed an outstanding individual like Luke. Under Luke''s leadership, T Corporation thrived both in and out of the country and had caused an economic boom in A City. Old Mr. Norman admired that aplished individual. He was curious when he saw the pure woman next to Luke and asked curiously, "Luke, your partner is..." For some reason, Old Mr. Norman was well-disposed toward Bianca at first nce. Even he did not treat his granddaughter Leia that way. Meanwhile, Leia''s eyes were transfixed on Luke from afar. The man was dressed up formally and was especially charming. Leia''s infatuation was brimming from her eyes. Her mind was solely upied by her affection for Luke. She could not move her eyes away... Luke held Bianca''s nervous hand and introduced her to Old Mr. Norman." Sir, this is Bianca Rayne, my girlfriend. Soon, she will be my wife." The man did not hide his love for Bianca. Bianca could feel the brimming affection that came from Luke''s eyes, which caused her heart to thump wildly. He had announced their rtionship in public... Bianca could only feel bliss in her heart. When Leia heard what the man said, her entire body shuddered. Her eyes that were brimming with affection earlier turned sinister instantly. Waves of jealousy assaulted her like fire! Leia''s heart wrenched. Bianca was nothing more than a poor girl with no background. Her father was dead, and her stepmother and stepsister were in jail. What right did she have? Chapter 334 Chapter 334 Queenie Meets Bianca... Leia clenched her fists. How could Bianca be a match with the outstanding Luke? Old Mr. Norman''s eyes sparkled when he heard Luke''s introduction of the woman. "Bianca Rayne? Is she the same person that designed my new house?" "Yes, Old Mr. Norman, I am the one who designed your house. If you have any feedback or suggestions about the design, you can contact me about anything." Bianca''s tone was gentle and soft, which satisfied Old Mr. Norman greatly. ''Mm, this young woman is not bad. Not only is she courteous, but she''s also modest about her talents.'' Old Mr. Norman thought that Bianca was an extraordinary match for Luke. At the same time, Old Mrs. Norman noticed her granddaughter''s unpleasant expression. From observing how Leia had never once looked away from the man, she knew that her granddaughter had a crush on Luke. 1 However, when Luke said that the woman next to her was his girlfriend... Leia''s expression darkened instantly, and that had made Old Mrs. Norman feel sorry for her. Old Mrs. Norman truly loved her granddaughter, unlike Old Mr. Norman. She did not seem pleased with Bianca when she saw that Bianca had snatched Luke''s love away from her granddaughter. Old Mrs. Norman sized up Bianca with a harsh gaze. "The young woman next to you, Luke, which family is she from?" Luke did not like how Old Mrs. Norman looked at Bianca, but he did not say it. He held Bianca''s hand even more tightly. "She''s not from any remarkable family, but she has won my heart." i Old Mrs. Norman sneered when she heard that Bianca was not a socialite. Naturally, her gaze on Bianca became even more disdainful. The young woman''s appearance and bearing were outstanding, but Old Mrs. Norman was biased against her. She thought that Bianca''s modest mannerisms were a sign of timidity. Bianca was baffled about why Old Mrs. Norman was so visibly hostile toward her. It was the first time that she had met Old Mrs. Norman and Queenie, but for some reason, they looked at her with enmity. Luke pretended as though nothing happened. He hugged Bianca''s waist and nodded at Old Mr. Norman. "I won''t bother you any further, Sir. I''ll bring her around." He could feel that Bianca was ufortable. To be frank, he would not want to participate in boring social gatherings like these if not for Old Mr. Norman. "Alright, Luke. Make yourselves at home," Old Mr. Norman said casually. Luke brought Bianca away. Leia looked on as the couple left. Her eyes shed with an array of emotions. No one knew what she was thinking... Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. The five-star hotel had all sorts of amenities, such as internationally- themed bars, restaurants, cafes, and other entertainment outlets. It was like a mini holiday resort. Luke brought Bianca to the observation deck. The observation deck was behind an immense floor-to-ceiling window. Next to it was an oval crystal coffee table. On the coffee table were a teapot and several exquisite porcin cups. On the sides were two wicker chairs decorated with wreaths. Sitting on the wicker chairs, one could look at the starry sky as well as the city below. Most importantly, not many people went there, and it was a tranquil ce. "If you''re notfortable in the hall, then you can stay here. I''ll bring you home when I''ve done my obligations." Luke carried Bianca to a wicker chair. Then, he kissed her cheek, opened his wallet, and handed her a credit card. "Take the card and buy anything you want. However, you have to be back here before midnight, in case I can''t find you." Luke spoke to Bianca as though he was speaking to a child. Bianca stood up awkwardly from the chair. "I know. I''m already an adult. Would I go missing? I''ll just wait for you here." After getting assurance from Bianca, Luke went back to the banquet hall. As the CEO of T Corporation, Luke might seem carefree, but there were certain obligations that he had to perform. There were certain people he had to meet. After Luke left, Biancazily looked around her. She was an introvert, and she was not used to social situations. Moreover, it was the first time she had attended a socialite event, which made her even more nervous. Finally, she could be slightly at ease. Bianca thought that Old Mr. Norman was a kind man. However, she could not forget the strange gazes from Queenie and Old Mrs. Norman. She could not understand why they seemed to be hostile toward her... However, she did not trouble herself over that. After all, that was probably the only time that she would meet them... Bianca looked toward the event hall from the observation deck. In the hall, thedies and gentlemen behaved elegantly, and rxing music yed from the speakers. Everyone mingled while holding wine sses. It was like a scene from a television drama series. Bianca spotted Leia. Leia was in the hall greeting guests with her father. She was in her element as she moved amid the crowd. She had a beautiful appearance, and she smiled gently without showing her teeth. People were praising her looks. Compared to the haughty and mocking person in the fashion store, Leia seemed like a different person. When Bianca was lost in thought, she suddenly heard a voice from behind." Are you Bianca Rayne? I''d like to chat if you''re free." Bianca turned around. It was Queenie. Queenie looked noble and elegant, and she wore a gentle smile on her face. However, Bianca was inexplicably nervous. "Mrs. Norman?" Bianca said. Queenie sat down on one of the chairs and said to Bianca, "Please sit down." "Is there something, Mrs. Norman?" Bianca asked after she sat down on the other chair. "It''s about my precious daughter. I''ve lost my appetite because of you," Queenie said with an ambiguous smile on her face. "I don''t understand what you mean, Madam." Bianca frowned. "I know that you''re a good girl, Bianca. I¡¯m here to ask you for something." Queenie poured a cup of tea for Bianca and handed it to her. "I hope that you can leave Luke Crawford on your own ord..." 2 Chapter 335 Chapter 335 She Might Have Mistaken Them for Mother and Daughter... Bianca''s eyes looked at Queenie, who was daintily sipping her tea! She no longer had any positive impressions of that woman. Bianca knew that many people opposed her rtionship with Luke because of their mismatched statuses, but she did not expect that the woman whom she had met for the first time was already asking her to leave Luke on her own ord. "Whatever your motives might be, Mrs. Norman, I will not leave him," Bianca said coldly. She did not have any respect for Queenie. Queenie fiddled elegantly with her teacup, but her words were harsh." Bianca, you are newly in love with Luke, and you might find that everything is romantic. However, you should know that falling in love is different from marriage. It''s not a matter between two individuals but two families. "Luke is Allison Tanner''s son, and I am good friends with Allison. I know her very well. She wouldn''t agree to an unremarkable woman like you being introduced into the household. Without your parents'' blessings, your marriage won''tst long. "What do you think you can bring to the Crawford family with your status? I''m afraid that you''ll be nothing but a burden..." Bianca''s chest heaved. "Mrs. Norman, you don''t have to worry about what transpires between Luke and me. I only know that I love him, and he loves me. That''s enough for the two of us. I admit that my family background isn''t anything remarkable, but that''s not a reason that we should break up." Queenie smiled gently, though it was as sharp as a knife. "You live in a fantasy world! Do you think that you only need love in a marriage, Ms. Rayne? When I said that a couple needs matching statuses, I''m not talking about just your families. How about your worldviews, your ambitions, and even your finances? All of those need to match. "You should know about Leia''s family background. We fully support our daughter marrying Luke, and we can bring to T Corporation human and financial resources that will cause it to thrive further. "Leia has gone to elite schools since she was a child. Her results have always been top of the ss. "She might be in the entertainment industry, but the education she received is almost the same as Luke. The two of them are a perfect match. I''m asking you to leave Luke for your own good. You might think that there are no problems now, but wait until Lukees to his senses from his initial infatuation and realizes that you''re not a suitable partner for him. When that happens and he suggests that the two of you breakup, you''ll suffer a lot more..." Bianca stood up from the chair abruptly! The girl''s delicate body was trembling, but she stood straight. Her undaunted posture was like a por tree. "Mrs. Norman, you keep on saying that Leia is a suitable match for Luke, but have you ever asked Luke''s opinion? Do you know if he likes Leia?" Bianca said forcefully. "Matching status is indeed important in a marriage, but a marriage without love is like a pond without fish. "I don''t know what brought you and your husband together. Maybe Mr. Norman pampers you, and you don''t understand how despairing it can be to be stuck in a loveless marriage. I can tell you with my experience, Madam, that when two people who don''t love each other are bound by marriage, it would be torture even if they stood near each other, much less live together. Luke doesn''t like your daughter. Would you rather your daughter be a grass widow?" 2 Bianca thought that Queenie would at least frown, be angry, or give her a retort. Perhaps she would act like in cliched romance dramas, throwing a check with a huge sum at her while humiliating her... If that were the case, Bianca would ride on her anger and continue arguing with Queenie. To Bianca''s surprise, Queenie seemed indifferent toward her words. Her gaze was gentle, and her patient expression made Bianca wonder if she was in the wrong. Bianca became more alert. Queenie was the wife of a politician. No wonder she could maintain herposure! Queenie smiled when she saw that Bianca had be more alert. She ced the teacup on the coffee table and said gently. "Bianca, it''s my fault for making such a sudden request. Leia has admired Luke for a very long time, and my daughter rarely has someone that she loves. I''m her mother, and it''s normal for me to fight for my daughter. I hope you don''t mind what I said earlier; what I did was out of love for my daughter." Queenie acted amiably, as though what she did earlier was because she loved her daughter. Bianca could not argue further, seeing that Queenie had apologized first without losing her temper. However, she nheless felt that the air on the observation deck was suffocating. Queenie stood up from the chair and looked kindly at Bianca. Her gaze seemed to beplicated when she saw that Bianca looked simr to her. "That''s all I have to say for now. I''m not going to force you, it''s just that I find Leia to be a more suitable partner for Luke. Maybe you might feel uneasy because of what I said, but what I said is indeed the truth. You''re an intelligent child, and maybe you should rethink your decision..." After Queenie left, Bianca sat on the wicker chair. Her heart was wrenching. She drank the tea inrge gulps. The tea was slightly sweet, but it tasted bitter in her mouth! Leia Norman liked Luke Crawford. No wonder that celebrity seemed to be hostile to her. Fortunately, she believed that Luke loved only her and no other woman. Otherwise, Queenie''s words might cause her to be suspicious of Luke. Mrs. Norman was a formidable adversary. Bianca sighed. Her outstanding man had given her too much trouble! In the event hall on the first floor. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Shakira swirled the red liquid in her wine ss. She clinked sses with Queenie, who seemed to be worried about something, and nced vaguely toward the observation deck. A delicate and elegant figure stood there, but she seemed very lonely. "Queenie, I saw that you were talking with that Bianca girl on the observation deck earlier. If I didn''t know that you''ve never met her before, I would''ve thought that you two are mother and daughter. Your faces, figures, and characters are shockingly simr. Do you think that someone else could look so simr to you?" Shakira and Queenie are best friends, and their families shared an amicable rtionship. Naturally, Shakira and her husband were invited to Old Mr. Norman''s birthday party. While Shakira was chatting with her friends in the hall, she happened to see Queenie talk to Bianca on the observation deck. When the two simr faces were in close proximity, Shakira thought that they were actually mother and daughter... Chapter 336 Chapter 336 Get Luke In Bed With You "You''re overthinking it. There are so many people in the world who look like each other. Look at Leia. She has two stunt doubles at work that look like her... It''s nothing out of the ordinary. If people who look alike are rted to each other by blood, then there are so many pairs of long-lost parents and children in the world," Queenie said carelessly. Even when she said so, her gaze fell on the red wine in the ss. The bright red liquid seemed to reflect the defiant figure on the observation deck. The young woman named Bianca Rayne might look frail, but she was not easy to handle. Queenie''s gaze returned to calmness. Bianca was an obstacle in her daughter''s path to pursue happiness. Queenie would do anything so that her daughter was happy. She had owed too much to her birth daughter, who had left the world prematurely, and she would spend all her love and care on Leia. 2 After greeting several important guests, Leia sat next to the bar counter with her friend and ate from a fruit tter. Leia''s best friend was named Charmaine Weish. Like her name, she was full of seductive charm. Her beauty was different from Leia''s pure appearance. Moreover, Charmaine knew how to dress up. She looked like a fashion model from a magazine at all times. When Leia was first brought to the Norman family, she dressed shabbily, and the other socialite daughters oftenughed at her. Eventually, she became friends with Charmaine, the illegitimate daughter of the Weish family. Charmaine was the one who had instilled a fashion sense in her. Charmaine also had her way of winning a man''s heart. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. She was cunning and scheming. Otherwise, she would not have survived in the Weish family as an illegitimate child. Leia had learned a lot from Charmaine. Even though the two young women were talking, Leia''s eyes remained transfixed on Luke. Charmaine could easily guess what Leia was thinking. She elbowed Leia and joked at her, "Keep your eyes away from Mr. Crawford''s pants, Ms. Norman. If you like him so much, why don''t you take the opportunity to confess to him, hmm?" Then, she shed a mischievous smile at Leia. Leia instantly blushed. "What do you know? I truly like him, but I''d be so embarrassed if he rejects my advances. Moreover, he already has someone he likes." Leia could not help but feel jealous when she remembered how Luke had pampered Bianca. More than jealousy was a feeling of dejection. "So what about it? Even if they''re married, he can always divorce her, and they''re not even married yet! You have to fight for your own happiness, Leia. If he doesn''t know what you think, then you should let him know..." Charmaine lit a cigarette and dragged itzily. Even Leia, as a woman, was bewitched for a moment. She nced enviously at Charmaine. "How should I let him know? There''s no use. My Mom said that the fastest way to a man''s heart is by his stomach. I made some chicken soup and sent it to him in his office, but he ignored me anyway. I''m not going to embarrass myself like that anymore." "Just watch me, silly!" Charmaine flicked her hair, winked at several men who were chatting not far away, and inadvertently shed her cleavage. Then, she quickly covered up her chest with a shawl. As expected, those men stopped their conversation and gulped hard. Their eyes brimmed with desire as they looked at Charmaine... "Did you see that, Leia? All these men might look serious, but they''re all the same inside. If you treat them with your body, they''ll do anything for you. You''re a famous celebrity from a wealthy family, and you have an excellent figure. There''s no reason why a man would reject you." Charmaine leaned close to Leia''s ear and continued to convince her. "It''s your grandfather''s 70th birthday today. Everyone here is an important person in their social circle. Say, if Luke makes out in bed with you, do you think that he''ll be able to deny it? This is the perfect opportunity..." Leia kneaded her arms and looked embarrassed. "Do you... think that it can happen, Charmaine? How should I get him in bed with me? I''ve never done it with a man before, and I''ve heard that it''ll hurt..." Leia had a strict upbringing. Her parents never allowed her to mingle with men. She had obeyed her parents'' teaching, and even when she was in the entertainment industry, she had never shot any kissing scenes. Her doubles would rece her in the scene, which was an oddity in the industry. However, the director and producer could not say anything about it because of Leia''s father, even though they were extremely dissatisfied. Leia obeyed her parents, not because she did not have any desires, but because she was afraid that her parents might disown her if she did not behave. If that happened, she would be reduced to that miserable life once more. She would not want to experience that ever again. That was why she had been "obedient" over the years. Furthermore, Leia''s standards were very high, thanks to her family''s elevated status. She knew that a woman''s virginity was very important, and she would not give it to a man that she did not truly love. To her, her virginity was a ticket to marrying a wealthy husband. Her future husband would surely appreciate her giving her virginity to him! Charmaine was shocked when she found out that Leia was a virgin, but sheughed up her sleeve. To Charmaine, making out was just asmon as having lunch. Leia did not know the joys of sex. Once she had tasted those carnal pleasures, she might even be more desperate than Charmaine. Charmaine was quite excited to see how the celebrity who had maintained a pure image be corrupted by carnal desires. Charmaine stubbed out her cigarette and handed a small bottle to her." This is thetest drug that I''ve purchased from overseas, Leia. You can spray a little on Luke. That will cause him to hallucinate, and you''ll be the only one he loves. Not only that, this drug is tasteless and odorless, and it''ll quickly evaporate harmlessly into the air. Luke wouldn''t be able to find out anything..." Leia took the small bottle and hesitated for a very long time. Under Charmaine''s encouraging gaze, she slowly walked toward Luke... Chapter 337 Chapter 337 Feeling Uneasy Leia saw her reflection in the ss panel. The pure white evening gown with an oblique shoulder had a plunging V neckline that revealed her fair cleavage. The pleats behind revealed arge portion of her back. The gown also had a high side slit that caused her long and slender legs to move in and out of sight as she walked. With her pure looks and seductive gown, Leia believed that she was beautiful and bewitching. She nodded at herself, satisfied. She might look down on Charmaine''s sexual habits, but she had to admit that Charmaine had great fashion sense. After many years of friendship, her fashion sense was influenced by Charmaine. The guests offered praise to Leia as she walked by. Some men even asked her for her number, which greatly satisfied Leia''s pride. However, she was feeling extremely nervous, even more so than her shooting her first movie. Her heart thumped wildly as she looked at Luke, who was talking to some other people... She frowned. She needed a way to get Luke into a room with her. Just when she was figuring out something, a small figure ran in from the side and knocked squarely into her! Leia was lost in thought and did not pay attention. She was wearing high heels. Her high heels twisted, and she fell on the floor. The small bottle in her hand slipped from her fingers and rolled away Leia watched as the small stic bottle holding the hallucinogen rolled forward until it stopped next to the feet of a rough and menacing man. The man was tall and muscr. He was dressed in military fatigues and had a beard on his face. The top button of his shirt was undone, and the bronze-colored muscr chest was revealed. He looked extremely rugged, though his gaze shed with danger and hostility. He looked like a reaper of the dead, and he inspired fear in whoever was looking at him. He noticed the small stic bottle that stopped to his boots, bent down, and picked it up. There was a line of Greek on the bottle: "ipppaKO yia to Kpwpa." After reading it, he carefully brought his nose close to the opening and sniffed it slightly. Sensing the familiar gas, he narrowed his eyes and nced dangerously at Leia. Then, he brazenly fiddled with the bottle in his hand... Leia was both shocked and flustered when she saw the man pick up the hallucinogenic drug. Charmaine had said that the bottle wasbeled "cold medicine" in Greek. Normal people would not suspect anything. The man did not seem like he was well-educated. He should not know what the words said. Leia felt slightly at ease when she thought of that. She was about tond on the floor when a gentleman grabbed her waist in time so that she did not have to "kiss" the floor. "Are you OK, Ms. Norman?" The man rubbed Leia''s waist and did not look like he was going to let go. His eyes were brimming with admiration. Leia was Jack Norman''s only daughter. The man thought that if he could win her heart, it would be very helpful to grow his business. He believed that all the single men in attendance would be thinking of the same thing. Leia looked at the man who seemed to be in his thirties. His face was rather unremarkable and filled with pimples. Even though he was wearing an expensive suit, it could not hide his pot belly. Leia was immediately repulsed by his looks. However, she maintained herposure. "Thank you, Sir. I would¡¯ve hurt myself. Can you please let me go now?" Leia said dismissively. When the pot bellied man heard her say that, he sheepishly let her go. Leia walked toward the child who had knocked into her and was nning to reprimand the child. The child was a five or six-year-old boy. He was incredibly handsome. His eyes were big, round, and animated, and his eyshes were long and curled. He was dressed in a white tuxedo, and he looked like Prince Charming who had walked out of a fairy tale. The boy''s name was Simon Holston, the only son of Jim Holston. Simon attended the party with his father. When he was ying with a few other children, he identally bumped into a prettydy. When he saw thedy walking toward him, he pulled his cheeks and stuck his tongue out. Before thedy could say anything, he ran away like the wind... If he did not run away, thedy mightin to his father. If that happened, his father would spank him when they got home! Leia was furious. ''What a brat!'' However, she could not lose her temper in public, especially not to a brat. Leia smiled helplessly and walked in front of the bearded man. She looked at him with her sparkling eyes and said gently, "I''m sorry, Sir, I''ve dropped my cold medicine earlier, and I saw that you picked it up. Could you please return it to me?" The bearded man''s name was Wayne tt. His father and grandfather were military officers, and he was in the special forces. He stared straight at Leia. Wayne''s desires were roused by the woman''s ivory-white skin, cherry lips, ample breasts, and charming voice. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. He did not attempt to hide his desire for her. "Sorry, Sir, can you return my cold medicine to me..." Leia was angry and frustrated by how the man was looking at her. The man was looking at her as though he had never seen a woman in his life. She felt disgusted by his gaze. What made Leia even more surprised was how brazen he was. His gaze went from her face, down to the chest and stayed there for a while, circled her waist several times, and he even tilted his head so that he could see her rear! Leia came to her senses and quickly stepped aside to hide her sensitive parts away from the man. "How dare you! How could you...¡¯ Leia snatched the bottle from Wayne''s hand and ran to Luke''s side without any regard for her image. She saw the handsome Luke talking gently to another man. That managed to calm her flustered heart. She had already thought of how to get Luke to go to bed with her. However, when she thought of that man who was as savage as a shark, she felt uneasy that her n would somehow go awry... Chapter 338 Chapter 338 Luke Humiliated Her In Public! In the event hall. "Cheers!" Three equally outstanding men with different appearances clinked their wine sses together. They attracted the attention of many women around them. It could be said that the three individuals amassed the wealth of the entire A City. The first was Luke Crawford, the CEO of T Corporation, the second was Percy Mallory, CEO of Mallory Corporation, and the third was Jim Holston, the chairman of Holston Corporation. Not many people knew that the three people with different personalities were good friends in college. The three of them have maintained a close rtionship since then. Luke''s facial features were impable, and his temperament was calm and mature. His profound gaze was dangerous and prating, which caused men to tremble and women to be flustered. Even though the man was famous in the business circles inside and outside of the country, he had kept a clean-living image and was the top target of admiration for female socialites in A City. Jim Holston was unbelievably handsome. He had mixed-blood features, and his amber-colored eyes were sparkling with intelligence, passion, and elegance. Holston Corporation, his family business, was worth tens of billions. He was a shrewd person; he might seem kind and gentle, but everyone who knew him knew that he was very good at manipting personal rtionships and was the typical wolf in sheep''s clothing. He was a notorious womanizer and often appeared in the gossip section of many newspapers and magazines. Jim had a five-year-old son, but no one knew who the mother was. Even so, that could not stop many women from falling for him. Percy Mallory''s beauty was almost feminine. His skin was as fair as snow, which was a stark contrast to the sapphire ring that he wore on his thumb. He was dressed in a ck trenchcoat, which made him look elegant and dapper. He might be the CEO of Mallory Corporation on the surface, but no one knew that he was the mafia kingpin of A City, whose merciless ways made people tremble with fear. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Luke was chatting with the two other men, but his gaze asionally nced toward the observation deck... Jim yfully punched Luke''s shoulder. "I didn''t expect that you''re the first one to find a wife among us, Luke. Not bad, your wife is very beautiful." Luke smiled bewitchingly. "You aren''t too bad either. Your son is already five years old. I wonder who is his mother?" Percy lifted his wine ss toward Jim. "I''m curious too." Jim smirked when he saw his two best friends intending to find out his secrets. "Tsk, Percy, didn''t you ask Luke when he had his twins too? Did he tell you the answer? He''s been keeping the identity of the twins'' birth mother as a secret from us, and we only know who she is very recently. Say, if you can''t find out anything from him back then, what makes you think that you can find out anything from me? Would you believe it if I said that my son''s mother is an otherworldly fairy?" Percy rolled his eyes at Jim. Luke smiled and took a sip of his wine but said nothing. The three elite men started talking about business. Leia walked toward them. She was immersed in the entertainment industry for many years, and she knew how to behave in public. Everywhere she went, she was like a brilliantntern that attracted everyone''s eyes. "Luke...¡¯ Leia swayed in front of the three people and grabbed onto Luke''s arm as though she was very close to him. Her eyes stared at him for a while, then turned to look at his two friends." Good evening, gentlemen. Are you Luke''s friends?" Percy and Jim looked at each other. Their eyes shed with anticipation. ''Doesn''t the woman know that Luke hated strangers touching him?'' Luke frowned sullenly. He was disgusted by Leia touching him, or any stranger touching him for that matter. However, he did not wish to lose his temper in public, and he discreetly pulled his arm away. "I''m sorry, Ms. Norman. I''m not fond of acquaintances touching me," he said impassively. Leia looked at her arm and felt slightly awkward for a moment. She maintained her smile, though she sounded aggrieved. "Luke..." Jim observed the interaction curiously. ''Does Jack Norman''s daughter have a crush on Luke? ''Doesn''t she know that Luke has a pair of twins, and the identity of their birth mother is known? ''Doesn''t she mind that she''ll be a mother of two children if she married him?'' Jim knew how to alleviate the awkward situation. He stretched out his right hand and said, "Nice to meet you, Ms. Norman. I am Jim Holston, the person in charge of Holston Corporation. I''ve seen your movies before. I thought that you''re already very beautiful on the silver screen, but I didn''t expect that you look even more beautiful in real life. Are you old friends with our Luke?" Leia naturally knew who Jim and Percy were. The two men might be extremely desirable bachelors, but one of them was a notorious yboy, and the other looked sinister. She was more fond of the virtuous Luke, who did not have any scandals. However, she was nheless delighted when she heard Jim''s praise. She shook hands with Jim and said modestly, "You tter me, Mr. Holston. You are also a gentleman with an extraordinary bearing. d to be your acquaintance. I''m the spokesperson of a perfume brand under Luke''spany, and I have some things to ask him." 1 Leia smiled shyly at Luke. Percy shot a nce at Luke; he did not know how to react to the woman''s advances. ''Doesn''t she know howto read the atmosphere? Can''t she see that Luke''s expression is icy now? ''How pretentious.'' "I''ve told you before, Ms. Norman. Mr. Doyle is in charge of your coboration with T Corporation. You can look for him if you need anything. " Luke was starting to look unhappy. Leia had no retort to that. She did not expect that Luke would humiliate her in public. "Daddy..." Suddenly, a cheerful voice of a child could be heard. 1 Leia turned around and was surprised to see the voice belonged to the brat who had knocked into her earlier. The boy was happily holding Bianca''s hand, and they were walking toward the group. Leia''s eyes narrowed and shed with malice... Chapter 339 Chapter 339 Hoisted by Her Own Petard It was the first time that Jim and Percy had met Bianca. Bianca was beautiful like a pearl, and her femininity was unique. She exuded a motherly charm when she was patientlyforting the naughty Simon. Luke''s eyes had been eagerly transfixed on Bianca''s pure face the moment she appeared. That made Leia extremely jealous. ¡®''Daddy¡¯'''' Simon held Bianca''s hand, walked up to his father, and hugged his leg." Daddy, I found this beautiful lady at the observation deck. She''s Lanie and Rainie''s mommy, and she''s very nice. Can you find me a mommy as nice as her?" He happily introduced Bianca to his father. Jim pulled his son''s ear and pretended to be angry. "You brat, I''ve found so many mommies for you, but they''ve all ran away because you keep pranking them. What makes you think that I''ll find another one?" Simon pouted, covered his eyes, and pretended to cry. "Daddy, those women are ugly and stinky. They don''t smell as nice as thisdy. And, and... they''re all wicked witches. They treat me nice when you''re around, but once you''re gone, they abuse me... Boo hoo hoo, my daddy doesn''t love me, and I don''t have a mommy. Nobody wants me..." Bianca''s motherly instincts red when she saw how miserable the cute boy was. She carried Simon into her arms andforted him. "Be a good boy, Simon. Rainie is your age, and she doesn''t cry that easily..." "I wish you were my mommy, boo hoo..." Simon said as he hugged Bianca''s neck. His eyes were red, and he seemed incredibly aggrieved. However, there was not a single tear in those eyes. Jim was helpless. He knew that his son was a cunning one. Simon might sound like he was bawling hard, but he was only howling without actually crying. Only an innocent woman like Bianca would fall for his antics. "Madam, I don''t wanna be with Daddy anymore. He''s a baddie. Hmph! I love you, Madam. Can you bring me around to y?" Simon looked at Bianca with his puppy eyes. Bianca was utterly charmed by Simon''s handsome looks. "I''ll bring the boy around the ce, Luke. Can you let me know before you leave?" Luke held Bianca''s hand. "Alright. Call me if you need anything.¡± Hended a kiss on her lips in front of everyone. He was not too worried about their safety. After all, the five-star hotel had many hidden surveince cameras that ensured the safety of all the important guests in the event. Bianca blushed instantly. "I know." She had given up on trying to convince the man to keep his disys of affection private. However, she nheless felt warmth in her heart. "I''m a regr in this hotel, Ms. Rayne, and I know this ce quite well. How about if I bring you around?" Leia said eagerly to Bianca, holding down the jealousy in her heart. Ever since Queenie went to talk to Bianca, Bianca was wary about Leia, who coveted her man. Just when she was trying to tactfully decline Leia''s "good intentions," the boy next to her grimaced at Leia. "I don''t want you toe with us. You''re an ugly granny. I only want Miss Bea and no one else..." Leia almost lost her temper when she heard what Simon said. Not only the boy had called her ugly, but he called her a granny too! She was young and beautiful, not a granny! She might be well-mannered, but her expression was starting to turn unpleasant. Bianca gently flicked Simon''s head with a finger and alleviated the awkward situation. "You shouldn''t be rude, young man. It shows that you''re not well-educated. You''re a gentleman, and you should treat people courteously, especially women. Understand?" Simon nodded obediently and poked his tongue at Bianca. "Thank you, Miss Bea. I won''t be so naughty anymore." Jim''s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Was that soft-spoken boy the same naughty and stubborn little devil back at home? That was an eye-opener! Bianca brought Simon to the hotel''s theme park. It was designed like a circus. The decorations and colors were dazzling. The theme park had many attractions, including slides, a jungle gym, a maze, a carousel, and a bubble gallery. It was many times more technologically advanced than normal theme parks. The children there were children of the hotel guests, so there were not many people there. Simon yed very happily, perhaps because the beautiful Miss Bea was with him. He and Bianca hand-made many bubbles in the bubble gallery, and theirughter echoed far and wide... Leia and Wayne stood behind a log cabin, observing them. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Leia noticed that the man seemed to be interested in Bianca. She held down the disgust in her heart and asked, ¡®So what do you think of that woman? She''s pure and beautiful, right? How about I get her into your hands?" At that moment, she changed her n. She thought that she could slowly change Luke''s feelings toward her. However, she realized that she could not tolerate Bianca''s existence. Looking at how lovingly Luke treated Bianca, Leia only wanted to destroy her! Wayne nced at Bianca. Undeniably, the woman was very beautiful when she smiled, and her face looked very pure, which easily piqued his interests. However, at that moment, he was more interested in the angelfaced but devil-hearted Leia standing next to him. He was eager to know that arrogant yet coy woman with an illustrious background. "You''re right. I''m interested in getting her, but right now, I''m more interested in you!" Wayne smiled viciously. Leia''s heart thumped when she saw Wayne''s expression. She took several steps back and said, "What... What are you thinking? If you darey a finger on me, Wayne, I''ll make you regret for the rest of your life!" The smile on Wayne''s face became even more vicious! "That''s how I like my women. How about you tell me how I would regret it? Scream all you want, let everyone see your true colors!" He said eagerly. Leia struggled in Wayne''s arms, but her strength was no match for the special forces soldier! Wayne was getting impatient. He suddenly covered Leia''s nose and mouth and pressed an opened stic bottle next to her nostril. Leia was caught by surprise and took in a deep breath! When she realized what the bottle was, she was utterly flustered. Before she could even speak a word, her body slumped limply in Wayne''s arms... Chapter 340 Chapter 340 Romance in the Snow Wayne was very good at anti-reconnaissance. He pushed Leia''s face toward his chest. No one could see the woman in his arms clearly. They would think that he was a yboy flirting with a woman. After all, it was amon urrence in high-ss hotels. That was how Wayne avoided detection by the hidden cameras. He went out of the hotel with the half-conscious Leia in his hands. After that, he flung her into a ck luxury car and started to greedily tear her clothes. Leia''s gown was already skimpy. It did not take him long to remove all her clothes. The man''s brazen gaze devoured Leia, whose consciousness continued to slip away. ''Hmm, this woman has a fine face. I didn''t expect that she also has an excellent figure that can bewitch any man!'' His body red with the fires of desire, and he pounced onto Leia like a moth drawn to a me! ¡®Oh! ''My god! ''What a perfect woman!'' Wayne loved that body dearly, but that made him want to ravage her more! This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Leia slowly regained consciousness from the violent motions. In her drug-fueled hallucination, she thought that Wayne was Luke. Her eyes brimmed with joy when she thought that the man of her dreams was touching her. "Love me, Luke... ahh... can''t you be a little... gentler..." The man was biting her, but the pain had given her unspeakable pleasure. She could not tell who the person on top of her was. Wayne lowered his head and looked at the woman pinned under him. He was not very happy that she mistook him for someone else. He grunted coldly, resolving that he would not treat the woman without any mercy! "Ahh, Luke, it hurts, no..." Leia frowned and said. She yelped in pain, and tears were welling up in her eyes. Her beautiful eyes evoked pity, but that only made Wayne want to ravage her more! ''She''s still a virgin?'' Wayne cackled evilly. That had made him want to be more violent against her. The sounds of passion echoed in the narrow space of the car. "Ow..." Leia pouted and said coyly. "Does it hurt? You''ll be begging for mercy soon!" Wayne said. She felt as though her bones wereing apart. The strange feeling hurt, but the waves of pleasure made Leia moan. "Ahh ... ahh... I can''t take it anymore..." Even as she said so, her hands gripped Wayne tightly and did not let him go. "So what is it? Do you want it or not?" Wayne said unhappily. "Mmm... I want it..." She was about to pass out from that deadly sensation. ''No Wonder Charmaine likes to make out with men so much. The sensation is heavenly!'' "Ohh... this feels great..." Leia closed her eyes and surrendered her body to the man. "Bad girl, maybe I should let you see how naughty you''ve been!" Wayne took out his phone and pointed the camera at Leia''s body. Leia was unaware of all that! All she knew in her stupor was waves upon waves of unending pleasure! She was experiencing utter bliss, thinking that the man of her dreams was finally hers! Luke, the object of envy of all young female socialites, was hers! She wanted to bear his child and im him forever! With his child, her status would not be the same... i It had started to snow when Luke and Bianca got out of the hotel. At midnight, a thickyer of snow covered the roads in the bustling city. "Look, Luke, it''s snowing!" Bianca was happy like a child. She struggled out of Luke''s hands, hopped onto an empty piece ofnd, and stomped on the snow. She had barely ever seen snow in her life. That was why she was so excited. Even though it was almost midnight, there were many pedestrians on the street. There was a college town nearby, and many students walked in the streets in pairs. A yful boy shook a tree, and snow fell from the branches. "Come and y with me, Luke!" Biancaughed and grabbed Luke''s hand. They ran excitedly on the snowy ground. Luke smiled helplessly as he looked at the childish Bianca. He put on the hoodie of the down jacket for her and redid her scarf. Bianca''s jet-ck hair fell from both sides of her neck. When she smiled at him, she looked like a doll. Luke was entranced in that dream-like scene. For a brief moment, he seemed to have returned to that small town many years ago. Her inadvertent nce on him left a strong impression, and he could never forget the girl''s pure face. Luke was grateful to his grandfather. If Old Master Crawford had not insisted on sending him to the small town, he would not have met that beautiful girl. Perhaps he might live the rest of his life in depression. Only a person suffering from depression and despair knew how important it was for finding a spark in their lives. He had never imagined that he would be strolling hand in hand in the snow with the woman he loved. "What are you thinking, Luke?" Bianca noticed that Luke was lost in thought. She tugged at his arm. Luke came to his senses. Suddenly, he acted like a mischievous young man. He took Bianca to the 24-hour convenience store and bought some fireworks. Then, they went toward the field of a nearby high school. The entrance to the field was quiet. Only a streetmp cast a dim yellow light on the snowy road. Luke noticed that the sliding gate was not fully closed. It was big enough for one person to squeeze through. A security guard in a dark green coat sat in the security post nearby. He was facing away from the couple talking on the phone, i The two childish lovers quietly sneaked past the gate... Chapter 341 Chapter 341 Warming Each Other with Their Bodies In the middle of the field was a T-shaped stage. Perhaps there was an event in the school. It was already almost midnight. No one was on the field except for the couple. It was a snow-white world. Luke and Bianca walked hand-in-hand toward the stage, leaving behind two pairs of footsteps. He carried Bianca onto the stage and climbed up himself. From his jacket, he took out the fireworks they bought from the convenience store, crouched down, and lit them with his lighter. Bianca stood next to him, watching the spark travel down the fuse. Soon, the fireworks shot high into the air. Boom! A beautiful tree of fire appeared in the sky with a thousand expanding blooms. The dark sky was instantly illuminated with a brilliant disy of colors. Bianca reflexively closed her eyes. Luke took her hand and stepped backward. The brilliant mes shone vividly, illuminating them as well as the sky. Bianca felt extremely happy. The cheap fireworks only worth several dors could create such a magnificentndscape. "Thank you. I will remember this scene for the rest of my life. These are our shared memories..." Bianca scrunched her red nose, stood on tiptoe, and tightly hugged Luke''s neck. She rubbed her cheek against Luke''s neck like a cute little kitten. Even though it was cold all around her, Luke''s presence gave her warmth. "I''m happy as long as you''re happy. I''ll even pluck the stars from the sky for you." Luke kissed her lips indulgently. In the snow, Luke was handsome and noble. The sparkle in his eyes was the most dazzling light in the world. As he smiled, the snowkes around him seem to havee to life, dancing on his brows and lips. At that moment, he was elegant and charming like an ice spirit. Bianca''s heart thumped wildly in her chest, and her infatuation for Luke reached a peak... Just when their eyes were transfixed on each other, they heard an angry shouting from the security post! The security guard in a dark green coat was walking toward them, holding a shlight. "Hey, you students, why aren''t you sleeping sote at night? Don''t you know that you shouldn''t y with fireworks in school? Which ss are you in?" He said sternly. "Ah, we''re discovered." Bianca was flustered. "Don''t worry. Take my hand, and well run together!" Luke took her soft, petite hand. Under the illumination of the fireworks, they ran across the field. Soon, they arrived at the road outside of the school. They panted heavily as they ran while the security guard was left far behind. When they were several hundred feet away from the school, Luke and Bianca hid behind a tall evergreen tree. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. "Don''t be afraid. We''ll just pretend that we''re jogging at night. He can''t do anything to us," Luke said gently to Bianca. "Phew... that was tiring but so fun!" Bianca was drenched in sweat. She felt pain in her chest, but that was totally worth it. Luke''s warm palm held Bianca''s hand. That made her believe that he would never let her go. Bianca turned around. That ming tree seemed to linger in the air. The dropping sparks fell like shooting stars. It was a breathtakingly beautiful sight. The security guard looked around but did not see them. He turned around and went back to his post, cursing. "We''re safe now." Luke and Bianca walked out from behind the tree. They watched as the remnants of the fireworks lost their glow and disappeared in the night, then walked hand in hand on the snowy ground. Next to the wall, they saw a tall and slightly thin figure standing there, covered in snow. Bianca thought that it was someone leaning against the wall. When she got nearer, she noticed that there were two people tightly hugging each other. They seemed young. Perhaps they were college students. The couple seemed to be arguing. The girl sobbed weakly in the boy''s embrace, while asionally waving her fists and punching him. The boy spoke to her softly and patiently, apologizing to the girl while letting her punch him all she wanted. The love between young people seemed so pure. Even when they were arguing, they seemed so happy with each other. Bianca and Luke smiled and held each other''s hands more tightly. They were no longer at that age. After conquering so many obstacles, they understood that they had to trust each other. That was how they could continue loving each other and own the miracle that was marital bliss. "Bianca, I feel that I''ve be a lot younger after I met you," Luke said while interweaving his fingers with hers. His forehead rested on hers, and they warmed each other with their body heat. "That''s not correct. You''re already very young. The father of my children is Prince Charming." Biancaughed and gently pinched Luke''s hand. "I''m a little tired from walking..." "I''ll carry you on my back." Luke crouched down and waited for Bianca to climb on. Bianca climbed on Luke''s back. As he walked, Bianca looked at the snowy scenery around her. The night was silent and dark. Other than the soft white glow of the snow and the dim yellow light of the streetmps, there was no other illumination, i The softly glowing snowkes made the dark night look like a scene from a dream. They could see each other''s faces clearly, but everything slightly farther away was a blur. Bianca thought that it was alright; that way, they belonged in their small world. "If only we can be like this forever, Luke..." Bianca felt a little dejected as she leaned on Luke''s broad back. She wondered if she should tell Luke about what Queenie said to her... Chapter 342 Chapter 342 Calling His Name Again and Again Bianca did not want to anger Luke by telling him about her encounter with Queenie, but she would feel uneasy if she did not. It was not easy for her to be where she was now. She was afraid that she would lose this blissful scene. After all, she was too unremarkable. The other women who coveted the man came from powerful and influential families. "Luke, I''ll strive to be a world-renowned designer so that I can stand shoulder to shoulder with you. That way, there won''t be as many rumors and negative remarks even if we''re together." Bianca whispered into his ear. Her warm breath had traces of mncholy. "I believe in your capabilities, and you should believe in yourself more. Sess isn''t achieved overnight, and there is much room for you to grow. You''ll have to take it slow, but I believe that my Bianca will one day stand on the pinnacle of the world, living the life that you want... Perhaps even I might find it difficult to reach that height," Luke said as he carried Bianca on her back and walked along the snowy ground. 1 The man''s tread was firm even though the ground was slippery. Their whispers were like the snow on the tips of branches, disappearing as soon as the sun rose. However, those words were imprinted deep in Bianca''s heart. She would remember his encouragement for years toe. The pure white snow danced in the air like tiny fairies. Several plum blossoms were in full bloom on the side of the road, unafraid of the terrible cold. "Mrs. Norman came to look for me earlier." Bianca''s white down jacket seemed to have melded with her snowy surroundings. "She came to tell me to leave you. She said that we''re not a good match for each other..." After thinking through it, she decided to tell Luke about that incident. If they were going to trust each other, then she should not hide any secrets from him. i The man was observant. If he found out that she was hiding something from him, she might regret that decision. The smile on Luke''s face froze, and his expression suddenly turned cold." Mrs. Norman said that to you?" His expression was colder than the winter wind, which was made even more bitter in the dark night. Bianca was behind him and did not see the change in his expression. "Mrs. Norman said that I''m not a good match for you. She said that her daughter likes you, and the two of you are made for each other. Not only does your family oppose our rtionship, but even my love rival''s family is interrogating me..." This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Biancaughed gently, but her heart was wrenching. Luke turned around to look at her. His ck irises shed with confidence. "Let me handle this." Bianca ruffled his short hair with her icy fingers. "Let''s ignore them. You should know that businessmen and politicians don''t mingle well." Luke continued to walk forward. "You are the most important person to me. Don''t worry. I''ll protect you." Tears welled in Bianca''s eyes. "Luke..." "Yes, my dear..." "Luke..." "Yes, my dear..." Bianca called Luke''s name time after time. Her worries disappeared as Luke answered her every call. She rubbed his ears that were red from the cold to warm him up. "I trust you. You must be tired after carrying me for so long. You can put me down... Bianca turned around and looked behind her. She could only see one set of footprints. Those footprints seemed slightlyrger and deeper than usual, perhaps because the man was carrying her on his back. Those footprints were like the happiness they were experiencing. She could not see where they started, and she did not know where they would end. However, she could clearly see their journey together thus far. Bianca believed that if they did not let go of each other, they would create splendid vistas even in the most barrenndscapes. Under her insistence, Luke ced Bianca on the ground. They stood side by side under a plum tree in full bloom. Soon, they umted a thinyer of snow on their bodies. A gust of wind blew past them, and several plum blossoms fell gently on them. His handsome face was breath-taking, while her beautiful charms were awe -inspiring. Luke looked at Bianca standing in front of him. Even though she did not move or speak a word, she was as gentle as the moonlight and as delicate and dazzling as a snowke. He was willing to do anything for her, even if it meant the entire world opposed their rtionship. He suddenly reached into his coat and took out an exquisite pendant. The pendant was in the shape of a flower petal, and it was made from the finest quality jade. However, its edges were slightly worn because of its age. Luke took Bianca''s hand and ced the pendant in her palm. Bianca looked at him, surprised. The pendant in her hand was heavy and had an impable luster. She could tell that it was very expensive. She was about to decline the expensive present when his palm enveloped her petite hand together with the pendant. "This is my grandmother¡¯s heirloom, Bianca. She told me that when I meet the girl I truly love, I should give it to her. My grandmother is a gentle and loving woman, she..." i Bianca looked at him and listened to his reminiscence. That was the first time that she heard him speak of his maternal grandmother. She could tell that she was caring and intelligent, but unfortunately, she suffered when she married a violent gambling addict. Luke''s grandmother gave birth to a boy and a girl. The daughter was arrogant and materialistic, while the son was down-to-earth but meek. His grandmother silently bore the constant abuse from her husband and the children, and her physical and mental health worsened by the day. After Allison gave birth to Luke, his grandmother poured all her love onto the cute and obedient grandson. Unfortunately, when Luke was sent to the orphanage, his grandmother had already sumbed to illness. Life with his grandmother might be tough, but those were the best days of Luke''s childhood. Bianca felt sorry about his past. That outstanding man used to be so pitiful. Bianca hugged his waist. "You have me and the children by your side. Your life will be filled with joy from now on. Let the past stay in the past.¡± Luke hugged her even more tightly. With an understanding woman and their children aspany, there was nothing else he could wish for... Chapter 343 Chapter 343 Mommy, Did Daddy Bully You? Later, Luke took Bianca back to Crawford Manor in his car. At first, Bianca did not agree to it. With so many negative news reports revolving around her, Old Master Crawford and Allison must not want to see her. However, Luke insisted on bringing her home. He wanted to announce to the rest of his family that Bianca was his woman and that she would soon be Mrs. Crawford. Bianca had no other choice but to follow him back. She gingerly followed behind Luke, afraid that Allison or Old Master Crawford would see her and humiliate her. Fortunately, it was already past midnight, and everyone was fast asleep. No one noticed her going into the house. Bianca first went to Lanie and Rainie''s room. The two young children slept in the same room because Rainie was timid. Seeing that her two angelic children were sleeping soundly, she left kisses on their foreheads. Then, she went to take a hot water shower, whichforted her cold and tired body. When she stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in arge towel, Luke had finished brushing his teeth. He carried her in his arms into his bedroom. "You should have a guest room here, right? I''ll sleep there, or maybe in Lanie and Rainie''s room..." Bianca felt uneasy. After all, she could not let her guard down while in Old Master Crawford''s house. That was why she felt that it was more appropriate to sleep in the guest room. Even though the other members of the Crawford family knew who she was, the two people were not a married couple yet, and those family members that hated her would hate her even more. "You''ll sleep in this room tonight!" Luke hugged her waist dominatingly. "I''m here. You have nothing to be afraid of." "But I..." Bianca remained uneasy. "Don''t you believe that I can handle this? You are my children''s mother, and soon, you will be my wife. My family members need to get used to you. Don''t worry, we won''t stay in Crawford Manor after we''re married." Luke pecked Bianca''s cheek. If not that the children had to stay there, Luke would not want to stay in Crawford Manor either. The atmosphere there was too oppressive. Susan fought with his mother every day, and there was no end to it. Bianca breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Luke''s words. If they remained in Crawford Manor after they were married, she did not know how she would face Allison every day. That was Luke''s birth mother and not any other woman. If she fought with Allison, Luke would be the one caught in between. "We''ll be together forever, Bianca. The only troublesome one here is my mother. My grandfather might look stern, but he can be reasoned with. You can ignore Susan. You''ve met Louis, and he likes you as his sister-inw. That''s why you don''t have to be worried about the other family members." Luke smiled jokingly. Bianca nodded determinedly. ''I know. I''ll try to change my attitude toward your family members." Lukeid Bianca on the bed and hugged her tightly. The woman''s feminine and soft body contrasted with the man''s masculine and solid body. Luke gently caressed Bianca''s hair and reminded her softly, "The day after tomorrow is Jennifer and Marie''s trial..." Bianca suddenly remembered that. She had been very busy with work and other incidentstely, and she almost forgot that the despicable mother and daughter had caused her father''s death! "I will go to court myself and see that they are justly punished..." The memory of her father gasping for air and twitching surfaced in her mind. The hatred in her heart burst forth like a broken dam. Bianca did not sleep well that night because she was troubled by those memories. She only managed to sleep when it was almost dawn. When she woke up, Luke was already not by her side. Two cute little children stood next to the bed, looking at Bianca with their big and animated eyes. Rainie poked Lanie''s arm and said happily, "Big Bro, Daddy didn''t lie to us! Mommy is really here to visit us. Why isn''t Mommy awake yet? Does she like to sleep in too?" Lanie lifted his index finger to his lips and shushed his sister. ¡¯Mommy is very tired from work, and she needs a lot of rest. Let''s not disturb her and let her sleep for a while more." Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Just when he finished speaking, he saw Bianca''s fingers move and her eyes open. Bianca was surprised when she saw the two cute faces. She suddenly remembered that she was in Crawford Manor. "Lanie, Rainie, what time is it now?" Bianca could not find her phone and had to ask the children. Rainie took her boots off and climbed onto the bed. She looked at Bianca with her misty, round eyes and mumbled softly, "It''s nine o''clock, Mommy. It was snowing heavily earlier. I had a snowball fight with Big Bro while you were asleep. Daddy said that we''re already big children, and he doesn''t let us sleep in, but he lets you sleep in. That''s not fair..." "I was quite tired from workst night, and I didn¡¯t see the time..." Bianca felt awkward. She had embarrassed herself in front of the children! "Your eyes look swollen, Mommy. Did Daddy bully you?" Lanie the little gentleman asked. He was always worried that his Daddy would bully Mommy. After all, Daddy had a short temper. Bianca looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were puffy because she did not sleep wellst night. Memories of Jennifer and Marie''s misdeeds, as well as scenes from her father''s suffering before his death, repeated over and over in her head like a loop, perhaps because Luke had reminded her of the uing trial. Bianca could not say anything in front of the two innocent children. She patted their heads tofort them... She applied some powder to her cheeks and used concealer to cover the eyebags. That way, she looked more energetic. The two children sat on the bed with their cheeks resting on their hands, watching their mother put on her makeup. Like magic, their mother''s already beautiful face became even more beautiful after that. Bianca had just finished putting on makeup when she heard a knock on the door. Lanie opened the door. A middle-aged caretaker said to Bianca courteously, "Good morning, Ms. Rayne. Luke requests that you and the two children go downstairs for breakfast..." Chapter 344 Chapter 344 An Incident at the Breakfast Table The Crawford family had many rules. Old Master Crawford ced a lot of emphasis on having breakfast as a family. One unbreakable rule was that on the 15th of every month, the entire family had to gather for breakfast, no matter how busy or unwilling everyone might be. Today was the 15th of the month, and it was the day of the breakfast gathering. Moreover, the day was extra special because Luke was about to announce to the family that he had brought his future wife home. It was also an indirect challenge from Luke to the family members that did not favor the rtionship. On the breakfast table was an array of different breakfast items served onvish tes. There was something suitable for every taste. The meats were lightly seasoned because it was breakfast. Every dish was exquisitely prepared, as though it was the morning of a festival. Old Master Crawford sat on the lead position at the breakfast table with a stern expression. He might be old, but his bearing was as authoritative as usual, especially his eyes, which were gentle butmanding. Susan and her son Louis sat on Old Master Crawford''s right side, while on the left were Allison and Luke. Susan and Allison were dressed up immactely, decked in all sorts of luxury brand fashion items and essories as though they were free. Luke sat there, not saying a word. He might seem calm, but he gave off a dominating air. His gaze was transfixed on the staircase. No one knew what he was thinking. Louis looked as carefree as usual. His face was simr to Luke''s, having inherited the Crawford family genes. However, one could tell from the way he sat that he was a yboy. After all the dishes were served, the dining hall fell awkwardly silent. Allison could not take it anymore, and sheined to Luke. "What''s going on with that Bianca, Luke? Look, we''re all here, and we have to wait for her. How could she let her senior wait for her? This girl from a poor family doesn''t know etiquette at all!" "Take a look at yourself before you speak! No wonder your son is attracted to that kind of woman," Susan mocked coldly. "Who are you talking about, Susan?" Allison was about to blow his top. "That''s enough. Can''t we have some peace in the morning?" Old Master Crawford furrowed his brows and said impatiently. His voice was soft but authoritative. The two women immediately shut up. His daughters-inw have been arguing since more than twenty years ago. Zachary could have kept them in check, but ever since he passed away, no one could stop the two from fighting, even Old Master Crawford. That had made him very annoyed. He had suggested that the two women remarry, but they did not want that. They imed that they remained devoted to Zachary, but Old Master Crawford knew their secret ns. If Susan remained in the Crawford family, she would have a stake in T Corporation. If she remarried, things would be totally different. Her stake in thepany would be withdrawn, and Louis was not much of a fighter or a businessman. She would not want to see Allison and her sonpletely control T Corporation. She would rather die single in the Crawford family than let Allison win! Allison had a simpler viewpoint. She knew that Luke hated her. If she remarried, her son would not give away T Corporation''s resources to the other family. If that were the case, Allison would not be able to maintain her currentvish lifestyle. As a woman who became Mrs. Crawford, she was intelligent enough to rationalize her decision. Old Master Crawford looked around the table andnded his gaze on Luke. "Luke, go and get Bianca here for breakfast." Luke stood up from his seat. ''Yes, Grandfather." Just when he was about to walk up the stairs, he saw Bianca walking down holding the two children. With the twins next to her, Bianca was full of vigor. She was not afraid of the Crawfords anymore, even though the people there were hostile to her. As she stepped down the ssic spiral staircase, she seemed modest and even a little timid. Bianca might look calm, but her back was straightened stiffly, and her grip on her children''s hands tightened slightly. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. She did not expect that everyone was waiting for her. Other than Louis, who was smiling at her, the other people did not look too pleasant. The air was thick with tension. Luke took Bianca''s hand and sat her down next to him. The two cute children greeted their great-grandfather and sat down next to Bianca. "Good morning, Old Master Crawford." Bianca smiled awkwardly and greeted the patriarch of the family. Old Master Crawford grunted coldly, then turned his head away. Bianca, who had been doted on by Old Master Crawford, felt even more awkward! Helplessly, Bianca turned to greet Susan. "Aunt Susan," she called softly. Susan shot a mocking nce at Bianca and did not say anything. Louisughed and eased the tense atmosphere. "It''s not the first time we''re meeting each other, Sis. I don''t think I need to introduce myself... I didn''t expect that my elder brother, whom I thought would be single for the rest of his life, would have a girlfriend. I ought to keep up with him, heheh." Bianca smiled, feeling happy that at least one Crawford epted her. She turned her gaze to Allison, who did not hide her disgust. Bianca¡¯s heart wrenched, and she could not get herself to greet her. She could not forget the humiliation that Allison had brought her, and she could ignore all the things that happened between them. Unfortunately for her, that woman was the mother of the man she loved... Chapter 345 Chapter 345 Bianca Was Embarrassed by What Luke Said Meanwhile, Leia woke up from a deep sleep. She opened her eyes and found herself in a luxurious but otherwise vacant hotel suite. Her entire body was in pain as though it had been ripped apart, and her waist was so worn that she could not straighten it. Down there, she felt nothing but searing pain. She pressed on her throbbing temples, and memories ofst night''s lovemaking surfaced. The bed was a mess, her evening gown had been torn into shreds, and there were signs of intimacy all over her body. Leia could vaguely remember the warmth of the man''s body. That man''s figure ovepped with Luke''s handsome face. Leia''s face blushed shyly. Not only the man that she loved had a handsome face, but his prowess in bed made her crave for more. Her desire for iming Luke became even stronger. ''Why is Luke so rough though? He didn''t seem to care that it''s my first time!'' Leia could not remember how many times he had hugged her the night before. Even after her voice was hoarse after crying and begging, he did not stop or even slow down... However, that had allowed her to taste a wonderful experience that she had never encountered before. When she reminisced about those sensations, she felt so happy that she could die. After the happiness had worn her out, Leia began to feel angry again. ''How can Luke leave me alone in the hotel just like that, after he imed my virginity? He didn''t even prepare a change of clothes for me!'' The more she thought about it, the angrier she became! Leia fought against the soreness and pushed herself off the bed. Her phone started ringing; it was her agent. In a fit of rage, she rejected the call! Right after that, she received a call from Queenie. When she saw that her mother was calling her, Leia braced herself and answered it. "Mom..." "Where are you, Leia?" Queenie asked. A pang of guilt struck Leia''s heart. "I''m here with my agent, Mom. We ran into some problems while shooting the new movie. The investor, producer, director, and actors are all here for a meeting. I''m here too..." "You''ve always been a considerate girl, Leia. You knew that yesterday was your grandfather''s 70th birthday, so why did you leave halfway when you could''ve taken the opportunity to close the gap with him? You didn''t even tell us that you left, and you didn''te homest night. Your father is very angry." Queenie''s tone of voice was calm, but she sounded disappointed with what Leia did. Leia''s heart skipped a beat. Her adopted father was her biggest support, and she did not want to anger him! "Something happenedst night, Mom, and I''m very sorry. I''ll exin it to Dad when I get back. I love you the most, Mom. Please put in a good word for me!" Leia said coyly. Queenie could sense her daughter''s coy demeanor over the phone. "Sigh, I wouldn''t want to reprimand you if not that your behavior was out of line; you''re my only daughter. Don''t do that again next time." "Mm, thank you, Mom. I won''t do it again." Leia felt uneasy after she ended the call. However, the disagreement with her parents was worth it if it meant that she could im Luke''s affection. She gave a call to room service and requested a change of clothes. After she dressed up and went down to the lobby, she asked the receptionist about the man who had booked the room for her. She was sure that the man was Luke Crawford, but she wanted to confirm it. The receptionist said that the man preferred to keep his identity secret. Furthermore, the hotel was not at liberty to divulge its customers'' identities. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Leia felt slightly at ease when she heard that. Even though the receptionist did not tell her the identity of the man, that made her even more sure that he was Luke. The hotel she was in was the most expensive in A City, and the suite she was in cost an astronomical sum. Not only that, one needed to have a certain social status to reserve a suite. She was sure that the manst night was the Luke she loved. Leia decided to go to Crawford Manor to investigate. After all, Luke was the one who had imed her virginity, and he had to bear responsibility. Moreover, Allison was fond of her. If she knew that Leia had carnal rtions with her son, she would be ecstatic. With that thought in mind, Leia summoned her driver and went to Crawford Manor. It had been snowing heavily the night before. Even though it was not snowing the next morning and the roads had been cleared, traffic remained heavy. Leia was extremely anxious. She wanted to reach Crawford Manor as soon as she could... Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the breakfast table in Crawford Manor was stifling. Bianca had the urge to dash out of the door if not that Luke was holding her hand tightly... Allison looked at the apprehensive Bianca. Her disdain was evident. ¡¯ You''re already putting on airs even before you''re officially a Crawford. What makes you think that we ept you if you don''t even know basic manners? Bianca lowered her head and did not say a word. Luke squeezed Bianca¡¯s hand and spoke to Old Master Crawford, "Haven''t you been wishing for more children in the house, Grandfather? I spent an entire night with Bianca just so that you can hold another baby in your arms by next year. I hope you will forgive her for resting a little longer in bed this morning." Bianca discreetly pinched the back of Luke''s hand. She was embarrassed when Luke divulged their private affairs to the other family members. Everyone except the two little children knew what Luke was talking about. Old Master Crawford saw that Bianca looked haggard, and his expression eased a little. Initially, he had a good impression of the young woman. Several intervening incidents, including her marriage to Xavier, had ruined that impression and made the old man uneasy whenever he saw her. However, his grandson Luke loved the woman, and she was also the mother of her great- grandchildren. He remained opposed to Bianca and Luke''s rtionship, but the resistance was not as strong as before. Allison was so angry that she d id not want to speak a word. She turned her head away, not willing to look at Bianca and her ungrateful son. Susan''s expression wasplicated. If Luke married Bianca, they would give birth to many more children in the future. That meant that they would control the majority of the family''s wealth. ''No, I have to make sure that Louis marries as soon as possible. I can''t let Allison get ahead of me!'' Chapter 346 Chapter 346 I¡¯m Pregnant... Susan pointed a finger at Louis''s face. "Look at your brother. He already has two children, so when is your turn to settle down? Quickly go and get yourself married! You''d better stay at home tomorrow. I''ll arrange several matchmaking sessions for you so we can get this done as soon as possible." Louis wailed. "That can''t be, Mom! I''m still young, and I don''t want to get married..." "Enough excuses. If you don''t want to get married, be like your brother and give me a baby,¡¯ Susan said. "I can consider that." Louis rubbed his chin and gave that a serious thought. That seemed to be a good idea. If he gave his mother a baby, she would not bug him anymore about getting married. Old Master Crawford whacked Louis''s leg with his walking stick, breaking his train of thought. "Over my dead body, you rascal!" Louis felt aggrieved. "Not fair, Grandpa. Why can Brother do that but not me? The twins..." Luke red at Louis with a stern gaze. Louis noticed that the twins were looking at him with big, animated eyes. Only then did he realize that he nearly made a big mistake. "I''m sorry, Brother!" He said sheepishly. "Alright, let''s eat!" Old Master Crawford said authoritatively, and no one dared to say otherwise. The family ate the meal, though for most of them, the meal was tasteless. The two little children, on the other hand, ate with great relish. Bianca continuously fed them food from the dishes. From time to time, she would wipe their dirty little mouths with a napkin. Old Master Crawford was satisfied that she treated the children with kindness and care. His impression of Bianca became better by a little. Allison, however, maintained her sullen expression. She silently cursed Bianca for putting up that deceptive appearance. Halfway through breakfast, Susan excused herself from the table, saying that she was not feeling well. Almost immediately after that, the doorbell rang. "Old Master Crawford, Ms. Norman is at the door." The middle-aged female caretaker''s voice came over the speakers. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Bianca was startled. She looked doubtfully at Luke. She did not know why Leia was at Crawford Manor so early in the morning. Meanwhile, Allison seemed delighted. "Father, please allow Leia toe in. It''s the 15th of the month today, and she must be here to visit you. It''s so cold outside, you can tell that she is considerate." Old Master Crawford nced at Bianca''s calm face and replied softly," Mm." He might be old, but he was not senile. He knew very well that Leia was there to visit his grandson Luke and not him. He might have epted Bianca''s presence in the household, but Bianca needed a reminder from time to time. After all, she was the one who had involved his grandson in unneeded scandals. Leia stepped into the house in her tall boots. When she saw Bianca sitting next to Luke and feeding the two children, her beautiful smile nearly vanished! ''Damn that Luke. How dare he make out in bed with mest night, but bring Bianca back to Crawford Manor? What''s the meaning of this?'' However, Leia was very good at masking her emotions. She might be livid at the moment, but she maintained herdylikeposure and gently greeted, "Grandpa Crawford, Aunt Allison..." She was dressed in thetest Dior fashion, which allowed her to unt her curves even though it was winter. Her graceful and magnanimous behavior made her look like a refineddy. Leia knew that the older generation would appreciate her behavior. She shot a nce at Bianca. Bianca was dressed in a casual T-shirt without any adornment. She was so in. How could shepare to the morous and attractive Leia? "You''re here so early, Leia. You haven¡¯t eaten anything, right? Come here, let''s have breakfast together." Allison eagerly pulled Leia to the breakfast table. Leia pretended to decline several times, but eventually relented and sat down at the table. Bianca felt unpleasant when she saw how eager Allison was to please Leia. It was a huge contrast from how she was treated. Leia chatted with Allison and Old Master Crawford, but her resentful gaze would sometimes fall on Luke. Bianca was uneasy when Leia was around. Her food suddenly lost all taste, and she could not take another bite. Luke looked at the sudden guest with disapproval. ''What''s wrong with Leia? ''She¡¯s been looking at me as though I''ve dumped her. Is she OK?¡¯ "Aunt Allison, when did Ms. Rayne come here?" Leia tried to beat around the bush. Before Allison could say anything, Lanie patted his bloated stomach and replied, "Mommy has been here sincest night. She slept in the same room as Daddy. They''re very nice to each other!" Lanie was very sensitive to emotions, and he instantly disliked Leia. Leia''s face turned a shade paler. "Luke, you shouldn''t be at homest night, right?" ''That''s impossible. Luke was making out in bed with mest night. Why would he be at home with Bianca?'' Luke did not give an answer. He was not going to waste his time with that woman. He could tell that Bianca disliked Leia. He stood up, took Bianca and the twins'' hands, and said to Old Master Crawford, "Grandfather, Bianca and I are done with breakfast. We''ll be going upstairs." "Hey, Luke..." Leia was trying to call him when Luke was already heading toward the spiral staircase holding Bianca''s hand. To her, the family of four was an eyesore. Leia''s fists were clenched tightly. She could only suppress the anger and doubt in her heart for now. "My son is like that, Leia. You don''t have to be too bothered. He''ll eventually regret it." Allison comforted her while handing her a te. Leia forced a smile. She was not in the mood to eat. "Did Lukee homest night, Aunt Allison?" She asked. "Who knows? I slept quitetest night, and I didn¡¯t see that ingrate when I went to bed at one o''clock. I didn''t expect that he would bring Bianca home. I was so angry!" Old Master Crawford coughed gently. "You two continue to chat. I¡¯m feeling a little tired, and I''ll go and rest." After the caretaker helped Old Master Crawford walk to his room, Louis was not in the mood to eat with those two annoying women at the table. He found an excuse to leave as well. Only Allison and Leia remained in the dining hall. Leia wanted to tell Allison about her experience with Luke the night before, but she did not want to give Allison the impression that she was putting pressure on her. She decided that she would find a better opportunity to tell Allison. Upstairs. Bianca was not in a good mood because of Leia. Luke and the twins tried to cheer her up. Suddenly, her phone rang. It was from Nina! Bianca quickly answered the call. "Bianca, I''m... I''m pregnant..." Nina''s agonized and panicked voice was heard on the phone. Chapter 347 Chapter 347 I¡¯ve Never med You When Bianca hurriedly arrived at the hospital, she saw Nina sitting in a daze at the obstetrics and gynecology department. The other women had their husbands and boyfriends with them. Nina seemed especially lonely. Bianca had not met Nina in a while, and Nina had lost a lot of weight. Her round and plump face was now sharp, and her bangs almost covered her eyes. Her expression could not be clearly seen, though her lips that were tightly pressed together told Bianca that she was in a gloomy mood. Nina clutched several medical reports in her hands. Bianca did not know what she was thinking. Looking at that thin figure, Bianca could not help but feel sorry for her. She sat down next to Nina and gently called out her name, "Nina..." When Nina heard Bianca''s voice and saw her, she fell into her arms, and tears started to fall. "I''m... I''m pregnant, Bianca," she sobbed, "I wanted to abort it, but the doctor said that my uterine wall is very thin. If I abort this child, I might not be able to be pregnant for the rest of my life. What should I do?" "I''m sorry, I''m sorry..." Bianca kept on apologizing. She felt immensely guilty for what happened to Nina. Nina suffered so much because of her. "Bianca, do you know that when I found out that I was pregnant, my mind went nk... I didn''t want to tell you, but I really don''t know what I should do. I''m losing my mind. I don''t want this lifeform within me. It is a shameful reminder of what happened to me. But if I abort it, I might never get the chance of bing a mother...¡¯ Nina helplessly stared at Bianca. She did not know what to do. She nearly suffered a mental breakdown after she was vited. She did not think of taking a contraceptive. When she thought of thatter, she ran to the pharmacy, bought a morning- after pill, and instantly swallowed it. However, that was already toote. She did not expect that she was so unlucky to be pregnant the first time she had intercourse with a man. Nina handed Bianca the medical report with shaking hands. Bianca saw the results of the ultrasound,plete blood count, electrocardiogram, and all other tests. What made Bianca surprised was that Nina might look healthy, but her constitution was worse than normal people. Her body was weak, and it could not withstand an abortion. Not only that, even if she tried to carry the pregnancy to term, there was a chance that she would suffer a miscarriage if she was careless. "Nina, do you know who''s the father of the baby in your womb?" Bianca sighed as she held the medical reports in her hand and tried to hold back tears. Nina might seem carefree and liberal, but Bianca knew that Nina was very conservative, even more so than her. She would not be willingly involved in an affair out of wedlock. Needless to say, it must have something to do with that time Xavier kept her in captivity. Nina shook her head with tears in her eyes. She did not want to say the father''s identity. Every reminder of that shameful day was like a scourge whipping on her heart, leaving nothing but pain and fear. Bianca stopped asking questions. She could see that it was a sore spot for Nina. Suppressing the heart-wrenching emotions in her heart, Bianca draped her arm over Nina''s shoulder and promised her, ¡®Listen to me. I''m the one who''s at fault. You can me me if you want... but the child is innocent. Don''t abort it. I''ll raise it for you. I''ll be its godmother, alright?'' A hint of life seemed to return to Nina''s hollow gaze. "I''ve never thought of ming you, Bianca. I was careless. This wouldn''t have happened if I took the pill in time... If I have to me someone else, it''ll be the man who caused all this and how fate is so cruel to me. It''s a lot to take in, but I''ll be fine in a few days. Don''t worry..." She did not know she wasforting Bianca or herself. Bianca helped Nina walk out of the hospital. Nina seemed to feel better after Bianca talked to her. Bianca was about to hail a cab at the entrance when they saw an unpleasant scene! A bright red convertible was parked at the hospital entrance. In the back seat was a brown-haired man with a sinister and scoundrelly face and a bewitching aura. He hugged a woman with each arm. The one on his left was seductive, while the one on his right was pure. Even though the day was cold, the women dressed skimpily. They wore crop tops that bared their stomachs, and miniskirts that bared their thighs. The brown-haired man hugged the seductive woman''s waist tightly, but his head was turned to the other side, kissing the pure woman''s lips. His lecherous behavior was an eyesore! "T Corporation has released a new diamond ring design, Brother Pierre. I want it..." The seductive woman said coyly. "I want an emerald ne and an LV handbag, Brother Pierre...¡¯ The pure woman also unted her seductive charm. The brown-haired man hugged and kissed them and said generously, ¡¯ Alright, my babies. I''ll buy you whatever you want!" The two beautiful women cheered and clung to him even more tightly. "How degenerate!" Bianca mumbled. She would want to stay away as far as possible from yboys like that one. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. However, Nina''s eyes were transfixed on the brown-haired man... That was Pierre Mallory! Nina''s eyes brimmed with anger and resentment but at the same time carried a deep-seated agony. If she could, she would want to chop the man in front of her into a million pieces! Bianca was shocked when she saw Nina''s unnerving demeanor. She tugged Nina''s arm and said, "Are... you OK, Nina?'' Nina turned away and replied softly, "I''m fine. Let''s go." "Where are we going, Second Young Master?" The driver said with a straight face. He was probably used to Pierre''s antics. Pierre nced at the driverzily but spotted a familiar figure at the corner of his eye... ''Nina? ''Why is she at the hospital?'' His gaze abruptly turned cold. He whispered something into the driver''s ear. After that, the driver got out of the car and walked toward the hospital! Chapter 348 Chapter 348 This Is Myst Warning to You Regal Capital. "You can live here for now, Nina. I''ve paid a year''s rent in advance, and the lease wont be up for more than half a year. It''s non-refundable, and it''ll be vacant anyway," Bianca said as she held Nina''s hand. "Thank you, Bianca. Without you, I don''t know what I should do if I''m alone. " Nina looked around the one-bedroom house with homely furnishings. She was extremely grateful for Bianca. Right now, her mother''s full attention was on her brother Jean. Anna was running up and down different prison departments to help Jean and ignored what Nina was doing. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Moreover, if her conservative mother found out that she was pregnant, she would be forced to abort the baby. "I''m the one who has to apologize to you.¡¯ Bianca''s gaze was once again suffused with guilt. "Stop saying that. What happened has happened, and there''s no use regretting it. You''re my best friend, and I don''t want to see you living in the guilt. What we should do now is to think positively. I believe we''ll get through this even if it''s difficult. I should be at the child-bearing age. Perhaps this child is a gift from heaven," Nina said gently as she caressed her stomach. Nina was an optimistic and cheerful young woman. It was easy for her toe round to certain things. "Mm. I believe that your baby will be the cutest child in the world. It''ll look like you!" "I hope that it''ll look like me too..." Nina smiled when she imagined that she would soon have a baby that would call her Mama. It would look like her and be as cute as Lanie and Rainie. She even looked forward to giving birth to the baby. Bianca sat Nina down on the couch and went to clean the bedroom. "It''s been some time since Ist lived here, Nina. The room is quite messy. Rest for a bit while I clean up." Nina wanted to help. "I''m pregnant, not disabled. Must you treat me like a child? Let me help with the cleanup as well." Bianca stubbornly held Nina down. "You saw your medical report too. Your constitution is weaker than normal people, and you might suffer a miscarriage if you''re careless. You should rest as much as you can. When I was pregnant with Lanie and Rainie..." Nina helplessly listened to Bianca tell her precautions and pointers while bearing a child. She might say that Bianca was annoying, but she felt very warm in her heart. After cleaning up the room, Bianca went down to the grocery store in the neighborhood and bought vegetables and poultry. While she was walking up the stairs, she met Daisy, who just got back from the wet market. Daisy was walking casually with a live chicken under her arm... The two had not met each other for some time. Daisy could see that Bianca had be more beautiful than before, especially her pink and tender skin. Meanwhile, her daughter had to conduct outdoor interviews, and because of that, her skin had be dry and rough. Her heart was wracked by jealousy. "Hey, isn''t that Bianca?" She said shrilly. *1 thought you''ve found yourself a rich sugar daddy, and you''ve moved to a luxurious mansion. Why are you back here so fast? Did you get dumped? Ha, I knew that you can''t rely on sugar daddies, but you don''t listen. That man must''ve found himself a younger and more beautiful woman. If you knew that you weren¡¯t going to be so lucky, you shouldn''t even have dreamed about it!" Bianca hated that middle-aged woman a lot, not only because she was patronizing, but also because she was very fond of gossip. Bianca would have given her a tight p on her face if not that she was respectful toward her elders. "Don''t you know that you''re very annoying, Aunt Daisy?" Bianca said abruptly while ring at Daisy. "What did you say?" Daisy opened her clouded eyes wide. She could not believe that Bianca was talking to her like that, 1 Bianca was taller than Daisy, even when she was wearing ts. She towered over Daisy imposingly. "Some elders have kind hearts and mind their manners. Those elders deserve my respect. However, there are many elders like you who not only are unreasonable and ignorant but also indulge in gossip... I''d like to ask you, Aunt Daisy, what''s the point of you degrading me? Would your gossip and insults make you a better person? Or would it advance your daughter''s career?" "You... How dare you speak to me like that, you wench? If you''re guilty of some misdeeds, why shouldn''t I say it? Stop pretending to be virtuous! You''re nothing but a mistress!" Daisy was livid. She wanted to throw eggs at Bianca and w her face. "Let me say this onest time, Aunt Daisy, I''m not a mistress!" Bianca clenched her fists so tightly that her fingernails were about to break the stic shopping bags. She looked at Daisy unpleasantly and said, "I don''t care if you believe it, but I have to tell you that the man is my boyfriend, and I am the birth mother of the two children. We were separated for many years because of a misunderstanding, and we''ve finally reunited again. This is myst warning to you. Do not spread any false rumors about me, or else I''ll see you in court!" i Bianca''s tone when she was at her limit was powerful and resonating. Her gentle face seemed aggressive when she made that threat, which caused Daisy to suffer a shock. Even the usually haughty and unreasonable Daisy became docile in front of that soft-spoken and gentle girl. Bianca shot a nce at Daisy, then walked around her and went up to the fifth floor. Daisy came to her senses when she saw Bianca turn the corner. She spat and cursed, "Pah! How dare you insult me, you mistress? You''ll eventually pay for your immoral deeds..." Chapter 349 Chapter 349 Luke and Bianca Appear In Court! Bianca made a sumptuous lunch for Nina. After lunch, Bianca did the dishes and thoroughly cleaned the kitchen. Then, she returned to the grocery store and replenished the supplies in the fridge. She had said that the roads were slippery from the snow, and she did not want Nina to step outside. With the fridge stocked full of vegetables and poultry, it would be convenient for Nina to cook for herself. Nina was grateful beyond words for what Bianca did to her. "It''s almost the end of the year, so you don''t have to go to work. I''ll let Luke know, and he can approve your leave until the new year," Bianca discussed with Nina before she left. 1 Nina shook her head. "It''s been too long since I''ve skipped work, and you know that I can''t sit still at home. You can let Luke know that I''ll go to work when I''m ready. I''m afraid that if I stay for too long at home, I''ll start imagining things..." Bianca could only agree. "You should just rest at home, and we''ll talk after you''re ready toe back to work. You can call me if you need anything. My phone is always on for you." After Bianca left, Nina sank deep in thought. Now that she had decided that she would give birth to the child in her womb, she would have to contemte her future. She was about to be graced by the presence of a new life, and she would not be alone anymore. She would have to make ns for the baby. The next day. It was a sunny day, and the world was coated in silvery-white snow. The glittering sun shone down on A City Court. Bianca''s gloomy mood was a stark contrast to the fine weather. It was Jennifer and Marie''s trial day. Bianca did not wear any makeup, and there was no expression on her face. Luke sat with Bianca in the front row of the spectator area, wearing a pair of sunsses. His expression was as somber as hers, and his ice-cold aura was hard to ignore. Jennifer and Marie, dressed in prison clothes, stood listlessly at the dock. After being locked up for some time, Jennifer seemed to have aged ten years. Gray hair appeared on her sideburns, and her back was slightly hunched. Marie''s long hair was cut short. Her hair was disheveled, her face was sickly, her eyes were sunken, and she seemed to have lost a lot of weight. They probably had suffered greatly in jail. However, Bianca did not have any sympathy for them. They were the ones who had caused Kevin''s death, and they were getting what they deserve. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. When the two women saw Bianca, their eyes were about to spew fire. If not that bailiffs were restraining them, they would have rushed to Bianca and tore her into pieces. Walter''s crisp voice rang in the courtroom. "The alleged, Jennifer Lee and Marie Rayne, knew that Kevin Rayne was suffering from ill health, yet they provoked him with harshnguage. Not only was that behavior immoral, but it was also illegal. Moreover, when they saw that the patient''s condition was worsening, they did not immediately call for the doctor but instead watched him deteriorate. Their words and actions have directly caused Mr. Rayne''s death, and as such, they need to bear full responsibility! Your Honor, please grant them the maximum sentence!" "Objection!" Shandra was dressed in a dark-coloredwyer''s robe, and her hair was tied up in a bun behind her head. Her expression was cold. "Kevin Rayne has suffered from cancer for many years. Even without Jennifer and Marie''s provocation, he would not havested for very long. Why must the alleged bear full responsibility? Moreover, what they said to Mr. Rayne was the truth. He is the one who could not ept it. Even if the alleged need to bear legal responsibility for his death, it is not as serious as you say. Their words might be harsh when they argued with Mr. Rayne, but that was because they were in the heat of the moment. If anything, this should be a civil case..." Walter stared at Shandra. His heart was wrenching. He felt sorry that the once aloof and arrogant woman had fallen so low. Just because she hated her, she had opposed him in every case that he took on, even if it vited her morals. This time, she had offered her services pro bono to Jennifer and her daughter, just so that she could defeat him in court... Walter had witnessed Shandra''s growth in the past few cases. She was indeed witty and cunning, especially when it came to loopholes. He almost lost to her several times, if not that he was very good at quibbling too. To make up for her, he had allowed her to win several times. Now, the case was rted to Bianca, Luke''s woman. He could not let her win this time. "Ms. Cullen, the alleged know that Mr. Rayne was terminally sick and would die at anytime, but they used harshnguage to verbally attack him anyway, and the entire incident was recorded by the security camera. You cannot deny that, right? There is no doubt that the actions of the alleged are deliberate, and that is grounds to conclude that they havemitted homicide. They need to bear criminal responsibility!" Walter retorted. They continued to trade barbs in the courtroom. Neither of them wanted to let the other win. Bothwyers were the best in their field. Their arguments trumped one another. Bianca''s heart was in her throat. She almost could not breathe. She did not expect that the femalewyer could be a match for Walter, and she feared that Walter might lose. She could not ept it if Jennifer and Marie received a reduced sentence. Luke ced his palm over Bianca''s hand. Perhaps he could sense her unease. "Don''t worry. Walter will definitely win," heforted her. He trusted in Walter¡¯s abilities. Shandra might be a good debater, but she was nheless no match for Walter. Indeed, Walter did not let them down... The judge knocked the gavel and gave his judgment. "Jennifer Lee and Marie Rayne, your deliberately harshnguage have directly caused the death of the terminally ill Kevin Rayne, and the prosecutor has proved that beyond reasonable doubt that you havemitted homicide. I hereby sentence you to ten years in prison and a fine of 90,000 dors. If you are not satisfied with this judgment, you can raise your appeal to this court or the A City Court of Appeals within ten days of receiving the written judgment..." Marie had been keeping quiet all the while, but when she heard the judgment, she pounced up as though she had lost her mind, but the bailiff restrained her. Marie yelled and cursed at Bianca. "Bianca, you evil witch! This is all your fault in the first ce. If you didn''t be a surrogate mother, Kevin Rayne would not have died! I will not let you go. I will appeal!" Chapter 350 Chapter 350 Luke¡¯s Deep Kiss Bianca stepped out of the courtroom. The sky was clear once again. The sun was as bright as usual, and she felt as though a heavy burden was lifted from her heart. Jennifer and Marie had received their just desserts. Luke was hugging Bianca''s waist. He saw that her brows were tightly knotted, and he could not guess what she was thinking. "You seem to be lost in thought. What are you thinking?" He asked softly. "I was thinking whether the judgment would be different if Jennifer and Marie appealed." Bianca sighed. Luke''s gaze turned cold. "It wont. If they appeal, I can guarantee that their sentence will be even more severe." He had ways to make those despicable characters'' lives a living hell. Bianca leaned gently on Luke''s shoulder. His strong and rhythmic heartbeat calmed her down. "Thank you for all that you do for me." Bianca understood that without him, putting Jennifer and Marie to justice would be a long and arduous ordeal, if that were even possible in the first ce. Luke held her wrist and stuffed her into the passenger seat of his car. Then, he sat in the driver''s seat. "Where are we going..." Just when Bianca opened her mouth, the man''s hand gripped her delicate lower jaw, and he kissed her on her lips. Bianca¡¯s breathing and heartbeat became faster! Luke did not give her a chance to take a break. His warm breath filled the air around her face. Bianca felt like she was being punished by that kiss. The man ravaged her oral cavity with his tongue and excited her senses. Bianca was losing her strength from the kiss. She felt as though she was floating in the air, and she moaned, "Mmh..." Her reaction made Luke even wilder. He would have imed her if not that they were still in the car! "Are you going to be so formal with me next time, hmm?" Luke had to let go of Bianca. His lower abdomen was feeling ufortable. He was afraid that if he continued kissing her, his restraint would reduce to nothing. Bianca gasped for fresh air. She understood why he was punishing her with that kiss. It turned out that the man did not want her to be so formal with him. Bianca blushed and answered softly, "I won''t do that again..." "Good girl," the man said softly with a smile. "If you make this mistake again, I won''t go so easy on you." The man''s covetous gaze seemed to have stripped her clothes away. Bianca blushed. All his "punishments" involved sex. She could not take it anymore... Luke started the car. Bianca looked at Luke''s clean hand that was holding the steering wheel. She coughed gently and asked, "Are we going back to thepany?" Luke smiled. ¡¯Mm. I''ll finish up my business, then we''ll go on a date." T Corporation. Bianca and Luke stepped into the CEO''s personal elevator. The couple''s reflection was seen in the mirror of the elevator. One was tall and handsome, while the other was petite and delicate. Bianca suddenly realized that she had skipped work again to attend Jennifer and Marie''s trial. She was embarrassed by the fact that in the few months she had been working at T Corporation, she was the employee who had been absent for the most days. The department lead would lose her mind again... Luke''s spirited eyes stared at Bianca. He thought that her ever-changing expression was very adorable. "Stop staring at me!" Bianca became nervous when she noticed that Luke was staring at her eagerly. She was afraid that Luke might morph into a thirsty beast in the cramped space of the elevator. Unexpectedly, Luke patted her hair and kissed her forehead, and that was all he did. On the top floor, Luke walked out of the elevator while Bianca followed behind. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. She had to keep her distance in thepany. Being too intimate with him would attract rumors. It was not the first time that Bianca was in the CEO''s office. However, they had made out in the office''s bedroom, and that had made her feel awkward being inside. "Hm? Sis? Didn''t you take the day off? Why are you here?" Louis saidzily as he walked toward them. "Are you sneaking out again, Louis?" Luke red at the yboy. "Nah. I thought I¡¯d step outside for a while to get some fresh air and smoke a cigarette..." Louis answered guiltily. He knew that his brother was with Bianca at the trial, and he thought that he could skip work. Unfortunately for him, he met Luke and Bianca just when he was about to go out! Luke instantly called out his lie. "You have a smoking area in your manager''s office. Doesn''t that satisfy you? How about this. If you don''t want to stay in the headquarters, how about I transfer you to South Africa?" Louis instantly became flustered. "Have mercy on me, my dear brother! I shouldn''t have skipped work. I''ll return to my desk now! Please don''t transfer me to South Africa. I won''t have any fun there! See how cruel Brother can be, Sis. Can you help me change his mind?" Louis nced resentfully at Bianca as thoughining to her about Luke''s cruelty. Bianca nearly burst outughing. Louis was already an adult, but he acted like a child. He might be a yboy, but Bianca could not bring herself to dislike him. Bianca held Luke''s elbow and said, "Alright, don''t scare Louis. He can help you when he''s in the headquarters." Louis nodded eagerly. "Sis is very right, Brother. Aren''t we family? With me around, I can take over some of your tasks. If I went to South Africa, you would have one less helper!" However, what Bianca said next nearly made Louis pass out. "Luke, it''s almost the year-end holiday. You can hand all your tasks on hand to Louis, so you can spend more time with me and the children. Wouldn''t it be fun if we went to the Maldives together as a family?" "..." Louis was speechless. Chapter 351 Chapter 351 Paying Special Attention to Bianca Louis wanted to cry. He seemed to have dug a hole for himself. He thought that his future sister-inw was a docile sheep, but she was actually a wolf in sheep''s clothing. "I thought I knew you well, Sis. How can you be like that?" Louis said resentfully. "It seems like you don''t have enough to do here,¡± Luke said coldly as he walked toward the CEO''s office. "If there''s nothing else for you to do here, you can head over to South Africa now. I''ll get Mr. Doyle to buy the fastest ticket there!" "Ah, Brother, must you drive me away so mercilessly? There aren''t that many kind and honest younger brothers in the world like me! I admire you, Brother..." Bianca was speechless. It was the first time that she had seen a childish exchange between the two men. Louis shot a resentful nce at Louis, then returned to his office. 2 He had to continue his boring work so that his elder brother would not transfer him to South Africa. Bianca returned to the design department. Some colleagues nced at her as soon as she appeared in the office. Some nosy ones started whispering to each other while staring at her. They did not do so loudly in case she overheard what they said. The boss might not have married her yet, but her status was in for all to see. Her colleagues might not be happy about Bianca, but being experienced wage-earners, they knew better than to say anything in front of her. Be, the department lead, was the most aggrieved. 1 During the designers'' meeting, Bianca''s ster performance was a stark contrast to her embarrassing reply. She nearly became the subject of ridicule in the department. She could not bear to see a new employee be better than her. She knew that Bianca was the boss''s woman, but she wanted to get back at her somehow. To Be, only the beautiful, talented, and diligent Mavis could be a match for the boss. 1 Moreover, Mavis had worked for the boss for so many years. Their solid rtionship could not have been broken by the unremarkable Bianca. Be felt that Luke''s love for Bianca was temporary. After Luke got bored of her, he would be able to choose wisely between Bianca and Mavis. Be thought that Luke could be rational and intelligent when it came to love, unlike other men who thought with the organ between their legs. There was nothing remarkable about Bianca other than her beautiful face. Women like her were a dime a dozen. How could shepare to the smart and inventive Mavis? Be was Mavis''s minion. If Mavis became Mrs. Crawford, then her future career would be smooth sailing. Right after Bianca sat at her desk, Be came over to her and criticized loudly, "Do you think that T Corporation is your home, Bianca? I''ve warned you not to take any more days off, but you''ve ignored my warning! Look at your attendance records this month. You''ve been absent for half of the days. Don''t think that you can do whatever you want just because the boss is your boyfriend!" The other colleagues could be heard gasping. They did not know whether Be was brave or stupid. Bianca was the boss''s woman, and Be had openly criticized her. Was Be not afraid that Bianca would tattle on her and get herself fired? Bianca was not bothered by Be''s criticism and her colleague''s gossip. She did what she felt was right. She looked straight into Be''s eyes and said calmly, "Ms. Sloan, there is no rule in T Corporation that states that employees cannot take days off, nor is there a rule restricting the length of each leave. Even when I''m on leave, I fulfill all my tasks. I''vepleted all the work you sent to me through my mailbox, and I''ve sent it back to your mailbox." Now that she had decided to be together with Luke, she knew that rumors about her would spread in thepany. How was she going to stand next to him if she was not strong enough to endure that pressure? Be was at a loss for words against Bianca''s retort. Bianca turned on herputer and started working. Be''s face was ashen; her anger did not achieve its intended effect. Sue covered her mouth and giggled when she saw that. Be grunted coldly, shot a re at Sue, then walked back to her desk on her high heels. She quickly sent a message to Mavis, who was still in Western Europe. If Mavis did note back soon, Bianca would rece her position as Luke''s sweetheart. If she lost her support in thepany, she was afraid that Bianca might take revenge on her! Meanwhile, Bianca, Sue, and Tom were seated together, discussing the coboration project with Vivi Group. Bianca was perusing the information in her hands. She knew that many colleagues in the design department would not be happy when Luke tasked her, a new employee, to lead such a major project. Some of the veteran employees did not even get the chance. She had only joined thepany for a few months, and she had not done anything remarkable yet. Anyone would be jealous of her luck. No one could object to Luke''s decisions, and Bianca did not want to decline the offer. Perhaps it was a good thing to be put under pressure; the results might not be as bad as she expected! Bianca understood that very well. She wanted to work extra hard so that she could change other people''s opinions of her. The coboration project with Vivi Group was a major one. Bianca believed that it would greatly affect her future career. She knew the magnitude of the project from the information in the documents and her discussions with Sue and Tom. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. T Corporation and Vivi Group had bought a piece of primend in downtown A City. The two companies wanted to develop the plot with the fastest speed, buildingmercial stores, hotels, a shopping mall, luxury serviced apartments, and even a high-ss gatedmunity. Bianca was shocked. Only Luke would have the financial resources to buy such an expensive piece ofnd in the big city and revamp it! Chapter 352 Chapter 352 Nice to Meet You, My Name Is Bianca When Bianca was reading the documents, the department lead brought several people into the office. "Let me introduce everyone. This is the design manager from Vivi Group and the core design team." Bianca observed them carefully. The female design manager was in herte thirties, while the others were a lot younger. "Nice to meet you. I am Sue Carter, the design team lead from T Corporation. It¡¯s a pleasure to be working with you," Sue said with a smile as she stretched out her right hand. "Yanis Fuller," The female design manager said briskly and lightly shook Sue''s hand. Tom also shook hands with Yanis and introduced himself. When it was Bianca''s turn, she stretched out her right hand and said, "I am Bianca Rayne. Nice to meet you." Unexpectedly, Yanis nced at Bianca coldly and did not shake her hand. Be was feeling rather smug about it. Earlier, when she had the opportunity, she had ndered Bianca in front of Yanis. She said that Bianca had gotten into the design department because of her rtionship with Luke, the CEO, and that she was a talentless bimbo. Be knew that Yanis was an honest woman who hated useless people who got to where they were because of their rtions. After her nder, Ms. Fuller would not treat Bianca kindly, and Bianca would be the subject of ridicule. Bianca did not know that her department lead had been talking behind her back. She felt a little dejected by Yanis''s treatment, and the smile on her face stiffened. She looked at Sue helplessly. Sue looked at Bianca encouragingly and helped her alleviate the situation." Ms. Fuller, Bianca might be new to the design department, but she''s very talented. Earlier, we had a difficult client who rejected all the designs from the other designers, but he epted Bianca''s design and praised it endlessly. I believe that she will be a great addition to the team." Yanis did not say anything. She shot a nce at Bianca and said, "Let''s go into the conference room for a meeting." Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. The designers from T Corporation and Vivi Group went into the conference room on a higher floor. On the way, Yanis did not say a word to Bianca. Even the other designers from Vivi Group were being distant to her. Bianca was helpless; all she could do was to y along. She felt uneasy as the people from Vivi Group judged her silently. The assistant design manager from Vivi Group was a man named Gerald Murphy. He seemed to be about thirty years old. He looked quite stylish, and he smiled like a gentleman. One of the designers was a beautifuldy named Michelle Boyd. Michelle had an attractive face and a curvaceous figure. She was young and charming. There was another young man named Macauley Jones. He was the leader of Design Team Two. He looked quite handsome but shy, and he did not look like a man of many words. He gave people the impression of a refined gentleman. Bianca remembered their names well. After all, she had to work with them. Of course, while Bianca observed the people from Vivi Group, they were observing her as well. The designers from Vivi Group had met Sue and Tom before and have coborated more than once. They did not have any doubts about Sue''s capabilities, but they were surprised that T Corporation included a new employee in their team. The woman named Bianca Rayne seemed very young, as though she had just graduated from college. Would she be able to handle such a major project? They also heard that Bianca was employed because of her rtions, and that had made them treat her with disdain. The meetingsted for more than an hour. After that, Yanis handed a thick stack of documents to Bianca. "These are all the relevant documents for this project. I hope that you can memorize everything in the next few days, and well officially go into the details of the project the day after tomorrow. Do you have any more questions?" "No.¡¯ Bianca frowned when she took the two-pound stack of documents. She knew that Ms. Fuller was being deliberately harsh on her. Of course, as a new employee, she was not in the position to talk back. In the CEO''s office. Luke lifted his head from twoptop screens. The past quarter profits of T Corporation had increased by several times. His seductive lips curled up into a satisfied smile when he saw Bianca''s new designs. Jason was slightly worried when he saw Luke''s smile. "Mr. Crawford, you''ve made Bianca a public target by tasking her with such an important project. Moreover, Ms. Fuller from Vivi Group is known to be a perfectionist when ites to designs. Would Ms. Rayne be able to handle the pressure?¡¯ Everyone knew that Yanis Fuller from Vivi Group was an outstanding designer. She was even better than Mavis Laviere of T Corporation. However, her desire for perfection had made her overly critical and gave her a bad temper. She was an intimidating workaholic. It was said that she often scolded her designers harshly. Normal people would not be able to handle her bad temper, not to mention the sensitive Ms. Rayne. Luke nced at his wristwatch and saw that it was time to go off work. He smiled at Jason profoundly. "Bianca is a talented designer, but she is too sensitive and diffident. I believe that she will learn a lot under Ms. Fuller''s guidance." When the meeting was dismissed, Bianca took the documents and prepared to bring them home. She received a call from Luke. "After you pack up, well go to Blue Honors for dinner." "Let''s bring Lanie and Rainie along. It''s been a while since we''ve had dinner with the children." Bianca thought that a family should eat together. Luke did not want the two children to disturb his time with Bianca. They would get in his way. However, he imagined her hopeful gaze andpromised. "Alright. We''ll pick them up after work, then well go to Blue Honors." After hanging up, Bianca saw that it was almost six o''clock and quickly gave the two children a call. "Hello, Mommy..." Rainie was the one who answered the call. "Baby, have you and Big Bro had dinner?" "Not yet. Aunt Jemma is making dinner. Big Bro and I will eat together with Great-Grandpa and Grandma..." "Don''t eat dinner at home. Daddy and Mommy will cometer to pick up the two of you, and we''ll eat out." "Yay! Big Bro, Mommy says that she''ll be picking us up for dinner. Come back soon, Mommy!" Rainie said sweetly. Bianca ended the call, though a blissful smile lingered on her face. Chapter 353 Chapter 353 The Man She Loves IsOutstanding! When Bianca was imagining her children''s smiling faces, Sue abruptly patted her shoulder. "Hey, look at the silly grin on your face. Were you talking to the boss earlier? You should''ve seen how gentle your smile was. I''m so jealous!" N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Bianca knew that Sue was almost thirty years old but remained single. She guessed that Sue must have experienced some trauma in her previous rtionship. Many men tried to court her, but she rejected all their advances. Sue was an intelligent and capable individual. Bianca did not know that Sue had an ulterior motive when she tried to be friends with her. However, when Sue got to know more about Bianca, she found out that Bianca was full of personal charm and design talent. Eventually, they became true friends. "It''s not him. I was on the phone with Lanie and Rainie earlier." Bianca had always had a good impression of the carefree Sue. Not only Sue had a good personality, but she had also helped Bianca when she was in a pinch. Bianca was grateful to Sue for that. She remembered that she had been marginalized when she first entered thepany, and she had no friends other than Nina. Sue was the one who had made friends with her, and that had made her life in the office more tolerable. Sue and Bianca chatted happily as they walked outward. When they turned a corner, they bumped into Gerard Murphy and Michelle Boyd. Gerard was dressed impably as usual, like a gentleman. Michelle, on the other hand, had messy hair. Her cheeks were blushing red, and her lips were slightly swollen. Michelle was shocked when she saw Bianca and Sue appear in front of her. Sue shed a superficial smile, greeted the two, and pulled Bianca away. She thought that it was best to keep her mouth shut. Bianca did not know what was going on. She was pulled by Sue toward the elevator. After the other two people disappeared from view, Bianca could not help but ask, "I didn''t greet them, Sue. I wonder if they would think that I''m rude." Sue rolled her eyes and whispered into Bianca''s ear. "Don''t be bothered about them. Something is going on between Gerard and Michelle. When I was in the washroom, I happened to see Gerard pinning Michelle on the washstand. Tsk tsk, Michelle''s underwear was already on her knees. You should know that Gerard is a married man with children..." "Huh? He''s having an extramarital affair? What a scumbag." Bianca''s eyes opened wide with shock. Sue nodded. "You''re still too naive. We''re in a bigpany, so naturally, there will be a lot of scandals. It''s not something that you or I can manage. Why else would you think that Michelle can be a department lead when she''s so young? She¡¯s an ambitious woman, and she is willing to pawn herself to her superior so that she could climb higher in her career. You shouldn''t be too close to Michelle. Don''t get yourself involved." "Mm, I know. Thank you for your reminder, Sue." Bianca nodded. With her busy schedule, she never had the time to care about gossip. Moreover, she had always kept to herself. All she wanted was to do her job the best she could. Other people''s personal lives were none of her business. After picking up the two children, Luke drove the family of four to Blue Honors. Blue Honors was one of Mallory Corporation''s properties and a famousndmark in A City. It was a ce for rxation, entertainment, and fine dining. It had a uniquely exquisite exterior and interior. Luke had a hand in the design of the building. Blue Honors was in the primemercial area of the city. Three of its four sides faced ake, and the walls were made of bluestone and adorned with ss. One could see the beautifulke scenery from almost any window. It was cold outside, but the nts thrived in Blue Honors. All the furnishings in the private rooms were hand-carved from native hardwood, blending modernity and antiquity. That had given Blue Honors an exquisite artistic touch. Bianca, while holding the children''s hands, said to Luke, "I''ve heard that Blue Honors is a famous landmark in A City, and that you''re part of the design team. This ce is amazing, and you''re outstanding." Bianca, as a student of architectural design, had heard of Blue Honors before, but she had only been able to regard it from afar. Not only were the prices in Blue Honors very expensive, but only people with certain social status could enter. A poor peasant like her had no chance of stepping inside. The intricate exterior had already impressed Bianca, not to mention the interior design! She was proud that the designer had be her significant other. That way, she could share his glory. "Mommy, Daddy has always been amazing! It''s just that he''s always too busy to have dinner with us or keep uspany," Lanie mumbled as he held onto Bianca''s hand. "Sometimes, Big Bro and I want to have dinner with Daddy, but he would always say impatiently that we''re not little kids anymore, and we have to learn to eat on our own. Hmph... it''s only after Mommy is here that Daddy would spend more time with us..." Rainie pouted unhappily. Bianca crouched and hugged them. Her gaze was on the same level as the children''s, and her voice was gentle. "Daddy is at fault for neglecting the two of you, but it''s also tough for him to support the family. He''s working hard every day so that the two of you can livefortably. You should empathize with your Daddy, alright?" "Mm, we understand." The two children nodded their heads. Luke''s gaze became gentle when he saw how Bianca exined to the children. The sight of Biancaforted him more than the sight of any other woman. Her sweet smile, gentle demeanor, and pure bearing made her look like a delicately carved jade sculpture. That was why Bianca had been in his heart after so many years. Meanwhile, Melissa walked toward them while holding Xavier''s arm. Behind them was a group of young men and women. Xavier was shocked when he saw Bianca. Instinctively, he wanted to push Melissa away... Chapter 354 Chapter 354 Where Did Lanie Learn That? Melissa instantly noticed Bianca. She held onto Xavier''s arm tightly and grunted audibly. "Why do I see that woman everywhere? How unlucky!" Not only had she failed to frame Bianca in the luxury fashion store, but she had also lost a diamond ne worth almost a million dors. She was scolded when she got home, and her elder brother had docked her allowance. Melissa had been troubled by that incident. Of course, Bianca was not too happy when she saw the capricious and unreasonable Melissa. She was about to hold the children''s hands and turn in the other direction when Lanie suddenly looked at the woman and blinked. There was a mischievous glimmer in his eyes. He tugged the hem of Bianca''s shirt and said childishly, "Mommy, I''ve seen that woman before..." Bianca looked at Lanie curiously. She did not understand how the little boy would recognize Melissa. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Where have you seen her, Lanie?" Bianca asked. Melissa was also surprised. She looked at Lanie and racked her brain, but she could not remember where she had seen the cute little boy. "Mommy, do you remember the picture book that Daddy got for me for my birthday? She''s the ugly witch in the fairy tale!" Lanie then turned to look at Melissa. "You look like the ugly witch in my picture book. I would''ve asked for your autograph, but I don''t like that character at all!" The people around him burst intoughter. The little boy was so cute and adorable, but why were his words so relentless? Bianca realized that Lanie was only making fun of Melissa. Melissa was not very beautiful, but she was not ugly either. It was very different from the witch in Lanie''s picture book. ''Did Lanie get his sharp tongue from Luke?* Bianca shot a nce at Luke. At the same time, Luke looked at her and shrugged as though saying that he had nothing to do with it. Luke knew that he did not have a great personality, but even he did not speak so harshly. Perhaps Lanie''s genes had mutated on his own. Melissa might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but she also realized that Lanie was insulting her. Her face turned red with anger, and she pointed at Lanie and yelled, "Who taught you to speak like that, you unmannered brat? You need to be spanked!" In her anger, Melissa seemed to have forgotten who Luke was. She wanted to step forward and teach Lanie a lesson, but Xavier held her back tightly! The young woman was too capricious. She did not understand how terrifying Luke could be. If sheid a finger on Luke''s son, he was sure that the news of Melissa''s family''s bankruptcy would appear on the papers tomorrow. Even his family might be affected. Luke red at Melissa. There was a hint of killing intent in his cold gaze! The host of the clubhouse had just arrived. Before he could speak a word to Mr. Crawford, he had witnessed thatedic scene. ''That woman has a death wish! ''How dare she insult Mr. Crawford''s son in public, like a mad dog?'' "Don''t hold me back, Xavier. That woman stole my diamond ne. Give it back to me!" Melissa ignored the tense atmosphere and yelled at Bianca with a vicious expression on her face. "Excuse me, Miss, I would advise you to leave if you are not feeling well. Not only have you insulted my guests, but you are using my guest of stealing your diamond ne. Do you have any evidence of that?" The host said sternly with his eyes narrowed dangerously. "Who do you think you are? Stay out of this! It''s none of your business!" Melissa was intimidated by the host''s dangerous aura, but her anger had overridden her reason. Her elder brother and Xavier had warned her not to cross Luke, but she had been spoiled since she was young and did not respect anyone. She was used to getting whatever she wanted when she was overseas. Of course, she would have already forgotten their warnings. Xavier dragged Melissa''s cor and warned her sternly once more. "Stop embarrassing me, Melissa! Do you have a death wish?" Melissa thought that Xavier was holding her back because he still loved Bianca. In Xavier''s vice-like grip, she could not move a muscle. Her gaze met with Bianca''s eyes. When she saw that the woman was looking at her contemptuously and that her cousin seemed to be looking at Bianca with pity, her anger rose to new heights! No wonder her cousin Xavier treated her so mercilessly. It was because of that woman. That realization was like a sharp sword that had pierced Marie''s heart. 4 Her chest heaved as she gasped for air, then she growled at Xavier. "Aren''t we family, Xavier? Why aren''t you on my side? Bianca is the one who stole my diamond ne, and that guy is an aplice. And that brat too, they''re all bad people..." Luke''s brows were furrowed tightly. The killing intent in his eyes intensified. He looked at Melissa as though she was already a dead person! "Get lost! You don''t know anything at all!" Xavier shoved Melissa away and roared at her. His tantrum caught the attention of everyone at the venue. Melissa¡¯s face turned pale. It was her birthday today. She managed to convince her cousin to celebrate her birthday with her, but he had humiliated her in front of all the guests and friends. Even Melissa''s friends behind her were whispering with each other... "It''s my birthday today, Xavier. How can you treat me like that? Bianca is a shameless thief! That ne cost 900,000 dors. You saw the receipt. It''s not a small sum... That day, that woman stole my ne while I was changing. You were there too, Yancy, isn''t it?" Melissa¡¯s face was grotesquely contorted. She red hatefully at Bianca, as though she wanted to pour all the filth on her. Yancy, Melissa''s tall and muscr friend, stood out from the crowd and said that Melissa was not lying. The surrounding guests were whispering among each other and pointing at Bianca... Just when Bianca wanted to say something, the sound of a crisp p shocked everyone. "That''s enough, Melissa Lerche! Bianca is thest person to be a thief!" Xavier red at Melissa in frustration. He knew Bianca''s character very well. Bianca was a person with very strong self-esteem. She would not lower herself to steal someone else''s property! Melissa covered her cheek and looked at Xavier in disbelief. "You pped me because of that thief, Xavier? Because of that despicable witch?" Chapter 355 Chapter 355 Sorry for the Disturbance, Sis The host of the clubhouse red at Melissa coldly. His tone of voice was like Arctic ice. "Miss, we do not tolerate such behavior here. This is a high- end ce, and we do not wee any guests who do not behave themselves. No one can insult any of my honored guests. You keep saying that my guest is a thief, but what you have lost is only a 900,000 dor item. Anything of Mr. Crawford''s presents to his woman would have cost at least millions. Would she be bothered about your diamond ne? What nonsense!" The other guests in the clubhouse eximed in surprise. Indeed, Luke Crawford was richer than some countries. Any of his woman''s essories would have cost millions. Would she be bothered about stealing a 900,000-dor ne? The woman had been yelling that Mr. Crawford''s woman was a thief, but she did not have any evidence. She must have lost her mind for using Mr. Crawford''s woman in public. Melissa had been pped first by Xavier, then by Luke. She was like a trapped beast, ignoring the fact the people around her were important figures in A City. All her manners were gone at that instant. She gritted her teeth audibly, as though she wanted to tear Bianca and her family into shreds. Meanwhile, Percy walked over while being escorted by a small group of people. The man was dressed in a in white button-down shirt, but his appearance was dazzling. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone, which revealed his snow- white skin and sculpted corbones. His subordinates had already told him what happened. He gently tugged his tie. People who knew him knew that he was getting impatient. The soft light illuminated half of his handsome face. The other half was shrouded in shadows, which gave him a sinister aura. His subordinates around him were already drenched in cold sweat. The host of the clubhouse quickly went up to him. "You don''t have toe down yourself, Mr. Mallory. I''ll handle it." Percy said nothing. In his hand was a lit menthol cigarette. The rising smoke added to the feminine charm of his face. He was undeniably beautiful, but at the same time eerie and cold. The host stammered because of Percy''s oppressive aura. "Manager ude,¡¯ Percy interjected the host with his clear voice. "How long have you been working in Blue Honors?" Manager ude paused and sheepishly lowered his head. "Half... half a year." Suddenly, Percyughed out loud. Hisughing face was beautiful, but it sent chills down everyone¡¯s spines. "Very well. You''ve been working here for half a year, but you can''t handle something minor like this. I think it''s time that you retire!" The man''s mockingughter caused Manager ude''s knees to go weak. "Mr. Crawford is my honored guest. You should know what will happen if you show the slightest neglect." Percy walked in front of Luke, and they exchanged nces. Then, he nodded at Bianca as a sign of greeting. When he turned to look at Melissa, he took a drag of his cigarette and said impassively, "Who let this dog into Blue Honors? Why hasn''t anyone driven her out yet?" At first, Melissa was charmed by the man''s hauntingly beautiful looks. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. However, Percy''s harsh words were like a bucket of cold water over her head and snapped her back to her senses. ''How dare this man say that I''m a dog! How arrogant!'' In her single-minded anger, Melissa did not notice that the other people were looking at Percy with fear. Sheughed out of anger and did not relent. "Do you have any manners? You say that I''m a dog, but you''re lesser than a dog! I''m here to spend money, and the customer is always right. What right do you have to drive me away? Sure, I''ll leave, but I want a full refund!" Everyone was shocked. They could feel a chill in their hearts. ''Is this woman fearless, or is she just irredeemably stupid?'' In A City, Percy was more feared than the devil. It was no exaggeration to say that anyone he wanted dead would not live to see the morning sun! Xavier was almost losing it. Nothing good would happen whenever he went out with that stupid cousin of his. He swore that he would not bring her out again, no matter what his parents told him. Just as Melissa finished speaking, a dagger with a paper-thin de sliced obliquely past the right side of her head... As the dagger brushed past her scalp, it cut away her short hair. What was left on her scalp was the white-colored skin. It was cleaner than using an electric shaver. Her hair fell into a messy pile on the floor! ''What amazing skill!'' Bianca thought. How skillful was Percy to shave off the hair in one stroke without hurting the scalp? Lanie and Rainie looked at Percy with the utmost admiration. ''Uncle Percy is so cool!'' They were thoroughly enthralled. Melissa was dumbfounded. She stared nkly at her hair on the floor, then touched the right side of her head. When she felt her skin, she shrieked in fear. Then, she started crying uglily. "Ah! My hair! Why is it all gone..." Xavier had never felt so embarrassed in his life. He dragged the bawling Melissa away. Together with her friends who were there to celebrate her birthday party, they left the scene. After they were gone, Percy gave the order to his subordinates. "cklist that woman. I don''t want to see something simr happen again!" "Yes, Mr. Mallory!¡¯ All the employees of Blue Honors answered tremblingly. "Sorry for the disturbance. Sis. This is an ident, and I promise this will not happen again. Everything is on the house today. I hope you and Luke will enjoy yourselves here." Percy shed a gentle smile at Bianca. He was no longer the vicious man with incredible dagger skills but a polite gentleman. "It''s fine. I still have to thank you for your help," Bianca replied courteously. Luke nced impatiently at the people around him. He did not want anyone else to take the opportunity to make acquaintances with him. After exchanging some pleasantries, Luke brought Bianca and the twins into a private room. Bianca sighed as she looked at Luke''s back. They were there to have dinner, but they could not shake off the drama... Chapter 356 Chapter 356 Shock and Disbelief! In the private room, a purebred Persian cat was sleepingzily on the snow- white fur carpet. The Persian cat''s long fur blended perfectly with the carpet... Bianca did not notice it. She nearly stepped on the cat''s tail with her high heels, which caused the sleeping cat to suddenly pounce. As it pounced, it bared its teeth and hissed at Bianca, which gave her a huge shock! She instinctively took a step backward, and she lost bnce. If not that Luke supported her in time, she would have fallen on the floor! "Are you OK?" Luke held Bianca in her arms while staring daggers at the " perpetrator." The Persian cat was not intimidated by the man''s imposing aura. It shook its fur and started at the family of four with its sky-blue eyes. It looked like an arrogant but graceful noblewoman. Rainie could not help but fall in love with that cute and furry creature. She excitedly crouched down and stared at the cat while petting its soft fur. "Wow, Mommy, this cat is so pretty!" The Persian cat purred as though it enjoyed the attention. "That''s a Persian cat, Rainie. I''ve seen it in picture books! It''s so cute!" Lanie also fell in love with the cat. He quickly ran over and touched its head. Old Master Crawford was not fond of animals, so pets were forbidden in Crawford Manor. Lanie and Rainie were only children, and they were naturally attracted to the cute animal. They started ying with it and did not want to leave. Bianca was helpless when she looked at the two children and the cat. She wanted to step forward to get the children, but her left ankle emanated a searing pain which almost caused her to lose her bnce. Luke''s gaze fell on her left ankle when he heard her hiss in pain. "Don''t move!" Luke helped Bianca to a nearby stool, took off her high heel and stocking, then carefully examined her delicate ankle. He furrowed his brows when he saw that it was slightly red and swollen. When he gently massaged it, Bianca gasped in pain. "Don''t worry, it''s just a superficial injury," Lukeforted her. "Mm." "Daddy, Mommy, can we bring this cat home? I love it so much!" Lanie ran in front of Bianca and Luke and asked seriously. He was a boy, but he loved the cat more than Rainie. Seeing that the cat owner was not around, he thought of bringing it home to be his pet. "You can''t do that," Bianca spoke before Luke opened his mouth. ¡¯This cat belongs to someone else. If we take it home without saying anything, their owner will be very sad when they can''t find it. Also, taking things without permission is theft. That''s not only immoral but also illegal. Lanie, if you and Rainie like cats, Daddy and I will buy one for you." "But Great-Grandpa doesn''t allow pets in the house." Lanie seemed disappointed. "Don''t worry. If Great-Grandpa doesn''t like pets, we''ll keep it in another house." Bianca winked and patted Lanie''s head. "Yay! Mommy is the best!" He was ecstatic when he heard that they could have their own cat. He ran to his sister and tugged her arm. "Rainie! Mommy said that we can have our own cat. Are you happy?" Rainie kissed the cat in her arms and nced at Lanie. "I¡¯m happy, but I really want to bring this one home..." Just as she finished speaking, the cat in her arms suddenly pounced andnded in a young woman''s arms! The woman was in her early twenties, and she was dressed in a waitress''s uniform. She looked quite beautiful with her long and curly eyshes and her big and animated eyes. However, she seemed quite shy. "I''m sorry to have disturbed you, honored guests. The cat belongs to me. I thought I''d already locked it in its cage, but it somehow escaped. I apologize and hope that you will forgive me... Madam, I... I can pay any medical fees for your sprained ankle...¡¯ The young woman looked apprehensively at Bianca as she looked at Bianca''s swollen ankle. She seemed to be fearful of the man. She did not dare to look at Luke in the eye. Instead, she looked at Bianca and the two children while gently pressing her lips together. That young woman was a waitress, and all the guests there were socialites. Some guests like to order the workers around because of their status, as though the workers were their servants. Some guests had entric personalities and had made her life difficult. The young woman was prepared that Luke and Bianca were such people. "You shouldn''t apologize. I''m the one who should say sorry. I didn''t notice your cat and nearly stepped on its tail. I''m the one who''s at fault," Bianca said gently. Bianca thought that the young woman seemed familiar at first nce, especially those beautiful eyes. She could not remember where she had seen them before. The young woman did not expect that the woman with a refreshing smile was so kind. She smiled gratefully at Bianca. That had left a good impression on Bianca. The young woman might be wearing a waitress''s uniform, but that could not conceal her unique demeanor. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Can I y with your cat for a little longer, Miss? I''ll return it before we leave.'' Lanie and Rainie lifted their heads and stared at the Persian cat in the young woman''s arms. The cat''s owner hesitated for a moment, but seeing how cute and innocent the children were, she handed the cat to them. The two children happily took the car. Then, the cat''s owner turned to speak to Bianca. "Madam, when you are about to leave, you can send the cat over to the service department office. Just say that it''s for Scarlett Quincy..." 2 Bianca looked at the two cat-crazy children and smiled at Scarlett as a sign of gratitude. ''Thank you, Ms. Quincy. Sorry for the trouble. I''ll make sure that the children take good care of the cat, and they''ll return it to you before we leave." Not far away, Leia was hidden behind a thick patch of trees. When she saw the young woman in the waitress''s uniform, her eyes widened in incredulity. ''Scarlett Quincy?'' Leia started trembling when she heard that name. ''Scarlett Quincy... why is she here?* Chapter 357 Chapter 357 The Truth Behind the Adoption! Leia knew from Allison that Luke was having dinner at Blue Honors. She dressed up and wanted to surprise him with her appearance. She did not expect that Bianca was together with him. ''What''s so good about Bianca that he loved him so much?¡¯ i What made Leia even more disconcerted was that she had met Scarlett Quincy, a girl from the same orphanage. Leia closed her eyes, trying hard not to think of those detestable memories. Unfortunately, scenes from the past reyed in her mind like a movie. When they were taken in by the orphanage at the same time, Leia was six years old, while Scarlett was five. Back then, Leia was emaciated, and she did not speak much. She looked as though she came out of a refugee camp. Meanwhile, Scarlett was dressed in a puffy princess dress and wearing a tiara. She was as beautiful as an angel. Scarlett had a good temperament, and she knew how to sing, dance, and tell stories. Every child in the orphanage, no matter girl or boy, liked her and constantly surrounded her. Meanwhile, no one ignored the timidly and shy Leia. Leia could not understand why Scarlett would end up in an orphanage. She should have belonged in a wealthy family, where she would be showered by love and adoration. All she knew was that she wanted people to pay attention to her instead of Scarlett! N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. The six-year-old Leia looked like she was good friends with Scarlett, but she had framed Scarlett in secret: Stealing, pranking, putting bugs in the other children''s beds, setting fire to public property... She had med Scarlett for all those misdeeds. Eventually, she reced Scarlett as the most adored child in the orphanage. Meanwhile, Scarlett was branded as a "thief" and a "problem child,¡¯ and everyone hated her. Scarlett spent her next five years in emotional violence. One day, Jack Norman and his wife came to the orphanage to adopt a child. Leia knew that her opportunity to change her life hade. She had to grasp that opportunity so that she could escape the orphanage. After living there for many years, she knew that the orphanage was nothing but a charitable front with terrible living conditions. Not only did she not have a full meal, but certain good-looking children would disappear every year to be reced by more children. That had made her wary. Leia did not understand at first what was going on. However, she identally eavesdropped on the conversation between the warden and some strangers and found out about their underhanded dealings. The orphanage was a charity in disguise. Actually, they were grooming girls as child brides. Once the girlse of age, they would sell them to those bad guys. From the conversation, Leia found out that they would groom her until she was eighteen years old, directly sell her to a wealthy man, and earn a fortune from there. As for herself, the warden said that she would be sold in one or two years to a disabled tycoon who had a penchant for young girls... Leia broke out in cold sweat when she heard that. She could not imagine her fate if she were to fall into that tycoon''s hands. Looking at the other innocent children and Scarlett''s angelic face, Leia mocked them for being naive. They did not know what would happen to them. That was when Leia started to n her escape. The opportunity finally came. All the children were so excited that they could not sleep when they heard that Secretary Norman was coming to the orphanage to adopt one of them. They all dressed up and hoped that they would be the chosen one. Leia was not afraid of anyone else other than Scarlett, who was prettier than her. She might have ruined Scarlett''s reputation, but she was worried that the Normans might judge them by their appearances and pick Scarlett. She was not going to let that happen! The night before the Normans came, Leia sneaked a strongxative into Scarlett''s dinner. Scarlett suffered from serious diarrhea that night. The next morning, Scarlett did not have the energy to get out of bed and missed the chance to be chosen by the Normans. Without the biggest threat in her way, Leia won the hearts of the Normans with her beautiful appearance and intelligent brain. She was brought back to the Norman family house and lived the life of a princess. The orphanage continued to exist, and she would tremble in fear every time it was mentioned. She did not expose the orphanage''s misdeeds; that was none of her business anymore. Now, she was a Norman. At first, she was very cautious with how she acted. She did not want her adoptive parents to hate her and send her away. However, she realized that Queenie, her adoptive mother, was sincerely kind to her. Jack, her adoptive father, also treated her like his birth daughter. As she eased into her role as Jack and Queenie''s daughter, so did her temperament change... A few yearster, Leia got the news that the orphanage had been shut down by the police, the warden and a VIP were arrested, and all the children were transferred to another orphanage. She had been paying attention to Scarlett in secret. After all, Scarlett was her greatest rival. Later, she found out that Scarlett had left the orphanage and furthered her studies while working. Her quality of life outside of the orphanage was not much different from when she was inside. That was noparison to Leia¡¯s pampered life in the Norman household. Scarlett became more beautiful, and Leia considered herself lucky. If she had not deployed underhanded means so that the Normans selected her, the child to be chosen would most likely be Scarlett. No one knew that Leia had always wanted to ruin Scarlett''s impable face. Muchter, when Scarlett was seventeen years old, she went missing... Leia had heard that someone had vited Scarlett, which caused her to be pregnant. For a while, she was happy about the news. Why would Scarlett suddenly appear in Blue Honors in a waitress''s uniform, and why would she be speaking to Bianca, that despicable woman? Chapter 358 Chapter 358 That''s Exactly What I''m Looking For! Leia''s hand clenched onto the handbag tightly as she stared at the scene. Even though it was as if a stormy sea was rumbling in her heart, she still had to put on a look on her face to show and pretend that there was nothing wrong. "Scarlett Quincy, room number three.¡¯ Suddenly, a woman who looked like the maitre d''hotel called Scarlett in a hurry. "Got it, I''ll be there soon! Excuse me, miss, I have something else to attend to.¡± Scarlett smiled apologetically at Bianca. Bianca smiled and nodded, motioning her to go ahead. After Scarlett left, Luke thoughtfully picked up Bianca bridal style and walked into the private room. When Leia saw how thoughtful Luke was when taking care of Bianca in front of her, she was deeply hurt. ''Bianca Rayne?! ''Bianca Rayne??! ''She¡¯s nothing but a in old Jane! Why should Luke treat her any differently?'' Leia thought about all the things she had done for Luke, how much she had devoted herself to him, but he had never treated her that tenderly before. ¡® That¡¯s so unfair!¡¯ When Leia saw how harmonious the family of four looked, she could not help but feel intensely jealous. Bianca could stand beside Luke publicly, enjoying his tenderness and thoughtfulness, while she could only stand in the far corner by herself. It was totally unfair! At that moment, Leia''s heart was full of jealousy and hatred. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. She felt that now she was Luke''s woman, in any case, she must marry that excellent man. Even if she could not win him over, she must at least get her hands on him physically! Leia''s gaze fell on the back view of the warm family, and her facial expression distorted hideously. She would never give up so easily! As Leia looked at the noble-looking Persian cat in Rainie''s arms, a cold sneer appeared on her face... Leia put on her sunsses and wrapped herself tightly with a wide scarf. After that, she went to the bathroom. After she confirmed that there was no one inside, she quietly made a call before going out. The name of each private room in Blue Honors was very poetic, such as Delicate Boudoir, Azure Cloud Room, Intoxicated Dark Lane, House Overlooking The Sea, and so on. Each of the rooms had been decorated uniquely. The room that Bianca and her family of three entered was named Clear Ethereal Stream. The room was the VIP room in Blue Honors and was a sort of duplex structure. It had a huge space, and all its furnishings and decorations made visitors feel as if they were brought back to nature. It felt as if they were really in the great outdoors. In the Clear Ethereal Stream room, a huge pistacia weinmannifolia that looked nearly 100 years old had luscious flowers and leaves that grew past the walls of the entire room. Beneath the flowering trees was a gurgling and flowing stream of spring water. Among the pebbles and algae that spread across the room, when they listened carefully, they could even hear rustling sounds of pine trees in the wind that sounded like waves. There were also old corals, antique silverware, and other ornaments that hung around the room. When a person entered the room, their gaze was met with stunning views all around them. Bianca marveled at the cleveryout that was presented. It was no wonder the price tag here was sky- high. Such an environment could not be found at other decent establishments. "The interior here is really good." Bianca was impressed and expressed at the table again. Theyout there was so gorgeous that even the floor of their room was made of a special transparent ss material that allowed them to clearly see the fishes swimming in the water. "If you like, we cane here more often in the future," Luke said dotingly. He had been to ces like this hundreds of times, not to mention his coboration in theyout and design here. Naturally, he was not as amazed as Bianca. Even so, as long as Bianca liked it, he was happy. The bright and happy smile on Bianca''s face was the best gift she could ever give him. The two little kiddos sat upright at the dining table. Luke had taught them well, and their table manners were perfect and impable. Thezy Persian catid in Rainie''s arms like a sloth. It was curled up in the little girl''s arms andid motionlessly as it let Rainie gently caress its white shiny fur obediently. The handsome waiter in blue uniform and white gloves served the dishes one by one. The dishes included Alba White Truffle, Almas Caviar, Cro''s Royale pizza, Seafood Treasure Pot Curry, and many more. All the food and drinks were rare and umon treasures. When the food was ced on the table, the waiter respectfully made a professional bow and then quietly retreated. "My babies, the two of you are still growing, so you¡¯ll need to eat more." Just as Bianca was about to pick up some of the food for the two children, Luke had already picked up a portion of food and ced it on the te in front of her. "The stuff here is pretty good. Here, try it," Luke said. Bianca nced at Lanie and Rainie who were staring at her eagerly, then looked at Luke a little embarrassedly. "I¡¯ll take what I want. You''re the kids'' father, so you should give them the food first..." Luke asserted eloquently, "They have both their hands and feet, can''t they do it by themselves? I only get food for my wife." "..." Rainie and nche were left speechless at the same time. They wished they could roar at their dad at the same time and ask, ''Daddy, how can you show favoritism so tantly, disying your lovey-doveyness like this in front of us? Is this really how a dad should act?¡¯ They were still kiddos! Even so, perhaps they were used to the way their father pampered their mother, so the two children did not make a big deal out of it. Instead, they quietly ate their meal with their tiny cutleries. The alluring aroma that wafted from the food made the Persian cat''s initially closed round eyes suddenly widen. It stuck out its long furry tongue and salivated as it stared at the food on the table. The cat''s tail shook with excitement, and it wished it could just jump onto the table and wolf everything down. Its cute and silly expression made everyoneugh... Rainie and Lanie took out an empty te and ced some of the food for the Persian cat. The Persian cat ate gracefully and made a satisfied expression from time to time, which made everyoneugh. In the room, Luke''s family of four and a fat and extravagant Persian cat happily ate their meal while everyone had a goodugh. 1 On the other side, Leia was in a dark alley making a deal with a hoarse- sounding man who wore a huge baseball hat and a ck mask. Leia gave the man a thick wad of cash that she had just taken out. The man whose face could not be seen gave her a box of canned cat food and a sharp syringe with a green liquid in it. "Does this medicine work? You¡¯d better make sure things don¡¯t screw up by the time it needs to work!¡± Leia stared suspiciously at the small syringe filled with green liquid. The man with the hoarse voice whispered, ¡¯I''ve been working for you for many years. You should know very well whether I''m reliable or not. Are you saying that you don''t trust me? This medicine is specially designed for cats. As long as the medicine is injected into the cat, I can promise that it''ll go crazy. However, cats injected by the medicine are very strong. When the cat scratches a person, it''ll disfigure their face. So, Ms. Norman, you must be very careful..." Leia took the thing andughed cruelly. "That¡¯s exactly what I''m looking for.¡¯¡¯ She wanted to disfigure Bianca! 2 Chapter 359 Chapter 359 A Familiar Face After Leia took the item from the man''s hand, she carefully stuffed it into the pocket of her jacket. She walked toward Blue Honors. When she passed a crossroad, a dirty hand suddenly grabbed the corner of her coat. "Miss, can you do me favor? Can you spare some change?" Leia took off her sunsses. She frowned in disgust when she saw a shaggy homeless person tugging on the corner of her clothes. The homeless man was drunk and wore a shabby jacket with holes. His clothes were dirty, and his natural skin color was barely visible from all the dirt. His face was in a horrible mess and it seemed as if he had not washed his face for at least a week. Leia could not stand his sloppy and dirty appearance. "Piss off!" Leia rudely kicked the homeless man away with her high-heeled boots. When she saw the stains on the corner of her clothes where the homeless man had touched, Leia''s brows furrowed deeper. It seemed that the new coat that she had just bought not long ago was about to be thrown away soon! Leia did not want to be bothered with him any longer because she was in a hurry, but the homeless man crawled over to her again, grabbing her legs tightly and not wanting to let go. His breath stank of alcohol, and that made Leia nauseous. The homeless rascal said, "If you don''t give me any money, I¡¯m not going to let you go that easily!" Leia was furious. She used her hands and feet together, kicking and trampling the homeless man. Although the homeless man already had too much to drink, he was still a man and had a lot of strength. Leia used up a lot of strength before she sessfully kicked him away, so much so that even the thick furry scarf that covered most of her face loosened up from the wind. She did not even realize when it happened... "Su... Suzy..." When the homeless man saw Leia''s face, it seemed as if he was struck by lightning. He stared at the familiar face in a daze and suddenly became sober. Leia found out that her scarf had loosened up. As if she was a thief who got caught, she re-wrapped her scarf in a panic as her eyes darted around the ce vigntly to survey the surroundings, lest there might be hidden surveince cameras or reporters lying in a corner somewhere. She was afraid that someone would catch and film this indecent scene of her. Last time, the tabloids about her at the bar were already disturbing enough. If there was another headline in the tabloids that said something like ¡®Pure Female Celebrity Leia Abuses A Homeless Man¡¯, the saliva produced from the people talking about it would drown her. In addition to that, it would affect her good image as a well-behaved and sensible daughter in her parents'' eyes. This was definitely not the oue she wanted. Fortunately, because of the cold weather, there were only the asional vehicles passing by on the street and a few scattered pedestrians far away from them. It seemed that everyone''s attention was away from them. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. After all, it was the middle of a heavy winter. No one was in the mood to care about the life and death of a homeless man. Leia cursed under her breath, and as if she was avoiding trash, she bypassed the scruffy homeless man from a far distance. She walked hurriedly and turned back to Blue Honors again. The homeless man who was beaten up by her seemed to be walking aimlessly on the road, but he was actually following Leia. When he saw Leia walking toward an extremely luxurious clubhouse and a door boy eagerly opening the door for her, the homeless man¡¯s cloudy and old eyes suddenly burst with a thoughtful light. ''Suzy, that woman looks so much like you. Could it be that she''s our daughter?'' Halfway through Bianca and her family''s meal, the Persian cat suddenly smelled something strange. It was the smell of its beloved food. Suddenly, it jumped off the table and rushed over toward the direction of the smell! "Mommy, the kitty ran away-" Rainie''s eyes turned red with anxiety when she saw the Persian cat running away. The little girl jumped down from the small stool and tried to chase after the cat that had suddenly run away. "Rainie!" Bianca was anxious, so she got up and tried to stop her daughter. She grabbed and hugged her in her arms. "That kitty is probably going to find its owner. Be a good girl, let the kitty go back, alright? When we go home, I¡¯ll buy you another kitty, okay?" "But Mommy, I''m not done ying with the kitty. And Great-grandpa won''t let us have pets..." Rainie bit her index finger and blinked her big eyes at Bianca sadly. Luke gracefully wiped the corners of his lips and said, "If Great-grandpa won''t let you have a pet, I¡¯ll let you. In a few days, the four of us will be moving out. By that time, you and your brother will be able to have your own pets, on the condition that the two of you must take care and love them." Rainie''s eyes lit up suddenly. ''Daddy, is that true?" "When has Daddy ever lied to us? He''s a man of his words! If he says so, it must be true!" nche trusted Luke with all his heart. When nche heard that he could have his own cute little pet in the future, he was extremely happy. "Mommy, do you think that kitty went back to the beautiful miss? The cat is so beautiful and cute. It won¡¯t be nice if someone else catches it away," Rainie said cutely. Bianca thought about it and agreed. That Persian cat was indeed very beautiful. Even though the customers who came here were rich and wealthy, no one could guarantee that there were not any other children like Rainie and Lanie who liked cats and would take it away. In order to satisfy her daughter, Bianca informed Luke and brought Rainie and Lanie to follow after the Persian cat to make sure. Luke thought that since it was Percy''s area, the security was impable and nothing bad would happen, so he agreed. The washroom. Leia held the can of canned cat food that wafted out a delicious fragrance. That canned food was unique and at least ten times more fragrant than normal canned cat food. The typical cat''s nose was sensitive, let alone a purebred Persian cat. Sure enough, the snow-white Persian cat was attracted to the scent of the canned cat food and was led to the bathroom. The Persian cat meowed at Leia a few times, and the greedy cat salivated as it stared at the canned cat food in her hands. "Here, kitty, kitty. Come and have some food. Come here..." Leia called to it in the softest voice, and the canned cat food in her hand tempted it over. The Persian cat took elegant steps and approached Leia step by step. Leia waited for it to approach her and suddenly raised the sharp syringe in her hands. She was about to fiercely pierce it into the back of the Persian cat! Although the Persian cat was greedy, it was also very clever. When the extremely vignt cat saw Leia''s hand tightly grasping a syringe that she was about to pierce into it, it jumped three feet high in terror andnded on the flower stand next to the sink! The Persian cat hissed and showed its teeth at Leia as it stared at her, wishing it could pounce on her and scratch her face. The woman wanted to pierce it with a needle! What a bad woman! "Hey, little thing, this canned cat food is super delicious, don''t you want to eat it?" When Leia saw the Persian cat jumping onto the flower stand, she pushed down her anger and held up the fragrant canned cat food at it to tempt it again. The Persian cat held up its furry tail in disdain, looking down at her from the top. Its arrogant appearance looked as if it was looking at Leia in contempt. That made Leia so angry that she wanted to climb up and grab that nasty Persian cat to cook it as stew! Chapter 360 Chapter 360 Nip Each One In The Bud! Leia leaned against the wall of the bathroom and almost exploded in anger due to the Persian cat. No matter how much she tried to tempt the cat with the canned cat food, it would not get down from the flower stand! It was a freaking cunning little thing! No matter what, she had to inject the liquid medicine into the cat. Otherwise, she could not go ahead with the next step of her n! Leia took off her high-heeled boots and climbed barefoot onto the sink. She wanted to grab the cat from the flower stand down herself. Unexpectedly, the snow-white Persian cat seemed to guess her intentions. When Leia had just climbed onto the sink, it jumped off the flower stand directly onto the ground. At the same time, its sharp ws scratched Leia¡¯s white and tender flesh when it passed by her! If Leia had not reacted quick enough and blocked her face with her arm in time, her beautiful face would have been sliced through by that time. Leia almost fell down. Meanwhile, the Persian cat even meowed a few times at her to show its dominance. That made Leia''s face twist in anger as she vowed to catch that crazy cat! Finally, after her tireless struggle with the Persian cat, she caught the cat and sessfully injected it with the green liquid medicine.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. The bad thing that happened to her though, was that the back of her hand was also scratched by the Persian cat and she was left with a few bloody marks. On the other side, Bianca and the twins were looking for the Persian cat. She asked a few waiters on their way and some of them said that they perhaps saw a white cat running into the washroom. She brought Lanie and Rainie along and walked toward the washroom together. When they went around the corner, they met Leia and her assistant. Leia had meticulous makeup on as she wore thetest Prada pink coat, matched with a white shirt and ck leather pants with leather gloves on both of her hands. Her aura was very strong and she looked just like a celebrity. On the other hand, her assistant was ugly, slightly fat, and cowardly. It was a stark contrast to Leia. Being a celebrity assistant entailed taking care of a celebrity''s life, but in fact, it was almost like being a babysitter. Bianca understood that celebrities usually did not choose beautiful assistants for fear of stealing the limelight, and Leia''s assistant was no exception. When Bianca saw Leia, she felt a little ufortable. Although she knew that Luke had no interest in Leia, Bianca still did not like her. Bianca did not want to pay any attention to Leia, so she took the two twins and continued to move forward. However, Leia called out to her, "Ms. Rayne, what a coincidence that I''m meeting you here." "Nope, not a coincidence. Many customerse to eat here every day. I think asionally meeting each other here is normal. Ms. Norman, I''m just wondering, is it really a coincidence that we''re meeting here?" Bianca said with a fake smile. "Where''s Luke? Why isn''t he here with you guys?" Leia pretended to be surprised even though she already knew. Bianca squeezed the two children''s small hands and smiled sweetly at Leia. ¡¯Luke came with me. He said that he has been busy with work recently and doesn''t spend enough time with us. He said he felt that he owes it to me and the children, so he decided to specially spend time together with his wife and kids today. I felt bad, but he said that no matter how much money he makes, he can''tpare it to the happiness he feels when he''s with his family." 1 When Leia saw Bianca''s sweet smile and listened to how she talked about her blessed life, she suddenly felt that the scratches on the back of her hand from the cat''s attack earlier became even more painful. Although she was extremely irritated, she had to show self-restraint on the outside. "I hope that you canugh so happily every day!" Leia gave Bianca a meaningful look, patted her shoulders as she walked past her, and snorted before walking toward a room with her assistant. When Bianca saw her inexplicable smile, she shuddered unconsciously. ''What is Leia trying to say? Is this her way of publicly dering war on me? When Bianca thought of that possibility, it worsened her antipathy toward that C-lister female celebrity. If Luke had never disclosed their rtionship publicly and if they were not together, then Leia could compete fairly with her. The point was that Leia knew that she was Luke''s girlfriend and had no intentions of getting involved with her, but she still insisted to budge between them. That clearly showed she had major personality issues. Rainie nced at Bianca, furrowed her delicate brows, and said, "Mommy, I don''t like that aunty just now. I don''t like her at all!" Lanie also grumbled, "Yeah, Mommy, that aunty has a bad attitude toward you. Does she like Daddy? She''s so annoying. She acts just the same way as all the other bad aunties who chased after Daddy before.¡¯ Children always had sensitive intuitions. Although they did not understand the tit for tat in the adult world, they could sense the hostility between the two women. "That aunty does like your daddy.¡¯ Bianca looked at the two tiny tots and asked curiously, "Did many women chase after Daddy before?" "Yes, in the words of Uncle Louis, there were plenty of women, as many as fishes in the sea. Some women even deliberately approached me and my sister in order to please Daddy. It was really annoying... But Daddy usually ignored them and drove all of them away," Lanie said with his big glimmering eyes. When Bianca heard Luke''s romantic history of being chased by other women from her own son, she sighed softly. Luke was too good of a man whom many women scrambled for. If it were not for his firm will and OCD, he might have be a yboy like Louis. In the future, if she married that man, he would still be popr with women. Even so, it did not matter. She would nip each one in the bud when she saw one. She still had a long time ahead of her and was confident that she could nip every love affair that came for him in the bud. "Mommy, did I say something wrong? Are you sad, Mommy?" Lanie was a little nervous when he saw Bianca looking down. "No. Weren''t we looking for the kitty? Let''s go to the washroom and have a look..." Bianca took the hands of the two little kiddos, and as soon as she stepped through the washroom door, a woman bumped into her. She looked so scared that she had lost all colors on her face. The woman who bumped into Bianca had knocked her so hard that she let go of her hand that was holding Lanie¡¯s hand. There were a few animal scratches on the woman''s face of varying depths. They were all bleeding, and she looked terrifying. The woman ran in horror as she clutched her injured face and kindly turned her head around, advising Bianca as well as the children, ¡¯There''s a white cat in the washroom that has gone crazy! It''ll bite anyone that it sees! You''d better not go in... Take care of the children!" As soon as she said that, a white shadow that was as fast as lightning rushed out of the bathroom. It swung its sharp ws and used them on the most defenseless little Rainie standing at the very front! Chapter 361 Chapter 361 Pain, Hot Burning Pain Everyone was shocked by the sudden scene. The tiny little Rainie was even more frightened and puzzled. She could only watch with her eyes wide as the crazy white cat wed right at her. The little girl''s eyes were wide open from the horror. "Rainie!" Right at this critical moment, the maternal instinct and love in Bianca made her grab Rainie and Lanie, protecting them in her arms. She hid their little faces tightly in her chest and used her back to resist the attack of the white cat. The white cat went mad. Its snow-white fur that covered its body stood upright like thorns and its bright blue eyes faintly glowed red. Its sharp ws caught right into Bianca''s sweater! "Go away!" Bianca pushed the white cat off her shoulder fiercely. She did not understand how the purring little obedient and quiet Persian cat from just now that was lovable and cute became like this. How did the cat¡¯s temperament change drastically, bing cruel and abnormal in a manner of mere minutes?!! The white cat had a lot of strength because of the drug from the injection. Bianca pulled it off her strongly but it did not let go. Instead, that angered it even more. It gave a big scratch right on Bianca''s fragile neck! Pain! There was hot burning paining from her neck! Bianca even felt a stream of warm liquid flowing down her neck and guessed that she must be bleeding! At that moment, her palms were covered with cold sweat and she did not dare to move. She was afraid that if she moved, her two children would suffer. She could only hope that a few security guards would pass by in the corridor and rush over to subdue the crazy white cat. Otherwise, there would definitely be more innocent guests who would be harmed. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. The woman whose face had been scratched by the cat screamed while clutching her bleeding face as she ran. When she saw the waiters holding trays of food, she pointed in the direction of the washroom and told them what happened. She was out of breath as she cried tearfully. "There¡¯s a cat in the washroom that has gone crazy. It scratched my face until it looks like this now. A mother and her two kids are still there and I think the cat is attacking them now..." The waiters were shocked and went pale. They immediately put down what they were holding, hurriedly yelled for security through the internalmunicating device, and rushed to the washroom. At this moment, the door of the VIP room was suddenly opened and the tall, handsome man walked out. The moment she saw Luke, the injured woman was shocked and even forgot that her face had been scratched horribly. Luke did not even look at her. The man¡¯s dark and deep eyes flickered with a fierce light as he quickly rushed toward the washroom. The washroom. The ce was aplete mess at that moment. Bianca was hugging the two crying children, shrinking into a corner. She was still bleeding from the scratch on her neck. She was still in a state of shock when she stared at the dying white cat lying on the ground. Her heart was all over the ce... The two babies were shocked by the terrible scene just now. After all, they were still very young and had never experienced such a thing. They saw the cute cat that was in their arms a while ago suddenly bing violent, even hurting their mother. It even almost hurt themselves. They were so scared and cried loudly... They vowed that they would never have cats as pets ever again. No matter how cute cats were, they would never rear them. At that moment, many security guards and waiters gathered outside the washroom. They were still holding various anti-riot tools in their hands as they looked at the white cat defensively, lest it jumped up again and went crazy, hurting more people. If that happened, they would have to kill it right away. Even if the white cat did not die in their hands, they guessed that the cat would not be able to live long. When Mr. Holston gave that cat a kick on the face, its body kept twitching! They could tell how hard that kick was! Bianca coaxed the two children softly and expressed her gratitude to Jim who had suddenly appeared outside the washroom. ¡®Thank you for your help, Mr. Holston.¡¯ If it were not for Jim who suddenly came to the washroom to smoke, or if he had not subdued the Persian cat in time, she might have suffered more damage. Jim wore a ck formal suit, and the cuffs on his sleeves were iid with fine diamonds. He casually held the half-burning cigarette between his fingers. He nced at the white cat that was almost killed by him and parted his lips lightly. "It''s nothing. It stands to reason that such an ident shouldn''t be happening in a ce like Blue Honors where there''s strict security. It seems that Percy¡¯s security team is getting worse and worse." "Miss, are you hurt?" Scarlett, who was in uniform, ran over to the corridor as she panted. She wiped the pool of cold sweat from her forehead. When she saw a few deep scratches on Bianca''s neck that were still bleeding, she was guilty and scared. "I¡¯m sorry, I''m sorry! I didn¡¯t know that such a thing would happen. My cat has always been well-behaved and nothing like this has ever happened before..." Scarlett almost got frightened to death when she heard what had happened from a colleague. When the colleague told her, she had a strong feeling that it was her cat that caused the trouble. Sure enough, her cat was the one who scratched the female guest. When Scarlett looked at the barely breathing white cat on the ground, she was about to cry. Of course, she was sad to see the cat she had been keeping for a pet for such a long time almost dying from getting beaten up. Even so, she was much more worried about Bianca''s injury. Since it was her cat who caused the trouble, she would ept the punishment no matter what it was. Scarlett kept on crying and crying. Her face looked pitiful as it was, but especially more so now when she cried her eyes out with her helpless and timid appearance. Anyone who saw her could not help but feel sorry for her. The truth was that Bianca did not me her. Even if she was hurt, it did not matter. It was just that Bianca still felt ufortable when she thought about the cat going crazy and almost hurting the two children. "Ms. Quincy, don''t bring your pets to work in the future. In case of an ident, it¡¯ll be bad news." Bianca finally softened after seeing Scarlett''s tears. Bianca used to think that she cried a lot, but when she met Scarlett, she knew what a real crybaby looked like. Since Scarlett had her back turned away from Jim, he could not see her face. He only saw her slender shoulders, shaking with each sob. She looked quite pitiful. 1 Her weak crying sobs especially sounded inexplicably familiar. Just like a deep scratch from a cat in Jim¡¯s heart, it agitated him and he found it unbearable, so much so that he was getting aroused and excited... He remembered years ago, there was one night when he got so drunk that he might have raped a woman. She had sounded like that too, her soft and aggrieved cries when he was on top of her. She had begged him for mercy but she was still cruelly opened up by him. He did not remember the woman''s appearance, but he clearly remembered those helpless eyes of hers... Suddenly, an extremely powerful aura suddenly approached Scarlett, who was still crying in fright, and she looked up subconsciously. Bianca, who was scratched on the back of her neck by the cat, was picked up by a tall man with a very mature and steady but cold aura! Chapter 362 Chapter 362 Extremely Pampering The man''s familiar and scorching breath struck Bianca... The smell of his male hormones that made people feel at ease filled Bianca''s nose. When she smelled the masculine and chilly smell from Luke''s body as he held her neck tightly, Bianca''s fear in her head slowly faded. She started to feel at ease. She had not felt anything before, but after she saw Luke, her sadness suddenly poured out like spring water. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Bianca whispered, "Luke..." Luke hugged her tightly and sat on a nearby bench with Bianca on hisp. The man gazed over at the wounds on her neck, and the pain in his heart showed on his face. At the same time, there was an unquenchable hostility that lingered in his eyes! Bianca subconsciously covered the scratches on her neck with her hands because she did not want him to see her ugly wounds. Luke leaned forward to tuck a lock of her hair that was bouncing on her cheek behind her ear. After that, he lifted Bianca''s tiny chin. "I look away for one second and you get yourself such a serious injury? Tell me, how can I be assured when I let you go out alone in the future, hmmm? Are you still a little kid?¡± Bianca let him envelop her in his arms dominantly. His hot chest was against her ears, and she could clearly hear his heart beating fiercely. That man had always been calm. At that moment, however, his heart was beating so fiercely that it was clear how flustered he was. "The cat went crazy suddenly and wanted to attack Rainie. I didn''t think much about it at the time. I thought... the whole thing was quite strange. When the Persian cat was dining with us, it was fine. Why did it suddenly be crazy?" The more Bianca thought about it, the stranger she thought it was. Luke touched her head and said softly, "Don''t worry, I''ll look into this matter thoroughly." He looked at the dying Persian cat with a cold light in his eyes. ''This cat wouldn''t have gone mad for no reason! I¡¯m guessing that someone must¡¯ve injected it with something!¡¯ Jim was by the side, coaxing the two little kiddos who were still crying. He obviously had more experience in coaxing children than Luke. After all, the little devil who wrecked chaos in his own family was not afraid of anyone but him. After years of battles of wits and courage with his son, Jim had formted his own special method of coaxing children. Since Lanie and Rainie were already very well-behaved and sensible, it only took a little while before Jim made the two crying children break intoughter. Scarlett looked guiltily at the twin siblings and the Persian cat lying on the ground. In the end, her heartache prevailed. She eventually squatted in front of the Persian cat and hugged the white cat''s body which was gradually stiffening. Her tears fell like strings of pearls on the blood-stained fur of the Persian cat. When her blurry eyes saw Jim''s face inadvertently, Scarlett was stunned for a bit. The man was very handsome. He was tall and thin with a body that looked like a mannequin with the ck shirt worn on his slender upper body. His body was so well-proportioned to the point of meticulous attention. He had an elegant charmparable to a supermodel. The fine diamonds on his cuffs gleamed brightly. When Scarlett''s eyes met his, her heart suddenly dropped. That was because she realized the man was sizing her up seriously. There was a trace of doubt in Jim¡¯s eyes... The woman in the blue waitress uniform had her beautiful hair wrapped up in a bun and her small oval face was very beautiful. Her skin was crystal clear like white jade, and those eyes of hers were particrly attractive. Not only did she have a beautiful eye shape, but her eyes seemed like spring water, as if it would overflow at any moment, making her misty-eyed. Scarlett was a little ufortable being stared at by Jim. She did not quite understand what was hidden beneath the man''s gaze, but she was certain that his gaze made her feel terrified. It made her panic. In addition to that, her instinct was telling her that this man was very dangerous! Scarlett tried to move away awkwardly. The Persian cat in her arms gradually became stiff, and she wanted to take her cat for veterinary treatment immediately. However, the matter at hand was not settled yet. The guests still did not know how to hold her ountable, so she could not leave yet. Percy rushed over when he got the news. He looked a little tired, and there was still half a cigarette lit up in his hand. Behind Percy was a middle-aged doctor wearing a white coat and carrying a medical kit. He looked rather mature and steady. Beside the doctor were two senior clubhouse managers who were profusely pouring out cold sweat. A well-known high-end clubhouse like Blue Honors was popr not only because of its unique environment, but also because of its thoughtful service. For example, Blue Honors provided high-level in-house doctor services for guests who suddenly fell ill while visiting. Percy put out the cigarette and walked toward Luke and Bianca. He had a face that looked much more beautiful than a typical woman''s face. He looked very sorry. "Apologies, Sis. I can¡¯t believe something like this happened in my establishment. It''s all my fault. But don''t worry, I¡¯ll find out what happened. Dr. Leigh, please take a look at her injury." "It''s okay. It was just an ident. I''m d the kids are fine.¡± Bianca smiled gently at Percy, as if she did not mind what had happened to her. Bianca was very beautiful, especially when she smiled. It seemed as if there was a crimson tint on her lips that spread from the corners of her lips to her cheeks, causing a gentle ripple in people''s hearts. Percy suddenly understood why the lonely Luke, who had never been interested in women, had be obsessed with Bianca. A distinguished, gentle, and considerate woman was a rare beauty amongst their dark, bustling, lively, cold, and extravagant night scene. With her warm sun-like smile on her face, if she was not taken already, he thought he would probably fall for such a simple woman like her too. The doctor walked up to Bianca and carefully examined her wounds. When he saw the scratches of varying depths, he let out a tiny gasp. ''Thisdy''s scratches are very serious and she needs to get an injection right away. Otherwise, she might get cat w disease which will show symptoms of lymph node infections and blisters or small bumps will appear on the scratched area..." Before he finished speaking, Luke interrupted him impatiently. The man''s voice was as cold as ice that was below freezing temperature. "What''s the hold up, then? Just give her the injection already!" The middle-aged doctor felt the anger in his eyes and was shocked by his cold tone. Contrary to Luke¡¯s attitude toward him, the man¡¯s eyes were gentle and extremely pampering when he held the woman in his arms! The contrast he saw was blinding! Chapter 363 Chapter 363 Luke¡¯s IQ Deteriorated To An Unbearable Extent Fortunately, the middle-aged doctor had enough training with the second young master of the Mallory family and his heart was strong enough to take it. Otherwise, he would have been so frightened by the imposing man. Luke carefully rolled up Bianca''s sleeves and revealed her fair snow-like skin. The middle-aged doctor was taken aback for a while. As a doctor, he had his fair chances of serving nobledies from wealthy homes with superb skin, but thedy''s skin in front of him blew everyone out of the water... It would not be an exaggeration if he said that her skin was as delicate as a baby''s. In addition to that, she had aplexion so fair that it could dazzle someone''s eyes... "Are you trying to lose your eyeballs?" Luke''s cold rebuke was like a p that suddenly shook the middle-aged doctor back to his senses. When he met the man''s terrifying murderous look, he hurriedly lowered his head and did not dare to look at her again. Most men possessed a strong desire to own. It was amon problem, especially in men from wealthy families, so it was not surprising to the doctor. The middle-aged doctor took out a syringe from the white medical box and drew the medicine from the tube. Under Luke''s cold gaze, his hands trembled a little. "Tremble one more time and I can promise you that you''ll never be a doctor again in your life!" Luke''s threat mmed down like thunder again. The middle-aged doctor was struck dumb and closed his eyes immediately. Taking a few deep breaths, he forced himself to steady his emotions. "Can you not be like this?" From his arms, Bianca saw that the doctor had gotten so scared that he had turned pale. Her small fan- like eyshes flickered and tugged on his sleeves, beckoning him not to go too far. Luke only then reduced his hostility a little and gave the middle-aged doctor a faint nce. The doctor''s nervousness was eased slightly. He held the syringe and gave Bianca the shot into her arm urately... 2 After he gave her the shot, the middle-aged doctor took out the disinfectant and white gauze. He said to Bianca tremblingly, ¡¯Miss, the wounds on your neck need to be disinfected. If we treat it anyter, they may leave scars." Bianca nodded obediently and agreed. The doctor began to treat the wounds on her neck. The cotton wool was dipped in disinfectant and applied to the scratched area. It was itchy and painful, and the entire process was difficult to endure. Bianca clenched her teeth and persevered. She tried to exhale without showing that she was in pain. Under the threat of Luke''s strong pressure, the doctor was already nervous enough. She did not want to add any more mental pressure on the doctor. Even so, the girl did not have a high pain tolerance. Although Bianca tried to endure it with her strong will to the best of her ability, she still identally made a sound in the end. When Luke saw Bianca''s tiny face wrinkling in pain, the man''s handsome and wless face became as dark as a storm. There was ayer of ck ice in his eyes. His gloomy and icy gaze shot right at the doctor¡¯s face, causing the doctor to shed even more cold sweat. Luke was about to speak harshly but pushed down his anger. "Doctor, I hope that you can be a little gentler." The doctor really wanted to cry out his grievances. He swore that he was being as gentle as he could. It was not because he had a weak mental strength, but whoever was faced with Luke''s cold demon-like expressions would not feel at ease. Percy rolled his eyes at Luke immediately. "Please, even if you feel heartbroken for Bea, you don''t have to act like this. Disinfectants are supposed to hurt a little. If she doesn''t get disinfected, she''ll have ugly scars on her neck. Do you want that?" His brother had always been sensible and smart. He wondered how his IQ managed to deteriorate to such an unbearable extent when he was with his woman. "Everything that happened today happened in your territory. You''d better give me an exnation for this, Percy." Luke gave a sharp look at Percy. Percy swore sincerely, "You can have my promise on that. I''ll find out who''s responsible for this in a bit. Sorry about this time, Sis." He had to remember that Master Percy had experienced more darkness than Luke had ever seen. At a nce, he could tell that the incident had been carefully nned by someone. Only a fool would believe that a Persian cat would suddenly go mad and hurt people! So who the f*ck was messing around in his turf? Percy''s eyes got colder. Since the person was asking for it, he would not go easy on them! "Take this cat fortesting right away!" Percy lifted his chin and pointed at the dying white cat that Scarlett was holding. Scarlett burst into tears and looked into Percy''s eyes. She pleaded helplessly, "Mister... Mr. Mallory, it''s my fault for bringing the cat to work. I''m willing to ept any punishment thepany wishes to give me. I''ll pay for all the loss due to thisdy''s injury, but can you... Can you save this cat? It... It''s really important to me..." For some reason, Jim could not bear seeing Scarlett begging another man. He actually said, "Forget it, Percy. It¡¯s just a cat. Why should you let a little employee go through so much trouble? After the inspection is done, save the cat if you can.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Percy stared at Jim with interest. It was rare of him to speak for a woman. It was probably the first time Percy heard him being this way and thought it was unusual. Could it be that there was something going on? He then gave Scarlett a serious look. ''Hey, this girl is weirdly good-looking. I never thought that Blue Honors had this kind of girl hidden among our waiters.'' Percy curled his lips evilly. "For the sake of my Holston boy, since you''ve said something, I''ll try to save the cat if I can." Scarlett looked gratefully at Jim and then said to Percy with tears of gratitude, "Thank you, Mr. Mallory!" In another room. Leia took out 100,000 dors in cash and ced it in front of her assistant. That female assistant had been with Leia for a long time. Usually, Leia would give her some luxury branded clothes or scarves. "I''ve had a lot of assistants who left me, but you''re the only one who has always stuck by me. I feel very touched. Your work performance has been going well and I heard that your family needs some money. So I suppose... this is an extra reward for you." When the assistant heard that it was Leia''s reward for her work, she took the money. Her eyes gleamed with gratitude. "Thank you, Ms. Norman! You¡¯re too kind!" Blue Honors'' VIP reception room. When the doctor wrapped Bianca''s neck with white gauze, the two babies moved timidly in front of Bianca and called out guiltily, "Mommy..." The two pretty little faces that were almost exactly the same had tears in their eyes as they looked at Bianca guiltily. Their little hands were twisted together uneasily, and they did not dare to look directly into their mother''s eyes. Lanie was like a little man. He forced himself not to cry, and in those dark brown eyes of his, his forcibly suppressed teardrops rolled continuously in his eyes, making him look even more pitiful... Rainie did not care so much and immediately cried out loud. Boo-hoo! She cried loudly while holding Bianca''s arm. She pouted her little lips as she sobbed and said, "Mommy, I''m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault. If I wasn¡¯t so stubborn and wanted to chase after the cat, you wouldn''t have gotten scratched by the cat in order to protect me. Mommy, I¡¯m never going to y with cats anymore, okay? Don''t me me, okay Mommy?" Rainie cried sadly with her tears and snot mixing together on that beautiful little doll-like face of hers. Anyone who saw how she looked would feel heartbroken. Bianca was heartbroken by her daughter''s crying. She hugged little Rainie in her arms and gently wiped away her tears. "I don''t me you, okay? Everything was just an ident and had nothing to do with you. The cat was just sick. I''m sure it didn''t mean to attack me... Rainie, you don''t have to hate all cats just because this kitty scratched me, okay? Most little animals are very cute." Bianca did not want that sudden incident to be a psychological shadow for the children. After all, Rainie was still young, and that child had always loved small animals. "Mommy, if I take in a kitty in the future, will it suddenly go crazy like this kitty?" Rainie asked with uncertainty as teardrops lingered in her round eyes. "No, it was an ident this time.¡± Bianca kissed her daughter''s little cheek and sounded very sure. At that moment, the doctor came in. He took the test report he got from the Persian cat¡¯s blood and handed it to Percy. "Mr. Mallory, the blood test results show that the cat has been injected with a kind of mad cat bacteria. This bacteria can cause a normal cat to go mad within ten minutes, and it typically increases the cat¡¯s attack power by at least ten timespared to its normal strength!" Chapter 364 Chapter 364 Surveince Footage, Things Coming To Light When Luke heard the doctor''s examination report, he was sitting on the sofa when his face as cold as an ice sculpture. He knew that the incident must have been set up by someone. He wondered who nned it and who the person was targeting. He wondered if the person was targeting someone else or was it Bianca. When he thought about the second possibility, Luke''s dark and dim dark brown eyes burst with a cold light! At that moment, the senior manager responsible for monitoring the Blue Honors club also walked in. He had taken a screenshot of the surveince video and showed it to everyone present. The video showed a woman in a chunky smoky-gray scarf that wrapped her entire face tightly. Her face could not be clearly seen and only her body was visible. She looked a little chubby and wore a brown windbreaker. She was holding a can of cat food and was trying to coax the white Persian cat into the washroom... When Bianca saw the woman''s figure, she was taken aback. At that time, she had met Leia and her assistant in the lobby of Blue Honors. She recalled Leia''s assistant wearing those clothes with the same scarf around her neck. Although she had only roughly nced at her, she felt that she remembered it correctly. Was the woman in the video Leia''s assistant? It was just that she never had a fall out with Leia''s assistant, so why would she use such stupid means to deal with Bianca? Or was it Leia''s doing behind the scenes? The surveince manager pointed to the screenshot of the monitoring screen and said, "Master Percy, after looking at the tapes, we found out that Ms. Norman''s assistant was the one who lured the cat into the washroom. But to protect the privacy of our guests, no surveince cameras were installed in the washroom. We can''t be sure about what happened to the cat inside the washroom... Even so, I think that Ms. Norman''s assistant definitely has something to do with it." Percy sat on the purple sofa with his long legs folded, and his posture looked quite elegant and leisurely. After Percy heard the situation as reported by his subordinates, he lifted his chin, and his eyes appeared slightly cold. "Get Ms. Norman and her assistant toe over." For some reason, even though Leia knew that her n was seamless, she was still a little flustered at that moment. She wanted to smoke a cigarette to ease her anxiety. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. However, after thinking about her consistent public image as the perfect goddess on-screen, she forced herself to hold back. "Ms. Norman, I''m so much fatter than you. If I wear your clothes, I might stretch them out and ruin them...¡± When her assistant wore her expensive branded clothes, she felt like a tightly bounded royalty in the 1600s withyers of expensive clothing. Even so, she looked extremely happy. The assistant was in the hospital to take care of her brother, but Leia had called her over for an emergency. Besides giving her a set of luxury branded clothes, Leia had even asked her to change into them directly and brought her to such a terrifyingly fancy clubhouse in Blue Honors. To say the least, she was shockingly ttered. It was estimated that the price of the clothes that Leia gifted her assistant that she was now wearing- from the scarf to her windbreaker and the boots -totaled to hundreds of thousands of dors. "This outfit looks beautiful on you." Leia fixed the cor for her assistant, and her words of praise floated out. "Ms. Norman, you''re too kind. Not only do you usually pay us more than other celebrities pay their assistants, but you also give us things from time to time. The best thing of all is that you have a very good temper and you''ve never lost your temper with your employees. I feel immensely lucky to have such a good employer like you!" The assistant was moved and did not know what to say. "You guys are my employees. If I don''t treat you guys well, who should I treat well? When we win, we win together. When we lose, we lose together. Oh yeah, I heard that your brother needs a kidney transnt and it¡¯ll cost hundreds of thousands for the surgery fees, right? I know these sorts of things shouldn''t be dyed. How much do you still need? Why don¡¯t I pay upfront for you first? I¡¯ve seen the dark circles under your eyes getting worse in the past few days. If someone else hadn¡¯t told me about it, were you nning to hide it from me forever?" Leia''s voice was particrly gentle, and her seemingly reproachful gaze fell on her assistant''s ordinary little face. When her assistant heard that Leia was actually going to pay for her brother''s operation fee, she could hardly believe her ears. "Miss... Ms. Norman, are you sure?" "Silly, of course, I am. You''ve been with me for so long and you still don''t know the type of person I am? Have I ever lied to you?" Leia gave her assistant a coy look and continued, "My father has a widework of resources and knows experts in various fields of medical expertise. If I recall correctly, my father knows a Dr. Loyle who''s particrly experienced in treating the disease your brother has. I heard he always gets good results and many patients recover under his hands. When I go back home today, I''ll ask my father about Dr. Loyle¡¯s contact information. When your brother needs the operation, he can do it.¡¯¡¯ Her assistant was moved to tears, and her voice was choked with sobs." Thank you, Ms. Norman. If my brother recovers, I''ll give up my life to serve you forever..." "Don¡¯t cry, silly girl. It''s not a big deal. If I can help you with anything, of course, I''ll try my best to. If I ever need your help, you¡¯ll help me, right?" Leia held her assistant in her arms and gently patted her shoulders as she shook with each sob. However, no one saw the glimmer of light that shed across her beautiful eyes. "Ms. Norman, if there¡¯s anything I can help you with, I promise that I''ll make it my duty to walk through fire for you regardless of anything!" Her assistant vowed as she wiped her tears away. "Alright, just remember what you promised me!" Leia looked at her naive assistant and smiled like a sly fox. 1 While Leia was talking to her assistant, two security guards in ck suits knocked on the door. "Ms. Norman, I''m sorry to disturb you, but Master Percy has requested for you!¡± Leia''s heart tightened suddenly, but the smile on her face was still as perfect as ever. She gently and politely said to the security guard, "He''s looking for me? What''s the matter? I¡¯ll go there right away, but can the two of you wait for a moment? I need to go to the washroom for a bit." "Luke, do you think this has something to do with Leia? If it was directed at me, don''t you think that she''s making herself go to too much trouble? I can''t guess what she''s thinking." Bianca looked anxiously at Luke who sat next to her. For a long while, she lowered her head and thought to herself. It was hard for Bianca to believe that it might be Leia''s doing. Could it be that the gentle-looking girl on screen who fans imed to be a goddess could actually be so dark underneath? There was no benefit for the two of them topete. It was just that Leia had taken a liking to the father of her children. Even if Leia could not ept it, she should know when to give up. Luke''s eyes sank. After pausing for a few seconds, heforted Bianca as he stroked her head, saying seriously, "Don''t worry, things wille to light soon." Chapter 365 Chapter 365 All of Luke''s Tenderness and Attention When Leia walked into the VIP reception room, she happened to see Luke looking heartbrokenly at the back of Bianca''s neck. Every deep line on the man''s face was particrly charming when outlined by the light. Under the light, his healthyplexion exuded a masculine, steady, and seductive luster. What made her super jealous at that moment was that Luke seemed to have put all his tenderness and attention on the in-looking ordinary woman named Bianca. When he walked past Leia earlier, he had not even bothered to give her a look. Leia''s heart felt as ufortable as getting pricked by a needle. His gaze would not leave Bianca''s face at all. When she saw that Bianca''s face was as pale and delicate as ever and the white gauze wrapped around her neck, she immediately felt disappointed. She secretly cursed the cat for being useless. Even though it had been injected with drugs, it still failed to mess up Bianca''s face. Her goal was to disfigure Bianca, not give her scratches on her neck! This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. As if Bianca could feel Leia''s jealous eyes on her, she looked up. Her eyes were met with Leia''s jealous fire that was toote to take back. When Bianca looked annoyed, Leia suddenly showed an elegant and polite smile. Sitting at the head of the table, Percy had his long legs crossed. The smoke around him created an enchanting aura around his stunning face. His brown eyes were like a ma that contained a kind of bewitching magic. On the surface, the man was smiling, but there was no actual smile in the depths of his pupils. When people looked into his eyes, all they could feel was a chill running down their spines. Behind him stood several senior managers and supervisors in suits and leather shoes. The huge and tall security personnel also stood neatly in a line. At first nce, such an ostentatious disy of grandiose at a spectacr scale like this would scare people a little. Leia was no stranger to such scenes, and her mental strength was stronger than most. She was calm, but her little assistant was very much the opposite. Even though she had seen grandiose scenes from working with Leia for years, most of them were entertainers. Meanwhile, the aura of the two men sitting in front at that moment was very strong and almost overwhelming. It was so overwhelming that it would take away people''s breath. The little assistant trembled a little when she walked... In such an atmosphere, Jim was ying a maze game with the twins with the nice-looking girl in the blue waitress uniform. Surprisingly, that girl was Scarlett! Leia nced at Scarlett who had delicate eyes and tried to keep her breathing steady. After years of not seeing each other and undergoing a transformation from being a caterpir to a butterfly, Leia was no longer the inferior and cowardly girl from the orphanage who looked tanned and thin. Coupled with a little fine-tuning to her face, the ugly duckling had long be a white swan. Leia was sure that Scarlett would not recognize who she was! When Percy saw Leiaing in, he flicked the ash off the cigarette. He got up from his seat and walked toward Leia, standing in front of her. "My apologies, Ms. Norman. I''m very sorry that I had to interrupt your meal. The Mallory Group is very regretful, but there was an ident in my clubhouse today. A mad cat injured my guests and one of the guests was unfortunately my brother Luke''s woman and my sis. After investigation on our side, we found out that the cat was injected with a kind of mad cat bacteria which caused it to go crazy and hurt people. Ms. Norman, were you attacked by that crazy cat?" Leia sat on the guest seat naturally and gracefully as she smiled at Percy." Thank you for your concern Mr. Mallory, but I''m fine. When my assistant and I came here today, we happened to run into Ms. Rayne and even had a chat with her. At that time, she was still okay. I didn''t expect that something like this would happen in a blink of an eye..." Immediately, Leia turned her gaze to Bianca and looked as if she was worried for her. "Ms. Rayne, are you okay? Being scratched by a cat is not a trivial matter. You have to get a shot for it! If I hadn''t left earlier, maybe this wouldn''t have happened to you." Leia''s caring eyes looked so sincere that people who did not know her would think that she had a close sister-like rtionship with Bianca. However, Bianca, who got to know about her true personality a little, found the whole thingughable. They were obviously rivals and Leia clearly hated her, but in front of Luke, she acted all gentle and kind with a straight face. She was indeed fit to be an actress. Bianca said nkly, "Thank you for your concern, Ms. Norman, I''m fine." "I¡¯m d you''re fine, Ms. Rayne. A girl''s face is very important to her. If you identally got your face ruined, that would be bad..." Leia said softly. "Ms. Norman, I invited you toe over because I need your help in the investigation of this matter," Percy said politely. Leia''s small hands that rested on the sofa cushion shrunk slightly and almost noticeably. Her sweet smile still filled the corners of her mouth, but it was slightly stiff. "What do you mean, Mr. Mallory? Is it possible that you''re suspecting that I injected the cat with the bacteria?" "That''s a bit too harsh, Ms. Norman. We''re not suspecting you of that. However, the surveince camera showed that the person who led the Persian cat to the washroom was your assistant." Percy''s long, clean hands put out the cigarette, and his eyes were as coldblooded as a knife. "My assistant? Does she have something to do with this?" Leia looked surprised and nced at her assistant. "Can you exin what happened to me?" "Ms. Norman, this... This absolutely has nothing to do with me. I was beside you the entire time, you should know that..." The assistant was very frightened. She waved her hand again and again, indicating that it had nothing to do with her. The security personnel on the side immediately yed the video. In the surveince video, the figure who coaxed the Persian cat into the washroom looked almost the same as Leia''s assistant-from the chubby body type and the clothes she wore. Leia''s fingertips went cold. She was overjoyed that she had deliberately disguised herself when coaxing the Persian cat. Leia had been in the entertainment business long enough that even if her acting skills were a little rough on the edges, she was still very talented in makeup. She had watched many makeup artists and stylists do all kinds of big transformations on cast members, such as making a beautiful girl ugly, making a man look like a woman, or a thin person fat. She had seen a lot of those and was a little familiar with the procedure. At that time, she had easily made herself look like her chubby assistant byyering on clothes and wrapping a scarf around her face. After being with her assistant for a long time, Leia was also familiar with the way her assistant walked and moved. That was how she pretended to be her assistant and led the Persian cat into the washroom. That way, even when things came to light, she could shirk all the responsibilities to her assistant. Leia''s assistant was stunned, and her mouth was wide open! Although she could not see the face clearly, the woman in the video looked exactly like her-from the body size to the clothes she wore, and even the way she walked. If she had not known that she was not the person in the video, she might have believed that the woman in the video was actually her! Chapter 366 Chapter 366 Cold-blooded Man! Anger was clearly brewing on Leia''s face at that moment. She stood up and walked in front of her assistant. Her sweet voice was mixed with a hint of coldness. "Tell me, do you have something to do with this? What did you do to the cat to make it crazy and hurt people?" "Miss... Ms. Norman, it wasn''t me. It really wasn''t me. You should know that after I received your call, I rushed to Blue Honors. I''ve been with you the entire time... Besides, when I went to the bathroom at that time, I didn''t see a white cat at all. I¡¯m being framed..." Her assistant shivered with fright as tears rolled in her eyes from being used. Leia was disappointed that she was not going along with it. "You''ve worked with me for so long and you''ve always worked hard, but there''s one thing I don¡¯t like about you. Your habit of lying. You''ve always known you have this habit and you still don''t want to change? What am I supposed to do with you? The surveince video has shown everything clearly. You¡¯re my assistant and we¡¯ve been working together for several years. I know you best. The woman in the video is obviously you. I can clearly see that it''s your body type and she''s wearing the clothes you''re wearing now. Even after all this, why do you still deny it?" When she heard Leia mentioning what the person in the video was wearing, her assistant''s eyes widened immediately! She recalled how Leia had suddenly given her luxury clothes and asked her to change into them that night. It was as if a lightbulb moment shed through her assistant''s mind! She trembled and said, "Ms. Norman, these clothes were clearly-¡± Leia interrupted her assistant in time, "If you admit that you were the culprit and apologize to the injured Ms. Rayne, I''m sure she¡¯ll forgive you. Ms. Rayne is very kind-hearted. I believe that Mr. Mallory willContent protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. also be lenient with you. Doni worry, I''ll take good care of your brother and his operation will be sessful. Trust me!" Leia turned her back to the crowd so that only her assistant who was facing her could see the expression on her face clearly. The goddess-like unsullied Leia in the eyes of her assistant looked so ignorant at that moment. There was a trace of pleading, helplessness, and even a hint of decisive threat. Her assistant was obviously not a fool if she could be Leia''s assistant and took care of her schedules and everything. At that moment, she stared at Leia nkly and suddenly understood her. The brilliance in her assistant''s eyes suddenly appeared dead gray and silent. The oppressive aura filled the air... Bianca quietly listened to the conversation between Leia and her assistant. She saw how intense Leia''s assistant''s reaction was. After that, her assistant seemed as if she was thinking things through. Suddenly, her assistant admitted that she was the culprit. "It was me. I was the one who did all this! I''m sorry. I was afraid of being punished just now, so I lied. Ms. Rayne, I''m sorry that you got hurt. I''m willing to ept any punishment from you." "Why did you do this? I want to know the reason. Did you know what bacteria you injected into the cat?" Bianca frowned. She did not believe that the mastermind of all this was Leia''s assistant. "I''ve hated cats since I was little, so when I see cats, I feel like torturing them. When I first arrived at Blue Honors tonight, I almost stepped on the tail of that white cat. The cat wanted to attack me and almost scratched my face, so I held a grudge and wanted to teach it a lesson. That was why I led it to the bathroom and injected it with a kind of mad cat bacteria. I thought that since there were many honorable guests in Blue Honors tonight, it would definitely not end well for the cat if it hurt anyone. So, that was what happened tonight. I''m sorry..." Sorrow shed across Leia''s assistant''s eyes as tears flowed down her cheeks. Her reason sounded perfect, but Bianca still felt that something was amiss... Leia stood in front of the crowd freely and said with a gentle smile, "Mr. Mallory, Ms. Rayne, she has worked with me for many years. She usually knows her boundaries but she just hates cats so much. That''s why tonight''s little ident happened. She''s my assistant, so as her employer, I have a certain responsibility toward her too. Mr. Mallory, what do you think of this? I will pay for all the losses that Blue Honors suffered today because of that cat. As for my assistant, can you let her off? This girl has a seriously ill brother in the hospital who urgently needs her to take care of him..." Leia''s apologetic attitude sounded sincere. It was clearly not her fault, but she was willing to take on all the responsibilities. To an outsider, she looked like a considerate, generous, and tolerant woman and employer. Luke''s eyes became filled with coldness as his thin lips pursed from habit. His voice was much colder than usual. "Since she has admitted that she''s the one responsible for all of this, let''s settle this legally. She''s clearly an adult but chose to do such a stupid thing. Bianca''s injury today is more than just the wounds on her neck. She has endured a worse injury to her mental health. I will not be merciful to the culprit who''s responsible for her trauma!" Luke''s cold gaze seemed to have a hint of mockery in it as he looked at Leia. His farsighted gaze that seemed to have seen through everything made Leia a little guilty. The words he said were clearly using her assistant, but they made Leia feel that the words were directed at her, mocking her. She had nowhere to vent the anger in her stomach. "Mr. Crawford, what are you suggesting?" Leia''s fingers that hung beside her body tightened slightly. Luke did not hold himself back. "Since she dared to do it, she must have the courage to bear all the consequences. She shall be imprisoned for some time to reflect on her mistakes." Her assistant''s face became paler as she looked at Leia, begging for help. She was still so young and did not want to go to jail. If she got imprisoned, it would probably ruin her life. In addition to that, if she was not around, no one would take care of her poor brother... Leia did not expect Luke to be so cruel. He wanted to send a person to prison just because a cat scratched Bianca. That man was way too coldblooded! The man''s heart was hard, but the woman''s heart was soft. Leia''s gaze for help turned toward Bianca. "Ms. Rayne, even though my assistant was indeed at fault, but her brother is very sick and needs her to go to the hospital every day to take care of him. If she goes to jail, I don''t think her brother will make it... Can you discuss this matter further?" Bianca saw how pitifully and miserably Leia''s assistant was crying. In the end, she caved and pulled Luke back softly. "She''s such a poor girl. Let''s just forget it. Just let herpensate for Blue Honors¡¯ loss tonight. I believe that after this incident, she''ll remember this lesson forever." Luke looked at Bianca and sighed inaudibly. Bianca was still too kind. He wondered why she could not see that him teaching Leia''s assistant a lesson was just an act to serve as a warning to others. If he could not see who the real mastermind was, how was he able to be the president of arge multinationalpany? Even though he knew who the real culprit was, Luke could not directly call her out because of Leia''s strong family backing her. "Percy, I''ll leave this to you to handle. You figure it out. I''m going back with Bianca first." Luke pushed the problem to Percy. Percy had always been cruel and merciless. It was definitely going to be a big loss for Leia this time. The two of them picked up Lanie and Rainie who were already fast asleep and walked out. Master Mallory put out the cigarette and looked at the gentle goddess-like Leia with his cold eyes that had a hint of mystery... Chapter 367 Chapter 367 If Bianca Became Mr. Crawford¡¯s Wife... The neon lights at night time were colorful, and the pale yellow light spilled into the warm interior of the Bentley Flying Spur through the windows of the car. The two babies were in the backseat, sleeping soundly while covered with a thin nket. Luke drove in front and Bianca sat in the passenger seat. Her hand was under her chin as she looked at the illuminated billboards on themercial street with something seemingly on her mind. "Does it still hurt?" Luke steered the steering wheel with his left hand and gently stroked the white gauze on Bianca''s neck with his right hand. Then, his hand sped her left hand tightly, as if transferring some of his strength to her. Bianca looked up at him and saw how worried the man looked. She shook her head slightly and recalled what had happened in Blue Honors. "I was just thinking how weird and odd things were today. Even if Leia''s assistant hated cats, why would she inject it with bacteria? And I think that the girl looked very timid. She doesn''t seem like someone who would do that kind of thing at all. On the other hand, that Leia woman is also a little strange..." Luke''s dark pupils reflected Bianca¡¯s thoughtful expression. He wanted to tell her everything which was that Leia was most likely the culprit, but he did not want to add to Bianca''s worries. He rubbed Bianca''s hair. "That Leia is not a good person. You should try to avoid her in the future. If you must, make sure you keep an eye on her. Make sure you don''t fall into her trap and end up falling for her tricks.¡± Bianca let out a faint hum. Although she had only met Leia a few times, her instinct told her that Leia was a very cunning person. In addition to that, that woman still wanted to steal her man from her. Of course, she would want to avoid bumping into such an unpredictable woman! The next day. Bianca went to work with a bandage around her neck. As soon as she entered the office, Sue walked up and pointed at her bandage, eximing, "Bianca, what''s wrong with your neck? Was our boss too much of a beastst night and too strong that he left hickeys all over your neck so you have to hide it... Haha, and is that why you''ve wrapped ayer of bandage to cover it up?" Bianca was amazed by Sue''s limitless imagination. She wondered why the woman who usually looked so steady and reliable became so silly when talking about things like that. Bianca said helplessly, "Sue, a cat identally scratched my neck, so I have to bandage it. It¡¯s not what you think..." "Oh, let me be the one to say it then. How could Mr. Crawford, who usually pampers you so much and is even reluctant to raise his voice at you, let you get messed up like this?" Sue smiled sneakily. "It turns out that a cat scratched your neck. But Bianca, you''re an adult. How did you get scratched by a cat? You''re too careless!" "The cat suddenly went crazy. The whole thing was just an ident. By the way, Sue, you can send me the follow-up information on the progress of our coboration project with VIVI Group..." Bianca turned on herputer and began to work. "Give me a minute. I''ll email it to you right away." It had been more than a week since the handover with VIVI Group and Bianca had basically gotten used to Yanis'' devilish torture and working style for the team she led. Although Yanis was still cold toward her and never gave her any real responsibilities, Macauley, who was from Design Team Two, got along well with her. He was a good-tempered manly man and was very talented. Bianca had learned a lot from him. As for Gerard and Michelle, she avoided them at all cost since Sue had warned her of them so that she could avoid all unnecessary trouble. While Bianca was working hard, Be, the Design Department''s lead, walked in with her hips swaying side to side. She was wearing a tight-fitted ensemble. Be was wearing a deep V neckline, her cleavage high and perky. Underneath her low-waisted miniskirt was her pair of pale and slim legs. When she walked over, she carried a fragrance with her. When the department lead saw the tight bandage wrapped around Bianca''s neck, a glimmer of gloat shed in her eyes. "Oh, Bianca! Who did you offend this time? Why did you still insist oning to work even though you were badly scratched? Yes, that''s the spirit! Your work ethics aremendable!¡± Bianca did not bother to pay attention to her and continued to tap away on her keyboard as if she had not seen Be. Be''s beautiful eyes shed coldly as she thought to herself,*Pfft. You¡¯re just a low-level small employee. Why are you so proud of yourself? When Ms. Lavierees back, you''ll be left weeping!'' When she thought about Ms. Laviere, Be felt a little irritable for no reason. More than two months had passed and she still sent updates on what happened in the office to Mavis every day. Ms. Laviere had not been transferred back from Western Europe and that gave her a deep sense of anxiety. Could it be that Ms. Laviere did not care if Mr. Crawford married Bianca? If Bianca became Mr. Crawford''s wife... No, she must not let this happen! She knew that she had to work harder now! Regal Capital. Nina was wearing her loose pajamas, and her eyes looked sleepy as she carried a bag of rubbish to throw it into the neighborhood dumpster downstairs. She was about to turn around and leave when she saw a white luxury car parked by the side of the road. Two bodyguards in ck came out and opened the car door. Pierre''s tall figure stepped out. A group of people blocked her way. When she saw Pierre, boundless hatred grew wildly inside of her like wild grass pouring out from the tip of Nina''s heart. She wished she could get a knife and slice him into pieces! Nina tried her best to calm her tumultuous emotions. She wanted to just walk past Pierre and leave. When she moved to her left, he moved to her left, and when she moved to her right, he also moved to her right. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. He blocked her like a ghost and made it difficult for her to leave. "What are you trying to do?!" Nina was like a hedgehog, and her eyes were full of hatred. Her teeth gnashed with every word she said. "You''re pregnant." Pierre stared at Nina''s abdomen, which was still too early to show. His eyes were incredibly cold. "I¡¯m not!" Nina covered her belly in a panic. Pierre snorted coldly and threw a copy of the information about her treatment in the hospital to Nina. "Perhaps you didn''t know, but the hospital you went to is owned by my family! I can check your information like the back of my hand. It''s that easy. I won''t let you keep the child!¡± Nina''s face was as pale as a dead woman''s. She clenched her trembling fingers. "This child is mine and has nothing to do with you. Get out of-" Pierre''s jaw tightened, and his extremely handsome face was as cold as ice. His voice was full of cold killing intent. "I absolutely will not allow my seed to lead a wandering life in poverty. The child must be aborted!" Nina''s heart tensed, and her whole body kept moving backward. She covered her belly tightly, and her eyes were clouded with madness." No! This is my child, I want to keep it! If you don''t want it, why did you rape me in the first ce, Pierre? I won''t let you touch my child!" Pierre put his hands in his pockets, his eyes looking terrifying. "Do you think it''s only up to you? You''re not worthy to give birth to the heir of the Mallory family! Take her away!" Nina struggled violently and resisted as she cursed Pierre with vicious words. In the end, the weak little her was still forcibly stuffed into the backseat of the car by two bodyguards dressed in ck. The luxury car drove away, and withered leaves flew up behind it! Through the window, Daisy had clearly witnessed everything that happened in the neighborhood just now. Instead of choosing to call the police, however, she merely watched by the side like she was watching a good drama. She curled her lips in disdain. Sure enough, Bianca was not a good woman and her friend was the same. ''Birds of the same feather flock together, huh? She¡¯s getting what she deserves!¡¯ Chapter 368 Chapter 368 I Believe In Karma! At the hospital. "I won''t abort the child. Nobody can touch my child. I''ll fight whoeverys a finger on it!" Nina protected her abdomen with her arms. She continually stepped backward like a panicked rabbit, trying hard to keep her distance from the doctors in white coats from nearing her. "I''m sorry, Ms. Langdon. We can''t disobey Second Young Master Mallory''s orders!¡¯ The eldest doctor said with an indifferent expression. It was not the first time that the doctor had performed abortions. In fact, he was quite experienced at it. Second Young Master Mallory was a yboy, and the doctor had performed many abortions for his women. She was not the first one, and she would not be thest. "Come out here, Pierre Mallory, you scoundrel!¡¯ Nina yelled hysterically. The strong doctors pinned down Nina''s arms and legs. The room door suddenly opened, and Pierre came in with a beautiful woman with an arrogant demeanor next to him. When she saw Nina, she narrowed her eyes as though she was looking at a worm. Nina thought that the woman was an eyesore. Her baby in her womb was at risk, but the baby''s father was flirting with another woman. How tragic! "I''ve never begged anyone in my life, Pierre Mallory, but please let me keep this child. I won''t tell him who his father is. I''ll raise him alone and won''t trouble you at all. I''ll even leave this city forever, as long as you let me keep it..." she begged. The beautiful woman clung to Pierre''s arms and sneered at Nina. "Can''t you see who you''re speaking to? How dare you fantasize about giving birth to Pierre''s child! Pierre is about to propose to me soon. Do you think that I, as the future Mrs. Mallory, would allow my husband to have an illegitimate child?" She tossed a dazzlingly red wedding invitation card on Nina''s face. The color was a stark contrast to Nina''s pale face. Nina nced at the names stamped in gold foil on the card: Pierre Mallory and Cecilia Sunford. Her tears started flowing, Her lips stretched stiffly, and she spoke mechanically like a puppet, "Ms. Sunford, I swear to you that I won''t disrupt your wedding or your future life. I''ll probably only be able to bear this child for the rest of my life. Please, spare my baby..." "What a joke. Do I look magnanimous to you? Why should I spare you any pity? Who do you think you are? Did you think that I don''t know your ns? You want to use the child to ckmail Pierre in the future. I''ve seen so many women like you. I''m sure you had a lot of fun with Pierre in bed, but you cannot keep the child! I wouldn''t want you to use it to threaten my position in the future!" Cecilia might look gentle, but she was heartless. The same could be said for any female socialite. Nina stared at Pierre with her tear-filled eyes. "This baby is your child too. Its existence might be an ident, but it is still a life. Don''t you feel any pity for it? Please, I beg you, please let me give birth to it..." Nina fell on her knees andy prostrate in front of Pierre. Her head knocked on the cold floor repeatedly, which grazed the skin and caused blood to flow. Pierre did not have any pity for her. Instead, he looked at her as though looking at a clown and said coldly, "Even you said that it''s an ident. No one wees its existence, and so it should not exist! Other than Mrs. Mallory, my wife, no other woman has the right to bear my child!" Nina''s tears fell like rain. "Pierre Mallory, I wouldn''t have been pregnant if you hadn''t vited me! How dare you push all responsibility to me? Are you still a man?" Pierre looked at the maniacal Nina with disgust. "Get rid of that piece of meat in her womb!" He gave hismand to the doctors. The doctors stepped forward, pinned Nina down, and dragged her to the operating theater. Nina screamed in despair. Her eyes were suffused with a crazed panic." Pierre Mallory, if you darey a finger on my child, I''ll die in front of you right now! I''ll see what you can do when you have the blood of two lives in your hands!" "Whatever. Just go ahead and die already!" Pierre had never been threatened like that by a woman. His tone of voice was full of impatience and disgust, without a hint of pity. "Hahaha! Pierre Mallory! You''re the one who forced me to a dead end. If I die, you''re the one who caused it! I''ll haunt you even if I be a ghost! I curse you that you will never receive true love in your life!" "Start the operation!" Pierre was irritated by Nina¡¯s curses. After giving that merciless command, he took his beautiful fiancee''s hand and left the room. Nina saw that he had turned around. She grabbed the scalpel from the doctor''s hand and cried out in despair. "Pierre Mallory!" Pierre stopped walking and turned around to look at her. Nina''s desperate smile was like a wilting flower. "Pierre Mallory, I will remember the humiliation that you have given me today. I will remember how I had to beg at your feet like a dog. I will remember how you did not show any mercy to the baby in my womb... I believe that karma will eventually strike back at you when you least expect it. If one day, you kneel at my feet like how I have kneeled at yours, I swear that I will let you experience a hundred times, no, a thousand times the agony that I felt today!" The scalpel was lifted high in the air, glistening with a cold light. Then, it plunged into Nina¡¯s abdomen with a soft thud. A crimson flower of blood bloomed on Nina''s stomach! Pierre''s face turned pale with shock when he saw that. For a brief moment, he was disturbed. However, Nina was not worth paying too much attention to. Pierre did not expect that some day in the future, he would experience the same agonizing despair from her. By then, it would have been toote. At lunchtime, Bianca prepared to go to the T Corporation cafeteria to have lunch with Sue and a few other friends. As they walked there, she received Nina''s phone call. Bianca had just answered the call when she heard Nina crying in despair. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. The shock made her head buzz. She ran to a quiet corner and asked hurriedly, "What happened, Nina? Don¡¯t cry. Tell me what happened!¡¯ "Bea, I think I''m about to die soon..." Nina kept on crying and calling out her name, but she would not say what was wrong. In a hurry, Bianca ran out of thepany building while speaking into the phone, "Did something happen to the baby? Where are you now? Are you at home or the hospital? Don''t worry, Nina, I''lle and look for you now!" Nina, still sobbing, told Bianca her location. Bianca did not end the call. She hailed a cab and rushed to the hospital... Chapter 369 Chapter 369 In Her Anger, Bianca pped Him Hard! The cab sped along the road and stopped at a hospital belonging to Mallory Corporation. Bianca threw the driver a twenty-dor bill and rushed out of the cab before getting the change. The spacious hospital ward smelled of disinfectant. Nina''s diminutive figure was curled up miserably on the bed. Bianca felt her heart wrench and her throat go dry. She could not speak a word. She walked in front of Nina and called out her name. ¡¯Nina..." Nina turned to look at her with teary eyes. Bianca hugged her but identally touched her abdomen, which caused her to yelp in pain. When Bianca lifted Nina''s hospital shirt and saw that her abdominal area was thickly wrapped in bandages, her eyes opened wide, and her mind started buzzing. "Your stomach..." Nina''s shoulder-length hair was scattered over her neck, and her face was wet with tears. More horrifically, bloodstains could be seen on the bandages wrapped around her abdomen, which made Bianca feel extremely uneasy. Bianca''s fingers trembled. "Who did this? Which bastard hurt you? I''ll call the police!" Nina burst into tears in Bianca''s embrace and shook her head violently." You can''t call the police. You can''t..." Bianca might not know the extent of the Mallory family¡¯s influence, but Nina knew it very well. Bianca gritted her teeth hard. "Don''t worry, Nina. I will find justice for you. Tell me, which bastard hurt you?" Needless to say, the child was gone. Bianca could not imagine how someone could be so heartless to harm a pregnant woman. "It''s... it''s the Second Young Master of the Mallory family." Nina trembled in Bianca''s embrace, and her tears fell on the back of Bianca''s hand. "Don''t go to look for him, Bianca. The Mallory family is very influential. If you crossed them, you might not live to see the next day..." The revtion came as a great shock to Bianca. ''The Second Young Master of the Mallory family? Isn''t that Percy Mallory''s younger brother?'' Her mind was nk except for that thought. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Through Luke, she got to know Percy Mallory, the First Young Master of the Mallory family, who carried himself with elegant and cold grace. He seemed to be a good character, but why was his brother the total opposite? Bianca tried her best tofort Nina, and Nina eventually stopped crying. Looking at how weak Nina was, Bianca went to buy some chicken soup as well as some health supplements. She was lost in thought for the entire journey, even forgetting that she had skipped work. When she returned to the hospital ward with the food, Nina was lying on the bed staring nkly at the ceiling with swollen eyes and an ashen face. Bianca spoon-fed Nina the chicken soup, but Nina did not have the appetite to eat after taking a few bites. Then, Bianca fed her the medicine, sat by the bed holding her mmy hands, and closed her eyes in agony. Uncontroble anger was brewing in her heart. It was all because of her. If Xavier had not abducted Nina, then Nina would not be vited by Pierre, and she would not have to go through the pregnancy, the abortion, and even be injured this way... When Xavier tried to force Bianca to stay with him, Bianca was not the only one hurt; even the innocent Nina was involved. All that had nothing to do with Nina, and Bianca felt incredibly guilty. Nina''s silent tears fell on the snow-white pillow. She might be talkative and carefree, but she was actually a very conservative girl. She was pinned under Pierre with all sorts of humiliating poses for one day and one night. That would have already been extremely traumatic. The man''s merciless reaction toward her baby plunged her into despair. She had never imagined that she would undergo such torment. However, she never regretted helping Bianca because Bianca was her best friend, even if the help did not amount to anything. She felt sorry for the baby who had died in vain. She was too weak and unable to protect the child... Eventually, Nina fell asleep. Bianca tucked her in and gently wiped her tears. Seeing how Nina continued to frown and groan in pain in her sleep, Bianca''s gaze turned cold. She summoned a nurse to help take care of Nina, then went to Xavier''spany. When the receptionist told Xavier that Bianca hade to visit him, he took in the information with disbelief and joy. Immediately, he postponed thepany meeting that was about to start by one hour and went down to the lobby to greet her. Bianca saw Xavier appear in front of her, dressed in a business suit and leather shoes. At that time, Xavier did not seem like a hooligan but a sessful businessman. The image of Nina curled up on the hospital bed and crying in despair resurfaced in Bianca''s mind. Instantly, she lifted her hand and pped Xavier violently. "Scum! Animal!" Xavier was caught unawares, and the pnded squarely on his cheek. In her rage, Bianca used a lot of strength, and her p forcefully turned Xavier''s head. Xavier gently touched his cheek with his hand. It was stinging with pain. He was not angry. Instead, he gently picked up Bianca''s hand and asked her gently but degenerately, "Does your hand hurt? If it doesn''t, you can continue pping me..." It was office hours, and foot traffic was heavy in the lobby of the Tanner Corporation building. Everyone was shocked by that scene. They did not expect the general manager of theirpany to be pped by a seemingly frail woman. What was most shocking was that the general manager, who was known to have a short temper, was not angry. In fact, his expression was of the utmost care and indulgence. That was uncanny! Bianca pulled her hand away from Xavier''s hand and violently grabbed his cor. Her knuckles were white from the force. "Do you know what you¡¯ve done, Xavier Tanner? Why did you have to involve Nina when you could have juste for me? She''s had nothing to do with us. Now, her peaceful life is ruined because you abducted her. Do you know what she has to go through?" At that moment, Bianca hated Xavier to the bone. It was already cruel enough to vite a woman. Nina did not go to the police, and she had kept everything to herself. When she found out that she was pregnant because of that man, she decided to keep the baby, even though she was full of hate and despair. Unexpectedly, the culprit was the one who deprived Nina of her child. All that was because of Xavier. If not for him, would Nina have to be involved and suffer so much? Chapter 370 Chapter 370 Unless She Gets Luke to Help! Xavier stared at Bianca''s furious face and suddenly smiled. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. However, there was not a hint of guilt in his eyes. Instead, he spoke with some bitterness in his tone. ¡¯Bianca, I noticed that you''ve never smiled at me when we''re together. It''s either you face me with an emotionless face, or you look as though you want to kill me. It''s just Nina, right? I didn''t do anything to her. Is she worth your time and effort?" Right after he finished speaking, he felt a searing pain on his other cheek. Bianca pped him out of anger again! Her hands were trembling. She was not going to be satisfied no matter how many times she pped him! Her eyes were turning bloodshot out of anger. "How dare you say that you didn''t do anything to Nina? Do you have a conscience, Xavier Tanner? If you hadn''t gotten someone to abduct Nina, would she have been vited and be pregnant? Would she have to be forced to carry out the abortion by the vitor? It''s all because of you. How could you shake it off just like that?¡¯ People continued to move in and out of the lobby. Bianca was speaking loudly. Everyone in the lobby and at the receptionist counter could hear what she said clearly. Everyone looked at Bianca with different emotions, especially the two receptionists who were closest to them. They wanted to cover their ears. What is this youngdy saying? Our general manager abducted someone and even caused that woman to be vited and being forced to abort the baby? ''Oh my god! ''This is shocking news! Can I pretend that I didn''t hear any of that?'' Xavier tasted iron in his mouth and licked the corner of his lips with his tongue. ''Tsk, I''m bleeding. ''That woman has never shown me any mercy!'' It seemed as though Bianca would treat anyone nicely except for him. She would even be kind and gentle toward a panhandler on a street corner. However, she had never shown him even a single smile. Every time she talked to him, she would be gritting her teeth in hatred. Indeed, she was merciless to him. He had never seen such hatred from a woman. "I admit that I am partially responsible for what happened to Nina." Xavier disregarded the judgmental gazes from the people around him as though the matter did not bother him. "So what do you want me to do? Should Ipensate her? Or are you going to sue me?" He knew what would happen to Nina the moment he handed her to the lecherous Pierre, but he did so anyway. The woman only had herself to me for trying to capture evidence of his extramarital affair. If he could turn back time, he would have done the same thing. Bianca was trembling with anger when she saw how nonchnt Xavier was. "I want you to be responsible to Nina for what you''ve done to her!" She said coldly. Xavier crossed his arms. "Oh? How should I be responsible? Should I marry her?" Bianca was at a loss for an answer. ''What a scoundrel!'' Xavier was standing very close to her. She could smell his sharp masculine scent, which made her ufortable. Other than Luke, she rejected any other male getting close to her. Bianca wanted to step backward, but Xavier grabbed her arm tightly and dragged her toward the elevator. He instantly pressed a button and said softly. "It''s not convenient to talk here. Let''s go into my office.¡¯ "I''m sorry. We can talk right here. There''s no need to go anywhere else!" Bianca flung his hand away and avoided him like a poisonous snake. She had never trusted Xavier. She feared being alone in the same space with him. Ding! The elevator doors opened. Xavier smiled faintly and pulled Bianca into the elevator. "Ah! Get away from me! Don''t touch me! Don''t..." Bianca shrieked and struggled. She was instantly reminded of that night when Xavier almost vited her. She kicked and punched with all her might like a maniac, which caused Xavier to take a few steps back! "Bianca! I won''t touch you anymore without your consent. I swear! Please calm down!" Xavier''s heart wrenched when he saw how much Bianca feared him. He gripped Bianca''s shoulders tightly and shook her in an attempt to calm herdown. Bianca was stunned when she saw Xavier''s helpless and sad gaze that was transfixed on her eyes. She could see her miserable self in his eyes. Bianca bit her lower lip and panted for air as she held onto the elevator wall. She thought she was being rather silly. Xavier might be partially responsible for what happened to Nina, but what would she achieve by looking for him? She did not have any evidence of him keeping Nina in captivity. Moreover, he would have already destroyed any incriminating evidence. At most, she could only ask for somepensation for the trauma that Nina went through. Could she have gone to look for Pierre Mallory, the culprit? She could not even handle Xavier! In the worst-case scenario, she might even get herself involved, but so what if she sacrificed herself if she could bring justice to Nina? All this could notpare to what Nina went through for her. Unfortunately, she did not have money or power. To her, Pierre was untouchable. To those who lived in the topmost echelons of society, the rule ofw was nothing but decoration, and morals were meaningless. Bianca knew about the vicissitudes of life. She knew even better that fate was cruel to low-standing people in society. The only way to get justice for Nina was to ask for Luke''s help. However, would her man help Nina because Bianca asked him? Was he going to stand up against the Mallory family for this personal grudge? 1 The Crawford and Mallory families were equal in wealth and standing. If the two families dered war on each other, the economy of A City would be greatly affected, and the normal citizens would suffer. Moreover, Luke was good friends with Percy. She did not want to trouble him because of her, but she was not powerful enough to bring Pierre to justice by herself. Bianca''s face turned pale, and she allowed her arms to droop. She suddenly felt like crying. She pressed the button to open the elevator doors. The elevator doors opened. Bianca looked at Xavier with tears in her eyes. She walked out of the elevator dejectedly, as though all her strength had left her body... Xavier stood alone in the elevator. He could smell her lingering fragrance in his palm. His expression gradually turned cold as he watched Bianca leave. Then, he dialed a number on his phone. "Hello?" A low and hoarse masculine voice was heard on the other end of the call as though he was in the middle of making out. Xavier did not beat around the bush. "What did you do to Nina?" "Nina? Nothing special, I made out with her, of course. Oh, right, that woman is pregnant, but I got someone to get rid of the baby. You should know that my old man will kill me if he finds out that I''ve impregnated someone. I didn''t expect the woman to be so stubborn. She refused to undergo the abortion and even stabbed herself with a scalpel. How troublesome," Pierre answered nonchntly. At that moment, a coy, naked, and beautiful womany on his chest. That woman was none other than Cecilia Sunford, his fiancee. Xavier abruptly ended the call. He had expected that answer, but he was nheless troubled... Chapter 371 Chapter 371 That''s Enough! This Is A Hospital! Meanwhile, Nina was curled up on the hospital bed, sleeping. However, nightmares continually tormented her, which made her unable to rest. The rion ring of her phone woke her up from her nightmare. She took a deep breath and saw that it was her mother calling her. Reflexively, she answered the call. "Hello, Mom..." she said weakly. Anna''s harsh voice was heard over the phone. "You''ve finally answered the phone! Do you still remember that you have a mother? Where have you been for the past month and a half? You don''t come back home, but you also don''t call me. What''s the point of me raising you, you ingrate? Have you been sleeping with another man? Get back home this instant! The money that you gave me thest time is no more. Think of some way to get me more money!¡¯ Nina was covered in a thick nket, but she could not stop shivering. The person on the other end of the call was her mother. After Nina went missing for a month and a half, all she got from her mother was insults and usations instead of words offort. When her mother finally contacted her, the first thing she asked for was money. To other people, a mother''s love might be the greatest in the world, but to her, it was nothing. "I''m in the hospital now, Mom. I''m not feeling well. We can talk after I go back. Alright, bye..." Nina answered weakly and ended the call. Then, she curled up on the bed like a discarded shrimp. Silent tears slid down her pale cheeks, which made her look extremely pitiful. "Ms. Langdon, you''ve just finished an operation, and you shouldn''t be too emotional. If you be too sad, that might have long-term implications on your health, and that''ll be hard to treat." The young nurse tried tofort Nina while changing her drip bottle. The wound on the stomach was painful, but the pain was nothingpared to the pain in her heart. Nina shook her head gently and forcefully swallowed all her grievances. Even a stranger would take pity on her, but her mother did not. That was a tragedy. "Hello? Hello? You''d better get the money quickly so that I can bridge some rtions for your brother. I need a lot of money..." When Anna heard the busy toneing from the other end of the call, she realized that Nina had hung up, which made her even more furious than ever. ¡®How dare that girl hang up on me! She needs to be taught a lesson!'' When Anna recalled what her daughter said to her, she frowned with suspicion. Her daughter had always been healthy, and she even rarely came down with a cold. Why would she suddenly be in the hospital? Anna immediately rushed to the hospital that Nina told her over the phone. Of course, she was not going there to check on her daughter''s health but instead to ask for more money. Her friend''s daughter was named Fifi. Fifi found a rich and influential sugar daddy who pampered her as long as she was obedient. Fifi had heard about the situation with the Langdon family from her mother. She met up with Anna and told her that she had a way to save Jean. 1 Not only that, but she could also introduce Anna to that rich and influential man. That man was not too powerful, but he had enough influence to sneak a minor criminal out of prison. He could bail Jean out if she could cough up three million dors. Anna was doubtful at first, but she was already friends with Fifi''s mother for decades, and Fifi was very confident that she could manage to get Jean out of prison. Fifi even said that they could sign a contract if Anna was concerned about the money. If the man could not bail Jean out, then he would return the three million dors. Impulsively, Anna agreed to it. Even if they could not manage to save her son, the money would be returned to her. Moreover, whenever she visited her son in prison, he would be bruised and battered. Not only did her son''s tall and strong body be thin and emaciated, but his body would also be full of injuries. Every visit would always end with her in tears. Anna knew that her son was suffering in prison. She would have to save him no matter what! She had gotten a check of two million dors from her daughter, and she had eighty thousand dors in savings. She needed another nine hundred and twenty thousand dors. How was she, an unskilled housewife, ever going to get that much money? Anna remembered that her daughter had easily gotten two million dors thest time. She thought that her kind and obedient daughter would give her the amount she wanted, as long as she asked for it. Bianca returned to the hospital. She essed an ATM at a bank near the hospital and checked her ount bnce. It was not much, probably about six months'' worth of her sry. T Corporation paid its employees well. Even new recruits in T Corporation were better paid than regr employees in otherpanies. She had saved the money so that she could buy a new car, but the money had a more important use now. Bianca withdrew the money in several batches. She nned to give all the money to Nina. The money might notpensate one-millionth of the trauma that Nina had been through, but Nina was not working now, and she needed money. As Bianca walked along the corridor, she could hear Nina''s cries and a woman cursing shrilly. "With your good-for-nothing dad, do you think it''s easy raising you? I''ve single-handedly provided for you and your brother for all your lives. Don''t you know how hard it''s been for me all these years? Now that your brother is in trouble, what''s wrong if I ask you to help? You''re my daughter. If I don''t ask you for money, who else should I ask?" The woman''s voice sounded familiar. Bianca recognized that it was Anna. The realization startled her. She hastened her footsteps toward the hospital ward. "That''s enough, Mom! We''re in a hospital now! I really don''t have any money now, not a single cent. I''ve already given you all the money I have. What else do you want me to do? You always ask me for money, and you''ve even asked for one million dors this time. Do you think that I, a lowly wage-earner that''s not even working now, have that much money? You see me lying in the hospital bed, but you don''t even ask me what''s wrong! If you cant even show the least bit of concern to me, are you even my mother?" Nina pressed on her stomach, trying to endure the pain. Tears fell freely from her face. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. She was dressed in loose hospital clothes and her body was covered by a white nket. Her wound on her abdomen was hidden from view, and what people could see were her frail body and pale face. "How sick can you get?" Anna stood next to the bed and mercilessly poked Nina''s forehead with her finger. "Stop pretending. You''ve been healthy since you were young. You don''t even usually catch a cold. Cant you take some aspirin if you''re sick? Staying in the hospital is just a waste of money! Don''t you know that the family needs a lot of money now?" "Madam, your daughter has just..." The nurse could not bear to see Nina tormented that way and tried to exin Nina''s situation to Anna. However, Anna immediately shut her up. "Shut your mouth! This is family business. You''re only an outsider!" Nina leanednguidly on the headboard. The pain in her abdomen was unbearable. Her mother''s heartlessness plunged her into despair. When Bianca opened the door, she saw Nina''s nk stare and silent tears, the young nurse who dared not make a sound, and Anna who was acting like a shrew. Bianca was furious when she saw the scene! Chapter 372 Chapter 372 It¡¯s A Surprise, But It''s A Pleasant One Nina was still recovering from an operation and she could barely move. Her mother came to ask for money from her and was not even concerned about her wellbeing. Did Nina have any conscience? Did she deserve to be a mother? 1 When the door opened, the people in the ward turned to look in that direction. Nina''s eyes were full of pain and confusion. The young nurse looked visibly relieved. Anna gritted her teeth and became angrier. "Bea..." Nina said hoarsely. Her lips were dry and cracked. She sounded very aggrieved, like a bullied little animal who did not know how to retaliate. Bianca''s heart wrenched when she saw Nina like that. She walked over and ced her handbag next to Nina''s pillow. She wiped Nina''s tears from her eyes and said, "Don''t be angry. All you need to do now is rest. You shouldn''t be agitated. That won¡¯t be good for your recuperation. Understand?" Before Nina could say anything, Anna''s plump body waddled over. She pointed a finger at Bianca and started yelling. "Why are you here, you jinx? Aren''t you satisfied after framing my son? Now you want to frame my daughter too? I''ve warned you, Nina, you''d better not get yourself tangled up with this woman. Why don''t you listen to me?" "We''re in a hospital now. Please be quiet!" Bianca turned around and regarded Anna sternly. "I know you hate me, but this isn''t the time to quarrel. Nina is your daughter. Aren''t you the least bit concerned about why she''s in the hospital? Let me tell you, Nina had just finished an operation, and her body is very weak now. Can''t you see that she''s already drenched in sweat? How can you even yell at her... Don''t you think that you''re not acting like her mother, Mrs. Langdon?" Anna was shocked when she heard that Nina had just finished an operation, but soon, she became angry. She had always been the one yelling at people, and never the one being yelled at! Furthermore, the person who had yelled at her was Bianca, whom she hated the most. That made her angrier than ever. Instantly, her voice became louder as she verbally attacked Bianca. ¡®Who do you think you are? What right do you have to talk to me like that? Not only you caused my son to go to prison, but my daughter is also in the hospital probably because of you. I''ve said that you bring us nothing but trouble, and you can see that I''m right!" It was enough for Anna to verbally attack Bianca, so she started to get physical. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. She had just grabbed onto Bianca''s hair when Nina suddenly sat up. Her eyes were vacant as she stared at Anna with despair. "What do you want, Mom? Bianca is here to take care of me in the hospital. If you beat her and drive her away, are you going to take care of me?" She screamed hoarsely. Anna nced at Nina, whose eyes were swollen from crying. Only then did she remember that she was at the hospital to ask her daughter for money. Meeting Bianca, the reason why her son was in prison, had nearly made her lose her mind and forget the reason she was there. Anna sheepishly let go of Nina''s hair and tried to negotiate with Nina. "My daughter, you''ll have to raise the money for me no matter what. Otherwise, your brother might just die in prison. You''re his sister. You ought to save him..." 2 As she said that, she lifted her hand and pretended to wipe away tears, as though she was a loving and caring mother. Nina knew that her mother was very good at putting up an act. She turned away while pressing her stomach to hold back the pain, not willing to entertain her mother''s pretense. "Mom, Jean is receiving his just desserts," Nina said tiredly. "He needs to be rehabilitated in prison, and he wouldn''t learn his lesson if he doesn''t face some hardship. I really have no money now. All my debit and credit cards are with you, and you know the PINs to them. If you don''t believe me, you can check the ount bnce..." Anna saw that tears had no effect on Nina. She opened the door wide and kept it open. Then, she sprawled on the floor and started to throw a tantrum like a child. She kept on yelling and screaming. "Even a dog would know how to repay its master! You? You''re an ingrate! If I knew this would happen, I should''ve snuffed you out with a pillow after you''re born! I''ve suffered so much while raising you, and this is how you repay me? Everyone, look at my ungrateful daughter. She only cares for herself while her brother is suffering and her mother is dying. I might as well jump out of the window now!" Nina was staying in a VIP ward. There were no other patients inside. However, the wards were next to each other, and there were other patients and their families inside. Anna''s voice was as loud as thunder. Soon, many patients and their families peeked out of their rooms curiously to see what was going on. They stretched their necks toward Nina''s ward while pointing there... Nina''s tears fell once again when she saw her mother''s tantrum. She was almost out of breath from crying. Bianca felt sorry for Nina, but at the same time was angry toward Anna. She took her handbag and mmed it next to Anna. "You''re here to ask Nina for money, right? Take this money and leave at this instant!" Anna wanted to yell and curse at Bianca, but when she opened the handbag and saw the stacks of cash inside, her clouded eyes sparkled. She scrambled to her feet and grabbed the handbag as though she was protecting a baby. Then, Anna waved at her daughter. "You just rest here. I''lle and look for you in a couple of days. The money here isn''t enough. Go and make some more money when you''re discharged. I need the money urgently!" Without looking at her daughter or asking about her daughter''s operation, Anna''s corpulent body waddled away as she hugged the handbag tightly. Nina watched her mother leave with a vacant gaze. Her face was once again awash with tears. Her heart was already numb. "I didn''t expect that a mother would treat her daughter like that. She''s her birth daughter, right?" The young nurse mumbled to herself. The nurse''s mother treated her daughter with tender care, and the nurse had never seen such a merciless mother. In her heart, she had cursed Anna a thousand times. Bianca closed the door to ward to shield Nina from those curious gazes. She gently hugged Nina and said, "Everything''s fine now. Don''t cry. I''m here for you." Nina''s lips were trembling, and she was curled up in Bianca''s arms. "I''m sorry that you had to see this. HI pay your money back one day..." Bianca helped Nina lie down and turned her in the nket. She wiped away Nina''s tears and said softly. "You don''t have to pay it back. It''s not much, and it''s what I owe you anyway. Just focus on resting. I''ll apany you tonight." Nina was physically and mentally tired. Soon, under Bianca''sforting voice, she fell into a deep sleep. Bianca held her mmy hands and sighed. She tried to warm them up by cing Nina''s hands under the nket. Then, Bianca took out her phone and sent a message to Luke: [I''ll take today off.] In a few seconds, she received a reply: [Mm. Come home early tonight. There''s something for you.] Bianca''s eyes widened. She sent another message: [What is it? Can you give me a hint? Don''t tell me that it''s a surprise?] Beep! She received a reply from Luke a few minutester: (I have to keep it a secret. It''s a surprise, but I promise you that it''s a pleasant one.] Chapter 373 Chapter 373 The Warmth He Gave Her Bianca wanted to stay the night with Nina, but Nina insisted that she leave. "The nurses at the hospital will be able to take care of me. You don''t have to spend your entire day with me," Nina said. "Lanie and Rainie are still young, and they need their mother''spany," she continued, "If you stay here, what should the kids do if they miss their Mommy?" Also, Luke had been calling Bianca non-stop. Bianca did not get to stay in the hospital but instead returned to Luke''s mansion. She had just stepped into the mansion when she realized that something was amiss. However, she could not say exactly what it was. When she opened the front door, she was utterly shocked by what she saw! The entire house had transformed into a sea of flowers. The wall in the middle was decorated with balloons of all colors and shapes. Pink gauze fabric surrounded the living room, which added a romantic touch to the pastoral scene. This is from N?velDrama.Org. An exquisite cake was ced in the middle of the table. The writing in the center of the cake was the most eye-catching. It read: Happy Birthday, Mommy! We love you! Before Bianca coulde to her senses from the initial surprise, two little children appeared from behind the wall of balloons. Each of them was hugging a plush toy that was almost their height. They carried the plush toysboriously on tiptoe and walked in front of Bianca. "Happy birthday, Mommy!" They said at the same time. Bianca was not expecting that kind of surprise. She covered her mouth to calm herself down. Then, she took the plush toys from the children''s hands, crouched down, and kissed their foreheads. "Thank you, thank you for such a nice surprise..." Bianca sounded like she was sobbing. No one had remembered her birthday for many years. She had always spent her birthday alone. A long time ago, her grandfather would remember her birthday and buy her a small cake. After she left her grandfather''s house, no one celebrated her birthday for her. She celebrated her twenty-fourth birthday with her two children, and that had made her genuinely happy! 1 Lanie''s present for his mother was a dumpy-looking brown bear, while Rainie''s present was a cute deer. Bianca ced the toys on her bed. She was overwhelmed with tenderness after having received presents from her children for the first time. The two children rubbed their faces on her body. They did not want to go. Bianca was feeling a little helpless. She had just returned from the hospital carrying a lot of germs. She did not want to spread them to her children. After all, the children''s immune systems were not as strong as adults. "Dearies, Mommy went to the hospital to visit your godmother today, and I''m very dirty. Can we continue the celebration after I take a bath?" The two children obediently nodded and let go of Bianca so she could go to the bathroom. After Bianca closed the bathroom door behind her, Lanie patted his suit, straightened his bowtie, and asked his sister softly. "What do you think of my outfit today, Rainie? Am I handsome?" "You''re the handsomest, Big Bro! You''re ten times more handsome than Daddy!" Rainie did not hold back on her praise toward her brother! The little girl was proud of her aesthetic sense, and her father was her hero. She thought that her father was incredibly handsome, but her brother was even more handsome. Lanie was embarrassed when he heard his sister praise him. "You''re also very pretty, like the princess in a fairy tale." The little girl was ecstatic when she heard her brother praise him. She ran toward the full body mirror in a corner of the room and struck several adorable poses. Then, she looked at Lanie smugly. "Big Bro, both of us look very nice! Ms. Nina said that we look so nice because of our parents'' genes. When I grow up, I''ll look for a handsome husband. What should I do if I get an ugly husband and have ugly kids?" Rainie went to lie on the couch and rested her cheeks on her hands, worrying about the things in the future. The precocious Lanie sat next to his sister and said profoundly, "Don''t worry, Rainie. I''ll help you when you want to look for a husband in the future. Not only your future husband must be more handsome than me, but he''ll also need to have a good character. He can''t date you without my permission. Understand?" "I know. Big Bro, you''re the nicest to me. You''ll have to protect me when I start dating. Pinky promise!" The innocent little girl stretched out her pinky finger and made a pinky promise with her brother. "Pinky promise for a hundred years!" The pretty littledy did not know that her careless promise would bring her many problems when she came of age. Her elder brother would continuously interfere in her rtionship, and the hardships that a particr man would go through were numerous enough to write a novel. Bianca cleaned herself in the fastest time possible and put on some light makeup. Luke had decorated the house for her birthday, and the two children had dressed up immactely. She could not face them with an unadorned face. Moreover, she wanted to present her best to Luke. Where was Luke though? Bianca was curious. She realized that she had not seen the man ever since she stepped into the door. However, she was not worried that Luke forgot her birthday. Luke must have prepared everything in the house. Perhaps he had some other urgent business and would return hometer. After Bianca stepped out of the bathroom, the two children pounced onto herp happily like little birds. The young mother hugged her son in her left arm and her daughter in her right. She looked at her two angelic children under the gentle lighting and smiled. No matter how much she looked at them, it was never enough. "Where is your father, dearies?" "Hee hee..." Rainie used her head to snuggle on Bianca''s neck and grinned, showing two rows of pearly teeth. "Mommy, Daddy went out for a while after decorating the house. He said that he has something to do, and he asked us to wait for you at home. He also said that you shouldn''t give him a call, and he''ll be back soon." Bianca caressed their heads and hugged them tighter. "Mm, we''ll wait for Daddy toe home then..." "Mm!" The two children nodded at the same time. Being hugged tightly, they sniffed the fresh scent of shower gel on Bianca¡¯s body and felt incredibly happy. The door suddenly opened. Luke walked into the house, seemingly well-traveled and covered in frost. He presented arge bouquet of air-flown roses in front of Bianca. The man was as handsome as usual, with his impable eyes, high nose bridge, and thin lips. He might have juste in from the cold, but that did not obscure his noble bearing. Even if he only stood there, he emanated a brilliant, eyecatching aura... Chapter 374 Chapter 374 There Is Not A Happier Moment... Bianca looked at Luke infatuatedly. The man whom she loved was like a perfect creation from heaven. His eyes, his nose, his lips, his silhouette; every feature was perfect. His character was cold and aloof, but he seemed so gentle when he smiled. Luke handed the bouquet of roses to Bianca and said, "Happy birthday." The roses were fresh in the middle of winter, and the bouquet was adorned with Canadian goldenrods. It was exquisite and beautiful. The roses of different colors were fragrant and elegant. It carried the meaning: All these colors say I love you. That will be my lifelong promise. Women are romantic creatures. They could not withstand the temptation of flowers. Bianca was shocked as she took the bouquet. "Thank you," she said, surprised. That was not the first time that she received flowers from a man. Jean used to give her flowers on special asions to gain her favor, but her sentiments back then were different from now. Luke had a serious personality, and he did not look like someone who knew how to make a woman happy. Bianca had never expected that he would give her any surprises, but this time was a great surprise. He actually gave flowers to his woman. "Silly girl..." Luke smiled, patted Bianca¡¯s head, and appreciated her pretty face with his profound gaze. "You look wonderful tonight." Bianca was already very beautiful. The light makeup made her enchanting. She stood there silently, though an indescribable exquisite and elegant aura naturally emanated from her body... "How about me and Big Bro, Daddy?" Princess Rainie pulled over Prince Lanie and twirled around in front of her father. Her pure white woolen dress spun in a graceful arc, which made the little girl look like a fairy. "Mm, you''re very beautiful tonight, Rainie. Lanie, you''re very handsome too. Both of you have inherited your Mommy''s genes." Luke indirectly praised Bianca that way. Bianca blushed slightly. Rainie smiled when she heard her Daddy''s praise, and her eyes turned into crescent moons. Lanie shyly lowered his head. Many people had praised him for his cute and handsome looks before, but his father rarely did. He felt smug and shy at the same time when Luke praised him in front of his mother. ''Yes, I think I look good too.'' The cake on the table had three tiers. The bottomyer was cherry-vored and decorated with rainbow-colored cream, the middle was a light blue castle, while the topmostyer was adorned with fondant leaves. It looked incredibly appetizing. On top of the cake was a Barbie doll in a flowing pink evening gown. When it was turned on, the doll sang a birthday song. Luke carefully ced some candles on the cake and looked gently at Bianca. "Come here and make a wish.¡± Bianca stood in front of the cake, pressed her palms together, and made a wish while Luke and the two children watched. With her eyes closed, her porcin-like face, slightly moving red lips, and demure temperament became even more exquisite under the candlelight. He had seen that face countless times since he was young, and it was imprinted in his mind. However, that did not stop him from being charmed everytime he saw her. After making a wish, Bianca and the two children blew out the candles together. "What did you wish for, Mommy?" Rainie asked curiously. Lanie gently rapped his sister''s head with a knuckle. "You can''t tell your birthday wishes, silly! If you did, it wouldn''te true!" "Oh, is that so...¡± Rainie pouted disappointedly and looked at her mother. Bianca looked at Rainie''s innocent gaze and smiled gently. She bent down and patted her daughter''s soft head. "I wish that our family of four can live happily forever, in peace and good health." A very faint smile appeared on Luke''s face. That was the woman he loved. She did not have any wild ambitions, nor did she want to be involved with the other socialites. She only wanted to live a humble life. That simple wish was what he was looking for. "Alright, let''s have some cake!" Bianca cut the cake into tiny pieces and ced it into Lanie and Rainie''s tes. Children loved sweet stuff. When they took their tes, they carefully shot a nce at their father. Lanie even asked, "Daddy, can Rainie and I eat some more cake today?" Luke had always been strict with his children. He knew that the children liked to eat sweet stuff, but he rarely let them indulge because that would not be good for their teeth and health. Luke did not want to restrict the children on Bianca''s birthday. He nodded his head and allowed them. "Thank you, Daddy! Yay!" The two children were about to jump with joy. They started to eat the cake ravenously with their hands, and they looked very satisfied. "Bianca..." Luke called out, "Do you like what I''ve prepared for you today? This is my first time organizing a birthday party for someone. Please let me know if I missed out on anything." Bianca was moved by the man''s gentle voice. She put a small piece of cake with strawberry bits and sugar pearls in front of Luke''s mouth. "I love it. I''m so happy. I don''t think I''ve ever felt happier..." she said softly. Luke opened his mouth and took a bite. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. However, his eyes remained transfixed on Bianca''s face, as though she was more delicious than the cake. "Mm, this tastes good." Luke was actually not fond of sweet stuff. However, Bianca had fed him that cake, which made him like the food that he hated. Bianca smiled. She was about to speak when two thin lips smeared with cream bit her lips! The two children pretended that they did not see anything and continued to eat their cake. They were used to their father''s expressions of love toward their mother, and they were not as surprised as the first time they saw it. They even scuttled to a corner of the living room to continue eating their cake so that they would not disturb their parents'' intimate time... Chapter 375 Chapter 375 Will You Marry Me, Bianca? Luke hugged Bianca in his arms. He wrapped his strong arms around her delicate waist and showered her with indulgent kisses. The kisses that carried the fragrance of cream, cherry, and strawberry seemed to be especially tasty. Bianca was lost in the man''s gentle kisses. His embrace was too warm, and the light was too gentle. Luke''s long eyshes seemed almost transparent under the light, and Bianca was moved by his unbelievably gentle expression. The kissessted for a very long time until Luke''s hands started to reach beneath her shirt. Bianca came to her senses. "Luke, shall we... eat some cake for now?" The handsome man hugged her body dominatingly and said hoarsely, "All I want to eat now is you." Those words made Bianca''s heart thump faster. Bianca noticed that the two children were not there. She pushed herself away from his embrace. "Um, let''s finish the birthday celebration first... Where''s Lanie and Rainie?" She had always been afraid whenever Luke looked at her that way. His gaze carried the insatiable desire of a beast. She would be helpless if he had his way. The sea of flowers in the living room under the gentle illumination of the lights had be the background. Bianca''s shy and flustered expression was clearly seen under the light. She wanted to look for the children, but Luke grabbed her wrist. "They went off to y because they know what we''re about to do. Don''t worry, they won''t get lost in our house. Stay with me tonight, Bianca." "I''m already staying with you every day!" Bianca''s heart was thumping wildly. There was a hint of panic in her voice. "It''s not the same." Luke''s slender fingers caressed her lips, then kissed heavily on them. After that, he took out an exquisite box from his pocket. He opened the box, and a dazzlingly beautiful diamond ring was brought into view. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Bianca Rayne, will you marry me?" Luke suddenly got down on one knee like a gentleman and asked her the question he had been keeping within him. Bianca stared at the huge diamond ring. She could not believe her eyes. Eighteen small diamonds surrounded a big diamond. It was very beautiful... Bianca was almost moved to tears. She covered her mouth tightly. ''Luke is proposing to me?'' She was dumbfounded, and she was even wondering if she was dreaming until Luke stood up... The man''s tall body towered over her petite body. When he wore the diamond ring onto her ring finger, Bianca came to her senses and realized that he had indeed proposed to her! Luke''s short hair brushed Bianca''s cheek. "Earth to Bianca, if you''re not replying to my question, I''ll assume that you agree to the proposal. From now on, you are Luke Crawford¡¯s wife, and till death do us part. Don''t ever think of leaving my side, hm?" "Luke...¡¯¡¯ Bianca was still in a daze. Her heart was aplicated mix of emotions as she looked at the ring on her finger. She did not expect that Luke would be proposing to her at this time. It was not that she did not want to marry him, but there were too many obstacles between them. She was prepared to wait for a long time. She had even thought that being able to live together with Luke and the two children would be enough. She did not need any titles. "I''ve been quite busy at thepanytely, but I will hold a grand wedding ceremony for you. I want to announce to the world that you are Luke Crawford''s woman. Bianca, will you marry me?" The tip of his nose pressed against hers, and she asked again. The man''s gaze was crystal-clear. It was a simple promise, but it sounded dominating, as Luke always did. Bianca''s gaze was misty. Her long eyshes fluttered charmingly. Her fingers intertwined with his, and she started speaking solemnly, "I will. As long as you love me and I love you, nothing cane between us, right? I want to be married to you, Luke Crawford, so that I can take care of you and the two children for the rest of my life." Bianca''s words might be in, but it had moved Luke. He responded by wildly kissing her. Luke carried Bianca off her feet and brought her to the bedroom, then pinned his beast-like body on hers... Bianca came to her senses. "Lanie and Rainie are still in the living room, they..." "Don''t worry. They''re not children anymore. They will go to bed when it''s time." After that, Luke blocked her mouth with his lips... ''They''re only five years old! Aren''t they children?'' Bianca was speechless. When the man was in the mood, there was nothing that she could do! She wanted very much to hug the children, but Luke did not give her any time to think. He was telling her how much he loved her with his body! "Achoo!¡¯ Meanwhile, the two children eating downstairs suddenly sneezed at the same time. Rainie stuffed the final bit of cream into her mouth. Her stomach was bloated. She covered her mouth and yawned. "The cake is so tasty, Big Bro. I wonder if Mommy enjoyed eating it? We should sleep soon. I want Mommy to tell me a bedtime story." The little girl was used to Bianca telling her a bedtime story every night before she slept. Lanie opened a pack of wet wipes and carefully wiped the cream off his sister''s mouth, face, and fingers. "Daddy and Mommy are making babies now. I don''t know what that means, maybe they''re using the computer to design one. We shouldn''t disturb them. Maybe we''ll have a little brother or sister soon." 3 Lanie had seen his mother being pinned under his father''s body before. They seemed to be doing something shameful, and Mommy seemed to be crying and in pain. He thought that Daddy was bullying Mommy, but Daddy denied ever doing so. That was when he went to ask Nina, his godmother, about what was going on. "That''s, uh, how your Daddy tells your Mommy that he loves her," Nina stammered. "You''ll know when you grow up. They''re making babies, and that was how you and Rainie were made too..." "Really, Big Bro? Are we going to have a little brother or sister soon?" Rainie looked at Lanie innocently. "Mm, yes. We should go to bed now. Maybe the little brother or sister will be ready by tomorrow morning," Lanie said as he held his sister''s hand and walked to the bedroom, i As they walked past their parent''s bedroom, the handsome boy looked at the tightly shut door, and his eyes shed with anticipation. 1 ''I hope that Daddy and Mommy will make a smart little brother for me and not one as naive and gullible as Rainie...'' Chapter 376 Chapter 376 Luke Is Busy Every Day The next day was Saturday. After Bianca and the children had breakfast, she brought them to meet their maternal grandfather. Luke wanted to go along, but he received an important call from thepany and had to return to the office. He would join them for lunchter. Luke apologized to her, but Bianca thought that it was no issue. After all, Luke bore a lot of responsibility helming a multinationalpany. She felt sorry for Luke sometimes. As a wage-earner, she had two rest days every week. On the other hand, whenever Luke got busy, he could work days and nights without rest. Luke asked Lowry, his driver, to send Bianca and the two children over. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Old Master Rayne lived in a scenic neighborhood in the Nordlong Lake district. The neighborhood was built near a mountain range and ake, and the ce had fresh air and beautiful scenery. It was far from the bustle of the city, but it boasted aplete range of amenities, including a hospital, a physiotherapy center, a park, and a chain supermarket. Luke picked that location to settle Old Master Rayne, not only because it was an ideal ce for an old man to recuperate but also because everything was convenient. After Bianca and the twins got out of the car, they saw a group of old people line dancing at the za near the entrance. Her grandfather was among the crowd. Old Master Rayne seemed to be in good spirits. Her aunt Wanda was walking alongside him while chatting with him. Wanda caught sight of Bianca in the corner of her eye. Bianca was carrying many presents and brought two cute children with her. She was dressed in casual clothes, her hair was tied in a ponytail, and she did not wear any makeup. Her pure looks made her stand out from the crowd. "Grandpa, Aunt Wanda..." Bianca greeted her grandfather and aunt softly while looking at the energetic Old Master Rayne and the pale-faced Wanda. Wanda gently tugged Old Master Rayne''s shirt sleeve and said softly, "Bea and her kids are here to visit you, Father." "My granddaughter is here? You haven''t visited me for a long time. Let me see if you''ve be thinner..." Old Master Rayne gleefully waved at Bianca. His eyes were full of tender love. Bianca and the twins walked toward them. Her eyes misted when she saw Old Master Rayne''s head full of white hair." I''m sorry, Grandpa. I''ve been busytely, and I didn''t have the time toe and visit you. I''ll try toe every week." "Silly girl, I know that you''re busy, and it must be tough surviving by yourself. If you can''t make it, I''ll be satisfied if you can give me a call." Old Master Rayne''s words did notfort Bianca at all. She silently swore that she woulde and visit her grandfather often in case he got lonely. "Lanie, Rainie,e here. This is your other Great Grandpa, and this is Great Aunt Wanda. Be good children and greet them." Bianca patted the twins'' heads. 2 "Good morning, Great Grandpa and Great Aunt Wanda. My name is Lanie/ Rainie," the twins said in unison and introduced themselves. Then, they blew flying kisses at their elders. "Haha, they''re good kids!" Old Master Rayne took an instant liking to the precocious twins. 1 He had heard from Wanda about what happened to Bianca. He was moved by how his granddaughter had sold herself to be a surrogate mother to save his son. At the same time, he also felt guilty. Old Master Rayne could not stop grinning when he saw that the twins were so cute and intelligent. He sat on a bench and gently lifted the twins'' faces with his wrinkled hands. ¡¯These two kids look so good. They''re just like my granddaughter when she was young!" "Does Mommy look like Rainie when she''s young, Great Grandpa?" Lanie asked. "Mm, your Mommy was very cute when she was small, just like the two of you. Her hair would be tied in twin tails, and she would receive praises wherever she went. Other kids would be crying, but your Mommy wouldn''t. She knows how to help me with chores too. I didn''t expect that her children are already so big..." Old Master Rayne''s gaze turned gentle as he reminisced about the past while looking at the two children who looked like Bianca. "Let''s go home first, Grandpa," Bianca was embarrassed when she heard her grandfather praising her. Wandaughed when she looked at her niece. She and Bianca helped Old Master Rayne walk toward the mansions. The other old men and women who were exercising in the park greeted Old Master Rayne. "Hey, Ol'' Rayne, is your granddaughter visiting you?" "Yes, this is Bianca, my granddaughter. These two are my great-grandkids." "Oh, your granddaughter is so pretty. The two kids are like fairies. You''re so lucky, Ol'' Rayne!" A smile appeared on Old Master Rayne''s wrinkled face. "The person who drove them here earlier, was that your grandson-inw? He''s tall, handsome, and drives a luxury car. Why didn''t hee out of the car and greet you?" One of the old women who was good friends with Old Master Rayne asked curiously. The people who were line-dancing at the za saw Bianca and the twinse out of a luxury car. The man who drove the car looked like a gentleman. He opened the car door for Bianca and the children. However, the man left after Bianca and the children got out of the car. They could not see clearly how he looked. The old men and women who lived in the area were quite well-off, though they were impressed by the manner in which Bianca arrived. "That''s not my husband, Madam. He''s the driver. My husband has some work in hispany. He''ll be here for lunch," Bianca exined. "Wow, even your driver looks so handsome. Your husband must be a lot more handsome than that! I say, Ol'' Rayne, you''re so lucky..." The family went back to the house while the old people looked at Old Master Rayne enviously. It was a double-story house with four bedrooms. Old Master Rayne lived in one room, and the caretaker lived in another. The other two rooms were guest rooms. The house was well-equipped and well-furnished, but it looked somewhat deste, perhaps because not many people lived there. An old photo was ced in the middle of the table in the living room. It was a photo of Bianca and Old Master Rayne from many years ago. Bianca''s heart wrenched. Her grandfather was old, and he needed thepany of his family. However, he lived there alone. She had suggested more than once that her grandfather move in together with them, but her grandfather had always declined the offer. He said that he would not be used to the young people''s way of life and that he would be a bother. Chapter 377 Chapter 377 Luke¡¯s Sudden Appearance In the Kitchen Wanda poured a cup of hot tea for Bianca. She also brought out a lot of healthy snacks for the cute twins. Wanda loved the two children a lot. She could not bear children because of her health, and that was one of the biggest regrets in her life. That was why she gave all her love and care to Lanie and Rainie. The two children quickly familiarized themselves with their Great Aunt Wanda. "Are you used to living here, Grandpa?" Bianca sat on the couch and started chatting with Old Master Rayne. "This ce is great. I wasn''t too used to it at the start, but it grew on me. The environment here is good, and the caretaker attends to all my needs. I often go for walks around the neighborhood and find many friends of my age. I''ve never imagined that I''d be able to enjoy such a good life. The neighbors were right, Bianca. I''m so lucky because of you!" Old Master Rayne said emotionally. After toiling for many years, it was finally his turn to rx and enjoy life. When his son Kevin became an adult, he found a stable job, but he was too down-to-earth and was destined to be poor. Kevin married twice after that, and each wife was worse than the other. Allison Tanner, the first wife, was haughty and materialistic. She left because she could not stand that her husband was too honest. She might have many negative aspects, but the only thing good about her was that she left Old Master Rayne with Bianca. Jennifer Lee, Kevin''s second wife, was even more haughty and arrogant. She dominated over her husband, not allowing him to visit his father, and forbade Old Master Rayne and Bianca from visiting him in A City. Kevin was too submissive toward his wife. He had neglected his father and daughter for many years. That was how Old Master Rayne had raised Bianca in the small town for many years. Life was tough back then, but Old Master Rayne was satisfied. He did not expect that his granddaughter grew up to be a very capable individual. Not only did shend herself a well-paying job in the big city, but she also found an outstanding husband who cared for him. Old Master Rayne did not have anything else to ask for. "Don''t mention it, Grandpa. I''m your granddaughter. This is what I should do." Bianca took out a stack of dor bills from her handbag and stuffed it in Old Master Rayne''s hands. "I just got paid recently. You can take this. Let me know if it''s not enough." Old Master Rayne did not have a bank ount. He only used cash. His eyes widened, but he declined the offer. "You''ve paid for my stay here. Why do I need money? I don''t go shopping anyway, and I''ll be keeping the cash in the house. What if a thief breaks in?" Biancaughed, but she insisted on giving her grandfather the money." Don''t worry, the security in this neighborhood is very good. There wont be any break-ins. Shouldn''t you keep some money with you in case you see something that you like? Otherwise, your neighbors might think that I don''t treat you well and don''t give you spending money. You''d better take this money, Grandpa. Otherwise, I''ll be angry!¡± "This is a small token from Bianca, Father. You should take it," Wanda, who was ying with the children, added. It was not very often that Bianca acted coyly toward her grandfather. Old Master Rayne shook his head helplessly and took the stack of dor bills. He sighed and said to Bianca, "Alright then, I''ll take the money and save it for you." Soon, it was noon. The caretaker had taken a few days off, so Bianca and Wanda prepared lunch. They bought two full bags of ingredients from the supermarket. Bianca bought some organic chicken and pork ribs to make a nutritious stew for Old Master Rayne and Luke. While cleaning the vegetables in the kitchen, Wanda gave her advice to Bianca. "Bianca, you might have two children with Luke, but you should get him to marry you. I''m speaking from experience here. When a man loves you, he can treat you like a treasure and give you the world, but when he doesn''t love you, it won''t matter even if you die. "The world is so chaotic now, and there are so many temptations outside there. Men can be fickle, so you need a legal marriage to protect yourself. If you end up in divorce, at least you get to leave with something. "You should also learn how to dress up yourself. Look at you. You''re going to be twenty-five years old next year, but you still dress like a college student. Men are like bees; they like the most colorful blooms. If you don''t know how to unt yourself, you''ll eventually wilt and lose all your amazing colors. It''ll be toote when your bee goes to other flowers for honey..."N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Wanda had always groomed herself impably. Bianca had never seen her without makeup. Even though Wanda was divorced, she had carried herself well, and her face had never looked haggard. She was as delicate and elegant as usual. Bianca agreed to some of Wanda''s points but disagreed with the others. She believed that Luke was not a bee, and he would not seek wildflowers. Bianca knew that her aunt cared for her. After all, Wanda''s only surviving rtions were Old Master Rayne and Bianca. It was natural for Wanda to be concerned about Bianca''s marriage. Bianca gently stirred the chicken stew and took in the fragrance. She smiled and said to Wanda, "You don''t have to worry about me, Aunt Wanda. Things will turn out fine. Right, how has your health been? Have you been to the hospital for checkups?" Bianca looked at her aunt worriedly. Wanda suffered from cancer. She had been taking oral medication ever since she returned to the country. Sometimes, she felt that life was not fair. Her father had died of cancer, and now her aunt was suffering from the same illness. "I''m feeling much better than before. I''m taking a naturopathy course. The effects might not be that immediately, but at least it''s non-invasive. You need to learn how to dress up, Bianca. Old clothes can be changed, crumpled money can be smoothened, but your beauty won''tst. "You might be young and beautiful now, but it''ll be toote if you only start to take care of your skin when you reach my age... Listen to me, Bianca, you should get your marriage certificate with Luke as soon as you can. The wedding ceremony can wait," Wanda said. Before Bianca could reply, a resonant and pleasant masculine voice could be heard from behind them. "We will be holding our wedding ceremony soon, Aunt Wanda. You don''t have to worry about that. Pleasee and give us your blessings by then.¡± Bianca turned around, shocked. Luke had suddenly appeared in the kitchen. He stood there in his business suit. Light from the kitchen window shone onto his porcin-like neck, which turned it slightly pink... Chapter 378 Chapter 378 So Caring and Indulgent Everything served at lunch was home-cooked, but it had a full spread of meats, an assortment of vegetables, and Old Master Rayne''s favorite sake. Luke had found out about Old Master Rayne''s favorite sake brand from Bianca. He took a long detour on the way and bought it. After serving the rib stew on the table, Bianca sat down next to Luke. She scooped some stew into her grandfather''s te and said, "Grandpa, I''ve learned how to cook from recipe books. Try them. I hope that you''ll like it." Most of the dishes were Old Master Rayne''s favorites, while the others were Luke''s favorite dishes. Old Master Rayne patted Luke''s shoulders and heaped praise on his granddaughter. "My granddaughter is pretty good, right? Look at all the dishes served on the table. Not only do they look good, but they taste good too. I''m already drooling from the smell alone. You''re so lucky to marry my Bianca. She¡¯s been a good girl since young, but she is too soft. She won''tin even if someone wronged her. You''d better not bully my granddaughter, Luke!" Old Master Rayne had met Luke several times and knew that he was the boss of a multinational company. Luke might be rich, but he was not arrogant. Instead, he was polite and courteous toward Old Master Rayne, which gave the old man a good impression of him. Old Master Rayne was nheless worried. His granddaughter was a good girl, but the outstanding man came from a wealthy family. Meanwhile, his family was not rich or influential, and he feared that he was a burden. He was also worried that his granddaughter might be looked down upon. Luke''s well-built body sat elegantly on the dining chair. While discreetly fondling Bianca''s petite hand, he spoke jokingly to Old Master Rayne, ¡® Don''t worry, Grandpa. Bianca''s position in the family is higher than mine. She''s always the one bullying me. Would I dare to bully her? I don''t think I''ve pampered her enough!" "Good boy! Here, let''s drink..." Old Master Rayne was in good spirits today. After several drinks, his face was glowing red, and he seemed tipsy. Bianca hurriedly snatched her grandfather''s cup when she saw that. "You ought to drink less, Grandpa. It''s not good for your health." Old Master Rayne nced at Bianca unhappily. "I''m in a good mood today. I know my body better than anyone else, and I won''t copse after just a few drinks. I''d like to have a few more drinks with my grandson-inw." Wanda, who had been cing food on the twins'' tes, frowned when she heard that. "You might be in a good mood today, Father, but you shouldn''t drink too much. When we went to the hospital for your checkup a few days ago, the doctor said that you should quit drinking. If your body can''t take it and you have to be hospitalized, Bianca would have toe and take care of you." Old Master Rayne mmed the cup heavily on the table when he heard what his daughter said. His expression sank, and he said angrily, "Fine, I won''t drink anymore! My grandson-inw is here to visit me, and I thought I''d drink a few more cups with him. What''s wrong with that?" Bianca sighed helplessly. What was she going to do with her grandfather who loved alcohol? The twins looked at their great-grandfather with their big and round eyes. Their mouths were open, and they had forgotten to chew. The way how their maternal great-grandfather threw a tantrum was exactly the same as Old Master Crawford! Old Master Crawford suffered from high blood pressure and could not eat oily or spicy food, but he loved to eat meat. When Luke tried to restrict his diet, he would throw a tantrum just like that, and the twins would find it too funny! Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Luke had his own way of dealing with bad-tempered old men. After all, he could handle Old Master Crawford who had a bad temper. Old Master Rayne looked more like an overaged child. He ced his cup on the table elegantly, smiled, and said gently, "I''ve drunk a little with my client before I got here. The sake is too strong, and I don''t think I can manage another drink. How about we drink another day? Right, my old man has several bottles of fine red wine in his cer at home. Not only does it taste amazing, but it''s also good for your health. You can even drink a bottle of that without any ill effects. Unfortunately, I was in a hurry toe today, and I forgot to bring it for you. I''ll bring a bottle of wine next time, and we''ll drink it together. How about that?" Old Master Rayne felt a lot better when his grandson-inw alleviated the situation. When he heard that there would be wine, his clouded eyes sparkled. ¡¯ Alright, we''ll drink to our fill the next time then!" The family continued the meal happily. Luke had to chat with Old Master Rayne and at the same time answer Wanda''s incisive questions. However, he could handle them just fine. Luke was not used to being so chatty with strangers, but Old Master Rayne was different. The old man was gentle and caring. He would have never experienced such homeliness back in Crawford Manor, and that made him want to be part of this family. He helped Bianca take a lot of food and piled her te high. "You''re too skinny, Bianca. You ought to eat more..." His eyes brimmed with indulgence. His movements were so natural, as though he had done that for a million times. Old Master Rayne and Wanda saw all that. Old Master Rayne had lived for a long time. He could tell that Luke was genuinely kind to his granddaughter. Wanda was worried that the rich man might only be temporarily infatuated with her niece. However, from Luke''s performance at the dining table, she could see that his love for her was genuine, i However, Wanda was not very at ease yet. She felt that a man''s love toward a woman was fleeting. For example, when her husband was madly in love with her, the way he pampered her would cause every woman in Japan to envy her. Once that love was gone, he would not turn to look at her no matter how she cried and begged... All she hoped was that her kind and gentle niece would not suffer as she did. After lunch, Bianca and Wanda cleaned up while Luke yed chess with Old Master Rayne. At night, Bianca, Luke, and the two children stayed for dinner and the night. Luke might be two generations apart from Old Master Rayne, but he knew how to appease the old man. Even Wanda, who had some biased opinions against him, was eventually convinced that he was the right man for Bianca. The next morning, Luke had to rush back to his office, while Bianca had to take care of Nina at the hospital. Old Master Rayne was reluctant to see them leave. However, he knew that they had their personal lives and could not be always apanying him. He saw them off at the door. Before he left, Old Master Rayne handed him a red envelope. "Take this. It''s a family tradition for a grandfather to give his grandson-inw some money. This is my blessing for the two of you. You''ll have to ept it..." Luke was shocked. In his many years in the business world, his social circle consisted of people from the upper echelons of society. Those people were either greedy, ttering, or deceptive, but they had a singr goal, which was to get money from him. He had given a lot of money to those people. It was the first time someone gave him money... Chapter 379 Chapter 379 She Would Like To See What Leia Would Do To Her! Of course, none of Luke''s family members ever gave him extra money, not even when he was a child. His grandfather had been strict with him. Susan treated him with hostility. Meanwhile, his mother Allison was the one asking him for money instead. Luke felt extremely emotional as he held the envelope in his hand. The envelope was light, but he felt that it was so heavy that his hands were trembling. Luke did not want to take money from an old man, but the envelope carried a special meaning. He had to take it. "Luke, Grandpa won''t let you leave if you don''t ept the money. It''s a tradition in our family," Bianca said gently as she held onto his arm. She knew how stubborn her grandfather could be. If Luke did not ept the envelope, Old Master Rayne was not going to let him leave. "Thank you, Grandpa," Luke felt that his throat was dry, but his heart was indescribably warm. This is from N?velDrama.Org. "We got envelopes too, Daddy! Great-Grandpa and Great Aunt Wanda gave them to us." The two children went through their backpacks as though searching for something. After a while, the two children took out two envelopes each from their backpacks and showed them off. Their elders had given them the envelopes right before bedtime. After that, they forgot to tell their parents. Now that they saw their father receiving an envelope, they wanted to show that they got one too. Luke nced sternly at the twins, who were only as tall as his thigh. "Are you hiding money from me now, hmm?" The twins were intimidated by their father''s stern re and quickly hid behind their mother. Lanie lowered his head guiltily, while Rainie tried to argue. "I''m not hiding money! Yesterday, Big Bro and I were too tired, and I forgot to tell you after we woke up. I''m sorry..." Old Master Rayne felt sorry for the two children when they saw how scared they were of their father! Heforted the children by patting their little heads and said to Luke in a rebuking tone, "I was the one who insisted on them taking the envelopes. You shouldn''t me them." The old man was very fond of the twins. "You shouldn''t spoil them, Grandpa," Bianca said helplessly, "We''ll be going for now, and we''ll visit you whenever we''re free. You should take care of your health. Goodbye, Aunt Wanda..." After saying their goodbyes, the family drove off. Old Master Rayne stood in front of the door with his walking stick. He remained there, not saying a word, for a long time. Wanda gently tugged Old Master Rayne¡¯s arm and said, "It''s cold outside. Let''s go back into the house." Old Master Rayne walked back while being supported by his daughter." Wanda, do you think that Luke wouldin that I don''t give him enough money? After all, he¡¯s so rich," he said worriedly. "How much did you give him. Father?" Wanda asked curiously. "Eight hundred dors. That''s a lucky number," Old Master Rayne said. "That''s enough, Father. It''s considered a lot of money in our hometown. What''s important is your intention. Moreover, your grandson-inw isn''t short on money anyway." If Luke dropped eight hundred dors on the floor, he might not even bend down and pick it up. In the time it took him to do so, he would have already earned a hundred times more money. However, the envelope was a symbol of the old man''s blessing to him and Luke. It was incredibly meaningful, and he would treasure it. "Our Bianca is lucky. I have noints about Luke, but I can''t say the same for his family! Just like you. I''ve told you that you shouldn''t marry that Japanese guy, but you don''t listen, and now... sigh..." When he mentioned his daughter''s unhappy marriage, Old Mater Rayne became dejected, and the wrinkles on his face seemed to grow. A hint of agony shed past Wanda''s face, but she soonposed herself in a few seconds. "Father, Bianca and I are different. My marriage might be unhappy, but that doesn''t mean she wouldn''t find happiness in her marriage. I think that Luke is a good man, and he will treat Bianca well. You don''t have to worry about her. I believe Bianca will be very happy under his care." "I hope so too..." Old Master Rayne sighed. The old man''s hunched back seemed to hunch even more. Soon, it was Monday. Bianca was very busy at work. The coboration project between T Corporation and Vivi Group would be starting construction after the new year, and the small team had to brave against the cold and go to survey the site. It was about two o''clock in the afternoon when they returned to the office. Bianca did not waste any time and started working on the presentation. Halfway through it, Be came into the office. She knocked on Bianca''s table and said to her imperiously, "There''s a shortage of personnel in the advertising department now, Bianca. Follow me and go there to help out." Bianca was exasperated that her work was interrupted, though she tried to speak nicely, "I still have a lot of unfinished work, Madam. Moreover, I remember that the advertising department has more employees than our department. Why would they be short on personnel?" Be towered over Bianca and looked at her conservative clothes with disdain. "I''m telling you to go, so you have to go. I''m your superior, and you''ll have to listen to whatever I saw. So what if I''m asking you to help out there? The celebrity Leia Norman is here for amercial shoot today, and so many employees in thepany want to help out. She explicitly wants you to go over. Let me tell you, shees from an influential family. If you make her angry, even I can''t help you!" Be said impatiently. Then, she stepped on her high heels and sashayed out of the office. Bianca''s expression changed when she heard that Leia Norman asked for her specifically. Sue tossed the pen in her hands andined, "What''s wrong with her? We have other employees in the department, so why does she want you? That Leia Norman is also very pretentious. Can''t so many people in the advertising department appease her? Why does she need you specifically? Don''t go, Bianca. She can''t do anything to you if you don''t go!" Bianca thought for a while and replied, "Never mind. I''ll go and see what Leia Norman wants." She did not have any evidence that Leia was involved in the Persian cat incident at Blue Honors, but she had a hunch that Leia was the culprit behind it. She wanted to go and see why Leia wanted her there. Chapter 380 Chapter 380 Bianca Might Look Docile, But She Has A Sharp Tongue! T Corporation advertising department. The interior shooting location was beautifully decorated, and all the employees were busy at work. The shoot was for amercial of T Corporation''stest Queen series perfumes which would be launched after the new year. It was fragrant, long-sting, and epitomized feminine charm and allure. The theme of themercial this time was "obsession." When Bianca stepped into the location, she could see that everyone was busy in their roles. Leia was in a see-through outfit and smokey eye makeup. She was in the middle of a shoot. The crew members were busy attending to her. They took a short break during which the cosmetician touched up Leia''s makeup. After that, she returned to the scene. Josef, the director, sat behind a high shutter speed camera. He was talking through the walkie-talkie, telling the lighting technician to turn up the brightness. After the lighting was adjusted, he got cameras 1 and 2 to change their positions. Then, he spoke loudly into the walkie-talkie, Til need everyone¡¯s cooperation to get the shoot to work this time!" Josef was an internationally renowned director. Two of his movies, '' A Beautiful Soul" and "Magic Arrow," have earned him the Best Director award in the Oscars. He had directedmercials for other major perfume brands like Chanel and Dior. "Roger that," All the crew members replied. "Action!" Once Josef gave themand, the gaffer, lighting technicians, and camera crew became serious. Cameras 1, 2, and 3 all pointed at Leia to capture the perfect angle. The camera crew pressed the record button. Leia held a perfume bottle in her hand. She changed various seductive poses, including lying on the floor, facing the camera with her back, or using her arm to cover half of her face. In any case, they all looked awkward. Bianca could not help but shake her head. Leia had always maintained a pure image. Now that she had to unt her seductive charm, she could not help but be reserved. The seductive poses turned out stiff and awkward. "Cut!" In only a few minutes, Josef gave themand to stop. He looked at Leia disappointedly and said coldly, "You don''t seem like you''re in your element, Ms. Norman. How about we take a ten-minute break and continue. Our theme for this shoot is ''obsession,'' and you should be overbearing as a queen. Your gaze was hollow and innocent, and you should be more seductive. Try and figure it out." Leia was feeling discouraged. She noticed Josef''s disappointed gaze on her. She had tried her best to look as seductive as possible! Toplete the shoot, she had tried her best to devote herself to the role, even forgetting to eat. The shoot had gone on for almost a day, and it was not done yet. Previously, all hermercial shoots were done in one take. She had given her best to the shoot. What more did the bad-tempered director want? She thought that the director was deliberately being troublesome, but she maintained herposure and said, "Thank you for your pointers, Mr. Josef. I''ll pay more attention next time." After Leia stepped away from the scene, Josef sat behind the camera reviewing the footage. He spoke to his assistant helplessly, "This actress is pretty, but she doesn''t have any soul. Her performance was stiff, and her bearing isn''t suitable for this brand at all. Mr. Crawford has always been a good judge of character. I wonder why he would pick her as the spokesperson..." The people in the shooting location surrounded Leia. An assistant handed Leia a bottle of water. She daintily sipped from the bottle, cursing the director to hell under her smiling face. Everyone tried to tter Leia because of her status, and no one had directly criticized her acting skills in front of her, even though her skills were subpar. Josef had criticized her skills in front of everyone, disregarding her status. That made Leia feel very aggrieved, but she could not vent it out. "Ms. Norman." Bianca walked in front of Leia. "When I was working, my department lead said that the advertising department needs my help, and Ms. Norman had specifically requested me toe. Now that I''m here, there doesn''t seem to be a shortage of personnel." Bianca''s tone was calm. Leia put her water bottle down and turned to look at Bianca. "I''m sorry to have disturbed your work, Ms. Rayne. You should know that one of my two assistants had a small ident at Blue Honors, and she had to go back to her hometown to recuperate for a period. The other assistant happened to take a few days off too, and they can''t be by my side today. I''m not too familiar with T Corporation, and I tend to be nervous in new environments. I thought that you can be my temporary assistant since we''re acquaintances. Maybe you can help me adjust to the environment so we can finish the shoot as soon as possible. Surely you wouldn''t mind that, right?" The excuse was rather far-fetched, but Leia put on a humble face while speaking earnestly. That left a good impression on the surrounding crew members. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. They knew that Leia came from a family of politicians, but she did not put on any airs at all. Her kind and understanding character made her popr among the employees of the advertising department. Bianca smiled superficially. "It''s an honor to serve you, Ms. Norman. This isn''t part of my job scope as a designer, but as an employee of T Corporation, I''ll have to do whatever my superior tells me to." She might have said that it was her duty to serve Leia, but the implication was that Leia should not have gotten Bianca''s department lead to ask Bianca to cross departments. Leia could hear the implications in Bianca''s words. As she looked at Bianca, she remembered how she had nearly be a victim of her own scheme at Blue Honors. Percy had extorted arge sum from her, which made her extremely unhappy. She would not have to lose so much money if not for Bianca. She was going to torment Bianca while doing themercial shoot at T Corporation. However, she did not expect that Bianca had such a sharp tongue, despite her docile appearance... Leia was smiling on the outside, but she was cursing on the inside. ''This woman doesn''t know what''s good for her. I''ll make her suffer!'' Chapter 381 Chapter 381 She Did Not Expect That Bianca Would... Leia treated Bianca, the designer, as her assistant. Bianca was tasked to fill Leia''s water bottle and help her with her lines. Leia even asked her to get coffee from the cafe nearby. She did not give Bianca any chance to rest. Whenever she gave her orders, she did not speak haughtily. Instead, she would gently "beg1'' and use "Please" to ask for anything, which meant that the other people did not have the chance to criticize her. The employees of the advertising department thought that it was rare for a famous celebrity to behave so humbly. They thought that Bianca should be happy working for her. Normal people would rarely, if ever, get the chance to be a celebrity''s assistant. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Bianca knew that Leia was purposely making her life difficult, but she tried not to be angry. She was in no position to cross Leia, and she did not want Leia toin to her father Jack, which might cause trouble for Luke. When she came back with Leia''s coffee, she stood next to the director and watched the next take. "Cut!" Josef had stopped the shoot countless times. Bianca could not help but giggle. She was not gloating. Instead, Leia¡¯s performance was thoroughly mediocre. She tried her best to unt her femininity and forgot that the subject of the shoot should be the perfume. The more dissatisfied Josef was, the worse Leia''s performance became. It had be a vicious cycle. The handsome Scandinavian male model who was supposed to be Leia''s partner wasmendable, but he was also getting tired and grumpy from the repeated failed takes caused by Leia. In Josef''s many years of shooting movies andmercials and his encounter with countless famous actors and models, he had never seen an actress as wooden as Leia. She was like a puppet with a beautiful exterior but no soul. The shoot should have been wrapped in one morning, but by the end of the day, they were not close to done. Josef was an internationally renowned director whose time was precious. He was extremely frustrated with Leia''s performance. When he heard someone giggling next to him, he furiously turned his head to look at the source of the laughter! However, when Josef saw Bianca''s giggling face, he was shocked! The woman was dressed in conservative office wear. That was a striking contrast with her clear eyes and docile facial features. She looked so young and tender but at the same time eye-catchingly seductive. She could be the object of indulgent fantasies. Josef could not see Bianca''s name tag clearly. He turned to ask the advertising department manager in German. "Who is that girl? Did yourpany hire her as a model? Her character is very suitable for the theme of this campaign. How about we use her as the model for themercial?" The advertising manager nced at Bianca, noticed from her nametag that she was from the design department, and replied to Josef, "Mr. Josef, that youngdy is an employee from the design department. Ms. Norman asked her to be her temporary assistant. The model of themercial should be Ms. Leia Norman. It''s not very appropriate to rece her abruptly, right?" While Bianca was in college, she took several semesters of German. In fact, she was quite fluent in the language. Soon, she realized that Josef and the advertising manager were talking about her. She walked in front of the director, slightly confused, and said," Nice to meet you, Mr. Josef. I am Bianca Rayne from the design department. Ms. Norman''s assistant could not make it today, and I''m here to help her temporarily." Bianca''s ent was spot-on. If one did not know her, they might even think that she was German. A sparkle appeared in Josefs blue eyes. He repeated Bianca''s name several times and smiled. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Rayne. I think that your character suits the Queen series perfumes very well. Are you interested in trying out?" Josef was a rather arrogant man, and he was not afraid to offend Leia. He was not going to tter the celebrity but instead tried to keep his distance from her. The advertising manager was shocked when Josef asked Bianca sincerely. He knew that Josef set very high standards for his actors. Leia might not be an international celebrity, but she should have the experience to match Josefs standards. It was not out of the ordinary for amateurs to star inmercials, but how would Bianca Rayne, someone who had never appeared in front of the camera before, be able to satisfy Josef? Bianca was at a loss when she heard Josefs invitation, but she instantly declined it without giving it a thought. "Mr. Josef, I am a designer. I don''t have any screen experience, much less star in Josef waved at Bianca. His harsh gaze was filled with anticipation and confidence. "No, I think that you''re the perfect choice! How about this, Ms. Rayne, go and get changed, and we''ll do a test shoot. If it doesn''t turn out as expected, then well forget all about it. Is that OK with you? Suzanne, take her to the make-up room!" The cosmetician led Bianca backstage to put on make-up and get changed. She did not give time for Bianca to decline. Leia stood there awkwardly and looked at Bianca. It was supposed to be her time to shine. She had asked Bianca toe to be her servant. Unexpectedly, the unremarkable Bianca had somehow caught Josef''s eye, and Bianca was going to rece her as the model for the shoot! Bianca never had any screen experience. She was a total amateur! She did not believe that Bianca would do better than her! When Bianca reappeared again, everyone''s eyes opened wide and stared at her. Her long, ck hair was permed into a big wave. Gone were her innocent and pure looks, and she was now a seductress. The contrast was huge, but no one thought that it was awkward. Bianca stood there, like a Queen! Chapter 382 Chapter 382 Loving Bianca Meant A Lifetime of Bliss Bianca''s height was not remarkable, but she had a lean figure. The pure white tube top skirt looked dominating yet elegant on her. The pair of crystal high heels added four inches to her height. "Very good!" Josef eximed and gestured a thumbs-up at Bianca. He noticed that Bianca seemed flustered. He patted Bianca''s shoulder and said, "Acting can be very easy or very difficult, Ms. Rayne. It''s not just about how you look; it''s also about how you feel. You just have to put your soul into it. Don''t worry, it''s just a shortmercial. Just rx and treat it as though you''re on vacation." Bianca was slightlyforted by Josefs words. It was her first time appearing in front of the camera. She did not have any experience at all. In fact, she felt as though she was forced to do so... Bianca wanted Luke''smercial to be a sess. That would be a major contributing factor to the product''s sales. No matter how badly Leia might have performed, she was nheless a public face and a recognizable celebrity. Meanwhile... she was nobody at all. She was extremely reluctant to step onto the set. The production crew quickly returned to their posts. Josef and the assistant directors pointed their cameras at Bianca at the same time and her face was gradually brought into focus. "Mr. Josef, I, I can''t..." Bianca sat awkwardly on the prop. She was feeling helpless. "Don''t worry. Just listen to my direction and pay attention to my hand," Josef said. With no other choice, she leaned onto the prop that was covered in flowers. In the camera, Bianca''s fair and delicate face was enhanced by the lighting. Every frown, smile, and head movement might seem flustered, but there was an animated spirit in her eyes... Josef''s eyes opened wide, and he shouted excitedly, "That''s it! Just like that! Be more seductive, act like you''re enjoying it..." Under the bright lights, Bianca was clueless at first. After a while, she seemed to have understood what the director wanted. She smiled charmingly at the camera, which charmed the production crew and brightened up the studio... Leia was waiting to see Bianca make a fool out of herself. As the shoot progressed, her expression became more and more unpleasant, and her fists were clenched tightly. ''That woman Bianca usually dresses so conservatively. Why does she look like a different person after a change of clothes?'' She cursed under her breath. ''Why can she put up such a great performance even though she doesn''t have any screen experience?'' On the set, Bianca''s fair legs were half-exposed. She satzily on the prop, spraying Queen perfume on herself. She closed her eyes and took a whiff. The cameras captured Bianca''s wless face from all angles. As she spoke the lines while leaning on the prop, she seemed to have transformed into azy cat. Her figure was alluring, and her gaze was charming, presenting all the qualities of Queen perfume. Meanwhile, Luke had entered the studio. The crew was busy shooting. No one noticed that he hade in. When several employees noticed him and wanted to greet him, Luke ced his finger on his lips. When Leia noticed the man, her eyes lit up in delight, and she went forward to greet him, "Mr. Crawford...¡¯ Luke nodded at her as a gesture of courtesy and ignored her after that. He silently observed Bianca on the set. There was a hint of gentle indulgence in his noble gaze. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. There were many women in this world that were more beautiful than Bianca, but she was the only one who captivated him. He had seldom seen Bianca like that. His woman''s charming smile was like original sin. Falling in love with her meant a lifetime of bliss, and he could not stop himself from thinking about her. Leia stood awkward next to him, watching him stare at the woman he loved. Her face began to contort, and her hatred toward Bianca grew... "Oh my god, that youngdy''s performance is better than some professional actresses..." Josef said to his assistant director. He was thoroughly impressed. If that woman ventured into the entertainment industry, she would charm the hearts of many men. Her beauty emanated naturally from her soul. Like how the English poet John Keats put it, "Beauty is truth, truth beauty," Bianca was the perfect example of that line. "That''s a wrap!" Josef said excitedly. He could not believe that Bianca did not have any screen experience or did not go to film school. It would be a pity if she did not go into acting! To Josef, Leia was nothing more than a mechanical puppet who only knew how to recite lines. Meanwhile, Bianca was a natural. She was wholly conscious about her role, and she knew how to perform without too much direction. In short, she was a pleasant surprise. Bianca only noticed Luke after the production crew wrapped up. She walked in front of him and smiled stiffly. "How was my performance? I''ve never done any shooting before, but Mr. Josef insisted that I try. I... I was nervous." Luke caressed her permed hair in front of everyone. "You were perfect." "I didn''t expect to find such amazing talent in yourpany, Mr. Crawford! This architectural designer has such amazing acting skills. How wonderful!" Josef came over and greeted Luke. Then, he turned to Bianca and asked her seriously, "Are you interested in starting your acting career, Ms. Rayne? If you want to venture into the entertainment industry, I can pull some strings for you. It''d be a big waste if you don''t use your talents!" Chapter 383 Chapter 383 A Double Loss! Luke frowned when he imagined Bianca appearing on the silver screen for the other men to see and admire. He rejected the idea without giving it a second thought. "There''s no need, Mr. Josef. She''s not suited for the entertainment industry." However, Josef insisted. "The youngdy has great potential. I can guarantee that she''ll be famous around the world in just one movie!" Luke believed that Josef had the ability. The director had created more stars in Hollywood than any other director. However, Luke did not want Bianca to enter the chaotic entertainment industry. He expressed his opinion once more, "Mr. Josef, Bianca''s interest is in architectural design. She wants to be a famous designer and not a celebrity." "She can be a designer while she works on her acting career. It''s just a change in titles. Ms. Rayne can put her acting first and do design on the side. There''s no conflict between the two." Seeing that he could not convince Luke, Josef turned his head and asked for Bianca''s opinion, "Are you interested in venturing into the entertainment industry, Ms. Rayne?" Bianca smiled gently and rejected Josef''s offer as well. "I appreciate your offer, Mr. Josef, but my passion is in design." She made her stand clear. Josef shook his head helplessly. He was quite disappointed with Bianca''s insistence. The advertising manager shot a surprised nce at Bianca. So many people wanted the famous director to notice them, but they never had the chance. With Josefs guidance, one would easily make it big in the entertainment industry. However, that woman named Bianca Rayne had rejected the offer so directly. Did she know what she was missing? Josef might be disappointed, but he gave Bianca his name card. "If at any time you find yourself interested again, feel free to contact me." "Thank you." Bianca took the name card and expressed her gratitude. Luke did not say anything, though his stern expression indicated that he would not want Bianca to enter the entertainment industry. She belonged to him alone. No other man was worthy to covet her beauty. "I was halfway done with my presentation, Mr. Crawford. I should go back to work." Bianca suddenly remembered that she was not done with her presentation yet. She wanted to get back to her office as soon as possible. Luke gently scraped her nose bridge with the tip of his finger. "Mm. Don''t overwork yourself. Well go home together tonight." He said "go home" instead of "go back," which warmed Bianca''s heart. She did not know since when she had be an important part of Luke''s life. It felt good to be able to go to work and off work with him. After Bianca left, Luke turned to look at Leia. Leia''s charming face was lethargically pale and carried an undetectable hint of jealousy. She should have been the model for the perfumemercial, but somehow, Bianca had reced her. She wanted to use the opportunity to get close to Josef. Being a Hollywood star was her lifelong dream. She also wanted to get closer to Luke and lower the defenses of his heat. Unfortunately for her, all her ns went awry. Leia had never felt so defeated in her life. "Ms. Norman, I apologize for the situation earlier. Ourpany has breached the contract, and we will compensate three times the termination fee. The fault is entirely on me, and not on the director; he has done nothing wrong except for being too responsible for his job. What do you think?" Luke said sincerely. Leia wavered as she looked at his handsome face. She might be extremely resentful, but she did not show any dissatisfaction in front of Luke and Josef. Instead, she smiled magnanimously. "It''s fine, Mr. Crawford. I was indeed not in my element today. I will go back and reflect on my faults, and I hope that I''ll have the chance to work with you again." Josef was the one who had insisted on recing the model, but Luke did not me him for that. Instead, he shifted all the fault to himself. Instantly, his admiration for the man grew. He nodded apologetically at Luke, then turned to give Leia some words of encouragement. "Ms. Norman, you have a beautiful appearance, but your range of expression restricts you to pure characters. You still need a lot of practice before you can portray other types. Given your good-natured temper, I believe that you''ll be an outstanding actress in the future." Leia might be smiling, but her smile was slightly stiff. If the director had not reced her with Bianca, she would still be the model for Queen perfume. Her resentment toward Josef was extremely strong. However, she did not show any dissatisfaction on her face at all. Instead, she said politely, "Thank you for your illumination, Mr. Josef. I will do my best to hone my acting skills." Josef smiled but did not say anything further. He exchanged a few more words with Luke before leaving. Luke wanted to leave, but Leia immediately stopped him. "Mr. Crawford." Luke lit a cigarette. The firelight danced between the man''s slender fingers. He took a drag and stared at her. "Is there anything else, Ms. Norman?" "My birthday is in a few days. Will youe to my birthday party?" Leia found the courage to ask the question. "I''m always busy at my work, and I rarely attend social gatherings. I''m not very fond of crowds, much less if too many young people are around. Thank you for your invitation. I''ll be sure to send my present on time." Leia stood there, petrified. The heater was on full st, but she felt a chilling cold rising from her feet. "Mr. Crawford, 1..."N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Luke stopped walking away and turned to look at the woman. Leia stared at the man. He was so handsome, and she had fallen in love with him at first sight. She had never seen a man''s bearing that perfectlybined gentility, tenderness, and detachment! He was so close to her, but she felt that the distance between them could not be bridged. She felt that she would never get close to the man, try as she might. She was not going to give up just like that! Chapter 384 Chapter 384 Bianca Is the True Ms. Norman! Luke had a charm that could steal a woman''s soul, but he had always kept a polite distance from Leia. Leia did not understand. She had given her all to him, but why did he treat her so coldly? "Mr. Crawford...¡¯ Leia pressed her lips together and said coyly. Her thoughts went back to that night when they were entangled on the bed She kneaded her hands tightly and asked gently, "That night, at my Grandpa''s birthday party, have you forgotten what happened between us?" Luke turned to nce at her blushing cheeks coldly. "What could have possibly happened? I was together with Bianca that night. I don''t know what might have given you the idea that I like you, but I''m sorry to tell you that the only woman I love is Bianca. That was true in the past, and that is true now. Right, when you go home, please let your mother know that no one can try to meddle in my rtionships. Tell her not to cause Bianca any trouble;e to look for me if there''s anything. I''ll be going off now, Ms. Norman, and I apologize for not being able to entertain you." Leia watched as Luke''s tall and well-built body disappeared from view and gentlyughed self- deprecatingly. She was not in a private space. She had to force herself to be calm. Luke said that he was together with Bianca the whole time during her grandfather''s birthday party... He should not have to resort to lies. Did that mean that the man who had made out in bed with her that night was not Luke? i Leia was stricken by panic when she thought of that possibility. However, there was another possibility. Someone who took the drug would be in a daze and forget about what they did. Could Luke have forgotten about what he did that night? Leia thought that it was quite possible. However, she nheless felt uneasy about the whole situation. Some things seemed to be out of her control. ''No, I have to get this clear!'' After Leia hurriedly left the studio, the employees from the advertising department started to gossip excitedly. "Hey, didn''t the rumors say that Leia Norman was dating our boss? It was said that they were even nning for marriage. That doesn''t seem like the case!¡± A female employee said. "Yes, anyone can see that our boss has an eye for Bianca Rayne from the design department. Don''t tell me that it''s all Leia''s wishful thinking!" Another female employeeughed and joined in the conversation. "Who knows? I don''t really understand what''s going on with our boss. Didn''t we see Ms. Normane to thepany to personally deliver chicken soup to our boss? She even thinks that she is our boss''s girlfriend. It seems that things are turning out the other way. The boss treats her more like a stranger than his girlfriend..." "Hey, do you think that our boss really likes that Bianca Rayne from the design department? I don''t think she''s anyone special, other than her pretty face. Do you think that she''ll be Mrs. Crawford?" "Ahem..." The advertising manager came over and swept a stern gaze over the employees. "Don''t you have anything to do other than gossip about Mr. Crawford''s personal life? Do you still want your job here?" The employees instantly shut up, nced at the manager, dispersed from the studio, and returned to their posts. Leia returned to herpany dejectedly. Just when she arrived at the office, she received a call from the private detective. "Hello?¡¯ "Are you free now, Ms. Norman? I found some ssified information, and I want to give it to you now." The private detective sounded happy. The volume on Leia''s phone was quite loud. Several other actors from the samepany turned to look at her. Her heart skipped a beat. She lowered the volume and quickly went to a secluded corner. "I''m at the company now. Come here and I''ll meet you in the newly-opened restaurant near thepany." Half an hourter, the bearded private detective found Leia in a private room. He handed her a thick stack of documents. Leia browsed through the documents, and her hands started to tremble. "Is ... is this all true? You''re not lying to me?" "Ms. Norman, I might seem sloppy and careless, but I''ve always been honest. You''ve paid me a lot of money to do this, so why would I want to deceive you with fake information? If the information is fake, it''ll be exposed sooner orter, and my reputation will be ruined!'' The detective said as he crossed his legs and chewed on tobo. Leia read every word on the documents. The more she read, the more panicked and desperate she became. The thick documents were wet and crumpled from the sweat on her palms! ''Bianca Rayne! ''How could my adoptive parents'' birth daughter be Bianca Rayne?!'' Leia knew that their birth daughter was still alive, but how could that person be Bianca Rayne? The results of the investigation showed that Bianca Rayne, the woman she hated and envied the most, the subject of her ridicule, was actually Jack Norman and Queenie Zeigler''s birth daughter. Bianca was the true Ms. Norman! All that she had now was stolen from Bianca. The realization made her feel as though she had swallowed a dead fly. It was disgusting, but she could not spit it out. ording to the report, twenty-five years ago, Jack Norman rose through the political ranks with his own abilities. He refused to conspire with certain corrupt politicians, and they had framed him by implicating him in a smuggling case. He was brought away by federal agents for an investigation. On the day that he was brought away, Queenie suffered a miscarriage, and the baby was born prematurely. The people from the Norman and Zeigler families were kept under close surveince. No one could take care of her other than Allison Tanner, one of her best friends. Queenie was sent to the hospital, but she was suffering fromborplications. Her pelvic bones were not big enough, and she was emotionally disturbed from what happened to her husband. Eventually, Queenie passed out from blood loss. An experienced doctor managed to save her life and delivered a female baby. However, Allison had swapped the baby with a dead one and told Queenie that the baby was stillborn. The baby that was swapped away grew up to be Bianca Rayne... Leia''s expression looked normal, but her heart had been viciously twisted. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. A hint of hostility shed in her eyes as she spoke to the private detective," Thank you for your information. I have one more task for you." Chapter 385 Chapter 385 Get Bianca''s Hair To Do A DNA Test! After the private detective left, Leia remained on her seat, staring at the cup of coffee that had long gone cold. She pinched her arm and felt the sharp pain. She turned to look at the stack of documents on the table again and finally believed that what happened earlier was real! She had lived as a Norman for so long, and she had treated herself as the one and only Ms. Norman. She had never expected that the true Ms. Norman was still alive and might return to rece her one day. As she thought of Luke, the man she loved, she closed her eyes in agony. She had loved the man for too long. If only the man showed the least bit of tenderness to her, she would be satisfied. Bianca Rayne! Leia cackled hideously. Luke single-mindedly loved that woman with a humble background. If Bianca were truly Jack and Queenie''s birth daughter and the truth was revealed one day, Queenie would divert all the love and attention she gave Leia to Bianca. By then, Leia would be abandoned! When she thought of that, Leiaughed coldly. ''Ha, I will not allow this to happen!'' Norman family house. Leia did not see her mother when she got home. She remembered that her mother would usually be practicing yoga at this time, so she went to the yoga room. Indeed, Queenie was practicing yoga. She was almost fifty years old, but her skin remained fair and delicate. It was as though time did not leave a mark on her beauty. She was wearing white yoga clothes that concealed her well-maintained figure. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Leia was impressed by how her mother could perform difficult yoga positions. If she did not know her mother''s true age, she would have thought that the elegant and noble Queenie was only thirty years old. "Mom," Leia called out gently and smiled sweetly. "You seem younger by the day. Everyone else''s mothers be older and older, but you''re aging backward." When Queenie heard Leia''s voice, her gently closed eyes opened slightly." You know how to make me happy. Are you tired from work?" Leia gathered the loose strands of hair next to her ear and said with a smile, "Work wasn''t tiring at all. Mom. I''ll be starring in a medieval fantasy movie soon..." "My daughter is outstanding. I''ve always wanted to star in a movie, but I won''t ever get the chance. I''m happy that you''re fulfilling my dreams," Queenie sighed and said. Leia spread out a mat next to Queenie, and they practiced yoga together. She saw the expectant gaze in her mother''s eyes and pressed her lips. Something shed across her gentle face. "Unfortunately, I haven''t received many positive reviews other than my first movie. I''ve let you down Queenie yfully pinched her daughter''s cheek. "Silly girl, I''ve never had any expectations about your roles. You can continue to act for as long as you like. When you don''t feel like acting anymore, you can come back and help me with my business. If you''re not into business, you can just stay at home, and I''ll pamper you." "You''re so nice to me, Mom. Will you be so nice to me forever?" Leia was moved by Queenie''s words. Queenie said gently, "Of course. I only have one daughter. If I''m not nice to you, who should I be nice to?" At that moment, Leia wanted to ask, "If you know that your birth daughter is still alive, will you still love and pamper me unconditionally?¡± Leia knew better than to ask that question. She swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue and buried them deep within her. She got off the yoga mat, took out a handkerchief from her pocket, and gently wiped Queenie''s cheeks. "You must be thirsty after practicing yoga for so long, Mom. I''ll get you a cup of floral tea. Just wait here." "Mm," Queenie replied. She was bing more and more fond of her adoptive daughter. While Queenie was not paying attention, Leia grabbed two loose strands of Queenie''s hair on the yoga mat, carefully wrapped them in the handkerchief, and put it in her pocket. Aplicated expression shed past her face as she did so. She would find some way to get Bianca''s hair so that she could do a DNA test! If she found out that Queenie''s birth daughter was really Bianca... ''Then you shall not get any mercy from me!'' Leia''s face shed with viciousness. T Corporation. After Bianca finished her presentation, she sent it to Yanis''s work mailbox. She was packing up when she suddenly heard Sue dry-heaving. She saw that Sue''s face was pale. "Are you alright, Sue? Are you sick?" She asked out of concern. I''m just dry-heaving. I don''t feel sick... urk..." Before Sue could finish her sentence, she felt another wave of nausea rushing up to her throat. She covered her mouth and rushed to the washroom. Bianca was worried about her and followed behind her. When Sue got out of the washroom again, her impably permed hair was slightly messy, and her face looked haggard. She looked sickly. Bianca handed a napkin to Sue and suggested, "Sue, I think you should go to the doctor..." "It''s fine! I probably ate something wrong." "No, Sue, I see that your face is pale, and now that you''re throwing up. You must be sick," Bianca insisted. 1 Sue wiped the corners of her mouth and washed her face. "It''s probably a gastrointestinal problem. I used to suffer the same problem too," she said nonchntly. 1 Bianca furrowed her brows. *You wouldn''t be dry-heaving so seriously if it''s a gastrointestinal problem, right?'' Suddenly, she thought of something. Sue''s symptoms were simr to those when she was pregnant with Lanie and Rainie. ''Is Sue pregnant?'' Bianca hesitated for a while but eventually asked the question that troubled her. "Sue, are you... pregnant?" "What did you say?" Sue''s eyes opened round and wide when she heard Bianca''s question. "No, that''s impossible. I can''t be pregnant!" She sounded panicked and shrill. Chapter 386 Chapter 386 Mr. Crawford¡¯s Sudden Change In Demeanor! "I''m not judging you, Sue, but it''s just that your symptoms look very simr to what I went through when I was pregnant... I mean, a woman should be in charge of her own health. I think you should go to the hospital for a checkup." Bianca knew how helpless a woman could be when they became pregnant before marriage. Back then, she did not know that the father of the babies in her womb was Luke. She had thought that the father was some despicable old man, and that she would never forget the physical and mental torment she went through during her pregnancy. Bianca''s words seemed to have convinced Sue. She rubbed her temples, trying to recall something. That night, she had gotten herself drunk at a bar and spent a wild night with a stranger. Her heart nearly stopped when she thought of that. ''That can''t be. It''s just one night. Why am I so unlucky?¡¯ Sue tried to deceive herself that it was not the case. She felt as though her head was going to explode. She felt another wave of nausea. "Bianca, can you help me get a pregnancy test strip from the pharmacy nearby?" She asked Bianca in panic, "Right, I don''t want anyone else to know about this." "I understand, Sue. I''ll keep it a secret for you. Just wait for me for a while. I''ll be back with the test strips soon." It was the evening rush hour, and the T Corporation employees were streaming out of their offices. A crowd was waiting in the elevator lobby. Bianca was in a hurry to buy the pregnancy test strips, so she went into the CEO''s personal elevator. Luke would often bring her into his personal elevator. Bianca forgot that regr employees could only take employee elevators. When Bianca stepped out of the CEO''s personal elevator and saw the other employees looking at her weirdly while whispering to each other, she realized that she had made a big mistake. This is from N?velDrama.Org. However, she was not in the mood to be bothered with all that. She quickly ran toward the pharmacy. Many employees, especially the gossips, talked among themselves at the elevator lobby. "Eh, isn''t that Bianca Rayne from the design department? I''m envious that the boss treats her differently. Look at her. She gets to ride the boss''s personal elevator," Female Colleague A said. Female Colleague B nodded in agreement. However, there was a hint of jealousy in her gaze. "She doesn¡¯t look that remarkable, and she dresses so shabbily. I think I look better than her. I wonder why did the boss take a liking to her?" Female Colleague B was from the PR department. She was famous in thepany for her outstanding looks and tall figure. She had admired Luke and wished that her love would be returned. Unfortunately for her, her wish never came true. She was naturally jealous when she saw that an unremarkable woman had gained Mr. Crawford''s favor. Female Colleague C nced disdainfully at her. ''Tch. You always wear so seductively every day, as though you''re selling your body. It''ll be a miracle if the boss likes you!'' At the pharmacy near thepany, rows of products were disyed on the racks. Bianca quickly took two different products. One was a box of test strips, and the other was a test stick. She wanted to get a double confirmation. Bianca knew how Sue must be feeling right now. The sudden realization that one was pregnant could cause panic and helplessness. After buying the items, Bianca went back to thepany. In a hurry, Bianca identally ran into someone, and the items in her hands fell on the floor and caught everyone¡¯s eye. The T Corporation employees'' usatory gazes fell on Bianca. Bianca rubbed her nose that was in pain. She did not notice who was the one she had knocked into and crouched on the floor to pick up the items. Suddenly, someone grabbed her arm and picked her up. It was Luke. "Uh, Mr. Crawford..." Bianca said awkwardly. She had always called him that in the company. Luke narrowed his eyes and looked at the items in her hands. His lips faintly curled up in surprise. "Are you pregnant, Bianca?" Bianca knew that Luke must have misunderstood her, but she had to keep the secret for Sue... There was a rule in thepany that a pregnant employee could not be promoted. That would be lethal for Sue''s career! She tried to calm herself down. "N... No, my period has beente for a few days, so I''m trying to check if there''s anything..." Luke''s gazended on her tightly kneaded hands and smiled. "I remember that thest time you had your period was on the 8th. It''s only less than half a month away. If you want to test, shouldn''t you be waiting until the 8th of the next month?" The man''s gentle smile was dazzling, and that had made Bianca blush even harder. 1 He could remember the date of her period. That way, she would not be able to lie to him. "I... I¡¯m buying this so that I can use it when the timees," Bianca said unconfidently. "Oh?" Luke stared at her curiously. Her fair face was slightly pink from blushing, and she was subconsciously biting her lip. Bianca always blushed whenever she told a lie. That was the same as Rainie. She stood there awkwardly for some time before saying softly, "I''ll tell you the truth. I''m buying this for a colleague, but I can''t tell you who it is. I''ve promised the other party that I will keep this a secret. I''ll be delivering this to her. See youter." Bianca felt like she was a monkey at a zoo when the people around her looked at her with surprised gazes. She was very ufortable. Luke also knew that he should not probe into his employees'' personal lives. He caressed Bianca''s smooth hair and said gently, "Come down to the parking lot after you''re done. I''ll be waiting for you." Bianca nodded and dashed away. After she left, Luke''s gentle gaze turned harsh and cold. He swept his gaze across the curious crowd, establishing his domineering presence to the people around him. The employees quickly averted their gazes and pretended that they did not see anything... ''Oh my god! The boss is too scary! Was that gentleman earlier the same person as the Cold-Faced Devil?'' Chapter 387 Chapter 387 The Wealthy and Merciless Luke Crawford! Bianca handed the pregnancy tests to Sue. She waited outside the washroom worriedly instead of leaving. Sue''s condition did not look too good. Bianca did not want to leave her alone. A few minutester. Sue opened the washroom door. Her hand that was holding the pregnancy stick was trembling. Her face was silent and ashen. Bianca instantly saw the two red lines on the pregnancy stick... Her eyes widened, and her emotions became a mess. "Sue..." This is from N?velDrama.Org. In the time Bianca was in thepany, she had never heard that Sue had a boyfriend. 1 Sue had always prided herself on being single. She even said that she wanted to devote her life to her career and not marry for the rest of her life. Why would she be pregnant suddenly? Sue''s mind was nk. She looked visibly panicked. ''What is this joke that fate is pulling on me? I only had a one-night stand with a man because I was drunk, and I hit the jackpot? Is there another woman in this world as unlucky as I am?'' 1 "I''m really pregnant... I''m finished..." Sueughed bitterly. Her usually cheerful face was fraught with depression. "Who''s the father, Sue?'' Bianca hesitated before asking. Sue''s gaze shed with confusion. "The father... I was drunk that night, and I made out with a man. When I woke up the next morning, I ran away without looking at his face. I... I don''t know who he is..." Bianca had never seen Sue that dejected before. To Bianca, Sue was an intelligent, capable, and optimistic person who had never shown her panicked and helpless side. Bianca hugged Sue out of concern. "You''ve made a mistake, but it''s already happened. There''s no point in regretting it. The most important thing now is deciding what to do with the baby.'' Sue gradually calmed down as she looked at Bianca''s concerned expression. "I really don''t know what I should do now. Give me some time to think." The child in her womb hade at the wrong time. She did not know who the father was. Moreover, it was a crucial juncture in her career. A rule in T Corporation stated that no woman in her pregnancy or breastfeeding period could be promoted. The manager of the design department had inadvertently told her that her name was on the list of people to be promoted. However, the idental arrival of the baby had disrupted her ns. Sue could not ept it. ''TH respect whatever decision that you make, Sue. If you decide to abort the pregnancy, I''ll go to the hospital with you. You''ll have to think it through, though. The baby is innocent, and abortion is very harmful to a woman''s health..." Bianca did not really agree to Sue aborting the baby, perhaps because she knew how blissful it could be to be a mother. "Mm, I''ll think it through." Sue became even more disconcerted when she heard Bianca''sforting words. She ced her hands on her abdomen. It was still t, and no one could tell that she was pregnant. She regretted getting herself drunk that night and regretted even more that she did not look at the man''s face. ''What if the man is a terrible person? Would this child inherit those genes?'' Sue thought worriedly. Luke had a business dinner to attend. He left thepany with Jason. Meanwhile, Bianca remained in the office to have a heart-to-heart talk with Sue. At about eight o''clock, Bianca received a phone call from Luke. She went downstairs and into the parking lot. Too many things happened that day: The location survey, the perfumemercial shoot, and Sue and Nina''s incidents. Bianca felt that it had been a long day. At the parking lot, Bianca saw Luke smoking while discussing something with Jason. His expression was cold and harsh. When Luke saw her walking toward him, his gaze became gentle. Bianca was not dazzlingly beautiful, but he had a unique impression of her. To Luke, Bianca was like a ripe and juicy peach. He wanted to take a bite and appreciate her sweetness. Jason noticed Bianca''s arrival. Her appearance was as warm as the sun that drove the winter''s bitter cold away. Jason greeted Bianca and said, "Ms. Rayne, Mr. Crawford drank a little too much at the dinner earlier, and he shouldn''t be driving. I have some other urgent business to attend to, and I can''t send the two of you home. Can you drive? Or should I call Lowry and get him to pick you up?" Luke handed the car keys to Bianca. "There''s no need. Let Bianca drive." Bianca subconsciously nced at Luke''s brand new ck Bugatti Veyron and saw her reflection in its impably polished surface. ''This car must be worth tens of millions!'' She thought. She had gotten her driving license several years ago, but she rarely took the wheel. Was she able to drive that car? Luke''s cigarette was flickering. He took ast drag and tossed the cigarette butt into a nearby trash can. "Let''s go home," he said to Bianca. Bianca subconsciously tightened her grip on the car keys in her hand as she caught a whiff of alcohol in Luke''s breath. "I''m not very skilled at driving. I rarely drive..." Luke smiled. "Don''t worry. Just treat this as practice. I''ll buy you a car soon. I''m afraid of wrecking it," Bianca replied softly. ''This luxury car is expensive! What if I wreck it?'' "I don''t think you''re going to run into a wall or drive it up a roof, right?" Luke joked. Bianca shook her head. "I won''t, but I''m not used to driving. What if I scratch it? I don''t think I can pay you back even if you sold me..." Luke suddenly strode toward Bianca and enveloped her with his arms. Bianca''s heart beat a little faster. The man yfully twirled her long hair and smiled. "If you wreck the car, you can sell yourself to me." Bianca did not reply. Her heart was thumping hard. Luke carried her and ced her in the driver''s seat. Then, he went to the other side and sat on the passenger seat. "Don''t worry. Cars are but material objects. They''re not as important as our safety. Just treat it as a toy car and drive like you usually would. I won''t fault you if you wreck it," he said gently. Bianca was speechless. ''You''re too wealthy, Luke!'' She thought. ''Drive a luxury car like a toy car? Are you expecting that I''ll be relieved when I hear that?'' Chapter 388 Chapter 388 Bianca Asks For Luke¡¯s Help At that time, it was still rush hour, and there were many vehicles on the road. With Luke''s encouragement, Bianca started the engine. She drove cautiously, afraid of hitting another car, but she was even more afraid that others would bump into hers. She did not notice that almost all the cars on the road kept a safe distance from her. After all, that kind of luxury car was not something that everyone could afford. Even a small chip would cost them more than their car, so no one dared to bump into her unless they had a death wish. Bianca managed to drive smoothly even though the roads were slightly congested. She saw that Luke was not supervising her when she drove, and he closed his eyes as he rested. That man was mature, attractive, sessful, and was a prominent figure. It was not an exaggeration to say that he was eagerly sought after by all the women in A City. She was really lucky to have such a perfect man. Even so, when she thought about Nina, Bianca deliberated for a bit but eventually said, "Luke, I have something I like to ask for your help. I know I shouldn''t trouble you too much, but I don''t know what else I can do...¡± Hearing that, Luke''s handsome face turned to her. ''Don''t worry. I''ll never find anything you ask bothersome." Bianca did not know how to go about telling him. Luke was a refined and mature man who got everything he wanted and was used to giving orders to others. They lived in twopletely different worlds. When he was in front of her, he never acted loftily but was always very pampering. She did not know what he saw in her. Bianca bit her lip lightly and briefly exined the situation. "It''s about Nina. She got involved with me last time, and Pierre vited her. Unfortunately, she got pregnant..." When Bianca saw that Luke was listening attentively, she continued but sounded more frustrated. "Nina is in a bad condition physically. The doctor said that if she had a miscarriage, she would most likely be infertile in the future. She wanted to keep the child, but Pierre forced her to abort the kid. The man is too cruel. Not only did he hurt Nina, but he also made her abort her baby... I... I want Pierre to get the punishment he deserves and get revenge for Nina! A scumbag like him should be brought to justice!" Bianca said and paused, just when there happened to be a traffic light at the intersection ahead. She stepped on the brakes and turned to look at Luke. The man''s expression was unfathomable, and she could not tell what he was thinking. She only saw him pressing his temples with his hands and stopping once in a while. His silent actions made the air in the car suffocating. Bianca felt that the topic she brought up was quite dire. After pondering for a few moments, Bianca said, ¡±1 know that this is a difficult request, and I agree that I might have brought it up at the wrong time. After all, Pierre is Percy¡¯s younger brother, and you and Percy are good friends. But I really think that Pierre had hurt Nina too much. I feel guilty that Nina is miserable right now because of me. It''s all my fault, and I am powerless to remedy the issue.¡± After Bianca''s words fell, Luke still did not speak. Her heart throbbed, and she thought that her words had put him in a difficult situation, so she lowered her head, dejected. At that moment, the traffic light turned green, and horns red behind her. Bianca jumped up. She suddenly released the brakes that she had been stepping on. The entire car jolted and elerated forward at an extreme speed. Bianca panicked a bit, and she instinctively wanted to step on the brakes. Unfortunately, she did not manage to control the steering wheel and the car mmed into a white BMW next to her! "Ah!" Bianca yelped. Her mind went nk, and her entire body fell into Luke''s arms! Bianca was so scared that she felt her soul leaving her body. Her heart was in her throat before she finally calmed down. She might have gotten her driving license with flying colors, but it had been a long time since shest drove, and without the practice, she was not veryfortable in the driver''s seat. Besides, the sports car was not easy to maneuver. Careful as she might be, she ended up in an ident anyway. Even so, the expected crash did not happen. Luke shielded her when the car was about to hit the BMW, and he turned the steering wheel forcefully to the other direction. The car swerved around and hit the guardrail, narrowly avoiding the crash. "Luke..." Bianca called out to him hoarsely, looking uneasy. Luke''s handsome brows frowned slightly. Since both of them were wearing seat belts, there was no serious injury, but Bianca''s delicate face was pale because of fright. She looked like a child who had made a mistake as she looked at Luke nervously. She wanted to say something to him, but the words were stuck in her throat. "Are you OK? Say something!¡± Lukeforted the frightened Bianca by patting her head. When he looked at her, he saw that her face was as pale as a sheet of paper, and he knew that she was badly frightened. He asked again, "Are you scared? You''re just like a little girl.¡± Bianca breathed a sigh of relief and forced herself to stabilize her emotions. She clutched her heart that felt as if it was about to leap out of her mouth. She said, "My... My driving skills are too bad. It''s my fault for not concentrating just now and got startled by the sound of the horn from behind. If you didn''t stop the car in time, it would''ve ended badly.¡± Luke said half-jokingly, "If the driver behind us didn''t honk, he wouldn''t have scared you, and you wouldn¡¯t have panicked. It¡¯s his fault. It¡¯s fine, as long as no one is hurt." Bianca rolled down the window. When she saw that the car hit the guardrail, and the bumper was chipped, she felt worse. Anyone could tell at first nce that the car was very expensive. If they were to bring the car to the workshop, repairing the small chip would cost a lot of money. She knew that she was entirely responsible for what just happened. At that moment, the owner of the white BMW parked his car somewhere near them. A young man with a gelled-out crew cut rolled down the window of the car and yelled arrogantly at Bianca and Luke, "Don¡¯t you know how to drive? I was in my ownne, and you swerved over! Are you blind? If you damaged my car, can you pay for it?" Luke''s eyes shot an icy nce at the BMW owner who was swearing at them. The man''s invisible murderous aura caused the BMW owner to shiver uncontrobly. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Luke''s gem-like eyes were colder than the coldest winter night, which instantly caused the BMW owner to shut up! The guy took another look at the luxury car in front of him and noticed the incredibly expensive vanity te. His eyes almost popped out, and he was scared speechless. Without another word ofint, he drove his car away dejectedly... Chapter 389 Chapter 389 A Beautiful Night Bianca felt extremely sorry that she nearly caused a car ident just now. She dared not continue driving in case she put their lives at risk again. However, Luke drank and could not drive under the influence. She took out her phone and used the ride-hailing app to find a driver. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Luke stared curiously at Bianca. He got a little suspicious when he saw her entering her phone number on the app. "Can that find us a driver?" After all, when Luke traveled, either he or the driver would be driving. He never needed to ride in a cab, nor had he ever seen a ride-hailing app before. "Of course. It''s very convenient. Let me show you how to use it. If you want to make an appointment for a driver, you have to enter your contact information, then do this..." Bianca grinned at Luke as she exined to him patiently. Luke quietly listened to her sweet voice and looked at her with a gentle gaze. In about ten minutes, a bespectacled male driver in his mid-thirties arrived. The driver was very experienced. He brought Bianca and Luke to their destination safely in just a little over half an hour. After entering the house, Bianca went to the bathroom to take a shower. Luke watched the bathroom door close, and he frowned slightly. His sculpted face was fraught with pain. He took off his coat and walked to the study while pressing on his left arm. He felt a stinging pain when he put a little pressure on it. Luke rolled up his sleeves and saw that there was a wound. Blood was oozing out of it. He found a first-aid kit from the cab and sterilized the wound with disinfectant. Then, he applied some topical painkiller on the wound and wrapped gauze around the injured area. His movements were natural as though he had dealt with such wounds hundreds of times. After he finished up, Luke quietly put the first-aid kit back in ce and took a quick shower in the other bathroom. He changed into his pajamas, returned to the bedroom, andid on the big soft bed. Old Master Crawford missed his great-grandchildren, and so Lanie and Rainie were brought back to Crawford Manor. Only Bianca and Luke were left in the cavernous mansion. Luke leaned against the bed, picked up the financial newspaper on the shelf next to it, and browsed it. Twenty minutester, Bianca walked into the bedroom. Her long hair was half-dried. When she saw Luke was engrossed in reading the newspaper, she quietly approached him and threw herself into his arms. Bianca bumped into Luke''s wound on his arm, and he could not help but let out a groan. Bianca heard his painful groan. She quickly rolled up his pajama sleeve. When she saw the blood-stained bandage on his arm, Bianca looked at him in shock. "You... you''re injured? What happened? Why didn''t you tell me you were injured?" Luke rolled down his sleeves and said calmly, "It''s nothing. It''s just a superficial injury. Don''t worry, I''ve already taken care of it." Bianca remembered how he did not hesitate to shield her body at the moment of the crash. Something in the car must have caused that wound. "Don''t do something like that anymore. I can take care of myself. Don¡¯t you know that I''d feel worse when you''re hurt instead of me...¡± She said guiltily. Luke kissed her misty eyes. "You''re my woman. It''s my responsibility to protect you." After speaking, Luke pulled Bianca into his chest and kissed her chattering mouth forcefully. Bianca wanted to struggle and escape from it, but she was afraid that she would bump into his wound again, so she could only let him hug her. When she listened to his steady and powerful heartbeat, she indulged in his tender kiss... At some point, Bianca''s clothes were taken off and the powerful male body pressed against the woman''s delicate body. Since they had done it many times and were very familiar with each other''s bodies, Luke went straight for it. Although Bianca avoided his wound, she was still worried. "Your injury..." Luke lowered his voice and sucked her earlobe lightly. "Rx, I''m fine." Bianca did not have the strength to speak. Luke looked at the blushing Bianca and whispered to her ear, "Don''t worry about Nina. It''ll be a little troublesome, but I''ll help you since you asked me. Bianca was a little surprised but immediately understood what he was talking about. She responded to him with even more enthusiasm. The air in the room was thick, and the temperature rose steadily. It was a beautiful night. The Tanner House. "Melissa, it¡¯s already sote. Why don''t you stay overnight at my house? I''ll let your mother know that you¡¯ll be staying." Lacey said affectionately as she held Melissa''s hand. She was quite satisfied with her young, distant niece. Melissa had a good family background and just came back from studying business administration abroad. Although she was arrogant and capricious, Lacey always felt that girls should be allowed to throw harmless tantrums once in a while. She has always hoped that the Tanner and Lerche families would be united by marriage. When the Lerche family immigrated to a foreign country in the past, Lacey had given up that thought. When she found out that Melissa came back, Lacey revisited those wishes. The Lerche family ran a sessful business. A marriage could only bring benefit to the Tanner family. Melissa might be able to control her wild son too. After Xavier met Bianca, his life was nothing but misery. Moreover, Luke Crawford had burned bridges with the Tanner family so that her son would divorce Bianca as soon as possible. It had almost forced Tanner Corporation into bankruptcy. Although her son divorced Bianca and Luke held to his promise, Tanner Corporation was almost destroyed. It had be an empty shell in its dying throes. Lacey had a n. She could tell that Melissa had a soft spot for Xavier. If she could get her son to marry Mellisa, that would also save Tanner Corporation. Melissa was secretly pleased. "Thank you, Aunt Lacey, I¡¯ll stay here then. Before I went abroad, I''ve always been the closest to you. After not seeing you for so many years, I missed you dearly. I''d love to stay here a few more days with you." Chapter 390 Chapter 390 The Less Likely He Could, The More He Wanted It! As she spoke, Melissa''s gaze went around the house, trying to find a trace of Xavier. "Aunt Lacey, why hasn''t Cousin Xaviere back yet?" Melissa asked. Lacey sighed loudly. "Sigh. Tanner Corporation is currently in a severe financial crisis. Your cousin goes out early and returnste every day to save the dyingpany. There¡¯s no other way to it..." "Don''t worry, Aunt Lacey. When I go back, I¡¯ll ask my brother and dad for financial resources. That should help Tanner Corp through its current difficulties." Melissa said, trying to please her. Melissa might have studied business administration in college, but she only knew how to live the high life. Even her admission to the college was bought over with a lot of money. How would she know about the lies and deception that happened in business? Her father and brother spoiled her, which made her think that if she went home and asked nicely, she would be able to persuade them to help finance Tanner Corporation. "What a good girl. Anyone would be lucky to have you as his wife." While the two were chatting, Xavier walked in, reeking of alcohol and hostility. Xavier had a well-built body and a delicate face. Under the light, he looked all the more enchanting. "You¡¯re back, Xavier!" Melissa, who had been paying attention to any soundsing from the door, saw Xavier and immediately went over to greet him. When Xavier saw Melissa, his expression instantly became gloom. "Why is she here, Mom?¡¯ He did not like his beautiful, naive, and conceited distant cousin. His impression of her worsened after the incident in Blue Honors when Melissa embarrassed him in front of Bianca. Xavier was very thirsty and ignored Melissa''s admiring gaze. He picked up the ss on the coffee table, poured himself a ss of water, and drank it in big gulps. "Xavier, is this how you speak to your cousin? She came all the way to see me, and this is how you treat her?¡± Lacey saw her son being indifferent to Melissa. With a look of dissatisfaction, she began to nag Xavier, "Have you been out drinking again? How many times do I have to tell you that your cousin just got back from abroad and you need to spend more time with her? Why won¡¯t you listen to me? Are you trying to anger me?" Lacey''s nagging riled Xavier. In a fit of rage, he kicked the coffee table in front of him away. The teapot on the coffee table crashed and fell to the ground, making a mess in the living room. Lacey furrowed her eyebrows and scolded, "What are you doing, Xavier? Do you even care about your mother?¡± "Mom, I just want some peace and quiet! Stop bothering me. I''m very annoyed!" Xavier grabbed his head and sat on the sofa, looking very dejected. There was an unspeakable suppressed anger in his voice. He and Bianca have been divorced for some time, but Bianca''s shadow had been lurking in his mind. Numbing himself with work and alcohol did not help. He felt that the situation was hopeless. The less likely he could get something, the more he wanted to get it! Lacey sighed when she saw her son like that. While the caretaker cleaned up the mess, she continued scolding him, "Look at yourself. You''ve always been a bad-tempered bully since you were a kid. You''d throw tantrums whenever you feel like it. What kind of bad habit is that? If your father''s around, the two of you would always end up fighting... If you have anything you want to say, don''t keep it to yourself. You can talk to me, or you can speak about your feelings with Melissa. It''s easier tomunicate with people your age than with an old woman like me..." Melissa also crouched in front of Xavier. She cautiously said, "Xavier, are you upset because of work? Your mom told me that Tanner Corporation is currently in a financial crisis, but don''t worry, I..." "Please stop talking, OK?" Xavier stood up irritably, put on the coat that he had just taken off, and his hoarse voice revealed a deep lethargy. "I have something to do. I''ll be heading out. You should go to bed. Don''t wait for me." "Where are you going? Didn''t you juste back? I won''t allow it! Are you going to hang out with those good-for-nothing friends of yours again?" Lacey yelled. Melissa blocked him and said domineeringly, "Xavier, I¡¯m staying at your house tonight. I won¡¯t allow you to go anywhere! You have to stay here and apany me!¡± Xavier nced at her disdainfully and shoved her away. Fortunately, Melissa fell onto the wide and soft couch beside her. She was not hurt, but the force of the shove made her head spin. Just like that, Melissa heard the sound of the door mming close and the rumble of the car sound outside starting its engine. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. She hurriedly got up and gave chase but only saw the back of the car driving away. She was so angry that she threw herself into Lacey''s arms and burst into tears. The next day. At work, Bianca was relieved when she noticed that Sue''splexion looked slightly rosier. However, when she thought of the project, her heart was caught in her throat again. Not only was that project stressful, but it was also very difficult. She wondered if the pregnant Sue would be capable of taking up the task. Now that Sue was close to being promoted, if people knew that she was pregnant, they would certainly criticize her. Sue could tell that Bianca was worried. "I''ve decided to keep this child, so I''ll see where fate takes me. Bianca, I might have to leave the project because of my current physical condition. I''ve already asked the department lead for a transfer. By then, another colleague will rece me. You have to perform well in the team and don¡¯t let the people of Vivi Group look down on us, alright?" "I¡¯ll do my best." Bianca nodded in understanding. Sue took out a gray USB sh drive from her handbag and handed it to Bianca cautiously. "This USB sh drive contains various architectural design materials that I have collected. They include things rted to construction engineering, surveying, mapping, and many more. The point is, there''s a lot of useful knowledge in here. I¡¯ve also collected some sessful case studies of modern renovation projects that you can learn from." Bianca took it gratefully. "Thank you, Sue. I don''t know what else to say to you..." People in the workce were generally very scheming because colleagues in thepany were alwayspeting against each other. Most of them maintained only superficial rtionships and fought against each other secretly. It was rare that someone shared their knowledge so freely with a colleague. Bianca did not expect that Sue would be so kind. That overwhelmingly moved Bianca. Sue smiled and said to Bianca, "Among all the many colleagues, I''ve always thought that you were the best to work with. This USB sh drive has a security password. I''ll text it to youter.¡¯ Chapter 391 Chapter 391 The Incident That Shattered Bianca''s Peaceful Life! Sue had been in the workce for many years and was used to all the fighting and scheming. It was rare to see a colleague like Bianca who distanced herself from politics. That was why Sue had a good impression of her. While they were talking, the design department lead walked over. At that moment, Be looked cheerfully into Bianca''s eyes. Bianca could not tell what she was thinking. "Sue, since you¡¯re not in good shape, it''s better if you stayed in the office in the future. Bianca, I''ll be recing Sue¡¯s position in the project. I hope that we''ll work well together," Be said triumphantly. After Sue volunteered to leave the coboration project with Vivi Group, Be was selected as her recement. Bianca forced a smile at Be. "It¡¯s an honor to work with the design department lead in this project." The truth was that she did not want to work with Be, who was always acting against her. However, there were many things not under her control. Be grunted and said, ¡¯How¡¯s the proposal and estimated budget reporting along? Be sure to send it to my work mailbox before I get off work today.¡± Bianca frowned and said, ''Madam, The proposal and budget report cover a lot of areas, including the executive summary, preliminary design ns, required equipment, estimated capital budget, material estimates, and even the construction schedules. It¡¯s not something that can be done in a short period. "With all the sensitive data, I¡¯ll need a few days to get everything correct. "Also, if the report is rushed, what should we do if an ident happens during the middle of the construction? Are you going to bear the consequences, Madam?" Be was left speechless. She stared at Bianca fiercely. "Just make sure you get the proposal done as soon as possible. Otherwise, everyone will think that you''re just a useless decoration!¡± After Be left, Sue rolled the office chair over to Bianca. She whispered," Bianca, this is your chance to shine. If this project is sessful, the best performer will have an opportunity for promotion. Don¡¯t miss out on it. That Be is crazy. She¡¯s just a department lead. You must take her down a notch! I heard that the total bonus for this project alone is around a million! The best performer will get five hundred thousand dors, the second ce gets three hundred thousand dors, and the third ce gets two hundred thousand dors..." "One million dors? The best performer gets five hundred thousand dors?" Bianca almost yelled. "Shhh, don¡¯t tell anyone. I¡¯m close to the people in the finance department. At the karaoke party, that guy drank too much and identally said it. Thepany has not made it public yet. You must keep it as a secret." "Got it, Sue." Bianca was shocked. It would be great if she could get the bonus. Although Luke was rich, she rarely spent his money. As a modern age woman, her thinking had always been very independent and forward-looking. She did not want to be a morning glory that could only leech to and climb up Luke''s high branches. She wanted to be a cotton tree, standing side by side with him with the roots and stems intertwining with each other, their branches and leaves touching, living interdependently with him for the rest of her life. When Bianca thought of that, she suddenly felt a surge of fighting spirit and strength in her entire body. After speaking to Bianca, Sue got up and went to the washroom. When she got out of the toilet and passed by the men''s washroom, Sue identally bumped into someone. The man''s chest was very wide and hard, making Sue stagger backward. When she was about to fall, she subconsciously protected her stomach. Unexpectedly, she found herself being held steadily by a powerful arm. "Sorry, I didn''t mean to..." Sue said awkwardly and looked up. "Mr. Doyle?" Jason smiled superficially behind his gold-framed sses. "What¡¯s the rush, Ms. Carter? Is a monster chasing you?¡± For some reason, when Jason saw Sue again, he felt that she somehow looked familiar. Even so, he could not tell where that feeling came from... 1 ''Right. I drank a little too much that night, and I made out with a woman in bed. I didn''t even see her face clearly.'' He was still asleep the next morning when the woman left. He thought that the woman was an escort or someone who was looking for a one-night stand, but before he left, he unexpectedly saw a red stain on the sheets. Jason did not expect that the woman was actually a virgin. Later, he tried to find out who she was but could not find anything. The woman seemed to have disappeared without a trace, and he was unable to find the slightest clue... When he saw Sue that day, the smell of her body was so simr to the woman from that night. When he realized how simr they were, Jason was lost in thought for a while. "Can you let go of me, Mr. Doyle?" Sue said candidly. She hated the touch of any man. "..." Her hostility caused Jason''s eyes to widen slightly and he had no choice but to let go of her. Sue walked toward her office, knocking into his shoulder along the way. The man was left speechless. ¡®Sue is very feminine, but she likes to pretend that she''s an aloof and independent strong woman. That makes her really unlikeable.'' After getting off work, Bianca went to the kindergarten to pick up Lanie and Rainie. As soon as she arrived at the front gate of the kindergarten, a little girl in a white dress threw herself into her arms happily. The girl¡¯s clear and melodious voice was very pleasing to the ear. ¡¯ Mommy, I have good news for you today. Do you want to hear it?" Bianca crouched down and pinched her daughter''s tender little face. ''Of course I want to hear it. What good news do you bring? Tell me and make my day." Rainie smiled sweetly. "Mommy, I got into the finals for the city''s children''s drawingpetition today!" Bianca kissed Rainie on the forehead. ¡¯Is that so? I have such an amazing daughter! But remember to be humble, you mustn''t be too proud." "Got it, Mommy! But Lanie is even better. He joined the drawing, public speaking, and pianopetitions... He gets first ce in everypetition, and our teacher is asking him to represent our kindergarten in the city finals. That nasty Simon is in the finals too. Hmph! He''s such a meanie!" What Rainie did not mention was that Simon and her brother had tied for first ce in all the preliminary events. In the eyes of the little girl, Simon, who always liked to pull her braids, was a wicked naughty boy, and her brother Lanie was still the best. "Why are you so angry about that? Rainie, Simon is very sensible and smart. The two of you are competing fairly. You can¡¯t call him a meanie, OK?¡± Bianca stroked Rainie''s little head full of fluffy hair and patiently educated her. The little girl reluctantly stretched her words. "I knooooow, Mommy..." Bianca turned to look at her son proudly. Lanie was wearing a backpack. He stood straight, and he was tall and strong like a thriving por tree. The little boy¡¯s handsome face and posture looked dazzling in the sunset, which attracted the attention of the parents who came to pick up their children from school... At that moment, the little guy pressed his lips together smugly. However, Bianca saw the look in his eyes that longed for the praise of his mother. She kissed Lanie¡¯s fair and tender face and heaped on her praises. "Lanie, you''re also great. You and your sister are my pride and joy. I''m very proud of the two of you!¡± "Thank you, Mommy. The first prize is a huge cash reward. When I win it, I want to give you and Daddy a present. I¡¯ll give you the rest of the money so that you don''t have to work so hard.¡± Bianca felt sorry for Lanie when he said that. She knew that her son had always been sensible. At such a young age, he wanted to make money for his parents so that they would not have to be so busy. Even so, Lanie and Rainie were still young. They should not have to worry about such things in their childhood. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. "It doesn''t matter if you get first ce or not, Lanie, as long as you tried your best. I''ll also work hard and earn a fat bonus. Let''s try our best together." "Okay. I¡¯ll do my best to draw well and beat meanie Simon! Even if I don''t win, Lanie will definitely beat him..." Rainie muttered quietly and her small fist clenched tightly. After that, Bianca devoted herself to the project. Her days were very fulfilling. Nina was discharged from the hospital and returned to work again, but she lost a lot of weight. Her round and cute face had turned oval-shaped. Sue started to get pregnancy symptoms like food aversion and morning sickness. The colleagues in the design department regarded her curiously, and they guessed among themselves who the father of the child in her womb might be. Sue ignored them all and went about her day. Lanie and Rainie worked hard to prepare for theirpetitions. The days went by, and her rtionship with Luke improved. One day, something happened in T Corporation that shocked the entire A City, whichpletely shattered Bianca¡¯s peaceful life... Chapter 392 Chapter 392 Something Happened To The Company! The story went like this. Two years ago, a subsidiary of T Corporation developed a high-end residentialplex called Greenview Regalia. A fire happened in the high- end apartmentplex unit owned by a business owner named Mr. Sonny, and his wife and their six-year-old son perished. The arsonist was quickly arrested and turned out to be a nanny working at the owner''s house. The nanny became greedy and was tempted whenever she saw valuables. At first, she stole Mrs. Sonny''s belongings again and again without being noticed. Later, when she stole again, she was caught red-handed. Mrs. Sonny was hot-tempered and threatened to send her to the police station. The nanny was afraid that she would be sent to prison, so she set a fire to the ce and tried to burn down all the evidence to cover up her crime... The terrible incident quickly garnered a lot of attention from the media. Almost all major newsworks and mainstream media outlets condemned the nanny''s actions and called for her punishment, while public opinion severely criticized the T Corporation subsidiary. ording to unverified reports, the fire trucks had been hindered in the process of putting out the fire. The path was restricted by illegal green belts, and the building was too high. Moreover, there were serious problems in the building''s fire prevention facilities and property management which resulted in the firefighters not being able to reach the mother and child in time, which directly led to their deaths. If the incident was dealt with promptly at the beginning, it could be suppressed without much fuss with T Corporation''s influence andwork of connections. Little did they know, the manager of the subsidiarypany was afraid of being implicated. They thought that they could handle the matter by themselves, so they made their own press release and postponed the report to the head office. However, it was a futile effort to stop the scandal, and every broadcasting media ended up reporting the incident. The matter was in the public interest, and so the news spread very quickly. It became trending online, and in the end, the situation spread beyond their control. After the incident happened, countless self-righteousizens on Mr. Sonny''s side ganged up against T Corporation. The other house owners of Greenview Regalia began to panic. Everyone was worried about the safety measures in the apartment. In the news, requests for refunds and owners'' rights rallies could be seen from time to time. T Corporation''s stock prices had been severely affected and fell sharply... At midnight, Bianca came out of the bathroom after a shower and found that the light in the study was still on. Luke was still busy with work. She sighed and felt very sorry for him. Her design work was enough to give her a headache. Luke, on the other hand, ran a multinational company, which was already exhausting by itself, but now had the added stress of the arson incident. Bianca understood his current mood. That man did not get an easy start in his life. As the child born out of wedlock in the Crawford family, his life had been unfortunate. Even though his parents were alive, they sent him to an orphanage, and he suffered from depression. When he grew up and was taken back to Crawford Manor, he had to deal with the multiple scandals in the family. Through his own strength, he transformed apany on the verge of bankruptcy to its current state in just a few years. Nobody knew what hardships he had to endure to achieve it. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Before Bianca knew him, she remembered reading a report about him in a financial magazine that introduced some of the country''s most impressive revivals. T Corporation was ranked first. At that time, Luke was not even thirty years old yet, but he had be one of the richest people on the continent. Bianca looked at Luke''s back broken-heartedly and walked to the living room. She poured a ss of milk for Luke and nned to bring it to him in the study. Ring ring... Suddenly, thendline telephone in the living room rang. When she saw that it was an unfamiliar number, Bianca hesitated but answered it anyway. "Luke?" Allison''s voice sounded over the phone. "Aunt..." Bianca went against her will and greeted her. When Allison heard Bianca''s voice, she suppressed her anger and said," Get Luke to answer the phone!" Bianca did not think that Allison would call at that time because she was concerned about her son. Moreover, Bianca did not want Luke to be distracted from work because of his mother. "He''s taking a shower now. Something serious happened in hispany, so he''s been very tired recently. Can you call again tomorrow?" "Who do you think you are? Why won¡¯t you let me talk to my son? Bianca, don''t think that you can be so rude to your elder because you have Luke protecting you! Let me talk to my son!" Allison shouted angrily. "If it''s nothing important, I''ll hang up now. You can call him again tomorrow." Biancapletely ignored Allison''s insults and hung up because she did not want to think about it anymore. She knew that Allison did not like her, nor did the older woman''s impression of her change after so long. Bianca never harbored any hope for Allison''s opinion to change. She forced herself not to think about the upsetting things and went to the study with the ss of milk. The door of the study was slightly ajar. Bianca saw that Luke was working seriously. His phone screen was lit; Leia was calling him. Bianca pressed the answer button but did not say anything. Leia''s sweet but anxious voice came from the other end of the phone, "Mr. Crawford, are you busy now?" After waiting for a while, Leia heard no response except for gentle breathing. She thought it was Luke and said softly, ''I went through all the reports of the incident in detail. The nanny is at fault. The public should not point their fingers at T Corporation. Do you need... any help over there? If you need help, I can speak to my dad. With my dad''s help, things should be much easier..." Bianca listened to Leia''s caring voice for Luke and her fingers that held the phone trembled slightly. Leia was the daughter of the Provincial Committee Secretary. Her family was very powerful, and it would not be too difficult for them to help Luke settle an incident like that. However, Bianca, in her selfishness, did not want the two to have any contact. With a woman from such a powerful family thinking about her beloved man, any woman would feel flustered. Moreover, once Jack Norman intervened in the incident, the matter would be moreplicated. When the time came, Luke would owe Jack a great favor. He would have no problem repaying debts of money, but debts of gratitude were much more difficult to repay. Bianca was surprisingly calm. She got Luke¡¯s attention, handed him his phone, and told him that it was a call from Leia. Luke took the phone and said coldly, "What is it, Ms. Norman? I''m very tired and if it''s nothing, I''ll be heading to bed with my wife." On the other end of the phone, when Leia heard Luke''s words, she was instantly disappointed... Chapter 393 Chapter 393 Kiss me! Leia was so angry that she hung up the phone. On the other end, after Leia just hung up, Allison called again, that time directly to Luke''s phone. Luke answered the call and said tiredly, "What is it, Mom? Why are you calling sote?¡¯ Allison said, "Did Leia call you just now? Listen to me, with Leia''s help, it¡¯ll be much easier to deal with the arson incident. Be nicer to Leia. She''s a good girl. Not only does she have a good family background, but she''s also beautiful, but the point is that she likes you. She''s more suitable for you than that Bianca. Son, you have to cherish her..." Luke frowned. "Mother, I thought I made it clear! I don''t like Leia, and I''ll never be with her! I don''t need Leia¡¯s family''s help on the Greenview Regalia incident. I''ll be able to handle it myself. If that''s all you want to tell me, I''m going to hang up now. I need some rest. Next time, don''t talk to me about how other women are more suitable for me. My wife will be upset." After that, Luke hung up the phone. On the other end, Allison felt awkward because of Luke. She said all those things to Luke precisely because she knew that he was with Bianca, but she did not expect him to embarrass her like that. On the other end of the phone, Bianca also did not expect Luke to speak that way to Allison. Even so, Bianca wasforted by the thought that Allison was helpless against Luke. Bianca handed the ss of milk to Luke. "You''ve worked long enough. Have some milk. No matter how busy you are, you have to take care of your health. About Leia, I think that you should find the Greenview Regalia incident much easier to handle if you have her help..." Luke was about to take the ss of milk when he heard what Bianca said. Instantly, his expression became unpleasant. His dark expression was as gloomy as the weather before a storm. The man''s eyes narrowed slightly and he leaned toward her. "Really?!" Bianca''s heart beat faster when she sensed his dangerous aura. She looked into the man''s eyes, dark and profound like ake, as if they could draw her soul right in. She cringed and put the ss on the desk. Luke continued to stare at her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pressed her against the wall. "Don¡¯t you believe in your man? Hmm?" The man''s hot breath intertwined with her helpless breathing and for a while, the air in the room was hot and heavy. "Of... of course I believe in you." Bianca looked at him earnestly. Her eyes bore the weight of her belief in him. Luke nodded with satisfaction. "Mmhmm. That''s more like it. Don''t say such silly things to make me angry again next time." "Okay." "Since you''re repentant, you should apologize sincerely too." "Sincerely? How?¡¯ Bianca looked up, puzzled. "Kiss me!" Bianca blinked. She was too short that even if she tried her best to stand on her toes, she could barely reach his thin lips. She tried her best to reach his lips and gave him a hard kiss. Luke frowned with dissatisfaction. "That won''t do. Haven¡¯t you learned anything from what I taught you?" This is from N?velDrama.Org. Bianca could only put her arms around his neck and close in again with her lips. Recalling what he taught her, she gently opened his jaw and slipped her tongue inside. In an instant, Luke turned from passive to active. In the heat of the moment, the loving couple temporarily forgot their worries. The next day, Luke went to the office before sunrise. Bianca''s biological clock had always been on time, and she woke up right before the rm clock rang at eight o''clock. When she woke up, she found that the man beside her was already gone. After washing up, she went downstairs and found an uninvited guest sitting in the living room. Allison was very upset when she saw Biancae downstairs. After all, she never had a kind word for the young woman. "Did you just wake up? Don''t you know what time it is? I can¡¯t believe you can sleep so soundly when something so serious happened to Luke''spany! You don''t care about my son at all! Thank goodness you don''t live in Crawford Manor. If I had a daughter-inw like you, Susan would mock me to death. My son doesn''t deserve a conceited woman like you!" The unreasonable reprimand ced Bianca in a bad mood. She forced a smile and responded, "I''m going to work. Goodbye." Allison nced at Bianca contemptuously. "Look how hard-working my son is. He went to his office early in the morning. If I knew he had gone to his office, I wouldn''t have toe here to look for him. When you meet Luke at thepany, tell Luke to go back to the manor after work. Old Master Crawford wants to meet him." Allison never knew what to do about her extremely stubborn son. She was proud that her son was so talented and capable, but on the other hand, she was annoyed that she could not control him. She knew that her son had never obeyed her. All she could do was use Old Master Crawford''s name to make him do her bidding. "Got it. I''ll let him know,¡± Bianca said. "Oh, I almost forgot. You''re an employee of my son''spany. Did Luke sneak you in through the back door?" Allison looked at Bianca mockingly and started dressing her down. "You''ll be a lowly employee for the rest of your life. Look at Leia. Not only is she a big celebrity, but she also learned how to invest and manage money at a young age. She even said that she would help her mother run her business after she retires from the entertainment industry. My boy Luke is usually busy with business and is always exhausted. What he needs is someone like Leia who can help him, not a good-for-nothing person like you.¡¯ Bianca was sad when Allisonpared her to Leia once again. Allison had never liked her. Bianca endured those harsh words and hit back harder. "Even if I¡¯m just a good-for-nothing person, Luke is willing to provide for me. We n to have another child next year, so don¡¯t worry about me being good-for-nothing..." When Allison heard Bianca''s words, she gritted her teeth, unable to mask her anger. "You shameless wench! Luke never said that he wanted to marry you, yet you still want to have kids with him? Oh my god, you really are shameless!" Bianca replied, "I¡¯m nothingpared to you. I heard that Luke''s father only took you in after you gave birth to himst time, so you¡¯re just a pot calling the kettle ck. Also, Luke loves me. There''s no point bringing up Leia." Allison was extremely annoyed. She grabbed her bag and was about to hit Bianca. "I''ll have to go to work now. You can choose to stay or leave." Bianca picked up her handbag, stepped on her high heels gracefully, and walked out the door. Allison was left sitting on the couch. Her expression on her was hideously dark. Chapter 394 Chapter 394 He Had Always Hated Being Threatened! As soon as Bianca arrived at T Corporation, she heard someone shouting anxiously in the lobby on the first floor. "Oh no! Someone is going to jump off the rooftop of Building C! It''s Giovan Sonny, that business owner! Someone, help!¡± Bianca''s face turned pale in an instant. She wanted to follow the person out, but she noticed Luke. "Mr. Sonny, that business owner, he''s trying to kill himself at the rooftop of Building C now..." Bianca blurted. Her mind was nk. Luke grabbed Bianca''s wrist and said resolutely. "I know the whole story, don''t worry. I''ll deal with it. Don''t go there." He was afraid that Giovan, in his panic, would hurt innocent people, including Bianca. "I promise I won''t be in the way. Let''s go over there now. It''ll be bad if the situation worsens," Bianca said. Luke saw that time was running out. He had no choice but to take Bianca with him. T Corporation had four buildings, A, B, C, and D. Luke''s office was in Building A, and Giovan was going to jump off Building C. Fortunately, the two buildings were not too far apart. Under Building C, countless reporters were taking pictures with their long lenses and DSLRs, police officers were maintaining order, and there was a huge crowd of onlookers. The firefighters had deployed an airbag. Luke took Bianca into the CEO''s personal elevator, went all the way to the top floor, and stepped out of the rooftop terrace. Giovan was a middle-aged man with an elegant face. He had lost his beloved wife and child in the fire. At that moment, he looked very sad. His unshaved beard made him look haggard. He dangled both of his legs beyond the ledge. One wrong move, and he would be a pancake on the ground. Giovan yelled out loud, "Get Luke Crawford here! Where is Luke? Get him out right now!" When Bianca saw Giovan might topple over anytime, she got anxious and wanted to go forward to persuade him. However, Luke held her back. "Did you forget what you promised me? Leave this to me. Don¡¯t go there!" Bianca was so anxious that she was beading cold sweat. "We don¡¯t have time to reason with him! He''s very emotional right now, and if he identally falls, another life will be lost in this tragedy. Let me go over to persuade him and get him toe down from the terrace before we continue talking..." Til go!'' Luke said imperiously. Bianca could only take a step back and give some space for Luke. Luke walked onto the terrace. The T Corporation employees around him were relieved to see him. They shouted at Giovan, "Mr. Sonny, Mr. Crawford is here! If you have anything to say, you can tell him! Mr. Crawford will help you!¡± "Yes, Mr. Sonny,e down quickly! It¡¯s too dangerous there!" When Giovan saw Lukeing, he became even more agitated and his legs moved a little closer to the edge. Everyone there was scared. Giovan cried in abject despair as if he was abandoned by the whole world. While crying, he cursed Luke, "Luke Crawford! You heartless developer! I¡¯ve spent tens of millions to buy the high-end residence, Greenview Regalia, developed by yourpany, T Corporation! Who knew that the fire protection facilities and the property management were so bad. My wife and children were killed in the fire... Now they''re all gone! Since you ruined my family, I also want to ruin your reputation!" "Mr. Sonny, all the media and reporters are under the office building right now. If you want to be tomorrow¡¯s news headline and jump down, I won''t stop you! Do you think that if you threaten me with death now, you¡¯ll be able to get what you want?" Luke said cold. "If you jump down, you will definitely die, and you''ll be so disfigured beyond recognition. That indeed will be troublesome and enough to keep me busy for a while, but then what? I just need to pull some strings and this whole issue will blow over. This incident will barely leave a dent in the reputation of T Corporation. And you? Not only your wife and children will not be avenged, but you''ll also even lose your life! If you want to jump, then jump!" Bianca could not believe what she just heard. Luke did not show any sympathy to that person. Instead, he provoked him with such cruel words! Bianca had enough! ''Giovan is on the brink of a breakdown. Does Luke really want to provoke him to jump?* Bianca cautiously and softly persuaded, "Don''t listen to him, Mr. Sonny. If you jump from here, you''ll die. Your body won¡¯t even be intact. Juste down from the ledge first, okay? You have hope as long as you live. Don''t you want to avenge your wife and child? Don''t you want to see the murderer who killed them brought to justice? Let Mr. Crawford know if you have any conditions. Pleasee off the ledge, alright?"Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Giovan nced at Bianca. Before he could speak, he heard Luke speak indifferently, "Who do you think you are, Ms. Rayne? Do you think that you can make decisions for T Corporation''s top management?" Gentle persuasion might have worked better than direct provocation on a man who was about to kill himself. Luke had never allowed anyone to threaten him through words. He wanted to start a negotiation with Giovan so that both parties would be satisfied. However, that did not mean that Giovan could take the opportunity to threaten him. He had always hated being threatened! Bianca was exasperated, but she persisted, "Mr. Crawford, are you really going to let Mr. Sonny die? Hasn''t he suffered enough?" "He¡¯s not the only person in the world deserving of pity!¡± "But you''ve gone overboard! Don''t you have any mercy in you, Luke?" The employees of T Corporation were taken aback. Bianca was the only one who dared to speak like that. They were there to help Giovan, but why were the president and Bianca arguing between themselves instead? The other people noticed that Giovan was distracted. They wanted to take the opportunity to pull him off the ledge. Giovan noticed what they were trying to do, and he suddenly lost his bnce! "Ah!" He let out a horrific yelp and fell off the building! Bianca was standing the closest to him. She ignored everything and stretched out her hand at the most crucial moment! She managed totch onto Giovan''s falling body, but his weight pulled her over the ledge! Chapter 395 Chapter 395 How It Feels When His Heart Stops Beating! "Bianca!" Luke yelled hoarsely with all his might. The man''s pupils shrunk from fear. At the most critical moment, in a wild stroke of luck, Luke reached out and grabbed Bianca''s ankle! Bianca''s entire body was hanging upside down in the air. Her long hair was flowing with the wind. Her ck hair covered her petite face, visibly pale due to the fright. She nced downward and saw the ground almost a thousand feet below her. She had a fear of heights, and she almost passed out. Although she was trembling with fright, Bianca''s hand still grabbed onto Giovan''s arm firmly! "Hold on, Bianca, I''ll rescue you right away!" Luke''s hands were shaking as well. The moment he saw Bianca being dragged down, his heart almost stopped beating, and he almost choked on his breath. Fortunately, he grabbed her ankle at the most crucial moment. The other employees of T Corporation hurried forward. Jason and Tom grabbed Bianca''s other foot, and several other male colleagues grabbed Bianca''s coat together in an attempt to drag her back! "Luke, you profiteer! You killed my family! Since I''m going to die today, I don''t mind dragging someone down with me as well! Hahaha..." Giovan spoke in utter desperation. He stared at Luke viciously and his eyes burst with sparks of hatred. Luke had always maintained a calmposure. This time, Giovan''s stupid behavior was driving him mad. He yelled at Giovan angrily, "How dare you, Giovan! I wanted to do my absolute best to satisfy whateverpensation that you request because you lost your wife and child. Of all the things that you could''ve done, how could you be so stupid?¡± Giovan''s emotions became even more unstable when he heard what Luke said. He was on the verge of an emotional breakdown. He had never nned to bring an innocent person to die with him. However, things were out of his control. Although he was a wealthy businessman, his connections were not as powerful as Luke. Fighting against that man was undoubtedly futile. In despair, he could only choose to die. Thinking of his wife and children who had left this world, Giovan''s emotions became even more charged. He cursed, "If karma is real, a profiteer like you will receive your due punishment sooner or later! I would rather die today and ruin you, Luke Crawford!¡± After that, Giovan started to peel off Bianca''s fingers that were gripping his wrist one by one. Bianca could not stop him. She could only watch as Giovan''s arm slid away from her grip. When Bianca realized Giovan''s intentions, her horrified face turned paler. Bianca anxiously persuaded, ¡¯Mr. Sonny, you must hold onto me tightly and don''t let go! Life is full of ups and downs, and everyone has their fair share of bad days! Choosing death is one of the most cowardly ways! Your wife and children died unjustly and the murderer hasn''t gone to trial. Don''t you want to see her being punished? "Do you think that once you die, all your problems will be solved? Think about your elderly parents and your inws. They are sad enough to lose your wife and child. Do you want to let the two poor old people go through the cruelty of arranging another funeral? Mr. Sonny, only by staying alive will there be hope for everything, and you''ll finally avenge the dead. Don''t do anything stupid, okay?" Luke saw that Giovan, who wanted to die, seemed to be moved by Bianca¡¯s persuasion... His face was cold and he spoke a little louder. "Mr. Sonny, although I don''t like your way of threatening me with death, since all your suffering now is caused by T Corporation, I won''t shirk any responsibilities, and I assure you that you can put forward any conditions within a reasonable range!" Giovan seemed to be thinking about the feasibility of Luke''s words. He was moved, but his emotions were still unstable. He stopped peeling away Bianca''s fingers. For a moment, he looked up suspiciously at Luke. "Is this true, Luke Crawford? What if I want that nanny sentenced to death?" "Okay, I promise you! As long as you''re alive, I can assure you that you''ll be able to see that arsonist sentenced to death!" Luke said with certainty. With his assurance, Giovan gradually calmed down from his mania and no longer wanted to die. Luke and other employees took advantage of that opportunity and pulled Bianca and Giovan from that perilous position! As soon as Bianca was safe on solid ground, Luke dragged her away in front of everyone. Bianca was afraid when she saw how gloomy Luke was. She looked at Jason and Sue for help, but the two of them looked at Bianca with a helpless and pitiful expression. In desperation, Bianca could only let Luke pull herself to the nearest room on the top floor. He mmed the door shut with a bang! Bianca knew that Luke was angry and scared over the fact that she had a brush with death. She walked over and wanted to hug him. Instead, Luke shoved her away! Luke''s expression was sullen. He raised his arm high, intending to bring his palm down on her cheek. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Bianca closed her eyes in fear. Would the man hit her because she put herself in danger? However, the pain she expected did note. Instead, Bianca heard a heavy punch on the wall. Bianca opened her eyes. She saw Luke punched a spot on the wall next to her head. At that moment, Luke''s eyes were bloodshot, and his tall and well-built body was trembling slightly. His unsmiling, handsome face was fraught with fear and anger... His gloom made people want to step away from him. His fist was bruised and bleeding from the punch. Bianca was feeling guilty. Luke should have been overjoyed because Bianca survived that brush with death. However, he could not control his emotions. His woman almost died just now! If he had not caught her in time, she would have be a broken mass of flesh and blood under the building. At that moment, he finally knew how it felt to be helpless! Bianca forcibly hugged Luke''s strong waist, trying to defuse his anger. Chapter 396 Chapter 396 The Kiss Was More Like A Punishment Bianca spoke softly, pressed her cheek against his solid body, and kept apologizing to him, "Luke, I''m sorry, I''m sorry... I just wanted to save Mr. Sonny. I didn''t expect such a dangerous thing to happen. I''ll never be so reckless again, please don''t be angry." "Who do you think you are? Do you think that you''re a superhero? You can''t even protect yourself, and you tried to y the hero without considering the consequences. Are you a fool? Do you know how dangerous the situation was? Did you know how scared I was when you fell?" Luke turned around, his eyes bloodshot. Only heaven knew the horror and agony he felt the moment she fell. At that moment, he would only be able to calm down by killing Giovan! "I didn''t expect to be in danger. It was a matter of life and death. In a manner of a few seconds, an innocent life could have been lost. I didn''t do it on purpose...¡¯ Bianca felt wronged and tried to exin while still in his arms. "I''ll never do such silly things again. My arms hurt..." Sure enough, Luke was distracted by that. The man¡¯s hand was still slightly trembling. He held Bianca''s arm gently, and his voice was very hoarse and stiff. "Where does it hurt? Is your arm injured? Let me see." He rolled up Bianca''s sleeve and saw that her fair wrist was red and swollen. Luke looked heartbroken when she saw it. It was most likely strained when she was grabbing onto Giovan, which made Luke''s eyes full of distress. If she could not even take care of herself, why did she try to be a hero? Luke''s expression was unpleasant. He carried Bianca in his arms and walked to the CEO''s office in Building C. Bianca secretly nced at Luke''s face and knew that her behavior had angered him. She curled up in his arms. She did not dare to speak more or refuse anything. As soon as she arrived at the CEO''s office, the female secretary hurried over and reported to Luke, "Mr. Crawford, Mr. Sonny has just been rescued. His body is fine, but his emotions remain unstable. He is moring to see you... ¡¯ "Get him out of here!" Luke''s face was pale with anger, and he yelled at the secretary. It was the first time that the female secretary saw the president being hot- tempered. She ran out of the office in fright. Luke put Bianca on the sofa. He went to take the first-aid kit in the lounge, took out a band-aid, and carefully applied it to Bianca''s wrist. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Bianca secretly stared at Luke''s expression and saw that he seemed calmer. That was when she coughed lightly and whispered, "Luke, can you say something? You''re scaring me a little.." Luke did not say a word but forced a fierce kiss on Bianca''s lips! The kiss seemed like a punishment, and he started to bite on her lips. It was so painful that Bianca''s eyes filled with tears. After the kiss, Bianca''s lips had traces of blood on them. His punishments were always so sexual and violent! Bianca''s bloodshot eyes were filled with dissatisfaction. Luke was disgusted with Bianca''s innocent expression. It was clearly her fault. All he wanted to do was punish her, she had made him look like the culprit. He wanted to tell Bianca off when he heard Jason hurriedly knocking on the door outside, "Mr. Crawford, the media reporters, the police officers, and some of Giovan''s rtions are all waiting downstairs..." Luke knew that now was not the right time to make out with Bianca. He did not want to make the current situation an even bigger mess. He nced at Bianca, who was still as pale as a sheet of paper, and felt worried. He said to Jason, "Mr. Doyle, please contact Johann and ask him toe to check if Bianca is injured anywhere else." Bianca had an inexplicable repulse toward hospitals, so Luke decided to get Johann toe over to examine her. She must have been traumatized by the earlier incident. Johann was not only an outstanding doctor, but he also had a Ph.D. in psychology. Getting him toe over would be the best. "Okay, I¡¯ll contact Dr. Johann right away," said Jason. Luke kissed Bianca''s forehead. "Be obedient and don''t wander around. Wait for me toe back, and I¡¯ll apany you after I''m done with everything." Bianca nodded obediently and watched Luke''s tall figure leave. Even so, she was still extremely worried. She drew the curtains of the floor-to-ceiling windows and saw themotion downstairs. She trusted in Luke''s outstanding ability but felt worried. In front of T Corporation. Luke was surrounded by countless reporters, emergency response officers, and a crowd of onlookers watching and taking pictures. Giovan''s brother and sister-inw, wiping away their tears, cried and spoke to the reporters. "My sister- inw and nephew were burned alive because of the bad fire protection facilities and property management of T Corporation. Now, they forced my brother to jump off the building. Luke''s profiteering crime is unforgivable! Everyone, please help! We must spread this horrible incident to the fullest extent and avenge my brother''s family!" As soon as their words fell, the hawk-eyed reporters saw Luke walk out surrounded by several bodyguards d in ck. All the reporters'' microphones were aimed at Luke. "Mr. Crawford, it¡¯s been a little more than a week since the Greenview Regalia arson case happened. When are you going to give an exnation to the family of the deceased? May I ask if Mr. Sonny attempted tomit suicide today because of yourpany''s secret persecution?" "Mr. Crawford, it is said that Greenview Regaliahas certain shorings, whether in its green belt design or the model andyout of the units. Even the smoke rms and automatic sprinklers in the homes of the owners are only provided for decoration. These are the main reasons why the firefighters failed to put out the fire in time. How do you exin this?" "Mr. Crawford, about T Corporation''s newly developed high-end properties, Grace Bay and Maison One, do they have the same problem? If there''s another fire in the development, will we see a repeat of this tragedy?" Luke stood straight, emanating a chilling gaze from his eyes. Even in the face of aggressive reporters, he remained calm. The man picked up the microphone. With a gentle and elegant face that radiated a certain intimidating aura, he said, "It''s a pity that such a tragedy happened in Greenview Regalia. As the head of T Corporation, I am indeed negligent in managing my people. I can assure everyone here today that I will give a satisfactory exnation to the family of the deceased!" Luke continued, "As for Mr. Sonny jumping off the building..." Chapter 397 Chapter 397 If Jack And His Wife Knew The Truth... At the same time, at the Norman family house. Leia had nothing to do that day, so she just stayed at home. Jack and Queenie had something to do elsewhere, and the caretaker went back to her hometown for the New Year. She was the only one at home. She was toozy to cook for herself. When she got hungry, Leia took out a pack of instant mac and cheese, tossed it into the microwave, and ate it. While eating the mac and cheese, Leia turned on the TV, browsed through a few gossip entertainment programs, and switched to a particr channel. That was because she starred in a period drama television series that was premiering on television that day. The show had not started yet. Leia waited while watching themercials. Suddenly, the television presented a news sh of the arson case. A female reporter held a microphone and reported to the camera, "We are now located at the headquarters of T Corporation in A City. Hundreds of reporters are gathered here right now. Everyone is very dissatisfied with T Corporation''s official exnation, and they want to get to the bottom of the Greenview Regalia arson case. Earlier this morning, Mr. Giovan Sonny, the victim, attempted tomit suicide by jumping off the building. From our sources, we were told that it was rted to the secret persecution by T Corporation. I hope Mr. Crawford can give us a clear exnation..." Leia''s eyes were glued to the screen. She forgot to eat her mac and cheese. There were too many people on screen, and it was almost impossible to see who was who, but Leia could instantly see at a nce the man that was in the center of attention. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. He was too dazzling. The sun was bright outside, but he even outshone the sun. The man''s healthy skin was pearlescent in the light. His high nose bridge was glowing like a gemstone. He stood quietly among the noise, noble and indifferent, as if he was detached from the mortal world. Leia looked at him obsessively. She was looking forward to how the man would answer those incisive questions. Leia wanted to see T Corporation get in trouble, trapped in the quagmire of scandal, unable to extricate themself. That way, she would be able to get close to Luke. 1 Everyone held their breath for Luke''s answer. The reporters kept filming and taking pictures, lest they missed any of Luke''s words. Luke stood in front of everyone, handsome and tall. His indifferent temperament kept him apart, and he carried himself with a mature elegance. He looked at the camera and said calmly, "Mr. Giovan''s incident today is purely an ident. I can empathize with Mr. Sonny''s grief of losing his wife and child. I am very sorry that he was disturbed by the incident and chose to end his life. On behalf of T Corporation, let me apologize profusely to his family!" He had ced the me on himself. The people at the scene were silent for a moment. Only Giovan''s brother and sister-inw continued to make a scene. "That''s nonsense! My brother was obviously threatened byT Corporation, and that was why he wanted tomit suicide! Luke, you bastard! You should take full responsibility for what happened to him! After the tragedy, you and the developers disappeared collectively. Instead of apologizing to my brother and his family immediately, they tampered with the fire and rescue department records afterward in an attempt to destroy the evidence. What''s your exnation for such underhanded behavior? "I pity my brother who lost his wife and child as well as his home that he had toiled for more than ten years to earn... "We thought of seekingpensation through legal means, but we are nobody and our words don¡¯t carry much weight. Even our posts on the Inte get deleted in a manner of seconds. Any sane man would be driven mad by such oppression. That''s why my brother chose to die!'' "Mr. Crawford, is that true? Has the fire records ever been tampered with?" "Mr. Crawford, have you manipted public opinion topletely block information negative to T Corporation, thus depriving the victims a voice?" "Mr. Crawford, are you really..." Countless reporters rushed forward, raising their microphones high and pointing all of them to Luke. All of them tried to get the juiciest information out of him first so that they could also help the victims to build up public opinion. After all, T Corporation had always been cautious for all those years, and its corporate image had always been good with almost no negative news. In addition to that, theirpany had always been trusted by the public. With this negative news, theirpetitors would not let go of the opportunity to kick them while they were down. Among them, many reporters were bought over by theirpetitors. Luke nced at the reporters tightly surrounding him. The man''s dark gaze was calm. He said solemnly, "When T Corporation received the news of the arson incident, it was immediately prioritized. We went to Greenview Regalia right away to verify the actual situation and actively cooperated with the fire department in their work. Since the establishment of T Corporation, its subsidiaries have always ced the utmost importance on the people''s safety. The ident was indeed caused by unfavorable supervision. I once again apologize to everyone!" The noble and elegant man bowed deeply to everyone. He continued, "As for the tampering of fire records you mentioned, I will set up a special task force to investigate the matter thoroughly. If we found that T Corporation''s subsidiaries indeed, against their conscience, havemitted such actions, I will most definitely strictly punish all parties involved and resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the owners. "In addition, T Corporation has always acted openly and honestly. There is no secret operation that deprives owners of their rights, and we do not curtail public opinion! "Everypany has its own set of standard operating procedures. If something goes wrong, we always follow legal procedures. Whether how much responsibility each party, which are the Greenview Regalia, the nanny, the property management, the fire protection contractor, or the developer, should take on for the arson case, all of it shall be up to the discretion of the court. Other than that, T Corporation will also give the victim 25% morepensation ording to thepensation result determined by the court. Everything will be done in an open and transparent manner! If the media continues to take matters out of context and influence public opinion, T Corporation vows to take legal measures to enforce ountability to the end!" The reporters were in a collective uproar. The man''s answer was wless. No one would be able to nitpick any ws. The media still had all kinds of questions to ask him, but Luke waved his hand before his special assistant, Jason, and the public rtions manager came on stage. They were in charge of dealing with everything that followed. At that point, Leia was no longer in the mood to eat. She had to agree that the man''s public rtions skills were top-notch. She admired the man''s courageous vigor and sharp methods, and how he remained calm in the face of such a crisis. Other people might waver and fail, but he was able to handle it with ease... If he did not waver in the face of that crisis, how was she going to approach him in the future? Moreover, she found out that Bianca was the birth daughter of her adoptive parents... If Jack and his wife knew the truth, she would never have a chance to win Luke''s heart... Chapter 398 Chapter 398 Luke Fed Her Medicine By Pinning Her Against the Wall! Leia''s eyes were suffused with an intense feeling of hatred. She got up from the couch and decided to go to Crawford Manor to look for Allison. That woman was shallow and materialistic. If Leia could appease her and impress Old Master Crawford through her, in addition to the help from her parents, Leia was sure that Luke would have no choice but to ede to their wishes. T Corporation. After Johann performed an examination on Leia, he found that aside from the sprain on her wrist, there were no other injuries. 7 On the other hand, her mental condition was not in a good state. After all, anyone would have been traumatized if they almost fell down from the 88th floor. 1 Next, Johann did a psychological counseling session with Bianca and gave her some herbal remedies. After Luke confirmed that Bianca was calm, he allowed Johann to leave. Bianca had suffered from a shock. Luke did not allow her to go back to work but instead made her rest in the lounge of the CEO''s office. A whileter, Luke got someone to make some tea for Bianca from the herbal remedy Johann provided. Bianca took a sip and instantly scrunched up her face. She stole a nce at Luke, pressed her lips, and furrowed her brows. "Don''t mind me. The tea is too hot. I''ll drink it when it''s cooler," Bianca said softly as she held the bowl. Luke narrowed his eyes and observed her unnatural reaction. He did not say anything but instead turned around and returned to his office. Bianca breathed a sigh of relief. After he left, Bianca brought the bowl to the hand basin in the lounge and was about to pour away its contents. "What are you doing?" Suddenly, she heard an eerie voice behind her. Bianca nearly jumped when she heard that. She almost let go of the bowl. When she turned around, she saw Luke leaning on the doorway. She bit her lip awkwardly. "It''s... it''s nothing." An ambiguous smile appeared on Luke''s face as he listened to Bianca exin her way out of her situation. Bianca blushed when Luke exposed her lie. "This tea is too bitter, and I don''t like it. I only suffered a shock, and I don''t think it¡¯s so serious that I have to take medicine. Moreover, there will be side effects if I take the medicine. I''ll be fine in a few days." Luke stared at her unblinkingly. He could not bear to see Bianca not taking the medicine. Instantly, he grabbed the bowl in her hand, took a big gulp, pinned her on the wall, grabbed her lower jaw with his other hand, and fed her the medicine mouth- to-mouth. Bianca''s eyes widened. The herbal remedy that was forced into her mouth was especially bitter. The man would pamper Bianca, but he would not let her trivialize her health. Bianca''s face scrunched up, but she was helpless. ''This is too bitter!'' Bianca cursed Johann in her heart. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Luke made sure that Bianca drank everyst drop. She leaned against the bed, and her animated gaze was wavering. Luke''s heart softened when he saw Bianca''s adorable face. "Johann''s medicine is very effective," Luke said gently, "If you don¡¯t take the medicine, you''ll have a splitting headache tomorrow.¡± Bianca knew that Luke cared for her, though she was nheless aggrieved. "It''s really bitter." Luke took out a piece of candy from somewhere. He peeled the wrapper off the candy. Bianca thought that he would give it to her, but she did not expect that he put it in his mouth. Before Bianca could figure out what was going on, the man pressed the back of her head and brought her lips to his. He pried open Bianca''s lips as he had done so many times, then transferred the candy into her mouth. The bitter taste of the remedy lingered in her oral cavity, mixing with her unique scent and the sweetness of the candy. Luke thought that it was quite addictive. Color returned to Bianca''s paleplexion after the kiss. Her face was as red as an apple. Luke was relieved when he saw that. "Rest here for a while. Don''t do any more work today. After you''re done resting, you can continue your work tomorrow. It''s almost Thanksgiving anyway. How about I''ll put you on paid leave until after Thanksgiving?" Bianca frowned. "It''s fine. I''m feeling alright. I''ll just rest for today, and I''ll return to my post tomorrow. There''s a lot of work at the end of the year, so I should do as much as possible." "Suit yourself. I respect your decision. I''ll be going back to work. Take a nap, and let me know when you wake up." Luke tucked her into the nket and went back to his office. Bianca felt dizzy after taking the medicine. Soon, she fell asleep. She woke up around six o''clock in the evening. The notification light on her phone was blinking, telling her that she had new messages. She ced a pillow behind her and leaned against the headboard, then opened the messenger app. The messages were from several friendly colleagues. After witnessing the perilous situation, they were concerned about her health. Bianca was moved. She replied to those messages with expressions of gratitude. Sue and Nina were the ones who sent her the most messages, and the messages were full of worry and anxiety. She created a group chat with the two other women. Then, she sent a message: [I''m fine. I just need some rest. Thank you for your concern.] Then, she appended a smiling emoji. The chat group instantly became alive after Bianca''s message. Sue: [You''re alive, Bianca! I was nearly scared to death by that scene earlier. The baby in my stomach nearly ran away. Thank goodness you''re fine. Boo hoo, you have to be responsible for my baby. It suffered a bigger shock than I did.] Bianca: [I can be your baby¡¯s godmother when it''s born. How about that? Your baby can ask for anything!] Nina: [You only think about Sue, you heartless woman. How about me? My soul nearly fled when I saw the scene. How are you going tofort me? Where are you now?" Bianca: (It''s all my fault, my dear Nina. How about I treat you to lunch someday? I''m in the lounge. See you tomorrow.] Sue: [Wow, the lounge! Is it Mr. Crawford''s private lounge in his office? I saw that Mr. Crawford was furious. Tell me, did he force himself on you and do some unmentionable things? Nina: [Naughty Sue! Our Bianca is pure. Is that what you think of her? Ahem. Bianca probably just got out from the throes of passion. We''re probably disturbing her!] Bianca: [...] They chatted for a while more when Bianca suddenly remembered Allison''s message to Luke. Old Master Crawford wanted to meet Luke. Her good mood was instantly gone... Chapter 399 Chapter 399 Why Did He Bring Bianca Into His Room? Leia, immactely dressed, was ying bridge with Allison and two of her other friends. The caretaker brought Old Master Crawford and the twins to the nearby park, and Susan was back at her parents'' house. That was why Allison could gather her friends for a bridge session at Crawford Manor. "I win again!'' Allison seemed to be lucky that day. She won thest few rounds in a row. She was the one who wasughing the loudest in the living room. "You''re so lucky, Aunt Allison. You''ve won several rounds in a row. That''s amazing," Leia said. "I''m done for the day. I haven''t won a single round today." Mrs. Willow seemed unhappy. Allison grinned even wider when she heard Mrs. Willow''sints. "Leia is my lucky charm. I used to lose more than I win whenever I y, but when Leia is here, I have a winning streak!¡± "I say, Allison, Leia is always here to keep youpany whenever she''s free. I think she''s as close to you as a birth daughter. When is Luke going to propose to her?" Mrs. King asked as she shuffled the cards. Everyone in Allison''s social circle knew who Leia was. This is from N?velDrama.Org. After all, Allison had boasted to her friends that the daughter of the Provincial Committee Secretary was in love with her son. She was very happy to see Leia bing her daughter-inw. Moreover, Leia was a true socialite. Not only she came from an illustrious family, but her demeanor was also noble and elegant. In the eyes of those noblewomen, she was sure to be Allison''s daughter- inw. Of course, with the proliferation of information, those noblewomen knew about Luke''s scandals from newspapers, magazines, and the Inte. ording to rumors, he had admitted that Bianca Rayne was the birth mother of his twins. However, those noblewomen did not agree that a peasant woman could marry into a wealthy family. Women like Bianca were more suited for one-night stands, or they could even be sugar babies. Only a socialite could be Mrs. Crawford. Leia held her breath when she heard Mrs. King''s question. She had spent a lot of money and time on Luke''s mother. She was not going to see it all go to waste. "It''ll be soon. My boy Luke is focusing on his career for now, and he doesn''t have the time to worry about rtionships. He''s not young anymore, and he¡¯ll have to marry soon! I''ll talk to him after Thanksgiving, and thetest will probably be the end of next year...¡¯ Allison said without hesitating. Leia was slightly disappointed she heard that she had to wait until the end of next year, but she soon managed tofort herself. She was still young. Waiting for another year was nothing. The man would not insist on marrying Bianca if the Crawford and Norman families pressured him. She felt a lot more relieved when she thought of that. Perking herself up, she continued the next game of bridge with thedies. She was smiling on the surface, but deep down inside, she was extremely irritated. She would not have yed that boring game with those olddies if not that she had to appease Allison! Halfway through a game, Luke and Bianca returned home. Bianca felt uneasy when she saw Leia in the living room. Luke furrowed his handsome brows when he saw his mother ying bridge with her friends. "Mother," he greeted Allison impassively. He did not greet the otherdies, nor did he cast a nce on Leia. Hugging Bianca''s waist, he brought her to his bedroom. Allison''s expression was horrid. Her gaze shed with disgust when she saw Bianca. Compared to the graceful Leia, Bianca was like an ugly duckling. The disdain in Allison''s eyes was evident while her friends prepared to watch the ensuing scene with glee. Allison¡¯s son had ignored the daughter-inw prospect of her choice while pampering the woman she hated. Even though Bianca was dressed inly, her appearance was quite remarkable. The lines of her face were gentle, and she looked demure and elegant. Her skin was fine, like quality porcin. Her eyes were animated, and they sparkled whenever she smiled. She could be said to be even prettier than Leia. Leia was fraught with jealousy when she saw how Luke cared for Bianca, though she had to keep a magnanimous appearance. After Luke and Bianca went upstairs, Mrs. Willow said shrilly, ''Sigh! Young women nowadays can be indecent. How could she go into the man''s room when they aren''t married yet? I say, Allison, can''t you disciple your Luke a little? Men can do whatever they want outside, but when they''re at home... Tsk tsk, if my son were to do that, I''d break his legs!" Allison was already unhappy. Her face flushed with dissatisfaction and embarrassment when she heard Mrs. Willow''s words. "Sigh, I can''t control my adult son! Nevertheless, his grandfather will have thest say in his marriage. In my eyes, the only candidate for his wife is Leia and no other!¡¯ Allison wanted Leia to be Luke''s wife, but his son did not share the same sentiment. She was angry that Luke had a mind of his own and that she could not control him. On the other hand, she was frustrated that Leia did not manage to charm his son, as well as hated Bianca for seducing Luke to the point that he would not hesitate to go against his family''s wishes. The otherdies smiled when they heard Allison''s answer but said nothing. Every family had its problems. They were at Crawford Manor to find entertainment and not to meddle in their family business. The game continued, but Leia''s heart was not in it. She might have a sweet smile on her face, but she was perplexed by the fact that Luke had brought Bianca into his bedroom. ''Are they making love?'' Leia was about to go mad with jealousy when she imagined droplets of sweat Luke''s strong and well- built body falling on Bianca! Bianca noticed an easel in Luke¡¯s room. On it was a halfplete oil painting titled "Diana and Cupid." Diana, the Roman goddess, was extremely beautiful, and her bright red dress was eye-catching. She was ying with Cupid, who slung a golden bow on his back. It was a serene and exceptional scene that would cause people to gasp in awe... Bianca was curious when she saw the dried paints next to the easel. "Did you draw this, Luke? Did you draw all the paintings in your room?¡¯ "Those are mere doodles when I''m idle. They''re nothing remarkable," Luke answered nonchntly. Bianca was in disbelief! ''This man knows oil painting too, and he''s so good at it! Oh my god, is there anything in this world that he doesn''t know?'' Chapter 400 Chapter 400 The Seductress Was Pranked By the Twins... Bianca had thought that the oil paintings in the living room of Crawford Manor and Luke''s bedroom were antiques. She never thought that Luke was the one who drew everything. Bianca loved to paint too. She possessed talents in painting. She had studied oil painting when she was abroad, and her teacher had always praised her. However, painting was an expensive pursuit. Moreover, she was working while she studied, and she did not have the time and effort to paint. She gave up after a while. Whenever she walked past the art room and saw other boys and girls focusing on filling their canvases with colorful paints, she would nheless feel envious. Luke''s imposing demeanor tranted into unrestrained brush strokes in his vibrant and moving paintings. Just like him, the paintings were noble, elegant, and carried a hint of mystery... "If you like to paint, I can teach you when we''re free." Luke opened a box of paints, mixed several colors, and ced a brush in Bianca''s hand. Then, he enveloped her tiny hand with his calloused palm, and they continued drawing the half-finished "Diana and Cupid." "No, I''m very clumsy. I''m afraid that I''ll mess up your painting..." Bianca''s hand was trembling even though Luke was gripping it. She felt that her painting skills were not worth mentioning in front of Luke. What if she identally ruined his masterpiece? "It''s OK. Oil paintings are different from watercolor paintings. You might ruin a watercolor painting with one misced stroke, and you''ll have to start again, but you can correct oil paintings even if you made a mistake." The man''s voice that was as clear as a r soothed Bianca''s heart. Bianca knew that one could fix a mistake on an oil painting, but she could not stop feeling nervous. After alleviating Bianca''s nervousness, Luke started teaching Bianca how to paint, like an experienced mentor. Holding her hand, the man added color, stroke by stroke, onto the canvas. After some time, Diana''s red dress began to take shape, and the bow and arrows on Cupid''s back were complete. The couple worked together seamlessly. It was their first coboration, but they had perfectlypleted "Diana and Cupid." The colors on the painting were vibrant and fused elements of ssicism and impressionism. One could say that it was wless. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Luke had done most of the work, but Bianca also felt proud that she had a hand in it. Bianca''s performance had surprised Luke. Oil paintings by novices would usually look stiff and unrealistic. Bianca''s movements might be awkward, but she managed to convey her feelings in the drawing. He could not help but kiss the woman who had never stopped surprising him. Just when the two were getting intimate, they heard a knock on the door. Leia''s voice was heard. ¡®Luke, Grandpa Crawford is asking you to go downstairs for dinner. Are you busy? May Ie in?" Bianca nced at Luke suspiciously when she heard Leia''s voice. She was not happy about what Leia did. Luke held his index finger in front of his lips. The man spoke coldly, "Ms. Norman, my woman and I are currently indulging in an activity that we both love. It''s not very appropriate for you toe in now. We''ll go downstairs soon." Leia''s hand froze in mid-air. She blushed intensely when Luke told her about what he was doing with Bianca in the room. The next moment, hatred seized her limbs like sprouting vines, causing her to gasp for air! Her pure face contorted as she bit her lip to force herself to be calm. She had been an obstinate person since young. If she wanted something, she would have to get it. Otherwise, she would rather see it destroyed. She had to get the man she wanted, no matter the cost! Even if Luke married Bianca, she would make sure that they divorced. Luke and Bianca were only boyfriend and girlfriend now. With some simple schemes, she could make sure that they break up. Leia felt a lot calmer after thinking of that. Then, she stepped down the staircase in her high heels, 1 In the Crawford Manor dining room. Leia was chatting with Old Master Crawford and Allison. She told them a joke and caused them to laugh uproariously. Meanwhile, Lanie and Rainie seemed to have been ignored. They sat huddled on their chair at the dining table, looking innocently and pouting unhappily at that "seductress¡± who seemed to have gained their great-grandfather and grandmother''s favor. Rainie whispered into her brother''s ear. "Look at her, Big Bro. She¡¯s not as pretty as Mommy, and her jokes aren''t funny. I wonder why Great-Grandpa and Grandma areughing? I don''t like that auntie, Big Bro..." Lanie''s animated eyes turned around. He whispered something back to his sister, which caused her to nod in glee. While the adults were chatting happily, the two children sneaked away from the dining room and went into the kitchen. The chef was busy cooking and did not realize that the children were there. Lanie stepped on a stool anddled a bowl of soup, after which Rainie added all types of seasonings inside. Lanie also added a heap of mustard into the bowl. Then, they stirred it with a spoon and brought the bowl back to the dining hall. "Auntie Norman, you should be thirsty after telling so many jokes. We brought some soup for you from the kitchen..." Rainie blinked her starry eyes and brought the bowl above her head. Leia was surprised. Luke''s two children had always been hostile to her. It was the first time that they showed her a kind gesture. "Thank you, Rainie. I will enjoy it." Leia took the bowl. She patted Rainie''s head, then shoved a spoonful of soup into her mouth. When the sour and spicy soup entered her mouth, tears nearly fell from her eyes... 1 Chapter 401 Chapter 401 How Embarrassing! The soup sent Leia''s taste buds into overdrive! The sour, bitter, spicy, and salty taste of her soup assaulted her sinuses. It felt as though a thin needle was poking on her nostrils and caused beads of sweat to form on her nose. She wanted to cough, and there was even an urge to vomiting from the back of her throat! However, Leia had to maintain her graceful demeanor in front of the two Crawford elders and the two children looking at her with delighted anticipation. She tried her best to suppress the urge to throw up, and her smile froze on her face. "How does the soup taste, Aunt Norman? Don''t you like it? Big Bro said that it''s very tasty! The chef even added truffles in it. It''s not only delicious but also healthy! You''re so pretty, Aunt Norman. You''ll be even prettier after you finish the soup!¡± Rainie''s fingers kneaded her princess dress, and she smiled sweetly. She looked very adorable. Allison was overjoyed when she saw that her two grandchildren were kind toward Leia. No one was more willing to see the harmonious scene. She grinned. "Look at how considerate my grandchildren are. They''re so kind to you, Leia! You should appreciate Rainie''s effort and finish the soup." Allison might favor Leia to be her daughter-inw, but she adored her grandchildren even more. The twins had always rejected Leia''s presence. Allison did not wish the children to have a falling out with their stepmother when Leia would eventually enter the Crawford household. Now that Allison had said it, Leia was caught in a dilemma. The range of expressions on her face was fascinating to watch. Leia wiped the sweat off her nose and tried to suppress the churning sensation in her stomach. "Rainie, is it okay if I finish the soupter?" "Don''t you like the soup that I brought you, Aunt Norman? Boo hoo... I brought you the soup because I thought you like soup. Did Rainie do something wrong?" The little girl pouted and stared at Leia with her puppy eyes. Even Old Master Crawford was moved by the little girl''s adorable looks. He beckoned at his great-granddaughter and hugged her. "Don''t cry, dear Rainie. Here, let''s eat dinner," he said lovingly. Old Master Crawford ced Rainie''s favorite fruit sd on her te, then shot a withering nce at Leia. ''What''s wrong with that youngdy? She seems magnanimous, but she can''t appreciate the kind gesture that my great-granddaughter showed her. How rude! ''Rainie doesn''t even bring me soup!¡¯ His impression toward Leia fell by a little. Leia became nervous when she saw Old Master Crawford''s unfriendly gaze. ''Oh no, I''ve forgotten about the most authoritative person in the household. He adores the twins and pampers them. I must have made him angry with my actions earlier.'' Leia gritted her teeth, braced herself, and drank the entire bowl of soup mixed with all sorts of seasonings in one shot! She ced the empty bowl on the table. Her stomach was churning, and snot and tears were almost coming out of their respective orifices. Leia forced a smile that was even uglier than a ghost. "Not bad, this soup is delicious. Thank you for being considerate, Rainie." Lanie sneaked a nced at his sister and discreetly shed a victory sign. The two children giggled as they saw how Leia tried to keep her temper down. Meanwhile, Luke came down the stairs with Bianca in his arms. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. When Leia saw the man, she temporarily forgot that her stomach was churning and stared at him infatuatedly. The man looked like a lord. His gentle and handsome facial features were so perfect as though they were sculpted by God, and each of his actions conveyed his maturity. Even though he was in casual clothes, that did not hide his nobility. One would easily lose themselves when they looked at him. Lyingzily in Luke''s arms like a Persian cat, Bianca''s hair was scattered. She wore a pure white dress that entuated the fairness of her skin. Leia felt ufortable when she saw the couple. She thought that she was going to throw up. The couple greeted Old Master Crawford and Allison, then sat down at the dining table. Old Master Crawford nced at Bianca but did not say anything. Then, he resumed ying with the children. Allison pulled a long face and grunted audibly when she saw Bianca. Bianca ignored that. She prepared to eat. After all, she was going to live with Luke in the future. Allison would not be able to do anything to them as long as they insisted on being together. Bianca also shot a nce at Leia. Leia was refilling Allison''s te in an attempt to gain her favor. Bianca was not sure how to feel about that. It seemed that Leia thought that she would be able to marry Luke if she could gain the elders'' favor... If Luke did not have a mind of his own and relied on his mother for decisions, then her n would work. However, Luke was an imposing and assertive man. Not only would Allison not influence him, but even Old Master Crawford was also helpless. Leia''s efforts might be in vain after all. The Crawfords'' habit was to eat their meals in silence. None of the people there werefortable sitting there, but nothing major happened. Leia was getting impatient. She wanted to find a way to gain Luke''s favor, but she did not know what to do. When she saw the ssic paintings on the wall, she became excited. "Old Master Crawford, are those paintings by M, the English painter? M is one of the most prolific realist painters. His works are exceptionally rare. It''s amazing that you have one of his paintings..." Bianca chuckled and nearly spat out the food in her mouth. She was dumbstruck by Leia''s ignorance. There were two fatal mistakes in Leia''s statement. Firstly, M was not English but French. Secondly, he was an impressionist and not a realist... Chapter 402 Chapter 402 No Wonder Queenie and Bianca Are Mother and Daughter! Leia''s expression turned unpleasant when she heard Bianca''sughter. ''Did I say something wrong?'' Ever since she was adopted into the Norman family, she had gone to an elite school and even studied abroad for two years. She did not believe that Bianca was anything more than a philistine! Leia was not interested in art since she was young, but her mother was a big fan. She forced herself to read up on art history so that she could humor her mother. However, she would begin to fall asleep as soon as she opened a book and read about the boring theories and the lives of famous artists. Eventually, she gave up and instead tried to please her mother with other activities she was good at. Leia stole a nce at Luke. The man sat on his chair elegantly. He was straight like a pine tree, and his silence was imposing. However, his demeanor changed as he filled up Bianca''s te. His prating gaze would turn gentle, and the corners of his lips would inadvertently curl up with an indulgent smile. Leia''s heart felt as though it had been wed by a wildcat; bloody, itchy, and painful. She lowered her gaze dejectedly. Allison could not bear to see her son ignoring Leia. Earlier, when Leia was confidently showing her knowledge about the painting, her impression of Leia became better. She did not know that what she said was wrong. Allison ced a scallop in Leia''s bowl and started praising her again. "See, that''s a cultured overseas graduate for you. Leia is more knowledgeable than certain country bumpkins who have never seen the world. I''m sure that some people here don''t know how to tell a genuine piece of art from a phony, let alone appreciate art! Don''t you think so too, Father?" Allison did not name any names, but she was ncing at Bianca disdainfully. Her mockery was evident. Old Master Crawford''s expression instantly sank. He mmed his cutlery on the table and frowned hard. "If you don''t know anything, can you shut up? You''re embarrassing me!" Allison did not know that Old Master Crawford had a passion for art history when he was young. He had studied in France for several years and majored in art. He met his wife there, and they returned to the country to start a business. He had not dabbled in art since, but he retained what he learned. M was one of his favorite impressionist painters, and he had collected several of M''s works. Leia tried to show off her knowledge but failed miserably, and that had changed Old Master Crawford''s impression of her. He thought that Leia was knowledgeable and talented, but he realized that she did not know anything at all. His favorable opinion of her instantly vanished. "Did I misspeak, Father?¡± Allison retorted in the face of Old Master Crawford''s irritation. Bianca calmly interjected, "Aunt Allison, M is not English but French. Also, he is an impressionist painter and not a realist." Allison wanted tough at Bianca. What would country bumpkins know about art? Old Master Crawford¡¯s gaze sparkled under his bifocals. "You know art history, youngdy? Tell me then, what can you say about this painting? Do you know if the scene is a sunrise or sunset?" He lifted his walking stick and pointed at the painting of water lilies hung on the wall behind him. Bianca opened her eyes wide and tried to take in every detail so that she could answer the old man''s question. However, she could not see the sky or the stars in the painting. How was she going to determine the answer? Leia red at her coldly, waiting for Bianca to make a fool of herself. Under the table, Luke squeezed Bianca''s hand, telling her not to be nervous. Bianca patted the back of his hand and smiled confidently at him. This is from N?velDrama.Org. After scrutinizing the painting for a while, Bianca gave her opinion. "Old Master Crawford, the painting depicts a sunrise. It''s not very obvious, but I can tell from the dewdrops on the lily pads. Also, the water in the background is light blue, the water illuminated by the sun is golden, and the water under the lily pads is blue-green. You will only get this scene in the morning. That is what nature tells me." It was the first time that Old Master Crawford had a better impression of Bianca than Leia. When he spoke to Bianca again, his voice was gentler. "I didn''t expect that you do know your art history. Let me ask you again, what are the different art movements in Western oil painting, and who are their proponents, and what are their famous works?" Bianca answered his question urately and could even tell some of the artists'' amusing anecdotes. Old Master Crawfordughed at Bianca''s humorous answer. He was full of praises for the young woman. Leia and Allison''s faces turned ashen. How did things turn out that way? The dinner had improved Old Master Crawford''s impression toward Bianca. At the same time, Leia seemed to have lost the old man''s favor. It was veryte when Leia returned home. Queenie was sitting on the couch in the living room, focusing her attention on a tome of art history in her hands. Her figure cast a long shadow, which gave the scene a tranquil grace. 1 For a brief moment, Leia''s face was contorted with jealousy. Queenie and Bianca were passionate fans of ssical art. She became inexplicably flustered when she made that connection. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. Then, she put on a pitiful expression and walked toward Queenie. Queenie ced the book away when she saw that Leia was back. "Have you had dinner, Leia? Should I make some supper for you?" She said caringly. "It''s fine, Mom. I had dinner at Crawford Manor earlier...¡± Leia shook her head and sat dejectedly on the couch. Her pale lips were tightly pressed together, and her brows were gently furrowed. Queenie could tell that her daughter was not in a good mood, and her expression became cold. "Tell me, Leia. Did something unpleasant happen at Crawford Manor?" Chapter 403 Chapter 403 My Situation Is Hopeless! Queenie was very protective of Leia. After losing her birth daughter, she had considered Leia to be her only daughter. She felt very sorry for Leia when she saw the aggrieved tears in her daughter''s eyes. 1 She hugged Leia and said gently, "Can you tell me what happened, my daughter?" Leia wanted toin to her mother about how heartless Luke had been. However, she was afraid that herints would cause her mother to be prejudiced against Luke. She swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue. Her gaze shed, and she started sobbing. "Mom, I think Luke... doesn''t like me. That Bianca isn''t a pushover either. She embarrassed me in Crawford Manor earlier. She thinks that she''s smarter than me, and she showed off her knowledge in front of Old Master Crawford. Even Old Master Crawford is favoring her more than me now... I really like Luke, Mom. He''s the first man that I like. What should I do?" Leia rested her head on Queenie''s shoulder, and warm tears slid down her cheeks. Queenie endearingly wiped her daughter''s tears with a napkin. She could not bear to see her daughter being so sad. Then, she handed her a cup of warm water andforted her, "Be a good girl, Leia... Don''t cry. If you like Luke, then I will help you make your wishese true." Leia held the cup and said pitifully, "I don''t know if I did something wrong, but he doesn''t seem to care about me. I still love him, and this love doesn¡¯t diminish just because he ignored me. Instead, it''s like boiling water in a kettle, and I think that my situation is hopeless..." Seeing the sparkle in Leia''s eyes, Queenie could tell from experience that her daughter was irredeemably in love with Luke. She felt sorry for her daughter, though she had to remain impartial. "There''s nothing wrong with liking someone, not to mention that Luke hasn''t married Bianca yet. However, if his heart is set on Bianca, we shouldn''t try to step in between them. You''re an outstanding girl, my daughter, and you shouldn''t stoop to ruining other people''s rtionships..." At first, Queenie thought that Bianca would not be an obstacle. 1 To her, Leia was better than Bianca in every way, no matter her looks, family background, or career. She believed that her daughter would easily captivate Luke''s heart. Apparently, she had underestimated Bianca. To Queenie, Leia was gentle, considerate, and knowledgeable. Meanwhile, Bianca was wild, haughty, and lowly. How would the Crawford family ept her? Leia closed her eyes to hide her true feelings. Luke was the best thing that happened to her, but that "best thing¡± had turned into a sharp knife that shed mercilessly at her heart and soul. Even so, she did not want to let go. She did not mind losing everything, but not that man! 2 Soon, it was almost Christmas. Most of the employees of T Corporation had gone on vacation, but on a rare asion, Luke fell sick. He had overworked himself in that period. He would leave for work every morning ande home veryte at night. Most of the time of the day was spent in his office. Moreover, he was extra busy making sure that there were no loose ends in the Greenview Regalia arson case. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Right after Christmas was the trial of Jillian Dove, the culprit behind the arson. He had promised Giovan Sonny that Jillian would be put to death, and he would hold to that promise. Luke contacted several important people in the federal government to get that done. After that, he held an emergency meeting with the board of directors to discuss the change in equity among the directors. After that, he held two video conferences with separate overseas partners, securing two deals that were worth at least a hundred million. In the afternoon, the twins had tummy aches because they ate something wrong. He and Bianca rushed them to the hospital. It was only until the evening when he managed to breathe a sigh of relief. In the evening, Luke''s usually healthy body could not take it anymore. He had a fever as the result of overwork. When he went to work earlier that morning, he had already felt that his nose was blocked and his throat was hurting. He did not feel good, but he thought that those symptoms would go away after a while. He did not expect that his situation worsened. His throat felt like it was on fire, and his body felt ufortable hot and cold at the same time. He felt as though his head was going to explode, and his body was buried in a ton of concrete. It was so heavy that he almost could not breathe! Bianca sat next to him on the bed and tucked him into the nket. Her eyes began to mist when she saw how weak and helpless the man was. He had worked too hard. He would not have been able tost for long even if his body was made of steel. Bianca inserted one end of a thermometer into his mouth. She was shocked by the reading. "103.5 degrees! This is a serious fever! Rest well, I''ve already contacted Johann, and he''s on his way here..." "Don''t worry. It''s just themon cold. I''ll be fine," Lukeforted Bianca. To him, a fever was nothing. Bianca''s beautiful face frowned. She poured a cup of hot water for him, then went to the bathroom and rinsed a towel with cold water, folded it, and ced it on his forehead. That was all she could do to make him feelfortable for now. Luke, in his groggy state, sniffed Bianca''s exquisite feminine scent, which made him feel a lot better. "Drink some warm water first, Luke." Bianca used all her strength to pull Luke up and lean him against the headboard. She cushioned Luke''s back with her delicate body, then slowly poured the lukewarm water into his mouth. "Drink slowly, don''t choke on it..." Bianca''s movements were very gentle, as though she was taking care of a child. Luke thought that Bianca''s voice was divine, and her actions warmed his heart. No one had ever cared for him like that since he was young. He was lucky to have Bianca beside him. Chapter 404 Chapter 404 Luke and Bianca''s Third Child! Johann arrived, examined Luke, gave him a prescription, and fed him liquids. After that, Luke''s high fever subsided a little. Bianca breathed a sigh of relief. She was busy the entire day. Earlier, they sent their children to the hospital. As they recovered, Luke fell sick. She had to take care of the big one as well as the little ones. When she prepared the liquid medicine for Luke, she took a whiff of the pungent smell of medicine, which instantly caused intense difort in her stomach... Bianca hastily ran to the bathroom and dry-heaved into the hand basin, but nothing came out of her mouth. The nausea subsided a whileter. Bianca seemed to have realized something. She remembered how Sue had dry-heaved in the washroom at the office, as well as her reactions when she was pregnant with the twins. She abruptly covered her mouth and tried to recall when was thest time her period came. Her period should have been one week ago, but it had nevere. Luke had always been wearing protection when he made out in bed with Bianca, except for one particr nightst month, when they were caught in the heat of passion, and Luke did not wear a condom. Bianca remembered that it should have been her safe period, and that was why she did not take any morning-after pills either. ¡¯Oh my god, did I strike the jackpot?¡¯ She was gued by a mess of emotions when she returned to the bedroom. Luke had taken his medicine and was chatting with Johann while holding a thick financial report in his hands. He noticed that Bianca''s face was very pale. When she came next to the bed, he brought her into his arms. "Thank you for your hard work today. Why do you look so pale? Have you overworked yourself too? Please examine her body, Johann." Johann looked graceful and bookish like a gentleman. His eyes carried a natural seductive charm. He whistled and smiled. "I say, Sis, what''s wrong with your family? We''re just a few days from the new year, and the two little ones have tummyaches, Luke has a fever, and now you''re not feeling well. Did you forget to leave cookies and milk for Santa?" "Shut it!" Luke shot a murderous nce at Johann, which immediately shut him up. He instantly resumed his serious expression. "Please give me your wrist, Ms. Rayne, so that I can take your pulse..." Bianca stretched out her delicate arm. Johann ced two fingers on her wrist and sensed her pulse. Suddenly, his expression became serious, and he furrowed his brows. Bianca was already feeling nervous. She became even more apprehensive when she saw the change in his expression. Her gaze met Johann''s eyes. She was not sure how to feel when she looked at him. "Am I sick, Mr. Stiles?" She asked nervously. Johann wanted to pull her leg for a bit longer. He decided otherwise when he saw Luke''s hawk-like re on him. He lifted his hands as though surrendering. "I say, Bro, you don''t have to look at me like you''re going to murder me! You''re frightening me! Alright, there''s nothing major with Sis. She''s only pregnant..." Thud! The financial report fell from Luke¡¯s hands and scattered all over the floor. Luke hugged Bianca''s waist tightly. His voice wavered as he spoke to Johann. "Did you say that Bianca is pregnant?" "Yes, she''s been pregnant for at least a month. Congrattions, there''ll be a new addition to the Crawford household!" Johann smiled slyly as he nced at the usuallyposed man. Bianca was instantly flustered. She and Luke had nned to have new children only after their marriage, and the sudden new life had disrupted her ns. She felt as though a ball was bouncing against the walls of her heart. It was a nuisance, but at the same time, she felt warm. Luke took a deep breath. His lethargic body seemed to be infused with vitality. His gaze shed with a hint of ecstasy. He hugged Bianca tightly, as though he wanted to fuse together with the woman he deeply loved. He was not even that excited when Bianca was pregnant for the first time. That time, Bianca''s soul did not belong to him. Back then, they were secretly in love with each other, but they had never interacted. Moreover, their rtionship used to be strictly financial. He only knew that she had twins when she went for a check-up at the hospital. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. He had feelings for her, but those feelings were not as strong. Luke wanted to make sure that she had her title as Mrs. Crawford first. He nned for a baby only after the wedding. He did not expect to have a third child that soon. The pleasant surprise caused his intelligent brain to go haywire. Suddenly, his expression changed abruptly when he realized that Bianca had been taking care of the three people in the family for the whole day. She must be tired. Luke carried Bianca onto the bed,y her t, and covered her with a down nket. He caressed her tender and fair face. "Please rest for now, Bianca. I... I didn''t know that you''re pregnant. If I had known about that, then I shouldn''t have fallen sick. I''m sorry to cause you to worry about me..." He was not making sense. Bianca was dumbfounded. ''What is he saying? Does he think that falling sick is a choice? ''People say that pregnant women can often be irrational, but why does the man seem to be more irrational than I am?'' She was not used to seeing Luke being overly cautious. "It''s just pregnancy. There''s nothing surprising about it. I''m fine, Luke. Lanie and Rainie should have woken up from their naps. I''ll check them out in their bedroom..." Bianca mumbled. She wanted to get up from the bed, but Luke pinned her down. "Be a good girl and rest!" Luke''s expression sank. The man could be intimidating when he was serious. Even so, Bianca was secretly delighted that Luke cared for her health. Johann, who was still single, clicked his tongue when he saw the way Luke showed his love for Bianca. His good friend had never shown any interest in women, but now, he had be fiercely protective of his wife! Johann winked knowingly at Bianca, which caused her face to blush... ''Now that Bianca is pregnant, I shouldn''t let her suffer anymore. Looks like I''ll have to bring forward the date of the wedding!'' Luke thought. Chapter 405 Chapter 405 Don''t y Rough, You''ll Disturb the Baby After Luke calmed down from the joy, he asked Johann about taking care of a pregnant woman. Johann told him a lot of things. Luke listened to him attentively. He also used a recording pen in case he forgot what Johann told him. He even asked Johann to email him the relevant information after Johann returned home. Johann rmended to him several famous books about pregnancy. They contained detailed information about taking care of a woman during and after pregnancy, as well as the solutions to any problems that may arise. Bianca wanted to fall asleep as she listened to that. Luke, however, continued to take notes. That was not their first child. Bianca did not expect that Luke would be so concerned... Before Johann left, he said jokingly to the couple, "There''s something else I should remind you, Sis. You don''t have to be embarrassed after hearing it." Bianca did not know what he was talking about. ¡¯Embarrassed? What is he going to say?¡¯ Then, Johann turned to face Luke. "Actually, the reminder is for you. Pregnant women can exercise, but you have to keep your urges in check. You''re in the prime of your health, while Sis is quite delicate. She won''t be able to withstand your..." "Nonsense!" Luke abruptly stood up and threw a pillow at Johann''s head, causing thetter to shield his head and wail. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Luke did not wish for other people to talk about their personal business, nor did he want other people to see Bianca being embarrassed. "It''s just a reminder! Don''t go overboard. Otherwise, you might disturb the baby. I''ve just helped you, and that''s how you repay me? Sigh, I''m so unlucky to have a "friend" like you! Boo hoo, you''ll have to help me, Sis..." Bianca could not help butugh when he saw the gentlemanly Johann behave that way. "Alright, thank you, Doctor Stiles. We will remember what you tell us." It was Bianca''s second pregnancy. She was not as fearful and clueless as thest time. Instead, she felt that it was a pleasant surprise. She gently caressed her t stomach, and a motherly gentleness suffused her gaze. The baby was the proof of love between Luke and her. After she gave birth to Lanie and Rainie, she was not there in the crucial period when they grew up. This time, she would be by the baby''s side from the first moment. That way, she would give the child aplete and happy childhood. Bianca was worried that Lanie and Rainie might not take the news well, i Too many such examples happened in real life. There were even news reports that some children could not ept that their mother had given birth to a younger sibling, and they killed the newborn baby out of cold blood. She did not expect that her worries were unfounded. When the twins found out that their mother was pregnant and that they were going to have a new baby brother or sister soon, they were ecstatic. Currently, the two children were arguing in the living room whether the baby in Mommy''s womb was a boy or a girl. "The baby in Mommy''s tummy must be a pretty girl like me! She can''t be a boy. You might be handsome, Big Bro, but your toys are different from mine. I want a little sister so that we can y house together! I want to braid my little sister''s hair and share our dolls'' clothes. Ah... I want a little sister!" At the moment, Rainie was not behaving like a littledy. She was pointing at her brother with one finger while her other hand rested on her waist. Lanie was sitting on the couch, rxing, dressed in handsome white casual clothes. He was not concerned about his sister''s aggressive attitude. The way he sat on the couch looked like his father Luke. Lanie shot a disdainful nce at his sister, who only knew how to act cute. "Mommy must be bearing a little brother. Girls are weak. When our little brother grows up, we can protect you!" Rainie sucked on her thumb. She was struggling internally. "But if it''s a little brother, he won''t be able to y dolls with me..." "Silly! If we have a little brother, you can dress him up like a doll! When he grows up and starts earning money, he can buy a cart full of dolls for you!" Rainie thought for a bit and found that what her brother said made sense. Eventually, Rainie changed his mind. "What you said makes sense, Big Bro. I hope that Mommy gives birth to a little brother. Yay! I''ll have a little brother soon! I''m so happy!" Lanie facepalmed when he looked at how his silly little sister was so easily convinced. However, he sincerely hoped that the baby in Mommy''s womb was a boy. Rainie was too gullible. He had to be on high alert at all times so that others would not take advantage of her. If the baby were another naive and gullible little sister like Rainie, it would be very tiring to protect the both of them! Rainie skipped happily in front of Bianca and ced her head on her mother''s stomach. "Hey, Little Bro! I am your big sister Rainie. Come out soon. I want my new toy!" Bianca did not know if she shouldugh at that. Lanie was a considerate boy, and it was expected that he did not reject the new sibling. She found it surprising that Rainie, being more possessive, would ept the news too. Of course, she did not expect that Rainie treated the baby like a toy. Soon, books about pregnancy and childcare piled up on the table next to Bianca and Luke''s bed. There was also a stack of notes that Johann had carefullypiled. News of her pregnancy traveled like the wind to all corners of Crawford Manor. When Susan found out that Allison would soon be graced with another grandchild, she was so angry that she smashed everything in her room. "Who does Allison think she is? She used to be an escort working in a nightclub, so why does she deserve to be so lucky? Not only does her son wieldplete control over T Corporation, but she''s getting grandchildren one after another! Why can''t she drop dead right at this moment? If only I had gotten someone to crash her son''s car a second time, they wouldn''t have been so morous now!" When Louis entered through the door, he heard clearly what his mother said. He stood rooted on the spot in shock. His gaze toward Susan was full of disbelief. "Mom, were you the one behind Luke''s near-fatal car crash?" Chapter 406 Chapter 406 She Was Angry! She Was Furious! Susan did not expect that Louis was standing at the door. She instantly came to her senses and remembered what she said at the peak of her rage. She had to admit that the twisted marriage to Zachary Crawford had caused irreparable psychological damage, but undeniably, she was a doting and caring mother to her son Louis. Her position in the household was precarious, and she only had her son to rely on. She could not afford any cracks in her rtionship with Louis. "What are you saying, my son? I don''t understand," Susan said sheepishly." See, Luke already has a pair of twins, and now Bianca is pregnant with a third child. You''ll have to buck up and get your mother a grandchild soon. That way, the Crawford family business wouldn''t fall entirely into the hands of Allison and her son!" "Tell me honestly, Mom, did you hire someone to cause Luke''s car crash?" Louis was not beating around the bush. Louis''s gaze was like Zachary''s. Susan felt an inexplicable panic when looking into her son''s eyes. Then, she began to feel sorrow. Those were exactly like the eyes that had captivated her heart. Zachary Crawford was an experienced casanova. He had promised Susan the moon, which made the naive Susan fall in love with him. Her parents were not fond of Zachary, thinking that he was unreliable because of his attitude. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Back then, she was a naive young socialite who was deeply in love. Why would she care about anything else? Moreover, Zachary seemed to be devoted to her whenever they were together. She did not see his multiple affairs with other women. When her parents objected to her marriage, she had even threatened tomit suicide. Not only that, she had carnal rtions with the man despite her strict upbringing. After that, her parents had no choice but toply. She married the man he loved, thinking that her world wasplete. She did not expect that Zachary''s other lovers started crawling out of the woodwork even before they had finished their honeymoon. Thus began her cold war with Zachary Crawford. At first, Zachary would attempt tofort her. Eventually, he grew tired of her tantrums and began to keep a distance from her. Sometimes, he would not return home for days. She was forced to face the harsh realities of life. Using her family''s influence, she managed to deal with Zachary''s mistresses. Unfortunately for her, Zachary was a total yboy. After dealing with one mistress, another younger and prettier woman would take her ce, as though mocking her. Eventually, she grew tired of dealing with the endless stream of women. Her parents convinced her that she would be able to secure her position in the Crawford family if she could bear a son. Eventually, all the riches of the Crawford family would fall to her. She did not bother dealing with those innumerable mistresses. Instead, if she ever found that any of those women became pregnant, she would get someone to forcefully abort it. She did not expect that one would slip away. Unknowing to her, Allison Tanner, an escort and one of Zachary''s sugar babies, became pregnant. She was already five months pregnant when Susan caught wind of it. Furthermore, the baby in her womb was a boy. Susa was furious. She wanted to cut Allison into a million pieces! Zachary seemed to have sensed that Susan wanted to harm Allison. He hid Allison from public view, and Susan could not find her no matter how hard she tried. Finally, Allison sessfully gave birth to Luke. That did not change anything. Susan was Zachary¡¯s legally wedded wife. She would remain as Mrs. Crawford as long as she did not relinquish her position, and Allison would forever be a mistress. When she was pregnant with Louis, Zachary died in an ident, and Allison lost her footing in the Crawford household. Susan threatened the woman with death and enticed her with money, which led to Allison marrying another man and her child being sent to an orphanage. Later, Old Master Crawford took Luke back from the orphanage on his own ord because he missed his dead son. He was also afraid that the young child might not be used to living in Crawford Manor, and he brought Allison back to the household against Susan''s wishes. All she could do was to use underhanded schemes to disrupt the mother and son''s lives. She did not expect that Luke was intelligent, capable, and hard-working: everything that Louis was not. Luke was also a business prodigy, which gained him the trust and favor of Old Master Crawford. She was afraid that she and her son''s position in the household would be reced... In another fortuitous twist of events, the outstanding Luke was diagnosed with depression! Old Master Crawford had to move him to a small town to recuperate. Later, she nned a near-fatal car crash in the small town, which caused him to fall into aa for an entire year. Somehow, the child survived the ordeal. After he recovered, Luke Crawford seemed to be a totally different person. He went overseas to study for several years. Old Master Crawford seemed to have noticed something and sent someone to protect Luke. Susan had to watch her every move. Moreover, her influence was limited within the country''s borders. She did not know what Luke was doing overseas. Once Luke returned to the country, he quickly took over control of Crawford Industries and cleaned out its ranks. All her spies were uprooted and removed from thepany. She was helpless against that young man''s merciless tactics... With his talents in business, Luke brought Crawford Industries to greater heights, multiplying its profits by hundreds and even thousands of times and establishing thepany as A City''s most renowned company. After that, he changed the name of thepany to T Corporation. She regretted that she did not kill him back then. She was helpless against that man now. All she had left was Louis, her son. Now, her son was asking her whether she had schemed Luke''s car crash. "You shouldn''t suspect your mother, my son. Everything I do is for your good. If you don''t trust your mother, then why should I have given birth to you? I..." Susan''s heart wrenched as her brain was flooded by memories of the past. She clutched her chest in agony and slowly slumped on the couch. With no other choice, she could only fake a heart attack and escape from her son''s castigation... Chapter 407 Chapter 407 Meeting the Normans At the study. Louis opened the door and looked at his brother Luke, sitting at the desk and carefully perusing some documents. The heater was turned on, and the man was only dressed in a ck shirt, which entuated his mature demeanor. From the door, Louis could see that his brother''s legs were crossed. Even he had to admit that his brother was very charming when serious. Louis sighed again. He would also have been attracted to his brother if he were not a straight man. His brother was a workaholic, even working when it was the holiday period. Louis, though, would find sitting in front of a desk even for half an hour unbearable torture. Indeed, his brother Luke was his idol. Luke seemed to have noticed that someone was looking at him. He lifted his head, saw that it was Louis, lowered his head, and continued his work. It was noon, and the sunlight wasfortable. The gentle rays shone through the floor-to-ceiling window and around Luke, enhancing the handsomeness of his sculpted face. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Louis was caught in a daze looking at his brother''s face, even though he already knew that his brother was more handsome than him. "Luke," he called out softly. Luke''s prating and profound gaze nced at him. He lit a cigarette before asking, "How is your mother?" Of course, he knew about Susan suddenly passing out. Unlike Allison, who gloated at Susan''s misfortune, he performed his responsibility to his elders. He did not personally go and visit her, but he had called Johann to examine her. Old Master Crawford had begged him to forgive the things that Susan had done to him; he did not make her culpable, but he could not forget those things either. He had almost lost his life in a car crash of her design, which made him lose out so much time that he could have spent with Bianca. On the other hand, he understood that all those tragedies would not happen if his mother Allison had not inserted herself into Zachary and Susan''s marriage. He empathized with Susan, and that was why he could tolerate her. He wanted to atone for his mother''s sins. "My mother fell asleep after taking some medicine. Johann said that it was psychological, and she will need therapy. I''m sorry, Luke..." Louis felt guilty as he looked at Luke. He understood that what he overheard earlier might be true. If his mother had plotted that car crash, that was a dark and horrifying side of his caring and loving mother that he never knew. His elder brother was still a boy back then. How merciless could someone be to wish death upon an innocent boy? Luke put the document in his hands down and took a drag of his cigarette. He was concerned when he saw that Louis was bothered by something." What''s wrong? You''re not yourself today." Louis suddenly sounded serious. "I''ve decided, Luke. I''ll help you in thepany after the weekend." Luke exhaled a smoke ring and looked at his younger brother intently." You''re already helping in the company now, Louis." Louis was so embarrassed that he did not look at his elder brother in the eye. He took a deep breath and clenched his fists. ¡¯I''m not joking, Luke. I''m serious." Earlier, he went to thepany under his grandfather''s coercion. However, he had been cking and taking every other day off. His only "help" was that he did not actively sabotage his elder brother''s work. Now that he found out one of his mother''s secrets, he felt guilty toward Luke. He wished that he could help alleviate some of his elder brother''s work. "Mm, I trust you." Luke did not know what caused the sudden change in Louis''s demeanor, but he was happy with that change. He doted on his younger brother with a different mother. Louis breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at his gold watch and remembered that he had something to doter. "I''ll chat with youter, Luke. I''ll have to make preparations for Ms. Norman''s birthday party in the evening.¡¯ Luke''s hand paused in mid-air. "Ms. Norman? Do you mean Leia Norman?" "Yes, Leia Norman''s 22nd birthday. I''ve also received an invitation," Louis said. Luke did not reply. It was amon urrence for socialites to have grand birthday parties. Naturally, such events were the perfect opportunity for someone to expand their socialwork. He had received an invitation from Leia earlier, but he had tossed it into the trash and forgotten about it. He was not fond of crowded ces. He would rather not go to those parties unless it was really necessary. However, Luke had an interest in attending the uing party. He remembered Bianca''s grievances from thest Norman family event. A smile appeared on his face as he flicked the silver lighter in his hand. "I''ll go tonight too." At about six o''clock in the evening, the sky was getting dark. An eyecatching ck Rolls-Royce sped toward the Norman family mansion. The scenery along the drive was barren because it was mid-winter. However, the snow on the trees looked rather pretty. Bianca sat in the back seat and looked out of the window. She was quite nervous when she remembered that she would be meeting her "love rival¡¯ soon. She did not understand Luke''s decision. Luke knew that she was not happy to see Leia, so why would he bring her to Leia''s birthday party? Moreover, she had argued with Mrs. Norman thest time they met. She believed that the Normans would not wee her presence. "We''re here.¡± The driver''s voice broke Bianca''s train of thought. The driver respectfully opened the car door. Luke got out of the car first. Then, he helped Bianca out while shielding her head and waist. The decorative steel gates of the Norman family mansion were wide open, weing guests from all corners. Luxury cars were parked in a row. A red carpet extended from the courtyard to the entrance and into the front hall. At a nce, the hall was filled with luminaries from the political and business circles, as well as several renowned celebrities from the entertainment industry. Luke and Bianca became the center of attention as they walked on the red carpet. Many influential politicians and elite businessmen greeted Luke. Bianca loved to watch the news and read financial magazines. She remembered seeing a lot of those faces on the television and the magazines. She could not help but be impressed by the man¡¯s extensive socialwork. Bianca could feel her facial muscles turning stiff from the smile she had to maintain as they walked. Finally, as she stepped into the front hall, she saw many wealthy female socialites and famous movie stars surrounding Leia... Chapter 408 Chapter 408 A Challenge to Bianca! At the birthday party, Bianca saw Queenie chatting with a group of noblewomen. Queenie''s hair was tied into a bun, and she was wearing a deep blue embroidered evening gown. She was the epitome of elegance as she chatted with her friends. Frankly, Bianca had never seen another woman with a uniquely elegant air as Queenie Ziegler. She carried the air of nobility, but she did not look arrogant. Instead, she seemed kind and gentle, though with a hint of authority. Even though Queenie had traded barbs with her before because of Leia, Bianca could not get herself to hate the woman. Instead, she somehow felt that the noblewoman looked familiar. "You''re so lucky, Mrs. Norman. Your grown-up daughter is both beautiful and talented!" "Yes! Ms. Norman is gentle, beautiful, and knowledgeable. I wonder if she is currently seeing someone?" One of the extravagantly dressed noblewomen asked. "You''re too kind. Leia doesn''t have a boyfriend yet. If you know anyone suitable, you can rmend them to my daughter," Queenie said gently. Queenie knew that Leia was a stubborn girl. Perhaps it was her first time falling in love, she thought that Luke was the only person she needed in her life. Queenie was more experienced. She knew that men of Luke''s caliber were rare, but Luke did not like her daughter one bit. A marriage without love was pure agony. Leia would not find bliss even if she managed to marry Luke. That was why Queenie wanted to take the opportunity to find a good match for Leia. She sincerely hoped that her daughter would be happy. Meanwhile, Leia was feeling dejected. She did not know what Queenie was doing for her. Her love for Luke was like a mania. The more she could not get it, the more obsessed she became. She even thought that all the men in her birthday party did not add up to Luke''s pinky finger. Leia resented Queenie for helping her find a match among the partygoers. She thought that her mother did not give the best to her because she was adopted. Leia''s eyes were brimming with negativity. She was afraid that she might lose control of her temper, and so she quickly went to get some fruit punch to calm herself down. When she lifted the ss, she saw Luke and Bianca in the reflection. She put the ss away and turned to look at the man she loved. Luke was currently shielding Bianca as they walked among the crowd. The scene had caused her anger to re up once again. Fires of anger burned within her. She was going to explode! "Mrs. Norman." After Luke brought Bianca to greet Jack, they went in front of Queenie. Queenie looked at Bianca, seemingly in a daze. Bianca was dressed in a simple satin dress, and she put on light make-up. Her eyebrows were thin, her nose bridge was tall, and her straight hair had been permed into a wave. As she looked at Queenie with a smile, her gaze was so animated that they seemed to talk. For a brief moment, Queenie thought that she saw her younger self in Bianca. Then, she shook her head. That youngdy was Leia''s love rival. Why would she look like herself? What a ridiculous thought. Luke formally introduced Bianca to Queenie. "Mrs. Norman, this is Bianca Rayne. She is the mother of my two children, and she will soon be my wife and my only partner in life." Queenie was taken aback, but soon, a smile appeared on her face. "You don''t have to emphasize that, Mr. Crawford. If you and Ms. Rayne love each other, then I shall give you my best wishes. You can''t force love, and I know that more than the two of you. Ms. Rayne, I didn''t mean those words that I said to you, and I hope that you will pardon any of my transgressions. Everyone here is a guest. Make yourselves at home..." Bianca was quite surprised. Queenie''s attitude toward her had improved by a lot. She knew that it might have been because of Luke''s imposing demeanor, but she did not think that Queenie, who doted upon her daughter, would change her attitude because of the man''s protection. Leia did not say anything, though a mixture of jealousy and sorrow was evident in her eyes. She did not even hear the youngdies around her talking to her. Luke''s words reyed in her mind. "Bianca will soon be my wife and my only partner in life." ''Your only partner in life?'' "Hah!" Leia smiled mockingly. ''Are you so sure that Bianca Rayne will be your only partner in life, Luke Crawford? You don''t even know if you''ll get to marry her!" The birthday party officially started at half-past eight. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Leia, as the birthday girl, was dressed like a princess. She stood proudly next to Mr. and Mrs. Jack Norman. On the table next to her was a twelve-tiered birthday cake. Leia Norman, the darling of the Norman family, received the birthday wishes from those noblewomen and their sons. She was so happy that she could fly. After that, Leia performed a piano piece for everyone. As the people cheered, she stepped onto the temporary stage, wearing white gloves. She sat in front of an exquisite piano. Leia was quite nervous. She was even more nervous than the time she won an award. The man he loved was looking at her. She calmed herself down and started ying. Leia might not be a good actress, but she had certain talents in musical instruments. She performed "Swan Lake," her favorite piece. At the end of the piece, everyone pped their hands and showered praises on the performer. Luke hugged Bianca and sat in a corner. He poured a ss of warm milk for Bianca and a ss of red wine for himself. "She''s not bad," Bianca said objectively. She did not know how to y the piano, but she was moved by Leia''s interpretation of the piece. Luke did not disagree. He tapped the tip of Bianca''s nose and said, "Her skills are good, but shecks soul. She might win an award in apetition, but it''ll be difficult for her to rise to the next level." Bianca smiled but did not say anything. ''This man has so many talents. Don''t tell me that he knows how to y the piano too!'' She thought that Luke''s earlierments made sense, and she wondered if he really knew how to y the piano. Queenie was proud to have such a talented daughter. Leia humbly bowed to the audience and was showered with even more apuse. Suddenly, Leia walked elegantly in front of Bianca in her white evening gown. "I''ve heard that you''re a good piano yer, Ms. Rayne. Why not perform a piece for everyone?" She said gently. Chapter 409 Chapter 409 Stealing the Spotlight at the Party! Bianca was nervous while facing Leia''s challenge. Her palm in Luke''s hand started to sweat. She did not know how to y the piano at all. Bianca looked at Luke for help, but he was extremely calm. Luke squeezed Bianca''s hand, indicating that everything would be OK. He smiled and said to Leia, "I''m sorry, my girlfriend hurt her hand yesterday. She won''t be able to y for everyone." He lifted Bianca''s hand and showed it to everyone. Bianca was peeling an apple for the twins the night before and had identally sliced her index finger. It was wrapped with a band-aid, and that was the perfect excuse for not being able to y. The guests nodded in understanding. Luke continued, "She might not be able to y the piano, but she has a sweet voice, and I think she can make it up with a song. As her boyfriend, I shall be her apaniment." Bianca was shocked. She looked suspiciously at Luke. She was indeed good at singing, but she was extremely shy and had never sung in front of other people. How did Luke know that she could sing? Luke smiled at her and mouthed the word "secret." When his grandfather sent him to the small town to alleviate his depression, he suffered from insomnia at night. While runningps around the field to burn off energy, he suddenly heard a beautiful singing voice. Instantly, he searched for the source of the voice. Under the moonlight, he eventually found a cute girl with shoulder-length hair singing under an ancient elm tree. She was fully engrossed in her singing and did not notice his presence. He hid himself on the other side of the elm tree, quietly listening to her singing. The young girl''s voice was melodic and pure. It washed away the darkness of his soul and brought him to the light. That was the first time Luke saw Bianca. He thought that she was special; she was not dazzlingly beautiful, but she was pure and ephemeral. Her unique demeanor was hard to forget. At that moment, her voice had nourished his barren heart, and her looks had charmed him. He eventually found out that the girl with the shoulder-length hair was named Bianca Rayne. That name had upied an important position in his heart since that night. Of course, he had never told Bianca about that incident. "Don''t worry. I can y any song that you want to sing. Believe in yourself, and believe in me,'' Luke told Bianca. After listening to what Luke told her, Bianca took a deep breath and shed him a big smile, telling him that she was not afraid. Luke carefully helped Bianca up the stage and seated her on a white bar stool. Then, he sat down in front of the piano. The man rested his slender fingers on the keyboard. His ten fingers looked clean, and his fingernails were impably manicured. Together with the ck and white piano keys, it was aforting sight. Bianca sang "A Thousand Miles," one of her favorite songs. "Making my way downtown, walking fast, faces pass and I''m homebound..." Her voice instantly captivated the audience. Her voice was gentle and ethereal. With Luke''s piano apaniment, it was a mesmerizing performance. When Bianca started to sing, she could forget her surroundings. The song had conveyed her feelings. ''Cause you know I¡¯d walk a thousand miles if I could just see you tonight..." It was a very lovely tune, but Bianca wanted to cry when she sang that line. Her rtionship with Luke was approaching stability. Even though they had sworn to be with each other through thick and thin, and Luke had promised her that he would be by her side forever, she nevertheless felt uneasy. Leia''s provocative gaze and posture did not give her a sense of security. Her sixth sense told her that Luke might one day be a thousand miles away from her... That worried her. Luke was as elegant as a prince. His sculpted hands nimbly danced on the piano keys, creating musical notes that glided through the air like fairies. It was a grand yet mncholy tune that carried Bianca''s voice. The men in the audience transfixed their eyes on Bianca, while the women stared unblinkingly at Luke. The love and admiration for them were evident. Bianca''s emotional state was delicate. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. With her clean and ethereal voice, she had voiced her yearning of being together with her significant other. As the song reached its climax, it was so beautiful that it caused people to cry. At the end of the song, Bianca came to her senses when she fell into an embrace that carried the faint scent of mint. She had tears in her eyes. Equally in a daze was Queenie Ziegler. Her thoughts were once again upied as she looked at Bianca, wondering how could that youngdy be so simr to her. Not only were their appearances alike, but even her singing too. Queenie loved to sing when she was younger, and her voice sounded almost the same as the youngdy named Bianca Rayne. How could they be so alike? 1 The crowd was silent after Bianca finished her song. It took them a long time before they gave the couple apuse louder than what Leia received. The apuse went on for a long time before ceasing. All the guests were convinced by the perfectbination of Bianca''s singing voice and Luke''s apaniment. "You''re so talented, Mr. Crawford! Not only you''re a business prodigy, but you are a piano maestro! I''m impressed!" "Luke''s partner is amazing too. Her singing is better than some professionals! What a matching pair!" The praises in the hall were unending. Luke and Bianca had taken over the spotlight. Leia''s chest was heaving as she struggled to catch a breath. She tried to press it with her hand to suppress her anger. ''This shouldn''t be! Things shouldn''t have turned out like this! ''Bianca doesn''t know how to y the piano. Shouldn''t she have been the subject of ridicule in this party?'' However, Leia seemed to have done something idiotic. Not only did she not manage to embarrass Bianca, but she gave Bianca the chance to shine! Chapter 410 Chapter 410 Queenie and Bianca Chatting Together! The apuse in the hall belonged to Bianca. Leia''s strode stiffly to the bathroom. Several youths greeted her on her way there, but she did not see them. She also ignored their gossip as she walked past them. "She''s just the adopted daughter of Mr. Norman. Why is she so cocky?" In the bathroom, Leia sshed cold water over her face in an attempt to cool herself down. However, it was all in vain. She could not control the feelings of anger and sorrow within her. Leia stared at the woman with the contorted face in the mirror. She could not believe that it was herself. Tears started to flow down her cheeks. Suddenly, she was shocked by the sudden appearance of a rugged and burly man! "Ah... how... how did you get in here? This is the women''s bathroom...¡¯ Leia stared at the wolf-like gaze of the man with her tearful and bloodshot eyes. In a panic, she wanted to run away, but the man grabbed her delicate wrist! Wayne had suddenly appeared in the bathroom. The man''s gaze seemed to tear Leia apart, carrying the scent of blood and threatening to swallow Leia alive! Leia was very afraid of that man. Her intuition told her that he was very dangerous. It would be almost impossible to get rid of him if she became involved. "Why are you running away? I miss you! Don''t you miss me? Do you remember that wild night, hmm? You were gushing..." Wayne''s hands went around Leia¡¯s body as he spouted filthy words. Ever since he had his way with Leia that night, he was not interested in other women. He wanted to propose to her, but he was dispatched on a month-long mission and did not have the chance. As soon as he got back, he went to look for her. Leia was used to being pampered. She had never been molested so roughly before. She forgot to maintain herdylike guise and cursed at Wayne. "Who do you think you are, you scoundrel? How dare you treat me like that? Stop spouting nonsense and get lost!" She tried to p him, but he caught her wrist. As a special forces soldier, Wayne was never gentle. With a crack, he dislocated her wrist! 2 Leia''s face went pale instantly, and tears of pain slid down her cheeks. She pressed her lips tightly, which made for a pitiful sight. "I''m sorry, my dear, I''ll fix it for you now..." Wayneughed monotonously. That made Leia even more afraid of the man with the savage face. He grabbed Leia''s arm and twisted it again. With another crack, he put the bones of the wrist back in ce. However, the pain made Leia groan in agony. "Get lost! If you don''t go away at this instant, I''ll call the security!" Leia knew that all the guests at her party had elevated social statuses. The man must also be a socialite to be able to gain ess to the event. However, the man disgusted her. "Have you really forgotten about that wild night, my dear? You were begging for more and more that night... you also mped your slender legs around my waist and did not let me go... oh... my god! The mere thought of it drives me crazy..." Wayne pinned Leia down with one hand while exploring Leia''s body with his other. "Let go of me... you lecher... Jack Norman, my dad, is the Provincial Committee Secretary. If... if you darey a finger on me, my dad will kill you! Leia could not move away. She did not expect that the man was so strong. The man''s unrestrained actions made her panicked and humiliated. All she could do was to threaten him using her father''s name. Wayne chuckled next to her ear. "Scream all you want, Ms. Norman! Get everyone''s attention and bring them all here. I''ll say that you were the one who seduced me because you couldn''t bear to be lonely... you can even say that I''ve vited you. Of course, Mr. Norman might be angry, but what can he possibly do to my tt family? I''ll marry you if ites to that, no big deal. If you want to be the joke of A City, scream all you want!" Wayne took out several photos and waved them in front of her face. "Look at our Ms. Norman, the darling of A City. She looks pure and aloof, but in private... Tsk, I can''t believe that she can be so wild in bed!" The woman''s body in the photo was entirely uncovered, even the most private parts. Her shapely body was pinned under the man, and her expression was one of utter ecstasy. Leia was aghast when she saw that the subject of those photos was her! The face of that woman was hers, and the man pinning her was Wayne! Her mind buzzed, and her face turned ashen. She suddenly shoved Wayne away, snatched the photos from his hand, tore them to pieces, and stomped on them as though she went crazy. "No! That''s not me! It''s not! You must have edited them. You want to ruin my reputation. Who are you? Who sent you here? It must be that Bianca, right? How much money did she give you? I''ll pay you double. No, ten times! How about that?" In her panic, Leia''s beautiful face was viciously contorted. She began to wildly guess how those photos appeared, unwilling to believe that the woman was really her. Wayne pinned her down to the washbasin with his knee and used his vicelike grip to cover her mouth. "What would they think if I told everyone here that Ms. Norman''s usual gentle demeanor is but an act? Do you think that tearing the photos would achieve anything? Heheh, I have many more high-definition images on myputer. There are even videos too. Would you like to see it? Let me y one for you..." "No... no..." Leia was freaking out. She did not even notice that the man had removed her clothes. "Please, let me go... what do you want from me?" She begged anxiously. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. "I want this!¡± Wayne pressed his body onto hers. At first, the pain caused Leia to cry, but soon, shepletely shed herdylike demeanor... Half an hourter, after Wayne was done... Leia put on her clothes once more and delivered a tight p to Wayne''s face. The man''s expression darkened instantly, and his gaze shed with danger. A chill coursed up Leia''s spine, and she instantly ran away! Once back in the party hall, she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that her friends and the guests were still there. However, when she saw that her parents were chatting with Bianca, her jealousy red once more! Chapter 411 Chapter 411 She Noticed Something Abnormal About Bianca In the hall which exquisitely dressed socialites gathered, the atmosphere was refined. Leia stared at the person who was currently the highlight of the party. Luke''s harsh eyebrows were bone-chillingly mysterious. Queenie held Jack''s hand as they stood in the center of the hall, and Luke and Bianca were standing next to them. They looked like a happy family of four. Leia''s eyes hurt when she saw that. She hoped that Luke would turn to look at her, even just for a short moment. Unfortunately for her, the man only had Bianca in his eyes. His gaze never left that woman. It was a lively venue, but Leia felt unbearably deste. Leia returned to her room and changed into a moredylike and beautiful gown. When she reappeared in the hall, she caused amotion. She enjoyed being showered with praise and attention. She rejected several offers to dance and walked toward Luke. Jack was talking to Luke. Through the conversation, Jack became more and more satisfied with Luke, and he was very sure that he wanted that young man to be his son-inw. Queenie was talking softly to Bianca. Bianca''s earlier performance had left a good impression on her. "I''m very happy that you''vee to my daughter''s birthday party, Luke," Jack said as heughed heartily. As an influential politician, he knew that Luke was not fond of social events such as these. It was an honor for Luke to attend his daughter''s birthday party. "It''s nothing, Mr. Norman,¡± Luke replied nonchntly. Jack pulled Leia over in front of Luke. He wanted to set up an opportunity for his daughter. "You''ve known my daughter for some time, Luke. What do you think of her?" Jack''s mind was always preupied with politics. He was not as empathetic as his wife, and he rarely meddled in his daughter''s rtionships. However, his adoptive daughter was outstanding, and he had expected that Luke would be at least moved the slightest. Luke shed an ambiguous smile. "Mr. Norman, Ms. Norman has a good character. Unfortunately, my heart already belongs to someone else. Ms. Norman deserves a better man." As Leia looked at that impable handsome face telling her parents his true feelings, pain and resentment assaulted her heart and her eyes misted with tears. Subconsciously, she turned away to hide her emotions. However, the people next to her could see that she was sad. Jack was not happy that his beloved daughter''s advances had been rejected. He was about to be angry when Queenie gently tugged his arm and said, "Mr. Crawford is indeed an outstanding man, and our Leia isn''t any worse either. However, fate also ys an important part in rtionships. The young man has his own considerations, Jack. We shouldn''t meddle in their affairs." This is from N?velDrama.Org. Leia forced a smile on her face when she heard Queenie say that. Her drooping eyelids were holding back certain emotions that were about to explode. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Crawford!" Suddenly, a rough voice interjected. When Leia heard that familiar voice, she jerked as though she had been electrocuted, and her heart thumped wildly. Her heart went pale when she turned around and saw Wayne appear in front of her parents. Wayne was looking at Luke with disdain, sizing him up with an unfriendly gaze. ''So, this apparently handsome weakling is Leia''s crush? ''What''s so good about him, other than that handsome face?'' "I''ve heard of you, Mr. tt." A hint of surprise shed in the man''s gentle gaze when he saw Wayne''s instigating gaze on him, but he hid his emotions well. Wayne was a special forces soldier, and he was from a wealthy and influential family. He was cunning, merciless, and underhanded, like a venomous snake hiding in the bushes that would pounce and bite any unwitting people. Luke did not want to get close to people like Wayne. The two outstanding men shook hands. One hand was fair and wless, like a sculpture in an exhibition, while the other was muscr and veiny, like an ancient tree stump. As the men fought an invisible battle, even Bianca could feel the pressure. Her stomach was starting to churn. She furrowed her brows ufortably. "Are you okay, Ms. Rayne? Are you ufortable?" Leia noticed something wrong with Bianca''s expression. She fought against her resentment and went over to hold Bianca''s arm. "Do you want to take a rest in a room?" She asked insincerely. Leia was dressed in an oblique shoulder gown with butterfly sleeves. When her hand patted Bianca''s back, Bianca could feel a slight pain on her scalp, as though someone had plucked several strands of hair. She nced at Leia cautiously. Leia''s innocent eyes seemed to be full of concern for her. She knew that Leia''s concern was not genuine, but it was inappropriate for her to call it out in public. She waved her hand at Leia and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Ms. Norman. It''s just some slight difort. I''ll just need to sit down for a while." ''Difort? Is she pregnant?¡¯ rm bells rang in Leia''s head. She instantly suspected that Bianca was pregnant. Bianca shook her head. "You''re overthinking, Ms. Norman. It''s nothing. I ate something bad for lunch, and it''s causing trouble in my stomach now. I''ll take some medicine when I get home." Instinctively, she did not want Leia to know that she was pregnant. There was no other reason other than intuition. If Leia knew that she was pregnant, Bianca''s baby might be in danger. Leia felt slightly relieved, but she had her doubts. She continued to probe," You''re feeling stomach difort? That happened to me a few days earlier, and I got some medicine from the hospital. It''s very effective, and I still have some left. I''ll ask Aunt Summer to get the medicine for you. You''ll instantly feel better. Aunt Summer? Please get the medicine from the drawer in my room on the second floor. Ms. Rayne isn''t feeling very well, and she needs some medicine..." Leia called her caretaker over and asked her to go upstairs to take the medicine. Her tone of voice was authoritative. Bianca instantly clenched her fists anxiously. "You''re too kind, Ms. Norman. I''m feeling a lot better now, and I don''t need medicine. I''m not very fond of medicine, and I usually don''t take medicine even if I''m sick." Leia became even more suspicious. She spoke gently, but her tone of voice implied that there was no room for negotiation. "How can you not take medicine when you''re ill? You''re a guest at our house. You came here healthy, and you should leave our house healthy too. It''s not just you; other guests would be treated the same too." The guests around her praised her for being considerate. Bianca felt helpless; as a pregnant woman, she should not be taking medicine from unknown origins. Her heart was at her throat when she saw Aunt Summer go up the stairs... Chapter 412 Chapter 412 Queenie and Bianca Became Closer Luke was chatting with Jack, but he had been keeping an eye on Bianca. He noticed that Bianca seemed ufortable, and so he hurriedly ended the conversation and strode toward her. He was dressed in a bespoke suit, and his tall and well-built body was iparable. Leia was obsessed when she saw the man walk over. She had never seen a man in a suit as handsome as him. Luke hugged Bianca''s waist, kissed her on the forehead, and asked out of concern, ''What''s wrong?" At that moment, Bianca was like a drowning person who had found a piece of driftwood. She instantly calmed down. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. She told him the truth, "I wasn''t feeling well, and Ms. Norman said that she had some medicine for me. I don''t want to take the medicine..." Bianca tactfully exined away Leia''s forceful coercion. After all, they were in the Norman residence, and she did not wish for Luke to be angry over a minor issue. She considered her words from the angle of a businessman and thought that it was more important to keep the peace. When Luke heard what Bianca said, his gaze on Leia became unnaturally harsh. "Ms. Norman, are you qualified to prescribe medicine? Are you going to be responsible if Bianca''s situation gets worse?" He rebuked coldly. Leia did not have the nerve to look at the man''s prating gaze. "I... I was worried about Ms. Rayne''s health, and that''s why...,¡± she stammered, "I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have done that. I''ve been reckless." Leia''s guilty attitude made other people think that Luke and Bianca were the ones at fault. Bianca knew that Leia was very good at acting. She could only speak to Luke, "Never mind. Ms. Norman doesn''t have any ill intentions. She might be genuinely worried about my health. It''s fine.¡¯ Luke did not say anything. He walked toward the other side of the hall without looking at Leia. Leia stood rooted on the spot and did note to her senses for a long time. Luke was not in the mood to stay. He hugged Bianca''s waist and said his goodbyes to Mr. and Mrs. Jack Norman. "It''s New Year''s Eve tonight, Mr. Norman. My old man requests that we have dinner together. I''ll be taking my leave." "Mm, you should return home. Old folks love to be with their family on special asions,¡¯ Jack said. He was a little disappointed. He thought of matching Luke with his daughter, but Luke had brought another woman with him. It seemed that the young man did not have any affection for his daughter at all, and he did not even hide his sentiments. "Your design is really unique, Bianca. My father-inw has been saying that he wants to meet you. Feel free to visit us any time!" Queenie said gently as she held Bianca''s hand. Queenie and Bianca had be closer throughout the party. She was reluctant to see the young woman leave. Bianca smiled magnanimously. "Alright, Mrs. Norman. I''ve given you my phone number and messenger contact earlier. You can directly contact me if you have any suggestions or feedback. I''ll do my best to make Old Mr. Norman happy." Queenie looked at the outstanding couple as they left the hall. "Jack, if our daughter were still alive, she''d be Bianca''s age..." She mumbled to Jack. Jack draped his arm over Queenie''s shoulder and looked at their daughter, who was currently surrounded by elite gentlemen. "You don''t have to think about the past. Our birth daughter is gone and will nevere back. Leia is enough,¡¯ heforted her. Queenie did not say anything. Leia might be obedient and considerate, and Queenie considered her as close as her birth daughter. However, Queenie could not shake off the feeling that there was an invisible barrier between her and her daughter. Perhaps it might be only an illusion. Luke started the car, helped Bianca in the passenger seat fasten her seatbelt, then drove the low- profile luxury car across the dark night. It passed by the blocks upon blocks of skyscrapers in downtown A City and soon arrived at Crawford Manor. A rule in Crawford Manor was that the family had to gather for dinner on New Year''s Eve. Bianca and the Crawford family ate an insipid dinner. Then, Luke, Bianca, and the twins return to their mansion. The drive from Crawford Manor was only forty minutes. The usually bustling streets were empty. The usual crowds seemed to have disappeared into thin air. Most of the stores were already closed. Only a few cars drove along the roads. asionally, several fireworks would appear in the sky, and the crackling of firecrackers could be heard... A City was a Cosmopolis. To safeguard the environment and the citizen''s safety as well as A City¡¯s reputation, the city council had forbidden fireworks and firecrackers on New Year. That took away a lot of the festive atmosphere. As Luke drove the car with Bianca and the two cheerful twins ying in the backseat, there was a change in his mood. The long day had been tiring, but he felt warmth and satisfaction. He used to hate New Year''s Day. While other families gathered and celebrated, he would be sitting alone in a corner. No one would understand how he felt unless they experienced it themselves. It was already eleven o''clock when they returned to their abode. The twins were moring for supper. Bianca rolled up her sleeves and got busy in the kitchen. Everymp in the mansion was lit, making it a bright spot in the dark world. Bianca made some chicken soup. Its fragrant aroma soon filled up the kitchen... It was a warm andforting love nest. As Bianca stirred the soup, Luke hugged her fragrant body from behind and whispered tenderly into her ear. "This is the happiest New Year''s Eve of my life. Thank you, darling." The light cast long shadows, upying almost half the wall behind them. Back then, he would be failing to fall asleep as hey on the bed looking at his shadows, feeling sorry for himself. Seeing that there were two shadows on the wall, that gave Luke iparablefort. Bianca turned around, stood on tiptoe, and gently kissed his lips. "I promise you will be just as happy on every New Year''s Eve after this..." Chapter 413 Chapter 413 Happy Family On New Year''s Day On New Year''s Eve, Luke, Bianca, and the twins sat in front of the television while eating supper. Luke and Bianca did not eat much at Crawford Manor. As they ate, Luke and Bianca''s phones did not stop vibrating. They were all messages wishing Happy New year, and most of them were copied and pasted. Bianca''s messages were from her good friends, as well as some colleagues and clients. She replied to every message as a form of courtesy. Luke, on the other hand, did not bother. He replied to the messages from several good friends while ignoring those who wanted to tter him. It was a simple supper, but the family was happy. The twins got tired after supper, and they went to bed early. Luke wanted to carry Bianca to the bedroom. It had been a long day, and Bianca must be tired, not to mention that she was pregnant. However, Bianca insisted that she make a pot pie. ording to her family tradition, the first meal of the new year should be a pot pie. It signified togetherness and good luck. Luke was not keen on the n because he did not wish for Bianca to overwork herself. He eventually compromised after Bianca begged him repeatedly. The two started getting busy again in the kitchen. The fridge had all the ingredients they needed. Bianca thought of making a meat filling since the twins were carnivores. Luke offered to do the rough work while Bianca sat on a stool and gave instructions. Following Bianca''s instructions, he washed a piece of pork and beef, turned it into mincemeat with a meat grinder, then added spices as well as chopped spring onions and garlic. After adding salt, oil, and other seasonings, the pie filling was done. After that, Luke was in charge of making the crust. No matter how he tried, he could not get the crust t in the pan. Biancaughed when she saw the lumpy and misshapen piece of dough. She did not expect that the capable and talented Luke would be helpless in the kitchen. In the end, she redid the crust, lined the pan, and sealed the top. It was already one o''clock when everything was done. They retired to the bedroom. Bianca''s body was cold, but Luke''s body was like a raging fire. He hugged her in his arms, and she listened to his steady heartbeat. Even now, she thought that it was all a dream. She had idolized him when she was younger, and she thought that they would never meet again. However, fate was so unpredictable, and her Prince Charming was not by her side. Nothing else seemed important. 1 At five o''clock in the morning, even before the sky was lit, Bianca was woken up by the crackling sounds of firecrackers. The A City Council had forbidden firecrackers, but some people set them off in secret. It would not feel like New Year''s Day if there were no firecrackers. Bianca wanted to get up, but Luke hugged her tightly, and she could not move. Luke was usually an early-riser. It was the first time that he wanted to sleep in on New Year''s Day because the woman he loved was in his arms. "Wake up, Daddy, Mommy!" The two children banged on their door. Bianca smiled, looked at the man who was hugging her tightly, and told him that he should get up. While Luke dressed up, he looked at Bianca with resentment, as though he was like an aggrieved child. At that moment, he thought that having children in the house might not always be a good thing. He and his wife would be able to spend more intimate time if not for the children! The people who lived in the neighborhood were all very well-off, and they did not care much for the city council''s restrictions. The streets were livelypared to other neighborhoods. The sounds of firecrackers came from new and far in all directions. It had disrupted the tranquility of the morning, but it gave the day a festive touch, i While Bianca reheated the pie in the oven, she also set the dining table. Luke took out a string of firecrackers and set it off in the yard with the children. The twins cheered. After that, she could hear the twins'' inquisitive questions. "Why do we set off firecrackers on New Year''s Day, Daddy?" "Why are we eating pie on New Year''s Day, Daddy?" Luke answered their questions patiently. As Bianca looked through the window and saw their interactions, her heart was fully immersed in a feeling of bliss. The courageous Lanie volunteered to light up a string of firecrackers. He seemed quite excited about it. Rainie was not as brave. She covered her ears and hid far away, and she would shriek when she heard the abrupt explosions of firecrackers. She ran around the yard while covering her ears. Her brother smiled mischievously. He lit a firecracker and threw it behind his sister, thenughed uncontrobly. Rainie saw the lit firecracker rolling toward her like a swift mouse. She shrieked for her mother and ran toward the kitchen. However, the firecracker continued to follow her as though it had eyes. Rainie was on the brink of tears. "You''re a meanie, Big Bro!" She shrieked while calling her parents for help. She was only relieved when Luke picked her up with a smile. The little princess was trembling in Luke''s arms while she rested on his shoulder. Her eyes still had tears of shock. Luke gently kissed his daughter''s cheek while frowning with disapproval at his son. Lanie ran into the kitchen to seek his mother''s protection whileughing. After that, they ate the pie for breakfast with much glee and celebration. Luke drove the family to Crawford Manor to visit Old Master Crawford. Then, they went to visit Old Master Rayne. The old folks gave the two children some money as a sign of good luck. Bianca encouraged them to save the money so that they could use it on something meaningful. Aftering back from Old Master Rayne''s house, Luke prepared to bring the family to Jim Holston''s house. Jim had invited Luke to visit him several times, but Luke had always been busy with work. As he drove, Luke turned on the radio. He and Bianca both loved listening to the radio. The radio only had sounds and voices, and the rest was up to one''s imagination. Sometimes, it could be more interesting than watching television. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. After listening to several songs, a touching story attracted Bianca''s attention... Chapter 414 Chapter 414 Bianca Was Relieved The host of the radio show was telling the story of a young daughter of an elderly couple in A City. She was only ten years old, but she was suffering from leukemia. The couple also had a son who was a firefighter, but he had sacrificed himself in a rescue mission. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. The son was an only child, and the couple was very sad when he lost his life. In an attempt tofort his wife who was devastated by the tragedy, the husband discussed it with her and eventually got a daughter. They lived a peaceful life, but the daughter was eventually diagnosed with leukemia. The elderly couple incurred huge debts to pay for their daughter''s medical fees. They did not have the money to pay for her medical fees for theing month. It was New Year''s Day, but the elderly couple could only afford in white bread. They had been living such lives for most of the past year. The olddy even had to beg for the bread they ate. "It''s fine if we are poor. We don''t need much money to survive anyway, but our daughter is only ten years old. I''m willing to do anything to save my daughter!" The old man said with tears in his eyes. The host of the radio show was a female with a sweet voice. She continued, ¡¯If anyone is willing to donate to the family so that they don''t have to worry about their daughter''s condition on this day of celebration, you can do so at the following address." After that, the radio host announced the elderly couple¡¯s home address. Bianca memorized the address. She thought that it was quite familiar. She and Sue had passed by that area on one of their outdoor surveys. At the end of the segment, Bianca told Luke, "What do you think if we pay the elderly couple and their daughter a visit today?" Luke was surprised. He also thought that the family deserved pity, but there were even more people in the world that deserved pity, and he would not be able to help everyone. He was a businessman who prioritized profits. To further develop his business, he had driven many companies to bankruptcy. Of course, he had also donatedrge sums of money to charities and disaster relief efforts, but that was all done to improve thepany¡¯s image. He had never experienced the sensation of wanting to help someone just because he felt sorry for them, like how Bianca was feeling now. "I want to pay them a visit too, Daddy. That girl needs our help!" Rainie said as she hugged her doll. The little girl might be naughty, but she had a kind heart. Perhaps she had inherited that from Bianca. Lanie stopped ying his game on his tablet. "Mm, we can donate our pocket money to help her," he said. Bianca was relieved that her two children were so caring toward the poor. She would have hugged and kissed them if not that they were fastened to their car seats. Luke looked at the big one and the two littles ones. He did not expect Bianca and the two children to be so kind-hearted. He was not kind, so did the two children inherit the characteristic from Bianca? Luke tried to find the suffering couple''s home using the address. They followed the directions of the GPS, but they could not find the exact location. The address was too remote, and they could not find it for the whole morning. As Luke took another corner, he said helplessly to Bianca. "There''s nothing much we can do. Maybe the radio host made up the story just to evoke sympathy.¡¯ He knew better than anyone else about the vicissitudes of life. He had also heard many instances of such stories that existed only to evoke pity and swindle money. However, Bianca insisted. She thought for a while and said, "What if the story was true? The elderly couple can''t celebrate New Year''s Day because of their daughter''s illness... How about this, we''ll go to the radio station and ask. The people there must know the directions. I feel sorry for the couple. Their son had sacrificed his life in a fire, and their young daughter has leukemia. We should help them with whatever we can." Luke nodded and drove the car to the radio station. The radio station was not very big. The staff inside heard that someone was here to make a donation. When they saw that the person was Luke Crawford, the renowned businessman, they wanted to call their manager, but Luke stopped them. He did not want too many people to know about it. It was the first time that Bianca had seen the staff in a radio station. She had always thought that those people with charming voices were either handsome men or beautiful women. When she saw those people, she realized that they did not look very remarkable. It looked as though the faces of beautiful voices should be hidden behind the scenes. In the reception room, the manager of the radio station spoke courteously," How much money do you n to donate, Mr. and Mrs. Crawford? Our station will publicize your good deeds.¡¯ The manager knew that Luke was not married yet, but he could tell Bianca was the mother of the two children from how the girl looked like her, and how Luke was looking at the young woman with an indulgent gaze. He was surprised by how cute the two children looked, and he was also curious about the gentle and kind Bianca. Luke held Bianca''s hand. He was not too happy about the manager looking at his woman. He blocked the manager''s line of sight and said calmly, "You don''t have to publicize it. It''s just a small gesture." The manager smiled awkwardly. Without saying another word, he got someone else to bring Luke and Bianca there. They managed to find the ce this time because someone was guiding them. It was a slum in the outskirts of the city. The living conditions were deplorable. Bianca did not expect a slum of such poor conditions to exist in a bustling metropolis like A City. Other than surprise, she also felt pity. The elderly couple looked kind. They were in their sixties, but their hair was fully white. Their daughter''s name was Shania. She had no hair because of the chemotherapy, but she was intelligent and precocious. Instead of feeling sorry for herself because of her illness, she was cheerful and extroverted. The pot was boiling on the stove. There was nothing inside except for water and some cabbage leaves... Luke did not expect that the story on the radio was real. With a stroke of his pen, he wrote a check of one million dors for the elderly couple. He kept a check on him because he wanted to give it to Simon, Jim''s favorite and only son. "Good day to you. We''re here because we heard your story on the radio earlier. You can take this money to help your daughter," Luke said to the elderly couple. The elderly couple was shocked by the amount on the check. They did not want to take it, but Bianca stuffed the check into the olddy''s hands... Chapter 415 Chapter 415 An Emascting Car Crash! In the cramped house, Bianca said to the uneasy olddy. "Your daughter''s health is the most important, and she should get it treated as soon as possible. Shania is still so young, and you shouldn''t dy the treatment. It''s New Year''s Day today, and we hope that we can bring you some joy." i The white-haired olddy cried tears of gratitude. "You''re the only ones who came. We don''t expect anyone toe, and we didn''t expect that kind people existed in the world. I pray for your safety, my kind benefactors! The elderly couple kept on thanking Luke and Bianca while Bianca tried her best tofort them. Meanwhile, next to the little girl''s bed. Rainie put her pocket money and her doll in Shania''s hands. The little girl''s voice still smelled of milk. "Bis Sis, this is one of my favorite dolls. I hope that you''ll treasure it... Also, here¡¯s some pocket money that I got from my Great-Grandpa and Aunt today..." Then, she leaned close to Shania''s ear. "Don''t tell anybody else, but Uncle Louis gave me more pocket money than Big Bro. I''m Uncle Louis''s favorite! Don''t tell anyone else, let''s pinky promise..." Rainie nced smugly at her brother, thinking that her brother would not know her little secret. Lanie acted cool, but he was secretly rolling his eyes. He did not want to entertain his silly little sister. Shania covered her mouth and giggled as she looked at the twins. She made a pinky promise with the cute and innocent Rainie. "Alright, I won''t tell anyone." Meeting the two cute angels was her best New year''s gift. "Will we ever meet again, Big Sis?" Rainie held Shania''s frail hand and asked. Her eyes with long eyshes blinked. "Yes, Little Sis. Well definitely meet again," Shania answered without hesitation. She liked the pretty little girl, and she hoped that they would eventually meet. She did not expect that they would be rivals the next time they met... 1 After Luke and his family said goodbye to the elderly couple and Shania, they prepared to go to Jim''s house, but they received a call from Jim while traveling there. Jim sounded as though he had extricated himself from a whirlpool of love. He said that something had come up at thest minute and hastily ended the call. Right before the call ended, Luke seemed to hear a woman''s shrill moan on the other end. However, he did not pay too much attention to it. He did not care about other people''s personal lives. Jim had always been a yboy. Luke guessed that he must be making out with one of his friends. Right after Jim hung up, Percy called Luke and invited his family to visit. After getting Bianca''s consent, Luke turned his steering wheel and drove toward the Mallory family house. Mallory family house. Pierre leaned on the luxurious bed. One of his legs was in a cast, and he could not move it. His other leg was cedzily on the rosin table next to the bed. The top half of his body was uncovered, and two naked and voluptuous women were leaning on his chest. They were calling Pierre coyly while unleashing their moves on Pierre''s member. Unfortunately, no matter what they did, Pierre''s member remained limp like a lethargic caterpir. "Give it to me, Darling! Come on!" One of the women with a straight fringe wiggled her body in front of Pierre. Her face was blushing red. The other voluptuous woman did not want to admit defeat. She made even more seductive moves, but unfortunately, they were of no use! The thing that had given them immeasurable pleasure was now soft and limp, as though it were dead. They were very disappointed. "Get lost, you useless trash!" Pierre roared like a beast. He had lost his patience, 1 The man kicked the two women off the bed with his healthy leg. His eyes were opened wide with anger. ''Even that didn''t work. How could that be?'' In a mysterious car crash two months ago, his left leg was broken, and the functions of his private parts had been affected. His member could not operate normally, no matter how beautiful and voluptuous the woman that stood in front of him. That had made him angry and fearful, i If he could not use his member anymore, what was the point of living? What was most infuriating was that he could not find the culprit, even if he utilized his brother''s underworld connections.This is from N?velDrama.Org. The culprit had amazing driving skills and was extremely merciless. Pierre thought that he would die on the spot when the car sped toward him. He was fortunate enough to survive the ordeal and live another day. i The culprit was also very cunning. The car had faked tes, and it was mysteriously destroyed after the ident. He was like a slippery eel. Every time Pierre found something about him, he instantly moved. Sometimes, the culprit would even set distractions and lead his pursuers down dead ends, as though he was toying with Pierre. Pierre had lost all leads to the culprit, which had greatly frustrated him. Pierre swore that he would kill the culprit with his own hands when he caught him! In his anger, he had torn a chunk out of his mattress without knowing. The two women fell on the floor, cowering in fear. The woman with the straight fringe thought that she was Pierre''s favorite. She braced herself, crawled forward, stretched out her soft hand, and gently clutched Pierre''s limp member... "Don''t be angry, Darling. Let me try again. Maybe it''ll work this time..." She said coyly. Pierre''s expression was sullen. In one fluid motion, he opened the drawer of the cab next to the bed, took out a ck handgun, cocked it, and pointed it at the head of the woman with the straight fringe. "Get lost now if you don''t want to die!" He said viciously. The woman with the straight fringe nearly wet herself when she saw that. The two women left the room hastily... Chapter 416 Chapter 416 That Is the Way Luke Shows His Love! Mallory Residence. Luke leanedzily on the couch. His left hand was hugging the quiet Bianca while his right hand swirled a crystal wine ss. Percy loved alcohol, especially red wine. He had a collection from all over the world. Recently, one of his friends, an earl from Ennd, had given him a crate of high-quality red wine. Percy had invited Luke, Johann, and other good friends toe and have a taste. Luke was not fond of alcohol. He thought that alcohol would impair his judgment. He was willing to entertain Percy and visit him at his house because they were old friends. He had sent the children back home because he would be drinking. Only he and Bianca went to meet Percy. Johann sat on the other couch. He watched Luke put down his wine ss and carefully peel a grape for Bianca. After peeling the grape, Luke fed the grape into Bianca''s mouth. Bianca wanted to decline awkwardly, but it was no use. Johann was shocked and even horrified by Luke''s disy of affection! Was that man in front of him Luke Crawford, the Cold-Faced Devil and the terror of the business world? Johann smacked his lips and said jokingly, "You''re inseparable with Sis Bianca now. Do you have any sisters, Sis? I want a girlfriend like you. Do you have any rmendations?" Before Bianca could say anything, Luke stuffed a juicy grape into her mouth and saidzily, "Don''t even think about it. Bianca has no siblings. She is the one and only in this world. Right, she has a stepsister. I think her name is Marie or something. She''s serving a sentence in prison now though. You can go there and look for her if you''re interested." Bianca burst outughing. Johann nearly popped a vein! ''Listen to that. Is that what you should say to your good friend?'' Luke had never introduced any girls to him. When he finally introduced him one, she was a criminal. How was he able to tolerate that? Johann looked at Bianca, feeling aggrieved. "See that, Sis? That''s how Luke bullies me every time. Do you think that''s appropriate? Introduce a girl to me, please.¡¯ i Bianca blinked innocently. "Uh... the women I know are either married or engaged. I''ll definitely introduce to you any decent women I find." Suddenly, Bianca thought of Nina. Nina was kind, resilient, and faithful. There were not many girls like her. Johann, on the other hand, was funny, caring, and was a skillful doctor. It was not a bad idea if the two could be together. Moreover, Nina had a weak constitution. If Johann were her boyfriend, he could help her improve her health. However, Bianca hesitated. Nina had juste out of a difficult ordeal, and she would be traumatized by men for now. If she introduced Johann to Nina now, there might be an adverse effect. That was why she decided not to tell Johann about Nina for now. Percy sat on a massage chair while sipping red wine. His face, more beautiful than a woman, was as feminine as ever. "You have a doctorate from Harvard, but you can''t find yourself a girlfriend? That¡¯s a big joke! You ought to learn from Luke. Maybe you''ll find a wife soon, and you might even have triplets by next year." "..." Johann was speechless. ''Instead of asking Luke to teach me how to score a girlfriend, I might as well search the Inte for tips.¡¯ That was what he wanted to say. After all, Luke had been distant and aloof before he met Bianca. He might have a handsome and gentle face, but he emanated a foreboding aura that kept women away. Luke poured a ss of red wine and handed it to Bianca. "This wine is a blend of Merlot and Cabe Sauvignon. The wine carries a pretty purple glow, and it tastes quite good too. Sniff it," he exined. Bianca took a slight whiff. She did not know how to appreciate wine, but she could tell that the taste must be smooth and full-bodied. Indeed, it had a rich fruity smell, like a mixture of mulberry, cherry, honey, and vani. It was a feast to the senses! "This wine is indeed not bad. I can already taste it on my tongue just by sniffing it!" She praised. "If you like it, Sis, then you can take two bottles with you," Percy said generously. Johann tutted and looked at Percy resentfully. "I say, Percy Mallory, you''re ying favorites! I wanted to ask for a bottle from you yesterday, but you didn¡¯t agree to it no matter what. Now that Sis is here, you''re so generous... Fine, I now know your true colors. We''re just superficial friends!" Percy rolled his eyes at Johann. "You can take whatever red wine you want from me when youe with a fire." Johann facepalmed. ''Of all the things you have to mention, do you have to emphasize that I''m still single?¡¯ "Are you in any position to talk about me? You''re single too. At least I''ve had several experiences with women... How about you? You don''t have a woman, and I bet that even the flies that surround you are male!" Percy shot a cold nce at him and said nothing. When his memories came back to him, a hint of pain shed across his feminine face. However, he soon resumed his indifferent expression. Luke smiled but said nothing. No one knew about Percy¡¯s past other than Percy himself, but Luke knew that the perfect woman upied the deepest and most secretive part of Percy''s mind. Luke, who sat on the couch, was extremely handsome. His eyes that shone like polished obsidian stared at his surroundings like a hawk. Even the manner he sipped his wine was imposing. This is from N?velDrama.Org. When he spoke softly to Bianca sitting next to him, his demeanor became gentle. ''Love is magic!'' The two single menmented. As they were chatting, one of the Mallory family¡¯s caretakers quickly came into the living room. He whispered something into Percy''s ear, which caused the man''s expression to change drastically. He told Luke and Bianca, "Something happened to my brother, and I''ll have to deal with it. Make yourselves at home." After that, Percy brought Johann away to Pierre''s room in the mansion next door... Bianca tugged Luke''s sleeve and asked him, "What happened to Pierre? Didn''t he suffer a car crash just two months ago?" Bianca had an inexplicable hatred against Pierre for harming her best friend Pierre. 1 She had heard about Pierre''s car crash two months ago. The car was wrecked, but Pierre did not die. Of course, Bianca was happy about the news. She thought that karma had finally caught up to the viin. Luke did not even have to do anything... Luke gently kissed Bianca''s cherry lips and whispered carelessly in her ear, "I hired someone to crash into Pierre two months ago. Not only was his leg broken, but I''ve already heard that he can''t use his member anymore... What do you think, is that revenge enough for your friend?" Chapter 417 Chapter 417 Your Man Is Always Confident In Whatever He Does! Bianca looked at Luke with her mouth agape. She had thought that Pierre''s car crash was purely an ident. She did not expect that it was deliberate. More than that, she had never expected that the man who had a gentle demeanor could be so ruthless. Bianca thought that Luke would use his connections to make sure that Pierre received his due justice under thew. She did not expect that Luke would get a car to crash into him. She could not believe that the man could be chatting so calmly with Percy. Pierre was Percy''s younger brother, and Luke could talk to Percy as though nothing happened. Bianca was impressed by Luke''sposure. If it were her, Percy''s prating gaze would have seen through her! Bianca licked her lips and asked worriedly, "Pierre and Percy are brothers. If one day he finds out that you were the one who caused the car crash, won''t he be your enemy?" When Luke heard that, he nced at her supple lips, and his eyes shed with lust. He kissed her gently and smiled when he looked at her shy expression." Don''t worry, it won''t be that easy to catch me. Percy might not be a pushover, but I¡¯m always confident in whatever I do." Bianca frowned worriedly. "But you..." Luke looked at her silently. As Bianca looked at his calm demeanor, she smiled gently, "Mm, I trust in your abilities, but you shouldn''t be doing such risky things. It''s... illegal, and we shouldn''t fight violence with violence. Those evildoers should be punished by thew." Luke felt warmth in her heart when he saw that Bianca was worried about him. He did not say anything. Instead, he hugged her tightly. Luke thought that Bianca was too naive. For most people, thew was fair to all. However, there was a very small minority who lived above thew. They were either very wealthy or very powerful. Pierre was an individual who possessed both. Even if thew found him guilty, it was not hard for the Mallory family to bail him out in a few days. The only way to punish people like Pierre was with violence. However, he did not have to tell Bianca that. As long as Bianca could live a safe life under his care, he would willingly shelter her. The caretaker opened the door to Pierre¡¯s room for Percy and Johann. They did not expect to hear Pierre roaring hysterically the moment the door was opened. "Get lost, all of you! You''re useless! It''s been so long, but there''s no improvement. I''d put a bullet in all your heads!" Then, a water ss flew toward the door and nearly hit Percy on the nose. The ss would have drawn blood if not that Percy was fast enough to catch it! Percy walked toward Pierre''s bed with a gloomy expression. Several men in white coats were currently in the room. They were the best andrology experts of A City.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. At the moment, Pierre was holding a ck handgun and pointing at their heads. They were drenched in sweat, and their hands holding their briefcases were shaking! They breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Percying into the room with Johann, the medical prodigy. Johann''s outstanding skills not only made him famous in A City but throughout the world. However, he had an entric and unpredictable personality. Some wealthy families could not hire him even if they offered an astronomical sum of money. On the other hand, whenever he felt like it, he would help poor people cure serious diseases without asking for a cent. At the moment, Johann seemed rxed. "Oh, all the famous andrology doctors of A City are here. Why are you all having a meeting in Second Young Master Mallory''s bedroom? Don''t tell me that your ''little brother'' needs some help getting up?" He said jokingly. The doctors were too afraid to answer that question. After all, the gun in Pierre''s hand was the real deal. They did not dare to offend him. Pierre red coldly at Johann. He swung his arm and pointed the gun at Johann''s head. "Who do you think you are? How dare you insult me?" Percy''s icy gaze fell on his younger brother. His tone of voice was imposing. "Don''t be rude to Johann, Pierre. He''s the doctor I''ve hired to cure your ailment." Pierreughed exaggeratedly. "Ha... Doctor? He''s a doctor? This weak pretty face that looks like a chicken? You''re not joking, right?" Johann was not angered by Pierre''s condescending gaze. Without saying a word, he stepped forward, flipped over Pierre''s nket, took out several silver needles from his coat, and inserted them into several specific points on Pierre''s crotch. Instantly, Pierre''s cries of agony echoed in the cavernous room! "Ah! You b*stard, what did you do to me? Why is it so painful? Ah... why can''t I move my hand anymore? Kill him, Big Bro, he''s hurting me..." Johann looked at the wailing man with his arms across his chest. "Don''t prank him, Johann. He''s just a kid," Percy said. Johann grunted and removed the needles from Pierre''s body. "I''m the only one who can cure your ailment, Second Young Master Mallory. You''d better be polite to me. Otherwise, you can forget about making out for the rest of your life!" Pierre was angry, and his eyes were bloodshot. He wanted to kill that weak-looking man, but a glint of hope sprouted within his anger when he heard that the man could cure his ailment. If that were true, he was willing to yield for now. Moreover, Johann had disyed his talents. The silver needles caused a lot of pain, but undeniably, he could feel a warm current coursing across his crotch. That had never happened before... Chapter 418 Chapter 418 Luke Shouted at Bianca''s Stomach! Pierre''s despair turned into delight by the unexpected news. His attitude towards Johann improved slightly, but he still had some doubts about the young man in front of him. He asked, "You are a doctor?" Pierre has always been a yboy. All he had ever cared about were luxury cars, yachts, nightclubs, and girls. He had never paid attention to anything else. He was not aware that Johann was well-known among the medicalmunity. Johann crossed his hands in front of his chest and looked at Pierre condescendingly. "As real as it gets." Pierre''s nostrils red, and he said arrogantly, "I''ll give you whatever you want if you can cure me!¡± "Wow, look at you talking big! If it were Master Percy who said this, I would believe it because he holds a certain degree of credibility. Why should I take you seriously?'' "You..." Pierre was so infuriated by what Johann had said that he could no longer keep it in. His face turned ghastly pale. Johann was right. Pierre''s status in the Mallory Family was indeed inferior to that of his eldest brother. Regardless of his appearance, status, means, or ability, he was nothingpared to the resourceful and guileful Percy. Pierre was the youngest son of the Mallory Family, so his grandfather and parents were very fond of him. He had been spoilt since he was a child. He was a champion when it came to having fun, but he had no sense of responsibility and morality. Everyone knew that Master Percy of the Mallory family was amazing and brilliant, and his promises were as good as gold; Meanwhile, the Mallory family''s Second Young Master was nothing but a yboy born with a silver spoon. Pierre hated when otherspared him to his big brother. To him, Percy was the kind of existence that stood as tall as a mountain. No matter how hard he tried, he could never beat him... Pierre smashed his fist on the bed. He did not say a word as tears welled from deep inside and coursed down his cheeks. He decided that he would not go on living like that anymore! He had to achieve something remarkable to prove himself to the Mallory Family! The new year passed in a blink of an eye. Bianca had been feeling extremely fulfilled during this time. Luke surprised her with gifts every other day. Their two children had also been very well-behaved, so she did not have to worry about them. The only one who was not at ease was the little one in her stomach. Her morning sickness was horrible. Whatever went in almost went out immediately. Luke was going crazy. He was a little resentful toward their unborn child. How could their child torture her? The unborn little demon was a handful before birth, and it would likely be just as so after it was born. He had slight regrets about impregnating Bianca. Each time the baby caused Bianca trouble, Luke would shout at her stomach. Bianca was amused at his childish behavior. The baby was barely a fetus. How could it understand him? Luke even got Johann to give her infusions for a few days before her condition got better. Allison eventually found out that Bianca was pregnant. Although she was still drowning in her own sorrows, Bianca was pregnant with her grandson after all, and she had to keep the peace with Bianca. So, she chose to be avoidant and went out with her socialite friends for shopping, beauty makeovers, spa sessions, and so on. She rarely returned home before dark. Moreover, Bianca and Luke usually lived in their ce and rarely stayed over in Crawford Manor. Both of them rarely met each other, which reduced a lot of unnecessary conflicts. The happiest person in the Crawford family was Old Master Crawford. The old man always wanted to have many children and many grandchildren. He initially thought that the Crawford family had few offspring. Bianca had already given him a pair of great-grandchildren. Now, she had another one in her belly. Old Master Crawford was happy all day long. He smiled from ear to ear and always praised Bianca for being the lucky star of the Crawford Family. Old Master Crawford even said that she would be generously rewarded no matter if she gave birth to a boy or a girl. Susan Armstrong was the only member of the Crawford family who has had a boring New Year''s Day. Since she found out that Bianca was pregnant, her gaze toward her was like a sharp arrow soaked with poison. Every time, her eyes would follow Bianca''s belly, obvious to a point where others had noticed. Bianca knew very well that Susan was just a sad abandoned woman who was betrayed by her husband. She was deeply sympathetic to what happened to her, but her judgmental gaze made her really ufortable. Even if Old Master Crawford was in charge of the Crawford Family, Bianca still did not like going to the extremely depressing Crawford Manor. The days passed, and it was the eighth of the month. It was time to go to work. Luke asked Bianca to rest at home, but she could not stand to be idle. Besides, her belly was not very big and she was in good health, so she insisted on going into the office. Luke knew how stubborn she was, so he let her be. He knew that he could assign her easy work and made sure that she was stress-free. Bianca was not aware of his n and went to work happily. This is from N?velDrama.Org. After more than half a year of hard work, she received several big orders. Bianca was extremely happy that her design was appreciated by her customers. She even wrote her work n and goals for the first quarter of the new year at home. When she arrived at the T Corporation design department, Bianca noticed that many employees were staring at her, especially Be, the design department lead. She had a gloating expression on her face. Bianca was not aware of what was happening and walked to her desk, confused. As soon as she wanted to sit down, she saw a woman in an extremely fashionable dress and sunsses sitting in Sue''s seat. The woman had her back to her, so Bianca could not see her face at all. Judging from the woman¡¯s back, she knew that she was a beauty. Bianca could feel her cold and arrogant temperament even far away. She was not unfamiliar with that kind of temperament, because she often felt it from Luke. Bianca was a little confused. She did not know the identity of the woman who had suddenly appeared and made other employees tremble, but her instinct told her that this woman was not a pushover. Nina discreetly raised her left hand to block her mouth and mouthed two words, "Mavis Laviere..." When she heard the name that had not appeared for a long time, and she thought of the ck panties in Luke''s car, Bianca''s heart suddenly fell...Ms. Laviere had returned! Bianca was stunned. Mavis moved her high heels a little, and the automatic revolving chair turned slightly. She turned around gracefully. The woman''s cold temperament made it hard to breathe! Chapter 419 Chapter 419 Bianca Was A Wolf in Sheep''s Clothing! Mavis stared at Bianca with a chilly expression. When she saw Bianca''s pure and soft face looking at her, she clenched her fists, and a pang of jealousy appeared on her arrogant face. "What can I do for you, Ms. Laviere?" Bianca smiled softly as she greeted her. Mavis was impassive, but her tipped chin showed her arrogance. She did not speak and kept staring at Bianca calmly. The woman in front of her had made her feel threatened. She had no care for the skanks who surrounded Luke. That was because she knew that Luke had a wall up, and those who tried to conquer him all failed shamefully! She had been beside Luke for so many years and had never seen him affectionate towards any woman. He repelled all women, except Bianca... Her intuition told her that Bianca was a formidable rival. The feeling was so terrible that she felt afraid. It was a kind of deep fear of Luke''s heart being upied by other women. Be, the design department lead, was her spy in T Corporation. When she was working in the other T Corporation branch, Be would report on Luke to her. She wanted to see if other women would take advantage of her absence and try something with him. Mavis never felt threatened by the other women around Luke, including Yvonne and Leia, who came from wealthy families. However, Bianca was very different from them. Based on what she had heard from Be, the calm and collected Luke had made multiple exceptions for Bianca. Mavis knew she had to keep her guard up. Mavis got up from the revolving chair. Her fitted skirt outlined her slender waist and brought out her curves. She leaned into Bianca. Her voice was low, and a cold and vicious expression appeared on her face when others could not see. "Ms. Rayne, T Corporation is a multinational corporation. As an employee of T Corporation, you have to know your ce. Focus on working hard and don''t think about things that don''t belong to you. This company is against office romances here, do you understand me?" Mavis deliberately lowered her volume. She was still smiling, but it was a chilling smile. Bianca was speechless. Mavis was only the supervisor. Who was she to tell her what to do with her personal life? T Corporation did have a rule that employees of thepany cannot be in a rtionship with other employees. When a husband and wife work together, they could be affected by their emotions when dealing with difficult problems or tasks. They may not act in the best interest of thepany, and there was a risk of information leak. All those would cause unnecessary losses or troubles to thepany. If the couple had a superior-subordinate rtionship, it became much moreplex and restricted. However, since Bianca and Luke got together, Luke had realized that this rule was inhumane. He mentioned to Bianca earlier that after the 15th, he would call for an upper-management meeting to abolish the rule. He only told this to Bianca; not even Jason knew about it. Bianca was humored that Mavis had threatened herself with that matter. Theers of Bianca''s lips raised into a perfect curve as she said calmly," Ms. Laviere, if there is any problem with my work, you are always wee to guide me. As for my personal affairs, I don''t think you need to be concerned. After all, everyone has their way of living. I have always stayed in line, so I don¡¯t understand what you are talking about." Mavis squinted her eyes in reactance to Bianca acting dumb. "Ms. Rayne, I trust that you are a smart woman, so how can you not understand what I''m talking about? You are not young, and I can introduce you to the many outstanding bachelors that I know. It''s tough for a woman in a corporate environment, so you should go home and spend some time with your children." Biancabed through her soft hair and smiled sweetly at Mavis. "Don''t worry about me, Ms. Laviere. I like the feeling of working hard in the workce, it brings me a sense of honor. Any woman should not be an essory to love or a man; she should maintain her own beliefs and financial independence. I''m only 24 years old, and I''m still fairly young. Ms. Laviere, if I''m right, you should be 29 this year, which is a few years older than me. Instead of focusing on your employee''s personal affairs, why not bring your attention to your romantic rtionship. If you have good bachelors around you, you should have the first pick.'' Mavis''s expression turned even more chilly. She never thought that Bianca, who looked like a weakling, could utter such sharp words. "Ms. Rayne, work hard. I hope you have a great future in T Corporation." Mavis raised her volume intentionally. T Corporation''s design department had so many spies keeping a close eye on Mavis¡¯s every move. As the supervisor, Mavis cannot afford to ruin her reputation with such a small incident. Then, Mavis nced at Bianca with a cold expression, sneered, and left. She thought that Bianca would be someone that could be easily dealt with, but she did not expect that she was wrong. Bianca was a wolf in sheep''s clothing that made her feel a great sense of insecurity! After Mavis left, Bianca sat down in her seat weakly, her expression gloomy. Mavis''s words echoed in her mind. Bianca was drained, and her temples were aching a little. Leia, who had her eye on Luke, had yet to be dealt with. Out of the blue, Mavis, another fiercepetitor, popped out. 1 Besides, Mavis was apletely different woman from Leia. She appeared to be more scheming, and even the words that were meant to trigger her had led to an indifferent response. This woman was devious and two-faced. ''Isn''t it tiring to put on a mask all the time?'' Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Nina approached Bianca to gossip. "Bianca, what did Ms. Laviere say to you?" She did not think that Mavis intended to encourage Bianca to work harder. After all, Ms. Laviere has always been aloof, and she had no interest in interacting with employees of lower rank. Bianca shook her head and arranged the documents on her desk. "It''s nothing, it''s just trivial things... By the way, the project with Vivi Group has already started. This time, I''m including you in the list of design department employees involved in the project. Let¡¯s do this!" Nina grabbed Bianca''s hand, her eyes welled up with tears as she said," Thank you, Bea." Judging in terms of qualifications and abilities, she knew that she was not the best in the department. Bianca must have helped her so that she could be included in the project... Chapter 420 Chapter 420 Her Heart Is Weeping Bianca had been fully upied since the urban reconstruction project with Vivi Group started. With consideration of Bianca''s pregnancy, Luke worried that she would overwork herself, so he gave her the easiest tasks. However, Bianca insisted on doing her part andpleting the backlog of work she had at hand. Although they kept a low profile, the employees of the design department were tacitly aware of Luke and Bianca''s rtionship. Bianca might have proven herself time and time again since she joined thepany half a year ago, but many thought that she had nothing remarkable except for her looks. She worked hard to prove her ability. In the morning, Bianca and her colleagues met with the upper management of A City''s Bureau of Housing and Urban Development, Bureau of Land and Resources, Bureau of nning, and so on. She took advice from the Urban Construction Department on how to upgrade and renovate the old town, discussed the work structure and flow, analyzed some of the existing problems, and nned for the next step. In the afternoon, she even ignored Luke''s dissuasion and insisted on going for a site visit with her colleagues. She was firm with her decision, and Luke could not convince her otherwise. All he could do was get someone to prepare various tonics for her every day to regte her body. However, despite his best efforts, Bianca still lost a few pounds in a week. During their lunch break, Bianca was having a meal with her colleagues in the cafeteria. Louis Crawford was there. Louis Crawford was a little surprised at how skinny Bianca got. He had always thought that when a woman became pregnant, she would turn round and plump. How did his sister-inw lose so much weight? Her petite oval-shaped face now looked distressingly thin. Louis Crawford put arge piece of fish on Bianca¡¯s te and said, "You look too thin, Bianca. You need to take care of your health. Eating more fish is good for you." "Uh, thank you.¡¯ Bianca felt a little embarrassed but thanked him anyway. Beside her, Sue and Nina covered their mouths and chuckled discreetly. Even the boss''s brother had learned to care for Bianca. It seemed that the Crawford Family was more epting of Bianca. Be, on the other table, looked somber. She clenched the cutlery in her hands. How dare Bianca flirt with the General Manager in broad daylight? On the other hand, Louis Crawford was smiling widely, making his handsome face even more charming. "Everyone has been working hard recently. Eat whatever you want. It''s on me!" His staff eximed, "Wow, General Manager, are you for real?" Louis Crawford said in a suave and narcissistic manner, "Of course it is true. Look at this handsome face, do I look like someone who doesn''t keep to his promises?" Everyoneughed, and the room was filled with happy faces. The staff thanked Louis Crawford and ordered their favorite dish. Many of the staff who were already full returned to eat again. T Corporation''s catering was above par, so they were happy to take advantage of the free meal. At the end of their lunch break, Louis Crawford decided to head off first. Before he left, he said to Bianca softly, "Bianca, although Luke attaches great importance to this urban reconstruction and development project, don''t tire yourself out. After all, you are pregnant and should not be overstressed. If something happens to you, the most distressed person would be Luke." 1 "I know." His kind words warmed Bianca''s heart. Louis Crawford continued, "Okay then, I''ll head off first. If you encounter any trouble at work, you can come to me at any time." "Okay." Bianca nodded. Luke was at ease knowing that Bianca was in a good state of mind and that her morning sickness was not as horrible as before, then turned around and left. Bianca stared at his back as he walked away. She was taken aback by his actions. Louis Crawford used to act like a clown, but he seemed to have changed after he resumed work after New Year''s Day. He started taking work seriously, and he had eased Luke''s workload... After Louis left, Sue and Nina immediately gathered around Bianca and winked at her, "Bianca, the boss''s brother cares so much about you. Has their family epted you?" "It''s not as simple as you think. I would say that the situation is much better than before." Bianca subconsciously touched her lower abdomen with a gentle expression on her face. She did not tell anyone in thepany that she was pregnant, not even Sue and Nina. If they knew that she was pregnant, they would try to limit her workload, and she would not be able to perform at her best. "Anyway, although the Crawford Family is a well-known wealthy family, Bea is not bad too! She is top- notch whether in terms of appearance or ability. She is a great match for our boss!" Nina propped up her chin with both hands and looked at Bianca like a fangirl. "Yes! The most important thing is our boss¡¯s opinion. The boss is a powerful man. With him beside Bea, nothing can hurt her, not even if everyone from the Crawford Family is against their rtionship. We have all seen how the General Manager treats you. He is clearly on Bianca''s side. The real obstacle to her entering the Crawford Family is Old Master Crawford and the boss¡¯s mother. However, elderly people generally like to have a big family. When Bianca is pregnant with another baby, I think Old Master Crawford would be the fastest one to say yes to her. As for the boss''s mother, the rtionship between mother and daughter-inw is the trickiest to deal with... However, you already have children with the boss. You just have to move to another ce after you get married." Sue broke down the situation very well. Bianca smiled and shook her head. "Don''t worry about me. There will always be a solution. Sue, your baby is almost four months old. What''s your n?" Sue had been consuming a lot more spice in her meals. She seemed to be particrly addicted to spicy food after her pregnancy. "I''m going to take it as ites. I will raise this child by myself. I can afford it anyway." She replied nonchntly. Nina looked at Sue''s belly and thought of her unborn child that she was forced to abort. Her expression turned a little sad. She lowered her head and continued to eat; her heart was weeping. Bianca immediately realized how inconsiderate she had been when she saw Nina''s expression. She should have been more careful with her words! She hurriedly changed the subject. "Do you have a rough idea of the design n needed for this project?" Nina immediately became energetic. She said, "This is what I have in mind..." Bianca breathed a sigh of relief. She does not know how to ease Nina''s trauma, but she has a lifetime topensate for her. At 8.45 p.m., Bianca was still working overtime, drawing design drafts. Suddenly, the phone rang, which shocked her. Seeing that it was Luke who was calling, Bianca breathed a sigh of relief and answered the call. "Hello?" This is from N?velDrama.Org. On the other line, Luke said in a low but slightly angry voice, "It''s sote, why are you still working?" Chapter 421 Chapter 421 He Became Normal After Meeting Bianca A chill went down Bianca''s spine when she heard Luke''s angry voice. Oops! She was so busy with work that she ignored his direct orders to not put too much pressure on herself. He also forbade her to stay in thepany and work overtime. Bianca''s voice was clear as day at the other line. "I''ll be done in a while..." Luke kept quiet for a moment. Suddenly, his voice became louder by a notch as he said, "I remember that the tasks that I asked Be to assign to you were rtively easy. Did she go against my instructions and increase your workload?" "No..." Bianca said embarrassedly, "The other colleagues are all busy, and it doesn''t look good if I¡¯m the only idle one. Besides, this urban reconstruction project is so important, and I can''t take it lightly..." Looking at the thick stacks of documents, she held her phone with her left hand while her right hand moved the cursor reflexively. She continued working on the design. "If I didn''t call you, how long are you nning to stay?" Luke asked coldly. "Uh... I''ll work for another half an hour or so." Bianca looked at the time on the bottom of the screen and she replied softly, "Time flies when I''m working." Recently, Lowry would drive Bianca home. Luke was a workaholic that usually workedte. asionally, when he was not working overtime, Bianca would go home with Luke. Luke sighed and said, "What should I do with you?¡¯. Then, he hung up the call without any warning. Bianca was taken aback when she heard his sigh, but then, she shook her head and told herself to stop overthinking. Looking at the stacks of documents on the desk and the unfinished work on theputer, Bianca felt dizzy. She grabbed her facial mist, sprayed it on her face a few times, rubbed her face to keep herself awake, and started working on the draft again. In the huge office, only the clicks of a mouse were heard. When Bianca worked without distractions, she was very focused and efficient. In a blink of an eye, half an hour passed, and her work was almost done. She wanted to finish her work and then go to the CEO''s office to find Luke, but thinking of how stubborn he was, he would be angry if she did not leave the office before nine o''clock. Bianca saved the unfinished design, copied them to the sh drive, and started to pack up so that she could bring her work home to bepleted. When she was busy packing up, she heard footsteps from behind her. Bianca froze. The office was supposed to be empty at that time. She should be the only one there. She instantly thought of a video about the supernatural that she identally clicked on yesterday titled "Haunted Office." Suddenly, Bianca panicked and grabbed a pen holder on the desk and threw it toward the source of the sound! "Are you trying to murder your husband?" A man''s deep voice said that. Then, Bianca, who was in a state of shock, was hugged by a strong and warm male body. Bianca looked up in astonishment and saw Luke. He was holding her with his left arm, and his right hand held onto the pen holder that she had just thrown at him. She felt very embarrassed. "Sorry, I thought someone broke into the office, I don''t know it was you..." Bianca hurriedly grabbed the pen holder in his hand and ced it on the desk. Her face started blushing with embarrassment. "Let''s go, it''s the Light Festival today, I want to bring you somewhere." Luke did not me her. Instead, his eyes were filled with endless love for her. Under the bright office lights, his handsome side face was highlighted, making his jawline much more three-dimensional and charming. Bianca nodded obediently. She quickly sorted out her documents and put them into her handbag. When she was done, she grinned at him like a cute little girl and said, "I''m ready." Luke rubbed her head and left thepany with her. They drove to a town near A City. In the BMW, Luke turned on some light-hearted music. It was ssical violin music, Bianca¡¯s favorite genre. The drive took an hour. With the intoxicating music in the background and the ongoing chit-chatting, they soon arrived. The town was overcrowded because it was the Light Festival. It stood to reason that they should not even be able to find a parking space, but before their arrival, Luke had contacted a friend who owned a high-end hotel there. He drove the car to the hotel parking lot, where a parking space was reserved for him. After he parked the car, Luke took Bianca''s hand and strolled on the stone path in town. Phoenix Town was a well-known historical town in the North with almost a thousand years of history. It was once rated as one of the "Top Ten Charming Towns" and boasted a beautiful night view. Every household in the town hadnterns hanging high. Tourists walked under thenterns, which illuminated their beaming faces. It felt as though they were transported back into the past. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Bianca held on to Luke''s arm. As they strolled around, she said in amazement, "The town here is very different from my hometown. Ours is simr to Peaceful Town. The window jacarandas are made of ebony wood, and the eaves are stacked with tiles. It has thevishness of a Merchant¡¯s Compound and the aura of a courtyard house, and the town here has poetic and pictorial surroundings. Everywhere you look, your heart will feel a sense of peace..." Luke tightened the belt on Bianca¡¯s coat and said softly, "As long as you like it." He knew that although Bianca was born in a northern town, she did not have the boldness of a northern woman, but instead had the gentleness and beauty of a southern woman. He thought that she would love the nighttime scenery in this town. So, he took the time out of his busy schedule and brought her here. To bring her here to enjoy the scenery, Luke did not go back to Crawford Manor to dine with his grandpa during the Light Festival for the first time in his life. The couple looked like a match made in heaven. They stood out amid the crowd. Luke and Bianca were admiring the scenery and lights, but many tourists were secretly admiring them. The bignterns were hanging high, and there was no end in sight. The dizzy red lights reflected on Bianca''s face. When she smiled, she looked more gentle, which made Luke''s heart tender. He was not a festive person. Since he met Bianca, he started paying attention to various festivals like a normal person. Chapter 422 Chapter 422 His Crush In His Younger Days Was Now By His Side In the alley, many tourists were carrying various kinds ofnterns with happy smiles on their faces. It was the first time that Luke had taken the time to enjoy the festivities. Thousands ofnterns were strung under the eaves. They represented '' reunion.'' Seeing that other tourists were carryingnterns in their hands, Luke bought one for Bianca. The oval-shapedntern was unique and had bright red roses wrapped around it. When the candle in thentern was lit, it was as though the roses were brought to life. Outside thentern, there were two mighty and domineering golden dragons wrapped around it. Under the candlelight, the golden dragons seemed to move. Bianca loved it! Luke smiled when he saw how happy Bianca was walking around with thentern. "I never knew that the Light Festival is so lively." In the past, he had always spent the Light Festival working in the office. At most, he would go to the clubhouse with a few friends to have a drink and rx a little. He had never enjoyed the Festival so leisurely. Bianca held thentern in one hand and Luke''s hand in the other. She said with a big smile on her face, "The Light Festival has been around for more than two thousand years. Many festivals are passed down from ancient times. Although these festivals have a long history, I think they came about because the ancients found life too boring, so they invented various traditional festivals to enrich their spare time and have fun. You see, even the ancients knew how to enjoy life. How can we, as modern people, not fully enjoy these festivities?" Bianca looked great. She had an indescribable and somewhat seductive charm, especially when sheughed. Luke turned his head to look at her and suddenly thought of the first time they met. At that time, his ss had an event outside of the ssroom. She was in physical education ss. Her ssmates wereughing and ying on the yground. She was the only one that quietly sat under a tree. No one knew what she was thinking. From where he was standing, he could just see her gentle side profile. After a while, her ssmates whispered something to her, and she pursed her lips and smiled. Luke still remembered her kind smile, which lit up the whole space. At that time, he knew that this girl had a good temperament. He was right. After he got to know her, he found that Bianca''s character was tender. Even a piece of cold steel could be turned soft with her touch... Now, his crush in her younger days was by her side. Luke embraced her contentedly and enjoyed the night scene, i He bought a variety of specialty snacks for Bianca. He did not want her to eat so much junk food. After all, she was pregnant with a child. When the two of them passed by a beautiful and quaint arch bridge, Luke took her on a sightseeing boat. Luke was not a fan of being in crowds, so he booked the entire boat. He did it to ensure the safety of Bianca and their unborn child. His overbearing behavior provoked the other tourists. However, he paid several times the normal price. The tourists could tell at first nce that the man was dressed in branded clothes, and the watch on his hand was worth millions. Everyone knew that they could not afford to offend him, so they could only keep their mouth shut. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. The sightseeing boat took off. Luke wrapped his arms around Bianca. She was sitting on the woven bamboo chair on the boat and looked at the lights on the riverside. She frowned and said, ¡¯You shouldn''t book the entire boat. There are only three or four sightseeing boats here. If you do this, it will cause dissatisfaction among other tourists." Luke brushed Bianca''s soft hair and replied, "It''s inconvenient with too many tourists around. Some like it quiet, and some like it noisy. No one can predict if there will be any unexpected idents on the way. I have to be responsible for your safety. It will be much quieter with only two of us on board." Bianca stopped talking. She was very touched. The sightseeing boat was going at the perfect pace. Bianca looked at thenterns on the riverbanks, which were strung together beautifully. The red and yellow lights that glowed from thenterns looked like meteors flying in front of them. The beautiful scenery made Bianca very happy. On the opposite side of the river, people were setting off fireworks, which they could see from the boat. They could even hear the sound of the fireworks going off. The whole experience was like in a dream. However, she was clearly in a prosperous and lively environment. The night scene of the South in front of her was real, and the big thick hands she was holding were also real. Bianca''s eyes focused on the brilliant lights. The fireworks looked beautiful and gorgeous like they were fiery blooms in the dark, i She was not sure what Luke was thinking about at the moment, but she felt content and happy knowing that they were together admiring the lights, even if they were not talking. The boatman was a very talkative young man. After setting up the autopilot, he chatted with Luke and Bianca about everything and anything. The boatman smiled and shed his canines. "Guests, you should go to Gentle Brook to see the lanterns there. The view is extraordinarily beautiful, and I heard that it even made it to the evening news." "Yes, we really should go and see it." Luke was afraid that Bianca¡¯s hand would be cold, so he wrapped her hands in his palm to keep them warm. Seeing that they were so loving, the boatman said enviously, "Are you newlyweds? Both of you look so happy together! I have been sailing for so long and this is the first time I have seen a couple who is as great as you two..." Bianca was embarrassed to say that they were not married yet, but Luke said preemptively, "We have been married for several years and our twins are almost five years old. Now, she has another one in her belly." The boatman was astonished. He looked up and down at Bianca and could not help but said, "I couldn''t tell! Sir, your wife looks so young!" Luke uttered, "We have been together for ten years.'' The boatman was taken back. He no longer looked at Luke with envy, but a kind of disbelief. ''Ten... ten years ago... ''At that time, he had already made a move on the little girl?* He did not expect that this man who looked dignified to be such a... beast! When she saw the unabashedlyplex gaze of the boatman, Bianca smiled. She wanted to exin the situation, but in the end, she just shook her head and smiled. She did not expect that this serious man would have such a humorous side, which opened her eyes... Chapter 423 Chapter 423 She Immediately Felt Like She Had Fallen Into An Ice Hole! 1 Bianca and Luke were still immersed in the sweetness of love. On the other hand, Leia spent the day miserably. In a hotel. Leia was naked as she looked at the man next to her on the big bed, also naked and fast asleep. Her eyes slowly zed with hatred! Wayne tt! The man''s sudden appearance disrupted all her ns, and he used her nude photos to ckmail her, forcing her to suffer all kinds of unmentionable pleasure. She dared not and could not refuse. Once Wayne published those unttering nude photos, she would be theughing stock of A City''s socialite circle, and her career in the entertainment industry woulde to an abrupt end. Even though her adoptive father was the Provincial Committee Secretary, Leia dared not risk her future. Leia silently slipped out of bed and instantly felt a searing pain in a certain part of her body. She muttered a curse under her breath, hating Wayne a little more. The man was a lunatic who knew nothing of tenderness or restraint in making love. He had always knocked her unconscious, yet he was still insatiable and did not even spare her when she was in hera... After taking a quick shower in the bathroom, Leia came out wrapped in a towel. She was about to put on her clothes when she suddenly saw a fruit knife in the fruit basket on the coffee table. This discovery caused Leia''s heart to race, and a bold idea rose in her head. She hid the fruit knife in her towel and stepped on the thick carpet. She silently approached Wayne with the daintiness of a cat, staring intently at his vulnerable, defenseless throat. Heinous hate made her irrational. Leia walked to the big bed and secretly hid the fruit knife under the pillow. Then she undid her bath towel. For the first time, she took the initiative to hug Wayne, who was half asleep. The woman''s delicate kisses snaked down his corbone seductively. Wayne had always been alert. He had woken up as soon as Leia started moving, but he was toozy to open his eyes. They had done it too many timesst night, which consumed a lot of energy. He needed to replenish his energy, but he had never thought that the woman, who had always been forced, would take the initiative to make love to him. Although doubtful, he was befuddled by desire. Wayne was gradually aroused by her and started bing aggressive. However, Leia''s eyes had been as cold as frost from the start. Did it show any glimmer of affection? As Wayne thrust into her body, Leia clenched the knife under the pillow and stabbed him without hesitation, using all her strength! Leia thought she was going to see blood spattered on the scene... There was indeed a harsh, bright red liquid flowing, but the blood was not his. Wayne''s eyes were cold with fury. He stared intently at the woman beneath him, whose neck he could have broken with the slightest effort. His eyes were wolflike as he stared at her face, which was almost fainting with pain. Word by word, he said coldly, "Since birth, I''ve never believed in God, and I¡¯ve never trusted women. From the moment you hid the dagger under your pillow, I prayed that you won''t use it on me, but my prayers didn''t work!" From the moment she raised the dagger to stab him, years of vignce had told him that there was danger. Wayne loved beautiful women, but he valued his life more. Even amid passion, he retained some degree of sanity. That was why he had been engaged in dangerous missions for so many years but was able to get away everytime. When Leia''s dagger fell on him, Wayne twisted it around, and the sharp dagger went straight through her left hand! Then, Wayneughed sarcastically and treated her roughly. "Ms. Norman, there are so many terrorists and mercenaries who tried to kill me, but I killed them all. You''re not so naive as to think that you can kill me with your delicate body, are you? You''d better behave, or I''ll ruin your reputation right away. Even Mr. Norman won''t be able to save you!" The severe pain in her left hand and her lower body was killing Leia. Leia closed her eyes in despair, hiding the vengeful intent in her eyes. Even if she could not kill him now, she would make him regret it one day! After leaving the hotel, Leia wrapped herself up like a burrito, hiding the dense love bites all over her body. She walked along the bustling streets like a ghost, tears wetting her scarf over and over again. The world was so vast, but there was no ce she could hide. If her adoptive parents knew about it, would they stand up for her? Perhaps her adoptive father woulde forward and ask the tt family for justice. However, the tt family was almost as powerful as the Norman family. Even if it were revealed to the public, the best they could do was let Wayne marry her. However, she would lose her pure and innocent reputation, and she would probably be called a tramp, which was not what she wanted. Besides, she hated Wayne. The man was rough, wild, vulgar in speech, possessed a brute strength, and extremely chauvinistic. Above all, he was coarse in appearance and manner. He was the pr opposite of her idea of a perfect man. The man she loved was as knowledgeable, handsome, and charming as Luke. In particr, she was fascinated by Luke''s elegant and extraordinary aristocratic temperament. She was the heiress of the Norman family. She would only marry the best man in the city. How could shemit herself to a ridiculous lecher like Wayne? Just when Leia was immersed in perplexed sorrow and unable to extricate herself, a dirty hand suddenly grabbed the hem of her clothes. ''I''ve finally found you, Leia. I had a hard time finding you!" Leia was shocked! When she saw an unkempt beggar-like middle-aged man tugging her expensive clothes... She shook him off in disgust. ¡¯Who are you? You''ve confused me with someone else. I don''t know you!" Leia felt like retching when she smelled his rancid stench. ''This man hasn''t bathed in a year, has he? He''s so dirty. How dare he tug at my limited edition coat? It''s so disgusting!'' As Leia strode toward the hotel parking lot in her high heels, she heard the drunk man shouting behind her, "I didn''t confuse you with someone else. You''re Leia. Your nickname when you were a child was Coco because you were darker. Your mother Suzy gave you that name off the top of her head! If I remember correctly, you have an apple-shaped birthmark under your left armpit..." Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. What the homeless man said made Leia''s hasty footsteps stop. Her pupils constricted sharply, and she felt as though she had fallen into an ice hole! She immediately turned around and stared at the dirty man in disbelief. ''Who the hell is he? Why does he know me so well?'' Chapter 424 Chapter 424 Bianca''s Little Face Was Blushing Slightly Leia stared intently at the unkempt homeless man. Even though he was dirty and looked very haggard, there was something strangely familiar about his face. She felt as if she knew him... Leia''s hands trembled as she met his clouded and sordid eyes. She suddenly remembered her long-buried past! Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. The man, who drank all day long, gambled and beat her and her mother when he lost - her biological father! Dexter Shaw! Her mother lost an eye and broke an arm under Dexter''s prolonged domestic abuse, and Leia''s tender back was horribly scarred by the beating. It all started because of the brutal Dexter. The man was worse than scum. He forced his wife to sell her body so he could gamble. He even wanted to sell his daughter for ten or twenty thousand dors. She would have been sold if she had not been clever enough to escape. As scenes of her dark past emerged, Leia felt cold all over, and every cell in her body raised a defensive bramble against the homeless man. Despite recognizing who the man was, Leia remained calm and collected. She calmly put on her shades, and her voice was fiercely cold. "I don''t know who you are. Don''t just grab any girl and call her your daughter. Watch out. I''ll report you to the police for intending to kidnap!" With that, she tried to walk around the homeless man and head to the parking lot. "Hey, Leia, don''t leave. You¡¯re my daughter. I won''t confuse you for someone else! You can''t go. I''ve had a hard time finding you. You''re so ill- mannered you won''t even call me dad. I raised you for nothing!" The homeless man spread his arms and blocked Leia''s way. As soon as he opened his mouth, Leia covered her nose in disgust and turned to run to the security booth. When she arrived at the security booth, she undid her scarf and asked the two security guards for help with a sad look on her face. "Gentlemen, I''m Leia Norman. A pervert has been following me. I''m so scared. Can you help me out?" Though Leia was not an A-lister in the entertainment industry, she had starred in so many movies after all. Her pretty little face was also recognizable, so the two security guards naturally recognized her. The security guards held lowly positions, and they were used to being looked down upon. Now, a beautiful actress was asking them for help. In particr, a pitiful, innocent beauty like Leia immediately aroused the two security guard''s strong desire to protect. They said in unison, "Don''t worry, Ms. Norman. We''ll take care of that pervert." The two security guards on duty had stun batons. They stopped the homeless man who was chasing Leia. "Hey, what are you doing here? Unkempt people are not wee here. Get out if you know what''s good for you!" The homeless man rubbed his dirty hands, pointed to Leia''s figure, and said with a smile, "That''s my daughter. There''s something I need to talk to her about..." The two security guards looked at each other. They thought that the homeless man was out of his mind! The taller security guard looked at him scornfully and said, "Ms. Norman''s your daughter? You''re dreaming. Are you suffering from delusional paranoia? Ms. Norman''s the Provincial Committee Secretary''s daughter and has a high status... Get out of here, or we won''t go easy on you!" The homeless man ignored them, waving at Leia and shouting, "Leia, I''m your father. I''m your father, Dexter. Have you forgotten how good I was to you? When you were five years old, I took you to the park and bought you cotton candy! Leia,e home with me. I''ve been looking for you for years! Leia leaned weakly on a wall of the booth and looked as if she was about to cry. "Gentlemen, he''s a madman. He keeps calling me his daughter. Hurry and drive him away. I''m so scared..." Beautiful women, especially those in tears, easily touched men¡¯s hearts. "Don''t worry, Ms. Norman. We''ll get rid of this madman immediately!" The two security guards hit the homeless man with their stun batons. The electric current made a sizzling sound, and the homeless man groaned "Ah!" and fell slowly as he twitched. Leia did not feel a trace of sympathy when she saw that. She was even secretly pleased. A sneer appeared on the corners of her lips. She wished the security guards would kill the man! Then Leia left the scene as if nothing had happened. She found her luxury car, got in, started the engine, and sped away. Phoenix Town. As the night deepened, Luke and Bianca took a sightseeing boat to enjoy the night view of the town, and he took her to see antern show. The riverside avenue was covered with colorfulnterns in different forms. There were the charmingly silly red fish, the mischievous rabbit, the colorful rooster with its head held high... 1 There was a brilliant and colorfulrgentern in every short distance. There was also a beautifulntern made up of the twelve horoscopes, a dragon and phoenixntern, and so on. Thebination ofrge and smallnterns was dazzling. Manyrge lotusnterns were floating on the river, looking very lifelike. Theke surface was also rippling with artificial smoke. The wind blew a little and the lotusnterns swayed with theke waves and the mist. The scenery was as beautiful as a wondend. Bianca was like an innocent child, praising how beautiful antern was whenever she saw one. Luke took her hand and answered behind her. His cold yet handsome face was smiling with her. He did not find thenterns beautiful, but he was happy to have her by his side. Every time he looked at thenterns floating on theke, Luke would lower his head and gently kiss Bianca¡¯s hair. The scene made him feel warm, and he liked it very much. Once Bianca got tired and yawned uncontrobly, Luke led her back to their lodging. Even though they were not far from where they lived, Luke hired a boat back because Bianca was pregnant. They stayed in a luxurious and unique bed-and-breakfast instead of going home. After returning to their lodging, the two went into the bathroom. The bathroom was decorated in an ornate ethnic style. In addition to the bathroom separated into wet and dry zones, there was arge Jacuzzi. Next to therge tub was a special ss wall that allowed people to see the beautiful night outside, but people outside could not see the inside. After the bathtub was disinfected, Luke filled it with water and carried Bianca into the bathtub. They were about to take a bath when suddenly there was a loud noiseing from the next room. There was also a woman''s soft mewl intermingled with a man''s voice saying, "Rx, rx a little more..." Bianca''s little face was a little red when she overheard such things from others, but Luke frowned disapprovingly. ''Why is the man''s voice so familiar?'' Chapter 425 Chapter 425 The Sacred Moment When Bianca Puts On A Wedding Dress For Him The night was as dark as ink and was enchanting. The next room became silent after a long torment. Luke was aroused by those sounds. He gently washed Bianca''s body. His hands were at first well- behaved when he started washing, but gradually, his urges got out of control. Bianca''s body had a light fragrance. It was like blooming violets-fragrant and clean, affecting his senses all the time. He felt the temperature of his body rising with the water in the bathtub... Luke''s restless hands began to wander around Bianca''s body. Bianca was exhausted, but she retained some rationality. "No, the doctor said it''s forbidden for the first three months of pregnancy. Otherwise, it can easily lead to miscarriage..." Luke had not touched Bianca for days since he learned she was pregnant. Even though he could control his impulses very well, he was nheless a straight man. However, his rationality seemed to be zero every time it came to her. "Don''t worry. I won''t hurt you, let alone our baby.¡± Luke held Bianca so tightly that he almost embedded her into his body. He looked into her eyes that were brighter than the night, trying to control the physical urges. Because he tried so hard to endure it, cold sweat seemed to ooze from his forehead. Even the veins in his temple were visibly bulging. Bianca''s eyes were full of pain to see him suffer from it. She hesitated and said, "If... If you''re suffering, I''ll... I''ll... use some other way..." With that, Bianca reached downward without looking at Luke''s face. Luke did not expect Bianca to use such a way to help him feel better. The man''s deep eyes stared at Bianca¡¯s cheeks that were flushed with embarrassment. Looking at her eyes that were brighter than the stars in the sky, he naturally recalled the wonderful evening when they first met as adults. About an hourter, Bianca''s hands were sore, but Luke finally got his release. He gave a contented sigh and gently cleaned their bodies. Then he gently carried Bianca to therge bed... Pregnant people got tired easily. Bianca was already sleepy, but as soon as she touched the soft bed, she rolled over and sank into the warm quilt, quickly falling asleep. Luke''s big warm hands brushed over her wonderfully glossy hair, his mind wandering as he gazed at her peaceful sleeping face. They had already consummated their marriage and had given birth to two adorable children. Now, there was a new bun in the oven. It seemed his wedding, which was originally nned for the end of the year, had to be brought forward to May 1st. Luke knew that every woman loved beautiful things, romance, and leaving their most beautiful moment at their wedding. Bianca was naturally no exception. The May wedding seemed just in time. Bianca''s belly would not be very visible. He was looking forward to the sacred moment when Bianca put on a wedding dress for him. Daybreak. Leia had been up almost all night. Yesterday''s events yed back in her mind like a movie. The physical pain and the mental torment caused her to have recurring nightmares that she nearly had a mental breakdown until the ringing of her phone woke her up. Seeing it was a call from the doctor, she pressed the answer button. She was told to go to the hospital today. The DNA test results were out. Leia hung up the phone, sat up, and pulled back the curtains. The harsh sunlight almost made her eyes water. Looking at the time, it was only half-past seven. She had been tossing and turning since she got homest night. She had less than three hours of sleep, and her eyes rested on her bandaged left palm. The look in Leia''s eyes was resentful and complex. Last night was a holiday, which was supposed to be a day for a family reunion. However, her adoptive parents were busy spending time with her grandparents in the old house,pletely ignoring the fact that they had a daughter. Leia thought bitterly that Queenie and Jack did not really love her either! Otherwise, how could they not even call her on such an important day? What angered her the most was that she thought she had given Luke her virginity, but she never expected it to be a vulgar man instead. He even had some dirt on her. How ironic! Over the years, she was proud of her identity as the heiress of the Norman family and thought highly of herself, turning her nose up at everyone. Now, she had to force herself tomit to such a despicable man! Leia went straight down the stairs in her pajamas. She saw Queenie arranging flowers in the living room. Looking at the elegant woman, Leia''s expression was somber, and her eyes were indelible with sadness. Queenie naturally saw Leia. She put down her scissors and said gently:" Leia, you''re awake. Your grandfather had a heart attack yesterday, so your father and I rushed over. We wanted to ask you to come along, but we can''t get through your phone because it was off, so we went over first. Go and see Grandpa if you have time today. He was asking for you." Leia sneered to herself. ''The old man was asking for me? Are you kidding me? He only wants me gone!'' Although she was disdainful, she pretended to look concerned and said," Oh, I''m sorry, Mom. My phone was out of battery yesterday. Is Grandpa all right?" Leia began to help Queenie arrange the flowers as she spoke and deliberately exposed her left hand, covered in gauze. "Fortunately, the caretaker discovered it early and rescued him in time. He''s out of danger now... Leia, what happened to your hand?" Sure enough, Queenie noticed that she was hurt and grabbed Leia''s wrist with a broken heart. "What happened?" Leia''s restless heart felt a little better. It seemed her adoptive mother still cared about her. As if nothing had happened, she pulled back her hand and saidfortingly, "Mom, I''m okay. I was identally injured by a prop during filming. I''ll be fine in a few days." Queenie frowned in piteous affection. "You''re not allowed to film for two weeks. Stay home and rest. Why didn''t you tell us that you were injured? Sigh... are you deliberately trying to break my heart?" Leia held her arm and said coyly, "It''s alright, Mom. It''ll be alright in a few days. I''ll go get Dad downstairs for breakfast first." "Your dad is talking with his secretary in the study. Go ande back as soon as possible. Get Lucas toe down for breakfast too." "Got it!" Leia kissed Queenie on the cheek and went to the study to get her father downstairs for breakfast. Leia saw that the door was slightly open when she arrived at the study. She was about to knock on the door when she heard a deep male voice saying something to her father. It was Lucas''s voice. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. "Mr. Norman, this is evidence of Luke''s bribery eight years ago..." When Leia heard his words, it was as if she was struck by lightning, and her heart started beating out of control. Chapter 426 Chapter 426 A Bold And Shocking Idea... ¡®Luke bribed someone?'' It was hard for Leia to imagine how the gentle, proud man had bribed someone, but it was pretty shocking news to her. Holding her breath, she continued to eavesdrop on her adoptive father''s conversation with his secretary. "Last month, Municipal Party Committee Secretary Mr. Schmidt was detained in connection with arge corruption case. In mitigation of his crime, he gave a clear ount of who was involved and the inside story of how he had taken bribes in previous years. Surprisingly, one of the men involved was Luke Crawford... He''s the biggest rising star in A City who contributed greatly to A City''s economic development... "Mr. Norman, this is evidence of Luke''s bribery. Mr. Schmidt was a cautious and defensive man by nature, and he secretly videotaped and preserved evidence of almost everyone who had bribed him. Mr. Norman, what do you suggest we do?" If the bribe was paid by an ordinarypany executive or senior official, they could simply follow the law. However, it would not be easy to handle if Luke paid the bribe. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. That man controlled nearly two-thirds of A City''s economy and had a substantial influence in A City. Once something happened to him, the whole stock market would be in turmoil. Not only A City''s economy would be affected, but foreign investors would dare not invest in A City. The ensuing crisis might be too much to handle. What Leia heard next was the sound of documents being leafed through. Jack''s mellow voice slowly rang out, as if he had been considering his words for a long time. "We cant touch Luke for the time being. This is serious. Let me think about it first. We''ll have to report it if it¡¯s absolutely necessary." Jack shook his head, feeling a little disappointed. There was no doubt that Jack extremely admired the young Luke. Luke had both courage and ability. He had a unique vision for the development of business, and he was also fearlessly aggressive. That was how he had developed T Corporation from a smallpany on the verge of bankruptcy into arge multinational conglomerate in just a few years. Jack knew that every sessful businessman would not have a spotless background. He could have turned a blind eye to Luke if people did not have any dirt on him, but someone had intentionally taped the evidence while he bribed them. It was a stain he could not get rid of no matter what. "Suppress it first. Let me think it over." Thinking of the possible serious consequences of taking Luke into custody, Jack hesitated for a moment before waving to his secretary and saying," It''s gettingte. It''s rare for you toe to my house early in the morning and report your work. Lucas, let''s have breakfast at my ce today. Come on, let''s go downstairs." Lucas politely said, "Better to obey than have respects to pay.¡¯ The leather shoes of both men stepped on the floor, and the door was yanked open. Shocked, Leia hurriedly pretended to knock on the door, clutching her frightened chest and saying, ¡¯Dad, I was about to knock on your door and get you toe for breakfast when you came out. Uncle Lucas, you''re here too... Dad, Mom told me toe upstairs and get you to go down for breakfast." Jack bought it. He had always been satisfied with the clever and sensible Leia. He said with a bright smile, "What a coincidence. Let''s go down together." Lucas''s shrewd eyes nced at Leia. He said nothing when he saw that she looked as though she did not hear the earlier exchange. Leia appeared calm but was actually flustered from Lucas''s radar-like nce. Almost all her back was covered with a fineyer of cold sweat. Leia secretly sighed in relief when she saw him go downstairs with her father. Lucas had always been smart. It was as if nothing could hide from him, but Leia thought she was mentally strong, so she probably did not give herself away for eavesdropping earlier, right? Before going downstairs, Leia secretly scanned her father''s study out of the corner of her eye. As she recalled his conversation with Lucas, the shock still lingered in her mind. However, a bold and shocking idea came to her mind... After an absent-minded breakfast, Leia hurried to a hospital. The hospital served upper-ssdies, socialites, or celebrities. It was popr with thedies of high society because it was highly private and secretive. It was also the main reason Leia went to the hospital for its private testing doctors. Leia went straight to the doctor''s office. The woman in the white coat was average-looking and was in her thirties, but she had an exceptionally well-maintained figure. She gave Leia a DNA report. Leia''s hands shook as she impatiently opened the paper bag and pulled out the test results. When she saw that there was a 99.99% match, Leia''s face instantly turned pale, and she trembled uncontrobly. Her hands almost crushed the report, and her lips trembled violently. "No way, it can''t be true! Doctor, could there be something wrong with the report?¡¯ "Ms. Norman, you can test again at another hospital if you don''t believe it. I''m a doctor, and my reputation is on the line. I wouldn''t ruin my reputation like that.¡± The female doctor was a little unhappy. She was quite well-known in the hospital and was considered an all-around expert. She had served a lot of socialites and upper-ssdies and had been widely acimed. The female doctor''s expression immediately changed a little when Leia doubted her. Leia''s expression was icy. She was in no mood to pay the doctor any attention. She stumbled weakly, then turned around and left... Reaching the hospital bathroom, Leia pulled open a toilet door and dashed in. After she closed the door, she frantically tore the report to pieces. Leia''s eyes were burning with hatred, and her mind was in a mess. ''How can this be?'' ''How can Bianca be Queenie''s biological daughter?'' ''If it wasn''t true, why is her DNA 99.99% simr to Queenie''s?'' i ''I can ept any other girl being Queenie''s biological daughter, anyone but Bianca!'' Leia tore the report into pieces and scattered it on the floor. The crazy idea once again came to mind. She closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down. After about fifteen minutes, Leia pulled open the toilet door and walked out. She happened to meet a girl with big eyes who wanted to use the toilet. When the girl with big eyes saw that it was the celebrity Leia, she shouted in surprise, "Are you Leia, who starred in the movie ''The Orphan Girl''? I''m a big fan. Can I have your autograph?" Leia ignored her because she had something else on her mind, and she was not in the mood to put up herdylike guise. She shoved the girl away in irritation. The girl was taken aback as she looked at Leia''s back. She saw that the toilet she came out of was messy and carefully picked up a small piece of paper she tore. The word "report" could be faintly seen. She muttered: "Oh my god. I didn''t expect the divine-looking Leia on TV to be this kind of person. Not only she didn''t flush the toilet, but she scattered waste paper everywhere. What a nuisance..." Chapter 427 Chapter 427 You Matter The Most To Me Phoenix Town. A little past seven o''clock, Luke and Bianca walked out of their room to prepare to return to A City. When Bianca passed by the next room, she saw that the door was ajar. She casually nced inside. She saw a long-haired girl in a white bathrobe leaning back on a pink cushion in a daze. A bunch of purple wind chimes tinkled above her head. The girl''s pretty little face was streaked with tears, and she seemed to be in a daze as if she could not hear... Bianca was stunned when she saw that face. It looked like Scarlett Quincy, the waitress she knew from Blue Honors. Bianca wanted to take a closer look but heard the vintage carved door shut with an abrupt bang, immediately cutting off her curious gaze. She could not help but tug at Luke''s arm. "The girl in the next room looks like Scarlett..." Luke looked at her in confusion. "Scarlett? Who?¡± Luke was so indifferent to other women that he could not remember their faces or names. Bianca reminded, "Don''t you remember? It''s the Blue Honors waitress whose Persian cat was drugged...¡¯ Luke remembered the incident at the mention of it. His face darkened at the thought that the woman''s cat had hurt Bianca." Her cat scratched you, and we haven''t gotten even." Bianca felt that they were not on the same level ofmunication. She sighed. "It was just an ident. I think the girl looks nice. She didn''t do it on purpose... I wonder why she''s here with tears on her face. Do you think she ran into some bad guy?" Bianca thought of the intense events in the next roomst night. The girl kept crying, "No." It did not look like she was ying hard to get. She cried her eyes out as if she was vited. When she saw that the girl in the room was Scarlett, Bianca was immediately struck withpassion. After all, she was an acquaintance. Besides, she was strangely fond of the girl, and she wanted to see what had happened to Scarlett. Was she in danger? Luke held Bianca¡¯s waist as he walked out and said with a straight face," Curiosity killed the cat. Mind your own business. Don''t worry. The security here is good, and there won''t be any dangerous idents." "But..." Bianca was still a little worried. Seeing Bianca''s eyes still persistently ncing at the next room, Luke picked her up by the waist. "We¡¯d better get back, or we''ll bete for work. I have a lot of things to do today. Have you finished your quarterly performance review yet? Your department is holding a review meeting this afternoon." "Huh? There''s a meeting this afternoon? But I''m only halfway through..." "Yes, so we must hurry back and finish our tasks." Luke pressed his lips with satisfaction when he saw that Bianca no longer cared about the rest. He had always been cold. Other than the woman he cared for, he would not care about the others. Scarlett''s pet had hurt Bianca, it was a blessing that he did not give her trouble. There was no way to get him to meddle in her affairs! The car drove smoothly until it reached A City and finally stopped slowly at the T Corporation''s parking lot. Luke turned his head and saw Bianca sound asleep in the passenger seat. Her little heart-shaped face was full of drowsiness. Luke never knew that pregnant women could be so drowsy. He was about to wake her up, but he closed his mouth again without saying a word. The man shook his head helplessly and turned up the heat in the car a little. Then, he pressed a switch, reclining Bianca¡¯s seat into a makeshift bed so that she could sleep morefortably. Then he pulled a few documents out of his briefcase in the back seat and sat back in the driver''s seat to review them. After an unknown amount of time, Bianca woke up in a daze. She rubbed her groggy eyes and saw that she was lying in her seat while Luke was working in the car... Bianca could not help but touch her nose in embarrassment and said to Luke, "Sorry, I fell asleep again. I didn''t mean to..." "It''s okay. How¡¯s your rest?" Luke asked instead. "You should have woken me up. It''s half-past nine now. It''s already half an hour into the workday." Bianca looked at the time on her phone and frowned. "You slept so soundly. How can I wake you up? You are the most important thing to me right now. Work comes second." Luke chuckled. Bianca was a little stunned. She had not expected those words toe out of the workaholic''s mouth. She was touched, but she also felt guilty. He had been too nice to her, and she had no way to repay him. Bianca changed into her formal clothes in thedies'' dressing room. After returning to the office, she worked on her presentation. She had been busy all morning, and the results were remarkable. Bianca was relieved when she finished all her reports before two o''clock. The quarterly review meeting of the design department was held at two o''clock. Luke sat in the head seat, with Louis on his left and Mavis on his right. The other colleagues in the design department were also seated ording to their positions, so the conference room was full. Bianca was a little nervous, even though she had presented to a crowd before. It was her first time formally attending such a work review meeting. When she heard Mavis, Sue, Tom, and even Be speak so incisively and brilliantly, it made her feel butterflies in her stomach. This is from N?velDrama.Org. "Bianca, it''s your turn." Nina, who sat next to Bianca, discreetly touched her arm. Bianca snapped out her distraction and came to her senses instantly. Luke''s deep voice rang at the same time. ¡¯Go on." Bianca took a deep breath to calm herself down. She walked to the projector, inserted her sh drive into theptop, opened the folder, and started her presentation. "Hello, I''m Bianca from Design Team Two. I¡¯d like to divert your attention to the screen for a few minutes. Thank you. This is my work report for the third quarter ofst year. The first slide is the total design orders I received, and the second slide is the profit summary. The third slide is the follow-ups and customer satisfaction report, and the fourth slide is the new quarterly work n. Now, let''s have a look at the details..." Bianca was dressed in a well-fitting formal suit, with her long hair tied into a simple ponytail. Her bright, watery eyes stood out in her palm-sized little face. She did not apply any lip gloss, but they were naturally rosy and glossy. Different from other employees'' monotonous and boring temtes, Bianca''s slides looked refreshing and pleasant. Its content was urate and on point. She even highlighted the key data, which showed her rigor and seriousness. Bianca''s charming voice rang in the conference room. The half-hour exnation drew rounds of apuse. Louis gave her a thumbs up. "Good job, Bianca!" Luke was rendered speechless. ''Since when did others have the right to praise my woman?¡¯ Bianca''s mood soared after being praised. Sue, Tom, Nina, and the others all showed admiration for Bianca. Mavis and Be were smiling, but not in the depths of their eyes. In particr, Mavis had a sh of jealousy in her smiling eyes... Bianca had no idea that a brewing conspiracy was about to attack her... Chapter 428 Chapter 428 Queenie''s Timeline The meeting ended at half-past three. The employees of the design department returned to their office and continued their work. Bianca opened her work mailbox and noticed an email from Old Mr. Norman. In the email, he wrote about his feedback on Bianca''s design. He said that it was not easy to meet a talented architectural designer, and he wanted Bianca to visit him at his house. He even included several embarrassed emojis, as though he were a child. Bianca grinned. She thought that the picky and unreasonable Old Mr. Norman had an adorable side to him. After reviewing her mailbox, she received a notification in her messenger app. Someone wanted to add her as a friend. Bianca tapped on the notification curiously. The ount name was " ElegantQueen." She was surprised, but soon she remembered that Mrs. Norman had asked for her contact. She thought that Mrs. Norman asked for her contact in the heat of the moment, but she did not expect that Mrs. Norman would add her as a friend. Bianca approved the request. She thought that Queenie would say something, but nothing happened. Perhaps she was offline. Bianca did not take the initiative to say hi to her. She did not want to let Mrs. Norman think that she was sucking up to her, and she was not very good with strangers. She tapped on Queenie''s profile page and carefully looked through the timeline. Queenie did not have any selfies. Instead, she posted some of her thoughts on life and shared some articles on well-being. There were also several side profiles of her face when she was in events. The beautiful pictures and refreshing captions told Bianca that Queenie was a refined woman who knew how to enjoy life. She could tell from Queenie''s photos that the woman was interested in painting, flower arrangement, ying the piano, and yoga. There were even photos of her in extreme endurance events. Bianca thought that Mrs. Norman was the most extraordinary woman she knew! Just when Bianca was engrossed in browsing Queenie''s profile, Be came and threw a thick stack of documents on Bianca''s table. "You''re pretty daring to browse on your phone during work hours!" She said angrily. Bianca was surprised. She calmly put her phone away into her drawer. Then, she turned and looked at Be impassively. "Can I help you, Madam?" Be nced at her and pointed at the documents. "I want a copy of these reports and spreadsheets." "OK." Bianca prepared to go to the copy room. Be had tormented her with menial tasks out of her job scope ever since Bianca joined thepany. However, Bianca did notin. It did not waste too much of her energy or time. When Bianca walked past Nina, Nina tugged her arm and said indignantly," I say, Bianca, you''re too much of a pushover. You''re already in thepany for more than half a year, but Granny Sloan keeps on giving you these unrted tasks. I can still understand it if you''re a design assistant, but you''re a formal designer now. Why are you stillplying?" Bianca smiled. "It''s nothing. These tasks are easy, and I can get them done in no time." Nina was furious. "You can''t let her run rampant over you! None of the other employees get treated the same way. There''s something wrong with her!" "It''s nothing serious. You should focus on your work. I''ll be going to the copy room," Bianca walked away as she said that. Nina shook her head as she saw Bianca walk away. She felt a little disappointed. Bianca was too kind and pliant. Perhaps that was why she was so easily bullied. Nina thought that if she had the CEO behind her back, she would not have allowed Be to put on airs in front of her! At the entrance to the copy room, Bianca noticed that Luke was talking to Jason about something. "Mr. Crawford," she nodded and greeted Luke. The top two buttons of Luke''s shirt were unbuttoned, perhaps because the heater in the building was on full st. The healthy skin on the man''s chest was bared for all to see, which reminded Bianca of how she hadidzily on his chest the night before. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Bianca could even remember the heat of his skin as their bodies touched. That made her blush slightly. "Mm." Luke noticed Bianca''s wine-red face and nodded slightly. His gaze fell on the documents in her hands. The document on top was a financial report. That was out of Bianca''s usual job scope. He furrowed his brows unhappily. Jason greeted Bianca. "Are you copying some documents, Ms. Rayne?¡± "Yes." "The one on the side is out of service, and the technician has been called over. You can use machine number 3." "Alright, thanks, Mr. Doyle." The three people parted ways. Bianca went into the copy room and used machine number 3 to copy those documents. When she returned to the office, Ms. Fuller from Vivi Group was there with her team. There was a mixed-race young man whom she had never seen before. He was the newest addition to their team. "Hello,dies and gentlemen, nice to meet you. My name is Anand. Pleased to be of your acquaintance!" Anand had Indian blood in him. His features were sculpted, and he looked like a handsome gentleman. He spoke in a jovial manner. The people took a liking to him very quickly. When Anand noticed Bianca, his blue eyes sparkled. The woman he saw was tall and slender, and her skin was so fair and delicate that he wanted to touch it. Her facial features were petite and pure, but the ck office suit she wore made her look mature. Her gaze was clear and ethereal, as though she was a fairy who had descended into the mortal realm. Anand''s passionate gaze was transfixed on Bianca... As Bianca walked past Anand, she felt extremely nervous... When she returned to her seat, she looked at her face in the hand mirror and wondered if she had something on her face. Otherwise, why would Anand, the new member, be looking at her like that? That was too scary! Chapter 429 Chapter 429 She Had Never Seen Such a Shameless Man Before After Bianca sat down, Yanis swept her prating gaze around the office and said sternly, "Now that the urban reconstruction project has already begun, I hope that all of you canplete your tasks to the best of your abilities! Not only that, everyone here has to cooperate with each other. No one can attempt to sabotage another. If I discover it, your name will be instantly removed from the list!" "Yes." Everyone nodded, though a hint of disdain shed past Be''s face. When it was almost time to go off work, Yanis told everyone that there would be a joint meeting between T Corporation and Vivi Group the next day. The main agenda would be about everyone''s progress in the urban reconstruction project. She emphasized that higher management from both companies, including the CEO of T Corporation and chairman of Vivi Group, would be present at the meeting of unprecedented scale. Bianca felt immense pressure after hearing Yanis''s announcement. Would she be able to maintain herposure when facing the higher management of both companies? Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Bianca wanted to remain in thepany to prepare the required information for tomorrow. However, Yanis said that it was a good opportunity for thebined team to have dinner at Blue Honors. Not only could they wee the new member, but they could also get to know each other better. "Let''s go to dinner. It''s at Blue Honors, so the food must be good. My baby will get to enjoy the food too!" Sue said cheerfully as she tidied up her desk. Nina nced at Sue and suggested, "Don''t you watch the news? Some women tend to overeat after they get pregnant, and their babies end up getting too much nutrition and grow too big. They could only deliver their babies through C-Section. You shouldn''t eat too much." "Ah... that can''t be!" Sue was shocked. Her appetite had been very good since she got pregnant, and she had never controlled her intake of food. Nina rolled her eyes at Sue. "It''s true. Why would I deceive you?" "Boo hoo... looks like I have to watch what I eat." Sue rubbed her stomach sorrowfully and said, "Did you hear that, my baby? I''ll have to watch what I eat because of you. How suffering..." Nina and Bianca looked at each other and smiled when they saw Sue''sedic expression. Bianca''s smile was gentle as she discreetly touched her stomach. It was still t. Nina jokingly tickled Bianca when she saw that Bianca was lost in thought." Hey, Bea, I notice that you''ve been distracted often, and you tend to smile for no reason. Tell me, will there be good news between you and the boss?" Bianca shut down herputer and said, "...You think too much. There''s no such thing. Let''s go. The people from Vivi Group have already left.¡¯ Even Sue was going to the dinner. Bianca did not have any reason to decline. She sent a message to Luke, saying that she would be having dinner with her colleagues at Blue Honors and she would be backte. He did not have to wait for her, and she would take a cab home after dinner. Luke knew that such work dinners were inevitable. Moreover, he trusted Yanis''s character, and he was at ease that the dinner was at Percy''s turf. He reminded Bianca that she should not take alcohol, and told her to let him know when she was done with dinner so that he could pick her up. Bianca walked out of the building with Yanis and the others. As they walked past a washroom, Be suddenly clutched her stomach and said, "Ah, my stomach hurts. I''m sorry, Ms. Fuller, I''ll have to go to the washroom. I''ll catch up with you allter." Yanis looked at Be. Be quick!" "I know where Blue Honors is, Ms. Fuller. You can leave without me. Just let me know the room numberter, and I''ll go and look for you." Yanis thought for a while and said, "That works too. We''ll be leaving first. Don''t be toote." "Mm." As Be watched the rest of the people leave, her eyes transfixed on Bianca''s back, plotting something... It was not the first time Bianca was at Blue Honors. However, she was always impressed by the interior decor every time she was there. The atmosphere at the dinner was jovial. At first, they were slightly awkward because the usually strict Yanis was there. However, Yanis was very different when she was not at work. Not only was she friendly, but she was even cracking jokes with everyone. Her refined speech and humorous attitude made her look like an elder sister to everyone. That was the first time Bianca had known that side of her. Armand was another individual who had left a strong impression. He was very fond of cracking jokes and made everyoneugh. Bianca was uneasy that Armand was looking at her with an affectionate gaze... After dinner, Yanis suggested that they go to a karaoke bar. Blue Honors''s entertainment facilities were on the eighth floor. The people did not have to move to another location, which was quite convenient. The private room at the karaoke bar was spacious enough to amodate the entire party. Yanis stayed in the room for a while before leaving. She told everyone to have a good time. In the private room, Tom, Macauley, Anand, and the other men were drinking. Michelle was hogging the microphone and singing, though unfortunately, she did not have any talents and often went off-key. Everyone was awkward, except for Gerard, the assistant manager, who never stopped pping his hands. Sue and Nina covered their mouths and giggled. Bianca sat on the couch eating fruit from a te. From time to time, she would chat with Sue and Nina. At that moment, Anand came over and sat down next to Bianca. "Hello, nice to meet you," he spoke with a foreign ent, "Dare I ask if you are currently seeing anyone?" Bianca discreetly shifted away. "Mm, I have a boyfriend." A hint of disappointment shed on Anand''s handsome face, and he shrugged. "That''s too bad. I thought that I''ve found the light of my life, but you''re already in a rtionship... Never mind, are you married?" "Not yet, but I''ll be soon. My boyfriend is making preparations." Anand instantly became excited. "You''re not married yet? It means that I still have a chance. Isn''t there a saying, ''All is fair in love and war?'' From now on, I have my sights on you." "..." Bianca was speechless. She had never seen such a shameless man before. He might look like a gentleman, but why did he ignore her rejection toward him? Chapter 430 Chapter 430 Impressed With Bianca Anand looked at the gentle and quiet Bianca. The more he looked at her, the more he liked her. He might be half-1 ndian, but he was not interested in women of his race. Instead, he was drawn to Caucasian features like his father. 1 He loved Bianca''s petite and delicate features. Anand was not worried when he saw that Bianca was uninterested in him. He knew that it would not be that easy to win a woman''s heart. He did not want a one-night stand; he was in for the long game. When he saw that the women were purposely ignoring him, he diverted the conversation topic and said courteously, "I''ve only arrived in the country not too long ago, Bianca, and I''m not too familiar with the local customs... Do you think that I''ll blend in better if I have an English name? I can''t think of a suitable one." Sue and Nina were eating peanuts while looking interestedly at Anand trying to hook up with Bianca. ''Haha! Our boss has a love rival now! ''Looks like Bianca''s charm knows no bounds!'' ''That passionate young man seems to have taken an instant liking for Bianca, and he wants to court her too. I wonder what would our boss think after he finds out?'' Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Seeing how Anand was so courteously asking for her opinion, Bianca did not want to reject him just like that. "What kind of name do you like?" She asked. Anand spread his arms wide. "Hmm, those names have such deep meanings with rich histories. I don''t really know." Sue looked at Anand while cracking a peanut. "Deep meanings and rich histories? But your English is so fluent! You''re too humble, Anand!" Nina took a piece of watermelon from the fruit te and said, "That''s a very old-fashioned pickup line, Anand. I think your English is good enough toe up with a name for yourself. How about I make one up for you? Hm ... what do you think of Godfrey or Orcus?¡¯ "Pfft!" Sue nearly burst outughing. Anand scratched his head. He did not know what the two women wereughing about. "Are those names very funny? Why are you twoughing?" He asked. Sue patted her chest to calm herself down, then slowly exined it to him. "General Godfrey Wellington is a famous politician in our country''s history. He brought the country prosperity and wealth, but he died after he was sentenced to quartering... "Oh, I don''t think you know what''s quartering? It''s a cruel punishment that involves tearing a criminal''s limbs and head apart with horses or oxen while they''re alive..." "...'' Anand was speechless. When he thought of Sue''s vivid description, he nearly threw up the wine in his stomach. Anand quickly gulped a ss of water to calm himself down. "How about Hellinger? Did he get quartered too?" Bianca spoke slowly and gently. "Viscount Orcus Hellinger is an ambitious individual from medieval times. He used his influence to get what he wanted, and he even tried to usurp the throne. Eventually, he was sentenced to death by slicing. Do you know what''s death by slicing? It''s one of the cruelest capital punishment methods in history. The executioner will inflict a total of 3,357 cuts on the body of the condemned. If the executioner misses by one cut, he''ll be punished heavily. The executionsted for a total of three days. At the end of the execution, his victims rushed to the scene, picked up ribbons of flesh from his body, and brought it home so that they could eat it..." "Urk..." Anand could not hold it in anymore. As soon as Bianca finished her description, he picked up the trash can next to him and threw up inside. Sue and Nina covered their mouths and giggled, while Bianca calmly stuffed a juicy strawberry into her mouth. Mmm, delicious! However, she did not eat too many, in case it affected her pregnancy. Anand retched at the trash can for a whole three minutes. He wiped his mouth with a wet towel, then looked weakly at three women who seemed to be gloating at his misfortune. "Hey, can''t you be a little morepassionate? Why do you talk about such disgusting things on this fun night? Don''t you have any better names, like a king or a famous war general?" "Of course there are! There are many famous heroes in the history of the Western world. There''s one particr leader who conquered manynds and set up his empire, and his name even starts with the same letter as yours. Do you want to use his name?" Anand was instantly interested when he heard that. His eyes sparkled and eximed, "That sounds interesting! Tell me his name now!" Bianca smiled at Anand, which charmed him silly. "Hmm, his name is Adolf! Anand pped the table excitedly, seemingly not catching the joke." Alright, I''ll call myself Adolf then!" "Hahaha..." Sue and Nina pointed at Bianca, then at Anand. They were clutching their stomachs while laughing. Anand pressed his lips together. "What''s wrong? Isn''t that name a good one? Why are youughing?" Sue tried to calm herself down. "No, no, it''s a good name, and it suits you well! Well call you Adolf from now on then!" Nina''s face was turning red from trying not tough. She was impressed with Bianca''s pranking skills! Chapter 431 Chapter 431 Luke Is Overbearing! Late in the night. Sue was in the critical stage of her pregnancy, and she could not move about that easily. That was why she left the venue first. Bianca and Nina also felt tired and said goodbye. Other than Michelle, the ones who remained in the private room were all men. After saying their superficial goodbyes, they continued having fun. Armand wanted to see Bianca off instead of staying in the boring room. He pretended to stumble and said that he was drunk and needed to go home and rest. The other male colleagues did not persuade him to stay. After all, those who remained had their own agendas. After most of the female colleagues were gone, the male colleagues that usually looked serious called for the manager of the karaoke bar, selected several escorts that had decent figures, and continued their merriment... The situation inside the room was warm and lively. Once they stepped out of Blue Honors, the biting cold wind froze their necks. Fortunately, Bianca, Sue, and Nina wore thick down jackets and scarves. With adequate protection, they did not feel so cold. "Shall I send you home, Sue?" Bianca looked at Sue''s stomach worriedly. Sue was five months pregnant, but her stomach was abnormally big. Bianca thought that Sue might be pregnant with twins. Sue patted her stomach andughed heartily. "Don''t worry. I''ve already reserved a ride, and it''ll be here soon. It''s so cold today. You and Nina should go home and rest. Are you two taking cabs too?" Nina grabbed onto Sue''s arm and said with mock anger, "Sue, Bea had already sent a message to the boss half an hour ago, and he should arrive at the entrance of Blue Honors at any time. You don''t have to worry about Bianca... As for you, it''s not very convenient for a pregnant woman to go home sote. What if there''s an ident? How about this. I''ll send you home tonight and stay over. Well go to work together tomorrow morning." Sue looked at Nina gratefully. "Thank you so much, Nina.¡± Before she was pregnant, she would not be afraid of going back atte hours. However, she dared not risk the life of the baby in her womb. Nina smiled. "Aren''t we friends. Sue? You don''t have to be so polite. We..." Beep beep! The sound of a car horn interrupted their conversation. A white Mercedes Benz stopped at the road not too far away. Sue looked closely and saw from the car te that it was the ride she reserved. Not far away, just beyond the corner where the Mercedes Benz stopped, a ck Rolls-Royce was parked there like an elegant unicorn, its color blending into the night. Sue could recognize that it was their boss''s car, and it was there to pick Bianca up. She did not go over and greet Luke. Instead, she waved at the white Mercedes Benz. "Over here, Mister!" The Benz drove toward them. Sue turned around and told Bianca, "Our ride is here, Bianca. We''ll be going off first. I saw that the boss''s car is beyond the corner. I don''t know how long he''s been waiting there, but you should go home soon too. Take a good rest. We''ll be very busy tomorrow." Bianca waved goodbye to them. "Mm, you and Nina should rest too. Don''t be too tired." Sue and Nina sat at the back seat of the Mercedes Benz, rolled down the window, and waved at Bianca. "Bye, Bianca, see you tomorrow." After they left, Bianca noticed the familiar Rolls-Royce. Luke opened the door and walked out of the car. Bianca skipped and fell into his arms like a happy sparrow. When Anand came out of Blue Honors, he saw the scene of Bianca skipping toward the man''s embrace. She was moving very fast. Her nimble figure was mesmerizing. A strong beam of light shone into his eyes from the street corner, which made Anand wince. He had to narrow his blue eyes. He was born in a wealthy family, and he had seen his fair share of luxury cars. However, he could not calm himself down when he saw that the extravagantly luxurious car was here to pick Bianca up. He saw Bianca fall into a young man''s arms. The man hugged her waist intimately and carefully rubbed her cheeks. Anand could not see the man''s face under the dim light. However, that tall and slender figure seemed inexplicably elegant, but at the same time, carried an unnerving ferocity like a tiger. ''Is that man Bianca''s boyfriend? ''He seems very imposing!'' As a gentleman, Anand knew that he should not eavesdrop. However, his curiosity drove him forward. He hid behind a sycamore tree near them and listened to their conversation. 1 He could hear that the man''s voice was low and resonant like a cello performance. He sounded mncholic but at the same time intimate. Luke''s warm breath tickled Bianca''s earlobe. "How can you be such a clumsy, silly girl? Don''t be so reckless. What if you fall to the ground?" Anand did not hear what Bianca said to the man, but he saw the man whisper something into her ear, and Bianca yfully punched him. The man smiled, hugged her tightly, grabbed her wandering hands, and kissed her deeply... Anand was jealous and resentful when he saw the scene. He had finally found a woman he loved in a foreignnd, but she had belonged to another man. That was unfair! Furiously, Anand punched the thick tree trunk. Instant, Luke''s prating gaze looked in his direction!This is from N?velDrama.Org. Anand was shocked. He quickly hid behind the tree. ''What an alert man!'' Luke looked at the slightly shaking sycamore tree without blinking. He thought that he saw someone moving behind it. A strong gust of wind blew past them, and the tree shook even harder. Luke shook his head. Was he mistaken? Did the tree shake because of the wind? Chapter 432 Chapter 432 Do Your Best, Bianca! As Luke turned his head over, his face was illuminated by the street light and moonlight. That was the first time Anand saw his face clearly, i The curves of the man''s lips were elegant and graceful. He was noble and otherworldly. For a brief moment, Anand thought that the man was Prince Charming who had walked out of a book. His lofty demeanor was breathtaking, but he emitted an aura as serene and tranquil as the bright moonlight. Anand had to admit that he was impressed. The man whom he had recently ssified as a "love rival¡¯ was noble and aloof, while Bianca in his arms was graceful and beautiful. As the couple hugged each other, it was extremely pleasing to the eye. Whoever looked at the man or the woman could have easily been charmed. His crush was as docile as a kitten in the man¡¯s arms. Anand felt uneasy. He wanted to say hi to Bianca, but the man escorted her to the car and opened the door like a gentleman. Bianca was smiling like a blooming flower. Anand stood rooted on the ground. He did not take another step forward. There was no reason for him to be there. He could only stare as the luxury car drove away and disappeared from view. The next day, Bianca woke up just after sunrise. She made breakfast for Luke and the two children. The family of four had their breakfast, after which they dropped off Lanie and Rainie at the kindergarten and went to T Corporation in Luke''s car. At her desk, Bianca was surprised to find that her drawer was unlocked. She furrowed her brows. She remembered that they left in quite a hurry to Blue Honors for dinner, and she did not remember whether she had locked her drawer. However, she did not suspect anything when she saw the documents still in a tidy stack, and the top sheet of paper was the agenda for today''s meeting. She took the thick stack of documents and went to the conference room. The meeting was different than the previous ones. Other than the designers and employees from T Corporation involved in the project, there were also employees from Vivi Group. Most importantly, the higher management of bothpanies were there. Luke and the chairman of Vivi Group were seated in the conference room. Because of the number of people involved, the meeting was held in a conference hall. Quinton Lamarr, the chairman of Vivi Group, was seated on the left of the conference table. He seemed like an authoritative middle-aged man used to issuingmands. He had a lean and healthy build, though he always looked serious. Luke sat on the right side of the table. He was dressed in a ck business suit. He was younger than Quinton, but his air of authority was about the same. The higher management of bothpanies sat at the frontmost two rows of the conference hall. The other employees sat from the third row onward. Yanis''s team sat on the third row. Bianca sat with Sue, Nina, and Tom in the middle of the fourth row. There was an empty seat next to Bianca. When Anand saw that, he insisted on sitting there, disregarding Bianca''s cold expression. Bianca was helpless. The meeting was about to begin, and she was not going to quarrel with Anand over a seat. She did not want to bother her colleagues, so she let him be. The meeting began. The leaders of the two multinational corporations exchanged a handshake to symbolize the start of the meeting, and each side presented their research on the urban reconstruction project. The twopanies had disagreements on the allocation of profits. The main reason for the meeting was to strive for a consensus. The higher management from eachpany gave a speech. They gave their viewpoints and opinions on the reasons for developing the area, the current development n, and the return of profits so that they could help theirpany to gain more benefits. After the higher management gave their speeches, it was the design teams ''turn. First, Yanis gave a speech, followed by Mavis. Both of them were extremely capable women with the gift of gab. To show that theirpany had the better designs, they provided many strong points as they disyed their blueprints and drafts. It was the first time that Bianca saw Mavis''s design talents. Mavis''s designs were ahead of its time. No wonder she was the best designer of T Corporation. However, Ms. Fuller''s designs were no pushover either. Her designs were striking and impactful. It was hard to tell which of them was better. Bianca was surprised when it was Anand''s turn to speak. She had thought that Anand, as the newest member of the team, would be a rookie like her. Unexpectedly, he was very talented in design. His designs were unique, and even Bianca could not have thought up some of his ideas. Bianca became less repulsed by that seemingly flippant man. Following that, Nina and Michelle gave their respective presentations. Michelle''s makeup was impable as usual, though she dressed a lot more modestly, perhaps because the chairman of herpany was present. She wore a ck jacket on the outside, but the buttons on the white shirt beneath were tightly fastened, which made people blush when they saw it. Michelle''s presentation was not as remarkable as her other colleagues, but she had her unique points. After all, Yanis was a strict manager. She would not have picked Michelle if Michelle was mediocre. After Michelle, it was Bianca''s turn. Bianca''s heart was in her throat. Sue, who had finished her presentation, cheered her on. "Do your best, Bea! Don''t worry, just treat it like a usual meeting." Nina, who was sitting on Bianca''s right, also gave her encouragement. "It''ll be fine, Bea. I was so nervous that my back was drenched with sweat, but when I started speaking, it wasn''t that scary after all..." "Mm, thanks." Bianca gathered her courage, stepped on the podium with her documents, and inserted her sh drive into theptop. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. No one noticed that Be was smirking coldly, waiting for something to happen... Chapter 433 Chapter 433 I Can''t Let Luke Down! As Bianca walked onto the podium, her gaze subconsciously turned to Luke. She saw that the man was looking at her encouragingly, and that had made her slightly at ease. She handed copies of the documents to the bosses of the twopanies as well as the higher management... Then, she inserted the sh drive into theptop, adjusted the microphone, and prepared to give her presentation. Quinton flipped through Bianca''s document, and his expression instantly sank. "Ms. Rayne, are you mistaken about this meeting''s agenda?" Bianca looked curiously at a copy of the document in her hand and was instantly shocked. ''How... how is this possible? This isn''t the document that I prepared the day before, but the weekly report of our design department...'' m! The chairman of Vivi Group mmed the document on the table. Quinton''s authoritative expression became even gloomier because of his anger. "How could you possibly make this kind of mistake as a designer? Even a rookie employee would not make such a stupid mistake! Do you think that I would be relieved if I have you in the project?" Quinton''s usatory gaze fell on Luke. ¡¯So this is the level of talent you have in yourpany? I''m impressed!" Bianca blushed red with embarrassment. She essed her sh drive to look for the designs she had made for the project. However, she could not find anything no matter how hard she tried... Bianca''s face turned pale in an instant. How could that be possible? She knew that the joint meeting between twopanies was very important, and she had made sure that the sh drive contained all the files she needed. However, all those files were gone! Mavis looked at the flustered Bianca with a cold smile on her face, thinking that she was making a fool out of herself. Mavis smirked. Was the woman the CEO loved? She lost allposure because of a small matter. Such a useless woman would never catch up to her, nor would she deserve to stand by the CEO''s side! The people in the conference hall started to whisper among each other. The higher management sitting in the first two rows watched as the cursor moved between folders, trying to look for the information for the meeting. They shook their heads. The organization of the folders seemed tidy, and they could see that the young woman was usually attentive. Why would she make such a major blunder? Those people might sympathize with her, but they were not going to forgive her for her mistake. Sue, Nina, Tom, and the other employees were feeling anxious for Bianca, especially Nina. She watched as Bianca helplessly and awkwardly stood on the podium. At that moment, Nina had the urge to rush forward and give Bianca a hug. In Yanis''s team, other than Macauley and Anand who were looking at Bianca worriedly, the other people were apathetic to her predicament. Only Luke was sitting calmly in his seat. He could see that Bianca was thoroughly flustered and was about to cry, but he did not help her. In their personal lives, he was willing to shield her from every external danger. However, he could not do so in their professional lives. She had to learn how to calmly deal with unforeseen idents. Luke beckoned to Jason and whispered something in his ear. Jason stood up and gently reminded Bianca, "Ms. Rayne, can you try recalling if you might have misced the documents somewhere? Maybe you have forgotten to print them?" Bianca shook her head cluelessly. "No, I remember very clearly that I''ve made copies of everything and kept them in my drawer before I went off work yesterday, but I forgot to lock the drawer... When I came to work today, I took the stack of documents out of the drawer without looking at it, but somehow it turned into the weekly report." Jason seemed to have thought of something when he heard that Bianca did not lock her drawer. He continued asking, "Are you sure that you didn''t bring it home with you when you went off work?" Bianca thought for a while and shook her head confidently. "No, I''m sure that I didn''t.¡¯ Quinton looked at his watch and said sternly, "That''s enough! I don''t want any more excuses! I''ll give you another fifteen minutes for you to fix your stupid mistake. Otherwise, you''re out of the team. I don''t need any dead weights working under me!¡¯ Luke''s eyes shed with a hint of coldness when he heard Quinton''s reprimand. He remained seated like a statue, but his gaze toward the chairman of Vivi Group became cold and distant. Bianca forced her tears back into her eyes. She was not going to cry. She bowed to everyone in their seats. "I apologize for my mistake. I''ll go back to the office to look for the missing documents..." She stepped off the podium and went back to the design department. A few minutester, Bianca returned to the conference hall dejectedly. She hadbed through her desk but did not find the documents she wanted. She could not have copied the wrong documents. She would double-check her documents before she copied them and would not have made such a silly mistake. She could not have brought it home either. When she left for Blue Honors the evening before, she was not carrying anything. Without being able to find what she wanted, she could not do anything else but return to the conference hall. Once she stepped on the podium, she apologized to everyone again. "I am very sorry. I tried searching on my desk, but I don''t know why the documents are all gone..." Quinton''s gaze on Bianca''s petite face became dark and gloomy. "I only care about results and not the process. Any exnation is useless! It''s an employee''s basic duty to keep important information safe, but you can''t do that... Mr. Crawford, I don''t think you want an employee like her to be part of the urban reconstruction project?" All sorts of gazes fell on Bianca like thorns on her back. Her knees were getting weak. Luke''s gaze on her made her feel extremely embarrassed. This is from N?velDrama.Org. She felt guilty for embarrassing thepany as well as disappointing him. Inadvertently, her gaze met Luke''s eyes. Instead of mockery or disappointment, Bianca saw encouragement in his eyes. Bianca''s eyes widened. ''No, it''s fine if I''m humiliated, but I shouldn''t cause thepany''s reputation to be damaged, nor should I let Luke down!'' She gritted her teeth and made a bold decision... She took a deep breath and braced herself while she addressed the audience, "I am sorry for wasting all of your time. I am indeed culpable for this mistake, and I will ept any punishment from the company. I might have lost the documents that I have prepared for the meeting, but I still remember their contents. I hope that you can allow me to recreate the presentation from scratch..." Everyone gasped in surprise. They could not believe what they heard! Chapter 434 Chapter 434 Bianca Is Too Capable! What a bold im! Did she know what she was saying? Some people might meticulously prepare their presentations, and there would still be errors. Right now, she was going to improvise her presentation! Everyone cast suspicious nces on Bianca, which made her palms wet with sweat. Bianca''s grip on the stack of documents in her hands became tighter. Earlier, while she was looking for her missing documents, she found some design sketches in her cab. Those were not floor ns or 3D renderings but colored pencil concept sketches done during her free time. Bianca was not professionally trained in illustration, but she possessed certain talents. Moreover, whenever inspiration struck her, she would draw her designs on paper with a sketching pen or colored pencils instead of drawing them on theputer. The thick stack of paper was all her concept sketches for the project. The department lead hadmented that Bianca was old-fashioned for sketching on paper, but Bianca did not care. That was the special way she processed her inspirations. The designs and 3D renderings in the sh drive were gone, so perhaps the sketches would do in a pinch. She gathered her courage and stood on the podium with her sketches. Then, she opened the lid of the scanner, ced a sketch face down on it, and deftly operated the machine... Everyone was wondering what the bumbling employee wanted to do. Soon, on the big screen in the conference hall, several messy but unforgettable concept sketches appeared. Also, there were photographs of the old urban area... Bianca spoke through the microphone, and her charming voice resounded in every corner of the conference hall. "I''m sorry for the dy. Now, let''s go into the main topic of the meeting. I''ve done some charcoal and colored pencil concept sketches of the area, and I''d like to go into the rationale behind my designs." Everyone in the audience reacted differently. However, most of the people were curious and in disbelief. The corners of Luke''s lips curled slightly into a gentle smile. Quinton furrowed his brows. Nina, Sue, and the others breathed a sigh of relief. Yanis narrowed her eyes. She seemed to have a newfound understanding of Bianca. Anand and Macauley were surprised. Mavis did not look too pleasant. Be clenched her fists tightly, and her expression was sullen. With aser pointer, Bianca pointed at the photo of the current oldmercial area on the screen. She continued to speak calmly, "The area to be developed upies a prime spot in the Cercis Business District. More than ten years ago, that was the busiest spot in the city. However, as the city expanded outward and business trends and transport patterns changed, The ws of the area''s design were exposed and it became dirty and messy. The only way out is to redevelop the entire area... "My appointed task as a qualified designer is to figure out how to give the ce a new look so that it can be a futuremercialndmark and a convergence of human traffic of the city. "Most of the buildings in the area are built in the ssic style. However, it is a sign of being behind the times. Considering its central location, the area is surrounded by many high-end residential and commercial areas. My personal opinion is that the design should be modern and trendy, and this concept shall be reflected in the individual designs of the buildings. Take a look at my sketches. I believe that these designs can bring convenience to the consumers..." Bianca''s sketches were very rough, but one could see her abilities in illustration and design at a nce. The exteriors of the buildings were colorful and vibrant. The shape of each building was irregr, causing them to look both independent and connected. There were also a lot of modern elements in her design. Using the open spaces, she added gardens and ecologicalndscapes. With the wide roads that led to all directions, it was a bustling scene. Undeniably, each of Bianca''s design sketches was impressive! Luke sat in his seat, carefully observing Bianca. She was in her element. Compared to the flustered woman who was almost crying, she seemed to be a different person. Bianca was engrossed in her presentation. Her speech was gentle yet assertive. Quinton had many nitpicking questions, but Bianca was able to answer all of them with ease. Her performance on the podium made everyone regard her differently! Luke smiled pleasantly. His woman did not disappoint him. Meanwhile, Be was almost losing her mind. As she looked at Bianca speaking calmly and elegantly on the podium, she wanted to give that face a tight p. How could it turn out like that? Her n should have been perfect. How did that woman easily ovee it with just several rough sketches? How despicable! She ended her presentation more than an hourter. The conference hall was silent. Luke was the first one to give his apuse. The other people came to their senses and started apuding as well. Nina''s palms were red from all that pping. She was genuinely proud of her friend''s performance. Bianca was too capable. Quinton, who had been sullen, seemed relieved. That woman named Bianca Rayne performed beyond his expectations. She might have made a blunder at the start, but he could forgive her, seeing how talented her architectural design skills were. "It''s your turn to speak, Chairman..." Quinton''s assistant reminded him. Quinton came to his senses and shot a nce at Bianca, then at Luke." You have many talented people in yourpany, Mr. Crawford. That female employee might have made a blunder at the start, but it''s not a big deal. She''ll have to be more careful in the future. Alright, I''ll give you another five percentage points, and we can sign the agreement by today. How about that?" Quinton thought that his offer would entice Luke to sign the agreement. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. After all, five percentage points was a generous offer. Unlike small corporations whose deals were in the hundred thousand or millions, the coboration between T Corporation and Vivi Group involved hundreds of millions if not billions. The development area was a prime downtown location, and the price of each lot ofnd was astronomical. Any businessman could see that the property prices could grow indefinitely in the future. Luke''s dark gaze shed with profundity. His decision was resolute. "You''ll have to give me at least ten percentage points." What? Luke''s words nearly made the people from Vivi Group blurt out curses, especially Quinton. What an arrogant young man! Chapter 435 Chapter 435 That Is How Luke the Businessman Seeks His Revenge The urban reconstruction project involved funds of over a hundred billion dors. The reason behind T Corporation and Vivi Group''s coboration was not only because of the astronomical sum of money involved, but also because it was impossible for a single corporation to gain sole development rights over the entire area. In an attempt to regte the economy, the local government did not want to give the entire pie to one corporation, even if thepany could do so. Even a single percentage point of profits from this project was a huge sum of money. Vivi Group was not going to go down without a fight. The two parties were caught in a stalemate. All of Vivi Group¡¯s higher management was furious. They were nning to fight tooth and nail for one or two percentage points. Now that Luke wanted a whole ten percentage points, they were definitely angry. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. After all, all civilities were already off the table. There was no point in courtesies, and therefore the boards of directors from Vivi Group were acting arrogantly. They insisted on Quinton''s proposal. In fact, some of them even proposed to reduce T Corporation''s share by several percentage points, and they were not going to yield. They did so because they were sure that T Corporation would not be able to win the development rights of the entire area. Moreover, their financial resources were equally as strong as T Corporation. The higher management of T Corporation were confused. They did not know what their CEO was doing. Several elderly shareholders of T Corporation were visibly displeased. Even though Luke was fighting for their benefit, they thought that the young CEO had been too arrogant. In the board of directors meeting yesterday, they had agreed upon splitting the profits 50-50 with Vivi Group. In fact, they were even ready to yield several percentage points so that the coboration could happen. They were ecstatic when Quinton had offered T Corporation five percentage points. That was a bonus on top of the sessful coboration. They did not expect that Luke would make such a counteroffer. The ensuing negotiations were fiercely intense. Neither side was willing to yield. As time passed, the higher management of Vivi Group began to lose their cool. Meanwhile, Luke remained seated calmly. Eventually, even the usually stoic Quinton was beginning to be nervous. He was quite impressed with Luke¡¯s performance. The first time they met was ten years ago, in a business negotiation. Luke was a lot younger back then. He might have the drive and the shrewdness, but he wascking experience. Even so, it was already very difficult to deal with Luke. Quinton had predicted that the extraordinary young man would one day lead the economic scene of A City. He did not expect that his predictions came true. After being immersed in the cruel world of business for so many years, Luke had be more shrewd and merciless. His imposing and overbearing manner while negotiating indicated that he was not the callowd from before. Quinton could not hope to defeat Luke. The intense negotiationssted for more than an hour, but there was still no conclusion. Luke did not yield a single bit, and Quinton was extremely stubborn. The higher management of T Corporation was helpless. They had prepared for the project for more than a year, and they were so close to signing the agreement. A windfall was imminent, but unforeseen circumstances had disrupted their ns. Of course they were worried. Bianca was even more worried. No one knew better than her the effort that Luke had put into the project. He had worked overtime for many nights for the project proposal, and she did not understand why his opinion changed. Luke remained calm as before. He got Jason to light a cigarette for him. Hezily nced at the flustered Vivi Group employees, which made those people even angrier. Louis was getting worried as he looked at his elder brother''s calm demeanor. "Luke, I think five percentage points is enough. How about we sign the agreement?" He whispered into Luke''s ear. It was Louis''s first time observing his elder brother in a negotiation. He thought that his elder brother was too charismatic! He felt that he could never achieve his elder brother''s level no matter how hard he tried. However, Louis thought that it was important that they agree on the coboration. Not only would the project bring huge profits to T Corporation, but they could also start on their next phase of expansion. Luke smiled gently and tapped Louis''s shoulder. "Don''t worry. Even if the negotiations fail, I am still confident of winning the development rights," he whispered. Louis had many things to say in reply to that, but when he saw how confident his elder brother looked, his trust in him grew. Luke never did anything that he did not have confidence in, and he would never pick fights he was not confident of winning. If Luke said that he could do it, then he must be able to do it! "I can''t possibly agree to your proposal, Mr. Crawford. How about this. Seven points. That''s as far as I''m willing to go. If you can agree to it, we''ll sign the agreement. Otherwise, we''ll have to call it off." Quinton took a drag of his cigarette. Amid the smoke, one could see his anxiety. Luke took a drag from his cigarette. He gracefully tapped the cigarette on the ashtray, and his gaze looked past the crowd and fell on Bianca. His prating gaze became gentle when he saw her worried expression. When he looked at Quinton once more, his gaze became cold. Even though Quinton''s tone of voice was threatening, Luke remained nonchnt. ''No, I want ten points, or else. Mr. Lamarr, I can tell you that we don''t necessarily have to coborate with Vivi Group. Percy Mallory of Mallory Corporation, Jim Holston of Holston Corporation, and even Eugene Hawking of JK Media have personally told me that they would dly join in any of T Corporation''s projects. I prioritized Vivi Group because you have a talented design team, just like us... If you''re not willing to cooperate with us, Mr. Lamarr, then there''s nothing more I can say." Luke red at Quinton coldly. He had never raised his voice against Bianca, and he was furious when the chairman of Vivi Group had reprimanded his woman in public! What better way to take revenge on Quinton than hurting him financially? Chapter 436 Chapter 436 A Longing Kiss Quinton nearly popped a vein when he heard that! He was not expecting that Luke had several other partners waiting in line. However, he hesitated when he considered Luke''s massivework. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. If he did not agree to Luke''s offer, Luke might really go and look for another partner. Moreover, thosepanies were no pushovers either... Quinton clutched his chest that was starting to be painful and waved his other hand. "I''ll discuss this with the other members of high management, and I''ll give you a reply!" "Help yourselves with any of the conference rooms here, Mr. Lamarr," Luke said generously as he stubbed out his cigarette. The meeting was paused. The higher management of Vivi Group went into a smaller conference room next door. Bianca and her colleagues returned to the design department. Bianca wanted to spend some private time with Luke. After all, Luke must be tired from the intense negotiations earlier. She wanted nothing more than to hug him. However, their rtionship remained a secret in thepany, and she thought it was not appropriate to go to his side. Once Bianca sat down at her desk, she received a call from Luke on the internal phone, telling her to go to the CEO''s office. Under Sue and Nina¡¯s teasing gaze and Be''s envious gaze, Bianca got up and left for the CEO¡¯s office. The corridor was covered in a thick and soft Persian carpet with intricate and exquisite patterns. It was extremelyfortable to walk on, like walking on a cloud. Bianca felt pleased as she walked along the carpet. After she became pregnant, the man had installed the carpet on the corridor, in case she tripped and fell. That was very considerate of him. Bianca knocked on the door to the CEO''s office and instantly saw a handsome face appear in front of her. Before she could react, he had already hugged her. Tightly in his arms. She felt a warm and moist sensation on her lips. Those were Luke''s lips kissing her intensely. Bianca almost could not breathe when her mouth was covered by Luke''s fiery kiss. All she could do was push Luke''s chest away with her delicate hands." Mmh... Luke... I... can''t breathe..." Luke let go of her and caressed her shoulders with his strong hands. Bianca smelled the faint scent of tobo mixed with the man''s unique masculine scent. She did not feel disgusted, but instead, she felt sorry for the man. She knew that Luke was a chain smoker because he could only find relief from the pressure at work through smoking. Now that she was pregnant, Luke controlled his urges and did not smoke when she was around. If he really had to smoke, he would leave the room. Bianca was grateful for that. She was indeed sensitive to the smell of tobo when she was pregnant, but she could not bear to see him fighting his urges to smoke. She wanted to tell him that she did not mind him smoking in front of her, but the man would rather resist his urges than smoke in front of her. Bianca leaned against the man''s chest, listening to his strong heartbeat behind his suit and white shirt. She gently caressed his slightly prickly chin and asked softly, "Why did you change your mind right before signing the agreement? I know that you want the coboration very much, and you''ve had many sleepless nights preparing the proposal... Not to mention that Mr. Lamarr''s offer was within your range of eptance. Why did you hesitate?¡¯ Luke''s sculpted chin was covered in a fine stubble. Bianca caressed it gently, feeling sorry for him. He had usually kept his chin clean, but he had skipped shaving because he was too engrossed in his work. She knew that the reason for not epting Quinton''s offer was not because the profits were not enough. Luke gently kissed the charming woman in front of her. He did not say anything but instead hugged her gently. No matter how tired he was, he would feel rxed whenever he was with her. Bianca might be as slender as ever after she was pregnant, but her face and breasts were slightly plumper. Luke''s gaze might be gentle, but his tone of voice was overbearing. "He was the one who reprimanded you in public. I can''t allow that to happen to my woman." "That''s... that''s your reason for not epting the offer?'' Bianca clutched the hem of his sleeve more tightly. She was shocked. Quinton would probably burst into tears if he found out the reason! Even so, Bianca did not agree with Luke''s reaction. Why did he refuse to sign the agreement because of personal reasons? Moreover, the reason was herself, and that had made Bianca feel guilty. "You didn''t have to do that. I was the one at fault. It''s normal for Mr. Lamarr to reprimand me. If other people made the same mistake, he would do the same thing. If we''re not lovers but instead employer and employee, you''d also reprimand me for making that silly mistake. That is normal behavior for a boss. Please don''t refuse the coboration just because of me. I''ll feel guilty for the rest of my life. Also..." Luke instantly sealed those chattering lips with a kiss. As they kissed, Bianca could see the ambition in the man''s clear eyes. In their personal lives, Bianca knew that Luke was gentle and considerate. Undeniably, he was extremely ambitious at work. No one knew that Luke''s true motive for coborating with Vivi Group was to acquire them and make them a part of T Corporation! Meanwhile, Mavis walked to the CEO''s office in her high heels. She was surprised to see that the corridor was covered by a thick and soft Persian carpet. Her high heels did not make a sound as she walked on the carpet. Her surprise was fleeting. She noticed that the door to the CEO''s office was ajar. She lifted her hand and was about to knock on the door when the scene inside made her cover her mouth tightly! The man that he had a crush on for ten years was currently kissing a petite woman. The woman was shorter than Luke by a head. Her back was facing Mavis. From the woman''s clothes and the curvature of her side profile, Mavis could tell that the woman was Bianca Rayne! Be had told her more than once that Luke had an infatuation with Bianca. Mavis did not fully believe it. Even when Be sent her photos of Luke and Bianca being intimate, Mavis had deluded herself that an outstanding man like Luke would not fall in love with a mediocre woman like Bianca. Now that Mavis had witnessed with her own eyes how the couple had kissed each other longingly and passionately, agony and jealousy surged in her heart like the iing tide... Chapter 437 Chapter 437 Bianca Was Blushing From Ear To Ear Mavis went to the CEO''s office to ask Luke why he changed his mind. Before the meeting, he had said that they were going to sign the agreement with Vivi Group. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. She did not expect to see that heartbreaking scene at the door. Mavis wanted tough, but she felt something stuck in her throat. It was ufortable, and at the same time, it felt like it was burning. She had fallen in love with Luke the moment sheid her eyes on him. Mavis had returned to the country after graduating from an internationally renowned design college. Manyrge corporations wanted to recruit her, but she chose Crawford Industries that was on the brink of bankruptcy only because Luke was the general manager. She noticed Luke''s infinite potential since then. Indeed, he did not disappoint her. He managed to turn the tables, expand the business, wrested it from his family''s control, and renamed it T Corporation. The more she interacted with Luke, the more she was smitten by his character. Her love toward him became stronger, like a flower bud hidden in a dark corner that could never bloom but could never wither either. Luke might not know that Mavis had a crush on him, but she found herself lucky that the man did not have any scandals involving other female socialites or young celebrities. She was satisfied that he had been keeping his reputation untarnished. She felt that if she kept on doing what she was doing, he would eventually notice her feelings toward him. Her characteristics, ideals, and worldviews were simr to his. She thought that there would be no other woman more suitable for him than her. Unexpectedly, about six years ago, he was carrying a pair of twin babies and smiling blissfully. He told her that he had be a father. The news came like a bolt out of the blue. Mavis''s heart bled when she saw the twins! When did that happen? Why did she not realize that he had carnal rtions with some other woman? Perhaps she had not noticed that for a period, whenever she talked to him about work, he would get distracted or sometimes smile at nothing. She remembered being surprised about it, and she wondered if he had a change of character. Now that she thought about it, Luke was obviously in love with someone. Mavis had tried to find out who the mother was, even hiring private detectives to do so. However, she could not find anything. Every clue led to a dead end. She had tried to beat around the bush and ask Luke about the identity of the twins'' mother, but Luke had cleverly diverted the topic every time. He eventually became impatient, and Mavis did not want to make him angry. As the years passed, Mavis''s self-proimed "love rival" never appeared. Luke remained the same, except that he had two cute children by his side. His everyday habits did not change, and she continued to wait for him. Her crush on him gave her a sense of inferiority that could not be removed. She dared not confess to him. She was afraid that she could not handle the rejection, which might cause an irreparable rift to form between them. Now that she saw the man he loved being physically intimate with another woman, tears welled up in her eyes. She was usually strong-willed, but at the current moment, she was assaulted by a complicated mix of agony, jealousy, and sorrow. Her cold face turned pale. She turned around and left silently. Her back remained straight, though her beautiful eyes were as cold as a cier... In the office, the couple were engrossed in their longing kiss and did not notice that Mavis was looking at them through the door. A long timeter, Luke let go of Bianca. Her petite face was blushing hard after the intense kiss. His heart instantly softened. He wanted to protect her tenderly. Luke pecked on Bianca''s lips again; the kiss earlier was not enough. "You should go back to the design department first. I''ll be holding a meeting with the board of directors soon. Those old geezers will be raising a fuss if Vivi Group decides to call off the coboration. I''ll have to cate them for a bit.¡¯ Bianca nodded and blushed. ¡¯I know...¡¯ She went back to the design department. The employees in the design department were chatting in small groups instead of working. They knew that they had to go back to the conference hallter. When Bianca returned to her seat, she noticed that Sue and Nine were ying ppy Bird on their phones. The two were engrossed in the game and did not notice Bianca''s return. Bianca tapped Nina''s shoulder and gave her a shock. Nina identally tapped on her screen. Nina''s unfortunate bird... died an honorable death. Nina turned to re angrily at the person who had tapped her shoulder. When she saw that it was Bianca, she pouted andined, "Ah, Bea, why did you tap me? I was so close to 400 points..." Sue rolled her eyes at Nina. She waved her phone and boasted, "It took you that long to reach 400 points? I''m already past 1000!" Sue put her phone away, pulled Bianca to her seat, and whispered to her," Hey, Bea, when I went to the washroom earlier, I saw Ms. Laviereing out of the CEO''s personal elevator, and she was as gloomy as she could be. You two didn''t argue, right?" ''Mavis went to the CEO''s office earlier?'' Bianca was surprised. She shook her head. ¡¯I didn''t see Ms. Laviere there." Sue held Bianca back and continued to gossip to her, "I say, Bea, Ms. Laviere seems to have a crush on the boss. You have to be careful. That woman isn''t a pushover... you might be wondering why the boss never had a girlfriend after so many years, right? It''s not only because the boss doesn''t have any interest in other women, but also because Ms. Laviere had been removing all women who had any interaction or showed any interest to him..." Sue had been working in T Corporation for many years, and she had heard all sorts of gossip stories. Nothing escaped her discerning eyes. Nina leaned close and eavesdropped on their conversation. Her eyes widened in disbelief, and she said softly, "Ms. Laviere like the boss? That can¡¯t be! She always keeps a distance from the boss. I didn''t notice anything!" "That''s what you don''t know, silly girl. Don''t you know that men like women who y hard to get? The more they can''t get something, the more they¡¯d want it..." When Sue saw that Bianca''s expression became unpleasant, she said softly, "Of course, our boss isn''t a shallow man. He only loves you and no one else. Otherwise, Ms. Laviere would have already gotten her way. You have to be careful of Ms. Laviere though, I don''t know what she might do." Chapter 438 Chapter 438 The Secret In the Study... Bianca was silent. From the moment she knew that Mavis had nted a pair ofce panties in Luke''s car, she could tell that Mavis was a scheming woman... However, she believed that the love between her and Luke was indestructible. So what if Mavis was a scheming woman? She was the woman that Luke loved. If Luke had any feelings for Mavis, they would have already been a couple. Mavis would not have to wait. Bianca smiled at Sue when she thought of that. "I know, Sue, but I believe that our love can ovee every obstacle. If he belongs to me, then no one can take him from me. If he doesn''t belong to me, then there''s no point in me retaining him. We''ve gone through so many ordeals. It won¡¯t be that easy to tear us apart." When Sue and Nine saw how confident Bianca was, they did not say anything. They sincerely hoped that Bianca could find bliss. After all, a good woman like Bianca deserved to be loved. Nina decided to change the serious conversation topic. "Hey, Sue, Bea, shall we y a round of ppy Bird? Let''s see who can get the most points. Bianca and Sue immediately agreed to it. When they took out their phones and started a game, the department lead announced that the meeting would resume. Everyone headed to the conference hall. The negotiations continued. However, the atmosphere in the conference hall was oppressive. The higher management from Vivi Group were sitting tensely in the seats, especially Quinton, whose sullen expression was shocking. The higher management from T Corporation was totally different. All of them seemed energetic and confident, perhaps because Luke had told them something during their meeting. The board of directors who had argued vehemently against Luke seemed a lot calmer. Luke sat imposingly at his seat. He seemed confident as he looked at the people from Vivi Group. The two big corporations were fighting a silent battle. Finally, the chairman of Vivi Group spoke first. "Mr. Crawford, after discussing with our management, we shall proceed with the coboration, but there shall be one additional condition. If yourpany makes a major mistake during the project, or if you decide to infringe upon any more of our profits, our company has the right to terminate the agreement unterally. A hint of a smile appeared in Luke''s handsome eyes. '' No problem." "Alright, let''s sign the agreement today then!" After the agreement was modified to include both parties'' new ims, the leaders of the two corporations shook hands once more and signed their names on the document. Luke looked at his wristwatch and said diplomatically, "Congrattions to the both of us once more, Mr. Lamarr. I hope that our coboration will be sessful. I''ve prepared a banquet. Would you like to stay for a while to have dinner?" "Never mind. I have somewhere else to go. We should meet some other time!" Quinton''s expression was unpleasant after he lost huge profits for thepany. After declining Luke''s invitation, he waved at the people from hispany. "Let''s go!¡¯ The people from Vivi Group had sullen expressions on their faces as they left, a stark contrast to their excited faces when they came. The higher management of T Corporation did not expect that Quinton would ept such an unfair agreement. Their delight was palpable, and all of them praised Luke for being charismatic. Luke waved to the others and told them to leave first. The employees left the conference hall one by one. Bianca followed the other employees out of the room. She was at the tail of the crowd, and as she walked, she turned her head to look at that handsome man. He was sitting at his table flipping through some documents. asionally, he would say something to Jason and Louis next to him. When she looked at his serious expression, Bianca¡¯s petite face was filled with love and admiration for the man''s shrewd capabilities and iparable masculine charm. Luke could sense that someone was staring at him. He turned his head and looked in the direction. When he saw that it was Bianca, his cold gaze turned gentle, and he smiled at her. One could even hear sparks crackling in the air between those two when their eyes met... Mavis jealously looked at how that angelic man smiled gently at Bianca. Her legs felt as though they were filled with lead; they were so heavy that she could not take a step. He had never smiled at her like that before. Mavis felt frustrated and resentful. After seeing Bianca''s delicate body disappear from view, she trudged away from the conference hall. That evening, at a hotel. A peculiar air filled the suite and the messy bed. Leia was once again subjected to Wayne''s ravaging. This is from N?velDrama.Org. "Turn around!" The man said. Leia yelped and tried to cover herself. Wayne pped her body disdainfully. "Why are you covering yourself? I''ve seen every inch of your body." Tears of shame and anger fell when Leia heard that. "Why are you pretending to be pitiful? Ha, you''re such a good actress!" Leia gripped the bedsheets tightly with her trembling hands. "I''m not!" She retorted. "You''re not? Hmm?¡¯ Wayne''s tone was mocking and disdainful. Leia''s tearful eyes were filled with hatred for the man. She was supposed to be the noble Ms. Norman, but she had somehow be the man''s pet. She had to answer to his every beck and call. Otherwise, he would expose her nude photos and ruin her reputation. Leia hated him, but she had no choice. She would have stabbed him to death if she could! However, the asional pain on her left wrist told her that if she approached him without the perfect n, the only one to get hurt would be herself! The phone on the bedside cab started to ring. Wayne''s actions paused. His cold gaze shed with hostility when he saw the phone number. Eventually, he pulled away. "I have to leave for some time. You''d better behave when I''m gone... otherwise, you should know the consequences for angering me!" Leia was ecstatic when she heard that Wayne had to leave, though she maintained an obedient guise. "I know," she said. Wayne nodded satisfactorily. He got himself dressed in a matter of seconds. Leia was impressed by his speed, but at the same time, she became more dejected. It would be very difficult for her to escape from the powerful man''s clutches. Just when Leia wanted to get dressed, she received a call from Queenie. Queenie said that her grandfather was feeling sick again, and she and Jack had to go over and take care of him. She asked her daughter to go home to get the health supplements and bring them over. Leia agreed to it. She was sore all over when she reached home. She found the health supplements on the couch in the living room, then she went upstairs to change her clothes. When she passed by her father''s study, she noticed that the door was ajar. On an impulse, she walked over, pushed open the door, and went inside... 1 Chapter 439 Chapter 439 Found A Secret To ckmail Luke! In Jack''s spacious study was a ten-tier redwood bookshelf that covered an entire wall. Rows of books were tidily arranged on it. Leia sneaked into the study like a thief and quickly locked the door. She felt a little dizzy when she looked at the close to ten thousand books on the shelf. She knew that her father would lock important documents in a safe, but she did not know where the safe was. Leia took off her high heels, rolled up her sleeves, and tiptoed over the room to search for the safe. She looked through the shelf, the drawers, under the couch, and even the small attic in the room. Half an hourter, Leia''s head was drenched in sweat, but she did not manage to find the safe. Dejectedly, she punched the shelf. She struck something, and with a click, she saw the top row of the bookshelf revolve. The silvery-white safe was embedded in a mechanism on the top shelf. Her heart started to beat fast. She nimbly climbed on thedder and reached the top shelf and tried to open the safe, but she needed to input a passcode! Her first attempt was to enter her adoptive mother''s birthday, seeing how much Jack loved Queenie. It was the wrong passcode. Leia entered her birthday, and it was wrong as well. The red lights that shed on the safe told Leia that she only had one attempt left. If she got it wrong again, the safe would be locked out. Leia struggled internally. Should she try again? It would be great if she guessed correctly, but if she guessed wrong, her adoptive father would discover that she had tampered with the safe. However, if she did not make her move, would she ever get another chance? Just when she hesitated, her phone started to ring again. She violently jerked and nearly fell off thedder. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down, then answered the call. "Hello, Mom?" She tried to make herself sound as calm as possible. "It''s been so long, Leia. Why aren''t you here yet?" Queenie asked. "I''m stuck in a jam, Mom. There seems to be an ident on Flue Road, and the police are clearing up the scene... Don''t worry, how is Grandpa''s condition?" Leia pretended to be concerned as she told a lie. Queenie became anxious. "There''s an ident at Flue Road? Don''t take that road, Leia. It''ll be too dangerous, and I''d rather you take a longer route. Take the City Beltway, and you should be careful when you drive at night. Your Grandpa is fine, and you don''t have to worry. I won''t disturb your driving, and I''ll talk to youter. See you soon." After ending the call, Leia stared at the safe and decided to take the gamble. She wanted to enter her father''s birthday, but she thought of something and entered a different string of numbers. Just when she thought that all was in vain, the safe door opened curiously with a click. Leia was stunned. The numbers she entered were Queenie''s birth daughter''s birthday. She did not expect... She was once again ovee by hatred and anger. Leia rummaged through the contents of the safe and found a CD at the bottom of a thick stack of documents... She was ecstatic. She took out the CD, then put another CD that looked exactly the same in its ce. Then, she returned everything to their original positions. She stepped out of the study, went back to her room, inserted the CD into herptop, and checked its contents. The high-performanceptop instantly disyed the contents of the CD. She was shocked when she saw the video! An extremely young man, or rather, a handsome eighteen or neen-year- old was giving a bribe to a middle-aged man. The quality of the video was clear. It might not be as high-resolution as the videos now, but one could easily tell that the young man was Luke Crawford. He looked the same as he was now, and even the voice was very simr. The young Luke ced arge passcode-locked briefcase in front of Mr. Schmidt. When the briefcase was opened, high-quality tea leaves could be seen. He brushed away the tea leaves, revealing the stacks of cash underneath. At a quick nce, that should be at least a few million dors. The young Luke looked handsome but childish, however, his speech and mannerisms were mature. Perhaps that was because of his genes. Ten years ago, Luke was still a teenager. Other people of his age would probably only know about study and entertainment, but Luke had taken control of Crawford Industries that was on the verge of ruin and bribed Mr. Schmidt for the benefit of hispany. The man was shockingly bold since he was young! He was probably a generation younger than Mr. Schmidt, but the shrewdness in his eyes and the maturity in his speech could match the much older Committee Secretary. That was an impressive sight! Through the cold and impassiveptop screen, Leia obsessively touched the young man''s face. The outstanding man belonged to her. She might not be a part of his past, but she was sure to be his future! Leia made several copies of the CD and stored it in herptop and several sh drives. After that, she fiddled with her father''s CD excitedly while smiling sinisterly. ''Now that I have some dirt on Luke, I''d like to see how you''ll be able to remain with him, Bianca Rayne!'' Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. For some reason, Bianca had felt uneasy after she got off work. She did not feel any more relieved even when Luke hugged her in his embrace while they rested at night. Luke had probably overworked himself. He fell asleep as soon as he hugged her. Bianca almost could not sleep for the entire night. She only managed to doze off when it was almost sunrise. It was Saturday, and she did not have to go to work. However, Luke woke up early, kissed Bianca''s cheek, and hurriedly went downstairs. After the signing of the agreement with Vivi Group, his workload increased by multiple times, and he was not able to leisurely enjoy his breakfast with Bianca and the twins... Chapter 440 Chapter 440 The Heartwarming Interaction Between the Father and the Twins The two children, still dressed in cartoon print pajamas, were sitting on the couch in the living room and doing their homework. They did not have to go to school today, but they were used to waking up early. They remembered what their father told them: Mommy needed to sleep in because she was pregnant with a baby, and they could not go into the bedroom to disturb her. That was why they went to the living room to do their homework after they woke up. They did not want to use the study because the living room would be the best ce to see their mother after she woke up. Luke saw his children busy doing their work as he stepped down the stairs. Lanie was focused on a book of math problems. He would be entering the first grade after the new school year started, but he was an intelligent boy, and his academic capabilities were that of a child in third or fourth grade Meanwhile, Rainie was painting something with a watercolor brush on a snow-white piece of paper. On the paper was a half-drawn colorful underwater world. The little girl was talented in art, and she had a vivid imagination, as though she inherited her artistic genes from Bianca... Luke wasforted by the sight of his two children. The two children heard the sound from the staircase and turned their heads to look at their father. Rainie ran over joyfully and showed her drawing to him. "Daddy, do you think that my drawing is pretty? In another week, I''ll be joining the finals of the A City Children''s Drawing Competition..." Earlier, Rainie had gotten first ce in the preliminaries and earned herself a spot in the finals. She was overjoyed about it. Luke looked at his daughter¡¯s drawing seriously and ruffled the little girl''s hair. His daughter was bing prettier. Her petite face with fair and delicate skin, those big and animated eyes, and the small but high nose were Bianca''s spitting image. Her gaze when she was thinking of something was like a cunning little fox. Luke really liked that look. Luke gave his objective opinion. '' Not bad, you''ve improved a lot since thest time, but you can''t be prideful. Keep on working hard and produce better works." Rainie''s brush strokes might be childish, but she had a vivid imagination. She made the cast underwater world vibrant and mysterious. "Mm, I''ll do my best. Thank you, Daddy!" The little princess cheerfully ran back to the couch after receiving her father¡¯s praise. Lanie closed his book of math problems and looked at his authoritative father respectfully. "Daddy," he called out gently. "Have you finished yesterday''s problems?" Luke sat next to Lanie and inspected the book. Lanie¡¯s little shoulders were straight. His clear eyes looked at his father, and he felt anxious. Luke checked the most difficult problems. To his surprise, the boy got them all correct. Even so, he said impassively, ¡¯Not bad." Luke had discovered that his son had an acuity for numbers, and the little boy¡¯s mental calction abilities were as strong as his. He was very keen on cultivating those strengths, and that was why Lanie had to do a lot more work than Rainie. He could see that his son was aggrieved. In a rare disy of affection, Luke patted Lanie''s head. "Do you think that I''m treating you and your sister differently? Do you think that I''m giving you a lot of homework every day? Have you wanted to ask me why your sister gets to y every day, but you can''t?" 1 Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Lanie shook his head, but he was biting his lip. "You''re the eldest grandson of the Crawford family. You will most likely be the heir to T Corporation, and you will shoulder a much heavier responsibility than other people. You''re a little man now, and you''ll be in charge of protecting your sister, your Mommy, and the baby in Mommy''s womb... You might think that it''s tough to learn so many things now, but they''ll bring you a lot of benefits in the future. We are men, and we should be able to bear the responsibility handed to us. You are a smart boy, Lanie, and you should understand what I say. There are no cowards in the Crawford family, do you understand?" As the heir to the Crawford family business, Lanie would be subjected to a lot of pressure. If he could not handle the pressure of solving math problems, how was he going to helm a multinational corporation in the future? A spoiled and pampered child that did not have to suffer hardships would only grow up to be a useless individual. Luke did not want that to happen. Any son of Luke would have to be an eagle, able to soar in the skies of this merciless world. Lanie nodded. He did not entirely understand what his father said. He was too young to understand everything, though he could remember what his father said. He had to work hard to protect his Mommy and younger siblings. Lanie clenched his fists and swore that he would work harder. Luke saw the sh of determination in his son''s eyes. He gently pinched Lanie''s tender cheeks and made a phone call for food delivery. He was too busy to cook in the kitchen. Moreover, he did not have any talents in cooking. Considering that Bianca was pregnant, Luke did not want her to wake up early every morning to make breakfast for the family. He had requested Jason to find a dependable housekeeper for the family. However, ever since the infamous arson case, every housekeeping agency became a lot stricter in filtering its employees. Even so, Luke was worried that the housekeepers might not be up to standard and cause harm to Bianca and the baby. Not only did Jason have to do a background check on the housekeeper, but also do a thorough check on their family and close rtions. Of course, that would take a lot of time. Bianca finally woke up close to ten o''clock. She stepped down the staircase on her slippers and saw Luke helping the children with their homework. Bianca felt warmth in her heart when she saw the interaction between the father and the two children. That alleviated the worry and fear in her heart... Chapter 441 Chapter 441 The Children Are Not Happy About How Their Father Pampers Bianca She did not know why she felt so uneasy the night before. Perhaps her pregnancy was affecting her mood. The unease was caused by something unknown. Even though Luke was by her side, that did not alleviate her worries even by a little bit. Now that she saw that the father and his two children were interacting normally, she felt as though she was alive once more. She felt a little guilty when she saw on her watch that it was ten o''clock. She knew that the other three people were waiting for her to make breakfast, but she had overslept... "Mommy, you''re awake!" The observant Rainie was the first to notice Bianca. She tossed her brush away, ran next to Bianca, stood on tiptoe, and gently touched her mother''s stomach. ¡¯Hi, Little Bro! I''m your Big Sis Rainie! Were you behaving when you were sleeping in Mommy''s tummyst night?" It was her habit to speak to the unborn child every morning. She did not know whether the baby in Bianca''s womb was a boy or a girl, but thanks to Lanie''s persuasion, she had believed that the baby must be a boy. Bianca''s heart softened when she saw her daughter''s cute actions. She hugged Rainie closer, crouched down, and kissed her forehead. "Little Bro is behaving, just like Rainie." "When is Little Broing out, Mommy? I want to y with him so much," Rainie asked softly. Bianca rubbed her stomach and smiled gently. "He''ll need a few more months." After mother and daughter chatted for a while, Bianca realized that she had to make breakfast. "I''ll go and prepare breakfast," she said. Luke looked at Bianca indulgently. "I''ve ordered food delivery, and we''re just waiting for you to wake up so we can eat. The two children had some bread and milk. At least I''m not starving them." Bianca felt relieved. Somehow, she had been sleeping in more often than before. She was worried that it might affect her work. If she stayed at home during her entire term of pregnancy, she was afraid that she might be bored out of her mind. She could not bear to see herself idle. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Ten minutester, breakfast arrived. There was a lot of food. There were delicious sandwiches,yer cakes, eggs done in different ways, soups, juices, dairy products, and two boxes of nutritious fruits suitable for pregnant women. As they ate, Luke carefully peeled a hard-boiled egg for Bianca, filled up her te with food, and her bowl with oatmeal. He was worried that the oatmeal was too hot, and so he blew on it until it cooled down before handing the bowl to her. He was only one step away from spoon-feeding her. The two children rolled their eyes when they saw how their father pampered their mother. They felt that their Mommy was so lucky. Even they had not been pampered like that before. Bianca was embarrassed. The man had be more and more considerate of her after she was pregnant, and he was taking care of her like a child. Bianca felt awkward at first, but she eventually got used to it... After breakfast, the two children yed games while Bianca sat on the couch and scrolled through her Facebook timeline. From the posts, she knew that Sue had gone to the hairstylist, but the results were below expectations. Sue had wanted to style her waist-length curly hair into a Korean wave perm, but the hairstylist messed it up. Sue posted her ugly hairstyle with a crying emoji covering her face. Bianca could not help but chuckle when she saw Sue''s new hairstyle. She generously gave the photo a Like. A few secondster, Sue responded to her with a disgusted emoji. Biancaughed and continued scrolling. She saw that Nina posted several photos with some cute children. The location was at a nearby orphanage. Needless to say, Nina was doing charity work. Ever since she recovered from her abortion, Nina was carefree and cheerful as ever, though Bianca could tell that it was different from before. Nina might be smiling, but there was a hint of sorrow in her smile. Bianca felt helpless and sad, but on top of that was guilt. She sighed and continued scrolling. She saw Queenie posting a photo of a stern old man with a single- word caption. "Prayers." That was Queenie''s only post for a while, and the photo was taken off the Inte. However, Bianca could sense that something had happened. She could feel her heart beat faster. After thinking carefully, Bianca sent a private message to Queenie. [Good morning, Mrs. Norman. I''m Bianca Rayne, the designer from T Corporation. I saw yourtest post, and pardon me for asking, is Old Mr. Norman OK?] After sending the message, Bianca felt that she might have been forward. She was worried that Mrs. Norman might mistake that she was thinking ill of the old man. Even so, Bianca did not hesitate when she was typing the message. She thought that the usually busy Mrs. Norman might not be online. However, she received a reply from Queenie in less than a minute. [Yes, Old Mrs. Norman isn''t feeling welltely. He was suffering from a clogged artery yesterday, but luckily he was resuscitated in time. He''s fine now. Thank you for your concern, Ms. Rayne.] Bianca''s heart skipped a beat when she read Queenie''s message. She remembered seeing Old Mr. Norman at his birthday party. Back then, the old man seemed energetic and healthy. Why would that seemingly healthy old man suddenly suffer from a clogged artery? Bianca felt bad for the old man who was tormented by illness. She thought for a while and sent Queenie another message. [If that''s the case, he should rest more and avoid strenuous activities, emotional agitation, and sudden temperature changes. I hope he gets well soon...] Soon, Queenie replied. [My father-inw was just talking about you earlier. He said that the construction of his new house will start soon, but he wants to discuss some details with you. Are you free today, Ms. Rayne? If you are, you cane over to his house for a bit. My father-inw wants to meet you." Bianca ced her phone away and did not know how to feel. Even if Queenie did not mention it, she would pay Old Mr. Norman a visit anyway. They did not have too many interactions, but somehow Bianca felt a peculiar kindness from him, as though he were her grandfather... 1 Chapter 442 Chapter 442 He Fears Daddy, But Daddy Fears Mommy Bianca sighed and ced her phone on the table. She thought that she would visit Old Mr. Norman later. After all, Old Mr. Norman was an important client. Moreover, Queenie had extended the invitation to her. Either way, she felt that she should pay the old man a visit. She turned her head and saw Lanie struggling with a thick book of math problems. Curiously, she nced over and saw that the book was meant for a fourthgrade student. Bianca took the book away from Lanie and frowned. "Lanie, you''ll be going into the first grade soon. Why are you doing fourth-grade problems?" Lanie sat up straight. There was a determination in his childish voice. "I want to skip to the third grade, Mommy. The first grade is too easy for me." Bianca was stunned! As she looked at Lanie saying that in all seriousness, she remembered something that Lanie''s teacher said during a parent-teacher meeting. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. "Lanie is a very intelligent boy. You could even call him a child prodigy. "His intelligence is equal to that of a third or fourth grader. It might be a waste of time if he has to go through the elementary school grades like a normal student. Perhaps he should skip several grades.¡± Bianca was happy that her child was outstanding, but she had her concerns. Many child prodigies burned out while they were young. Moreover, she did not want to take away Lanie''s opportunity of enjoying a proper childhood. She had never considered skipping Lanie''s grades. Now that she saw that her son had made up his mind like a little adult, she did not know how to react. "Do you know what skipping grades means, Lanie?" "I know, Mommy." Lanie stared at Bianca with his big and animated eyes and his hands behind his back, speaking like an adult, "I''m already six years old, and I can make decisions. I will be responsible for my actions. When I''m older, I can share Daddy''s burden at work. That way, Daddy wouldn''t need to work overtime every day, and he''ll have more time to spend with you and Rainie... The little boy knew that his father rarely had free time to spend with Bianca, let alone him and his sister. Their family was not like the others. Other families could go on hiking trips and excursions, but they could not. Lanie thought that it was because his father was busy working. Tears welled up in Bianca''s eyes as she looked at the serious expression on the little boy¡¯s childish face. ''Why is he so sensible?'' Sometimes, she thought that she preferred her children to be ignorant so that they could enjoy their childhood days without worry. Bianca touched her son''s cheeks and said, "We''ll discuss that with Daddy and make a decision. You''re still young, Lanie. I hope that you can grow up happily with your sister." Lanie nted a wet kiss on his mother''s cheek. ¡®I know, Mommy." When Luke came out of the kitchen, he happened to see his son kiss Bianca. Luke felt unhappy seeing Bianca being kissed by a "little man," even though that person was his son. i As he looked at Lanie''s handsome face, a hint of jealousy shed in his profound eyes. Luke walked sullenly in front of his son. "Have you finished your homework, Lanie?" Lanie turned around to look at his father, blink, and said with a grin, "I''m almost done, Daddy. I''ve finished the problems you gave me." The little boy flipped to thest page of his textbook and showed it to his father, waiting for his father''s praise. Luke nced casually at it. "Oh? Since you''ve finished it, let''s start you with another book. Looks like this one is too easy for you." Lanie was choked by his father''s words. He looked at Bianca with his puppy eyes, as though feeling infinitely aggrieved. Bianca hugged Lanie tightly and looked at Luke usingly. "He''s still so young. Why must you burden him with so much homework? The trend in parenting now is to reduce the child''s burden, but you''re adding on to it instead. You should know how tobine work with leisure. Lanie, don''t listen to Daddy. Now that you''re done with your homework, you can go and y." Seeing that Bianca was getting angry, Luke¡¯s cold expression became fawning. "Don''t be angry, Bianca. I''ll listen to what you say. You can go and y now, Lanie." Lanie pulled a face at his father. He might be scared of Daddy, but Daddy was scared of Mommy, and Mommy listened to him. With Mommy''s protection, he would not have to be afraid of Daddy! 1 Bianca told Luke about Old Mr. Norman. When Luke knew that Old Mr. Norman was recuperating, he felt that he should visit the Norman residence with Bianca. He shared a close rtionship with Old Mr. Norman. Even if he did not, he would pay him a visit as a courtesy from a businessman. Old Mr. Norman might be retired, but his son Jack was the most influential person in A City. It would be beneficial for T Corporation if Luke made friends with him. For Old Mr. Norman''s illness, Bianca decided to bring him fruits that were rich in vitamins and pectin. After sending the children back to Crawford Manor, Luke and Bianca went to the Norman residence. The Norman residence was on a plot ofnd far away from the city. The buildings looked rather dated, but thewn was impably tended and the ce was tidy. One could see that Old Mr. and Mrs. Norman loved order. An old man with silvery-white hair was sitting on a rattan chair, enjoying the sun. That was none other than Old Mr. Norman. He was talking about something with Jack. Queenie was hanging freshundry on the clothesline. They might have a caretaker, but Jack and Queenie liked to do chores themselves. Old Mrs. Norman was making tea by the side. Leia, impably dressed, was telling her interesting stories from her life, which made the old womanugh. The Normans turned their heads when they heard a car arrive. A luxury car was parked outside of the residence. The car door opened. Luke stepped out of the car carrying a fruit basket, and Bianca came out of the other door. Leia''s heart thumped wildly when she saw Luke''s arrival. However, when she saw Bianca next to her, her heart ached and itched as though it had been stung by a thousand wasps. ''Curses. Why does Luke bring Bianca everywhere he goes?'' Chapter 443 Chapter 443 I¡¯m Getting Married on the First of May? Why Didn''t I Know About That? Jack helped Old Mr. Norman get to his feet. The old man looked at Luke appreciatively and said, "You''re here, Luke and Bianca. Thank you foring to visit me. You even brought presents!" Luke greeted the two men courteously and ced the fruit basket on the table. Then, he helped Old Mr. Norman sit down on his chair again. "Please sit down. I heard that you''re not feeling well, so Bianca and I are here to visit. How are you feeling?" "I''m fine. There''s nothing major..." Old Mr. Norman said tenderly, "You''re here too, Bianca. I happen to have several questions to ask you about the design. There are a few parts that I don''t understand..." Bianca smiled gently and said, "I will answer any questions that you might have to your satisfaction, Old Mr. Norman." "That''s great! Leia,e over here and greet our guests." Old Mr. Norman beckoned to Leia. Leia walked over obediently and said sweetly, "Grandpa." Her smile was gentle and beautiful but superficial. Bianca noticed that Leia''s gaze on her was as sharp and cold as knives of ice. That sent a chill down her spine. Old Mr. Norman introduced Bianca to his granddaughter. "This is Bianca Rayne. She''s an architectural designer from T Corporation. She''s amazing for designing marvelous works at such a young age!" He praised. Leia hid the disdain in her eyes. She stared at Bianca and said gently," Bianca and I know each other, Grandpa. She helped me when I was doing mymercial shoot at T Corporation." When she recalled the time when she was supposed to torment Bianca but ended up having her endorsement deal taken away, she was frustrated and angry! "Oh, so Leia knows Ms. Rayne! Which college did you go to, Ms. Rayne?" A shrill voice was heard from behind. Bianca turned around and saw that it was Old Mrs. Norman. Old Mrs. Norman knew that her granddaughter had a crush on Luke. She was also satisfied with the young man''s character. Unfortunately, the man loved another woman. Old Mrs. Norman had always doted on her adoptive granddaughter, and she thought that Leia was the best. Leia''s character, upbringing, and looks were all better than Bianca''s, so why did Bianca deserve to be with Luke? She was unhappy about Bianca''s presence, and therefore there were barbs in her words. Bianca could understand Old Mrs. Norman''s hostility, but she nheless felt uneasy about it. Leia was a love rival, and her grandmother naturally sided with her. She did not pay any heed to it. Instead, she said candidly, "I graduated from a normal college abroad, Old Mrs. Norman. The name isn''t worth mentioning. I don''t think the name of the college is as important as how the knowledge is applied. After all, an academic degree is but a stepping stone. What''s more important is one''s abilities." Old Mrs. Norman was disdainful when she heard that. She thought that Bianca did not want to let her know about the name of the college because she graduated from a degree mill. She continued praising her granddaughter, "My Leia graduated from the London College of Arts. That''s one of the most prestigious colleges in the world. She got a visual and performing arts degree from there, and that''s why she received the best actress award in her debut role. Unlike some people who say that they study overseas, they probably paid some money to a third-rate degree mill..." Bianca replied modestly, "Money can''t buy a degree from my university, Old Mrs. Norman. St. Andrew''s College is known for its academic integrity, and it has one of the best research and academic facilities in the world. It''s no Oxford or Cambridge, but it''s the third best university in Ennd. We''re not the best, but we''re not the worst either.¡± Bianca''s words made Old Mrs. Norman shut her mouth. At the same time, they made Leia blush with embarrassment. Leia''s university sounded prestigious, but it was ranked in the hundreds whenpared to the other colleges. It was far worse than Bianca''s university. Bianca knew that Old Mrs. Norman was unhappy about her. She smiled politely and spoke no more. Old Mrs. Norman did not want to be courteous toward Bianca, but she could not lose her temper in front of everyone either. After all, Bianca was her husband''s guest. Meanwhile, Old Mr. Norman, Jack, and Luke were talking. As they chatted, Jack became more and more impressed by Luke''s abilities. The young man was a genuine business prodigy. With him at the helm of T Corporation, he controlled the entire city''s economy. Hispany and subsidiaries represented one-third of the total tax revenue of the city, i Luke also talked about T Corporation''s future expansion ns. Jack felt that the evidence for the young man''s bribery was like a hot potato in his hands... Should he report it? It was a difficult question to answer. He did not want to think of the answer now. He would leave it for ater time. Suddenly, Jack thought of the oldmercial area in downtown A City." How''s the urban reconstruction projecting along, Luke?" He asked. Luke was dressed in ck casual clothes. His imposing aura was hidden. His answer to Jack was calm and collected. "T Corporation has signed an agreement with Vivi Group, and construction will start next week. With the coboration of the two major corporations, I believe that the oldmercial area will soon have a new look." "01'' Crawford is lucky to have you. Zachary was a yboy, and 01'' Crawford nearly disowned him..." Old Mr. Norman said emotionally, "I didn''t expect that Zachary''s son is so capable. Luke, I''d like you to be my grandson-iw, if not that you already have a girlfriend." Luke''s gaze turned gentle when he looked at Bianca. His voice was low and resonant but filled with determination. "Thank you for your favor, Old Mr. Norman, but I already have a woman I love. I will not marry any woman other than Bianca. We will be married on the 1st of May." He did not speak too loudly, but everyone in the yard heard his voice. Everyone instantly fell silent. Their reactions were different. Old Mr. Norman was disappointed. Old Mrs. Norman was frustrated. Jack was shocked. Queenie was helpless. Bianca was dumbfounded... ''Huh? We''re getting married on the 1 st of May? Why didn''t I know about it?'' Leia felt as though her heart had been branded by an iron. They were about to get married on the 1st of May? Why was it so fast? When she looked at Bianca once more, hatred and destruction filled her gaze!Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Chapter 444 Chapter 444 Bianca Is His Granddaughter Meanwhile, Old Mr. Norman asked Queenie to bring Bianca''s design. Old Mr. Norman and Bianca discussed the details of the design excitedly. Even though there was a big age gap between them, there were no obstacles to their conversation. Old Mr. Norman might be a retired politician, but he was well-read in a variety of subjects. He even knew certain technical jargon that inexperienced architects would never have heard of. That had made Bianca impressed. Old Mr. Norman was very impressed with Bianca too. The girl might seem young, but she did not only have pretty looks. He was satisfied with her unique design senses, her modern way of thinking, and her modest attitude. Old Mr. Norman shot a nce at her granddaughter Leia who dressed like a princess, then turned away, dissatisfied. His granddaughter might look kind and considerate, and his wife and his children were fond of her, but he felt that herdylike attitude was pretentious. Moreover, his granddaughter was fully immersed in the chaotic entertainment industry and did not want to leave it. Old Mr. Norman had always been unhappy about that. Leia felt uneasy. Her grandfather was talking technical jargon with Bianca. She did not know where to cut in.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. When her grandfather looked at her with disappointment in his gaze, she felt as though her heart was being sliced into two by a steel ruler, and she had no way of releasing the anger and frustration in her heart. She was very sure that her grandfather did not know that Bianca was his true granddaughter, i They had only met twice at most, but they were already as close as family. Was this because they subconsciously knew that they were rted? Leia''s gaze turned cold when she thought of that. She would not let Bianca take away her everything! Old Mr. Norman was engrossed in his conversation with Bianca. He did not notice the change in Leia''s expression. He pointed at the patch of vegetable garden on the design and said, "Now that the mansion will be built in the pastoral style, what do you think we should nt here, Bea?" Without him realizing it, Old Mr. Norman had started calling Bianca "Bea" instead of "Ms. Rayne." Bianca thought for a while and said, "You should eat more vegetables with Vitamin C. Carrots, eggnts, bok choy, and lentils are easy to tend. Also, homegrown vegetables have more nutrients and have no pesticides. That will be good for your health." Leia wanted tough when she imagined nting vegetables next to the mansion! ''Bianca is an ignorant country bumpkin. Why would you nt vegetables next to such a pretty mansion?'' She gave her opinion. "Grandpa, I don''t think nting vegetables is a good idea. nting flowers should be better. All high-end mansions would have a flower garden. Who would nt vegetables?" Everyone fell silent after Leia gave her opinion. Bianca looked at Leia, who had her chin lifted up high. She was speechless. Meanwhile, Leia felt smug that her opinion rendered Bianca speechless. She thought that her idea was very good. Old Mr. Norman became unhappy instantly. His tone of voice against Leia was hostile. "So what if I want to nt vegetables in my mansion? Flowers are only meant for looking, and they can''t be eaten. Vegetables are more practical! "Moreover, why shouldn''t I tend to a vegetable farm? The generals of yore would have a hidden abode in which they tend to their gardens, and I''m only a small politician!" Leia blushed when she heard her grandfather''s words. "I... I didn''t mean it that way..." she stammered. Old Mr. Norman''s face turned red from anger because of Leia''s words. "So what do you mean? Only peasants can tend to vegetables? Are you looking down upon peasants? Everyone''s ancestors are peasants! I grew up on a farm! "The food we eat in the big city is supplied by millions and millions of peasant farmers toiling in rural areas, yet you look down upon those hard workers. Without them, you would have starved to death! If I hadn''t left the farm and made a name for myself, you''d still be a vige girl!" Queenie saw that her father-inw was getting agitated. She poured a cup of tea for Old Mr. Norman and handed it to him. "Leia didn''t mean that, Father. I don''t think she''s criticizing anyone. You don''t have to be so bothered about it. Have some tea. You''re still recuperating, and you shouldn''t be agitated." Leia looked at her mother resentfully. She felt very aggrieved. She bit her lip and apologized to her grandfather. "I''m sorry, Grandpa. I didn''t think through what I said, but I''ve never looked down upon peasants. You can let me know whatever you want to nt in your garden. I''ll try to look for the seeds." Old Mr. Norman ignored Leia. Old Mrs. Norman red at her husband. "I say, why are you getting so worked up? You ought to nt flowers in mansions. It''ll be a pretty sight in spring when all the flowers are in bloom! Of course, we can nt vegetables too, and we''ll have healthy vegetables to eat. It''s entirely up to one''s preferences, and Leia only voiced her opinion. Why are you getting so mad at my granddaughter?" The conversation took an awkward turn because of Leia''s words. Bianca felt embarrassed. She thought that it was time to leave, but Luke was in Jack''s study discussing something. He should take some time there. Bianca excused herself and went to the washroom. The bathroom in the Norman residence was decorated with vines and was separated into two. The washbasin was in the outer half, while the toilet in the inner half was very modern and clean, i After Bianca stepped out from the toilet, she saw Leiaing in on her high heels... 1 Chapter 445 Chapter 445 (1) Luke Loves Me, And I Love Him Leia came into the washroom. Bianca nodded gently at Leia. "Ms. Norman." Then, she walked toward the washbasin. She squeezed some liquid soap onto her hands and noticed Leia''s exquisite but cold face in the mirror. Leia might look gentle, and she wasughing, but Bianca felt unnerved. Bianca knew that Leia was not as innocent as she looked. She did not forget Leia''s provocation in the shopping mall and how Leia had tormented her during the commercial shoot at T Corporation. She also remembered how she was hurt by the berserk Persian cat at Blue Honors... Even though all the evidence pointed to Leia''s assistant, Bianca was not so stupid to believe that. She knew that Leia was the mastermind, but she did not call her out because of Leia''s elevated status. If Leia was not going to speak, Bianca was not going to bother either. However, she could see that Leia had something to say to her. "Is there anything, Ms. Norman?" Bianca opened her mouth first. Leia turned on the other tap and washed her hands. "You look fatter. Looks like you''ve been living the good life!" Bianca was not interested in small talk. "What do you want to say, Ms. Norman?" She said coldly. Leia smirked. "You''re a smart one, but you''re boring! Are you sure that you''re going to marry Luke on May 1st? Do you think you deserve him, Bianca Rayne? Your looks are mediocre, and youe from an unremarkable family. There are so many better women in A City. I don''t know why Luke likes you. Even I''m..." Bianca interjected, "So what does that have to do with you? Luke loves me, and I love him. That is enough." Leia was taller than Bianca by half a head because she was wearing four- inch high heels. She towered over Bianca as though she was superior. "You''re no match for Luke. I hope that you realize that soon and leave him on your own ord." Bianca nced at Leia impassively. She did not disy a hint of fear or cowardice. Leia was bing flustered from how Bianca was looking at her. She took out a check from her handbag and handed it to Bianca. "This is ten million dors. Leave Luke! I don''t think you can make this sum of money on your own. Leave A City and somewhere else to live. Otherwise, I won''t go easy on you!" Bianca reached out and took the check... She smiled calmly when she saw the figure on the check. "You''re so generous, Ms. Norman. I can already buy a small mansion with this money." Leia''s disdain grew. ''How could Luke like such a materialistic woman? Isn''t he disgusted? ''I should get Luke toe over and see the true colors of the woman he loves!1 However, what Bianca did next shocked her. Bianca pinched the check with her fingers, then tore it into pieces, bit by bit. Then, under Leia''s wrathful eye, threw it into a trash can. "Luke and I are destined to marry, Ms. Norman. I hope that you can ept this fact, and I also hope that you can let go of the things that can never belong to you. There''s no meaning in doing all this. I''ll just treat it as though all this never happened. Bye." Leia was furious at Bianca''s stubbornness. The expression on her face changed several times. She was frustrated by how helpless she was. Bianca wanted to pull open the washroom door, but Leia stubbornly stood in her way. "I don''t care what you think, but I will definitely win the heart of any man that I have my eye on! I will not allow a lowly woman like you toy a finger on the man I love!" Biancaughed out of her anger. Leia had said that Luke was her man! Why was that woman so shameless? "Ms. Norman, you should know that Luke''s current girlfriend is me. Has he ever acknowledged your presence? As far as I know, he has always ignored you. Not only that, but he has also rejected your advances. Did you forget about that? Should I get Luke to tell you that personally?" "You... you..." Leia was at a loss for a retort. Her chest was heaving from anger. After calming down, Leia tried to use a gentle voice. "We''re both women, Bianca. You should know that a woman''s heart is fragile. Luke is the only man I love. How about you let me have a go? "There are so many fish in the sea, and Luke isn''t the only man in A City. Furthermore, there are so many men who love you. Why would you miss the forest for the trees? I really love Luke. I think I''m even getting depressed because of him... I know that you''re a kind-hearted woman. You wouldn''t want to see me suffering from depression, right?" Leia tried to evoke Bianca''s pity. She grabbed Bianca''s arm and did not let go. Leia squeezed some sparkling tears into her eyes. "Please, if you can let me have Luke, I can satisfy any of your wishes... Bianca, can''t you leave him and stop interfering in our rtionship?" Bianca wanted to burst outughing. She had seen her fair share of shameless people, but she had never seen one as shameless as Leia Norman. Can one trade rtionships just like that? Moreover, Leia was the one who was interfering with Luke and Bianca''s rtionship. Leia made it sound as though she was the victim! No one else could twist the story like her! Bianca coldly pushed Leia away. "I''m sorry, Ms. Norman. No matter what you say, I won''t let Luke go! If you have time on May 1st, feel free toe and witness the ceremony!" Seeing that Bianca was stubborn, Leia suddenly let out a burst of unnervingughter, which caused goosebumps to break out on Bianca''s skin. "Bianca, I can guarantee that you will not be married to Luke on May 1st. Do you want to bet on it?" Under Leia''s unnerving gaze, Bianca walked away... As they left the Norman residence, Bianca was obsessed by that thought. What did Leia mean? Why did she say that they would not be married on May 1st? As Luke drove the car, he noticed that Bianca was not in a good mood. He patted her head with his right and said, "What''s wrong? Why do you look unhappier after leaving the Norman residence?" Chapter 445 (2) Tell the World That You Are My Children''s Mother Bianca looked at Luke as she remembered what he had said at the Norman residence earlier. She hesitated for a while but asked anyway," You said that our wedding ceremony is on the 1st of May. What is going on?" Luke slowed down his driving by a little. As the man swept his gaze at Bianca, he shed an indulgent smile. "I wanted to give you a surprise, but I didn''t expect to announce it earlier. Bianca, I want to hold a grand wedding reception for you on the 1st of May. I want to announce to the world that you are the mother of my children and the love of my life." "Are... are we really going to be married on the 1st of May? This... this is a little too sudden." Bianca was surprised by the sudden news, but at the same time, she found it hard to ept. Luke''s grip on the steering wheel tightened a little. "Don''t you want to marry me?" Bianca''s attitude made Luke think that she was hesitating, or that she did not want to marry him. At that moment, he felt as though his heart that was burning with excitement was put out by a bucket of cold water. That made him feel uneasy. Bianca quickly exined, "No, I didn''t mean that. It''s just that the news is too sudden. I''m mentally prepared that we will eventually marry, and I¡¯ve even fantasized how the scene would look like. It''s just that I didn''t expect it toe so soon..." Their love was like a nt that had sprouted a long time ago. However, it had never been watered and nurtured by love, and so ity dormant and was even close to wilting. It was onlyter that they showered it with tender careter, which caused buds to form. Now that their nt of love was going to bloom, Bianca was happier than anyone else. Luke was relieved when he heard that. "You don''t have to think too much. You only have to wait to be my bride." He was not worried that Bianca would change her mind. He knew that he loved Bianca deeply and how deeply Bianca loved him. He desired to bring Bianca home as his legally wedded wife. Bianca sighed, and her brows furrowed a little. "But your mother hasn''t epted my existence yet, and my grandfather and aunt don''t know about the news..." Luke looked at her with a smile and told her his n. "You don''t have to worry about my mother. I don''t need her permission to marry anyone I want. We won''t be living with her after marriage, so she won''t give you any trouble. As for your grandfather and aunt, I''ll pay a visit in the next few days. We should send out the invitations soon, then we can prepare for the ceremony. Right, we should take our wedding photos in April. The weather will be more suitable for a pregnant woman." Bianca felt a twinge in her nose. The man seemed aloof and uncaring, but he had nned everything without her knowledge. However, she felt extremely uneasy when she thought of Leia''s warning, i Bianca wanted to tell Luke that Leia had given her a check often million dors to leave him while she was in the washroom. Looking at the man''s sculpted face, she did not manage to tell him the incident. After all, Luke had already made it clear to the Normans that they would be married in May. As socialites, the Normans cared about their reputation. No matter how much they wanted Luke to be their son-inw, their pride would not allow Leia to step in between other people''s rtionships... In the kitchen of the Norman residence. Queenie was wearing an apron, washing vegetables and pork ribs. Leia came in. "Let me help, Mom," Leia enthusiastically helped her mother pick out vegetables, but she was frowning when her mother did not see. She looked at her perfectly manicured hands being smothered by the dirty vegetable leaves. Some dirt got under her fingernails. Leia felt disgusted and wanted to throw it away, but she forced herself to continue to help. Queenie did not see the disgust in Leia''s eyes. She felt sorry for her daughter when she saw Leia''s slender and delicate fingernails soaked in the water-filled sink. ¡¯You should go and keep your grandmapany, Leia. You look like you lost weight, and you ought to eat more meat. I''ll be making pork rib stew today. Look at your hand. The injury hasn''t healed, so how can you soak it in water? I understand that you care for me, but you should take care of yourself too. You should go out. There''s a lot of smoke in the kitchen!" "I''m fine, Mom. My hand has almost recovered. It''s not as delicate as you think. Washing vegetables isn''t difficult, but too bad that I don''t know how to cook. If I can cook as well as you, I''d cook for you and Dad every day..." Leia continued to pick the vegetables while speaking sweetly. Queenie gave up on convincing her daughter. "You''re so stubborn. Oh well, just make sure that the injury on your hand doesn''t worsen." Bianca wanted to tell Luke that Leia had given her a check often million dors to leave him while she was in the washroom. Looking at the man''s sculpted face, she did not manage to tell him the incident. After all, Luke had already made it clear to the Normans that they would be married in May. As socialites, the Normans cared about their reputation. No matter how much they wanted Luke to be their son-inw, their pride would not allow Leia to step in between other people''s rtionships... In the kitchen of the Norman residence. Queenie was wearing an apron, washing vegetables and pork ribs. Leia came in. "Let me help, Mom," Leia enthusiastically helped her mother pick out vegetables, but she was frowning when her mother did not see. She looked at her perfectly manicured hands being smothered by the dirty vegetable leaves. Some dirt got under her fingernails. Leia felt disgusted and wanted to throw it away, but she forced herself to continue to help. Queenie did not see the disgust in Leia''s eyes. She felt sorry for her daughter when she saw Leia''s slender and delicate fingernails soaked in the water-filled sink. ¡¯You should go and keep your grandmapany, Leia. You look like you lost weight, and you ought to eat more meat. I''ll be making pork rib stew today. Look at your hand. The injury hasn''t healed, so how can you soak it in water? I understand that you care for me, but you should take care of yourself too. You should go out. There''s a lot of smoke in the kitchen!" "I''m fine, Mom. My hand has almost recovered. It''s not as delicate as you think. Washing vegetables isn''t difficult, but too bad that I don''t know how to cook. If I can cook as well as you, I''d cook for you and Dad every day..." Leia continued to pick the vegetables while speaking sweetly. Queenie gave up on convincing her daughter. ¡¯You''re so stubborn. Oh well, just make sure that the injury on your hand doesn''t worsen." Leia nodded while saying dejectedly, "Mom, that Bianca Rayne is going to marry Luke on the 1st of May. She''s so unremarkable, and I don''t think that she''s a good match for Luke. I don''t know why he loves her. Tell me, Mom, am I not as good as Bianca?" After Queenie took out the pork ribs from the boiling pot of water, she started to slice onions and ginger deftly. The usually noble woman seemed a lot more approachable when she was busy at work in the kitchen. She spoke to Leia while her hands were busy. ''My daughter is an outstanding girl. You''re beautiful, intelligent, ambitious, and kind. To me, you are the best. However, if Luke is destined to be with someone else, there''s no use in trying to barge in. Luke doesn''t have any feelings for you, Leia. You shouldn''t waste any more time on him.''¡¯ Leia did not listen to all that. She was determined to marry Luke. She looked at her mother, misty-eyes. "Mom, I really, really love Luke. I cannot lose him. Without him, there is no meaning in my life. Now that he hasn''t married Bianca, I still stand a chance. After they''re married, I will forever lose that chance... I know that you dote on me, Mom. Won''t you and Dad help me?" Chapter 445 (3) How Fascinating Tears filled Leia''s eyes as she spoke. She wept silently and had on a pitiful expression as if she had been abandoned by the whole world. She looked as helpless as a newborn. In the past, she would y this card whenever she wanted to get her hands on something. Although she had used this trick countless times, it was still useful toward Queenie. As long as she shed some tears, her mother would always find a way to satisfy her no matter what she asked for. However, this time, Queenie reacted by sighing heavily. Queenie took out a tissue and wiped Leia''s tears lovingly as she said, "Leia, trust me, you won''t have a fairytale ending with Luke. Besides, it''s immoral to snatch someone else''s boyfriend. You''ll live a long life, and finding someone willing to spoil you silly is the most important thing. You might not understand it now, but you¡¯ll understand itter. My dear child, don¡¯t think too much about it. I¡¯ll cook you your favorite dish..." Leia''s mood immediately turned foul! She did not expect that her go-to trick did not work. Her tears stopped. Leia''s cold gaze was filled with resentment. Queenie kept telling her how much she loved her, but she was unwilling to help her get a man that she wanted so badly. Leia was upset and frustrated. Queenie did not care about her happiness just because they were not rted by blood! i At that moment, Leiapletely forgot the kindness that Queenie had shown her throughout the years. Her dissatisfaction with Queenie has increased. She projected her anger toward Bianca on Queenie. Leia imagined that the vegetable in front of her was Bianca, her deep-set eyes full of hatred. She angrily tore the vegetables to pieces... ''Luke is mine, Bianca. No one can take him away from me!'' Queenie noticed that Leia was upset, then saw how "miserable" the vegetable looked... She could not help but shake her head and shoved Leia out of the kitchen." I''ll cook, Leia. Go back to your room and take a rest." Leia was not bothered to continue pretending. She left on the pretext of going to her room to go through her script. Queenie looked at the torn-up vegetables in the basket and sighed. Leia was good at everything but did not know how to cook. She was so pampered that she did not even know how to clean vegetables. However, Queenie has only one baby girl in her life, so she was happy to spoil Leia. After he got home, Luke went to work in the study while Bianca took a shower andid in bed to rest. Although she was physically exhausted, she was not sleepy. It was probably because she was so excited to get married on May 1st. Bianca opened the messenger app, went on the group chat with Sue and Nina, and initiated a conversation. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. She was not sure if they were online, but she sent a message: [Hello my beautiful friends! Ie bearing good news. I¡¯m getting married on May 1st:)] Bianca''s message came as a surprise to Sue and Nina. The previously dead group chat was bombarded with messages. Sue was the first to reply: [Oh my! That soon? Bea, did the boss propose to you?] Nina replied: [OMG! That''s wonderful! It¡¯s a pity that I didn''t get to see our boss''s proposal in person. Bea, when you get married, I must be a bridesmaid! I want to see you get happy with my own eyes!!!] Before Bianca could finish typing her reply, Sue sent another message: [I''m guessing that it''s so soon because something happened? Bea, tell us honestly, are you and the CEO expecting another child?] Bianca was speechless. Sue replied: [Do you have to be so candid?] However, Bianca did not answer Sue''s question. Instead, she sent them a voice note. "Sue and Nina, will you two be my bridesmaids when I get married?¡± Sue sent an aggrieved emoji in the group before she replied with a voice note. "Bea, I will attend your wedding, but is it inappropriate for me, a pregnant woman with a huge belly, to be a bridesmaid? Oh, how shameful would it be when I can''t fit into the bridesmaid dress!" Nina replied: [Hahaha, Sue, you can wear an extrarge dress. A few days ago, I saw a 200-pound girl in church wearing a wedding dress for her wedding. Sue, you''re only a little over a hundred pounds." The group chat had a joyful atmosphere. The three of them chatted for a while, and Sue said: [Sorry my dears, I''m in the children''s clothing store now, and I want to buy clothes for my future baby. I''ll talk to youter, bye! Bea,e to my ce if you have time.] Sue, who was in a well-known children''s clothing store, kept her phone in her pocket. She had a wide smile on her face as if she was the person who was going to get married. When they saw how happy she was, the sales clerks thought she was texting her husband. Among them, a young sales clerk said enviously, ¡¯Miss, are you texting your husband? How cute!" Sue froze for a moment. She knew that they had misunderstood the situation, but she was not bothered with exining. She said bluntly, "Can you rmend some clothes for newborn babies? I want to buy two sets each for boys and girls." When she went for her checkup a few days ago, the doctor told her that she was pregnant with twins, which made Sue overjoyed! Originally, she thought she would be happy enough to be pregnant with one child, but she did not expect it to be two babies. She felt that this was the best gift that God had given her and even forgot the trauma from the one-night stand. "Okay!" The sales clerk immediately showed Sue various types of children''s clothing. At that moment, Jason walked in. The sales clerk was about to greet him, but when Jason saw Sue''s slightly bulging lower abdomen as she picked children''s clothes, he waved to the sales clerks. The sales clerks immediately retreated discreetly. "How are you doing, Ms. Carter?" Jason said suddenly, startling Sue. The clothing in her hand fell to the ground as she shouted, ''Mr. Doyle, you almost gave me a heart attack! What are you doing here?" "Sorry that I startled you." Jason looked at her innocently as he said, "Can''t Ie to the children''s clothing store for fun?" He was a little surprised at Sue''s attitude toward him. Why did she react so strongly toward a normal greeting from him? However, he noticed that she had been acting meekly since she got pregnant, even though her body got plump. How fascinating. He was not sure why, but when he looked at Sue, Jason''s thoughts returned to that night where he and the mysterious woman made out in bed. "What are you looking at?" Sue shielded herself and yelled in annoyance when she saw Jason staring at her. She had avoided all men since the day that she spent that night with that man. Jasonughed out loud. When she was furious, Sue''s expression was a lot more vivid. She looked nothing like her usual conservative self in the office. Sue was so annoyed by him that she was no longer in the mood to shop. She decided that she was going to another children''s clothing store. Just when she was about to leave, a man and a woman suddenly walked into the store. The female looked inconspicuous. She was plump, and she was covered from top-to-bottom in luxury brands. She looked like a mini mobile luxury store. Although the man that she held onto was tall, he looked foppish and had eyeliner on. Anyone could tell that he was her boy toy. The moment she saw the man''s face, Sue felt as if she was struck by lightning. She stopped in her tracks in a daze, tears almost flowed out of her eyes... Chapter 445 (4) She Is Bearing My Child! Sue fell into a daze when she saw Hank Walker. She never thought that she would see her ex-lover again. The man for whom she had given her everything was smiling as he was apanied by the extremely plump woman. Sue felt sad, though sheughed at how ridiculous things got. They had been together for five years. It was a time when they depended on each other. Both of them grew up poor, with Hank''s family a little worse off. When they were in high school, she worked several part-time jobs to support him and covered all of their expenses. Later, they were both admitted to college. In order to support Hank so he could continue his studies, Sue even gave up a full schrship. That was just so she could get a job sooner to support him. She paid for everything for three years, including Hank''s groceries, clothing, housing, and transportation. He was moved and swore that he would marry Sue. However, when he graduated, he broke up with her while holding another woman''s hand. The woman was Jane Stewart, whose father was the chairperson of the Municipal Legal Committee. That could speed up Hank''s career advancement and save him ten years. Sue still remembered how cruel Hank looked when he mocked her and the woman''s contemptuous eyes. Sue had not seen Jane in years. Jane had gotten plumper and her face was so much chubbier. Sue could barely see her eyes and her belly looked bloated. Sue was not sure if she was fat or pregnant. Jane noticed Sue too. She held her head high and looked at Sue from head to toe. Jane said mockingly, "Oh, isn''t this Ms. Carter? Are you pregnant? I didn''t expect that anyone would be interested in you after you''re dumped by Hank. These are fairly expensive. Are you sure you can afford it? Do you need a helping hand?" "Don¡¯t worry about it, it''s just a few pieces of clothing, I can afford it. If Ms. Stewart wants to do charity, you can consider donating money to an orphanage. The children need your help." Sue said in a neutral tone. Hank looked surprised when he saw Sue. The Sue that he remembered had bangs and looked nothing like the Sue in front of him now. In the past, Sue looked like a nerd. Now, she has transformed into a white-cordy living in the big city. She was elegant, confident, and trendy, at the forefront of fashion regardless of her hairstyle or dressing. Hank was pleasantly surprised at her extraordinary demeanor! Compared together, Sue was heaven and Jane was the earth. Jane noticed Hank''s reaction and saw her husband staring at his ex-lover without blinking. She became jealous. She twisted Hank''s ear hard and screamed, "Are you having fun reminiscing the past? I''m your wife and I''m standing here! Why are you staring at her?! Do you miss her?" Hank yelled out in pain and coaxed Jane, ¡¯It hurts... my love, please be gentle, don''t be angry, remember that our son is in your belly..." Jane hit and kicked him, but Hank dared not fight back at all. She vented her anger until his ears were swollen. Hank then hugged Jane''s plump body. Jane was so fat that Hank could only hug half of her body. He looked ridiculous. Hank ignored the strange gazes of others and kissed Jane''s greasy face. He coaxed Jane and said, "Wifey, you are my lucky star. You are the most beautiful woman in the world. I only have eyes for you.¡± Jane threw a tantrum and said arrogantly, "Hmph! I saw you staring at your ex-girlfriend!" After she said that, Jane red at Sue. She did not expect that Sue, who used to look like a bumpkin, would have transformed into a mature lady in the span of several years. Jane was nervous; she did not want to lose her man to Sue. Hank wanted to please Jane, so he belittled Sue in front of everyone, "Why would I look at her? In my eyes, she is only a stranger. No, I think of her as a passing bird. She is nothingpared to you." The wound in Sue''s heart had long scabbed, however, it was turned bloody again by his words! She went through hell for him for three years without asking for anything in return. Did that mean nothing to him? How dare he call her a passing bird? Sue could no longer control her temper. She sarcastically said to Hank, "I ved for you, Hank. When you were in college, I paid for your tuition, living expenses, and even your parents'' medical expenses, and so on. I''ve worked hard for many years and neverined, but I did not expect that you would be such an ingrate. After you graduated, you broke up with me and chose to be with this woman because her father is chairperson of the Municipal Legal Committee and could get you a good job... "Instead of being grateful, you called me a passing bird? Am I just an animal to you? What are you then? I used to be blinded by love, and that was why I fell in love with a useless ingrate like you! I don''t owe you anything, Hank. You should know that you''re the one who owes me something. Where is your conscience? Careful that karma hits you on the way out! ¡¯ Hank was red-faced when he heard Sue''s words. They were in a public ce, and people generally looked down upon men who relied on women. The sales clerks had contemptuous looks in their eyes. "I... I..." Hank stammered. As he recalled how kind Sue was to him, Hank lowered his head shamefully and did not dare to look at her. Jane was unhappy. She pointed at Sue and cursed at her, "Why did you say that to my husband? Who''s to me if he left you? Look at you here with a big belly and no one beside you. Have you been sleeping around with other men, you pathetic wench?¡± Sue could feel her head ache because of Jane. She wanted to p her so bad! Just when she was about to do it, a mature male voice said domineeringly, "She is bearing my child!" Immediately, Sue felt the warm embrace of a tall man... Chapter 446 Chapter 446 You''re Not Cute. Can¡¯t You Show Your Soft Side Once In AWhile? Jason''s well-built body was facing away from the light. He protected the pregnant Sue like a caring and mature gentleman. He nced at Hank and Jane, then at Sue. His cold gaze shed with a different emotion when he saw the frustration and sorrow in Sue''s eyes. Meanwhile, Jane carefully looked at how Jason protected Sue in his arms. He was a handsome man in his thirties. The man seemed wealthy. He was dressed in a limited edition Ermenegildo Zegna suit and wore a gold Piaget watch on his wrist. Jane was impressed, but she did not want to admit that Sue had found a wealthy husband. She scrunched up her nose and said to Sue jealously, "Ha, I didn''t expect that my husband''s used goods could find a wealthy man who wants her. Not bad, Sue, you''ve be a better seductress now!" Jane did not believe that her husband had not touched Sue while they dated for five years. 1 Moreover, Hank was very skillful in bed. He must have had a lot of practice with Sue! That was why Jane had hated Sue so much! Sue wished that she could sew up Jane¡¯s bbering mouth with a needle and thread. She was already hot-tempered, and she would not allow someone to nder her! That was what she did. "Arent you shameless, Jane Stewart? Hank doesnt even deserve to lick my boots. Only you would like a useless man like him. I''ve looked after him for five years, and he doesn''t even know any gratitude. I''d rather raise a dog. A dog would entertain me, but he bit me instead... "He''s nothing but an ingrate, and you two weirdos are a perfect match for each other! I don''t expect you to evere to your senses, but I hope that your child doesn''t grow up to be like you!" "You... you... you shrew!" Jane''s corpulent body was trembling with anger. She did not expect that Sue was not a pushover, i As far as she remembered, Sue was a inly-dressed girl who only knew how to cry in a corner whenever Jane bullied her. She did not expect that Sue grew a sharp tongue in only a few years! Jason observed the scene with interest. Sue insulted the ungrateful couple without using any curse words. He would have apuded her if they were in a more appropriate situation. "Beat up that wench for me, Hank. How dare she curse our child! Kill her!" Jane kicked Hank and red at him. Hank looked at Sue hesitantly. He did not move forward. Seeing that, Janended a tight p on Hank''s face. "You useless man! Do you still love her? If you''re not going to beat her, then we''ll divorce now, and I''ll ask Daddy to drive you out of the house tonight!" Hank became anxious when he heard that. Like a dog obeying its master''s orders, he rushed up to Sue and prepared to teach her a lesson. Sue brought her arms in front of her stomach to protect it. She looked at the iing man helplessly, and her heart ached. ''Damn! ''Hank is reallying to hit me!'' Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Before Hank couldy a finger on Sue, Jason grabbed onto Hank''s wrist and twisted it hard! "Ahh!" Hank cried out agonizingly, as though the bones of his wrist had been crushed. "Sir... Sir... please... we can... talk..." He wailed. Jane was anxious and flustered when she saw that her husband was in pain. She dared not move forward, and so she pointed at Jason. "What do you want to do to my husband? Let him go now! Don''t you know who my Daddy is? My Daddy is..." Jason nced at Jane condescendingly. "Do I care who your father is? How uncivilized for you two to bully a pregnant woman! Get lost at this instant!" Then, he tossed Hank''s wrist away like tossing a piece of trash. "I won''t go so easy on you the next time I see you bully women!" "You... Just you wait. Let''s go, Hubby. We''ll have plenty of opportunities to deal with that wretched couple!" Jane helped Hank up. They ran away while the staff in the store laughed at them. "Are you OK, Ms. Carter?" Jason looked at Sue with some pity. ''No wonder Sue doesn''t like to interact with men. Any woman would have been traumatized by a scumbag like Hank.'' "I''m fine. Thank you for your help, Mr. Doyle. See you." After saying her thanks, Sue wanted to turn around and leave. She put down her strong guise when Jason could not see her. She did not expect that her dark past that she had tried to hide had been exposed in the public. Worse, Jason Doyle, her "colleague," had witnessed it. Jason looked at Sue''s back as she lumbered away. "Shall I send you home, Sue?" He asked on an impulse. Sue rejected his offer without turning her head. ¡¯There''s no need. I drove here. I shouldn''t trouble you, Mr. Doyle." Jason shook his head helplessly as he watched her leave. He could not understand why that woman was as stubborn as a donkey.'' Why can''t she be gentle and rely on a man more?'' The next day, after breakfast, Luke was going to meet a mysterious individual. He was afraid that Bianca might be bored at home. Remembering that the peach garden near the appointed meeting ce was in full bloom, he decided to bring Bianca along. They drove for about three hours before arriving. Luke parked in the parking lot of the appointed hotel. The mysterious individual had an incident while they were driving, and they needed another hour before they arrived. Luke brought Bianca to the peach garden in the meantime. The peach garden was a patch of private property located next to the mountains. It was only open to certain guests, and the surroundings were tranquil. Flower petals fell like snowkes when the wind rose. It was breathtakingly beautiful... Bianca held onto Luke''s hand and walked under the rain of peach blossom petals. "Who is this friend that you''re meeting?" She asked curiously. She did not know what friend could make Luke travel so far... Chapter 447 Chapter 447 We¡¯re In Public. Aren''t You Shy? Luke smiled as he caressed her soft hair and kissed her nose. "That person is an international con artist and is wanted by the Interpol. Aren''t you scared?" "What...?" Bianca opened her mouth in shock. Luke could not resist pinching Bianca''s earlobe when he saw her adorable reaction. "Silly, did you actually believe that?" Bianca yfully punched Luke when she saw his joking expression. "Don''t fool me like that. I''d be worried." Luke felt warmth in his heart when he saw how Bianca''s smile was more refreshing than the sight of peach blossoms in March. It was not about how Bianca looked but how she carried herself. Her demeanor gave her elegance, kindness, and many more characteristics. The sight of herforted Luke. "I have my own considerations for doing certain things, and you don''t have to worry about me over every small matter. You''re now the mother of three children, and you should be a good role model for the kids." Luke said gently as he held onto her petite hand in his palm. "I know, but I can''t help it. Maybe the emotions of pregnant women are easily affected," Bianca said. "With me by your side, you don''t have to cry anymore." Luke held Bianca''s hand as they walked up the stairs and deeper into the grove. There were many species of peach trees in the garden. It was like a sea of blossoms. They continued to walk casually in the peach garden. Luke temporarily forgot about his stress at work. The woman strolling with him gave him bliss. Because of her, he knew how to love, and she was what he wanted in his life. About ten minutester, Bianca suddenly stopped walking and stared at the man''s handsome face. Luke smiled. '' Are you tired of walking? Let me carry..." Before he could finish his sentence, Bianca stood on tiptoe, hugged his neck, and kissed him, starting from his forehead, down to the tip of his nose, past the lips, and on his chin. She smiled at him like a cheeky little rabbit. Luke was surprised. Bianca had always been shy, and he was usually the one to kiss her. She had rarely taken the initiative to kiss him. "We''re in public. Aren''t you shy?" He said as he kissed her cheek. A hint of cunning shed in Bianca''s eyes, and she smiled as though her n seeded. "There''s no one here anyway. You''re the one who usually kissed me, and I should take the initiative sometimes. The surroundings are perfect..." As though proving her point, in a retro-style gazebo not far away, a lovingly married couple was locked in a longing kiss. The weather was warming up, and the mountain was filled with blossoms and birdsong. It was the perfect scene for lovers. Luke wanted to say something when Bianca''s lips covered his. He was too tall, and it was hard for Bianca to stand on tiptoe. However, she enjoyed ying the little game. After every few steps, she would sneak a kiss on him. Peach trees lined both sides of the path. The blossoms were as pink as a sunset or white as snow. If one looked closely, they might even spot a honey bee. The number of blossoms increased as they walked toward the interior, and the fragrance in the air was thick. They found a rest stop, and they sat down on rattan chairs. "The blossoms here are very beautiful. The owner of this garden must love life," Bianca eximed. "If you like the ce, how about I buy it for you as a present?" Luke said indulgently. Luke did not even blink when he mentioned buying the ce, as though he was talking about something mundane like the weather. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. If Bianca liked it, he would find a way to give it to her. All that just to make her smile. "Huh?" Bianca''s eyes widened. Seeing that Luke was not joking, she quickly declined. "No. This peach garden is so beautiful, and its owner must have spent a lot of effort on it. I shouldn''t take what belongs to others." Most importantly, the garden was in the periphery of A City, and it was not going to be cheap. The peach garden should be about a thousand acres, and that would need a lot of money. She did not have to own the things she liked, and she would not go overboard because her man doted upon her. That was why Luke loved her. "I''ll buy a plot ofnd for you in the future, and you nt anything you want on it. Make it a garden of your own," he said seriously. Bianca thought that Luke was joking, and she did not treat his im seriously. Looking at his handsome face under the peach trees, she kissed him obsessively. There was no better way to express her love for him other than physical intimacy... Luke also kissed her. While they were entangled in a kiss, Bianca suddenly felt something cold at the back of her neck. She lowered her head to see. It was an emerald ne. The gems were clear with a hint of turquoise, and it looked expensive. Bianca knew that all of Luke''s presents were expensive. She lost the mood to kiss him. She took off the ne and ced it in his hand. "I can''t possibly ept this ne. You''ve already given me one, I..." "I bought this ne on one of my overseas business trips. I thought it suits you very well. It''s only a few thousand dors. It''s not that expensive." That was what Luke told Bianca, knowing that she would decline it. Bianca saw from his eyes that he was not lying. The price was within an eptable range... She took the ne. She believed that Luke had told her the true price of the ne until many yearster when she wore the ne to join an antique auction, an experienced appraiser told her excitedly that Luke had deceived her. i The "cheap ne" was the only one in the world... Chapter 448 Chapter 448 Luke''s Enigmatic Decision! Luke put the emerald ne on for Bianca and continued talking, "This ne has a tracker on it. As long as you wear the ne, I can find you wherever you are." Bianca touched the exquisite ne as her mouth opened in shock. The main reason was that she had not expected that a ne worth a few thousand dors would include such technology. She had always thought that only valuable nes would have such technology. However, Bianca had always trusted Luke and did not think too much about it. After he put the ne on, she asked, "How does it look?" Bianca, who had been pregnant for not long, was still light as a feather. At that moment, she was as happy as a young love-sick girl who just received a gift from the love of her life. "You look great." Luke looked at her and nodded. Bianca was the apple of his eye. The two spent half an hour strolling in the garden. When Bianca got tired, Luke bridal-carried her the whole way to the hotel. The five-star hotel was extremely luxurious. The room she was in had a huge round waterbed surrounded byyers andyers of blooming roses. The sheer white curtain added a sense of mystique to it. Bianca could not help but marvel at the exquisite design of this hotel. She was curious about how the roses in the room were so vibrant. As an architect, whenever she went to a new ce, the first thing she paid attention to was the design style and concept. It served as an endless source of inspiration for her designs and helped her ovee her shorings by learning from other''s strengths. While Bianca was studying the unique design of the hotel, Luke was talking to a mysterious man in a room on the top floor, i "Wee back." Apanied by a crisp clink of wine sses, Luke said in a clear and cold voice, "How does it feel to step into the embrace of your home country again?" A ck shadow stood in front of the French window. The figure was long and thin. When he turned around, a shocking face was brought into view. The right half of his face was as beautiful as an angel, but the left half of his face was hideous and disfigured as if it had been burned by a raging fire. It was as ugly as a demon. "It feels great to be home..." The man¡¯s low and raspy voice was unexpectedly pleasant, but the expression on his face was extremely cold. "... but the show is yet to start." Lukeidzily on the couch as he looked at the man¡¯s gloomy face. He shook his wine ss, and a smile appeared on his face, "It¡¯s not easy to break you out, Gordan. I didn¡¯t do it to see your sour face. ¡¯ The man named Gordan Norton nced at Luke. He was not bothered with small talk. He lit a cigarette and raised his eyebrows. ''Tell me, what can I do for you?" Luke said rather caringly, "Don''t smoke so much, in case you get lung cancer." Gordan did not even lift his gaze. He puffed out smoke casually and said," Haven''t you heard? Those who are kind don¡¯t live long, and the evil ones tend to live forever. I¡¯m not a good person, so your curse won''t work on me. Luke smiled and said nothing. Gordan was as rampant and conceited as ever. Although Gordan looked very young, he was not ordinary. His greatest strength was not his wealth but his extremely high IQ. As the youngest wanted criminal in the world, he was the legendary fraudster forever etched in FBI history. Gordan was extremely proficient in anti-reconnaissance. He could easily disguise as various characters, and the police could not catch him. In his most thrilling adventure, Gordan¡¯s whereabouts were unfortunately exposed. Countless police officers raised their guns to surround him, but no one would have thought that at the veryst moment, he disguised himself as an FBI agent. With his extraordinary acting skills, he managed to escape. Another time, Gordan decided to wash his hands of financial fraud. However, he led a reckless life. At one point, he impregnated the mistress of a local crime lord and was chased by the mobsters. The angry and humiliated crime lord mobilized all his men to find him and ruined half of Gordan''s handsome face. He was going to blow up Gordan¡¯s head with a bullet when Luke, who was on a business trip abroad, met him by chance, i After he found out that he was the infamous Gordan Norton, Luke spent arge sum of money to pay off the crime lord and saved his life. Gordan had always been cynical and ustomed to being carefree. He was not grateful toward Luke. Instead, Gordan made Luke an offer. To pay off Luke''s kindness, he would perform three favors for Luke within his capabilities. After these three things werepleted, they would stay out of each other''s way. Enigmatically, Luke agreed to it. He was a shrewd businessman. He knew that Gordan was a genius whose mind was not in the right ce. If Gordan used his abilities to do good, the ransom would be repaid a hundred, if not a thousand fold. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Luke said, "It''s not a big deal. Considering that you have been idle, why note to mypany to work? We need someone to develop the market in South America. You¡¯ll be the general manager to lead the market expansion there." Gordan shrugged and took a few puffs of his cigarette. He slowly exhaled the smoke, and there was a slight irritation in his tone. "You know I''m never a stickler for the rules. If you want me to work in an office, you¡¯d be taking away my freedom. Can¡¯t I do another favor for you, Mr. Crawford?" Lukeughed. Just as the rumors went, Gordan did not want to be bound However, he did not mind it. As long as Gordan can generate profit for hispany, everything else was trivial. Gordan was not sure what Luke wasughing at, but he looked at the handsome and extraordinary man in front of him and remained baffled. Who would have thought that the man was the Cold-Faced Devil that ruled the corporate world? Of course, Luke did not get the title because of his looks, but because of his ruthless behavior. The man was beautiful and had a gentle smile, but when he faced the murderous crime lord, he negotiated with him with a calm smile the whole time. Gordon felt humiliated when he saw how deceiving Luke could be... After Luke was doneughing, he looked into Gordan''s eyes and said seriously, "Mr. Norton, you don''t have to follow the rules like the other employees, and you don''t have to go into the office from 9 to 5. You only need to turn up every day to handle some simple tasks. You are free to set your own schedule or work from home, as long as the task can bepleted. Of course, you shall be handsomely compensated." Luke gave him a generous offer that no one could refuse, especially when Gordan needed money... Chapter 449 Chapter 449 If You Kiss Me Again, I Will Not Hold Back! Sure enough, Gordan only thought about it for a second before he agreed to Luke''s request. After all, he did need the money. Although he had obtained a lot of money through illegal means, he spent all his money extravagantly. He had nothing in his savings ount and was heavily in debt. However, he could not help but ask curiously, "Thank you, Mr. Crawford, for your trust in me, but aren''t you afraid that I will be a fraudster and swindle all of yourpany¡¯s assets as I have done before?" Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Luke smiled confidently and said, "Mr. Norton, if you have the ability to do so, you can go ahead." He looked like he was joking, but his gaze locked into him. The sharp prating look in his eyes was obvious. The look in his eyes seemed gentle, but Gordan felt a chill. Then, he remembered what he found out about Luke when he looked into himst time. Even if Luke''s smile looked like a spring breeze and was as warm as sunshine, he always surprised his enemies by how mercilessly he could get as he exploited and dismantled them. No one ever expected that he could be that ruthless. He grew a smallpany on the verge of bankruptcy to a world-renownedpany in a short few years. No one would believe that he was innocent and harmless. Gordan''s joking expression changed and the terrifying face appeared serious. He raised his ss to Luke and said, "Here''s to a happy partnership, Mr. Crawford!" "Here''s to you too!" Luke knew that if he could control Gordan, he would be a useful gun in his hand and help him bring back countless prey. At the same time, there was a certain risk. Gordan was a mad and rebellious man who might go out of control. Luke was taking a risk, and he believed that he would not be wrong about Gordan. When Luke returned to the hotel room, Bianca was lying on the exquisite couch in the room and flipping through a magazine. She was curled up on the couch with her head down. She looked quiet and gentle. There was a rose petal in her hair, but Bianca did not notice it. She quietly sat there looking like a daffodil stained with blood-colored dewdrops, innocent and seductive. Someone of Luke''s status had seen many women who were more beautiful than Bianca, but he had never been with a woman like her, someone who gave him a peaceful and quiet feeling. Luke hugged Bianca, who was fascinated by the magazine she was reading. He moved her to hisp, then smiled and said, "What are you so fascinated with?" "Ah...did your friend leave?" Bianca found a comfortable position and cuddled upto Luke. "Yeah, I asked him to leave. Rest here and we''ll head back to A City in a while. Are you hungry? Should I order you something to eat?" Luke and Bianca crossed their fingers, heads touching. They were being extremely intimate. He knew that since Bianca became pregnant, her appetite seemed to have grown a lot, and she would often cry out from being hungry. Bianca pointed to the half-eaten tiramisu and custard on the te. "No need for that, a waiter brought desserts just now, and I ate a lot of it. By the way, I just read a magazine and it mentioned something about palmistry. Luke, let me see your palm." She then grabbed Luke''s palm and studied it carefully. His hands were white and toned as if carved out of ivory. The lines on the man''s hand representing career and wisdom were deep and long, almost spanning the entire palm. Bianca couldn''t help but eximed, "Your emotion, career, and wisdom lines are deep and long. This is the first time I have seen a palm as such. In general, your life has been rtively smooth-sailing. Whenever you encounter any hardship, you will get out of it in one piece. Um...I want to take a good look at your emotion line. Your emotion line extends between the index finger and the middle finger, which shows that you have a good character and can fullymit to a rtionship. However, the lines here are a bit messy, which proves that you have great luck with the opposite sex. Overall, it''s pretty good!" Thinking of this man''s luck with the opposite sex, Yvonne Gideon, Leia Norman, Mavis Laviere came to mind... Bianca had a headache thinking about it. Why was this man so attractive to the opposite sex? Luke looked at Bianca''s unhappy face and coaxed her, ¡¯It''s fine. Only those men who have no self- control will cheat. I promise I will not. Besides, my wife is nothingpared to any of those childish women. I''m so happy with you in my life.¡¯ Bianca was warmed by his words, but she shyly said, "Who is your wife? We are not married yet, I''m not your wife...¡¯ The two of them were so immersed in their intimacy, and no one noticed that on Luke''s sturdy left palm, the emotion line was entangled with his life line. They crossed over in the middle of the life line, extending until the end of his palm... 1 After talking about palmistry, they moved on to their wedding schedule. Bianca suddenly thought of the nightmare she had the night before. In the dream, she and Luke could not go through with the wedding because he disappeared suddenly on the wedding day. She was in all white, standing alone in the church, bearing everyone''s ridicule and criticism. Bianca was a little uneasy and told Luke of her nightmare. Luke heard her dream andforted her for a while, he even jokingly said, "How could I let you go to the wedding alone? Absolutely not! Dreams and reality are often the opposite. Maybe I''ll be the one who''s abandoned. No, such a situation will never happen! We''ll be able to get married without a hitch. I will not let anything happen to our wedding. Don''t think too much about it." He kissed Bianca''s forehead again and again, then ced her on the big bed. He turned her back to him and hugged her soft and fragrant body tightly from behind. The man buried his head in her swan-like neck and tried to get a good rest. He was sleepy as he did not have much rest. After he returned, there would be a lot of tricky matters waiting for him to deal with. He was at his most rxed when she was in his arms. At this moment, he just wanted to hold her and get a good rest. Bianca was relieved when he heard Luke''s vows. She felt the warmth of his skin on hers. Thinking that she had two months left until she became his bride, she turned over to face him again with excitement. She kissed his forehead, eyebrows, eyes, nose, and even his stubble. Bianca''s kiss was moist and sweet. She kissed him,id in his arms, and slept peacefully. However, in a short while, she would do the same thing again. She kissed him again, thenid down like a mischievous little girl. That went on for a while. Finally, Luke was turned on, and he pinned her under his body. He said somewhat threateningly, "If you kiss me again, I will not hold back!" Bianca begged for mercy. When sheid obediently in his arms, Luke kissed her little face and hugged her in his arms. Then, he closed his eyes... Chapter 450 Chapter 450 Give This To Bianca! On the other side of things, Charmaine invited Leia to a party for young male and female socialites. At first, Leia did not bother to go over, but she was determined to get even with Charmaine for giving her the drug that made her lose her virginity to the wrong person! The party was held in a luxurious private room at a nightclub. As soon as Leia entered, she heard the loud music and smelled the alcohol. There was a circr stage with a steel pole in the middle of the room. Charmaine danced like an elegant snake. She twisted her slender waist in perfect sync with the music. Her excessive makeup made her look even more seductive. She made bold dance moves, which aroused the men''s desires. Leia''s makeup looked naturalpared to Charmaine''s. She caught everyone''s attention as she walked through the crowd. She looked even more beautiful than she was on the screen. The other women with their heavy makeup and morous looks were outshone by her innocent looks. As she walked through the crowd, many men were fascinated by Leia and could not keep their eyes off her. Most of those present were socialites in the same social circle, so they recognized the famous Leia. They greeted her diligently and eagerly. "Ms. Norman is here. What a rare guest..." "Hello everyone." Leia nodded politely to everyone. Her aura and behavior impressed the men. Her demeanor was different from the other arrogant rich girls, which deepened their affection and admiration for her. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Leia had a smile on her face, but in her heart, she despised those men. Those men were rich, but it was all family money. They were good-for- nothing yboys. Of course, there were some handsome ones among them, but Leia could not be bothered. Her partner had to be the creme de creme in terms of wealth and power. Those trust fund babies do not know anything except for eating, drinking, having fun, and dating. "You''re here, Leia. I didn''t expect that someone of your status woulde to my party. I''m so happy!" Charmaine saw Leia and got off the stage. She took Leia''s hand enthusiastically and said, "You look so beautiful today!" Charmaine tried her best to make herself look like she was good friends with Leia. Leia was the only daughter of Mr. Norman, and she was pampered from a young age. Charmaine, the illegitimate daughter of the Weish Family, was nothingpared to Leia. Although her father loved her just as much, she was still looked down upon by many socialites because of her embarrassing status. However, since she got close to Leia, her status and connections had improved. Charmaine was happier than anyone else that Leia came to her party. Leia stared at Charmaine''s charming face. She hid her resentment and said with a smile, "You also look very beautiful today." Immediately after, Leia moved next to Charmaine''s ears and whispered, "I have something to discuss with you. Can we find somewhere quiet to talk?" Of course, Charmaine went with Leia''s request. She took Leia to the room next door and did not notice that Leia had a terrifying look on her face... Just as Charmaine and Leia entered the other room, Leia quickly locked the door. Suddenly, Charmaine had a bad feeling. "Leia, what do you have to say to me? Why do we have to come to another room? Why is it locked..." Before Charmaine could finish talking, a loud p echoed as her neck jerked to the side. Only when she felt a throbbing pain on her face and tasted blood, she recovered from the shock and covered her face. Leia had pped her! She stared at Leia''s contorted face in shock. Charmaine held her red and swollen face and asked, "Why did you hit me, Leia?" Leia sneered and said, "Why did I hit you? Don''t you know why? The drug you gave me is fake! I spiked Luke Crawford with that drug, but when I woke up, another man was lying beside me!" Charmaine stared at Leia and said, "That can''t be, Leia. I''ve used it several times and it always works. I swear to you, if I am lying to you, I would be hit by a car as soon as I step out of here!" Charmaine did not seem to be lying. Leia hesitated for a while but still did not believe her. "If what you said is true, why did such a mistake happen?" Although she felt a burning sensation on her face, Charmaine endured the hatred she felt for Leia and said patiently, "Think about it, Leia. Did you spike the wrong person? That drug has powerful psychedelic properties and can cause people to hallucinate when it is airborne. Did you identally remove the lid halfway through?" Leia knew that there was something wrong with that night, but she could not remember exactly what had happened. However, the fact was that Wayne had vited her, and she med Charmaine for it! Leia gritted her teeth and said in disgust, "It''s useless, I can''t remember anything... But if it wasn''t for you, how could I be vited by another man? You wanted to kill me!" When Charmaine saw how hysterical Leia seemed, sheughed up her sleeve secretly. She really wanted to open the door and let thedies outside see Leia''s true colors. The beloved princess was secretly a devil behind closed doors. The thought left her head as quickly as it came. Charmaine pretended to wipe her tears and said sadly, "Leia, don''t you know how much I care for you? You are my best friend. How could I ever hurt you?" Then, she continued to coax Leia patiently, "It''s just a membrane, Leia. Why are you so bothered? Now that medical technology is so advanced, you can go to a hospital and get it fixed..." Leia''s bleak eyes lit up as she said, "It can be repaired?" "Of course!" Although Charmaine felt disdained at how Leia wanted to act innocent and pure, she still had to maintain her rtionship with her. "I know a famous doctor who is very skilled in that kind of surgery and has a 100% sess rate. Leia, I can introduce you to her. I have to take some responsibility for this. I want to make it up to you, I¡¯m willing to do anything you want me to do!" Leia felt better hearing that. She looked at Charmaine''s morous face carefully and a smile suddenly appeared. "Beautiful, your face is so beautiful...I want you to seduce a man... At the same time, take this and give it to a woman named Bianca Rayne in T Corporation..." After she said that, Leia stuffed a shiny CD into Charmaine''s hand... Chapter 451 Chapter 451 How Could She Miss Out On the Opportunity? Charmaine frowned and looked at the CD in Leia''s hand. She did not ask any questions and grabbed it. She chuckled and said, "I''ll go through hell and high water for you." Giving a woman a CD was a small matter for Charmaine. The most important thing to her was appeasing Leia so that they would maintain a friendly rtionship. If she did not have Leia in her corner, she would not be epted that easily among the socialites. Leia whispered something in Charmaine''s ear again to tell her what to do. Before Leia left, she gave Charmaine a threatening look as she said, ¡¯ Remember, don¡¯t mess this up. Otherwise, I''ll make sure that you''re shunned by all your friends!" Charmaine was intimidated by Leia¡¯s words. She was a nobody. If Leia wanted to find fault with her, she would not know how to keep her foothold within the circle. Charmaine continued to fawn over Leia. She gestured her two thumbs up and swore, "Trust me on this, Leia. I will do this for you! How dare that woman snatch your crush? Your love rival is my enemy... Give me some time, you''ll definitely be satisfied with the oue." When Leia got Charmaine¡¯s assurance, she gave a faint reply. Seeing that Leia was not as angry, Charmaine continued to ask, "By the way, Leia, who do you want me to seduce?" "Wayne tt, the youngest son of the tt family!" Leia felt a pang of hatred when she mentioned his name. "Wayne...tt?" Charmaine tried her best to recall the names of the male socialites. As if flipping through a phone book, after a few minutes, her eyes suddenly brightened and she remembered who Wayne tt was! The tts were an extraordinary family who held high positions in the military and political circles. The eldest son was a politician and the second son was a businessman. The youngest son was in special forces all year round, and he was rarely seen in public. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. There was one time that she was fortunate enough to have met Wayne. He appeared tall and mighty. His rugged image left a deep impression on her. When she thought of Wayne''s sturdy body and bulging muscles, Charmaine got excited. Besides, it was hard to be close with the tts. If she managed to seduce the youngest son of the tt family, however... Immediately, Charmainebed her bangs and said, "Don''t worry about it, leave everything to me. I promise to deliver on my promise to you, but..." Seeing how she readily agreed to her request, Leia thought to herself,'' Charmaine is such a sl*t!'' "But what?" She asked. Charmaine said embarrassingly, "The third son of the tt family is not home all year round and his whereabouts are fairly uncertain. Even if I wanted to seduce him, where can I find him?" Leia herself was not sure about Wayne¡¯s whereabouts. She thought about it for a moment and said, "You don¡¯t have to worry about it. I''ll let you know when Wayne returns to A City. Charmaine, the tt family is one of the best in A City. I''ve created this opportunity for you, but it''s all up to you whether you can captivate Wayne''s heart and be the daughter-inw of the tt family." Charmaine nodded ecstatically and said, ''If I can be a member of the tt family, I will never forget your kindness toward me, Leia." Leia looked at how hard Charmaine tried to tter her. She felt disgusted in her heart. "That''s it for today. I have something else to do, I will contact you in a few days. Remember, you must give the CD to Bianca." After Charmaine gave her assurance again, Leia left. When Charmaine could no longer see her, Leia sneered. The CD would fall into Bianca''s hands through Charmaine. Even if something happened, all the me would be directed at Charmaine, and it would have nothing to do with Leia. In the corridor, Charmaine looked at Leia¡¯s haughty back, her previous ttery turned into disdain. She spat in Leia¡¯s direction. ''Who does she think she is?! She''s just an orphan fortunate enough to be adopted by Mr. Norman. How precious and noble does she think she is?¡¯ T Corporation. Bianca, who had always been very efficient, felt restless at work today. She had a bad feeling. In a daze, she handed over the design drafts that she had been working on over thest two days to Be. Bianca rubbed her eyes and sighed softly. She felt that her body had gotten much weaker after she got pregnant. Nina, who sat opposite of her, saw that Bianca did not look too well. She put down her work and asked caringly, "You don''t look too good Bea. Are you okay? Maybe you should take the day off." Bianca endured the ufortable feeling she felt and smiled at her reluctantly. "I¡¯m fine..." Before she could finish her words, she heard a pair of high heels walking toward her. That was followed by Be''s angry voice. "Bianca, is this the design draft that you submitted?" Be threw a design draft at Bianca''s face and looked displeased. Bianca hurriedly took the design draft and flipped through it. "Yes, Be, this is the design draft that I submitted." "What were you thinking?! The thickness of the load-bearing wall is marked incorrectly. How careless can you be?! How can you call yourself an employee of T Corporation?! Fortunately, I noticed your mistake before it was sent to the customer. If the design is handed over to the customer and they follow through with it, can you bear the consequences if the building copses?" As Be continued to criticize her, Bianca found the page of the loadbearing wall and realized that she didbel it wrong. She had ced the decimal point in the wrong position. It might only be one decimal point, but it was already a fatal error for an architect. Bianca was in a cold sweat, and she was also grateful that Be had noticed her mistake. Otherwise, the consequences could be severe. She lowered her head and whispered an apology to Be, "I''m sorry, Madam, I won''t make that mistake again." Be''s furious gaze swept across Bianca''s petite face, and she continued to criticize her without restraint. "The design n does not allow any room for error. Do you know how much a mistake as such would cause thepany in terms of losses? Are you a pig, Bianca?" Since Bianca entered T Corporation, Be had tried to pick on Bianca by every means possible. She stared at her like a poisonous snake all day, trying to pick out her mistakes, but Bianca had been very careful. She had never made a single mistake since she joined T Corporation, which infuriated Be. Now, after finally catching a mistake that Bianca made, how could she let go of the opportunity to humiliate her? Chapter 452 Chapter 452 Luke¡¯s Questioning! Be screamed at Bianca mercilessly. Bianca was flushed red, but she could do nothing but endure Be''s screaming. After all, she did make a mistake. She wanted to give herself a few tight ps when she thought of the potentially fatal mistake that she made. ''Why didn''t I pay attention when I was working? How can I make such a stupid mistake after working for so long?'' With both her fists clenched, Bianca assured Be, "I''m sorry, Be, I swear this kind of mistake will never happen again, please trust me." Be continued screaming at her, "You are nothing but a pretty face! Don''t be so smug just because of your minor achievements. Do you think you can do whatever you want just because you have someone behind you? An irresponsible employee like you should resign voluntarily. My department is not a ce for good-for-nothings!" Seeing that Bianca was beaten down to nothing, Sue immediately got fired up. She stood up from her seat and defended Bianca, "Be, I trust that our colleagues are well aware of Bianca''s capabilities. She has been giving her all since she joined our department. In the past six months or so, she has never made any mistakes. Instead, because of her outstanding and innovative designs, we have received endless orders. How can you deny her of her efforts?" Nina stood up too. "Be, the management is well aware of the revenue that Bianca has created for the corporation, but you verbally tear her down just because she made a single mistake. Don''t you think that you''ve gone overboard? Many neers have made more mistakes than Bianca, some even more serious than this one, and I have never seen you embarrass them like this.'' Nina''s words were somewhat ironic. It was true that every neer to T Corporation''s design department would eventually make a mistake, no matter how careful they might be. Although Be would criticize them, she had never been so rude and mean. If people who witnessed the scene did not know that they had a superior and subordinate rtionship, they might think that they were enemies! Sue and Nina rattled on and on like two muskets. To be honest, they knew that it was unwise to call out their superior in the workce. If Be wanted to make their lives hard, she could have deducted their bonuses and allowances. In serious cases, they would even lose their jobs. However, Sue and Nina were not afraid. One reason was that they were Bianca¡¯s friends, and Bianca had backing in top management. On top of that, they genuinely thought that Bianca was doing a great job. Just because she made a mistake, she was ridiculed and insulted by Be in public. They would not let it slide. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. The employees of the design department stopped their work and watched the drama unfold. Everyone knew that Bianca was romantically involved with Mr. Crawford. How dare Be scream at Bianca like this? Was she not afraid that Bianca wouldin to the CEO and have her fired? Be was furious that her subordinates spoke out against her in front of so many people. She sneered as he said, "Well done, all of you! Bianca made a mistake, and you chose to be on her side instead of correcting her!" After she said that, Be threw the folder in her hand on the desk and went to Mavis''s office. However, to her annoyance, Ms. Laviere was not in her office. Be hated Bianca and disliked Sue and Nina, Bianca''s best friends at work. Now that they were united against her, Be hated all of them. After Be left, everyone went back to their work. "Bianca, why are you swallowing your anger? Why didn''t you say anything when Be screamed at you like that? You are making yourself an easy target." Nina did not understand why Bianca behaved as such. Bianca smiled bitterly as she said, "I did make a mistake and I should be criticized. I don''t have any grounds to retaliate." Sue wanted to tell Bianca to stand up for herself, but after seeing how pliant she was, she thought maybe Bianca was ufortable because she was just scolded. So, she patted Nina on the shoulder and signaled her to be quiet. The two of them gave Bianca space to calm down. Bianca was not sure why, but she had an ominous feeling that something was going to happen. Therefore, she was careless when she was working, which led to the mistake that she made. After that, Bianca put aside her anxious thoughts and forced herself to not overthink. She continued her drawing, but she continued to make mistakes on simple tasks... Her mind was not on the task at hand. For the first time in forever, Bianca had the idea of going to the CEO''s office to look for Luke. Usually, Luke would be the one taking the initiative to call her whenever he wanted to see her. She wondered if she should go over... Finally, Bianca decided to send him a message. Bianca downloaded a cute emoticon package. She chose a cute GIF with the words "Love and Kisses" and sent it to Luke... However, that did not improve Bianca''s mood. In the CEO''s office. Mavis stood by Luke''s desk and reported on her work in Western Europe. "Mr. Crawford, the projects in Western Europe have beenpleted. Last month, the team that I led sessfully signed a $700 million deal with the British AC Design Group. It''s a good way to start the new year." "Not bad. How do you want to be rewarded? As long as I can do it, I will definitely say yes." Luke looked at Mavis, a glimmer of appreciation shed through his eyes. He had always been generous in terms of mary rewards for the employees who had made significant contributions to the Corporation. Mavis hesitated for a while and finally said what was in her heart, "Mr. Crawford, I want to be transferred back to the Headquarters. Can I?" She worked so hard toplete the tasks that he assigned to her, not only to prove that she was good enough to be with him but more importantly, she wanted to be by his side instead of being pushed farther and farther away. Mavis''s gaze revealed how desperate she was to transfer back to the T Corporation headquarters. She stared straight into Luke''s eyes, which made him squint slightly. He could not figure out why Ms. Laviere was so excited to be transferred. Suddenly, Luke thought of thece panties that showed up in his car unexpectedly a few months ago. It had caused a rift in his rtionship with Bianca. The trust between them crumbled because of that. Luke probed, "Ms. Laviere, when you rode in my car thest time, did you leave any personal belongings in my car?" Mavis became nervous when she heard what he said. Her heart raced as she thought to herself, ''Luke, he...he doesn''t know anything, right?¡¯ Chapter 453 Chapter 453 You Can Kiss and Hug Me All You Want Once I''m Home Mavis was mentally strong. In the face of Luke''s piercing gaze, she kept a cold smile on her face, even though her chest felt tense. She knew how shrewd Luke was. She dared not lie to him, so she admitted it graciously. "Yes, Mr. Crawford. When I sat in your car the last time, I went to the convenience store and bought some lingerie, but when I got home, one piece was missing. I didn''t dare to ask you about it. After all, it is lingerie, and I felt awkward..." The always capable and cold Mavis showed a rare feminine look of embarrassment when she spoke of it. Seeing Mavis admitting it generously without the slightest concealment, Luke was less suspicious. If there had been any seed of doubt, it was now gone. He even thought it was funny that Bianca had made such a fuss about an unidentified piece of women''s clothing. His woman was good in everything but possessive in her feelings. However, he loved her and doted on her. He could let her have her way and tolerate everything about her. i Mavis had worked for him for years. Luke knew how good she was at her job. Ms. Laviere was one of the top executives in thepany who had generated the most wealth for the company with her dedication to work. However, she did not seem interested in men and was very deferential to him. It never urred to Luke that his female subordinate had any other thoughts for him. "I see. So it was an oversight.1'' Luke nodded in an enlightened way. Mavis felt relieved when she heard him say that. "I hope you don''t make the same mistake again, Ms. Laviere. I hate having other people''s personal belongings in my car, especially women''s lingerie. That can create misunderstandings." Mavis''s body and nerves tensed up. Hearing that, Mavis, who knew his character well, knew that the CEO would not pursue the matter further and breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, Mr. Crawford." Clever as she was, she would only use such a dirty trick once. She would not allow the same thing to repeat. "Okay." Luke stopped looking at her and went back to his work. Mavis did not leave immediately but looked at him with fascination as he worked hard. While Luke reviewed the documents, his phone suddenly beeped, indicating that a message had arrived. Seeing that it was a message from Bianca, he unprecedentedly put away the work at hand and opened the messenger app. When Luke saw the cute GIF that Bianca sent him, a gentle smile appeared on the corners of the man''s stiff lips. Then he replied to Bianca''s message. Luke: [Okay, you can kiss and hug me all you want once I''m home.] Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. After thinking about it, Luke sent a smirking emoticon. Luke''s expression softened as he thought of Bianca''s expression upon receiving the message. 1 Mavis was shocked by Luke''s sudden change in expression. In her eyes, Luke was incisive, cold, fierce, resolute, and decisive. He had never shown an expression like that... Mavis tilted her head a little to stealthily see who Luke was talking to, but she saw a cute profile photo with the remark "Darling". ''Darling?'' As if a bolt of thunder had struck her heart, Mavis was frightened and panicked! When did Luke get so close to that woman that he even called her" Darling?" Mavis''s eyes suddenly became blurred. Her heart seemed to be weighed down by a thousand pounds of stone that left her breathless. She froze in front of Luke¡¯s desk, just like a wooden sculpture, unable to move. Her eyes misted up as if tears would fall in the blink of an eye. Luke looked up and saw Mavis standing in front of his desk. He asked aloud, "Ms. Laviere? Is there anything else?" The man''s deep, maic voice woke Mavis, who realized her misdemeanor. Concealing her sad eyes, Mavis smiled like usual. "Sorry, Mr. Crawford. I''m good, bye for now." Turning to leave, she dared not look at his handsome face that was indifferent to her. It was a face that doted on another woman but bore no gentleness for her. Soon, it was time to get off work. Luke had to work overtime. He wanted the driver to take Bianca home, but she insisted on waiting for him to go home together. Luke was afraid that the pregnant Bianca would be hungry, so he sent her to a famous dessert cafe near thepany and asked her to wait there. The dessert cafe wasrge and crowded. The environment was veryfortable. The cafe had a variety of desserts that were unique and beautiful. Their food had an appetizing milky fragrance. Bianca sat on a window seat and savored their signature stroopwafel. The stroopwafel had a hard and crispy exterior. The outside was roasted with ayer of snow-colored syrup, while the inside was filled with caramel and honey. It tasted sweet but not cloying. As Bianca ate her dessert, Charmaine walked in with her shades on. Charmaine had kept her eye on Bianca since Leia gave her the secret mission. Since it was a secret, Charmaine would not stupidly go to T Corporation and openly look for Bianca. Instead, she chose to spy on her every move and try to find the best opportunity tomunicate with her alone. She did not expect herself to be so lucky as to find her alone in the dessert cafe on the first day of surveince. Remembering Leia''s enticing offers, Charmaine pushed open the ss door of the cafe, and her tall figure walked in. Charmaine sat down opposite of Bianca, which astounded her. "Ms. Rayne, Bianca Rayne?" Charmaine took her shades off and revealed a gorgeous face. Looking at the woman dressing so fashionably it made her look rather gaudy, Bianca asked in confusion, "I''m Bianca Rayne. May I ask who you are?" Charmaine sized up Bianca''s smooth, fair face and lit a cigarette in front of her. She said bluntly, "You don''t need to know who I am, but I want you to leave Luke." Bianca had been very sensitive to the smell of cigarettes since she was pregnant. She was already upset when the strange woman smoked freely in front of her. After hearing what Charmaine said, she looked vacantly at the woman opposite as if she had been injected with anesthetic. ''Who is this woman? Why is she asking me to leave Luke?'' Chapter 454 Chapter 454 Bianca Felt Sweet And Intoxicated Bianca stared at Charmaine and did not let herself lose her cool. Her gentle eyes were cold. She took a sip of milk. "I don''t know who you are, Miss. I don''t know if you''re Luke''s secret admirer or if you''ve had some feud with him in the past, but I can tell you this for certain. I''ll never leave him unless he asks me to. Who are you to make me leave him?'' Charmaine narrowed her eyes as she looked at the calm Bianca, and her smoking hand paused. The girl in front of her was graceful and pretty. She looked nice, but she had a sharp tongue and spoke on point. She could not be underestimated. It made Charmaine feel as powerless as if she was punching cotton. Charmaine blew a smoke ring. She picked up a dessert from the table and unceremoniously stuffed it into her mouth. "Not bad. This caramel pudding is delicious." Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. The woman who appeared out of nowhere made Bianca lose her appetite. She got up gracefully and looked down at Charmaine from amanding position. "Take your time with these desserts if you like them. I''m leaving." Perhaps it was her unlucky day to meet that lunatic. It was dinner rush hour in the evening, and there were many people in the dessert cafe. However, Bianca sat alone in a remote corner with a certain distance from the other tables and was covered by green nts. Therefore, the other people did not pay much attention to them. Bianca grabbed her bag to leave. Charmaine stretched out her long leg and blocked her way. "What''s the matter? Are you feeling guilty that you dare not talk to me face to face? You don''t have what it takes to be with Luke. Can''t you look at yourself in the mirror?" Bianca nced at Charmaine. There seemed to be a smile in her eyes, but the depths of her eyes were cold. She said sarcastically, ''I might not have what it takes, but Luke loves me anyway. You''re not good enough to go after Luke either, so aren''t you worse than me?¡± "You..." The smile on Charmaine''s face froze after being mocked. She did not expect Bianca to be so stubborn, so she immediately showed her true colors. "Bianca, don''t be shameless. If you''re smart, leave Luke of your own ord. Otherwise, I''ll submit this to the Public Integrity Committee!" Charmaine fiddled with the CD in her hand. Bianca looked at the CD. A sense of foreboding rising in her heart. She tried to grab it, but Charmaine purposely dodged, and she failed. Charmaine held the CD between her index and middle fingers and blew arge smoke ring at Bianca. ''The stuff on this CD is about Luke. I guarantee you''ll be interested in the contents... Ms. Rayne, I¡¯ve made more than one copy of this CD! I''ll only give you two months to leave Luke before May 1st. Otherwise, if I get upset and turn it in, you should know how serious things can get.¡¯ With that, Charmaine threw the CD onto the table. She twisted her dainty waist and stepped away on her high heels. Bianca nkly picked up the CD. She paused for a moment and slipped it into her handbag. No longer in the mood to savor desserts, Bianca felt a rush of panic. ''Who the hell is that woman? Why would she force me to leave Luke? ''Is she his admirer? Or did someone send her? What secret does the CD hold that made the woman so confident that I''ll leave Luke of my own ord?'' Endless questions kept pouring out that Bianca''s head felt like exploding. Just as she was distraught, Luke appeared. The man wore a suit and leather shoes, walking calmly and gracefully. His attire was so exquisite it was impable. Both his blue tie and white shirt exuded a hint of elegance. His demeanor was so elegant and mature that he caught the attention of the customers in the dessert cafe. When she saw Luke, Bianca, who was always quiet and reserved in front of others, threw herself into his arms. "Luke..." Bianca''s voice sobbed a little. The grievance she had suffered from Charmaine went out of control. Luke wrapped her in his strong arms. He lowered his head and buried his angr jaw in her fragrant hair. Then he kissed her tenderly on the forehead. ¡®What¡¯s wrong? Is the dessert here bad? Or did their service upset you? Let''s not eat here the next time, okay?¡± Seeing Bianca''s aggrieved expression, Luke thought she was bullied at the dessert cafe, and his expression immediately darkened. He was about to wave for the waiter when Bianca shook her head and snuggled quietly in his arms. "I''m fine. The desserts here are good, and the service here is great." Luke frowned disbelievingly. "But you''re upset." Her every move was on his radar because he loved her. Even a frown from her worried him. Bianca wanted to tell Luke that Charmaine hade to her, but on second thought, she should wait until she had seen the contents of the CD before making a decision. 3 He was already very busy with his work, and she would seem useless to bother him for such a trivial matter. So many women tried to court the man. If he had to deal with each one personally, would he have enough energy for anything else? She had to learn to outsmart all kinds of mistresses! As long as Luke loved her, she had nothing to fear! 1 There was no need to give up just because of a strange woman''s threat! Biancaughed at herself at the thought of that and suddenly felt motivated! Bianca turned to Luke and said a little sheepishly, "Maybe pregnant women are so moody because of hormones. Luke, if I''m too dramatic one day, will you be impatient or angry with me?" She waited with bated breath for Luke''s answer. Luke''s handsome and charming face was full of seriousness, and he said solemnly, "You are my baby. I will never be impatient with you." Bianca felt sweet and intoxicated. Her mood, which had been depressed because of Charmaine, was suddenly much better. Bianca was attracted by Luke''s expression and appearance. The man''s every move-even without speaking, just one look from him was the best sweet talk in the world. Besides, he said she was his baby. It made her giggle like a teenage girl... Bianca smiled. Her long eyshes were charming, and her eyes glimmered brightly like stars. Especially the light dimples on her cheeks made her delicate face seem more refined andpletely attracted Luke''s attention. Chapter 455 Chapter 455 Stunned By Luke''s Overbearing Words! Seeing Luke staring at her, Bianca joked with some embarrassment,'' What''s the matter? Why are you staring at me? Are there flowers on my face?" Luke came to himself. His dark, bottomless eyes were full of tenderness." You don''t have flowers on your face, but to me, you''re more beautiful than flowers." Bianca blushed. Luke chuckled and gave her a peck on the lips. Out of the corner of her eye, Bianca saw many customers in the dessert cafe, and among them were many children eating with their parents. That made her cheeks even hotter. "Stop it. We''re in public,'' said Bianca. Luke naturally knew that this was not the asion for intimacy. He pinched her nose; that was his favorite affectionate gesture toward her." Come on. Let''s go home." Luke apanied Bianca as they left the dessert cafe. A City was worthy of being an international metropolis. At night, the neon lights shone, and the heavy traffic was like the Milky Way. Everywhere was steeped in prosperity. Luke drove Bianca back to Crawford Manor. Today was the 15th. It was the day when the Crawford family would have dinner together again. He was going to take her home and tell his family that he was going to marry Bianca. Bianca had no idea about Luke''s ns. She was a little nervous. She felt depressed and ufortable every time she visited Crawford Manor. However, she had no choice. It was Luke''s house. Besides, Lanie and Rainie often stayed there. Despite her dislike of the ce, she had to learn to live with it. Crawford Manor¡¯s dining room was extravagantly furnished. It was still as depressing as ever when the family had their dinner, but it was better than in the past. Old Master Crawford was nicer to Bianca. Allison and Susan were just as cold toward her, but Bianca felt that she could ignore them. She fed her two children with great care as usual. Old Master Crawford, who had been secretly observing Bianca, became increasingly satisfied with her. ''Not bad. Bianca is a kind and gentle woman. Although her family background is not that great, her character and appearance are excellent. She is good enough to be my granddaughter-inw.¡¯ Halfway through the meal, Luke suddenly put down his cutlery, wiped his hands gracefully, and made a solemn announcement to his family. "I want to tell all of you something. Bianca and I are getting married on the 1 st of May." Other than the excited twins, the rest of the Crawford family were stunned. Old Master Crawford nced at Luke and said in a deep voice, "I won''t meddle in your affairs. As long as you won''t regret it." Allison finally came to herself and could no longer eat. She put her cutlery on the table and looked at Bianca fiercely. ¡¯No, I won''t allow it." Then she turned to Luke and said, "Son, you can date this woman, but I won''t allow you to marry her!" She still could not ept the fact that Bianca was going to be her daughter -inw. Because Bianca was pregnant and Allison wanted grandchildren, she turned a blind eye to their mess. However, she still harbored a grudge against Bianca. Allison nned to find a way to get rid of Bianca after she delivered the baby, and then she would choose a socialite with a good family background for her son to marry. Unexpectedly, her son was going to marry her in two months. How was that possible? Susan stared at Bianca''s stomach and said nothing, but the schadenfreude in her eyes was hard to conceal. Susan was a little dismissive. She did not think Luke was so negligent that he wanted to marry such a woman with no family background. Louis was going to marry a socialite of the same pedigree! Louis helped himself to some food. As he ate, he said, "Congrattions, Luke. You and Bianca have finally made it. I''ll be your best man." Allison gave Louis a murderous look. Louis was toozy to bother with Allison and ignored it. Allison tried hard to persuade Luke, "Son, it''s too early to get married on May 1st; it''s only less than two months away. You won¡¯t have time to make all the preparations. You''re my only son, and your wedding is important. If we don¡¯t make sure that it¡¯s perfect, the outsiders willugh at us. What do you think about having the wedding after Bianca''s baby is born?" Luke held Bianca''s hand and said firmly to everyone, "Grandfather, Mother, the reason for my presence today is to tell everyone the fact that I am going to marry Bianca. The wedding date is May 1st, and it will proceed with or without your consent. I wee you with open arms if you''re attending, and I won¡¯t hold it against you if you don''t want toe. I''ll hold a press conference to announce our wedding." The man''s velvety voice rang in the cavernous dining room. Everyone had different opinions when they heard it. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The Crawford family was stunned by Luke''s overbearing words, and there was a momentary silence in the dining room. Lanie and Rainie looked at their father with admiration and thought he was so cool. Even Great- grandpa, Grandma, and the others were afraid of him. The two kids happily ate a few more mouthfuls of pasta at the thought of their parents getting married... Old Master Crawford sighed. Unlike Luke¡¯s useless father, the boy had been strong-minded and overbearing since he was a child. Even he could not influence Luke¡¯s decisions. Seeing that his grandson was determined to marry Bianca, Old Master Crawford began to discuss with Luke the details of his May wedding with Bianca and the date to send the invitation to the Rayne family. After all, Luke was his eldest grandson, and everything had to be done ording to the rules. They could not embarrass the Crawford family or let outsiders make fun of them. Seeing that Old Master Crawford and Louis discussed the wedding with her son and turned a deaf ear to the opinions of his mother, Allison''s chest heaved with anger, and she lost her appetite. She imed that she was not feeling well and went upstairs, too fed up to give Bianca a second nce. At the dinner table, Old Master Crawford asked, "Bea, when are your grandpa and aunt free? Let''s have dinner together someday and send the invitation over..." Bianca sat on the dining chair in a trance. She still could not believe that all this was real. She thought it would be difficult for them to get married, but Old Master Crawford agreed to their marriage. While distracted, she did not hear Old Master Crawford''s question. It was not until Luke squeezed her little hand that Bianca came to her senses. "What? Grandpa, you called me?" Old Master Crawford, who was in a good mood because his grandson was getting married, did not notice Bianca''s distracted behavior. He said, "Pick a good date this month and let our two families have a meal together. Then we''ll send the invitation, and you and Luke will have your wedding on May 1st. Bea, when do you think your grandfather and aunt will be free?" Chapter 456 Chapter 456 Already A Wife-Doting Maniac Bianca was embarrassed to see Old Master Crawford, Luke, and Louis staring at her. She apologized to the old man. "Sorry, Old Master Crawford, I was thinking about something. I''ll go home over the weekend to ask my grandpa and aunt what they think and see when they''re free. I''ll let you know then, okay?" Old Master Crawfordughed loudly, "Okay, I''ll have dinner with my inws and go through the calendar for the best date for the engagement and send the invitation. We still have to go through the formalities.¡¯¡¯ The old man was superstitious about picking the perfect date. Luke naturally understood. His grandfather was supportive of his and Bianca''s marriage, so he was naturally happy. "We''ll do whatever you say, Grandfather. Bianca and I will get engaged as soon as possible and start on the preparations. Bea''s two months pregnant. We can wait, but your great-grandchild can''t wait." Old Master Crawford raised his walking stick and tapped his favorite grandson. "Jerk. You know they can''t wait, yet you still knocked her up before getting married. Take good care of Bea. I think she''s lost weight. She hasn''t been nourishing her body properly, has she?" Bianca was a little embarrassed. She had rounded out a lot since she was pregnant. With a sweet tooth and extra meals every day, she gained nearly thirteen pounds in just two months of pregnancy. Fortunately, she had always been thin so it was not that obvious. Bianca was a little worried. Would she be a plump penguin in her third trimester if she did not control her appetite? Hearing that Luke was used by his grandfather, Bianca said shyly, ¡¯ Grandpa, Luke takes good care of me. I eat a lot every day, which is enough to nourish the baby in my belly. Pregnant women cant eat too much, or they''ll give the baby too much nourishment, which may lead toborplications." Old Master Crawford''s eyes widened. "Really? My other old friends kept asking the caretakers to make all kinds of nutritious stews when their granddaughters-inw were pregnant so that their babies would be smart and healthy. Oh, I just started my business when your grandmother got pregnant. We weren¡¯t rich, and she suffered a lot with me, but I still managed to save money to buy her various supplements. Later, as expected, she gave me a chubby son." A deep nostalgia appeared on Old Master Crawford''s imposing face at the mention of his wife. However, at the thought of his useless only son Zachary, who had unfortunately died young, he sighed and said, "It''s a pity that Zach had a brilliant brain but didn''t use it in the right way and got into a lot of affairs. Fortunately, that ingrate gave me a wonderful grandson like you, Luke... Oh, it''s all a long time ago. Why did this old geezer bring it up? Luke, you have to protect and dote on a woman when she''s pregnant. You can''t let Bea suffer." Luke stared at Bianca with his long, narrow ck eyes and smiled silently. He grabbed Bianca''s hand tightly. "Grandfather, Bianca is my everything. I can¡¯t love her enough, much less let her suffer. Don''t worry. I''ll take good care of her and our children." The man''s warm gaze fell on Bianca''s gentle and beautiful petite face and on the twins, who were eagerly propping their cheeks and listening to their conversation. He felt that his years of waiting and keeping watch had been worth it. When the naughty and mischievous Louis saw his eldest brother looking at his sister-inw with great affection, he could not help joking, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Grandpa, look. Luke''s already a wife-doting maniac before marrying Bianca. Will he be a hen-pecked husband after getting married?" When Old Master Crawford heard what Louis said and saw the cheeky grin on his second grandson, he suddenly raised his walking stick high and hit him on the instep. "Your brother''s second child is two months along, and you''re still single. You can''t even find a wife. Aren''t you embarrassing the Crawford family?" "Oh, Grandpa. I''m only in my twenties. Can''t you show me mercy? Can you stop lecturing me in front of everyone every time? How embarrassing..." Louis yelled as his grandfather''s ''''execution staff" hit him. He jumped up from his seat like a monkey and fled far away. ''Jeez. The old man may be old, but he shows no mercy in hitting people with his walking stick.'' "Mommy, are you really marrying Daddy?" Rainie pulled Bianca by the hem of her shirt and asked again in disbelief. Bianca gently wiped the corner of her daughter''s lips with a tissue. "Yes, I''m marrying Daddy. When the timees, why don''t you and your brother be our flower girl and ring bearer?" "Of course!" Rainie nestled in Bianca''s arms like a little squirrel. She gave her brother a gesture of victory, and her cutesy voice was full of expectation. "Big Bro, we''re gonna be the flower girl and ring bearer for Mommy and Daddy. I''m so happy." Lanie snuggled up beside Bianca. The little guy did not say anything, but the grin on his handsome little face, showing a row of white teeth, revealed his happy mood. ''Mommy is marrying Daddy. Nothing makes me happier than this!'' Their marriage had gotten Old Master Crawford''s approval, and Bianca was in a good mood. The family of four returned to their private mansion. Bianca put her handbag down as she tidied the room. When she went to work the next day, Bianca had to carry arger document in her bag, so she changed to arger handbag. Looking at her watch, it was a littlete, so she hurried to thepany, even forgetting the CD she had put in her handbag earlier. Time flew by leisurely. Bianca''s work this week went well because she was in a good mood, and her rtionship with Luke was getting sweeter and sweeter. It was Saturday in the blink of an eye. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Bianca and Luke went to Old Master Rayne''s house with their two children. Because they had something to talk about, Bianca called Wanda in advance. When the family of four got to Old Master Rayne''s house, her aunt was already there. "We''re here to see you, Great-Grandpa and Great Aunt Wanda..." As soon as the two children arrived, Rainie threw herself into Old Master Rayne''s arms while Lanie kissed Wanda shyly. Holding his great-grandchildren whom he had not seen in days, Old Master Rayne was overjoyed. "I miss you so much, dear children. I miss you every day..." Holding Bianca''s hand, Old master Rayne told Wanda, "Wanda, hurry and get some food that Bea and Luke love. Bea loves fried chicken and grilled salmon. Buy more chicken and salmon. What does Luke love? Bea, tell your auntter so she can go buy them." The tall and handsome Luke stood elegantly in the living room. His modellike long legs made his presence imposing. He said gently to Old Master Rayne, "Grandpa, Aunt Wanda, don''t bother. Bianca and I are here to discuss our marriage with you. We''re getting married on the 1st of May." Chapter 457 Chapter 457 Luke''s Forceful Oath! Leaving The Marriage With Nothing "May 1st? So soon?¡± Old Master Rayne and Wanda said in unison. Even though he knew that Bianca was going to marry someday, Old Master Rayne was nheless ovee with emotion. His favorite granddaughter, who used to live with him and depended on him, was about to get married. He was so reluctant. The old man raised his trembling old hand and wiped the tears that had somehow appeared in the corner of his eyes. Bea, I know you''re going to get married sooner orter, and I''ve been looking forward to this day for a long time. But I''m reluctant when you do get married!¡¯ Old Master Rayne''s old eyes and those uncontroble tears made Bianca''s heart as heavy as a rock. The tip of her nose twinged, and she felt a lump in her throat. However, over the years, she had learned to control her emotions, so she did not cry in front of her grandfather. Bianca pulled out a tissue to wipe Old Master Rayne''s tears andforted him. "Grandpa, it doesn''t matter whether I''m married. We''re in the same city and not far from each other. I''lle to visit you whenever I''m free. Don''t be sad." Bianca had seen her grandfather suffer so much since she was little that she vowed to be filial to him. Wanda was holding Lanie as she tried tofort her father. "Dad, Bea''s old enough to get married. Even if she doesn''t get married now, she''ll be married in a few years anyway. Besides, there are not many good men like Luke, so we should be happy that Bea is marrying him." Old Master Rayne sighed and solemnly handed Bianca¡¯s hand over to Luke. Looking at the two children''s intimately held hands, Old Master Rayne said earnestly. "Boy, my granddaughter is a sensible girl. It''s just that she''s too sensitive sometimes, so you have to bear with her. You''re going to be a family. Be considerate to each other no matter what you encounter. And Bea, Luke''s busy with work, so social interactions for business are unavoidable. You''ll have to learn to understand. Luke, I''ll hand my granddaughter over to you now. I sincerely wish you a long life together." Luke went to help Old Master Rayne sit down on the couch. Facing the old man, the man''s forceful oath escaped his lips. "Grandpa, I promise to love Bianca with my life and to keep her safe forever. You can rest assured of that. After we marry, I''ll transfer all my personal property to Bianca. If one day I''ve done her wrong, I''ll leave the marriage with nothing to my name. What do you think?" 1 Wanda was stunned. She never expected the young man to say such a thing. Luke was in charge of the entire T Corporation, so he naturally had a lot of money. Even the properties in his name were an unimaginable amount of wealth to themon people. If he did transfer them to her niece, would Bianca not be the richest woman in A City? She carefully sized up the man again. Luke''s sincere eyes were not mixed with the slightest falsehood, and in the depths of his eyes was deep affection for Bianca. Wanda felt that her niece was lucky for finding the right lover. Unlike herself, who got cheated by a man, lost her heart, and ended up...Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. She felt dejected. She stopped thinking about the unpleasant past and continued to y with the clever Lanie and Rainie. When Old Master Rayne heard that Luke was going to transfer property to his granddaughter after they married, he was amused. "What nonsense are you talking about? My granddaughter isn''t a materialistic woman. She''s just a silly girl that''s lucky to marry you. Tell me if she bullies you, I''ll help you teach her a lesson." Bianca looked at her grandfather resentfully. ''Am I not your granddaughter? Grandpa has already started favoring his grandson-inw ever before we are married. That''s a little unfair!'' Luke reached out to grab Bianca''s fingers and wrapped them in his palm. Bianca could feel the heat of the man''s palm. At the film studio. Leia was wearing a gorgeous period costume on set, and her hair was tied up in a bun. The period drama "Game of Beauty" was adapted from a popr online novel. It told the tragic love- hate story of a general and a female minister during World War 2. They were shooting the sixteenth scene of the period drama today, in which the general and female minister separated due to a misunderstanding. The female lead was taken to the pce by the royal mistress, who admired the male lead, and was pped for revenge. The general came in time to save her life. Their feelings for each other elevated, and they started their love affair. "Action! Silence throughout the set. All unnecessary crew in front of the camera, get out of here!" The director ordered everyone on the set with a loudspeaker. The set was soon restored to filming order. Shooting began. The royal mistress sent someone to take the female minister to the pce andmanded herdy- in-waiting and maid to p her hard. Of course, the person getting pped was a double for Leia. Leia was apanied by two assistants. One holding an umbre for her, while another peeled an apple. Leia enjoyed her assistants'' services as she watched the double act for her. Fortunately, the double''s acting was not bad, so the pping scene was quickly wrapped up. In the following scene, the male lead was heartbroken that the female lead was hurt. He took her back to his manor to take care of her and kissed her forcibly. There were a lot more close-ups in the scene, and Leia had to act herself. Leia''s costar had recently enjoyed a boost of fame. His acting wasmendable in the entertainment industry rampant with young actors. The actor''s looks and acting were on point. However, in Leia''s eyes, he could notpare to a hair on Luke''s head. She was indifferent to him and half-heartedly went through her scenes with him. The Leia on the director''s camera would only widen her eyes naively. The two people awkwardly acted together... The director cursed in his heart. He was so angry that he wanted to smash the camera! The producers had originally decided on another starlet who had the looks and acting skills. However, on the eve of the shoot, the starlet was kicked out and reced by Leia. Who would believe that nothing was going on behind the scenes? The scene took more than an hour to shoot. It was retaken countless times before it was finally over. Leia returned to her trailer to change out of her costume. She walked out with her agent after changing her clothes. Leia was in a good mood. Charmaine said she had done what she had told her to do and said Bianca was shocked after receiving the CD. She believed that Bianca would leave A City and Luke soon. After the woman left, she believed that with her charm and her parents'' help, Luke would eventually fall at her feet. Chapter 458 Chapter 458 Luke and Bianca Give Mr. and Mrs. Norman the Wedding Invitation! Leia''s confidence was unfounded. She had been preparing herself for her eventual entry into the Crawford family. She learned upper- ss etiquette from Queenie and also how to y the piano, create flower arrangements, and cook simple dishes, i She even started to learn about investing and business management from her mother. With her talents and her abilities, she was sure to be Luke''s wife... Leia''s agent walked behind her and told her, "There will be a dinner with the production crew tonight, Leia. I think you should join it. That''ll strengthen your rtionship with the director and producer. That way, you''ll receive more roles in the future." Leia declined without thinking. "I''ve been busy recently, and I don''t have time for any gatherings. Maybe next time." No matter what the agent said, Leia was not in the mood to listen. All the agent could do was to shake her head andment Leia''s stubbornness. When they passed by another trailer, they could hear several female actresses talking inside. Leia did not pay attention to it at first, but she stopped walking when she heard the actresses in the trailer mention her name! One of the actresses said, "Hey, Tammy, you look quite simr to Leia, the female lead actress. Unfortunately, your fates are different. She''s the female lead, but you''re only a nameless double. Why are our lives so miserable?" The young woman named Tammy replied contemptuously. "That''s only because of her father! If her father isn''t a bigshot, do you think she stands a chance in the entertainment industry? All of you saw her performance today, right? Her face looked as though it was paralyzed, and I nearly killed myself from holding back theughter. Hahaha, so what if she graduated from film school? She''s worse than her double..." Another voice concurred. "That''s right. Too bad that she has a bigshot for a father, and we''re only from normal families." Tammy grunted. "So what if shees from a wealthy family? Leia is only a third-rate actress, and I don''t think she can be any better. If I were as wealthy as her, I''d be famous all over by now! By the way, do you know that Leia has small and t breasts? I identally saw it once while she was changing. I think it''s a size 34A!" Then, the women in the trailer giggled. Leia suddenly kicked the door open, which gave the actresses inside a huge shock. The two actresses were deeply embarrassed when they saw Leia walk in. The actress named Tammy was sitting cross-legged on the makeup table, unting her figure to the other actresses. "Ms. Norman..." She stammered when she saw Leia. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Leia looked at Tammy disdainfully. Her voice was as cold as ice as she spoke to her agent. "Seems like I can''t afford to pay Tammy Olson! Give her herst paycheck and tell her to get lost!" How daring of Tammy Olson! Leia was in a horrid mood. She did not bother to maintain her kind and gentle guise. Tammy was flustered when she heard that she was about to be fired. "I... I didn''t mean that, Ms. Norman," she begged, "I swear that I won''t do that again. Please..." Leia nced condescendingly at Tammy as though she were a piece of trash. "How dare you talk bad about me when you''re on my payroll? I''m very busy, and I don''t have time to waste on you. Escort her out of the studio now!" "Yes." Leia''s agent nodded. Leia shot a nce at the other two actresses and remembered their faces. She would deal with them another time. Without saying another word, Leia left the shabby trailer. Leia''s agent stepped forward and said coldly, "You can leave no, Tammy Olson. You won''t be Ms. Norman''s double anymore." Tammy gritted her teeth as she saw Leia walk away. Her eyes were filled with hatred! After the Crawford and Rayne families discussed it, the details for Luke and Bianca''s wedding were confirmed. The engagement ceremony shall be on the 18th. Luke gave out invitations to his acquaintances in the political and business circles, including Mr. and Mrs. Jack Norman. When Leia arrived home, she noticed her mother sitting on the couch with a bright red invitation card in her hand. She changed into her slippers, put her handbag away, and hugged her mother''s neck. "Who''s getting married soon, Mom?" Queenie said gently, "It''s from the Crawford family. Luke and Bianca will be engaged on the 18th. Our family is invited." Leia opened the invitation card in disbelief. When she saw Luke and Bianca¡¯s names written on the card, she felt as though an atom bomb had gone off in her brain, and her body started to shake uncontrobly! ''Impossible. ''Charmaine told me that she handed the CD to Bianca. ''If the woman loves Luke, she should have left him. ''Why didn''t she leave, but instead, they''re going to be engaged?'' Leia made an excuse that she was unwell and returned to her room. After locking the door, she gave Charmain a phone call... On the other side, a stark contrast from Leia''s exasperation, Bianca was immersed in the sweet mood of love. She would be engaged to Luke the day after tomorrow. Bianca had been waiting forthat day. Luke had been working overtime in thepany so that he could be free on that day. Bianca was worried that he was losing weight and so made all sorts of health tonics for him. Tonight, she was in the kitchen making a tonic, just like before. The two children were ying barefoot in the living room. Bianca looked at the charming interaction between the twins and gently touched her stomach. A smile appeared as she imagined Luke''s loving and handsome face. Perhaps that was the ideal life she wanted: A loving husband, cheerful children, and the fragrance of home cooking. Suddenly, Bianca''s phone rang. She thought that it was from Luke. She wiped her hands, picked up the phone, but saw that it was from an unknown number. Bianca was used to receiving calls from unknown numbers. She had many design clients, and some of them would call her to talk about work. Right after Bianca answered the call, she heard an exasperated female voice speaking shrilly. "Bianca Rayne, did you see the contents of the CD? I''ve already extended an olive branch to you, telling you to leave Luke instantly, yet you are going to be engaged with him? Don''t you care for his safety? I''ll give you another two days. You have to leave him before the engagement! Otherwise, Luke will be ruined!" Chapter 459 Chapter 459 If You Can¡¯t Let Me Go, Then You Should Stay With Me For the Rest of Your Life After leaving that harsh message, that person ended the call without waiting for Bianca to respond. Bianca thought that it was a prank call. She wanted to go back to the kitchen when she suddenly remembered that a few days ago, she had met a stranger in the dessert cafe. That woman handed her a CD, telling her that its contents were disadvantageous for Luke. The woman also threatened her to leave Luke if she wanted him to be safe. After she got home, shepletely forgot about the matter. As the saying went, pregnant women were easily forgetful. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The woman had reminded her about the existence of the CD. She wondered why that woman was so sure that the contents of the CD would be enough to threaten her. Bianca lowered the heat on the stove to simmer the tonic in the pot. She found the CD in her handbag, then took it out and yed it. The video yed on the screen. Bianca''s gentle face stiffened when she saw the contents of the CD. Her body trembled as though she fell into an ice cave. Late at night. The two children had already gone to bed. Bianca, dressed in snow-white silk pajamas, stood in front of the window and looked at the moon. She was feeling mncholic. When Luke entered the room, he saw Bianca''s delicate back. The moonlight from outside the window was like a golden veil on her body, and her loneliness evoked pity. Luke took off his coat, silently walked forward, and hugged her from behind. His sculpted chin rested gently on her shoulder. ''Silly girl, it''s so cold. Why aren''t you waiting for me in bed?¡± Bianca buried her head into his chest. She hugged his strong waist tightly, as though she was afraid of losing him. "Our engagement ceremony is the day after tomorrow, Luke. I''m afraid that it won''t happen..." Luke''s healthy arms hugged Bianca''s delicate waist so that her soft body clung to his broad chest. "Why are you worried so? Our families have agreed to the marriage, and no one can stop us. All you have to do is be a good bride. You can leave everything else to me. Mm?" With his healthy and muscr body, he hugged the frail Bianca into his embrace. The speckled moonlight fell on Bianca''s face like droplets of water, enveloping her in a halo. Luke was slightly worried when he saw Bianca''s sudden change. His shrewd gaze transfixed on her body, and he lightly furrowed his brows." Are you regretting your decision? Do you want to call the engagement off?" Bianca shook her head. She held her tears back, took his hand, and gently sucked on his slender fingers. "No one wants me to marry you more than I do. I''ve waited for the day for so long. Don''t you know that you''re a gift from God? I don''t think there''s anything more blissful than to be able to marry you, be your wife, raise children for you, and cook dinner for you. I want to marry you, and I wish that we can grow old together and never drift apart..." Bianca lowered her head. Her smooth ck hair fell on her chest. Her long eyshes were trembling like small fans. Her innocent and charming face aroused Luke''s primal urges. He had not made out with Bianca ever since she was pregnant. Luke carried Bianca back to the bedroom and pinned her on the bed, carefully avoiding any pressure on her stomach. Bianca looked at Luke in shock. "You''re ying with fire, my darling. Don''t you know... that you''ll hurt yourself?" Luke''s low and hoarse voice was smooth like fine liquor. Bianca stiffened when she saw the fires of passion in the man''s eyes. She ced her arms carefully between the two bodies and said tremblingly, "It''s not... three months yet... we cant..." Her voice was soft and weak, and she sounded shy, timid, and aggrieved, like a kitten soaked in the rain. The man''s charming voice spoke indulgently into her ear. "I know that your body condition isn''t suitable for vigorous exercise now, silly. No matter how tough it gets, I won''t touch you a hair. I love you. You know that." Bianca''s eyelids drooped. Dewdrops of tears lingered on her long and ck eyshes. She hugged her and mumbled, "You''re so nice to me. I can''t... I can''t possibly..." She did not know if she was speaking to herself or to him. Luke thought that Bianca''s hormones must be acting up again. The woman had be more mncholic after she was pregnant, and he was not too worried about her sudden change in mood. He gently pried open her jaw with his tongue and danced in her oral cavity. Luke''s embrace was so warm, and his body emanated the scent of the sun. As the two shared a moment of intimacy, Bianca could only hear his charming voice next to her ear. "If you can''t possibly let me go, then you should stay with me for the rest of your life. You are my one and only, and you are my salvation. I love you so much, and I want to be together with you forever..." Bianca was obsessed with his warmth. She clung to him tightly as though she was drowning in the sea and found a piece of driftwood. Without him, she had nothing. Only he could give her safety and security. Luke said that he loved her, but she loved him even more. However, Bianca knew that they would not share a future together... They might be blissful right now, but they could be separated in the next moment. Bianca forced herself not to think about it. She would savor her short time spent together with Luke, even if it was down to the veryst second. The next day. Luke brought Bianca to the grandest high-end bridal boutique in A City. His assistant had already informed the manager of the boutique that they were going there. The general manager of the boutique and the employees were standing in front of the entrance, waiting for the arrival of the rising star in A City''s business world. "Mr. Crawford is here!" Right after the manager finished his sentence, Luke''s Lamborghini parked in front of the entrance to the boutique. Then, he escorted a beautiful woman with fair skin from the passenger seat Chapter 460 Chapter 460 Ms. Rayne? What''s Wrong, Ms. Rayne? Luke had always been an elegant gentleman. Once he stepped out of the car, the female employees of the bridal boutique were looking at him with heart symbols in their eyes. "Oh my, Mr. Crawford is so handsome! He''s much more good-looking than any movie star on TV..." "That elite that I only see in financial magazines is so imposing! I''m going to faint, boo hoo hoo..." "That woman is so lucky to marry him. I wish I were her..." The female employees standing in a row were whispering to each other. Their eyes sparkled as they looked at the incredibly handsome Luke. The subject of their discussion stood straight like a soldier. He walked at a steady pace through the entrance of the bridal boutique while protecting Bianca. "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Rayne." The manager of the boutique weed them into the store and introduced thetest designs. "We have received a batch of wedding dresses handmade by the best designers in the world, and there are all types of styles, whether you want something exquisite, simple, conservative, or bold. I''m sure that we can satisfy all of Ms. Rayne''s needs. What is your favorite style, Ms. Rayne?" Bianca was being hugged by Luke. She seemed mncholic. "Anything will do." The manager looked at Bianca with surprise. The young woman looked to be in her early twenties, and she looked pure and modest. The manager''s discerning eye could see that she was not wearing any makeup on her face. Even so, her tender skin and curvaceous figure inspired envy. The young woman did not speak much, but her refreshing demeanor was very eye-catching. However, the manager expected that any bride-to-be should be ecstatic, not to mention that her husband-to-be was the famous Luke Crawford. When news of his imminent wedding got out, many female socialites were heartbroken. She should be happy that such an outstanding man loved her. Why did he not feel any joy from her? He was doubtful, but he did not say anything. All he was concerned with was doing his job well. He continued introducing the wedding dresses to Bianca. "This is the hallmark design of our store, Ms. Rayne. Itbines both traditional and modern elements, and I think it should suit you very well. How about giving it a try?" Bianca''s clear gaze looked at Luke. The man lowered his head, gently pressed his lips together, and nted a kiss on her cherry lips. "Go ahead. I''d like to see you in a wedding dress." "Mm." Bianca replied, then followed the sales clerks into the fitting room. Luke sat on an exquisite couch, waiting patiently as he casually flipped through a men''s magazine and sipped coffee. In the fitting room, the sales clerks were surprised by how good Bianca looked in the wedding dress, but Bianca did not see their faces. She felt aplicated mix of emotions: bliss, affection, grief, and agony. She found it hard to breathe. One of the sales clerks whose hair was tied in a bun helped Bianca pull the side zipper up while eximing, "You''re so beautiful in this dress, Ms. Rayne. The cutting fits you perfectly. A socialite came to try the dress two days ago, but she doesn''t look a tenth as good as you!" Bianca''s eyes were misted with tears as her heart was assaulted by waves of sorrow. She was beautiful in the dress, but she could not wear the dress and marry the man she loved. "Ms. Rayne? What''s wrong, Ms. Rayne?" The other short-haired sales clerk noticed that Bianca¡¯s mood was abnormal. "Are you not feeling well? I can bring you to the lounge to have a short rest," she said. 1 Bianca shook her head and said nothing. She harbored a major secret in her heart that concerned Luke''s safety. It was like a poisonous arrow aimed at Luke''s heart that could fatally wound him at any time. 1 Bianca buried the secret deep in her heart. She did not want anyone to know so no one could take advantage of him. However, she was too weak to do anything about it. She remembered the woman''s threat. When she thought of being forced to separate from Luke, she felt like someone was tearing her heart into two. The sales clerk with a bun spoke carefully when she saw that Bianca was frowning. "Are you feeling nervous about the wedding? It''ll be fine. Every woman would feel nervous right before their marriage because they would lose some of their freedoms. However, if you really like the other party, it won''t be an obstacle. "Furthermore, Mr. Crawford is the Prince Charming of many single women in A City. He is so outstanding, yet he only loves you. You''re so lucky to be able to marry him!" "Yes, I feel so lucky to be able to know him," Bianca said stiffly, "I must have used up a lot of luck to marry him, and I guess my luck ends here..." Her voice became softer and softer. The two sales clerks could only see her lips slightly opening and closing. They did not know what Bianca was talking about. Instead, they looked at each other and thought that Mr. Crawford''s fiancee was acting rather weirdly. Any other woman would have been overjoyed to be able to marry Mr. Crawford. Bianca came out of the fitting room, dressed in a pure white wedding dress and wearing light makeup. Her shoulders were bare, and that had entuated her charming face and snow-white skin. She stood there, like a work of art. Everyone in the boutique held their breaths the moment they saw Bianca. A hint of surprise shed past Luke''s sculpted face. His eyes, brimming with love, were transfixed on Bianca. That was the woman who would be his bride. Luke saw from the corner of his eye that the male employees of the boutique were staring at Bianca obsessively. He felt jealous. He wanted to keep Bianca in his pocket so no other men could see her. That was what he did.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Luke walked up to Bianca, draped his coat over Bianca''s bare shoulders, and hugged her possessively in his embrace. He kissed the corner of her eye as usual, but he tasted salty and bitter tears... Chapter 461 Chapter 461 Mr. and Mrs. Crawford¡¯s Public Disy of Affection! Luke wiped away Bianca''s tears while everyone was looking. "What''s wrong? You''re about to get married, but you''re shedding tears. Aren''t you ashamed, Mrs. Crawford?" He said with a joking tone. Even though he was teasing Bianca, he felt sorry for her as he gazed at her pale face. Bianca''s eyes were red. She gripped his shirt sleeve tightly, trying hard to keep those mncholy feelings down. She shook her head. "I''m fine. It''s just that I''m ovee by bliss when I think that I''ll be married to you soon. I can''t help but think that it''s all a dream...¡± Luke¡¯s hand patted Bianca¡¯s head. He gently touched her hair as though he was protecting a piece of rare treasure. Then, he said indulgently, "Silly girl, we''re already here to get your wedding dress. Do you still think that it''s a dream?¡± i The managerand staff of the boutique were dumbfounded when they saw that loving scene! Reports said that Luke Crawford, the CEO of T Corporation, was a serious and merciless person. His imposing presence made people stay away from him. Could that caring and loving gentleman in front of them be the legendary Cold-Faced Devil? Were those reports in the magazines false? Luke ignored the peering gazes of the people around him and hugged Bianca, as though only they were the only people left in the boutique. Bianca came to her senses and noticed the envious gazes from the other people in the boutique. She inched away a little from Luke. After all, he was supposed to be the cold-faced and stern CEO. His reputation would be tarnished if word got out that he had a gentle side to him! Luke was not bothered by that. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. His smile grew wider, and his gaze became gentle as he kissed Bianca''s cheek. "You''re especially beautiful when you''re in the wedding dress, Bianca. I''d like to marry you now if it''s possible. That way, you will belong to me, and no other man can covet you." His words were like a deadly poison that seeped into Bianca''s marrow and captivated her heart. There was no cure for that. Bianca''s eyes were misted with tears because she was moved. However, she did not want Luke to see her weakness. "Me too. I wish I could marry you now if I could...¡± The manager gave them his blessings, seeing how loving they were to each other. "You''re so loving to each other, Mr. and Mrs. Crawford. I wish that your mutual love willst forever!" 1 "Thank you." The manager did not expect the usually aloof Luke would thank him. He smiled as though he had struck the lottery. "You''re wee, Mr. Crawford. Your wife is very beautiful. We have a few more wedding dresses and gowns that might suit your wife. Would you want to try a few more designs?" Bianca wanted to decline when she heard that. She thought that one set of wedding dresses was enough. Before she could say anything, Luke said, "Let her try it!" Bianca could not decline after Luke said that, and she went to the fitting room to try the other designs. The manager had an eye for aesthetics. Every design that Bianca tried suited her very well. Indeed, the clothes changed Bianca''s status. Before she wore the wedding dress, she might have outstanding looks, but she was more like a humble young woman from a small family. Now that she was in an extravagant gown, people could not take their eyes away from her. Finally, they settled on four wedding dresses, four gowns, and six pairs of shoes. At the checkout, Bianca felt dizzy when she saw the number of zeroes on the receipt. The clothes were beautiful, but she would not be able to afford them with her sry. Luke did not show any hesitation as he paid with his credit card. The manager was very happy; he piled on his ttery and called Bianca ¡°Mrs. Crawford." Luke usually hated ttery, but he was in a good mood today, and he did not say anything about it. He liked the sound of "Mrs. Crawford." After leaving the boutique, Luke sent Bianca home before going to T Corporation to continue working. As much as he loved to stay back home and apany Bianca, he had to settle a ten-billion-dor deal in the critical stage of negotiations. If he were not careful, then all would be for naught. He had worked very hard on the deal, and he was not going to let otherpanies benefit from it. In the CEO''s office. Luke was focused on his work. He did not notice Mavis arriving in front of his desk. Mavis thought of many things as she looked at the man who was hard at work. The man''s features were extremely handsome. His skin was as fair as porcin. His long brows were tightly furrowed because of his concentration. His drooped eyshes were thick and long. It was a breathtaking sight. The man was perfect, no matter his enviable appearance, his strong work ethic, or his imposing demeanor. That was what Mavis loved about Luke. However, he would be engaged tomorrow. She only knew about it the day before. How ironic! "Mr. Crawford.¡± Mavis gained Luke''s attention after calling out his name. "Are you really going to be engaged tomorrow?" Luke ced his signature at the end of an agreement. Then, he lifted his head to look at her. "Yes. You should have gotten the invitation card, Ms. Laviere. My fiancee and I will be holding a banquet at Carlton Hotel tomorrow. I hope that you can make it." Mavis smiled sorrowfully. ¡±1 thought I''d be somewhat special to you, Mr. Crawford, but I didn''t expect that I''m no different from other employees. You are about to be engaged, but I''m thest one to know. Who am I to you?" Luke frowned. He wondered why the usually collected and sensible Mavis would behave like that. However, he did not have the energy to think of that. "I''m sorry, Ms. Laviere. Perhaps I should have informed you earlier, but I have been very busy with worktely. To me, you are the most qualified employee and my best partner at work. I have always been at ease working with you over so many years." The most qualified employee? The best partner at work? Mavis did not expect that Luke would think of her as only an employee and a partner at work after so many years. She was instantly ovee by sorrow. No other woman in this world was as pitiful as her! Chapter 462 Chapter 462 Her Presence In My Life Completes Me Mavis could not bear to see her crush for ten years bing someone else''s husband. She tried to calm herself down, though her tightly-clenched fists were slightly shaking. "Are you sure you want to marry an unremarkable employee, Mr. Crawford? You deserve a better woman. I think Ms. Rayne isn''t experienced enough, no matter how you look at it..." "Oh? In your opinion, what type of woman should I deserve?" Luke''s gaze turned cold. Mavis, who was usually observant, did not notice Luke''s displeasure because she was overly emotional. She continued speaking, "Mr. Crawford, I think you should look for a woman who can be capable at work as well as being gentle in her personal life. If you can find an equally capable wife, then she could share your workload. You won''t have to tire yourself like that." Luke ced his pen down and looked at Mavis with his profound gaze." You''re wrong, Ms. Laviere. I want a wife who can be my spiritual partner and not my work partner. I feelfortable whenever I''m with Bianca, and that is a sensation I cannot get from other people. She is like a rib that God had taken from me, and now that she''s back with me, shepletes my life. "You haven''t found true love, Ms. Laviere, and that''s why you are setting up conditions for your significant other. When you finally find him, you will understand that all your conditions mean nothing." "No, I''ve already met my true love! I met him ten years ago!" That was what Mavis wanted to scream at Luke. However, she dared not do so. Her self-respect did not allow her to do that. Mavis was dejected. "Sorry for disturbing, Mr. Crawford. I''ll be back to my work." i "Mm." Luke continued working without lifting his head. Mavis left the office gloomily. Back at her office, she almost smashed everything on her table because of her anger! Be came in through the door with a cup of coffee. She knew that Mavis was unhappy because of Luke''s engagement with Bianca. "Have some coffee and calm down, Ms. Laviere." Mavis flipped the cup over. Her gaze was chilling. "Do I look like I''m in the mood to drink coffee?" The back of Be''s hand was scalded by the hot coffee, but she did not dare toin. "There''s no point in being flustered, Ms. Laviere. Actually, I hate that Bianca Rayne even more than you. That woman is a seductress who not only seduces the CEO but also flirts with the general manager. I don''t know why Mr. Crawford likes her so much?" Mavis frowned. "What? Bianca is flirting with the general manager?" Be continued to spin the story. "A lot of the employees in the design department saw it. Once when we were having lunch in the cafeteria, General Manager Crawford was sitting so close to her and asking her intimate questions. They were only one step away from kissing... Isn''t that woman a seductress? It''s not enough that she already has the CEO, but she also wants to flirt with her brother- inw!" Be was unhappy when she thought of how caring Louis was to Bianca. She knew that she was not qualified to court the CEO, so she wanted to go after Louis, the general manager. However, Louis could not even be bothered to look at her. That was why Be med Bianca for that. If not for Bianca, why would the usually lecherous Louis Crawford not even look at her? The hatred in Mavis''s expression became stronger when she thought about how Luke only loved Bianca, who was flirting behind his back. "Why would Mr. Crawford even like a woman like that? Tell me, Ms. Sloan, don''t you think that men think with their d*cks? What does Bianca have that I don''t?" "I guess there must be something that you don''t know, Ms. Laviere. Sometimes, men like women who might look prim and proper on the outside but behave otherwise in bed. Otherwise, how could she manage to deceive Mr. Crawford''s judgment? Don''t worry, women like her would eventually be dumped, and I don''t think Bianca will be any different," Be said disdainfully. However, Mavis was indignant. "That''s ridiculous. I''m sure Mr. Crawford should have seen his fair share of beautiful women, and as far as I know from working with him, he''s not that kind of shallow person. He wouldn''t marry a woman just because she could perform in bed. Bianca must have done something to him..." Because of her love for Luke, she could not help but find excuses. She med Bianca for everything. Seeing Mavis angry, Be felt a chill down her spine. However, she continued to persuade Mavis. "Don¡¯t overthink, Ms. Laviere. So what if Bianca and Mr. Crawford are engaged? Even if they were married, you can still find a way to make them divorce. It should be a walk in the park for an intelligent woman like you to deal with Bianca!" Mavis suddenlyughed. Then, she resumed her usualposure. "Alright. You may leave. Get me another cup of coffee." Be answered sheepishly. After Be left, Mavis''s smile became chillingly unnerving. ''Be is right. They''re only engaged. Why should I be so worried? ''As long as they don''t marry, I have many ways to tear them apart!'' In the mansion. Tomorrow was the day of the engagement ceremony, but Bianca felt nervous and uneasy. The existence of the CD repeated the woman''s threats in her mind. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Bianca was worn out from the mental torment. The two children were ying word games on the couch. Rainie noticed that her mother was sighing and stopped ying with her brother, i She hopped into her mother¡¯sp and carefully smoothened Bianca''s furrowed brows with her tender hand. "What''s wrong, Mommy? You''ll be engaged to Daddy tomorrow. Why are you sighing?" Bianca hugged her daughter tightly and took in her fragrance. "Mommy''s fine. It''s just that..." The rest of the sentence was interrupted by the shrill ringing of her phone. When Bianca saw that it was the unknown woman calling again, her petite face turned pale... Chapter 463 Chapter 463 Holding Incriminating Evidence of Luke As the phone continued to ring incessantly, Bianca had the urge to smash it into pieces! She dared not do so. The other party possessed incriminating evidence about Luke. Finally, Bianca braced herself and tapped on the answer button. Instantly, she heard someone screaming angrily from the other side. "Did you ignore what I told you, Bianca Rayne? If you want it that way, fine! I''m standing at the entrance of the Public Integrity Committee now. I''ll hand in the CD, and that''ll be the end of Luke Crawford!" In case Bianca did not believe it, the woman sent a message shortly after saying that. Bianca opened the message. It was a selfie. The woman in the shades was holding a CD in her hand. She was indeed standing in front of the Public Integrity Committee building. On her lips was a smug grin. Bianca''s heart beat faster when she saw that, but her blood was thick like glue. Luke would be ruined once the CD fell into the hands of the Public Integrity Committee. Not even Luke could find a way out of it. Bianca''s grip on her phone became tighter. "Don''t! Please, please don''t hand in the CD. I''ll do whatever you say... I won''t be engaged with Luke tomorrow, and I''ll leave A City immediately. Will you be satisfied?" She said. She spoke while she sobbed, and her tone was flustered and helpless. The other party smirked coldly. "It''s already toote. If you had left Luke when I told you to, there wouldn''t be all this drama. Too bad, you''ve missed the chance you''re given. Do you think it''ll be so easy now? No way!" "What do you want then?" Bianca shrieked out of anger and frustration. "Oh, are you angry now? I want you to proceed with the engagement ceremony tomorrow, but when everyone is there, and he asks you the question, you will tell him no in front of everyone and humiliate him!" Bianca was dumbfounded. She had already agreed to leave Luke, but the other party made such a ridiculous request. Not only did she have to say no to the engagement, but she had to humiliate Luke in front of everyone. That woman might as well tell Bianca to kill herself! Bianca bit her lower lip so hard that it was almost bleeding. ''No, I can''t do that. I can leave A City now if you want, but don''t go overboard with your requests. I can''t possibly reject him in front of everyone and humiliate him!" Bianca knew that Luke was a prideful person. If she really humiliated him in front of the guests, not only would the Crawford family no longer ept him, but her rtionship with Luke would be irreparably damaged, and there would be no return. The woman on the other end cackled sarcastically. "How sentimental! Do you think you still have any grounds to bargain with me? In your dreams! Let me warn you, if you don''t listen to what I say, I''ll hand in the CD now... Luke Crawford, the rising star in the A City economic circle, the man of every woman''s dreams, is actually a criminal! Hahaha, I''ll show everyone his true colors!" Then, Bianca received a video message. The woman, holding the CD, was standing in front of themittee office. Bianca was terrified when she saw that! She screamed at the phone without any regard for decency. "I''ll listen to what you say! I''ll say no to Luke tomorrow, and I''ll humiliate him in public! Don''t go in!" i "Don''t y any tricks tomorrow. I''ll be there at the venue to see for myself. You should know what will happen if you go back on your word!" After leaving another threat, the woman ended the call. Bianca did not know when the phone slipped out of her hands. She looked at the white clouds outside the window in a daze. Those clouds that were as white as snow somehow became blurry... When Bianca remembered the glint of anticipation in Luke''s eyes at the bridal boutique yesterday, she was ovee by despair. To prepare for tomorrow''s asion, Luke left the office early and returned home immediately. In the living room of the mansion, Luke could smell the thick fragrance of soup boiling on the stove in the kitchen. The two children were sitting on the couch, ying a fantasy monster game on their iPads. Luke took off his coat and tossed it on another couch. He did not see the woman he loved. "Lanie, Rainie, where''s Mommy?" He asked the children. Lanie and Rainie were engrossed in their game. "Mommy said that she''s not feeling well, and she''s resting in her bedroom. She told me and Rainie not to disturb her." Luke furrowed his brows. When he called Bianca earlier that day, she was still fine. Why would she be feeling unwell suddenly? He did not go upstairs immediately. Instead, he went into the kitchen and clumsily prepared the dining table for dinner. After telling the children to have their dinner first, he went to the bedroom with a portion of pork rib roast and mushroom soup. Bianca was curled up on the bed. Her eyes were closed, and there were flecks of tears at the corners of her eyes. She was sleeping fitfully. asionally, her eyshes would flutter like a bird''s wings. Luke ced the tray aside, sat down on the bed, and gently caressed her cheek with his fingers. The skin was soft and delicate to the touch, but it was also slightly warm. It felt like touching a dew- soaked rose petal. As he looked at Bianca''s sleeping face, all his stress and lethargy from work disappeared. Why was she unhappy for the past few days? 1 He did not wake her up. Instead, he sat next to her and watched her sleep. Bianca''s frail body was tucked under the nket. She reminded him of a pet kitten that he reared when he was a child. It was fluffy, warm, and soft, and he did not want to let go of it. Meanwhile, Bianca had a long and dark nightmare. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. In the dream, she was in the wedding ceremony with Luke. He was as handsome as a god. Luke kneeled on one knee and asked for her hand in marriage. She was about to say "I do" when suddenly, a bloody woman with sharp fangsughed at her and reached for her heart with bony ws... "Ahh!" Bianca was drenched in sweat when she woke up from the dream! She clutched her heart and opened her eyes, instantly seeing a caring gaze in front of her. "What''s wrong, Bea? Were you having a bad dream?" Luke hugged Bianca and gently touched her pale face. "The children said that you''re not feeling well. I''ve brought dinner for you. Do you want to have some soup first?" She gently shook her head, feeling relieved that he was with her. After hesitating for a long time, Bianca braced herself before asking the question, "Luke, what if... what if I decide not to proceed with the engagement tomorrow. Would you agree to it?" 1 Chapter 464 Chapter 464 I¡¯ll Tie You Up and Bring You to the Church If I Have To Luke paused. The man had been through all sorts of hardships, but at that moment, he felt as though his heart was immersed in boiling water. He did not reply to Bianca''s question. Instead, he pressed on her lips overbearingly with a kiss and took away Bianca''s breath and the rest of the conversation. No one knew for how long he had waited for the marriage. Ever since he was young, he was sure that he wanted Bianca to be his wife. After conquering many obstacles, she was finally in his arms. He could not wait to tell the world that the woman was his. However, she remained uncertain whether she wanted to be Luke''s bride. Luke could not ept that! Bianca was struggling to catch her breath after the kiss. Luke hugged her and looked straight into her eyes. "Bianca, if you want to postpone the wedding, I can consider changing it to ater date. However, if you ever think of canceling the wedding, I''d tie you up and bring you to the church if I have to." Bianca''s eyes were filled with tears. Her frail body seemed so small and helpless. Luke noticed that there was something wrong. He lifted her chin and asked her, "What''s happening with youtely? You don''t seem to be in a good mood. We are lovers, and we will soon be husband and wife. We will spend the rest of our lives together, so you have to tell me if anything is troubling you." Luke knew that Bianca had always kept her troubles to herself. She would rather suffer alone than share it with someone else. Bianca opened her eyes wide, trying to swallow her tears. "Luke..." She mumbled as she looked at his handsome face. Luke could not understand why Bianca had been so moody. Bianca blinked, and tears fell from her eyes uncontrobly. "Don''t cry..." Luke was getting flustered. He was not afraid of anything except for Bianca''s tears. Seeing that her tears kept falling, Luke hugged her frail body and wanted to kiss those tears away. However, she cried even harder, and eventually, her tears fell soundlessly. Luke gentlyforted her likeforting a child. Her sobs gradually became softer. In the bedroom, the only sounds were Luke''s breathing and Bianca''s sobs. Luke hugged her tightly and did not move. He had thought that Bianca''s moodiness was because of her hormones, but it did not seem that way. He could sense that something was amiss. After tomorrow''s engagement ceremony, he would investigate it. Bianca had a sensitive personality, and she liked to keep her secrets to herself even if she was threatened. 1 He decided to get someone to investigate the reason behind Bianca''s unhappiness! Bianca could feel her heart shattering when she thought of how she would have to reject the man''s proposal and humiliate him during the ceremony tomorrow. If she did not do it, the woman would ruin Luke''s reputation. She did not want to imagine the scene of Luke being sent to prison when his crime was discovered. Seeing that Bianca was not crying, Luke lowered his head and kissed her lips. "You''ll be a bride soon. Why are you crying? Pregnant women should not be emotionally agitated. Otherwise, not only your health will be affected, but you''ll also affect the baby''s development." Bianca bit her lip and nodded. Suddenly, she gripped his shirt sleeve. She looked at him with sparkling eyes and said earnestly, "I love you, Luke. I really, really love you. If I offend you one day, it''s because I''m forced to do so. Please do not hate me no matter what, alright?" Luke''s hands caressed her lips, thinking of something as he looked at her eager face. A whileter, he gave his reply. "Alright." He trusted her unconditionally. He would not me her for anything she would do to him. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Bianca''s clear eyes filled up with tears again after receiving Luke''s promise. The man trusted her unconditionally, but she would have to leave him tomorrow. The cruel fact was like a sharp knife that dug into her chest and scraped her bones. She had no other choice. The interior of the opulent Carlton hotel was decorated like the scene of a dream. In the middle of the hotel lobby were several fountains dancing elegantly to a melodic tune. In the makeup room. When Sue and Nina looked at Bianca in the pure white wedding dress, their eyes almost popped out of their sockets. Sue held her bulging stomach and lumbered over in front of Bianca." Congrattions for finally making it with the boss! You look fabulous today! Nina was also genuinely happy for Bianca. "I took a peek outside earlier, and anyone worth anything in A City is here. There are so many faces that we only usually see on the papers. The Crawford family is so well- connected! The boss truly loves you, Bea. I don''t think even major celebrities would have a reception this big." Bianca sat in front of the mirror. Her hair was tied in a bun, and she was dressed in the pure white wedding dress, which entuated all the curves of her figure. Anyone would be envious when they saw her. Her friends'' blessings should have made Bianca happy, but her feelings were currently pent-up. Luke entered the room. "Mr. Crawford," Sue and Nina greeted their superior. Luke was dressed in a ck suit. He looked elegant like a prince. He acted coldly toward Sue and Nina, nodding at them to acknowledge their greeting. His gaze turned indulgent when he looked at Bianca. He hugged her and led her away, "it''s time. Let''s go." 2 Bianca followed Luke to the event hall. The hall was filled with guests. The people from the Crawford and Rayne families were seated at the front-most seats. Old Master Rayne had tears in his eyes while Wanda was beaming. The guests apuded when they saw the couple walk in. Some people were even cheering for Luke to kiss the bride. Luke did not refuse. He hugged Bianca and gave her a French kiss. He did not let go of her for a very long time, as though he was addicted to the touch of her slender waist... Leia was sitting at one of the tables with her parents. Her expression stiffened! Charmaine was seated next to her. She was prepared to watch the drama unfold. They apuded along with the rest of the guests, though a sinister smile was forming on the corners of their lips... Chapter 465 Chapter 465 Luke Went Down On One Knee and Looked At Her Lovingly Bianca''s body went limp after the kiss. She felt that her headache was bing more intense. Her eyes and ears took in the bustle of people moving about the hall, the swaying of flowers, the dancing fountains, and the melodic music. The merriment in the hall was a stark contrast to her sorrow. Bianca looked into the crowd. She saw the stern Old Master Crawford smiling and talking to some guests. Louis was overjoyed. Susan was present. She did not smile, but she carried herself like a noblewoman. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Even Allison, who objected to their marriage the most, forced a smile on her face as she received the congrattory greetings for her son''s marriage. On another table, Old Master Rayne and Wanda were smiling, happy that Bianca had finally found bliss. Bianca wanted to cry when she looked at them, but she could not allow herself to shed a tear¡¯ She forced her tears back and inadvertently saw Luke''s friends among the guests: Eugene Hawking, Jim Holston, Percy Mallory, and more... All the heirs to the major conglomerates were there. Luke brought Bianca around and introduced her to his extended family. "This is my paternal uncle," Luke introduced Bianca to a man in his sixties who seemed to be in good spirits. "My elder cousin brother and sister.¡¯ He led Bianca in front of an extremely handsome youth and a gentle-lookingdy. "My younger cousin brother." "My second uncle." Bianca knew that the Crawfords'' extended family wasrge, and many of his rtives would be present. As Luke continued introducing them to Bianca, she was surprised that there were so many of them. However, only a few of them were direct rtives. Even so, all of them had Crawford genes, and they looked handsome and beautiful. Even the children were better-looking than regr children. Luke saw that Bianca was getting confused. He chuckled into her ear and reminded her, "You only have to remember the direct rtives. We won''t be meeting the others that often, so you only have to remember their faces. "Mm," Bianca answered carelessly. She turned her head and noticed Mr. and Mrs. Norman and their daughter. Leia, dressed up impably, was ring at her coldly. Bianca could see a hint of condescension, mockery, and even smugness in her gaze. What made Bianca the most surprised was the woman who had threatened her with the CD was... sitting next to Queenie... rm bells rang in her head. How did that woman sneak into the event? 1 What rtionship did she have with the Norman family? Countless gazes in the hall were focused on Bianca. Among them were sentiments of curiosity, criticism, awe, envy, and even jealousy. All that because Luke Crawford, the pride of the Crawford family, was about to be engaged to an unremarkable woman. Four full chests were ced on the stage. They were the wedding gifts from Luke to Bianca. Neat stacks of hundred-dor bills were tied up in pink ribbons. More than that were a countless number of gold bars, brilliant diamond rings, deeds to mansions, and all sorts of gold and silver jewelry and luxury watches. It was a dazzling sight. The guests could not help but be impressed. Only the Crawford family could afford suchvish gifts! That had also told them how important the bride was to Luke. Otherwise, why would Luke shower her with that much wealth at the engagement ceremony? She was not anyone important. Instead of feeling excited, Bianca''s palms started sweating when she noticed the beguiling woman in the hall. Her grip on Luke''s elbow became tighter. She felt cold all over her body, and her face started turning pale. She forced herself to maintain the smile on her face and a steady step as she and Luke walked from the edge of the stage to the center. The distance was less than a hundred feet, but it felt like a long and arduous journey. The MC announced the start of the ceremony. Luke''s sculpted face was not cold and harsh as usual. Because of his good mood, his gaze was warm and enchanting as he looked at Bianca. He hugged Bianca as his well-built body stood in front of the microphone. Facing the audience, he made a joyous speech. "Thank you, everyone, for attending my engagement ceremony. At this moment, I am in a good mood, because I am about to be engaged with the woman I love. I thought that I would remain single for all my life, but I did not expect that I would be so lucky to meet her. She is a kind and gentle woman, and she has brought warmth to my life. I will spend the rest of my life loving, protecting, and pampering her. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank her grandfather and aunt for taking care of her. Without them, I would not have my wife." His speech was greeted with thunderous apuse. Old Master Rayne and Wanda looked at the handsome young man on the stage. Their eyes filled up with tears of joy and gratitude as they looked at the man who was willing to pamper Bianca like a treasure. As Bianca listened to Luke''s simple yet moving speech, the tears in her eyes threatened to fall. His words had made her forget her sorrow and immersed her in bliss. She knew that the usually serious Luke was not very good at flowerynguage, and he was always cold-faced while in public situations. She did not expect him to make that speech in front of everyone. She felt so many emotions in her heart. Luke was holding a ring with a diamond as big as a quail egg. He went down on one knee and said to Bianca affectionately, "Bianca Rayne, I would like to take your hand in marriage. I want to walk together with you on an amazing journey and take in all the splendid sights of the world. Bianca Rayne, are you willing to be my wife?" ''Yes, I do! I want to be your wife and love you for the rest of my life!'' Bianca screamed in her heart as she was charmed by Luke''s gentle voice and demeanor. Subconsciously, she stretched out her left hand, allowing Luke to wear the diamond ring on her ring finger. Inadvertently, she lifted her head and saw that beguiling woman smirking coldly at her. The woman whispered something into Jack''s ear, which caused his expression to suddenly turn serious! Then, the woman took out something round and t from her gown and handed it to Jack... Chapter 466 Chapter 466 Luke Carried Bianca Out of the Hall... Bianca''s chest nearly jumped out of her chest at that moment. Every cell in her body was burning in agony. Seeing that Jack was about to take the CD from the woman''s hand, Bianca suddenly yelled at Luke, nNo! I don''t want to marry you! I don''t want to be engaged with you!" The hall instantly fell silent. It was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Luke was caught in a daze as he kneeled there on one knee. He had always known that Bianca looked forward to the wedding more than he did. He had not expected such an oue. Old Master Crawford''s face turned ashen. His hand that was holding his walking stick was trembling. Jason immediately stepped forward and supported Old Master Crawford. Susan was impassive. She had learned the hard way that marrying into a wealthy family was a trap. She even felt that the young woman had made the right choice. Allison was fuming. If she did not care so much for her reputation, she would have rushed up the stage and ripped Bianca''s pure face apart! So many young female socialites wanted to marry her son! Now, Bianca Rayne, an unremarkable woman from a lowly background, rejected Luke''s proposal in public. That was a great humiliation to the Crawford family! Old Master Rayne and Wanda were shocked. Bianca had always been kind and sympathetic. Why would she... Even if she did not agree to the proposal, she should have said it to him in private. Why would she reject him in front of all the important people in the city? That would have made Luke the subject of ridicule! Luke stared at Bianca. He could feel his heart shrivel and freeze from her reply. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He remained kneeling on the floor. "Why?" He wanted an answer. Bianca felt her heart tearing into two. Her shoulders were trembling, and there were tears in her eyes. However, she insisted. "I don''t think that I''m a match for you. You are an outstanding man from an elite family, but I''m poor, talentless, and have a lousy character. I can''t help you at work, and I can''t give you what you want. Sorry!" Bianca, in the depths of her sorrow, still had a shred of sanity. Bianca did not know who the woman was or where she came from, but if she were to threaten Bianca with the CD, there could only be two possibilities. She was either an admirer of Luke, or someone had hired her to do so. Either way, her goal was to force Bianca to leave Luke. Bianca was gambling on the fact that if she would leave Luke willingly, the woman would not hand in the CD, no matter what her intentions might be. It would serve the woman no benefit. As for humiliating Luke during the ceremony, she was not able to do that. That was why Bianca pushed all the me of rejecting his proposal to herself. The woman might not be entirely satisfied, but the engagement was definitely off. The Crawford family would not ept her after being humiliated this way. 1 The woman would have gotten what she wanted, and she would feel a little less guilty about Luke. Bianca''s heart felt like it was being ripped apart by sharp ws. The pain was so agonizing that her innards were torn in two! Luke naturally did not believe Bianca''s farfetched excuse. Even so, his usually resilient heart ached. Luke stood up, held Bianca''s shoulders, and spoke with a voice that only the two people could hear. "I don''t believe a single word you say, Bianca! Tell me what happened that changed your mind! If you''re not prepared to marry me, I can wait for you, no matter how many years it might take... Even if it takes my whole life, I will wait until you say yes to me. You know that I won''t force you to do anything that you''re not willing to do." Bianca''s head was splitting, as though she had been hit by a hammer. She felt immensely guilty by what Luke said. At that moment, she was more conscious as ever, but her eyes were brimming with helplessness and confusion. Luke could see the agony in her eyes. There was a sparkle in his eyes. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found out that Bianca was not genuinely unwilling to marry him. He waited for her to give him a more convincing reason. Bianca shook her head, and her pretty little face turned paler. Luke wanted to ask her more, but suddenly, Bianca''s body went limp, and she slumped over... "Bianca!" Luke caught Bianca''s body in time. His handsome features were wracked with pallor as he looked at her unconscious face. His heart was seized with pain. Luke med himself. Was he rushing things? Perhaps he had been too anxious, and Bianca was not prepared to marry him. The audience was in an uproar. The engagement ceremony was going as nned, but the bride-to-be suddenly rejected the man''s proposal and fainted. No one had expected that. The guests whispered among each other, pointing and discussing the unconscious Bianca with usations and mockery. Luke lifted Bianca in a bridal carry. He stood straight as a pine tree. As he faced the microphone, his handsome face was grim. His regal demeanor filled the hall and made everyone fall silent. "Ladies and gentlemen!" Luke''s cold and elegant voice spoke into the golden microphone. "I apologize for the sudden turn of events. Last night, my fiancee was afflicted with a sudden flu. She was down with a 104- degree fever, and she was hooked to an IV drip overnight. She isn''t in her best condition now, and I''m afraid that she didn''t mean what she says because of her confusion. Please do not take it as the truth. We shall postpone our engagement, but we shall proceed with the dinner tonight. At the same time, I want to make a statement to all the media reporters present. I do not wish to see any unfounded rumors about Bianca tomorrow, and I hope you will understand what I mean!" Luke spoke softly with a smile on her face, but his gaze was colder than snow. The reporters at the event all trembled and felt chills down their spines! Everyone knew that despite Luke''s gentle demeanor, he was famous for the merciless way he does things. No mere mortal could afford to suffer the consequences of offending him! Luke carried Bianca out of the hall. Leia gritted her teeth so hard that they were creaking as she watched the scene unfold, i ''That shouldn''t happen! ''Bianca had humiliated Luke and his family in front of everyone. Shouldn''t the man hate or even despise her? ''Why is he still harboring that woman?'' Chapter 467 Chapter 467 You Are My Mrs. Crawford In the mansion. Luke stood on the spacious balcony. He smoked cigarette after cigarette, and his gaze fell on the blooming cherry blossoms downstairs. The cherry tree was filled with flowers. The petals fell as the wind blew past, and the ground seemed to be covered in a pink carpet. Bianca loved nts, and that was why that mansion had a lush garden. It was Luke''s present for her. He wanted to give her a surprise, but unexpectedly... Luke narrowed his eyes as he looked at the falling cherry blossom petals. He stubbed out the cigarette and flicked it into a nearby ashtray. Then, he walked toward the master bedroom. The door opened. In the room were two caretakers that were currently nursing Bianca. They stood up when they saw Luke enter. "Mr. Crawford," they greeted him respectfully. A hint of dearness shed in Luke''s eyes as he looked at Bianca''s pale face. "How is the missus?" One of the caretakers replied, "Dr. Sykes had given her an injection an hour ago, and her fever has subsided. She is still sleeping, perhaps she is too tired..." Luke waved at them, instructing them to leave the room. The two caretakers left the room while carefully closing the door behind them. Only he and Bianca remained in the room. Luke sat next to the bed, and his palm gently caressed her cheek. It was two o''clock in the afternoon. The warm rays of sunshine fell on her face. The woman''s face was pale, and her brows were tightly furrowed. That was a sign that she was not in a good mood. That made him feel sorry for her. Hours ago, her rejection of his proposal was as painful as countless needles stabbing into his heart. He knew that the rejection was most likely not her intention, but he was nheless very bothered by it. He had thought of staying single for all his life until he met her. He wanted so much to make her Mrs. Crawford. She also could not wait for the day toe. However, something must have happened that made the situation turn out this way. Luke felt inexplicable bitterness as he stared at Bianca. He wanted to smoke again. However, the urge soon passed. Bianca did not like him smoking so often, especially after she became pregnant. She would be repulsed by the stench of cigarettes, and Luke had tried to get rid of the habit. He would only smokeContent ? N?velDrama.Org. whenever he was too stressed at work. He swore that he would find out the truth of the matter. He turned to look at Bianca lying on the bed; she was as fragile as a ss doll. He leaned forward, gently sucked on her curvaceous lips, and could not help but mumble to himself, "Why did you suddenly change your mind? I''ve already decided that you shall be my Mrs. Crawford, and I will never let you go... Luke pried open her jaw, and his kiss became more and more intense. He could not control his passions. Bianca was awakened by his movements. She struggled to open her eyes. The sunlight from outside shone on Luke''s face, and the sight of him took her breath away. Bianca suddenly remembered how she had cruelly rejected his proposal at the ceremonyst night. At that moment, he looked as helpless as an abandoned child. She became wide awake when the feelings of guilt and unease overcame her. "I''m sorry, I''m sorry..." Bianca could not stop apologizing. Her gaze was suffused by pain and apology. Luke was right in front of her, but she dared not look into his eyes. "I''m OK." Luke gently held Bianca''s face and kissed her on the forehead." You know that I''m always willing to forgive you no matter what you did. I can''t bear to scold you." Bianca lowered her head. "Bianca Rayne," Luke suddenly called out her name. His tone was even gentler than before, as though he was trying to coax a naughty child. "Stay with me forever, alright?" Bianca''s eyshes stopped trembling. She stared at him nkly. She had humiliated him in public. Did he not mind it at all? Bianca closed her eyes to hide from his overbearing gaze. "I''m sorry, I... I can''t..." She said with much difficulty. Luke was not angry. Instead, he propped himself up and sat at the edge of the bed. He gently pecked her lips. "Why?" He asked gently. She was his obsession. His ck-and-white world was filled with color ever since he met her. He would never let her go. Bianca curled up in hisp like a helpless little animal. She was ovee by aplicated mix of emotions, and she hugged him subconsciously. She could hear his resonant voice echoing in his chest cavity and enter her ear. "Don''t be afraid, Bianca. I''m here for you no matter what." Tears nearly gushed out of Bianca''s eyes when she heard that. 1 She knew that she had hurt him. She had removed the knife that was stuck to her chest and stabbed it into his heart. She was immensely guilty of that, but she had no other choice. Bianca knew that Luke was hurt. She was too. The pain spread through every corner of her heart and made her sleepless. 1 She looked outside of the window. It was spring, and the sun was shining brightly. In her eyes were tender blooms and newly sprouted leaves. Bianca hugged his arm and said weakly, "Don''t force me..." She could not tell him the matter about the CD, nor did she want to trouble him with it. The woman had threatened her that if Luke found out about the CD, she would publicize it as much as she was able. Not only would the Central Integrity Committee know about it, but she would spread it to all major newsworks. The situation would definitely be out of their control. Luke hugged Bianca tightly. "Alright, I won''t force you. Take a good rest. I''ll be by your side." When Bianca was not looking, the man''s expression became serious. He had already instructed Jason to track down Bianca''s whereabouts over the past few days. He should be getting the results by tomorrow. At the Norman residence. Charmaine was surprised when she stepped into Leia''s closet. It was neat and extravagant, and it was bigger than her bedroom by several times. The rows of beautiful and trendy clothes, footwear on different designs, branded handbags, and exquisite essories in the ss disy dazzled her. "You''ve done a good job, Charmaine." Leia noticed the greed in Charmaine''s gaze. However, she remained gentle and earnest. "Bianca had rejected Luke''s proposal at the ceremony. That''s a blow to the Crawford family''s reputation, and it''ll make Luke the subject of ridicule. Even if Luke loved her, the family would not ept her again. I''m happy, Charmaine. As a reward, you can take anything that catches your eye here." Charmaine was eager toy her hands on those luxury items, but she restrained herself. "Is that true, Leia?" She said with a ttering smile on her face. She might be the third daughter of the Weish family, but she was bullied by her mother and the other siblings because she was born out of wedlock. She barely got enough pocket money, and she could not afford all those luxury items. Now that Leia was willing to let her take whatever she wanted, and most of the items were so new that their tags were still intact, she was overjoyed. "Of course!" Leia said with a smile. However, her tone of voice suddenly changed, "However, I''ll still have to trouble you with another task..." Chapter 468 Chapter 468 The Extent of Luke¡¯s Influence In A City Charmaine picked out many clothes of thetest designs that still had their tags on, as well as trying on several pairs of shoes that caught her eye. Leia''s height, body size, and foot size were almost simr to Charmaine''s. Charmaine was overjoyed that those clothes and essories seemed to be designed for her! As she continued to pick out items, she asked, "What do you want me to do? Just let me know. I''ll promise to do my best!" "Bianca might have rejected Luke''s proposal, but Luke had warned the media not to spread any negative news about her. Of course, I''m not happy about that. Do this for me, Charmaine, go and buy up the topics and keywords from all the media websites, including Twitter, Yahoo, TMZ, Instagram, and so on. Utterly ruin Bianca''s reputation. Make sure that she can''t stay in A City anymore! I''ll foot the bill. You''ll only have to go and talk to the people in charge, i "Oh, you should contact those verified influencers with at least a million followers too. They might be personal ounts, but you shouldn''t underestimate them. "You can also consider contacting small-scale print mediapanies. The majorpanies would be afraid of Luke''s retaliation, but those small ones wont. They''re already on the verge of bankruptcy anyway, and they''d snap up any news that might make their papers sell." Undeniable, Leia was intelligent. As technology improved, the number of print media readers declined, and their credibility suffered. Many traditional print mediapanies had shifted their business model online. Instead of reading newspapers, many people would follow mediapanies on social media or subscribe to their feeds. That was how they received thetest information. Charmaine was about to agree to it, but she shuddered when she suddenly thought of Luke''s icy gaze at the engagement ceremony. "Leia, you know that Luke is the dominant force in A City. He can even control the flow of news. I don''t think anyone would take up the challenge... " Charmaine said carefully. Leia interjected before Charmaine could finish her sentence. "What are you afraid of? How are you going to get anything done that way? I have your back. Don''t forget that my dad is the Provincial Committee Secretary and he loves me a lot. With me supporting you, no one wouldy a finger on you! You''ve always wanted to enter the entertainment industry, right? When all that is done, how about I''ll take you under my wing? I can pass on any extra roles to you." This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. After getting assurance from Leia, Charmaine fantasized about getting her big break in the entertainment industry and being idolized by thousands and even millions of fans. She nodded determinedly and said, "Alright, I''ll listen to what you say, Leia." Meanwhile, the atmosphere in Crawford Manor was tense. The air was depressingly stifling. Old Master Luke mmed his walking stick on the floor and cursed. "That wretch! Something serious happened in the engagement ceremony, but that wretch left without saying a word and left this mess for me. This is outrageous! That kid has ruined the reputation of the Crawford family for good..." i Louis was afraid that his grandfather was overly agitated. He gently patted his grandfather''s chest and said, "Grandpa, Luke has always been meticulous, and he would not allow any mistakes to happen, much less during his engagement ceremony. There must be something fishy behind this. You don''t have to be angry now; just ask him for the reason when he gets back." Old Master Rayne sighed. He once again apologized humbly, "I am deeply sorry, Old Master Crawford. I''ve watched Bianca grow up since she was a young girl, and she''s always been considerate and sensible. She must be troubled with something. I''ve noticed that herplexion didn''t look so good at the ceremony. Perhaps she really does have a fever and a muddled mind." Wanda also agreed with her father. "My niece has a good character. She''s not the kind who would embarrass herself in a public situation. Luke had also exined that she had a fever. Please ept our apologies." Old Master Rayne and Wanda tried to convince the Crawford family members to forgive Bianca. They believed that there must be another reason why Bianca would reject Luke''s proposal. Susan sat by the side, daintily sipping tea with an impassive expression, as though whatever happened did not concern her. Allison was livid. She pointed her finger at Old Master Rayne and Wanda and cursed, "Pah! How dare you mention that shameless woman''s name? She has humiliated my son in the engagement ceremony. You''re probably a bad role model for her! Let me make this clear. As long as I, Allison Tanner, remain in the Crawford family, Bianca Rayne will not step foot in Crawford Manor!¡¯ Old Master Rayne and Wanda''s faces turned pale. Old Master Rayne had always been down to earth. He had never been insulted like that before. His lips trembled in anger, and he could not form aplete sentence." You... you..." When Allison said that Old Master Rayne was a bad role model for Bianca, she had insulted him and the rest of the Rayne family too. He knew that Luke was a good boy, but Luke had a bad mother, not to mention her other identity! He thought that Allison was perhaps bad-tempered and materialistic after marrying into the Crawford family. All Bianca needed to do was to be careful and respect her. Moreover, Bianca had already borne two children for her... Perhaps eventually Allison would ept Bianca as her daughter-inw. However, Old Master Rayne did not expect that Luke''s mother was so unreasonable. Not only had she insulted his granddaughter, but she had involved Old Master Rayne and Wanda in it as well. Allison turned out to be no different from a shrew back in the small town. He would not be relieved that the gentle and docile Bianca would have such a mother-inw. Allison did not hold back when she saw that Old Master Rayne was angry. Instead, she grunted coldly and continued her tirade. "What about me? I''ll make it clear that I will not ept Bianca Rayne as my daughter-inw. That woman has already gotten herself pregnant even before the wedding. She must have seduced my son to make out with her so that she wouldn''t have to leave the Crawford family. Isn''t that shameless? "My son has already stooped to her level to marry her, but she doesn''t show any gratitude. Does she have a heart for humiliating Luke in public? Don''t you teach her any manners, or is that how all you Raynes behave? I shouldn''t have expected more from poor families!" Chapter 469 Chapter 469 The Twins Had Tears In Their Eyes and Dared Not Cry Wanda was furious when she heard what Allison said. How could she tolerate her respected father and her beloved niece insulted like that? Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She stood up immediately and said, "What do you mean by that, Mrs. Crawford? Even if you don''t forgive Bianca, you don''t have to insult her that way! How could you say those words to someone older than you, even though our families aren''t rted by marriage yet? I respected you because you are Luke''s mother, but I didn''t expect you to have such poor character. "You saw that we''re a poor family, but how about you, Mrs. Crawford? Oh, I don''t think that title suits you. The real Mrs. Crawford is Madam Susan Armstrong. She is the woman that is legally married to Luke''s father, and you are nothing but a mistress. You''re abusing the support that Luke has for you. Do you feel proud that way? How much more noble can you bepared to us?" Wanda was an outstanding woman. With her abilities, she had married her ex-husband and managed a major corporation with him. She had met her fair share of socialites. Handling Allison was a walk in the park; Wanda knew how to prod her sore spots. Meanwhile, Susan was watching the drama leisurely. She was smiling when she heard Wanda¡¯s incisive words. It felt good to have someone else deal with Allison for her. Lanie and Rainie, still dressed as a ring bearer and a flower girl, were curled up in a corner of the couch. They felt as though they were going deaf, listening to the adults arguing. They hated the environment. However, they did not know where their parents went. Did Daddy and Mommy abandon them? Tears welled up in their eyes when they thought of how the engagement ceremony ended in failure. Allison''s chest was heaving when she heard Wanda''s words. Her status in the Crawford family was taboo to her. She did not want anyone else to mention it, even though it was the truth. In a fit of rage, Allison lifted her hand and wanted to p Wanda, disregarding the fact that the children were watching. Before she could do so, Wanda had already grabbed her wrist and shoved her away. Allison stumbled backward and nearly fell on the floor. She steadied herself with the coffee table and looked at Wanda with incredulity. That woman looked so thin and frail. Why was she so strong? Old Master Rayne did not expect that Luke''s mother had not only insulted them but tried to get physical on his daughter. Anger burned in his chest. He struggled to stand up with the help of the couch. His face was racked with anger. "Wanda, if the Crawford family doesn''t wee us, then we should leave! Our daughter can find a good husband no matter where she goes. Luke is a good boy, but we can''t afford to have ties at high ces! Come to your Great-Grandpa Rayne, Lanie and Rainie. You''re not going to learn any manners here. Follow me home to meet your Mommy." i Old Master Rayne beckoned lovingly at the twins. The children looked at Old Master Crawford and Allison, feeling puzzled. Should they follow their Great-Grandpa Rayne and leave Crawford Manor? Allison grabbed the twins'' wrists. "Lanie and Rainie belong to the Crawford family. What right do you outsiders have to take them away?" She was gripping their wrists so tightly, but she did not realize that she was hurting them. Old Master Rayne was angry and anxious when he saw the twins with tears in their eyes but dared not cry out. Trembling with anger, he pulled his daughter away. "Let''s leave, Wanda! Who needs the Crawfords? I won''t ever step into this ce again!¡¯ Wanda shot a disdainful nce at Allison, then she helped Old Master Rayne walkaway. "Hey, 01'' Rayne, please don''t go. We can talk..." Old Master Crawford was worried. He quickly got Louis to help him up. He wanted to stop Old Master Rayne and Wanda from leaving. Even though he was furious that Bianca had humiliated the Crawford family during the engagement ceremony, Bianca bore Luke''s child. If Old Master Rayne was serious that Bianca would marry someone else, what would happen to the baby in her womb? Allison, after being embarrassed, instantly stopped Old Master Crawford." Father, that poor family isn''t a good match for the Crawford family. That Bianca woman can marry whoever she wants. When she gives birth to the child, we''ll just snatch it over. Luke is an outstanding man. I''ll find a better wife for him," she said. Old Master Crawford red at Allison, holding back the urge to whack her stupid head with his walking stick. "Utterly shameful!" He pushed her away with his walking stick and, with Louis''s help, tried to chase up to Old Master Rayne and Wanda. Louis turned and shot a nce of disapproval at Allison. "Great-Grandpa Rayne..." The twins also wanted to chase up to their beloved Great-Grandpa Rayne and Great Aunt Wanda. However, Allison held them back. Seeing that Old Master Rayne was not around, she did not hesitate to give several ps to each of the twins'' tender bottoms. "You two ingrates! I''ve raised you, and now you''re abandoning me for two outsiders?" 1 "Great-Grandpa Rayne isn''t an outsider, Grandma. He and Great Aunt Wanda love us a lot." Lanie wanted to cry, but he looked at Allison with defiance. "Boo hoo hoo, bad Grandma! You''ve driven Great-Grandpa Rayne and Great Aunt Wanda away. I don''t like you anymore!" Rainie abruptly struggled out of Allison''s grip and ran after Old Master Rayne and Wanda. "Wait for me, Rainie!" Lanie also followed. Allison gritted her teeth as she watched her treasures grandchildren running away. ''You''ll never be my daughter-inw, Bianca Rayne!'' In the mansion. Bianca did not know that the Crawford and Rayne families had an irreconcble argument. Luke had turned off his phone and spent the night with her. Bianca had fallen asleep with her head resting on Luke''s chest. When she woke up in the morning, Bianca realized that she was alone in bed. Luke had left her a note. "I have some business to take care of, Bea. I''ll be back in two hours. This will be our new house. The surroundings are quiet, and the air is fresh. It''ll be good for your baby. Our family of five will live here from now on, and no one will disturb you. I love you." Chapter 470 Chapter 470 As Long As Luke Trusts Her Bianca rubbed her temples. She realized that she was in an unfamiliar ce. The bedroom was spacious, and in front of the bed was arge floor-to- ceiling window that showcased the beautiful scenery outside. She could not help but open the window as she looked at the sea of flowers. The cherry trees were in full bloom. The blossoms were as white as snow, and the fragrance was thick in the air. The ce was more beautiful than the peach garden Luke brought herst time. However, Bianca was not in the mood to appreciate it. She must have offended the Crawford family by rejecting Luke''s proposal yesterday. Not only was the Crawford family angry, but her grandfather and aunt must be very sad too. They must think that she was immature. However, she had no other choice... Just when her brain was in a mess, her phone suddenly started ringing. It was Nina. Bianca answered the call. Nina started rambling worriedly, "Have you scrolled through your Twitter feed today, Bea? Many major ounts are sharing the same article! I''ve sent the link to the article to your messenger app. I curse that bastard who is spreading rumors about you! Look at it!" While staying in the call, Bianca opened her messenger app. "Alright, I''ll take a look." She saw the chilling title of the article in the thumbnail. "Wretched Employee''s True Colors Revealed In Public. Aristocratic Dreams Shattered!" She quickly tapped on the link. Her heart was trembling. The article loaded quite slowly on the phone because she was in the middle of a call. "Let me read the article first, Nina. I''ll call you backter.¡± "Alright. You should read it carefully. Don''t get too agitated; you and your baby''s health is the most important." Nina ended the call after that. 1 Bianca quickly skimmed through the article. The contents were shocking. The article was about the scene in the engagement ceremony yesterday, where Bianca rejected Luke''s proposal. The author did not write Bianca''s name but instead called her "Ms. R." However, everyone could tell that the woman in question was Bianca Rayne. The article described Miss R as a detestable harlot. It said that she pretended to be pure and innocent, but actually, she was materialistic and selfish. Ms. R had neglected her elderly and sickly grandfather who had raised her. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She insisted on selling the family house to fund her studies overseas. While she was abroad, she did many unmentionable deeds so that she could fund her extravagant lifestyle. When she returned to the country, she became an employee in a well- known multinational corporation and seduced the CEO. She was an expert at that; not only did she charm the heart of "Mr. C," but he also bribed JK Media to whitewash her sins. The JK Media article also said that she was the mother of the twins when she had no blood rtion to them at all. Ms. R thought that her n of marrying into a wealthy family would seed, but she did not expect that her true colors would be exposed by a close friend during the engagement ceremony, which led to her fiance dumping her. The author called herself "Rita¡± and said that she was a good friend of Ms. R while studying abroad. Rita also said that she had even more evidence of Ms. R¡¯s misdeeds in her hands! Her reason for writing the article was because she admired Mr. C and did not want him to be deceived by that woman. The article was supposed to expose Ms. R¡¯s true character! The article was written in a very convincing manner. There were even photos of Ms. R¡¯s alleged sexual escapades with naked men. Those photos were thoroughly obscene. The faces of the men in the photos were blurred out, but the woman''s face was not. It showed only her side profile, but it was almost exactly the same as Bianca''s face. If Bianca knew very well that the woman in the photo was not her, she might have even thought that she had a twin sister. Every point in the article seemed to be well-sourced. No one could spot any ws, and many people thought that it was true. They could tell that the woman in the article was Bianca Rayne. A City might be an international metropolis covering a vast area, but the upper circles were very small. Moreover, modernmunication technology made it very easy for news to go around. Everyone knew that "Ms. R" referred to Bianca Rayne, who was also in the news because of a scandal a few months ago. "Mr. C" would naturally be Luke Crawford. The people remembered that JK Media had published an article titled " How Envious! After Ten Years of Courting His Sweetheart, Luke Crawford of T Corporation ims A Beautiful Woman and Two Cute Twins!" and had widely publicized it. Back then, everyone was touched by the fact that Luke and Bianca received their happy ending after oveing multiple obstacles. How did the truth end up that way? Was the gentle and pure Cindere character in the story actually a despicable harlot? Was Mr. Crawford deceived into using JK Media to whitewash her misdeeds? The entire A City was shocked! The verified Twitter ounts that shared the article all had six to sevendigit numbers of followers. Even those with fewer followers received a lot of attention after sharing the article, i The general public thought that the woman had indeed deceived Mr. Crawford. Many people had left hateful messages criticizing Bianca, but some people were skeptical about the veracity of the story. They imed that JK Media had proven itself to be an unbiased source, while the sensational nature of Rita''s article lowered its credibility. A very small minority of readers remained neutral, saying that the waters run deep in the upper levels of society. Bianca thought that the article wasughable. She calmed down a lot after reading it. She could not control what other people said about her. All she needed was Luke''s trust. Bianca felt bitter when she thought of Luke. There were still so many obstacles between them. She thought that she was a burden, and she should not trouble him anymore... Chapter 471 Chapter 471 Surprise! It¡¯s Actually Luke Crawford! Blue Honors. Charmaine walked into a VIP private room, dressed in the most beautiful and most expensive clothes and shoes that she got from Leia. She got to know from a friend that Mr. Ford, an internationally renowned director, intended to shoot a movie with a hundred-million-dor budget using only actors with no previous screen experience. That friend knew Mr. Ford''s producer, and that was why she rmended Charmaine. After looking at Charmaine''s photo, Mr. Ford decided to give her a chance in an audition. Charmaine found out that Mr. Ford had reserved a private room in Blue Honors, and her friend had somehow gotten an invitation for her. She was so happy that she was losing her mind. She arrived at Blue Honors with the invitation card. She wanted to show her face to Mr. Ford. The director might even make an exception for her if he was charmed by her voluptuous figure. "Mr. Ford..." Before she stepped through the door, Charmaine''s seductive voice was heard. She tried to pull the neckline of her top as low as possible. Just when she was about to reach for the door handle, the door opened without warning. She stumbled forward and fell on the floor! Charmaine lifted her head, surprised. She saw a breathtakingly handsome man sitting in a dark corner. His demeanor put him above mere mortals. Even the lights in the room dimmed in his presence. It was Luke Crawford! Charmaine''s face turned pale when she saw him. She wondered if he found out about the fact that she had hired someone to libel Bianca. If that were the case, the man was too scary! However, Charmaine knew how to deal with men. She soon resumed herposure and greeted Luke coyly. "Mr. Crawford. I wonder why you invited me here using Mr. Ford''s name?" Charmaine''s gaze was filled with admiration and lust for the man. She would have torn off her clothes and pounced on him if not that he was surrounded by four burly bodyguards dressed in ck. The man was sitting on the couch with his legs crossed. The light shone on his body, which made his chin seem more pointed than it should. Luke held a cigarette in his hand and elegantly tapped it on the ashtray. "I don''t want any nonsense from you. I only want to know what you told Bianca Rayne at 6.30 pm in Monke Dessert Cafe that day, which caused her to reject the proposal. Someone saw you hand her a CD in the dessert cafe. What''s inside it?" Luke had a business rtionship with the Weish family, and he knew that Channing Weish, the general manager, had a daughter born out of wedlock named Charmaine whom he doted on. She was pretty and charming, but her personal life was a mess.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He would not have been bothered by that woman, but after reviewing the security footage, he realized that Bianca''s attitude changed after meeting Charmaine in the dessert cafe. She had said some expected things to him, even asking him about his response if she called off the proposal! He had thought that Bianca might be affected by her hormones or her nerves, and that was why he did not pay too much attention to it. However, that had caused the ident to happen during the engagement ceremony. He had to find out the truth! Luke''s voice was soft, gentle, and melodic, but to Charmaine, it was like a thunderp. She tried to avert her gaze. ''How did this man find out so much in such a short amount of time? ''Did Bianca tell him about it? ''She had promised me that she wouldn''t tell him anything, and she would leave A City discreetly. ''Did she change her mind because she didn''t want to let go of the Crawford family''s riches?'' She tried to hide her shock and pretended to be oblivious. "What do you mean, Mr. Crawford? I don''t know Bianca Rayne at all. How could I possibly change her mind? Also, what is it about CDs? Do people still use old- fashioned CDs in this modern age? Bianca, that materialistic woman, is no match for you. How about if I be your woman? We don''t have to get married; I''m happy enough if I can spend one night with you.¡± Charmaine had always been daring. As she confessed to Luke, she tore away her fragile clothing and pounced at Luke. Luke sat still on the couch. His gaze seemed to be mocking but at the same time disgusted. When one of the bodyguards kicked Charmaine away, he did not even blink. The bodyguard had used a lot of force. Charmaine mmed into the coffee table behind her. She was seized by a dull pain in her chest, as though one or more of her ribs were broken. She coughed and tasted blood in her mouth. Charmaine looked at the man on the couch in shock. She was embarrassed and frustrated. "Luke Crawford, I''m Leia''s best friend. How can you treat me like that?" Luke did not bother looking at her. He asked again, "This is yourst chance to answer my question. What did you tell Bianca? What are the contents of the CD? Who instructed you to do that?" Charmaine immediately thought of an excuse. She suddenly started sobbing exaggeratedly. "I actually did meet Ms. Rayne in the dessert cafe that day, Mr. Crawford. That''s because I''ve always loved and admired you. My dad can attest that I love you so much that I sometimes forget to eat or sleep. I was jealous of Bianca Rayne when I heard that she was going to be engaged with you. That''s why I went to look for Bianca and threatened her to leave you..." Luke shot a nce at Charmaine''s seductive face. His voice was as cold as ice. "Since you like to sleep with men so much, then I''ll satisfy you today. He spoke impassively to the four burly bodyguards. "Just don''t kill her." After saying that, he walked toward the door. The bodyguards opened a leather briefcase in front of Charmaine. She could see an array of scary instruments inside: Whips, cors... Charmaine was no stranger to such instruments, and she had tried some of them before. However, the instruments in the briefcase were instruments of torture. If the bodyguards used all the instruments, she would not be leaving the room alive! That made her fearful. She did not expect the gentle-looking Luke to be so cruel! The men smiled as they walked toward Charmaine with the whip and other instruments of torture. As she shrieked, she blurted out her secrets in panic. "I''m sorry, Mr. Crawford! I''ll confess everything. Leia Norman asked me to do it. She¡¯s also the one who told me to hand the CD to Bianca by any means possible!" Chapter 472 Chapter 472 If Anyone Dares to Overstep Luke''s Boundaries! Luke stopped walking. He turned around, and his gaze became colder. "Are you telling the truth?'' He waved his hand, and the bodyguards let go of Charmaine. She was on the verge of tears. She loved to y, but only if both parties were consenting. Those instruments might be fun and exciting while making out, but now, it seemed as though the bodyguards were going to use them to kill her. That had made her fear for her life. She slumped onto the floor and begged him. "I was wrong, Mr. Crawford. Forgive me! I don''t have any grudge against Bianca Rayne. I only did that because Leia threatened me. She told me that if I don''t do what she says, she''ll make sure that I cant survive in A City. I had no other choice! I swear that I won''t do it again. Please forgive me..." Luke''s tall body towered over Charmaine. His figure was as exquisite as a sculpture, but Charmaine was not in the mood to appreciate it. She thought that the man was too scary. "What is inside the CD that caused Bianca to reject the proposal?" Luke asked. Charmaine shot a nce at the four bodyguards around her. Luke immediately understood what she meant, and he gave them a discreet signal. The bodyguards left the room and closed the door behind them. "Now you can speak," Luke told Charmaine to continue. Charmaine did not keep any secrets. She told him what she knew. "Mr. Crawford, Leia has a crush on you ever since she met you. She knows that you don''t love her and that you''re already a couple with Ms. Rayne, but she wants to marry you no matter what. Don''t you know how pretentious that woman is? She tried to look pure and innocent, but she''s underhanded and sinister. She makes me want to throw up every time I see her, and she has insulted Ms. Rayne in front of me many times. Also, she said that she''d break up the two of you no matter what it takes...¡± Charmaine told Luke about every misdeed that Leia did. She did not like Leia. After all, no one would be willing to be another woman''spdog. When Charmaine saw that Luke looked more and more unpleasant by the moment, she continued to spin the story. "A few days ago, Leia somehow got a CD that has incriminating evidence of you conducting a bribe... "Leia asked me to hand the CD to Ms. Rayne and threaten her to leave you so that you will be unharmed. "If not that Leia threatened to drive me out of A City if I don''t listen to what she says, I wouldn''t have dared to threaten Ms. Rayne!" Luke remained calm after listening to what Charmaine had to say, but his gaze turned darker and darker! ¡¯I see. ¡¯So that¡¯s why Bianca rejected my proposal at thest moment.¡¯ After receiving the information he wanted, Luke stepped out of the room inrge strides. The bodyguards in ck followed behind him. Charmaine slumped on the floor. She wiped the sweat off her forehead and heaved a sigh of relief after seeing that she was safe. When she suddenly remembered that she had told Luke about the CD, she started to tremble again. If Leia found out that Charmaine had told Luke the secret, she would kill her. Charmaine knew better than anyone that Leia had a wicked heart under that pure exterior. What should she do? Charmaine thought hard. She remembered that hertest sugar daddy was a middle-aged tycoon. He did not hold any political power, and he was ugly and short, but he was filthy rich. The man had held her hand and said that he would bring her for a vacation in the Maldives. She decided to go with him there and then; perhaps she would be able to get a credit card or some luxury goods from him too. Hiding overseas for a few days would be the best choice! At the car, Jason opened the back seat door for Luke. The man sat inside, and Jason sat on the driver''s seat. Jason nced at his cold-faced boss. He did not start the engine but instead handed a tabletputer to Luke. "Mr. Crawford, an article that defames Ms. Rayne''s reputation has appeared on the Inte, and many influencers on all the social media tforms are sharing it. I believe that someone is deliberately doing this to ruin Ms. Rayne''s reputation, but I don''t know if it''s from an individual or a group." Luke tapped on the screen and browsed through the article. The more he read, the gloomier he looked. After he finished the article, he grunted. "Amateur tactics! Find the true identity of that Rita, and ban all ounts that share the article!" Jason''s hands on the steering wheel paused for a while. He hesitated before saying, "Mr. Crawford, there was a meeting among the higher-ups recently about the control major corporations exerted over the media, and T Corporation is one of their surveince targets. The higher-ups warned us that we should keep a low profile. If we ban all the ounts that share the article, people would think that we are the ones doing that behind the scenes. If that happens, ourpetitors will have more dirt on us. I think..." Luke tossed the tablet away, closed his eyes, and said harshly, "Even individual ounts have to obey thew. If they break thew, the authorities will also take action against them. If they dare to spread unfounded rumors, it means that they are ready to bear the consequences. Just follow what I say, Mr. Doyle. If anything happens, I''ll bear all the responsibility!¡± Jason could only shake his head helplessly. His boss had always been wise and careful, but he seemed to lose all power of reason whenever Ms. Rayne was involved. He did not know whether Bianca''s presence was a positive or negative influence on Luke. Bianca''s appearance in Luke''s life had given him warmth. She had brought some humanity to his cold and serious character. At the same time, Bianca had also be his greatest weakness. If anyone dared toy a finger on Bianca, he would be more cruel and reckless than ever.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Also!" Luke suddenly opened his eyes. There was a hint of mockery in his icy gaze. "Dig up any dirt you can find on Leia Norman, and make her the talk of the town for the next one month." Luke could roughly guess the mastermind behind the libelous article without investigating. If that individual would harm others using underhanded tactics, Luke would let her have a taste of her own medicine! 1 Jason was shocked. He did not know how Committee Secretary Norman''s daughter had offended his boss, but he decided to keep quiet, seeing that Luke was in a bad mood. "Yes, Mr. Crawford." "Also, get Gordan Norton toe and look for me.¡¯ "Yes," Jason replied. Luke closed his eyes again. He looked like he was taking a nap, but he might also be thinking of something. He smiled mockingly when he remembered that CD that held the incriminating evidence. He did not expect that Mr. Schmidt, that old fox, kept records. For him, the CD was no big deal. 1 Chapter 473 Chapter 473 She Nearly Passed Out From His Kiss After Jason sent his boss back to the mansion, he drove the car away. After Luke stepped out of the car, he could hear Bianca''s voice from afar." Let me go! I want to leave!" "Ms. Rayne, Sir said that we can''t let you leave the mansion without his orders." That was the caretaker. Luke hastened his footsteps. He saw Bianca, dressed in a thin shirt, standing at the doorway of the living room facing the two caretakers. Luke''s heart ached when he saw how stubborn Bianca was. "Bianca!" He called out her name. Bianca turned around and saw that it was Luke. Tears welled in her eyes. She turned around again so that her back was facing him. She knew that it was impossible for the two of them to be together. However, Bianca was moved when she saw him return. She had to remind herself that she could not turn around. Luke''s hawk-like gaze fell on her face, then on her defiant back. He sighed imperceptibly. Bianca was flustered even though she did not see his gaze. She could feel those eyes casting an angry gaze like thorns on her back. She lowered her head. Perhaps it was right for Luke to be angry. Luke walked in front of Bianca and hugged her delicate body tightly. He shot a nce at the cold food on the table. "Hasn''t Madam had her lunch?" His gaze was stern. "Mr. Crawford." One of the caretakers exined awkwardly. She did not dare to meet his gaze. "Mrs. Crawford said that she did not have the appetite..." "Is that how you do your job?¡± Luke''s tone sounded usatory. The two caretakers did not reply. They dared not breathe too loudly, being intimidated by Luke''s stern tone. Bianca was the one who did not want to eat, but they did not say that. The other caretaker apologized immediately, seeing that Luke''s expression was unpleasant. "I''m sorry, Sir. This is our fault." They might be aggrieved, but they took it withoutint. After the arson case, Luke had instructed Jason to select only the best caretakers. The two caretakers had years of experience, and their character was much stronger than the usual caretaker. Bianca could not bear to see the caretakers being scolded because of her." This has nothing to do with them, Luke. I''m the one who doesn''t want to eat. You shouldn''t me them." Luke''s stern expression eased up a little. He dearly pinched her earlobe." You''re already an adult, but why are you still acting like a child? Even if you don''t want to eat, you should at least be considerate about the baby in your womb. It''ll me you if you starve it." "None of your business!" Bianca could not bear to have Luke being so intimate toward her. She had already made up her mind, but she began to waver under his gentle tone. She turned away, unwilling to see that bewitchingly handsome face. Luke smiled charmingly, and his palm fondled her stomach. "You are my wife, and the baby in your womb is the evidence of our love. How can you say that it''s none of my business, hmm?" The two caretakers knew that it was time for them to go elsewhere. "Sir, we''ll heat the food in the kitchen for you." They put the dishes onto trays and walked away, giving the couple some space. Only Luke and Bianca were left in the cavernous living room. Bianca felt awkward, and she turned around to leave. However, Luke dragged her and sat her down on his thigh. "Where are you going?" "I want to go back." Bianca''s voice was very soft. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, preventing their bodies from getting too intimate. Luke tightened his grip around her waist. "Go back? Where are you going back to?" His low and hoarse voice had some tension in it. Bianca bit her lips, and her eyshes fluttered. "I want to go and look for my grandfather and aunt. My home is there. I..." Before she could finish her sentence, Luke had already gripped her delicate chin, sucked on her supple lips, and forced his tongue into her oral cavity. Bianca could not catch her breath and nearly passed out from that violent kiss. Amid the passion, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her mouth. The taste of iron filled her oral cavity. Her tongue seemed to be bleeding... Luke finally let go of Bianca. His gaze was indulgent, gentle, overbearing, but at the same time frustrated and angry. Bianca covered her mouth, looking at the man who had just "tortured" her with disbelief. Her heart was at her throat, but she dared not say a word. Every time Luke punished her like that, it meant that he was in a horrid mood. "Don''t ever say that again!" After the violent kiss, Luke gently pecked her lips. "If you don''t behave, or if you do something that angers me, I''ll do this so that you won''t get to open your mouth again." Bianca''s eyes were filled with tears, and she looked like a fragile dew- stained rose. She eventually sighed and mumbled, "My presence is nothing but a burden to you, Luke. You deserve a better woman. I admit that it''s my fault for rejecting your proposal in public, but I''m doing this for your own good. You don''t know what I''m going through..." Luke forced Bianca to look into his eyes. "Did you do that because of the CD?" Bianca was shocked. "How... how did you know about the CD?" Luke sighed and poked her head with a finger. "Silly girl, why didn''t you tell me about it earlier? Am I that insignificant to you, that you''d rather bear it yourself instead of sharing it with me? Or do you think that I''m incapable of dealing with it?" He sounded as though he was scolding her, but at the same time, he was scolding himself. The grievances kept in her heart poured forth. She shook her head violently. "You don''t know that the CD that the woman gave me has clear evidence that you''ve given a bribe. If I don''t obey what she says, she''ll publicize its contents. Not only will your reputation be ruined, but you''ll also be sent to prison... You''re the man I love the most, and I can''t bear to see you suffer like that. I wish I could do something for you, but I''m powerless. Sorry..." Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Bianca was agitated yet helpless as she tried to hold back her sorrow. Luke hugged her and suddenly smiled. "Look at you crying like that. I feel sorry for you! It''s no big deal. Don''t worry, I have a way to handle it..." Chapter 474 Chapter 474 You Are More Important Than My Future! "What? Aren''t you worried about your safety?" Bianca''s eyes opened wide when she heard what Luke said. She tried to stop her heart from beating too hard. She had lived those past few days in agony because she could not find a solution. Every night, she would have nightmares of Luke being taken away by enforcement officers. She would wake up drenched in sweat, but she was helpless about it. She did not expect that Luke already knew about the CD with the incriminating evidence, but he was not worried at all. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Did he not know the grave consequences if the contents of the CD were leaked? Luke''s big hand gripped Bianca''s lower jaw hard and made her chin hurt." Why didn''t you tell me that something so serious happened? Don''t you know that I was so relieved when I knew that you rejected my proposal because of the CD, but at the same time, I was angry because you didn''t tell me?" Bianca fell silent. She did not know how to tell him; she did not want any harm toe to him. Looking at Luke''s handsome face seething in cold anger, Bianca was caught in a daze. It seemed that every time he was angry at her, it was because she had done something wrong. She clenched her fists and averted Luke''s stern gaze. "I''m sorry. I know I shouldn''t have kept it from you, but I was really afraid that your future will be affected by this incident..." Luke''s body trembled. He looked at her lips that were swollen because of his punishment." Between my future and yours, you are more important. Do you understand? If you face any troubles, you should tell me instead of keeping it to yourself and suffering alone. Not only will it cause a misunderstanding between us, but we''ll also fall into their trap. Don''t you know that?" Bianca dared not look at his face and instead transfixed her gaze on Luke''s exquisite wristwatch. "I''m sorry..." "Don''t ever say ''Sorry'' to me again! If you ever encounter a simr situation again, the first thing you have to do is tell me. I''ll think of a solution no matter what." Luke shook his head, and his expression sank. He did not know how to fix Bianca''s bad habit of saying "Sorry" without any good reason. "Mm," Bianca replied. At that time, her stomach started growling, which broke the tense atmosphere. Her cheeks blushed. Lukeughed. "Are you hungry? You''re not fulfilling your responsibilities as a mother. Won''t I feel sorry for you and the baby if you starve yourself? Let''s go and have lunch." Luke carried Bianca and headed to the dining hall. Bianca hugged his neck and said embarrassedly, "You can let me down. I might be pregnant, but my legs still work fine. I can walk myself." She was afraid that she would be heavier with the extra body in her womb, and that might tire him. Luke looked at her. "You''re my wife. There''s no one in the world that I would carry but you. What, should I carry Lanie and Rainie instead? They''re already grown up, and they''ll have their significant others to carry in the future. They don''t need me." Bianca was speechless. ''What is he saying? If not that the twins look so simr to Luke, I would''ve thought that he isn''t their real father.'' In the dining hall. Melodic music resounded in the air while the roses on the dining table gave off a light fragrance. The food served for lunch was all suitable for pregnant women. Luke had hired a famous nutritionist to devise a specialized menu for Bianca. It was very nutritious for both the mother and the baby. After talking heart to heart with Luke in the living room, Bianca seemed to be free from the curse that had gued her. Some things that she found unsolvable were nothing but child''s y in Luke''s eyes. She thought that hiding it from him would be for his own good, but that had ended up making him worry about her instead. Bianca thought that the two of them should be more open to each other from now on. 3 Luke put some chicken on Bianca''s te. She ate in small bites. She had only taken a bit when she thought of something. "How are you going to deal with the CD, Luke? The evidence inside doesn''t look too good for you. I... I didn''t ede to the woman''s threat and leave you. Won''t she publicize the contents? Wouldn''t that be bad for you? Why would such a CD exist? Could someone have faked it? Did you really do it?" She asked worriedly. Luke patted Bianca''s head. "When I took over Crawford Industries ten years ago, thepany was heavily in debt, and many banks withdrew their funding. Many of our clients did not help us, but some instead plotted against us. Crawford Industries was on the verge of ruin. "I had no other choice but to take certain risks. The property industry was booming back then, and I could see that future prospects in the industry were endless. That was why I bought off Mr. Schmidt, who was the vice secretary back then, got a plot ofnd from him, and turned Crawford Industries''s fortune around. "I didn''t expect that old fox to keep evidence of that transaction. Don''t worry, I have a solution for it, but I''ll need your cooperation for it to seed. You might have to suffer for a bit in this period, Bea." Luke had already thought of how to solve the problem. However, Bianca had to cooperate with him and pretend that they broke up. Bianca looked at Luke seriously. "Alright, I am willing to do anything for you, as long as it can clear you of your crime." She knew that she was harboring a crime, but Bianca did not hesitate to do so, only because the man was her most loved. Bianca had seen in the news that certain female criminals would take the me for the men they loved, even if it involved drug trafficking or murder. She used to think that they were stupid for ruining their own future for a criminal. Now that she was in the same position, she suddenly could empathize with them. Those women were not stupid, but they were willing to do stupid things because of love. They knew that they would be falling into an inescapable abyss, but they did not hesitate to do so because of love. She would do the same thing for Luke. Putting up an act was nothing; she would even give up her life. Chapter 475 Chapter 475 Did Luke Just Agree to Cut Ties with Bianca? Content ? N?velDrama.Org. An enchanting scene in a hotel at night. A man wore a mask that covered half of his face. The uncovered half was extraordinarily handsome. Gordan Norton was hugging a woman. Suddenly, he saw a very faint red light from outside the window. Hugging the woman in his arms tight, he swiftly rolled off the bed. A silenced bullet sliced through the air andnded on where the man was lying a second earlier. A hole appeared on the bed! Two men in ck bvas barged in from the window. Seeing that their assassination attempt had failed, they pointed the guns in their hands at the masked man. Before they could pull the trigger, the masked man had already pulled out a gun and delivered a bullet to each of them. Gordan''s gun skills were impable. The bulletsnded between the eyes of the assassins! Blood flowed from their foreheads. The two assassins had died even before they realized it. Their eyes remained wide open in disbelief that someone could have such a fast reaction time! The cruel deed happened too abruptly. When the woman noticed that their room had two additional dead bodies, she shrieked in abject panic. "Ahhh! Ahhh!" "Shut up!" Gordan quickly dressed up. He was very frustrated. He took off the mask, revealing the ghastly half of his face. The woman shrieked even louder when she saw that. Fortunately, the VIP suite was well-insted. No one outside could hear the woman even if she screamed herself hoarse. Gordan could not stand the woman''s shrieks. He ced his hand somewhere on her neck, and she instantly passed out. Frustratedly, Gordan lit a cigarette. He was alreadyying low in A City, but Tony''s men managed to find him. How unlucky! At that moment, his phone started ringing. He was surprised to see that Luke called him. He answered the call. "Boss Crawford! Say what you have to. I''m very busy," Gordan grunted as he looked at the two dead bodies in the room. He was not too courteous toward the man who had saved his life. There was no sound from the other end. That made Gordan''s mood worse. "Please get to the point, Mr. Crawford. I''m in the middle of something here," he urged impatiently. After killing two people, he had to get rid of the evidence quickly. Luke''s voice was as warm and charming as the sun in spring. "Do you want to live a normal life?" "What?" Gordan was confused. "Help me do something, and I''ll help you shake off Tony. How about that?" Gordan was piqued. He had been pursued by official authorities and underworld figures for his countless scams around the world. He was not bothered by them, except for the Italian mobster Tony. Tony was a merciless man who, in his bloody quest to take over the leadership of his family, killed his brother''s family, including his nephew who was still a child. After being tricked by Gordan once, the man had spared no expense in hiring assassins all over the world to get rid of him! No matter where Gordan hid, he could not escape from Tony''s influence. Gordan was very interested when he heard that Luke could help him stop Tony from going after him. "Is that true?" "I mean what I say," Luke said confidently. Gordan thought of Luke''s cunning and mysterious tactics but eventually nodded his head. "Alright, we have a deal." He was willing to do anything to get Tony off his tail. Crawford Manor. Luke sat in front of Old Master Crawford and casually took a sip of his tea." Did you look for me for something, Grandfather?" He asked directly. Old Master Crawford''s gaze was stern and gloomy. "You ingrate! Such a big scandal arose from the engagement ceremony. How am I going to face the others? Your good bride has disappointed me!" "We''re only postponing the engagement, Grandfather. I''ve already exined it to the guests." Luke put the teacup on the table. He remained as calm as ever. "Why, do you still want to marry her?" Old Master Crawford raised his walking stick furiously. He was about to bring it down on Luke. Allison was worried about her son, and she quickly blocked the walking stick. "It''s all that Bianca Rayne''s fault, Father. She was the one who rejected Luke''s proposal and humiliated us. It has nothing to do with Luke. My son, your grandfather is angry now, and he had high blood pressure and shouldn''t be agitated. Don''t talk to him like that." Allison shot a knowing nce at Luke, indicating that he should say some kind words to appease his grandfather. Luke ignored his mother. "Grandfather, Mother, what do you think I should do?" Old Master Crawford red at Luke and said sternly, "Bianca Rayne looks like a good girl, but she''s immature enough to tarnish our reputation in the engagement ceremony. How am I able to face my peers after this? Let me tell you, I won''t ept Bianca Rayne as my granddaughter-inw no matter what!" Allison was delighted to hearthat, but she did not show it on his face. Instead, sheined to Luke, "It''s not just Bianca Rayne. Don''t you know that her grandfather and aunt are also devious characters? Not only did they not show any remorse for what Bianca did, but they''ve insulted me. If you don''t believe it, you can ask your grandfather. If that''s the kind of upbringing they provide for that girl, she will never be a match for you. A chicken will never be a phoenix even if you give it golden feathers..." Luke interjected, "That''s enough, Mother. Do you think that I''m not here to listen to what you say about Bianca?" Allison furrowed her brows tightly. "Why are you so stubborn, my son? What''s so good about Bianca Rayne?" Old Master Crawford mmed the end of his walking stick on the floor andmanded sternly, "No matter what, don''t ever think of marrying Bianca again. After she gives birth to the baby, bring it to Crawford Manor and send her off with some money. You have to cut all ties with her. If you insist on marrying her, then don''t me me for being cruel!" Old Master Crawford also had a merciless character in his younger days, and he had taught Luke many of his ways. Luke knew very well what his grandfather was capable of doing. "Alright," Luke said a single word. Old Master Crawford and Allison were stunned by that single word. Did they mishear? Did Luke just agree to cut ties with Bianca Rayne? Chapter 476 Chapter 476 I Didn¡¯t Know That You''re So Liberal, Bianca! The next day. Leia sat in the makeup room while a makeup artist worked on her face. She browsed on her phone, eager to look at thetest updates on Bianca''s scandal. She could imagine Bianca''s face at that moment. However, as Leia scrolled through her Twitter feed and looked at the various ounts of the major influencers and media outlets, she could not find any scandalous news about Bianca. Leia was shocked. She realized that something was amiss. She could still find news and gossip about Bianca at midnight yesterday. How could everything disappear in just one night? Most shockingly, when she tried to search for the ounts that Charmaine had contacted to share Bianca''s article, all of them seemed to have disappeared. She could not find anything in the search bar... Leia started to panic. She immediately dialed Charmaine''s number, disregarding the fact that she was in a makeup session. However, no one answered the call, no matter how many times she dialed the number. She even had the urge to smash her phone! Seeing that Leia''s expression was bing unpleasant, the young makeup artist asked carefully, "Ms. Norman, are you unsatisfied about my work?" Everyone knew who Leia''s father was. No one in the production crew dared to cross her. Fortunately, except for some asional tantrums, she was rather easy to please. Leia did not listen to what the makeup artist said. The only thing in her mind was why things had turned out that way. Charmaine had found many influencers to share Bianca''s article, and Leia had spent a lot of money on them. Leia thought that the article would make huge waves, but the oue was totally the opposite of what she expected. Leia gritted her teeth. ''That stupid Charmaine can''t even do one simple thing. I''ll deal with herter!'' She cursed in her heart. Leia''s phone suddenly vibrated and gave her a huge shock. She shot an impatient nce at the call notification and saw that it was Luke calling her. Instantly, she became ecstatic! She wanted to answer it instantly, but she thought that it was the first time the man had called her and decided that she should restrain herself a little. The phone continued ringing for about twenty seconds before Leia answered it. "Hello?¡¯ She said sweetly. "Ms. Norman. Are you free after work tonight? I''d like to invite you for dinner." On the other end of the call was Luke''s resonant and charming voice. Leia wanted to be reserved and y hard to get, but she remembered that Luke had a temperamental character. What if she declined his invitation now and he never called back? She agreed to it hurriedly. "Yes, I''m free today. I only have amercial shoot today, and I should be off by about half-past five." "Alright, I''ll see you at Restaurant Nine at half-past six." "Um, Luke, can you..." Leia wanted to ask the man if he could pick her up at the studio. She would feel incredibly proud if Luke Crawford could personally arrive at the studio to pick her up! Before she could finish her sentence, Luke had already hung up. Half of the sentence was stuck in her mouth. Even so, Leia was extremely happy. She knew that Luke''s icy heart would not warm up to her that fast. However, if he would give her a chance, she believed that she would be able to eventually win him over. The makeup artist saw Leia''s blissful expression and said enviously, ¡¯Is that your boyfriend, Ms. Norman? He has a really nice voice!" "Yes! My boyfriend doesn''t only have a nice voice, but he''s also very charming!" Leia said smugly. It was as though Luke was her boyfriend. While the makeup artist applied blush on Leia''s face, she ttered her, "Ms. Norman, you''re so beautiful, and you have a good upbringing. You must have good taste in men. Your boyfriend should either be the son of an influential politician or a tycoon, right?" Leia tried to humble herself, but she could not hide the pride in her eyes." No, there are many men who try to court me, including many sons of people in high positions. I''ve never epted any of their advances because I only love one man. He is Luke Crawford, the CEO of T Corporation. I''m not asking a lot from him. I only hope that he''d treat me better..." "Oh my god, it''s Mr. Crawford!" The makeup artist nearly shrieked out loud." He''s the dream lover of all the women in A City. Most importantly, he isn''t riddled with scandals. You''re so lucky, Ms. Norman. Only a man of such status could be a match for you!" Leia was happy because of the makeup artist''s ttery. She could not stop grinning, and she instantly appointed the young woman to be her exclusive makeup artist. For the rest of the day, Leia was immersed in the joy that she would be having dinner with Luke that evening. Shepletely forgot about Bianca, i She could not wait for work to be over so that she could go on the date with Luke. T Corporation. As Bianca and Nina walked into the design department office, they could see their colleagues looking at them with peculiar gazes. Some were pointing at them and whispering among themselves. Bianca was frustrated. At the same time, she wondered why the usually quiet office was somewhat lively. The male colleagues congregated in small groups, discussing something while looking at their phones. They stopped talking when they saw Biancae in, though their expressions of surprise, sympathy, and condescension were apparent... Some were even mocking her. Only Sue was looking at Bianca with worry. Luke had dealt with the article at the earliest possible moment, but some employees managed to read it. They looked at Bianca with suspicion and condescension because they thought that the article made sense. Some people even took screenshots of the pictures. Bianca ignored them. She greeted Sue and sat down in front of her desk. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Be, adorned in heavy makeup, came over and started mocking Bianca. "I didn''t know that you''re so liberal, Bianca! I was deceived by your pure looks! Those foreign men are pretty good in bed, right? One isn''t enough to satisfy you, tsk tsk, aren''t you afraid of breaking it if you sleep with several men at once? You''re a celebrity in thepany now!¡¯ Another male colleague also chimed in with bad intentions, "If I didn''t read the article, I would have been deceived by her pure looks. Ms. Rayne looks serious at work, but I bet she''s pretty wild in bed..." Bianca was both embarrassed and angry at their insulting words. She turned to look at them with a cold gaze. "Madam, I respect you because you''re my work superior, but if you don''t stop your nder now, don''t me me for what I will do to you!" "Oh my, I''m so scared!" Be patted her chest sarcastically and grunted coldly. She took out her phone, opened several of "Bianca''s" saved photos, and showed it to Bianca. "The evidence is in for all to see, yet you''re still denying it? Look at your disgusting face. You don''t seem satisfied by all the men there!" Chapter 477 Chapter 477 Bianca¡¯s Imposing Speech! Bianca nced at the photo on Be''s phone. Suddenly, sheughed. "I was wondering what you''re going to show me. Turns out that it''s just a few photos. How sure are you that the woman in those photos is me? Image editing technology is so advanced now. It''s so easy to transnt someone''s face onto another body. Moreover, the so- called evidence provided by the article is full of errors. Do you actually believe it? Are you three years old?" As Be looked at her phone while churning her brain, trying to find a retort, Bianca continued, "Haven''t you realized something else too? Every ount that shared the article is banned. Can you open the link to the article? You can''t! How could that happen? It''s because the article is false and libelous. Mr. Crawford has already reported the article to the authorities, and anyone who shares it will face legal consequences." Nina red at Be, then at the nosy male colleague. Be could feel her heart skip a beat. She was starting to panic. She heard from Mavis that Bianca had rejected Luke''s proposal at the engagement ceremony and had tarnished the Crawford family''s reputation. Knowing how cold and heartless Mr. Crawford was, Bianca would quickly be removed from the scene, and Mavis would rece her position. That was why Be had mocked her so openly. Be did not expect that Luke still had feelings for Bianca even after the scandal broke out. If she knew about that, she would not have humiliated her. The male colleague was also dripping in cold sweat. He was somewhat handsome and had certain talents in design. Several female colleagues like him, but he was not interested in women who took the initiative. He had thought that Bianca was a pure woman. Unexpectedly, that woman was actually a harlot in private. That stark contrast made him interested in her. He even thought of giving her some money so that she would sleep with him. He did not expect that his boss would still be defending the woman despite her tattered reputation. At that moment, he hated his big mouth. It took him a lot of effort to get to where he was on his careerdder. He would not ruin it because of a slip of his tongue! The other colleagues felt lucky that they kept their mouths shut. Before they knew what actually happened, it would be most prudent to control what they say. Otherwise, they might get into trouble without them knowing it. Be was feeling fearful, but she was not going to give up, though her voice had be a lot softer. "Hmph, how pretentious! I heard that you''re from a poor family, and it''s not surprising if you did that while studying abroad. Have you ever thought of going back to your part-time job, Bianca? I have some rich clients to introduce you!" Then, she turned to look at the male employees surrounding them. "If you all have any urges in the future, you don''t have to go too far. There''s one in our department. She¡¯s beautiful and has a nice figure, and she''s definitely cleaner and more value for money than those you find outside!" Someone responded with a burst ofughter immediately after Be finished speaking. It was from several female employees who envied Bianca. They had been in thepany for longer than Bianca. However, Bianca was better than them in terms of appearance and work capability. She was the main obstacle to their promotion, and they were happy to see her being humiliated. The male employees looked at Bianca ambiguously, but they did not want to court trouble and therefore kept their mouths shut. Only Tom stood up and retorted Be. "Madam, do you actually think that the article was telling the truth? Why would it be deleted then? Every one of us here should know Bianca''s character, even if it''s not her entire personality. Moreover, don''t you think that it''s immature to conclude that the woman is Bianca from several edited photos?" Be was furious when she heard Tom speak up for Bianca. "You seem like you''re very protective of Bianca, Tom! You don''t look like you''re so close to her. Don''t tell me that you''re..." Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Bianca mmed a thick stack of design documents on the table and said coldly, "That''s enough! Don''t go overboard, Be Sloan! Without knowing someone''s past, you create rumors irresponsibly. Don''t you know that there are legal consequences for that? ording to Section 246 in the Criminal Code, anyone who damages the reputation of an individual by the fabrication of facts will be sentenced to a maximum of three years in prison. You can talk to me if you''re unhappy with me, Madam, but you shouldn''t have ndered me like this. I don''t want to waste my time at work to be involved in such meaningless conversations. If you do that again, I will contact mywyer, and we can continue the conversation in court!" Every word in Bianca''s speech was forceful and overbearing. Her demeanor reminded Be of Luke Crawford, and that had made Be shut her mouth. "Hmph, I didn''t say those words. I saw it in Rita''s article, it has nothing to do with me!" Be looked at Bianca sheepishly, then roared at the surrounding employees. "What are you all looking at? Get back to work now! Then, she slunk back to her office. After Be left, the employees stopped their gossip and returned to their tasks. Bianca felt a headache because of her anger, but she knew that she should not be agitated because that would have a negative effect on the baby in her womb. Sue and Ninaforted her, and she soon calmed down. She started reading the information about applying for the architect certification. She did not do so earlier because even though she received her master''s degree in engineering economics, she did not have the required work experience of two years or the experience in managing a construction project for one year. Now that she had worked in T Corporation for almost a year, her scope of work included designing buildings and overseeing construction projects. In another two months, she would be qualified to apply for the certification. The certificate held a lot of value. Among the millions of architectural designers in the country, only about four hundred thousand were certified architects. She needed the certification if she wanted to advance her career in T Corporation. After work. Luke sent Bianca home and gently kissed her cheek. "I''m sorry, I''ll have to go out for a while. You and the children should have dinner first. I will be back soon." Bianca knew that he was going on a "date" with Leia. She felt insufferable agony in her heart, but she forced a smile on her face and straightened his suit. "Alright, be back soon." Chapter 478 Chapter 478 Let Go!, You''ve Got The Wrong Person! Luke could tell that Bianca was feeling anxious. He hugged her tightly in his arms, almost hoping that they would fuse into one. "Don''t worry about it. It¡¯ll be over soon." Bianca smiled gently. She stood on tiptoe and kissed his lips. "Well wait for you toe back." Luke lowered his head and pecked Bianca''s delicate and graceful neck. Then, Luke drove off. From the second floor of the vi, Bianca looked at the Bentley until it disappeared from view. She felt helpless. Of course, she was ufortable thinking about Luke''s "date" with Leia Norman. She knew that Luke was only acting, but Bianca felt uneasy about it. However, at that stage, there is no way to solve the CD incidentpletely except for being patient. Leia wore sunsses and was in a superb mood that night. She drove her luxury car to the parking lot near Restaurant Nine. Leia parked the car and was about to get out of the driver''s seat when she saw a dark figure in front of the car. The figure appeared out of nowhere and seemed like he was injured. She heard him scream out in pain. "Oh! It hurts! Come and look, this luxury car is killing me..." Leia was taken aback and hurriedly opened the car door. As soon as her expensive stilettos touched the ground, she saw a middle-aged man with ragged clothes and messy hair lying half-dead in front of her car. He seemed "wounded" and there was a pool of "blood" dripping off his arms and thighs. Leia thought that the homeless man looked familiar. The grime on the homeless man''s face was so disgusting that she was not willing to look at it a second time. She drove very slowly, and so the chances of her hitting anyone was low. The homeless man appeared in front of the car just as she parked. He was clearly a conman. The usual Leia would have intimidated the homeless man. However, she was rushing for a date with Luke and did not have time to waste. She took out a stack of cash from her handbag and threw it at the homeless man. "Take the money and get lost! Otherwise, I will call the police!" The homeless man''s bloody arm rushed to grab the cash. He looked up and was extremely surprised to see Leia, dressed extremely fashionably and exquisitely! Not bothering to continue with the "injured¡± act, the homeless man crawled over and hugged Leia''s leg tightly. He cried out, "My dear daughter! My good girl! Leia, I have been looking for you for a long time, and I finally found you! I suffered in my journey to find you, and I can¡¯t even afford to eat... Yet you''re living a good life and don''t even think about me! Why are you so unfilial?!" Leia was shocked when she heard that he imed he was her father! She stared at the homeless man. The man in front of her reminded her of Dexter Shaw, who stalked her previously. "Let go! You got the wrong person! I''m not the person you''re looking for! If you continue bothering me. I''ll get someone to kill you!" Leia threatened and shook off his hand. She wanted his dirty hands chopped off. However, Dexter''s hand was like a hook that tightly wrapped around her leg. He did not let go as he said, "No, I¡¯m right. You are my daughter. You look so much like your mother, Suzy. You are my daughter Leia Shaw. You have a thumb-sized birthmark below your left armpit. I remember! I also know that your father, Mr. Norman, has no biological daughter. He only has one adopted daughter from an orphanage, and that''s you, Leia. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can pluck the hair on my body and take it to a DNA test!" Everyone in A City knew that Mr. Norman adopted a child from an orphanage. Anyone could have found that information out easily. After Dexter bumped into Leia twice, he got suspicious when he saw how simr Leia''s face was to his wife Suzy. He and Suzy had a daughter. A whileter, he owed arge debt at the casino. The mobsters forced him to pay the debt off immediately and would chop both his hands off if he did not. Dexter was afraid that they would chop off his hands, and so he sold his wife. He wanted to sell his daughter too. Even though the girl was young, she was extremely smart. When she was supposed to be brought home by the buyer, she escaped. For that reason, Dexter got severely beaten up by the buyers and almost became disabled. For so many years, he could not find Leia Shaw. He did not expect that his hard work would pay off. He finally found his daughter! After so many years, that skinny little girl turned into a beautiful movie star. Dexter was overjoyed! He wanted to extort more money out of her. However, his daughter did not recognize him, her biological father. Instead, she repeatedly emphasized that she was Mr. Norman''s daughter. Dexter took a long time and went to find out the ins and outs of the situation. Dexter hung around casinos year-round. He found out information fairly quickly through hiswork of homeless men. Through repeatedparison and analysis, he was sure that Leia was his biological daughter. Leia gritted her teeth at the thought of the birthmark that Dexter mentioned. She had been busy recently and almost forgot about it. She had to schedule some time to get rid of the birthmark soon. As for Dexter, she would find a way to shut him up! It was dinner time. Seeing that more and more cars were around, Leia was afraid that someone would notice her. She was afraid that others would see her with this homeless man... She grabbed another stack of money from her handbag and threw it at Dexter. "I know you just want more money! This money is for you. Get out of my sight right away! If you try this again, I will make sure you get what you deserve. My dad, Mr. Norman, will make sure you learn your lesson!" "Good girl, I know you love me! Don''t worry. I won''t look for you if there''s nothing urgent." Dexter could only focus on the banknotes flying around him. He could not care less that Leia meant to humiliate him. He was overjoyed! This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. It was great to have a daughter who was a movie star. The money came so easily! His daughter was so rich, of course, he had to make good use of it. Leia stared contemptuously at Dexter. She took advantage of the time he was focused on picking up money and quickly slipped away. Leia felt disgusted thinking about Dexter. What should she do with her so-called "biological father?" Chapter 479 Chapter 479 Pay The Price for Her Idiotic Behavior! Leia had worn a white dress because she thought that she looked pure and innocent in white. Someone once told her that she looked like a beautiful flower when she wore white. On the way to the restaurant, Dexter had dirtied Leia''s dress. It might not be an obvious stain, but Leia, perfectionist that she was, went to the boutique next door and bought a new set of clothes. After Leia changed her clothes and arrived at Restaurant Nine, Luke was not there yet. In the luxurious restaurant, Leia sat by the windows. She was looking at the city lights with an unwilling expression on her beautiful face. On a normal date, the man would be the one waiting for the woman at the restaurant. However, she went as far as making a booking in advance and waited for Luke. She felt wronged... Leia was dressed in an elegant yellow cocktail dress. Paired with her alluring makeup, she looked ssic and dreamy under the restaurant lights. Her expression carried a trace of pitiful charm, which made her look extremely delicate. She could arouse men''s desire to protect her. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She booked a regr table instead of a private room. The first reason was that she felt that her beauty should be appreciated by men, and the other was that if Luke and she were seen on a date in public, they would definitely make headlines the next day. That was what she wanted to happen. About half an hourter, Luke arrived at Restaurant Nine. Luke saw Leia looking out the window with her head resting on her chin. He slowly walked to the opposite chair and said, "Sorry, Ms. Norman, I¡¯ve been upied by worktely. Sorry to keep you waiting." i He pulled the dining chair and sat down. Luke was a noble, elegant, profound, and cold man that could charm anyone. When Leia saw Luke, there was no doubt that she was overjoyed. Theintsand dissatisfaction toward him had disappeared. She felt like the colors were more vibrant, and the sky was brighter because of him! It was as though he was her holy water, rejuvenating her dry and withered spring, making it gurgling and flowing again. She felt alive because of him. Leia answered softly, "Don¡¯t worry about it. I didn''t wait for long. I only arrived just now." Even though she waited for him for nearly an hour, Leia was willing to as long as she couldy her eyes on him. As long as Luke showed up, she would be happy even if it meant that she had to wait for him the entire night. Luke concealed the coldness in his eyes. He smiled like a gentleman at Leia as he said, "What do you feel like having? I''ll get the menu." Leia thoughtfully said, ¡°I''m not a picky eater. You can order whatever you like." His handsome face became more refined the more Leia looked at him. Luke smiled and said, "How could that be? I¡¯m sure you have a favorite dish, Ms. Norman. Order whatever you want; don¡¯t be a stranger. I''m not hungry now, so I¡¯ll just order some hors d''oeuvres." Even if all the world¡¯s delicacies were in front of Luke, he was not in the mood to enjoy it with that woman. If he did not have ulterior motives, he would not bother to y nice with such an unappetizing woman. He was waiting to go home so that he could have supper with Bianca and the children. Although Bianca usually cooked home-cooked food, it tasted amazing, and she was no worse than a professional chef. He had be picky with food after he had Bianca''s cooking. However, since she got pregnant recently and with the consideration of reducing her workload, the family hired chefs and nutritionists to cook for them. asionally, Bianca would also cook for the family. He enjoyed the family time and cherished the warm feeling when he had a meal with his family, i Leia was taken aback by his response and smiled even more sweetly. "We have known each other for so long, Luke. Why would you still call me Ms. Norman? Call me Leia from now on. I have been to this restaurant with my parents before. The food here is delicious, and you will definitely find something that you''ll like. How about you tell me your tastes, and I¡¯ll order for you?" Luke looked at Leia as he answered, "Thank you for your kindness, Ms. Norman. I don''t have a favorite dish. You can go ahead with your order, don''t mind me." Leia was angry that Luke insisted on calling her "Ms. Norman.¡± Luke had never referred to Bianca as "Ms. Rayne." Now, Luke was like a stubborn donkey that did not listen to what Leia said. She felt annoyed and helpless. 1 However, it was precisely his arrogant character that made her obsessed with him. Anyway, she had time. Bianca would be soon forced out of the game. She could afford to be patient with Luke. Leia felt a little better as she thought about that. To avoid an awkward situation, Leia ordered meals, desserts, and drinks, all of which were small in portion but delicate in taste. The waiter was extremely efficient. He quickly brought the food and backed off respectfully. At the dining table, Leia tasted the food every once in a while. She saw that Luke only drank a few sips of his drink and probed, ¡°Luke, what happened between you and Ms. Rayne? I heard she canceled the engagement. I thought the both of you were very loving. How could such a thing happen?" Looking at Leia''s ignorant and innocent eyes, Luke sneered sarcastically inside. He answered casually, "Nothing, it happened and there is no way around it. Maybe I have too many shorings that it made her feel insecure, so she insisted on leaving." 1 Leia looked at Luke''s lips and gentlyforted him, "It doesn''t matter. If Ms. Rayne wants to leave, let her be. It''s her loss giving up a good man like you. Many women in A City want to marry you. You lost a tree, but you still have a forest." "Oh? Does the forest include you, Ms. Norman?" Luke''s long eyshes dropped slightly, concealing the gloom in his heart. He did not want a forest; he only cared for Bianca. For a long time, his heart had been so cold and dark that even if a dense forest grew there, it would only wither and decay. Although Bianca, his little tree, was weak and faltering, she was extremely tenacious. It had taken root in his barren soil, growing his barren heart into a patch of emerald green. Luke knew that Leia was trying to test him, so he looked at her and just uttered a few words. His expression was slightly cold. 1 Sooner orter, she would have to pay the price for her idiotic behavior! Chapter 480 Chapter 480 She Could Not Move As Luke Pinned Her Against The Wall... At the dining table, Leia looked at Luke,pletely fascinated. She did not notice the coldness in his eyes. She said while acting shy, "That''s not hard to believe. No woman can escape your charm. You''re a smart man, and you should know how I feel about you. It was deep and sincere love at first sight." Luke concealed the sarcasm in his eyes, and he said in a neutral tone," Thank you, Ms. Norman. I''m not worthy of your love." He looked at his watch and found that it was close to 8 p.m. He knew that Bianca would be anxiously waiting for him. Luke said, "Ms. Norman, are you done with your dinner? I have something else that I need to attend to. See you next time." Leia was unwilling, but she nodded when she noticed Luke''s coldness." Well, if you have something to attend to, please feel free to head back. I¡¯ll see you soon." She knew that she had to be patient in her quest to im Luke''s heart. She should not rush him. Otherwise, all her previous efforts would have been in vain. Luke sent Leia home. Along the way, Leia''s heart was all aflutter, as though she was Pooh and he was the honey. She looked at Luke and felt that he looked so charming when he focused on driving. 3 The street lights shone through the car windows and illuminated his handsome side profile. The lighting highlighted his natural elegance and extravagance. Leia was extremely obsessed with Luke''s face. It was perfect and alluring. To her, he was God¡¯s greatest creation. They sat in silence for the entire journey, i Before she knew it, they arrived at the Norman residence. When the car parked outside of the Norman residence, Leia was surprised that time flew by that quickly. She said to Luke, "Thank you for sending me home. I had a wonderful time." "My pleasure." Luke''s deep-set eyes hid his emotions well. Leia unfastened her seat belt and was about to get out of the car. Suddenly, she turned to Luke and kissed him lightly on his cheek before Luke could react. She opened the door, quickly got out of the car, and mmed the door. Leia was covering her blushing cheeks, and her heart was beating like crazy. She was not sure why she was so bold tonight. Perhaps it was because the atmosphere was right for her to confess her true feelings. She was not sure if that made Luke feel anything. So what if he could not forget Bianca for now? Things could change over time. There were two reasons why men could not forget their past love. The first was that not enough time had passed, and the second was that their current love was not good enough. Leia believed that she could afford to wait for Luke. She was determined to be by his side until he forgot Bianca. Moreover, a goddess like her would be a qualified lover for Luke. One day, that man would open up to her love. Inside the car. Luke took a wet wipe and cleaned the area where Leia had kissed him. He was disgusted! He even used disinfectant on his face. He wiped his cheek so hard that the skin almost came off. The man''s expression was ice cold. ''Damn that woman!'' She was part of his ploy, and he could not kill her off. Otherwise, he would make her wish that she were dead! In the Norman residence. Queenie was sitting on the sofa knitting a sweater when Leia walked into the house in a happy mood. Leia saw her adoptive mother at peace. She put her handbag down, ran straight to Queenie, and put her arms around her. "Mom, I have good news. I''m about to have a boyfriend!" Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Queenie put down the half-knit sweater and turned her head in surprise. "Is that true? Where does he work? If you have time, take him home and show him to me. I''ll check him out for you." Leia''s heart skipped a beat when she thought of Luke''s handsome face. She wanted to keep it a secret. "Mom, it''s not time to bring him home yet. When the time is right, I will bring him to you and Dad. I assure you, you will be more than satisfied." Queenie touched Leia''s head with relief. She smiled lovingly as she said," Since when have we kept secrets between us? Leia, you can''t just focus on his appearance. More importantly, you should observe his personality and how he conducts himself around people. At the end of the day, it¡¯s best to choose someone that you can befortable with." "I know. Mom, I''m veryfortable with him. I''ve never been sofortable with anyone!" Leia hugged Queenie and put on her sweet-daughter act. "I love him very much." Queenie thought of Leia''s obsessive feelings for Luke. She probed, "Leia, please don''t tell me that the boyfriend that you''re talking about is not the same type of man as Luke? Listen to your mother. A man like Luke may seem great, but he''s so closed off! He''s not the one for you, you should stay away from those kinds of men. Can you promise me that?" Leia wanted to tell Queenie about Luke, but seeing how her mother was so prejudiced against him, she became irritable. Her mother''s words were like a wet nket. She said angrily, "I heard you, Mom. I know what I¡¯m doing." When Queenie saw that her daughter acknowledged her, she was relieved. Leia was her darling, and she wanted to give her the best. She did not expect Leia to marry rich. Her only hope was that Leia would be happy and healthy for her entire life. Queenie thought she was doing good, but in Leia''s eyes, her adoptive mother was standing in her way to happiness. The crack of the rtionship between mother and child would usually start small. With Luke in the picture, the gap between them grew bigger. At the same time, Bianca sat on the carpet in a daze. There was a book on herp, but she had not turned a single page, as if the book was only a decoration. Her chat notifications kept going off. Nina and Sue were trying to reach out to her in their group chat. Bianca asionally replied with short messages. Although she was chatting with her close friends, her mind was not here at all. She was in a terrible mood. It was half-past eight, and Luke had not returned as promised. Bianca was getting anxious. She thought about how, at that moment, Luke and Leia might be dining while flirting. Bianca could not help but feel a pang of jealousy in her heart... Curse his handsome face! That man has a face so exquisite that it brought more harm than joy. Sometimes, she would prefer if Luke looked iner so that the women around him would not even bother. If Leia had not taken a fancy to his beautiful face, things would not end up like this... Just as Bianca was lost in thought, the door suddenly opened. The cold air from outside rushed into the house, and Bianca could not help but shiver. She saw Luke walking in, the stars lighting his way. Bianca turned her head around angrily and refused to look at him. She stood up and walked toward the other room, but before she could take two steps, Luke had already caught up with her. Luke grabbed Bianca''s slender arm domineeringly and pulled her back gently. Bianca could not move; Luke was pressing her against the wall... Chapter 481 Chapter 481 I Want To Eat You Bianca''s phone slid from her hand to the ground and made a loud sound. In the chat group, Nina kept texting Bianca. [Are you okay, Bea? What¡¯s going on? Are you fighting with the boss again?] The chat notifications were getting to Luke, and so he turned off Bianca''s phone. "Let go of me." Bianca was pressed against the wall by Luke. Bianca tried her best to wriggle her way out while being mindful of the baby in her womb. Luke felt a little frustrated seeing her wriggling like a disobedient rabbit in his arms. He pressed down on her shoulders and lifted her chin. "Throwing a tantrum again, hm?" Bianca kicked him and nced at him. "You''rete. How was your romantic date with Leia?" Luke choked when he heard Bianca''s words. He carried her and strode towards the bedroom. Luke''s arms held not only his wife but also their third child. He jokingly said, "If it feels good to date other women, I won¡¯t be rushing home to be with you now. Stop throwing your temper, or else...!" After he said that, Luke kicked the bedroom door open and sat down on the bed with Bianca on hisp. Seeing that Bianca was still acting slightly jealous, he let out augh. He made fun of her, "Are you still angry? You look like our Rainie when she doesn''t get a toy she wants. I didn''t expect that our daughter learned how to pout from you. I''m looking forward to seeing if our third baby will also inherit this quirk of yours." Bianca was a little angry at first, but after Luke said that, she could not help butughed. However, when she noticed the unfamiliar scent of perfume on his body, she was very ufortable. "You are very good with your words. I can''t win. You went to have dinner with Leia, but you have such a strong smell of perfume on your body. Did something happen?" It was a tense period for the two of them. Bianca''s hormones made her nervous and suspicious, and she could not help but overthink. Luke might be a gentleman, but Leia was a scheming woman... Luke was not sure how to reason with a pregnant woman. Leia wore very strong perfume for the dinner, which made Luke ufortable. He tried to bear it at the restaurant. It was absolute torment! How could Bianca understand that? With a light sigh, Luke wrapped her arms around her and looked down at her aggrieved face. "Don''t think too much, Bea. You''re tormenting me." Bianca opened her mouth and bit his arm. ''This is your punishment." Luke knew she needed to vent. He did not push her away, but instead generously stretched out his arm. He knew that she would eventually feel bad. The first few bites were quite forceful, but Bianca could not bring herself to continue hurting Luke. Luke hugged Bianca tighter and said lovingly, "You dummy, I won''t betray my lover. You are my soulmate. I would never betray you. Please don''t use me of things that I didn''t do. Okay, don''t be angry. I know it''s my fault. Forgive me, I will never go out to dinner with other women for the rest of my life, and I will not let some other woman''s perfume stain my clothes when Ie back. I won¡¯t go out for drinks with business partners, and my phone is turned on for you twenty-four hours a day. I will make sure that you can find me whenever you want to, and I won''t make you feel insecure... My love, don¡¯t be angry anymore, okay?" Bianca looked at him and said, "You are very talented in business and in charming women." Luke was turned on by what she said. The soft body of his beloved woman was in hisp, and her faint breath lingered in his nose. He could feel his urges rising. They have not made out since she became pregnant. He suppressed his evil thoughts and patted Bianca on the back. He continued to coax her, "I have never concealed anything from you, and I have not lied to you. I will not do it now, and I won''t do it in the future. My love, don''t make trouble, things between us are so good now. It''s not easy for us to be together, please don''t push me farther and farther away." Bianca leaned on his strong shoulders, her heart melted by his tenderness. She thought that she was being unreasonable. In the past, she was always sensible, intellectual, and magnanimous, but after being with Luke, she would throw tantrums and be jealous. She liked it when Luke soothed her with his gentle voice, and when he looked at her with that indulgent gaze... Bianca felt that she had changed. Sure enough, once a woman fell in love, she would be an idiot. Was she bing a spoiled wife? Bianca was a little dazed. When she was deep in thought, she suddenly felt herself float. Luke had picked her up. Bianca hugged onto his neck quickly and said, "It''s almost bedtime. What do you want to do?" Luke rubbed Bianca''s forehead affectionately with his. "Let¡¯s take a shower together." He could not stand the disgusting perfume smell on his body. Although he had no direct contact with Leia, her perfume was too strong. It was all over him. He could not wait to wash off all traces left by that woman. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Luke pressed a milky white button on the bedroom wall which controlled the bath heater and water flow of the bathtub. When they got into the bathroom, the automatic system would have prepared everything. Bianca let out a faint hum. Although there were two caretakers in the mansion, Bianca did not want other people to help her take a bath. She was used to the daily life of an ordinary person. Luke was different. He was the love of her life. After a little while, the bathtub was filled with warm water. Luke gently took off Bianca''s pajamas and put her in the bathtub. Then, he took off his clothes and stepped into the bathtub too. The bathtub was huge, and Bianca sat in one corner. Her belly was showing slightly, but it was not obvious. The warm water almost covered her entire body. Her pale body was barely visible under the water. Her tender and wless skin had a faint and beautiful pink glow. Her long eyshes caught onto some mist, and her clear eyes were looking at him. He wanted her badly. Luke''s throat felt ufortable. His thick eyebrows furrowed, his lean lips pressed tightly, and his handsome face seemed to say "I want to eat you"... Chapter 482 Chapter 482 She Was So Shocked That She Could Not Sit Still! Bianca looked at Luke''s ¡¯hungry¡¯¡¯ expression and felt scared. She wanted to say "no" but she noticed that Luke looked pitiful. That was the uniquely pitiful look of a man. "We haven¡¯t made love for three months, Bea. The doctor said that we can do it after three months. I promise I¡¯ll be careful." To others, he was a forbidding Cold-Faced Devil. To her, he was like a hungry little puppy. Bianca was amused by the stark contrast. Bianca thought about how Luke had been taking cold showers for the past few months, and she finally agreed. She slowly hugged his neck and said in a low voice, "Okay..." Luke nibbled her earlobes and mumbled, "Don''t worry, I won''t hurt you and our child..." Luke was aplete gentleman. Bianca felt his eagerness and tenderness, along with hispassion toward her. She felt like she was swimming in the clouds. Late at night. The moonlight outside the window gently shone into the bathroom. Those intimate times did not cease for a long time. When they were done, Luke returned to the bedroom carrying Bianca in his arms. Theyid down side by side. He hugged Bianca tightly and ced her hand on his heart. "Sometimes there are things that may be beyond our control, but you have to remember that my heart is only beating for you. No matter where I am, my heart is with you. I love you, and I will never do anything that would hurt you. Please don¡¯t throw a tantrum again." Bianca felt Luke''s irregr heartbeat. She knew that she was being unreasonable. Knowing that Luke was only putting up an act, she had thrown a tantrum. She started to me herself... Seeing that, Luke smiled and gently tapped her nose. "Are you hungry? I''ll get someone to cook you supper." "Yeah, a little." She was not feeling hungry before. Now that he asked her, she felt that she could use a snack. Her appetite has increased since she got pregnant. Luke ordered a caretaker to prepare supper. After ten minutes, supper was ready, and Luke personally brought it in. He picked up a piece of cake and fed it to her, "Open your mouth. Herees your favorite cake." Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Just as Bianca was about to eat it, she suddenly thought of a piece of news that she saw on the Inte, so she held back. "No, I should eat something light. Too much cake at night is not good for the baby. Luke raised his eyebrows in surprise. Bianca looked at the delicious cake and gulped. "The article said that eating too many sweets during pregnancy can cause the fetus to be toorge and lead to high blood sugar levels during pregnancy." After listening to her exnation, Luke shook his head andughed as he said, "Where did you hear this nonsense?" Bianca answered, "The Inte. I watch a lot of tutorials and read many articles. These are all things that I need to pay attention to." Luke patiently said, "Don¡¯t trust that nonsense on the Inte. If you have any questions you don¡¯t understand, you can consult Johann. This cake is specially formted by our nutritionist. It tastes sweet but has low sugar content. It will not lead to high blood sugar levels." Bianca did not expect Luke to take such care of her. She did not know what to say for a while, she was moved by the man''s meticulous care. She took a bite of the cake, and sure enough, the creamy cake was sweet and fragrant, which whetted her appetite. Not only does Bianca find the cake sweet, but she also felt sweet in her heart. She picked up the cake that had been taken a bite out of and moved it next to Luke''s mouth, "Have some cake too." Luke was not a fan of sweets, but when he saw that Bianca was smiling so sweetly, he took a bite of her cake. "Yes, it¡¯s very sweet.¡± He was talking about her. Bianca thought he was talking about the cake, and so she replied, "Of course." Luke watched Bianca finish the piece of cake. However, he stopped her from taking another piece. He spoke to Bianca as though he was speaking to a child. "One piece is enough. If you eat too much at night, you will feel ufortable. You can eat the rest tomorrow." Bianca obediently put down the second piece of cake and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Then, she came back to bed and slipped gently into his arms. Bianca kissed Luke on the cheek and was ready to fall asleep. Luke gave Bianca a passionate kiss in return and said, "Bea, do you forgive me? I''m sorry for making you angry today. If you''re still upset, just punch me." After he said that, he grabbed her hand. Bianca withdrew her hand, smelled the familiar scent on his body, and said softly, "I forgave you hours ago. We should never fall asleep angry. It''s also my fault for overthinking. You don¡¯t need to apologize to me." Luke hugged Bianca in his arms lovingly. He hugged her tightly and thought to himself, ''She will always be my sweet burden.'' Crawford Manor. Leia came over early in the morning. She wore light makeup on and made herself look innocent and pure. At first nce, she looked younger. She gifted Old Master Crawford a valuable tobo pipe and a box of fine tea and gave Allison jewelry and luxury bags. Leia''s considerate gesture made the two of them very happy. Old Master Crawford used his new pipe to smoke and said, "Thank you for the gifts, you shouldn''t have. You¡¯re wee to visit Crawford Manor at anytime." Leia¡¯s eyes showed her joy. She smiled gracefully and said, "Don''t mention it, Old Master Crawford. I''m happy as long as you are happy." Allison touched the glittering jewels and smiled from ear to ear. "Come over more often, Leia! Now that Luke is single, he could use a beautiful and virtuous girlfriend like you. How good would it be if you were my daughter- inw?" Leia concealed her true intentions and probed, "Auntie, what happened at the engagement ceremony? Why was Luke''s engagement canceled?" Allison became furious as soon as the incident was mentioned. "Don''t even mention that. Bianca Rayne has humiliated us! Everything was going fine until she suddenly changed her mind. If someone were to change their mind, it should be Luke. Who does she think she is? Don''t worry, Leia. If you end up marrying Luke, the twins will live with us in Crawford Manor. I will make sure that they will not bother you and my son. Oh, when Bianca Rayne gives birth to the third child, it''ll be raised in Crawford Manor too. Don''t worry." 1 ''What? Bianca is pregnant again?'' Leia was shocked by what Allison said. She could not sit still! Chapter 483 Chapter 483 She Wanted Bianca to Never Return This Time When Allison looked at Leia''s look of disbelief, she realized that Leia had no idea about Bianca''s pregnancy. Allison wanted to p herself! ''Why do I have such a big mouth? ''What if the unborn child causes a rift between Leia and Luke?'' Allison leaned on the couch, took Leia''s little hand, and coaxed her by saying, "The baby''s existence is purely unexpected. None of us thought that Bianca could be so brazen to get herself pregnant before her marriage. But don''t you worry, the Crawford family''s rich and powerful. We can raise a few more children, not to mention just one more. The caretakers and I will take care of them at home so they won''t bother you two.¡± Allison devalued Bianca so much that shepletely forgot the fact that she got pregnant before marriage too and forced herself into the position using her child. Old Master Crawford coughed heavily at the wordsing out of Allison''s mouth. Allison immediately hushed up, while Leia, still in shock, did not notice the small detail. 1 Leia''s heart bled when she heard that Bianca was pregnant. However, still smiling, she said with feigned generosity, "You''re joking, Aunt Allison. Whoever marries Luke is lucky. I like children the most. The little ones are sweet, soft, and cute. Besides, the house won''t be so empty with more children around. It would be good to have some cheer!" "What a good girl. Queenie didn''t raise you in vain. You''re just like her." Allison nodded with satisfaction, meaning something else. Allison thought Leia was nice. She was pretty, virtuous, and generous. She also gave her presents from time to time. That nice girl was ten times better than that Bianca. Leia said gently, "You''re kidding, Aunt Allison. I''m nothing like Mom. She''s a realdy, and I still need to learn more." i Leia''s words made Allison frown. She thought of Queenie at a younger age. At that time, Queenie was beautiful, gentle, kind, and pure. She had almost all the good qualities of the perfect woman. They grew up and went to school together. They were simr, but Queenie was simply more sophisticated than the rest of them. The men around her were also rich heirs and sons of high-ranking officials, which Allison was both envious and jealous of. Later, Jack Norman, the handsome and elegant son of a high-ranking official, fell in love with Queenie at first sight. He had set his mind on her when she was still in school. Meanwhile, Allison became a ything among the rich heirs. She was dumped again and again when she dated them and ended up being an escort. How was she willing to ept that? That was why she did that thing afterward to Queenie. Now, seeing Queenie raise someone else''s daughter like a princess for nothing while her biological daughter became aughingstock and even be her son''s free child-bearer, Allison felt pretty relieved as she thought she had finally turned things around. Therefore, she said with a pun, "That''s right. Your mother did raise a fine daughter." Leia also knew that her mother and Allison used to be best friends. However, for some reason, they gradually drifted apart and even cut off contacts. She wanted to please Allison as well as repair her rtionship with her adoptive mother. However, when she saw that her expression did not seem right when she mentioned her mother, she wisely stopped talking about the topic. Seeing it was gettingte, she excused herself by saying, '' Allison, I have something to doter, so I can''t apany you and Old Master Crawford anymore. Old Master Crawford, I have to go. I''lle and see you again sometime." "Leia, why not wait for Luke toe back and let him send you home?" Allison seemed reluctant to part with Leia. She grabbed Leia as she wanted her to stay longer. Leia would have waited for Luke to return if it was before. However, she had more important things to do and refused to stay. "No thanks, Allison. It may be toote when Luke gets back. I''m going home now." "Alright, call ahead when youe to visit next time. I''ll ask the driver to pick you up." Allison said with a smile as she touched the bracelet that Leia had given her. Old Master Crawford told asked Leia to be careful before going upstairs. Leia took leave from Crawford Manor and drove her luxury car on the overpass at top speed. She made a phone call while she drove. She talked to the person on the other end for about ten minutes before hanging up. Leia narrowed her eyes, her eyes bing more and more malicious. ''How dare that b*tch Bianca gets pregnant with Luke''s baby?'' ''Ha. She may have the nerve to get pregnant, but whether she''s alive to give birth is uncertain...'' ''Bianca, aren''t you just trying to cement your position with your children? Then I''ll give you a taste of wishful thinking!'' In the mansion. Because of what happened at the engagement party and Luke''s ns, Bianca was not fit for public appearances, so she took an extended leave and nurtured her baby in the newly purchased mansion. The ecological environment of the new mansion was excellent. It had flowers, nts, kiosks,kes, and even rockery and waterfalls. The security was even top-notch. Her two children would sometimese and apany her, but after resting for about half a month or so, Bianca felt a little bored, and she was desperate to get back to work. Early that morning, while Bianca was helping the twins with their homework, her aunt Wanda called. Old Master Rayne was sick and asked for his granddaughter, so she wanted her to visit him. Bianca thought of how she had only called her grandfather and aunt in the past half month to let them know that she was safe and exined what happened between her and Luke. At that time, she was sorry that she did not see them, and she felt more and more guilty toward her grandfather. Worried about the old man''s condition, Bianca did not wait for Luke toe back. Instead, she only sent him a message exining her whereabouts. Then she asked the driver Luke specially arranged to quickly send her to Old Master Rayne''s ce. Leia had been agitated these days. For some reason, her scandal had flooded many well-known news websites and social media tforms overnight. She browsed the news, and almost all the exposes were dirt on herself. For example, throwing a tantrum on set, using a stunt double for her scenes, heavy green-screen effect, and so on, yet those were of secondary importance. The scariest part was that her dark history at the orphanage was uncovered, including how she had framed Scarlett and the lowly identity that she wanted to hide the most... All of a sudden, Leia''s image as an ingenue was severely damaged. Leia even begged her father to use his power to suppress the dirt on her. However, as soon as they suppressed it here, it sprung up like mushrooms after a rain. It was as if they were not afraid of Mr. Norman''s background at all. It made Leia fill with shame, anger, and hate. She almost broke down by the dirt on her! Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. What disturbed Leia the most was that she had secretly asked a well- known private investigator to track down Bianca, but many days had passed, and they still had not found her. Just as she was breaking things irritably, the phone suddenly rang. Seeing that it was the private investigator''s number, Leia answered it. They told her something, and her gloomy eyes finally lit up. After hanging up the phone, Leia''s eyes were full of dirty and malicious schemes. 1 Now that she had found the person she was looking for without much effort, she wanted Bianca to never return this time! Chapter 484 Chapter 484 Lanie Crouched Beside Bianca Covered In Blood It was the weekend. When Bianca was heading out, the two little ones were pestering her to go together. Worried about her grandfather, she did not have the extra time and patience to coax them, so she could only bring the kids with her. When the car drove to the shopping mall near Centercourt Mall in A City, sitting in a child car seat at the back, Rainie suddenly said to Bianca," Mommy, my tummy feels a little upset. I want to go to the bathroom..." Last night, she did not listen to her mother''s advice and ate a few more pieces of cantaloupe, resulting in a minor stomach ache. Seeing her daughter''s cute face crumpled up in difort, Bianca asked Zander, the driver, to park in a nearby parking lot and let him and Lanie wait in the car while she apanied Rainie to the restroom in the shopping mall. Ten minutester, Rainie emerged from the restroom. Bianca held Rainie''s hand and waited for the green light at the crosswalk, unaware that danger was just around the corner! Leia sat in another unassuming car, staring darkly at the woman holding Rainie''s hand. It was indeed Bianca. She did not expect the woman she had been hunting for to show up at the shopping mall. Luke had kept her in secret protection for so long, i Bianca had always been a lowly and unworthy woman to Leia. Bianca''s father was dead, she had no mother, her stepmother was in prison, and she had a burdensome grandfather. However, that woman took what belonged to her. Every time she saw Luke doting on Bianca, Leia felt like there was a fire burning in her heart. She had been harboring a feeling of anger in her heart, which made her ufortable. She had been thinking about how to drive Bianca out of A City. i Especially when she heard that Bianca was pregnant again, she wanted her to disappear immediately! Bianca was holding a little girl. That was Rainie, Luke''s precious daughter. The beautiful child wore matching outfits with Bianca, and her eyes were very much like Bianca''s. She was the spitting image of Bianca. Anyone could tell that they were mother and daughter at a nce. Leia was furious. Although JK Media previously reported that Bianca was the twins'' biological mother, she never believed it. 1 However, every time she looked at the simr-looking mother and daughter, Leia was forced to admit the harsh truth that they were probably mother and daughter. There was no doubt about that. Now, Bianca had another flesh and blood rted to Luke in her belly. It made Leia more jealous and more resentful. Who was she to bear Luke''s child? i She would marry Luketer and have children of their own. She would never let Bianca have another child topete with her baby for affection and wealth! i Staring at Bianca, Leia saw the yellow light flicker, and the green light was about to light up, so she immediately made a call. They replied a curt "Yes" after receiving Leia''s instructions, and she hung up. Then she pulled out the phone card, broke it in half, and threw it into a trash can in the car. Bianca was talking to Rainie as she carefully led her across the road, not noticing a ck car with a fake license te. The car followed the mother and daughter steadily until they passed through the bustling street and came to a quietne. The private parking lot was right opposite thene. The mother and daughter were busy talking and did not sense the danger that was around the corner. When Bianca and Rainie were in the middle of thene, the ck car with a fake license te suddenly stepped on the gas pedal and rammed at them! Thene was not very crowded. Other than Bianca and her daughter, there were a few scattered passers-by. Someone screamed in horror as the car with a fake license te rushed towards Bianca... The voice was so sharp and high-pitched that it almost cut through the thick clouds! The scream gave Bianca an ominous premonition. She turned around and saw a speeding ck car coming straight toward her. Bianca''s pupils shrank sharply as the car moved too fast for anyone to dodge. In a moment of crisis, due to her motherly instinct, Bianca only had time to push little Rainie away! It was a mother''s love for her child, and it was also the only thing she could do in the face of a crisis. Bang! The car hit Bianca hard, sending her delicate body flying for several feet just like a butterfly that had lost its wings. Afternding, she rolled away on the ground. Despite Bianca''s desperate efforts to protect her lower abdomen with her arms, arge pool of blood soon flowed out of her lower body, making a terrifying red trail on the stony road... "Mommy..." Rainie screamed and cried in horror. She knelt in front of the bleeding Bianca and tried to touch her with her little hands. However, she could only cry in horror and could not even speak when she saw the blood underneath her mother. Passers-by gathered as it drew their attention. "Mommy!" "Madam!" Lanie and the driver saw what happened after getting out of the car when the onlookers caught their attention. Pedestrians shouted while kind Samaritans stepped forward to help... The owner of the car with a fake license te wore a low-brimmed hat, which made him unidentifiable. A glint of malice shed in his eyes as he saw Bianca near death after being hit, but it quickly disappeared. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Fearing that staying too long would cause more trouble, he drove away at top speed in seconds! 1 After Lanie came to himself, he stared hard at the escaping car. The innocent and clear eyes of the little guy suddenly burst out with rage that did not belong to his age. Killing intent filled the air around them. Having an excellent memory, he memorized the license te and the model. Unfortunately, Lanie could not see what he truly looked like because the perpetrator wore a hat that covered his face. Bianca had already passed out. Her hair was scattered everywhere, and there was a staggering pool of blood beneath her. There were even tiny drops of blood oozing from her scalp, staining her pale cheeks. Shey there in a pool of blood, seemingly stopped breathing... "Madam. Wake up, Madam..." Zander immediately called 911. Trembling with fear, he reached out to pick Bianca up from the ground, but Lanie calmly stopped him. "Uncle Zander, don''t touch Mama. I''ll call Dad right away!" The boy''s young voice sounded the same as ever, and he seemed unflustered, but there was cold sweat breaking out on his fair forehead, and it was easy to see how nervous he was. Lanie crouched beside Bianca, who was covered with blood. His little hands trembled as he dialed his father''s phone and briefly exined to him about the critical situation... He knew his mother''s ident was serious, but he did not know where his mother was hurt. His teacher had told them that when they had no idea where the victim of a car ident was injured, they should never move her, as that would aggravate the victim''s injury and the consequences would be more serious. The little one was trembling all over. He had a premonition. The inexplicable fear of losing was almost too much to bear. After all, he was still young. He was still a child, and it was his first time dealing with such a terrible ident. However, nothing must happen to his mother! Lanie clenched his fists. There was a terrifying edge hidden in those eyes that looked like Luke. He looked a far cry from the sunny dashing little prince he normally was. ''You have to calm down, Lanie. This is your mother. You can''t save her life if you don''t handle this well.'' An ambnce arrived soon after, and Bianca was taken to the hospital. Luke, who received Lanie''s call, was shocked to learn that Bianca had a car ident. He was so horrified that he dropped the hundred-million- dor deal he was negotiating and rushed to the hospital immediately! Chapter 485 Chapter 485 Let''s Wait For Daddy to Get Here Before We Decide... At the hospital. They were racing against time, and Bianca''s life was slipping away. The smell of disinfectant filled their noses, adding more unease to the cold air. Suddenly, the door of the operating room opened. Zander and the twins rushed to the doctor in a white coat and anxiously asked about Bianca''s condition. Lanie even tensed his little body, almost holding his breath as he waited for the doctor''s answer. The middle-aged doctor removed his mask and said solemnly, "Who''s the family member of the patient? The patient''s in a critical condition and needs immediate surgery. We also need her family''s signature before that!" "Doctor, the patient is my employer. I''m sorry, but I don''t have the right to sign for her. Lanie and Rainie are too young to take charge, and Mr. Crawford is on his way over right now. Could you please operate on Mrs. Crawford first and have it signed when Mr. Crawford arrives?¡¯ Zander was worried, but he was not Bianca''s direct family member and could not make decisions for her. However, Mrs. Crawford might die if they did not carry out the operation now. He could only pray that Mr. Crawford could reach the hospital soon. The middle-aged doctor said helplessly, ¡¯This isn''t a typical operation. It is critical to the patient''s life. We can''t decide for her!¡¯ Lanie asked calmly, "Mister Doctor, how is my mother? What surgery does she need?'' The doctor nced at the little boy who had spoken and secretly praised his overly pretty little face. The boy was unusually calm for his young age and seemed strangely more resolute than the adult standing beside him. How unbelievable. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. However, considering Bianca''s actual condition, the doctor could only tell the truth. ¡¯The patient needs an immediate abortion and uterine curettage. We can''t keep the baby. The worst thing is that the patient''s legs are so badly injured that the musculoskeletal joints failed to coalesce, and the damaged blood vessels can¡¯t be sutured, and so she requires immediate amputation. Otherwise, the patient might get a life-threatening bacterial infection!" 3 The pity in his eyes was palpable, even though he was ustomed to life and death. The female patient involved in the ident was very young and had an excellent appearance but was facing the tragic experience of amputation. However, he had no choice. Many people in society had to go through amputations due to car idents all year round. The news was like a bolt from the blue! Lanie''s young handsome face turned pale. His big round eyes were full of despair. Rainie, who had been crying silently, stopped doing so because of what the doctor had just said. Even Zander was dumbfounded. The doctor''s words echoed in Lanie''s mind. Their baby brother or sister was going to die, and their mother was about to have her legs amputated. Losing a baby was hard enough fortheir mother, and she was still so young. Could she ept being disabled? Seeing their indecision, the middle-aged doctor could only urge by saying," Make up your mind as soon as possible. The longer you drag this out, the worse it will be to the patient''s health." Rainie had been crying all the way. Her big beautiful eyes were already as swollen as walnuts. She tugged at the corner of the doctor''s coat, pitifully crying and begging him. ¡¯Mister Doctor, please protect Mommy''s baby. Don''t amputate her. It''s all my fault. If I hadn''t insisted on going to the bathroom, Mommy wouldn''t have been hit by a car... Boohoo... Please, Mister. Please save Mom, okay..." The little girl was so adorable she made people''s hearts break. She cried until she gasped for air and looked so pitiful that even the doctor felt sorry. However, all he could do was touch the little girl''s head and shake his head with a sigh. ¡¯Little girl, your mother is in a serious condition. She''ll die without the operation." Determination glinted in Lanie''s profound eyes. "Mister, let''s wait for Daddy to get here before we decide. I believe Daddy has a way to save Mom''s legs. Just wait for a while. Just a while..." With that, the little boy called Luke again. Luke, who had been stuck in traffic, badly wanted to ram his way to the hospital after hearing his son''s brief description. He impatiently tugged at his tie and said to Lanie, "Give the doctor the phone and let me talk to him." The phone was immediately handed to the doctor. After Lanie told him Luke''s identity, the doctor''s voice immediately became respectful. "Mr. Crawford, your wife is in critical condition. Her legs need to be amputated immediately, and we have to remove the baby from her womb. Otherwise, we might lose both of them. The operation requires the signature of an immediate family member, but the children are too young..." The doctor told Luke the details of the situation, expecting to get his consent. However, he unexpectedly heard a different answer. "Do your best to save our baby. Perform an abortion first if necessary, but the mother of my child cannot be amputated!" Luke spoke very clearly, but the doctor begged to differ when he heard it." Mr. Crawford, if her legs are not amputated, the bacteria will spread very quickly and make her condition worse. The consequences..." Luke was forceful. "Let me ask you. Can you guarantee that my wife''s life will be alright for one more day? I want to hear the truth!" The doctor was one of the city''s top surgical directors, and his medical skills were naturally excellent. "Mr. Crawford, we have no problem with that. But if her legs are not amputated after a day, Mrs. Crawford''s injuries could get much worse." Hearing that the doctor could guarantee her life to be alright for one day, Luke was relieved. "Don''t ask any other questions. Save my wife''s life first. I''ll be at the hospital in ten minutes. That''s all!" Luke knew that Bianca was a perfectionist. She would be depressed and unhappy if she had any imperfections on her body, even if her life was saved. After ending the call, the man made another one. "Johann, no matter where you are in the world, haul you *ss back to A City immediately..." There was no end to the winding traffic on the road, and Luke mmed the steering wheel. Through the car window, Luke saw the crossroad and the hospital building in the distance. He gave up and ditched the luxury car. He also contacted Jason to deal with the car left behind. Running all the way, he finally arrived at the hospital. Luke went straight to the intensive care unit. Bianca was lying quietly in the hospital bed, with tubes all over her. Her colorless little face looked even more transparent because of the pallor. Her long hair was messily scattered on the pillow, stained with blood. Bianca looked just like a fragile flower petal moments before it withered... Chapter 486 Chapter 486 Luke''s Handsome Face Was As Cold As The Approaching Hades Luke smelled blood mingled with disinfectant. The man''s tall and imposing body was momentarily stunned and weak. He sat in front of Bianca''s hospital bed, his long fingers stroking her bloodstained hair with a distinct tremble. As his fingers moved down, Luke touched Bianca''s little face that had little warmth. Because her face was so pale, it made her longshes look darker and defined. ''Abortion, curettage, amputation...'' 1 The doctor''s words rang in his ears again. Luke clenched his hands and seemed to see the bloody scene of Bianca being hit by a car. The woman he loved most was a treasure he protected in his palm. He was usually afraid to touch a single strand of hair, yet she was now on the verge of death as shey on the hospital bed, like a withering flower, about to disappear from the world. The figure on the hospital bed was thin and delicate, looking particrly pitiful. Luke gently held Bianca''s hand. Due to excessive blood loss, her fingers were soft but extremely cold. It seemed that no matter how he held them, he could not warm them up. Bianca would not hold his hand back as she had done before, drawing teasing circles in his palm with her fingers. Memories flooded in, ovepping with the cruel reality, breaking Luke''sposure and intensifying the man''s heavy breathing. She had texted him a few hours earlier, telling him where she was going. Unexpectedly, she was like a torn kite the next second, appearing before him in such a decaying manner. How could he not be furious? Zander looked at Luke''s handsome gloomy face and said cautiously, "Mr. Crawford, the hit-and-run driver escaped. I don''t know if it was caused by drunk driving or something else..." Luke suddenly turned to look at him. His voice was as cold as winter. "Call on all forces to find him, no matter what you have to do!" Zander nodded his head. He was not only an ordinary driver but also a soldier with extraordinary reconnaissance skills. After he retired, Luke recruited him to be Bianca''s driver. Luke talked to Zander again, and he turned away to investigate the strange ident. "Daddy..." The two little ones ran to Luke''s side and looked at their mother, who was barely alive in the hospital bed. Their faces were full of worry and fear. Rainie began to cry again. She hugged her father''s thigh and confessed," I''m sorry, Daddy. It''s all my fault. Mommy wouldn''t have been hit by a car if I didn''t have a stomach ache and I didn''t have to go to the bathroom while in the car. Daddy, why don''t you hit me? Boohoo... I''m... I''m sorry..." Because she had been crying too much, the little girl''s delicate face was flushed. She held her father''s hand. Luke heard what had happened and did not me her. "It was all an ident. You had nothing to do with it. Stop crying. It''ll break your mother''s heart if she woke up and saw you crying like this." He held his crying daughter in his arms and pressed his forehead against her so that no one could see his fragility. Rainie, who looked very simr to Bianca, had always been Luke''s favorite. Even if their daughter was to me for Bianca''s horrible ident, it did not have anything to do with Rainie directly. She was still so little, and he did not want her to bear such a heavy burden of guilt at such an age. Rainie sobbed in Luke''s arms for a long time before holding back her tears. She looked longingly at Bianca and asked Luke, "Daddy, when will Mommy wake up? I''ll apologize to Mommy when she wakes up." "Mommy''s exhausted. She''s resting. It''ll probably take a few days before she wakes up." Luke''s eyes flickered as he stared at the extremely weak Bianca. The unresponsive Bianca was like a sharp knife that kept cutting through his fragile nerves. The man, who had always been calm and resolute, became anxious and afraid. Laniey by the bed, and his brow was filled with unconcealed worry. "Dad, the doctor said they can''t save the baby. Have we lost our baby brother or sister?" He and his sister often caressed the baby through their mother''s stomach. Sometimes they would whisper to the baby and were delighted every time. The brother and sister looked forward to the baby¡¯s arrival, but unexpectedly, the doctor told them they can''t save the baby, which made the little one very sad. "You''ll have other brothers and sisterster on." Luke closed his eyes, his heart wrenching as he answered his son''s question indirectly. He was looking forward to the baby''s arrival more than anyone else because it was truly his and Bianca''s product of love without any mary deals. Luke lowered his gaze and pressed Bianca''s palm to his face. After a long time, he finally muttered, "I''m sorry, Bea. I failed to protect you after all." Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. That day, the whole hospital seemed to have be a ruinous battlefield with a gloomy atmosphere. All the doctors were busy with their hearts in their throats, racing against the clock to save Bianca, who was in the intensive care unit. No one here dared to offend Luke. They could not afford any mistake. Luke was a man known to be a cold and ruthless devil in the business world. Even the hospital director stepped in to appease him. The doctors dared not take it lightly. If anything went wrong, the whole hospital could be destroyed in his rage, and they could never be doctors again. None of them dared to risk their future. At four o''clock in the afternoon, Bianca, who had been in aa but had been kept on medication and shown stable test results, suddenly suffered severe bleeding and was sent to the emergency room. Because the hospital was so full of patients, bodyguards cordoned off the intensive care unit, operating room, and corridor, creating a private space for Bianca. When the pale Bianca was pushed into the operating room, Luke could not help but step forward and m the emergency room door open! The hospital director was so frightened he broke out in cold sweat and almost lost control. He carefully admonished him, "Mr. Crawford, your wife is in a critical condition. Would you mind waiting outside? Or you can go to the VIP lounge. Otherwise, our rescue process will be affected with you rashly barging in like this..." His voice trailed off as he saw that Luke''s handsome face was as cold as the approaching Hades. The hospital director suddenly had a premonition. Sure enough, the next moment, Luke grabbed the hospital director''s cor, lifting him like lifting a chicken. The man''s voice was forceful and threatening. "Sir, you''re the best doctor in this hospital. I want you to listen carefully. Do whatever it takes to save my wife''s life! If anything happens to her, I''ll let your entire hospital suffer for this!" Chapter 487 Chapter 487 Luke Believed That Johann Could Save Bianca! The hospital director was scared into a cold sweat by the furious Luke and repeatedly replied, "Yes. Yes, Mr. Crawford, don''t worry about that. I''ll do my best to save your wife''s life!" "I don''t want such an ambiguous answer. You shouldn''t just try your best, but you have to save her!" The chill in Luke''s terrifying eyes almost turned to ice. The hospital director was so shocked he could not speak. Even his teeth were chattering. "Yes, Mr... Mr. Crawford..." Luke''s grip loosened a little. Right after he let go, the hospital director hid into the emergency room as if he was running for his life. The Cold-Faced Devil was scary whenever he lost his temper, and he had what it took to walk the talk. To him, the doctors were insignificant. The operating room lights came on again. Looking at the lights, Luke lost all his strength. The man''s tall and imposing body leaned limply against the operating room¡¯s closed door. His white shirt also seemed to be stained with Bianca''s blood, smelling faintly of blood. His heart was bursting with pain, and his eyes could not calm down. It was as if he was experiencing an unforeseen catastrophe. Luke''s breathing slowed at the thought of losing her. It was as if someone had choked his neck with a noose, leaving him gasping for air... He had lived for nearly twenty-nine years and had lived in loneliness and solitude since he could remember. After he reached adulthood, he immersed himself in work all year round. That world was crueler with no human warmth; only plunder,petition and indifference. It left him with no warmth in his life, which led to his cold and indifferent personality now. Bianca appeared in his life. She brought him light and color. She was gentle and intellectual, and her innocent face seemed to make people''s hearts melt. She was kind, humble, and had a unique temperament. It feltfortable to be with her. He cherished her so much, but now he had to ept what fate had in store for him. Luke clenched his fists and trembled slightly at the thought of this. He no longer had a hard and cold expression, only vulnerability... The hospital director once again got out of the operating room, covered in sweat. His face was pale, and his voice was full of helplessness. "Mr. Crawford, Mrs. Crawford is in such a serious condition that immediate abortion and amputation are necessary. If you don''t make a decision soon, she''ll..." The doctor was only halfway through his sentence, but Luke knew what he meant. His eyebrows furrowed deeply, and his throat was extremely dry. "Hold on a little longer. My people are coming." Although Luke was also so worried that his heart seemed to be roasting on a fire, he could barely resist the pressure from the hospital director and even wanted to agree. Bianca''s condition had deteriorated, and she would probably die if she did not have surgery immediately. However, if he agreed, she would not only lose their baby but also her legs, which she would not be able to ept when she woke up. However, he did not care about that now. He only wanted Bianca to live well even if she was disabled. Just as Luke was about to agree, a cynical male voice interrupted and broke the tension outside the operating room. "How serious is it that amputation is necessary? Or is it because you''re not skilled enough?" The voice was so arrogant and confident that the hospital director frowned unhappily. He had been practicing medicine for decades and was the best surgeon in A City. Who dared to say that about him? It was an absolute humiliation for a famous old doctor. The look in the hospital director''s eyes was even more disdainful when he saw the handsome and elegant Johann. ''Is this outrageously young man the so-called famous doctor Mr. Crawford found? This is ridiculous!'' Lanie and Rainie saw Johann and ran up to him at the same time. Their young voices rang almost at the same time as each of them held him by one thigh. "Uncle Johann..." "Hey, little darlings. Don''t cry. I''m here..." Johann said. Seeing the twins jumping into his arms, he picked one up in each arm. Luke''s face brightened with relief when he saw that Johann had arrived. He took the twins out of Johann''s arms and dragged him straight to the emergency room. "Bianca is in a critical condition. You must save her legs and the baby in her womb. Please, Johann." Luke had never been courteous to Johann, even when Johann was treating him. It was the first time that Luke begged Johann, which made thetter raise his eyebrows and smile knowingly. However, it was not the time to talk about that. Luke had described Bianca''s situation in detail. "Don''t worry. I''ll give you a healthy Mrs. Crawford in a few hours," Johann said. Then, Johann charmingly rushed into the operating room and began disinfecting himself. "Daddy, can Uncle Johann really save Mommy?" Rainie looked anxiously at the operating room door. She sobbed as she said, "I remember that my pet bunny was sick and was about to die, but Uncle Johann saved it. He''s such an excellent doctor. He''ll save Mommy, won''t he?" "Yes, he''ll save Mommy." Luke stroked his daughter, whose height only reached his knees. He wasforting her as well as himself. 1 He believed in Johann''s medical skills. Johann was a genius, and some people even called him a miracle doctor. He was so skilled that he could save someone as long as they were breathing. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Once, when a senior military official in Country M was assassinated, his body was riddled with bullets, and he even received a bullet to the heart. All the doctors said that there was no hope, but Johann managed to revive him. It caused a great sensation at the time. That was how Johann became known as the miracle doctor. Luke believed that Johann could save Bianca. Time passed, and soon it was evening. The little ones were tired after crying for so long. They were relieved to hear that Uncle Johann could save their mother. The two children obediently sat on the long bench and waited. Although they were hungry and sleepy, they insisted on waiting for their mother toe out of the operating room. However, Luke called Jason to send the twins back to Crawford Manor. There was no use for the children to stay there. Besides, they were still growing, so they were forcibly sent home. Finally, the operating room door, which had been closed for more than four hours, opened. Johann, in a surgical gown, was the first toe out. He was followed by a group of beaming doctors and nurses... Chapter 488 Chapter 488 Your Third Child Is Very Lucky The doctors and nurses following behind Johann treated him like a god who worked wonders. Luke felt nervous even though he trusted Johann''s skills. "How is Bianca now?" Johann yawnedzily and said with a smile, "Don''t worry. With me here, I can save your wife even if she''s one foot in the grave. Your third baby is safe, and she doesn''t need to amputate. Are you satisfied with the result?" "Thank you, Johann." Luke''s words of gratitude were genuine. He was usually an emotionally reserved person, and he seldom thanked others. For Bianca, he had thanked Johann multiple times. That made Johann somewhat surprised. "Tsk tsk, it''s rare that you thank me." Luke was in a good mood. He was generous toward the doctor who had saved his wife. "Tell me what you want. I''ll fulfill your wishes to the best of my ability." Before Johann could reply, several nurses came out of the operating theater while pushing a surgical stretcher. Bianca remained unconscious after the operation. Luke found it hard to breathe, and he felt a slight ache in his heart. He took a step forward and wanted to touch Bianca''s face, but Johann blocked his way. Johann rolled his eyes at Luke. "Sis has just finished an operation, and she''s very weak. You have a lot of germs on your hands, and it''s best not to touch her now." Luke helplessly ced his hand down. It was the first time that he was not angry at Johann for reprimanding him. His gentle and delicate woman was lying on the stretcher, unable to move. He could not stop his heart from aching for her. "Mr. Crawford, we''ll be sending Ms. Rayne to the ward first," a young nurse reminded him. The nurse looked at Luke shyly, at the same time jealous of Bianca''s luck. Everyone in A City knew about their stories. Who was to say which version was true? That did not stop women from being jealous of the Cindere who was able to find her Prince Charming. "Let me do it." Luke took over the surgical stretcher from the nurse''s hands. His expression was full of dearness. He pushed Bianca to the ward. The female nurses became even more envious. They had always thought that Luke Crawford of T Corporation was heartless, but they did not expect him to pamper a woman that way. No other man would be willing to push their woman from the operating theater to the ward. Johann shook his head as he watched Luke''s back. That man was mired too deep in the trap of love. There would be no redemption for him. At night, in the hospital ward. The moonlight outside was serene and gentle. All was quiet in the ICU ward, except for the gentle hum of the venttor, the softmplight, and the man''s loving gaze... Luke stood in front of Bianca¡¯s bed. Themp on the wall cast a long shadow on him, covering the entirety of Bianca''s frail body. He was not his usual unemotional self. His brows were tightly furrowed, and his gaze was transfixed on Bianca''s dried lips. A long timeter, he dipped a cotton swab in some water and moistened her lips. Bianca''s lips used to be tender and supple, like a fresh ripe peach. It had never been so dry. Luke carefully tucked her into the nket. He took her left hand that was not connected to a drip and ced it next to his lips. Bianca''s fingernails were as pale as her face. Johann came into the ward, followed by the hospital director. Johann greeted Luke, then asked for Bianca''s condition and checked her vitals after the operation. Then, he smiled at Luke and said, "Your third baby is really tenacious. Usually, the baby would have to be aborted after such a serious ident, and the mother would need a curettage procedure, which might lead to infertility in the future. I didn''t expect that the baby would cling on to the mother so stubbornly." Johann was indeed quite surprised. The baby should not have survived the car crash. Miraculously, it still had a heartbeat when he tried to resuscitate Bianca. Luke''s body finally gave a response. He ced his palm on top of the nket, covering Bianca¡¯s abdomen. His gaze turned gentle as he looked at the slight bulge. Their third baby had suffered such a misfortune even before it was born. After Bianca gave birth, they would make it up for the baby by pampering it. "Thank you for your hard work today." Luke turned around to look at Johann. The gratitude in his eyes was palpable. "When will she regain consciousness?¡¯ Johann smiled cheerfully. ¡¯Don''t worry. She''ll be awake by tomorrow. My day has been hard indeed; I had just finished a major operation overseas, and your emergency call summoned me back here. I''m almost copsing from exhaustion after two major operations back to back. How about some compensation, Bro? For example, you can give me a sweet kiss..." 2 "You can get lost now!'' Luke frowned, and the gratitude in his eyes lessened. Johann smiled. "Tsk tsk, ditching me after I''ve outlived my usefulness. You''re so cruel!" "Um, Dr. Stiles, are you free tomorrow? Can I trouble you for half an hour to discuss some academic problems..." The respected hospital director was currently passing things to Johann like hisckey. The hospital director hadplete admiration for Johann. The old hospital director was one of the most influential doctors in A City. He was renowned both in and out of the country, which led him to be prideful. Today, he realized that he still had much to learn. The young doctor looked no more than thirty years old, but his medical skills were shocking. However, the hospital director was also surprised that such a skillful doctor had never appeared in major international conferences. Johann smiled elegantly at the hospital director. "You don''t have to be so formal with me, Director. I''m only an unremarkable doctor. Right, myst name isn''t Stiles. It''s Park." Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Many people had referred to him as "Doctor Stiles¡¯ using his middle name, and Johann was used to it. His truest name was Park. Of course, he was very unwilling to mention thatst name. Those memories belonged in the deepest corner of his mind. "Sis is stabilized now, so you don''t have to worry too much. I''ll go home and rest. I¡¯m so tired..." Johann Park covered his mouth and yawned as he spoke. Then, he left the ward. Naturally, the hospital director followed him out. After they left, Luke''s gentle gaze turned cold and hostile. ''Who is the one who dares to harm my wife? 1 ''They must have a death wish!'' i Chapter 489 Chapter 489 That Crash Almost imed Two Lives. How Could It Be An ident? In the hospital. After sending the twins home, Jason returned to the ward. He was shocked when he saw his boss''s gaze. His boss had always maintained a noble and imposing demeanor. At the current moment, under the lamplight, his sculpted face looked sorrowful and haggard. Jason was about to speak when his boss turned his hawk-like gaze at him." Find the perpetrator as fast as you can. He shall not be spared! Zander is already on the case. You should cooperate with him." His voice was resonant and hoarse. Every utterance oozed with frightening coldness. Jason nodded respectfully. ¡°Yes, Boss. If this is an ident...¡± "It''s not an ident!" Jason could hear the anger in Luke''s raised voice. "My intuition tells me that it''s not an ident! My wife and unborn child nearly died, and they are lying on this bed right now. How could it be an ident?" It was said that women''s intuitions are very urate; sometimes a man''s intuition can be equally urate too. Jason was surprised. He did not know what to say when he saw that his boss was losing control of his emotions. Eventually, he replied, "On the way back to Crawford Manor, Master Lanie told me the te and model of the car that knocked the missus down. It won''t be too easy if the te is fake, but don''t worry, Mr. Crawford, well do whatever it takes to catch the perpetrator. "Mm.¡¯ Luke''s eyes were half-closed to hide the destructive violence within. Whoever the perpetrator might be, they had almost imed his woman''s life. The perpetrator would have to pay the price with their life. Luke stayed up the entire night. A nurse was stationed in the ICU ward around the clock. He did not have to stay there. Even so, he wanted to apany Bianca. Next to Bianca''s bed was a bed meant for the patient''s family, but Luke insisted on sitting on Bianca''s bed, holding her hand for the entire night. The morning sun shone through the window and onto Bianca''s face. She looked serene and gentle as she slept. She had not regained consciousness yet. At about half-past eight, the nurse brought Bianca¡¯s medicine. She carefully propped Bianca up, leaned her against the pillow, and tried to feed Bianca some liquid medicine from a bowl with a spoon. The medicine was to prevent anyplications from the operation. The unconscious Bianca could not swallow tablets, and so the nurse had to crush them into powder and mix it with water, 1 Luke, sitting on the bed, had an overbearing presence which made the nurse nervous. Moreover, Bianca remained unconscious, and she could not swallow the medicine. Most of the liquid that the nurse fed her dribbled from the corner of her mouth. She also subconsciously pressed her lips together, stopping the spoon from entering her mouth. Perhaps the medicine was too bitter. When Luke saw that, his expression sank, and his demeanor became colder. The nurse became even more nervous when she saw that Luke was looking at her with an intimidating gaze. With trembling hands, she picked up a wet towel and wiped the corners of Bianca''s mouth. However, her nervousness from the man''s intimidating gaze made her create a bigger mess. Luke stood up impatiently, took the bowl from the nurse''s hand, and shoved her aside. "Let me do it!" "I''m... I''m sorry, Mr. Craw... Crawford... This is my responsibility. Let me feed Ms. Rayne..." The nurse said tremblingly. ''Oh my god! The man''s gaze is so frighteningly cold!'' There was no warmth in Luke''s gaze, and it froze her very core. "Get lost!" Luke did not show the nurse any mercy. Goosebumps rose on the young nurse''s skin. Abandoning her post, she ran out of the ward without looking back. After the nurse left, Luke turned to look at Bianca, and his icy gaze became gentle once more. He hugged her delicate waist with one arm and held the bowl with the other. Bringing the bowl to his sexy lips, he took a sip of the liquid medicine and fed it into Bianca''s mouth. Just when he was almost done feeding her the medicine, Bianca, who had been unconscious, suddenly gave a reaction. First, her fingers twitched slightly.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Luke had been paying attention to any movements from Bianca. His calloused fingers caressed Bianca''s cheek, and he whispered into her ear. "Bea..." The man''s low and resonant voice was unbelievably warm. The monitoring instruments next to the bed were beeping more loudly. Bianca moaned softly. Her eyshes fluttered. Then, she opened her eyes. Her eyes seemed to be shrouded by a faint mist... The usually reserved man became ecstatic when he saw Bianca open her eyes. "Bea. Bea?" As he called out her name excitedly, he also pressed the call button next to the bed. As she heard that familiar masculine voice call her name, she felt a splitting pain in her head, and her gaze was unfocused. Everything was a blur when she first opened her eyes. Eventually, her vision returned to normal. However, she could not endure the pain in her head. She wanted to lift her right hand to rub her temples. Before she could reach her head, a bigger hand blocked her hand. It was Luke. "Do you have a headache? Let me massage it. You''ll be fine soon." Luke massaged her temples with an appropriate amount of strength, which lessened the pain and made her a lot morefortable. She suddenly seemed to have thought of something, and she hurriedly rubbed her stomach with her hand. "Our baby, Luke. Did our baby survive?" Bianca was not ready to hear Luke''s answer. She could feel her stomach throbbing with pain. Did they fail to save the baby? She sunk into despair when she thought of that possibility! Luke hugged Bianca in his arms and gentlyforted her. "Don''t worry. Our baby is still in your womb. Don''t be afraid." Bianca looked at him with disbelief. "Are you telling the truth? Our baby is still alive? Are you lying?" "I am telling the truth." While they were talking, the hospital director and several nurses rushed into the ward. The director heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that Bianca was awake. He considered himself lucky. If Bianca did not wake up, he was not sure how to handle Luke''s wrath. After performing a thorough examination, the hospital director realized that the operation had managed to save Bianca''s legs and the baby in her womb. He became even more impressed by Johann; nowhere else had he seen such spectacr medical skills before! Chapter 490 Chapter 490 Bianca Was Not Used To Being Called ¡°Mrs. Crawford'' After performing the examination, the hospital director spoke in amazement. ¡®Mr. Crawford, Mrs. Crawford''s legs are saved, though she''ll need physiotherapy to fully recover. Of course, the baby in her womb is very tenacious too. Mrs. Crawford should avoid being emotionally agitated. Otherwise, it might cause another miscarriage..." Bianca was not used to the hospital director calling her '' Mrs. Crawford." She was not married to Luke yet, and she had humiliated the Crawford family at the engagement ceremony. That made her feel awkward, but seeing that Luke did not say anything about it, she did not mind it. "Thank you, Director," Bianca said to the hospital director happily after knowing that her baby was saved. "You''re thanking the wrong person, Mrs. Crawford. The doctor who saved you is Dr. Johann Park. I was only assisting him." The hospital director rubbed his nose sheepishly. After practicing medicine for so many years, his skills were still no match to a previously unknown young man. Anyone who heard it might find it hard to believe. The hospital director might be prideful, but he appreciated talent, and he would not take someone else''s credit. "No matter who it is, you doctors have saved my life, and I should thank you," Bianca said earnestly. "Do you know when my legs will fully recover, Director?" "You can''t be too anxious about it, Mrs. Crawford," the hospital director said amiably, "Your legs are seriously injured, especially your right leg, which has aminuted fracture. If you rush the recovery process, your legs might end up having uneven lengths. After you are discharged from the hospital, you shouldn''t get out of bed for the next month. After that, you can try walking with a walking stick. In six months, you cane to the hospital for an X-ray so we can check if the bone has healed. Once there are no more cracks, you''re more or less fine." After that, he gave Bianca a thorough examination, gave her some more pointers, changed her dressing, and left with the nurses. After the hospital director left, Bianca rxed in Luke''s embrace and noticed the bandages on her body. Sheughed drily. "I''m wrapped up like a mummy now. The car crash was a close call. I thought I won''t ever get to see you again. Right, is Rainie okay?" Bianca had a lingering fear when she thought of the sudden car ident. She was not sure how she would react if her daughter had been the victim instead, i "Other than suffering from a fright, Rainie is fine," Luke said gently as he caressed her back. "You should take a good rest and not overthink. Leave the rest to me. I''ll find the perpetrator and make him pay." Bianca subconsciously ced her hand on her stomach. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Her stomach was slightly bulging at three months. Her second pregnancy was more obvious than her first. Her fingers were shaking slightly. She was so close to losing the baby. Fortunately, fate gave her a reprieve. While Bianca and Luke talked, the food delivery came. After receiving it, Luke opened the food boxes. Inside was oatmeal, sausages, raisin toast, sunny-side- up eggs, and others. The food came from a famous diner, and it smelled very good. Upon taking a whiff of the fragrance, Bianca could feel her stomach growling. She must have been starving. Luke took the oatmeal and fed Bianca with a spoon. "Good girl, open your mouth." He spoke as though he was coaxing a child to eat. Bianca wanted to take the box from him. "Only my legs are injured, not my hands. You don''t have to spoon-feed me." Luke looked at her indulgently and stubbornly ced the oatmeal-filled spoon next to her mouth. "I''m your husband, and it''s my duty to feed you. Don''t tell me you want another man to feed you instead? Hmm?" Bianca could not argue with that logic, and so sheplied. Halfway through the meal, someone knocked on the door. "Come in!" Luke said. He thought that it was Jason. The person who stepped in through the door was not Jason. Instead, it was Mavis, dressed morously. Her wavy hair was tied up in a ponytail. Her forehead was not covered with a hair fringe, and her beautiful facial features were visible at a nce. Her three-inch high heelsplemented her height, which made her look slender and graceful. "Ms. Laviere." Luke shot a nce at her. Then, he continued spoon-feeding Bianca the oatmeal, not minding that he was disying affection to his woman in front of his subordinate. Mavis was clutching a fruit basket. She forced a smile on her face as she looked at how caring Luke was when feeding Bianca the oatmeal. "Mr. Crawford, I heard from Mr. Doyle that Ms. Rayne suffered a car ident. Is it okay if I pay a visit?" Bianca''s heart skipped a beat the moment she saw Mavis. She did not have any good impression of the scheming woman who had talked to her in private and coveted her man. However, she treated her guest courteously. "Thank you for visiting me, Ms. Laviere. You shouldn''t have brought me presents. It''s nothing too serious, I''ve only fractured my right leg, and I''ll have to recuperate at home for a few months." Mavis was slightly disappointed when she heard that Bianca only suffered a leg fracture. ''Too bad! Why didn''t the car crash im her life?¡¯ She thought. Her heart was almost bursting with jealousy when she saw how the noble CEO humbled his lofty self and spoon-fed Bianca oatmeal himself. She worshiped Luke like a god for the past ten years, and she could not ept the fact that he was acting so indulgently to another woman. She hid her emotions and ced the fruit basket on a table. "Don''t mention it. It would be ill-mannered of me if Ie here empty-handed," she said with a vague smile. Standing next to the bed, Mavis regarded Bianca with a cold gaze. Her elegant lips curled upward ambiguously. Other than her appearance, Mavis did not know what was so remarkable about Bianca. Bianca was dressed in striped hospital clothes, and she looked frail and helpless on the hospital bed. Was her endearing demeanor why Luke wanted to protect her so much? Did all men like fake b*tches like her? Mavis tried topare Bianca with her. She was far superior to Bianca in every aspect, no matter appearance, work capabilities, or family upbringing. Even so, Luke had never given her any spare attention. His interactions with her only involved work. Feeling unhappy, Mavis discreetly clenched her fists, i Chapter 491 Chapter 491 She''s Already Mrs. Crawford Except By Name Mavis stayed in the hospital ward for some time. The indulgent way Luke treated Bianca suffocated Mavis! Eventually, she left the hospital ward, carrying her jealousy and hatred with her. After Mavis left, Sue, Tom, and Nina arrived one after another bearing presents. They greeted Luke, then asked Bianca how she felt. They felt somewhat awkward with their boss''s overbearing demeanor present. Seeing that his presence caused unease in his employees, Luke excused himself, saying that he had to smoke. He would give some space for Bianca''s colleagues. "How did you suddenly end up in a car crash? It''s so serious, too." Nina asked while holding Bianca''s hand. She was unhappy as she looked at Bianca''s leg in a bulky cast. "It was an ident. I got hit when I was crossing a road. I''m fine now, don''t worry." Bianca had trivialized the car crash that had almost imed her life, so that her colleagues would not have to worry about her. Sue was pregnant with twins for six months. Her stomach was abnormally big, and she looked like she could not maintain her bnce as she walked. Supporting her waist, she advised Bianca, "You should be more careful when you cross the road. There are so many more cars on the road now, and you''d identally run into one if you''re not careful. I''ll be delivering the babies in three months, but I didn''t expect that you''ll be hospitalized before me. I wonder which wretch didn''t pay attention when he''s driving?" "Please sit down and have a rest, Sue. You shouldn''t tire the babies." Bianca was worried that Sue might be exhausted carrying the two babies. She gestured to the chair next to her. Sue¡¯s bulging stomach was indeed making her tired. She sat down on the chair. Even so, her hands did not stay idle. She started to peel an apple for Bianca while speaking, ''With an injury like that, it''ll be at least another three months before you can walk again. Just focus on resting and hand your unfinished work to me." Tom smiled. "You''re such a workaholic, Sue. You work so hard even though you''re pregnant. You should start looking for a good husband; you wouldn''t have to work so hard that way." Sue red at Tom. "I have perfectly healthy arms and legs, and I can make money on my own. Why do I need a man? Most men are unreliable. They can promise you the world at first, but when they find a better woman, they''d ditch you without hesitation and repeat the same thing to her. Tch, I''d rather improve myself than gamble my future on a man." Bianca agreed with Sue''s sentiment. "Sue''s right, Tom. Reality won''t go easy on us just because we''re women. It''s up to us to be self-reliant. We work so hard not because we want to be rich, but because we want to be recognized for what we can do." Tom jokingly apuded her speech. "Alright, alright, mydies. Looking at how determined you are, I''m ashamed to be a man. It looks like I''ll have to work harder too. Otherwise, you intelligent and beautiful ladies will leave me behind. I''d love to work with you on the urban reconstruction project, Bianca, but it seems like you''ll have to rest for a long time." Bianca helplessly touched her right leg in a cast. "No one could''ve predicted the ident. Never mind, I can work from home even when I¡¯m recuperating. I''ll always be avable if there''s anything to discuss." Nina handed Bianca a peeled orange. "You should just rest at home. Are you nning to be self-reliant like Sue?¡¯ Sue tut-tutted Nina before Bianca could answer. "What''s wrong with being self-reliant? Bianca is smart and ambitious, and most importantly, she is talented. She has the capability to be self-reliant. I think that among the three of us, she''ll be the fastest to be promoted." Bianca grinned sheepishly. "I only want to do my best, and I don''t have any ns for anything else. Right, I should share a piece of good news with all of you. I''m already three months pregnant." i The three people were shocked by the sudden news. Nina was the first one to shriek. She yfully pinched Bianca''s shoulders and looked at her with disbelief. "When did that happen, Bianca? Why didn''t you tell us? Very well, you really know how to keep a secret!" Sue put the half-peeled apple away and stared at Bianca''s stomach. ''Wow! You suffered such a serious crash, but the baby is safe? That baby must be very lucky! Congrattions, Bianca. It must feel good to be pregnant again. After you give birth, my baby will have a ymate." Tom was male. He could not empathize with Bianca like the other two female colleagues, but he congratted her anyway. Even though Bianca was not married to Luke yet, everyone knew that Bianca was already Mrs. Crawford in every aspect except by name, i On the other side... While Old Master Crawford and Susan were not at home and the twins were at school, Allison invited Leia over to have a tour of Crawford Manor. Allison yed the role of the matriarch of the household, while Leia was Luke''s future wife. They went into various rooms until they finally arrived in front of Luke''s room. Allison took out an electronic ess card and told Leia, "My son is a clean freak. He wouldn''t let any woman enter his room. Now that you''re about to be my son''s girlfriend, I''ll let you in to take a peek." Leia lowered her head shyly. She really wanted to go in, but she pretended to be modest. "Aunt Allison, won''t it be inappropriate to enter Luke''s room without his permission? Would he be angry if he found out?" Allison was unperturbed. "Why would he be angry? He''s my son, and he listens to what I say." A hint of a mocking smile crept up the corners of Leia''s lips. If Luke listened to his mother, Leia would have already long been his girlfriend. Leia was all too eager to enter Luke''s room, as though she would find the man in the room waiting for her. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. After multiple attempts, Allison did not manage to open the door. She stood on the spot awkwardly. It was only then she realized that Luke had changed the lock on the door... Chapter 492 Chapter 492 The Two Children Did Not Show Her Any Courtesy! Leia felt disappointed when she saw that Allison could not open Luke''s room door. She hid away the mockery in her eyes and put on an empathetic expression. "Looks like Luke is a cautious person, and he really doesn''t like any strangers entering his private space. Moreover, I''m not his girlfriend yet, and I don''t think I should intrude upon him. Otherwise, Luke would be angry if he finds out. I don¡¯t mind him being angry with me, but I''d feel guilty if he mes you." "You''re right, Leia. When you be Luke''s fiancee, he would bring you into his room even without me telling him. I''ll eagerly wait for that day toe," Allison said with a smile. The more she interacted with Leia, the more she thought that the young woman was the ideal daughter-inw. ''Look at her. She''s not married to Luke yet, but she''s always considerate of her future mother-inw. 1 ''It would be great if I have such an obedient daughter-inw that sides with me.'' Leia continued to ask, "Aunt Allison, has Luke been very busytely?" She had gone to T Corporation to look for Luke multiple times, but she had never been able to meet with Luke. Luke had also kept his whereabouts a secret, and Leia could not find any information from the receptionists, no matter how she threatened or bribed them. Without any other option, she went to Crawford Manor to look for him. "Yes, my son is busy with some urban reconstruction projecttely, and he''s so busy that he doesn''t even have time to rest. He''s lost a lot of weight, and I feel sorry looking at him. "Leia, It''s not hard to captivate a man''s heart as long as you know the technique. My son is a very career-focused man, and he¡¯s a little slow on the uptake when ites to rtionships. You''ll need to take the initiative. You''re a good match for him, and as long as you stay determined, I believe that you''ll eventually win over my son." "When I was with Luke''s father, other women used to flock around him, but they onlysted for one month at most. I''m the only one who stayed with him the longest. Do you know why? It''s because I know what he wants." Leia was reminded that Allison used to be an impoverished dancer. Using her son, she managed to be the matriarch of the Crawford family, and her status in the family was even higher than Susan Armstrong, the original Mrs. Crawford. Leia was impressed by her tactics. "Mm, I''ll do my best," Leia said submissively. "When will Lukee home, Aunt Allison?" "The Crawford family will gather for dinner on the 15th of every month, no matter how busy they might be. It happens to be the 15th today. My son will definitelye home." "Oh, it''s my Grandma''s birthday today, and I''ll have to visit her at her house. If Lukees homete today, I''ll have to find another opportunity to meet him." Allison and Leia went downstairs and continued chatting in the living room. They chatted about luxury brands and beauty tips. Allison did not know any topics other than those. Leia knew from her parents that Zachary Crawford was a suave individual. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She wondered how a shallow woman like Allison managed to beguile him. ''Luckily, Luke inherited his mother''s looks and his father''s intelligence,'' Leia thought. A luxury car drove into the grounds of Crawford Manor. The children hade home from school, and Luke brought them into the living room. A hint of gloom shed past the man''s handsome face when he saw Leia, but he soon resumed his usual coldness. "When did youe over, Ms. Norman?" "Not too long ago. I''m here to visit Aunt Allison. Did you pick up Lanie and Rainie from school?" Leia looked obsessively at the man. It seemed that he was bing more handsome the more she looked at him. His eyes were brilliant like diamonds, exuding a dazzling charm even without illumination. The twins, who were holding their father''s hands, frowned unhappily at the sight of Leia. They did not even greet her. To them, Leia was the baddie who wanted to snatch their father from their mother. They were not going to be friendly toward her. Leia felt a little awkward when she saw the two cute children ignored her, but she did not give up. She took out two sets of children''s clothing from herrge handbag and handed them to the children. "Lanie, Rainie, I''ve bought a set of clothes for each of you. Try them on and see if it fits!" 1 She opened the packaging. They were a set of stylish biker clothes for the boy and a pretty princess dress for the girl. Lanie did not take it. He looked at Leia with a gaze simr to Luke''s." Thank you for your present, Aunt Norman, but Rainie and I have too many clothes. We can''t wear them all," he said politely while maintaining his distance. Rainie did not show any courtesy at all. "Mommy bought a simr dress for mest month, Aunt Norman. I prefer the one she bought for me." "It''s okay. You can tell me what clothes you like, and I''ll buy them for you." Leia''s smile was starting to be stiff. She thought that she would easily win over the two innocent-looking children, but she did not expect that the children did not show her any courtesy. Indeed, it was not easy to be a stepmother. If she really married Luke, she would not keep the two irritating children by her side. Allison dragged her granddaughter over and reprimanded her. "How can you speak to Aunt Norman like that? Didn''t I always tell you that you should be more polite to Aunt Norman? She bought you that beautiful dress, and you should thank her. Understand? Otherwise, she might think that the children from the Crawford family have no manners." "Hmph!" Rainie turned her head away snottily. She did not want to look at her grandmother''s angry face or Leia''s ttering attitude. Leia felt even more awkward. She pretended to look at her watch and said tactfully, "It''s gettingte, Aunt Allison. I should go back to my home. Otherwise, my parents will worry about me. I''lle and look for you another time." When Allison heard that Leia was about to go back, she shot a nce at Luke, who was heading upstairs. "Alright, you should go home. I''d ask you to stay for dinner if it weren''t your grandmother''s birthday today. Luke, you ought to send Leia home. Buy some presents along the way for Old Mrs. Norman too." Chapter 493 Chapter 493 Queenie''s Heart Skipped A Beat When She Saw Them A City in the evening was as bustling as usual. The luxury car drove on the road at a moderate speed. Luke would be sending Leia home personally. The man''s side profile was impable. He waited at the traffic light without saying a word. As Leia looked out of the window at the crossroad traffic, her lips were curled upward in secret delight. It was only about an hour''s drive from Crawford Manor to the Norman residence. Even so, she was happy to be with Luke even for one minute. Luke''s hands were on the steering wheel as he waited patiently for the traffic light to turn green. He looked straight ahead. "I wonder what your grandmother likes, Ms. Norman. I didn''t have much time to prepare her present, so I n to give her a genuine Rousseau painting from my collection. I hope she will like it." Leia said gently, "My Grandma is the same as Grandpa; they both like to collect famous paintings. She''ll definitely love your present. Thank you for attending Grandma''s birthday party, and I apologize for the extra expense." Leia desired for Luke to attend her grandmother''s birthday party. If they appeared at the venue together, they would be the most popr couple. Luke stared at Leia''s delicate face intently and suddenly smiled. "Do you like me, Ms. Norman?" Leia''s heart thumped hard, though her voice remained gentle. "You should''ve realized that, right, Luke? I thought I''ve made my intentions obvious enough... Haven''t you realized what I''ve done for you? There was once where I sent you chicken soup every day, and now I often go to Crawford Manor. I want to be friends with everyone in the Crawford family, and it''s all because of you..." Leia looked at the man eagerly, though she could not help but feel diffident and helpless. The determination in her clear eyes was evident. Luke turned his head slightly, and his prating gaze stared straight at Leia''s soul. "Do you like me that much? I guess I''m a lucky man." The twinkling street lights outside illuminated Luke''s handsome face, giving his sculpted features a hint of mystery. Leia was all too obsessed with his perfect face. Being in the entertainment industry, she had seen all sorts of handsome men: cool ones, gentle ones, and funny ones. However, the man seemed tobine every positive aspect of those men. He was like a riddle that Leia was willing to devote the rest of her life to solving. A hint of disgust rose in Luke''s eyes when he saw how Leia was staring at him without speaking. However, he managed to hide his true emotions well. "If you like me that much, how about we try dating each other?" His voice was resonant and charming. ''What?'' It was the first time that Leia had lost control of her emotions in front of Luke. Her mouth was opened so wide that she could fit an egg inside it." Did you just say... we try dating each other? I... I didn''t mishear, right?" "You didn''t mishear, Ms. Norman. It''s just that normal women can''t ept many of my quirks. I hope that you can forgive me for that, Ms. Norman." Luke smiled. "Don''t say that, Luke. You''re the most outstanding man that I''ve ever seen. I''ve always wished that I could be by your side forever." Leia was trying to calm her breathing. She even pinched her thigh hard. When she winced from the pain on her thigh, she truly believed that Luke had said that he was going to date her. She was still caught in a daze even after they arrived at the Norman residence. She only came to her senses when Luke brought her into the banquet hall, and everyone looked at her admiringly. The Norman residence was usually quiet, but it was very lively today. It might not be as crowded as Old Mr. Norman''s birthday party a few months ago, but all the guests were there. After all, those guests came because they wanted to suck up to Old Mr. Norman and Jack. Leia held Luke''s elbow and excitedly walked into the banquet hall. She felt as though the day''s festivities were for them. Old Mr. and Mrs. Norman were surprised when they saw their granddaughtere in with Luke, but they did not say anything. However, Queenie was shocked when she saw that. ''What''s going on? ''Didn''t I tell Leia to stay away from that man? Why doesn''t she listen to what I say?'' Old Mr. Norman knew that Bianca''s rejection of Luke''s proposal at the engagement ceremony was a humiliating event for the illustrious Crawford family. Old Master Crawford would definitely not be able to tolerate it. He did not know what happened between Luke and Bianca, but she could never be part of the Crawford family, no matter how outstanding she might be. On the other hand, he was quite satisfied with Luke''s character. He had always wished that Luke would be part of his family. Now that his granddaughter had brought Luke to the birthday party, and the couple seemed to be behaving intimately, he was satisfied that his somewhat unreliable granddaughter had finally done something to his satisfaction. "Good evening, Old Mr. Norman, and happy birthday to you, Old Mrs. Norman. I hope you''ll like the present I brought you." Luke handed a painting to Old Mrs. Norman. "How considerate of you, Luke. How do you know that Rousseau is my favorite painter?" Old Mrs. Norman was a fan of Rousseau''s animal paintings, i Content ? N?velDrama.Org. She had a unique eye for appraisal, and she could tell that the painting was genuine. She thought that no other artist could capture an animal''s vivid character like Rousseau. She carefully put the painting away and could not stop smiling. "Where did you find a genuine Rousseau? You''re too kind!" "As long as you like it, Old Mrs. Norman. I happened to see it at an auction, and I bought it because I thought it looked quite good. I don¡¯t know what to give you for your birthday, so I thought of giving you a painting. I didn''t expect that it''s from your favorite artist. I guess that I''m lucky," Luke said calmly. "You''re such a charmer, Luke. I think that you''re the perfect match for my granddaughter. Since you''re still single, how about you be my grandson-inw?" Old Mrs. Norman said earnestly while holding Luke''s hand. Chapter 494 Chapter 494 When He Saw Queenie, He Thought That He Saw Bianca Leia held her breath as she waited for Luke to give his reply. She was afraid that he might say no. He was her poison, and there was no cure. Luke did not expect Old Mrs. Norman to ask that direct question. A hint of contemtion appeared on his gentlemanly face. He skillfully deflected the question. "Old Mrs. Norman, Leia and I have only just started dating. Our personalities are very different, and it will take a while for us to adjust to each other. However, now that we''ve agreed to be together, I''ll treat her the best I can. Marriage is a serious matter. Of course, I''ll bring her to meet my family when the time is right. Old Mr. and Mrs. Norman nodded satisfactorily. Leia smiled modestly when she heard his answer. Her face was like a tulip in full bloom. The man had publicly acknowledged their rtionship. It was like a dream. "Grandpa, Grandma, I''ll bring Luke around." After getting their tacit approval, Leia''s delicate arms went around Luke''s arm. She lifted her chin and said with a smile. "Let''s go, Luke. I¡¯ll introduce you to my friends." She could not wait to tell everyone that the most outstanding man of A City belonged to Leia Norman. She knew that there would be paparazzi hiding somewhere in the party, and she wanted to show her intimate affection to Luke in a way that everyone could see. The first reason for doing so was to showcase her unique charm that managed to captivate the most elegant and extraordinary bachelor. Secondly, she wanted to show that she was already taken so that no other man would court her. Luke wanted to push that woman away. He was extremely disgusted by the thick stench of perfume that she wore. It was very different from Bianca''s refreshing scent. Because of certain circumstances, he had to put up an act with Leia. He went around the hall with her and epted the praise from the other guests. Leia appeared to be modest, but her eyes were brimming with pride and intrigue. There were many more beautiful and graceful single women at the birthday party who were infatuated with Luke. However, Leia beat them all and imed him as her own. Those women were losers. Luke could not be bothered to call out Leia''s self-indulgent parade. He looked at her as though looking at a clown. At a corner of the hall, Queenie was dressed in a modest gown and a shawl. She was chatting with Shakira and other friends while sipping a cocktail, but her eyes were transfixed on Leia. It had been half an hour, but she had not finished her drink yet. "Do you have something on your mind, Queenie?" Shakira noticed that Queenie''s daughter was standing intimately with Luke Crawford. She said with a smile, "Leia is a grown-up now, and she has already found a man she loves. I can see that you and your husband should be preparing for her marriage soon. I have to admit that Leia has good taste in men. I''ve had many interactions with that Luke boy. He''s ideal in both appearance and character. You don''t have to worry that Leia might be bullied." Queenie shook her head slightly and frowned. "I know that Luke is an outstanding boy, Shakira, but I don''t think that he''s suitable for Leia. That boy is too detached, and a typical woman wouldn''t know what he''s thinking. Jack and I have been too protective of Leia, and she is too naive. She wants to seek love, but she doesn''t understand that love and marriage are two different things. You and I are experienced in this, and I can tell that Luke doesn''t have that spark of love for Leia. Do you think that Leia can find happiness in this unrequited love?" Sitting next to Shakira was a woman with a coquettish face. She patted Queenie''s shoulder and said, "Don''t worry too much about it. Marriages among socialites are rarely based on true love; all they need is material satisfaction. You and Jack have found each other and maintained a blissful wedding, but there aren''t many people as lucky as you. A man''s heart isn''t made of stone, and I believe that Luke would eventually soften up to Leia. That''ll happen even faster if they have a child." A noble-lookingdy in the group sneered and gave her opinion. "Don''t listen to her nonsense, Queenie. How can you have a marriage without love? I''m a good example. My husband and I married in an arranged marriage, and I regret to this day that I went through with it! There''s no love between us, so he goes out drinking every day andes home smelling of a different woman''s perfume. He even said that he found true love and doesn''te home for long periods. That seductress''s son is two years older than my daughter. I would''ve divorce that b*stard long ago, if not that I have to remain in this marriage so that my daughter gets his inheritance!" Content ? N?velDrama.Org. As Queenie listened to the varied opinions of her friends, she looked at her daughter, who was leaning on Luke''s shoulders, and was beginning to feel disheartened. Leia was her treasured daughter and spiritual sustenance for many years. She would not allow any man to do her daughter any harm. Queenie knew that Luke loved Bianca very much. The man had professed his love for Bianca in front of them. He was going to marry Bianca, regardless of his family''s objections. Those actions were proof of Luke''s earnest love for Bianca. Although the engagement ceremony did not go ording to n, how did Luke walk out of his previous rtionship so quickly and start dating Leia? There was something fishy about it. Was the man fickle or aloof? No matter how he might be, Leia was utterly head over heels, and Queenie would not allow him to harm her daughter. She excused herself from the conversation and walked toward Luke while judging him with an observant gaze. Luke abruptly turned his head around when he sensed that someone was looking at her. 1 When he saw Queenie, he had the illusion that he was looking at a middle- aged version of Bianca. ''My eyes must be ying tricks on me...'' Chapter 495 Chapter 495 A Wave of Destructive Anger Surged Within Luke Queenie stared at Luke from head to toe. Her gaze was as sharp as radar, but she could not help but be impressed by the young man''s outstanding character. Unlike the other males present at the party, Luke was dressed casually in a white shirt and ck pants. Even so, that did not diminish his noble demeanor. The man''s body seemed to emanate a cold air, telling everyone to stay away, but at the same time, his charm was irresistible. His overbearing demeanor was a stark contrast from his spotless appearance. No wonder women would be obsessed by his looks. However, that did not mean that he could deceive her daughter. At that moment, Leia was blinded by love. She thought that by gaining Luke''s affection, she had gained the world. Queenie could not see a single trace of affection in Luke''s eyes. "Mrs. Norman." After Luke got over the shock of how Queenie looked simr to Bianca, he walked over and greeted her. Leia was still hugging his arm, and he rested his hand in his pocket. He did not look impudent, but instead, he looked casually elegant. "I''d like to ask you something, Mr. Crawford. I wonder if you havepletely dealt with that episode with Ms. Rayne at your engagement ceremony. Leia is my only daughter, and she is still young and inexperienced. As her mother, I have to be responsible for her future happiness." Queenie was smiling gently, but her gaze was frigid. Luke could tell that she was probing him with his gaze. Leia''s grip on Luke''s arm became tighter. ''Mom has always been a sensible woman. Now that Luke is willing toe with me to Grandma''s birthday party, why can''t she see that I''m determined to be with him? What''s wrong with her? ''I''ve managed to convince Luke to date me, but Mom seems to be undermining my efforts. What does she n to do?'' "It''s all water under the bridge, Mom. Why must you mention the past? If Luke has already decided to date me, it means that he''s already gotten over that incident. I love him, and he''s willing to stay with me. That''s enough for me. Who can say what will happen in the future?" Leia smiled brightly at her mother, then gently shoved Luke. "Tell my Mom, Luke," she said with mock anger. Luke''s eyelids were drooped. Leia could not see his expression clearly, and she did not know what he was thinking. She frowned and continued, "Luke..." Luke was speechless. His sexy lips were gently pressed together. The man''s silence made Leia uneasy. She desperately wanted the man to give her mother his promise. She was afraid that her mother would be angered and object to their rtionship. Queenie could discern what was going on. The man did not even do a good job putting on an act. How could she be relieved if he dated her daughter? She smiled and said, "Mr. Crawford, if you''re sincere in dating my daughter, then I hope that you can show your sincerity with your actions. Otherwise..." Before Queenie could finish her sentence, Luke interjected with his resonant voice. "I don''t think that you''ll be convinced by mere verbal promises, Madam." Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Luke was smiling gently. He disyed two rows of impable teeth, which was a pleasing sight. His hands caressed Leia''s hair intimately. Leia was taken aback by Luke''s disy of "love." When she came to her senses, she became delighted but at the same time bashful. On an impulse, she hugged Luke''s muscr waist with her arms, 1 Instantly, he could feel a wave of destructive anger growing in him. i Trying to hold back the disgust, he reciprocated Leia''s actions. Queenie''s face turned slightly ashen, and her gaze became colder. However, she was not going to argue with her daughter in public. All she could do was shake her head helplessly. Angrily, she turned around and returned to her friends. Meanwhile, Luke patiently went around the hall with Leia. He kept on reminding himself that he only had to tolerate it for a short while more. He was not going to let his n fail. Meanwhile, in the hospital ward, Old Master Rayne and Wanda were crying sorrowfully. The old man hugged Bianca while tears fell from his clouded eyes while cursing the perpetrator that had injured his beloved granddaughter. It was a heart-wrenching sight. Wanda, on the other hand, felt guilty for what happened to Bianca. If she had not told Bianca that Old Master Rayne was ill, Bianca would not have rushed out of the house so hastily. Bianca took out a napkin and wiped away her grandfather''s tears. "You shouldn''t cry, Grandpa. Your eyesight is already failing, and it''ll be worse if you cry. See, I''m fine.¡¯ Old Master Rayne touched the cast on Bianca''s right leg and said sadly," You only got into an ident because you were concerned for my health. You''re still so young, and you don''t deserve to suffer this. The car should have crashed into me. After all, I only have a few years left..." Bianca quickly stopped her grandfather from speaking. "What are you saying, Grandpa? Do you want me to feel guilty for the rest of my life? Please don''t say that again, please?" "Sigh, alright," Old Master Rayne said while wiping the tears from his eyes. Seeing how dispirited her grandfather was, Bianca turned to ask her aunt," What happened to Grandpa, Aunt Wanda? Wasn''t he fine just a few days ago? Why did he suddenly fall sick? Have you brought him to the doctor? Are you feeling better now, Grandpa?" Old Master Rayne thought of what the doctor said and replied to Bianca," Well, it''s nothing too serious. Your aunt is overreacting. The doctor says that I shouldn''t hide my trowels in the closet. It''s no big deal, I''ll just put them somewhere else." Bianca was stunned. She looked at Wanda curiously. Since when had Grandpa kept his trowels in the closet, and why would that cause him to fall sick? Wanda burst outughing when she saw her niece''s expression. She exined, "It''s not because of the trowels. I was busy with work a few days ago, so I asked your grandfather to go to the hospital himself. The doctor exined his problem to him, but he couldn''t remember it clearly, and I have no idea what he was saying. When I went to look for the doctor, the doctor said that your grandfather has high cholesterol levels. I guess your grandfather misheard that as ''closet trowels''..." Bianca was speechless. ''I didn''t know you''re such a joker, Grandpa!'' Chapter 496 Chapter 496 She Was Still Angry! Old Master Rayne and Bianca chatted for a while more. He felt slightly more relieved when he was sure that his granddaughter was safe. Wanda looked at her niece lying calmly on the bed and was reminded of that episode at the engagement ceremony... She could not contain her curiosity anymore and asked the question," Bianca, what happened between you and Luke at the engagement ceremony? Why did you refuse his proposal? I know that you''ve been a sensible person, and you wouldn''t make such a rash decision unless you''re in big trouble. Can you tell your aunt the reason?" Bianca was slightly at a loss when she heard the question. "I think I panicked a little at the event. I''m afraid that marriage is a one-way street, and after I''m married, I won''t be myself anymore. I know many women who are capable and self-reliant, but after marriage, they''re stuck in the kitchen taking care of their kids. I don''t want to be like them and lose my personality and values..." nca lied. She did not want her grandfather and aunt to worry about her. Her grandfather had ill health. What if his condition worsened If he found out about the CD? Her aunt had a short fuse. If she found out about the truth, she might go and look for Leia on an impulse and worsen the situation. Wanda did not suspect that Bianca was lying. After all, Bianca had been an honest girl since she was young. However, Wanda felt that Bianca had been too capricious for rejecting Luke''s proposal because of that reason. She shook her head and sighed. "I say, your Grandpa must have spoiled you. How can you change your mind so easily on such an important decision? Moreover, marriage is sacred. How can you think of it as a oneway street? "Of course, with my failed marriage, I might not be qualified to give you any advice. I still think that a marriage of love is a beautiful thing, and I trust in Luke''s character and capabilities. Looking at how loving he was even before you two are married, I don''t think he''d bear to see you suffer." Bianca had an ambiguous faint smile on her face; it seemed bitter but at the same time helpless. "I know that I''m wrong, Aunt Wanda. I''ve always faced my problems alone, and I''d rather suffer myself instead of sharing them with someone else. I know that it''s not the same now, and if I''m ever in trouble again, I''ll tell Luke or at least discuss it with you and Grandpa. I won''t act that rashly anymore." "That''s enough, Wanda. My granddaughter has just survived a car crash and is in need of somefort, yet you''re reprimanding her. I will support my granddaughter''s decisions, no matter what she does. Even if she breaks up with Luke, I don''t think that we should worry about that. "My granddaughter is beautiful, well-educated, and capable. It''s not going to be hard for her to find a good significant other. Look at the Crawford family. How many of them are in their right minds? Luke¡¯s mother is the worst one. Our Bianca will definitely have a hard time if she marries Luke." Old Master Rayne doted on his granddaughter and thought that everything she did was the right choice. "You''ve spoiled her, Father, and that''s why she''s like that. Sigh, I don''t know what to say about you two anymore." Wanda coughed gently and continued her lesson. "A woman can be capricious, Bianca, but there''s a limit to it. Once you establish your boundaries, you will find love and marriage fresh and exciting." "Mm, I''ll remember your words, Aunt Wanda." Bianca nodded like an ace student. "Right, Aunt Wanda, Nina went out to buy me dinner earlier, but I wonder why she''s not back yet, and I can''t seem to reach her on the phone. Can you help me go out and check on her?" "Mm, alright. I''ll look for her outside the hospital, and I''ll call you if I see her. " Wanda got up and walked outward. "What do you want to eat, Father? I''ll buy some food for you too." "I''m not really in the mood to eat. Just get me anything convenient. Buy some dessert for Bianca. She likes sweet stuff." Old Master Rayne said. "Okay." Outside, Nina was heading back to the hospital, holding a big stic bag of food. As she walked past the parking lot of a shopping mall, she saw Pierreing out of a luxury car. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. After that, a charming woman came out of the car. She had a voluptuous figure, and her hair was permed in a wave. The woman seemed familiar. Nina realized that she was Cecilia Sunford, Pierre¡¯s fiancee and the arrogant woman who had humiliated her when she was forced to undergo an abortion at the hospital. When Nina saw Cecilia holding Pierre''s elbow and they walked happily into the mall, she remembered the agony she had suffered in the hospital and the baby that she was forced to lose. Those were cruel reminders of how the despicable coup[le had treated her. Nina was furious! Nina had gone through so much pain and suffering because of him, but he did not seem to feel guilty at all. Her heart was wrenching in pain. It was not because she loved the man, but because she was disgusted that the man had vited her. Pah! Nina spat toward the "loving" couple. She could feel her anger rising. She did not want to be involved with the man anymore, and she was not hoping that she would receive anypensation. However, she was not going to let him off that easily! All she wanted was justice for her unborn child! As she nced at Pierre''s luxury car, her lips curled upward into an unnerving smile... She ran to a nearby store, bought spray cans of all sorts of colors, and started to work a masterpiece on Pierre''s car. She drew an obscene body part on the hood and wrote "Shameless B*stard " and other vulgarities. After she was done, she stood in front of the car admiring her handiwork... Suddenly, a delicate and fair hand grabbed her wrist with surprising strength! Nina turned around in shock. She saw a man. The man looked simr to Pierre, but he was more handsome and charming. His appearance took Nina''s breath away. Chapter 497 Chapter 497 She Could Not Understand Rich People... Even though she was stunned, Nina was not one who would be easily infatuated by handsome men. Moreover, the man''s grip was strong, and it was causing her wrist to hurt. She wanted to push him away. "Who are you, you hooligan? Why are you grabbing my wrist?" Percy narrowed his eyes. He nced at the mess on his younger brother''s favorite car, then nced at Nina. "Don''t you know that you''ve already broken thew? You''ll have to bear legal responsibility for vandalizing another person''s car." His tone was ice-cold. Nina did not want to admit to it. "I say, why are you such a busybody? Did you see me vandalizing the car? Let go of me now. Otherwise, I''ll sue you for harassment!" Nina had been paying attention to her surroundings when she was working on the car. No one had walked past her, and it was a blind spot for the security cameras. She thought that she had been lucky. Now that she was done vandalizing and no one was there to catch her in the act, all she had to do was not admit to it. "You''re still trying to deny it? I have the evidence." Percy chuckled and showed her his wristwatch. He pressed a button, and a video yed on the screen of the high-end watch. It showed the entire process of Nina vandalizing the car. Earlier, Percy and his subordinates had just finished a routine inspection of the mall. When he walked past the parking lot, he noticed that someone was vandalizing his younger brother''s car. He saw that the young female vandal had hatred and resentment in her eyes. As she sprayed Pierre''s car, she was also cursing him. He thought that she looked in and immature, but her angry expression was rather animated and interesting. He was especially amused by the way the young woman cursed. That was why he did not immediately stop her. Instead, he secretly recorded a video of her crime. Nina cursed under her breath when she saw the evidence Percy presented.'' Damn, I was unlucky! ''What kind of watch is that? It can even record videos! 1 don''t understand rich people...'' Even though she was afraid and her face was beginning to turn pale, she tried her best to remain calm. "So what if you have evidence? The owner of this car has made me suffer greatly, and I''m only doing a simple act of revenge. Take me to the police if you dare. We''ll see who''ll get into trouble when the police handle it." This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Percy looked at Nina from the tips of her hair to the sole of her feet. The woman looked young, and she was unadorned with makeup. She seemed barely legal. As far as he knew, Pierre liked voluptuous women without any substance. Since when did Pierre have a change of tastes? However, his gaze lingered on Nina''s ample breasts. ''Hmm, she might look young, but all the important parts are properly developed. Very properly developed, too.'' "Where you are looking, you pervert?¡± Nina was shocked when she noticed where Percy was looking. She kicked him forcefully. "Don''t you have anything better to do?" ''How brazen!'' Percy almost broke Nina''s wrist right then and there. "This is the first time that a woman kicked me. Do you know what happened to the person who got violent on me?" He said gloomily. "What, did he disable you down there?" Nina nced at Percy''s crotch mockingly while trying to endure the pain on her wrist. Perhaps that was why the man was acting that way. Percy suddenlyughed softly, as though Nina had told him a big joke. Nina''s heart beat faster when she saw his charming expression. The man''s appearance was beautiful. When he smiled, he took her breath away. Nina quickly averted his gaze so that she did not have to look at that bewitching visage. Nina gritted her teeth like a diator. "I don''t care what rtionship you might have with the car owner, but I''ve already vandalized the car. What do you want? I''ll just pay him back!" Percy abruptly stoppedughing, though he was smiling curiously. "This Bugatti Veyron is my present for my younger brother. It costs thirty million dors. You only have to pay ten percent of that." "So you''re the elder brother of that animal? I can see that you''re about the same as him!" Nina grunted disdainfully while calcting how much money she should pay. ''Ten percent of thirty million is three million... ''Damn!'' Her mother had taken all her money, and she did not have any savings in the bank. Where was she going to find that amount of money? "Help! Assault!" Nina noticed several passers-by. She yelled at them while trying to kick Percy, nning to run away while he was distracted. She did not expect that Percy was extremely agile and dodged her attacks. He grabbed her cor and dragged her toward Mallory Tower, as though she was a small and defenseless animal. "Let go of me. What do you want? Help..." Nina shrieked to attract the attention of the passers-by. Unfortunately for her, Good Samaritans were rare. A couple shot a nce at Nina and went on their way. A boy riding a shared bicycle stopped and wanted to help, but when he saw Percy''s devilishly sinister expression and sensed his overbearing presence, he decided that he should mind his own business instead. Ninamented the indifference of modern society. What did Pierre''s elder want to do with her? If Pierre was a pervert, his elder brother was not going to be any better. When she remembered what Pierre had done to her, she started to struggle fearfully, and the takeaway food in her hand fell on the floor... Meanwhile, Bianca waited for Nina''s return. ''Nina is usually rash and impulsive. I hope she didn''t get into trouble...'' Old Master Rayne seemed to notice that his granddaughter was worrying about something. He comforted her, "Don''t worry, your aunt and Nina will be back soon." Just as he finished speaking, Wanda returned to the ward with a bag of food. She ced the bag on the table and said worriedly, "I went around looking for Nina but didn''t find her. I was afraid that you might be hungry, so I went to buy some food." "Nina usually carries her phone with her. Where could she be?" Bianca was feeling a little panicked. Suddenly, her phone started ringing. It was an unknown number, and she instantly answered it. "Hello? Who is this?" "I''m Percy, Sis. Nina is your friend, right? She''s in some trouble." Bianca''s heart skipped a beat. How did Nina cross Percy? Chapter 498 Chapter 498 Could It Be Bianca Rayne? Bianca had met Percy several times, but she did not have too many interactions with him. Percy was an excessively beautiful but sinister man. He could inspire fear even when he was smiling. She had heard that Percy was the master of A City''s criminal underworld. Naturally, a man like him would be inhumanly cruel. She still could not understand how Nina could have crossed Percy on her way to buy food. Feeling extremely uneasy, she decided to give Luke a call. Her legs were broken, and she could not go there herself. Percy was a good friend of Luke, and Bianca thought that Luke should be able to reason with him. There was no other way than to trouble Luke. Bianca called Luke and told him about the situation. Luke gave his promise that he would ensure that Nina would be safe. Bianca could hearthat Luke was in a crowded ce. asionally, she could hear music. "What are you doing now, Luke? Why is it so noisy over there?" Bianca could not contain her curiosity. Luke was standing at the most secluded corner of the hall, but music could be heard over the phone anyway. "I''m at a party now. I''ll call Percy soon and get him to release Nina. I''ll immediatelye back to you after the party." "Alright. Don''t drink too much,¡± Bianca said gently. "Mm, I know. Rest well. I''ll bring you and the children to a vacation after you''ve recovered." Luke''s cold expression became gentle when he was talking to Bianca. Not far away, Leia noticed his loving expression. Jealousy and suspicion erupted like a volcano. Leia sneaked closer to Luke. She deliberately hugged his elbow and said loudly, "I''ve been looking for you, Luke. Dad and Mom want us to go over there. The banquet is starting soon. Everyone is waiting for us!" Through the phone, Bianca could clearly hear Leia''s words. As she gripped her phone, she could feel pain in her heart, as though it was being pierced by countless needles. She knew that Luke was only putting on an act, but she could not help but feel uneasy. Trying to contain her sorrow, Bianca said to Luke gently, "You should join the banquet, Luke. Come back soon. I''ll wait for you." Before Luke could give a response, Bianca instantly hung up. Luke''s expression instantly darkened when Bianca hung up on him. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. His gaze was filled with violence as he looked at the deliberately innocent Leia. Leia''s heart thumped hard. Luke had seemingly morphed into a beast with its fangs bared that could tear her into pieces in an instant. Subconsciously, she began to shiver. "What''s wrong, Luke? Why are you looking at me with that scary gaze..." Leia bit her lip and said coyly as she hugged his elbow. She did not expect the man to look so scary only because she had interrupted his call. She was sure that he had been talking to a woman. More than that, it was a woman he cared for. ''Could it be Bianca Rayne? ''Is she still alive?'' When Leia arrived at that thought, all color drained from her face, and the smile on her face stiffened. The destructive rage lingered on Luke''s handsome face for a split second. After that, he resumed his usual elegance. He discreetly distanced himself from Leia and said coldly, "My employee got into trouble with the CEO of Mallory Corporation, and I''ll have to handle it now. I''m sorry, Ms. Norman, I don''t think I can stay at the party anymore. I''ll go and tell Old Mr. and Mrs. Norman. I hope that you can forgive me." Leia was exasperated. Her woman''s intuition told her that there was more behind it. If an employee of hispany got into trouble, his assistant or anyone in higher management should be able to settle it. Why would the CEO have to go there personally? Even though she was dissatisfied, she forced a modest smile on her face." If you''re busy, then you should go. Grandpa and Grandma should empathize with you. It''s just that I''ve prepared a special segmentter in the party, and I wish that you could''ve joined me..." "We have a long way to go ahead of us, Ms. Norman. I''m sure I''ll have the chance to witness your talents in the future. Now, please excuse me," Luke said diplomatically. After Luke said goodbye to Old Mr. and Mrs. Norman, Leia held his elbow and sent him out of the hall. On their way out, everyone looked at Leia enviously. That had made Leia feel superior, not only because of her social status as the daughter of an influential politician, but also because she was together with the extraordinarily outstanding man. Luke wanted to shove away the woman who had clung to him tenaciously like a fly. He thought about the number of times he had to shower so that he could wash away the cloying scent of perfume on his body. However, he could sense that Queenie was looking at his interactions with Leia, so he did not act rashly. He could tell that Jack''s wife might seem gentle and frail, but she had a discerning eye. All he could do was to straighten his back and let Leia walk him out while being showered with envious gazes. After sending Luke off, Leia returned to the banquet hall dejectedly. Suddenly, her phone rang. It was an unknown local number. She rejected the call without thinking, but the number kept on calling. Leia had no choice but to answer it. A cold and hoarse male voice could be heard. "Ms. Norman, I''ve crashed into that woman, just as you instructed. Why haven''t you transferred the bnce to me? Should I expose you?" Leia''s back stiffened when she heard that threat. She lifted her dress, ran hurriedly into the washroom, and locked the door as fast as she could. "Isn''t that woman still alive? Is that all you can do? How useless!" "Ms. Norman, I''m only in charge of crashing into her, and it''s none of my business whether she lives or dies. Of course, it was a serious crash. Even if the woman isn''t dead, she''d at least be crippled. I''ve already done what you asked, and you should hold up your end of the promise and give me the rest of the money. Otherwise, I don''t mind taking you down with me! I''d like to see if you can maintain your reputation as the darling of the Norman family! I want the rest of the money in two hours, or else!" After delivering that threat, the man ended the call. Leia flung her phone to the wall, and it shattered into pieces. Her expression was as vicious as a demon. ''Bianca isn''t dead, and that man dares to ask for money? ''That woman is too lucky. She needs to be dead!'' Chapter 499 Chapter 499 Even Luke''s Smoke Rings Seem Dissatisfied! When Luke brought Nina to the hospital ward, she still had faint streaks of tears on her face. It seemed as though she had suffered a huge fright. Bianca was instantly furious when she saw Nina''s expression. She grabbed Nina''s elbow and examined her from head to toe. "Did Percy bully you? How could that scoundrel...¡¯¡¯ She did not hide the anger in her voice. Then, she looked at Luke with an usatory gaze, as though ming him for not protecting her friend. "He didn''t. Percy only pulled a prank on her. He did not do her any harm." Luke spread his arms and looked helplessly at Bianca. He did not sound like he was lying. He was friends with Percy Mallory for many years, and he understood Percy''s distant and frigid character. Percy might be ruthless, but he had no interest in women. Viting a woman was something that he would never do. After all, with his looks and wealth, countless women tried to court him. If he were not interested in a woman, he would not hesitate to throw them out, even if they took off all their clothes and climbed onto his bed. Indeed, Luke did not lie to Bianca. He remembered that there was a beautiful woman from a wealthy family who had admired Percy for many years. One night, she sneaked her way onto his bed, but before she could touch him, he sent her flying with a kick. Not only did the woman break half of her ribs, but Percy also bankrupted her family business in a fit of rage. That made the woman the subject of ridicule in upper society, and also caused Percy''s admirers to put an end to having any impure thoughts about the man. If he could injure a woman in his anger, being his wife would be nothing but suffering. Bianca did not know that. All she knew was that her best friend had suffered a fright under Percy. "Why would she be so frightened if Percy hadn''t done anything?" She spoke agitatedly. Wanda told her niece to calm down, then poured a ss of water for Nina and gently patted the back of her hand. "At least you''re back in one piece. How did you get into trouble while buying food? You have a good character. Who could have been offended?" Wanda knew that Nina and Bianca were good friends. The young woman had a cheerful and direct personality, which was totally different from her gentle and introverted niece. Nina might be rash sometimes, but she had a kind heart. Wanda quite liked her. "You''re Bea''s good friend, child, and I''ve treated you like my granddaughter, " Old Master Rayne said endearingly, "You have to tell us your troubles so that we can help you." Tears welled up in Nina''s eyes as she took the ss of water from Wanda." Thank you, Grandpa Rayne and Aunt Wanda... I''m fine, Bea. Fortunately, Mr. Crawford came in time. Percy Mallory didn''t do anything to me. Really.'' Nina was moved by the amount of genuine care the Rayne family showed her, even though they were not rted by blood. Her family was like a bunch of leeches. They only cared about how much money she had for them, and they would not show her an ounce of care even if she were dying from sickness. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. "It''s good that you''re fine." Bianca breathed a sigh of relief and continued asking, ''How did you manage to cross Percy Mallory? What happened?" "I met Pierre and his fiancee at a nearby mall. After they left, I vandalized their car, but Percy caught me in the act. He detained me and asked me topensate him with ten percent of the car''s value. The car is worth thirty million dors, and I couldn''t afford to fork out three million dors. I''m sorry, Bea, I''ve caused trouble for you and Mr. Crawford..." Indeed, she did not have the money to pay for the brand new Bugatti Veyron. Nina knew that she should not have troubled Bianca, but she had no other choice. She did not know that Bianca was acquainted with Percy, but she knew that Luke was friends with Percy. She was hoping that Bianca could talk to Luke so that Luke could ask Percy for a discount. She suffered a huge fright because of Percy''s horrific collection of pets in his house: menacing African pythons, glowering Tibetan mastiffs, and so on She had probably hit a soft spot while they were arguing, and the man tossed her into a dark room full of snakes. Nina had a phobia of creepy- crawlies, and she almost wet her pants. Percy had shown her that the snakes were harmless, but Nina could not forget the disgusting feeling of being wrapped by those slimy bodies! Bianca''s face changed several colors after listening to what Nina had to say. She thought of how Pierre had harmed Nina and said helplessly, "You''re not the one at fault, Nina. Pierre deserves to be taught a lesson. I thought you''re too kind to him for only vandalizing his car; I would''ve doused it with gasoline and threw a lit match. Too bad that there are legal consequences for that, sigh..." Luke was speechless. He did not know that the gentle woman he knew could be so vengeful. "Bea, I..." Nina felt bad. She thought that Bianca would reprimand her for being rash, but she did not expect that Bianca would be on her side. Bianca had always felt guilty about what happened to Nina because of her. If Nina could not find her happiness, Bianca would feel guilty for the rest of her life. While everyone chatted, Jason knocked on the door. He entered the ward and greeted everyone. Then, Luke followed him out of the ward, walked past a quiet corridor, and went into a smoking room. Luke was craving for a smoke. He took out a cigarette from his pocket and handed one to Jason. Jason lit up Luke''s cigarette and took a puff of his own. Then, he went straight to the main point, "ording to the car te and model given by Young Master Crawford, we¡¯ve found that the car te is indeed a fake. However, we managed to find some leads from the traffic surveince cameras. The perpetrator is a five-foot-nine man in his mid-thirties. He was in a call before he crashed into Ms. Rayne, but he was using a voice changer, and he had destroyed the SIM card after the call. The mastermind seems to be very well-prepared." Luke scowled icily. Even his smoke rings seemed dissatisfied. "So that was all in vain?" Jason did not have a reply for that. He took another puff of his cigarette and continued speaking, "That''s not entirely true. The perpetrator is cunning and deceptive; he''s probably trained in anti- reconnaissance. However, half an hour earlier, Sean managed to detect a telmunications signal from the perpetrator and locked onto his location..." Sean''s full name was Sean Zander. He was Bianca''s driver, and he was tasked to investigate the truth with Jason. Chapter 500 Chapter 500 Passionate Kisses Rained On Her Luke flicked the cigarette elegantly on the ashtray. "Find him and the mastermind, no matter what it takes." His voice was soft and frigid. It sounded melodic but at the same time spine-chilling. "Yes." Jason nodded. He knew that his boss was truly angry this time. Luke returned to the ward. Old Master Rayne was old and in ill health. Wanda sent him home first. Biancaforted Nina for a while more until thetter calmed downpletely. Then, she asked Jason to send her home. Only Luke and Bianca were left in the ward. Bianca stared at Luke. Even though he was dressed in casual clothes, his demeanor remained noble. His sculpted features became even more mysterious and charming under the light. The man was dazzling, but he had attracted too many women. She could not help but think of the coy and feminine voice while he was at the party. She wanted to ask about that woman, but she opened her mouth and eventually decided to stay silent. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She had said that she would put all her trust in him. If that were the case, there was no reason for her to suspect him. Luke noticed her hesitance. He strode over, sat down on the bed, and hugged her frail body in his arms. She had be a source offort for him. As long as he hugged her, he could feel warmth in his icy chest. Bianca seemed to be a part of his blood. Every single movement affected his mood. "Why, are you still worried about Nina? Don''t worry, Percy did not harm her, except for scaring her for a bit. With me around, Percy won''t go overboard," Luke said as he hugged Bianca endearingly. He thought that he was still worried about Nina. "Mm, I know. Thank you for today." Bianca hugged him tightly as though she was afraid of losing him. Luke knew Bianca very well. He could tell that she was afraid of something when she was hugging him so tightly. He lifted her chin, and indeed, he saw a hint of sorrow in her clear eyes. He was taken aback, but he suddenly remembered that Leia had interjected when he was on a phone call with Bianca at the party. Hended passionate kisses one after another on Bianca''s forehead. As he kissed her, he exined, "It''s Old Mrs. Norman''s birthday today, and I went to attend her party at the Norman residence. When I was talking to you on the phone, the female voice you heard belonged to Leia. She was hugging my elbow, but I''ve already taken multiple showers before I got here. I''ve already cleaned myself of her scent. You can smell me. Do I smell of shower cream?" Luke exined seriously. He rolled up his sleeves and put his forearm next to her nose. Bianca felt a lot better after listening to his exnation. She took Luke''s hand, caressed his slender fingers, and smiled gently. "I trust you. I''ve said before that I trust you no matter what you do, and I won''t be easily suspicious like before. It''s just that I can''t help but feel uneasy even though I know that you''re only putting up an act. I guess love is like that; I hope to possess your everything, and I''d feel jealous even if someone were to look at you." Love is a strange thing. It joins the passionate hearts of two people and nts a curse between them. Sometimes love is sweet as mulled wine, but sometimes it is bitter like medicine. A person in love experiences happiness and bliss, but at the same time pain and agony. Luke caressed Bianca''s delicate cheek. Her skin was so smooth that he could not spot any pores. After nting a deep kiss on her cheek, he promised to her, "I know that you''re feeling uneasy now, but I''m feeling the same too. Every second spent putting on an act with that woman is agony. After I settle this, I''ll hold a magnificent wedding ceremony for you, and you''ll finally be Mrs. Crawford." "Mm." Bianca buried her head in his chest. She was smiling like a blooming flower. 1 The next day, the twins mored to visit their mother in the hospital. Luke brought them to the hospital. Rainie held her brother''s hand and stood timidly in front of her mother''s bed. Her pink and tender face was stained with tears. "Mommy!" She called out, and her tears fell like two little streams. Bianca beckoned at her daughter. When Rainie came in front of her, Bianca wiped away her tears. "Don''t cry, my darling. Mommy''s fine." Rainie was only five years old, and she nheless felt uneasy about seeing her mother injured. When she saw her mother''s legs in a ster cast, she bit her lower lip hard. She felt guilty about causing her mother to be hurt. If she had not insisted on going to the bathroom, her mother would not have to be run over by a car. Rainie and her twin brothercked a mother''s love since they were young. Bianca''s appearance in their lives filled that gap in their hearts. Rainie loved her mother, but she had caused her mother to be run over by a car. She was afraid that her mother might not like her because of that. Bianca held Rainie''s soft hand. She knew that her daughter always preened herself before she went outdoors, but today, she did not evenb her hair. Her shoulder-length hair was slightly unkempt, which made her already young face look even more tender. Bianca loved both of the twins, but she had to admit that she loved her daughter more. Lanie was a precocious boy, and he did not require too much attention from the adults. Rainie was also intelligent, but she was a girl, and she was more emotionally sensitive. That was why Bianca doted on Rainie. Looking at Rainie''s guilty expression, Bianca could tell that her daughter had been ming herself over the past few days. She felt even sorrier for the little girl. She patted Rainie¡¯s head andforted her, "Good girl. Mommy''s fine. You two are the best God-given presents, and I''ll love you no matter what, as long as you stay safe and healthy." As their mother, Bianca wanted to shower them with blessings. She would also protect them from all danger. Chapter 501 Chapter 501 Lanie¡¯s Words Moved Bianca On the bed, Bianca leaned against the pillow and gentlyforted her daughter. When the little girl fell asleep from exhaustion, Luke carried her and ced heron the other bed. Lanie had been silent all this while. He walked in front of Bianca, held her hand, and said with a hint of hesitation, "Mommy, I wish I can grow up now. When I''m grown up, I can protect you, and you won''t be hurt." Bianca was deeply moved by Lanie¡¯s words. She gently pinched Lanie¡¯s face and joked, ''All Mommy wants is for you and Rainie to live happily. You two are my responsibility now, but when Daddy and I are old, you can take care of us. I hope you and Rainie won''t think that we''re burdens..." "We won''t, Mommy," Lanie clenched his fists tightly and made a solemn promise to his mother. "You and Daddy are so nice to us. When we''re older, we''ll definitely take care of you. The Bible says to honor thy father and thy mother, and that is what we will do." 1 The little boy blinked his innocent eyes as he looked at Bianca. She could feel her heart melt. The shape of Lanie¡¯s eyes was like Luke''s, but he had double eyelids like Bianca. His gaze was as clear as his mother''s, but also as profound as his father''s. He had inherited the best features of his parents. "Mm, I trust you." Bianca was secretly impressed that her son was already such a charmer at a young age. She imagined that he would win over countless women''s hearts after he grew up. "You''re so intelligent and sensible, my son." Bianca ruffled Lanie¡¯s hair and nted a wet kiss on his cheek. Unexpectedly, the little boy blushed. "It''s all thanks to you," Luke said with a smile. Without Bianca''s genes, she would not have given birth to a pair of cute and intelligent children. Suddenly, the shrill voice of a woman broke the heartwarming scene in the ward. "Hah, I didn''t expect that you''re still alive after the crash. How lucky! Your leg is wrapped up like a burrito. Don''t tell me that you''re crippled?" Everyone in the ward turned to look in the direction of the voice. Allison, dressed like a noblewoman, walking on high heels, and clutching thetest Hermes handbag, stepped into the ward. She fanned the air in front of her with disgust, as though she hated the smell of disinfectant. "I say, my son, you haven''te home for two days. I thought you''re busy at work, but I went to your office twice and I couldn''t find you there. I didn''t expect that you''re here apanying this unlucky wretch! How dare you ignore my calls because of her?" Allison knew about Bianca''s ident because Old Master Crawford heard about it from Jason. The old man was very worried about his great-grandchildren. He wanted toe over himself, but he could bring himself to forgive what Bianca had done at the engagement ceremony. That was why he asked his daughter-inw to go instead. Allison had a facial appointment with her friends, and she was quite reluctant to go to the hospital. She did not care for Bianca or the child in her womb. After all, there were plenty of women willing to bear a child for her son if he was willing. Old Master Crawford was the one who ordered her to go to the hospital, and she had no choice but to obey. Luke''s expression instantly sank when he heard those disrespectful words from his mother. "Mother, Bianca is the children''s mother, and she will soon be your daughter-inw. I don''t wish to hear any negativements about her from your mouth. If you insist on doing so, you shall never step foot into our house." "What? Luke, do... do you mean that you still want to marry her? How is that possible? She has already ruined the reputation of our family. I will not ept her no matter what! Are you that determined to marry her? Will you be satisfied when I die from anger?" Allison thought that Bianca was threatening her son with marriage. Her eyes turned bloodshot, and she wanted to tear Bianca into pieces at that instant. Bianca''s expression seemed unpleasant. She did not expect that Allison would make her life difficult even though she was already disabled on the hospital bed. However, she did not say anything to Allison because Allison was Luke''s mother. She turned away, not willing to look at that woman''s face. Lanie frowned when he heard that his grandmother was insulting his mother. Suddenly, he went over and tugged at the hem of his grandmother''s clothes. Then, he spoke innocently, "Grandma, please don''t treat Mommy like that. You''ll set an example for Rainie and me. Should we treat you like that when we''re older too?¡¯ The little boy had such an innocent look on his face, but those words were extremely infuriating. ''To think I''ve pampered this ingrate!'' Allison thought. Allison¡¯s face contorted from extreme anger, but she suddenly felt a sharp pain on her cheeks. She suddenly remembered that she had a beauty injection the day before. The stic surgeon had advised her to control her temper while the injection did its job. If sheughed too hard or lost her temper, she might overwork her facial muscles, and the effects of the injection would be much less effective. Allison was shocked after remembering the stic surgeon''s advice. She tried to keep a straight face. "I''m not going to waste my time here. If the baby is still in the womb, we''ll take it to Crawford Manor after it''s delivered. If the baby is gone, then forget about it. She''ll never enter the Crawford family." 1 "Mother, Bianca shall be the only woman I will marry. Our baby is safe. When she has recovered, I will hold a grand wedding reception for her. If you want toe, we will wee your presence. If you don''t want toe, the reception will still go on as nned,¡¯ Luke said coldly. Allison nearly popped a vein when she heard that. She red at Bianca angrily. If she stayed there for another second, she might just die of anger! i At the birthday party in the Norman residence, Leia was thoroughly flustered. The man had threatened her to give him the rest of the money in two hours. She was not short on money. After all, she was the Normans'' only daughter, and she received a hefty allowance from her mother who ran a business. However, she could not use her ount to transfer the money. That would guarantee trouble. She could not abruptly leave the party. Old Mr. Norman was already prejudiced toward her. He was already unhappy when she left his birthday party early. If she did the same thing at her grandmother''s birthday party, she was afraid that her grandfather''s impression of her would worsen. She was kicking herself for not being fully prepared. However, she could not think of a good idea when she was flustered. Just when she was feeling helpless, a burly man in military fatigues approached her silently. As stealthy he might be, he could not hide his affection for Leia. The man managed to evade all the security cameras. He went behind Leia, covered her nose and mouth, and dragged her into the washroom. Leia almost passed out. When she saw the man behind her, her legs went limp and nearly shrieked out loud. However, when she thought of the man''s background and capabilities, she suddenly had an idea. Casting away her disgust and fear, she smiled charmingly and took the initiative to wrap her arms around his neck...Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 502 Chapter 502 I Want Him Dead! Wayne was piqued. He stopped tearing away Leia''s gown, surprised that the woman would take the initiative. Leia seemed to have noticed Wayne''s bafflement. She wrapped her slender leg around Wayne''s leg in military fatigues. Resisting the disgust in her heart, she said coyly, "It''s been so long since west met, Wayne. I miss you so much. Where have you been? Why didn''t youe and visit me..." Her hand sneaked under Wayne''s shirt. A lecherous smile appeared on Wayne''s rugged face. His passions rose, and he started talking dirty. "Why, I haven''t seen you for a few days, and you can''t hold it in anymore? I knew it. Once I''ve deflowered a woman, they''ll alwayse back for more!" "Aww, don''t say that! You''re just too charming..." Leia leaned against Wayne''s chest and smiled happily. Her actions became more intimate. She did not have too much experience with that sort of thing, but she had seen many instances of that happening in the entertainment industry. Many new female celebrities would perform sexual favors to get the roles they want. Moreover, she was good friends with the promiscuous Charmaine, and she had learned many tips and tricks from her. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. As expected, Wayne was aroused by her actions. Passions red within him, and he could not wait for the release. He lifted the hem of Leia''s gown. Just when he was going to remove the final obstacle, he suddenly heard an aggrieved sob. Wayne lowered his head. He noticed that Leia was crying sorrowfully. Her delicate face showed an extremely aggrieved expression. Tears sparkled in her eyes as she lifted her head to look at the man. She opened her mouth to say something but stopped herself. Wayne thought that she looked like that because he disgusted her. Instantly, his excitement was reduced by half. He gripped her lower jaw tightly, as though he wanted to crush it. "Why, you were being so enthusiastic earlier, but now you look like you''re being forced to do it. Are you putting on an act?" A teardrop fell from Leia''s eye onto the back of Wayne''s hand. She shook her head and sobbed softly. "It''s not that I don''t want to do it with you, but I''m... I''m being threatened now, and I don''t have any other choice..." "Who dares to threaten the noble Ms. Norman?" Wayne furrowed his brows suspiciously. He knew that Leia might be adopted, but her parents had treated her as though they were her birth daughter. To other people, she was the one and only Ms. Norman. Who dared to threaten her? Leia, with tears in her eyes, shook her head but did not speak. She knew that her current appearance would evoke pity. Indeed, Wayne''s tone became vicious when he saw her pitiful face. "What happened? Who dares bully my woman? Tell me." "You''re so good to me, Wayne." Leia tried to keep the goosebumps on her skin down and continued toin to Wayne while sobbing. "You should know I''m adopted. Before my parents adopted me, I spent several unmentionable years in an orphanage. A former employee at the orphanage who ims that he has some dirt on me is ckmailing me forrge sums of money. Otherwise, he would expose it to the media. "I''m afraid that my acting career will be ruined once the media gets hold of my dirt, and my adoptive parents would hate me too. I had no other choice but to give him money on two separate asions, but he isn''t satisfied yet. This time, he told me that he would expose my dirt if I don''t give him the money in two hours... I''m so scared, I don''t know what to do..." Leia''s delicate body fell on Wayne''s broad chest. She was crying really hard. Wayne burst outughing. He lifted Leia''s chin and bit heavily on her lips. "I thought it was something serious. Don''t worry, you can leave it to me. Tell me, what is your expected oue?" "I want him dead!" For a split second, Leia''s clear eyes shed with viciousness. The observant Wayne noticed that. Heughed maliciously. What a vicious woman. She wants the people who threaten her dead. ''It''s a good thing that I like vicious women.* "How are you going to thank me if I help you, hmm?" Wayne narrowed his eyes. "If you can help me, then I... I''ll do whatever you want," Leia said bashfully in Wayne''s arms. "Deal." Wayne fondled Leia for a while before letting go. "I''ll meet you in Room 6666 at X Hotel in two hours. When I get there, I want to see you naked on the bed." "Mm," Leia replied coyly with an ambiguous expression on her face. After Wayne left, her expression turned savage. She repeatedly washed the parts of her body that Wayne touched while cursing him. Then, she tidied her clothes and smoothened her hair. After she restored herdylike appearance, she smiled charmingly and returned to the hall. A five-foot-nine man in his mid-thirties moved through a densely wooded slope. He had a stubble beard on his chin, and he looked haggard. His name was Dwight Marshall. He hid in a derelict house, and any slight movement by the wind sent his heart racing. He felt as though he had be public enemy number one, and there was nowhere for him to hide. He did not know the identity of the woman he had hit with a car, but ever since that incident, he had encountered nothing but trouble. He was wanted by the police, all the detective agencies, and securitypanies. His bank ounts were frozen, and he could not withdraw any money. He had never felt so miserable. If not for the fact that he had picked up some anti-reconnaissance skills from being a gangster for so many years, he would already have been caught. He regretted taking that job! If he had known that hitting a woman would bring him so much trouble, he would not have epted the job no matter how much money his client paid him. Without any other choice, he could only hope that Leia would give him the cash soon. Otherwise, he did not mind taking her down with him! While he was on high alert, he heard a low and hoarse voice from behind him. ¡¯Are you Dwight Marshall?" He suffered a huge fright and instinctively nodded. He turned around to look in the direction of the voice, and all he could see was someone in military fatigues wielding a gleaming machete. Before he could discern who he was, the machete descended upon him like the reaper''s scythe... Blood spurted from his throat like a fountain. Before he could make a sound, he had already breathed hisst. He copsed on the ground with his eyes wide open... The man in the military fatiguesughed cruelly. He dipped the machete into Dwight''s skull and gouged his eyes. When Jason and Sean arrived at the scene as fast as they could, they could only see a tall but nimble figure disappear into the woods, 1 ''Damn, we''re toote!'' They thought. Chapter 503 Chapter 503 Luke¡¯s Harsh Face Became Furious All of a Sudden! Jason crouched down and ced a finger under Dwight''s nose. The man''s skin was still warm, but he was no longer breathing. Clearly, he had met his end very recently. Sean and a few other police officers went as fast they could to pursue the killer. He was a scout when he served in the military. His speed andbat skills were top-notch. However, it seemed that the killer was better. No matter how fast he ran, the killer seemed to be able to outpace him. The killer was very agile, and he knew how to take cover behind the vines, trees, and shrubs in the woods. The distance between the two parties grew. Sean could only catch a glimpse of the killer''s military fatigues that seemed to blend into the background. The killer was about to escape from his field of vision. With no other choice, Sean grabbed a handgun from a police officer, cocked it skillfully, and fired several shots at the killer¡¯s fleeing back. His marksmanship was one of the best in his troop, but he did not manage to hit the man in the military fatigues. Somehow, the man managed to get away under the hail of bullets... As Sean watched the man get away, he gritted his teeth so hard that they were about to break! Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. In the hospital''s VIP lounge. Luke sat on the couch with a cigarette between his fingers. His tall and well -built body seemed cold and harsh. He had stayed in the hospital to apany Bianca for the past few days. His handsome face seemed haggard. Jason and Sean stood in front of their boss, reporting the situation with some guilt. "I''m sorry, Boss. We were toote. When we arrived at the scene, someone had already severed Dwight Marshall''s aorta..." Jason was disappointed at himself that he had let his boss down. They had already tracked down Dwight Marshall''s hiding ce using satellite positioning. They were only one step away from the truth, but someone else managed to kill Dwight and get away. "Boss, the man who killed Dwight was dressed in military fatigues. He was extremely agile, and from the way how he moved and took cover, he should be in the elite special forces. We couldn''t subdue him. Sorry." Sean kept his lowered because he felt guilty. He was a retired elite scout with many talents, which was why Luke recruited him to be Mrs. Crawford''s driver. The boss paid him a handsome sry, but he had failed his boss. Luke''s stern face was instantly racked with anger. His grip on the couch armrest became stronger, as though he would crush it into bits. "Does that mean that you have lost all leads?" The two people were silent. Sean saw that his boss was losing control of his emotions. He braced himself as his forehead was covered in sweat. "We''ll try our best to track down Dwight Marshall''s killer, Boss. Just give me some time, and I''ll definitely return with a satisfactory answer." Luke took a drag of his cigarette. Amid the swirling clouds of smoke, his brows were tightly furrowed. His demeanor was so frigid that it seemed to freeze the air around him. The atmosphere was tense and deathly silent. "I''ll give you a few more days. Go and do your work!" Luke broke the silence after a long time. The two men could hear the anger and lethargy in his voice. "Yes, Boss," they responded. Luke stood up and faced the window. His demeanor was imposing like a lone hawk. He became even more determined as he looked at the traffic outside the window. No matter who the mastermind might be, he would hunt them down even if he had to turn the entire A City upside down! Bianca could not walk. She had stayed in bed for the past few days, and she was getting extremely bored. Luke wanted to bring her back to the mansion to recuperate, but Johann said that the injuries on her legs were too serious, and it was not wise to transport her around after the operation. He suggested that she stay in the hospital for observation for a few more days and make sure that there were no complications before moving out. Bianca could only remain in the hospital that was filled with the stench of disinfectant. Fortunately, the conditions in the VIP ward were better. The serenity and peace helped her recuperate. Thinking that she would be applying for an architect''s certification soon, she spent some time reviewing the material. Luke instructed the nurse to take care of Bianca, then went to thepany. He was always busy with work, and he could not stay by Bianca¡¯s side for twenty-four hours a day. He had to assess many projects, and the arson case would be going on trial in a month. He had promised Giovan that the perpetrator would receive the death sentence. The caretaker seemed unremarkable, but her mother''s distant rtive was an influential figure in the capital. There would be some obstacles for him to fight for the death sentence. However, he had already promised Giovan that the caretaker would receive the death sentence. He could not go back on his word. After Luke left the hospital, Bianca returned to studying her material. At that moment, Anand, the gentlemanly mixed-race man, appeared in her ward, bringing two gift baskets. "Why are you here, Anand?¡¯ Bianca felt awkward when she saw him. She still remembered that night when he confessed to her. She knew that Anand had a candid character, but she had no affection for that man at all. "Hey, Rayne, the coboration project between T Corporation and Vivi Group has started for so long, and I was wondering why I haven''t seen your beautiful face in a while. Turns out that you''re hiding in the hospital. If I hadn''t found out from Sue and Nina that you were hospitalized, I would''ve thought that you disappeared... Why did you let me know that you''ve suffered a serious ident, Rayne? I feel sorry for you just looking at you!" Anand''s beautiful blue eyes stared at Bianca''s legs in a ster cast. His expression was exaggerated, but his concern was genuine. She felt even more awkward than ever. She only had limited interactions with that foreign man, and she could not tolerate how eager he was. "Hm? You''ve suffered such serious injuries, so shouldn''t your boyfriend be keeping youpany in the hospital? Why isn''t he here?" Anand looked around. Other than Bianca, he did not see another person. He turned back to look at Bianca with an enthusiastic gaze and coaxed her, "Looks like there''s nothing remarkable about the man you love. If you were my girlfriend, I would''ve quit my job and take care of you 24/7. How about you break up with that man and be my girlfriend?" Chapter 504 Chapter 504 Queenie Found Out That Bianca Was Hospitalized! Anand looked obsessively at Bianca on the hospital bed. She might be seriously injured, and her legs were in a bulky ster cast, but in her eyes, the young woman who was silently reading a book on the bed was like a goddess that had appeared in a dream. Bianca averted Anand''s passionate gaze. She coughed lightly and said unhappily, "Anand, I''ve already told you that I have a fiance, and we are going to be married soon. I will hand you the invitation personally. Please don''t say such words again; it will cause misunderstandings, and I have no affection toward you. Also, my fiance is very nice to me. He''ll keep mepany in the hospital every night. It''s just that he''s tied up with work now, but he''lle back here as soon as he''s done." Anand felt a little sad when Bianca rejected him. However, he did not give up. He walked up and sat down on a chair next to Bianca. He waved his hands a few times and suddenly pulled out a beautiful red rose out of thin air. "This is for you, beautifuldy. I hope that you can get well soon and once again bloom like this rose." "Thank you," Bianca said, but she did not take the rose from his hand. Instead, she frowned and said, ''Please keep the rose away from me. I''m allergic to pollen, and I don''t like roses." Bianca did not show any courtesy to Anand, but he did not mind it. When he heard that Bianca was allergic to pollen, he instantly tossed the rose into the trash can nearby and apologized to Bianca. "I''m sorry, Rayne, I didn¡¯t know that you''re allergic. I''ll be more careful from now on." He rubbed his high nose bridge, and his blue eyes fell on a wide-mouthed porcin vase nearby. In the vase was a lily stalk in full bloom. The greenish-white petals emanated light and refreshing fragrance. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Anand pointed at the lily in the vase and nodded as though he understood something. "Oh, so you''re allergic to roses but not lilies? Alright, I''ll keep that in mind, and I''ll bring lilies for you next time. Do you like lilies?" Bianca stared at the lily and smiled gently. "My fiance gave me that lily, and I like it very much. Strictly speaking, I don''t really like flowers, but I only like that particr one because my fiance gave it to me." The implications in Bianca¡¯s words were obvious. She knew that Anand, as an intelligent foreign gentleman, would understand what she was saying. Indeed, Anand began to waver. "You don''t have to keep on unting that man''s affection for you at all times, Rayne. I wouldn''t be able to contain my jealousy. I don''t understand what''s so good about him that you''re so devoted to him. He looks like he doesn''t care about you! No matter how busy his work might be, you shoulde first, right? Look at him, he''s not currently by your side..." "That''s how love is. I love him no matter if he is rich or poor, or if he is good or bad." Bianca shut her textbook. Her voice was elegant. Anand looked at her disappointedly. He could not find a retort, but he did not give up. "You seem to be prejudiced against me, Rayne. You''ve never attempted to know me better, and you don''t know what my good points are. If you truly spend some time with me, you''ll definitely find that I am a good man." Bianca smiled helplessly as she looked at the handsome but childish Anand. "I admit that you''re an outstanding man, Anand, but there''s no rationality in love. Even if you''ve gathered all the good points of all the men in the world, I will still not love you. My heart only belongs to Luke Crawford alone. "We both met each other when we were young, and our young hearts fell for each other. He has remained in my heart for more than ten years, like a sapling that had taken root. The two of us are one, and even death cannot separate us." Bianca had to admit that Anand was handsome and well-built like a supermodel. If it were other women, Anand would not even need to confess his love toward them. They would have already fallen for him. However, she was not other women. She would give her everything to the man she loved, and her heart was currently imed by Luke Crawford. There was no space for another man. The atmosphere became awkward again. Anand knew that Bianca loved another man, but he could not contain his affection for her. After living so many years in the country, Bianca was the first woman that managed to catch his eye. He tried to talk about work details with Bianca, but he could see that she was not very interested, and she was ncing at her watch from time to time. He knew that Bianca was hinting at him to leave. He stood up sheepishly. Before he left, he said to Bianca, "Take a good rest, Rayne. I''lle over when I''m free. No matter what, I won''t give up before you be married to that man. I want to compete with that man for your heart!" As Bianca watched Anand''s tall and well-built figure leave the room, she had the urge to blurt out curses. Did the man just ignore whatever she said to him? In the living room of the Norman residence. Queenie was dressed in casual clothing. She brought a bowl of herbal tonic for Old Mr. Norman and said, "It''s time for your medicine, Father." Queenie did not want her father-inw to take mainstream medicine for fear of its side effects. Instead, she found a famous retired naturopathic doctor to treat her father-inw with herbal remedies. Old Mr. Norman frowned when he took a whiff of the bitter tonic. He looked as though he was facing the firing squad. He did not want to disappoint his daughter-inw, so he downed the tonic in one gulp and ced the bowl on the table. Queenie took the empty bowl. She was about to head to the kitchen when Old Mr. Norman stopped her. "Queenie, I was ying chess with 01'' Crawford the other day, and he told me that Bianca Rayne suffered a serious car ident not long ago. That designer is quite talented, and we''ll need her participation when we rebuilt the house. If you''re free, you should visit her." Queenie tensed up when she heard her father-inw''s words. She did not know how to feel about that... Chapter 505 Chapter 505 You Must Be Bianca''s Mother! The Two of You Look Alike! Meanwhile, Leia walked off the catwalk with a sullen expression on her face. She was dressed in an exquisite white gown, and she had a tiara on her head. Following behind her was her agent. There had been a lot of news about Leia recently, including how she had thrown tantrums while filming, how she had insulted her fans, how her acting was terrible, and even major scandals while she was in the orphanage. Each piece of news was bursting with details and was equally as shocking. The talentpany was in chaos as they tried various solutions to clear Leia''s reputation. However, they could not stop the flood of negative news. Before this, they could easily suppress any unfavorable rumors with the mere mention of Jack Norman''s name. However, the offending party did not seem to be afraid of the Provincial Committee Secretary this time. They wanted to find out the mastermind''s identity, but they could not find anything at all. It was incredibly frustrating. "Leia, do you think you want to go abroad for a while? There are just too many scandals." In the changing room, Leia''s agent asked as she carefully removed the jewelry that Leia had showcased on the catwalk. Leia was an actress. asionally, she would also star inmercials. Thanks to her father''s status, getting roles was usually trivially easy. However, as her scandals continued to pile up, her television series and movies were temporarily shelved, and manypanies had canceled endorsement deals with her. Her career had been seriously affected. Many international celebrities were gathered at the jewelry exhibition. Leia should not have gained a spot there as a model, but her agent had managed to fight for one using Jack''s status. Leia''s reputation was negatively affected in the country, and her agent had thought of taking her abroad so that she could continue to develop her career. Her agent was hoping that a foreign director might take an interest in her, but that did not seem to be the case. Leia''s appearance, demeanor, or height could notpare to the international supermodels. She only served to entuate the others'' good points. No one paid any attention to her. That was why Leia was in a horrid mood. "If I ever find out who''s ndering me, I''ll make them pay the heavy price!" Leia''s current expression was resentful and vicious, a stark contrast from her gentle demeanor before the cameras. Her agent sighed. "You''ve always kept a spotless reputation in the industry, Leia. I wonder who''s the one doing all this. They¡¯re not even afraid of your father! If you can''t handle it, maybe you should talk to Mrs. Norman? Your parents love you, and I believe they will help you with this problem." "I should talk to my Mom. If my Dad knows about this, he''ll tell me to retire from the entertainment industry," Leia said hesitantly. Her adoptive father did not want her to remain in the entertainment industry. If he found out that she had so many scandals, he might help her handle it at the cost of her leaving the industry. That was not what she wanted. Her agent continued to advise her, "Mrs. Norman is kind and sensible, and she loves you a lot. If she helps you, the scandals and gossip will definitely stop, but before that, you shouldy low for a while." "Mm." Leia massaged her temples. "I know, Linda. I think I should use the opportunity to take a break." Beep... Leia''s phone that was ced on the vanity suddenly rang. She saw that the call was from Wayne, and she wanted to smash her phone in disgust. However, when she remembered that the man had dispatched Dwight and removed all leads to her, she thought that the man still had his uses. She braced herself and answered the call. Leia''s expression instantly sank when she heard what the person on the other end of the call said to her. "What''s wrong, Leia? Are you feeling unwell?" Linda asked out of concern when she noticed that Leia was biting her lips so hard that it was almost bleeding. Leia''s answer had a hint of resentment to it. "Linda, do you know any young actresses or models who want to get ahead in their career? Tell them that I can introduce them to someone influential." ''Damn that Wayne. I''ll have to serve him every time he gets his urges.'' "Yes, I have many profiles of beautiful women with me. Many of them would love to hook up with a dependable guy." Linda looked at Leia''s tightly furrowed brows and asked carefully, "Is Mr. tt giving you trouble again?" Linda had been Leia''s agent even since Leia joined the entertainment industry, and she had watched the young woman grow from a nobody to a decently popr celebrity. Leia trusted Linda and would tell her anything. Of course, that included her encounter with Wayne. Linda also hoped that Leia would be rid of that man soon. However, the tt family was no pushover. If they exposed Wayne, Wayne would not hesitate to take Leia down with him. Leia slumped on the vanity, feeling extremely frustrated. "Don''t ask too many questions, Linda. Just help me find some young and beautiful actresses or models. Get those that look especially pure. I''ll handle the rest. Her heart now belonged to Luke Crawford. She did not want to be involved with Wayne tt anymore. 1 Queenie arrived at the hospital holding a sk with homemade chicken soup. She asked the front desk for Bianca''s room number and headed there. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Bianca was chatting with the female nurse in her ward. When she heard footstepsing from outside, she lifted her head and saw that it was Queenie. In her utter shock, she forgot to greet Queenie. The nurse looked over and noticed that Queenie''s appearance looked simr to Bianca''s. She smiled and said, "You must be Ms. Rayne''s mother, right? You two look so alike! Your eyes look exactly the same!" Bianca awkwardly tugged the nurse''s hand and said softly, "You''re mistaken. We''re not rted at all... Why are you here, Mrs. Norman?¡± Queenie was Leia''s mother, and Leia was Bianca''s love rival. Luke was supposed to be "in a rtionship" with Leia. Bianca felt uneasy and even a little guilty when she saw Queenie. If one day Queenie found out the truth behind their rtionship, would she hate Bianca? Queenie ced the sk on the desk and said softly. "My father heard that you are hospitalized, and he asked me to pay you a visit. He is very satisfied with your design, and he hopes that you will recover soon." After hearing the nurse''s words, Queenie examined Bianca closely again and found out that the young woman indeed looked like her when she was younger... Chapter 506 Chapter 506 Queenie¡¯s Words Tore Bianca¡¯s Heart In Two Seeing how Queenie was staring at her, Bianca''s gaze fell on the sk on the table. She smiled gratefully to Queenie. "Thank you for visiting me, Mrs. Norman. I''m sorry that I can''t stand to greet you. Please take a seat..." Queenie saw the bright smile on Bianca''s face. For a moment, she was caught in a daze. Not only did the young woman look simr to her, but when she smiled, the two faint dimples that appeared were exactly the same as hers. Queenie remembered Bianca''s performance at Old Mr. Norman''s birthday party. Bianca''s singing voice almost sounded like hers when she was younger. How could there be someone who not only looked, but sounded, acted, and smiled almost the same way as her? Queenie instantly felt an affinity toward Bianca, perhaps because Bianca reminded her of her younger days. "Don''t worry, Ms. Rayne. I''ve made some chicken soup for you, and I hope you''ll like it." As she said that, she opened the sk. The fragrance of the chicken soup filled the ward the moment Queenie opened the lid. Not only had it whetted Bianca''s appetite, but even the nurse almost drooled. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. It was too fragrant. "You''re too kind, Mrs. Norman. I''m happy that you''re here to visit me in the hospital. I didn''t expect that you would even make chicken soup for me. I don''t know how to thank you..." Bianca was shocked by Queenie¡¯s kind gesture, which made her somewhat at a loss for words. Queenie smiled and handed the sk to Bianca. The soup had a nice color, which was very pleasing to look at. Bianca took the sk and took a sip. An indescribable fragrance filled her mouth. She could taste the freshness and deliciousness of chicken, and she even caught a hint of truffles. The taste of the soup reinvigorated her. "This is delicious, Mrs. Norman. You''re an amazing cook. I''ve never had such delicious soup before." Bianca was shocked. Bianca thought that Queenie was a noblewoman who could not bother herself with housework. She did not expect Queenie to be able to cook so well. Her praise was not exaggerated at all. The chicken soup tasted like it was made by the head chef of a five-star hotel. "You tter me, Ms. Rayne. Cooking is my hobby. We''re not strangers anymore. You can call me Aunt Queenie instead of Mrs. Norman." Then, Queenie sat down next to Bianca. She beckoned at the nurse and said gently, "I have something to speak to Ms. Rayne. It''s fine if you have other duties; we''ll ring the bell if we need you." Queenie¡¯s expression was elegant, and her voice was gentle, but her demeanor was intimidating. The nurse quickly left the ward, leaving the two women behind. Bianca started to be nervous after the nurse left. Sitting next to her was the wife of the Provincial Committee Secretary. Queenie¡¯s social status was much more elevated than hers, not to mention that she was the mother of her love rival. Bianca was intelligent. She understood that Queenie¡¯s purpose of visiting her was not only because she was hurt. She suddenly had an ominous feeling. Indeed, Queenie opened her mouth after only the two people were left in the room. "Can I ask you a question, Ms. Rayne? What happened between you and Luke at the engagement ceremony? Why did you suddenly change your mind? Are you determined to sever all rtions with Luke? Perhaps both of you are ignoring each other at this moment, or maybe both of you are in a cooling-off period?" Bianca averted Queenie¡¯s prating gaze and said dejectedly, "I don''t want to talk about the past, but since you''ve asked about it, I can only say that there are many problems between Luke and me. We can''t be together as long as those problems aren''t solved. Moreover, I don''t think I''m qualified to be by his side now. He deserves a better woman." Queenie¡¯s gaze was transfixed on Bianca''s eyes, trying to discern something. However, Bianca''s expression was calm, and her gaze was tranquil. Queenie continued, "I don''t really want to know too many details of your rtionship, but I do have one question, Ms. Rayne. Is the rtionship between you and Lukepletely over?" "I''m... I''m not..." Bianca stared at Queenie nkly. Queenie¡¯s direct questioning nearly made her blurt out the truth. She eventually got a hold of herself when she thought of Luke''s n. ''I''m not at liberty to make a decision. With so many uncertainties, all I can say is that it''s over for us." Queenie seemed to be relieved when she heard Bianca''s answer. There was a hint of coldness to her tone. "Love and marriage aren''t the same, Ms. Rayne. You can fall in love with someone else as long as both of you are willing, but marriage also requires the consent of both parties'' families. When Luke said that you were his girlfriend, I already expected that the rtionship would end in separation because of the great disparity in both of your social statuses. Now that the two of you have indeed broken up, I don''t think I shouldment on it any further. Luke is now dating my daughter, and the Normans and the Crawfords are influential families in A City. I think you should know what to do next, Ms. Rayne." Bianca knew that Luke was only putting up an act, but Queenie¡¯s words had tore her heart in two. Her heart was dripping with ck blood as though threatening to drag her into a bottomless abyss. Seeing that Bianca was silent, Queenie moved a little closer. "I know that you''re a sensible child, Bianca, and I know that you understand what I mean. To be frank, I''m not very satisfied with Luke. He''s always scheming about something, and I can tell that he still has feelings for you. If not that Leia threatened me with suicide, I wouldn''t have agreed to their rtionship. "Now that you''ve said that it''s over for the two of you, I shall take you at your word. Actually, even if you married Luke, I don''t think you''ll have a good time in the household because of his mother''s character. I believe that with your looks, talents, and capabilities, you should be able to find a more deserving man." Queenie¡¯s words were as gentle as a spring brook, but every word was like a knife that sliced Bianca''s heart. She wanted to argue with Queenie loudly, but she had to maintain the act." I know, Aunt Queenie." Her hand subconsciously moved toward her lower abdomen. She did not know how much longer she would have to suffer. She felt bad fortheir baby. Queenie was very observant. Her eyes fell on Bianca''s slightly bulging stomach, then at Bianca''s gentle and motherly expression. ''Is Bianca... pregnant?'' She thought as she looked at Bianca suspiciously. Chapter 507 Chapter 507 I''d Like You To Be My Goddaughter... Bianca noticed that Queenie was looking at her lower abdomen. She deliberately tugged her nket and covered the lower half of her body. "It might be spring now, but the weather has been unpredictabletely. I sometimes feel chilly even though I''m staying in my room... You should dress more warmly, Aunt Queenie. It''s easy to catch a cold in this weather." Queenie discreetly looked away and smiled. "I know that you''re a luckless person, Bianca. You might not have too many close rtions, and you want to find a significant other you can rely on. However, I really don''t think that Luke is a suitable man for you. "I remember when I first saw you, I thought that we''re somehow fated. You are almost the same age as Leia, and you have a good character. I like girls like you. If you''re willing, I can be your godmother. That way, you won''t feel as lonely. In the future, I can help you if you face any difficulties, say if your grandfather needs medical fees or if you want to advance in your career... Also, when you find a significant other, I will give you avish present for your wedding." Queenie was smiling gently when she said those words. She was a gentle woman, but Bianca found it hard to breathe when she listened to that soft-spoken tone. "Aunt Queenie, I have my grandfather and aunt. They''re my close rtives, and I don''t feel lonely at all. As for the matter of being your goddaughter. I''m sorry that I have to decline your offer. I know that my social status isn''t as high as yours, and I think it should stay that way. Thank you for your kind intentions." Bianca gripped the nket tightly. Queenie''s words had made her feel extremely uneasy. Bianca''s rejection did not cause any change in Queenie''s expression. Her smile remained gentle on her face. Queenie took out a name card from her handbag and handed it to Bianca." I know that my suggestion might bring you some difort, Ms. Rayne, but I don''t mean you any harm, nor would I force you to ept it. If you face any difficulties, you can bring this name card ande to look for me at my company. You don''t have to make an appointment. If you leave T Corporation someday, you are wee to work at mypany, and the position of vice-chairperson is immediately yours." "Thank you." Bianca felt that the name card was searing her fingers. "You don''t have to feel pressured. I just feel that we''re somehow fated." Queenie stood up and straightened Bianca''s crumpled shirt cor. "I have some business to attend to at mypany, and I can''t stay here for too long. I''ll be taking my leave, and you can keep the sk. I''ll come and visit you when I''m free." After Queenie left, Bianca took another sip of her soup. The previously delicious soup was now tasteless. After taking care of official business, Luke left his office and went to Bianca''s ward. He noticed that Bianca''s face was pale. When she looked at him, she seemed helpless, and her eyshes were trembling. "Tell me, Luke, do you think that we will end up together?" Luke had opened her eyes in that period. She had been optimistic and determined, and she was looking forward to their future together. She was smiling even after suffering from that car ident, and she had never shown such intense sorrow on her face. Luke turned his gaze onto the sk on the table. He could still smell the lingering fragrance of the chicken soup. He thought that smell was familiar. His gaze flickered. "Who came to visit earlier?" The incandescentmp cast its light on Bianca''s lean and pale face. She did not answer Luke¡¯s question. "I thought that there would be light at the end of the tunnel if I was determined enough, but now, I''m not too sure about our future." Luke was instantly nervous. He took the sk and carefully examined it. The familiar smell reminded him of the day when Leia brought a sk of chicken soup and visited him in his office. The woman disgusted him, and he threw the sk away as soon as she left. He had not tasted it, but he remembered how the soup smelled. He put the sk down, and his gaze turned cold. "Did someone from the Norman familye to visit? Did Leiae?" Bianca shook her head. "No, Leia didn''te. Mrs. Norman came to visit at noon." Luke frowned even harder. "Mrs. Norman came to visit? Did she give you a hard time?" Bianca smiled bitterly. "I wished that she gave me a hard time. She was very friendly toward me, and she even offered to be my godmother. She also said that I can look for her if I face any difficulties in the future, and she''ll give me a position in herpany." Luke sank deep in thought, and his gaze was frighteningly icy. '' What does that woman want?" "Mrs. Norman believes that we have split up. She says that she doesn''t want me to interfere in your rtionship with Leia, and I think she''s trying to guilt-trip me with her kindness. To be frank, if she had acted as the viin, I could have retorted her or ignored her. However, when she spoke to me, she seemed like she cared for my feelings, and I felt guilty for lying to her... If Mrs. Norman finds out the truth one day, I don¡¯t know how I can face her. Leia and I are enemies. How could I be Queenie''s goddaughter..." "Trust me. All this will soon pass. Treat it like a dream. When you wake up, everything will be normal once more." Luke hugged her in his arms. Bianca hugged his waist. Her eyes were blurred with tears, and she was as sad as a lost child. She hugged him like a fragile dream. "I hope that this is only a dream, and we can leave all this behind us soon." Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. I''ll settle the matter as soon as possible. You are my wife, Bianca. You shall be the only wife I have." Luke''s heart wrenched as he hugged her tightly. He did not want to see her being frail and helpless. He would think that he was useless. All he wanted to do at that moment was to tell the world the truth. He did not want to put up an act anymore, and he did not want to plot any schemes. All he wanted was for Bianca to be happy and not be burdened by worries. "I trust you. I''ve always trusted you." Bianca suddenly smiled. Luke hugged her quietly and looked at her sweet smile. As he caressed her smooth hair, he made up a decision in his mind... Chapter 508 Chapter 508 How Dare Queenie Visit Bianca?! On the other end at the Norman family¡¯s residence. Leia parked her car in the garage and locked it. Her delicate and unparalleled beauty had a look of exhaustion that could not be concealed. She had been out of it the entire time she was filming. Although the director was afraid to say anything because of her status, she had noticed his dissatisfied and frowning look. She was hurt and felt powerless at the same time. She wanted to act coquettishly and ask Luke for help, but she knew that even though he had said yes to being in a rtionship with her, their rtionship was still not there yet. Naturally, she did not dare to bother him. Leia¡¯s high heels clicked against the floor as she entered the living room. She bumped into the caretaker, Ms. Lang. Ms. Lang saw that Leia seemed a little upset, so she asked out of concern, "Miss, are you okay? Are you hungry? Sir and Madam are not at home. I¡¯ll prepare dinner for you." Leia said weakly, "No, I¡¯m not hungry now. By the way, where did my mother go?" Since her childhood, Leia had be ustomed to her adoptive parents ¡¯ busy lifestyle. As their positions and careers grew bigger and better, they got busier and busier. Leia would sometimes be upset that they were not spending time with her, but she hid herints in the deepest part of her heart and pretended to be well-behaved and sensible. That was because she enjoyed the honorable status brought to her by the Norman family. She enjoyed the upper ss lifestyle. Leia understood that her adoptive parents only loved her so much because they felt guilty for spending so little time with her and because of how well behaved she was. "Madam Queenie went to the hospital to visit someone. She may be back a littleter. She told me to prepare whatever you want to eat when you get home," Ms. Lang said kindly. "Who¡¯s my mother visiting? Which hospital?" Leia asked casually. "Madam went to Universal Hospital. I don''t know exactly who she¡¯s visiting. She made some stew and brought it there. I think it should be a very important person? Oh, I overheard her mention the patient''s surname, I think it''s Rayne..." Ms. Lang recalled. Rayne? That was a name that made Leia''s heart twitch. She said in a sharp tone," Ms. Lang, who did you say my mother went to visit? That person''s surname is Rayne? Is it a woman? Is her name Bianca?" Ms. Lang was taken aback by Leia''s sudden change in attitude. She was a little scared and said, "Miss, I''m not entirely sure. I don¡¯t know whether the patient is a male or a female. If you want to know, you can call and ask Madam." Leia''s expression wasplicated. She nced at Ms. Lang and pushed down the suspicions in her heart before going to the second floor. Her stepmother went to see a patient with the surname ''Rayne¡¯. Was Queenie visiting Bianca? i If that was true, then Queenie was visiting Bianca despite knowing that the woman was Leia¡¯s love rival. That did not make sense to Leia. Was Queenie not worried that Leia would be furious if she found out? However, Leia held onto thest strand of hope. Her stepmother was a smart woman who would not shoot herself in the foot. Maybe the patient she was visiting was an important client. It could be a coincidence that the client happened to have the same surname. 1 However, were there such coincidences in this world? This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. In her room, Leia rolled around in her bed for a long while. In the end, she could no longer push down the suspicions in her heart and called Queenie. After the line got connected, Leia pretended to be worried. "Mom, Ms. Lang told me that you went to the hospital this afternoon. Did something happen to Grandpa? I''ll visit himter. What gift should I bring for Grandpa?" "Leia, your grandpa is in good health, don''t worry. He¡¯ll be overjoyed to see you even if you don''t bring any gifts. I went to the hospital today to visit an important client. I¡¯m a little busy at work now and will be having dinner with the teamter, so you don¡¯t have to wait up." She was afraid that Leia would overthink, so Queenie did not mention much about the hospital. "Okay. Mom, go attend to your matters. Please take care and don¡¯t overwork yourself, else Dad and I will be distressed," Leia said thoughtfully. Leia wanted to ask if the so-called client was named Rayne, but she held back. Queenie was a smart woman. As soon as Leia asked the question, her stepmother would be able to detect her doubts about her. Leia did not want to put herself in that situation. After she hung up the phone, Leia was still very suspicious, and her doubts were not lessened by Queenie''s words. She was keen to find out who her stepmother visited in the hospital. If it was really Queenie''s client, then she would keep her mouth shut, 1 However, what if it was Bianca? When she thought of that possibility, Leia felt like she was being plunged into a bottomless abyss. The cold look in her eyes turned relentless. She would never allow Queenie to have any chance of meeting Bianca! It suddenly urred to Leia that Universal Hospital was a private hospital owned by Charmaine Weish''s father. She immediately called her friend and asked her for help. Charmaine felt guilty about betraying Leia that one time, and she feared that Leia would cause trouble for her. 1 When Leia asked her for the favor, she readily agreed and promised her that she wouldplete the task. After she hung up the phone, Leia had a deep smirk on her face. ¡® Charmaine, you stupid woman! How dare you betray me? When this is over, I¡¯ll make sure you get what you deserve!¡¯ 2 After staying in the hospital for more than two weeks, the doctor finally signed off on Bianca¡¯s release and allowed her to rest at home. Back in the vi, Biancay in front of the full-length window and enjoyed the scenery outside. She could see the algae floating in theke, the beautiful fountain in the middle of theke, the swans, and the snowkelike petals falling. The scenery outside looked like an oil painting. It was lively and vibrant, making her feel as though the whole world was performing for her and only her. Biancay on the recliner and enjoyed the beautiful scenery outside the window. She was enjoying the rare tranquility. Luke had meticulously and thoughtfully prepared everything that she needed. Not only did she have bodyguards who guarded her 24/7 to ensure her safety, but she also had the best private doctor to check on her at any time. She also had a nutritionist who came up with a variety of nutritious meals to satisfy her. Luke even hired a physiotherapist for Bianca to help her with rehabilitation. Compared to the cold and impersonal hospital, being at home made Bianca feel warm. Bianca''s recovery was going well. The wounds on her body had gradually recovered. However, she was distressed that she still had to sit in a wheelchair all the time and go through two hours of medical care and physical therapy every day. During this period, Luke was upied with work. He sometimes worked overtime until midnight, but he still tried to make time for Bianca. Every week, he would spare one or two afternoons to take a walk with her in the garden. It was as though pushing her on her wheelchair to take a stroll was on his must-do list. Chapter 509 Chapter 509 Only Bianca? Under the sunset afterglow, the azure blueke looked like it was shrouded in a halo of clouds. It gave off the feeling of a kind of sacred beauty. Luke pushed Bianca on her wheelchair as they strolled along theke. Bianca''s eyes showed envy when she looked at a beautiful swan spreading its wings. It appeared to be full of vitality. She was not sure when she would be able to be free and healthy again like the swan. This vi was really beautiful, just like a castle in a fairy tale. Although Luke and their children were frequently here to keep herpany, Bianca still felt that she was isted from the world. Especially when she saw the swans flying freely. However, she could only be confined in a wheelchair. There was a deep desire for freedom in her eyes. Bianca''s envy was obvious. Luke rubbed her tender little face with his giant hand as he said, "Don''t worry. After a while, you¡¯ll be able to move freely like those swans. Wherever you want to go, I''ll bring you there." After recuperating for a while, Bianca''splexion was gradually getting better. Her jawline faded as she grew chubbier, and her skin was in the best condition it had ever been. "Okay." Luke''s soothing words brought a smile to Bianca¡¯s face. Her bright smile was reflected in Luke''s deep eyes. The stress he felt from work seemed to melt away because of her smile. He tidied her hair which was slightly messy because of the breeze. He whispered to her, "This is a different circumstance as you have to stay in a wheelchair. When you recover, well get married." Luke''s mellow voice made Bianca''s smile grow even wider. However, when she thought about her current situation, her expression turned gloomy again. She kept quiet as if a burning me was suddenly extinguished by cold water. Luke looked at her change in expression and turned her wheelchair around. He squatted down and looked her in the eye. Luke''s hawk-like eyes were focused on her face as he said, "Bea, what are you worried about? Don''t keep everything inside and hurt yourself. Tell me about your worries and we''ll solve them together." Bianca calmly lowered her gaze to meet his eyes. Their breathing slowly became in sync. His pleasant fragrance entwined both of them tightly, making them inseparable. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. After a while, she shook her head and swallowed all her worries down." Luke, I want to try to walk. Can I?" Since she had chosen to believe him, she had to stop herself from being crestfallen. Women were naturally more attentive in certain thingspared to men, and their ability to overthink was stronger than men''s too. Bianca wanted her legs to go back to normal as soon as possible. Luke held her hand in front of his lips and kissed it gently. "Don''t be stubborn. The fracture isn''t fully healed yet. If you insist on walking, it''ll only lead to misaligned joints. When it gets to that stage, you have to go through a second operation. I don''t want you to suffer anymore." "Then, when can I walk?" Bianca asked, feeling depressed. "We¡¯ll go with the doctor''s advice. I just want you to be okay. Even if you have to stay in a wheelchair for the rest of your life, I¡¯ll be right beside you." Although his low and maic voice meant to reassure Bianca, to her, it felt like a heavy weight that crushed her heart. Bianca breathed in, and her hands sped his big ones. When she looked at his affectionate gaze, her eyes began to tear again as she said, "I''m not worthy of you." Luke rubbed her head for overthinking and said, "Silly, what are you thinking about? It''s my biggest blessing to have met you." Bianca suddenlyughed. "I don¡¯t know why you love me. I¡¯m fragile, sensitive, have low self-esteem, and have many annoying habits too. However, I know that you love me, and I love you very much too. If one day you¡¯re no longer here, I don¡¯t think I can live without you either." Luke covered her mouth immediately. He said sternly and disapprovingly," Don''t say such things. We will always be together. Also, if one day I¡¯m gone, you must take care of yourself and live your best life. You must know that you''re not only my lover but also the mother of our children. You must be responsible for them and set a good example. They are the continuation of our bloodline. Even if I¡¯m gone, they will love you on behalf of me, okay?" Bianca broke into tears again. "I shouldn''t say such pessimistic things! We''re all fine and healthy now, I shouldn''t bring up such a heavy topic. Luke, we¡¯ll always be together in this life, right?" 1 Luke''s response was to forcibly hug her in his arms. She listened to his strong and powerful heartbeat. She knew that his heartbeat was not lying. Bianca was clear of his feelings for her. Bianca initially thought that their love wouldst forever, but she never expected that fate could be so strange. Sometimes, something that you thought you had lost would return to you. Other times, something that you thought would be with you for life would go missing in a blink of an eye. She had not expected that his words woulde true one day. 2 The sky was filled with rain and thunder. Leia was trapped in Charmaine Weish''s house. She called her stepmother and exined that she would not be able to make it home. 1 Queenie agreed to her request to stay at Charmaine''s house as it would not be safe for her to drive home in the heavy rain. "Leia, although it took a while, I''ve found the information you want. Fortunately, the hospital is owned by my family. Otherwise, it would¡¯ve been difficult for me to look into the hospital''s surveince footage and Bianca''s medical information." In the bedroom, Charmaine smiled at Leia like the apple-polisher that she was as she handed the documents to her. "The only patient with the surname Rayne from Universal Hospital is Bianca? Are you sure?" Leia''s expression turned sour. 1 Charmaine yawned while putting on an overnight mask. "Of course not. Universal Hospital is huge, so how could there be only one patient named Rayne? However, the surveince footage shows that your mother entered Bianca¡¯s ward around 2 p.m. on April 29. She only visited one patient that day, and it was Bianca." Leia endured the tremor she felt and continued to ask, "How''s Bianca doing?" Charmaine paused what she was doing, and her eyes flickered as she said, "The famous miracle doctor, Johann Stiles, operated on her. Her leg is saved. As for the baby, the doctor in the hospital said that it may not have survived..." Chapter 510 Chapter 510 Oh, What A ''Surprising'' Discovery! Leia''s expression turned cold when she heard that Bianca''s leg was saved. However, she felt better when she heard that Bianca''s baby did not survive. Leia was still suspicious and decided to probe further, asking, "Charmaine, are you sure that the b*tch¡¯s baby is gone?" Charmaine took out two cigarettes and lit them for Leia and herself. She casually said, "Of course. The director of the hospital''s Obstetrics and Gynecology Department is close to me and wouldn''t lie to me. Besides, she doesn''t have the guts to do that. Leia, don''t worry. Bianca''s baby didn¡¯t survive. A pregnant woman is already weaker than ordinary people. When an ordinary person falls, there¡¯s a high chance that they might miscarry. What''s more, she was in such a serious car ident. Even if she managed to save her legs, the baby is most definitely good as gone. Maybe because of this, the inner wall of her uterus will be weak and she won¡¯t be able to give birth to another child in the future!" Charmaine''s words put a smile on Leia¡¯s face. She was overjoyed when she thought that Bianca would never be able to have another child for the rest of her life. "Is that woman still in the hospital now?" Leia took a deep inhale and puffed out the smoke. She only dared to be her true self in front of Charmaine. Charmaine blew out a smoke ring and then said, ''No, she was discharged from the hospital yesterday. I don''t know where she went. By the way, Leia, are you dating Young Master Luke now?" "Yes, he¡¯s now my fiance." As soon as Luke was mentioned, Leia turned shy. Charmaine''s gaze fell on Leia. Her gaze carried hints of sympathy, and she gave a sigh. There was a complicated look on her face. "What¡¯s with the look? You don''t think we''re a match made in heaven? With my talent, appearance, family background, and status, if I''m not a perfect match for him, who else from A City is?" Charmaine''s questioning gaze annoyed Leia a little. She flicked the cigarette ash onto Charmaine''s arm and continued to smoke her cigarette like nothing happened. The burning ashesnded on Charmaine, but she did not dare to shout out in pain in front of Leia. Initially, she wanted to remind Leia that Luke had been taking care of Bianca in the hospital the entire time she was there. However, Leia had always regarded her as one of her loyal dogs that had no dignity. She had done so many things for Leia, but Leia still treated her with this attitude. Charmaine could not help but feel disappointed. Charmaine swallowed her gentle reminder for Leia. Instead, she praised her insincerely, "Leia, what are you talking about? You''re such a beautiful star! You''re talented ande from a great family. No one in A City can bepared to you. I''m a woman and I''m fascinated by you, what more men? Men are both visual and physical animals, and Young Master Luke is no exception. I trust that he''s deeply in love with you. Both of you are a match made in heaven!" Her ttery made Leia smile brightly. Leia was proud and content. She did not even notice the mockery hidden in Charmaine''s gorgeous pupils. It was still raining heavily outside. When lightning struck, one could vaguely see Leia''s gloomy eyes... Queenie had gone to visit Bianca. What a ''surprising¡¯ discovery! There was a heavy downpour outside and the roads were flooded. Nina Langdon, who was driving, could not see properly. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Although the windshield wipers were working hard to wipe away the raindrops, it was still not enough. She could only drive at a low speed. Nina could not help feeling a little regretful. She should not be out driving forUber in this weather. She desperately needed the extra money Nina¡¯s savings had been cleaned out by her mother, and worst of all, she kepting back to ask Nina for more money. Last month, Nina had no choice but to buy a second-hand car. She made use of her free time before and after work, as well as during holidays, to be a Uber driver. That way, she could earn a little more every month. Nina had watched the weather forecast and knew that there was going to be heavy rain. She did not want to go out at first, but she then thought about how there might be a surge in demand due to the rain. That way, she could earn more money. As such, she gritted her teeth and left the house. She would be staying in the car and would even prepare a raincoat, so she was not afraid of the heavy rain. However, Nina did not expect the rain to be so heavy that the thunderstorm would be terrifying enough to shake the sky. There was barely anyone on the streets. She did not get many rides and even got herself into such a predicament too. Her mother had a breakdown and begged her for money in front of themunity gate that morning. Her cries and shouts led to the nearby residents gathering nearby. Nina''s head almost exploded when she was reminded of that incident. Nina''s mother was going all out to rescue her brother who was in prison. However, she thought that her brother deserved a hard time in prison. It was not that she was cruel, but Jean Langdon had to be taught a lesson. Maybe he had been dazzled by the gaiety and splendor of the world, so her once gentle and elegant brother had changed. He had be wretched. She could not figure out how a person could go through such a drastic change. Just as Nina was thinking about all the bad things that were happening at home, she vaguely saw a figure in the rain. She hastily stepped on the brakes! However, it was toote! The car had mmed into the figure! Her car skidded for tens of meters before it came to a slow stop. Nina''s brain was frozen for a moment. How was the car still moving forward even after she had slowed down and stepped on the brakes? When she lowered her head, she realized that she had stepped on the elerator in a panic! She heard the roar of the rainstorm. Just now, she thought she saw a person. Was it an illusion? She hurriedly got out of the car. Her eyes could barely open due to the rain, but she did see that a man was lying in front of her car. Next to the man, there was a white Maserati with the hood open. Nina felt like she was lost in a whirlwind. She had driven slowly in fear of hitting someone, but she was still careless. She ended up stepping on the elerator and it led to such an ident. Was this person dead? "Hey, sir, sir! Are you still alive?" Nina knelt down, her shaky hands moving under the man''s nose. She could not feel him breathing at all! The rain was so heavy that she could not tell whether the other party was breathing. She pped his face again and again. She said in a crying tone, "Sir, please let me know if you''re alive, I... I really didn''t mean it..." The man did not respond. Had she killed him? Nina did her best to recall the Traffic and Transportation Management Law. Anyone with a driving license involved in a major traffic ident causing serious injury or death would be sentenced. She was still so young and full of life. She did not want to go to jail! Nina was so frightened that she started crying. She started ming herself for going out of the house in this weather. Great, she was going to end up in the police station now... Chapter 511 Chapter 511 Her Petite Body Was Almost Crushed By Him! Seeing that the man was still unconscious, Nina returned to her car and hurriedly dialed 911. Then, she returned to the man. "Sir, wake up! Can you hear me?" She went to check if the man was breathing again. Before she could touch his nose, the man suddenly opened his eyes. At the same time, lightning shed and Nina saw the man¡¯s deep gaze. She was so scared that she almost fainted... Her finger was trembling as she pointed it at him. She asked, "You... You... Are you a human or a ghost?" Johann Stiles'' indifferent gaze swept across Nina''s body and finallynded on her ordinary face. ''You fool, you hit me!" He felt like he had the worst luck today. He had five major surgeries back to back that day, so he was extremely tired. Before he could get some rest, he received an emergency call to attend to a general''s child. After he was done, he did not expect to encounter such horrible weather when he was heading home. His car even broke down on the way. When he was checking the engine, a crazy woman came out of nowhere and hit him! Johann regretted not epting his patient''s kind offer to have his driver send him home. "Sir, don''t worry, I¡¯ll be responsible and cover all your medical expenses! I¡¯ve called an ambnce for you." Nina nodded hard. The man was alive! It was great that he was fine as she did not need to go to jail. "Help me get in the car!'' Johann looked Nina up and down again. "Huh? What did you say?'' Nina could not hear him clearly because the rain was too loud. Her mouth was wide open. Johann wondered if she was mentally retarded. "I said, help me get in the car! The rain is so heavy and my leg was hit by you so I can¡¯t move. Do you want to make my injury worse?" Only then did Nina react. She dragged the man up from the ground with all her might. Almost all of his weight was ced on her because his leg was injured and he was unable to move. Nina did not expect that this thin-looking man would be so heavy. She felt that her petite body was going to be crushed by him! Nina finally got Johann into the passenger seat of the car. She was panting for her life. She opened the door to the driver''s seat and sat inside. She noticed the man''s disgusted look as he scanned across her car. She wanted to say something, but it urred to her that he was driving a Maserati. As such, she kept her mouth shut. Johann endured the sharp pain in his leg and said, "You, take your clothes off!" Nina could not believe her ears. ''What? What did this man just say?!'' When he saw that she had not reacted, Johann urged her impatiently, "I said, take your clothes off!'' Nina was so angry that she wanted to give the man a few tight ps. ''How shameless are you? I said that I would take responsibility for the ident, but you still want to be indecent?!" Johannughed out loud. His gaze fell on Nina''s chest. She was wearing a heavy raincoat so he could not tell if she had a good figure, i He sneered and said disdainfully, "Aren¡¯t you being a little too narcissistic? If you hadn''t opened your mouth, I would''ve thought that you¡¯re a man. Look at how t you are, I''m not at all interested in you!" "How dare you call me a man and say I have a t chest?!" It was not that Nina wanted to argue with him. She was boasting. Although her looks were ordinary, she had a good figure that would make anyone jealous and resentful. This b*stard not only wanted to take advantage of her but also humiliated her like this. How low could he go?! "My leg is still bleeding, do you want me to die? You idiot, help me bandage my leg!" Johann was speechless. If his clothes were not soaked, he would not have bothered to ask the woman for her clothes. Nina was taken aback and looked at his leg. She saw that his leg was bleeding non-stop, even staining her car seat and foot pads red. "Oh, okay..." She hurriedly took off her coat in embarrassment while sheined, "I just bought my car but it''s already getting dirtied so soon. Going to the car wash is going to cost me a lot of money. Sigh, I can only me myself." Johann was almost driven mad by this woman! He was the one who got hit but this stupid woman was focused on her dirty car. He was speechless! Johann grabbed her clothes and bandaged up his wounds like an expert. Nina was stunned. This man was so professional! After treating the wounds on his leg, Johann inadvertently raised his gaze and saw that Nina was wearing a cropped tube top. His gaze moved slightly, causing the corners of his lips to twitch. Although this woman looked stupid, she had a great body. Only then did Nina have the time to look at Johann. She had not expected this man to be so handsome. Although his face was still stained with blood and rain, it did not affect how good he looked at all. He had sharp facial features, a tall nose, and sexy thin lips. He was more attractive than Brad Pitt! The hospital was not too far from where they were, so the ambnce arrived quickly. When the paramedics saw that Johann was injured and alone in the car with a girl with an amazing body, their eyes widened in surprise as they uttered, "Park... Dr. Park, why are you injured?" "A stupid woman hit me. I don''t want to talk about it," Johann said angrily. Dr. Park? Nina pricked her ears and eavesdropped on their conversation. This man was a doctor? No wonder his bandaging techniques were so adept! At the same time, she thought to herself, ¡®How dare this man call me stupid?!'' "By the way, take this woman to the hospital too. She bumped her car into me so she¡¯s responsible for all of my medical expenses." When Nina eavesdropped on their conversation, she heard Johann say that. "Don''t worry, I won¡¯t sneak away!" Nina was irritated. Was she the kind of person who bolted when an ident urred? "I can find you even if you sneak away. Your license te number is QA9175,1 remember it!" Johann got into the ambnce and pointed straight at Nina. What?! Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Nina was stunned. It was raining so heavily outside so it was difficult to see anything. The man was so badly injured but he was still alert. He even remembered her license te number! She was impressed! The next day. Bianca went for her check-up. The doctor said that her body had recovered very quickly and after a while, she could try to walk on crutches. Bianca was in a good mood when she heard the good news. In the morning, Louis Crawford visited her. He brought gifts and chatted with her for a while before leaving. Not long after he left, Jim Holston unexpectedly visited her as well. He had brought his baby, Simon Holston, along. What Bianca did not expect most was that following them was a beautiful and frail girl with a slight bump and a worried face... It was Scarlett Quincy. 1 Chapter 512 Chapter 512 Serve Our Country, Then Marry Rainie! Jim Holston was wearing a branded suit. He had mature facial features and a bright smile, looking just like an aristocrat. He was holding Scarlett Quincy''s hand, clutching it domineeringly as if he did not want her away from him. Scarlett was as beautiful as ever, but her eyes were filled with sadness. The strangest thing was that when she looked at Jim, her eyes revealed a kind of fear, despair, and disgust. However, when her gaze was on Simon Holston, it became gentle and loving. Simon''s tiny body was dressed in a cool camouge uniform. He had on a military green beret and a pair of military boots. His outfit made him look even more handsome. Simon sat on the sofa and put his hands in his pockets coolly. He chewed gum and asionally blew a few bubbles. Bianca eximed, "How is he so cute?!¡± Although Lanie was also very charming, the child was too mature. Especially after she got into a car ident, he had turned into a different person. He was acting so sensible that it stressed her out. At the same time, shemented that her son did not have the liveliness and vigor of children of his age. After she met Simon, Bianca felt that this was how a normal child should be like! "Bianca, I have something to discuss with Luke. I¡¯ll catch up with youter," Jim said to Bianca and then handed Scarlett''s hand to Simon. "Look after Aunt Scarlett for me and don''t bully her, okay?" "Dad, Aunt Scarlett is so gentle and beautiful. How could I ever bully her?" Simon could not help but roll his eyes at his father. Jim smiled and moved in to kiss Scarlett, but unexpectedly, she timidly turned her head to the side. Her actions turned his handsome face ugly, and he held her cheeks domineeringly. He said with an evil tone, "Hey, we have a child together now, so what are you thinking? It''s best if you forget about everything in the past. You¡¯ll pay for what you did once we get home!" 2 Scarlett''s eyes filled with tears. Her heart felt like it was stung by a bee, causing her unspeakable pain. Only after Jim kissed her did he let her go. He then went to Luke''s study with a satisfied look on his face. After he left, Scarlett saw that Bianca was staring at her curiously. She wiped her tears and said embarrassingly, "Sorry that you had to see that, Ms. Rayne.¡± "Scarlett, you and Jim...? Are you... pregnant? He¡¯s the father?" Although Bianca was not close to Scarlett and the only contact she had with her was the time when her Persian cat scratched her, she still had a good impression of Bianca. She was not a fan of gossiping, but Scarlett''s appearance made her curious. "Yes, I¡¯m a little more than two months along." Scarlett clutched her stomach. There was nothing but a look of death in her big eyes. She did not look like someone who was excited to be a mother. More than two months? Bianca suddenly remembered that two months ago when she went on a holiday with Luke, she had heard a distressed female voice in the next room. On the day they were to return, the girl she saw in the next room looked like an upset Scarlett. There had also been a man in the room whom she did not get a good look at. Was that man Jim? At that time, had she been forced to sleep with Jim? If that was the case, Jim was a horrible man... Bianca was thinking about how tofort Scarlett when Simon suddenlyy down on her recliner. He had an adorable face and asked curiously," Aunt Bianca, do you think I look handsome in this outfit today?" "Yes, you look great! The shirt makes you look extra handsome," Bianca rubbed his head and said with a smile. "Thank you, Aunt!" Simon, who was praised, was delighted. His big round eyes looked around the room, but he did not see the person he wanted to meet. A little disappointed, he asked, "Aunt, why aren''t Rainie and nche here today?" Bianca pinched his tender cheeks and thought that they were so smooth." Rainie and Lanie are with Great-grandpa in Crawford Manor today, so they didn''te over. Why? Did you want to y with them?" Simon scratched his head and acted a little embarrassed. "Aunt, I like Rainie. When Rainie grows up, can you let her be my wife?" He had always liked Rainie. He thought that out of all the girls in school, no one looked better than Rainie. He also liked that she had a very good temper and acted like ady. Rainie was different from those naughty and overactive girls. She was very kind and helpful. However, Rainie did not seem to like him, so to get her attention, he would often pull her pigtails and bully her in various ways. "Simon, do you know what a wife is?" When Bianca heard Simon say this, she was stunned for a moment and then smiled slightly. ''Kids these days.'' Simon puffed his cheeks and said in a serious tone, "I know, Aunt. Dad said that if you like someone, you¡¯ll miss her if you don¡¯t see her for a while, and you would want to give the best things to her. Dad told me that if I like someone, I have to make her my wife. If I don¡¯t see Rainie every day after school, I¡¯ll miss her very much. I want to be with her all the time. Besides, I want to give Rainie all the gifts that my father and Aunt Scarlett gave me. I think I really do like her. Rainie said that she likes soldiers and masculine boys. Aunt, I promise you, I¡¯ll serve our country and then I¡¯lle back to marry Rainie!" Bianca was utterly speechless. Even Scarlett was a little dumbfounded. Simon was Jim''s only child. Although Simon was naughty and often punished by Jim, she knew that Jim had endless love for Simon. Besides, the Holston family only had this son who would eventually inherit the family business. Jim would never let his only son serve as a soldier. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Bianca did not expect that Simon would know so much at such a young age. He even spoke coherently. She was amused that someone wanted to ce dibs on her daughter when she was still so young. Rainie already had options for her marriage in the future. Seeing that Simon was acting so serious, she could not help but kiss his cheek and said, "If Rainie likes you, I''ll allow you to marry her." Bianca thought that Simon was smart and mature. He would likely be a handsome man when he grew up. What was more, their families were close. It was not a bad idea to entrust her daughter to a childhood sweetheart like Simon. Simon gave Bianca a lovely smile and said, "Thank you, Aunt, you''re so kind. Dad said that Aunt Scarlett also has a baby in her belly, and I''ll be getting a sister soon. When my sister is born, she can be nche''s future wife." Chapter 513 Chapter 513 He Would Take Care of Leia As Soon As Possible Simon felt distressed because of that crazily overprotective brother, nche. Every time he tried to y with Rainie or bully her, her annoying brother would show up and kick his butt. Simon figured Aunt Scarlett would give him a beautiful sister and he would let her marry nche. If nche bullied him again, his little sister could help him take care of nche. Simon thought he was so smart! "How do you know Aunt Scarlett is carrying a girl? What if it''s a boy?¡¯ Bianca could not contain her laughter. The little one was so interesting. Not only did he want to marry her daughter, but he had even arranged for her son¡¯s marriage. "No, Dad says it''s a girl, so it must be a girl. I want to have a sister. I don''t want a brother." The little one gave a loud kiss on Scarlett''s cheek as he spoke, "Aunt Scarlett, you''re going to give me a beautiful sister, aren''t you?" Scarlett''s watery eyes brimmed with affection. "Yes, I''ll give birth to a baby sister for you." Bianca was a little surprised when she saw them getting along. It was said that the devilish young master of the Holston family had a bad temper. He had driven away many socialites anddies whom Jim brought home. How did he get along so well with Scarlett? Bianca suddenly realized something shocking as she sized them up. Simon''s eyes were so simr to Scarlett''s. However, why did two people who were not rted by blood have almost identical eyes? A bold idea appeared in Bianca''s head. ''Is it because Scarlett resembles Simon''s biological mother so Jim is forcing her to stay with him?'' It was just like those cliche novels. The hero''s beloved woman unexpectedly died, leaving only the product of their love. One day, he suddenly found a substitute who looked simr to his dead lover. Disregarding the heroine''s will, the hero thought of every possible method to imprison her with him. Bianca let her imagination run wild. Then, she looked at Scarlett sympathetically. "Miss... Ms. Rayne?" The strange look in Bianca''s eyes made Scarlett a little fidgety. "Why do you keep looking at me like that?" Bianca took Scarlett''s hand. It was soft but surprisingly cold. "It''s okay, Scarlett. We''re kinda friends now, so you don''t have to call me Ms. Rayne like a stranger. Just call me Bea. Do you have cold intolerance? Why are your hands so cold? You should pay more attention to taking care of your body, or your baby will also have cold intolerance when they''re born." Scarlett smiled at her, revealing two faint dimples. "Yes. Thanks, I''ll keep an eye on that. By the way, my cat scratched you that time. I''ve always wanted to apologize to you but never got the chance. I''m so sorry. I don''t know why my cat went crazy. He has always been well-behaved and never hurt anyone..." Bianca was once again amazed. The girl was indeed a beauty. Her warm smile was gentle, sweet, shy, and timid. She was just like a budding fragrant gardenia, making people see the world in pure white. No wonder Jim wanted to keep her by his side! "It''s okay. It''s been a long time since that happened and I''m okay now. Is your cat alright? Are you still working at Blue Honors?" Bianca had forgotten some of the details from that day. However, the scene of Scarlett crying and holding her dying cat as she pleaded with Percy remained fresh in her memory. That cat must have been very special to her. Otherwise, she would not have shown such a desperate and hopeless expression at the sight of the dying Persian cat. Scarlett said gratefully, "Yes, Nono''s back to full health now. A good friend of mine gave him to me and he means a lot to me. Thank you for not going after it, or he would have died. I resigned from Blue Honors a couple of months ago. I now take care of Simon at the Holstons'' residence while I nurture my baby..." Scarlett spoke thest three words somewhat sarcastically. It was as if she was enduring some kind of humiliation and pain. "Scarlett, don''t overthink it. Just have the baby. After all, the baby''s innocent. We have to go through all kinds of hardships in life, but we''ll still get whatever we want in the end." Bianca was not in a position to probe into the private affairs of others. She wanted tofort Scarlett further, but she did not know what to say. Scarlett looked so fragile. Besides, Bianca had a weird intuition that evenforting her would be indescribable torture for Scarlett. "Get whatever we want? That may be true for others, but it''s impossible for me..." Scarlett chuckled sarcastically. Suddenly, she thought of the familiar woman she had met at Blue Honors and changed the painful subject. ''Bea, do you know Leia Norman?" Rumors of Luke and the Norman family''s heiress, Leia, had been all over the cetely. Various media reported that a marriage between the Crawford family and the Norman family was imminent. 1 However, while others might be unaware, Scarlett hade into contact with Luke several times through Jim. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Every time that man talked about Bianca, the love and affection in his eyes were inconceble. How could he possibly marry another woman? "Yes, we''re acquainted." More than acquainted... That woman was trying to steal her man! Scarlett got lost in her memories. "When you had that incident in Blue Honors, I thought that actress Leia was somehow familiar when I saw her, but for a moment, I couldn''t remember who she was. When I saw her poster afterward, I remembered we met when we were kids. We grew up in the same orphanage, and her name wasn''t Leia Norman then. It was Leia Shaw. She left after being adopted by Mr. Norman and his wife. A lot happened at the orphanage, and I never saw her again. Bea, you''d better avoid Leia. She''s... She''s scheming... You''ll suffer..." Scarlett quietly told Bianca about some of the things that had happened when she and Leia were at the orphanage. She had foolishly treated Leia as her sister and shared everything with her. She would rather starve so that she could give Leia the delicious food she tried hard to get. However, Leia had framed her again and again. In the end, she was left with a bad reputation while Leia became the most popr kid at the orphanage. "Yes, I''ll be careful. Thanks for warning me." Bianca''s contempt for Leia deepened after hearing Scarlett''s brief description. At the same time, she broke into a cold sweat. She never expected Leia to be so scheming since she was a child. However, Luke had said to leave everything to him. After dealing with the disc incident, he would take care of Leia as soon as possible. Chapter 514 Chapter 514 Her Trump Card! The days went by, and Bianca''s legs gradually recovered under the doctors'' meticulous care. Slowly, she was able to walk on crutches. Bianca had been drawing design ns and studying for the architect exam while she rested at home. She asionally painted oil paintings in her spare time and led a prettyfortable life. However, Luke was getting busier and busier recently. He came back veryte every day, and he looked tired when he was back. It broke Bianca''s heart. She only wished she could take his ce in dealing with the arduous work. However, Luke onlyforted her, saying that everything would be all right when it was over. Bianca did not believe it. Her right eyelid had been twitchingtely, making her feel indescribable panic. She wanted to ask Luke about it, but she was afraid of causing him trouble because he was already stressed out. Thus, she gave up. Bianca tried to search online for news about Leia and Luke, but there was nothing new about them online, only old news. Still, Bianca felt that something was wrong. Supposedly, Luke was now ''dating'' Leia, and based on how well she knew Leia, the woman must be itching to let the world know that they were together. Luke was even the media''s focus and their darling. They would not let go of any opportunities, regardless of how small or big, to write about him. How could there be nothing online? Bianca did not know that Luke was afraid that she would be paranoid after reading the fake gossip online, so he had someone block all the news from the outside world. He also used the most advancedwork technology to make the web pages Bianca clicked on only essible to certain ports to view old news. Luke had also warned Sue and Nina, who were close to Bianca, in advance. He asked them to keep everything happening in the outside world from Bianca. Therefore, Bianca had no idea what was going on out there. As such, Bianca also had no idea that Luke and Leia''s uing engagement was all over the headlines. T Corporation. "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Norman is here." The assistant secretary''sndline had just rung when there was a knock on the door outside. "Luke, are you still busy with work?" As soon as the door opened, Leia''s soft and nauseatingly sweet voice sounded. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Walking into the masculine andvish office, Leia, who was dressed in white Chanel couture, ran her hands over her freshly maintained straight hair. She walked over to Luke who was working hard. Leia was a little disappointed to see that the man was so immersed in his work he had no time to pay attention to her appearance, but the inconceble ambition in her eyes became more obvious. She was beautiful and wealthy. Now, this man was about to get engaged to her. Marriage was only a matter of time. She was almost Luke''s nominal fiancee now. However, she wanted more than an engagement. She wanted to be the young mistress of the Crawford family. She wanted to be the only woman in his life and for him to fall at her feet. Leia gave a confident smile. "Luke, why are you so busy?" "Do you want something?" Luke signed his name at the bottom of the contract without even ncing at Leia. "You''re busy every day. It has been a long time since you''ve apanied me shopping. I''m going to a film award ceremony tomorrow. Can you go with me?" Not minding Luke''s indifference, Leia smiled obediently in front of him. She knew this highly qualified man was not that easy to conquer. He had the right to put on airs and graces to women. She could ept his attitude. Leia thought men ought to be forceful like that. If he stuck to her like ap dog, then she would not be bothered at all. Luke''s hand paused, and he said coldly, "Sorry, I''m very busy these days." Without ncing at Leia, the man pulled out another stack of thick papers, ready to continue working. Leia was a little mad at him for ignoring her like that. She took away the documents in his hand and said aggrievedly, "Don''t be so cold to me, Luke. We''re both about to be engaged. You''re my future husband now. Why do you still treat me like this? I know you''re very busy with work and don''t have much time to apany me. I''ll also try my best not to disturb you. Luke, you should take care of your body no matter how busy you are with work. You''re not made of steel. You''ve got to take some time off. Besides, I''m here at a time when you''re about to get off work-" "I really don''t have time right now. I''ll apany you when I do." Luke was in a bad mood after his work was interrupted. He nced up at Leia impatiently. Her youthful pretty face did not appeal to him in the slightest. In fact, he found it annoying. There was no doubt that Leia''s face was exquisite, especially when she had put on delicate makeup and was wearing the most exquisite clothes. It made her look exceedingly beautiful and slender. However, Luke thought of Bianca''s bare little face with no makeup. The overly dressed-up Leia was immediately overshadowed inparison. Seeing that he remained unmoved, Leia pulled out her trump card. Her expression looked innocent as she said, "Dad said he wants you toe with me to the Normans'' residence tonight. He has something to discuss with you. Luke, you need to see my father no matter how busy you are. I went to the study to call Dad over for breakfast today and I seemed to have overheard Dad talking to his secretary about some disc. Luke, they even talked about you and when our wedding is going to be..." Luke stopped working. A cold and restrained smile appeared at the corners of his lips. "Okay, I''ll go shopping with you after I finish these papers." The charming and elegant smile somehow made Leia''s scalp tingle a little, but she did not care. So what if the man did not love her? She had something on him, so he would have to marry her anyway. After he was done with work, Leia took Luke¡¯s arm as she walked through T Corporation''svish and gorgeous hall. At the sight of their intimacy, the capable Mavis narrowed her eyes and red at Leia''s wless fair face that was due to all the makeup she had on. The woman was acting all high and mighty as if she was already Mrs. Crawford. She felt surge after surge of bitter jealousy in her heart. She did not expect Leia to immediately fill the vacancy as soon as Bianca left Luke. Now, that woman was about to get engaged to the man she had been secretly been in love with for so many years. "Mr. Crawford," Hiding her admiration for Luke, Mavis greeted him respectfully. When she faced Leia, she hid her true emotions and was equally courteous. "Hello, Ms. Norman." "Hello, Ms. Laviere." Leia also sized up the gorgeous and capable Mavis. She smiled gently but was actually cooking up a n in her heart. She knew that Mavis was one of Luke''s best right-hand persons, but her intuition as a woman told her that this woman was not simple and had inappropriate thoughts about Luke. She would fire this woman as soon as she became the CEO''s wife. After saying hello, Leia took Luke''s arm and left. The corners of Mavis'' lips raised sarcastically as she looked at their backs. ''Does Leia really think of herself as the CEO''s wife? ''Ha, how can a scheming woman from a darn orphanage be good enough for the boss who''s of noble birth? ''It''s still uncertain whether the engagement will work out!'' 1 Chapter 515 Chapter 515 Stole Her Identity And Took Her Man! Leia''s hands were full of shopping bags when she got out of the mall. Although she was exhausted, she was happy because all the shopping had been done with Luke''s card today. Even though she could afford it, it was the first time the man she loved had bought anything for her. Leia could not be happier. Luke waited for Leia in the driver''s seat. He spoke somewhat impatiently," Get in the car." Leia felt a little awkward. She had bought so many things that both her hands were full and she could not open the car door. However, seeing that Luke had no intention of helping her at all, she bit the bullet and put down what she was carrying in her right hand. She opened the door by herself, put the things in the car, and sat in the passenger seat. When he took in the strong and pungent fragrance inside the car, Luke resisted the impulse to sneeze. He opened the windows on both sides and even opened the sunroof. "Luke, thank you for shopping with me today. I really enjoyed it," Leia said in a coquettish manner as she beamed. Luke only focused on driving and spoke lightly, "As long as you''re happy." Leia let out a sigh of relief. She knew men did not enjoy shopping with women, especially elite men like him who were often swamped with work. However, he unexpectedly apanied her from the beginning to the end. Though he was not exactly cordial or considerate, she was content to have him go shopping with her. She would soon be Luke''s wife and the envy of all the women in A City anyway. She would not only be under the Norman family''s protection but also possess the Crawford family''s wealth. At this thought, Leia''s aggrieved mind gradually filled with bigger desires. Her eyes that were looking at Luke grew more and more enthusiastic. ''So what if that b*tch Bianca is the real heiress to the Norman family? I''ve not only stolen her identity but also imposingly took her man. I want to prove to the world that I''m no longer that sloppy poor thing with low self- esteem from back then at the orphanage. I''m a woman who enjoys glory and power!'' Suddenly, Luke''s phone rang in the car, interrupting Leia''s flight of fancy. Luke casually nced at the caller ID and tapped on the answer button." Hello?" "Luke, where are you?¡¯ Bianca''s voice came from the phone. She seemed to have just woken up. Luke''s expression softened a bit and he spoke gently, "I''m driving right now. "Okay, drive carefully. I''ve just knitted a little sweater for the baby. It''s white. The color will suit our third baby whether they''re a boy or a girl..." Bianca was knitting the baby''s little sweater on the couch while her phone''s speaker was on full st. Luke could not help the smile on his face. "It doesn''t matter what color it is. They have no right to be picky." "By the way, Luke, you need toe home earlier tonight. I''ve asked the nutritionist to make some chicken pasta and an appetizing minestrone soup. You''ve been working so hardtely that you''ve lost weight. We''ll eat together when you get back," Bianca said with concern. "Ah! Ouch!" interjected Leia, who was nearby. She had naturally heard a female voice on the other end of the line. Though she could not quite hear what the other person was saying, she could not help eximing when she saw Luke''s gentle expression. "I''m sorry, I must''ve pulled a muscle on my neck." Leia deliberately touched her neck, pretending to be in pain. It was as if she had really pulled a muscle on her neck. However, Luke''s gaze that was as cold as the winter snow frightened her into silence as soon as she spoke. Luke''s gaze was so scary it looked like it would turn into a sharp knife and cut her neck at the next moment. "Luke, who are you with right now? Is it Ms. Laviere? Why do I hear a woman''s voice?" Bianca asked nonchntly. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. She did not care much because she knew Luke and believed in his character. The man would never fool around. Moreover, Bianca believed him more since the time they had an open and in-depth conversation. "Yeah." Luke lowered his eyes and replied with a deep voice. Bianca put down the baby''s sweater and jokingly warned, "I know you cant avoid some things, but stay away from her. Others have always had bad intentions against you. Beware of falling into her trap." Luke smiled faintly, and his tone unconsciously became doting. "Of course. Bianca immediately hung up the phone after she finished speaking. She dared not talk more for fear that it would be dangerous for him to be on the phone while driving. She continued knitting the sweater in her hand. Over here, Luke hung up the phone and looked at Leia with a malicious gaze. "You''d better not interrupt me when I''m on the phone." Leia shuddered, and aggrieved tears almost came streaming down her face. "I''m sorry, Luke. I just pulled a muscle on my neck by ident. It really hurts. I won''t do that again." Luke drove as fast as he could. "If you want to be Mrs. Crawford, you should know that you won''t be the only woman in my life. Leia, I can give you a title, but you can''t interfere in my private life. I won''t interfere in yours either." Leia lowered her twinkling eyes, holding back the tears that were about to overflow. She obediently nodded. "Okay, I understand." A sarcastic smile tugged at the corners of Luke''s lips. "It''s great that you understand. What we have is an arranged marriage. We have no feelings for each other, but that''s okay. I''ll give you as much as I should, but you must also do your part." "Okay," Leia said even more cautiously. Luke then stopped paying her any more attention. Leia resentfully clenched both her fists. Many men chased after her and doted on her likep dogs but she did not even spare them a nce. However, the man she worked so hard to get was so indifferent to her. She was a little disappointed but did not regret it. Leia understood that powerful men in high society had all sorts of female and male confidants who they shared ambiguous rtionships with. Some even kept mistresses openly, but she believed Luke was not like those men. Even if he was cold to her now, life was so long that she had plenty of time for him to ept her. However, the female voice on the phone clearly belonged to Bianca. Leia felt sick to the core as soon as she heard her voice. No matter how reasonable and cultured she was, it all turned into nothing. It was because of that woman Luke was so distant from her. She had promised to leave A City and stop pestering Luke, but who knew the b*tch went back on her word! Clenching her teeth, Leia began making up her mind maliciously. If Bianca wanted to remain in A City, then she must get rid of her forever! 1 Chapter 516 Chapter 516 You Lunatic, Why Don''t You Go To Hell? Luke was driving extremely fast. Leia wanted to vomit but was worried about her image, so she endured it in great pain. Luke did not mean to drive so fast. He just did not want to spend any more time with this woman. He wanted to send her home as quickly as possible. "Lu-Luke, can you slow down? I''m getting a little carsick..." Leia could not stand the incredible speed. It was more frightening than a drag race. It scared her. Luke was expressionless. "I like the speed." The grievance in Leia''s heart red up, but she could only swallow all her dissatisfaction since Luke liked it. Enduring the dizziness, Leia grabbed the seat belt tightly and said hesitantly, "Luke, we''ll have a legitimate rtionship once we get engaged. Why don''t we get the marriage license first? We''ll hold the wedding after we get the license. What do you think?" As soon as Leia said that, Luke coldly made a sideways drift. The whole car seemed to take off and make a 180-degrees side turn, causing Leia to scream! The traffic on the overpass was not heavy, but there were still cars. Was the man not afraid of being filmed for stubbornly driving at such a high speed? Besides, what if there was an ident? She had just confirmed her wonderful future with him and did not want to die. "We''ll talk about it after the engagement. What''s the hurry?" Luke''s furrowed brows had not been able to rx. Leia was dissatisfied. She remembered the grandeur of Luke''s engagement to Bianca. She wished she could have a grand wedding too. She thought she could be Luke''swful wedded wife after they received the marriage license, but the man was obviously unwilling. However, so what? She would invite all major media to their wedding reception. By then, not only A City but the whole country would know that she was Luke''s wife. With this in mind, Leia stopped being so particr about it. "Then we''ll do as you say. Let''s move in together after the engagement party. My mom says that our feelings for each other will deepen if we move in together¡ª" 1 Luke mmed on the brakes! Even though Leia had fastened her seatbelt, she still hit the back of the car seat so hard that she broke out in a cold sweat due to the pain, i Luke''s face was immensely grim, and he irritably smoked a cigarette. "Do you know how noisy you are?" Leia reluctantly shut up but could not help saying, "I''m sorry. I''m just so happy we''re getting engaged..." Luke stepped on the gas again, and the whole car sped off without waiting for Leia to calm down. Leia clutched the seat belt tighter and tighter. She had always found the man overly temperamental. Her heart was full of fear for him but she was also more obsessed with such a wild Luke. Leia was sent back to the Normans'' residence. Jack and his wife were upied with a dinner party and had not yet returned. Their caretaker, Ms. Lang, was cleaning the house. The moment she saw Leia, Ms. Lang took off her mask and said, "Ms. Norman, we''re spring cleaning today. Please unlock your room, I''ll help you clean it." As Leia was such a private person, there was only one key to her room. Even Queenie did not have one, let alone Ms. Lang. "Okay." Leia unlocked her room door and told the caretaker sternly, "Ms. Lang, my things must be intact. I don''t like others touching my things. Do remember to..." Bang! Halfway through her sentence, her face suddenly became horrified. The slightly opened door was immediately mmed closed, and she could not help shivering! Ms. Lang was shocked by the sudden sound of Leia mming the door. She banged on the door hard and asked, "Ms. Norman, what''se over you? What happened?" "No... Nothing. I just feel a little dizzy and want to rest for a while. Why don''t you clean the other rooms first?" Leia lied and forced herself to calm down. "Okay, Ms. Norman. Call me if you need anything. I''ll be around. I''ll contact Mrs. Norman if you''re really not feeling well," Ms. Lang said without doubting her. Leia broke out in a cold sweat as she looked at the giant photographs on her bedroom wall. What she used to hang on her walls were European paintings or artistic photos of herself, but now those paintings had mysteriously disappeared and were reced with her nude photos. There were nasty photos of her with a man too. The erged photos were so clear that they showed even the most private of parts. They were harsh to the eyes! i The look in the woman''s eyes in the photos was seductive and revolting, while the look in the man''s eyes was wild and evil. The man was none other than Wayne! ''That b*stard! He''s out of his mind!'' Leia tore the obscene photos off the wall and threw them on the floor. Verging on madness, she tore them to pieces! Then, she set the torn pieces on fire with a lighter and burned them to ashes as she trembled. However, that was not enough to calm her anger, and a bigger panic set in.1 How did Wayne get these photos into my bedroom?'' Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Not to mention that the Normans'' residence was located in a high-ss residential area with strong security measures, but it also had numerous surveince cameras and a top-of-the-line security system. However, that man was able to sneak in without anyone knowing? The thought of it alone was horrifying. ''What is the man upto? ''Is it because I didn''t obey his obscene requests and found him a few young models instead? So this is his revenge and warning?'' Knock, knock. It was the sound of Ms. Lang knocking on the door. "Ms. Norman, are you alright? Why does your room smell of smoke? Are you burning something?" "Ms. Lang, have you been at home all day? Has anyone been to my room? Have you been in here?" Leia asked as she freaked out a little. Puzzled, Ms. Lang said, "No. I was at home all day today and no one came. Isn''t your room locked all the time? I don''t have the key to it. How am I supposed to get into your room?" Leia''s fear heightened. Suddenly, her phone rang eerily. Leia shuddered and tapped the answer button exasperatedly when she saw that it was a call from Wayne. "Wayne, what the hell do you want?" Wayne was like a cruel wolf on the other end of the line. His voice was so cold. "Darling, I got you an engagement present. Do you like it?" Leia felt like she had fallen into an ice cave. "You lunatic, why don''t you go to hell?!" "Leia, am I not good enough? Why did you choose to marry that man Luke Crawford?" Wayne''s voice was joyous, but it sent chills down people''s spines for no reason. "I''ll overlook the trick you yed on mest time for now. If you dare to trick me again, I don''t mind letting everyone see what the socialite Leia looks like in bed! I miss you. I miss your body. Let''s meet at the same ce. I''m in suite A6666 right now. You have half an hour. I''ll wait for you!" Leia threw away the phone. Her face contorted with anger, and her fingers trembled terribly. She was now the focus of the media, and her engagement to Luke was imminent. The consequences would be terrible if the media filmed anything. ''For God''s sake, how the hell am I going to get rid of that jerk Wayne?'' Chapter 517 Chapter 517 Unceremoniously Selling Out His Mother Hotel. After Wayne''s persistent torturing, Leia barely had onest breath left. When her body was full of bruises and marks, she received a call from the private investigator agency. They gave her an address. Though she was exhausted, Leia drove to the mysterious destination. Today¡¯s sun was not harsh, and it was Luke''s rest day. He stayed in the vi to apany Bianca and the two children. After lunch, Luke took the two children to the outdoor pool for a swim. The outdoor swimming pool was oval-shaped. Looking down from above, it was like an emerald embed in the mansion garden. The pool water was blue and warm. In the pool, Luke, who was wearing sunsses and shorts, patiently taught the two adorable kids how to swim. Biancay quietly on a recliner, reading a book as she smiled at the interaction between the father and children. Although Bianca held a book in her hand, her eyes would still drift to Luke from time to time. The man was in great shape! Even though she had shared the same bed with him for so long, Bianca had never observed him so closely. Now that he was basking in the golden sunlight, she could see the perfect proportions of his body. Luke had strong muscles, but he was by no means a muscr man. Under the sun, the man''s body was well proportioned as if God had carved him with beauty and power. He moved with a natural grace, like a strong cheetah. Bianca''s heartbeat sped up, and erotic scenes could not help emerging in her head. She could not help blushing a little when she thought of the wonderful feeling of his body being pressed over hers. She was a little envious that the two unworldly children could touch him so tantly. 1 Bianca was so absorbed in the view that her book fell on herp and jolted her awake. She pinched her face in embarrassment. ''Ah ah ah! Why do I keep thinking about such indecent things recently? ''Is it because I haven''t done it with Luketely so I''m now after his charms?'' The more Bianca thought about it, the more ipetent she felt. She forced herself to focus on the book, but the more she controlled herself, the more she could not help ncing at Luke. ording to Reddit, looking at a handsome guy a few times a day could add years to your life. After all, beautiful things made people feel good and prolonged their life. One of the greatest pleasures in life was to look at handsome men, so she had done nothing wrong. With this in mind, Bianca finally found a reason for herself to ''fangirl'' and '' peep¡¯ at Luke openly. "Dad, Mom has been looking at you. She has been looking at you for a long time!" nche sshed the water and pointed his little finger at Bianca,ughing and unceremoniously selling out his mother. Luke looked back but only saw Bianca calmly flipping the pages of the book while pretending to read carefully. It was as if her attention had been on the book and not on him at all. The man said with a half-smile, "That¡¯s because your father has a great figure and alluring charms. nche, you can do the same trick when you have a wife." nche asked in a silly manner, "Which trick, Dad?" Luke looked at his son''s stout figure with distaste. "That''s if you have a body like me. Otherwise, no girl will be interested in your sprout-like figure." nche sshed the water hard with his little hands. He said defiantly," Dad, don''t look down on me. My figure will be ten times better than yours when I grow up!" With the round pool float around her body, Rainie wrapped her arms around Luke''s thighs and giggled. Her melodious voice sounded like a ringing bell. "Dad, can I use the same trick when I grow up?" Rainie''s words immediately set off the rm in Luke''s mind. Looking at his beautiful and clever daughter, he could not help but picture her as a grown-up in his mind. He dared not imagine it. Picking up his baby daughter, he lectured patiently, "No, it''s only for men, not for girls. Rainie, even when you get older and there¡¯s a guy who likes you, you should never expose your body to him. All the men in the world are bad boys except your brother and me. They''ll lie to you, hurt you, and make you cry. You must never trust any other man, got it?" Little Rainie tugged at Luke''s wet hair and nodded, vaguely understanding his words. "Got it, Dad." Luke nodded with satisfaction and kissed his little girl''s fair and tender cheek. "Good girl!" Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Bianca was speechless. How was their daughter going to date when she grew up if that daughterdoting devil Luke was educating their daughter in such a way, instilling these ideas in her from an early age? Leia stared at the happy family in a spot not far from the vi that was not covered by the surveince cameras. Her eyes were red, and the jealousy in her heart was growing madly like creeping weed. Sure enough, that b*tch Bianca had not left A City. Luke was still with her even though they were getting engaged tomorrow. Leia''s lips trembled, and she felt sad and bitter, i She frantically tugged at the flower branch. She wanted to rush in and wipe that grin off Bianca''s face! She broke down and wanted to cry! She saw that Bianca''s belly was showing. That woman''s brat did not die from the crash! She saw how gentle and caring Luke was to the woman as he walked toward the vi with her in his arms. She saw the twins in cartoon bathing suits following behind them, skipping along the way! 1 The happy family of three hurt her eyes! 1 She thought Bianca would have run far away from A City after seeing the disc, but unexpectedly, the b*tch was being lovey-dovey with Luke in a corner she could not see! She was Luke''s rightful fiancee, but she could only hide in a dark corner where jealousy devoured her! ''It''s not fair!'' 2 Leia''s eyes were full of hatred. She loved Luke so much that she gave him all her heart and love. She constantly put up with his indifference to her and even said that she would not interfere in his private life after marriage. However, she did not expect him to treat her so cruelly! What about all the things that she hadpromised and done for him? It all looked so ridiculous now! Leia suddenly looked up. Her gaze fell on the backs of the happy family of four-including the baby in Bianca''s belly-and the indescribably beautiful vi. Heinous hatred once again burst out of her. She was not going to let this matter drop just like this. Leia wiped away her tears and walked to where the car was parked. Getting into the driver''s seat, she stepped on the gas and reluctantly left with insane hatred! Chapter 518 Chapter 518 I Trust Him In Whatever He Does In the mansion, Luke and the children were sitting on the couch in the living room ying a fantasy video game while Bianca was in the bedroom chatting with Nina on the phone. Ninained to Bianca that she had hit a weirdo a few days ago. Not only did he have a terrible attitude, but he had been tormenting her constantly. He wanted her to pay for his living expenses and treated her like a maid. Thanks to that man, she was almost losing her mind! Biancaforted Nina for a while before thetter felt a little better, though she remained angry. Bianca could not help but chuckle. Nina had been lifeless ever since that incident. Bianca had not seen her acting so lively for a long time. As they chatted, Nina suddenly lowered her voice. Bea, have you... read the news recently?¡± "I was busy with reading textbooks and studying some of our seniors'' designs, and I haven''t been paying attention to the news. What''s up?" Bianca said. Nina paused for a long while before stammering, "It''s... it''s nothing..." Bianca thought that Nina was hiding something from her. She persisted." What''s wrong? There¡¯s something wrong with your tone. We''ve known each other for so long, and I know you so well. You must be hiding something from me." Nina remembered the warning from her boss, then she thought about how Bianca had been so kind to her. Eventually, she gritted her teeth and spilled the beans. ¡¯Bea, don''t you know that the boss will be engaged to Leia Norman tomorrow?" "Oh? They¡¯re getting engaged?" Bianca knew that day would eventuallye, and she also knew that he was only putting on an act. Even so, her heart wrenched, and for a moment, she seemed lost. "I''ve heard about it." Nina was disappointed in Bianca''s reaction. "Bea, your man is about to be engaged to another woman. How could you be so indifferent about it? Shouldn''t you grill him about it? How can you sound so nonchnt? I thought the boss is devoted to you, so why would he be engaged to Leia Norman? He''s so fickle!" Nina continued to ramble andin about Luke, but she was also suspicious about how calm Bianca seemed. Bianca replied softly, "There are some things that I can''t exin to you now, and I''ll tell you all about it some other time. I trust Luke, and no matter what he does, I know that it''s because he''s working hard for our shared future. I trust him." After the call ended, Bianca felt momentarily lost. She opened the bedroom window and saw the twins and their father having fun in the living room. Rainie lost the game. She whined to her Daddy and asked him to win the game for him. A whileter, she made funny faces in front of her brother to distract him from the game. Luke and Lanie doted upon the little girl. They pretended to fall for Rainie''s antics and made herugh. Bianca was satisfied looking at the happy faces of her family. If she had heard of Luke''s engagement to another woman on another asion, her heart might ache. Now, she thought that nothing else was important. She trusted in Luke''s capabilities of dealing with the matter, and she believed that her family would remain happy forever. At the Norman residence. 1 Leia clutched the newspaper with the full spread about the union of the Crawford and Norman families. She thought that the article was nothing but a farce. Furiously, she tore the newspaper into shreds and smashed her belongings in her room. She screamed and wailed as though she had fallen from heaven and into the depths of hell. Her hair was disheveled, and the exquisite makeup on her face had been ruined by tears. Sharp fragments of a broken vase cut long gashes on her arms from which fresh blood flowed freely. She was emotionally unstable from the abject humiliation and fear she felt in her heart. Ms. Lanf was worried that Leia might do something stupid. She called Queenie and informed her about Leia''s tantrum. Twenty minutester, Queenie rushed back from her office. She also called Jack toe home immediately, even though he was busy with official business. Queenie saw that Leia''s room was in shambles and her arms were bleeding. "What''s gotten into you, my child? Tell me what happened? What made you do all this?" She asked Leia while hugging her dearly. Queenie frantically dressed Leia''s wounds. She felt extremely sorry for her daughter. 1 Leia was her only daughter and pride and joy. Queenie had never seen her lose herself like that. Leia pulled her bloodstained hand away and grabbed Queenie''s arm. Her pale face carried a vicious and maniacal smile, which looked very unnerving. Queenie was shocked. She wiped away her daughter''s tears. "Don''t frighten your mother like that, my daughter. What''s wrong? Please get a hold of yourself..." Jack also felt sorry for his daughter. "Did someone bully you, Leia? Tell me. I''ll stand up for you!" Tears fell from Leia''s eyes. Her lips were shaking, and there was no life in her gaze. "Dad, Mom, Luke Crawford had agreed to marry me and break all ties with Bianca Rayne, but I didn''t expect that he would lie to me. I saw with my own eyes today that he is harboring Bianca Rayne in a remote mansion, and they''re living there happily as a family. Don''t you know how my heart ached when I saw that scene?" "Is that true, Leia?" Jack was livid. He continued to ask in disbelief, "Is he still together with that Bianca Rayne?¡± Leiaughed sarcastically and said bitterly, "I saw it with my own eyes. It can''t be false. It turns out that Luke Crawford is only putting on an act with me. His promise to marry me is nothing but a sham! How absurd!¡± Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Jack became angrier. "This is ridiculous! The Crawfords have gone overboard this time. How can they bully my beloved daughter? Don''t cry, Leia. I''ll make sure that you get the justice you deserve. We''ll cancel the marriage and demand the Crawfords to apologize!" Leia stopped crying when she heard that her father wanted to cancel the marriage. She shook her head frantically and said, "No, no, Dad, I love Luke. I will marry him even if it costs me my life! He might not have any affection for me for now, but after we are married, he will eventually fall in love with me. Can''t you give us a chance? What we should do now is to drive that Bianca Rayne out of A City. If she''s gone, Luke''s affection wille to me..." "You''re blinded by your obsession, my child. What should I do about you?" Queenie could not help but sigh. She did not know why her daughter was so obsessed with Luke. Queenie wanted to persuade her to give up her unrequited love. However, she could not bear to bring herself to do that when she saw her daughter''s hollow and desperate gaze. Queenie''s usually gentle expression became stern for the first time. "We should go to Crawford Manor tonight, Jack. I want an exnation from the Crawfords. Tomorrow will be Luke and Leia''s engagement ceremony, and I don''t want any mishaps!" Ever since Leia was young, Queenie had always given her daughter anything that she wanted. This time was no exception. ''There''s no reason for Bianca Rayne to remain in A City!'' 3 Chapter 519 Chapter 519 He Was the Reason She Persevered Luke was surprised when Old Master Crawford and Allison arrived at the mansion at the height of their anger, but it was not totally out of his expectations. He frowned. '' Mother, Grandfather, why are you here?" Old Master Crawford''s expression was sullen! He walked in front with the help of his walking stick. Behind him was Allison and several bodyguards dressed in ck. When he saw Bianca standing in front of the couch, a hint of gloom shed in his eyes. He knocked his walking stick on the floor heavily and asked his grandson with an unpleasant tone. "Why isn''t that woman gone? Why are you still together with her?" His angry gaze wavered when he noticed the slight bulge in Bianca''s stomach. The atmosphere in the living room was tense and stifling. No one made a sound. Bianca lowered her head, averting Old Master Crawford and Allison''s disdainful gazes. She did not dare to greet the guests. Luke did not answer his grandfather''s questions. He walked up to help Old Master Crawford to the couch. Unexpectedly, the old man shoved his grandson away. Allison helped him sit down. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. After he sat down, Old Master Crawford pointed one end of his walking stick at the grandson he had always been proud of. "If Jack and his wife hadn''t paid a visit earlier today, I wouldn''t have expected that you do something as shameful as this, you b*stard! You''ve promised that you would cut all ties with that woman and marry Ms. Norman, so how do you exin her presence here?" He said furiously. Luke stared into Old Master Crawford''s eyes confidently. "Grandfather, Bianca is still bearing my child, and she had suffered a serious car ident not long ago. It''s my responsibility and duty to take care of her. I don''t think you want anything bad to happen to your unborn greatgrandchild, right? Who told you about this ce?" There were two reasons why he bought this mansion. The first was that the environment was ideal for a pregnant woman to rx, and the second was that the security measures were top-notch. Hepleted the purchase alone. Not even Jason, his assistant, knew about the ce. He was surprised that his grandfather managed to find the ce. Who gave away the secret, or was someone snooping on them? Luke''s eyes narrowed unpleasantly when he realized that his privacy had been exposed. No matter who they might be, he would not forgive them! "It doesn''t matter who told me about it. Why would you have anything to hide if you hadn''t done anything wrong? I say, you''ve been utterly bewitched by that woman. You don''t know what''s important for you!" Old Master Crawford red at Bianca as he said that. He became angrier when he saw her head lowered. At first, he had a positive impression of that pure-looking girl. He did not expect that the girl would cause them so much trouble! Eventually, Bianca had exhausted all the goodwill Old Master Crawford had for her. Originally, Bianca was with Luke, but somehow, she got a marriage certificate with Xavier, and Old Master Crawford''s grandson had somehow be the third wheel in somebody else''s marriage. It was eventually proven that she was forced to marry Xavier under coercion, and she had eventually divorced Xavier, but from a legal standpoint, she was already considered a divorcee. Marrying a divorcee was not good for their reputation, but Luke insisted on marrying Bianca, and Old Master Crawford had no other choice but toply with his grandson''s wishes, i Everything was going swimmingly until the woman rejected Luke''s proposal at the engagement ceremony. She had humiliated the Crawford family in front of the media. Old Master Crawford had enough of that woman. He would not let Luke marry her no matter what! Allison also tried to persuade Luke. "Listen to your grandfather and mother, Luke. Quickly break off all ties with that woman and don''t ever contact her again. The Norman family said that they don''t want any trouble at the engagement ceremony tomorrow. They want you to break up with her now, and she has to leave A City!" Bianca looked at Luke, trying to keep as calm as possible. She was afraid that he might listen to his family and send her away to a foreign city. She was not afraid of anything other than not being able to see him. 1 Luke was her ray of hope, and she had stubbornly clung to it. The twins heard themotion in the living room. They got out of bed and ran down the stairs, dressed in cute cartoon print pajamas. They were about to greet their great-grandfather and grandmother happily when Allison started to scold them. "I say, I was wondering why the two kids aren''t at home. You told me that you found a renowned professor to help with their studies. I said that you should bring the professor back home, but you said that the professor is entric and doesn''t want to be a private tutor. Turns out that they''re here! You''ve done a fine job of lying to your own mother, Luke!" The twins were confused. When they saw how scary their grandmother had be, they stopped walking and clung to the banister carved with floral patterns. They knew that their grandmother was in a bad mood whenever she wore that expression. If they went close to her at this time, they would definitely be spanked. Old Master Crawford nced at Allison unhappily, warning her not to go overboard. After all, his treasured great-grandchildren were there. He did not want to traumatize them. Old Master Crawford tried to keep his temper down. "Tell that woman to leave. We''ll talk," he commanded. Bianca did not want to remain in the living room. The atmosphere was too tense. She pushed herself up with her crutches. Before she could walk away, Luke carried her in a bridal carry and walked toward the bedroom. Allison was livid when she saw the scene. She gritted her teeth until her gums hurt. The woman was almost a cripple, but her son still loved her so much. Was he doing that on purpose? Luke brought her into the bedroom and kissed her forehead. "Be a good girl and rest here. I''lle back soon. Don''t worry, leave everything to me." After that, he turned around to speak to the twins who followed him in." Stay with Mommy. Let me know if you need anything." The children promised to be good, and Luke went downstairs. In the living room, Luke sat opposite Old Master Crawford with a tired expression on his face. "Is there anything else, Grandfather? Let''s settle everything at once." Old Master Crawford sized up his grandson with a sullen gaze. "You''d better proceed with the engagement ceremony with Ms. Norman tomorrow. That Bianca woman can''t remain in A City. She will have to leave tonight. If you can''t bear to do it yourself, then let me do it. I''d rather not force it on you, but if I have to do it, the results won''t be as nice." Luke''s icy gaze became sharp all of a sudden. "If you put it that way, then I''m sorry to say that I''ll have to cancel the engagement ceremony with Ms. Norman tomorrow!" i Chapter 520 Chapter 520 Luke''s Handsome Face Blushed Suspiciously Old Master Crawford nearly choked when he heard what Luke said! Why did that ingrate not think of how to mend the broken rtionship between the Crawford and Norman families, but instead wanted to call off the marriage? That was totally different from what Old Master Crawford had in mind, and that had made him angry. "Luke, since you were young, I''ve taught you that you should be a man of your word, and you should be responsible for the promises you make. What do you have to say about your actions? Do you want to be known as an unfaithful man? Do you wish for the Crawford name to be the subject of ridicule? You''ll have to marry Leia Norman no matter what!" Veins bulged on Old Master Crawford''s face because of his anger. His tone of voice was menacing. To be frank, Old Master Crawford did not care whether his grandson was unfaithful. What was more important to him was the financial benefits of the union with the Norman family! "Grandfather, I will only marry Bianca Rayne and no one else. The engagement with Leia Norman is nothing but an expedient move, and there is no need for that now." Luke lit up a cigarette in front of his grandfather. His nonchnce was infuriating. "It''s your business if you don''t care about your reputation, but the Crawford family cannot afford to lose this reputation! All the major newspapers have published the news about your marriage, and countless reporters wille to witness your engagement ceremony tomorrow. If you don''t proceed with the engagement, both the Crawford and Norman families will be theughing stock of the city! Not only will you ruin an innocent girl''s life, but you''ll also destabilize the stock prices of our family business. Don''t you even care about that?" Old Master Crawford tried to talk some sense into his grandson. However, Luke had already made up his mind, and he was not going to change his decision. Instead, he said something that made his grandfather''s blood boil. "You''re already in your golden years, Grandfather. You should enjoy your days instead of meddling in trivial affairs. You shouldn''t be emotionally agitated. That will affect your health." "You... you ingrate!'' Old Master Crawford was trembling with anger. He waved his walking stick and was about to strike Luke when Allison quickly stopped him. "Please don''t be angry, Father. You should watch your health. How can you speak like that to your grandfather, Luke? What if your grandfather falls ill? Why would you go against your grandfather''s wishes because of that outsider Bianca Rayne? Do you intend to make enemies with the rest of your family?" Allison raised her voice as she reprimanded Luke, trying to make herself sound as sad as possible. "I am not going to marry Leia Norman. I remember saying that more than once!" Luke said impatiently. Old Master Crawford took a deep breath. "What will you do so that you can follow through with the marriage with that Leia girl?" Knowing his grandson''s stubbornness, hepromised a little. Luke frowned. Knowing that threats would not work, was his grandfather negotiating with him? However, he did not have the patience to negotiate. "You cannot trade my marriage with any number of terms and conditions. You should give up." Old Master Crawford continued to persuade him. "You''re a smart boy, Luke. You should know better than me about the significance of Leia''s background. Her father is gaining political clout, and her mother''s business can put up a fight with T Corporation. There will be nothing but benefits if you marry her. Are you not satisfied?" i Norman Corporation might not be as big as T Corporation, but under Queenie''s leadership, it wielded a significant amount of influence on the local economy. Naturally, the heir to the business would be Leia. Old Master Crawford could tell that Leia might be bright, but she did not have any business sense. With only superficial talents, how was she able to inherit Queenie''s legacy? If the Crawford and Norman families were united by marriage, Luke would eventually take over Norman Corporation. When the two corporations merged, T Corporation would be elevated to another level. Old Master Crawford was a veteran businessman, and to him, profits always came first! Jack was very well-connected and influential in the political scene. With his protection, there was no limit to T Corporation''s future. Old Master Crawford did not care for the character of Norman daughter. All he wanted was the benefits of uniting with the Norman family! If Bianca Rayne were the daughter of Jack Norman, he would not object to Luke marrying her, even though she had brought the Crawford family on several asions. Unfortunately, Bianca Rayne came from an unremarkable household with no significant background. Luke exhaled a smoke ring. "Grandfather, do you think that Ick the ability to grow T Corporation? Am I that useless that I have to rely on arranged marriages to sustain my business? Moreover, I think that T Corporation''s growth is right on track. There is no reason to seek short-term benefits. You are the one who wants to grow the business, and not me." Old Master Crawford''s gaze was frigid. "So, are you set on calling off the marriage?" Luke stubbed out his cigarette. "I don''t wish to repeat myself, Grandfather." "Listen to me for once, Luke. We''re doing this for your own good, you..." Allison wanted to continue to persuade her son, but Old Master Crawford stopped her. "That''s enough. Let''s go! I hope you won''t regret your decision, you ingrate!" After that, the bodyguards helped Old Master Crawford up, and they left the mansion. With a stern expression on his face, Luke made a phone call in the living room and listened to the report. He seemed visibly relieved after he hung up. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Tomorrow would be the culmination of his ns. ''It''s your time to shine, Gordan! ''There will be a fierce battle tomorrow!'' He went upstairs. In the bedroom, he saw Bianca and the childrenughing while reading the top page of a thick stack of documents. Bianca was not looking at him with her usual admiration and love. Luke was quite confused. When his gaze fell on the stack of "documents," a blush appeared on his usually impassive face. It was not a "document." Instead, it was a six-hundred-word essay that he wrote when he was in the sixth grade. Its title was "My Happy Family." Luke remembered that he came from a broken family, and his mother had dumped him at the orphanage. His family was not happy at all, which was why he handed in this: I do not have a happy family. Naturally, he received a failing grade for the essay. The stack of paper also included homework from the other subjects. His grades were horrible. His mother Allison had greatly affected his childhood behavior. Since young, he knew that his mother had intruded upon another marriage, and the other kids had called him the b*stard child of a mistress. That was a traumatizing experience. He hated his studies, and he hated school. He had never gotten a passing grade in his exams. That was evidence of his unmentionable past, but somehow, his woman and children had gotten hold of it. Luke''s handsome face was in an uncanny shade of red. He wished that he could toss the stack of paper into a bonfire. Now that his children had found out about that, how would he remain dignified in front of them? Chapter 521 Chapter 521 There Will Be A Massive Storm Bianca had never seen Luke being embarrassed. She could not help but take a dig at him. "I expected that you''d be an ace student since you''re young, but..." She shifted her gaze onto the test papers with single-digit scores. The two children covered their mouths and giggled as they looked at their father. They had never seen such low grades before. In kindergarten, the lowest-scoring student in their ss at least had a double-digit score. They had never seen a single-digit score before. "Daddy, Big Bro and I both scored 100 marks in the testst week. We always get 100 marks!" Rainie looked at her father smugly as she chewed on gummy candy. "Daddy, Mommy says that you have a doctorate from Harvard University. Why are your grades so bad? You even left this essay nk..." Lanie pointed at Luke''s writing test and looked at him slyly. "That''s because you''ve never seen what I can do when I work really hard. When I got to high school. I''m always at the top of my grade, and no one could ever beat me. When I was working on my doctorate, even my supervisor was impressed by my performance." Luke snatched the test papers over and told them about his morous academic past. He was slightly frustrated at himself for keeping his elementary and middle school test papers. He should have destroyed the evidence long ago. "Is that so?" The two cute children looked at their father, not ready to believe him. Luke was speechless when he saw the suspicious gazes of his children. He was not going to quibble with them. Being embarrassed in front of his children made him truly feel that he was in a family. "Look, Lanie, Daddy is blushing!" Rainie pulled her brother''s arm, pointed at Luke''s reddish face, and laughed. "Very well! You''re even making fun of your Daddy now!" Luke grabbed Rainie and lifted her high in the air, which caused her to shriek in delight. "Ahh! So high! Bad Daddy! I won''t make fun of you anymore, put me down..." Bianca felt warmth in her heart when she saw Luke and the twins ying merrily. She enjoyed the lively and blissful atmosphere. However, her heart wrenched when she thought about the engagement ceremony tomorrow. It would be a massive storm. At seven o''clock the next morning, the sun was shining gently. Golden rays of sunlight shone into the bedroom through the windows. When Bianca opened her eyes, she was greeted by a sea of verdant green. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The environment wasfortable and tranquil. It did not have the bustle and noise of the city. Bianca wanted to move but could not. She was pressed tightly against the man''s chest. Luke''s arms hugged her waist. She could not move a muscle. Bianca blushed when she thought of the intimate scenes from the night before. After more than two months, her legs were almost fully recovered, and Luke was finally permitted to have his fill. As much as he tried to restrain himself in consideration of Bianca''s injuries and the baby in her womb, Bianca was nheless worn out from the exercise. Bianca felt sore and pain all over her body, as though she had been run over by a car. She wondered if it was a good idea for the man to restrain his urges for so long! Luke was still sleeping, but his long and muscr legs were kept far away from Bianca''s injured right leg. That showed the amount of care the man had for her. Bianca carefully looked at Luke''s sleeping face. Sharp and bold, it was an extremely handsome face. His sleeping face was extremely charming. His long eyshes drooped like little fans. Bianca looked at him obsessively. She could not help but touch his facial features and think that the father of her children was extremely handsome. Luke had always been a light sleeper, and he was alert whenever he slept. He abruptly opened her eyes and instantly saw that petite, fair, and beautiful face. "Good morning." Luke''s gaze turned gentle. He looked at Bianca''s dry lips with a loving gaze and gently touched them. "Are you thirsty? I''ll go get a ss of water for you." He draped his pajamas over his body, got out of bed, and poured a ss of warm water for Bianca. Just when he was about to hand the ss to her, his phone started ringing. He nced at the call notification but did not instantly answer it. Instead, he watched as Bianca finished the ss of water. After seeing that Bianca''s lips were moistened, he went out of the room to answer the call. When he returned, he told Bianca that he had to go out for a while. Seeing Luke''s serious expression, Bianca thought that the Norman family was telling Luke to hurry to the engagement ceremony. Her expression sank a little, but she did not ask any questions. Instead, she nodded understandingly. Luke was in a hurry. He did not exin his reasons to Bianca. After brushing his teeth, washing his face, and putting on his clothes, he quickly drove away. Breakfast was ready at about nine o''clock. After Bianca and the children had their breakfast, she helped the children with their homework in the living room. Suddenly, Luke came back to the house. "Luke? Why... are you back?" Bianca was surprised when she saw Luke appear in front of her. It was his engagement ceremony with Leia today. Did something happen on the important asion that he suddenly came back? Moreover, he was dressed quite casually. He did not look like he was going to attend the engagement ceremony at all. Did something happen? There were many questions in Bianca''s head. She knew that the engagement ceremony was nothing but an act, but she felt uneasy about it. She was surprised to see Luke appear in front of her, but she could not deny that she was also happy. "Mm," Luke replied faintly. He sat down on the couch, crossed his legs, and stared at Bianca with his profound gaze. The man''s demeanor was noble and aloof as usual, but Bianca felt uneasy about how distant he seemed to be. She could feel that Luke was somehow different. 1 He would always face her with a gentle, smiling, and indulgent gaze. However, right now, he was looking at her coldly. His face was still the same, but it seemed as though he did not recognize her. Bianca thought that the change in his attitude was too big. 2 Chapter 522 Chapter 522 That Made Bianca Even More Surprised! Bianca carefully observed Luke. His sculpted face was handsome and exquisite, his bewitching eyes were narrow and icy, and he exuded a unique masculine charm. That face undoubtedly belonged to Luke Crawford. Bianca would never forget that face. However, Bianca wondered why that familiar face would give her such an unfamiliar sensation. Luke also stared at Bianca without saying a word. His gaze was profound as itnded on her fair and petite face. The man was Gordan Norton, who had disappeared for the past few months. He was currently wearing the same face as Luke Crawford, and he was observing Bianca and the two children in the mansion with some interest. "Luke?" Bianca asked doubtfully when she saw that he did not say anything. Her instincts told her that something was not quite right about the man. "Luke" reflexively touched his face and smiled ambiguously when he saw Bianca''s shocked gaze upon him. "Mm," he replied. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. The two children did not notice anything strange about the curious interaction between the adults. Seeing that her father was back home, Rainie rushed over and wanted to ask for a hug. "Daddy..." Before she could take two steps, Bianca grabbed onto her arm. Bianca looked at the man from head to toe once more. "He''s not your Daddy, Rainie," she said sternly and confidently. "What are you saying, Mommy? He is my Daddy!" Rainie''s eyes opened wide as she stared at her "Daddy" in disbelief. Lanie stared at the disguised Gordan while fiddling with his model airne. He did not say a word. Gordan remained silent, apparently in his element. Suddenly, he stood up, extended his right hand, and spoke, "It''s my pleasure to meet you, Sis." Bianca was even more shocked when she heard the man''s voice. She did not shake hands with him. Not only did the man look extremely simr to Luke Crawford, but his voice was the same too. Not even twins could look and sound so alike! "Excuse me, but you are...?" It took Bianca a long time before she found her voice again. She extended her right hand and shook hands with Gordan. "You look exactly like Luke. This is incredible!" Gordan smiled. "Of course. I had to redo my face to match his. Of course we look alike. I still think that I''m more handsome, cool, and manly than Luke Crawford though. Don''t you think so, Sis? My name''s Gordan Norton." Gordan winked at Bianca yfully, which made Bianca cringe. She had never seen Luke wink at her with a serious face, and she could not help but giggle. Luke probably had told her about Gordan before, and he said that Gordan was the reason they went to the peach garden. However, she stayed in the suite and did not meet Gordan. She found out that Gordan was a master swindler, and his face was disfigured because he had crossed an Italian mafia boss. She had thought that the man deserved pity, but perhaps that was not the case. Gordan might have the same face and voice as Luke, but their personalities were total opposites. Luke was cold and aloof, but the man was outgoing and yful. He was not depressed like how Bianca expected a disfigured man would. "I think that Luke is more handsome." Bianca did not show any courtesy to Gordan. To her, Luke was irreceable, even if someone looked exactly like him. "Is that so?" Gordan shrugged. "You''re saying that on purpose!" Bianca stared at Gordan again. She could not help but ask the question that she wanted to ask for a long time. "Did Luke ask you to change your appearance because you''re the key factor in solving the problem of the CD? n Before Bianca could finish the question, Gordan was impressed by the speed at which she had arrived at the conclusion. ''You''re very smart, Sis!'' He thought. When Gordan first saw Bianca, she was dressed inly and did not wear any makeup. He thought that the woman looked too young and naive, like a college student. He was quite surprised that the calctive and wise Luke would find such a simple woman to be his wife. However, he did not expect that the in-looking woman was intelligent and observant. Gordan was a master of disguise. As Luke Crawford, he had sat in the CEO''s office of T Corporation. Jason, Luke''s most trusted assistant, and Mavis did not notice that he was a fake. Perhaps Gordan did not know that women are especially astute and sensitive toward the men they loved. Luke loved Bianca, and his affections would naturally flow from his eyes. Even without saying a word, Bianca could feel the warmth in his gaze. However, when Gordan looked at Bianca, he was analyzing and judging her. There was no affection in those cold andposed eyes, and that had made Bianca suspicious. At the hotel. Avish red carpet extended from outside to the interior of the hotel. Many reporters and paparazzi were already waiting on both sides. Guests thronged the hotel lobby. There were important politicians and officials, elite businessmen, and celebrities from the entertainment industry. Today was the engagement ceremony of Luke Crawford, the CEO of T Corporation, and Leia Norman, the daughter of Jack Norman. Those were two very influential families in A City. Everyone wanted to curry favor with them. The door of a Lincoln limousine opened. A pair of slender legs in diamond-encrusted high heels stepped out. Leia wore light makeup on her face. She looked extremely exquisite, and her perfect curves were emphasized in a white fishtail dress. Luke followed behind her. He was dressed in a bespoke suit and wore leather shoes. He was impably handsome, and his demeanor made him stand out from the rest. The women could not stop staring at him, and Leia looked at him jealously. She clung onto Luke''s elbow and said coyly, "I will be officially your fiancee starting from today, Luke..." Luke would be her fiance starting from today. No other woman could covet him. Luke resisted the urge to shove her away. A curious smile appeared on his sexy lips. ''Fiancee? ''Heh, this woman loves to indulge in wishful thinking. I wonder what she would think if she finds out that I have some other n for today''s engagement ceremony...1 i Chapter 523 Chapter 523 Queenie Was Angry, Frustrated, and Distressed Like a proud princess, Leia held Luke''s elbow and walked along the soft red carpet into the hall. All the guests were gathered there. Luke smiled elegantly and nodded at the people who greeted him. He pressed his lips in response to the congrattory messages, but there was a hint of mockery in his smile. Countless cameras captured the loving scene, bearing witness to the union of the two influential families. The Crawford and Norman families sat at separate tables. Every one of them was joyous. Old Master Crawford, dressed in a navy blue suit, seemed to be in good spirits. The joy on his face was evident. 1 Originally, he had thought that his grandson would not proceed with the engagement after negotiations failed. That had made him unreasonably angry. He was a control freak. He even thought of resorting to underhanded means so that his grandson wouldply. 1 To him, a union of the Crawford and Norman families could only bring them benefits. He would not allow Luke to give up the opportunity for another woman. He had even hired someone to take him by force, but before that person could make a move, Luke had returned to Crawford Manor, said that he had thought it through, decided that mary benefits were more important than love, and would proceed with the engagement. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Old Master Crawford was overjoyed. The only unhappy person in the hall was Queenie. She stared at the impably dressed Luke and was deep in thought. Dressed in formal clothes, Luke was more handsome and mature than usual. No one in the hall looked as noble as he. However, Queenie had an ominous feeling that made her feel uneasy. Leia, her daughter, was holding that man''s elbow. Her eyes exuded pure bliss, and one could easily see that she was irredeemably in love. Luke was the opposite. He should be happy at his engagement ceremony, but he seemed indifferent. There was not a single hint of a smile on his face. 1 The man¡¯s heart did not belong to her daughter at all. However, Leia was obsessed with that man and would not listen to reason. Queenie sighed. As Leia''s mother, all she hoped was that Luke would not make her daughter sad. She would support her daughter so that Leia could have a ce in the Crawford household. Luke and Leia stepped up to the circr stage in the middle of the hall. The stage was decorated with bouquets of flowers. A golden microphone was ced in the middle. The emcee was a famous personality in A City. His congrattory words and witty quips earned him thunderous apuse. The emcee handed the microphone to Luke. Luke stepped away from Leia and stood in the center of the stage. Camera shes illuminated the man''s handsome features. At that moment, Leia was very nervous. She did not expect Luke to confess his affection for her like what he did to Bianca, but she hoped that Luke would at least say something nice. 1 They knew each other for a very long time. They had only be a couple rtively recently, but she thought that it had been a long time. She could not wait to marry him. Today, they would be engaged! Leia tried to maintain her calm. Her heart was thumping hard, and at the same time, she felt ecstatic. If the most outstanding man in A City would go down on one knee and propose to her, that would be an extremely envious event. Leia looked at him with a gentle and loving gaze. Her heart was at her throat when she thought of how he was going to propose to her. Her hands clenched her dress tightly, and she did not realize that her dress was crumpled. Luke''s gaze was cold. He shot a nce at Leia and did not even look at her eyes. Then, he turned to look at the guests. Luke adjusted the microphone and started speaking with his pleasant and resonant voice. "Thank you, everyone, for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend my engagement ceremony. I would like to announce something today." Leia could not hide her joy when she heard that. When she saw Luke''s right hand dip into his pants pocket, her face was brimming with joy! Luke must be taking out a diamond ring. The two of them had chosen the engagement ring together. It was a big diamond with a unique cut. Leia took a deep breath to prepare herself for what was toe. Sheposed herself, shed the brightest smile, took several steps forward, and stood next to Luke. Unexpectedly, Luke ced his hands into his pockets and did not take anything out. Leia was quite disappointed with that. Did she have to wait a little longer? She was burning with anxiety! Luke shot a nce at Leia''s face again. She could feel her scalp tingling. After that, Luke''s resonant voice rang out in every corner of the hall. "This should have been my engagement ceremony with Ms. Leia Norman, but there are some things that I have to say once and for all. Originally, I thought that love was not the highlight in a union between two wealthy families, only financial benefits. As this day approached, I felt more and more nervous. I cannot shake off the feeling that I cannot be happy in a marriage without love. 1 "Ms. Norman is a good woman. She has a gentle character and an elite upbringing. Anyone who marries her is a lucky man. ''''Unfortunately, in my interactions with Ms. Norman, I''ve found that there are many irreconcble problems between us. These problems cannot be solved, and they will only drive a wedge between us. To prevent causing further harm to Ms. Norman, I''ve decided to call off the engagement. Sorry. The crowd was instantly in an uproar! Old Master Crawford nearly passed out from anger. His hand that was gripping his walking stick was shaking. ''That ungrateful grandson!'' Allison''s expression sank. At that moment, she had nothing but disappointment for her son. Susan was watching it all go down with glee. Jack''s stern face was shrouded in gloom. His gaze upon Luke was filled with anger and hostility. Queenie was frustrated at Luke for humiliating Leia in public, angry at the Crawford family for not handling the matter properly, and felt sorry for her daughter who had loved the wrong man. Leia was thoroughly dumbfounded! Tears of anger and resentment were brimming in her eyes. She stared at Luke, unwilling to believe what she had just heard! ''Luke... must be joking, right?'' 2 Chapter 524 Chapter 524 Bianca Is My Weakness! When Leia looked at Luke''s icy gaze and heard the whispers among the guests, she realized that the man was not joking! No one would make such a tasteless joke at their own engagement ceremony. Leia''s face turned pale at an instant. She did not expect that sudden turn of events at all. She was expecting bliss, but it turned out to be ridicule. All her hope had turned into despair! She stiffly lifted her dress, walked in front of Luke, and begged him softly," Luke, we''ve never quarreled or fought. If there''s a problem, treat it as all my fault. If you don''t like any aspect of me. I''ll change for you, alright? Don''t call off the engagement. After we''re engaged, you can do anything you want. Please... there are so many guests and media reporters here. I don''t know what they''d say. Can''t you spare some dignity for me and my family?" Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Leia had a pitiful expression as she stared at Luke. Tears were almost falling from her eyes. She admitted that she loved the man in an undignified way. However, she still clung to the hope that the man would change his mind and continue with the engagement. Luke''s handsome face was frigid. He leaned close to Leia''s ear. To others, he was whispering sweet nothings to her. Meanwhile, Leia could hear every cruel word. "Do you think that I really want to marry you, Ms. Norman? If you hadn''t threatened me with the CD, would I have bothered to put up this act? To tell you the truth, every minute and every second spent with you was agony. My only wife shall be Bianca Rayne. You''re not worthy of my time!" Bianca felt a chill from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. 3 Her lips were trembling, and her voice was shaking. "Do you mean... all your affection toward me is all fake?" i Luke remained impassive. The slight mockery on his lips told everything Leia needed to know. 1 Leia seemed to guess what the man was trying to say. She continued, "You know everything. You know that I''ve threatened Bianca to leave A City with the CD. You don''t want to hurt her, so you pretended to be my boyfriend and even promised to marry me. Everything that you have done leads up to your revenge today. You want to humiliate me in front of everyone, right?" i Luke¡¯s gaze was profoundly dark, like a frozen pond. When he looked at Leia, she could feel chills coursing down her spine. "You are very smart, Ms. Norman. You know that Bianca is my weakness, and that''s why you threaten her with the CD. She loves me deeply, and she would not burden me with troubles, but you''ve miscalcted, and I ended up knowing the truth. Of course, with your current status, you can do anything you want in A City, but you shouldn''t have tried to meddle in Bianca''s rtionship with me, and you shouldn''t have used such underhanded tactics to make me marry you." His words froze Leia''s blood. Her face was pale, and her body was shaking. He knew everything. 1 She had been so stupid. She thought that the scant affection that he showed her was genuine, but everything was a sham! Other than despair and agony, Leia felt the anger of humiliation! The socialite circle in A City was not very big, and the Normans and Crawfords were renowned families. The media had considered Luke Crawford and Leia Norman to be a match made in heaven. Leia did not know how to handle the big "surprise" Luke had given her. She had humbled herself because of love, and what she got in return was humiliation and betrayal! The hall was deathly silent. Everyone''s gazes fell upon the couple on the stage. Some were shocked, some were mocking, some were sympathetic, and some were amused... Jack abruptly stood up from his seat and quickly walked in front of the stage. He red at Luke and spoke harshly, "If you have no feelings for Leia, you should have said that earlier, and we can cancel the engagement in private. What''s the meaning of you announcing your intentions at the ceremony? Do you think that you can bully my daughter, or do you think that you can afford to cross the Norman family?" It was rare that Provincial Committee Secretary Norman lost his temper in public. After all, he was known for being friendly and approachable. Looking at how angry his speech and demeanor were, they know that he had truly lost his temper. 1 The cameras pointed toward his face. At the same time, the reporters wondered if T Corporation would suffer because their CEO had offended the Normans in public. "I''m sorry, Mr. Norman, I''ve thought long and hard before reaching this painful decision, but I have to honestly say that I''m not a match for your daughter. I willpensate for your losses, but I cannot allow this mistake to continue." Luke might sound apologetic, but his expression was one of obvious relief. Jack became angrier. He grabbed Leia''s elbow and announced to the media, "The engagement is canceled today because my Leia can''t be bothered to marry Mr. Crawford. My daughter deserves a better man! I''d like to see how you will get another wife, Luke Crawford!" 1 Jack was quite impressed with the talented young man, but Luke had disappointed him instead. Not only had he humiliated Leia in public, but he had given such a half-hearted apology! Jack was extremely disappointed! "Let''s go, my wife. We''re no match for the Crawford family''s exquisite tastes! This shall be the end of the rtionship between the Norman and the Crawford families!" Old Mr. Norman stood up angrily from his seat, dusted his sleeves, and prepared to leave with his wife. "Wait, please..." Old Master Crawford wanted to stop them from leaving. However, Old Mr. Norman shoved him away. Seeing that the Normans were about to leave, Old Master Crawford was ovee by anger. He clutched his chest, trembled, and passed out on the spot. He did not hear the people around him calling his name... Leia was dragged away by his father. What she heard was the discussions among the guests. "Too bad. That''s the end of the union between the Crawfords and the Normans." "I wonder why Mr. Crawford is so picky. Ms. Norman is beautiful, and she has a good upbringing." "That might be true, but no matter how qualified Ms. Norman might be, it''s true that Mr. Crawford doesn''t love her. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have called off the engagement in public. What a pity. Tsk tsk..." Leia''s face became paler when she heard thosements. She found it hard to breathe. She red at Luke coldly. 1 Hatred surfaced in her eyes as she looked at that well-built body. ''If you''re so merciless, Luke Crawford, then don''t me me for returning the favor. I''ll ruin your reputation!'' Chapter 525 Chapter 525 Luke Was Brought Away! After the people from the Norman family left, the media reporters flocked to Luke. They bombarded him with questions, and their cameras did not stop shing! "Mr. Crawford, will the cancetion of the engagement today negatively affect the rtionship between the Crawford and the Norman families?" "Mr. Crawford, it goes without saying that you are the perfect match for Ms. Norman. What is the real reason for the cancetion of the engagement?" "Mr. Crawford, T Corporation will beunching a series of products soon. Aren''t you worried that the cancetion might affect its sales?- The reporters shoved their microphones in Luke''s face. Their cameras urately captured his expression. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Luke loosened his tie, and his Adam''s apple moved. The impatience on his sculpted face was evident. His grandfather had passed out. He was not in the mood to deal with all the reporters. He shot an icy gaze toward the reporters that were taking his photos. Instantly, everyone fell silent. Luke was the renowned Cold-Faced Devil in the business world. He might look gentlemanly, but everyone knew that he was merciless. His gaze was like that of an angry beast, and it sent chills down people''s spines. Several reporters even subconsciously took a few steps back. Everyone could sense the hostility that emanated from his body. Bodyguards flocked in from all directions and shoved the reporters away, making way for Luke to leave. After that, Jason handled the chaotic scene. Mavis remained seated in a guest seat. A faint smile appeared on her face as she observed the chaotic scene. Her delicate hands fondled the crystal wine ss as though fondling the body of her beloved man. "Cheers!*'' She lifted her ss, smiled beautifully, and toasted her friends. It was the perfect ending. No one was happier than her that the engagement ceremony was called off. Now that Leia Norman was out of the picture, only Bianca Rayne remained as her obstacle. Mavis''s expression sank a little when she thought of Bianca. That woman did not have an elevated social status like Leia, but she was a difficult opponent. However, she had the time. 1 Every woman had her weakness. Mavis believed that she would be able to make Bianca leave Luke. She was the only woman who deserved to stand by Luke''s side. 2 At the Norman residence. After Leia arrived home, she instantly locked herself in her room and refused to see anyone, even Queenie, who repeatedly banged on the door. Queenie knew that her daughter could be obstinate at times. She was afraid that Leia might do something stupid, and she got Jack to pry the door open. Leia was lying silently on her bed. Her face was as pale as a ghost. A sharp fruit knife was aimed at her wrist. There was an obvious gash on her wrist. It was bleeding, but it was only skin deep... "Leia!" Queenie shrieked in panic and quickly snatched the knife from her daughter''s hand. She turned around and screamed at Jack, "Why are you standing there like an idiot? Quickly go and get antiseptic and bandages for your daughter!" Jack was not happy about the situation. He frowned and went to fetch the first-aid kit. How embarrassing it was for a Norman tomit suicide just because of a small setback! Her daughter should have been more strong-willed and dignified than that. Even if Luke had called off the engagement, the best way to deal with it was to live morously and proudly so that he would eventually regret his decision. She should not have attempted to give up her life because of a man. 1 What idiocy! Jack felt sorry for her daughter but was also disappointed by how fragile she was. "How can you be so silly, Leia? What should I do if something happens to you? I don''t want to lose you!" Queenie hugged Leia tightly. Warm tears fell onto Leia''s neck, but they could not warm her icy heart. Leia was not in a good mental condition. Even though her mother was crying, she replied numbly, "Mom, Luke doesn''t want me, he doesn''t want me..." Queenie was angry when she heard that her daughter was still thinking of that man. "Are you still thinking about that heartless man?" The usually soft-spoken Queenie was scolding Leia loudly. "If he had a shred of affection for you, he wouldn''t have humiliated you in public. Haven''t you seen his true colors? I''ve already warned you that you shouldn''t get too close to him, but you don¡¯t listen, and I turn out to be right. I''ve been wondering why he would suddenly break up with that Bianca Rayne and want to marry you. It turns out to be a ploy! He''s gone too far!" Leia lifted her head. Her gaze was cold and prating. Queenie shuddered. She had never seen her gentle and sensible daughter exhibit that look on her face. 1 "This isn''t over yet, Leia. Your Dad and Mom will make sure that the Crawfords receive their just desserts," Queenie said tiredly. The mockery in Leia''s smile became stronger as she looked at her mother, who looked simr to Bianca. Tears suddenly fell from her eyes. She spoke as she sobbed, "You have to stand up for me this time, Mom. Luke has deceived me. He promised to be together with me forever, but he harbors Bianca Rayne and lives with her in secret. They''ve tricked me... Luke betrayed me and humiliated me in front of the media. I won''t let him get away with this. I won''t let them remain together! His rtionship with Bianca Rayne is the biggest prank he could y on me... You will help me, right, Mom?" 1 "Mm." Queenie agreed to her daughter to calm her down. "I''ll make sure that they won''t remain together. I''ll help you no matter what you want." 1 "You''re so nice to me, Mom." Leia fell onto Queenie''sp and smiled like a poisonous bloom. The restrictions on the Inte in the mansion were discreetly lifted, and Bianca could ess all the media portals once more. Bianca had many thoughts on Luke''s performance at the engagement ceremony. She did not expect that man to do that. She could not help but be worried for him. After all, by doing so, he would be cing himself in the limelight. Luke called her. He told her not to worry and leave the rest to him. Bianca felt slightlyforted when she heard his voice, but she remained uneasy. The next day, when she turned on the television, almost every channel was reporting the same piece of news: Ms. Leia Norman, ovee by sorrow from the rejection, slitted her wrist in a suicide attempt. Her condition remained unstable... At the same time, the people from the Public Integrity Committee stormed T Corporation, threatening to bring Luke away for an investigation regarding a major bribery case... Chapter 526 Chapter 526 Luke Crawford Is Too Arrogant! Luke faced the people from the Public Integrity Committee with an indifferent expression. He loosened his tie and ignored them. A group of bodyguards surrounded him and prepared to escort him away. "Hold it right there, Mr. Crawford! You are suspected to be involved in a major bribery case. Please cooperate with us and follow us back to the headquarters for investigation." Amid the tumult, a young officer squeezed past the crowd and stood in Luke''s way. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Jason was standing next to Luke. He wore a pair of gold-rimmed sses and smiled gently, but the words that came out of his mouth were a stark contrast to his expression. "Mind your words, Sir. Mr. Crawford has always been honest in his dealings, and nder is a serious crime." Jason quickly sized up the officer from the Public Integrity Committee. He seemed young, perhaps in his mid-twenties, and he had a round and plump face. Jason could tell that he was a new recruit. He could not help but be impressed by how that newbie yelled at his boss. The young officer was furious when he saw that Luke was ignoring him." Luke Crawford! Do you think that you''re still T Corporation''s CEO? You''re a criminal now. Please cooperate with us with our investigations!" Jason''s expression sank all of a sudden. "Sir, if you would like to arrest our CEO, please show us the warrant of arrest!" He said coldly, "If you don''t have any documents, how dare you, a lowly officer, barge into ourpany?" Luke shot a nce at the officer''s plump face. Without saying a word, he prepared to get into his car. He wanted to visit his grandfather at the hospital. He did not want to waste his time with those people, much less a bumbling fool. The young officer''s rank was not high enough to meet him, much less take him away for investigations. How delusional! If everything went ording to n, Gordan should be at the Public Integrity Committee headquarters by now. With him helping, Luke had nothing to worry about. When the young officer saw that Luke was about to walk away, he reached out and wanted to grab him. "How dare you not show any respect to public officers? Don''t leave and follow me!" "Let me warn you, our CEO is a very busy man, and his time is more precious than yours. If you don''t have any evidence, I can sue you for harassment. Our CEO doesn''t have the time to waste on your tomfoolery!" Jason said coldly. When he saw that the young officer was about to grab his boss''s hand, Jason quickly grabbed his wrist and pinched a certain point. With a crack, the officer''s wrist was dislocated from its joint. "If you have a warrant of arrest, produce it now. Otherwise, please leave. Watch your manners when you''re in T Corporation!" Louis, who was following behind them, said coldly. After Jason broke the officer''s wrist, he grabbed his cor and tossed him aside. "How arrogant! All of you shall be charged!" The young officer gritted his teeth as he grabbed his wrist, though he did not stop cursing. A man in his thirties who looked more dependable and mature stood in front of them. "Mr. Crawford, I apologize that we have to disturb you during your working hours, but we have received orders from the higher-ups that we need to bring you back for an investigation. Please cooperate with us. Otherwise, we will have to use force," he said. Luke nced at that man impatiently with his cold gaze. He waved his hand slightly, and the bodyguards instantly surrounded the officers. Meanwhile, Luke sat in his Rolls-Royce. The officers were furious! Luke was too arrogant! Jason drove the car steadily. He picked out a sheet from a stack of newspapers and handed it to Luke." Today''s paper, Boss." Luke quickly browsed through the newspaper with a frigid gaze. Veins bulged on Luke''s forehead. Jason almost could not tolerate his awesome presence. Jason could not help but shudder. He was older than Luke, and he had worked for his current boss for many years, but he found it hard to remain calm when his boss was angry. Jason turned on the television in the car. Every channel in the city was reporting on Leia''s attempted suicide. Not only that, but they also reported on Luke''s past rtionship with her, how Luke had harbored another woman in secret, Leia''s grievances for being dumped unceremoniously, and so on. i On the television, Leia was lying dispiritedly on a hospital bed. Her wrist was wrapped in bandages. She cried as she spoke to the reporters, "My love for him is genuine, and I''ve given him my everything. I love him more than I love myself, and I would give up my life for him. I didn''t expect him to treat me this way, but this is what I get. I don''t me him. I can only me myself for not being able to convince him to walk down the aisle with me. Even so, I''d like to tell him this: No matter how you treat me, I will always love you, and I''ll be here waiting for you..." Her tearfulment evoked pity in millions of people. Thements were almost one-sided. The media did not dare to offend Leia''s father, and they criticized Luke''s heartlessness which caused the innocent young woman tomit suicide. Some media outlets even predicted that Jack Norman would not allow his daughter to be taken advantage of that way. He would definitely act against T Corporation and make Luke Crawford responsible for what happened to his daughter or force the marriage to happen. Only a small fraction of media outlets remained neutral, observing how Luke Crawford would handle the matter. "Sh*t!" Luke cursed out loud as he punched the car seat. He turned off the television, unwilling to see Leia''s pretentious face. Anger was brewing in his heart. He did not know what Leia wanted to do or what her objectives were. ''Does she think that she can threaten me with suicide? Hah!1 Luke did not have too many interactions with Leia, but he could tell that she was selfish, conceited, and materialistic. Her favorite person was herself, so how would she be willing to take her own life? However, she had sessfully portrayed herself as the victim in the incident and turned public opinion against Luke. At the moment, "Luke Crawford" was the number one keyword in all major social tforms and search engines, and he was more popr than any celebrity... Chapter 527 Chapter 527 Big Changes Are Coming To A City... In the hospital. "Unforgivable! This is unforgivable!" Right after Old Master Crawford came to, he saw that every channel on the television was reporting negatively on his grandson. He was so angry that he flung the bowl of medicine that the nurse brought in. The ck liquid sshed all over the floor. The nurse stood there stiffly and helplessly, not sure what to do. "You''ve just woken up, Father. The doctor said that you shouldn''t be emotionally agitated..." Susan was trying her best tofort his father-in-w, but she wasughing up her sleeve, i Her decades-long existence in the Crawford family was fraught with misery. She med Old Master Crawford for not controlling his son. If Old Master Crawford had been strict with Zachary, he would not have been so brazen to bring Allison back home. What was worse than epting Allison into the family was that the old man had allowed that b*stard child to take over the family business. Luke''s control over T Corporation was almost total. Susan, the legitimate Mrs. Crawford, and Louis, the legitimate son, only had a measly percentage and not even the session rights. Susan had always been angry and resentful toward Old Master Crawford, but she was helpless to do anything. She had devoted her life to serving the Crawfords, and she had never done anything to betray them. When she first married Zachary, she had even convinced her father to invest in Crawford Industries. Part of T Corporation''s sess could be attributed to her. However, she did not get anything despite her contributions. Why should she have to suffer such unfair treatment? She felt vindicated when she saw her father-inw lying sick in bed because of Luke''s misdeeds. Allison suddenly stood up from her chair and yelled at Susan, "I say, Susan Armstrong, what''s the meaning of this? You know that Father is in a bad mood, yet you purposely turn on the television and show him such disturbing news. What are you thinking? How pretentious. You pretend to be filial, but you''re much more malicious than anyone else!" "Pah!" Susan sneered and retorted, "Father said that he''s bored staying in the hospital with nothing to do, so what if I turn on the television to entertain him? Is it my fault that I want to cheer him up a little? I didn''t expect that your son''s sordid news would be all over the TV. Your son has really done it this time, Allison Tanner. He called off his engagement with Jack Norman''s daughter in public. Mr. Norman might be forgiving, but even he would not tolerate this humiliating episode. Hah, I''m sure that Mr. Norman will take his revenge, and big changes wille to A City..." Allison was very frustrated about her son''s public rejection of the proposal. Now that Susan was mocking her son brazenly, she became even angrier." I can''t help it if Leia Norman loves my son. He''s too outstanding! He can afford to reject her love, and she still loves him anyway! What can he do about it? Unlike your son. He messes around with women, but they''re all low- grade trash! How can your sonpare to my son?¡± Timidly, the nurse listened to the argument while wiping the ck liquid medicine with a mop. She thought that the high life was morous and extravagant, just like how romance novels portrayed it. She had not expected that politics between two women could be so intense. She realized that not any random woman could enjoy the high life. If they did not know how to scheme, they might be eaten alive. Susan could not find a retort to Allison''s words. She had emphasized the seriousness of Luke''s rejection, but Allison had somehow turned that into how outstanding her son was. What a shameless woman! Susan turned around and looked at her son, who was sitting next to Old Master Crawford while ying a game on his iPad. She pinched his ear and said angrily, "Louis, aren''t you dating the governor''s second daughter now? Bring her home tomorrow. If she''s not bad, then you''d better propose to her. I want a grandchild!" "..." Louis was speechless. He was only sitting there minding his own business. How did he get involved in their argument? This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "I''m still young, Mom. Can''t this matter wait for two more years..." Louis saw that his mother was ring fiercely at him, and his tone became sheepish. "I know. Mom. I''ll bring her home some time soon so that you can look at her." What Louis was thinking was, Tm not going to bring that woman back home!'' The woman had the looks and the figure, but she was a bad-tempered control freak. He could not stand being with her. Susan patted her son''s shoulder, satisfied by his answer. She shot a disdainful nce at Allison. "Hmm, isn''t my son talented? He can even court the governor¡¯s daughter. She''s the real daughter of the governor, unlike some girl picked up from the orphanage!" "You...¡± Allison was at a loss for words. Her son had just broken up with the daughter of the Provincial Committee Secretary, but Susan''s son was dating the governor''s daughter. She gritted her teeth with anger. Old Master Crawford cooled down when he heard that his second grandson was dating a socialite. "Louis, why didn''t you tell us that you''re dating someone? Bring your girlfriend home some time, and let us check her out. You''re not young anymore, and your elder brother is going to have his third child. You should learn to settle down soon." His elder grandson had disappointed him greatly, and he had to ce his hopes on his younger grandson. "I know, Grandpa..." Louis replied reluctantly. ''Hell if I know!'' At that moment, Luke entered the ward, followed by Jason. When Old Master Crawford saw his elder grandson, he tossed a ss toward him. "Why are you here, you ingrate? Our family''s reputation is in ruins after what you''ve done!" Luke caught the ss and ced it on the table next to him. "Why are you so angry, Grandfather? You know that I''m very busy, yet I''ve managed to find some time to visit you. I''m not here to argue with you." Old Master Crawford''s anger was like a raging storm. "I don''t want to see you now. Get lost!" Luke smiled, feeling rather relieved. "You seem energetic, Grandfather. It should mean that you''re recovering. I''ll leave now. Please take a good rest in the hospital. I''m not going to disturb you anymore. If you need anything, you can contact Mr. Doyle anytime." After that, he walked out of the ward. Old Master Crawford nearly passed out again when he saw his grandson leave. ''Can''t that ingrate show some concern to this old man?'' i Chapter 528 Chapter 528 Why Would ¡°Luke Crawford" Turn Himself In? The setting sun was like a burning me, shrouding theke surface with color and lighting up the mansion like the scene of a dream. Bianca sat peacefully next to the artificialke, resting her cheek on her hands. She felt bored as she looked at the fish swimming in theke. The nurse quietly stood by her side. A string of footsteps walking toward Bianca broke the silence. Bianca saw Luke walking toward her while facing away from the sun. She smiled happily, but her tone was doubtful. "Why are you back so early?¡± Bianca knew that Luke had been very busytely. He would usuallye home almost close to midnight, and sometimes he would reek of alcohol because of the business dinners he had to attend. She felt sorry for him. The nurse nodded politely when she saw her employer approach. Then, she discreetly went away and gave the space to the lovers. Luke walked in front of Bianca''s rattan chair and sat down. He loved to hug her in his arms. He thought that it was an intimate action. The woman''s soft and fragrant body was an addiction. "I saw the news today. I didn¡¯t expect that Leia would attempt suicide. Are we in the wrong?" A hint of guilt shed in Bianca''s eyes as she looked at Luke. Luke held her small hand, caressed her smooth hair, furrowed his brows, and sighed slightly. "She brought this upon herself, and she only has herself to me. It''s not like she doesn''t know that I have no affection for her, but she insists on clinging to me. There''s no reasoning with that woman!¡¯ Bianca hugged his neck and said worriedly, "The incident at the engagement ceremony will ruin the rtionship between the Crawford and Norman families. Now that the public opinion is against you, it''ll negatively affect T Corporation. Mr. and Mrs. Norman love their daughter so much, and they definitely won''t take this lying down. I''m afraid that they might find trouble with T Corporation, and there''s still that CD. I''m afraid that Leia would do something rash in her desperation. She might hand the CD to the authorities or expose it through the media..." It went without saying that civilians should not cross people with political power. No matter how wealthy a civilian might be, they would not have the influence or clout of a politician. Luke might be the leader of T Corporation, a multinationalpany with immense financial resources, but he was only a businessman, and he was not as powerful as Jack Norman. No matter how big his corporation might be, it would all amount to nothing if he was found guilty of a crime. "Leia is a self-centered woman. Do you think that she wouldmit suicide? It''s all just an act to garner attention. As for the CD, don''t worry about it. It''s all within control. Even if Leia exposes the contents of the CD, I have a countermeasure for it. The worst thing that could happen is a dip in our share prices, but that won''tst for too long. Financial losses are nothing; I''ll make that money back easily. "Bea, I''m not afraid of anything, but I''m afraid that you''re hurt when you''re with me. I''ll give you a legal status in the future, and you can stand proudly by my side." Luke''s low and resonant voice was like fine wine. His earnest feelings were reflected in his eyes. Bianca lifted her head to meet his gaze. What she saw was a bottomless abyss from which endless love sparked. "I''m not hurt, really. Even if I don''t have a status, I''m happy as long as I''m with you. To me, loving someone means loving, tolerating, and trusting their everything. I don''t need a reason to love you." Bianca smiled brightly as she leaned onto Luke. Her eyes were charming and beautiful like crescent moons. Luke kissed her lips and held her hand. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. The man''s hand was bony and solid, while hers was soft and smooth. The man''s fingertips were warm, but hers were slightly cool. The contrast between the big and small hands was perfect. It was symbolic of their love. No matter what their differences might be or how many obstacles there were, they did not let go of each other. At the Public Integrity Committee headquarters. Two officers in uniform, one male and one female, were seated at a round conference table. The man was in his thirties. He seemed stern and unyielding. The woman was in herte twenties. She was not very beautiful, but her demeanor was quite unique. Gordan Norton was sitting in front of them. Currently, he had a brazen grin on his face, and his legs were crossed. asionally, he would cast a seductive wink at the female officer. The male officer wanted to punch him! It was rare for the female officer to meet such a handsome and elegant man. His skin was smooth and perfect, like a blooming flower. She would have been charmed if not for her strong mental fortitude. ''What a menace!'' She cursed in her heart. "Is everything you said true, Luke Crowford? If the investigations prove that your statement is false, do you know that it is a serious crime to take the fall for someone else?" The male officer said threateningly. He had many doubts. They had received incriminating evidence that Luke Crawford of T Corporation had given a bribe to the former City Secretary that had fallen from grace. Even before the media got hold of the news, someone with almost the same name as Luke Crawford surrendered himself to the Public Integrity Committee and said that the man who had bribed Mr. Schmidt was himself. Luke Crowford''s name was only one letter away from Luke Crawford. The pronunciation was almost the same. It was a truly unbelievable coincidence. However, the man could clearly recount every detail in his meeting with Mr. Schmidt. He could recite every word in that conversation and describe every detail in the plots ofnd that Mr. Schmidt had approved. There were no ws. However, it was precisely because of his wless statement that made the officers suspect that something was amiss. How could it be such a coincidence? Meanwhile, the mature officer had returned with his subordinates. The young officer with the plump face suffered an injury. His wrist was dislocated. They did not manage to apprehend the alleged criminal, and they were angry at Luke Crawford''s arrogant attitude. When they entered the room, they were shocked to see "Luke Crawford" sitting there, being interrogated by their superiors. They opened their eyes wide. Why did the arrogant ¡®Luke Crawford" turn himself in? Chapter 529 Chapter 529 The Man In Front of Him Is A Devil! They were in utter disbelief when they found out that the man in the conference room was not Luke Crawford, the CEO of T Corporation, but Luke Crowford, the general manager of a medium-scale company. ¡®How uncanny! ''How could two people look and sound so alike, and how could their names be so suspiciously simr?'' With the factsid in front of them, they had no choice but to believe it. Half an hourter, a group of police officers entered the conference room, bringing with them the disgraced Mr. Schmidt in handcuffs. Peyton Schmidt was a man in his fifties. He still carried the demeanor of someone in a position of power for a long time, but his face was haggard, his eyes were lifeless, and his body was shriveled. It seemed that prison life took a toll on his physical and mental health. "Look at that man, Peyton Schmidt. Is he the Luke Crawford whom you have dealings with?" The male officer asked sternly. Peyton lifted his head weakly and started to carefully examine the handsome and cavalier man in front of him. When Peyton looked at that face, his clouded eyes sparkled to life. Scenes from the past shed in his mind. Over the years, he had epted bribes from countless people. He had lost count of the amount of ill-gotten gains he received. He had used certain tactics to prevent himself from being exposed as well as implicate everyone who had bribed him. Basically, he had secretly recorded every act of bribery. He could not remember most of the people who had bribed him, except for Luke Crawford, who had left asting impression. That was not only because Luke Crawford was the youngest person who had bribed him, but the young man also had an unforgettably handsome face. Ten years ago, Peyton was the City Secretary of A City, and his future was bright. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. A young and handsome man hade to look for him with a briefcase full of tea leaves. The man was polite, intelligent, and eloquent. His goal was to acquire several plots of undeveloped land. Being an experienced politician, Mr. Schmidt knew that the tea leaves were but a smokescreen. He was even more surprised when he saw the neat stacks of banknotes under the tea leaves. That was five million dors. Peyton could only find it incredible! He had asked the young man the purpose of acquiring those plots ofnd. Without skipping a beat, the young man said that he intended to go into the property business. He wanted to build high-ss residential units and arge-scalemercial center. Peyton had wondered if the young man was insane. It would be a waste of five million dors to acquire those barren plots ofnd and develop them! Those plots ofnd were very far away from the city center, and surrounding them was nothing but muddy marsnd. How was he going to develop it into amercial center? Peyton had nned to build a wastewater treatment center there. However, he was only in charge of receiving the bribes and changing the zoning. All he had to do was take the money and grant the plots to Luke. He did not have to care why Luke wanted those plots ofnd. Moreover, Peyton did not stay in A City for long. In a little more than a year, he managed to pull some connections and got himself promoted to the capital. His influence began to spread there, and he stopped paying attention to A City. Several years passed in the blink of an eye, and subway lines extended toward the outskirts. The plots ofnd that Luke acquired happened to be at the intersection of several subway lines and a BRT terminal. Because of that, multiple developers began to scramble forthose unremarkable plots ofnd. However, it was already toote. Luke had already controlled 90% of that area. The other developers could onlyment that they did not have the foresight. In a short few years, the barrennd was developed into a bustling area of tall skyscrapers and buildings with unique facades. Thanks to Luke''s leadership, it had be one of the busiest new commercial areas in A City. gship stores of major international brands were everywhere, leading the forefront of urban life. Ten years ago, average housing prices in the area were only about eight or nine thousand. Now, the average prices of the high-ss residential properties were around one hundred thousand and were still increasing. In ten years, property prices of that area increased by ten times. Even though Peyton was in the capital, he would asionally pay attention to the development of A City. He was impressed by Luke''s foresight, and he did not expect that the young man''s far-reaching vision would cause T Corporation to expand so rapidly. Later, someone exposed Peyton''s misdeeds in an act of revenge, and he was sentenced to prison. He thought that he would never be able to return to A City, but he did not expect to be brought to A City from the capital a few days ago. The police wanted him to confirm that the young man before him was the Luke Crawford who had bribed him ten years ago. He had a strong impression of Luke Crawford, and he could instantly tell that the young man was indeed the Luke Crawford who had bribed him many years ago. However, he was shocked that the man in front of him was Luke Crowford with an "o" and not an "a." The officers exhorted Peyton to recall whether the young man''s name was spelled with an "o" or an "a" on the contract. "It''s spelled with an ''a.'' I remember it very clearly," Peyton said while deep in thought. He was very sure that Luke¡¯s name was spelled with an "a." Being a careful man, Peyton would scrutinize his contracts at least four or five times so that there was no mistake. The officer''s hawk-like gazes instantly shot toward Gordan. Gordan spread his arms innocently. He stretched, stood up, walked toward Peyton, and whispered something in his ear. Instantly, Peyton''s expression sank, and he started shaking. He looked at Gordan''s gentle gaze, thinking that the handsome man in front of him was a devil! After thinking for a while more, Peyton suppressed the anger and fear in his heart and smiled toward the officers. "I''m sorry. I was mistaken. It''s Crowford with an ''o.''" After that, the officers interrogated him. No matter how the officers questioned and threatened him, Peyton insisted that the man who signed the contract with him was Luke Crowford with an "o." The signature on the contract was very messy. Looking at how the letters were written in one fluid scrawl, one could not tell whether it was an "a" or an "o." Peyton¡¯s testimony became a crucial factor. However, the officers did not expect that Peyton insisted that the man who had bribed him was Luke Crowford in the conference room and not Luke Crawford of T Corporation. Chapter 530 Chapter 530 Bianca¡¯s Doubts The major case involved Luke Crawford, A City¡¯s business mogul, and Peyton had provided conflicting statements. The higher-ups of the Public Integrity Committee paid a lot of attention to the case. However, they could not find anything that pointed to Luke Crawford. The man in the incriminating video matched Luke Crowford''s appearance. Also, Peyton insisted multiple times that the name on the contract was Luke Crowford with an "o." Of course, Luke Crowford''s identity was genuine. He was an orphan without any rtions, and his background and work experience were in for all to see. GC Corporation, the implicatedpany, had existed for ten years. The legally appointed representative for thepany was indeed Luke Crowford. Gordan produced the contracts that proved the transfer of ownership of those plots ofnd from Luke Crowford of GC Corporation to Luke Crawford of T Corporation. Gordan spoke eloquently in front of the judge and jury, describing the details of the transactions and answering all the questions without skipping a beat. As an internationally wanted scammer, Gordan could even fool the Interpol. Deceiving the Public Integrity Committee was nothing. The Public Integrity Committee did not give up, and the investigationsted for a long time. The transfer of ownership contracts turned out to be genuine too. With no other contradicting evidence, a verdict was reached. This was the press statement presented to the public: Peyton Schmidt''s bribery case has nothing to do with Luke Crawford of T Corporation. The other guilty party in the case is Luke Crowford of GC Corporation. Considering that Luke Crowford has turned himself in and has been cooperative in the investigation process, he shall be sentenced to fifteen years in prison, and all his assets shall be confiscated. The news instantly caused intense public discussion in A City! Following that was the news of the arrest of GC Corporation''s Luke Crowford. A bribery case was nothing out of the ordinary; such dirty deeds happened in every city. What the public found the most surprising was that Luke Crowford, the guilty party in the case, looked so simr to Luke Crawford of T Corporation, and even the name was almost the same. Most of the public discussion was focused on that fact. The case remained on the headlines for quite some time, mainly because Luke Crawford was an influential figure in A City. Many reporters flocked to T Corporation to conduct interviews with Luke, but his secretaries declined all of them, saying that the CEO was a very busy man. It took a long time before things calmed down. In the mansion. The crescent moon that hung low in the sky and the sparkling stars adorned the tranquil night. Bianca sat quietly in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, enjoying the night breeze. She had a faint smile on her face. Her charming face seemed gentle under the softmplight. She could hear Luke and the children doing the dishes happily in the kitchen. asionally, Rainie would speak coyly, and Lanie would make fun of his father. ''That''s not how you wash a te, Daddy. You''ve used too much washing liquid. Even Rainie does the dishes better than you..." Lanie reprimanded his father like a little adult. "A man should learn how to do the housework instead of relying on the caretakers. If you don''t know how to cook, you should do the dishes to make up for it. Mommy won''t have to be so tired if you help with the housework." Luke thought that what his son said made sense. He learned how to wash the tes and cutlery from his children, and he had fun doing it. The way how the father and the children interacted and trash-talked with each other made Bianca smile with satisfaction. However, she still had doubts. Luke had been too busytely. He woulde homete and immediately hug her and fall asleep. Bianca did not want to bother him with her questions. However, the question persisted like a weed. She was determined to get an answer. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Eventually, Luke and the two children came out of the kitchen after having done the dishes. Lanie took his sister to the room to help her with her homework, and Luke and Bianca returned to their bedroom. Bianca ced a stack of books on her knee. The books were upside-down, but she was lost in thought and did not notice that. Luke frowned. He walked up to her, bent over, and gently pinched her nose. "What are you thinking, silly girl?" "I''m thinking... is that the end of the incident of the CD? I thought it would be a lot harder. I even have nightmares that you were taken away..." Bianca lifted her head and looked at him uneasily. Why was Gordan Norton willing to undergo stic surgery to match Luke''s face, and why would he go to prison so willingly? Why did Peyton Schmidt change his statement so abruptly, and would the case be reopened for investigation? She had many more questions that she had kept in her heart. She wanted to ask them all. "You have so many questions, silly girl. Don''t doubt it. You can consider the case settled. Leia has no more dirt on us." Luke smiled gently. The moon outside the window cast its glow on thend. It was as gentle as the woman next to him. His gaze would inevitably soften whenever he looked at her. Bianca paused for a while. "I still think there are so many loose ends. Is it settled just like that? Until now, it still feels like a dream." Lukeughed when he saw how confused she was. He carried her and ced her on the bed, then told her the entire story in detail. Ten years ago, when he made the deal with Peyton Schmidt, he had kept a trick up his sleeve. He had deliberately signed his name in a messy way so that no one could tell if he wrote an "a" or an "o." That decision proved to be very useful. He got Gordan to take the fall for him in return for helping Gordan shake off the mafia. Once Gordan came out of prison, he would be able to live freely once more. He had founded GC Corporation on a whim in his younger days. He had also made up the identity of Luke Crowford, but all of its identification documents were real. GC Corporation had no ties to T Corporation, and no one other than Luke and Jason knew about Luke Crowford''s real identity. Luckily for Luke, the fake identity was put to good use... Chapter 531 Chapter 531 Fate Is Kind To Us There was a reason why Peyton Schmidt changed his statement abruptly. Even though he was in prison, arge portion of his property had disappeared, and no one had been able to find its whereabouts. However, Luke managed to find out that Peyton had a mistress and an illegitimate child. Before he was arrested, Peyton had secretly moved the mother and child to Switzend and had transferred his property under the child''s name. That was how Luke threatened Peyton, saying that if Peyton did not follow his instructions, he would expose the whereabouts of his property, and the mother and child''s lives would be put in danger. Peyton was resentful toward the threat, but he had no choice. Luke had taken extreme care in ensuring that there were no ws in every step of his n. Any w would result in his n''s failure. After Bianca listened to the concise butprehensive narration, she could not help but be impressed by the man''s attention to detail. Ten years ago, Bianca was only a timid student, but Luke was already mature and cunning. She knew that she could notpare to him. Bianca could not help but say, "Ten years ago, I was only an introverted bookworm who didn''t know how to interact with people, but you''re already negotiating business deals... No wonder I stopped seeing you at the high school in the small town. It turns out that you went home to take over the family business. Didn''t you know that after you left, I would wait by your usual haunts, such as the basketball court, the cafeteria, and your ssroom... Every time, I hoped to see you, but every time I would leave alone. I thought that we would never meet again, but fate was kind to us, and we eventually found each other again." "All''s well that ends well." Luke hugged Bianca tightly and caressed her smooth and fair skin. He was also reliving his memories. His grandfather had ordered him to return to take over the family business, and he did not have the chance to say goodbye to her. He thought that his crush on Bianca was one-sided, but he did not expect that Bianca had the same feelings for him too. Undoubtedly, he was lucky. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "The doctor said that I only have to rest for another week before I can walk like normal again. I want to go back to work," Bianca said with a smile. She had stayed at home for about three months. She had nothing to do at home except for reading books, and she was already extremely bored. If she did not go to work, she would feelpletely out of touch with society. "Alright." Luke looked at her with an ambiguous smile. "You really can''t stay put. Other women dream about a man that would sustain theirvish lifestyle without having to work, but you want to go back to work so eagerly. Even when you''re resting at home, you''re still working..." Luke knew that in the past three months, Bianca had beenpleting work milestones and epting privatemissions. She sat in front of theputer, drawing designs every day. Sometimes, he thought that she was busier than him. He did not know what to say about her. "I like being busy with work. Work makes me satisfied. If I don''t work, I''ll feel worried somehow. I guess I''m not meant to enjoy my life. Ah..." Bianca said jokingly. Suddenly, she yelped. "What happened?" Luke was nervous. "Our baby. It''s moving." Bianca ced Luke''s hand on her stomach. It was Bianca''s second pregnancy, and the bulge was already showing at five months. It was her first time feeling the fetus move. Luke caressed Bianca''s stomach with his calloused hand. He could feel slight movement. The movement was as light as a butterfly pping its wings, but he was amazed by it. The baby in Bianca''s womb was the product of their love. When Bianca was pregnant with the twins, they did not have any interactions outside of carnal intercourse. Luke had not caressed her bulging stomach gently or enjoyed a loving family and a sessful career. Luke felt truly blissful. Meanwhile, Leia, who had been spoiled and pampered ever since she had entered the Norman family, had not stopped crying for the past few days. She did not expect that herst trump card was rendered useless before she could even y it! What was even more unexpected was that the emergence of the CD did not affect Luke at all. A man who looked the same as he took the fall for him! She wanted her father to stand up for her, but what she received was Luke''s insincere apology in front of the media. That was not what she wanted! What she wanted was the title of Mrs. Crawford. However, she ended up with nothing... Most unexpectedly, the public opinion that had sided with her had taken a dramatic turn. Her shameful past was once again brought to the limelight. The media had even managed to find Dexter Shaw, the gambling addict who was her birth father! In the interview, Dexter cried andined about his daughter''s merciless deeds. He had been terminally ill, and he went to look for Leia. Not only did the woman not recognize him, but she treated him like a panhandler, hired some people to beat him up, and ditched him in the outskirts of the city. Dexter also produced some evidence in case the public did not believe him. The video that was recorded in secret was not very clear, but Leia''s face was clearly seen. In the video, Leia was looking down upon Dexter arrogantly as though she was looking at a worm. The filthynguage she used to insult Dexter also shocked theizens! [Oh my god! Is that really Leia Norman, my pure goddess?] [Oh my, I can''t believe that the pure Leia Norman on the screen can be so deplorable in real life...] (That can''t be... my goddess... I''ve been following her since her debut... I can''t believe that it''s her true character... No, no, no, I can''t believe it...] [What''s there not to believe? A well-mannered girl wouldn¡¯t behave like what she did in the video!] Leia''s already tarnished reputation dropped even further. Even herpany''s PR campaign did little to save her. All she could do was to hide at home and wait anxiously for her adoptive parents to deal with the negative press. She was not going to give up just like that. After calming down at home, she suddenly thought of someone! Soon, a hint of malice shed in her lifeless eyes! 1 Chapter 532 Chapter 532 Second Brother Might Be Afraid of Luke Crawford, But I¡¯m Not! The next day, in the presidential suite. The big bed was shaking violently. As the man grunted and the woman moaned, a thick smell of decadence wafted in the air. After a beastly low growl, the room slowly resumed its calm. Leia leaned on Wayne''s solid chest and hugged his neck. "Are you happy with my performance today, mmm?" "It''s so rare that you take the initiative. What do you want? Just say it." Wayneid in bed and hugged Leia, though he kept his hands busy. "Naughty you! I''ve missed you. What else could I want?" Leia suddenly flipped onto his body and performed several bold maneuvers. Wayneughed. "You seemed so reluctant only a few days ago. Don''t tell me that you''ve changed so fast! Have you begun to enjoy it?" Leia cast a seductive nce at him. "How can you say that about me, Wayne? Haven''t you heard the saying, ''If you can''t fight it, you might as well lie down and enjoy it.''? Your skills are so amazing. No wonder so many women fall for your charms..." Wayne was carried away by Leia''s ttery. "Oh? So how do Ipare to Luke Crawford?" Leia''s expression instantly sank when that name was mentioned. Even her voice became sinister. "Don''t mention that man to me. How can hepare to you? The man had ruined my reputation. I''ve never felt such humiliation in my life..." Aggrieved tears started falling from her eyes. Her head rested on Wayne''s chest once more, and she pouted. "I''m so sad, Wayne... I thought that my adoptive parents truly loved me, but it turned out that it was all a sham. Luke had called off the proposal in public. He had shamed me and humiliated my family, but they don''t go to the Crawford family to demand justice. Instead, they ask me to stay at home and retire from the entertainment industry. "They wouldn''t have treated me like this if I were their birth daughter. How cruel! I guess I can only me that I''m unlucky. No one in this world loves me or cares about me. You''re probably the only person in this world who treats me well..." Leia''s admiration and dependence toward Wayne made him feel like a hero. "Don''t cry, baby. You say that no one loves you, but I''m here for you. Anyone who bullies you is my enemy. If you''re my woman, I won''t let anyone harm you!" i Leia''s gloomy eyes shed with a hint of intrigue when she heard Wayne''s promise to her. "Do you mean everything you say?" "Of course. I won''t lie to my woman. How can I call myself a man if I can''t protect my woman?" Wayne said gruffly. Leia hid her disgust and pretended to look surprised. She hugged her neck and said, "I was wrong, Wayne. I was blind to have a crush on Luke. I''ve never known that he¡¯s such a heartless person, and that was why he managed to hurt me so much. All I have for him now is endless hate. I''m suffering here, so how can he pretend as though nothing happened? And there''s that b*tch Bianca Rayne too. If not for her, I wouldn''t have suffered. I want her to suffer too! Can you help me, Wayne?" Wayne hesitated for a while. He remembered what his second brother told him. As a special forces soldier, he was usually on missions abroad. However, he had asionally heard his second brother, who was a businessman, talk about Luke Crawford. As experienced and crafty as his second brother might be, he seemed to be afraid of Luke. He said that Luke was a merciless and cunning person, and he had warned Wayne to stay away from Luke if possible, i However, when he saw Leia looking at him with an admiring gaze that evoked pity, his chauvinistic tendencies took over his rationality. So what if his second brother feared Luke Crawford? He did not! He was a special forces soldier and the leader of a troop of mercenaries. Why would he be afraid of a money-minded businessman? Wayne nced at Leia yfully. ''If I help you, how will you repay me, hmm? Leia chuckled, and her body shivered. Her hand slowly traveled down Wayne''s body and gripped his manhood." Of course... I''ll let you do whatever you want." Wayneughed. He flipped over and pinned Leia under his body. "Are you hungry again? Let me nourish you!" Wayne got someone to observe Luke''s mansion for a few days. He discovered that the security was airtight. Ever since Luke realized that someone had been snooping on his hidden mansion, he tightened the security around the ce. Countless high-definition security cameras were hidden in every location. They could turn 360 degrees in every direction, capturing everything. The security footage was in color, and the people inside the house could see all the happenings outside. On the road leading to the mansion, an ess card system was set up. 1 Luke hired many more security guards and installed an electric fence. For a normal human, the security measures were extremely strict. However, as a special forces soldier, Wayne had infiltrated houses with even stricter security measures and assassinated the supreme leader of a certain country. Those security measures would not stop him. It was all too easy for him to kill a defenseless woman. However, he could not be bothered to act himself. He ordered his elite subordinates to monitor the people that entered and exited the mansion. An opportunity finally came. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. One day, in the garden of the mansion, several peony nts began to wither. Those peonies were of a rare variety. Luke had bought the seeds for Bianca, and Bianca had nted and taken good care of them. The flowers were about to bloom, but they suddenly began to wither. The gardener examined the nts closely. He told Bianca that the nts were infested with aphids that usually gathered at the branches, stalks, and backs of leaves. Certain pesticides could save the nts before it was toote. Otherwise, the insects would cause the stems and leaves of the nts to rot, and the nt would eventually wither and die. Bianca was very anxious about saving her nts. She requested the gardener to buy the pesticide for her. The gardener went to his usual supplier to buy the pesticide and sprayed it on the nts. In one afternoon, the peony nts seemed to have returned to life. In thete afternoon, Bianca sat in the garden and chatted with Luke through a video call. She mentioned how the peonies she had nted had fallen sick, and she was worried about them as though the nts were her children. Just when Luke was about to warn Bianca to stay away from the nts because they had pesticides sprayed on them, he suddenly heard Bianca shriek in fear! Chapter 533 Chapter 533 Undoubtedly, Someone nned This! Luke''s heart was in his throat when he heard Bianca shrieking in fear." What''s wrong, Bianca?" Bianca could not speak when she saw the scene in front of her. Snakes! So many snakes! She was sitting on the swing, and her first instinct was to get off it. However, in her panic, she could not control her injured leg very well and nearly fell to the ground. Fortunately, her hand managed to grab onto a thick branch so that she did not have to fall face-first on the ground. 1 "What''s going on, Bianca?" Luke sounded extremely worried. Bianca pointed the camera of her phone at the fearful creatures on the ground. She dared not move a muscle. Through the voice call, Luke could see tens of ck snakes surging toward Bianca... His heart skipped a beat, and his eyes instantly widened in anger! Those snakes were ck mambas, the most dangerous and venomous snake in the world. They were feared fortheir speed and ferocity; two drops of their venom was enough to kill. However, those snakes were only found in Africa, South Asia, and certain tropical areas. They should not have appeared there. Someone must have deliberately brought them to the mansion! Bianca tried to keep calm, but her hand that was holding the phone was shaking. ¡¯Luke, there''s... so many... ck snakes... Why would there be so many snakes in the garden..." She could not speak aplete sentence because of her fear. Bianca was very afraid of snakes and other slithery cold-blooded animals. Seeing several ck snakes slithering quickly toward her with their blood- red forked tongues out, Bianca was stunned. Her heart was thumping faster and faster. She had an aversion toward snakes. She would even shy away from watching movies about snakes. The fear when she saw multiple snakes slithering toward her had far exceeded her normal tolerance. "Quickly run away, Bianca!" Luke roared at the helpless Bianca. "Quickly run into the house and don''t come out! Go in the room next to the study upstairs. There are several hunting rifles and tranquilizer darts. You can use them to protect yourself... Don''t be afraid. I''ming home now!" At that moment, Bianca''s life was the most important. He could not care that Bianca might agitate the baby in her womb when she ran. As he continued to talk to Bianca on the phone, he quickly dialed a number on another phone to contact the security guards at the mansion. "There is an infestation of venomous snakes at mansion number 8. Bring sulfur, snake hooks, and rifles to deal with them, now! Also, bring some blood serum..." ''In case the worst-case scenario happens...'' If Bianca was bitten by a venomous snake, she would need an injection of blood serum immediately. Then, Luke gave a call to Sean Zander, the driver. Sean was a retired special forces soldier and a veteran outdoorsman. He would be able to deal with venomous snakes easily, but it was his day off, and he was not in the mansion at the moment. When Sean received Luke''s call, he instantly rushed to the mansion! After Luke hung up, he also quickly rushed back. Bianca''s leg might have almost recovered, but she was not a very agile person. When Luke imagined the scene in which she was bitten by those snakes, sweat poured from his forehead. He did not want to think of the possibility that her life was put in danger again. She had just survived a near-fatal car crash, but fate seemed to be ying yet another cruel joke on her. Luke, who was usually calm andposed, wanted to blurt curses at that moment! He floored the gas pedal and ran multiple red lights on his way back. Meanwhile, at the mansion, Bianca ran as fast as she could. She was racing against her time and her life. She had never been so flustered. If she slowed down, the snakes would definitely catch up to her. With the baby still in her womb, she could not afford to let that happen. "Help... help..." Bianca cried for help while she ran until she remembered that the mansion was situated far away from the other mansions, and Luke had boughtrge swaths of the surroundingnd. No one would be able to hear her. The doctors, nurses, and nutritionists had already moved out of the mansion because she had almost recovered. It was the driver''s day off. One of the caretakers was back in her hometown to attend her son''s wedding, while the other had gone downtown to buy food ingredients and other groceries. The only people left in the mansion were Bianca and Uncle Vald, the gardener who had tended to the peonies earlier. Bianca hoped that Uncle Vald would hear her cries of help. As though her prayers were answered, just when Bianca could not run anymore, the gardener appeared with a pair of pliers in one hand and a halfeaten apple in his mouth. "Madam..." Uncle Vald was shocked as he saw Bianca''s face that was as pale as a ghost. "What''s wrong?¡± He asked doubtfully. "Snakes... snakes... help... Uncle Vald..." Bianca stammered as she tried to catch her breath. The middle-aged gardener turned around and was shocked when he saw the mass of ck snakes writhing toward them! He had encountered many snakes in his almost twenty years of being a gardener, but he had never seen such ferocious and venomous snakes. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. There was something weird about the snakes'' behavior, as though something was agitating them. Undoubtedly, they were several times faster and more ferocious than normal snakes! Wherever the snakes went, they would crush the leaves and vines under their bodies. A swan was resting under the vines, stretching its elegant neck and preening its feathers. Before it could fly away, a snake pounced at it and bit its throat, instantly killing it. The gardener almost wet his pants when he saw how venomous those snakes were! How did those scary creatures get into the mansion? In extreme fear, the gardener ran a lot faster than he was usually able to. However, he suddenly heard a pained grunt from behind him. The gardener turned around and saw Bianca crouching next to a flower pot while clutching her stomach... The intense running and the huge fright had caused Bianca''s stomach to hurt intensely. She was only about three hundred feet from the front door of the house, but she could not run anymore. The snake in the lead was the biggest and strongest. It stealthily slid near Bianca, bared its fangs, and pounced at her calf... Chapter 534 Chapter 534 Thank God That Luke Is Back... In the nick of time, Bianca managed to scramble several steps forward to higher ground, and the snake did not spot her momentarily. That was a close call! How could such scary animals appear in the mansion? Bianca''s stomach hurt intensely, and her body was limp. She did not have the strength to run. In front of the front door of the house was a flight of stairs. Every step was a struggle, but she could only force herself to move. The snakes behind her continued to swarm at her. The biggest snake was almost going to reach her when Uncle Vald suddenly turned back and shouted, ¡¯Madam!" He noticed a children''s wooden spade at the side. That was what Lanie and Rainie often used when they yed in the garden. He summoned his courage, took the spade, and mmed it on the snake''s head! The spade was light, but Uncle Vald was strong. The snake was incensed by the pain and moved faster. It stuck out its tongue, bared its fang, and bit Uncle Vald! The gardener disregarded his status, carried his female employer in his arms, and continued running toward the house. Rushing through the front door, Uncle Vald kicked open the bedroom door and ced her inside. Just when he was about to close the front door, he felt an intense pain in his calf. Holding back the pain and using hisst ounce of strength, he mmed the door shut and blocked all the snakes outside! "Madam, lock... lock the door. Don''t... don''t go out..." Uncle Vald felt his head spinning. He twitched and fell on the floor with a thud. "Uncle Vald!" Bianca was almost scared to tears. She crouched and kept calling his name. There was no use. Uncle Vald had already lost consciousness. He did not hear her calling his name. Bianca rolled up Uncle Vald''s pants. She noticed a bite mark on his calf. The area around the bite mark was already swollen. It was obvious that the venom was taking effect. Looking at the gardener''s ghastly pale face, Bianca felt both guilty and grateful. If Uncle Vald had not saved her in the nick of time, she would be the one bitten by the snake. It was not the time to wallow in sorrow. She had to find the blood serum to save Uncle Vald''s life. Disregarding the pain in her stomach, she dragged herself upstairs and went to the room next to the study. The room had a stock of medicinal supplies, though most of them were non-prescription drugs, such as flu medicine, gastrointestinal medicine, and all sorts of pills and ointments. Bianca remembered that there should be blood serums and other solutions meant for injections. The mansion was located on a hill and surrounded by a dense forest. There were insects, spiders, and even snakes, but most of them were not venomous. The mansion also had strict measures against insects and other creepy-crawlies, and blood serum would rarely be needed. Even so, they had a stock of blood serum just in case. Usually, one would be flustered whenever they were in a hurry. The more you want to find something, that thing would disappear without a trace. When you were not looking for it, you would find it right in front of your face. That was exactly what happened to Bianca at the moment. She searched the drawers and cabs and found all sorts of other medicines except for the blood serum. When she thought that Uncle Vald¡¯s life was slipping away every passing second, cold sweat poured down her face. She suddenly remembered that Luke had told her in the video call that the rifles and tranquilizer darts were in a hiddenpartment in a drawer. Would the blood serum be stored in the same ce? Bianca opened a drawer in a cab. She almost pulled the entire drawer out when she noticed a hunting rifle, a bottle of tranquilizer, two small vials of blood serum, several single-use syringes, and a large bag of sulfur. She breathed a sigh of relief, took all the items in her hands, and rushed downstairs. The banging on the door was intense. That gave Bianca a big fright. She did not expect that the snakes were so unrelenting that they were mming at the door with their bodies! Usually, snakes would not attack humans unless they were threatened. However, those snakes seemed like they were out for blood. It was unbelievable! She did not have time to think about the reasons. Uncle Vald''s face was already turning purple and ck. He was almost not going to make it. Trying to keep herselfposed, her trembling hands opened the syringe packaging, inserted the needle, and pushed out the air. She tried to remember how the nurse had given her injections, found a vein on Uncle Vald''s arm, and tried to give him an injection. It was her first time giving an injection, and her hands were trembling. It took her several times to insert the needle into the vein. She breathed a sigh of relief and gently injected the serum into Uncle Vald''s vein... Her face became paler and paler as the banging sounds on the front door became more and more intense. She could tell that more than one snake was mming its body at the door; one snake alone would not have made so much noise. It was the first time that she felt so helpless. Bianca poured a thick ring of sulfur around Uncle Vald and her. She read that snakes feared sulfur, but there was no scientific evidence behind it. She had no other choice anyway. She emptied the entire bag of sulfur around them. Then, she took the hunting rifle in her right hand, the tranquilizer darts in her left hand, and transfixed her gaze on the front door. The door was electronically locked and was very sturdy. The snakes would not be able to break it down. Some snakes were quite intelligent. Seeing that they could not break down the door, they slithered to the floor-to-ceiling window and started battering it with their bloody bodies. Bianca was shocked when she saw that. Were those snakes or monsters? It would be very dangerous if the window was made of normal ss. Fortunately, Luke had the foresight to make the windows out of bulletproof ss. The window did not move, no matter how the snakes mmed their bodies at it. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. However, the snakes seemed to have lost their minds. They continued mming at the windows even though their bodies were already battered and bloody. Sitting on the carpet, Bianca hugged her knees and shivered. What if the snakes managed to get into the house? Suddenly, she heard hasty footsteps at the entrance to the mansion. Then, she heard the sound of gunshots and a familiar male voice calling her name. Instantly, tears rolled down her cheeks. ''Thank God, Luke is back...¡¯ Chapter 535 Chapter 535 That''s Very Scary, OK? "Bianca!¡± Outside the house, Luke roared hysterically. At that moment, Luke was worried and furious. He fired at the snakes with his hunting rifle as though he had lost his mind. As he pulled the trigger, he called out Bianca''s name. When Bianca heard Luke''s voice, she scrambled over to the window and thumped at the ss. "I''m fine, Luke. There are many venomous snakes outside. Please be careful..." She tried to suppress her fear when she saw Luke''s bloodshot eyes and his almost maniacal demeanor. He seemed to be more scared of the snakes than her. She felt relieved when she saw him. Luke also felt relieved when he saw that Bianca was safe inside the house. An unknown amount of time passed before the electronic door opened and Luke rushed in. He hugged Bianca with trembling arms. "I''m sorry, I''m sorry..." He had almost lost her again. "It''s not your fault. You don''t have to me yourself." Bianca slumped in his embrace, grateful that she had survived the ordeal. Luke hugged her so tightly, as though he wanted her body to fuse into his! Bianca suddenly remembered that Uncle Vald was still unconscious. She pushed herself out of Luke''s embrace, walked to Uncle Vald, and said guiltily. "Uncle Vald saved me from the snakes, and he got bitten himself. It''s all thanks to him that I''m safe. I''ve already injected a vial of blood serum, but I don''t know if it''s of any use. He wouldn''t be like this if not for me. How should we help him?" Suddenly, fear caught up to her, and tears started to fall. "We''ve stayed here for so long, and we rarely see even bugs. Why would there be so many venomous snakes at once?" Bianca had be more emotional after she was pregnant. Luke frowned and said, "I''ll investigate this and find out the reason why. You and Uncle Vald are victims. I''m grateful that Uncle Vald saved you. He''ll be fine. After he wakes up, I''ll give him a handsome reward. Don''t think too much." Outside, police sirens could be heard. Bianca could feel painful cramps in her stomach again. Her vision was turning ck from the pain. Amid themotion outside, two people came into the house. "Boss..." Sean and Jason ran into the room. Their faces turned pale at the instant they saw Uncle Vald lying unconscious on the floor and Bianca lying weakly in Luke''s arms. "Are Madam and Uncle Vald okay?" Sean asked guiltily. Were they toote? "Uncle Vald was bitten by a venomous snake. He received an injection of blood serum. Send him to the hospital immediately," Luke ordered coldly. Bianca pressed her stomach. She bit her lip to stop herself from making a sound. However, she eventually grunted in pain. "Luke... my stomach... hurts..." Amid the pain, she could feel something warm flowing between her legs. Her instincts told her that her baby was in danger. She had protected the baby thus far, and she was not going to let anything happen to it! "Bianca!" Before she lost consciousness, she could vaguely hear Luke screaming in fear and agony. Soon, she could not hear anything. "D*mn it! Why isn''t the ambnce here yet?" Luke carried Bianca and ran outside. Sean carried the unconscious Uncle Vald on her back and quickly followed behind... Several police cars were parked around the mansion, and a dozen police were busy at work. A dozen dead snakes drenched in their own blood were arranged in a row. It was an unnerving sight. Luke red at those snakes with a sinister gaze! The police sergeant walked up to him fawningly, but he took a step back when he saw Luke''s icy gaze. "Mr. Crawford." "You should know what to do, Sergeant Showles." Luke''s voice was frigid. "Don''t worry. We''ll definitely find out who the perpetrator is. The perpetrator is quite crafty. He managed to disable the cameras surrounding the mansion. This will take some time..." Sergeant Showles kneaded his hands and braced himself against Luke''s overbearing demeanor.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. There were dozens of security cameras surrounding the mansion, but the closest ones to the entrance were all disabled. "All the cameras were disabled? What are we paying all of you for?" Jason nced at the security guards. The security guards lowered their heads in embarrassment. They could not be med because the criminal was too skillful. "Bring all these snakes for an autopsy. I want to know the results as soon as possible! Check all the cameras. I don''t believe that they didn''t leave a trace!" "Yes, Mr. Crawford." The usually imposing police sergeant behaved timidly in front of Luke. Bianca and Uncle Vald were sent to the hospital, and Luke followed along. Jason and the police officers were around collecting evidence and statements. Sean stayed to review the security footage. At the hospital. Johann thought that he was a very unlucky man. Earlier, an entric young woman had hit him with her car and broke his leg. After a month of rest, before he regained full functionality of his leg, his best friend had dragged him out of the bed and forced him to save Bianca''s baby. His bad mood was made worse by Luke¡¯s horrible attitude. He said that he was not able to go because his leg had not fully recovered yet. After that, Luke threatened him that he would break his other leg, and Johann could live the rest of his life in a wheelchair! Instantly, he jumped out of bed, rushed to Bianca''s ward, and gave his assurance that the baby would definitely be safe. ''Can you not threaten me willy-nilly? It''s very scary!'' He thought. Johann knew that Luke was a man on his word. Luke would do anything when he was desperate. ''Sigh! A man in love acts just like an idiot!'' Outside of the ward, the man stood there smoking cigarette after cigarette, ignoring the no-smoking sign on the wall. His brows were tightly furrowed, but that did not affect his impably cold features. "Boss." Jason came to Luke''s side and nervously handed him a report." The results of the autopsy are out. The snakes went berserk because they inhaled a certain hallucinogenic drug, and the drug was mixed in the pesticide that was sprayed on the peony nts..." Luke was shocked. He remembered that Bianca wasining to him earlier that the peonies did not look too healthy, but they seemed to recover after the gardener sprayed the pesticide. His pupils constricted, and a sinister smile appeared on his lips." Investigate the pesticide supplier. Find him no matter what it takes!" Chapter 536 Chapter 536 Luke¡¯s Hostility Grew! Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Luke thought that he had seen the same trick before. He remembered the berserk Persian cat when they were in Blue Honors. Both incidents were very simr, and he could not help but feel suspicious. "Boss, these snakes aren''t native to the country. Someone must have smuggled them in through the ck market," Jason analyzed calmly. Luke narrowed his eyes, and a cold smile appeared on his face. "Contact Percy Mallory and ask him for his help. He should be able to find the source of the snakes and the details of the transaction." He could roughly guess who the mastermind was, but he did not have solid evidence yet. Once he could confirm that the mastermind was the same person in his mind, he would not spare them any mercy! The media reported heavily on the news about the appearance of venomous snakes in La Fontaine Mansions. La Fontaine Mansions was a development project under T Corporation. It was an elite low-density neighborhood, and each of the mansions cost tens of millions of dors. The house owners became fearful after they knew about the incident. Certain media outlets were bribed to report negatively on the incident. They criticized that most of T Corporation''s development projects were nothing but low-quality cash-grabs, and Luke Crawford was the most unscrupulous developer in all of A City. They drew parallels between the arson case at Greenview Regalia and the incident of the venomous snakes at La Fontaine Mansions, criticizing that T Corporation did not show any concern toward the safety of the homeowners. The media also caught on to the fact that Luke had harbored a woman in La Fontaine Mansions, and they reported widely on Bianca''s hospitalization. Luke Crawford had been in the limelighttely. He had often appeared in the news thanks to the engagement ceremonies with Bianca Rayne and Leia Norman. In addition to that, the trial for the arson case was starting soon, and now another major incident happened in another project of T Corporation... The media snapped onto those shocking incidents. After receiving negative press from the media, T Corporation''s share prices which had begun to stabilize started to drop again. Media reporters flocked to the hospital Bianca was in, eager to unearth more information about T Corporation and Luke''s personal life. The reporters surrounded Luke in the ward. He focused all his attention on the unconscious Bianca, and he was extremely irritated by the distractions. He turned around and addressed the reporters. "All those so-called exposes are nothing but lies. Someone has released the snakes in the mansion in a murder attempt. When the investigation is done, I will give everyone a satisfactory exnation. Anyone who makes up stories will find theirpanies shuttered!" Luke''s vicious words and his icy demeanor intimidated the reporters. Some media outlets stopped reporting on the incident, but others who were not scared continued to report on it. At the moment, Luke was in a horrible mood. Bianca had a weak constitution. Adding that to the fright she suffered from the snakes, the baby was at a huge risk of miscarriage. Even Johann had to be extremely careful when saving the baby. His woman''s condition was not optimistic, and the reporters were buzzing around like flies. That contributed to Luke''s bad mood. Once he lost his temper, he instantly shut down the media outlets that continued to spew nonsense. The other media outlets knew that Luke meant what he said, and his patience had already been worn out. After weighing the pros and cons, they instantly recalled their reporters in case they were caught up in his rampage. After all, Luke was not one to y dirty. If he wanted you bankrupt, not only would he bankrupt you, but he would also saddle you with huge debts. Luke was a scary individual, and no one dared to cross him. Previously, any gossip on Luke only served to entertain the masses. However, when the rumors involved Bianca, he was not going to tolerate it. After his threat, all the reporters disappeared from the hospital. The hospital was once again peaceful. Jason and Sean investigated the ck market and the pesticide supplier respectively. Transactions in the ck market should have been ndestine. However, Percy controlled the ck market, and he turned the other way because he was good friends with Luke. Soon, useful information was found. The person who bought the ck mambas was a man named Gregor Jones. On the surface, he was a hooligan who survived on extorting small businesses. However, he was discovered to have a hidden identity. He was a special forces soldier who served in the southeastern region of the country. After he left the army, he joined an international mercenary organization. Most intriguingly, his direct superior was Wayne tt. Gregor Jones had bought the venomous snakes from the ck market. They ran into some obstacles when they hunted down the pesticide supplier. Uncle Vald had been unconscious, and it took two days before the identity and whereabouts of the pesticide supplier were found. However, the pesticide supplier seemed to have disappeared from A City. There were no traces of him anywhere. They could not trace his movements, except that he had checked into a luxury hotel three days ago. If they could not track him down, it meant that the pesticide supplier had used a fake identity or that someone was harboring him somewhere. A man could not have disappeared like a magic trick. In the hospital ward. Luke had been racking his brain over the mystery. His gaze was downcast, and no one knew what he was thinking. Johann reced Bianca''s intravenous drip. He nced at Bianca''s peaceful sleeping face, then at Luke''s serious expression, and shook his head. "Bro, the baby is safe now. Don''t worry," he said jokingly, "I say, don''t frown so much when you''re still so young. It''s a big waste of your handsome face! Do you want to look like a fifty-year-old when you¡¯re not even thirty?" Luke shot an icy nce at him. Johann chuckled and shifted the topic. "I''m just joking. You don''t have to be too serious about it. I say, Sis is so gentle and kind, so which b*stard would be so brazen to harm her? I wonder why they spend so much effort to assassinate her with snakes when a bullet could''ve done the same thing." Johann could not figure out why the perpetrator would use such a convoluted method. Luke spoke coldly, "Assassinating someone with conventional means would easily arouse suspicion. As long as they are careful, snakes can be treated as an ident. Moreover, the mastermind would be able to capitalize on the ''ident'' and take down T Corporation in one fell swoop." However, the perpetrator did not consider that snakes were mere beasts with limited mental capacity. That was why Bianca was able to survive the ordeal. Bianca was lucky to escape death, but she could not rely on luck all the time. Luke held Bianca''s cold hand and ced it on his palm. He was experiencing a mixture of emotions: Pity, love, and guilt. His phone rang. Luke answered it. "Did you find anything?" Johann could not hear what the other end said, but he could feel Luke''s hostility growing, like a spider weaving its web, or like a demon emerging from hell. He could not help but shudder! Chapter 537 Chapter 537 Teaching Leia A Lesson! Looking at Luke''s expression, one could tell that the identity of the mastermind was exactly the person that was on his mind. Luke''s handsome face seemed to be shrouded in ayer of ice. A silent storm was brewing in his eyes. ''All those idents that befell Bianca! ''To think that she was so close to me! ''This is such a horrible feeling!¡¯ Luke carefully tucked Bianca into the nket. He gazed upon her pale face, and he was awash with guilt. He had promised Bianca safety and happiness, but he seemed to have failed. Bianca had suffered multiple times when she was with him. Luke''s anger red in his eyes when he thought of how the snakes had almost bitten her and the bright red blood that flowed from between her legs. Even his fingertips were trembling from anger. He would not forgive the person who had harmed his woman, no matter how powerful that person''s background might be! A long whileter, Luke turned around and ordered Johann, "Take care of your Sis." Johann had an ominous feeling. "Where are you going, Bro?" "I''m going to deal with the criminal." Those icy words that left Luke''s mouth made Johann shiver. In the VIP hospital ward. Leia watched the television while happily munching on the apple that Linda, her agent, had peeled for her. There were too many scandals about hertely. Linder Linda''s advice, Leia yed the victim by staying in the hospital. Once in a while, she would tell the media reporters how she was suffering in the hospital. Actually, she quite enjoyed the rxing life. Queenie wanted to bring Leia home to recuperate. However, whenever she mentioned it to her daughter, Leia seemed to sink into despair. Queenie was worried for her daughter and stopped mentioning it. Queenie thought that Leia''s attitude had changed a lot. She thought that her daughter seemed depressed, but she attributed it to the botched engagement ceremony. She rarely went to herpany and instead spent more time at the hospital with her daughter, fearing that her daughter would do something stupid again. That morning, Queenie went to thepany to handle some urgent matters. Only Linda was in the ward apanying Leia. Leia watched the news reports on the television: Bianca was injured in a snake attack. T Corporation''s share prices were dropping because of the incident at one of their development projects. She seemed calm andposed, but she was actuallyughing up her sleeve. Happily, she thought that even if Bianca did not die from the snake attack, the baby in her womb would be gone for sure. While she was chatting with her agent, the door was suddenly kicked open! Several well-built men in ck suits and shades barged into the ward. "Hey! Who are you guys? What do you want? Don''t you know that this is the daughter of the Provincial Committee Secretary, you..." Linda was yelling until one of the men unsheathed a dagger, which instantly shut her up. "Shut your mouth if you want to live!" The man spoke impatiently. He pointed the dagger at Leia and said coldly, "Follow us!" Instantly, Linda wanted to call the police, but one of the men in ck knocked her out. She fell limply on the floor! It was the first time Leia had encountered such a situation. Needless to say, she was very afraid. She had acted in thriller movies in which she was an abductee, but she had never encountered it in real life... She had always presented her docile side in public. Who could have borne a grudge against her? Looking at Linda slumped on the floor, Leia wanted to discreetly call her parents on her phone. Just when she was about to open her mouth, she felt a blunt pain on the back of her head, after which she lost consciousness. The men acted very swiftly, and there were not many patients on the second floor of the VIP wing. When the nurses discovered that Linda was unconscious and Leia was missing, they shrieked for help. However, they could only see the clouds of exhaust as the car drove away, and not even the car''s model or te... Leia was woken up by a ssh of cold water. She looked around her and found that she was in an abandoned factory. Surrounding her was rusted scaffolding and machinery and nothing else. Even the windows and doors were rusted. The wind came in through the precarious windows, and the rusted scaffolding creaked. It was like a scene in a horror movie. Goosebumps formed on her skin. She recalled that she had been knocked out in the hospital. She wanted to stand up, but it was then when she realized that her hands and feet were bound by rope. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. She began to be afraid. She tried to struggle out of her bonds when someone kicked her. "You''d better behave!" Leia red at the man who dared to kick her. She wanted to remember his face. Ever since she had be Ms. Norman, no one even dared to yell at her, much less beat her! The man wore shades, and she could only discern his figure and silhouette. Leia was resentful forthat. She began to waver after looking at several of those men. The men were especially muscr and well-built. Not even the suits could conceal their muscles. Leia became more confused than ever... Suddenly, the door opened, and the orange sunlight shone through. She narrowed her eyes reflexively. In the next second, she saw a magnificent masculine figure descend upon her like a god. He towered over her and looked down at her cowering figure. Leia was shocked when she saw Luke appear before her. When she came to her senses, she became delighted. Color returned to her haggard face. "Luke, are... are you here to save me?" 1 An icy smile appeared on Luke''s face. It was as chilling as a devil. "I haven¡¯t seen you in a few days, Ms. Norman. You seem to be healthy." Leia started crying as though she had forgotten that she was being abducted. ¡®I''ve been suffering for the past few days, Luke. I love you so much, so why did you call off the engagement? Am I not good enough for you? I''ve been hoping every day that you''lle and visit me, and now God has answered my prayers. You still miss me, right?" Luke chuckled coldly. ¡¯This woman is delusional! She has lost her mind!'' He slowly leaned over and pinched Leia''s chin with his slender fingers as though intending to crush her lower jaw. The man''s icy voice escaped from his sexy lips and entered Leia''s ears. ¡° Am I here to save you? Do you think you deserve to be saved, you evil witch?" The man in ck standing next to him handed him a wet wipe. Luke took it and carefully cleaned the hand that he used to touch Leia. He frowned disgustedly, then carelessly tossed the wet wipe into a trash can nearby. "You..." Leia was panicking. She did not know what he wanted. Luke red at her coldly and smiled maliciously. "Ms. Norman, I remember telling you that you should stay away from my woman, hmm?" 1 "What?" Leia pretended to be oblivious. She tried to avert his gaze. "Luke... what are you saying? I don''t understand..." Chapter 538 Chapter 538 Taste Of Your Own Medicine! Suddenly, a sharp dagger was held to Leia''s delicate cheek. She grabbed the corner of her clothes in a panic. She was terrified! Leia pushed down her fear, stammering, "Luke... Luke, what are you doing? Knives are... too dangerous... Can you please... Please keep it away from me..." The man in front of her was still handsome and absolutely iparable, but the look on his face when he looked at her reflected hate and disgust. Leia''s vision was blurry now. She felt like her chest had been pierced by a needle, causing her intense pain! Luke hated her. That was uneptable to her. She could tolerate Luke''s indifferent attitude, but not his hatred and dislike. "I didn''t think you''d know fear, Ms. Norman. I thought you were fearless? When you publicly attempted suicide in front of the media, why didn''t you cut a little deeper? You disgust me! Leia, for Mr. Norman''s sake, I chose to close one eye to your previous evil deeds, but I didn''t expect that you would dare attack Bianca again and again. Do you value your life?!" The thin dagger pressed against her face and Leia moved slightly, feeling a fiery pain on her face. She was so scared she dared not move. She was afraid that her beautiful face would be ruined if she did! "Luke, I don¡¯t know what you''re talking about! Although Ms. Rayne and I are love rivals, I know you love her more than life itself. I didn''t do anything to her. At most... I just tried to trigger her with words. Whatever happened to Ms. Rayne has nothing to do with me..." Although Leia was shaking like a leaf, she insisted that she was innocent. If she kept her mouth shut and insisted that what had happened to Bianca had nothing to do with her, Luke would let her go out of respect for her parents and would not go too far. However, if she admitted to it, Luke''s hateful personality would not allow her to get away in one piece. Luke sneered and rebuked, "You still don''t want to admit to what you did? Leia, you hired someone to release dozens of venomous snakes in La Fontaine Mansions!" With a quick slice of the dagger, Leia''s long hair was cut in half. Her cut hair scattered on her face, chest, and thighs. It made her scream with everything she had! She was afraid that her beauty would be ruined in a blink of an eye. "It wasn''t me, Luke, I swear it wasn''t me! If you don''t have any evidence, please don¡¯t use me of anything! I don''t know where La Fontaine Mansions is. I don''t know anything about snakes... Please, I don''t know anything...¡± Leia was a natural actress and could easily control her emotions. 1 Although she was trembling with fear, she still did not forget to act and desperately justified her guilt. However, her evil and lying face disgusted Luke! "Do you think I would¡¯ve brought you here if I didn¡¯t have proof?" Luke threw a thick pile of photos at Leia. Some of the photos fell one by one on the uneven concrete floor.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. When Leia saw those photos, her eyes widened in shock! The photos showed the farmers getting caught by the police, Wayne tt getting something to execute the n of releasing poisonous snakes to scare Bianca almost to death, and there were also... indecent photos of her and Wayne! "I didn''t expect you to be such a licentious woman, Ms. Norman. On the surface, you look and act like a nobledy, but you''re so promiscuous in private. What do you think if I were to send these photos of the two of you in bed to the media? Ms. Norman, you¡¯re very charming. You even managed to get Wayne tt to kiss your shoestrings. The well-known yboy of A City is willing to take orders from you to harm others. If your adoptive parents know that they have such a cruel daughter, what would they think? Would they be proud of you?" Luke¡¯s smile carried a hint of sarcasm and coldness. 1 Leia waspletely dumbfounded. ''How could this be? Wayne has always been reliable. He makes sure to never leave any evidence. How could Luke have found out about this in such a short amount of time?'' Also, Luke found pictures of her and Wayne! If the photos were published, her acting career would be destroyed! Ten years ago, there was a sex scandal involving multiple celebrities that turned into national news. That incident almost wiped out the top-notch female celebrities in Hollywood, exposing the wild private lives of the popr stars. The innocentdies fell from heaven straight into hell. The careers of those actresses plummeted and they never got to step foot into Hollywood again... Even though it had happened ten years ago, the scandal was still talked about byizens. Whenever the names of the female celebrities involved were mentioned, the reactions were of disdain, mockery, and disgust. Many of the celebrities whose indecent photos were exposed had been building their careers through film and music throughout the years. Even then, it was difficult for them to regain their status. Leia had only been in the entertainment industry for a short while and she had yet to establish a solid position for herself in the industry. If these scandalous high-definition photos of her were released, all the glory and apuse that belonged to her now would be no more. Her acting career would be destroyed. She would no longer be able to marry rich like she had always nned. No rich man would marry a notorious woman, not even if her adoptive father was Jack Norman, the Provincial Committee Secretary. Leia immediately panicked! She cried and begged Luke, "Luke, I... I didn¡¯t do it on purpose... I got jealous. I love you so much but you don''t even care about me. I just wanted to scare Bianca... I never thought of killing her, really... Please spare me this time, I''ll do anything for you. I swear I won¡¯t do it again..." "You won''t do it again?" Luke sneered as he said, "Do you think I¡¯ll believe in your nonsense? Do you think that I don''t know that you were behind the Persian cat incident? Or the time you drove your car into Bianca and almost caused her to have a miscarriage? "I wanted to kill you then, but for your father''s sake and to gain good karma for our unborn child, I chose to close an eye. I thought that if I didn¡¯t react to you, you would stop, but I didn''t expect that you would be such a vicious woman. You became worse and tried to murder Bianca again! Since you''re asking for it, then I will fulfill your death wish! You like venomous snakes, don''t you? Time for a taste of your own medicine!" Luke had a chilly expression on his face as he motioned to the men in ck suits. They walked toward Leia, carrying sacks. Leia was not sure what was in the woven bags. Whatever was inside them was squirming, giving her chills. Leia was panicking and had a terrible feeling about what was about to happen to her. Just when she was about to open her mouth, the men opened the sacks and poured the contents onto Leia''s head... Snakes! "Ah! Ah!" Leia screamed in horror. She struggled as though she was trying to break through the roof of the abandoned factory. Countless snakes of varying colors and types wrapped themselves around Leia''s neck, arms, and thighs. She broke into tears! She rolled her eyes and was about to faint... One of the men opened Leia''s mouth forcibly and made her swallow a white pill. The pill melted on her tongue and Leia turned speechless. She was in despair when she found out that the pill gave her an endless rush of adrenaline. It would be impossible for her to pass out... Leia was horrified! Tears streamed down her face as her gaze fell on the man who was leaving... 1 Luke Crawford was a cruel man! Chapter 539 Chapter 539 That B*tch Got What She Deserves! Hospital. Bianca was thinking about how she had been stuck in the hospital for a while... She had just recovered from her leg injury from the car ident. Shortly after, she was attacked by poisonous snakes, which almost caused her to have a miscarriage. She had been with Luke for so long that she noticed a pattern. Every time she was in danger, it was indirectly or directly rted to him. "Bea, are you and the CEO ipatible? Before you got together with him, you lived a carefree life. You were safe and were rarely sick. However, after the two of you got together, you were scratched by a cat, hit by a car, and this time, you were bitten by a poisonous snake... Oh my God, why are bad things happening to you?!" Nina passed the fruit puree into Bianca''s hands. She could not believe it! 1 "I think so too." Sue waddled over and handed Bianca an outdated magazine. "Look, since you got together with the CEO, you''ve been the star of the news a couple of times now. The number of times you''re featured isparable to a superstar. I think it''s right to say that you should cherish your life and stay away from Mr. Crawford." Bianca was speechless. Couples around her had a smooth sailing journey when it came to their rtionships. However, for her, falling in love had almost caused her to lose her life... Several days had passed since she encountered the poisonous snakes but Bianca would still be woken up by terrifying nightmares every once in a while. She would dream that the poisonous snakes were about to bite her! The snakes bit her all over and were dripping with her blood. She felt terrified thinking about it. Bianca had always been afraid of snakes and was deeply traumatized by what had happened. She knew that it would take a while for her to get over her nightmares. After she listened to her friend''s kind advice, she smiled and ced their words at the back of her mind. "I''ve known Luke for years. Our rtionship is not something you can understand. This is what love is, it won''t always be sweet. There are some tough times too. I can enjoy the warmth that our love brings, and at the same time, I will also bear with the dangers thate with it." Sue chuckled while stroking her belly. "Forget it. No matter how much we try to persuade you, you''ve already made up your mind to be with Mr. Crawford forever. Bea, you''re lucky to have met such a gentle and considerate person like Mr. Crawford. Not only is he rich and handsome, but he also only has eyes for you. Hmm... It would be nice if you didn''t have to go through so much." Nina smiled and said, "Nothing in life is as you nned it to be. However, the people who did this to Bea are horrible! How dare they be so vicious to a pregnant woman?! I hope Mr. Crawford can find out who did this as soon as possible. This shall not go unpunished! They would pay for all their sins!" That made Sue smile, and even Biancaughed rather helplessly. Nina was such an honest person, but she became a potty mouth when she got agitated. Bianca said, "I want to go for a walk outside. I feel like I¡¯m trapped in the ward. Sue, Nina, shall we go get some fresh air?" "Let''s go!" Nina was the first to respond. She, too, was not a fan of the smell of sanitizers. "Bea, do you want to use a wheelchair? I''ll help you." She was worried about Bianca''s recent leg injury and her fragile body due to her near-miscarriage incident. Bianca shook her head and said, "It''s okay. My legs have almost recovered. The/re no different from before. The doctor said that I can''t stay in bed all the time and I should go for more walks to breathe in some fresh air. It¡¯s good for me and our baby." As soon as the baby was mentioned, Sue started to rant, "Yes, pregnant women like us need to stay active. Your baby is five months old, right? Mine is seven months, and I''m so tired of being pregnant every day! My arms and legs are swollen! Being a mother is not as easy as I thought. I swear that I won''t have another baby after this one!" Nina covered her mouth and chuckled. "Sue, if you find it troublesome, you can give me one baby. I love babies!" Sue rolled her eyes and said, "Although I dislike the suffering my twins are bringing me, I love them very much. I would never give either one of them to you! If you want a child, find a man!" What Sue had said made things awkward. Nina''s expression turned pained. Sue was still in a blur but noticed that Nina was unhappy. She asked stupidly, "What''s wrong? Did I say something wrong?" Bianca knew that Sue''s words had hurt Nina and poked at an old wound. After she adjusted her clothing, Bianca got down from the bed. She smiled and grabbed Nina''s arm before walking out. "Let''s go outside and rx." The environment outside was particrly nice with 80% of their view covered with lush greens. The air was fresh too. Bianca had been stuck in the ward for a long time and this was the first time since she got hospitalized that she was heading out to rx with her two friends. They talked about their work and life. It helped her lighten the load on her mind. When they passed by another ward, they saw a police cordon. Many police officers with guns were on duty as well. Everyone who entered and exited the building was strictly checked before they could be registered. Bianca froze, wondering what had happened in the hospital. Why were there so many police officers? Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. What happened?! She nced at Sue curiously. Nina had gone to gossip, talking to the passersby who were watching nearby before hurrying back. "Hey, guess what I just found out?''1 Nina cheekily said to Bianca and Sue. "What''s happening? Why are you acting so mysterious?" Sue was not the most patient person. "Come here, I have good news..." Nina grabbed Sue''s hand and formed a small circle together with Bianca. Nina whispered and excitedly said, "I heard that Mr. Norman''s daughter was kidnapped! Hahaha, Leia has done so many terrible deeds. That b*tch got what she deserves!" Bianca was shocked. She did not expect that Leia would be in the same hospital as her. She did not expect that Leia would have been kidnapped from the hospital either. This hospital was one of the best in A City, and there were a lot of patients here every day. She was impressed with the person who kidnapped her. That person had kidnapped her in in sight! Suddenly, Bianca recalled something. When she was falling asleep the previous night, she had heard Luke say, "Deal with the murderer!" Suddenly, Bianca had a terrible feeling! Was Luke the person behind Leia''s kidnapping?! Chapter 540 Chapter 540 The n Had Failed... Just as Bianca wondered if Luke was the one behind Leia''s kidnapping... Suddenly, a domineering female voice disturbed her thoughts. "I don''t care about what you have to do, you have to find a matching bone marrow! The doctor said that Shane might not survive if he doesn''t get a bone marrow transnt soon. He''s my darling boy and your only son. I will never allow this to happen!" Her partnerforted her, saying, "Don''t worry, I''ll find a suitable donor." The man''s voice sounded familiar, and Bianca looked at the source in surprise. At the end of the hospital corridor, Bianca saw Jay''s special assistant, Jason Doyle. He was talking to a beautiful but aggressive woman. 2 The woman looked like she was in her early 30s. It could be seen that she took care of her appearance and had a graceful figure. She wore a priceless jade ne around her neck. Anyone could tell that she was wealthy, but her aggressive attitude did not give others a good impression. Jason noticed Bianca and the others. There was a subtle change in his expression when he saw Sue. Jason smiled awkwardly at them and went over to say hello, "Ms. Rayne, what a coincidence! Let me introduce you to my ex-wife, Bailey Quarrington." C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org He pointed at Bianca and the others, introducing them to the woman next to him, "Bailey, this is my boss'' fiancee, Bianca. These are my colleagues, Sue Carter and Nina Langdon." "I''m not interested! Jason, find a suitable bone marrow for Shane within one month. Otherwise, get ready to write his eulogy!" Bailey nced at Bianca and looked extremely arrogant. She did not even bother to say hello to them. She left with her high heels clicking against the floor toward the outpatient building. Bianca did not expect Jason''s ex-wife to be so temperamental. However, she was just a passing stranger so Bianca was not too worried about it. Nina was pretty carefree so she did not mind Bailey''s attitude. Sue was excited when she first saw Jason, but when she met Bailey, her heart instantly dropped. She could not help but go into overthinking mode. It turned out that Mr. Doyle''s ex-wife was so defiant... He was nothing in front of his ex-wife. Could this have been the reason for their divorce? Jason looked at Bailey and felt helpless. He touched his gold-rimmed sses. He was embarrassed and said, "I apologize for my ex-wife. She has always had a bad temper, please forgive her." "It''s okay," Bianca said casually and then asked curiously, "Mr. Doyle, I overheard that your son needs a bone marrow transnt. Is he sick?" Sue¡¯s eyelids twitched, and she pretended to tease Jason in an indifferent tone, "Mr. Doyle, you''re so secretive! We¡¯ve worked together for so many years but I never heard you mention your son.¡± When Sue heard that Jason had a son, she felt a little ufortable and could not tell why. Maybe it was because she felt grateful for his help when she had run into her scumbag ex in a children''s clothing store the previous time. It was also at that time that she quietly started to develop an inexplicable and unclear affection toward him. After that day, Sue no longer treated him coldly in thepany but treated him with courtesy instead. As she got closer to Jason, Sue thought that he was mature and funny. She found him really charming. Jason seemed to be taking good care of Sue as well. In addition to taking extra care of her at work, they also went out during non-working hours. He often invited her for meals, went out on walks with her, brought her shopping after getting off work, and others of the like. They were like a real couple. Although the two did not talk about it, they understood what they meant to the other. Sue had thought that their rtionship was going somewhere. However, the moment she learned that Jason had a son, she felt like she was struck by lightning. The budding love that just sprouted in her heart quickly died. However, Sue held it together. She had a smile on her face as usual, but it was a superficial smile. Jason, who knew Sue well, knew that she was upset. He looked at Sue''s bright face and was hesitant to speak. He knew that it was not the time to open up and be honest. In the end, he sighed without giving her too much of an exnation. Nina was daft and did not notice the awkwardness between them. She jokingly said to Jason, "Mr. Doyle, the female employees of ourpany think you''re a bachelor. I didn''t expect that you would have a son, that''s amazing! How old is he?" Jason smiled bitterly. "When I divorced Bailey five years ago, I didn''t know that she was pregnant. She was bitter about the divorce so she hid it from me. I only found out recently that I have a son. Shane is four years old, but he has been suffering from leukemia since a young age. He desperately needs a bone marrow transnt. If it weren¡¯t for him being hospitalized, Bailey would not have told me about him..." The three women kept silent for a while. They did not know how tofort Jason. Although medical technology had advanced a lot, leukemia was still an incurable disease. It was difficult to find a suitable donor for this disease. Even if a patient found a suitable bone marrow, there were still countless instances of the patient dying from the disease due to variousplications after a sessful surgery. Bianca coughed and asked cautiously, "Mr. Doyle, can we meet your son?" Jason shook his head. "Shane is now in a hospital in B City. Bailey heard that Dr. Luis at Paramount Hospital in A City is good at treating leukemia in kids, so she wanted to transfer Shane here. We just met Dr. Luis to discuss the procedures. In the afternoon, I''ll go to B City to pick Shane up." Bianca let out a sound of response and continued tofort him, saying," Mr. Doyle, don''t worry about it. There¡¯ll be a way. You¡¯ll definitely find a suitable bone marrow for Shane." "Yeah, I will," Jason said confidently. Until now, he was still in shock. He could not believe that he had a four-year -old son. He had gone through the initial shock, loss, and helplessness to the current excitement, joy, and sadness. Jason nced at Sue with aplicated expression on his face and felt guilty once more. He felt that he might have disappointed Sue. Sue bit her lip, her long eyshes concealing her sad expression. She gently stroked her belly. She was going to give birth in two months. It was no big deal. She was not alone, she had two babies. Embroidery shop. Shakira Neile had be fascinated with cross-stitching recently. She went to a well-known embroidery shop called Heavenly Stitch. She nned on choosing an embroidery piece to bring home. She would give them to her husband to celebrate his promotion after she was done embroidering them. After carefully browsing, Shakira chose her piece and went to pay. As soon as she walked out of the embroidery shop, she looked at a remote corner. Allison Tanner seemed to be arguing with a woman whom she did not have a good view of... Due to the distance, Shakira could not hear the specifics of what they were arguing about. She only heard Allison scream, "Why did you return to this country?! "That child is still alive... If people find out about this, things won''t look good for you!" It was all threats. Shakira frowned. Due to Queenie Zeigler, she did not have much contact with Allison. To be honest, she rarely saw Allison losing control like that. ''If people find out about this... What does she mean?¡¯ If it were not something terrible, a scheming woman like Allison would not lose her temper in public... Women were born to gossip. Shakira quietly walked closer to try to hear what they were arguing about... Chapter 541 Chapter 541 Queenie¡¯s Ob-gyn Allison did not expect to meet a woman whom she thought she would never meet again in A City! Dr. Vyen Lane, Queenie''s obstetrician and gynecologist! She gritted her teeth and stared at Vyen. Allison wanted to throw her LV bag in her hand on Dr. Lane''s head. "You promised me that you''ll never step into A City ever again. I didn''t expect that you would dare break your promise! Vyen, what do you want? Are you regretting your decision?" Vyen was about 50 years old. She was tall and fat with an ordinary appearance. She was one of those women who would blend into the crowd. The only thing that made her stand out was her extraordinarily round and plump figure. 1 She was the same age as Allison, but because she had not been taking care of her appearance, she looked ten years older than Allison. 1 Vyen did not expect that she would be caught on the spot by Allison just a few days after she arrived in A City. She said with a guilty tone, ''For so many years, I''ve been honest and stayed away from here. My aunt passed away a few days ago in my hometown so I came back for the funeral. After the funeral is over, I¡¯ll immediately fly back. I promise you that!" Allison did not trust her. "Do you think I¡¯m a fool? If you came for a funeral, why do you look happy? If your second aunt passed away, why are you here at the embroidery shop? This is not the first time you''ve returned to A City throughout these years, is it?" Allison was quick-tempered and impulsive, but she was not a dumb woman! She was skeptical of Vyen''s words. "No, do I look like that kind of person? I came back for a funeral. If you don''t believe me, you can follow me home to take a look. As for the embroidery shop, it''s because I like cross-stitching very much. However, it¡¯s rare for me to find such high-quality pieces abroad. Taking advantage of my return, I wanted to buy more embroidery pieces but I didn''t expect to meet you here..." Vyen chuckled awkwardly and hurriedly exined. She regretted it now. She had chosen to take Allison''s money back then and went overseas, epting the condition that she was not allowed to ever return home. Others thought that she had a good life abroad, but they did not see the helplessness and sadness of her wandering and lonely soul. "Vyen, when you''re done with your affairs, go back immediately! If I see you again, I''ll make you pay! You must not know that my son is the CEO of T Corporation. He¡¯s a powerful man who can take care of anyone in A City easily!" Allison said coldly. Vyen lowered her head. It was unsure whether she was frightened by Allison''s threat or she was immersed in memories of the past. More than 20 years ago, she had graduated from medical university and was assigned to a small township. The sry as the local ob-gyn was not high. Her rtionship with her colleagues was competitive, and there was a lot of gossip going around the office. Vyen, who was arrogant, could not deal with the drama. After much deliberation, she resigned from the hospital and opened a gynecology clinic. She was enthusiastic about her service and had great skills. Her small clinic gradually gained a bit of fame and many people came to seek her help. On that particr day, Vyen remembered that it was raining heavily outside. She was the only one left in the clinic. On that evening, a beautiful pregnant woman came to her clinic. Her name was Queenie Zeigler. Her water broke, and the baby in her belly was at risk. Usually when pregnant women gave birth, they would go to a regr hospital and would be apanied by a family member or the husband throughout the entire process. However, for some reason, at that critical moment, Queenie was not apanied by her husband or family. Only her coquettish best friend, Allison, apanied her. They were at a remote location that was too far from the hospital. They had no intention of going to the hospital and they offered Vyen good money, so she agreed to deliver the baby... Queenie was weak and the delivery was not going well. Various factors caused her to have a difficult delivery. A long time had passed and the baby was still inside of her. The pain and the excessive force used caused Queenie''s consciousness to be a little muddled. She was bleeding heavily and her condition was not improving. At that extremely critical moment, Vyen could only save either the mother or the child. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org At that time,munication and transportation in remote locations were not as developed. It was hard to get ambnces in their area. Vyen felt powerless and asked Queenie to make the decision. Allison had no direct kinship with Queenie and was not legally able to sign an agreement on her behalf. All she could do then was ask Queenie about her wish. "Ms. Zeigler, you¡¯re in a dangerous situation. You¡¯re bleeding heavily. At this point, I can only save either you or your child. Here''s an agreement that requires your family''s signature, but since your family is not around, you have to make your own decision." Vyen handed the drafted agreement to Queenie and continued talking, "If you want to protect yourself, please sign form A; if you want to protect your child, please sign form B." Queenie had almost passed out at the time. She seemed so weak she looked like she just wanted the pain to stop. However, when Dr. Vyen asked her whether she wanted to save herself or her child, she resolutely said, "Save my child, I want my child to be safe and it doesn''t matter what happens to me!" "Queenie, let''s save you. Your life is more important!" Allison tried to talk Queenie out of it. 2 Vyen also persuaded her, saying, "Ms. Zeigler, you''re still young. You can still have children in the future. But if you die, wouldn''t it be more pitiful for the child to be born without a mother?" Queenie''s decision was firm and there was no room for discussion. "Keep the baby, you must save my baby! Doctor, please! Something happened to my husband and what he wants more than anything is our baby''s birth. If I don''t save our child, I won''t be able to face him. If the child is gone, I don''t want to live either..." With that, Queenie broke down. She felt useless. When she saw Queenie breaking down, Dr. Vyen asked her to sign the agreement to save the child, thinking that everything was down to fate! Maybe Queenie was a great person. Despite Vyen predicting that one of them had to die, Queenie tried her best and gave birth to a beautiful baby girl... She was not worried about her life, but she fell into aa because she was too exhausted. Just as Vyen was immersed in the joy of the safe birth of a new life, Allison suddenly approached her and made her a deal. That deal resulted in her not being able to enter her home country for more than 20 years. She could not even visit her parents. Vyen regretted it! 1 Vyen did not know why Allison hated Queenie so much that she had to punish her that way. It seemed like they were close, and it was obvious that Queenie trusted her so much. However, that was not of Vyen''s concern. Allison said that her partner was one of the richest businessmen in the world. As long as she agreed to her terms, she promised to send her abroad and give her arge sum of money to buy her silence! Allison also gave Vyen a priceless ne that she had been wearing on her neck as a deposit. Going abroad had been Vyen''s dream for many years, a wish that could not be fulfilled herself. Not to mention that Allison had promised to give her arge sum of hush fee as well Under the temptation of the devil, Vyen decided to go against her morals. Chapter 542 Chapter 542 Where Was Queenie''s Child? Therefore, Vyen and Allison conspired to swap Queenie''s healthy and beautiful daughter with a dead baby who had been born to another local girl. After Queenie woke up, she learned that her baby was stillborn and almost went crazy. Her pale face was full of gloom and despair. She held the dead baby in her arms and refused to let go. Her eyes were almost blinded by the excessive crying. She keptining that she was useless and had failed to keep her and her husband''s child. Vyen was ufortable when she saw Queenie''s death-like appearance. However, she was consumed by her greed. She prioritized her needs and ignored the guilt she felt for Queenie. She forced herself to persuade Queenie that she was in good health and that she would have a chance to have other children in the future. However, Vyen knew that Queenie had a high probability of being infertile due to this dystocia, and her physical condition would not allow her to carry another child. Later, Allison fulfilled her promise and gave Vyen arge sum of money before she sent her out of the country. At first, Vyen was a little worried that someone would find out about what she had done, but after she arrived in the foreign country, she was quickly dazzled by the colorful and wonderful life abroad. No one said anything even after a few years, so Vyen feltcent after a while. However, after a few years abroad, she realized that the grass was not greener on the other side. Foreign countries were not as beautiful as she had thought. In the country she stayed in, racial discrimination was a serious issue. People of her race had a hard time there. Vyen did not have any other choice but to stay. Since Vyen had chosen to take Allison''s hush money, she dared not look back on her decision. Allison had even threatened Vyen that if she ever found out that she returned to their home country, she would ruin her and Vyen would never be able to practice medicine in her life again. For so many years, Vyen relied on the sum of money that Allison gave her as capital and opened a clinic in the city. The business was decent. Eventually, she found a local man there and got hitched. It was not a bad life, but not a particrly good one as well. As she got older, Vyen became more and more homesick. She thought about bringing her parents over, but they were used to living in their home country. They would have a hard time adjusting to life abroad. After staying with Vyen for two days, they would insist on heading home. Vyen felt helpless. She wanted to return to her home country to be closer to her parents. However, she did not dare to be loud and proud about it. Everytime she went home to visit her rtives, she could only do it sneakily. She did not expect that bad luck would strike and she would be caught by Allison as soon as she returned home this time. At the current moment, Vyen let out a long sigh. She was unable to restrain her curiosity. "Where''s Queenie''s child now? Is she still alive? Or... did you...?" i For so many years, although she had been doing rtively well in her life abroad, Vyen had been deeply tortured by this. It haunted her every night. There was always a crazydy in her dreams who chased after her and asked her for her child. This had haunted Vyen throughout the years. Allison looked at Vyen and sneered, "Why are you pretending to care about the child? Don''t be a hypocrite! When you took money from me and reced Queenie''s daughter with a stillborn, you weren''t so kind!" When Vyen heard Allison''s words, her face turned red and she said angrily," I admit that I was greedy and did something terrible, but you''re a pot calling the kettle ck! You were supposed to be Queenie¡¯s best friend but you''re secretly a scheming b*tch who swapped the babies! When she med herself for the loss of her beloved daughter, you pretended to be kind and consoled her. The worst thing that happened to Queenie was meeting you, fake b*tch!" "What are you talking about?" Allison raised her hand and pped Vyen in the face. Her stance was domineering! Vyen stood her ground and grabbed Allison''s hand. ¡°Why? Did I poke at your sore spot? You didn''t tell me why you secretly reced Queenie''s child. My guess is that it must be because Queenie is kind and beautiful. She married a tall, rich, and handsome husband, so you were jealous of her. You didn¡¯t want her to be happier than your miserable soul, so you wanted to ruin her flesh and blood..." Allison was triggered by Vyen and wanted to p her. However, Vyen was taller and stronger than her. It was not a fair fight. She looked around and was surprised to see people nearby. They should not be talking about such private matters here. She pushed down her temper and said to Vyen softly, "This is not a ce for us to catch up, let''s go to a cafe..." After she said that, Allison put on her sunsses and grabbed Vyen as though nothing had happened. Shakira Neile rubbed her eyes and could not believe what she saw. Shakira thought she was hallucinating until she saw the corner of Allison''s clothes that swept across the ss showcase of the store, i It turned out that Queenie''s child was not dead... It was all part of Allison''s scheme... However... ''Allison was so close with Queenie, why did she swap Queenie¡¯s child with a stillborn? Where is that child now? Is she still alive?'' Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. A series of questions came to mind, and Shakira was in a daze. Before she knew it, Allison and Vyen had disappeared. Shakira hurriedly chased after them. Unfortunately, there were too many people walking around the mall. She looked for them for a long time but never found them. Shakira decided to drive to the Normans¡¯ residence and decided to tell Queenie about this. If Queenie knew that her biological daughter whom she thought had been dead for a long time was still alive, she would be overjoyed! At night. Bianca hated the smell of disinfectant from the hospital and decided to ask Zander to send her home. She called Luke and he told her that he had some matters to deal with and would be backter. Bianca decided to wait for him. She wanted to ask if he was the one behind Leia''s kidnapping. She felt a little restless the entire night. She thought she could make it until Luke returned, but a pregnant woman like her needed sleep. Bianca waited until the early hours of the morning but Luke had not returned. She fell asleep on the sofa in front of the French windows. Luke got home at 1 a.m. He saw Bianca fall asleep on the sofa. Her delicate and small face was rosy, less pale than when she was in the hospital. Her lips looked like they were glowing with honey. Bianca was a light sleeper. As if she knew Luke had returned, she slowly opened her blurry eyes. She saw a tall man in front of her. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and said," Luke, you''re back..." Luke looked at Bianca''s sleepy appearance and a smile appeared. He leaned over and wrapped his arms around Bianca. He nted a big kiss on her... Chapter 543 Chapter 543 Something Happened To Their Daughter! Luke carried Bianca to the bedroom and kissed her fair forehead. "Why aren''t you sleeping in the room?" Bianca stayed in his arms like an obedient kitten, and there was still a hint of drowsiness in her voice. ¡°I thought you''d be back soon. Who knew you''de back sote..." "I''m indeed a little busy recently. Something went wrong with the partnership with Vivi Group, and the maid arson case is about to be heard in court. I''ll spend time with you and the baby after dealing with these matters." Luke put her on the big bed. "Are these things troublesome?" Bianca frowned. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Luke said, "The problem with the partnership has been resolved, and we''re still working on the arson case." Bianca heaved a long sigh as she recalled Giovan jumping from the building after the arson case. The whole country had been in shock since the arson case. Luke pushed Bianca''s messy hair aside, revealing her delicate little face." Deciding on a verdict isn''t as easy as you think." Bianca was upset. "Are we going to see the perpetrator go unpunished?" Luke held her hard and consoled her, saying, "This is the way the world is. The farmer and the viper exist everywhere. Not everyone is nice. Sometimes people will regard someone at the bottom of society or in an inferior position as the weak, but they don''t know that they may be a wolf in sheep''s clothing. When their hideous dark side is exposed, the consequences are absolutely unimaginable. So, Bea, you can be a kind person, but not an ignorantly kind one. Otherwise, you''ll only be bringing trouble upon yourself. But I''ll make sure that the murderer is brought to justice for Mr. Sonny''s wife and children''s sake." "So how are things going now?" Bianca asked anxiously. She was also the mother of two, and soon she would be the mother of three, so she hated the perpetrator. Luke bent his index finger and touched Bianca''s nose with a smile. "Why do you think I''ve been working on this case for so long that I don''t even have time to spend with you and the kids? You know I''d never go on a fool''s errand." He briefly went through everything while filtering his words. However, Bianca could guess how hard it must have been to deal with the old foxes in officialdom and knew that he probably paid more in secret for the case. Feeling a little distressed, Bianca touched his handsome face. "I believe you. The man I fell in love with is always the best. Besides, karma will get back at the evildoers one day. Jillian will pay a cruel price for what she has done." Luke said with certainty, "She surely will!" Bianca suddenly recalled Leia''s kidnapping case in the hospital. Her soft and fair fingers grabbed Luke''s cor. She met his eyes and asked with some agitation, "By the way, I heard about Leia¡¯s kidnapping incident when I was at the hospital today. It has nothing to do with you, right?" Lukepletely trusted the woman he loved deeply. He said without denying it, "I did ask someone to do it. That woman was the one behind that incident with the venomous snakes. That woman has repeatedly tried to kill you. I wanted to teach her a lesson she''d never forget!" Bianca''s heartbeat quickened a little. Under Luke''s gaze, her little face suddenly turned pale. "What did you do to her? Luke, aren''t you... too impulsive? Her father''s the Provincial Committee Secretary. I dare not imagine the serious consequences if anything happened to her. You''d be ruined... We must obey thew..." Looking at Bianca''s worried little face and her deep concern for him, Luke smiled faintly again. The man¡¯s soft fingers ran across her brow like a feather. '' Don''t worry, I have evidence that Leia worked with others to hurt you. I even have photos of her with another man. She won''t dare to say anything. That woman is extremely selfish and will keep everything to herself for the sake of her reputation and future." Bianca hung her head low and said in disappointment, "I didn''t expect Leia to hate me so much. A woman who can''t get the man she loves is such a lunatic. But who did you say was her aplice?" "The tt family''s third heir, Wayne." Luke''s voice was as cold as ice when he mentioned the name. "Leia has an unusual rtionship with him. The woman used Wayne to release the venomous snakes in La Fontaine Manor. Wayne was a special forces soldier, so he''s pretty capable. He joined a mercenary organization as the leader after he retired. He has a group of mercenaries from all over the world. They''re all ruthless and brutal. Wayne and I had nothing to do with each other before this, but he should be prepared for retaliation since he dared to make a move against you. Anyone who hurts you is unforgivable." Bianca panicked a little at that. Her small hand grabbed Luke''s big hand." Or... let''s not cross someone like that. You know that he¡¯s cold-blooded, cruel, and despises human life. I''m afraid you''ll get hurt. I would hate myself if anything happened to you." Luke smiled a little after giving her a peck on the lips. "You just have to be a happy expectant mother. Don''t overthink it. I know where to draw the line. The man''s hot breath blew gently on Bianca''s face. It was masculine and gentle. Bianca''s long eyshes quivered as she nestled against his chest. "You promised me that you know where to draw the line. You must keep your word." The news of the kidnapping of the Norman family''s heiress quickly spread all over A City. Linder the pressure of Jack''s power and status, all the police stations immediately sent our personnel to search for her but it was to no avail. The kidnappers were very cunning and had formidable skills. They did not leave any clues when they committed the crime. Officers at the police station were busy looking for her but their efforts were to no avail. "How exactly do you do things? Why hasn''t my daughter been found after an entire day? I think it''s time to rece the chief of police!" Jack, always known for his gentle temper in officialdom, flew into a rage and angrily scolded A City''s chief of police. The chief of police''s forehead broke out in a cold sweat, but he dared not wipe it. "Mr. Norman, just give me a little more time. I promise I''ll find your daughter!" Jack''s phone rang. Seeing that it was a call from his wife, he answered it immediately. He put away his fretful temper and was unusually gentle. "Queen, don''t panic. I..." "Jack..." Queenie was sobbing. "Hurry to the hospital. Leia''s back, but she seems to have gone crazy..." He seemed to hear the girl''s hysterical screams from the other side of the line, and it instantly made Jack''s heart sink to the bottom. Something had happened to their daughter! 2 Chapter 544 Chapter 544 Your Biological Daughter Is Alive And Well The hospital. Leia was huddled in the hospital bed, shivering like a madman! It was almost June when the weather was hot, but she had covered herself with a thick nket. She screamed frantically and would not let anyone get close, including Queenie, the doctor, and the nurse. Several doctors and nurses tried to hold her down to give her a sedative, but the deranged Leia was unusually strong! She was also the heiress of the Norman family, so they dared not push too hard. For a moment, there was nothing they could do with her. Queenie looked at Leia with tears streaming down her face. Why had her daughter, who had always been so understanding and sensible, turn out like this? She remembered how her daughter had told her not to tire herself out when she was going to the office and it was right before Leia went missing in the hospital... Leia even said Queenie had worked so hard in taking care of her these days that Leia would cook a nice meal for her and Ol'' Norman when she recovered and got home from the hospital. How did it alle to this? Wiping away her tears, Queenie walked over to Leia''s bed and pulled the covers off her, only to see a frightened face. "Ah! Snakes! There are so many snakes... Don''t eat me... I dare not do it anymore... It''s my fault..." Leia¡¯s eyes were wide with horror, and she was speaking incoherently. Her eyes were zed over, and her body trembled as she hugged herself to the corner of the bed until she could not go any further. "Leia, don''t frighten me. Baby girl, what''se over you? Don''t you even recognize me?" Queenie clutched her aching chest when she saw that Leia did not seem to recognize her. "Ah! Ah! Go away!" Leia did not seem to know anyone anymore. All she did was scream and shout in horror. She grabbed her head as she shrieked piercingly and cried grievously, her eyes full of fear. At the moment, Leia''s mind was filled with images of her being entangled with snakes and getting bitten by them. She felt as though all kinds of wriggling snakes were wrapped around her head, neck, arms, and legs until she was out of breath... There were even disgusting snakes that tried to get into her mouth and ears, making her wish she was dead! After more than an hour of torture in the abandoned factory, Luke had nearly wrecked Leia''s mental state. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Her fear of the man reached its height, and she became deranged. She even thought that the snakes were still here! Having lost her mind, she kept banging her head against the wall of the ward as if unaware that her forehead was covered in blood. "Leia!" Queenie saw Leia losing her mind and banging her head against the wall. When Queenie saw Leia¡¯s forehead bleeding, she cried with her daughter while feeling devastated. Queenie wanted to hold Leia to stop her from harming herself. However, the deranged Leia was unusually strong and she pushed Queenie to the side! Queenie would have fallen had she not been supported by a doctor behind her. Leia had lost her mind. No one could get close to her, even if that woman was Queenie who had raised her for many years. "Mrs. Norman, Ms. Norman''s delirious. She doesn''t know what she''s doing. You''d better not go near her," the middle-aged doctor advised Queenie. He could not help sighing a little at the pitiful sight of the graceful Queenie crying for her daughter with a broken heart. It was said that the Norman family''s heiress was adopted by Mr. Norman and his wife, but Mrs. Norman loved her dearly. It seemed to be true. Queenie looked nothing like an upper ssdy right now. She was just an ordinary mother who loved her daughter dearly. Queenie shook the doctor off and held Leia in her arms when she was not noticing. "Leia, don''t be afraid. I''ll always be here for you. Sweetheart, wake up, okay?" Leia''s shrieks became even more piercing, and her face was filled with tears of horror. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her hands were hitting her adoptive mother who was holding her. She found everyone scary. They were all snakes in her eyes, making her uneasy and frightened. Queenie hugged Leia regardless. No matter how hard Leia was hitting her, she refused to let go! Leia''s sharp nails scratched Queenie''s gentle face. However, Queenie would not let go even when a series of punches fell on her face and chest! Queenie had no idea what Leia had suffered to cause such a big change in her personality. However, as she simply loved her daughter too much, she still saw Leia as the most innocent and sensible little princess no matter what she became. When Jack came to the ward, he happened to see Leia hitting Queenie wildly. He rushed forward with lightning speed and saved Queenie from Leia! With Queenie in his arms, there was anger in Jack''s voice. "What the hell are you doing? Don''t you know that Leia is delirious? Are you just going to let her hurt you? Do you know you''re going to get hurt too?" Queenie cried in his arms. "Jack, how did this happen to our daughter... I don''t know what happened to her..." Jack nced coldly at the doctors and nurses in the ward. He bellowed through clenched teeth, "Are you people here as decorations? Can''t you sedate her? Are you just going to watch my wife get hurt? What happened to your work ethic?" The crowd felt chills rising from the bottom of their feet due to Mr. Norman''s anger and no longer cared about Leia''s identity as an heiress. Under the attending doctor''s order, several male doctors worked together to hold down the deranged Leia. They forcibly injected her with a sedative. Soon, the deranged Leia fell unconscious and silence returned to the ward. Jack''s heart also ached at the sight of Queenie ming herself for their daughter''s pain. Queenie''s fair cheeks were also red and swollen from their daughter''s beating. He scolded Queenie as he gently applied medicine for her, "You must know where to draw the line no matter how much you dote on Leia. You may spoil her, but I''ll be upset if it¡¯s on the premise of you getting hurt." Queenie was still wiping her tears. "I''m just so worried about Leia. You have no idea. Our daughter..." Shakira burst into the ward as Queenie was talking to her husband. She found Leia sound asleep in the hospital bed while Queenie''s cheeks were red and swollen. The woman''s clothes were unkempt and she looked like a mess. Jack was still gently dabbing her with medical cotton. There was a sudden tug at Shakira''s heartstrings. "Queen, what happened to you? How did you hurt your face? When did you find Leia? Is she alright?" She had gone to the Normans'' residence to look for Queenie to tell her a shocking secretst night. However, the Norman couple was as busy as bees because of Leia''s disappearance. They had been looking for Leia''s whereabouts, so she did not manage to meet them. 1 She could not even get through to them on the phone. Shakira decided to keep the secret to herself, expecting toe back the next day to tell Queenie that her biological daughter was still alive. However, she did not expect to bump into Queenie who was in a vulnerable state. Queenie frowned with indescribable sadness on her face. "Leia just got back today. She was greatly shocked and isn''t doing well. The doctor sedated her, and she fell asleep. I''m fine. It''s just that I''m very worried about my daughter. Shakira, why are you here?" Shakira nced at Leia who was in the hospital bed and saw Queenie''s devastated and miserable appearance. Ignoring Jack''s strange gaze, she dragged Queenie to a quiet corner near the door of the ward. Then, she leaned over Queenie''s ear, her heart racing as she told her," Queen, I just got some great news. Your biological daughter is alive and well..." Chapter 545 Chapter 545 She and Bianca Were Indeed Mother And Daughter Shakira''s words hit Queenie hard like a bomb, exploding instantly! The fragments prated deep into her heart, making her feel throbs of pain... Queenie thought she had misheard her. She grabbed Shakira''s arm tightly, her pale face full of shock. "Shakira, what... What did you say?" "I said your daughter is alive and well. She wasn''t stillborn when you gave birth to her!" Shakira''s arm hurt from Queenie¡¯s grip. She took in a cold breath and said bluntly, "Queen, would you please ease your grip? It hurts." Queenie let go of Shakira with a look of joy on her face, but then it quickly dimmed again. She mumbled in disbelief, "Impossible. My daughter can''t possibly be alive. I gave birth to a stillborn baby! The baby was so stiff that she didn''t have any warmth when I held her. I remember it clearly!" Queenie began to cry again at the mention of her biological daughter. Children were her armor and her weakness. Shakira took out a piece of tissue and wiped Queenie''s tears. She said with her heart aching, "Queen, you can''t cry any more tears. When you shed too many tears after going through a stillbirth back then, you couldn''t see clearly at night anymore. Do you want to go blind by not taking good care of your eyes? You''ve led a tough life all these years, and it''s time to know the truth. I ran into Allison when I was shopping yesterday, and guess what I saw and heard..." She told Queenie about running into Allison and another unfamiliar woman near the embroidery shop and the conversation she had overheard. Queenie was dumbfounded after hearing it! It took her a long time toe back to her senses. The pain in her eyes made her shake her head in disbelief. ''If what Shakira said is true... C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org ''Allison is so frightening! ''How hateful!'' The weather in A City suddenly turned gloomy in the afternoon. Then, a drizzle started. Raindrops hit the ss window of the cafe and smudged circles of different sizes on the surface. Queenie sat in front of the ss window, looking at the ss of water. She kept looking outside as if she was waiting for something anxiously. "What do you want with me?" Her thoughts were interrupted by a haughty and irritated female voice. Queenie turned her head and saw Allison all covered in jewels. Allison was folding up her umbre that was dripping with raindrops and somewhat impatiently sat down opposite Queenie. "Allison, long time no see. I just wanted to catch up with you." Queenie sat there calmly, looking gentle. It was a stark contrast to Allison''s arrogance. Allison nced at Queenie with disdain in her heart. Seeing her in clothes, Allison began to criticize her in her heart. She was Mr. Norman''s wife and ran arge corporation of her own but still wore simple outfits. Also, Queenie did not wear any jewelry. She did not have an expensive ne around her neck or even simple earrings. The only essory was Queenie''s modest diamond ring on her ring finger. However, in Allison''s eyes, the tiny diamond ring was too monotonous, making her seem humble. She and Bianca were indeed mother and daughter. Both liked wearing in clothes and no makeup. Neither of them liked to wear jewelry either. It was so unpleasant to see. It made Allison feel better to see that the woman she once admired and envied was not as well- dressed as she was now. "You can catch up with me anytime, but you had to pick a day with such horrible weather. Do you know I''m busy? Besides, it''s raining heavily but you still asked me toe here. The dress I just bought will get dirty." Allison dramatically shook her dress as if it had been stained dirty. In fact, her dress was so white that no water droplets were on it. "Allison, the main reason I''m here today is to ask you about something." Queenie ignored Allison''s harsh words and looked her straight in the eye sincerely. "What do you want to ask? Queenie, we used to be good friends, but we haven''t been in touch for so many years. I don''t think we have anything to catch up on. Oh, do you want to discuss your daughter''s marriage to my son? I have no say in my son''s business. You know Luke has a mind of his own. I can''t interfere with his decisions even if I''m his mother. "Of course, it''s notpletely out of the question if Leia insists on marrying into the Crawford family. As long as she can win Luke''s heart and make him marry her willingly, I absolutely approve of their marriage. I don''t think you know that I like Leia very much and would like her to be my daughter-inw. I-" Allison was interrupted. "Allison, I didn''t ask you here today to talk about Luke and Leia''s marriage. The children have their own lives, and parents can''t interfere with them. Since Luke doesn''t like Leia, I''m not going to force him. I won''t let Leia marry into the Crawford family again no matter what!" Queenie said dispassionately. "Then why did you ask me here if not to talk about the children''s marriage? Is there a financial crisis in yourpany that requires me to persuade my son to finance yourpany? I can''t do that!" Allison sneered as she blew on her freshly done nails. "Allison, I just want to ask if my biological daughter is alive or not? Please tell me the truth!" Queenie, who had always been gentle, looked at Allison sternly as if to see through the woman in front of her. Allison''s heart skipped a beat, her pupils shrank, and her shoulders subconsciously trembled. She looked up at Queenie, trying to be calm. She smiled sarcastically.'' Queenie, have you gone crazy from missing your daughter too much? Your daughter has been dead for more than 20 years. I remember you holding her dead body and bawling your eyes out. Now you''re asking me if she''s alive. You''re so unreasonable! Take your time with your coffee. Pardon me for not staying..." Allison suddenly stood up, picked up her bag, and headed outside! However, Queenie instantly grabbed her bag and would not let go! She was determined not to give up until she had an answer. "Allison, did you team up with the ob-gyn to swap my daughter with a dead baby?" Allison''s guilty eyes sparkled, and her pupils shifted uncontrobly. She then said in outrage, "Queenie, I think you''ve gone crazy. I have no idea what you''re talking about! Let me tell you, your daughter''s dead because you killed her in difficultbor. You should stop daydreaming that your daughter is still alive, you lunatic!" She forcefully broke free from Queenie''s hands, grabbed her bag, and hurriedly left by stepping on her thin high heels. Shepletely disregarded everyone''s eyes on her! However, Queenie was no longer the somewhat crazy woman she was 20 years ago when she gave birth to a stillborn child. She was elegant, wise, and reserved. Queenie had been paying attention to Allison''s movements and expressions during the conversation. Even though she and Allison had drifted apart, she still knew her well after all their years as best friends. When Allison confronted her earlier, her shoulders had unknowingly drooped and her eyes kept looking to the right. Those were her unconscious behaviors when she lied. She probably had no idea about it. Queenie was almost certain that her biological daughter was still alive now, and she was pleasantly surprised by the fact! However, she was helplessly sad at the same time. She had not seen her daughter for so many years that she wondered where in the world her poor little girl was. Would her daughter hate her for abandoning her? Chapter 546 Chapter 546 She Was Always The One Getting Humiliated Instead Bianca rested at home for a few more days and felt almost well enough to go back to work. She was bored out of her mind resting at home for so long. Technology was so advanced now that people couldmunicate with others through video calls without going to the office. However, if a person was separated from a group for too long, they would not only feel lonely but also out of ce when they got back to work. Luke could not resist Bianca''s repeated requests. His heart softened, and he relented when she repeatedly assured him that she would not tire herself out. Luke never had the heart to refuse anything Bianca requested. Bianca returned to work and clocked in as usual. As soon as she got to the Design Department''s entrance, she came face to face with the cold and elegant Mavis. "Good morning, Ms. Laviere," Bianca greeted her with a smile. Mavis nced at Bianca, her gaze falling on her belly that was clearly showing. Her eyes did not seem to stir. "Good morning, Ms. Rayne." Mavis nodded lightly. Then, she walked past Bianca and straight to her office. No one saw the fleeting malice on the seemingly expressionless Mavis when she lowered her head! When Bianca had publicly refused to marry Luke at the engagement party, she thought the woman would leave A City. However, she unexpectedly had the nerve to return to T Corporation and was even pregnant! Her belly seemed almost five months along, and she was still with Luke at the time. There was a good chance the baby could be Luke''s! 1 Bianca was a clever woman who not only sabotaged Luke''s engagement to Leia but also sessfully conceived Luke''s child. It made Mavis extremely ufortable. The mes of jealousy almost drove her out of her mind. Bianca breathed a sigh of relief after Mavis left. Few people enjoyed being with such aggressive and overbearing women. She went straight to her seat. She saw her colleagues like Sue, Nina, and Tom already at work. She greeted them and sat down at her desk. Except for several colleagues who were close to Bianca, the rest of the Design Department had known nothing about her pregnancy. There was naturally gossip when Bianca, whom they had not seen in months, suddenly showed up to work with a bulging belly. However, Bianca ignored the strange looks. She turned on herputer and started working. There were a lot of new emails in her inbox. While some were emails about weing new hires, many were work- rted. Bianca opened and looked through them one by one. Just then, Be walked over. After a few months of not seeing her and not knowing what had happened, Be, who had always been pretty and flirtatious, seemed to have be even more charming. Especially her eyes, they seemed to allure you when she looked at you. "Gee, Bianca. It''s only been a few months yet you already have such a big belly? I never knew you were married! You didn''t get pregnant before marriage, did you?" Be''s shrill voice rang and immediately attracted the attention of the entire office. All eyes turned to Bianca. Bianca nced at Be and said coldly, "Ms. Sloan, does it matter to you whether I''m married or got pregnant before marriage? It has nothing to do with work, does it?" Be snorted with disdain and stood beside Bianca''s desk, looking down at her from amanding position. "Of course, it does! Although ourpany doesn''t stipte whether employees can have children before marriage, T Corporation is a huge internationalpany, after all. It values reputation the most. An employee who got pregnant before marriage is clearly morally questionable, and it can impact ourpany''s reputation. What''s wrong with me defending ourpany''s reputation?" "Pfft..." Nina was the first to burst intoughter. She wondered if Be was out of her mind. How could employees'' personal affairs be rted to thepany''s reputation? She was good at making up nonsense. No one knew what Bianca had done to offend Be that she would pick on her, but they only found her idiotic to make up such ame excuse to give others trouble so openly. Be''s words made the heavily pregnant Sue turn so pale that she threw her pen on the desk with a smack. Be heard the sound and looked at Sue. Sue gazed angrily at Be. "What do you mean, Ms. Sloan? What''s wrong with being pregnant before marriage? Does it bother you? Did we unmarried pregnant women eat your food or drink your water? Aren''t you crossing the line here?" However, Be''s expression stayed the same. She still domineeringly said," So what if I''m crossing the line? Bianca was shameless, thinking she had made it to the top and had no regard for her superior. Now what? Didn''t she get dumped? It¡¯s karma, isn¡¯t it? She doesn''t have a source of ie anymore, does she? She even has toe to work with a huge belly. Serves her right!" Nina really found Be ridiculous. What society were they in now? Ms. Sloan''s ideas were still so feudal and old-fashioned. She remembered Be changing boyfriends faster than clothes. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. How dare a woman who led her private life like that lecture others with a straight face? ying with a pen in her hand while sitting on her seat, Nina could not help defending her friends and sarcastically replied with a sharp tongue, "Ms. Sloan, please be a little more careful. We''re at work, but you''re prying into employees'' private matters like a nosy woman instead of discussing work. Don''t you find yourself acting silly? Besides, many women get pregnant before marriage. Are you chastising all of them? "I remember you publishing an article in our department newspaper a few months ago, Ms. Sloan. You lambasted male chauvinists for insulting women who moved in with men before marriage and women who got pregnant before marriage. Do you want me to find that article so you can revisit your incisive opinion? Oh, by the way, I remember your article advocating cohabitation before marriage, encouraging women to have more boyfriends, and you even said thatparison helps you to choose the best. In reality, you''re setting an example by changing boyfriends faster than you change your clothes..." After hearing what Nina said, all the employees in the office could not helpughing. Everyone knew that Ms. Sloan constantly changed boyfriends and led a promiscuous private life because of her good looks, but no one dared to tell her off straight to her face. No one expected Nina to be so bold and criticize her so straightforwardly. Bianca looked at Ms. Sloan innocently. "Yeah, Ms. Sloan. I remember that you have a new boyfriend now. This one''s pretty handsome, much more attractive than the bald onest time." Tom said expressionlessly, "Ms. Sloan, my girlfriend got pregnantst month too. We''re going to get a marriage license first and hold the wedding after the baby is born so the baby can witness the sacred moment with us. Are you criticizing my girlfriend too?" "You..." Be got so mad with what they were saying that her cheeks turned red. She red nastily at Bianca before storming away. She found that everytime she wanted to give Bianca trouble and humiliate her, she was always the one getting humiliated instead! TH remember this! 1 TH let Bianca off for a few more days. The architect exam is about to begin. That b*tch Bianca will be crying when the timees!'' Chapter 547 Chapter 547 Bianca, Who''s Looking For Her Mother... Soon, it was time to get off work. Thinking that he had not taken Bianca out for dinner for a long time, Luke drove Bianca to a fancy restaurant for dinner. Shakira ran the restaurant, and the dining environment here was excellent. 1 The music from the melodious violin wafted through the entire space. The ce overlooked the city''s scenicke and one could admire the sight by the French windows. They also served a variety of delicacies. As they were regr customers she was familiar with, Shakira served them personally. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. She ced thest dish on the table and said happily, "Luke, what have you been up to all this time? I haven''t seen you for a long time. I missed you." Although Shakira got along well with Queenie, she did not have much contact with Allison. However, she was very fond of Luke. Plus, her husband was close with Zachary, so she was naturally more attentive to Zachary''s son. Shakira had watched Luke grow up, so to speak, and sometimes, she was even more like his mother than Allison. As a result, sometimes Luke would rather talk to her than his mother when he was upset. "I''ve been a little busy with work these days. That''s why I haven''t beening here. I''lle here whenever I have time. Maybe you''ll get tired of meing here every day," quipped Luke. "You''re so loquacious." Shakira''s gaze then fell on Bianca. Shakira raised an eyebrow when she saw Bianca''s bare and pretty little face. "Luke, if I remember correctly, is this the girl you first introduced to me? Is she Bian... Bianca?" Shakira had already found the girl strangely familiarst time. She was young but did not have on even light makeup. Her standard heartshaped face was as translucent as white opal. She had really good skin. Her eyes wererge and dark, and hershes were long and dense. You could tell at first nce that she was an obedient and quiet girl. Luke held Bianca''s hand with a gentle look in his eyes. "Yes, this is Bianca, the woman I love the most." Bianca blushed at his sudden confession. She looked at Shakira with embarrassment, said hello, and then lowered her head again. ''A shy and self-conscious girl,'' Shakira remarked to herself. She had no idea how a girl with such a character could handle the forceful and overbearing Luke. Her friend''s son had always been arrogant, and she had expected that the woman to conquer him would be a swift and fierce woman who was smooth and slick. However, looking at the way her friend''s son was in love, which was a far cry from his frosty behavior when he was with Leia, Shakira knew he had fallen head over heels for the girl. Shakira had learned a little through Queenie about the entanglement between these three young people. Leia had always had a crush on Luke, but the man was attached to a woman, and that woman was Bianca. Later, Bianca and Luke went their separate ways after Bianca refused to marry him at their engagement party. Then, Leia got the chance to be Luke''s fiancee. However, after everything that had happened, Luke and Leia''s engagement party was also ruined. He got back together with Bianca, but Leia tried tomit suicide. Shakira had no idea what on earth had happened between them, but she was also present at the scene and could see at a nce that Luke did not love Leia at all. Just like Queenie, she was not optimistic about Leia and Luke¡¯s rtionship from the start. However, Leia persisted, which led to the tragedy now. Although Shakira''s heart ached for Leia, she would rather see Luke happy. After all, she knew better than anyone how much the boy had suffered all these years. With irresponsible parents like Zachary and Allison, Luke had been in great misery for most of his life. She did not want to see him follow the same path as his parents. With a sigh, Shakira began to persuade Luke. "I know you won''t let go easily once you set your mind on something or someone. I found her kind and good-hearted the first time I met her. I also believe you have a good eye for people. You''re not getting any younger, and you''re old enough to get married now. Don''t end up hurting others as well as yourself and do the girl wrong..." Shakira nced pointedly at Bianca''s belly. "When all this is over, I''ll give Bea a big wedding. You muste," Luke took Bianca in his arms and said happily. "Of course! Tell me in advance when you''re getting married. I''ll prepare a great gift for you. You two should have dinner first. I''ll leave you alone." Grinning from ear to ear, Shakira spoke a little more before leaving. After Shakira left, Luke''s thin lips curved into a smile and he kissed Bianca on the cheek. "We''re an old couple now. Why are you still so self- conscious?" Bianca came back to her senses. Her little face blushed even more. "Do you think everyone''s as shameless as you..." The man''s domineering and wet lips sucked on hers. It was tingly and ticklish, and she could not help but get lost in it. Bianca was overwhelmed by his kissing skills that her cheeks got even redder. Luke finally released her when she was almost breathless from his kiss. He gently touched her round belly. "Tell me, which month do you think will be suitable for our wedding?" "Let''s wait until the baby is born. I can''t wear a wedding dress with such a big belly. A woman gets married only once in her life. I want to look beautiful on my wedding day." Speaking of the wedding, Bianca''s face was full of longing. Luke listened to her. "Okay, it''s all up to you. But we''ll pick a date in a few days and get our marriage license first. Then, you''ll be the official Mrs. Crawford, and our baby will be born legitimately." Bianca smiled and was about to agree, but the thought of Allison''s strong opposition saddened her. "Will your mother disapprove of us getting the marriage license? You know that she has always had a strong prejudice against me... She''s always talking about her rtionship with my father and emphasizing that she''s my mother too." Luke''s eyes narrowed slightly, and his big palm rubbed her head. "Her words have no use. The DNA test results are the most authoritative. We''re not half-siblings, and with clever children like Lanie and Rainie, no one can stop us from being together by using preposterous reasons that aren''t true." Bianca''s eyes suddenly widened as if she thought of something. "I always wondered who my real mother was. My dad married your mom before, and they lived together for more than half a year. Dad always thought that my birth mother was your mom, but it''s someone else... As far as I can remember, my father only had two wives. One''s your mom and the other''s Jennifer. I clearly remember my dad telling me your mom had suddenly disappeared for more than half a year after bing pregnant with me, and he couldn''t find her no matter what. Your mom suddenly reappeared after giving birth to me and handed me over to Dad. Then, she disappeared without a trace..." Shakira, who had already left the private room, suddenly remembered that the restaurant had a new special dish. She went into the kitchen and came back with another fragrant dish, nning on letting Luke and Bianca have a try. However, she did not expect to hear such a thing just as she was about to knock on the door, and the te fell from her hands... Chapter 548 Chapter 548 It Would Be Great If Bianca Were Queenie¡¯s Daughter Fortunately, Shakira was an agile person, and she was experienced with such situations. She managed to catch the te before it hit the floor, thus averting disaster. However, what Bianca said earlier rang in Shakira''s ears like a p of thunder. ''Allison was married to Bianca''s father, and she said that Bianca was her daughter? How is that possible ''Luke said that he had done a DNA test with Bianca, and it proved that they¡¯re not siblings! ''That has to be it. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ''The two are not rted by blood. ''However, It''s undeniable that Allison used to be rted to Bianca''s father...'' Shakira remembered very well that Allison only bore one child, who was Luke. Luke was Allison''s tool to enter the Crawford household, but Old Master Crawford had not recognized Luke''s status back then. He only wanted to wait for Susan to give birth to a legitimate Crawford child. Zachary did not have the authority in the family, and he dared not go against his father''s wishes. The child was not able to enter the Crawford household. Back then, Zachary had his eye on a tender college student. He was busy courting her, and so he ignored Allison''s existence. Of course, Allison''s child was ignored as well. Without Zachary''s protection, Susan, the legitimate wife, started to pressure Allison. She forcefully took back all the house and car that Zachary had gifted Allison and forced her to leave A City. Allison''s dream of marrying rich was shattered. She did not know of any way of making a living other than being a dancer, but she was already used to being pampered in luxury. Forced into poverty, she had to run away from A City and find other solutions. She was worried that her child would be a burden to her as she looked for another sugar daddy. That was why she had ced Luke in an orphanage. Allison disappeared for the next half a year. No one knew where she went, as though she had disappeared from the world. Shakira did not know anything that happened in that period. Later, she heard that Queenie, who was already heavily pregnant, took in the homeless Allison out of sympathy and let her stay in the Norman residence. Jack was in the middle of an investigation. Their family was already in a difficult situation, but Queenie was willing to help Allison anyway. Allison stayed in the Norman residence for a month, and she apanied Queenie for the entire time. When Queenie went to the small town to look for her husband and suffered from premature delivery, Allison was also the only person there. It meant that she was the only one who witnessed Queenie deliver a stillborn child. Shakira had thought that there was something fishy about the entire incident. Queenie might be weak and delicate, but she was in good health. Before the delivery, Shakira had apanied Queenie to the hospital for a checkup. The doctor said that the mother and baby were healthy. Why would the baby be stillborn? It was until that day when she eavesdropped on Allison''s conversation with another woman that she knew that the stillborn was a set-up! She did not know Allison''s motives for doing so, but it meant that Queenie¡¯s child was still alive and well somewhere in the world. Shakira made a bold guess. Could the Bianca Rayne in front of her be Queenie¡¯s birth daughter? Their facial features and mannerisms looked so simr. They even had almost the same voice... How could two people look so simr if they were unrted? The world was so vast, and there were so many people. There were so many people who were unrted but looked and sounded simr, but not all of them were parent and child... However, Bianca and Allison were not totally unrted... Shakira could not help but doubt the entire situation! Shakira¡¯s heart thumped faster when she thought of that possibility. She wanted to go in and ask Bianca directly, but she thought that it would be very awkward if she were mistaken. Not only would Queenie be disappointed, but Bianca would be disappointed too... Shakira''s hand that was about to knock on the door drooped weakly. ''I should go and investigate first. ''I should only start asking them questions when I have more evidence. If Bianca is really Queenie¡¯s daughter... that would be great!'' At night, in a prison somewhere in A City. The male wing was illuminated by a single dim and yellow incandescent bulb. The cells were separated by thick walls. Each cell contained about eight prisoners who slept in bunk beds. Jean Langdon walked along the corridor toward his cell, holding a cracked hand basin and had a towel draped over his bare shoulder. He was gaunt and slightly hunched, and he had a haggard look on his face. As soon as he entered his cell, his cellmates stood up and looked at him like hungry wolves. ''Oh no!'' He thought. Just when he wanted to run out of the cell, he heard the door close and locked with a bang! A plump man blocked the door and looked at him pervertedly. "Hey, Jean, you''re finally done with your shower. You''re slower than a girl. Boss has been waiting for you for a long time!" Jean timidly lifted his head and looked at the burliest and fiercest man in the room being surrounded by other men. His delicate and gentle face shuddered... Every ce had a power hierarchy, especially prisons. Obviously, the scarfaced man was the dominant force in the cell. The man was covered in tattoos. He also had a long and terrifying knife scar on his face, extending from between his brows to the corner of his lips. His gaze was violent and hostile, and one nce from him would send a chill down one''s spine. At that moment, Jean felt like he was being preyed upon. He tried not to show his disgust as he walked in front of the scar-faced man and ttered him, "you must be tired today, Brother Scar. How about I massage your back..." 1 "I don''t need a back massage. I have an itch down here though, and you can help scratch it..." As the scar-faced man said that with his dried lips, he abruptly pinned Jean down. In a panic, Jean wanted to shout for help, but his cellmates took out a roll of duct tape from somewhere and taped his mouth shut. Jean''s face was wrought with despair. As he was being vited, a glint of destructive madness appeared in his eyes! He could never forget that everything that happened here was because of that b*tch Bianca Rayne! He had thought that the woman was gentle and loving like a flower. He had worshipped her like a goddess. She was not willing to have carnal rtions with him, and he had never forced her to do so in the two years they were dating. However, he did not expect that she, who had looked so pure and virtuous, had made out in bed with Luke Crawford! Not only had she betrayed his feelings, but she and that man had conspired to put him in prison. He had been in prison for more than a year, and every day was a living hell. Meanwhile, that immoral couple roamed free! Every time Jean was reminded of that, he was filled with hatred and resentment! He would remember all the suffering that they had caused him. When he was freed, he would repay the favor a hundred, no, a thousand times! Chapter 549 Chapter 549 Luke Could Feel His Urges re... T Corporation. Bianca''s daily life had been smooth-sailing. She did not encounter any obstacles at work or at home. She had discussed with Luke, and they decided to get their marriage certificate from the Civil Registry Office at the end of the month. Bianca was especially happy every time she remembered that she would be Luke¡¯s legally married wife soon. "Ms. Rayne..." Mavis''s impassive voice resounded in the conference room. Mavis was ring unhappily at the daydreaming Bianca. A hint of disgust shed past her eyes. Nina pinched Bianca heavily! Bianca suddenly came to her senses and focused on her surroundings! She looked down the long conference table and noticed that all her colleagues were looking at her, including her boss Luke Crawford. Embarrassedly, Bianca smoothed her hair and sat up straight. "Yes, Ms. Laviere?" Bianca looked at Luke. He was sitting up straight in his seat with a serious expression on his face. To everyone else, he was stern and impassive, the total opposite of that passionate man in bed. Luke usually would not show up at the weekly meeting of the design department. However, it was only a week away from the end of the month, when they would have a joint meeting with Vivi Group and monthly updates from each of the subsidiarypanies. Given Luke''s unpredictable personality, no one thought that it was surprising that he was sitting in the meeting. Bianca''s rtionship with the boss was an open secret. No one said anything in the open, but they looked at Bianca with different sentiments, especially the women, who were envious. Meanwhile, they looked at Mavis, who thought that she would eventually be Mrs. Crawford, with some mockery. Mavis knew that very well. Even though her colleagues respected and feared her, she could see the sympathy and schadenfreude in their eyes. Mavis''s gaze fell disdainfully on Bianca''s bulging stomach. "Are you feeling listlesstely, Ms. Rayne? You seem tired." "I''m not..." Bianca could sense the disdain in Mavis''s gaze. She stopped herself mid- sentence. Mavis leaned back on her chair and smiled superficially. "You seem to be in low spirits, Ms. Rayne. Did you not sleep wellst night? You''re pregnant now, and it''s normal for a pregnant woman to require more rest. If you can''t take it, you can request a long leave of absence from thepany. That way, you''ll have enough time to rest, and you won''t hamper the progress of the project.¡¯ Mavis''s suggestion might sound as though she genuinely cared for Bianca, but Bianca could see that the smile on her face was only superficial. Of course, Bianca could understand the implications of her words too. Mavis was saying that her pregnancy made her a burden to the progress of the project. She was about to exin herself when Luke''s resonant voice echoed in the conference room. "She had a good restst night, but she has been preparing for the architect certification test, and so it''s not surprising if she''s feeling the pressure. I believe that Ms. Rayne''s work capabilities will not disappoint." The employees from the design department were surprised when they heard the CEO speak. They did not expect that the CEO would speak up for Bianca... Mr. Crawford said that Bianca had a good restst night. Did that mean that they were together in bed the night before? Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Bianca was reminded of the embarrassing things that they did in bed. She was on top, and he was at the bottom... Her petite face blushed when she recalled the most intimate scenes. Luke''s eyes narrowed. Bianca was dressed in a set of ck clothes specially designed for pregnant women. It looked quite conservative. However, her erged chest was pushing against the white shirt she wore beneath, and the buttons were in danger of bursting. With her slightly blushing face, she seemed especially charming. Luke could feel his urges re up. He abruptly took a big gulp of his tea to calm himself down, at the same time making a mental note to the fashion design department to redesign the office wear for pregnant women. The new design should be loose enough to hide the chest too. Mavis was especially embarrassed. Luke had spoken up for Bianca in public. That had intensified the feelings of agony she was currently experiencing! She managed to hide her true emotions from the other people, except for Bianca, who was especially observant. The meeting continued for another half an hour, during which each employee reported on the progress of their work. After Mavis made a brief conclusion and Luke gave the signal, she breathed a sigh of relief and announced, "Meeting dismissed." The employees of the design department quickly stood up from their seats, efficiently packed up their files and notes, then left in an orderly manner. Every employee in T Corporation was busy with work, especially those in the design department. They wished that they had more than twenty-four hours a day for work. After all, in the rapidly developing society, it was too easy to be left behind. Bianca knew that Luke would be on a business trip to another city tomorrow. She deliberately packed up her belongings slowly. She remained in the conference room, even though she, Luke, and Mavis were the only three people left. Mavis nced resentfully at Bianca, then sneaked a peek at Luke. She noticed that their gazes were transfixed on each other, as though they were the only two people left in the world and she was but a nuisance. That made her extremely ufortable. Mavis did not want to give Bianca the chance to be alone with Luke. However, when she sensed that the boss was ncing at her with an icy gaze, she shuddered and sheepishly went away. Right after she left, Luke''s cold demeanor instantly melted into a gentle and indulgent one. He waved at Bianca, then patted his thigh. ¡¯¡¯Come here, Bea." Bianca went over. She suddenly remembered her certification test tomorrow, and she said uneasily, "Do you think that I can pass the test tomorrow?" She had been studying hard, but she had to pass four subjects to obtain her certification. Each subject covered a vast area of knowledge, and the test itself was quiteplicated. She was confident that she would pass, but she was nheless worried. That was why she only applied for two papers. "Don''t worry. You''re smart, and I''m sure that you''ll pass with flying colors." Luke smiled gently, as though he was saying that there was nothing his woman could not do. Bianca felt a little dejected when she remembered that Luke had passed all the papers at one go. She was only a rookie whenpared to that prodigy. While Bianca was secretly denigrating Luke''s inhuman intelligence, Luke suddenly retrieved something that looked like test papers from under his notebook. Bianca''s mouth opened wide in shock when she saw those "test papers." Did Luke somehow manage to obtain the test papers for the certification test for her? Chapter 550 Chapter 550 Luke the Ace Student Is Being Considerate Bianca looked carefully. Those "test papers'' were A1-sized. They were a lot bigger than A4-sized paper. There were no grids or lines on those pieces of paper, but it was filled with neat handwriting. The handwriting was powerful and fluid, and it looked as though it was printed. "These are the main points and topics of the architect certification test. I believe that you''ll be tested on these topics, so I did a summary for you. You''ll definitely pass." Luke''s resonant voice rang in Bianca''s ears. He was confident of her passing the test. Bianca took those pieces of paper and nced at them. The topics covered Engineering Economics and Engineering Management, which were the papers she would be sitting for tomorrow. All the main topics were sinctly covered, and it was even better than the notes from college professors. She understood everything at a nce. Bianca knew that Luke had always been an ace student. It was a good thing that an ace student was helping her. She did not expect that the man would be so meticulous. Not only did he summarize the topics for her, but he also included some words of encouragement in a corner. Bianca thought that the man was very kind to her. She knew that Luke was busy withpany work every day, but he had taken the time out to prepare notes for her. She could imagine the man''s fountain pen dancing on the paper as he summarized the topics. At that moment, she was extremely moved, but she knew that Luke did not want her to thank him. "I''ll do my best in the test, and I''ll definitely ace it!" She said seriously. Luke patted her head as though petting an obedient cat. "Good girl. I''ll wait for your good news." Mavis stood straight. Through a crack in the door, she looked at the extremely handsome man pouring his affection on Bianca Rayne. Her gaze on Bianca became even more resentful. Back at her office, Mavis asked Be to make her a cup of coffee. There was no milk or sugar in the coffee. She took a few gulps, and the intense bitterness made her calm and aware. "Is there something on your mind, Ms. Laviere? Is it because of Mr. Crawford?" Be did not leave the office after delivering the coffee. She was a very astute person. Otherwise, she would not have been able to reach the position of department lead. Mavis put the coffee cup heavily on the table. She seemed unhappy. "Ms. Sloan, if you''d pay more attention to your work instead of your superior''s mood, you wouldn''t be only a department lead by now." Be was not embarrassed by Mavis''s rebuke. She knew that her superior was in a bad mood. In fact, when Bianca appeared in T Corporation, Be could sense that Mavis was unhappy about it. She braced herself and said, "I hope you don''t mind me being forward, Ms. Laviere. You''ve had a crush on Mr. Crawford for a long time, and everyone can see your affection toward him. Don''t you feel wronged when Bianca overtakes you? To be frank, everyone in T Corporation was expecting you to be the future Mrs. Crawford. Ever since Bianca Rayne appeared, the boss seemed to be charmed by that seductress. If you don''t act soon, she will im the boss''s heart forever... Do you want things to end that way, Ms. Laviere?¡± 1 "The woman he loves is Bianca Rayne. He doesn''t know about my feelings for him." Mavis closed her eyes in agony. Of course, she did not want that to happen! There was nothing crueler than seeing the man she loved being intimate with another woman and pouring all his affection on her. Mavis was sure that Luke knew that she loved him. However, he had never reciprocated that love. Even when they were having dinner together, he had never talked to her about anything outside of work. She loved him for a whole ten years. How long was ten years? Ten years ago, she was a fresh-faced girl full of hope and dreams of love. Now, she was a forceful, assertive, and domineering woman in the business world. She had lost count of the number of fearful, painful, and sorrowful experiences she had been through. 2 The only thing she knew was that she loved Luke Crawford more and more. To her, Luke Crawford was like an inescapable curse. Many outstanding men had dered their love for her and had even obsessively courted her because of her outstanding capabilities and family background. However, she had rejected them all. To Mavis, they could notpare even to Luke''s pinky finger, even if that man had never shown her any affection. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. To love and not be loved. Perhaps that was a woman''s greatest sorrow. The most painful thing in love was to love someone but not receive a shred of affection in return. "Ms. Laviere, you''ve been working for Mr. Crawford for many years, and you should understand him well. Considering that he allowed you to stay by his side for so long, it means that he appreciates you being around. Mr. Crawford doesn''t like women taking the initiative, but that''s only rtive. Look at that Bianca Rayne. She''s a slick one. She ys hard to get, and that''s how she manages to seduce the boss. You should know what kind of person Bianca Rayne is. She might look pure and virtuous, but she had a wicked heart. Most importantly, how can her lookspare to yours?" Be showered Mavis with ttery while belittling Bianca. 2 "Am I... beautiful?" Luke had always been indifferent about her appearance, which made the usually prideful Mavis unconfident. 1 "There''s no one more beautiful in T Corporation than you, Ms. Laviere!" Be praised exaggeratedly. "Outer beauty is important, but Mr. Crawford loves inner beauty even more! Mr. Crawford is qualified to get any woman he wants. Why does he only love Bianca Rayne? It''s because she knows how to fake it!" 1 Be''s expression became contemptuous whenever Bianca Rayne was mentioned. Needless to say, she was jealous of Bianca. She was jealous that the male employees had looked at Bianca instead of her. She was jealous that Bianca could join the coboration project even though she was new to thepany. She was jealous that the CEO loved Bianca alone. She was even more jealous that Louis Crawford was nice to Bianca! 1 Mavis sunk into deep thought. She was obsessed by Luke''s extraordinary looks and charming smile. "Bianca will be taking her certification test tomorrow, and I don''t want it to be smooth-sailing for her. Do you understand what I mean, Ms. Sloan? Oh... the deputy general manager in the design department has just applied to be transferred, and the position will be vacated in a few days." Mavis sipped her coffee and resumed her usual indifferent expression. Her tone of voice when she spoke to Be was formal and aloof. 1 Chapter 551 Chapter 551 Jack Is Agitated! "Yes, Ms. Laviere. I know what I should do," Be replied fawningly. Be was a smart woman, and Mavis had made it obvious. She would be an idiot if she did not understand what her superior was trying to imply! So many people coveted the position of deputy general manager! There were so many talented people in the design department. Even Tom and Sue were just as capable as she was. If she were to rely on her capabilities alone, it would take her a few more years of hard work. She would have toe up with a scheme tomorrow so that Bianca would be forced to leave T Corporation! At the hospital. Leia was dressed in a loose hospital gown and looked haggard. She stared nkly at the ceiling, and no one knew what she was thinking. She had not applied beauty cream to her face for a few days, and she had not been sleeping well. Her skin was not as smooth and tender as before, and it was a stark contrast to her beautiful and pure image on television. The nurses were examining her. Queenie stood anxiously by the side. Jack was there too. "Ms. Norman looks a lot better today. You don''t have to worry, Mr. Norman and Mrs. Norman," the nurse spoke as she prepared an injection. Leia suddenly came to her senses. She shoved the nurse away and started to shiver! "Dad, Mom, I''m scared..." Her face was full of tears. It was a pitiful sight. Queenie could feel her heart break as she looked at her daughter''s tearful face and listened to her sobbing voice. She walked toward Leia''s bed and hugged her tightly. "My daughter, you finally recognize your mother! My poor dear... can you tell me what happened? Don''t you know that you''ve given your dad and me a big fright?" Leia lowered her head and averted her gaze. She wanted to tell her parents that Luke was the one who had abducted her, and Luke was the one who had thrown her into the snake pit. She wanted her parents to take revenge for her! However, she shivered again when she thought of the man''s cruel deeds and harsh threats. Luke had said that if she dared to tell her parents about what happened, he would ruin her reputation and make her suffer a fate a hundred times cruder than what happened in the snake pit! After what happened to her, Leia did not doubt what Luke would do. She had experienced first-hand how cruel the man could be. He was not human at all! Even though Leia bore only hatred and resentment toward that man, she dared not tell the truth to her adoptive parents! She squeezed a smile on her face. "Dad, Mom, I''m fine... I don''t know why those bad guys abducted me, and I couldn''t see their faces because I was blindfolded throughout. They locked me up for a while, but they didn''t ask me for ransom or even interact with me. After that, they let me go without saying anything. I wonder if they got the wrong person?" Jack and Queenie looked at each other. They were smart enough not to buy into Leia''s excuse. "Are you hiding something from us, Leia?" Jack said aggressively, "Your agent told us a different story. She said that a group of men in ck barged into the ward and knocked her out. When she woke up, you were nowhere to be seen... I''ve also dispatched many people to investigate your whereabouts, but no one could find any leads. I''d take revenge for you if I find out who the abductor is!" "I really don''t know anything, Dad. I was so frightened when they took me away, and I couldn''t see their faces because they blindfolded me. I''m so tired now... Dad, do you know what I was thinking when they took me away? I was so afraid that I won''t ever see you or Mom ever again. Mom''s eyes are failing, and she''ll definitely cry if I''m missing. I can''t bear to see Mom cry..." Tears brimmed in Leia''s eyes again. Queenie hugged her and started to cry as well. Jack was moved. He was an introverted person unlike his wife, but he loved his adoptive daughter nheless. Seeing that Leia was still very much affected by the ordeal, he decided to stop asking questions for now. He believed that he would eventually find the truth. How could the daughter of the Provincial Committee Secretary be abducted, and no leads could be found? What a joke! Leia eventually became tired from crying. She had been living in fear for the past few days. Now that she felt a lot more relieved, she fell into a deep sleep very soon. Seeing that Leia was asleep, Queenie massaged her daughter''s temples so that she would sleep better. "Queenie, you''ve been sitting by Leia''s bedside for many days. You should lie down and take a rest." Jack felt sorry for his wife when he saw her eye bags. Queenie shook her head. "I''m not tired. Now that Leia is recovering, I feel that I''m alive again. Who do you think has a grudge with Leia? Our daughter is beautiful, gentle, considerate, and generous. Everyone who interacts with her praises her character." 1 Jack tried tofort her. "Perhaps it''s my political enemy. I''ve made many enemies in my career, and I cant tell who it might be. Don''t worry, I''ll get to the bottom of this and seek justice for our daughter!" "Mm," Queenie replied and tucked her daughter into the nket. Suddenly, she stood up and looked at Jack with a gentle gaze. "I want to tell you a piece of good news, Jack. Our birth daughter is still alive." "Are... are you telling the truth, Queenie? Where did you get that news?" Jack was utterly shocked. Queenie told her husband what Shakira told her about Allison. She also told him about her doubts. It was the first time that Jack lost hisposure. His heart was thumping hard, even though he had been able to keep his cool in his career as a politician. "If... if our daughter is still alive, we''ll definitely find her!¡± Jack said agitatedly. He paced around the ward, unable to contain his excitement. The usually calm and stern man looked like a clueless child now. Queenie felt sorry for him. She knew that her husband was kind toward her adoptive daughter, but he hoped to have a daughter of her own. However, her health condition did not allow her to fulfill her husband''s wish. Queenie understood how excited her husband was, knowing that their birth daughter was still alive somewhere out there. In fact, she felt the same as her husband. "Our Leia will have an elder sister soon, and she won''t feel as lonely. I believe that they¡¯ll get along just fine," Queenie said expectantly. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. She began to discuss with her husband how to look for their birth daughter, and they did not notice that Leia, who had been sleeping, had stealthily opened her eyes. When she overheard what her adoptive parents were talking about, she suddenly felt extremely flustered! Her adoptive parents knew that their birth daughter was still alive... If... if they managed to find Bianca... Would she still have a ce in the Norman household? She gripped the nket in her hands tightly, and her expression was extremely sullen! No, she cannot let them find Bianca! Chapter 552 Chapter 552 Bianca Was Moved and Saddened After work, Bianca received a call from her aunt Wanda, saying that Old Master Rayne had been thinking of her. He also wondered about how Bianca''s health had been, and he missed Lanie and Rainie. Bianca had been busy with worktely, not to mention that she had been stuck at her home for the past few months while her leg recovered. Hermunication with her grandfather had been limited to phone and video calls. After hearing from her aunt, Bianca decided that she would visit her grandfather. She wanted to bring the twins along. However, it would be difficult. The twins were in Crawford Manor, and Luke was away on a business trip. Bianca knew that Old Master Crawford still had a negative impression of her, while Allison did not even want to talk to her. She would only be humiliating herself if she went there. At home. Old Master Rayne was very excited when he saw Bianca. He asked her many questions, including questions about her health and why Luke did note along. Even more than that, he asked about whether Lanie and Rainie had grown any taller, and if they listened to their mother... The old man asked her many questions, and he even repeated several questions three or four times. However, Bianca answered each of those questions without the slightest hint of impatience. After the chat, Bianca gave her grandfather several boxes of medicated sters. "Your back has been hurting, Grandpa, and I bought these medicated sters for you. Try them and see if they''re effective. Use one in the morning and one in the evening, and I hope your back will be better." Old Master Rayne was also old, and the doctor advised against surgery. He had been trying to alleviate the situation with medication. Bianca had been thinking of how to cure her grandfather''s condition. She knew about the medicated sters when she overheard the conversation between the two caretakers at home. One of the caretakers had a serious spinal injury because she had overworked herself in her younger days, and she felt as though a hammer was knocking on her back every day. After that, she found a natural healer in her hometown who formted his own medicated sters. After using it for some time, the pain was reduced by a lot until she was healthy enough to work again. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org That was why Bianca thought of asking the caretaker to buy several boxes of medicated sters for her grandfather. She brought the medicated sters along with her. Old Master Rayne smiled as he took the boxes. He did not have too much hope of being healed, but he said jokingly, "You''re so considerate, Bianca, but I''m afraid that there''s no use. I''ve taken so many medicines and had so many injections. You shouldn''t have spent the money on me! I''m already one foot in the grave, and I don''t know how much time I still have with you... Old Master Rayne''s eyes misted with tears, and his tone sounded sorrowful. "You''re only seventy, Grandpa. I think that you''re still young, and you shouldn''t say things like that. You''ll definitely live to a hundred, and I hope that you can attend Lanie and Rainie''s weddings!" Bianca hugged her grandfather''s arm, just like she did when she was a child. Old Master Rayne was helpless. "You''re a grown woman now, but you''re still clingy like a little girl!" "No matter how grown-up I am, I''ll still be a little girl in front of you, Grandpa! I want to cling to you like I did when I was little," Bianca said smugly. Old Master Rayne patted his granddaughter''s head. "You''re going to be a mother of three soon, and you can''t act like a little girl after you''re married. Your mother-inw doesn''t seem like she''s a friendly person. We shouldpromise whenever we can instead of arguing with her. Of course, if she tries to take advantage of you, you should tell Luke instantly. I can tell that the Luke boy has a mind of his own, and he won''t only obey his mother. You don''t have to suffer on your own, understand? If Luke bullies you, you''ll have to tell me. I''ll get even with him even if it kills me!" Bianca was moved by her grandfather''s concern toward her. She did not doubt that her grandfather loved her very much. She pressed her lips together and tried to sound casual. "I know, Grandpa, don''t worry. Luke and I will move out after we''re married, and we won''t live together with his mother. If we don''t regrly meet, then we won''t have the opportunity to quarrel. Luke is very nice to me, and he won''t bully me. Sometimes I feel like I''m bullying him!" "That''s good to know. I know that my granddaughter is a lucky girl!" Old Master Rayne said,forted. Bianca helped her grandfather sit down on the couch, then said, "Have a rest first, Grandpa. I''ll go to the kitchen and help out Aunt Wanda. I''m afraid that she''s overwhelmed." "You''re pregnant. Will you be fine?" Old Master Rayne did not agree with her suggestion. He held Bianca''s hand and did not let go. "I''ll be fine, Grandpa. The doctor told me that pregnant women shouldn''t always be sitting down. The exercise will be good for me." Bianca managed to convince her grandfather to let her help in the kitchen. Once she stepped into the kitchen, she could smell the fragrance of dinner. "That smells so good, Aunt Wanda!" She eximed. Wanda turned to look at her niece while holding a pot. "I''m making your favorite meatballs, and I''ll be making shrimp scampiter. I''ll just need to toss the shrimp in the saucepan and we can eat..." "It smells really good, Aunt Wanda. Your cooking is getting better again. Let me have a taste..." Bianca washed her hands, picked up a meatball from the pot like a child, and stuffed it in her mouth. The meatball was still piping hot. Bianca yelped a little, and she seemed very mischievous. "You child..." Wanda pretended to scold Bianca and shook her head. Her niece was already a mother but still acted so childishly. She did not know if it was a good thing or a bad thing. She had been married to a man from a wealthy family before, and she knew that it was not easy to y that role. The undercurrents in wealthy families ran deep. Wealthy families ced a lot of importance on rules and etiquette. Once inside, those rules might reduce a human''s true nature to a soulless puppet. ''What if my niece is an exception?'' Wanda thought when she was reminded of Bianca''s husband-to-be. With the man protecting her, perhaps Bianca might be lucky. Wanda hoped that Bianca could remain as innocent as before. While Wanda was cooking at the stove, she felt a warm current in her nasal cavity. Droplets of blood fell uncontrobly from Wanda''s nostril. The bright-red blood sshed on the spat... Chapter 553 Chapter 553 Bianca Was Assailed By Many Thoughts Wanda did not want Bianca to notice that something was wrong with her. She quickly pinched her nose to stop the blood from flowing while she brought the spat under the tap to wash away the bloodstains. Her movements were natural and agile, as though she was used to it. She thought that it was fortunate that the blood did not drip into the pan and that her back was facing Bianca at the moment. The scene at the hospital reyed in Wanda''s mind. "Mdm. Rayne, your immune system is getting weaker, and you need to be hospitalized for chemotherapy as soon as possible. If you dy it, you''ll only be causing more damage to your body, and the chances of you recovering will be lower." "I don''t want chemotherapy, Doctor. Are there any less intrusive methods of treatment? I don''t mind taking medication too, as long as I can maintain my basic bodily functions," Wanda asked. She knew the side effects of chemotherapy. Other than nausea, vomiting, and lethargy, she would also have to lose her head full of beautiful hair and be skeletally thin. Wanda had been pursuing beauty all her life. She would rather die than see herself be like that. "Mdm. Rayne, the most effective cancer treatment methods avable in the country now are either surgery or chemotherapy. Surgery is the default method, but it is only useful against early-stage cancer, and it would do little to alleviate yourte-stage cancer. Abination of surgery and chemotherapy would probably be your best bet, but honestly, I cannot rmend any non-intrusive treatment methods for your current condition," the doctor told Wanda. "Doctor, is cancer hereditary? My brother died from cancerst year, and I have cancer too. Is it because it''s hereditary?" Wanda asked. "It''s hereditary in the sense that certain families would have a higher probability of getting cancer than others, though there are other factors, such as poor living conditions. Generally, the inheritable types of cancers are breast cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer among others. If someone has an immediate family member suffering from those types of cancer, then the probability of getting the same type of cancer would be higher." Wanda¡¯s heart wrenched. She and her brother were immediate family members, and both of them suffered from cancer. Was it hereditary, or was it an unlucky coincidence? If it was hereditary, what would happen to Bianca? Bianca was her brother''s daughter. Would her chances of getting cancer be higher too? Wanda looked at her pregnant niece helping her out in the kitchen. She could not help but feel sad for her. She looked at Bianca and said, "Bea, if you have the time, I''ll go with you to the hospital for a full body checkup." Bianca thought that her aunt was worried about the child in her womb. "I''ve been going to the hospital for regr checkups, Aunt Wanda. The doctor says that the baby is healthy, and there''s no problem with my health too. You don''t have to worry." Wanda exhaled heavily and told her niece the reason why she wanted her to do a full-body checkup. "Bea, thest time I was in the hospital, the doctor told me that the chances of you getting cancer are higher if you have an immediate family member with cancer. Your father died of cancer, and I''m suffering from the same disease. You''re my brother''s only daughter, and I''m afraid... that..." She could not finish the sentence. Bianca did not seem perturbed. "I don''t think that''ll happen, Aunt Wanda. I think that what happened to you and Dad is only a coincidence. You don''t have to worry about it. Moreover, I''m quite familiar with my health. The worst that has happened to me is a fever or a cold.¡± However, the usually gentle Wanda was insistent this time. "No, I''ll bring you to the hospital someday. I can only be relieved if the results say that you''re fine. Now that my brother is gone, I don''t know if I can last for long. If something happens to me, you''ll have to take care of your grandfather..." It was the first time that Bianca had seen that weak side of her seemingly unassable aunt. That made her realize how serious her aunt''s condition was. She dropped the half-washed te into the sink and hugged her aunt without drying her hands. She knew that her aunt was sick. Her aunt had told her about it the first time they met. However, her aunt had been keeping a positive outlook and had been taking the medication regrly, so why did she suddenly... Tears nearly fell from Bianca''s eyes. "Aunt Wanda, Dad is already gone, and Grandpa has already experienced the heart-rending agony of burying his own child... Would you want Grandpa to experience that again? Grandpa is old, and you and he are my only two rtives left. The two of you are my spiritual support. I''ll be taking my architect certification test tomorrow, so I can''t go to the checkup. We can go to the hospital thising weekend, but you also have to promise me that you''ll try to live on, alright?" Since young, Bianca had never received love from a mother or an adult female figure. Her aunt was the first one to truly love her. To Bianca, her aunt was like a mother. That was how important Wanda was to her. Wanda saw the fear and anxiety in her niece''s pleading gaze. Her lips trembled, but eventually, she said, "Alright." At night. Bianca did not go home. She stayed with her grandfather. Wanda also stayed for the night. After knowing that Bianca would have an important test tomorrow, Wanda reminded her that the baby in her womb was more important. If Bianca did not pass the test, she could try again next year. Bianca listened attentively, and the aunt and niece chatted for a longtime. At about nine o''clock, Wanda left her niece''s room. Bianca took her phone. She noticed that she had several missed calls and an unread message. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org She opened the message to read it. It was from Luke. [Zander said that you''re staying over at your grandfather''s house. You must have a lot to chat with your aunt. I shan''t disturb you then. You should have enough rest for the test tomorrow. Don''t worry, you can do it. I trust you.] Bianca felt warmth in her heart as she read that message. Shey on the bed quietly with her eyes closed. Her aunt''s words kept reying in her mind. There was a chance that cancer was hereditary, and she was Kevin Rayne''s daughter. Would she suffer from cancer in the future? Chapter 554 Chapter 554 One Would Not Have To Think Too Hard To Guess Her Intentions Wanda prepared breakfast early the next day. After breakfast, the driver sent her to the venue. Bianca would be taking her test at a famous economics college. Bianca could see that there were already a lot of people at the venue. It was an impressive scene. Most of the candidates were male, and there were rtively fewer females. Many candidates were reviewing their study material on the eve of the test, whether they were going through what they already knew or crammingst- minute. They seemed to be working hard. That was a regr sight at all test venues. Sean, the driver, was worried that an ident might happen to Bianca. He parked the car at the parking lot and apanied Bianca to the venue. He did not want a repeat of the identst time! No one dared to be careless when it came to the people closest to Luke! Many candidates crowded in front of a notice board to find their seating arrangement. Bianca''s test location was at ssroom 302, on the third floor of Academic Block D. Sean brought Bianca to a shady spot and told her, "Wait here for a while, Madam. I''ll help you check the location of your ssroom. There''s a big crowd here, so you shouldn''t move around too much. I''ll come back here soon." "Alright, Thank you," Bianca replied.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. It was very tiring for her to keep standing with a pregnant womb, so she found a stone stool and sat down. She took out a textbook from her handbag and started to browse through it. She also read through the summary that Luke had given her. When Bianca was reading seriously, she suddenly heard a sweet feminine voice next to her. "Hello, nice to meet you. Are you here for the test too?" Bianca lifted her head, quite surprised. She saw a long-haired young woman in trendy clothes, smiling at her while holding a book in her hands. The woman looked pure, and she had a sweet smile on her face. She seemed kind and harmless. Bianca returned a smile out of courtesy. "Nice to meet you. Yes, I''m here for the test." "My name is Julie Anderson. It''s my first time taking the test." After the young woman introduced herself, she sat down next to Bianca as though they were already friends. ¡°You''re so young, but you''re already a mother? Did you marry right after you graduated? Is it your first time taking the architect certification test too?" Bianca was caught off guard by the young woman''s barrage of questions. She did not answer the questions that involved her personal life. Instead, she replied gently, "My name is Bianca Rayne. It''s my first time taking the test too." The young woman named Julie Anderson noticed the notes in Bianca''s hands. 1 After ncing at it once, she blinked and eximed, "Are these your study notes? Your handwriting is so pretty, and the contents are so detailed... There are evenmon mistakes too? Wow... I think that your notes are better than the textbooks. Can I take a look?" Bianca hesitated. However, she could see the eagerness in the young woman''s eyes. She handed one of the two sheets of paper that Luke gave her to the young woman. "Take a look." Julie epted the summary happily and thanked Bianca. Then, she started reading through the sheet seriously. About ten minutester, Sean came running back. He did not expect that there were so many candidates crowded at the notice board. He almost could not catch his breath. If he, a well-built man, would find it hard to move about the notice board, what about Bianca, a pregnant woman? Sean thought that he had made the right decision by apanying Bianca to the venue. Otherwise, it was too easy for an ident to befall her. If that happened, he would not be able to escape punishment. "I''ve found your seating arrangement, Madam..." As Sean came running toward Bianca, he abruptly stopped talking when he noticed the beautiful young woman sitting next to her. He scratched his head and asked, "Madam, she is...?¡¯ "Thank you," Bianca closed her book, took out a bottle of water from her handbag, and handed it to him. "Have a drink. This is Julie Anderson, my new friend who''s also taking the test today." "Nice to meet you." Julie smiled and greeted Sean. Her eyes were narrowed into crescent moons, and she looked rather adorable. Sean''s heart beat a little faster. An awkward smile appeared on his rugged face. "Nice to meet you. I''m Sean Zander, the driver." Julie covered her mouth and smiled when she saw how flustered Sean was. ''What a silly man!'' She thought. However, her brown eyes sparkled when she heard Sean address Bianca as "Madam" and said that he was Bianca''s driver. Then, she discreetly sized up Bianca. Julie could see that Bianca was dressed in a white-colored standard maternity dress. The ck round cor contrasted the fair skin of her neck. She also noticed the Italian words on the tag on Bianca''s cor. It was a luxury brand. Julie started to be excited when she saw the tag. It was a famous Italian fashionbel. One dress alone would cost six months of her sry. She had thought that Bianca was just an ordinary woman like her. Now, she was trying to guess her identity. Bianca did not know Julie''s thoughts at that moment. She was looking at a video from a financial news channel on her phone. "The Continental Financial Summit will be held in the capital soon. The special guest for the summit will be Luke Crawford, the rising star in the business world. He will be speaking at length about economic trends in the new era." It was not surprising that news about Luke appeared in the financial news channels, but she did not expect to see him at that moment. Financial news should be about finance, but the cameraman knew thatizens want to be entertained too. The other businessmen were either old or potbellied, so the young and handsome Luke was prominently featured. The news segment also prominently featured Mavis, who stood next to Luke. In the scene, one could still see that Mavis was infatuated with Luke. However, thetter did not seem to realize it. It was Luke''s turn to speak. When Mavis handed the microphone to Luke, she inadvertently used her finger to touch Luke''s hand. One would not have to think too hard to imagine her intentions. Bianca could see that Luke furrowed his brows, took a napkin from the table, and discreetly wiped his hand several times. Then, he took the microphone and started to give his speech. Mavis''s expression seemed to freeze for a moment. Soon after, she resumed her elegant smile. Bianca wanted tough. That man seemed to be a bigger clean freak by the day... Chapter 555 Chapter 555 Wow, It''s Luke Crawford, the Rising Star of A City! Julie noticed that Bianca was watching Luke make his speech. She leaned over and asked, "What are you watching, Bianca?" When she saw the handsome and gentlemanly Luke on the screen, her face lit up with admiration. "Wow, it''s Luke Crawford, the rising star of A City! He''s so handsome! That man is my idol. He has developed T Corporation from the ground up. That''s a miraculous feat! My dream is to work in T Corporation as a regr wage-earner! Do you want to work at T Corporation too, Bianca? We should do our best in this test, get our architect certification, and apply to T Corporation! How about that?" Bianca could not stand Julie''s chatter. She seemed like ady when she kept her mouth shut, but once she started speaking, she was like a twittering sparrow. "Madam is already..." Sean wanted to exin on Bianca''s behalf, but Bianca shot a nce at him. "I hope that we''ll pass with flying colors," Bianca said. Julie nodded. She wanted to continue watching her idol on Bianca''s phone, but Bianca had already closed the page. "Why did you turn off the video, Bianca?" She said disappointedly. Bianca looked at her watch and stood up. "It''s almost time, and we should enter the venue early. Where is your ssroom?" "302, Block D. How about you?" Bianca was surprised. "We''re at the same ce." "What a coincidence!¡± Julie eximed excitedly. "Looks like we''re fated to be friends. I''m at seat number 5. How about you?" "I''m at number 16," Bianca replied. Julie took Bianca''s hand and prepared to head to the venue. "Let''s go together then! I''m so happy to have found a friend here. I thought I''d be alone." Bianca did not want to throw cold water on Julie''s enthusiasm. She said apologetically to Sean, "Non- candidates can''t enter the venue, and the tests will take some time. Could you wait outside for a while? You can leave if you have some other business, or you can stroll around the ce. I''ll give you a call when I''m done..." "Alright," Sean replied. Bianca and Julie walked along a path that cut through the vast college. Many candidates were walking hurriedly in the same direction. Julie discreetly protected Bianca so that the other candidates would not bump into her. Bianca was quite moved by that gesture. Julie spoke as she walked forward. "We shouldn''t panic during the test, Bianca. We shouldplete the easier questions first, then move on to the harder ones. We don''t have much time to waste." "I know,¡¯ Bianca said with a smile. At that moment, Bianca''s phone started ringing. She saw that it was from Luke and instantly answered it. "Hello..." ''Isn''t that man giving a speech now? How did he have the time to call her?'' The man seemed to guess Bianca''s thoughts and exined to her in his resonant voice, "It''s almost time for the test, and I guessed that you''re heading to the venue now. I took a short break to call you. Do your best, Bianca. I believe in you!" Bianca smiled genuinely. "Alright." After she ended the call, Julie asked curiously, '' Did your husband call you?" Bianca smiled shyly. Luke was not her husband yet, but she did not want to exin that she was pregnant before she was married. So, she nodded. "Your husband is so nice to you," Julie said with some admiration. She could guess that Bianca''s husband was rich and influential. However, she considered the fact that many young and beautiful girls made rich tycoons their sugar daddies. Perhaps Bianca was married to a rich but ugly person. After all, it was rare for a man to be both rich and handsome, not to mention that women would be flocking to them. She did not believe that Bianca would be lucky enough to marry a man who was both rich and handsome. She felt a little better after arriving at that conclusion. 2 In any case, she could tell that Bianca''s husband was someone influential. If she could be good friends with Bianca, it would eventually help her in her career. Instantly, she became friendlier toward Bianca. Bianca felt uneasy about how eager Julie was to please her. She was grateful that Julie was shielding her from the other candidates with her elbows, so she did not say anything. Soon, they arrived outside ssroom 302. Two male invigtors were standing outside. One of them was supervising the candidates as they ced their belongings outside. The other was pointing a scanner at the candidates entering the ssroom. A long table was ced outside the ssroom for the candidates to put their belongings. Anything that they did not need during the test had to be ced there. Bianca put her notes and her phone in her handbag, then ced her handbag next to Julie''s. Then, she and Julie entered the ssroom together. An invigtor scanned Bianca''s body and confirmed that she did not bring any cheating tools before allowing her in. Bianca sat at her assigned seat and waited for the start of the test. She inadvertently nced at the entrance of the ssroom. Suddenly, she noticed Be, her design department lead, appear there. Bianca was surprised. She did not expect to see Be at the venue. Many ssrooms were used for the test. It was too big of a coincidence that she and Be were assigned to the same ssroom. Bianca and Be exchanged nces, though they carried different expressions. One of them was surprised, while the other was impassive. She was reminded of how Be was always picking on her in thepany. She bit her lip, wondering why her department lead seemed to have a grudge against her. However, that was not important for now. Bianca looked away and inspected her stationery. Be ced her handbag on the table outside. Suddenly, she noticed the little white bear toy on Bianca''s handbag. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Be recognized it very well. Bianca had brought the handbag to work every day. She was very sure that the handbag belonged to Bianca because of the unique shape of the toy. ''How tacky!'' She thought. She discreetly pulled open the zipper to Bianca''s handbag when no one was looking. She rummaged through her handbag quickly and pulled out a note. Then, she discreetly closed the zipper... Be''s movements were quick, and the other candidates were in a rush to enter the ssroom anyway. No one noticed what she did. The atmosphere in the ssroom was tense. Bianca felt as though she was back in high school. She had to be alert to face theing test. Be sat on the seat behind Bianca. Chapter 556 Chapter 556 Sir, I Would Like To Report A Case of Cheating! Bianca did not expect that Be''s seat was number 17. That instantly put her in a bad mood. It was already an uncanny coincidence that they were assigned to the same ssroom, but consecutive seats too? She cursed her luck! The test was starting soon, and she did not have the time to be bothered about Be. Bianca shot a nce at Julie, who was sitting diagonally opposite her. The young woman seemed to have noticed that, and she pumped her fist at Bianca as a show of encouragement. Bianca felt relieved when she saw that warm smile. Ring... The bell rang, and the invigtors gave out the test papers and answer sheets. Bianca wrote down her name on the answer sheet, then started to fill in her candidate number with a #2 pencil. After filling in her information, she checked it one more time before quickly browsing the contents of the test paper. She gained a brief understanding of the questions and started to answer them with a ck ballpoint pen. It was an Engineering Economics paper, and she was not too good at that subject even when she was in college. If she could pass that paper, then the other paper would not be a problem. After arriving at that thought, she began to focus on answering the questions. She had to admit that Luke was very urate in his predictions. The summary proved to be very useful, and most of the highlighted points appeared in the test. She thought that the man was more urate than a fortune teller. The test questions were slightly difficult, but Bianca was not worried. She handily answered one question after another. Be looked at Bianca, who was answering the questions seriously. A sinister smile appeared on her face. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Mavis had given her a task, and she had been wondering how she should set Bianca up at the test venue. She could not think of anything after a long time. She had even thought of the stupidest idea, which was to bribe the invigtors. However, she discovered that luck was on her side! She was ecstatic when she found out that she was assigned to the same ssroom as Bianca, and she was sitting behind her! Perhaps it was time that Bianca received hereuppance! The two invigtors took their job seriously and patrolled around the ssroom. All the candidates were focused on the test. Some of the candidates seemed happy, while some were frowning. That was normal for any test. Bianca belonged to the former category. Her handwriting was neat, and she answered the questions quickly. Moreover, she was visibly pregnant. The invigtors could not help but turn their heads at her. The ssroom was silent except for the rustling sounds of pens writing on paper. Bianca answered the questions ording to ascending level of difficulty. She skipped over the questions that she was not confident of answering, and soon shepleted more than half of the paper. Meanwhile, Be was struggling with the questions. It was her second time taking that paper. Last year, she had failed the same paper, so she had to pass it this time. To receive the architect certification, a candidate had to pass all four subjects in a two-year period. If she failed the test again, it meant that the validity of the other three subjects would expire, and she had to start all over. That was not what she wanted! Be did not expect that the questions were tougher than the previous year''s questions. She was having a hard time. She looked at Bianca in front of her. Bianca was writing continuously, as though she did not need the time to think. That made Be even more jealous and resentful. Meanwhile, at seat number 6, Julie was shocked. Some of the questions had appeared in Bianca''s notes, which surprised Julie greatly. She wondered if Bianca managed to predict the questions in the paper. At the same time, she regretted not studying the notes more thoroughly. As time passed, the temperature in the ssroom seemed to be rising. The ssroom remained silent as usual, except for the whirring fans that hung from the ceiling. Bianca opened her bottle and took several sips. The duration of the test was two hours. Even healthy candidates might find it physically and mentally taxing, much less a pregnant woman like Bianca. Luke had reminded her to bring a drink to the venue. She could take a few sips if she felt tired, and that would restore her energy. Indeed, Bianca felt a lot better after taking a drink. She began to tackle the harder questions that she was not very confident in answering. They were quite tricky, but fortunately, they were all multiple-choice questions. Every time she managed to solve a question, the confident smile on her face grew wider by a little. When she was done answering all the questions, she nced at her watch and saw that there was still another half an hour before the end of the test. Bianca began to recheck her answers. She even managed to correct one of the questions that she had answered wrongly in her initial attempt. A shrill whistle sounded. One of the invigtors announced loudly, "There are ten minutes to the end of the test. Please work faster if you''re not done yet. Also, this is a reminder to double-check that you have filled in your information correctly on the answer sheet." Bianca briefly checked her information, then checked her answers again. Ten minutes passed in the blink of an eye. "Everyone, stand up!" The invigtor announced. The candidates pushed their chairs back and stood up while the two invigtors collected the answer sheets. Be had been pressing the notes that she took from Bianca''s handbag to the bottom of her desk with her knees. She quickly took it with her hands, crumpled it into a little ball, and tossed it under Bianca¡¯s chair. Be did it stealthily, and the other candidates'' attention was focused on the invigtors. No one noticed what Be did, except for Julie, who was sitting diagonally opposite Bianca. However, Julie did not say anything. Firstly, it was an important test, and Julie did not want to court unwanted trouble. Secondly, they were about to leave the ssroom, so there should not be any trouble. Thirdly, she thought that Bianca''s husband must be someone influential. Even if Bianca got into trouble, he would be able to help her. She knew better than to meddle in someone else''s business. At that time, trouble happened! Be suddenly pointed at the crumpled ball of paper under Bianca''s chairand said loudly, "Sir, I''d like to report a case ofcheating!" Chapter 557 Chapter 557 I Am Bianca¡¯s Husband Right after Be finished speaking, the ssroom instantly erupted in surprised exmations! The architect certification test was a national test, and the consequences for cheating were harsh. Not only would the results of this test be annulled, but the candidate could not take any more technical certification tests for the next two years! 1 In serious cases, the perpetrator would be criminally viable! The invigtors opened their eyes wide as they looked at Bianca! The other candidates also looked at Bianca differently. They did not expect that the beautiful and gentle pregnant woman would be cheating! The invigtor walked up next to Bianca and looked at Be sternly. "What happened?" Be pointed a finger at Be and said maliciously, "Sir, I noticed that when she was tidying her answer sheets, a ball of paper fell out andnded under her chair. She must be cheating!" Then, her finger pointed to a spot below Bianca''s chair. Everyone followed her finger and saw a crumpled ball of paper. The tall and thin invigtor frowned, then bent down to pick up the ball of paper. As the invigtor unfolded the piece of paper, Bianca''s heart started thumping hard! That was part of the notes that Luke had given her. How did it appear in the ssroom? She remembered very clearly that she had put the notes and her phone in her handbag before entering the ssroom... When Bianca turned her head and saw the malicious smile on Be''s face, she was stunned. Be must have brought in that sheet of paper, but why would she do that? "Is this sheet of paper yours, Miss?" The invigtor asked Bianca sternly. The contents of the notes were very simr to the test questions. In fact, some were exactly the same! That had shocked the invigtor! The other candidates looked at Bianca with a variety of expressions, and that made Bianca feel extremely uneasy. She could not help but be nervous, even though she did not cheat. "It is mine," she admitted. The expressions of the invigtors instantly sank. "Please follow us to the office after this, Miss!" They said sternly. Bianca was instantly flustered! There would definitely be an investigation! She was not afraid of being wrongly used, but the other people would definitely have a negative opinion of her, regardless of the results of the investigation. "I swear that I did not cheat, Sir! The sheet of paper is mine, but I have kept it in my handbag. It''s not me who brought it into the ssroom! Right, I have a friend who can testify for me. Julie, the two of us entered the ssroom together, and you saw me put my notes into my handbag, didn''t I?" Bianca looked at Julie sitting opposite her with a pleading gaze. Bianca''s eyes were tearing up. People who saw her helpless gaze would feel pity for her. Many male candidates started to whisper to each other. The woman seemed innocent and pitiable, and she came to take the test even though she was pregnant. Her tenacity was admirable, and she did not seem like someone who would cheat. Julie did not want to get herself involved, but she could see that Bianca was about to cry... She nced at Bianca''s luxury brand maternity clothes, then remembered that Bianca had a driver to send her to the venue... Julie instantly had a n. She raised her hand and spoke to the invigtors, "Sir, I came to the ssroom together with Bianca. The two of us ced our handbags on the table outside, and I saw that Bianca had ced her phone and her notes in her handbag. I am very sure about that." Be''s expression sank when she heard what Julie said. She thought that her n would go off without a hitch, and she did not expect that a stumbling stone would appear in her way. Be was exasperated. "Miss, you said that Bianca had put her notes in her handbag, so how did it appear in the ssroom? Maybe she brought along a lot of notes with her, and she secretly took out a sheet while you weren''t looking?" Julie did not say anything, i She had noticed Be throw the crumpled ball of paper under Bianca''s chair. However, she did not want to say it because she did not want to get too involved. The invigtors looked at each other, then quickly collected the answer sheets of the other candidates. Cheating was a serious offense. They wanted the other students to leave but kept Be and Bianca behind. Bianca saw that her answer sheet was ced at the top. On it was a red mark. She had studied very hard in preparation for the test, but she was being framed for cheating, i Next to her, Be was smiling mockingly. Bianca closed her eyes, trying hard not to cry. Before Bianca was led away by the invigtors, she quickly scribbled a string of numbers on Julie''s hand. That was Luke''s phone number. Bianca believed that Luke would be able to prove her innocence. She could only pray that he would come soon. After stepping out of the ssroom, Julie nced at the string of numbers on the back of her hand. In a hurry, Bianca''s handwriting was extremely messy, but Julia could see that the number started with "13" followed by consecutive "6"s. Julie was shocked. She could not imagine how much that number would cost. She remembered reading a news article saying that ording to the Guinness Book of Records, the highest price paid for a phone number was 2.8 million dors. That phone number had seven consecutive "6"s, but the phone number that Bianca had written on her hand had one more "6 " than that number. One could imagine the astronomical value it fetched! Julie became more and more curious about Bianca''s real identity. Excitedly, Julie dialed the number on her phone. She thought that no one would answer the call. However, she waited for about ten seconds before the call was picked up. "Hello?" A low and resonant masculine voice was heard from the other end of the phone. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Luke never answered calls from unknown numbers. However, he noticed that the number originated from A City, and Bianca should have finished a test. He guessed that Bianca''s phone must have run out of battery, and she was using someone else''s phone to call him. "H... Hello, are you Bianca Rayne''s husband?" Luke heard a timid feminine voice. Luke''s gaze narrowed. He had an ominous premonition." Yes, I am Bianca''s husband. Who is this?" Chapter 558 Chapter 558 Bianca Felt A Lot Better! The man''s voice on the other end of the phone was too attractive. Julie could not contain her happiness. She could feel her ovaries exploding, i She thought that Bianca''s husband must have been a perverted middle-aged man, but she had guessed wrong. The man''s voice sounded even better than a certain primetime news anchor she was obsessed with. Someone with such an attractive voice could not have been a middle-aged, potbellied tycoon. She tried to sound as calm as possible. "Nice to meet you. My name is Julie Anderson. I became friends with Bianca before the test. It''s like this: Someone framed Bianca for cheating, and the invigtors brought her to the office for an investigation. She gave me your phone number to ask you for help, and that''s why I gave you a call..." "Understood. I will show you my gratitudeter!" After a pause of a few seconds, the phone call was abruptly cut off. "Um..." Julie wanted to continue hearing the man speak but did not expect that he instantly hung up. Feeling a little discouraged, she kicked a pebble off the path. The capital. Luke had just managed to extricate himself from the Continental Financial Summit. He almost crushed the phone in his hand, and his icy gaze seemed to be oveid with the color of blood. Several well-known businessmen wanted to take a photo with him, but Luke ignored them all and walked toward a quiet and secluded corner. The businessmen instantly seemed awkward. Mavis smiled at them apologetically and exined to them that Mr. Crawford was not feeling well. Then, she quickly caught up to him. "What''s wrong, Mr. Crawford?" Mavis asked softly. She felt slightly uneasy as she walked side by side with Luke. Luke pointed a palm at Mavis, indicating to her to keep quiet. He was making another phone call. Mavis quietly listened to the conversation. The more she listened, the more fearful she became. She could feel the frigid aura around the man. Her beautiful eyes shed with understanding, and she discreetly went away. In the college office. "Why do you cheat, Ms. Rayne? Don''t you know that there''s aw that forbids cheating in national certification tests?" An invigtor said coldly as he looked at Bianca''s pale face. "I did not cheat, Sir. I will give the same answer no matter how many times you ask that question!" Bianca was sitting straight in her chair. She sounded as though she was sobbing, but her tone of voice was determined. The invigtor waved the piece of "evidence" in his hand in front of Bianca''s face and said unhappily, "You''ve already admitted that this piece of paper belongs to you, and Ms. Sloan here said that she witnessed you cheating. What else do you have to say for yourself?" Bianca retorted, "How can you listen to only one side of the story? My friend has said that she saw me put my notes in my handbag. As for why it would suddenly appear in the ssroom, I can only say that I have been framed. The informer and I are colleagues in T Corporation, and she is my department lead. Ms. Sloan has a grudge against me, and she always finds fault with everything I do. I have sufficient reasons to suspect that she has framed me!" If Be would frame her like that, she had no reason to endure the abuse without protest! i She finally understood that some people did not have moral boundaries. The more you try to tolerate them, the more they would run rampant over you! The two invigtors looked at each other. They did not expect that the two candidates would have a grudge against each other. However, their only concern was the situation at hand. It was a serious offense to cheat, and they would get to the bottom of it! Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Suddenly, Be''s phone dinged. She had received a message. She noticed that it was from Mavis, and she instantly opened it to read it. [Ms. Sloan, you should understand that you had initiated certain ns of your own volition, and they have nothing to do with other people. If you are unfortunately exposed, I don''t think I need to tell you what to do. Right, I''ve been covering up the fact that you''ve been receiving kickbacks from some clients. I''m not sure how long I can continue covering them up.] It was a sh message. After Be closed it, the message disappeared without a trace, as though it was never sent in the first ce. Be''s back was drenched in a cold sweat, and her heart was beating wildly. She thought that no one knew about her receiving kickbacks from clients; she had been so careful, and no one had ever exposed her. How did Mavis know? However, she realized that the situation is slowly slipping out of control. The two invigtors interrogated Bianca for almost half an hour, but she insisted that she was innocent. They were getting agitated. They had the evidence and the witness, but the young woman did not admit to it no matter what. Meanwhile, the other candidate insisted that the young woman had cheated. Bianca was pregnant, and the invigtors did not dare to use extreme measures. That was why they were caught in a stalemate. Suddenly, one of the invigtors received a phone call. He picked it up and said respectfully, "Chief Examiner Lawson..." Chief Examiner Lawson instantly started scolding him. "Are you currently interrogating a candidate named Bianca Rayne now? Let her go now! Do you know who¡¯s behind her? Her husband is Luke Crawford, the Cold-Faced Devil of the business world. How dare you say that she''s cheating?" "But Sir, we have evidence..." The invigtor wanted to exin. "But what? Let her go now, and let her sit for the next paper. We can continue with the investigation after the test! Also, return Ms. Rayne''s phone to her right now!" Chief Examiner Lawson was not in the mood for excuses. The invigtor hung up. Then, he reluctantly handed Bianca''s phone back to her. Right after she got her phone back, she instantly received a call from Luke... "Luke," she called out as soon as she answered the call. Luke sounded extremely concerned on the other end of the phone. "Listen to me, Bianca, I know what happened. Don''t worry, I''m on my way back to A City. The ne is taking off soon. Don''t be too nervous when sitting for the next paper, I''ll make sure that your reputation is restored." Bianca felt a lot better after she hung up. She red at Be coldly, as though she would tear her in two with her gaze! Be''s heart skipped a beat when she heard Bianca''s conversation with Luke. However, she tried hard to keep calm. "Tch, what''s your problem, you shameless cheater?" Bianca could not be bothered to reply to her. She headed toward the ssroom and prepared for the next paper. Bianca was somewhat affected by the incident. She knew that Luke would protect her, but she still felt uneasy. She had barely finished answering all the questions when the bell rang, signifying the end of the test. After the test, Bianca and Be were once again brought to the office. The only difference was that Julie had volunteered toe along as a witness. Chapter 559 Chapter 559 Luke Forcefully Hugged Her In His Arms! The investigation in the officested until nighttime. However, the invigtors'' attitude toward Bianca had improved a lot. Now, Julie was willing to be a witness for Bianca''s innocence, and that had made Bianca feel less helpless. However, Be remained insistent. "I don''t care what she says, she has indeed cheated. I saw with my eyes that the ball of paper fell from her hands!" "I did not cheat, Sir." Right after Bianca finished speaking, Julie nodded. "I can testify for Bianca, Sir. She is telling the truth. I saw Bianca put her notes in her handbag. Be saw that things were not going her way. She instantly shouted, "Sir, I believe that they are complicit with each other. They must be friends that have known each other for a long time, so she''s willing to give a false statement to help Bianca!" Julie spoke to the invigtor in a serious tone. "No, Ms. Rayne and I knew each other earlier today, and we have never met before. I volunteer to speak out for her because I cannot allow certain people to frame her. I saw with my own eyes that Ms. Be Sloan tossed the paper under Ms. Rayne''s seat." ''Oh no, she saw what I did. This will be bad for me!'' Be thought. To hide her guilt, Be mmed her palm on the table. "The two of you must share some illicit rtionship. Sir, why is she the only one who saw it? If she really did see it, why didn''t she call me out in the ssroom but instead wait until the investigation in the office? What a joke. What could my intention be for framing Ms. Rayne?" Julie did not have a reply for that. She did not know what grudge Be had with Bianca, but she chose to keep quiet in the ssroom because she did not want to get in trouble. However, after that phone call, she was willing to get herself involved. "Sir, Be Sloan and I are working in T Corporation''s architectural design department. Her employee ID is 2703, and mine is 2789. We have some personal grudges at work, and I''m suspecting that she is using this opportunity to take revenge on me! If you don''t believe me, you can call T Corporation''s HR department." With Luke''s assurance, Bianca felt very calm. Meanwhile, Julie''s mouth opened wide in shock. She did not expect that Bianca was already an employee of T Corporation. Earlier, she had exhorted Bianca to apply to T Corporation together... Now, she felt that her cheeks were hot. The invigtors looked at each other. One of them said, "I will make a call to T Corporation, and we will find out if the two of you have personal grudges against each other." Be inhaled sharply. She abruptly stood up from her seat and shrieked, "Sir, I''m her superior at work, and we are notpeting with each other. How could we have any grudges? I have indeed seen her cheat, and I reported her because I am civic-minded and disciplined. I won''t frame her! I''ll have to go now, Sir. Otherwise, my parents will worry!" Be took her bag and prepared to leave. She had to extricate herself as soon as possible. Otherwise, her effort would be all in vain. The invigtors were also getting tired. They had not achieved anything after the long investigation. They discussed it for a while and decided to let Be leave. Be stepped on her high heels arrogantly and said pretentiously, "Sirs, you have to take this matter seriously and punish Bianca Rayne for cheating. She has a character problem. If she would cheat while she''s pregnant, I wonder if her child would be ashamed of their mother? If you don¡¯t punish her severely, it won''t be fair for the other candidates." "Enough with your nder, Be Sloan!" Bianca was angered by Be''s insulting words. She stood up, grabbed Be''s shirt sleeve, and did not let go. "You can¡¯t leave, not before we get to the bottom of this!" "Let go of me, b*tch!" Be nced condescendingly at Bianca, easily tore her hand away, then continued to walk toward the door. Bianca knew that if she let Be leave just like that, it would be hard for her to overturn the verdict. On an impulse, she ran ahead and grabbed Be''s arm. She even lost her cool. "I was never at fault, Be Sloan. How can you frame me and then pretend that it has nothing to do with you?" "I''ve framed you? What a joke! Stop ying the victim, that''s not going to work on me! You should remember to abide by the rules next time. Don''t think that you can cheat your way to be a certified architect! How shameless!" Be shoved Bianca''s hand away. Be was in a hurry to leave, and so she used a lot of strength. Bianca was pushed out of the door. Bianca tripped and nearly fell on the floor. At that moment, a pair of strong arms hugged her waist and brought her into his embrace, thus preventing her from falling. Everyone was shocked. The man who entered the room was tall and extremely handsome. His sculpted facial features and high nose bridge exuded authority. His gaze was cold and hostile, which gave him a noble demeanor. One nce from him would send shivers down one''s spine! Behind him was a plump and sweaty middle-aged man with a fawning expression on his face. "Mr. Crawford, Chief Examiner Lawson..." The invigtors were surprised that the chief examiner was there. More unexpectedly, even Luke Crawford arrived at the scene. Be''s face instantly went pale. She wished that she could disappear from the scene. Meanwhile, Julie was dumbfounded. ''Isn''t the man Luke Crawford, my idol? Why would he be here? ''Don''t tell me... he''s Bianca''s husband?'' "You''re finally here, Luke..." When Bianca saw Luke, she finally let her bottled feelings out. She hugged Luke''s neck tightly. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Luke patted Bianca''s head. "Don''t worry, I''m here." His voice had a natural maism. Then, he swept his gaze over the people in the office. When his gaze reached Be, it suddenly turned sharp and prating like a knife. "It''s only an architect certification test. Even if Bianca doesn''t take the test, she is nheless outstanding. She is working in the bestpany, and she will attain the highest position. What use does she have for a certificate? To prove she is capable, she has studied hard for the test even though she is pregnant. How could she cheat?" Luke was forcefully hugging Bianca in his arms! His appearance gave her a strong sense of security. Like a superhero, the man would always appear whenever she was in trouble and give her a surprise... Chapter 560 Chapter 560 Bianca Is Always Loved! The atmosphere instantly became tense. Be felt her life shing before her eyes the instant she saw Luke appear. However, there was no turning back for her. She braced herself and said, "Mr. Crawford, I really saw Bianca cheating. I was sitting behind her, and I saw everything..." "Is that so?" His icy gaze fell on Be''s face. Be was stricken by panic when she saw that bloodshot gaze. Be thought that Mr. Crawford had given up on Bianca after the humiliation she put him through at the engagement ceremony! After that, Mr. Crawford was rumored to be dating Leia Norman, and they were even one step away from being engaged... Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. That was why Be thought that Bianca had left A City. She had never seen Bianca appear next to Mr. Crawford for a long time... The woman next to Mr. Crawford during that period had always been Mavis. She had even seen her boss going out to dinner with Mavis on several separate asions. That was why she thought that Mavis had reced Bianca as Mr. Crawford''s woman. Unfortunately for her, she had guessed wrong! 2 Looking at how worried Mr. Crawford was, it was not hard to see that the man still had affection for Bianca! The truth was a hard pill to swallow. Be looked at Bianca with resentmentjealousy, and disbelief. She did not understand why Mr. Crawford still loved Bianca. What charm did she have? As far as she knew, rich young men were fickle. When they grew tired of a woman, they would move on to a more beautiful one. To them, love was but a game! Ditching a woman was a matter of time! Why was Mr. Crawford not like that? "Miss, I promise you that we will deliver a fair verdict. We will not frame an innocent person, and we will not condone any false usations!" Chief Examiner Lawson wiped the sweat off his forehead and smiled courteously at Bianca. While he turned to look at Be, his gaze was filled with prejudice. Be was furious when she noticed that. "Why do you look at me like that? I did not falsely use her!" She was not going to admit defeat! She would not be able to face herself if she did! Luke brought Bianca to the couch, and both of them sat down. He shot a cold nce at Be. "You should watch your words, Ms. Sloan. Thew does indeed punish cheaters, but at the same time, it holds liars with equal liability. You should know that very well, Ms. Sloan!" Cold sweat flowed down Be''s back. She was beginning to shake. She knew very well what Mr. Crawford could do. Even if Bianca had really cheated, Luke would manage to intervene and bail her out of it. Moreover, Bianca did not cheat. Be was the one who framed her, and that had made Be feel guilty. Be tried to keep calm and assess the situation. Now that she had framed Bianca for cheating, she would be punished even if she retracted her statement. The invigtors would sense that she was framing Bianca and punish her forthat. Looking at how much Luke cared for Bianca, Be knew that she would not be able to stay in T Corporation any longer. If that were the case, she had to mount ast-ditch effort. She was not going to go down alone! Be braced herself and insisted, "That woman has indeed cheated, Mr. Crawford. I did not lie! Don''t think that you''re above thew just because you know someone powerful, Bianca!" Luke''s gaze was scathing, and Be felt a chill traveling down her spine. "Very well, Ms. Sloan. I admire your guts!" The man said with a smile. Be dared not look into Luke''s eyes. His menacing and incisive gaze would see through her. At that time, Jason arrived. He was not surprised when he looked at the people in the office, especially Bianca. He was already briefed about the incident on his way there. Jason walked up next to Luke and bowed. "Mr. Crawford." "Chief Examiner Lawson, please give Mr. Doyle a copy of the candidates'' contact information," Luke said to Chief Examiner Lawson coldly. Chief Examiner Lawson nodded frantically. "No problem, Mr. Crawford." Luke hugged Bianca closer and looked at Chief Examiner Lawson and the invigtors. "She isn''t in good health, and she is also pregnant. It''s already sote. I don¡¯t think there''s a problem if I bring her home now?" "No problem, no problem at all. Ms. Rayne is pregnant, and it''s our responsibility to bepassionate toward our candidates." Chief Examiner Lawson smiled fawningly. He almost could not bear Luke''s overbearing demeanor, and he wanted Luke to be gone as soon as possible. Luke picked Bianca up in a bridal carry and was about to leave. Jason would be there to handle the rest. Seeing that Bianca was about to leave, Julie, who had kept quiet all this while, suddenly spoke out, "You don''t have to worry, Bianca. I believe that Mr. Crawford will help you. I will testify for you if you need it. You can contact me any time..." Luke abruptly stopped walking. He shot an icy gaze at Julie. Julie subconsciously took a step backward when her eyes met that fearful gaze, but she smiled sweetly and nodded anyway. Luke furrowed his brows. "Luke, she''s Julie Anderson. She was the one who helped me call you earlier, and she also stood up to be my witness... " Bianca spoke softly into Luke''s ear as she hugged his neck. Her eyes were brimming with gratitude toward Julie. Luke''s gaze flickered. Then, he turned to speak to Jason. "I''ll leave this to you. Reward this miss here appropriately." Jason understood what his boss meant. Julie tried hard to contain her joy. ''What luck!'' Her dream was to work in T Corporation! The multinationalpany had strict requirements for its prospective employees. It would be very difficult for her to join thepany with her own capabilities and experience. She did not expect the opportunity toe during the test! In the car. Luke hugged Bianca''s waist and gently kissed her eyes. "Are you still angry? Silly girl." "I was almost scared to death today. I really didn''t cheat, but someone framed me... Do you know, no one in the ssroom except Julie believed me. I don''t think I can ever forget being so helpless..." Bianca said softly. Luke hugged her more tightly. His gaze was chilly and profound like a phantom of the night. "Even if everyone else in the world thinks that you''ve cheated, I will still believe that you did not. Don''t worry, I''ll prove your innocence." No person in this world could frame his woman and get away with it. It was time for Be Sloan to be taught a lesson! Luke''s prating gaze met with Bianca''s misty eyes. Tears welled up in Bianca''s eyes when she saw the unwavering trust in Luke''s eyes. Luke¡¯s love had always touched her. With him next to her, she felt that the thorny path of life was filled with fragrant blooms. She was lucky to have him! Chapter 561 Chapter 561 The Tyrant¡¯s Threat... Late at night. Bianca was dreaming of being framed for cheating on the test. In the dream, Be was pointing condescendingly at herself and shouting at her that she was a shameless cheater! The crowd around her were looking at her impassively. Some of them were evenughing and insulting her together with Be! No one believed that she was innocent! "No, I''m not..." Bianca was flustered. She tried to exin to the people around her, but no one believed her. "Bianca, you cheater, you''ve ruined your future. Don''t ever think of bing an architect ever again. I say, people like you don''t deserve to live!" Be in the dream wasughing maliciously. Suddenly, she opened her bloody mouth and morphed into a fanged beast. It pounced toward Bianca and reached for her neck. "No! I didn''t cheat! Why doesn''t anyone believe me?" Bianca screamed in panic and suddenly opened her eyes. The scenes in the nightmare were still fresh in her mind. Her heart was thumping wildly, and her back was drenched with sweat. "Bea..." Bianca''s screams woke Luke up. Looking at how panicked she was, Luke hugged her tightly andforted her, '' Don''t be afraid. You were only having a bad dream.¡± Bianca was panting, and her body was shaking. Luke could feel her body tremble in his arms. "I really didn''t cheat. Why don''t they believe me?" She frowned and she could feel her heart ache. Luke propped Bianca up. Then, he went to the kitchen and got her a ss of warm water. "Why wouldn¡¯t anyone believe you? Silly girl, I trust you one hundred percent. Moreover, that Julie girl also trusts you. Don''t overthink this. You should rest now, and I''ll get to the bottom of it and prove your innocence." Bianca took a few deep breaths and slowly sipped the warm water. She felt a little better, but she was still uneasy. "Good girl. Don''t think of anything now. Sleep, and everything will be better, " Luke helped Bianca lie down again. He turned off the wall light. Then, he gently patted Bianca''s back, like coaxing a child to sleep. Bianca held Luke''s hand and felt safe. Soon, she fell into a deep sleep once more. Some timeter, it started drizzling. Luke held Bianca''s warm and fragrant body in his arms, worried that she might be stricken by nightmares again. He listened to the sound of the rain outside. He barely slept that night. The rain stopped after dawn. The sun came out again, and several white clouds hung in the distant sky. The morning sunlight shone through the windows. asionally, one could hear the slight sound of water droplets falling from the roof and sshing on the stone tiles. Luke was already awake, and he had brushed his teeth. He watched her sleeping face without saying a word. She was curled up in her sleep, seemingly in a defensive pose. He remembered that Bianca used to be mischievous and gentle, and her face would be animated by a variety of expressions. She would always smile brightly at him. Now... Luke sighed. His calloused fingers gently caressed Bianca''s delicate face. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Her skin was as smooth as the finest silk. Her petite face was only as big as his palm. It was so delicate that it evoked pity. Her pink lips were slightly dry. Luke could not help but lower his head and give her a deep kiss... Bianca was awakened by the kiss. She groggily opened her eyes. She rubbed her eyes as though she was not fully awake yet. When her gaze focused on Luke''s face in front of her, she smiled brightly." Good morning." Luke gently nibbled on her lips and said softly, "Good morning, darling." A shade of red spread across Bianca''s cheeks. Even though they were together for a long time, she still felt embarrassed by those intimate motions so early in the morning. "Shall we go on an outing to the countryside today?" He whispered next to her ear. Bianca was surprised. "Why the sudden desire to visit the countryside?" Luke yfully pinched her nose. "I''ve been tied up with worktely. I was either in thepany or out for business engagements, and I didn''t spend much time with you and the children. I''d like to make up for that. Now that things are less busy at thepany, I can afford to spend more time with you. You were recuperating at home for so long, and I think some fresh air would be good for you. It''s Saturday today, and the children don''t need to go to school. Let''s go and have a pic." Bianca was not in the mood for a pic because the results of the investigation were not out yet. When she saw Luke''s expectant gaze and remembered how the children had beenining to her that their Daddy was not spending time with them, she nodded. "Alright." Sean brought the children to the mansion. When they heard that Daddy and Mommy were bringing them to the countryside, they were so happy that they almost lost their minds. After breakfast, the family sat in the car. Just when Luke drove the car out of the garage, Bianca could see several luxury off-road cars lined up in a row in front of the mansion. A crowd of adults and children were standing in front of those cars. There was the cool and beautiful Percy Mallory, the funny Jim Holston and his son Simon, the pregnant Scarlett Quincy, and Louis, who seemed to be still half-asleep. Bianca looked at Luke in surprise. "It won''t be as fun if it''s just us. It so happened that they''re free today, so they''reing along with us," Luke exined. Bianca nodded. "Indeed, it''s more fun when there''s a crowd. What a coincidence that they''re all free today!" "...¡¯ The rest of the people were speechless. ''It''s not a coincidence at all, Sis! ''We''re terribly busy! ''It''s just that someone said that his wife was in a bad mood, and he threatened all of us toe along to cheer up his wife!'' The menmented that Luke had transformed from a chaste and self- respecting man to a wife-doting maniac. ''Why can''t he entertain his wife himself? What''s the meaning of dragging all of us along?'' However, no one dared toin. Luke had said that they would bear the consequences if they did note along. They were terrified of Luke! They knew that their good friend might seem gentlemanly and harmless, but he was more sinister and cunning than any of them! If any of them dared to disobey him, he could easily throw a wrench in their business. That would be an undeserved disaster! Thus, they cleared their schedules so that they could cheer up the tyrant''s wife... Chapter 562 Chapter 562 I Have No Retort To That... Luke and the others drove their cars to Misty Mountain. Misty Mountain boasted fantastic scenery. The mountain was shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, as though it was part of a fantasy dreamscape. Every year, it attracted tourists from many countries. Surrounded by several mountain peaks was a waterfall with ake at the bottom. The water was clear and reflected the blueness of the sky, which was why it was called Azure Waterfall. The group of people went to the Cottage in the Clouds, a popr lodge located next to Azure Waterfall. It was built entirely with logs, though the interior was spacious andfortable. The owner of the lodge was a young couple. They seemed to be loving toward each other. The male was tall and gentlemanly, while the female was beautiful and diligent. They were dressed in unique ethnic wear. They received Luke, Bianca, and the others with warm smiles. Even though they could see that the guests were dressed in luxurious clothes, they did not treat them any differently than other guests. That gave the guests a better impression of the hosts. Bianca was instantly captivated by the beautiful scenery and temporarily forgot her worries. She happily took Scarlett''s hand and walked around the ce with the children. Luke was smoking next to the waterfall. When he heard Bianca wasughing with Scarlett and the children, he smiled slightly too. It was a correct decision for him to bring Bianca out. All he wanted to see was Biancaughing without worry. The four men reclining on rattan chairs next to the waterfall had different temperaments, but they all had the same awkward expressions on their faces. The eager and passionate Jim was the first to break the silence among the men. "I say, Boss, why did you drag us along when your wife is the one in a bad mood? You say that it''s a good day to be outdoors, but it''s in the middle of June and the sun is zing. What''s the point of a pic? Also, don''t you think that it''s weird that we men are sitting together looking at each other?" Luke, who was reclining on a rattan chair, was looking at Bianca. He was in a good mood, seeing that Bianca was smiling. "Why are youining when I''m giving you the chance to take a breather? I know that you''re busy with developing your business and breaking new ground, but you ought to find some time to rest. You''re never going to make all the money in the world, and you should learn how to take it easy and enjoy life. What''s the point of making money then?" Jim facepalmed. "I have no retort to that..." Meanwhile, Percy said sarcastically, "That''s a grandiose excuse, Mr. Crawford, but I think the real reason that you invite us on this outing is that you don''t know how to coax your wife, and you''re trying to ask us for any tips. Unfortunately, I can''t help you at all. To me, women are nothing but trouble. If you want help, you should ask Jim or your brother. They''re very experienced." "Ahem... what do you mean, Percy?" Louis said, "What do you mean when you say that we''re experienced? I date many women, but you can''t say that I''m a yboy. I''m saving the hearts of all the women out there. Think about it, those women flock to me. If I reject them, their fragile hearts would be hurt. If my rejection drives them to suicide, then I''d be a sinner. That¡¯s why I''m not a yboy but a savior." The other men looked at Louis contemptuously. That was the first time that someone had given such a virtuous definition of being a womanizer. Louis rubbed his nose, covered his face with a straw hat, and decided that he should keep his mouth shut. Luke stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, then reclined on the rattan chair and rested his head on his hands. "The scenery here is beautiful, and it does allow for one to temporarily forget the bustle of the city. I think this is what Coleridge is trying to express when he talks about his white- flowered jasmine and broad-leaved myrtle." i His well-built body swayed rhythmically along with the rattan chair. Next to each chair was a log table on which a pot of fragrant floral tea was ced. The sky in the mountains was very blue, so blue that it looked like a nket covering the earth, and one would be able to touch a fluffy cloud if they reached out. Next to the waterfall was a centuries-old tree with dense branches and leaves. There was also an old tree stump half-immersed in theke, its rings recording the passage of time. asionally, some birds would swoop over the surface of theke, catch a small fish with its talons, and flit above the canopy. It was a scene filled with the vibrancy of life. Nowhere to be seen were the brutal struggles in the business world or the greed and desires of man. Everything seemed so natural and at ease. Jim frowned slightly when he saw Luke rxing on the chair. "I say, Luke, don''t tell me that we''re just going to sit here for the entire afternoon? I know that the scenery here is beautiful, but I have a deal..." A pebble the size of the penny and smeared with mud flew into Jim''s mouth. He nearly choked on it. Louisughed at Jim''s misfortune and gestured a thumbs-up at Percy. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Jim''s face was red as he red at his unsympathetic friends. He coughed hard several times, but the pebble remained stuck. He could only stick his finger into his mouth in an attempt to dig it out. Then, he washed his mouth several times and shot a murderous re at Percy. "Are you itching for a fight, Mallory? What did I do to you that you have to feed me rocks and mud?" Luke smiled amiably. "Jim, if you can beat Percy in a fight, half of my T Corporation is yours." To be honest, he would never beat Percy in a fight. Who could defeat that cold-blooded walking cmity anyway? Percy nced at Jim coldly. "You don''t know how to enjoy life. Looks like you''re destined to a lifetime of toil." "Pah!" Jim spat. Then, he washed his mouth again with some tea. He would really like to beat up Percy. At that moment, Bianca, Scarlett, and the three children returned. Bianca noticed that the atmosphere was rather tense. Just when she was about to ask what happened, Jim''s anger and resentment disappeared when he saw Scarlett... Chapter 563 Chapter 563 He Was Stripping Her With His Gaze! When Scarlett saw Jim, her grip on Simon''s hand became tighter, and her clear eyes were fraught with unease. She even timidly hid behind the little boy, even though his height only reached her thigh. Jim was angry when he saw how Scarlett was trying to avoid him. However, he was not going to lose his temper in front of everyone, and so he red at his precious son. Simon grinned at his father and clung to Scarlett''s leg as though he was iming dominance over her. At that moment, Jim had the urge to toss his son into theke! However, he was also frustrated seeing how Scarlett was not keen to get close to him. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. His eager gaze was transfixed on her body, as though he was going to strip her clothes away with his eyes! Scarlett averted his hungry gaze and tried to strike up a conversation with Bianca to alleviate the awkward atmosphere. The two women standing together was a charming sight, even though they were pregnant. They were beautiful in different ways. Bianca did not wear any makeup. Her skin was as fair as the finest ivory and seemed to glow under the sunlight. Her eyes were still as water. Her smile was the most dazzling part of her face. When she smiled, her eyes would narrow into crescent moons and sparkle animatedly. It was aforting sight. Scarlett also did not wear any makeup, and she looked younger and more tender. There was a hint of mncholy on her delicate face that evoked pity. Perhaps it was because of her environment when she grew up. Luke stood up from the rattan chair when he saw Bianca return. He hugged her waist and turned to speak to the other men. "Enjoy yourselves here. I''ll bring her around for a walk." "I wanna go too, Daddy!" Rainie said coyly. She was dressed in a tracksuit and held on tightly to Bianca''s hand. Luke bent over and patted his daughter''s head indulgently. "Good girl, Daddy and Mommy will be back soon. You can stay here with your uncles, or you can y with Lanie and Simon. Don''t wander too far away though." Louis spread his arms toward Rainie and smiled. "Come to Uncle Louis, my pretty niece! You shouldn''t interfere with your parents'' private time." Rainie pouted. She wanted to y with her parents, but when her Uncle Louis said that her parents wanted to spend some private time, she let go of Bianca and ran reluctantly toward her uncle. "Good girl. Let me give you a hug. Oh my, my Rainie is the prettiest little princess!" Louis hugged the little girl and spun around. Louis''s fatherly instincts red when he hugged the soft little girl in his arms and smelled her milky body fragrance. He thought that when he would be a father, he would want a cute little girl like Rainie too! Rainie giggled in her uncle''s arms. She grabbed his cheeks and nted a kiss on his face. "You''ve be more handsome too, Uncle Louis. You''re almost as handsome as my father!" Louis could not stop grinning. His niece was such a charmer! He lifted Rainie high and made all sorts of funny faces. His nieceughed and did not want to go away. Seeing that Rainie wasfortable with Louis, Luke was about to leave with Bianca when Simon suddenly barged in. The little boy pointed a plump finger at Louis and said unhappily, "Put Rainie down now, Uncle Louis. I won''t be happy if you keep hugging her!" Louis nced at Simon, surprised. "What''s wrong with you, brat? Why are you not happy with me hugging my niece?" Simon puffed up his cheeks. "Rainie will be my future wife. My Daddy said that only I can hug my wife and no one else can. That''s why you can''t hug Rainie!" Everyone was speechless. A rare hint of a smile appeared on Percy''s grim face. He nced at Jim deliberately. Jim did not know how to respond to that. That was what he told his son at home because his son did not want to let go of Scarlett. Louis was shocked. Heughed as he looked at the stumpy little boy. "You don''t even have hair down there, and you''re already thinking of getting a wife? That''s the funniest joke I''ve ever heard! Also, if you want to marry my niece, have you asked permission from Uncle Luke?" He turned to look at Luke. Knowing how protective his elder brother was, Luke was not going to marry his daughter away so easily. Simon grunted smugly and tottered toward Luke. "Would you let Rainie be my wife, Uncle Luke?" Bianca looked at the little boy''s overly handsome face and eager eyes. She felt as though her heart was melting. She hurriedly replied, "Of course..." "Not!" Luke frowned and took over Bianca''s sentence. "Rainie is still young. We can discuss it in the future." Lanie was also very protective of his sister. He nced at Simon and said candidly, "I won''t let my sister marry you, Simon. You''re too weak, and you can''t protect her." Simon was angry at the public criticism he received. He opened his eyes wide and retorted loudly, "I''m not weak at all! I''m very strong!" In a show of strength, he waved his little fists at the other people. The adults could not help but chuckle at his childish actions. Rainie red at Simon and buried her face in Louis''s chest. She did not want to look at him. She thought that Simon was a detestable little boy. Not only did he always bully her in school, but he wanted to marry her. She did not want to be that little demon''s wife! Lanie grunted condescendingly. That riled Simon even more. He pointed his plump finger at Lanie and challenged him, "You think that I''m weak, Lanie. Do you want to fight?" Those two boys from wealthy families had received martial arts training since they were young. That way, they can stay healthy and also protect themselves from harm. They had martial arts masters as private tutors. Naturally, Lanie epted Simon''s challenge. ''Hmph. Do you think you deserve to marry my sister? You''ll have to convince me with your fists!'' Chapter 564 Chapter 564 Wouldn''t the CEO of T Corporation Be A Mafia Boss? The adults were interested when the two little fellows said that they were going to spar. Even Luke and Bianca stayed to watch the show with the others. Soon, the two little boys started to trade blows. Lanie was well-trained in martial arts, and each punch and kick exuded power. Simon was not as well- trained, but he was used to brawling with other kids, and he was a more experienced fighter than Lanie. For a moment, no one knew who would be the winner. If they continued with the fight, they would not gain anything except for new bruises. "Stop fighting, boys. You''ll hurt yourselves. Please stop..." At first, Bianca thought that it would be fun watching them y with each other. However, she soon became nervous when she saw that the two meant business. She wanted to go forward and pull them apart. Luke stopped her. He was quite interested in watching the children fight. The two boys had already disliked each other. Lanie thought that Simon was being a pest to his sister and ought to be taught a lesson, while Simon hated Lanie for not letting him get close to Rainie. The two brats were rivals, and they were excited to fight each other. They also wanted to know who was the better fighter between the two, so neither wanted to give up. Bianca and Scarlett looked at each other. They could see the worry in each other''s eyes. Bianca turned around and looked pleadingly at Luke, hoping that he would intervene. Luke patted Bianca''s shoulder, indicating that she should not worry. The man took one big step forward, reached out, and grabbed their shirt cors like an eagle grabbing prey. With one boy in each hand, he returned to Bianca. The two little boys struggled with all their might, trying to breathe because Luke was lifting them by their cors. Their faces were bright red. However, they red at each other fiercely, still trying tond a hit on the other party! Luke tossed them onto the grass and red coldly at Simon. "Do you want to marry my daughter, Simon Holston? Not only do you have to convince Lanie, but you''ll also have to convince me. Don''t even think of marrying her if you can''t do that." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Simon looked at Luke, who towered over him. He felt a little discouraged. Then, he grunted unhappily at Lanie, who was gloating. He stole a nce at his father, who gave him an encouraging gesture. Then, he looked at Rainie''s adorable face as she talked to her uncle. His confidence and fighting spirit was ignited again. Lanie''s father might be powerful, but his Daddy was very cool too! Once, he saw his Daddy defeat four bad guys with knives to save Aunt Scarlett! He was his Daddy''s son. He might be young now, but he would one day be stronger than Daddy or even Rainie''s Daddy. Eventually, Rainie would take his hand and be his wife! After the entertaining episode, Luke and Bianca walked along Azure Waterfall. The waterfall was extremely tall and wide, and one could not see the other end. The waterfall formed a naturalke below it. Along thekeside, many unnamed flowers were in full bloom, forming a stark contrast with the blueke water. It was a refreshing sight. Luke hugged Bianca and walked along thekeside. The man was dressed in casual clothes, but that did not diminish his handsomeness. His noble demeanor was unforgettable. He protected Bianca as though she was a pearl in his hands. It was an enviable sight. Some tourists spotted the perfect couple and secretly took photos of them. Luke and Bianca walked forward while admiring the scenery, but they did not realize that to other people, they had be the scenery. Behind them, a middle-aged couple was strolling with their daughter. They seemed content as they looked at their healthy and lively daughter. However, the woman sighed when she was reminded of the impending forced demolition of their home. "Cohen, why do you think that the demolition team is so arrogant? They''ve threatened to cut off our electricity and water supply. They¡¯re not workers but hooligans and gangsters! They said that they''re a subsidiarypany of T Corporation, they have a lot of influence, and they wouldn''t mind resorting to extreme measures if we insist on not moving! If the underlings are already so brazen, wouldn''t the CEO of T Corporation be a mafia boss?" The man was balding. He worked hard all year round, which made him look old and haggard. Softly, he coaxed, "Don''t fret it, my wife. The house belongs to us, so what can they do if we insist on staying? Are they going to kill us all? We''re awful society now. If they dare to get violent on us, we''ll go to the police. I don''t believe that won''t scare them away!" "So what if we go to the police? Those businessmen must be in cahoots with them..." The middle-aged woman sighed even more heavily. The middle-aged man bit his lip. "We''re here on an outing with our daughter after she managed to survive the ordeal. If she sees you sighing, she won''t be happy either. Things will turn out fine, my wife. If we insist on staying, they won''t be able to move us. If they use violence, then we''ll publicize the incident. We''ll go to the media... Media outlets are more useful than before. T Corporation wouldn''t want their reputation to be ruined!" The middle-aged woman wanted to say something, but she was shocked when she saw Luke and Bianca walking in front of her! She elbowed the middle-aged man and pointed happily at Luke and Bianca. "Look! Aren''t they our benefactors?" The little girl who was skipping ahead of them heard what her mother said and looked in that direction. She was instantly excited. "Yes, that''s the nice couple that helped me! I''ll go and say hi to them..." After that, the girl happily ran toward Luke and Bianca. The middle-aged man looked at the couple and recognized that they were indeed their benefactors. He instantly became emotional. Together with his wife, they ran toward the couple. When Luke helped Bianca sit on a bench, a crisp girly voice rang out. "Good afternoon, Sir and Madam! Do you remember me? I''m Shania." Luke and Bianca turned to look. They saw an eight or nine-year-old girl in a white baseball jersey and a ck cap looking at them expectantly. Luke furrowed his brows. He did not have any impression of that unremarkable little girl. However, Bianca remembered her. Thest time she saw Shania was more than half a year ago, but she instantly recognized her. Shania was the girl that they helpedst winter after listening to her story on the radio. Chapter 565 Chapter 565 Candidly Announcing Bianca''s Status "You''re Shania who was terribly illst year?" Bianca ventured. The girl nodded happily, and Bianca smiled. "How are you recovering? Are your parents fine?" Bianca remembered that Shania used to be skeletally thin because of her illness. Now, she was spirited and energetic, totally different from what she was before. She should be in good health. "I''m so happy that you remember me, Madam! Thanks to your help, I went for surgeryst winter, and my condition has been improving since. Look, I''m very healthy now." Shania twirled around in front of Luke and Bianca. Bianca could not help butugh at how energetic the little girl looked. She pinched Shania''s face and said gently, "Not bad. You look a lot better than before. There''s so much color on your face now." "Thank you, Madam." Shania smiled shyly. She became curious when she saw Bianca''s bulging stomach. "Are you pregnant, Madam?" "Yes, I''m bearing another life in my womb now." Bianca lovingly caressed her stomach. Shania blinked. She wanted to ask about the twins. The twins left asting impression on her. They were the ones who had given her a ray of hope, and she persevered in her treatment so that she could meet them again. At that moment, Shania''s parents arrived. The middle-aged couple was moved to tears when they saw Bianca and Luke. They said many words of gratitude. With tears in their eyes, they told their daughter, "Shania, thank these kind people. They''re the ones who helped pay for your surgery. They''re the ones who gave you hope. Don''t ever forget your benefactors." Shania bowed primly at Luke and Bianca and said, "Thank you for helping me, Sir and Madam. I shall always be grateful." "Don''t mention it. Your health is the most important." Bianca was slightly flustered by how eager the couple was. She did not provide much help. After all, Luke was the one who gave the couple the money. However, the man seemed impassive. He only replied to the middle-aged couple''s words of gratitude with a short grunt. Bianca felt awkward by how cold Luke was. After chatting with the couple for a while, Bianca left with Luke. She was overwhelmed by that couple''s gratitude. On the other hand, Bianca was happy that Shania was healthy. That way, the couple''s lives would be easier, and they would definitely be a happy family. She thought that it was theirst interaction. She did not expect that their next meeting would end in tragedy. 1 After saying goodbye to the couple and their daughter, Luke and Bianca continued walking forward. Considering Bianca''s pregnancy, Luke picked secluded paths. His strong arm hugged Bianca tightly and prevented people from bumping into her. Bianca was getting tired from walking, but she did not want to say it. After all, they had sat down just earlier. Many elderly men and women were hiking around theke, and they moved faster than her. She did not want to be weaker than them. Luke had been observing Bianca''s movements. He could tell that Bianca was tired. He wanted to bring her to the countryside because Johann told him that Bianca had a weak constitution and she needed the exercise so that the delivery process would be smooth. That was why he insisted on walking with her. However, he felt sorry when he saw that Bianca''s face was turning red. He decided that Bianca should not walk anymore. He instantly picked her up in a bridal carry, ignoring her protests. He brought her to a stone bench and gently ced her down. On the next bench was an old couple in their sixties. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. The old woman smiled kindly when she saw how loving Luke and Bianca were. "You''re so nice to your wife,ddie. How many months pregnant is your wife?" Bianca lowered her head shyly. Her face was as red as a tomato. "My wife is about five months pregnant," Luke candidly announced Bianca''s identity, then hugged her tightly. He seemed satisfied and indulgent when he did so. The man was using a lot of strength, but he did not hurt her. Bianca did not want to be too intimate in front of the old couple. She wanted to push him away, but he held her even more tightly. "The two of you are so loving toward each other. You must be married for less than a year, right?" The old woman was wearing gold-rimmed sses and looked kind. "She looks so delicate. You ought to treat your wife kindly. It''s very exhausting to be pregnant." The old man sitting next to the old woman also nodded. "Of course." Luke slightly lowered his head and made his promise to the old couple. The old couple smiled and nodded. After saying goodbye, they helped each other up and walked in the other direction. Bianca watched the old couple as they walked away. She realized how blissful it would be for two people to willingly apany each other until they were old. She hoped that she would grow old with Luke too. Even when the old couple disappeared from view, Bianca was still looking in that direction. Luke twisted her head back to face her. "They''re already gone, silly girl. What are you looking at?" "That old couple is so loving to each other. I guess that''s what you call true love. Old couples are the most precious. It means that they''ve loved each other for their entire lives." Luke smiled and gently pinched her pink earlobe. "We''ll love each other even more," he said confidently. The wind in the mountains was cool and refreshing. Bianca''s head rested on Luke''s chest, taking in his masculine scent and bodily warmth. In front of them was a cliff that was over a hundred feet tall. Small streams of water flowed down the cliff wall like a beautiful painting in mid-air. It was a breathtaking sight. Meanwhile, Jim forced Scarlett to go "hiking." She wanted to decline. Firstly, she feared the man and did not want to be alone with her. Secondly, she was pregnant, and she would tire very fast. "Where are you taking me? This ce is so dark and creepy. I want to go back..." Scarlett was starting to panic as Jim dragged her along. It was early summer, and even sunlight could not prate the thick canopy of leaves. The dark mountain forest was indescribably creepy. Chapter 566 Chapter 566 Bianca Could Not Believe What She Heard Jim did not say a word. His face was scrunched up, and veins bulged on his temples. It seemed that he was trying to hold back intense anger! He continued to drag her deeper up the mountains! Scarlett was very tired. She wanted to suggest taking a rest, but she dared not. Instead, she tried to keep up. Suddenly, Jim pinned her on a thick and sturdy tree, and she shrieked in panic. "Ahh! Let go of me! What do you want?" Angrily, Jim pressed his lips onto Scarlett''s lips, not giving her the chance to escape. "Jim, you''re... you''re hurting me..." Scarlett struggled and shoved timidly. Tears were welling up in his eyes. Jim ignored her protests. He continued kissing her overbearingly, drawing blood from her lips. 1 Scarlett''s eyes were filled with tears of humiliation and resentment, and they silently flowed down her cheeks. She stopped struggling. However, her piteous looks only made Jim angrier! Jim gripped so tightly that Scarlett''s jaw was almost crushed to pieces. His eyes were bloodshot. "Look at how pitiful you are. How moving your tears are! Why were you crying next to theke, Scarlett Quincy? Are you still thinking of that man? You haven''t forgotten him, have you? How dare you think of him while you''re with me!" Scarlett lifted her head tiredly and looked at Jim. Tears stained her long and ck eyshes. She looked like she was going to fall any time. "I didn''t. I wasn''t thinking of him. I... I was moved by the beautiful scenery. I''m sorry, I won''t do that again. Can you... let go of me..." "You¡¯re lying! We share a bed every night, and you either stare nkly at the ceiling or secretly cry. You were even whispering that man''s name while you were next to theke. Do you think that I''m deaf and can''t hear you talking to yourself? You''re so loyal, Scarlett, you truly love him!" Fires of jealousy burned in Jim¡¯s eyes. "He already left. I don''t know where he is now..." Scarlett cried even harder. She looked like she was in pain. "I''m no bearing your child, Jim Holston. What else do you want from me?" "I don''t want you to think of other men. If I catch you doing that again. I''ll kill him!" Jim held on firmly to Scarlett''s shoulders as though he wanted to crush them. His gaze was ferocious and hungry like a wolf. Scarlett''splexion became paler. Tears did not stop falling from her eyes. Her delicate shoulders were trembling slightly. It was a pitiful sight. However, Jim became angrier when he saw her cry! Was she crying for that man? Did she still love that man? The fact pierced his heart like a knife. He wanted to strangle the woman in front of him! He flipped Scarlett over, took off her pants, and started viting her." Remember, I am your man!" Scarlett sobbed. She was a conservative woman, and she felt incredibly humiliated. 1 The fear that she was seen by other people, the humiliation that the man had subjected her, and her inability to push him away caused her to gasp for breath while she cried. Suddenly, she felt pain in her womb, and she furrowed her brows. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. She gritted her teeth, not allowing herself to make a sound... Jim was ovee by jealousy, and he deliberately did not look at Scarlett''s face. He did not notice that there was something wrong with her. It was when Scarlett passed out and a warm red fluid flowed out from beneath her that Jim stepped away in panic, i "Scarlett!" He came to his senses and called out her name. He carried her and ran crazily toward the lodge. Luke gently massaged Bianca''s feet for a while, then let her soak her feet in theke for a while. However, he remembered what Johann told him. A pregnant woman should not soak herself in cold water for too long. He dried Bianca''s feet and put on her socks and shoes for her. Then, he helped her stand up. The mountain path was rugged. Luke picked Bianca off her feet and carried her back. The tourists saw the following scene: A tall and incredibly handsome man was carrying a pregnant woman in a bridal carry, walking along the mountain path that followed the stream. The man''s stride was steady, as though the woman in his arms was as heavy as a doll. The woman in his arms was hugging his neck. asionally, she whispered something in his ears. The man listened to her indulgently. He was smiling without showing a hint of impatience or tiredness. Bianca blushed when she noticed that the tourists were staring at her. She buried her face in Luke''s chest, not used to being the focus of attention. "Look at that loving couple. It must be nice to be young." Some old couplesmented when they saw them. "Look at how considerate that man is to his wife! He¡¯s also so handsome and caring. He must be a good husband! I don''t care, darling, you must carry me..." When a young couple saw that scene, the female pretended to be angry and asked her boyfriend to do the same as Luke. "That woman''s pregnant, and that''s why he''s carrying her. When you marry me and bear me a child, I''ll also carry you like that, heheh..." The young man said that, but carried his girlfriend anyway. Some foreign tourists were speaking in their nativenguage but gestured a thumbs-up at Luke. All the people were smiling at them, but they did not have any malice in their eyes. They had nothing but blessings for such a loving couple. Bianca buried her face in Luke''s chest on the entire trip back. Luke wanted to bring Bianca to other ces. However, his expression sank after he answered a phone call. "We''ll have to go back now. Something happened..." "What''s wrong? Is it Lanie and Rainie..." Bianca''s heart skipped a beat. The first people she thought of were her children. "Scarlett Quincy miscarried." Bianca was shocked. She could not believe what she heard. Scarlett was still fine before they left. Why did she miscarry all of a sudden? Chapter 567 Chapter 567 A New Development Scarlett did not manage to save her baby. When Bianca met her in the hospital ward, she seemed paler and weaker than ever. Her face was ashen with despair, and her gaze was vacant as though her soul had left her body. "Scarlett...¡¯ Bianca felt sorry for the young woman. She gently held Scarlett''s slender arm. "Don''t be too sad. Take care of your body. Your health is more important, and you can still bear children next time..." "No, I won''t. I won''t ever bear children anymore..." Scarlett shook her head slightly. She was in despair. "He was the one who got rid of the baby. That''s fine. That unwee life won''t experience happiness anyway..." She was not fond of that baby at all. However, she eventually learned to ept the life in her womb and even anticipated its arrival. Scarlett thought that she would not mind losing that baby, but she did not expect it to hurt so much. Bianca was at a loss for words. She could see that Jim cared for Scarlett a lot and cared for the baby in her womb even more. Why would he be the one to get rid of Scarlett''s baby? When Bianca came to her senses, she stood up abruptly and said to Scarlett, "Jim has gone overboard. The child is nheless his. How could he be so cruel? I''ll ask him to find out." "No, don¡¯t." Scarlett shook her head. Ignoring Scarlett''s attempts to stop her, Bianca opened the door and went to look for Jim. The moment she opened the door, she saw that Jim was standing outside. His eyes were tired and bloodshot, and his handsome face looked haggard. What was most shocking was that Bianca could see streaks of tears on his rugged face. On a bench behind him, Luke was sitting on a bench while smoking. He seemed to be frustrated about something. "You..." When she saw Jim''s face, she could not bear to say any of the usatory words that she had prepared. Jim did not look like someone who would cry easily. Scarlett''s miscarriage must have given him a huge blow. "How is Scarlett, Sis?" Jim''s worry on his face was evident, but he seemed hesitant to step into the ward. Bianca felt sorry for Jim when she saw that he was feeling guilty. "She¡¯s very affected by the miscarriage, and her emotions are unstable now. Scarlett is a good girl, and she''s quite innocent. You should treat her better next time. Don''t let her go through this experience again. After all, a miscarriage is very damaging to a woman''s health." Jim clenched his fists tightly, and the sorrow and guilt in his eyes became more intense. "Mm..." He stepped into the ward and closed the door. Bianca could hear Scarlett wailing loudly and telling him to get lost! She was shocked by Scarlett''s reaction. She knew that women were usually emotionally unstable after a miscarriage, and they should not be agitated. She knocked on the door, but Luke stopped her. "This is between the two of them, Bea. You shouldn''t be involved. Let''s go home for now. Jim will handle it." Luke took Bianca''s hand and prepared to lead her outside. "I''m worried that Scarlett might do something stupid..." Bianca said worriedly. "Don''t worry. She''ll be fine with Jim looking after her. You''re also a pregnant woman, and you need rest. Take care of yourself first." Luke felt helpless about how Bianca loved to get herself involved in other people''s affairs. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. "But..." Bianca wanted to continue speaking, but Luke picked her up by the waist and walked out of the hospital. As he walked, he told Bianca, "Can''t you see that Jim was equally sad when Scarlett miscarried? They will have to solve their own problems, and Scarlett will have to ovee her own mental obstacles. If she can''t get over it, all your talking will only be in vain." Bianca did not reply. Indeed, Scarlett would have to help herself before she could help her. A few dayster, at T Corporation. Jason was still looking for evidence. 2 Luke discouraged Bianca from going to work. He was worried that the rumors and gossip in the office might affect her. After all, Bianca was someone with high self-esteem. However, Bianca insisted on going to work. She felt that skipping work at this time would only reinforce the impression that she was guilty. Luke could only agree. Bianca did not expect to be greeted by prejudiced gazes the moment she stepped into thepany. Thanks to Be spreading the news, the entire T Corporation knew about the cheating incident. Some colleagues in the design department who were closer to Bianca knew that she was not someone who would cheat. However, things were different with her colleagues from other departments. Bianca''s rtionship with the CEO was an open secret, and even though she had tried to prove herself multiple times, she could not shake off the impression that she got to where she was because of that man. However, those people dared not say anything because they feared their boss. Sue and Nina were very protective of Bianca. They did not hesitate to argue with anyone who badmouthed her. One of them was a pregnantdy, and the other had a fiery temper. They had mercilessly rebuked anyone in the design department who dared to badmouth Bianca. For a while, everyone kept it down. 1 Bianca was grateful for their care toward her. She was ufortable about the negative opinions of her, but she had to bear with it for now. Be stepped into the design department in her high heels, still as arrogant as usual. She walked in front of Bianca and started to mock her. "Wow, Bianca, I didn''t expect that you would dare to show up to work even after you¡¯ve cheated on the test! If I were you, I''d resign and hide at home!" 1 Bianca tried to hold back the hatred in her heart as she gazed coldly at Be. "Let me make myself clear again, Ms. Sloan, I did not cheat! I believe you should know better than anyone else who''s really guilty in this incident. Before a verdict is reached, let me warn you that you should watch your words! Otherwise, I''ll sue you for nder! If I find out that you''re involved in the incident, Be Sloan, you should know that nder is a crime, right?" Be was intimidated by Bianca''s sharp gaze. However, she pretended to be nonchnt. "Hmph! You can stick to your story, but you''ll soon find out the consequences!" Then, she sheepishly slunk away. Bianca calmed herself down and focused on her work. She believed that the truth would surface one day and that Luke would restore her innocence. Indeed, three dayster, there was a new development to the cheating incident. Chapter 568

Chapter 568 Bianca Was Excited!

Except on Bianca''s first day at work, there were no further rumors about her going around in thepany. She knew that it was all Luke''s doing. Bianca knew that the only thing left for her to do was wait! She needed to wait for her innocence to be proved! As usual, Be Sloan picked on Bianca and ridiculed her from time to time. However, Bianca was not at all bothered. She was not a cowardly woman. She used to simply endure it because Ms. Sloan was her boss, so she would avoid her if she could. However, since Be framed her, Bianca had seen right through her. The news from Jason Doyle was enough to get Bianca excited. Everyone had a price. Jason finally found Mr. Yates after repeated verification Mr. Yates was a witness who said he saw Be open a bag with a white teddy bear outside the test venue. Heter saw her take some documents out of the bag. At that time, because the test was about to take ce, he had arrivedte and was anxious to enter the test venue. He did not say anything to the examiner because he was nosy and did not want to get into trouble. After the test, he found out his grandmother was seriously ill so he went back to his hometown to visit her. Later, Jason contacted him and found out that he was an eyewitness. As such, Jason asked for his help to testify for Bianca. After he found out about Jason''s intentions, Mr. Yates, who had identified the woman in the photo, hesitated and said that he needed to take care of his sick grandmother at home. When he heard that, Jason promised him that as long as he told the truth, he would be paid a lot of money that he could use to treat his grandmother. He hesitated for a while before finally agreeing to help prove Bianca''s innocence for the sake of treating his seriously ill grandma. Mr. Yates was on his way to A City from his hometown. He had agreed to apany Bianca to the examiner to tell the truth. Bianca was in a great mood after seeing this ray of hope. Her bad mood turned calm and eventually turned into joy. At the same time, Be was anxious because she received a call from the examiner. He told her that Bianca had found a new witness to prove her innocence, so the examiner asked her to go to the Education Bureau at 3 p.m. Be did not expect Bianca to find a witness so quickly!Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. She thought that she had been utterly cautious when she stole the documents from her bag. How could anyone have spotted her? She even wondered if the so-called witness had been bought off by Bianca! She decided that her only choice was to go to Mavis Laviere''s office and ask her for a solution. Be was sweating anxiously as she knocked on the door, saying directly, "Ms. Laviere, Bianca has found a new witness. She wants to use me of falsifying statements. What should I do now? Can you help me?" She had not been able to sleep well these past couple of days, so the dark circles under her eyes were particrly noticeable. From the time that the CEO started to intervene in the incident, Be knew that things would go badly, but she did not expect it to happen so soon. Mavis dropped the pen in her hand. Mavis¡¯ arrogant face looked at Be as she said sarcastically, "Ms. Sloan, why didn''t you think about the consequences before you chose to nder others? You were dumb enough to even get caught by someone. You just can''t do anything right!" Be clenched her fists tightly and said, "Ms. Laviere, what do you mean? If it wasn''t for your instructions, this wouldn''t have happened to me! It''s not fair that you''re shifting all the me to me!" Be''s fingers tapped on the table, and the corners of her lips were curved into a smile of disdain that only grew wider. "Be, you started this. What does it have to do with me? Do you have evidence that this matter is rted to me? Hmm?" Be did not expect that Mavis could be so cold-blooded and ruthless. She sneered and replied, ¡°I finally know how wretched your heart is. When I was doing things for you, you promised that you would have my back. However, the moment something goes wrong, you''re cleaning your hands off this faster than anyone else... Ms. Laviere, do you really think that you can stay out of it if someone catches me? You''re merely dreaming if you really think so! We''re in the same boat! If you don''t help me, I''ll say something that shouldn''t be said and confess to being the messenger serving the mastermind behind the scenes. Who knows what might happen..." Be''s threat caused Mavis to narrow her gorgeous eyes. She was crumpling the document in her hand. "Ms. Sloan, be careful with your words. What do you mean by we''re on the same boat? Mastermind? Please show me the evidence. Otherwise, I''ll ask mywyer to sue you!" Be trembled with anger but she knew she had no evidence on hand. The only evidence was the Snapchat that Mavis had sent her. However, the contents disappeared the moment she opened the message. It was so quick that she did not even have time to take a screenshot. Be knew that she had be Mavis¡¯ abandoned pawn, but she was unwilling to go down like this! Previously when she tried to figure out what was in Mavis¡¯ mind, she learned that Mavis hated Bianca a lot. In order to please her, she schemed against Bianca again and again. She did not expect that after getting exposed by others andnding herself in such a situation, Mavis would be so ruthless. Instead of helping her solve the problem, she ridiculed Be saying that she was dumb! She was dumb! Be decided to go for it. "Since you''ve decided to treat me like this, Ms. Laviere, let''s wait and see! Even if I did it, what do you think the CEO will do to you if I tell him the real person responsible behind the scenes is you? You and I both know that the CEO is the biggest reason why Bianca could find a witness so quickly. If he finds out that you framed his most beloved woman, how do you think he''ll feel? Ms. Laviere, you''ve been with the CEO for so many years, so you should understand his character well. He doesn''t allow anyone to hurt his loved ones. Even if he won''t fire you over a woman, do you think he''ll still trust you?" Be''s words were like knives that shed at Mavis! Suddenly, Mavisughed out loud. Be did not feel good about herugh. Mavis took out a pile of documents from a locked drawer and stood up, throwing it at Be''s face. "Ms. Sloan, why don''t you take a look at this and tell me how much in customer rebates you''ve transferred to your personal ount during your time in T Corporation? Unfortunately for you, I identally got my hands on some evidence.¡± Be was stunned for a while and then hurriedly picked up the documents from the floor. After she looked through the evidence, her face turned as pale as a ghost! Her hands that were holding the documents were shaking. She took a deep breath and asked, "This... Where did you get this?" If this evidence was leaked, Be knew that she was done for! Chapter 569 Chapter 569 Her Fate Was In Bianca''s Hands Mavis stood up calmly and walked toward Be with her chest puffed. Be trembled and did not dare to move. She gritted her teeth and said," Ms. Laviere, don''t go too far! What do you want to do?¡± Mavis narrowed her eyes and replied, "Ms. Sloan, it¡¯s not what I want, but what you want." In Mavis'' eyes, Be was nothing more than an obedient puppy. If the puppy was behaving, she would reward her with snacks. If the puppy went against her wishes, she would give it up without a second thought. If it were not for the fact that Be had helped her out a few times, she would not have even bothered befriending her. Be yelled, "Mavis, don''t think that I¡¯ll be afraid of you just because you have something on me! It is what it is now. I''m not afraid of spilling! It''s okay for my reputation to be ruined, but Ms. Laviere, what about you? You''re all high and mighty in thepany. If I tell the truth, do you think that people would still respect you?" "Oh? What do you want me to do, then?" Mavis raised her eyebrow slightly. "This happened because of you, so you have to clean up this mess for me. If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t have plotted against Bianca. Ms. Laviere, I don''t need toy everything out for you. You''re a smart woman, so you should understand what I mean." Be''s mood eased slightly. She did not want to give Mavis an ultimatum as she still had to rely on Mavis to help her get out of this sticky situation. Mavis sneered and thought to herself, ''Be has learned how to threaten someone, interesting...¡¯ Mavis whispered in Be''s ear in her most threatening tone, "Be, I''m warning you, some things can be said out loud, and some things have to be kept deep inside of you! I have evidence of all of your bad deeds! The worst you''ll be charged with for nder is a small fine and you¡¯ll be detained for some time. If news about your graft goes out, you''ll be in deep trouble! Not to mention that no one in this industry will dare to talk to you again. It¡¯s also possible that you¡¯ll get to enjoy free prison meals for a few years. Be, think wisely about the path that you''re about to take!" Be stiffened her back and looked at Mavis in disbelief. She did not expect that Mavis could be so horrible! She smiled bleakly. Her eyes met Mavis'' and she said sarcastically, "Mavis, I now understand why the CEO would choose Bianca, an ordinary woman, rather than you, someone who stayed by his side for ten years. You''re selfcentered and selfish! That''s why Mr. Crawford doesn''t want you! If I were a man, I wouldn''t want to be with a scheming bitch like you either!¡± Be''s words pierced Mavis¡¯ heart, poking her at her most painful spots! The wounds were bleeding! Mavis picked up a random object on her table and threw it at Be. "Out! Get out of here!" She screamed until her voice was hoarse. Be gave Mavis a pitiful look and then walked out without looking back. She mmed the door! Mavis angrily swept all the documents on her desk to the ground! Her anger was like a tornado that ruined everything it came across. Her eyes were filled with spite. Be had reminded her about the cruel reality-Luke did not love her! However, so what if he did not love her now? She had been in love with him for ten years, and Mavis was confident that she could continue to love him. As long as he was not married, she would still have a chance to get him! On the other end. Luke, Jason, Nina, and the others went to the Education Bureau with Bianca. Mr. Yates and Julie testified for Bianca and the case quickly came to an end. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Although Be tried her best to argue her case, there were two persuasive witnesses and physical evidence. Jason managed to get his hand on the surveince footage. The video was not entirely clear because the camera was far away and the angle was not great. Despite the blurry video, it was still clear that Be Sloan had scavenged through Bianca''s bag and stole her documents. The final decision was sealed with the sound of the judge''s gavel. The Education Bureau issued an announcement to inform the public of the truth. They restored Bianca''s innocence and severely condemned Be for using improper means to nder others because of personal grievances. Be was suspected of defamation and was going to be taken away by the police. Bianca finally breathed a sigh of relief. When the police were about to take Be away, she suddenly rushed to Bianca. She grabbed Bianca''s hand and begged her, "Bianca, I''m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry, can you forgive me? Please..." Her life would be ruined if she went to prison! Bianca was talking to Julie and Nina. When Be rushed over, she could not react in time. If Luke had not held her in his arms, she would have fallen. "Are you alright?" Luke had to make sure that Bianca was okay. "I''m fine." Bianca shook her head lightly. Luke shot a sharp look at Be, his eyes bursting with anger. His voice was as cold as ice as he said, "Be, what do you think you''re doing?" "CEO..." Luke''s aura was strong, and Be let go of Bianca''s hand, terrified. Be knew her destiny was in the hands of Bianca. If Bianca was willing to speak up for her, her fate could change... Be''s face was as white as paper, and her eyes were filled with tears as she yed the sympathy card with Bianca. "Bianca, we''ve been working together for so long. I know I was a bit harsh on you but it was all for your own good. I just wanted you to quickly work your way up in thepany. I admit, I did try to frame you, I sincerely apologize. My... My mom is seriously ill and I¡¯m the only child. I have to go to the hospital to take care of her every day. If I have to go to prison, think of what would happen to my dear old mother. Can you please forgive me? I won''t dare do such things again. Please, can you speak up on my behalf to the CEO..." i When Bianca heard that Be had to take care of her seriously ill mother, she felt a little bad. She was about to say something, "I..." However, Luke knew Bianca well and his defensive mode was turned on as he interrupted her, "Be, when you framed Bianca, you should¡¯ve thought of the consequences. Bianca won¡¯t forgive you, and I won''t either!" Luke''s voice was harsh and cold. He would never allow anyone to hurt Bianca! "Ms. Rayne, I''m really sorry. I shouldn''t have hurt you like this. Please give me a chance. I promise I''ll leave A City and never show up in front of you again..." Be''s tears poured. She regretted her decisions. She knew that there was no turning back but she still really wanted to make a plea for herself. Chapter 570 Chapter 570 The End Is Near Be knew that Bianca was kind and the CEO was obsessed with her. As long as she could put in a good word for her, then she still had a chance. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Be had always acted high and mighty in front of Bianca. She was too proud to beg a woman she once looked down on. However, she had no choice but to beg Bianca under such circumstances. Bianca stared at Be and said coldly, "All this was determined by the Education Bureau. I have no right to interfere." Be''s makeup was melting from all the crying. She looked extremely miserable as she said, "You can still interfere! As long as you''re willing to forgive me and say a few good words in front of the CEO... Bianca, please forgive me. I will be grateful to you for the rest of my life..." "Ms. Sloan, I think you have to wake up to reality. There¡¯s solid evidence and witness statements. Nothing I do can change the decision made," Bianca replied calmly. Besides, even if she could help Be, she would not do that. She asked for it! She would never forgive Be! The head of the Education Bureau nodded and sneaked a look in Luke''s direction. He was thinking about how to deal with this matter so that Luke would be satisfied. It was clear that Luke and Bianca were extremely close. "Bianca, if I go to prison, what will happen to my mother? She¡¯s having an operation next month. What if there''s no one to take care of her? We''re both women, why should women embarrass other women? We¡¯re colleagues. Please consider how I¡¯ve helped you a lot in the workce. Please, I beg you..." Be went on and would not give up. She looked humble and pitiful. She was no longer her usual proud self. Nina could no longer stand Be and started screaming at her, "Ms. Sloan, how dare you?! You''ve always made things difficult for Bianca in thepany. You gave her projects with the heaviest workload and assigned her the worst customers. Is this what you call ''help''? Oh, I suddenly remembered one more thing. Do you remember that time when ourpany and Vivi Group got into a partnership? It was Bianca¡¯s turn to speak when her data on the sh drive was corrupted, resulting in her getting scolded by the chairman of Vivi Group. I¡¯m sure that was your doing too!" Be''s body stiffened as her tears flowed. She hurriedly denied it, saying," No, it wasn''t me. It really wasn¡¯t me that time..." However, she was blinking too much and her unnatural body movements betrayed her. Luke had sharp eyes and noticed the issue at a nce. His eyebrows were tightly furrowed together, and his eyes locked onto Be. He was onto her. Nina used Be in a righteous tone, "Are you still lying, Ms. Sloan? Before something went wrong with Bianca''s sh drive, Ms. Yanis brought everyone from the team and the representatives of Vivi Group to a dinner party. Out of the blue, you told everyone that you had a stomach ache. You told us that you had to go to the bathroom and asked us to leave first. You only showed up half an hour after we started our dinner. The next day, Bianca''s sh drive was problematic. It''s the same thing as what you did to Bianca now..." Bianca remembered that time when the document she saved in the sh drive had suddenly disappeared without a trace. When she was going through the files then, she happened to have kept the manuscript in the cab that was locked with a password. Her quick thinking had sessfully resolved the issue back then. Now that she thought about it, it was highly likely that Be was behind it. What a horrible woman! Since she joined thepany, she had been plotting against her. Bianca had cold chills when she thought about it! "It wasn''t me, it really wasn''t me..." Be dared not look at others, and her pupils kept shifting about. Luke''s expression was the coldest. After all, he was the most insightful one of them all. He had been busy with work at that time and Bianca''s response was satisfactory, so he did not think too much about it. He merely thought that Bianca had been careless. It turned out that Be had tried to frame Bianca! "Be, you''re amusing, indeed!" Luke said coldly. Luke spoke in a graceful but cold voice, "Mr. Lange, do what you want to this woman!" The chubby Mr. Lange nodded and bowed. He had a big smile as he said " Mr. Crawford, rest assured, you''ll be satisfied with the end result." Be was almost drained of her strength. Her tear-stained face was filled with despair as she shook her head and cried out, "CEO, I''m sorry! I shouldn''t have framed Ms. Rayne. Please, give me a chance. I''m sorry..." She begged Luke and Bianca over and over until her voice went hoarse. Bianca stood beside Luke. She looked at Be and ignored her tears. "Ms. Sloan, if an apology could erase all sins, then think of the horrible problems that would arise in this world! When you ndered me, did you think of what would happen to me? Just because of some personal grievances, you have repeatedly targeted me and framed me, just to ruin my reputation. You''re not worthy of my sympathy! It''s impossible for me to forgive you! It''s no use to keep begging me. Thew is thew. You''re wasting your time." Bianca was kind, but she was not kind enough to forgive those who harmed her as if nothing had happened. Be knew that her end was near. She stared at Bianca and wiped her tears angrily. "Are you saying that you won''t help me?" "You''re an adult, you have to pay for your actions," Bianca replied calmly. Be¡¯s eyes were full of hatred. She pointed at Bianca angrily and yelled, Bianca, you''re a cruel woman! I curse you! You¡¯ll never be happy, you''ll be abandoned by Luke, and the evil growing in your stomach is damned! I wish you a long lonely life!" "Take this crazy woman!" Luke wanted to kick her but held back because Be was a woman. The police apologized to Luke and then forcibly took Be before stuffing her into the police car. Julie, who was hiding at the corner, held her breath. She looked on with cold indifference and thought to herself, ''What a crazy and jealous woman! Be is terrible! However, when her eyes fell on Luke, there was obsession and admiration. ''It would be great if I could use this opportunity to enter T Corporation...'' Chapter 571 Chapter 571 Dinner Tastes Better Because of You Bianca was in a great mood because justice was on her side and all charges against her were dropped. She decided to cook dinner for Luke to celebrate. ''Til help you. You shouldn''t do it alone." Luke wanted to help wash the vegetables. However, Bianca ushered him to the study as she said, "Go get some work done. I can manage in the kitchen. Granny Florence will help. Don''t get in the way." She knew that Luke had a lot of work backlogged because he had taken a day off to spend time with her. Although she was with child, Bianca was still physically active and capable. Besides, there was a caretaker to help her out, so there was no need for so many people to be in the kitchen. Luke was shoved into the study by Bianca. He shook his head helplessly as if he was abandoned... Bianca changed intofortable maternity home clothes and started cooking. Granny Florence was right beside her helping out. Luke was not a fan of drinking milk but loved milk jelly. Bianca poured two cups of fresh milk into the pot and heated it for a few minutes, then poured in the white marshmallows and stirred gently with a spoon. She waited for the marshmallows to melt before she poured the mixture into arge porcin container. Then, she cut the fruits of various colors into cubes and added them to the container. After that, she put it in the refrigerator to chill. Luke had a sweet tooth, so Bianca added a lot of sugar. After putting the milk jelly in the refrigerator, she made several other special dishes, including braised fish, c chicken wings, and fried bananas. After over 40 minutes, a delicious and nutritious dinner was ready. "Madam, where did you learn to cook? It''s amazing!" The caretaker looked at Bianca''s dishes in amazement. She knew that Bianca''s food tasted good, but she did not expect that her ting skills were on par with her cooking. The colors were eye-catching but well-bnced, and the foods were ted gracefully. It was the full package, something that she would only expect to see in a 5-star restaurant. Bianca smiled modestly and said, "Thank you for your kind words, I still have a lot to learn when it comes to cooking. Sometimes when I want to make a dish, I do my research online and read up on recipes." Granny Florence was amazed. When she started to learn cooking with a professional chef, it had taken her more than a year to learn to cook like Bianca. This just proved that Bianca''s skills were far superior as all she did was study recipes online. Bianca was naturally talented, and Granny Florence was ashamed topare herself to Bianca. After Bianca was done cooking, the caretaker brought the meal to the dining table. Bianca went to the study to tell Luke that dinner was ready. There was no one in the study. Bianca heard the sound of running water in the bathroom. She guessed that Luke was in the shower. She knocked on the bathroom door and said, "Luke, dinner is ready..." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. The sound of running water stopped abruptly. The bathroom door was opened and Bianca was embraced into Luke''s sturdy chest. Bianca blushed when she saw Luke naked, especially when she looked at his... Bianca said, "What are you doing..." Bianca¡¯s face was hot and red from embarrassment. "Baby, I want you..." Luke kissed her on the lips and started to touch her all over. Bianca shook her head and said, "No, dinner is ready. It''s... Uh... Not the best timing..." In the end, she gave in to him. They had not gone all the way in a while due to her pregnancy. She knew that Luke had been controlling his urges by showering in cold water these days. Bianca loved Luke and was willing to please him through other means. The caretaker knew better than to bother the couple after they did not show up for dinner. When the two reappeared, it was already an hourter. Bianca kept her head down the entire dinner. She ate without saying anything, but her face was scorching hot. Her hands were especially sore. Bianca thought of where her hands were an hour ago and how she was using those same hands to hold her cutleries. Even after washing her hands several times, she still felt icky. On the other hand, Luke was enjoying dinner and would look at her with contented eyes from time to time, which made her even more embarrassed. After dinner, the two went to rest in their independent private space where the caretaker would not bother them. Luke ced Bianca on his knees and covered her abdomen with his big hand, as if he wasforting the baby. He then domineeringly kissed her lips again. Bianca was almost out of breath from his kiss. Eventually, Luke let go of her. He licked her lips and praised her, "Tastes good, very sweet." Bianca''s face turned redder. Luke cheekily said, "rm talking about the dinner you made." Bianca was speechless. Luke could not help but smile. He squeezed her tender cheek and said," Dinner tasted better because of you." Bianca''s face was as red as a tomato. When Luke talked to her, his voice was low and sultry. It was impossible for her to not fall hard for him. Bianca''s phone suddenly rang. Luke looked for her phone and noticed that it was on the coffee table. He reached for it with his long arm. Seeing that Wanda was calling, he handed Bianca the phone and said, "It''s Aunt Wanda." Bianca hurriedly answered the phone and greeted Wanda. Wanda said, "Bea, the day after tomorrow is Saturday. I''ve already made an appointment with the doctor and she¡¯ll conduct a check-up for you. Promise me you''ll be there. I can pick you up from your ce, or you can ask Luke to take you to the hospital. Which do you prefer?" Bianca disliked hospitals, but she thought of what Wanda had said to her at her grandfather''s... She could not bear to say no to Wanda, so she agreed. "Will do, Aunt Wanda. I''ll give you a call before I go to the hospital." "Okay." Wanda felt assured when she heard Bianca agreeing. She then ended the call. After Bianca put down the phone, Luke looked at Bianca and tightened his hug. "Why are you going to the hospital for a check-up? Is everything okay?" The Crawford family had their in-house team of obstetrics and gynecologists who did check-ups on Bianca regrly. That was so that Luke could keep track of Bianca''s health. Although Bianca felt weak, she was still very healthy and so was their baby. As such, why did Wanda ask Bianca to go for a check-up? Bianca exined Wanda¡¯s concerns, ''There are two cancer patients in the Rayne family, one is my father and the other is Aunt Wanda. Her concern is that there might be some hereditary factors to it, which she confirmed with the doctor. She''s worried that it would be passed on to me or our kids. That¡¯s why she urged me to go to the hospital for a check-up." Luke nodded and remembered how he had ordered Jason to investigate Kevin Rayne in secret. Bianca was not aware that Kevin Rayne was not her biological father... 1 However, Luke was still looking for her biological parents. He would think of how to reveal this news to her once he found out everything... Chapter 572 Chapter 572 Bianca Bumped Into Queenie In The Hospital, Blood Test To Be Done... In a blink of an eye, it was Saturday. Saturday was when Wanda and Bianca had agreed to meet in the hospital. Luke had something to attend to and could not apany Bianca to the hospital, so he asked Zander to drive Bianca to the hospital instead. Luke instructed Bianca to take pictures of the report and send it to him when the check-up was completed. As soon as she arrived at the hospital, Bianca received a call from her aunt, saying that she was in Building 6, Room 606. Wanda told her to go to the specialist''s outpatient room. Bianca walked toward Building 6 but when she got to the frontwn of the hospital, she saw Queenie Zeigler dressed in a business suit. Queenie was clutching her chest with a frown as she hurried to the outpatient room. Queenie did not notice her and disappeared around the corner in a blink of an eye. Bianca wanted to say hello to her but it was toote. Bianca frowned and was worried about Mrs. Norman. Was she sick? Why was there no one apanying her? For some reason, everytime she saw Queenie, Bianca would feel an unspeakable affection for her. However, she was Leia''s mother. Although Queenie had persuaded her to leave Luke before, Bianca still held the same affection for her. The feeling she had was inexplicable. Bianca shook her head and continued to walk toward Building 6. After walking for about five or six minutes, Bianca arrived at the room that her aunt had told her about. She knocked on the door and went in. Zander waited in the corridor. Inside, a female doctor with sses who looked like she was in her 40s or 50s was examining Wanda''s breasts. "Ms. Wanda, your situation is not optimistic. I think it is necessary to go for surgery. Dying it will only make it worse," the doctor said in a serious tone. When she looked at Wanda, she had a pained expression. Wanda''s expression was gloomy. She touched her chest with tears in her eyes. When she noticed Biancaing in, she hid the grief in her heart and waved to her niece. Wanda put on a smile and introduced Bianca to Dr. Lake, "This is my niece, Bianca. I''ve mentioned her to you before. Please do a thorough check-up on her. I¡¯m really worried that she''ll have to go through what I did..." She also introduced Dr. Lake to Bianca, "Bea, this is Dr. Kirby Lake. She''s a postdoctoral fellow from the University of Tokyo. She¡¯s currently a doctoral supervisor in the Department of Medicine at Harvard, majoring in breast cancer. She¡¯s an expert in the field. I feel assured that she¡¯s the one doing a check- up on you.¡± Dr. Lake was a mature woman who looked inpared to Wanda. However, Bianca could tell that Dr. Lake was well-established in her field. Bianca greeted the doctor politely, "Nice to meet you, Dr. Lake." Dr. Lake liked Bianca who was polite and well-behaved. She could not help but observe Bianca. She jokingly said to Wanda," Wanda, I didn''t expect your niece to be so beautiful. How could you have hidden her from me? We could''ve been inws if my son had dated your niece. You should''ve introduced us earlier!" "Come on, your son is far away in Japan and is only in the country several times a year. I can¡¯t bear to send my niece so far away. Women who move to other countries with their partners have to start their lives in a foreignnd with no one familiar to support them when they need it. I would prefer if Bea stayed in the country,¡± Wanda replied with a light sigh. Dr. Lake patted Wanda on the shoulder and knew that she was in a dark ce. She immediately said domineeringly, "I was kidding! Wanda, don''t let the negative emotions control you, okay?" Bianca could see that although her aunt and Dr. Lake seemed like they were quarreling, they were close. "Dr. Lake, how¡¯s my aunt doing?" she asked worriedly. When she walked in, she thought she had heard Dr. Lake say that her aunt''s condition was getting worse. However, to her, Aunt Wanda always looked happy and healthy. Sometimes, she even forgot that her aunt was a cancer patient. "Your aunt, she..." A cloud of sadness appeared on Dr. Lake''s face. She was about to tell Bianca the truth but Wanda cut her off. "I''m in good health. I just need to take medicine every day. Kirby, please go ahead with Bea''s check-up." Dr. Lake immediately regained her professionalism and went on to ask Bianca questions. She talked to Bianca while taking notes on herptop. She appeared responsible and professional. Then, Dr. Lake carefully inspected Bianca''s breasts with her hands but did not find anything resembling a lump. She smiled and said, "Wanda, your niece''s breasts have no lumps. She''s perfectly fine." Wanda still felt uneasy and insisted, ¡°Can we do a B-Scan for Bea? I just want to be sure." Bianca asked hesitantly, ¡¯Dr. Lake, I¡¯m pregnant. I just want to make sure that the ultrasound will not affect my baby..." Dr. Lake smiled and said, "Rx, ultrasound is not radioactive and has no effect on your fetus. It''s possible to do a B-Scan during pregnancy." Bianca was relieved and proceeded with the scan. The results showed that Bianca was fine. Dr. Lake did several other tests and they all showed good results. Dr. Lake suggested that Bianca up her glucose intake after she found out that she was 22 weeks pregnant and go for blood tests to screen for gestational diabetes as well. The family doctor was responsible for Bianca''s check-ups, and she did it once a month. Since it was about time for her to get the blood test again, Bianca decided to get it done in the hospital. Wanda apanied Bianca to the blood sample area to draw blood. Unexpectedly, Bianca bumped into Queenie again. She was at window one, while Queenie was at window two. When Queenie saw Bianca, she was taken aback when she noticed her baby bump. Queenie and Wanda smiled at Queenie. Queenie had an indescribable feeling for Bianca who was about the same age as Leia. Although Bianca had indirectly contributed to her daughter''s failed rtionship and emotional breakdown, she just could not be mad at Bianca. She was a little puzzled. It could be because Bianca had an innocent face, so she could not get angry at her. Bianca wanted to ask about Queenie''s condition, but she noticed that a nurse was staring at Queenie and her. The nurse then said, "Madam, you and your daughter can collect your test results together later."Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Chapter 573 Chapter 573 How Could Bianca Be Type 0 Blood? Bianca nced at Queenie after hearing what the nurse said. She smiled and exined, ¡°You got it wrong. She''s Mrs. Norman. We''re not mother and daughter..." The young nurse pulled the needle out of Queenie¡¯s arm and said somewhat awkwardly, "Oh, sorry, but you look so simr I mistook you for mother and daughter..." Bianca smiled and thought nothing of it. However, Queenie, who was beside her, became stiff. She nced meaningfully at Bianca and wondered why people who met her and Bianca for the first time all mistook them for a pair of mother and daughter. ''Shakira said this when she first met Bianca. Even the young nurse who''s drawing the blood said the same. ''Could we really be mother and daughter?¡¯ A bold guess came to Queenie¡¯s mind. However, she quickly shook her head in denial. 1 Many people looked alike in this world. How could they have mistaken them as mother and daughter just because they were simr in appearance? If they followed this facy, with so many simr-looking people in the entertainment industry, could they all be fathers and sons, or mothers and daughters? Bianca also finished having her blood drawn. She covered the needle wound with a cotton swab and asked Queenie considerately, "Mrs. Norman, are you okay?¡± Queenie shook her head and said gently, "It''s nothing serious. It''s just that I''ve been feeling dizzytely, so I came to the hospital to get it checked. What''s wrong with you?" Bianca pointed to her belly and replied, "I''m 22 weeks pregnant, and the doctor suggested Ie in for a gestational diabetes screening." Queenie looked at Bianca''s belly with aplicated gaze, knowing that she was carrying her and Luke''s baby. She still felt a little uneasy. After all, when Luke was with Leia, he had promised her that he was done with Bianca, but she did not expect him to have an on-again, off-again rtionship with Bianca while dating Leia. No, it was more like they had never been apart. However, for unknown reasons, he had chosen to keep it from Leia. Luke knew that Leia was in love with him and deeply obsessed with him. However, the man had no feelings for her daughter and merely pretended to be affectionate with her. They even got engaged, but he eventually broke off the engagement in public,pletely unaware of the damage his behavior had caused Leia. Queenie had always approved of Luke, but this was his only w that remained to be a thorn in her heart. With the thought of the damage the couple had caused her daughter, Queenie¡¯s gentle attitude suddenly turned a little cold. "Ms. Rayne, since you and Luke love each other, cherish your rtionship. It''s not easy for two people to be together. Cherish it. Even if you have any arguments in the future, don''t use the pretext of breaking up to win other people''s trust again. After all, not every woman is so strong. Leia is still at home recuperating from the emotional shock she got from you." Queenie meant something else. She was using Luke of cheating on Leia and causing Leia to go insane. Bianca understood Queenie¡¯s love for her daughter as a mother, but she disagreed with what Queenie said. She exined with a bitter smile, Mrs. Norman, I wonder if you''ve misunderstood something? You''ve only seen the surface of some things. I don''t think you would say the same if you knew the truth. Excuse me for saying what I shouldn''t. Do you really know your daughter, Mrs. Norman? Do you know what kind of role she yed between Luke and me? Do you have any idea who was responsible for all this?" Queenie was somewhat speechless with the barrage of questions. She naturally knew what Leia had for Luke was unrequited love. She had tried to persuade Leia more than once that she should learn to let go, but the child was adamant and did not listen to her advice. Thinking of Luke''s sudden change of attitude toward Leia, Queenie narrowed her eyes. She knew Luke''s character. If the man did not want to do something, even coercion and persuasion were useless. ''That can only mean one thing... Did Leia really do something to separate them? ¡¯No way!¡¯C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Queenie, who was eager to protect her daughter, immediately denied the idea. Leia was an obedient and simple child to her. Queenie stared straight at Bianca and said, "Ms. Rayne, I don''t know what you''re talking about. I''ve raised Leia for over a decade. I''m her mother, so I know her better than you. Leia''s innocent in this. Either way, you and Luke owe her an apology." Bianca threw the blood-stained swab into the trash can and got up from the chair. "I''m sorry, Mrs. Norman. Although Luke and I were wrong to have deceived Leia, the crime and responsibility aren''t on us. You should go back and ask your daughter Leia what despicable tactics she used to threaten me to break up with Luke... Also, I will never apologize to Leia because she deserved what she got." With that, Bianca gave Queenie a meaningful nce and went to Wanda who was in the waiting room. Queenie looked at Bianca''s beautiful figure and pressed her lips together in silence. The pregnant Bianca still looked graceful and slim from behind. In a trance, Queenie seemed to see her younger self. Back then, Shakira had keptining to her, "Queen, we got pregnant almost at the same time but I have a waist as thick as a bucket while your waist is still so small. You look just like a young girl from behind. It''s so unfair..." Queenie felt dizzy again for a moment. She rubbed her temples and decided not to think about the vexing question anymore. Leia was not mentally well now. She needed to finish her procedures at the hospital as soon as possible and go home to take care of her. More than an hourter, the results of Bianca¡¯s various blood tests came back. Kirby scanned through them carefully and said with a smile, "Wanda, your niece is doing fine. Everything is within normal range." Wanda finally felt a little relieved. She patted her chest, and her eyes were a little red. "That''s good. Bea being healthy is more important than anything. Bianca held Wanda''s arm and said, "Aunt Wanda, I told you that I''m alright. Do you believe me now? Trust me, you''ll get better soon too." "Yes, it will." Wanda alsoforted herself. However, what Kirby said next surprised the aunt and niece! "But Wanda, Bianca has type 0 blood. With the mother having type 0 blood, the baby is prone to hemolysis. You have to watch out for that, or the baby may stop growing.¡± "What?" Bianca and Wanda panicked at the same time. Bianca was worried about the so-called hemolysis. Meanwhile, Wanda was stunned when Kirby told her that Bianca''s blood type was 0! She was also a medical major in college. It was just that she switched careers afterward. However, Wanda still remembered the blood type gics chart. Her brother Kevin was type AB, and his first wife was also type AB. ording to the blood type gics chart, they could only have children with type A, B, or AB blood. How could Bianca be type 0? Chapter 574 Chapter 574 Whose Child Is She? With mixed feelings, Wanda grabbed Bianca''s blood test report and read it several times. When she saw Bianca''s blood type clearlybeled ''type O'', her hand shook a little as she clutched the paper. "Aunt Wanda, are you okay? Is there a problem?" Bianca sensed something was wrong with Wanda and walked up to read the report with her a little nervously. "No... Nothing..." Wanda tried hard to control her emotions. "Kirby, the hospital''s blood tests can''t be wrong, can they?" Kirby irritatedly rolled her eyes at Wanda as she rearranged the medical records on her desk. She said rather proudly, "Wanda, our hospital has never had a single medical error." Wanda closed her eyes and tried to remember the incident more than 20 years ago. More than 20 years ago, she was studying in Japan to pursue her dream. As she knew her family was poor, aside from attending sses, she also did odd jobs to earn her tuition fees and living expenses. One day, she received a letter from her elder brother when she was in school, saying that he had met a stunning and fashionable woman. He said her name was Lily. Her brother said Lily was elegant and charming, and his praises for Lily took up half of the letter. Her brother said that he thought a dreamboat like Lily was only someone he could look at from a distance. Unexpectedly, she made advances to a silly boy like him and offered to be his girlfriend. Kevin said he felt like he was going to faint from happiness! In the letter, he talked about all kinds of trifles in his and Lily''s daily life. Wanda could feel her brother''s deep love for Lily through the letter. Her brother said Lily was great in everything, but she was a big spender. He had to work very hard to earn money to support her. He said he cooked, baked, and peeled fruits for Lily. He would go shopping with her as well. He would also massage and wash her feet. As long as Lily was happy, he was willing to do anything. Wanda thought her brother was possessed. She only sensed that her brother was pampering that woman with no regard for anything else. She never heard of that woman doing anything for her brother. Even though she had never met Lily, Wanda did not like her first impression of her. She thought that Lily was too selfish. She was all about enjoyment and did not know how to give back after only receiving. She even wondered if Lily was with her brother for other motives. Was she only after her brother''s kindness? Her brother had also mentioned a small detail in the letter, which Wanda remembered very clearly. One day, Lily got into a car ident when she went shopping. The car ident was so serious that she almost died on the spot. Her distraught brother then rushed Lily to the hospital. The doctor said a blood transfusion was necessary, but Lily had type AB blood. The blood bank had run out of type 0 blood and type AB blood was also in short supply. Seeing Lily was about to bleed to death, Kevin shamelessly kneeled and begged the doctor to draw his blood to give to her. The doctor scolded him for fooling around at first, but after checking his blood type, he realized he and Lily had the same blood type, so he drew his blood and gave it to Lily. Her brother said happily in the letter that it was fortunate he had the same blood type as Lily. Otherwise, he might have lost the woman he loved. At the end of the letter, Kevin said Lily was the woman he loved most. He was going to marry Lily, and he asked if she coulde back for their wedding. 2 Wanda really wanted to go back. Alone in a foreign country, Wanda would feel homesick whenever night came and was overwhelmed by all kinds of pressure. She missed her father and brother and wanted to return home more than ever. However, she had no money at that time. She did not even have the money to buy a ne ticket, and she was busy with exams that threatened to send her back to her home country if she failed, which was not what she wanted. Therefore, Wanda remitted all the money she had saved from doing odd jobs to her brother as a token of love. Wanda thought it would not matter if she went to meet her sister-inw after she finished her studies here. She even nned to bring them lots of presents. Then, Wanda received another letter from Kevin with only a few simple words. Her brother told her that Lily was pregnant and she was going to be an aunt. However, Lily had suddenly disappeared. He went mad as he looked for her everywhere but it was to no avail... Wanda wanted to scold Lily for fooling around. Why was the woman so restless when she was already pregnant? She wrote back to her brother andforted him by saying that everything would take its course and that he should not be too sad. What was his would alwayse back, and he could not force what was not his. Later, her brother wrote to her again. In the letter, her brother said Lily had suddenly returned with their daughter, and he was going insane with joy! However, after Lily left their daughter with him, she suddenly became arrogant and bad-tempered. She even forced him to sign a divorce agreement. Lily caused her brother to have a breakdown. He did not want a divorce at all. He even cried and begged her on his knees not to leave him and their daughter. However, Lily forced him to sign the divorce agreement by threatening him with her death. Her brother eventually relented and signed the divorce agreement. Then, the woman vanished without a trace again. Wanda was afraid that her brother would do something stupid, so she hurried back home. The first thing she saw when she returned to the Rayne family was a ssy-eyed Kevin. The beautiful doll-like baby girl he held in his arms was her niece, Bianca. At first sight, the adorable child melted Wanda''s heart. Thus, it was the start of her love for her niece and it had been more than 20 years since then. Wanda had never met her first sister-inw. She only got bits and pieces of information from her brother. She knew the woman was called Lily and her full name was Lily Summer. 1 The shback came to an abrupt end. Wanda looked at Bianca who was in front of her and felt a minor headache. ''If Bianca isn''t my niece, whose child is she?'' Is she the child of Lily and some random man? Wanda immediately felt upset, and her eyes darkened at the thought of this possibility...Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Aunt Wanda, Dr. Lake said hemolysis can be detected. It''s no big deal if we can prevent it or treat it in time. Let''s go home first." Bianca walked over to Wanda and looked at her. She had consulted Dr. Lake a lot about hemolysis. It relieved all her doubts, and she was now in a good mood. "Okay, Bianca. Just wait for me outside the door. I wanna have a chat with Dr. Lake and then we can go." While pretending to fix Bianca''s hair, Wanda pulled a strand of her hair and secretly held it in her hand. Bianca only felt a slight pinch on her scalp. However, as she was absorbed in her thoughts about hemolysis, she did not notice her aunt''s unusually dark gaze. Not to mention the tiny strand of hair her aunt held in her hand... Chapter 575 Chapter 575 Found Out About The Delivery! Over on the other side. Leia was sleeping amid a pile of stuffed dolls in the cozily decorated room, her body kicking and thrashing in various contorted positions. "Ah! Snakes! Help!" Her eyes instantly opened, her pupils wide and filled with horror. She dreamed of countless snakes coiling around her neck, choking her. Some of them opened their mouths to tear her to pieces! The maid, who was cleaning, heard Leia''s screams. She immediately put down the vacuum cleaner, wanting to run to Leia''s room to check on her. However, a figure in high heels dashed straight into Leia''s room faster than her! Queenie unlocked the door from the outside and took Leia, who was in bed, into her arms. "Leia, did you have another nightmare? Mom''s here. Good girl, don''t be afraid..." Leia nestled in Queenie''s arms. "Mom, I''m so scared. Now that my career and reputation are gone, I''m even afraid to go outside. Is my life over?" Queenie wiped her tears with a broken heart and gently chided her," Nonsense. How could my daughter''s life be over? You''re still young. You have plenty more chances to strive. At worst, you just have to start from scratch. It''s alright not to have a career in the entertainment industry. It¡¯s so tiring to film every day. You can follow me to thepany to learn business once you''ve recovered." Leia sobbed. "Mom, I love acting," Queenie was distraught by Leia¡¯s tears. She repeatedly said to appease her, "Okay, whatever you say. If you like to be in showbiz and enjoy acting, I''ll let you do it." Leia burst into tears. "Mom, you''re so nice to me. Will you always be so nice to me? Will you forgive me for what I''ve done? Will you abandon me like how my birth parents did?" Leia''s little face was so thin from her illness, and her big eyes were filled with tears as she sobbed. Queenie''s heart instantly ached and softened. She looked at her daughter with pity and dotingly touched her nose. "What silly things are you saying? I promise I won''t abandon you. I''ll forgive you and treat you as well as I do now. You are my precious daughter, after all." Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Queenie did not see the glimmering green light under Leia''s nket as she said these words. Hidden there was a small delicate voice recorder. Leia smiled with satisfaction and yed with the recorder in her hand under the nket. A curve appeared on the corners of her lips. Queenie suggested, "Leia, curling up at home all day isn''t healthy either. Your Aunt Neile invited us to the golf course. I''ll take you with me." "But I don''t want to go out. People must beughing at me..." Leia huddled under the nket like an ostrich. Queenie persisted in pulling her out of bed. "Who dares criticize you when I''m around? No one has the right toment on my daughter! Aunt Neile hasn''t seen you in ages, and she''d love to see you. There are a lot of young people like you at the golf course too. Making new friends will not only broaden your social circle but it''ll also help make you feel better." "Alright, anything you say." Leia prepared to get up when she heard that. Those who had ess to the golf course were either rich or noble. It would be good for her to make more friends. She had to make ns for her future. After all, her adoptive parents already knew that their biological daughter was alive. If the true heiress was brought back to the Norman family one day, would she have a ce here? The golf course. It was the weekend today, so the golf course was particrly bustling. There were refined officials, graceful madams, and of course, charming heirs and beautiful elegant heiresses at the golf course. A golf ball flew over the sandpit in a beautiful parab, rolling steadily on the grass and precisely into the hole. Perfect golf skills. Shakira could not help apuding. "Queen, you¡¯re amazing!" Queenie was dressed in a simple short-sleeved sweatshirt and white sweatpants. Her hair was tied up in a long ponytail, which peeped out from the back of her baseball cap and swayed in the wind. Queenie had shed her corporate sophistication, looking youthful and vigorous. When she stood next to Leia, they looked nothing like mother and daughter but sisters instead. "Mrs. Norman, good game!" "Mrs. Norman, your skills are such an eye-opener..." "How long did you train to get such good skills? Mrs. Norman, can you share some of your experience?" Several other graceful madams gathered around Queenie, praising her profusely to impress her. Queenie looked at these rich madams with a half-smile and an indifferent but elegant expression. Her gaze fell on Leia who was quietly holding the club without saying a word. Leia obediently walked up to her and said sweetly, "Mom, you yed so well." Queenie gently touched her head. "Leia, I''ll teach you how to y." A plump woman ingratiatingly came up to them. Pointing to a handsome young man in a ck T-shirt on the golf course, she said, "Mrs. Norman, you needn''t teach Ms. Norman to y. My son''s a pretty good yer. Why don''t we let him teach Ms. Norman?" Everyone knew Mrs. Norman''s daughter was now single. Despite the recent controversy surrounding her failed engagement to the Crawford family and Leia''s recently tainted reputation in the entertainment industry, her father was still a powerful man. The disreputable Leia was still a good bachelorette whom the families wanted to snag. Seeing this, the other rich madams swarmed over to rmend their sons and even daughters to Queenie, hoping their children could be Leia''s golf partner. Their sons might have a chance to marry into the Norman family, and their daughters could be the Norman family''s heiress'' best friend. They could more or less be associated. Before long, Leia was surrounded by a group of handsome men and beautifuldies who were all vying to be her golf partner. Leia looked at her adoptive mother through the crowd and saw her smiling and nodding at her. She bit her lip, knowing she could only be the object of these people''s ttery because of her adoptive parents'' love for her. She could not imagine herself being ignored if their biological daughter returned. Queenie finally smiled when she saw how quickly Leia was blending in with her new friends. Shakira walked over to her, put her golf club on the ground, and dragged her to the VIP area to rest. As soon as she sat down, Shakira eagerly told Queenie about what she had found during this period. "Queen, I have something to tell you. I found the basic information of the female doctor who delivered your baby..." Chapter 576 Chapter 576 Tampered With It! Queenie jumped off her seat like a spring. She looked at Shakira. Her expression changed, and she asked excitedly," Is... Is that true? But why didn''t 01'' Norman and I find anything useful when we looked into it?" Shakira poured Queenie a ss of water and asked her to sit down. She spected, "Did someone delete Vyen''s profile because they didn''t want you to find anything out? It must be that Allison woman... My husband works at customs, so I pulled some strings and checked Vyen''s recent immigration records. She has been living abroad for more than 20 years and is now a naturalized foreign citizen. I heard she came back to A City to visit her rtives."novelxo Queenie muttered, "Vyen went abroad more than 20 years ago? Shakira, is Vyen still in A City? I want to go look for her now!" As she spoke, Queenie grabbed her car keys, dragged Shakira along, and was about to hurry out. Shakira stopped her in time and advised petntly, "Queen, are you out of your mind? Vyen has already left A City! Besides, even if she were still here, will she own up to the bad things she did if you just go to her like this? You''ll not only rm the enemy but ruin everything I''ve worked so hard to investigate." Queenie had always been smarter and more rational than she was now, but she was impulsive and irrational when it came to her biological daughter. Queenie, who had been full of strength, suddenly looked like a deted balloon now. She resignedly sat back in her seat. "Shakira, you''re right. We have to give it further thought. We''ll find out what happened back then once we find Vyen and get her to tell the truth. I just don''t know how my poor daughter has been doing all these years..." She could not help but cover her face. The pain in her eyes was inconceble. It was all right if her daughter was leading a happy life. However, if her daughter had her limbs forcibly broken and was miserably reduced to being a filthy beggar on the streets, as was often the case with children abducted by human traffickers, she would never feel at ease.nv?lx.o Shakira kept reassuring her, saying, "Queen, we¡¯ll take things one step at a time to find your daughter. Don''t panic. You''ve waited for more than 20 years anyway. What does it matter to wait a few more days? There''s no information on Vyen''s family. The woman must have tampered with it. Otherwise, why can''t we find anything about her family? It proves that there''s something wrong with that woman. I''m sure your daughter''s alive. Let''s take our time, and we''ll find out the truth eventually." "Yeah." Queenie calmed down her overwhelming emotions after hearing what she said. Her gentle eyes instantly twinkled with a hint of perseverance. "I believe I¡¯ll find my biological daughter soon!" "You will." Shakira patted her hands, feeling as determined as Queenie was. T Corporation. Bianca had sessfully cleared her name from the cheating incident. When she returned to work, everyone looked at her differently. She had so easily cleared her name and even got rid of Ms. Sloan. Everyone knew she was not an ordinary employee now. She had the boss backing her. After Be got fired, Ms. Laviere called a meeting with the employees of the Architectural Design Department to officially appoint Tom as the design manager. The members of the Design Department celebrated the happy asion with Tom. In particr, Bianca and Nina were very happy for Tom. Tom had a good character and great working ability. Everyone was convinced of hispetence to take up the design manager post. Bianca said sincerely to Tom, "Congrattions on your promotion, Mr. Lewis. I hope the Architectural Design Department will get better and better under your leadership. "Thank you. Just call me Tom. What''s with the mister?" Tom''s face turned red. 1 Nina said mischievously, Mr. Lewis, you''ll be much busier with your work now. You gotta work hard. We''re very optimistic about you!" Sue looked somewhat upset. If it were not for her pregnancy, she might have had a chance topete with Tom for the position. However, after touching her stomach, she gave an inaudible sigh and said jokingly, "Hey, I could have gotten the manager position if it hadn''t been for my pregnancy. Mr. Lewis, don''t you think you got it easy?" Tom smiled kindly and said very humbly, "Yes, thank you for letting me have it, Sue. To be honest, Sue surpasses me in both seniority and ability. I was just lucky. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have been able to get the manager post." Bianca put her arm around Sue''s shoulder and consoled her with a smile." Sue, though you didn''t get promoted, you''ll be giving birth to a lovely baby soon." i "I agree!" Nina immediately gave a thumbs up. When Sue heard Bianca say that, she instantly smiled. "That seems to be true!" Everyoneughed, and the office was filled with joy. Bianca and Nina teased Sue a little more. Soon, they all went back to their respective seats and got back to work. Bianca had a busy afternoon in the office. It was nearly time to leave work when she got a notification from Facebook. She swiped to unlock her phone and logged into Facebook. She saw a friend request, and that person had sent her a message. Melody, a former high school ssmate. Considering she might know this person, Bianca chose to ept the friend request. As soon as she epted the Facebook friend request, a message popped up- Melody: [Bianca, I''m Melody Lerche from Year 3 ss 1. Long time no see. Our ss is having a reunion tomorrow night. Would you like toe?] It was Melody who sent Bianca the message. Bianca remembered her. She always had an air of superiority because she had good looks and was a member of the student committee. To be honest, Nina was the only ssmate Bianca was close to in high school. The rest of her ssmates were merely acquaintances. She remembered Melody because she used to give her trouble in ss. She never expected her arch-enemy to invite her to a ss reunion after all these years. Bianca refused as it urred to her that she was not familiar with most of her ssmates. Bianca: [Sorry, I''m busy tomorrow so I can''t make it.] Melody: [Come on, Bianca. It''s been so long since we graduated and we haven''t seen each other for so many years. Now that there''s finally a gathering and I¡¯m joining, won''t you do me a favor?] Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Next, Melody sent a series of aggrieved-looking emojis. Bianca felt a little likeughing as she stared at the messages on her Facebook. Her rtionship with Melody had never been good. Why would she want to invite her? After not receiving a response from Bianca after a long time, Melody quickly sent a message. Melody: [Old gal, almost everyone in our ss is going to be there tomorrow night. It''s not easy for everyone to get together. You gotta join us! ] Chapter 577 Chapter 577 A Pushover? I''m Afraid They¡¯re Going To Be Disappointed! Bianca thought about it for a while and eventually replied. Bianca: [I''ll see how it goes. I¡¯ll try to make time for it.] She wanted to see what Melody was up to. It took a long time before Melody replied with a cheeky smile emoji. Melody: [I look forward to seeing you, Ms. Rayne. Many of our ssmates are eager to see you again! We''re holding the gathering in Endless Night. I''ll send you the address.] Then, Melody sent Bianca an address and a private room number. Bored, Bianca leaned over her desk with her phone in her hand. She did not think her ssmates were looking forward to meeting her like what Melody said. After all, other than getting good grades, she was a dull person to be around back in school. She had even suffered the same high school emotional abuse she suffered in junior high because of her unlikeable personality. Melody was considered one of the instigators of her emotional abuse. Bianca cupped her cheeks with her hands and continued to wonder. ''Do those ssmates who bullied me before still think I''m a pushover and want to embarrass me?novelxo In that case, I¡¯m afraid they''re going to be disappointed!'' Bianca told Luke that she was going to the ss reunion. Luke thought Bianca was too much of a shut-in. Except for going to work, she only stayed at home and did not even bother to go shopping. He thought it would be good for her to expand her social circle and nodded in agreement. He was going to Endless Night tomorrow night to attend a dinner party too. It was just a different private room from hers. People could not be caged all the time like birds, but Luke was worried about letting Bianca out, so he asked Nina to apany her to the ss reunion. The next evening, Bianca and Nina arrived at Endless Night together. Endless Night was one of the top luxury clubs in A City, known for its excellent service. Bianca told the waitress the private room number and she enthusiastically led them there. As they were about to reach the private room, Bianca saw a young woman with big wavy curls a distance away. She seemed to be waiting for someone. When the woman with exquisite makeup saw Bianca, her eyes suddenly narrowed with joy. She held her hand high and greeted Bianca warmly, "Hi, Bianca. Do you still remember me?" The woman had deep double eyelids and was wearing exaggerated contact lenses. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Bianca had a good memory, but she did not seem to remember anyone like her.nv?lx.o Seeing Bianca''s look of confusion, the woman tugged her red lips and said with a smile, "Have you forgotten me? I''m Melody..." Bianca tried hard to recall, and when she heard her saying that she was Melody, she began to remember. "Oh... It''s you, Melody. You look quite different from before. I¡¯m sorry, you''ve changed so much that I didn''t recognize you for a moment." Melody''s smile instantly froze on her face. She had indeed changed a lot and it was because she had undergone stic surgery. Looking at Bianca''s still beautiful and gentle face, Melody felt slightly depressed and reluctant, i Bianca doesn''t remember me? ''Then what''s the point of holding this ss reunion?'' Back then, she and Bianca had been the most popr candidates in a homing queen voting contest organized by the students. Melody had a group of close friends. She even spent a lot of money to buy votes but still lost to Bianca with more than 100 votes. Bianca, that nobody, won the title in the end! It was disgusting to think about it! Those boys who voted seemed to be blind. They preferred to be fooled by Bianca''s pretty and goody two-shoes appearance! At that time, she led a group of people to the ssroom to settle scores with Bianca and asked her to give the title of homing queen to her! After hearing what she came for, Bianca only rubbed her tired eyes and drawled, "Homing queen contest? Sorry, I''m not interested. Whoever wants the title can have it. Please make way, Ms. Lerche. I want to read..." That scene had be a shameful secret in Melody''s heart! Melody did not expect to be able to get Bianca to attend the gathering. She thought Bianca was timid and afraid of meeting people! Therefore, she naturally attended with her rich boyfriend to make a fool of Bianca. However, when Melody''s gaze fell on Bianca''s baby bump, there was a sh of disbelief on her face. "Bianca, are you preg-pregnant? How far along are you?" i Bianca replied indifferently, "I''m a mother now. This is my second pregnancy." Melody''s eyes twinkled a little as she looked even more shocked. Her gaze instantly fell on the neat short-haired Nina. "Is she from Year 3 ss 1 too? She seems familiar, but I''m not sure-" Holding Bianca''s arm, Nina told Melody off, "A busy person like you is always so forgetful. I''m Nina Langdon. I always sat in the back, remember? We used to quarrel a lot about handing in our homework." "Oh, oh. It''s you, Nina. You had long hair when you were in school. I can''t recognize you anymore after you cut it short." Melody smiled awkwardly as her gaze once again fell on Bianca''s face. Bianca looked more and more beautiful under themplight. Although she was pregnant, she was not at all bloated like ordinary pregnant women. Instead, she was indescribably gentle and charming. Melody had a big smile on her face, but her eyes were getting a little dimmer. Melody led Bianca into the private room. It was huge with about 30 people inside. All eyes fell on the three women when they entered. In particr, Bianca caught the most attention. Bianca nced around. What surprised her the most was that Melissa and Xavier were here too. ''Isn''t this Year 3 ss 1''s reunion? ''Why are there other people around as well?'' Xavier was excited the moment he saw Bianca, so he shook Melissa off and walked over to her. However, when he saw her baby bump, it was as if he had been poured with a bucket of cold water. He stiffened and looked a little deste. Melissa grabbed Xavier''s arm tight and looked at Bianca with hostility. She tightened her hold on Xavier¡¯s arm in a shy manner to dere her ownership. "Sis, why is this woman here? Is she your ssmate?" Melissa asked Melody loudly and disapprovingly. Melody led Bianca to a nearby couch to have a seat and nced at Melissa. '' Melissa, Bianca was in Year 3 ss 1. You mustn''t be rude to her. Bianca had a moment of realization. Melissa called Melody ''Sis¡¯, and she also shared the samest name as Melody. It turned out they were sisters. No wonder she had always found Melissa''s looks to be strangely familiar. Melissa was very hostile to Bianca and was about to drive her out, saying," Sis, aren''t you ashamed of having a ssmate like her? I don''t want to see this woman here. Tell her to get the f*ck out-" Xavier''s expression turned cold as he shook her off in disgust. "You can do whatever you want at home, but this isn''t the ce for you to throw a tantrum. Don''t go too far!" Seeing the change in Xavier''s expression, Melissa pathetically stopped short of her sentence. "Xavier, I''m sorry. Don''t be mad..." As if she was watching a farce, Bianca only gave them a faint nce. Chapter 578 Chapter 578 Their Imaginations Ran Wild Melody hugged the elbow of her rich boyfriend and deliberately acted lovey -dovey in front of Bianca. "Bianca, let me introduce you to my fiance. His name is Saul tt, the heir to tt Corporation. Saulie, this is Bianca Rayne, my ssmate from Year 3 ss 1." Melody deliberately spoke loudly when she exined Saul''s status! Her words instantly attracted the attention of the people around her, which was what she wanted. That was the famous tt Corporation! They were not as powerful as the four great family corporations of A City, but tt Corporation was considered one of the top ten corporations in A City. Saul had a well-built body and a square face. He looked wealthy, and his gaze carried a lecherous glint. His eyes would sparkle whenever he saw any woman with decent body curves, which did not make people think highly of him. Bianca did not want to be too acquainted with him, though she smiled at Saul out of courtesy. "Nice to meet you, Mr. tt." "It''s my pleasure to meet you, Ms. Rayne." Saul looked at Bianca''s smile in amazement and could not look away. He even forgot about the fact that Bianca was pregnant. novelxo Before the gathering, Saul had heard her girlfriend say that Bianca had snatched the title of homing queen from her using unscrupulous means. Melody also said that Bianca was a in- looking woman, but she worked at a nightclub and was a seductress. He did not think too highly of Bianca then. After all, he had seen his fair share of seductresses. However, when he finally met the real Bianca, he realized that his assessment was premature.nv?lx.o The woman''s eyes were as charming as a cat''s, and her gaze was pure. Not only was she beautiful, but she carried herself like no other woman could. Melody was no match for Bianca''s looks. After one nce, Saul desired to get that woman on his bed... Melody''s expression was unpleasant when she saw her boyfriend looking at Bianca like that! She thought for a while and pretended to mention casually, "Bianca, half a year ago, I had a gathering with my friends at Club Virgo, and I thought I saw someone who looked like you peddling adult goods there. Some men even forcefully hugged her... Don''t tell me that the woman is you?" The private room fell silent after Melody said that. Club Virgo was a well-known nightclub in A City. Everyone who could afford to go there was either wealthy or influential. Even so, everyone knew that a woman who worked in a nightclub was either loose or desperate. The men''s imagination ran wild after hearing Melody''s statement that Bianca went to peddle adult goods there. She might only be a salesperson there, but how many women who went to work in a nightclub could say that they did not have other motives? The gazes that fell on Bianca were filled with mockery, condescension, and intrigue. Nina was furious. At that moment, she even felt like pping Melody! She realized that Melody''s intention of inviting Bianca to the gathering was to humiliate her! That scheming woman deserved to be taught a lesson! Meanwhile, in a VIP private room in Endless Night. The lights were dim, and a thick smell of smoke and alcohol permeated the air. The entire space was filled with booming music. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Several dozen men and women were sitting together. Some were making out, some were chatting with each other, some were ying drinking games, and some were singing on top of their lungs. Luke sat alone on the couch, smoking silently. The man''s cold and gentlemanly attitude was a mismatch with his chaotic surroundings. However, that did not diminish the women''s interest in him. "Mr. Crawford..." A sexy woman said in a coy voice as she writhed closer to Luke. Her soft hand hugged his neck, preparing to bring herself onto his sturdy leg. Luke reached out and forcefully brought the woman''s face to view. He grimaced as he looked at the face with thick make-up. "Get lost!" He tossed that disgusting woman away! He did not show any mercy at all! The woman was about to cry from the humiliation! She sheepishly got up to her feet, then hid herself in one corner. The other women saw that and dared not approach him, even though they were still interested in him. Luke nced at his watch. It was gettingte. Such business engagements bored him. Many of the faces in the room were familiar to him, while others were new acquaintances. Those faces were obscured by cigarette smoke. It was like the scene of a dream. When he was single, he used to indulge in such asions. However, after Bianca, all he wanted to do after he went off work was to go home. A middle-aged man in a business suit walked up next to Luke and carefully asked him, "She''s not your type, Mr. Crawford? Tell me what you like and I''ll find a few for you. How about that?" Jason, sitting next to Luke, smiled but did not say anything. He would not tell the man that Luke liked Bianca''s type. Jim, who had a woman on hisp, took a drag of his cigarette and chuckled. "Don''t bother, Cohen. He has already found the woman of his life, and he would not be interested. You can bring the prettiest girl in the nightclub and he wouldn''t even bat an eyelid." Luke grabbed a shot ss and tossed it at Jim. Jim deftly dodged while grabbing the shot ss with one hand and ced it on the table. He poured himself a ss of vodka and toasted Luke. "You shouldn''t get physical that easily, you know? One day you''ll kill me." The beautiful woman in Jim''sp patted his chest. "Don''t be afraid, Mr. Holston, I''ll be here for you..." Jason took another nce at that woman. She looked vaguely simr to Scarlett, though she was not diffident and did not evoke pity. The woman had a seductive gaze, and her base desires were too obvious. Luke furrowed his brows. Scarlett had recently suffered a miscarriage, and Jim was already fooling around. He was not sure what to think of his friend. However, he was not interested in other people''s personal lives. The only one who interested him was Bianca. Chapter 579 Chapter 579 In Her Anger, She Was At A Loss For Words! On the luxurious couch in the private room. Jim hugged the woman on hisp more tightly andnded a heavy kiss on her red lips. "Lulu dear, you really know how to make me happy!" He took out a thick stack of cash from his wallet. Then, he stuffed the cash into Lulu''s wide-open neckline. "Those look like the real deal." "You''re so naughty, Mr. Holston!" Lulu pretended to be shy and yfully punched Jim''s chest. She looked smugly at the other women, who were looking at her enviously. Sitting opposite Luke was Percy, who was ying a dice game with an indifferent expression on his face, 1 The other yer was a handsome gentleman. The people looked at Luke, then at the grim-faced Percy. They knew that Luke was not interested in other women because he was a prude and a clean freak. Meanwhile, Percy''s reasons seemed to be queer inparison. His sexual orientation had long been a topic of discussion. There were even rumors that he was gay and that he harbored all types of handsome men in his house. Of course, those rumors were purely spective. Young Master Mallory was the lord of A City''s criminal underworld. The sight of him alone could make children cry.novelxo No one dared to discuss that when he was around. Percy noticed that Luke was checking his watch repeatedly. He lifted his wine ss and said, "If you miss the mother of your children that much, why didn''t you bring her along?" Luke lifted his wine ss and drank its contents. "She is also in Endless Night," he said. Several pairs of eyes fell on him as soon as he spoke. "No wonder you''ve been checking your watch." Percy nodded understandingly. Jim tried to instigate him. "If Sis is here, why not get her to join in the fun?" Luke stood up from the couch. "Are you leaving?" Percy said. "Don''t you want to meet your Sis? I''ll bring her here." Luke opened the door and left coolly.nv?lx.o Jason did not want to drink, and so he left the room too. The other people sighed. Luke''s dependence on his wife looked like an obsession! Meanwhile, in the other private room. Nina was angry at Melody¡¯s lies about Bianca! Melissa was already a despicable individual who had butted heads with Bianca on more than one asion. Her sister was equally as despicable! No wonder the two of them are family! Nina was about to say something, but Bianca gently tugged her and stopped her. Then, Bianca smiled gently and said, "You weren''t mistaken. Indeed, I was peddling adult goods at the nightclub that day..." She was not lying. That night, she was introducing contraceptive products to Luke in that nightclub. However, she was not familiar with Luke back then. She blushed whenever she thought how Luke had deliberately pranked her. However, that was a story in the distant past. A smug smile appeared on Melody''s stic face. Bianca knew very well Melody''s intention of inviting her to the gathering. Melody wanted to humiliate her. The biggest grudge between them was that Bianca had snatched Melody''s title of homing queen. To be honest, she did not know that she was part of the vote. Melody did not expect that Bianca had so readily admitted that the woman she saw in the nightclub was herself. Not only that, but Bianca was smiling when she admitted to it. Did she not have a sense of shame? That was outrageous! Bianca had a sweet and animated smile on her face, which was a fine addition to her delicate facial features. The male ssmates sitting next to her were smitten. Compared to the immature girl back in high school, the current Bianca was more charming and seductive. Melissa could not keep her mouth shut any longer. "Sis, didn''t I tell you that Bianca isn''t as pure as she seems? Now, do you believe me? Don''t you know that she already had a boyfriend back then, but she seduced Xavier anyway? A loose woman like that deserves to work in a nightclub!" Melody pretended to be sorry for Bianca when she heard that. "I didn''t expect that the woman to ybe you... how could you work in that kind of ce? If you don''t have money, we''re more than willing to lend it to you. We''re friends after all, and I''d help you no matter what... but why would you rather give up on yourself?" Bianca smiled and replied nonchntly, "Perhaps I''ve already given up on myself..." "..." Everyone was speechless, including Nina. She did not expect that the down-to-earth Bianca could be so infuriating at times. "We''re women, Bianca, and it''s important that we have self-respect. If you need money in the future, you cane and look for us. You don''t have to sell... yourself there." Melody deliberately paused in the middle of the sentence, making it sound as though she had difficulty saying it. Xavier was sitting in a corner. He really wanted to speak up for Bianca. His tightly clenched fists showed that he was trying very hard to hold himself back. However, at the moment, Bianca had decided to break up with him, they were no longer rted. He was not going to perform that thankless task. Bianca stared at Melody. Suddenly, she propped her chin in her hands and asked innocently, "I wonder why you''re so concerned about my personal life, Ms. Lerche? I enjoy doing this just like how you enjoyContent bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. stic surgery. It''s a free society." Melody did not expect Bianca to talk back. She had expected the shy and diffident Bianca to burst into tears and sulk feebly. Why did Bianca not seem perturbed, and where did she get the courage to mock Melody? Melody was red-faced, but she did not give up. "I''m concerned because we''re friends, Bianca. I don''t want to see the ace student in the past continue to make mistakes...¡± Bianca twiddled her long hair and smiled. "Thank you for your concern, but that won''t be necessary. I found a rich sugar daddy that showers me with presents, and he even gave me a mansion. Even the baby in my womb is from him. If he continues being nice to me, I don''t mind giving up on myself Melody gritted his teeth as she looked at Bianca! If Bianca was going to be so shameless, there was no way that Melody was going to humiliate her! Never had she seen a woman who so readily admitted that she worked in a nightclub and boasted that she had a sugar daddy! Moreover, that woman was smiling proudly! How could someone be so shameless? Chapter 580 Chapter 580 Luke''s Murderous Intent! Melody hated Bianca to the bone! Bianca''s appearance had caused her academic ranking to fall from number one to number two! Not only was Bianca a better student academically, but she had also snatched the title of homing queen from Melody! Even those boys who had courted Melody had shifted their affections to Bianca! Back then, when she saw Bianca in the nightclub, she wanted to call her out on the spot. She left the country soon after that and only returned a few days ago. Ever since then, she had been thinking of how to get back at Bianca! She was caught off-guard by Bianca''s response! How could that woman be so unperturbed when being humiliated in public? Melody was losing herposure! To prevent herself from being embarrassed, she made up an excuse and went to the washroom. On the other hand, Saul became more interested in Bianca after she had proudly admitted to her "special job." After Melody left, Saul''s eyes were transfixed on Bianca''s beautiful face. He nudged closer to Bianca and asked confidently, "How much money does your sugar daddy give you, Bianca? I''ll give you double that. Will that make you fall for me?" Bianca resisted her urge to retch and nced at Saul contemptuously." Excuse me, Sir, your girlfriend is still around, and I''m a pregnant woman. Do you think that your words are appropriate?" Saul shed a lecherous smile on his face. "How can that womanpare to you? In fact, no one here canpare to your otherworldly features... I''ve made out with pregnant women before, and the sensation is iparable to anything else. I don''t think any straight man would be able to resist your charms..."novelxo His hands started to feel toward Bianca. "Get lost." Bianca was thoroughly disgusted by that man''s character. How could such an immoral scumbag exist? Xavier was burning with anger. He was clenching a beer bottle in his hand. If Saul dared toy a finger on Bianca, he would smash the beer bottle on Saul''s head without hesitation! Saul''s filthy hand was about to touch Bianca''s shoulder. She furrowed her brows, protected her stomach, and inched away. Xavier was also prepared. The beer bottle was raised high! Before he could make a move, he heard an agonized wail! Bianca was shocked. She looked in the direction of the wail and noticed that Saul¡¯s right wrist was twisted into an impossible angle by a well- manicured hand. It was obvious that it was broken. The man who suddenly appeared was extremely handsome. It was Luke Crawford! nv?lx.o Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. His face often appeared in financial news. Everyone knew who he was. The private room instantly descended into silence when everyone noticed him. Even the booming music stopped abruptly. Was that the actual Luke Crawford? Was it only a dream? Everyone confirmed that they were not dreaming. However, they could not understand why that godlike man would suddenly descend upon their gathering. Bianca clumsily stood up and walked toward Luke. She breathed a sigh of relief and felt secure. "You''re here..." she said. "Mm, I''m here to pick you up." Luke put Saul''s broken wrist away, took out a handkerchief, and carefully wiped his hand. At the same time, he hugged Bianca close to him. The love and indulgence in his eyes were immeasurable. Melody returned from the washroom at that moment. When she saw the scene in front of her, her face scrunched up as though she had swallowed a dead fly! ''How is that possible? ''How could Bianca''s sugar daddy be the famous Luke Crawford? ''Perhaps... she''s only a ything... ''Right, a woman like her only deserves to be a man''s ything!'' That was how Melodyforted herself. She quickly walked toward Luke. She could look away from Luke''s breathtakingly handsome face. She could not believe such a handsome man could be real. He was ten times more handsome than his photos in the magazines! "Why are you here, Mr. Crawford? Are you acquainted with Ms. Rayne?" Obviously, Melody knew who Luke was, even though she never would have the chance of encountering that handsome man in any other circumstance. Luke hugged Bianca and smiled gently. "I''m here to pick up my woman." Melody blushed when she saw that bewitching smile. She could not expect that Luke''s demeanor in real life was like Prince Charming who had walked out of a fairy tale. He was exactly her type, and her heart was beating wildly. Eventually, she came to her senses and realized what Luke had said. Moreover, Luke was gently straightening Bianca''s cor while looking at her with a gentle gaze. At that moment, Melody''s face turned deathly pale! "Bianca, looks like you didn''t have a good time with everyone here?" Luke''s voice was gentle, but everyone could sense an inexplicable hostility in his words. Melody smiled fawningly at Luke while winking at Bianca. "No, Mr. Crawford, Bianca is friends with everyone here. We had a great time tonight. Isn''t that so, Bianca?" "Oh?" Luke turned to look at Nina. Nina pointed at Melody and said indignantly, "Don''t listen to her nonsense, Mr. Crawford. That woman invited Bianca to the gathering only to humiliate her. She said that she once saw Bianca working in a nightclub, and also said that she''s willing to help Bianca. What a joke! What''s worse is that her scumbag fiance tried to make a move on Bianca even though he knew that she was pregnant! He also said that pregnant women are more fun too. How disgusting..." Luke¡¯s gaze became even colder as he looked at Saul, who was trying to make himself as small as possible. "Is what she said true?" He saidzily. "It''s... it''s not like that... Mr. Crawford..." Saul was drenched in sweat. His legs went limp. As a socialite, he knew who Luke Crawford was, though he never had the opportunity to interact with him. Saul''s father had always said that Luke Crawford was a business prodigy, and that Saul should get on Luke''s good side if possible. He was looking for an opportunity to meet him, but not in such awkward circumstances. Now that Luke knew that Saul wanted to make a move on his woman, he''d definitely skin him alive! Chapter 581 Chapter 581 Luke''s Brazen Deration of Love! "It''s not like that, Mr. Crawford! Bianca was the shameless one to seduce my brother-inw, and that''s why he dared to make a move on her. That kind of woman is pretentious and fake. Don''t be fooled by her innocent looks!" Melissa was distorting the truth to help Saul. 1 The Lerche family was trying to get on the tt family''s good side. If her elder sister sessfully married Saul, Lerche Corporation would grow to greater heights! Naturally, her social status as a daughter of the Lerche family would be elevated too! "Ms. Lerche, do you think that I''m blind or deaf?" Luke shot Melissa a sideeye. The icy gaze filled with killing intent caused Mellisa to shudder uncontrobly. Biancaughed out of anger. She also red coldly at Melissa. "You really know how to lie through your teeth, Ms. Lerche. The father of the baby in my womb is tall and handsome. He''s the pinnacle of masculinity. If he loves me, why would I be interested in a shallow pig?" Jasonughed up his sleeve. He felt that Ms. Rayne was bing more and more sharp-tongued like the boss. Saul was furious when he heard Bianca say that about him! If that happened on any other asion, he would have offed that b*tch! However, he could noty a finger on her because she was Mr. Crawford''s woman! Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Melissa did not care about that. She noticed that Xavier''s attention had been fully focused on Bianca ever since he entered the room. In her jealousy, she wanted to kill Bianca! Blinded by jealousy, she was not going to let go of any chance to humiliate Bianca. She continued to insult Bianca without stopping. "How can you insult my brother-inw like that, you b*tch? Don''t think I don''t know what you''re capable of doing. You started to seduce men since you''re eighteen. You''re pregnant before you''re married. You..." Luke nced at Melissa with abject hostility in his gaze. He shot a nce at the manager who followed behind him. The male manager understood Luke''s intent and waved at the security guards. One of the security guards took out a roll of duct tape and tore a half-foot- long piece off. Then, he walked toward Melissa aggressively. "What... do you want..." Melissa instinctively took several steps backward when she noticed that danger was imminent. The two security guards grabbed one arm each, taped her mouth shut, and tossed her mercilessly on the floor! The people in the room were shocked by the scene! Nobody dared to say anything or move. Luke''s presence was overbearing! Melody''s limbs started shaking. Her younger sister''s mouth was taped shut, but she dared not even look at her. Like a devil, Luke''s narrowed eyes swept across the people in the room. Several weak-willed people even took several steps back out of fright. Eventually, Luke''s gazended on Saul''s face that was wracked with fear. "I heard that you want to be her sugar daddy, hmm?" Saul''s face went pale. Sweat poured from his face and dripped on the floor. He nearly wet his pants under Luke''s frigid gaze. He fell on his knees, trembling, and his gaze was unfocused. "Mr... Mr. Crawford, I... I was only... joking... with Ms. Rayne..." Luke hugged Bianca and sat down on the couch, looking down upon Saul with the authority of a king. "Just a joke? I think that you really mean it though! The heir to tt Corporation? Tomorrow, tt Corporation will be history!" 1 Jason sighed and shook his head. Bianca was the boss''s weakness. Saul was only courting death. Saul used his left hand and pped himself hard. "I misspoke, Mr. Crawford. I won''t do it ever again!" "Indeed, you deserve to be taught a lesson. How about this, if you p yourself one hundred times, I might consider forgiving tt Corporation." Luke''s tone of voice was impassive, but the threat in his words was obvious. Saul could not stop shaking. He, as the heir of tt Corporation, had never experienced such humiliation. He understood very well what Luke was capable of. To protect his family business, he started to p himself! He dared not p himself too hard because it was painful. Luke said that the ps were not loud enough. He made Saul start over and even got the manager of the nightclub to help. Saul was furious, but he was helpless. Xavier watched the scene impassively. Luke had nearly killed him because he desired Bianca. Xavier knew how cruel his cousin could be. Saul''s face was bloody and swollen after a hundred ps. It was a horrific sight. Bianca did not have any sympathy for that man. He probably had harmed many innocent women, and it was about time that someone taught him a lesson! She began to feel that the baby in her womb was getting restless, perhaps because the air quality in the private room was bad... She tugged Luke''s shirt sleeve and said, "Let''s go home, Luke. The air is murky here." "Alright." Luke thought that she was not feeling well. Ignoring her protests, he picked her up in a bridal carry and walked out of the room. Before leaving, he instructed Jason, "Get prepared. I want to hear the news about acquiring tt Corporation in a few days!" "Yes, Boss," Jason replied. Saul almost passed out from anger. "I know that I''m wrong, Mr. Crawford, and I have been punished. Don''t go overboard!" Luke could not be bothered to look at him. He left the room with Bianca, while the people who remained inside looked at each other awkwardly. No one expected that Bianca was Luke Crawford''s woman, and he loved her very much... Everyone wondered how lucky she could get! No one paid any attention to Saul, who curled up weakly in a ball on the floor. His gaze was steeped in poison as he watched Luke and Bianca leave Luke walked along the corridor with Bianca in his arms. The dim yellow light entuated his sculpted features. He kissed Bianca''s forehead indulgently. "Are you happy now?" Bianca hugged Luke''s neck even more tightly and pecked him on his cheek. "I''m happy to see my bullies eat crow tonight, and it''s cathartic to see them cower. Thank you, Luke..." Luke smiled gently and spoke to Jason, who had been following behind them. ¡¯Go back to the room and tell them I''ll be going home first because my wife is tired and wants to rest. Get them to enjoy themselves and put everything on my tab." Jason twitched when he heard that brazen deration of Luke''s love toward Bianca. He turned around, went back to the private room, and passed on the message. Chapter 582 Chapter 582 Some Information About Ms. Rayne''s Past Before Bianca left, she reminded Jason once again to send Nina back. Nina had drunk a lot of juice, and she had also drunk a lot of beer with some of her good friends. She was not a heavy drinker, and she was getting dizzy. The red wine she drank was sweet and easy to drink, but she did not expect the alcohol to kick inter. Once she stepped out of the room, she had the urge to go to the washroom. She apologized to Jason and went to a public washroom next to the private room. At the entrance, Nina suddenly felt very dizzy, and her eyes could not see the signs on the door clearly. She pushed open a door and stumbled inside. It was quiet in the washroom. No one else was inside. Nina quickly relieved herself. She breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew, that''s a relief. My dder is going to burst..." Suddenly, she heard the washroom door open. A set of firm and heavy footsteps walked in. Then, the flowing sounds of a thin stream of water echoed in the enclosed space. Nina stood up, rubbed her groggy head with her hands, and staggered out of the toilet. Suddenly, from the corner of her eye, she caught a nce of a tall man relieving himself... When she figured out what was going on, she became wide awake! "How dare you enter the women''s restroom, you pervert!" Nina was furious. Before discerning the identity of the man, she flung her handbag at him! She did not expect that the man deftly caught her handbag in an iron grip. 1 Nina tried to pull the handbag away from him, but she could not do so no matter how hard she tried. Nina looked at the "pervert" in panic, but her gaze met a pair of ice-cold eyes. Those eyes carried a bewitching charm that was almost magical. She knew that those eyes belonged to a cruel demon. 1 Percy Mallory. The man who had locked her in a room full of creepy crawlies. Nina''s eyes widened in anger in that instant. She started cursing at him," Let go of my handbag, you perverted bully!" She did not expect that Percy would let go of her handbag instantly. Then, he slowly zipped up his pants. His movements were simple and elegant. Nina red at him resentfully, then muttered, "Shameless! Pervert!" After tidying his clothes, Percy chuckled coldly, walked in front of Nina, then pinched her chin and turned her so that she faced the sign on the door. "Look carefully, woman. You''re in the male washroom now!" Percy thought that he was unlucky. The VIP private room had an attached washroom, but it was too noisy, and he wanted to make a phone call. That was why he went to the quieter public washroom. Unfortunately for him, he bumped into a woman who thought that he was a pervert. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. When Nina saw the sign on the door clearly, her face turned beet-red in an instant. She wanted to apologize, but the pain on her chin reminded her of the man''s cruelty. She instantly changed her apology. I''ve drunk a little too much and saw the sign wrongly. You... you haven¡¯t washed your hands after relieving yourself. Don''t touch me with your dirty hands..." Percyughed out of anger. His grip on her lower jaw became stronger. "Do you think that my hands are dirty?" Nina thought that her lower jaw was going to break. In her desperation to free herself, she lifted her leg and stomped it toward Percy''s crotch. "Go and die, you b*stard!" Percy was caught by surprise, and Nina''s footnded squarely on his crotch! 1 His hands cupped over his crotch, though his demeanor instantly became as terrifying as the Grim Reaper! Nina was shocked by his demeanor. She took the chance and ran out of the door. Before the door closed behind her, she subconsciously turned around, and her eyes met Percy''s murderous gaze. Her legs went limp, and she nearly fell down! ''What a scary man! I swear I''ll stay away from him as much as possible!" Three dayster. Wanda''s body shook as she clutched tightly to the DNA test report in her hands. She wanted to tear a hole in that report. "Don''t overthink it, Wanda. That Bianca girl is sensible and considerate. So what if you''re not rted by blood? You''ve doted on her for so many years... " Kirby gently patted Wanda''s shoulder. She wanted to comfort her but did not know what to say. Eventually, the doctor sighed heavily. No one could have easily epted the fact that their niece for twenty years was actually a stranger unrted by blood. Kirby thought that she would not be able to ept it too, so how could Wanda, who was a lot more mentally fragile? Kirby wanted to say something when Wanda tore the test report into shreds. Then, she tossed it into the waste paper basket nearby. "Wanda?" Kirby furrowed his brows in surprise. Wanda turned to look at her. Her pale face was streaked with tears, but there was a determination in her gaze. "The test results don''t matter; Bianca will still be my favorite niece. Our rtionship will not change just because of a piece of paper. Please help me keep this secret, Kirby. I''m afraid that Bianca would overthink if she finds out. Moreover, my father is already so old. He wouldn''t be able to ept it." Wanda thought that fate had been cruel to the Rayne family. She did not me anyone other than that sister-inw whom she had never met before. Kevin had loved his wife, but his wife had made a cuckold of him. As far as Wanda knew, her brother did not know that Bianca was not his birth daughter even until he died. Wanda was very sad when she thought of that, and her body swayed as though she was going to fall. Kirby quickly helped Wanda sit down and said sternly, "You can''t afford to wait, Wanda. You''ll have to undergo surgery as soon as possible..." Wanda''s expression was inscrutable. "Alright, I''ll agree to the surgery, but before that, I want to go to Japan to meet him onest time." 1 At the same time, in the CEO''s office of T Corporation. "This is what I have found about Ms. Rayne''s background, Mr. Crawford. Please take a look." Jason handed a stack of documents to Luke. Luke took the documents and browsed through them. When his eyes fell on thest line, his gaze became sharp! Chapter 583 Chapter 583 Bianca Was the Swapped Baby Girl! The document read: When Queenie Ziegler, Jack Norman''s wife, was in the small-town clinic, the person who apanied her there was Allison Tanner, Luke''s mother. Luke''s hands stiffened when he saw that line. He turned to the next page and continued to read. The ount was very detailed for a twenty-something-year-old incident. ording to the informer, Queenie had overstressed herself during that crisis. Moreover, her health was not that great, and those factors had caused her to deliver her baby prematurely. The small town was too far away from the city, and she could not get to the hospital in time. That was why she had to go to an unremarkable clinic. The name of the doctor who delivered Queenie''s baby was named Vyen Lane. Queenie lost a lot of blood during the delivery, and she was on the brink of death. She did not know that she had given birth to a healthy baby girl. At that time, Allison had performed an illicit transaction with Doctor Lane. She bribed the doctor with a large sum of money to swap the baby girl with a dead one. Doctor Lane took the money and left the country, while the whereabouts of that baby girl were unknown. Luke read through the document twice before putting it down. No one would be able to keep a secret unless they were dead! 1 It was not easy to find the information, but it was not too difficult either. Without saying a word, Luke stood up, rested his hand on the windowsill, and looked at the scenery outside. The sunlight that shone into the office made him look taller. Even Jason was stunned by the man''s perfect side profile and godlike demeanor. "This incident is rted to Madam Crawford, boss," he said. Luke was irritated by the results of the investigation. He felt the urge to smoke. He turned around and took out a cigarette from his drawer. Jason lit it up for him. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org "Where is the woman named Vyen Lane now?" Luke asked. "Earlier, she returned to the country to visit her rtives, but she''s since gone back overseas." Jason continued, "ording to the investigation, Madam Crawford met up with Doctor Lane a month ago. The details of their conversation were unclear, but Doctor Lane hastily left the country the next day. Right, I''ve encountered some opposition from two separate sources when conducting the investigation. Obviously, they don''t want me to seek the truth." Luke''s demeanor instantly became severe. "Do you know who they are?" "The first is Leia Norman, Jack Norman''s adoptive daughter. The second is from... Madam Crawford." Luke dragged his cigarette fiercely. Jason could tell that his boss was not in a good mood. It was not hard to tell why. It was understandable that Leia Norman did not want Jason to find out the truth, but Luke did not expect that his mother would interfere in the investigation too. He had always thought that his mother was merely selfish and materialistic, but he did not expect that his mother was morally repugnant enough to swap Queenie''s child with a dead one, causing one of her best friends to live in agony for more than twenty years. Now, she was obstructing the investigation too. Queenie was in a terrible mental state after she lost her child. She became better after she adopted Leia. Luke found out from Shakira that Shakira, Queenie, and Allison used to be very good friends. There were even several group photos of them at home. However, Luke could not figure out why his mother would do that. None of the documents showed that Bianca was involved in the incident, but Luke was smart enough to connect the dots and guess that Bianca was the baby girl. He remembered how his mother was inexplicably hostile to Bianca. She had strongly opposed their wedding, and she had even lied to him that they were siblings. Luke knew that his mother was once married to Kevin Rayne. She had considered that period of her life as a great embarrassment, and she would not even want to mention it. Naturally, Luke did not believe her when she said that he and Bianca were biological siblings. Bianca and Luke took a DNA test, and that proved that Allison was lying. Back then, he was overjoyed that they were not rted by blood, and he did not investigate her background. To him, it was enough that they were not biological siblings. Nothing else mattered. Now that he thought about it, Bianca''s background remained a mystery. He never considered that Bianca would be Queenie''s birth daughter. After arriving at that conclusion, Luke flicked the cigarette in the ashtray and said, "Investigate Doctor Lane''s background and find out her exact location overseas. Go and pay her a visit if you need to. I want to know the ins and outs of the entire incident." Doctor Vyen Lane was an important witness in the entire incident. She was also involved in it. If Bianca were really Queenie''s daughter, Vyen needed to return to the country to testify. "Yes, boss," Jason answered and left the office. Luke stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, bathed in the golden rays of the sunset. There was not the slightest hint of emotion on his handsome face. He was thinking. Bianca had lived in the Rayne household for more than twenty years. He knew that she ced a lot of love and trust toward her father Kevin Rayne, her aunt Wanda Rayne, and her grandfather Old Master Rayne. It would be hard for her to ept the truth. If his mother had not interfered, Bianca would not have suffered throughout her life. Luke was not sure if Bianca would ept the truth so readily. Even so, Bianca still had the right to know the truth, and he would stand beside her when she would eventually make the decision. Soon, it was the 15th of the month once more. The Crawford family members gathered for a meal. Luke brought Bianca to Crawford Manor. They were there early. Old Master Crawford was out for morning exercise. Susan went along with him, and they had not returned yet. Louis would not appear unless the food was already on the table. Allison was sitting on the couch in the living room, drinking her morning tea. "Wee back, Young Master Crawford." The caretaker took a pair of slippers from the shoe rack and ced them in front of Luke. She was about to get slippers for Bianca when Allison mmed the teacup on the coffee table. She started to reprimand the caretaker, "Not everyone deserves to enter Crawford Manor, Lindell. You don''t have to attend to certain women." The caretaker froze on the spot awkwardly. She nced at Luke''s gloomy expression and thought that the pair of slippers in her hands were like hot potatoes. She was not sure if she should put them on the floor or back at the shoe rack. "Don''t worry, Granny Lindell. Let me handle this." Luke took the slippers from the caretaker''s hands, crouched on the floor, and helped Bianca put the slippers on. Allison was about to explode from anger as she looked at her son''s vish attitude toward Bianca! Her son had never cared for her like that, but he was so docile and obedient toward that Bianca woman. Bianca was indeed a seductress! Chapter 584 Chapter 584 I¡¯ve Found Your Birth Daughter, Queenie! Luke helped Bianca change into slippers. He hugged Bianca''s waist and walked in front of Allison. "Bianca and I are back home, Mother. She brought you a present." Allison shuddered when she saw her son''s icy gaze. Then, she turned her head away unhappily. Bianca was the woman who had caused discord between her and her son! Allison¡¯s hatred toward Bianca only grew by the day. "Madam," Bianca greeted Allison and handed her a bag of skincare products. "I heard that you like this brand, and so I bought it when I was out shopping the other day." Allison turned her head and shot a nce at Bianca. Her face had been scrunched up ever since Bianca entered the door of Crawford Manor. Allison''s well-manicured fingers caressed her teacup while talking to Luke," Luke, didn''t I tell you not to bring that woman home? Why don''t you ever listen to me? That woman had humiliated the Crawford family at the engagement ceremony. Must you disobey me at every chance you get?" Luke sat down on the couch and draped his arm over Bianca''s shoulder. He frowned. '' Mother, Bianca is your daughter-inw." "I don''t want a daughter-inw that tarnished the reputation of our family!" Allison said coldly, 1 She chuckled mockingly as she nced at the branded skincare products that Bianca ced on the coffee table. "Get her to return them. I''m afraid that my face will be ruined if I use them!" She said disdainfully. Bianca maintained a courteous smile on her face. "Madam, when I was out shopping with Luke, he was the one who picked the skincare products for you. He told me that this is your favorite brand, and so I bought them." "Please ept them, Mother. Bianca genuinely wants to give it to you," Luke said. He was determined to spend the rest of his life with Bianca. Even if his mother was not fond of Bianca, he hoped that he could alleviate the tension between them. Allison looked slightly better after she heard that Luke was the one who picked out the skincare products, but she immediately looked at Bianca arrogantly. "She''s only a lowly employee. How can she afford to buy those products with her measly sry? These should cost at least a few months of her pay. She''s still using my son''s money anyway!" Bianca did not want to argue or exin. She had epted the fact that Allison did not like her, and she was not going to change Allison''s opinion of her in the short term. "Bianca paid for the skincare products with her own money, Mother. I did not give her a single cent." Luke could tell that Allison would remain hostile to Bianca. He patted Bianca''s shoulder and said, "You can go to the bedroom first, Bea. I have something to talk to Mother in private." Bianca nodded. Luke shot a nce at the caretaker, and she escorted Bianca up the stairs. Right after they left the scene, Allison instantly dressed down her son." Listen to me, my son. Bianca doesn''t deserve you. Not only does she have an unremarkable upbringing, but she used to be married to Xavier. I don''t mind you having a one-night stand with a loose woman like her, but you can¡¯t marry her. I won''t ever recognize her as my daughter-inw!" Luke stared at Allison with his profound gaze. Allison suddenly felt uneasy, and she turned her head away. "Why are you looking at me like that, my son? I know that she''s your obsession, but I cannot allow that woman to step into Crawford Manor! If you want to marry, marry a girl from a wealthy family!" Allison said domineeringly. Luke smiled sarcastically. ¡¯Are you sure that Bianca is from an unremarkable family, Mother?" Allison''s heart skipped a beat. She turned her head away guiltily. "What do you mean, Luke? I don''t understand!" Luke noticed the change in his mother''s expression and continued speaking, "I''ve managed to unearth certain truths, Mother, it''s just that I haven''t told you about them. You should know very well what happened when Mrs. Norman gave birth, and I don''t think you need a refresher, right? I believe you know better than me what Bianca''s actual status is." Boom! Allison felt a corner of her mental defenses crumble. She pointed at Luke with a trembling finger and stammered, "What... what do you know?" Swapping Queenie''s child was her deepest and darkest secret. She thought that she would carry her secret to the grave. She did not expect that the first person to know would be her son! i Luke stood up from the couch and towered domineeringly over his mother. "I know everything that needs to be known, Mother. I respect you because you are my mother, and I did not tell Bianca anything. All I hope is that you would be nicer to Bianca in the future. Otherwise, I wouldn''t know if my tongue would slip and she finds out who her birth parents are. You can imagine the consequences if she is reunited with her birth parents andes to look for you with her newfound status." "Are you threatening your mother?" Allison red resentfully at Luke. "If you want to put it that way, yes," Luke said nonchntly. "You b*stard! I should have strangled you when I gave birth to you!" Allison lost control of her emotions. She tossed the teacup containing hot tea toward Luke! Luke tilted his head and deftly dodged the iing teacup. His eyshes drooped and obscured the emotions in his eyes. The exquisite porcin cup fell on the floor and shattered. The tea also sshed on the floor. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Til go upstairs. Get Lindell to clean up," Luke said, then went up the stairs. Allison stared at her son walking away determinedly. When she thought of his merciless threat, she felt a tightness in her chest, which made her tossed the other teacups in a fit of anger! Bianca was her bane! If Allison had known that Bianca would seduce her son, she should have not kept the baby alive back then! She should have tossed the baby into the dumpster and left it up to fate! At the Norman residence. Leia had been on hiatus from the entertainment industry. She had been recuperating at home, and she seemed to be more sensible. Queenie was relieved to see her daughter like that. Usually, Leia would be busy with movie shoots or variety show appearances. She was seldom at home. Now, Leia spent most of her time with her mother, either practicing yoga, learning flower arrangements, or studying business management. Queenie was more and more satisfied with her daughter. She even began to think that it was a good thing for Leia to retire from the entertainment industry. That way, her daughter would be able to spend more time with her. While Queenie was exining to her daughter about the history of flower arrangement, she received a call from Shakira. After she answered the call, Shakira''s anxious voice could be heard. "I''ve found your birth daughter, Queenie! Quick,e over here!" Chapter 585 Chapter 585 She Was Instantly Ovee With Joy! Queenie was shocked when she heard what Shakira said. When she finally processed Shakira''s words, she was instantly ovee with joy! She even forgot that her adoptive daughter was next to her. The hand that was holding her phone was shaking. "Shakira, is... is what you say true? You really found my birth daughter? Where is she now? Is she fine? Is..." "Mm, Queenie, are you free? You cane over and take a look now. Mr. Tyson has run a background check on her, and he thinks that all her characteristics check out. I think there''s a very big possibility that she is your birth daughter." ''I''m free now. Ill head over!" From the phone''s speakers, Leia could hear the contents of the conversation between Shakira and her mother. Those words sent chills down her spine. Leia sat on the couch in silence. There was not a hint of a smile on her beautiful face. Her right hand that was holding a flower stalk clenched tightly. Instantly, she lost all vitality. After Queenie ended the call, she noticed that her daughter was looking at her weakly with tears in her eyes. It was only then she realized what she had just said. "Leia..." She called out nervously. "Did Aunt Neile manage to find my elder sister?" Leia bit her lip and looked at her mother innocently. "It''s a long story, Leia. I''ll tell you more about it when I get back..." Queenie hugged Leia tightly. "Your Aunt Neile said that she found your elder sister''s whereabouts. You don''t know how surprised and happy I was when I heard that. That poor child... she must have suffered a lot over the years. Don''t worry, Leia, even if your elder sisteres home with us, you''re still my beloved daughter. In the future, you''ll have an elder sister who loves you too." Leia could only sneer discreetly. Her mother used to say that she was her "most beloved daughter." Now, her mother did not even bother to use the word "most." Queenie seemed anxious to meet her birth daughter. To Leia, her mother''s face at that moment was revolting! What was so great about her birth daughter? Did she not care that Leia was her daughter for more than twenty years? If Queenie really brought her birth daughter home, would Leia have a standing in the household? Moreover, she had plotted against Bianca multiple times, even endangering her life! If Bianca returned to the Norman household, she would definitely expose all of Leia''s misdeeds. Would Leia''s innocent and docile image be ruined, or worse, would she be sent to prison? Leia''s face turned deathly pale when she thought of that possibility! However, she dared not show her true emotions on her face. Instead, she forced a smile, "Mom, you haven''t heard any news about Elder Sister for so many years, so why would there suddenly be news? Don''t you think that there''s something fishy about this? After all, there are so many con artists nowadays. I don''t wish to see you disappointed if it turns out to be a false rm...¡¯ "In any case, I have to go and confirm it myself. What if it''s real? Technology is so advanced nowadays, we can easily confirm it with a DNA test," Queenie said emotionally. She was obsessed with finding her birth daughter. There had been false ims, but she had never given up hope. Every time she heard that there was a lead that might reunite her with her birth daughter, she would immediately go there no matter how busy she was. "I hope that you can find Elder Sister this time, Mom. You won''t have to worry anymore. When she comes home, I''ll love her with all my heart to give her the love that she''s been missing all these years." Leia shed the hostility in her eyes and they sparkled with eagerness, as though she was really excited that Queenie''s birth daughter wille home soon. "You''re so sensible, Leia. Your elder sister will love you if shees home. " Queenie wasforted. She had expected that Leia would not ept the news so easily, but Leia seemed to be excited about it. She was happy that her adoptive daughter was so understanding. Leia smiled mockingly when her mother was not looking. It would not be that easy for her adoptive mother to reunite with her birth daughter. When Queenie and Leia arrived at the private detective agency, Shakira was sitting in the manager''s office while talking eagerly with a young woman in a in white dress. A bespectacled middle-aged man sat on the manager''s chair while organizing some documents. There was also a humble-looking couple in their fifties sitting on a couch. "Shakira!" Queenie greeted her friend. Then, she fixed her gaze on the young woman. At that moment, she felt equal parts of anticipation, agitation, and apprehension. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. "You¡¯re here, Queenie. Mr. Tyson here has considered multiple factors and finally found the abandoned baby from back then..." Shakira helped the young woman up and introduced her to Queenie. "Her name is Julie Anderson. Her date of birth and her background matches the circumstances..." Mr. Tyson stood up, handed a document to Queenie, and said courteously," Please have a look, Mrs. Norman. This is what my detectives have found over many days about the incident from more than twenty years ago, as well as Julie Anderson''s life history since she was born." Leia was relieved when she saw that the "birth daughter" was not Bianca. She looked at the young woman carefully. The young woman wore a white dress. She stood there silently with a sweet smile on her face. At that moment, she was looking curiously at Queenie and Leia. Her gaze seemed innocent, but Leia could see that the young woman was looking at her name-brand clothes with envy. Leia sized up Julie. Julie seemed to be well-fed, but Mr. and Mrs. Anderson were dressed in faded old clothes and looked old. They were sitting anxiously on the couch while looking at their daughter. Leiaughed up her sleeve. Julie was a materialistic and selfish goody-two-shoes. She suddenly had a bold idea. ''Hmm... having an elder sister like her seems not bad. ''She''s materialistic and covetous. It''s easy to keep her under control.1 Meanwhile, Queenie took the document eagerly and browsed through it. When she saw Julie''s date of birth and the date when Julie was picked up from the town dumpster by Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, her body trembled. The Andersons picked Julie up on the day that her daughter was born. The location of the dumpster was not far away from Doctor Lane¡¯s clinic. From those two points alone, Queenie was sure that Julie was her birth daughter. How else could she exin the coincidence? Julie''s birthday was the same as the day of the delivery, and she was found in the dumpster near the clinic. It was so unbelievable! Chapter 586 Chapter 586 We¡¯ll Just Have To Do A DNA Test! Queenie was so sure that her birth daughter was Julie because she had gone to look for Allison more than once! She wanted from Allison the truth of the incident back then! Allison, irritated by Queenie''s incessant pestering, said mockingly," Queenie, when you delivered your daughter back then, she wascking oxygen and was blue and purple all over. She didn''t even cry or make a sound, and we thought that she was dead. That was why we tossed her out into the dumpster near the clinic. It was so cold, and even if the baby were alive, she would have been killed by the weather..." i At that moment, Queenie had the urge to kill Allison! Why did they not wait for Queenie to regain consciousness, so that she could see her baby at least once? Why were they so cruel to toss her baby into a dumpster, even though she had almost died giving birth to it? Seeing Queenie discreetly wiping away her tears, Shakira knew that she was not in a stable emotional state. She turned to speak to the middle- aged woman. "Mrs. Anderson, can you tell us the details of how you found Julie back then?" Shakira helped Mrs. Anderson stand up, and they walked in front of Queenie. Thedy kept kneading her hands, and she seemed very anxious. She was about the same age as Queenie and Shakira. However, thanks to years of menialbor, the wrinkles on the corners of her eyes were very deep, and half of her hair was white. Her hands were dry and coarse. Uneasily, Mrs. Anderson started speaking in a thick country ent. "Ah... Ah''m not sure what to say..." Queenie held Mrs. Anderson''s hands tightly and asked agitatedly, "Can you tell me how you discovered Julie in the dumpster? Please be as detailed as possible." Queenie''s fair, tender, and well-manicured hands were a stark contrast to Mrs. Anderson¡¯s coarse hands. Mrs. Anderson wanted to pull away, but Queenie held her hands very tightly. Mrs. Anderson looked at the tears in Queenie''s eyes and tried her best to recall what happened more than twenty years ago. Eventually, she began to stammer, "Ah... Ah need to think about it carefully. That day, just as usual, me and my husband went to set up our stall at the market. When we walked past a clinic in the town, we heard weak crying sounds. Me and my husband went to search where that came from, and by golly! We found a li''l baby smeared in blood in the dumpster. Ah wonder who''s the wretch that tossed a baby into the dumpster on a cold day! "Me and my husband didn''t go to the market that day. We brought the baby home, cleaned her up, and brought her to the hospital for a check-up. Bless her, she''s very healthy. At that time, ah was married to my husband for almost five years, and we''ve never had a child of our own. We couldn''t figure out why, even though we went for treatment many times. Nothing''s ever worked for us. We''ve given up, and we''re nning on adopting a child so that there''ll be someone who''ll bury us. We didn''t expect to pick up a child. Oh, bless the Lord and his providence. We took care of the baby until today..." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. After that, Mrs. Anderson looked at Julie unblinkingly. Her withered gaze was filled with love and care, but there was an inexplicable hint of grief in her expression. She and her husband had treated Julie like their birth daughter. They were poor, but they had given their daughter their best while raising her. They lived frugal lives so that their daughter lived a good life, like the rich kids intown. Mr. Anderson''s head was lowered as he smoked his pipe. He was also in grief. Now that Julie''s birth mother had found her, would she leave them behind? Actually, Julie was already aware of her background. When she was in middle school, her neighbor had identally divulged the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Anderson were not her birth parents. That time, Julie had raised a fuss about wanting to find her birth parents. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson tried to convince her that she should look for her birth parents when she grew older. Julie did not listen. Instead, she cried and threw tantrums, even threatening suicide. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson were terrified. Instantly, they decided to use their savings to look for Julie''s birth parents. The two-year search that used up all their savings turned out to be fruitless. Mrs. Anderson was even hospitalized because she overworked herself. Seeing that her birth parents were nowhere to be found, she stopped throwing tantrums, and peace resumed. However, she became more of a spendthrift after that. She also became temperamental and would randomly throw tantrums. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson spoiled her just as usual. She was their precious daughter after all! After listening to Mrs. Anderson''s story, Julie walked in front of Queenie. She kneaded her hands, her sparkling eyes blinked, and she asked timidly," Are... are you really my birth mother?" Queenie was dressed in a bespoke suit-dress, which entuated her slender body and made her look noble. At first nce, Julie could tell that Queenie was a very wealthy woman who lived in the city. Looking at Queenie closely, Julie thought that she somehow looked familiar. She seemed to have seen that face before, but she could not figure out when or where. "Mom, we can take a DNA test to see if Julie is my elder sister. We''ll get the results in a few days," Leia said gently. ''Look at those innocent eyes! She desires so much that Queenie is her birth mother! TH make her wishe true then!'' "You must have had it hard, child." Queenie caressed Julie''s fair and tender face and started to sob. She looked carefully at Julie''s facial features. The more she looked at Julie¡¯s face, the more she thought that they looked simr. "It''s not confirmed yet, Queenie. We should wait for the DNA test results." Shakira remained sensible. She was afraid that Queenie might be disappointed. Queenie reluctantly let go of Julie''s hands. "We should go to the hospital and perform a DNA test now. Before we get the results, perhaps you and your adoptive parents cane and stay at my house. What do you think?" She turned her head to look at the middle-aged couple and said gently," Mr. Anderson, Mrs. Anderson, you cane and stay in the Norman residence for the next few days. If Julie is really my birth daughter, I willpensate you handsomely. I apologize for inconveniencing you two for the next few days." Mr. and Mrs. Anderson nodded stiffly. They were reluctant to see their daughter leave. However, looking at the fact that Queenie seemed to be very wealthy and influential, they realized that they were not in the position to negotiate. "Wee to the Norman family, Sis Julie." Leia hugged Julie''s elbow and pretended to be close to her. Julie looked at how enthusiastic Leia was. Her gaze fell on Leia''s diamond earrings and her Chanel clothes. At that moment, the envy in her heart was at its peak. She prayed that she was really Queenie Ziegler''s birth daughter. That way, she would have an elegant and noble mother and could enjoy the life of a socialite. She hated her current condition. She did not want her parents to be wet market traders. That was so embarrassing... More importantly, she did not want to live in poverty anymore... Chapter 587 Chapter 587 Finally, They Receive Their Marriage Certificates! Meanwhile, at Crawford Manor. The scene at the dining table was rtively harmonious. Bianca was surprised that Allison did not pick on her or insult her while they had their meal. However, she noticed that Allison would asionally look at her with a deep-seated hatred, though Allison dared not say a hateful word. Bianca was curious about what was going on. After lunch, Luke and Bianca sent the twins to their tutor. They dropped the children off at the destination. Then, Luke turned the car around and drove along Orchid Road, which Bianca was quite familiar with. The road led into themercial center of A City. It was wide, but traffic was usually heavy. Moreover, it was the weekend, and the traffic was worse than usual. Bianca sat in the side passenger seat and waited patiently for the traffic light to turn green. She thought that Luke was going to bring her home. However, she began to have doubts when she saw that they were on the jammed road. "Why aren''t we going on the highway, Luke? Traffic here is horrific." It was twice as far if they went back to the mansion using the highway, but driving through Orchid Road would cost them an extra half an hour. Luke looked at her beautiful face but did not answer her question. "I''m bringing you somewhere." Bianca did not expect that he was keeping her in suspense. However, she was relieved when she remembered that Luke was not a person who would waste his time on frivolous matters. When Bianca found herself in front of the city courthouse, she was dumbfounded. Was Luke going to register their marriage? After realizing Luke''s intentions, Bianca said in a daze, "Are... are we getting registered right now? Why didn''t you tell me earlier? I didn''t bring my driver''s license..." Luke took Bianca''s hand. He looked at her stunned face and said, "Don''t worry, I brought it along for you." He waved the ck document folder in his hand. "This is an important asion. Why didn''t you tell me earlier?" Bianca grumbled, although she sounded happy. Luke looked at her bulging stomach and said gently, "We''ve dyed it for too long. I want our child to be a legitimate one." Bianca could not express the joy in her heart. However, she deliberately twisted the meaning of his words. "I should''ve known that you wanted to get us registered for the child..." She would only be relieved if she heard the assurance from his mouth, even though Luke''s love for her was evident. Perhaps a woman''s heart was self-contradicting like that. Luke bent over and looked Bianca straight in the eye. "You should know my true intentions for registering our marriage, silly girl. Lanie and Rainie are almost six years old now, and I''ve never even had a female friend, let alone marrying another woman. Isn''t that proof enough of my love for you?" C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Bianca lowered her head and smiled. However, she noticed that Luke was in a handsome ck suit, while she was only dressed in casual clothes. She became nervous again. "If I had known that we''re here to register our marriage, then I should have at least dressed up. Now that I''m here without any preparations, I didn''t even put on any makeup..." They would be taking their photos as part of the registration process at the city courthouse. They would only get one opportunity, and the staff would not allow edited photos. Bianca touched her unadorned face worriedly. She thought that if she did not put on any makeup, the difference between her and Luke would be too big. After all, it was a once-in-a-lifetime asion, and she ought to treat it seriously. Luke smiled, hugged Bianca''s waist, and kissed her forehead. "To me, you are the most beautiful woman. It doesn''t matter if you wear any makeup." He wanted to give her a surprise. That was why he did not tell Bianca that they were going to register their marriage. At the city courthouse. It was a good day to be married, and many people were queueing up for their turn at the civil registry. However, Luke and Bianca attracted the most attention. Many people kept stealing nces at their impable looks and demeanor. Even the staff at the civil registry treated them enthusiasticallypared to the other couples. Luke and Bianca did not demand special treatment. They wanted to be wedded just like any other normal couple. One of the staff members handed each of them an application form, then eagerly escorted them to the next room to have their photos taken. Many people were queueing for their turn, and they waited for some time. However, it only took several minutes to have their photos taken. Bianca carefully looked at the printed photos. They looked good in the photos, perhaps because they already looked good in real life. Luke was iparably handsome in the photo, while she was beautiful and homely. They seemed inexplicably harmonious together. 1 Then, they went to the office to receive their marriage certificate. The female staff member carefully checked their documents. She did a double-take when she saw Bianca''s divorce certificate. Perhaps she was surprised that Bianca, a divorced woman, could find a handsome and noble husband like Luke. Moreover, the man had never married before. Bianca did not mind it. She continued to smile blissfully. They knew what the truth was, and it did not matter what other people thought. The female staff member quicklyposed herself. Then, after a brief check, she stamped on the marriage certificate. After that, she handed the marriage certificate to Luke and Bianca. She smiled and said formically, "Congrattions to the both of you, Mr. Crawford and Ms. Rayne, you are now a legally married couple. May you live happily ever after." "Thank you!" Bianca was beaming as she took the marriage certificate. Luke nodded politely at the staff member and said his thanks. Then, he led Bianca out of the office. The female staff member was envious when she watched how Luke pampered and indulged his wife. She could tell that the man loved his wife very much. She thought that Bianca was a lucky woman to marry such a handsome and noble man on her second marriage. She could tell that Mr. Crawford was a wealthy and influential man! How lucky must she be to receive that love! 1 Chapter 588 Chapter 588 He Will Never Get Tired of Her Bianca felt that everything was so surreal as she walked out of the city courthouse, clutching the wedding certificate in her hands. They were really married. They were now a legally married couple. Luke turned his head to look at her. It was noon, but the sky was partially cloudy. It was not very hot, but instead cool and windy. Loose strands of hair danced on Bianca''s face. He pushed them back behind Bianca''s ear. The man''s slender fingers were like paintbrushes, gently tracing the outlines of her eyebrows and eyes. Her smile was like a blooming flower that heralded the summer. Luke thought that he would never get tired of looking at her face, no matter how long they would be together. As he thought of that, he abruptly picked up the pregnant Bianca off her feet and twirled her around. He wasughing without restraint. "We¡¯re married, Bianca. We''re now officially husband and wife." Bianca was red-faced as she hugged his neck. "Put me down. I''m too heavy." Luke carried her and walked in the direction of the parking lot. He was still smiling. "You''re not heavy. In fact, I think you''re still too skinny. I should get Florence to prepare some health tonics for you." Bianca smiled, though she wanted to say no. She looked at his face in disbelief. Today, that outstanding man had be her husband. That was a young and energetic face that could charm any person. Those enchanting eyes were frigid like Arctic ice when they were narrowed, but they were filled with love when he looked at her. "I wonder how many women would continue to flock to you." Bianca smiled as she looked at him. Luke grinned. "It doesn''t matter how many. I''ll crush their hopes one by one. Seeing that there was no one nearby in the parking lot, her hand undid the top two buttons of his shirt and slipped inside like an eel. Luke gasped. He gritted his teeth as he looked at her. "You''d better behave outside. Otherwise..." Bianca hugged his neck and said, "We¡¯re legally married now..." "I''ll deal with youter." Luke lowered his head and kissed her. He unlocked his car remotely and turned on the air conditioning, eager to eat her up as soon as they got into the car. Luke walked toward his car in big strides. He opened the door and carefully put her on the side passenger seat. By then, the air conditioning had already cooled down the car. Luke sat in the driver''s seat, closed the door shut, leaned over, and started to kiss her passionately. Bianca became breathless because of those kisses. She caressed his skin that was heating up because of his urges. Seeing that he was going to rip off her clothes, she said embarrassedly, "This isn''t really the time to..." Luke only wanted to scare her; he did not really want to do anything. In the end, he hugged her indulgently in his embrace. His fingers caressed her lips as heughed softly. "Who was the one who tried to seduce me earlier, hmm? You change your mind so fast." Bianca lifted her head and saw the faint smile on his face. There was only love and empathy in his eyes, which made her feel relieved. It was veryfortable to lean on his chest, and it emanated a nice smell of resin. Bianca did not want to get up. Luke pressed her head onto his chest and said softly, "You''d better behave. Otherwise, I''m going to deal with you." Bianca hugged his waist and replied softly, "You''re already threatening me on the day of our marriage. I wonder if it''ll get any worse as time goes on?" Luke could not help butugh. "Then you''d better sweet-talk me out of it." "Hmm..." Bianca hugged his waist and looked into his obsidian eyes. She thought for a while and responded, "You''re the most unique man that I''ve ever met, Luke, and I have to thank god for bringing you to me. I''ve never had a man who''s so nice to me, and sometimes I don''t know how to repay you. Well... I¡¯m not too good at sweet-talking." Luke hugged her even more tightly. "Silly girl, I love you from the bottom of my heart, and I don''t expect any repayment from you. I''m happy as long as you''re happy. Promise me that you''ll stay with me for the rest of your life, and you won''t leave me no matter what. That''ll be the best way to repay me. "Mm." Bianca could only feel bliss in her heart. Their embrace this time was much like any other day, but it was also different. It was the same because their love for each other did not change, but it was different because they were now husband and wife for life. Meanwhile, Jack and Queenie Norman brought Julie to the hospital because they were eager to find out if Julie was really their birth daughter. They went to a renowned hospital in A City. With Jack''s elevated status, they did not have to go through the usual procedures. The doctor conducting the test was the chief physician. Julie, dressed in luxury clothing and wearing expensive jewelry, cooperated without protest. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Queenie felt sorry for her when she saw how Julie was not used to wearing name-brand clothes. The chief physician took hair samples from Queenie and Julie, and the nurse brought them to theb. To ensure that the test results were urate, the chief physician also took blood samples from the "family of three." After the nurse brought all the samples to theb, Queenie asked impatiently, "When will the test results be ready, Dr. Hoover?" "Don''t worry, Mr. and Mrs. Norman, you''ll receive the resultstest by tomorrow,¡± Dr. Hoover replied. Jack nodded. "Alright, when you get the results, please let us know immediately." Then, the family left the hospital. At the entrance, Leia "coincidentally" bumped into Linda, her agent. Linda was there for a routine checkup, and Leia said that she wanted to apany her. She asked her parents and Julie to leave first. "Come home soon." Queenie was worried that Leia might feel neglected because of Julie''s arrival in the household, and she would always show her concern. "Yes, Mom, I know," Leia replied obediently. After her parents and Julie left, Leia put on a pair of oversized sunsses and rushed to the chief physician''s office... i Chapter 589 Chapter 589 Bianca Had Some Doubts Leia stepped into Dr. Hoover''s office on her high heels and closed the door behind her. Dr. Hoover was surprised when he saw Leia walk in front of his desk and take off her sunsses. "Do you have any more questions, Ms. Norman?" Dr. Hoover sat up straight and put on his sses. Leia smiled at him. To the doctor''s shock and surprise, she took out a ten- million-dor check from her pink handbag. Then, she ced the check on the desk and pushed it in front of the doctor. "I''d like to trouble you with something, Dr. Hoover..." "It''s no trouble at all. Please state your request, Ms. Norman." Dr. Hoover suddenly felt an ominous premonition. Indeed, the words that came out of Leia''s mouth chilled Dr. Hoover to his core. I''m asking you to tamper with the DNA test results, Dr. Hoover. I want to make it so that Julie''s DNA is a perfect match with my parents. That shouldn''t be too hard for you, right? I''ve heard that... you''ve acquired a new mansion recently, and you need some money. Treat the ten million dors as a present from me..." Dr. Hoover stood up abruptly, and the sses on his nose bridge jumped. "I''m sorry that I cannot ede to your ridiculous request that will have me go against my principles, Ms. Norman!" He said indignantly, "You should also know that your father can easily ruin me if he finds out that I''ve tampered with the test results. Please take the check back, Ms. Norman. I won''t take the money, no matter how much I need it!" "You''re a righteous man, Dr. Hoover. I hope you don''t regret your decision." Leia smiled faintly as she stared at Dr. Hoover''s eyes. Then, she walked around the desk and started to tear her clothes away in front of him. Leia was dressed in a sleeveless top with a deep neckline. As she pulled her clothes away, her femininity was reflected in Dr. Hoover''s angry eyes. For a moment, the elderly doctor was caught in a daze... "What... what do you want?" Dr. Hoover stood up from his chair in rm, but Leia pinned him down. Dr. Hoover was an old man. He was no match for the young and strong Leia. Leia straddled Dr. Hoover''sp and deftly undid the buttons of his shirt. The woman''s arms were as nimble as a snake. She peeled off the top half of the doctor''s shirt, revealing his shriveled and skinny chest. "You... You''re shameless!" Dr. Hoover was embarrassed and angry. He pried Leia''s hands off his chest and wanted to push her away. However, Leia fell on his chest with her body and started rubbing. "I know that you''re afraid that your legacy will be ruined if the incident is exposed, but if you don''t agree to my request, I''ll ruin your reputation right now. Do you believe me? Hmm, I wonder what would happen if I start to scream for help now..." "Are you threatening me?" Dr. Hoover''s body was stiff. He eventually managed to calm himself down. Leia smiled and tapped on the doctor''s chest with a finger. "You can''t say that, Dr. Hoover. I''m giving you a chance to make some money, but you''re no fun... Now that I''ve given you two options, it''s up to you to pick one. Do you want to take the money and do what I want, or do you want your reputation to be ruined? A smart man like you should know what to choose. Dr. Hoover did not expect that a woman who was younger than her daughter was threatening him. Everyone said that Jack Norman''s daughter was gentle and sensible. What a load of nonsense! She was despicable like the devil! Dr. Hoover''s facial muscles twitched with anger. His entire body was shaking. He thought of his legacy, his daughter who was about to go overseas, and his new mansion... Eventually, his desires won over his reason. With a trembling hand, he picked up the check on the table. "Alright, I''ll agree to your request, but you have to keep this a secret," Dr. Hoover said defeatedly. Leia got up from Dr. Hoover''sp, slowly straightened her clothes, and resumed herdylike appearance. "You''re a smart person, Dr. Hoover. Don''t worry, we''re on the same boat now. Why would I betray you without any reason?" Dr. Hoover closed his eyes. The veins on his forehead were bulging, showing his anger. Leia chuckled, picked up her handbag, and walked toward the door. Right before she opened the door, she turned around, removed the butterfly -shaped hairpin from her hair, and threatened the doctor once more. "Right, Dr. Hoover, my hairpin is a mini recorder. It recorded everything in our conversation earlier, so don''t think of pulling any tricks. If you don''t carry out my request, I can guarantee that you''ll be out of a job the next day." Dr. Hoover''s face turned ashen! Leia opened the door and left happily. She had already made herself very clear, and she did not believe that the doctor would disobey her. If her adoptive parents would want to reunite with their birth daughter, she would rather that girl be Julie and not Bianca! A new employee showed up at T Corporation on Monday. She was Julie Anderson. Jason had instructed Tom to take care of her. After a brief wee party, Julie was officially a part of T Corporation''s architectural design department. Bianca was very happy that Julie was here. After all, Julie had helped her prove her innocence in the cheating incident. It would not have been that easy to clear her name otherwise. However, Bianca was surprised to see that Julie seemed to have gotten a brand new makeover in a matter of days. Earlier, when she met Julie at the test, Julie was dressed rather trendily, though her clothes looked as though they were bootlegs from W*sh. Now, she was dressed in luxury clothing and wore diamond studs on her ears, and she looked like a true socialite. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. However, Bianca did not judge others by appearances. She would make friends with anyone that got along with her, no matter if they were poor or rich. Bianca, sitting in front of her desk, smiled warmly at Julie sitting in the cubicle next to hers. "Wee to the design department, Julie. We¡¯re colleagues from now on. It''s nice that you''re sitting next to me too! You can ask me if you have any questions." "Mm, alright." Julie nodded happily as her eyes wandered around the office. The work environment was a hundred times better than her previouspany. She did not expect to get such a good opportunity just by testifying for Bianca in front of the invigtors. She felt a pang of jealousy when she remembered that Bianca''s husband was Luke Crawford. Why would that man be interested in the unremarkable Bianca? 2 Chapter 590 Chapter 590 Gentle and Empathic Even though she was jealous, Julie remained sensible. She would not have gotten this job if not for Bianca. If she were to apply to T Corporation with her own abilities, she would not have been considered, even though she had a bachelor''s degree from a ranked university. She knew that the recruitment process of T Corporation could be inhumanly harsh. Candidates needed to have at least a master''s degree, which she did not have. She counted her lucky stars. Julie sneaked a few nces at Bianca, who was hard at work. She still could not understand why the idol of many young women around the country would have his eye on the unremarkable Bianca. While Julie''s thoughts wandered, several gossips in the office started to discuss her... "''Hey, who do you think that Julie Anderson is? Mr. Doyle was the one who brought her to the office..." Female Employee A said. "I don''t know, but it looks like her qualifications don''t match thepany''s most basic requirements. Did higher management recruit her personally?" Female Employee B replied. Female Employee C seemed unimpressed. "Who knows? Honestly, I''ve been here for a few years, and it''s the first time I''ve seen an employee who only has a bachelor''s degree. Also, look at her work experience. Before this, she worked in this " Prosper Construction Corp." I''ve never even heard of them before. It''s probably some third-ratepany. Even if higher management were to recruit her personally, they should at least get someone from apany as famous as ours. Why would our higher management be interested in nobodies?" The HR department would send a wee email to everyone''s mailboxes whenever a new employee was recruited. The email also contained a brief introduction of the recruit, including their academic qualifications, work experience, and any specialized fields. The other employees in the architectural design department could not help but discuss her after they read the email. Their voices were soft, but Julie could hear them clearly. She wished that she could rip those gossips'' mouths apart! Bianca also heard the discussion. She put away her work, then lumbered over in front of Julia. She handed Julia some internal design documents, smiled, and patted her shoulder. "Here''s some reference material for you, Julia. You can take a look and get familiarized with our workflow. As for those gossips, you can just ignore them or treat it as if they''re only joking. To be frank, I was also the subject of a lot of rumors and gossip when I first joined thepany. When you eventually prove yourself through your work, they won''t be able to say anything. In T Corporation, talking will only be a waste of your time, and hard work will be rewarded. I believe that you''ll shine." Julie looked at Bianca gratefully, though she seemed rather dejected." Thank you, Bianca. I think you''re my only friend in thispany." Julie was a design manager in her previouspany. It might be small, but she was the one giving out orders, and she had never been the subject of someone else''s gossip before. Now that she was in T Corporation, she had to start from the lowest rung. Her sry might be double her previous job, but she did not have a sense of superiority anymore. "Don''t be too bothered. There''s always a learning process whenever you go to a new environment. Things will get better soon. Gossips are everywhere, and we don''t have to care about what they say. Their mouths belong to them, and we should only care about doing our best. Furthermore, I''m not your only friend here. Didn''t Tom, our department lead, and Sue and Nina wee you? They''re happy that you''re here." Julie lifted her head and looked at Tom, Sue, and Nina. The three people sensed that someone was looking at them and lifted their heads at the same time. Seeing the unease in Julie''s eyes, they smiled warmly at her. Julie felt a little better. When she looked at Bianca again, she seemed to understand why Luke would want to marry her. Bianca was considerate and empathic, and her personality was refreshing and pure. Any straight man would find it easy to like her. However, she thought that she was not too bad either. As she touched the luxury bracelet that Leia had given her, she remembered that the results of the DNA test would be known today. If she were really Jack and Queenie Norman''s daughter, her life would be transformed forever! She would no longer have to be poor anymore! Bianca returned to her seat after seeing that Julie seemed to feel a lot better. She was about to resume her work when Belle entered the office carrying a tray with a hot and milky drink. Belle was a tall and slender woman and one of Luke''s four secretaries. Her exquisite mixed-race features and voluptuous body attracted gazes wherever she went. When she stepped into the design department office, all the male employees opened their eyes wide and stared at her body. Julie asked the female employee next to her about Belle''s identity. She narrowed her gaze when she heard that the woman was their CEO''s secretary. "How bold of Bianca to keep that sexy woman in the boss''s vicinity. Isn''t she afraid that the boss would fall in love with that woman? All men think with their d*cks!'' Julie knew very well that bosses would usually have illicit affairs with their secretaries. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Moreover, Luke Crawford was an outstandingly handsome man, and his secretaries would definitely fantasize about him. Was Bianca not afraid that Luke''s secretary would seduce him? Did Bianca trust Luke that much, or was she just careless? While Julie was deep in thought, she noticed Belle greeting Bianca. She ced the hot drink on Bianca''s desk and said courteously, "Mr. Crawford asked me to prepare a hot drink for you, Ms. Rayne. He said that you didn''t eat much yesterday, and he got me to warm up some date- vored milk for you. Please enjoy." "Thanks, Belle." Bianca felt warmth in her heart as she took the cup. i Belle smiled charmingly and left the office. Julie was shocked as she witnessed that. She did not expect that the boss would pamper Bianca even at work! Chapter 591 Chapter 591 Showered With Care and Affection! After work, Luke told Bianca to go to the CEO''s office to look for him, and they would leave together. Bianca waited next to the CEO''s personal elevator to head up to Luke''s office. Meanwhile, Julie joined Nina, Sue, and her other colleagues to wait for the employees'' elevator. Julie saw Bianca, who was standing not far away, enter a bigger elevator by herself. On top of the elevator doors was a sign with "CEO''s Elevator" written in gold. It was a dazzling sight. Building A of T Corporation was quite big and had a lot of employees. Even though many high-speed elevators were operating, they were quite crowded during peak times. Julie was envious that only Bianca alone could use the CEO''s personal elevator. She could not help but tug at Nina''s shirt sleeve and ask softly, "Nina, is Bianca... going into the CEO''s personal elevator? What is her rtionship with the CEO?" 1 She knew perfectly what Bianca''s rtionship was to Mr. Crawford, but she wanted to confirm it. "Bianca? Well, she''s..." Nina was about to speak when Sue interjected. Sue was smiling, but she was silently sizing up Julie. "Everyone in thepany knows that Bianca is the CEO''s wife, and that''s why she gets to use the CEO''s personal elevator. They''re a loving couple, and they have three children." "Oh, no wonder she gets to take the express elevator." Julie pretended to nod in understanding, but she felt very dejected. Sue noticed the peculiarity in Julie''s expression and shot her another nce. Julie smiled awkwardly and shied away. She felt that Sue''s gaze was like a radarthat could detect her little secrets. Ding! The elevator stopped on their floor. "Let''s go. The elevator''s here," Julie told the other two women. She let Nina and the pregnant Sue go in first before stepping inside. Nina thought that the new colleague had a decent personality. She was courteous, gentle, and had a sweet smile. Sue was a better judge of character. She thought that Julie somehow had an air of vanity around her. She wondered if she was overthinking about it. 1 In the CEO''s office. After Luke had processed all the documents for the day, he noticed that Bianca''s petite body was curled up on the couch, and she had fallen asleep, Her long hair had obscured half of her delicate face, and her curly eyshes asionally quivered. Luke was obsessed by that view. He stood up from his chair, went to the couch, and picked up the woman with his arms. There was a hint of pity and guilt in his expression. He had too much work in the office, and he did not have much time to apany Bianca. However, he knew that Bianca would be emotionally sensitive during her pregnancy, and he was worried that she might overthink if she stayed at home alone. That was why he asked her to go home together with him. He wondered if he had made a wrong decision. When Bianca woke up, the sky was totally dark. She opened her eyes and saw that she was in her bedroom, basked in the dim glow of the floormp. She rubbed her temples, wondering how she got back home from thepany. She could hear the cheerfulughter of her childrening from the living room. Bianca went downstairs. The caretaker was in the kitchen preparing dinner. The twins were sitting on the living room carpet ying with a model airne. Luke was sitting on the couch reading financial news. "Good evening, Mommy!" The twins greeted Bianca when they saw her. Then, they continued fiddling with their model airne. Luke put the newspaper away., "Are you feeling better? Dinner will be ready soon." Bianca sat next to Luke and said apologetically, "I wanted to wait for you to get off work, but I somehow fell asleep. I don''t know why I feel so sleepy these days..." Luke ced his hand on her stomach and smiled. "I can''t me you. Our third child is a sleepy pig. Maybe it''s affecting you." Bianca could not help but smile. "The baby won''t be happy if you say that.¡± Suddenly, she felt a kick in her stomach, as though her baby could hear what Luke said. Even Luke could see the baby''s "anger." "The baby will grow up to be a vicious one," Luke said confidently. "It''s still a baby. What does it know?¡± Bianca smiled and rubbed her stomach. Afterforting the baby for a while, it eventually calmed down. Dinner was soon served. They were all Bianca''s favorite dishes. At the dining table, Rainie sat between Luke and Bianca. After eating some macaroni, she blinked several times, smiled, and said to Bianca, "Mommy, I got the first prize in the Citywide Drawing Competition. There will be an award ceremony at school tomorrow. Can you and Big Bro be there?" "Really? You won the first prize, Rainie?" Bianca put away the cutlery and excitedly pinched Rainie''s cheeks. "My daughter is the best. She won the first prize! I''ll definitely be there tomorrow." Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. "Thank you, Mommy!" Rainie ced a spoonful of macaroni into Bianca''s te. "Not bad. Keep up the good work, Rainie," Luke patted his daughter''s head and looked at her lovingly. Meanwhile, Lanie ate his dinner like a gentleman, a stark contrast from his sister''s cheerful mood. Ever since he was in kindergarten, he was no stranger to winning prizes in variouspetitions. He also won a prize in the drawingpetition, but he could not be bothered to tell his parents. Meanwhile, the Norman residence was very lively. Almost the entire extended family was there. The results of the DNA test were out. Undoubtedly, Julie Anderson was Jack Norman''s birth daughter. It would be the night that the family reunited. Queenie wanted to announce the news to the Norman extended family. In a few days, she would hold a banquet and publicly announce Julie''s identity. The Norman residence was decorated in a festive style, especially Julie''s bedroom, which was extremely extravagant. Leia observed all that coldly. She saw Julie surrounded by her elders and showered with care and affection. Old Mr. and Mrs. Norman were sitting next to her, asking her many questions. The two elders were overjoyed to find out that their granddaughter was still alive. Looking at how intelligent and sensible their "granddaughter" was, they wanted to announce their love for her to the world. Julie was dressed in a white evening gown. Her hair was tied up in a bun and she wore a diamond tiara. She was smiling very happily, as though she was Cindere who had turned into a princess... Chapter 592 Chapter 592 You Impostor! Queenie and Jack walked toward Julia. Queenie held an exquisite jewelry box in her hands. Her eyes were still red. She had been crying ever since she received the test results, though those were tears of joy. She did not expect that her birth daughter was still alive, and that she would find her in such a short time. When Julie saw them, she eagerly hugged Queenie''s elbow and greeted her, "Mom." Then, she greeted Jack, "Dad." Those greetings were very natural, and Julie did not sound like a stranger at all. Tears of love gushed out of Queenie''s eyes again. "Oh, my dear daughter..." Jack was usually an emotionally stoic man. Tonight, everyone could see from his face that he was happy and excited. Julie did not expect that she was actually the birth daughter of the Provincial Committee Secretary. She almost passed out from the good news. Until now, she was still immersed in ecstasy. Queenieposed herself and ced the jewelry box in Julie''s hands." This is my present for you, Julie." Julie opened the jewelry box. A breathtakingly beautiful South African diamond ne was brought into view. She had seen that ne in a certain jewelry magazine before. It was limited edition, and the price was astronomical. Even then, not everyone who could afford it had the chance to buy it. She dared not even dream that she would own the ne, but Queenie had gifted it to her. "Mom, the... the ne is too precious. I can''t possibly..." Julie tried to suppress her desire of owning the ne and pushed the jewelry box back to Queenie. Old Mrs. Norman was happy that the family was reunited with Queenie''s birth daughter, though she was not very happy that Queenie had lied to her. Queenie should not have told her that Jack was impotent. If Jack was truly impotent, then where did her birth daughtere from? Queenie did not notice the change in expression on her mother-inw''s face. Her heart wrenched as she saw how cautious her daughter was. Julie should deserve the best that the world could offer. However, living a life of poverty had caused her to be timid! She felt unbearably guilty for that! Queenie took out the ne from the jewelry box and wore it on Julie''s neck. "The ne looks perfect on you, Julie." The luxurious ne sparkled dazzlingly around Julie''s neck. "Thank you, Mom," she said shyly. Queenie continued, '' You have to tell me if you need anything. You don''t have to be shy, alright?" "Mm.'' Julie nodded. Her glee was evident. Everyone was happy that Julie was reunited with the family. Meanwhile, Leia, who used to be the only Ms. Norman of the Norman family, was being ignored. She stood in front of the second-floor window, looking at the happy family of three. No one cared that she had excused herself from the hall. She shuddered when she thought of that. She used to be the princess and the sole target of affection. Now that her adoptive parents had found their "birth daughter," she was no longer important, 1 That was an absolutely horrible feeling. Julie''s bedroom was decorated in a pastoral style. It was like the bedroom of a princess. The pink curtains were pure silk, and the walls had pretty wallpaper. The bay window was piled with the young woman''s favorite dolls and plush toys. Julie buried her head in the soft bed and kicked her legs excitedly. She did not expect that her true identity was the daughter of Jack Norman. She was so happy over the course of the day that she was going to pass out anytime. Suddenly, the bedroom door opened. Julie thought that it was Queenie who entered the room. She did not want her mother to see her being uncouth, and she quickly hopped out of bed and stood up. Unexpectedly, it was Leia. Julie sat back down on the bed. She looked at Leia with a hint of disdain." It''s sote. Why aren''t you asleep yet?" Before this, Julie was courteous toward Leia. Now that she knew that she was Jack and Queenie''s birth daughter, her attitude toward Leia had totally changed. Leia was only an adopted daughter, while she was the true Ms. Norman. In fact, Julie thought that Leia''s presence in the household was an eyesore. Everything that belonged to Leia should have belonged to her. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Leia walked into the room while smiling mockingly. "Why, you''ve only been Ms. Norman for one day, and you''ve already lost your manners? You don''t even greet me as Elder Sister anymore. It''s scary to know that you''re so fickle, Julie." Julie looked at her unhappily. "I''m about to go to bed. Get out of my room. I don''t wee you here." In her eyes, Leia had taken what rightfully belonged to her. She did not like her "Elder Sister" at all. Leia ignored those words. She took off her slippers and stepped onto Julie¡¯s bed. "Who do you think you are to talk to me like that? Do you think that this is really your home?" "Of course, this is my home," Julie said smugly, "The DNA test results are out, and I am Dad and Mom''s birth daughter, unlike a certain poor girl who was adopted!" Leia nced at her contemptuously and clicked her tongue. "Do you think that you''re really their daughter? You think too highly of yourself!" "What do you mean?" Julie sat up straight. Those words set off rm bells. "What do I mean? See for yourself!" Leia tossed a document to her. Julie carefully read the report. Her DNA did not match those of Jack and Queenie at all... Her face turned pale and she red at Leia. "Where... where did you get this fake report?" She said with a trembling voice. Leia chuckled. "Do you think that this report is fake? Let me tell you, the one in your hands is the real report, and Dad and Mom have received the fake one. You impostor!¡± Julie shook her head in disbelief. "I don''t believe it. I must be Dad and Mom''s birth daughter. You''re the impostor!" Leia stood up. Without further exnation, she showed Julie the video of her ckmailing Dr. Hoover. Julie was dumbfounded after watching that! The huge shock brought her to the verge of a mental breakdown! "No... that can''t be... there must be a mistake. Right, you must have made a mistake..." she muttered as though she had lost her mind. Leia grabbed Julie''s hand and towered over her. "Look at your face. You don''t look like Dad and Mom at all, and you actually think that you''re the real Ms. Norman? Stop fooling yourself. You''re nothing but a poor peasant girl! Heh, what a joke!" Chapter 593 Chapter 593 Did Rainie Inherit Those Genes From Queenie? C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Leia''s mocking words made Julie feel humiliated. She was in ecstasy a moment ago, bidding farewell to poverty. Her joy did notst long; the harsh truth had left her battered and bruised! It took Julie a long time toe to her senses. She turned stiffly to look at Leia. "If you know that I''m not their birth daughter, why did you tamper with the test results? What objective could you possibly have, Leia?" "You should''ve seen in these few days that Mom is eager to reunite with her birth daughter, right? She''s been doing that for years and she hasn''t seeded. It''s seriously wearing her down, and I can''t bear to see her like that. I had to create a lie tofort her and keep the family intact," Leia said. Julie still could not understand. "Why did you choose me?" Leia chuckled. "Do you think I want to choose you? You happened to be at the right ce at the right time. How lucky... let me warn you, Julie, don''t think that you''re the real Ms. Norman just because my parents epted you. You''re nothing but an impostor, and you have no right to order me around! Instead, you''ll have to listen to what I say. I can bring you out of poverty, and you should know that I can easily return you to where you came from!" Julie tried to control her temper. "What do you want from me?" Leia stood up and towered over Julie. She caressed the diamond ne around Julie''s neck. "This ne looks beautiful. There''s only one in the entire A City. Tsk, looks like Mom loves you a lot." Then, she tugged hard, intending to snatch it from Julie''s neck. Julie held on to the ne tightly and did not let go. "This is a present for me! Why must you snatch it?" "Do you really think that you deserve to be treated as Ms. Norman? Let me tell you, everything that you own in this house is mine, including this ne!" "I''m not giving it to you!" Julie''s eyes were bloodshot as she tried to protect the ne. Mom gave it to me! No one else can take it from me!" Leia chuckled coldly and pulled Julie''s hair. ¡¯ You''re a stubborn one! You don''t seem to be taking my advice seriously. How about I go and expose your true identity in front of Dad and Mom now, hmm?" "Ow... let go of me..." Tears nearly fell from Julie''s eyes. Her face became paler when she heard Leia''s threat. "Please, don''t tell them the truth. I''ll do whatever you want, as long as you don''t tell them," she begged. She had only been in the Norman residence for three days, but she had fully enjoyed her life as a socialite. She did not have to worry about money, and she could buy anything she wanted, not to mention how other people treated her because of her elevated social status. She did not want to return to the Anderson family and live that life of poverty. Julie reluctantly removed the ne from her neck and handed it to Leia fawningly. "I''ll give you the ne. I''ll give you anything that you want. Please, keep this secret for me. Don''t expose my identity..." Leia snatched the ne and nced at Julie contemptuously. "At least you know what''s good for you!" Queenie walked past Julie''s room and heard people talking inside. She was worried that her daughter was not used to living in the Norman residence, so she knocked on the door. "Are you still up, Julie? Are you talking to someone?" Then, she pushed open the door. She felt a lot more relieved when she saw the two girls chatting happily in the room. Leia was hugging a bear pillow. She said softly to Queenie, "Mom, I''m afraid that Elder Sister might not be used to staying here, so I thought I should apany her for a bit." Julie was impressed by the sudden change in Leia''s attitude. No wonder she''s an actress,'' she thought. Queenie smiled. "You''re such a kind girl, Leia. Julie is lucky to have you as her younger sister. It''s already gettingte, and you should sleep soon. I''m an invited guest at an award ceremony at a private school tomorrow. After the ceremony, I''ll bring you two to go shopping." Julie''s eyes sparkled when she heard that she would be going shopping. Leia sneered discreetly when she saw the change in Julie''s expression. However, she maintained her caring expression. "Alright, Mom. You should rest too. Good night." After Queenie left, Leia instantly threw away the pillow in her hand and resumed her true expression. "I''ll be leaving. Remember what you said tonight. Otherwise, you''ll suffer!" Julie pretended to be afraid, but she was gritting her teeth. ''Leia, you b*tch, you''re only a mere orphan. What makes you think that you''re superior to me? ''Never mind, I''ll let you run rampant over me for now. I don''t believe I can''t dig up some dirt on you while you were in the orphanage or when you''re in the entertainment industry! ''If I manage to find anything, that''ll be the end of you!'' 1 At the private school. Several cute "swans" were performing ballet on a beautifully decorated stage. The lead dancer that stood in the middle was a six-year-old girl. She stood straight and caught everyone''s attention as though she was a glowing angel. The little girl moved her arms and lifted her leg in sync with the music. Then, she twirled, leaped, tapped her feet, and performed a split. She stood out from the other performers with her precision and vigor, and the audience rewarded her with thunderous apuse. Bianca was sitting in the audience. Her palms were red from all that pping. She looked at Rainie, who was the lead dancer for the performance. She did not expect that her daughter would be such an outstanding ballerina. Bianca had two left feet when it came to dancing, but Rainie was such a graceful dancer. Did she inherit those genes from someone? Was it Luke? Bianca shook her head. The man might be a genius in business, but she remembered that his limbs were not very coordinated. Did Rainie have a natural talent? Queenie was sitting in the VIP area. Her eyes were transfixed on Rainie the moment she got on the stage. The shock in her eyes was evident. The lead dancer looked a lot like her when she was a child. The way the little girl danced reminded Queenie of her long hours spent practicing dance. That was too alike! She even had the urge to go up the stage to take a careful look at that pretty little girl... Chapter 594 Chapter 594 My Son, Can¡¯t You Be Humble? After the opening ballet performance, a pair of male and female emcees walked up the stage and delivered their opening speech. "Respected administrators and dear guests, it is our honor today to wee you to the award ceremony of our school..." At the end of the speech was the award ceremony. The emcees announced the third-prize and second-prize winners first. The vice-principal and the various heads of department awarded the trophies to the students. Every named student went up the stage excitedly. The school was the most renowned private school in A City, and every student there came from a wealthy and influential family. The school had the best educational infrastructure and teachers, and the students were naturally intelligent and talented. It was evident that being an ace student there was not an easy feat. All the students who went up the stage were excited and proud, while their parents in the audience shared their glory. Bianca waited patiently for Rainie''s turn. It was the little girl''s first time going up the stage to receive an award. The female emcee''s pleasant voice rang out once more. "Next, we''ll be giving out first prize awards. Boys and girls, if you hear your name being called out, pleasee up to the stage. Rainie Crawford, from First Grade, ss 6..." Rainie had changed into her uniform. She walked up the stage. Facing the emcees alone on the stage and looking down at the sea of people in the audience, she became a little frightened. When she saw her mother sitting in the third row smiling and waving at her, as though giving her encouragement, she felt a little better. The male emcee started to speak into his microphone with his attractive voice. "Rainie has won the first prize in the Citywide Drawing Competition with her art piece, ''The Mermaid in the Undersea Maze.'' Congrattions!" Ady brought Rainie''s drawing onto the stage. The drawing was ced on the scanner and was projected onto the big screen for the audience to see. The mermaid in the drawing was lifelike, and the magnitude of the undersea maze was vividly portrayed, as though the viewer was actually exploring its secrets. At the surface of the sea were people catching fish with dynamite. Everyone eximed in surprise and apuded when they saw the drawing. "Rainie has depicted the conflict between humans and nature in her drawing. Unrestrained development has caused serious pollution to the ocean, and the mermaid is hiding in her undersea maze. The mermaid''s gaze is filled with love for nature, but she is covering her ears because of noise pollution, and you can see her agony from the tears in the corner of her eye. Rainie has expressed her bold idea with vibrant colors, and the drawing is filled with fantasy and mystery. Let''s wee Mdm. Queenie Zeigler, well-known phnthropist of A City, to present the award..." Queenie was dressed in a white dress. She stood up from her seat and walked up the stage. She carried herself in a noble and elegant manner, but at the same time, she had a gentle and approachable demeanor. Queenie bent down, took the trophy from the little helper''s hands, and handed it to Rainie. "Congrattions on winning the first prize, Rainie. I hope that you will continue to produce amazing drawings." "Thank you, I will do my best," Rainie said in an adorable voice as she smiled at Queenie. Queenie could feel her heart melt when she saw the little girl''s smile. She could not help but crouch and pat the little girl''s head. The little girl looked like her when she was a child. Queenie was still thinking of Rainie even after she returned to her seat. The child was soft and tender, and her hair was fluffy to the touch. If her birth daughter was married and had children, the child should be about the little girl''s age. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Queenieughed at herself when she thought of that. She realized that her memory was getting worse the older she got. She had just reunited with her birth daughter, and she had not even asked about Julie''s love life. Why was she already thinking about grandchildren? She was losing her mind thinking about her daughter. "We have now arrived at the most exciting moment. nche Crawford of Third Grade, ss 1 has won six prizes in total. He has won the first prize in the National Scientific Innovation Competition, the first prize in the A City Stars of Hope Public Speaking Competition, the first prize in the A City Aerospace Modeling Competition, and so on. Pleasee up to the stage, nche!" Queenie came to her senses when she heard the emcee''s announcement. She lifted her head and saw a little boy in a baseball cap walk up the stage with his hands in his pockets. He was also chewing gum. He looked simr to Rainie. However, Rainie was soft and cute, while the boy was gant and handsome. Queenie stared at him. The two first prize winners of the ceremony were not only smart but also good- looking. The boy''s surname was also "Crawford." Was he siblings with Rainie? Queenie also recalled that when her daughter was dating Luke, she said that Luke had a pair of twins. Queenie was fond of children, and she had asked Leia to bring the children home. Before Leia could do that, she had already broken up with Luke. Naturally, Queenie did not have the chance to meet the twins. She was inexplicably excited when she saw the children. She even forgot that their father was the culprit who had hurt her daughter. Her thoughts were filled with the two outstanding children... Lanie stayed on the stage for an interview. The female emcee crouched to his height and ced her microphone in front of his mouth. "You''re the student who has won the most awards, nche. Do you have secrets that you want to share with your friends?" Lanie thought for a long time before saying, No." "So why do you always win the first prize in everything?" The emcee was persistent. "Maybe that''s because the other people are stupid," Lanie blurted. "..." The emcee was speechless. Bianca was speechless too. She covered her face with her hands. ''My son, I know that you''re very smart, but can''t you be humble too?'' The rest of the audience was shocked by what the little boy said. However, they considered the fact that his parents could not have bought those awards with money, and they had to admit that the boy was indeed talented. Queenie chuckled when she heard Lanie''s boastful words. ''What a candid boy!'' If she had a grandson like Lanie, she would definitely spoil him. Chapter 595 Chapter 595 Would You Want To Meet Your Birth Mother, Bianca? The emcees noticed that Lanie and Ranie Crawford were first prize winners. Especially the brother, who had won six first prizes by himself. They invited their mother toe on stage for an interview, hoping that she would share her thoughts on raising her kids. Bianca walked up the stage. Everyone eximed when they saw that Bianca was pregnant. She seemed too young to be a mother. From her face, she looked like a college graduate and not like the mother of two, no, three children. The female emcee helped Bianca get on stage and brought her microphone in front of Bianca. "Good day to you, Madam Rayne. You are nche Crawford and Rainie Crawford''s mother. You must''ve taught them well so that they could win so many awards. Can you share your thoughts and experiences with the parents here? Also, do you have any hopes for your children''s future?" Queenie furrowed her brows when she saw Bianca. She still could not forgive Bianca and Luke for hurting Leia. However, she felt conflicted when she saw that Bianca''s children were so sessful. If she disregarded her prejudice toward Bianca, Bianca was undoubtedly an outstanding woman. Compared to Leia, Bianca was a more capable woman and was a better match to Luke. However, ever since Leia disappeared from the hospital for an entire day, she seemed to havee to her senses and stopped being obsessed with Luke. Queenie did not know what happened, and she could not get Leia to tell her the truth. Her intuition told her that Luke was somehow involved in the abduction. Bianca also noticed Queenie sitting in the VIP seat. She smiled politely at Queenie, then took the microphone and addressed the audience. "Good day to you. I am nche and Rainie''s mother. I want to thank the emcees and the teachers for giving me the chance to share my thoughts on parenting with everyone here. To be honest, I am quite surprised that my children have won so many awards. Usually, I give them free rein to do whatever they want, and I can''t say that I have any secrets to share other than that I pay attention to their hobbies. Hobbies are a child''s best teacher because they can learn what they truly love. My son loves numbers, and he''s acute in logic and deduction. Meanwhile, my daughter has certain talents in art. That''s how I got them to develop in those areas..." Bianca''s speech attracted apuse from the audience. Even Queenie could not help but p her hands. She found that Bianca was indeed outstanding. No wonder her daughter could notpare to her. At the end of the award ceremony, everyone filed out of the hall in an orderly fashion. To prevent any idents, Bianca waited for the crowd to disperse before she took the children by their hands and left the hall. Sean walked behind them as their bodyguard. At the front gate, Bianca identally met Queenie again. She was holding her handbag and waiting for her driver to arrive. When Queenie saw Bianca, she nodded at her. Then, her loving gaze fell on the two children. Rainie was an extroverted girl, and she was already familiar with the woman who had given her the award anyway. She ran away from her mother and toward Queenie excitedly. "Madam! Thank you for giving me the trophy today..." Queenie crouched so that she was at the little girl''s eye level. She smoothened the little girl''s hair and said gently, "You''re wee. You''re an amazing girl, Rainie. You deserve the award." Bianca felt nervous in front of Queenie. After all, Leia was a barrier between the two. She did not know what to say. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org She remembered that Queenie was at the hospital a few days ago for a blood test and asked out of concern, "I saw you at the hospital that day, Mrs. Norman. Are you alright?" "It''s nothing serious. I was at a routine blood test, and my cholesterol levels are slightly high. I''ll just have to watch what I eat," Queenie answered carelessly. She was pinching Rainie''s soft cheek with her right hand, and the joy in her heart was immeasurable. She desired a pair of good-looking grandchildren. Now that she had found her birth daughter, she should start matching her with a proper suitor. It would not take long before she would have her own cute grandchildren too. Luke returned from thepany at night. The caretaker quickly went up and removed his coat. After changing into his slippers, he looked around the living room and did not see Bianca. "Where''s Madam?" He asked. "Madam just went into the study," the caretaker replied. Luke quickly went upstairs to the study. When he opened the door, he did not see anyone inside. However, the light was on. Baffled, he turned around and told the caretaker downstairs. "There''s no one in the study." The caretaker who was tidying the living room was surprised. She replied," Madam has been waiting for your return in the living room. Just earlier, she said that she went to the study to look for some design references. Did she return to the bedroom after that?" Luke headed toward the bedroom. As soon as he pushed open the door, he felt a bulky figure fall into his arms. He smelled the familiar feminine scent and reflexively hugged her." Naughty girl!" She was hiding behind the door to prank him! Bianca hugged Luke''s waist and looked at him with sparkling eyes and a bright smile. "So, did I give you a fright?" Luke lowered his head and kissed her forehead. "Mm, you frightened me. What if you tripped and fell? What if I didn''t manage to catch you?" Bianca rubbed her head on his chest like a cat and said confidently, "That won''t happen, because I know that you''ll definitely catch me. I''m so happy today, Luke, our two babies are so amazing. They won almost all the awards, and all the other parents were looking at me enviously... It''s a pity that you didn''t manage to go to their award ceremony." "Our children are the best. There will be more opportunities in the future, and I''ll make sure that I attend those." Luke gently caressed Bianca''s hair, and his gaze suddenly turned serious. He shifted the conversation topic and ventured, "Have you ever thought of looking for your birth mother, Bea? If she happens to live in the same city, would you... want to meet her?" Chapter 596 Chapter 596 Bianca Has the Right To Know the Truth Birth mother? Bianca''s heart was in her throat. She looked at Luke excitedly. "Do you mean my birth mother is also in A City? Have you... found her?" Bianca knew that Allison was not her birth mother, and a DNA test had proven that she and Luke were not siblings. It was pure agony when Allison had lied to her that she was Luke''s sister. Now that the misunderstanding was resolved, she did not have to experience that mental torment anymore. However, she wished that she could find her real birth mother and desired to be loved as a daughter. She did not tell that to anyone. Luke''s gaze was profound and confident as he stared at Bianca. "I have indeed found your birth mother. You''ve also met her more than once." The man''s slender fingers caressed Bianca''s petite face, and he noticed the anticipation and excitement in her eyes. His deep eyes did not show any obvious emotion, but Bianca could sense his hesitation. Indeed, Luke was hesitating. Once Bianca knew who her birth mother was, many things could not remain hidden, including the fact that Allison was the one who had swapped her when she was a baby. He was afraid that the revtion might form a barrier between him and Bianca. He was even more afraid that if Queenie knew about it, she would object to Luke and Bianca''s rtionship. No mother could ept the fact that their newborn daughter was swapped with a dead baby. Queenie had nearly gone insane after losing her birth daughter, and there was a disagreement between him and Leia, her adopted daughter. Any parent with a shred of reason would not agree to that rtionship. It did not matter if Luke and Bianca were already legally married. Bianca reached out and smoothed the wrinkles on Luke''s forehead. "You should be happy for me if my birth mother is found. Why are you frowning?" Luke hugged her. His voice was hoarser than before. "You don''t know theplicated circumstances behind your birth. I''m afraid that you''ll leave me after you find out the truth, and I don''t want to lose you..." Bianca looked at him doubtfully, though she smiled and joked, "I''m getting uneasy from all these vague hints.... Luke, I promise you that I won''t leave you even after I know who my birth mother is. Alright?" Luke looked at her without saying a word. He brushed her long ck hair behind her head, revealing her neck that was as fair as ivory. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org A kiss mark fromst night could still be seen there. The man''s gaze became gentle when he saw the mark that belonged to him. He remained silent for a long time. Bianca was getting impatient. "Who is my birth mother? You said that I''ve met her before. Is she one of my clients, or..." Luke''s back stiffened. Luke remembered thinking that Bianca and Queenie looked simr, but he had never suspected that they were mother and daughter. Allison, his mother, yed a despicable role in their rtionship. If Bianca knew that her suffering was caused by his mother, she would definitely hate him. Meanwhile, Bianca''s birth mother disliked Bianca because of what happened between him and Leia... Luke knew that Bianca was an insecure person in need of love. Her birth mother and mother-inw disliked her for different reasons. She might not be able to ept the fact. Even so, Bianca had the right to know the truth. Luke tousled Bianca''s hair. He went over to the safe, opened it, took out several documents, and gave them to Bianca. "The truth that you seek is in those documents. You''ll understand everything after you read them." Bianca took those sheets of paper. They were very light, but they weighed a thousand pounds in her hands. She began to read them seriously. After reading thest line, she calmly ced the documents on the table, then smiled at Luke. "So, my birth mother is Queenie Ziegler? All that happened to me was because your mother swapped me when my birth mother gave birth to me?" Luke inhaled sharply. He clenched his fists and loosened them. "Yes." He did not want to tell Bianca the truth at all. Bianca and Allison already disliked each other. Now that Bianca knew that Allison had done such a despicable deed, she would definitely hate her even more. Indeed, Bianca was currently processing a flood of emotions. She was shocked when she read that Queenie was her birth mother. At the same time, she was ecstatic and excited. However, she tried to remainposed. No wonder she felt inexplicably intimate to Queenie. They were rted by blood after all. She felt warmth in her heart when she remembered the loving gaze in Queenie''s eyes as she gave the trophies to her children in the award ceremony earlier. "I still don''t understand. Why did your mother take me to the Rayne family?" Bianca remained distraught. Luke shook his head. There was an inexplicable mncholy to his demeanor. "I don''t know either. I''ll bring you back to Crawford Manor tomorrow, and we''ll ask her for the truth." Bianca could sense that he was in low spirits. She tried to hold back her emotions and said gently, "You didn''t want to tell me the truth because of what your mother did..." Luke dared not look into her eyes. "Mm," he said imperceptibly. Bianca turned his face so that their eyes met. Sheughed drily. "You are you, and your mother is your mother. The two of you are different people. I might resent her, but I won''t me you because of her. Of course, I can''t guarantee that I''ll forgive your mother for what she did, but my love for you won''t diminish even a single bit because of her. I am aware of that. It''s just that I''ll find it harder to reconcile with your mother after this..." Bianca could not treat it as though nothing had happened. After all, she was not a saint. Luke hugged Bianca and whispered in her ear. "That''s fine, as long as we''re still together." The next day, Luke brought Bianca back to Crawford Manor. Before they stepped into the door, they could hear Allison and Susan arguing loudly. asionally, they could also hear Old Master Crawford shouting. Luke furrowed his brows in annoyance. He would rather not return to that household that did not have any warmth and was always filled with quarrels. 1 In the living room, Allison was arguing with Susan over some petty matter. She turned her head to the door when she heard it being opened. She was happy to see her son, but when her sharp eyes saw the diamond ring on the ring finger of Bianca''s right hand... 1 Her expression instantly sank! Did Luke obtain their marriage certificate without informing the family? Chapter 597 Chapter 597 There Is No Use Objecting Allison was unhappy when she thought of the possibility that her son had registered his marriage with Bianca without informing Old Master Crawford. However, she felt slightly more relieved when she remembered that Old Master Crawford had kept Luke''s driver¡¯s license in a secure ce. Old Master Crawford had been prejudiced against Bianca ever since she rejected Luke''s proposal. He would not allow his grandson to marry Bianca! Luke walked with Bianca over to the couch and sat down. "Grandfather," he greeted Old Master Crawford. "Mm," Old Master Crawford replied. The harsh lines on his face became gentle when he nced at Bianca''s bulging stomach. "The stomach is already so big. Did the doctor say when''s the expected date of delivery?" Luke held Bianca''s hand and said gently, "The expected delivery date is October 26th." "That''sing soon. Don''t let her go to work, and get her to stay at home and rest. She shouldn''t overwork herself; there''s not much money to be made anyway!" Old Master Crawford said coldly. However, Bianca could hear his concern in his tone of voice. "Thank you for your concern, Old Master Crawford. I''ll rest at home when it''s closer to the delivery date. It''s not tiring to go to the office, and Luke isn''t assigning a lot of work to me anyway. I can still take it." Allison grunted unhappily. "How pretentious!" Susan daintily picked up a teacup while looking at Allison mockingly. "Even if she''s pretentious, she''s still working hard and not relying on men, unlike some women who insist on being another man''s mistress and destroying a harmonious family. Those women are worse than leeches..." Allison red at Susan. "Who are you talking about, Susan? Do you think that I''m deaf? Who can you me if you can''t retain a man''s heart? Let me warn you, you''d better watch your words! Look at Susan, Father. She''s picking on me!" She began toin to Old Master Crawford. Luke''s brows were tightly furrowed as he sat on the couch. Bianca''s palm rested on the back of his hand. Her gentle touch made him feel better. His head was slightly lowered, and he looked at the scenery outside the window as he held Bianca''s hand. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. The two women''s quarrel gave Old Master Crawford a headache. He stuck his pipe into his mouth and dragged it hard. He rubbed his aching forehead and said, "That''s enough from you two. The children are at home!" Allison did not give up. "You saw it yourself, Father. Susan is the one who''s always picking on me. Shouldn''t I defend myself? I know that you favor Susan, but the way you y favorites is too tant! You don''t know how much I''ve suffered in the household ever since Zach left us. Without Luke, I don''t know how badly I''d be bullied..." Old Master Crawford''s hands were trembling because of anger. "How dare you say that! What do you mean when you say that you''ve been suffering? Did we starve you, or are you short of spending money? You''ve been living the high life in the Crawford family for all these years. Are you still not satisfied? If you hadn''t inserted yourself between Zach and Susan back then, why would they argue? Would Zach have gotten himself in a car crash? Can''t you just bear with Susan?" Allison was furious at Old Master Crawford''s obvious partiality! Before she could throw another tantrum, she heard Old Master Crawford reprimand Susan. "Stop bringing up the past when it''s not important anymore... The children are already adults, and it''s time that Louis finds a life partner. At your age, you should have been a grandmother. Why are you still hung up over certain things? Those who have passed away won''te back. What''s the point of bickering?" "It''s not that I want to bicker, Father, but whenever I see Allison''s face, I think of those filthy deeds she did with Zachary! I can''t ept that her child is older than Louis by two years! If I hadn''t convinced my parents to bail out Crawford Industries, the Crawford family would have gone bankrupt! Louis is already 28 years old, but he''s being neglected in thepany. I cant bear to see that happen to my son..." Susan was plotting something! She hoped that Old Master Crawford still felt guilty toward her, and she could ask for some tangible benefits for Louis. Old Master Crawford would be sympathetic toward her son. If he would pass away and control of T Corporation was still in Allison and her son''s hands, Susan and Louis would definitely be forced out of the family! Allison gloated as she pointed a finger at Susan. "What does your son know other than flirting with women? You can give him a gold mine, and he''ll squander it all away. Don''t tell me that you want to leave thepany in his hands! You''re the one who gave birth to a useless child, and you only have yourself to me!" Susan was about to retort when Luke spoke to Old Master Crawford," Grandfather, Louis is learning how to manage a business now. He is smart, and he is improving very quickly. Now, he is working in the sales department. When it''s time, I''ll let him manage the entire sales department." Old Master Crawford nodded, satisfied. "Mm. The two of you are brothers, and you should love and respect each other. That boy Louis is a yful one, and you, as his elder brother, should take care of him." "Yes, Grandfather." The sales department was arguably the most important in everypany. Old Master Crawford could see that Luke thought highly of Louis. Old Master Crawford''s greatest wish was to see his two grandsons growing thepany together. He had given up hope that his two daughters-inw would live in peace, so he chose to ignore their constant quibbling. Susan was satisfied after hearing Luke''s words. Allison was not familiar with business management and decided not to raise a fuss. However, she almost got a heart attack when she heard what Luke said next. "Grandfather, Mother, I want to inform you that I have already registered my marriage with Bianca. After she delivers the baby, we shall have a grand wedding ceremony." "What? My son, did you... you really register your marriage with that seductress?" Allison bounced from the couch, and her eyes were almost spitting fire. "That''s impossible. Where did you get your driver¡¯s license?" Luke draped his arm over Bianca''s shoulder and regarded his mother coldly. "That''s none of your business, Mother. Bianca is now your daughter- inw, and there is no use objecting." Old Master Crawford nced at Bianca''s bulging stomach. He frowned and sighed, but at times he seemed relieved. No one knew what he was thinking... Chapter 598 Chapter 598 Jealousy! There was dead silence in the vi. Old Master Crawford was frowning while keeping quiet. He knew in his heart that it was pointless to hide Luke¡¯s driver''s license. If Luke insisted on obtaining a marriage license with Bianca, he would find a way to get his driver''s license. He had always wanted an arranged marriage for Luke, just like he did with Zachary. Old Master Crawford believed in business interests rather than true love. However, Old Master Crawford was acutely aware that Luke was not like his cowardly father. He was strong and assertive, not at all as easy to control. Moreover, his grandson was king of the corporate world. Meanwhile, Old Master Crawford was getting weaker as time passed. Old Master Crawford eventually warmed up to the idea. He believed that Luke would be more responsible after he married Bianca. Luke and Bianca had three children together, so if he continued to object, that would only lead his grandson to rebel! Given the situation, he decided to go with the flow. Allison had a bad feeling when she noticed how quiet Old Master Crawford was. She clutched her chest and looked at Luke with hatred in her eyes. Are you trying to give me a heart attack? Even if you sign the marriage certificate with her, I¡¯ll never think of her as my daughter-inw. Stop with this nonsense! Luke, if you want me to live, you need to go to the courthouse and divorce her immediately!" Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Bianca was downhearted when she saw the hatred in Allison''s eyes. She knew Allison had always disliked her, but she did not expect that Allison¡¯s hatred for her went to such an extent. Allison had stolen her from her biological mother when she was born and gave her a life that was nothingpared to what she deserved. Bianca could not figure out why Allison hated her so much that she would plot against a newborn baby. Luke sensed that Bianca was feeling dispirited. He hugged her and said to his mother, "I will never divorce Bianca. If you ept it, I wont say anything; if you don''t ept it, it will not change the fact that we¡¯re legally married. I will never let Bianca go." Allison shakily pointed at Luke and Bianca''s fingers, saying, "Luke, are you really going to ruin our rtionship for this woman? Why are you so obsessed with her? She''s a curse to this family! Luke, you have a bright future. You can easily find someone else to marry and have kids with." Luke stared at his mother indifferently, got up, and walked toward her." Mom, I have something to talk to you about in private." Allison red at Bianca and then followed Luke to the second floor. "Florence, I''m tired. I want to go back to my room." Old Master Crawford was beyond furious. He ignored Bianca, who stood by the side, and returned to his bedroom with the help of the caretaker. Only Susan and Bianca were left in the huge living room. Susan nced at Bianca''s belly with an unsettling look in her eyes. Bianca was about to say something to ease the awkward tension between the two when Susan opened her mouth first and said in a strange tone," Look at you, you look so weak but you''re able to conceive three kids. Take good care of your children. After all, they''ll eventually inherit the family fortune!" Bianca guarded her belly, looked into Susan''s eyes, and said softly, "I don''t know what you''re talking about. The child in my stomach means everything to me. I just want them to be healthy and happy. Nothing else matters." "Hoho, when your mother-inw Allison knelt in front of me, she told me the same thing. She begged me, saying that she just wanted to be by Zachary''s side. She vowed to keep things as they were!" Susan became hysterical as she recalled the past. "In the end, she took away my husband and my position, while her son snatched what was supposed to belong to my son! Now, even this piece of meat in your stomach wants to take everything from my grandson? Heh, I''m not sure if your child will make it out alive!" Her gaze was like a dagger, weakening Bianca''s nerves with each look. Susan had an uncanny smile that gave Bianca the chills. Bianca noticed Susan''s trance-like state and feared that she would hurt her baby. She moved farther from Susan and said, "You''re overthinking it. I assure you that such a thing won¡¯t happen.¡± Susan saw Bianca''s frightened look and suddenly returned to her usual self. She slowly stood up from the sofa and tidied her clothes. Susan then leaned into Bianca and reached out to touch her belly. Bianca instinctively took a step back. Susan''s hand just missed Bianca. She curled her lips with a sneer, saying," Why? Are you afraid that I''ll hurt your child? Don''t worry. Although I want to teach Allison a lesson, your child is innocent. Besides, we''re in Crawford Manor, what can I do to you? I have to say, Allison is a lucky b*stard..." Then, Susan muttered something to herself and went up to the third floor while humming a mncholic song. Bianca stroked her stomach, her heart still fluttering with fear. She had broken out in a cold sweat. She was not sure if she was overthinking it, but she thought that something was wrong with Susan. It seemed that she should gently remind Louis Crawford and ask him to spend more time with his mother. Otherwise, if things went on like this, the consequences would be disastrous... Just as Bianca was thinking about how abnormally Susan was acting, she heard a door mming shut from the second floor. She heard Allison shouting ''get out'' followed by her cries. Then, she heard Luke''s footsteps. Bianca stood up and was about to go to the second floor, but before she went upstairs, she saw Luke walking down with a stern expression. Before she could react, Luke walked over and held her hand before saying in a serious tone, "Let''s go." Allison stood on the second floor and watched them leave. She was struggling to swallow down all her grievances. With tears streaming down her face, she screamed, "Luke, even if I¡¯ve done something wrong, I¡¯m still your mother! How dare you question me for an outsider? Since you insist on believing in an outsider, you''re no longer my son! Get out of here! If you dare to step into this house again, I¡¯ll break your leg!" Bianca turned around and looked at Allison. She then asked Luke who was walking in front of her, "What''s the matter? Why is your mother throwing a tantrum?" Luke had an indifferent look on his handsome face. He did not bother to look back as he merely listened to his mother''s heart-piercing cries. He mechanically led Bianca out of Crawford Manor as he thought about the conversation he had with his mother just a moment ago. He knew why his mother had secretly swapped Bianca back then, but... Luke closed his eyes and fell into deep thought. He was not sure how to tell Bianca the truth. The reason for her ill-fated life was his mother¡¯s jealousy... Chapter 599 Chapter 599 I¡¯m Thankful For You At home, in the bedroom. The light-colored curtains were blowing in the night breeze, and the temperature tonight was a bit cooler. Bianca looked at Luke who was smoking on the balcony with a frown. Since she got pregnant, he had quit smoking at home. Bianca knew that he must be in a bad mood. She quietly walked over, grabbed the half-burned cigarette from his hand, and pinched it out in the ashtray. She looked at him usingly before putting her arms around his waist. "You promised me that you¡¯d quit. You broke your promise." Luke''s eyes were dark, and he hid theplex emotions he was feeling. He took off his coat and put it on Bianca, saying slowly, "Sorry, I was a little out of control today. I promise it won''t happen again." Bianca wanted to ask him about his private conversation with Allison earlier in the day as she was not sure what led to the tension between them. However, she kept her questions to herself when she noticed Luke¡¯s odd behavior. She gently touched his face with her hand. "Do you feel better now?" "I''ve confirmed one thing with my mother today. Queenie Zeigler is indeed your biological mother." Luke hugged Bianca tightly, and his deep voice was filled with agony when he said, ''Everything in the document that you read previously is all true. However, I didn¡¯t expect that the reason why my mother secretly swapped you back then was just because she was jealous of Aunt Queenie..." Bianca looked at him in astonishment as she said, "I remember you told me that your mother and Mrs. Norman used to be best friends, and they were so close that they shared the same clothes. Why would she be jealous?" Although it had been confirmed that Queenie was her biological mother, Bianca was already used to addressing her as ¡®Mrs. Norman¡¯. Luke had asked his mother the same thing when they were in Crawford Manor. At the time, her face had grown distorted as she said angrily, "Do you think I wanted to be best friends with Queenie? I wouldn''t have bothered if she wasn''t useful to me. Since we were young, Queenie had always outshone me in everything we did! Wherever she went, the men would only be focused on her! I was clearly the more beautiful one between the two of us, but no one ever noticed me when I stood next to her... The men who went after her were either the sons of professors, government officials, or businessmen. All of them were cream of the crop! In stark contrast, the men around me were all good- for-nothings! Even sluggards asked for my help to pass their love letters to Queenie. How do you think that made me feel?! We were both from the same small town, so how was it fair that Queenie married Jack Norman while I had to be someone''s mistress? Life was not fair to me and I wanted to tip the scales. That''s why I swapped her child!¡¯ When Luke exined the situation to Bianca, his breathing was irregr. He felt ashamed to have such a narrow-minded and jealous mother. If someone else bullied Bianca as such, he would have retaliated in a million ways. However, Allison was his biological mother. Even if she was a horrible woman, they were still rted by blood. Theplicated situation made him feel deeply powerless. Luke did not want Bianca to know that he was so upset. However, the knuckles of his fingers had gradually turned white, revealing his true emotions. Bianca did not like seeing Luke like this. She stood on her tiptoes, pulled his neck down with one hand, and gently pressed her forehead to his. "Luke, we can¡¯t change what happened in the past, so it''s meaningless for us to dwell in it. Besides, I¡¯ve grown up and am now the mother of three. It doesn''t matter whether I reconnect with Mr. and Mrs. Norman. The most important thing right now is to live in the present and cherish every moment that we have with each other." Luke hugged Bianca tightly. The two were facing each other, lips touching. Bianca felt Luke''s warmth, and Luke was touched by how understanding Bianca was. "I''m thankful to have you with me," he whispered, his soft voice blending with the night. Midnight, at the other end of A City. Wayne tt''s tall and rugged body was sitting on a sofa in a VIP room somewhere. He casually ced his two legs on the coffee table. Women of various shapes and sizes surrounded him. The women were wearing revealing costumes-bunny, maids, Barbie dolls ... It was a dazzling sight. However, these women had all been in the party scene for a long time and appeared gaudy. Wayne disliked the pungent perfume smell on their bodies and their deliberate ttery in an attempt to please him. He missed Leia''s body. Leia was a femme fatale, but she had a deceptively sweet face. She acted high and mighty in front of others, but she was subservient and servile with him. Wayne had felt a sense of aplishment because of that. He undertook an important secret mission a few days ago. The mission was extremely dangerous, but the reward was extremely high. He had stayed abroad for too long and just returned home that day. He threw a party to celebrate as soon as he returned. Wayne frowned, drank the liquor in the tall ss, and dialed Leia''s phone number with a wicked smile on his face... Normans'' residence. Leia was having a nightmare. She dreamed that Queenie¡¯s biological daughter was found and all eyes were on her. That girl became the most favored existence in the Norman family. On the other hand, she, who was once the apple of her adoptive parents'' eyes, was left deste and forgotten. No one loved or cared for her anymore. She woke up from her nightmare in a panicked state after getting shocked by the loud ringtone. When Leia saw the caller ID ''Devil'', she broke out in a cold sweat and wished more than anything to throw her phone out of the window! However, she did not dare to act rashly because Wayne had a lot of indecent photos and videos of her. She knew that Waynecked patience, and the longer she took to answer the call, the more the pervert would torture herter. Leia gritted her teeth, put on her clothes, andbed her hair. She did not bother applying any makeup and walked out barefaced. Leia was afraid that the sound of her high heels would wake up her parents, so she took off her shoes and walked down the second floor cautiously. She was in such a hurry that she did not notice that the bathroom lights were on. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Julie, who had just used the toilet, was confused when she saw Leia sneaking out. ''Why is Leia sneaking out in the middle of the night? What is she hiding?'' Julie was curious and wanted somepromising material on Leia to ckmail her, so she quickly went back to her room and threw something on before quietly following Leia... Chapter 600 Chapter 600 Leia¡¯s Dirty Little Secret Leia drove a convertible sports car. The night breeze brushed across her face as she drove to a nightclub. Julie followed her cautiously. She kept a safe distance with the car in front, ensuring that she would not lose Leia while also staying hidden from the woman''s sight. Julie was very grateful for the limited edition sports car that Queenie gave her. Otherwise, she would not be able to keep up with Leia''s speeding. Leia parked the car at the club. She threw her keys to the jockey, put on her sunsses, and walked inside. Julie was afraid of losing Leia, so she left her keys with the jockey as well before hurrying to catch up with her... Leia arrived at an extremely luxurious VIP room. At the entrance of the room, two men in ck stood guard. The door opened, and Julie, who was hiding in the corner, saw more than 20 men and women inside. It was unsightly. On the crystal table, there were blocks of well-packaged white powder. Several men were cing them on the table one by one. In the middle of the Italian sofa sat a man with a body as sturdy as Arnold Schwarzenegger. Half of his face was hidden due to the lighting. From where Julie stood, she could not see the man''s face clearly. She only saw his dismal features and his thick arms that were filled with tattoos. One of the men took out a dagger and made a cut in a package of white powder. He smeared some white powder on his nose and sniffed it. His expression turned ecstatic and then he nodded to the man on the sofa. Julie turned pale. ¡®Are they drug dealers, just like in the movies? Why did Leiae to such a ce?4 Just as Julie was pondering, she saw Leia walking toward the tattooed man with a coquettish smile. Then, she sat on the man''s thigh... Julie wanted to continue to watch, but unfortunately, the door was shut tight. She wanted to get closer but was caught by the bodyguard at the door. The bodyguard choked Julie and asked in a fierce voice, "Why are you sneaking around?" Julie was startled and immediately acted ignorant. She said fearfully, "Sir, I ... I''m the new bottle girl. I''m not very familiar with the ce and got lost. I''ll leave immediately..." C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org The bodyguard looked at Julie''s pitiful face and decided to trust her. He released his grip on her, nced at her coldly, and said in a vicious tone," This is not a ce for you, get out!" Julie nodded hurriedly like a frightened animal and quickly left. She had already found out about Leia''s dirty little secret anyway. ''Let''s see if Leia still dares to order me around!¡¯ Leia was inside the VIP room. Even though she wasughing in Wayne''s arms, her face had turned pale. She had always known that Wayne was not a good person, but she never thought that he would be involved with drugs. 1 The tt family was a well-known military and political family. Wayne¡¯s grandfather and two brothers all had pivotal positions in the military. How could Wayne be involved with drugs? She was taken aback and thought to herself, ''Wayne is involved in some shady business!'' However, Leia had been in the entertainment industry for a long time. There were a lot of actors and singers who did drugs. When faced with such a situation at this moment, she pretended to be calm. However, her heart still trembled at the sight of so many packages of drugs neatly stacked on the coffee table in front of her. Thements from the women around her embarrassed Leia even more. A woman in revealing clothes discreetly pointed at Leia andmented," Isn''t that the movie star, Leia Norman? She looks so pure and innocent on TV. I didn''t expect that she would be such a sl*t in private... She looks so ordinary without any makeup on..." A girl in a bunny costume said disdainfully, "No one from the entertainment industry is pure and innocent. As soon as you step into Hollywood, there''s no way anyone coulde out clean. There are some unspoken rules in the industry." A girl dressed as a Barbie doll asked innocently, "Isn''t she from a good family? I heard that she has a strong backing, who would dare to touch her? Another girl in leopard print smiled nonchntly as she said, "Who knows what''s in her mind? Maybe she''s open-minded and has a strong sex drive?" Although the music was very loud, the girls sat rtively close to Leia and did not bother to keep their voices down, so Leia could vaguely hear what they were talking about. Leia was furious and wanted to tear the mouths off of those gossiping good-for-nothings! "Come here, pour me a ss of whiskey!" Wayne noticed Leia''s absentmindedness, and his tone was full of impatience. Leia was taken aback. She picked up the whiskey bottle obediently and poured a ss for Wayne. With Wayne''s permission, the men and women could not wait to smoke the drugs with their crack pipes. Soon, the room was hotboxed. Leia fed the wine into Wayne''s mouth with her mouth. Wayne''s cold fingertips slid into her underwear and urately located her sensitive point. "Ah..." Leia let out an inaudible sound. This man had top-notch skills when it came to that. Wayne was turned on by her soft cry. His hand continued impatiently and began to tear her clothes off. "What are you doing?" Leia tightened her legs in a panic and firmly grasped his hand with both hands. "What are you talking about? I haven''t touched you for so long, I want to dive in!" Wayne threw Leia under him roughly and unbuckled his belt. "Please, not here. We can take our time in the hotel, okay?" Leia turned pale. Her self-esteem and upbringing would not allow her to engage in sexual activities in public. There were many people here and she was a public figure. Although no one dared to take photos and record videos, rumors could still spread. Wayne was a buff man ustomed to dominating others. How could a weak woman like Leia fight against him? Wayne soon got what he wanted. Leia heardughter from the people around her, mixed withments like 4 Look at Wayne go!'' Leia held back the tears in her eyes and almost cracked her fists. She believed in karma! One day, she would make sure that Wayne tt paid a heavy price for his behavior! Chapter 601 Chapter 601 Bianca Embarrassed, Luke Livid With Rage The next day, T Corporation. It was lunchtime. Bianca and her colleagues went to a restaurant for lunch. The restaurant was on the second floor. Through therge transparent ss windows, she could get a bird''s eye view of the beautiful scenery outside. Bianca ordered fish and chips with a sd and tomato soup on the side. She sat at the table in front of the window with Sue, Nina, and Julie. She began eating. Bianca no longer suffered from morning sickness so her appetite had increased as well. On the other hand, Sue was more than eight months along and almost vomited whatever she ate. "Bea, why is your appetite so good? Why cant I eat anything?" Sue was envious of Bianca''s appetite. She put her hands on her cheeks and watched Bianca eagerly eat her fish and chips. Sue went for vegan food, and there was not a trace of meat in front of her. "Sue, is the baby in your stomach a picky eater? Would you like to eat some chili to suppress it?" Nina said cheekily. The food in front of her was all extremely spicy. Anyone who took a nce could feel the heat. Sue rolled her eyes at Nina and said, "I''m afraid that if I eat your food, the baby in my stomach won¡¯t be able to take the spice and decide to pop out early." Bianca smiled and scooped some of the spinach in her sd for Sue. "Sue, try this. Although it''s a little bitter, the sauce is tasty. It might improve your appetite. Moreover, spinach contains a high amount of folic acid, which can help the fetus form a healthy spinal cord and reduce the risk of mental defects." Since getting pregnant, Bianca had done a lot of research on healthy eating. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She read arge number of recipes every day to study which ones were good for fetal development and which ones would have an adverse effect. Til try it." Sue took a bite of the spinach. She was never a fan of spinach. However, after taking a bite, she thought that the spinach that was once so unptable was unexpectedly delicious today. She immediately stuffed her face with it. Julie put down her utensils and ran to the buffet area. She brought two lemons from the fruit section and handed them to Sue." Sue, try some lemons. A female colleague from my previouspany was pregnant and would suck on lemon slices every day. She said it worked well in relieving her morning sickness. I think it might work for you too." Sue took the lemon and said, "Thank you." Her smile seemed enthusiastic, but in fact, it was a little alienated. Julie, the neer, did have a knack for pleasing people, but for some reason, Sue did not like her. Lunchtime soon came to an end. When Bianca finished thest bit of soup, she suddenly heard a fuss from downstairs. The four women in front of the ss window could not help but look downstairs at the same time. They were dumbfounded when they saw what was happening! A bright blue Lamborghini sports car with the hood open was parked downstairs ofT Corporation. The sports car was filled withrge bunches of roses adorned with baby¡¯s breath. It was a particrly dazzling scene under the bright sun. Anand was wearing a full white suit thatplemented his blonde hair. He sat in the driver''s seat, looking at the entrance from time to time. Across the body of the Lamborghini was an eye-catching banner. The words on the banner were shing. It stated, ''Bianca, my love¡¯, followed by a big and bright red heart. Bianca almost flipped. ''What in the world is Anand doing?!'' She had already turned him down previously. Anand had been out of her sight for so long that she thought he had given up. She did not expect him to appear again like this. Bianca felt uneasy when she saw how Sue and the others looked at her. They seemed as confused as she was. She hurried downstairs without an exnation. Bianca slowly jogged over to Anand and said in a sheepish voice, "Anand, what is this?" She felt embarrassed with his public disy of affection. It was lunchtime, so the employees of T Corporation were out and about. After this incident, there would be new rumors about her in thepany. She was involved in enough scandals in thepany. She had no intention to add to those. Anand stared at Bianca''s belly in shock. He was taken aback, his mouth forming a big circle. Something big had happened in his family so he needed to return to his home country to deal with it. After he stabilized the situation over there, he rushed back to A City to meet his goddess, intending to confess his feelings for her once more. Unexpectedly, after not seeing her for more than half a year, Bianca''s initially t lower abdomen had swollen up like a balloon. Anand was stunned for a while and asked, "Bianca, you... You''re pregnant? When did this happen?" Bianca stroked her belly and said angrily, "My baby is seven months old. This is my and my husband''s third child. We also have twins who are five years old now." Anand grabbed his beautiful blonde hair in distress, his handsome face turning sour as if he could not ept reality. In a panic, he grabbed Bianca''s arm and asked, "This is impossible! Bianca, you look so young. Why did you be a mother so early? Bianca, were you forced by that man?" A big palm suddenly appeared. Luke wrapped Bianca in his arms and grabbed Anand''s wrist angrily. He almost snapped Anand¡¯s wrist in half. "Sorry, the woman you''re confessing to is my wife. We love each other, nothing is forced. Mr. Anand, Bianca and I got a marriage certificate long ago. Do you know you''remitting harassment by pestering my wife so tantly?" 1 Luke only let go when Anand broke out in a cold sweat from the pain. The moment Anand saw Luke, he felt a little lost. The man in front of him looked like he was born into a noble royal family in Europe. His movements were full of elegance and his demeanor was impable. Anand''s heart broke when he heard that they had gotten married. However, he remained smiling as he said, "I thought that Bianca was just in a rtionship but I didn''t know that she¡¯s your wife. Sorry, Mr. Crawford. I apologize for my abruptness. But Bianca, if this man treats you badly, you''re wee to come look for me anytime." After that, Anand returned to his car and drove off in his Lamborghini. Bianca was embarrassed while Luke was livid with rage... i Chapter 602 Chapter 602 Bianca Was Confused And Shocked! Luke''s eyes followed the Lamborghini as it drove off. A hint of ferocity shed across his deep eyes. When he learned that there was a man named Anand outside the office building who brought flowers to confess his feelings to Bianca, he immediately hurried over. He did not expect to be so infuriated with what he saw and decided to look into Anand. "You¡¯re the mother of three yet you''re still so popr. Do you think I should hide you somewhere?" Luke''s low voice was attractive but it was clear that there was a hint ofint in what he said. Bianca exined, "There''s nothing going on between Anand and me. I don''t know what''s going on. I''m not even that close with him. We met a few times because of work and barely interacted. I didn''t expect him to do this..." Having said that, Bianca looked at Luke''s stern but handsome face again, saying softly, "I don''t know what¡¯s wrong with Anand. I''ve told him that I have a husband..." "Silly, I don¡¯t need an exnation from you. I trust you." Luke rubbed Bianca''s face and gave a helpless smile as he said, "It¡¯s probably because you''re too attractive, that¡¯s why there¡¯s always these annoying suitors around you.¡± Bianca was speechless. No matter how many suitors she had, it was nothingpared to the women eyeing her man. After Bianca returned to her department, her colleagues were also back from lunch. Many of them had seen Anand confessing his love to her, so they went to her for gossip. Bianca waved them off and only gave a casual reply. However, some of the women were determined to get to the bottom of it. It was the first time that the Design Department was so lively. Everyone in the Design Department knew that Bianca was dating the CEO. What they did not expect was that there was another guy just as handsome as the CEO who was pursuing her. Everyone wanted the full story and bugged her about it. The female colleagues who wanted in on the gossip were fairly close with Bianca. The Design Department was full of talented, capable, and nosy people. If she did not satisfy their need for gossip, she would never hear the end of it. Out of desperation, Bianca made up a cliche story to get them to stop talking. When thedies learned that Bianca had already signed a marriage certificate with the CEO, they shrieked enviously and asked when the wedding would take ce. Bianca wanted to keep the news that she was married to Luke a secret. She did not want her colleagues to put her on a pedestal. She was afraid that they would alienate her just because she was the CEO''s wife. However, Luke would repeatedly be intimate with her in front of the employees. Although they had not announced their rtionship, everyone was well aware. Bianca felt that it was necessary to announce the truth to everyone. Otherwise, everyone might think that she got an upper hand because of their child. She was even more afraid that everyone would think her baby was an illegitimate child. Julie looked at Bianca with jealousy. She wondered why so many amazing men were attracted to Bianca. There were not many people who would still have suitors while pregnant. However, Julie felt a sense of superiority once she thought about how her true identity would be soon announced by the Norman family. While she passed some documents to Bianca, Julie handed her an invitation and said, "Bianca, my family will hold a family reunion banquet this Saturday. If you have time, you''re wee to join along with our colleagues." "Family reunion banquet?" It was the first time that Bianca had heard of such a dinner. She opened the invitation in confusion. On the invitation, it stated, ''Jack Norman and Queenie Zeir request your gracious presence to celebrate the reunion of the Norman family.'' Bianca was taken aback when she saw the surname ''Norman''. After she thought about it for a while, Bianca asked, "Julie, is Mr. and Mrs. Norman going to be your godfather and godmother?" Julie covered her mouth and chuckled, her face filled with happiness as she said, "No, silly! Mr. Norman and Mrs. Norman are my biological parents. Bianca, I always knew that my parents adopted me and have always wanted to find my biological parents, but unfortunately, it was radio silence for years. Untilst week, my biological parents found me through a private investigator and informed me of my true identity. It turns out that I''m the biological daughter of Mr. Norman. Back then, my mother, Queenie, fainted due to heavy bleeding when she gave birth to me. An evil woman paid off a female doctor to secretly rece me with a dead baby while I was thrown into a trash can. I was lucky that my adoptive parents found me and weed me into their family. It''s a blessing that I''ve found my biological parents. I feel so happy. Bianca, you muste to the banquet!" After she said that, Julie patted Bianca on the shoulder. Julie noticed that Bianca looked a little upset. She was a little puzzled but ignored it. Julie then happily walked over to the other colleagues to pass them an invitation each. She wanted to let the whole world know that she was Mr. Norman''s biological daughter. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Bianca''s teeth were chattering, and her emotions were a little out of control. Julie was Jack Norman and Queenie Zeigler¡¯s daughter. ...How could that be? Luke''s investigation found that she was the biological daughter of Queenie and Jack. He even probed Allison Tanner, so it was more or less confirmed. However, why did Julie suddenly be their daughter instead? Moreover, seeing Julie''s excitement, the Normans seemed to be nning a big and public reveal of Julie''s true identity... Suddenly, Bianca was confused, shocked, and at a loss. For the rest of the day, Bianca was absent-minded... Nina brought Julie''s invitation and slid her chair over to Bianca. She started gossiping in a low voice, "Bianca, I ever expected that Julie is Queenie''s daughter. What a shocker. But Julie and Mr. Norman are not at all alike. I¡¯ve seen Mrs. Norman. She has pale skin, an oval face, a gentle smile, and is very beautiful. Although Julie is also a beautiful woman, she looks nothing like Mrs. Norman. I really can''t tell that they''re rted by blood... However, Leia Norman had always bullied you just because she''s from the Norman family. Now that Julie, their biological daughter, is back, let''s see if she can still be as arrogant, haha..." Bianca was very upset. She ignored what Nina said, got up, and left the Design Department. She went to the CEO''s office. She had to figure out what was going on. Chapter 603 Chapter 603 You''re The Norman Family¡¯s Real Daughter Desperate for answers, Bianca pushed Luke''s office door open without even knocking. However, what she saw was Mavis, dressed in a sexy V-neck suit, leaning over and whispering something in his ear. Her flirtatious side right now was a far cry from the persona of a strong woman she usually disyed in front of everyone. When she saw Biancae in, Mavis looked at her quiet little face and smiled faintly at her. Then, she said to Luke, "Mr. Crawford, we''ll finalize the tendering project like this for now. As for the details, I''ll make a detailed proposal and send it to you in a few days. You can carry on with your work. I''m going to go first." After Mavis left, Luke put down his pen, looked at Bianca with a gentle gaze, and beckoned her. "Come." Bianca pressed her lips slightly and lowered her head without going over. That was because she had caught a whiff of another woman''s perfume, which made her a little ufortable. "What''s the matter? You seem to have something on your mind.¡± A deep male voice rang out as she bit her lip. Bianca looked up and saw Luke getting out of his chair, walking toward her. His white shirt was unbuttoned at the cor. The man''s tall stature was shrouded in the rays of the setting sun, making him look sexy and beautiful. There was also a hint of post-work idleness between his eyes. "You didn¡¯t have a good restst night? What''s with the dark eye circles?" When Bianca kept silent, Luke noticed the dark circles under her eyes and frowned. He gently massaged her eyelids with his fingers. "I had a good rest yesterday." Bianca thought of the thing she wanted to talk about and voiced out her doubts, "I came to see you because I want to ask you something. You found out from your investigation that I''m Queenie''s daughter, but why did Julie say she''s Mr. Norman and his wife''s real daughter? She said they found her themselves and told her about what had happened back then. This week, the Norman family will hold a family reunion banquet for Julie at a hotel to reveal her true identity to the public. This is the invitation from Julie..." Bianca handed Luke the invitation and said, "I''m confused. Both you and the Norman family investigated the matter but the results both parties got are different. Luke, could you have made a mistake?" Luke opened the invitation, nced at it with his sharp eyes, and then tossed it on the desk nearby. He believed that his men would not have given him false information. Besides, Bianca and Queenie were so simr in appearance, temperament, and even tone of voice. If they stood next to each other, it would be hard to believe that they were not mother and daughter. He had more faith in the information he found out. There must be some mistake or something shady going on as to why the Norman family thought Julie was their biological daughter. With that in mind, Luke started to have a vague suspicion. He lifted the hairs on Bianca''s forehead and tucked them behind her ear. "All evidence of Queenie''s delivery back then was deliberately wiped out, so it wasn''t easy to find the evidence. My men went to great lengths to find the truth from the traces left behind. Strangely enough, Mr. Norman and his wife think Julie is their biological daughter now. I''ll continue looking into it. Bianca, don''t you think you look a lot like Mrs. Norman? Aunt Neile even said you look just like one of her friends when she first met you. Besides, my mom has also admitted that she swapped you after Queenie gave birth to you out of jealousy. You''re the Norman family''s real daughter." Bianca remembered when Shakira first saw her. The shock in her eyes was as if she had just seen a ghost. Also, Allison had always looked at her with vague hatred. It was as if she could see someone else when she looked at her. Bianca had always thought Allison treated her that way because she disliked her rtionship with Luke, but she never thought it was all because of a feud she had with another woman when she was a baby. "If I''m the Norman family''s daughter and the Norman family is acknowledging Julie as their daughter, then..." Bianca felt uneasy as she thought about it. Luke tapped lightly on the table, his eyes looking stern and astute. "Bianca, go back to the Design Department first. Find a way to get Julie''s hair by the end of the day, and I''ll take care of the rest." Bianca frowned. But..." Luke smirked and chuckled softly. "What''s the matter? Don''t you believe in your husband?" "Okay, I''ll do whatever you say." Bianca''s cheeks flushed slightly. Even though she and Luke had already gotten a marriage certificate, she had not gotten used to the word ''husband*. Luke could not help hugging her and lowering his head to kiss her when he saw the way she looked. The two were entangled with each other for a long time before he finally let her go while gasping heavily, wanting more. "You blush so easily." Bianca awkwardly defended herself. "No, I don''t. The office is a little warm, and I¡¯m feeling hot..." She then bolted from the office. Taking the elevator back to the Design Department, Bianca had a sudden urge to go to the restroom so she headed over. However, before she could enter the restroom, she heard the sound of a woman crying like she was on the verge of breaking down. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org The female voice was very familiar. It was Sue! "Don''t touch my child. If you do, I swear your son will die!¡± Bianca was taken aback and was about to push the door open to see what was going on with Sue when she suddenly heard an equally familiar male voice from inside. The man''s voice was deeply distressed. "I hate to do it too, but Shane doesn¡¯t have much time left..." It was Mr. Doyle! "Get the f*ck out! I don''t want to hear anything. Your son''s a living being, but my child isn''t?" Sue cried and swore, "Jason, I thought you were a nice man, but I was blind! The sight of you makes me sick. Get the f*ck out... I''m warning you, stop pestering me or I''ll call the police and sue you for forcing yourself on me. I''ll be sure to ruin your reputation!" Suddenly, the restroom door mmed open. Sue walked out with tears on her face, looking like a mess. She was momentarily shocked the moment she saw Bianca. She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and awkwardly smiled at her. ¡¯ Bi-Bianca, why are you here?" Bianca saw that Sue seemed flustered and Jason, who was silent, was following behind her. Recalling the conversation she had just heard, she was suspicious about their rtionship when Jason suddenly spoke up, "Ms. Rayne, can you please take care of Sue for me? She''s really upset right now. Do console her. Thank you." With that, he looked at Sue guiltily and trudged off... Chapter 604 Chapter 604 Your Hair Has Fallen Out After Jason left, Bianca looked at Sue who was close to breaking down and helped her sit down on a chair outside the restroom. Taking out a tissue, Bianca wiped the tears from the corners of Sue''s eyes and asked with concern, ¡¯Sue, what on earth is going on with you and Mr. Doyle?¡± Sue reached out her hands to cover her pale face and threw her head back to push back the tears. "Bianca, I really don''t know what to do..." Although she and Bianca had only known each other for just over a year, their rtionship was more than just that of colleagues. They were sisters who could talk about anything. However, there were still some things she kept to herself. She had been bottling it all up inside of her that she was now confused and helpless without a clue what to do next. Although she had many friends around her, she had no one to confide in except Bianca. "Sue, you can tell me anything. Did Mr. Doyle bully you? "If he did bully you, I''ll have Luke teach him a lesson!'' Sue could see Bianca''s concern, so she put down her hands that were covering her face and smiled bitterly with tears still in her eyes. "Mr. Crawford has no control over this matter." Bianca paused. "Sue, what... What''s going on with you and Mr. Doyle? Why did I hear you say he was going to touch your baby?" Sue sniffled, and her eyes were red. "Haven''t you always wanted to ask me who''s the father of the baby I''m carrying? As you just saw, it''s Jason." 1 Bianca was so shocked her hand that was around Sue''s arm tightened a little. "Mr. Doyle is the father of the baby? What''s going on here? You two don''t have much to do with each other. How did you get together?" Sue''s brows were furrowed together, never once loosening. "It''s a long story. I got drunk, wandered into a room, and had sex with a man who was also drunk. Afterward, I woke up and fled. I didn''t even dare to look at his face. I never expected it to be Jason..." Bianca was even more puzzled. "Sue, if the baby in your belly is Mr. Doyle''s, why would he want to hurt the baby?" Sue smiled wryly. "Do you remember the time Nina and I went to see you when you were hospitalized and we met Jason and his ex-wife?" "Yeah, I do." Bianca nodded. Jason''s ex-wife was Bailey Quarrington. She was very arrogant, domineering, and had a repulsive attitude. She had left an impression on Bianca. Sue said sadly, "Jason and his ex-wife have a four-year-old son named Shane. He has leukemia and needs a bone marrow transnt. Once Jason found out that the woman he had sex with was me and the baby I¡¯m carrying is his, he started having ideas about my baby. He wants to transnt my baby''s bone marrow to Shane once they''re born..." The usually calm Bianca flew into a rage. She got up and wanted to rush out to reproach Jason. "How can Mr. Doyle go that far? His and Bailey''s child is precious, but is your baby nothing? Besides, the baby isn''t yours alone but also his flesh and blood. How can he be so cruel? Besides, you have to carry the baby for ten difficult months. All he did was provide one cheap sperm. Who is he to make such a cruel decision for you?" 1 Sue grabbed Bianca by the hem of her shirt and shook her head. "Don''t go to him. I don''t want everyone in thepany to know. I''ll do everything in my power to protect my baby. No one''s going to touch my baby without my permission!" Bianca took Sue''s hand and said sternly, "Sue, don''t worry. As long as you''re in T Corporation, Mr. Doyle won¡¯t be so bold to do anything to you and the baby. Besides, the baby in your belly is his too. I don''t think he¡¯d be so cruel as to extract the bone marrow of a newborn baby for his son." i Sue smiled with tears in her eyes and gave Bianca a gentle hug. "Yeah. Thank you, Bianca. You know what? The most rewarding thing I¡¯ve gotten from working at T Corporation is not how much work experience I''ve gained nor how much I learned but getting a good friend like you." Due to the severe shift in her mood. Sue took the rest of the day off and went home to rest. Bianca returned to her seat. As soon as she sat down, Julie came to her with a stack of design drafts. "Bianca, please take a look at my designs. They''re the first drafts. You can give me some suggestions." "Okay, let me take a look at them for you." Bianca took over her design drafts and looked at them carefully. Julie''s architectural designs did have some originality, and the designs were quite novel, but they were not exactly stunning. Besides, Bianca could see at a nce how much her designs took inspiration from the works of 19th- century architect, Cole Yarbrough. Biancamented eloquently, "Not bad. But Julie, the most important thing in designing is to highlight your creativity and ideas. Too many references will hide your design''s characteristics. Besides, your architectural design is inclined to the grandiose Western European style, but the client is more inclined to a modest and sophisticated design. There''s a certain conflict between the two. I think going with a Japanese design would be more in line with the client''s wishes." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Julie blushed slightly. "Okay, thank you for your advice. I''ll pay more attention to it from now on." She had amended her design drafts so many times for fear that others could see that she had taken inspiration from a famous designer, but she did not expect that Bianca could still tell at a nce. She needed to reassess this woman. It turned out she was more than just a pretty woman. To hide her embarrassment, Julie casually smoothed her hair. A long, thin strand of hair fell onto her clothes after Julie''s movement, but she did not see it. Seeing this, Bianca carefully picked up the strand of hair from her clothes, held it in her hand, and waved it casually in front of Julie''s eyes. "Your hair has fallen out.¡± "Sorry, I''m new at T Corporation and I''m not quite used to the work here yet. I''ve been under a lot of pressure, so my hair has been falling out recently," Julie exined with an envious nce at Bianca''s long and thick hair. Bianca''s hair was long and ck with a seducing sheen. It was almost as beautiful as the hair of the women on TVmercials. Bianca suggested, "Get enough sleep if you''re losing hair. The condition of our hair has a lot to do with whether we''re getting enough nutrition. You can take more vitamins for it." "Okay, got it. I''ll leave you alone now. I''ll go revise the drafts." Julie gathered her design drafts and walked back to her seat. Bianca calmly pinched the strand of hair in her hand. Soon, she would find out whether Julie was Jack and Queenie''s biological daughter. Chapter 605 Chapter 605 Money Makes The Mare Go It was almost time to leave work. The conference room in T Corporation. There were 20 or so people in the conference room. There were a mix of older and younger people as well as both men and women. However, most of them were older. There were only a few young business elites, but they were undeniably T Corporation''s great talents. Dressed in a couture suit, Luke sat calmly at the head of the table. The man''s tall height and impressive aura made him particrly eye-catching. Everyone sat around the conference table in order, discussing business. However, except for Luke, there was a somewhat distressed look on everyone''s faces. The silencested about ten minutes. Itsted until Jenson Zook, a gray-haired senior member of thepany, finally spoke in exasperation, "Mr. Crawford, I refuse the proposal to acquire Easy. Ourpany is mainly involved in technology, real estate, chemical engineering, international trade, finance, and so on. Our properties have expanded everywhere in the world. There''s no need to spend billions to acquire a smallpany like Easy that''s on the verge of bankruptcy. Moreover, although there are various e-hailing apps everywhere, Book and Go currently dominates the market. It¡¯s now number one in the entire e-hailing market. If we had taken action when Book and Go was still growing, we might have been able to get a piece of the cake, but it''s toote now. I think we''ll just be kissing our money goodbye even if we invest in Easy, so why bother? Besides, Easy is just an ordinary e-hailing app. How much profit can it make for thepany? The loss will definitely outweigh the gains. I''m against your decision!"C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org The deep features of Luke''s face immediately grew a little stern. "Mr. Zook, do you think thepany doesn''t need to prioritize on developing as long as we hold on to whatever we have gained all this while? Thepany''s developing in two directions; one is diversification while the other is specialization. The two may seem contradictory, but they''re not. What I want to do now is extend and spread out thepany''s main business chain to make thepany''s development more diversified. We''re in the era of sharing economy, which has huge business potentials. Book and Go noticed this and made hundreds of billions in profits, bing a unicorn in the e-hailing industry in just three or four years, making a name for themselves. The business opportunities in this market are beyond your imagination. Of course, I had no intention of expanding into this area before, but..." Reaching this point, the cold and beautiful corners of the man¡¯s lips rose slightly as if he was taunting and looking at Jenson in disdain. "After rounds and rounds of financing and subsidy wars over the years, Book and Go merged with other e-hailing apps and finally dominated the market, upying 90% of the online travel market. But because it''s dominating the market, there are hidden dangers in many aspects, yet they''ve chosen to turn a blind eye. A few months ago, the murder of two young girls fully illustrated this danger. Although Book and Go has been ordered to make amendments, there¡¯s no guarantee that the same problem won''t happen again. So, it''ll bring more capital if T Corporation enters this market now. We''ll get a lot of support from the higher-ups because they''re more than happy to see some friendlypetition. I aim to provide better service to customers and create a safer,fortable, and convenient environment for e-hailing. So I''m acquiring Easy!" i Another senior member with thest name Leighton, who sided with Jenson Zook, immediately objected. "I think it''s best to reconsider. After all, the upfront costs of promoting a new app and subsidizing it are extremely expensive. It might even be a bottomless pit. We don''t know whether Easy will make a profit or a loss yet, so we don''t rmend taking risks. Mr. Crawford, we''re senior members of the board and are entitled to vote against it. I strongly disagree!" Luke''s long fingers rapped on the conference table. His words were sharp and unsparing as he said, "Mr. Zook, Mr. Leighton, I only kept you around because you helped my grandfather establish this company. But all these years, you''ve only shown that you have rigid ideas, stubbornly stick to conventional ways, and can''t keep up with the times. I won''t talk about how you''re not making any profits for thepany but do you think I don''t know how the two of you have been abusing your power for your own gains? If it weren''t for my grandfather''s sake and your previous aplishments, I would¡¯ve gotten you to pack up and leave! I¡¯m not keeping you around to question my decisions, so you''d better figure out your positions in thepany. Either stay and listen to me or get the f*ck out of here!" Luke''s excessively handsome face was frostily cold. What he said even made the two who counted on their seniority in thepany livid. Everyone else was also rmed by the domineering CEO. There was dead silence in the conference room. Luke nced around at the elites, and his cold eyesnded on Jason. "Mr. Doyle, you''re in charge of Easy''s acquisition. Submit the detailed acquisition proposal to me tomorrow." "Yes, Mr. Crawford," answered Jason. "Dismissed!" Luke got up from his seat, his tall and straight figure quickly disappearing from the conference room. One by one, the others rose from their seats as well and walked out of the conference room. Only Mr. Zook and Mr. Leighton sat sullenly in their seats, their murky eyes shining with devious anger. Be it their age or seniority, they were considered the senior members of thepany. Being publicly humiliated by a young man like Luke was too much for them to swallow. ''Hmph. Luke had better make sure nothing happens to him! ''Otherwise, just look how we''ll drag him down from his position of honor once we get our hands on something that can be used against him!'' At night, in the mansion. Bianca gave Julie''s hair to Luke. She was a little worried and said," Although I''ve gotten Julie''s hair, I can''t get Mr. Norman''s and Mrs. Norman''s hair. They¡¯re having the family reunion banquet this Saturday..." Luke looked at Bianca''s anxious expression and pinched her cheek. "Don''t worry about that. We can get the hairs from the Norman couple tomorrow and send them to Johann for testing. He does DNA tests very quickly, so we''ll get the results in a few hours. There are still two days before Saturday. There''s no rush." Bianca remained unconvinced. "How can you be so sure that you''ll have Mr. Norman¡¯s and Mrs. Norman''s hair tomorrow? What if we fail?" "Have you never heard of the phrase ''Money makes the mare go''?" Amused by her silly expression, Luke kissed her on the lips. The woman in his arms was soft and sweet. Luke only felt rxed holding her. The fatigue of dealing with the old foxes in thepany was instantly wiped out. Bianca was relieved. Her furrowed eyebrows gradually rxed after so many days. She would find out about the test results tomorrow. She hoped they would not disappoint her... Chapter 606 Chapter 606 Remember What I Said Today! On the other hand, in the Norman family. At about 11 p.m., Mr. Norman and his wife had already gone to bed. Their biological clock was always on time. In a luxurious pink princess room, Leia was soaking her feet in a milk bath with flower petals like a proud princess. She beckoned to Julie and ordered her like she was a servant, "Come here and wash my feet!" Julie came up to her with an indifferent face and crouched down. Leia smirked proudly, thinking she was going to serve her. She stretched out her foot to her. Unexpectedly, Julie picked up the basin and threw it on Leia''s body. "Wash your feet? Who do you think you are?" Leia was suddenly sshed with her own foot bath. The petals and milk made her a mess. She was instantly furious. She grabbed Julie''s hair hard, screaming, "How dare you ssh my foot bath on me?" Leia was too aggressive. Although Julie dodged back a little, Leia still managed to grab her hair and her scalp instantly burned with pain. Leia looked down at Julie in a high and mighty manner. It was as if she was looking at a pile of rubbish. "Do you really think that you''ve be an heiress after joining the Norman family? Remember who you are. You''re just an unpaid maid who washes my feet and brings me water!" It hurt when Leia pulled on Julie''s hair, and she started fighting back. Leia, who had led a pampered and spoiled life in the Norman family for so many years, was no match for Julie¡¯s strength. She reached out and grabbed Leia''s armpits, pinching the most tender area hard. "How dare you fight back?" Leia let out a scream of pain and let go of Julie''s hair. Julie took the opportunity to save her hair from being grabbed and kicked Leia in the stomach. "I may not be the Norman family''s real heiress, but you, the adopted daughter, are also a fake. We''re the same kind of people! Where do you get that sense of superiority? Who do you think you are? You look obedient, but aren''t you just a skank?" Leia''s stomach hurt from the kick, and her eyes widened. She could not believe that Julie, who had been so humble to her just two days before, had changed so much! If looks could kill, she would have devoured Julie already. "How dare you hit me? Julie, aren''t you afraid that I''ll expose you and show Mom and Dad your true colors? Aren''t you afraid you''ll never have such a luxurious life again? Or would you prefer to go back to your poor family?" Julie sneered and squatted down in front of Leia. She deliberately stepped on the back of her hand. "Leia, don''t use that to threaten me. I''ve had enough of your threats these days! You faked my identity. Even if I''m exposed, I can get away from all this by saying I don''t know anything about it. What can Mom and Dad do to the innocent me? After all, I¡¯m a victim too! I don''t know why you faked my identity, but I don''t believe a selfish woman like you did it to make Mom and Dad happy. You must have some hidden agenda. It''ll be interesting when Mom and Dad find out the truth you''ve been hiding from them..." Despite breaking out in a cold sweat, Leia still threatened defiantly, "Julie, what are you talking about? I told you, as long as you do what I tell you to do, I promise you''ll have a nice time in the Norman family. Since you don''t want to stay in the Norman family, fine. I''ll go tell Mom and Dad the truth!" Leia thought Julie was vain and easy to control, but unexpectedly, she had met a venomous snake. She even took her home to domesticate her, but now, the venomous snake was going to bite her back! How she regretted her decision back then! Leia got up from the floor and pretended to go to Jack and Queenie''s room to snitch on her. However, Julie stood idly in her way. "What''s the matter? You want to expose me to Mom and Dad? It''s the family reunion banquet in two days, and they''ve sent out the invitations. Do you think Mom and Dad will believe you if you bring this up now? Also, my baby sister, though I''m a fake, my character has been consistent. You, on the other hand, act alldy-like in front of Mom and Dad and pretend to look innocent on screen. But at night, you go to nightclubs, hang out with men, and sit on theirps while laughing so happily. How Janus-faced you are! Oh, I think the man was involved in drugs. I never thought my dear sister would hang out with a drug dealer. If Mom and Dad knew, tsk..." "Non- Nonsense! Don''t you dare nder me!" Leia stared at Julie in disbelief. She had no idea how she knew she had hung out with Wayne. She had been so careful. Julie sneered, folded her arms, and looked down at her scornfully. "The best way to hide a misdeed is not tomit it. Leia, don''t think you can humiliate and order me around just because you have something on me and you''re a big star. Think about the rights you have before enving others! We''d better mind our own affairs in the Norman family. If you dare treat me like this again, I don''t mind fighting to the death with you! I just don''t know if Mom and Dad will still pamper you like before if they find out about your true colors..." Leia wanted to kill Julie! However, she had no choice but to swallow her anger in the end. "As long as you don''t offend me, we''re still good sisters. But if you overstep my boundaries, don''t me me for having no mercy!" Julie shook withughter. "What are you talking about, Leia? I wouldn''t have been angry with you if you hadn''t disrespected me today. Us getting along is more important than anything else. I think Mom and Dad will be happy too, won''t they? It''ste. You should rest early. I have to work tomorrow. Remember what I said today, or..." After uttering the half-threat, Julie pulled the door open and left. Looking at Julie''s leaving figure, there was an indescribable chill in Leia''s eyes. She did note back to her senses for a long time. Friday. Luke indeed got his hands on Mr. Norman''s and his wife''s hair. He gave them to Johann immediately. Bianca waited anxiously for the results, and she was even a little distracted when she was working. Three hourster, Johann called her. The test results were out! Julie''s DNA simrity with Jack''s and Queenie''s was 0.01%. They were not rted at all. Bianca had mixed feelings when she hung up. On the one hand, she was delighted that Julie and the Norman couple were not rted, but on the other hand, she was a little scared. She could not help looking at Julie in the seat next to her. It was lunch break right now, and the talkative Julie wasughing with her colleagues. She told them interesting things about her hometown and made othersugh from time to time. She also did not forget to enthusiastically remind everyone again that they must attend her family reunion banquet tomorrow...Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Chapter 607 Chapter 607 He Won''t Let Her Off Easily This Time! The sunset was picturesque. In a cafe near T Corporation, the elegant tune from a piano sounded soft and smooth. It did not interrupt the customers'' whispered conversations. Bianca was quite familiar with the cafe as she had been here more than once. Both the environment and the service here were top-notch, perfect for talking business. She had negotiated with a few clients here before for coboration. However, this time... Bianca stirred the steaming cup of coffee in front of her with a spoon but did not feel like drinking it. After a moment''s hesitation, she spoke her mind anyway, "Julie, I invited you out here to ask you something." Julie, who was opposite Bianca, had light makeup on. She was excited for the family reunion banquet tomorrow and did not notice Bianca''s unusual behavior. She looked at her watch somewhat impatiently, saying, "Bianca, you can just go ahead and say it. My mom asked me to go home early after work. She said she¡¯d take me to the store to pick out a gown." Bianca turned pale and tried hard to keep her voice steady. "Julie, are you sure you''re Mr. Norman and his wife''s daughter? Has it urred to you that there might be... a mistake?" Julie was suddenly taken aback and looked up at Bianca. As if the little secret in her heart had been seen through, her face seemed a little pale. However, she maintained the shocked look on her face and said with a feigned nonchnt smile, "How could it be a mistake? My parents asked the most famous detective agency in A City to investigate the matter, and I matched the results. Even if the investigation results are wrong, you believe in the technology these days, don''t you? Even the DNA test proves that I''m Mr. Norman and Mrs. Norman''s biological daughter. How can that be false?" Bianca really wanted to say that someone might have tampered with the DNA test. However, when she saw Julie''s expectant look, she swallowed what she wanted to say next. After thinking about it, Bianca racked her brains to continue to dissuade her. "Julie, there¡¯s no absolute certainty about anything. Maybe something went wrong. The Norman family will probably invite tons of media outlets to the family reunion banquet to tell everyone your identity. If it turns out they''ve really got your identity wrong after that, the Norman family will be aughing stock and you''ll be in an awkward situation too..." Julie, who was blissfully indulging in her fantasies just a moment ago, suddenly came to her senses and grew vignt toward Bianca. Her voice showed her displeasure as she asked, "Bianca, what do you mean? Do you think I''m impersonating the Norman family''s daughter?" Bianca put down the spoon she was stirring the coffee with, saying patiently and kindly, "You misunderstood me. I just-" Julie did not feel like having her coffee either. "Bianca, I warmly wee you to my family reunion banquet tomorrow but don''t make such a misleading remark again. Even my parents have confirmed my identity and acknowledge that I''m their biological daughter. As an outsider, you don''t seem to have any right toment, do you? Besides, it doesn''t seem to have anything to do with you whether I''m the Norman family''s daughter or not. Why are you so agitated?" Bianca lowered her eyes and said nothing. She just stared nkly at the pure ck liquid in the coffee cup with misery. She did not know how to exin it to Julie. Was she going to pull out the DNA test she got and tell Julie that her previous tests were false? Julie would not believe her. She might even suspect her motives. She dared not risk ruining their friendship if she brought up the matter. Seeing that Bianca was no longer talking, Julie also realized that she had been too aggressive. Julie restrained herself a little, and her tone became pitiful again. "Bianca, I''m sorry that I somewhat lost control of my emotions, but you probably know that I''ve been searching for my birth parents for years. During that time, I only knew sadness and pain. Now, I''ve finally met them. No one else will know how much I cherish this. I don''t want anyone to ruin my bliss now. Can you understand how I feel? Alright, that''s all for today''s talk. I gotta go home and try on my gowns. You''d better go home early too." With that, Julie got up from her seat, waved to Bianca, and hurriedly left the cafe. Bianca closed her tired eyes and became more and more depressed when she thought of Julie''s family reunion banquet tomorrow. People were probably all this strange. If she had no idea that Jack and his wife were her biological parents, their family reunion banquet would not stir her emotions at all. However, now that she knew they were her closest family members and they wanted to acknowledge another woman as their daughter, Bianca still felt bitter even though she was not close to them. It felt like someone else was taking over something that belonged to her, and she somehow felt ufortable with it. Bianca returned to the CEO''s office. Luke had already finished his work for the day. Seeing Biancae in with a listless look on her face, he immediately got up and approached her, asking with concern, "What''s the matter? You don¡¯t look so well." Bianca shook her head and sat down in a chair. ¡±1 just talked to Julie and hinted that she''s not the Norman family''s daughter. But I don''t know if she''s ying dumb or if she¡¯s really in the dark. She doesn''t believe me at all..." Luke walked up to her and rubbed her head. "Silly girl, how could you just go straight to Julie? She wouldn''t believe it even if you told her the truth. She¡¯ll only resent you if you screw up her family reunion banquet. I know you''re suffering now, but it doesn''t matter even if the Norman family holds a family reunion banquet tomorrow. The truth wille out one day, and the Norman family will be the one to regret it the most. Of course, if you don''t want the Norman family to hold the family reunion banquet, I can do something to stop it. I don''t really want you to return to the Norman family because you may face a lot of criticism once you be the Norman family''s heiress. The conflict between Leia and I is also Mrs. Norman''s sore point. I''m more worried that she would stop us from being together." Bianca was at a loss. "I don''t know what to do now..." Lukeforted her and said, "It''s alright. I''m with you. Trust me, tomorrow''s family reunion banquet isn¡¯t going to seed." Bianca looked at him in astonishment. "Why?" Luke smiled at her mysteriously. "It''s a secret. You''ll find out tomorrow." Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. In fact, he had secretly investigated the truth of Julie and the Norman couple''s DNA test report that said they were a match. It was Leia ying tricks again this time. An unprecedented chill shed across the man''s bright eyes as he thought of the investigation results. It seemed Leia had not learned her lesson fromst time. He would not let her off so easily this time! Chapter 608 Chapter 608 Tell the Truth Behind the DNA Test Results Meanwhile, in the chief physician''s office at the hospital. Dr. Hoover stared at the documents of the kickbacks he had received because of his status and the evidence of his tampering with the DNA test. He nearly had a heart attack! He never had a good night''s sleep since he took Leia''s money and agreed to fake the test results. He did not expect the matter to be exposed so soon. Dr. Hoover did not know who could have had the power and influence to dig up everything he did. Dejectedly, he looked at the man in gold-rimmed sses in front of him. He seemed to be in his thirties, and he seemed intelligent and capable." Who are you? What do you want?" Jason nced at Dr. Hoover and said coldly. "My identity isn''t important. What''s important is that you expose Leia Norman''s conspiracy at the family reunion banquet tomorrow. Let everyone know that Leia tampered with Julie''s DNA test results." Dr. Hoover shuddered when he remembered Leia''s threat. "Mr. Doyle, don''t you know how cunning that woman is? She framed me and said that she would use me of viting her if I don''t agree with her request. She even recorded a video, and she won''t hesitate to expose it if I do what you tell me to. My career will be finished if that happens..." Jason waved his hand and cut off Dr. Hoover''s words. "You don''t have to worry about Leia Norman. I''ll help you settle that. I guarantee that nothing will happen to you if you do exactly as I say, and you''ll still be the chief physician of the hospital. On the other hand, if you don''t listen to what I say, I don''t think I have to tell you what will happen to you if I submit these documents to the authorities, right? By the way, I can let you know that Mr. Crawford is behind this investigation. The real birth daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Norman is Mr. Crawford''s wife. Of course, it''ll be a long story if I go into the details. Now that I''ve laid out two options for you, you should think carefully before you make a decision." Then, Jason shot a profound nce at Dr. Hoover before leaving the room. He knew that Dr. Hoover was a shrewd man for being able to reach the position of the chief physician. The doctor would know what to do. After Jason left, Dr. Hoover slumped on his chair and did not move for a long time. Both parties had dirt on him, and it would not end well for him either way. If he offended Leia, perhaps Mr. Crawford would be able to help him. However, if he offended Mr. Crawford, there was no chance of redemption! Dr. Hoover gritted his teeth and made up his mind. Sunday. Everyone in the Norman household was happy that the true heir had been found. The atmosphere in the Norman residence was festive and celebratory. The Normans got out of bed before the sun was up. Leia was awoken by the noise outside. Dressed in her pajamas, she drew the curtains and looked down from her window. The living room was bustling with rtives. Everyone was there for the true daughter of the Normans! Leia was thoroughly annoyed! This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. She had never seen so many people in the Norman residence before. Even when her parents adopted her, all she had was dinner with the extended family! Today, her parents had organized a huge party for that impostor. She felt ufortable just thinking about it! However, she could not do anything about it. After all, she was the one who had orchestrated it. In her frustration, Leia wore her slippers and went downstairs in her pajamas. When Queenie noticed that Leia was still in her pajamas, she furrowed her brows. "How can youe downstairs looking like this, Leia? Go back to your room and get changed. Is that how you present yourself in front of your rtives?" Leia bit her lip but did not return to the room. "Mom, I wonder what would other people say when they see someone of Dad''s status hold an extravagant party at a hotel. I think we should just have a simple reunion dinner with the rtives." Queenie did not notice the sorrow in her adoptive daughter''s eyes. She waved at Leia. "Your elder sister has been suffering outside of the household for more than twenty years. This is an important asion, and we''re not going to spare any expense. Go upstairs and nap for a little while more, Leia. When the stylistester, I''ll go and call you two." Leia went upstairs defeatedly. She walked toward Julie''s room, opened the door with a key, went inside, and pulled the nket off her. "You pig! You''re still sleeping at this hour?" Julie had been basking in the joy of reuniting with her family since the night before. She only managed to sleep before dawn, and that was why she was fast asleep. She was shocked awake by Leia''s rough jostling, and she opened her eyes and red at Leia. "Why, have you forgotten what I said before? I told you to leave me alone, Leia, so what''s going on with you? Who gave you the right to unlock my door ande in without my permission?" Leia sat down resentfully on the couch full of plush toys. "Calm down. I''m only here to wake you up." "Get out. I''m going to change," Julie said groggily. She was in a bad mood. Leia remained seated on the couch. "I didn''t expect Mom to love you so much. She got up early in the morning, and it''s been a while since the house is so lively. I wonder how would they feel if they find out one day that their so-called birth daughter is nothing but an impostor. Would they regret it, or would they be sad?" She said sarcastically. "You''re the one who caused it! Aren''t you feeling regretful that you brought me back to the Norman household? Do you envy how Dad and Mom are partial toward me? Don''t you want to see me lose everything I own? Don''t forget that you''re the one who single-handedly caused all this. We''re on the same boat now, and I should warn you that you''d better not do anything stupid. Otherwise..." Leia was about to lose her temper when she heard the caretaker knock on the door. "Ms. Leia and Ms. Julie, please get changed and go downstairs. The stylist is here." Leia clenched her fists and said annoyedly, "Yes, I know. I''ll be downstairs soon." Julie felt smug when she saw how Leia had nowhere to release her anger. After today, she would be the true Ms. Norman of the Norman family. She hoped that the banquet would proceed smoothly. Chapter 609 Chapter 609 Her Face Instantly Contorted! The extravagant red carpet started from the paved path outside the hotel and stretched inside. On both sides of the carpet were reporters from various media outlets as well as paparazzi. Cameras shed non-stop. It was brighter than the sun in the sky. A fleet of luxury cars was parked outside, indicating the elevated statuses of their owners. After all, those invited to the party were luminaries in the political and business circles. It was a great honor to be invited by Provincial Committee Secretary Jack Norman. That was a confirmation of their status, as well as a great opportunity to get closer to him. At about nine o''clock, a ck Bentley slowed down and stopped not far away from the hotel. The car door opened. A tall and well-built man stepped out. He had impable facial features that were unforgettable. Luke Crawford extended a hand toward the woman in the car. An ivory-fair hand gently covered his palm. Then, a pair of slender legs in diamond-encrusted ts came out of the car. The woman was dressed in a loose light yellow gown that covered her bulging stomach. Her fair skin seemed even more fair and tender. Tm a little nervous..." Bianca seemed timid. Luke tightened his arms around her, took in her light fragrance, and gently kissed her earlobe. "Don''t be afraid, I''m here. You only have to take care of yourself at the banquet. Don''t worry, the reunion will not happen." Bianca was trembling lightly. Her tense face rxed a little, though there was a hint of helplessness in her eyes. "I don''t know if I''m doing the right thing. Julie had so much hope that she would be the real Ms. Norman. If she knows that her dream is crushed because of me, she''ll definitely hate me, right? She helped me out when I was used of cheating, but now I''m Luke gently raised Bianca''s chin. "You can''t be nice to everyone. Julie has usurped your ce in the Norman family and took your parents away from you. That is a mistake that shouldn''t have happened. Now that we have a chance to correct the mistake, why shouldn''t we? Moreover, there will be a time when the truth is exposed. If Mr. and Mrs. Norman find out by then that their daughter is an impostor, it would be a serious blow to them. Would you want to see that happen?" "I..." Bianca stared at him and interjected softly, "You don''t have to say any more. I know what I should do." The reporters did not let any detail of the banquet slip past their eyes. The cameras shed, capturing every single movement by the Norman family. Julie was, of course, in the spotlight. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Her straight hair was permed into a big wave, and she wore a silver and diamond tiara and a custom- tailored gown. As she walked, pink petals danced around her feet, as though she was a princess that had emerged from the flowers. It was a splendid sight. Leia was dressed in a jade-green dress with a deep neckline. She looked inexplicably charming. Ever since her pure image was ruined, she took it in stride and went the sexy route. Many reporters were secretlyparing the two daughters of the Normans. They wondered if the pure one or the sexy one was better. Some people also wondered if Leia''s position in the family would change, considering that a birth daughter was better than an adoptive daughter. "Julie, you might be approached by the media when the banquet starts. You just have to make an appearance and say something. Leave the rest to your parents. Don''t worry," Queenie said as she lovingly patted Julie''s head. Julie held the hem of her dress and smiled sweetly. "Yes, Mom. Thank you." Queenie patted Julie''s head again and turned to speak to Leia. "You have more public appearances than your Elder Sister, Leia. Won''t you guide her?" Leia held Julie''s elbow and pretended to be close to Julie. "Don''t worry, Mom. Nothing will go wrong if I''m next to her." Queenie nodded and reminded the daughters of a few more things before going off to attend to other matters. She trusted Leiapletely. The other female socialites crowded around Julie. They used to tter Leia. However, they were currently fawning over Julie without knowing her true identity. Leia felt ignored. Julie had never received that much attention. She felt a little lost. However, she felt happy that many young women from wealthy families were trying to curry favor with her. It felt so good to be superior to others. Leia red at those people coldly, mocking their idiocy! Charmaine, who always had a good rtionship with Leia, remained by Leia''s side, unlike the other socialites. Leia hated Charmaine ever since she betrayed her to Luke. However, Leia thought that Charmain would be useful in the future, so she pretended to forgive her and invited her to the banquet. Charmaine nced at Julie''s face and smirked. "I''m sorry for what I did to you before, Leia, but I had no other choice. You should know how cruel that Luke can be, but I can promise you that it won''t happen again... Don''t worry, I''ll be your most loyal follower even if Julie is back. She can''t possibly break our friendship apart." Leia chuckled sarcastically, though she instantly resumed herposure." It''s all water under the bridge by now. Just don''t disappoint me from now on." "I swear that I won''t..." When Charmaine was about to make her promise, there was amotion from outside! Leia turned her head to see. Her face contorted the moment she saw Luke and Bianca! All the cameras were pointing at the couple. Luke was outstanding as usual; every single movement exuded elegance and nobility. Meanwhile, Bianca was beautiful and delicate. They stole the attention of everyone in the venue... Chapter 610 Chapter 610 Exposed In Public! She Is An Impostor! Leia thought that she would be in the spotlight today. She knew that Bianca would be in attendance together with Luke. Knowing that Bianca usually dressed simply, she thought that she would dress seductively. She did not expect that Bianca stole the spotlight from her anyway. Bianca deserved to stand next to Luke. That already proved that she was better than Leia. Everyone¡¯s attention was focused on Bianca. Bianca wore only light makeup, and her clothes were not the most beautiful in the event. However, she was as brilliant as a star. Her sweet smile, gentle demeanor, and magnanimous bearing caused everyone''s eyes to be glued to her. Even Julie, who was supposed to be the main character of the event, could notpare. Leia might be smiling, but she could not hide the hatred in her eyes. If not for that b*tch Bianca, she would have already been a couple with Luke! Perhaps she would have even been Mrs. Crawford by now! How did things turn out differently? Meanwhile, Julie was momentarily caught in a daze when she saw Luke and Bianca walk hand in hand. She envied Bianca. Both of them had unremarkable backgrounds, but while Julie had only stepped into the upper circles of society, Bianca was already married to a wealthy man. Between the two, Bianca was the winner. Everyone was envious of Julie''s parents, but only Julie knew that she was only an impostor. Deep red velvet curtains gave the hotel a festive atmosphere. A gigantic tall -necked vase held countless white roses in it. The guests meandered around the hall, while an ensemble yed elegant music. It was time for the banquet to begin. The hall was decorated extravagantly. Even the tablecloths were selected meticulously. That showed how important the Normans'' birth daughter was to Jack and Queenie. Bianca held Luke''s hand tightly. Her palms were sweating. Luke had promised her that the reunion would not happen. They were only moments away from the start, but Luke remained seated calmly. That made her feel uneasy. Luke could sense that Bianca was nervous. He smiled at her but did not exin anything. "Esteemed guests, I am honored that all of you can make it to the Normans '' reunion banquet. We have lost our birth daughter for over twenty years, and I am overjoyed to announce that we have found her!¡± Mr. Norman, who was usually stern, could not control his excitement. Thunderous apuse echoed in the hall. Behind him, Queenie could not help but wipe her eyes. Her other hand was holding Julie''s hand tightly, as though Julie would disappear if she let go. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Julie hugged Queenie tofort her. "Don''t be sad, Mom. I''ll stay by your side and never leave," she said adorably. Bianca felt dizzy as she looked at the happy and loving family on the stage. Leia turned her head away, not willing to participate in that sham. Suddenly, from the corner of her eye, she noticed someone who was not supposed to be there -- Dr. Hoover! rm bells went off. She could tell that something was amiss. She had warned Dr. Hoover not to attend the reunion banquet, but that old geezer went back on his promise! After that, Mr. Norman gave a routine speech. Then, he held Julie''s hand and announced her identity to everyone, "Esteemed guests, she is our birth daughter that has been separated from us for many years..." The apuse in the hall became louder. Julie shared an intimate hug with Mr. Norman. She was about to call him " Dad" when the silver-haired chief physician trudged toward the stage. "Wait, Mr. Norman!" He shouted while panting. "Julie Anderson isn''t your real daughter! She is an impostor!" Everyone in the hall eximed in surprise when they heard that! All their eyes fell on Dr. Hoover! Julie''s hands turned cold. When she saw Dr. Hoover, her face went pale as though she had seen a ghost! Mr. Norman went tense. "What do you mean, Dr. Hoover? You¡¯re the one who conducted the DNA test, but you''re saying now that she¡¯s an impostor. How do I know that you''re not lying?" He rebuked sternly. Mr. Norman was a veteran politician. His imposing demeanor sent chills down Dr. Hoover''s spine. He stole a nce at Leia and saw the hostility in her eyes... Then, he sneaked a peek at Luke. The man had a vague smile on his face, which made the doctor shiver. He knew that thetter was someone he could not afford to cross, and so he made up his mind. Agonizingly, he started to exin to Mr. Norman, "I admit that I have falsified the DNA test. Julie has no blood rtions with you or Mrs. Norman. The simrities in your DNA are less than 0.01%. The report that you received earlier is a fake one. This is the real one..." He lifted the document with shaking hands. Jack''s secretary took it and handed it to his superior. Jack''s expression darkened after he read the report. Queenie snatched the report from his hands and gazed weakly on the results. At that moment, tears fell uncontrobly from her eyes. She shook her head, not willing to believe it. "No, no, this report must be fake. The report earlier is the true one... How could Julie not be my daughter? You''re one of the most respected doctors, Dr. Hoover. That''s why Jack and I trusted you with the test. Why did you deceive us?" Queenie was in agony from the repeated blows over the years. She thought that she would be reunited with her birth daughter, but she did not expect things to turn out this way. She could not ept the fact that Julie was not her birth daughter. "It''s not that I want to deceive you, Mrs. Norman. This is a serious matter that affects my reputation and my career. Why would I want to ruin myself, unless I was being forced to?" Dr. Hoover pointed at Leia hatefully. "It''s all because of that woman. After your family left, she sneaked back to my office and tried to bribe me with money to falsify the results. I didn''t agree to it at first, but that shameless woman tore away her clothes and said that she would use me of harassment if I don''t do what she says. She even threatened me with a recorded video. I admit that I was weak, and I eded to her request to protect my reputation and career. I was so wrong!" Dr. Hoover¡¯s stunning confession sent shockwaves all around! Suspicious and usatory gazes shot toward Leia like arrows! Leia felt her head spin! Her eyes were bloodshot. All she wanted to do was to kill that old geezer! Chapter 611 Chapter 611 Everyone¡¯s Gazes Fell On Leia! Leia thought that the old geezer would yield and listen to what she said! She did not expect that the doctor would not be cowed by her threat and expose the truth in public! The guests were agitated when they heard that shocking revtion! Everyone from the Norman family did not look pleased, especially Old Mr. Norman, whose hands were trembling with anger. Leia, that wretch! Old Mr. Norman was not fond of the young woman the moment he set his eyes upon her. He could tell that she was not as innocent as she looked. However, he reluctantly epted her presence in the Norman household because her son and daughter-inw liked her. He certainly did not expect that his adoptive granddaughter would cause so much trouble for the family! On the stage, Leia''s delicate hands were clenched into fists. A chill coursed down from her head, down the spine, and to the soles of her feet. She turned to look at her adoptive parents and tried to exin to them. Even her eyshes were trembling. "No, it''s not like that. Dad, Mom, that man is ndering me! Can you believe Dr. Hoover''s one-sided story? The first time I met him was when we went to the hospital for Julie''s DNA test, and I had never seen him since. Why would I threaten him to falsify the results? I''ve been in the household for almost twenty years, Mom. You should know better than anyone else about my personality. Do I look like someone who would ckmail others?" Leia looked at Queenie with pleading eyes. Queenie thought of what her daughter was usually like. To her, Leia had always been innocent and kind. She was a daughter who had never let her mother worry about her. Compared to other children, Leia was sensible and empathic. Did she look like someone who would ckmail others? Queenie was an intelligent woman. She might be less sensible when it came to her daughter, but she was not entirely without reason. She hesitated when she thought of Dr. Hoover''s usation against her daughter and the presence of a conflicting report. After all, Dr. Hoover must be a shrewd man to achieve his current position in his career. He would not throw away his reputation so easily by making a baseless usation in public. Between Leia and Dr. Hoover, one of them must be lying. "Don''t you trust me, Mom?" Leia sobbed. Her heart broke when she saw her mother hesitate. Meanwhile, the guests and reporters were scrutinizing Julie. She felt as though all her clothes had been stripped off, and she was standing naked in front of everyone, every inch of her body bared for everyone''s criticism. Worst of all, if her identity was exposed now, she would not have another chance to enter the upper circles of society. She lifted her dress, ran frantically in front of Queenie, grabbed her elbow, and asked her, "Are you really not my birth mother, Mom? Dr. Hoover isn''t telling the truth, right? I''ve been searching for my birth parents for so many years, and I thought I''m so lucky to have finally found you and Dad. We must be mother and daughter, isn''t it?¡± Below the stage, Bianca watched as Leia continued to twist the truth to absolve herself, Julie being flustered and nervous, and Jack standing there red-faced. She could not understand how she felt. When she saw Queenie''s face that was wracked with despair, she thought that the entire episode was a ridiculous farce. She even had the urge to leave the scene so that she did not have to see Mr. and Mrs. Norman''s disappointed expressions. She did not want to see them sad. Luke understood that Bianca was feeling down. He held her hand in his palm and whispered into her ear, "The Normans will have to eventually deal with this. If it doesn''t happen today, it will happen another day. The longer they wait, the more troublesome it''ll be." Luke did not continue to speak. He knew that Bianca understood what he was talking about, it was just that she was hindered by emotional barriers. Jack managed toe to his senses soon. "Do you know what you''re talking about, Dr. Hoover? One of these two DNA test reports is fake. You should know the consequences of falsifying medical reports, Dr. Hoover! I hope that you can tell me the truth! You said that my daughter ckmailed you. Do you have any proof of that?" "Mr. Norman, I... I..." Dr. Hoover subconsciously took a step backward. If he had evidence, a naive young woman like Leia would not have posed any threat to him. His pleading gaze fell on Luke. That man''s subordinate said that he would help him settle any troubles. Was he going back on his words? 1 Dr. Hoover shuddered when he saw Luke''s icy gaze. What if the man did not want to help him? He began to regret exposing Leia at the event. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Seeing that Dr. Hoover could not produce any evidence, Leia regained some confidence. She red at Dr. Hoover with a venomous gaze and said angrily, "Dr. Hoover, I think that you must be senile for using me of ckmailing you when you don''t have any evidence! I bear no grudge against you, so why are you ndering me? An hical person like you doesn''t deserve to be a doctor, let alone the chief physician of a hospital. I''ll see you in court soon!" Right after Leia finished speaking, the giant screen in the middle of the hall lit up. A blurry video came into view. Leia did not have much screen time in the video, and her face was barely shown. What could be seen was her fair skin. However, her voice was clearly heard. She was threatening Dr. Hoover."... I''ll ruin your reputation right now. Do you believe me? Hmm, I wonder what would happen if I start to scream for help now... Now that I''ve given you two options, it''s up to you to pick one. Do you want to take the money and do what I want, or do you want your reputation to be ruined? A smart man like you should know what to choose Most of the video was focused on Dr. Hoover. The viewers could clearly see his emotional fluctuations that changed from confusion to anger, to shock, and eventually to helplessness and eptance. They could tell that he was conflicted. It was clear to see who between Leia and Dr. Hoover was lying. The guests eximed in surprise. They looked at Leia with suspicion and disbelief. They did not expect that the pure and gentle Ms. Norman would actually be a despicable individual in private! Chapter 612 Chapter 612 The Biggest Mockery For a moment, Leia was baffled. She had kept the sh drive containing the video locked in her safe. How did that old geezer obtain the evidence? Leia tried to think of the reason. Suddenly, she remembered that had made a copy of the video and stored it on herputer. However, the file was heavily encrypted. Did someone manage to obtain the file from herputer? While Leia was lost in thought, she heard the discussions going on in the hall... "I didn''t expect that the adoptive daughter of the Norman family would have a duplicitous character. Oh my god, the doctor is old enough to be her grandfather! How shameless!" "That''s right. I thought I wanted to introduce my second son to her. Fortunately, I didn''t act on an impulse. Otherwise, my son would be in trouble. One would be extremely unlucky to have a daughter-inw like her "Mr. and Mrs. Norman are righteous people. How would they have such a shameless daughter?" Leia wanted to shut everyone up! She looked at her adoptive parents. They, too, looked disappointed. Her face instantly turned deathly pale, as though it would shatter at the slightest touch. Leia spotted Bianca among the crowd in the hall. That woman''s appearance and demeanor looked so simr to Leia''s adoptive mother. Bianca was also smiling gently. To Leia, that was a mocking smile. She felt that she would be ovee by hatred and jealousy! Leia knew that it was not the time to bother with Bianca. She was already at a dead-end, and there was no other way to extricate herself except for denial. She was not going to admit that the woman in the video was herself. After arriving at that thought, she pointed angrily at the video and said sadly to Mr. and Mrs. Norman, "Dad, Mom, you can only see a small part of that woman in the video. How are you sure that she is me? The woman''s voice sounds like mine, but it''s so easy to imitate someone else''s voice with modern technology! This is a trap. Dr. Hoover wants to ruin me. He must''ve taken money from someone to ruin my reputation! Tell me, Dr. Hoover, why must you do this to me?" Dr. Hooverughed out of anger. "We¡¯ve never interacted with each other before, Ms. Norman. Why would I want to set you up for anything? What benefit will I get out of it? Moreover, if I were really setting you up, why would I put my reputation and career at stake?" Leia had no retort to that. "I... Who knows what you''re thinking? You might make up a fake video to ckmail the Norman family..." she replied weakly. Dr. Hoover''s old voice was confident. "Mr. Norman, Mrs. Norman, let''s say that I''ve found a double and faked her voice. I don''t think I know what her body is like if I''ve never met her before, right? In the video, the woman has a mole three inches below her right breast. Mrs. Norman, after raising your daughter for so many years, you should know very well whether the woman in the video is your daughter!" Queenie''s gaze was transfixed on Leia. At Leia''sing-of-age party, Queenie had put on Leia''s gown for her. She noticed that Leia had a mole below her breast, exactly like the woman in the video. If the video was faked, she did not believe that the woman would not only have a simr body and voice, but also a mole at the same ce. That would be too ridiculous. The only usible conclusion was that Leia had indeed threatened Dr. Hoover to falsify the DNA test results. Queenie did not understand why Leia would do that. Leia panicked when she saw her mother open her mouth. She did not want to hear her mother say anything negative about her. However, she could not think of anything to say. Linda, standing next to her, pinched her elbow and whispered into her ear." Quick, Leia, pretend to pass out..." Linda had been in the entertainment industry for more than ten years. She was quite experienced with dealing with such emergencies. She had hired many entertainment reporters to the event, hoping to improve Leia''s reputation. The sudden turn in events made her weary. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. When Leia heard that, she instantly clutched her chest as though struggling to catch her breath. Her lips trembled as though ovee with shock, and she suddenly passed out. She was an actress, and it was easy for her to fake passing out. One would not notice that she was acting if they did not look closely. Linda caught Leia in time and shouted exaggeratedly, "What''s wrong, Leia? Wake up!" Queenie was flustered when she saw Leia suddenly pass out. After all, she loved her adoptive daughter for many years. "Leia..." Queenie called out to her adoptive daughter while taking the " passed out" Leia from Linda''s arms. "Call the ambnce!" She yelled at Jack. Jack sighed. Then, he got his secretary to call the emergency number. Then, he turned around to address the crowd. "All of you have taken time out of your busy schedules to attend the event, but unfortunately, there are unforeseen circumstances. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience, and I hope that you will forgive us. Please stay back, lunch will be served soon." What was supposed to be a joyous reunion banquet turned out to be a misunderstanding. The episode ended after Leia was sent to the hospital in an ambnce. Bianca saw how concerned Queenie was to Leia. She felt inexplicably dejected. Even as an outsider, Bianca could see that Queenie loved and adored Leia. She was thinking, ''If one day I return to the Norman family and Mrs. Norman finds out that Leia has been trying to harm me, would her attitude toward Leia change?'' Luke took Bianca''s hand and said, "Alright, that''s all for today. Let''s go.¡± They had achieved what they wanted. There was no reason to linger in the hotel. No one paid any attention to Julie, who was sitting in a corner of the stage and crying silently. Half an hour ago, she was surrounded and ttered by socialites. She was still dressed exquisitely, but no one cared about her anymore. The diamond tiara on her head was the biggest mockery of her shattered princess dreams... Chapter 613 Chapter 613 Are You Telling Me That Bianca Is Chris''s Granddaughter? Bianca fell asleep on the journey back home, perhaps because too many things had happened today and that her pregnancy was making her sleepy. Luke drove slowly on the road. After they arrived at Crawford Manor, he picked up Bianca, who was still fast asleep, and carried her into the bedroom. He met Allison on the second-floor corridor. She was furious when she saw how her son was carefully carrying Bianca in his arms. "My son, she''s so heavy when she''s pregnant. Can''t you wake her up and get her to walk upstairs herself? Isn''t carrying her very tiring?" Luke was emotionless. He ignored his mother''s exhortations and went toward the bedroom. After cing Bianca on the bed in afortable position, he covered her with a nket, kissed her forehead, and went downstairs. Allison had nowhere to release her anger. She could see that her son''s face was thinner because of his workload, and so shedled a hearty bowl of chicken soup for him. While handing him the bowl, she continued to dress him down. "You''re always working, and you don''t even take care of yourself. Look at how much weight you''ve lost. What''s so good about that woman anyway? She''s not from a wealthy family, she doesn''t have any academic qualifications, and her looks are unremarkable. Fine, I can tolerate all that, but she can''t even take care of herself. Instead, you have to take care of her. I don''t need a daughter-inw as useless as that." Luke was about to eat a spoonful of soup, but his mother''s words made him lose his appetite. He ced the bowl heavily on the table and said, "Mother, Bianca usually takes care of me. She''s heavily pregnant now, and it''s my responsibility as her husband to take care of her. Moreover, the baby in her womb is your grandson. Can''t you be a little more sympathetic?" Allison red at her son angrily and said abruptly, "I met your Uncle ttst night. He just got back to the country not long ago, and his daughter who has been studying overseas is back too. She''s an outstanding girl, and I think she''s even got a doctorate. She''s not only smart, but she has a good character too. Do you remember her? You even made her cry when you were small..." "How could I forget about her?"'' Luke answered carelessly. Allison found a group photo on her phone and pointed to a girl with a sweet smile. "That''s her. Her name is Miriam tt. She used to be a goodlooking girl, and now she''s prettier than most celebrities." Luke nced at it and looked away. He had seen his fair share of beautiful women, and Miriam was considered average in his eyes. Perhaps one could argue that his heart only belonged to Bianca, and that was why he was not interested in other women. "She''s alright, maybe about the same as Bianca," he replied nonchntly. Allison was furious by those words! Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Tell me, Luke, why did I give birth to an ingrate like you? How can Biancapare to Miriam? If only you''d marry a girl like Miriam, I..." Luke was not interested in his mother''s babbling. He ced the half-eaten bowl of soup on the table and said, "I''m going to look for Grandfather. When I was on the way back, Grandfather asked me to look for him." Allison narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Your grandfather is in the backyard pruning the bushes. Why is he looking for you?" Luke did not answer her. He stood up and walked toward the backyard. Allison looked at her son''s back and sighed heavily. Why did she give birth to a son that made her constantly worry? The backyard had rose bushes of all varieties and colors. The flowers were in full bloom. Old Master Crawford had tended to the nts with great care. His hobby after retirement was gardening. It kept him healthy and cheerful. At the moment, Old Master Crawford was focused on snipping some twigs while the middle-aged gardener helped him. Luke walked in front of Old Master Crawford. He picked up a pair of scissors and helped his grandfather. "Did you look for me, Grandfather?" Old Master Crawford dismissed the gardener. He put his scissors away, took off his gloves, and asked directly, How was the Norman family''s reunion banquet? Did you meet Old Mr. Norman''s granddaughter who has been lost for more than twenty years?" A few days ago, he had been ying chess with Old Mr. Norman. Thetter was happy to announce that he would reunite with his granddaughter at a reunion banquet, and he had given Old Master Crawford an invitation. Old Master Crawford was not fond of crowds, and so he sent Luke on his behalf. Even though he was not there, he was nheless interested because he and Old Mr. Norman were old friends. Luke furrowed his brows. "That granddaughter is an impostor. Dr. Hoover, who had conducted the DNA test, had falsified the results. At the banquet, he exposed to everyone that Leia Norman had ckmailed him to do so." Old Master Crawford''s expression sank when he heard that. "What happened? Why did that Leia girl do that? This is ridiculous. How could she tamper with blood rtions? So where''s Chris''s true granddaughter?" "You don''t have to worry about that, Grandfather. Just take care of yourself, " Luke said calmly. Old Master Crawford sighed. "Sigh, Chris has it hard. He has resigned to the fact that he won''t have any biological grandchildren. After they received the good news, I can see that he''s happier than anyone else even though he doesn''t say it. You were only four years old when his daughter-in-w became pregnant. Back then, I made a promise with Chris that if he gets a granddaughter, the two of you shall be married, so that you''ll be Chris¡¯s grandson-inw, and that girl will be my granddaughter- inw. Unfortunately, so many things happened in such a short time!" When Luke heard his grandfather mention that promise, he abruptly said," Perhaps that promise has alreadye true, Grandfather." "What do you mean?" Old Master Crawford could not understand what his grandson meant. "Didn''t you say that the Norman granddaughter is an impostor? Moreover, you''ve already registered your marriage with Bianca. It''s impossible that you''ll marry someone from the Normans." Luke smiled cryptically but did not say anything. He guessed that Bianca must be awake by now. After exchanging some pleasantries with his grandfather, he put his scissors away and went to the bedroom. Old Master Crawford continued to prune the bushes. Suddenly, he remembered what his grandson said. His weathered eyes sparkled. "What did Luke say just now? ''Perhaps the promise of having the Norman girl to be my granddaughter-iw has alreadye true. Don''t tell me... Bianca is Chris''s true granddaughter?'' Chapter 614 -Degree Change In Attitude! At night. Old Master Crawford was dressed grandly in a bespoke suit, as though he was attending an event. He seemed much more spirited than other days. Bianca thought that the atmosphere at the dining table was different. She noticed that Old Master Crawford would steal nces at her, as thoughparing her with someone else. Sometimes he nodded, but sometimes he sighed. Bianca was confused. She looked curiously at Luke, but Luke smiled and said nothing. He scooped some sd for her and said, "You should eat more." Before she could take a bite, Old Master Crawford put a fish fillet on her te. Bianca looked at Old Master Crawford with surprise. "Thank you, Grandfather..." "Mm," Old Master Crawford replied, "You''re too thin, and you should eat more fish. That''ll be good for you and your baby. I hope that the baby will be as smart as Lanie and Rainie too." He could guess from his grandson''s hint that Bianca might be the long-lost Ms. Norman. That exined the 180-degree change of his attitude toward her! 1 The more he looked at Bianca, the more surprised he became. He realized that his granddaughter-inw looked simr to Queenie, and he wondered why he had not noticed that before. It would be great if Bianca were really Chris Norman''s granddaughter. Their wish could finallye true. The more Old Master Crawford thought about it, the happier he became. He put some shrimp on Bianca''s te and advised her, "Bianca, now that you''re married to Luke, you are now a part of the Crawford family. I hope that you can take up your responsibilities and help Luke. You can ask me if you need any help." Other than Luke, everyone else around the dining table stared at Old Master Crawford with surprise! Allison was utterly shocked as though she had seen a ghost! Ever since those unhappy episodes involving Bianca, she knew very well that Old Master Crawford hated Bianca! Why did his attitude toward Bianca change so abruptly? Allison chewed her food slowly, but she thought that it was tasteless. No one noticed how icy her gaze was when she looked at Bianca''s bulging stomach! Bianca tried to eat all the food that Old Master Crawford had picked for her. She replied, "Thank you for your concern, Grandfather. Luke is my husband, and I know what I should do. I¡¯ll improve myself so that I can be a match for him." Allison chuckled coldly. "What a boast! Do you think you can do that? I''m afraid you won''t be a match for my son even if you spend the rest of your life improving yourself!" Old Master Crawford''s expression sank, and he rebuked Allison sternly." How can you say that, Allison? Bianca is your daughter-inw. Is that how you should treat her? Bianca and Luke have already registered their marriage, and they''re already a legally married couple. You might not like it, but she''s undeniably your daughter-inw. Don''t tell me that you¡¯d want to force them apart!" Allison was unhappy that her father-inw had rebuked her. "So what if they divorce? Isn''t that normal in modern society? My son is the best. It doesn''t matter if he remarries twice, thrice, or more times. Many women will still want him." Old Master Crawford wanted to whack that stupid daughter-inw with his walking stick! He remembered that she was Luke''s mother and decided not to do so. Even so, he waved his walking stick at Allison as he rebuked her, "That''s ridiculous! Any other mother would wish for her son to have a harmonious family. I haven''t seen a mother hope that their son would divorce! Don''t let me hear that again. Luke, now that you''ve married her, you''ll have to be responsible for her. The Crawford family should not have any divorce scandals!" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Allison dared not say a word after that. She stabbed the steak on her te, releasing her anger on it as though it were Bianca. Susan seemed unconcerned, but she wasughing up her sleeve. Old Master Crawford had recognized Bianca to be part of the Crawford family, and only Allison, that idiot, remained stubborn. However, she was happy to see the conflict between Allison and her daughter-inw. The worse their rtionship, the better it was for Susan. Luke elegantly wiped his hands with a napkin, gently held Bianca''s hand, and made a solemn promise to his grandfather. "Don''t you worry, Grandfather. Bianca is my wife, and she is the only woman I will love. I will not disappoint her." Old Master Crawford wasforted. "Mm. I''ll leave thepany to you two." Susan turned to look at Old Master Crawford, feeling ufortable and disheartened. The news that Leia Norman ckmailed Dr. Hoover to falsify the DNA test results had sent shockwaves all over A City. Mr. Norman had juste out of a meeting. He was walking together with his subordinates, discussing the agenda from the meeting earlier. He nned to go with them to one of the developing rural areas for a focused survey. There, he would visit the farms, themunity healthcare centers, the small- scale factories, and other ces. He had just parted ways with his subordinates when his secretary rushed over and whispered something in his ear. Mr. Norman''s expression changed drastically. He turned around and walked back into his office in big strides. He sat down on his leather swivel chair and made an internal call to his secretary, saying that he wanted some peace and quiet for himself. He took off his coat and tie. Then, he impatiently lit a cigarette. Standing in front of the window, he red at the bustling city below him. He remembered the negative press his adoptive daughter had received, and his expression sank. He was extremely tired. It was the first time in his life that he did not want to clean up his adoptive daughter''s mess. When Leia woke up at the hospital that day, she had hugged her mother and wailed loudly. "Mom, I can''t bear to see you miss your birth daughter and fall sick again. That''s why I did that so that you don''t have to worry anymore. I didn''t expect things would turn out this way. I know that I''m wrong. Won''t you and Dad forgive me? I promise that I won''t make the same mistake again. I know I''m wrong..." Leia crying was Queenie''s soft spot. She chose to forgive her daughter. However, Mr. Norman was more sensible than that, and he would not let his emotions cloud his judgment. Leia''s tears and excuses did not convince him. Instead, he became more disappointed by his adoptive daughter. He could not say that he was a saint, but at least he knew what was the right thing to do. His wife was also gentle and kind. Their daughter should not turn out like that. He did not expect too much from his daughter, but she should at least be kind and honest instead of scheming and lying. However, where could his birth daughter be? Chapter 615 Chapter 615 She Had To Find Her Birth Daughter No Matter What Norman residence. Leia had been having nightmares for the past few days. She dreamed that her misdeed had been exposed and her adoptive parents abandoned her! She also dreamed that Bianca returned to the Norman household and gloated over her like a victor, while she was reduced to a shivering and hungry orphan, being bullied on the streets! Leia''s mental condition had not been stable since the reunion banquet. Queenie dared not ask too many questions. She stayed at home to apany her daughter, though she did not stop sighing. e morning, Leia woke up from her nightmares once again. She was drenched in sweat. The homely andfortable room was eerily silent and deserted. Like a lunatic, she dashed out of the room barefoot. The caretaker in the living was shocked when she saw Leia rushing out with her long hair scattered all over her face. "What happened, Ms. Norman?" Leia looked around but did not see her mother. She grabbed the caretaker''s cor in panic. "Where''s Mom? I want to see Mom!" Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She could tell that her adoptive father was bing distant after her multiple scandals. Only her adoptive mother could protect her. "Madam is preparing lunch in the kitchen...¡¯ The caretaker was visibly shaken. ''Til go and get Madam now." Queenie heard the conversation. She came out from the kitchen still wearing an apron and carrying two tes in her hand. "You''re awake, Leia. It''s almost noon, ande here and eat your lunch. I''ve made your favorite spaghetti and meatballs..." Leia quickly stepped forward and took the tes from Queenie''s hands." We have caretakers at home to cook lunch for us, Mom. You don''t have to go into the kitchen yourself." Queenie was relieved when she saw that Leia''splexion looked better." I saw that you hadn''t eaten much for the past few days, and that''s why I thought of cooking for you. I feel so sorry for you that you''re so thin now." Leia helped her mother sit down at the dining table and said dejectedly," Will you be able to forgive me for what I''ve done, Mom? I didn''t mean to do it. I saw that you hadn''t been eating or sleeping well because you were looking for Elder Sister, and I''m afraid that you might be depressed or fall sick. That''s why I asked Dr. Hoover to falsify the test results. I really didn''t mean to do it..." "I understand that you care for me, Leia, but you don''t have to resort to such underhanded means. I really want to reunite with your elder sister, but I''d rather not see you demean yourself like that. I''ve told you since you''re small that women should learn how to love and respect themselves. You need to have your own moral principles, and you shouldn''t use your body to ckmail a man. What you''ve done has disappointed us greatly!" Queenie felt sickened whenever she thought of how Leia had threatened Dr. Hoover to falsify the report. However, she could not help but forgive her daughter when she saw her pleading puppy eyes. Her daughter might have made a mistake, but that was because she was considerate of her mother. It was just that her methods were wrong. Queenie held Leia''s hand and got her to sit down. "Leia, one must not be prideful, but one must also have self-esteem. I hope that you can live an honest life. Do you understand what I mean?" Leia nodded solemnly and lowered her head guiltily. "I understand, Mom. I''m sorry that I acted on impulse... Right, what happened to Julie?" "I paid her a sum of money as compensation and told her to go back to her adoptive parents. She''s innocent, and she only got involved in all this because of us," Queenie said dearly. Leia wasughing up her sleeve. Julie was innocent? What a joke! She did not have too many interactions with Julie, but she knew very well that the girl was nothing but trouble. Luckily, her mother had sent that girl away. Otherwise, her position in the Norman family would be uncertain. Her gaze turned cold when she remembered how that girl used to "bully" her. Now that she left the Norman household, that girl would not be able to act arrogantly. Leia had plenty of time to deal with her! Queenie breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Leia eating her lunch. She did not speak, but the agony in her eyes did not diminish by the slightest bit. She had to schedule another meetup with Allison. No matter what, she had to find her birth daughter. In the mansion garden. The mansion was located halfway up a hill. Because of that, the weather was cool even though the sun was shining brightly. A breeze brought the fragrance of the flowers to all corners of the mansion. Bianca, dressed in loose maternity clothes, was sitting under a wisteria trellis with the two children. In front of each of them was an easel; she was teaching them how to paint. Next to them was a variety of oil paints. Using a paintbrush, she pointed at a gouache painting, then at an oil painting. "My babies, oil paintings are different from gouache paintings. The former has richer colors, and they are preserved more easily. Let me teach you how to mix oil paints..." she exined patiently to the children. Bianca wanted to teach the children oil painting because painting was good for the children''s mental development, and it was also easier to pick up. The advantage of oil painting was that one could easily cover a mistake with anotheryer of color. Moreover, the children could frame their finished paintings and be proud of their work. Rainie was dressed in a turquoise princess dress. She listened attentively to her mother. "Mommy, oil paintings are prettier than gouache paintings. After I learn how to paint, I''ll paint a picture of the entire family. What do you think?" She asked. Bianca scraped her daughter''s nose bridge and smiled gently. "That will be amazing. I can''t wait to see your masterpiece." Meanwhile, Lanie was focused on his drawing, following his mother''s guidance. He drew strokes with his brush while defending his canvas from his sister''s stray strokes. Bianca smiled as she watched her children''s interactions. Suddenly, her phone that was ced next to the easel started ringing. The call was from Sue. She remembered that Sue was going to deliver the babies next month and answered the call. Before she could say anything, she could hear a frantic and shrill voice." Help, Bianca! Help my babies..." She sounded as though she was crying. Chapter 616 Chapter 616 Shut Up! Bianca was shocked when she heard Sue''s call for help. The paintbrush slipped from her hand and fell on the floor. She was too preupied with the call to pick it up. "Where are you now, Sue? What happened? Send me your location!" I''m at Fra..." Sue was panting as though she was in the middle of running. Before she could finish speaking, an arrogant voice could be heard behind her. "Catch her and bring her to the hospital! If you stop struggling now, Sue Carter, you might be able to keep one of those two b*stards! If you remain stubborn, I won''t show any mercy!¡± Bianca thought that the female voice sounded familiar, but she could not remember who it was. She was about to ask Sue what was going on when she heard Sue roaring furiously at that woman, *My babies are not due yet, Bailey Quarrington! I won''t sacrifice the lives of my babies to save your son. Give it up, Bailey. As long as I''m alive, you won''t get toy a finger on my babies!" "Looks like I can''t talk any sense into you, Sue. You''ll have to ept my demands no matter what. The only purpose of your b*stard children is to save my son''s life! Tie her up!" The womanmanded mercilessly. "Nggh! Hngg..." Sue was struggling and sobbing. "Sue!" Bianca wished that she had wings so that she could instantly get to where Sue was. "Listen to me, Bianca," Sue spoke quickly, "I''m at Fragrant Bay Hotel, Bailey wants to abduct..." A loud bang was heard on the other end of the call. "Sue? Sue?" Bianca quickly redialed the number, but no one picked up. Knowing that Sue was in danger, Bianca was extremely nervous. Before the incident in which she almost lost her life, she would ignore everything else and rush to look for Sue. After the incident, she forced herself to be calm. "What happened with Aunt Sue, Mommy?" Lanie and Rainie were still young, but they could tell that something was wrong when they saw Bianca''s nervous expression. "Aunt Sue met with an ident. Lanie, please guide your sister in painting. I''ll call Daddy now." "Okay," the two children continued painting and did not disturb her. Bianca walked to a corner and made a call to Luke. T Corporation. Luke was in the middle of a meeting with the higher management when he received Bianca''s call. "Luke, something happened to Sue! Bailey Quarrington has just abducted her. She wants to extract the bone marrow of Sue''s babies to save her son. Can you find out where they are?" Seeing that it was a matter of life and death, Luke instantly ended the meeting and said calmly, "Stay at home, Bianca. Don''t go anywhere. I''ll take care of it. You can go over after I''ve found Sue." "Mm. Please hurry. Sue is in grave danger now..." "Okay.¡± After Luke hung up, his icy gazended on Jason''s face. Jason was confused. He rubbed his chin and said jokingly, "Why are you looking at me like that, Boss? Is there something on my face? A flower, maybe?" "Mr. Doyle, your ex-wife has just abducted Sue Carter. She wants to extract her babies'' bone marrow to save her son..." Luke said profoundly. "Sh*t! That crazy woman. Excuse me, Boss..." Jason threw away the documents in his hands and ran out of the conference room without looking back. He wanted his son to be saved, but Sue''s babies in her womb were his children too. Giving up on either side was not an option. However, Sue and her babies were innocent. They should not have been involved in the first ce. What hurt him the most was that Sue, that silly woman, would rather call Bianca for help instead of calling him. Perhaps he had really hurt her. Jason could not keep calm when he thought of Sue''s perilous situation, even though he could remain composed when negotiating biIIion-doll ar business deals. He dashed to the parking lot, started the car, and floored the gas pedal. Luke followed behind him. He should not have meddled in Jason''s personal matters, but Sue was an employee of T Corporation, and it was his responsibility to protect everyone under his employ. Moreover, Sue was good friends with Bianca. If he ignored Sue''s plight, Bianca would not forgive him. No matter how he looked at it, he had to get himself involved. At the private hospital. The hospital belonged to the Quarrington family. Bailey ordered a lockdown on one of its floors. Only selected doctors and nurses could be there. There were no outsiders. Sue felt too weak to call for help. She tried to protect her bulging stomach with her hands and red at the doctors with a resentful gaze. "If anyone dares to touch my babies, I''ll fight all of you to the death!" Even though she was restrained, she wanted to protect the babies in her womb with thest shred of her might. One of the older doctors said unemotionally, "We have to follow Ms. Quarrington''s orders, Ms. Carter. I''m sorry. You''re due to deliver the babies, and your babies are already fully grown. They won''t be harmed if you deliver them now." "Bullsh*t!" Sue blurted, "That''s easy for you to say since they''re not your children! Can you stay calm if your wife is a month away from the delivery date, but is forced to give birth? Bailey, that witch, wants to extract my children''s bone marrow. Tell me honestly, can you extract bone marrow from a newborn baby? Even adults cannot withstand the pain of the procedure, so how can you do that to a baby?" The doctor had no response to that. Indeed, it was a risky procedure to extract bone marrow from a newborn baby. Moreover, it was a premature baby. Looking at Sue''s despairing face, he could not bear to lie to her and say that the baby would be fine. Bailey stood with her arms folded at the sidelines, watching as Sue threw her tantrum on the floor. Her disdain toward Sue was at a maximum. "Heh, so that''s the woman Jason is interested in? How uncouth and rude. I wonder why he would ditch me, a woman from a wealthy family, for someone like you. He truly has bad taste." "You''re selfish and wicked, just like that Doyle guy! Why don''t you go pester him but instead harm unrted people? Don''t you know that what you''re doing is illegal?" Sue said mockingly. Bailey was angered. She raised her hand and pped Sue mercilessly! "Shut up, b*tch! I would''ve offed you if not that your b*stard children are still useful to me! How dare you mention thew to me? Don''t you know who the Quarringtons are? Let me tell you, even if I kill you and the two b* stard children in your womb today, nothing will happen to me. Start the operation! There''s no need for anesthesia..." Bailey had pped Sue very hard. Sue''s head was spinning, and there was a trace of blood at the corner of her mouth. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She spat out a mouthful of blood. Several doctors surrounded her and dragged her to the operating theater. "Let go of me! I curse that you''ll die a horrible death, Bailey Quarrington. You won''t get away with this!" Sue saw the doors to the operating theater close behind her. It was the first time she felt such despair and helplessness... Chapter 617 Chapter 617 A Brute Force Approach! Sue was brought to the operating table. Tears of despair slid from the corner of her eyes like a broken dam. At that moment, she hoped that Jason woulde and save her. However, that man must prioritize saving his son, just like Bailey. They wanted the bone marrow of her babies. She actually felt happy when she found out that Jason was the father of her babies. Before she could properly process the emotions, he forced her to make such a cruel decision. How ironic! He was so caring toward her and the babies. She was even beginning to fall for him, thinking that he was the man for her. In the end, she found out that it was all a ridiculous farce. She was once deceived by her ex-boyfriend, and it seemed like she had not learned her lesson. There was no one else to me other than herself. Sue was tied in an embarrassing spread-eagle position on the operating table. Her mouth was sealed with clear packing tape. She found it hard to even sob. "Give her the Pitocin injection!" The doctormanded mercilessly. Sue felt the ice-cold liquid in her blood vessels. She did not know what chemical it was, but it acted very fast. In a short while, Sue felt unbearable pain in her stomach. She roared hoarsely on the operating table. Bailey, who observed the procedure, was getting impatient. "How long would she need to deliver the babies, Doctor?" The chief physician answered quickly while arranging the surgical tools." I''ve used thetest chemicals, Ms. Quarrington. It used to take one to two hours for her cervix to fully dte, but now it''ll take half an hour at most." Bailey grunted unhappily and red coldly at Sue. "Half an hour? That''s too slow. You should have cut open her stomach and retrieved the babies. I guess I''m too merciful." "Mm... mmm..." Sue''s pain caused her eyes to be bloodshot, and her hatred of Bailey caused veins to bulge on her forehead. She wished that she could kill Bailey with her gaze! Bailey towered over her and continued to provoke her. "Why, are you hoping that Jason woulde and save you? Give up on that thought. Do you think that he really wants to be with you? Stop dreaming! He already knows that Shane has leukemia and needs a bone marrow transnt. That''s why he impregnates a woman and ns to use the baby to save our son. Only an idiot like you would believe that he loves you." 1 Bailey''s words were like a poisonous knife that stabbed at each of Sue''s internal organs. The mental torment was one hundred times more agonizing than the physical pain. Traffic on the road was horrible. Jason looked at the endless line of cars in front of him and pounded his fists on the steering wheel. "Sh*t! Sh*t!" He cursed. He had a bad feeling about it. To try his luck, he hastily gave Bailey a phone call. No one answered the call. Jason continued to dial the number until the call was picked up eventually. Before the other side could talk, Jason said angrily, "What do you want, Bailey? Sue is innocent. Come at me if you want to me someone! I''ll find another solution for Shane''s illness. Please let her go!" A low and hoarseugh by a woman came from the other end of the phone. "We''ve been married for so many years, Jason Doyle. Don''t you know my character? The more concern you show her, the faster that b*tch dies! I know that you still love me and still care about Shane. You''re not serious with her. Isn''t it, my dear husband?" Jason was angry and frustrated. "I don''t have time to y your games, Bailey. If you let go of Sue, I''ll do whatever you want..." Bailey raised her voice. "Oh? Is that so? Then tell me that you''ve never loved Sue Carter, that she''s the shameless one who climbed into your bed, and you were only messing with her. Tell me that you''ll eventually return to me. You, me, and Shane will be a happy family. Tell me that the woman you truly love is Bailey Quarrington." Jason wanted to smash his phone. "You''re unreasonable!" Surprisingly, Bailey was not angry. She returned to the operating theater, snapped a few photos of Sue being tied up on the operating table and struggling for her life, then sent it to Jason. Jason''s eyes bulged from anger when he saw the photos. Sue''s gaze was hollow with despair. The mattress under her was stained red with blood. Her face was contorted because of the pain. Seeing that Jason did not say anything, Bailey continued to threaten him," My dear husband, if you don''t do what I say, I''ll cut open Sue''s stomach now and take out the two b*stard children." "Bailey, you..." Jason knew that Bailey was the beloved princess of the Quarrington family. Moreover, the Quarrington family had connections to the criminal underworld. Jason believed that Bailey would actually carry out whatever she said she would do. He knew that Sue''s life would be in danger if he hesitated. With no other choice, he had to go against his true feelings and repeat what Bailey said," I''ve never loved Sue Carter. I was only messing with her. The woman I truly love is Bailey Quarrington, and we''ll be a happy family with Shane..." Bailey ced the phone next to Sue''s ear. Sue heard those words straight from Jason''s mouth. She stared at the ceiling with her teary eyes and suddenlyughed maniacally. ''Jason Doyle, Bailey Quarrington, I curse the two of you that you will never find true love!'' Seeing that the jam was not going to clear anytime soon, Jason could not wait anymore. He got out of his car. He saw a young man starting his electric bike on the non-motor vehiclene. Jason took out a thick stack of banknotes from his wallet and threw it at that young man. "I''ll buy your electric bike!" He shouted while the young man stared at him in surprise. Then, he sped away on the bike, leaving the confused young man behind. Luke remained seated in his car. Seeing how his usually rational assistant abandoned his car, he shook his head, took out his phone, and calmly dialed a number. "Percy, I need to borrow some men." Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The Quarrington family had a lot of power as well as underworld connections. Bailey, the eldest daughter, waswless in her ways. Jason would be at a big disadvantage if he went without any support. There was no other way to deal with that woman other than brute force. Chapter 618 Chapter 618 Get Lost! Jason drove the bike at maximum speed, running all the red lights along the way. In his single-minded dash to the hospital, many cars swerved abruptly to avoid him and nearly ran into other cars. "D*mn it, do you have a death wish?¡± "Don''t trouble others if you want to die, you idiot!" Jason did not hear the angry curses from the other drivers. The only thing in his mind was Sue''s gaze on despair and the puddle of blood between her feet. He could not deny that he once had the idea of extracting the babies'' bone marrow for Shane, but he quickly dismissed the thought when he knew from the doctor that such a procedure posed a high risk to the baby. Sue did not know about that. She thought that Jason would rather sacrifice her babies to save the life of his son with his ex-wife. He knew that she hated him and that the babies in her womb were very important to her. If Bailey really did something to the babies, he was afraid that Sue would never recover from it. When he thought of that, Jason drove even faster. Eventually, he arrived at the entrance of the hospital, drenched in sweat. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. He ran up to the sixth floor. The sixth floor was where the VIP wards were. He knew from his past interactions with his ex-wife that she would put that floor on lockdown. Indeed, when he reached the sixth floor, he saw a sea of bodyguards in ck stationed along the corridor and in front of the elevator. A dark, burly, and tattooed man blocked Jason''s way. "I''m sorry, Mr. Doyle. No one cane in here." Jason saw that the operating theater lights were still on. He was extremely nervous. He shoved the tattooed man away by his arm and dashed toward the operating theater. "I want to meet Bailey Quarrington!" "Ms. Quarrington is busy now. You will get to meet her after the operation." The bodyguard remained standing in his way. He lifted his hand, and two bodyguards nked him. The three bodyguards blocked the entire corridor. "Get lost!" Jason was angered. He was prepared to fight anyone standing in his way. He was an 8th-dan ck belt, and he wanted to defeat his opponents as soon as possible. However, the bodyguards were no pushovers. Eventually, he was outnumbered. Several bodyguards held him down while pinning his arms behind him. His eyes were swollen, and his nose and mouth were bleeding. He seemed very miserable. The operating theater was right in front of him, but he was helpless to do anything. At that moment, he wished that he could blow up that door! He let out an agonized roar! At that moment, the elevator stopped on the sixth floor. A group of men in ck walked out of the elevator in an orderly manner. Their expressions were ice-cold. The Quarrington family bodyguards asked the people who had juste out of the elevator, "Who are you, and what do you want? No one can enter, ahh!" Before he could finish his sentence, he felt a sharp pain in his wrist. It only took less than two seconds. He came to his senses when he saw the pitch-ck barrel of a gun pointed at his temples. Who was the unremarkable man who had subdued him in a sh? He was inhumanly fast! "Boss..." The other Quarrington family bodyguards dared not be rash. Without their leader guiding them, they were at a loss. At that moment, a well-built man stepped out of the elevator. There was a certain casualness and nobility to his actions, but one could see that he was a dangerous individual. The Quarrington family bodyguard naturally recognized the famous Luke Crawford. His facial muscles twitched as he forced a smile to hide his panic. "It''s you, Mr. Crawford. Did youe to Quarrington Hospital to see a doctor? I''ll bring you to the director..." "Mr. Crawford..." The men who came with Luke had already saved Jason from the Quarrington family bodyguards¡¯ hands. He lowered his head guiltily. "She''s already been in the operating theater for a very long time..." Luke nced at Jason''s sorry state, then at the Quarrington family bodyguards. His gaze was so cold that the Quarrington family bodyguards almost turned into ice sculptures. Then, he ordered his men, "Break the door down." As soon as he finished speaking, two men in ck kicked the door down loudly. At the same time, the loud cries of babies could be heard from inside. Jason instantly rushed in. He did not look for Sue''s baby. Instead, his eyes stared nkly at the puddle of blood on the operating table, as well as Sue, who was barely conscious. His eyes were brimming with agony. Bailey was carrying a newborn baby girl in her arms, happy that her son would be saved. She thought that Sue was lucky to have given birth to a pair of baby girls. That way, it was fine even if the extraction procedure killed one of them. While she was immersed in joy, she saw Jason walk over to the operating table and hold Sue''s hand tightly. Bailey froze on the spot! She wished she could stab that immoral couple! "Sue..." Jason''s eyes were filled with pity. He bent over, covering Sue''s restrained body, and tore away the tape on Sue''s mouth. He was heartbroken when he saw her sweat and blood. Sue was drenched in sweat as though they had fished her out of water. Her eyes were filled with hatred as she red at Bailey and the doctor that were carrying her babies. She was on high alert like an agitated beast. "Get lost! Don''t touch me! Why don''t you all go and die? My babies, give me back my babies..." Jason''s heart wrenched even harder. Sue was always beautiful and eye-catching. Now, her face was deathly pale and she was devoid of vitality, as though she had crawled back from hell. Jason caressed Sue''s damp hair and talked to her gently, "Don''t be afraid. I''ll protect our babies. No one will be able to harm them, including me." Bailey saw how caring and indulgent her ex-husband was to Sue. Fires of jealousy red in her heart as though it was doused by gasoline! Chapter 619 Chapter 619 It Must Be Nice To Be Protected By A Powerful Guardian Angel Bailey¡¯s jealousy caused her to be rough on the baby in her arms. The newborn baby struggled to breathe. Eventually, she started bawling loudly again. Sue''s already pale face turned paler when she heard her child cry. Her heart was also wrenching. 1 She began to struggle on the operating table, ignoring the intense pain in her body. "Let go of my baby, Bailey! What do you want to do with her?" She yelled hysterically. "I''m using her for her intended purpose. That is, to extract her bone marrow! " Bailey said indifferently. Then, she began to walk out of the operating theater in her four-inch heels. The baby in her arms was the elder twin. The female baby was healthy and cried very loudly. The other baby seemed weak and small. She was not going tost for long. That saved her the trouble of getting rid of that b*stard child! Sue was overwhelmed by despair when she heard that Bailey was going to extract her baby''s bone marrow! She shook Jason''s arm and begged him while tears fell from her eyes. ¡¯ Please save my child, Jason Doyle. She''s your child too. Can you bear to see such a small baby harmed?" ¡±... I won''t let anyone harm the babies." Jason rushed over and stood in Bailey''s path. There was a hint of subdued anger in his gentlemanly face. "Give me the baby, Bailey. Give me another week, and I''ll find a matching donor for Shane. I''ll promise you that. If I can''t do that, I''ll let you do whatever you want. You can''t touch these babies now." Jason''s gaze fell on the baby in her arms. The baby girl was born not very long ago. Her skin was wrinkly, and Jason could not tell if she looked like either parent. Her eyes were closed, but she was bawling her heart out in Bailey''s arms. Jason''s heart wrenched as he looked at the poor little baby. His sympathetic expression only made Baileyugh even harder. She red at Jason with a venomous gaze. "Why do you care so much about this b*stard child? Our son is suffering immense pain every day, and I''ve never seen you show a fraction of this sympathy toward him... You disappoint me, Jason Doyle!" She said resentfully. "Well talk about Sher. These two children are innocent. I can''t let youy a finger on them today." Jason was done with talking. He reached out to snatch the baby from Bailey¡¯s arms. "In your dreams! I''m determined to extract the bone marrow from this baby today. Shane needs her!" Bailey took several steps back. Two burly bodyguards stood in Jason''s way, blocking him from taking the baby. Bailey strode away victoriously with the baby in her arms. 1 Jason was ovee by anger when he saw that Bailey was about to leave. He was about to fight the bodyguards when Luke appeared with a group of people. Bailey had an ominous feeling the moment she saw Luke. Her path away from the operating theater was blocked by Luke and his men. She could not move forward or backward. Bailey knew very well who Luke Crawford was. The Quarrington family business was no match for T Corporation, and even her grandfather and father dared not cross him. Bailey smiled superficially and walked up to Luke. "Wee to Quarrington Hospital, Mr. Crawford. Do you have any business here?" Luke did not reply. He nced at Sue on the operating table, who seemed like she was dying. "I was wondering why my men took so long to find Ms. Carter. It turns out that she''s in your hospital. I didn''t know that you have this peculiar habit of illegally detaining mypany''s female employees." Bailey was stunned. She had an unpleasant expression on her face, and she struggled to breathe. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She was not sure what Luke wanted, and so she pretended to be oblivious. "I''m not sure what you are talking about, Mr. Crawford. Excuse me, I have some other business to attend to." "You''re an intelligent person, Ms. Quarrington. You should know what I''m talking about." Luke''s gaze was ice-cold. "Sue Carter is an employee of T Corporation, and it is my duty as the CEO to protect every one of my employees. You''ve not only illegally detained her, but you''re also snatching her child because of your personal gain. Perhaps you''re so used to running rampant in your household that you forgot about thew?" Sue, who saw her boss appear like divine intervention, started to cry again when she heard how he was going to protect her. She envied Bianca, who was under the protection of such a responsible and capable man at all times. Luke''s presence was overbearing. Bailey, who was usually calm, started to sweat. She forced an ugly smile on her face. "I think that there''s a misunderstanding here, Mr. Crawford. Perhaps we should..." Luke stretched out his arm toward Bailey and said coldly, "Give me the child." Bailey hugged the baby tightly in her arms. "This child will be used for saving Shane. I can''t give her to you." A man in ck walked up to Bailey and tapped a certain spot on her elbow. Bailey instantly felt a sharp pain, and her arms lost all strength. Before the baby could slip from her arms and fall on the floor, the man in ck caught the baby and held her firmly in his arms. Then, he respectfully handed the baby to Luke. The baby girl, who had been crying nonstop, gradually stopped crying in Luke''s arms. Her little pink mouth sucked on her thumb. Soon, she fell asleep. Bailey''s face was purple with anger when Luke snatched her baby just like that! However, she was rational enough to assess the situation. As she stared at Luke''s devil-like face, she remembered that her father had told her how merciless the man could be and how her family business had suffered when they crossed T Corporation. A sudden chill seized her from head to toe and permeated every cell of her body. Finally, Bailey reluctantly waved at her underlings and walked away on her high heels. "Let''s go!" Bianca arrived at the hospital shortly after Bailey left. Tears welled in her eyes when she saw Sue haggardly lying on the operating table while a baby girl slept peacefully next to her. However, she still had her doubts. Sue was pregnant with twins, so why was there only one baby by her side? Chapter 620 Chapter 620 You¡¯re Here Too, Mr. Doyle... Sue was on the hospital bed receiving an intravenous transfusion. She was shaking and struggling to breathe as she looked at the newborn daughter next to her and thought of the perilous episode earlier. She gently caressed the elder twin who was fast asleep. Her lips were pale as she spoke to Bianca, "This is the elder twin. The younger twin isn''t as fully developed as the elder because of the induced labor, and the doctors are still trying to save her life..." Sue''s heart wrenched when she thought of her younger daughter, as though an invisible thread wrapped around her neck. Tears fell from her eyes again. Bianca hurriedly took out a napkin and wiped Sue''s tears. "Your baby will be fine, Sue. You shouldn''t cry after you just delivered a baby... It''s when your eyes are the weakest. What happens if you ruin your eyes? Don''t think that I''m exaggerating. When I was working part-time in a hospital while studying overseas, I''ve seen such cases with my own eyes. There was a pregnant woman who was suffering from depression, and she eventually became blind after crying every day... You can''t be like that. You have two cute babies under your care.¡¯ 1 Sue seemed to have understood something. Bianca was right. She could not afford to wallow in despair. Otherwise, who would take care of the babies? When Nina heard from Bianca that Sue was in the hospital, she hurriedly rushed over with a fruit basket. She saw Jason standing still in the corridor like a statue. He had a cigarette in his hand. His expression told Nina that he was gued by countless worries. "You''re here too, Mr. Doyle..." Nina greeted Jason, then pointed at the door in front of him. "Is Sue in here?" "Mm," Jason was visibly pained as his gaze fell on the door. Nina was curious when she saw Jason hesitating outside, as though he wanted to go in but dared not. "Why are you outside the ward, Mr. Doyle? Why don''t you go inside?" She asked. "I.... Never mind. I want to smoke, but I can''t do that in the ward. You should go in and check on Sue. She''s not in a very good condition," Jason stammered. When Sue regained consciousness earlier, she had yelled at Jason and told him to get out of the ward. Sue was so weak, and their other baby was still at risk. He could not bear to leave the mother and children behind. That was why he stood there, patrolling between Sue''s ward and the operating theater. However, he dared not go in and meet Sue''s usatory gaze. Looking at Jason walk hurriedly toward the operating theater, Nina shrugged and went into the room. Nina breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Sue was safe. She ced the fruit basket on the table and went up next to the bed. "Are you OK, Sue? Bianca said that you had an ident, and I came over right away from my house because I was so worried. What happened? Why did you suddenly deliver the babies? Aren''t you a month away from the expected delivery date?" Bianca did not exin too much over the phone, and that was why Nina was so confused when she saw Sue. Bianca exined the incident to Nina in detail. Nina was furious after hearing the story. "That Bailey woman is too much! Does she even care about thew? Does she think that she can bully Sue just because shees from a wealthy and influential family? If I were here earlier, I¡¯d p that woman a few times!" Sue smiled gently when she saw that Nina was angry because of what happened to her. "I''m fine, Nina. What happened today caught me offguard, and I''ll take extra care of my babies in the future. Bailey Quarrington won¡¯t get toy a finger on them again." Bianca considered Sue''s situation and suggested, "I don''t think Bailey has given up yet. If she can''t get her hands on the bone marrow now, she''ll definitely find another opportunity to abduct the babies... How about this, I''ll ask Luke to find two reliable bodyguards for you, though it might be troublesome that your freedom might be restricted..." Sue stared at Bianca. Her eyes were filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Bianca. It''s no problem at all. Sorry to trouble you and the boss." Now that she had experienced how influential the Quarrington family could be, she knew that it was too easy for Bailey to take her babies away. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Without someone to closely guard her and her babies, she might not be that lucky next time." Bailey was obsessed with saving her child. Sue had to ept Bianca''s suggestion for the safety of her children. "Wah... wah..." The baby suddenly woke up from her sleep, and her cries broke the silence of the ward. Nina leaned closer curiously. She had never seen such a small baby before. She was surprised as she gently poked the baby''s cheek with her finger." Your daughter''s skin is so fair, just like you. Who do you think she looks like, the mother or the father?" Bianca stopped Nina from poking the baby. Then, she lifted the baby in her arms and started to coax her. "Don''t cry, my dear baby. Your Mommy is very weak now. Don''t let your Mommy be sad..." She gently patted the baby''s back. Sue saw that her daughter stopped crying, but the baby''s mouth opened and closed. "What''s wrong with the baby, Bianca?" She asked worriedly. "She''s probably hungry. You should breastfeed her, Sue, but the first feeding will hurt quite a bit..." She handed the baby to Sue, opened Sue''s shirt, and instructed her to breastfeed. The baby¡¯s mouth instinctively clung to Sue''s nipple and started sucking... The spacious hospital room instantly fell silent. Chapter 621 Chapter 621 I Heard That the Reunion Banquet Was A Failure? The first feeding was indeed very painful. Sue felt as though her chest was being stabbed by a needle. She was sweating buckets because of the pain, but she had to bear with it so that her baby could receive her nourishment. The painsted for about half an hour before breast milk started flowing. Sue was not relieved yet. Her younger baby was still in the operating theater. What would happen to her? In the evening, news came that the younger baby was safe. When the doctor ced the baby in Sue''s hands, she was about to cry. The younger sister was much smaller and weaker than the healthy elder sister. Bianca breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the baby was safe. Otherwise, Sue might not be able to handle the news. She patted the back of Sue''s hand andforted her, "Sue, the younger sister is weaker, and you''ll have to feed her more. The most important thing for you now is to take care of yourself. Don''t overwork yourself. If that happens, you won''t be able to take care of the children." Nina was worried that Sue might overthink, and she alsoforted her." Yes, Sue. I promised that I''ll be the godmother to the two babies, and I''ll take care of them together with you. They''ll be plump and healthy in no time." Sue gradually unfurrowed her brows when she heard her friends'' reassurances. Her heart melted when she saw her two cute babies, but at the same time, she never felt as determined. No matter what, she would raise the two babies! No harm woulde to them! A silver sports car sped on the road. The bright moonlight shone mysteriously on its chassis. It was silent in the car. Luke was sitting in the driver''s seat. asionally, his gaze would fall on Bianca sitting next to him. Her face was slightly pale and her gaze was not as animated as before. Perhaps she had stayed in the hospital for too long. Bianca did not speak ever since she stepped into the car. Luke knew that she was tired. He did not disturb her. He drove fast so that he could reach the mansion as soon as possible, and Bianca could rest in her bedroom. The sports car drove up the hill in the luxury residential area. The dim streetmp shone on Bianca''s face, and she came to her senses." Are we home yet?" Luke cast his gentle gaze on her groggy eyes. He smiled gently and brushed the stray strands of hair from her forehead. "What were you thinking earlier? You only came to your senses when we''re almost home." Bianca stared at Luke. A long whileter, she asked, "Sue is in a perilous situation now. Bailey won''t give up without getting her babies'' bone marrow, and she isn''t afraid of using her family''s influence to get what she wants. I''m afraid that she might harm Sue and her babies. Can you send two bodyguards to protect them?" Luke looked at Bianca gently. "You don''t have to worry. Even if I don''t send anyone to protect her, Jason would do the same." When Luke mentioned Jason, Bianca was angry that Jason did not stop Bailey. "Can Sue rely on Jason? He and his people could not stop his maniacal ex-wife. Moreover, would Jason have an agenda of his own? He had considered extracting the bone marrow from Sue''s babies to save her son. I guess you can''t rely on men after all..." Bianca''s tone sounded resentful. Luke gently pinched her cheek and said seriously, "Your husband isn''t like that. Even if you can''t rely on every other man in the world, I''m the only exception." Bianca wanted tough, but she could notugh when she thought of Sue''s situation. Luke leaned over and kissed her smooth cheek. "Don''t overthink it. We should give appropriate help to Jason and Sue, but we shouldn''t meddle too much. Jason is a mature man, and he''s always rational and sensible while negotiating business deals. I believe that he can properly deal with matters in his personal life too." The man''s reassurance gave Bianca some confidence. She rested her head on Luke''s shoulder and hugged his muscr arm. "I hope so," She said while sighing gently. "Sue doesn''t have any rtives, and the two babies mean the world to her. She''ll lose the will to live if she loses the two babies. You might think that she has a carefree and easygoing personality, but she''s very sensitive. It''s just that she has to put up a strong front because of the circumstances in her life..." Luke hugged Bianca and said nothing. He loved her caring and sympathetic personality dearly. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. He sighed, stared at her delicate face, and rubbed it tofort her. Then, he started the car again and continued driving toward the mansion. The car window was open, and the night breeze caressed Bianca''s long hair. Several stray strands tickled Luke''s face. They carried a faint fragrance. He indulged in that sensation. His rtionship with Bianca was filled with obstacles, but they had it better than Jason and Sue. He considered himself lucky to have met her while they were young and they could maintain their rtionship after so long. The next day, in the Norman residence study room. The brown-red sandalwood table emanated a light fragrance, which gave the spacious room a unique maturity. It was easy to see that the room belonged to an old man who loved books. An exquisite tea set was ced on the coffee table. A faint wisp of vapor drifted from the spout of the expensive teapot. The entire study was filled with the fragrance of tea. Next to the coffee table, Old Master Crawford and Old Mr. Norman were sitting opposite each other, ying chess while chatting. After capturing a pawn, Old Master Crawford smiled and asked, "I''ve heard about the episode at the reunion banquet a few days ago, Chris. What happened? Why was there an impostor?" Old Mr. Norman seemed agitated when the reunion banquet was mentioned. His anger caused him to tremble. Chapter 622 Chapter 622 Queenie Went To Look For Allison Old Mr. Norman was not in the mood to y chess anymore. "Don''t mention that shameful episode. That ruined our reputation! I thought I could actually be reunited with my granddaughter, but it was all a prank! It''s all thanks to Jack and Queenie''s adoptive daughter. Sigh!" Old Mr. Norman had given up hope on a granddaughter because of his son and daughter-inw''s health. He did not expect that his son would bring him good news, saying that they found their birth daughter that had been lost for more than twenty years. He did not believe it at first. However, information from the private detective agency showed that his granddaughter was still alive somewhere in this world. When that Julie Anderson girl was first brought back to the Norman residence, Old Mr. Norman and his wife were happy and thankful. They were happy that they found a biological heir, and they were thankful that they could be reunited with their granddaughter while they were still alive. It turned out to be an borate plot orchestrated by Leia. Old Mr. Norman knew that Leia was a scheming woman, but he chose to ignore it considering that she had not pulled anything serious over the years she was in the Norman household. He did not expect that she would ckmail Dr. Hoover to tamper with the DNA test results. The video and audio recording of Leia''s threat was broadcasted at the banquet hall, and now almost everyone in A City knew about Leia''s scandal! That had utterly ruined the reputation of the Norman family! Old Master Crawford saw that his long-time friend was so agitated that he was about to have a heart attack and decided not to tease him anymore. 1 He refilled Old Mr. Norman''s teacup and began tofort him, "We''re already so old, Chris, and we ought to forgive and forget whenever we can. Let the younger generation handle their own problems. Here, have some tea." "You can say that because it didn''t happen to you. If it were your grandson, I''d guess that you would''ve broken his legs.¡± Old Mr. Norman red at his friend, then gulped down the tea. He felt better after the calming tea slid down his throat. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Suddenly, Old Master Crawford remembered his objective of visiting the Norman residence. After talking to his grandson, he could vaguely guess that the true Ms. Norman was Bianca. He wanted to tell his good friend about the news, but after thinking through it, he decided that he should investigate it first. Otherwise, it would be extremely awkward and troublesome. If his guess were wrong, Old Mr. Norman would have celebrated for nothing. He coughed gently and spoke slowly to Old Mr. Norman. "Now that you know that your granddaughter is still alive, then there''s no rush. You''ll eventually find her. She is probably still in the city, and who knows that you might have already met her..." Old Mr. Norman sighed and said listlessly, "Sure. You don''t have tofort me. My health is failing, and I''m already one foot in the grave. I''d go to church every day if that would help me find my granddaughter." Old Master Crawford smiled. "There''s no rush. You''ll eventually find your granddaughter, and the promise that we made in our younger days wille true." Old Mr. Norman did not seem to notice the implication in Old Master Crawford''s words. Heughed dryly and shook his head. "Never mind, it''s best not to think of it. Have you seen the design of my new house? I like it a lot." He took out a stack of paper from a drawer and spread it out in front of Old Master Crawford. "The construction will begin some time next month. I''m satisfied with every aspect of the design. Right, the designer is very talented. Her name is Bianca Rayne, the girl who''s in a rtionship with your grandson Luke now. You must have met her more than once, right?" Old Master Crawford was impressed by the designs. "Yes, I''ve met her many times. Bianca is indeed an outstanding girl, and the design is indeed good. I''ve heard that you''ve dismissed more than fifty famous designers before settling on this one. What makes you satisfied with Bianca''s design? Old Mr. Norman tapped the design with a fountain pen, grinned widely, and gestured a thumbs up. "That''s because not only the design fulfills all my requirements, but Bianca also went a step further and included certain aspects that other people dared not include in their designs. I''m happy that she''s at the forefront of architectural design..." Old Master Crawford did not expect that his friend held Bianca in high regard. He was quite excited about it. After that, the two old men started discussing the talented Bianca... Allison reclined on a facial bed in the VIP room of the beauty salon. The manager was attending to her personally. The manager was massaging Allison while ttering her, "Your skin is as tender as a teenager, Mdm. Crawford. Look at how bouncy it is. You''re several years older than me, but if we stand side by side, other people might think that I''m your older sister." Allison was in cloud nine when she heard that. She grinned and said, "Not only you''re a real charmer, but no other beautician in the salon can give a massage as well as you. It''s no wonder you''re the manager." The manager smiled humbly and took the opportunity to peddle some products. "Mdm. Crawford, we''ve imported a skin rejuvenation machine from France not too long ago. It''s great for smoothing wrinkles and whitening your skin, not to mention that it''s veryfortable. I''ll bring it for you to try." "Mm, let''s try it," Allison said hurriedly. She would not hesitate to try anything that would help her retain her beauty. "Alright. Please wait for a moment, Mdm. Crawford, I''ll be back soon." The manager left the room happily. Allison closed her eyes to rest. Soon, she heard a pair of high heels walking in. Thinking that the manager had returned, she did not open her eyes. A pair of warm and tender hands covered her face and started to massage her face stiffly. Allison felt that something was amiss. She suddenly opened her eyes and saw Queenie smiling superficially at her! Chapter 623 Chapter 623 Looks Like I¡¯ll Have To Force You To Talk The atmosphere in the room became stifling due to Queenie''s sudden arrival. "... Why is it you?" Allison wanted to get up from the bed. However, Queenie pinned herdown by the shoulders. Queenie smiled ambiguously as she looked at Allison''s well-maintained face. "I''m not going to waste my time with you today, Allison. I only want to ask you something that happened more than twenty years ago. We¡¯ve been friends for a very long time, and you should know what I want to ask. I hope that you can give me an honest answer today." Allison nced at Queenie. "We haven''t been friends since a long time ago, and I don''t think we have any shared memories worth remembering." Queenie red profoundly at Allison. "Of course, I want to know where you hid my daughter when I gave birth to her so many years ago." Allison''s heart skipped a beat. She tried to calm herself down and said, "I think you''ve lost your mind, Queenie. I''ve told you that Dr. Lane disposed of your baby back then. How would I know what happened to the baby? Oh, wait... didn''t I tell you that she threw your baby into the dumpster? I thought I told you that before. Also, this is your final warning not to harass me again. Otherwise, I''ll call the police. I don''t think it''ll look good on you if other people find out that the wife of the Provincial Committee Secretary harasses aw-abiding citizen." Queenie gritted her teeth as she looked at Allison''s shameless expression. Her gaze was cold and angry. "If this is how you want to do it, then I won''t y nice either. Why should I care about our past friendship if you don''t? My poor birth daughter is innocent, but you killed her right after she was born. I was blind to treat a wicked woman like you as my best friend! Why did you do that?" Allison tried to keep calm as sheughed loudly. "Heh! Do you think that I actually want to be friends with you? We''ve grown up together, and I don''t think that you''re better than me. In fact, I¡¯m better than you in certain aspects, so why do all the good men go after you while I only get scumbags? That''s right. I''ve always envied you ever since back then. I envy your good luck, and I envy that you get to marry an influential husband. As for me, I can only be a mistress, and my son was branded as an illegitimate child when he was born. Do you think that I can be happy?" Allison''s expression became colder as she looked at Allison''s face that was contorted out of anger. "I''ll give you onest chance, Allison Tanner. All I want is to reunite with my daughter. If you can honestly tell me where my daughter is, I''ll forgive you for everything that you''ve done. Otherwise, I won''t go easy on you! You abducted my daughter and lied to me about her whereabouts. Don''t you know that you''ve committed a serious crime? Do you want everyone in A City to know that the mother of Luke Crawford is a criminal?" i Allisonughed as if she heard a joke. "Oh? I''d like to see what you can do to me! Do you want to tell the police that I''ve abducted your daughter? Please, Queenie, use your business acumen and high intelligence and think about it for a second. Would there still be any evidence of a crimemitted more than twenty years ago? You can bring me to the police, but you''d better have evidence!" Queenie nced at Allison and said ominously, "You said that you''ve broken all ties with Dr. Vyen Lane, but why did I hear from Shakira that you were wrestling with her in front of a store? Stop lying to me, Allison Tanner. I used to be fooled by you, but I won''t believe in your lies now! I''m here to look for you because Jack has already found Dr. Lane''s overseas address. The truth will eventually prevail, andContent is property ? N?velDrama.Org. considering that we used to be good friends, I''d rather not implicate you in the scandal. All I want is to hear the truth from you, and it''s up to you if you want to grab the opportunity." Allison was flustered when she heard that Queenie had found Vyen''s whereabouts. However, she considered the possibility that Allison was only bluffing her... She remained stubborn. "Let me tell you onest time, Queenie Ziegler, I don''t know where your daughter is. You can go and ask Vyen Lane if you wish." Queenie stared into Allison''s guilty eyes. "I''ve heard that T Corporation is in the middle of a coborative urban reconstruction project with Vivi Group, and all their finances are tied up there. Tell me, Allison, if I get Jack to mess around with it, will the project bepleted in time, hmm?" Allison sprang from the bed like a spring. She stared at Queenie''s gentle face in disbelief and said shrilly, "What... what do you want to do? Do you want to use Mr. Norman''s authority to oppress me? That''s not how you usually do things, Queenie. How can you be so underhanded..." Queenie stood up abruptly and towered over her like a noble queen. "How dare you say that I am underhanded? You''ve lost my daughter more than twenty years ago. What else can be more underhanded than that? You won''t talk unless you''re forced to, and it seems that I have been too merciful to you in the past. If that''s the case, you''ll just have to wait and see!" She red at Allison onest time, then turned around elegantly and left. Allison''s jealousy red again as she watched Queenie''s delicate body leave the room. She had an ominous feeling about that threat. However, she soon forgot about it. After all, she had a very capable son who could solve any problem. T Corporation. The urban reconstruction project was being carried out in full swing. It was more than halfway complete. Suddenly, they received some bad news from higher management. Apparently, T Corporation did not receive the necessary approvals and licenses from the Department of Urban nning, and the project was considered illegal. Meanwhile, certain sections of the project that had received approval were said to vite the construction code, such as building extra buildings, using the wrong materials, and that certain projects were mere facades. The authorities issued a stop-work order, and T Corporation was to await punishment. T Corporation had no choice but to pause the project. Chapter 624 Chapter 623 Looks Like I¡¯ll Have To Force You To Talk The atmosphere in the room became stifling due to Queenie''s sudden arrival. "... Why is it you?" Allison wanted to get up from the bed. However, Queenie pinned herdown by the shoulders. Queenie smiled ambiguously as she looked at Allison''s well-maintained face. "I''m not going to waste my time with you today, Allison. I only want to ask you something that happened more than twenty years ago. We¡¯ve been friends for a very long time, and you should know what I want to ask. I hope that you can give me an honest answer today." Allison nced at Queenie. "We haven''t been friends since a long time ago, and I don''t think we have any shared memories worth remembering." Queenie red profoundly at Allison. "Of course, I want to know where you hid my daughter when I gave birth to her so many years ago." Allison''s heart skipped a beat. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She tried to calm herself down and said, "I think you''ve lost your mind, Queenie. I''ve told you that Dr. Lane disposed of your baby back then. How would I know what happened to the baby? Oh, wait... didn''t I tell you that she threw your baby into the dumpster? I thought I told you that before. Also, this is your final warning not to harass me again. Otherwise, I''ll call the police. I don''t think it''ll look good on you if other people find out that the wife of the Provincial Committee Secretary harasses aw-abiding citizen." Queenie gritted her teeth as she looked at Allison''s shameless expression. Her gaze was cold and angry. "If this is how you want to do it, then I won''t y nice either. Why should I care about our past friendship if you don''t? My poor birth daughter is innocent, but you killed her right after she was born. I was blind to treat a wicked woman like you as my best friend! Why did you do that?" Allison tried to keep calm as sheughed loudly. "Heh! Do you think that I actually want to be friends with you? We''ve grown up together, and I don''t think that you''re better than me. In fact, I¡¯m better than you in certain aspects, so why do all the good men go after you while I only get scumbags? That''s right. I''ve always envied you ever since back then. I envy your good luck, and I envy that you get to marry an influential husband. As for me, I can only be a mistress, and my son was branded as an illegitimate child when he was born. Do you think that I can be happy?" Allison''s expression became colder as she looked at Allison''s face that was contorted out of anger. "I''ll give you onest chance, Allison Tanner. All I want is to reunite with my daughter. If you can honestly tell me where my daughter is, I''ll forgive you for everything that you''ve done. Otherwise, I won''t go easy on you! You abducted my daughter and lied to me about her whereabouts. Don''t you know that you''ve committed a serious crime? Do you want everyone in A City to know that the mother of Luke Crawford is a criminal?" i Allisonughed as if she heard a joke. "Oh? I''d like to see what you can do to me! Do you want to tell the police that I''ve abducted your daughter? Please, Queenie, use your business acumen and high intelligence and think about it for a second. Would there still be any evidence of a crimemitted more than twenty years ago? You can bring me to the police, but you''d better have evidence!" Queenie nced at Allison and said ominously, "You said that you''ve broken all ties with Dr. Vyen Lane, but why did I hear from Shakira that you were wrestling with her in front of a store? Stop lying to me, Allison Tanner. I used to be fooled by you, but I won''t believe in your lies now! I''m here to look for you because Jack has already found Dr. Lane''s overseas address. The truth will eventually prevail, and considering that we used to be good friends, I''d rather not implicate you in the scandal. All I want is to hear the truth from you, and it''s up to you if you want to grab the opportunity." Allison was flustered when she heard that Queenie had found Vyen''s whereabouts. However, she considered the possibility that Allison was only bluffing her... She remained stubborn. "Let me tell you onest time, Queenie Ziegler, I don''t know where your daughter is. You can go and ask Vyen Lane if you wish." Queenie stared into Allison''s guilty eyes. "I''ve heard that T Corporation is in the middle of a coborative urban reconstruction project with Vivi Group, and all their finances are tied up there. Tell me, Allison, if I get Jack to mess around with it, will the project bepleted in time, hmm?" Allison sprang from the bed like a spring. She stared at Queenie''s gentle face in disbelief and said shrilly, "What... what do you want to do? Do you want to use Mr. Norman''s authority to oppress me? That''s not how you usually do things, Queenie. How can you be so underhanded..." Queenie stood up abruptly and towered over her like a noble queen. "How dare you say that I am underhanded? You''ve lost my daughter more than twenty years ago. What else can be more underhanded than that? You won''t talk unless you''re forced to, and it seems that I have been too merciful to you in the past. If that''s the case, you''ll just have to wait and see!" She red at Allison onest time, then turned around elegantly and left. Allison''s jealousy red again as she watched Queenie''s delicate body leave the room. She had an ominous feeling about that threat. However, she soon forgot about it. After all, she had a very capable son who could solve any problem. T Corporation. The urban reconstruction project was being carried out in full swing. It was more than halfway complete. Suddenly, they received some bad news from higher management. Apparently, T Corporation did not receive the necessary approvals and licenses from the Department of Urban nning, and the project was considered illegal. Meanwhile, certain sections of the project that had received approval were said to vite the construction code, such as building extra buildings, using the wrong materials, and that certain projects were mere facades. The authorities issued a stop-work order, and T Corporation was to await punishment. T Corporation had no choice but to pause the project. Chapter 625 Chapter 625 Telling Queeniethe Entire Truth In the private room of a restaurant. The guests guzzled bottles upon bottles of alcohol. They had to hide their true feelings and maintain smiles on their faces even though the bitter taste lingered in their mouths. Luke was drinking with Mr. Norman and his men. He had drunk a lot of alcohol. He had a high tolerance for alcohol. Though he managed to decline most of the offers to drink, there were too many people toasting him. Everyone at the table was an influential politician or government official. Luke dared not decline too many of their toasts. He felt a little tipsy, though his mind was still sound. "There''s something that I''d like to ask, Mr. Norman. T Corporation has always obeyed thew, and we only start a project only after we obtain the requisite permits. We have checked every document, permit, and schedule at least three times, and we have not found any problems. I would like to know if thepany has done something wrong to deserve the stop-work order." He poured a ss of alcohol for Jack. '' Please let me know if there''s something I can work on." The handsome man seemed drunk, but his gaze remained stubbornly sharp, as though he was determined to find out the truth. Jack did not drink that ss of alcohol, neither did he answer Luke''s question. Instead, he gazed profoundly at Luke. "Let''s not talk about business today, Luke. How about we chat about our personal lives?" Luke knew very well that Mr. Norman was not one to engage in small talk. Neither was he. For people like them, time was money. However, Luke considered Mr. Norman''s status and agreed to his suggestion. He lifted his ss and clinked it with Mr. Norman''s ss. "Alright, let''s not talk about business today. Bottoms up, Mr. Norman." Half an hourter. Without talking about business, Luke managed to find out the reason why Jack Norman had tried to trip up T Corporation. Mr. and Mrs. Norman had found out that his mother had swapped their baby, and they were using this opportunity to threaten Allison to tell them the truth about the incident. Luke knew that Mr. and Mrs. Norman were honest and considerate people who would not resort to threats. However, they had abandoned their principles just so that they could reunite with their birth daughter. It seemed that they were desperate. However, he hesitated to tell them the truth. Personally, he did not want to see Bianca reunite with the Norman family. On the other hand, he could see that the couple seemed to be obsessed with finding their birth daughter. He could also see that Mr. Norman''s hair was turning white from worry, and he did not know if not telling them the truth was the right thing to do. Now that he knew Mr. Norman¡¯s intentions, it would be a lot easier to deal with it. Allison went to T Corporation for an "investigation." What she found was exactly like what Jason had told her. Thepany was in a financial crisis because of the stop-work order. She became very nervous. She did not want to see her son''spany in financial trouble. All those years of living luxuriously had made her a spendthrift. She did not want to return to a life of poverty. After her investigation, she walked out of T Corporation, clutching her brand new handbag. She was about to make a call to her son when an eye-catching car stopped in front of the building. A bodyguard dressed in ck opened the car door, and Luke stepped out of the car. "Luke!" Allison called out her son''s name agitatedly. Luke frowned imperceptibly when he saw her mother appear at T Corporation. "Why are you here, Mother?" Allison was instantly unhappy. "You are my son. What''s wrong with meing here and visiting you?" She could smell the alcohol in Luke''s breath. Instead of feeling sorry for him, she started to reprimand him. "Why are you drinking during the day? Don''t you know that alcohol is bad for your health? Don''t tell me that you''re not worried at all about yourpany?" Luke nced at his mother impatiently. He did not respond to his mother. Instead, he rubbed his temples and stepped away toward the revolving doorat the entrance. Allison felt hurt when she saw how her son had disrespected her in public." You child..." Luke continued walking away while Allison chased him from behind. "Wait for me, my son." The two people were mother and son, but they were as distant as strangers. Allison continued to ramble as she followed behind Luke. "I''m asking you a question, my son. Why aren''t you answering? Would the stop-work order affect the operations of T Corporation? Mr. Doyle said that thepany can''t even afford to give me ten million dors. Don''t tell me that it''s real? Is the company going bankrupt? Say something..." She was still talking when they arrived at the CEO''s office. Luke could not take it anymore. He got someone to write a check often million dors and stuffed it in his mother''s hands. "Don''t worry about thepany, Mother. I''ll handle it. Here''s ten million dors for you.¡± Allison did not show any joy when she took the check. Instead, she was worried. "Is the financial crisis very serious, my son?" She asked with great difficulty. Luke lowered his gaze and replied not very truthfully, "It is quite serious, and I''m not sure when the company will get out of this rut. I have to work, Mother. You can leave if there''s nothing else." He could not wait for his mother to leave. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. It was the first time that Allison did not want to take the money. "Luke... if it''s that serious, then maybe... you should keep the money?" She said hesitantly. Allison looked at her son hard at work. She noticed that beard stubble was growing on Luke''s chin, and eye bags were forming around his animated eyes. There was a hint of lethargy in his eyes. She felt sad and helpless. All this time, she had asked for many things from her son based on the fact that she gave birth to him. She had never given anything back. She decided that she would tell Queenie the truth. After all, the truth could not possibly be hidden forever. So what if Queenie knew about it? She did not care if the Normans would ept Bianca, but she could not let T Corporation get in trouble because of her! Chapter 626 Chapter 626 It Was None Other Than Queenie! T Corporation. Ever since the failed reunion banquet, Julie had been in low spirits. Usually, she would beughing and chattering. Now, she was quiet and reserved. She did not focus on her work, and she frequently made mistakes. In the afternoon, Bianca corrected several critical figures in her work. After that, she tried asking her, "Julie, you don''t seem to be in your element. How about you take a break for a few days?" Bianca felt sorry for Julie that she did not get to reunite with her birth parents because of her, but she did not regret it. If Julie was not truly Jack and Queenie''s birth daughter, it was better to expose the lie now thanter. Even so, Bianca was surprised to find out that she was Queenie''s birth daughter. To her, the Raynes were her family. That was why she was not too keen on returning to the Norman family even after she knew the truth. Julie was different. She was obsessed with finding her birth parents. Julie shook her head and forced a smile. ''I''m fine, thanks. I can still bear with it, Bianca. I''ll Sorry to trouble you. She also knew that she had been making many mistakes in her work. Fortunately, Bianca double- checked her designs and caught her mistakes. Otherwise, she would definitely be scolded by the department lead. The past few days had been horrible to her. Earlier, she was still immersed in the Cindere-like fantasy of bing a noble princess. However, in the blink of an eye, her dreams were shattered like a bubble. Now, there was nothing to be proud about. She could not afford to lose her job at T Corporation. Bianca sent the correct design drafts back to Julie''s mailbox and told her," Don''t mention it. You''ve also helped me before. Don''t worry, everything will turn out alright. How about we go shopping with Nina tomorrow? There''s an international fashion exhibition at the exhibition center tomorrow. Shall we go and take a look?¡± Seeing Bianca''s concerned gaze, Julie could not decline her invitation." Mm, alright, but..." She nced at Bianca''s bulging stomach and hesitated. "Are you sure you can go shopping with that stomach?" Bianca rubbed her stomach and smiled gently. "It''s fine. Pregnant women need to exercise so that the delivery process will be easier. I''ll just have to take a few more breaks, and you and Nina can walk around." Nina overheard their conversation. She put aside her work on hand and joined in the conversation. "Don''t worry, Julie. There are two of us to take care of Bianca. Also, it''s almost the fall season soon, and we''ll have to refresh our wardrobe. Sigh, it''s such a bother to buy clothing for cold weather. Winter clothing is more expensive than summer clothing. I feel sorry for my shriveled wallet!" It was always interesting to have Nina around. The three women met up the next morning in the shopping mall. When they stepped out of the mall, they were holding several bulging shopping bags each. Meanwhile, Sean became their porter. Looking at how excited the three women were, he could not understand why women loved shopping so much. He also did not understand how a simple pair of pants could be categorized into cropped pants, straight-leg pants, bell-bottomed pants, or hot pants. There were also different types of skirts, such as pleated skirts, dress skirts, denim skirts, and one-step skirts. It was an educational experience for him. To them, they were all the same. However, Sean was not a man of many words. He only had to do his job. He would asionally steal nces at Julie, though thetter was immersed in the ecstasy of shopping and did not look at him at all. Sean was dejected, though he knew the differences between him and the young woman. He might be an ex-special forces soldier, and he was paid well as Bianca''s bodyguard and driver, but he came from an unremarkable family, and he was only a high school graduate. Even though he was enrolled in the military academy, he felt inferior to Julie, who had a bachelor''s degree from a renowned university. Julie was beautiful, modern, trendy, and delicate. She was the typical urban white-cor worker. He knew that he was not a good match for her, but he was enthralled by her. Julie knew that Sean had feelings for her, but she pretended not to notice. 1 She had a very clear impression of what her future husband should be. He had to be either wealthy or influential. She could not be bothered with a poor man like Sean Zander who could only work as a bodyguard. 1 After leaving the shopping mall, Bianca and the rest went to the exhibition hall. The international fashion exhibition was hosted by the A City Trade Development Council, gathering designerbels from many countries. Every item on disy was at the forefront of fashion design, and attendees could buy their desired items at the sales tform avable on-site. All women loved shopping, and Bianca was no exception. She bought many clothing items for the baby and the twins. Nina was surprised when she saw Bianca buy so many things. "Everything you buy is for the children. Aren''t you going to buy some for yourself?" Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Julie also said, "You should buy at least some maternity clothes for yourself, Bianca." If she had a wealthy husband as Bianca did, she would not have hesitated in spending money. "I have enough clothes at home. Moreover, I won''t be able to wear those clothes now because I''m pregnant, and it''ll be a waste to keep them at home. I can buy clothes after I deliver the baby anyway." While they were chatting, they suddenly heard a horrific shriek from the exhibition hall! Bianca turned her head curiously to see. She saw a man with a tiger tattoo on his arm and wearing a baseball cap waving a knife at the crowd while holding a slender middle-aged woman as his hostage. "Don''te any closer. I''ll slit her throat!" He roared at the crowd. What was more surprising was that the woman in the criminal''s hands was Queenie! Chapter 627 Chapter 627 The Bond Between Mother and Daughter Many people rushed over, and Bianca was nearly knocked off her feet. Fortunately, Sean was protecting her. Otherwise, an ident would have easily happened. Sean observed the surroundings while he helped Bianca walk toward a less crowded ce. "You shouldn''t stay here, Madam. Let''s leave now." Bianca''s mind was nk as she saw Queenie being held hostage. She could only see Queenie''s pale face and the bloody line on her neck... Sean, seeing that Bianca was not moving, said sternly, "We have to leave, Madam. It''s too dangerous here. I won''t know how to tell Mr. Crawford if you get in an ident." Bianca could not breathe when she saw the thin line of blood on Queenie''s neck. Her first instinct was to rush forward to danger. She did not want to see anything happen to Queenie, perhaps because they were mother and daughter. Nina stood next to Bianca, protecting her. She could not help but look in the direction in which Bianca was looking." What are you looking at, Bianca?" When Nina saw the criminal holding a knife against Queenie''s neck, she covered her mouth in shock. "Isn''t... isn''t that Mrs. Norman? How did she be a hostage?" Before Bianca could reply, she heard the criminal roar angrily again, "Step back, all of you! I''ll kill her if youe any closer!" Under his threat, the security guards of the exhibition hall could only retreat. After all, the hostage in his hands was a very important person. She was the wife of the Provincial Committee Secretary. They would be in trouble if anything happened to her! Queenie felt raw pain in her neck. She did not know why the criminal was holding a knife against her neck. It all felt like a dream. She was caught by surprise when a knife-wielding man rushed into the crowd. Instinctively, she shoved Leia away, and that was why she became the hostage instead. The knife was pressed firmly on her neck, and she found it hard to breathe. The criminal was very strong, and she could not move an inch. She did not want to think of the consequences if she angered him. Leia, dressed exquisitely, pointed at the criminal with a trembling finger and yelled angrily, "Hey, let go of my Mom! Don''t you know who she is? Let me tell you, she''s the wife of the Provincial Committee Secretary! If you harm her, I¡¯ll make sure that you rot in prison!" "Idiot!" Bianca gritted her teeth and cursed. She was floored by Leia''s idiocy. The criminal was in a violent state, and Leia''s words would only add fuel to the fire. Now that Leia had exposed Mrs. Norman''s identity, that only gave more weight to the criminal''s threat. As expected, the criminalughed brazenly when he heard that. "Hahaha! I don''t care who she is. I''ll kill whoever angers me! I don''t want to be alive anyway! I wasn''t looking for anyone in particr, but I have to say that I''m quite lucky to grab someone influential!" It was only then that Leia realized that she said something that she should not have. She looked at Queenie apologetically. "Mom..." Leia wanted to step forward, but the criminal waved the knife at her and scowled. "Step back! Otherwise, I''ll kill you too!" "Ahh!" The knife was very sharp, and the tip even sliced several strands of Leia''s hair. She held her head and hurriedly retreated while shrieking! Queenie looked at the cowering Leia and felt an inexplicable feeling rising. She could not tell if it was disappointment or something else. Bianca could not bear to watch idly. She whispered something to Sean. Then, despite his objections, she propped her bulging stomach and walked forward to negotiate with the criminal. "Sir, I don''t know what would drive you to such desperate measures, but can I hear your requests?" Bianca had taken psychology sses. She knew that threats and warnings would only make the criminal agitated and angry. The best negotiators might not be the best speakers, but they were the best listeners. The way to find the criminal''s mental "weak point" was to let him talk freely. She spoke with a gentle tone to the criminal so that she would not agitate him. In the meantime, Sean looked for an opportunity to save Queenie. "I want to see Joan Dobbs!" There was a hint of tenderness when the criminal mentioned that woman¡¯s name. Soon after, he gritted his teeth, and his gaze shed with crazed desperation. "I met her in a nightclub, and I fell in love with her despite her job as an escort... I''m willing to give my everything to her. I''ve fought off gangsters for her, I''ve offended people in authority for her, and I''ve even borrowed money from loan sharks for her. That woman conspired with another man and scammed all my money! There isn''t a good woman in this world! I want to ask Joan Dobbs if she has ever loved me. I want to see if she has a shred of conscience!" He was heavily in debt and hounded by loan sharks. He had nothing else to live for, and all he wanted was to die! Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He bought a knife and somehow smuggled it past the security checkpoints. All he wanted at the fashion exhibition was any random woman as his hostage. The "random woman" he held hostage turned out to be the wife of the Provincial Committee Secretary. How lucky! Even if the police shot him on the spot, it was not bad to take down an influential figure with him as well! Bianca tried to calm the criminal down. "Don''t be agitated, Sir. The police are contacting Joan Dobbs now, and they''ll bring her to see you. Is it worth it for you tomit a crime for a woman who betrayed you? Think of your family..." She tried to reason with the criminal patiently. Sean saw that the criminal put his guard down slightly, and he stealthily approached him... Sean struck out abruptly and knocked out the knife from the criminal''s hand! Then, he pinned the criminal''s arms behind him and subdued him! Queenie was saved, though her face was pale because of low blood sugar. The shock had caused her brain to be muddled. Suddenly, her body went limp, and she copsed on the floor... Chapter 628 Chapter 628 Could It Be That Queenie Found Out? The white hospital bed had a strong smell of disinfectant. Queenie was groggy and felt as though she was floating in the clouds. She felt a burning pain in her throat. She had dreamt of fire and ants biting her. In a daze, she wanted to touch her neck with her hand, but as soon as she moved her arm, there was a stabbing pain on the back of her hand. She moaned softly and immediately felt her hand embraced by a soft and warm hand. Queenie opened her eyes in shock and saw Bianca sitting next to her. She was looking at her with concern. "Mrs. Norman, are you okay?" Bianca saw Queenie wake up and breathed a sigh of relief. She then handed her a ss of warm water, saying, "Does your throat hurt? Does it feel very ufortable? Drink some water to wet your throat. The doctor said that your neck injury is mild but you should still rest in bed for a few days. You don''t have to worry too much. I''ll call the doctor toe over to check up on you.¡± After she said that, she rang the bell to alert the doctor. Queenie stared at Bianca for 15 minutes before she remembered what had happened. At the fashion fair, she was kidnapped by a gangster and got her neck injured. It was Bianca who had negotiated with the gangster and cleverly worked with her bodyguard to save her life. "Where''s Leia?" Queenie looked around the ward but did not see Leia. She wanted to sit up from the bed. Bianca thoughtfully put a pillow behind her back for support. As if she knew what Queenie was thinking, Bianca exined the situation," Ms. Norman is on a call. She''ll be back in a while. Mr. Norman went on a business trip and he''s rushing back after he heard about what has happened to you..." "Thank you for today." Queenie felt exhausted, and her voice was hoarse when she tried to speak. Bianca fed her a few sips of water, tucked her in, and said in a soft voice," Mrs. Norman, your neck is hurt and your vocal cords are affected. It''s best that you rest." Bianca noticed that Queenie was hesitating and wanted to ask something. Bianca immediately understood her. She continued, "As for the gangster who hurt you, I heard that he''s a con artist with a criminal record. He was pretending to be a rich young master. He has been taken away by the police and will be tried..." Queenie rxed and wanted to ask Bianca about something else, but just then, the doctor came over to examine her. The doctor was a middle-aged man. He wore old-fashioned square sses and looked polite. Bianca saw him and nodded at him with a smile. "Hello, doctor." The chief doctor nodded to be polite. He did not say much and immediately started checking on Queenie. After the examination, the chief doctor said to Queenie with a gentle tone," Mrs. Norman, your injuries aren¡¯t serious. You can leave the hospital today. Be careful not to let your wounde into contact with water for the next few days. Your blood test revealed a potential issue with anemia. You have to manage your daily nutrition and pay attention to maintaining a healthy lifestyle..." Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. After he said that, he nced at Bianca and said admiringly, "Your daughter cares for you so much. She''s pregnant but is still taking such good care of you. Sure enough, daughters are closer to their mothers!" Bianca sneaked a look at Queenie awkwardly and hurriedly exined," Doctor, uhm, I''m... not Mrs. Norman''s daughter. Her daughter isn¡¯t here." The chief doctor raised his eyebrows in surprise as he said, "Really? The both of you look alike." After he said that, he patiently briefed Queenie through some precautions and then left with the apanying nurse. Queenie was taken aback. More than one person had told her that Bianca reminded them of her. She was suspicious but had never put too much thought into it. Now, she was staring at Bianca so intently that it made Bianca panic. "Mrs. Norman, what are you looking at?" Bianca touched her face and asked awkwardly. Could it be that Queenie had found out? Queenie took her hand and said with a hoarse voice, "Bianca, I don''t know what to say. Although you''re my daughter''s love rival and your presence hinders Leia''s happiness, I can¡¯t hate you. I don¡¯t know if it''s because we look alike? Every time I see you, I always have the illusion of seeing a younger me... If you hadn''t so bravely stood up to confront the gangster today, I don''t know what would have happened to me. If you ever need anything, I''ll do my best to help you. Don''t call me Mrs. Norman, just call me Aunt Queenie." Bianca smiled and said, "Aunt Queenie, you''re wee. I''m more than happy to take care of you..." Just as they were talking, the door of the ward suddenly mmed open. Leia walked in with takeaway boxes in her hand. When she saw that Bianca was holding hands with Queenie, she was shocked. The fury in her heart soared. "Mom!" Leia yelled to Queenie, leaving the takeaway boxes on the side table. She grabbed her mother''s hand from Bianca''s hand rudely and said, "I brought you some food from Ten Miles. The food there is delicious. I waited for more than half an hour just to get you lunch." Queenie was doing an IV drip and the tube was connected to her hand, so it hurt when Leia grabbed it. She was in pain but kept it to herself. Bianca gave Leia a gentle reminder, "Ms. Norman, please be gentle with Aunt Queenie." Leia already held a grudge against Bianca. When she heard her say this, she could not help but sarcastically say, "Ms. Rayne, you and my mom aren''t rted. This has nothing to do with you. I know my mom is in pain. As her daughter, I''m more distressed than anyone else..." Bianca was speechless. 1 She was an outsider, so she was in no position toment on how Leia treated Queenie, but she would feel ufortable if she did not say anything. Queenie scolded Leia, "Leia, Ms. Rayne saved my life. Bianca is my hero, how can you be so rude to her?" Leia was unhappy that Queenie was speaking out against her. She was aggrieved and stared at Bianca. Then, she showed off the meals she had brought and opened them one by one, "Mom, I brought you a lot of delicious food. You can eat it while it''s hot." Bianca looked at the food Leia bought and felt speechless. Steak, pork with pickled vegetables, roasted pork elbow with honey sauce, and seasonal vegetables... These were not suitable for a patient! Chapter 629 Chapter 629 Especially You, Bianca! The smell of meat wafted in the ward after Leia opened the takeaway boxes she brought. The smell was vorful but intense. On a normal day, Queenie would have a good appetite if she smelled such delicious foods, however... Bianca could not help but shake her head. Leia had been so spoiled by Queenie that she did not have the EQ to take care of others. Leia did not notice her mother''s expression. She brought one of the takeaway boxes to Queenie and intended to feed her. Mom, try this. Ten Miles is known for its top chefs. The food I got is all your usual favorites. I¡¯m sure you''ll have a great appetite." Queenie wanted to retch when she smelled the meat. She reached out and pushed the food back to Leia. She did her best to endure the difort she was feeling and said, "Leia, I have no appetite. I believe that Bianca hasn''t eaten yet. You two can eat together." Leia was a little unhappy at Queenie¡¯s reaction and felt annoyed when she heard that her mother wanted her to share the food with Bianca. She would rather feed the food to strays than share it with that woman! Leia put the food away casually. She took a deep breath to calm down, but her tone revealed her anger. "Mom, Ms. Rayne is used to food cooked by five-star chefs. The food I bought may not be something she can appreciate." Queenie nced at her daughter and said apologetically to Bianca, "Sorry, Ms. Rayne. Leia must''ve been frightened today so she isn''t in a good mood, don¡¯t mind her." Her daughter was usually knowledgeable and considerate, but every time she met Bianca, she would be like a firecracker-crackling and hurting herself. Leia hated Bianca for stealing her man! Bianca smiled and shook her head. "It''s okay, Aunt Queenie, I understand Ms. Norman''s mood. Since you''re fine now, then I''ll make a move. Have a good rest." Bianca was pregnant, so it was inconvenient for her to stay in the ward for too long. Queenie said softly, "Okay, let me know when you arrive home.¡± There was sincere concern in her tone. Bianca reminded Queenie of her young self, so she was considerate of her. Bianca smiled and waved to Queenie. "Aunt Queenie, I will. Have a good rest, goodbye." Queenie said, "Yeah." Then, she told Leia who stood awkwardly at the side, "Leia, please send Bianca off." "Okay, Mom." Leia stood up reluctantly and followed Bianca out of the room. Just as they stepped out of the room, Leia revealed her true colors upon noticing there was no one in the corridor. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She looked at Bianca and showed a sarcastic smile. "Bianca, what on earth are you trying to do? Do you think you can get many benefits if you please and confuse my mother? Stop dreaming. My mother hates hypocritical women like you. Consider this a warning. Stay away from my mother, or don''t me me if I retaliate!" Bianca turned her head and looked as Leia''s delicate little face turned hideous from rage. She found it ridiculous. She stared into Leia''s eyes and said in a neutral tone, "Oh, is that so? How is Mrs. Norman going to retaliate against me? Get a cat to scratch me like that time in Blue Honors? Or put some venomous snakes in my room? Or, are you plotting another tragic car ident for me?" Bianca''s words made Leia uneasy. She dodged Bianca''s sharp gaze and stammered, "What are you talking about? I don''t understand where you''re going with this... Stop bullshitting! My mother belongs to me. I''ll never allow anyone to take my mother''s love. Especially you, Bianca!" Bianca stared at Leia with aplicated look. She did not expect that Leia would disy such strong possessiveness over Queenie. When she thought about how Queenie had asked about Leia upon waking up, Bianca felt sour. She was taken back and said, "Leia, no one is trying to take away your mother''s love from you. Please be reminded that only when you treat others with sincerity can you get the same treatment from others. Mrs. Norman treats you with kindness, so do cherish her. One day, when Mrs. Norman''s love for you runs out, you''ll regret it." "I don''t need your pretentious reminder. Of course, I''ll cherish my mother''s love. My mother only has a daughter, everyone else is a clown. Know your ce! You''re annoying me..." Leia said arrogantly and returned to the ward. Bianca looked at her and sighed softly. Leia''s temperament was weird and unpredictable. She had vicious intentions. Bianca was not worried about Leia''s attitude toward her but she was afraid she would hurt Mr. and Mrs. Norman. What should she do? Zander went to the parking lot to pick up the car while Bianca waited for him by the road. When she received Luke''s call, she had been counting the number of cars on the road to ovee her boredom. "Luke?" Bianca pressed the answer button but could not hear his voice. She thought that there was a problem with her phone so she kept shouting at her phone, "Hello? Hello? Luke, can you hear me? Strange, there''s nothing wrong with my phone..." "Where are you now?¡± Luke''s voice was cold and serious. Bianca was wearing a light-colored scarf that Luke had bought her when he was on a business trip in France. Due to the recent weather, Luke had reminded her to wear it when she was out. She was ying with the silk scarf and thought about how Luke was in another city for a meeting with the senior management of Party B. Bianca replied in a casual tone, "I''m at the entrance of the hospital. Mrs. Norman was admitted to the hospital because of an ident. I came to visit her." "Stand still and look to the right." After Luke said that, he hung up. Bianca turned her head curiously and saw a handsome and tall man in a suit and leather shoes standing beside the road to her right. At that moment, Bianca thought that she was hallucinating. She was surprised! Luke was supposed to be in another city for an important meeting. He told herst night that he might be busy until the early hours of the next morning. How could he be here? She kept blinking but realized that he was still standing there. He was crossing the road and walking in her direction. He was only tens of meters away, but Bianca felt that he had been walking for a thousand years. The vehicles and people around them seemed to be frozen in time. Luke was the only person she had eyes for. In her world, he was all that mattered... Chapter 630 Chapter 630 Smack On The Buttocks Bianca walked in Luke¡¯s direction. She was in disbelief as she uttered," Why are you here? Aren''t you busy..." Bianca was amazed at Luke''s ability to appear immediately after she got into an ident. He was like the sh. Although she felt very happy, after thinking about it, she sensed that something was wrong. She should not be a burden to him and his career. Luke went straight to the point and forcibly but carefully hugged her. He then gently pushed her to the side of the hospital road and against a century-old tanustree. His movements were rapid but his arms were carefully guarding her belly. Bianca looked up in astonishment and saw his handsome face. He seemed angry. Her heart skipped a beat and she felt guilty. She looked at him with a guilty conscience. After a while, she became bold and asked, "Luke, what happened to you today? Did something go wrong with your meeting?" Luke grabbed her slender hands and looked into her deep eyes. His voice was low and hoarse as he asked, "I heard that you became a hero today?" "Uh, it''s a long story..." Bianca''s hands were sore from his strong grip, but she did not dare to cry out. She understood that Luke was burning with fury. "At the fair today, a gangster held Mrs. Norman hostage and nicked her neck. It was a dangerous situation so I just negotiated with the gangster. It wasn''t a big deal. I¡¯m alright, I..." Before she finished speaking, she felt a burning sensation on her buttocks. "You..." Bianca¡¯s eyes widened. She did not expect that Luke would spank her in public. Luke reprimanded her, "Do you think you''re Superwoman? Or do you think that you''re omnipotent? You rushed into the middle of such a dangerous situation. What if the gangster had hurt you and our child? Yes, I know you were worried about Mrs. Norman, but you have to put your safety first!" When he received a call from Zander saying that Bianca was confronting a dagger-wielding gangster, his heart had skipped a beat. He decisively and immediately left the important meeting to hurry back to A City. Along the way, he even ran through multiple red lights. When he learned that she was safe and sound, he could finally rx a little. "Mrs. Norman is my biological mother, after all. I can''t bear to see her hurt. I''ll feel guilty if she''s stabbed by a gangster. The situation called for quickacting, but you hit me without even asking..." Luke wanted to continue scolding Bianca, but when he saw her eyes welling with tears, he shook his head helplessly. 1 He caressed her long hair, his tone finally softening. "You only care about others, but what about your own safety? Bianca, no matter what, you have to make sure that you''re safe before you take care of others, okay?" Bianca nodded and said, "I know. I only acted as such because Zander was there. I know he was trained in special forces, so I made a calcted move. If I had been alone, I would''ve thought twice. After all, I have our baby to take care of. But you hit me without a reason..." Sheined in a low voice and was still bothered that he had spanked her just now. Luke tapped her head lightly and frowned. "I spanked you to remind you not to be impulsive the next time you encounter something like this. Be a good girl and I¡¯ll take you to eat something delicious tonight." Sure enough, Bianca, who was still like an angry kitten just a moment before, became happy once she heard that there would be food. "Deal!" Luke smiled faintly. He was very satisfied with Bianca. She was easy to coax. All he had to do was soften his tone or tempt her with food and it always made her chuckle. 1 Crawford Manor. Bianca and Luke returned to Crawford Manor. As soon as they walked in, they heard the sound of someone scolding fiercely. "*sshole! How could you do something like this?! If she hadn''te knocking on our door, I wouldn''t have found out that you did such a stupid thing! Louis, you have to take responsibility!" Old Master Crawford was screaming and shouting with all that he had. Luke frowned, held Bianca''s hand tightly, and stepped into the house. Bianca followed behind him. As soon as she stepped into the living room, she saw Louis kneeling. Old Master Crawford was holding a cane and hitting Louis on his back. Louis just bowed his head and kept silent. Allison Tanner was enjoying a cup of tea, looking like this had nothing to do with her. She was gloating and enjoying the show. On the sofa, Susan Armstrong wasforting a beautiful woman with a big belly. The pregnantdy looked quite young, around her early 20s. She was a gorgeous woman dressed in branded clothes. She gave off a kind vibe. When she saw Luke and Bianca walking in, the woman smiled at them with a calm expression. Susan took the woman''s hand affectionately. She thought about her unborn grandchildren and her future inws'' identity. The more she looked at her, the more she liked her. Her overwhelming joy was obvious. She said to Old Master Crawford happily, "Dad, it is what it is. Give Louis a break. Since Yuri is pregnant, let''s hold a wedding for them. Yuri is wonderful. She''s the noble daughter of the lieutenant governor. It¡¯s our good luck that she¡¯s willing to marry into the Crawford family. We need to be responsible and give them a grand wedding." When he heard that he was about to get married, Louis turned sour. He immediately retorted, "Grandpa, Mom, I won''t marry this unruly woman. I don''t even know if the baby is mine. We should not act hastily." Old Master Crawford held his cane and hit him a few more times. He was outraged and shouted, "I will not allow this scandal! Your brother is like this and you''re the same! You and your brother are ruiningThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. the reputation of the Crawford family! Louis, you bastard, you impregnated someone! Just be honest with this and stop trying to give me a heart attack!" Chapter 631 Chapter 631 Allison Went To Queenie To Tell Her The Truth Seeing that he was about to hit Louis again, Susan yelled out as she loved her son, "Dad!" She stood up and shielded Louis. Susan protected her son with her body. " Dad, Louis is weak and won''t be able to stand it if you keep hitting him. If you''re still angry, hit me instead!" Susan felt the pain Louis felt when Old Master Crawford hit him. She would do anything to protect him. When Old Master Crawford saw his daughter-inw standing in front of Louis, he sighed heavily. He shook his head in disappointment and said," You¡¯ve spoiled thiswless son of yours! Susan, Louis is an adult. You can no longer indulge him like you did when he was a kid. It¡¯ll only harm him!" Susan felt the irony in the situation and reacted with a smile. Allison''s son was involved in a shotgun marriage but Old Master Crawford never said anything. However, as soon as it involved her son, he med him for humiliating the family. It was clear that he was biased and it disgusted her! She decided to stay calm and said in an obedient tone, "I know, Dad. I¡¯ll make sure Louis learns his lesson and I''ll convince him to be responsible for Yuri. After all, Yuri is the daughter of a noble family. We can''t afford to wrong her." After she said that, Susan gave Allison a triumphant look. Then, her gaze stopped on Bianca for a few seconds. Although she did not say anything, her contemptuous intentions were clear as day. Bianca knew about the conflict between Allison and Susan from a long time ago, but she did not put too much thought into it. However, Allison was ufortable with Susan''s stare. She mmed the teacup on the coffee table and said, "What are you shouting for? She''s just the daughter of the lieutenant governor. My son will marry the daughter of the provincialmittee secretary who is many ranks higher than a lieutenant governor. The provincialmittee secretary''s daughter will marry Luke and that''s that. My son is so wonderful..." She fanned herself with her hands while giving Bianca a look. Allison found that Bianca was not as disgusting as before. Of course, this moment also strengthened Allison''s determination to find Queenie to tell her the truth. She would never let Susan win. Susan''s daughter-inw was the daughter of the lieutenant governor, while her daughter-inw was the daughter of the provincialmittee secretary! Susan gritted her teeth thinking about Allison¡¯s arrogant attitude. "Are you still thinking about Mr. Norman''s daughter? It''s a pity that your dream is meant to be a dream. The Norman family is not bothered with you. Besides, the so-called daughter of the Norman family was just an abandoned baby from an orphanage. She has no status in the Norman family. Yuri is better. She was born with a silver spoon. She¡¯s amazing..." Susan thought that the daughter of the provincialmittee secretary Allison was referring to was Leia Norman, so she felt disdain when the name was mentioned. Allison just sneered without exining further. When she told Queenie the truth about Bianca and when Bianca regained her identity as the only daughter of the Norman family, Susan would regret it! Luke could not stand the drama happening in the living room. He pulled Bianca into his arms and said, "Let''s go upstairs." Bianca nced at the living room and hesitated for a moment when she noticed that Old Master Crawford was still angry. "It''s okay, Grandpa is in good health." Luke took Bianca and headed to the second floor without looking back. Even though Bianca was a little worried, she also understood that this was a matter for Susan and Louis. It was not something she should get involved in. As such, she obediently followed Luke upstairs. As soon as they entered the room, Rainie and Lanie rushed over. Rainie was in such a rush that she did not have time to put on her shoes. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She hugged Bianca''s thigh and acted adorably, "Mom, me and Lanie miss you so much!" Old Master Crawford was managing the situation in the living room, so he had ordered the twins to stay in the room. The children had high EQ and understood that it was not time to make a scene. After seeing their Great-grandpa''s scary face, they stayed in the room to do their homework. However, they were yful as any children would be. They wanted to go outside to y, but their Great-grandpa would not allow it. As such, the twins were happy when they saw their mother, 1 Bianca squatted down while supporting her belly. She got down to her daughter¡¯s eye level and smiled while pinching her tender and chubby little face. "Rainie, your cheeks are chubbier than when Ist saw you. It seems like you didn''t miss me that much..." Rainie frowned and tried to prove that she was not lying. She grabbed nche''s hand so that her brother could testify for her. "If you don''t believe me, you can ask Lanie. Lanie, do you think I missed Mom? Maybe hundreds of times in a day? Because of how much I missed you, I couldn''t eat nor sleep well..." nche rolled his eyes at his silly sister. "Yes, you missed Mom a hundred times a day. You missed her so much that you¡¯ve been stuffing your face with food. You''re turning into a pig and no man will like you." "How dare you?!" The little girl pointed at her brother angrily with her tender little fingers. Biancaughed out loud and lightly bumped her nose. "My dear little girl, you have such a hot temper at a young age. Who would dare to marry you when you grow up?" Rainie looked to her side and touched Bianca''s belly happily. She said in a cute voice, "I don''t want to marry anyone, I want to stay with you and Daddy forever! I¡¯ll take care of the baby!" Her words made the whole familyugh, and even Luke had a smile on his face. Bianca rubbed her daughter''s head affectionately and smiled softly. "You''re my little fool." Although she was almost eight months pregnant now, she had never asked about the baby''s sex. She thought it was unnecessary and would be happy whether it was a male or a female. However, she hoped that the baby in her belly was a cute little girl like her daughter. Bianca thought that it would be nice to have two sweet daughters. Norman family. Queenie was suffering from a neck injury but because it was not serious, she was allowed to rest at home. Jack Norman rushed back from outstation. Leia was afraid of being reprimanded by her father, so she sat alone on the sofa in the living room pretending to watch TV. Her nervous gaze shifted to her parents'' room from time to time. In the room, Jack Norman was talking to his wife when the doorbell at home suddenly rang. Leia was taken aback by the sound of the doorbell. She hurriedly ran to the door, and through the peephole, she saw a woman standing outside the door. It turned out to be Allison Tanner... Chapter 632 Chapter 632 Her Caring Attitude When Leia saw Allison, she thought that Allison was there to see her and there was a burst of joy in her heart. She opened the door and weed Allison warmly. "Aunt Allison, why are you here?" Allison used to have a good impression of Leia. After all, she was not only sweet but always brought all kinds of luxuries for her every time she went to see her. However, since the video of her seducing Dr. Hoover was leaked out, her fondness for this woman was gone. After such an ident, she felt that Leia was no longer worthy of her son. Allison walked in and smiled nonchntly when faced with the overly enthusiastic Leia. "Leia, where''s your mother? Is she home?" "My mother is suffering from a neck injury and is resting in her room. Is there anything that I can help you with?" Leia told Allison the truth. She knew that Allison had a bad rtionship with her mother and the two had not been in contact for many years. Why would Allison want to see her mother now? Allison did not seem like she was here to visit her mother as she did not bring any gift baskets. This was the first time Allison hase to the Normans'' residence. She was taking a look around. The Normans'' residence was luxurious but not tacky. There were gorgeous crystal chandeliers, 18th-century Western-European court-style carpets, exquisite sculptures, romantic flower arrangements, and an expensive-looking pure white piano in the corner. Theyout of this home was to Queenie''s taste. There were several beautiful ancient inkndscape paintings hanging on the wall. Allison could tell at a nce that they had been done by Queenie. Allison curled her lips and shifted her gaze. She had always thought that Queenie was pretentious. In her eyes, women should only care about their beauty and take good care of themselves. Writing and drawing were nothing but hobbies. Leia did not know Allison''s intentions. She took a brand new pair of guest slippers for Allison and handed them to her. "Aunt, these slippers were newly bought by the nanny. You can change into them." Allison''s thoughts were interrupted. She recalled that Leia had mentioned Queenie''s neck injury. When she changed into the slippers, she could not help but raise her gaze to look at her. "What''s wrong with your mother? Why is her neck injured?" Leia briefly told Allison about what had happened at the fashion fair. Allison snorted. It was unsure whether she was taking pleasure in Queenie¡¯s misfortune or if it was just a random sound. After she changed into the slippers, she followed Leia to Queenie''s bedroom. On the second floor, Leia knocked on the door of the room a few times before asking politely, "Dad, Aunt Allison hase to visit Mom. Is it convenient for us toe in now?" "Come in." Jack''s calm and powerful voice came from the other side of the door. Hearing the familiar voice, Allison''s heart skipped a beat. When the door opened, Jack''s majestic face was revealed. The moment Allison saw Jack, her heart throbbed a little faster. Years went by and Jack was nearly 50 years old now. However, he was still as handsome as ever. His sharp eyes and tightly pressed thin lips highlighted his majestic aura. Women used to be obsessed with him, and she had been one of them when she was young. Time had not left a trace on Jack''s body. After years of being involved in politics, he had be even more attractive. Jack nodded slightly at Allison and said nothing as he returned to Queenie''s side. Queenie saw Allison and called out to her in a surprised tone, "Allison, why are you here?" When she saw Jack holding Queenie''s hand, Allison''s attitude turned to rage. The me of jealousy in her heart raged when she thought of Zachary''s indifferent attitude toward her. She took a deep breath, slowly walked to Queenie''s bed, and saw the bandage around her neck. She pretended to be concerned. "I heard that your neck was injured, so I came by to check on you. Queen, how could you be so careless? You should bring more bodyguards with you when you go out." Queenie was stunned. Since losing contact with Allison, she had rarely heard Allison talk to her in this tone. In a daze, she zoned out and thought of the time when she was a young girl. When they were kids, Allison had often followed her and talked to her in a gentle tone just like now. Queenie looked at Allison and said, "I''m fine. It''s just a minor injury." Allison''s hand squeezed her bag tightly as she reminded herself of why she was visiting. After hesitating for a moment, she still could not help but say, "Queen, I came here today to talk to you alone. Mr. Norman, can you please give me and Queen some privacy? I won''t take too much of your time." Mr. Norman nced at Allison. He was surprised, but when he saw Queenie nod at him, he calmed down and said to his wife, "I''ll be in the living room downstairs. Call out to me if you need me." "Okay." Queenie nodded. For some reason, Leia''s right eye twitched a little. Her sixth sense told her that Allison had bad intentions against her mother. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Leia wanted to stay with her mother but Queenie said to her, "Leia, go downstairs with your dad. I bought some new tea and ced it in the cab in the study. Go and help your dad brew some tea." "Okay, Mom." Although she was reluctant, Leia obeyed Queenie''s instructions. In the bedroom, Queenie and Allison sat side by side. Queenie saw Allison hesitating so sheid it out on the table. "Allison, why are you really here? With our current rtionship, I didn¡¯t think you would bother." Although Queenie''s face was pale and she looked weak, her soft and shrewd eyes stared straight at Allison, seeing right through her. Allison did not bother to keep pretending. She replied, "Of course. Why would I? To be honest, going shopping or to the spa with my friends is more fun than visiting you. Queenie, be honest, did you get Mr. Norman to do something to my son¡¯spany? The projects under his group are put on hold due to ack of capital." Queenie did not deny it and replied, "Yes, it was Jack''s and my doing." Allison snorted and sat down on the chair in front of Queenie. She said cunningly, "If I tell you the whereabouts of your biological daughter, can you get Mr. Norman to stop?" Chapter 633 Chapter 633 Is Bianca My Biological Daughter? Allison''s words seemed to hit Queenie''s heart like a heavy hammer. Finding her biological daughter was her lifelong ambition. She excitedly grabbed Allison''s arm and spoke incoherently, "What... What did you say? Where''s my daughter now? Allison, as long as you tell me... my daughter''s whereabouts, I guarantee that the projects under your son''spany will run normally." Allison frowned unhappily and tried to shake Queenie''s hands off. She said unhappily, "Queen, you don¡¯t have to be so excited to learn about your daughter''s whereabouts, do you? Are you trying to kill me?" Queenie was a little at a loss as she stared at Allison''s arm that she had made red. "I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to do that. I just want to know where my daughter is. Please tell me, okay?" Queenie''s gentle, charming eyes were currently full of pleading, pity, helplessness, and expectation. It somehow made Allison feel distressed. The two of them had grown up together. Queenie had always been proud and never once begged others for anything. Meanwhile, Allison had always been outshone by Queenie. Her greatest wish was to see her yield to her! However, seeing Queenie sumbing to her now, there was strangely not an ounce of satisfaction in her heart! Looking at Queenie''s clear eyes, she felt particrly embarrassed instead! To hide her embarrassment, Allison coughed and tried to keep her voice a little more steady. "I did work with Vyen to switch out your biological daughter because I was jealous of you. I admit I was wrong. I wanted to throw the baby girl away, but when I saw her pure eyes, my heart softened and I took her home instead of throwing her away." Allison tried to recall what had happened more than 20 years ago. At that time, she had wanted to throw Queenie''s daughter away but seeing her eyes that were so simr to Queenie''s and how the small baby innocently smiled at her, Allison brought the baby back to the Rayne family. Unexpectedly, her momentary soft-heartedness had created an ill-fated rtionship. The baby grew up and was involved with her son. Allison did not know whether tough or cry. Queenie''s hand tightly clutched the nket as she held her breath and asked with difficulty, '' Where''s... the child now? Is she alright?" Downstairs, Leia crept up holding two steaming cups of Earl Grey tea on a tray. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She had a feeling that something was wrong, so using the excuse of bringing tea, she went upstairs with the intention to pry. However, just as she was about to knock on the door, she heard her mother''s sobbing voice. The conversation made Leia prick up her ears sensitively, and her hand that was about to knock on the door froze in midair. ''The child? ''Who''s that?'' Leia''s hand trembled. She even spilled some of the tea but had no time to bother with it. She listened intently to the conversation in the room. "The child is fine now. You''ve met her more than once, and she''s already married..." In the room, Allison was furious at the thought of her son''s protectiveness over Bianca! "She''s not only working in a bigpany but has also married the best bachelor in town. She has two beautiful children with another bun in the oven. She''s living thefortable life of a young mistress. Queen, your daughter is lucky..." Queenie''s head seemed to be filled with lead. For a moment, she had no idea who Allison was talking about. She asked in confusion, "You said I''ve met the child? But why don''t I have the slightest impression? What''s her name? What does she look like?" Allison said with some disdain, "As smart as you are, you''re always confused when ites to finding your daughter. How can you be so stupid, Queen? Think about it. Of all the people you''ve been in contact with, who resembles you the most?" ''Bianca looks just like Queenie...'' When Allison first saw Bianca as an adult, she had been so shocked that she could not even close her mouth. After all, the two of them were so simr in appearance and temperament. However, Queenie was still confused about the matter. How amusing! Leia, who was outside the door, could hear a thump in her head when she heard what Allison said! Her head felt as though it had almost exploded! She knew that the woman Allison was talking about was Bianca. She had thought that Bianca''s identity would be hidden forever, but unexpectedly, Allison was exposing it so easily. Leia felt as though she had fallen into an ice cave. The cold made her shiver all over, and she only felt that everything she had tried so hard to hide was all out in the open now. She had gone to so much trouble to have all evidence of Bianca''s identity erased to prevent something like this from happening today. However, the truth was out without warning anyway. She felt defeated, flustered, nervous, and feared whaty ahead of her. What should she do if Bianca returned to the Norman family? Leia was desperate to burst into the room and choke Allison so the secret could rot in her stomach! However, she knew that it was already toote even if she stopped the woman now... Still in bed, Queenie tried hard to recall which girl resembled her after hearing Allison''s hints. Suddenly, a gentle and pretty figure recurred to her. Her heart could not stop trembling severely. ''Could it be her? ''Bianca.'' She remembered that Shakira had reminded her more than once that Bianca looked simr to her. When they appeared in the same ce, even the unfamiliar doctors and nurses would be surprised by their simr appearance. They often mistook them for biological mother and daughter. Queenie slowly looked up and asked, word by word, "Is it Bianca? Allison, tell me, is Bianca my biological daughter?" In contrast to Queenie''s agitation, Allison seemed calm andposed. She picked up her bag and nced at Queenie. "That''s all I have to say. I should go now. You already know the truth anyway. Queen, I want you to keep your word. Otherwise, I have ways to torment your daughter. After all, she''s my daughter-inw now, isn''t she?" With that, Allison lifted her foot and started walking out. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Leia standing awkwardly outside, holding two cups of tea. Allison was stunned for a moment but ignored her and went straight downstairs. "Allison, don''t go yet... I have so much more to ask you..." When she saw Allison leaving, Queenie got out of bed to chase after her. However, because she was too weak and was emotional, she identally fell down from the bed... Chapter 634 Chapter 634 I Want To See Her Right Now... Hearing the noise, Leia hurried into the room. She saw Queenie falling to the ground in dismay and hitting her head on the bedside table. Some blood oozed from her mother''s fair forehead. It looked like she had been hit hard. "Mom!" Leia quickly put the tray on the table nearby and carefully helped her mother up from the carpet. She said worriedly, "You''re still very weak and can''t get out of bed at all. What are you doing out of bed?" Queenie''s head was buzzing from the impact, and for a moment, her mind went nk. However, after a few seconds of dizziness, her consciousness gradually became clear. Thinking of what Allison had just said, she struggled to hold on to Leia''s body while forcing herself up. She pushed her daughter to the door. "Leia, go stop Aunt Allison. Ask her not to leave first. I have so much to ask her..." Leia was naturally reluctant. She took Queenie''s arm and said with concern, "Mom, she''s gone. Whatever you need to talk to her about can wait until you''ve recovered, okay? You¡¯re in a bad state and need a good rest." "No, I must talk to her now." Queenie was also a very stubborn person. She obstinately pushed her daughter away and went downstairs without wearing her slippers. Queenie had just reached the spiral carved staircase when she saw Jacking up. Jack saw his frail wife standing on the marble floor with bare feet, and the man''s stern but handsome face darkened. He strode up to Queenie and picked her up around the waist. He could not help chiding, "Queen, why did youe downstairs? Don''t you care about your health?" Queenie put her arms around Jack''s neck. Seemingly half-crying and halughing, she frantically said to him, "Jack, you know what? I¡¯ve found out where our daughter is." Jack was stunned for a moment. His dignified expression crumbled instantly. However, seeing his wife''s pale, colorless face, he gave her a reproachful nce. "You can¡¯t take your health so lightly even if you¡¯ve found out where she is. Have a good rest. We''ll talk about our daughter when you feel better." Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Queenie leaned into Jack''s chest with a happy, jubnt smile on her face. Her eyes crinkled and she spoke coquettishly to her husband, which was a rare act. "Jack, don''t you want to know who our daughter is? I want to see her right now..." Jack looked at Queenie and gave a low sigh. He carried his wife to the bedroom. "I''ll be overjoyed if we do manage to find our daughter, but you still matter the most to me. We¡¯ve already found out where she is anyway. She won''t disappear in the meantime, so what¡¯s the rush? Besides, you''re the one who''s going to apany me all my life, not our daughter. Queen, take good care of yourself for me." "Okay..." Smiling, Queenie closed her eyes with relief. She was lucky to have a husband who loved her so much and to have found her biological daughter in her remaining years. The married couple was immersed in a world with only the two of them and did not notice the disappointment, contorted, and sinister expression on Leia''s face. They hadpletely ignored her... Bianca was at work when she received Kirby''s emergency call. Learning that something had happened to her aunt, she hurriedly asked Tom for a day off and informed Luke about it before hurrying to the hospital. She hated going to the hospital. The environment there was very depressing, and the smell of disinfectant in the rooms made people ufortable. However, the person in the hospital was her aunt. Although they were not rted by blood, they were as close as if they were biological aunt and niece. She did not want anything to happen to her aunt. When Bianca arrived at the hospital, a group of people was praying on the verdantwn. The priest, dressed in a loose ck robe, was surrounded by a group of family members. They looked mournful and solemn under the sun. The cross on the priest''s chest shone brightly in the sun, and his voice waspassionate and soft but still held power. "Almighty and merciful Lord, you are the source of life. Bless the sick with hope and faith to face the tribtions of their illness. Give them strength to endure their suffering..." Bianca thought about what Dr. Lake had said about her aunt''s health and listened to the priest''s prayer. Suddenly, she felt the urge to cry. Her grandfather only had one immediate rtive left. She would not let anything happen to her aunt no matter what. Ward. The ward was spacious and bright. As it was a private high-ss hospital, the service and facilities here were naturally the best. The warm sun shone through the window and onto the hospital bed, making the whole space look bright and transparent but a little bit dazzling. When Bianca entered the ward, Kirby, who was wearing a white coat, was lecturing Wanda about something. However, Wanda was not cooperating. She was extremely stubborn and ignored what Kirby was saying, leaving her frustrated. "Aunt Wanda..." Bianca cried out softly. She could not believe it. It had only been two months since shest saw her aunt but she seemed a different person. Her aunt had always been bright and stunning, but now, she looked depressed and haggard. She looked as if she had aged ten years. Kirby waved to Bianca and said with a sigh, "Bianca, you''re here. Hurry and persuade your aunt. Her body can''t afford the dy. She must proceed with the operation. Otherwise, the tumor in her body will only worsen quicker and threaten her life. We had an agreement where she''d obediently proceed with the operation like I said after she got back from Japan. But she still refuses to have the operation after getting back. I can''t persuade her no matter what... Just ring the bedside bell if anything happens and I''lle straight over." Bianca said gratefully, "Got it. Thank you, Dr. Lake." "I''ll hand over your aunt to you now." With that, Kirby gave Wanda another pitiful look before leaving the space to the aunt and niece. Seeing that Dr. Lake had left the room and that the light in the room was a little harsh, Bianca went to the window and pulled the curtain a little. Then, she walked up to Wanda and asked worriedly, "Aunt Wanda, why did you decide to have the operation but are going back on your word now?" She knew that her aunt had always valued her appearance and could not ept her perfect body being defective. However, as her illness would kill her, she had to have the operation no matter how reluctant she was. Chapter 635 Chapter 635 She Was d That Her Biological Daughter Was So Outstanding Wanda leaned back against the pillow with a look of desperation and grief on her face that seemed to have seen through everything. Looking at her niece''s overly worried face, she only smiled sadly and gave her a silent shake of the head. Although she had rested for a few days, she still looked like a nt drained of water-lifeless and utterly pale. After she pulled the curtains, Bianca took out a bunch of red grapes from the fruit basket and rinsed them in the water fountain nearby. Then, she carefully picked them one by one and put them into a small fruit container before bringing them to Wanda. "Aunt Wanda, have some grapes.¡± Bianca handed her a bright red grape. "I know that your mouth would taste bitter when you¡¯re having an infusion. Eating something a little sweeter can help. I always like to eat some sweet fruits when I''m sick." Wanda could not bear to ignore her niece''s kindness. She opened her mouth and swallowed the grape. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The sweetness of grape juice washed away the bitter taste in her mouth. Wanda said listlessly, "No matter how sweet the fruit is, I only feel bitter with what a mess my appearance has be..." Bianca sat next to Wanda, gently took her hand, and consoled her, saying," Aunt Wanda, you''ll get better now that medical technology is so advanced. Believe me..." Her aunt''s undesirous face was clearly a refusal of the operation. Bianca wanted tofort her but did not know what to say. Wandaughed bitterly. "The risk of death from breast cancer is one of the lowest of all cancers, but it¡¯s cruel not because it kills; it¡¯s because it robs women of their most beautiful and most maternal parts. You know how much I care about my appearance. I can''t bear to see even a small scar on my body, let alone remove my... My... Do you think I''ll still be a woman if I don¡¯t have them?" She sobbed and dared not even utter a word. Bianca felt a twinge in her heart at the sight of her aunt like this and clutched her aunt''s hand tighter. Wanda tried hard to pull herself together. Perhaps because she was too upset, she took a grape from the tray and stuffed it into her mouth. The sweet and sour taste seeped into her taste buds and made her feel a little better. Wanda looked into her niece''s eyes and said, "Bea, I can''t ept the surgery and myself for being iplete. You don''t know, he''s a perfectionist and doesn''t like women with ws. I can''t turn into a woman he''s disgusted with..." "Aunt Wanda, you''re refusing to do the operation because of Uncle?" Bianca was shocked and could not help asking. ''Aunt seems to have a lot on her mind. Is the ''he'' she mentioned the uncle whom I''ve only met once?'' Bianca vaguely remembered meeting this uncle once in high school. That year, he hade to pick up her grandfather to take him to Japan. He had left quite an impression on her. After all, as a small town girl at the time, Bianca had never seen such a handsome, mature, and elegant man. She had thought he had stepped out of a painting. At that time, her uncle had treated her aunt very gently. Perhaps he loved everyone rted to her aunt because he loved her, so he was also very gentle to Bianca. He had dotingly called her ¡¯little girl¡¯ and left her a sum of money when he left. Bianca had a good impression of her uncle but did not expect such a huge change to happen afterward... Wanda forcibly pulled herself together, held Bianca''s hand, and said bitterly, ¡¯ Bea, if I had a daughter, she would be as old as you now. Obedient, gentle, virtuous, beautiful... He wants a daughter the most. I don''t think we would have gotten to where we are today if we had a child..." Tears slipped out of Wanda''s eyes. She was already a woman in her 40s, but her face was still as smooth as porcin. Her skin was as delicate as before without a trace of blemish. You could not even see the crow''s feet in the corners of her eyes. How could her perfect aunt endure her body being iplete? If it were Bianca, she would not have been able to ept it either. However, when Bianca recalled that her aunt''s illness could not be dyed any longer, she bit the bullet and said, "Aunt Wanda, you have to do the operation. Otherwise, I''ll go to Japan and ask Uncle toe over..." "Bea, you don''t have to persuade me anymore. I know what my health is like." Wanda''s eyes were deep and lifeless. She agonizingly closed her eyes. "I''m content to have survived until now. You don''t have to waste your effort in going to Japan to find your so-called uncle. He''s married, and his son is already a few months old now..." It was a bolt from the blue! Suddenly, Bianca seemed to understand the reason why her aunt no longer had the desire to live. The man she loved deeply was married to another and this was probably the root of her despair. However, she did not understand why her aunt refused to do the operation for that unfaithful man when he was already married and had children with another woman? Bianca tried to persuade her aunt, but she finally gave up when she saw her pale, exhausted face. TH let Aunt Wanda have a good rest first. I''ll think of a way to make her go for the operation!'' On the other side, the Norman family. Queenie obediently stayed at home and rested, but she could not help thinking about her daughter. If her health had allowed it, she would have gone to her at once. With the phone on her, she tapped the contact list over and over again, looking at a particr number. She had even memorized it by heart now because she had tapped it countless times. It was Bianca''s phone number. Queenie got the number from her father-inw. He had kept her number because he was a client of Bianca''s. Queenie wanted to call Bianca, but she could not find a good reason to.'' What should I tell her? ''Would the child believe me if I told her that I¡¯m her biological mother?'' While Queenie was feeling mncholic, she suddenly remembered that she had added Bianca on Facebook, so she started scrolling through her profile. Fortunately, Bianca had not set any privacy settings for her Facebook profile. However, she posted very little about her daily life on her profile, let alone arge number of selfies like Leia. Most of her posts were about architecture and there were some of her designs. There were also some sweet moments, apanied by some refreshing and beautiful illustrations. Even so, Queenie enjoyed them. In particr, she looked at Bianca''s designs over and over again, feeling both relieved and sad. She was d that her biological daughter was so outstanding but sad that she had not been there to apany every moment of Bianca''s growth... Chapter 636 Chapter 636 Bianca Would Return To The Norman Family The hospital. She had no idea if it was because the air conditioning in the room was a little low, but Bianca felt a little chilly. She carefully covered Wanda with the nket and turned up the temperature of the air conditioner. Then, she sat beside her aunt and quietly watched the woman who had fallen asleep while receiving her infusion. Although Bianca''s face seemed calm, she was worried. ''How on earth can I persuade Aunt Wanda to have the operation?'' While she was lost in thought, the ding of her phone notified her that she had received a few Facebook messages. Worrying that it was about work, Bianca quickly took out her phone and clicked on it. Apart from several notifications that automatically popped up from the Facebook pages she had subscribed to, there was also a message from Queenie. Bianca curiously clicked it and Queenie''s message popped up before her. Queenie: [Mrs. Rayne, this is Aunt Queenie. I hope you don''t mind me disturbing you. I like the style and design of the house you designed for my father-inw very much. Recently, mypany has been looking for a group of excellent architectural designers, and I would like to invite you to join us. Are you interested?] Seeing that Queenie was asking about work, Bianca would never turn down the idea of expanding her work. Therefore, she answered patiently and politely. Bianca: [I''m d you like my designs, Aunt Queenie. I''m also happy that you can give me such an opportunity. If possible, I would be honored to serve yourpany. By the way, are you feeling better now, Aunt Queenie?] Bianca hit the send button. She had just texted Queenie when she received a reply within seconds. Queenie: [In that case, that''s settled then. My body''s alright, and I¡¯ve had enough rest these two days. Bea, when do you think you''ll be free? Let''s talk about the specific details in person. Well... Are you free this afternoon?] Queenie could not wait to meet Bianca even though she had not yet fully recovered. She could not wait to see her biological daughter. Bianca looked at her aunt who was receiving an infusion in the hospital bed. She thought about her aunt¡¯s condition and refused politely. Bianca: [Aunt Queenie, I''m a little upied right now. Can I take a rain check? I¡¯m at the hospital...] She was about to say she was taking care of her aunt who was very sick in the hospital. However, before she could finish typing the message, her finger identally touched the send button and the message went straight to Queenie. Feeling a little dry in her mouth, Bianca casually put down her phone and went to the table to pour herself a ss of warm water. She wanted to moisten her throat. She did not expect the phone she had put aside to suddenly vibrate as a series of Facebook message notifications popped up. Bianca took a few sips of water and picked up her phone again once her tongue was not as dry. She was shocked when she opened her Facebook app. It was a series of messages from Queenie. Queenie: [Bea, why did you go to the hospital? Are you not feeling well? Are you alright?] Queenie: [Are you ill? Which hospital? Is Luke with you?] Queenie: (Can you send me the address so I can go visit you?] The anxious, zealous tone puzzled Bianca. In her mind, Queenie was a woman of elegance and poise. She had always been polite and distant with her. They did not seem to be that close, did they? Although Bianca knew Queenie was her biological mother, she thought Queenie had no idea about it. ''Why is she speaking to me in such a friendly, concerned tone?'' This feeling seemed like the ardent concern of a mother for her daughter, which made Bianca feel inexplicably moved. However, it also left her at a loss. She hurriedly sent a message. Bianca: [Aunt Queenie, you¡¯ve misunderstood. I''m not sick. It''s my aunt who''s seriously ill. I''m fine. I''m currently taking care of her in the hospital, so I can''t leave for the time being. The cooperation may have to be postponed for a while until my aunt gets better. I''m sorry...] Queenie was instantly relieved when she saw that Bianca was not sick. [As long as you''re alright. There''s no need to hurry with the cooperation. We have a long time ahead anyway. Take good care of your aunt in the hospital and take care of yourself as well. You''re pregnant, so don''t wear yourself out, okay?" Queenie''s caring words automatically left a warm smile on Bianca¡¯s mouth. [Okay, got it. Aunt Queenie, thank you for the concern." Queenie looked at the two words ''Aunt Queenie'' Bianca sent and felt stumped. ''She''s my biological daughter but calls me ¡¯Aunt¡¯. When can she intimately call me ''Mom''? Entertainmentpany. "Oh, no, Leia!" Leia''s assistant rushed in from the outside. Leia was powdering her face in front of the mirror when she saw her assistant rushing in. Her temper, which had been repressed, became even worse. She scolded him right away, "How many times have I told you? Knock on the door beforeing in. Why cant you ever remember that?" "Sorry, it was so urgent that I forgot..." the assistant said as he gasped heavily. Leia looked at her assistant''s tired appearance and curled her lips. "Forget it. What''s the matter?" "Well, Linda got you a period drama the other day, but someone else took your second female lead role..." "What? When did this happen? The director called me yesterday and told me to go to the set tomorrow. That''s impossible!" Leia''s face almost contorted with anger when she heard that someone had stolen her role. Her career was at a low point during this period as she had been caught up in all kinds of scandals, which hurt her innocentdy-like image. However, because of her adoptive father''s status, no one dared to cklist her. Even so, many directors and advertisers had stopped working with her. Her agent Linda was unwilling to let her fall into oblivion like that, so she made all sorts of efforts and used all kinds of means to win her a second female lead role in a huge period drama so she could start over. Given Leia''s usual arrogance, how could she possibly stoop so low and ept a second female lead role? However, there was no other way. She could only obediently follow Linda''s arrangement for the sake of her stardom. Unexpectedly, someone stole the small second female lead role she had tried so hard to get. It made Leia angry and unwilling! "I don''t know exactly what happened. Without giving any specific reason, the director just told me to tell you that they''ve reced you with a new actress from anotherpany," the assistant was stuttering for fear that the heiress would be upset andsh out at him. "This makes me so mad!" Leia dropped her powder puff and was in no mood to put on her makeup anymore. Her face was utterly gloomy. ''Do these snobs think I''ve lost the Norman family''s support? ''No matter what, I''m still the Norman family''s heiress.'' However, the thought that Bianca would return to the Norman family made Leia flustered. She suddenly thought of someone. Perhaps only he could help her turn this awful situation around...C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Chapter 637 Chapter 637 You''ll Be In Trouble Linda''s office. Leia rushed to her office with her skirt in hand, asking right away, "Linda, how did someone steal my role? Why did the director say that I''ve been reced when the drama is about to start filming?" Linda looked distressed as well. "How do I know? That''s the arrangement from the higher-ups. Leia, you''ve been causing too much troubletely! You''re too brash..." God knew she thought her career would soar since she was managing an actress who came from a formidable background and status. However, she did not expect that the innocent image she had worked so hard to create for Leia over the years would be ruined by Leia herself. Who could give her an exnation for this? Leia mmed her hand on Linda''s desk and looked at her sarcastically." Brash? I''ve been low-key enough these days. How am I brash when I''ve been resting at home for so long? Linda, have you been cking off? Look at the roles you''ve gotten me. They''re either annoying second female leads or roles in some cheesy inte dramas. This is greatly belittling my value. If this goes on, I won¡¯t even be able to keep my ce in the B-list, let alone get promoted to the A-list." Linda''s expression immediately changed after hearing Leia''s criticism." Leia, you should know better than anyone how I¡¯ve treated you over the years... If I hadn''t been cleaning up so many messes behind you, do you think your screen goddess image would''ve survived all these years? If you hadn''t been so arrogant and dramatictely, would you have been reduced to this? Your reputation has already plummeted. No directors, producers, or investors dare hire you. I even had to shamelessly beg for the small roles you despise, yet you''re calling mezy. In that case, you can find another agent." Leia instantly felt a little guilty when she saw that Linda was mad and serious. Leia pulled herself together and exined, "Linda, I''m sorry. I was so angry because someone stole my role that I ignored your feelings. I know it''s hard for you too. I won''t do it again." To be honest, Linda was really nice to her. Whether it was Linda''s means or contacts, she was iparable to the other agents. The most important thing was that Linda knew her so well that she would never get used to another agent. Linda''s expression softened a little when she heard Leia say this. She shook her head and reminded her, "Leia, don''t you think... the scandals you''ve been embroiled in these days are rather baffling? The studio has already issued a statement to rify that it wasn''t you in the video of you seducing the chief physician some time ago. It''s just that the person in the video looks simr to you. As for the newly surfaced negative news, I''m sure someone must be messing with you behind the scenes. I had someone investigate it in secret but we found nothing even after investigating up and down. It''s unusual... I''ve thought about it. It must be because the mastermind has a strong background. Think about it. Have you offended anyely?" ''Offended someone?'' To be honest, Leia had offended only a few people, but there were definitely some. In the entertainment industry, Leia had indeed snatched several famous actresses'' roles by using her background, but they had far less powerful backgrounds than her, so they could only endure it when she stole their roles. Leia could confidently say that no one in the entertainment industry dared to mess with her due to her parents'' status. ''If it''s no one in the entertainment industry, then it can only be...¡¯ Remembering that she had secretly set up Bianca more than once and Luke¡¯s sinister, cold eyes, as well as the way he had watched with a halfsmile as white snakes bit her after ordering someone to kidnap her... Leia felt goosebumps all over her. ''Could it be him?'' Leia even took two steps back in terror. Her eyes were wide open as if she was stuck in the horrible memory. "What¡¯se over you, Leia?" Linda worriedly tugged on Leia, only to hear her terrified scream. "Ah!" Linda was shocked by her scream. She patted Leia on the shoulder, only to see her eyes staring nkly at her, looking resentful and helpless. "Linda, I know who''s messing with me behind the scenes. It must be him. Yes, it must be him!" "Who is it?" Linda had a bad feeling. "Luke!" Leia said through gritted teeth, "I have a lot of issues with Bianca. I''ve done some bad things to her. She must have instigated Luke to retaliate against me!" Linda was stunned when she heard it was Luke. Then, she said with a headache, "It would be terrible if it¡¯s him. Unless your father does something, we have no other way." Ashamed, Leia said, "Linda, in this situation... I have a feeling my dad is vaguely against me. Besides, he has never liked me working in show business. I don''t think he''ll help me. My mom usually dotes on me, but what you don''t know is that she still listens to my dad when the chips are down.¡± Linda sighed again and hinted to her somewhat intentionally. "Then you should find a backer as strong as Luke. Isn''t the tt family''s third heir interested in you? Leia, you must take advantage of the opportunity, or you''ll be in trouble." Despite her desperate reluctance, Leia still nodded firmly with a gloomy face. How could she throw in the towel before thest moment... Bianca had only stayed in the hospital for two days before Wanda asked her to go home, saying that the private hospital had a good environment. Plus, it was bad for the pregnant woman and the baby to stay in the hospital for too long. Finally, she threatened Bianca to go home and rest or she would go on a hunger strike. Bianca''s aunt did not leave her a choice, so she could only consult Luke. Luke hired two experienced caretakers for Aunt Wanda who took turns to take care of Wanda. Only then did Bianca leave the hospital while feeling relieved. In the mansion. The weather was fine and sunny. Standing in front of the French window, one could see the blue sky and the misty clouds. Everything was so beautiful and dreamy, but Bianca''s mood was opposite to the beautiful weather.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. "What''s on your mind?" Luke closed hisptop and reached from behind to hug Bianca who was looking at the sky as she stood in front of the window. Bianca frowned. "I''m still worried about Aunt Wanda''s illness. She''s so sick but still refuses to have the operation." i Luke hugged her body tighter, his chin resting on her shoulder. His voice was maic and deep as he said, "Don''t worry. I''ve contacted the best breast cancer specialist. He''lle to A City in a few days. We''ll try to avoid having her go for the operation. If it''s necessary, I''ll try to have him minimize the trauma. Then maybe Aunt Wanda will be more receptive to the idea." Bianca nodded gently. "I thank you on behalf of Aunt Wanda." "Silly girl.¡¯ "By the way, Mrs. Norman has been contacting me for thest couple of days. She wants me to design for herpany. Besides, she''s been acting a little strange toward metely. I don''t know if I''m imagining this, but I have a feeling that she''s extremely... enthusiastic toward me." Bianca recalled Queenie''s attitude toward her and felt that something was wrong. Chapter 638 Chapter 638 Be Good and Wait For My Return Luke stared at Bianca''s face with a doubtful expression. He could not help but chuckle when he saw how serious she was. He tucked her hair behind her ear and said gently, "You should ept Mrs. Norman''s hospitality to you. She''s your birth mother after all. It''s better than giving you the cold shoulder, isn''t it?" He thought that his woman was intelligent, but she could be confused sometimes. Bianca buried her face in his chest and said, "I know that Mrs. Norman is my birth mother, but she doesn''t know that I''m her daughter. I''m afraid that I can''t control myself if I interact too much with her..." Luke scraped the bridge of her nose with a fingernail and smiled. "Why are you so unconfident about yourself, hmm? You don''t have to worry about anything. After all, she..." Before he could finish his sentence, his phone started to ring abruptly. It was an unknown foreign number. Luke answered the call. Someone was panting heavily on the other end of the call as though trying to catch their breath. In a rare disy of patience, Luke waited for a full minute. However, no voice came from the other end of the call. He was about to hang up when he heard a familiar voice. "Save me!" The voice belonged to Gordan Norton. 1 Luke was surprised. The grip on his phone tightened subconsciously. He looked at Bianca, who was looking gently at him. Luke thought for a while and went to the balcony. He spoke softly, but there was undeniable anxiety in his voice. "What''s going on?" "I''m... I''m captured by the Russian mafia, and they''re detaining me in Moscow. Their boss requests for you personally, and I don''t have any other choice..." It was the first time that the usually casual Gordan sounded so uneasy. He spoke very fast, as though he was a trapped beast struggling to stay alive. "How did you get involved with the Russian mafia?" Luke frowned. Sunlight shone through the window onto his white shirt. The warmth of the sunlight did not reduce the coldness in his gaze. Gordan did not have the time to exin to Luke. He could only hurriedly say, "This is serious business. If you don''te, I think I''ll die here... Ahh... Ahh..." Cries of agony seemed to pierce through the phone and ring in Luke''s ears. He had an ominous feeling about this. "Gordan? Gordan?" He yelled at the phone a few times. "Hey!" The phone seemed to have changed hands. A young man with an attractive voice spoke. Then, he continued to speak in Russian, "Mr. Crawford, your good friend is in my hands. He did something wrong. He vited my darling, and he needs to be punished. If you don''te and pick him up, I''ll send him back to you in a bodybag." A hoarse voice repeated the same thing in English in case Luke did not understand Russian. There was a crack in Luke''s usuallyposed countenance. He replied in fluent Russian, "I don''t know what my friend did, but I will go over as soon as I can. I hope that you can keep him alive before I arrive." The other party seemed surprised that Luke could speak Russian fluently. Then, he smirked coldly. "I''ve heard so much about you, Mr. Crawford. I eagerly await your arrival." The other end hung up. In the next second, a long phone number appeared on Luke''s phone. Luke also hung up. He was in a bad mood. After reading the message, he instantly called Jason to book him a flight to Moscow. Gordan was in a perilous situation. The other party wanted Luke to go over today. Gordan had helped him before, and he promised Gordan that he would do three favors for him. Luke was not one to betray his friends. He had to save Gordan''s life, even though the situation might be extremely risky. He had to gamble his life to repay that debt of gratitude. Bianca saw Luke''s grim expression and heard that he called Jason to book a flight ticket for him. She became anxious. "What''s going on, Luke? Why are you rushing to Russia? Did something happen there?" Luke looked at Bianca''s anxious face and exined to her briefly. "Gordan got into some trouble there. He''s in the mafia''s hands now, and I''ll have to go over." Bianca''s eyes widened and stared at the man''s stern but handsome face." Will it be dangerous? Can you not go? Who is the mafia?" She had heard of that term on television, but she did not expect them to exist in real life. Her life might be hard, but she did not have too many social experiences. She only vaguely heard that someone was asking for her husband''s help through the phone, and she was worried. She did not want Luke to risk his life. She felt terrified and uneasy. "I have to go. Gordan helped me before," Luke insisted. Bianca did not understand. "Can''t you send someone else there? Maybe you can ask Percy for help?" The clear sky outside became gloomy and cloudy in her eyes. "I don''t have much time, silly girl. They want me to go there personally..." Luke kissed her lips to comfort her, then let go of her. "Rest well at home. You''ll be giving birth in about a month. You shouldn''t go to work. Stay at home and wait for me to return." "Luke..." Bianca grabbed Luke''s shirt sleeve. "I''m really afraid that something bad might happen to you. You''re only a businessman. How could you fight against the mafia? Won''t you be in an equally dangerous position? What do they want from you? I''ve seen in TV dramas that they... all those criminal organizations will only want money from you..." She was quite naive when it came to the perils of the real world. She had not witnessed bloody scenes before, but she had seen movies about the mafia. She remembered a scene in The Godfather where the mafia would not hesitate to kill someone. As far as she knew, the mafia was merciless and immoral. She was afraid that they might harm Luke. If something happened to Luke, what should she and the children do? Luke held Bianca''s hand. Her palm was cold and damp, a sign that she was nervous. He hugged her helplessly and said, "Trust me, Bianca. I''lle home safe for you and the baby. Wait for me at home.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. He pulled Bianca''s petite hand away. As Bianca watched worriedly, he put on his suit. He kissed her gently before he left without turning his head back to look. Chapter 639 Chapter 639 Why Is That Man So Uncaring Bianca stood in a daze in front of the window. The scene of Luke''s car speeding away reyed in her mind. She felt both sad and angry. She was also aggrieved that the man did not care about her feelings at all. Bianca knew that Gordan had risked a lot when he saved Luke. Not only did Gordan perform stic surgery on his face, but he had also taken the fall for a crime he did notmit. She knew that Luke was duty-bound to save Gordan, but did he ever spare a thought for him and the children? Gordan might have gone to prison because of Luke, but Luke eventually found a way to free him as well as get the Italian mafia to stop hunting him down. Was that not enough? The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She hugged her knees and buried her red face between her legs. 1 Even though she was angry, she could not help but feel worried. What if something really happened to him? The caretaker saw that Bianca was in a bad mood. She put the vacuum cleaner in her hands down, then went over tofort her. "Should I help you back to your bedroom, Madam?" Bianca nodded woodenly and walked back to the bedroom herself. Her thoughts were muddled, and she needed the rest. However, she did not feel any better even after lying on her bed. It was already fall. The fragrance of hazels wafted into the bedroom, and the branches were swaying gently outside of the window. It was a sunny day with fine weather, but Bianca felt very uneasy. She remained glum for the rest of the day, and she did not eat much. Luke did not call her for the entire day. She tried calling him, but his phone was turned off. At night, Bianca had a nightmare that Luke was stabbed. Blood was pouring out of his mouth, and his entire body was covered in blood. She was crying loudly in her dreams, shouting his name loudly and begging for someone to save him, but no one heard her or saved him. She also dreamed that they were walking hand in hand on a busy city street. Suddenly, he said, "I have to go and deal with something. Wait here for me, and I''ll be back soon." She waited until sunset, but still, he did not return. Then, she dreamed that he was shot at a deste ce. He could not dodge, and the bullet entered his skull. "Ahhh!" Bianca woke up from her nightmare. She was panting and drenched in sweat. A singlemp cast a dim yellow light in the dark night. Unable to sleep, she took out her phone and dialed Luke''s number again but could not get through. Her anger and despair had turned into worry and fear. She felt that she was turning numb. Bianca looked at the bright moonlight outside. She put her palms together and prayed earnestly. ''I hope you''ll be fine, Luke.* After a ten-hour flight, Lukended in Moscow in the afternoon. He turned on his phone. A string of missed calls and messages told him how worried Bianca was for him. Guessing that Bianca would be sleeping, and thinking that calling or messaging her now would only make her worry, he decided not to disturb her. The airport was crowded. Luke was wearing shades, but that only added to his mystery. Many beautiful Russian women were attracted by his unique bearing, handsome features, and height. Some women even attempted to strike up a conversation with him, but his bodyguards blocked them, and they could only shrug disappointedly and walk away. The group of people walked out of the airport. The general manager of T Corporation''s Russian branch, a mature middle- aged man, and his assistant came to pick them up. He walked behind Luke while reporting the intelligence on Ray, the Russian mafia boss. "Mr. Crawford, Ray is a cruel and merciless man. He is involved in smuggling, dealing drugs, and trading illegal firearms. He doesn''t have a good reputation even in the criminal underworld. He has extorted many corporations and conglomerates in the past, but fortunately, we are under the protection of the Russian government, and he has not targeted us. I''m afraid that it will be dangerous for you to go alone. Should I dispatch a few more of my men?" Luke shook his head and refused. "I''m going into Ray''s turf. It won''t matter how many people I bring." That was why he did not bring anyone except for Sean and four other bodyguards. He did not have any interactions with Ray, but Percy had fought him over control of Europe. Percy had warned him that Ray was a violent and merciless individual, and even he was at a disadvantage. He warned Luke to be extremely careful and gave him four of his elite bodyguards. Luke did not have any grudges against Ray, not even on business terms. He hoped that he could resolve the issue peacefully. Luke made a phone call to Ray. Once the call went through, he took the initiative to introduce himself. "I''m Luke Crawford." The other side chuckled. "You''re a candid man, Mr. Crawford." Luke continued, "I''m at the airport now. Can I have your address?" The other party gave him the address, which Luke memorized. After that, he hung up. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. A Hummer was already waiting outside. Someone opened the car door, and Luke stepped inside. ording to the GPS, the location was a remote corner in the outskirts of Moscow. It took the Hummer two hours to arrive at that ce. Through the window, Luke could see a mansion built in the ssic Russian style standing proudly and alone on top of a hill. Several tall and burly men in ck suits were waiting at the foot of the hill. At first nce, one could tell that they were not good guys. "Mr. Crawford?" One of them asked in heavily ented English. "That would be me,¡¯ Luke replied calmly. The man nodded at him and led the group forward. Luke walked in the middle of the group, protected by the bodyguards. The surroundings were eerily silent, except for the sounds of gusts of cold wind blowing and the asional cries of birds. It was an unnerving scene. Luke tried not to think of anything else as he walked forward with Ray''s men... Chapter 640 Chapter 640 Luke''s Anger! Security was tight in the double-storied mansion. Men in ck were stationed every few feet apart. Ray was waiting for Luke in the first-floor foyer of the mansion. Luke had expected that the cruel and merciless Ray was a stern old man or a violent middle-aged man, but he was surprised to find out that Ray was quite young. Ray was tall and well-built like most Russian men, but he had a warm and gentle smile on his face. Luke found it hard to associate a gentleman like that with the feared Mafia boss in the rumors. While Luke sized up Ray, Ray was also silently observing Luke. The man who had expanded his business across the continents had outstanding looks. He might be a mere businessman, but he carried the bearing of a noble. It was impressive that he remained calm despite the perilous surroundings. The two men sat down opposite each other in the foyer. The atmosphere was stifling. Ray took out a cigar and handed it to Luke. "You''vee a long way, Mr. Crawford, so I''ll keep this short. Your good friend slept with my only elder sister Vivian, and now he doesn''t want to take responsibility. I would have chopped him up and fed him to the dogs, but my sister insists on marrying him, while he would rather die than marry her. I''m giving him two choices. If he marries Vivian, I''ll let them go. If he insists on not marrying her, I''ll spare his life because you''re his good friend, but I''ll chop off one of his hands!" Luke sat calmly on the couch. He blew a smoke ring and nodded. The rules of the criminal underworld were cruel. Luke knew that Ray was already being merciful for giving Gordan a second option. Ray signaled to his subordinate. Soon, a man was brought to the foyer and tossed on the floor. His body was covered with blood, and his face was heavily bruised and swollen. Gordan was gravely injured, but he continued to swear at Ray. "Ray, you son of a b*tch, kill me if you dare! I''d rather die than marry that cow of an elder sister of yours!" However, when Gordan''s gaze fell on Luke, he instantly became guilty and sheepish. "Luke..." He did not expect things to be so serious. He thought that the woman he slept with was an ugly girl without money or influence, but he did not expect that she was Ray''s elder sister. He had to trouble Luke toe from afar to save him. Luke stubbed out his cigar and told Ray, "I''d like to talk to my friend in private." Ray thought that Luke might convince Gordan to change his mind. He waved his hand, and the men in ck left the foyer in a single file. Luke red at Gordan coldly. "So what''s your n? If you marry Vivian, this story will have a happy ending. If you don''t, Ray has promised that he will spare your life, but you will lose a hand." "I won¡¯t marry that cow, Luke! Don''t you know how ugly she is? Even when I was sleeping with her, my eyes were closed the entire time... Actually, I have a lover back in the country. We''ve been on and off for almost ten years, and she''s several months pregnant with my child. Luke, even if I were to marry, I will only marry her and not this cow..." Luke''s usually gentle gaze turned ice-cold when he heard that. He sent Gordan flying backward with a kick. Gordan was already injured, and the kick caused him to spit out a mouthful of blood. Luke''s leather shoe stomped heavily on Gordan''s handsome face while he scolded, "You already have a lover back home, but you flirt with other women elsewhere. I shouldn''t have paid for your stic surgery!" Gordan took in all the abuse without offering any resistance. He admitted that he was guilty. Even so, he knew that his good friend would help him. Ten minutester, Ray returned to the foyer. Luke looked at him profoundly and said with extreme reluctance, "I''m sorry, Mr. Ray.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, more than ten guns were aimed at their heads. Ray was enraged. He grunted coldly and tossed a sharp dagger in front of Gordan. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Luke picked up the dagger. He ced it near his wrist and said impassively, "My good friend is a stubborn one, Mr. Ray. He''s a natural-born yboy, and he has a terrible character. Your elder sister won''t find any happiness with him, and she deserves better. However, I owe my good friend a debt of gratitude, and it''s my time to repay it. If you want a hand from him, I''d rather you take mine." Sean''s expression changed drastically. "Mr. Crawford..." Gordan''s face turned pale and he shouted nervously. "No, Luke!" Luke shook his head and him. Then, he lifted the dagger and brought it down to his wrist... A City. "Luke!" Bianca was once again woken up by a nightmare. In her heart, her unease grew. The first thing she did after she woke up was to check her phone. Nothing. No calls or messages from Luke. That made her feel even more uneasy. The breakfast was tasteless, and she barely finished it. Nina came over and invited her to go shopping. Bianca was gued by worries. She did not want to leave the house. Nina was curious when she saw that Bianca seemed listless. "What''s wrong, Bea? You seem to be in low spirits." Bianca''s left ear did not stop ringing. She plugged her left ear with a finger, but the ringing did not stop. "Nina, do you know if it''s a good thing or a bad thing if my left ear keeps ringing?" She asked worriedly. Nina could not help but chuckle. "Oh, since when does our pragmatic Bianca believe in superstitions? You shouldn''t believe in those old wives'' tales..." Bianca stared at her, eagerly waiting for an answer. Nina was surprised but answered her question anyway. "The saying goes that ringing in the left ear means bad news, while ringing in the right ear means good news. I don''t think that you can believe it though. Remember that time I almost died after being knocked down by a car? My right ear was ringing and I thought that my luck was taking a turn for the better. Ever since then, I stopped believing in it." Bianca breathed a sigh of relief. She sat there woodenly, seeming to be sad but helpless. Nina walked in front of her and ced her warm palm on Bianca''s stomach. "Let''s go shopping. I know that you''re in a bad mood, but staying at home will only make things worse. Let''s go out and have some fresh air. Everything that you want to buy or eat is my treat today, alright? Moreover, our little darling must be eager to go out after staying in the house for so long..." Bianca could not argue with that, and she followed Nina out. Chapter 641 Chapter 641 You''re Nothing But A Stranger To Me Now At the shopping mall. Nina tried on one outfit after another but did not find one that she liked. It was rare that Nina was so excited over shopping, and so she did not disturb her. She sat on the couch, feeling rather bored. Half an hourter, the sales clerk was still rmending clothes for Nina. Bianca strolled over to the men¡¯s section nearby. She saw an elegant ck windbreaker on disy and reached out to touch it. An observant sales clerk noticed her. She quickly walked up to Bianca and asked eagerly, "Madam, are you nning to buy it for your husband? This is thetest limited edition design, and it looks very well on tall men. How tall is your husband?" "He is six-foot-four and weighs 160 pounds," Bianca answered without thinking. The sales clerk opened her mouth wide. "Wow, your husband is probably a model! You''re beautiful, Madam, and I believe your husband must be handsome too. The windbreaker must look good on him." Bianca smiled. The string of zeros on the price tag was a few times her monthly sry. However, she bought it without hesitation. Luke liked clothes of that style. The sales clerk processed Bianca''s purchase. Looking at the way she swiped her card, the sales clerk could tell that Bianca was wealthy but kept a low profile. She brought Bianca to the women''s section and continued to introduce the newest designs. "Do you want to buy some clothes for yourself, Madam? We have some new designs for maternity clothes, and there''s one that suits you..." Bianca wagged her hand at the sales clerk while touching her stomach with her other. "There''s no need, thanks. I have enough clothes at home. I''ll also be delivering the baby next month, so there''s no point in buying too many maternity clothes." "How about these designs? They''re suitable for women who have just delivered a baby..." The sales clerk was persistent. She continued to introduce other designs for Bianca. "I¡¯m good, thanks." Bianca tactfully declined. As a woman, Bianca naturally loved beautiful clothes. However, the clothes there were not cheap. She did not hesitate to buy clothes for her man, but she would think twice before buying clothes for herself. Perhaps that was how it felt to be in love. One would give their everything for the other party. Nina did not buy anything. The clothes were too expensive, and she was only trying them out for fun. After they got out of the shopping mall, Nina brought Bianca to a restaurant. Bianca did not expect to meet Xavier there. While Xavier walked over, Bianca was looking at the traffic outside thinking of something. She came to her senses when Nina gently tugged her elbow. She was slightly surprised. The Xavier Tanner in front of her looked like a different person. He was just as handsome as before, but there was a difference to his bearing. Instead of being carefree, he seemed to be reserved and taciturn. Bianca could never forget the harm that Xavier did to her. She looked at him wordlessly and did not know what he was thinking. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Xavier sat down opposite the two women. Nina knew what Xavier did to Bianca. She did not hide her displeasure toward him, but Xavier was not bothered. He stared at Bianca''s bulging stomach and said, "You''re delivering soon, right?" "Mm, there''s about fifty more days to the expected delivery date." Bianca smiled gently whenever her baby was mentioned. It seemed as though she was enveloped by a warm light that made her holy and dazzling. "Congrattions that you''ve found the happiness you want. Do you still hate me?" Xavier said with much difficulty. Bianca smiled gently. "I used to hate you, but I don''t feel anything now. We are but strangers to each other now, and there''s no point in hating a stranger." Indeed, Bianca had hated Xavier to the bone. If not for him, there would not be so many obstacles between her and Luke. However, as time passed and Bianca and Luke became more intimate, the hatred toward Xavier lessened. She was immersed in the bliss of her husband''s love every day, and she did not have the spare time to hate someone whom she had removed from her life. Bianca''s words made Xavier''s heart wrench. He had cared for her so much, but she had treated him as a stranger. There was nothing more ironic than that. At the same time, in a VIP private room. The important figures from the Tanner and Lerche families were gathered there to discuss Xavier and Melissa''s arranged marriage. Exquisite dishes and fine alcohol filled the table. Halfway through lunch, Xavier said that he wanted to step out for a smoke. Now that lunch was almost over, he had not returned yet. The people from the Lerche family were not happy, especially Mr. Lerche. He had too much to drink, and the displeasure was obvious on his face." What''s going on? We''re here to discuss our children''s wedding, so where''s Xavier? Doesn''t he know any manners?" Mrs. Lerche, decked out in luxurious jewelry, was also unhappy. "Xavier is neglecting our daughter even before the marriage. How do you think he''ll treat her after they''re married? I think we ought to reconsider the marriage... Daniel and Lacey were shocked by Mr. Lerche''s disy of anger but dared not say anything. They dared not offend the much wealthier Lerche family. Daniel poured a ss of alcohol for Mr. Lerche and tried to tter him." Don''t be angry, Mr. Lerche. I''ll scold Xavierter. Here, bottoms up. Let''s not ruin the mood because of a minor issue." Mr. Lerche did not take the ss, which made Daniel rather embarrassed. Melissa was afraid that her father might call off the engagement in a fit of rage. She said worriedly, "Dad, Xavier is an adult, and he won''t go missing. He must be dyed by something. I''ll go and look for him." Then, she rushed out of the private room. Mrs. Lerche shook her head in disappointment as she looked at how worried her daughter was for Xavier. She could tell that the rtionship was one-sided, and it was no wonder that Xavier was so cold toward Melissa. After Melissa exited the private room, she asked many of the staff there for Xavier''s whereabouts. Eventually, she found him sitting next to the window at themon dining area. When she saw Xavier looking at Bianca "lovingly," she was instantly consumed by jealousy! Chapter 642 Chapter 642 Queenie Saved Bianca... Bianca did not want to talk to Xavier. She felt that the atmosphere was too awkward. She had tactfully declined Xavier''s attempts at striking up a conversation, but Xavier continued to talk as though he did not understand Bianca''s words. Nina was exasperated. She wanted to shoo him away, but she did not want to embarrass Bianca. Just when the atmosphere could not have gotten any more awkward, they heard a shrill and coy voice." I say, Cousin Xavier, I tried to look for you, but it turns out that you''re having an intimate rendezvous with this seductress! How could you? You promised me that you won¡¯t ever look for her, so what''s going on now?" Bianca''s expression changed slightly. She turned to look in the direction of the voice and saw Melissa, whom she had not met for a long time. Melissa was dressed in a glittering gown, and she wore delicate make-up on her face. She was walking toward the table while twisting her waist. Xavier''s expression changed drastically the moment he saw Melissa. He bore an inexplicable disgust toward Melissa and did not even want to look at her. Melissa ignored all of that. She walked up to the table and brazenly hugged Xavier''s elbow. Then, she spoke to Bianca loudly as though she was bragging, "Xavier, our families are in the middle of discussing our engagement. Let''s go back, our parents are waiting for us..." Xavier shoved Melissa away unhappily and said coldly, "That''s enough, Melissa. Who wants to be engaged to you? To be frank, I''ve never wanted to be engaged to you." Melissa widened her eyes incredulously and continued to drag Xavier away. "Xavier, you... you must be kidding, right? If you don''t want to marry me, then what does my devotion mean to you? Didn''t you say that you''ll ept me if I can change my capricious personality? I''ve already changed so much for you, so how can you go back on your promise? I know you like me. Otherwise, you won''t allow me to get close to you, would you?" Xavier nced at the almost maniacal Melissa, then at the elegant Bianca. His frustrations from being tormented by Melissa suddenly erupted at that instant. He red at Melissa and shoved her away. "Look at you now, and you said that you''ve changed! I don''t know where you got the idea that I like you. I can swear to god that I''ve never liked you one single bit!" He was speaking very loudly and moving agitatedly, and his voice echoed in the open dining area. Many diners turned their heads to look at them. A waiter noticed themotion and jogged away to find the restaurant manager. Melissa was prideful and conceited. She could not ept the fact that Xavier had told her in public that he did not like her. Her gaze fell on Bianca''s bulging stomach in front of her. Instantly, she released her fury on Bianca. She pointed her finger at Bianca and started to yell, "Did you be like this because that shameless b* tch seduce you again? She¡¯s already pregnant with another man''s b*stard child, and you intend to pursue her? You..." Awkwardly, Xavier tried to stop her. "Don''t be unreasonable. Let''s not involve other people in our matters. This has nothing to do with Bianca!" Suddenly, Bianca sshed a ss of water on Melissa''s face. Her delicate make-up was ruined, and she shrieked, "How dare you, you b*tch!" Bianca nced at the flustered Melissa and put the ss away. "I sshed water on you because I hope that you can calm down. You should know what you can say and cannot say. There''s nothing between Xavier and me, so don''t impose your filthy ideas on us. Also, you ought to watch your words. Don''t bark around like a mad dog." Then, Bianca nced coldly at Xavier. ¡¯ Rein in your woman, Xavier. "Let''s go, Nina.¡± Nina nced contemptuously at Xavier and Nina, then flipped the bird at them. Melissa was used to being pampered. She had never been humiliated like that before. Melissa saw that Xavier''s eyes were still transfixed on Bianca who was about to leave. When Bianca walked past her, Melissa abruptly stretched out her leg and tripped Bianca. Bianca did not expect that Melissa would harm her like that in public. She was caught unprepared and her feet slipped. It had happened too suddenly, and Nina did not manage to catch her in time. "Bianca!" Nina shouted in panic. She reached out but did not even touch the hem of Bianca''s clothes.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Bianca instantly broke out in cold sweat. Her first response was to protect her stomach with her arms. She was already eight months pregnant, and she could not afford to have any harme to the baby. Bianca thought that she would fall on the floor and was mentally prepared for the worst. She did not expect that before she hit the floor, a delicate but warm arm forcefully blocked her from hitting the floor. Her eyes met a gentle gaze. It was none other than Queenie. Queenie was not one to sit still at home. After recuperating for two days, she went to work on the third. She was on a routine inspection at one of her restaurants. Shortly after she arrived, she heard one of the waiters reporting to the manager that someone was causing amotion in the open dining area, and one of the women involved was a heavily pregnant woman. The incident sounded serious, so Queenie went to handle it herself. She saw a heart-stopping scene when she arrived at the open dining area. Someone tripped the heavily pregnant Bianca, and she was about to fall on the floor. Without giving it a second thought, Queenie rushed up and broke Bianca¡¯s fall with her body, thus averting a tragedy! "Thank you, Mrs. Norman..." Bianca shielded her stomach with her arms and smiled gratefully at Queenie. She felt that she was extremely lucky. "Don¡¯t mention it. Are you alright? Do you feel any difort? Should I send you to the hospital?" Queenie was extremely worried. Her hands went up and down Bianca''s body to make sure that she was unhurt. The excessive worry made her look like a mother concerned about her daughter. Meanwhile, Melissa wanted to sneak away when she saw that the situation was disadvantageous for her. She had only taken two steps before she felt a violent pnd on her face! Chapter 643 Chapter 643 Queenie Is Protecting Her Melissa covered her cheek that was throbbing in pain, and she looked at Xavier in utter disbelief. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she shrieked. "How dare you hit me! This is the second time that you hit me because of that b*tch!" Xavier''s expression was ice-cold. "That''s enough. You caused a pregnant woman to fall. Don''t you know that your action might result in the loss of two lives?" Melissa cackled loudly, not feeling any remorse for what she had done. She grunted coldly and said, "She deserves to die anyway. That''s for..." Bianca took a deep breath to calm herself down so that her emotions would not affect the baby in her womb. However, her eyes brimmed with killing intent when her gaze shot toward Melissa. Melissa instinctively took a step backward because of fright. However, she was not going to back away. Instead, her hatred toward Bianca became even stronger when she saw Xavier being protective of Bianca. Melissa raised her hand and prepared to p Bianca, but a slender and elegant woman stood between them and grabbed her wrist. "Who are you?" Melissa shrieked. The woman looked wealthy and pampered, but she was unexpectedly strong. Queenie twisted Melissa''s wrist, and Melissa thought that her wrist was going to break. "Ahh! Let go of me! How dare you... ahh!" The agonized wails echoed in the restaurant. Queenie''s usually warm gaze was ice-cold. "I don''t know who you are, Miss, but how dare you create a disturbance in my restaurant? I will not tolerate anyone bullying my customers, let alone a pregnant woman. Don''t you know that a pregnant woman might give birth prematurely if she falls? Don''t you know that you''vemitted a crime? I have theplete security footage of the incident earlier. Call the police, Mr. Wharton. Let the police deal with this troublemaker!" Mr. Wharton immediately dialed the phone number of the police station. After the call went through, he passed the phone to Queenie. "Madam, Superintendent Liszt wants to talk to you..." Queenie threw Melissa¡¯s wrist away, took the phone, and said coldly," Superintendent Liszt? I''m Queenie Ziegler. There is a murder attempt in my restaurant. Please send someone over as soon as possible." Melissa stumbled backward on her high heels and fell sitting down. She sprained her wrist, and she nearly cried out in pain. She did not know the identity of the woman who suddenly appeared, but that woman''s forceful demeanor made her flustered. The security cameras had caught the exchange earlier, and the police would be on their way. She knew that her parents would be able to bail her out from the police stationter, but today was an auspicious day. She was about to be engaged to Xavier, and heaven forbid that the police take her away. Melissa''s pleading gazended on Xavier, and she said weakly, "It''s our engagement today, Xavier. Can you bear to see the police take me away? I was ovee by a fit of rage. I won''t be so impulsive anymore. Please help me..." Xavier looked at Bianca, then at the crying Melissa. Feeling annoyed, he spat, "You deserve this!" The police arrived very quickly because Queenie had personally called them. When the police escorted Melissa away, Mrs. Lerche rushed out of the private room like a madman and tried to scratch and w at the police, trying to block their way out. She even started hurling verbal abuse at Queenie and Bianca. After realizing Queenie''s identity, and after Mr. Lerche pped her and her son red at her, Mrs. Lerche shut her mouth in panic and could only watch helplessly as her daughter was brought away. "Are you OK, Bea? I should take you to the hospital for an examination." In the lounge, Queenie was still worried about Bianca''s condition. She insisted on bringing her to the hospital. Bianca''s heart softened when she saw the worry on Queenie''s face. She took Queenie''s hand and comforted her, "Thank you, Aunt Queenie. I know my body very well, and I can say that I''m fine." Bianca was grateful that Queenie had stood up for her, even though Queenie might stand up for any of the customers in her restaurant. Queenie''s heart wrenched when she saw that Bianca was so thoughtful. She wished that she could give her birth daughter a tight hug. However, she did not do so after considering their identities. She reached out and lovingly smoothened Bianca''s hair. "You have to tell Aunt Queenie if you need anything. Don''t be a stranger to me..." Then, she imparted a lot of pregnancy advice to Bianca. Bianca listened to all that with a smile and asionally nodded. Aside from gratitude, she also felt a hint of joy. As much as she tried to deny it, she nevertheless craved a mother¡¯s love. Moscow. The tip of the sharp dagger was embedded in Luke''s wrist. The table was sttered with fresh blood. Luke did not even wince, as though the dagger had cut a lifeless rock. The stench of blood and an uncanny silence filled the foyer. The atmosphere was oppressive. Ray''s prating gaze stared at Luke without blinking. There was no emotion in Luke''s obsidian eyes, though Ray could tell that it was only the calm before the storm. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Ray stroked his chin and considered the pros and cons of offending Luke Crawford. That man was cruel. One could not be considered truly cruel if he were cruel to his enemies, but one was truly cruel if he were cruel to himself. The man was decisive and loyal to his friends. No wonder his nickname was the Cold-Faced Devil. He wanted to cripple Gordan, but he could not afford to offend Luke. The cons far outweighed the pros if he did so. When Ray was about to lift his hand and stop Luke, Gordan suddenly blurted, '' Please stop, Luke! I''ll marry Vivian! Stop hurting yourself!" After saying that, his face turned ashen and he slumped on the floor in despair. However, he did not regret his decision. Luke would lose a hand to save him, but how could he let someone else suffer for his sins? Instantly, someone brought over disinfectant and bandages. Luke removed the dagger from his wrist. His wrist was a bloody, horrific mess. One could even catch a glimpse of bone. He was so close to crippling his hand. Chapter 644 Chapter 644 To Queenie, This Is Enough Even though his hand was saved, Luke thought that he had failed. Gordan should not have agreed to the marriage. If only Gordan could hold on for a few more minutes, Luke believed that they would not have failed in thest step. Luke could guess what Ray was thinking. Ray, as a man standing on the pinnacle of power, should be smart enough to weigh the pros and cons of offending Luke. Luke was sure that Ray would not burn bridges with him, no matter how much he loved his sister. After all, T Corporation was under the Russian government''s protection. As the leader of the Russian mafia, Ray would not brazenly challenge the government. That was why Luke gambled that Ray would not want him to cripple himself. Gordan had been too impulsive. Luke shook his head and looked usingly at Gordan. Gordan did not show any regret. "I won''t change my decision." If marrying an ugly woman was all it took to save his good friend''s hand, he would not hesitate to do so. Ray was very satisfied with the oue. He saw how cruel but loyal Luke could be at crucial moments. Criminal overlords appreciated people like that. Very soon, Ray and Luke became sworn brothers. Both parties were satisfied at the end of the negotiations. Soon, the doctor came to treat Luke''s wound. His wrist was a bloody mess, and he had lost a lot of blood. Fortunately, the skilled doctor soon stopped the bleeding and bandaged the wound. After that, Ray invited them to the most luxurious hotel in town and hosted a banquet forthem. That was the first time Luke met Vivian, Ray''s sister. Luke nearly spat out the wine in his mouth. He expected a woman with a beautiful name like "Vivian" and a handsome younger brother like Ray should have decent looks. When he saw her, he finally understood why Gordan would rather die than marry her. Vivian was Eastern European, but she did not look like one. Instead of being tall, healthy, and beautiful, she was short and skinny like an underdeveloped beansprout. Her skin was not as fair as the typical Caucasian, but rather dark and splotchy like a moldy piece of bread. Furthermore, her fashion sense was terrible. The only good point about Vivian''s appearance was probably her sea-blue eyes. They were not very big, but they were lively and animated. Other than that, she did not seem like a match for the tall and handsome Gordan. No wonder Vivian remained single at thirty years old even though she had a wealthy and influential younger brother. Luke began to pity Gordan and wondered if Ray took all the good points from their parents while leaving the bad points for Vivian. He could not help butpare Vivian to Bianca at home. Bianca was so much more beautiful. Bianca''s beauty was not the shy type but rather modest and longsting. She would not take anyone''s breath away, but she was a sight for sore eyes. After living with her for some time, Luke felt that the joy of seeing her had permeated his bones and touched his soul. To him, she was the most beautiful woman. He would grow tired of looking at other women, but not her. She was the softest spot in his heart. He wondered what Bianca was doing at that moment. At the Norman residence. Queenie was in a good mood today. She had managed to convince Bianca toe over to her house to talk about a design coboration. Bianca could not decline the invitation. After all, Queenie was the one who saved her at the restaurant. Moreover, she knew that Queenie was her birth mother, and she wanted to know more about her mother''s daily life. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The Norman residence was a three-story mansion surrounded by gardens. Queenie brought Bianca to the third floor. One of the rooms on the third floor was a feminine bedroom that was furnished like the scene of a dream. There was also a rooftop garden. The two women sat down next to the coffee table in the rooftop garden and started chatting over tea. The rooftop garden had many nts. Vines spread out over the entire trellis, while the winding path covered in cobblestones was nked with pots of rare chrysanthemums. It was the season in which chrysanthemums were in full bloom, and each nt was adorned with flowers of different colors. It was a breath-taking sight. Queenie saw that Bianca loved the garden. She exined it to her gently, "I designed theyout of this garden, Bea. What do you think?" Bianca took in the refreshing fragrance of the chrysanthemums and said truthfully, "It''s beautiful, Aunt Queenie. I can feel my stress melt away, and I''m rxed and energized." Queenie could tell from Bianca''s eyes that she loved the environment. She could see the faint smile on Bianca''s face when Bianca looked at the chrysanthemums. To Queenie, she would not trade that smile for anything else. Queenie smiled and said, "Actually, I designed this garden for my daughter." Bianca did not quite understand. She looked at Queenie, confused. "Leia must be so lucky to have you as her mother, Aunt Queenie. You love her and pamper her so much..." Her heart wrenched because she thought that Queenie''s "daughter" referred to Leia. Queenie shook her head. The usually noble and elegant woman seemed to be moved when she looked straight into Bianca''s eyes. "This isn''t for Leia. It''s for my birth daughter." ''... Birth daughter?¡¯ Bianca''s eyes opened wide, and her entire body tensed up. Her hand that was passing Queenie the teacup also froze in mid-air. ''Has she found out that I''m her birth daughter?'' Bianca''s heart thumped hard. The next moment, she saw Queenie close her eyes dejectedly, seemingly immersed in the painful memories of the past. "I thought that my birth daughter left me forever... When I gave birth to her, I passed out because of birthplications. After I woke up, I saw a lifeless female baby lying next to me... I lost my mind then, and I called out my daughter''s name again and again, but her eyes remained closed and did not respond to me. Do you understand the despair in my heart back then?" A teardrop fell from Queenie''s eye andnded on the back of Bianca''s hand with a ssh. A scalding pain spread from Bianca''s hand to each of her organs. At that moment, she felt the same pain as Queenie... A long timeter, Bianca pulled her hand back and said, "Aunt Queenie, I..." Chapter 645 Chapter 645 Bianca Talked While Queenie Listened A long timeter, Queenie coughed gently andposed herself. Bianca handed her a paper towel while gently wiped away her tears with her other hand. "Don''t be sad, Aunt Queenie. I believe that things will be better." Queenie was reluctant to turn her gaze away from Bianca''s face. Suddenly, she grabbed Bianca''s hand as though afraid that Bianca might disappear suddenly. "I''ve never met my birth daughter before, but she''s the same age as you. I believe that she''ll be as pretty, sensible, and talented as you..." Bianca felt bad that Queenie was crying. However, she was embarrassed by Queenie''s praise. She lowered her head and tucked her hair before saying, "I''m not as good as you think, Aunt Queenie. I have many bad points." Queenie massaged her temples and said caringly, "I like you, no matter how many bad points you might have." Bianca stared at Queenie. She was at a loss. She could not understand Queenie''s sudden change in attitude. 1 Other than feeling surprised, she was also clueless. Of course, Queenie noticed Bianca''s embarrassment. She med herself for being too reckless. There was still time. Now that she knew that Bianca was her birth daughter, they would eventually be reunited someday. To alleviate Bianca''s anxiety, Queenie made up an excuse tofort her, ¡° You saved my life that day, and I''m really grateful for that. If not for you, I might not have the chance to talk to you privately today. You can say that I owe you my life. If you have any difficulties, you muste and tell me. I''ll help you out if I can." Bianca smiled. "Don''t mention it, Aunt Queenie. Anyone else would have attempted to save you in that situation. You''ve just recovered, and you should rest at home instead of overworking yourself." Queenie was caught in a daze when she saw Bianca''s smile. ''She looks exactly like a younger version of me.'' Leia returned home with Charmaine following behind. Leia walked in front like an arrogant princess, while Charmaine followed her like a sidekick and helped her carry her handbag. The caretaker was watering the flowers downstairs. When she heard the two young womene in, she put the watering can down and greeted them, "You''re back, Ms. Norman. Are you here to visit, Ms. Weish?" "Is Mom at home, Ms. Lang?" Leia asked as she walked toward the house. The caretaker pointed at the third floor and said, "Madam is at home. We also have a guest in the house. She''s a beautiful pregnant woman." Leia''s heart skipped a beat when she heard that a pregnant woman was visiting. Her intuition told her that the person was most likely Bianca Rayne. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She could not help but turn her head toward the third floor. The third floor was usually locked. Leia knew that her mother had always kept that ce tidy, and her mother would go up there whenever she was in a bad mood. She could not help but feel jealous about the woman whom her mother brought to the third-floor secret garden. From where Leia stood, she could not see if there was anyone currently up there. Leia stopped walking. She turned around and asked the caretaker anxiously, "How does that woman look like, Ms. Lang?" The caretaker thought for a while. "She has big eyes and an oval face, and her skin is very fair. Right, I heard Madam call her Bea..." Leia''s fingernails dug into her palm as she red viciously at the third floor. "Leia, did your mom really bring that seductress home?" Charmaine noticed that sudden change in Leia''s mood, and she knew about Leia''s grudge against Bianca. She could instantly guess the reason. "Hmph!" Leia grunted coldly and walked straight into the house. Charmaine hurriedly followed behind. Leia went back into her room and mmed the door. "You don''t look like you''re worried at all, Leia!" Charmaine was confused. How could Leia remainposed when her rival was in the house? Leia''s expression was gloomy. "What''s the point of worrying? Should I cry andin to my mom? Or should I chase that woman away? Heh, that''ll only make my mom hate me." Charmaine said carefully, "Does your mom know that that woman is her birth daughter? She''s such a schemer. Otherwise, your mom wouldn''t bring her home. By the way, Leia, is that woman really your mom''s birth daughter? Can''t she be an impostor like Julie?" Leia frowned gloomily. "That woman is indeed my mom''s birth daughter." She had secretly taken their hair samples for a DNA test. They were indeed biological mother and daughter. "So what if they''re biologically rted? Aunt Queenie has raised you for so many years. No outsider could step between you and your mom. No matter what they say, you''re still the true Ms. Norman. That seductress won''t change anything even if she reunites with your mom," Charmaineforted her. Leia narrowed her gaze. "Let''s go and meet that b*tch!" On the third-floor garden. Bianca and Queenie talked a lot, though Bianca did most of the talking while Queenie listened attentively. Queenie asked a lot of questions about Bianca''s life. She wanted to know how her daughter had been over the past two decades. Bianca told her many stories of her childhood, which made Queenie cover her mouth and smile. She briefly mentioned the tragic parts. However, Queenie was a sensitive woman. She could guess from those brief words that Bianca did not have a happy childhood. Allison took Bianca away but dumped her in the Rayne family. She was irresponsible as a mother. Kevin Rayne remarried after that. From the fact that Jennifer was currently serving a prison sentence, Queenie could guess that Bianca''s stepmother had a bad character. She could not imagine how much Bianca suffered in the Rayne family. She felt more guilty than ever. She took Bianca''s hand, and her gaze was filled with guilt and apology." Poor child. I''ll make it up..." "Aunt Queenie, I..." Bianca was feeling embarrassed when Queenie stared at her like that. She wanted to pull away, but she heard a pair of high heels walking up the stairs. She turned to look in the direction of the sound and saw Leia walking in. Leia was smiling, but Bianca felt a chill course down her spine when their eyes met. A young woman followed behind Leia. She was smiling mockingly at Bianca. The hostility on her face was palpable... Chapter 646 Chapter 646 A Mother''s Love Leia hid away her animosity, then walked up and leaned against Queenie. "I''m back, Mom. Do we have a guest?" "Aunt Queenie..." Charmaine called out weakly behind Leia. Even the usually wanton Charmaine had to behave in front of the noble Queenie. Queenie frowned when she saw Leia and the other young woman in heavy makeup. She was not fond of Leia making friends with women like Charmaine. She felt that Charmaine had passed on many bad habits to Leia. However, considering that Leia and Charmaine were good friends, Queenie nodded at Charmaine and said gently to Leia, "Mypany needs to hire a new batch of architects, and I love Bea''s designs. That''s why I invited her over to talk about work." Leia''s gaze fell on Queenie''s hand that was holding Bianca''s hand. She was unhappy when she saw that. Bianca happened to notice Leia''s gaze that was filled with hatred and resentment. Seeing that, Bianca smiled gently at Leia, though there was a hint of provocation in that smile. Usually, she would not have done that, but she was quite willing to see the conceited Leia being angered. As expected, Leia pretended to be unbothered, but the jealousy and frigidity in her gaze were obvious. Bianca could only find it incredibly ironic. Queenie was Bianca''s birth mother, and for so many years, Leia had taken what should have belonged to Bianca. What gave Leia the right to re at Bianca that way? Why should Bianca allow Leia to upy her position in the Norman family? If Leia had a better personality, Bianca did not mind staying away from the Normans. However, Leia was a scheming and sinister woman, and she was afraid that her birth parents might be spending their time and effort raising an ingrate. Worse yet, Leia might actively harm them. Queenie did not notice the tense undercurrents that flowed between the two young women. She pulled Leia in front of Bianca and said lovingly, "Leia, Bea is a really talented woman. She''s older than you, and you should greet her as your elder sister. Once the coboration is confirmed, Ms. Rayne wille to our house often, and the two of you will meet each other more often. You need to be on good terms with Elder Sister, alright? I know that you''re prejudiced against Bea because of Luke, but you can''t force Luke to love you, and it''s already in the past. One day you''ll understand what I mean." To Queenie, her adoptive daughter might have made a mistake, but that was maybe because she was impulsive. Queenie believed that Leia was still the kind and innocent girl that she knew. However, her sentiments for Bianca were different. She felt joy, pity, excitement, and guilt, and she hoped that she could make up for lost time. She genuinely loved both the girls, and she hoped that she could give her everything to the two. Bianca would eventually return to the Norman household. Currently, she hoped that she could bridge the rtionship between her birth and adoptive daughters. She knew that Leia must be bearing a grudge against Bianca because of Luke, but she believed that Leia would eventually understand. She hoped to see her two daughters live together harmoniously. Leia was unhappy about that. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She did not show her true feelings on her face. Instead, she nodded. "Mm, I understand, Mom." Queenie was happy that Leia showed some sense. She smiled at Bianca," I''ve pampered Leia too much, Bea. She might be capricious at times, and she might be candid in her words, but she''s not a bad girl." "We''ll see about that, Aunt Queenie," Bianca smiled ambiguously and said profoundly. It seemed that Queenie, as intelligent and discerning as she was, had not seen through Leia''s guise yet. It would be up to Bianca to tear away Leia''s pretentious fagade. Queenie nced at her watch. "It''s gettingte, and I should prepare lunch for all of you. Let''s go downstairs, Bea. Leia, bring Elder Sister for a stroll around the gardenter." She took Bianca''s hand as though it was the most natural thing and went downstairs. Other than Luke, no one had held her hand like that ever since she was a grown-up. Queenie was protecting her with her arm as though leading the way for a small child. Bianca felt warmth in her heart. ''Is this how a mother''s love should feel?'' Bianca could feel tears welling up in her eyes. Leia was extremely unhappy when she saw her mother holding Bianca''s hand and ignoring herself. Ever since she grew up, Queenie had rarely held her hand. Ovee by jealousy, Leia deliberately twisted her ankle and fell down in front of Queenie. "Ow!" "What happened to you, Leia?" Queenie instantly let go of Bianca and rushed ahead to help Leia up. Charmaine could not help but grin. ''Leia is such a schemer,'' she thought. Leia looked at Queenie with puppy eyes. "I was thinking of something earlier, and I didn''t notice where I was going. I''m so silly." Queenie propped Leia up and shook her head dearly when she saw that Leia had scraped her knee. "You''re as clumsy as you were when you''re a child. You always make me worry." She crouched down and gently massaged Leia''s bruise. Leia shot a demonstrative gaze at Bianca, as though saying, "See, Mom still loves me. Don¡¯t ever think of taking her away from me." Bianca had the urge tough out loud when she saw how childish Leia was. She could not bear to hurt herself in an effort to one-up someone else. Leia''s fall was genuine. Her knee was swollen and red. Moscow. After dealing with Gordan''s incident, Luke rejected Ray''s offer to tour the city, reprimanded Gordan once more, and prepared to catch the return flight. The drive to the airport from Ray''s residence was more than three hours. They had to pass through a steep and winding mountain range. The off-road vehicle sped on the narrow asphalt road, passing by ancient trees that grew out of cracks on the mountain wall. The branches were dense, and the canopy was like clouds that blocked the sky. The surroundings were eerily quiet. "It''s dangerous here, Mr. Crawford. We should speed up!" Mallory One, sitting next to Luke, could feel his body tense up. Mallory One was one of Percy''s elite bodyguards. Percy had loaned him to Luke on his trip to Russia. His incisive intuition and experience told him that their surroundings were full of danger. Luke nodded, and his expression became stern. "Yes, we should move faster and reach the airport as soon as possible." He took out his phone and nned to give Bianca a call. In the past two days, he was so busy that he barely had the time to sleep, let alone call or message her. If he did not call her, he would expect that she would be angry at him. He dialed Bianca''s number, but the call was rejected. Luke smiled helplessly. She was angry. He continued to call her number, but the call was declined every time. Eventually, the other party turned off her phone. While Luke was dialing Jason¡¯s number, a bullet pierced the car windshield and headed straight at his skull! Chapter 647 Chapter 647 Bianca Seemed Troubled Intense pain spread from Luke''s head to every nerve ending in his body. The bright red blood was a shocking sight. Luke''s eyes widened, seemingly in disbelief that he would be shot. The coldness that was spreading through his limbs also told him that the fall season in Moscow was a lot colder than A City. Luke did not know which of his enemies would assassinate him in a foreign country. As the owner of a multinational conglomerate, he was not a merciful person and had driven many to bankruptcy. He had experienced his fair share of threats, but those were only child''s y. His head was so painful that it felt like it was going to explode. He was beginning to see hallucinations. Sean and Mallory One''s panicked screams and angry howls were fading in his ears. Thest image he saw was Bianca''s fair and beautiful face. On the top of a hill. Wayne, wearing ck shades, was dressed in a ckbat suit that entuated his burly figure. His fierce and terrifying demeanor was intimidating. Behind him, about ten of his subordinates were lying in ambush, wielding an assortment of weapons, i Wayne smirked smugly as he blew the smoke from the barrel of his rifle. Next to him was a blond female dressed in the same ck clothes. Thebat suit could not hide her curvaceous body, but the sinister look on her beautiful and charming face inspired fear. "Tbi He Bnaewb.MTO Tbi aejiaeuib? Tbi Y6beujb Bcex! (Do you know what you''re doing? You''ll get everyone killed!)" The blond woman blurted a string of Russian. She pointed at Wayne''s head with a pistol, and she was ready to kill him. They were on a mission to assassinate a certain high-ranking official. The intelligence reports showed that said official would be traveling on this road, but before he arrived, the leader of the mercenaries fired a shot at an innocent civilian. That was almost certainly going to botch the mission! Wayne whistled yfully at her, twisted her wrist, and the pistol fell into his hands. He pinched the blonde woman''s smooth face while choking her neck with his other hand. "Don''t think that I won''ty a finger on you just because you''re that old geezer''s woman. I''ll kill you all the same if you cross me! Don''t ask me why I killed that man. I don''t need a reason to kill a man!" He said matter- of-factly. It was his first time being obsessed with a woman, but when he was making out with that woman in bed, she was calling out Luke''s name repeatedly. The incredibly possessive Wayne had never felt so humiliated before. He had wanted to kill Luke for a long time. However, the man wielded a lot of influence in the country, and he was always cautious. Wayne never found a good opportunity to make a move. He did not expect to find Luke in the middle of his ambush. That was the perfect chance! Kassy felt weak as Wayne choked her. She felt as though Wayne really wanted to kill her. "Are you sure that the man is dead?" Kassy''s anger gradually diminished under the man''s violent threat. "Of course. I''m a sharpshooter, and I never miss," Wayne said arrogantly. Kassy did not say anything in case she further offended that terrifying man. She knew how violent that man could be. Anyone who angered him would be instantly dispatched. Kassy had an ominous feeling when she looked at the man who had been shot. It would be no problem if the man died. If he did not, she had a premonition that he would return the favor tenfold. Bianca helped Queenie cook in the kitchen. Queenie did not want her to be affected by the oil and fumes and insisted that she take a break in the living room. However, Bianca relished the time she got to spend with Queenie and insisted on helping. Queenie could not convince Bianca to go away and let her help with cleaning the ingredients in the dry kitchen. While washing the spinach, Bianca suddenly felt a sharp pain in her stomach. It was so painful that she almost moaned. That was abnormal. Usually, it would not be so painful no matter how violently the baby in her womb kicked her. Bianca''s left ear also started ringing... She had an ominous feeling. She supported herself with the table, and her face turned pale as though coated with ayer of powder. ''Could Luke be in trouble?'' Instantly, Bianca searched around for her phone. She had left it in the living room so that it would not disturb her work in the kitchen. Queenie had been keeping an eye on Bianca. She noticed that there was something wrong with Bianca''splexion. Instantly, she handed the cooking to the caretaker and rushed out of the kitchen. She held Bianca''s arm and asked her out of concern, "What happened, Bea? How do you feel? Do you want to take a rest in the bedroom?" Bianca managed to catch her breath, and the pain in her stomach subsided a little. She clutched the hem of Queenie''s sleeve and begged, "Aunt Queenie, my phone..." Looking at Bianca''s worried expression, Queenie could tell that there must be something urgent. She helped Bianca walk into the living room. Bianca went to search for her phone that she had ced at the corner of the couch. What she saw was a scattered pile of phone parts. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Leia and Charmaine were sitting on another couch chatting happily while eating chips. asionally, they would be ovee by fits of giggles. "What happened to my phone?" Bianca''s expression was gloomy. Her finger that was pointing at the pile of phone parts was slightly trembling. Seeing how angry Bianca was, Leia stood up candidly, walked up to Bianca, and pretended to look apologetic. "I''m sorry, Bianca. I was searching for something on the couch when I identally bumped into your phone. It fell on the floor and became like that... I really didn''t mean it. I don''t know why your phone is so fragile. Maybe it''s not genuine? How about this, I''ll buy a new phone for you after lunch, alright?" Leia sounded so earnest, and her expression seemed so apologetic. No one else would me her, but Bianca became angrier. The phone was a present from Luke. She had dropped the phone more than once, and she had even dropped it in water. The phone''s operation was not affected at all. There was barely even a crack on the phone. Anyone could see that the phone was deliberately broken, but Leia said that it was an ident. How despicable! That was not the time to quibble. All she wanted was a phone to ensure Luke''s safety... Chapter 648 Chapter 648 What Should I Tell Bianca, Who Is About To Give Birth? Queenie could see how anxious Bianca was. She red at Leia usingly, then handed her phone to Bianca. "You can use my phone for now, Bea." "Thank you, Aunt Queenie." Bianca took the phone and dialed Luke''s number. Luke''s phone was turned off. Bianca was incredibly anxious. Her breathing was shallow andbored. She did not give up and kept on dialing Luke''s number. However, the result disappointed her. She tried dialing Sean''s number but could not get through either. That made Bianca even more anxious. Following that, she dialed Jason''s number. Jason picked up after a few seconds. "Yes, Ms. Rayne?" Bianca spoke frantically, "Mr. Doyle, do you have any other way of contacting Luke? I can''t reach him on his phone, and I don''t know what''s going on." "Don''t worry, Ms. Rayne. I''ll contact the staff in the Russian branch, and I''ll give you a reply soon," Jasonforted her. "Mm, please hurry! I broke my phone, and you can call me back on this number." "Yes, Madam." Bianca remained uneasy after the call ended. Queenie helped her sit on the couch and said to her gently, "Don''t be too agitated, Bea. Luke will be fine. You have to take care of the baby in your womb." Bianca sat down on the couch. She dug her fingers into her scalp and tried to calm herself down, but it was all of no use. Meanwhile, Leia was still whispering to Charmaine, but she seemed visibly nervous, and she ate the chips at a slower pace. She asionally stole nces at Bianca, and her ears were pricked to eavesdrop on what Bianca said. Even though Luke had been merciless to her, she felt uneasy whenever his name was mentioned. About ten minutester, Queenie''s phone started ringing. It was only ten minutes, but Bianca thought that it had been a very long time. She grabbed the phone and asked, "Do you have any news about Luke, Mr. Doyle?" Jason was silent for a few seconds, and there was a gravity in his voice." Ms. Rayne, the staff there could not contact Mr. Crawford. There might be an ident. I''ll have to fly to Moscow." Bianca covered her mouth when she heard that Luke might be caught in an ident. She tried hard not to cry. "No, how can that happen to Luke? He promised me that he''d return safely!" "That''s only a tentative guess, Ms. Rayne," Jason said sternly, "Don''t worry, I''ll book a flight to Moscow now. I''ll contact you as soon as I have any news. Mr. Crawford told me that if he could not be contacted, I should calm you down and tell you that he will return to you no matter what." Bianca''s shoulders trembled after the phone call ended. She was enveloped in sadness. Queenie gently hugged her. "Bea..." Bianca could not hold it in anymore. She started sobbing. "Aunt Queenie..." Tears welled up in Queenie''s eyes when she saw how sad Bianca was. She took a napkin and gently wiped Bianca''s tears away. "Silly girl, don''t be too sad before you find out the truth. You should control your emotions and wait for Luke''s news. What if Lukees back and you''ve fallen sick? That''s not worth the trouble." Bianca took a deep breath and came to her senses. Her eyes remained bloodshot, though she felt embarrassed because she had shown her ugly side to Queenie. She wiped her tears sheepishly. "I''m sorry, Aunt Queenie. I''ve made a fool of myself." "It''s fine. Everyone has their moment of weakness. When I was your age, I didn''t know how to control my emotions and cried a lot too," Queenie said with a smile. Bianca felt better after Queenie continued tofort her. Aunt Queenie was right. Luke was temporarily out of reach, but that did not mean that something bad happened to him. All she could do now was to wait patiently. Queenie looked at Bianca''s frail body and gently patted her shoulder while feeling sorry for her. She thought that she would invite Bianca over more often to make it up to her. In the outskirts of Moscow. It was five hourster when Gordan found out that Luke was shot. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. When he arrived at the mountains, he could only find several charred bodies and blood everywhere. Gordan saw Luke''s off-road vehicle. Only a ckened husk remained. Next to it was a smoking corpse of Luke''s build. It was burned beyond recognition. Gordan pounced onto the corpse in despair. "Luke!" He roared hoarsely. He flipped the corpse over, and blisters instantly formed on his hands and arms because of the extreme heat. However, he stubbornly hugged the corpse in his arms. When he nced at the corpse''s face, he realized that it was someone he did not know! He ced the charred corpse down, clenched his fists, and punched a tree trunk. "Who? Who the hell did this?" The tree shook, and leaves fell while blood seeped out from his knuckles. Vivian watched uneasily at Gordan''s angry face. She did not want him to hurt himself, and so she walked up to him timidly, "Your... your hand is bleeding...¡± "Get lost! If not because of you, ugly woman, would my good friende all the way to Moscow for negotiations? Would he have suffered such a mishap if not for you? You''re a jinx and a walking disaster. You should have died instead!" Gordan''s hands gripped Vivian''s neck, lifted her up, and pinned her against the tree trunk, fully intending on killing her. "Ugh..." Vivian struggled desperately, kicking aimlessly but futilely in the air. Her in and sickly face was turning red. A burly bodyguard saw that Gordan was bullying Vivian. He grabbed Gordan''s wrist, twisted it, then sent him flying with a roundhouse kick. Gordannded stomach-first on a pile of rocks nearby and spat out a mouthful of blood. The bodyguard walked toward Vivian and asked, "M, bbi b nopnflKe? ( Miss, are you okay?)" However, Vivian pped the bodyguard''s face. "Kto 3acTaBnn Te6a 3acTp?Tb Ero, MepT no6epn!! (Who allowed you to hit him, d*mn it!)" After Vivian scolded the bodyguard, she ran up to Gordan and apologized to him, "I''m sorry, Gordan. That wretch hit you too hard. I''ll punish him when we get back. Shall we get going?" Gordan shoved her away, stood up defiantly, and nced at her coldly, then continued to search the area. Luke was missing. Chapter 649 Chapter 649 I Don¡¯t Believe That He¡¯s Dead Until I See His Body Bianca was knitting a sweater in the mansion. She had to keep busy to distract herself from worrying. After waiting on tenterhooks for two days, she did not receive good news about Luke. Instead, Jason came to visit her at the house. Behind him was an overly handsome man. The two men dragged themselves into the living room with solemn expressions on their faces. Bianca''s already haggard eyes from not sleeping well became bloodshot when she saw Jason. She put the knitting needles down and rushed up to Jason. She looked behind the men but did not see Luke. Bianca grabbed Jason''s elbow and asked him, "Where''s Luke, Mr. Doyle? Why isn''t Luke with you?" Jason''s eyes were moist. He turned away and averted Bianca''s gaze. Behind him, Gordan fell on his knees with a plop. "What are you doing?" Bianca was surprised by that man''s sudden actions. Gordan exined to Bianca, "I''m Gordan Norton, Sis. Luke ordered me to change my face not long ago." "So it''s you,11 Bianca said. Luke had told Bianca that Gordan went under stic surgery again, changing his appearance back to the time before he was disfigured. Bianca had not seen that face before. Her first impression was that Gordan was bewitchingly handsome. However, she did not have the time to appreciate the face. "Luke went to Russia to save you. You came back, but where is he? What happened to him?" She asked anxiously. Gordan covered his face in agony. '' I''m sorry, Sis..." He sounded very guilty. "I don''t want your apology. I want to know where Luke is!" Bianca yelled, unable to control her emotions. Gordan''s body was shaking. "Luke, he''s... he''s missing... his car was bombed, and most of the people who went along with him died. I didn''t... find any survivors..." Bianca was shocked when she heard the news. She instinctively took a step back. Her frail body was almost going to pass out, but she continued asking, "Did you find Luke''s body?" "No.¡± Jason''s tone was also suffused with sorrow. "It was a big explosion that resulted in a fire. Every corpse was disfigured. We couldn''t identify his corpse.¡± He also could not believe that his boss would leave him like that. His boss was a natural-born winner who had extraordinary intelligence and capabilities. He should be able to get out of any perilous situation, but how was he gone just like that? He had to admit what he saw was true. His boss was gone. "No! I don''t believe that he''s dead until I see his body!" Bianca sounded determined. "I don''t believe it, I don''t believe it..." She mumbled over and over again as though hypnotizing herself. Looking at the extremely sad Bianca, Gordan covered his face. His shoulders were shaking, and his heart was wracked with guilt and regret. Jason tried topose himself and ced a charred ring in Bianca''s hand. "Madam, we found this at the scene of the ident. You can verify if it belongs to him." Bianca''s face turned pale when she saw the ring. She snatched the ring from Jason''s hand. The ring was already charred, and part of the exterior was already molten. She could vaguely see the diamond-encrusted pattern on it. When she picked the ring for Luke, heined that it looked too feminine. Bianca loved the design. She exined to him that the floral patterns signified an eternal promise. Her lips shuddered when she stared at the iplete ring in her hand. She touched the ring she wore on her right hand. Those two rings were supposed to be a pair. Suddenly, Bianca''s vision blurred. She did not want to cry, but tears fell from her eyes anyway. Luke was not here to wipe her tears. No one would take pity on her sorrow. She lowered her head. Teardrops fell like a string of pearls from her eyes to her feet. The temperature of her tears made here to her senses. It was then she realized that her slippers fell off when she rushed over earlier. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. She felt the icy floor chill her to the bone. If Luke saw it, he would have yfully scolded her, then carried her to the couch, massage her feet until warmth returned, and put on soft andfy slippers for her. Now, he was gone... Bianca felt that her head was going to explode. She did not hear what Jason and Gordan were telling her. She slowly shuffled to her bedroom without saying a word. She felt so tired. Suddenly, her vision went ck, and her body went limp. Her legs gave out, and her frail figure fell toward the floor. Bianca passed out for a day and a night. She had no appetite after she woke up. An intravenous drip sustained her. Queenie rushed to the hospital after she received the news. Her words failed tofort Bianca. Feeling sad for Bianca, Queenie could only wipe her own tears when no one was looking. Sue and Nina took turns to visit Bianca at the hospital. Everyone worried about Bianca, but she seemed to have lost the will to live. Jason was worried that Bianca could not take it. He went to bring the twins to cheer Bianca up. Perhaps her children might reinvigorate her. It was already sunset when Bianca woke up again. She was woken up by a string of insults and children crying. The room was dim. The light was not turned on. When Bianca opened her eyes, she saw Allison angrily flip her nket away. Then, Allison pointed at her face and started yelling, "You seductress, you jinx! I should''ve known that you only bring bad luck to my son. Would my son meet with a mishap if not for you? Stop pretending and get up now!" Chapter 650 Chapter 650 Bianca Was Hesitant To Say That Name Seeing that Bianca was awake, Allison choked her neck with both of her hands and shook her. Her venomous gaze was like a knife that threatened to stab her. Bianca was already weak. She instantly became dizzy after being shaken about. Before she could see clearly what was in front of her eyes, she fell into unconsciousness once more. She felt very tired. She wished that she could close her eyes forever. In her dreams, she saw Luke once more. The man''s back was tall and straight like a pine tree. Her heart thumped faster at that sight. She ran toward Luke and called out his name. Luke turned around. The man''s tightly pressed lips smiled gently at the moment he saw her. Tears welled up in Bianca''s eyes. She dared not touch him, lest he disappeared like a reflection in the water. Luke''s gaze was loving and indulgent. He slowly walked toward her, held her hands, and kissed them gently with his lips. "Can''t you take care of yourself when I''m gone, silly girl?" Bianca''s eyes were blurry with tears. She wanted to reach out and touch him, but before she could touch his fingers, he suddenly disappeared. "Luke!" Bianca woke up from her dreams and found that she was still in the hospital. The dim light cast a shadow on Queenie that was slumped on the bed. She did not bother wondering why Queenie was taking care of her in the hospital. Her mind was upied by the thoughts of Luke. It was all her dream. It was only a fantasy... Bianca covered her mouth as she looked at the night sky and sobbed quietly. ''I hope that I can go back to the time before you left. If I had known that this was going to happen, I''d hug you with all my might and never let you leave.'' Large teardrops fell. Bianca was losing control of her emotions. She tried to keep as quiet as possible, but Queenie, who had been sleeping lightly, woke up. Queenie turned on the room lights. Everything in the room was basked in a warm yellow glow. She saw Bianca''s eyes that were filled with tears and hugged her. Her bloodshot eyes also began to moisten. "Trust me, Bianca. This will soon pass." The warm light and Queenie''s gentle voice brought Bianca to her senses. "Why are you here, Aunt Queenie?" Bianca said hoarsely. Queenie straightened Bianca''s sweat-drenched hair and looked at her concernedly, "I happen to be free, and I heard that you''re in the hospital, so I came to visit. Should I make something for you to eat?" The VIP hospital ward had an attached kitchen. There were all sorts of fruits, vegetables, and seasonings in the fridge. They were suitable for a recuperating patient. Bianca shook her head and said weakly, "I''m not hungry, and I don''t feel like eating anything. There are nurses to take care of me in the hospital, Aunt Queenie. You should go home in case Mr. Norman worries about you. I''m fine, but you should take care of yourself; you just got discharged not too long ago." "Good girl. Your Aunt Queenie is well and healthy. I¡¯ll go and make some egg drop soup for you, at least eat something. I''ll cook something delicious for you tomorrow," Queenie patted Bianca''s head and gave her some more advice before heading to the kitchen. Bianca watched as Queenie made herself busy in the kitchen. She felt a twinge in her nose when Queenie patted her head. Her gaze fell on the bed next to hers. The twins were sleeping soundly there. The brother hugged the sister, and their faces were almost touching. asionally, they would blow a bubble from their pink and tender lips. It was a warm and touching scene, but Bianca clutched her chest in agony. The man had abandoned his wife and children. What should she do? Fifteen minutester, Queenie returned from the kitchen with a steaming hot bowl of egg drop soup in her hands. She sat down on the bed,dled a spoonful of soup, and gently blew on it. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She brought the spoon close to Bianca''s lips when the soup cooled. "Have some soup, Bea." Bianca had no appetite. She gently pushed Queenie''s hand away. "I really can''t eat, Aunt Queenie..." Queenie looked at Bianca''s vacant expression. She put the bowl and spoon down and said softly, "Bea, Luke is no more. Are you nning to go after him? Look at you now. You''re not strong at all. Is that how a mother should behave? Have you spared a thought for the twins and the baby in your womb? Wouldn''t you want to ensure that Luke''s legacy lives on?" Bianca nced dejectedly at Lanie and Rainie. She ced her hand on her stomach and said nothing. ''No, that''s not the case.'' If not for the twins and the baby, she might have considered ending her life. Queenie sighed and tried to persuade her, "Remember, you''re living not only for yourself. You have responsibilities too. You have to take care of your elderly grandfather and your aunt, who is sick. You have two young children, and there''s the baby still in your womb. Have you thought of what would happen to them if you decide to end your life? Don''t you know how agonizing it is to bury your child? Can you imagine your twins being bullied because they''re orphans?" 1 "Aunt Queenie..." Bianca interjected. She was sobbing. "Please, don''t say any more." She knew that her grandfather and aunt would be extremely sad if she decided to end her life. She also knew the experience of being bullied and mocked as a helpless orphan. How could she bear to see her children suffer the same fate? The children had lost their father. She would not allow them to lose their mother too. Seeing that Bianca was convinced, Queenie once again picked up the bowl of soup and brought a spoonful next to her mouth. "Then you should eat. Your health should be your topmost priority so that you can deliver the baby safely." Bianca opened her mouth like a puppet and forced the spoonful of soup down her throat. Suddenly, she remembered vaguely hearing Allison''s insults before she passed out. She asked softly, "Aunt Queenie, did my... my mother-inwe to visit me?" Bianca was hesitant to say the words "mother-inw." Queenie could tell that Allison did not have a good rtionship with Bianca. Chapter 651 Chapter 651 Bea, Are You Willing To Stay With Aunt Queenie For A Few Days? Queenie''s gentle expression darkened when she heard Bianca mention Allison. She was angry that Allison hade to the hospital to raise amotion earlier. She looked at Bianca and said gently, "She was indeed here earlier, but Old Master Crawford chased her away. Bea, I understand that Allison is in a bad mood because she has lost her son, but that doesn''t excuse her from acting toward you that way. She wants to get physical on you even though you''re pregnant, not to mention that the baby in your womb is her grandchild! I think you shouldn''t stay with the Crawfords. How about staying over with me for a while?" Allison had med Bianca for what happened to Luke. However, no one had expected that to happen. There was no reason for her to me Bianca. Moreover, it was already hard enough for Bianca, a heavily pregnant woman, to lose her husband. Did Allison not think of the consequences of getting physical with her? What if Allison''s rash actions cost two lives? Queenie understood the pain and agony of losing one''s child, but that was no reason for Allison to bully Bianca. Bianca shook her head gently. "Thank you for your kindness, Aunt Queenie. I can''t thank you enough for taking care of me in the hospital, and I wouldn''t want to impose on your family. "This isn''t the time to be considerate, Bea. If you''re not pregnant, I''m not too worried if you stay in your house, but now you''re carrying a baby. What if Allison goes there and looks for trouble with you? Don''t tell me that Old Master Crawford will protect you or that you have security guards and caretakers... I understand that Old Master Crawford has a good character, but he''s already so old, and there are some things that he can''t help you with. Also, Queenie is Luke''s mother. The security guards and caretakers won''t be able to stop her if she insists on finding fault with you." i The more Queenie remembered that Bianca was married to Allison''s son and pregnant with that woman''s grandchild, the angrier and more frustrated she was. 1 If Luke were still around, he would be able to protect Queenie''s birth daughter. Now that he was gone, Queenie was loath to imagine how Allison would torment her birth daughter! ''No. I''ll have to reunite with my birth daughter as soon as possible.'' "Bea,e and stay with us for a while. With me and your Uncle Jack around, Allison won''t dare to barge into our house. You can return to your house after you''ve sessfully delivered the baby. What do you think?" Queenie was very cautious and caring when she spoke. She was afraid to hear Bianca''s rejection. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Bianca stared at Queenie nkly. She discreetly wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and asked, "Why are you so nice to me, Aunt Queenie?" "Because you''re my..." Queenie suddenly realized that she was about to say something that she should not say. She swallowed the word "daughter" that was on the tip of her tongue. "Because you''re my lucky star. I always think that I''m lucky to have known you. I don''t always treat people like this, but I think that we''re fated somehow. Would you like toe over and stay with me for a few days? I''ll take good care of you." Queenie''s earnest gaze caused Bianca''s heart to wrench. With tears in her eyes, she nodded. "Alright." Queenie was right. She was carrying Luke''sst legacy, and she should not allow any idents to happen to it. She could not bear the severity of the consequences. "Good girl. I''ll take good care of you!" Queenie hugged Bianca as tears welled up in her eyes. She would do her best to take care of Bianca so that she could make up for those lost years. The next day, Sue and Nina came to visit Bianca early in the morning. Theirforting words seemed to have no effect on Bianca. She remained dejected and listless. Queenie remained by Bianca''s side. She was a gentle and understanding woman with the gift of gab, and she did not put on any airs. Nina and Sue loved chatting with her. With the women apanying Bianca, the sorrowful atmosphere lightened up a little. Jason arrived at the ward at about ten o''clock. Behind him were two men in suits and leather shoes. All of them had solemn expressions. Jason was slightly shocked when he saw Queenie feeding Bianca some oatmeal. He greeted her, then looked at Bianca. Queenie noticed that Jason wanted to say something. She put the bowl of oatmeal on the table and said to Bianca understandingly, "Looks like this gentleman has something to tell you, Bea. I¡¯ll excuse myself." Bianca held Queenie''s hand and looked lifelessly at Jason. "There are no outsiders here, Mr. Doyle. You can say it if there''s anything." Queenie looked at Bianca in shock. Everyone was looking at Bianca''s pale and quiet face. No one noticed that Queenie''s hand was slightly trembling. Jason pushed his gold-rimmed spectacles and introduced the two men to Bianca. "They are Mr. Todd and Mr. Sunders, elitewyers from Capital Associates. They''re here today because Mr. Crawford has given them a secret instruction before he left A City.¡± "What?" Bianca became agitated when Luke''s name was mentioned. "What did Luke tell the two of you?" Mr. Todd, the tallerwyer, took out a document from his briefcase. "Calm down, Mrs. Crawford, we will exin it to you. Mr. Crawford has elected Mr. Sunders and me to carry out his will on his behalf. In the event that he unfortunately loses his life, 90% of his personal property, as well as his entire stake of T Corporation, shall go to your name, and you will be acting CEO of T Corporation. The remaining 10% of Mr. Crawford''s property shall be inherited by Mdm. Allison Tanner. To prevent any conflict, Mr. Sunders and I shall be the notaries public to the execution of his will. Mrs. Crawford, this is an exhaustive list of Mr. Crawford¡¯s property that you will inherit. Please take a look, and you may sign it if there are no problems." Queenie was pleasantly surprised. She did not expect that Luke would prepare a will. The people there had different reactions to the news. Jason seemed unperturbed, while Sue and Nina were shocked. Their boss was worth hundreds of billions. With the unimaginable amount of wealth that Bianca was inheriting, she would definitely be the richest woman on the continent. Bianca lowered her gaze. She was not in the mood to look at the document that Mr. Todd handed her. There was only one word in her heart. 2 "Will." That meant that Luke was truly gone... 5 Chapter 652 Chapter 652 She Is Jack and Queenie''s Daughter! Bianca had never expected that the almighty Luke Crawford would leave the mortal world so abruptly. She could not ept that fact. "Please sign here, Mrs. Crawford." Mr. Todd handed Bianca a pen, seeing that she had no response. Bianca took the pen woodenly and stared nkly at the document. Her face disyed pain, agony, and then anger. She was angry that the man might have known that he was going to be in mortal danger, and that was why he had enacted a will before he left. She knew that Luke was loyal to his friends, but could he have spared a thought for her and the children? Was that how he was going to make it up to them? No! He should have returned safely and let Biancain to him, not leave her alone to process the shocking news! Bianca threw the pen away angrily and yelled hysterically, "Get lost! Go away! How dare he leave the children and me behind? How could he? I don''t need any so-calledpensation from him! Not a single cent!" The atmosphere in the ward instantly became frigid. Queenie held Bianca¡¯s shoulders and said calmly, "Don''t get too agitated, Bianca. Don''t let it affect your baby. You can''t afford to have anything go wrong with your health now." Then, she turned to speak to Jason, "Bianca isn''t in a stable condition now. Can the signing wait for a few days?" Jason nodded and bowed slightly to Bianca. "I''lle and visit another day. Please take care of your health. If Boss is still around, he wouldn''t want to see you give up on yourself." Then, he waved to the twowyers, and the three people swiftly disappeared from the ward. After they left, Queenie saw that Bianca was staring nkly at the sky like a puppet. Her eyes glistened, then she helped Bianca lie on the bed and said gently, "Bea, if you''re feeling tired, you can nap for a bit." Biancaid mechanically on the bed. She felt extremely tired. The moment she closed her eyes, that handsome face appeared in her mind. He stood there in the darkness, looking at her. The man''s gaze was ice-cold, but it was warm and brilliant when he looked at her. After Bianca was discharged from the hospital, she went back to the mansion to pack up her clothes. She was going to stay over at the Norman residence for a few days. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. When she entered her bedroom, she saw Luke''s pajamas folded neatly on the bed. He was wearing those clothes the night before he went to Moscow. She slowly walked over, picked up the clothes, held them close to her chest, and gently sniffed them. She could smell that familiar masculine scent in those clothes. Her gaze fell on the vines that had crept near the window. Those were mandevi vines that Luke had nted for her. She had said that she wanted flowers that bloomed in all seasons, especially vines that climbed on walls and adorned the windows. That was why he nted four mandevi nts without the help of the gardener or the caretakers. The vines were as thick as her wrist, the green leaves had formed a dense web, and the red and white flowers were in full bloom. It was a lively scene. The nts were still there, but the man who had nted them was gone. Bianca tried to keep in her emotions as she stepped into the bathroom. All his toiletries - His toothbrush and cup, his toothpaste, his razor, and so on, were neatly arranged in there. Luke was a clean freak and somewhat obsessivepulsive. His belongings were neatly arranged, while hers were slightly messy. Whenever he saw that, he would tidy them up for her. Bianca stared at their matching cups for a long time before washing her face with cold water. She had not washed her face for several days. Queenie or the nurses wiped it. She felt lethargic because she had not been eating much. Then, she took a quick hot-water shower. The water was warm and mixed with her tears. She did not know if she was bathing herself with water or tears. After the shower, she stepped out of the bathroom with a head full of wet hair. She stood alone in the unheated room as she operated the hairdryer. When Luke was at home, he would be the one drying her hair. After that, Bianca opened her closet. It was filled to the brim with clothes for the fall season. Luke had custom-made them from a tailor. The designs were all unique. With him around, she never had to worry about what to wear. His clothes were pathetically few whenpared to hers. His closet was one-tenth the size of hers. She picked a fall-style one-piece loose waist dress with a conservative design and the buttons at the back. When Bianca tried it on, she remembered that Luke gasped at her beauty and helped her fasten the buttons. Of course, he had taken the chance to fondle her back, which made her embarrassed. After putting the dress on, she tried to fasten the buttons behind her. Her bulky stomach prevented her from doing so. She could still feel Luke''s warm and slender fingers gliding down her back and his resonant voice tickling her ears. "When are youing back, Luke? Help me put the dress on..." Bianca mumbled. There was no reply. It was a stark reminder that Luke was gone. Bianca''s heart wrenched again. She was suddenly ovee by lethargy, and she started sobbing again. I really, really miss you, Luke. Pleasee home soon.'' Before she set off for the Norman residence, Bianca looked at herself in the mirror again. She noticed that her face was as pale as a ghost, and her gaze was hollow and lifeless. She put on some simple makeup to add some color to her face, then left the house. The Norman family driver was waiting for her outside her mansion. The two did not say anything on the drive there. Everyone in the Norman family was there: Old Mr. and Mrs. Norman, Jack, Queenie, and even Leia. There were also two young people of Bianca''s age there. Jack''s usually stern eyes brimmed with emotion when he saw Bianca. That was his daughter, born out of his and Queenie''s love! Chapter 653 Chapter 653 One Can Tell That They Are Mother and Daughter At First nce! Jack Norman tried to make himself seem as approachable as possible, but he could not totally shed his air as an influential politician. Bianca was intimidated fora short while, perhaps because of Jack''s stern expression. She subconsciously huddled closer toward Queenie. Queenie thought that Jack had frightened Bianca, so she frowned at him. Then, she held Bianca''s hand and brought her to the seat next to hers. "You can sit here, Bea. Don''t be a stranger here. You can treat it as your own house." Old Mr. Norman was dressed in formal wear. He seemed to be in good spirits. He smiled at Bianca while pointing at the seat next to his. "Queenie, let Bea sit beside me. I love to talk to young people," he said to Queenie. Ever since Old Mr. Norman found out that Bianca was his granddaughter, he had hoped to see her someday. Queenie and Bianca had not done their DNA test yet, but he could tell that Queenie and Bianca were mother and daughter. No one would doubt that. Now that his granddaughter was going to stay over at the Norman residence, Old Mr. Norman came from his house very early in the morning to meet her. "It doesn''t matter where she sits. It''s just lunch. Why does it matter so much?" Old Mrs. Norman seemed awkward. She remembered how she had made things difficult for Bianca because of Leia. She had mocked and dressed down Bianca because she thought that Bianca was Leia''s love rival, but she did not expect that Bianca was actually her granddaughter! However, before the DNA test report confirmed it, she would not recognize Bianca as her granddaughter. After all, they had been fooled once by Julie Anderson! To be frank, Old Mrs. Norman was not fond of Bianca. Bianca was candid and stubborn, unlike Leia, who was docile and knew how to sweet-talk. Between the two girls, she preferred Leia. Leia hugged Old Mrs. Norman''s elbow and said sweetly, "Elder Sister is the guest of honor today, Grandma. She can sit wherever she wants." Bianca knew that Old Mrs. Norman was not fond of her. Seeing that Old Mrs. Norman, who was sitting beside her husband, was not too happy, Bianca sat down next to Queenie and looked at him apologetically, "Grandpa, I''ll sit next to Aunt Queenie. We can chat another time..." Bianca began to feel awkward for epting the invitation without thinking twice. However, she was anxious to get away from Allison. She knew that Queenie was her birth mother, but before they formally recognized each other, it seemed presumptuous for her to stay in someone else''s house. She frowned, wondering if she should go back. "No problem, whatever you say!" Old Mr. Norman was happy that Bianca called her "Grandpa," even though he knew that she did so out of respect. The other two young people at the dining table observed Bianca curiously. The male was in his mid-twenties. He looked handsome, elegant, and bookish. Meanwhile, the female was a few years younger. She did not look gentle, but instead, she had a plucky demeanor, unlike most other women of her age. They noticed that Bianca was looking at them, and they nodded at her and smiled. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Queenie enthusiastically introduced the two young people to Bianca. "They are Leia''s cousins, Lionel Norman and Selena Norman. Lionel is working as a deputy division leader in the Department of Foreign Affairs, while Selena is working on her doctorate. She studies Russian, and she often works as a simultaneous interpreter." "Nice to meet you! I''m Selena. Aunt Queenie mentions you often, and she says that you have an outstanding character. Indeed, you''re beautiful and extraordinary!" Selena has a candid and outgoing character. She stretched out a palm toward Bianca. Queenie and Selena might not be mother and daughter, but they shared a close rtionship. Queenie would treat her as her daughter and tell her everything. A few days ago, Selena saw that her aunt was very excited. She had finally found her birth daughter. Selena could not believe it until Queenie brought Bianca home, and Selena saw Bianca in the flesh. Indeed, Bianca looked very simr to her aunt. Bianca shook hands with Selena sheepishly. "Aunt Queenie is exaggerating. I''m not as good as she says. Unlike you, it''s amazing that you''re already a simultaneous interpreter at such a young age." She shot a nce at the young man named Lionel and could not help but think that the siblings were amazing. At a young age, Lionel was already a deputy division leader, while Selena was a simultaneous interpreter. Leia seemed unremarkablepared to them. It was the first time Bianca and Selena met each other, but they found a lot inmon and chatted happily. Lionel would asionally interject. He did not say much, but his quips were humorous and made the people around the dining tableugh. Even the usually stern Mr. Norman was smiling. Leia wanted to cut in. However, the other young people were chatting about philosophy, economics, and art history, and she could not get a word in. All she could do was gulp down her juice to hide her embarrassment. Lunch was soon served. It was a tantalizing spread. Bianca was surprised that the dishes ced in front of her were her favorites. She could not help but turn to look at Queenie. Queenie undid her apron and smiled lovingly. "Ms. Lang did most of the cooking today, while I cooked the dishes in front of you. I''m not a good cook, but I hope that you''ll like my cooking. Won''t you give them a try?" She had secretly investigated Bianca''s personal life, including her favorite food. That was why she made those dishes for lunch. She felt sorry for Bianca because Bianca was so skinny. Jack picked up a spoonful of sauteed mushrooms and filled Bianca''s te. "You should eat more. You shouldn''t be too skinny..." he said gently. "Mm," Bianca was perplexed. She ate some of the mushrooms and said emotionally, "Thank you, Uncle Jack and Aunt Queenie. The food is delicious." Queenie and Jack smiled as they looked at Bianca. They felt very satisfied. Somewhere in the outskirts of Moscow. A tall and beautiful woman brought a man in ab coat, wearing a mask, and carrying a medical briefcase into a sparsely furnished room. She fixed her gaze upon a faint spot of light on the wall for five seconds, and a section of the floor gave way, revealing a flight of carved stone steps that led deep underground. The two people went down the stairs and arrived at a dimly lit room. The room was spacious and extravagantly furnished. On the bed in the middle of the room was a handsome but thin man. His head was wrapped in thick bandages. He was unconscious, and his face was pale. Even so, his sculpted features were breathtaking... Chapter 654 Chapter 654 Who Is Bianca? Is She Important To Him? Cold sweat beaded on the unconscious man''s forehead. His sharp eyebrows were furrowed ufortably. It was not a peaceful sleep. "Bianca, Bianca..." He kept mumbling. Kassyy down next to him and gently touched the man''s boiling forehead. She turned around and spoke unhappily to the doctor, "B KaKoe BpeMA Oh Mox She did not understand what he was saying, but the fact that he was repeating the same word disconcerted her. The doctor examined the man carefully and slowly spoke to Kassy in Russian, "Miss, it''s been a week since the man''s surgery, and he should have been awake by now. Perhaps the severity of the bullet wound might dy his recovery by a few days. I have to say that the man is really lucky. The odds of survival are less than 0.1%." Kassy leaned over and kissed the man''s forehead. There was a mysterious glint in her sinister gaze. "I have my eyes on him, and that''s what makes him lucky. Get him to wake up as soon as possible. I can''t wait to see his eyes..." After she secretly transported the man back, she had been investigating him. She was shocked by the man''s records. He was the youngest Doctor of Business Administration at Harvard, and he ran a multinational conglomerate at a young age. No wonder she took a fancy to the man at first nce. He was indeed extraordinary. Wayne was too reckless to assassinate that man. That would only bring them nothing but trouble. However, she had to thank Wayne for bringing such an extraordinary man to her. "Bianca... Bea... Bianca..." The man sounded hoarse but resonant as he mumbled that word over and over. It was full of emotion. Kassy furrowed her brows doubtfully. ''Who is Bianca? Is she someone important to him?'' It seemed that she had to investigate more about him! Midway through lunch at the Norman residence, Bianca suddenly clutched her chest. Her heart seemed to be beating faster than usual. She could feel a warm current surrounding it. She could vaguely hear Luke calling her name. The food served at lunch was delicious. The mushrooms were tender and fresh, and the fish was fragrant and sulent. Bianca''s appetite was better. She ate some mushrooms and fish, as well as half a baked potato. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. It was not a lot, but it was better than not eating anything at all. After lunch, Old Mr. Norman invited Bianca to a game of chess. They chatted while ying chess. Bianca sat opposite Old Mr. Norman while listening to him regale tales from his younger days. She was surprised by his fantastic experiences. She knew that those were tall tales, but she was interested in listening to them anyway. Selena, on the other hand, was not so kind to the old man. She spotted the lies in Old Mr. Norman''s tales, which made him pretend to be angry and try to hit her with his walking stick. Every time Old Mr. Norman did that, Selena wouldugh heartily, make a funny face, and hide behind Bianca. "Help me, Sis Bea!¡± The old man and the young woman tried to cheer Bianca up. Bianca felt a lot better. Queenie was standing on the spiral staircase. When she saw Bianca smiling gently, she also smiled. Jack came out of his bedroom and saw that his wife was staring at Bianca downstairs. He draped his arm over her shoulders and joined her. "I finally see our daughter smile, Jack. She''s been in low spiritstely, and I''m afraid that she might find it unbearable. It looks like inviting her over is the right decision." Jack''s gaze was transfixed on Bianca. "She''s suffered too much, and we have to take good care of her in the future. Now that Luke is gone, we''re her biggest support. She''s still young, and she''ll find a better man." Tears welled up in Queenie''s eyes. "I don''t think so. The girl inherited your stubbornness. Luke has taken her heart and soul away. I''m just sad that our grandchild won''t have a father after they''re born. Oh, my poor daughter, why do you have to suffer so much..." Jack hugged Queenie. "We can''t turn back time, and all we can do is to ept the fact. We shouldn''t be pessimistic. We''ll have to lead our daughter out of her sadness and back to a normal life." "Mm." Queenie nodded and sighed. "Time flies, and our daughter has already grown so big. We¡¯ve grown old too, and we''re already grandparents. Right, have you met our twin grandchildren? They''re so goodlooking and intelligent. I should get Bianca to bring them over someday. That''ll bring some life to the household." Jack noticed how excited his wife was when she talked about their grandchildren. He smiled indulgently. "Alright, we''ll do that." In the afternoon, Bianca decided to go home. After all, she felt uneasy staying in the Norman residence. Not only Old Mrs. Norman was looking down on her, but Leia was also a ticking time bomb. Before her identity was confirmed, she would feel awkward being there. Queenie tried very hard to convince her to stay, and Bianca did not know how to decline. Eventually, Louis called Bianca, and she used that as an excuse to leave. She promised Queenie that she would visit her again in a few days. Seeing how insistent Bianca was about leaving, she could only let her go reluctantly. Bianca sighed. She was overwhelmed by Queenie''s hospitality. Back at her mansion, Louis came over hurriedly from Crawford Manor. He was dressed in ck casual clothes and carried all sorts of expensive health tonics in his hands. He seemed haggard, and his eyes were bloodshot. Louis ced the health tonics on the coffee table, looked around the empty mansion, and greeted Bianca, "Sis." Bianca nced at the health tonics, then at Louis. "Is there something, Louis?" Chapter 655 Chapter 655 Preserving His Legacy Suddenly, Louis bowed deeply at Bianca. Bianca was shocked by that sudden gesture. "What are you doing, Louis?" "Sis..." Louis''s voice was filled with lethargy. "The shareholders are beginning to question Brother''s disappearance. I''ve tried to hide the truth from them, saying that Brother is away on a business trip and will be back soon, but I don''t think they''ll buy it any longer. Brother''s will says that you''ll be acting CEO of T Corporation. Do you think that you can hold the fort for a while?" Then, he cast his gaze on Bianca''s bulging stomach and sighed. "I know that this isn''t the perfect time to bother you, but thepany is descending into chaos. I''m trying my best to keep everything afloat, but I''m not that capable." It was the first time Louis felt guilty about how helpless and incapable he was. He was not as smart or shrewd as Luke, and he could not maintain hisposure. He found it hard enough to be the manager of a single department, let alone running the entire corporation. Bianca might seem frail and delicate, but Louis''s intuition told him that there must be a reason why his elder brother selected Bianca to inherit his business. She must be capable of taking on the huge responsibility of growing T Corporation. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Bianca looked at him without saying a word, though her eyes started to mist up. ''Yes, Luke is gone. ''Now that the corporation has lost its linchpin, things should be chaotic right now.'' Louis gritted his teeth and continued, "Some b*stard spread the rumor that Brother has died, and that caused T Corporation''s share prices to fall to its all-time low. Many shareholders dumped their shares, and even the board of directors is calling for an emergency general meeting to elect a new CEO. "Brother holds 56% of the corporation''s shares, making him the biggest shareholder. His will states that you are the inheritor of his shares. The general meeting will be at ten o''clock tomorrow. I hope that you can attend it, Sis." Louis did not expect that his elder brother, whom he worshiped, was gone just like that. Even his corpse was missing. Crawford Manor was shrouded in gloom for the past few days. Old Master Crawford was hospitalized after suffering a huge shock. He was only recently discharged from the ICU. Louis finally understood that it was thanks to his elder brother''s hard work that he could live a carefree andvish lifestyle. He had to admit that his elder brother treated him well and taught him many things. After Luke went missing, Louis and Jason were holding the fort in thepany. Mr. Doyle was well-respected in thepany, but he was not the final authority onpany decisions. He could hold on for the short term, but it was not a long-term solution. Ever since the rumors started spreading that Luke was dead, the entire T Corporation descended into chaos. Many people mored for a new CEO, while some wanted to sell their shares and leave the sinking ship. Bianca stared in Louis''s direction, though her gaze fell on the wedding photo. In the photo, Luke was hugging her waist. He was slightly bent over so their foreheads touched. They were kissing while smiling brightly. It seemed as though it was only yesterday that the perfect scene was captured. ''Til go to the meeting tomorrow. No matter what, I won''t let his effort go to waste," Bianca said determinedly as she closed her eyes, unwilling to see that photo. T Corporation started from a smallpany on the verge of bankruptcy to its current state as a multinational conglomerate. It was clear that Luke had spent a lot of effort on it. Now that he was gone, Bianca, as her wife and the woman he loved, had to protect his legacy. The next day, Bianca meticulously put on make-up so that she seemed more capable and serious. Then, she went to T Corporation. She took the CEO''s personal elevator and arrived at the CEO''s office at nine o''clock sharp. Jason was shocked when he saw Bianca, and his eyes lit up with joy. "Are you here for work, Madam?" All the secretaries greeted Bianca. They had different reactions toward Bianca''s bulging stomach, though most of them looked at her with pity. "Shall I prepare a ss of hot milk for you, Mrs. Crawford?" Tina stood up from her chair and headed toward the pantry. Luke had ordered her to make a hot drink for Bianca every morning. Even though her boss was gone, it had be a habit for Tina. "It''s fine, Tina. I don¡¯t want any hot drinks now." Bianca wagged her hand at Tina and asked her to sit down. "Don''t worry about me. Continue with your work. Come with me, Mr. Doyle." In the CEO''s office. Bianca sat in the swivel chair and looked at the stacks of documents on the desk. She gently massaged her temples. Jason stood in front of the desk and reported to her the current situation of thepany. Then, he continued, "Everyone is sad that Mr. Crawford is gone, and many of our colleagues were crying because they cannot ept that fact. I can empathize with how you''re feeling right now. Mr. Crawford might be gone, but he leaves behind his legacy. You should get a grip of yourself, at least for your children..." Bianca lifted a hand and signaled for him to stop talking. Then, she started to mumble as though talking to herself, "Luke isn¡¯t dead. He must be still alive somewhere in the world. He will return." Jason could not reply to that. His heart wrenched when he saw Bianca trying to deceive herself. Tears welled in his eyes. Bianca did not say anything further. She started to read through the documents on the desk. Jason had picked those out for her because they were the most urgent ones. Jason had already dealt with the less important ones. Bianca sat on Luke''s usual swivel chair and carefully perused those documents. Most of them were contracts and bidding proposals that required her signature. There were also all sorts of quarterly financial reports, business ns, and loss-recovery ns to be presented to the board of directors. Jason could process the reports and ns, but Bianca had to deal with the contracts and bid proposals. Bianca''s eyes were on the documents, but her mind was thinking of Luke. Her gaze drifted over to a door not far away. That was the CEO''s lounge. She and Luke had made out there more than once. She rubbed her tired eyes,posed herself, and started to focus on the document on hand. She had never managed apany before, but Luke had more or less rubbed off some of his business acumen on her. She was not going to be stumped by those simple things. Bianca left her signature on many documents, but she paused when she read a bid proposal for a plot ofnd. The n was highly detailed, but there was a special note at the end of the document saying that their competitor was tt Corporation. Chapter 656 Chapter 656 That''s Why My Husband Chose Me Mavis had prepared that bid proposal. Bianca knew very well who Mavis Laviere was. She was not really considered a love rival, but she was a schemer that kept herself close to Luke. Mavis had even stuffed women''s lingerie in Luke''s car to try to create a misunderstanding. Bianca did not have a good impression of Mavis, but Mavis had a strong work ethic and was crucial to Luke''s sess. She hoped that Mavis did not interact with her husband too much, even though the interactions were strictly business. However, she did not say anything. Fortunately, Luke told Mavis something, and she stopped with her antics. Bianca carefully read Mavis''s proposal and started frowning. She picked up the internal phone. "Tina, can you ask Ms. Laviere toe to the CEO''s office?" "In a moment." Tina went to Mavis''s office and asked her to go to the CEO''s office. Mavis had been in low spirits ever since she knew that Luke had met with an ident. She had been crying, unable to ept the fact that Luke was gone. She sank into the pits of despair and was inconsble. Usually, she would be wearing exquisite make-up. Now that Luke was gone, she did not have the mood to primp herself. Her usually morous appearance was reced by sunken eye sockets and disheveled hair. She seemed to have aged ten years in a few days. She followed the secretary to the CEO''s office. When Mavis saw Bianca sitting in Luke''s chair reading documents, her eyes shed with resentmentjealousy, and condescension. "Ms. Laviere is here, Ms. Rayne." Tina led Mavis into the CEO''s office, greeted Bianca, then returned to her office. "Is there anything, Ms. Rayne?" Mavis tried to hide her emotions. However, her resentment toward Bianca was too deep, and they were the only people in the office, so she did not have any qualms about disying her emotions on her face. Of course, Bianca knew what Mavis was thinking. She found it incredibly funny. Ms. Laviere was only Luke''s partner at work. The affection was one-sided. Bianca was Luke¡¯s true partner in life. Not only did Mavis covet her husband, but what right did she have to wear that expression on her face when facing Luke''s legally wedded wife, as though Bianca was the one who had snatched Mavis''s man? It was not the time to quibble over that. Bianca spread the bid proposal in front of Mavis and asked her, "Did you prepare this bid proposal, Ms. Laviere?" "Didn''t you see my name at the end of the document, or is your eyesight failing you at such a young age?" Mavis said coldly.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Mavis did not have any respect for that woman at all. To her, Bianca was like a parasite who could only rely on men to survive. She expected Bianca to wither and die without the protection of her man. How could a woman like that stand shoulder to shoulder with Luke? To Mavis, Bianca had probably charmed the man using her innocent face and docile personality. Not only did Bianca manage to bear several children for Luke, but she also got the lion''s share of Luke''s will. The man must have loved her so much that he was willing to protect her even after his death. Mavis could not bear with that thought! Responding to Mavis''s provocation, Bianca lifted her head and stared at Mavis''s arrogant face. "I don''t think that my eyesight is any of your concern, Ms. Laviere. In fact, maybe that''s why my husband chose me. Your eyesight may be better than mine, Ms. Laviere, but you''re blind to the fact that Mr. Crawford doesn''t have any affection for you at all. I''m satisfied with what I have, and I hope you know your ce." Mavis gritted her teeth at Bianca''s retort. However, she could not say anything because of Bianca''s current status. "Ms. Rayne, did you call me up here just to humiliate me? If that''s the case, I don¡¯t have the free time for that!" "Your proposal is very detailed, Ms. Laviere, but I have a question." Bianca flipped to a page in the bid proposal and said to Mavis, "There is a lot of vacantnd around Draco Lake, but you''ve decided on this plot. There might be a subway line running through it, but the people living there are natives. We will meet a lot of resistance when we have to relocate them. Furthermore,nd prices in that area have been high because of its proximity to a vocational college. Why do you want to bid for that plot?" Mavis wasughing up her sleeve. She thought that Bianca was more suited to staying at home raising children. Even so, she maintained her superiority as she exined to Bianca, "The region surrounding Draco Lake is developing rapidly. Property prices have risen from about two thousand to more than ten thousand in three years. That is proof of thend''s worth. There might be many natives living in the area, but they can be settled by giving them adequatepensation. Moreover, there are many favorable conditions to developing a residential project there, including the avability of schools, the ease of public transport, and futuremercial developments. The plot of land will be a great boost to T Corporation''s future growth." Bianca pointed at the bright red mark, paused, and said, "You''ve highlighted that our main bidding competitor is tt Corporation. tt Corporation is quite well-connected, while they¡¯re not averse to using bidrigging and collusive tendering to win bids. How confident are you that we''ll win the bid, Ms. Laviere?" Mavis replied impatiently and condescendingly, "I''m only in charge of preparing the proposal, but it''s up to your capabilities to win the bid, Ms. Rayne. Mr. Crawford used to be in charge of all this. He''ll be able to win whatever bid he wants." Bianca could see from Mavis''s eyes that she was doubting her abilities. If Luke were the one sitting in the CEO''s seat, Mavis''s attitude would have been totally different. She closed the proposal and looked at Mavis calmly. "Don''t worry, Ms. Laviere. I''ll do my best to fight for the plot ofnd. You can go now. There are still some imperfections in the proposal. Please revise it." At that time, Ate Zuckerman, one of Luke''s four secretaries, happened to enter the CEO''s office to deliver some documents to Bianca. She happened to hear Bianca say that to Mavis as she entered through the door. She smirked, ced the documents on the table, then discreetly left the office... Chapter 657 Chapter 657 You Should Stay At Home! Back at the secretaries'' office, Ate saw that everyone was busy at work. She smacked her table to get everyone''s attention, then said exaggeratedly, "Hey, I have some juice news to tell all of you! Just now, I saw the acting CEO reprimanding Ms. Laviere! She even said that Ms. Laviere''s bid proposal is imperfect. What a joke! No one in T Corporation dares to question Ms. Laviere''s capabilities. Who does that newbie think she is?" The other two secretaries covered their mouths and chuckled when they heard Ate''s description. Only Tina continued typing in front of herputer, fully focused on her work. Secretary A stretched, yawned, and took out a powder puff to apply some make-up to her face. "Does she think that she''s the CEO just by sitting in that chair? Can she even stay in that chair for long?" "Who knows? I saw that she signed many contracts and documents, but I¡¯m sure that she''s only pretending." Secretary B pushed her sses and guessed, "Our CEO¡¯s capabilities are legendary, so his wife should be equally capable too. Why would a wealthy family ept that woman if she''s brainless? I can also see that our acting CEO is quite talented in architectural design. She should be capable of managing a business as well.¡± Ate rolled her eyes at Secretary B. "Or so you think! She looked so frail and delicate. What capabilities can she possibly have? Don''t you know, I¡¯ve seen her sitting on Mr. Crawford''sp several times when I went into the CEO''s office. She was half undressed and was trying to distract Mr. Crawford from her work! Do you think that our noble CEO would be tempted by such a vile woman?" Then, Ate looked around to make sure that no one else had entered the room and lowered her voice. "I''ve heard that Mr. Crawford has given that woman 90% of his property. Wouldn''t you expect that he leaves his property to his mother or children? Do you think that the woman might have secretly amended Mr. Crawford''s will?" "Oh my god!" Secretary A''s jaw dropped. "That¡¯s sensational news! How scheming that woman is to amend Mr. Crawford''s will! That''s unbelievable!" Secretary B did not readily believe it. "That shouldn''t be, right? Is it that easy to amend a will? Moreover, she''s bearing Mr. Crawford''s child and will be delivering the baby soon..." Ate continued, "Who knows? Maybe she''s involved in Mr. Crawford¡¯s death!" Tina, who had been keeping quiet, mmed the table with a pen and said unhappily to the other secretaries, "You''re not paid to gossip onpany time, and you should know the consequences if our acting CEO finds out that you¡¯ve been talking behind her back. Looks like our acting CEO needs to assign more work to you..." Compared to the other secretaries, Tina was closer to Bianca. To her, Bianca was gentle, courteous, empathic, and easy-going. Bianca was not an opportunistic woman like what the other women were saying. She spoke out because she could not stand the other secretaries ndering Bianca. The office instantly resumed its silence. Secretaries A and B did not dare to retort. The secretaries were not divided by rank, and Tina shared equal responsibility with the other secretaries, but Tina was the most capable one, and the others respected her authority. Only Ate shot a disdainful nce at Tina. ¡¯Do you think that you can get on Bianca¡¯s good side by siding with her? In your dreams! Td be grateful if that woman doesn''t wreck thepany.'' Mavis had a gloomy expression on her face as she stepped out of the CEO''s office. How dare Bianca say that her proposal was imperfect? No one ever said that to her, including Mr. Crawford. At most, he would give her some suggestions. That woman even boasted that she would win that plot ofnd at Draco Lake too! Mavis would like to see Bianca go against the ruthless tt Corporation and the resulting humiliation! The emergency general meeting of T Corporation started at ten o''clock sharp. Jason had informed everyone of Luke¡¯s passing and will. The news that Bianca Rayne was elected as acting CEO was shocking, especially to the major shareholders who were vying for the position. All the shareholders were waiting in the conference room on the acting CEO''s first day at work. The atmosphere in the conference room was somber. The shareholders whispered to one another. Many people were contemptuous when they saw the pregnant Bianca walk into the room and sit at the head position. Jenson Zook, a senior member in T Corporation''s board of directors, grunted coldly and said sarcastically, "I say, Mrs. Crawford, don''t you know the time? Everyone here is waiting for you. Do you think that you''re fit to lead T Corporation if you can¡¯t show up to your first general meeting on time? Just stay at home and take care of your children!"Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. The other peopleughed when they heard his words. The people in Jenson''s gang also started to speak up. "Mr. Crawford is a punctual man. He never arriveste, even by one minute. It''s true that women love to dawdle!" "You must be deliberately stalling for time, right? Do you even know what happens at a general meeting? If that''s the case, you should''ve stayed out of this!" Now that Luke was gone, they mocked Bianca openly without considering that she was still the acting CEO. Moreover, the woman looked frail. They did not think that she could do anything to them. Louis looked at Bianca worriedly. He began to regret involving Bianca in this mess. His sister-inw would not have to suffer such humiliation if he were more capable. He had the urge to tape up the mouths of all those shareholders who think that they knew better because they were older! All the major shareholders had different motives. Some wanted to gain positions of power, while some hoped to dump their shares and bail from the sinking ship. Some observed quietly before they made their minds. There were ten shareholders present at the general meeting. Four of them were veterans from Crawford Industries. Three younger ones worked closely together with Luke to grow the business. Three more were major investors in the corporation. Those that looked down on Bianca were the veterans along with Jenson, while the younger shareholders did not say anything as they quietly observed Bianca. They wondered if the young woman had the capability to take on the responsibility as T Corporation''s CEO. Chapter 658 Chapter 658 Blind The Eyes Of All The Shareholders! Bianca remained calm as the discussion went on. She tapped the desk with a pen at random intervals, saying in an indifferent tone, "Are you done? If you''re done, please take a look at the e-invite for the meeting." "How ridiculous! A woman who doesn''t respect the time of others wants to be an acting CEO?" Jenson raised his voice and said in an unforgiving tone. As he said that, he checked his email. When he saw that the meeting time was 10:06 a.m., he was stunned. He then nced at Bianca and thought, ''So what?¡¯ When Luke was around, they would always start the meeting at 10:00 a.m. sharp. They were all used to the meeting time. The former CEO was very punctual and spoke out against people who werete. Previously, a shareholder took advantage of his long-standing rtionship with Luke and waste for a meeting for a few minutes. As a result, Luke kicked him out. Old Master Crawford had tried to talk him out of it but it did not work. Now, the new acting CEO had changed the meeting time to 10:06 a.m. What the hell was this woman doing? Everyone stared at Bianca. Bianca looked at everyone with a smile, saying, "I¡¯m sure everyone is aware that the meeting is supposed to start at 10:06 a.m. When I came in, it was 10:05 a.m. I was notte. Your rant has taken more than five minutes. Everyone, was Ite?" "Of course not!" Louis Crawford was the first to speak, "Ms. Rayne was one minute early!" Another young shareholder who grew thepany with Luke also nodded his head and said, "Ms. Rayne wasn''tte. There was just a misunderstanding over the meeting time." Jenson snorted and continued criticizing Bianca, "Mr. Crawford was always ten minutes early for every meeting." Mavis Laviere was overjoyed that Bianca was in trouble. She was also one of thepany''s shareholders. Although she owned only six percent of the shares, the value of that six percent was more than enough to cover the expenses of an ordinary family of four for more than ten lifetimes. That was why she was in attendance for today''s shareholders meeting. Bianca sat in the chairperson seat and looked at Jenson who was still trying to make things difficult for her. Her soft gaze sharpened as she said, "Mr. Zook, if I''mte, I''ll admit to it. However, I''ve proven that I was on time today so I''m not sure what the fuss is about? The 10:00 a.m. meeting was my husband¡¯s practice, not mine. The time of the meeting may change at any time now, so you have to get used to my rules!" A shareholder sneered and said disdainfully, "Do you think you''re our CEO because you''re sitting in that chair?" Another shareholder also sarcastically said, "Women... They have always been indecisive and have no courage to take chances. I''ll be thanking God if ourpany isn¡¯t ruined in your hands." "Mr. Crawford transferred all his shares to her before his death. Now, she holds thergest percentage of shares in T Corporation. What can we do? Besides, is she really Mr. Crawford''s wife? Why haven''t we heard of their wedding?" "If she''s not Mrs. Crawford, who is she to be the acting CEO? Get her out of here!" Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Bianca threw some documents on the conference table. Everyone was taken aback by her sudden anger! Bianca shouted, "Tina!" Tina, her morous secretary who had been waiting on the side, understood Bianca immediately. She took out a marriage certificate from her bag, smiled, and showed it to everyone. The two people in the photo attached to the marriage certificate were Luke and Bianca. The official date on it was stated to be three months ago. The marriage certificate blinded the eyes of all the shareholders present. No one dared to suspect that the marriage certificate was a fake because they knew that no one would dare to do that to Luke. He was a shark in their industry. That meant that Luke was indeed married to this woman. Mavis clenched her fist tightly under the conference table. Her sharp eyes disyed shockjealousy, and anger. ''Luke got married to this woman? How could he?!'' For a while, no one knew what to say. There was aplicated and awkward look on everyone''s faces. An older, gray-haired shareholder said, "I refuse to work under a woman. I would rather sell my shares than watch you take down T Corporation." Bianca nced at him. Based on his physical attributes and what she had heard, he was irritable, judgemental, and hard to talk with. Bianca did not even bother to frown. "Who else wants to sell their shares?" "Me..." "And me...¡¯ Another two shareholders looked at each other before deciding to sell their shares. They thought that if Mr. Crawford was still around, they would never do so. However, T Corporation was now led by a weak woman, so they nned to get out of it as soon as possible while thepany''s shares still carried some value. "Mr. Doyle!" Bianca called out. "Yes, Ms. Rayne," Mr. Doyle replied. Bianca said coldly, "Check how many shares these gentlemen hold and buy them at the market price." Mavis stared at Bianca in disbelief. Was Bianca going crazy? Since the news of Luke''s passing was announced, T Corporation''s shares had almost fallen to the lowest point. T Corporation was short of funds now, so they were baffled by Bianca''s decision to acquire the shares of these people. Even Jason, who was ever loyal, slightly disagreed with her decision. He said to her softly, "Ms. Rayne, you have to think carefully. Thepany''s current financial situation doesn''t allow us the cash flow to buy them out for the time being." Bianca resolutely said, "My husband left me private properties. You can withdraw this money from my private ount. Contact awyer to draw up an equity transfer letter. These people will have nothing to do with T Corporation moving forward." She was loud and powerful, and the decisions she made were so decisive and sharp. Even though she looked weak and gentle, her fierce aura and insightful gaze were simr to that of Mr. Crawford. No one dared to ignore her. Bianca presented herself as a courageous woman. Aside from Jenson, Mavis, and some others, that was what almost all shareholders in the meeting room thought of Bianca. In a blink of an eye, more than a month passed. Through Jason and Tina''s careful guidance, coupled with Bianca''s fast learning, she quickly became familiar with the day-to-day of a CEO. She was really tired. After being in Luke''s position, Bianca realized how hard he had worked. She worked hard till she would forget to sleep and eat. Only at work could she temporarily let herself forget the pain of losing Luke. The bidding for Draco Lake was taking ce a weekter. While Bianca was still working hard on the proposal, Gordon Norton arrived eagerly. He looked at Bianca and said to her excitedly, "Bianca, there''s news about Luke..." Chapter 659 Chapter 659 She''s About To Give Birth Bianca was shocked when she heard the news from Gordan. Her emotionless face finally disyed a hint of joy. "Gordan, is it true? Luke is still alive? Where is he now? Are you sure that man is Luke? If it is him, why hasn''t hee home yet?" Her anxious attitude and eager face made Gordan feel bad. He handed a pile of documents to Bianca, gulped, and said, "Bianca, I''m not sure if the person in the photo is Luke. There¡¯s no conclusive evidence yet." Bianca looked at the pictures. The pictures were blurry, so she could only see the figure of a tall and thin man who stood tall. The man had his back to the camera and was wearing a cap, so she could not see the man''s face at all. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Bianca looked at the picture and stroked the figure on it. She did not speak for a long time. Maybe it was because she missed Luke too much, so as she looked at the figure, she thought that it could be him. "Based on the investigation, this man was in a vegetative state but he has a face that matches Luke''s. He previously secretly recovered in Sheffield Hospital for about a month, which coincides with the time when Luke disappeared. "When he was hospitalized, a mysterious party paid for his medical expenses. The other party kept their identity well hidden. My people went through a lot just to find out very little about them. I asked someone to check this man¡¯s hospitalization record and the surveince footage, but everything was erased. We couldn¡¯t find anything except for this photo of his back." Gordan''s words made Bianca''s initially joyful face turn dark. The baby kicked her softly, as though it felt Bianca''s sorrow and wanted tofort her. Bianca reached out and stroked her belly when she felt the baby¡¯s kick. Her brows furrowed tighter. She firmly believed that Luke was still alive. Gordan looked at Bianca''s sad face, coughed lightly, and continued talking, "If it is Luke, as long as he is in Russia, I¡¯ll find him! What we can confirm now is that Luke is still alive. However, if it turns out that Luke is in a vegetative state, you...¡± Biancaforted the restless baby in her stomach and said softly, "As long as Luke is alive, no matter if he¡¯s in a vegetative state or if he can''t stand for the rest of his life, I will be by his side. It''s just that... I don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s alive. I¡¯m such a failure as a wife..." "Sorry, Bianca. If it weren''t for me, Luke wouldn''t have met with an ident. You can hit me and scold me. It was all my fault, it had nothing to do with you!" Gordan said guiltily. He grabbed Bianca''s wrist and pped himself hard on the face. The loud p shocked Bianca and brought her back to reality. It was not until a burning feeling came from her palm that she pulled her hand back and shouted, "What are you doing? I..." Suddenly, her stomach hurt terribly and big beads of sweat rolled off her forehead as she uttered, "I... My stomach... Ah... My stomach hurts..." Gordan saw that Bianca was in unbearable pain and his expression changed. He anxiously stepped forward to check on her. "Bianca, are you alright?" 1 Tina, Bianca¡¯s secretary, needed to hand some documents to Bianca and was walking to the CEO¡¯s office when she saw that Bianca had broken out into a cold sweat. Old Master Crawford had mentioned to her to keep an eye out on Bianca''s condition because she could give birth at any time. Tina, who had been prepared for a long time, immediately understood what was going on. "Ms. Rayne, hold on. I''ll take you to the hospital right away." Tina struggled to help Bianca up and said to Gordan in an anxious tone, "Mr. Gordan, Ms. Rayne may be giving birth now. Come and help me." Gordan immediately agreed and carried Bianca. They rushed out in a hurry. "Bianca, trust me, you and the baby will be fine! We''ll take you to the hospital right away!" Bianca almost lost consciousness due to the pain. Her amniotic fluid broke on the way to the hospital. When the pain was unbearable, she thought of Luke''s voice and beautiful smile over and over again. That was the only way she could deal with the heart-breaking pain. Luke was still alive. Gordan had brought her such news, and this news was the reason she worked hard to fight the pain. However, she resented him for noting home earlier to be with her and the children. He did not bother to know about how their unborn baby was doing. Now, their third baby was about to be born but he was nowhere to be seen. Bianca''s tears fell, and the severe pain she felt in her lower abdomen almost made her faint. There seemed to be a lot of people shouting around her. She could not hear what they were saying. She just kept whispering, ¡®Luke, Luke...¡¯ Armstrong Manor. The graceful Susan Armstrong was enjoying afternoon tea in the living room with her best friends. When she heard the news that Bianca was about to give birth, she sneered and put down the cup of tea she was about to sip on. Her face turned gloomy and weird. "Bianca is about to give birth? Oh, time flies..." Among them, a plumpdy burned with rage as she said, "Susan, your father -inw favors the wicked Allison and her family over yours. He passed most of the Crawford family''s properties to them and only left you a pitiful amount of shares. He¡¯s being so unfair to you and Louis! Now that Luke is no longer around, his wife has taken over all of his properties. Meanwhile, you and Louis are still getting nothing. I truly sympathize with you..." Anotherdy dressed in mink raised her eyebrows and added oil to fire, saying, "I told you a long time ago to get Louis married and have children as soon as possible. Even if he has an illegitimate child, you¡¯ll still be able to get your hands on the family business. Allison and her son are scheming good-for- nothings. Those two took away all the old man¡¯s love, and now, the old man¡¯s heart is always in favor of his grandson! Bianca is about to give birth to another Crawford this time. If she has another son, you¡¯ll be in an even worse situation...¡¯¡¯ Their words made Susan, who was already extremely annoyed, even more gloomy. She sneered, her sharp nails almost scraping the ceramicyer off of the teacup. She spat out an inaudible sentence from her red lips. "We¡¯ll see if she¡¯s able to give birth to the child without any hups..." 1 Chapter 660 Chapter 660 He Flew Off The Handle After her friends left, Susan immediately called someone. Louis was speeding back home. There was a beautiful gift in his passenger seat for his mom. Today was Susan''s birthday, and he, a social butterfly, was returning home early for once. He wanted to give his mother a surprise, so he had not told her in advance that he wasing back. In thest couple of weeks, his mother had been forcing him to marry Yuri. They were in disagreement over this, so he had been reluctant to go home. However, it was a special day, so no matter how unwilling he was, he still wanted to celebrate the day with her as he was his mother''s only son. When he found out that his mother was in Armstrong Manor, Louis rushed over. Armstrong Manor was a small Western-style building with a long history. He stepped onto a pathway through a garden upon entering. The ss door led directly to the sunny backyard. This ce was one of the dowries given to Susan by the Armstrong family. Susan stayed here for a few days every month. Louis went upstairs and saw that the living room was empty, so he walked upto the second floor. The door of the room was shut, and a familiar voice sounded through the crack of the door. Susan was on a phone call. Louis, who was carrying the gift, was about to push the door and go in but he stopped when he heard what his mother was saying. "Yes, as long as you do what I say, I''ll keep you safe. After it''s done, you can take the ten million dors and go wherever you want. You no longer have to be a nurse with no future. You have to know, with your current qualifications and meager sry, you will never get your hands on so much money even if you work there for a lifetime! Why are you hesitating now? If it isn''t because this is an urgent matter and you''re someone I trust, I would''ve found someone else to do this. I believe that not many can resist the temptation of having ten million dors. Trust me, I can easily get someone else to do this!" Although Louis was a joker who usually did not take things seriously, he immediately understood that his mother was nning a conspiracy when he heard what she was saying. He held his breath and continued to eavesdrop by the corner. He wanted to figure out what the hell his mother was going to do. Perhaps because of the hesitation from the other party, Susan continued to patiently tempt her, "I just want you to inject a drug that makes it difficult for her to give birth. I don''t want you to murder her. What are you afraid of? Besides, it''s just an unborn child! Think about your difficult life now and the luxurious life you can live after you get that ten million dors. You''re a smartdy, you know what to choose..." Then, Susan''s tone changed and her expression became a little frightening as she said, "What''s more, there''s no way out for you even if you don''t want to do it. I¡¯ve already paid one-third of the money as a deposit to your ount. If you don''t do as I say, then I''ll sue you for fraud! If you can''t exin the source of such arge sum of money, you''ll go to jail!" On the other end of the phone, a female voice hesitated for a while. She finally made up her mind and said, "Okay, I''ll do as you say. I hope you can keep your promise and send me out of the country after this. If something happens to me, I''ll make sure that you go down with me. What exactly is it that you want me to do?" Susan gritted her teeth and said bitterly, "I want the b*stard in Bianca''s belly to die!" When he heard that, Louis flew off the handle. It turned out that the person Susan was plotting against was Bianca! She wanted to get rid of her child while Luke was gone. Louis barged in. When she saw her son angrily walking in, Susan, who had just ended the call, turned pale and started looking guilty. She avoided his prying eyes and wondered how much her son had overheard from her call. Her expression was unnatural, and she wanted to take her son''s hand. She said in a motherly voice, "Louis, when did youe? Why didn''t you tell me that you wereing?" Louis smacked her hand away and asked her with a sullen expression," Mom, is Bianca inbor? Are you going to do something to her child? Why are you doing this? That''s a living being! How could you?!" Susan argued, "Son, you heard it wrong. How could I do such a crazy thing? I..." "I heard everything you said!" Louis looked at Susan as if he did not know who she was anymore. He said in a disappointed tone, "How did that kind mother in my mind turn into such a vicious woman? You almost killed Luke thest time! Now that Luke is gone, how can you hurt his child? You¡¯ve disappointed me!" Susan tremblingly pointed at Louis and said with sorrow, "How can you talk to your mom like this? I''m doing everything for you! If it weren''t for you, how would I have ended up in this state? How dare you call me vicious..." Louis was not bothered with Susan''s acting. He threw the gift he had brought on the table and shouted, "I will never forgive you if something happens to Bianca!" After he said that, he gave his mother a cold look, turned around, and left quickly. Susan was not able to stop him. She had a bad feeling and screamed, "Louis, where are you going?" There was nothing but silence in the air. Susan could only watch her son drive away in his sports car. She stomped her feet and was so angry that she almost fainted. She redialled herst call and said, "Yes, you have to do it as soon as possible. Whether the child is a male or a female, you must ensure that the baby does not survive..." Operating room. The light from the incandescentmp was shining directly into Bianca''s eyes. She was almost in tears because of it. Although it was her third child, the baby was still inside her because of her small pelvis. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Mrs. Crawford, just a little bit more! Take a deep breath, I believe you can do it!" The doctor patiently encouraged Bianca, i Amid the intense pain, Bianca seemed to see Luke walking toward her, holding her in his arms. As usual, he was rubbing her hair fondly and smiling at her warmly. '' My love,e on. You''re strong. I believe you''ll give birth to our child." The tears that rolled in the corners of her eyes finally came streaming down. Bianca, who had exhausted almost all her strength, suddenly recovered a little at the thought of Luke. She focused her energy on her lower body, intending to give birth to the baby. However, perhaps due to her poor health, she still could not. She was too weak! However, her amniotic fluid had long been broken. To prevent intrauterine infection, the doctor acted quickly and gave the nurse an order, "Give her a shot of Oxytocin!" No one noticed that one of the female nurses wearing a mask had quietly taken out a syringe. Half of the tube was filled with a dark yellow liquid. She had an eerie smile and was about to inject it into Bianca! Chapter 661 Chapter 661 A Beautiful Baby Boy! Hospital. Many people were waiting outside the operating room, including Old Master Crawford, Mr. Doyle, Sue, Nina, and even Allison, who had always been disdainful of Bianca. No matter how much she disliked Bianca, she was still Luke''s wife. Most importantly, she was giving birth to the flesh and blood of her son. A few days ago, because of the loss of her son, Allison had vented her anger on Bianca. When she thought about it now, she regretted it. Of course, she did not regret it because something might happen to Bianca. The woman had nothing to do with her. It was just that if Bianca was hurt, she would not get her grandson. Old Master Crawford was sitting on the seat outside the corridor. His left hand that held his cane trembled slightly, and his right hand fumbled with a rosary. He kept mumbling to himself, asking God to bless Bianca and his great-grandson. Sue and Nina held onto each other and paced in the corridor. They were praying for Bianca to have a smooth delivery. Gordan leaned against the wall at the corner, smashing his fists to the wall irritably while looking extremely annoyed. If Luke had not sacrificed himself for him, he would be with Bianca at this moment. Jason looked the calmest. Although he pretended to be as such, he still sneaked nces at Sue from time to time. Sue, who was pregnant, looked a lot plumper than before. Although she still dressed the same way, her face glowed with a soft maternal light from time to time, which fascinated him. 11 However, Sue turned a blind eye to him as if he was invisible. Jason knew that Sue had a deep prejudice against him. He also knew that although she was usually a happy person, she had a strong sense of hatred toward him. He felt helpless. Allison curled her lips in disdain when she heard Bianca''s painful cries from the operating room. She was disgusted with her daughter-inw and thought to herself, ¡®It''s not the first time that she''s delivering a baby. What is she making such a fuss for?'' While those outside the operating room were feeling anxious, Louis rushed in. He saw the bunch of people waiting outside the operating room. He rushed toward Old Master Crawford anxiously and asked, "Grandpa, how long has Bianca been in the operating room?¡± "Louis, you¡¯re here! It''s been almost an hour since Bianca went in." Old Master Crawford felt relieved when he saw Louis. Although his best grandson was gone, at least the youngest grandson was still around. ''Crap! Bianca is in danger!¡¯ Louis thought to himself. Before he had time to exin to Old Master Crawford, he rushed to the operating room and kicked it open. "Open the door! Open the door now!" The nurse who was about to inject Bianca was frightened by the banging on the door. The syringe that was meant to be inserted into Bianca''s arm suddenly turned to the side due to the nurse''s shock. Louis'' rude behavior made Old Master Crawford angry. He stood up tremblingly and hit Louis on the back with his cane. "What are you doing? Do you know that Bianca is fighting for her and the baby''s life in there? Are you here to cause trouble?" Allison¡¯s face turned stern as she took the opportunity to add fuel to fire, saying, "Dad, I think Louis is here to cause trouble. Maybe it was Susan who instructed him to do so. They''re terrible people! You must stand up for Bianca!" Old Master Crawford hit him harder. Louis grabbed his grandpa''s cane and said anxiously, "Grandpa, if you don''t let me in, Bianca might die! Trust me, Bianca is in danger now..." Old Master Crawford was skeptical. He knew that a woman giving birth to a child would have one foot in the coffin. Although the field of medicine had be advanced and the probability of dystocia was greatly reduced, there could always be idents... Jason was the calmest among everyone present at the scene, and he was observing the subtle expressions on the others'' faces. He believed that Louis was telling the truth. He realized that something was wrong and started kicking the door too. The CEO was no longer here, so he felt a sense of duty to protect the acting CEO. Otherwise, the entirepany would be in a mess! The operation room''s door, which was not sturdy, was kicked open by the two men! When the door of the operating room was opened, the doctors and nurses inside were taken aback. The doctor was furious! He pointed at Louis and Jason, sternly saying," What''s the matter with you?! Do you know that you''re not allowed in the operating room? The germs on your body could infect the patient. How could you put them at risk?" The door of the operating room was mmed open before the nurse had time to inject Bianca for the second time. She immediately hid the syringe in her sleeve. She felt immensely guilty but calmly held another syringe in her hand that contained the real Oxytocin. She pretended to be frightened like the other medical staff. Louis saw Bianca on the operating bed, covered with a sheet. Her face was as pale as paper; she looked weak. Louis saw that a nurse was about to give Bianca an injection. Louis grabbed the nurse¡¯s wrist hard and sternly asked, "What are you injecting Bianca with?!" The nurse burst into tears from the pain in her wrist. She said while in tears, "The patient has dystocia. I, I... The doctor told me to give her a shot of Oxytocin." "Can someone check whether this is Oxytocin?" Louis grabbed the syringe, pushed the nurse out of the way, and handed it to the doctor. The doctor checked the vial and then nodded earnestly before saying in an annoyed tone, "This is Oxytocin. Sir, what do you think you''re doing? Are you insinuating that our hospital will harm pregnant women? If you don''t believe in our hospital¡¯s reputation, why did you send her to our hospital?" "Get me a new batch of nurses right away!" Louis was insistent. He was not sure which nurse his mother had arranged to hurt Bianca. Excluding the doctor and midwife, there were only three or four nurses here. To prevent the viin from doing anything to Bianca, his only option was to rece all the nurses! "Sir, did we do something wrong? Why do you want to rece us?" one of the bewildered nurses asked. "Just because. I''ll contact the head of the department and get all of you swapped!" Jason, who noticed the seriousness of the situation, said that before walking out of the operating room. Bianca was in a state of semi-consciousness, and her mind was empty. She was in terrible pain and did not know what was happening in the operating room. She heard someone say that the nurses were going to be swapped. Why did he want to change the nurse? What was the matter? After all the nurses were reced, the operation continued. Two hourster, Bianca gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. The baby was beautiful, almost angel-like. The baby''s skin was smooth and supple. The most amazing thing was that the baby looked exactly like Luke...This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Chapter 662 Chapter 662 Poked Their Baby Brother''s Delicate Cheeks Bianca was lying on the hospital bed, the pain causing her consciousness to be a little fuzzy. Even though she was in pain, her mood was pleasant because she could hear the baby''s loud cry. She saw the baby in the doctor¡¯s arms. It was her and Luke''s child, the evidence of their love. He was their flesh and blood. Bianca gave birth to a boy, so everyone was very happy, especially Old Master Crawford and Allison. Of course, the reasons why the two people were happy were different. Old Master Crawford was just happy that Bianca gave birth to Luke''s son for the Crawford family. Allison was happy that Bianca gave birth to a boy as it would give her an additional edge when the Crawford family distributed their properties. The old man looked at the beautiful baby who was sleeping quietly in the swaddle after being cleaned by the nurse. He looked at the baby''s fair and tender face that looked like his grandson''s and could not stop smiling. Luke had named his other children. Considering that both Lanie and Rainie''s names were given by Luke, Old Master Crawford told Bianca to name his little great-grandson. Bianca insisted that Luke was still alive and wanted to give the baby''s naming rights to Luke. For the time being, she referred to the baby as'' Tommy¡¯. Old Master Crawford and others thought that the name Bianca gave was toomon, but Bianca just smiled and did not exin further. When she was still pregnant, the baby had moved a lot and would even kick her from time to time. Everytime, Luke would get close to her belly to reprimand the baby, "You''re so naughty, why did you kick your mother again? I¡¯ll call you Naughty Tommy from now on if you''re still so naughty after birth. I''ll beat your bottom!" At the time, Bianca was amused by Luke''s words. When she thought about it now, she felt a warm joy. Queenie found out that Bianca had given birth and immediately rushed to the hospital to visit her. She brought a gift to the hospital and walked in to see Bianca feeding her baby. The twins were sitting on the side of the bed obediently. They were staring at the baby intently with curiosity in their eyes. The two of them poked their baby brother''s delicate face. The baby was friendly with his brother and sister. He stopped drinking his milk and yawnedzily. After a while, he fell into a deep sleep. After putting the baby to sleep, Bianca noticed that Queenie had brought a gift. She froze for a moment and then apologized to Queenie, "Sorry, Aunt Queenie, I was breastfeeding just now and didn''t notice you. When did youe in?" "It''s okay, I just arrived. I wanted to see what the child is like. Is he in good health?" Queenie spoke gently and put down the present. She walked up to the cradle, looked at the baby''s face carefully, and eximed, "This kid looks like Luke! What''s his name?" "They all say that the baby looks like his dad. I¡¯m happy to hear that. I hope that he can be like his dad in the future and be an upright man. The baby''s nickname is ''Tommy*. I want to take my time naming him. Luke can decide when hees back,¡± Bianca said as tears rolled in her eyes. Queenie saw that Bianca was getting sad and patted the back of Bianca''s hand. She said in a comforting tone, "Bea, you''ve just given birth, please don¡¯t be sad. Trust me, you should focus on your recovery. Listen to me, be happy. What could be a happier thing than Tommy¡¯s smooth birth?" Bianca managed to hold back her tears. She looked at the baby''s cute sleeping face and nodded gently. "Mom, why did Little Brother go to sleep right after eating? Is he a pig? Why won''t he y with me and Lanie?" Rainie widened her eyes as she stared at Tommy who was asleep after eating. She scratched her cheek and asked childishly. Queenie was amused by Rainie''s naive words. She pinched Rainie''s cheeks and exined to her, "Your little brother was just born and his body is very weak. He needs more milk and rest before he can grow up and y with you. This is what babies are like when they''re young." Rainie nodded her head as if she had just learned something new. "Oh, is that so? Grandma, was my brother and I like this when we were young?" i When she heard Rainie''s cute voice calling her grandma, Queenie touched her head happily and said, "Of course. Rainie, you''re so amazing. You must¡¯ve been very obedient when you were a child..." Rainie smiled shyly and covered her face. Lanie, on the other hand, looked calm. He was not going to ask his mother naive questions like his sister. Luke had told him that a man¡¯s responsibility was to protect women, and his responsibility was to work with his father to protect the women in the family. Now that his dad was gone, he was the man of the family! Now that they had a little brother, he and Tommy will protect their mother and sister together! Although Tommy was still young and weak, one day, he would grow up. Queenie chatted with Bianca for a while. She noticed that except for the doctors and nurses who came for the rounds at a fixed time, no one in the Crawford family was at the hospital. Even Bianca''s so- called mother-in-w, Allison, was not here. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Queenie''s good mood suddenly turned sour. She asked in an indirect manner, "Bea, you''ve worked so hard to give birth to a baby for the Crawford family. Didn''t anyone from the familye to apany you?" Bianca said softly, "Grandpa is old and weak so I told him to go back early. Louis took his girlfriend for a check-up. It''s not convenient for him to hang around here anyway. My mother-inw came for a while when I was giving birth, but when she saw that we were both safe, she hurried back and said that she had important matters to deal with..." "How could she?! How could the Crawford family treat you like this?!" Queenie had always been known for her good temper, grace, and gentleness. However, when she heard what Bianca had said, she burned with rage and yelled, "What¡¯s so important? What else can be more important than her daughter-inw giving birth? I think she doesn¡¯t care about you and Tommy at all! How could Allison treat my biological daughter like this?!" Queenie knew that Allison did not like Bianca, but she was angry that her daughter was the daughter- inw of such a woman! Chapter 663 Chapter 663 Allison Was Furious! Bianca was shocked by Queenie¡¯s words, and her eyes focused on the woman''s angry face. She had never understood why Queenie, who was initially hostile to her, suddenly became so caring toward her. She now understood. It was because Queenie had found out that she was her biological daughter. Was she doing this out of guilt or because she wanted to make things up for her? When she noticed that Bianca was staring straight at her, Queenie suddenly realized what she had just blurted out. Queenie wanted to hide her face. She said, "Bea, don''t think too much about it. You should focus on your recovery. Do you want to drink some water? I''ll get you a ss of water." After speaking, she got up and walked to the table to pour Bianca a ss of warm water. Although Queenie¡¯s face seemed calm, she was actually very nervous. Her hand was shaking as she brought the ss to Bianca. When Bianca saw that Queenie was avoiding the subject, the tension that had just emerged in her heart was relieved. She was not sure why Queenie had not taken any action even though she knew she was her biological daughter now. However, Bianca was not in the space to start that conversation. "Bea, take some painkillers if you''re still in pain.¡± Queenie took out the painkillers that the nurse had brought and handed one to Bianca. "You''ll feel much better after taking this. I tested the water temperature just now and it¡¯s just right." She took Bianca''s hand and looked at Bianca with a sweet smile on her face. Queenie¡¯s eyes shed with joy. Queenie handed the warm water to Bianca. Bianca endured the emotions in her heart. She took the painkiller, drank the warm water Queenie handed her, and swallowed the pill. After she was done, Queenie helped her lie down on the bed and covered her with a nket. "Bea, get some rest. I''ll head out and make a call." Queenie touched the twins'' heads again and when the two of them nodded obediently, she reminded them to take good care of their mother before leaving. Bianca looked at Queenie¡¯s back with wet eyes. Queenie was a meticulous and good mother. Bianca used to be very jealous and wanted to have this kind of affection as well. Now that she had lost her beloved, she yearned for this kind of affection even more. In any case, Queenie¡¯s care for her was unjustified until they could discuss their rtionship. Queenie was the wife of the Provincial Committee Secretary. If she went to the hospital to take care of her, people would talk. In the past few days, Bianca had heard the nurses gossiping about her, but she was still sad about Luke''s ident. She was eager to be cared for and selfishly chose to ignore them, but now, her mind was clearer than ever. Bianca thought that she had to grow and mature as soon as possible. She probably should not rely too much on Mrs. Norman. Otherwise, once she became reliant on others, it would be difficult for her to stop. A remote corridor in the hospital. Queenie dialed Allison''s number. It took a long time for her to answer the call. "Hello?!" Allison''s voice sounded impatient. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Allison, how could you treat my biological daughter like this? She''s your daughter-inw! My poor daughter must''ve suffered in your hands over the years. You''re so bitter and cruel! I won''t say much for the time being since Bea is your daughter-inw and that''s a fact... But she just gave birth to a member of the Crawford family. You didn¡¯t even bother to visit her and the child after she gave birth. That''s your grandson!¡± Queenie was furious and yelled into the phone! Allison said disdainfully, "Queenie, are you done talking? Do you think I wanted Bianca to be my daughter-inw? Look at your so-called daughter! I knew she was bad news for Luke! Sure enough, not long after she married my son, he got into an ident. If I knew she was so wicked, I would''ve stopped Luke from marrying that woman! Anyway, she got Luke killed and left behind a grandson for me. If you want that unlucky woman, you¡¯re free to take her back to the Norman family. Our family doesn¡¯t want her!" Queenie was trembling with anger after she heard what Allison said. She shouted, "Allison, you¡¯re so shameless! What happened to your son was an ident. What does it have to do with my daughter? Don''t me it on her! What''s more, she gave you three Crawford children. If it weren''t for Bea, you would never be a grandma! Let me make it clear, I''ll bring my daughter back to the Norman family, along with her children who are my daughter''s flesh and blood. My grandchildren are a part of the Norman family as well and I''ll take them all away. We can afford to raise a few children in our house!" When Allison heard this, she went crazy. She was like a shrew and cursed at Queenie through the phone, "How dare you?! Queenie, you¡¯re shameless. The children belong to my son. Theirst names are Crawford, not Norman! Who are you to take them away from me?" Queenie sneered and said in a threatening voice, "Allison, your capable son is gone. Do you think you can stillpete with the Norman family? I''m telling you, Jack and I will reunite with Bianca sooner or later. My advice for you is that as long as Bianca is still in the Crawford family, you have to be kind to her. Otherwise, you will never see your grandson. I¡¯ll make sure of that!" Allison''s arrogant voice gradually faded as she said, "Queenie, I''ll fight you if you dare touch my grandson!" "I''ll see you in court, then! I''ll help my daughter fight for the custody of her children. No one will dare to take on yourwsuit and confront the Norman family!" Queenie cut off the call after she said that. She could imagine how furious Allison must be, but she did not care. Regardless of their sisterhood, Allison had forced her to be separated from her flesh and blood for more than 20 years. Why should she tolerate that woman?! Bianca was a gentle and kind woman. She would be defeated when faced with a shrewd and unreasonable woman like Allison. She had to stand up for her daughter! Bianca stayed in the hospital for about five days before returning to her and Luke''s new house for recovery. Old Master Crawford hired four very experienced caretakers for Bianca. Two of them were nutrition specialists and the other two took turns to take care of Tommy day and night. Thanks to them, Bianca could get a proper rest. However, sudden bad news from T Corporation made the already unstable situation even worse. Bianca''s role as acting CEO was already unstable, and she was likely to be dismissed at anytime... Chapter 664 Chapter 664 Bianca¡¯s Strong Presence! T Corporation. Bianca looked at T Corporation''s financial statements sent by Mr. Doyle. She frowned slightly as she went through the reports. During her recovery period, T Corporation had no leader. Even though Mr. Doyle did his best, it was still not enough to turn things around. T Corporation''s shares had been falling sharply to the lowest they had ever been. Perhaps due to ack of motivation, the overall performance of thepany had been in decline. As she stared at the thick stack of documents that were filled with bad news, Bianca could not help but rub her tired temples. Everything felt so hard. Now she fully understood how busy Luke had been as the boss of the corporation and how exhausting his work was. She felt helpless. She did not understand why Luke would leave her, someone who had not stepped foot into the corporate world, a multinationalpany. She was under a lot of pressure, and sometimes, she even wanted to give up on herself and just let the company go down. However, Bianca was rational most of the time. She would never let Luke''s hard work be destroyed in her hands. Even if she was not able to grow T Corporation, she must at least let it maintain its status. This was the goal set by Bianca. Of course, T Corporation was a well-known multinationalpany. Even though it had been subjected to various suppressions and bad news during this period, its foundation was still solid. No one could tear it down for the time being. Bianca cleared her thoughts and continued to go through the files. When she saw the document about Mavis'' failed bidding project, she froze for a while. She pressed on the inte and said, "Tina, get Ms. Laviere in here." Mavis arrived at the CEO''s office and saw Bianca frowning as she looked at the various documents on her desk. Mavis said with contempt, "Ms. Rayne, can I help you with anything?" Bianca was ufortable with Mavis'' arrogant attitude, but she did not say anything. Instead, she asked her patiently, Ms. Laviere, I wanted to talk to you about the Draco Lake bid. Why did this bid-" Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Mavis sat down on the revolving chair opposite Bianca. She crossed her legs and interrupted Bianca before she could finish, saying indifferently," You want to ask me why the bid failed? I''m sorry, but our opponent was the powerful tt Corporation. As you''re aware, the chairman of thepany is the second son of the tt family. The tt family has a strong backing and Wayne is a scheming man. He has always been mean, insidious, and cunning. He''ll make sure to do anything to win any bid that he desires. When Mr. Crawford was around, he could always outsmart him, but now that Mr. Crawford is no longer there, no one can fight against Wayne. As such, we didn¡¯t win the bidding. 1 "What''s more, I remember you vowed to secure the Draco Lake Project. Ms. Rayne, you have been in office for nearly two months. Aside from failing to get the Draco Lake Project, you also lost a lot of the big customers whom Mr. Crawford usually dealt with. Ms. Rayne, you are... something else. You-" Mavis'' words sounded like praises but they were meant to be an insult. Her words made Bianca ufortable. "Ms. Laviere!" Bianca''s gentle face turned stern. "I¡¯m sure you''re well aware of my current situation. I came to work as soon as the baby was a month old. I¡¯m doing my best to familiarize myself with all aspects of the business. Although my current ability is not enough to convince you, there is a growth period for everyone. I believe that I¡¯ll be able to serve as a capable acting CEO in the future. Please give me some time. We failed this bid and it''s mostly my fault. I¡¯ll make sure that we recover from this. I know you''re dissatisfied with me, but no matter how disdainful you are of me and even if you don''t want to admit it, I¡¯m now your boss. Please pay attention to your attitude toward me!" At that moment, Bianca exuded a strong presence, highlighting her feminine features. The air around them became tense. It was the kind of tension that showed things were on the verge of exploding. Mavis felt like she was being swallowed by a ck hole. That kind of feeling even made her, a strong woman, a little timid. Mavis had never feared anyone except for Luke. Bianca, who was usually as gentle as a bunny, did aplete 180! What in the world?! Of course, Mavis needed to admit to herself that she had not gone all out in the bidding. If Luke were still the CEO, she would have found a way to win the bid no matter what. However, the head of T Corporation now was Bianca, whom she hated with all her guts. Why should she win the bid to make this woman¡¯s life easier? Mavis was still disdainful of Bianca, but her arrogant attitude was under restraints now. "We¡¯ll wait and see. I want to see what will happen to T Corporation in your hands. T Corporation is Mr. Crawford''s hard work, so be careful and don''t burn yourself out!" She was waiting to see Bianca make a fool of herself! After Mavis left, Bianca felt upset and defeated. She slumped into the revolving chair. She understood that she was in a tough spot. She had no one to rely on; she could only rely on herself. On her desk, there was a picture of Luke who was in a suit and leather shoes. He looked domineering with his pose and was as handsome as ever. It was as though his gaze could prate through the picture and reach Bianca''s pupils. His thin sexy lips parted slightly as if he was cheering for her. Bianca gently stroked his eyebrows, eyes, and lips before whispering, ¡°I''ll try my best toe up to your level and protect yourpany. I''ll wait for you toe home..." After taking a short break, Bianca continued going through thepany''s documents. At that time, a somewhat uniquend bidding proposal caught her eye. The reason why this bidding proposal was special was that othernd bidding proposals had good locations or beautiful scenic areas. This stood out because the location was remote-a small barren mountain. Zayne Snyder was the one who had proposed it. Bianca was familiar with the name because Luke had mentioned this man to her twice by chance. He valued his ideas. He had described Zayne Snyder as talented and honest. Luke said that Zayne Snyder was great in a lot of things, but had a few fatal ws. He was known to be too straightforward, spoke aggressively, and was unwilling to fawn over the rich and powerful in the company. He had not built hiswork in thepany even though he had been serving thepany for five or six years. It was also why he was only a project supervisor despite having talent and experience. Even for his position as project supervisor, Luke had to fight the shareholders to promote him. Bianca went through Zayne Snyder''s proposal and was slowly gaining interest in it. A bold idea came to her mind... Chapter 665 Chapter 665 Can You Tell Me When Will Your Dad Be Back? Tina brought Zayne to Bianca and the two had a long conversation in her office. They went on and on. In the end, Bianca decided to go for a site visit the next day to have a look at the promising projects that Zayne had proposed. At night. Bianca was exhausted when she arrived home, but the moment she saw Tommy, all the exhaustion disappeared. Tommy looked a lot like Luke. Whether it was his dark eyes, tall nose, and pink mouth, they all looked like his father''s features. The baby got his long and dense eyshes as well as pale skin from Bianca. "My sweet boy, did you behave today? Did you miss me?" Bianca took off her jacket before gently lifting Tommy out of the cradle while talking to him. At the same time, she asked the caretaker, "How was Tommy today?" "Ga-ga..." Tommy seemed to be responding to Bianca. He grinned at her and then spat out some milk bubbles. "No, no, Madam, your baby was wonderful. He didn''t cry all day long. He loves tough and is very obedient. He''s so likable and easy to take care of. To be honest, I''ve been a caretaker for so many years and have taken care of hundreds of babies. I''ve never seen a baby as amazing as Tommy." Mrs. Little watched the interaction between Bianca and Tommy that was filled with love as she replied with a smile. She was telling the truth. Bianca was beautiful, gentle, had an excellent attitude toward the caretakers, and did not treat them as outsiders. Tommy was beautiful, and he inherited the best genes from both his parents. He was very lovable. The only person missing from the household was a man. They felt a little distressed when they saw how busy Bianca was every day. Bianca said to Mrs. Little, "I''ve been busy with work these days. Thank you for taking such good care of Tommy." The other caretaker said, This is what we should do, Madam. You should pay attention to your body and not just focus on work. If you push too hard, there might be long-term consequences for your body... I''m sure your husband wouldn''t want you to suffer." Mrs. Little nudged Mrs. Sno with her elbow and Mrs. Sno realized that she had said something she should not have. Before they were hired, they had already been briefed on the situation. When she saw Bianca''s sad expression, Mrs. Sno hurriedly covered her mouth. "I''m sorry, Madam, I ¡ª" "Don''t worry about it. Please get started with preparing dinner. I''m going to take Tommy for a walk around the garden." Bianca turned her back to them. She endured the grief she felt and walked out. The two caretakers looked at the lonely Bianca and then at each other. With a sigh, they went on with their tasks. Bianca carried Tommy and headed to the garden in their backyard. The faint fragrance of the sweet-scented osmanthus was refreshing, and there were many newly bloomed autumn nts in the garden. In the evening, the afterglow of the setting sun shone on the sea of flowers, softly reflecting a dreamlike light that made people feel at peace after seeing the sight. Bianca sat on a rattan chair in the middle of the garden. Tommy, who was in her arms, widened his big round eyes and smiled at Bianca. He uttered a few words from time to time as if he was conversing with Bianca. "Yeah... Ohhhhh..." Bianca stared at her son who looked like a miniature version of Luke. She could not help but kiss his delicate cheek as tears rolled in her eyes." Tommy, tell me, when will your dad be back?" Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Perhaps it was because he could feel how sad she was. His usual cheery self suddenly broke into tears while he was in Bianca''s arms. "Boo-hoo..." Bianca immediately focused her attention on him and controlled her emotions. She swayed him side to side and gently coaxed Tommy, saying," Hey, don''t cry, I love you..." The little guy stopped crying suddenly and gave a wide grin. His chubby hands touched Bianca''s face, and his chuckle could make anyone''s heart melt. ''Although Tommy is only two months old, he''s a cheeky little one,'' Bianca thought to herself. She was in amazement. Just then, Bianca''s phone that was on the table rang. The caretaker took her phone to the garden and handed it to her. "Madam, someone is calling you." Bianca took the phone and epted the video call. She was greeted with Rainie crying. "Mom, you haven''t visited me and Lanie for a week. We miss you so much. When will youe to see us? Dad is not here. Do you not want me and Lanie anymore now that you have Tommy?" Rainie was crying so hard that it worried Bianca. She handed Tommy to the caretaker and motioned to her to take Tommy back to his room. She then began tofort her daughter, saying, "I''d never do that. I love you and Lanie so much. Rainie, dear, I¡¯m sorry but I¡¯ve been busy with work. I don''t have time to go over to the manor. But when I''m done with work tomorrow, I''lle by and bring you and Lanie home, okay?" Old Master Crawford was worried that Bianca would be overwhelmed with work and would not have time to take care of the three children by herself, so he had thoughtfully invited the twins to stay in the Crawford Manor to allow her to focus on Tommy. They did not think that the children would be so sensitive. With everything that had happened, their father going missing and their mother leaving them at Crawford Manor after giving birth to Tommy, the twins were upset and thought that they had been abandoned by their mother. "Mom, Lanie and I are waiting for you toe and see us. We miss Tommy. Let me and Lanie see Tommy..." Rainie noticed that her mother was alone in the video call. Her mood became downcast with disappointment when she did not see her baby brother. "Tommy is resting. When youe home tomorrow, you¡¯ll see your baby brother. Lanie, you have to take good care of your sister and listen to Grandpa. Don''t be naughty, promise?" She told Lanie, knowing that Lanie was dependable and independent. Lanie put his hands in his pockets coolly and said, "I know, Mom. You don''t have to worry about me and Rainie. Just take care of yourself." After she hung up on the call, Bianca felt emotionally drained. She thought that she was a horrible and ipetent mother who did not take good care of her children. She had no choice nor the energy to take care of the three children at once. She could only focus on Tommy, who needed her the most. She was apologetic toward Lanie and Rainie. The next day, Bianca brought along a few managers with her for the site visit. She bumped into someone unexpected there. Chapter 666 Chapter 666 It Was Her Father Bianca did not expect to see Jack Norman when their car passed through the town where the project was located. Jack was wearing a casual farming uniform and leading a group of officials to the countryside. He had his sleeves rolled up as he led the way. He was talking to the vigers in a kind voice and had a friendly presence. He even asionally bent over to help the vigers pick vegetables. Bianca was sitting in the car where she saw him through the window. There was an indescribable warm feeling growing in her heart. It was her father. Only when the car drove far away and Jack was the size of an ant did Bianca turn away. Bianca took the project managers to the destination proposed by Zayne in his bidding proposal to survey the ce. The location that Zayne mentioned was a barren mountain in Bay Town that had not been mined before. The area was about several thousand acres and was about six kilometers away from the famous Deer River, a local scenic spot. Bianca worefortable sportswear and sneakers in anticipation of a climb. Her hair was tied into a ponytail. Her delicate and youthful face made it seem like she had just graduated from university. It looked odd when she stood among the middle-aged managers with pot bellies. Although the mountain was said to be barren, it was actually not. It was located in a ce with low altitude, and the trees growing on it were lush. Coupled with the stones and the flocks of birds, it was truly one of nature''s best works. During the journey, Bianca took notes of various points while listening to Zayne talk about the history of the barren mountain, the value of the development, and so on. Due to how long the journey was, Bianca''s tender face was now hot red and dripping with sweat. Her sweat shone like diamonds under the sun. Zayne thought that such a petite and exquisite woman as Bianca would not have the strength to climb so far up, but he did not expect her to be so full of vigor and vitality. For the few managers who were with them, this was their first time exercising in a while. They were out of breath when they were at the halfway point. On the other hand, Bianca, a weak-looking woman, had managed to put some distance between her and several big men. Some middle-aged managers were dissatisfied with Bianca''s behavior, thinking that Zayne''s proposal was stupid. Anyone would opt to bid for a plot ofnd with development value. Why would anyone bid for a barren mountain? They felt that something was wrong with the acting CEO. Instead of rejecting Zayne''s ridiculous n, she, the acting CEO, came here to conduct a site visit and made them all suffer together. She was being unreasonable! Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. However, despite their endlessints, no one dared to refute her to her face. After all, the acting CEO held nearly half of T Corporation''s shares now. She had absolute power and authority. They could only aggrievedly follow her to the site. "Mr. Snyder!" Bianca, who was checking out the barren mountain, suddenly stopped and called out to Zayne. Zayne, who was a few steps behind her, heard Bianca calling out to him. He ran to Bianca and asked, "Ms. Rayne, what''s the matter?" Zayne was about 35 years old. He was not tall and was slightly fat with a tanned face. He would show a silly smile from time to time, looking just like an honest man. Zayne did not dare to look straight into Bianca''s eyes because the woman¡¯s eyes were too clear. Although T Corporation had its fair share of beautiful female employees, due to Zayne''s dressing and strong ent, most women looked at him with disdain and even mockery. Very few treated him sincerely like Bianca. "Mr. Snyder, it seems that there¡¯s nothing special about this mountain, except for its low altitude and its proximity to Deer River, the tourist area. There''s no electricity here and thendscape is normal. Why do you want to bid for this barren mountain?" Bianca closed her notebook and asked him softly. Project manager A sneered and said, "Mr. Snyder, this ce is situated so far from the city and the transportation here is inconvenient. There are no subways, light rail, or buses that lead to this ce. One can only travel here by car. What an ''amazing'' ce this is!" Project manager B was panting and wiped the sweat from his cheeks. He pointed to the hard stones on the floor and said angrily, "Do you want to buy this barren mountain and develop it into a tourist attraction? Please, don''t joke around. It''s so close to Deer River. There are no historical monuments or outstanding natural scenery here. Besides, the poor conditions here will make it difficult to make artificial scenery." Project manager C was ruder. He expressed his dissatisfaction in a straightforward manner, "Mr. Snyder, we came with you all the way to this barrennd and it turns out to be a normal plot ofnd! Are you messing with us? Ms. Rayne, let''s go back. I don''t think there''s any need to continue with this project." Everyone rambled on and the various usations made Zayne''s awkward face turn red. He nced at Bianca a little nervously, tidied his hair, and stammered," Bianca... Ms. Rayne, I..." Bianca gave Zayne an encouraging smile and said, "It''s alright, Mr. Snyder. I believe you have your reasons for choosing this barren mountain. Exin it in detail to us. We''re not in a hurry." Zayne looked at Bianca''s trusting eyes, and her gentle words made his face even redder. Eventually, he summoned the courage to speak, "I chose to bid for this ce... not to develop tourist attractions but to build a residential area here... This mountain has been abandoned for a long time and the government wants to do something to turn it into a tourist attraction. However, thend area is small, coupled with the restriction of natural conditions, it''s useless for them to invest in it. But it''s a pity to discard it, so it''s just abandoned now...This barren mountain has be a hot potato for the government. It¡¯s far away from the city and the government is eager to get rid of it, so the price is extremely cheap. I think this is an opportunity for us... Although it''s remote, the air here has high oxygen content and the vegetation is abundant. We can push to build houses here if we win the bid..." Zayne''s speech was a little choppy because everyone was staring at him. Bianca listened patiently to his exnation and pped her hands when he was done. "Mr. Snyder, you''re doing great. Please continue." When he heard Bianca''s encouragement, Zayne ignored the eyes of several other project managers. His voice grew louder as he said, "Also, the climate here is amazing and green nts cover nearly 80% of thend here. Although there''s no water source on the mountain, it''s rtively close to Deer Lake Reservoir. The resources here are easily essible, and on top of that, it''s only five kilometers away from the 10,000-yard farm. After the residents move in, they can pick fresh fruits and melons throughout the year; and..." Zayne kept talking about his proposal, and by the time he was done, it was half an hourter. Bianca had been listening patiently all this while. Then, she nodded and said, "Mr. Snyder, after we get back, give me more details about the proposal. I want to bid for this barren mountain." Chapter 667 Chapter 667 He Would Do His Best To Help His Daughter Bianca''s decision annoyed several of the project managers. However, they knew that it was not the right time to refute her. They held in their anger and went on with the so-called field survey. Zayne admired Bianca. Bianca was not afraid of hardships and easily made her way through the mountain. He suddenly smiled when he looked at her thin but strong back. When Mr. Crawford was still around, Zayne had mentioned this project to him. Mr. Crawford thought that the n was feasible and asked him to prepare a detailed bidding proposal, but before he could even give the proposal to Mr. Crawford, something happened to him. Unexpectedly, his wife shared the same opinion as him. Even though everyone opposed the project, she went forward with it firmly. Luke would be proud of his courageous wife! Noon. Bianca and the others dined in the folk houses at the foot of the mountain. Although the scenery of Bay Town was beautiful, it was located in a remote area and the transportation here was not convenient. The local residents here used local materials and built solid walls with stones and yellow y. The earth walls coupled with the surroundingke formed a unique townndscape. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. The folk houses were also rmended by Zayne. He had visited them once during a field trip and fell in love with the food served here. The project managers were unhappy. When they went on business trips, they usually went to five-star hotels or at least a restaurant with a certain level of quality. They looked down on the simple and unsophisticated local food, which to them was tasteless and unhygienic. 1 They followed behind Bianca andined all the way there. "If you don''t like eating here, please feel free to go somewhere else to eat. Once you¡¯re done, you can head back to thepany. There¡¯s no need for so many people to be here," Bianca nced at them and said coldly. Several of the managers who had beenining immediately shut up. If they left, not only would they be humiliated, but they would also never get in the acting CEO¡¯s good graces. They became silent when they saw Mr. Norman dining in the folk house. Jack was sitting with a group of officials at arge round table that was full of hearty dishes. There was only a little beer left in the sses on the table. It seemed they had arrived earlier. Perhaps he had been drinking, so Mr. Norman''s face was a little red. Among the group of big-bellied middle-aged officials, Mr. Norman, who was gentle and well-maintained, looked outstanding. His extraordinary temperament set him apart from the other officials. Bianca was stunned for a moment. She did not expect to bump into Mr. Norman again. She was considering whether to go forward to say hello to him. However, with so many officials present, it might lead to some gossip if she were to walk over. However, if she did not greet him, it may seem impolite. When Bianca was struggling to make a decision, Mr. Norman noticed her. Jack, who was slightly buzzed after a couple of beers, saw Bianca in sports clothes with a ponytail under the sun. For a moment, he thought he was seeing a younger Queenie. He then thought about how he and Queenie had met. All it had taken was one smile from her for him to know that she was the one. Jack beckoned to Bianca with a very gentle voice, "Bea,e and sit here." The subordinate sitting next to Mr. Norman immediately gave up his seat and said in a gracious tone, "Mr. Norman, do you know that girl?" Zayne and several other project managers were surprised that Bianca knew Mr. Norman. Moreover, Mr. Norman was greeting her in such a friendly tone. Seeing that Mr. Norman was greeting her, Bianca had to walk over. She whispered to Zayne to bring the others to their table first. She walked toward Mr. Norman. There was a polite smile on her face as she said, "Mr. Norman, hello. I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here. What a coincidence." "It¡¯s a nice coincidence, Bea. You can call me Uncle Norman, just like Luke. Don''t be a stranger,e over here and have a seat. I want to ask you something." Mr. Norman motioned for Bianca to sit down next to him. Bianca nodded and smiled politely to all the officials present. She greeted them and sat down next to Jack obediently. Mr. Norman stared at her. He was distressed when he saw her haggard and thin face as well as the dark circles around her eyes. Bianca was their biological child, the daughter they had been trying to find for nearly two decades! Although they had not taken a DNA test, Jack was already sure Bianca was his daughter. After all, she looked so simr to Queenie when she was younger. Plus, Allison herself had admitted that she was their daughter. Although Bianca was in front of him, they could not acknowledge each other as family just yet. When he saw how skinny she was, he thought of the suffering and pain of bereavement that she had gone through. She was leading the huge T Corporation alone while taking care of three children. How was she coping with all these responsibilities? Jack was not good with words. He did not think that it would be right for him to take the same approach as his wife in approaching Bianca and taking care of her. Hence, he could only find out about Bianca''s current situation and life through Queenie. The more he thought about it, the more he felt ufortable. He wanted to ask Bianca about Luke, but he stopped abruptly because he was afraid of hurting her. Mr. Norman introduced Bianca to all the officials present. After that, he turned to Bianca and asked, "Bea, what are you doing in Bay Town?" She looked at Mr. Norman who had loving eyes and then smiled while replying, "Uncle Norman, a few project managers and I came to inspect the barren mountain outside the town to see if there''s any value for development and utilization." When the mayor of Bay Town heard that Bianca was inspecting the barren mountain for development, he excitedly said, "Ms. Rayne, this barren mountain has been abandoned for a long time. If you can develop and utilize it, it''ll be of great merit to those of us in Bay Town. What are your ns for it?" Mr. Norman frowned slightly and looked at Bianca. Bianca replied, "I have to discuss with the team after I get back to the office. I can''t make the decision alone. The main concern is that the location is rtively remote and the transportation here is inconvenient. The natural conditions of that barren mountain aren''t very good either, and this might pose a challenge for us to develop and utilize thend, so... we have to consider it from all aspects." Mr. Norman''s eyes gleamed when he heard what Bianca said. Thinking that he might have to step down from his position within two years, he had a thought. Before he stepped down, he would do his best to help his daughter. If she wanted to get this barren mountain, he would help her! Chapter 668 Chapter 668 Decided With No Chance For Objection At the end of the meal, Mr. Norman chatted with Bianca in private about the details of developing the mountainous area. He would support Bianca''s decision to develop a residential area there. Bianca hesitated before letting Mr. Norman know her concerns. "I''ve surveyed the geography of this area, Uncle Jack. The existing conditions aren''t anything special, but the environment here is amazing. If T Corporation embarks on this project, I''m not too worried about technical challenges like carving the mountain or dredging the water channels. Instead, I''m concerned about connecting the area to the public transportwork..." T Corporation''s engineering team was top-notch, and Bianca was not worried about the technical aspects. What she worried about was that the remote area was not connected to any public transport lines. For many house-buyers, essibility to public transport was a major factor. It would also cause the area to develop rapidly. If the residential area was poorly connected, the beautiful scenery would not matter. T Corporation could build the best houses, but most of them would remain vacant and unsold. Mr. Norman looked at Bianca''s clear eyes. He wanted to pat her shoulder, but he hesitated and knocked on the table instead. "You don''t have to worry about public transport. By next February, construction will begin for Lines 15,18, and 21 of the A City Subway that will go from Downtown A City to Bay Town. Phase 9 of the A City Light Rail that goes from A City Train Station to Bay Town should also begin construction at the same time. When that happens, Bay Town will be connected to the city center." "Is that true, Uncle Jack?" Bianca smiled, seemingly in disbelief. "Connecting Bay Town to the city center is big news! Why didn''t our marketing department hear any news of it?" If the corporations had known about the news, they would have fought over the plot ofnd and drove land prices sky-high. Why wouldnd prices remain so low then? Mr. Norman said lovingly to Bianca, "I''ve just submitted the proposals for those projects to the higher- ups, and it''ll take some time before I receive a reply. I can''t promise that all of the projects will be approved, but I can guarantee that we''ll get at least two subway lines and the light rail extension. I haven''t told anyone about this news yet, Bea, you''re the only one who knows about this. You''ll have to keep the information a secret before the higher-ups approve the projects. I''ve watched that Luke boy grow up, and I''ve always been impressed by his capabilities. I didn¡¯t expect that he would... This is the only way that I can help you." Bianca stared at Jack''s stern but loving expression and his graying sideburns. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes. "Thank you. If I manage to obtain this plot ofnd, I''ll make sure that we will not compromise on the quality of the houses. I want to build the best houses and benefit the citizens of A City." Mr. Norman nodded and smiled. "Do your best, child. I trust in your capabilities. I''ve never set foot in the business world before, but I''ve heard that it''s cruel and merciless like the battlefield. You''ll have to be wary at all times that someone might be scheming against you. If you need any help, don''t hesitate toe to me. I''ll help you wherever I can." Thest sentence sounded familiar. Queenie had told her the same thing. Mr. and Mrs. Norman had not formally recognized Bianca as their birth daughter, but they were already showering their love and care on her. Bianca was very grateful for that. Bianca decided that she would go to the Norman residence to personally thank them after the situation in T Corporation went back to normal again. Another general meeting was held in T Corporation in the afternoon. Bianca arrived on the dot once again. Most of the shareholders were already there when she arrived. Jenson was thest to arrive. He sauntered into the conference room at five minutes past the hour. To him, Bianca was only an inexperienced young girl incapable of leading a multinationalpany like T Corporation. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. He decided toe to the meetingte to embarrass Bianca. Bianca seemed nonchnt as she watched Jenson enter the conference room and find his seat. After he sat down, Bianca nced at him and said to the shareholders, '' Now that everyone is here, let''s start the general meeting." Looking at Bianca, the shareholders thought that the atmosphere in the room was stifling. The woman might seem frail, but she could be dominant and assertive when it came to serious business. She reminded them of Mr. Crawford. In the previous general meeting, several shareholders wanted to cash out their shares, and Bianca bought their shares without any hesitation. Bianca originally controlled slightly more than half of thepany. After the purchase, her ownership of thepany rose by another ten percentage points. That made her a dominating force in thepany. After a standard introduction, Bianca went straight to the main point and talked about the n to develop the remote mountain. As expected, many shareholders opposed the idea, especially Jenson, who was moring for support. He wanted to remove Bianca from her position as acting CEO. A young shareholder who worked together with Luke gave his opinion. "Ms. Rayne, I believe that the project is viable, but the upfront cost is too big. It''ll take five to eight years before we see any returns from a residential project, and that''s too long for ourpany that''s on the verge of copse. I would support the project, but considering our current circumstances, it''ll only put us in a more perilous position..." Bianca pressed her lips together. If Mr. Norman had not confided with her about the subway extensions to Bay Town, she would think twice before proceeding with it. Now that she knew about the future prospects, she was determined to see the project through. It would be a great loss if she did not grasp the opportunity. If the project seeded, it would surely bring T Corporation to greater heights. Bianca gave a signal to Zayne, who proceeded to give a presentation of the project on the big screen in the conference room. Zayne spoke at length about the pros and cons of the project, as well as the expected returns. At the end of the meeting, Bianca appointed Zayne as the project manager and Anton Wheeler as his deputy. They would be in charge of the development project. The decision was made, and no one could object. In a secret chamber in Moscow. The man''s sculpted face remained pale, but his handsome looks were breathtaking. Even though he was fast asleep, he still possessed an overbearing demeanor. A pair of high heels walked down the stairs, and the man suddenly opened his eyes. His gaze was sharp and prating like a hawk. Kassy, who had just entered the room, saw those eyes and reflexively took two steps back... Chapter 669 Chapter 669 Grabbed Her Arm and Flung Her Away! Kassy knew that Luke was extremely charming even when he was unconscious. When he opened his eyes, the world seemed to have lost all color. His gaze was ice-cold, but it was stunning! Kassy''s heart started to beat faster as she looked into the man''s bewitching eyes. She produced a clear crystal ball in her right hand. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The crystal ball emanated a warm yet dazzling glow. Luke''s sharp gaze became unfocused when he looked at the crystal ball. "Rx your body. You are now floating in a warm and endless ocean. The gentle moonlight envelops this beautiful world. You can hear the waves gentlypping on the beach. See the moon rising about the wisp-like clouds in the sky. Shh... do you hear the seagulls? Rx. You are in afortable state..." The man on the bed seemed to be hypnotized. Kassy smiled and brazenly caressed the man''s handsome face. "Luke Crawford, CEO of T Corporation. Your reputation precedes you. I''ve never been interested in businessmen, but you''ve sessfully piqued my interest. Indeed, you do not disappoint me. I''ve already fallen for you when you opened your eyes..." Kassy confessed her feelings toward the man, not caring that he was in a semi-conscious state. The doctor who had followed Kassy into the secret chamber took out a syringe filled with green liquid and injected it into Luke. Seeing the liquid in the syringe pumped into Luke''s body, Kassy remained unconvinced. "You''ve given him five doses so far. Are you sure that the drug works? Would it cause any irreparable damage to his brain?" Kassy wanted aplete man and not a walking sack of flesh. Earlier, the man had repeatedly mumbled the name "Bianca" while he was unconscious. She wanted to wipe his memories because of her jealousy toward that unknown woman and gain her stepfather''s complete trust. The doctor removed the syringe and said confidently, "Don''t worry, Ms. Kassy. From my experience using it on countless patients, I can say that the drug definitely works, and the side effects are negligible. Furthermore, you''re a master hypnotist, Ms. Kassy. I believe this gentleman will forget his past and embrace his new identity." 1 Kassy smiled smugly and continued her hypnosis on Luke. Perhaps the man had a strong will, or perhaps Kassy was too hasty, the semi-conscious Luke suddenly trembled violently, as though he was going to be freed from the hypnotic trance. Kassy was shocked. As sweat drops rolled down her forehead, she focused and continued to hypnotize Luke. "You are Matthew, the vice president of Beshev Corporation. You are my man. You don''t have any rtives or friends. Swear your unwavering loyalty to your godfather!" Luke''s eyes opened abruptly again. His prating gaze was spine-chilling. The crystal ball in Kassy''s hand refracted a dazzling light. She tried her best to look into Luke''s eyes. Finally, the man spoke. "I am Matthew, the vice president of Beshev Corporation. I don''t have any rtives or friends. I swear my unwavering loyalty to my godfather." Kassy rxed a little after she heard him say that. Every time she saw that prating gaze, she would think that her hypnotism had failed. "That''s right, Matthew. Not only do you have to be loyal to your godfather, but you also have to be loyal to me." Kassy cast a charming nce at Luke. Her slender arms wrapped around Luke''s neck, and her curvaceous body rubbed his chest. Luke''s gaze was as cold as a cier. Right before Kassy''s body touched his, he grabbed her arm and flung her away! He was very strong! Kassy did not expect that. She fell heavily on the floor. "How... how can you treat me like that, Matthew? I''m your woman!" Kassy was both embarrassed and angry. Her eyes were brimming with rage. The doctor was also shocked. He did not expect that the man would withstand the seductive Kassy''s charms! So many men admired her beauty and feared her ruthlessness. Was the man not afraid of death? Luke nced coldly at Kassy on the floor. He did not feel sorry for her. Instead, he said, "I am a lone wolf. I have no rtives or friends." As Luke narrowed his eyes, they shed with a hint of condescension. Kassy did not notice that. She only thought that the man''s gaze was too chilling, as though he threatened to gouge her heart out of her chest. He seemed even scarier than her sinister godfather. That man was not to be trifled with. Kassy wondered how she was going to tame that unyielding lion. Kassy brought Luke to meet Robert, the godfather. Robert was almost fifty years old, and he was a Russian mafia boss. His beard made him look haggard, but those animated brown eyes indicated that he was a cruel and violent man. He was a notorious figure in Moscow. Robert had performed a thorough investigation on Luke''s background, and he was satisfied. "Good. You''re finally awake." Luke lowered his head, and his face remained expressionless. "I await your orders, Godfather." Robert smiled. "You shall be my godson from now on, and I will not mistreat you. Now, I shall hand you Beshev Corporation that is on the brink of bankruptcy. Consider this as your test. Do not disappoint me!" He knew that the man was a rare business prodigy, and his organization required someone like Luke to launder their ill-gotten gains. If not for that, he would not have kept Luke alive. "Yes." Luke did not say much. Robert was not satisfied by Luke''s impassive demeanor, but he was not too bothered. All he wanted from the man was his impable business acumen and eternal loyalty. Chapter 670 Chapter 670 Only He Knew That His Heart Was Beating Rapidly Moscow. The cold winter wind whistled past the thriving city, and heavy snow covered the city in a silvery nket. The pure-white snowkes that were scattered in the air brought light to the dimly lit city. It was an especially cold night, and there were not many pedestrians walking on the streets. It was rare that the bustling city got so quiet. A sleek ck Bentley limousine drove on the snow-covered streets, unhindered by the heavy snowfall. In a dark alley, several tall and burly hooligans in tattered clothes and wielding weapons drooled as they stared lecherously at two beautiful foreign young women. Snowkesnded on the girls'' long hair and melted. Their curvaceous bodies could be vaguely seen under their thick down jackets. It was a tantalizing sight. The hooligans exchanged nces, shed a perverted smile, and spoke teasingly in Russian, "These two chicks are not bad. It''s been a long time since I''ve tasted foreign flesh. They look small and cute, but I''m sure that they''re naughtier than our local women. We''ll have a feast tonight, boys!" The two young women''s faces turned pale when they saw the hooligans that suddenly appeared in front of them. They held each other''s hands and took several panicked steps backward!Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. The hooligans walked up in front of the young women and tried to grab them. Their lecherous gazes were revolting. "Run!'' The taller young woman reacted first. She pulled the other, weaker young woman and dashed out of the alley! "Chase them! Don''t let our chicks get away. Otherwise, we won''t have any women tofort us tonight..." The hooligans started running while hurling obscenities. The two young women were not as strong as the men, and they were already exhausted from their part-time shift at a restaurant. They were on the verge of copsing while they frantically ran away. The hooligans were about to catch up to them when a dazzling beam of light shone on their faces. They were almost blinded by the light. The two young women were also blinded. They ran toward the car, but it stopped abruptly before it could run over them. The two women fell sitting on the ground out of shock. "Help! Help..." The taller woman seemed to have found salvation. She scrambled onto her feet and threw her body on the Bentley. Moscow at night was a paradise for criminals. The young woman knew that people would rather keep to themselves when they encounter a crime, but she did not want to let go of the chance that she might be saved. Through the car window, Luke nced coldly at the young woman. The man''s expression was as cold as the weather outside. "Start driving." There was a hint of displeasure in his voice as he nced at the driver. He was not a saint. He did not have sympathy for other people in danger, much less those that did not bring him any benefit. The driver started the engine and was about to drive away. The taller young woman watched in despair as the car began to move away. Meanwhile, the hooligans had already caught her friend and began to rip apart her down jacket. "Ah... no... go away..." The feeble young woman cried out in English. She struggled helplessly. Her voice was muffled, and her expression was as innocent as a bunny. That made the hooligansugh even more brazenly. "I thought she''s quite slender, but she''s quite voluptuous..." One of the hooligans said to his aplices. "Beatrice!" The taller young woman was afraid, but she braced herself and rushed toward the hooligans. "Let her go, you b*stards!" She yelled in English, and the name that came out of her mouth made Luke pause. He turned around and looked at the young woman named "Beatrice" through the car window. He saw a fragile figure with long and straight ck hair struggling in the hooligans'' grasp. Her helplessness reminded him of a vague figure in the depths of his memories. "Save them," Luke suddenly ordered the driver. The driver was surprised, and he hesitated. "We should mind our own business, Sir. If Mr. Robert and Ms. Kassy find out..." The driver felt something cold, ck, and hard against his waist. He looked at Luke in astonishment and realized that he did not understand that man at all. They had only interacted for a few days. The man looked gentle and elegant, but he had a ruthless and mysterious personality. He managed to extend his influence over the entirepany in a few days since he joined Beshev Corporation, and no one dared to disobey him. The driver could only get out of the car. The hooligans cackled brazenly as they saw the driver. "Looks like we''ve gotten ourselves another big fish, boys..." The driver did not speak. His body flitted nimbly amid the knife-wielding hooligans and sent them sprawling on the ground. They wailed in pain and begged for mercy. "Thank you, Sir, thank you..." The young woman named Beatrice bowed deeply at the driver. The driver frowned and wagged his hand. "I''m not the one who saved you. My employer is." Then, he opened the car door and sat in the driver''s seat. Beatrice and the other young woman nced through the car window. They saw the man''s impable side profile from the half-open car window. His masculine features seemed to be sculpted by God''s hands, and his lips were slightly curled upward in an ambiguous smile. He was smoking, but his hand holding the cigarette was perfect, like a work of art. He was indeed a charming man! "Thank..." The two young women were caught in a daze. When they came to their senses and remembered to thank the man, the car had already driven away. In the car, the driver drove leisurely along the street while stealing nces at the man in the backseat. Luke''s eyes were closed for a short rest. His expression was as cold as ever, but he ced a hand on his heart. Only he knew that his heart was beating rapidly. He missed her, that gentle and sweet woman. In the mansion. Bianca fed Tommy and managed to coax the energetic baby to sleep. She was beginning to feel drowsy too. Suddenly, Bianca felt her heart beating faster. She covered her chest and felt uneasy. She went to the bedside cab and took out Luke''s photo. Her gaze was gentle as she caressed Luke''s face. "They said that you are dead, but I don''t believe it. I can sense that you''re still alive. After I bring thepany back on track, I''ll bring the kids to look for you in Moscow, alright?" Chapter 671 Chapter 671 Bring Our Daughter Back From the Crawford Family T Corporation. Bianca named the development project Longing Greens. She was longing for a man, waiting for a man. The man was the indelible mark in her heart. Her heart was like a barren field, and he was like the rain. When Longing Greens would bepleted in the future, she hoped that her rain woulde back to her too. Construction work on Longing Greens started, but T Corporation faced another problem. They had temporarily removed themselves from the coboration project with Vivi Group because of certain problems. Now that news about Luke''s death had spread, Vivi Group took the opportunity to seekpensation from T Corporation for breaching the contract. Bianca was not going to let Vivi Group get what they wanted. She immediately called an emergency meeting and decided that they would pursue all legal avenues. While legal proceedings were ongoing, T Corporation ran into problems with its funding chain. Without funding, construction work on Longing Greens could not continue. T Corporation under Bianca''s leadership was stuck in a tough spot. In the CEO''s office. For the past two days, Bianca had been overworking herself to solve the funding problems. The most uncanny thing was that no bank was willing to lend money to T Corporation. Bianca suspected that someone must be pulling the strings. However, she could not find out who it was. Jason entered the CEO''s office and saw Bianca¡¯s frustrated expression." Are you still thinking about the funding problem, Ms. Rayne?" Bianca put her pen down and stared at Jason. "Any good news from the investors, Mr. Doyle?'' Jason shook his head defeatedly. "It''s strange. No bank is willing to loan money to T Corporation, and our major clients have been keeping silent. They either say that they''re facing financial problems themselves or give some otherme excuse. Ingrates, all of them!" He clenched his fist and punched the desk. His aggrieved expression made Bianca dejected. However, that was all within expectation. She poured a ss of water for Jason and asked him, "Mr. Doyle, how about if we look for partners or investors and get a loan from the capital market through financing?" Jason did not agree. "That''s possible, but anyone intending to finance T Corporation would also want to manage thepany too. When that happens, you''ll have to reduce your shares and profits in the company. You''ve only bought the shares not long ago, and now you''re selling them again. I can''t say that I agree with that idea." Bianca lowered her gaze and continued thinking. She was faced with difficulties because she did not want to let go of the shares of thepany. She also thought of looking for financing solutions from Percy and Jim, Luke''s good friends. In fact, the two of them had offered to help. However, she did not want to owe them a debt of gratitude. The two men might be Luke''s good friends, but they were shrewd businessmen and would not enter a loss-making deal. They might not scam Bianca because she was Luke''s wife, but they would want a big share of the profits too. Longing Greens was a major project, and the projected profits would diminish greatly. After careful consideration, Bianca rejected their offers. "Mr. Doyle, what do you think of private financing?" After considering the options, that seemed to be the only viable one. "The private financing market is heavily scrutinized now, and it''ll take three to five years before the government legalizes it, not to mention the general public has been wary of such schemes after a series of legal disputes that stemmed from private financing. It''s not that easy to get money from the general public, and it''s very prone to financial mismanagement, not to mention increased scrutiny from the Securities Commission," Jason made a thorough analysis. "We won''t seed if we don''t take certain risks. Illegal funding schemes might pose a systemic financial risk to the economy, but there are certain gaps in the current regtions regarding private financing. A fund is considered illegal if it promises returns of twenty percent or more, so we''ll have to limit our returns to about fifteen percent. That should still be attractive enough for the general public to invest, and we can continue with the project as long as we receive enough funding. The early stages will be tough, but I can guarantee that the project will make a profit," Bianca said confidently. She had read many books about economics and managementtely, trying to find an exploit to finance thepany. Seeing that Bianca had already made up her mind, Jason did not continue persuading her. He knew that Mrs. Crawford was not as weak and frail as she seemed. He was eager to see her bring T Corporation to new heights. When Jack returned home, he saw Leia in the kitchen, wearing an apron and learning how to make soup from Ms. Lang. Leia had not been making any public appearancestely because of all the negative press. Whenever she appeared, she would be instantly bombarded by swarms ofizens. She decided to be a good girl and wait at home for the right opportunity to make aeback. Leia''s career was in peril, and her parents were not happy about her recent behavior, especially her father, who seemed to be more distant toward her. Leia did not want the situation to deteriorate. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. That was why she behaved herself. She had never done any housework before, but she had started to learn cooking from her mother and Ms. Lang. Indeed, her father seemed to be appeased by the change in her behavior. Jack nced inside the kitchen and saw Leia working busily, then went to the studio. Queenie had sent him a message earlier, telling him to look for her in the studio immediately after he got home. Jack pushed open the door. Queenie, as gentle and elegant as ever, was painting a portrait. Jack could not help but be impressed by his wife''s artistic skills. Standing at the door, he could tell that the portrait was vivid and lifelike. When he went closer, he was surprised that the person in the painting was their daughter... Bianca Rayne. "Queenie..." Jack called out his wife''s name and gazed at her gently. "Do you have something you want to discuss? What is it?" Queenie put her paintbrush away and wiped her hands with a rag. She seemed to be mesmerized by the figure in the painting. "Jack, I was thinking that we should bring our daughter back from the Crawford family!" Chapter 672 Chapter 672 Daddy... Jack was not surprised by Queenie''s decision. Even if she did not mention it, he would discuss it with her some time soon anyway. They needed to be reunited with their birth daughter. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Jack sighed and said, "I''d love to be reunited with our daughter too. A few days ago, I met Bianca at Bay Town. It hurts to see her right in front of me, but I can''t get any closer to her, and it... breaks my heart to see her so thin and haggard." Queenie washed her hands with the tap next to the easel, then returned to her rattan chair and massaged her neck. "I don''t think I can wait any longer, Jack. We should go to visit the Crawfords this weekend, tell them the truth, and reunite with our birth daughter!" She had chronic cervical spondylosis. If she lowered her head for extended periods, she would suffer from intense sharp pain in her neck. Seeing what his wife was doing, Jack took off his coat, ced it on the rack, and began to massage Queenie''s neck and shoulders. To alleviate his wife''s pain, Jack had learned physiotherapy techniques during his free time from a renowned physiotherapist. No one had expected the exalted Mr. Norman to do that for his wife. Queenie knew that her husband loved her. Over the years, she had returned his love. That was why their marriagested. While Jack massaged Queenie, he said, "You should paint less so you wouldn''t be bothered by neck pain so often. Moreover, you have sensitive skin, and there are many chemicals in oil paints that can cause allergies. Have you forgotten about that time when you had to be rushed to the hospital because you stayed up all night painting?" He reprimanded Queenie. Queenie smiled nonchntly when she was reminded of that embarrassing episode. "That''s already so long ago. Why are you mentioning it? Oil paints nowadays have far less harmful chemicals than before, and the risk is negligible. Painting is my favorite hobby and quitting it is impossible. I''d give up my business before I give up painting." Queenie majored in oil painting in college, and Jack knew how much she loved painting. The first time he met her, she was sitting among the bushes painting flowers. Her elegant demeanor and the lifelike painting made him fall in love with her at first sight. After she graduated, Queenie never stopped painting, even though she became a businesswoman. She had entered her works in various international exhibitions and had gotten gold awards on multiple asions. Her works were highly sought after by collectors and art institutions both in and out of the country. Queenie Ziegler was an influential name in the artists'' circles of A City. Her fame also brought her trouble. Many people sought tomission her for huge sums of money, and some people even tried to give her bribes under the pretense ofmissioning her. Queenie had declined such offers, and Jack had dered that any illicit deals made under the pretense of art would be severely punished. True to Jack''s word, several bribers had been arrested and punished this way. Eventually, those schemers gave up on the idea after seeing that nothing would sway their principles. Jack continued to knead Queenie''s shoulders. "Our daughter has inherited your artistic talents. I''ve never seen her paintings, but I''ve seen her house design for Father. Father is a picky person, and many renowned designers could not satisfy him, except for Bianca. I think that our daughter is a truly talented designer." Queenie nodded in agreement. "Of course. Even if our daughter might not be the best, she would still be considered one of the best. Do you know why I want to fetch our daughter back from the Crawford family?" "Because she has lost her husband. You''re afraid that the people from the Crawford family might bully her, and we can be her support," Jack guessed. Queenie gently held Jack''s hand, turned her head to look at him, and shook her head gently. "That''s only one of the reasons. Allison Tanner is an arrogant and materialistic woman. Our daughter might be her daughter-iw, but she has always treated Bianca with contempt and hostility because of me. She mes Bianca for Luke''s death and says that our daughter has brought bad luck to her son. If not for Old Master Crawford, she would definitely drive Bianca out of the household without hesitating..." Jack''s eyes widened, and his hands paused. "How dare she! Even if my daughter leaves the Crawford family, it''s because she wants to, not because she''s forced to. She cane and talk to me if she wants to do that!" Queenie smiled and patted Jack''s hand, telling him to calm down. She got up from her chair, went to the shelf next to her, took out a document, and handed it to her husband. Jack took the document, not sure what to expect. The more he read it, the more surprised and happy he became. His hands were trembling uncontrobly. "When... when did you do this?" "When I was taking care of Bea, I picked up two strands of her hair and took it to the hospital for a DNA test. I''ve confirmed that Bianca is indeed our birth daughter. Jack, the main reason I want to formalize our rtionship with Bianca is that I found out that she''s facing financial difficulties, and I hope that we can help her. My poor girl has suffered so much since she was young, and when she finally found happiness, an ident took her husband''s life away. It''s not easy for her to raise three children on her own. I cant bear to see our daughter in trouble and not help her..." Even though Jack already knew that Bianca was his birth daughter, looking at the physical report with his own eyes gave him a shock. Jack nodded. "Alright, Queenie, let''s do it your way. We''ll get Bianca out of the Crawford household as soon as possible." Meanwhile, Leia was bringing a te of cut fruit for her parents. She stood outside the door and overheard what her parents were talking about. She was mentally prepared for the eventuality that Bianca would return to the Norman household, but she still felt that twinge of jealousy... What would happen to her when Bianca returned? The three children were sleeping soundly in the mansion. The twins were sleeping on the bed while Tommy was sleeping in the cradle. He was smiling as he sucked on the pacifier. Bianca forgot about her worries as she gazed lovingly at the three children''s faces. It was a tranquil moment. "Daddy..." Suddenly, Rainie mumbled in her dreams. The voice was soft, but it wrenched Bianca''s heart... Chapter 673 Chapter 673 She Is Blessed For Having A Caring Son When she heard her daughter sleep-talking, Bianca could not help but reach out and gently hold Rainie''s hand. The little girl''s hand was slightly cool. Bianca tried to warm it with her hand. Rainie sensed her mother''s grip. She moaned softly and opened her eyes. "Mommy?" She called out coyly, still half-asleep. Bianca tucked her daughter into the nket and said gently, "Are you awake, Rainie? It''s still early. You should continue sleeping." Rainie rubbed her eyes with her other hand and said expectantly, "Mommy, is Daddy home yet? I dreamed of Daddy just now. He bought many toys for Big Bro and me, and he also said that he''d bring us to the theme park... Mommy, Daddy has been on a business trip for so long. When will he be back? I really, really miss Daddy..." Bianca tried hard not to cry when she heard her daughter say that. She patted Rainie''s head and said softly, "Daddy wille back. If you finish your food and go to school every day and listen to what Mommy says, Daddy wille back soon." She would rather not lie to her daughter, but if an adult could not ept the fact that Luke was gone, a young child would not either. She felt that the lie was necessary, but she did not know if she could maintain it for long. Bianca did not know when Lanie woke up. The little boy stared at his mother and sister with his beautiful eyes while listening to their conversation. "Are you awake too, Lanie? I''ll get some warm water for you two ..." Bianca''s gaze wavered when she noticed that her son was looking at her. She got out of bed and went out of the bedroom. Lanie''s mind was more mature, and he would not be as easily convinced as his sister. Bianca felt guilty every time she saw her son''s prating gaze. In the kitchen, Bianca poured some warm water into two cups. While she walked past the living room and was about to go up the stairs, she saw Lanie waiting for her at the staircase in his cartoon print pajamas. ''''Why are you up? Quick, go back to bed," Bianca said hurriedly. "I want to ask you a question, Mommy," Lanie stood there, straight as a tree. His gaze was as sharp as Luke as he stared at Bianca. Bianca put the cups down and crouched to Lanie''s eye level. She gently hugged her son''s tiny body and asked, "What would you like to ask me, Lanie?" The little boy pressed his lips and hesitated for a while before asking the question, "Mommy, did something happen to Daddy? Is he nevering back?" Bianca''s heart wrenched when she heard her son''s question. "Why do you say that, Lanie? Didn''t Mommy tell you that Daddy is on an overseas business trip? He''s setting up a new branch, and so he''s very busy. When..." Lanie bit his lip and interjected, "Mommy, I overheard your conversation with Uncle Gordan a few days ago. Uncle Gordan said that Daddy got into an ident, and no one has found him yet. You can fool Rainie that he''s on a business trip, but I know that Daddy is gone..." Bianca''s heart wrenched. She did not know that her son had already known the truth and had tried to keep it to himself. He would not ask his mother about it if not that he could not hold it in anymore. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. Bianca kissed Lanie''s cute little face, tried topose herself, and told him, "Your Daddy indeed has gotten into an ident, but I believe that he''s still alive and well somewhere in the world. Lanie, you have to trust me, and you have to trust your Daddy. He''s an amazing man, and nothing can stop him. He won¡¯t go missing just like that, right? Mommy has been busy recently, but soon, I''ll bring you kids to look for Daddy. I believe he''s waiting for us somewhere..." Lanie stared at his mother''s expectant gaze, nodded resolutely, and hugged his mother''s neck. "Mm, I trust you, Mommy, and I trust that Daddy is still alive. He¡¯s not at home now, but I''ll take care of you, Rainie, and Tommy on his behalf. I believe that we''ll reunite once more, and... you shouldn''t cry alone at night, alright? I''ll feel sad too..." "Alright, my beloved son." Bianca hugged her son tightly and smiled with tears in her eyes. She considered herself blessed for having such a caring young boy in her times of despair. The next morning, Bianca was woken up by a phone call. She answered the call. Old Master Crawford asked her to return to Crawford Manor with the children. He sounded extremely nervous, as though something serious had happened. Bianca thought that Old Master Crawford was so nervous because he missed the children a lot. She told him that she would bring them over after they woke up from their sleep. Allison had always thought that Bianca had caused Luke''s death. Now that Luke was gone, Allison''s attitude toward Bianca became even worse. That was why Bianca rarely returned to Crawford Manor unless it was absolutely necessary. After the call, Bianca thought hard about why Old Master Crawford insisted that she return as soon as possible. For various reasons, he rarely asked her to return to Crawford Manor. Soon, the Crawford family driver went to Bianca''s mansion and waited for her. After the twins woke up, Bianca picked up Tommy, who was still sleeping, and the four of them went back to Crawford Manor. Bianca realized that something was amiss as soon as she stepped into Crawford Manor. The living room was packed with people. On the couch was Old Master Crawford who was sitting straight, Allison who seemed dismissive, Susan who was impassive, and Louis who was confused. On the other couch sat Old Mr. Norman, Mr. and Mrs. Norman, Lionel, and Selena. Bianca was shocked. Why was Crawford Manor so crowded? Mr. and Mrs. Norman seemed visibly agitated when they saw Biancaing through the door. Old Master Crawford beckoned at Bianca lovingly. "You''re back, Bianca. Come over, take a seat, and let me look at my darling great-grandson..." "Why do we have so many guests in the house today, Grandfather?" Bianca sat next to Old Master Crawford, feeling slightly nervous. She did not know what was going on. Old Master Crawford did not answer her question because his attention was focused on Tommy. He wanted to touch the baby in Bianca''s arms, but seeing that the baby was still sleeping soundly, his hand paused in midair. Then, he looked at Bianca with an inexplicable gaze... Chapter 674 Chapter 674 I Am Your... Mother "I believe you''ve met Uncle Jack and Aunt Queenie before, Bea, and I don''t think I need to introduce them to you. They¡¯re here at home today because they want to meet you." "They want to meet me?" Bianca looked doubtfully at Jack and Queenie. "Is there something, Uncle Jack and Aunt Queenie?" Queenie''s lips trembled. She stood up from the couch, took out a test report, and nervously handed it to Bianca. The nanny picked up the baby in Bianca''s arms. Bianca looked at the test report. She could understand what was going on when she saw the words "DNA Test Report" on the cover page. At the bottom of thest page, when she saw that her DNA shared a 99.9% simrity with Jack and Queenie, all her doubts instantly disappeared. She looked at Queenie, feeling rather perplexed, and called out, "Aunt Queenie..." Queenie looked at Bianca with sparkling eyes and held her hand, unable to contain her excitement. "I hope you don''t mind that I secretly took a few strands of your hair for a DNA test. I''ve been suspecting it for a while now, but I''ve never dared say it. I''m not your Aunt Queenie. I''m your... mother." Bianca''s hands were shaking. Tears welled up in her eyes as she saw that Queenie''s eyes were brimming with tears too. Bianca turned her head to look at Jack. He was usually a stern man, but now, his eyes were brimming with anticipation. They were her birth parents. Bianca had already known that fact. Even so, she could not help but be anxious when it came to formalizing their rtionship. "Do you still remember me, Elder Sister? I''m Selena, whom you''ve met when you stayed over with the Normans. Aunt Queenie said that she had found her birth daughter. I thought that she was joking, but I didn''t expect that you''re actually my cousin. This is great news!" Selena spoke excitedly as she held Bianca''s hands. "I..." Bianca turned to look at Queenie. Queenie was already sobbing. "Bea, would you... would you call me Mom?'''' Bianca''s lips trembled as she saw Queenie''s expectant gaze. She did not know what to say. It was hard for her to abruptly call someone her mother, even though she had already epted the fact. Her eyes that were as clear as stars seemed pure but helpless. Queenie was slightly disappointed when she saw Bianca hesitate. She gently hugged Bianca and said, "It''s okay. I know that you will need some time to ept the truth. We still have a long way in front of us, and I can afford to wait. I''m content to be able to meet my birth daughter while I''m still alive. Really." This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Jack feltforted as he watched the scene of reunion. Now that they had reunited with their birth daughter, Queenie did not have to bear that guilt anymore, and their adoptive daughter would not feel lonely. Leia, who had felt uneasy ever since she stepped into Crawford Manor, was burning with jealousy as she saw Queenie and Bianca hugging. Even so, as an actress, she knew how to hide her true feelings. She walked in front of the two women, handed a napkin to Queenie, and pretended to be very happy. "Congrattions to you, Mom and Dad. You''ve finally found Elder Sister. We can be a happy family now. This is good news, and you shouldn''t be crying. I believe that Elder Sister wouldn''t want to see you cry as well... isn''t that so, Elder Sister?" Leia smiled innocently, as though she was a naive young girl. Bianca would have been deceived by that pure smile, if not that she had fallen victim to her cruel schemes. The other people might not see it, but Bianca did not miss the hint of coldness in Leia''s gaze. Leia hugged Queenie''s elbow and leaned on her shoulder, as though saying, "So what if Mom recognizes you as her birth daughter? She''s been my Mom for almost twenty years, and you''re still an outsider!" Bianca smiled in response to Leia''s instigating gaze. She suddenly hugged Queenie''s other arm and smiled gently. "Of course, Mom is my mother as well as your mother. You''re not the only one who feels sorry for her. As her daughter, I wouldn''t want to see her cry either." Queenie''s eyes lit up when she heard what Bianca said. She grabbed Bianca''s hands and looked at her in disbelief. "What... what did you call me just now?" Bianca winked at Queenie. "I called you Mom." "Good... good girl. Did you hearthat, Jack? Our daughter just called me her Mom...¡¯'' The usually elegant and courteous Queenie fell into Jack''s embrace like a small child who had received her Christmas present. Jack ignored the gazes of the people around him and hugged his wife tightly. He was equally excited. "Yes, our daughter is back..." Louis had never seen Mr. and Mrs. Norman behave that way. As far as he knew, the couple was calm and authoritative, especially Jack, who was usually stern and unemotional. Now that they had reunited with their birth daughter, they behaved like any other ordinary couple and parent. No one knew how much they suffered while looking for their birth daughter. Susan''s face was green with envy and embarrassment. She thought that she would have finally gotten a leg-up on Allison, now that his son was dating the daughter of the Lieutenant Governor. She did not expect that Bianca''s true status was much more elevated than that of Yuri. Allison was equally difited. She was angry but dared not show it on her face. She, as Bianca''s mother-inw, often bullied and tormented her because she did not have anyone to rely on. Now that Bianca had reunited with Mr. and Mrs. Norman, she could noty a finger on her anymore. That made her feel incredibly frustrated! Old Master Crawford was happy that Bianca had finally found her birth parents, but he was even happier that T Corporation''s operations would be smooth-sailing with the Provincial Committee Secretary''s help. Bianca beckoned at the twins and whispered something in their ears. The two children were shocked. They looked at Bianca with their almost- identical faces, then at Mr. and Mrs. Norman. "Mommy, are they really our Grandpa and Grandma?" "Mm, it''s just that we''ve lost touch far in the past, and I never knew about it. I only found out about it today." The two children did not understand why they would suddenly have another pair of grandparents, but they did not doubt their mother. In fact, they were happy that they now had a Grandpa and Grandma like other children... Chapter 675 Chapter 675 I Am Grateful Bianca held the children''s hands, walked in front of Mr. and Mrs. Norman, and patted the children''s heads. "Lanie, Rainie, greet your grandparents." The two cute twins stood up straight and called out at the same time. ¡° Nice to meet you, Grandpa and Grandma. I''m Lanie." "I''m Rainie." "Oh, you''re good kids!" Queenie started to tear up again. Not only did she get to reunite with her birth daughter, but she also gained two cute and intelligent grandchildren. The usually stern Jack could not contain his emotions. He crouched to the children''s eye level, just like any ordinary grandfather. He patted their heads and asked them, "How old are you two? Which grade are you in?" He had already known the answers from his wife, but he would like to hear it from the children''s mouths. He adored children, especially their crisp voices and pure eyes. "Grandpa, I''m Rainie Crawford. I''m in the first grade, and I love to sing, dance, and draw, but most of all, I love taking naps..." The extroverted Rainie introduced herself first and curtsied at Jack, which made Jack and Queenieugh. Lanie rolled his eyes at his sister, disapproving of her acting cute. Jack had never been so close to such a cute little girl before. On an impulse, he stretched out his arms, "Come here and give your Grandpa a hug, Rainie." Rainie fell into Jack''s arms. Grandpa Jack smelled faintly of rosin, just like Daddy. Rainie liked that smell. Still hugging onto Jack''s neck, Rainie sat on hisp, looked at his chin, and reached out to touch his stubble beard. "Your beard is pricklier than Daddy''s!" Jack pinched the little girl''s cheek indulgently. The soft cheek was as delicate as a peeled hard-boiled egg. Jack dared not use too much strength. "As long as you like it, Rainie." The little girl''s tender body smelled faintly of milk. Jack was feeling a little helpless. He did not want to move too abruptly in case he hurt her. Bianca could not help butugh at Jack''s awkward motions. Queenie also crouched and looked at the gentlemanly Lanie. "Lanie, can your Grandma hug you?" The boy was not only handsome but also incredibly intelligent. He was only six years old, but he was already in the third grade. At a young age, he had won countless province-level and even national-level awards. Queenie adored that precocious child. "Mm," Lanie replied before being hugged by Queenie. He quite liked his grandmother, who looked simr to his mother. Queenie felt her grandson in her arms and was sure that she was not dreaming. She had finally found her daughter and grandchildren. Tears slid down from her eyes andnded on Lanie''s forehead. Lanie felt something warm drip on his forehead. He discreetly wiped it with his hand and turned to look at his crying grandmother. Instantly, he knew why his mother and sister loved to cry. They must have inherited it from Grandma! 1 Later that night, the Normans hosted a fabulous reunion banquet for Bianca. It was held at an opulent hotel, and the event was even grander than Julie''s banquet. Mr. and Mrs. Norman had reserved the entire hotel for the event, which was proof of their love for their birth daughter. Everyone influential in A City was invited. The previous mishap, as well as Leia''s ckmail scandal, were still fresh in their minds. It had been sensational news. Now that the Normans imed to have found their birth daughter, many people were curious if that was true. Jack stood on the stage, dressed in a suit. His stern face could not hide his excitement. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am once again honored by your presence at my daughter''s reunion banquet, and I am grateful that all of you are willing to take time out from your precious schedules to attend this event. I apologize for the previous mess-up, but today, we have really found our birth daughter. My wife and I have performed a DNA test with her, and she is truly our daughter whom we have lost for more than twenty years. This is Bianca Rayne, our daughter." Jack waved to someone behind the curtains, and Bianca walked to the stage. Her hair was tied up in a bun, while several strands of her hair adorned her delicate and petite face. She wore pearl earrings, a silken sleeveless top, and a light green embroidered dress. She seemed elegant and magnanimous. Her appearance on stage took everyone''s breath away. No one doubted that Bianca was an impostor. They could see that she looked simr to Queenie. The mother and daughter stood together. Queenie''s face was slightly plump with age, but other than that, their appearance and mannerisms were almost the same. "Nice to meet you, I am Bianca. I''m happy that I''m finally reunited with my birth parents. I have to thank them for never giving up over the past twentyodd years. Without their determination, we would have never reunited. They had given me life more than twenty years ago. We might have been separated because of certain circumstances, but I believe that we are truly blessed to find each other after so long. I am grateful for my birth parents, as well as my grandfather and aunt who have raised me since I was a child Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Bianca''s voice echoed in the banquet hall. She turned toward Old Master Rayne and Aunt Wanda and bowed deeply. The filial gesture impressed the guests. They expected that she would be eager to rid herself of her lowly past. Not only did that young woman acknowledge her past, but she had also invited her grandfather and aunt to the event. They could tell that she had a kind heart. Old Master Rayne looked at his granddaughter with tears in her eyes. When his daughter told him about the news, it was as shocking as lightning. He could not believe that his granddaughter was actually the daughter of the Provincial Committee Secretary. More than that, he hated that woman named Lily who had deceived his family for so many years! Wanda managed to talk some sense into him. What difference would it make if his granddaughter was not his biological granddaughter anyway? He was content that Bianca remained kind and empathic toward him... Chapter 676 Chapter 676 Luke Crawford''s Widow A rather beautiful man in a suit was standing in a corner of the banquet hall. His eyes were animated, and his chin was delicate. His looks might be feminine, but his demeanor did not give other people that impression. With a champagne flute in hand, he smiled profoundly as his eyes were transfixed on Bianca on the stage. The man seemed elegant and gentlemanly, but when he smiled, he gave the conflicting impression that he was a hooligan. An intelligent-looking man in ck-framed sses who stood next to him exined, "Mr. tt, the woman on the stage is Bianca Rayne, the new acting CEO of T Corporation. Earlier, she had tried to compete with a plot ofnd near Draco Lake but failed miserably." "Failed miserably?" The man who was addressed as "Mr. tt" said softly and narrowed his gaze. He smiled ambiguously as his eyeszily drifted toward the attractive woman on the stage once more. His name was Vincent tt, CEO of tt Corporation. He came from an illustrious family, and he was considered a legendary character in the business world for his incredible business acumen. He might look like a gentleman, but his business tactics were sly and underhanded. He was good at bid-rigging, and though other people despised that, they dared not openly oppose him because of his background. "When Luke Crawford was the CEO of T Corporation, it''s hard for us to get a leg-up on them. Too bad he''s dead." The man in the ck-framed sses sounded like he was gloating over T Corporation''s misfortune, as though he had a huge grudge against Luke." Luke Crawford had snatched a major client away from us only a few months ago and cost us a lot of business, and he has been tarnishing tt Corporation''s reputation with baseless usations. I didn''t expect that he would die just like that." Vincent smiled eerily. "Perhaps that''s karma." The man in ck-framed sses understood that Vincent was not interested in the reason for Luke''s death, and so he shifted the conversation topic. "T Corporation is as good as gone in the hands of a woman who can''t lead at all. Ever since she took over the position of CEO, T Corporation has declined sharply in all performance indicators. tt Corporation and many other of their rivals have also snatched their clients. I believe that the woman is tearing down what Luke Crawford has so painstakingly built up. Should we take the opportunity to cripple T Corporation and acquire them?¡± Vincent''s gaze was transfixed on Bianca''s lips as she spoke into the microphone. Those red and supple lips were perfectly curved, making a vivid contrast with her pearl-white teeth. He could not look away. Vincent smiled chillingly and downed the champagne. He was determined to im T Corporation. He was also interested in that woman who was also T Corporation''s CEO and Mr. Norman''s birth daughter. There was still time. He could afford to circle his prey before capturing it. Bianca bowed deeply at everyone after her speech. Suddenly, she realized that someone was looking at her with a predatory gaze. She shuddered and could not help but feel that she was a helpless animal waiting to be caught and devoured. She did not like the invasive and uncouth way that man was staring at her. "Who¡¯s that man?" She whispered to Tina next to her. Tina, as the CEO''s secretary, was not only capable but also had an encyclopedic memory. She could recognize anyone influential in A City on the top of her head. That was why Bianca relied on her for information. Tina looked in the direction where Bianca was looking and grimaced when she noticed Vincent. "That''s Vincent tt, the second son of the tt family and the CEO of tt Corporation. He might look like a gentleman, but he acts like a thug. Recently, tt Corporation has been snatching business away from us, which has caused our clients to decline..." Bianca stared into Vincent''s gaze as though challenging him. Interestingly, Vincent suddenly felt an inexplicable excitement in him! Bianca did not know about Vincent¡¯s thoughts. All she wanted was to im everything that Vincent had snatched away from T Corporation! The banquet ended on a high note. Bianca disregarded the protests from the board of directors and insisted on bidding for the remote mountain in Bay Town. They did not face muchpetition because that area was poorly connected, and theirpetitors were not as powerful as T Corporation. T Corporation easily won the development rights to that area. Queenie invested in T Corporation to help them with their financial troubles. With the newly-injected funds, construction on Longing Greens soon started. Half a yearter, Lines 15,18, and 21 of the A City subway and Phase 9 of the A City Light Rail began construction, just as nned. Land prices in Bay Town suddenly increased by ten times. The other major corporations regretted that they did not bid for the area. On the other hand, the veteran shareholders of T Corporation were overjoyed by how things turned out. They praised Bianca for her foresight and stopped referring to her as the acting CEO. One yearter. 1 The first phase of Longing Greenspleted construction. Boasting the best scenery and the ideal geographical location, Longing Greens was an integrated development project thatbined travel, rxation, business, and sports. The terrace houses and bungalows had their own unique selling points. Each housing unit faced the breathtaking scenery of Deer River. Longing Greens was the newest and hottestndmark of A City. Phase two of Longing Greens began construction the following year and waspleted by the end of the year. The properties were all luxury mansions. T Corporation made record profits in two years. T Corporation. Halfway through work, Bianca paused for a breather. She gently touched the photo of that handsome man and mumbled to herself, "It''s been so long. Why aren''t you back yet? Are you waiting for me?" A handsome two-year-old boy was crawling on the soft Persian carpet. The young boy had an impable face, especially his long and curly eyshes and big sparkling eyes. Anyone''s heart would melt when they saw him. He was dressed in stylish overalls, and he fluttered his bare feet on the carpet. "Come here, Tommy." Bianca beckoned at the fair and plump boy. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. The little boy ran unsteadily with his stumpy legs toward Bianca. "Mommy! I wanna hug..." Bianca picked the little boy in her arms and said to the man in the photo." Luke, I''m going to bring our baby to Moscow to look for you. He looks just like you, but he''s very naughty. I wonder if you''ll like him when you meet him?" Chapter 677 Chapter 677 It''s Almost Time For Him To Leave Somewhere in the Pacific Ocean was the Ind of Despair. One could not find the ind on any map. Its existence was like a phantom on the gray-blue ocean surface. Constantly shrouded in fog, it was isted from the rest of the world. Sharp and jagged reefs like devils'' teeth surrounded the ind, threatening to rip apart anyone who went near. The first rays of the rising sun appeared on the horizon. A tall and well-built man leaned on a reef. His handsome face was like sculpted marble, and his profound eyes were like polished agate. He pressed his lips tightly as he gazed at the endless ocean and a hidden bay in front of him. At the edge of the bay was arge steel cage. Locked in the cage were a thin man and woman, as well as a drugged lion. The people were fighting bare-handed with the lion. How could two weak and starved people be a match for the berserk lion? The two people attacked the lion together, but they were also badly injured. Very soon, their battered bodies were ripped into pieces and became the lion''s meal... Such scenes were not umon on the ind, but Luke clenched his fists tightly to suppress the urge of destroying everything! No one knew that the isted ind was a secret base for the League of Shadows, an elite assassin organization. Every year, the organization would gather people with extraordinary abilities using various underhanded methods, drug them, and transport them to the ind to undergo assassination training. Human lives were as worthless as insects on the ind. Even animals were treated better. The only way to survive was to be stronger than anyone else. Escape was out of the question. The ind was heavily guarded by mercenaries and various high-tech traps. Even a fly could not escape. The consequences of being caught were extreme. Luke had known the existence of such terrifying assassin organizations. However, he could not help but throw up when he saw Robert y a deserter alive. Kassy had hypnotized him and erased his past memories, but Robert did not fully trust him. That was why Luke was sent to the ind. In other words, he was imprisoned there with the other assassins to undergo the same training. The people on the ind were wary of Luke because Kassy was there too, and also because Robert favored his incredibly intelligent mind. That was why Luke managed to survive in that hellish ce. However, when Robert and Kassy were not around, those people bullied and tormented Luke. Even though Luke had a ck belt in karate, he was considered a weakling to those depraved killers, and he would be beaten to a pulp every time, 1 In the most serious case, he suffered from gastric perforation and vomited blood for an entire month. No one tended to him. When Robert found out about it, he said nonchntly, "Suck it up and live, or give up and die." Fortunately, Luke had studied herbology on his own in college. He managed to keep himself alive by foraging for medicinal herbs on the ind. 1 To improve his situation and increase Robert''s trust, he finagled countless riches for Robert through many backdoor deals with his prodigious intelligence. Every time Luke sunk into despair, he told himself that he would bear with it and leave this ce alive. He wanted nothing more than to meet his beloved wife and children again. Bianca Rayne, Bianca Rayne! His heart wrenched whenever he was reminded of that name. Luke was an arrogant and domineering man. He thought that nothing in the world could be an obstacle for him. It was only when he was imprisoned on the ind that he knew how weak he was. In two years, he had risen through the ranks and brought a big part of the core organization under his influence. No one knew the torment he had suffered as his power grew by the day. It was almost time to leave this ce. Once he got out, he would make sure that this hell on earth would disappear forever! T Corporation. When Sue went to the CEO''s office to hand in some documents, she saw Bianca sitting on the Persian carpet ying catch with Tommy. Bianca was dressed in a sleeveless ck dress, and her hair was tied up in a ponytail. She did not wear any makeup, but her features were eyecatching. The fair and plump toddler sitting next to her feet was irresistibly cute. Tommy reached out toward Sue when he saw her. "Auntie Sue... hug... candy..." Tommy loved sweet stuff, especially candy. Bianca forbade him to eat candy. It was not good for the toddler''s health, and she did not want Tommy to grow up to be a picky eater. Moreover, the toddler was teething. Bianca did not want her son to have cavities. Sue doted on Tommy, even more so than her twin daughters. She felt sorry that the little boy had lost his father, and she would also bring some candy in her pocket so that she could sneakily give them to Tommy. That was why Tommy was very clingy to Sue. Right after Sue picked him up, Tommy instantly raided her pockets. "You tiny glutton!" Sue nted a wet kiss on Tommy''s cheek. She took out a piece of gummy candy for her pocket, unwrapped it, and prepared to stuff it in his mouth. "You shouldn''t spoil him. He''s already eaten his candy today. He¡¯s had enough!" Bianca said sternly and reached out to grab the candy. Seeing that his mother was going to take away his candy, Tommy opened his mouth and let out an earth-shaking wail. Bianca looked helplessly at the toddler''s face. He looked so much like his father. "I knew you''re going to do that, you crybaby." She ced the candy in Tommy''s mouth, which caused him to instantly stop crying and break out in laughter. His eyes were half-closed, his tiny fists were clenched, and his bare feet were kicking around. He was too cute. Sue could feel her heart melting. "He sure does like sweet stuff. I thought only girls like sweet stuff." Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Bianca smiled gently. "That''s from his dad. Luke loves sweet stuff." Bianca''s gaze lost some vitality when Luke''s name was mentioned. Sue sighed, but what Bianca said after that nearly caused her to recoil in shock! Chapter 678 Chapter 678 What Does That Man Want? "I''m bringing Tommy to look for Luke in Moscow," Bianca said. Sue''s hands slipped, and the little toddler nearly fell from her knees. She quickly hugged Tommy tightly and stared straight at Bianca. "Tommy is only two years old. He is still too young to travel long distances. Moreover, Mr. Crawford is a very intelligent man. If he is still alive, he should havee home by now. I know that you still can¡¯t ept the truth, but I believe that Mr. Crawford is no more... "He was attacked in Moscow, which means that he has enemies there. That ce won''t be safe for Tommy and your son, and you''ll be exposing yourself to unnecessary danger. Won''t you at least think about Tommy''s safety? He''s still so small..." "No, I believe that Luke is still alive. Consider it a hunch." Bianca did not ept Sue''s analysis, even though it made a lot of sense. She would not ept that Luke was dead as long as she did not see his body. Moreover, Gordan had given her some information earlier that Luke was most likely alive. Sue knew that Mr. Crawford was Bianca''s obsession. Bianca might not seem like an opinionated person, but no one could sway her once she made up her mind on something. "I know I can''t convince you otherwise. If you''ve decided on it, then you should do your best." Sue shook her head and continued to y with the toddler on herp. "You''re so handsome, Tommy. Would you want to marry Kari or Teri when you grow up?" Sue''s twin daughters were also two years old. She named them Kari and Teri out of convenience. The two girls were very adorable, though one was outgoing and cheerful while the other was quiet and reserved. They had simr features, but their personalities were total opposites. "That decides it. Now, I don''t have to worry about Tommy''s significant other," Bianca said happily. Sue chuckled. "Your son will grow up to be a popr heartthrob. If he has to worry about finding a significant other, what about the other boys?" While they were happily chatting, the door opened once again. Jason came in, holding a feeding bottle. He did not show any surprise when he saw Sue sitting on the carpet ying with Tommy. Instead, he handed Sue the bottle and said, "Tina prepared some milk and was about to bring it over when she saw me. I happened to being here, so I took the bottle from her. You can feed him." Sue took the bottle without looking at Jason and started to patiently feed the toddler. "Have some milk, good boy..." Bianca was helpless as she watched how distant Sue and Jason were. They shared a pair of twin daughters, but Sue could not forgive Jason for nearly causing her daughters to lose their lives because his ex-wife wanted to save their son. That was already two years ago. The atmosphere in the office became awkward. Tommy, oblivious to his surroundings, continued to suck on the bottle happily and soon emptied it. Bianca nced at her watch. It was almost time to go off work. "It''s gettingte. Sue, you should go and pick up Kari and Teri. Otherwise, they might throw a tantrum," Bianca urged. "Alright." Sue gently wiped away the milk stains on Tommy''s lips, got up, and prepared to leave. ''Til go and pick the girls up with you." Jason rushed up to her and stood in her way. "They haven''t seen their father for a long time, and I''m sure they miss me. You won''t be that cruel to deprive me of seeing them, right?" Sue shoved him away with her shoulder and said coldly, "My children are mine alone. They don''t have a father. Get out of my way!" She walked away alone. Jason stood rooted on the spot and watched her leave. He did note to his senses for a long time. Seeing how crestfallen Jason was, she narrowed her gaze and tried tofort him. "You should try and spend more time with Kari and Teri, Mr. Doyle. At this age, they need their parents, especially the care from a father. When they be close to you, I don''t think Sue would reject you, no matter how heartless she might be..." "Mm, thank you, Ms. Rayne." Jason nodded, feeling a little better. After work, Bianca carried Tommy and waited for the driver at the entrance. Earlier in the afternoon, the driver had brought a client to a distant destination. He stopped for gas on the way back, and that was why he was slightlyte. Bianca wanted to wait for the driver in the lounge, but the active Tommy did not want to stay indoors. She brought her son to y near the flower bed. Vincent was driving in a silver luxury car. When he drove past T Corporation, he noticed Bianca and her son. Bianca was dressed inly but elegantly, and she did not wear any makeup. Even so, her pure and delicate facial features were a sight to behold. Every one of her gestures exuded serenity. She seemed to possess the magic that could calm someone down. The toddler on herp was extremely handsome. His big and animated eyes suggested his yful personality. The man tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. Suddenly, he stopped next to Bianca and Tommy. The window rolled down, and Vincent''s handsome but disagreeable face was brought into view. He got out of the car and greeted Bianca. "Hello, Ms. Rayne. Long time no see." Bianca turned around to look. When she saw Vincent, she had the urge to walk away. However, she replied to the greeting out of courtesy. "What a coincidence, Mr. tt." For the longest time, that man had tried to court her, even though he knew that she was married with children. Vincent had used every trick in the book to win her heart. Bianca nearly suffered from a mental breakdown because of that. 1All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Eventually, Bianca had to resort to asking Percy for help. She did not know what Percy told Vincent, but he stopped harassing her after that, and her life was peaceful once more. Seeing Vincent appear in front of T Corporation, rm bells rang in Bianca''s heart. What did the man want with her? Chapter 679 Chapter 679 Good Job, My Son! Bianca hugged Tommy close to her and smiled superficially at Vincent." Can I help you with anything, Mr. tt?" Vincent had fair skin, and his features were so charming that it could even charm a dog. If he put on a wig and a dress, he would definitely pass off as a beautiful woman. However, his sinister personality was a stark contrast with his appearance. The tts had arge extended family that often plotted against each other. It was impressive that Vincent could emerge from the conflict and gain Old Master tt''s favor, and it was proof that Vincent was a capable individual. When it came to deception and trickery, he had surpassed his elders. "Better offend the devil than Vincent tt." That was how the saying went in A City. It showed how terrifying Vincent was. Bianca had rejected Vincent''s advances. To Vincent, nothing could offend him more. He had tried to bully T Corporation for the past two years. Fortunately, Bianca had the support of Mr. and Mrs. Norman to keep the business afloat. Otherwise, there would have been nothing left of T Corporation. Vincent leaned on the car window, lit up a cigarette, and stared at Bianca." Can''t Ie and visit you for the fun of it? I think that I''m obsessed with you, Ms. Rayne... I wonder why I feel so flustered when I don''t get to see you? Tell me, did you poison me? Have I fallen sick?" Bianca tried to suppress her anger as she put on a fake smile. "If you think that you''ve fallen sick, perhaps you should go to the hospital instead of bothering me. If you drive along this road, you''ll find a hospital about half a mile away from here. Their psychiatry unit is quite well-known. Should I rmend you to a psychiatrist?" Her mockery was tant. Vincent knew Bianca''s personality well. He was not angry, but instead, he continued to press his lips and stare at her. He knew that she would eventually be flustered. Bianca told herself to be calm, but the words that came out of her mouth were caustic. "Mr. tt, I''m already married with children. Should I show you my marriage certificate to prove that I''m married? Your actions are bordering on harassment, and that''s illegal. Why must you harass a married woman?" Vincent blew a smoke ring and said flippantly, "I''d like to rify a few facts with you, Ms. Rayne. Number one, your so-called husband is already dead, and you are now a widow. If you''re a widow, then I have the right to court you. Number two, I am courting you openly. I am not using any coercive or illegal methods, so how can you say that I''m harassing you?" Bianca nearly threw up when she smelled the smoke that he spewed from his mouth. How strange. She did not hate it when Luke was smoking. In fact, she was quite obsessed with his casual attitude whenever he smoked. However, she was thoroughly appalled by Vincent''s smoking. Without saying another word, Bianca picked up Tommy and turned around to leave. Vincent stepped in front of her like a hooligan and grabbed her elbow. "I''d like to treat you to dinner, Ms. Rayne. Surely you wouldn''t decline my offer, right?" It was the post-work rush hour, and many people were leaving the T Corporation building. Many employees stole nces, but they dared not step forward and interrupt Vincent and Bianca. "Let go of me, Vincent tt!" Bianca frowned unhappily. She wanted to shove him away. However, the man was too strong. She could not shake him off. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Bianca was about to break out in a cold sweat. Just when they were struggling, Tommy, who had been stuck between the adults, suddenly giggled at Vincent and stretched out his plump arms toward him. "Mister... hug!" "You''re a good boy, Tommy, but this mister is a bad person! You shouldn''t let strangers hug you!" Bianca coaxed Tommy patiently. Vincent flicked his cigarette and raised his eyebrows. He was usually not fond of children, but seeing that the toddler seemed so cute, obedient, and naive, and how Bianca was so defensive against him, his rebellious spirit red. He snatched the toddler from Bianca''s arms and hugged him tightly. The little fellow was so soft and tender, like a round marshmallow. Vincent felt quite peculiar while hugging him. The toddler was not afraid of strangers at all. Instead, heughed happily and tried to grab Vincent''s ears. "You..." Bianca was exasperated. She wanted to scold Tommy, but she hesitated when she saw how happy Tommy was. "Hey, this little fellow seems to like me. It seems like we can be good friends..." Vincent said smugly. Before he could finish his sentence, he suddenly felt a warm current sshing on his neck. Then, he smelled the faint stink of ammonia! Vincent was stunned for a few seconds. When he came to his senses, the entire street could hear his angry screeches. "You little b*stard, how dare you wee on me!" He had just finished yelling when the toddler let out several stinky farts. Immediately after that, something yellow, slimy, and stinky dropped from the toddler''s butt andnded on Vincent''s expensive white coat. "..." Vincent was nonplussed. ''This b*stard kid has gone too far! Not only did he wee on me, but he also pooped on me!'' Bianca wasughing up her sleeve. ''Good job, son! That''s how you should treat baddies!'' I''m sorry, Mr. tt. My son is still small, and sometimes he can''t control himself. I''m sorry that your coat is soiled. Feel free to use my building¡¯s washroom to clean yourself." Bianca might be apologizing, but she did not hide the glee in her eyes. She quickly snatched Tommy from Vincent''s arms in case Vincent was ovee by anger. As Bianca wiped her son''s butt, she gently tapped it a few times. "Naughty Tommy!" Vincent, the clean freak that he was, took off the poop-covered coat instantly and tossed it into a nearby trash can. "Never mind. I''ll be going," he said sullenly. Vincent red at Tommy before he left, but the toddler opened his innocent eyes wide and giggled at him. Vincent was angry, but he was not going to release his anger on a toddler. ''Never mind. I shouldn''t pick a fight with a brat.¡¯ Defeatedly, he got into his car, started the engine, and sped away. After Bianca cleaned Tommy up, she kissed him andughed. ''Nice assist, my son! You''ve done a good job!'' Chapter 680 Chapter 680 A Qualified Mother Old Master Crawford was lying on a lounge chair in the garden of Crawford Manor. Next to him was a cup of fine tea. The old man loved his tea. When Bianca came into the garden, she noticed that Old Master Crawford seemed listless. His face was beset with wrinkles, and his gaze was hollow and forlorn as he stared at the nts. Ever since he found out that Luke was killed, his body, which had not been in good shape, deteriorated rapidly like a wilted nt. "Were you looking for me, Grandpa?" Bianca walked behind Old Master Crawford and gently massaged his neck and shoulders. Old Master Crawford turned his head to look at his granddaughter-inw and smiled lovingly. "I''m d that you''re here, Bea. I want to ask you about thetest happenings in thepany, and also... have you found another significant other yet?" He knew that Bianca was a very capable woman who single-handedly took on the responsibility of bringing T Corporation out of a financial crisis two years ago. T Corporation''s performance did not decline but rose by several percentage pointspared to two years ago. Old Master Crawford was very satisfied with his granddaughter-inw. However, he had heard rumors that had been circting in thepany. The old man ced a lot of importance on his family¡¯s reputation. He could not tolerate his granddaughter-inw seeing someone else. He had wanted to talk to Bianca for a long time, but Bianca had been very busy withpany affairs, and he did not want to bother her. When he asked Bianca that question, he wanted to observe her reaction. Old Master Crawford knew that his very capable and talented grandson was gone. If he had his way, he would want his granddaughter-inw to defend T Corporation until it was time for his great- grandchildren to take over. However, Bianca was young, beautiful, and capable. He did not want to tie Bianca down to the Crawford household because of his selfishness. "Grandpa, did you hear any baseless rumors from somewhere?" Bianca frowned, but she continued to massage Old Master Crawford''s shoulders calmly. "I don''t know from whom you might have heard those rumors, but I can tell you that they''re all false because the only man I love is Luke. Don''t worry. Even if Luke is really gone, I won''t marry anyone else. I¡¯m content with my three children." This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Old Master Crawford sighed and continued speaking, "I''m not ming you for anything, and I would feel guilty if I have to tie you down to the Crawford family, but you''re the only one that the Crawford family can rely on. Louis is an undisciplined kid. He might be artistically talented, but he has no business sense at all. His mother Susan is quite capable, but her personality has be twisted thanks to what my wretched son did to her, and she''s not suitable to lead thepany. I have no other choice!" Bianca was reminded of Susan''s twisted personality. That woman wanted to harm her when she gave birth to Tommy. Fortunately, Louis came in the nick of time. Otherwise, she might have imed two lives with her sinister plot. Old Master Crawford seemed to know what Bianca was thinking. He shook his head and began to reminisce. "When Zachary married Susan, she was a refined and elegant woman. It''s all Zachary''s fault that Susan has be what she is now. I''m not without me too... Bea, I hope that you can forgive her. At least do that for me. I''m already so old, and myst wish is to see my family live together harmoniously..." Bianca did not nod or shake her head. "I''m not a nosy person, Grandpa. I won''t go and look for trouble if trouble doesn''te looking for me," she said. Her intentions were clear. Old Master Crawford felt guiltier than ever. "You''re a good girl. The Crawford family has let you down." "Grandpa, now that thepany is back on track, I''d like to fly to Moscow to look for Luke." Bianca hesitated for a while before announcing her decision. Old Master Crawford was not surprised. Instead, he looked at Bianca profoundly. "If that''s what you want, my child, then you should do it. I don''t believe that Luke is truly gone, but the truth... If you insist on going, I have a few good friends there, and I''ll tell them to take good care of you." Queenie was packing a suitcase in the living room of the Norman residence. She knew that Bianca had decided to go to Moscow, and she also knew that her daughter was a stubborn one who did not change her mind once it was made up. She stuffed clothes and supplies in the suitcase while exhorting her, "It might be May now, but it''ll be cold in Moscow. I''ll pack two more coats for you. If you run out of clothes, don''t spare any expense so that you can keep yourself warm. Also, I''ve got someone to customize this facial cream for your skin type. You should apply it frequently so that your skin won''t dry up. These supplies are for Tommy. His skin is tender and sensitive, and you''d better take good care of my grandson... Right, I should ask Selena to go with you. She''s a Russian interpreter, and at least you have a partner that you can trust." Bianca could not help but walk forward and hug Queenie gently. "Thank you so much, Mom." Queenie was such a loving mother. She had done so much for Bianca in the past two years. Bianca was eternally grateful. She would never forget what her mother did for her. Queenie wasforted by Bianca''s hug. She was not good at expressing her love with words. "You don''t have to thank me, you silly girl. Let me check your room if there¡¯s anything else to pack. You can rest on the couch." She hurriedly rushed up the stairs. Bianca smiled helplessly as she watched her mother frantically go away and began to slowly organize her suitcase. At that moment, Leia came into the house, seemingly under the influence. Her gaze was unfocused as she stumbled around, as though she was trapped in her own mind and could not get out. There was a dark red bruise on Leia''s neck. It was very obvious. Bianca knew from experience that the unnerving bruise was a kiss mark. She was not going to ask Leia what happened. The two of them never saw each other eye to eye anyway. However, Leia went close to Bianca, and Bianca could see the glee and resentment in her eyes. "Hey, Bianca, hahahahaha, do you want to know how Luke died?" She bbed. Chapter 681 Chapter 681 Putting Up An Act? Heh. Leia''s words were as shocking as a sudden p of thunder next to Bianca''s ears! She rushed upto Leia, grabbed her cor, and asked her sternly, "What did you say? Tell me, how did Luke die? Tell me now!" Leia sobered up a little and realized what she had just said. Trying topose herself, she smiled mockingly at Bianca. "Why do I have to tell you? I''m not telling you. What are you going to do, kill me?" Leia had been jealous and resentful toward the Norman family''s long-lost birth daughter. If not for Bianca, Leia would still be the only pampered daughter of the Norman family! With her status, marrying Luke Crawford was all but a certainty! That woman had taken away her parent''s love for her and the man that she loved. She did not expect that Luke died in a foreign country, and his remains could not be found. He deserved that! Leia red contemptuously at Bianca. She reached out and tried to w at Bianca''s delicate face with her sharp nails. "Let go of me, you jinx. Keep your dirty hands away from me!" From Leia''s abnormal reaction, Bianca could tell that she knew something. Bianca''s expression turned cold as Leia''s hand wed toward her. She grabbed Leia''s wrist, twisted it with a crack, and dislocated her elbow. Bianca had picked up judo and taekwondo to protect herself from Vincent''s harassment. She might be at a disadvantage when fighting against men, but it was more than enough to subdue a defenseless young woman like Leia. Ahh!" Leia cried out in pain. Instantly, Bianca covered her mouth. Leia found it hard to even gasp for air. "Nggh... Mom... help..." The pain on Leia''s elbow was agonizing, and she could not cry out loud. She red hatefully at Bianca and tried to w her face again with her other hand. Bianca tugged Leia''s hair with her other hand and kicked the back of her knee, which caused her to fall down kneeling. "What''s wrong, Bianca and Leia? What are you doing?" Queenie rushed into the living room when she heard themotion. In her hands were several toddler clothes that she had personally sewn for Tommy. Bianca''s expression turned gentle once she saw Leia. She stood in front of Leia and snapped her elbow back in ce. Then, she crouched down and gently massaged Leia''s bruised knee. "Are you alright, Younger Sister? How could you be so careless while walking? I hope you didn''t hurt yourself too badly." Leia shoved Bianca away and started cursing, "Stop pretending! You two- faced bit..." She instantly shut her mouth when she saw that Queenie was looking at them. Instantly, tears started to fall. "Mom! Bianca bullied me. She dislocated my elbow earlier. It hurts! You''ll have to stand up for me, Mom. I know that you and Dad are trying to make it up to her, and that''s why I''ve been trying to amodate her presence too. Even so, it seems that she doesn''t want me to be here. Am I still your daughter, Mom?" ''Putting up an act? ''Heh. ''Does Leia think that she''s the only one who knows how to put up an act?'' Biancaughed up her sleeve. She shed her most innocent and harmless smile. She wagged Leia¡¯s arms to show her mother that they were fine. Then, she stared innocently at her mother, "Look, Mom, Leia''s arms are perfectly fine. I don''t know what she''s talking about. I''ve never argued or fought with Leia, and she''d usually give me the extra things she doesn''t want or doesn''t like. I think that we can get along well. It''s just that I''ll have to put up with her impulsive behavior sometimes because I''m her elder sister. Also, Mom, it seems that Leia has a daring boyfriend. Look at her neck..." When Queenie''s eyes fell on that deep red mark on Leia''s fair neck, cracks seemed to appear on her gentle face. Bianca might sound like she had a good rtionship with Leia, but every sentence implied that Leia was being unreasonable. Leia wanted to rip her mouth apart. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She wondered when Bianca had been such a good actor. She was about to retort, but she noticed that Queenie was staring at her elbow and that patch on her neck. She quickly covered her neck with her hands. At the same time, she was thinking of how to get back at Bianca for ndering her. ''''Mom, it''s not... I... I..." Queenie gave Leia a look of disappointment and chided her sternly. "Leia, I''ve told you that you two girls should be nice to each other. It took your elder sister a lot to return to the family, and I owe her too much. Now that your elder sister is about to leave for a foreign country, you should be nicer to her. Also, I''ve told you before that a woman should have some self- respect. Did you forget what I told you?" She thought that her two daughters had been cordial toward each other, but it seemed that it was all a sham. Queenie could not understand. Why would the usually sensible and docile Leia be like that? Leia pouted, red resentfully at Bianca, and said nothing. Bianca looked at Leia, who seemed to be still under the influence. She remembered what Leia said when she stepped into the house earlier. She narrowed her gaze and thought of an idea... On the Ind of Despair in the Pacific Ocean. Luke sat on a wave-battered reef, looking at the blood-red sunset on the horizon. His body was bathed in the lingering sunrays, and his hair was slightly messy from the sea breeze. He sat there, unmoving, like a perfect stone statue. No one knew what he was thinking. His body emanated warmth, but his demeanor was ice-cold. "Mr. Crawford." A thin and young man with a deep scar on his face hesitated before speaking. 1 Luke did not look at him, nor did he respond. He continued to fix his eyes on the sunset. After thest ray of light vanished beyond the horizon, he opened his mouth. "Speak." 1 The scar-faced man lowered his head and said, "The preparations are done. Should we move tomorrow?" Luke thought for a second and answered, "No. We move tonight." "Tonight? Isn''t that too rushed? We''ve nned for tomorrow..." "Tonight!" There was no hesitation in Luke''s reply. He had wasted two years in this hellish prison. He did not wish to stay there any longer. All he wanted was to meet the woman of his dreams once more. Chapter 682 Chapter 682 What A Scary Man! Luke had always loved sunsets. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Before he took over T Corporation, he traveled the world in search of the most breathtaking sunsets. He had been to the summit of Mount Everest, the vast grasnds of Hulun Buir, and on top of the golden dunes of the Tamakan Desert. He loved watching the sunset because the dawn that followed signified a new hope. The sunset on the ind was not as beautiful as those other ces. In fact, by viewing it with a despondent mood, the sunset there was suffused with the solemnity of death. While Luke was lost in thought while viewing the sunset, Kassy appeared behind him. She looked into Luke''s forlorn gray-brown eyes transfixed at the roiling waves and the setting sun. "You¡¯re sitting here again." Kassy walked up to him and draped a jacket over Luke''s body. Luke did not look at her. His gaze was clear and gentle with a hint of anger. Kassy did not care that he was cold toward her. In the two years they had interacted, Kassy had a rudimentary understanding of the man''s character. "You''ve just recovered, and you should rest in your room. When I nced out, I noticed that you''re sitting by the sea again. It''s not winter now, but the sea breeze is quite cold. You should go back," Kassy spoke to him patiently while reaching out to hold his arm. A hint of disgust quickly appeared in Luke''s eyes. He hated women touching him, other than Bianca. "Let go." Luke waved his arm and shoved Kassy aside. Kassy was not bothered. She puffed up her chest and leaned against Luke." Don''t be so heartless, Matthew. I''ve saved your life, and I''m your fiancee. Arent you the least bit moved in the two years since you met me?" 1 Luke''s handsome face seemed to be shrouded in ayer of frost. He stood up from the reef and turned away from her. "I''ll go back now. I still have some work that Godfather tasked me with." Kessy felt resentful as she watched Luke leave. He was so unapproachable, but she liked men like that. So many Russian men tried to court her, but she did not fancy any of them. Now that she had found a man who won her heart, he avoided her whenever he could, even though she had tried to get close to him with various excuses. In two years, she never managed to get close to him, whether physically or emotionally. She had tried to seduce him, even with the use of drugs. The man was never interested in her, and he would rather take cold showers than touch her. That had disappointed Kassy. His stepfather even scolded her that she was useless. 1 She did not believe that the man did not have any primal instincts. It was only a matter of time before he fell for her! Late at night, all was quiet. Luke stepped into his dark and cold room. He was about to remove his clothes to take a shower. There would be a major operationter in the night, and he was not sure if he would survive it. He would clean himself in preparation for the battleter. He was used to the dark, and that was why he did not turn the light on. About ten minutester, he stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in a white towel. He was drying his hair with another towel. There was a faint fragrance of shower cream in the air. He could also detect a stronger fragrance. It smelled like rosemary. He stealthily walked toward his bed, retrieved the silenced pistol from under his pillow, and grabbed the person hiding in the closet. The barrel of the gun pointed at that person¡¯s head. "It''s me, Matthew! Let me go. You''re breaking my arm..." Kassy cried out. She did not expect that the man was so alert and moved so swiftly. Luke let go of her without showing any emotion. "Why are you hiding in my closet?" What a vexing woman! He looked at Kassy, who was only wrapped in a towel, with disgust, wondering how that woman bypassed all the high-tech security systems to enter his room. He had changed the set of locks to prevent her from breaking in. Kassy looked at her bruised arm and her wrist which was almost broken. "I miss you, and I thought I''d give you a surprise, but you..." sheined. She wanted to make out with him tonight, but the man had been violent to her. She thought that Luke had blended into the night, and his existence was like a phantom. Luke red at that woman with his eyes that were as dark as the night. He turned on a tablemp, and the room was filled with a dim yellow light. Under the light, the man''s muscr body only wrapped in a towel seemed extremely seductive. Kassy''s heart started to thump harder and faster. Her soft and nimble body clung onto Luke''s body, and her tentacle-like arms wrapped around his waist. She was quite agile, which was why she was able to cling to him. Luke was instantly ovee by rage. Was that shameless woman a devil, purposely sent to torment him?" "Get lost!¡¯ Luke roared angrily and tried to fling her away. "No, I must make out with you tonight." Kassy hugged him even more tightly and sniffed his masculine scent obsessively. "Don''t make me!" Luke shut his eyes tightly. Everyone on the ind knew that Luke hated women touching him, but Kassy had challenged his patience again and again. He would have offed her if not that she had saved his life. "Don''t be like that, my dear Matthew. Can''t you feel my passionate love for you?" Kassy clung even more tightly to him. Her hands tried to undo his towel so that she could appreciate his naked body. Luke''s face was fraught with killing intent. He could not take it anymore. With a karate chop on the back of Kassy''s neck, he knocked her out and tossed her on the bed. On any other day, he would not have let the woman''s scent linger on his bed. However, he would not be sleeping on that bed anymore. Tonight, he would leave the ind! Chapter 683 Chapter 683 Everything Went As nned Late at night. Leia was curled up on her bed, unable to fall asleep. The only thing in her mind was the torment that Wayne had inflicted on her. She would shudder involuntarily every time she thought of what the man did to her. She stretched herself out and stared wide-eyed at the ceiling above her. She did not feel like sleeping at all. Suddenly, a faint fragrance filled her room. Her eyelids began to droop when she caught a whiff of the fragrance. When she could not open her eyes anymore, right at the moment she fell asleep, the fragrance suddenly became a horrible stink, and the air was filled with the thick stench of blood. Thud, thud, thud... A heavy set of footsteps trudged closer to Leia''s room. She could also hear a child wailing faintly in the distance, as well as the chillingughter of men and women. Goosebumps rose on Leia''s skin. She abruptly opened her eyes. With shaking hands, she tried to turn on the night light. However, the light did not turn on. ''... Am I haunted?'' Leia remembered starring in a haunted movie. What she was experiencing now was exactly as in the movie. However, at the movie shoot, the production crew was around her, and she was not afraid. In real life, she was all alone in the dark, and she did not expect the experience to be so unnerving. Leia frantically got up from the bed. She wanted to rush out of the door and call for her parents and Ms. Lang. She failed to control her limbs. After all that she had done, she thought that karma had finally caught up to her. She managed to stumble out of bed and toward the door. The most curious thing was that the door would not open no matter how hard she twisted the knob. Leia tried to turn on the chandelier on the ceiling, but it remained switched off. Perhaps the switch or the light was broken. Her panic grew by the moment. Leia banged on the room door. The eerieughter rang in her ears. Her vision began to turn blood red. Somehow, the room window opened. It was all dark outside, and the living room light that was always switched on was currently flickering erratically, as though something was controlling the light. "Dad? Mom? Help me! Open the door!" Leia banged at the door with her hands and feet. She began to imagine the gruesome fate ahead of her. As her body trembled, her face was contorted out of fright, looking especially vicious in the dark night. Curiously, her parents were light sleepers, and themotion should have woken them by now. She screamed herself hoarse, but they did not seem toe. That made Leia even more afraid than ever. "Help!" The door suddenly creaked open. A tall but well-built figure hovered in the air. The grinding sounds it made were like the sound of chewing bones. As Leia looked toward the figure in the flickering light, she realized that the face of that figure belonged to Luke Crawford. His face was stained in blood. With his ice-cold hands, he choked Leia''s neck and spoke with a bloodcurdling voice, "You! I died because of you! I''m here to im your life!" "Ahh! No! It''s not me... it''s not me... you should go and haunt the person who killed you. I didn''t cause your death..." Leia''s eyes nearly zed over as she tried to struggle to breathe. "Who! Who was the one who killed me?" The eerie voice chilled Leia to the bone. "It''s... it''s not me, Luke. I was heartbroken when... I found out that you died... it''s... it''s Wayne tt, that freak... he was the one who killed you! You should look for him! Don''t... don''t kill me..." Leia''s cries for mercy echoed in the otherwise silent room. Leia''s face was covered in snot and tears. It was a pitiful sight. Suddenly, the lights in the room turned on. Bianca''s fair face appeared in front of Leia. She was dressed in a man''s suit and leather shoes. Her long hair was reced by a wig of short hair. She was staring mockingly at Leia. The horrifying "blood" that covered half of her face was ketchup. Bianca had nned all that to get the truth from her. First, she unscrewed the lightbulbs in Leia''s room and yed scary music to create the atmosphere. Then, she obtained two doses of sleeping pills from Johann. They were harmless to the human body, but they could induce deep sleep. She secretly put it in their food during dinner so that they could not hear Leia''s cries for help. 1 She even gave Ms. Lang a day off so that no one would interrupt her. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Finally, she dressed up in Luke''s clothes to scare Leia. The results were just as expected. She found out Luke''s killer. Leia was furious after finding out that it was a ploy by Bianca. Without hesitation, she lifted her hand and prepared to p Bianca. "It''s you, you despicable b*tch! I was wondering why my house would be haunted!" Bianca grabbed onto her wrist firmly. Her beautiful face was especially cold under themplight. "What is your rtionship with Wayne tt? Why did he kill Luke? Is it because of you?" She knew that Leia would never forget a grudge. After Luke set her up for failure in that ambiguous rtionship, she would have tried to take revenge on him. It was expected for Bianca to suspect Leia had a hand in Luke''s disappearance. Leia thought that her wrist was about to break. She could not understand how the seemingly frail Bianca was so strong. Seeing that Leia was ring at her with a murderous gaze without saying a word, Bianca said icily, "You''d better spit out the truth. Otherwise, I don''t mind dislocating your elbow again! Don''t even think of hoping that Dad and Mom wille and save you. They''re fast asleep now, and they won''t be able to hear you. Ms. Lang will onlye back the day after tomorrow." Leia felt a chill up her spine when Bianca threatened to dislocate her elbow again. She knew that the woman was perfectly able to carry out her threat. She chuckled jealously and said, ¡®I''ve told you that the person who killed Luke is Wayne tt. He was the one who delivered a bullet into Luke''s skull. Luke''s head exploded on the spot, and his brain matter sttered everywhere! How miserable! Go and take revenge on Wayne if you can!" Chapter 684 Chapter 684 Luke Suddenly Grabbed Her by the Throat Leia had always felt hatred and disgust for Wayne. The man had ravaged her for two years. It was like a nightmare. Leia was more than willing to tell Bianca the truth if she would help her get rid of that man. Even though Luke was killed a long time ago, Bianca could not maintain herposure when she heard It from Leia''s mouth. She grabbed Leia''s cor tightly and asked viciously, "Why did Wayne tt kill Luke? Is it because of you?" Leia was gloating when she saw the crazed glint in Bianca''s eyes. "How would I know why? I''m not that freak. All I know is that I''m so happy seeing how helpless and agonized you are. Karma sure hits you hard..." Suddenly, her eyes were attracted by a sh of light. It was the light reflected from the dressing mirror. She turned to look at the reflection of the two women. Leia and Bianca both had delicate facial features. Their looks were simr. However, Bianca''s features were more pronounced. Her face was the textbook definition of "beauty." Even though she had disguised herself as a man, she looked quite attractive. That made Leia jealous. "So what if you''re Mom''s birth daughter or Luke''s wife? Mom is much closer to me than you, and Luke has died. It must be such a bother to raise those three kids yourself, right? Heh, that''s for trying to snatch my man and my parents away from me!" Bianca stopped herself from pping Leia. "I don''t want to hear any of your nonsense, Leia. If I find out that Luke''s disappearance is rted to you, you''ll regret the day you were born! Also, if you tell Dad and Mom anything about what happened tonight, you can say goodbye to this house!" She flung Leia away, turned around, and trudged back to her room. She believed in what Leia told her, but she refused to believe that Luke was dead. No matter what, she had to go to Moscow. Meanwhile, on the Ind of Despair. The waning moon hung in the sky alone, casting a cold light onto the eerie ind. The night was much darker than usual. A brisk wind blew past the ind, and big waves crashed uneasily on the coastline. Luke stood on the reef. His tall body blended with the night. He looked up at the dark, starless sky. It was the calm before the storm. He had nned for a very long time to escape from the Ind of Despair. The desire to leave grew in his mind like weeds, threatening to swallow him up. Everything went ording to n, for now. If the n seeded, he would be able to leave this nightmare behind him and return to his normal life. Somehow, he had an ominous feeling. He furrowed his brows. No matter what, he had to escape tonight. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. He nced at his watch. It was almost two o''clock. That was the time when the guards changed shifts. ''It''s time!'' It was an intense battle. Luke and a dozen of his followers broke through the lines of defense. All of them were imprisoned long- term on the ind and treated worse than animals. They had wanted to escape for a long time! Luke had managed to convince them that they would regain their freedom once they escaped, even though the chances of sess were remote. They were also impressed by Luke''s character and swore to fight with him. Blood was sttered everywhere. The sounds of gunfire and explosions rocked the ind, and the fire turned the night into day. Eventually, only Luke and three of his followers remained: Gale, Rain, and Thunder. They all bore serious injuries. Luke''s left arm had been hit by a bullet, but he did not have the time to tend to it. After hastily bandaging it, he continued to rush toward the destination. When the four people arrived at the secret underground hangar, they were shocked to see countless mercenaries in military fatigues aiming their heavy machine guns at them. Then, they noticed Lightning, one of their own, sprawled on the floor and cowering under Madame Rose''s foot, and they realized that they were betrayed! The other three men red at Lightning, wishing to kill him with their gaze. A woman dressed in luxurious clothing with a rose tattoo on her forehead satzily on a chaise longue and looked contemptuously at Luke and his followers. Her name was Madame Rose. She looked to be younger than forty years old. Everyone addressed her as Madame Rose because she loved roses. She had absolute control of the ind, including whether its prisoners lived or died. She was beautiful and charming, but she had a depraved character. She was the one who devised all the inhuman punishments and tortures on the ind. Everyone hated her, but they were also afraid of her. Next to her was Kassy, whom Luke had knocked out earlier. She red at Luke with agony and resentment in her eyes, as though she was hurt by his betrayal! "Tonight has been interesting. I enjoyed the entertainment." Madame Rose was smiling, but her gaze was cold and sinister. "Is this the man you love, Kassy?" Kassy bit her lip and answered weakly, "Yes..." "Useless! You can''t subdue him after two years!" Madame Rose grunted unhappily, slowly rose from the chaise longue, and gave hermand. "Capture these people. I want to chop their heads off myself and hang them on the gpole for a month! I want everyone on the ind to know the consequences of opposing Madame Rose!" Suddenly, Luke took off his windbreaker. There was a bundle of explosives tied around his waist. "Get your men to stand down!¡± He ordered Madame Rose coldly. That was thetest innovation of Country M. That amount was enough to destroy half of the ind. Madame Rose''s mercenaries frantically took several steps back when they saw that. However, Madame Rose was not intimidated. She brazenly walked up to Luke and chided, "Oh? Do you n to die with me? You''re way too young, boy..." Just when she finished the sentence, Luke suddenly grabbed her by the throat, took out a pistol, and aimed it at her temple... Chapter 685 Chapter 685 That Must Be True Love Madame Rose was not intimidated by Luke because she thought that she had the advantage in numbers. She did not expect that Luke would be brazen enough to take her as a hostage. "Let go of him, Matthew! Otherwise, none of you will survive!" Kassy pointed her gun at Luke''s head. Her hand was shaking. Evidently, she was conflicted. She knew of Madame Rose''s cruelty better than anyone else. Luke and his followers might be formidable, but they were already seriously injured, and they were not going to be able to sessfully escape the heavily-defended ind. "If I''m not going to survive this, I don''t mind taking all of you down with me! " Luke said coldly. "Heh, you ignorant brat, you won''t leave here alive even if you kill me," Madame Rose said brazenly. "If that''s the case, all of you can die!" Luke smirked coldly and tightened his vice-like grip on Madame Rose''s neck. Her eyes were beginning to ze over. Madame Rose coughed, and her face turned red. Even so, she yelled at Kassy, "Kassy, kill... kill that b*stard... quick..." Luke bashed Madame Rose''s face in with the butt of his pistol. Several teeth fell out of Madame Rose''s mouth. Blood flowed freely, and she gasped in pain. That angered her even more. "Quick, Kassy, kill... kill him..." Luke ced Madame Rose in front of his body. He was using her as his meat shield. If the mercenaries opened fire, Madame Rose would be riddled with bullet holes. Kassy aimed her gun at Luke and hesitated. She hated Luke for his betrayal, but at the same time, she did not want to hurt him. The mercenaries dared not act rashly and waited for Kassy''smand. Luke aimed his pistol firmly on Madame Rose''s temple andmanded her, "Tell your people to back off, Madame Rose!" He knew Madame Rose''s personality very well. She might have caused the deaths of so many people on the ind, but she was afraid of dying. Madame Rose gritted her teeth, waved at her mercenaries, and wheezed through her missing front teeth, "Efferyone, shtand back... and let them go..." The mercenaries who surrounded them took several steps back and opened up a path for them. Luke brought Madame Rose to the middle of the hangar. A helicopter was parked there. "Get on," Luke signaled to Gale and the others. The three people got into the helicopter in a single file. Gale went into the cockpit while Rain and Thunder guarded the entrance with assault rifles, aiming them at the mercenaries. "Get on the helicopter, Boss!" Thunder shouted at Luke. Every second they stayed on the ind decreased their chances of sess. No one knew what would happen in the next moment. Moreover, they had a traitor among them. Luke tugged Madame Rose and took step by step up the helicopter. Just as they were about to seed, Madame Rose suddenly struggled violently and fired a razor-thin silver thread from the sapphire ring on her finger toward Luke''s eye. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Luke was caught by surprise. He dodged the thread in the nick of time, aimed his pistol at Madame Rose''s ear, and fired a shot. Madame Rose yelped in agony. Her ear was sliced off, and blood flowed freely. She was about to pass out from the pain. She roared at her mercenaries, "Kill this ingrate! Kill them all..." Luke''s gaze turned cold. He quickly got into the helicopter, blew Madame Rose''s brains out with a bullet, and kicked her out of the helicopter before her eyes were closed. "Let''s go!" Luke had gotten into the cabin when he saw a grenade flying toward him. "Leave without me, Boss!" Thunder pounced toward the grenade and absorbed the impact with his body. Instantly, he was blown into pieces. "Thunder!" Luke''s mind instantly went nk. However, it was not the time to mourn. He quickly closed the door and ordered, "Let''s go!" The helicopter rose into the air. Countless bullets fired toward the helicopter, but it was already toote. Kassy''s gaze turned cold as she watched the helicopter disappear into the night sky. ''Heh, do you think you can run away, Matthew?'' The Norman residence. Bianca was about to leave for Moscow. That morning, Queenie prepared all of Bianca''s favorite dishes for breakfast. Bianca had not rested well for the past few days because she was gathering information on Wayne tt. The results were disappointing. The man was too mysterious, and she could not find anything on him. That made her very frustrated. Bianca got up very early and saw her mother working busily in the kitchen while her father washed the vegetables at the sink. They were a loving couple. She envied her parents. They had been through so much over the years, but they were loving toward each other like newlyweds. The stern and influential politician in public was so pliant and docile in front of his wife, willing to listen to whatever she said. They had been married for more than twenty years, but Queenie looked young. When Bianca and Queenie stood together, they were often mistaken for sisters. Bianca knew that her mother enjoyed a blissful marriage. Jack Norman pampered her and never let her down. She envied that marriage, and she wished that her marriage would be like that too. Unfortunately for her, she did not even know the whereabouts of her husband. In the kitchen. Jack tasted the soup and frowned. "I think it''s a little too light. I wonder if our daughter would like it." Queenie tasted the soup too. Then, she smiled at her husband. "It''s your first time making soup for our daughter. No matter the taste, Bianca would appreciate what you''ve done for her. She''s a sensible and empathic girl." Jack grinned sheepishly. "Mm. I never knew that it''s so difficult to cook. You should teach me how to cook sometime so that I can cook for you after I retire." Queenie rolled her eyes at Jack. "Don''t worry about it. I¡¯d rather not get poisoned!" Bianca felt envious when she saw that exchange. Perhaps that was what true love looked like. She was about to step into the kitchen when she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest that made her double over... Chapter 686 Chapter 686 He¡¯s A Tenacious One Bianca clutched her chest, feeling as though it had been sliced apart by a poisoned knife. She was about to pass out from the pain. She felt a slight relief from the pain in her chest after a few minutes. ''What''s going on?'' She was confused, but soon she remembered that she felt a simr pain on the day she found out that Luke went missing. She could not linger on that moment for long. When Jack and Queenie noticed that Bianca was there, they beckoned lovingly at her and got her to taste the dishes. "I made some soup for you, Bea. Your mom said that you like light foods, so I didn''t put much salt in the soup. Have a taste. What do you think?" Jack said kindly anddled a small bowl of soup for Bianca. Bianca took a sip. "How is it?" Jack looked at her daughter expectantly. Bianca finished the bowl of soup and said gratefully, "The soup tastes good, Dad. I love it." Being able to eat Mom''s cooking and Dad''s soup made her feel blissful. She began to feel guilty about how she was always busy with work and never got the chance to spend time with them. Looking at her parents'' graying hair, she promised herself that she would spend more time with her parents once she returned with Luke. A helicopter flew above the Pacific Ocean. It flew in a straight line for about half an hour. When it was about to leave the range of influence of the Ind of Despair, the people suddenly heard a beep, signifying the start of an announcement. Soon, the passengers heard a sweet female voice. "Anomaly detected. The flight will now turn around." Once the announcement ended, the helicopter suddenly turned 180 degrees and retraced its path back to the ind. "Boss, all the controls have stopped working. Damn it! Someone must have overridden the controls." Gale, the pilot, was shocked. He pressed on all the buttons, but none of them worked. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. He punched the control panel angrily, and his face was ashen with anger. They were so close to escaping. He did not want to return to that living hell. Gale turned his head toward Luke, but at the moment he saw the man, he instantly shut up! The man was standing straight in the cockpit. Despite his bloodied body, his presence remained domineering andposed, as though he had everything under control. He remained calm in the face of unknown dangers. His thin lips were tightly pressed together, and he gave off the bearing of a natural-born leader. Gale somehow felt a little calmer when he saw Luke. "What should we do now, Boss?" "Let me take over!" Luke shoved Gale aside and sat on the pilot''s seat. Gale did not know what the man did. He only saw Luke''s slender fingers dancing on the different buttons on the control panel and pushed a few levers before he wrested control of the helicopter again. "You''re too cool, Boss!" Gale and Rain were inplete admiration of their leader. However, Luke raised his hand and furrowed his brows. "Our n has been exposed. Knowing Robert, he wouldn''t spare any survivors. If my guess is correct, he''d blow up this helicopter if he doesn''t see it return. Find the parachutes and prepare to jump!" Indeed, after he finished speaking, they heard a soft ticking in the cabin. Knowing what the ticking sound meant, everyone was shocked. It was the sound of explosives ticking down. Gale and Rain shuddered when they thought of Robert''s cruelty. They tried to search for the explosives, but they found that every corner of the helicopter was packed with them. It would take at least half an hour to disarm everything, but the explosives were due to explode in five minutes! Following that, Gale and Rain searched everywhere for parachutes but could not find any! "Boss, we searched the entire cabin, but we didn''t find any parachutes. We won''t have enough time to disarm all the explosives either..." Gale and Rain were drenched in a cold sweat. Theirposure was nowhere to be seen. Luke remained calm, and he said sternly, "We are at an altitude of thirteen thousand feet, and the helicopter is three minutes and forty-two seconds away from exploding. If I can lower the altitude to between eight hundred and one thousand feet, we should be able to jump from the helicopter without dying. When I give the signalter, we''ll jump out of the helicopter at the same time. Understood?" "Understood!" Gale and Rain answered in unison. They trusted in Luke''s piloting skills. Luke pushed the speed of the helicopter to its limit, and it charged toward the ocean like a diving falcon. Just when it was about to hit the surface of the ocean, he roared, "Jump!" The three people hugged each other tightly, kicked open the door, and jumped together! At that moment, the helicopter suddenly exploded with a deafening boom. The ball of fire expanded rapidly and sent shrapnel flying in all directions! On the Ind of Despair, Kassy clenched her fists and gritted her teeth as she watched the drone feed of the helicopter exploding. Her beautiful eyes glinted with viciousness. That man would rather jump into the sea than return to her! She started a video call with Robert. "You promised that you''d let Matthew go, Godfather. Why did you go back on your word?" Robert''s expression was ice-cold. Kassy could even feel the drop in temperature even though she was only looking at him on her phone screen. "You idiot! If you can''t handle one man after so long, what use do I have for you? Matthew has destroyed my secret base and incited a rebellion. I would have killed him a long time ago if not for that he is useful to me. Now that the man has betrayed me, he''ll have to die. Also, Kassy, you''re an adult now, and I don''t need any useless people by my side. You will attend to Cole, the arms dealer from Country M tomorrow. Otherwise, I''ll cripple you!" Kassy''s face turned pale instantly. Her godfather wanted her to attend to that sadistic pervert! The video call ended before she could say anything. Angrily, Kassy threw her phone on the ground, which broke in half. She gave her orders to two men in ck suits. "Go and search for the helicopter wreckage. I don''t believe that Matthew is dead. He''s a tenacious one, and he won''t die that easily. Report immediately if you find anything!" "Yes, Ms. Kassy," the men in ck replied in the affirmative and went off to carry out their task. After the men left, Kassy''s gaze turned cold again, and sheughed brazenly. ''He can''t hide from me. I''ll find him as long as he lives!'' Chapter 687 Chapter 687 This Brat Is Indeed Luke Crawford''s Child The Mallory residence. Percy sat by the dining table. He was young and handsome, and his beauty was breathtaking. He watched Bianca as she quietly fed Tommy. Bianca was dressed in a ck suit, and her hair was tied in a ponytail. Her face was clean and pure. Percy thought that the woman had be more feminine, perhaps because she had an extra motherly charm on her. He could not resist staring at her. Percy was the one to break the silence. "Ms. Rayne, there are two reasons for inviting you to my house. The first is to send you off, and the second is to give you several pointers about Russia. I''m sorry about what happened to Luke. I didn''t expect that to happen. 1 "I found out that Luke''s ident was rted to the Russian mafia, but the exact reason remains unknown. This will be a risky trip. I''ll assign some more bodyguards to protect you." While Bianca fed Tommy a bottle of milk, she said softly, "Thank you, Mr. Mallory. You don¡¯t have to apologize to me about Luke. Instead, I should be the one to apologize because you lost two of your best men in that ident. Also, I won''t forget the help you''ve extended to T Corporation, and HI repay this debt of gratitude when I have the chance." "Mommy, I don''t want milk..." Tommy suddenly pouted and said adorably. "Be a good boy and drink more milk so that you can grow big and strong," Bianca tried to coax him patiently. "No... no! I want chicken nuggets!" Tommy pouted. His face was full of reluctance. The little boy had stumpy fingers and did not know how to use a fork. Bianca had always been feeding him. He shook his head like a rattle when he saw his mother pick up food that he disliked. Percy shot an icy nce at Tommy and spoke to Bianca, "You should eat some yourself too. You need to catch a flight in the afternoon." "I''m not hungry." As soon as Bianca finished speaking, her stomach began to growl loudly. Bianca blushed instantly. "HI feed Tommy first before eating." She was frustrated that Tommy was a picky eater. His elder siblings did not have that problem, and she wondered if he inherited it from someone. "Let me feed him!" Percy stood up from his seat and reached out to take Tommy in his arms. However, the little boy hugged his mother''s arms tightly and stared unhappily at Percy. "No, you''re a baddie! Only Mommy can feed me. No one else can." The little boy was only a little more than two years old, and he was usually reserved. However, he could speak fluently whenever he decided to, as though he was way older than two years old. His big and spirited eyes showed that he was extremely intelligent. "Tommy, you shouldn''t be rude to Uncle Percy." Bianca pinched her son''s face and reprimanded him. Percy chuckled. "It''s an honor to be fed by me. I wouldn''t have bothered if your Daddy wasn''t Luke Crawford." He could tell that Tommy was Luke''s son. Not only did Tommy look like Luke, but he also shared his character. Tommy was at a loss for a reply. Luke Crawford was Tommy''s hero. The little boy had never seen his father before, but his mother had often told him about Luke''s exploits. That was why Luke Crawford was such a hero to little Tommy. "Fine..." Tommy reluctantly allowed Percy to pick him up and carry him in his arms. Just like his Mommy, Uncle Percy picked all the food that he did not like. He did not want to eat, but Uncle Percy seemed too intimidating. He could onlyply. Bianca wanted tough when she saw how aggrieved her son was in Percy''s arms, but she also felt sorry for him. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. She had pampered her children because she was supposed to be a loving mother in contrast to a stern father. That was why Tommy could be spoiled at times. If Luke were still around. Tommy''s personality would have been different. Percy deboned a small piece of fish and stuffed it in Tommy''s mouth, hesitated for a while, but said it anyway. "There''s actually another reason for inviting you over, Ms. Rayne." "What is it?¡° Bianca was puzzled. "I want to know more about Nina Langdon. As far as I know, she has a small social circle. When she''s not working in the office, she''ll stay at home, and as far as I know, she doesn''t have any particr hobbies. I wonder why she always rejects my invitations. You''re best friends with Nina, and you should know what he likes. Can you tell me more about her?" Percy had been trying to court Nina for the past two years, but that woman seemed to be very defensive against men. 2 She would shriek in fear whenever Percy got close to her, and sometimes she would hurl insults or even punch and kick him. He could not understand why. He tried to investigate Nina, but certain records were intentionally erased. Bianca''s expression sank when Nina''s name was mentioned. "Mr. Mallory, don''t you know what happened to Nina? Maybe you should ask that good- for-nothing younger brother of yours!" She gritted her teeth when she said thatst sentence. She stood up, grabbed her son from Percy''s arms, and said coldly, "Thank you for your invitation today, Mr. Mallory. I''m afraid I''ll have to leave now. I still have a flight to catch!" She left with Tommy, who was happily gnawing on a chicken nugget. Percy remained rooted on the spot, utterly confused. He decided to investigate Nina again. Jason brought the twins to the airport to send off Bianca and Tommy. Rainie''s pretty little face was streaked with tears. She kept on rubbing her eyes. The little girl buried her face in Bianca''s waist, reluctant to see her mother leave. ¡¯ When will you be coming back, Mommy? Will you abandon us like what Daddy did?" She was afraid that her Mommy would not return, like Daddy. Lanie did not cry, though his eyes were bloodshot and he was trying his very best to hold back the tears in his eyes. Bianca caressed her daughter''s head and gently spoke to her, "I won''t do that. I''m going to Moscow to look for your Daddy, and we''lle back together. Trust me, alright?" Lanie stared at his mother with an expectant gaze and pressed his lips together. "Mommy, you and Tommy must bring Daddy home. Rainie and I will wait for you." "I promise HI bring Daddy home." Bianca nodded while holding back the tears in her eyes. Then, she spoke to Jason, "I''ll leave them to your care, Mr. Doyle. Please take good care of them. Give me a call if you need anything.¡± "Don''t worry, Ms. Rayne. HI take good care of them." Bianca gave the twins a final kiss, then boarded the ne without turning back. She was afraid that she would not want to leave if she looked back. She believed that she would be able to reunite with her children''s father! Chapter 688 Chapter 688 I Have News Marbe Vige. The chilly ocean breeze drifted through the window into a run-down fishing boat and woke the man who was in a deep sleep. Luke abruptly sat up, the sound of waves washing onto the shore echoing in his ears. He was startled, his eyes quickly scanned through the room. He realized that he was in a fishing boat. The room was old but it was neat and clean. He was lying on a queen-sized wooden bed with a thin quilt covering his body. Luke thought of getting out of bed but when he tried, he felt a sharp pain in his chest and left arm. Luke frowned and found that there wereyers of bandages wrapped around his chest and arm. The bandages smelled like blood and medicine. He remembered that he was badly injured. The moment the ne exploded, he, Gale, and Rain had jumped out of the cabin and into the sea. ''Where did the two of them go? Who on earth saved me and bandaged my wounds?¡¯ Just as he was about to get out of bed and check his surroundings, he heard two sets of footsteps walking toward him. Luke hurriedly closed his eyes andy down on the bed. He opened his eyes just a little to observe his surroundings. A pair of soft, tiny hands touched his forehead. Then, a kiddish voice said in English, "Strange, why is he still not awake? Dad said that he should be awake now..." "Maybe he''s too tired and wants to sleep a little longer. Maybe he likes toze in bed like Bobby, hehe..." The other voice sounded gender-neutral and kiddish as well. The kid sounded like he or she was four to five years old. Luke opened his eyes and then sat up on the bed. He saw a little girl about four or five years old standing in front of his bed. She was dressed in colorful native attire. She had rosy cheeks and exotic eye color. The girl had a tanned but delicate face. She stared at him in amazement. The other kid was a five-year-old boy. Luke thought that he was not much older than Lanie and Rainie. His round face was highlighted by his blue pupils. He had a head full of blonde curly hair and wore a red vest as well as blue shorts. He looked adorable. "Who are you?¡± When Luke saw the two innocent children in front of him, his attitude turned from hostile to gentle. The girl smiled sweetly at Luke and said in a loud, clear voice, "Hello, you''re awake! My name is Nova. This is my brother, Bobby. You were rescued from the ocean by my dad and grandma. When they saw you, you were badly injured. Fortunately, my dad is a travel doctor. After he brought you back, he treated you. He and grandma are fishing now, so they''re not at home. They¡¯lle back at night but they told me and Bobby to take good care of you before they left. Sir, are you hungry? I can cook you something." "Sir, you¡¯re handsome. Are you a fairy who fell from the sky?" Little Bobby snuggled over to Luke''s bed and stared at Luke with his big, clear blue eyes. He looked fond of Luke. "Thank you. I''m not a fairy. I was in an ident and ended up here." Luke touched Bobby''s head and looked at the cute child in front of him who reminded him of his twins at home. "Oh, so that''s how it is... Where''s your house? I like you, you''re so goodlooking. You¡¯re the most handsome man in our vige..." Bobby bit his finger with his tiny mouth as he looked at Luke with a silly smile on his face. Luke smiled and rubbed his head while thinking to himself, ''What a cute kid. He thought of hispanions and asked Nova, "Nova, where are we? How long have I been asleep? Did your parents see anyone else when they rescued me?" Nova shook her head and raised two slender fingers at Luke. "This is Marbe Vige. Our vige is isted from the rest of the world. For generations, we¡¯ve been fishermen. My dad came back with you and there was no one else. At that time, you were covered in blood. Bobby and I were terrified. Sir, after my dad treated you, you slept for two days..." Two days?! Luke froze. He knew how wide Robert''s influence was. Although his minions had not found this ce, it was just a matter of time considering their terrifying tracking skills. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. He could not bear to put this kind and innocent family in harm''s way. He had to figure out how to get out of here as soon as possible. Moscow, airport. Gordan was there to pick Bianca up. He was handsome as ever and apanied by a short and chubby girl. Her hair was tied into a bun, making her look like a teddy bear from a distance. She followed behind Gordan cautiously. Her head was lowered and she looked meek. "Bianca, Selena, wee to Moscow," Gordan greeted Bianca and Selena. He knew that Selena was fluent in multiplenguages, so he was not surprised that she came along. When Gordan saw Tommy, he was so excited that he ran over to hug him." Tommy is here too! Can Uncle Gordan hug you?" Every time Gordan visited Bianca and Tommy, he always gave Tommy all kinds of fun toys. He had his way with kids, so Tommy did not treat Gordan as a stranger and even loved spending time with him. Tommy stretched out his chubby little arms happily and reached out to Gordan. "Uncle Gordan, Tommy misses you..." ''...and the toys you bring me.¡¯ Tommy was cheeky and kept the second half of the sentence to himself. Gordan took Tommy from Bianca and kissed his tender cheek. "You''re a cheeky little one. I miss you too...¡± "Gordan, this is?" Bianca''s curious gaze fell on the shy girl behind him. Gordan''s face sank as he introduced the girl behind him, ¡¯¡¯Her name is Vivian and her nickname is Faceless. She¡¯s my wife in Moscow. Faceless, this is my sister-inw, Bianca. This is her cousin, Selena." "Faceless?" Selena processed the nickname. She was curious about Vivian. "I''m ugly, so this is the nickname he gave me. I love it." Vivian finally raised her head and smiled shyly at Bianca and Selena." Bianca, Selena, hello! Is this your first time in Moscow? Where... Wherever you want to go, I... I can be your guide..." Bianca and Selena''s eyes widened when they saw Vivian''s face. There was a quote that went, ''Taking a second look is cruel to those who are ugly.'' Fortunately, Gordan broke the silence and said, Bianca, I have news about Luke. Let''s head back and discuss it in detail." Bianca nodded and kept quiet. She wanted to learn more about the situation as soon as possible, so she went back with Gordan and the others. Chapter 689 Chapter 689 She Failed As His Mommy It was Bianca''s first time in Moscow. The architectural designs here were different from those that Bianca had seen. The boutique shops, high-end hotels, and wealthy residences that were ced side by side were unique and eye-catching. If it were in the past, she would be snapping pictures of the buildings excitedly as a designer. However, at that moment, she felt nothing when she saw the buildings. All that was in her mind was to find Luke as quickly as possible. Gordan took Bianca to a five-star luxury hotel, and Ray personally weed them. When Bianca met Ray for the first time, she was a little surprised. Ray was handsome and had a devilish charm. His blue, deep-set eyes hid his wildness. Although he was in casual clothes, his murderous aura was enough to make others retreat. She had only felt a strong presence like this once and it was with Percy Mallory. What surprised Bianca the most was that even though Vivian and Ray were twins, they did not look like it. If it were not fortheir eyes, coupled with Ray¡¯s pampering attitude toward Vivian, she never would have thought that they were siblings. "Nice to officially meet you, Ms. Rayne. Luke is lucky to have married a beautiful wife like you. This banquet is in honor of your arrival, I hope you like the food.¡± When Ray saw Bianca, he raised his eyebrows in surprise, but he still exchanged the usual pleasantries. He thought that a strong and domineering man like Luke would like enchanting or exciting women. He did not expect Bianca to be such a graceful woman. Bianca appeared gentle and kind. Her alluring face was impable, but she just did not look like the kind of woman who could stand by Luke¡¯s side as he waged war in the corporate world. Selena did her best to trante for Bianca. Selena''s fluent Russian sounded as sweet and smooth as the sound of nature. She sounded like a local. Ray could not help but sneak a few more nces at her. "What''s the name of this little guy? He looks like Luke." Ray''s gaze fell on Tommy, who sat in the seat next to Bianca. Tommy was on a high chair. ''Mommy said that when I''m a guest, I must act like a gentleman. I shouldn¡¯t eat before the host eats.'' Therefore, his tiny body sat straight. He was salivating looking at the food on the table, but he just stared at the view in front of him. He looked adorable! "Hello, my name is Tommy. I¡¯m two years and three months old." With Selena''s guidance, Tommy stretched out two fingers and spoke kiddish but fluent Russian. Ray looked at Tommy with surprise and then asked him a few more questions. Tommy answered fluently in Russian. He was amazed by how smart Tommy was. A lot of two years olds were just learning to talk, but Tommy spoke fluent English and conversational Russian, i Bianca covered her face in shame. Selena had tried to teach her Russian for a week, but she only remembered the basic words. She did not expect her son to be able tomunicate with Ray in Russian. She had failed as his mommy. After some small talk, the waiter began to serve the dishes. Soon enough, therge table was filled with sumptuous dishes and all of them were the hotel¡¯s signatures. Ray sat at the head of the table, while Bianca was on his left and Selena was next to her. Vivian was on his right, and Gordan sat next to Vivian. Bianca and Vivian were rtively close. Under the dazzling restaurant lights, the contrast between the two women was obvious. One was goodlooking and made others drool, while the other was ugly and difficult to look at. Gordan could not help but roll his eyes. He turned his face away from his wife. Ray had always hated Gordan for his lechery and even told him off countless times. However, Vivian always protected him. Vivian would always make a big fuss when he said something to Gordan. It made him feel helpless. Gordan was taking advantage of Vivian''s love for him to act unscrupulously. He had no care in the world for Vivian. Selena was not a fan of Gordan. Although Vivian was not good-looking, she was knowledgeable and behaved like ady. Although Gordan was handsome, hisscivious ways did not make him likable. Gordan could not peel his eyes away from the waitresses who were serving them their food, especially when he saw an especially beautiful one. His gaze would be stuck on them as though he hadn''t seen a woman in 800 years. He was shameless. Bianca ordered some yogurt for Tommy. Then, she asked Vivian who was next to her, "Vivian, what would you like to drink?" Vivian thought that Bianca had ordered the yogurt for herself, so she answered softly, "Bianca, I¡¯ll have yogurt too." Gordan sneered as he said, "Drinking yogurt won''t help with your skin that''s as ck as charcoal. You should just stick to water." Vivian was hurt by his words but smiled awkwardly and pretended she had not heard it. However, her hands were clenched together tightly. She looked like she was at a loss. Her overly quiet and cowardly appearance made her look pitiful. Bianca sympathized with Vivian. Sheforted her and said, "It¡¯s okay. Your brother and Gordan can drink. The three of us will drink yogurt together. Yogurt is good for the skin." Vivian nodded gratefully to Bianca and replied softly, "Thank you, Bianca. You''re so kind." The veins on Ray''s handsome face were obvious now from holding his anger throughout lunch. Had it not been for Bianca and the others¡¯ presence, he might have beaten up Gordan on the spot. When he saw the looks from Vivian, though, he endured it.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Luke was the kind of heroic man who had always been loyal to love. When he came to Moscow, Ray had ced a few top-notch beauties into the same room as him, but even when they were all stripped of their clothes, he remained unaffected and chose to send the women back fully clothed. At that time, Luke had said to Ray, "Thousands of beauties are still nothingpared to my wife." Ray did not understand how an amazing man like Luke was rted to a sloppy person like Gordan. Chapter 690 Chapter 690 Ran To The Deck At The Speed Of Lightning Lunch. Bianca, Selena, Tommy, and Vivian all ordered yogurt. Bianca was a considerate person who was great at taking care of others. It shocked Vivian. No one had ever treated her so kindly except for her brother. Vivian kept smiling shyly at Bianca as she was overwhelmed by her kindness. Vivian thought that Bianca was nice, beautiful, gentle, and considerate. Although she was several years older than Bianca, she felt like a younger sister who was being taken care of. Halfway through the meal, Vivian brought out two brocade boxes from her bag and handed them to Bianca and Selena. "Bianca, Selena, when we first met, I didn''t know what you would like, but I bought something for both of you. I hope you like them." All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. The brocade boxes contained beautiful and rare gem essories. One was a bracelet and the other was a ne. Bianca was unfamiliar with rare gems, but Selena could tell at a nce that the jewelry was worth at least one million each. She whispered in Bianca''s ear. Bianca froze and handed the gift back to Vivian. "This is too expensive. We can ept your kind thoughts, but we cannot ept these gifts." "Bianca, you don¡¯t like them? I''m so sorry, I... I didn''t know what you''d like... " Vivian yed with her fingers nervously, looking dejected. Bianca stole a nce at Ray and wondered if she should keep the gift. Ray sat there and waved his hand to them. "Please ept Vivian''s gifts. She started preparing these gifts from the moment she knew you wereing to Moscow. The gifts are not worth much, but we hope you like them." Selena thought to herself, ''So this is how the rich live? He said that this jewelry worth millions is not worth much. Wow, my heart is shaking.'' Bianca epted Vivian''s gift, thinking that Vivian was polite and caring. If Vivian visited A City in the future, she would buy her two gifts as a thank you. Lunch continued. The food was mostly spicy. Gordan was choking and sweating from the chilies. Vivian tried to wipe his sweat with a wet tissue, but he pushed her hand away. He wanted the beautiful waitress with long legs and pale skin to do it. However, Gordan still kept it low-key as Ray was present. He merely thought about getting the waitress to wipe his sweat, but his eyes were still scanning all of the waitresses up and down. Bianca thought that Gordan was being rude and inappropriate, but it was not the ce nor time for her to say something. She handed a ss of wine to Ray and gave him a toast. "Mr. Ray, I want to ask you about my husband. There was no news about him after Luke met you here two years ago. I know that he¡¯s still alive and well. Do you know anything about how I can find him?" Ray took the wine that Bianca handed him and downed the contents of the ss. He said slowly, "I''m sorry about what had happened to Luke. I didn''t expect something like this to happen on my turf. I didn''t even know that he had enemies in Moscow. ording to what I found, what happened to Luke was rted to an assassin organization named ''League of Shadows''. This organization is notorious in Eastern Europe and has no principles. As long as you can afford to pay them, they¡¯ll do whatever you want, including killing the old and the weak. "However, Robert, the leader of the League of Shadows, is extremely cunning. Not only is his whereabouts a mystery, but the league¡¯s training base is also kept secret. The Russian Central Intelligence Agency has been investigating him for more than ten years and has not been able to find the organization''s base... Ms. Crawford, you¡¯re the closest to Luke and know his interpersonal rtionships best. Do you know who wanted to put him in harm¡¯s way?" "Wayne tt!" Bianca spat out these two words with hatred and borated, "Although I don''t know why he wanted to kill my husband, I''ve been investigating him for a while. But he''s too mysterious. I can''t find out anything about him, nor did I manage to find any concrete evidence that he tried to murder my husband. My instinct tells me that this matter is rted to him." Ray rubbed his chin with his hand and thought about it for a while. His brilliant blue eyes shone brightly as he said, "No matter who the perpetrator is, since you¡¯re in Moscow now, I''ll do my best to protect the safety of you and your child. Luke is a ballsy man, I admire a man like him. It''s a pity that he had to leave shortly after we met. Don¡¯t worry, since we know that his disappearance is rted to the League of Shadows, it¡¯s a matter of time until we find him." "Thank you, Mr. Ray. Thank you for going to all the trouble for us,n Bianca said sincerely. She was not much of a drinker, but she finished the cocktail in the tall ss. Ray looked at Bianca with admiration and said, "During this period, it''s best that you don¡¯t run around on your own and blindly search for Luke''s whereabouts. The League of Shadows is home to some of the best assassins in the world. They haverge numbers and are experts in disguise. I¡¯m worried that if they find out you''re in Moscow, they¡¯ll attack you and Tommy. If you want to go shopping, let me know in advance so that Vivian can take you to the mall with some of my people. They can ensure your safety." Bianca nodded gratefully and thanked Ray again, but after this conversation, she became more worried about Luke''s situation. For a brutal and inhuman organization like the League of Shadows, if Luke had fallen into their hands, would he be in an extremely miserable and difficult situation now? The Pacific Ocean. On the azure ocean, a luxurious boat was traveling slowly. A young but wicked man who had a stunning face was swimming in the ocean. He wore only a pair of beach shorts while revealing his eight-pack abs. His body glistened alluringly in the sun. Percy climbed onto the boat. Shortly after, a maid brought a bath towel and ced it over him. "Master Percy." The maid looked at the handsome man with a blushing face. His messy hair fell on his wet cheek, and with his beautiful face, it made him fatally charming. His body wasparable to top male models. It made her want to lose control and scream her heart out. Percy Mallory wiped his hair as he walked toward the bedroom. "She¡¯s still sleeping?" 1 The maid followed behind him closely, saying softly, "Ms. Langdon just woke up and said she wants to go to the deck for some fresh air..." "Has she eaten?" "No, Ms. Langdon doesn¡¯t seem to have the appetite. I sent breakfast to her room this morning and she lost her temper at me. She threw all the food to the ground and screamed at me to leave!" The maid felt wronged! Sheined to Percy, wondering why a man like Master Percy would be like an ordinary-looking and grumpy woman like Nina. Percy raised an eyebrow, looking displeased. He hated women who gossiped. The maid was going to be fired. The maid was not aware that she had offended Percy and continued ranting about Nina. At that moment, a horrified female scream came from the deck! ¡¯Nina?!¡¯ Percy ran to the deck at the speed of lightning... Chapter 691 Chapter 691 Mr. Craw...Quick... In the never-ending blue ocean, two bloated bodies were floating nearby. The ferocious waves washed them near the deck. It was a man and a woman. However, their features were swollen after being soaked in seawater. They were barely recognizable. After screaming in horror, Nina shouted at the bodyguards to rescue the two floating bodies and see if they had any chance of surviving. However, the bodyguards would never take action without Percy''s order. It did not help that the two bodies looked extremely bloated and obviously dead. The bodyguards did not follow through with Nina''s instructions, so Nina quarreled with them. When Percy arrived, he saw Nina screaming at his bodyguards to save the floating corpses. Nina saw Percy walking over and immediately ran to him. She took his arm and pulled him to the edge of the deck. "Percy, get your bodyguard to rescue the two people! They might still be alive. We have to save them!" Percy frowned. He was never someone who went above and beyond for others. There were many floating corpses in the ocean every year. He would be exhausted if he salvaged each one. He could tell at a nce that the two floating corpses had been seriously injured. They must have been in some serious trouble before their deaths, trouble that he did not want to be involved in. Percy looked at the two floating corpses and said coldly, "They''re already dead. What¡¯s the point of saving them? I can''t be bothered about it!" Nina was so angry that she wanted to push him away, but Percy remained motionless even after Nina gave it everything she got. "Why are you so cold-blooded? Is human life worthless in your eyes?" She kicked Percy''s calf hard and felt as though she had kicked a cold iron block. She gritted her teeth in pain but Percy was unaffected. "Childish!" Percy nced at her with a cold expression. When he saw that she was alright, he turned around and wanted to leave. "Since you¡¯re not willing to save them, I will!" After she said that, Nina took off her coat and gritted her teeth, about to jump into the ocean. It was a matter of life and death, so she could not bring herself not to do anything. Even though the two floating bodies seemed to be dead, what if... What if they were still alive? Percy immediately grabbed her. Nina''s limp body fell back on his rock-hard chest. Percy was extremely displeased when he saw how insistent Nina was to save the two corpses. He said in a cold and stern tone, "What nonsense! Mallory One, Mallory Two, go, save those floating corpses!" Mallory One and Mallory Two, who had just been screamed at by Nina, jumped into the ocean as soon as they received Percy''s orders. The two floating corpses were salvaged. The doctor on the boat checked on the man and the woman. Both of them had been badly injured.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. The man had three gunshots in his chest, a bullet in his leg, and his back was embedded with bomb fragments. The woman''s condition was slightly better. She was shot in the abdomen and there were two stab wounds on her thigh. She had no other wounds. However, it was unclear how long they had been floating in the ocean. It certainly had not helped the inmmation on their wounds, which looked disgusting. Nina pulled on the doctor''s white coat anxiously and asked, "Doctor, are they still alive?" The doctor sighed and said with disbelief, "They''ve been floating in the ocean for at least three days. Thedy''s injuries are less severe and most of them are not fatal. That¡¯s how she''s still surviving even after being out in the ocean for so long. This gentleman, however... His condition is not looking optimistic. He¡¯s suffering from two fatal injuries to his lungs. The ocean water didn''t do these wounds any good. His chance of survival is almost zero, but this gentleman has strong willpower. He still has a pulse, he''s still alive. This... This is incredible!" "Craw... Mr. Craw... Quick... Quick..." the man suddenly uttered something. However, he was too weak and his voice was as soft as a mosquito hum. Nina, who was closest to the man, could not hear much even if she tried her best to. ''Who is Mr. Craw? Their enemy?'' The doctor looked at the survivors as though they were monsters. He said, "Oh my God, if this were an ordinary person, even if they weren''t injured, being out in the ocean for so long would''ve killed them. It''s a miracle that these two lived to see the light of day considering how serious their injuries are!" Percy was not surprised. He had suffered injuries much more serious than this and was still alive and well, so why should theyin? "I told you that they¡¯re still alive. I''ve always believed that miracles can happen. Now, do you believe me? Doctor, you have to help them. After all that they''ve been through, they must have extraordinary willpower and unfulfilled wishes. Or else, they wouldn''t have held on..." Nina talked to the doctor and then gave Percy a triumphant look. Percy''s unwavering and cold heart was touched by her delicate expression. Out of the blue, his heart softened. However, he maintained his stern face and looked like an iceberg that could not be melted at all. He said, "You can save them, but you have to eat. Otherwise, I¡¯ll have them thrown back into the ocean! Now, go eat your dinner!" He leaned over in amanding posture while staring at Nina. Hismand was not to be ignored. Nina was annoyed. She had seen how cruel Percy could be. He did what he said, so all she could do was stare at him. When she saw how emotionless he was, she turned around angrily and stormed to the dining hall. She muttered angrily as she walked, "Okay, I''ll eat... You''re a bully! A shameless bully!" Mallory One and Mallory Two were used to Percy and Nina''s interactions. They stood by the side, pretending to be deaf and dumb. In the public eye, Percy Mallory was known for his cruel ways and bad temper. He had always adhered to the principle of ''if people do not offend me, I won''t offend others; when others offend me, I will destroy them!'' The mention of his name was enough to send shivers down one''s spine. Percy''s irritable temper was under control only when he was with Nina. He was very tolerant of her, which came as a surprise. Percy put his hands in his pockets as he watched Nina''s slender figure disappearing when she walked into the dining hall. However, when he shifted his gaze to the mysterious man and woman who had been rescued, his expression suddenly turned cold. He had never hosted people who came from unknown origins. It seemed that he had to investigate their backgrounds... Chapter 692 Chapter 692 Suddenly, Luke Put Down His Utensils Moscow. Bianca went to the site of Luke''s incident. She went although she knew that two years had passed and it was unlikely that there would be any evidence left. Gordan took Bianca, Selena, Vivian, and a dozen bodyguards there. The site of the incident was deep in the mountain forests. The road was windy like a giant python, and they passed by rows of towering ancient trees that were full of vitality. However, because of how remote the site was, the surrounding environment looked secluded and gloomy. "Sister-inw, we''re here." Gordan stopped the car somewhere with a wide view. After Bianca and Selena got out of the car, they looked around. Bianca''s heart felt like it was filled with lead. She was so upset that she began to tremble uncontrobly. ''This was where Luke was attacked...'' Just thinking about it overwhelmed her with sadness. The area was low-lying and surrounded by mountains. Compared to other ces where the trees were lush, the trees here were sparse. Bianca noticed that some trees had been charred on their branches and trunks. There were even some bullet marks on the bark. Gordan pointed to where Bianca stood and said with a heavy tone, "Sister- inw, where you''re standing now is where Luke''s car exploded. Looking at the bullet marks on the tree bark, there must''ve been a fierce gunfight before the explosion... This ce is low-lying and suitable for snipers to ambush. It has been two years since the crime scene has been cleaned up by the government. After I heard about Luke''s ident, I rushed here immediately. The investigation revealed that he most likely was targeted by a sniper. After being shot, the sniper blew up his car to hide the crime..." When she heard what Gordan said, Bianca felt like she was stepping on a spreading fire instead of dried leaves. Bianca held back the tears in her eyes as she thought of the bloody scene where Luke was shot and then blown up. Suddenly, she dug through the leaves on the ground with her hands as if she had gone mad. Her clean and slender hands were digging through the musty soil. She was mumbling to herself while eagerly looking for something. "Bianca, what are you doing?!" Selena noticed Bianca''s anomaly. She was shocked and wanted to stop her, but Bianca pushed her away. Her eyes looked a little crazed as she said, "Selena, get out of the way! Luke must¡¯ve left something on the scene of the crime. I know him. He has always been meticulous. I''m sure he would''ve left clues here!" "Sister-inw, even if Luke had left clues, it¡¯s likely that whatever he left has been long gone. Moreover, he had been ambushed. Even if he was quick on his feet, he couldn''t have known what would happen to him that day... I did my due diligence after the incident and didn''t manage to find anything. It has been so long since then. All evidence must''ve perished by now. It''s impossible to find anything useful here..." Gordan¡¯s heart was heavy as he grabbed Bianca and said, "Bianca, wake up! Don¡¯t do useless things." He shook Bianca''s shoulders violently to snap her out of it. Bianca regained some of her senses after getting shaken by Gordan. She deeply regretted noting to the scene of the crime immediately after Luke''s ident. However, T Corporation had been a mess at the time. If she had left then, the legacy that Luke worked so hard to build would be torn apart. To protect T Corporation, she chose to stay in A City with great sorrow to attend to the affairs of T Corporation on behalf of him. Bianca had never let go of the guilt of not being able to visit the site where Luke''s ident urred. After Luke''s ident, even her rival, Mavis Laviere, had put down everything on hand and rushed here to pay her respects to him. However, Bianca, Luke''swful wife, failed to do so in time. That became her biggest regret. That was why after the situation at T Corporation was stabilized, Bianca rushed over immediately. She chose toe even when she knew that it might be pointless. ''Luke, I¡¯m sorry. If I had gotten here in time after your ident, would I have a better chance of finding you?'' N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Bianca''s tears fell drop by drop onto the scorched leaves. She clenched her right hand into a fist and smashed it into the soft ground that was covered with moldy leaves and dead branches. Her hysterical and sorrowful appearance made the others shed tears too. "Bianca, don''t do this. Luke wouldn''t want to see you hurting yourself like this." Vivian wiped her tears, half-kneeling in front of Bianca. She persuaded her gently. Bianca kept silent, but tears spilled over and flowed down her face like a burst dam. Suddenly, she felt something hard. Bianca was surprised and quickly dug through the dead leaves. She did not stop even when dirt got into her fingernails. She kept her gaze locked on an area of soil. Finally, under a rotten leaf, she found a ruby the size of a pigeon egg. She carefully ced the gem in her palm and observed it carefully. The sun shone through the gaps in the leaves of the dense forest. The ruby was octahedral and shone brightly. It reflected a little blue-green color and was shockingly beautiful. After Vivian saw the gem, her eyes widened in surprise as she said in disbelief, "Wow, what a beautiful gem! Isn¡¯t it the one and only ''Hope Diamond''? I¡¯ve always wanted it, but my brother said a mysterious buyer bought it. How did it appear here? Hey... I think there might be something engraved on it..." The sunlight shone on Hope Diamond and it became a little more transparent. It gradually revealed a few words. When Bianca saw those words, she was in shock and clutched her panicking heart... [Bianca, my wife, till death do us part.] Marbe Vige. Luke was having dinner with Nova and Bobby. He had already nned his escape route. At that moment, the cheerfulughter of the two children made the empty fishing boat feel warm. Suddenly, Luke put down his utensils. His sensitive ears wiggled as he made a hush motion at them. Nova and Bobby fell silent immediately. Their identical doubtful eyes had their focus on him. They heard footsteps outside and an angry voice yelling in Russian," Useless piece of sh*t! Find the traitor at all costs! Go and search this broken ship for Shawn immediately!" Then, the somewhat dpidated door of the fishing boat was roughly kicked open. The moment the door was kicked open, Luke immediately jumped from the window into the ocean... Chapter 693 Chapter 693 Luke Took Care Of All Of Them Inside the cabin. The door was kicked open and a group of men in ck armed with heavy machine guns stormed in! It was clear that the fat red-haired and vicious-looking man was their leader. He patrolled around the cabin and did not find the man he was looking for. He only saw the two children who were trembling with fright. He stepped forward and grabbed Bobby''s neck with one hand. He lifted him easily. Then, the leader asked Bobby in a vicious tone, "Boy, have you seen this man?" He winked at his subordinates and they immediately took out a scroll. The person in the painting was Luke. Bobby was choked till he was almost out of breath. His eyes were rolled back in horror as he tried to scream, "Help... Help me!" When Nova saw Bobby struggling, she cried out and said, "Let go of Bobby! Who are you? Let go of my brother... We don''t know the person you''re looking for... We... We''ve never seen him..." Nova had never lied before. However, she knew that this group of men had bad intentions so Nova lied for the first time in her life. Her gaze was shifting about. She did not dare to look at the men for fear that they would find out she was lying. She wanted to rush forward to save her younger brother, but the two tall men held onto her slender shoulders, making it impossible for her to move an inch. These men were elite assassins trained on the Ind of Despair. The leader could tell that Nova was lying at a nce. He threw young Bobby against the wall like a piece of trash. "Ah..." Bobby was injured when he bounced off the wall andnded on the floor. He fainted after he coughed up some blood. "Bobby!" Nova fell into anxiety and helplessness as she called out to Bobby. She fought against the men''s tight grips to get closer to her brother, but before she could do anything, the leader walked up to Nova and raised her chin. He observed her tanned but exquisite face. "Not bad, what a little beauty!" The leader¡¯s rough hands left a small cut on Nova''s chin. Nova ignored the pain and looked at her brother worryingly. When she met the leader''s unkind gaze, she was so frightened that she punched and kicked him. However, her efforts were fruitless. The red-haired man mped onto Nova''s slender wrist and almost crushed her. "Little beauty, I have a bad temper and I¡¯m not a fan of liars, especially women liars! Since you don''t want to tell the truth, then I don''t mind gifting you to my brothers! Brothers, this kid is your reward. Have fun... Nova''s scream was like a sharp knife that reached Luke who was hiding below the boat. Countless cruel and revolting scenes shed through his mind. Luke was burning with rage and was ready for a massacre! He had always been a protective man. Luke had no issues with the assassinsing for him, but they must not touch those who had helped him. The two innocent children were desperately trying to protect him while he was hiding below the boat. How could he call himself a man if he stayed put? He jumped up from the bottom of the boat and approached the cabin silently like a ghost. The man guarding the door heard the movement and immediately grabbed a gun. He walked toward Luke and said, "Who''s there?" As soon as he took a step, Luke put him in a tight chokehold and killed the man on the spot. Luke snatched his gun and threw the man into the ocean. He quietly approached the cabin door and saw Nova through the crack in the door... Luke clenched his jaw and swore that he would make sure each of these men got what they deserved. He kicked the door open and barged in. He shot at the men angrily with the machine gun. The two men who were going to assault Nova were killed with a single shot. They fell on the ground with their eyes wide open, their blood all over Nova. C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org. "Ahh!" When Nova saw the dead men, she screamed in shock and curled up in the corner. "Who are you?!" The leader was taken aback. He turned his head and saw Luke with a gun. His expression immediately changed. Luke had excellent marksmanship. One bullet would take one life, and absolutely no bullets would be wasted. The assassins quickly raised their guns and aimed them at Luke. The bullets aiming for him were numerous and fierce. Luke avoided all of the shots by quickly having his back against the wall. The bullets hit the door and windows... The door looked like a beehive when they were done, while the ss windows were shattered and pieces of them were scattered on the ground. The leader was baring his teeth. He shouted at his group of men while shooting at Luke, "Brothers, kill him! As long as we get our hands on Shawn, regardless if he''s dead or alive, we''ll be rewarded handsomely!" 2 Luke and the assassins were in close proximity to each other. The assassins decided to drop their machine guns as they had be a heavy burden. Instead, they swarmed toward Luke, fully prepared for a fistfight. Luke''s eyes were filled with hostility as he got ready to kill. Two assassins got close to Luke and he immediately grasped their necks with both his hands. He twisted their chin upward and heard two crisp cracks. He broke their necks and threw their bodies to the ground mercilessly. Then, like a ninja, he got to the leader in an instant and gave him a spin kick. The leader, who was about to attack him, was flung onto the ss shards. The leader fell heavily onto the ss shards. He gasped in pain from the countless fragments embedding into his flesh. He wanted to stand up, but his body, which was suffering from a serious internal injury, was limp. It made it difficult for him to move... All the assassins were frightened by Luke. They thought that Luke was a namby-pamby and did not expect him to be so skilled in fighting. All of them drew their guns and shot at him, but the bullets they fired were all skillfully evaded by him. 20 minutester. All the killers had been taken care of by Luke. In the messy cabin, Luke held Bobby, who had fallen unconscious, and Nova. His eyes were full of guilt and distress as he uttered, "Nova, I''m so sorry..." Now that his whereabouts had been exposed, he had no other choice but to leave. Otherwise, it would only hurt the innocent Nova and her family even more. Nova burst into tears and shook her head as she said, "I don''t me you, these were bad guys... Will theye again?" That night''s events had traumatized her. "I have to leave now. Otherwise, they''lle back. I can''t bear to put you and your family in harm''s way." Luke gently touched Nova''s head, his tone sounding heavy. After two days of intensive investigation, he found that he was not too far from Moscow. Moscow was his next destination. ''Once I''m in Moscow, I¡¯ll find a way back home. I¡¯ll do everything in my power to make a move against the cruel League of Shadows!'' Chapter 694 Chapter 694 Bianca Saw Her Face When he was in Marbe Vige, Luke had not contacted anyone, including Bianca. Marbe Vige was isted from the world and was still using the barter system to trade. It was fairly backward when it came to information andmunication. Moreover, the League of Shadows had eyes and ears everywhere. If he contacted Bianca, he was sure that the League of Shadows would be able to trace his whereabouts within half a day. The League of Shadows was known to be brutal and inhuman. If they learned that Luke was alive and reached out to his contacts, they would kill them. He could not bear to put the woman he loved so much and their children in harm''s way. Moscow. Vivian took Bianca and Selena shopping. They went to Aviapark, a well- known shopping mall in Moscow. Aviapark was known as one of the world''s top ten shopping malls,parable to Champs Elysees in Paris. The main attraction of the shopping mall was the eye-catching arches and the beautiful musical fountain. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. In the shopping mall, there was a dazzling array of global luxury brands as well as Russian special handicrafts, clothing stores, department stores, and plenty of others. It attracted locals and tourists from all over the world. Everyone was gleaming with excitement. Bianca carried Tommy and walked around the mall with Selena and Vivian. Dozens of inclothes bodyguards shadowed them. Russian women were known to be some of the most beautiful women in the world, and there were many of them in the mall. Vivian was walking beside two beauties. In sharp contrast, she looked like a walking ck fat balloon. Passersby, whether male or female, would take a second look at them. When everyone''s eyes fell on Bianca, they would be surprised and praise her beauty. Even though she was holding a baby, because of her innocent yet mysterious appearance, many men still tried their luck with her. However, their efforts were unfruitful as they were put to an abrupt end by Selena fiercely and resolutely. When people''s gazes fell on Vivian, they were of mockery. Some of them even pointed at her and laughed. Bianca and Selena did not notice anything. Selena even held Vivian''s hand in excitement as though Vivian was her sister. She pulled her along to have a look around the mall. Vivian walked behind Bianca and admired her slender figure. She said to Selena enviously, "Selena, Mrs. Crawford is so beautiful. Look at how popr she is. So many men turn their heads for her and try to strike up a conversation with her... On the other hand, I don''t even have the confidence to look up when I walk..." Selena held Vivian''s chin and lifted her head as she said domineeringly," Bianca is a beautiful woman, but that''s not why people are staring at her. What sets her apart is that she''s confident in everything that she does. Vivian, even if a woman''s looks are average, as long as she¡¯s full of selfconfidence, her aura will still radiate. However, you always walk with your head down. Your posture is so stiff and cowardly!" When Bianca heard Selena having a girl talk with Vivian, she turned her head and encouraged Vivian as well. "Yes, Vivian. Your appearance can make a world of difference. Look around, there are so many fashionable clothes and luxurious essories. Let''s shop our hearts out and give you a makeover. I''m sure you''ll like it. I''ll buy you what you like." Vivian shook her head lightly and then waved her hand in a panic as she said, "No, Bianca, how can I let you spend money when you¡¯re a guest of mine? I would never hear the end of it from... Don''t worry, I have a lot of money. I can buy you anything your heart desires." Bianca handed Tommy, who had fallen asleep on her shoulder, to a female bodyguard. Then, she took Vivian''s hand and smiled. "Since you''re addressing me as Mrs. Crawford, that means you acknowledge me as your sister-inw. How can I let you spend money? Of course, I''ll pay for you." Bianca was touched when she heard Vivian say ''Mrs. Crawford''. It reminded her that she was Luke''s wife. They walked from Block A to Block F. In a luxury store in Block F, Bianca chose a set of clothes for Vivian. However, Vivian seemed reluctant. Her gaze never left the dress, however, and she said, "Sister-inw, thank you for your kind thoughts but I think it''s better to forget about it. I¡¯m ugly... No matter how nice or expensive the clothes are, they won''t look good on me. I''m just... helplessly ugly." Bianca chuckled and looked at her in the mirror. "Your skin is pretty good, but you don''t know how to present yourself. You''d look great if you dressed up a little." Bianca liked Vivian because of her temperament and personality. Selena was flipping through a fashion magazine and joined in on the conversation. "There are no ugly women, justzy ones. Vivian, you have to focus on your fitness and take care of your appearance. Look, your skin doesn''t have any e or spots. It''s much betterpared to my e- prone skin, so hurry up and buy some beautiful clothes to dress yourself up! Vivian blushed and touched her cheek in disbelief. "Mrs. Crawford, do you think so too?" Bianca replied, ''Of course! Didn''t you notice that every girl we passed by was well-dressed?" Vivian nodded embarrassedly and said, "That''s true..." From Block A to Block F, they had seen many women on every floor busy with their skincare, manicure, and other things. It turned out that beauty could be artificially made. To be honest, she felt inferior and had not paid much attention to it before. Vivian went to try on the dress that Bianca picked for her and Selena went along to the fitting room. Bianca stood in front of the disy and her eyes were caught by a glittering pearl dress. The dress was made of tulle with dreamyntern sleeves and a silk pleated tube top. It did not show too much skin, but it looked sexy yet ssic. Just as she reached out to touch the dress, a pale handnded on the dress at the same time. After that, a slightly hoarse female voice said arrogantly, "I want this dress!" She was a tall and beautiful Eastern European woman. When Bianca saw her face, she was taken back by her stunning appearance. The woman''s coquettish face was as gorgeous as a blooming poppy, but the cold expression on her face sent shivers down Bianca''s spine... Chapter 695 Chapter 695 Gordan Is In Trouble! Kassy had a dazed look of suspicion the moment she saw Bianca. ''Why does she look so familiar?'' However, she was sure that she had never seen her before this. Just as Kassy was about to take a second look at Bianca, she received an urgent call. When she saw the caller ID, Kassy''s brows wrinkled further. When she answered the phone, her face changed abruptly when she heard the news. "Yes, Godfather, I''lle back right away!" Kassy was no longer bothered with the dress nor Bianca. She rushed off in her ten-centimeter high heels. Bianca was impressed that Kassy could walk so smoothly and quickly even in high heels. Professional models would be ashamed if they could see her. Bianca, who was immersed in her thoughts, did not realize that she had a narrow miss with danger earlier. Women''s friendships were easy to form. Shopping made the three women, who were initially not close with each other, grow a sisterly bond. When Vivian was changing out of the dress in the fitting room, Bianca had already paid the bill and bagged her old clothes. She was waiting for Vivian outside the store with Selena. Bianca looked at Vivian who hadpletely transformed her appearance and nodded in satisfaction. "This dress suits you very well. I¡¯ve already paid, let''s go." As soon as she heard that Bianca had paid for her dress, Vivian freaked out and immediately took out her phone. "Mrs. Crawford, I... I can¡¯t make you pay. I¡¯ll transfer the money to you." Bianca held her hand and said, "Since you¡¯re calling me Mrs. Crawford, I should do what a sister-inw should do. This money means nothing to me. Besides, you gave me and Selena such valuable gifts earlier. If you insist on paying me back, we¡¯ll return your gifts." Vivian had no choice but to thank Bianca again and again. "Thank you, Mrs. Crawford." Selena grabbed Vivian''s arm and walked forward. "Vivian, we¡¯re all good friends now. Let¡¯s walk around and continue shopping." The three of them continued shopping. Each of them bought a few more clothes. Tommy woke up and followed the adults around without crying or making trouble. The little guy was interested in some weird toys, and he had fun ying by himself. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. In a luxury store, a men''s Gi belt with very exquisite workmanship caught Vivian''s eye. It had 16 carats of sapphire and was priced at 269,000 US dors. It was the only one avable in the world. Vivian liked the belt at first nce and kept staring at it intently. Seeing how much she seemed to like it, Bianca said, "If you like it, buy it." After she said that, Bianca took out a ck card and intended to pay for it. Vivian waved her hands again and again as she said, "No, Mrs. Crawford. I want to buy this belt using my own money...'' She grabbed Bianca''s card and prevented her from paying. Bianca gave in. After Vivian paid for it, she blushed as she told Bianca, "Mrs. Crawford, this belt is for Gordan..." Bianca jokingly said, "You¡¯re a good wife to Gordan. I can see that you love him very much.'' Selena rolled her eyes and poked Vivian''s head with her finger. "You¡¯re such an amazing woman, so why would you marry someone like Gordan? He¡¯s pretty much useless except for being handsome. I don''t know what you see in him." "Please... don''t say that about Gordan. He¡¯s great. He looks good, sings well, and can also y the guitar and the piano. He¡¯s very clever and is a quick learner... When heughs, my heart feels warm..." Vivian blushed, her words and demeanor showing just how protective she was of Gordan. Selena curled her lips and said, "Okay, Gordan is good at everything. I can''t stand how silly you''re being. He''s using you! Vivian, if this goes on, he''ll eventually harm you!" Vivian had a loving smile on her face as she replied, ''No. Although Gordan doesn''t love me nor is he gentle with me, he¡¯s my husband. The two of us are going to be together for a lifetime. I believe that as long as I treat him well, he¡¯ll be touched by my efforts one day." When she saw how fond Vivian was of Gordan, Bianca shook her head helplessly. A woman who had fallen in love would have a negative IQ. An innocent woman like Vivian would give up everything without a second thought when she fell in love with a man. Even if she knew that the other person was only using her and even if her heart had been broken over and over again, she would still flutter like a moth to him. He was her light. Bianca thought that Vivian could do better. Gordan was a yboy. He was wonderful to his brothers and friends, but when it came to romantic rtionships, he was a scumbag. She was not optimistic about Vivian''s persistence, but she understood that it was not her ce to say something. Bianca decided to talk to Gordan about how he should treat Vivian better. When they were tired from walking, they went to the food area to get some snacks. Each of them ordered a fruit tter. A pineapple served as its base, while the soil was made out of grapes, kiwi, cantaloupe. Orange slices acted as petals while the stems were made out of strawberries. Lemons were carved into leaves. It was beautiful and delicious. They rested on a bench in the mall while eating their fruit tters. The bench was in the middle of the aisle and there were a lot of shops on both sides. The surrounding traffic seemed endless. Vivian looked enviously at the beautiful women all around her. She gave what Bianca said earlier some thought. ''If I be a white swan, will Gordan look at me with an admiring gaze?1 As she thought about it, she could not help butugh out loud. She gently tugged Bianca''s sleeve and said, "Mrs. Crawford..." "Yes?" "Do you think I stand a chance at being beautiful? Will I stay ugly for the rest of my life?" Bianca chuckled and replied, "Of course not, you just need to dress up a little." Vivian looked at Bianca and sighed. "Mrs. Crawford, I know you''reforting me. I would thank all the gods if I could be half as beautiful as you." Bianca was about tofort Vivian again when Vivian''s phone rang. She saw that it was Ray who was calling. Before Vivian could say anything, Ray was already cursing on the phone. She was in shock when she heard what he said. Her phone fell to the ground and Vivian just left it there. She grabbed Bianca''s arm and said, "Mrs. Crawford, let''s go back now. Gordan... Gordan is in trouble!" Chapter 696 Chapter 696 Even Bianca Wanted To Beat Him Up Bianca was unsure what had happened. A minute ago, they were just talking about going to a spa and a hair salon. However, out of the blue, Vivian insisted on heading home immediately. She held Vivian''s hand and asked worriedly, "What¡¯s going on? What happened to Gordan?" Vivian shook her head gently and kept quiet. Her brother''s roar echoed in her mind, "Come home now! Gordan is a bastard and I''m going to kill him! He brought someone home to mess around with. Are you going to do anything about it?!" C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org At that moment, Vivian''s heart felt like it had been stabbed by a sharp knife. Intense shame overwhelmed her, and she was not sure what to do. She did not believe it and even exined to Ray on the phone, "Ray, this must be a misunderstanding. Gordan... He... He wouldn¡¯t do this to me. Wait for me, I''lle back right away. Before I get home, please don''t hurt him. Otherwise, you¡¯ll never hear the end of it from me!" Even in a situation as such, Vivian was still on Gordan''s side and defended him. Bianca could only look at Selena for help. She did not understand Russian, so she was unsure of what Vivian had told Ray on the phone, but Selena understood. Selena looked at Vivian, whose head was buried in her knees, and bit her lip distressingly. "I don''t know exactly what happened, but from what I heard, it seems that Gordan has wronged Vivian..." Bianca sighed heavily and held Tommy a little tighter. She wanted tofort Vivian, but seeing how pitiful she looked now, she kept her mouth shut. ''Let''s go back and see what''s going on.'' Vivian''s home was arge and luxurious high-end vi with a unique and gorgeousyout. Ray loved his sister so much he only gave her the best of everything. The interior was as magnificent as a royal pce. As soon as they arrived, they saw Gordan who had been badly beaten up and was kneeling on the ground with a gun on his head. An Eastern European beauty with blonde hair and blue eyesy on the ground. She was naked and had a hole in her chest. The carpet around her was dyed with a striking red stain. Ray sat on the sofa, his handsome face looking pissed. A row of bodyguards was lined up behind him. The atmosphere in the room was solemn and weird. In the ashtray on the coffee table, there were more than a dozen cigarette butts. It was obvious that Ray was in a bad mood. This was not the first time that Bianca had seen a gun, but it was her first time seeing such a terrifying scene. Although she knew that Ray held the title of the godfather of the Mafia, she was still scared when she saw the murdered woman in front of her. She pressed Tommy¡¯s face close to her chest to prevent him from seeing the cruel scene. Selena, who had always been bold, turned pale with fright. She had never been exposed to this side of things. Vivian could tell that Bianca and Selena were uneasy, so she held their hands tightly as she said, "Sister-inw, Selena, it''s okay, I''m here." "Ray, why are you here? Why didn''t you call me before you came?" Vivian walked up to Ray and stood between him and Gordan. She was speaking to Ray, but her gaze kept falling on Gordan. She was afraid that the bodyguard would identally fire the gun and hurt her man. There were a fewrge gifts on the coffee table in front of Ray. Maybe because of the fight earlier, the gifts had been torn open, revealing the presents inside. They were all jewelry and food that Vivian liked. Vivian was disconste. She was trying her best to smile, but her tears fell as she asked, "Ray, why did you bring me so many gifts? Is today a special day?" These were her two favorite men in the world. One loved her so much while the other one would only hurt her deeply. She did not want to see them be in a conflict, let alone lose either of them. When he saw that Vivian was in tears, the murderous look on Ray¡¯s face rxed a little as he said, "You forgot? Today is your birthday." It had not been their choice to be born into a Mafia family. Their world was cruel and filled with bloodshed. The fierce internal struggle for power had turned the two of them into orphans. They had lived on the streets when they were young with only each other to rely on. Vivian had once brought him to beg on the streets. If Vivian had not abandoned her dignity to support Ray, he would never have lived. To Ray, Vivian was his sister and also his half mother. They were very close. However, Gordan, that son of a b*tch, dared to betray his sister! Anger surged within him and he could not wait to blow Gordan''s head off! Vivian went through the gifts on the table and said, "Ray, thank you." There were pearl nes, diamond rings, jade bracelets, preserved fruits, and specialties from all over the world. She looked at the gifts one by one as tears wet her eyes. Ray was the only one in the world who spoiled her. Ray did not speak, but when his gaze fell on Gordan, it was full of hatred and hurt. If looks could kill, Gordan would have died thousands of times by now. However, Gordan looked like he was not bothered and acted indifferent toward Ray. Ray nced at the gun in his hand. He has been in charge of the Mafia for so many years and countless people had died in his hands. The only reason he had not shot Gordan was because of his sister. He wanted to kill the bastard! Ray never had a good impression of Gordan. He even questioned whether such a perverted and irresponsible man would treat his sister right. However, Vivian was obsessed with him. Ray knew his sister. If he killed her husband, she would hate him for life. Vivian put the gifts aside, endured the pain, and said in a choked up manner, "Ray, thank you for your gifts. Can you leave it to me to deal with what has happened today?" When he saw how hard Vivian was trying to keep her emotions in, Ray looked at Gordan again and it only made him angrier. He suddenly stood up and pointed a gun directly at Gordan. "Vivian, today is your birthday, so I came here to celebrate with you. I didn''t expect him to be fooling around with a woman when you weren''t home. I was so angry that I killed her on the spot! I should kill Gordan too. Why are you still on his side?" "Ray, you killed someone again..." Vivian nced at the dead woman with a sad expression. Even if she was dead, Vivian could tell that the woman was stunning. ''Of course, Gordon chose her over me...¡¯ "Anyone who wronged you should die-including Gordan, this bastard!" Ray was so angry that his veins were popping. He started punching and kicking Gordan. Then, his gazended on Bianca. "Mrs. Crawford, although Gordan is Luke''s best friend, this is a family matter. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll let me decide what to do with Gordan?" He sounded ruthless when he vowed to kill Gordan. Bianca was caught off guard and was not sure how to react. Gordan had gone too far. Even Bianca wanted to beat him up, but she would never be able to live with herself if she did nothing while Luke''s best friend died in front of her... Chapter 697 Chapter 697 Her Name Is Bianca! Bianca''s silence made Ray think that she would not interfere in his decision, so he vented all his anger on Gordan and intended to beat him to death. Ray was known to be cruel. If he wanted someone dead, he would be merciless and hold nothing back. Gordan protected his head with his hands as he curled up into a ball. He endured it at first. Eventually, it was unsure whether he could no longer stand the pain or if it was because he felt embarrassed in front of Bianca... He suddenly grabbed Ray''s hand. His blood-stained face snarled at Ray as he shouted, "Kill me if you want to! I''m not afraid of you just because you¡¯re the godfather of the Mafia! If Luke were around, you''d never dare toy a finger on me. Your sister is so ugly that she makes me lose my appetite every time I see her. Who the f*ck would want to marry her? "At that time, what happened between us was consensual. She should thank God for the rest of her life that I took her virginity. How could you force me to marry her? If it weren''t for this ugly monster, Luke wouldn''t havee all the way here to negotiate with you! You almost cost Luke an arm and you even f*cking forced my ex-girlfriend to have an abortion! You forced me to marry this shameless girl! All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Gordan roared. Ray was furious at how unapologetic Gordan was. His punches and kicks became heavier. Bianca was taken back. She was not aware that so many things had happened to Luke in Moscow. He even almost gave up an arm for Gordan? At that moment, she felt flustered and ufortable. Could it be that brotherhood was more important to Luke than his wife and children? Gordan was vomiting blood as he tried to get up, but he fell after being kicked by Ray again. He was covered in blood and his handsome face was swollen. However, he continued to curse at Ray as if he wanted to push the man to his limit. Selena was furious and felt bad for Vivian. She pped her hands and praised Ray, saying, "Scumbags deserve to be beaten up!" Bianca was sure that this was not the way to go. Gordan had to learn a lesson, but if he was beaten to death by Ray, she would never be able to face Luke. Gordan was Luke''s best friend and had saved his life countless times before. She was sure that Luke would not want Gordan dying in Ray''s hands Just when she was about to speak, Vivian could no longer stand back. She cried and rushed forward, hugging Ray''s thigh tightly as she said, "Brother, please stop hurting him. Gordan is about to be beaten to death by you..." She knew that if Ray could not settle his grievances with Gordan, he would most likely just shoot him. That was why she did not stop Ray earlier when he first started beating up Gordan. However, when she saw that her man was about to be killed, she had to act quickly. Vivian, who had always been gentle, kind, and never once raised her voice, said firmly, "Ray, no matter what Gordan has done, he''s my husband. Even if he has done something wrong, I''ll forgive him. Please let him go. We''re already husband and wife. No matter how angry you are, you can''t change that. I¡¯m his wife and I n to spend the rest of my life with him. He¡¯s your brother-inw. Are you going to kill him and make me a widow? If you darey another finger on him, I¡¯ll die in front of you right now!" Vivian picked up a gun on the ground and pointed the muzzle at her head. She said resolutely, "I''m a woman of my word!" Ray was silent for a moment. He snatched the gun from Vivian''s hand, took a step back, and put the gun in his pocket. Then, he gave Gordan onest kick. Ray then endured his anger and walked out the door. When he reached the entrance, Ray turned around and threatened Gordan again, "Gordan, listen to me. I''ll spare you this time for the sake of Vivian and Bianca. Next time, I won¡¯t show mercy! My sister is the most beautiful and kind girl in the world. She''s the person I love the most. If you dare to do such nasty things to hurt her again, I promise you that you''ll meet your end!" When he met Bianca''s gaze, he paused for a second and said sarcastically, "How can such a wonderful man like Luke have a bastard friend like Gordan?" "Mr. Ray, I¡¯ll see you off." Bianca did not respond to what he said. She merely followed Ray out of the vi. She was filled with guilt as she said," Sorry, Mr. Ray..." Ray''s anger still burned, but he knew that Bianca was innocent. He eased his tone and said, "Don¡¯t worry too much about Luke. Now that you have a clue, you''ll find him sooner orter. I don''t think that Gordan will change. Please do me a favor and have a chat with him. Otherwise, I''ll kill him next time!" Bianca apologized and said, "Mr. Ray, rest assured that Gordan has learned his lesson. I''ll talk to him. Vivian is a kind and simple girl. Gordan is indeed not worthy of her..." Ray nodded and then waved to Bianca. "Go back. Don''t worry about sending me off. Although Gordan seems to be badly hurt, I didn''t hurt his vitals. He might have toy in bed for a month or two to fully recover, though." Bianca watched Ray leave with his group of bodyguards. She was envious of how he pampered Vivian. Vivian was lucky to have a brother who did everything to protect her. The luxurious sports car was as fast as a meteor. Explosive rock music was sting in the car. Kassy was speeding and turning the steering wheel arbitrarily. She kept thinking about the woman she had seen in the mall earlier. Kassy was used to the number of beautiful women she saw every day. However, there was something different about the woman she met in the luxury store. Her facial features were delicate and her aura made her stand out from the crowd. She had an unforgettable presence. Kassy was almost sure that she had not seen her before, but why did she look familiar to her? She thought of Shawn who had sessfully escaped from the Ind of Despair but had yet to be captured. Kassy seemed to have realized something and suddenly remembered! 2 ''Isn''t that the woman Shawn can¡¯t let go of? Bianca... That''s her name.¡¯ When she was investigating Luke, she had learned that he had a lover in A City. She had seen a photo of that woman and it left quite an impression on her. Kassy stopped the car on the winding road, her expression bing distorted! ''Shawn, you didn''t take the road to heaven but led yourself to hell where there isn''t a way out. You asked for it since you betrayed me! Since your woman has stepped into my territory, don''t me me for being cruel!¡¯ 2 Chapter 698 Chapter 698 Bianca Rayne''s Husband The sun was setting. Luke drove a fishing boat on the surface of the sea. From afar, he could see a luxury cruise ship. The cruise ship was brilliantly lit. There was a party going on. He had been to such asions before. He knew that people from the upperyers of society loved to host tacky events like those to unt their family''s wealth. He narrowed his gaze and thought of an idea. Instantly, he abandoned the fishing boat, dove into the sea elegantly like a swordfish, and swam toward the cruise ship... In the VIP cabin of the cruise ship. A young and handsome man was dressed in the ssic English style. His skin was more delicate than a female, and his deep blue eyes and sculpted mixed-blood features inspired romance. He stood tall and straight like a noble in front of the window, looking down at the hall while slightly frowning. He seemed like a gentleman, but his thin lips were slightly pressed together in disapproval. In front of him was Shanna, a sweet, charming, and graceful blond-haired beauty. She also had deep blue eyes. She pointed at the food in front of her and said fawningly, "Anand, I¡¯ve made French toast, Cornish pie, and walnut tarts for you... Please try them and let me know how it tastes." Shanna paused, seeing that Anand did not move. She pointed at another te and said, "I''ve heard from Mdm. Mahachitra that you love pasteis de nata, so I baked some for you." Shanna was French, but she spoke impable English because she loved the culture. Anand nced at the golden-yellow custard tarts and prepared to sit down. Shanna instantly pulled a chair for him. Very few people know that Anand was the son of the richest person in India. Despite his elevated social status, he preferred working among the regr employees in apany to experience so-called "normal life." Shanna''s family were generational friends with Anand''s. However, their wealth or influence was far inferior to Anand''s family. That was why Shanna''s mother had taught her since young that she should try to capture Anand''s heart so that she could eventually marry him and be the future Mrs. Mahachitra. Since she was a little girl, Shanna''s mother had hired the best culture and etiquette tutors for her. Even after she had a mind of her own, all she thought was how to get on Anand''s good side. The party on the cruise ship was supposed to pave the way for their eventual engagement. Their parents left them in the VIP cabin in hopes that they would get to know each other better. Shanna was obviously overjoyed, but Anand thought that it was all very troublesome. He had always treated Shanna as a younger sister and nothing more. He had told her that repeatedly; not only did she not listen, but she intensified her advances toward him. Anand was frustrated, but he did not know how to utterly discourage her. "I don''t think that we''re a match, Shanna. Faris is better. He..." Faris was Anand''s cousin. He had been trying to court Shanna and had been hounding her incessantly. Shanna interjected before Anand could finish his sentence. "You don''t like these, Anand? I''ll prepare something else for you." "It''s fine, Shanna. You did a great job." Anand looked helplessly at the delicate desserts on the table. They were even more well-made than those found in dessert cafes. Anand could tell that Shanna had spent a lot of effort in perfecting them. However, he was not interested in tasting them. Despite having left A City for a long time, his heart was still attached to the beautiful woman he met in that city - Bianca Rayne, i Bianca was an enigma to him. She was elegant, pure, and seemingly frail and delicate like a flower in a greenhouse. However, when it came to working, she became assertive and aggressive like a totally different person. She was unforgettable. Anand was frustrated when he remembered that Bianca was already married to another man and even bore children with him. His love could not bloom. It had already died when the seed was nted in the soil. He wondered how that woman was doing. After thinking for a while, Anand decided toy the cards on the table with Shanna. "Shanna, I''d rather not continue to deceive you, but I''ve always treated you as a little sister and not a lover. Even if we marry each other, we will not find any bliss. Would you rather devote the rest of your life to a man who doesn''t love you? Moreover... I already have a girl I like, and she has promised that she will marry me. Please don''t waste any more time on me. You won''t find the happiness that you''re looking for." Anand lied to Shanna. The woman he loved was already married with children, and she did not like him at all. However, that was the only way to get Shanna to give up on him. "No! That''s impossible. You must be lying to me. That can''t be true..." Shanna''s delicate face turned pale. She shook her head hard as tears fell from her eyes. She wanted to flip the table and cry hysterically, but she did not do so because of her upbringing. Her fists were clenched tight. Suddenly, she turned around and ran out of the room while crying... Anand sighed as he watched her leave. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Shanna was a good girl. It was perhaps best for her that she gave up on him today. Otherwise, maintaining the lie would only cause more harm. Little did he know that those careless words nearly put Bianca in a deadly peril someday in the future. Anand might have hurt Shanna, but he had finally told Shanna the truth he held in his heart for so long. That made him feel very relieved, and he was in the mood to drink. He had opened a bottle of brandy when he heard something strange behind him. It was a slight sound, but Anand managed to discern it. "Who..." He was about to turn around when he suddenly froze. Someone had covered his mouth tightly and restrained him with an arm as strong as steel. "Shut up!" The person had tried to lower his voice, but Anand could tell that it was a male. Anand opened his eyes wide and struggled. He managed to nce at the man with the corner of his eyes, which made him utterly shocked! ''Luke Crawford? ''... Bianca Rayne''s husband! ''Why is he suddenly on the cruise ship? ''Also, why would that incredibly wealthy man want to take me hostage?'' Chapter 699 Chapter 699 Bianca, It¡¯s Me "Where do you think you''re looking?" The man behind Anand spoke hoarsely, and his grip on Anand became tighter. Anand dared not look around, but he saw that the man had rolled up the sleeve of the arm that was pinning him. Terrifying scars crisscrossed the muscr arm. Anand suddenly remembered that Bianca''s husband had been missing for two years. When he wanted to visit Bianca, she had rejected him, and he did not pursue the matter further. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Where had Luke Crawford been in the past two years? What had he been through? No one would know. From what Anand could see, he could tell that Luke had been suffering. Otherwise, the wealthy and noble Luke would not have so many scars. Suddenly, a servant knocked on the cabin door. "Mr. Anand, were you quarreling with Ms. Shanna earlier? Madam wants you to meet her in the front hall..." Anand could feel something hard and tubr press into his waist. "Listen to me if you want to live. Tell her that you''re upied now." Luke''s tone of voice remained as icy as ever. Anand smiled but did what Luke said anyway. "Yes, I know. Please tell my mother that I''ll change my clothes before going over." "Yes, Mr. Anand." The servant did not sense anything suspicious and left. Luke was pleased that the hostage was willing to cooperate. That saved him a lot of trouble. Before he could ask his hostage about where the cruise ship was heading, Anand suddenly turned around and said with a smile. "Long time no see, Mr. Crawford. Do you still remember me?" Luke''s icy demeanor cracked when he saw Anand''s face. "It''s you!" He knew who that man was. Back in A City, Anand had tried to court Bianca. When Luke found out about it, he threatened the man to stay away and even contacted the Mahachitra family in India to take Anand away from A City. Anand had always thought that his father was behind the decision of summoning him back to inherit the family business. He never knew that Luke was behind all that. Luke had held Anand hostage in an emergency. He did not see the man''s face clearly. Now that he realized who the hostage was, he put his gun down but remained alert. "I''m sorry, Mr. Anand, please pardon my intrusion, but there is a good reason behind it. Where is the cruise ship heading? Can Ie along? I''ll be sure to repay your debt in the future." "Don''t worry about it, Mr. Crawford. It''s a big ship, and it could carry another person." Anand shrugged carelessly. To him, Luke was undoubtedly an outstanding man. Otherwise, Bianca would not be so devoted to him. Anand was a gentleman, and he had be more mature and reserved after two years. If he could not obtain the woman he loved, he did not mind protecting her from the shadows. He took out two shot sses from the cab, filled them with whisky, and handed Luke one. "Where have you been in the past two years, Mr. Crawford? Don''t you know that Rayne nearly lost her mind looking for you?" Luke''s heart wrenched when Bianca''s name was mentioned. He was obsessed with reuniting with her. Considering his current situation, he spoke helplessly, "How is she?" "You should be able to guess how she is now. When you first went missing, T Corporation nearly imploded. I wanted to help her, but she declined my offer. She single-handedly brought thepany back on track. You should know how hard it is for someone without any business or management experience to do that. Moreover, she was pregnant with your baby while juggling company business, and she had to bear with the loss of her husband... I wonder how she managed all that." Luke tried to hold back his feelings of guilt. He reached out his muscr arm toward Anand. "Can I borrow your phone?" "What?" It took a while for Anand to process Luke''s request. He quickly took out his phone and handed it to Luke. ''Here, use it.¡¯ "Thanks." Luke brusquely took the phone and dialed Bianca''s phone number with a trembling finger. He threw caution out of the window when he heard Anand''s words. He was going crazy thinking about that woman. Even if he could not meet her now, he would be satisfied listening to her voice. Even if Robert could trace the call, he could only trace it back to the Mahachitras. Even the Indian government dared not cross that influential family, and Robert would stay away from them. Moscow. Ray broke five of Gordan''s ribs. Gordan had to be hospitalized, and Vivian attended to him in the hospital. Bianca went to visit. On the other hand, Selena hated that man, and she stayed at home to tend to Tommy. Bianca tried to persuade Gordan in the hospital. She did not know if Gordan would listen to her, but she had done all she could. Gordan was amiable toward Bianca but was cold toward Vivian. He seemed to keep a distance from Vivian, as though Vivian was the one at fault. Bianca was helpless, but she believed that Gordan would eventuallye to his senses and ept Vivian''s love. She felt very tired after dealing with Gordan and Vivian. Back at her residence, Selena had already coaxed Tommy to sleep. She briefly exined to Selena what happened at the hospital, to which Selena replied that the man deserved it. After chatting for a while more, Bianca went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Her phone started ringing as soon as she stepped out of the bathroom. She had the urge to reject the call when she saw that it was from Anand. She thought about it more carefully. Even though Anand had been a pest, he rarely contacted her after he went back to India. The man had stopped pestering her, so there was nothing to be afraid of. After hesitating for a short while, Bianca answered the call. "Hello?¡± She could only hear heavy breathing from the other end of the phone. "Is there anything, Anand? If there''s nothing, I''m going to hang up." Bianca''s voice was pleasant but distant. The other end of the call remained silent, but the breathing sounded heavier. Bianca was getting annoyed. She did not know what Anand wanted. Just when she was about to hang up, the voice that came from the other end of the call shook her to her very core. "It''s me, Bianca." Chapter 700 Chapter 700 Thank You, My Wife When Bianca heard that voice, she felt an invisible hand grip her heart, and the pain caused her to tremble uncontrobly. Tears started to fall. ¡®Luke... is that you? Is that really you, Luke?" The woman''s stifled sobs were very soft. Like a wisp of smoke, it traveled through the phone and entered Luke''s ear. It was as though he could see Bianca''s crying face in front of him. Luke''s heart wrenched, but he forced himself to stay calm. "Don''t cry... It''s me. I''m still alive. Listen to me. I''m in a risky situation now, and I can''t contact you too often. Otherwise, you and the children will be in danger. I can''t tell you too much now, but when I get home, I''ll tell you what happened to me over the past two years..." Now, she was like a flower blooming under the sun, but he could only look at her from the shadows. He wanted to pluck that flower, but he could not risk exposing himself. Bianca wanted to stop crying, but she could not stop her tears. "Alright, we''ll wait for your return... Luke, do you know that our third child is born? He''s a boy, and he looks exactly like you. His nickname is Tommy. Lanie and Rainie have been very good too. They never let me worry. Grandpa fell sick after he knew that you went missing, but he''s still healthy. T Corporation is operating normally. I''ve managed to protect your legacy..." They were husband and wife, and Bianca knew the things that concerned Luke the most. Before he could ask, Bianca told him everything that he wanted to know. "Thank you, my wife." Luke''s resonant voice entered Bianca''s ear. "Trust me. I wille back to you soon." Bianca tried to keep her voice low and steady, but her trembling lips betrayed her emotions. "Where are you now, Luke? I brought Tommy to Moscow to look for you, and we''re staying in Ray''s house now. Are you still in Moscow?" Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Luke''s expression changed drastically. "You brought Tommy to Moscow? That''s ridiculous!" "Why shouldn''t I? You went missing in Moscow, so I thought I could find some leads here..." Bianca was puzzled. She felt aggrieved when Luke had responded so violently. Luke began to speak hastily. '' Listen to me, Bianca. My disappearance two years ago is rted to a secret organization of assassins named the League of Shadows. They are cruel and merciless, and they have taken me captive for the past two years. I only managed to escape from their clutches a few days ago, and they''ve been trying to hunt me down. If they find out that you and Tommy are in their territory, you''ll be in danger..." Bianca shook her head in disbelief. Now that Luke had told her about his perilous situation, her tears started flowing again. "What''s going on? If what you said is true, does that mean you''re in bigger danger? How can I save you?" Luke could imagine how weak and helpless Bianca was right now. He tried to calm himself down and spoke to her, "You don''t have to worry about me, silly girl. I''ll be fine. You''ll have to take care of yourself and Tommy. Now that you''re in Russia, the people from the League of Shadows might already have set their eyes on you. Remember what I''m about to tell you: Ray is a powerful figure in Russia. Even though I¡¯ve only met him once, I can say that you can count on him. We''re considered friends, and you can seek him for help. "There''s also Gordan, that b*stard. He might be frivolous when ites to women, but you can rely on him for everything else. If you tell them your situation, they''ll be able to help you. I''ll try toe back to Moscow as soon as possible, but in the meantime, you should stay with Ray and not go anywhere else. The League of Shadows has eyes everywhere, and I can''t imagine what would happen if you fell into their hands¡¯" Bianca sobbed. "Alright, I''ll listen to whatever you say, Luke. All I hope now is that you return to me safely..." "I will return to you. If everything goes well, I wille back to you soon. I can''t tell you too much when I''m using someone else''s phone, but you have to remember what I tell you. I love you, my wife..." "I love you too, Luke. The children and I will wait for your return." Bianca ended the call reluctantly. Looking at Tommy sleeping peacefully on the bed, she nted a heavy kiss on his face. "Son, your Daddy ising back to us soon. You''ll be able to meet him." A luxury car without a license te stopped next to the road under a tree. The window rolled down, revealing a charming and seductive pair of lips. The woman wore sunsses, even though it waste at night. The night wind scattered the woman''s blond hair, which made her look cold. "Have you found out anything about that woman?¡± Kassy''s voice was soft and gentle as she spoke in Russian. A muscr man stepped forward and said respectfully, "Yes, Ms. Kassy. We have found the identity of that woman. Her name is Bianca Rayne, and she is indeed his wife in A City. She is here in Russian with her son to find Matthew''s whereabouts, but I''m afraid that we won''t be able to deal with her that easily." The woman was silent for a while. "Why?¡± "Bianca is now staying in Ray''s residence. We haven''t now found out what her rtionship with Ray is, but she must be very close to him for Ray to allow her to stay in his residence. Ray, that man, he''s a lunatic..." Kassy lit a cigarette and smiled. "Heh, what''s Ray when we have our godfather behind us?" She said nonchntly. "Kill that woman, no matter what it takes! Oh, and, bring that b *stard child back to me. I''d like to see if Matthew will show up if he knows that his son is in my hands! Do this..." She whispered something in the muscr man''s ear. The man nodded, waved his arm, and brought several men in ck to carry out her orders. Chapter 701 Chapter 701 I Miss You, Bianca, I Miss You... Bianca dreamed of Luke that night. In the dream, they were lying on a meadow. The willow trees were sprouting, and the sun was gentle. Her face was buried in his chest. One hand was caressing his handsome face, immersed in the bliss of reunion, while the other hand was yfully punching him. She alternated between crying andughing, asking him, "Where have you been for the past two years? Don''t you know that I''ve almost lost my mind thinking about you?" All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. He did not speak, but she could see her reflection in his clear eyes. His gaze was so gentle and profound that she could drown in it. He kissed her madly. "I miss you, Bianca, I miss you," he mumbled. Their limbs intertwined with each other. She could sense the warmth of his body. His soul belonged to her. Just when she was about to tear his clothes away, she felt her body suddenly sink, waking up from her dream. She opened her eyes and saw a pair of eyes as clear and profound as Luke''s. Tommy sprawled mischievously on her. "Wake up, Mommy, wake up. Can you bring me out to y today?" He said adorably. Bianca was in a daze. She did not want to wake up from that dream. She was looking at her son, but her thoughts were far away. Tommy became unhappy when he saw that his mother did not talk to him or hug him as usual. "Don''t you love me, Mommy? Why are you ignoring me?" He sounded aggrieved. Bianca instantly hugged him tightly and pretended to look fierce. "The evil witch is here to eat you! Are you afraid?" "Ooo, the evil witch is gonna eat me..." Tommy pretended to be afraid. Then, he slumped limply as though he had been eaten. Biancaughed while hugging her son. Her son never failed to make herugh. Soon, Tommy got up again and looked at Bianca earnestly. "We''ve yed this game so many times, Mommy. It''s so childish. Can''t you act as something else? Now that I''ve entertained you, can you bring me to the theme park?" He stared at Bianca expectantly. He had no other friends in this foreign country, and he was not as free as he was back home. He was eager to go out and y. Bianca hesitated for a while, then rubbed his head and said gently, "It''s not a good time to go out now. How about I bring you out and y some other time?" He remembered what Luke told her the night before. A secret assassin organization called the League of Shadows might have had their eyes on them, and she should not go out unless it was terribly urgent. The consequences would be dire if Bianca and Tommy fall into the assassins'' hands. "That''s what you always say, Mommy, but you always go back on your promises. Uncle Louis says that we have to keep to our word." The little boy pulled his mother''s finger in an attempt to lift her out of bed. Of course, the little boy was not strong enough. His face was beet-red from exertion, but Bianca did not move an inch. "Silly boy!" Bianca looked at him and chuckled. Tommy sat on his mother''s stomach, pouted, and turned his head away." Bad Mommy, I don''t wanna y with Mommy anymore!" Bianca could not help butugh when she saw her son''s funny face. She pretended to cough and said out loud, ''Mommy bought a new robot toy yesterday because it looked so cool. I wanted to give it to a certain little boy as a surprise, but if he doesn''t want to y with me anymore, guess I''ll return it..." Tommy widened his eyes when he heard that there was a robot toy. He turned around and hugged Bianca''s neck. "I love you the most, Mommy! You''re my one and only love, you''re the apple of my eye and the candle to my heart..." Biancaughed out loud and pinched his nose. "You really know how to make Mommyugh, you clever little boy." She did not expect her son to say that, though she was very entertained. Tommy was puzzled why his mother wasughing out loud. He happened to read that line in a book, and he had a very good memory. "Can I have the toy, Mommy? I wanna y..." The little boy nted a wet kiss on his mother¡¯s cheek and began to negotiate. "You naughty boy, you already know how to sweet-talk your Mommy when you''re so young. I wonder what you''d be when you grow up!" Bianca pinched Tommy''s face indulgently. She got off the bed, took out the robot toy from an antique wooden chest, and handed it to Tommy. ¡¯Here, Mommy bought this for you." "Thank you, Mommy!" Tommy took the toy happily and tore the packaging." Wow, so cool!" Looking at how happy her son was, Bianca ventured, "Tommy, your Daddy will being back soon. Do you want to meet him?" Tommy had never seen Luke before. Everything that he knew about his father was ryed to him by his mother. Bianca told Tommy that his Daddy was an invincible hero, and Tommy admired his Daddy a lot. However, Bianca was afraid that Tommy might not ept Luke so readily. What should she do if that happened? "Mommy, is Daddying back from saving the world? Really? When can I meet him?" The little boy put his toy away when he heard that and looked at his mother expectantly. Bianca felt a little more at ease when she saw her son''s reaction. It looked like he was eager to meet his father. She could not wait until the time when they reunited with Luke. At noon, Vivian went to the hospital to tend to Gordan. Only Bianca, Selena, and the other people remained in the cavernous mansion. The butler prepared lunch, and Bianca, Selena, and Tommy ate their meal in the dining hall. About a dozen bodyguards dressed in ck stood around them. Halfway through lunch, the friendly maid suddenly said something strange, "It''s time for you to go, Mrs. Crawford!" Bianca was halfway feeding Tommy. She was about to ask the maid what she meant when she saw the maid''s friendly demeanor suddenly turn sinister. More frighteningly, all the bodyguards in the dining hall began to fall to the floor one after another... Chapter 702 Chapter 702 You''d Better Hope That Nothing Happens To My Wife and Son In the dining hall, the maid tore off a paper-thin mask from her face. Bianca had never seen the face below the mask before. She was shocked. "Who are you? What did you do to Mary?" Mary was the maid who personally attended to Bianca. "You can ask her that in hell!" The "maid" smiled sinisterly. With a wave of her hand, many strangers wielding machine guns rushed into the dining hall. Selena was shocked. She tried to hold off the intruders with her taekwondo skills while shouting to Bianca, "Run away with Tommy, Sis!" Naturally, bare fists were no match to guns. Soon, Selena was sprawled on the floor with a gun pointed at her head. "Selena!" Bianca cried out. She carried Tommy and tried to find a way out. "Mommy, Mommy..." Sensing danger, Tommy hugged Bianca¡¯s neck tightly and did not make a fuss. Bianca felt a muscr arm hold her by her beck, and the maid held a dagger to her face. The coldness of the de made Bianca shudder. "You''d better listen to what I say, Mrs. Crawford. Otherwise, I won''t hesitate in killing your son right now!" The maid spoke Russian, and Bianca did not understand. The maid shifted the tip of the dagger from Bianca''s face to Tommy''s neck, indicating to Bianca the consequences of disobeying her. Bianca stood there stiffly. She dared not move a muscle, though she hugged Tommy more tightly in case the dagger identally pierced the little boy''s neck. She looked helplessly at the bodyguards who had passed out on the floor, then at the armed intruders. Needless to say, the bodyguards in the other parts of the mansion must have been subdued too. Vivian had told Bianca that Ray had installed many bodyguards and high- tech defense measures in the mansion to protect her from his many enemies. Bianca did not understand how those people managed to get in. Bianca was afraid, but she forced herself to be calm. "Don''t be rash. I know why you''re doing this, but Ray won''t let you off that easily if he finds out that you''ve done this! Selena, please trante it to her..." "Pah!" Selena spat at the maid as she red ferociously at her. Then, she ryed to the maid in Russian what Bianca said. "You''re the first woman who dares to spit at me. Do you have a death wish? The maid cackled, handed Bianca and her son to another assassin, then walked up to Selena and pped her. "Looks like you don''t want this beautiful face anymore!" Selena''s face instantly swelled up, and traces of blood could be seen on the corner of her mouth. Bianca was instantly furious. "What are you doing? Don''t hurt Selena! Come at me if you want anything!" The maid ignored her and stepped onto Selena''s face with her high heels." Tell Ray that the League of Shadows took them away! Get Luke Crawford toe if he wants them to live!"N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. She spoke arrogantly as though not afraid of Ray at all. After that, the intruders left with Bianca and Tommy in tow. Selena nearly burst into tears as she watched those people bring her cousin away. After those people left, she hurriedly took out her phone and tried to call Ray. Those people had crippled themunicationwork surrounding the area, and the call could not go through... Without any other choice, Selena had to look for Ray at his house. Ray¡¯s mansion was about half an hour away from Vivian''s mansion. When Selena arrived there, the guards at the front gate had changed. They did not recognize Selena and did not let her in! Selena was almost at the end of her wits when she saw Ray leaving his mansion. Ray''s car drove out of the gate. He saw Selena standing there anxiously with her cheek as swollen as a bun. "What happened?" He asked worriedly. He had received a call from Luke only half an hour ago and was overjoyed to find that Luke was still alive. On the other hand, he was troubled that the League of Shadows was after Luke. Luke had requested him to take care of his wife and son. After the call ended, Ray immediately gave Vivian and Bianca a call, but he could not get through no matter what. Feeling an ominous premonition, he prepared to go to his sister''s mansion. The ominous feeling became stronger when he saw Selena waiting for him at the entrance. Selena told Ray while panting, "Mr. Ray, the League of Shadows has taken away my cousin and her son!" Ray was shocked. His expression sank. Selena continued, "They said that they want Luke to meet them. Otherwise, they''ll kill my cousin and Tommy!" "Sh*t! How dare the League of Shadows cause trouble on my turf? Very well, it''s been a while since I''ve had a good workout..." Ray cursed, punched the steering wheel, and beckoned to Selena. "Get in the car!" Selena quickly sat on the side passenger seat, and the ck Ferrari shot out like an arrow. In the car, Ray dialed a doubly-encrypted call. "Luke, the League of Shadows has taken your wife and son. If you want to save them,e to Moscow by whatever means possible!" Ignoring the loud curses from the man on the other end of the call, Ray instantly hung up. "What? Is Luke still alive? If he''s not dead, why didn''t he show up in front of my cousin? She risked her life to look for him in Moscow. Does he know that? Why didn''t he contact her? What an irresponsible man!" Selena was shocked to find out that Luke was still alive, though the shock soon turned into indignation, and she started toin about Luke. "Shut up, woman!" Ray was already in a bad mood. Selena''sints further aggravated her. ''I don''t understand why women are all chatterboxes. Why can''t they all be quiet and gentle like Vivian?'' Selena did not speak further, but she red angrily at Ray. ''Is that how he treats a woman? No wonder he''s pushing thirty and still single. Serves him right!'' Meanwhile, Luke nearly crushed his phone when he found out that the League of Shadows had abducted his wife and son. His eyes became bloodshot, and his demeanor was like a ferocious beast that threatened anyone who came close! ''You''d better hope that nothing happens to my wife and son, Robert. Otherwise, I''ll wipe out the entire League of Shadows!'' Chapter 703 Chapter 703 You¡¯ll Be My Horsey Tonight The female assassin stuffed Bianca and Tommy into a car without a license te. Bianca could feel that her heart was going to jump out of her chest when she felt the barrel of a gun press against her head. However, Tommy did not seem to be afraid at all. He opened his eyes wide and stared at the female assassin. He even pulled a funny face at her and reached out to touch the gun. "Do you have a death wish, you brat?" The female assassin said fiercely and pointed the gun at Tommy''s head. Bianca hugged Tommy tightly and pressed his head onto her chest. "Don''t harm my son. He''s still young and doesn''t know anything! Come at me if you¡¯re unhappy!" She did not know why Tommy was so bold. He was usually quite sensible and intelligent, but he seemed to have lost all sense of danger. The people around them were merciless assassins. What if they got angry? Tommy struggled and lifted his head. His handsome face shed a cheeky grin at the female assassin. The little boy started to speak in fluent Russian, "You''re so pretty, Miss. Your skin is so nice. I''ve never seen another girl as pretty as you since I came to Moscow. Are you an angel?" i The female assassin seemed happy when Tommy ttered her. A hint of joy appeared on her ice-cold face, and she subconsciously touched her cheek. "Really?" "Of course, but you''re too fierce. If you''d smile a little more and treat my Mommy better, you''d be even prettier. If you keep on pulling that long face, no man will like you. My uncle told me that men don''t like women who look fierce all the time..." Tommy began to give the female assassin rtionship advice as though he was an adult. 1 The female assassin could not help but be amused by the precocious child. "What are you doing, Tommy?" Bianca could not understand what her son was telling the female assassin in the maid uniform, but she was afraid that he might anger that woman. She gently twisted her son''s ear and said, "They''re all baddies. You''d better not make them angry..." The female assassin red coldly at Bianca. Bianca instantly hugged Tommy tightly. "What do you want?" The female assassin thought what Tommy said made sense. Her expression was still cold, but her attitude toward Bianca warmed up a little. "Don''t worry, I''m not going to do anything to you, but when I hand you over to Ms. Kassy... Hah, you won''t be so lucky!" Tommy tranted what the female assassin said, and Bianca felt even more uneasy. Who was Kassy, and why did she want to abduct her and her son? Three vehicles drove on the eerie, winding road. Suddenly, it started raining heavily. Bianca''s unease grew when she looked at the familiar environment. That was the ce where Luke went missing. The atmosphere in the car was stifling. Even Tommy could sense that the atmosphere was different from before. He sat quietly on Bianca''sp. Several crows flew past the forest. Their loud caws were unnerving. The female assassin could sense that something was amiss. Through the wirelessmunicator, she gave her order. "This is a danger zone. Everyone, be on the highest alert!" As soon as she gave out the order, she saw ck cars lined in a row on the road in front of them. It was very suspicious for so many ck cars to be blocking the road on a rainy night. The female assassin tightened her grip on her gun and shot a nce at the rearview mirror. She noticed that a row of ck cars had blocked the other direction. They were caught in the middle. The female assassin nearly blurted curses. They were almost out of that wretched danger zone. Bianca hugged Tommy tightly. She did not know what was going on, but she could tell that there would be a terrible battle. She did not want anything to happen to her little Tommy, i The other assassins reacted. Before the female assassin could give her orders, they opened fire at the row of ck cars. Gunfire and wails of agony echoed in the air. No one could tell who was hit. Suddenly, two explosions rocked the surroundings. The two military vehicles behind the female assassin''s car were sent flying by the explosions! The people in those vehicles let out agonized cries, startling the birds in the forest. Blood sshed on the windshield of the car. Bianca nearly shrieked when she saw the blood flowing down the windshield! She instantly covered Tommy¡¯s eyes and ears to shield him from the horrifying scene. She wished that she had wings so that she could bring Tommy to somewhere safe. When she saw Raye out from the ck car in front, she felt slightly more at ease. The man stood tall and handsome, and his bearing was like a king. His clear blue eyes stared at the surviving assassins as though they were nothing more than insects. "Sh*t!" The female assassin sneered murderously when she saw Ray. "Run him over, 001!" She was starting to be flustered. She had underestimated Ray. They were on a top-secret mission, and their route was not nned. How formidable Ray must be to pinpoint their location! The female assassin dragged Bianca out of the car and pressed the barrel of her gun on Bianca''s head. "Tell your men to stand down. Otherwise, I''ll kill them right now!" She yelled. Bianca''s arms were shaking as she hugged Tommy tightly and tried tofort him, but the little boy was not scared at all. He waved at Ray and said, "You''re toote, Uncle Ray! You''ll be my horsey tonight!¡± "Alright!" Ray grinned indulgently at Tommy. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org The man walked elegantly toward Bianca. Behind him, his subordinate followed him closely while holding an umbre. "Don''t... don''te any closer. I''ll kill her right now..." The female assassin was getting flustered. She did not expect that Ray was impervious to threats. Ray nced at the female assassin condescendingly. Usually, small fry like her did not deserve to talk to him! Just when the female assassin was about to pull the trigger, a bullet pierced through her head, and she fell down abruptly with her eyes open... 1 Chapter 704 Chapter 704 He Is Protecting... The snipers stationed at the higher ground were very urate. They killed one person with every bullet they fired. Ray''s men quickly dispatched the other assassins and began to clean up the scene. Ray walked up to Bianca. He frowned slightly when he saw the bloodstains on her delicate arm. ¡°I''m sorry, Sis. I have been negligent. Fortunately, you''re safe. Otherwise, I don''t know what to tell Mr. Crawford." Bianca shook her head gently. "The blood belongs to someone else and not me. I''m fine. Tommy is also fine. Thank you, Ray." Ray could not help but be impressed when he saw the little boy in Bianca''s arms smiling and waving. Any other child would have been reduced to tears after witnessing such a horrific scene. Tommy was not afraid at all. Ray believed that the boy would grow up to be an extraordinary man. "You were so cool when you got out of the car, Uncle Ray!" Tommy reached out with his meaty arms, wanting Ray to carry him. Ray took the little boy from Bianca''s arms and carried him clumsily. He smiled indulgently and said to Tommy, "Tell me. You must want something from me if you''re ttering me like that." Tommy pulled a funny face at Ray and stuck out his tongue. "I''m not asking anything from you, Uncle Ray, but I happen to want a model castle..." "I''ll give you one if you give me a kiss." Ray turned his left cheek at Tommy. Tommy instantly pecked Ray''s cheek, which caused him tough heartily. The man''s heartyughter echoed in the dense forest and alleviated the tense situation. Bianca looked at Ray quietly. That man was entirely different from his coldblooded self earlier. She recalled that Luke was the same. The man might have an icy exterior, but he was like a child in front of her. She began to miss him. Luke had said that he would meet her in Moscow in two days, but she could not help but worry. The League of Shadows exhausted all means to capture him. She was afraid that the organization might seed. She had lost him once, and she would want to experience the agony for the second time. 1 Now that she had received the surprise that he was still alive, she would not want to lose him again. The Venus de Milo sculpture stood in the corner of the opulently furnished room. The ornate silver embossed mirror reflected a breathtakingly beautiful face. Kassy sat in front of the mirror casually applying lipstick. Any man would have gone crazy over that face. She heard a knock at the door. One of her most trusted subordinates rushed into the room and whispered something into her ear. "Useless, all of them!" Kassy''s beautiful face contorted as she listened to the report.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. She punched the mirror, which caused it to shatter into pieces. Bloodstained ss shards scattered all over the floor. Each of the shards reflected a horrifying visage. "Ms. Kassy, Ray''s sudden appearance disrupted our ns. We would have seeded if he didn''t block our way..." The subordinate subconsciously took two steps back. Kassy grunted condescendingly. "It''s only Ray, an outcast of the family! Aren''t you ashamed that you can''t defeat him? I''ve tasked you to find more information about that woman. Have you found anything?" The subordinate breathed a sigh of relief when he knew that his life was spared. Instantly, he began to tell Kassy what he found out about Bianca. "Bianca Rayne and Luke Crawford are married with three children. The elder pair of twins are seven and a half years old, while the youngest child is two and a half years old and Is currently with her in Moscow. "In the two years that Luke Crawford went missing, the woman had singlehandedly kept T Corporation afloat and expanded the business. We can see that she''s quite capable. "Shortly before Luke went missing, he hade to Moscow to negotiate with Ray for his good friend Gordan Norton''s life. Luke and Ray had no previous interactions before that. Now that Gordan is Ray''s brother-inw, Luke can be said to be a part of Ray''s extended family. "We are unable to find out how Bianca is rted to Ray. Ray seems to respect her a lot, and he closely protects her. I wonder if they have any carnal rtions. As far as we know of Ray, he would not protect any woman other than his elder sister Vivian." Kassy sat on a ruby-red couch with her legs crossed. Her expression was gloomy. A female servant kneeled on the floor while bandaging her hand, and another female servant lit a cigarette for her. The me flickered in Kassy''s hand. "What is Bianca Rayne''s background?" She asked coldly. "She is an ordinary woman from an ordinary family. Her father was an unremarkable office employee, and he had passed away from cancer a few years ago. Her stepmother and stepsister are currently in prison. Her only direct rtions are her grandfather in his sixties and an aunt who is also suffering from cancer." "Bianca... Rayne..." Kassy repeated that name. Her voice was dripping with contempt. Why would Matthew love that unremarkable woman? "Have you found out Matthew''s whereabouts?" "Yes, we have. Matthew is currently with the Mahachitra family''s heir. He does not bother covering his tracks anymore, and he brazenly exposes himself under our surveince... might it be a trick?" The subordinate was right to be suspicious. Luke had bested them again and again with his cunning ns. Kassy narrowed her dark blue eyes. She could sense danger. She knew Matthew''s personality after interacting with him for two years. The man would not identally expose his whereabouts. He was doing that to draw their attention. He must be protecting Bianca Rayne. So what about that? Matthew was destined to be hers, and no woman could take him away. To Kassy, his wife and children were only a bunch of dead bodies! Chapter 705 Chapter 705 Suddenly, She Saw Luke¡¯s Handsome Face Kassy lit another cigarette. Her expression was gloomy. Three separate forces were searching for Matthew. The first was the League of Shadows, the second was Ray''s men, and the third was Percy Mallory, the leader of A City''s criminal underworld, i It was a race against time, and Kassy had to be faster than Ray and Percy. Otherwise, once he managed to escape from her clutches, it would be next to impossible to capture that crafty man again. "Ms. Kassy..." While Kassy was deep in thought, another subordinate rushed into the room excitedly. "We found Matthew''s whereabouts." Kassy instantly stubbed out her cigarette and stood up. "Where is he?" "He is seen near a shopping mall in Arbat Street..." Before he could finish the sentence, Kassy was nowhere to be seen. Late in the evening, in Moscow¡¯s famous pedestrian street. Luke walked among the crowd. He wore a pair of oversized sunsses, and only his sculpted chin was seen. He nced coldly at the ck cars that surrounded the entire street. Many tourists wereining about the inconvenience. Only the League of Shadows would be so brazen. Kassy sat in one of the cars. Perhaps it was intuition, but her eyes nced toward the side and saw Luke''s handsome face. Even though his sunsses obscured half of his face, she could recognize him instantly. She was both happy and angry that the man had appeared in Moscow, and he had not bothered to cover his tracks. She was happy that she had finally found him, but she was angry that the reason for his appearance in the city was to protect another woman. "Could this be another of Matthew''s traps?" One of Kassy* s subordinates said, "He had spent two years nning his escape from the Ind of Despair, so why would he expose himself so brazenly? He''s not going to turn himself in just like that, right?" "What do you think?" "I think that the man is only bait. Matthew is a master of disguise. It would be trivial for him to create a double." i Kassy chuckled audibly. "Matthew might be able to make someone else look like him, but can his demeanor be copied?" "Well, it might be a mere coincidence. Moreover, Matthew might just be able to do it..." "Shut up. That man is Matthew and no one else. I''m very sure of it!" Kassy stared obsessively at the tall and well-built man. He might be standing amid a crowd of tourists, but he was the most dazzling person. Luke noticed Kassy as well. He took off his sunsses, smiled charmingly at her, then abruptly went into a shopping mall. Kassy could feel her cold and dead hearting to life when she saw that smile. "Go after him! Cover all the exits. He won''t be able to get away today!" Kassy ordered her subordinates coldly. Luke went into a high-end boutique that sold all thetest fashion designs. It had everything from clothes to footwear. A sales clerk saw hime in, and her eyes lit up in surprise. She began to attend to Luke eagerly. "Good evening, Sir. What do you need? We have thetest men''s designs..." Luke wagged his hand at her and replied in fluent Russian, "Don''t mind me. I¡¯m just looking around." The sales clerk was surprised as she watched him pick some clothes and go into the dressing room. Her eyes opened wide when Luke reappeared! What a beautiful "woman!" "Her" skin was fair, "her" nose bridge was high, "her" lips were vivid red, and "her" curly burgundy hair drapedzily over "her" shoulder. The Bohemian dress entuated the curves of her body, and "her" gaze was ice-cold. "She" was a breathtaking sight! "S... Sir? Or should I call you... Miss?" The sales clerk struggled to string together aplete sentence. She could not believe that the handsome man had transformed into a beautiful woman. What did he do? Luke wore an oversized sunhat on his head and tossed a credit card at the sales clerk. "Enough talk!" His voice was resonant. After paying for the clothes, he swaggered out of the boutique. Behind him, the sales clerk was still in shock. ''Don''t tell me... he has a crossdressing fetish?¡¯ She thought. Luke calmly walked along the path. He had never pulled off such a daring act. The League of Shadows had eyes everywhere. That was the only way he could escape their surveince. Anand had helped him to reach Moscow, and he did not want to fail. All he wanted was to meet Bianca as soon as possible. Not long after he exited the boutique, he saw several men in ck walk in his direction. They were grabbing tourists and asking them if they had seen the man in the photo. Naturally, the photo was Luke''s mugshot. All of the men in ck had a copy. "Hey, stop there. Have you seen this man?" One of the men in ck called out to Luke, and several of them surrounded him. Luke took off his sunsses, revealing a stunning face. His voice became feminine. "I was in the souvenir store earlier, and I thought I''d seen someone like him..." He pointed in the other direction with a slender finger. The leader of the men in ck waved at his subordinates. "Let''s go!" N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. The people rushed toward the souvenir store. Meanwhile, Luke put on his sunsses again and followed the crowd toward the exit. Kassy and a few dozen armed men blocked the mall entrance while pointing their guns at the people who were exiting the mall. They thoroughly checked every person that stepped out of the mall. Chapter 706 Chapter 706 That Handsome Mr. Crawford Luke casually walked out of the mall. The "woman" stood out in the crowd. "Her" appearance was unique, and " her" mannerisms were elegant and graceful. Kassy nced at Luke suspiciously, thinking that the woman seemed to be abnormally tall. However, it was not unusual for a woman in Russia to be over six feet in height. Kassy pointed at Luke domineeringly and ordered him, "You! Take off your sunsses!" Luke smiled and did what he was told. His fair face was brought into view. Kassy frowned. That beautiful "woman" had a pair of bewitching eyes, and they looked somewhat familiar. Soon, she banished that thought. A man as prideful as Matthew would not stoop to disguising himself as a woman. Moreover, Matthew''s skin was a healthy bronze color, while that woman was fair. They were not simr at all. She waved impatiently at Luke. "Go away. Stop wasting our time." The men in ck let Luke off. Kassy continued to search for Luke in the crowd. None of those people matched Luke''s physical characteristics. Her impatience grew. "All of you stay here and guard this entrance. Don''t let anyone slip past your eyes. All of you from the other group, follow me inside!" An ambiguous smile appeared under the wide-brimmed sunhat as Luke followed the crowd and went off in the other direction. In the mall. Kassy and her subordinates went into store after store, asking for Luke''s whereabouts, but they did not find anything. As they passed through a luxury boutique, Kassy noticed a Bohemian dress on disy. It was the same design as what the tall woman wore earlier. Somehow, that woman left a deep impression on Kassy. Perhaps it was that unforgettably beautiful face, or it might be Kassy''s intuition. Kassy entered the boutique and reached toward the dress. The sales clerk came over with a smile, "Do you want this dress too? You have good taste. Just earlier, a woman... oh, I mean, a man also bought this dress." Kassy red at the sales clerk coldly and pressed the barrel of a gun against her head. "What did you say just now? A man bought the dress earlier?" The sales clerk nearly passed out from fright. She realized that the men in ck suits who had surrounded the boutique were not customers after all. "What... what do you want?" She stammered. One of Kassy''s subordinates took out a photo and shoved it in front of the sales clerk''s face. ''Have you seen this man?" The sales clerk''s legs nearly gave way. She instantly told the truth. "Yes... yes... the man bought some women''s clothes, a pair of high heels, and a sunhat. I thought he wanted to buy them for his wife or girlfriend, but he went into the dressing room and changed into those clothes... "I can''t believe a handsome man like him would have a crossdressing fetish. Not only did he wear those clothes, but he also took a wig from one of the mannequins..." "He wore women''s clothes and a wig?" Kassy raised her voice. "Y... Yes... those are thetest designs, and I didn''t expect the clothes to look so good on him. He looks more beautiful than a woman..." The sales clerk stammered. She dared not move even a muscle. She sounded impressed when she said thest sentence. Kassy suddenly remembered that tall woman she saw at the mall entrance. That beautiful face, those familiar features, and that bewitching gaze... Those eyes were not filled with love. They were mocking her. Kassy was livid when she thought that her target had slipped away right before her eyes. "After him!" She strode out of the boutique while trying not to lose her temper. The subordinates took photos of the dress and followed her out. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Instantly, all the assassins received the update that Luke was disguised as a woman. He was dressed in a sky-blue Bohemian dress, a white sunhat, and tan sunsses. Luke walked toward the parking lot with his head lowered. Suddenly, two men in ck suits intercepted him. "Hold it right there!" Luke did not respond and kept walking. Soon, a wall of men in ck suits appeared in front of him. A dozen bodyguards red at him as though ring at a small animal. Luke''s gaze turned cold, but he spoke calmly with an American ent. "I''m sorry, what''s going on?" "Pleasee with us, Matthew. Ms. Kassy is very angry now!'' Luke discreetly lowered his hat and spoke calmly, "Sorry, you must''ve been mistaken. I don''t know any Ms. Kassy." "Hmph! That''s enough talk. Bring the traitor back!" One of the men in ck impatiently reached out toward Luke. Luke deftly dodged, covered the man''s mouth from behind while his other hand pinched his neck. With a firm twist, the man fell limply without making a sound. Luke did not want to kill, but bloodshed seemed to always find him. He had to kill to survive. The other assassin instantly pointed his pistol toward Luke. Luke pounced onto the man like a wild cheetah and grabbed onto the pistol, but he was slightly too late. The assassin pulled the trigger. "Sh*t!" Luke cursed under his breath when he heard the gunshot. The bullet missed his vitals, though it grazed past his arm. The wound burned like fire. Ignoring the pain, Luke kneed the assassin in the stomach while disarming him with one hand. His training on the Ind of Despair made him able to disarm someone even with his eyes closed. Then, he dislocated the assassin''s arms and dragged him further into the parking lot as a meat shield. However, the other assassins quickly surrounded him. Luke smirked coldly. He had a silver pistol in his hand that gleamed cryptically under the dim light. ''This''ll be a bloodbath. I hope that I can still meet Bianca...'' Right when he was about to mount ast-ditch effort, gunshots rang out, and the assassins that surrounded him fell one after another. Luke looked around him in surprise. He saw Percy walking toward him with a smirk on his face. "Hey, I didn''t know that the handsome Mr. Crawford can be a beautiful woman too!" 1 Chapter 707 Chapter 707 A Happy Reunion Luke let his guard down a little when he saw that it was Percy. "Why are you here?" "I happened to be passing through and saw a woman in need," Percy said jokingly. When he noticed the wound on Luke''s arm, he sounded concerned. "Are you alright? Is it serious?" Luke chuckled coldly. "I won''t die. Yet." He knew that Percy was concerned about him even though he was joking. That was the way Luke''s good friends cared for him. Perhaps friendship among men was like that. "Tsk tsk, I should''ve known that you''re born lucky. That huge explosion didn''t even kill you, so what could a few underlings do to you? How did you be so fair though? Did you undergo stic surgery? I''d like to know your secret..." Percy spoke animatedly as he reached out to touch Luke''s chin. Luke narrowly dodged Percy¡¯s hand and shot a piercing re at him. "Do you want to know my secret to fair skin?" Percy nodded in puzzlement. It was not surprising that he was curious. Luke''s female disguise was breathtakingly beautiful. He could not figure out how someone masculine like Luke could transform into a delicate woman. Luke''s finger pointed somewhere in the distance. Then, he tended to his wounds. "What the hell? Where should I look? Don''t tell me that there''s a stic surgeon over there?" Percy followed the direction of Luke¡¯s finger but saw nothing special other than several grocery stores. Luke ignored him. He deftly bandaged his wound and said, "Let''s go!" The man continued to walk toward the parking lot while Percy''s gaze wandered from one signboard to the next. His eyes narrowed slightly when they fell on a signboard that said "MYKA". Luke seemed to be pointing at that signboard earlier. Percy''s mouth opened wide in disbelief. ''Wait, don''t tell me that Luke used flour to whiten himself? ''If that''s the case, then he''s a master of disguise!'' The opulent room with a dome ceiling and golden wallpaper was basked in the warm glow of a lotus- shaped wallmp. A beautiful woman slept on the white four-post bed. She was hugging a cute little toddler. When Luke entered the room, that was the heartwarming scene he saw. The dim yellow light illuminated the faces of the mother and the son. His eyes greedily took in the sight of Bianca while his hand gently caressed her tender skin. It had been two years. She was as beautiful as ever, but she seemed to have lost a lot of weight. The little boy next to her who looked like a miniature version of Luke was Tommy without a doubt. He was sleeping soundly in Bianca''s embrace. That was the first time Luke had seen their third child. He was excited, but his attention was focused on Bianca. He carefully moved Tommy away, then he went close and stared obsessively at Bianca¡¯s face. Bianca''s sleeping face was peaceful. Her long eyshes trembled asionally like fluttering butterflies. "Mmm... Luke..." Bianca suddenly called out in her dreams, and her cheeks blushed slightly. That call was like a catalyst that evoked all of Luke''s repressed feelings for her. He took off his jacket and got onto the bed. Bianca dreamed of Luke again. While she was fully immersed in the dream, she suddenly felt something heavy and cold press on her body and woke her up abruptly. Suddenly, she felt a sharp sensation on her lip, as though it was bitten. Bianca wanted to open her mouth, but she felt a warm and moist tongue enter her mouth and wriggle around in her oral cavity. She was shocked and confused. She immediately opened her eyes and saw a pair of gentle and indulgent eyes looking at her. "... Luke?" Bianca opened her eyes wide in disbelief. She wanted to shriek as tears filled her eyes. "Is it you? Is it really you? Am I still dreaming?" Luke took her hand and ced it on his cheek. "It''s me, silly girl. You''re not dreaming. Aren''t you touching my face now?" Bianca could feel the warmth of Luke''s body. She stared at Luke''s face in a daze and mumbled, "So I''m not dreaming. You''re really back... Where have you been? Don''t you know that I''ve almost lost my mind thinking about you? His profound gaze was brimming with love for her, and his thin lips were soft and familiar. His face glowed dazzlingly under the dim yellow light. Luke brushed away Bianca''s hair fringe and kissed her forehead. "I''m sorry to have you wait for so long. I''m back now, and I won''t leave you alone ever again." He hugged her tightly as though he wanted to fuse her body with his. "I miss you so much, Bea..." The man''s warm lips traveled down Bianca''s face and onto her neck. He had forced himself to be celibate for the past two years, and he could not hold himself back anymore in the throes of passion. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Bianca''s tear-filled eyes stared at him. Her heart was brimming with joy and excitement. Soon, he stirred up her passions. They eagerly stripped off their clothes, forgetting that their son was sleeping next to them. Just when Luke was about to enter Bianca, he suddenly heard a fierce but childish voice. "Let go of Mommy, you baddie!" Luke felt something hard press against his waist. He tried to hold back his urges and looked toward the source of the voice. A toy gun was pointed at his waist. Instantly, his gaze turned cold as he red at his son who had interrupted him! The unbelievably handsome little boy was his son. He was angry that his mother was being pinned down by an unfamiliar man. Her cheeks were burning red, and she seemed to be in pain. Tommy pointed the toy gun at the "baddie." "Let go of Mommy! Otherwise, I''ll shoot!" 1 Bianca covered her face with her hands in embarrassment. ''Sigh! I let my son catch me in the act!'' Chapter 708 Chapter 708 How Is She Going To Face Her Son? Tommy saw his mother covering her face and thought that she was crying. That made him behave even more angrily toward Luke. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. His tiny body stood tall and straight, and his round eyes red unyieldingly at his father. Then, he bared his sharp, white teeth and bit down on his father''s exposed arm. The pain caused Luke to gasp. Luke did not expect that the little boy''s teeth would be so sharp. He wondered if Tommy was reincarnated from a wolf. Even though he was in pain, Luke wasforted by the fact that Tommy was so protective of his mother. However, he wished that Tommy would protect Bianca from the other people, not Luke. Luke lifted Tommy by the cor and narrowed his gaze as he looked at the little boy. "Hey, kid, I''m ying with your Mommy. What makes you think that I''m bullying her, hmm?" Tommy pointed at Luke and said angrily, "You were pinning Mommy down and she couldn''t breathe! I saw that Mommy was crying secretly and moaning in pain. You''re so big and strong, but you''re a bully. Shame on you!" Bianca covered her face even more tightly. ''Oh my god, how am I going to face my son from now on?'' Luke lifted the struggling Tommy higher in the air and smiled sinisterly. "So what if I bullied your Mommy? What are you going to do about it? You''re too weak, little boy. You''re no match for me at all." Tommy smugly lifted his chin up high. His curly eyshes swished about." I might be weak now, but I''ll grow up one day and be stronger than you. I''ll protect Mommy so no one can bully her! One day, I''ll take Mommy as my beautiful wife..." Lukeughed out loud when he heard that. He red at Tommy and said," Your Mommy is my wife, not yours. Are you sure you want to snatch your Daddy''s wife?" "Ugh... You''re not my daddy, you''re a baddie. My Daddy is a superhero like Superman or Spiderman, and you''re a big bully. You''ll receive your just deserts one day!" Tommy''s stumpy limbs waved in the air. He tried to struggle out of Luke¡¯s grip and also kick him. Luke held his son at an appropriate distance away. He could control Tommy''s movement and be kicked by him. Luke patted Tommy¡¯s head and praised him. "Not bad. You''re still weak, but you''re brave." Tommy continued to struggle while looking determinedly at Bianca. "Don¡¯t be afraid, Mommy. I''m here for you, and no one can bully you. When I grow up, will you be my wife, Mommy?¡± 1 Bianca could not help butugh when she heard what her son told her, but at the same time, she was moved by his courage. "Alright, Tommy, when you grow up, I''ll be your wife," Bianca said without hesitation. Luke''s expression sank. He was jealous of his son. He tossed Tommy aside and red at him. "Don''t even think of marrying Mommy, you filthy brat! She belongs to me!" He was not too pleased about having to fight for Bianca''s love with his son as soon as he reunited with her. Bianca tugged Luke''s elbow andined to him, "Luke, can''t you be a little more friendly toward Tommy? He''s only two years old, and he doesn''t know what he''s talking about. It''s not good to treat your son with hostility the first time you two meet each other." She thought that Luke and Tommy would be happy to see each other, but it seemed that they had started on the wrong foot. As Tommy''s father, Luke should have treated the little boy with tenderness and care, not jealousy and hostility. "My wife, I''m disciplining our son now." Luke kissed Bianca''s forehead and covered her almost-naked body with a nket. Luke was a very possessive man. Only he could look at Bianca''s bare body, and no one else could. Not even their children. "Mommy looks so sad, but you''re still bullying her. Let Mommy go!" Tommy roared at Luke. "You can''t kiss Mommy. Only I can kiss Mommy." The boy might be small, but he was equally possessive as Luke. He red at Luke with hostility. Luke grunted coldly, and his gaze fell on Bianca''s blushing face. He lifted Bianca''s chin andnded a sensual kiss on her tender lips. Then, he nced contemptuously at his son. "You can ask Mommy if she''s sad now! You''ll know what''s going on when you grow up." Luke would not mind telling his son about the birds and the bees, but Tommy was far too young. "Mommy doesn''t like it..." Tommy remained stubborn and red angrily at his father. "She must still be very sad. Otherwise, why would she be covering her face?" Luke''s passionate gaze was transfixed on Bianca. Her lips had be more red and supple after those violent kisses, and the blush on her face became even more charming. His fading urges were renewed once again. All he wanted now was to pin her down again and finish their business. Luke picked up the little eyesore and brought him out of the room, even though Luke was topless. A bodyguard saw it and quickly went up to Luke. "Mr. Crawford." Luke impatiently threw the little boy toward the bodyguard and said, "Take him to rest in the room next door." Seeing Luke half-naked and the struggling little boy, the bodyguard instantly understood what happened: The toddler must have interrupted his parents'' intimate time. The bodyguard carried Tommy to the next room. Tommy could only watch as his Mommy''s room door mmed shut in front of his eyes. I''m not leaving, I wanna protect Mommy... that baddie must be bullying Mommy again..." Tommy kept on struggling in the bodyguard''s arms. He puffed up his cheeks, which made him look like a cute little frog. The little boy was quite strong for someone as small as him. The bodyguard nearly lost his grip on Tommy. Helplessly, he tried tofort Tommy, "Master Tommy, your Daddy and Mommy have not met each other for a long time. They must have many things to tell each other. You shouldn''t disturb them." The bodyguard knew that one should not disturb a man in his throes of passion, not even his own son! Tommy red at the tightly shut room door and pouted. He was not happy that the baddie had taken his Mommy away from him. He would have to get his Mommy back. Chapter 709 Chapter 709 He Knows That She Is Exhausted Bianca was still sleeping after the sun rose. She lost count of the number of times Luke had entered herst night. She was thoroughly exhausted. He hugged her soft and fragrant body. Under the first rays of sunlight, she was like a blooming flower. It just felt so good to hug her. He did not want to get up. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Bianca seemed to be troubled by her dreams. She frowned slightly, and her body curled up like azy cat. asionally, she let out a slight moan. Luke made sure that she was in afortable position. He brushed the strands of hair on her forehead, then gently kissed her clean forehead. His indulgent gaze fell on her peaceful sleeping face. Her brows were thin and elegantly curved like paper fans. The three children inherited her long and curly eyshes. Luke could not help but gently touch her eyshes and lightly pull her eyelids. He loved to see her dark pupils that were pure and clean like spring water. Somehow, he clearly remembered the first time they met each other. She was in a white cotton dress with a leaf pattern. As she walked, the leaves seemed to havee to life and were moving in her rhythm. The young girl''s long hair was dancing in the wind. She was looking into the night sky and singing softly. Her eyes were glimmering but at the same time brimming with sorrow. He did not understand her emotions at that time, and he wondered why such a young girl could seem so mncholy. However, her pure beauty was breathtaking, and her presence brought color to his chaotic life. It had been many years since that night, and they had been through so many obstacles, but the scene was just as vivid as though it had happened only yesterday. He lowered his head and kissed Bianca''s lips, lingering there for so long that she could not breathe. Bianca was woken up by Luke''s rough motions. She forced her bleary eyes open. "Luke..." She seemed puzzled and helpless, which made her look especially adorable. Luke instantly felt his urges ring up again. He hugged her and ced her body on top of his. Bianca became flustered when she realized what Luke wanted. "N... No, Luke... I''m very tired..." "I want you, Bianca. Don''t you know how much I missed you over the past two years? Now that we are reunited, can''t you satisfy me for today?¡± Luke said pitifully, but his body was already set in motion. Bianca remained docile and allowed him his release. That was the man she loved. Her lips trembled as though she wanted to say something, but eventually, she did not and instead gently bit on his shoulder while he finished his business. The gentle morning sunlight that shone through the thin gauze curtain enveloped them like a divine aura. Their fingers were intertwined as they stared into each other''s eyes. He nibbled on her earlobes while mumbling repeatedly, "I love you, Bianca, I love you..." Tears welled up in Bianca''s eyes as she eagerly replied to him, "I love you too, Luke. I love you too... Please never leave me again..." "Alright,'''' the man replied to her request without any hesitation. Their passion for each other permeated every corner of the room. When they finally got out of bed, it was almost noon. Bianca went to the bathroom to wash up. Looking at herself in the full-body mirror, she could see the bruises and bumps on her fair skin. That was how savage the man was to her. After taking a bath and putting on her clothes, she prepared to go downstairs to have lunch when she suddenly remembered that their son was in the room next door. She was about to ask the maid if Tommy had been behaving, but the maid pointed at the room next door and said worriedly, "Mrs. Crawford, Master Tommy has been throwing a tantrum, and he doesn''t want toe out of the room to eat his lunch. He locked himself in the room, and no one could go in..." Bianca was worried when she heard that. Tommy was a growing boy, so he could not miss any meals. She wanted to go and coax Tommy out of the room when Luke stopped her. "You shouldn''t spoil him like that. That won''t bring him any good. It doesn''t matter that he doesn''t want to eat now; he''lle out of the room when he¡¯s hungry." "But he''s still so small, how can I..." "Ignore him for now. Let him starve." If Tommy would throw tantrums when he was still so young, Luke could imagine how much worse the little boy would get when he grew older. It was Selena''s first time meeting Luke. The man''s appearance was breathtaking, though his naturally cold and noble demeanor made him unapproachable. However, the man did not mask his love for his wife when he looked at Bianca. "Luke, this is Selena Norman, my cousin. Selena, this is Luke Crawford." Bianca introduced Selena and Luke to each other. "Nice to meet you." Luke nodded courteously at Selena. His gentle gaze once again fell on Bianca as though Selena was not present. Selena understood why her cousin could not forget about Luke after so long. It was rare to see such an outstanding yet loyal man. If she were Bianca, she would not forget about him either. At the dining table. "You''re too skinny. You should eat more meat and fewer vegetables. Also, you ought to eat more mutton soup to warm yourself up." While they were eating, Luke kept on refilling Bianca''s te and even carefully wiped food stains from the corners of her mouth. It was as though he was taking care of a child. Bianca kept on eating. asionally, she would sneak him a kiss. Selena felt that the atmosphere in the dining hall was stifling. She was sitting right there, but the couple disyed their affection toward each other as though she were not there. She felt as though she was a massive third wheel. Eventually, Selena hastily finished her meal, said that she wanted to check on Tommy, and left the dining hall. She was still single, and she could not bear to watch them being all lovey- dovey. ''Hmph, just you wait. I''ll find my partner eventually, and it''ll be my turn to show off.'' Chapter 710 Chapter 710 His Ice-Cold Demeanor Melted Instantly After lunch, Bianca brought a trayden with Tommy¡¯s favorite food and dessert to the room next door. Seeing Bianca at the door, Selena shrugged helplessly. She could not deal with the little boy''s temper, so she left the room and let Bianca deal with her son. Tommy sat barefoot on the soft Persian carpet, assembling a monster robot toy. The toy parts were scattered all over the carpet. Tommy had disassembled the monster robot toy that Ray had given him as a present. 1 After disassembling it, he began to put it together piece by piece. He was fully focused on his little project. Bianca ced the tray on the table and quietly crouched down in front of him. "Mommy brought you your favorite food, Tommy. Come and eat." Tommy seemed not to hear his mother. He continued to assemble the robot toy. Bianca was dazzled by the array of small parts. She was not sure which piece went where, but Tommy was deftly putting everything together like a master craftsman. Bianca held Tommy''s little hands and kissed his forehead. "Are you still angry, my darling? Let''s eat first. The robot can wait. Alright?" Tommy turned his head away and said angrily, "You don¡¯t need your darling anymore after you have that man. Why are you here? Go away and look for that baddie." The little boy was pouting jealously. ''What a stubborn little boy,'' Bianca thought. She smiled gently, "But I want to be with you, Tommy. You''re the only darling in my heart." Tommy shook his head violently. "Hmph! I''m not your darling. That baddie yesterday is your darling!" After assembling his robot toy, he angrily twisted its head, which broke off with a snap. Bianca could see that Tommy was really angry. She hugged Tommy tightly. "That''s not a baddie, you silly child. He¡¯s your Daddy whom you idolize. Now that he''s back with us, you should be more polite toward him, alright?" Tommy looked at Bianca in disbelief, though he remained unhappy. "My Daddy is a superhero, not a baddie who only knows how to bully me." Bianca pushed the toy robot aside and exined to her son patiently, "Your Daddy loves you, Tommy. Why would he bully you? Maybe it''s because the two of you only met for the first time, but you''ll eventually find out that Daddy loves you as much as I do..." Tommy had no reply. Bianca pinched her cute son''s cheek. "I think that you''re losing weight, Tommy. Your cheeks used to be so chubby, but you don''t look as cute as before..." Tommy lowered her head, unwilling to look into his mother''s eyes, though he sneaked a nce at the mirror. "That''s not true, Mommy. I''m still as handsome as before. No, I''m more handsome than before." Bianca chuckled at her son''s vanity. She pulled Tommy''s shoulder toward him and gently coaxed him, "Don''t throw your tantrums at Mommy, alright? Didn''t you say that you want to grow up soon and protect Mommy? Are you going back on your word?" Tommy nced at Bianca with the bearing of a prince. "I have my reasons for being angry, Mommy. I have my principles!" Tommy''s face was exactly like Luke''s when he said that. "Why are you such a stubborn child?" Bianca wanted to spank him, but she could not bring herself to do so when she looked at his cute face. "Your Mommy will be angry if you keep on doing that." Tears started to well up in Tommy''s eyes. "You love that baddie, and you don''t love me and my elder siblings anymore. You and the baddie are a happy family, and I''m only a burden..." 1 Bianca''s heart wrenched when she heard that, and she hugged her son tightly. "Silly boy, all of us are one big, loving family. You''re not a burden. I''ll be very sad if you don''t like Daddy. Mommy loves Daddy, but I love you too. The two of you are the most important people to me." Bianca did not expect that her son would reject his birth father. Maybe it was because Luke had appeared too abruptly, and all Tommy knew about his father was through pictures and stories. Moreover, she had neglected Tommy when Luke appeared in front of her, and the sensitive Tommy might think that she did not like him anymore. It would be a challenge to improve the rtionship between Luke and Tommy. What should she do? Bianca was tearing up, though she forced Tommy to look her in the eye. Her heart instantly softened when she saw that Tommy was trying to hold back his tears too. "You''ll be three years old in another six months, right?" "Mmm..." Bianca wiped the corners of his eyes and said to him seriously, "You''re almost a little adult now, and you shouldn''t cry without any reason. I''ll be sad when I see that you''re sad too. I don''t mind being sad if it means that you could be happy..." Tommy hugged Bianca''s neck and said coyly, "Then you should love me more. I don''t want you to love the baddie Daddy that much..." Bianca smiled and nodded. It was a good sign that Tommy was willing to call Luke "Daddy." She believed that she would be able to mend the rtionship between father and son soon. Bianca stayed in the room while Tommy ate his lunch, then she apanied him while he yed with his monster robot toy. Of course, she could only watch. Assembling the toy was beyond her. She could not help but be impressed by her son''s intelligence. If she were to assemble the toy, it might take her an entire day. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Suddenly, the maid knocked on the door. "Madam, Mr. Crawford is looking for you." Bianca stood up and waved at her son. "I''m going to go speak to Daddy and tell him to be nicer to you, Tommy. Remember to eat your dessert." The little boy was visibly annoyed when he heard that his mother was going to meet that baddie. He turned away and ignored his mother. Bianca sighed. She decided that she should create more chances for the father and son to interact. Luke was discussing something with Ray and Percy in the front hall. When he saw Bianca appearing from the bedroom, his icy-cold expression suddenly melted. The other two men were impressed by how fast that change was! Chapter 711 Chapter 711 Showing Off Their Love In Front of the Two Single Men Ray sat on the other end of the couch. Bianca was surprised that Percy was there too. Ray was dressed in a ck dress shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans. He did not look as intimidating as usual, but instead, he looked like a gentleman. Percy was dressed in a white shirt, which made his already fair skin seem even fairer. He smiled gently when he saw Bianca. "Long time no see, Sis." Bianca returned the greeting. "You''re here in Moscow too, Mr. Mallory." The woman''s smile was warm and charming, which made the two men dumbfounded for a moment. Bianca was not the most beautiful woman in Moscow, but she could be considered good-looking. She was not as unrestrained as Eastern European women, but she had a different, enigmatic charm. Bianca had a face that both men and women loved. She seemed docile and adorable. Her eyes were big and round, and her pupils were like ck moons that sparkled brightly when she looked at people. Her smile was sweet and refreshing, and it could melt the steeliest heart. Luke loungedzily on the couch. His expression sank when he saw his wife smiling at his good friends. He did not like his woman smiling at other people, even if they were his best friends. "Come here!" Luke beckoned at Bianca. Bianca nodded at Ray, then walked toward Luke. When she got near, Luke pulled her hand and sat her down on hisp. Then, he lifted her delicate chin and gently kissed her on her lips. "Have you dealt with that kid yet?" Ray and Percy were speechless. The two people looked at the couple jealously. Had they been ignored? Bianca was embarrassed when she realized that other people were nearby. "Tommy is still throwing his tantrum... There are people around, don''t be like that..." "Why do you care about them? They''re still single, and they can''t appreciate the intimacy between husband and wife." Luke seemed unbothered. As he hugged Bianca as though hugging the most precious treasure in the world, his eyes were brimming with bliss. The two single men could only grit their teeth in silence. Not only was their serious discussion interrupted, but Luke had also shown off in front of them. They wanted to punch that smug grin off his face! After kissing Bianca for a while more, Luke spoke, "Let''s continue with our discussion." Bianca showed up while they were discussing how to deal with the League of Shadows. Luke did not forget about serious business, even though he would rather spend more time with his wife. After all, he had wasted two years in that living hell, and he was more than eager to witness their destruction. He might have escaped from the ind, but countless other innocent lives did not. What was more horrifying was that every year, the League of Shadows would abduct countless young men and women from all over the world to undergo a hellish training regimen on the ind, but less than 1% of the people survived. That was how inhuman the organization was. Percy sat cross-legged on the massage chair. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. He nced at Bianca sitting on Luke''sp and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Luke, is it appropriate for Sis to listen to our conversation?" To Percy, Bianca was a weak and delicate woman. She might be as assertive as Luke when managing thepany, but she was nheless a woman. There were gruesome details in their discussion that might traumatize her. Bianca bit her lip and said to Luke determinedly, "It''s fine. I want to know what happened to you over the past two years." Luke was missing from her side for two years. Bianca would not want to miss any chance of finding out what happened to him. Luke hugged her tightly, kissed her gently, and his expression sank. She was innocent and pure, but his hands had been tainted by the blood of many lives. As much as he wanted to live a normal life, he was forced by circumstances beyond his control to kill and maim. He did not want her to see that dark side of his. However, Luke saw Bianca''s eager gaze and acquiesced to her wishes. The big LCD screen in the hall lit up. Luke''s fingers danced rapidly on hisptop keyboard, entering multipleplicatedmands. Soon, the hackedputer entered secure mode. As the cursor flitted about, a video soon appeared on the screen. "I''ve managed to record some footage on the Ind of Despair before I left. This''ll serve as incriminating evidence..." In the video, countless young men and women were imprisoned on the Ind of Despair and underwent a hellish training regimen to hone their assassination andbat skills. Ambushing and killing each other was an everyday urrence, and one would lose their life if they were not careful. If an assassin made a mistake, they would be drugged and fed to animals. There were so many instances of ferocious beasts devouring those helpless victims. There were also many cruel punishments. Bianca saw children as young as seven years old being torn apart from limb to limb while the other children watched andughed. She was ovee by anger and shock, and she rushed to the bathroom to throw up... Ray and Percy were rtivelyposed as they were used to gruesome scenes. However, they were visibly uneasy. They did not expect that Robert was so inhuman to abduct young men and women from all over the world to train them into ruthless assassins and even perform experiments on them. In the bathroom, Bianca emptied the contents of her stomach. As she continued to retch, tears fell from her eyes. Had Luke been living in that living hell for the past two years? Her heart wrenched when she imagined that Luke could have been suffering like any one of those victims in the video. As her tears silently fell, a familiar pair of arms hugged her delicate waist from behind... Chapter 712 Chapter 712 Aren''t You Ashamed? Bianca turned around and stared at Luke''s handsome face. She wanted to cry when she saw how concerned he was for her. She had thought of many possibilities, but she had not imagined that Luke would be living under such treacherous circumstances for the past two years. Her heart wrenched when she imagined him undergoing the inhuman tortures like in the video. A pair of immactely sculpted hands gently wiped away her tears. "I''m fine, silly girl." Bianca reached out to tear away Luke''s clothes as though she had gone mad. "No! I want to see if there are any scars on your body. I want to know what they have done to you in the past two years..." Bianca was too caught up in the passion while they were in bedst night. She regretted not showing enough concern for the condition of his body! Luke encircled Bianca''s waist tightly, grabbed her hands, nted a gentle kiss on her forehead, and comforted her with a smile. "I''m really fine, Bea. I wouldn''t be standing in front of you if something had happened to me. This will soon pass. Believe me." Bianca wasforted by his words. She knew she had nearly lost control of her emotions earlier. Bianca rested her cheek on his chest. She wanted to smile, but tears welled up in her eyes instead. "Don''t lie to me. You must have been hurt badly in that inhuman ce... Let me look at your body, alright, Luke?" She said carefully. Luke gently pinched her cheek and smiled. "I''ll tell you what happened in the past two years when we have the time. Please don''t cry, alright? You''re already the mother of three children, so aren''t you ashamed that you''re still a crybaby? Tommy willugh at you if he sees you like this." Indeed, he had many scars hidden under his shirt, and he did not want Bianca to see his battered self. He was not afraid that Bianca might think that his body was unsightly, but he did not want her to be sad again. Bianca blew her nose in embarrassment. "I... I''m only worried about you." Luke carefully wiped the corners of her mouth clean. He filled up a ss with warm water and watched as she gargled. "You''re already a mother, and you shouldn''t cry so easily. Show to our children that you''re strong." After Bianca cleaned her mouth, she took several deep breaths and managed to suppress the urge to throw up. "It''s dirty here, Luke. You should go out." She had vomited all over the ce earlier. Even she was beginning to feel ufortable. Luke did not seem to mind. He picked her up in a bridal carry and said," You''re my wife, and you''ve waited for me even though everyone else thought that I''m dead. Why would I find you dirty? Silly girl." Bianca''s face was reflected in the man''s obsidian pupils. His curved lips were brimming with indulgence. The man might be cold toward other people, but he loved and doted upon Bianca unconditionally. Bianca thought that he would never let go of her anymore. Luke sent Bianca to the bedroom, then picked up Tommy, who was ying with his toys on the carpet, and ced him next to Bianca. He returned to the front hall and continued the discussion with Ray and Percy about eliminating the League of Shadows. The other two men had very good reasons to help Luke. If the League of Shadows were gone, Ray would be able to rule over Eastern Europe, while Percy could expand his influence beyond the continent. Conflicts among underworld forces were a regr urrence. Now that Luke had infiltrated the League of Shadows and had aplete understanding of their operations and organizational structure, they soon formted the perfect n. Luke had been busy for the past few days. He was enacting his grand n of revenge with the help of Ray and Percy. Bianca stayed in Vivian''s mansion. She was very bored. 1 Security measures in the mansion were tighter since thest abduction. Her freedom was restricted to ensure the safety of herself and her child, and she had to stay in her room at all times. Fortunately, she had herptop, her phone, and the Inte to pass the time. Tommy also knew how to entertain his mother. Without him, she would have been bored out of her mind. She did not expect to meet Nina in Moscow. What was more surprising was the fact that Percy had brought her here. Nina wore light makeup when she arrived at Vivian''s mansion. That gave her in face some color. She hugged Bianca tightly the moment the two women met. "I told you that you shouldn''t havee to Moscow alone, you silly girl, but you don''t listen ... I''ve heard from Percy that you and Tommy were abducted by the people from the League of Shadows and nearly lost your lives. How could you be so careless? I was so shocked... Fortunately, you''re fine. Otherwise, I wouldn''t know how sad I''ll be..." Bianca held her best friend''s hand and spoke hoarsely, "Alright, alright, I turned out fine, isn''t it? I don''t regreting here to look for Luke, and indeed, I received the best surprise. I managed to find him..." Nina nearly jumped when she heard that. "The boss is still alive? That''s great! I knew that he''s a blessed man, and he won''t be leaving us so soon. He might be a strict boss, but he''s handsome and magnanimous. Right, where is he? Isn''t he here?" Percy had told Nina before that Luke was still alive, but Nina did not quite believe it. She only believed it when she heard the news from Bianca. Nina looked around the spacious living room but did not find any trace of Luke. Bianca''s smile faded a little. "As long as the League of Shadows isn''t destroyed, Luke will still be in danger. He, Ray, and Percy have gone to carry out their n. To be frank, I''m afraid that he''ll be risking his life again, but there''s no choice. To free himselfpletely, he will have to eliminate the League of Shadows." "Don''t worry, I trust in their abilities. The boss should be able to deal with them. Now that you and your children have reunited with the boss, I can''t think of anything happier. Isn''t that so, Bea?" Nina smiled andforted Bianca. 1 She understood why Percy had beening homete. 1 Bianca nodded, though curiosity overcame her and she asked Nina, "Why are you with Percy in Moscow, Nina? Aren''t you... with Johann before this?"C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org The sparkle in Nina''s eyes faded a little when she heard the question... Chapter 713 Chapter 713 Anyone But Percy Mallory Bianca noticed the change in Nina''s expression and realized that she should not have asked that question. "I''m sorry, Nina, I... I shouldn''t have asked that. Did Percy threaten you?" She said, a little flustered. She knew what happened to Nina. That b*stard Pierre had ruined her. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Unfortunately, Percy was Pierre''s elder brother. It was aplicated rtionship. Nina stood at the window and stared at the sun outside. The golden sun rays caused her eyes to hurt. She tried to fight the agony in her heart and spoke gently, "It''s nothing. There are certain things in our lives that we can''t control. I''m fine, you don''t have to worry about me. I''m immune to a man''s charms now. After what happened to me, the defenses around my heart are like iron walls, and I''m a better judge of character now. I wont get hurt that easily." "I''m sorry. If I hadn''t..." Bianca felt even guiltier than ever. If not for her, Nina might have still been that cheerful and outgoing girl. 1 Nina pretended to re angrily at her and pinched her arm. "Hey, it''s already been so long in the past. Why do you have to mention it? I''ve almost forgotten about it, and thanks to you, those wounds have be fresh again!" Bianca was her best friend. Nina would not me her. Moreover, she was the one who came up with the n of following Xavier to find evidence for Bianca. She was unfortunate to have met with Pierre, that wretch. It had nothing to do with Bianca. Moreover, Mr. Crawford had given her two million dors aspensation after he found out what happened to her. Nina was already quite grateful for that. Later, when Bianca became the CEO of T Corporation, she had always helped Nina at work. Putting it in another way, Nina had benefited a lot from their friendship. To Nina, Bianca was already very kind to her. If Bianca continued to feel guilty, Nina would be pressured too. Bianca stared at Nina. She knew that Nina did not want her to feel guilty. She reached out and grabbed Nina''s icy fingers. "You have to tell me if you have any difficulties. I might not be able to protect you from everything, but I''ll help you wherever I can. This is my eternal promise to you, Nina." Nina hugged Bianca and said softly, "You''re too nice to me, Bea. I''m grateful for that." In thete afternoon, Percy''s bodyguards brought Nina away. Bianca sat in the living room and slowly exhaled. She felt that the atmosphere was stifling. The air was warm, but she felt as though her body was covered in crushed ice. She could not help but think of Nina''s ordeal. How could the kind and down -to-earth Nina suffer such bad luck? Why must Percy be the one to fall in love with her? She would rather that man be anyone else in the world! Bianca had always been prejudiced against Percy, perhaps because of her hatred toward Pierre. Percy might be a fiendishly handsome man, and he was faithful and loyal to his friends, but he was ruthless and untamed. Moreover, he was an underworld crime lord with blood on his hands, while Nina was pure and innocent. They did not belong in the same world. Bianca would rather match Nina with Johann, who was more down-to- earth. Moreover, Johann was a world-renowned doctor and psychologist. He would be able to help Nina with her past traumas. However, Percy was a possessive man. From their interactions earlier, Bianca could tell that Nina was not happy being with Percy. Should she ask Luke for help? If she did, she might cause a rift between Percy and Luke. The two men were fighting against the League of Shadows, and it would be incredibly disadvantageous if they quarreled with each other. On the other hand, Bianca felt uneasy when she saw Nina living under Percy''s control. What should she do? Bianca sat on the couch and massaged her temples, trying to clear her thoughts. She had to think of a solution. She had always thought that she was the culprit of Nina''s suffering. She had brought dark clouds to Nina''s cheerful and sunny life, and she had to be responsible for what happened to Nina. Call it guilt or atonement, she wanted Nina to be able to live the rest of her life without worry. While Bianca was deep in thought, her phone that she ced beside her started to ring. She saw that it was from her aunt and quickly answered it. "Hello, Aunt Wanda?" "When are you coming back, Bea?" On the other end of the call, Wanda sounded like she was crying. Bianca''s heart skipped a beat. "What''s wrong, Aunt Wanda? Why... why are you crying?" Wanda tried her best to remainposed as she spoke, "Pleasee back quickly, Bea... Your Grandpa fell down and suffered a concussion. He''s in the hospital now, but the doctor said that he might notst for long ... Your Grandpa wants to see you for onest time... when will you be back? The news struck Bianca like a bolt out of the blue! "That can''t be, Aunt Wanda. I called Grandpa a few days ago, and he was still fine. How... how did that happen? Isn''t there a caretaker at home to take care of him?" When Bianca called her grandfather a few days ago, he had just finished line-dancing with the other elderly people in the neighborhood. He was very happy to pick up her call, and he had told her that he had been eating a lottely. 1 Bianca did not expect an ident to befall Old Master Rayne so suddenly! Wanda took in a deep breath and sighed. "It''s a long story, and I can''t exin it to you over the phone. Your Grandpa is still in the operating theater, and we don''t know if he can live to see tomorrow. When can youe back? Pleasee back and visit your Grandpa. No one knows how long he has to live..." Bianca closed her eyes and turned her head to face the ceiling so that tears would not flow. "I''ll be back soon, Aunt Wanda. Please take good care of Grandpa!" No matter how difficult it might be, she had to go back to visit Old Master Rayne on time. Perhaps that would be thest time they meet... Chapter 714 Chapter 714 Burning With Anger! Bianca tried dialing Luke''s number, but somehow, she could not get through no matter how many times she tried. Worriedly, she tried to contact Percy, but she could not get through to him either. Without any other choice, she dialed Ray''s number. The call went through, but Ray seemed to be upied with something. Bianca could hear explosions and agonized wails on the other end of the call. "I''m very busy now, Sis. I''ll call youter," Ray said hurriedly. Then, he immediately hung up. Bianca was angry, frustrated, and worried, but she had no other choice. Selena noticed Bianca''s unease and tried tofort her, "Don''t be too anxious, Sis. They must be in the middle of a critical operation now. Otherwise, they would have answered your call." "Mm," Bianca replied carelessly, at the same time silently praying that they would be safe. She did not want them to be separated again right after the reunion. Meanwhile, in the Troitsky Administrative Okrug in Moscow, a ck Cadic was parked outside the Civil Aviation Building. Several fully-armed special police officers were lying in wait. In the back seat of the Cadic, Luke sent thest encrypted file with hisptop and breathed a sigh of relief. He pressed a button on his wirelessmunicator to connect to Ray and Percy. "Robert is a cunning man. Be very careful." A few days ago, he had handed all the evidence of Robert''s crimes to the Russian government. The revtion had sent shockwaves throughout the country. Robert was one of the most influential senators in the Russian government, and he was also a well- known phnthropist. He had maintained a positive image in public, and he was even the role model of many Russian youths. No one expected that a high-ranked politician like Robert could lead an inhuman assassin organization in the shadows. Furthermore, he had channeledrge amounts of money from charity drives toward his evil organization. The news had attracted the attention of Russia''s Federal Security Service. They instantlyunched an investigation on Robert and his organization and found even more shocking truths. They wanted to arrest Robert, but Robert had caught wind of it and slipped away. Luke was cooperating with the Federal Security Service to arrest Robert. Robert was like a ticking time bomb. Luke would not be able to rest at ease if he did not see that evil viin arrested. While Luke was lost in thought, the Russian special police captain thumped on the car window and said determinedly, "Aren''t we only dealing with a senator, Mr. Crawford? We''ve already stationed our men at every street corner. He wont be able to escape." "Don''t underestimate him. He managed his organization while maintaining a public guise, and your government didn''t notice anything." Just when Luke finished speaking, he saw a tall man with a beard running across the street while carrying a ck briefcase. A dozen heavily armed men in ck were following behind him. The man was in his forties, and he was dressed in a proper suit even though he was running away. Luke could recognize that the man was Robert behind the sunsses and scarf. Luke knew that Robert was obsessed with maintaining a proper appearance. He would not allow himself to look disheveled even if he was running away for his life. "Target appeared. Give chase!" "Faster!" Luke urged the driver. The Cadic roared to life and gave the running middle-aged man a shock. He turned around, went pale, and ran even faster. The men in ck behind him opened fire at Luke''s car. Robert and his men ran toward the expressway while the Cadic dodged the gunfire and gave chase. A patrol car happened to pass by, and the police officer inside shouted," Hold it! What''s going on?" One of the special police officers shed his ID. "Those are fugitives, and the person in the lead is Robert, a wanted criminal. Stop them!" Before the patrol officer could react, the men in ck turned around and fired their guns at him mercilessly. Meanwhile, the man in front continued to run. His cap and sunsses were blown away by the wind, and his graying hair and wrinkled forehead were revealed. When Luke saw the man''s sinister eyes, he was even more sure that the man was Robert. Luke asked the driver to move aside. He sped forward, and the car skidded. The tires screeched, and the car stopped in front of the man! Almost a hundred special police officers received the order. They got out of their hiding positions and surrounded the fugitives. Seeing that he had nowhere to run, "Robert" fired wildly at the special police officers with a machine gun. Then, he tried to break through the barricade. Another squad of special police officers quickly caught up from behind, pinned Robert on the floor, and handcuffed him. Many people breathed a sigh of relief. Their mission wasplete. When Luke tore off Robert''s scarf, he realized that the top half of the man''s face was covered with a skin-colored mask. The man''s eyes and scalp were just like Robert''s, but his nose and mouth showed that he was a totally different person. ''It''s a trap!'' Luke was burning with anger, but he could not release it. Tve been careless, d*mn it!¡¯ The driver seemed worried when he saw Luke''s face turn red with anger." Are you alright, Mr. Crawford?" Tm fine." Luke dusted his clothes, but his eyes were transfixed on that impostor Robert. The man was grinning smugly at him. Luke wanted to blow that man''s brains out with a bullet! "You''re hurt, Mr. Crawford. Should I bandage your wound? Otherwise, Mrs. Crawford will be worried." Hearing the driver''s reminder, Luke realized a burning pain in his neck. It felt as though someone had peeled off the skin on the right side of his neck. His hands were covered in dust, and there were several holes in his clothes. He looked as though he had escaped from the scene of a disaster. Luke watched as the police stuffed the impostor Robert into the police car. Ignoring the wounds on his body and the police captain''s ttery, Luke sat in his own car. He reached into his pocket to take out his phone, pressed the dial button, but realized that his phone had run out of battery...C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Chapter 715 Chapter 715 He Has epted the Fact That Luke Crawford Is His Father Luke extended his hand to the driver. "Let me use your phone." The back of his hand was grazed. The skin and flesh were visible, and it was covered in sticky red and white liquid. It looked quite horrifying. The driver handed the phone to him while frowning. "Mr. Crawford, do you think you should attend to the wound on your hand..." Luke wagged his hand at him and dialed a phone number. "It''s me, Bea..." The man''s icy voice instantly became warm and gentle. Bianca told him all about Old Master Rayne, and Luke''s expression became solemn like never before. "Don''t worry, wait for me at home. I''ll go back this instant." As Luke drove at full speed, he thought about how to capture Robert and, at the same time, wondered how he could bring Bianca out of Russia safely. The Russian government had found and destroyed the League of Shadows''s headquarters, but Robert, the mastermind behind the organization had escaped. As long as Robert roamed free, he would pose a threat to Luke and his family. Robert was a cunning, merciless, and vengeful individual. He would definitely want to take revenge on Luke and his family. Luke did not want that possibility to happen. On the other hand, Old Master Rayne was an important rtive to Bianca. Now that his life was in danger, he had to make sure that Bianca could meet him before he passed away. Thoughts raged in Luke''s head. When he thought about how helpless Bianca might be at home waiting for him, he floored the gas pedal. When he arrived at the house, he could see through the car window that Bianca was ying in the sandbox with Tommy. However, her attention was obviously not focused on Tommy. She kept on ncing at the door, as though waiting for his return. When she saw his car drive into the driveway, Bianca stood up immediately and rushed to greet him. "Luke..." Luke parked the car there. He did not drive it into the garage. He stole a nce at the wound on his neck through the rearview mirror, saw that it was not too serious, and opened the car door. The man stepped out of the car. Bianca fell into his embrace, and her eyes transfixed on his face. She inadvertently noticed the wound on his neck. She wanted to touch it, but she did not want to hurt him further. "Are you hurt? I tried to call you, but I couldn''t reach you..." Bianca hugged his waist and said softly, "Don''t you know how worried I was? I was afraid that something might happen to you again." Luke''s waist was also injured. When Bianca hugged him tightly, he felt as though a nail was hammered into his skin, which made him wince with pain. However, in the next second, his expression returned to normal. "I was busy, and I didn''t notice that my phone ran out of battery." "What happened to your neck? Are you hurt elsewhere?" Bianca took his hand nervously. She nearly burst into tears again when she saw the injuries on the back of his hand. "Why are you so careless? Does it hurt? Let me put some ointment on it for you." "Don''t worry, it''s just a graze. I''ve already disinfected it with alcohol." Bianca grabbed his arm and noticed the various wounds on it. She remembered that his hands used to be fair and delicate, but now they were rough and calloused. She could tell that he had been through a lot. Her heart wrenched when she thought of that. Bianca shared Luke''s pain even though the wound was not on her body. Without saying another word, she pulled Luke to the bedroom. Tommy was ying in the sandbox in the front yard. He saw Mommy pulling Daddy into the bedroom. He noticed the wound on Daddy''s hand and furrowed his handsome brows. Unlike before, he did not treat his father with hostility. Bianca had managed to convince Tommy that Luke was his father, though the little boy was not going to admit it that easily. Moreover, Mommy had said that Daddy was a superhero. How could superheroes bleed that easily? In the room. "Does it hurt, Luke? You must tell me if it hurts." Bianca took the first aid kit. She carefully disinfected the wound and bandaged it for Luke. Her heart was at her throat. Vivian''s mansion had a fully-equipped infirmary with all sorts of medicines and medical apparatus because Gordan was always injured by Ray. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Luke was somewhat amused by Bianca''s disy of care toward him. He had suffered worse injuries, including those that nearly cost him his life. If he could bear with that, a graze on the back of his hand was really nothing. At the same time, he was grateful that Bianca cared for him. He gently pinched her nose and said, "It doesn''t hurt at all, really. Look at me, I''m totally fine." Bianca was a little angry that he did not seem to care that his body was injured. She pinched the wound that she had bandaged. Instantly, Luke felt the pain drilling into his bones. "Hiss..." He gasped. Bianca turned her back to him and ignored him, acting as though it was all his fault. Luke was helpless. He turned Bianca''s body over and said, "Alright, darling, I get your point. Tell me what happened to Grandpa. You weren''t very clear on the phone." Bianca felt sorry for Luke when she saw specks of blood appeared on the bandage. She regretted her rash actions. Her mood sank when Old Master Rayne was mentioned. "I have to return home by tomorrow, Luke. Aunt Wanda said... Aunt Wanda said that Grandpa might notst for long. Aunt Wanda and Grandpa are my only rtives from the Rayne family, and Aunt Wanda is critically sick. If something happens to Grandpa, I don''t know if Aunt Wanda will still have the will to live, and I don''t know what I should do..." Luke could not bear seeing Bianca feeling down. He caressed her slightly pale face and said gently, "Don''t worry. I¡¯ll bring you home immediately. You''ll get to meet your Grandpa no matter what." Instantly, he gave Ray a phone call and told him about his intentions of going home. Ray was furious when he heard that. "Are you crazy? If you leave now, aren''t you afraid that Robert might harm you? We haven''t managed to capture Robert, so who knows what he might do when forced into a dead end?" Chapter 716 Chapter 716 He Saw That Devilishly Handsome Face... Luke knew that Robert was a cunning and dangerous individual who had always been careful to leave no traces. Otherwise, why would the Russian government not have evidence of his crimes for so many years? Moreover, Ray and Percy had not managed to stop him, which was further proof of his insidiousness. It would be risky for Bianca and Luke to leave Moscow now, but Old Master Rayne might not be able to wait. They had to return to A City as soon as possible. If Luke had to choose between staying and leaving, he would not hesitate to choose thetter. "I''ll have to bring Bianca back to A City tonight no matter what, Ray. ording to my estimates, Robert should be most likely in..." Luke discussed discreetly with Ray. He closed his eyes, hoping that his information would be helpful to Ray and Percy in capturing Robert. Meanwhile, in a secret room in Robert''s mansion. The atmosphere was fraught with hostility. A tall and muscr man with graying hair, dressed in an extravagant suit, was sitting in the seat of authority. His subordinates, kneeling on one knee in front of him, dared not make a sound. The old man pressed his lips together. There were several faint gashes on his face. That made his face look more horrifying and sinister than ever. "All of you are useless. You let a traitor destroy us from within, and you haven''t managed to capture him. What use do I have for all of you?" He said mockingly. Kassy, kneeling closest to the old man, felt a p on her face. "That b* stard Matthew would have been long dead if not for you. You''ve harbored him and caused the fall of the organization!" Kassy looked at Robert in fear. She wanted to struggle, but she stopped doing so when she thought of Robert''s cruel punishments. Even so, she tried to speak up for herself. "Godfather, Matthew is a financial genius. Because of his existence in the organization, ourpany rose from anonymity and became one of Russian''s top threepanies in only two years. You cannot deny that he has brought us massive financial benefits. That was the reason why I kept him alive. Otherwise, I won''t have any use for a useless man!" i Kassy did not expect that her hypnosis did not work on that man, much less how he had pretended to be brainwashed for two years and managed to escape. He was terrifying. "Heh..."Robert chuckled sinisterly. His brown eyes were as sharp as a falcon''s gaze. "Anyone who betrays me must die! Hmph, that kid won''t be able to take down the organization that I have built up after so many years, just like no one would expect that this wanted man is brazenly sitting in his own house!" He always believed that the most dangerous ce was also the safest. That was why he decided to hide in his own mansion. Matthew''s men and the Federal Security Service had searched through the mansion countless times, but they could not find anything, Furthermore, Robert had ced distractions at other ces, which made them abandon their search at the mansion. That was how he got to return to his mansion in a grandiose fashion. Kassy began to massage her godfather''s shoulders, ignoring her cheek that was badly swollen. "You''re much more intelligent and cunning than the others, Godfather. This is only a temporary setback. When all this has passed, I''ll bring Matthew back alive, and you can punish him however you want!" Kassy''s eyes shed with determination. She had devoted her heart to Matthew over the past two years. Not only did he not treasure it, but he had trampled on her goodwill and dignity. Worse still, he had betrayed the organization for another woman and incited his godfather''s wrath. She was not going to let him get away with it. If that was how he treated her, she would not show any mercy to him the next time they met! While they were discussing their n of action in the secret room, Ray''s men had stealthily surrounded Robert''s mansion. Robert might be a careful individual, but his fatal weakness was his arrogance. He did not expect that his enemies would return to the mansion to search for him, and that was why he did not station many guards outside. Ray hid in a corner. His blond hair fluttered wildly in the wind, and his blue eyes shed with a sinister light as though he was the devil who had appeared from hell. He held an optical detector in his hand and searched every inch of the mansion, trying to figure out Robert''s hiding ce. He and Percy had tried to hunt down Robert everywhere, but they only managed to catch his underlings. The mastermind was nowhere to be found. After the phone call with Luke, Ray brought his man to Robert''s mansion. He had a strong gut feeling that Robert might be hiding inside. Ray admitted that he had his personal reasons for helping Luke. With the League of Shadows gone, he could expand his influence in Russia. Otherwise, he would not have bothered dealing with a grudge that did not concern him. Robert did not expect that Ray was already onto him. He thought that the high-tech security measures and traps would protect him from intruders. In the secret room, Robert, Kassy, and the others discussed their future ns. Suddenly, the rm rang, indicating an intruder. Hisposed expression wavered slightly, though he remembered that the secret room was made with bulletproof and soundproof ss and had multiple escape routes. Even if the intruders managed to make their way in, they would not be able to find where the secret room was. Just when he was feeling confident, he suddenly heard a loud explosion, and the secret room was filled with thick smoke. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Everyone who caught a whiff of the smoke was terrified! All of the people in the secret room were elites from the Ind of Despair. They could tell from the smell that the smoke was VX II, the deadly nerve gas. It was lethal in small doses! Instantly, they put on their gas masks. Robert red coldly and gave out the order. "Retreat!" Everyone who received the order left the room through various escape routes, while Robert left through the most secure one. That secret passage led to the Kremlin. That ce was securely guarded by the military at all times, and he, as a senator, was familiar with that ce. He thought that nobody would expect him to escape there. While he made his way out of the secret room, he plotted his next move. He did not expect to be staring down the pitch-ck barrel of a gun right after he left the secret room. His face turned ashen as he looked at Percy''s devilishly handsome face... Chapter 717 Chapter 717 Let¡¯s Make A Few More Babies Robert looked at his subordinates sprawled all over the ground. They were shot in the heart and died instantly. A devilishly handsome man stood not far away from him, smiling brazenly. His gaze was sharp as a knife as they stared at him as though he was prey. Soon, Robert came to his senses. He knew that the man in front of him was Percy Mallory, the underworld crime lord of A City. However, they never had any interactions with each other because their territories were so far apart. Why was Percy in Moscow pointing a gun at his head? Robert smiled superficially and said arrogantly, "So it''s you, Mr. Mallory. How unexpected. I don''t remember having any grudges between us, so I don''t understand why you''re pointing a gun to my head." Percy was not surprised that Robert recognized him. "I don''t need a reason for you to die!" Percy said coldly as he continued to point the gun at Robert''s head. Robertughed out loud. "So many people want me dead. Do you think you can do it? What can you possibly do to me?" They were very close to Moscow''s administrative center, and security was tight. Any unusual movement would be easily detected. Robert did not believe that Percy would kill him right there. Just as he finished his sentence, Percy pulled the trigger of the silenced pistol. "You..." Robert clutched his chest that was oozing blood. He had a crazed look in his eyes. The veins on his forehead bulged and writhed like earthworms because of anger. His physical abilities were greatly reduced after years of livingfortably. Robert was beginning to feel fear. He could tell from Percy''s icy gaze that Percy was being serious. Robert was not going to yield. He screamed through the pain, "I was right. You wouldn''t dare to kill me! The Federal Security Service won''t let you get away with this! Kassy, my dear daughter, will hunt you down, and there won''t be another peaceful day in your life..." "Mr. Mallory!" Mallory One shook his head and tried to warn his master," Don''t be rash. We''re not on our turf now. Let''s just hand him to the police. We shouldn''t get ourselves involved like this." Percy pulled the trigger... "Mr. Mai lory!" Mallory One roared. Bang! The bullet ejected from the silenced pistol pierced through Robert''s heart. Robert opened his eyes wide and fell straight to the ground, as though unable to believe that Percy dared to kill him. Bright red blood flowed like a stream from his chest and the corner of his mouth. Mallory One was shocked. His muscr body turned stiff. "Mr. Mallory... you..." Percy grinned like the devil. He turned around and tossed the pistol on the ground. "Clean it up. Don¡¯t leave any evidence behind." He was not going to leave any loose ends, especially not one like Robert. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. He had never nned on handing Robert to the police. Only dead men would not tell lies or take revenge on him. In the first-ss cabin on the flight from Moscow to A City. Bianca leaned her head on Luke''s chest and looked at the dark sky outside of the window. She was experiencing aplicated mix of emotions. She was finally going home with her beloved man next to her. Bianca nced at Luke with an unfocused gaze. Suddenly, she hugged his waist with all her might. Next to her, Tommy sat on Selena''sp while reading aic book. He flipped the pages with one hand while sucking on the fingers of the other. Selena tried to ignore Bianca and Luke''s brazen disys of affection. She read theic book together with Tommy and asionallyughed. The atmosphere in the cabin was jovial. Luke turned his head to nce at his cousin-inw and his son, then turned back to stare at Bianca''s face with his profound gaze. He pecked Bianca''s lips and asked, "What''s wrong?" Bianca''s head fell on hisp. "Luke, I still can''t believe that you''re back with me now. I can touch you and feel you next to me, but I still think that it''s all just a dream. Maybe it''s because I''ve lost you for so long..." She said softly. The soft cabin light fell on her fair and delicate face like a thin veil. Luke draped his coat over her body and ran his slender fingers through her hair. "Silly girl. I promise that I won''t leave you or the kids behind again. Our family will be together forever." For the past two years, he had dreamed of sitting next to her, hugging her, feeling her warmth, and indulging in her presence. Being separated from her was agony. Whenever he missed her, it felt as though someone was stabbing his heart with a knife. Luke greedily took in Bianca''s face. He thought that she had be more mature and feminine. Gone was the naive and childish girl; the Bianca in his embrace now was sensual and charming. "I wonder how Grandpa is now. I''m afraid that when we get back to A City, he''s already..." Bianca dared notplete the sentence. Every minute and every second sitting on the ne was pure torture. Luke gazed at her and ruffled her scattered hair. "Your grandfather is a blessed man. I believe that he''ll be fine. Grandpa adores children, and he must be waiting for you to give birth to a few more great- grandchildren for him. Let''s not disappoint him.¡± Bianca was speechless. She was not sure how to react to that. The man''s smoldering gaze seemed to burn away her clothes. She was feeling embarrassed and helpless. Bianca pointed at Tommy sitting not far away from them and smiled slyly." Do you want to share my affection with another person? I don¡¯t mind giving birth to more children if you want." Luke gritted his teeth when he thought of Tommy''s behavior. He thought for a while and decided that three children were enough. He would not mind if his children were as cute and obedient as Rainie, but he would regret it if his future children turn out to be like Tommy... Chapter 718 Chapter 718 Finding The Right Timing Paramount Hospital, A City. When Bianca and Luke rushed over, the red light outside the operating room was still on. Wanda Rayne sat on the bench in the corridor like a stiff puppet and stared nkly at the red light. Her sickly face appeared paler, and her expression was filled with numbness as well as sorrow. "Aunt Wanda..." Bianca quietly walked to Wanda. She suppressed her grief, squatted next to Wanda, and held her cold hand. "How¡¯s Grandpa now? How did it happen? How did he fall?" Wanda''s pale and tired face worried her. Thest time Bianca saw her was two weeks ago. Aunt Wanda, who was once as full of life like a peony in full bloom, now looked shriveled and skinny. Her alluring beauty had dissipated. If the woman in front of her did not share the same face as Aunt Wanda''s, Bianca would never have thought that they were the same person. However, Wanda did not seem to hear her. She did not respond and continued staring nkly at the operating room. Bianca was a little flustered when she saw how abnormally Aunt Wanda was acting. She turned and asked Luke for help. "Luke, what''s wrong with Aunt Wanda? Aunt Wanda, will you please answer me?" Bianca held onto Wanda''s hand tightly, tears flowing down her elegant face as her misty eyes reflected Aunt Wanda''s frail body. Bianca was trembling uncontrobly. Luke''s heart ached when he saw how upset Bianca was. He tried tofort Bianca, but his voice was hoarse as he said, "Aunt Wanda may be overwhelmed and is shutting herself down temporarily. Don''t worry, Aunt Wanda will be back to normal after a while. Johann is inside the operating room treating Grandpa. With him on the job, no matter howplicated the surgery is, he¡¯ll make sure that Grandpa wille out of the operating room alive and well. Grandpa is a blessed man, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be alright." Although he said that, Luke, who was standing beside Bianca, kept staring at the operating room. His expression was gloomy as a trace of anxiety shed in his eyes. It seemed that their conversation brought Wanda back to reality. She was still sitting on the bench with a nk expression, but she said to Bianca," Bea, you¡¯re here?" Seeing that Aunt Wanda was finally responsive, Bianca anxiously asked," Aunt Wanda, Grandpa... What¡¯s going on with Grandpa?" Wanda took a deep breath, her heart feeling heavy. Tears rolled in her eyes as she exined the situation to Bianca. "The day before yesterday was the birthday of Florence''s grandson, so she took a day off. It just so happened that I was free, so I stayed at home with your grandpa. However, after lunch, my chest felt like it was being stabbed by needles. The pain was unbearable and I ran out of painkillers. I was afraid that your grandpa would be worried, so I thought I''d get some medicine and hurry back as soon as possible. I didn''t think too much of it, but I didn''t expect that in just such a short time, your grandfather would fall when he went to the kitchen to pour himself a ss of water... When I got home, his face was covered in blood and he was unconscious. I was so scared! I rushed him to the hospital immediately... It''s all my fault. If it weren''t for my carelessness, Dad wouldn''t..."All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Wanda felt horrible as she recounted what had happened. She was riddled with guilt and could not help but weep harder. Even though she was on the brink of tears herself, Bianca hugged Wanda and understood that it was not her fault. ''Aunt Wanda is sick and has to endure all the pain thates with it. Even then, she was still taking care of Grandpa. She''s in a vulnerable ce, so what right do I have to me her? If I had not insisted on going to Moscow to find Luke... If I had visited Grandpa as I usually did from time to time... maybe he wouldn¡¯t have been in danger. I''m to me for this...'' Bianca hugged Aunt Wanda tightly and said softly, "Aunt Wanda, what happened to Grandpa has nothing to do with you. He¡¯s old and in poor health. I haven''t done my duty as his granddaughter to take good care of him... It''s all my fault, you''re not to be med. Don''t be too sad. Dr. Vyen said that you should manage your emotions to help with your condition. Grandpa is still in the operating room. Please stay strong for him and me." Old Master Rayne had been in the operating room for nearly ten hours. Bianca and Wanda waited on the bench while Luke stood and waited with them. It felt like they were sitting on pins and needles. Minutes felt like decades. Luke''s phone suddenly rang. It was Jim Holston checking in on whether he and Bianca had reached A City safely. Luke kept the call brief and then turned off his phone. Only his two best friends, Percy Mallory and Jim Holston, knew about his return to A City. He did not share the news even with his grandfather and mother, Allison Tanner. It was not that he did not care about them, but he hade back too suddenly and was not prepared to meet them yet. Moreover, he was afraid to see his Grandpa cry. Luke was aware that Old Master Crawford was aging and his health was no longer what it was. He would not be able to take it. Luke nned to find the right timing to go back to Crawford Manor and exin to Old Master Crawford about his two-year disappearance. At that moment, the red light outside the operating room was turned off and the door was opened from the inside. Luke knew the two surgeons in white coats who came out first. They were well known and served as the surgical director and deputy director of the hospital. Just as Bianca was about to run up to them to ask about her Grandpa''s condition, Johann walked out in a sterile surgical gown. He took off his mask. His handsome face seemed a little tired and his eyes were bloodshot. Bianca got up from the bench impatiently and rushed to Johann. She grabbed onto his sleeves tightly, her eyes full of anxiety as she asked," Johann, how''s my grandpa?" "Bianca, take a deep breath and listen to me. Old Master Rayne''s fall wasn''t too serious, but what I want to tell you is that he has at least three tumors inside his head. One of which is benign, but the other two seem to be malignant. His fall has caused some pressure to be exerted onto the tumors, which led to the onset of the condition. Even if Old Master Rayne hadn''t fallen this time, based on the size of the tumors, he was going to be hospitalized sooner orter..." Tumors? Everyone was shocked, especially Bianca. Except for his poor memory, Old Master Rayne had always been healthy. He spoke clearly and his thoughts were coherent, so whenever she brought him to have a physical examination, he did everything except a brain CT. At this moment, she was furious with herself for being so careless! Chapter 719 Chapter 719 She Did Not Mention Anything To Luke Bianca was riddled with guilt and med herself for what was happening while Wanda refused to ept it. Wanda, who had always been calm and restrained, suddenly covered her eyes and burst into tears. "God, are you trying to kill everyone in the Rayne family? Why are you making all of us sick? My brother passed away from cancer, I have cancer, and now even my dad has brain tumors. Why are you doing this to our family?!" Bianca felt like she had lost all her strength. Wanda''s ramblings made her heart sink as if someone had stabbed through her heart with a chisel. It hurt so much that she felt like she was about to go mad. All she could do was hug Wanda, who was on the verge of copse. She keptforting her, saying, "Aunt Wanda, everything will be fine. Trust me, okay? No matter what, I''ll always be by your side..." Luke was the first toe back to his senses. He furrowed his brows and asked Johann in a serious tone, "Based on Old Master Rayne''s current situation, what are the chances that he can be cured?" When he thought about Old Master Rayne''s condition, Johann frowned and told Luke the truth, ''The craniotomy itself is a high-risk surgery. Old Master Rayne is old and has a severe decline in his physical functions as well as a poor tolerance. Moreover, he had a sudden cerebral hemorrhage. If he doesn¡¯t undergo surgery, his life will be in danger as his meningioma would put pressure on the nerves linked to his vision and leg function. It may eventually cause him to go blind and he won''t be able to walk. Even his cardiopulmonary function will be severely impacted. However, with the consent of Ms. Wanda, I performed a craniotomy on Old Master Rayne. I didn''t go for a more conservative option because it would not be as effective. As for whether the operation was a sess, I have to wait for Old Master Rayne to wake up before I can run a check-up on him. However, I can assure you that Old Master Rayne will live, but there will be certain seque. He may not be able to speak clearly and may even be paralyzed, so you have to be mentally prepared for this..." Bianca breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that Old Master Rayne''s life was not in danger. "As long as Grandpa is alright, I''ll take care of him even if he''s paralyzed in bed for the rest of his life. Thank you, Johann. We appreciate your hard work." She knew that Johann was an excellent surgeon, but even he could not ensure that her Grandpa could go back to normal. Even so, she was just d that he was safe and sound. Although Johann had downyed Grandpa''s condition, she could tell that it was serious. She understood the horror of a sudden cerebral hemorrhage. The grandfather of her colleague had suffered from such a disease and passed away within a few hours. Old Master Rayne''s condition was moreplicated. He not only had a sudden cerebral hemorrhage but also brain tumors. If he had been sent to the hospital slightlyter, would she have been separated from her grandfather forever? "You''re wee. Even if it weren''t Old Master Rayne, I would''ve still done my best." Johann smiled and shook his head. His gaze then fell on Luke, who was used to taking charge of everything. "Although Old Master Rayne''s tumors have been removed, we still have to monitor his condition closely for the next 72 hours in the ICU." Luke''s expression became solemn as he said, "We''ll go with your arrangement." Bianca asked Johann impatiently, "Dr. Stiles, can I go in and visit my grandpa now?" Johann nodded and replied, "You can go in, but he''s still weak. Only one visitor at a time." 1 Bianca and Wanda looked at each other. Bianca said softly to Aunt Wanda, "Aunt Wanda, you¡¯ve been waiting outside for so long. You must be tired. Besides, you''re still sick. I don¡¯t want to see you copse too. Let me go in and visit Grandpa. You should head back and have a good rest, okay?" Wanda bit her lip gently. She wanted to go in, but before she could do so, Bianca went inside with a nurse. Wanda had no choice but to back down, knowing that her sickly body was at its limit. Hence, she let Bianca be. "Aunt Wanda." Luke held on to Wanda, whose frail body was struggling to hold itself up. His gaze fell on her pale face and anger shed through his eyes as he said, "Grandpa Rayne is hospitalized but no one from the Crawford family came to visit?" He was not aware of Bianca''s rtionship with the Crawford family during the two years that he was absent from A City. He thought that she might still be at odds with his mother. However, Old Master Crawford and Louis should be on her side. Even so, he did not see a single member from the Crawford family in the hospital. He could not help but be furious. Wanda smiled bitterly and answered, "This is the Rayne family''s matter and we''re not used to troubling outsiders. Besides, Old Master Crawford is getting old. If he hears about my dad, he might be worried. His health is not very good and it''s best not to trouble him. As for Mrs. Crawford, let''s not talk about it... Fortunately, Dad is no longer in critical condition. After this, we''ll work on his recovery, and hopefully, he''ll get better." When Luke was not around, the rtionship between Bianca and the Crawford family had been a little stiff. Her so-called mother-inw, Allison Tanner, had given her an especially hard time. If it were not for their three children, she would have kicked Bianca out. Susan Armstrong was not any better. To fight for the family fortune, she paid someone off to secretly inject her with aborticide when she was delivering the baby... Therefore, Wanda would choose to handle most things on her own and avoided asking for favors from the Crawford family to ensure that they would have nothing on her. Of course, Wanda did not mention anything to Luke there and then. She knew that Luke was a smart man who would be able to find out about all these even if she kept her mouth shut. Wanda''s words made Luke''s dark-brown eyes sh with a suffocating cold gaze. "Aunt Wanda, don''t worry. I''ll make sure that Bianca gets double of all that the Crawford family owes her. I''ll find the best doctor to treat your illness, and I believe you¡¯ll heal one day." It seemed that he had to face the Crawford family as soon as possible. Otherwise, he would never know how much Bianca had suffered in the Crawford family during the time he was gone! Wanda smiled knowingly. She was well aware of her condition. She was grateful just to be alive and did not expect to return to normal. However, she was very happy that Bianca had brought Luke back. He would be able to back her up and she would never be bullied by others again. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. This was the only thing that Wanda felt relieved about. Chapter 720 Chapter 720 Terrifying Revenge Awaits! By the time Bianca came out of the ICU, it was almost noon. Bianca nced at Wanda who was still waiting on the bench and a pang of sadness hit her. She said in a low voice, "Aunt Wanda, you need to take care of yourself. Please go home and get some rest. I''ll be here to watch over Grandpa. When youe back, please bring some of his necessities with you." Wanda got up from the bench and shook her head. "Bea, you came to the hospital as soon as you got off the ne. You must be very tired after the long journey. I¡¯m alright. You and Luke should go home first. I¡¯m sure Lanie and Rainie must miss both of you very much." Bianca insisted, "No, Aunt Wanda. I can''t go back now. I won''t be able to have peace of mind until Grandpa wakes up." Wanda looked at Luke for help. Luke nced at Bianca''s somewhat wrinkled clothes and said tactfully," It''s pointless for so many of us to stay here considering that Grandpa hasn''t woken up yet. We should head home first to ease our family''s worrying hearts. I''ve already contacted Jason and he''ll be here soon. After we have lunch, you can go home and have a change of clothes. We''lle back to the hospital then. Otherwise, if Grandpa wakes up and sees how haggard you look, he¡¯ll be distressed. Aunt Wanda,e with us." His tone wasmanding, and there was no room for discussion. Wanda sighed softly and agreed. Bianca was convinced. "Okay, let''s go home first." She kept staring at the ICU ward as if she was expecting Old Master Rayne to wake up immediately. Just as they were talking, Jason rushed over. When he saw Luke, Jason, who was always calm and mature, started tearing up as he said, "Boss, I knew you were still alive! What an amazing surprise! Where have you been in the past two years? Why did you just go off the grid?" Jason looked at Luke and thought to himself, ¡®Luke is still as handsome as ever! His eyes are as deep as the night and his tailored casual clothes highlight his excellent physique. His aura is more powerful than before. Everything and everyone next to him would just serve as a background for him.'' i It was really Luke! Luke raised his eyebrows slightly and answered, "It¡¯s a long story, Mr. Doyle. Please take care of Grandpa. I''ll exin to you when I have the time." Jason agreed with him. "Okay." C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org As he stared at Luke and Bianca who were leaving, Jason felt like tearing up. He thought that Luke had died in that fatal explosion. He did not expect Luke to have survived. 1 That was wonderful! The leader of T Corporation had quietly returned. When news got out, T Corporation''s stock price would break into a new high in two days. Luke, Bianca, and Wanda took the elevator to the underground parking lot together. Luke and Bianca had rushed from the airport without getting anyone to pick them up. Instead, they got a taxi and went straight to Paramount Hospital. At this moment, they were in Wanda''s car. 1 Wanda''s car was a silver Mercedes that was a little smaller in size. It was suitable for women, but it was tight for a tall man like Luke. Luke drove while Bianca and Wanda sat in the backseat. They chatted quietly from time to time. The car drove toward the direction of Crawford Manor. When they were on a viaduct, a ck Land Rover passed them by. When he saw the driver, Luke''s grip on the steering wheel suddenly tightened. His gentle gaze suddenly became sharp and gloomy. Wayne tt! The culprit who caused him to end up on the Ind of Despair for more than two years dared to appear in front of him. Terrifying revenge awaited him! When Wayne and Luke locked eyes, Wayne''s expression turned gloomy and horrifying. ''Isn''t Luke dead? Why has he suddenly appeared in A City?'' Their cars passed by each other at a swift speed and the two men were plotting against each other. Something big was about to happen in A City... Crawford Manor. When Luke returned to the manor with Bianca, there was a range of reactions. Tears filled Old Master Crawford''s eyes the moment he saw Luke. He almost fainted from the excitement. He held Luke''s hand and refused to let go. Two streams of tears flowed down his eyes as he said, "Luke, my dear grandson, you''ve finally returned! I''m so d you¡¯re back! I''d have no regrets if I were to die this second..." Old Master Crawford''s wrinkled and trembling hands kept touching Luke''s handsome face as he murmured, "Thank the Lord for bringing back my dear grandson! You¡¯ve lost weight... You must''ve suffered in the past two years..." "Grandpa..." Luke was deeply touched by Old Master Crawford''s reaction toward his return. He had never seen Grandpa so kind and gentle. Old Master Crawford, who served as his mentor, had been harsh and demanding with him since he was a child. However, it was precisely because of Old Master Crawford''s earnest and meticulous teachings that Luke managed to establish himself as a distinguished figure in the corporate world. Susan Armstrong felt uneasy when she saw Luke, but she had to pretend to be happy on the outside. Allison Tanner was well-dressed as usual. She had spent an exorbitant amount on skincare for her skin to look wless, so although there were some fine lines on the corners of her eyes, she did not look like she was 50 years old. "Didn''t I say that my son is a lucky man and wille back sooner orter?! Luke, I missed you so much! During the two years that you were absent, I was depressed because of how much I missed you..." Allison pretended to wipe her tears and thenined to Luke, "My dear son, your wife is terribly arrogant and domineering! She took over T Corporation and barely gave me anything to sustain myself. I''ve been having a hard time for the past two years. I''mparable to a beggar on the street. You should divorce this ungrateful wench..." 1 Bianca kept silent. She had a clear conscience and knew that she had done everything she could for Allison. After all these years, she had finally figured out how to deal with a woman like Allison who loved to make a scene and create problems. The best option was to ignore her. Otherwise, the more attention she gave Allison, the more unreasonable she would get. Luke watched Allison''s weak performance with a cold expression and exposed her on the spot. "Mom, if I''m seeing it right, you''re wearing a limited edition Dior, a VanCleef diamond ne, jade earrings, and your shoes are from Balenciaga''s most recentunch. With everything that you¡¯re wearing, I reckon that an ordinary family would not be able to afford it even if they work for a lifetime. I really don''t see how Bianca is bullying you?" Allison turned red from embarrassment. She rolled her eyes at her son who did not show her the slightest respect and headed upstairs. She did not want to deal with this any further... Chapter 721 Chapter 721 A Bolt From The Blue! Wanda was touched when she saw how Luke defended Bianca. Bianca had chosen the right man to spend her life with. She found a good man who loved her and protected her. Under his protection, no matter how arrogant and defiant Allison was, she would not be able to harm Bianca. Old Master Crawford looked around and realized that Tommy was not with them. His questioning eyes fell on Bianca as he said, "By the way, where''s my dear Tommy? Why isn''t he here? You didn¡¯t lose Tommy, did you?" Tommy was only a little over two years old. He was Old Master Crawford''s pride and joy. Although he was naughty, his cheeky appearance often made Old Master Crawfordugh. Old Master Crawford liked him even more than the twins. Bianca said, "Grandpa, my parents missed Tommy, so I sent him to the Norman residence to spend some time with them. I''ll bring him over in two days." "Bring him here as soon as possible! Tommy''s surname is Crawford, he has no business staying in the Norman residence so often," Old Master Crawford said, dissatisfied. "Okay, Grandpa," Bianca responded quickly. Old Master Crawford felt a little more at ease. He turned his head and saw Wanda. Old Master Crawford noticed that she was sitting quietly on the sofa, keeping her head down and not speaking. He said to her, "Wanda, how is your father doing? I haven''t seen him for almost a month. I miss him a lot. He¡¯s always wee in Crawford Manor." Bianca''s mood turned sullen. She was about to speak but stopped at Luke''s stare. Wanda''s body stiffened slightly and she said mechanically, "Old Master Crawford, my dad is alright but needs to rest at home for a while due to an old injury. When he gets better, I¡¯ll be sure to bring him over to meet with you." Old Master Crawford nodded and said, "In that case, he shouldn''t be running around. He should focus on his recovery. When I have the time, I¡¯ll visit him." He knew that Old Master Rayne''s health was not the best and he had asthma, which was prone to rpse in this season. That was why he did not suspect anything. Old Master Crawford said, "Bea, since Luke has returned, let him take care of thepany''s matters. The past two years have been really hard on you and you''ve done enough for T Corporation. You''re a woman; it¡¯s not easy to manage the pressure thates along with managing T Corporation. Take advantage of Luke''s return to take a good rest and spend more time with your grandfather." Old Master Crawford knew that Bianca had done an amazing job of managing T Corporation. However, since his grandson had returned, he felt that he had to take back the power in her hands. Although Bianca was his granddaughter-inw and had given birth to three grandchildren for the Crawford family, to Old Master Crawford, she was still an outsider. He only trusted those rted to him by blood. Although Old Master Crawford phrased it as though it was for Bianca''s sake, everyone present understood that he was trying to get rid of her now that she was no longer useful. Bianca did not think much about it, but Wanda felt a little ufortable hearing it. ''How can Old Master Crawford treat Bianca like this? She has been at his beck and call this whole time but as soon as his grandson is back, he''s kicking her out just like that?!'' Wanda smiled and said with a touch of sarcasm, "Yes, Bianca has been working too hard in the past two years when Luke is absent. She has been so busy working for T Corporation that she can¡¯t even sleep at night. Not only are her dark circles getting worse, but her hair is also falling. On top of that, she''s also raising three young children for the Crawford family. I feel so bad for her! Bea, now that Luke is back, you won''t have to be so tired all the time. You can finally do what you want, like travel and maintain your beauty... The life of a nobleman¡¯s wife seems nice." Although Luke did not say anything, his facial expression revealed his true emotions. He was also not a fan of Old Master Crawford''s attitude toward Bianca. However, he had already transferred all the properties under his name to Bianca. Aunt Wanda''s sarcasm made him feel somewhat at a loss. He held Bianca''s hand and looked into her eyes with tenderness. He then said to Wanda humbly, "Aunt Wanda, don''t worry. Bianca will still be assisting me to manage T Corporation. She has been the interim CEO for more than two years and would be more knowledgeable than me in some matters. Even if I return as CEO, I''d still need her help." Old Master Crawford''s face turned gloomy. He hit the floor with his cane, and the loud sound made others feel like their hearts had been struck by thunder. "Aunt Wanda...¡¯ Bianca saw that the situation was a little tense, so she tugged Wanda''s sleeve anxiously and whispered in her ear, "Aunt Wanda, Luke has transferred all his properties to me. He loves me so much to the point where he''s willing to do so. Please don''t ridicule him anymore..." Wanda snorted and poked Bianca''s head. "Look at you! All you do is side with your man. I just want to make sure that no one is taking advantage of you, you silly girl!" She knew about Luke''s will, but she could not stand the attitude of the Crawford family toward Bianca. Bianca was smart and considerate, but her shoring was that she valued rtionships too much and was too kind. She was easily deceived by others. However, she was satisfied with Luke''s answer. Fortunately, Luke was reliable and had a good character. Otherwise, she was notfortable with Bianca staying in such a toxic environment with the Crawford family. Susan Armstrong had been drinking tea leisurely, watching all this with a cold expression. She wished that Luke had died and note back. During Luke''s absence, although Bianca was in charge, T Corporation was able to stand strong due to her son, Louis. Louis has gradually grown to be stronger in the past two years. She thought that when the time was right, she would join her son to take over Bianca''s role. She did not expect Luke toe back from the dead. This was a bolt from the blue! The driver fetched the twins back from school. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! When the two of them saw Luke, they were extremely excited. Rainie threw herself into Luke''s arms while holding his neck, crying out, " Daddy..." Rainie hugged him tightly and was not willing to let go, as if she was afraid that he would disappear once she did. Luke coaxed Rainie for five minutes before she stopped crying. He looked at his daughter whom he had not seen in two years. Rainie had grown taller, her delicate face was pinkish, and her slightly raised eyebrows looked delicate. Her watery eyes had be more clear from the tears. She was as beautiful as a porcin doll. Luke could not help but sigh. His daughter has grown up to look just like her mother. However, when his gaze fell on nche, he was a little dazed... Chapter 722 Chapter 722 Come Here, Don''t You Remember Me? After more than two years of absence, nche had grown a lot taller. Perhaps because he was a boy, he was half a head taller than his twin sister. His face was still handsome and eye-catching. His slightly curly natural hair made him look like a prince who came out of a fairy tale. No one would be able to look away after catching a nce at him. However, Lanie was staring at Luke with aplicated expression. He seemed excited, confused, and annoyed at the same time. Luke was not sure how to react but found it funny. He beckoned to nche in a fatherly tone, saying, "Come here, don''t you remember me?" nche hesitated for a quarter of an hour before walking slowly to Luke''s side. He said in a neutral tone, "Dad." He was mad at Luke-mad that he had disappeared for so long; mad that his disappearance had made his mother''s life so hard; mad that everyone else had their parents by their side but he and his sister suddenly came from a single-parent family. However, now that his father had appeared, nche suddenly realized that he missed him very much. Luke sighed lightly, rubbed his son¡¯s fluffy hair, and said emotionally, "Now that you''ve grown up, you''re no longer the kid who obeys his dad''s orders. It''s my fault that I haven''t been here to watch you and your sister grow up in the past two years. I promise that I''ll always be with you from now on." nche rarely showed his emotions. Despite his young age, he was more taciturn and calm, especially in the past two years when Luke disappeared. However, when Luke touched his head as he did before he disappeared, nche threw himself into Luke''s arms like his sister and wailed... "Dad, I missed you! Mom, Rainie, Tommy, and everyone in the family missed you so much. Why did you go missing for so long? You don''t know how hard things have been for Mommy during your absence. Rainie cries a lot and Tommy is so naughty... I¡¯m so d that you''re back. Our family has reunited once more... Dad, please don''t leave us again..." "Lanie, my good boy, I¡¯m sorry. I promise you that no matter what happens in the future, I''ll never leave you again. Our family will always be together." Luke gently rubbed his son''s back with his hand. It was rare that he was so patient with coaxing nche. Bianca watched as Luke and nche hugged. The warm and touching scene made her tear up again. Lanie had always been a very sensible child. Especially in the past two years, he was so sensible that it started to worry her. She would always think that nche had a steady and mature personality, so he did not need as much attention as his sister and brother. She sometimes forgot that he was just a seven-year-old little boy! Bianca wanted to have a simple meal together as she had to rush back to the hospital in the afternoon, but Old Master Crawford firmly disagreed. To celebrate Luke''s return, Old Master Crawford hired a few celebrity chefs from a hotel to prepare a feast. The lunch was very hearty. Not only was the food on the table beautiful to look at, but the colors, aroma, and vors were all also spot on. The meal could make anyone salivate at first nce. At the huge rotating round table, Susan and Louis sat on the right side of Old Master Crawford. Next to Louis sat a charming woman. She was fashionable and disyed a metropolitan style. She was Louis'' wife, Yuri Dunn. She was also Deputy Secretary Dunn''s daughter. They got married two years ago. It was a shotgun marriage forced by Susan. At first, Louis had refused, but Susan threatened him by attempting suicide. Hence, forcing him to agree to the marriage. However, Louis and Yuri were not a happy couple. Both of them were very yful, and Louis has no love for Yuri at all. Yuri was grumpy, jealous, and had a strong desire to control Louis, which left a bad taste in Louis'' mouth. The two often fought and caused the Crawford family turmoil. From time to time, they would infuriate Susan so much that she regretted forcing her son to marry a domineering and unreasonable daughter- inw like Yuri. However, nothing could be done. Susan would never allow her son and Yuri to separate. One of the reasons was Yuri''s identity and background. Also, she could not let Allison make fun of her. All Susan could do was grit her teeth and endure it. Since getting married, Louis and Yuri had done their own thing. They disyed affection in front of outsiders, but they were strangers when they returned home. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org There was a high stool between Yuri and Louis. On it sat a beautiful girl who was about two years old. The girl''s name was Thea Crawford, and she looked like Louis. She had a sweet face and her skin was fair, but she was very arrogant even at a young age. Her overbearing behavior was all thanks to Susan spoiling her. On the left side of Old Master Crawford sat Luke, Bianca, the twins, and Wanda. It was a lot more harmoniouspared to the atmosphere on Susan''s side. Luke''s considerate act of picking up vegetables for Bianca, as well as his pampering attitude toward her, made Yuri jealous. Yuri shot daggers at Louis with her re. The man was eating by himself. She was so angry that she could not eat. She used her elbow to stab Louis andined in an extremely dissatisfied tone, "Look at how Luke is treating his wife! You? All you care about is yourself! Louis, are you a pig? Or are you blind? Don''t you know how to treat your wife and child well?" "What''s your problem?!" Louis stared at her impatiently but still grabbed a piece of braised pork. Yuri was overjoyed and was about topliment him, but she saw him put the braised pork in Thea''s bowl. He then squeezed the child''s face lovingly and said, "Thea, eat more meat to grow taller and Dad will take you to kayak." Yuri was angry, but after all, Thea was their daughter, so she could not get angry at her. All she could do was suppress her anger and continue shooting daggers at Louis with a re! Louis did not bother to pay any attention to Yuri and continued eating. Thea threw the braised pork that Louis ced in her bowl on the ground. Her arrogant face was raised high as she said unhappily, "I don¡¯t like to eat braised pork. It''s fat and oily, it''s so disgusting! I want to eat the ones that are in front of you!" She possessively ced the dishes that were in front of Louis in front of her, like an arrogant female overlord. Louis was speechless. 1 Thea would do this every time they had a meal together. There were certain foods that she was not a fan of, but she just liked topete for things. He was not sure how Susan could spoil her until she became such a tyrant at a young age. Susan continued eating as though it was not her problem. She was the one who instigated Thea''s behavior. She took pleasure in creating chaos for Allison, even if it was just a small matter. Luke''s expression was as cold as snow. He shot a look at Thea. The child was more sensitive, so when she was stared at by such a powerful man, she was so scared that she cried... Chapter 723 Chapter 723 You''ll Always Be A Shameless Mistress Thea was so frightened that she broke into tears. Her tiny body curled up in Susan''s arm and she did not dare to move nor look into Luke''s eyes. Her body was shuddering as she buried herself in her grandmother¡¯s arms. She was sobbing so hard that Susan felt sorry for her. Susan was furious and took a dig at Luke. "What a jinxed man! You scared my baby granddaughter as soon as youe back. I''d rather you didn''te back!" Allison was displeased. ''How dare Susan say that about my son?! Who is she but a wet nket?!¡¯ Allison mmed her utensil onto the dining table, snorted coldly, and said in a sharp tone, ''Your granddaughter is as timid as a mouse but you''re ming others for it? She''s spoiled like a princess but she¡¯s not a real princess. What¡¯s the big hoo-ha for?" What she said made Yuri feel extremely ufortable... No matter how horrible the rtionship between Susan and Allison was, Thea was her flesh and blood. Naturally, she would not allow others to ridicule her daughter. She immediately sided with her mother- inw, saying, "It''s not your ce to say that about Thea. Thea is our little princess. Our family likes to spoil her, what¡¯s wrong with that? Keep your opinion to yourself, you old witch!" Allison flipped at Yuri''s remark! She widened her eyes in anger and stared at Yuri. "What did you say? How dare you call me an old witch? Didn''t your parents teach you not to talk back to your elders? Have you no shame? You''re dressed like a provocative peacock all the time! I think that you''ll cuckold the Crawford family sooner or later..." "Allison, what did you just say?! Don¡¯t think that just because your son is back, you can say whatever you want! Let me tell you this, as long as I¡¯m in the Crawford family, you''ll always be a shameless mistress, do you understand me..." Susan got up from the chair and stuffed Thea, who was still crying, into Yuri''s hands. She pointed at Allison while cursing at her. "Susan, you b*tch! Are you ming me for your incapability? You''re destined to be a bitter woman for the rest of your life!" Allison wanted to rip Susan into pieces! The biggest humiliation in her life was bing Zachary Crawford''s mistress, but although she felt shame, she did not regret it. Otherwise, she would never have the prosperous and wealthy life that she had now. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. However, she would never allow anyone to call her a mistress. Every time that word came out of Susan¡¯s mouth, it felt like her most humiliating history was being dug out. It made her embarrassed and angry. If it were not for her son¡¯s return, she would have fought with Susan. Bianca felt helpless when they started fighting. Old Master Crawford had set a rule that the whole family must gather for a meal on the 15th of each month. This was supposedly to follow the Crawford family''s motto, but everytime, Susan and Allison would end up in a big fight. Wanda was already irritated and lost her appetite when the drama between Susan and Allison unfolded. She did not expect this to be the case for the Crawford family. She was d that Bianca did not live with them in Crawford Manor. Otherwise, no matter how good- tempered she was, she would fall sick from such a negative environment. The twins calmly ate the food in their bowls. They were used to it and were not disturbed at all. However, they had long been dissatisfied about this. Rainie bit into a piece of rib with her bright red lips. She said to nche bitterly, "Lanie, I want to live with Mommy and Daddy. I don¡¯t want to stay in Crawford Manor anymore... Grandma Susan and Grandma Allison have been fighting all the time for so many years, aren¡¯t they tired? I feel tired watching them arguing every day..." nche picked a crab for his sister, carefully removed the shell, and put the tender meat in her bowl. "Let¡¯s discuss this with Mommy and Daddy." The twins looked at each other at the same time and decided that when they were a little older, they had to live with their parents. In fact, they would rather go to boarding school than return to Crawford Manor. Luke was infuriated by the situation. He did not expect the situation to be like this even after two years. If it were not for Old Master Crawford and the twins, he would not want to step into Crawford Manor for the rest of his life. No longer in the mood to eat, Luke grabbed Bianca and said, "Grandpa, Bianca and I are full and we have something to attend to. We''ll bring along Lanie and Rainie. Enjoy your meal..." He beckoned to the twins and they immediately tossed aside the utensils before following behind their parents. The couple held a child''s hands each and left. "Luke, you just came back. Where are you going? Is there anything more important than spending time with me? Come back..." Old Master Crawford wanted to chase after him, but his body was not strong enough. As he watched his grandson and his family leave, he was anxious and furious. Seeing that his two daughters-inw were still arguing, he yelled angrily, "That''s enough! Shut up!" Old Master Crawford was so angry that he almost had a heart attack. The cane in his hand hit the ground fiercely. If they were not women, he would have hit them with his cane. With blue veins throbbing on his forehead, Old Master Crawford gasped for air and roared, "Both of you are already grandmothers. Why are you still arguing in front of the kids? Have you no shame? If you still want to fight, get out of Crawford Manor immediately!" Old Master Crawford''s roar was full of anger, and his cane swept the bowl of stew on the edge of the table to the floor. The exquisite porcin bowl shattered to pieces as the stew spilled on the ground. The two noisy women were frightened and obediently sat down. Even Thea got so scared that she stopped crying and hid in Yuri¡¯s arms. She stared at them with a pair of tearful eyes and sneaked looks at her angry great-grandfather, not daring to say anything. A family conflict that was caused by a child finally came to an end. Louis felt numb to it all and sneered. He had never felt any happiness since he was a child, and his marriage was worse. He had no affection for this so- called home. His only love was his daughter, Thea. However, he had been raised by his mother and wife to have such a spoiled temper. He was disappointed in this family... Chapter 724 Chapter 724 They Look Exactly The Same, So Handsome! Bianca decided to head back to the hospital. Wanda went home to rest after Bianca insisted that she do so. After Luke sent the twins back to school, he went to T Corporation. When Bianca arrived at the hospital, Old Master Rayne had yet to awaken. Jason was still waiting in the ward. Bianca smiled at Jason gratefully and looked at her unconscious grandfather. She said sadly, "Thank you, Mr. Doyle. I¡¯m sorry for the trouble. I¡¯m sure Sue is overwhelmed at home taking care of the two children. You should go home." 1 She was embarrassed. Although Jason was a special assistant, he was always asked toe and help no matter how big or small the matter was. He needed personal space and had his own things to deal with too. What was more, now that he and Sue had two children together, they were busy every day. She did not want to trouble him as much. Jason nced at Old Master Rayne and saw that his condition had stabilized, so he said, "Okay. Ms. Rayne, then I''ll head home first. Feel free to reach out if you need my help." "Okay." After Jason left, Bianca sat on the chair next to Old Master Rayne''s bed. She carefully held her grandpa''s hand and said, "Grandpa, I''m sorry, it''s all my fault. If I had stayed by your side, maybe this wouldn¡¯t have happened to you..." The only response she got was the ticking sound of the infusion bag, but Old Master Rayne remained unconscious. Johann had told her that it would take a while for Old Master Rayne to wake up after his operation. Although he was unconscious, speaking to him often would be beneficial to his recovery as it may stimte him to wake up sooner. Bianca remembered each and every one of Johann''s suggestions. Even though she knew that Old Master Rayne might not be able to hear her, she kept holding his hand and told him many, many things-mostly stories about her childhood. She was brought up by her grandfather since she was a child, so she had a deep affection for him. However, when she started going to high school, she had less time to spend with her grandfather. At that time, she did not cherish the chance and thought that they still had time. She had promised herself to study hard, work, and earn money to provide him with better living conditions. Every time she left home, Old Master Rayne would always stand at the entrance of the vige, watching her leave while silently wiping away his tears. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! She had never understood why before this, but now, she knew that her grandpa never cared about money. He only longed for herpany. With tears gleaming in her eyes, she endured the grief in her heart and whispered in a low voice, "Grandpa, please wake up. I''ve found Luke. He also came to visit you today. Don''t you want to see him? "Grandpa, I''m sorry for always being busy with work. I thought that you were in good health, so I didn''t spare any time to spend with you. I''m sorry... "Grandpa, I want you to get better soon so I can take you on a trip. Didn''t you keep talking about going back to your hometown? When your body recovers, I''ll take you back to your hometown for a few days, okay?" T Corporation. Luke, who wore a suit and leather shoes, caused a huge scene when he appeared in thepany. The female employees in thepany were especially excited. Some of them could not believe their eyes and they rubbed them in disbelief while gossiping. "Gosh, is that... Is that our CEO? Please pinch me so that I know that I''m not dreaming." "Could it be someone who looks like the CEO? Isn''t our CEO... But he looks exactly like our CEO, he¡¯s so handsome!" "How dumb can you be? If he isn''t the CEO, why would he show up in ourpany? Do you see it? He''s waiting for the exclusive elevator that''s only for the CEO. The elevator requires him to scan his face and fingerprints. Ordinary employees won¡¯t be able to ess it. I think he¡¯s our CEO..." Among them, a brave female employee from the business development department carefully tidied her clothes. She suppressed her excitement, walked over, and greeted Luke who was waiting in front of the CEO''s personal elevator. "C-CEO, is that you?" Luke nodded at her with a nk expression. "Yeah." The moment he spoke, the elevator arrived with a ding on the ground floor. Luke walked into the elevator with his long and slender body. The elevator doors closed, and the godlike beauty disappeared in front of the employees. "Oh my God, he''s our CEO! I''m sure that only our CEO has such a perfect and charming face, as well as that sexy and maic familiar voice. Our CEO is back!" The female employee from business development trotted back to the employee elevators. Her face was flushed with excitement as she gossiped with other people about what had just happened. When the other female employees heard her, they exploded with excitement. A few of them chatted non-stop, and some even screamed exaggeratedly. Mavis, who had just entered from outside, reprimanded them when she saw how noisy they were. "What''s the matter? Why are you yelling during work? Watch yourself! Hurry and get back to work!" The female employees were startled by Mavis¡¯ roar, and the looks of joy disappeared from their faces. Among them, the female employee from business development said quietly to her, "Ms. Laviere, we just saw the CEO so we were so excited that we didn''t realize how loud we were being. We''ll be more mindful." Mavis was one of the well-known older single women in T Corporation. She was well-known not only because of her outstanding appearance and strong working ability but also because she was very picky with her romantic partners. Plus, she had an odd temper. During the two years when the CEO was absent, Ms. Laviere, who was known to be cold, seemed to have be increasingly distorted and perverted. Except for a few senior executives in thepany, no other employee dared to mess with her nor go after her. On the surface, the female employees were respectful to Mavis, but privately, they had given her the nickname ''Madam Kill-all''. Mavis seemed to be struck by lightning when she heard the news. She asked in disbelief, "What did you say? The CEO is back? When did this happen?" The female employee was frightened by Mavis'' terrifying expression and stuttered, "Just... Just now... the CEO took the elevator upstairs..." Just as they were talking, the employees'' elevator arrived. Mavis rushed into the elevator. Before the other employees came in, she quickly pressed the button for the floor she wanted to go to and then pressed the close button. The elevator doors shut everyone else out and effectively cut off their dissatisfied grunts. Luke was back! This piece of news was like a gleam of hope on a cloudy day, rekindling the burning passion in Mavis'' dead heart... Chapter 725 Chapter 725 The Kingpin Has Returned! The door to the CEO¡¯s office was not closed, and there was a small gap. Mavis stood outside the door and sneaked a peak. Luke was standing sideways in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. His slender body carried a compelling extravagance as he looked at the bustling city outside. The sunlight highlighted his side profile with a golden shine. The corners of his lips were raised, and this sight could charm the heart of any woman in the world. Mavis stared at Luke like a love-sick idiot. She wanted to open the door and rush over, but her feet seemed to be under a spell. She could not move at all. After a while, she suddenly thought of her makeup. She took a deep breath and rushed into her office. She had a private toilet inside her office. With slightly shaky hands, Mavis took out the cosmetic bag she carried with her, poured out the contents, and immediately began to doll herself up. She had always thought that Luke liked strong, aggressive, and arrogant women, but she did not expect that he preferred weak women like Bianca who were vulnerable and required protection. It turned out that she had taken the wrong approach from the beginning. Now that he was back, Mavis wondered if she stood a chance with him. She quickly finished touching up her makeup and then applied soft pink eyeshadow to make her already big eyes appear bigger and more innocent. Next, she applied a light blush to make her already well-maintained skin pinker. The peach lipstick that she applied made her lips look like it was covered with ayer of delicious jelly. Finally, Mavis took off her formal-looking suit and put on a yellow dress that she used to roll her eyes at. Mavis was satisfied when she saw her transformation from an arrogant to a beautiful woman. "The man that I¡¯ve had a crush on for ten years has returned. I¡¯ll appear in front of him with a new look." Mavis leaned against the wall, stroking her chest and gasping gently. 1 She must remain calm and wow him with her new appearance. She was now the beautiful and soft Mavis. She had changed her entire appearance to suit his taste, hoping that he would take an extra nce at her. The coffee machine in the corner made a slight noise, and the indicator light gradually turned from red to green. The rich aroma wafted out of the coffee machine. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Usually, her female assistant made coffee for her, but this time, Mavis did it herself. She took out a brand new porcin cup, poured a cup of coffee, and added some creamer and a small amount of sugar. After the coffee was brewed, she mustered up her courage and walked to the door of Luke''s office. Mavis knocked on the door politely and walked in when she heard his reply. She turned the doorknob and said, "Mr. Crawford, I heard them say that you''re back so I came here to take a look. I didn''t expect it to be true!" Mavis had tried to keep herposure, but the moment she saw Luke, all of her efforts turned futile. She was like a fanatic girl who was enthusiastically chasing after celebrities. She was seeing things through rose-colored lenses while her heart was full of sweetness. Her face was warm, and it was difficult for her to breathe. Her dolled-up eyes almost welled up with tears from excitement. Luke was more handsome than he was two years ago. His handsome and unparalleled silhouette has be tough, dangerous, and charming with time. It was enough to make any woman scream in admiration. To her, he was the perfect man. "Ms. Laviere." Luke nced at her with a grim expression. He was not sure of what she was trying to do. The woman in front of him was mature and morous, but she deliberately wore a dress that made her look younger. Her shy appearance, which waspletely different from her usual tough appearance, made him feel awkward. However, Mavis was overwhelmed with emotions and said, "Mr. Crawford, this is the coffee I made for you. In the past two years that you''ve been away, I really missed..." Before she could say the word ''you'', she was interrupted by Luke. "Ms. Laviere, bring me the company''s financial statements for the past two years. I''d like to have a look. Notify all shareholders and hold a general meeting at four o''clock sharp. Also, hold a press conference immediately..." His orders were precise and powerful. Luke''s domineering nature did not allow doubt, so Mavis could not say anything. No one knew what Luke was going to do next. He was a mysterious man. The more Mavis knew about him, the deeper she fell for him. In fact, with Mavis'' strong capability, manypanies had tried to headhunt her. However, she was keeping a secret that she was too ashamed to tell anyone. She loved the man in front of her deeply and could not bear to leave him. Even though he had been absent for the past two years, she would rather safeguard thepany that they had built together than change jobs. The longer Mavis was around other men, the more she despised them. Every time she met other men, she inadvertentlypared them to Luke. The gap between Luke and other men was too substantial. A good man like Luke was rare, but unfortunately, his affections were reserved only for a woman named Bianca, which made her distressed and annoyed. Mavis bit her soft lip and immediately followed Luke''s orders. However, she was upset. She had dressed up ording to his preferences, so why did he still not look at her more? Luke looked at Mavis'' back andposed his delicately carved face. He lit a cigarette and blew clouds while deep in thought. He was a smart man, and he was well aware of Mavis'' feelings toward him. However, he could not bring himself to fire her. One of the reasons was that she was good at what she did. The profits she brought to thepany were immeasurable and iparable. Secondly, she had contributed to the sess of T Corporation. She dedicated all her best years to T Corporation. He could not bear himself to cast her aside once she was no longer of use. Therefore, he had kept his distance from her as much as possible, warning her explicitly and implicitly that he and Bianca were happy together. He always tried to get her to back off. He thought that Ms. Laviere was a smart woman and should understand what he meant. The news of Luke''s return soon spread across A City. Eugene Hawking of JK Media was dressed in a well-tailored white suit as henguidly rested in his chair in the CEO''s office. On the man''s slender finger was an extraordinary blue sapphire ring. He had a casual smile on his face and carried the noble aura of a gentleman. Luke, the kingpin, had returned to A City. It seems that the entire A City was about to be turned upside down... Chapter 726 Chapter 726 Public Disy Of Affection To His Wife Although Eugene Hawking was only 30 years old, he was mature and prudent. He knew that Luke''s return to A City would be big news that would dominate the headlines. Eugene excitedly rubbed his chin with the palm of his hand and ordered his special assistant, "All the staff will work overtime tonight. Get all the paper media and new media channels under JK to report as much as possible about Luke''s return. Also, dig into the story behind his disappearance over the past two years. Our readers and audience will be most interested in this." His assistant frowned slightly and said in disagreement, "CEO, people are paying the most attention to celebrity gossip like divorces, custody battles, and affairs. Although T Corporation is very powerful, reporting on Mr. Crawford won''t be as profitable for uspared to celebrity gossip. Mr. Crawford is not a celebrity. His sudden reappearance after being missing for a few years is not that big of a deal." Eugene shook his head, an iprehensible smile appearing on his attractive face as he said, "You¡¯re still young, so you don''t know how much influence Luke has in the corporate world and what kind of uproar will be caused by his return. T Corporation will be holding a press conference at five o''clock. Be there for the entire thing and start writing. All the headlines of JK Media tomorrow will be about Luke." The assistantined softly, "The NBA Chicago basketball team is holding a press conference at five o''clock. Didn''t you arrange for me to follow up on that yesterday?" "Forget about that! It''s nothing compared to T Corporation''s press conference this afternoon." TV station. A young radio manager hurried backstage and reported to a spirited old man in a suit, "Mr. Lawrence, T Corporation''s CEO, Luke Crawford, wants us to allocate a slot in the 7.30 p.m. news for him. He even requested it to be during prime time..." TV Station was different from other broadcasting media. Its words and deeds represented the image of the country. It was not a station anyone could be on if they wanted to. No matter how much money one was willing to spend, it would not work if they did not have a strong backing. The eyes behind Mr. Lawrence''s gold-wire sses suddenly squinted. "Set aside five minutes to report on T Corporation and the return of Luke Crawford." Mr. Lawrence knew how influential T Corporation was. It controlled the fate of many corporations out there. For someone favored by God like Luke, his return was destined to once again bring T Corporation to a whole new level. It would bring immeasurable achievements and promote the economic development of A City. "This..." Although the manager was a little puzzled, he still went with Mr. Lawrence''s instructions and headed downstairs to execute the order. T Corporation''s press conference was held in thergest conference venue in A City. Each reporter carried their equipment and squeezed into the venue. One of the fire escapes was even pried off. The security guards looked pale and weak. "Mr. Crawford, where did you disappear to in the past two years? Can you tell us the details?" "Mr. Crawford, T Corporation is now managed by your wife, Ms. Bianca Rayne. Will you take back the Luke wore a white suit made by a famous tailor. His tall and straight body looked even more slender. His face was sharp and angr, he had a tall nose, and his red lips were thin. God''s superb workmanship on him was awe-inspiring. "Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to attend T Corporation''s press conference. My disappearance in the past two years was due to some troubles I faced during the negotiation process with a business partner. In the past two years, I''ve seen it all. As for the details, my assistant, Mr. Jason Doyle, will inform youter. I''m very grateful for my wife, Bianca, and her dedication to T Corporation and the Crawford family during my absence. I believe everyone has seen her outstanding capability that led to the flourishing of T Corporation. We will manage T Corporation together in the future. As for the future developments of T Corporation, this is what I have in mind..." Luke handled the endless questions from the media with ease and wisdom. He managed to answer even the extremely tricky and weird questions that they asked. His handsome and confident appearance made the female reporters blush. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Luke had always been farsighted. His knowledge was impressive. If they were not seeing him with their own eyes, it would be hard to believe that there was such a handsome and talented man in the world. However, he mentioned his wife constantly in his speech, which made other female reporters envious. Among them, a female reporter from A City Daily finally got the opportunity to ask him questions. She pushed her sses upward and asked in a gossipy tone, "Hello, Mr. Crawford, I¡¯m a reporter from A City Daily. May I ask what is it about your wife that attracts you the most? Is it her appearance or her character?" Luke smiled softly at the camera and said, "My wife is the most beautiful woman in my heart. Of course, she''s not only beautiful on the outside but also the inside. There¡¯s something about her, a type of pure innocence. I can¡¯t express my love for her in words. I love her, she¡¯s like the dawn of hope in my life. During the hardest days of my life, the only thing that kept me going was the thought of seeing her again." Rather than a press conference, this was more so a public disy of affection to his wife! The female reporter of A City Daily was already a mature woman. She was an old single virgin. She had been a journalist for decades and interviewed people from all walks of life. This was the first time since she became a journalist that someone so publicly dered their love fortheir partner. She was jealous. Mavis Laviere, who was standing next to Luke, looked embarrassed and gloomy when she heard Luke''s speech. Paramount Hospital. Bianca was taking care of Old Master Rayne who was still unconscious. She saw Luke''s interview through the live broadcast on her iPad and listened as his press conference turned into a public confession of love. She was moved, sad, and happy. Complex emotions shed on her face one by one. Her feather-like eyshes fluttered slightly. She gently ced Old Master Rayne''s cold hand on her warm face. As she put the iPad close to Old Master Rayne''s ear, Bianca whispered while in tears, "Grandpa, do you hear this? The grandson-inw you''ve been talking about is back. Can you please wake up and take a look at him?" Chapter 727 Chapter 727 Ms. Bianca Is Miles Better Than Ms. Leia T Corporation''s press conference. Seeing that Luke was praising his wife endlessly, another news reporter could not help but ask him, "Mr. Crawford, what¡¯s the biggest mistake you''ve made in your life?" Luke tugged on his tie gracefully as his maic voice said steadfastly," The biggest mistake in my life was bing the CEO of T Corporation." Everyone was stunned and kept silent for a moment. The employees of T Corporation were all sweating over his answer. There was no perfect answer to this question. One had to expose one''s shorings to the public. Luke''s deep gaze looked focused under the spotlight as he said in a serious tone, "Since bing the CEO of T Corporation, I¡¯ve owed my wife and three children too much. If there¡¯s a next life, I would choose to have an ordinary job that would allow me to spend more time with my wife and children. My biggest mistake is that I¡¯ve been married for so long but haven''t had time to prepare a grand wedding for her, let alone go for our honeymoon. When I have the time, I want to take her to the beach." The apuse went on and on... The warm apuse from the audience was so loud that it hurt the ears. The next day, Luke dominated all the headlines of all major newspapers and tabloids across the country. With the news of his return to A City, T Corporation''s stock price rose rapidly, creating a legend. Luke was a legend by himself, a legend that easily drove the stock price up. Norman residence. Leia dragged her tired body back home. She did not expect to see her parents at home. They were ying with Tommy. She saw her father, Jack Norman, who was usually stern and unapproachable, kneeling on the carpet in a ridiculous posture. He was pretending to be a horse while Tommy rode on his back. Jack''s perfectly ironed suit was wrinkled by Tommy. However, Jack, who had OCD, was not furious and even had a smile on his serious face-just like an adorable teddy bear. "Go! Go! Grandpa, go faster, hehe..." Tommy''sughter echoed in the living room, his little hands tightly gripping onto his grandpa''s cor as his chubby short legs dangled in mid-air. Queenie was afraid that her grandson would fall. She would open her arms from time to time, gently reminding Tommy, "My dear baby, be careful, don''t fall..." Jack and Queenie had their full attention on Tommy. No one noticed that Leia was back. Leia took a step forward and watched the happy scene in front of her. Her clenched fists were tightening while her chest felt like something heavy was on it. She felt like she could not breathe. Tommy was the child of that b*tch, Bianca. Since Bianca came to the Norman family, her status in the Norman family had been strengthening. Even her children were being regarded as treasures by their parents. On the contrary, she became the most invisible and inconspicuous one. Leia tried desperately to prevent her jealousy from erupting, but the anger in her eyes could not be contained. Ssh! Ssh! Tommy was excitedly ying with his toy water gun, spraying water all across the room. The expensive carpet was soon soaked but instead of giving him a hard time, Mr. and Mrs. Norman were still indulging their grandson. When the muzzle was identally pointed at Leia, some of the water was sprayed on her expensive custom-made coat. Her white clothing was quickly soaked. The Chanel jacket that Leia had just bought from the luxury store with her best friend was destroyed. Her sullenplexion became darker. She wanted to grab the bastard and m him to the ground! Tommy saw Leia''s ferocious gaze and was scared. His arms were wrapped around Jack as his tiny body got closer to him, "Grandpa, Aunt Leia is scaring me..." Jack Norman looked at Leia just in time to see her angry gaze that she did not manage to conceal. His face turned stern as he asked, "What''s the matter?" Leia was startled by her father''s sudden cold expression. She blinked her guilty eyes and said, "l-lt¡¯s nothing. Dad, Mom, I''m going upstairs." Queenie noticed Leia''s embarrassed face and the water stains on her clothes. She was attentive enough to be aware of the reason for her daughter''s unhappiness. However, she just smiled and said, "Leia, Tommy is still young and ignorant. He identally wetted your clothes. Just take them to the dry cleaners and wash them. He¡¯s just a kid, don¡¯t mind him." "Mom, it''s okay. It''s just clothes." Leia gritted her teeth as she said that. Queenie nodded in satisfaction when she heard Leia''s answer. She felt that Leia had changed a lot in the past two years. Her once obedient and understanding daughter became unpredictable and refused tomunicate with her. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Every time Queenie wanted to talk to Leia, she would make up excuses to get out of it. Queenie did her best but was still unsure of how tomunicate with her. Leia went up to the second floor. She looked at the joyous atmosphere in the living room on the first floor from the carved railing. Her heart became even more deste. She walked to her room without saying a word. At the corner of the second floor, she heard the two maids chatting. Leia''s footsteps were light, and she was in the corner where it was a blind spot for the surveince cameras. The maids were not aware that she was listening to their conversation. "Hey, have you noticed that Ms. Leia''s temper seems to be getting worse? She thrashes her room every chance she gets. When I went to clean her roomst time, I saw that all the things in her room were broken. There were many expensive oil paintings, tea sets, and the like that turned into waste just like that. How could she be so wasteful?! Ms. Leia''s temper is so bad. Whoever wants to marry her will have bad luck for eight lifetimes!" "Yeah, she¡¯s not rted by blood to Mr. and Mrs. Norman but her temper is horrible! I don''t know where her confidencees from. Look at Ms. Bianca, she¡¯s Mr. Norman''s biological daughter but she¡¯s so gentle and kind -hearted. Last week, she gifted us a few sets of children''s clothes for our grandchildren..." "Indeed, Ms. Bianca is miles better than Ms. Leia. Her good personality and looks are so much better than Leia''s. No wonder Mr. and Mrs. Norman like her so much." "Let''s get back to the work at hand. If Ms. Leia finds out that we¡¯re gossiping about her, we will never hear the end of it!" Leia''s hand that was on the railing shook uncontrobly, and her body was trembling with anger. Back in the bedroom, she rushed into the bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror. Her brows, eyes, and face were all exquisite and perfect, butpared to Bianca''s appearance, she always felt worse off... Thinking of how proud she used to be in front of Bianca and the frustration she had been suppressing for the past two years, Leia felt a fit of bonechilling anger and shame. She felt that her existence in the Norman family was just a joke. Leia picked up the shower gel on the vanity table and threw it at the mirror. She made a call with a cold expression... She would never allow Bianca to live in peace! Chapter 728 Chapter 728 Back To Our Home Old Master Rayne regained consciousness on the third day. Bianca was overjoyed. She stayed by him and attended to him. The VIP hospital ward was spacious and brightly lit. The cozy sunlight shone through the windows and brightened the gloomy atmosphere. Bianca sat next to the bed and peeled some grapes. She removed the seeds and fed the sweet grape flesh in her grandfather''s mouth. "Are you feeling any better, Grandpa? Do you feel any difort?" The corner of Old Master Rayne''s mouth was nted because his facial nerves were affected. He was in good spirits, though his speech was slightly slurred. "Nggh... I''m... I''m fine..." Bianca was more than happy that her grandfather managed to survive the ordeal. She had Johann to thank. Johann said that Old Master Rayne would have to exercise frequently. The old man might not completely recover, but he could at least live normally. Bianca stood up and poured a ss of warm water for her grandfather. She looked into his eyes and said softly, "Grandpa, how about you move in with us? I don''t want you to live alone anymore. You might have caretakers, but I''m not at ease. The ident wouldn''t have happened if someone was taking care of you. After you''re discharged from the hospital, you should move in with us. Luke and I will take good care of you." Old Master Rayne shook his head stiffly and tried to wag his fingers. "N... No... that... would be... incon... venient... to you... and... Luke..." Bianca had told Old Master Rayne that Luke had returned. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! He was happy for his granddaughter, but at the same time, he did not want to trouble her. After all, he was an old man with failing health. He was worried that his lifestyle habits might be ipatible with his granddaughter and grandson -inw. Old Master Rayne might be senile, but he knew that he would bring nothing but trouble if he lived together with young people. He did not want to trouble his granddaughter anymore. Bianca massaged her grandfather''s atrophied back muscles and pretended to be angry. "Don''t say that, Grandpa. I''m your granddaughter, and you''ve raised me single-handedly since I was a young girl. Shouldn''t I return the favor now that I''ve grown up? Don''t worry. Luke has also agreed to bring you home. He was the one who suggested it. He''ll treat you like his own grandfather." While Bianca was talking to her grandfather, she suddenly felt something warm on her shoulders. She reflexively turned around, and her eyes met Luke¡¯s gentle gaze. The man pinched Bianca''s tender cheek with one hand. His other hand was carrying severalrge takeout boxes. The boxes were covered, but the tantalizing fragrance filled the room. Bianca looked at Luke, pleasantly surprised. "Why are you here? Aren''t you at work?" "You told me that Grandpa regained consciousness, so I came here to visit. " lUke resisted the urge to kiss her and ced the food on the table. He went up next to Old Master Rayne, bent over, and asked him about his condition. "How do you feel now, Grandpa?" Old Master Rayne was visibly agitated when he saw Luke. "L... Luke... you''re ... back..." "Yes, Grandpa. I''m back." Luke held Old Master Rayne''s trembling hand with a firm grip, though he was careful not to hurt the old man. "I''ve made you worry for the past two years. Please rest well and leave Bea and the children to me. When you are discharged from the hospital, Bea and I will bring you home, and we¡¯ll take care of you." He looked at Old Master Rayne determinedly and repeated himself, in case the old man did not hear it clearly. "Back to our home." Old Master Rayne did not reply. He looked at his outstanding grandson-in-w and his beautiful granddaughter with his clouded eyes, and he instantly felt a little more at ease. ''That''s good. My grandson-inw is back. The Crawfords won''t bully my granddaughter anymore.'' In the dreamy hours of the night. The room was dimly lit. Suggestive music was ying in the background, which added to the raunchy atmosphere. A beautiful woman was lying naked on the bed. Her snow-white skin was a striking contrast to the bright red bed sheets. She was like a flower in full bloom -- bold and alluring. Under her body was a shockingly rugged man. His muscles were ripped, and his shoulders were broad. His body was built like an imprable fortress that inspired fear. He smoked a cigarettezily. His eyes were half-closed, thoroughly enjoying the sensation of the woman pleasuring him. Leia knew that Wayne did not like shy women. His profound gaze shed with pride and contempt. Two years ago, that woman had snubbed his advances, and she had threatened to ruin his reputation. After two years of discipline, she had be his tool of pleasure, and he could do anything he wanted to her. While Wayne moanedfortably, Leia took the opportunity to ask him," I''ve already served you for so long, Wayne. Can¡¯t you give me a small reward?" Wayne flicked the hot ash of the cigarette onto Leia''s delicate skin. "Oh? What do you want?" He asked nonchntly. Leia held back her disgust while she buried her nose into his neck. Meanwhile, her hands continued to pleasure him. Her gaze turned cold with jealousy. "I want my so-called elder sister to suffer! Ever since that b*tch reunited with my parents, my status in the household has fallen. Dad and Mom pamper her while I feel like an abandoned animal... Now that Luke is back too, that woman has more people supporting her. I don''t want that. I want her to suffer!" Wayne pinched her chin and cackled. "Heh, if you want a reward, you''ll have to work for it!" "Haven''t I worked enough for you, Wayne?" Leia smiled coyly. "Of course not!" Wayne got off the bed, went into the bathroom, and soon reappeared with a bucket in his hands. Leia looked at the bucket doubtfully, not sure what he wanted to do with her. Wayne took off the lid, revealing the long, slimy, and snake-like bodies inside. When Leia saw that, she had the urge to throw up! Chapter 729 Chapter 729 You Know That I Love You Wayne''s muscr body stood in front of the bed. His well-built body formed a stark contrast with Leia''s frail body, who seemed more like amb waiting to be ughtered. Leia had always known that Wayne had certain interests in bed. She had suffered quite a lot, but today was shaping up to be the worst torture ever. Leia retreated out of shock. When her back hit the corner of the room, she realized that she could not escape. "W... Wayne... I''m not feeling very well today. Can we do this some other day?" She sounded like she was almost crying. Wayne grabbed Leia''s hair and pulled her away from the corner without showing her any tenderness. "You''ll do what I tell you! I''ll kill you if you don''t!" He delivered a mighty p on Leia''s face, which caused her to tumble off the bed and onto the floor. Leia''s cheek instantly swelled up. She felt that her teeth wereing loose too. She spat out a mouthful of blood, though more blood continued to flow from the corner of her lips. She gasped for air, trying to catch her breath. She felt as though she had been run over by a truck. Even so, she curled up and continued to crawl toward the door. "No, I''m not ying with that. That''s too disgusting. I can''t..." Before she could take two steps, Wayne grabbed her thigh and lifted her upside-down. He dropped her onto the bed. "You''ll y with whatever I tell you! You''ll see what happens if you disobey me!" "Go away, no, don''t do this to me... I was wrong, Wayne. I''ll listen to you. Please spare me..." Leia was crying so hard that she almost passed out. Wayne did not feel any pity for her. Instead, her cries of pity aroused his perverted urges. The pain on her body and her hatred toward the man consumed Leia. Her eyes were bloodshot as she bore with the agony of being tortured. Wayne tt! Wayne tt! She never had a moment of peace when she was with that barbaric, disgusting, and perverted man. One day, she would turn the tables on him! Another week passed in the blink of an eye. Bianca was immersed in love and bliss every day during that period. She was happy that her grandfather was recovering, her aunt''s condition was under control, her beloved husband apanied her every day, and her children were cute and smart. She was satisfied with her current life, except for Allison''s enmity against her. She was already used to it. As long as Allison did not provoke her, she would try to ignore her mother- inw as much as possible. One day, Bianca took Old Master Rayne to the yard to bask in the sun. The sun was warm and gentle, and Old Master Rayne soon fell asleep. Bianca covered him with a thin quilt, sat down next to him, and read a book. Soon, she was ovee by fatigue. She slumped on the lounge chair, and her eyes began to close. Luke came over. He smiled when he saw his wife and grandfather-inw sleeping side by side, and he reached out to touch Bianca''s forehead. Bianca jolted awake. It took her some time before her gaze focused on Luke. "Why are you home?" She asked as she fell into his embrace. Bianca had taken some time off work to take care of her grandfather. Luke had taken over the position of CEO, and he needed to catch up with what he had missed. He was busy, even though he was very capable. Sometimes, he would only return home past midnight. Luke patted Bianca''s head gently. "You were sleeping like a piglet. Why didn''t you cover yourself? What if you catch a cold?¡¯ Bianca kissed his cheek and smiled. "The sun is so warm today. I won''t catch a cold." Luke tousled her scattered hair, sat down next to her, and gently scraped the bridge of her nose. ¡®I''ll have to go to Country M on a business trip. There''s a major contract to negotiate so I won''t be with you for the next few days. Take care of Grandpa and the children at home. Call me if you need anything." Bianca grabbed his arm tightly. Her mood instantly sank. "You''re only back for a few days. Why must you go? Can''t thepany send someone else? T Corporation has a lot of expert negotiators. Louis can go too." She was afraid to relive those days without him. Luke looked into her teary eyes. "This client has quite an entric personality, and no one else can deal with him. If the negotiations seed, the project will increase T Corporation''s profits by ten percent. Don''t worry, I''ll only be gone for a few days, and I promise that I''ll be back safely." Bianca remained uneasy. She did not want to let go of her grip on him." Then... you''d bettere back soon. The children and I will wait for you at home. I''ll pack your suitcase for you." All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. She called the caretaker over to take care of Old Master Rayne. Then, Bianca went into the bedroom to pack Luke''s suitcase while Luke followed behind her without saying a word. Bianca seemed so worried, and all Luke could do was hug her delicate waist from the back... Luke lowered his head while brushing away stray strands of hair from her forehead. He looked into Bianca''s eyes and said gently, "Bea, you know that I love you, but I can''t always be by your side. I''m a man. I have to support the family, and I have to be responsible for the livelihoods of all the employees of T Corporation. "You''ve been in my seat before, and you should know the responsibility the title brings. I want to give you and the children a better life, and I don''t mind working harder for it. I''d love to be by your side forever, but our lives aren''t just about the two of us. We also have a responsibility toward our family and ourpany. You understand what I mean, right?" Bianca leaned on his shoulder, closed her eyes, and nodded. "I know that I''m being selfish, Luke, but I''m afraid of losing you again. The past two years have been like a curse to me. I can''t shake off the horrible feeling that I''ll lose you again. Perhaps I''m overthinking." "Silly girl!" Luke felt sorry for Bianca. He leaned over and kissed her tender lips heavily Chapter 730 Chapter 730 She Could Not Believe What She Saw or Heard Bianca''s gaze fell onto a rose garden in full bloom in the garden outside of the window. The flowers were white, pink, red, and orange. Thanks to her meticulous care, the nts were especially healthy. The bloom brought love and warmth to the house. However, Luke would be gone for a few days. Without Luke at home, there would be less love and warmth. Bianca lowered her gaze. When she looked at Luke again, she seemed visibly unhappy. Luke kissed her lips helplessly and promised Bianca once more, "I''lle home safely, and I can promise you that. If I can''t do that, you can punish me however you want." "Alright." Bianca agreed to it, though her left ear was ringing once again, which made her uneasy. She hugged Luke tightly to try to make herself feel better. "You wille home safe. Otherwise, I won''t forgive you!" Luke sat in his seat on the flight to Country M. He closed his eyes to rest. He had developed a keen intuition in his stint on the Ind of Despair. He opened his eyes and turned his head to look at a middle-aged man in a suit. The man stood straight, and his gait was like a march. The calluses on his hands showed that he was a long-time gun user. Luke was very familiar with those calluses. He rubbed his hands. They had calluses at the same ces. From a single nce, Luke could tell that the pistol was made of stic. It was developed in Germany, held three bullets, and could easily slip past airport security. Sitting not far away from Luke was a man dressed in casual clothes. A ss of ''92 Lafite was touching his thin lips. Luke caught a glimpse of a scorpion''s tail on the man''s arm. He nced at the man that was approaching him, then lowered his head and silently counted the steps in his head. The man walked closer and closer. Three steps, two, one... The man in casual clothes lifted two sses of wine and clinked them together. "Would you like a drink?" He leaned forward and pretended to tip the ss over Luke''s clothes. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Luke took the ss and prepared to jump into action. The man in the suit had a wicked smile on his face. Instantly, he pulled out his pistol. At that moment, Luke grabbed the arm of the man in casual clothes and tossed him over his shoulder toward the man in the suit. The ''92 Lafite sshed on Luke''s limited edition beige suit, which made him frown a little. Meanwhile, a woman held lipstick in one hand and a hand mirror in another. She was touching up her makeup. Suddenly, the airne trembled violently, which caused her lipstick hand to shake and draw a long arc on her right cheek. Crack! The mirror fell onto the floor and shattered. A sinister voice could be heard over the passenger address system. "You''d better sit down and behave, Luke Crawford. I''ve already taken control of the cockpit. If you resist, I won''t hesitate to blow up the entire ne!" "Ahh!" The woman shrieked in horror. She could not believe that her flight was hijacked. Instantly, the passengers in the cabin shrieked and wailed, unable to process the shock of the sudden turn of events. A noble-looking old man clutched his chest and gasped for air. "Ugh... I have a heart attack. I need my medicine..." "Sir... your medicine..." His attendant''s hands were shaking as she tried to hand him the medicine. The bottle slipped from her grip and fell onto the floor. A hijacker came out from the washroom. He kicked the bottle of medicine under Luke''s feet. Luke knew who that old man was. He was Darren Buffell, a world- renowned stock trader. Mr. Buffell crawled with much difficulty on the floor, trying to reach the pills that could save his life. "My medicine..." he mumbled over and over. The books and drinks on the table were scattered all over the floor. Luke raised both of his hands while kicking the bottle toward Mr. Buffell''s hand. Luke was not going to take any chances. Those desperados were willing to do anything. With trembling hands, Mr. Buffell took the bottle, poured a handful of pills, stuffed them into his mouth, and swallowed them. "Mr. Crawford?" He seemed relieved that his life was saved by someone he knew. Naturally, the two tycoons knew each other. Mr. Buffell had a considerable stake in T Corporation. Luke did not have the time to reply to his greeting. He could hear gunshots in the cockpit. The rms red, and more gunfire could be heard. Finding the right opportunity, Luke picked up a shard of broken ss from the floor and cleanly slit the throats of the three hijackers. The hijackers covered their necks, unable to make a sound. Soon, they fell limply to the floor. Luke was too fast. The other passengers were not able to catch what he did. The maddening rm continued to re as the lights in the cabin turned red. In his training on the Ind of Despair, Luke knew very well what was going to happen. The airne''s systems were malfunctioning. He had an hour before the ne exploded. A City. Flight SA101 of Southern International Airlines abruptly lost contact when flying over Mount Pleasant. The satellites could not detect it. A newssh was all over the television that evening: International flight SA101 abruptly lost contact while flying over Mount Pleasant. Among the passengers were Luke Crawford, the richest businessman in A City, Darren Buffell, and so on... Bianca''s vision turned ck as she sat in front of the television, and she nearly passed out. She could not believe what she saw or heard. Was Luke in danger again? Tommy held Bianca''s hand and said coyly, "Mommy, where''s Daddy? I want Daddy. Where did he go? I miss him. I haven''t seen him in a few days, and I miss him." The little boy might argue with his father often, but he nheless admired him. Bianca discreetly wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to maintain a strong front. She did not want her son to see her weak side. "Have you forgotten? Daddy is on a business trip. He''ll bring a lot of toys for you when hees home..." She could not help but sob while she smiled. She hurriedly rushed into the bathroom before she lost control of her emotions. Bianca sat in front of Old Master Rayne''s bed. His body was still weak, and he was telling Bianca the stories when she was young. Bianca tried to pretend that nothing happened. She tried not to let her tears fall. ¡®You''ll have toe back safely, Luke. Otherwise, I won''t forgive you!'' Chapter 731 Chapter 731 Luke Crawford Is A Legend! Bianca struggled to breathe when she looked at Tommy, whose face resembled Luke. Pain spread throughout her chest. Every breath felt painful. What followed the pain was sorrow and grief... Luke had promised her that he would return safely, but it seemed that he would be going back on his word again. Tommy could see from Bianca''s face that she was not in a good mood. He was not as naughty as before. Instead, he handed Bianca a napkin and said, "You''re crying, Mommy. Wipey..." The little boy tiptoed and tried to reach his mother''s face so that he could wipe off the tears for her. However, he was too short. Dejectedly, he tugged the hem of his mother''s sleeve and asked her, "What happened, Mommy? Don''t ignore me. Did I do something wrong? I won''t ever make you angry again, Mommy. Can you please forgive me?" The little cutie that was half his mother''s height thought that he had gotten into trouble. He was apologizing to Bianca, even though he did not know what he did wrong. Bianca''s gaze was transfixed on her son''s face. Through it, she seemed to have seen her lover. She was in a daze and did not realize that her phone was ringing. Her expression was nk, as though her soul had left her body. Tommy shook her arm and told her, "Your phone is ringing, Mommy. Is Daddy calling you?" Bianca did not move. She smiled drily. Her son was too young, and he did not know that his father''s ne had crashed. Why would he be calling her if the satellites could not even detect the ne? Tommy saw that Mommy was not responding, while the phone in her pocket kept on ringing... With his plump little hand, he reached into her pocket, took out the phone, and answered it. "Hello? Daddy, is that you?" He said excitedly. A low and resonant voice could be heard from the phone. "It''s me, Tommy. Can you pass the phone to your Mommy?" Tommy was about to do what his father said when he realized that the phone in his hands was already gone. Bianca looked at the phone screen with iparable excitement. The call notification indicated "Hubby." She spoke worriedly through the phone. "Is it you, Luke? Is it really you? Where are you now? I saw on the news that your flight crashed somewhere near Mount Pleasant... God knows how worried I was. What''s going on?" Tommy felt a little dejected when he saw how agitated his mother was. ''Hmph, stupid Mommy. She ignores me every time she''s worried about Daddy!'' Luke''s voice was gentle andforting. "It''s really me, Bianca. There was an ident with the flight. Fortunately, I''m familiar with the airne and managed to control it before it crashed. Inded it at Fluvia Airport, and now I''m resting in the lounge. I knew that you''re going to be worried, so I called you. In the VIP lounge of Fluvia Airport. Luke gentlyforted Bianca over the phone. He did not tell her that the flight was hijacked. He knew that Bianca would always overreact whenever he told her that he was in danger. That was why he decided to trivialize the incident. Only he knew how perilous the situation was at that time. The hijackers had installed a maic interference device on the airne. All navigation and positioning systems failed. The airne suddenly went into a 45-degree nosedive. Everyone was fastened to their seats with the seatbelts, but it felt more dangerous than sitting on a roller coaster. Ever since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, all cockpits of civilian aircraft had an internal lock that only the pilot could ess. While the pilot and copilot fought with the hijackers, each of them received a bullet to their heart. The engine in the cockpit had bullet marks. The gears were shattered. The hijackers battered the cockpit with blunt objects. Fortunately, it was built out of aluminum alloy. Aside from certain ces that had the paint chipped off, it did not suffer any real damage. Luke had learned many survival skills on the Ind of Despair, which was why he could be calm when ced in such a perilous situation. It was difficult to regain control of the airne, but he did it anyway. He sessfullynded the airne at Fluvia Airport. After that, the airlinepany and the police instantly arrived at the location tounch investigations. The airlinepany was in charge of investigating the airne, while the police investigated the hijackers. There were ten hijackers in total. Luke killed five of them and heavily injured two. Several brave volunteers on the airne subdued the remaining three and handed them to the police. All Luke wanted was to return to Bianca in A City as soon as he could. However, he could not leave yet. He had cooperated with the police to find out the identities of the hijackers and the organization behind them. He was not going to let the mastermind get away scot-free. The hijacking incident involved many influential people, including Luke Crawford, Darren Buffell, the ambassador from Country F, and so on. If the ne had crashed, it would have caused international economic and even political instability. That was why many major and minor media outlets from all over the country flocked to the scene upon receiving the news. Of course, most of the reports were about Luke Crawford. "Luke Crawford has single-handedly taken down the majority of the hijackers, and he managed tond the airne sessfully despite the turbulence, the low temperature, and the failing equipment. That is an unbelievable feat, and he is a legend! Even a pilot with decades of experience might not have been able to do that!" A military analyst and aviation expert heaped praise onto Luke in an interview with the reporters. While viewers from all over the country admired Luke, he had no time to rest. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! He went to the police station first, and the superintendent warmly weed him. He told the superintendent everything he knew, then returned to A City on the next avable flight. Even though he was tired, he did not allow himself time to rest. He wanted to see Bianca as soon as he could. Chapter 732 Chapter 732 Tears Instantly Filled Her Eyes! Bianca felt relieved when she found that Luke was alive. Around noon, Tommy said that he was hungry, while Old Master Rayne said that he was craving cornbread buns with cord greens. He was already quite old, and he missedfort food from his younger days. Furthermore, he was sickly, and it was natural that he had specific cravings. Bianca almost missed the taste of cornbread too. She had lived with her grandfather since young. They were poor, and they ate cornbread for most meals. Grandpa used to make his own cornbread in the kitchen, and Bianca had learned how to do so by watching him. Cornbread was quite tasteless and rough, but it was delicious to her because she was hungry and poor. Now that her living conditions had improved and the food at every meal was of much higher quality, it was nheless healthy to eat grains sometimes. It might help Old Master Rayne in his recovery too. Bianca got the driver to go to the grocery store and bought a bagful of cornmeal and cord greens. She would be making cornbread for her grandfather this time. When the driver returned with the groceries, Bianca went to the kitchen with a caretaker, while the other caretaker took care of Old Master Rayne in the front yard. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Tommy stood on a stool and watched his Mommy and the caretaker hard at work. Bianca might not have cooked for a long time, but she maintained her culinary skills. She mixed the cornmeal and flour in a bowl with the correct proportions, added some sugar, baking soda, salt, and eggs, and mixed it well with her hands. While she did so, she gave instructions to the caretaker. "Aunt Jemma, please wash the cord greens and remove the wilted leaves, then poach them for a while and mince them." Aunt Jemma was impressed with what Bianca was doing. "I didn''t expect that you would know how to make cornbread. I''m embarrassed to say that I don''t." Aunt Jemma was born and raised in the city, and she had never learned how to make cornbread. She became a caretaker because she had debts to pay. She had used all her savings to fund her two sons'' weddings and houses. Fortunately for her, her employer was kind to her and paid well. The old man was charitable and easy to please, the children were smart and obedient, and the female employer was empathic and gentle. She took care of her employer''s family as though they were her own. i Bianca smiled gently. "You''ve never lived in the countryside, Aunt Jemma, so I don''t me you if you don''t know how to make cornbread. I haven''t had cornbread for many years. If Grandpa hadn''t mentioned it, I''ve already forgotten how much I enjoyed it." They continued with their work without saying another word. After Aunt Jemma minced the cord greens, Bianca deftly mixed it evenly with the cornbread dough. Then, she separated the dough into equal portions, picked up a piece, and kneaded it into the shape of a bun. Soon, a cornbread bun was ready for baking. "Mommy! I wanna learn how to make cornbread buns too..." Tommy was messing around with a portion of dough. He tried to copy what his mother did, but his hands were too small and weak. The resulting bun was ugly and misshapen. Bianca stifled augh when she saw what her son did. She did not want to discourage him, so she tried to praise him, "Keep up the good work, my baby. You''ll make a better bun next time." Tommy pouted, and his little face turned red. "Don''t make fun of me, Mommy!" Bianca smiled and kissed Tommy''s cheek. She proceeded to knead the dough into several cute animals... There was a lifelike fox, a curious monkey, and a cute and plump bunny. Tommy opened his mouth in astonishment, while Aunt Jemma was very impressed. She had to admit that her employer was a very talented baker! Half an hourter, the cornbread buns were ready. When Bianca opened the oven door, the fragrance instantly filled the entire kitchen. She put several buns on a te, took off her apron, and hurriedly gave the te to her grandfather. Old Master Rayne only had four working teeth left, though he seemed emotional when he ate the buns that his granddaughter had baked. "This tastes... good... tastes... like home... thank... you... my granddaughter..." The old man might not speak fluently, but the joy on his face was undeniable. He lifted a trembling hand and gestured a thumbs up at Bianca. Bianca crouched and gently massaged her grandfather¡¯s thighs that were covered by a thin quilt. "As long as you''re happy, Grandpa. If you have any other cravings, just tell me. I''ll make them for you as long as I know how to. ''Even if I don''t know how to make it, I''ll do my best to satisfy you,¡¯ Bianca thought but did not say it. "Al... right..." Old Master Rayne spoke with trembling lips. He noticed the tears in Bianca''s eyes. Seeing that her grandfather was taking big bites, Bianca tried to coax him." Please eat slowly, Grandpa. I made a lot of buns today. There''s enough for everyone..." Meanwhile, Tommy was sitting on the floor and eating one of the animalshaped buns happily. "Cornbread is delicious, Mommy. I''ve never tasted anything better. Can we eat cornbread every day?" He said. The little boy was used to high-quality food. He had never tasted peasant food like cornbread before. That was why he thought that cornbread was the most delicious food ever. Bianca could not help but smile when she saw how the old man and the little boy treated cornbread as some rare delicacy. Tommy was born with a silver spoon, and he did not know any hardships. In the future, he would learn how to appreciate the luxuries that his parents gave him. Many yearster, when Tommy grew to be an influential figure, he would be stationed at a remote vige for a secret mission and would be forced to eat cornbread for every meal. By then, he wished that he could go back in time and p his younger self! Bianca returned to her bedroom and cleaned her hands. She was about to pick up her phone and call Luke when she saw the front gate of the mansion open. A familiar ck Bentley drove into the driveway. Tears filled Bianca''s eyes when she saw that familiar man in the driver''s seat! Chapter 733 Chapter 733 His Eyes That Were Brimming With Indulgence Bianca hastily put on her slippers and rushed out of the door. She did not even realize that she knocked over a vase. Tommy ran across the yard with his short legs and stretched his arms toward the man that just came out of the parked car. "Daddy, gimme a hug! Luke picked up the little boy in his arms and straddled him across his shoulders. "You''re finally calling me Daddy. Tell me, what do you want me to buy for you this time?" The man''s expression was cold, but his gaze was brimming with care and indulgence. "I don''t want anything, Daddy. I miss you!" The cute little boy nted a kiss on Luke''s cheek and slobbered all over his face. Luke helplessly wiped his face. His son was getting better and better at ttery. The little boy was jealous of him when they first met in Russia. Now that they were back home, he seemed to be quite clingy toward his father. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! "Daddy, Lanie already has his own car. When can I have one of my own?" Tommy stared at his father with his puppy eyes, hoping to get his father to promise him something. Luke had bought Lanie a cool miniature sports carst week. Tommy could not help but drool when he saw his elder brother driving it. He wanted a sports car too, but Daddy said that he was way too small for one. He wanted one now! "Daddy..." Tommy became anxious when he noticed that Luke was ignoring him and staring at a certain point in the distance. He tried grabbing his Daddy''s shirt cor, but his Daddy did not seem to notice. He turned his head to look in the same direction and noticed his Mommy running toward them, which made him pout unhappily. ''Daddy and Mommy forget about me every time they see each other. I hate it!¡¯ They were still very far apart, but Luke could see that Bianca was wiping her tears. Her helpless demeanor made his heart wrench with a dull pain. He pressed his thin lips together, lifted Tommy from his shoulders, then carelessly tossed him on the ground as though he were a piece of scrap paper. The pebbles in the front yard made Tommy¡¯s bottom hurt. "..." Tommy was speechless after being unceremoniously tossed aside. ''Daddy, you really need to stop tossing me away whenever you see Mommy!¡¯ Luke strode toward Bianca withrge steps. Bianca wiped the tears on her eyes and cheeks away. Her bloodshot eyes became redder after she rubbed them with her hands. She looked like a nervous rabbit. Luke hugged Bianca into his embrace. Bianca began to sob loudly. Then, she struggled with all her might and started to pound on his chest. "I told you not to go on the business trip, but you never listen! When I heard the news that your flight had lost contact, I wanted to die! You''ve put me in despair for two years, Luke. Can you not do the same thing to me again?" Luke¡¯s elbows gently rested on Bianca¡¯s shoulders. He lifted her cheeks with his hands and saw the pain in her eyes. "You''re crying again." The man''s fingers that smelled faintly of rosin wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes. Bianca trembled. Those three words ignited the repressed emotions in her heart. All her panic, frustration, and worry erupted uncontrobly at that instant. Luke sighed gently and kissed the corners of her eyes. His eyes were brimming with emotion, though his words had a calming effect. Don''t be afraid. I promised you that I''ll return to you safely, and that is what I''ll do. I''m here, right? I''m fine, if not a little dusty. See, I didn''t even lose a hair..." His voice was soft and gentle, and his movements doubly so. He knew that his woman was distraught, so he tried to lighten the mood. Bianca did not smile as he expected. Instead, her tears started to flow again. Like a ferocious beast, she ripped his shirt apart and bit down heavily on his chest. She did not let go. Luke did not even flinch. He let her do whatever she wanted. "My darling, my chest muscles are quite hard, and you''ll hurt your jaw. If you want to bite me, you can bite my neck. It''s softer there," he said jokingly. He had been working out every day, and his chest muscles were as hard as steel. Bianca''s jaw was already sore. When she heard him say that, she instantly bit down on his neck. The pain was like fire. Luke was shocked. He realized that his chest was wet with tears. His voice began to tremble as he called out the name that had been embedded in his memories. "Please forgive me, Bianca. I promise that there won''t be next time..." He lowered his head and looked at the woman in his embrace. She seemed frail as her slight frame was illuminated by the setting sun, but at the same time, she seemed strong and determined. She wore an angry expression on her face. Her eyes that were ring at him were clear and sparkling. She seemed aggrieved. He was fully aware that Bianca was angry at him. He had only returned after two years, but he was once again plunged into a life-and-death situation. It was an ident. He could not predict the future. 1 Bianca shoved him away and gritted her teeth. "You promised me the same thing before you left for the trip, but look what happened. How am I to trust you, Luke Crawford?" "I have indeed broken my promise. You can punish me however you like. How about you take over T Corporation once more while I stay at home and raise the kids?" The emotions in Luke''s eyes were as unrelenting as the iing tide but at the same time as gentle as a spring breeze. Bianca was surprised when she heard that Luke was entirely earnest with what he said. She turned her head away defiantly, not willing to meet his gentle gaze. She could feel her heart thumping wildly in her chest. Their thumping hearts formed a symphony with the sweet nothings that he whispered next to her ear. Looking at how serious and nervous Luke was, Bianca eventually could not hold in herughter any longer. That woman had already forgiven him, but she pretended to be angry. Luke''s heart melted at that instant... Chapter 734 Chapter 734 Sigh, Mommy Is Too Gullible Luke tried to coax Bianca with a gentle voice. His low and resonant voice had a hint of an indulgent smile in it. The setting sun gave his sculpted facial features a charming silhouette, which made Bianca''s heart beat faster. She could feel her earlobes turn hot. Don''t make me worry about you again. Otherwise..." Luke lowered his voice and stared at her gentle face. Alright, but will you forgive me this time?" Bianca grunted coyly. "What if I don''t forgive you?" Luke smiled, and his gaze became gentler. "Then I''ll do whatever I can to convince you to forgive me. You know that I love you. I''ll even pluck the stars from the sky if you want me to." His words made Bianca bite her lip. Her emotions were undergoing a tremendous change. She pretended that she was still angry, though she could not help but smile. "I want the stars in the sky. Are you going to fulfill my wish?" Luke tousled her hair and said abruptly, "Close your eyes, Bea." Bianca was surprised but did what she was told. "Why? What do you want to do?" The man removed Bianca from his embrace with his muscr yet slightly cool arms that smelled faintly of mint. He ced his palm over her eyes and made sure that her eyelids were closed.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "Wait for me for a while." Luke''s voice was next to her ear, which made Bianca''s back stiffen. She listened to what he told her. She remained on the spot and heard the man''s footsteps move away from her. She was beginning to feel a little apprehensive. Opening her eyes, she tried to see where Luke went. '' Hey, where are you going?" Luke noticed that Bianca opened her eyes. He turned around, went back to her, and gently kissed her lips. "I''m going to get something from the room. Wait for me for a while, and I''ll give you a surprise, alright?" She closed her eyes again. Bianca was standing next to a rose bed in full bloom. The flowers were like eyes, staring at their female owner. Next to the bed was a wooden round table covered with a light blue Mediterranean tablecloth. On the table was a vase with a single stalk of a light blue flower. It was like a scene of the beautiful Aegean Sea. Tommy was sitting on a stool, resting his cheeks on his hands. He looked at his mother curiously and wondered what his parents were doing. He seemed quite excited. Bianca waited for about five minutes, but Luke did not return. She was starting to get anxious. "I''m going to open my eyes, Luke. I''m really going to open my eyes!" She could hear Tommyughing at her. That made her angry at the man but even angrier at herself. "Why did I close my eyes? Just because he told me to do so? Can''t I stand up for myself?'' Even though she was angry at herself, she continued to stand there. She decided to wait for a few more minutes. If Luke had not returned by then, she would be really angry at him, and she would not forgive him no matter what he said or did. Some timeter, a pair ofrge and warm hands enveloped Bianca''s slightly cool hands. "You can open your eyes now," said a familiar masculine voice. Bianca opened her eyes. The man in front of her was staring at her lovingly with a passionate gaze. Her silhouette was reflected in his eyes. Luke picked up her hands and made it so that their palms were touching each other. Her palms were small and delicate, about half the size of his. Even so, they looked harmonious when ced together. "What are you doing?" Bianca was confused. The next moment, all those questions were answered. She opened her mouth wide in surprise... As their palms touched, glittering silver stars appeared one after another. Those stars reflected the light of the sunset, creating the scene of a dream. Amid the stars was a round moon. It was a beautiful picture of the night sky. Bianca was surprised and excited. "What''s... what''s going on?" When Tommy saw that, he nearly fell off his stool. ''Wow! How did Daddy create all those stars and the moon just by touching his palms with Mommy? ''I want to learn it too!'' Luke hugged Bianca''s delicate waist and gazed into her eyes. "You wanted the stars, so I gave you the sky. Do you like it?" Gordan had devised that trick to flirt with women. By using certain chemical reactions, he could conjure a starry sky. He had shown Luke that trick once, and Luke remembered how to replicate it. That trick turned out to be useful today. If that childish trick could make his woman smile, he thought that it was worth it. Bianca looked at her palms and saw that they were clean. "How did you do that? When did you learn such a trick?" She could not help but ask. Luke hesitated for a while and told her the truth. "Gordan taught me how to do it. I''m willing to do anything, as long as you''re happy." Those loving lips fell on the woman''s lips. In that moment of intimacy, they forgot that their son was watching. ''Shame!'' The little boy covered his eyes. Then, he went off to look for his greatgrandfather. Mommy is so easily persuaded. Sigh, women are so gullible.'' At the same time, in the tt family. Wayne had just stepped into the house when Vincent threw a pen at him and struck him on his head! "What are you doing, Vince?" Wayne was used to being respected and ttered. Now that his elder brother had thrown a pen at his head, his hostility was like a vicious beast." I haven''t been disrespected like this for a long time. The person who crossed mest time is worm food by now!" Vincent narrowed his gaze as he looked at his aggressive younger brother." I only want to ask you one thing, Wayne. Tell me honestly. Are you involved in Luke Crawford''s ident?" Chapter 735 Chapter 735 The Little Boy Made Her Heart Melt Wayne grunted nonchntly. "Don''t you have anything else to dotely, Vince? You rarely meddle in my business." He was not the pushover third son that he used to be. As lowly as he was in the past, he was now on top of the chain ofmand. The populous tt family had a massive family business with more than a century of history. Naturally, a family like that would ce importance on the preservation of their main bloodline. They were a weak and unremarkable branch and had been bullied and oppressed by the main family. All three brothers werepetitive and ambitious. They were not going to yield to others so easily. The three brothers joined forces and, in the short span of a few years, eliminated the other branches of the family one by one. Victor tt, the eldest brother, was sessful in the military circles. Vincent, the second brother, was an influential figure in the business circles. Wayne, the youngest brother, wielded considerable influence in the underworld. That was how they achieved their current position. Vincent grabbed Wayne''s shirt cor, and a hint of anger shed on his usually gentle face. "I''m not in the mood for joking, Wayne. Tell me honestly. Are you involved in Luke Crawford''s ident? Are you behind the recent flight ident?" Noticing that his elder brother was truly angry, Wayne toned down his brazen attitude. He brushed his brother''s hands away and said impatiently," So what if I''m involved in it? I''ve never liked that Crawford guy anyway. Moreover, he''s your business rival, and T Corporation has been snatching your clients over the years. Don''t you hate him? Shouldn''t you be happy that I got rid of him for you? Also, don''t think that I don''t know you''ve been trying to court that man¡¯s beautiful wife. She''s already used goods with three children. Why do you even bother with her? You can get any woman you want with your status and wealth." "You don''t have the right to meddle in my business! If Luke Crawford were so easily eliminated, why would he reappear in A City two yearster as though nothing happened? I''ve gone head to head with Luke Crawford before, and he¡¯s a formidable opponent. Even I have to admit defeat when I go up against him. What makes you think that you can kill him? You idiot!" Vincent kicked at Wayne''s knee, but thetter dodged the attack nimbly and said cruelly, "He''s not as mystifying as you say he is, Vince. I blew his brains out with a bullet! I don''t know how he survived it, but he won''t be as lucky next time. If one bullet didn''t work, a few more bullets ought to do the trick. I''ll make sure that he''s dead this time..." Vince, who was usuallyposed, was angered once again. "You insufferable idiot! You''d better not let Luke Crawford find any of your dirt. Otherwise, the tt family will never know another day of peace!" Wayne sat on the couch and ced his legs on the coffee table. "Don''t worry, Vince. I know how to clean up after myself, and no one will ever find incriminating evidence of what I''ve done. I won''t bring any trouble to the family, Vince. We''ve grown up together. Don''t you know what I''m capable of doing?" Vincent nced at him and smiled ambiguously. "Do you think that you''re the one who cleans up the mess after your antics? I''m the one who has to deal with the fallout! You''re almost thirty years old, and it''s about time that you stop fooling around and find a proper woman to marry. "Also, you''d better distance yourself from the adoptive daughter of the Normans as soon as you can. She might seem obedient and pliable, but she''s more dangerous than you think. Otherwise, she''ll be the cause of your downfall one day! You''d better go and hide in Victor''s barracks or somewhere overseas for a while. Come back when it''s safer." However, Wayne frowned impatiently in response to his elder brother''s advice. "Mind your own business, Vince. I''m only messing with that Norman woman, and I''ve never thought of marrying her. I was a soldier for eight years, and I''m already bored with military life. I won''t ever return to the barracks. "I don''t mind going overseas, but it won''t be any time soon because I have some unfinished business here. Don''t worry, Vince, Luke Crawford won''t find out that it¡¯s me. I''ve always kept my trail clean, and even if he does, I believe that Vic and you will take care of him for me." After he said that, he stood up and left the house without looking back. *'' You don''t have to worry about me, Vince. Just take care of your own business. I have somewhere else to be!" Vincent was once again angered by his younger brother''s nonchnt attitude. He kicked and sent the coffee table flying. Somehow, he had a bad premonition that his younger brother would get into trouble sooner orter! Bianca was in a good mood today. Her grandfather''s condition was under control, and she was d that he was on the road to recovery. Luke had a lot of business to attend to after his narrow escape from death on the airne. After spending the night with her, he went to thepany early in the morning. Aunt Jemma noticed that Bianca was all smiles and said jokingly, "You seem to be in good spirits today, Madam. Are you going to visit Sir?" Luke''s peerlessly handsome face appeared in Bianca''s mind. ''Til be visiting my mother today, Aunt Jemma. Please help me take care of my grandfather. I''ll be back soon." She packed up some presents and departed for the Norman residence. When she arrived at the Norman residence with Tommy in tow, Bianca noticed that Queenie was busy in the front yard while holding a ck jar in her hands. "Mom!" Bianca called out to attract her attention. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Queenie turned her head and saw that her daughter and grandson had arrived. She excitedly put the jar away and wiped her hand with a clean towel. "You''re early, Bea! Come to Grandma, Tommy. Let me give you a hug Tommy ran into Queenie''s arms and kissed her cheek. "Grandma!" "Good boy!" Queenie replied and poked his soft cheeks. Her heart was melting. Bianca smiled as she watched the heartwarming interaction between her mother and son. Suddenly, she felt someone ring at her with a sinister gaze. She looked around and saw Leia''s pale face on the second floor... Chapter 736 Chapter 736 Bianca Wondered If She Was Seeing Things Leia''s gaze difited Bianca, but she did not think too much of it. After all, Leia had never seen eye to eye with her, especially after she had reunited with her birth mother. She had taught Leia a lesson several times, which kept her attitude in check. However, she wondered if she was seeing things. She thought that Leia had lost a lot of weight recently, and her beautiful hair that used to be her pride had be a lot thinner. Her animated gaze was sunken, hollow, and unfocused, as though she was a migratory bird that had lost her way. Leia shed an unnerving grin when she saw Bianca. Bianca shuddered and turned her head away. She looked at the ck jar next to Queenie. She could catch a whiff of something fragrant emanating from the jar. ''Are you pickling something, Mom? It smells quite good." "Your dad loves pickles, and so I''m pickling some radishes and gherkins for him. I''ll give you and Luke some when it''s ready. Do you like pickles too, Tommy?" Queenie said lovingly. Tommy hugged Queenie''s neck and said adorably, "I love anything you make, Grandma!" "You precocious cutie!¡± Queenie was delighted by Tommy''s words. She gave her grandson a few kisses. However, she frowned when she noticed the presents next to Bianca''s feet. "Bea, I''ve told you that you don''t need to bring anything whenever youe. Why don¡¯t you ever listen? We don''t need anything. All we hope is that youe back often with the kids." Bianca picked up the presents and smiled gently. "I know that you and Dad aren''t short of anything, Mom, but it''s not the same when your daughter gives you presents, isn''t it? Also, I always feel guilty whenever I think that I used to be busy with work and don''t have the time to apany the two of you..." "Have you always been this stubborn, my child?" Queenie shook her head helplessly and went inside the house with Tommy in her arms. Bianca followed behind, carrying the presents. In the living room, Tommy tugged his grandmother''s arm and said precociously, "I''m already a big boy now, Grandma. You should put me down because you might be tired after carrying me. I can sit on the couch." "Alright, alright, whatever you say, my baby." Queenie smiled indulgently and ced Tommy on the couch. "I''ll go to the bedroom and bring you a present. Wait for me for a while." "Okay!" Right after Queenie went away, the doorbell rang. The caretaker went to open the door and saw two police officers, one male and one female, standing outside. "Is this the residence of Leia Norman?" The female police officer asked. The caretaker was flustered, though she nodded. "Yes, this is the Norman residence. Do you have any business with Ms. Leia?" The male police officer shed his badge and said, "We''re from the A City Headquarters. We''ve received an anonymous tip that Ms. Leia Norman is involved in illegal drug usage and possession, and we would like to bring her back for an investigation." The caretaker was confused and shocked. "What did you say? Ms. Leia is involved in drug possession? How... how is that possible?" Bianca came out of the house. "Can I help you, officers?" The two police officers exchanged nces with each other, and the male police officer continued, "Is Ms. Leia Norman home now? We received an anonymous tipst night that she is involved in illegal drug usage and possession. Preliminary investigation has shown that the culprit matches most of Ms. Norman''s characteristics, and our superiors have ordered us to bring her back for the investigation." Bianca was shocked. Leia was involved in drug possession? She remembered Leia''s unfocused gaze and sinister demeanor and guessed that it might be true. Queenie came out of the bedroom and handed a limited edition puzzle to Tommy. She noticed the police officers in the front yard and went out of the house." What''s wrong, Bea? Why are the police here? Are they here to look for Jack? When Leia saw the police officers from the second floor, her mind instantly went ck, her vision went blurry, and her entire body started shaking. No! She had hidden the fact that she was taking illegal drugs. No one could have found out that easily. Moreover, she was the second daughter of the Norman family. Her father was the Provincial Committee Secretary, and her mother was a well-known businesswoman and phnthropist. They would not launch an investigation on her! Even so, she dared not go downstairs. She locked the door shut, then curled up in her nket on her bed. Her body felt cold in the mid-July summer heat.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. The police officer remained diplomatic when they saw Queeniee out of the house. "Mrs. Norman, we suspect that Ms. Leia Norman is involved in illegal drug use and possession. We want to bring her back to the police station for an investigation, and I hope that you will cooperate with us.'' Queenie could not believe what she heard. Her usually gentle voice became shrill. "Are... are you mistaken? Leia has always been a sensible girl. How could she be using drugs? I don¡¯t believe that my daughter would do anything illegal!¡¯ Bianca''s heart wrenched when she saw how Queenie harbored Leia without any rational reason. She looked at the two police officers, though her words were directed at Queenie. "Let the police officers in, Mom. If Leia is innocent, then she won''t have anything to worry about. I believe that Leia won''t do anything stupid either." Queenie became calmer after hearing Bianca''s words. "Pleasee in, officers. Leia hasn''t been feeling welltely, and I think that she''s still in bed. I''ll go upstairs and get her," she said. The two police officers nodded. They had to be extra careful not to offend Mr. and Mrs. Jack Norman, even when they were on official business. Queenie and Bianca went upstairs and knocked on Leia''s door. They realized that the bedroom door was locked. "Are you still in bed, Leia? Please open the door for your mother. I have something to ask you." Queenie tried to make her tone of voice as normal as possible, but there was no reaction from Leia inside the room. Bianca smirked and said coldly, "Leia, there are police officers downstairs saying that you''re involved in illegal drug use and possession. They''re looking for you to help them in their investigation. I''m going to count to three. If you don''t open the door, it means that you admit to it. One, two..." The word "three" had just left Bianca''s mouth when the door was flung open abruptly. Leia, dressed in thin clothes, stood in front of them with a sinister expression on her face. Chapter 737 Chapter 737 He Won''t Forgive Anyone! Leia''s sharp nails dug into her palm. She tried her best to remain calm and not let everyone see that she was panicking. However, her slightly trembling shoulders betrayed herposure. Queenie grabbed Leia''s shoulder and asked her agonizingly, "Tell me, Leia. You didn''t take illegal drugs, right?" Leia''s fragile visage was instantly shrouded by a thinyer of tears when she heard her mother''s question. "Don''t you know my character, Mom? I''ve always been so timid, and I wouldn''t even dare to kill an ant. Do you think that I would take illegal drugs? Everyone else can use me of wrongdoing, but you''re my mother!" Her sickly demeanor and unrelenting questions made Queenie feel bad that she had even suspected her daughter the slightest. Bianca smirked when she saw Leia''s act. ''Not bad. No wonder she can be an actress,'' she thought. ''If she had employed her talents in her career, she might have be a famous movie star by now. ¡¯Too bad, her talents are used at all the wrong ces.'' Queenie patted Leia''s shoulders and spoke to her gently, "It''s not that I don''t trust you, but I''m worried because the police officers are here and they''re suspecting you of drug possession... If you haven''t done anything wrong, I don''t think you should be worried about it. I''ll go to the police station with you, and I''ll make sure that they restore your innocence." Leia was not relieved when she heard her mother''s words offort. Instead, she became even more nervous. She would be fine if she were innocent, but... If the police officers coulde to the house to look for her, it meant that they must have had some evidence of her wrongdoing. If her mother found out that she took illegal drugs, she would not have any position in the household. When she thought of that, her face turned as pale as a ghost. She looked at Queenie, then clutched her head as though she had a migraine. "I don''t feel too well today, Mom. My head hurts, and I don''t think I can go to the police station. Can I go another day?" The two police officers waited for a long time downstairs. Eventually, they became impatient and went up to the second floor. They happened to overhear that Leia did not want to go to the police station. The male police officer shed his badge again and spoke sternly to Leia," Ms. Norman, we''ve received orders from our superiors that we need to bring you back to the police station for investigations today. Please do not obstruct us in carrying out our duty." "My head really hurts, Mom, and my chest feels stuffy. I wonder what''s going on..." Leia clutched her forehead as though she was in agony. Her figure wavered and she clutched her chest. Suddenly, her body went limp, and she copsed in front of everyone. "..." Bianca was speechless. ''She''s an actress alright, but that was so fake.'' "..." The two police officers were speechless too. ''Now that Ms. Norman has passed out, how do we bring her back?'' They turned to look at Queenie worriedly.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "Let me check on her, Mom. She was healthy yesterday. I don''t think she could be so sick today." Bianca walked up to Leia and towered over her unconscious body. She would like to see if Leia could keep up with her act. Leia, who had pretended to pass out, was feeling uneasy. She knew that her mother would feel sorry for her if she passed out, but Bianca would not. What if Bianca saw through her act? However, there was no other choice. If she did not pretend to pass out, she would be brought to the police station. That was the worst oue that she tried to avoid. Bianca crouched down and pinched the tenderest part of Leia''s waist. Leia could feel the full force of the pinch through her thin clothes. The corners of her mouth twitched uncontrobly, but she forced her eyes to remain closed. Bianca smirked and pinched her harder. Instantly, Leia howled and bounced to her feet like a spring. "Who is it? Who the f*ck pinched me?" Bianca dusted her hands nonchntly. "Now that you''re awake, Leia, you''d better follow the officers to the police station. You look and sound healthy enough." Leia wanted to w Bianca''s face. "My health is none of your f*cking business. Stop pretending to be the good guy!" Queenie blocked Leia''s attack and shielded Bianca behind her. "Your elder sister cares for you, Leia. Don''t be rude to her! Now that you''re awake, I''ll go to the police station with you." Her tone of voice was authoritative andmanding. Leia instantly cowered. She shot a vicious re at Bianca. Now that she had failed to convince her mother that she was sick, she had to go to the police station. Otherwise, her mother might be suspicious. She allowed the two police officers to escort her out of the house. Queenie was worried that something might happen to Leia. She instructed Bianca to take good care of Tommy, then hurriedly followed behind them. After Leia was brought away, the Norman residence fell silent once more. Bianca remembered Leia''s expression before she left. She suddenly had a bad premonition. Luke sat in his office and flipped through a thick stack of documents. Jason came through the door and brought him a piping hot cup of coffee." Your coffee, Boss." Luke took the cup and took a sip. He seemed pleased. "Your coffeemaking skills have improved, Mr. Doyle." Jason smiled sheepishly. "You tter me, Boss. Sue likes coffee, and I usually make it for her. She doesn''t like it too sweet or too bitter, so I eventually figured out how to make it to her liking." Luke nced at him profoundly. ¡°You seem to be on rtively good terms with Sue now. When are you two going to get married?" Jason scratched his head awkwardly. "Well... I''m still trying. By the way, I''ve received the news that Leia was taken to the police station for an investigation because she was suspected of illegal drug use and possession. Also, ording to our informers, Wayne tt will have a major drug deal in Paxton in three days..." Luke remained indifferent. "Not bad. Continue to find what Leia did to my wife. She''s not going to get away with it this time! Also, keep a close eye on Wayne tt and report anything interesting you find." The man''s handsome face turned cold as though a blizzard was about to arrive. He would not forgive anyone who hurt him and Bianca! Chapter 738 Chapter 738 Have You Ever Thought About Starting Your Own Company? Inside the interrogation room. The lighting was not too bright, but it was a little ring. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! There was only one table and three chairs in the interrogation room. Leia sat at the far end and in front of her were two seated police officers who looked particrly serious. No matter how they questioned Leia, she would not give them any answer other than she did not know. The incandescent light made Leia''s already pale face look even paler, like a ghoul. Even though the two police officers had questioned her till their mouths were dry, she just remained silent the whole time. They looked at each other and felt that there was no need to ask her any further, so they said to her, "Ms. Norman, follow us to do a urine test. The test results will tell us whether you took the drugs.¡± Leia sneered, and her tone sounded strange when she said, "If the test results show that I didn¡¯t take any drugs, it means that you guys have arrested an innocent person. If that''s the case, how are you going to make it up to me? When the timees, you''ll feel my wrath! All of you will be demoted and disciplinary action will be taken!" The two police officers became very embarrassed. Outside the interrogation room. Queenie sat in the team leader''s office, waiting. The deputy superintendent personally greeted her with an awkward smile, '' Mrs. Norman, I heard that your daughter has always been a smart and well- behaved girl. I¡¯m sure she wouldn''t have done anything illegal or disorderly, so don''t worry.¡± He put on a bold face and sat with Queenie awkwardly. He knew that the woman in front of him was not someone to be messed with. Queenie was a very capable and famous entrepreneur in their city. Plus, her husband who was backing her up was an even more powerful person. If he had a choice, he would rather not involve himself in this mess. Even so, there were anonymous reports of Ms. Norman''s suspected drug use and possession with proof. Therefore, when his superiors pressured him, he had no other choice. However, Queenie acted as if she did not hear anything he said. She just sat there in a daze, unmoving. After around 15 minutes, she stood up, went outside of the office, and made a call. The woman''s gentle voice carried a helpless cry. "Jack, something has happened to our daughter..." When Jack received the call from his wife, he was in a meeting with the board of directors. When he heard Queenie saying that something had happened to their daughter, his first thought was that something had happened to Bianca. For the first time, his dignified aura cracked from the shock in front of his high-ranking directors. When Jack realized that he was acting inappropriately, he found a quiet ce and immediately gave Queenie a call back. He asked worriedly," What''s wrong with Bea? What happened to our daughter?" Although Bianca had found out who her biological family was, she never changed her surname to Norman as a show of gratitude to the Rayne family for their kindness in raising her. Naturally, Jack and his wife respected her wishes. On the other side of the phone, Queenie spoke anxiously, "Our eldest daughter isn''t the one in trouble. It''s our youngest daughter, Leia." Jack calmed down a little when he heard that it was not Bianca. He had just breathed a sigh of relief when his wife''s next words left a thickyer of gloom on his upright and dignified face. "Two police officers came to our house today and said that Leia is being suspected of drug use and possession. She was then taken to the police station for investigation. Leia''s being interrogated now, 01'' Norman. You''d bettere quick. I don''t think she¡¯s in a good state of mind right now. I''m worried that something will happen to her...¡± Jack''s hand almost crushed the phone as his eyes turned bloodshot, flooding with anger. Even so, he still reassured Queenie with a calm tone, saying, "Don''t worry, Queen. I''ll be there soon." In an old-timey English teahouse. It was a secluded and artistic ce decorated with abination of Eastern and Western elements. Even though it was not arge space, it was very well-decorated, i There was a colorful painted folding screen made with rhinestones with a sandsted finish and a poem on it. Soft music flowed from the speakers above. In front of the folding screen were two beautifully crafted chaise longue which could be sat on ory on. It was covered with snow-white mink cashmere and the floor was carpeted with thick velvet of the same color, giving the entire room a gorgeous andfortable feeling. There was one chaise longue on each side, one on the left and one on the right. Two women dressed in two different colors were seated on each one, both of them looking beautiful. A pair of slender and soft hands holding a brown teapot with a small spout slowly poured the hot tea into the hand-painted porcin teacup. The fragrance of tea wafted through the air, flowing upward. The woman pouring the tea on the left was Bianca. On this day, she was wearing a in white dress. She had a gentle temperament, and her soft ck hair was draped over her shoulders. Her oval face looked delicate and rosy, while her pair of dark brown eyes looked bright. They were like gentle glittering pearls. Every move of hers was as elegant as a morning dewdrop rolling down a flower petal. The woman on the right was tall and cold. A thin green velvet scarf was tied around her snow-white neck and she had delicate, light makeup on. Her long hair was tied into a high ponytail. Her slender legs were closed, and she was seated in a posture that made her seem like a professional model. She looked just like a cold beautiful woman. Bianca looked at the cold beauty in front of her. Her smile was surprisingly gentle. "Bridget, you''re usually so busy. Why do you suddenly have the time to meet up with me?" The cold beauty was previously Bianca''s senior when she was studying at St. Andrews College. Her name was Bridget Lancaster. She was also an architecture student who studied architectural design. Eventually, the two became besties because they had simr hobbies. In the beginning, Bridget was very popr in their college. It was not only because of her cool and proud appearance but also because she was excellent in her academics. She won many awards, both big and small ones, and made a name for herself in the architectural field at a young age. Unlike Bianca''s poor family background, Bridget''s family was wealthy. Even so, she was never proud because of that nor would she look down on students from poor families. When she made friends, she did not care whether they were rich or poor. She only cared about people''s character and talent, so she was very well-liked. Unfortunately, after Bianca returned to her home country, both of them did not contact each other as often anymore due to how busy work was. They only asionally contacted each other on Instagram or other social media to share about what was going on in their lives. She knew that Bridget was now working in one of the top ten most famous construction corporations in the world and was the vice president. She was still as dazzling as ever. Bridget took a sip of the fragrant tea and faintly smiled. That made Bianca feel rxed and happy. "I haven''t been back here in a long time. When I was passing by A City today and knew you were here, I came to see you. How are you doing these days?" Bianca picked up her cup of tea. "I''m doing fine. I got married two years ago and I have three children now. Two sons and a daughter. The older two are almost eight years old and my younger one is two and a half years old." Bianca had told Bridget about Luke before, so when Bianca told her that she had two eight-year-old children now, it was not surprising to Bridget. Bridget put down her teacup, and her cold eyes shed with admiration." How time flies. In a blink of an eye, you have three children now. Unlike me, who¡¯s been single for as long as I can remember. Bianca, now that your husband is back, are you still the interim CEO for T Corporation?" Bianca shook her head. Nope. My grandfather got sick some time ago and needs someone to take care of him. I¡¯ve been staying home to take care of him and the kids. I¡¯ll probably only go back to work after my grandfather recovers and my children are a little older." Bridget paused for a moment and spoke with slight sympathy, "Bianca, it¡¯s a waste of your talent if you just be a housewife. Have you ever thought of starting your ownpany after you start working again?" ''Start my ownpany?'' Bianca could not help but fall into deep thought... Chapter 739 Chapter 739 Luke''s Unquestionable Order Bianca was on the road, driving. When she was waiting at the red light, she was thinking about what Bridget had said. Bridget had asked, "Bianca, you''ve always been talented in design and you''re extremely intelligent. Why would you ever settle to be an ordinary housewife? "Didn''t you use to dream of being the best architect in the world? You know how humans are. Once they get into afortable environment for a long time, it¡¯s easy to fall intocency. They¡¯d still be okay if they had strong self-control and restraint. Otherwise, they would just be content with their lives and not do anything to better themselves. "Bianca, I think that with the talent you have, whether it''s your natural talent or what you''ve refined throughout the years, it¡¯s more than enough for you to start your ownpany. You should give it a try because we should use our time while we¡¯re still young to work hard. Otherwise, we''d only regret it if we wait until we''re too old." The truth was, Bianca had never intended to be a housewife. However, in the past few days when she was at home taking care of her grandpa, her kids, reading books during her free time, tending to her garden ... This was a rxing and cozy life. To be honest, she quite enjoyed such a life. Her elders were in good health, her babies were smart and clever, and her husband doted on her. Bianca even thought that it would be a good idea to live like that for the rest of her life. Unknowingly, after living afortable life, she had indeed be somewhatcent without realizing it. Bridget''s words woke Bianca up and made her realize that she had fallen into such a terrible state of comcency. It was not that Bianca had not thought of starting her ownpany. However, starting apany required operating capital, strong management, staff recruitment, and so on. She needed the human resources, the capital, and the enterprise assets. It was aborious and tiring task. She did not have any other qualifications other than her design skills. When she was the interim CEO of T Corporation, she had endless business duties, meetings, and errands every day, which made her incredibly busy and exhausted. However, when she saw the company''s performance climbing upward under her leadership, there was also a touch of pride in Bianca''s heart that words could not exin. Bianca rolled down the window and looked at the endless crowd of people at the pedestrian crossing. She watched the groups of peopleing from both sides of the road and suddenly remembered a song. I''ve taken every hard step throughout the way, but I''m still going. I¡¯m still going, regardless of the height. ''The sound of the wind in my ears is like a song of inspiration, telling me to try my best and take every step that I can take. ''I¡¯ve traveled through countless rugged terrains, but I¡¯m still going. That way, I can know how high I can go...'' Bianca thought of that and remembered that she was still in her prime. Indeed, she should go all out and work harder while she was still young. That way, she could have the ability and money tofortably live in herter years. After all, it was feasible to start apany. Bianca decided to go back and discuss it with Luke. With his experience, she would ask him for advice on how to start apany. Since Leia had been taken away by the police, Bianca knew that her parents must be busy with her matters. That was why she decided to go back to Norman residence first. Although she had never liked Leia, Bianca still called her mother to ask how Leia was doing since Bianca was her elder sister by name. "Mom, is Leia okay?" Queenie sounded tired. "It¡¯s nothing serious, Bea. Dad and I are a bit busy right now, so I can¡¯te over to meet you. Go ahead and take Tommy back to your ce. When we''re free after a couple of days, we''ll pay you a visit at your ce." Bianca''s heart tightened for a while and she suddenly had a bad feeling." Mom, did Leia actually touch that...¡± At the other end of the phone, Queenie did not say anything for a long time. Bianca even thought the call was cut off when her mother suddenly said," Don¡¯t worry about her. Dad and I will take care of it, Bea. I have something to do, so I¡¯ll hang up now." "Mom, Mom..." Bianca wanted to say something else, but a beeping tone came from the phone. Queenie had already hung up on the other side. She did not want to give up and tried to call her father, Jack. However, his phone was turned off, which worried Bianca even more. In the end, she could not take it anymore and called Luke. The phone rang for a few seconds before the call was answered. The man¡¯s low and maic voice came through. "Darling?" "Luke, I..." Before Bianca could finish her sentence, the red light turned green and there was an urgent and incredibly loud honk from behind. Bianca immediately stepped on the gas to go forward when she suddenly saw an old man walking across the road even though it was a red light for pedestrians. She was so shocked that she mmed the brakes and the tires rubbed against the tarmac, making a sharp sound. Due to the inertia, Bianca''s entire body dived forward before she was pulled back into the seat by her seat belt. The old man crossed the road unharmed but did not even show her a grateful smile. Luke''s ears were sharp and he heard themotion. His anxious voice sounded. "Are you outside? What happened?" The car behind her kept on honking and honking. Bianca was lying on the steering wheel, seemingly not hearing the noise. It was as if her body had been drained of all strength. After a short while, she finally came back to her senses and answered Luke, "I''m fine. My senior from collegest time asked me out for tea today and I almost hit someone with my car on the way back... Luckily, nothing happened. What a scare it was!" Bianca heard some noise on the other end of the phone as if something had hit the table heavily. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. She was in a daze and also seemed to hear an unbearable, muffled grunt. After that sounded Luke''s stern voice. "I''m d you''re okay. Where are you now? Send me your location and I¡¯ll get the driver to pick you up. No matter where you go in the future, you''re not allowed to drive yourself. Just let the driver take you. Otherwise, don''t even think about going out!¡± His tone sounded as if there was no room for negotiation! "I know. I¡¯ll make sure to get a driver to drive me when I go out in the future, but I''m almost home now, so don''t bother getting the driver to pick me up. By the way, Leia was arrested by the police today on suspicion of drug use. Is this your doing? Is she really doing drugs?" Bianca knew that Luke was just looking out for her, so she did not take his words to heart. She just replied to him perfunctorily and changed the subject. Luke gave a faint hum and did not exin too much. He only said, "Just focus on your driving for now and pay attention to the road. It¡¯s not convenient for me to tell you about it now, so I¡¯ll exin to you when I get home. As for Leia¡¯s drug use and possession, it¡¯s real. The police have arrested her for investigation, so it isn¡¯t a false usation." After hanging up the phone, Bianca was a bit perturbed. Luke was the one responsible for exposing Leia''s drug use. If Leia was really taking drugs, Mom and Dad would be devastated if they found out the truth. Bianca thought to herself, ''So are they busy right now because they¡¯re trying to find a way out for her?'' When Bianca guessed that it was a possibility, she could not help but feel even deeper resentment toward Leia. Her parents had been honest and upright all their lives. No matter what they did, they were dignified and would never use their connections for anything. If they made an exception because of Leia, they would hate themselves forever, right? Chapter 740 Chapter 740 The Sudden Appearance of The Evil Teenager Bianca returned to Norman residence and picked up Tommy. After that, she was just about to go back home when she suddenly received a call from Rainie''s ss teacher. The ss teacher sounded very anxious. "Mrs. Crawford, the art teacher took the ss to a flower field to do live sketching today, but Rainie suddenly disappeared. We couldn''t reach her on the phone, so did she go home?" "You couldn''t reach Rainie?" After Bianca learned about this, her phone almost slipped out of her hand. She panicked and immediately called home as well as Crawford Manor. However, after calling both sides, she was told that Rainie was not there. Bianca became really anxious and imagined the millions of possibilities such as Rainie being caught by human traffickers. Trafficked children would get sold and get their limbs chopped off. Worse, she might even have her organs gouged out to be sold. When she thought of this, Bianca felt the blood all over her body freeze and solidify. She was terribly anxious and called Louis. 1 When Lanie found out that his sister was missing, he did not panic. Instead, he reassured Bianca, "Mom, don''t worry. Rainie is a girl who knows what she should and shouldn''t do. Maybe she got lost somewhere because she was ying. Just let the teachers look for her around the ce they were live sketching for now. Have you contacted Dad yet? Since Dad knows a lot of people, I''m sure he''ll find Rainie soon." Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Bianca hurriedly contacted Luke. After he found out that his daughter had disappeared, he immediately put down what he was doing and called the police. He got them to go over and search the location where Rainie went missing during the live sketching session. After that, Luke contacted Percy and told him to pay attention to ck market transactions to see if any beautiful young girls were being auctioned. Both the legal and illegal channels were secretly mobilized at the same time because the Crawford family''s most precious daughter had suddenly disappeared. For a while, the people of A City were rmed and thought that a big shot had met with an ident. In Crawford Manor, everyone was anxiously searching for Rainie. At the same time, around noon, amidst the flowers. There was a quiet stone path with dark greenery of lush trees and vegetation. Both sides of the path were lined with an endless sea of flowers. The differently colored flowers inteced across the field, weaving in a thousand different ways. The ce was mellow, full of green leaves and surrounded by flowers. It was stunningly beautiful. A fair and young girl was hidden in the flower field, her little body standing in front of a drawing board. Her tender but agile little hands were painting the beautiful flower field. The little girl looked to be about seven or eight years old. She wore a delicate chiffon dress and had a beautiful princess-like hairstyle. On her palm-sized pale face was a pair of spirited eyes that were as clear as ake. On her eyes were long curly eyshes that were like fluttering butterflies when she blinked, looking incredibly cute. She also had a button nose and cherry blossom lips that made her look like a breathtaking little fairy. Rainie was painting quietly, asionally lifting the brush and using it to tap her head. That little movement of hers beautifully matched the surroundings. There were colorful butterflies dancing around her. They looked as if they liked her very much, and anyone who saw this scene would be amazed. Not far from the flower field, there was an extremely thick 100-year-old banyan tree. Underneath it was a pair of cold and evil eagle-like eyes locked tightly on the small figure that was quietly painting. Suddenly, a dangerous and predatory arc curled up on the man''s thin lips. He was like a silent ghost that suddenly appeared in a sh, approaching the girl. He watched her stop painting with that innocent look on her face. There was a butterfly on her hand and she murmured to it. "Butterfly, oh butterfly. I want to be a dancer when I grow up, but I also want to be a painter. Which one do you think I should be? "Mom and Dad are more lovey-dovey than ever now. The two of them often kiss in front of me and my brother. Uncle Louis said that they''re showing off, but I don''t get it. How are they showing off? "Aunt Sue¡¯s twins are getting more and more beautiful. I think I¡¯d like them to be my brothers¡¯ wives. Do you think my brothers will like them? "Simon Holston is so annoying. He pulls on my braids every day and bullies me. How can there be such a bad boy in this world? Look how nice my brother is. He¡¯s very polite to girls and he treats me even nicer. If only every boy was as nice as my brother..." When Rainie was whispering to the butterfly, suddenly, a pair of palms covered her chattering mouth. Rainie did not even have a chance to shout for help when the man grabbed her by her soft waist and lifted her entire body. "Boo-hoo..." Rainie struggled desperately but she was held firmly to his chest. There was a strong smell of blood in her nose and it made her extremely ufortable. It made her want to vomit, but her mouth was covered, so she could not. The girl¡¯s pure and wless eyes met a pair of incredibly evil, cold eyes. It was the eyes of an extremely noble young man who looked to be about 15 years old. The teenager¡¯s skin was as smooth as porcin. He had an unparalleled noble temperament and seemed elegant but also wild. He seemed to have a charm that could bewitch all living creatures. "Quick, go over there and find that kid for me! I must get my hands on that kid! If we let him get away, well all be done for!" A fierce voice rang out not far from the flower field. Rainie''s body trembled, and she could only feel therge palm grabbing her bing even colder. She did not even dare to breathe too loudly. After a long time, when the voices on the other side got farther and farther away, the teenager finally let her go. "What''s your name?" the teenager spoke in an English ent. His voice was melodious and sounded like a piano song. Rainie looked at his bleeding arm and the hideous wound on it. She took two steps back in fear but kindly reminded him, "Big Brother, your arm is hurt. You should get it bandaged in a hospital as soon as you can..." Her art teacher had brought their ss out to do some live sketches, but since the ce their teacher took them to had an average view, she sneaked away to look for a more beautiful ce to sketch. She did not expect that she would encounter something like this. "What¡¯s your name?!" The teenager put Rainie down and asked coldly once more. A pair of devilish eyes stared at Rainie. He insisted on getting her name. "M-My name''s Rainie Crawford." The young girl, frightened by his appalling aura, told him her name. Two tall and sturdy men who looked like bodyguards suddenly appeared in front of the teenager. They spoke in a somewhat anxious tone, "Prince Winstone, the assassins Prince George and Prince Harry sent will get to us soon! We must leave here immediately!" The young man, however, remained unhurried. He was tall, and he gazed down at the tiny Rainie. Suddenly, he took her into his arms and he suddenly pressed his cold lips onto her cherry blossom-like pink cheek! "Remember my name. My name''s Winston MacDonald. We''ll meet again, little girl!" After he said that, the noble and arrogant young man was like a gust of wind, suddenly disappearing into the flower field with the men in ck... ''Winston MacDonald?'' Rainie touched her cheek. She was dumbfounded as she looked in the direction of where he had disappeared into. Her crimson little mouth pouted. Even though Mommy and Daddy often kissed, why did that teen boy kiss her? "Rainie, where are you?" In the distance came Bianca''s anxious call. As if she had been dreaming the whole time, the girl came back to her senses and shouted back at her mother, "Mommy, I''m here..." Chapter 741 Chapter 741 His Wicked and Dazzling Smile When they heard Rainie''s sweet and soft voice, Bianca, Luke, and the entire group of people followed her voice to find her. "Mommy..." Rainie''s small, thin body was almost drowning inside the dense flower field. Even so, she still answered loudly, "Mommy, I''m here..." Rainie had thought that the ce where their art teacher brought them to for live sketching was not beautiful enough. Although the little girl was young, she had a good sense of aesthetics, so she chose another spot to do her live sketching ording to what she liked. That was why Rainie initially picked a ce somewhere near where her teacher and her ssmates were doing their live sketching. Without knowing it, however, she walked into the endless flower field and soon became fascinated by this beautiful spot. She then decided to stay there to draw. She did not expect that the ce would be so big and everything would look the same. When she tried to leave, she realized that she could not remember the way out. Her phone, which was the only way to communicate with the outside world, was also dead... Just when Rainie did not know what to do, she suddenly heard her mother calling for her and almost cried out in excitement. When Rainie answered her mother''s call, her voice was like a sudden light in the darkness, pulling Bianca''s copsed heart back up in an instant. As they followed her voice, Bianca finally saw Rainie''s figure in a patch of wild pansies. The little girl was holding her drawing board, standing timidly amidst the tall flowers. Her clear eyes showed a hint of panic, anxiety, and also surprise after she saw Bianca. "Rainie!" "Mommy!" Bianca wrapped Rainie tightly in her arms, her whole body trembling. The tears that Bianca had kept in for a long time flowed out of her eyes." You silly child, how could you run off like that without telling anyone? Do you know how anxious Mommy was when I couldn''t find you? I¡¯m so angry! I thought that you were kidnapped by traffickers. Don¡¯t you dare run off like that in the future...¡± As Bianca spoke, she got angrier and more anxious. She was still shocked by the scare that her child might have gotten abducted and sold off. She fiercely pped Rainie''s tender bottom a few times. Bianca had always been gentle with the children, even with the naughty and devilish Tommy. She rarely spanked them, but this time, she immediately spanked Rainie when she saw her. In addition to that, she was spanking her quite hard and it was clear how angry she was. Rainie knew that she had made a mistake as well. Her beautiful little face was full of guilt, and she obediently subjected herself to the spankings. She bit down hard on her delicate lip and did not make a sound. The soft little girl apologized, "Mommy, I know I shouldn''t have run off like that. It''s my fault for making you angry. I won''t ever do something like this again, I''m sorry..." Bianca held her daughter in her arms, and her eyes were still red. "Silly baby, did it hurt when I spanked you just now? I shouldn''t have hit you, but if I don''t teach you a lesson, how else will you remember?" When the mother and daughter were apologizing warmly to each other, Luke, who was waiting at one side, walked over. The man''s handsome and upright figure was a lot taller than the surrounding flowers and weeds. When the man looked down, he had a type of arrogance that put him at the top of the world. When he was silent, that aura of his looked particrly frightening. The superintendent beside Luke wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and said obsequiously, "Mr. Crawford, now that your daughter has been found, you can rest assured, right?" All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Luke indifferently said, "Thank you for your hard work, Superintendent Liszt. I owe you one.¡± Superintendent Liszt wiped the cold sweat from his forehead again and said with a wry smile, "It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s my job anyway.¡± The entire A City was congested with traffic because of the search for this little girl. If she were not found, he probably would not be able to keep his badge. Fortunately, the little girl was found and Superintendent Liszt could not help but let out a long sigh of relief. The young art teacher was also relieved. She knew that Rainie came from a noble family. When she learned that she had disappeared, she was almost frightened to death. Even after they found her, she was still as pale as a ghost. Luke walked up to Rainie and leaned down slightly. He hid his concern for his daughter, saying in a tone that was particrly cold and resolute," Rainie, don''t you ever dare run off like that again. I won¡¯t let you make your mother angry. Otherwise, you¡¯ll receive punishment from me and I can assure you that I won¡¯t be as merciful as your mother!" "I''m sorry, Daddy... It was my fault." Rainie lifted her tiny head and carefully apologized to Luke. She was not afraid of her gentle and loving mommy, but she was afraid of her dignified daddy. For some reason, even though her daddy usually doted on her, every time she or her brother did something wrong, she would get so scared that her organs would shrivel up in fear when her daddy gave her that cold, stern look. nche held Rainie''s little hand and scolded, "Rainie, you mustn''t be so capricious in the future. You don''t know anyone here and it¡¯s in the middle of nowhere. What if you had gotten lost? You¡¯re lucky Mommy and Daddy found you this time. Next time, you may not be as lucky.¡± "Yes, I know." After her brother scolded her, she stuck out her little tongue yfully. Only then did she realize how many people were surrounding her. There was her dad, Uncle Louis, her art teacher, her twin brother, a few ssmates, many police officers, and even Simon, whom she hated the most! Simon was wearing a blue hoodie with the same set of sweatpants. He had on a pair of ck cowhide boots too, and his naturally thick curly ck hair was soaked with beads of sweat. His body was dirty, while his pale little face was covered with pollen. His face looked a little swollen, no longer looking like the unrestrained little prince who was chased after by all the girls in the school. When Rainie saw that, all she wanted to do wasugh. It was rare for her to see Simon in such a disheveled state, so Rainie could not help but make a face at him. When Simon saw herughing at him, he sulked. Right after he learned that Rainie was missing, he straightway went with his art teacher to look for her and even forgot about his pollen allergy. In order to look for her, his face had gotten so swollen that he looked like he had been in a big fight. He could not believe that she was making fun of him now. This was too much! 1 Simon grumbled and thought to himself that the next time Rainie got lost, he would not be so stupid as toe and look for her again! T Corporation. The CEO''s office. Luke quickly went back to the office to continue his work after the false rm and the search for his daughter ended. Jason pushed the door in and delivered a bright red invitation to him at his desk. "Mr. Crawford, tt Corporation is having their anniversary celebration tomorrow night. Their CEO, Mr. Vincent tt, sent us an invitation. Would you like to go?" Luke did not even look up and his indifferent figure remained motionless. ¡° No." Jason continued, "The tts'' anniversary celebration coincides with Old Master tt''s 70th birthday. The tt family prides themselves on their devotion and care toward their elders, so the three tt brothers will definitely be in attendance." Luke''s handsome face sank slightly. His hand that was holding the pen froze and there was a deep look in his eyes as he gazed at Jason''s face. He smiled wickedly and dazzlingly, saying, "Of course, I¡¯ll attend. I must. Not only will I attend, but I¡¯ll also prepare a big gift for them that night!" Chapter 742 Chapter 742 Luke''s Mysterious n Today, Luke surprisingly left work at six o''clock and that surprised Jason a lot since his boss was a workaholic. He was especially surprised due to the fact that Luke had just returned to T Corporation. Usually, he would only go back after midnight. At the parking lot. A noble-looking ck Rolls-Royce RV was parked there. All the other luxury cars there could not even come close to it. Inside the RV was a perfectly functional space that wasparable to a vi. Once the door of the RV was closed, it felt like the inside of a theater. The luxuriousness of it all was too tant and impossible to ignore. Inside the RV sat an unrivaled handsome man with an upright posture and an extraordinary temperament. His long and slender fingers casually pressed on a button. The mellow and fragrant wine automatically filled up his wine ss. "Sir." The driver in the driver''s seat asked Luke, "Where would you like to go?" The driver was equally surprised that Luke had left the office this early. He thought that perhaps Luke had some special ns, but to his surprise, Luke shook his head. "We¡¯re going to go back home to pick up my wife. After that, we¡¯re going to Century Amusement Park." At the vi. Bianca was in the kitchen, making dinner with love for the children. However, when she was just halfway done, someone hugged her from behind. The man''s familiar scent wafted into her nose and her body stiffened slightly. Then, she felt his strong arms tightening his hug around her. When Bianca saw that the heart-shaped omelet in the pan was going to burn, she could not help but exim, "Luke, I''m cooking. Let go of me, or else the egg will be burnt..." Luke opened his mouth and sucked on her fair earlobe. "So what if it¡¯s burnt? The nanny can cook for the kidster. I want to take you out for dinner." He chuckled lowly and had a wicked smile on his face. The man''s cool hand roamed under Bianca''s shirt. "You treat those three little things much better than you treat me now. It¡¯s making me a little jealous, so how are you going to make it up to me, hmm?" Bianca was embarrassed and pressed down his naughty hand. "This kitchen isn¡¯t the ce for me to make it up to you. Besides, they''re our babies. You can''tpare yourself to them. Are you still a child?" Luke did not know whether tough or cry, and his movements only grew bolder. '' Yes, I''m a child in your eyes. A child that keeps pestering you for your love." i "Luke Crawford!" Bianca shouted his full name in exasperation and nced sheepishly at the kitchen door. The door was slightly ajar and she was afraid that the nanny or the kids might barge in. It would be awkward if anyone saw them like this. When Luke saw how embarrassed and bashful she looked, he decided not to tease her anymore. He took his naughty hand away and stroked her t stomach. His lips curled up in a faint smile. "Since you like kids so much, how about we have a few more?" Bianca immediately shook her head quickly. "No, three kids are enough. It''s hard work having kids." Luke rested his chin on her shoulder. "I''m just teasing you. I don¡¯t actually want that many kids. Other than making mepete with them and distracting you from your work, they¡¯re pretty much useless. I don''t want you to go through the pain of childbirth again, so three kids is enough." Bianca touched his handsome face. His face was bright and smooth. She stood on her tippy toes and kissed him, "I know you''re always looking out for me.¡± "Come on, I want to take you somewhere." "Where? I¡¯m not done making dinner yet..." "Let the kids'' nanny do it. You''ll know when you get to that ce." The dinner made with love was put on hold and the three children were left to the care of the nanny while Bianca was carried into the RV by Luke. The three children watched as their mommy was taken away by their daddy. He did not even allow them to say a single word, so all they could do was pout. The three of them thought that Luke must not be their biological daddy. Otherwise, why would he take their mommy out to y and not take them along? Bianca did not know what Luke was up to, but his chest was so big and warm. His strong, sturdy arms trapped her firmly in his arms. Although Bianca was a little dizzy and did not know where he was taking her, she felt relieved to have him by her side. As long as he was there, she would never be afraid. A City was an extremely bustling cosmopolitan city and the nightscape was especially vibrant and beautiful at night. The car sped along, and rows and rows of shing lights could be seen through the windows. The colorful glow of lights reflected on the beautiful man-madeke, creating ripples of color. Luke took Bianca to Century Amusement Park, an amusement park with exceptional instations and high-tech facilities. Due to its incredibly beautiful environment, it would be crowded with locals and foreign tourists from day till night. However, Bianca was puzzled when she saw how quiet the amusement park was that night, and it was not the usual type of quiet when it was less busy. There was not even a single visitor at the entrance or inside the park. That was when she wondered if the amusement park was closed for the night. In the backseat, Bianca leaned on Luke''s chest and could not help but mutter, "That¡¯s weird. There used to be a lot of visitors here. Why is it so quiet today?" The driver in the driver''s seat could not help but reply, "Madam, Sir closed down the entire amusement park for you tonight..." Bianca could not help but nce at Luke in shock. ¡®This man is too rich! Even though he has the money, he shouldn''t spend it like this, right?'' Even so, when she thought about how he had spent a large amount of money to close down the venue for her, she could not help but feel a little happy inside. However, she could not help but say, "If you wanted to bring me here to have fun, you didn''t have to close the entire ce down for us. That''s too wasteful!" N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Although Bianca was a mother, she still had the mindset of a teen girl. She really liked the idea that the love of her life had prepared something romantic for her, but her heart still ached a little at the thought of him spending so much money. Luke kissed her on the lips. "I don''t think that even doing this is enough for you. I just want to give you the best of everything because you deserve it." Luke took Bianca to ride on the Ferris wheel. All the previous times when Bianca went to other amusement parks, she had thought about riding the Ferris wheel, but she never did because of her fear of heights. However, since she was with Luke, she wanted to go on it even though she still had not gotten over her fear of heights. The Ferris wheel there was one of the three tallest Ferris wheels in the world. There were thousands of LED lights fixed in and around the giant wheel. In the middle of it wereser lights that created a 6D illusion effect. Through the mapping of theser lights, there were a variety of fantastical scenes, such as a mirage of a city in the sky, beautiful snowfall, a thick fog, and so on. Above, the beautiful starry sky could be seen and it even allowed passengers to immerse themselves during this ride. Passengers seated in the cabins inside could enjoy the different exciting fantastical worlds. Luke held Bianca in his arms and said dotingly, "I nned so that we can see the entire A City''s nightscape. Do you like it?" It was Bianca''s first time riding such a Ferris wheel, and her blushing delicate face was excited but scared. She braced herself and looked down from the top. "It''s beautiful! Look, the lights that are reflecting onto theke make it look golden. Seeing the nightscape from this angle is nothing like seeing it from a tall building. I love it..." Bianca''s voice was soft and graceful. Her fair and slender arms held Luke''s waist tightly as if he was her only support. It felt very good to have such a man spoiling her to no limits! Chapter 743 Chapter 743 Luke Could Really Mess Someone Up By the time Luke and Bianca left the amusement park, it was almost ten o''clock at night. He took Bianca to a romantic candlelit dinner, and by the time they got home, it was well past midnight. The three children were already quietly asleep. nche and Rainie slept in separate rooms, while little Tommy was still sleeping with Bianca and Luke for the time being because he was still young. Bianca actually felt a little guilty about leaving the kids to go out with her husband for a romantic getaway. After gently kissing each of them on their foreheads, she went to the bathroom to wash up while Luke went into the study. After Bianca finished washing up, she saw that the lights in the study were still on. When she passed by the door, she heard sounds of typing on the keyboard. Bianca frowned and knew that Luke was working overtime again. She knew how hard it was to be the CEO of arge corporation as she had been the interim CEO for the past two years. It was very stressful and she had to stay up almost every night to work overtime. Now, the person doing that work was her husband again. Bianca wandered around the bedroom wrapped in a bath towel. When she looked at the lights in the study, she felt like an abandoned pitiful girl... After blow-drying her hair, she went to the kitchen to heat up a ss of milk for Luke. That man was a workaholic who would lose all concept of time once he started working. If she did not ask him to go to bed, he might stay up all night. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Bianca carried a ss of milk into the study. Luke was still at work and had a cup of iced coffee in front of hisptop. When he saw her, the man smiled softly and spoke in a doting manner," Why aren''t you asleep yet?" Bianca handed him the milk and said, "Because you''re not in bed with me. I can''t sleep alone." Luke shook his head and rubbed his temples a little tiredly. "Put the milk here. I don''t want to drink it now." After that, he went back to work and had a focused look on his face as if work was his real lover. Bianca was a little annoyed and ced the ss of milk heavily on the table. She closed hisputer overbearingly andined, "Drink it now while it''s still warm. You¡¯ll get a stomach ache if you drink it when it¡¯s cold. Have you forgotten that you have gastritis and you can''t drink anything that¡¯s too cold? Why did you put off your job just to take me on a Ferris wheel ride? You could''ve just brought me when you were free. Do your employees know how capricious you are, Mr. Crawford?" Luke did not say anything but just smiled at her. Under themp¡¯s warm light, he admired Bianca''s delicate face after her shower. After her shower, Bianca had the faint fragrance of her shower gel. Her skin was as fair as snow and slightly translucent with hints of pink. She was like a natural gemstone that had just been cut and polished, so clear and bright. Anyone who saw her would want to hold her in their palm, treasuring her for life. When Bianca saw that he was not saying anything and just staring at her, she suddenly felt herself getting angry. She did not know what to say to him anymore. She stomped her foot impatiently. "Luke, I know you''re a workaholic, but can you take care of your body when you''re working? Do you think you¡¯re made out of steel? How can you stay upte every day and drink coffee even though it''ll hurt your stomach? If you keep this up, I''ll get really angry." Luke took the furious Bianca into his arms and let her sit on hisp. He patted her face, and his voice carried a slight weariness. "The coffee helps me stay awake and improve my efficiency. I''m used to having it, so it''s hard for me to just quit cold turkey. Be a good girl and go to bed. I''ll join you after I finish these documents." When Bianca saw that he was pointing at a tall mountain of documents, she immediately rubbed herself against him shamelessly. "No, I won''t sleep if you don''t, so I''ll work with you tonight. Since you put off your work to take me out to y, as your wife, I have the obligation to share your workload with you. Come on, let''s each take half. If I handle some of it for you, you can go to bed earlier." She divided the thick pile of documents into two and pushed one pile toward Luke and the other pile toward herself. She was determined to help Luke with his work. When Luke saw what Bianca was doing, he did not know whether tough and cry. His body was burning in heat from her rubbing. His arms tightened around her and his voice was hoarse. "Don¡¯t move like that. I don''t want you to work so hard, and I like working anyway, so it''s okay for me. Be a good girl, okay? Go back to bed. Tommy has a habit of waking up at night, and he''s going to cry again if he can''t find his mommy." Bianca wrapped her arms around his neck tightly like a naughty monkey and twisted around before his chest. "I don''t care. If you¡¯re not going to bed, then I won''t go either." After she said that, she grabbed his hand that was trying to take theptop away and bit his finger. Luke grunted. His body was on fire from all her rubbing. When she bit his finger, it was like a surge of electricity that sent a tingling from his finger toward the depths of his heart. He could not take it any longer and nibbled on her ear. "Don''t be ridiculous, Bea!" Bianca spoke coyly, "No, I want to work with you!" Luke saw Bianca''s bath towel gradually slipping down, and her smooth shoulders were fully exposed now. Looking at the beautiful view, he was taking everything in. He narrowed his eyes slightly and there was a dangerous storm in them. His voice became even hoarser. "Don¡¯t move like that, or else you''ll suffer..." Bianca only had one thought, which was to coax him to go to bed. Hence, she continued rubbing herself against him, seducing him. As she took in the man¡¯s nice mint scent, she shook his arm gently and said with a whine, something she rarely did. "Honey, it¡¯s alreadyte, so let¡¯s go to bed, okay? You can get up early tomorrow morning to work. Otherwise, I''ll have to stay up with you too." Luke''s eyes were so hot that it felt as though mes were about to erupt. He pinched her delicate chin, gritted his teeth, and said, "You''re seducing me, huh? Darling, don''t me me if you can¡¯t handle it later!" When Bianca recalled what he usually did in bed, her scalp went numb a little, but her tender hands were still unruly and roamed deep under his shirt. She spoke provocatively, "That also depends on whether you can-ah! Before she could finish her sentence, Luke picked Bianca up. She saw how aggressive the man was. His eyes were covered with fog but there was also a razing fire in them. "You''ll find out whether your man can or can''t in bedter. How dare you provoke a man¡¯s dignity! You''re just asking for trouble!" The consequence of provoking Luke was that the next day, Bianca could barely get out of bed. When she walked, she could not close her legspletely and trembled every step she took. She was so weak that she had to get the caretaker to hold her up when she walked. When Bianca saw the maids in the house looking at her with meaningful and probing looks, Bianca could only cry. Luke could really mess someone up. From now on, she would never speak nonsense in front of him ever again. Chapter 744 Chapter 744 The Sudden Appearance of The Golden Couple Nighttime, a brightly lit ce. Tonight was tt Corporation''s anniversary celebration and Old Master tt''s 70th birthday. They were celebrating two asions today, so the banquet was extra grand. The banquet was held in a luxurious five-star hotel and everyone who was anyone had been invited to attend. In the parking space near the hotel, all kinds of luxurious cars were seen everywhere. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Old Master tt used to be a famous tycoon, while his son, Samuel tt, led a mediocre life. Even so, he ended up having three capable sons. His eldest son, Victor tt, inherited his grandfather''s legacy. He was a rising star in the military, whereas the second son, Vincent, founded tt Corporation. Under his management, coupled with his exceptionally vigorous methods, the tts firmly upied the top economic position in A City. As for the youngest son, Wayne, he was doing well abroad. Except for the eldest son, Victor, who got married a few years ago and had a son and a daughter, the other two sons of the tt family were still bachelors. Vincent was handsome and gentle. His movements were all extremely elegant, while Wayne looked rugged and muscr from head to toe. He was strong from having trained in the special forces. He was a sergeant first ss. The two of them were popr bachelors everyone fancied. Many of the families who were at the banquet tonight hade with the idea of setting up their children with the tt family''s two sons. It would be great if they could have a marriage alliance with an influential family like the tt family as it would be a lifelong alliance. Even if they could not climb up the tt family''s hierarchy, they could still have their resources andwork with their contacts. That was still incredibly beneficial to the expansion of their business. At the banquet, there was a free flow of wine. Influential people had already gathered in the venue. In addition to that, reporters were surrounding the hotel. Old Master tt was an old-fashioned man who did not really like lively events when he was younger, but he started to take a liking to these events as he got older. tt Corporation wanted to let everyone know about the party, so they had invited a lot of journalists to report on it. Up on stage in the banquet hall. Old Master tt looked dignified with his festive suit that was specially made for his birthday. Even though he was 70 years old, he looked like he was in his early 60s because he took great care of his body. Besides that, being a highly-ranked military officer for years had also helped. It also gave him an arrogant, fierce, and imposing aura. He sat upright on a hardwood chair as he greeted the crowd of people, giving him their blessings. His son and daughter-inw apanied him. Together, they greeted the guests, receiving the birthday gifts with a smile. In the center of the hall, there were young people everywhere. There were men in tuxedos holding sses of wine and talking. morously dressed women were like butterflies, swaying back and forth with the men on the dance floor. Vincent wore a ck suit and stood upright at the second-floor railing with a ss of red wine in his hand. His dark brown eyes quietly gazed at the boisterous people on the first floor as he gently sipped on the wine. Since he had sent an invitation to Luke, the man was going to bring Bianca over, right? Even though he knew that Bianca was married and had children now, he just could not let her go no matter how many times she rejected him. Even if he knew that her husband had returned, he still had feelings for her. He wanted to know what was so great about the man whom she loved so much and how hepared to Luke that she was willing to be a widow rather than ept his kindness. While he was lost in his thoughts, a soft and sly voice sounded behind him when he stood up. "Vincent, why are you up here all alone? This isn¡¯t like you at all. You''ve always been lively and loved socializing, so why are you hiding here now?" When Vincent turned his head, he saw a sweetly dressed Julie. At first, in order to pursue Bianca, Vincent would go to T Corporation all the time. His method was to encircle, pursue, obstruct, intercept, and stalk her. During his time in T Corporation, he met Julie, who volunteered to act as his mole. She reported Bianca''s every move and schedule to him. That was how they got to know each other. On this night, Julie looked very beautiful and her clothes made her look pure. She had a no-makeup makeup look. Even though it might make her look a little unpolished, she was still so dazzling that no one could take their eyes off her. Her virgin long and silky ck hair was like a waterfall on her back. She wore a long white silk gown with arge skirt and crystal high heels, making her look like an angel that had fallen onto earth. She looked particrly eye-catching. Vincent could not help but frown. Julie lookedpletely different from the woman he used to know. Last time, Julie dressed up trendily and was as charming as anyone could be. However, over the past two years, she had started dressing up innocently. People would even sometimes think that she was a high school student who had not graduated. The most puzzling thing for Vincent was that over the past two years, her eyes had started to look a little like Bianca''s. People would even think that they were biological sisters if they did not know any better. He seemed to have also forgotten what she looked likest time. Even so, he held back his doubts. After all, one could do great things with makeup nowadays. A big masculine man could be made to look like a sweet-looking beauty, and even make-up experts could turn their ordinary faces into celebrity lookalikes. It was not surprising that Julia had managed to change her looks. After Vincent thought about that, he smiled lightly and said, "I''m not in the mood for socializing today. And I have Victor helping me entertain everyone for me, so I have some free time to rx." When Vincent smiled, his elegant face looked even more dazzling. It made Julie''s heart beat faster. "Vincent, you seem a little distracted today. What''s going on?" She knew that the only way she was going to join the upper ss circle was through this man in front of her. From the moment she volunteered to act as his spy, she had known what she wanted. She had been waiting for an opportunity to cling to this golden cash cow. Not only was Vincent good-looking, but he was also smart in doing business and came from a good family background. He was not like those people born into families with high socioeconomic statuses, who did nothing all day and just led a fast life. Except for turning a blind eye and wanting the married woman, Bianca, Vincent had always been at the top for everything. Julie knew that Vincent liked Bianca, but she still had a crush on him. However, she buried that crush of hers deep in her heart because she knew that she was just a pawn to him. If he found out what her intentions were, he would definitely abandon her as soon as he could. After all, Vincent was a man who was so sensible and calm that it was almost scary. Julie¡¯s rtionship with Bianca was veryplicated. There was jealousy and hatred, but since she had worked under Bianca for a long time, she had topromise. After finding out that she was Secretary Norman¡¯s daughterst time, she had enjoyed being a princess and living luxuriously in the Norman residence for a few days. She even made friends with many influential people by using her title as the Norman family''s beloved daughter. However, she was suddenly told that she was not the real princess; it was Bianca. Bianca was the real beloved daughter of the Norman family. When Julie learned about it, she had felt as if she was shot down to hell from heaven. She also became the subject of ridicule and was isted and rejected by all the influential people. Obviously, that angered the arrogant Julie to the extreme, but there was nothing she could do about it. Vincent¡¯s appearance was like a bright torch in the dark night, illuminating the fog in the deepest part of her heart. It drew out her desire to climb up thedder. "Vincent, I..." Julie was just about to say something to Vincent but suddenly saw his gaze staring right at the banquet hall downstairs. Vincent, who had always been calm and collected, surprisingly showed his emotions on his face. Julie could not help but follow his line of sight, only to see Bianca holding Luke''s arm while entering the hall leisurely. When she looked at the dazzling couple, she could not help but suffocate a little... Chapter 745 Chapter 745 The Atmosphere Between Two Men Signals A Showdown Everyone was gorgeously dressed in the banquet hall and the atmosphere was lively. When Luke and Bianca suddenly appeared, there was a brief silence before an uproar followed. The noise almost drowned out the music flowing in the luxurious hall. The people at the banquet were all influential people. Even though there were many handsome men and beautiful women, none of them were as perfectly matched as the couple that just appeared. That was because they were a rare sight to see, so the moment they appeared, they stole the hearts and breaths of many people. The man had short ck hair and was wearing a clean white tuxedo with diamond-studded tinum cuffs, which was very exquisite. In front of his slender neck, he also had a ck silk bow tie that elongated his tall figure further. He looked incredibly handsome. The man in front of everyone made the ordinary tuxedo look even more elegant, especially with those energetic eyes of his that were as deep as the sea and as cold as ice. His entire body gave off an overbearing aura, like a king who did not allow any living things to get close to him. It made the people around him subconsciously hold him with reverence. As for the beautiful woman holding his arm, she was very attractive and had bright eyes. Her eyes were also gentle and bright like a dewdrop on a delicate flower. She was not dressed up too morously and just had a simple butterfly hairpin pulling her jet-ck hair up. She wore a white gossamer flowy dress thatplemented her fair and tender skin, making her shine like a beautiful crystal. Every step Bianca took and every move of hers made her look like a fluttering butterfly. No one could take their eyes away from her. The second floor. Vincent''s bright and warm eyes kept staring straight at Bianca who was holding Luke''s hand with a somewhat hostile gaze. ''So you¡¯re Luke Crawford, huh?'' He suddenly put his wine ss down and looked directly at Julie. He asked an unexpected question, "Julie, have you ever liked someone?" Rose pink tinged Julie''s fair skin. Her gaze at Vincent was full of infatuation and admiration. "Yeah, I have. It wasn''t just a crush either. It was real, deep love. It was a love so deep that it went down to my bones.¡± Vincent smiled. His smile was listless but charming. His casual posture was elegant, and he looked like a graceful nobleman. "Then can you tell me what deep love feels like?" Julie spoke enthusiastically, "Loving someone means that they''re the only one in your eyes. Nobody else can bepared to them. Your whole heart sinks for them and you''d miss them every second. You''d search for them everywhere you go, and when you see them, your heart will race. When you don''t see them, your insides will hurt. That feeling is both happy and sweet, but also full of sorrow." When she said that, she stared deeply into Vincent''s eyes and her eyes were a little teary. Her entire heart was firmly tied to the man in front of her, but he did not know that. Perhaps, he had always known. After all, he was such a smart man. Why else would he waste his attention on a pawn? Julie had never been a subtle woman and she always found a way to get whatever she wanted. Even so, she did not dare tell Vincent her true feelings because she was afraid that it would affect their rtionship. When that happened, she would not even be qualified to stay by his side, so she would rather maintain their rtionship where he used her and she was being used by him. She would not reveal the little secret at the bottom of her heart to him. Vincent looked at the delicate and slender figure downstairs, his thin lips curling up elusively. "That''s right. Everytime I see her, I get this feeling you''re talking about..." The gentle smile on his handsome face was like sunshine. However, it was for another woman and it stung Julie''s heart. Julie bit her lip and said softly, "Vincent, can you... I''m not feeling well. Can you stay with me for a moment?" Vincent''s attitude was gentlemanly. He was like a gentle older brotherforting and doting on his little sister. "Julie, my distinguished guests are here, so I need to go down to greet them first. You cane overter. After all, they''re also your ''friends''. Of course, if you''re really not feeling well, you can rest for a bit upstairs." Julie forced herself to hold back the difort she was feeling inside as well as the tears that were about to burst out of the corners of her eyes. She nodded meekly and appeared reasonable, saying, ''TH go and rest for a bit first. I''lle down later." Vincent rubbed her soft hair, a small gesture he was used to doing. It made it seem as if they were very close to each other, and it made Julie''s heart flutter. The man straightened his suit, turned, and went downstairs without even ncing back at Julie. Even though she said that she was feeling sick, his footsteps were light and quick as he scurried down like a bird flying away. Julie touched the spot on her head with her fingers where he had just stroked. She forced herself to suppress the tears that were rolling down her cheeks anyway, wetting her face despite her trying so hard to look unconcerned. In addition to Bianca stealing the identity that was supposed to be hers, Bianca was also sloppy seconds! She was already married with three children! How dare she try and seduce the unmarried Vincent?! She was simply shameless! 1 She told herself that she was going to hold onto her happiness, because no matter what, Vincent was going to be hers! No one was going to take him away from her! No one! There was a gentle and perfect smile on Vincent''s face as he walked past the chattering crowd to go over to Luke and Bianca. He stared at Bianca''s delicate face for a moment, but it was only to provoke Luke. After that, he extended his palm to Luke. "Mr. Crawford, nice to meet you!" The unrivaled handsome man nodded slightly at him. Luke still looked as cold as ice and did not have any intention to shake hands with Vincent. Luke''s tant rejection embarrassed Vincent a little. Luke slightly narrowed his eyes, nced at Vincent, and possessively took Bianca into his arms, showing his ownership. Vincent, who coveted his wife, had been harboring ill thoughts toward Bianca, much to Luke''s displeasure. The moment the two men locked eyes, the air around them seemed to have frozen into ice. The people around them could feel the tense atmosphere between them. Bianca was very unhappy with Vincent''s tant staring. That man was too clingy. During Luke''s absence in the past two years, his pestering had almost made her insane. That was why when Bianca saw Vincent, she naturally had a strong aversion to him in her heart. When Vincent saw how timid and lovable she looked, he immediately lost hisposure. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. However, he had been an elite in the business circle for many years, so he was able to quickly get his emotions in check. He secretly mocked himself. Even though he had long passed the age of having puppy love, every time he met this woman, he could never get his emotions under control. Just as he was about to say something, Wayne''s gruff voice suddenly rang out. "There you are, Vincent. I''ve been looking for you. Come on over here. I have something to discuss with you..." When he saw Luke, he was obviously stunned. His fierce eyebrows furrowed heavily and a dangerous ruthless look shed across his eyes... Chapter 746 Chapter 746 Luke Is Such An Egotistical Man! The air in the banquet hall suddenly became tense with Wayne''s sudden appearance. Wayne was stunned for only a second and instantly reacted. His wild eyes unrestrainedly sized Luke up and down. Wayne quickly hid his killing intention in the bottom of his eyes and reached his hand out to Luke. "Young Master Luke." This time, Luke did not refuse. The two strong hands sped together tightly with a shake. "Young Master Wayne." One of them was cold and handsome, while the other one was unruly and unrestrained, creating a stark contrast between the two of them. This was the second time Luke and Wayne were meeting one another in person. The two men made eye contact and contended silently. It felt as though the surrounding music was their background music. Wayne was secretly surprised. When he shook hands with Luke two years ago, his handshake was not as strong. However, it seemed like the man was about to crush the bones in his palm now. He wondered why there had been such a big change in Luke''s demeanor. Luke just stood there quietly with his handsome face and unrivaled elegance, but it seemed that his indifference was out the roof. The light in his eyes had a kind of wintery coldness and there was an overbearing kingly aura exuding from his body. Even Wayne, who had experienced countless life and death situations, was aware of Luke¡¯s strong oppressive force. "Luke..." Bianca felt a strong uneasiness in her heart and she could not help but tighten her grip on Luke''s arm. Obviously, Wayne was the one who had caused her and Luke to separate for two years. Even though he was the one responsible, they had no proof so she was not able to bring him to justice at that time. Instead, she just had a stick in her throat. Luke gave Bianca a look that seemed to tell her to wait a moment as he gently squeezed her slim waist tofort her. Even so, Bianca was a little worried. The tt family had a background that spanned over a century and they rose to power a few decades earlier than the Crawford family. The Crawfords'' family business was only developed in Luke''s generation, which established the powerful force it was now. The Crawford family and the tt family had always minded their own business. Although Luke and Vincent had fought to their deaths in the business world, he and Wayne never crossed paths before. That was their second official handshake. Luke was handsome, cool, and dapper. He was the most desired man among thedies and noblewomen in high society, while Wayne was rough and tough. Even so, he had the same ability and vigor. Except for his appearance which was a little inferiorpared to Luke¡¯s, his ability could not be underestimated. Wayne smiled evilly. ¡±l heard that you were unintentionally involved in a gunfight with mobsters from Moscow and survived it. At first, I didn''t believe it, but now that I''m seeing you with my own eyes at our banquet, I guess the rumors must be true. It''s rare for someone to walk out of a shootout and explosion intact. Seeing as you still have your limbs, your luck must be good." "I''ve always had good luck, but I wasn''t involved in a gunfight with mobsters. I was just attacked in Moscowst time. It was a premeditated and organized attempt to kill me. But don''t worry, I¡¯ve already figured everything out. I¡¯m a man of vengeance, and anyone who tries to harm me will get my revenge soon!" Luke had a smile on his face as he talked about the life and death experience he suffered through, causing an uproar at the party. He was also very good at hiding his emotions. Even though his face showed the most elegant and decent smile, that smile of his gave people a kind of eerie feeling. Wayne could not help but tense up. He raised his eyebrows and pretended to be surprised. "Oh? How dare someone make a move on you, Young Master Luke? Who¡¯s that son of a b* tch who doesn''t want to live anymore?¡¯¡¯ That incident had happened a long time ago and Wayne had made sure that all his tracks were covered up perfectly. Even the Russian government had not found anything. That was why he was sure that Luke would not be able to learn the truth about two years ago. Luke closed his eyes and said calmly, "Don''t worry too much about it, Young Master Wayne. Perhaps you even know that person.¡± One could imagine that both of them were in an imaginary gunfight, and the smell of smoke was so strong that Vincent could smell it in their provoking words to each other that made the others'' hairs stand on end. He pulled Wayne aside and reprimanded him, "Wayne, Young Master Luke is here for our anniversary celebration. What are you trying to do?" Wayne snorted disdainfully, swung his sleeve away, and nced meaningfully at the petite and innocent Bianca who was beside Luke. He walked away in big strides, but before he left, there was a calcted look in his eyes that was filled with lust and ruthlessness... Wayne went up to the second-floor. In a secluded corner, he made a mysterious phone call. "Send me yourtest secret drug... Yes, I want it now and I want it in a big quantity, so send it to me right now! I want Luke¡¯s woman to be under me tonight. I¡¯ve never taken a good look at her before, but I realize now that the woman is quite pretty. She has a pure face, a good body, and looks very lovable... Women who have given birth have a different appeal to them, so she must be very energetic..." 1 Julie was resting in the second floor lounge. However, she was worried that Vincent would be bewitched by Bianca, so she wanted to go downstairs to the banquet hall. On the way there, she heard a man on the phone. When she heard what he was talking about on the phone, her heart raced wildly and there was an excited look on her face. She held her breath and did not dare to make a sound. She walked quietly like a cat, lifting the hem of her gown. She wanted to go downstairs, but before she took another step, the back of her neck was grabbed by a strong hand. She was thrown to the ground fiercely! The banquet hall. When Vincent saw Luke, who was beside Bianca, there was a touch of amazement in his eyes. "Young Master Luke, you must¡¯ve umted lots of good karma in your past lives to marry such a young and beautiful wife like Ms. Rayne, who¡¯s both beautiful and talented. If she were still single, I would''ve used every method to pursue her." Bianca''s blood froze as he looked at her with his fiery and hot eyes. When Vincent saw how fiercely she was ring at him, he thought that was her way of grumbling coyly at him. It made him smile even more willfully. Luke put Bianca''s head against his chest so that she would not have to face Vincent and said coldly, "Bianca and I got married a long time ago, and we had children much earlier before that. She¡¯ll be my wife for the rest of her life, so don¡¯t even think about it, Young Master Vincent." Vincent smiled warmly, and there was a shine above his eyebrows. "Young Master Luke, you sound very sure of yourself. But even a loving couple may be estranged and separate. So, make sure you don''t make her angry, otherwise, I''ll be the one holding her." His tant provocation sounded extremely harsh in Luke''s ears. Even so, he did not get angry and continued smiling. Linder the bright lights, the man''s charming eyes were shrouded with ayer of seductive evilness. "Don''t worry about that, Young Master Vincent. I''ll love her till death do us apart. And Bianca''s love for me is so sincere that even the sun and the moon can learn something from it. Otherwise, she would¡¯ve gotten together with someone else in the two years when I was in trouble. However, she held onto our home and our children. She told me that she¡¯ll forever be mine. If I die, she¡¯ll still love my soul. No matter how much better other men are, in her eyes, they''re just a group of annoying buzzing flies. There''s nothing I need to be afraid about." Luke emphasized heavily thest sentence. If Vincent could show his disdain toward him, Luke could also show his disgust for him. He put his arm around Bianca''s waist and walked to the guests'' seats in the banquet hall, ignoring Vincent. When Vincent saw how intimate they were, his eyes sank and the displeasure in his eyes grew heavier. ''Luke is such an egotistical man!''N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Chapter 747 Chapter 747 Do Me A Favor The second floor. Julie rubbed her bottom. She felt as if her tailbone had shattered from the fall. She looked at the man who was arrogantly looking down at her with horror in her eyes. His body that could bepared to Schwarzenegger was like a big moving mountain. When his entire body covered her sight, she could not see anything else but his solid muscles that ovepped each other, bulging in her sight. It was simply appalling. "Hey you, what did you just hear?" Wayne stared at Julie without moving, and from the nervousness in her eyes, it was clear that she had heard a lot. Julie raised her right hand and braced herself as she swore stiffly, "l-l didn''t hear anything... Really... I promise... No, I swear. I just happened to be passing by. If I¡¯m lying, I swear I¡¯ll be struck by lightning!" She did not know who this rough and wild man in front of her was, but everyone at this banquet today was someone influential. Although he was wearing casual clothes like a thug, she could tell at a nce with her sharp eyes that every piece of clothing on him was worth a lot of money. She knew that the man must have a very high status and was not an ordinary person whom she could offend. She knew she must deal with him carefully. Otherwise, he could squash her as easily as he could squash an ant. Julie bravely met Wayne''s eyes with a pitiful look. She knew that she was best at ying the role of a vulnerable, obedient girl. She was very good at using her assets to enchant the hearts of many men in herpany so that she could manipte them more easily. Although Julie did not know the man in front of her, somehow, she felt that she had seen him before. Of course, she also clearly saw the malicious intent and wickedness in his eyes. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Julie was afraid and helpless, so she instinctively wanted to escape from here. However, it felt as if her entire body had been superglued to the floor. Under his pressure, she did not even have the courage to stand up. Wayne was a crooked man, a womanizer, and a person who knew how to use psychology to his advantage. Clearly, he knew that the woman had heard something, so he was not going to let her go that easily. He lifted Julie off the ground like she was a chick. Julie¡¯s slender body was trembling in his iron grip and she struggled hard to escape. The next moment, Wayne grabbed her by her hair and she felt as if her scalp was going to be torn off. i The pain made her burst into tears. "I... I really didn''t see anything. I didn''t hear anything either... Please, Sir, let me go..." Wayne forcibly pulled on Julie''s hair and made her face him. "What''s your name?" "J-Julie..." Although Julie was not very pretty, her dark brown eyes were tearful and her lips were red from her biting it due to her fright. Her rising and falling chest due to the tension gave him some type of feeling. Wayne was erect and getting h*rny, so he bit down fiercely on her lips. "No, don''t..." Julie could not help but exim from the pain. Her pained and delicate voice triggered Wayne into tearing her gown. Even though Julie had some strength to struggle and resist, in front of Wayne, she was like an egg being cracked against a stone. In a panic, she immediately blurted out, "Let go of me! I''m Vincent''s woman! If you dare to do anything to me, Vincent''s brothers won''t let you go..." "Oh? You''re my second brother''s woman? Howe I¡¯ve never heard him mention you before?" Wayne''s devious actions paused slightly. ''This is Vincent''s younger brother? ''C-Could he be the debauched and unrestrained Young Master Wayne who gives Old Master tt a headache every time he mentions him?'' Julie looked at him in shock, and her eyes flickered. "Yes, I¡¯m Vincent''s girlfriend. We''ve been together for a long time. He told me that he''s going to bring me back to meet your family in a while. If you don''t believe me, you can ask him yourself." Wayne''s evil gaze stared at Julie''s twinkling eyes. He could easily tell that she was lying. He said with a grim smile, "So what if you''re my brother''s woman? Do you really think my family will allow a woman like you to step through our doors? You''re just a lowly ything yet you actually think that my brother''s going to take you in? Let me teach you the rules of the tt family!" He pinned her against the wall, and his calloused hands went under Julie''s clothes skillfully. He was a womanizer, and his great skills made her pant in just a while. Julie''s whole body became like a puddle of water; she was weak and limp in Wayne''s arms. She was not an innocent girl who did not know anything. In fact, before she met Vincent, she had fooled around as well. She used to change boyfriends quickly and her s*x life was more than just exciting. After she met Vincent, she wanted to climb up thedder to the upper ss. She was afraid that he would find out about all the unpleasant things she had done, so she decided to quit everything and forced herself to be a conservative, reserved girl. God only knew how crazy she had gotten after two years of living conservatively! That was why Wayne''s actions had dug out the deepest feelings in her heart and her legs unconsciously wrapped around his waist. She was arching her back, asking him for more! Wayne looked scornfully at Julie. From the look in her eyes, he saw the woman''s greed. He instantly felt a little bored and threw Julie to the ground like a piece of garbage. He humiliated her by saying two words, "Cheap wh*re!" Wayne''s words were like a bucket of cold water that doused Julie''s burning heart. She looked away in embarrassment because she did not want to see his contemptuous and disdainful eyes. She had no ce to hide and secretly scolded herself for not controlling herself just now. Wayne smiled wickedly and suddenly said something random to her, "Do you want to join the tt family?" Julie did not react for a moment. "W-What?" Her image was already ruined because she had identally shown her true colors to him. Even if she wanted to marry into the tt family, this man would just try his best to stop her, so what did he mean by that? Wayne suddenly licked his lips, leaned down, and said something in her ear. He threw a tempting olive branch at her. "Do me a favor and I''ll grant you your wish to enter the tt family!" The banquet hall. Julie looked at Bianca holding Luke''s arm. She was beautiful, refined, elegant, and looked like a million dors. She did not look vulgar in the slightest. She looked youthful and vibrant but also natural and graceful. Even though she was surrounded by influentialdies, everyone¡¯s gaze would firstnd her. When Julie saw how doting Luke was to Bianca, it made her instantly upset. She gritted her teeth and walked over to Bianca to greet her... Chapter 748 Chapter 748 She Was Drugged Again Bianca seemed to have felt Julie¡¯s gaze and turned her head around to look at her. Bianca''s gaze landed on Julie. She froze slightly. She had not seen Julie for a long time and did not expect that she would meet her here at the banquet. Julie was dressed extravagantly and luxuriously. Her gown was cinched at the waist with arge skirt iid with countless shiny diamond crystals. From a nce, she could tell that it was a customized dress from a big brand. In addition to that, from what she knew about Julie''s pay, she should not be able to afford such a high- fashion dress. Julie saw how Bianca was sizing her up and felt as if Bianca was scrutinizing her while looking at her disdainfully. It made Julie''s face turn burning hot. She felt that even though she was wearing a fancy dress, she was still an ugly duckling with an inferiorityplex. She felt ashamed of herself as she stood in front of the elegant white swan, Bianca. Bianca let go of Luke''s arm and softly said something to him before she walked toward Julie. When she stood in front of Julie, Bianca smiled brightly at her. "Julie, it''s been a long time since west met. Are you here for the tt family''s party?" As she was the woman who had helped her, Bianca had never been petty with her, whether it was in material goods or at work. She had always given her whatever help she could. Even so, she did not know why Julie became more and more distant from her as time went on. Julie deliberately straightened her back and said ostentatiously, "Yes, Vincent invited me to the tt family¡¯s anniversary celebration. Of course, I couldn''t say no, so here I am. He also got this gown for me because the truth is, I wasn¡¯t even prepared toe at the beginning..." When Julie mentioned Vincent, she deliberately showed a shy and embarrassed look. Her seemingly unintentional brag made the corners of Bianca''s eyes twitch. God knew how much she wanted to get rid of Vincent''s incessant pestering. If he had something going on with Julie, it would be a good thing. When she thought of that, she smiled happily and said to Julie, "Well, congrattions. I hope you guys stay together for a long time. I give you my blessing." When Julie saw how unbothered Bianca looked, she could not help but feel stifled. Even so, she still hypocritically said, "Thank you." She had always felt that Bianca was the one who stole her status as the Norman family''s beloved daughter, 1 Even though the fact was that Bianca really was the Norman family''s biological daughter. Perhaps that was how all humans were. Before Julie got to experience a luxurious life, she had never even dared think about it. However, after having a taste of leading a privileged life but was suddenly deprived of it by others, she naturally had a strong resentment toward the person who deprived her of it. Even if the person who deprived her of it only took back what was hers. Julie hadplicated thoughts about Bianca even though she clearly knew in her heart that Bianca was the real princess. It was because she had always felt that if it were not for Bianca, she could have been the Norman family''s beloved daughter for the rest of her life without the truth evering to light. However, things did not always work out the way one wanted. ''If it weren¡¯t for Bianca...'' Julie''s eyes shed with a hint of resentment, but she quickly hid it. Bianca was in a very high-standing position now, so Julie could not afford to offend her. At that moment, Julie''s heart was full of mixed feelings, so she walked to the banquet table and poured two sses of red wine. When Bianca was not looking, she dropped a small white pill that was so small it was practically invisible into the red wine. She brought the ss of red wine without the pill for Bianca with a smile." Bianca, I have to thank you for your support and help in the past two years in thepany because that was the reason my career could advance so smoothly. Thank you for everything you''ve done for me and I¡¯ll always remember your help, so let me give you a toast today!" After she said that, Julie handed the ss of red wine to Bianca and was all smiles as she looked at her. "Thank you, but if you hadn''t testified for me, I would¡¯ve been affected by the cheating incident that year. So I should be the one thanking you." Bianca took the ss of wine but did not drink it. After being in the business industry for more than two years, she was still wary of everything-even if the person was Julie, who had once helped her. Julie could also see Bianca''s hesitation and uncertainty. She snorted and switched Bianca''s ss with her own before downing it at one go with gusto. The wine was as red as blood and there was not a single drop left. When Bianca saw that Julie had finished the entire ss of red wine without a problem and saw that Luke was standing not far from her, she also finished the contents in one go without any doubt. Besides the wine tasting a little bitter, she had no other adverse reactions. When Julie saw Bianca finishing the red wine, a cold smile appeared on her lips which quickly disappeared. She nced at Luke who was frequently looking in Bianca''s direction and covered her mouth, teasing, "Bianca, Mr. Crawford has been staring at you the whole time. It seems that he¡¯s not okay with you leaving his side. Since that''s the case, I won¡¯t take up your quality time with your husband..." "I don¡¯t think so. You''ve probably misread him. He¡¯s just talking to his friends..." Bianca could not help but look at Luke. When she saw that he was indeed talking to others but his eyes kept drifting to her every now and then, she could not help but blush a little. Bianca returned to Luke''s side. Luke domineeringly locked Bianca in his arms and his eyes swept to Julie''s back as she left. He narrowed his eyes unhappily. "Don''t get too close to that woman. For some reason, I have a bad feeling about her." He always had the feeling that Julie was not an innocent woman since the first time he saw her. Bianca could not help but nce angrily at him. "Why do you say that? She was the one who helped me. What kind of ill intentions could she have against me?" "You can never be too careful. Don''t drink anymore. If you want to drink, we can go back and I¡¯ll drink with you." "Fine. I was just too embarrassed to say no." Luke frowned. "She just did one little thing and you''re still holding onto it... Besides, you''ve repaid her enough in the past two years. Now, she¡¯s a suspicious person who constantly asks for your help. I mean, how innocent can such a woman be?" "Okay, okay. Don''t make too big a deal out of it. If that wine was spiked, would I still be standing in front of you right now and talking to you?" Bianca continued to socialize with the other guests with Luke. When Luke saw the three tt brothers'' proud and smug faces in the hall, Luke wrapped his hand around Bianca''s waist and whispered closely in her ear, "Some big''s going to happen in the tt family soon..." "Why? What did you do?" Bianca had just finished asking this question when she felt an uncontroble urge to pee. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. After that, she told Luke that she was going to go to the restroom and looked as if she was in a hurry. Luke was going to apany her, but when he thought of his secret ning up, he called over a waitress to apany Bianca to the restroom. After Bianca went to the restroom, she immediately felt relieved. However, that relief onlysted for two seconds. Suddenly, she felt that her entire body was burning up and her body temperature was rapidly rising with a heat that she could not handle. The inside of her body was screaming madly and she had lost all reasoning. All she could think about was letting it all out on a man... Chapter 749 Chapter 749 Suddenly, A Thick And Strong Arm Appeared The second floor of the banquet hall. Outside the shooting room. Vincent stood at the railing with his hands in his pockets, looking at Wayne who was approaching him. He reprimanded unhappily, "Wayne, how many times do I have to tell you to go abroad andy low first until this whole thing blows over? Why don''t you listen to me? And why did you deliberately provoke Luke? I heard that he¡¯s secretly investigating the attack and the truth about the ne crash. There¡¯ll eventually be a slip up among the hundreds of secrets. You don''t know how scary he is because you haven''t fought him head-on before!" i Wayne stopped in front of him andughed grimly. "Oh, Vincent, you''re making a big deal out of it. Why do you love making groundless usations? I said I''d handle everything perfectly. He''ll never find out the truth. And even if he does, his clues will only lead him to the scapegoats." Vincent waved his hand at him and spoke firmly. "Wayne, you mustn''t be too conceited, or you''ll eventually fall on your face. Anyway, after Grandpa''s 70th birthday tonight, you have to leave the country! And there won¡¯t be any room for negotiations!" Wayne spoke impatiently, "Vincent, I think you''ve lost your head. Don''t worry about my business. Why? Are you nervous because that Julie woman doesn''t satisfy you? She sure is a loose woman..." Vincent frowned. "What does she have to do with this? Julie isn''t a woman you can easily touch. Don¡¯t provoke her... I don''t care what you have to deal with here, just put the matter aside for now. Victor has already arranged a secret private ne to Italy for you, so you have to leave tonight." "Hmph. If you want me to behave, Vincent, you can. Why don''t we make a bet?" "What bet?" Wayne pointed at the shooting target in the shooting room and said with a faint smile, "See the five rings on the shooting target? Let''spete. Whoever shoots the most bullets in the center wins." "That simple?" Vincent could not believe it was going to be this easy. Although Wayne was a famous marksman, very few people knew about it. Even though he seemed gentle and weak, he had actually trained in the army for several years, so his marksmanship was impressively urate and did not fall behind Wayne''s, i "Yes, it''s that simple! I''ll shoot first." When Wayne said that, his lips were curved upward as he picked up a pistol. Without any hesitation, he shot at the target. His marksmanship was extremely urate. Out of the six shots, he did not miss any of them and all of them were bullseye shots. After he was done, he loaded the bullets and handed the pistol to Vincent. He had a wicked smile as he said, "It''s your turn, Vincent. You haven''t shot in a long time, right? So that you won''t say this is an unfairpetition, I reloaded seven bullets in the pistol for you. As long as you get six of the shots, I''ll still consider you as the winner." Vincent¡¯s eyebrows furrowed deeper as he asked suspiciously, "As long as I win, you''ll obediently obey my and Victor¡¯s arrangements?¡± He took the pistol and aimed it at the target, but for some reason, a strong uneasiness welled up inside of him. Wayne said expressionlessly, "Of course, of course. But if you lose, you''re not allowed to ask anything about me anymore, and you have to convince Victor not to interfere with what I do either.¡± Vincent nodded. "Okay." He started shooting. Bang, bang, bang! Seven consecutive bullets hit the center of the target. He could not help but smile with satisfaction. Wayne pped and said with a grim smile, "I wouldn''t have expected that my brother who hasn''t shot a gun for so long would still be so good! You have my respect. However, it''s just a pity that such a delicate and beautiful woman..." Vincent¡¯s heart sank, and his intuition told him that something was wrong. However, he did not know what exactly it was. Wayneughed out loud and hisughter was full of mockery and smugness. Naturally, Vincent was looking at him contemptuously. "Victor and you have always been so cautious. It''s like every step you take, your foot would be trembling. You guys are always so afraid to walk a little faster as if you¡¯d just fall and break all your bones if you did. But how can people stand at the peak of power without being ruthless? Without that courage, how can we bring the mountains of wealth to the tt family? I''ve always been braver than the two of you, and nearly half of the family''s wealth was brought in by me because the two of you are just too timid!" Wayne walked to the target and lifted up the white cloth. A beautiful woman drenched in blood from getting shot was reflected in Vincent''s pupils. Her mouth was stuffed and her eyes were wide open, while her body had seven bloody holes! It was a terrible sight to behold! 1 The woman looked familiar, and after being stunned for a long time, Vincent finally remembered that she was the singer from the entertainment industry, Stormi Haze. She was known for her sexy and devilish body. Vincent''s heart went cold and he closed his eyes painfully. He pulled Wayne''s cor angrily and pointed the gun at his head, roaring in anger, "The tt family has always held our integrity and are righteous people, so how did we produce such a cruel and ungrateful person like you? You''re not worthy of being a soldier if you treat human life as a game! Why are you doing this?" Wayneughed strangely and said, "Ha! The tt family¡¯s integrity and righteousness? This must be the best joke I¡¯ve ever heard! The tt family has always fought openly and in secret. Every one of us is like a wolf or a tiger. The dirty tricks are endless. How can you talk about integrity when the three of us have almost been killed by our rtives? Besides, I¡¯ve long retired from the army and no longer have the thought of joining them. In this society, cash is king and nobody cares about integrity anymore. As long as I can make money off of something, I don''t care what means I use." Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! He walked up to the dead singer and covered his nose in disgust. "As for this woman, she¡¯s of no use to me. But she tried to ckmail me so that I¡¯d marry her just because she was pregnant. Otherwise, she said that she''d expose our rtionship and even threatened to reveal all the evidence of my crime! I''d go as far as to say that death isn¡¯t enough of a punishment for her. I think I''ve done her a favor by killing her just like this! So Vincent, don''t even think about meddling in my affairs again, or don''t say I didn''t warn you!¡± He looked at his watch and saw that an hour had passed. He presumed that the drug was about to kick in for the woman called Bianca, so he left without even looking back. He left Vincent there alone, staring at the bloodied female corpse as he squatted there, holding his head in pain... That night, Bianca was getting more and more disoriented. She was hot. She was so hot that she felt as though she was about to explode. Hot shes were raging her body and it came in waves after waves... Bianca''s mind waspletely muddled and she did not have the slightest bit of strength left in her body. Even moving felt difficult now. However, the crazy heat inside her body made her feel as though she was being roasted. She could not help but curl up her body, desperately rubbing it against the cold wall. She even turned on the tap and poured water on her head. Even so, she was not even able to relieve half of the difort. Instead, it was only getting worse! ''What the hell is going on here?'' After a long time, Bianca, who was in a daze, finally realized that she had been drugged! She staggered and pulled open the bathroom door as she tried to walk toward the banquet hall. However, just as she stepped out of the bathroom door, she was grabbed by a thick and strong arm! Her slim waist was grabbed onto and she bumped into a chest that was as hard as an iron wall! Chapter 750 Chapter 750 Who The Hell Was That Man? Inside a luxurious hotel. In a luxurious suite. The drug in Bianca''s body was controlling her mind and she could not even think straight anymore. She was in a heavy daze with no idea what day it was, let alone who the man she was entangled with was. The dryness and heat in her body almost drove her crazy. The only way she could relieve the difort a little was to press it against his body and desperately cater to him. The night waste, and the two of them were only getting more deeply entangled with each other. Things were bing more and more intense. When the sun started to brighten up the sky, the drug''s effects in Bianca''s body gradually dissipated and she fell asleep from extreme exhaustion. The next day, when Bianca woke up in the hotel room, it was close to noon. Right after she woke up, she felt a tearing pain from between her legs that almost made her stifle a scream. The pain was so intense that Bianca''s heart surged with panic. The image of herst night entangled so violently with a strange man suddenly came back to her mind, frame by frame. In an instant, Bianca suddenly screamed like a madwoman and her heart ached faintly. She remembered... Last night, she and Luke had gone to the tt family''s banquet. She seemed to have gone to the restroom in the middle of it, but when she came out, her body was so hot that she realized that she had gotten drugged. No matter how much she washed her body with cold water, it was to no avail. Instead, the more cold water touched her skin, the hotter she became. After that, she was taken away by a strange man. The strange man whose face she could not remember had ravaged her body throughoutst night. ''Who the hell was that man?'' Bianca could not recall at all, but the thought of her being in a strange room and having sex with a strange man made her heart ache so much that she was trembling. The guilt of having cheated and her hatred for herself soon overwhelmed her. She was Luke''s wife and the mother of three children, yet the most repulsive thing to ever happen in her life happened. She had gotten drugged and raped. Even though she did not mean it to happen, the fact that she did it with another man all night was a hard fact. She could not imagine how much Luke and the kids would be disgusted by her if they found out about it! The room was luxuriously decorated. Balls of used toilet paper were messily scattered on the floor. The tearing pain inside of her... They were all things that reminded Bianca of the terrible truth-she had done it with a strange man! At the corner of the bed, Bianca saw her gown that was almost torn into strips of rags. On the bedside table in the room was a brand new set of clothes. She winced in pain and closed her eyes as she put on the clothes weakly. Surprisingly, they were exactly her size. Even so, she did not have time to think about the reason. She did not even bother to wash her face before she rushed straight to the reception desk on the first floor. The receptionists were two young and beautifuldies. When they saw Bianca''s unkempt appearance, their faces remained unchanged. One of them asked her in a sweet voice, "Miss, how can we help?¡± Bianca clenched her fist tightly and said with a trembling voice, "I''m staying in Room 1608. I''d like to ask who brought me to this roomst night. I''m sorry, I drank too muchst night, so I don''t remember a lot of things. Can you help me find out?¡± In the country, they had a strict rule that guests had to show their IDs to stay in a hotel, so she wanted to find out the strange man¡¯s identity. The twodies at the reception desk looked at each other before one of them quickly entered the room number on theputer to check the customer''s registration information. However, the registration information only showed Bianca Rayne¡¯s name. The receptionist politely replied, "Sorry, Ms. Rayne. In the registration details forst night, it only shows your name, indicating that only you checked in. There were no other guests, so do you think you might have been mistaken?¡± Bianca screamed out in a cracked voice, "Impossible! There was obviously another person with mest night, so how could I be the only one?! It''s you who''s mistaken!" The receptionist had no choice but to print out a copy of the information shown on theputer and handed the document to Bianca. "Ms. Rayne, if you don''t believe me, you can look at the information of your stayst night yourself." Bianca immediately snatched it from her hand. She saw that she was indeed the only one who had stayed in Room 1608st night. That fact almost made her copse! If only that were true, but the evidence on her body and in the room reminded her that she had encountered a terrible situationst night that all women would never want to experience. She did not know who the man was, yet he had her ID and got a room under her name. Could it be that the man was Luke? When she thought of that possibility, she borrowed the phone from the front desk and dialed Luke''s number nervously. After making a call to him, she suddenly remembered that Luke never epted calls from unfamiliar numbers on his personal phone. When she was about to hang up, a maic male voice sounded. "Hello?" Bianca did not think much about why Luke would answer a call from a hotel¡¯sndline number and asked anxiously, "Luke, this is Bianca. Last night... Last night, why was I the only one who came back? Where were you?" Luke''s voice was gentle but sounded very tired. "Last night when you went to the bathroom, you texted me and said that you weren''t feeling well, so you went home first. At that time, I was in a hurry to deal with Victor tt, so I didn¡¯t ask much. Since Wayne''s matter was very tedious and troublesome to handle, I''ve been busy until now. I¡¯m sorry I haven''t gotten the time to call you, darling. What''s wrong? Are you feeling better?" Thendline handset fell to the floor with a tter. Bianca pulled on her long hair in pain as she cried andughed hysterically like a madwoman who had lost her mind. When that happened, the two receptionists stared at her in disbelief! Bianca felt as though she had fallen into a huge web. She was like a worm that was trapped in the web. Whether she struggled or not, there was still indescribable pain all over her body that she could not escape nor break free from. It caused her so much pain that it made her want to die! She was no longer the pure and beautiful wife Luke thought she was, not to mention the gentle and loving mother the children spoke of. She was now dirty and filthy, a promiscuous woman who f*cked anyone! She was not worthy of being a wife, much less a mother! "Ms. Rayne, a-are you all right?" the receptionist asked cautiously while looking at her with a pitying gaze. The guests in the hotel also whispered about Bianca,menting on her and wondering why that young and beautiful woman who looked so pure was acting so abnormally. They wondered if she was mentally ill. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. The security guard on duty in the lobby tried to support Bianca, but she just shook him off forcefully. Bianca took stiff steps and walked out of the hotel as if there was no more meaning to life... Chapter 751 Chapter 751 Instantly Tensed Up Bianca walked aimlessly in the street with a mournful look. Those big eyes of hers that were always clear and pure were covered with a dark shadow. In the bustling city, there was traffic on both sides, and she was lost in her thoughts. She did not even look at the traffic lights, much less the cars. She was like a wandering soul as she crossed the road without looking. A speeding ck car immediately braked when the driver saw Bianca suddenly crossing the road. A driver with a big head rolled down the window and yelled at Bianca," Damn you, woman! Can''t you see that it''s a red light for pedestrians? Are you blind? I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m so f*cking unlucky to meet a crazy woman!" The cold wind and the driver''s insults floated to Bianca''s ears. She acted as if she did not hear it, but a few teardrops slid down from the corners of her eyes. Aftering out of the hotel, Bianca did not know where to go. Without her realizing it, she walked to the center of A City-Pearl Tower. Thest time Bianca came to the Pearl Tower, she had been with Luke. Thest time she was here, it was nighttime and the waterfront area was brightly lit. The ce was bustling with tourists. He had taken her to sightsee the entire nightscape. Although man-made infrastructures made it so that the stars and the moon could not be seen, the landscape was still as beautiful as a heavenly pce. That time, Luke had held her hand, and everywhere she looked were magnificent neon lights, streetlights, and happy people. Today, even though the sunlight was warm, Bianca felt as if there were dark clouds overhead. She felt that even the river, which had always been calm, seemed like a thundering beast that was roaring incessantly now. Her pure white world was stained ck with ink. Pearl Tower in the daytime was blocked by clouds and was nowhere near as beautiful as it was compared to nighttime. However, therge pearl on top of the building still glittered in the sunlight. Pearl Tower was one of the most iconic culturalndscapes of A City. The first time Bianca saw the design, she had gasped in awe. At that time, she was smiling as said to Luke, "I''m going to be a famous architect one day and design a better building than Pearl Tower!" Luke hugged her and twirled her around under Pearl Tower. He could not hide the doting smile on his lips. "Good, I believe my Bea will be the greatest architect and will definitely be able to design a building like Pearl Tower! When your masterpiece is done, I''ll be the first to invest in it and turn it into reality!" To this day, her dream had yet toe true. Instead, it was so shattered that no one could even tell what it was anymore. ''Why? Why did God do this to me? What did I do wrong?* Bianca was speechless and choked as she stared at the gloomy sky, ranting silently. The tears at the corners of her eyes rolled down quickly and without restraint! Bianca admitted that even though she was not the kindest person in the world, she could swear that she had never done anything against her conscience in her whole life. Why was God punishing her like this? The images fromst night still vaguely lingered in her mind. When she was entangled with the strange man, she had even initiated more than he did. Just thinking about it gave her a splitting headache. She was so ashamed that she could die! How was she drugged? She was careful the entire time and only drank sips of red wine at the banquet. It was just for socializing, but she did not think that she was still not careful enough. She tried to think of the next scene she could remember. Two hourster, she was still safe and sound. However, the whole thing happened right after she went to the restroom. Her entire body suddenly seemed to explode, and she got so hot that it felt as if her whole body was burning with fire. Then, she lost consciousness and only remembered her getting entangled with a man. No matter how hard she tried, she could not recall what the man looked like. She could only recall his amazing physique and how he had taken advantage of her body... Who was that evil man who raped her? Not only did he know her ID, but he even knew what size of clothes she wore... Fora person who could afford a presidential suite in a five-star hotel and hide his identity without a trace, he should be a rich man. No, not only was he rich, but he was also powerful. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to disappear like a ghost without a trace after one night. She could not even track him down. While Bianca pondered, her thoughts finally returned to reality once more. She had tried so hard to be a good wife and a good mother, but she never thought that she would end up like this. If Luke found out, if the kids found out... How could she face them? Then, she thought about the Crawford family, especially her mother-inw, Allison. If Allison learned she had cheated on Luke, she would do everything she could to humiliate her and kick her out of the house, right? If her grandpa and aunt found out, would they disown her and look at her with a disgusted and disappointed gaze? As for the horrible experiencest night, it would surely haunt her like a nightmare every day and every night... The despair of reality overwhelmed Bianca. It felt as if reality was like a heavy stone pressing onto her weak body so hard that she could not breathe. She just felt so tired, and she was in so much pain that she just wanted to jump off the bridge without hesitating! The bridge was about 600 meters above the river. Bianca knew that if she jumped, she would surely die. At that moment, she had lost all meaning in her life and did not have the will to continue living. Death would solve everything and she would no longer have to suffer through the pain! Bianca walked to the edge of the bridge in a quiet corner, lifted up her heavy feet, and climbed up onto the iron railing. Just as she was about to jump down, she suddenly heard a child''s joyfulughter and his child-like voice. "Mama, look at thatdy over there. What is she doing at the railing? Is she ying? Mama, you told me never to y at the edge of the bridge because it''s too dangerous, so howe thatdy is doing it? She¡¯s so naughty... Naught, naughty..." Bianca turned around to look and saw a small white car speeding by. The car window was rolled down halfway, revealing the boy''s tender and handsome face. When he saw Bianca looking at him, he made a face at her and stuck his tongue out. After that, the window slowly rolled back up and she could no longer see the boy''s face. Bianca suddenly sobered up from the chaos of her consciousness. Lanie and Rainie''s little faces shed in her mind. After that, it was an image of Tommy cheerfully shaking his fat little arms and dashing into her embrace... Bianca came down from the railing and wiped her eyes. What was she doing? She was only thinking about feeling better that she had forgotten to think about the three young children at home. If she left this world, what would happen to her children? Would Luke find them a new mommy? All the stepmothers in stories were evil, so what if the stepmother abused them? Bianca got back to the vi. Lanie was reading on the sofa, while Rainie was painting in the living room. Little Tommy was barefoot, ying on the soft carpet. The nanny was cleaning up the ce when she saw Bianca, so she greeted her with a smile, "Madam, you''re back?" Luke was not here. Bianca had just let out a little sigh of relief when she heard a familiar noise outside. It made her nerves that just rxed a little instantly tense up again...All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Chapter 752 Chapter 752 His Touch Was Like A Deadly Poison To Her Now When she heard the familiar sound of the sports car engine, Bianca knew that it was Luke who was back. She jerked her head up like a startled bird. Luke¡¯s tall figure slowly walked in her direction with his back against the sunlight. He was still as dazzling as ever. When he saw Bianca staring at him in a daze, Luke¡¯s sexy Adam¡¯s apple moved slightly. He was focused on her beautiful but pale face. He did not say anything to her and just smiled at her. After that, he stretched out his strong arms to hug her into his chest as usual, i However, this close proximity caused her to tense up for no reason. The guilt, fear, and anxiety in her heart were like an electric current that instantly shot to her limbs, making all of her nerves tense up as well. The more she tried to control her emotions, the more they betrayed her. She could not hold her tears in anymore and they were about to burst out of her eyes. Bianca''s body trembled slightly. She looked at Luke''s handsome face and wanted to jump into his arms like how she used to, but at this moment, she could only look at him timidly. Luke did not seem to sense that something was abnormal with her and the smile on his lips only grew wider. The man stretched out his hand and twirled with Bianca''s hair near her ear. His voice was as gentle as water. "What is it? Why do you keep looking at me? Don''t even recognize your own husband? Why don''t youe over and hug me?" ''It''s not that I don''t want to hug you, it''s just that I don''t deserve a hug from you right now. Perhaps I''ve even lost the right to love you.'' No matter how hard she tried, she could not conceal the trembling of her body. She bit down hard on her lower lip and shook her head forcefully. She still did not dare to look directly at his enchanting face. She was afraid that if she looked at him any longer, she might not be able to hold back her tears. Luke dominantly took her into his arms, his thick scent lingering around her. "Bea, what''s wrong with you today? Are you still not feeling well?" "You don''t feel hot and you don''t seem like you have a fever. Darling, what''s wrong?" He put hisrge, cool palm over her forehead as if he did not quite understand why Bianca was in such a disorientated state. Bianca closed her eyes and forced back the tears that were about to spill out. She tried very hard to hold them in and shook him off hard. "No, don''t touch me. Luke, I¡¯m not worthy enough of you..." It was clear that she sounded sick with her weak choking sobs as she kept saying no. It was as if she was pleading and crying... Luke finally realized that something was wrong. He held her chin and forced her to look into his eyes. He looked very concerned. "What are you talking about? What do you mean you''re not worthy of me? We''ve been married for a long time, so why are you speaking to me like this? You¡¯re acting really strange today. Is it because you''ve been too tired lately? Is your mental health okay? Let me carry you back to the bedroom to rest..." "No! It''s fine...¡± Bianca struggled to turn her head away and the tip of her nose felt sore. She tried to escape from Luke''s embrace, but she was forcefully pulled back by him. Her back was facing him. Hisrge hands that were wrapped around the small of her waist kept her back and tightly pressed her against his chest. When her tears won the fight, they instantly filled up her eyes but Bianca did not know how to tell him about the terrible things that had happened to her. When she thought about her body being covered in filth, it felt as if she was being strangled by a ghostly hand. She felt as though she was going to suffocate. Even though she was in an open and modern society where people could talk about sex as if it was just a normal dinner topic, she was definitely a special exception. Bianca''s concept of chastity was very strict. Like an albatross, having a rtionship meant a few years of dating, going through different ritualistic ways to express love, and once a partner was picked, it was for a lifetime. They would be together forever and never leave each other. Some people said that if a man really loved a woman, he would not mind about what she had done with other men, but that was not how the truth was at all. Even if the man said that he forgave her, there would always be a hurdle between them that would never go away. Eventually, the once pure feelings between the two would change for the worst and never be repaired again. She did not believe that Luke was an exception. That man not only suffered from OCD in his daily life, but his OCD was even stronger in terms of his mentality and body. If he knew, how could he forgive her? C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org When Luke saw how out of control Bianca''s emotions were, he picked her up in his arms horizontally. Under the dumbfounded gazes of the three children, he carried her up to the second-floor bedroom. Tommy, who was ying on the carpet, wanted to tug at Luke''s pant leg like he usually did. However, before he could touch Daddy''s pant leg, he was frozen in ce by Daddy''s eyes that were as cold as winter. The little guy''s chubby and fair body stumbled, falling onto the ground. However, his father and mother did not even look at him lovingly. ''Boo-hoo. Daddy and Mommy don''t love me anymore. I''m sad.'' "Boo-hoo..." He could not help but want to open his little mouth and cry and howl like he always did. However, before he could open his mouth, his brother, nche, covered his mouth with his palm. "Quiet! Can''t you see that Daddy and Mommy are in a bad mood? Don''t you dare give them trouble, or else I''ll beat you up!" He thought that his brother must not be biologically rted to him. Good, finally someone who could control this little devil. It would be a lot easier for Mommy from now on. In the bedroom. Luke had just put Bianca on the soft bed when she struggled like a frightened bird, curling up in the corner. Her entire body trembled and she would not let him touch her at all. "Bea, look at me. I''m your husband, the love of your life, and the father of your children. What happened? What¡¯s going on with you?" Luke finally narrowed his eyes when he saw how erratic Bianca was behaving. He could not help but try to grab Bianca''s shoulders, but when he did that, he identally tore her sleeve which revealed her ivory-like fair skin. Her bare skin was covered withrge red scars, which were particrly eyecatching and obvious! Luke suddenly widened his eyes and stared at Bianca''s hickey-like bruises. His heart skipped a beat. The secret drug rehab in A City. It had been a week since Leia was forced to go to rehab. The facility was a far cry from the peaceful ce it appeared to be. The first night she arrived, she had been yanked out of her sleep to be bullied and abused. Every night was the same and it repeated week after week. Nighttime became her worst nightmare. The people who bullied her specifically picked the spots on her body where others would not be able to see the scars. She was beaten several times until she spat out blood from her mouth, and all ten of her fingers had been pricked so often by needles that she had lost the nerves to feel pain and touch... Even so, she was always given the best drugs to make her look as clean as ever the next day. Even though she had cried to her parents and said that there were people trying to harm her and she wanted to leave, no one believed her. They thought that it was just her hallucinations from the drugs. Queenie only urged her to rehabilitate well and that they would take her home again when she seeded in her recovery. Leia was in so much pain every night that she would rather die. She had no idea who hated her this much that they were trying to kill her... Chapter 753 Chapter 753 How Did Things Turn Out Like This? The rehab center had a single room for Leia, so it would only be her during the day. Where did all those tall, tough womene from at night? They woulde and go like ghosts! It was simply unbelievable! Leia had her guard up as she stared at the women who had appeared again. She was afraid and nervous, but she threatened them fiercely, "W- What do you guys want? I¡¯m warning you, when I get out, I¡¯ll kill all of you one by one! I''m going to shout for someone..." The group of women looked as if they had gone crazy and their eyes overflowed with ill intent. When they heard what she said, instead of being rmed, they looked at each other for a moment beforeughing wildly. One of them was a fierce-looking woman in her early 30s. She pointed her thick round finger at Leia''s face and insulted her wantonly, "Sl*t, haven''t we taught you enough lessons? Why are you still so naive? Do you really think you can walk out of here? And do you think you can call for someone to help you? Haha! You really are naive. Don''t you think that if someone really were toe and save you, they would''vee long ago?" Right after that, the woman pped Leia''s delicate face at lightning speed. "Come on, I¡¯m letting you shout now! Why aren''t you shouting?! Leia''s cheek quickly became swollen. She was thrown to the corner where she covered her face. She felt as if her teeth had gotten loose from all the attacks. There was also a loud buzzing in her ears... She held onto the wall with one hand and she could barely hold her body steady. As Leia gasped for air, she suddenly pped the fierce-looking woman back in the face. "B*tch! I¡¯ll never let you guys go for beating me up, even if you kill me..." When Leia pped the woman, there was a moment of silence in the room. It was so quiet that even the sound of a pin falling to the ground could be heard. No one expected that Leia, who had been routinely beaten for so long and who looked so delicate as if she could not withstand a single blow, would have the guts to fight back. The fierce woman had gotten pped by Leia in front of her group, losing some of her dignity. She was going to go crazy. The woman''s scarlet eyes squinted as she yelled, "How dare you hit me? Ladies, beat this piece of sh*t to death! Our boss has said that as long as she''s still alive, we can beat her up until she¡¯s a cripple because someone will cover for us if anything happens to her! So don''t be shy, do whatever you want to her!¡± As soon as she said that, pairs of rough and dirty hands immediately started beating Leia up wantonly. They were bottom feeders who had always been involved with the lowest level of work, so they had never seen such a pampereddy like Leia. In particr, Leia¡¯s well-maintained skin on her entire body that was so moisturized and smooth made them jealous and envious. Since the leader had said that all of them could have fun, they did not hold back. They pinched, twisted, and touched her however they liked. It made Leia sick to her stomach! "Let go of me and get the hell away! I''m going to remember all of your faces today... I swear, when I get out, I''ll make all of your lives so bad that you¡¯d rather die!¡± However, her threats did not have any effect. Instead, it just made them torment her even more intensely. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org They sneered eerily, scaring Leia. A sharp fear spread from her heart to her limbs. She was so scared that she almost peed herself. As she held back her panic, Leia began to beg for mercy with those women. She was on her knees. "No... Please, let go of me... My mom is a businesswoman and I''m a celebrity. I''m very rich, so if you just spare me and let me go, I''ll give you all the money you want!" "Pfft! Do you really think that you''re still the youngdy of the Norman family? You''re just an impostor! Celebrity? Your reputation is so bad you''re just a glorified wh*re, you arrogant b*tch! You think you can pay us? How can you pay us now that you''re broke and as lowly as a dog? Look,dies, the youngdy of the Norman family is kneeling in front of us. Strip her naked and let''s film her ugly face..." The group of women sneered at Leia with glee and rage. A few of them held Leia''s hands and feet before stripping all her clothes off. Another one of them had a phone and began to record a video of the scene. No matter how she struggled and hissed, it was to no avail! Leia was so deste that she wished she was dead there and then. Her hands and feet trembled badly. She had been enduring physical torture and mental humiliation. Her heart was so filled with anger that it was about to explode... At that moment, she actually missed Wayne. Despite the countless times Wayne tortured her, he was usually pretty good to her and he got her whatever she wanted. There was one time when she happened to watch a TV show on an antique art collection and saw a national treasure which was a silver bracelet with a dragon carved on it. From the screen of her TV, she saw how the bracelet glittered. She had casually said that she liked the silver bracelet. At that time, Wayne curled up his lips but did not say anything. A weekter, he handed her the silver bracelet with the dragon carved on it. Leia did not know how he managed to get the bracelet out of the heavily guarded museum. However, the moment she received the bracelet, she was no doubt extremely happy. Besides that, in the two years she was with Wayne, anytime she was bullied, she could just whisper in his ear and he would make sure the person would be shot with multiple holes in their body. It was as if a machine gun had been used to deal with them... In addition to that... At that moment, Leia missed how good Wayne was to her. She had never wished for him toe to her rescue as much as she did now! ''Wayne, where are you?'' Bianca gave Luke the silent treatment. No matter how much Luke questioned her, she remained tight-lipped and would not exin to him the reason she was behaving so strangely. With Bianca giving Luke the silent treatment for the entire night, the atmosphere was so strange and cold that even the three children and the nanny at home were frightened. As for Luke, who had gone through a difficult time to quit smoking, once again became addicted to it as he smoked one cigarette after another on the balcony, leaving cigarette butts all over the ce. It was a sleepless night for Bianca as well and her eyes were wide open until dawn. The next day, when the sun just came up, she went straight to the Norman residence. The Norman residence. Due to the matter of Leia''s drug addiction, Queenie had not been able to sleep through the night. Even Jack, who had always been a steady man, became an irritable man. For the first time, the couple selfishly used their identities to push Leia''s story down. However, after what happened, they never smiled anymore. Jack left to go to the Public Integrity Committee meeting early in the morning and Queenie was the only one left in the house, packing some clothes in the room. She was getting ready to visit Leia in rehab. When she saw Bianca suddenlying to Norman residence, Queenie could not believe her eyes when she saw her eldest daughter, who had always been as bright as spring, looking so haggardly. It was enough that her youngest daughter had gotten in trouble, but it had only been a short week since shest saw her precious eldest daughter. What had happened to her for her to be like that? 5 Chapter 754 Chapter 754 Luke Came To Bring Her Home Queenie pulled Bianca into the living room and sat her daughter down on the sofa. The caretaker served some pastries, fruits, and tea on the table. Queenie peeled a fruit for her daughter and handed it to her, but Bianca shook her head. She took the fruit and set it aside on a te. "Mom, I don''t have an appetite right now, so can I put it aside for now?"'' Queenie sat beside Bianca, took her hand, and gazed at her paleplexion. She sighed slightly. "Bea, what happened to you? Why do you look so listless? Are you sick? Or did you get into a fight with Luke?" Bianca did not say anything. Instead, she just fixed her gaze on the ss of water on the coffee table before her face turned even paler. She shook her head gently but did not say anything. Queenie lovingly patted Bianca''s head and said gently, "I''m your mother, is there anything that you can''t tell me? Bianca, we¡¯re not just mother and daughter, but we¡¯re also best friends. If you have anything to tell me, I can be your faithful listener. Some things are hard to keep inside, so why don¡¯t you tell me so that I can analyze the situation for you?" Bianca held her head low and could not look her mother in the eye. In her mother''s heart, Bianca had always been the understanding, well- behaved child who rarely let anyone worry about her. She had the fine qualities of a woman. If her mother ever found out about the nasty things that happened that night, she would surely be very disappointed in her, right?N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Her mother was already tied down with Leia''s affairs and exhausted by them. If she added her problems into the mix, her mother¡¯s hair would go gray from all the worry. Bianca could not help but look at Queenie''s hair. After some time, a few strands of her mother¡¯s ck and shiny hair were reced by white hair. She must not let her mother worry about her. Queenie looked at her daughter carefully and saw her gaze flickering hesitantly. She looked as if she wanted to say something but stopped herself... She could not help but wonder and asked, "Is Luke bullying you? If he''s making my baby girl suffer, I''ll go and settle the score with him right away!" "Mom, it has nothing to do with him. It''s me, it''s my fault..." Bianca choked up and bit down on her lip. She could only say that before she closed her mouth and stopped talking. Bianca knew that her mother had always favored her, and although her mother was mild-mannered, she was of a fiery and protective nature. If she really went to look for Luke, she would only embarrass herself. When Queenie saw that Bianca was not feeling right, she guessed that her daughter might have had a falling out with her husband. She grabbed her hand and advised her sincerely, "Bianca, it¡¯s inevitable for couples to have stumbles and bumps along the road. Look at me, for example. I''ve lived with your father for decades, but sometimes, it¡¯s inevitable for us to have quarrels. But all we need to do is just take a step back for the other person. That''s the only reason we¡¯ve been living harmoniously all this while. Although I''m not a person of great wisdom, I still have a good eye for people. I can tell that Luke is a good man. He¡¯s always been consistent with you for all these years and his care for you has only increased, so don''t be too capricious." The steaming from the tea floated toward Bianca''s small face, obscuring her pitiful, sad, and bitter expression. She covered her face with both hands and tried hard to force back her tears. "Mom, don''t specte. Luke didn''t do anything to me. It''s my own problem, it''s all because of me..." Queenie hugged Bianca into her arms and stroked her hair lovingly. "What happened? You can tell me. If you need anything, I''ll do everything I can to help you. Even if I can''t help you, you still have Dad... Bianca, no matter what happens, even if you don''t tell Luke, you must tell us because we¡¯ll always be here to have your back and support you." Bianca hugged her mother tightly and leaned on her shoulder quietly like a puppet that had lost its soul. She closed her eyes bitterly. "Mom, I may have thrown away my happiness. I''m not worthy enough of Luke and even more unworthy of my babies..." Queenie got even more confused, but she still gently patted Bianca''s shoulder like she was soothing a child who was sulking. Queenie was just about to speak when she suddenly heard the sound of a car engineing from the front yard. She could not help but stand up and look out into the front yard. A ck luxury car was parked in front and the body of the car glistened extravagantly under the sunlight. She saw Lukeing out of the car. The man¡¯s slender shadow stretched out from the light and his short, unkempt hair looked a little messy. Before she could say anything, Luke asked, "Mom, is Bea here with you?" "Yes. Queenie looked at him hesitantly. "Luke, did you and Bea have a fight? My girl has always been calm and steady in front of outsiders, but when she''s with her family, she sometimes can''t help but have a little temper. You should try and forgive her." Queenie was undoubtedly extremely satisfied with Luke as her son-inw. Aside from his handsome face, he was always the best-whether it was his work ability, his character, or how much he doted on her daughter. There were barely any young men in A City who were better than him. Luke stood there, as silent as a grave. When he looked at the haggardly Bianca on the sofa, he had aplicated look in his eyes. "Mom, it was my fault. I made Bea angry. She''s not feeling well because she''s sick and we gave each other the silent treatmentst night. I came here today to apologize to her, so can I go in and see Bea?" Bianca shook her head desperately and pointed her trembling finger at Luke. She kept waving her arms at Queenie. "Mom, I don''t want to see him now! Ask him to leave!" She did not want to see Luke because her heart was filled with a strong sense of guilt that would explode the moment she saw him. No one could understand her frantic and helpless feelings. Queenie looked at Luke awkwardly. On the one hand, it was her beloved daughter, and on the other hand, he was her son-inw. She could not take sides. In the end, she was the mother who loved her daughter, so she chose her daughter. "Luke, Bea¡¯s not in a good mood today. I''ll talk to herter, so why don''t you... go back first?" However, Luke insisted on walking up to Bianca. He tried to touch her hand, but Bianca screamed and dodged him. "Don''t touch me!" Her hysterical resistance to him gave Luke an inexplicable heartache that was mixed with a kind of anger that could not be hidden. The hand that was supposed to touch her hair froze in mid-air. He sighed and finally withdrew his hand. "Bea, it''s all my fault, so I''m apologizing to you. Please don''t get angry, it''ll just cause more harm to your body. You can stay at your parents'' house for a couple of days and I''lle back to pick you up then. You can call me anytime if anything happens. Mom, I''m going to leave now. I''ll have to trouble you to take care of Bea for me in the next two days..." "Sigh, okay." Luke gave Bianca another deep look before leaving with a heavy heart and some reluctance. Bianca looked at his back, and the tip of her nose felt unbearably sore. When Queenie saw her like this, she could not help but scold her, "Bianca, you obviously still love Luke, so why are you still arguing with him like this? You''re a mother of three, so don''t throw a child¡¯s tantrum." Bianca spoke obscurely in despair, "Mom, l-l''m not clean anymore! Two nights ago, I was drugged..." Her daughter''s words were like a bolt from the blue, leaving Queenie frozen in ce for a long time before she came back to her senses. Chapter 755 Chapter 755 Her Period Was Late... Queenie walked up to Bianca, pulled her by her shoulders, and forced Bianca to face her. Her gentle voice trembled as she asked, ¡¯ Bianca, what are you talking about? What do you mean you were drugged? Tell me what happened.¡± Bianca looked miserable, and despair shed across her eyes. She cried and fell into Queenie''s arms as she sobbed. She stammered as she told her mother the truth about what had happened that night. After Queenie listened to her daughter''s cries, her whole body froze up. "B-Bianca, how could you be so stupid? How many times have I told you that you can''t trust anyone in this world except for your closest family? But did you listen to me?!" Her mother, who had always doted on Bianca, raised her hand high due to the regret she was feeling for her daughter not living up to her expectations. However, when she saw her daughter''s miserable appearance, Queenie finally softened up and reached out to wipe away the tears on the corners of her eyes. "My poor girls. What bad things have the Norman family done to have such misfortunes befall us one after another? I would rather those misfortunes happen to me than to see you girls suffer... Sigh..." What kind of joke was God ying on her? Her youngest daughter was forced to go to rehab for drugs, while her eldest daughter was drugged by someone with bad intentions. Why did God allow these things to happen to her two precious daughters? Bianca thought that she had no more strength to cry, but there was a foul taste in her mouth. She really regretted drinking that ss of red wine that day, and she regretted not having Luke apany her when she went to the restroom even more. Now, she could not show any abnormality in front of that man because she was afraid that he would find out about how she had gotten raped by another man. She was afraid that she would be ridiculed and looked at differently by others... She regretted even more that she woke up toote that day. If she knew what the man who raped her looked like, she would choose to leave everything behind and die with him! Now, Bianca was like a walking corpse. "Mom, I''m so dirty now! I''m really filthy! I''m not good enough for Luke anymore! I don¡¯t deserve you and Dad, and I don¡¯t deserve my children even more. If dying will wash away my sins, I''d rather just die." Bianca''s eyes suddenly turned scarlet and crazy as she fiercely pped her own face with both hands. Loud and heavy ps sounded one after another. Theynded on her fair face, leaving a trail of blood on her cheeks. Queenie was stunned and jumped. In a panic, she wrapped her arms tightly around her daughter to stop her from hurting herself. "Silly girl, what are you doing? Don''t be afraid. No matter what happens, I¡¯ll always be by your side... Bianca, tell me honestly. Did you take n B the day after?¡± Bianca took a long time to react and was sluggish for a moment. Instantly, she had a sense of dread that sent chills down her spine. ''Oh no.'' The day she found out that she had been raped, she was in a state of semi-madness. She was muddle-headed from all the sadness and pain, so she had forgotten to take emergency measures after the incident! Bianca grabbed Queenie''s hand tightly, her soulless pupils full of fear." Mom, that day... When I came back that day, I was in a bad state of mind, so I... I forgot t-to take the medication... What should I do? l- lf I get pregnant... I don''t think I can continue living..." Queenie''s face turned as pale as her daughter''s. "Bianca, how can you be so careless?! Stay here at home and wait for me. I''ll go get you the medicine. It''s going to be a big problem if it¡¯s more than 72 hours!¡± She instructed Bianca about a few things and hurried out without even checking if Bianca heard what she said. After her mother left, Bianca cried for a while beforeughing again with her long hair scattered messily like a madwoman. It was her fault. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. If she had been a little more careful during the banquet, this whole thing would not have happened. She would not be living in such fear every day. She was extremely angry at herself! The Norman family lived in the middle of the city, near the shopping district. Hence, there were many stores and pharmacies around their ce. Queenie chose the nearestrge pharmacy chain and politely refused the salesperson''s help. She then picked a box of n B from the shelf. The moment her hand touched the box of pills, she heard a devilish female voice beside her. "Aunt Queenie? Are you here to get some medicine? How is Leia doing? I was abroad for some time, so I haven''t talked to her in quite a while. I miss her..." Queenie held the box of pills in her hand without moving. She looked up only to see a cool and gorgeous young woman dressed in revealing clothes. She was wearing a hip-hugging mini skirt and a pair of really tall heels. Her arms were wrapped around a ck man as she looked at Queenie with a smile. It was Leia''s best friend, Charmaine. Leia had spent a lot of time with her previously. Herpanion beside her was tall and strong with particrly dark skin. When he smiled, it revealed his white teeth. Even though they were in public, he had no qualms about indecently holding Charmaine beside him. The moral degeneration of the world was getting worse day by day. How disgusting! Charmaine had always changed her boyfriends like she was changing her clothes. All men were her type of men. A trace of disgust was shown in Queenie¡¯s eyes, but her tone was still soft. "Leia hasn''t been well lately, so she''s just been resting at home. I''m afraid she won¡¯t be free to meet any guests for now, so you¡¯ll have to wait until she gets better. Ms. Weish, I have something to do now, so goodbye." After Queenie said that, she no longer paid attention to Charmaine. She just took the box of pills, went to the cashier, and paid for it before leaving immediately. Charmaine looked at Queenie leaving hurriedly and remembered the n B she had in her hand before snorting sarcastically. Charmaine thought to herself, ''Queenie is old. Although she still looks good, I''m sure she''s gone through menopause. She probably doesn''t need n B, so did she get the pills for Leia?'' She could not believe that Leia, who used to think very highly of herself in front of Charmaine and who had always kept herself clean, would experience such a thing in her private life. She actually had to ask her own mother to get n B for her. ''Heh.'' After Charmaine came back from abroad, she knew that she had to meet Leia, who had always been arrogant and acted as if she was the queen. ''Let¡¯s see what kind of person she has be.'' Bianca took the pill and spent a couple of days recuperating at the Norman residence. She was in a daze the whole time, so time seemed to pass by in a daze as well. Queenie was afraid that Bianca would try to kill herself, so she stayed at home with her and apanied her every day. From time to time, Bianca''s children would alsoe and cling to her, keeping herpany. In the midst of Bianca''s despair, some color slowly came back to her gray world. She was still not talking to Luke, so every time he came to pick her up, she would just try to piss him off so that he would leave. Even so, the man was persistent. Almost every day, he would put his ego aside and stay by her side. She always failed to drive him away. Bianca started to get a little soft-hearted and started to want to go home with him. When she was packing her things in her room, Bianca suddenly felt a pang of pain in her stomach. She covered her mouth and retched for a while. Then, she suddenly panicked and remembered that her period was ten dayste! Chapter 756 Chapter 756 The Truth Is About To Come Out Bianca anxiously went to buy a pregnancy test. When she came back, she could not wait to do the urine test. When she saw the positive result on the pregnancy test, she was dumbfounded and shook her head helplessly. She was close to crumbling. Why was fate ying such a trick on her? It was bad enough that she had been raped by a strange man. The matter had already plunged her into the abyss, so why did fate continue the horrible game and make her pregnant with the man''s evil seed? She had clearly taken n B a month ago! i No! She absolutely would not have this child! This child would haunt her about the day she got raped! She did not want the man''s dirty blood inside of her! "Ah..." Bianca punched her stomach like a madwoman while hysterically screaming, not holding back any strength. ''Let me just die! I''ll go to hell with this child!¡¯ When Queenie heard themotion in the room, she realized that something was wrong and mmed the door open from the outside. When she saw her daughter punching her stomach crazily, she was frozen to the spot for a moment before her slender figure immediately hugged Bianca. "Bianca, what are you doing? What happened? Don''t be afraid..." "Mom..." Bianca''s face seemed hollow as her soulless eyes looked at Queenie. "I''m done for..." Queenie frowned and shook Bianca''s shoulders. "Bianca, what crazy talk are you going on about? I¡¯ll help you regardless of what it is. Don''t be afraid. There¡¯s only the two of us in this room now, so tell me what happened." Bianca shook her head with all her might as tears streamed down her face. "Mom, no. It''s not just the two of us in the room. There''s another one. It''s... I''m pregnant... Hahahaha... I''m pregnant with an evil man''s child... I don''t even know who that man is... Hahaha..." i Bianca cried andughed. Clearly, she was not in the right state of mind. In the past month, even though Queenie had tried her very best to make nutritious food for her every day, Bianca''s face and body started to be a lot thinner. Anyone who saw her could clearly tell. Queenie felt as though a sharp sword was stabbing her body, and her face was pale. "Bianca, you can''t say nonsense like this. You took n B that day. It¡¯s impossible for you to get pregnant, so how are you pregnant? Don¡¯t scare yourself..." Bianca threw the pregnancy test toward Queenie and said in despair," Mom, my period iste for ten days. I usually get it on time, not a dayte or early. But now, I''m ten dayste this month... so I went to buy a pregnancy test... Look at the test result, it shows that I''m pregnant. What am I supposed to do? I have no dignity left to continue living now..." When Queenie looked at her daughter who looked like she had almost lost her mind and the pregnancy test result, Queenie became unusually calm. She stroked Bianca''s hair and said sensibly, "Don''t be afraid, Bianca. I¡¯ll help you through this difficult time. You''re my daughter, so just listen to me. I''ll never do anything to harm you. You don''t want this child, right? Fine, I''ll make the arrangements right away. Leave everything to me... I know a well-known gynecologist and I''ll personally get her to operate on you to minimize the damage as much as possible. You don''t have to worry about other people finding out about it. The gynecologist is a friend of mine and she¡¯ll keep this secret. Bianca, don''t be afraid. I¡¯ll help you take care of everything..." When Bianca heard her mother''sforting words and saw how worried she looked, it felt like a knife had shed across her heart. "Mom, I''m sorry..." "Silly child, don''t ever apologize to me. I¡¯m the one who owes you so much for all these years. I wanted to give you the best of everything, but I never thought that it would hurt you... I don''t care how rich you are in this life. I just want you to grow old with the man you love and have a perfect family... Sigh... Even if the family is broken, it doesn''t matter. Your father and I will support you for the rest of your life. I¡¯ll let you inherit my company so that you''ll have enough to keep yourself and the children fed and clothed for life... You won''t have to worry anymore... Just promise me that you won''t do anything stupid... If anything happens to you, your father and I won''t be able to continue living..." "Mom, thank you..." The temperature was already cool during the sunset at dusk and the gloomy sky outside seemed to reflect the tears these two women were shedding. Bianca, who had been ovee with sorrow, suddenly felt violent cramps in her abdomen that made it almost impossible for her to breathe. After taking a few breaths, she felt something hot and wet flowing between her legs. The warm liquid flowed down her pale legs, staining her white dress... "Bea!" Queenie¡¯s eyes widened in horror. The setting sun looked like blood with its rays enveloping A City''s most flourishing office building. T Corporation. The atmosphere in the CEO¡¯s office was solemn, dignified, and with a hint of depression. Jason looked at his boss standing in front of the ss window on the top floor. The man¡¯s gloomy eyes seemed to carry a cold hostility while hiding a sense of bloodthirst that was hard to ignore. He looked like he was meditating, but perhaps he was not. Mr. Doyle did not even dare to raise his voice. In the past month, his boss did not seem like he had his emotions in check. The boss who had always been calm and exercised restraint did not bother to hide his bad mood now. Hispany''s employees had to work overtime a lot, and in that month, a few top management employees who pissed him off were fired. His unusual behavior had caused every employee in thepany to tremble with fear. They were afraid that if any one of them identally pissed him off, they would lose their well-paying jobs and meet tragic endings. Luke looked at the heavy traffic outside the window, but he kept seeing Bianca''s face on the window. The image of her looking at him with sad, using, and aggrieved eyes made him uncontrobly irritable. Due to Bianca''s weight loss over the past month, she looked haggard and her eyes always looked full of guilt when she looked at him. Although she never told him what had happened, he knew better than anyone what had happened. The man who had sex with Bianca all night that night and the man who left marks on her body was him. 2 Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! The reason he had not told her the truth was because he had been really angry at her that night- extremely angry. He was angry at her for not being careful enough with other people. He was angry at her for almost falling for someone else''s trap, and he was even angrier at her for not trying to contact him right after the incident. That night, if he had not been vignt and had not followed her to the restroom afterward, it was very likely she would have been brought away by other men after getting drugged. As for what would have happenedter on, it went without saying. Indeed, he was punishing her because he wanted to teach her a small lesson so that she would remember. However, he did not think that things would escte so much that they were now out of his control. It was far from how he had imagined it to be. He was now watching as Bianca suffered in pain. She was losing weight because she med herself and crying so much because of the guilt. He was not happy about it at all. It made him even more heartbroken for her. He pitied her and began to doubt if he had made a big mistake. He really wanted to be honest with her and tell her the truth, but he was afraid that if he told her the truth, she would never forgive him... He was in a dilemma. Just when Luke was hesitating whether to go back and exin the whole thing to Bianca, his phone rang. It was Queenie. When he heard how anxious Queenie sounded and what she told him, Luke''s expression turned cold. He immediately hung up, grabbed his coat, and hurriedly walked out. Jason was left there, confused and frozen in ce... Chapter 757 Chapter 757 The Man Who Spent That Night With You Was Me Outside the window, it suddenly rained heavily and the sound of thunder rang through the sky, sounding like the devil''s roar. Inside the clean white ward, however, it was unbelievably quiet. The soft wallmp shone on the person on the hospital bed. Bianca, who was on the bed, had an extremely paleplexion. She looked haggard, frail, and listless as if she had lost too much blood. Queenie held her hand and looked at her daughter''s lifeless face, sighing incessantly. Jack stood by the side, quietly looking at his daughter''s troubled sleeping face. His face, which had always looked vigorous, seemed as if it had weathered through blows of attacks. When Luke came in, he saw Queenie wiping the tears on Bianca''s face and Jack standing by the side. He felt incredibly bad as he greeted them, "Dad, Mom." Jack nodded at him and shifted his focus away from him soon after. His attitude was a bit cold. "Come here." 1 He resented Luke. He could not bear to let his baby girl, whom he had only found after great difficulty, suffer any harm. However, she had suffered through so much while she was with Luke. Even if Jack admired the young man who stood in front of him, it did not mean that he did not care about all that his daughter had suffered. Luke looked at Bianca on the hospital bed and the anxious fire in his eyes was obvious. "What happened to Bea? Why is she suddenly hospitalized?" Queenie wiped her red eyes and said to Luke, '' Bianca has been in a bad mental state for a while and the doctor said that she might be depressed, which is directly affecting her body. Her period was ten dayste and it suddenly came all at once. We didn''t expect that it would be so violent. We couldn¡¯t stop the bleeding, so we had to send her to the hospital. My daughter has mild depression now, and I, as a mother, didn''t even notice it. It''s my fault for not being observant enough..." Fortunately, the doctor found out that she was not pregnant. 2 If her daughter were really pregnant, based on her current temperament, her desire to kill herself would only grow and her depression would be worse. Luke''s body trembled for a moment, and his face, which was initially still, suddenly looked stunned. It was followed by a strong feeling of guilt." Mom, I''m sorry..." He clenched his fists, and his eyes were scarlet. It was all his fault. If he had not made such a mess, Bianca would not have gone through this mental torture. She would not have been hospitalized. Queenie did not know that Luke was responsible for this and simply thought that he felt guilty for not taking better care of Bianca. She gently advised him, "Oh, Luke. I don¡¯t know how long you and Bea haven''t been speaking, but this child is very sensitive. You know how obsessive she gets about things, especially when ites to the people she loves the most or is the closest to. She''s just throwing a tantrum, that¡¯s all. "I believe you know better than anyone about how my daughter feels about you. You know the saying that a husband and wife are birds of a feather, but when a disaster strikes, they fly their own way? Even so, when you were gone, Bea never left or gave up on the Crawford family. She used her own strength to carry all the burdens you left behind. Now that you''re back and your days are only getting better, what is there that the two of you can''t work out?" Jack shot a fierce look at Luke. "I don''t know how much space my daughter takes up in your heart, but in the Norman family, she¡¯s my and my wife¡¯s beloved daughter, our baby girl. Luke, if it weren''t for your marriage certificate, I would''ve taken my daughter away! Don''t think you can do whatever you want just because you have that certificate. Let me tell you, if my daughter says that she doesn''t want to be with you anymore, I¡¯ll do everything I can to bring her back to the Norman family!" Luke said sincerely, "Dad, Mom, it''s really my fault this time, so I have to apologize to you. I really love Bea, so give me a chance. If I let her get hurt again, you can take her away from the Crawford family anytime... Mom, you and Dad should go home first. I''ll stay at the hospital tonight and take care of Bea." Queenie hesitated. "I''d rather wait..." However, Jack held her hand and gave her a look. "Queen, let''s go home first. Since you''re not well yourself, you can''t let our daughter''s illness make things worse. Let''s just give him a chance to show what he can do so that this won''t ever happen again!" Queenie thought for a while, and in the end, she nodded. Before she left, she made it a point to exin to Luke, "Luke, if you have anything to say to Bea, just tell her. Communicate. Don¡¯t act on your emotions. Call us if you need anything." "Got it, Mom." After Jack and his wife left, Luke stood by the hospital bed and held Bianca''s cold little hand. Dense raindrops sttered in through the unclosed window. Luke stood up and closed the window tightly. Lightning suddenly shed across the night sky and was followed by a loud boom. It sounded as if an atomic bomb had exploded in the quiet night! Luke subconsciously furrowed his brows. When he turned his head, he saw Bianca, who was initially in a deep sleep, slightly furrowing her dark brows. The woman''s long eyshes trembled slightly. They were so delicate and looked so timid. The manid his long and slender fingers on her face, his coarse fingertips roaming her delicate cheeks as if to drive away her restlessness and palpitations. The man''s maic voice softly called out in her ear. "Bea..." The low voice that trembled with guilt traveled to Bianca''s ears. Her eyelids fluttered as her eyes slowly opened. Luke was so happy and emotional that he reached his big hand out and took her into his arms. "Darling, you''re awake?" Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Bianca only felt as though she was in a half-dream half-reality state. Her head hurt so much like it was going to explode as her eyes wandered around the room. At first, everything in front of her eyes was hazy. When her hot forehead was covered by a pair ofrge, cool hands, she came back to her senses. Bianca opened her mouth, but her voice was hoarse, "You..." Luke kissed her lips and massaged her temples with an appropriate force." Darling, you''re still weak, so you don''t have to say anything. The doctor said that because you''ve been in a bad mental state for a while, your physiological functions can''t work properly. That caused you to bete for your period and resulted in excessive bleeding. Just rest well and don''t think too much. It''s all my fault, I''m sorry." He was very good at massaging, and he had a faint manly scent that lingered around Bianca. It gradually made her rx and her whole body feltfortable as though she was floating on a fluffy cloud. However, Bianca did enjoy this. Instead, the guilt inside her heart became heavier. This man was so unconditionally kind to her, yet she had betrayed him... Bianca hesitated again and again before she finally mustered up the courage to tell the truth about that night. "Luke, actually... Actually, that night, I..." Luke interrupted her and held her little face so that her eyes were facing his. "I want to confess something to you. That night in the hotel, you were drugged. The man you did it with all night was me." 1 Chapter 758 Chapter 758 She Thought That They Could Not Go Back to Before Luke''s words were more shocking than the booming thunder outside the window. Bianca''s body was trembling slightly. She shook her head in despair, and she asked with an extremely soft voice, "So the man that night was you? So the reason why the room was reserved with my ID was that you know it very well? So that''s why the clothes on the bed fit me perfectly, because you nned all that?" Luke''s hawk-like eyes narrowed slightly when he saw how Bianca was holding back her tears while asking those questions. Tm sorry, I didn''t know what I was thinking back then. I didn''t expect the incident to cause so much harm to you. I thought I''d teach you a lesson not to easily trust others. I didn''t mean anything else. I didn''t expect..." Bianca red at him. Her gaze was hollow. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Her frail body was as weak and helpless as a leaf floating on the surface of the water. Suddenly, she started tough. She bit her lips tightly, which made for a sorrowful yet beautiful scene of despair. "Do you think you can take this lightly? Do you enjoy tricking me, hmm? Do you feel aplished when you see me ming myself and suffering mentally and physically? "Don''t you know that I wanted to die when I found out that I was vited by another man? After I woke up, I went to Pearl Tower. There''s a bridge there, and no one can survive if they jump from it. I was already prepared to step over the ledge when a child appeared suddenly and reminded me of the children at home. I could have died. I could have died!" Bianca''s heart shattered when she found out about the truth that she was deceived. She wished that it was all a lie... She would rather be dreaming forever and not wake up to face the cruel reality. The reality that her man had deceived her! "I was wrong, Bea... Please don¡¯t hurt yourself, alright?" Luke held Bianca¡¯s hand tightly. Her erratic motions might cause the needle toe loose. He ced her hand next to his lips and kissed it repeatedly. The woman''s fair fingers were even paler than ever. Bianca started to struggle wildly, as though his touch carried a deadly virus that would infect her. "Let go of me, don''t touch me! You terrify me. Heh, you manage to keep up that lie for an entire month! If I haven''t been hospitalized, are you never going to admit that the man that night was you? Are you laughing at my idiocy now? You''re a devil. No wonder other people call you the Cold-Faced Devil. You''re merciless toward your businesspetitors, but you''re equally merciless to your wife. You terrify me, Luke Crawford. I don''t think we should be together anymore..." Bianca did not mince her words because she was angry. Each of her words burned a hole in Luke''s heart. He was angered by Bianca''s incessant struggling and her mentioning of separation. He did not let her go but hugged her even tighter. The man''s strong arms nearly choked her, and his low and resonant voice resounded in her ears. "You want to divorce? Never! You are my woman, and I won''t let you go forever!" Bianca was on the verge of a breakdown. As she screamed weakly, tears fell from her face again. "How can you be so cruel? You never care about other people''s feelings, and you think that whatever you do is right. Don¡¯t you know that I''ll go insane?" Luke covered her mouth with his hand and pinned her on the bed. The woman could not move under his body, though that made her resist even more. "You''re a pitiful man, Luke Crawford..." Bianca red at him. She felt her stomach churn. Her voice was weak, but each of her words cut deep. "I thought that you truly loved me, Luke... Trust and mutual respect are the most important things to a married couple, but what have you done to me? How are your actions any different from an abuser? You say you truly love me, but you deceive me with your lies and watch me suffer. What am I to you? A childbearing robot or a pleasure device? I cannot live with a devil who deceives me!" Luke''s face was ashen. His thin lips pressed tightly on her red and supple lips. His body emanated an unearthly chill. "I won''t allow you to say that about yourself. You are my wife and my one and only love. You can suspect anything else, but not my love for you... I admit that I''m at fault for deceiving you, and you can punish me however you want, but you can''t leave me!" He red at Bianca coldly, his slender fingers pinching her delicate chin as though threatening to crush it into pieces. "Do you want to leave me? Then you''ll have to kill me!" The man''s gaze was filled with fiery anger and chilling ruthlessness. His handsome facial features looked so sinister to Bianca, and his bloodshot eyes were like those of a wolf! Bianca had never seen Luke like that before. He had always been caring and indulgent to her. It was the first time that she saw Luke lose control of his emotions, which made her tremble with despair. ''Has he been putting up a guise in front of me all the while, and these are his true colors?'' Bianca''s gaze on Luke was hollow. "I''m tired. I want to rest." She closed her eyes and ignored him. Lukeid down next to her and hugged her. "Please listen to me. I wont make you angry ever again." Bianca struggled violently for a while. Seeing that it was futile, she tore the needle out of her arm, which caused blood to spurt out. Luke could not do anything else. She would rather hurt herself than let him touch her. His brows were tightly furrowed for a while. Then, he reinserted the needle into Bianca''s arm, tucked her into the nket, then summoned two nurses to take care of her. He went out of the ward, mming the door behind him. Bianca stared at the tightly shut door. The sorrow in her heart grew stronger, and she felt as though her heart had plunged into a bottomless abyss. Would they be able to go back to before? Chapter 759 Chapter 759 He Wants to Go and Hug Her but Dares Not In the morning, when the first rays of light appeared on the horizon, Jason came to the VIP ward carrying a stack of documents and several sets of new clothes. He turned a corridor and saw Luke sitting on a bench outside of the ward. Next to the bench was a mound of cigarette butts and ash. Jason was shocked. "Did you sit here the entire night, Boss? Didn''t you rest?" The VIP ward had a fully-furnished lounge for the patient''s family to rest, so why was Mr. Crawford sitting outside, and why was he in such terrible shape? He had a beard stubble on his chin, which made him look haggard and dispirited. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Jason could not understand why his boss''s gaze was gloomy, as though a storm was approaching. Luke shot a nce at Jason, and his well-built body trembled slightly. He took the documents and clothes from him and asked, "Any news about Wayne yet?" They had prepared for that night for a long time. They gathered evidence of Wayne''s crimes and presented them at the banquet: Smuggling firearms, dealing drugs, trafficking people, lending illegally, selling state secrets, grooming assassins... Any one of those crimes was enough to ruin the reputation of the tt family. It was proven that Wayne had his fingers in every illegal money-making scheme. The police and the special forces appeared at the banquet to make an arrest. Old Master tt passed out from anger, and every attendee received a huge shock. Unfortunately, Wayne managed to get away! Luke did not believe that Wayne''s two elder brothers did not help him. Jason paused for a while and sighed as he looked at Luke. "There''s no news about Wayne yet, but he''s not going to escape. The police have controlled all entry and exit points of A City, while Mr. Mallory is also helping us with his influence. We have people helping us from both sides." Luke gently closed his eyes. "I don''t like wasting time." "I know, Boss. I will contact you the first moment I receive any news about Wayne." Jason understood what he meant. The longer they took, the higher the chances that Wayne escaped. "Keep an eye on Victor and Vincent. Wayne''s two elder brothers must be harboring him if he dares to commit so many crimes. They should still be in contact with Wayne, so monitor their whereabouts closely." "Yes, Boss." Jason wanted to continue speaking, but the door to the VIP ward opened. His gaze inadvertently fell on Bianca on the bed. He was surprised to see that her face that was usually full of color was deathly pale. ''Ms. Rayne has always seemed fine. What happened to her?'' He stole a nce at his boss. Luke''s gaze was filled with pity and care for a brief moment but soon resumed his usual coldness. Luke might seem calm on the surface, but his emotions were turbulent. Bianca''s face was paler than her white hospital clothes, which made his heart wrench with an inexplicable pain. No one was sadder than him as he watched her lie there lifelessly like a ss doll. Bianca might not be an extrovert, but she usually smiled and chattered whenever she was around him. She had so many things to tell him, but right now, she was lying there... Luke wanted to go into the room to hug and kiss her, but he dared not do so. The nurse came out of the ward. Luke stood up immediately and stepped up. "How is her condition?" The nurse could not help but be smitten by Luke''s handsome face, even though she knew that he was already married. She even forgave him for chain-smoking in the hospital. "Mr. Crawford, Mrs. Crawford is recovering well. Fortunately, she was sent to the hospital in time, and she did not lose too much blood. She can be discharged soon, but she should refrain from being overly agitated in case the same situation urs again." "Mm, thank you." Luke felt a lot more relieved when he heard that. As long as Bianca was fine, she could punish him however she wanted! "I''ll go in and take a look." Luke took a step toward the ward. However, he remembered what the nurse said earlier. She said that the patient should avoid being overly agitated, and he froze on the spot. He clenched his fists and told Jason, "Never mind. Fetch my wife hometer, Mr. Doyle. I''ll be going to thepany." Then, Luke trudged away without looking back. Jason looked at how dejected his boss was, then at Bianca in the ward. He shook his head slightly. That couple used to be so loving to each other, even in front of other people. They had rarely argued if ever, so why did they seem to be in conflict? Was hell freezing over? Half a month passed in the blink of an eye, and Bianca had recovered. However, she was still giving Luke the silent treatment. They pretended to be loving in front of the children, but it was a different scene when they were alone in their bedroom. Luke tried to apologize to her multiple times, but she remained stubborn and resisted his physical intimacy. Luke knew that he could not convince her whenever she had set her mind on something. He moved to thepany on the pretense that he was busy with work. Bianca decided to leave T Corporation. Bridget, her senior, had nted the seed of that idea. The idea had taken root, and after thinking about it for some time, it had grown into a towering tree. Women had to be self-reliant. Bianca had always believed in that. She had devoted herself to Luke, but Luke had reciprocated her love with deception. Not only was she deeply hurt, but that also made her realize that it was even more important that she became self- reliant. Bianca contacted Sue and Nina. They met in a high-ss cafe, and Bianca told them her idea of setting up her ownpany. Nina seemed cheerful and outgoing, as though she had walked out of the trauma from a few years ago. Her face was a healthy color, and she seemed to have gained some weight. Meanwhile, Sue seemed more feminine after she had be a mother. Her hair was permed into a seductive big wave, and she wore trendy clothes. Bianca did not expect that her friends would agree to her n straight away Chapter 760 Chapter 760 Madam Moved Your Belongings to the Guest Room The weather became cooler, but the sun was shining brightly. Bianca brought Old Master Rayne to the back garden. There was a pond in the back garden, in which the water lilies were in full bloom. The slender flower stalks were like the necks of graceful swans, supporting the big flower petals. Old Master Rayne seemed to be in good spirits, though he continued to struggle to speak. "B... Bianca... why isn¡¯t... Luke... here..." Bianca stopped pushing the wheelchair. She went in front of her grandfather and crouched down. "Grandpa, Luke has been busy recently with several major projects that need his approval, and so he moved to thepany for the time being. He''ll be back when he finishes his work." Bianca knew that her grandfather''s mind was still sharp even though he could not speak properly. That was why she lied to him. She knew that he would be worried if he found out that Bianca and Luke were not on speaking terms. Old Master Rayne nodded stiffly. "Mm... I... I''m feeling a lot... better now... you don¡¯t... have to be at home... all the time..." He was worried that his grandson-inw might dislike the fact that he was living together with them. He was a conservative man. To him, sons instead of daughters should take care of their parents when they were old. He did not want to be a burden to his daughter or be a reason for conflict with Luke''s family. Bianca gently rested her head on Old Master Rayne''sp. "What do you mean, Grandpa? It''s my duty to take care of you. If anything, you were the one who brought me up. You don''t have to worry about me. I¡¯m relieved only when I see you close to me. You fell down when you were living alone, and there was no one to take care of you. I wouldn¡¯t want that ident to happen again." Old Master Rayne''s fingers trembled. He wanted to pat his granddaughter''s head, but he did not have the strength to do so. "I''ve been a burden to you... I... I should go back to... my hometown... You can... go to work..." That child should have her own career and social circle. Old Master Rayne thought that her life should not revolve around taking care of him. Bianca held his hand, and tears welled up in her eyes. "Everything will be better, Grandpa. I hope that you can recover soon, and I can go back to work. I''m thinking of setting up apany with a few friends..." "Good, good." Old Master Rayne smiled lovingly. He did not have many worries at his age, except for his sickly daughter Wanda and his beloved granddaughter. If he knew that they were happy, he would be able to rest in peace. Bianca stood up and continued pushing her grandfather''s chair forward. Her tone of voice became cheerful too. "You don''t have to worry about Aunt Wanda, Grandpa. Dr. Lake is taking good care of her, and her condition is under control. Aunt Wanda went on a leisure trip a few days ago, and she said that she''ll bring you souvenirs." "It''s good that... she¡¯s enjoying... her life. She doesn''t have to waste money on... this silly old man. I don''t... have any use..." Even so, his weathered eyes were narrowed into thin slits, evidently very happy. "That''s how Aunt Wanda shows that she cares for you." They chatted while viewing the blooming lilies in theke. Thezy afternoon was rxing and blissful. Bianca pushed Old Master Rayne around the garden. Later in the afternoon, when the temperature became cooler, she brought her grandfather back into the house. The caretaker had prepared dinner for the family. After Bianca, Old Master Rayne, and the three children had eaten, Luke was not back yet. Of course, he did not give a call or send a message either. Usually, he would give her a call if he were toe hometer. If she did not pick up, he could keep on calling and messaging her until she replied. She might not want to look at the messages, but she nevertheless felt happy when she noticed that the messages were from him. Today... Bianca asionally nced at her phone waiting for it to ring. However, there was no news from him even untilte at night. Shey on her bed, unable to sleep. Tommy was sleeping soundly in her arms. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Bianca pushed herself up and gently touched Tommy''s cheeks. The little boy looked exactly like his father, as though they came out of the same mold. Her heart wrenched as she looked at his face. That face had sustained her through the darkest two years of her life. However, that face now brought her anguish. 1 Bianca looked around the exquisite furnishings of the room. It had not changed over the past few years. She could vaguely recall those intimate scenes they had shared on the elegantly-built balcony. Through the fog of her memories, she could see Luke reclining on that lounge chair and her head resting on his shoulder. In those memories, they remained lovers without any conflict. The cold starlight shone through the window and onto the bed. Scenes of their shared memories reyed in her head. They had feelings for each other the first time they met, but they did not know how the other party felt. Later, they got to know each other and fell in love, though there were many obstacles between them. Even until now, obstacles continued to stand in their way. Perhaps it was a mistake for them to have ever met in the first ce. Bianca thought that she had woken up from a dream. She had thought that their love was impervious, but it turned out to be so fragile, 1 Sigh, men. The next day, Bianca left the house early in the morning to get the ball rolling on her newpany. Not long after she left, Luke returned with his car. He went around the house but could not find Bianca. He opened the door and thought that he went into the wrong room. The master bedroom was clean without a speck of dust, though everything inside was brand new. He could not find his clothes, shoes, or any of his belongings. Luke took off his coat and casually tossed it on the bed. "What is going on? " He asked the caretaker coldly. The caretaker seemed awkward as she stood in front of Luke. "Sir, Madam has asked us to move your clothes and toiletries to the guest room..." Chapter 761 Chapter 761 Wreck This Bridal Boutique! Luke went into the guest room. He saw his clothes, used and brand-new, arranged neatly in the closet. His shoes were ced on the shoe rack, and his toiletries in a bag. He could not help but grimace. Not only did his wife not speak to him, but she also moved his belongings into another room. How dare she! Bianca went around the city, busy surveying for a suitable location for herpany. Now that she had decided to embark on this journey, she realized that starting a business was not as easy as she thought, even after being CEO of T Corporation for two years. After all, T Corporation was a corporation with established business and management practices. Even though the workload was heavy, Bianca found it manageable. On the other hand, starting a newpany meant that she had to start from scratch, whether it be about financial and human resources or other aspects. She did not want to involve T Corporation in her newpany. If she did that, it would be no different from relying on Luke. All she wanted was to distance herself from that man as much as she could. Bianca went online and searched for some listings. The scale of thepany would not be too big at the start, so she only searched for offices with less than 3,500 square feet of space. Soon, she shortened her list down to three options. The first was located downtown and had modern furnishings. The location was ideal, surrounded by the central business district, the financial street, and the technology hub. Of course, the rental was astronomical. The second was located slightly farther away in the suburbs, and the price was more affordable at about thirty thousand dors a month. The lighting was excellent, and the scenery was great, not to mention that it included amenities such as a shared conference room, a pantry, and a lounge. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. The final one was located in the Nordlong Lake District. The office space was far bigger than the previous two, and the furnishings were modern andplete. The price was the lowest at about twenty thousand dors, though its only shoring was that it was very far away from the city area. Even though there was a direct rail line, it would take about two hours. Bianca considered her options carefully and eventually contacted thendlord of the second option. A year of rental plus other fees cost Bianca about five hundred thousand dors in total. Bianca had made a lot of money from the profits and dividends of T Corporation over the past two years. She could not be bothered to count the number of digits in her bank ount bnce. She would rather not use the money because it was rted to Luke, but she needed a lot of funds in the starting stages of herpany, and it was not the time to be too stubborn. She decided that she would pay the amount back once thepany was on track. Now that the location was decided, Bianca thought of getting office supplies for the business. She went to the wholesaler with Nina to purchase office supplies. She did not ask Sue toe along because the date of Sue and Jason''s wedding was getting close, and the couple was trying out wedding dresses fortheir shoot. 2 Bianca felt genuinely happy for Sue. She and Nina could see that Jason''s love for her over the past two years was genuine. They had convinced Sue to get married earlier, but Sue was afraid ofmitting. Moreover, Jason''s ex-wife and son remained an obstacle. Eventually, Jason''s earnest advances managed to convince her to get married. Perhaps it was also because Sue did not wish for her daughters to grow up without a father figure. At the bridal boutique, Sue''s face was reflected in a European-style oval mirror carved with floral patterns. Her white gown covered arge area of the floor. Sue''s skin was fair, and it looked fairer when contrasted against the whiteness of the gown. She wore exquisite makeup on her face, and her beauty was breathtaking. Jason was dressed in a white suit. He could not take his eyes away from Sue. He knew that the woman was already very beautiful. Once in the wedding gown, he felt as though she could captivate his soul. Sue tried several gowns on, but every one of them looked good on her. She shone like a brilliant diamond. Jason felt that his mouth and throat were dry. He wanted to drag her to the church now so that they could be pronounced husband and wife. However, Sue was not satisfied with the gowns she tried. Thest time she came out of the dressing room, she was dressed in a French-style gown with a boat neckline and a monarch train. The formfitting cut entuated the charming curves of her body, and the color of the gown emphasized the fairness of her skin. She looked like she was a goddess walking on top of the clouds. The sales clerks eximed in surprise when they saw her. Jason''s eyes opened wide. The admiration in his gaze was obvious. Sue was satisfied with the gown. She shot a nce at Jason and smiled when she saw that he was dumbfounded. "Idiot!" Jason blushed slightly. He rubbed his hands and whispered in her ear," Can''t you be a little kinder to me when we''re outside, my wife?" Sue shot a re at him. "That''s who I am, take it or leave it. No one is forcing you to marry me." That nonchnt gaze made Jason break out in goosebumps. He hurriedly hugged Sue''s delicate waist. "It''s fine, I don''t mind it. We''ll be together soon anyway, and you won''t get to run away. From now on, I''ll be a responsible husband and father... Don''t be angry today, Sue. It''s our photoshoot today. You can punish me however you want when you get back home..." The cosmetician and the sales clerk covered their mouths and giggled when they heard that. Sue rolled her eyes helplessly. "Alright, let''s not waste any more time and get our photos taken. I''m very busy." "Whatever you say, Ma''am," Jason agreed with a smile. Just when they were about to go to the studio, someone kicked open the door to the bridal boutique with a bang. Many men in ck wielding weapons rushed in, followed by a woman invish clothes but a sinister expression. She red at Jason and Sue hatefully, then yelled at her men. "Smash everything in this boutique. I want that immoral couple to pay the price!" Chapter 762 Chapter 762 Fighting for the Husband The security guards of the bridal boutique rushed up with their batons when they saw someone trying to cause trouble. However, they were no match for those gangsters with weapons. Soon, the security guards were all sprawled on the floor, wailing in pain and clutching their injuries. Jason protected Sue in his arms and red at his ex-wife. "What do you want, Bailey?" Bailey sat on the couch and looked at the "loving" couple with a sinister gaze. One of them was her ex-husband, while the other was the "mistress" whom she envied. Her brown eyes were shooting countless invisible icicles at them! She had the urge to burn down the bridal boutique. As for the woman who stole her husband, she wanted to chop her into tiny bits! "Why, my dear ex-husband, are you angry that I''ve interrupted your photo session with that mistress of yours? Do you remember that our son is still heavily sick? Not only did she bear two of your b*stard children, but now you want to marry her. Where does that put me? Let me tell you, as long as I''m alive, I won''t allow you to marry that b*tch!" The staff in the bridal boutique opened their eyes wide when they heard that. They looked at Sue with nosy curiosity. They could not believe that the seemingly loving couple was actually a disloyal husband and his mistress. Jason''s body went taut when he heard Bailey''s words. He carefully escorted Sue to somewhere safe, then walked in front of Bailey and towered over her. "I didn''t want to argue with you because you''re Shane''s mother, and I don''t want to mention the horrible things you''ve done to me in front of everyone. I want to protect your reputation, but that doesn''t mean you can humiliate me and Sue. We''ve already divorced five years ago, and I''ve only gotten together with Sue two years ago. Don''t involve her in this." Bailey became even angrier when she saw that Jason was protecting Sue. She grabbed a crystal photo album on disy and flung it at Jason. "I don''t care. You are Shane''s father and my husband. We were once married, and don''t think that you can shake me off just like that! You told me that you''re going to remarry me, and I''ve waited for you for so many years, but you ended up marrying that woman! No, I want you to marry me again!" "That''s impossible. I''d rather not marry for the rest of my life than marry you again!" Jason dodged. The crystal photo album fell on the floor and shattered into a million pieces. The manager of the bridal boutique got to know that someone was here to cause trouble. He sashayed in front of Bailey and said, "Miss, we can talk if there''s anything. I''ll help you solve any problems...¡± Bailey nced at the manager arrogantly. Her contempt was obvious. "Get lost. It''s none of your business here! Another word from you and I''ll burn down your store!" She shot a nce at her underlings. They came over, beat up the manager, picked him up, and tossed him out of the door. The other staff of the bridal boutique fell silent when they saw that. They looked down, and no one dared to stand up. Sue looked at Bailey, whose lingering presence continued to torment Jason. Her face became paler and paler by the moment. Her lips curled up into a smirk. ''I shouldn''t have agreed to marry you. You can''t even deal with your ex-wife! Sue picked up a bouquet of flowers used as a prop and threw it at Jason''s feet. "Looks like we''re not going to get our photo shoot done today, Jason Doyle. You ought to clean up your mess first," she said coldly. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Jason knew that Sue was angry. He was worried that if she left, she would call off the marriage. Hastily, he grabbed her hand. "Give me some time, Sue. I''ll handle all this to your satisfaction." Bailey''s expression sank. She pounced onto Jason and firmly grasped his arm. "I was wrong, Jason. It''s all my fault. I shouldn''t order you around like a servant or humiliate you in front of my family, and I shouldn''t have had one-night stands at the nightclub while we were married... I''ve changed now. My temper has gotten better, and I''ve never gone to a nightclub ever since. Please forgive me, at least for Shane. I love you, and I don''t want to lose you..." Jason was unconvinced. "You''ve said that countless times, but you forget your promise the next day, and you even be worse. It looks like you''ll never change. We''re really not meant for each other, Bailey." Bailey''s eyes became bloodshot. She pointed at Sue while ordering the men in ck, "Cripple that b*tch Sue Carter and ruin her face! I''d like to see how she''d seduce my man without a beautiful face!" The men in ck who were smashing up the store turned around and red at Sue. Sue took a panicked step back. "How dare you, Bailey! Don''t you know that what you''re doing today is against thew? Don''t you care about the consequences?" She had nearly died at the hospital the day she gave birth, and Bailey had also tried to harm her twin daughters. Fortunately, Luke and Bianca appeared in the nick of time and saved her and her daughters. After that, Bailey disappeared for some time. Sue thought that Bailey had given up, and she had tried to ept Jason''s love. She did not expect that Bailey''s behavior became worse. Baileyughed brazenly as she pointed at Sue. "Hahaha, I''m above thew! No one would dare say anything even if I kill you today! I should''ve killed you back then. If that b*tch Bianca Rayne hadn''t disrupted my ns, you and your two b*stard children would have been dead long ago! You were lucky that time. I''ll see if anyone will save you this time! Now, beat up that b *tch!" The men in ck stepped closer to Sue. Their fists were about tond on her... Jason shoved those people away while protecting her with his body. A torrent of punches and kicksnded on Jason''s face and body... Chapter 763 Chapter 763 A Female Guest in the House Bianca had juste out of the shopping mall and was about to go into her car when she received a call from Luke. "It''s the 15th today. Let''s go back to Crawford Manor and have dinner. Where are you now? I''ll go and pick you up." Considering their current standoff, Bianca wanted to hang up immediately. However, she thought of her three children. She bit her lip and replied coldly, "You don''t have to pick me up. I can drive there myself. I''m a little busy now. See youter." She hung up before the other party could reply. In T Corporation, Luke''s eyebrows twitched as he stared at his phone. Then, he sighed. The woman was bing more and more brazen. He knew that Bianca was in the midst of starting her ownpany, and he had the intention of helping her. Bianca might have experience with managing apany, but she did not have the experience of starting one. He expected that she woulde and ask him for help. However, the woman never once asked him for advice, no matter how difficult the obstacles might be. She remained as stubborn as ever. It would be a long time before she would forgive him! Meanwhile, Bianca sped along the road in an attempt to release her anger. Nina was sitting in the side passenger seat, and her heart was already in her throat. "What''s up with you, Bea? Traffic is so heavy now, and you ought to be careful..." Bianca was usually steady and cautious when she drove. Nina enjoyed riding in her car. She did not understand why Bianca was driving as though she was gambling with her life. Bianca nced to her right. She noticed that Nina''s face was pale, and she was clutching the seatbelt tightly. It was then that Bianca realized that she had been ridiculous. She looked at the cars around her and heard the screams and curses. Instantly, she slowed down and said to Nina apologetically, "I''m sorry, Nina. I''m not in a good mood today, and I can''t control my emotions. It''s my fault. Sorry for frightening you.¡¯ Nina ced her hand over her heart that was still beating wildly. "Oh my, who made you angry? I bet the boss would crush them to bits. You shouldn''t be so reckless even though you''re angry, isn''t it? You were never like this before, and you''ve been acting weird recently. Don''t tell me that the boss is the one who made you angry? That shouldn''t be, Mr. Crawford is famous for doting upon his wife..." Bianca shook her head. "It''s a long story. Never mind, let''s not mention him and talk about you instead. How are things between you and Percy Mallory? Is he treating you well?" The smile in Nina''s expression faded instantly, and she grimaced mockingly. "How can things be? He''s willing to pay, and I''m willing to take his money. It''s a purely mary transaction that benefits the both of us, and I can''tin about how he treats me. He''ll eventually tire of me, and I''ll once again be free. Isn''t that how things usually are?" Bianca was dejected when she heard that her best friend was treated that way. It was the same as when she sold her body to Luke Crawford. She had tried to speak up for Nina in front of Percy, but Percy had a mind of his own. Luke did not want to meddle too much into his friend''s personal matters. Bianca knew that Luke prioritizes tangible benefits over emotions. He would not endanger his rtionship with Percy because of Nina. Bianca sighed. "Take care of yourself, Nina. You must tell me if you need anything." She could never fully repay her debt of gratitude to Nina, and she felt uneasy when she saw that Nina was unhappy. Nina shed a toothy grin at her, seemingly unperturbed. "Maybe that''s my fate. You don''t have to worry about me. I might be unlucky for now, but who knows if my luck would change in the future? I think I''m lucky to have a sugar daddy like Percy Mallory instead of some fat and oily middle-aged man. At least he''s handsome and amazing in bed. I couldn''t have found a better deal." Bianca felt even more uneasy after hearing that. "Nina..." Nina gently leaned on her shoulder. "Alright, alright. Let''s not talk about unhappy things. Our happiness is the most important. Nothing can stand in our way as long as we''re happy." When Bianca returned to Crawford Manow, she saw Old Master Crawford enjoying his tea, the three children ying together, and Allison sitting on the couch, chatting with a young and beautiful woman, i The young woman had an oval-shaped face, big eyes, a tall nose bridge, and supple lips. She wore a pink dress, and her hair was tied up in a cute bun. She was charming when she smiled, and she looked like she was in her prime. Bianca wondered who that unexpected guest was. Old Master Crawford was the first one to greet Bianca. He pointed at the young woman and said, "You''re back, Bianca. This is Maxine, your mother-in w''s niece. She''s here from the capital, and she''ll be staying over for a few days." "Oh, nice to meet you." Bianca smiled at the guest and took off her shoes. She had just removed her shoes and was about to pick up the slippers when Tommy, who had been ying with blocks on the carpet, quickly ran toward Bianca. The little boy picked a pair of slippers from the shoe rack and handed it to Bianca. "Your slippers, Mommy." "Thank you, Tommy. Good boy." Bianca gently kissed Tommy''s head. She was moved by her son''s gesture. The young woman named Maxine looked at Bianca curiously and brushed her hair. "Aunt Allison, is she... Luke''s wife?'' Allison nced at Bianca contemptuously. "Mm," she replied coldly. Maxine took note of her aunt''s expression and discreetly sized up Bianca. Looking at her figure, she could not imagine that Bianca was already a mother of three children. Bianca''s eyes were big and clear, and her lips were petite and supple. Not only was her skin fair and well-maintained, but her figure was also curvaceous. She might be dressed in casual clothes, but she exuded elegance and grace...N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Chapter 764 Chapter 764 She Is Still Trying To Match Him With Other Women Maxine turned away from Bianca and looked at Allison once more. She pointed at the two exquisite gift boxes on the coffee table and said, "I bought these presents for you and Grandpa, Aunt Allison. I hope you''ll like them." The sweet smile on Maxine''s delicate face made Allison smile. "You didn''t have to bring any presents, Maxine. The climate in A City is very different from the capital. Are you used to it?" Maxine stuck out her tongue and began to unwrap the gift box. "I''m used to it. I can adapt to different environments easily. I''ve even gone on an expedition to the North Pole with my friends. I''m fine here." Bianca nced at Maxine again. She did not expect that the young woman who seemed frail and delicate dared to explore the North Pole. Allison eximed in surprise, "As expected of a girl who grew up overseas. Your courage and constitution are exceptional. What... did you bring?" Maxine smiled sweetly and carefully detached the ribbon. The first box contained a carved briarwood tobo pipe, while the other contained a sky-blue mink coat. Maxine presented the pipe to Old Master Crawford with both of her hands." I heard that you''re fond of tobo, Grandpa, so I brought a pipe for you." This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. A smile bloomed on Old Master Crawford''s face. "Thank you, Maxine." Maxine smiled bashfully and presented the mink coat to Allison. "I don''t know your favorite color, Aunt Allison, but I think that sky-blue should suit your fair skin. You should look good in it. Do you want to try it on?" Tve never worn sky-blue before. I wonder how it''ll look..." Allison could not stop grinning. She took the coat and draped it on herself. There was a dressing mirror in the corner of the living room. She spun around in front of the mirror and found that the size and color matched her body type. That made her look even nobler. Caretaker A ttered Allison, "You look so fashionable and pretty in this mink coat, Madam. You look barely thirty years old." Caretaker B added, "You really have a good eye for fashion, Ms. Maxine. The coat suits Madam perfectly." Maxineughed magnanimously. Allison could not help but be impressed by her noble demeanor and impable etiquette. ''Sigh, if only Luke married Maxine! Why did he have to marry Bianca, who brings him nothing but trouble?'' When she thought of how her son had been cold and distant to her because of Bianca, she red at Bianca resentfully, and the smile on her face faded away. Bianca understood that Allison was prejudiced against her. Allison wouldpare Bianca to any female guest at Crawford Manor. Bianca ignored her mother-in- law''s condescending remarks and yed happily with the children. Luke came home at around noon. When he stepped through the door, he was dressed in a pressed ck suit and a fitting white shirt that disyed his lean and muscr body. The man was as handsome as a deity. One could tell that he was an extraordinary individual from his face. Maxine could feel her heart beat faster the moment she set her eyes on Luke. She tugged Allison''s arms and asked, "That''s Luke, right, Aunt Allison?" Maxine''s eyes seemed to have turned into heart shapes as they were transfixed on that handsome man. Her gaze followed him as he walked across the living room toward Bianca, who was ying with the children. Luke sat down next to Bianca. The couch sank slightly from his weight, and his warm breath tickled Bianca''s ears. Bianca wanted to move away, but Luke held her waist. He whispered into Bianca''s ears. "We''ll call it a truce when we¡¯re back at Crawford Manor, alright? We wouldn''t want Mother and other outsiders to look down on us. If you have anything to tell me, we can do it back home." Bianca wanted to resist, but she realized that anything out of the ordinary that she did might make her the subject of ridicule. She had no choice but to give in. Allison nced at the blushing Maxine and smiled knowingly. "That''s Luke, my son. Luke, this is your cousin Maxine. Do you remember her? You carried her when she was a baby. Come over here, and I''ll introduce you to her..." "Who can remember what happened so long ago? Stop bringing unrted people back home, Mother. Otherwise, people might think that we''re a homeless shelter." Luke spoke without looking at Maxine. His gaze remained transfixed on Bianca. 1 Maxine''s expressions turned unpleasant instantly. "Aunt Allison..." She bit her lip. Allison red at Luke. "How can you say that? Shees from a wealthy family in the capital. She''s here in A City because she''s looking to get an internship in a majorpany. Now that Maxine''s here, you should arrange a suitable position for her in thepany so that she can gain some working experience for the next six months." Maxine came from a family of politicians. Her grandfather and father were important people in the capital, and their rank in the government was far higher than that of Jack Norman. That was why Allison was interested in her (background) and wanted to forge a stronger rtionship with her. Allison did not know why Maxine would suddenly contact her. After all, Maxine''s father and grandfather had never extended a helping hand when she needed the help. Ever since her son''s business thrived, the family at the capital began to contact her infrequently. Allison could not believe that her elder cousin would send his daughter over to A City so that she could get an internship at T Corporation. She had her doubts, but she was happy nheless. Bianca''s expression froze. She could see that Allison was fond of Maxine, and she knew that Allison was intending to match Maxine with Luke. She did not say it, but she could not help but feel jealous. Allison continued to reject Bianca even though she had given birth to three Crawford children and had restored her status as a daughter of the Normans. That made Bianca frustrated but helpless. Luke sensed the fluctuations in Bianca''s mood. He said to his mother impatiently, "T Corporation never hires anyone through connections, even family. If she wants a spot in T Corporation, then she''ll have to earn it herself. She can apply for an interview, just like everybody else." Chapter 765 Chapter 765 She Felt That Her Body Was Cold All Over Allison could feel anger rising when her son had embarrassed her in front of a guest. She was about to open her mouth when Maxine gently tugged her elbow and smiled sweetly at Luke. "If that''s the rules of T Corporation, then I shouldn''t ask for special treatment. I''ll apply to thepany and go through the interview process. If I seed, I''ll do my internship at T Corporation. If I fail, I won''t give you any trouble." "Mm." Luke looked at Maxine with some surprise. He did not expect her to say that. He had no recollection of that cousin at all. He did not care about her supposedly influential background either. In fact, he was not fond of any of his mother''s rtives. They had never helped Allison when she needed them the most. After he took over T Corporation and brought thepany to prosperity, Allison''s rtives started sucking up to him. He hated materialistic and opportunistic people like those. Maxine''s heart started beating faster when she saw Luke looking at her. She smiled at her, and two faint dimples appeared on her face. Bianca watched as the two people spoke. She suddenly felt that Maxine''s smile was an eyesore. She sighed inaudibly and sat quietly on the couch. No one knew what she was thinking. A faint ray of sunlightnded on Bianca''s face, which illuminated the microscopic hairs on her face. Several lilies were ced in a vase on the coffee table. It formed a beautiful and serene picture with Bianca''s face. Luke was caught in a daze as he looked at the scene. He held Bianca''s hands tightly and felt that there was nothing more that he would ask for. Soon, it was mealtime. The meal was a lot more sumptuous than usual, perhaps because there was a guest. The Crawfords had hired a professional chef to prepare the meal: Venison bourguignon, poached sturgeon, fresh garden sd with caviar, truffle and date puree... The names alone were tantalizing, and the ting was simply a joy to behold. Bianca did not have the appetite to eat. She took a few bites of the sd and could not eat anymore. Luke knew that Bianca was not in a good mood. He tried to coax Bianca to eat. He knew that Bianca loved soup. He took a small bowl anddled half a bowl of fish soup for her with some fish. "You''ve been losing weight recently. You should eat more. This is wild carp. I know that you like it..." The gazes of the people around the dining table fell on Bianca. She could feel her scalp tingle. Rather than embarrass Luke, she stuffed the fish in her mouth. The wild carp was tender and delicious. That made her appetite better. Before Maxine came to A City, she had heard about how Luke Crawford doted upon and pampered his wife. When she witnessed how that demigod of a man coaxed his wife to eat as though she were a child, she was nheless shocked and, at the same time, a little jealous. She had two elder brothers who had families of their own. As far as she knew, her sisters-inw were submissive toward their husbands and took care of them as though they were their masters. She had never seen a man treat his wife like that. Moreover, he was an extraordinary man, and he should have enjoyed his wife''s tender care instead of the other way round. Yuri nced coldly at her brother-inw and his wife. Her dissatisfaction toward Louis grew even more. Louis was spoon-feeding their daughter. Yuri was beginning to feel jealous toward that little girl. After all, her husband was not going to treat her well. She had tried throwing tantrums and threatening her, but that had no effect on Louis. She hated his behavior, but she was helpless. Louis pretended not to notice his wife staring daggers at him. He fed his daughter another bite and carefully wiped a food stain on the corner of her mouth. Meanwhile, Susan pretended that nothing that happened around the dining table had anything to do with her. Ever since her plot to kill Bianca''s third child failed and she received serious warnings from Old Master Crawford and Luke, she began to be a devout follower of religion. She held a rosary in her hand at all times, as though she had shed herself of any mortal concerns. 1 Allison spoke to Maxine when she saw that the young woman was being ignored. "You''re too thin, Maxine. You ought to eat more meat. If you''re too thin, you''ll face problems when delivering a baby." Maxine blushed, a little embarrassed by the hospitality she received from her aunt. "I''m almost full, Aunt Allison. I can''t eat that much." "Eh, it''s not a lot at all. You''ll be prettier if you eat more." Bianca nced coldly at Allison''s antics and picked some food for her three children.Material ? N?velDrama.Org. When the three children were almost full, Bianca took several more bites of her fish soup and felt that she was done as well. Bianca felt extremely tired. Her mother-inw had never treated her well ever since she married Luke. The only person in the household that was kind to her had deceived her for a stupid reason. She did not know why she had persevered. Her emotions had been exhausted. When the two lines appeared on the pregnancy test kit, her mind went nk. After conducting a more thorough test at the hospital, the doctor confirmed that she was not pregnant. The pregnancy test kit might have been faulty, or there was some other reason that a false positive was shown. If Bianca had really be pregnant, she thought that she might lose her mind. Her stomach began to feel ufortable, and she knew that she would be having her period soon. She wanted to remove herself from the table and distance herself from Luke. She ced her cutlery down and spoke to Old Master Crawford. "I''m not feeling very well, Grandpa. I''ll excuse myself first. Please enjoy the rest of your meal." Allison grunted coldly. "How pretentious. You''re not so delicate when there aren''t any guests around. How could you be sick when Maxine''s here?" Old Master Crawford noticed that Bianca''splexion was slightly pale." Alright, then you''d better go and take a rest. Luke, you should bring your wife to the hospital for a check-up." "Mm." Luke wanted to bring Bianca to the hospital, but she firmly rejected his offer. He could only bring Bianca back to their mansion. She curled up on the bed and felt that her body was cold all over. She ced her hands on her lower abdomen. It was abnormally cool. Her lower abdomen hurt. She closed her eyes and felt a warm stream of liquid flow between her thighs... Chapter 766 Chapter 766 His Sideburns Are Graying Bianca''s vision was bing blurry. She tried to curl up as much as possible, but her lower abdomen still hurt. The pain was bing more and more intense. Her tears were threatening to fall. Bianca felt that she was bing more and more affectatious. She used to grit her teeth and bear with it even when she was at her lowest point. Ever since Luke returned, her tears fell a lot more easily. She would find herself crying every few days. Her womb used to be a lot healthier. She had never experienced period pains. She attributed the decline in her health to her depression in response to Luke''s disappearance while she was pregnant with Tommy. She could not snap out of her despair, and she lost a lot of blood when she delivered the baby. Ever since then, her health declined, and her period pains would cause her much agony. Even so, Bianca did not regret giving birth to that precocious child. The child brought hope to her life. He was the proof that Luke and Bianca had once loved each other. Bianca could smell the stink of blood in the air. She wanted to get off the bed to find a pad in the bathroom, but she was unable to move because of the intense pain. Slick blood flowed from between her legs and stained the sky-blue bed sheets under her. Her body felt colder and colder, and her head was getting dizzy... In the living room, Luke had just poured a ss of warm water for Bianca when he received a phone call from Allison. His mother sounded stern but at the same time pleading. "Have you sent that troublesome woman home, Luke? Maxine has just arrived in A City, and she''s not familiar with the ce. How about you bring her around?" Luke tried to hold his temper down as he replied impatiently, "I''m very busy, Mother. I don''t have time to waste on irrelevant people. Don''t we have a driver at home if she really wants to go around town? He''s very familiar with the roads of A City, and he can be her tour guide." He would really like to pry open his mother''s brain to see what was inside. He and Bianca were already legally married for more than two years. His mother might not recognize the marriage, but she would not be able to ignore Luke''s affection toward Bianca. Even so, she never stopped trying to match her son with other women. He would not have been so kind to Allison if not that she was his mother. Luke could not understand why his mother was so resentful about Bianca''s presence. To be frank, Bianca was beautiful, understanding, knowledgeable, and respected her elders. She might asionally have tempers, but she was a perfect wife when all things were considered. Even Old Master Crawford had noints about her, so why would his mother keep on dismissing her? Was it because of her grudge against Queenie in her younger days? Luke narrowed his eyes coldly. If his mother insisted on being stubborn, then he would not have to be kind to her! In the bedroom. Because of the pain, Bianca''s palms were damp with cold sweat. She curled up like a shrimp, and when she rolled over, she nearly fell off the bed. A pair of strong arms caught her in time and hugged her tight in his embrace. Bianca thought that her lower abdomen was going to explode. The man behind her was hugging her too tightly. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She could not take the pain anymore. "It hurts..." she moaned weakly. Luke''s hand felt something wet. He was visibly stunned when he saw the patch of redness. Knowing that it was her period, he gently ced her on the bed, ignoring the fact that the blood had dirtied his hands. Bianca felt embarrassed, as though she was a child who had wet her bed. His gaze on her was not mocking at all. Instead, it was filled with care. She was not sure how to feel about that. Luke found loose-fitting pajamas and underwear in the room. Then, he carried her into the bathroom and gently bathed her with warm water. He reced her pad, changed her clothes, and returned her to the bedroom. He ced her on the bed and tucked her in. When Bianca opened her eyes, she saw Luke''s taut lower jaw and worried gaze. Her eyes began to blur with tears when she thought of how Luke had gently cleansed her in the bathroom without showing any hint of disgust. 1 Luke got the caretaker to make some ginger tea. He fed her the tea, took off his coat, andid down next to her. Bianca''s lower abdomen felt a lot better after drinking the tea, though her expression toward Luke remained unfriendly. Luke hugged her gently. "Does it still hurt?" He asked. Bianca''s body was slightly stiff as Luke hugged her. She was not used to such care from Luke after giving him the silent treatment for so long. Even so, she felt a twinge in her nose. She recalled what Luke did to her, and her expression instantly sank. "It''s none of your business. I don''t need you to pretend that you care!" Luke narrowed his gaze. He forced her to look at him and touched the tip of her nose with his. "Do you hate me so much that you don''t even want to look me in the eye?" Bianca instantly became defensive. Her demeanor was as prickly as a porcupine. "I won''t trust you ever again, you liar!" i Luke kissed her and sighed gently. "I''m truly sorry, Bea. I didn''t know that the incident would hurt you so much. If I had known about it, I wouldn''t have done it to you. I''ve been reflecting on my mistake, and I realize that you''ve been suffering because I''ve been blind to my surroundings. You''re the perfect one for me, and I don''t want to let you go. Please tell me honestly, don''t you want to be with me anymore?" Bianca remained silent. As her gaze inadvertently fell on his hair, she was surprised to see several gray hairs on his sideburns... She reached out to touch his hair, plucked one of them, and showed it to him. "Your hair is graying..." Luke smiled gently. He nced at the gray hair, then back at Bianca''s eyes. "Have I grown oldtely? I know that I''m wrong, my wife. You can punish me however you want. Please, don''t be angry at me..." The tenderness of Luke''s gaze almost made Bianca melt, but she thought of what he had done to her... Her hands became ws, and her long fingernails dug into Luke''s muscr back. The deep gashes nearly made Luke moan in pain! Chapter 767 Chapter 767 Those Crisscrossing Scars On Luke¡¯s Body Luke reached behind him and felt his back. Those scratch marks were rapidly swelling up. ''How vicious!'' He gasped softly and looked at Bianca in his arms with a cold and profound gaze. ''Does she have cat ws for hands? They''re so sharp, and she doesn''t hold back!'' He decided that he would cut her fingernails soon. He would not give her any "tools of punishment" because he would be the only one to suffer! Luke gazed into Bianca''s eyes, and his voice was as gentle as spring water. "Does it make you feel any better? If you''re still angry, you can scratch, w, and pinch me however you want. I''ll do anything for you if it makes you happy..." Heid sideways and bared his chest at her. Then, he ced her little ws on his t stomach. Of course, Bianca saw her "handiwork" when the man showed her those bloody gashes on his back... She turned away guiltily. She did not mean to use so much strength. After all, the man deserved it for deceiving her! "What should I do so that you won''t be angry, my wife? I can do whatever you want me to do. You can hit me, or you can scold me. It''s better than you giving me the silent treatment. I''ll eventually go insane if you don''t talk to me!" As Luke spoke, he took Bianca''s hand and used to p his face heavily. His movements were too abrupt, and Bianca did not have the chance to react. She heard several loud ps and the sound of wind being stirred. Those sounded painful enough... She felt her palm turn stiff when it recoiled from the p. When the dull pain made here to her senses, Luke had already been pped several times! "Stop it, Luke Crawford! You maniac..." Bianca pulled her hands away in embarrassment and anger. Looking at his reddish cheeks and thinking of how he had punished himself abruptly, Bianca felt both pity and anger in her chest. Luke smiled faintly. He lowered his head andnded his boiling lips on her fair neck. "Have you forgiven me? If you haven''t, we can continue." Bianca red at her. She clutched the nket tightly and said to him hoarsely, "What do you want? Don''t think that I''ll forgive you so easily. You''ve been very childish, and..." Luke took in whatever she said. He smiled knowingly and said, "I know that you''ve already forgiven me. Let''s make up, shall we?" He kissed and gnawed her as though he was the one punishing her this time. Bianca reached out and grabbed the hair behind his head. ''She''s a vicious one! Has she been waiting to take revenge on me all this while?'' Luke thought. The muscles on his body went taut, and his movements became more violent. Bianca was already feeling unwell. She pouted when Luke treated her roughly, and she felt that her tears were about to fall. "Luke, you b*stard, you torment me even though you know that I''m feeling unwell... Are you doing this on purpose? I shouldn''t have fallen in love with you, you baddie..." Luke rubbed his chin on her neck and smiled indulgently. "Sorry, my dear. It''s been so long since west made out, and I couldn''t control myself. You should know that I''ve been a good boy ever since you gave me the silent treatment..." Bianca pped her hand away, red at him, and threw a pillow at him." How long has it been? About a week, right? If you can''t control yourself, how did you satisfy your urges in the two years that you''ve been away? Were you making out with other women?" Luke tilted his head. He smiled ambiguously but said nothing. Bianca pinched him, not willing to give up yet. "Tell me, how many women did you make out with?" Luke furrowed his brows and teased her. "Hmm, there are so many. I''m still counting..." "You b*stard!" Bianca was about to cry from anger. Her shoulders were trembling, and her face and neck were red. "Get off my bed! I don''t want you anymore... if you cant remain loyal to me, then I don''t need to be loyal to you. I''ll go look for other men now and gain some experience..." Before she could finish her sentence, Luke blocked her mouth with his lips. He bit on her supple lips, pinned her down on the bed, and gently pped her bottom several times. "Another word of that, and I''ll make sure that you can''t get out of bed after your period. Do you believe me?" Bianca narrowed her gaze in aggrievement. "You only know how to bully me. This isn''t fair. I''ve given you all my firsts, and I''ve never had any affairs with other men even when you''re gone. How about you? Who knows how many women you slept with when you''re overseas?" This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Luke wanted tough when he saw how serious Bianca was. She was slumped on the bed like a little girl throwing a tantrum. He hugged her from behind and brushed her ear with his chin. "I was just teasing you, silly girl. You should know how I detest the touch of any other woman. Other than you, I don''t want anyone else in my life. I''ve suffered a lot in the two years we were apart, not only physically but also mentally... "There were a few times when I was hurt badly. I thought that I couldn''t make it, but then I thought about you, and that thought gave me the strength to carry on. You''re my goddess and my light. I''ve trained hard every day and devised a n of escape... Why would you think that I had the time to make out with other women, silly girl?" Bianca''s gaze fell on Luke''s scars. There were knife and bullet wounds, not to mention long scars caused by whipping. Most of the scars were faded pink, but some serious ones looked like bruises. She gasped when she saw the severity of his injuries! She carefully touched those scars with a trembling hand. "How... how could this be, Luke? Your scars... are they the reason why you refuse to take a bath with me and insist on turning off the lights whenever we sleep together?" Seeing that Bianca was shocked, Luke suddenly realized that he had bared those scars that he had tried to hide from her... Chapter 768 Chapter 768 Try To Fail Her! Seeing that Bianca was about to cry, Luke reached behind her and gently massaged her back. "It''s already in the past. I didn''t want you to see my scars because I don''t want you to worry. It''s fine, the scars don''t hurt anymore... I would give up everything just to see you again." Hearing those words, Bianca suddenly hugged his neck tightly, and tears welled up in her eyes. "I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have given you the silent treatment, and I shouldn''t have suspected you. You''ve treated me so well, and maybe it''s because of that that I can''t bear any imperfections in our rtionship. I''m at fault too. Sorry.¡± Luke smiled gently and tousled her hair. "You don''t have to apologize to me, silly girl. I..." He did not finish his sentence because he felt a pair of soft and supple lips on his bare back. "Bea..." ''Does she know what she''s doing?'' "What are you doing?" Luke growled softly, "You''re ying with fire." Bianca gently held his shoulders and kissed every hideous scar on his back with the utmost devotion. The kisses were itchy. Luke could feel the fires of passion heating up in his body. If not that Bianca was feeling unwell, he would have turned around and pinned her under his body. Bianca''s lips touched Luke''s skin repeatedly, and her slender fingers massaged his scars. Luke could smell her feminine scent emanating from behind him. It was like a cat''s paw tickling every corner of his heart. Bianca bit her lip as she got off his back and fell into hisp. "I won''t give you the silent treatment from now on. If we have any disagreements, I''d rather argue and fight over them. It won''t be as torturous as not speaking to each other..." Luke nodded. "Alright, whatever you say. Let''s not give each other the silent treatment. Even if we argue, I''ll be the first to admit fault." When they were about to get intimate, Luke''s phone started to ring. He got off the bed and answered the call. The man was only dressed in a pair of ck briefs. Those naked muscle lines were very tantalizing. Bianca blushed. She turned her head away, grabbed a pillow, and peeked at her husband talking on the phone. He had an ambiguous smile on his face that exuded confidence. '' What do you propose, Mr. Francois?" Bianca could not hear what the other end of the phone was saying, but Luke was not paying his full attention to the call. There was a hint of brazen viciousness in his expression. "It''s true that you signed the contract with Bianca Rayne, my wife, but the two-year time limit is up, and you''ve onlypleted sixty percent of the project. I''ve given you a six-month extension, but the project hasn''t wrapped up yet. It''s taking too long..." Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Bianca became alert when she heard her name being mentioned. She paid closer attention to their conversation. At the same time, she tried to recall who that "Mr. Francois" who had signed a contract with her was. After all, she had signed countless contracts in the two years she was CEO of T Corporation. Other than the major ones involving huge amounts of money, she could not remember most of them. While she was deep in thought, Luke chuckled coldly and said, "That''s how I operate. I tend to stick to the promises I made. There''s only so much more time that I can give you... If it doesn''t work, then it looks like we''ll have to go the legal route." He noticed that Bianca was staring at him, as though she wanted to know the contents of the conversation. He beckoned at her with a finger. Bianca sat on hisp while wrapped up in the nket. Luke switched to the phone speakers, and Bianca could instantly hear the man on the other end of the call pleading nervously. "It''s not that I don''t want to keep to my word, Mr. Crawford, but my site has suffered two major idents in a year. The Environmental Protection Agency and the building inspectors have been very strict over thest two years, and we were issued the stop-work order for half a year for no reason... Ourpany has been facing financial difficulties, and I can''t even pay my workers. A lot of them have quit, and there''s nothing I can do about it... I hope that you can empathize with my situation..." The other end paused for a while before he continued, "How about this, Mr. Crawford, if you can let this slide, I''ll transfer one-third of the ownership of mypany to you once the project isplete. What do you think? My wife is already nine months pregnant, and she''ll be delivering anytime soon. I also have to spend a lot of money every month on my father-in-w''s cancer treatment. Can you make an exception, please?" "Huh," Luke replied nonchntly. He hugged Bianca tightly and started to pinch her while he spoke coldly, "Mr. Francois, I''m a businessman and not a phnthropist. If everyone is as untrustworthy as you, I''d be operating at a loss. There''s no negotiation. Mywyer will pay you a visit at your office tomorrow..." The man on the other side sounded like he was about to cry. "Mr. Crawford, I can guarantee that this''ll be thest extension I need. If I go back on my word again, it''s not toote to pursue legal action. My wife is about to give birth soon, and I don''t want to cause her to overthink. Half. I''ll give you half of mypany. Please give me another chance!" Luke smiled slyly like a fox. He pecked Bianca''s tender lips and pretended to sigh. "If that''s how it is, then I guess I can make an exception for you this time. There''s no next time. Since your wife is about to give birth, I''ll give you an extra extension of two months. Finish the project in eight months, or else!" "Thank you, Mr. Crawford. I''ll be off to work now. Let''s meet up fora drink another day..." The man sounded sheepish. After the call ended, Bianca looked at Luke in confusion. "What''s going on?" Luke hugged her, and they lied down on the bed. "It''s nothing that you have to worry about. I''ll tell you after your period ends. Rest well now, alright?" Bianca did not ask any further questions. She felt relieved as shey in his embrace. Mr. Crawford sat on his chair in the CEO''s office of T Corporation. A cigarette was quietly burning between his fingers. His gaze was slightly gloomy as he looked at the stack of interviewee profiles in front of him. Jason refilled Luke''s teacup. "Is there a problem with these interviewees, Boss?" As far as he knew, the boss never concerned himself about minor matters like those. Why did Luke ask Jason to bring him the interviewees'' profiles so early in the morning? Luke took a sheet of paper from the stack. He looked at the photo of the beautiful young woman attached to it. He stubbed out his cigarette and said coldly, "Try to fail this girl in the second round. I don''t want to see her in T Corporation." Chapter 769 Chapter 769 Midnight Phone Call Jason did not understand why the boss did not want that young woman named Maxine to pass the interview. ording to the preliminary assessment, Maxine''s results were considered one of the best among the candidates. Jason knew that his boss did not like other people questioning his decisions. He nodded and said, "I know what to do, Mr. Crawford." It was all too easy to sabotage an undesirable candidate. "Mm," Luke replied. He noticed that Jason''s arm was bandaged and asked him, "What happened? How did you hurt yourself?" Jason smiled awkwardly and made up an excuse. "It''s nothing. I got into a minor car ident while I was driving. I''ll be fine in a few days." He did not tell his boss that he was hurt when his ex-wife brought a bunch of hooligans to the bridal boutique to beat him up. It would have been hard to exin. Luke did not ask too many questions either. "If you''re injured, then you should rest at home ande back when you''re feeling better. Don''t worry, I won''t dock your pay." Jason smiled but insisted, "Don''t worry, it''s just a scratch. It won''t affect my performance." Luke wagged his hand at him to indicated that he could leave, then focused on his work again. Jason received a call from Allison as soon as he got back to his office. "Mr. Doyle, is there a girl named Maxine who''s applying for an internship at thepany? Let me tell you, she''s my niece. You''ll have to make sure that she passes. Otherwise, I won''t go easy on you!" Jason shook his head helplessly. The mother wanted Maxine to pass, but the son did not. What was going on? Material ? N?velDrama.Org. It was quite a headache. Even so, he replied formally, "Madam, it''ll be up to Ms. Maxine''s personal ability to earn a spot in the company. Also, it''s up to the HR department to decide if she gets the job. Don''t worry. I''m sure that Maxine is an outstanding individual, and she''ll be sessfully hired." Allison did not give up. "Maxine has a master¡¯s degree from a renowned university. Of course she''s capable! Let me warn you, don''t think of pulling any tricks. Otherwise, you''ll pay for it! Hmph!" She ended the call at that instant, and Jason could only smile drily. He could not afford to offend either of them, but if he had to pick a side, he would definitely side with his boss! Late at night. After sorting out their conflict, Bianca and Luke were once again fully immersed in the bliss of love. They clung to each other like conjoined twins. Theyid down side by side on the bed, telling each other their secrets. Eventually, fatigue overcame them and they fell asleep. Around midnight, Luke''s phone rang and woke him up. Bianca remained fast asleep. She clung to his arm like a kitten. Luke gently tousled her hair, tucked her into the nket, and picked up the phone from the bedside table. He furrowed his brows when he saw the call notification. It was from Jason. Jason was a principled person. He would not contact Luke on his personal number unless it was absolutely urgent. Even so, Luke was unhappy that he was woken up. He pressed the answer button and said impatiently, "Hello?" "Boss, Sue and the two girls are missing. I can¡¯t find them..." Jason''s anxious voice could be heard from the other end of the call. "Can you ask Mrs. Crawford if they were in contact? Does she know where Sue is?" Luke instantly sat up. "Why would she have gone missing? Wasn''t she taking care of the children while you were at work? Does the caretaker at home know where she went?" Sue was a veteran employee in T Corporation. She had ced a lot of importance on her career. Everyone thought that she would return to work shortly after delivering her twins. To everyone''s surprise, Sue decided to be a full-time mother and stayed at home to take care of her and Jason''s twin daughters. asionally, she would produce some designs for T Corporation on a part-time basis. "She doesn''t. Early in the evening, Sue told the caretaker that she would bring the twins to the nearby yground, and the caretaker didn''t have to follow her. However, they hadn''t returned since. I''ve search all the ygrounds and parks in the area but didn''t find them. Her phone is also switched off..." "Hold on a second. I''ll ask Bianca." Bianca was woken up by their conversation. She rubbed her bleary eyes and stroked her cheek against Luke''s bare chest. "Who is it, Luke?" She asked coyly. Luke moved the phone next to Bianca''s ear and briefly summarized the incident. "Sue and her twins have gone missing, and Mr. Doyle wants to ask you if Sue contacted you in the afternoon, or if you know where she went." Bianca was shocked. Her face turned pale as she looked at Luke. "Sue and the twins are missing? What''s going on? Sue indeed gave me a call this afternoon. She said that she doesn''t want to marry anymore. She finds a previously married man very troublesome, and she would rather raise the children herself. I asked her what happened, but she only repeated that she doesn''t want to marry, and she couldn''t rely on men..." Jason sounded guilty as he spoke over the phone. "It''s all my fault. If I had handled the situation properly, Sue wouldn''t think that way. Can you tell me where Sue might have been? She doesn''t have many friends other than you, Nina, and several colleagues, and her social circle doesn''t extend far past that." Bianca became suspicious. "Mr. Doyle, a few days ago, Sue had invited me to shop for wedding gowns. Did you and Sue argue? Otherwise, why would she suddenly disappear with the children?" "It''s all my fault for mishandling the situation," Jason said agonizingly, "A few days ago, when I was at the bridal boutique to prepare for a photoshoot, my ex-wife went there with some hired thugs. She... hit Sue... and Sue must hate me now. She must be trying her best to avoid me." Bianca was furious when she heard that. "Are you a man, Jason Doyle? It''s been so long, and you still haven''t settled your ex-wife? Can''t you see what Sue has done for you? Your indecisiveness has caused Sue to be hurt. You deserve to be ditched!" Chapter 770 Chapter 770 The Sounds From the Room... Bianca instantly hung up. She seemed angry as she did so. Luke gently held her cheeks and kissed her. '' Why are you so angry? You should control your emotions, my wife. It''s not worth it to lose your temper over someone else''s business." Bianca nodded and tried to calm herself down, though she could not help but say, "I thought that Mr. Doyle is an assertive man looking at how he is at work, but I didn''t expect him to be so unreliable. He''s been dragging his feet when ites to the problem with his ex-wife, and Sue is the one who has to suffer. Sigh... Sue is unlucky to marry him." "It''s up to them to sort it out, and there''s only so much that we can do for them. If Jason can''t remove the biggest obstacle between him and Sue, then he won''t get anything in the end." "Mm. I''ll try to contact Sue," Bianca replied, then went through her call records. She received a call from an unknown number earlier in the afternoon, and she guessed that Sue must have changed her number. There were few unknown numbers in her call records, and she soon found the number and dialed it. About ten secondster, the call was picked up. "Hello?" The clear yet slightly hoarse voice indeed uniquely belonged to Sue. Bianca lifted her voice slightly. "Is this your new number, Sue? I can''t get through your usual phone number. Where are you now? Are you OK? Are Kari and Teri with you?" Sue sounded both tired andzy at the same time. "What could possibly happen to me, silly? What were you thinking? Don''t worry, my dearest daughters are right next to me, and I''m staying with Nina. Why did you decide to call me in the middle of the night?" "That''s because Mr. Doyle called us to ask about you!" Bianca said exasperatedly. "What''s going on between you and Mr. Doyle, Sue? Did his ex -wife bully you? Why didn''t you tell me about it?" Bianca did not have too many interactions with Bailey, but she knew that the woman was no pushover because of her family. She did whatever she wanted without any regard for morals or thew. Sue would be at a disadvantage when dealing with Bailey. Sue smiled. "It''s only a minor episode that''s not worth mentioning, Bianca. Don''t worry, I can handle it myself. I''m staying over with Nina for the next two days, and we''ll move out when we find a new ce. I''ll give you my new address by then, and we can meet up and chat. It''s already gettingte, and you should rest. I''ll talk to you another time." Bianca felt a lot more relieved when she heard that Sue was alright." Alright, Sue. You should rest too. I''ll drop by for a visit if I''m free tomorrow. Good night." In thevishly furnished bedroom, Sue ended the call, and the fake smile on her face faded away. Nina saw Sue''s paleplexion, then turned her head to see the two cute little girls who were soundly sleeping on the big bed... Her heart wrenched. Sue might seem indomitable, but she had a soft heart. Taking care of her twin daughters and having to be vignt at all times took a great toll on her over the past two years. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Nina held Sue''s cold hands and wanted to speak. "Sue..." Sue did not say a word. Her hands were trembling as she recalled that day when Bailey tried to snatch her daughters again. Nina knew what she was thinking and held her hands tighter. "You and the two girls can stay here with me. The security measures here are better than the typical neighborhood. It''s a waste for me living alone in this big house, and I¡¯d love to have somepany." "Thank you, Nina. I''ll be imposing upon you for the next few days. We''ll move out when we find a suitable ce." Sue looked at Nina, and her lips trembled slightly. Her loving gaze fell on the two baby girls. Nina reached out and hugged Sue. Her heart wrenched when she could not feel the warmth on Sue''s body. "Don''t be silly. We''re not strangers. I wish that you''d stay here for longer..." She knew how scary that Bailey woman could be. It would be a disaster if Kari and Teri fell into her hands! Sue''s gaze fell on the luxurious furnishings in the room. "Would it be inconvenient for you if we stay here?" Nina lived in a bungalow in the city center, wherend prices were astronomical. The house itself was worth a few million dors, not to mention the extravagant furnishing and decorations. Sue, as a middless worker, could only dream of living in such a ce. Sue knew that Nina''s family conditions were not any special either. She could not have afforded that ce. She had heard from Bianca that Nina was currently dating Percy Mallory. The man was extremely wealthy, and he spared no expense in pampering his women. However, Sue could not help but feel that the luxurious mansion was more like a gilded cage that imprisoned Nina... Nina''s gaze wavered when she heard Sue''s question. Soon, sheughed heartily and patted Sue''s shoulder. "Don''t worry. My boyfriend gave me this mansion. He said that I can use this ce however I want. You, Kari, and Teri can stay here for as long as you want!" Seeing how carefree Nina was, Sue decided not to think too much about it. She was already tired from the day''s events, and she soon fell asleep on the bed. Later in the night. Kari woke up from a nightmare andined that she was thirsty. There was no water in the bedroom. Sue nned to go downstairs to the kitchen to get some drinking water for her daughter. Thevishly decorated corridor was dimly lit. It was quiet all around. Sue entered the kitchen, but there was no warm water. She could not find the kettle either. She was a little frustrated that she did not ask Nina for a sk of warm water earlier, even though she knew that her daughter had the habit of drinking water in the middle of the night. She wondered if it would be a good idea to trouble Nina now. Thinking that her daughter would be very disappointed if she did not get her water, Sue decided to go to Nina''s bedroom. At the entrance, when she was about to knock on the door, she could hear a faint woman''s voice coming from within... Chapter 771 Chapter 771 She Needed An Opportunity Sue was not a naive young girl. She was familiar with the sounds of lovemaking. That was the sound of a woman gradually sinking into the bed. The woman sounded like she was trying to hold back from screaming in pain. Obviously, the voice belonged to Nina. What about the man? Was the man Percy Mallory, her supposed boyfriend? Did Sue happen to walk into them while they were making out? Sue frowned awkwardly. She was about to put her hand down. Just when she was about to tiptoe away, she heard Nina begging weakly from inside the bedroom. "Please... no... please..." Sue blushed. She wanted to get away quickly. Just when she turned around, she heard a deep and hoarse masculine voice. The man seemed to be enjoying his presence inside the woman, and his voice carried a hint of mockery. "Heh, are you begging me? How many times have you begged me over the past two years for that broken family of yours and your materialistic mother? You''ve sold your soul for money!" The grunts between Percy''s words indicated his speed at entering Nina. "Please, can you be a little softer? My friend... and her two children... are, are next door... please don''t... wake them up..." The woman begged softly. "Heh, are you embarrassed? Why didn''t you think of the consequences when you first climbed on my bed? There''s nothing special about your face, and you''re barely alive in bed. I ought to show your friend the shameful things you''d do for money! Right, don''t tense up so much. Rx a little..." C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Nina sobbed in agony. "Please don''t say it anymore... if I hadn''t..." "Tsk, I like that look on your face. I should record this down on video. You''re so loud. Do you n to wake your friend and her two daughters?" Nina gritted her teeth and bore with the humiliation. However, she could not help but moan softly as the man continued to torment her. Sue stood outside the door, utterly dumbfounded. Nina was smiling when she said that her boyfriend had given her the mansion. Sue thought that Nina''s boyfriend genuinely loved her, and she did not think too much about it, nor did she notice the resentment in Nina''s gaze. She did not expect that the truth was... Was that how Nina gained thevish mansion and her luxury clothes? Sue felt that her limbs were going numb. She did not know when tears had started flowing from her eyes. Her heart wrenched for Nina. She thought that Nina''s luck would have taken a turn for the better after escaping from Pierre Mallory''s clutches. She did not expect her to fall into another trap. Sue thought that she had been too naive. She had epted the offer of staying in Nina''s house, which Nina had obtained through selling her body. She heard the filthy words that the man used on Nina. She wished that she could barge into the bedroom and teach the man a lesson, but she could not. Firstly, she knew that the man was extremely powerful and influential. Secondly, Nina would not want to show that pathetic side of hers to Sue. Sue could feel the hatred burning in her chest. Why did all men force such fates upon women? Jason Doyle, that b*stard, was like that. The man who bullied Nina was like that too. How she wished that she could punch that man''s face! Sue covered her mouth and wiped away the tears on her face. Then, she dejectedly went back to the bedroom. When she went in, she saw Kari sitting adorably on the bed, wrapped up in the nket. Her unkempt hair was fluffy like a ball of cotton candy. She rubbed her eyes and asked her mother eagerly, "I''m so thirsty, Mommy. Did you find any warm water?¡± "Good girl. I couldn''t find any warm water in Aunt Nina''s house. It''ll be morning soon. Mommy will get a drink for you in the morning, alright?¡± Sue patted her daughter''s head. She struggled to breathe; her heart felt as though it had been pierced by countless needles. Kari was a sensible girl. She might be thirsty, but she noticed the tears in the corner of her mother''s eyes. She did not know why her mother was crying, but she reached out with her plump little hand and wiped the corners of Sue''s eyes. "I''m not that thirsty, Mommy. Don''t cry, and don''t be angry... I''ll drink my water tomorrow, alright? Let''s sleep..." Kari, in her innocent mind, thought that she had disturbed her mother''s sleep. She felt guilty about it. Sue''s heart wrenched. She hugged Kari and looked at Teri who was sound asleep. It was going to be a long night... i Meanwhile, in the drug rehab center. Leia had lost count of the number of days she had been there. All she knew was that a group of tall and burly women woulde to her cell every few days and torment her. She feared theing of the dark night, as well as being alone in her cell. Whenever Jack and Queenie came to visit her, sheined about the horrible treatment she had received there and wished that she could go home. She did not want to suffer the inhuman tortures at that hellish ce. However, before her parents came, the people in the center would clean Leia up so that there were no injuries or wounds. Eventually, Mr. and Mrs. Norman hired a doctor to perform a thorough examination on her. The doctor could not find anything wrong with her except for the drugs in her system. They thought that Leia was only stressed. They would tell Leia to obediently follow the rehab program before leaving, and once she was released from the center, they would wee her again with open arms. Leia''s hope slowly turned into despair, and her personality became more and more twisted. She med everything that happened to her on Bianca Rayne. If Bianca Rayne had not taken her position as the rightful Ms. Norman; if Bianca Rayne had not stolen Luke Crawford''s affection; if Bianca had not returned to the Norman household, Leia would still be the morous Ms. Norman, loved and respected by all. Unfortunately... All she needed was a chance to get out of there. If she could get out... In the darkness of her cell, Leia abruptly opened her eyes. She cackled as though she had been possessed... Chapter 772 Chapter 772 Mavis''s Secret Was Discovered In the morning, the scattered sun rays shone through the floor-to-ceiling window, through the whitece curtains, andnded softly on the rose-gold carpet. Bianca woke up from her dreams. She habitually reached out, but there was no one lying next to her. She was all alone in the spacious bedroom. She stretched and yawnedzily before ncing at the clock on the wall. It was half-past eight. Bianca felt a little frustrated. She used to wake up at six o''clock, but ever since Luke returned, she stopped going to work, and she might have bezy after staying at home for so long. She got out of bed and drew the curtains. She was putting on her clothes when she heard a soft rustle. A small piece of notepaper fell from the bedside table to the carpet. It was very eye-catching under the morning sunlight. She picked up the note and read it. Tm off to work, baby. Sleep a little while more. The caretaker has already prepared breakfast, and I''ve ced it in the warmer. If you want to heat it up, the caretaker can do it for you. Love you. -L" Bianca could not help but chuckle as she looked at the elegant cursive handwriting. She was the one who taught him how to leave notes. Luke had never left a note for her when they started living together, but after Bianca did that to him for a while, he started leaving notes too. The grudge between them had disappearedpletely. What was left was the lingering warmth of love. Bianca carefully ced the note in a sandalwood box and went to the bathroom to wash up. She looked at the mirror after she washed her face. She used to look haggard and pale, but now color had returned to her face. The love bites on her neck were a trademark of Luke''s love for her. Bianca could not help but touch herself in the mirror. She felt happy and content. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. She remembered someone said, "When a man loves a woman, she will be beautiful." After breakfast, Bianca went to her newpany. Now that she had her own business, she could not afford to bezy. Meanwhile, Sue felt rather awkward when she faced Nina because of what she overheard the night before. She soon managed to regain herposure and treat Nina normally. Nina had always been extroverted. She did not notice anything different about Sue. After they had breakfast, Sue and Nina hurriedly went to T Corporation for work. Nina did not give up on her career even after her sugar daddy pampered her with riches. She was not as capable as the elites in T Corporation, but being upied with work gave her fewer opportunities to overthink. When Nina arrived at her cubicle, she received an order from Mavis." Transfer!" Mavis''s assistant had passed her the order to transfer. Nina was confused when she saw the letter of transfer that Mavis''s assistant brought her. She narrowed her gaze. "Does Ms. Laviere want to transfer me to another department? What''s the reason for that?" Her eyes opened wide in disbelief when she read the letter carefully and saw that she was to be transferred to a remote branch in the northwestern region of the country. She had always been devoted to her tasks. Even though she was not good enough to be promoted, her performance was considered passable. That should not have earned her a transfer to a remote corner of the country! "Don''t be too surprised, Ms. Langdon.¡± Mavis''s assistant remained impassive. Snowdon District might be a little far from where you are now, but your sry and allowances will be doubled. Your rank in the company will be higher too." Nina''s eyes opened wider. "That might be true, but shouldn''t higher management ask me if I want the transfer in the first ce? As far as I know, T Corporation always tried to locate employees closest to their hometowns, and they would ask for the employees'' consent before transferring. Why was I not consulted before the decision was made?" Doubling one''s sry and being promoted might be a good thing to other people, but Nina was not ambitious. All she wanted was to maintain her position. She did not want to transfer to that remote region. There were no friends or rtives there, and she would not be used to the environment. "Doesn''t matter what you say; this is Ms. Laviere''s orders. If you don''t wish to be transferred to Snowdon District, you can negotiate with Ms. Laviere. I''m only here to deliver the letter to you," the assistant said impassively. Then, she walked away. Somehow, all of Ms. Laviere''s assistants had that cold and distant personality. Nina did not know if they were born that way or if they were affected by their superior. Nina frowned as she looked at the letter of transfer in her hand. She did not wish to be relocated to that remote ce. She might not be on speaking terms with her mother, but she had an amicable rtionship with her father. Unfortunately, her father''s health was failing, though she could visit him rtively frequently from A City. If she moved to Snowdon District, she might only be able to return home once or twice every year. Her brother was still in prison. If she moved far away, her father would be very sad. She considered her options for a while before deciding to go to Mavis''s office. There might be a chance that Mavis might rescind that decision. Nina saw that the door to Mavis''s office was ajar. She reached out to knock on the door, but her foot slipped, and she barged in through the door! At that moment, the usually cold and aloof Mavis Laviere was staring obsessively at a photo and kissing it, as though the photo was a priceless treasure. It was quite an uncanny sight. Mavis was shocked when she saw Nina suddenly appear in her office. The photo slipped from her fingers, floated away, andnded about five feet away from Nina. Nina nced at the photo out of curiosity. She was shocked to find the man in the photo was... Their CEO. Mavis quickly picked up the photo. Her face was ashen. Her subordinate had discovered her deepest, darkest secret. How she wished that she could gouge Nina''s eyes! Chapter 773 Chapter 773 Leia Slit Her Wrist Mavis narrowed her eyes and red at Nina. Her well-manicured hands rapped her desk. "What did you see?" Mavis''s tone was unlike her usual coldness. It was stern and close to savage, which made Nina shudder uncontrobly. She tried to maintain herposure and tried her best to speak calmly. "I didn''t see anything, Ms. Laviere. Right, I''m here to ask you about my transfer. I''d like to remain in A City and not transfer to Snowdon District because my father has ill health, and it''ll be easier for me to take care of him if I remain here. Can you reconsider your decision?" Mavis leaned back on her chair elegantly, rested her chin on her hand, and chuckled coldly. "The company has arranged the transfer, and it''s not good if you want to change it. Also, Ms. Langdon, if every employee starts giving excuses like you, would thepany prosper? It''s natural that every employee wants to stay in the big city. Who would be the ones to explore thepany''s frontiers then? I respect my employees, but you should respect the decisions made by higher management." Mavis sounded as though she was prioritizing the benefits of thepany. There was a hint of cold viciousness in her eyes. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Nina felt a little dejected. "Is there no room for negotiation, Ms. Laviere?" Ever since Bianca left T Corporation, Mavis had singled out Nina as her bullying target because she knew that Nina and Bianca were good friends. Not only did she assign more work to Ninapared to other colleagues, but she also blocked any chances of Nina getting promoted. Nina knew that Mavis had never liked her and wanted to transfer her away, but she did not expect Mavis to send her to the remote northwest region hundreds of miles away. She could not ept that. "Of course, if you insist on staying, you can always try to plead to Bianca. I know that you''re good friends with her," Mavis said mockingly, "I know she takes good care of you, and she''ll beg Mr. Crawford on your behalf, maybe in bed. You''ll get to stay in thepany that way." Nina could feel the blood rushing into her head. "What are you saying, Ms. Laviere? I might be good friends with Bianca, but I know how to keep my personal and professional life separate. If thepany insists on transferring me to Snowdon District and no one else fits the job, then I''ll have to respect the company''s decision. I won''t bother you anymore." She turned around and strode out of the office without giving Mavis another look. As she turned around, her gaze turned from helplessness to contempt. If their CEO was still single, Mavis had all the right to win his affection. However, Mr. Crawford was currently in a blissful marriage with children. Nina could not look up to someone with that character! In the worst-case scenario, she would resign from T Corporation and join Bianca''spany. As Mavis watched Nina leave, her repressed annoyance red up again. Mavis had disliked Nina because of her rtionship with Bianca. Now that Nina had discovered her little secret, she would not allow Nina to stay in thepany. After staying in the drug rehab center for almost two months, Jack and Queenie finally removed Leia from that hellish ce. It was not because she was clean, but rather because she tried to kill herself... Leia broke a vase and cut her left wrist deeply. The flesh was exposed, and the bone could be seen. If the nurse had not found her in time and sent her to the hospital, she might have already died. Queenie cried miserably in the hospital ward. She could not understand why her daughter would do something stupid. Leia leaned onto her mother''s chest, feeling her mother''s warmth and listening to her cry. However, her heart was not warmed at all. She thought that Queenie was faking it. Before they left her at the drug rehab center, Queenie was crying and hugging her the same way, saying that they would pick her up when she became clean in two days and that they would love her just like before. However, she attributed all her suffering to her adoptive parents. Did she hate them? She had to admit that she resented her adoptive mother, but she knew that Queenie genuinely loved her before Bianca came into the picture. Queenie would give her the best in everything. Queenie did not skimp on Leia''s food, clothes, and essories, and she hired the best tutors for her daughter. When Leia grew up and wanted to enter the entertainment industry, Queenie was the only one who stood behind her decision and allowed her to be an actress. Queenie was the one who had transformed her from a lowly and unwanted orphan to the morous and enviable Ms. Norman. However, all that changed after Bianca returned. Bianca was the birth daughter of Jack and Queenie Norman. They felt guilty that they had neglected Bianca for so many years, and they shifted their care and affection from Leia to her. In a short time, Bianca had reced Leia¡¯s position in the family. Despite living in the Norman household for more than a decade, Leia became a much inferior daughter compared to Bianca. Leia made no sound as shey on Queenie''sp and listened to her cry sorrowfully. However, her tears did not stop flowing. Queenie noticed that something was amiss. She held her daughter''s hand and touched her face. "Why did you do something stupid, my child? Please don''t do that again. My heart can''t take it." Leia narrowed her gaze and pretended that she was out of breath from crying. "I don''t want to stay in the drug rehab center anymore, Mom. I''m scared of the dark, and I always feel that there''s a ghost that''s haunting me every night. Everyone there bullies me, but none of you believe me. You always think that I''m lying..." "I can''t take it anymore. I''m afraid that I''ll go crazy if I stay there for another second. I miss you and Dad, but you rarelye and visit me. Don''t you know how agonizing it is to think that no one loves me? I was an orphan, and if you and Dad abandon me, I might as well die!" After Leia said that, Queenie hugged her tightly and burst into tears. That was the scene that Bianca witnessed when she arrived at the hospital ward... Chapter 774 Chapter 774 How the Tables Have Turned Seeing Leia''s tear-stained face as she sobbed broken-heartedly in Queenie''s arms, Bianca could only find it very funny. She nced at the blood-speckled bandages on Leia''s wrist and rolled her eyes. She did not expect that Leia would hurt herself to get out of the drug rehab center. She remembered that Leia was afraid of pain. Leia would not even dare to get an injection, but she somehow found the courage to cut herself. Bianca had underestimated her. Biancaposed herself and wiped her eyes with her shirt sleeve. She pretended to be sad as she sat down in front of Leia and Queenie. "Mom, is Leia okay? I heard that she tried to slit her wrist. How could she be so silly?" She asked softly. Leia''s body trembled when she heard Bianca''s voice. Fires of resentment burned in her eyes. It took her a long time to control her emotions. She lifted her head and looked at Bianca pitifully. "Elder Sister..." Queenie noticed that Bianca was in the ward. She let go of Leia, looked at her elder daughter, and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Your younger sister is fine. The doctor said that her wound is very deep. If she was sent to the hospital slightlyter, she might have lost her life... Sigh, my poor child!" Bianca nced at Leia when she heard her call "Elder Sister." Did that woman change her strategy to evoke pity? She had rarely called her "Elder Sister." Bianca was not going to call Leia out. She reached out and held Leia''s other hand andforted her. "You shouldn''t have tried to kill yourself, Leia. You only live once, and you shouldn''t waste it just like that. Don''t you know that Dad and Mom have been fretting while you were away in rehab? Dad has been chain-smoking even though he was never a smoker, and Mom cries every day. Please don''t let them down anymore, and stay away from drugs. It''ll ruin your life." Queenie cried even harder after she heard Bianca say that, while Leia wasughing up her sleeve. ''Look at how sincere she''s trying to be. Is there a need to mention my drug habit in front of Mom again and again? That''s just pouring salt on her wound! ''Furthermore, if my adoptive parents really care about me, would they allow me to be bullied in the rehab center and not believe what I tell them?'' However, Leia knew that she had toy low for a while. She would not want to be sent back to the drug rehab center again. "Thank you for your advice, Elder Sister. This was all my fault," she said superficially, "I won''t touch drugs ever again, Mom, and I shouldn''t disobey you and Dad. I swear I''ll be a better person... I don''t hope for your forgiveness, but I hope that you''ll allow me to remain in the Norman household so that I can continue to serve you and Dad..." Leia knew what Queenie''s weak points were. She did not believe that her adoptive mother would disown her. After all, she had been Queenie''s daughter for over a decade. As expected, Queenie''s tear-streaked face trembled agitatedly as she hugged Leia tightly. "You are our daughter, Leia. We might not be rted by blood, but I''ve always treated you as my birth daughter. What do you mean, allowing you to remain in the household? Why would I drive you out?" Leia looked at Bianca timidly. "Elder Sister, would you... would you ept me in the family?" Bianca furrowed her brows. She did not believe that Leia would change her personality for the better in only two months. She would be genuinely happy for Leia if Leia would repent and not cause any more trouble. However, if she would do anything detrimental to her parents or the Norman household, Bianca would not forgive her. Bianca smiled and said to Leia, "We''re a family, aren''t we? We would always wee you with open arms as long as you learn from your mistakes." Queenie was relieved when she heard that. She knew that her elder daughter was not a petty person and would not hold grudges against her younger daughter for her mistakes. She tousled Leia''s hair and said, "Your elder sister has always missed you, Leia. Why would she not wee you? Let''s go home after you''re discharged from the hospital..." Bianca also went up and held Leia''s hands eagerly. Don''t overthink it, Leia. Stay in the hospital while you recover. I''lle and visit you often. Remember this, Leia, people will forgive you if you make a mistake, but if you do it too often, not even Dad and Mom can save you..." Bianca thought that she was at least as good an actress as Leia. To Queenie, Bianca was a magnanimous, sensible, and kind elder sister to Leia. She would do her best to y that role. She was kind, but she was not stupid. Leia was an ingrate, and Bianca did not know when Leia would harm them. That was why she put on an act whenever she interacted with her younger sister. Leia could tell that Bianca was acting. She hated the fact that Bianca''s acting skills were improving by the day. Even their mother believed that Bianca genuinely cared for her. She could hear the implications of Bianca''s words: She sounded like she was caring, but she would not hesitate to drive Leia out of the household if she went out of line. Leia was angry, but she had nowhere to release her anger. "Thank you for your advice, Elder Sister. I had been naive, and I''ve learned my lesson. I won''t do anything silly again." "Mm. Remember what you said today." Bianca felt cathartic when she saw the usually arrogant Leia be so docile. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. In the past, Leia had been the bully because of her status as Jack and Queenie Norman''s daughter. She had even tried to snatch Luke from Bianca. Now that the tables had turned on her, was it karma? Leia gritted her teeth when she saw how smug Bianca was. She clenched onto the hem of her sleeve so tightly that she almost tore it off, but she had to put on a guilty and regretful expression. She had already put on the act for so long, and she was not going to break character that easily. Queenie did not know the hidden barbs in her daughters'' conversation. She was happy that the two had made up to each other... Chapter 775 Chapter 775 Those Heavy Footsteps Outside As night fell, Luke drove back to Crawford Manor. When he stepped into the living room, he saw his mother and Maxine sitting on the couch, chatting and laughing. There was a hint of displeasure in Luke''s eyes, but he did not say anything. Instead, he quickly stepped around them and headed toward the stairs. Old Master Crawford noticed his grandson and stopped him from leaving." Why are you back so early today, Luke?" N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Luke stopped walking and nodded toward his grandfather. "I''m here to pick up a few things, and I''ll be leaving soon." "Mother," he greeted Allison coldly. He did not even look at Maxine sitting next to his mother. Allison was disgruntled when her son barely noticed her, but she was angry when he totally ignored Maxine. Maxine''s face shed with awkwardness, but she did not say anything. The caretaker came into the living room and told Old Master Crawford," Dinner is ready, Sir." Allison immediately said, "It''s rare that youe back, my son. How about you stay and have dinner with your grandfather? There''s salmon today. It''s your favorite. There''s also..." "The one who likes salmon is Bianca, Mother," Luke retorted without hesitation. "She''s not here because she''s busy today. We''ll have dinner together when I bring her back home." Allison was at a loss against her son''s retort. Her expression changed from frustration, to anger, then to helplessness. "You..." Her son had beenpletely bewitched by that seductress. His rtionship with his mother had be distant ever since he married Bianca, and they were barely on speaking terms. She did not understand why her son would be so silly. Allison held Maxine''s hand and red at Luke. "Luke, why was Maxine''s internship application rejected? Is it because of Bianca Rayne? Maxine is your cousin. It won''t be too troublesome for her to do her internship at T Corporation, right? Maxine is talented and capable. It''ll be an honor for T Corporation to have her..." Maxine bit her lip, and her tender face blushed. "Don''t say that, Aunt Allison. It''s my fault that I''m not good enough for T Corporation, or maybe I''m unlucky. I should work harder..." She was a graduate of a renowned university, and she was an overseas exchange student for two years. She was at the top of her cohort when it came to academic or other achievements, but she could not score an internship at T Corporation. Her life had always been smooth-sailing. It was the first time that she was turned down, and that made her somewhat resentful. "T Corporation has its own internal standards. Even Louis had to pass several tests, interviews, and evaluations before he got a job there. Every T Corporation employee enters thepany with their capabilities. Anyone who tries to use their rtions will be eliminated." Allison stood up abruptly and started scolding Luke while pointing at his nose. "I''m your mother! What''s the big deal if I ask you to put one person in? Moreover, Maxine is truly capable. Why do you have to make it so hard for her? You''re a stubborn one. Tell me, is it because that seductress Bianca doesn''t want Maxine to be in thepany? Does she have anything to do with this?" Luke frowned disgustedly at his mother''s unreasonable usations. "This has nothing to do with Bianca. Also, I remember telling you that I don''t wish to hear you insulting my wife. Have you forgotten about my warning, Madam Allison Tanner?" 1 Allison clutched her chest which was starting to hurt. "You... you ingrate... how dare you address me by my name, just because of that woman?" Luke stepped around his mother and went up to the second floor. Maxine watched Luke as he left the scene, and an inexplicable expression shed in her eyes. She realized that her cousin loved his wife so much that he did not mind going against his mother. He was a stubborn and untamed one, but it did not mean that he would get to act like that forever. One day, he would need to rely on his familial connections in the capital, and Maxine hoped that he would not regret rejecting her application by then. Bianca''s newpany was operational. It was called Brilliant Architectural Design LLC. The only people in thepany were her and Nina. Sue would asionallye and help. Bianca became very busy. She had to juggle multiple roles in thepany, such as receptionist, purchaser, designer, salesperson, ountant, and many others. Nina was the same as well, and the two people had a neverending list of tasks every day. Before herpany was operational, Bianca had a lot of free time at home. Ever since thepany started to ept clients, working overtime had be amon urrence. Even though it was tough, Bianca thought that the time spent in herpany was productive. She thought that all the hard work was worth it when she saw herpany grow. Tonight, Bianca worked overtime again. She was the only person inside the big office. Nina had gone home to rest because she had a stomach ache. Bianca did not allow her to work overtime. She sat in front of her desk. The re from herputer monitor illuminated her delicate face. Her keyboard cked. asionally, she would draw or sketch something. At close to eleven o''clock, Bianca finished her final design for the day. She took a sip of coffee while reviewing her design. Then, she went to the printer and waited for the printout of her design. She studied the design and imagined how thepleted building would look. As a newpany, Bianca wanted to show her clients the best they could do so that they would be repeat customers. She put meticulous effort into every single detail so that her clients would be satisfied. While Bianca studied the design, she suddenly heard heavy footsteps from the corridor outside. There was also the faint sound of a baby crying. That unnerving sound echoed throughout the otherwise vacant office. She felt a chill course down her spine, and her body began to tremble... The entire space was shrouded in an eerie atmosphere. A gust of cold wind came in from the open window. Bianca could feel goosebumps rise on her skin. She was not in the mood to work anymore, and she hurriedly packed up her designs. The footsteps became closer, and the tightly shut door suddenly opened wide with a creak... Chapter 776 Chapter 776 Bianca Fell Sick Bianca¡¯s heart was beating wildly. She had the urge to run out of the door. Her anxiety reached a maximum as she saw the office door that opened suddenly. Many scenes from horror movies shed past her mind. A lot of ghost stories happened in offices around midnight. Was she going to encounter one in real life? Bianca began to regret not leaving the office sooner. Why must she stay in the office alone to work overtime? The footsteps got closer and closer, and she trembled more and more violently... A handsome and graceful figure appeared in front of her. The man was dressed in a light-colored suit that made him look like a model. The sculpted features and profound gaze made him look like a marquis in an oil painting. That person was none other than Luke Crawford. Bianca heaved a sigh of relief. She opened her eyes wide in surprise. "Why did youe here?" She knew that Luke was a workaholic. Most of the time, he would get off workter than her. Why did he have the time to visit her in herpany? The man walked in front of Bianca and briefly surveyed the office. Then, his gaze fell on that charming and petite face. "The furnishings are not bad, and the environment is quite beautiful. Why are you still at work, and why didn''t you answer my calls?" Bianca took her phone from her desk. There were more than ten missed calls. seemed like she was still recovering from the shock, but she also looked like she was feeling unwell. Luke was slightly rmed. "Are you feeling unwell? Do you have a fever?" His palm touched Bianca''s forehead to check her body temperature. "No, no, I feel fine." Bianca shook her head to ay Luke''s worries, but unexpectedly, she felt a little dizzy. Luke furrowed his brows. "You should take it easy. Rest if you feel unwell. You''re not a superhero, so why do you work so hard?" Bianca felt her stomach churning and her head spinning, but she gritted her teeth and said, "rm fine, really. I want to finish my tasks for today as soon as possible so that I can get off work." Luke''s expression sank. "Even so, you should take care of your health. Do you have a body thermometer? Let me check your temperature." "I''m really fine, Luke," Bianca insisted, "You don''t have to fret over me." "Stop working and go home with me now. You''ll wreck yourself if you don''t take it easy." "I''ve promised the client that I''ll hand him the final proposal tomorrow, so I¡¯ll have to finish it today. This is my promise to the client, and it concerns the reputation of mypany.¡± Bianca sounded quite agitated. Her face was slightly blushing because of her emotions. Luke''s heart wrenched when he saw how stubborn Bianca was. "I know you want to grow your own business, but you shouldn''t gamble on your health. It doesn''t matter if thepany loses money. I''m here for you... "I''m here for you." That was the promise a man would give when his love was genuine. Bianca had seen a movie where the male lead character used that line on the female lead. The female lead seemed unperturbed, but when she turned around, she could not hold back her emotions and started crying. That scene had touched many people, including Bianca. She felt that truly romantic lines were not meticulously drafted and sculpted. The most genuine lines were blurted instinctively in the most intimate moments. She would like a romance like that, but she also wanted her business to grow. She did not want to rely on men; she wanted to be a queen. Bianca shook her head. "I want to be self-reliant and be as capable as you, not sheltered and protected..." Luke knew that his wife was a sensible person, but she was also stubborn. He sighed helplessly. He grabbed Bianca''s arms and started walking out. "We''ll get off work now. Zander or I will pick you up from your office every day..." 1 Bianca was already feeling weak. When Luke dragged her, she felt even dizzier. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Her knee struck her chair, and she fell limply toward the floor. She yelped in surprise. Suddenly, she felt her waist tighten, and she fell into Luke''s embrace. Luke was shocked. He could tell that Bianca was not looking well, but he did not expect that her body was so weak. She used to be healthy, and she rarely caught a cold. What was going on? "What happened to you, Bianca? I''ll bring you to the hospital now," he said grimly. Bianca felt her consciousness fading away. She tried to focus her gaze on Luke, but there seemed to be two of him." I¡¯m... a little dizzy. I might have a fever. I should be fine after taking some aspirin. There''s some in my drawer..." Luke picked up Bianca off her feet. "You''re already sick, d*mn it. Why are you still so stubborn? If I hadn''te here to pick you up, you might have fainted here without anyone knowing." Bianca did not answer. She felt extremely ufortable. She closed her eyes and took in shallow breaths. Her head was spinning. She did not feel anything when she was focused on her work. Now that he came and her mind rxed, she suddenly felt lethargic. Luke''s expression was gloomy as he carried Bianca into the elevator. The worry on his face was palpable. Bianca struggled to breathe in the cramped elevator. Her chest felt stuff, and her head felt as though it was going to explode. It was hot, painful, and ufortable. She tried to remain conscious, not willing to show her weak side to Luke. The elevator stopped on the first floor. Luke''s car was in the basement parking lot. He put Bianca down in the lobby and told her, "Wait for me here, Bea. I''ll bring the car here." Bianca did not say anything. She nodded groggily. Luke quickly ran toward the basement parking lot and drove the car out. When Luke returned to where he left Bianca, he was shocked to see that there was no one in the dimly lit space... Chapter 777 Chapter 777 An ident At T Corporation Despite the chilly weather in the night, Luke broke out in a cold sweat when he could not see Bianca. He parked the car by the roadside, and his sharp gaze pierced every dark corner. He thought of many horrifying possibilities. Could someone have abducted her? After all, Wayne tt had not been brought to justice. That man would do anything, now that he was forced into a dead end! Luke hurriedly took out his phone and began to dial her number. He did not want Bianca to follow him to the basement parking lot because the ce was not well- ventted. He did not expect her to disappear after leaving her alone for a short while... Luke had just dialed her number when he noticed a frail figure appear at the entrance of the office building. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. It was Bianca. Luke dashed up to Bianca and hugged her tightly. "Where were you? Why didn''t you wait for me?" He roared. He hugged her so tightly as though he wanted to fuse her body with his. Bianca could feel that Luke''s body was shaking. She smiled weakly at him. "I went to the washroom. Sorry to make you worry." Luke breathed a sigh of relief. He carried Bianca to the side passenger seat. "I was so worried, silly girl. I''ll bring you home right away. I gave a call to Johann earlier. He should arrive at the same time as us." As the Crawfords'' family doctor, Johann thought that he had given the best years of his life to them. Not only did he have to be constantly alert when Old Master Crawford summoned him, but he would also have to entertain Luke''s calls at any hour of the day. Luke had dragged him out of bed in the middle of the night using persuasion and threats, as though he was Luke''s servant. Johann was angry, but he had nowhere to release his anger. The patient was Mrs. Crawford. He dared not go against Luke''s orders because he knew how grave the consequences would be. In the mansion, Johann gently removed the thermometer from her body as he looked at her red face. 103.8 degrees. No wonder she looked so sick. Luke stood there, towering over Johann like the reaper. His overbearing demeanor gave the talented doctor even more pressure than open-heart surgery. Johann was secretly wailing. ''It''s only the flu, Bro. She won''t die from that. Can''t you ease up a little?'' Johann gave Bianca an injection and prescribed some medicine. "Sis got the flu. Her immune system is weak, so she''ll need some medication to fix that. I''ve already given her a shot. Take the medicine every day, and I can guarantee that your wife will be healthy again." To be frank, Johann could not understand why Luke was obsessed with Bianca. She was not particrly beautiful, especially when Luke was used to seeing women who were a lot prettier than Bianca. Even Johann found Bianca rather unremarkable. Of course, he would not describe Bianca as unremarkable. The woman might seem frail and delicate, but she was strong and determined. The mere sight of her gave him an inexplicable sense of peace. She was like the sole bloom in an untended garden. Standing strong but at the same time evoking feelings of tenderness and pity. The tip of the syringe pierced into Bianca''s vein. Johann''s medical skills might be top-notch, but Bianca had a low pain tolerance. She felt the prick and slowly regained consciousness. Luke furrowed his brows and tenderly held Bianca''s arm. Then, he red at Johann. "Can''t you be gentler?" Johann was speechless. Tm already as gentle as I could get, Bro! Any gentler, and the needle won''t go in!'' Bianca''s gaze was warm and serene, in stark contrast to Luke''s icy demeanor. She was like a fluffy cat. "Dr. Johann..." "Yes, Sis." Johann smiled at Bianca. "Your husband called me over to treat you because you''ve fallen sick. Don''t worry, it''s nothing serious. You''ll be fine after taking some medicine." Bianca smiled gently, even though her face was pale. She nodded appreciatively at Johann. "Sorry to trouble you sote in the night. Thank you." "It''s my duty." Johann smiled warmly at her. Johann gave Luke a few pointers on how to take care of a flu patient, then he spoke to Bianca, "You should rest, Sis. Don''t overwork yourself for the next few days. It''s best if you can rest at home. I''ll be leaving, Bro. Call me if you need anything." Johann stretched and yawned, waved at them, then walked out of the bedroom. Before he left, he turned back and shot a nce at the couple. Linder the soft light, Bianca''s brows were tightly furrowed, perhaps because the fever was causing her great difort. Mr. Crawford, publicly known for being ruthless and cold-blooded, was currently gently massaging Bianca''s temples while whispering something into her ear. The care and love he showed toward his wife made Johann wonder if he was the Cold-Faced Devil. ''No matter how cold-blooded a man might be, they would show some warmth to the woman they love,'' Johann thought. When he thought about how he could only look from afar at the woman he loved, he felt frustrated and annoyed. 1 Love was like a poison that would affect one''s blood and rot one''s brain. He would not want to experience that agony once more. He hoped that he would not have to fall in love again. The next day, Bianca was slightly more energetic, but she remained sick. She wanted to go to work, but Luke did not agree. He even threatened that he would forcefully acquire herpany if she insisted. Bianca knew that Luke could absolutely do that. She had to relent even though she was unwilling. She handed the work in thepany to Nina, apologized to her, and rested at home for a day. After all, she was still young, and she would recover quickly. She would soon be back in the office. Also, with the Inte, she could work from home. Bianca felt slightly more relieved when she thought of that. While Bianca was in a discussion with Nina, she noticed a pop-up notification on herptop screen. The news headline was utterly shocking: The Galleria, a shopping mall under T Corporation management, had copsed suddenly, burying several hundred people alive! Chapter 778 Chapter 778 Rainie Is Missing The moment Bianca saw the notification, she immediately clicked on it. Her mood instantly came crashing down when she read the contents of it! The Galleria was regarded as one of the most well-known department stores owned by T Corporation. They had more than 400 stores, and because of their excellent locations and high-end interior, they had tens of thousands of customers every day. The annual turnover exceeded 100 million dors. How did it suddenly copse? The media had eyes everywhere. With such a major ident involving the Galleria, even if T Corporation immediately dispatched their public rtions team to deal with the issue, it was impossible to suppress this news. Bianca froze. She called Luke and wanted to ask about the situation, but no one picked up the call. She assumed that he was in an emergency meeting with the management team. One thing that frightened her the most was that there was an unread message on her phone from Rainie. Rainie had texted her: [Mama, tomorrow is Teacher''s Day. I''m going to The Galleria near our school with a few of my friends to buy two bouquets of carnations for our teachers. I know your favorite is roses. I''ll bring you a bouquet when Ie home. Wait for me, love you!] Bianca would set her phone to silent mode whenever she was at work, so she did not see the message sent by her daughter in time. However, after she saw Rainie''s message, she broke into a cold sweat. Rainie studied at the A City Key Experimental Primary School. The nearest mall there was The Galleria. Could Rainie be buried in it too? Bianca was extremely anxious. She dialed Rainie''s phone, but it went unanswered no matter how many times she tried. It was driving her crazy! She could no longer sit still at home and immediately rushed out the door. She had to go to see the copsed site of The Galleria! The Galleria. The scene was a mess, and the busy area was cordoned off. The Galleria, which was regarded as a landmark by the citizens of A City, had turned into rubble. The once toweringmercial buildings had turned into hell. Many people were still buried in it, crushed under the rubble. Countless fire trucks, ambnces, and soldiers were rushing in and out of the site. A few kind and helpful citizens were doing their best to help as well. i Large excavators were useless because there were many lives buried underneath. The only option was to dig by hand. Many rescuers'' hands were dripping with blood, but no oneined. An air of death permeated the scene. Some of those who got rescued lost signs of life and turned into corpses with broken limbs. They were carried out in a stretcher, covered with a white cloth. Others were lucky to stay alive but were seriously injured with at least one of their limbs missing. Blood, gravel, groans, and crying were intertwined. Infinite dread was looming. Bianca covered her mouth in disbelief as she started tearing. Two days ago, she and Nina hade here to buy office supplies. Now, this ce has be hell on earth! Just as she was about to rush into the scene, a soldier who wasmanding the scene stopped her in time. The man was wearing a military uniform with two bars and three stars. His face was well-defined, his eyes were sharp, and he looked like the perfect sculpture. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. At first nce, his heroic appearance was unforgettable. He walked straight to Bianca, his tall figure enveloping her petite body. He appeared oppressive and strong. Bianca thought that he looked familiar but could not recall where she had met him. She was stunned when the man saluted her. He stared at her delicate and pale face with his falcon-like sharp eyes, saying coldly, "Madam, it¡¯s a crucial time for the rescue team and we won''t allow any form of distractions. We''ll try our best to rescue all of those injured and ensure the safety of innocent citizens. Please keep a safe distance!" She felt his strong presence and looked up at him. The young and handsome officer had a stony face as he presented himself as someone not to be messed with. However, when she thought about how Rainie might be buried in the piles of ruins, Bianca started to freak out. Bianca stubbornly rushed into the scene, looking around the ruins while shouting Rainie¡¯s name, ''Rainie... Rainie... Where are you? If you hear me, please answer me..." In the ruins that stretched for thousands of square feet, Bianca was looking for her daughter while avoiding the soldiers¡¯ attempts to shoo her out. She started digging with her hands alongside the other rescuers. She had broken out into a cold sweat. Her fingernails were broken and bloody because of the digging, but she did not feel the slightest pain. On the contrary, her state of panic made her almost numb. She was still recovering from her cold, so when the cold wind blew on her, she could not help but shiver uncontrobly. The officer rushed up to her and wanted to take Bianca away from the scene. "Madam, calm down. The scene is not safe. There are many hidden dangers. Please leave immediately! We will look for your daughter, you¡¯re not helping by being here..." Bianca uncontrobly burst into tears and tried to shake off his grip while shouting, "No, I must find my daughter! She told me that Teacher''s Day ising soon and she wasing here with her friends to buy flowers. She even told me that she would bring home a bouquet of roses for me... Rainie is only eight years old. She''s so young and well-behaved. How can I leave her alone? She''s my everything..." The officer was surprised that the young woman in front of him, who looked like she was in her early 20s, would have an eight-year-old daughter. He knew that when pushed into a corner, people could do the unexpected. He knew that the woman would not give up if she did not find her daughter, so he sighed and let her be. He gave two soldiers next to him a look and motioned for them to look after her. The two soldiers nodded and looked at Bianca¡¯s pathetic appearance. They felt her desperation and despair. "Rainie... Do you hear my voice? My dear Rainie, where are you..." Everytime Bianca saw someone, she would ask if they had seen a beautiful little girl in a white dress with two pigtails. However, her efforts were fruitless as no one was able to provide her with any useful clues. Tears filled her eyes again and ran down her cheeks. In such gloomy weather, she looked especially miserable. ''God, why did you let this happen to Rainie? What sin did Imit?!'' Suddenly, there was a loud noise at the front. Someone from the crowd said, "Oh my God, a girl in a white dress and with pigtails was dug out just now. It looks like she''s only around seven to eight years old. Her brains have been smashed to pieces. Poor thing..." Bianca''s face instantly turned pale as a ghost. She very slowly moved toward the crowd mechanically... Chapter 779 Chapter 779 She Was Overwhelmed With Sadness Many people were crowded in front of the site of the ident, and everyone looked somber. Bianca pushed through the crowd and stared at the ruins of what was left of The Galleria. It was a sea of red under the rubble. The paramedics carried the little girl on the stretcher and ced her on the t ground. Blood was still flowing, staining the white cloth... Bianca could not see the girl''s face because she was covered with a white cloth, but the little girl seemed to have two pigtails... Judging from her figure, age, and hair, it seemed to fit Rainie''s description. Bianca covered her mouth and kept shaking her head desperately, forcing herself not to cry. ''No, nothing bad would''ve happened to Rainie!'' Rainie was so well-behaved and sensible. She would not leave her just like that! "Rainie, tell Mommy that it¡¯s not you, okay? You told me in the morning that you were going to bring home a bouquet of roses for me. I¡¯ll wait for you toe home... You also told me that you want to be a dancer and a painter when you grow up. You want to make a lot of money and travel around the world with me... Baby, your wish hasn''t been fulfilled, so how can you leave me? Rainie... Rainie...¡± Bianca was overwhelmed with sadness and muttered to herself like a madwoman. The people around her did notugh at her, but rather, they looked at her sympathetically. Everyone felt her pain and pitied this young mother who had lost her beloved daughter. "Poor thing, the child is gone at such a young age. That¡¯s terrible..." "What can we do when natural and man-made disasters like this happen? All we can do is me the ck-hearted developer for building such bad real estate!" Bianca was not paying any attention to what the people around her were saying. She rushed to the stretcher and looked at the girl who was covered with a white cloth. She wanted to unveil the cloth, but she could not muster the courage to do so. A kind-hearted citizen pitied her and gave her a gentle reminder, "Madam, it¡¯s best if you confirm whether it really is your daughter." Bianca stared at them fiercely and screamed hysterically, "No, impossible! This isn¡¯t my daughter, I don''t want to see her! Rainie said she''ll be home soon. Maybe she''s on the way right now. My daughter is very well-behaved and would call me as soon as something happened... She would help me clean up and take care of her little brother. She would give me a goodbye kiss before she went to school every day. She''s like an angel that brings joy to everyone around her. She won''t leave me!" 1 She cried as she talked, desperately trying to prepare herself. The young officer, Jim Holston, frowned slightly when he noticed that she was not in the right headspace. He saw that a hair bow on the little girl¡¯s pigtail had fallen. Jim understood that the loss of a beloved daughter would be a huge blow to a mother, and he knew that Bianca did not dare to see the child under the white cloth. Hence, he picked up the hair bow and gently ced it in Bianca''s hand." Madam, does this belong to your daughter?" Bianca looked at the pink bow and broke down. The pink bow looked ordinary, but it was iid with a tiny diamond. The diamond was in the shape of a heart. She had bought it for Rainiest time. Looking at the familiar hair bow, she could not help but fall to the ground. She covered her face and thought of Rainie''s sweet voice saying to her," Mommy, this pink bow is so beautiful! Can you braid my hair and clip it on?" "Of course, anything for my dear Rainie!" "Thank you, Mommy! You¡¯re the most beautiful and gentle mommy in the world!" Rainie''s childish and sweet voice reyed in Bianca''s mind. Bianca''s fingertips still had the scent of her daughter''s hair... However, she did not expect that in a blink of an eye, they would be separated from each other. She was unwilling to ept it! "Rainie, Rainie..." Bianca threw herself on the stretcher. She knelt on the rubble and debris, her knees bleeding from the impact. However, she did not feel the slightest pain. It was chaotic all around, and Bianca''s distressed appearance made many people tear up even more. Even a man like Jim, who had experienced countless life and death situations, empathized with her. "Madam, please give way. We''re going to take her away..." The paramedic wearing a mask wanted to pull Bianca up. Bianca''s eyes were red and swollen from crying. Her body was trembling. She tried her best to stand up, but it felt like she was weighed down by tens of thousands of kilograms. She could not move. She felt that she could not breathe properly, and her soul seemed to be crushed into pieces. When the rescuers were about to leave with the corpse, Bianca summoned her courage and gently lifted the white cloth with her hands... Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Under the white cloth was an adorable but pale and unfamiliar face. Her features were different from Rainie''s. It was not her daughter. Bianca was stunned but relieved that it was not Rainie. However, looking at the child''s face that showed no signs of life, her sadness did not go away. Rather, she was overwhelmed. Although it was not her daughter, this child also used to be alive. She was sorrowful and thought of how her parents would feel after they learned of such bad news... Suddenly, Bianca''s phone rang and she immediately answered as soon as she saw the caller ID. Her voice was stern and full of panic, "Rainie, is that you? Baby, tell me, where are you now?" Rainie was taken aback by her mother''s irritable tone. She stammered," Mommy... I... I was at Four Seasons Flower Shop with my ssmates... This flower shop is owned by a rtive of my ssmates. She offered us a 20% discount... so... So we came here instead... Don''t be angry, I didn''t mean to hide it from you..." Bianca withstood the tears in her eyes. She was overjoyed to learn that her daughter was alive, but her voice was still trembling as she uttered, "Rainie, in the future, no matter where you go, you must keep me posted, okay? I''m worried about you... Go back to school after you''re done buying flowers and wait for me to pick you up when school is over. Don''t run around, okay? Rainie answered obediently, "I understand, Mommy. Don''t worry, I¡¯ll listen to you." After she hung up the phone, Bianca waspletely relieved. Her daughter was fine and was not buried in the rubble. However, looking at the messy and terrible scene before her, as well as hearing the painful groans of the rescued victims, her heart fell again. Was this ident caused by an internal structure problem or was it a manmade problem? Luke should be busy. How would he deal with this crisis? Chapter 780 Chapter 780 Will You Be Arrested? Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Bianca hurriedly tied up her messy hair and hurriedly left the site, intending to rush to T Corporation. Her eyes were red and swollen, while her ck suit was stained with sand, mud, and debris. However, Bianca, who had always been obsessed with cleanliness, could not be bothered to clean herself up now. She was hoping to get a ride to T Corporation. The weather in September was unpredictable as it changed as it pleased. The sun was still shining a moment ago, but the wind suddenly turned violent and stormy clouds followed. The thunder rumbled, and torrential rain pattered against the windows. The rain fell ceaselessly, and the dark sky seemed like it was going to burst at any second. The wind carried the rain while the rain urged the wind like they were chasing one another in a competition. The city was covered by a misty curtain of rain. The weather was already terrible, and because of the ident at The Galleria, there was heavy traffic on the road. It made it extremely difficult for anyone to get a taxi. Bianca walked a long distance in the rain and waited for nearly an hour before she managed to hail an empty taxi. She hurriedly got into the car, her entire body soaking wet. The taxi driver was a chubby middle-aged man. He was tanned and chatty. The driver looked at Bianca''s messy appearance and then at the congestion on the road. He could not help but say, "Usually, it''s quite easy to get a taxi around here, but today, it''s raining heavily and the nearby The Galleria copsed... It¡¯s terrible! The Galleria has been in A City for as long as I can remember, how could something happen so suddenly? More than a hundred people have lost their lives in a blink of an eye. The ckhearted developer is the one to me! They must''ve cut corners and caused the building to copse. They should be fined until they go bankrupt! I hope that they have iting for them, so they know how it feels to lose their families!'' Bianca knew that the driver was only standing up for the victims, so she kept quiet. Her expression seemed indifferent, but her hands that were ced on her knees trembled uncontrobly. Even the palms of her hands were sweating. She pressed on her tightly knitted eyebrows, feeling very ufortable. If the copse of The Galleria was not handled properly, it would be a fatal blow to T Corporation! T Corporation. Despite the roaring thunder and violent storm outside, there was still a swarm of people surrounding T Corporation. Some of them were holding umbres to keep themselves dry, but some of the youths were standing directly under the rainstorm, allowing the rain to fall on their bodies. They were drenched and looked pitiful. The crowd was holding huge banners and filled with outrage! They were demanding justice from T Corporation! "T Corporation developed low-quality real estate! The Galleria copsed and hundreds of people died. We''re weeping and praying for the government to stand up for the people!" "They cut corners to save costs on construction works, making weak walls. Now, they''re pushing the responsibility. T Corporation, you''re unscrupulous! Get out of A City!" "We strongly resist T Corporation who tantly disregard human life. We must defend our rights tofort the souls of the dead!" Those big white banners had bright red fonts on them, reminding Bianca of blood. It made anyone who saw them ufortable. Those who were gathered for the protest included college students, elites in suits and leather shoes, old people with gray hair, and even unkempt vagrants... It was such a weirdbination of people. Although it seemed like they were seeking justice for the victims of The Galleria, Bianca inexplicably felt that something was weird with the scene even though she had just gotten out of the car. Something felt off. All the security guards of T Corporation had been dispatched, and countless police officers were maintaining order. All of a sudden, the police and the people were confronting each other. The conflict grew more and more intense. Among them were several people who reacted extremely. They threw rotten eggs and vegetables at the police and security guards. One of the men who led the protest held a big loudspeaker, shouting into it, "Look, everyone, T Corporation''s reckless behavior has led to the loss of beloved family members but the police are still protecting T Corporation! They''re birds of a feather, so will we avenge thepatriots who were sacrificed in this ident? "Comrades, have you forgotten the incident of the poor mother and son who died in the fire in the high- endmunity ''Greenview Regalia'' developed by T Corporation three years ago? We thought that after such a major ident, the executives of T Corporation would''ve learned their lesson and serve the people well. However, they''ve deceived us once again. We can no longer sit still! We have to fight forthose we''ve lost and get justice for them. Get them-¡± The stormy weather had everyone in a bad mood, and with the ident that had happened, many people were emotional. Through the instigation of the leaders, the masses, especially those who lost their rtives in the ident, rushed to T Corporation like a bull seeing red! The ss revolving door of T Corporation was almost smashed, and several high-level officials in charge of public rtions were injured by the crowd who went out of control. For a moment, the situation waspletely wild. Bianca was shocked. She was smart enough to know that it was not a good idea to rush into the crowd. If she did, her petite body would be taken down within seconds and it would be fruitless. Hence, she took a secret passage. This passage was set up to protect the privacy and safety of the senior management. Only the senior executives above the vice president level were qualified to know of its existence. The elevator in this passage led directly to the CEO¡¯s office. CEO''s office. As soon as Bianca opened the door, she saw Luke''s tall figure standing in front of the huge French windows. He was staring at the mayhem outside. His figure appeared exceptionally lonely, and at the same time, there was forbearance. Countless cigarette butts had been thrown to the floor behind him, and there was still a lit cigarette in his hand. Bianca empathized with him. She hugged him from behind and gently called out his name, "Luke..." Luke''s body stiffened slightly before he turned around, embracing her into his arms. Luke''s maic voice was extremely hoarse as he asked, "Why are you here?" Bianca clung to his body to warm herself up. "Of course, I have to be here for this. Why didn''t you tell me?" Luke sighed and answered, "You''re still sick. You don''t need to worry about this kind of thing, I''ll take care of it. Silly, why did youe here without bringing an umbre? What if your illness worsens?" In this high-stress situation, his priority was still her health- Bianca''s long eyshes trembled as she firmly gripped his sleeve. Tears quietly slipped out as she uttered, "I... I just went to the copsed site of The Galleria. It was a mess and the scene was tragic... Luke, was there a problem with the structure? If... If it is because of a problem on our end, will T Corporation face bankruptcy? Will... you be arrested?¡± Chapter 781 Chapter 781 She Had A Bad Feeling Bianca''s tears looked like beads of pearls that fell from the corner of Bianca''s eyes. Luke leaned over and gently kissed the teardrops at the corner of her eye as he said, "It''s okay, I¡¯ll take care of this. I''ve gone through so many I if e- and-death situations. This won¡¯t knock me down. The worst-case scenario is that I¡¯ll have to start over from scratch. If I be a pauper, you won''t look down on me, will you?" Bianca''s tears were salty and bitter. He knew that she was worried about him. His woman had always been strong, and her tears at that moment contained fragility, helplessness, and her concern for him. Bianca''s lips were trembling as she grabbed his arm fiercely, saying, "Luke, I¡¯m serious. How are you still in the mood to joke around?" Luke lowered his head and kissed her from the corner of her eye to her lips. "Silly, no matter how terrible the storms are, as long as you''re by my side, nothing else matters. Trust me." His sexy thin lips were like the warm sun in a clear sky. They were also warm and smooth as they gentlynded on her lips. He treated her so gently as though he considered her as his treasure. Bianca felt the warmth on his lips and his tight hug. She suddenly said with a red nose, "Luke, even if you be a pauper and even if you''re penniless, you¡¯ll still be my husband and the father of our children. I love you. No matter what happens, the kids and I will stay by your side..." Luke hugged her tightly as if he was afraid that she would suddenly disappear into thin air. He looked into her clear eyes. Although they had been together for many years, her eyes were still pure and wless just like theke in Crescent Bay. They were not stained by any impurities at all. He sighed inaudibly. He initially thought that his return would bring her a stable and peaceful life, but he did not expect that bad things would happen one after another. He had to deal with the mess. Otherwise, their lives would never be peaceful. Luke patted Bianca''s head and whispered to her, "Rest in here for a little. I''ll deal with the situation outside..." Before he finished speaking, Bianca''s body stiffened. She stroked his stubborn and handsome face, saying with tears in her eyes, "A lot of people are gathered outside. They say that they want to get justice for the victims and have many dangerous weapons in their hands... Luke, can you please not go out now? It''s dangerous outside..." She did not care if anyone thought that she was being selfish. She was a wife who was worried about her husband. Everyone had their weaknesses. She sympathized with the victims, but if the situation would endanger her beloved man, she would naturally choose to side with her man. Luke kissed her forehead again and rubbed her hair that was wet from the rainstorm. "Go to the bathroom to wash up or your cold will worsen. Don''t worry, I have you and our children to think of. I won¡¯t let anything happen to me..." He took Bianca to the floor-to-ceiling window where they looked at the antlike troublemakers below. He said with a cold face, "If I don''t make an appearance, everyone will think that I''m nothing but a coward who''s hiding after T Corporation was involved in a major ident. The situation will only be worse. Also, did you notice that several suspicious people are also gathered here just to make trouble? They''re likely to be involved in the copse of The Galleria... So, I have to go down..." Bianca recalled that when she arrived at the entrance of T Corporation, the few men who took the lead were deliberately provoking the anger of the masses. Their faces looked so ordinary that their faces were easily forgotten. However, when she gave it some thought, those men had been inciting the people''s emotions and making them hate T Corporation even more. It was indeed suspicious. Bianca put her arms around Luke''s neck. Although she was reluctant, when she thought of the seriousness of the situation, she said, "Then... Then you have to protect yourself." Luke rubbed her neck and answered, "I will." He turned around and wanted to leave, but Bianca gripped his sleeve tightly. "Luke, you have to be careful, promise me. Everyone downstairs is going crazy and they even smashed the ss door. I... I saw that several senior executives were seriously injured... I''m afraid..." Luke pinched her nose and said, "Yes, I¡¯ll be careful. You''re well aware of my capabilities. Others won''t be able to get close to me..." He nced at the situation below and it seemed like it was getting worse. He pulled her hand away, turned around, and strode out. The door of the CEO''s office was heavily shut. Bianca put her hand down. She was cold and tired. Her head felt dizzy, and there was an indescribable chill that enveloped her body. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. She had a bad feeling that something terrible was about to happen. 2 She could not help being flustered and wanted to go after him. Unexpectedly, as she tried to open the door of the CEO''s office, she found that the door was locked from the outside. No matter how hard she tried to open it, she could not! Sh*t! Bianca, who was always elegant and gentle, had the urge to curse for the first time. She looked for the keys in the CEO''s office but was unable to locate them. Bianca remembered that the secretary department had a spare key. She called the secretary department, and her voice was full of anxiety as she said, "Tina,e to the CEO¡¯s office immediately. I identally locked myself in. Can youe up and open the door for me?" However, Tina, who had always followed her orders, went against her this time and said, "Sorry, Ms. Rayne. Mr. Crawford just gave us an order to not allow you out of the CEO''s office. Otherwise, he''ll fire us immediately." Bianca was furious and shouted, "Tina, aren¡¯t you afraid that I''ll fire you?" Tina smiled and said calmly, "Sorry, Ms. Rayne. If you were still the CEO of T Corporation, I¡¯d execute your words as if it were a sacred decree. However, considering that Mr. Crawford is now the decision-maker, please take pity on us. We don¡¯t want to be unemployed..." After that, Tina ignored Bianca''s furious roar on the phone and hung up. Bianca dropped the phone irritably and strode to the floor-to-ceiling window. Her deep-set eyes stared at the scene outside. Her heart was as heavy as a stone. The heavy rain was still pouring. In a secret tomb in the outskirts of A City. "Boss, after the copse of The Galleria, all the media have rushed to report about it. Even if Luke has a God-like ability, he won¡¯t be able to reverse this situation. He¡¯s bound to be ruined this time!" In the depths of the tomb, a peculiar and cold voice sounded. The thin figure looked at another sturdy figure. The scene was extra creepy inside the dark tomb. Chapter 782 Chapter 782 Evil n Minimal light shone through the dark tomb. The only thing visible was the body of the tall and fierce figure that was seemingly shrouded in spots of light. It was rather peculiar. The man¡¯s voice was hoarse like a ghoul''s. "All of the evidence in The Galleria has been destroyed?" The thin but capable subordinate smiled slyly, answering, "Of course, Boss. We''ve been with you for so many years, don¡¯t you trust my capabilities? Before choosing to target The Galleria, I did my research and studied hundreds of internal structure diagrams of themercial buildings under T Corporation. None of them had any major problems, so it was not easy at first. However, during the investigation process, I found a w in The Galleria. The Galleria has a t structure, which has many advantages, but it''s extremely sensitive and the nning must be precise. The initial chief architect of The Galleria was Wesley Jacobson but he suffered a myocardial infarction and passed away halfway through construction. Later, the new chief architect who was appointed was Den Kennedy. Although he was talented, he was also prideful and loved taking credit. Soon after the foundation of The Galleria was grouted, he demanded a drastic change per his requirements. The design was modified. This caused the appearance of The Galleria to look more majestic and spectacr, but the internal structure was not very strong. So, this gave us an opportunity... We entered The Galleria pretending to be internal staff without anyone noticing and nted the explosive in the weakest base of the building. The explosive we used was thetest in the market. It¡¯s colorless and odorless. It evaporates soon after exploding, leaving no trace of evidence. When the explosive was triggered, the vtility led to the entire building copsing. Even if they conducted investigations, they would only think that the problem was with the internal structure of The Galleria. It¡¯ll be the chief designer, Den Kennedy, as well as the high- level executives of T Corporation who will be implicated. The authorities will never suspect that it had anything to do with us!" The man looked conceited and arrogant. He was proud of his job well done. However, when he nced at his ferocious boss in front of him, he was taken aback and his attitude turned cautious once more. "It took some time for me to recruit the people who are leading the protest, but rest assured, they''re tough and we have something against them. Boss, you don''t have to worry that they''ll turn against us." The ghostly shadow gave a faint hum as a response before saying in a chilly tone, "You''ve been working hard, Monkey. Don¡¯t worry. As long as you follow my orders obediently, I''ll be sure to treat you well. Your reward for this time will be double what it used to be. However, you still have to pay close attention to Luke Crawford''s every move. He''s very cunning. Maybe he''ll find a way out of this. I don''t want to see that happen! This time, it has to be the end of him!" "I understand, I''ll get to it right now!" It soon became quiet in the tomb. The only thing that was left at the tomb was the sound of wind blowing and a pair of terrifying eyes. When night fell, Leia watched the news on the TV which was reporting on the copse of The Galleria. A series of negative news had put the famous T Corporation at risk. The once prosperous area had be devastating. The bloody scenes of broken arms and legs, as well as the sorrowful wailing of the victims¡¯ families, filled the screens. Although it was censored, the cruel scene was still shocking to anyone watching the TV. Leia felt nothing as she looked at such a scene. She blew on the nails that she had just painted. She had a sneer on her face and felt that it was karma! Leia was gloating and felt faint joy. Bianca had taken away her status as the beloved eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Norman. She even snatched away her beloved man. Even so, Bianca did not have the luck to enjoy it. God¡¯s punishment had finallye! T Corporation would be in serious trouble after such a serious ident at The Galleria. Not only would Luke be punished and be ruined but he may even go to jail. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Leia thought of the terrible experience she encountered in the drug rehabilitation center. She refused to believe that Luke and Bianca had nothing to do with it. Before Bianca appeared, she had always pretended to be a nice person in front of everyone. In the eyes of others, she was an innocent female star who had never gotten into a scandal. However, the image that she had worked so hard to build was torn down after Bianca came into her life. Leia thought that Bianca was her mortal nemesis and the source of all her pain. Seeing her in misfortune, Leia felt overjoyed! Even if her adoptive parents were in positions of power, they would not be able to conceal the tragic ident that had happened. Not only was the news spread throughout the country by the local media, but even foreign media were rushing to report on it. If this was not handled properly, not only will T Corporation be attacked by public opinion, but even her adoptive parents were likely to be implicated. It waste at night, but Jack and Queenie had not returned yet. Leia was slightly upset knowing that they must be busy dealing with Bianca and Luke''s affair. However, Leia believed that even if her adoptive parents wanted to help, they would not be able to do anything. Thinking of this, she could not help but smile. It had been many days since she returned home from the drug rehabilitation center, yet this was the first time Leia felt so peaceful in her sleep. Just as Leia fell asleep, a shadow quietly approached the Norman residence. He found Leia''s bedroom easily. Leia had be extremely vignt as she was often attacked in the drug rehabilitation center, so her original bedroom door was reced with a state-of-the-art anti-theft door, which wasparable to that of a professional anti-theft door in a bank. However, the dark shadow was skillful and opened the door in a few tries. In Leia''s sleep, she was dreaming of a beautiful garden filled with flowers and birds. However, her sweet dreams came to an abrupt end. She felt the wind blowing at her, and her body felt like it was entangled by a thick python all of a sudden. The python licked her face, and the heavy body made her feel as though she could not breathe. Leia woke up from the shock and saw a man as strong as a mountain pressed on her body. Seeing the man''s rough but familiar face and the evil smile on the corners of his lips, Leia almost screamed! Wayne tt! How did this conscientious felon who was wanted all over the country appear in her bedroom? Chapter 783 Chapter 783 Isn''t He Only Slightly Injured? Leia could not help but break out in a cold sweat. Her door had been specially made. How did Wayne get in? Leia instinctively wanted to shout for help, but as soon as she opened her mouth, her lips were sealed tight by Wayne. Her cry for help became fragmented. The night light in her room emitted a faint green light in the dark, reflecting Wayne''s hideous face. It made Leia fear for her life. "You... What do you want from me?" Leia struggled desperately, but she was too weak. "I want... you! My boo, do you miss me?" Wayne was so strong that it seemed like he was crushing her chest and sucking all the oxygen from her mouth. His touch disgusted Leia. However, his skillful teasing gradually turned her on. Leia''s pajamas were torn into strips and thrown on the floor. Under the dim light, Leia''s tears slipped from her eyes. One could not tell whether it was from joy or humiliation. Ten intense minutester. Wayne cuddled Leia, feeling her smooth jade skin and taking in her faint feminine fragrance... He could not help but sigh. "It feels good to hold a woman! I spent so long in that dark ck hole and finally got my release!" Leia was frail, and after the intense affair, her whole body was shaking. However, seeing Wayne''s satisfied expression and thinking of how he was wanted by the whole country for his criminal offenses, she could not help but grow apprehensive. Shey on his chest, her delicate body on his pecs. She knew Wayne liked it when she did this. While massaging his shoulders, she cautiously asked, "Wayne, where have you been? Do you know that the entire A City is looking for you now? Are you okay?" Leia thought that if she could find out where Wayne was hiding, she would be able to secretly report his hiding ce. That way, as long as Wayne was brought to justice, she would be able to end his reign on her once and for all. Wayne stared at Leia coldly. He was well aware of her tricks. He squeezed her jaw tightly, and his cold voice sounded. "It seems that you¡¯ve forgotten how to be a good girl after not seeing me for a few days. Don''t try anything. You can''t bear the consequences! I''m telling you, no one in this world can catch me! Even in the worst-case scenario, I¡¯ll make sure you go down with me before I get caught! So, my baby, you have to remember where you stand. We¡¯re in the same boat, for better or for worse..." Leia was forced to raise her cheeks, her eyes meeting Wayne''s cold gaze. His killing intent made her shrink slightly as she uttered, "Yes, I... I know. Wayne, I¡¯ll never leak your whereabouts. After all, we¡¯re one. You can rest assured..." "That''s good to hear. I''ll stay here with you for the next few days, okay?" Leia was shocked, and her face turned pale in an instant. "Wayne... Wayne, it''s not good for you to stay here. After all, there are a lot of people whoe and go in this house, so someone might notice you. It¡¯s not worth the risk..." She would never dare to keep such a heinous viin in her home. Wayne was a wanted criminal. If her adoptive parents found out that she had taken in such a criminal, she would never hear the end of it. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Wayne closed his eyes and yawned nonchntly. "My Leia is so smart, so you¡¯ll find a way. You won''t let me down, will you?" Leia looked at Wayne''s annoying face and held in her anger. Why should this heinous murderer stay in her room? However, she was in no position to fight him. Wayne was a horrible man. He might torture her with all means possible if she rejected him... T Corporation. Luke was injured and taken to the hospital. When Bianca heard the news, she was stunned. No wonder she had a bad feeling and her whole body was cold. She did not expect that something bad would happen to him despite her repeated warnings. Jason picked Bianca up and drove her to the hospital. They took the elevator to the VIP ward. Seeing that they were almost arriving at the floor where Luke was, two nurses in uniforms suddenly rushed over and said, "Sorry, this elevator is temporarily out of service." "What?" Bianca stared at them in shock. She had a bad feeling. One of the nurses smiled apologetically and said, "I''m sorry, we''ll be weing a few surgical experts from Country Mter. The director specifically requested for this elevator to be cleared so that the experts can head straight to the intensive care unit as soon as they arrive at the hospital. Would it be okay for the two of you to take the normal elevator?" Bianca nodded and answered, "We understand, no worries." The nurse said gratefully, "Thank you for your understanding." Bianca and Jason went to the normal elevator. This elevator appeared older than the VIP elevator, and the ascent speed was much slower. Although Bianca was distraught, she knew it was out of her control. If it were not for the high floor, she might have climbed the stairs. "If only everyone was as good-tempered as that woman. I just met a woman who had a really bad temper. She yelled at me when I tried to exin the situation and insisted on taking the VIP elevator. This elevator is reserved for the experts to save lives. No one can bear the serious consequences if the operation on Mr. Crawford is dyed." Bianca overheard the conversation between the two nurses. She held her breath and froze in ce! Specialists from Country M... Intensive Care Unit... Mr. Crawford... Surgery. The few simple words connected were a bolt from the blue. In A City, there were very few people with the surname ''Crawford'', let alone those who could afford to hire foreign experts. Who else could it be but Luke? Bianca could not help but look at Jason, her voice trembling as she said," Mr. Doyle, what happened to Luke? Didn''t you say that he was only slightly injured?" Chapter 784 Chapter 784 Why Is My Son Hospitalized But Her Son Is Alive And Well? Jason looked at Bianca with a guilty look as his dry lips twitched. He wanted to say something, but in the end, he shook his head and said," Madam, the boss is not doing so well. The protest downstairs suddenly turned into a riot that went out of control. Boss was injured while managing the scene. He has several broken bones...¡± "However, that was not the worst thing that happened. During the riot, the boss was hit by a steel pipe on the head to save an innocent child. At that time, his head was not bleeding but he was unconscious... After checking, they found a blood clot in his head. Dr. Johann is the best at surgery, but he''s abroad now and it''ll take a while for him toe back. We can only call in a few world-renowned surgical experts. No one knows what will happen after this..." Bianca felt like she was suffocating as though her blood had turned into boiling water. She felt horrible. No wonder Luke had locked her in the office and insisted that she was not allowed to go out. No wonder she had a bad feeling... Were those signs that something bad was about to happen to Luke? Operating room. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The light had been on for more than three hours. Bianca, who was waiting outside the operating room, felt increasingly uneasy. She had been silently squatting at the door of the operating room, her pale face filled with destion. Her weak shoulders were clearly trembling, but her back was still straight. Jason had persuaded Bianca many times, asking her to sit down and wait, or to at least lean against the wall. However, she stubbornly refused each time and kept staring at the operating room as if as long as she stayed there, Luke woulde out of the operation safe and healthy. As the operation went on, members of the Crawford family arrived one after another. Old Master Crawford and Allison were the first to arrive. Old Master Crawford trembled with every step he took and was supported by the driver and caretaker. He almost had a heart attack when he heard that Luke was hospitalized. He would not be able to survive if it were not for his insistence to see Luke. Allison was livid! As soon as she arrived, she started screaming at Jason, ¡± Mr. Doyle, what''s the matter with my son?! It hasn''t been long since he came back to T Corporation, how could he have gotten hurt? Who was the bastard who hurt my son? You¡¯re Luke''s best subordinate, why didn''t you protect him?" Jason smiled bitterly and answered, "Madam, at the time, the situation was out of control. There were many minors and elderly people at the scene. The boss strictly ordered us not to let anyone harm them... I was by his side, doing my best to protect him, but the crowd was furious and I was quickly squeezed away from him. The boss was apanied by bodyguards, but there were too many people and the situation got out of control. He was injured because he wanted to save the life of a child..." Allison''s gorgeous face was almost distorted as she continued to shout," Those pariahs who dared to hurt my son should all be shot! I don''t know what Luke was thinking. It was just a kid, it¡¯s no big deal! We could''ve just paid the family off. How could he ignore his own safety?! Is he trying to piss me off?!" Old Master Crawford was already in a terrible mood. After he heard his daughter-inw screaming, he was so angry that he wanted to wave a cane and hit her. "Alison, it¡¯s best that you keep your mouth shut! We still don''t know anything about Luke''s condition. As his mother, do you think that it''s appropriate for you to be yelling outside the operating room?!" This was the good wife of Zachary Crawford, a b*tch. Thankfully, the VIP ward had strict security and there were no reporters at the scene. If the reporters photographed Allison insulting those people, the image of T Corporation would only continue to drop. Allison was frightened by Old Master Crawford''s stern expression. She did not dare to say another word and flinched off to the side. However, when she saw Bianca curled up at the entrance of the operating room, Allison''s suppressed anger was about to explode once again! i Just as she was about to scream at Bianca, Susan and Louis arrived. Susan had not wanted toe, but as the eldest daughter-inw of the Crawford family, she had to make an appearance. She also wanted toe over to see if Luke was dying. As per usual, she was expressionless. Maybe because she had been more religious for the past half a year, so the corners of her lips would always maintain a smile that was not a smile. It made her usually unapproachable self seem a little more friendly. However, it was also because of her somewhat smile that Allison was pissed off. She looked at Louis, who was holding Susan''s arm, from the strands of his hair to the soles of his feet. Her gaze was like a poisonous snake''s, making Louis ufortable! Susan looked at Allison coldly, hid Louis behind her, and said contemptuously, ''Why are you staring at my son with such a hateful expression? It wasn''t Louis who caused Luke to have an ident. What are you doing?" Allison looked at Louis with hatred as her slender eyebrows became tightly knitted together. She said, "Susan, Luke and Louis were both at the scene when the ident happened. Why is my son seriously injured and has to be hospitalized but your son is standing next to you, alive and well? Did you have something to do with this? Are you trying to kill my son so that your son can inherit T Corporation?" Susan looked at Allison as if she was mad and sneered disdainfully." Something¡¯s wrong with you!" Then, she ignored Allison and walked in the direction of Old Master Crawford with Louis. Allison stared at Susan''s arrogant back, but she was toozy to argue because her words were the truth. Instantly, she stretched out her sharp nails in anger and scratched Susan''s face! As she attacked Susan, she cursed, "Susan, you b*tch! Don''t be a coward since you dared to hurt my son! If I don''t kill you today, I''ll change my surname to yours!'' Her violent behavior was unexpected! Susan was too slow to react, but Louis, who was walking behind her, blocked Allison''s attack without a second thought when he saw how aggressive she was being. In an instant, he felt a hot tingling on his face. He could not help but cover his face because of the pain. By the time Louis put down his hand, five bloody scratches appeared on his handsome face... Chapter 785 Chapter 785 An Exceptionally Long Night Susan turned her head and saw the ring scratches on her son¡¯s handsome cheek. A cloud of haze shed through her eyes! Susan positioned Louis behind her and looked at Allison condescendingly. Her gaze was like a sharp arrow drenched with venom as she said, "Allison, I heard that your son was injured and as the eldest daughter-inw of the Crawford family, I brought Louis here to visit Luke. I didn''t expect that you''d scratch my son! I''ll forgive you this time considering what you''re going through, but let me warn you, keep to yourne. Otherwise, I¡¯ll make sure that you¡¯ll regret it!" Allison was well aware that Susan was a tough woman and she had a strong family background, so now that she was angry, Allison knew to back off. Allison nced at the scratches on Louis¡¯ face and then at her sharp nails. She stepped aside knowing that she had lost. Old Master Crawford was so angry that he could not speak. His grandson was in the operating room. It was still uncertain whether he would live or die. Now, his other grandson had been scratched by Allison. The cane in his hand trembled with anger. However, in the end, Old Master Crawford sighed and weakly said to Susan, "Susan, you should take Louis to see the doctor. It won¡¯t be good if the injury gets inmed and leaves a scar." Susan nodded slightly and said softly to Old Master Crawford, "Okay, I¡¯ll take Louis to the doctor. If there''s anything, call me." After Susan said that, she grabbed Louis by the arm and was about to leave. However, Louis did not want to leave. "Mom, I''m a man. The wound on my face is nothing. It won¡¯t kill me, don¡¯t worry about it. I want to wait until Luke wakes up..." Susan red at him fiercely and said, "There are so many people here, it doesn''t matter if you''re here or not. Besides, you kind-heartedly came to visit him but his mother so viciously hurt you and mes her son¡¯s injury on you. There''s no point for us to stay here. Follow me immediately. Otherwise, I don¡¯t mind using coercive means!" Louis saw that his mother was burning with rage and knew that she was in a bad mood now, so he could only do as she said. When he passed by Bianca, Louis noticed that she was squatting at the entrance of the operating room, looking like a lonely and sad little thing. He could not help but feel a pain in his heart as he thought of the situation that Luke was in. Louis broke free from Susan''s restraint and walked to Bianca. He whispered, "Sister-inw, now that Luke is in surgery and it''s uncertain when he¡¯ll recover, you must take care of yourself and don¡¯t let yourself fall ill too. You also know that I''m nothing but an average Joe. Since Luke won''t be around, the burden of T Corporation has fallen on you. Take it easy Bianca kept silent the entire time, her delicate and pale face was expressionless. However, the woman''s straight shoulders suddenly copsed as though she was touched by his words. Louis wanted tofort her more, but he did not know what else to say. For him, Luke was the closest person to him in his life and his beloved elder brother. Although the two of them had different mothers who were always at each other¡¯s throats, their rtionship was as thick as blood. It was not affected by their mothers at all. He also hoped that Luke could recover as soon as possible. Soon, it waste at night, but the lights in the operating room were still on. Old Master Crawford was in poor health and staying up until midnight was his limit. Bianca asked the bodyguard and the driver to forcibly send Old Master Crawford home. Susan forcibly took Louis back. Allison, who had shed a few tears when she first came, remained seated on the chair in the corridor and used her phone to browse through shopping sites. When it gotte, she could not hold on anymore. She asked the nurse to find her a VIP resting room and went straight to sleep. In the end, Bianca was the only one still waiting at the entrance of the operating room. Jason went outside and bought two takeaways, one for himself and the other for Bianca. However, Bianca did not have any appetite to eat, so she shook her head and turned Jason down. Mr. Doyle felt helpless. He ced the takeaway in front of Bianca and said, "Madam, you''re human too. You can''t keep going on like this. You should eat some food so that you''ll have the stamina to go on. Otherwise, the boss will feel distressed when he wakes up and sees you like this. Didn¡¯t Second Young Master say that the burden of T Corporation has fallen on you? If you go down too, no one in the company will be able to stand up to the task..." Bianca''s stiff face looked up at Jason, her lips trembling as she said, "Okay, I¡¯ll eat." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. She took the box of takeaway from Jason and sat down on a chair beside her. She gobbled it down without even looking at the food in front of her. She barely chewed; she was just eating mechanically, swallowing even the tears from her eyes. Luke had always been her support, but now that he was gone, she seemed to have lost her backbone. She could not go on like this. She had promised him to fight by his side, instead of being someone who relied on him. Now that he was down, she had to be strong. At midnight, Johann, who was in a white coat, hurriedly rushed over. Bianca felt relieved the moment she saw him. Johann did not have the time to talk to her and only gave her a ''rest assured'' gesture before he hurriedly entered the operating room. After more than three hours, Luke was brought to a spacious intensive care unit after the operation. The ward had a floor-to-ceiling window, and the white curtains were closed. The dizzying yellow light was a little dazzling. Bianca wore a sterile suit and was holding Luke''s hand. Her eyes were locked on his handsome sleeping face. She kept rubbing his cold hands to warm them up. Luke, who had undergone a serious operation, looked weak and had his eyes tightly shut. Even though he was unconscious, he was just as charming. However, he seemed to be frowning, as if he was worried about an unsolved problem. His beard shadow gradually emerged, and when she stroked it, it felt a little prickly. Bianca looked at him, feeling like she was suffocating. A thin quilt was over his body, which covered the bandage that was wrapped around his chest and the wound on his body. His forehead was also wrapped with bandages that had bloodstains. Luke had unexpectedly entered her life and changed it, but now, he was lying here, dying. This burden was one that she could not bear. Johann had said that Luke would likely wake up at dawn. Bianca felt that it was an exceptionally long night... Chapter 786 Chapter 786 She Had Another Tough Battle To Be Fought Outside the window, the moonlight was gently shining in. The moonlight shone through the white curtains brought a sense offorting beauty to this dark night. The intensive care unit was quiet at night, except for the ticking sound of the oxygen generator. Under the soft lights, Bianca affectionately gazed at Luke. The white wallmp provided her with an unobstructed view of Luke''s face. His handsome face seemed to have aged a little. His lips were a little dry and there were some visible cracks. Bianca picked up a clean wet towel, ced it on his lips, and gently wiped them. Luke had always managed his stress on his own, protecting Bianca and the kids from all of that. However, he did not know that his actions were hurting her. She was his wife; she was supposed to face his troubles with him and fight by his side. Bianca thought to herself, ''When he wakes up, I have to bring this up with him.'' The dizzying white light enveloped Bianca''s busy figure. At that moment, she was sad but also firm. Time was like quicksand, slipping between one''s fingers bit by bit. Bianca felt like her heart was torn to pieces when she saw that he was still unconscious. She took his hand that had never been pierced with a needle before and stroked it gently. His palms wererge, and his fingernails were meticulously manicured. Luke was obsessed with cleanliness, and even in a harsh environment, he insisted on being tidy. Bianca was not sure since when this indomitable man became so fragile... When the first ray of sunlight shone into the ward, Luke was still unconscious. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Allison, who was well-rested, yawned and walked into the intensive care unit. When she saw that Luke was still unconscious, she frowned and got annoyed at Bianca. "What''s the matter? Didn''t Johann say that Luke will wake up at dawn? Why hasn''t he woken up yet?" Allison was used to shouting at people with her rude and loud voice. The silent and peaceful ward became noisy in an instant. Bianca frowned and said, "Can you please keep your voice down? Luke just went through a long operation and hasn¡¯t had much to eat. He needs rest. Please, can you not disturb him?" Allison red at Bianca angrily and then arrogantly wrapped her hands around her chest, saying, "I''m Luke''s mother! It¡¯s my right if I want to talk to my son. What''s wrong with you? You''re the unlucky b*tch who brought my son bad luck. Otherwise, why would Luke be involved in idents one after another? What else can you do besides shed a few fake tears? I don''t expect you to be of help, I''m just hoping that you won''t make things worse. Bianca, your dad is the Provincial Committee Secretary. He has powers and contacts to help Luke out of this miserable situation. Why can''t you ask him for help?" Bianca stopped stroking Luke''s face. She stared right into Allison''s eyes, making her feel ufortable. Allison refused to give in and continued shouting, "What are you looking at?! I''m telling you, this time, your parents have toe forward for T Corporation. Even if they won''t do it for Luke''s sake, you''re their biological daughter and he''s your husband. After such a disaster, are they too embarrassed to stand up for us?" Bianca''s eyes suddenly turned solemn. Her gaze swept through Allison''s face and then gently fell on Luke''s calm sleeping face. "You don''t need to worry about this, I¡¯ll take care of everything. My parents will help as much as they can. Don''t worry about that." Allison screamed, "What do you mean by as much as they can? Your father will be able to sort out an issue as small as the copse of a shopping mall. I don''t care! No matter what, they must ensure that both Luke and T Corporation will walk away from this unscathed! Otherwise, after Luke wakes up, I''ll ask him to divorce you!" Bianca could not be bothered to argue with her. She rubbed her temples tiredly and said, "I''ll do my best! Can you please stop screaming? Otherwise, when Luke wakes up and sees you like this, do you think he¡¯ll feel better?" "Take good care of him. I''ll go outside to get some air." Allison snorted coldly and left in her seven-inch stilettos. She was sick of the smell of disinfectant in the ward. She only came to the hospital just to look good in front of Old Master Crawford. Not long after Allison left, Jason knocked on the door of the intensive care unit. He brought in arge bag carrying a variety of breakfast options. However, he was startled when he saw Bianca''s haggard face. "Ms. Rayne, did you get any sleepst night?" Jason could not help but nce at the family rest bed in the ward and saw that the quilt was still neatly folded. Obviously, Bianca had not evenid on the family bedst night. Rather, she stayed right next to Luke. Bianca''s long hair was tied up with a rubber band that loosely formed a bun at the back. It looked a little messy because she had notbed her hair. She had not washed her face nor brushed her teeth. There were dark circles under her eyes, and she seemed to have aged. However, her gaze on Luke remained gentle like the morning sun, calm and patient. Bianca saw Jasoning in and shook her head slightly as she said, "Luke hasn''t woken up yet. I won''t feel at ease until I see him waking up. Mr. Doyle, sorry for the trouble." Jason gently put the takeaway on the table and sighed. "This is what I should do as a subordinate. Luke has always been kind to me. Now that he''s going through such a big problem, I should be with you in the hospital the entire time. Madam, you should pay more attention to your health. You have to stand strong at this time. Otherwise, it''ll be the end of T Corporation. "T Corporation will be having a press conference at 10 a.m. You¡¯ll be required to speak. You should have some breakfast to fill your stomach. When the press conference starts, it may take an hour or two to deal with reporters. I''m afraid that your body won¡¯t be able to hold on until then." Bianca did not have any appetite to eat, but after considering Mr. Doyle''s words, she gritted her teeth and quickly ate her breakfast. She had another tough battle to fightter. She must have enough physical strength! Chapter 787 Chapter 787 She Did a 90-Degree Bow To The Crowd T Corporation''s press conference. In the washroom. Bianca looked at herself in the mirror. Her clean face was pale and haggard, while her messy long hair was casually draped over her chest. The fitted suit wrapped her slender body perfectly. Bianca tied her hair up into a ponytail, and she gently stroked the diamond ne on her chest. It had been a wedding gift from Luke. At this point in time, it gave her unlimited courage and confidence. She smiled at herself, rinsed her face with cold water, and cheered herself on! It was just a press conference. She would get it done for her husband. Outside. Whether it was the authoritative mediapanies or the small media outlets that usually survived on entertainment news, all of the influential media in A City was present. Even some well-known international news media had rushed over. All of the channels that originally broadcasted dramas or entertainment channels all switched to the live broadcast of T Corporation¡¯s press conference. Major websites on the inte were also preparing to broadcast it in realtime. Even the screens on the streets and mall were preparing to air the reporters asking questions during the press conference. After all, the news of the copse of The Galleria had caused hundreds of lives. It was too shocking and sensational. 10.10 a.m. The venue of T Corporation''s press conference was overcrowded. Considering that the management of T Corporation had suffered attacks from civilians in the past, hundreds of police and security guards were dispatched to maintain order on the site. They blocked out the irrelevant people and kept them outside the safety line. Countless reporters blocked the crowded corridor. They were exchanging information with each other. The conference hall was too noisy. They had to shout to hear what the other party was saying. The seats on the tform were empty as the person in charge had not yet arrived. Many people were guessing that the management of T Corporation was scared to face the public after such a serious ident. The other tables were filled with microphones that had logos from various media outlets. Countless reporters were carrying cameras. They had set up their equipment and aimed it at the scene of the press conference. Everyone was curious who would be the person in charge that would appear considering that Luke was injured and hospitalized. T Corporation was now a mess. They were taking bets on the excuses that would be used to push the responsibility away from T Corporation. The management of multinational corporations had always denied responsibility and med it on irrelevant parties instead. The reporters anxiously looked at the watches on their wrists. It was time for the press conference, but no one showed up. After another five minutes or so, under the protection of a security team, Bianca, who was wearing a ck suit, entered the room while surrounded by many high-level directors. In an instant, the shes from the media went off non-stop. Countless reporters flocked to the scene, and it almost went out of control. The security guards had long been psychologically prepared. They immediately stepped forward to intercept the reporters who were like flies. They escorted Bianca to her seat. The security guards said in a stern tone to the reporters, "Stand back! Back off! Please maintain order at the press conference. Otherwise, we don''t mind using force!" The shlights frantically went off at Bianca, the dazzling lights making her squint her eyes slightly. At the same time. Mr. and Mrs. Norman sat in front of the TV where they looked at their weak and helpless daughter who was surrounded by spotlights and reporters. Their hearts were overwhelmed with sadness as they stared at her pale face on the screen. As it was a live broadcast, the reporters were using their best equipment. The high-definition video was so clear that Bianca''s pores could even be seen. She was wearing a ck suit, her face looking gentle and calm. However, she looked tired. Under the shing lights, she was no longer as energetic and bright as she used to be. Her beautiful face revealed an indescribable mncholy, but her eyes were still pure and innocent. Even though she had been away from work for a few months, she held herself well as she faced the aggressive reporters to address the scandal T Corporation was embroiled in. At that moment, she was sitting on the speaking tform with a solemn expression, but she carried with her an unignorable grace. She had the kind of demeanor that was admirable. The press conference officially began. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. The hall, which was bustling at first, suddenly became quiet. All the reporters were cautiously looking at the woman who was holding the press conference. This woman was named Bianca Rayne. When Luke met with an ident two years ago, she had served as the acting CEO for T Corporation. At that time, in the face of the doubts of T Corporation''s management and the distrust of the public, she had used resolute methods and brilliant business skills to hold up the crumbling T Corporation. She ultimately won over the hearts of the management and grassroots employees in no time. When Luke returned, everyone thought that she would fight for power with her husband. After all, power could change someone. However, she did the opposite. After the return of her husband, she retreated to the background and was willing to support him from the background. Her courage and charm were impressive. Jason stood behind Bianca, praying silently for the sess of the press conference. Bianca faced the bunch of journalists and their camera lenses. She spoke calmly into the microphone with a sonorous voice, "Thank you all for taking the time from your busy schedule to attend T Corporation''s press conference. I know that the copse of The Galleria has been a fatal blow to everyone. As the vice president of T Corporation, on behalf of all employees, I express my deepest apologies and condolences to the families of the victims. Sorry! She slowly stood up and did a 90-degree bow with impable etiquette. Bianca exhausted all her strength and maintained the posture for a long, long time until everyone was stunned. They originally thought that the head of T Corporation would push the responsibility to someone else in front of the media, but they did not expect that she would bow deeply in front of the cameras and the family members who suffered from the disaster. Those present had mixed feelings. However, when they thought of the T Corporation''s ''garbage project'' that caused so many innocent deaths, many reporters raised sharp questions. The reporter who was the first to break the silence was a man wearing gold -rimmed sses. He questioned her, "Ms. Rayne, The Galleria is one of the most well-knownmercial buildings in A City that once brought joy to the people of A City. However, it copsed overnight and caused over a hundred innocent deaths. This brutal and inhumane disaster can''t be forgiven with a bow and an apology. If apologizing can wipe out all sins, then how much unscrupulousness will arise in this world? You owe us an exnation!" Chapter 788 Chapter 788 She Seemed Frail but Strong at the Press Conference Bianca faced the reporters'' antagonistic questions by brushing away her sideburns and speaking in a solemn voice. "No words can express the guilt in my heart while faced with such a major tragedy. As the owner of The Galleria, I admit that T Corporation cannot shirk our responsibility in this incident. However, we cannot conclude if there is an element of sabotage in the ident. We have already set up a special task force that will cooperate with the police on the investigations. I would advise the general public not to worry. The investigative process shall be fully transparent, and we will give everyone a satisfactory exnation!" After she said that, there was amotion among the reporters. The reporters jostled among each other to be the first to ask questions. They bombarded Bianca with all sorts of weird and tricky questions. They lifted their microphones as high as they could and shouted their questions out loud. The scene at the press conference was utterly chaotic. No one could hear what each other was saying. In this day and age, anypany would not hesitate to push the me to another party whenever a major ident happened. They were afraid of taking on responsibility. The job of a reporter was to dig for the truth. Of course, they were also interested in any tasty tidbits that they could report! "Everyone, please calm down. We''ll take questions one by one!" Jason said loudly into the microphone. "The reporter from PNBC, you may ask your question first. As for the other reporters, please calm down. You will get your chance to ask questions!" The reporter from PNBC stepped forward, pointed the microphone at Bianca, and asked directly, "Ms. Rayne, do you really believe that there is an element of sabotage in this ident? There was no forewarning before the copse of The Galleria, and furthermore, the security measures in the shopping mall have always been tight. Are you trying to divert public attention by lying?" Bianca looked straight into the reporter''s eyes. "I have exined earlier that investigations are still undergoing. One day, the truth shall be uncovered. "If the investigations reveal that an internal problem caused the copse, then my husband Luke and I will resign from thepany and promise never to be involved in any business. You can take my word for it! Every one of you here can be my witness! If we find out that someone has sabotaged us, I will not forgive the perpetrator, and they shall pay for their crimes by blood. Either way, there will be justice for all the victims of this tragedy!" Everyone eximed in surprise! The reporters were whispering to each other. The higher management of T Corporation at the press conference was staring at Bianca with a look of disbelief. Mavis had the most incredulous expression among all of them. Her beautiful face was viciously contorted. What right did that arrogant woman have to make a promise on Luke''s behalf? If she wanted to resign, she could have done it on her own! Luke was an eminent figure in the business circle of A City. His departure from the business would be like a shining pearl buried in the depths of the ocean. No one would be able to see his brilliance anymore, and that would be a fatal blow to T Corporation! The only person at the scene who could maintain hisposure was Jason. The PR crisis this time was especially serious, and the spokesperson could not make any excuses. He knew that Bianca must have assessed the situation carefully before making that promise. If Bianca did not handle the crisis well, there was no hope for T Corporation to restore its reputation. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. The reporters'' incisive questions continued to pour in... "Ms. Rayne, Mr. Luke Crawford has not made a public appearance since the ident happened. Are you sure that you are speaking on his behalf?" "Ms. Rayne, the tragic arson incident of Greenview Regalia from two years ago is still fresh in everyone''s minds. If we look at the two cases, can we conclude that T Corporation employs subpar construction methods and materials? How would you convince the public that that is not the case?" The incisive questions gushed forth like a geyser. Everyone waited to see that seemingly delicate woman named Bianca Rayne sputter and il. They did not expect to see her heave her chest. Her breathing became heavy, tears welled up in her eyes, and she suddenly slumped forward. She took out a napkin to wipe her red and swollen eyes, then faced the camera and said, "I know that T Corporation is facing a crisis of public confidence after all the idents in the past two years, but we believe that the evidence can speak for themselves. "My husband, Luke Crawford, has insisted on using the best construction techniques and materials ever since he took over the business. You might be caught up on the two incidents because of how recent they were, but may I bring your attention to the Great Fort Chaney Earthquake that happened six years ago? "In that tragedy, the casualties numbered in the hundred thousands. Almost all the buildings in Fort Chaney were destroyed, but the office buildings, apartments, and schools built by T Corporation remained almost unscathed. The worst damage that our buildings suffered was some tilting, but none of them copsed or crumbled. Tens of thousands of lives were saved... "Now, all of you use us that our buildings are subpar because of separate incidents without even waiting for the results of the investigation. Even sentencing a criminal to death row requires evidence, but all of you deliver the unfair verdict based on your imagination. Isn''t that unfair to us?" Everyone was reminded of the great tragedy that happened six years ago. Indeed, all the buildings became ruins, except forthose built by T Corporation. Some construction experts even said that it was a miracle! Bianca continued, "Moreover, you have attacked my husband''s character unfairly. He fell to the mob to save a child''s life. Right now, he is still in the ICU after an overnight operation. He broke six ribs, and his brain suffers from swelling and a concussion. His condition is still critical. "I know that those who have lost their loved ones are waiting for an answer. I am a wife and a mother of three children, and I can empathize with your agony... Please, give us some time. T Corporation will surely give you a satisfactory answer! "The press conference will end here. Before the police release the results of their investigation, T Corporation will not hesitate to take legal action against anyone who spreads rumors and nders us!" After the press conference, Bianca dragged her fatigued body to the ICU ward. After she sat down on Luke''s bed, the first thing she saw was a pair of dark and profound eyes... Chapter 789 Chapter 789 His Slender Fingers Touched Bianca''s Face Luke had been sleeping for two days. When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Bianca holding his hand. The curtains were half-drawn, and the sunlight that came through the window created mottled patterns on the floor. He could hear birds chirping outside. His hand was slightly cool. The soft and tender hand that enveloped his hand was warmer, and it carried a familiar fragrance. Bianca looked at Luke in a daze. He had been unconscious for two days, but for Bianca, it might as well have been two years. The stray strands of his mustache were like sprouts next to his lips. He seemed unkempt. He was not in his best condition, though his gaze was animated. As their eyes met, Bianca greedily relished the fact that Luke was filled with vigor once more. Her eyes misted up. She grasped his hand tightly and said softly, "You''re finally awake, Luke. How are your injuries? Does it hurt?" Luke looked at her determinedly. "It doesn''t hurt. I''m fine. It''s only a minor injury." Bianca tried to maintain her smile, though her tone of voice was stern." You''ve broken so many ribs, and they had to do open brain surgery on you. Even Johann said that you nearly became vegetative. You call that minor? Do you think that you''re Superman, Luke?" Luke''s slender fingers gently caressed Bianca¡¯s face and her dry lips. His heart wrenched for her. The young woman had stood by his side for many years. If she had married an ordinary man instead, she would have been happier. He thought that he would be able to protect her by marrying her, but he did not expect that his protection would fail at certain times. He gently kissed Bianca''s forehead. All those words that he wanted to tell Bianca turned into a sigh that escaped his mouth. The door to the ward opened. Johann happened to witness the intimate scene. A hint of mockery appeared in his eyes, and he joked, "Ooh, you just woke up from aa, and you''re already at it. I say, Bro, aren''t you a little too impatient? Careful that your wounds be infected." Bianca blushed slightly. She felt like a schoolgirl whose teenage crushes were exposed by her teacher. She wanted to retreat from Luke''s embrace, but Luke held her tightly in his arms. He narrowed his gaze at Johann, and there was a hint of iciness in his previously warm voice. "If you have nothing else better to do, you can go and stay in Africa for a few days." Johann''s mischievous smile faded away when he saw the threat in Luke''s gaze. "I say, Bro, can''t you be a little more grateful? Who was the one who risked offending a royal family and immediately returned from Western Europe when he heard that you''re in a critical condition? Now that I''m of no use to you, are you nning to burn this bridge?" Luke nced at his wristwatch impassively. "You have ten minutes to perform your examination." i Looking at the man''s ice-cold gaze, Johann pressed his lips together and wasted no time in examining Luke''s body. Bianca said worriedly while looking at Johann''s serious expression, "How is Luke''s condition, Dr. Johann?" Five minutester, Johann looked at the data on his apparatus and nodded satisfactorily. "Mm, the surgery is a sess, and he''ll be as good as new in a few days. By the way, your husband''s constitution isn''t normal. Any other man would have already kicked the bucket if they sustained such heavy injuries... but your husband shouldpletely recover within a month." Bianca breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you." Luke probably would not have recovered so quickly if not for Johann''s amazing medical skills. Johann smiled and shook his head. He chatted with them for a while more and gave them some pointers on how to take care of Luke before leaving the ward and giving the couple some privacy. People came to visit Luke at the hospital ward. Some were higher management of T Corporation, while others were Luke''s business partners. The repercussions of the Galleria incident were grave. Many of T Corporation''s business partners had chosen to keep their distance, while some even publicly denounced their ties. Luke remembered every one of those people. In the future, T Corporation would most likely refuse to do business with them. At the same time, Luke remembered all the business partners who visited him. Not only had they shown T Corporation concern in its moment of crisis, but they also proved themselves to be genuine friends. He would repay them the favor. Percy with Nina as well as Jim with Scarlett came to visit, bringing presents.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. It had been many days since thest time Bianca met Nina and Scarlett. They were quite happy to see each other, and they retreated to a corner to chat. Meanwhile, Luke, Jim, and Percy remained in the ward. No one knew the details of their discussion or any ns they made, but all of them had grim expressions on their faces. The number of visitors lessened an hourter. Suddenly, Mavis came. She was probably from thepany. Her usually impably groomed hair was slightly disheveled, and her makeup was not as meticulous as before. Luke was resting on the bed with his eyes closed. He needed the rest while he recovered. Bianca was sitting on the bed, eating from a box of tarts as her lunch. When Mavis first came into the ward, she could not help but feel angry when she saw Bianca sitting there and eating a tart while Luke was "weakly " lying on the bed and looked like he was about to die. "How is the CEO?" Bianca was nibbling on her tart. She was quite surprised to see how nervous and hostile Mavis was, which also made her slightly unhappy. She did not have a favorable impression of that woman who lusted after her husband. No woman would. Bianca shushed Mavis, dusted her fingers, and said calmly, "My husband has already regained consciousness, and he needs all the rest that he can get. You don''t have to worry about him, Ms. Laviere." Mavis''s gaze narrowed when she sensed the hostility in Bianca''s words. She turned her head and greedily stared at Luke. As much as she tried to rein in her affection toward Luke, she could not help but be sarcastic when she saw how nonchnt Bianca seemed to be." Can''t I visit my boss when he''s so seriously injured? Are you so petty as to deprive me of my right to visit my boss?" Chapter 790 Chapter 790 He Is A Disaster Bianca was not interested in getting into such meaningless quibbles with Mavis. Moreover, Luke really needed to rest. She indicated to Mavis to step outside of the ward to talk. After they went out, Bianca gently closed the door so that Luke would not be bothered by what was happening outside. Mavis red at Bianca, angry at her ingratitude. How could she be in the mood to eat tarts when the CEO was so heavily injured? If it were her, she would have been so worried that she would not be able to eat or sleep. Mr. Crawford''s love was wasted on Bianca Rayne! Mavis pressed her crimson lips together, and her beautiful face was wracked with anger. "Why do you have the appetite to eat now, Ms. Rayne? T Corporation is in chaos now, and the CEO is seriously injured. You look so rxed when everyone else is so worried!" The sarcasm in her words was palpable. Bianca leaned on the wall and gave Mavis a side-eye. "In your opinion, Ms. Laviere, how should I react to this situation? Should I be flustered? Exhausted? Helpless? Disoriented? Or should I go around begging for sympathy? I''m sorry that my reaction isn''t what you expect it to be. I know that T Corporation is in chaos now, but its leader needs to remainposed to bear thepany''s responsibilities. If I appear in front of the public looking sickly and depressed, those immoral media outlets would be piling baseless usations on T Corporation. You''ve been in the business for longer than me, and I thought you should understand that better than me. "Moreover, Luke is my husband and my children''s father. I don''t think there''s anyone in this world who''s more concerned about him than me, but does that mean I have to worry myself sick? Should I starve just because he can''t eat? If that were true, then I would have failed as his wife. "Luke doesn''t need a weakling now. My husband might be assertive and dominant, but he''s not Superman. Sometimes, he needs someone who can help him ovee the obstacles at work. I don''t think I need you to tell me what I should do, Ms. Laviere!" Mavis was at a loss for a reply, but she could not help but retort, "So it turns out that your love for Mr. Crawford isn''t genuine after all. You only say that you care about him, but your actions prove otherwise." Bianca could not help butugh. "You can assume all you want, Ms. Laviere. I can see that you care for my husband very much, but has he ever shown any care for you?" Mavis''s eyes widened abruptly. That question was like a dagger that stabbed through her heart. It hurt a lot, but she did not have the courage to remove the dagger. "I''m not the same as you!" It took Mavis a long time before she found a reply. "Mr. Crawford is my idol. I have admired him since I was young, and I don''t ask for anything in return as long as I get to stay by his side. All I want is to work with him. Even if I love him, I don''t need his love in return. If you hadn''t appeared, the woman standing next to him could have been me..." Her voice was shrill, amplified by the grievances she had borne for so many years. To other people, Mavis Laviere was distant, aloof, and unapproachable. In front of Bianca, she could not control herself, and her tone of voice betrayed her emotions. Bianca knew that she had found Mavis''s sore spot. To her, Mavis was nothing more than a clown. She had to admit that Mavis was a very capable woman at work, and for a time, she had even envied her. To Luke, Mavis was special. He had always brought her on his business trips, and he sounded appreciative whenever he talked about her. For a while, that had made Bianca jealous. After they got to know each other better, Bianca realized that her worries were unfounded. Luke would not talk to Mavis about anything other than business. Bianca trusted him. At the moment, Bianca shed an elegant smile at Mavis. "All you want is to work with him? I''d be a real idiot if I believed in that nonsense, Ms. Laviere! Unfortunately for you, the real idiot here is the woman who remains indulgent in her fantasies even though she knows that her crush doesn''t like her and that he''s already married with children. Please get help, Ms. Laviere. You''ll only embarrass yourself if you keep on doing this." Mavis''splexion turned pale all of a sudden. She red at Bianca while gritting her teeth, but she could not find anything to say. Bianca continued calmly, "It''s been more than ten years, Ms. Laviere. That''s how long you''ve been working for Luke. Ask yourself honestly, has he shown any affection to you outside of work? Knowing how loyal my husband can be, I wouldn''t stand a chance if that were the case. "There''s a limit to how deluded someone can be, Mavis. Also, don''t tell me that you love or admire my husband. I will take offense to that. That''s all I have to tell you for now. I hope you''ll remember what I said." Then, Bianca turned away and casually walked back into Luke''s ward. Mavis stood on the spot. Her entire body was tense. Though she tried to rx her finger, they were trembling uncontrobly. Her love for Luke over the years had never diminished. Bianca''s words had exposed her truest emotions, which caused Mavis to be humiliated. At the same time, her hatred toward Bianca grew. ''What does that woman know? She''s only so brazen because Luke loves her. ''How would she know that I''ve left my hometown to follow in Luke''s footsteps or the opportunities that I have given up because of him? How would she know the time and effort I''ve spent in loving Luke? ''No other woman loves Luke more than me.'' Mavis stood in front of the tightly shut door. The man she loved was right in front of her, but she could not even look at him. Her demeanor gradually turned ice-cold. She wanted to kill if she could! This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Soon, she managed topose herself, though her gaze remained sinister. She clutched her handbag, turned around, and walked away in her high heels. The afternoon sunlight shone warmly through the clouds and into the hospital ward. The bright rays of light bathed Luke''s body in surreal colors. Bianca gently pinched his nose as he slept on the bed. She looked at his prince-like demeanor and scolded him in her heart. ''You''re a disaster!'' Chapter 791 Chapter 791 Queenie Came to Visit When Luke woke up again, he saw Bianca sitting next to him on the bed. One of her hands was gently caressing his palm, while her chin rested on her other hand as she stared at him. She was unbelievably beautiful under the warm sunlight. Her face was fair and soft, and her eyes were clear and animated. Her eyshes were thin and long. When she blinked, they pped like two nimble butterflies. However, there seemed to be an inexplicable mncholy in her gaze. He could not help but frown. He did not wish to see her worry about something. Bianca smiled gently when she saw that Luke was awake. ¡¯ Are you hungry? It''s about to rain outside. What do you want to eat? I''ll have it delivered." Luke shook his head and patted his bed. "I''m not hungry. Come and lie down next to me, Bea." Bianca let go of his hand and went to pour a ss of warm water for him." Your lips look dry. You should drink some water." Luke took the ss and gently sipped the water. He looked at her, noticing that there was something not quite right with her expression. Bianca chuckled when she saw that Luke was looking intently at her. "Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?" Her voice was very pleasant. She was born and raised in the south, and so she had a peculiar drawl to her sybles, like water flowing in a brook in spring, or like a gentle breeze. Luke thought that his wife was the most beautiful woman in the world. He took her hand and ced it on his chest. Through the bandages, Bianca could feel the rhythmic beat of his heart. Bianca was afraid that she might identally touch his wounds. She wanted to pull her hand back. "Your wounds..." "It''s fine. Luke kissed her soft hair and spoke gently, "I might recover faster if you touch my wounds." Bianca was amused by his childish actions, though she could not help but feel dejected when she was reminded of Mavis''s brazen behavior earlier." You bring me nothing but trouble. You might be married with children, but women can''t help but fall for you. What should I do about that?" "What are you thinking?" Luke gently flicked her forehead. "Why do you suddenly say that? Don''t you trust me?" Luke was sleeping earlier and did not know that Mavis came to visit. Bianca quarreled with Mavis outside the ward. The door to the ward did a good job of insting sounds from the outside. That was why he did not know about the tensions that ran between the two women. Bianca yfully pinched his arm and said angrily, "No, I trust you, but I hate those women who are as pesky as flies... Sigh, my husband is an extremely charming man, and that''s why many women fall for him. If I''m angry because of such a petty matter, then I''d be living in jealousy for my whole life." Luke looked at her in puzzlement. "What happened?" "It''s nothing..." Luke pinned her down on the bed in the middle of her sentence. "You shouldn''t lie to me, my darling." Bianca did not struggle in case she identally touched his wounds. She hugged her neck as she said coyly, "It''s really nothing. My husband has a face that would make any woman fall for him. I''m afraid that some other seductress might steal his heart..." She did not tell Luke that Mavis came earlier. He might have had no affection for that woman, but Mavis had been by his side for more than ten years, witnessing his growth from an unknown entrepreneur to the CEO of a multinational conglomerate. She probably upied a unique position in his heart. Luke was an intelligent man, and he should know that Mavis admired him. He might be pretending that he did not know about it because he did not want to ruin their working rtionship. Bianca decided that she should help him solve that problem. Luke was Bianca''s wife now. Mavis had no right to covet him. i Bianca felt relieved when she thought about that. Luke was not sure how to react when he heard those words. "Silly girl!" ''She doesn''t know how much I love her. Why is she always thinking of such nonsense? ''Is it because she doesn''t feel secure with me?'' Queenie came to the VIP hospital ward at about five o''clock in the evening. She handed an insted container to Bianca. Her heart wrenched when she saw that her daughter seemed to be more and more haggard by the day, and her son-inw lying on the hospital bed. "I made some food for you, Luke and Bea. You should eat some." Bianca took the container and led her mother to sit down at a chair. "Why did youe over, Mom? Where''s Dad?" Queenie''s gaze wavered slightly. "Your dad is... pulling some strings. The ident at The Galleria is too serious, and if ites to it, we still have an escape route... Don''t worry about the ident, Luke. You should rest well for now. There has to be a solution for this, no matter how difficult it might be." Luke took a sip of the bone broth that Bianca brought to him in a bowl. The broth tasted delicious, but Queenie''s words left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth. Mr. Jack Norman was known for his honesty and impartiality. He had always hated getting things done by relying on connections, but he had made an exception for what happened to T Corporation. He was moved, but at the same time, he felt guilty. "Thank you, Mom... and Dad too." Bianca felt uneasy about it too. His father had been an honest politician for all his life, and he was about to retire soon. She felt guilty that she let her parents worry about their problems, but she was helpless about it. She finally realized that her parents were always there for her. Queenie turned her head away and brushed away the tears at the corners of her eyes. Shedled a bowl of broth for Bianca. "You should have some broth too, my daughter. I know that you like bone broth, and that''s why I made some for you and Luke. Let me know what you want to eat, and I''ll cook it for you next time." Bianca shook her head. "There are a lot of restaurants outside of the hospital, Mom. They¡¯re not very far away, and I can buy food for myself and Luke from there. Luke will be discharged in a few days. You shouldn''t have troubled yourself." "You''re my daughter, Bianca. I''d do anything for you." Queenie watched them finish the food in the insted container. "Your dad should be home soon. I''ll have to go home and cook for him. We''lle overter in the night. Give me a call if you need anything." "Alright," Luke said, "Drive safe, Mom." Queenie wiped her eyes again. "Sigh, alright. I''ll tidy up the guest room too. When you''re discharged, you should stay over in our house for a few days. I happen to be free, and Bea and I can take turns to take care of you." i Material ? N?velDrama.Org. When Queenie arrived home, her husband was not back yet. She remembered that Leia had been cooped up in her room for the past few days, and she thought of asking her what she wanted for dinner. She was about to knock on the door of her daughter''s room when she vaguely heard the sound of a maning from inside... Queenie was stunned on the spot. The hand that was about to knock on the door froze in mid-air. Chapter 792 Chapter 792 Someone Is Outside the Door This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Leia was half-naked on the bed with Wayne. She was panting heavily after the vigorous session when Wayne abruptly covered her mouth. "Shh..." "What''s wrong?" Leia red at Wayne unhappily while her limber body crawled onto Wayne''s chest. "Someone''s outside!" Wayne was acutely aware of his surroundings, even when he was making out with a woman. Leia broke out in a cold sweat, and she struggled to get up. "My mom must be back. Let go of me, you b*stard!" Even though the door was locked and Queenie would not barge in, Leia was scared that someone might catch her in the act, and she was even more afraid that her parents found out that she was harboring a wanted criminal. Instead of letting her go, Wayne cackled sinisterly. His movements became even more vigorous. "I''m in the middle of something now. Even God will have to wait until I''m done!" Leia could not believe what she heard. She thought that the man was insane. 1 Her sharp nails dug into Wayne''s shoulders, but that only made him even more excited. Wayne sealed Leia''s lips and entered her oral cavity, stopping her from making a sound. He was not going to be done so soon. Leia was in utter panic. She could not take it any longer. She tried to push him away while squeaking softly, "My mom is outside. I... can''t let her know..." Wayne''s expression sank. His thick and bushy eyebrows furrowed unhappily, while his hand gripped her waist even more tightly, and he entered her more violently despite her objections. Leia was losing her mind. That man could be so reckless when he was into it. He might be shameless, but she wanted to maintain her reputation in the household. What should she do? Outside the room, Queenie seemed to have heard some noise from inside. She thought that she heard a masculine voice, but the door was well- insted, and she could not tell if she had misheard. She began to knock on the door. "Are you in the room, Leia? What are you doing inside? I need to talk to you." Leia was afraid that her mother might find out what was going on. She replied to her while panting, "Mom... ahh... I... I''m still... resting... I''ll open... the door for you soon, alright?" Queenie could not help but be suspicious. She continued asking, "Are you alone in the room, Leia? Why did I hear a male voice? Did you bring... a guest home?" She knew that Leia was once obsessed with Luke Crawford, but that man had hurt her. Queenie sincerely hoped that Leia would find a man that truly loved her so that she could leave that rtionship behind her. Queenie would be happy for Leia if she brought a suitable significant other to meet her. She and Jack were not conservative. They would be happy for their daughter as long as she believed that the man was truly meant for her. Leia was scared out of her wits when she heard her mother''s words. Her mind snapped out of the euphoria. "N... No... Mom... I''m not feeling very well now... just... wait for a while, and I''ll open the door..." Queenie remained suspicious, but she did not say anything about it." Alright, you should rest if you''re not feeling well. What do you want for dinner? I''ll cook whatever you like." "Anything... will do... ahh... I like anything that you make..." Leia said hoarsely. "Alright,¡± Queenie replied, then went downstairs. Leia breathed a sigh of relief as she heard her mother''s high heels go down the stairs. Wayne, sprawled over Leia''s body, moved even more vigorously. A long whileter, he growled satisfactorily, and his sweaty body fell on Leia''s body. Leia frantically pushed his burly body away. "My mom is back, Wayne. She can''t find out that you''re here. Otherwise... otherwise, I''m finished! Stay here in the room, and I''ll bring you something to eat. You should... rest first." "Mm," Wayne repliedzily with his eyes half-open. He closed his eyes and began to rest. Leia''s room was like paradisepared to when he was on the run. The woman would feed him good food, and he could make out with her whenever he wanted. He would not mind living there forever. Leia put on her clothes as quickly as possible and tidied up the messy room. She covered Wayne''s body with a nket, hastily smoothened her hair, and prepared to go downstairs. The moment she opened the door, she saw Ms. Lang standing outside the room like a phantom. "Ms. Leia, Madam wants to know if you''d like some soup for dinner." Her gaze inadvertently fell to the room''s interior. Leia had been very secretivetely. She never let the caretakers into her room, and she would sometimes bring her meals inside. The most surprising thing was that her appetite had suddenly increased tremendously. The amount of food she brought into her room every meal was enough to feed two adult men, but the tes were always licked clean every time. Ms. Lang was incredibly curious about what was going on. i Leia nearly passed out because of Ms. Lang''s sudden appearance at the door. She tried to block the caretaker from looking inside, and her hands clutched the door tightly. "Ms. Lang, didn''t I tell you before that you should knock on the door before you call me? Don''t you know your manners? If this happens again, I''ll get my mom to fire you!" She reprimanded coldly. Even though the door was only slightly ajar, Ms. Lang could smell the hormones that wafted from the room. She was already more than fifty years old. She obviously knew what was going on inside. Leia might be trying to block her view, but she could tell that underneath the nket on Leia''s bed was... a man? Ms. Lang was discreetly shocked. Even so, her expression remainedposed. The caretaker''s gaze wavered when Leia reprimanded her. "It''s my fault, Ms. Leia. I''m sorry. I''ll pay more attention next time so that I don''t make this silly mistake again!" ''Should I tell Madam about what I saw?" She thought. Leia grunted coldly, mmed the door shut, and went downstairs in quick, small steps. Chapter 793 Chapter 793 She Has To Get Rid of Ms. Lang Queenie was washing vegetables in the kitchen, but her mind seemed to be elsewhere. She was in a horrible mood. She wondered why her two daughters had been fraught with obstacles recently. First, her younger daughter was caught taking drugs and detained in the drug rehab center. Then, her elder daughter¡¯s husband got into an ident. The Galleria''s copse was no small matter. T Corporation would be ruined if the matter was not handled properly, not to mention that Luke, as its CEO, might be sentenced to prison. During her hospital visit, she noticed that Luke was not in a good physical condition, and she wondered if he had thought of a solution yet. Jack might be trying his best to pull some strings, but he was about two years away from retirement, and his rtions in the political scene were already starting to distance themselves from him. Also, Jack''s impartial attitude had made him many enemies over the years. Leia, her younger daughter, had always caused her worry. Her personality had changedpletely ever since she got out of the drug rehab center. She seemed to be afraid of crowds, and she locked herself in the room all day. She even rejected any invitations to go shopping. If only she did not have to worry so much about her daughters! She washed the bones, scraped off any meat, tossed the bones into the boiling pot, then added various seasonings to make soup. Then, she minced the meat, mixed it with chives, chopped carrots, and some salt, then stirred it into a fine paste. She was going to use that as the filling for the dumplings she was about to make. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Dumplings in soup made for a hearty meal. Queenie loved dumplings, especially the ones she made herself. She loved cooking, and she would be satisfied if her cooking could make her husband and daughters happy. She would cook in the kitchen whenever she was troubled. That served as a distraction from whatever was troubling her. After that, she mixed the ingredients and prepared the dough with a rolling pin. When Ms. Lang stepped into the kitchen, she saw Queenie''s hands deftly churning out paper-thin dumpling skins. They were arranged neatly on the kitchen counter. Ms. Lang smiled and stepped forward. "Do you need my help, Madam?" "It''s fine, Ms. Lang. There are several stray pieces ofundry on the living room couch. Please put them in the washing machine." Ms. Lang was about to leave when she suddenly remembered the uncanny scene she saw in Leia''s room. She hesitated if she should inform Queenie about it. Queenie noticed that Ms. Lang was thinking about something and asked," What''s wrong, Ms. Lang? Is there something?" Ms. Lang remembered Leia''s icy gaze, hostile expression, and most importantly her brazen threat. She gulped and decided not to tell Queenie about it. Even so, she tried to hint at something. "It''s nothing, Madam. I... I noticed that Ms. Leia seems to be troubled by something recently, and she always looks tired. You might want to pay more attention to her." "Mm, don''t worry. I''ll take care of her," Queenie replied. "I''ll be off to do theundry then. Please call me if you need me," Ms. Lang nodded politely at Queenie, then turned around and left the kitchen. At the kitchen entrance, she bumped into someone with a pair of eyes as sinister as a venomous snake. That was Leia! Despite her shock, Ms. Lang greeted her, "Ms... Ms. Leia." "Mm,¡± Leia replied coldly and ignored her as she stepped into the kitchen. Ms. Lang thought that she was lucky for not telling Queenie about what she saw in Leia''s bedroom. Otherwise, Leia might overhear that and would make sure that she would not be able to work in the Norman residence anymore. She knew that she had to be careful in the future. When Leia saw Ms. Lang walk away hastily, she knew that something was amiss. She did not know if Ms. Lang had noticed Wayne''s presence in her room or if Ms. Lang had told her mother anything, but she suspected that Ms. Lang saw something in her room. She was not going to let that woman stay in the Norman residence anymore! Leia stepped into the kitchen and saw that her mother had prepared many dumplings. The dumpling skins were translucent, and the pink filling could be faintly seen underneath. Queenie was an artist. Not only her paintings were beautiful, but even her dumplings looked like works of art. They probably tasted as good as they looked. "Mom," Leia greeted her mother sweetly as usual and gently hugged her shoulders. "Are you making dumplings? They look so good. I''d like to learn how to make them." Queenie''s motherly instincts gushed forth when her daughter was acting coquettishly toward her. She poked her daughter''s forehead with her flourtipped finger. "Alright, I''ll teach you everything. At least you''ll know how to do some housework by the time you get married, and your future mother-in-w wont make fun of you." Leia pouted contemptuously. She was fated to live a life of luxury, and she would only marry a wealthy husband from an influential family. All her needs would be fulfilled by caretakers, so why would there be a need for her to learn how to do housework? Even so, she washed her hands, dried them, then sat down next to Queenie and learned how to make dumplings. While making a dumpling, she ventured, "Mom, I think that Ms. Lang has been gettingzytely. She doesn¡¯t clean the house as thoroughly as she used to, and she''s bing passive. Also, didn''t her son''s wife give birth to a baby not too long ago? Maybe she''d rather take care of her grandchild, and I think we should let her go. Otherwise, her daughter-inw might me her for not taking care of the baby. We should look for another caretaker. What do you think?" Queenie''s hands stopped, and she frowned. "Ms. Lang has been working with us for almost five years. She has a trustworthy character, and she rarely makes any mistakes. As for her grandchild, you don''t have to worry about it. Ms. Lang said that her daughter-inw quit her job to be a full- time mother. Moreover, the baby''s other grandmother has already retired, and she has volunteered to take care of the baby at their house. Ms. Lang is working to pay for her son''s family expenses. They won''t me her for neglecting the baby." Leia had no reply to that. She smiled but did not say anything. However, the gears in her mind were whirring. She had to get rid of Ms. Lang as soon as possible! On Luke''s fifth day in the hospital, Gale and Rain paid him a visit, bringing good news that could help T Corporation out of its crisis! Chapter 794 Chapter 794 No One Can Harm His Family! In the VIP hospital ward, Gale and Rain stood in front of the bed and looked at Luke with worry in their eyes. They fell into the ocean at the same time, but fortunately, the two of them were saved by Percy Mallory. They had been recuperating from their serious injuries. Later, they were overjoyed to find out from Percy that their leader was still alive! Luke was their savior. He had single-handedly destroyed Robert''s hidden training base from within and led them out of the hellish Ind of Despair. They were grateful that Luke had granted them a new lease of life, and they swore eternal loyalty to him. Johann was performing a check-up on Luke''s body. He was surprised when he analyzed the data. "I say, Bro, your regenerative powers are insane! A normal person would take at least a month to recover from broken ribs, but it''s only been a week, and it would take someone else two weeks to reach where you are. Tsk, what a monster! You can be discharged today." Luke did not reply to him. He had his training on the Ind of Despair to thank for his inhuman constitution. He frequently got injured there, and he had secretly used his knowledge of herbology to treat his body using various medicinal herbs found on the ind. That was why his constitution improved greatly. Gale was delighted when he heard Johann''s report. "Dr. Johann, are you saying that Boss''s body is fine? That¡¯s good news!" Rain did not like to speak. She had a charming oval-shaped face, but her demeanor was as cold as ice. Even though the other people knew her as an ice queen, she was visibly happy when she heard the news. "Boss, Gale and I have disguised ourselves as police officers in charge of the investigation task force. We infiltrated the site of the ident to look for evidence, and we have made a discovery." Rain handed Luke a stack of photos taken at the ruins of The Galleria as well as a report of the evidence. Luke pressed his lips as he took those documents. He carefully read every page of the report. Gale also said sternly, "Boss, we''ve found remnants of CK-20 explosives at ground zero. CK-20 is one of thetest inventions of the Ind of Despair. Once detonated, it will react with all the oxygen over a widespread area. That''ll deprive all the people in the affected area of oxygen. "Many of the people who had lost their lives in the copse died of suffocation and not of trauma. I''m wondering why there would be traces of CK-20 in A City when we have destroyed the entire stockpile of the explosive before we left the Ind of Despair." Luke''s gaze narrowed when he heard what Gale said. Kassy''s beautiful yet sinister face surfaced in his mind again. Somehow, Luke had a hunch that Kassy was still alive somewhere... If Kassy were still alive, then she would attack his family. Luke''s gaze turned into ice when he thought of that possibility. He would not let any harme to Bianca! He instantly gave his next order to Gale. "Cooperate with Percy Mallory and find out Kassy''s whereabouts. Contact me the very instant you find anything. If she presents herself as a threat to my wife, kill her on the spot!" Gale hesitated for a moment. "Boss, Kassy might be ruthless, but she saved your life after all..." Other people might not know how life was on the Ind of Despair, but Gale and Rain knew it very well. Many people met an untimely end on that hellish ind, where only the fittest survived. Their boss might be strong and capable, but he was the weakest when he first arrived there. Many people had bullied him, and he had nearly lost his life on multiple asions. Kassy had secretly protected him, and that was how he managed to survive and thrive in that environment. Luke did not frown as he retorted, "She saved my life? Heh, she would¡¯ve dispatched me if not that she had ulterior motives! Moreover, I¡¯ve made them uncountable riches while I was on the ind, and that should''ve paid back whatever debt of gratitude I owe them. I won''t act on Kassy as long as she doesn''t show up in front of me or attempt to harm my family, but if she insists on doing so, I wont show her any mercy!" Gale and Rain had no words to reply to that. Once their boss decided on something, no one could change his mind. Just like Luke said, even though Kassy might have saved his life, the woman was cunning and ruthless. Many innocent lives had died because of her, and she was even crueler than Madame Rose. A menace like her was better off dead. Johann knew how much Luke loved Bianca. He patted Luke''s shoulder and said, "You dont have to worry too much, Bro. We''ll act ording to the situation. It''s not that easy to break through the defenses of your mansion, and we have found solid evidence of their crimes. They''ll eventually have to be brought to justice." Luke''s expression was sullen. Johann did not know how cruel that woman could be. The security measures at his mansion were nothing to her. He would have to use stronger protective measures for his family! While they were talking, Jason barged in through the door, panting. "Mr. Crawford, the hospital is surrounded by police officers, a group of troublemakers, and many reporters!" It had been a week since the tragedy of The Galleria, but T Corporation had not released any statements since the press conference. Even though Bianca promised everyone a satisfactory exnation at the press conference, the investigation process faced many difficulties. The perpetrators managed to remove most of the evidence, and the document in Luke''s hands was the first clue that the ident was man-made. However, the families of the deceased grew impatient. They bribed the reporters and besieged the hospital, intending to force an answer out of Luke Crawford today! That was brazen instigation. Luke stood up from the bed and nced impassively at themotion at the entrance. The scene was crowded and chaotic. All he could see was a sea of heads. There were police officers, a mob of troublemakers, and a crowd of onlookers... N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. The troublemakers waved blood-red banners filled with nderous slogans. However, Luke''s gaze remained calm... Chapter 795 Chapter 795 Don''t Dodge the Question, Luke This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The "answer" that they wanted was, of course, the amount ofpensation that they would receive. Even without the families of the deceased protesting, Luke would be granting them the maximum amount. He might be the Cold-Faced Devil in the business world, but he was influenced by Bianca''s kindness after spending a long time with her. However, he was unhappy that those people had surrounded the hospital. He wondered if they caused Bianca, who was back at home, any trouble. Luke turned his ice-cold gaze at Jason. "Are they bothering Bianca?" He did not mind being embroiled in controversy, but he hoped that the mob would not harass his wife and children. Bianca had stayed in the hospital for the past few days to take care of him. She was at her physical limit, and Luke forced her to go home and rest. Jason answered instantly, "Don¡¯t worry, they''re not going to find her at the mansion. The security measures are tight there, and there hasn''t been any trouble." "Mm, that''s good to know. I''ll be discharged today. You can tell Bianca that she doesn''t have to go to thepany." "Understood." After dealing with many misceneous matters, Luke left the hospital through a secret exit and managed to evade the troublemakers and the reporters. It was almost midnight when he returned to the mansion. The caretaker was surprised to see him back home. She escorted him to his room. "You''re back, Sir! Madam has been talking about you. Have you had your dinner?" The caretaker took his coat and diligently hung it at the coat rack. Luke stepped into the room and asked, "I haven''t. Is Bianca asleep?" The caretaker replied, "Madam and the children went to bed after dinner. I''ll go and heat the leftovers in the kitchen." "Mm," Luke''s eyelids drooped as he took off his shirt. No one knew what he was thinking. A whileter, he stood up and went upstairs. The caretaker nced at Luke¡¯s back while she heated the food in the kitchen and was reminded that Bianca seemed depressed in the past few days. She felt sorry for the couple that seemed to be always beset with ordeals, i She knew that Luke and Bianca shared a loving rtionship, but she also knew that many rtionships would break down in times of crisis. Would this couple be able to weather through the storm? Eventually, the caretaker shook her head, sighed, and went on with her work. When Luke opened the door, he saw Bianca sleeping on their bed with the three children. There were four visible mounds under the nket, one big and three small. Under the dim nightlight, Bianca''s brows were tightly furrowed, but the twins and Tommy were sleeping soundly. The faces of the three children were free of worry. He stood at the door staring at the tranquil scene for a minute before walking inside and nted a heavy kiss on Bianca''s fair forehead. Bianca had not been sleeping well for the past few days. She was a light sleeper because of her nightmares. Luke''s actions woke her up from her dreams. She opened her eyes groggily and mumbled indistinctly, "You''re back, Luke? "Mm," Luke replied gently. His heart was filled with tenderness as he looked at her innocent expression, and he gently bit her tender lips. The gentle kiss turned Bianca''s limbs into jello. Her eyes suddenly opened wide. "Why are you out of the hospital, Luke? You haven''t fully recovered yet, right? Why don''t you stay there for a few more days? You didn''t even tell me that you''re discharged. I could''ve gone over and fetched you..." She sounded like she wasining as she sat up on the bed. Her hair was disheveled. A few stray strands covered her clear eyes. Luke straightened her hair and pecked her lips. "Those aren''t serious injuries, and so they recover quite fast. Johann said that I can be discharged too. I don''t like the smell of disinfectant in the hospital. Our home smells nicer." The words "our home" brought warmth to Bianca''s heart. She was nheless worried when she thought about the injuries he sustained. "You''d better stay at home for the next few days and don''t overwork yourself. I can share your workload. Remember, Luke Crawford, I am your wife and yourrade in battle. Don''t bear all the responsibility yourself," Bianca said sternly. That was the first time that Bianca had used that serious tone with him. It was also her first time emphasizing her identity to him. Luke''s gaze swept carefully over her defiant face, seeming in search of something as he looked at her stiffly straight body. No one knew what he was thinking. Bianca was a stubborn one. She would not give up unless she received an affirmative answer from Luke. She did not expect Luke to lean over and gently kiss her lips. Bianca was somewhat frustrated that the man had always kissed her as a way to evade her questions. She wanted to push him away, but his actions were so gentle. He held and kissed her as though she was an extremely rare treasure. Bianca was beginning to waver, but she wanted to hear Luke make that promise. "Say it to me, Luke. I''m not going to let you get away with kissing this time!" Luke smiled helplessly and patted her head indulgently. "Alright, I promise you. We shall berades in battle from now on. Are you happy now?" Bianca smiled and nodded. Meanwhile, in a luxurious five-star hotel. White gauze curtains draped from the ceiling. Fragrant rose petals were scattered on the pure white bed sheets. A naked couple was making out on the round water bed. The extremely beautiful and voluptuous woman had distinctive Eastern European features. She was none other than Kassy, who had been in hiding.a Under her was a handsome young man with sculpted facial features and a strong and lean body. Upon closer inspection, he looked startlingly simr to Luke Crawford... He should have been strong and resilient, but he seemed to be in hisst throes. The women seemed to have sucked all vitality from his body, and his usually seductive eyes were hollow. The woman was like a subus with an unquenchable desire. He was almost dead from an entire night of making out! The man''s eyes zed over and passed out. "Useless piece of trash!" Kassy kicked the unconscious man onto the floor and cursed viciously. As she nced at the dying man on the floor, Luke''s charming face surfaced in her mind once more... Chapter 796 Chapter 796 How Dare You Threaten Me? Kassy looked gloomily at the naked man who was unconscious on the floor. ''How useless! ''If that were Matthew, he would have given me the pleasure I desire!'' The man''s tempting body appeared in Kassy''s mind. She had done her best in protecting the man, but he had betrayed her! Her beautiful face contorted viciously when she thought of that. Even the air around her seemed to have turned into ice. She draped a silk negligee over her, barely covering her private parts. Then, she pressed a button and coldly ordered, "Come and take this useless piece of trash away!" "Yes, Ms. Kassy!" Two tall and burly men in suits soon appeared in the room. They dragged the unconscious handsome man out of the room as though they were dragging a piece of roadkill. They dared not look at Kassy''s seductive, barely naked body. Soon, the room resumed its silence. Only the dim night light cast an eerie glow in the room. Kassy opened a drawer and took out a photo. On it was the face of a handsome man whom she so loved and hated. Afterying low for so long, her first deed after she arrived in A City was to deliver a surprise "present" for Luke. She wondered if he liked it. She would deliver more and more presents to Luke in theing days, including his so-called wife whom he was so obsessed about -- Bianca Rayne. While Kassy was nning her next move, her phone started ringing. The only people who knew her phone number were those that she trusted the most. She had an idea of who was calling her when she saw the string of unfamiliar numbers on the screen. She answered the call and said coldly, "Hello?" "Long time no see, Kassy. How have you been?" Wayne''s flippant voice was heard over the phone. "If my guess is correct, you should have just finished making out with some random guy. Am I right?" Kassy grunted coldly, and the grip on her phone became tighter. "What do you want? Spit it out." On the other side, Wayneyfortably on Leia''s bed. He frowned unhappily and said brusquely, "Don''t be like that. We''re still partners, right? That''s not how you should speak to a partner. I''ve heard that Luke Crawford destroyed your stepfather''s base, and you''re on the run. That''s not a life you want to live, isn''t it?" Kassy could not help but chuckle. "Heh, do you think that you''re in a better state? The entire A City, no, the entire country is hunting you down, and you can''t even go back to your own home. You''re in a far worse state than me, yet you have the guts to mock me. What a joke!" Wayne was used to being ttered. He could not tolerate a woman criticizing her. His tone of voice took a violent turn. "I''m going to let that slide because we''re still partners and because I pity your current condition. Don''t think that you''re still Robert''s beloved step-daughter; you''re nothing but a dog on the run now! I might be wanted, but A City is tt family turf. It''ll be very easy for me to kill you!" Kassy thought of the tt family''s massive influence and Wayne''s cunning and ruthless methods. The man was an expert at killing someone when they least expected it. She pondered her situation for a brief moment. It would be a bad idea to offend the man and be his victim. With that thought in mind, she softened her tone. "I''m sorry, Wayne. I shouldn''t have spoken so harshly to you. I haven''t been in a good mood. Please forgive me, considering that we have been partners for so many years. Also, I''m the one who supplied the explosives to your subordinates to blow up The Galleria. I hope you don''t cast me aside after I''ve served my purpose. Even if you don''t like me, at least consider the fact that my stepfather has helped you so much over the years, hmm? If we work together, we can ruin T Corporation and turn A City upside down... isn''t that what you want?" Kassy''s voice was gentle and coy, like a feather that tickled Wayne''s heart. Her ttery made him feel good. Wayne could not help but grin when he thought of the situation Luke was currently in. However, he remained suspicious. "That''s exactly what I want. I didn''t expect the man to be so fragile! Kassy, are you sure that the explosives you supplied me won''t leave any evidence?" Kassy was so furious that she wanted to smash her phone at that instant, but she stopped herself. "Wayne, you were once an elite special forces soldier and the leader of an international mercenary group. You should be more experienced with explosives than me. You should know that CK-20 is extremely destructive, and its chemicalponents are extremely vtile. I can bet you that even the best explosives experts would find it hard to detect the slightest trace. Don''t worry, they won''t be able to find anything." "That better be the case. Otherwise, you should know what I can do to you!" Wayne''s threats continued to echo in Kassy''s head after he hung up. She gritted her teeth in anger. ''Wayne, that b*stard. He can''t even fend for himself, yet he threatens me! N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ''We''ll see what happens!'' Late at night, Luke continued to work hard in the study of the mansion. The desk was piled high with documents, and his eyes were bloodshot from fatigue. He had been very busy that day. The phone did not stop ringing since morning, and he had to answer every one of them because they contained top-secret information. He was already hoarse from speaking, and he only managed to find some peacete at night. He could not rx yet. Instead, he continued to read the documents that Jason brought him. Those required his personal attention. T Corporation was currently in a crisis. Even though Bianca was assisting him, he still had to do the majority of the work. His leadership had brought T Corporation through many crises in many years. His reputation in the business circles was starting to decline after the Greenview Regalia arson case and the copse of The Galleria. That made him frustrated. The door to the study suddenly opened. Luke thought that it was the caretaker. He lifted his gaze unhappily and saw Biancaing in, smiling while holding a hot drink... Chapter 797 Chapter 797 The Culprits Will Soon Get What They Deserve! Bianca gently called out to the man who was hard at work in the study." Luke." Luke put away the document in his hand and looked up helplessly at her." It''s already sote. Why aren''t you sleeping yet?" He sounded as though he was reprimanding her. Bianca gently blew on the hot drink in her hands, then handed the cup to Luke. "How can I sleep when you''re still working? I''ve made some tangerine honey milk tea for you. Drink it while it''s hot." Luke took the cup of tea. The golden color of the tea was beautiful. The tangerine pieces floating inside seemed tantalizing. He took a few sips and was impressed. "Mmm, not bad. The sweet and sour taste makes it very appetizing. I''m lucky that my wife can make such delicious tea. Come over here. Your lips are so dry, and you should have some tea too." "I''m not thirsty. This tea is made just for you." Bianca was not in the mood to listen to his flowery words or drink tea. So many things had happened recently, and that had exhausted her greatly. Luke forcefully pulled her into his arms, let her sit on hisp, and fed her a few sips of tea. Then, he pinched her skinny cheeks and looked at her dearly. "You''ve lost a lot of weight recently, silly girl. I like you better when your face is meatier." Bianca rolled her eyes at him. "Meatier? You mean plumper! I think I prefer myself like this. Would you like me better if my face is as round as a pizza?" Luke could not help butugh. "Pizza? I don''t really mind whatever shape your face might be, you''re always the most beautiful woman to me." "You''re such a charmer.¡± Bianca was originally not thirsty. Taking a few sips of the tea whetted her appetite, and she picked up the teacup and drank from it. i She took several gulps before putting the teacup down. Only a third of the tea was left. Luke gently tousled her hair seeing that she was happy. His eyes were brimming with love and care. Bianca blushed when she saw that she had almost finished the tea in the cup. She had made the tea for Luke, but she ended up drinking most of it. She awkwardly patted her stomach and smiled apologetically to Luke. "I''ll... I''ll make another cup for you." Luke held her hand and stopped her. "It''s fine. I''m not thirsty, and I don''t really want to drink tea sote at night. You should rest soon because you need to wake up early tomorrow. You shouldn''t stay up so late, your body might not be able to take it." Bianca hugged his waist and buried her head in his chest. "No, you have to rest too. Otherwise, I''ll stay here and apany you in the study. I mean it, " she said coyly. Her gaze fell on the stacks of documents on the desk. There were still so many documents to process. Luke would not be able to finish them tonight even if he were Superman. Luke did not move. He remained seated on his chair as though he did not hear what she said, though heforted her by gently patting her cheek." Be a good girl. I''ll go and sleep after I''m done reading these documents. It''ll take me half an hour at most..." Bianca shook her head stubbornly. "No! Go to the bedroom with me now and rest. Otherwise, I''ll stay here too." She knew that the man was only making an excuse when he said that it would only take half an hour. If she did not force him to go and rest, he would be working overnight. It was fine if he did it on any other day, but he had just been discharged from the hospital, and he had not fully recovered. He should not overwork himself. Luke was usually helpless against Bianca''s coy demands, but today, he shook his head helplessly, disobeying her. One of his hands held Bianca, while the other hand tapped rapidly on the keyboard of hisptop. Bianca poked his chest seeing that he was stubborn. "It''s already two o''clock. The sun wille up soon if you''re not going to rest." "Be a good girl and go to bed first. I''ll be done soon." Luke picked up Bianca and ced her on the soft bed in the lounge that was attached to the study. Right after Bianca was ced on the bed, she reached out and hugged Luke''s waist tightly as though she were an octopus. He could not leave. Tears welled up in her eyes as she started to guilt-trip him. "Luke, please listen to me and take a rest. You''re not going to finish that much work tonight, and your body hasn''t recovered yet. Why are you pushing yourself so hard? Remember that you''re not only T Corporation''s CEO but also my husband and the children''s father. Can''t you rest early for us?" "... Alright." Luke''s heart softened when he saw that she was about to cry. He hesitated for a while, theny down next to her, hugged her tight, and draped the nket over the two of them. As he hugged her fragrant body, Luke could feel his stress melt away and each of the cells in his body rx. He kissed her forehead and whispered, "Let¡¯s rest." Bianca''s forehead was damp from Luke''s kiss. She looked at his slightly haggard face. Reaching out to touch his chin, she felt the sharp prick of some hair of his beard. Bianca pouted, yawned, and said casually, "Your beard has been growing very fast recently. I remember shaving it for you only a few days ago, but it''s already so thick. You''re a workaholic, and you don''t know how to groom yourself when you''re focused on work. You look like a hobo now. I wonder why so many women are charmed by your appearance." Luke smiled. "I do have a very convincing face." This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Bianca pouted. She remembered being charmed by Luke''s handsome looks when she was younger and red at him. "That''s how you managed to deceive me for so many years. I wonder how many innocent young girls have you deceived with this face of yours?" She was troubled by the number of females who identally fell in love with Luke. Ever since they started dating each other, she had been fending off all the women who tried to snatch Luke away from her." Lukebed her hair with his fingers and smiled indulgently. "I''ve never used my face to deceive anyone except for you. If possible, I''d like to deceive you for the rest of your life so you''ll stay by my side forever." "Hmph, what flowery words!" Bianca felt warmth in her heart even though she was not willing to listen to those words. However, she frowned when she thought of their current situation. "The situation surrounding the Galleria copse is worsening by the day, Luke. Our PR department almost can''t handle it anymore. Have you thought up a solution?" "Mm, you don''t have to worry about that. The problem will be solved soon, and the culprits will get what they deserve!" Luke''s voice was very soft, but his eyes shed with a hawk-like ferocity in the dark... Chapter 798 Chapter 798 She Needs To Get More Money From Her Son Meanwhile, in another mansion. A gentle breeze stirred the crystal bead curtains that made a stark contrast with the golden furnishings. The entire interior was luxuriously furnished with crystal decorations, furniture with golden frames, and all sorts of ssical flower arrangements. The mansion was Allison''s private property. She had received arge sum of money and a percentage of T Corporation''s shares from Luke''s inheritance. Allison hadined to Bianca that her share of the inheritance was too little, and she had even brought some reporters to Old Master Crawford to raise a ruckus. Bianca had mercilessly driven her out, and Old Master Crawford had reprimanded her severely. He even said to the reporters that he would take back all the inheritance given to her if she continued to cause trouble. Allison was helpless, but she did not hold any actual executive power. She was no match for Bianca, and even Old Master Crawford could easily crush her even though he had already retired for many years. She could only take her "measly" share of the inheritance and shut up. A portion of the inheritance was spent on the purchase of the mansion, and the renovation cost several million dors. That was her immovable property. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. As for the rest of the money, she spent it as she pleased. That amount of money was enough tost an ordinary person several lifetimes. For the spendthrift Allison who had no means of ie, she had almost squandered away the entire inheritance in a short two years. She was an extremely vain person, and she only bought luxury-brand clothing and essories because she wanted to maintain an image in front of her friends. Arge room in the mansion was converted into a fully-equipped beauty salon. Allisony on the facial bed, served by two young women. They were twins; the elder sister was named Elsa, and the younger sister was Elise. Elsa was slightly taller and had a pair of animated eyes. She was currently massaging Allison''s neck. The shorter girl was Elise, the younger sister. She had made a pot of tea for Allison and was currently peeling a tangerine. Then, she brought a sweet piece of fruit to Allison''s lips. Allison had met the twin sisters in the beauty salon she frequented. Their massage skills were excellent, and they knew how to make Allison happy with ttery. That was why Allison had hired them as her personal beauticians in her mansion and offered them a high sry. Elsa pampered her every day, while Elsie also doubled as her personal cook. Allison thought that the money spent on hiring them was worth it. "Madam, your skin is getting more and more tender under our treatment. You look even better than both of us. How blessed you are! Are you enjoying the massage so far?" Elsa ttered Allison discreetly while giving her a massage, Allison''s eyes were closed as she thoroughly enjoyed the sensation. '' Mm, not bad. I always loved your massage, Elsa." "Let me introduce you to a beauty treatment method, Madam. I''m sure that you''ll like it." "Oh, is that so? What treatment is it?" Allison was curious. Elsa seemed to being up with new treatment methods every day, and Allison was more than willing to try them. Elsa smiled sweetly. She picked up a pink unique-looking ultrasonic massager and put it on Allison''s face. Then, she pushed a switch, and the massager gently massaged Allison''s face. While Elsa massaged her face, she introduced the apparatus to Allison." Madam, this is the newest The Zeus VI. Just like Zeus is the king of the gods, this is the king of all beauty equipment. This ultrasonic massager can remove dead skin cells and promote cell growth so that your skin will always be as smooth as a baby. Most importantly, it can remove crow''s feet wrinkles... You can see for yourself in the mirror once I''m done." Allison thoroughly indulged in the delicate treatment process, though she did not feel that the massager was any different from the other massagers she had tried before. However, Elsa''s exnation made her anticipate the results of the treatment. Half an hourter, Elsa finished the massage. She washed Allison''s face and applied beauty essence, moisturizer, and facial cream before handing her a hand mirror. "Do you see the results of the massager, Madam? I think that your skin has be more tender than before!" She said with a smile. Allison looked carefully at her face in the mirror. Indeed, her face seemed fairer than before, and the crow''s feet wrinkles at the corners of her eyes seemed to have faded. She touched her face and eximed in surprise, "Indeed, this massager is much better than all the others. This is a good rmendation, Elsa. Use this massager on my face every day. I''ll double your bonus this month!" The twins nced at each other and smiled. They thought that the old woman was an idiot. There was no such miraculous massager in the world! Elsa had applied hormone essence to Allison''s face while massaging it. The effects of the hormone essence were indeed tremendous, and it could shrink pores and smoothen one''s skin. However, the side effects were drastic. If she stopped using it, her face would wrinkle and fester. "Thank you, Madam. I borrowed this massager from a friend of mine. She''s an expert inventor from overseas, and the Zeus VI is hertest invention. It costs about 150,000 dors. This is the only one avable for now, and it''ll be put up for auction tomorrow. I''ll have to return this to her soon..." Allison became frantic when she heard that. She wanted the amazing treatment to continue. "Tell your friend that I''ll buy the massager from her now," she said generously. Elsa could not stop grinning. "That''s very generous of you, Madam. I''ll call my friend now and tell her about it." The ultrasonic massager was a product of dubious origin that cost less than a thousand dors, but they managed to fleece the wealthy woman for 150,000 dors. They were overjoyed by their little scam. It was Elise''s turn to speak. She took out a thick stack of receipts and handed it to Allison. "These are the expenditure records forst month. Please take a look, Madam." Allison browsed through the records. The food ingredients, household goods, and other misceneous expenses totaled up to about sixty thousand dors. She widened her eyes and furrowed her brows in suspicion. "Why is it so much? How could you spend almost thirty thousand dors on food ingredients alone?¡± When she lived in Crawford Manor, the living expenses for so many family members and caretakers were only about twenty thousand dors. Elise answered calmly, "I''ve done my purchases based on your specifications, Madam. You wanted the finest ingredients and the highest quality household goods. Every expense is recorded, and you can check them. I won''t lie to you." Allison browsed through the receipts and found no problem, though she was quite reluctant to part with the money. The money in her ount was decreasing rapidly. If she wanted to continue hervish lifestyle, she would have to ask for money from her son Chapter 799 Chapter 799 They Will Teach Him A Lesson! While Allison fretted over what excuse she should give to ask for money from her son, she received an invitation to a video call on her phone. She picked up her phone and saw that it was Maxine calling her. She instantly epted the invitation and said exaggeratedly, "Are you already back home, Maxine? You''re only gone for a few days, but I''ve already missed you!" Maxine did not stay for too long in Crawford Manor, but she knew how to butter up to Allison. Somehow, she knew Allison''s preferences, and Allison was perfectly satisfied by everyvish gift Maxine bought her. Moreover, Maxine''s father was a much more influential figure than Bianca''s father. That was the main reason why Allison liked Maxine. Of course, Maxine was a sensible and obedient girl, unlike that ingrate Bianca, who would always go against her wishes. Maxine''s delicate and petite face appeared on Allison''s phone screen. She smiled sweetly as she greeted Allison, "I miss you too, Aunt Allison. I thought I could stay over for longer if I had been sessfully epted to Luke''spany, but unfortunately... sigh. Never mind, I''ll go and visit you whenever I''m free. How have you been?" Allison wiped away an imaginary tear on her face and said with fake sorrow, "Sigh, things have been horrible here. You should have seen the news about T Corporation''s ident, right? I''ve been physically and mentally exhausted because of that. Your cousin Luke is in the hospital because of the violent mob. Things are chaotic in the Crawford household. Sigh, we''re so unlucky!" "What?" Maxine''s voice became shrill all of a sudden. "Is Luke in the hospital? Is he injured badly?" Allison tried to look sadder than before. "His injuries are serious. He broke several ribs, and there was a blood clot in his skull when he was struck by a thick steel pipe. He almost couldn''t survive the operation... My son is truly blessed to be saved from the reaper, but he''s still in pretty bad shape..." Maxine¡¯s face turned pale all of a sudden. "How could that happen? Shouldn''t he have bodyguards protecting him? How could he be so heavily injured?" Allison noticed the worry in Maxine''s eyes and remembered how Maxine blushed when she first saw Luke. "Maxine, I''d... I''d rather not trouble you, but I don''t have any other choice," she took the opportunity to say, "The ident at The Galleria is too serious, and marypensation won''t please everyone! If T Corporation can''t ovee this obstacle, we''ll be bankrupt soon... "Maxine, do you think you can help me ask your father for a favor? Luke will need his help to solve this problem. If you can help us, then I''ll forever be in debt to you, and Luke will appreciate your help too. You''ll be the savior of our family!" Maxine saw that Allison kept on wiping tears from her eyes and looked at her pleadingly. "Don''t worry, Aunt Allison," she tried tofort her, "I''ll let Dad know about this and convince him to help you. Can you give me some time?" Allison nodded hurriedly and sighed with relief. "Alright, I''m relieved when you say that. We''re relying on you now, Maxine..." "Don''t say that, Aunt Allison. We''re rtives, and we should help each other in times of need. How about this..." Maxine chatted with Allison for another ten minutes before hanging up. She remained unsettled for a long time. Meanwhile, back in the beauty salon, Allison held two split chili peppers in her left hand and gestured a thumbs-up at Elise. The sorrow that she disyed during the video call could not be seen on her face now. She was very satisfied with Elise''s idea. Elise knew that Allison needed to cry, so she handed her the chili peppers to smear on her eyes. In the capital, Maxine''s unease grew after she ended the call. She did not know if her father would help Luke, considering that she hadined to her parents about Luke''s harshness ever since she got home. Irving Dous and Verona Smythe, Maxine''s parents, were happy that their daughter was back in the capital. The elderly couple had two sons and a daughter. Both of their sons were outstanding politicians, but the youngest daughter whom they conceived at an old age had been pampered since she was a girl. Even so, Irving and Verona were strict parents, and they did not spoil Maxine. Maxine was sent to a boarding school overseas when she was young so that she could learn how to be independent. Of course, her mother could not bear to see her precious daughter leave. The parents had quarreled for a long time because of that, but Irving insisted on his decision despite Verona''s threats. Maxine only returned to the country after she was soon to graduate from university. Verona was ted that her beloved daughter had finally returned. She thought that Maxine would spend some more time with her, but Maxine said that she had to hand in an internship report before she could graduate, and she insisted on doing her internship at T Corporation in A City. Naturally, Verona was unwilling to see her daughter leave again. There were plenty of famous corporations in the capital, and Verona could have found a cushy position for her daughter by utilizing her connections. Maxine could have led an easy life. T Corporation might be one of the top hundred corporations in the world, but A City was far away from the capital, and their influence did not reach there. Moreover, the Dous family did not have a cordial rtionship with the Crawford family. Allison and Irving might be cousins, but Verona did not like that stupid and materialistic woman. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Fortunately, Allison''s son was a natural-born leader who turned a smallpany on the brink of bankruptcy into one of the biggest corporations in the country. Ever since then, the two families shared a flimsy rtionship. Maxine''s parents had tried to talk her out of it, but Maxine seemed to be obsessed with the idea of working in T Corporation. She said that working in T Corporation had been her dream even before she returned to the country. Her parents had no choice but to let her go. They expected that an overseas graduate like her would easily score a spot in thepany, but she failed her interview. Maxine was happy before she departed for A City, but she was dejected when she returned to the capital. Her parents found out that Luke was the one who did not want their daughter to work in his company, and their dissatisfaction toward Luke grew. They did not understand why Luke would not do that favor for their daughter but instead had humiliated her. They thought that the young man had been arrogant. Soon, they would teach him a lesson for offending their daughter! Chapter 800 Chapter 800 We''ll Get Even With Them Maxine went to the study and noticed that her usually stern father was busy at work. Her mother was also there, preparing a pot of tea. "Dad, Mom." Maxine greeted them softly, took the teacup from her mother¡¯s hands, and ced it on her father''s desk. She turned around to face her mother and spoke sweetly, "Your tea-making skills are getting better, Mom. I could smell the tea leaves at the door. No wonder Dad always likes the tea you make for him. Isn''t that so, Dad?" Irving''s stern expression did not change, but the corners of his lips eased up a little. "Mm," he replied. "You really know how to tease me, my dear daughter." Verona could not help but smile genuinely. She had always loved her precious daughter. "What do you want for dinner today, Maxine? There''s a newly-opened five-star hotel in town, and the signature chef is quite skilled. I''ll bring you there tonight." "Never mind, Mom. The chef at home is quite skilled too. It''s the same if we have dinner at home," Maxine said. Verona insisted, "Won''t you get bored of eating at home? That won''t do... Maxine, what''s wrong with yourplexion? Are you feeling unwell?" "I''m fine, Mom. I''m probably still adjusting to the local climate, and I didn''t really sleep that wellst night. I just need to rest more today,¡± Maxine said with a slightly morose tone of voice. Verona sighed as she looked at her daughter. "Sigh, I told you that you shouldn''t be traveling so soon after you got back to the country, and I''ll arrange for an internship for you in the capital, but you don''t listen and insist on going to A City. Now, you''ve made the trip in vain. I say, Irving, that cousin of yours isn''t very reliable. She knows that our daughter wants to work in her son''spany, but she can''t even pull the strings for us. They''ll eventually have to rely on us for a favor, and that''s when we''ll get even with them!" Verona got angrier and angrier as she said that, and her voice became shrill. Maxine¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard that. Her mother sounded extremely aggrieved. Of course, a lot of Verona''s sentiments toward T Corporation could be attributed to Maxine''s incessantints and grumblings after she had returned from A City. Maxine had added a lot of exaggerated details while airing her grievances about how she was unfairly treated. It was her fault that her parents did not have a good impression of the Crawford family, but now... "It''s not like that, Mom. Actually, it''s partly my fault that I couldn''t get into T Corporation too. I thought I''d surely get in because I''m from an overseas university, but I might have overestimated myself... "I''m still inexperienced when ites to working, and I flunked the interview because I had been too arrogant. This has nothing to do with Luke; he''s only following the rules of hispany. It''s rare to find such an impartial individual in the workce, and I quite admire his character. Also, Aunt Allison and her family were very nice to me while I was in A City Maxine bit her lip and tried to improve Luke''s image. Then, she went into the main topic. "Dad, you should have seen the ident at T Corporation''s The Galleria, right? The incident has affected the Crawford family negatively, and Aunt Allison cries every day because of the endless troubles. I feel so sorry for her. Can you... please help their family?" She looked at her father expectantly. Verona might be authoritative, but Irving was the one who had the last say. If she could get her father to understand the Crawford family''s predicament, it should not be too difficult for him to help them. Irving grunted coldly, and his stern demeanor made him seem intimidating. "You''re doing them a favor when you want to work in theirpany, but they didn''t even give you a chance. If they can be so heartless, then we won''t help them either! The incident is none of our business. You''d better keep your distance from them, Maxine!" Verona held her daughter''s hand and said contemptuously, "Maxine, have you forgotten how you couldn¡¯t stop crying when you first came back from A City? I''ve never allowed you to suffer the slightest grievance, but they refused to help you outright. I thought that we should draw the line with them right there, but now they''re using you to get help from us. That''s nothing but wishful thinking!" Maxine was getting flustered. She hugged her mother''s elbow and said to her coyly, "But Mom, Aunt Allison and her family were nice to me. It''s my fault that I failed the interview at T Corporation, and you shouldn''t me it on them. If Dad can help the Crawford family, then I think he should..." Verona looked at her daughter suspiciously. "Has something gotten to you? I thought you hated the Crawford family since you came back from A City, but why are you trying to speak up for them now? Tell me, did the Crawford family promise you something?" Maxine shook her head guiltily. "N... no... Mom, I thought that since Dad and Aunt Allison are cousins, we should help them if we can..." "Alright, that''s enough. From now on, I don''t want to hear anyone mention the Crawford family! If they sincerely want help from us, then they shoulde to us themselves instead of asking you to speak on their behalf. They haven''t asked us for help, so why are you so worried? You''re not a young girl anymore, Maxine. Stop acting so childish." N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Irving frowned as he looked at his daughter. He decided to investigate what happened to his daughter while she was in A City. "Yes, Dad." Maxine lowered her head as she faced her visibly unhappy father. She knew when to stop asking. She had tried her best to ask for help on behalf of her Aunt Allison, but her parents seemed to be heavily prejudiced against the Crawford family. She was helpless beyond that, and all she could do now was to pray that T Corporation could ovee the challenges on its own. Maxine¡¯s heart tingled with excitement when she thought of Luke''s divinely handsome face. However, she felt a twinge of annoyance when she was reminded that the man was already married... Chapter 801 Chapter 801 She Wanted To See What Allison Intended To Do Luke went to thepany early that morning, while the driver picked up the three children and sent them to Crawford Manor because Old Master Crawford missed them. The people who remained in the mansion were Bianca, Old Master Rayne, and Wanda who came to visit. Johann had suggested a naturopathic treatment program for Old Master Rayne. The old man was already quite elderly, and his symptoms were chronic. Today, Bianca and Wanda were in the kitchen preparing a herbal remedy for Old Master Rayne. The thick smell of medicinal herbs wafted in the kitchen. They had to reduce the tonic three times in the pot, and they were only boiling it for the second time. Bianca thought that the smell alone was bitter. "Aunt Wanda, the tonic smells so pungent and bitter. Can Grandpa''s stomach take it?" Bianca furrowed her brows. She could not imagine how her grandfather took the tonic every day. Wanda smiled when she saw how worried her niece was. "Don''t worry, sometimes herbal remedies can be more effective than medicine. Look at my breast cancer. Dr. Lake said that there was no other way other than to remove my breasts by surgery, and she estimated that I only had six months to live... I didn''t have the courage to have them removed, so I tried naturopathic treatments instead. I can''t say that the tumor is totally gone, but at least the treatment managed to stop it from spreading. That''s all I can ask for..." Bianca looked at her aunt carefully. Indeed, there was more color to her facepared to before, and she seemed to be in good spirits. Bianca remembered how her aunt used to be withered and gaunt, but now she seemed slightly plumper. However, Bianca remained worried. "You''ll still have to take good care of yourself, Aunt Wanda. Now that your condition is improving, you shouldn''t overwork yourself. Maybe you should rest at home instead of working. You can''t put a price on your health." Wanda was even more of a workaholicpared to Bianca. While she was in Japan, she was the vice president of a major corporation. After she returned to the country, she started severalpanies and did not give herself any free time. Naturally, her sickness was exacerbated by her stress from work and her lifestyle. She shifted her priorities after she was diagnosed with cancer. "I know my condition the best, Bea, and I''ve thought about a lot of things since I was diagnosed. You don''t have to worry too much about me. I''ve already sold off all mypanies except for one, and I''ve been delegating most of the duties to the managers. Nowadays, I try to enjoy life as much as possible, and I''ll travel to different cities and countries every month. I''d bring your Grandpa along with me if not that his physical condition doesn''t allow him to travel." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Bianca watched over the pot while replying to her aunt, "Grandpa gets homesick easily, Aunt Wanda. He doesn''t want it even when I bring him to the park. I don''t think he''d travel with you even if his health were better, but it''s the thought that counts. Taking care of your health is more important than anything else. I''ve been very busytely, and I can''t get away from work. Otherwise, I''d join you in your travels around the world too." Wanda furrowed her brows when she was reminded of T Corporation''s recent troubles. "How are you and Luke going to deal with the tragedy of The Galleria, Bea? I don¡¯t believe that it''s an ident, and someone must be behind it. There''s no reason why the shopping mall would suddenly copse, especially not when there aren''t any earthquakes or natural disasters. If you need me to help with anything, don''t hesitate to tell me." "Thank you, Aunt Wanda. Indeed, it''s not an ident. Someone''s trying to sabotage us." Bianca''s gaze became icy when she thought of that cold-blooded person who would kill so many innocent people in an attempt to harm T Corporation''s reputation. "You don''t have to worry about us. Luke is in the midst of finding evidence, and the masterminds behind the tragedy will be exposed soon. We can''t reveal anything for now, in case the culprits catch wind of it. Once we are ready to tell the truth, we will have a satisfactory exnation for the families of the deceased!" Wanda felt slightly relieved. She had been in Japan for a long time, and all her resources and connections were there. She felt guilty that there was not much she could do to help her niece, but knowing that they had already found the culprits made her feel better. She knew that Luke was an outstanding individual and believed that he would be able to ovee the challenge. Her niece Bianca had suffered for most of her life, and Wanda would not want someone to ruin Bianca''s hard-earned bliss. While they were chatting in the kitchen, they heard amotion from outside. Soon, a security guard came running toward the kitchen while shouting from afar. "Mrs... Mrs. Crawford..." Bianca wiped her hands and went out of the kitchen. ¡®What''s wrong, Steve?" The security guard panted while he wiped the sweat off his face. "Madam... Madam Crawford is outside and wants toe in. We told her that she couldn''te in, but she sat on the ground and caused a commotion. She insists on meeting her son, and we can¡¯t stop her. We dare noty a finger on her because she''s Mr. Crawford''s mother. What should we do?" Bianca nced at the security feed of the entrance. Indeed, Allison was sitting on the ground and iling her arms and legs. She was punching and kicking the security guards around her, very much unlike how a woman of her status should behave. My son owns this mansion. Why can''t I go in?" She yelled, "How dare you stop me, you peasants? I''ll get my son to fire every one of you!" Bianca knew that Allison was a nuisance. If she did not allow her toe in, that woman might sit there for the rest of the day. Helplessly, she waved at the security guard. "Let her in!" She was curious to find out what Allison intended to do. If that woman were here to cause trouble, Bianca would make sure that she would regret it. After the security guards let Allison in, she looked around at the beautiful scenery in the garden, admiring that the caretakers had kept the ce well- maintained. Then, she clutched her handbag and walked into the house... Chapter 802 Chapter 802 Drove Her Away Mercilessly Bianca and Wanda could only watch as Allison stepped into the mansion uninvited. Wanda was dazzled by the luxury brand clothing and essories that Allison wore. Needless to say, her entire set of Chanel clothes cost six digits. The ck handbag she clutched was a Hermes matte Porosus crocodile handbag. Her wristwatch was a limited edition Richard Mille that cost millions. Adding the two diamond rings on her middle and ring finger, she could have bought a decent house in downtown A City. Wanda knew that the Crawfords were wealthy and Luke made a lot of money, but it was quite eye- opening to see one unt their wealth so tantly. Moreover, T Corporation was facing a life-and-death crisis. The families of the deceased were in the middle of demandingpensation from T Corporation. What if the media caught wind of Allison''s lavishness? That would have caused the media to pile on even more unsubstantiated ims about Luke''spany. She did not know if that woman was brazen or stupid. Allison was oblivious to all that. She sat down on the couch and crossed her legs, treating the mansion as though it were her home and Bianca was her servant. "Your mother-inw is here. Aren''t you going to serve me some tea?" Wanda was unhappy about Allison''smanding attitude. She was about to say something when Bianca gently tugged her hand. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Bianca went next to the coffee table, picked up the teapot, and poured Allison a cup of tea. "What is your business here today?" She knew that her mother-inw would not visit her for no reason. "Why, can''t Ie over whenever I wish? This house doesn''t only belong to you. It''s my son''s house, and you''re only a squatter. You wouldn''t have been able to live sofortably if he hadn''t insisted on marrying you," Allison said shrilly as she red at Bianca. Despite being married to Luke for over two years, Allison remained prejudiced against Bianca. Wanda was exasperated when she heard that. She immediately retorted," What do you mean by that, Madam Crawford? If I''m not mistaken, Luke had handed Bianca a controlling majority of T Corporation two years ago. Your son might be the CEO of T Corporation, but technically he''s only my niece''s employee. "Moreover, my niece single-handedly dealt with the Crawfords'' troubles when your son went missing two years ago, and that''s how you can still maintain yourvish lifestyle. How else would you be able to afford the clothes that you''re wearing? It¡¯s fine that you don''t know how to show any gratitude, but what right do you have toe here and put on airs? Ask yourself honestly, Allison Tanner, have you ever performed your duty as a mother-inw ever since Bianca got married?" Allison could not find a retort to those incisive words. She was furious when she was reminded that Bianca had a controlling majority of T Corporation. "That''s because that b*tch has seduced my son to transfer his shares to her. He''ll eventually realize the truth one day! Also, what right do you have to interject when I''m talking to my daughter-inw? You''re nothing but a sick woman about to die of cancer! "Heh, all of you Raynes are cursed with bad health. You either have cancer, or you''re demented. I hope my grandchildren didn''t inherit those genes from you, I should get them checked at the hospital some time soon..." "Allison Tanner!" Bianca''s face was pale with anger, and her body was shaking. "I''ve tolerated you just because you''re Luke''s mother, but that doesn''t mean you get to humiliate the Raynes without consequences! I thought that you''re only harsh with your words, but I didn''t expect that you''d curse even your own grandchildren! Leave this house at once!¡¯ In a fit of rage, Bianca grabbed Allison''s diamond-encrusted handbag and tossed it out of the door. Then, she dragged Allison by her elbow and shoved her away. "We don''t wee you here. Help me send her out, Aunt Wanda!" Wanda was already furious at Allison''s words. She grabbed Allison''s other elbow, and the two Raynes forcefully carried Allison out of the house. "What are you doing? Did I break anywsing to my son''s house? How dare you drive me out of the house when I''m here to look for my son! Just you wait, you b*tch, I''ll tell Luke to divorce you!" Allison was tossed out of the house just as she finished her sentence. "Go andin to your son then! Luke is at thepany now. I''m sure he''ll be weing you with open arms.¡¯ Bianca dusted her hands and ordered the security guards coldly, "Don''t let this woman in no matter what she says! If she tries to force her way in, get the police to arrest her for trespassing!" The security guards nodded, then ushered Allison away. "Please don''t make things difficult for us, Madam Crawford." Allison was about to explode from anger. She was there to ask for money from her son. Before she could even mention it, she had been tossed out of the house by Bianca and her aunt. Not only that, she was livid that she had been humiliated in front of the security guards. She spat at Bianca''s mansion, then angrily drove away in her limited edition sports car toward T Corporation. On the way there, Allison tried calling Luke several times toin about Bianca''s insolence. Luke did not pick up her call after several attempts. That made her even angrier. What is Luke doing? How dare he ignore his mother''s calls?'' The bright red sports car ran several red lights on its rampage toward T Corporation. The traffic police were shocked by the car''s grant disregard for thew and gave chase. However, they soon lost sight of the incredibly fast sports car. Allison arrived at T Corporation in no time. She narrowed her gaze as she saw the chaos outside the building... Chapter 803 Chapter 803 Allison''s Luxury Car Was Smashed The entrance to the building was crowded with people. There were many reporters from various media outlets, but there were even more angry protestors. They raised banners with slogans written in red ink, eager to im justice for those who had lost their lives in the copse of The Galleria. Those slogans looked as though they were written in blood. It was a spine- chilling sight. Allison mouthed a curse before stepping out of her bright-red Lamborghini. She opened the car door, put on her shades, and casually stepped out with her ten-inch high heels. 1 She lifted her head and looked at the T Corporation building. The tall skyscraper gleamed like a pearl under the sunlight. Other buildings around it were nothing more than dust whenpared to it. That was the business empire that her son had single-handedly built. She felt proud whenever she looked at the building. It was also something that she could brag to her friends. Her son''s office was proudly located on the top floor. Looking out of the window, he could look down upon the entire A City. How honorable was that! Allison decided to go in from a side entrance instead of braving through the crowd. However, several keen-eyed reporters noticed her presence. "Look at that sports car with the 666EA license te. It belongs to Allison Tanner!" A reporter shouted and attracted everyone''s attention. The reporters rushed toward her and aimed their cameras and microphones at her face... "Madam Crawford, how does Luke Crawford of T Corporation n to handle the tragedy of The Galleria? Why hasn''t he given a satisfactory exnation to the families of the deceased after more than a week?" "Madam Crawford, the victims have yet to receive theirpensation, but you appear here dressed in luxury brand clothing and expensive jewelry. Have you considered the feelings of the families of the deceased?" "Madam Crawford, your clothes and essories should cost at least several million dors. Are you aware that yourvish lifestyle is funded by the money that should be used topensate the victims? Do you know that yourst meal was seasoned by the blood of the dead? Did you enjoy your meal?" Allison was caught off-guard by the reporters'' various questions! She was used to being pampered and ttered everywhere she went. Never had she had to deal with such troublesome matters! She smacked away the microphone that was closest to her face and said unhappily, "My son will give everyone a satisfactory exnation about the incident at The Galleria. Please give him some more time. After all, it''s a serious issue that can''t be settled in the short term. Also, I''m only a housewife, and I don''t know anything about business. It''s no use asking me questions. Stop interviewing me. I don''t know anything..." This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She turned around and tried to move away from the crowd. However, the people surrounded her like a cocoon. She did not have the strength to push her way out. Some reporters grabbed onto the sleeves and hem of her clothes, stopping her from leaving. "Madam Crawford, you can''t leave until your son gives us a satisfactory exnation!" "Who do you think you are to stop me? Get lost!" Allison swung her palm toward the man''s face. The reporter managed to use his camera to block the p in time. Otherwise, it would havended on his cheek. Even so, his camera fell from his hands and dropped onto the ground. The people could see that Allison was serious in hurting that reporter! "This is outrageous! Her son has yet toe clean to the public, but she''s attacking a reporter in public! Did you all see that? Only a selfish mother like Allison Tanner would result in a cold-hearted bloodsucker like Luke Crawford! Their business is built upon the bones of the innocent victims! Smash her car and give her a taste of our suffering!" Someone in the crowd shouted that and managed to incite everyone''s anger. The family members of the victims red at Allison with bloodshot eyes! "Smash her car!" "Everyone, smash her car!" The shouts incited the anger of the crowd. They were baying for blood. Some of the people in the crowd took out hammers, while some picked up the bricks and rocks from the roadside. They showed no mercy to Allison''s luxury sports car! As tough as the car might be, it could not withstand the repeated attacks from the mob. Soon, web-like cracks appeared on the windshield. The left side mirror was destroyed. The windows at the back seats were smashed too... "How... how dare you peasants wreck my car! Don''t you know how expensive it is? You can''t afford it even if you worked for it all your life. Do you even care about thew? I''ll call the police and arrest you all!" Allison, oblivious to the predicament she was in, snapped the shades off her face and yelled at the violent mob. She did not know how idiotic her current actions were. Her brazen actions and condescending words instigated the crowd''s anger even more! "Beat her up! Kill her and avenge the victims! If Luke dares not show up, his mother shall pay for his sins!" "Kill that b*tch and avenge our family!" The mob roared and swarmed over Allison. They began punching and kicking her. Allison tried to shield herself with her arms, but she was not strong enough to defend herself from all the attacks. Soon, her face started to be bruised and swollen, and she felt as though her body was being torn apart. Her impable hair that she had gotten done that morning had be as messy as a bird''s nest... "Help... me... all you... crazy..." She felt as though she was going to die. Just when she was about to pass out, a pair of warm and strong hands dragged her away from the angry mob... Chapter 804 Chapter 804 Ludicrous Demand About ten minutester, Allison entered the T Corporation building through a secret entrance. Her current appearance could only be described as pathetic. Her usually fair and well-maintained face was now ck and blue and swollen all over. Her impably permed hair was also in a mess. Her arms and elbows were covered in bruises and bloody streaks. Even one of her high heels had gone missing. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Jason nearly burst intoughter when he saw Allison''s appearance. However, he had to put on a serious face so that he would not embarrass his boss''s mother. "Why did youe to thepany, Madam? You should¡¯ve stayed at home." He pretended to be shocked. "The crowd outside is uncontroble, and it''s easy for you to get hurt. Did you forget that Mr. Crawford was seriously injured justst week?" He knew that there must be a reason why Allison would appear at the T Corporation building. Usually, when she wanted money, she would have made a phone call instead. Allison tried to straighten her messy hair. She quickly nced at the injuries on her body, then red at Jason. "If you know that things are so serious, why haven''t you thought of a solution yet? Is T Corporation paying all you higher management ingrates for nothing? I say, what have you done except for wasting my son''s money? Look at what the violent mob did to me. If you hadn''t arrived in time, I might have just died right there!" Jason lowered his head. "Yes, Madam. I humbly ept your criticism. We will soon find a solution, don''t worry..." Allison remained unconvinced. "What do you mean by soon? T Corporation is so big, so why are you so inefficient? Payingpensation to the victims 1 families is a small matter. You can''t let the incident tarnish T Corporation''s reputation! Every minute you dy means that my son has to suffer for another minute! You''ll have to solve the problem by today!" Jason nodded and said nothing. He knew that Allison''s appearance at T Corporation meant nothing but trouble, and he would be the one to clean up the mess. To be honest, he was quite sick of dealing with her. However, he was only a subordinate, and he could not talk back. He smiled dryly but said nothing. Allison grumbled for a while before she shut up. After all, Jason was the one who contacted the finance department to give her money. "Is Luke in, Mr. Doyle?" She tried to sound less hostile even though she was not too satisfied with Jason. Jason nodded instantly. "Yes, The boss is here. This way please, Madam. However, he should still be in the conference room in a meeting with the higher management..." Allison stepped forward toward the CEO''s office. "I''ll wait for Luke in his office then." "Alright. Madam, do you want to clean yourself up in the bathroom? How about I buy some clothes for you from the shopping mall downstairs?" "Never mind. I''ll meet him like this. I want him to see what the violent peasants did to me! I believe that my son will help me arrest them all!" Then, she limped in the direction of the CEO¡¯s office. Jason shook his head once again. Mr. Crawford was thoroughly upied with dealing with the fallout of the tragedy of The Galleria. It was a bad time for Allison to look for him, and Jason guessed that he would be unhappy. Even so, Jason quickly made a cup of tea for Allison. He would rather not offend Allison in case she startedining again. More than three hourster, Allison was falling asleep in the office. Luke slowly came out of the conference room. He saw Jason at the door, holding a ce of delicately cut fruit and a ss of fruit juice. Luke frowned, then pushed open the door to the CEO''s office. Allison was reclining cross-legged on the wide couch with a fashion magazine in her hand and chewing a piece of pineapple in her mouth. She seemed to be quite rxed, though the bruises on her limbs were quite shocking. "Why are you here, Mother?" Luke''s eyebrows furrowed even more tightly when he saw her, and his tone of voice was cold. Luke understood that the mob outside had caused the injuries on his mother''s arms. However, he had already warned her to keep a low profile and try to stay indoors whenever possible. If she went out, she should bring some bodyguards with her. His mother was used to living a carefree lifestyle, and she always ignored his advice, which troubled him quite a lot. "I miss you, Luke. Can''t Ie and visit you?" Allison put away the magazine in her hand and sat up straight. She could not shift her eyes away once they fell on Luke. He was tall and elegant, and he walked with a firm stride. Allison thought that he became more handsome every time she saw him, even though he was frowning. He was so much better than Zachary, that useless father of his. Her son was an outstanding man and a genius entrepreneur. No wonder so many women fell for him! Allison ignored her son''s ice-cold demeanor and put on a superficial smile. "I miss you, my son." "You miss me? Heh." A sarcastic smile appeared on Luke''s thin and sexy lips. "I was in the hospital for an entire week, and only my wife took care of me day and night. I don''t think I''ve ever seen you there... I''m sure that you must be very busy, Mother. I didn''t expect that you''re free to visit me today." The smile on Allison''s face froze. "What... what do you mean? I happened to be under the weatherst week. You know that I caught the flu, right? I didn''t want to pass on the germs to you. If... if you don''t trust me, go and ask Johann. I got the flu medicine from him." Luke interjected him, "Enough nonsense, Mother. Why are you here? I have no time for your riddles." Allison choked when she looked at Luke''s stern face. She hesitated for a while before stating her reason sheepishly. "I''m... I''m a little tighttely. I almost can''t afford to pay my caretakers, not even after I''ve tried to be thrifty. Can you give me some... some..." Luke remained impassive. "How much do you want?" Allison was delighted. She raised three fingers and said, "It''s not much, I want... thirty million..." Luke frowned. "Do you think that our financial situation is as healthy as before? We''re still raising funds topensate the victims'' families, but you want thirty million dors. That''s not very appropriate. Don''t you think so?" Chapter 805 Chapter 805 Found the Evidence Allison felt a little embarrassed when she saw her son''s gloomy face." That''s not a lot, right? Isn''t T Corporation one of the biggest corporations in the country? It''s even renowned internationally too. Don¡¯t tell me that thepany is running out of money just because of this minor ident?" Luke lit a cigarette, feeling rather frustrated. Sometimes, he did not have the patience to deal with his mother, who only knew how to ask him for money. "This is a delicate scenario, Mother. You must have seen the situation at the entrance when you came here, right? Can you please notpound my troubles? I''ll get the finance department to transfer three million dors to your ount. That should be enough for three months if you spend it sparingly. Please stop bothering me during this period." "What? Only three million?" Allison''s face stretched exaggeratedly, and her voice became shrill. "Do you think that three million dors is enough for me, my son? That''s only enough for a few handbags and clothes. How can I pay for my living expenses then? You can''t be that stingy toward your mother! I don''t care. I want at least twenty million from you today. Otherwise, I''m not leaving!" She reclined on the couch, crossed her legs, then pointed her pedicured toes demonstratively at Luke. Luke did not even nce at her. He picked up his coat and walked toward the door. "I have a meeting to attend. You can stay here for as long as you want." He nced at Jason, who had entered the room with a fruit tter and a ss of fruit juice, then left as though nothing had happened. Allison got anxious when she saw that Luke was ignoring her. She pounced from the couch and said, "Hey, my son, you can''t leave. I don''t need that much money after all. Give me ten million. That''s the least I can ept... My standards of living will lower by a lot if you can''t even give me ten million dors. Don''t you feel sorry for your mother?" Luke did not stop or slow down. He opened the door and stepped out. Allison stomped her feet in anger. She was about to run after him when Jason stuffed the fruit tter into her hands. "Please calm down, Madam. You should know better than anyone else that Mr. Crawford won''t change his mind once he has decided on something. You should be exhausted from waiting. Here, have some fruit..." "Do I look like I''m in the mood to eat fruit when the problem isn''t solved yet? Sigh, why did I give birth to an ingrate?" Allison flipped the fruit tter, and the colorful fruit pieces were scattered all over the floor. However, she knew that her son was indeed stubborn. She picked up her handbag and left dejectedly. Before she walked out of the office, she red at Jason and said, "Mr. Doyle, please get the finance department to transfer three million dors to me, and not a cent less!" "Don''t worry, Madam. That certainly can be done." After Allison left, Jason looked helplessly at the fruit tter on the floor that he had so meticulously arranged. He dialed an internal number for the cleaner, then left the office. He could never understand why a materialistic, rude, and selfish woman like Allison could give birth to an outstanding son like Luke. If not that the mother and son looked somewhat alike, he might even wonder if Allison was truly Luke''s birth mother. The conference room was filled with people from higher management. The meetingsted for one and a half hours, and all the people seemed quite tired after one boring discussion after another. No one dared to ck. Their boss''s stern demeanor was colder than a cier. Luke, sitting in the CEO''s seat, also seemed tired, but his gaze and bearing remained sharp. Even though he did not move, the way he sat straight in his seat gave off an oppressive feeling. Luke watched T Corporation''s share prices drop lower and lower. He took thetest financial report that the secretary passed to him and briefly nced through it. His calm demeanor was a stark contrast with the nervousness of those people from higher management. One of the older men with white hair said sternly and nervously, "Our market value has fallen by about thirty billion dors since The Galleria''s copse, Mr. Crawford. If we don''t curb the loss somehow, we run the risk of being delisted, and that''ll be troublesome for future funding prospects..." "Yes, Mr. Crawford. Also, the families of the victims have been rallying outside the building. Why don''t we negotiate thepensation with them? What are we waiting for? Why aren''t we acting?" "Mr. Crawford, you have always been swift and assertive, but why haven''t you made a decision this time? Do you care if thepany lives or dies?" The questions rained on Luke like bullets. He shot them a stern re, which immediately shut them up. He whipped out his pen and wrote a single word on the cover page of a document. The force was strong enough to prate the paper. The word was "WAIT." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. He did not exin anything to his subordinates. The word that came out of his mouth was, "Dismissed!" Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They were finally free. They waited for Luke to leave the conference room before stretching their limbs and leaving the room one by one. Luke went back to his office, tossed the pen on his desk, then sat on his chair. He kicked with his feet, and the swivel chair turned one hundred and eighty degrees. His back was facing the door of the CEO''s office. Next to him was a cup of coffee at the perfect temperature. His secretaries knew very well what he wanted. He took a small sip, and his tightly furrowed brows rxed a little. Suddenly, his fax machine emitted a peculiar tone. Luke keyed in aplicated code, and the machine began to print rapidly on several sheets of paper. In seconds, a top-secret document was ready for Luke''s viewing. Luke picked up the document and began skimming through it. Gale and Rain did not disappoint him. There was indeed an element of sabotage in the tragedy of The Galleria. The evidence they found was enough to clear T Corporation of any wrongdoing. However, his expression became colder and colder as he read on... As expected, the copse was Wayne''s handiwork. However, he did not expect that Kassy was involved too... Chapter 806 Chapter 806 Bumped Into A Disgusting Scene Luke picked up the coffee cup and took a sip. He frowned when he tasted the sweetness. That was not what he usually drank. He put the cup down after taking only one sip. The steam that rose from the cup and the sweetness of the aroma gave off an inexplicably eerie atmosphere. He gently closed his eyes and massaged his temples as he thought of the various things that troubled him. After resting for a while, he took out his phone and noticed several missed call notifications and messages. They were all from Bianca. Luke felt a lot more relieved when he saw that. He pressed a button to ess his voicemail, and Bianca''s soft and gentle voice entered his ears. "Remember to take a short rest when you''re feeling tired, Luke. Please don''t overwork yourself. I''ve made some soup for you. Should I send it over to your office?" Luke quickly typed a reply. [It''s fine. It''s not very safe here. You should stay at home and look after the children. Don¡¯t go anywhere. Just ce the soup in a sk, and I''ll eat it when I get back.] A few secondster, his phone vibrated when it received a reply. [Alright,e home soon. The kids and I are waiting for you.] A gentle smile appeared on Luke''s face when he read the message. No matter how tired he might be, his home was always his safe haven. Suddenly, his nose was assailed by an unknown stench. He took a whiff of his clothes and realized that he had not taken a bath for a few days because he had been too busy. He was a clean freak and could not withstand the stench, so he went to the lounge next door and prepared to take a shower and change into a fresh set of clothes. Mavis came in through the door on her high heels, carrying a thick stack of documents. She looked around and did not see anyone in the office or on the balcony, so she put the documents on Luke''s desk. She heard the sounds of watering from the lounge. Stealthily, she tiptoed next to the door and pressed her ear on it. Luke was taking a shower inside. She was reminded about how Luke was always dressed impably, as though he were a walking disy rack. She could not help but fantasize how muscr and seductive his body was when he was not in his usual suit... What a wonderful feeling it would be if those toned muscles pressed on her body? While she was indulging in her thoughts, the door to the CEO''s office creaked open. Tina, dressed in a white dress suit, came in through the door with several contracts in her hand. She was surprised when she saw Mavis standing next to the door to the lounge with one ear stuck to it, but she soon understood what was going on. She ced the contracts on Luke''s desk and greeted Mavis. "Isn''t the CEO around, Ms. Laviere? What are you doing here?" There was a hint of coldness in Tina''s voice. Mavis felt as though she had been caught in the act. That feeling onlysted for half a second before she resumed her usual iciness. "Nothing. I was delivering some documents to Mr. Crawford, and I was wondering if he''s not around." "Oh, is that so?" Tina nced at Mavis. She sounded impassive, but the suspicion in her eyes was evident. As a woman and Luke''s most trusted secretary, she was observant and shrewd, and she could tell that Mavis bore certain affections for their boss. However, she could not understand certain things. Ms. Laviere had worked for Mr. Crawford for more than ten years. Before Mr. Crawford married Ms. Rayne, she had plenty of opportunities to confess her love to Mr. Crawford, but she did not act on it. Instead, she had kept her feelings secret and made it clear that she was only a subordinate. Now, Mr. Crawford was married to Ms. Rayne. They might not have had a grand wedding ceremony, but the paperwork was done, and they were legally husband and wife. It was at this time that Mavis''s affections sprouted like beans that had been buried in the soil thus far. Tina could not agree to that. Tina would have been impressed by Mavis''s courage if she had confessed her love while Mr. Crawford was still single. However, Mr. Crawford was already married, so what could Mavis possibly do? Tina even noticed Mavis''s expression while she was eavesdropping on Luke taking a shower. It was obvious that Mavis was indulging in perverted fantasies. Tina''s impression of Mavis plummeted instantly. She was even disgusted by what she saw. She took a deep breath and said coldly, "Ms. Laviere, since the CEO isn''t in, we shoulde another time." Tina deftly arranged the documents on Luke''s desk. She deliberately picked up Luke''s family photo with his wife and three children and waved it in front of Mavis''s face. "You should know that our CEO is already married. Look at his happy family. As his subordinates, we shouldn''t overstep our boundaries," Tina reminded Mavis. Mavis was angered. She red at Tina and said, "I don''t know what you''re talking about, Tina. I''m only looking for Luke for work. Do you think that I have some other ulterior motive? Please don''t impose your impure thoughts on me." Tina stared unblinkingly at Mavis. "I don''t think that I have to spell it out for you, Ms. Laviere. You should know very well what I''m talking about, but let me remind you again, you''d better not covet certain things that you''re not meant to possess. I wouldn''t want to see you get into trouble." Mavis''s expression sank instantly. She was about to give her retort when she heard the lounge door open. Luke stepped out of the lounge dressed in ck casual clothes. His short hair was still dripping with water, and several stray strands clung to his handsome face. Those sculpted features were as sharp as a sword. He looked so sexy... Mavis and Tina could not help but gulp; the former out of obsession, while thetter out of appreciation. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Naturally, Luke noticed the two women in the office. They were his best subordinates. Even though they worked in different departments, they excelled at what they did. However, he frowned when he saw that they were looking at each other with hostility... Chapter 807 Chapter 807 If the Crawfords and Douses Are United By Marriage... Luke''s mind was upied by other troubles. He could not be bothered to wonder what was going on between the two of them. He nodded at the two women, then went to the balcony and lit a cigarette. "Mr. Crawford, I''ve already put the contracts you asked for on your desk. If there''s nothing else, I''ll be back to my office," Tina said politely. "Mm," Luke replied nonchntly. Tina shot a warning nce at Mavis before turning around and leaving. After that, only Luke and Mavis were left in the office. Luke was standing at the balcony. One of his hands rested on the railing while the other held a cigarette. His silhouette was sharp against the bright blue sky. He looked like he was the ruler of the entire concrete jungle under his feet. He stood there without saying a word, emanating the bearing of an overlord. Mavis greedily locked her eyes on his handsome face. That man made all other men feel inferior. He was elegant, noble, and gentlemanly, but his character was assertive and dominating. She had worked for him for more than ten years, but she had never known his true character. She did not know what he wanted. The man seemed to hide all his emotions in front of other people. Of course, he had his tender moments too, but those were not for her but for a woman she hated and envied. Mavis''s mind wandered to the bathroom. The only thing she could think of was Luke, naked and in that woman''s embrace. She could not help but blush when she saw him standing right in front of her, but at the same time, she felt an inexplicable sense of euphoria rising in her heart. Luke frowned slightly when he noticed that Mavis was staring at her without saying a word. "Is there anything, Ms. Laviere?" 1 Mavis came to her senses when she heard his ice-cold voice. She coughed to hide her embarrassment. "Mr. Crawford, many clients have distanced themselves from us because of the incident at The Galleria, and tt Corporation has won most of them over. If this goes on, I think..." Luke raised a hand to stop her from talking. "I''ve already mentioned in the meeting earlier that we don''t need opportunistic clients like those. When they eventuallye back to us, we won''t conduct business with them either. Have youpleted the task that I assigned to you?" "Mm. Our informer in tt Corporation said that he went to Country R to negotiate airspace privileges." "Oh?" Luke blew a smoke ring, chuckled coldly, and went back to his seat. ¡± Looks like they''re really taking us head-on." "Mr. Crawford, if they manage to take away our airspace privileges, the consequences would be unimaginable..." Luke flicked his cigarette and smiled mockingly. "Vincent''s appetite is getting bigger, heh. Too bad for him, despite his many years of experience in the field, he doesn''t realize the bigger threat behind him..."Material ? N?velDrama.Org. When Mavis heard that, she knew that her boss must haveid a trap for tt Corporation. The man was unpredictable as always. She was quite eager to see what would happen to tt Corporation. Crawford Manor. After dinner, Old Master Crawford sat in the living room and enjoyed some tea. His once-handsome face did not seem senile or forlorn despite his old age. Instead, he seemed more stern and authoritative. He was visibly nervous. The veteran businessman was unsettled by the idents that beset T Corporation. However, he was already retired, and he did not have any influence in the business circle now. Susan sat on his right. She seemed to be at ease. She sipped her tea daintily while clutching a rosary in her other hand. She seemed to be unperturbed by mortal worries. Allison sat on Old Master Crawford''s left. She did not stopining about her son. "Dad, why don''t you give Luke a call and scold him? I''m his mother, and look at how he treats me. I''m literally penniless now. When I asked him to give me some money for an emergency, he only transferred three million dors... that''s not even enough for me to eat! I know that T Corporation is facing a crisis now, but that''s no reason to mistreat me, right?" Old Master Crawford mmed the teacup heavily on the table. "Three million dors is a fortune for a normal family. You know that T Corporation is facing a crisis; you don''t give him any help, but instead trouble him with your petty demands. How dare youin about him to me? Why does Luke have a mother like you? Are you satisfied only when T Corporation folds? If Luke goes bankrupt, you won''t even have three million dors! You ought to learn from Susan, Allison..." Allison was instantly furious, though she dared not throw her tantrums in front of Old Master Crawford. She could only sheepishly shut her mouth. However, she soon thought of something and ventured, "I''m equally as worried as you about T Corporation, Dad, but it''s not like there''s no solution. Do you remember Maxine from the capital? She''s the youngest daughter of my cousin. My cousin Irving is an influential politician in the capital. If he gives the word, it''ll be too easy to solve T Corporation''s problems." Old Master Crawford pressed his lips together. "Do you mean Irving Dous? Our families rarely interact. You might be his cousin, but I''ve never seen him help you or the Crawford family before." He was referring to the time when Allison had inserted herself in Zachary''s marriage, Susan hired some people to teach her a lesson and drive her out of A City. That time, Allison was penniless and helpless. Irving did not save her back then, so why would they save the Crawfords now? Allison narrowed her gaze. "I can see that Maxine is interested in Luke. Say, if we get Luke to marry Maxine, wouldn¡¯t the Dous family help us then?" Susan chuckled audibly, thinking that Allison was as shameless as she could get. How could she find a mistress for her own son and ruin their happy marriage? Chapter 808 Chapter 808 Bianca Was The Apple Of His Eye Susan continued to drink her tea, but in her heart, she despised Allison even more than before. This woman really did not have the slightest bit of shame. Not only did she be Zachary Crawford''s mistress, but she also encouraged Old Master Crawford to remove her son''s original spouse so that other more powerful women could take the top spot. She did whatever it took to achieve her goal. At this time, she was somewhat sympathetic to Bianca. Although Susan and Bianca did not see each other often, she had been maintaining a hostile attitude toward Bianca as she was Allison''s daughter- inw. She had done unforgivable things to Bianca out of the hatred in her heart. There was no denying that Bianca was definitely a gentle and virtuous wife. She and Luke Crawford were the epitome of a ''loving'' couple. She fought alongside him in the business scene while also being independent and strong enough that Luke''s ident two years ago did not affect her one bit. She still lived elegantly. She was definitely Susan''s most ideal daughter- inw candidate. However, it was a pity the woman was not blessed with good luck. She was unfortunate to have Allison, a muddled, mean, and selfish woman, as her mother-inw. She worked herself to the bone for the Crawford family and even gave birth to their children, but the moment the Crawford family faced a major crisis, she was still not saved from being renounced by the family. This was the sad reality of being the daughter-inw of a wealthy family. In the evening, after Old Master Crawford had his dinner, he went to the garden outside the courtyard for a walk with his cane. He was apanied by the maid. After digesting his food, he then returned to the living room and sat down on the couch. While digesting, he had been thinking about the words of his youngest daughter-inw, Allison. If the girl from the Dous family, Maxine, was really interested in Luke, then it might be a good thing if he could facilitate their marriage. After all, the Dous family was much more influential than the Normans in the capital. 1 If the Dous family could intervene in the copse of The Galleria, then the matter would be solved. He would definitely get twice the results with half the effort. In contrast, Jack Norman was merely the secretary of the provincial party in A City, while Irving was the first inmand in the capital. It was quite obvious who the bigger fish was. Moreover, T Corporation had been in trouble for so long but Jack Norman and his wife had not really helped out Luke much, if at all. What was the use of such inws? Bianca had been a part of the Crawford family for so many years. Her hard work and contribution to the Crawford family, as well as her loyalty to Luke, werepletely ignored by Master Crawford. Although he was 120 percent satisfied with his granddaughter-inw, deep inside, Old Master Crawford was still a shrewd old businessman who ced his self-interest above all else. When faced with major decisions to be made, he would not be as impulsive and emotional as young people. He would only make choices that were in his best interest. The old man also thought that no matter what, Bianca had given birth to three smart and intelligent children for the Crawford family. Even if she and Luke got a divorce, the Crawford family would definitely not treat her poorly. When it came time to give her alimony, she would surely be given enough tost her for a lifetime of luxury. After having that thought, he suddenly became more determined with his choice. Not long after, the middle-aged butler hurriedly came in. "Old Master, the young master called. In the study." Old Master Crawford replied with a hum and handed his tea to the maid at the side. The maid took the teacup and gently set it down on the coffee table. She then helped the old man walk toward the study. The study was on the first floor. It was a video call hooked up to the inte. A ck microphone was attached to the screen. Luke''s figure was shown on the screen. The video was crisp and clear. There was a thick stack of documents and folders on his desk. He was in the middle of a busy day. Old Master Crawford did not wait for his grandson to speak first. He immediately asked, "Luke, how¡¯s it going with thepany''s matters? Why did you dy handling them for so long? You do realize that the longer you wait, the greater the impact will be on T Corporation? You''ve always been a wise child. After being in the business for so many years, surely you must know how to handle this sort of incident? But this time... you''ve really let me down!" Despite being faced with the painful usations and questioning tone from his grandfather, Luke responded coldly, "Grandpa, you¡¯ve retired. You don''t have to care too much about these matters anymore. Just enjoy your golden years and let me handle this. I have my way of doing things, and I''m sure it won''t be long before I give you a satisfactory answer." Noticing his grandson''sck of interest in talking about business matters, Old Master Crawford knew he was being obstinate. He could only change the topic to personal matters. "Luke, what do you think of this girl, Maxine Dous?" Luke''s eyebrows knitted together as he nonchntly replied, "I''m not familiar with her, and for women I''m not familiar with, I don''t have any interest in knowing them." However, Old Master Crawford was interested. He grinned and said, "My boy Luke, Maxine came all the way from the capital to intern in yourpany. She¡¯s a famous foreign university student. She comes from a good family, and she¡¯s a very capable person. The girl is talented and beautiful. All she wants is to just intern in yourpany for a short while, so why aren''t you even interested in her in the slightest? Just let her intern in yourpany, I think she¡¯s quite good." "Why does it matter to me? There are tons of studentsing back from overseas who¡¯ve applied to ourpany. All of them have PhDs at the very least. She simply does not meet the recruitment qualifications that we set..." He had a very vague impression of a woman called Maxine. He could not even remember what she looked like. The only woman he remembered well was his wife. Although Bianca was stubborn, defiant, and sometimes at odds with him, she was the only love of his life. Old Master Crawford saw that his grandson did not seem to be the least bit interested in Maxine. He trembled and became a little anxious. "Luke, the copse of The Galleria must be resolved within a week, or I¡¯ll never forgive you! Do you realize that as you dy taking any action during this period of time, T Corporation''s stock will continue taking a nosedive? We¡¯ll soon be at risk of liquidation! You should know better than anyone else the crisis we¡¯re facing right now. I can see that this girl is interested in you. I¡¯ve discussed it with your mother. If you just divorce Bianca and marry Irving Dous¡¯ daughter, then thepany will definitely be saved..." Luke''s eyes instantly became ice-cold before Old Master Crawford could finish his words. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. He simply no longer wanted to listen to his grandfather''s ramblings and ended the video call. The next second, the screen turned gray. Old Master Crawford called again, but the screen showed that the call could not be connected. He was so angry that he almost jumped in a fit of rage. On the other side, Luke unplugged his microphone. Thud. It fell heavily on the desk. His face was cold and stern. The reason why he was working with such trepidation and dedication was that he did not want to be like his father, Zachary Crawford. His father''s every action had been dictated by his grandfather, who had a strong desire to control everything. Luke would never in his life use his marriage to a woman to save thepany! Bianca was the apple of his eye. He swore he would do anything to protect her! Chapter 809 Chapter 809 Impending Danger 6:30 p.m. Luke Crawford originally wanted to workte into the night, but because of his grandfather''s words today, he felt ufortable mentally and left work early. He previously thought that his father had a failed marriage and failed to deal with the rtionship between the elders and his mother until his death, causing the family to turn into a mess. Grandpa must hate the immoral act of abandoning one''s wife more than anyone else. However, he vastly underestimated his grandfather''s ruthless nature as a businessman. He only had his own best interests at heart. He would ultimately be inhumane to achieve his goal. Perhaps his father, Zachary, inherited the least genes from his grandfather''s side. It was peak hour. There was heavy traffic on all roads. Luke drove the inest BMW he had, and instead of feeling rxed like his usual self, he was anxious. For some reason, his right eyelid had been twitching frequently the entire day. He had a hunch that something bad was about to happen. It¡¯s said that a woman''s sixth sense is incredibly urate, but a man''s intuition is sometimes comparable to a woman''s sixth sense. Under normal circumstances, Luke was a patient man, whether it be work or life. When driving, he would always bepletely focused on the road. Rarely would he feel anxious and impatient. At this moment, however, he was tempted to drive his car directly through the jam and immediately get to Bianca. He left work early today and kept it a secret from Bianca, wanting to give her a surprise. He had been really busy with worktely. He sometimes even slept in his office. He barely had any time to apany her. Seeing that the traffic was still bad, Luke could not help but furiously honk. His behavior drew the attention of many drivers and passersby. However, Luke did not care at all. ''Damn it, when will this stupid traffic clear up?!¡¯ he thought to himself. While he was waiting restlessly, his phone rang. It was from Bianca. The woman''s characteristic gentle voice was heard. "Luke, you''re still busy, right? Mom''s depression seems to have returned. She wants to see our children very much, so I''m on my way to Grandma''s house with them right now. Just thought I should let you know so you won''t worry." Luke was shocked and clenched his phone tightly. "Bea, where are you and the children now? Did you go out with the bodyguards?" Bianca smiled lightly. "Yes, I did. Don¡¯t worry, Luke! I''m extra careful these days whenever I go out. I¡¯ll always be apanied by bodyguards when I''m outside. Right now, they''re sitting in front while the kids and I are in the backseat. The traffic is a bit bad, though. I might only reach around eight..." Luke still felt a little uneasy. "Send me your location now. I''ll follow your car and join you to go visit Mom." "Okay." This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Bianca''s pale, slender finger tapped on the screen. She opened her WhatsApp and sent her location to Luke. She was near Westin Hotel. Luke''s stern eyes shed upon seeing the location. He rolled down the car window and looked in that direction. He could see from afar the dazzling neon sign of Westin Hotel. Bianca was not too far away from where he was. Maybe about a mile away. It was just that they were separated by so much busy traffic, so he had no idea how long they would have to wait. He immediately called Bianca back. "Bea, I¡¯m now less than a mile away from you. If your car leaves first, wait for me at Forest Park''s east gate. It''s less congested over there. I¡¯ll follow you in my car to visit Mom." "Got it, Luke. The traffic''s very heavy now, so be careful, okay? I''ll wait for you there at Forest Park," Bianca warmly replied. "Mm." Luke still felt uneasy even after hanging up the call. For some reason, he constantly felt like he was being watched. He had no idea why he was feeling like this, but it felt like the Grim Reaper was staring at him, his wife, and his kids at all times. It sent chills down his spine. Whenever he inspected his surroundings to see who was looking, he could never find anyone. It made Luke feel like he was losing control. He looked at the busy traffic and closed his eyes for a second. Once the traffic eased up a bit, he would be able to meet with his wife and son. They should not be in any danger. Hopefully, he was just being paranoid. On the other end, in the opposite direction about a mile away from Luke, Bianca and three of their children were trapped in a ck car. Bianca had just hung up the phone. Due to her poor health, Queenie Zeigler had been losing her appetite for some time. Plus she was overly worried about her own affairs. It previously took her quite some effort to suppress her depression but it had reared its ugly head once more. She had been hospitalized twice, making Bianca extremely worried. The other day, due to T Corporation¡¯s tense situation, Luke was afraid that they would encounter misfortune when they went out. Hence, he restricted them from going out. It made her really anxious, but she continued to visit her mother secretly. The situation was now much better. Plus, her mother wanted to see her three smart and cute grandchildren, so Bianca decided to take them out to meet their grandmother, which was why she called Luke earlier to exin the situation. In the car, little Tommy rubbed his chubby belly and acted all spoiled." Mommy, I''m hungry, my little belly is bing t..." "Hang in there, baby. Let me see if there are any snacks left in the bag to fill up your tummy." Bianca coaxed her little son and then began to rummage her bag for snacks. There was nothing but a few packaged sandwich cookies. Bianca handed the snacks to Tommy. "Baby, we''ll have dinner when we reach Grandma''s house, so just hang in there for now, okay?" Tommy dly took the sandwich cookies and quickly devoured them." Yum... These cookies taste so good. But I want Grandma''s honey roast chicken and fried mushrooms..." Rainie quietly sat in the backseat, ying with the bun on her head. She was wearing a white princess dress. Noticing her little brother''s excitement over food, she nced at his round little belly with contempt... "You little rascal. All you ever know is eat, eat, eat. You''re gonna turn into a round ball if you keep eating like this! Mommy, Big Brother and I are so thin, but why do we have a fat little brother? Will he turn into a big fat man if he keeps eating like this?" Bianca could not help but pat her daughter''s little head. "Silly girl, you and your big brother were chubby too when you two were little. You grew up and became thin like a stick. Little Tommy will be thin just like you when he¡¯s your age now.¡¯¡¯ Rainie cooed, somewhat incredulously, "Really, Mommy...?" Lanie looked at the loving and warm scene of his mother and siblings. He smiled without saying a word. At this time, the mother and her children were immersed in joy. They had no clue about the impending danger that was about to befall them... Chapter 810 Chapter 810 The Bandits Were No Ordinary People Soon, the traffic jam in front of Bianca''s car was gradually dispersed by the traffic police. She rolled down the window and looked in Luke''s direction. Seeing that it was still heavily congested where he was, she decided to go first and wait for him near Forest Park. After making up her mind, Bianca was just about to roll up the car window when she suddenly noticed a few cold nces that seemed to be staring at her. Bianca looked through the rear-view mirror, trying to catch a glimpse of whoever was staring at her. She saw a ck car not far away from them, their windows being rolled down. Inside the car sat two men in sunsses with scary tattoos. They furtively nced in her direction and spat out smoke rings in her direction every now and then. Having experienced several deadly encounters, Bianca naturally became more vignt. All sorts of rms were going off in her mind! 1 Who the hell were those people? ''Why are they staring at me with that sort of look in their eyes?¡¯ ''What are they scheming?'' However, looking at the traffic on the road, Bianca frowned again. She wondered whether she was thinking too much. However, when Bianca''s car began moving toward the road with less traffic, the ck cars followed behind. It was at this point when Bianca finally concluded that those two people were up to no good. They were definitely tailing her car! Seeing that their car was about to go up the viaduct, Bianca could not help but clutch Tommy''s tiny hand. She quickly told the driver," Zander, let¡¯s not go up the viaduct for now. Let''s merge into the traffic. I think we''re being followed..." Zander, the driver, looked through the rear-view mirror and saw the ck vehicle. He knew things were getting serious. He immediately followed Bianca''smand and did a 180-degree emergency turn to drive down the ramp instead. Bianca pondered how she could get out of this sticky situation. ''Luke must know about this situation,'' she thought. Her three children were in the car with her. The consequences would be simply unimaginable if anything were to happen to them. She should immediately give him a phone call! The moment she picked up the phone, the trailing vehicle immediately sensed that something was wrong and instantly began to act. Bianca dialed Luke''s number and when she got through, she spoke to him as fast as she could, "Luke, listen to me, our car is being followed by a ck car. I don''t know who they are, but they''re up to no good for sure. I''m currently at..." Before she could finish her sentence, she suddenly saw gray vans speeding toward them from the front. They ruthlessly rammed into her bodyguard¡¯s car which was in front of them. Bianca''s car was right behind, but she could feel the shockwave from her seat. Bianca''s chest hit the front seat. The impact was so great that her heart and lungs felt like they were tearing apart. Luckily, her three kids were secured on their children''s seats with their seat belts on. They did not suffer too much from the shock... Luke''s anxious and concerned voice came sting through the phone." Bianca? Bianca?! Are you and the children okay? Listen to me, you must remain calm now. No matter what happens, you and the children must not exit the car. I''ll call someone toe over right now. I''ll make sure you''re safe! Listen, don''t hang up your phone. Don''t turn it off. Keep in touch with me at all times..." "Yes... I know..." Bianca was in pain and sweating bullets. She endured the pain while replying to Luke. Then, she nervously looked out of the car. The bodyguards had all been hired by Luke at a high price and they were the best bodyguards money could buy. They would not be brought down so easily for sure. Although the bodyguards'' car in front had been knocked out of shape and the bodyguards were also suffering internal injuries, they had been trained to react under pressure. They swiftly pulled out their guns and started shooting at the assants. "Ahhhh! Help! There''s a shooting!" Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Gunshots rang out. A sudden gunfight broke out in the street. Panicked screams were heard as the pedestrians fled fortheir lives. The traffic, which had just been orderly, also started to be chaotic... The attack was obviously pre-nned. They threw several smoke bombs and tear gas grenades at the bodyguards'' car, choking the guards to tears. Everyone''s mobility naturally became a lot worse. Several bodyguards were shot and blood stained the asphalt road. The van''s door opened with a loud tter and out came several men wearing women''s stockings over their heads. They held heavy weapons and ran toward Bianca¡¯s car! "Mommy, I¡¯m scared..." Rainie cowered into her mother¡¯s arms, her body trembling. She looked out the window at the horrific scene, her innocent mind traumatized by what she saw. Tommy''s half-eaten sandwich cookies fell onto the seat. The little one was also a little scared as he burrowed into Bianca''s arms. His big eyes were filled with fear. The only calm child in the car was nche. His tender body was tense, like an arrow that was about to be shot from a bow. He looked out of the car to see a rain of blood. His face was cold and devoid of emotions. 1 Bianca wrapped Tommy with her left arm and Rainie with her right arm, trying tofort them even though she, too, was experiencing the same panic in her mind. She put on a strong facade and calmly coaxed her children, saying, "Don''t be afraid, your father is nearby. He¡¯lle to our rescue..." Their driver, Zander, had already locked their car right from the start. He was d he had driven this car today. The windows were bulletproof! His head would roll if anything were to happen to Mrs. Crawford or the little children. What he never expected was a heavy forklift driving toward them from a short distance away. That forklift charged at full speed and moved their car into a truck. The whole process was fast like a well-nned ambush operation. It all started and ended in a sh. First, the car rammed into the bodyguards'' car, followed by a fierce gunfight and a smoke bomb explosion. Then, a luxurious bulletproof car was taken away by a forklift. No one even noticed the license te number of these cars that suddenly appeared... Bianca was still on the call with Luke, but a few momentster, her phone lost all signal. Perhaps those shady men were using a jammer to mess with her phone''s reception. Bianca bit the corner of her lip fiercely, hoping that the pain would keep her alert. She had no idea who was kidnapping them. However, seeing that they were causing such a big scene and did not seem to be afraid of the police in the slightest, she was sure that these thugs were no ordinary people... Chapter 811 Chapter 811 Who Would Win In This Big Bet In the middle of nowhere. The heavy forklift brought Bianca''s car to a remote ce in the middle of nowhere. They viciously smashed the car''s windows with sledgehammers and then aimed guns at the passengers'' heads, forcing them to get out from the bulletproof car. Right after that, several ck Rolls-Royce vehicles surrounded them. Many masked men came down from the cars and brought Bianca and the others captive. To prevent idents from happening, the driver was taken to a different car from Bianca and her children. Bianca was thankful that the group of thugs were notpletely heartless. She would havepletely lost her mind and done something foolish if they separated her from her children. Bianca was taken to a military vehicle, and her phone was taken away. The thugs smashed it to pieces right before her eyes. Bianca''s mouth was covered with tape while her hands were bound. It was almost impossible for her to even move an inch. The three children were also tied up with thick, long ropes and gagged as well. Bianca soothed her three frightened children with her gaze. She saw that her eldest son, Lanie, was calm. He even nodded to her as if he wasforting her mother in turn. The usually mischievous Tommy, on the other hand, simply sulked. He stared at himself pitifully, but his eyes showed no sign of panic. Perhaps boys were naturally bolder than girls. Lanie was scared out of her wits. She grew up in a comfortable, safe environment, after all. It was her first time experiencing the shock of being kidnapped. Her crystal clear tears raced down her cheeks. Bianca was heartbroken by what she saw. "Call the other men, ask them if they''ve wiped out the surveince footage. Our client told us to leave no trace. This woman here is Luke Crawford''s wife. The Crawford family is rich and influential. We absolutely cannot take this lightly," the thug in the passenger seat said calmly. "Don''t worry about it, Boss. I''ve just contacted our men. All the surveince footage nearby both before and after the incident has been erased. Even if Luke has superpowers, it''ll take a while before he tracks us down!" the man in the passenger seat replied in disdain. "Don¡¯t underestimate anyone, especially Luke. He''s the emperor of A City. One wrong move and we might all be executed in horrible ways by him. If not for our financial troubles and the fact that our client is paying a huge premium, I wouldn¡¯t have risked taking on this job." The man in the passenger seat scoffed. The thug driving the car certainly did not think so. What did it matter if Luke was powerful? They still took away his wife right under his nose! However, when the thugs'' eyes fell on Bianca and they got a closer look, they could not believe what they saw. She looked too good to be true! She was pale and pretty as the moon. Her eyes were big, round, and maic. Even though anger glittered in her eyes, she still looked lovely and seductive. It was a pity that Bianca was tied up in the backseat while he was driving, so he could not take advantage of her at all. That left him a bit dispirited. "Boss, this girl''s body is hot as hell! Nobody would believe she''s a mother of three. She''s simply perfect. No wonder Luke married her. Oh, I¡¯d do anything to have a hot wife like her!" The driver could not stop peeking at her. "I''m gonna warn you right now, don''t you darey a finger on this woman! Control yourself, or I''ll castrate you to keep her safe!" The driver of the car snapped his mouth shut. He was still horny, but he dared not say a word more. The thug on the passenger seat turned around and looked at Bianca and her children. He nodded in satisfaction. Bianca was well-behaved, not crying or struggling. Even her children were exceptionally quiet, unlike the other children they had kidnapped in the past. They kept crying and thrashing till it drove him up the wall. He only hoped that this operation went smoothly. If anything went wrong, he and his family would be done for. The car sped through the jungle. The thugs seemed to be extraordinarily familiar with these dirt roads. They made several stops along the road to change the license te number. At some point, Bianca and her children were forcefully fed an unknown drug... The drug may have contained sedatives. Bianca became half-conscious after taking the drug. 1 Her body felt like it was drained of all strength although she had been biting her lip to stay awake. It was a futile effort. Bianca could not help but nce worriedly at her three children, watching them be drowsy and fall asleep. Meanwhile, her body started to feel chilly as time passed. At this moment, there was nothing much that she could do other than hope Luke would quicklye to their aid. The car kept on going. The ride became bumpier when Bianca was about to fall unconscious. It felt like they were on rugged and winding roads. She overheard the thugs'' call when they reported their situation. She vaguely heard them mention the name Miss Kassy. Kassy! Bianca¡¯s heart suddenly sank even further. It was Kassy behind all this! She had not given up and even orchestrated this scheme! Luke had told her everything he experienced during his two years on the Ind of Despair. He had mentioned that name before. That woman was beautiful, arrogant, and ruthless. At the same time, she was conceited and paranoid. In his opinion, she was a very perplexing person. Bianca knew that Kassy was Luke''s savior, and if it were not for her, her husband would probably have been gone forever two years ago after the attack in Moscow. In addition, Kassy had also taken goodThis is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. care of Luke while he was stuck on the ind. Bianca was grateful for her kindness toward her husband. However, that woman was definitely not right in the head. She knew Luke had a wife and children, but she was still infatuated and hell-bent on being with him. Her undying determination was a scary sight to behold. Bianca felt suffocated and annoyed at the same time. Had Kassy proposed other ways to repay her kindness, Bianca would have given Kassy whatever she wanted. Bianca could even transfer all the shares of T Corporation she was holding to Kassy if she wished, as long as it meant keeping her husband Luke. Bianca thought that perhaps in Kassy¡¯s view, she was an eyesore and an ungrateful presence. From Bianca''s perspective, Kassy was a thorn in her eye as well. The ultimate question still remained. The Ind of Despair had been destroyed by Luke. Even Robert had failed to escape, so how did Kassy get out? Who would emerge the victor in this kidnapping gamble? Chapter 812 Chapter 812 Find them at all costs! Meanwhile... Luke had listened to Bianca on the phone while she was kidnapped by the group of unscrupulous thugs. mes of anger ravaged his entire being. The sheer audacity! Only the people from the League of Shadows could be this bold and put on such a disy of arrogance! Kassy was the first person that came to mind when he wondered who could be pulling the strings behind the scenes. He knew full well about Kassy''s ruthlessness. Fearing for his wife and children''s lives, he abandoned his luxury car, hijacked a motorcycle, and bolted to the scene of the incident as fast as he could. However, he was already toote. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The crime scene had been cordoned off and about a quarter-mile of the main road was blocked. About 120 people in total were gathered at the scene,prising of security, special police officers, firemen, and police forces. Dozens of police vehicles could be seen. Arge number of police officers and good citizens were helping with the ident. Many were injured and sent to the hospital for treatment. Looking at the scene full of wreckage, Luke sent a heavy fist smashing into the motorcycle. The motorcycle fell to the ground with a loud thud. With his hands still trembling, he dialed a number before he even had time to calm the anger in his chest... Percy and Jim arrived at the scene within ten minutes after picking up Luke''s call. It was incredulous how quickly they arrived. Luke was still at the scene. Together with the police chief, they asked the witnesses what they had seen. He was shocked to learn there had been a gunfight. Some of them had taken out their phones to record footage of Bianca and the children being kidnapped. After watching the videos, Luke became calm and quiet. The police chief saw Percy walking toward them. Percy acted as if the police were not present. Despite the grumbling in his heart, the police chief still had to be civil with him. "Mr. Mallory, Mr. Holston," the chief smiled and greeted them with respect. Jim nodded to the police chief, while Percy did not bother to pay any attention to him. He just walked straight toward Luke. Percy was surprised by his calm demeanor. "What¡¯s Bianca''s situation right now? Do you know who did this?" A City was Luke''s territory. Nobody sane would ever dare cross him. Jim sympathetically patted Luke''s shoulder. "Brother, what¡¯s done is done. No amount of worrying will help. Percy and I will do everything we can to help you find the culprit. These kidnappers clearly look like they have a n and a purpose. From the look of things, they¡¯ve been nning this for a longtime." Luke scanned the surroundings. "I suspect that the people who did it are from the League of Shadows. If my guess is correct, Kassy must be the one behind Bianca''s kidnapping." His voice was calm with a hint of anxiety. Percy''s expression became solemn. "If it¡¯s confirmed that the League of Shadows is behind this, then Bianca and the children are in danger. Those people are heartless without any benevolence and morality. They''re capable of doing anything. However, if Kassy is the mastermind, then they should be safe for the time being. That woman will definitely use them to make you do her bidding... We must find their hiding ce before they make a move on Bianca, or the consequences will be unthinkable." Percy had not dealt much with the people from League of Shadows, but he knew that that organization had always been genocidal and did not have any conscience at all when taking up assignments. Although the leader of League of Shadows, Robert, had died in his hands, the organization was still active and was not a power to be underestimated. Luke''s heartpletely sank. The thought that Bianca and the children may be hurt because of him made him overwhelmed and angry. "Percy, Jim!" Luke''s voice was cold as he said, "Do everything you can. I must find out the whereabouts of my wife and children and Kassy at all costs!" Percy narrowed his eyes. "Don''t worry about it, Jim and I will do our best! How dare they kidnap Bianca in broad daylight?! These people must have balls of steel!" Jim shook his head and began to order his men. He had been friends with Luke for so many years, but never once had he seen Luke lose his cool like this-much less seen him being so fearful of anything. The current sight in front of him was an eye- opener. Luke closed his eyes to have a breather. No matter who was behind the kidnapping of his wife and children, he swore that he would find them and then break their bodies into pieces! After another long stretch of time, the military SUV slowly stopped and the harsh light of the sunset shone into the car. Bianca''s long eyshes moved slightly. Despite the fact that her body was very tired and her spirit was weak, she forced herself to open her eyes. Her little ones were still drowsily asleep in the car. Seeing that they were still by her side, Bianca could not help but feel slightly relieved. "Bring them to the abandoned factory!" one of the menmanded in a rude and stern voice. Bianca''s heart was appalled. She opened her eyes slightly and saw that the surrounding area was full of wild wormwood that was as tall as a person. It was a secluded ce. Gravel wasid on the rugged, winding path that curved like a snake. The road led to arge abandoned old factory. The factory looked like it had been built many years ago. The doors and windows were broken, while the paint on the concrete walls was peeling off. Several parts of the building had been spray-painted with the word '' demolish''. It seemed like the factory was supposed to be demolished. "So you¡¯re already awake, huh? Then hurry up and get inside!" Seeing that Bianca had opened her eyes, the man who was originally in the driver''s seat had an axe to grind with her. He gave her a hard push, causing Bianca to stumble out of the car. Bianca fell onto the gravel and dirt floor. She slowly recovered from her daze. She had been exposed for pretending to be unconscious. Bianca stopped pretending and looked worriedly at her children. Fortunately, the thugs did not treat them roughly when they picked up the three unconscious children from the car. Otherwise, she would have copsed. Under the thugs'' cold, watchful eyes, Bianca and her children were sent inside the factory. Bianca walked while carefully observing the surrounding terrain. Inside the factory were a bunch of rusty machines. They looked as if they had been used for cutting steel tes. The atmosphere here was ominous... Chapter 813 Chapter 813 The Woman In The Bright Trench Coat Bianca looked around, observing her surroundings as if looking for an escape route... One of the thugs used the butt of their rifle and mmed it into her head before roaring at her, "You''d better sit still! I''m going to dig your eyes out of you if you look around again!" The eerie echo of his voice rang throughout the factory, making it sound even more spooky. Bianca moved her gaze away as she felt her head pulsing with pain from the blow. She red fiercely at the thug who hit her in the head, but at the same time, they were already pushing her toward a metal pir that had a girth of two grown adults. The pir was at the gates of the factory. The vile thug tightly bound Bianca onto the pir with a thick rope. The knots that he tied seemed to have no gaps in between them at all. Then, he gripped her face with his ck, sticky hands as he snickered. "So soft, this littledy is so soft..." He had never given up his lust for Bianca. He grabbed her slender waist and sniffed the light fragrance on her body. In an instant, the thug was momentarily swayed. As it turned out, Luke¡¯s woman was really delectable. Oh, how much ecstasy would it give him if he could press his body onto hers? He nned to get a taste of her after he finished all of the tasks that his leader gave him. Bianca glowered at the thug''s hand in disgust as her weak stomach roiled with puke. She was almost unable to stop herself from vomiting onto him. If she had a knife right now, she would stick the de right into his chest. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. However, she knew that it was not the right time to anger the thug, so she controlled her urge to puke. She stared coldly at the thug and said, "Alright, when everything is done, I''ll have you experience that ''taste'' you''re looking for!" 1 The thug smiled wickedly at her as he pinched her face. "Not bad, you¡¯re an interesting girl. If that''s the case, I shall go easy on you and the children. Just entertain me well. If I''m happy, I might just spare your life." Bianca stared at him. Her gaze was cold and frosty as the Arctic inds. The thug could not help but shudder. For a moment, he thought that he was staring at the very scythe of the Grim Reaper itself. As he observed the woman¡¯s weak posture and the pitiful look on her face, the thug could not help but mock himself. He felt like he was getting more and more cowardly. She was just a weak and frail woman. How could he even think that she looked like the Grim Reaper? What a joke! After a while, the other thugs called out to him and the sharp-faced thug walked away. Before he did that, however, he threatened Bianca again. It was only after Bianca watched him leave that she slowly rxed and looked at the ground. She gazed at her children with a worried look on her face. They definitely could not withstand as much abusepared to an adult. Plus, who knew if the thugs would give them enough food to eat? They had not woken up from their sleep just yet. She was now worried about their safety. They were still very young. Could they even stand the effects of the drug? Would something happen to them? Time passed, and Bianca felt the chilling cold all over her body as the frosty gale of the night blew through the windowless factory. It was already the beginning of spring. The winds at night would chill anyone to the bone. However, her children were still not awake yet and Bianca started to panic. She softly cried out to them, "Lanie, Rainie, Tommy, wake up. Look at Mommy, please?" "Water, water..." Rainie was half-conscious while crying out for water. At that moment, Bianca wanted to break free from her bonds and feed her daughter some water. However, she could not even move a muscle. "Rainie..." Bianca raised her voice, choking and sobbing at the same time. In the end, she did not manage to wake them. Instead, she saw the thug, who was in the passenger seat of the car earlier, walking over. The man removed the ck mask on his face and revealed a dark, expressionless face. After looking at Bianca and seeing the tears in her eyes, the thug then nced over to the three delicate-looking children lying on the floor... He then exined, ''They''ve only been given some sleeping pills, so they''ll sleep a few hours longer. They''re fine for now, so you don''t have to worry. There''s a culprit behind every wrongdoing, Ms. Rayne. You know very well that money can be used to solve any kind of problem, so we''re just following the laws of the world. We had no choice but to do this to you!" After that, he looked over to Rainie who was thirsty. He hesitated before waving at hisckeys, giving them orders. After a while, hisckeys brought a bottle of water, opened the cap, and then fed Rainie the contents. Bianca looked at the thugs and mocked them, "You thugs are always up to no good. If you had even a little bit of kindness in you, would you have kidnapped a helpless woman and her innocent children? Do you think that you can convince me just by giving my daughter some water? Or are you sure that my husband is going to save us all, and by then, you''ll be asking me to tell him to spare your lives?" The man shuddered. The act of kindness had not even registered in his brain, neither did the reason why he gave Rainie the water. He was even confused as to why he was speaking to his victim in such a polite tone. Truth be told, he managed to survive in the underworld solely because he relied on his cruelty and viciousness. His hands were stained with countless lives and blood, so he could never call himself a good person after all of this. However, this entire operation made him anxious. It might probably be his gut feeling after being in the field for so many years, but he felt that something was going to go wrong with this kidnapping. It was the very first time that he regretted taking up a job. Bianca raised her head and said to him with a stubborn look on her face, " Thugs will always be thugs. Don¡¯t think that you''re suddenly a good person just because you did something as insignificant as this. I''m telling you, after I get out of here, I won''t let a single one of you go free. My husband''s consequences for you will be so much worse!¡± The man with the dark face raised his brow, but hisckeys who were standing behind him were already furious. They gave a ringing p across Bianca''s face as they said, "Stupid b*tch, you''re going to die, yet you''re still acting all cocky here. You must be looking for trouble!" Bianca''s face was pped to the side, and she was bleeding from the corner of her mouth. However, she still gritted her teeth, unwilling to let out even a cry of pain. Her eyes red viciously at the leader of the thugs. In her eyes were a strange shimmer and a shockingly cold aura. That gaze of hers made the man somewhat shudder. He suddenly thought of something and then proceeded to silently smoke half a cigarette. Afterward, he turned around and walked away. Bianca closed her eyes once more, thinking about the different ways that she could use to escape. However, nothing came to mind. After more than ten minutes, the cking sound of high heels rang across the barren factory. A woman in a bright-colored trench coat slowly strutted in with a sinister smile on her face... Chapter 814 Chapter 814 A Standoff Between Two Women The sound of high heels clicked as they touched the floor, reminding one of the doom of hell. The noise rang throughout the entire factory, sending shivers down one''s spine. The thugs who were hiding in the dark fell into two files as they weed the woman''s arrival. Bianca''s eyes could not help but constrict the moment she noticed a woman''s tall and slim silhouette. The blonde woman looked very young and beautiful, but there was an air of arrogance around her. The arrogance came from her very core. Her arrogance felt different from Mavis'' as if she was born to be an empress. She looked down on every single person as if they were beneath her. Kassy. Despite the fact that Bianca had never met Kassy and everything she knew about her was from what Luke had told her, her sixth sense told her that this was the Kassy who had unfinished business with her husband. Kassy was tightly surrounded by six bodyguards. They had a bulky mass around their waists, and Bianca was sure that those were guns! Even in the presence of the intimidating men, Kassy was the one standing in the limelight. The leader of the thugs who kidnapped Bianca stared at the floor as he walked out from behind Kassy, approaching Bianca. Bianca was steadfast and unwavering. She was the first to test the waters, saying, "If my guess is correct, you must be the one who once saved my husband''s life-Kassy." Kassy was wearing a bright red trench coat, and on her head rested an aristocratic-looking European hat. They fit the features of her beautiful face perfectly. She was dressed in delicate, Western-styled clothing. If the situation were any different, Bianca might even praise her for her taste. She definitely looked like a celebrity at a high-end dinner party. However, they were in an abandoned dpidated factory right now. Furthermore, she was kidnapped, so it was not the right time to be praising others. Kassy looked down at Bianca from above. Bianca was bound by those thick ropes, but she was still graceful and poised. When she got closer to have a look at this woman, it appeared that her skin could make anyone jealous. Bianca looked calm and collected even in the face of danger. That garnered Bianca some respect from Kassy. Kassy stared at Bianca coldly as if she was mocking and dismissing her at the same time. "You''re quite smart, you''re able to guess who I am. It¡¯s just a shame that your very existence is a huge mistake. I''m here to end that mistake once and for all!" "Bianca, if it weren¡¯t for you and these bastard children, Shawn would never have run away from our group, much less betray us! I''m his savior, and if it weren''t for me, he would have been blown to pieces in Moscow. Everything that he has is mine, so he should have listened to me and me only! I never thought that he would betray me for a typical, dumb woman like you. Ha! Say, how should I handle you and these bastard children of yours, hm?" 2 Kassy then nced coldly at the children. Her snow-white hands clenched so tightly that there were a few audible cracks. Bianca was still calm andposed. There was no way of telling what she was thinking about. She looked at Kassy as if she was a crazy person. She chuckled as she listened to Kassy''s monotone voice. She said, "Miss Kassy, thank you very much for saving my husband¡¯s life, but you merely saved him. That doesn''t mean he has to follow your everymand his entire life just because you saved him once. There''s an old saying that goes, ''Saving a life is worth more than enving seven''. I''m very grateful that you saved him, so I''m more than willing to return that favor on his behalf, but that doesn''t include giving him upto you. ''Truth be told, my husband has been a sessful person since he was a kid. During his teenage years, many women lusted after him and went crazy over him-you''re not the only one. There are many women like that out there. There was once a woman who jumped to her death just because he rejected her. Some of the women even stopped eating altogether just to get his attention... ''There were many things like that, so I''m not surprised if you¡¯re crazy for him as well. That¡¯s because he has those qualities that all of you want so much. However, all of you have been using the wrong approach. My husband hates women who are blinded by love and infatuation to the point that they forget themselves. That¡¯ll only disgust him.¡± Kassy snickered as she walked closer to Bianca as if she was the Grim Reaper. Kassy gave her a ringing p across the face. "You''re really good with your words, aren''t you? Say, what will happen if I tear that pretty mouth off of your face? Will you still have such a big mouth?" Bianca felt a strong stinging pain on her face. Surely, her face was swollen from all that hitting. A slight taste of blood streaked across her taste buds. However, she still red coldly at Kassy. "What, you can''t handle me telling you the truth? Kassy, your deep infatuation with him is just an illusion. Don''t force your ridiculous expectations on others. Luke is my husband for the rest of our lives. He''s loyal only to me, wake up!" Kassy had a look of frustration on her face, and there was suddenly a very vicious glint in her eyes. "Ms. Rayne, you''re the one who should be waking up! If you have a littlemon sense, you''ll bring your brats to the edge of the world and hide there. If you do that, I might just spare your life. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. However, you don''t seem to be one to appreciate kind gestures, so I have no choice but to do this! I want to watch what happens when you be nothing more than a wilted flower tainted by many other men. If your runts are all turned into nothing but a pool of blood, I''ll see if you still have the arrogance to go against me!" Bianca''s face paled. She could not help but feel nervous when she remembered what Luke had told her about Kassy''s cruel methods. However, she was unwavering. "So what if you do all that? You still can¡¯t take my ce in Luke''s heart... You have to understand that there¡¯s a guiding light in every man. Furthermore, my husband was on a call with me just before all of this happened. Do you really think that he won¡¯t be able to figure out who kidnapped us? If anything ever happens to us... You know very well how his methods are. You''ll suffer a fate worse than ours!¡± Kassy was stunned. She shuddered somewhat when she thought about Luke''s cruel ways, but when she looked at Bianca''s innocent face and the three despicable runts, she really could not care about anything else! "Open these up!" She waved at herckeys. One of them opened up a ck case and there were four syringes in it. They were swirling with an unknown, green substance... Chapter 815 Chapter 815 All Injected Into Tommy''s Body... Staring at the translucent, green fluid, Bianca suddenly had a bad feeling in her gut. She had no idea what Kassy wanted to do, but she could tell from the expression on her face that it was nothing good. Bianca realized that she and her children hadnded themselves in big trouble today. Kassy strutted over to Bianca like a cat with the syringe in her hand. She noticed Bianca staring at the syringe, so she exined it to her, "Do you know what this is? This is an aphrodisiac specially made by the League of Shadows. With just one drop, even the purest of women will be the wildest, most promiscuous female in the world. Do you want to have a taste of this, hm? Say, if all of the liquid is injected into your body, I don¡¯t think that all of the men here will be enough to satisfy you..." Bianca shook with fear when she noticed the sinister smile on Kassy''s face. This woman had the face of a goddess but a heart full of poison! The words that came out of Kassy''s mouth next made Bianca¡¯s chest tighten even more. "Oh, you must be curious what these other three syringes contain. It¡¯s good stuff. It can change your gender completely. It can change a man into a woman, and a woman into a man. It shrinks one''s sex organs and makes the sex organs of the other gender more prominent. In the end, they''ll be a hermaphrodite. "Tsk tsk, these three little creatures are beautiful, but I wonder what they''ll look like if they switch genders? They''re still young, so we¡¯ll groom them and sell them off to the underground brothels when they get older. They might just fetch me a good amount of money. I''m excited just thinking about it. "By the way... You must be thinking, if I hate you so much, why don¡¯t I just kill the three of them? Heh, killing them would certainly end everything. But won¡¯t that make everything less fun? I want them to suffer and live in hopelessness!" "How dare you!" i Bianca''s bloodshot eyes glowered at Kassy, but she could not help but feel anxious. "Kassy, if you dare touch my kids, I swear that I''lle for you even after I die. You¡¯ll never find peace! Luke will never let you go either. He''ll hunt you down to the very ends of the earth!" Her threats did not sway Kassy at all. She harrumphed coldly and pressed her high heels onto the back of Bianca¡¯s supple hands. "Huh, you¡¯re still working that mouth even on the brink of death. I wonder who gave you the guts to do so, eh? Do you think that I''m afraid of ghosts and vengeful spirits? I''m telling you, I''m not a good person. Thousands of people have died at my hands and all of them threatened me just before they died. But that only made them die even faster. I''ve been sleeping very peacefully throughout these years. If there''s such a thing as ghosts and vengeful spirits, would I still live to this day? Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "Also, all mobile signals have been cut off within a hundred-kilometer radius from here. The cars that brought you here have fake license tes. We''ve also changed cars during your journey here. My n is wless, so how can you still hope that Luke wille and save you? You¡¯re dreaming!" Bianca''s heart sank even more. Kassy was vicious, but she was meticulous. She had intelligence that surpassed a normal person''s. If Luke did not save her in time today, then they would end up being Kassy''sb rats. "Kassy, calm down. Let''s talk things over. I know that you''re obsessed with Luke, but he doesn''t have any feelings for you. You can''t force things like this. Doing this will only make things worse and push him further away from you. Besides, do you really think that Luke won''t be able to find this ce? You know very well how sharp and smart he is. Do you think that all your problems will be gone after you wipe the footage? There were many witnesses earlier. Besides, you kidnapped us in broad daylight. Surely, there were people who recorded the incident. If you left just a small trace on the scene, Luke will definitely find you-" "Hmph, even if he finds you, you''ll be ruined and all bloodied. As for your brats, they would¡¯ve turned into monsters by then. So what if he makes it here? Of course, if you kneel down and beg me, I might just spare your worthless lives out of kindness. Come on, beg me..." Kassy took her phone out and was getting ready to record Bianca begging her like a dog. If she sent that video to Luke, the look on his face would be priceless! Bianca realized that Kassy was not going to let her go that easily, so she spat in her face and roared, "You witch! I''ll die before I beg you! Since I''m already in your hands, do your worst! Don''t you dare take me for a fool... You kill people and have no heart, so you won''t let me go even if I beg you. You want me to beg a witch like you? You must be out of your mind!" Bianca''s venomous words and her cold gaze made Kassy suddenly think of Luke. However, that only angered her even more as she viciously pped Bianca across the face again. "You wench, how dare you call me a witch?! Alright then, I''ll let you see what a real witch can do!" Kassy was in a frenzy, raining ps down on Bianca''s supple face. She wore sharp rings on her fingers. The pain was stinging and painful, made worse by the rings, as Kassy''s ferocious psnded on Bianca''s face. The pain spread across Bianca''s face, and in the end, her face was swollen. It was bruised till it was purple, and there were bloody scars on it. At the end of it all, Bianca felt nothing but numbness. However, Bianca never once cried out for Kassy to stop. She did not even grunt in pain. She simply red at Kassy coldly as if she was staring at a clown doing its dance. She watched Kassy release her anger and unleash that perverted attitude of hers on her. Kassy, on the other hand, was infuriated. She did not want to waste any more words with Bianca, so she raised the syringe and aimed it at Bianca as if wanting her to give in. The fluid would sometimes drip from the syringe. What a terrifying sight to behold! Bianca closed her eyes, realizing that there was no way out for her... Just before the needle touched her skin, Tommy, who was sleeping beside Bianca, suddenly woke up from his slumber. "You evil woman, how dare you hurt Mommy?! I''ll bite you!" Tommy saw the devilish woman beside him about to press the needle into his mother''s body and he pounced on Kassy! He dug his sharp teeth into her thigh as if wanting to bite a piece of flesh off! Kassy shrieked in pain as she tried to swat the brat away, but he was not letting go. He was quite strong as well, so she had no idea how to deal with him at that moment. However, an idea sparked in her head as the expression on her face contorted. She plunged the needle into Tommy''s body, injecting him with the fluid... Chapter 816 Chapter 816 This Brat Has A Mutated Genome? Kassy injected the fluidpletely into Tommy¡¯s body as sheughed maniacally. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. To her, the kid was as despicable as his mother. They should both go to hell! Bianca stared at them in disbelief as her heart ran wild. Her nails dug into her palms, making them bleed. Her tears also flowed down her cheeks like a river as she called out in pain and agony, "No, Tommy, my baby!" She knew that Kassy was evil, but she never expected that she would be so extreme that she would not even spare a three-year-old kid! The fluid that Kassy injected Tommy with was the world''s strongest aphrodisiac. An adult could not even resist its effects, much less a toddler who had not even grown up yet. Bianca could not imagine what kind of pain her child would have to go through after being injected with that liquid... "You despicable woman! I never thought that you¡¯d be so evil that you wouldn¡¯t even spare a kid... No wonder you can never win a man''s heart. You deserve it! Hahaha, your life is destined to be a sad story. Even the worst man in the entire world would throw you aside. Kassy, this is your retribution!" Kassy yanked the syringe out of Tommy. Her beautiful face now had a frenzied look on it. She grabbed Bianca¡¯s cor and choked her as she said to her, "No, you¡¯re wrong. As long as you die and your kids vanish, he''ll forget everything about you one day. When that timees, he''ll be with me once more. I''m the only one fit to have the title of Mrs. Crawford. No other woman is qualified! Any woman who dares topete with me will disappear from this world. I''ll send every single one of you to hell!" Bianca grabbed her aching chest as she stared at her beloved child with heartbreak. After Tommy was injected with the liquid, he closed his eyes and copsed onto the floor. At that moment, Bianca could feel her heart shattering into pieces. "Don''t you ever dare think about bing Luke¡¯s wife. Kassy, even if you torture all of us to death, there¡¯s no way you can win him over. My husband likes women who are kind, not a crazy pervert like you! Look at yourself, you don''t even have a hint of conscience in you. Which part of you do you think my husband would like? I''m telling you, even if you''re thest woman on earth, Luke won''t ever take you as his wife!" Bianca struggled to break free as her eyes became swollen and her voice grew raspy. The thick rope dug into her skin, making her feel pain all over her body. Her body had marks all over because of her struggle, but she continued to fight to break free, looking just like a madwoman. The rage inside Kassy was ignited once more. "Shut up, wench! You''d better believe that I¡¯ll make you mute if you continue spouting nonsense!" Bianca retorted, "What, did my words hit you where it hurts? You were in a rtionship with my man for two years, but has he ever been good to you? Did he remember your birthday? Did he cook for you? Did he call you and tell you about his worries? Did he... wash your underwear for you? No, right? It''s a shame that these are everyday things in my life with Luke. But to you, they''re things that you desire for, right?" "No, that''s impossible! You''re lying to me. Shawn is so high and mighty that he cane very close to God Himself. How could he do something as lowly and dirty as washing your underwear?" Kassy kicked Bianca a few times as her eyes looked like they were bulging, resembling an angry frog. She simply refused to believe that a man as clean and perfect as Luke would actually do something like that for this woman. However, deep down, she wholeheartedly believed everything Bianca said. It was because of this contradiction that she had made herself aughing stock. Kassy¡¯s kicks were powerful, striking Bianca in the chest until her bones almost broke. She could even feel her organs shifting positions within her body. However, she only grunted a little. She gritted her teeth and refused to let out another groan. Bianca''s despondent gaze rested on Tommy. The child had copsed on the ground and was curled up into a ball. His delicate face slowly turned purple as he writhed on the ground. He cried out with his childish voice, "Mommy, it hurts so much. It hurts so much. Am I about to die? Sob... Sob..." Bianca watched him with heartbreak. She wished that it was her suffering that intense pain instead. She wanted to hug her youngest child, but the ropes on her body would not let her do so. Her face became streaked with tears as she cried out,* Tommy, just hang in there, baby. Daddy ising to save us right now... You''re the best, so just hang in there, okay?" Perhaps Bianca''s sorrowful voice hadforted him or because he could not take the liquid''s effects anymore, but Tommy suddenly stopped struggling. He went into a deep slumber once more... "Kassy, I''ll kill you! I''ll kill you!" Bianca closed her eyes in agony once more. It was the first time that she felt so useless as a mother, and it was also the first time that she hated a woman so much that she wanted her to die. Kassy narrowed her eyes as she observed Tommy''s reaction to the liquid. Something did not feel right. Logically speaking, even an adult would not be able to resist the liquid''s effects, much less a child. She had tested the liquid on old, middle-aged, young, and infantile individuals. Every single one of them could not control themselves. A eunuch could even develop sexual abilities, and a child could be as promiscuous as a prostitute. What was going on with this kid? He only suffered for a short while and his clothes were basically untouched, yet he passed out once more? Was there something wrong with her liquid, or was there a mutation in this kid''s genome? On the other hand... The night was pitch-ck, and springtime made it chilly. The forest was serene as everything slept through the night. Two jump jets flew across the night sky, the humongous wings of the nes leaving behind strong winds. Inside the cockpit, the aura around Luke was colder than ever. It seemed like he was an emperor of the darkness. The handsome man''s brows were furrowed, and his dark deep-set eyes were bloodshot. He stared unwaveringly at the screen, looking out for blips on the radar. He was keeping an eye out for every tiny trace for clues. As time passed by, he had crossed out countless regions where his wife and children could be. He still could not find them. His patience was growing thin. The longer he took, the more danger his wife would be in! Just as veins were about to pop from his forehead, he heard some shocking news from his earpiece. "Mr. Crawford, we''re locking onto Madam''s and the children''s location..." Chapter 817 Chapter 817 Ms. Rayne, Please Put On An Act With Me. On the other hand... Tommy''s reaction disappointed her after he was injected with the liquid. It made her doubt the authenticity of the drug, but Kassy still ordered the thugs to inject the remaining two children. After all, drugs like this were priceless. Every single one had been meticulously made, so there was not even a spare vial for use. She roared at the thugs, "Inject these brats with the liquid. I want to turn them into monsters!" "No! Don''t hurt my babies. Kassy, didn''t you want me to kneel and beg? Please, just please let go of my kids... You can do whatever you want to me, but the kids are still too young. They''re innocent. As long as you let them go, I''ll do anything, I swear...¡± Bianca did not let out even a sound when she was being beaten by Kassy. She would rather suffer those beatings than see any harm befall her children. The children were her armor, but they were also her Achilles'' heel. From the moment Kassy made her move on Tommy, a piece had broken off Bianca¡¯s heart of steel. How could she watch her kids be tortured by this woman? Kassy was snickering. She did not n on giving up this easily. "Oh, so you''re scared now? Weren¡¯t you all tough just a moment ago? Why can¡¯t you go on now? I''m telling you, you had one chance. Since you didn''t treasure it and kicked that opportunity away, you can¡¯t put the me on others. Inject them!" "No, please don''t! Kassy, please don''t do this-'''' Her pitiful and agonizing cries echoed throughout the abandoned factory, scaring off the birds in a nearby forest. However, no one paid any heed to her. Kassy crossed her arms, watching the entire scene unfold in front of her eyes. The expressionless thugs injected the twins with the liquid. Their expressions did not change even one bit throughout the ordeal. It was as though they were blind and deaf to Bianca''s screams and cries for help. However, one of the thugs¡¯ right hand shuddered a little when he heard her painful cries. Kassy was filled with excitement as she watched those delicate kids be injected with the liquid. Her venomous re rested on Bianca once more. "I wanted to give you the liquid, but that would''ve made you enjoy the moment. You won¡¯t be able to enjoy the pain of getting raped now, so I¡¯ve changed my mind. I want you to be sober while you get raped. I want you to suffer through this entire thing. Didn''t you say that Luke''s love for you is stronger than anything in the world? I want to see if he''ll still want you after these men take turns on you..." Kassy waved at herckeys andzily patted her lips. "This woman is all yours. y with her however you want. You can kill, cripple, break, or destroy her if you want. But you¡¯ll have to record everything on camera!" A group of men stared at the supple and weak Bianca. The woman had a delicate face and snow-white skin. Her hair was messy due to her struggles. It made them want to ravage her through and through. This woman was a beauty. There were not many others like her in this world. Furthermore, she was Luke Crawford''s woman. That title was more than enough to make the men''s blood boil. If they could get their hands on the wife of the richest man in Asia, that would be a delightful pleasure. Even if it was just once, it would be enough to satisfy them for the rest of their lives! "Kassy, karma wille for you. For what you do to me today, I''ll do to you a hundred times over!¡± Bianca''s eyes were red, her voice cracking as it grew raspy. Kassy snickered when she saw that Bianca still had the strength to retort," You really don''t know fear until you''ve tasted death, huh? Go on boys, this woman is ssy stuff. You''ll have to enjoy yourselves, stop dallying around." The thugs who had ill intentions for Bianca before were even more spirited right now. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. One of the thugs loosened the ropes around Bianca. The sedative''s effects were still notpletely gone, so she copsed onto the floor like a ragdoll. However, her eyes dted as hatred seeped through her pupils. She red hatefully at Kassy. Bianca wanted to cut Kassy piece by piece. The sharp-faced thug rushed forward, wanting to get a taste of such a beauty. However, before he couldy his hands on her, the dark-faced thug kicked him away. ''You bastard, I haven¡¯t had my fun with this woman yet. Why are you going first?" The thug smiled sinisterly as he looked at Kassy. "Ms. Kassy, I want to be the first man who gets a taste of her. After I''m done, I''ll give her to the boys. Are you alright with this small request of mine?" Kassy raised her brow and tossed a small camera over to the thugs. "Since it''s what you want, then you shall be the first. I''m not in a rush anyway. Just remember to record her." She wanted to watch Bianca being destroyed in front of her, but she was still somewhat disgusted thinking about this many men having their way with her. Even though she wanted to watch, the men might not be fine with having her watch them while they were naked-and for free too. In the end, Kassy nced at the despondent Bianca and smiled devilishly at her. She then waved at herckeys, signalling them to back off. Now, there was only the leader of the thugs and Bianca. The sharp-faced thug unwillingly followed behind Kassy as his hatred for the dark-faced thug boiled within him. That woman was a goddess, so sharing her with the boys would be the best thing ever. However, that dark-faced thug was not the boss, so why did he have to call the shots? After Kassy and the rest left, the leader of the thugs walked over to Bianca and crouched in front of her. He stared directly at the fearful, teary, and hateful eyes of hers. The man shuddered and then quickly lurched to the side of Bianca''s ear. He whispered to her, "Ms. Rayne, your kids are fine. I swapped the drugs out for something else before they were injected into them. If you trust me, put on an act with me..." Bianca was shocked, her teary bloodshot eyes widening all of a sudden! Kassy led her crew away, but she was still somewhat worried. Hence, she did not walk far. She stood at a spot where she could hear everything that was going on inside the factory. The ce was isted and there was ack of ambience, so Kassy and the rest of the men could clearly hear the agonizing cries of the woman from inside. She was begging for help... They also heard those sounds that a man would make in the bedroom. Those arousing noises made the men''s faces blush and their hearts race. Oh, how they wished that they were in the thug leader''s ce right now... Chapter 818 Chapter 818 The Sordid Scene Listening to the rough sounds and the agonized moans of the womaning from the inside, all the male thugs wished that they could rush into the room. The sharp-faced thug grumbled unhappily, "Sigh. I wonder when Boss will be done with her. How long is he going to let us wait? He''d better not overwork that little b*tch. We haven''t had our fun yet." Another thug chuckled pervertedly. "What''s the rush? It''ll be our turn sooner orter, and theter it is, the better. That woman might still be trying to resist. After Boss is done with her, she might be a lot more submissive. That''ll give us an easier time, won''t it?" He could not help but rub his chin. Bianca''s slender and curvaceous body and her tender face made his passions re. He had lost count of the women he had slept with, but it was rare for him to encounter a woman that was both beautiful and noble. When the sharp-faced thug heard that, he hurriedly asked, "When it''s our turn, should we do it one by one, or should we go all at once?" "I think we should take turns. She doesn''t look like she could take all of us at once." "No, I think we should go all at once. That''s more fun..." The thugs had different opinions, and they nearly broke out in fisticuffs. That made Kassy extremely irritated. ¡¯Are they really that desperate? Haven''t they seen a woman before?'' "I''m not that interested. The woman might be beautiful, but I can''t afford to offend the woman in my house. If she knows that I''ve been messing around with other women behind her back, I''ll be sleeping in the doghouse when I get back. Go ahead if you want. I''m not joining you guys." "Me neither. I''m not interested in women..." The men brought there by the leader of the thugs did not seem very interested in Bianca, while Kassy''s lackeys and the few men next to the sharp-faced thug seemed eager. That was about ten men in total. ''She''ll be used goods once they''re done with her. Luke won''t love her anymore! Haha!'' Time continued to pass. Kassy nced at her watch. It had been about half an hour. That b*tch should have been spent by now. She narrowed her eyes when she thought of those humiliating words that Bianca had told her. She did not expect Matthew to betray her stepfather, the organization, and worst of all, her love, because of that woman. After getting the video of that woman being vited, she would throw her into the sea and feed her to the fishes! i The mental image of Bianca''s eyes zing over in agony and despair, her beauty and grace completely gone, gave Kassy a feeling of catharsis. She had managed to ovee her biggest obstacle to winning Matthew''s heart! That woman was not going to live past today. Anyone standing in her way to Luke deserved to die! The sky gradually darkened. Several light bulbs in the factory cast a dim yellow light; Kassy had ordered herckeys to install those. She was getting tired after standing outside for so long. She yawned, then sat on an all-terrain vehicle and continued to wait. Another ten minutes passed. Kassy''s patience was utterly depleted. The leader of the thugs had been inside for so long, and he should have been done by now. Why was he still inside? She suddenly had a strong feeling of apprehension. Her intuition told her that everything had gone a little too smoothly. If she did not deal with that woman as soon as possible, she had a feeling that there would be a lot of trouble. It would be another few hours if she had to wait for all the men to have their go at Bianca. By then, it would have been midnight, and too many things could go wrong within that period. She might have confidence that she had executed her n perfectly, but she could guarantee that Matthew would find her in those few hours. She knew that Matthew had extraordinary reconnaissance abilities. Moreover, she was in A City, Matthew''s territory, and not the Ind of Despair. After thinking about it for a while, Kassy changed her mind. She opened the car door and quickly walked toward the factory. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Herckeys noticed that she hade in and followed behind her seriously. As she walked, she frowned and told herckeys, "That woman must die now. Also, kill her b*stard children too! I can''t wait anymore. I''m worried that something might happen." She wanted to see Bianca''s despair while being vited by multiple men at the same time, but she felt uneasy when she was reminded of Matthew''s capabilities. The sharp-faced thug was the first toin. "What do you mean? We haven''t had our turn yet!" While waiting for his turn, he had been fantasizing about what he would do. Kassy''s orders made him visibly unhappy. Kassy red at him impatiently.'' Heh, what''s so great about a woman? I''ll give you all another five hundred thousand dors each. That should be enough for you to hire ten women, and they''ll be more beautiful and charming than her." The thugs were speechless after they heard that, including the sharp-faced thug. That much money could indeed get them a lot of women. The women in the room might be desirable, but they could get any woman they wanted with that amount of money. The sharp-faced thug remained unappeased. "Too bad for us, we''ve waited for so long for nothing." Kassy nced disdainfully at him and brought the people into the factory. In the factory, the leader of the thugs was zipping up his pants. He remained impassive as usual, but his neck and chin were stained with lipstick. He looked as though he had his fill. Bianca was sprawled on the floor. She had a nk expression on her pale face. Kassy circled her several times and looked down contemptuously at her. That woman''s jacket was tossed on the floor, and her shirt was torn. There were bloodstains on her jeans, as though the man had forced his way in and utterly ravaged her... Chapter 819 Chapter 819 He Tracked Her Down So Quickly Kassy took a closer look at the messy scene. The woman looked as though she had been thoroughly vited, but Kassy could not help but think that something was amiss. She turned around, inspected the leader of the thugs from head to toe, and smirked. "You''re an efficient person. It''s barely an hour, and not only have you had your fill with her, but you''ve also cleaned her up before we came in. The leader of the thugs remained impassive. "I''ve always been a clean freak. No matter where I am, I like to keep my surroundings clean and tidy. Also, I didn''t go all out on her because I sympathize with her. You should understand what I mean, Ms. Kassy." Kassy grunted coldly and stretched out her palm at him. "I want to see the video that you shot. Give it to me." She had always been a suspicious woman. She would only be relieved if she saw the video of Bianca being vited. The leader of the thugs frowned and tossed a mini-camera at her. "If you don''t trust me, there''s nothing much I can say, Ms. Kassy. Now that I''ve done what you''ve ordered, I''ll be bringing my men and leaving. You''re on your own now." Kassy took the camera and told the leader of the thugs, "I''ll transfer the remainder of the money to your ount. The reception is bad here, so it might take a few hours before you see the money." To be frank, Kassy trusted that man a lot. The man was famous in the criminal underworld for being trustworthy and courageous. That was why she had hired him. Also, she believed that no man could resist Bianca''s charms. However, she could not shake off the feeling that there was something fishy because everything had gone too smoothly. That made Kassy believe that she should be even more cautious. When she took the camera from the leader of the thugs, she felt that she might have been overthinking it. After all, she had nned the operation for a very long time, and everything had been going ording to n. There should not have been any mistakes in any step. On the other hand, the leader of the thugs narrowed his gaze when he heard that the money was going to be dyed. "You should know my rules, Ms. Kassy. I prefer face-to-face transactions. Give me the money, and I''ll give you the goods. I can''t guarantee what will happen in the next minute, let alone in a few hours. How am I to trust you?" Kassy chuckled. "Would the League of Shadows go back on its word? I''m not a good person, but at least I''m a trustworthy one. I..." Before she could finish her sentence, she could hear a rumble from the sky outside. Gusts of wind battered their surroundings. Even the disused windows of the factory shattered. The familiar sound caused Kassy to tremble as though she had been electrocuted. "What''s going on outside?" She asked sternly. The armed guards stationed outside the factory rushed in and reported to Kassy worriedly, "Ms. Kassy, there are several helicopters and many military off-road vehicles outside..." Kassy clenched the camera in her hand tightly. She tossed her windbreaker away and stepped outside. Once she was outside, her long hair danced wildly in the wind. Through the gaps of her hair, she could see several helicopters circling in the night sky, looking for an opportunity tond. Meanwhile, a rope was thrown from each of the helicopters. Several dozen fully-armed men in camouge were descending rapidly and rushing toward the factory. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. "Quick, kill them all, quick!" Kassy shrieked crazily and ordered herckeys to act quickly. She did not expect that Matthew could find her in a few hours. She could not imagine how terrifying that man was or what would happen to her if she fell into his hands. Herckeys were about to pull out their guns when a few grenades flew toward them. Several of them managed to dodge, but the ones who were slower to react were instantly blown into bits. The sharp-faced thug was about to charge ahead, but his legs went limp when he saw that. Kassy managed to tumble behind a pile of scrap iron. If she were any slower, she would have been blown into bits too. Her face was pale, especially when she saw that divine presence standing on the ropedder of a helicopter. She noticed that the figure had an icy gaze and a contemptuous smirk on his face, and her heart wrenched painfully. Matthew had indeed found her, and he hade here personally! She did not believe that he did not see her. Even though she had saved his life, the man had ordered hisckeys to lob grenades at her. He truly wanted her to die. Kassy''s gaze turned icy and resentful when she was battered by that cruel fact. One of Kassy''s most trustedckeys shielded her while asking her, "What should we do now, Ms. Kassy? There are too many of them, and they are heavily armed. We can''t possibly fight against them..." Her eyes shed with vicious determination. "Kill that b*tch and her three b *stard children now! Don¡¯t leave any survivors!" She knew Luke¡¯s personality very well. He might look gentlemanly, but he could be merciless. She changed her mind. She had to get rid of Bianca and her children. Otherwise, she could not be at peace. Kassy watched as Luke brought his men charging in. "Quick, kill that b*tch and her b*stard children! Do it now!" She roared madly. However, no one dared to move. The leader of the thugs did not move. Hisckeys nced at him and hesitated too. They knew that they were not going to escape. They would certainly die if they killed the woman and the children, but if they spared them, the man might spare their worthless lives. On the other hand, Kassy''sckeys were very loyal to her. When they received the order, one of them instantly took out a pistol and pointed it at Bianca who was curled up on the floor. Several otherckeys also pointed their guns at the unconscious children. A few gunshots were heard, and those people copsed in a pool of blood. Luke went into the factory with an iparably dangerous expression. Instantly, he saw Bianca sprawled on the floor partially undressed, and his unconscious children... Chapter 820 Chapter 820 He Crippled Her As Luke looked at Bianca curled up pathetically on the floor, the pain that came from within him was like a metal w that tore his innards into shreds. At that moment, his blood turned into ice, and every singlest cell in his body hummed and buzzed. Kassy''s face turned as pale as a ghost when she saw Luke. She understood that the dy had caused her to miss the only chance she could kill that woman and her children. 1 Luke slowly crouched down and hugged Bianca. "All of you... how dare you harm my wife and children!" His voice was cold, but one could sense the anger in it. The biting chill and ferocious anger in his voice caused Kassy and the thugs to take one step back subconsciously. Luke''s people had surrounded them and pointed guns at their heads. They dared not make a sound. As Luke nced at them, they dared not meet his eyes. The sharp-faced thug who had perverse thoughts about Bianca almost wet his pants. His fingers slipped, and his gun fell on the floor. His lips trembled as he wanted to beg for mercy, but words failed him, and he fell on his knees with a thud. Luke red coldly at Kassy. She remained proud and smug, as though nothing around her bothered her. That was a stark contrast with Bianca. Kassy!'' It was the first time that Luke had looked at the woman who was pathologically obsessed with him. She had tried to harm his beloved family, and she deserved to die! Suddenly, Bianca fidgeted a little in Luke''s hands, and she moaned as though she was in agony. Luke hugged her tightly, and his hand carefully caressed her cool cheek. Tender kisses fell on her forehead and lips. He promised her that he would protect her, but he had failed her yet again... He remembered the time when he first saw her. She was like a flower bud, waiting to bloom brilliantly at the tip of a branch. She had caught his eye, even though she had yet to bloom. When she had transformed into a ripe peach, she was sweet and delicious, and every bite that Luke took had intoxicated him to the bone. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. As far as he remembered, she was always beautiful and smiling, or coy and mischievous. He had never seen her curled up pathetically on the cold floor. Her delicate and petite face was painfully swollen, and there were still traces of blood oozing from her lips. There were messy lipstick marks on her neck, her clothes were disheveled, and she seemed like she could die at anytime. One could even hear a pin drop in the disused factory. Everyone''s eyes were focused on Luke''s actions, seeing how he so tenderly cared for that "vited" woman of his, especially Kassy, who was ovee with burning jealousy. Bianca, that b*tch, had been vited by other men, but why did he still love her and care for her as though she was a rare treasure? Luke''s gaze fell on his children. His beloved children were lying on the floor, their bodies tense as though they were suffering from convulsions. He could tell that they had suffered greatly. Fury red in his eyes. How dare those people harm his most beloved! Bang! Bang! Bang! A silver handgun suddenly appeared in his hands. He turned around and fired a shot at the thugs closest to Bianca and the children! Luke''s marksmanship was impable. The thugs died in one shot. They did not even have the time to react as they fell on the ground with their eyes still wide open. "Ahh!" The surviving thugs screamed in panic while covering their heads. All their arrogance from earlier was gone. Only the Kassy and the leader of the thugs remained calm. The leader of the thugs managed to dodge the bullet, while Kassy was protected by several of her loyal lackeys. Even though she was not usually daunted, she was currently trembling slightly out of fear. She tried to still herself to establish a domineering presence, but when she lifted her head, she saw that the barrel of a silver handgun was pointing at it. Kassy looked at Luke in disbelief. A hint of panic crept into her heart." Matthew... I''m Kassy. Look carefully at my face... I''ve saved your life. I believe that you won''t kill me, right?" Luke towered over her and red at her coldly. "I regret that I didn''t kill you earlier!" "No, you won''t kill me. I love you, and I''ve done so much for you. I''ve even gone against my stepfather so many times for you... no other woman in this world loves you as much as I do, and that woman has already been vited Kassy tried to show him how much she loved him, but Luke only frowned in annoyance. Kassy thought that Luke was frowning at Bianca because she had been vited. She continued to provoke him. "That woman is used goods now. Do you want to see how she was on her knees begging like a dog? I have a video of her being vited. I don''t believe that you won''t mind..." Bang! Bang! After the two gunshots, the factory resumed its silence. "Ahh! My legs! How dare you fire your gun at me, Luke, you ingrate!" Kassy felt excruciating pain in her knees. She instantly slumped onto the floor, and her beautiful face contorted like a monster. She looked at the blood that oozed out of her legs and thought that her kneecaps were shattered. She was not going to stand up ever again! Luke''s anger erupted likeva as he thought of the cruel deeds that Kassy had done to Bianca. He was about to pull the trigger at her head when he felt a tug on his pants. He turned around and saw that Bianca had alreadye to. Luke put the gun down, went back to Bianca''s side, and hugged her again. He reached out and gently caressed her red and swollen cheeks. His bloodshot eyes were soon filled with tears... Bianca winced, perhaps because her wounds hurt. The next moment, she felt droplets of warm liquidnd on her forehead. She tried her best to fight the dizziness and open her eyes, and she saw Luke''s face wracked with guilt... Chapter 821 Chapter 821 That Scene Made Everyone''s Jaw Drop! Bianca''s field of vision was blurry, though her eyes eventually focused on Luke''s handsome face. She would have thought that she was still dreaming, if not that she could clearly feel the intense warmth of Luke''s body. She opened her cracked lips and said hoarsely, "L... Luke." Luke pressed his lips together and replied to her softly, "Good girl, I¡¯m here." He tried to hold back the agony in his heart. Suddenly, Bianca began to struggle in his arms. Then, she clenched her fists, and punchesnded on Luke''s body like raindrops! "Why did you onlye now? Don''t you know how afraid I was? If you hade one secondter, the children and I would be gone forever... Don''t you know, I broke down when I saw them injecting our children with drugs ... I kept on calling your name, but you did not appear. I was in despair!" Her eyes were bloodshot as she punched and kicked Luke with all her might. Everyone was shocked by that scene. They knew that Luke was the Cold-Faced Devil and was notorious for his cruelty and ruthlessness. Moreover, if he had not appeared in time, the woman would not be alive by now. Why was she not grateful but instead was punching and kicking him? Was that woman tired of living? They had heard that Bianca was Luke''s beloved wife, but now that she had been vited, would Luke still love her? They expected Luke to be angry when Bianca humiliated him in front of everyone there. Some people were also guessing that he might abandon her and leave straight away. The ensuing scene made everyone''s jaw drop. Luke continued to hug Bianca tightly, and there was no hint of anger on his face. He even held her hand tightly and used it to p himself hard several times. His tone of voice remained gentle. "It''s all my fault. I should havee earlier so that you and the children wouldn''t have to suffer. If pping me can''t make you feel better, then you can punish me however you want." He took off his coat, wrapped her up, and picked her up in a bridal carry." Let''s go home, Bea..." Everyone was speechless. ''What''s going on? ''Don''t tell me the Cold-Faced Devil is afraid of his wife?'' Kassy crawled on the floor, not caring that she left behind two bloody trails, and red at the couple resentfully. She was on the verge of a mental breakdown. Her eyes were opened so wide that they almost popped out of their sockets. She could not believe that Luke could show so much love and patience to a woman. Luke did not even allow her to touch him. Now the woman was punching and kicking her in front of everyone. He did not be angry, but he continued to shower his love on her. She could not imagine how that noble man could tolerate that woman. Why was he like that? She could not understand it! She had saved his life and did everything to win over his heart for two years. Was that not enough? She regretted not killing Bianca sooner. Why did she have to dy? Bianca felt her mental defenses crumble as she leaned onto Luke''s muscr and warm chest. Her tears began to fall. "They injected drugs into our children, Luke. Please check on them. I''m afraid that something might happen to them..." Even though the leader of the thugs had told her that he had swapped Kassy''s drugs, Bianca did not fully believe it. After all, he was not a good person, and Bianca was afraid that the drugs might have harmful side effects. She turned her head toward where the children were but saw that Gale, Rain, and Jason had already picked the children up and ced them on a wooden bed nearby, while Johann, dressed in a doctor''s coat, was already examining them. After Johann finished his examination, he smiled at Bianca and said, "Don''t worry, Sis. The kids are fine. They''re only injected with regr tranquilizers. The dosage is a little high, but they''ll wake up after some time." Bianca was relieved after hearing Johann say that, though she could not help but ask nervously,"... Will there be anysting side effects?" "Don''t worry. The dosage might be high, but it''s amon drug, andContent property of N?velDra/ma.Org. there won''t be any side effects. Just make sure they get enough rest, and they''ll be fine in two days." Kassy''s murderous re turned toward the leader of the thugs. If looks could kill, there would have already been holes in the man''s head. "Normal tranquilizer? ckhook, I told you to inject Neurax III into them, but you only injected tranquilizers? How dare you deceive me!" ckhook, the leader of the thugs, did not say a word, though his eyes told everything. Kassy almost lost her mind at that instant. "Ah... even you have deceived me! Did that b*tch seduce you, and that''s why you spared her b*stard kids? I regret asking you for help, and I regret even more that I didn''t kill that b* tch earlier! Traitor, you d*mned traitor! I''ll kill you!" Luke narrowed his gaze when he heard the filthynguage from Kassy''s mouth. He gazed at the leader of the thugs whom Kassy had called a traitor, then at everyone else in the factory. "Don''t leave anyone alive!" He ordered Gale and Rain. Gale and Rain nodded and replied coldly, "Yes, Mr. Crawford. We''ll clean everything up." Kassy had never felt such fear in her life. She dragged herself toward Luke. The trail of blood behind her was spine-chilling. As she crawled, she shrieked, "I know that you''re only trying to scare me, Matthew. You won''t kill me, right? Even if you don''t consider the fact that I''ve saved your life, you should at least consider the fact that I''ve taken good care of you for the past two years. You won''t be that merciless... Why won''t you look at me, Matthew? Please?" Two of Luke''s mercenaries kicked her aside as though they were kicking a football. Kassy¡¯s sorrowful cries seemed to have made Biancae to her senses. She tugged Luke''s shirt sleeve and whispered something into his ear... Chapter 822 Chapter 822 Safe At Last Bianca pointed at the leader of the thugs and whispered into Luke''s ear, "I wasn''t vited, Luke. The man they call ''ckhook'' told me to put up an act with him. He was also the one who swapped the drugs that they inject into our children. Can you... spare his life?" Luke furrowed his brows. He nced at Bianca''s pale face, then at the tanned and impassive leader of the thugs. He hesitated for a second before ordering Gale and Rain, "Spare the man named ckhook. Kill everyone else!" Gale nodded, and a perverse smile appeared on his young face. "Don''t worry, Mr. Crawford. I''ll let them experience a fate worse than death!" Gale and Rain grew up on the Ind of Despair. They had vivid memories of the cruel methods of punishment there. Luke continued to walk out of the factory with Bianca in his arms, casting a proud and invulnerable shadow behind him. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. The sharp-faced thug covered his head and trembled as he stood next to Kassy. "What should we do now, Ms. Kassy?" They were at aplete disadvantage. Luke''s mercenaries had brought all sorts of heavy weaponry to fight them. There were the grenades that had broken their defenses, the rocketunchers on the mercenaries'' shoulders, and many heavy machine guns. He had never been so afraid before. Kassy''s heart sank further into despair as she watched Luke leave. "Don''t go, Matthew! How can you treat me like this? You won''t kill me, I know it... please, don''t leave..." She roared with all her might. Gale stepped over and stood in front of her, blocking her way. "Please stop resisting, Ms. Kassy!" "Get lost, Gale, you traitor! You''re only a lowly minion in the League of Shadows. How dare you stand in my way?" Kassy spat a mouthful of blood and saliva at him and tried to w him with her razor-sharp fingernails." Get out of my way!" She tried her best to crawl forward before two mercenaries picked her up by her arms and tossed her onto a pile of scrap metal as though tossing a bag of garbage. She was temporarily disoriented from the fall. Bianca nced at Kassy, then at her crippled legs. That woman who had been as proud as a peacock, but she was iparably pathetic now. The blood trails that she left as she crawled on the floor were horrifying to look at... Thinking that Kassy had once saved Luke''s life, Bianca began to feel pity for her. "Luke, how about we... spare her life too? The children and I suffered a huge fright, but we weren''t really hurt. After all, she once saved your life. If not for her, I might not be able to see you again... Why not treat this as returning your debt of gratitude to her? I don''t think you''ll be at ease if you kill her." i Bianca was worried that Luke''s conscience might not allow him to kill that woman. The man might seem merciless, but Bianca knew that he had a kind heart. He would not be able to disregard the fact that Kassy had saved his life. More importantly, if Luke killed Kassy, his reputation among the general public would fall even further, and that might cause T Corporation to lose business. Luke thought for a while before gently kissing Bianca''s hair fringe. "Alright, I''ll listen to you. However, I might spare her life, but she won''t go unpunished. She''ll have to pay the price for abducting you and our children! If I came anyter, you and the children would have been killed. I''ll let her have a taste of her own medicine. She enjoys seeing you being vited, right? I''ll make sure that she won''t be able to see a thing for the rest of her life!" The man''s voice suddenly sounded cold and hostile. When Kassy heard that, her entire body started to shake violently. "Please, no, Matthew, I was wrong. I swear that I won''t do it again. You''ve already crippled me. You can''t take my eyes away too, please..." Luke ignored Kassy''s sorrowful wails and walked toward the helicopter. Bianca curled up in Luke''s embrace, feeling Luke''s strong and warm presence around her. Her wilted heart was slowly reviving. They had not left the factory for too long before Bianca heard a bloodcurdling crye out from inside. The cry sounded like it was made by a ghost, and it had pierced the skies. The cry was cut short, as though someone had gagged the woman''s mouth. Bianca began to shiver and leaned closer to Luke. The man hugged her tighter when he sensed her fear. "Don''t be afraid. No one will harm you anymore. If there''s anyone who dares to harm you, I''ll make sure that they suffer!" On the private ne, Luke ced Bianca on a soft bed, and Johann came to examine her. With Luke next to her, Bianca was fully at ease by then. She was already at her physical limit after trying to put on a strong front for so long. Suddenly, she remembered her three children that were also brought up on the airne. She held Johann''s hand and said weakly, "Please tend to the children, Johann. I''m fine, but I''m afraid that something happened to them ... Luke, can you bring me to see the children?" She sounded almost like she was begging. The man had ced all his attention on Bianca and had not cared about his children at all. That made Bianca wonder if he was actually their birth father. Luke shot a re at Johann when he saw Bianca holding Johann''s hand. That made Johann break out in a cold sweat. He chuckled drily and pulled his hand away. "Don''t worry, Sis. Other doctors are attending to the children. I''ve already examined them, and they''re really fine. We''ve already sent a sample of the drugs to theb for analysis. You look like you¡¯re in pretty bad shape, though. I should treat you as soon as I can. Otherwise, it''ll leave a scar." Luke shot a cold nce at Johann and said, "Leave the medicine here. You can get lost." He waved his hand, and everyone else in the room left. After he locked the door, only he and Bianca remained in the luxury cabin... Chapter 823 Chapter 823 That Delectable Man Bianca finally fell asleep around midnight. While on the ne, Luke had cleaned her in the airne''s bathroom, changed her into a set of comfortable pajamas, and applied ointment on the bruises of her body. Luke leaned on the headboard, holding a cigarette between his fingers. He wanted to light it, but after realizing that Bianca was very sensitive to the stench, he put the cigarette away. No one knew what he was thinking. The soft light in the luxury cabin thatnded on his body made him seem even taller, but at the same time, cast a lonely shadow. He was angered greatly when Kassy yelled that Bianca had been vited, but other than anger, he could only feel tenderness and pity for Bianca. He would not mind if Bianca were really vited. He loved her body, but he loved her soul even more. If something had really happened to her, he would not me her. Instead, he would me himself for not protecting her. He might be a clean freak, but he wanted to live a happy life with Bianca even if she were vited. He also wished that he could personally execute every one of those men who had harmed Bianca. Bianca seemed to be having a nightmare. Her face was as pale as paper, and she clutched the nket tightly. "Please, please don''t harm my children. Please, Kassy, don''t..." she mumbled in her sleep. Luke sat next to her. He frowned as he looked at Bianca, who could not sleep calmly. He reached out and brushed her cracked lips, and his expression became gloomier than ever. He knew his position in Bianca''s heart. The woman he loved was abducted in public view and was nearly vited. He had failed her as her husband. It was all his fault. If something had happened to her, he would not be able to forgive himself! He gently kissed her again and tucked her into the nket. Suddenly, he remembered Lanie, Rainie, and Tommy. He got a nurse to take care of Bianca, then went to check on their beloved children. 1 The children remained sound asleep. Their simr faces looked so calm and peaceful under the soft light. One would not have expected that they were still under the effect of the tranquilizer. Johann came into the cabin with the analysis report in his hands. "Hey, you finally remembered your poor children! You haven''t even looked at them ever since they were kidnapped. Tsk tsk, how cruel! I''ve never seen a father as cruel as you. I might even suspect that they''re not your children if they don''t look so simr to you." Luke ignored Johann''s mockery. Some warmth flickered in the man''s icy gaze as he looked at his three cute babies. "How are they? Do the drugs... have anysting side effects?" Johann fanned the analysis report in his hand and exined seriously," They injected the kids with a fairly new type of tranquilizer. It''s at least twice more potent as regr tranquilizers, but it doesn''t have any harmful effects on the body. It seems that the man named ckhook had some sympathy for the kids. If he had injected the kids with some horrible drug or had actually vited Sis, the consequences would have been fatal for him... I have to admit that he''s pretty smart." Luke''s gaze turned ice-cold when he remembered the man''s tanned face. If that man had harmed his wife or children, he would have made sure that the man suffered a terrible fate! Luke had found Bianca with a swollen face and tattered clothes. When he cleaned her in the bathroom, he did not see any signs of vition by a man. He was truly relieved when he found that. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. He would love Bianca just as much even if she were truly vited, but he could not help but hope that her body solely belonged to him. Even more than that, he did not wish for her to live in guilt and shame. Kassy, the mastermind behind the abduction, had already been dealt with. He would have killed her out of anger if not that Bianca had convinced him to spare her life. Of course, Kassy had already gotten what she deserved for harming Bianca. She was blinded and crippled, and she would not pose a threat to his family anymore. The next day, Bianca woke up to the sound of birds chirping. She furrowed her brows as she opened her eyes, and she felt a warm towel on her forehead. A pair of hands were gently wiping her face. The first thing that she saw after she opened her eyes was Ivy, the young maid. She cleared her throat and asked, "Ivy, where''s Luke?" Ivy grinned happily when she saw that Bianca was awake. "You''re finally awake, Madam. Sir was very worried when he saw that you didn¡¯t wake up. He stayed up all night to keep watch, and he''s in the bathroom cleaning up... Bianca thought that it all had been a dream. She felt a lot more awake after Ivy cleaned her face. That was when she remembered the nightmare that she had the night before. Bianca blinked. The tall trees outside had a trace of morning fog. She heard the sounds of the insects and the rustling sounds of leaves as birds flew through the branches. Taking in the fresh air and looking at the familiar furnishings of her room, she realized that she was truly home. Bianca tried to push herself up, but she felt as though her bones had fallen apart. The pain caused her to gasp. When she tried it again, a pair of warm hands held her firmly and helped her lean against the down pillow. Bianca lifted her head, and her eyes met Luke''s gentle gaze. He was dressed in a white bathrobe that bared his bronze-colored chest. His fine hair still dripped with water, and his body emanated the fragrance of shower cream. The word "delectable¡± appeared in Bianca''s mind. She gulped. What should she do if she really wanted to eat him up? Chapter 824 Chapter 824 Three Little Heads Poked Through the Door Bianca felt a little guilty when she saw a faint handprint on Luke''s face. She remembered that she hadnded a vicious p on his cheek when she could not control her emotions. She could feel that her palm was still stinging. Bianca tenderly caressed his face and said hoarsely, "Does your face still hurt, Luke?" She regretted pping him. However, she could not help but feel aggrieved that he hade sote. She could not imagine what would happen to her and the children if Luke had arrived another second later. The man''s gaze wavered slightly. He ced his hands on her tender cheeks and stared straight into her eyes. "It doesn''t hurt at all. Not a bit." "You''re lying!" Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Biancaughed with tears in her eyes, yfully tugged at his short hair, and pouted. "Don''t you know how afraid I was back then? I was afraid that I might not see you again, but I was even more afraid that something might happen to our children. Don''t you know, Luke, I''d rather die than see any harme to our children..." Lukey down next to her and hugged her intimately. "I started searching for you the moment I knew that you were in danger, but Kassy is a cunning woman. She''s a trained assassin from the Ind of Despair, and she barely leaves any traces of her crimes. That was why it took so long to track you down. Fortunately, I arrived just in time. I might not be able to forgive myself if I were toote." The man''s body was warm, while the woman was slightly cool. His nose was pressed against her, leaving no gap in between their bodies. Biancay on his chest with a vacant expression. "No matter what you think of her, Kassy once saved your life after all. She''ll hate you for blinding and crippling her. It''s all because of me, Luke. Sorry..." "That has nothing to do with you, silly girl. The woman isn''t as kind-hearted as you might think. She only saved me because she thought that I could be useful to her. Moreover, many lives have been lost in her hands..." Luke took her hand and gently massaged it, and his eyes shed with some hostility. "She''s unforgivable for attempting to harm you. She should be punished for what she did, and she should be grateful that she is still alive." Kassy must have plotted for a long time before she infiltrated into A City without a trace. The tragedy of The Galleria had distracted him, which allowed Kassy to take the opportunity to carry out her almost- wless n. Regarding the copse of The Galleria, Luke guessed that Kassy must have had an aplice, even though all the evidence found at the ruins pointed to Kassy. Why would she do so? Was she taking revenge on him? If the woman had blown up a shopping mall just so that she could abduct his wife and children, it meant that she was much crueler than he had imagined! Luke knew that Kassy had always been obsessed with him, but he could not ept how fanatical and outrageous her love was. He did not expect that the woman would go to such extreme means! Luke thought for a while before deciding to tell Bianca the truth. He realized that he needed to be honest with his wife. Bianca was stunned for a long time. She did not expect that Kassy could be so depraved to kill hundreds of innocent lives just to win a man''s heart. For a while, she considered herself lucky to be able toe out of the ordeal alive. Considering how cruel Kassy was and how much she hated Bianca, Bianca and the children would have been dead if Luke had note in time. She considered herself blessed. As she looked at his bloodshot eyes and the beard stubble on his chin, Ivy''s words resounded in her ears. "Sir was worried that you didn''t wake up. He stayed up all night to keep watch." Those words had hit Bianca''s soft spot. She felt oddly at ease as she brushed her hand on Luke''s beard stubble. "You haven''t rested, Luke. Take a nap, and I''ll go and make breakfast in the kitchen." Bianca tried to push herself off the bed. Her gaze fell on a hand basin next to the bed. Several white towels were floating inside. She felt that someone had been taking care of her while she was sleeping, but she did not expect that it was him. Considering that he had been traveling a lot, he must be very tired by now. Luke pulled her back into his arms and rested her body on his. "Take a nap with me, Bea." Bianca could onlyply. Her eyshes quivered for a bit before she closed her eyes. She opened her eyes when she heard that his breathing had be calm and even. She sighed as she touched her bruised cheek. Then, she greedily took in Luke''s handsome sleeping face and gently pinched the incredibly smooth cheek. That handsome face had brought her so much trouble. If she had her way, she would taxidermize him and keep him safe so that she would be the only one who could appreciate him. She was once again woken up by the sound of the door opening. Luke came into the bedroom carrying a tray. The fragrance of the food spread throughout the entire room and whetted Bianca''s appetite. Bianca rubbed her eyes and looked at him. "When did you wake up? Why didn''t I notice it?" Luke ced the tray on the low table beside the bed. Avocado toast, nched prawns, truffle omelets, garden sd... they all looked delicious and healthy. Bianca yawned and mumbled, "I''ll brush my teeth before I eat. Right, Luke, are the children awake? I want to check on them too." Luke patted her head. "They¡¯re already awake, and they''re now eating in the dining hall. I told them that they shouldn''t disturb you because you''re still sleeping. You haven''t eaten for a day. Go and brush your teeth before you eat." Just as he finished speaking, they heard the door gently creak open. Three heads popped into the room. The children were standing on tiptoes, trying to see what was inside... Chapter 825 Chapter 825 The Three Children Tried to Please Their Mother The three children hugged the door frame and looked into the room, intimidated by their father''s authority. They looked quite adorable. Naturally, Bianca noticed them. She put down her fork and spoon and beckoned at her children with a smile. "Come in, my babies... Have you had your lunch? Won''t you eat with me?¡± Luke knew that the children were afraid of him. He whispered something next to Bianca''s ear, then nodded at the children and let theme in. Seeing that their father allowed them to go in, they answered their mother''s call and ran inside. "Mommy! Huggy..." The first to run in was Tommy. He stretched out his arms, and he seemed too anxious to be hugged by his mother. Before he reached the bed, Luke lifted him by his cor like an eagle snatching a little bird. "Your Mommy hasn''t recovered yet. Wait until she''s better before you hug her." Tommy pouted unhappily, and Bianca wanted tough because that little boy looked so simr to his father. However, seeing Tommy also reminded her of the scene where the little boy writhing in agony on the floor after being injected with the drug, and that made her feel sorry for him. She got the children to stand next to her while she kissed each of their foreheads and cheeks. After briefly examining their bodies and confirming that they were indeed unhurt, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Lanie, Rainie, Tommy, how do you feel now? Tell me if any part of your body feels ufortable. If you do, you have to tell Daddy or me immediately, alright?" Even though Johann had reassured her that the drug was a regr tranquilizer, Bianca was worried that it might have unknownsting side effects on the children''s young bodies. She would not want to be careless. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Lanie lowered his head and tugged on Bianca''s shirt sleeve. A hint of guilt shed past his handsome face. "I''m sorry, Mommy. I said that Daddy and I would protect you and my younger siblings, but I failed to do that. I''m not a good boy..." Bianca''s heart wrenched when she heard that. She gently pinched her eldest son''s tender cheeks and said, "I''m fine, Lanie. You''re still too small now. You can protect us when you''re bigger. I''m the one who failed to protect you and made you suffer along with me. I''ve failed as your mother." The boy was only seven years old, but he was much more outstanding than children of his age in every aspect. She did not want to see him put unreasonable expectations on himself. Rainie''s plump little hands caressed Bianca''s cheek and said, "Mommy, Uncle Johann said that all those baddies were arrested, and they won''t hurt us anymore. Don''t be afraid, Mommy. When I grow up, Lanie, Daddy, and I will protect you and Tommy." "Good girl..." Bianca''s eyes misted up. Her children cared for her so much. That made her feel guilty. Rainie clenched her fists and stood straight. "Your face is swollen, Mommy. Did the baddies do something to you? They''re so nasty! When I grow up, I want to be a police officer. I''ll arrest all the baddies and throw them in jail!" Bianca could not help but smile and tousle her daughter''s hair when she saw that Rainie was aspiring to be a heroine. "Silly girl. My biggest wish is for all of you to be safe. I won¡¯t have any regrets if we can live happily ever after." The little girl leaned on Bianca''s chest and hugged her neck. "Yes, Mommy, we''ll live happily together forever, but I still care about you..." Bianca''s heart warmed. "Thanks to your care, I''ll recover soon." "Are you feeling unwell, Mommy? Let me feed you..." Lanie took a spoonful of oatmeal, gently blew on it, and brought it close to Bianca''s mouth. "My arms and legs are fine, Lanie. You don''t have to feed me." Bianca could feel her face turn red. Usually, she was the one who fed her children. She was not used to it when the roles were reversed. Moreover, she was not hurt or otherwise incapacitated. She could eat by herself just fine. Tommy was not to be outdone. He lifted his hand that held a rather tattered prawn. "I''ve peeled this prawn for you, Mommy. Eat my prawn before you eat Lanie''s oatmeal." Bianca was overwhelmed by her children''s "hospitality," but at the same time, she felt that it was very heart-warming. She was d that she had given birth to those three children. Luke was also smiling faintly. His heart was filled with tender love. He was grateful that God had granted those three children to Bianca and him. After lunch, the three children went to take their naps. Luke took his lunch, then changed into a fresh suit as though he was going to a business meeting. "Where are you going, Luke?" Bianca asked curiously. Luke answered the question while putting on his tie. "Back to the factory. I want to check out the situation there." The A City Police Department was known for its ipetence. Luke had asked Percy for help in the rescue mission. Even though he knew that Gale and Rain would clean up the scene without a trace, he wanted to make sure of that himself. Most importantly, he wanted to make sure that Kassy was adequately dealt with. That woman was cunning, and he could not be at ease if he did not see for himself that Kassy was incapacitated. "Right, Luke, you have to spare the life of the leader of the thugs," Bianca said anxiously, "He was the one that made sure that I and the children were safe. Can you spare his life and the lives of his men? He''s not part of Kassy''s gang..." Luke thought for a long time before he remembered that tanned face. He nodded. "Don''t worry. I promised you that I''ll spare his life, and I won''t go back on my word." Bianca remained unconvinced. She got up and said, "Then... can I go with you? Wait for me for a while, Luke. I''ll go wash up..." Before Luke could reply, she dashed hurriedly into the bathroom. She would also like to see Kassy''s ultimate fate. Chapter 826 Chapter 826 Why Are You So Obsessed With That Woman? After Bianca brushed her teeth and washed her face, she thought of putting on makeup. Kassy had put on her makeup meticulously when she abducted Bianca. She put lipstick on her lips and wore high heels. Bianca wanted to show that she was the superior woman and that she was not one to be bullied. However, she remembered that Kassy might have been blinded by now. Instead, she wore some loose-fitting casual clothes. When she came out of the bedroom and saw Luke in formal wear, she suddenly felt underdressed. Luke was sitting on the couch and reading a financial newspaper. She hesitated for a while before saying, "Can you wait for me just a little longer? Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Hm?" Luke turned his head and looked at Bianca suspiciously. "Well, I thought that I should put on some light makeup..." Bianca bit her lip as she looked into his eyes. "I don''t think it''s suitable for me to leave the house like this." Luke looked at her carefully. "It''s fine. You look great like this. You''re naturally beautiful." "Ah..." Bianca scratched her head. She wanted to say something, but Luke had already gotten up and took her hand. "You''re beautiful this way. In my eyes, my wife is the most beautiful woman even without makeup. Let''s go." It was windy and drizzling outside. Bianca sneezed when she stepped out of the house. Her casual clothes were quite thin, and she could not help but huddle. Luke frowned when he saw that. He turned around and said, "I''ll go and get a jacket for you from the bedroom. Wait for me for a while." Bianca tried to stop him. "It''s fine. I can go like this..." Luke was not going to listen to her. He dashed into the bedroom. Soon, he appeared with a thick ck coat in his hands and draped it over Bianca''s shoulders. I''m not going to wear a coat. It''s so weird wearing a T-shirt inside and a coat outside," Bianca protested. Moreover, he was dressed so formally. She felt embarrassed standing next to him. Luke started to button up the coat, and his eyes shed dangerously. "Is your health or your appearance more important?" Bianca''s face scrunched up and reluctantly allowed him to put on the coat for her. Then, he held her hand, and they walked outside. They arrived at the factory. Bianca remembered vividly what happened the night before. She shuddered involuntarily when she stepped into the factory. Meanwhile, Luke''s expression turned cold when he remembered her condition when he found her. He brought Bianca closer to her andforted her. "Don''t be afraid. I¡¯m here." A few dozen armed mercenaries dressed in camouge were stationed all around the factory. They were patrolling the area. They saluted Luke when they saw him and Bianca. "Mr. Crawford," they greeted him. Even though Bianca knew that they were Luke''s mercenaries, she felt uneasy when she saw the guns in those people''s hands. "These people are Percy''s subordinates. He was the one who helped me find you in time," Luke exined to her. Bianca felt relieved when Percy''s bewitchingly handsome face appeared in her mind. She would thank him another day. Kassy''sckeys were tied to steel pirs, battered by the cold wind and rain for the entire night. There was not a hint of color on their faces. Gale and Rain were busy cleaning up the scene. When they saw Luke and Biancae in, they stopped working and bowed slightly. "Mr. and Mrs. Crawford. They''re all here, not one less." As they spoke, the people tied to the pirs turned around, pleading for mercy with their eyes. Bianca remembered how those thugs had brazenlymitted crimes in public and tossed grenades without any regard for human life. She did not expect that those criminals were so afraid of death. Her gaze fell on a woman lying on the cold floor. She seemed barely alive. From her clothes, Bianca could tell that she was Kassy. Thick white bandages were wrapped over her eyes, and the smell of disinfectant was thick in the air. From the bloodstains on the bandages, Bianca could tell that her eyes were severely damaged. Both of her legs were also wrapped in bloody bandages. Whoever treated her legs had done a perfunctory job, as though they only wanted to prevent her from bleeding to death. Even though Bianca hated Kassy, she could not help but feel sorry for her when she saw how pathetic Kassy was. No one would have expected that the noble and arrogant woman would end up like this. Kassy might have lost her sense of sight, but her hearing sense remained acute. She heard Luke''s voice from afar. Her dirty hands waved wildly in the air, and she yelled hoarsely, "Is that you, Matthew? Are you here to visit me? I know it. I know that you miss me..." Kassy dragged her battered body and crawled toward Luke. She was both crying andughing, and she looked like a lunatic. Even though Bianca felt sorry for her, she remembered that Kassy was a ruthless woman. When she heard Kassy express her love for Luke, she could not help but retort, "You''re still coveting my husband even though you''ve ended up like this. You never change, Kassy!" Kassy was shocked when she heard that familiar woman''s voice. Her body trembled. "Why, Matthew? That b*tch has already been vited by another man, but why do you still want her? Why are you obsessed with her? What''s so good about her?¡± "Everything about her is good to me. I don''t need a reason to love her," Luke replied coldly. "Hahaha, I''m unlucky to have saved your life. You turned out to be an ingrate!" Kassy cackled horrifically. She still could not understand why Luke chose Bianca over her. She was more outstanding than Bianca in every aspect, and Bianca did not seem to have any good points other than her pure looks. Why would Luke be obsessed over that in-looking woman? i Chapter 827 Chapter 827 His Wife Is A Lucky Woman So what if Bianca had Luke''s love? She had already been vited by another man! Even though Kassy''s eyes were ruined, her face contorted viciously. She pointed in Luke and Bianca''s direction and shrieked madly, "Have you seen the video of another man f*cking that b*tch, Matthew? I don''t think you have. You shouldn''t have been so calm. I don''t believe any man could remainposed after knowing that he has been made a cuckold! You can look at that video. Hahaha..." Bianca looked at Kassy with pity. "Kassy, do you still believe that I had been vited? If you''re so intelligent, why not spend some time wondering why I''m still standing here, if I truly have been vited? The truth might disappoint you. I was not vited at all." Kassy''s body stiffened abruptly. "You''re lying! I heard with my own ears that you were moaning and pleading for mercy. Why are..." Luke¡¯s expression sank. He wanted to hug Bianca tightly. Bianca smiled at him, indicating that she was fine. Then, she continued speaking, "So what if you heard those noises? Have you never considered that it was all an act? Of course not. You''re too full of yourself to think about that." "That''s impossible. Everyone outside heard your moans. Do you think that you can absolve yourself by making thatme excuse? We''ve all heard how your clothes were torn apart, and how you moaned when that guy entered you. There¡¯s no point in exining yourself. Matthew won''t want a b*tch like you!" p! Bianca could not take it anymore. She pped Kassy''s face in an attempt to quieten her. "Don''t impose your filthy thoughts on other people. Do you want to know what the camera captured that day? Then I''ll show it to you... No. You can''t see anymore. Then I''ll let you listen with your own ears to what actually happened..." She turned on the camera and yed the video. All the eyes in the room fell on her and the camera, especially those thugs who were tied to the pirs. After all, the sounds they heard that day were too intense. They wanted to rush in and release their urges. Only the leader of the thugs with the tanned face closed his eyes as though nothing in the world concerned him. His indifference seemed out of ce with his current situation. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. This was what the people saw from the video: Bianca red at ckhook cautiously, wondering what he was up to." What do you mean, cooperate with you and put up an act? Let me warn you, if you darey a finger on me, I''ll bite my tongue and commit suicide! Don''t think that you''ll be safe if you follow Kassy''s orders. My husband is a vengeful man. If you attempt to harm me, he''ll hunt you down to the ends of the earth!" ckhook pinned Bianca to the wall and lowered his voice to a whisper." Don''t worry. I''ve promised that I won''t harm you, so I won''t do that. I only hope that you''ll agree to one condition." "What is it?¡± Bianca was surprised when she smelled something. She hesitated for a while before asking, "Have you recently be a father?" It was ckhook''s turn to be surprised. "How do you know?" He seemed to be on high alert. "That''s easy. I''m a mother of three children, and I''ve raised my youngest son since he was born. Young children have a certain scent of milk on them, and if adults carry them for long enough, they''ll have the same scent on their bodies too. I caught a whiff of that scent on your body earlier, and I guess that your child isn''t a month old. If you love children so much, I guess that you''re not an irredeemable criminal. There must be a reason why you''re doing this..." She paused for a while and ventured, "You reprimanded the sharp-faced thug while we were in the car, and you said that you wouldn¡¯t have picked up this job if you had another choice. I''m guessing that you need money, and that''s why you took the risk." ckhook seemed impressed by Bianca''s guess. He thought of something, and his gaze turned gloomy. "That''s right. You''re a smart one. It''s true that I need money. My wife has given birth to a set of triplets, two boys and a girl. I was very happy, but the doctor has diagnosed that they suffer from serious heart disease, and it''ll cost a few million to treat them all. I''ve already left that life behind me long ago, but I had no other choice but to ept the job this time. That''s why I''d like to propose a trade." "What?" "Let''s put up an act to fool Kassy. You''ll pretend that I''ve vited you, and I''ll try my best to stall for time for your husband to get here. If he makes it in time, you''ll have to convince him to spare the life of me and my two partners. They''re my blood brothers, and they only stepped out of retirement because I asked them for help." Bianca thought for a while and realized that the n might work. However, she remembered that the sharp-faced thug had insulted her. "I agree to your proposal, but I can''t forgive that sharp-faced man. I want him punished for insulting me!" "No problem," ckhook promised her. When Bianca saw that ckhook had replied to her so readily, she could not help but ask, "If my husband can¡¯te in time and Kassy kills me, she might realize that I cooperated with you to deceive her. Aren''t you worried that she''ll take out her anger on you?" ckhook chuckled drily. His weathered face seemed tired. "I''ve been dancing on a knife''s edge for my entire life, and the only thing that''s been keeping me alive is my keen intuition. I have a strong feeling that your husband will make it in time, and that''s why I don''t mind defecting..." The hour-long video stopped here. Luke felt a lot better after watching the video. He resisted the urge to hug Bianca tightly. His wife was a lucky woman after all! Chapter 828 Chapter 828 After the Storm, the Couple Hugged Each Other Kassy was dumbstruck after hearing the conversation in the video. Her chest was heaving out of anger, and she coughed violently. ¡¯ ckhook, you liar! You deceived me even though I trusted you! If I knew that this would happen, I should''ve killed that b*tch and her b*stard children right from the start!" She regretted not doing so, not expecting that ckhook had lied to her. Bianca nced at Kassy sympathetically and shook her head. That woman remained unrepentant even though she was already thoroughly defeated. She wondered if she was crazy or stupid. She walked up next to Luke, gently hugged his elbow, and said softly," Luke, ckhook saved me. Would you let go of him and his partners? Also, should we pay for his children''s heart surgery and subsequent treatments too?" "Mm." Luke nced at ckhook and wagged his hand at Gale. Gale received the order and released ckhook and his two partners. ckhook was in a pathetic state, but he was not injured. As for his two partners, one lost a leg to a grenade st, while the other took two bullets to his arm. Fortunately, their vital organs were not injured, and they managed to survive the ordeal. Luke noticed that Bianca seemed exhausted and carried her with his arms. "We''ll leave the rest to Gale and Rain, and let''s go home. Rain, except for ckhook and his two friends, deal with the rest ording to the rules!" Rain bowed at Luke and said, "Yes, Mr. Crawford." Kassy began to yell like a lunatic when she heard that Luke and Bianca were about to leave. "Bianca, you b*tch, you seductress, you''ve slept with ten thousand men. I''ll haunt you even after I die! If I don''t die from this, I swear that I''ll take revenge on you one day!" Bianca wanted to rip Kassy¡¯s foul mouth into pieces, but she closed her eyes when she saw her pathetic state. "Let''s go. She''s already lost her mind." Luke''s expression was frigid. He could not tolerate anyone verbally insulting Bianca, so he shot a nce at one of the mercenaries. A tall and burly man stepped up and pped Kassy about twenty times. At the end of that, she was bleeding from her mouth, and her face was bruised and swollen! Luke red at Kassy with a sinister and even infernal gaze. "I thought I''d spare your life because you once saved mine, but if you remain unrepentant, then I''ll have to return to you what you nned to give my wife!" A man in ck opened up a suitcase, took out a syringe filled with bright green liquid, and injected it into Kassy''s arm. Kassy struggled violently. She knew what the contents of the syringe were. That was the first time she had felt so much fear! "You''re inhuman, Matthew. How can you treat me like this?" She called out her name in despair, and tears mixed with blood flowed down her bandaged eyes. "Have you forgotten that when you were hurt, I was the first woman you saw when you opened your eyes? Have you forgotten how you relied on me to survive on the ind? Have you forgotten the times we watched the sunset together? Have you forgotten all that I have done for you for the past two years?" Luke did not even turn his head. He hugged Bianca tightly, and his expression sank. "I remember all the things you have done for me, but that is no reason to harm my wife. Also, I have no feelings for you. That is all your imagination..." "No, it¡¯s not like that. I don¡¯t believe it. I''m the only woman who deserves to be by your side. We''re meant to be together. I''ll kill that b*tch!" Kassy discerned their location with her sense of hearing. She pounced toward them, but Gale kicked her away, and she could not get up again. Therge dose of the drug that was injected into her veins was starting to take effect. She began to tear her clothes. "Hot, so hot..." Her fair skin was exposed to view, and she wanted to find a man to satisfy herself. She groped around because she could not see, but she could not find anyone. Gale and Rain remained impassive. Gale even wanted to release the thugs that were tied to the pirs, but Bianca could not bear to see that happen. If she allowed Gale to let the men vite the woman, she was no different from Kassy. "Never mind, the drug is already punishment enough for her. Just let her writhe in agony by herself..." They turned to look at Luke, waiting for his order. "Whatever my wife says," Luke said. He knew that his wife would not want to look at such depraved deeds.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. After leaving the rest of the mess to his subordinates, he carried Bianca to the all-terrain vehicle and ced her inside. Seeing that her face remained pale and that she was not in a good mood, he poked her nose. ¡¯"What''s wrong? Did that give you a fright?" He knew that he was merciless when it came to certain things, but he did not want to give his wife that impression. Bianca¡¯s head rested on his chest, and her eyes blinked several times. She felt uneasy. "I thought that Kassy seemed quite pitiful. I know that she deserves the punishment, but did we go overboard?" Her eyes and legs were ruined, and she was injected with the drug. Bianca wondered if Kassy would survive. Luke patted her head and said, "She''s from the Ind of Despair. She''ll be fine. She''ll live even if we double the punishment." Kassy had been through all sorts of inhuman punishments in her training on the Ind of Despair. She was as resilient as a weed. Otherwise, she would not have be Robert''s most trusted assassin. Bianca felt slightly relieved. She hugged Luke''s neck and nuzzled his chest. "From now on, we''ll live happily ever after..." Luke kissed her. "Mm. I won''t let you or our babies go through this again." "Alright." Thete afternoon sun shone on the loving couple. Everything seemed to be warm and harmonious, as though nothing could evere between them... Chapter 829 Chapter 829 Shocking News Gale and Rain dealt with Kassy and hisckeys. Luke had suspected that Kassy was involved in the copse of The Galleria. He believed that his subordinates would be able to extract an answer from Kassy with their interrogation methods, and he would be able to give a satisfactory exnation to the families of the victims and the media. When Bianca woke up the next morning, all that she read in the papers were about the abduction incident, as well as the news that Kassy, the mastermind behind it, found half-dead in the outskirts of A City. The media was most surprised that the woman was implicated in the copse of The Galleria. T Corporation had presented the evidence they found, and all of the evidence pointed that Kassy was the culprit. Her aplice was Wayne tt of the tt family, who yed a vital role in the crime. The public was shocked by the revtion. They could not imagine how those two characters conspired nor understand the reason behind the deed. That was until aplete video was revealed to the public. Kassy sat in a questioning room. She divulged the entire truth. She had nned the deed because she could not win Luke Crawford''s love. Therefore, she blew up The Galleria as an act of revenge. Taking advantage of the chaos and that the public opinion was directed at T Corporation, she bought up arge amount of T Corporation shares and sold them at a low price to destabilize the market. She wanted the public to lose confidence in Luke Crawford and T Corporation. After that, she abducted Bianca Rayne, Luke Crawford''s wife in public and set off several explosives on the street, not showing any regard to the sanctity of human life. For a while, the news was the talk of the town. The public could not believe that a womanmitted a series of serious crimes out of unrequited love. Due to the severity of her crimes, the special police had detained her in a secret location. However, Wayne tt, her aplice, remained atrge. His whereabouts had be a mystery. A bounty was issued on Wayne tt. Anyone who provided information of Wayne''s whereabouts that would lead to his arrest would receive a one million dor reward. Instantly, everyone was caught up in the hype. Bianca was surprised that Luke''s subordinates could be so efficient. Kassy had confessed to her crimes so readily. While she was lost in thought, her phone on the coffee table started to ring. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She nced at the screen and quickly answered the phone. "Dad." She had been upied for the past two days, but she suddenly remembered that her mother was suffering from depression again. She had promised Queenie that she would visit, and she felt guilty that she had not fulfilled her promise. On the other end of the phone, Jack sounded stern but also angry. "Bea, you didn''t tell me that you and the children were abducted! I wouldn''t have known about it if I hadn''t watched the news. Why didn''t you tell me about something so serious?" Bianca''s heart felt warm even though Jack was reprimanding her. "Dad, I didn''t tell you because I didn''t want you or Mom to be worried about me. Mom hasn''t been in good healthtely, and I heard that she''s suffering from depression again. I don''t want her condition to worsen after knowing what happened to me... I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have kept it from you, and I promise that I won''t do it again. Is Mom feeling better? I''ll being hometer to visit you..." Jack sighed. "Your mom is fine. Her mood is better after some rest at home, but she eats poorly. I didn''t dare let her know about your abduction. In any case, you''ll have to let me know about it as soon as you can. I''m your father, and I think I''ve failed you for only finding out about your abduction through the news..." "You''re the best dad in the world and the best grandfather to the children, Dad. It''s not your fault. I promise you that I won''t do this again. I''ll let you know if anything happens to me, alright?" Jack felt a little better after getting that promise from his daughter. After the call ended, Bianca went to the study and told Luke that she wanted to visit her mother. Luke was working in the study. He noticed that Bianca was anxious, so he put away the documents in his hand. "What''s wrong? Why are you running?" Bianca held his hand and told him, "I want to visit my mom, Luke. Dad just called to tell me that Mom hasn''t been eating well recently. I''m afraid that she''s suffering from depression again, so..." Luke saw that Bianca was so anxious that she was not speaking clearly. He picked up the coat from the rack and said, "Alright, let''s go and visit Mom." Ever since the abduction, Luke dared not let Bianca go out by herself. He drove the car straight to the Norman residence and arrived there an hourter. Jack had been staying at home and taking care of his wife for the past few days. Leia was also obedient during that period. She apanied Queenie every day and learned from the caretaker how to cook light meals. Jack''s impression of his adoptive daughter became better. When Leia saw Luke and Biancaing through the door bearing presents, she grunted and looked away, not willing to let them see the jealousy in her eyes. Bianca ignored Leia and went directly to her mother''s bedroom. Tears nearly fell from her eyes when she saw the frail woman who leaned on the headboard. "Mom..." She could not believe that her mother''s condition worsened so much in only a few days. "Bea, Luke, you''re here." Queenie found it hard to speak, but her gaze was brimming with love. Luke hugged Bianca and went to the bedside. "I''ve heard that you haven''t been feeling well, Mom, so I''m here with Bea to visit you. How are you feelingtely? Should I get some doctors from overseas to treat you?" Chapter 830 Chapter 830 A Suspicious Scent A gentle smile appeared on Queenie''s face. "You shouldn''t trouble yourself. I''m feeling fine." "How did you be like this, Mom?" Bianca gently hugged Queenie and said sadly. She could feel her mother''s bony frame in her arms. Queenie gently caressed her daughter''s hair andforted her, "It''s an old problem. I''ve been trying to keep it in check, but it res up once in a while. I''m already old, and I can''t catch up with you young ones. Right, where are my darling grandchildren? I haven''t seen them for many days, and I miss them. Why didn''t you bring them with you?" "I was in a rush to see you, Mom, and I didn''t pick them up. I''ll bring them the next time Ie to visit." Bianca held her mother''s hand tightly and said, "Why don''t you stay over at our house while you recuperate? I''ll hire some psychologists to treat your symptoms. You''ll recover quicker that way, and I won''t have to be so worried." Queenie smiled lovingly and gently patted her daughter''s hand. "You don''t have to trouble yourself. It''s the same if I recuperate at home. Your dad and Leia have been taking good care of me at home. Jack has always been busy at work, and he finally has the time to apany me. He wouldn''t have the time before this. Leia has also been a good girl. Every day, she''d learn how to cook from Ms. Lang, and her cooking skills are getting better by the day..." Bianca nced at Leia, who had been standing in a corner and not making a sound. That was the first time she took a good look at her. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Leia''s emaciated body had be plumper, and her sunken cheeks seemed to be now filled with color. She looked like a different personpared to before, and she seemed to be regaining her pure looks, just like when she was an actress. Whenever Bianca came to visit, Leia would always insult her with harshnguage. However, Leia had remained silent the entire time Bianca was there. In fact, she looked as though she was anxious to leave the scene, but she had to stay there and force a smile on her face. That made Bianca quite surprised. Why did Leia be like that? Leia felt a little disgusted when she saw that Bianca was chatting happily with Queenie while looking at her. She greeted Bianca with a superficial smile, then told her mother, "Mom, the two of you must have a lot to talk about, and I shouldn''t disturb you. I''ll go back to my room first." She furrowed her brows, stood up, walked past Bianca and Luke, and walked toward her room. She caught a whiff of Luke''s natural body scent when she walked past him, and that made her waver for a while. Even her feet stumbled. The man was silent and ephemeral like a gust of wind, but he would abruptly transform into a violent storm and tear you to shreds when you least expected it. Even so, Leia was obsessed by his impably handsome face and noble demeanor, especially when compared to that brute in her room. He was like the full moon, enchanting yet untouchable. Leia was reminded of the warning given by the devil in her bedroom. She shuddered and quickly left the room. At the same time, Luke seemed to have caught the scent of something on Leia''s body when she walked past him. The scent made him frown. ''... Why does that smell like Neurax III?'' Luke was very familiar with that scent after staying in the League of Shadows''s headquarters for so long. The scent was extremely faint, but he was quite sure that it was indeed the drug. If Leia had been staying at home recently, how would she have that suspicious scent on her? Before he could think further about it, Jack summoned him to the study to discuss the follow-up and compensation of the incident of The Galleria. He could onlye back to that problemter. On the way back to her room, a white, furry object that popped out of nowhere made her cry in rm. She nearly fell to the floor. She managed to grab on to the carved wooden railings. Leia looked carefully at that thing and saw that it was a plump chinchi cat. It had short and stumpy legs, a pair of blue eyes like sapphires, and a thick and glossy coat. Its body was smaller than a Persian cat. It meowed at Leia haughtily and walked down the stairs. Leia patted her chest to calm herself down. She wanted to kick the cat down the stairs. Jack imported the cat from overseas in an attempt to cheer up his wife. Queenie adored the cat. If something happened to it, there would be no peace in the Norman household. She spat at the cat, then sneaked back to her room and locked the door behind her. Wayne was sitting topless on her bed while polishing a handgun. He had a sinister smile on his face. Leia could not help but shudder when she saw that smile. Wayne blew away some dust on the gun and said gloomily, "A City has been turbulenttely. Even Kassy fell. How useless of her, I thought that she¡¯dst a little longer. Looks like I''ll have to leave tonight. Thanks for your care, Leia. I won''t forget you." He had remained in the room, but he had kept himself in touch with the happenings in A City. He was quite angry that Kassy had been arrested. That useless idiot! Leia covered his mouth anxiously and nced toward the door. "Please keep it down, Wayne. Don''t you know how much I''ve suffered trying to hide your presence in my room? Luke and Bianca are in the house right now. You shouldn''t let them discover you. Otherwise, I''m finished!" Wayne pulled her arm and hugged her tightly. A bloodthirsty smile appeared on his lips. "Heh, so what if they''re here? If the worstes to the worst, I''ll just... them all." He drew his finger over his neck. That cruel gesture gave Leia a shock! Chapter 831 Chapter 831 I Thought I Heard A Male Voice in Ms. Leia''s Room Leia shuddered when she saw Wayne''s savage expression. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. She patted his chest in an attempt to tter him and stammered, "D- Don''t be like that, Wayne. I''ll be scared. Also, you''re in my house now, and I''d rather not have bloodshed here. I hate Luke and Bianca as much as you, but this isn''t the time to act..." She wished for the death of that couple, but she would not want anything to happen to her parents. If word got out, her reputation would be finished! However, Wayne gripped her jaw tightly, and his body coiled around hers like a snake. "I didn''t expect that the usually cruel Ms. Norman would be so kind. Tsk tsk! You learn something new every day..." Wayne''s voice was low, and his expression was ghastly. Leia could only struggle in panic. She widened her eyes to express her anger. "Don''t... Don''t act rashly, Wayne. There are so many people in the house today. What if..." Leia felt something metallic and tubr press on her waist. She nced downward, and her heart began to beat faster. It was the gun that Wayne was polishing. She was not going to anger him. Instead, she turned around and said coyly, "Don''t be like that, Wayne. I was only worried that you might be found out and get caught... I swear to God that I have no other motive." "You little witch!" Wayne chuckled. His next action nearly made Leia shriek. That was because he was taking off her clothes. Leia put on a fake smile. "What are you doing, Wayne? This isn''t the time for exercise. We''ll be discovered..." Wayne had already taken off her top and brought her slender neck and tender skin into view. It was an alluring sight. He had entered the woman countless times, but he got aroused just as easily. "If I''m going to leave anyway, I might as well have some fun!" Leia tried not to lose her temper. She was reluctant, but she did not want to agitate him. He was dangerously unpredictable when he was angry. ''It''s fine. He''ll be gone soon. Once he''s gone, I''ll report his whereabouts to the police,'' Leia thought. Wayne pinned her on the wall. She was on the verge of tears. "It hurts, Wayne. I can''t take it anymore..." He could not help but smirk when he saw her trembling shoulders. "You say that, but your body wants it!" Wayne pinched the most tender part of her face, which caused tears to fall from Leia''s face. "That pervert!" "Wayne, are... are you done?" Leia tried to keep it down while paying full attention to the door. She was afraid that someone might hear what was going on in the room. Wayne''s actions became even more violent. "What''s the rush? I''m not done yet!" "You brute, you murderer, can¡¯t you consider your current situation?" That was what Leia wanted to shriek. Bianca helped Ms. Lang cook lunch in the kitchen. They made several dishes, a nutritious broth, and dessert, as well as arranged a fruit tter. Ms. Lang could not help but praise Bianca when she saw how Bianca deftly arranged the cutlery on the table. "You''re such a good cook, Ms. Bianca. Your dishes taste even better than mine, and I''m a full- time caretaker. Mrs. Norman is lucky to have you as her daughter." Ms. Lang was impressed that the elder daughter of the Normans knew how to cook and was not afraid of getting dirty. She was as kind and approachable as Mrs. Norman. Leia, though, was totally different. She only knew how to put up an act. Leia said that she was learning how to cook under Ms. Lang, but she was only pretending to do it. Most of the cooking was done by Ms. Lang. Leia only washed the ingredients and prepared the cutlery, but she told Queenie that she was the one who cooked the dishes. Bianca smiled humbly. "You tter me, Ms. Lang. I still have a lot to learn from you. Cooking is my hobby, and I feel a great sense of achievement if my children love my cooking. That''s why I''d asionally cook forthem." "You''re a good mother. If my daughters-inw are as diligent as you, then my grandchildren won''t be moring to eat out every day." Ms. Lang nodded in approval, but she suddenly thought of something. She wiped her wet hands on her apron, nced at the kitchen entrance to make sure that no one was around, then leaned close to Bianca''s ear and whispered, "Let me tell you something, Ms. Bianca. I thought that Ms. Leia has been very secretive recently. Every day, she would bring a tray full of food into her room. Two grown men won''t be able to finish the food, let alone her. When she brings the tray out of the room, the tes would be clean. Don''t you think that it''s strange? Also, whenever I walk past her room, I thought I''d hear male voicesing from inside..." Bianca stopped what she was doing and looked at Ms. Lang in shock. "Is what you said true, Ms. Lang? Why didn''t you tell my parents about that?" Ms. Lang hesitated and guiltily lowered her head. "Mr. and Mrs. Norman seem to trust Ms. Leia a lot. I don''t think they''d believe me even if I told them. Moreover, Ms. Leia had threatened to get me fired if I told anyone. I don''t want to lose the job, and so I''ve been keeping quiet. I can''t bear to keep it a secret anymore, and that''s why I''m telling it to you." Bianca sank deep in thought. If what Ms. Lang said were true, Leia would have indeed harbored a man in her room for some time. What was her motive? If that man were Leia''s boyfriend, why did she not bring him to meet her parents? If the man was a threat to the Norman family, it meant that her parents'' life would be in danger too. She had to investigate the situation in Leia''s room... Chapter 832 Chapter 832 Knocking on Leia¡¯s Door While Bianca was deep in thought, a pure white cat with long hair came through the hedge. Then, it entered the house through the window in the kitchen andnded next to Bianca''s feet. Bianca saw that it was a very beautiful chinchi cat with stumpy legs and blue eyes. "Oh? Where''s this cat from? Why have I never seen you before?" Bianca put away the spoon in her hand, crouched down, and gently patted the cat''s fluffy fur. The cat meowed and purred, evidently enjoying the attention. Bianca loved small and furry animals. The cat seemed to be the perfect pet. Ms. Lang exined to her while stirring the pot. "The cat''s name is Sweetie. Mr. Norman had imported it from overseas for Mrs. Norman. Mrs. Norman loves it very much. She loves pets, but she has never reared one because she''s allergic to cat fur. The medication she''s taking now helps control the allergy, and that''s why Mr. Norman gave her a cat. "Meow..." The cat meowed proudly as though agreeing to what Ms. Lang said. Bianca smiled and pinched the cat. She stood up, took a fish from the dining table, ced it in a saucer, and put it in front of the car. "Here Sweetie, meow meow meow, have a fishie! You''ll have to be a good friend to Mom, alright? She''s not feeling well, and you shouldn''t be naughty..." Sweetie sniffed the fish and looked at Bianca with its big eyes, but it did not eat the fish. Bianca asked Ms. Lang doubtfully, "Huh, Ms. Lang, shouldn''t cats love fish? Why isn''t Sweetie eating? Don''t tell me that it''s a picky eater?" She had just said that when Sweetie began to lick the fish with her small pink tongue. Perhaps the aroma of the fish was too tempting. Bianca looked at it encouragingly, and it finally epted her offering and began to eat the fish. "Don''t choke on your food. There''s more in the kitchen." Bianca gently caressed Sweetie''s head and began to hum a tune. Ms. Lang could not help but chuckle when she saw Bianca''s childish side. She did not expect that the mother of three children would still behave that way. The cat ate a total of three fish, and its stomach was bloated. Finally, it licked its lips in satisfaction. It meowed at Bianca several times and rubbed her calf. Its fluffy tail was wagging joyfully. Bianca touched the cat''s head again. Suddenly, Sweetie began to walk awayzily. As it walked away, it turned around to look at Bianca and meowed, as though telling Bianca to follow it. Bianca was curious about what was going on. She took a few steps and asked, Do you want me to follow you, Sweetie?" She soon realized that her question was ridiculous because the cat would not understand her. However, Sweetie purred as though replying to her. Ms. Lang was worried when she saw that. "You should follow it out, Ms. Bianca. You can leave the rest of the work in the kitchen to me. Sweetie is a little clumsy. There was once when it was basking outside after lunch, and it identally fell into the swimming pool. Fortunately, I managed to fish it out in time. Otherwise, Mrs. Norman would be really sad if it drowned Bianca was also worried about the fat and clumsy cat. Seeing that the cat kept on turning around to look at her, she thought that she should pick it up and bring it to her mother. She began walking toward the cat and calling out its name. "Slow down, Sweetie." When the cat noticed that Bianca was following it, it turned around and dashed into the living room. Bianca quickly chased after it. It thought that the cat would return to Queenie''s room, but it paused there only for a while before continuing to run upstairs. Bianca frowned. She did not know what the cat wanted. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. She was not too worried about it getting into danger. After all, cats were yful animals. Standing in front of Queenie''s door, she thought of informing her mother that lunch was ready. While Sweetie was halfway up the stairs, it noticed that Bianca was not following it. It turned around and began meowing again as though reminding Bianca that she should follow it. Bianca remained suspicious, but seeing how anxious Sweetie was, she continued to follow it. The plump chinchi cat seemed nimble as it hopped up the wooden stairs, not making a sound. Bianca wore soft slippers as she walked on the heavily carpeted staircase. She did not make a sound either. Sweetie stopped in front of Leia''s door and turned around. It wagged its fluffy tail as it looked at Leia. Bianca was confused. Why did the cat bring her to Leia''s room? Suddenly, she heard ambiguous sounds of intimacy and the sounds of a woman crying and begging. "Slow down, Wayne... it... hurts..." Bianca could not hear clearly through the thick door. However, she could hearthat there was a man and a woman inside the room. She suddenly remembered what Ms. Lang told her in the kitchen, and she was suddenly ovee by anger. ''This is ridiculous! ''If Leia has a new boyfriend, she should bring him to meet Mom and Dad! Mom and Dad will be happy for her. What''s the meaning of her bringing someone home and making out in the room?'' She could not hold back her anger anymore and knocked on the door." Leia, Mom is calling you downstairs for lunch. Are you... in the room?" She said loudly. Chapter 833 Chapter 833 Bianca Was Held Hostage Bianca was not very loud, but her voice echoed in the otherwise empty corridor. "Meow, meow..." Sweetie meowed and wagged its tail after hearing Bianca''s voice. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Leia''s room quietened down abruptly. The wind blew through the open window at the end of the corridor and scattered Bianca¡¯s hair. That made her break out in goosebumps. Hearing that there was no reaction, Bianca knocked on the door once more. "Leia, Mom is asking you to go downstairs for lunch. Open the door! Are you inside?" About two minutester, Leia''s angry voice could be heard from inside. "I heard you the first time! What''s the rush? You can go downstairs first. I''ll go after I change my clothes!" "Alright, I know." After Bianca said that, she did not go down the stairs. Instead, she waited quietly next to the railing. Sweetie blinked at Bianca and meowed twice. Bianca shushed the cat, bent over, and picked it up. She caressed the cat''s smooth fur while waiting for Leia toe out of the bedroom. Leia''s room door opened about ten minutester. She carefully looked to her left and right to make sure there was nobody around. Then, she patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief. Bianca happened to be in Leia''s blind spot. That was why Leia did not notice her. Bianca looked into the room and noticed a man inside. She was very sure that it was a man. The man''s back was facing her. She could not see his face, but she could see the giant tattoo on his back. "Meow..." Sweetie suddenly jumped out of Bianca''s arms. It seemed aggressive as it dashed toward the open room door. Leia wanted to close the door, but Sweetie suddenly pounced and made her shriek. The cat bumped the door open. "You gave me such a fright, you stupid cat!" Leia''s face was contorted with anger. She stomped on the cat''s tail hard. "Meow..." Sweetie let out a pained wail. It bared its ws and scratched Leia''s bare calves. Bianca dashed out hurriedly. "What are you doing, Leia? That''s Mom''s beloved pet..." "Why... why are you still here?" Leia''s face went as pale as a ghost when she saw Bianca suddenly appear. Bianca saw the man in the room before Leia could finish asking her question. He turned around with an ambiguous smile on his face. Bianca''s mind went nk when she saw the man''s face. "No..." ''Wayne tt! Why is he here? Was he the man who was making out with Leia?" She wanted to run down the stairs, but the man grabbed her from behind and covered her mouth. She felt something hard and cold on the side of her head. It was a gun. Bianca''s eyes widened in fear. She was battered by helplessness and panic. "I can''t help myself if this woman decides to present herself to me. I''ll kill her!" Wayne said viciously to Leia. His finger was on the trigger. Any movement from him and Bianca would die. Bianca''s body was stiff. She tried to breathe calmly, though her heart was in her throat and she was breaking out in cold sweat. She did not expect that Leia had harbored a wanted criminal in her room. Leia was also utterly terrified. She ignored the cat and stammered, "Please... please... Wayne... d... don''t kill her... If you kill her, my parents won''t forgive me. I''ll be driven out of the household. What should I do then? My parents love Bianca very much. You''ll definitely be hunted down! You can''t kill her!" If they were at any other ce, Leia would p her hands andugh if Wayne killed Bianca. However, this was not the correct time or ce to do so. Not only her parents were there, but Luke was also there. She knew the man''s capabilities; he had caused chaos in the hundred-year-old tt Corporation before. The cat took the opportunity to dash down the stairs... Wayne increased the strength of the hand that covered Bianca''s mouth as though intending to smother her. She found it hard to breathe. Her survival instincts caused her to use all the strength in her body to try to pry away that hand. At that time, Bianca could hear a set of firm footsteps rush up the staircase. Luke was on his way up. "Bea..." Luke was shocked and angry when he saw that Bianca was held hostage. He cracked his knuckles, and his gaze turned ice-cold. "Mmh..." Bianca wanted to tell Luke that Wayne had a gun. However, she could not open her mouth. All she could do was make muffled sounds. When Wayne saw Luke, he aimed the gun that had been pointed at Bianca''s head at him and fired a bullet. Luke managed to dodge the bullet from the silenced gun. At the same time, he threw a wooden stool at Wayne. The bullet hit the carved wooden railing and left a deep mark. "Ahh!" Leia shrieked in fear. Her entire body was trembling, and she crouched on the floor while covering her head with her arms, afraid that a stray bullet might hit her. ''That stupid woman!'' "Shut up!" Wayne cursed, dodged the iing stool, and returned a shot from below Bianca''s armpit. The recoil made Bianca''s body shake. The gun might be silenced, but the vibrations caused her ears to ring. The air was thick with the stench of gunpowder. Wayne''s hand was tightly gripping her neck and threatened to crush it. Bianca continued to struggle. Her slippers were nowhere to be seen, and she dared not make any sound in case that agitated Wayne. She could only open her eyes wide and stare at Luke. Wayne had a gun and did not hesitate to shoot Luke, while Luke was unarmed and his wife was held hostage. The situation was severely disadvantageous for Luke... Chapter 834 Chapter 834 Queenie Was Held Hostage Bianca tried to regte her breathing. She did not want anything to happen to Luke, and at the same time, she tried to think of a way to free herself. However, Wayne had a vice-like grip on her throat. She was not strong enough to break out of the grip, so she could only be manipted and led away by Wayne. Wayne treated Bianca as an inanimate object. As he dragged her away, her head struck the railings and made her dizzy. Luke was blocking the staircase, and Wayne could not go there. Bianca could see Luke''s tall and slender silhouette. The man was dressed in a ck suit, and his features were harsh and cold. She could tell that he was worried about her condition, but at the same time, his hostility toward Wayne was like a demon. Wayne was about to fire another shot when Sweetie pounced out from nowhere and wed at Wayne''s hand that was holding the gun. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Wayne felt the pain in his hand and fired a shot at the cat. "You animal!" "Meowoo..." Bianca''s mind went into overdrive as she saw the cat let out a wail and fall into a pool of its own blood. She took the opportunity and bit down on Wayne''s injured hand with all her might. Wayne did not expect that Bianca had the strength to resist him. The double dose of pain in his hand made him drop the gun on the floor. "You b*tch!" Wayne''s other hand threatened to snap Bianca''s neck. "Bea!" Luke shouted out loud. He instantly lowered his body, dove toward Wayne''s heel, and applied force to a certain point. Wayne felt intense pain in his foot and fell on the floor. Bianca received a temporary reprieve. She greedily took in deep breaths of air. Earlier, she thought that she was going to be choked to death. No one paid any attention to her. Luke and Wayne were fighting hand-to- hand. The two were evenly matched and attacked each other''s weak points. Soon, their faces were stained with blood. The fight did not lessen in intensity as the two men continued to fight. Wayne was a soldier and was the more experienced fighter. He seized an opportunity and drove his fist into Luke''s handsome face. Luke fell to the floor on one knee. A bruise appeared on his face, and there were traces of blood at the corners of his mouth. "Luke!" Bianca yelled anxiously. "Help! There''s a killer here!" Leia stared at the two men fighting with her eyes wide open. She could not make a sound, and she stood there like a wooden dummy. Bianca noticed that the gun was next to her heels. She picked up the gun and tossed it toward Luke. "Take the gun, Luke!" Luke pounced at the gun, but Wayne was also on it. The two people began to fight for the gun. Despite being injured, Wayne was fighting all-out perhaps due to desperation. He was not going to give Luke another chance to attack him. They were once again caught up in an unarmed brawl... Meanwhile, Jack heard Bianca''s cries for help and rushed upstairs. Together with him were the caretaker, two armed security guards, and even Queenie. They were shocked when they saw the intense fight in the corridor. Jack went up to help. The two security guards wanted to fire their guns, but Luke and Wayne moved around too fast. Their hands that held the guns were trembling, afraid that they might hit the wrong person if they fired. Queenie was about to pass out. She did not expect that the wanted criminal would appear in her house. She noticed that her two daughters reacted differently. One was standing there like a dummy with her hand covering her head and shrieking mindlessly, while the other one was anxious to help in the fight. What was going on? The scariest thing was that Luke''s chest seemed to be seriously injured. His white shirt had turned red, and blood stained the carpet under his feet... Queenie wanted to step forward, but Bianca yelled at her, "It''s too dangerous here, Mom! Don''te closer!" Wayne saw that the situation was bing disadvantageous to him and realized that he had to get away as soon as possible. He kicked Luke''s knee, which caused him to fall on the floor kneeling. At the same time, Luke reached out with his w-like hands and cracked one of Wayne''s ribs. In the chaos, Wayne found his gun, jumped up to the railings, and ran along it. Hended behind Queenie and held her as a hostage! "Queenie!" "Mom!'' Jack and Bianca called out at the same time. Even the injured Luke frowned when he saw that. "Let me leave. Otherwise, I''ll kill this woman!" Wayne said coldly as he pointed the gun at Queenie. Jack stomped his foot and trembled with anger. "How dare you! I swear I''ll never forgive you if my wife is hurt in any way!" Luke got up from the floor andforted Bianca by patting the back of her hand. "Do you think that you can leave here safely just because you''ve taken my mother-inw hostage? In your dreams!" He said coldly. "We''ll see about that. Let''s see if you''re going to let me leave or if you''d rather this woman die!¡± Wayne said contemptuously. He pressed the gun close to Queenie''s head. Queenie''s health was already in a bad condition. Now that Wayne was holding her hostage, she could not summon even an ounce of her strength. She regretted that she had left her room. If she knew that she was weak, she should not have ced herself in danger. Now, she had be a burden, and Wayne might be able to escape because of her... Chapter 835 Chapter 835 He Got Away Luke and Jack''s threats had agitated Wayne even more. Also, he was not worried that Queenie would fight back. He continued retreating while grasping Queenie tightly and pointing the gun to her head. His face was viciously contorted as he said, "Stand back, all of you! Otherwise, I''ll kill this woman!" Jack gritted his teeth as he red at Wayne coldly, though he decided to give in to Wayne''s demands. "Don''t hurt my wife, Wayne. I''ll let you go. Otherwise, I won''t forgive you or your family!" Queenie was dripping in cold sweat because of the pain from Wayne''s vicelike grip and the gun on her temple. She knew that she had botched Luke and her husband''s n. She tried not to moan in pain and said defiantly, "Jack, Luke, you don''t have to care about me. The most important thing is to bring this viin to justice. I..." "Shut up, filthy b*tch!¡± Wayne could not stand her voice and hit her head with the butt of the gun. Instantly, blood flowed down her forehead. She could not help but moan in pain. Jack was livid when he saw that his wife was injured. His eyes stared daggers at Wayne. "Stop it! If you harm Queenie again, you''ll die right here!" Bianca clenched her fists tightly and red at Wayne. She wished that she could rip that man into pieces. "Don''t hurt my mother, Wayne. You''re inhuman! How dare you beat a weak and helpless woman?" Leia crouched in a corner of the corridor while covering her head. Her eyes were unfocused as though she had lost her mind, but there was a cunning flicker in her eyes that said that she was only pretending so that she did not have to face the truth. Luke did not move as he observed Wayne''s every move, calcting the best opportunity to strike. The caretaker was drenched in sweat. She had secretly called the police. The two security guards saw that the situation was getting dire. They wanted to shoot, but Wayne was hiding behind Queenie and using her as a shield. Jack closed his eyes to calm himself down. He told the security guards," Let him go..." Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was as cold as ice. He had protected Queenie for all his life, but in only a few minutes, she was already injured by that inhuman criminal. Jack did not want to see Queenie bleed, even though that meant that he had to let Wayne go free. "You''re a smart one, old man!" Wayne continued to walk out of the house with Queenie. Luke and Jack followed him into the garden. Wayne knew that his people were almost there. While he was at the gate, Luke suddenly grabbed the gun from one of the security guards and found the perfect angle to shoot Wayne. Wayne was surprised, but he managed to react in time. He shoved Queenie toward Luke to use her as a shield. Luke shifted his hand slightly, and the bullets brushed past Queenie. He continued firing, and Wayne''s arm and chest were hit. At that time, bullets came from all directions. Luke grabbed Bianca into his arms, and they rolled behind a flower bed. Jack hugged Queenie and hid behind a banyan tree. The caretaker and security guards were not as lucky. Their limbs were hit, and they cried out in pain... A dozen masked men swarmed into the mansion and tossed smoke grenades. The flower pots in the garden were shattered by the bullets. However, those men did not linger. After tossing the smoke grenades, they left quickly with Wayne... Luke instinctively wanted to give chase, but Bianca grabbed his clothes tightly and begged him, "Don''t go alone, Luke. It''s too dangerous, and you''re only injured. Please, don''t go." Her eyes were filled with tears as she looked at therge patch of red on his shirt. It was like a bloody rose blooming magnificently, and Bianca could not help but gasp. ''He''s so seriously injured. How does he hold on for so long?'' He was not going to pursue Wayne with that injured body, and he might end up dying. Bianca did not wish for him to be in peril again, ever since he had vanished for two years. Luke was not as kind-hearted. If Wayne got away, he knew that there would be endless trouble. However, Bianca held him tightly and did not allow him to leave. He was helpless about it, and all he could do was to pat her head andfort her." I''m fine. The injury isn''t that serious. I''ve survived even worse. Don''t worry..." In the next second, he dialed a number on his phone, and his gentle voice suddenly turned dangerous. "Wayne has appeared at my inws'' house. Right, at ten o''clock. Get your men to pursue him. He''s already injured, and he shouldn''t be able to go far. Lock down the roads in A City. We can''t let him escape this time!" Queenie had already passed out. Jack carried her and went to Luke and Bianca. "Bea, you should tend to Luke''s injuries first. There''s a first-aid kit in the second drawer of my desk in the study. I''ll send your mom to her room first, and I''ll meet youter." Bianca reached out and wanted to touch Queenie, but she saw that her mother''s face was pale as paper. "Is Mom alright? Is she hurt?" "Your mom is fine, but she''s suffered a fright. Ms. Lang has already called the police, and they''re on their way here. I''ll handle them from here on. Quickly, stop Luke''s bleeding..." Jack gazed at his unconscious wife tenderly and rushed toward the bedroom. In the study, Bianca looked in fear at Luke''s bloodstained shirt. There were also bloodstains on his sleeves and hands. Her heart wrenched when she thought of the agony that Luke was in. Chapter 836 Chapter 836 Please Don''t Get Hurt Anymore Bianca found the first aid kit in the drawer and helped Luke take off the bloodstained shirt. The man''s bare chest was filled with scars of various intensities. Those scars bore evidence of his suffering at the Ind of Despair for two years. What shocked Bianca the most was the bullet wound that she found on Luke''s chest. Blood was still oozing out from it. Bianca dared not touch the wound. With trembling hands, she used an alcohol swab to clean the surroundings. She tried to hold back the tears in her eyes while she cleaned the wound." This''ll sting a bit, Luke. I''ll give Johann a call and tell him toe and treat your wound... I''m afraid that I won''t be able to extract the bullet and might worsen your condition. How about I take you to the hospital?" "It''s fine. I can handle this myself. It''ll be some time before Johann gets here." Luke shook his head at her. He found a pair of medical pliers in the first-aid kit, gritted his teeth, and used the pliers to extract the bullet. He tossed the bloody bullet into the wastepaper basket. His deft movements made it seem that he was used to extracting bullets. Bianca''s heart was at her throat. The wound was bleeding again. Aside from a slight frown, Luke''s expression did not change. Seeing that Bianca was about to cry, Luke smiled gently at her and beckoned at her. "Come here and help me clean my wound, my wife." Bianca bit her lip, but she failed to stop her tears. She carefully cleaned the wound in case she caused him pain. It took her about ten minutes to clean and dress the wound. Bianca held his hand tightly while tears continued to fall. Luke was surprised at Bianca''s reaction. He slowly lifted his arm and draped it over Bianca''s shoulders. "I''m really fine, Bea. Don''t cry." Bianca continued to sob for a while before she calmed down. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. She looked at him with bloodshot eyes. "The wound is so deep. Aren''t you hurt? I can''t even stand a paper cut, and you''re hit by a gun. Don''t lie to me. Also, you were so skillful when you extracted that bullet. Did you get hurt often when you were on the Ind of Despair? Are you already so used to it?" Luke took her arm and smiled. "You deserve to be protected from all harm, and you shouldn''tpare yourself to me. If I wince and grimace because of a small wound, would I still be a man?" "Oh, you... what should I do about you?" Bianca sighed. She pressed her lips tightly as she inspected the other parts of Luke''s body for more wounds. "You have so many scars on your body. Let me see if you''re hurt elsewhere..." Luke held her hands and joked with her. "Please don''t reach downward, my wife. I can''t resist the temptation." Bianca was not in the mood for joking. She looked at him in a daze, puffed her cheeks, and said solemnly, "You promised me that you won''t get hurt anymore, but you keep on getting injured over and over again. I don''t know how to trust you anymore." She could feel her heart wrench in pain. Bianca lowered her head sorrowfully and began to sob. "I was so afraid that something might happen to you just now. Why can''t you take care of yourself? I''d rather that I''m the one who''s hurt instead of seeing you like this Luke lowered his gaze to look at Bianca''s face. He reached out to caress her hair. When his slender fingers touched her cheeks, he could feel that they were wet with tears. He continued to caress her until she calmed down. "Silly girl..." he said softly. Bianca lifted her head and looked at Luke''s handsome face. His eyes were gentle but profound like the starry sky. The man was looking into her eyes. He had a gentle smile on his face. "Luke..." Bianca buried her head into Luke''s arms and took in his unique scent." Please don''t let me worry about you again, alright?" She begged. Luke smiled gently, patted the back of her head, and replied, "Alright." That was not only a word offort but also a promise. The terror attack involved Mr. and Mrs. Norman as well as Luke Crawford. The police and emergency services arrived at the Norman residence in record time. They surveyed the scene of the incident, recorded statements from the witnesses, and brought the injured to the hospital. The incident had threatened the lives of Jack Norman''s family. Jack severely criticized the police for their inefficiency in apprehending the criminal, and at the same time, he swore to sever all ties with the tt family. The superintendent could only bow and smile fawningly in response to Jack''s tirade. He thumped his chest and gave his promise to eliminate the threat that was Wayne tt and restore justice to the Normans and peace to A City. After the police left, Jack massaged his temples wearily. He could not figure out why Wayne would appear in his daughter''s bedroom. The police had also asked that question while taking Leia''s statement. Leia could not stop shaking, and her eyes were unfocused while she told the police about her unfortunate encounter. She stammered and repeated the same thing while being questioned. "I... I really don''t know anything... Wayne... he vited me... that man is a monster. He came in through the window, pointed at me with his gun, and forced me onto the bed... I... I don''t know what he wants from me. I thought I was going to die... is anyone going to help me? Help me..." Tears fell from her face like raindrops, and her body swayed while she muttered the same thing. She looked as though she had lost her mind. The police dared not interrogate her because she was Jack Norman''s daughter. They were afraid that further questioning might agitate her, and they soon gave up. After the police left, Jack wanted to get Leia out of her room. He wanted to interrogate her without Queenie''s knowledge, but Queenie had already regained consciousness and insisted on meeting Leia and asking her what had happened. Chapter 837 Chapter 837 Leia''s Little Ruse Leia had been in a muddled state after Wayne escaped. The police questioned her for a long time, but she pretended that she was an innocent victim that had suffered from serious psychological trauma. She gave the police no useful information. After the police left, Leia slumped on the bed in her bedroom. Her legs were spread open as she stared at the floor-to-ceiling window. The usually warm sky seemed to be cut into pieces by a knife, and the trees that swayed in the breeze seemed to be man-eating monsters that terrified her. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. A sudden gust of wind made the windows shake. The ss threatened to shatter. Leia instinctively curled up in a corner of her bed. The silk nket that covered her offered her no warmth. She remembered how the police had bombarded her with questions in a stern voice and how her father had given her that look of distrust. She suddenly sat up, feeling terrified. She hoped that Wayne managed to escape. If the police arrested him, he would definitely name her as his aplice. What would happen to her then? Her reputation was already in tatters, a far cry from her pure and innocent image as an actress. She had been gued by multiple scandals, and that had made her look more like a squatter rather than an adoptive daughter. She was not sure if she would ever restore her reputation. If news got out that she had been harboring a wanted criminal, she would never be able to redeem herself. Worst of all, her adoptive parents might disown her... That was not the ending she wanted. As her mind wandered, her gaze gradually became something sinister. She was not going to let that happen! While Leia was lost in thought in her room, Ms. Lang knocked on the door." Ms. Leia, Mr. and Mrs. Norman, Mr. Crawford, and Ms. Bianca are waiting in the living room for you. They said that they have some questions for you. Won''t youe out of your room?" Leia''s body stiffened abruptly, and she reflexively tucked her head. She wanted to continue her act of being traumatized, but she realized that her father and Luke would not be so easily deceived. It would be best that she follow the caretaker downstairs so that she would not raise any suspicion. Hearing no response from within the room, Ms. Lang became nervous." Ms. Leia, Sir and Madam want you to go downstairs. They said that if you''re not going down, they''lle up here and escort you downstairs themselves," she said hurriedly. Leia thought for a while and replied, "I... I have a headache. I''ll go down in a while." "I''ll wait for you here then, Ms. Leia. Try to be fast. Sir and Madam seem very anxious." Ms. Lang had just finished the sentence when Leia abruptly opened the room door. Ms. Lang involuntarily shuddered when she saw Leia''s deathly pale face. She thought that she saw a ghost. She suddenly remembered Leia''s threat that day. "Ms... Ms. Leia..." she stammered. Leia nced coldly at her, then walked down the stairs while holding the railing. The atmosphere in the living room was tense. Jack sat on the couch with his lips pressed tightly. Queenie sat next to him. She seemed listless. Luke and Bianca sat together, whispering something to each other. When they saw Leiaing down the stairs, everyone stopped talking, and four pairs of eyes shot toward Leia. Jack and Luke''s gazes were the most prating, as though they wanted to see every secret in Leia''s heart. Leia felt a chill coursing down her spine. She shuffled stiffly toward the living room and greeted Jack and Queenie. "Dad... Mom..." Queenie could not help herself but stand up from the couch when she saw Leia. She waved at her younger daughter. "You are OK, Leia? What''s going on? Why did I hear that Wayne tt came out of your room? Did he hurt you? Come and let me see..." she said weakly. Queenie''s tone of voice was unlike her father''s interrogative tone. Tears fell down Leia''s face when she realized that her mother cared for her. Just when she began to feel guilty, she noticed Luke''s staring at her judgmentally, which gave her a shock. She instantly switched her emotions, fell into Queenie''s arms, and began to cry as hard as she could. "This has nothing to do with me, Mom. I''ve never known him before, and I don''t know how he got into my room. He... he vited me and said that I shouldn''t tell anyone. Otherwise, he''ll kill all of us... "He used to be a special forces soldier, and he''s very strong and brutish. I¡¯m helpless against him... I''m also a victim, Mom. Why won''t you all believe me? Look at what he did to me. I... I didn''t have another choice..." Leia pulled up her shirt sleeve. The bruises on her upper arm were a shocking sight. Then, she pulled her neckline down. Her fair corbones were bruised and red, which were clear signs of abuse. Queenie could not bear to see it anymore. She felt as though her heart was stabbed by needles. She patted Leia''s quivering shoulders and said, "My poor daughter... Don''t cry, Leia. I won''t forgive that d*mned criminal! Please tell me what happened, won''t you? Don''t cry..." Leia saw that her little ruse was working, and an imperceptible smirk appeared at the corners of her mouth. She knew that Queenie had a soft spot for her. As long as she put on a pitiful expression, her mother would unconditionally protect her. Queenie was Leia''s only support in the family. However, Bianca suddenly spoke. Each of her words was like a knife that stabbed at Leia''s heart. "Leia, you say that you don''t know Wayne tt, so how do you know that he was a special forces soldier? You said that he intruded into your room and vited you, but there are so many people in the house, so why didn''t you call for help?" Chapter 838 Chapter 838 Framed Although Bianca''s tone was casual, Leia knew that she was cornered. She had to figure a way out. Leia tried her best to be calm as the four pairs of eyes stared at her. Leia felt like her scalp was numb and she had heavy shackles weighing her down. She wiped the beads of tears that fell from her swollen eyes as she said," Sister, what do you mean by that? Are you saying that I''m secretly involved with Wayne tt? Who doesn''t know that the tt family has been involved with the military for generations? Victor and Wayne tt, the oldest and youngest of the tt family, both joined the army and have been in the special forces. It''s not a secret in our social circle in A City... Although I don''t know anyone from the tt family personally, Charmaine and I are best friends. She loves to gossip and has told me a lot about the tt family. Why is it surprising that I know Wayne tt was in the special forces? Sister, I''ve gone through the most humiliating thing that can happen in a woman''s life. I was tortured and raped by a man in my own home. Not only are you not sympathizing with me but you''re even questioning me. How could you do this to me?! You asked me why I didn''t fight back and call for help? Then, let me ask you this, when Wayne tt took you as a hostage with a gun to your head and almost killed you, why didn''t you call our parents for help? Do you think I didn''t want to call for help?" Leia''s tears kept flowing down her face. She looked like a poor puppy that got injured. She kept wiping her tears, but she could not stop crying. Queenie felt horrible about it and took pity on her. Bianca was not sure what to say. Leia was good with her words and excellent in acting like the victim. She thought about what Ms. Lang told her in the kitchen and then turned her attention to Ms. Lang. "Leia, there are some other things that we¡¯d like to rify with you. Ms. Lang, you mentioned that Leia has been acting weird for a while. You said that Leia would bring arge amount of food into her room every day. There would be enough to feed two grown men, but the tes were always sent back clean. You also mentioned that you vaguely hear the voice of a man in her room when you passed by... Ms. Lang, is that true?" Ms. Lang was stunned and answered, "Ms. Bianca, it...¡± Leia''s sharp eyes locked onto Ms. Lang. She said in a threatening tone," Ms. Lang, you should think before you speak. Otherwise..." Ms. Lang''s eyes met Leia''s sinister ones. She shuddered at her threat and tried her best to speak. She dared not look into Bianca''s eyes as she stuttered, "I. Bianca patted her shoulder lightly and said encouragingly, Ms. Lang, it''s okay. You can tell the truth. I''m sure you''re aware of the severity of what happened today. Wayne tt broke into the Norman residence and killed two innocent guards. My husband suffered a gunshot wound and my mother is in shock... Do you think you can be here safe and sound if not for my husband and father''s bravery?" Ms. Lang was taken aback and took a while to process Bianca''s words. She was so nervous that she almost bit off her lower lip. After a while, Ms. Lang said slowly, "Mr. and Mrs. Norman, what Ms. Bianca said is true. Ms. Leia has been behaving abnormally for a while. Sometimes, I would hear the voice of a man in her room. I don''t know who it is because I couldn''t see anything, but I''m pretty sure that a man was hiding inside..." Leia was furious and rushed over to Ms. Lang, wanting to p her. Leia looked as though she wanted to gouge Ms. Lang''s eyes out as she screamed, "Liar, stop using me of things! I''m just a woman, how could I have hidden a grown man at home? Besides, our neighborhood has strict security measures. How could an outsider sneak in so easily? Also, Ms. Lang, if I was hiding a man in our home for so long, why haven¡¯t my parents noticed it? Oh... I remember now. I lost one of my nes some time ago. When I searched through your room, I found my ne... You begged me not to tell my parents about it. If they learn about your petty theft, you''ll lose your job and be kicked out of the Norman residence. You''re ndering me to take revenge for that. I''ll call mywyer immediately. I want to take you to court, you liar!" After she said that, Leia took out her phone and dialed a number as if she was going to call herwyer. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Queenie stared at Ms. Lang incredulously, her eyes filled with suspicion and disappointment as she asked, "Ms. Lang, is that true?" "Madam, that¡¯s not the case. Please trust me. I swear, I never stole anything. It was Ms. Leia who nted the ne and framed me... I''ve worked hard in the Norman residence for so many years. I hope that you can trust that I''m not a thief." Ms. Lang felt overwhelmed by Leia, the natural liar. When Queenie looked at her suspiciously, she felt even more choked and suffocated. Ms. Lang remembered the scene when Leia threatened her. The events of that day reyed in her mind. That night, Mr. and Mrs. Norman returnedte as they were upied with work. When she was done cleaning up and returned the vacuum cleaner to its original ce, Leia appeared out of nowhere, scaring the living daylights out of her. "Ms. Leia, what are you doing here? You... scared me." Leia was wearing white pajamas. Under the dim lights, she said softly, "Ms. Lang, Angel Tears, the diamond ne that my mother gave me, is missing. I looked for it in all the rooms but didn''t find it. Did you see it?" Ms. Lang lowered her head and answered honestly, "No, I didn''t see it." Leia snorted and tapped her hand on the wall before saying arrogantly," Oh? You wouldn''t mind if I went to your room and searched for it then?" "Of course, Ms. Leia, help yourself." Leia rushed into Ms. Lang''s room and searched around. Leia soon found the ne in Ms. Lang''s handbag and raised it in front of Ms. Lang in a domineering manner. "Ms. Lang, exin yourself." Ms. Lang was shocked when she saw it and started freaking out. Angel¡¯s Tears was a birthday gift given to Leia by Queeniest year. It was delicate and beautiful. The most important thing is that it was customized based on Leia''s profile, making it the only one in the world. How did it appear in her handbag? Chapter 839 Chapter 839 Who Am I To You? Ms. Lang was scared. Her hand that was holding the vacuum cleaner started shaking uncontrobly. "No, Ms. Leia... I don''t know why the ne is in my bag. It''s a misunderstanding..." Leia sneered and said in a sharp tone, '' Misunderstanding? Ms. Lang, my million-dor ne is in your bag. How could it be a misunderstanding? Are you saying that the ne magically appeared in your bag? Do you think I can be easily fooled by you?" Ms. Lang was upset but she held back her emotions and looked at Leia pleadingly. She was desperately trying to defend herself. "Ms. Leia, I don''t know what¡¯s going on, please believe me. If... If you don¡¯t trust me, let''s go look for Mr. and Mrs. Norman. We¡¯ll look at the surveince tapes..." Leia quickly took a few photos and a video with her phone before saying, "I have evidence of your theft. I¡¯ll call the police. The Norman residence will not allow a thief like that to stay! It seems that you didn''t learn anything from the arson case involving Jillian Dove in X state that happened two years ago. The woman had been stealing from her employers when one day, she burned the mansion down. The poor wife and young son were burnt to death. I feel shivers down my spine thinking about how our family took in a poisonous snake as well..." "No, Ms. Leia, please don''t call the police, please..." Ms. Lang was drenched in a cold sweat. She was close to kneeling in front of Leia. She pleaded helplessly, "I don¡¯t know how your ne ended up in my handbag. Please don''t use me of things I didn''t do. Please trust me, I''m not a heinous woman like Jillian... Ms. Leia, think about it. I¡¯ve been working in the Norman residence for nearly five years. Nothing of this sort has ever happened before. It''s weird how your ne ended up in my handbag and I don''t know how to exin it now. However, please consider how hard I¡¯ve worked for the Norman family in these past five years and forgive me. My son lost his job a few days ago. My grandson is less than a year old and his mother is not in good health. I¡¯m the sole earner for our household. If you call the police, then my life will be over..." Leia put her phone away and turned her eyes to Ms. Lang. "To be honest, I want to call the police and bring a thief like you to justice. However, since the ne has been found and for the sake of your poor family and in consideration of your good working attitude, I can forgive you this once. Remember this lesson and don''t mess with me!" Ms. Lang''s back straightened in fear as she looked like a tiny mouse. She was confused and wanted to rify with Leia. "What do you mean? Me, mess with you?" Leia pointed at Ms. Lang¡¯s nose and stared at her. She said, "I noticed that you''ve frequently taken advantage of the opportunity to wander around my room while you''re cleaning the living area. I''ve also noticed that you sneak up to my door to eavesdrop on the movements inside... Ms. Lang, I''m sure you know that I¡¯m telling the truth. Don¡¯t think that I don''t know anything. I know everything, but I''m just not bothered to expose you. You can tell me or my mother if you''re dissatisfied with me, but please don¡¯t invade my privacy. What are you trying to do? Do you want to see if I¡¯m hiding a man or... contraband?" Ms. Lang''s expression became even more horrified as she uttered, "I... I..." She thought that she had been stealthy enough, but she did not expect that Leia knew everything. Leia continued threateningly, "If you suspect that I''m hiding something, you can go and take a look at my room now. If you find anything out of ce, I''ll keep my mouth shut. But if there''s nothing inside, then you¡¯ll go to jail for stealing my diamond ne!" Ms. Lang was sweating visibly and kept waving her hands. "I didn''t mean that. I was only curious because your room door is closed all day and you don¡¯t allow me to go in to clean. I didn''t mean anything. I swear that I''ll never do such a foolish thing again. Ms. Leia, please don¡¯t tell anyone about it, please... I apologize for my reckless behavior, I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong..." Ms. Lang kept bowing to Leia, mumbling and apologizing. Her worn-out face was filled with tears. Leia nced at her impatiently and said, "Okay, stop acting so miserable, you can''t trick me. Ms. Lang, please remember today''s lesson and don¡¯t let me catch you sneaking around my room again! You know that I''m not a good-tempered person, so don¡¯t try me!" Leia''s words were decisive and unrelenting, her eyes scaring the daylights out of Ms. Lang. She nodded involuntarily, scared that Leia would call the police. Norman residence''s living room. Ms. Lang told her story to everyone in the Norman residence. Atst, she choked and said to Queenie, "Mrs. Norman, I promise you that I''m telling the truth. I can swear on my life! I haven''t figured out why Ms. Leia''s ne ended up in my bag but now, I finally understand that she wanted to frame me... Maybe she thought that I saw Wayne tt in her room and was afraid that her secret would be revealed. That''s why she needed something to hold against me..." The more Ms. Lang thought about it, the more she felt like it was true. She was getting agitated thinking that Leia had set her up. What an evil woman! After listening to Ms. Lang''s experience, Queenie pushed Leia away and stared at her in shock. She was hurt as she said, "Leia, is what Ms. Lang said the truth? Were you hiding Wayne tt in our house? Why did you do that? Don''t you know that it¡¯d put our family in harm¡¯s way?!" Leia had no idea that Ms. Lang would dare to tell the story. Right now, she just wanted to tear Ms. Lang into pieces. "Mom, are you telling me that you¡¯ll choose to believe in an outsider rather than me, your daughter who has been by your side for 20 years? Why? In your eyes, am I not as important as Bianca? Is it becauseContent property of N?velDra/ma.Org. we''re not rted by blood? I love you and have always thought of you as my mother. But I want to know now, just who am I to you?" Leia''s expression was restrained and forbearing. She continued showing her innocent puppy eyes and kept tearing up, hoping to win Queenie¡¯s sympathy. Chapter 840 Chapter 840 His Cold Gaze Seemed To Be Mocking Her However, Queenie was on the fence about how to react. She believed that Ms. Lang was telling the truth. After all, Ms. Lang has been working hard for the Norman family for so many years. She had never lied before. Despite this, when she gazed at Leia who could not stop crying, looking so sad and aggrieved, Queenie''s heart softened. The suspicion in her heart began to melt away. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. In the end, she grabbed Leia''s shoulders and sighed. "Leia, tell me honestly. What¡¯s the truth of the matter involving Ms. Lang?" Leia wiped her tears with her sleeves and coughed a little before saying sadly, "Mom, the diamond ne you gave me went missing. I searched everywhere and couldn''t find it, but I eventually found it in Ms. Lang''s handbag... If she didn''t steal my ne, how would it have ended up in her bag? If you don¡¯t believe me, I can show you the evidence. The photos and video clearly show that the ne was found in Ms. Lang''s bag in her room..." Queenie looked at Ms. Lang sternly. "Ms. Lang, is that true?" Ms. Lang trembled and rubbed her hands to calm herself as she said, "Mrs. Norman, Ms. Leia did find the ne in my bag, but I swear to God, I didn''t take it. I don¡¯t know why it appeared in my bag..." Ms. Lang could not stop tearing up as she exined herself. She was overwhelmed by fear and was on the brink of having a breakdown. Bianca stared at the scene in front of her with great interest. One was Ms. Lang, who was aggrieved and would do anything to prove her innocence. The other was Leia, who was pretending to be a victim and insisting that Ms. Lang was a thief. Compared to the cunning and cruel Leia, she chose to believe in Ms. Lang. When she noticed that Queenie was still hesitating, Bianca said, "Mom, since there are two versions of this story, why don''t we let the police be the judge? The diamond ne is worth a lot, and one of them has to be lying. Although the matter happened a while back and it may be difficult to obtain any useful evidence, I believe that the police will be able to tell us the truth. I think that''s fair, yes?" Call the police?! Leia panicked a little, but she realized that it would be impossible for the police to find anything since it was so long ago. What was more, when she framed Ms. Lang, she had made sure to clean up all the evidence. Leia was confident that she had covered her tracks well. She stared at Bianca contemptuously and said in a neutral tone, "Okay, since you don''t believe me, let''s call the police so that I can be proved innocent. Mom, if Ms. Lang stole my diamond ne, the police will have to arrest her. The Norman family will never allow any thieves in our home." "I... I..." Ms. Lang was in a daze. She felt helpless eyes and looked at Bianca imploringly. "Ms. Bianca, I didn''t steal Ms. Leia''s ne. Can you not involve the police?" Bianca gently held Ms. Lang''s trembling hands and said softly, "Ms. Lang, don''t worry. If you''re innocent, the police will do you right. Trust me." Bianca''s eyes were gentle and firm like a dazzling warm light thatforted Ms. Lang''s anxious heart. Jack Norman''s majestic brows were tightly furrowed throughout the ordeal, but at that moment, he seemed to look much older. He did not speak and kept smoking. The smoke from the cigarette soon filled the living room. Luke was smoking beside him. He ashed his cigarette and nced at Leia. He said coldly, "No matter what, I''m sure that Wayne tt has something to do with Ms. Leia. Father- inw, Mother-inw, I only have one request. If this matter is indeed rted to Ms. Leia, I hope you can handle it fairly and without any favoritism." "Uh..." Queenie looked at Jack Norman with uncertainty, hoping he could say something. However, her husband kept quiet. Queenie shook her head, feeling helpless. Luke''s cold gaze made Leia feel like she was trapped in an ice cer. However, his eyes were just like mas, attracting others to fall for him. His gaze seemed to be full of mockery and contempt. Leia was ufortable being stared at by him. She felt as though this man could see through her. She was uneasy and not sure how to react. She felt like a criminal under scrutiny. The man''s powerful gaze almost took her breath away. In the end, she decided to scream and defend herself, "Luke, what do you mean by that? We''re talking about Ms. Lang, why are you shifting the focus to me? I admit that I was blind before and fell madly in love with you, but you deceived my feelings together with my so-called sister. You were engaged to me, but you were secretly involved with her. You were even living together! How shameless! Do you think of me like a monkey? I haven''t received any apologies for that! Mom, look, your daughter and her husband are bullying me again. And you''re doing nothing..." i "Leia, calm down." Queenie looked at Leia who seemed to have lost her mind. She knew that it was because Leia¡¯s sore spot regarding Bianca and Luke getting married was being poked at. She took Leia''s arm and sighed. "You have to let go of this matter. Bianca and Luke are in love, no one can get in between them. You and Luke were never meant to be. I think you need some rest. You should rest in your room, okay?" Leia shook her hand off and said stubbornly, "I don''t want to rest. I won¡¯t rest until I prove my innocence!" Queenie was doing everything to calm Leia. "Leia, go upstairs. I trust you and understand that you''re in a tough spot... Let''s have the police solve this matter." After some coaxing, Queenie brought Leia to her bedroom on the second floor. However, when she looked back, she met Bianca and Luke''s mocking, judgemental gazes. Leia''s heart skipped a beat. She was just hoping that she could get out of this in one piece. T Corporation. Luke handed Jason a thick pile of documents that showed all the terrible things Leia had been involved with. He got him to send it to his inws, i Then, he made a secret phone call to Percy Mallory and Jim Holston about Wayne tt''s whereabouts. The call took half an hour. As soon as Luke opened hisptop to look at his emails, he heard a crisp sound of high heels... Chapter 841 Chapter 841 What If My Only Condition Is For You To Divorce Bianca? When Mavis Laviere entered the CEO¡¯s Office, she saw Luke''s side profile. From her point of view, she first noticed his two crossed slender legs that made him appear elegant. He was wearing a white shirt and a ck tie, which highlighted his calm temperament. Luke was flipping through the document with one hand while holding a cup of coffee with the other, gently blowing at it. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. After hearing Mavis'' footsteps, he slowly turned around to meet her bright eyes. It was noon, and the light was bright and warm. The height of the 80-story floor made it so that there was a lot of natural lighting in Luke¡¯s office. The faint golden color shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows andnded on him, making his unique facial features even more alluring. Even though she had stared at his face countless times throughout many years, Mavis was still taken aback by his beauty. She said softly, Mr. Crawford." What she wanted the most right now was to call him ''Luke'', but she knew that he would be displeased if she did that. She dared not displease Luke. "Hey, you''re here." Luke did not lift his head. He just lit a cigarette for himself. Then, he heard Mavis say, "Mr. Crawford, here''s the work schedule for this month, as well as the consumer profiles for our new target audience. And... my resignation letter..." She ced the documents on Luke''s desk and stood there quietly. Mavis looked so well-behaved and gentle, very different from her usual image as a strong woman. Luke raised his head. He looked at Mavis and noticed that she looked different today. In the past, she always had gorgeous big waves on her hair and wore fitting suits paired with pointed high heels. Even if she kept quiet, her presence alone would be domineering. However, that day, she was standing in front of Luke in a bohemian-style floral dress. Her charming wavy hair was smooth and straight. She had bangs, and her makeup made her look young and sweet. Suddenly, it seemed that she was ten years younger. She looked like a young intern who had just entered the corporate world. Luke raised his eyebrow and threw the work schedule that Mavis had handed to him on the table. He held her resignation report in his hand, his deep and sharp eyes locking on her as he said, "Why do you want to resign out of the blue?" Mavis was one of his top-performing staff; her strong work ability was undeniable. She was well-informed of thetest technologies and had a keen eye for industry development. From time to time, she would share her forwardthinking design concepts. Her excellent negotiation and public rtions skills were also top-ss. Mavis'' resignation would be a loss for T Corporation. Mavis suppressed her emotions but was still affected by his maic voice. "Mr. Crawford, I¡¯ve worked with you for ten years. It¡¯s not a short time, but it''s not long either. I''ve learned a lot from you, but now I think it''s time for me to part ways with T Corporation. I''ve been tired for as long as I can remember. I want to quit and travel the world. I want to live my life and check off the things that have been on my bucket list for the longest time." Luke stared at Mavis¡¯ face, quietly blowing out smoke. His voice was calm as he said, "Why do you suddenly want to take a break? Is there too much on your te recently? Or, are you not satisfied with your sry? Ms. Laviere, I can give you an increment, or give you more shares of T Corporation. What do you think? If you''re dissatisfied with T Corporation or me, you can tell me straight. The two of us have known each other and worked together for so many years. I think we understand each other well by now, and you know that I like things to be straightforward." 1 Mavis looked deeply into Luke''s eyes. Luke sat as straight as a tree, his sexy thin lips moving as he spoke. He had said something but she did not hear him clearly. His deep and elegant voice reyed in her ears, making her feel a burst of emotion. When he noticed that Mavis was staring at him, Luke coughed and gave her a gentle reminder, "Ms. Laviere, are you spacing out?" Mavis was brought back to reality by him and her expression stiffened a little. She said, "Mr. Crawford, I¡¯m sorry, I was thinking about something." Luke asked, "Oh? What were you thinking about? Ms. Laviere, do you want to consider what I said before you make a decision? I can either raise your sry or I can give you shares of T Corporation. To be honest, you contributed much to the sess of T Corporation. If you leave, it would feel like I lost one of my hands. I might not get used to it." Mavis looked at Luke''s delicate features, especially his handsome eyes, quietly. She looked at how the sunlight fell on his long eyshes, highlighting his deep-set eyes that looked exceptionally gentle when he asked her to stay. However, he returned to being emotionless a second later. She could not help but chuckle to herself. She shook her head as she said," No, Mr. Crawford, you know that I don''t want those. I have money and power now. To be honest, I''m content with the position that you''ve given me. I think you should know the true reason why I stayed in T Corporation for so many years. I¡¯ve never said it, but I know that you know. You''re just choosing to act like you don''t know. Luke, you see me as your subordinate who helped grow your business over the past few years and nothing more. However, there are some things that cannot be controlled. For example, some confusing feelings... There¡¯s someone who has been waiting for you for years but has never been treated kindly..." "Ms. Laviere, what do you want? What if I insist that you stay in T Corporation?" Luke was slightly taken aback. He did not expect Mavis to reveal everything. He, who had always been sharp and alert, was somewhat at a loss. Mavis took a deep breath, struggled for a few seconds, and finally said," What if... my only condition is for you to divorce Bianca?" Mavis breathed a sigh of relief after she said the words that she had been wanting to say. However, when she met Luke''s icy, gloomy gaze, she thought that Mr. Crawford looked terrifying... Chapter 842 Chapter 842 It''s Time For Her To Let Go Mavis was a little scared by Luke. She had never seen him with such a gloomy expression before. He looked like he was ready to kill. She raised her eyebrows and wanted to say something, but Luke acted first and spoke in an expressionless tone, "Ms. Laviere, since you want to leave, then you can leave. Although you''re one of the top performers of T Corporation, we can survive without you. Since you''ve felt tired for a long time, you can take this opportunity to take a good rest." What? His change was so abrupt that Mavis was not able to keep up. She uttered," Mr. Crawford, I... I''m not..." She actually had no intentions of resigning. She did so only to find out how much he cared about her and to show him how important she was to him and T Corporation. She did not want to leave the position she had struggled for years to achieve. Luke flickered his cigarette as the ash fell into the ashtray. Then, his hand that was holding the cigarette moved closer to his sexy thin lips. He took a deep inhale. He looked so light and breezy, but Mavis, on the other hand, was beyond anxious. When Luke was huffing and puffing, his eyes that were as deep as the vast sea were slightly squinted. His handsome features disyed a dull expression that sted Mavis to the past. She felt as though she was facing Luke for the first time again, just like when he had interviewed her years ago. At that time, he had also looked at her with the same judgemental eyes. "Ms. Laviere, it''s been a long ride for my wife and me. We went through a lot since we first met and fell in love. As long as she wants me, I''ll never turn my back on her. I¡¯ll never say the word ''divorce'' to her. If you insist on leaving, I''ll not force you to stay. After so many years, I thought you were someone who understood me, but I didn''t expect you to threaten me." Mavis bit her lip awkwardly. She could hear impatience and contempt in Luke''s tone. Mavis bit her lip until it was bruised, yet she did not feel any pain. The cigarette smoke was suffocating her. She wanted to cough, but she tried her best to endure it. Her pale face turned red from holding her coughs in. "Luke, you know what I¡¯m talking about. In the past ten years, there were so many well-known groups that tried to poach me with the promise of a lot of money but I never once considered any of their offers. I believe you''re aware that you''re the reason why I continued to stay in T Corporation. Luke, after so many years, I''ve be ustomed to seeing your face every day. I write about my love for you in my diary almost every day... My love for you is petty and humble. I never told you about how I feel for fear that it''ll ruin our rtionship. Luke, I love you with everything that I have..." Maybe it was because Mavis was sharing her deepest secrets and finally talking about her grievances after so many years, so she felt like a wilted flower when she was done talking. Her tears could make anyone pity her. Luke put out his cigarette and said coldly, "Ms. Laviere, I thought that you were a mature and wise woman who knew that love is fragile. What matters most is being responsible. I apologize if I''ve done anything to cause any misunderstandings. I want to make it clear that our rtionship is strictly professional. You''re a wonderful woman. There are countless bachelors in the world for you, so why are you waiting stubbornly for a tree that can''t bear fruit?" Mavis straightened her back and smiled bitterly. "Emotions are never logical. There are a lot of choices that one can make and there are a lot of temptations out there, but I chose you since the moment I saw you. I remember the first time I met you. You stood out from the crowd among so many interviewers. Since then, you have be a unique existence in my life. Life is long and I don''t want to live a life of regret because it''s impossible to find someone else like you." Mavis decided to let it all out. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. It was the first time in years she felt so rxed. Luke threw the cigarette butt into the ashtray and suddenly smiled. However, the smile did not reach his eyes. Luke''s overpowering aura made Mavis'' scalp tingle. She suddenly regretted telling him about how she felt. However, Mavis thought that since her secret was revealed, she no longer had to hold back. She knew that if she wanted to leave a beautiful impression on him, she should turn around and leave. At least, she had said her piece after so many years and put a full stop to her one-sided love story- even if it was not a fairytale ending. "Mavis." Luke looked at her trying to be strong and knocked on his table a little irritably. "I can¡¯t give you what you want. You don¡¯t need to waste your energy on me. You''re a good woman and you¡¯ll find love. Take care." Luke''s delicate, elegant face and his words slowly prated Mavis'' body like a poisonous thorn. He was cold and ruthless. He appeared calm as if he was just stating something factual. He did not love her. He did not love her before and would never love her. He clearly told Mavis this. Mavis clutched her heart, almost biting her lower lip until it bled. Her other hand was tightly clenched. She still had some hope in the beginning, but when she heard him confess that he did not love her, she could not help trembling as if daggers were piercing into her bones... "Mr. Crawford, I¡¯m sorry. I''ve embarrassed myself today. I¡¯m sorry, I won¡¯t do it again. Thank you for taking care of me for so many years. See you... soon." After saying that, Mavis held back her tears, bowed deeply to Luke, and grabbed her bag. She then walked out as her hand trembled while holding her bag. Her steps were heavy as if her body was being crushed by a huge boulder. When she turned around, she burst into tears. After ten years of waiting, she ended up with nothing. She had been waiting for him since she was a young woman. Time had turned her into a mature woman but even after so many years, she still could not impress him. She knew she had no reason to hold on to him anymore. She was tired of waiting. It was time for her to let go. Luke stared at Mavis'' back and thought about her contribution to T Corporation over the years, as well as how selfless she had been in helping him. He thought of calling out to her, but atst, he kept quiet... Chapter 843 Chapter 843 She Started To Understand Why Luke Was Obsessed Coffee shop. The coffee shop had a piano ying tunes in the background and was filled with chatter andughter. It was one of the best ces in A City. It was elegant and stylish. At a coffee table covered with a white tablecloth, two women with very different appearances sat across each other. The woman on the left was Bianca. She had light make-up on, and her face was as beautiful as porcin with her rosy cheeks. Her eyshes were dense, long, and curly, highlighting her eyes that were as clear as spring. Bianca appeared like a goddess who made others feelfortable in her presence. The woman opposite her was wearing a white sundress. Her smooth ck hair looked like a waterfall. Her makeup was exquisite and suited her oval face. Her big eyes were full of sadness. She was still the ever arrogant Mavis Laviere. Bianca was a little surprised that Mavis requested to meet with her, and she was even more confused when she noticed that Mavis was dressed so differently from before. Mavis, a rose with thorns, had transformed into a reserved lily. Bianca slowly stirred the sugar into her cup and asked softly, "Ms. Laviere, why did you want to have a chat with me?"Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Mavis sat by the window, taking a sip of her coffee. The bitterness from the ck coffee made her frown involuntarily. She gave a wry smile and looked at Bianca, asking, "Ms. Rayne, do I look terrible today?" Mavis'' voice was cold and hoarse as if it was mixed with a little unwillingness. Although her makeup was exquisite and her blush concealed the paleness of her face, Bianca could see that Mavis was faking her happiness. Mmm... How should she put it? Mavis looked like someone who had just been abandoned and left in a ce without oxygen and water. She was withering and losing her vitality. However, Bianca never thought that Mavis would be the one who was dumped. Mavis has always been arrogant, and it was usually she who would look down on men. No one in their right mind would dump her. "No, Ms. Laviere. To be honest, you still look beautiful. Compared to before, you make me feel fairly comfortable," Bianca replied. Instead of drinking coffee, she picked up a milkshake next to her. Unlike Mavis, who loved coffee, she had already begun to improve her health and fitness although she was still young. An excessive amount of caffeine was not good for health. Mavis heard Bianca''s answer and chuckled. However, it sounded a little helpless as if Bianca had told a joke. She took another sip of coffee and yed with the handle unconsciously as she said, "Mr. Crawford... loves you very much." This sentence was not rhetorical, nor did it carry any tone of denial. It was as though she was merely stating a fact. However, Mavis started tearing up. No one knew about the sadness she had hidden in her heart for so many years. Bianca was taken aback and looked at Mavis. She tightened her grip on her cup as she said, "Yes, as you can see, we do love each other." Mavis thought that Bianca appeared a little nervous and chuckled weakly. She tucked her bangs behind her ears. "Ms. Rayne, don''t get me wrong. Don''t think of me as your enemy. After all, I was never qualified to be your rival..." Bianca stared straight at her. "Is that all that you want to say to me?" Mavis nced at her and felt a pang of insecurity. "No, I asked you here to tell you that I¡¯ve resigned from T Corporation." "When did this happen?" Bianca''s eyes widened, and for a moment, she was not sure how to feel. She had not wanted to meet Mavis. Although she knew that there was nothing between her and Luke and that it was just a crush, Mavis¡¯ existence was like a thorn stuck in her side. She could not remove her because of her role in Luke¡¯spany. Mavis pursed her lips and said, "Mr. Crawford agreed to my resignation this morning." Bianca subconsciously avoided her scorching gaze. The sadness in Mavis'' eyes was so obvious that Bianca felt a sense of guilt, even though she knew that it was unnecessary. However, Mavis'' sad appearance seemed to be shouting... ''I had to leave because of you.'' Although it seemed ridiculous, Bianca''s emotions wereplicated." What¡¯s next for you?" Mavis sighed lightly and kept silent for a long time before she spoke, "I''m not too sure. I have yet to think about it. I might leave this city. After all, this city has left me with a lot of bad memories. I might go abroad and start a new life." Bianca was not sure what to say to Mavis, so she asked mechanically, "Are you sure that you can let go of everything here?" Ten years of love that had turned into an obsession would not be easy to let go of. At that moment, Bianca lowered her walls against Mavis. When she thought about it, perhaps Mavis was always proud and unted her strength because she lacked the confidence to be loved. Besides, for so many years, the only thing that Mavis had done was make herself think that there was something between her and Luke. She had not caused substantial harm to her, unlike Kassy, who would do anything in the name of love. If they were not rivals in love, Bianca thought that she and Mavis would make good friends. Mavis shook her head helplessly and said, "Feelings are weird, I don''t think it''ll be possible for me to let go now. I believe that time will make things better. I don¡¯t think I''ll ever be as obsessed as I used to be over the things that don¡¯t belong to me. Unfortunately, it took me ten years to understand this..." Bianca blinked and said, "If you need any help in the future, give me a call. One day, if you''re tired of wandering outside and want to return to T Corporation, you''ll always be wee." "Thank you." Mavis gazed at Bianca again. The woman in front of her was the mother of three children, but she looked young and innocent. Her beautiful eyes were clear and bright, just like ck onyxes that dazzled brilliantly. Her smile brought light to the world, which was unexpected when one thought of the difficulties she had gone through. Mavis understood why Luke had been obsessed with Bianca for so many years and continued to be obsessed. If she were a man, she, too, would want to keep a woman like Bianca by her side. She was worth it. Chapter 844 Chapter 844 Provocation Bianca walked out of the cafe and went to a well-known mall next door because she wanted to buy some clothes for her children. She had not been spending much time with them as she was upied with the recent events. She felt guilty about it. Bianca shopped around and bought tworge shopping bags worth of clothes for the twins and Tommy. When she passed by a boutique, Bianca saw a pink, princess-like dress. The color, texture, and style were great. She thought that it would be perfect for Sue¡¯s daughters. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Once in a while, Sue would buy Tommy and the twins some clothes or other gifts. Bianca wanted to return the favor and went in to buy the dress for her daughters. She bumped into someone as soon as she entered the boutique. ''''Sorry...¡± A man apologized, his voice sounding maic. That familiar voice startled Bianca. The man¡¯s body was well-built, and the impact hurt Bianca a little. She lifted her gaze and met a pair of evil but sad eyes. It was Xavier Tanner! Bianca took a step back when she saw the man''s face. Her flight or fight mode was instantly activated. The moment Xavier looked down and saw Bianca, he was shocked. A City was big and he thought the chances of bumping into each other were low. He did not expect to meet Bianca. Although he fantasized every day about when he would be able to meet her, now that she was in front of him, he thought that he was dreaming. Bianca¡¯s heart twitched, and her voice was trembling as she uttered, "A City is pretty small, I didn''t expect to see you here." Although it had been years since the incident, the damage Xavier caused her still lingered. Every time she thought of him, she thought of how she had almost been humiliated. She did not want to see him ever again. Xavier could feel Bianca''s hostility toward him as well as her strong resistance. His breathing grew erratic as he said, "A City is fairly small. You ... How are you doing?" Xavier''s gaze was locked on her. He was greedily looking at her innocent face. Pain and love were hidden in his charming eyes. Xavier knew she was doing well without having to ask. Luke loved her so much, so he would never allow any harm toe her way. What was more, she was the daughter of the Provincial Committee Secretary. No one dared to step on her toes. Bianca was as beautiful as ever. Time had not left any traces on her body. She looked younger and more charming. Xavier stared at her affectionately, but thetter kept avoiding him. However, perhaps his gaze was toopelling, so Bianca eventually looked at him. His face was evil and charming, but he looked a lot more haggard. His suit was wrinkled. It seemed that he had not ironed it in a while. His eyebrows seem to be in a constant frown as well. He had lost his yboy traits and only looked as though he had given up on life... Bianca took a step back awkwardly. "I''m doing great. How about you? Are you with anyone?" She meant to imply something. People who visited children''s clothing stores were usually married and had a baby. Otherwise, why would a free spirit like Xaviere to such a ce? The rtionship between the Crawford family and the Tanner family was ruined the moment Xavier kidnapped her. The two families did not keep in contact, so Bianca was not sure whether Xavier was married. Xavier put his hands in his pockets and stared straight at her. He said with a wry smile, "No, I don''t think I''ll ever get married." He thought that time would make it hurt less and there was going to be someone better who would rece her. He thought that he had moved on from her, but the moment he saw her again, the scar in his heart ripped open once more. It was unbearable. He still loved her... "We''re getting old and at the age where we should start our own families. If you meet the right person, go for it. Otherwise, your family will be worried." When Bianca faced Xavier, she felt embarrassed and ufortable. It was awkward, and she was at her breaking point. Bianca was thinking of an excuse to leave when she heard a sweet female voice calling out to Xavier, "Xavier,e here and look at this! What do you think of this?" Bianca looked where the sweet voice came from and saw a young woman about 165cm tall. She was slender and curvy at all the right ces. The young woman was wearing a white maternity dress. She was spinning like a cheerful bird in front of the full-length mirror. The female shop assistant was serving the young woman diligently, praising her for her good looks and fit figure. The moment Bianca saw her face, her heart skipped a beat. This young woman''s face looked fairly simr to hers... She looked to be around 20 years old. She probably had not graduated from university yet. Her face was beautiful, and her skin was fair and delicate like a flower covered with dew. Her beauty highlighted her yful and gentle spirit. Although she was thin, there was a small bump on her lower abdomen. It was not obvious at first nce, but because the young woman was deliberately pushing her belly out, it was clear that she was pregnant. Based on her previous experience, Bianca assumed that she was at least four months along. Xavier looked a little embarrassed and after hesitating for a moment, he walked up to the young woman. He said in a neutral tone, "Not bad." Although his ¡®praise¡¯ only consisted of two words, the young woman blushed with joy. She was overwhelmed with excitement. She grabbed his arm and asked," Really? Xavier, among all that I tried today, which one is the best?" Xavier did not blink his eyes as he answered nonchntly, "They all look great. Since you like all of them, let''s get them all." "Xavier, you''re so kind to me. I love you so much...¡± The young woman stood on her tiptoes and nted a loud kiss on Xavier''s face. As she did that, she noticed Bianca from the corners of her eyes. She had a bad gut feeling. The moment she saw Bianca, the rm bell in Riley''s heart started going off. Her intuition told her that this woman was dangerous. She snuggled into Xavier''s arms possessively and asked Bianca in a provocative tone, "Who are you?" Chapter 845 Chapter 845 That B*tch Is Pregnant Xavier did not answer nor exin anything to Riley. With that, the rm bell in her heart went off even more. She bit her lip and looked as though she was a woman in love. However, she was staring straight into Bianca''s eyes the entire time. Faced with the young woman¡¯s hostility, Biancaughed out loud and raised the shopping bags in her hand. "I''m just an insignificant person, an old acquaintance. I''m someone he used to know. We''re not that close, so you can just think of us as strangers." Someone that he used to know. Strangers. Bianca''s words stung Xavier. His breathing became rapid as he stared at her, his handsome face looking embarrassed. If an ex-wife was considered an old acquaintance, then their rtionship was indeed like she said. It did not mean anything that they once had a marriage certificate. After all, they had never shared a bed nor held a wedding banquet. The only thing that could prove that they were once husband and wife was that his ''married'' status in the Civil Affairs Bureau''s system had changed into ''divorced*. Riley listened to Bianca''s exnation and saw her elegant demeanor. She was no longer hostile and smiled sweetly at Bianca. "Well, Xavier, since she¡¯s an old acquaintance, why don¡¯t you introduce me? You made me a little jealous there. Oh! Touch my belly, our baby isn¡¯t happy that their daddy is bullying their mommy..." She pursed her cute mouth. When she wanted attention, she would act like a cat begging her owner. Even a woman like Bianca could not help but look at her. However, Xavier''s expression was sullen and he turned away from her. "Remember who you are. You should know our rtionship better than anyone else. Shut your mouth if it''s not something you should ask. Stay in yourne and I''ll let you stay with me for a few more days. Otherwise, f*ck off!" His words were cold and cruel. It seemed that the man who had just offered to pay for all of the woman¡¯s shopping had disappeared. Riley was stunned. Her beautiful pair of eyes welled with tears. She held back her tears because she was scared of him. She pitifully pressed her lips together, looking like a miserable wife who was getting bullied. She stood in ce obediently, not daring to move. Xavier was rich and handsome. When he was nice to her, he would spoil her in bed. He would tell her sweet lies that made her be an idiot in love. However, when his mood changed, he would be ruthless. When he was angry, he would make her leave if she did not know when to stop. Riley was well aware of Xavier''s violent temper. She was ustomed to his ever-changing moods. She lowered her head, held back her tears, and yed with the hem of her dress. She did not dare to make any other sound. Bianca could no longer stand still. She stood up for Riley and said, "Xavier, I didn''t expect that your temper is still as terrible as ever. Now that Riley is pregnant with your child, you have to change." For some reason, Bianca felt a sudden surge of relief when she learned that Xavier had be a father. It was as though the curse bound to her was gone. Xavier looked at Bianca and felt a pang of pain. He took another look at her but did not say anything. Bianca was about to leave but before she did, she whispered to Xavier, "Ah, to be honest, this girl is much better than Melissa. Although she¡¯s a little clingy, she seems like a great person. Since she''s pregnant with your child, treat them well. You''re not young, it''s time for you to start your own family." When he saw that she was about to leave, Xavier wanted to grab Bianca''s hand. "Bea, listen to me, I-" Bianca immediately kept a distance from him by shoving the thick shopping bags between their bodies. He stared at him warily as she asked," Xavier, what do you want? Are you nning to do something to me in public?" "I didn''t mean that..." Xavier sighed. He did not expect that she would still be so guarded against him. He said helplessly, "I just want to say that the past is in the past. Can you stop hiding from me?" Bianca waved her hand impatiently and said, "Forget it, I don''t want to talk about what happened before. You should mind your own business. Goodbye... No, I hope I never see you again!" After she said that, she turned around and anxiously walked out with the shopping bags in her hands. She did not want to look at this man and his lover anymore. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She rushed off so hurriedly that she did not notice Xavier''s obsessive gaze behind her or Riley''s puzzled eyes... As soon as she got to the entrance of the shopping mall, the sun was shining brightly. Bianca thought of calling her driver to pick her up but decided against it. It would take at least an hour for the driver to arrive at the mall. Plus, it was peak hour. There was no point in doing that. It was better for her to book an Uber or get a cab. After Bianca booked her ride, she waited quietly in the designated waiting area outside the mall. Not long after she sat down, she heard a sharp female voice screaming and crying. "Aunty, you have to help me! Xavier insists on canceling our engagement. Why does he want to marry that lousy art school student who has slept with God knows how many men? How can this be? I¡¯ve waited for Xavier for so many years. He can¡¯t just get rid of me!" Bianca looked toward the source of the voice and saw Melissa, who was chattering andining to a plump but fashionable olderdy. Bianca was familiar with the olderdy. Although she had only seen her once, she would never forget that face. It was Xavier''s mother, Lacy Foster. It had been a long time since shest saw Melissa, but she was still the same person. The only difference was that she had long light blue hair. Her hair was tied into neat pigtails, which cascaded casually from her head. She was wearing a sleeveless sequined top and tight-fitting ck shorts that showed off her straight and slender legs. Lacy Foster took Melissa''s hand and soothed her. "Melissa, you know that I think of you as family. You¡¯re the only one qualified to join the Tanner family. No wild woman will stand a chance. Xavier has brought back so many different women throughout the years and I¡¯ve always made sure they didn¡¯tst long!" Melissa raised her eyebrows and said sadly, "Aunt Lacy... It¡¯s different this time! All the previous ones were driven away by me, but this time, that b* tch is pregnant..." Chapter 846 Chapter 846 A Child Is Much Better Than A Pet Lacy was taken aback when she heard what Melissa said. There was a look of surprise in her eyes. After all, her son had never been in a serious rtionship for as long as she could remember. This was the first time she heard that a woman by her son¡¯s side was expecting. She was overjoyed to hearthat! However, when she saw how hard Melissa was gritting her teeth... Lacey grabbed her hand again. She started telling white lies as sheforted her, '' Melissa, it doesn''t matter even if the woman is pregnant. She still won''t be able to join the Tanner family. It¡¯s no big deal, we''ll let her give birth to the child. My husband and I will raise them. You and Xavier can still get married... I can guarantee that the child will never be a barrier between you Xavier. I''ll not let the child get in your way..." Melissa''s brows were tightly knitted together. She screamed, "What? Are you going to let that b*tch give birth to the child? That can never happen! As long as I¡¯m a part of the Tanner family, I¡¯ll never allow that child to exist!" Her voice was sharp and piercing, causing other shoppers who were passing by or resting by the corridor to look at her. Melissa did not hold back and became even more frantic. "Aunt Lacy, I need to make this clear. If the Tanner family wants to have me as your daughter-inw, you must respect my principles. Unless the baby was conceived in my belly, I¡¯ll kill the rest of them! My parents will not let me be wronged. You can only choose between the bastard child and me..." Bianca looked at Melissa''s jealous expression that had turned vulgar and hideous. She was a little creeped out. Melissa''s jealousy was still so strong. Previously when she found out that Xavier had something to do with Bianca, she had framed her again and again. Melissa had not changed much over time, but it seemed that she had gotten even more sinister... Lacey''s expression changed. She looked embarrassed and helpless. When she noticed that people were staring, she pulled on Melissa''s sleeves and whispered, "Okay, my dear, I¡¯ll do as you say. You need to work on getting pregnant..." Melissa stomped her foot and said angrily, "What can I do if your son doesn''t want to sleep with me? Do you think I can give birth to a child on my own?" After speaking, she stepped on her seven-inch high-heels and walked into the mall while swaying her hips. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Melissa, wait for me, I''m still tired." Lacey grabbed the shopping bags and followed behind Melissa like an old maid. Melissa did not notice Bianca because there were a lot of people inside the mall. Bianca was sitting in a high-traffic area where the bustling shops were. Hence, the crowd blocked her from Melissa''s sight. Bianca saw Melissa entering the shop she had just left. She narrowed her eyes slightly. Xavier should still be in the shop with his pregnant little lover. It was likely that the two parties would run into each other. What a good show it would be! However, it had nothing to do with her. After all, it was about time Xavier paid for his sins! Rayne Manor. Bianca went to visit her grandpa first. The caretaker was taking care of him. Her grandfather was in a deep slumber. He needed a lot of rest after undergoing major surgery at his old age. His immune system was affected and his body was recovering slowly, so he was not able to move around as much. Seeing that her grandfather was resting, Bianca checked in with the caretaker and learned that he just had dinner an hour ago. He took his medicine immediately after. Bianca tucked her grandfather in, told the nanny to take good care of him, and ced the gifts she had bought for her grandfather at the mall earlier on the side of his bed. She then returned to the living room. As soon as she got to the living room, Tommy pounced on her like a cheery bird. He hugged her thigh tightly and said, "Mommy, why did youe back sote? Tommy missed you so much..." The twins were sent to Crawford Manor to spend time with Old Master Crawford a few days ago, so Tommy was the only one left in the manor. Old Master Rayne stayed in his room a lot because of his poor health, but when the weather was great, the caretaker or Bianca would bring him out to bask in the sun. Therefore, the only person in the vi who was active was her baby son. Bianca''s heart warmed when she saw her son''s handsome little face that was filled with joy. She squatted down and looked at her son. "Mommy bought something for you and your brother and sister. That¡¯s why I waste." "Oh, is that so? Thank you for the gift." Tommy nted a kiss on Bianca''s face. Bianca giggled at her son''s actions and ced the gifts on the sofa. She took out one of the smaller shopping bags and handed it to Tommy." Mommy bought you a pair of overalls, two T-shirts, and a leather jacket. Do you like them?" "Yes, Tommy loves them. Mommy, you have the best taste! You must be tired after shopping, so let me massage your legs..." Tommy was trying to make Bianca happy while he attentively hammered her leg with his tiny fists. Feeling her son¡¯s uneven massage on her legs, Bianca smiled brightly. Her heart seemed to be full of sweet honey. Raising a child was better than raising a kitten or a puppy. Although Tommy was naughty and often pushed her buttons, when he was well-behaved, he was adorable. When Luke came back, it waste at night. His handsome face showed his fatigue. He thought that Bianca was asleep, so he took a shower and walked out in a white bathrobe. He sat on the sofa with his eyes closed to rest. He nned to wait for his hair to dry before going to bed. The recent events involving T Corporation and the pursuit of Wayne tt upied most of his time now. Linder the dizzying warm lights, Luke''s resolute and handsome silhouette looked tempting and sexy. When he closed his eyes and went through his thoughts, a pair of soft hands gently pressed on his forehead and temples, giving him a massage. Bianca''s fingers were slender and soft under the lights. Her figure that was leaning on his back was like a willow blowing in the wind. Luke knew who she was without having to look. He knew it was her the moment he smelled her unique scent. He raised his hand and moved it upward little by little along her fingers. In the end, he grabbed her hand and wrapped it in his, as if he was tempting her... Chapter 847 Chapter 847 My Wife Is Irresistible Bianca smiled and continued to massage him. The slender fingers of her right hand asionally stopped at his sensitive Adam''s apple, while the other hand kept pressing gently on Luke''s temples, smoothing out his furrowed eyebrows. Her strength was just right, and the acupoints were urately massaged. It made Luke feel comfortable, his exhaustion seemingly melting away. While she was massaging him, Bianca said softly, "Luke, you seem to be frowning a lot recently. It''s not good. You''re a young man, but you''re turning into an old man with wrinkles." Luke looked back at her and saw her obsidian eyes. A loving look appeared when he saw Bianca''s face. ¡¯You won''t love me if I turn into an old man?" Bianca gently hit him a few times with her fists before saying softly, "What do you mean? Even if you be an ugly monster, I''ll always love you. It''s just that your expression is always so serious and you don¡¯t even seem rxed when you get home. I¡¯m worried about you." Bianca''s tone was gentle and kind. She was like a little girl who wanted attention. It made Luke gently curl his lips. He tilted Bianca''s chin and said in a light but flirty tone, "It seems that I haven¡¯t been giving you attentiontely, that''s why you¡¯re having such thoughts. I haven''t been satisfying you recently, eh?" Bianca red at him angrily andnded a fist on his shoulder. "Stop being silly! You''re the one who''s not satisfied. Stop thinking about things like that! Aren¡¯t you embarrassed?!" Luke held her fist and pulled it closer to his lips. "Other wives take good care of their husbands... but my wife hits and scolds me every day. Why do I have such a hard life?" Bianca bit her lip, trying hard to shake her hand loose. "You made your choice. I didn''t ask you to marry me. Let me go..." Lukeughed out loud and pulled Bianca into his arms. ¡¯I had no choice. I fell in love with you the first time I saw you. You have two choices now. One is to follow me to the bedroom, the second is to do it on the sofa. Which do you choose?" Bianca blushed and pushed him. "You''re crazy. This is the living room. I don¡¯t want to do it with you here.¡¯¡¯ Luke smiled even more wickedly and pulled her pure white pajamas down. He pinched her flushed face and said, "You¡¯re the mother of our three children. I¡¯ve seen every inch of you. Why are you still shy? We have to spice things up once in a while. We can''t have sex in the bedroom every time, can we? We can asionally change ces to make it more fun. Baby, let''s go take a bath together, okay?" Bianca tried to wriggle out of his arms, but she was being held so tightly by him that she almost suffocated. She could finally breathe normally again when she escaped. "I don''t want to take a bath. We¡¯re already past 30 years old. Can you not behave like a teenager?" Luke carried her and walked toward the bedroom. He kicked open the bedroom door and said, "What''s wrong with being past 30 years old? I''m in my prime now. You might not be able to get it anymore when I''m over 80..." After he said that, he kicked the door shut and ced Bianca on the soft bed.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The decorations in the room wereforting. The interior had warm but simple colors that created a rxing environment. Bianca had justnded on the bed when she smelled the familiar and masculine breath by her nose. Her body stiffened slightly as Luke''s strong arm grabbed her. He opened her mouth to kiss her ears, and he asked in a low voice, "Why are you in a daze?" Even though they had slept together countless times, Bianca would still get a little nervous each time. "I¡¯m not thinking about anything. I''m just a little tired today and want to rest early." Lukeughed wickedly, his hand beginning to touch every part of her as he said, "You don''t have to think about anything. You just need to enjoy it quietly. I''ll be the one doing the work." Bianca''s face turned redder as she grabbed his hands. "Don''t say it like that. I contribute as well, okay? Let''s talk about other things, such as poetry and music, or how the universe is formed, ahem... We can also talk about God..." Luke put his jaw on her shoulder, and the sound of his exhales from his nose turned her on. "In 1932, the paleontologist and theologian, Father Pierre of the Church of Jesus Christ, wrote ''The Evolution of Chastity''. The article specifically emphasizes that love is the source of happiness given to mankind by God. Only through in-depth exchanges between men and women can you get ultimate enjoyment and the love between the two can be further sublimated." He was being naughty while speaking about a serious topic. It made Bianca ashamed and annoyed. She wanted to say something, but Luke pressed himself onto her. After a few hours of fun, it was alreadyte at night. Both of them were sweating profusely. Luke cuddled her and kissed her affectionately on her forehead. "What are you thinking about? Are you tired? Do you want to do it again?" Bianca used her sharp teeth to bite his pectoral muscles. "No, I want to rest. I have a lot to do tomorrow." She bit him hard, but Luke was still smiling as he rubbed her disheveled hair as if to soothe a naughty pet. When she saw the bite mark left on his chest, Bianca felt a little bad. She touched his short hair, which was a bit spiky and wet because he had just'' exercised¡¯. The beads of sweat felt like feathers drenched with rain when she brushed the palm of her hand across. In an instant, Bianca''s heart became soft. She leaned on his chest and drew on it with her fingertips. "I met Xavier Tanner in X Mall today..." Luke stiffened and then sat up from the bed. His eyes turned cold as he asked, "He didn''t do anything to you, did he? Is he still eyeing you?" Seeing that Luke was on full alert, Bianca could not help butugh aloud." What are you thinking? He would never dare to do anything to me in public. You''ve taught him enough lessons for him to remember for a lifetime. I''m just an ordinary woman, how would he remember me?" Luke said in a serious tone, "My wife is irresistible. Who told you to be so beautiful and charming?" Chapter 848 Chapter 848 She Was A Rib That God Took From Him Bianca knew that he was most likely joking with her, but she could not help but smile as she gazed into Luke''s focused eyes. She gently rubbed his chin with her tender hands. "Hmph! Stop making fun of me!" His chin was clean and smooth. He had shaved his stubble beard while he was in the bathroom earlier. She could smell his unique body scent and the freshness of the shower cream. Bianca''s gaze fell on his hair... There were several gray hairs among his damp ck hair. Bianca carefully plucked those gray hairs and showed them to him. She smiled stiffly as she gazed at his handsome face. "This is the second time I found gray hairs on your head, Luke..." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Luke hugged her slender waist and brought her close. He did not mind the gray hairs that much. "That''s normal. People of my age should have at least a few gray hairs. Do you think that I''m already old, my wife?" Bianca kissed his thin lips and rested her head on his chest. "You''re not old, and I''m not saying that you are. You should be at the peak of your life." Luke returned the kiss, but there was a hint of mncholy in his eyes." Sometimes I feel guilty when I''m with you, Bea. I''m a few years older than you, and you''re still so young and beautiful. I''ve brought you a lot of unwanted pressure. If I''m not your husband, your life would be totally different, and it might be a lot better. I don''t think I can ever let you go though. After all, I''ve waited for you for so long that I thought I''d be alone for the rest of my life..." Those words were like honey that brought sweetness to Bianca''s heart. "If I hadn''t met you, I don''t think I''d fall in love with anyone else. People don''t always fall in love at first sight, Luke. I¡¯m your wife, and you are my husband. I guess we are destined to be together, and we hope that we can continue to love each other mutually." Luke''s slender fingers touched her tender lips, and he gazed at her indulgently. "Tell me honestly, Bea. Do you feel aggrieved being together with me?" His voice was hoarse and sexy. He might satisfy all her material needs, but he was always busy at work. Sometimes, he would only return home after midnight. asionally, he woulde home drunk because of the business dinners he had to attend. His business trips wouldst for as long as half a month, while she had to stay at home alone. Luke knew that Bianca was sensitive to emotions, and just like any woman, she would want to be pampered and showered with love. Scarlett, Jim''s wife, was a good example. She wanted to cling to him at all times. If that were what it took to be a husband, he would fail as one. He would fail as a father too. Bianca almost melted in his warm embrace. When her fingers intertwined with his, she said very softly, "I hope you won''t ever ask me that question again. I''ve never felt aggrieved when I''m with you. Instead, I think that I''m very lucky. You might be busy with work, but you always make it a point toe home every night, and that''s enough for me. When you''re not at home, I''ll be upied with my business, and time will pass very quickly when I''m busy. Whenever you leave early in the morning, I thought that time would pass in a sh, and I get to see you again at night. I''m very happy with you! "On the other hand, I thought you''d be the aggrieved one for marrying me. You''re an outstanding man, and you can marry the daughter of any wealthy or influential family if you want. You should have married someone that matches your status, but instead, you married a woman with an unremarkable background. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s at a disadvantage!" Luke gently nibbled her earlobe and whispered softly, "I don''t need anything other than you, Bea. Sometimes, I think that you''re the rib that God has taken from me..." Bianca gazed into his eyes and smiled mischievously, "Now that you have all your ribs once more, you won''t feel any more pain." Luke smiled sinisterly and pinned her under his body. "I guess I''ll have to take extra care of this lost rib of mine!" Sensing that Luke was getting in the mood once more, Bianca trembled and frantically grabbed Luke''s hair. ¡¯..." Luke grunted softly. ''She''s a vicious one. She¡¯s going to scalp me!¡¯ His muscles tensed up, and he punished her in his own unique way... That night, Bianca was like a small boat in the turbulent sea. Every inch of her body was battered... Queenie''s health had been improvingtely, and Jack returned to his work. He had been very busy at work. Every day, he would bring Ms. Bosch, his personal secretary, and his other subordinates to survey themunities in various areas of the city. He was almost constantly traveling. One day, he would be in the slums. The next day, he would be inspecting a waste treatment nt. Sometimes, he would not even find the time to eat. Fortunately, Ms. Bosch was a good cook. Otherwise, his elderly body might not be able to withstand the long hours of working and traveling. Queenie would sometimes tell him jokingly, "You''re almost at the age of retirement, Jack, and you shouldn''t be working so hard as though you''re still young. You''re not going to continue another term, so why make yourself suffer?" Jack was a stubborn man. Once his mind was fixed on something, he would make sure that it was done to the best of his ability. He replied to his wife like this, "I''m the leader of the provincial government, and I have a lot of responsibilities. As long as I''m in the position, I''ll make sure that I''ll perform all my duties. I shouldn''t leave a mess for my sessor. That way, he can take over my job easier, and A City won''t descend into chaos just because the leadership has changed." Queenie knew that she was not going to convince her husband otherwise. She could only let him be and reminded Ms. Bosch to take good care of Jack. One day, Jack had returned from the vineyard at Sunny Valley. He had been surveying the development of the town, ensuring that the basic infrastructure was maintained and the homestays were in good condition. When he got back to his office, he received a mysterious delivery... Chapter 849 Chapter 849 His Stern Face Instantly Turned Ashen Doubtfully, Jack began to unwrap the mysterious delivery package. It was mysterious because there was no name or address on it. Ms. Bosch was worried that it might be a letter bomb or that it might contain harmful substances. She scanned it and made sure that it only contained paper documents before handing it once more to Jack. When Jack opened the envelope and read the document, his usually stern face turned ashen, and his body began to tremble slightly. He mmed the document on the table, picked up his coat, and rushed back home. A few days earlier, Luke had obtained several bottles of imported herbal liqueurs. Bianca gave Old Master Rayne two bottles. She wanted to give two bottles to Old Mr. Norman, but she was busy with her new business, and she had nearly forgotten about it. She only remembered it when she happened to nce at the two bottles sitting in the wine cab. Old Mr. Norman was her biological grandfather. Bianca did not have too many interactions with him, but the kind and wise old man treated her well, and she respected him very much. That day, Bianca took the two bottles of liqueur and drove to Old Mr. Norman''s house. The old man was still living in his old residence. His new residence had been designed by Bianca, and it was a major project. Bianca had been busy with handling T Corporation¡¯s matters for a long while, and the project had been stalled. Bianca felt guilty about that. She wanted to get an experienced designer from T Corporation to rece her in the project, but Old Mr. Norman insisted on Bianca. He did not mind waiting for Bianca to be free again so that work may resume. Bianca drove the in-looking Volkswagen through a stately front gate. Old Mr. Norman''s residence was guarded by guards armed with rifles. The guards saluted Bianca as she drove past them. A scanner recognized her license te, and the gate opened automatically. The wide asphalt road was nked with pine trees. It seemed that the road had been newly widened. At the end of the road were several majestic yet aged administrative buildings among blooming flower beds and trees. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. The car drove past the ssic-styled administrative neighborhood. Each of the mansions was surrounded by a high wall with an electrified fence, and behind the mansions were a row of townhouses. Old Mr. Norman''s residence was among the row of mansions in front of the townhouses. There was a grape trellis in front of the mansion. Grapes were growing in bunches on the vines; those that were almost ripe were a tantalizing purple-red color, while some were green like emeralds. It was a lively sight. Bianca had just parked outside the mansion when someone opened the front gate. She could hear two sets of footsteps walking out. A caretaker helped an old man walk out of the house. The old man looked at Bianca endearingly. "You''re here, my granddaughter. I''ve been waiting for you." "Grandpa." Bianca felt a wave of tenderness when she saw Old Mr. Norman. Didn''t I say that you should wait in the house? Why did youe out?" She said. "You''ve lost weight, Bianca!" Old Mr. Norman''s lips trembled slightly as he looked at Bianca from head to toe. He wanted to go closer to greet Bianca, but the caretaker stopped him. "It''s too hot outside, Sir. Let''s go inside the house, and you can chat with Miss. Ms. Rayne, when Sir got to know that you were visiting, he''d been mumbling over and over about when you''de, and he would look at the front gate. He was so worried that you might suddenly have an emergency and postpone the visit..." Bianca handed the two bottles to the caretaker and held Old Mr. Norman''s arm. "I told you that I''d be coming, and I''d keep to the promise. You should have waited for me in the living room. It''s so hot outside, you shouldn''t havee out." Then, she helped Old Mr. Norman walk back into the living room. The air conditioning made her feel a lot morefortable. The furnishings in Old Mr. Norman''s residence were old-fashioned, but the house was kept clean. There was a retro-style couch and a painted wooden cab. Several hanging baskets hung from the ceiling. Below them were several stools with miniature palm trees as well as a bonsai nt. Behind the Victorian-style partition was the study. The study''s door was ajar. One could see that a variety of paintings were hung on the walls. Next to the table was a rack that contained a variety of brushes and oil paints. Everyone knew that Old Mr. Norman loved painting, and Bianca''s mother seemed to have picked up the habit from him. The caretaker came over carrying a tray with a te of cut watermelon and a bunch of grapes. Ms. Rayne, these are the grapes from the trellis outside, and Sir bought the watermelon earlier. They have been refrigerated. I hope you''ll enjoy them." "Thank you, Ma''am. You should eat some too." Bianca handed the biggest slice of watermelon to Old Mr. Norman. Old Mr. Norman wagged his hand and pushed the watermelon slice back to Bianca. "You should eat first, Bea. I''m already old, and I shouldn''t eat cold stuff!" Bianca ate two slices of watermelon and some grapes. Then, she took a napkin and elegantly wiped her mouth. "Where did you buy the watermelon, Grandpa? It''s so sweet! It''s the sweetest watermelon I''ve ever tasted. Also, the grapes are very sweet too. They''re almost as sweet as champagne grapes." Old Mr. Norman smiled happily. "Your dad''s the one who bought the watermelon. The grapes are indeed a hybrid of champagne grapes, and I''ve been tending to them for more than twenty years. If you love it, you can bring some home." "Thank you, Grandpa. You''re so nice to me!" Bianca smiled and answered. She noticed that only Mr. Norman was at home and could not help but ask, "Where''s Grandma?" She knew that Old Mrs. Norman was not very fond of her, and she would try to get out of the way whenever she came to visit. Old Mrs. Norman was usually at home, so it was quite surprising that Bianca had not seen her yet. Just when Bianca finished asking the question, Old Mrs. Norman appeared at the door with Leia holding her elbow... Chapter 850 Chapter 850 He Had Never Seen Such Prejudice Leia was dressed in a pure white sleeveless scalloped dress with a round neckline and a tapered waistline. She had light makeup on, and that made her look like an innocent young woman. She seemed quite docile, just like the character she always portrayed back when she was an actress. Her right hand was holding Old Mrs. Norman''s arm, while her left was holding two big shopping bags. She was whispering something to her grandmother. Old Mrs. Norman was giggling happily. Wrinkles appeared on her well- maintained face. "Grandma," Bianca stood up from her seat and greeted Old Mrs. Norman. She held a grape in her hand. The sweetness that had lingered in her mouth suddenly became tasteless. Old Mrs. Norman reflexively turned to the voice that had greeted her. She was visibly surprised when she saw Bianca, and the joyous expression on her face reduced by a little. "It''s you, Bianca. Why did youe here when it''s so warm outside?" She was not fond of that granddaughter, even though the DNA test had conclusively proved that Bianca was biologically rted to her. Firstly, the old woman showered her love on Leia, who had lived in the Norman residence since she was a young girl. Secondly, Bianca was not a meek woman, and she had embarrassed the Normans publicly several times before she was reunited with her birth parents. Moreover, Bianca did not suck up to her grandmother, and Old Mrs. Norman could not find any reason to like her. Thirdly, even though Bianca was reunited with the Normans, she insisted on being a Rayne instead of changing her surname. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Those were the reasons why Old Mrs. Norman was not fond of Bianca. Bianca knew that her grandmother was not fond of her, and she was not going to y up to her whims. Whenever she came to visit her grandfather, she would greet her grandmother and nothing more. Old Mr. Norman was unhappy that his wife treated his granddaughter that way. He had told his wife multiple times in private that she should not be so cold toward Bianca, but she never changed, which made him helpless. Considering that it was rare that Bianca visited him, Old Mr. Norman told his wife with a long face, "So what if she''s here? Can''t shee to her grandparents'' house? Bea''s considerate enough to bring me two bottles of herbal liqueur too. Why, you''re her grandmother, yet you don''t wee her? "That''s not what I said! You misunderstand me, old man!" Old Mrs. Norman replied sheepishly. She did not say another word, but her expression toward Bianca became even more unpleasant. Seeing that Old Mrs. Norman was aggrieved, Leia tried to speak up for her grandmother. "You''ve misunderstood Grandma''s words, Grandpa. She''s saying that it''s warm outside, and she''s worried that Bianca might have a heatstroke... isn''t that so, Bianca?" She said gently. Bianca gave a side-eye to Leia. "It is indeed quite warm outside. If you can bring Grandma shopping despite the heat, then I shouldn''t neglect my other grandparent." She looked at the bags with luxury brand logos that Leia held. Her implication was obvious. Leia''s smile froze on her face. "Grandma hasn''t gone out for a walk for a long time! She needs the exercise. It''s not good for her to stay at home for too long." Bianca chuckled. "You''re so considerate, Leia." Old Mr. Norman could sense the tension between those two siblings. He coughed deliberately and told the caretaker standing there awaiting orders, "It''s rare that both of my granddaughters are here. We should have a sumptuous lunch today, Jen. Please buy double the ingredients when you go to the grocery storeter. Let''s have a good lunch." At Old Mr. Norman''s age, what he wanted the most was a harmonious family. Even though Leia was not his biological granddaughter, she had lived with the Normans for almost twenty years, and he had already treated her like family. Of course, that was provided that Leia behaved. Old Mrs. Norman sighed and picked up Leia¡¯s hand. "You''re a good girl for going around town with me today. I hope you didn''t find me troublesome. I¡¯ve missed you, and you should stay over for a few days. I''ll give a call to your parentster in the evening," she sounded very caring when she said that. Leia gently rested her head on Old Mrs. Norman''s shoulders and said coyly, "Alright, Grandma. I''d like to take a bath now. You should join me too so that I can wash your back." "I''ll take my bathter in the evening. You should go first." Old Mrs. Norman beckoned to the caretaker. "Jen, please prepare Leia''s bathwater and a set of clean clothes for her. You should tidy up her room too. She''s going to stay over for a few days." "Yes, Madam." The caretaker undid her apron and helped Leia carry the shopping bags." Please follow me upstairs, Ms. Leia." While Leia walked behind the caretaker, she nced knowingly at Bianca, as though saying, "So what if you''re the Normans'' biological granddaughter? Grandma loves me more anyway!" Old Mr. Norman did not like where this was going. He said, "If that''s the case, you should spend some time chatting with Bianca..." Before he could finish his sentence, Old Mrs. Norman faked a yawn and saidzily, "I''m tired from all that walking. I''ll be back in my room for a rest." Old Mrs. Norman turned around and walked away without looking at Bianca. Old Mr. Norman was furious. "You''re bing more muddled as you age! Can''t you see who''s..." He was so angry that he could not finish his sentence. He had never seen his wife being so biased. Bianca was their biological granddaughter, but his wife would rather favor their adoptive granddaughter instead. Bianca was used to being prejudiced against. She did not mind it. Instead, sheforted Old Mr. Norman, "It''s fine, Grandpa. She can do whatever she likes as long as she''s happy. I''m happy enough that you care for me!" Old Mr. Norman gazed at his granddaughter profoundly. He wanted to say something, but all that came out of his mouth was a long sigh. His wife might be muddled, but he was not. Bianca was an outstanding young woman. She was much better than Leia when it came to her career or personality. Unfortunately, Old Mrs. Norman had been swayed by Leia''s sugar-coated words and would rather dote upon her than Bianca. What a pity! Chapter 851 Chapter 851 Why Would She Show Up At This Time? There was an unexpected guest at lunch. That was a young man in histe twenties who looked somewhat effeminate. He was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, and his hair was in a side part hairstyle. He looked like a business elite. Old Mrs. Norman exined that the young man was named Brody Hilton, and he was the grandson of a good friend. He had just returned from abroad and was here to visit Old Mrs. Norman. She said that the young man had a good background. He had a doctorate from MIT, and he was currently the chairman of an Esports association under Hilton Corporation, as well as the general manager of several mediapanies. Throughout lunch, Old Mrs. Norman''s gaze flitted between Leia and Brody. Her matchmaking intentions were all too obvious. Bianca did not have a good impression of that young man. He might seem gentlemanly, but Bianca always felt that his eyes often wandered toward her chest. Bianca was dressed in a conservative dress that covered her body from her neck down, but that did not stop Brody from ogling at her. That was utterly disgusting. Old Mrs. Norman held Leia''s hand and introduced her to Brody. "This is Leia, my granddaughter whom I''ve mentioned to you before. She had a degree in Visual and Performing Arts from the London College of Arts. "She''s an outstanding actress. She''s even won a gold award from the Houston International Film Festival, not to mention all the awards from the other events. It''s just that she has been focusing on her career, and she hasn''t found a significant other yet. As her grandmother, I''m so worried about her!" Brody put down the cutlery in his hands in a deliberate manner and said exaggeratedly, "Wow! That can''t be! Your granddaughter is so outstanding, and she doesn''t have a boyfriend yet?" He had been attracted by Bianca¡¯s pure demeanor ever since he stepped into the house. His eyes could not look away from Bianca, and he could not be bothered about Leia. Under Old Mrs. Norman''s insistent coaxing, Brody nced reluctantly at Leia. He was not very interested in Leia''s modest and diffident looks, especially when contrasted to Bianca''s magnanimous and elegant demeanor. Even so, he reached out and shook Leia''s hand as a sign of respect to Old Mrs. Norman, though he sounded quite arrogant. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Norman. I am Brody, and my parents own Hilton Corporation. I am currently managing one of Hilton Corporation''s subsidiaries, and it is my pleasure to meet you." Leia was once part of the entertainment industry, and she had seen her fair share of handsome men. The young man in front of her was not considered exceedingly handsome, but he came from a wealthy family. Hilton Corporation could be considered one of the top corporations in A City. Leia was even more interested when her grandmother said that Brody was the sole heir to the family business. She pretended to be bashful as she said softly, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Hilton." In the past, she would not even have bothered looking at him. However, her current situation did not give her too many options. After all, her reputation was in tatters, and her status in the Norman family was precarious. She needed to find someone wealthy and influential to support her. The young man in front of her was the perfect candidate in every aspect. Unexpectedly, after shaking hands with her, Brody turned his gaze away and looked at Bianca. "Who is this woman, Grandma Norman? Won''t you introduce her to me?" Bianca was not in the mood to entertain him. She was picking off the bones from a piece of fish on her grandfather''s te. She smiled when her grandfather was happy too. When Bianca was not smiling, she had the demeanor of a distant star -- noble yet untouchable. When she smiled, her eyes became crescent moons, and her pink lips curled upward. That caused Brody''s heart to beat wildly. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He tried to calm his heart down as he asked Old Mrs. Norman again, "Is this woman from another family? Why haven''t I met her before?" Old Mr. Norman grunted happily. Like Bianca, he was also ignoring him. Old Mrs. Norman seemed awkward as she exined, "Oh, she¡¯s also my granddaughter. She has only recently reunited with the Normans. You probably didn''t know about it since you were abroad." Brody''s eyes sparkled with interest. "You''re also Grandma Norman''s granddaughter? Grandma Norman, why didn''t you introduce this beautifuldy to me? May I know your name, Miss? How old are you, and are you currently seeing anyone?" Bianca was appalled by Brody''s ill-intentioned gaze. She was even more appalled by the fact that he was almost drooling. "I''m sorry, but I''m already married with children. My eldest children are eight, and the youngest is three," she said coldly. The young man''s expression changed drastically as though he had suffered a major blow. He looked at Old Mrs. Norman and asked, "Is what she said true, Grandma Norman? Is she already married with children? She looks so young!" "Mm," Old Mrs. Norman replied impassively. At that moment, she was extremely dissatisfied with Bianca. Why would Bianca show up right when she wanted to match Leia with a prospective husband? Leia almost could not maintain the stiff smile on her face. She had the urge to throw her te at Bianca''s face. ''That seductress! I wish I could ruin that seemingly young face! ''She''s already almost thirty years old! Why does she look as though she''s in her early twenties?'' A hint of malice appeared in Leia''s eyes. She told Brody, "My elder sister might look innocent and harmless, but she''s already twenty-seven years old. She only got married a few years ago. She gave birth to her eldest children when she was eighteen... Ahem, I hope I didn''t misspeak. Her rtionship with her husband is, frankly, quite dramatic..." Old Mr. Norman coughed deliberately and shot an usatory nce at Leia. Leia put her hands over her mouth and lowered her head sheepishly, pretending that she had misspoken. Brody''s obsessive gaze instantly turned into contempt when he heard those words. ''She''s barely legal when she gave birth to her eldest children. Does she have any morals?'' Chapter 852 Chapter 852 A Weird Man With A Weird Opinion Brody might have been abroad for many years and interacted with many women there, but he remained a conservative and chauvinistic man. He could not tolerate his future wife having sexual rtions with other men before marriage. He grunted contemptuously and said, "I guess young women are more liberal nowadays. They like preening themselves and sleep around while they''re barely legal. How shameless! If I were to marry a woman like that, she''d be making me a cuckold the next day!" He thought that Bianca looked pure and innocent, but he did not expect that she was so immodest. His expression was extremely unpleasant, as though he had swallowed a dead fly. Bianca shot a disdainful nce at Brody and chuckled. She was not going to entertain him. That man did not specifically name her, but Bianca was less than impressed by his beliefs. ''Is he from the Victorian era? Who still thinks like that nowadays? ''To think that he works abroad, too!'' Old Mr. Norman seemed extremely unhappy because of Brody''s words, but he was not going to say anything because the young man did not directly insult Bianca. He coughed authoritatively to break the awkward atmosphere. "Let''s eat. The food is getting cold!" Old Mrs. Norman was a conservative woman. She agreed with what Brody said. She did not forget to praise her favorite granddaughter as she spoke." Brody is right. So many young women arecking in dignity. They wear spaghetti straps and short shorts while walking all over the streets, and that makes them look like prostitutes! Those women abandon their morals in pursuit of beauty and gratification, and some of them get pregnant before they''re married. How shameful! Back in my days, those women would have drowned in spit! "Leia isn''t like that. She''s docile, considerate, and obedient. She has a strict upbringing, thanks to my son and daughter-inw, and she has always been a good girl who never steps out of line. She might have had a career in the entertainment industry, but she''s never even gone on a date..." "She''s never even gone on a date?¡¯ Brody looked at Leia excitedly. ''Does that mean that she¡¯s still a virgin?'' That woman was not as beautiful or fair as Bianca, but she seemed gentle and kind. She possessed a unique charm whenever she was embarrassed. Most importantly, ording to Grandma Norman, she had not even gone on a date even though she had a career in entertainment. As far as he knew, the actresses in the entertainment industry often had unclean secrets. Brody guessed that no one dared to touch Leia because of her father''s status. Brody suddenly thought that dating Leia was not a bad idea after all. He scrutinized Leia arrogantly as though inspecting an article of clothing before buying it. "Grandma Norman said that you have a degree in Performing and Visual Arts from the London College of Arts. Is that true?" Leia nodded bashfully and shed a perfect smile. "Mmm..." "Pardon me for being blunt. I think that it''s a good thing that women are educated, but it depends on what they do with that knowledge. I''m not too happy about dating an actress. When you act in a scene with other actors, there will be physically intimate scenes. I don''t wish for my future wife to be so exposed in public. All I want for a woman is to raise children, do housework, and serve her inws at home. That should be the duty of a married woman." Brody spoke so seriously, but Bianca wanted tough at his hrious expression. ''Oh my god. Where did this guye from?'' If he were at her home, she would have chased him out of the house with a broom! Leia almost could not maintain the smile on her face. "You''re right, Mr. Hilton. I''ve been considering my retirement from the entertainment industry. I''ve been learning cooking, painting, and flower arrangement from my mother, and I only want to be a housewife in the future." If it were before, she would not have hesitated to give that man two tight ps on his face. She could not do that now, and all she could do was smile superficially. Her reply satisfied Brody. Once again, he carefully examined her from head to toe. "Mm, your face is a lot fairer than your neck, Ms. Norman. Did you put on make-up? It looks like you overdid your face. Your face is as pale as a ghost, but your neck is tanned like barbeque. Tsk tsk..." Bianca nearly spat out the cream of corn in her mouth. ''What''s wrong with this guy?'' She could not help but look at Leia with some pity. Why did Old Mrs. Norman match her with that weirdo? Leia resisted the urge to throw up. She stopped herself from losing her temper by thinking of Brody''s looks and his wealthy family. "I wasn''t too careful with the make-up because the weather is too hot. I don''t usually put on make-up at home either." Brody frowned and said seriously, "Mm, it''s good that you don''t put on make-up at home, but you need to have good skin. I don''t like women who have bad skin. Also, I don''t like women who put on make-up. My mother never puts on make-up. Only sleazy, ugly women would want to hide their original appearance!" "Yes, you''re right." Leia was trying hard not to overreact. "Pfft!" Bianca could not hold it in anymore. She had taken a sip of water, but she spat it out. Brody frowned even harder as he stared at her, while Leia''s eyes seemed to be spitting fire. Bianca tried hard not tough out loud. She elegantly wiped her mouth with a napkin and said, "Sorry for the disturbance. Please, do continue..." Brody grunted unhappily, turned to look at Leia, and continued to brag." Also, a wife needs to serve her husband and cater to his needs. Of course, I''ll treat my wife well too. Not that I want to brag, but there aren''t many men in A City with my looks, wealth, and social status. It would be a great loss to any woman who doesn''t pursue me! Also, I..." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Bianca almost could not take it anymore. ''Where does this man get his confidence?'' Chapter 853 Chapter 853 Setting Her Up Of course, Bianca did not say it. After all, she did not want anything to do with that man. Whatever he did was none of her business. The rest of the lunch was just as dramatic. Bianca enjoyed her meal while watching theedy. On the other hand, Leia was the total opposite. The meal was tasteless, and she found it hard to swallow her food. After lunch, Brody and Leia looked at each other for a while, and he invited her to go shopping. Old Mrs. Norman stared earnestly at Leia, and she could only agree sheepishly. After the couple left, Bianca stayed at home and yed chess with Old Mr. Norman. Old Mr. Norman was a skilled yer, but Bianca was not bad either. That was how they spent the next two hours. While ying, Bianca and her grandfather chatted about architecture. Bianca was surprised that her grandfather was quite knowledgeable in architecture, even more so than some professional architects, even though he did not have a degree in it. That impressed Bianca quite a bit. As Old Mr. Norman captured one of Bianca''s pawns, he said,"... The design of a building is influenced by both natural or manmade factors. A good design will make its surroundings better instead of bing a burden. The interior and exterior of a building should follow the natural order. It''s not easy to be an outstanding designer, Bea. You might have a degree in architectural design, but you still have a lot to learn." Bianca moved one of her bishops backward to protect her other pieces and said respectfully, "Thank you for your wisdom, Grandpa. I will remember what you said." "Mm," Old Mr. Norman replied satisfactorily and continued, "Also, you should keep on practicing your painting. There are many simrities between painting and architectural design. When a designer designs a building, they will have to figure out how to ce everything while allowing enough space for movement. Simrly, painting is about finding the bnce between positive and negative space. We shouldn''t always be looking for something that would fill our lives. Sometimes, we have to take a step back and enjoy the idle moments." "Mm, I know." "Also, I have a collection of antique books about traditional architectural design. You can take a few books home and understand how people in the past thought..." Old Mr. Norman imparted a lot of wisdom to Bianca, which she remembered. Eventually, Old Mr. Norman began to yawn. Bianca could see that he was getting sleepy, so she helped him to his bedroom. After that, she went to the study and looked for the titles that her grandfather had told her. There were many shelves in the study, and the books covered many areas of knowledge. It was like a mini library. Moreover, the books were neatly arranged by categories, such as politics, economics,nguage, design, and art. It was easy for Bianca to find what she wanted. Bianca began to look through the architecture section. All the books there were worth reading. She picked several ssic books on architecture, sat in front of the desk, and began to read. When Leia returned, she noticed that the door of her grandfather''s study was ajar, while Bianca was sitting inside reading. Her hair was swept back, and her fair and slender neck was revealed. As she sat there and read quietly, her tranquil and elegant demeanor seemed irresistibly attractive. Leia was reminded of Brody''s eager gaze on Bianca, and she became angry. She took several steps and went into the study. After she was inside, she deliberately unted her new outfit. Brody had given her the money to buy it. She wanted to show it off to Bianca. Unexpectedly, Bianca did not seem to notice her, even though she tried to look as shy as possible. Bianca''s eyes were transfixed on that boring book, and she did not even lift her head to give Leia a single nce. Leia was annoyed by that. She coughed loudly and shouted into Bianca''s ear. "Bianca!" Bianca was shocked by the sudden noise. She lifted her head away from the book and frowned when she noticed that it was Leia. "It''s you..." "What are you reading? You''re so engrossed. You didn''t even see meing in." Leia pouted and danced around Bianca like a butterfly. She wanted to show off her new outfit and essories. Bianca did not even look at her. "Get out. I''m reading," she said. Leia was instantly furious. She mmed the bags of luxury goods on the table heavily and said, "You don''t have the right to ask me to leave! This is Grandpa and Grandma''s house!" Bianca did not even lift her head. "You''re wee to stay here, but please be quiet. I don''t like being disturbed when I''m reading." Leia was extremely irritated by Bianca''s nonchnce. Suddenly, she noticed her grandfather''s antique inkwell in front of Bianca, and she had an idea. As far as she knew, the antique inkwell was over a hundred years old, and it was carved entirely by hand. It looked dark like ink, but at night, it would give off a gentle white light. Jack had won it in an auction at a high price. Old Mr. Norman treasures the inkwell. He would usually keep it safe whenever guests were around. Leia only saw it out in the open once. Why was it ced on the table today? Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. However, she was not bothered by the reason the inkwell was on the table. While Bianca was focused on the book, Leia discreetly shifted the inkwell from the middle of the table, past the pile of books, and to the edge. If Bianca moved her elbow, the inkwell would fall onto the floor and shatter Bianca was engrossed in reading. She did not notice Leia''s discreet actions. Leia stood behind Bianca like a phantom and smiled sinisterly. "I''ll leave you to your book then. I''m heading off to Grandma''s room." She turned around to leave, but she pretended to stumble and "identally " bumped into Bianca''s back. Bianca was pushed forward, and her right elbow knocked onto the items on the table. The inkwell fell onto the floor with a bang... Chapter 854 Chapter 854 He Treats His Granddaughters Differently The exquisite inkwell fell on the floor, but it did not shatter as ordinary ones would. However, one of its corners chipped off when it hit the floor, giving it an ugly imperfection. Leia pretended to cover her mouth. She half-closed her eyes to hide the cunning in her gaze. "Sorry for bumping into you, Bianca, but... you broke Grandpa''s favorite inkwell! Don''t you know that it''s an antique? Dad bought it at his old friend''s auction at a high price. Grandpa usually keeps it safe, but you..." Bianca''s heart skipped a beat when she saw the inkwell on the floor. She had an ominous feeling about it. She had never seen that small antique before, but she could tell from the exquisite carvings that it was worth a lot of money. It was a pitiful sight that ity broken on the floor. At the same time, the old couple came into the study. Old Mr. Norman could sense that the atmosphere in the study was not quite right. "What''s wrong?" He asked sternly. Leia hurriedly ran next to Old Mr. Norman, pointed deliberately at the inkwell on the floor, and spoke with fake regret, "Grandpa, Bianca identally broke your inkwell. She didn''t mean to, please don''t me her Old Mr. Norman''s eyes fell on the lonely inkwell on the floor. For a brief moment, his brown eyes shed with uncontroble anger. A vein on his forehead bulged as well. His prating gaze fell on Bianca. "Why would you suddenly break the inkwell, Bianca? How could you be so careless?" Old Mrs. Norman began to reprimand shrilly, "You''re such a nuisance, Bianca! That is your grandpa''s most treasured possession. He doesn''t even let me touch it, but you''ve broken it! You''re already a grown adult, but you''re still so unreliable!" Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Old Mr. Norman crouched down on the floor, picked up the pieces of the broken inkwell, and held them in his palm. Bianca could see that he was very sad. He was trembling slightly, and his usually straight back was hunched over. She did not attempt to make excuses. Instead, her heart wrenched as she saw her grandfather gazing dearly at the broken inkwell in his hands. She red at Leia and saw that the woman was looking at her innocently but with a hint of smugness in her eyes. That made Bianca chuckle coldly. She did not expect Leia would go to such lengths just to frame her. However, this was not the time to point fingers. Bianca lowered her head, slowly got down on the floor, and helped her grandfather pick up the pieces. "I''m sorry, Grandpa. This is entirely my fault. I''ll bear responsibility for this." Meanwhile, Old Mrs. Norman was not going to let go of the chance to criticize Bianca. She instantly scrunched up her face and began to yell. "I told you not to let Biancae and visit us so often, dear. Look, she always courts trouble whenever she''s here. Your asthma red up thest time she was here. Before that, she brought us some tea, and that made my blood pressure go up, and I had to be hospitalized. This time, she broke your antique inkwell. Don''t you think that she''s nothing but a nuisance? She''s here to wreck our house!" Bianca bit her lower lip, and her face became slightly pale. She had already known that her grandmother was not fond of her, but when she heard those insulting words, she felt tears welling up in her eyes. Old Mr. Norman red at his wife and said sternly, "How can you say that about our granddaughter? Bea doesn''t have any ulterior motive when shees to visit us. She visited us thest time because she heard that my asthma was ring up. My health condition has nothing to do with her. Also, you''re already suffering from high blood pressure anyway. You didn''t take the tea that Bea gave us, even though it''s supposed to help you with your blood pressure, but instead, you ate the venison that she brought me. Bea even reminded you that you shouldn''t eat the venison, but you were greedy. Why are you ming her? The inkwell might be precious, but my granddaughter is priceless to me. How can youpare the two?" Bianca felt a lot better knowing that her grandfather was on her side. "Thank you, Grandpa.¡± Bianca sounded like she was sobbing. "This is indeed my fault. Don''t worry. I''ll find a way to restore it. Please trust me!" Leia''s expression was extremely unpleasant. She did not expect that Old Mr. Norman would still be speaking up for Bianca. ''Isn''t the inkwell Grandpa''s most prized possession? "Grandpa scolded me when I touched it thest time. Now that Bianca broke it, he doesn''t even say a harsh word! Why does Grandpa treat his granddaughters so differently? ''Pah! Is it because I''m adopted?'' Old Mrs. Norman was exasperated by her husband''s reply. She instantly looked older with all the wrinkles on her face. "Hmph! This inkwell is more than a hundred years old. Do you think you can repair it like repairing a chipped bowl? Old man, if the inkwell isn''t as precious as you make it, then I don''t want to hear you comining about it! Let''s go, Leia. Ignore this old geezer!" Old Mrs. Norman grunted unhappily and brought Leia out of the study. "Don''t be angry at Bianca, Grandma. She really doesn''t mean it..." Leia continued to pretend to speak up for Bianca, but Bianca thought that it was incredibly ironic. "You don''t have to speak up for her, Leia. I know that you''re a kind girl. You''d better stay away from your elder sister. Otherwise, you might be unlucky too..." Old Mrs. Norman grumbled unhappily. Leia held Old Mrs. Norman''s arm and walked away from the study. Before she left, she turned around to nce smugly at Bianca, but she did not expect that Bianca would be staring at her. The gaze was ice-cold, which made Leia shiver uncontrobly. However, she realized that she had nothing to be afraid of. Bianca was the one who broke the inkwell anyway. Chapter 855 Chapter 855 Her Days of Running Rampant Are Almost Over Bianca returned to her house unhappily with the pieces of the broken inkwell in her hand. The caretaker noticed her from afar and said excitedly, "You''re back, Madam. Sir was mentioning you earlier. What do you want for dinner?" Bianca nced at her watch and noticed that it was half-past six. She was quite surprised. "Luke usuallyes homete. Why is he home so early today?" Her voice was more shrill than usual. The caretaker smiled. "I didn''t ask him, but he seems to be in a good mood Bianca nodded and stepped into the living room. Luke was sitting on the couch reading a financial newspaper. He smiled happily when he saw his wife come into the house. "You''re back." "Mm.¡¯¡¯ Bianca took off her jacket and tossed it on the couch. Luke could see the worry in Bianca''s face. Luke put the newspaper away, hugged her from behind, and gently kissed her. "What''s wrong? Why do you look so down? Did someone bully you?" Bianca opened the box in her hands and revealed the broken inkwell inside. "No one bullied me. I was at Grandpa''s house earlier, and I broke his antique inkwell..." she said dejectedly. Luke picked up one of the pieces and rubbed it between his fingers. He felt the sharp edges of the broken piece and suddenly smiled. "I thought it was something serious. Don''t worry, I know a master conservator. No matter how broken an antique might be, it''ll be as good as new in his hands. I''ll bring the inkwell to him." Bianca looked at Luke with surprise. Her eyes were sparkling, but there was a hint of doubt. "The inkwell is already broken like this. There should still be cracks even if your friend manages to restore it, isn''t it? It won''t be as perfect as it once was." Luke smiled and gently pinched her earlobe. "I trust in his abilities, and he''ll definitely be able to give you a perfect inkwell. Why, don''t you trust your husband?" Bianca felt slightly relieved when she saw how confident he looked. "Of course I trust you. I hope that the inkwell can be restored. I felt so guilty when I saw how sad he was when he looked at the broken pieces..." Noticing that something was amiss, Luke frowned. "What actually happened? You''re not usually so clumsy. You rarely break anything at home, so how did you break Grandpa''s inkwell?" Luke could tell that the inkwell was very expensive. Old Mr. Norman was an antique lover, and he would usually keep his antiques safe. What coincidence must it be for his wife to "identally" break it! Bianca half-closed her eyes and told him what happened at her grandfather¡¯s house. Luke chuckled after listening to the entire story. "I thought Leia would''ve already learned her lesson. Don''t worry, her days of running rampant are over. I''ll make sure that she won''t cause any more trouble." Bianca wanted to ask if he was going to do something to her, but she did not ask the question anyway. After dinner, the couple sat on the balcony to enjoy the night scenery. They had not spent their personal time like that for a long time. It would be the weekend tomorrow. The driver would bring the twins and Tommy back to their mansion, and the couple would not have any more personal space. Luke saw that Bianca remained unhappy. There was a hint of worry in her eyes. "Are you still thinking about the inkwell? Don¡¯t worry, it''s no big deal at all." Bianca smiled at him. "Mm, I know." Luke continued, "You should stay at home for now. Wayne hasn''t been arrested yet, and I''m afraid that he might strike again." "Don''t worry, I''ll be careful. I haven''t been working for a very, very long time. I don''t want to feel useless." Even though Bianca knew that she would not have to worry about her finances because she was married to Luke, she did not want to be idle. Moreover, she was already running her ownpany. It was stressful, but she felt very aplished whenever she was at work. Luke did not agree, and there seemed to be no room for negotiation. Bianca hugged his neck and said coyly, "I can look after myself, my husband. If you''re still worried, I''ll bring a few bodyguards with me." Luke took in her fragrance and tightly hugged her slender waist. "Wayne is much more dangerous than you think. You should know how ruthless he can get. Zander is still in the hospital, and I don''t wish anything to happen to you." Zander was Bianca''s driver and bodyguard. When Kassy abducted Bianca, she had heavily injured Zander. He was still in the hospital in aa. Bianca felt uneasy after being reminded about what happened to her bodyguard. She could only comply with Luke''s wishes. "Alright, I''ll stay at home for another month. Next month, I''ll have to go to work no matter what. I can''t be idle any longer. The rent is expensive, and my employees are waiting for me to pay them." Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Luke could not help but chuckle. "So what about that? I can pay for it. You have nothing to worry about?" Bianca pinched his waist and red at him. "Do you think that your money grows on trees? If you''re going to waste your money like that, be careful that our children won''t have any money to eat." "Don''t worry. They can be jobless for all their lives, and their inheritance would be enough tost them several lifetimes." Lukeughed and went to the wine cab to retrieve a bottle of red wine. Then, he turned on the mini projector on the left side of the balcony. He fiddled with the remote and browsed to the horror section. He selected "The Curse of the Vige," a ssic horror film, and pressed the y button. He remembered watching the movie a few years ago. The movie was very old, but it was nheless scary. He was drenched in a cold sweat at the end of the movie. He had heard before that a man should watch a horror movie with his girlfriend or wife. Luke was curious to find out what his wife''s reaction would be. Would she be shaking in fear, or would she snuggle in his arms looking forfort? Chapter 856 Chapter 856 Weren¡¯t We Watching A Horror Movie... Bianca was watering the nts on the balcony with a watering can. She had just put the watering can away when she saw Luke browsing the movie catalog. She noticed the name of the movie that Luke had picked and could not help but ask, "Why are you ying a horror movie? I thought you always like sci-fi or war movies." She did not want to admit that she was afraid of watching horror movies. That would make Luke think that she was a coward. Luke smiled and turned off all the lights in the room. "Let''s watch something else today. Don¡¯t worry, I''m here," he said mysteriously. He beckoned at Bianca and told her to sit on hisp. Bianca hesitated for a while before sitting down next to him. She was not fond of horror movies, but she was very curious about the contents of the movie. With Luke sitting next to her, she was not as afraid. In fact, she was quite looking forward to it. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She leaned on his chest as he started ying the movie. The movie had just started ying when the caretaker ced a te of cut fruits on the round table in front of them... Next to them were the floor-to-ceiling windows. If they turned their heads, they could see the scenery outside. The curtains were sheer and white. The moonlight shone in through the thin curtains and created romantic patterns on the floor. The flowers on the balcony were in full bloom, and the starry sky was the backdrop to the dreamy scene. It was blissful indeed to be curling up in her beloved man''s arms on such a perfect night. Bianca ate the fruits while watching the movie. After a while, the movie became scarier and scarier. The ssic movie was about a man who could see ghosts and spirits. After a botched seance, he caught the attention of a malicious female ghost. After his friends died one by one under increasingly mysterious circumstances, he began to see more and more malicious spirits. Bianca was increasingly frightened by the plot. Whenever Bianca felt afraid, she would start eating to calm herself down. She did not notice that Luke''s hand was creeping up onto her intimate parts. When a pair of sharp ws appeared on the ground in the movie, Bianca shrieked in fear and spat out the cherry that she had just ced in her mouth. She nearly jumped out of her seat. "Oh my god! That was too frightening! Fortunately, the movie isn''t in 3D. I''d have a heart attack!" Even though it was not a 3D movie, the sound effects and music were topnotch. The frightful scenes on the big screen made Bianca burrow deeper into Luke''s arms. Meanwhile, Luke looked at the screen without showing any expression on his face. The bloody scenes and horrifying characters did not scare him. Instead, he thought that ssic movies seemed rather cheesy. His gaze eventually fell on the shivering Bianca. His wife''s face was pale, but her eyes remained transfixed on the screen. She did not realize that a cherry had fallen from her mouth. Luke decided to y a prank on his wife. He abruptly poked Bianca''s back, which caused her to jerk up and hug his neck tightly. "Ahh! A ghost!¡± She clung onto Luke tightly. Luke almost could not breathe. He did not expect that his seemingly frail wife could be so strong when she was in a panic. He was beginning to sweat. ¡®This woman!¡¯ He did not say a word, though each of her movements continued to arouse him. Bianca managed to catch her breath. She noticed that there was something wrong with Luke. She saw that Luke was dripping with sweat, and his expression was rather abnormal. "Are you afraid of horror movies too, Luke? Should we stop here for today?" She asked as she gently patted his cheek. "No, I''m not afraid," Luke said with much difficulty. Of course, Bianca did not believe him. She wiped away the sweat on his forehead and said, "See? You''re already sweating, heheh. Your body temperature is also quite high. Don''t tell me that you''re not afraid..." Luke hugged her tightly in his arms. "That''s all because of you!" Bianca shifted away guiltily. She was blushing hard. "I... I was quite afraid earlier. That guy died so suddenly..." Luke burst out inughter and stuffed a piece of fruit into her mouth." Watch the movie and keep your hands to yourself. I can''t be responsible for what happens next." Bianca stuck out her tongue at him. She looked like a squirrel when she nibbled on the piece of fruit. Luke became quite aroused watching her, but she was too focused on the movie to pay any attention to him. A few minutester, the scene became scary again... Bianca shrieked fearfully. One of her hands hugged Luke''s neck tightly, while the other hand dug into his chest. Luke had to tolerate her reactions while enduring the physical abuse she inflicted on him. He gently patted her head and said softly, "Good girl. If you''re afraid, you can close your eyes. There''ll be much more horrific and bloody scenester.¡± Bianca believed him. She instantly closed her eyes tightly. Luke grinned mischievously. He leaned over and held her head. His thin lips converged onto hers. Her lips tasted faintly of cherries, while his of wine. The sounds they made in their moments of intimacy while watching the horror movie were surprisingly gentle and seductive. The man''s kisses were gentle, as though he treasured her. Bianca knew that he had tricked her, but she was not angry. Instead, her eyes remained closed as she responded to his advances. Soon, Bianca realized that something was amiss. The man seemed to be more and more aroused. He took off her clothes, and before she knew it, she was already lying on the lounge bed on the balcony and pinned under a muscr body... "Ahh..." Weren''t we watching a horror movie? Why are we in bed now? ¡®That''s not how the plot should develop!'' Bianca''s mind was in a muddle. She wanted to reject Luke''s advances, but his kisses made her dizzy. She threw reason out of the window and let her instincts take charge of her actions. The movie was not important anymore. What was important was that her husband was there for her. The moon and the stars were the witnesses to their love. She hoped that they could remain like this forever. Chapter 857 Chapter 857 She Bore the Child of A Criminal Meanwhile, at the Norman residence. Themp in the yard cast a dim light on the fragrant garden and onto a gentle breeze of the early fall. Under the dense canopy of leaves was a white steel table. On it was a white porcin pot with a small mouth that emitted a wisp of vapor. Next to the pot was a basket with an assortment of delicate desserts. Jack stared vacantly at his beautiful and elegant wife, who was sitting in a rattan chair and sipping a cup of tea. The entire space belonged to the couple. As he stared at her, time seemed to have frozen, and they were back in their younger days. Jack was in a calm mood. He was not bothered by the political squabbles at work or any other earthly worries. All he wanted to do was sit there and enjoy the tranquility with his wife. He admitted that he had failed her. Because of him, their birth daughter had gone missing for more than twenty years, and they had adopted Leia from an orphanage. His wife had doted upon the young girl, but Leia turned out to be an ingrate. He could not predict how Queenie would react if he told her about what Leia did. She had not walked out of her depressive episode, and Jack dared not take the risk. However, he could not bear to see his wife being deceived by that unfilial daughter. Queenie saw that her husband was about to say something. "Is there anything, Jack? You''ve been sighing. You''re usually not like this." Jack ced his teacup on the table and ventured, "What do you think of our two daughters, Queenie?" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Queenie smiled gently. "They''re good girls. Bianca is sensible and outstanding. She has inherited our genes, and I''m proud of what she has done. She is like a diamond that sparkles brilliantly even under pressure. "As for Leia, she might not be biologically rted to us, but we''ve been raising her for so many years, and I know her character quite well. She''s not as outstanding as Bianca, but she''s also sensible and considerate. She might have made some mistakes, but it''s good that she learns from them. It''s just that... I feel sorry for her for not protecting her, and she has experienced things that someone of her age shouldn''t experience..." Tears welled up in Queenie''s eyes when she thought of the time when Leia was vited. She wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and said guiltily, "I didn''t expect the tt family''s third son would perform such inhuman deeds on our Leia. She''s in the prime of her life, and she still has a long way to go. What if that incident causes hersting trauma? What should we do?" The breeze was cool, bringing with it the gentle fragrance of flowers. 1 Only Queenie''s stifled sobs could be heard in the tranquil night. 1 Under the mottled shadows of the tree, Jack could see the sorrow and pity in Queenie as though she were translucent. Jack sighed helplessly, hugged his wife, and gently patted her back. "You can''t just see how things are at the surface, Queenie. There are a lot of things that we don''t know... for example, our younger daughter. Are you sure that you understand her character? Have you ever considered that her docile and obedient character might only be a ruse?" Queenie abruptly lifted her head and looked at her husband. "What are you trying to say, Jack? I know that Leia made a big mistake, but she''s learned her lesson, and she''s also very nice to Bianca. You''ve also witnessed her change. Don''t... don''t you trust our daughter?" Jack''s hands rested on Queenie''s cheeks and held her face in front of his." If she''s as considerate as you think, she wouldn''t have tried to destroy Luke and Bea''s rtionship. If she''s as docile as you think, she wouldn''t have threatened Dr. Hoover to falsify Julie Anderson''s DNA test report. If she''s as obedient as you think, she wouldn''t have involved herself with drugs and been taken away to a rehab center. Do you see what our younger daughter has done, Queenie? Or could you not ept that the girl that we''ve brought up has such a heinous character?" "I... I..." Queenie stubbornly turned her head away, averting her husband''s stern gaze. "That''s all in the past. We all make mistakes, don''t we? Leia did so many stupid things because she''s insecure. You should also know that kids who grow up in an orphanage can be more sensitive than others. "Bianca''s return might have made her more insecure than ever, and that''s why she... You can¡¯t be asking her to pay for her mistakes forever, can you? That''s not fair for her! "We''re a happy family now. Bianca and Luke are a loving couple, and they''ve given us three cute grandchildren. Leia has decided to quit the entertainment industry and learn business management from me, and she would also paint and practice yoga with me too. I think our life is perfect now!" Seeing that his wife remained stubborn, Jack swallowed the next words that were at the tip of his tongue. His wife had been irredeemably deceived by Leia''s charms. She would not believe it even if he showed her the evidence of their daughter''s deeds. Never mind. Looks like I''ll have to keep it a secret from Queenie. ''I won''t forgive anyone who dares to harm my birth daughter!'' When Leia received an emergency call from her father, she was sitting on the toilet in the bathroom of Old Mr. Norman''s house, staring incredulously at the double red lines on the pregnancy test kit! She was pregnant! How was that possible? After Wayne had vited her that time, she had taken the morning-after pill. It was impossible that she got pregnant. Her periods had alwayse on time, perhaps because she had always received adequate nutrition. She did not even have menstrual cramps, and she had always been healthy. This time, her period was two weekste... The extra red line on the pregnancy test kit was a stark reminder that she was really pregnant... What should she do? Leia''s hand that was holding the pregnancy test kit was shaking. She was bearing the child of a criminal! Chapter 858 Chapter 858 Who Is the Child In Her Womb? Leia could not ept that horrible fact. She instantly went to the best hospital to confirm if she was really pregnant. ''What if the pregnancy test kit is faulty?'' She remained hopeful. ''What if I''m not really pregnant?* 1 She rushed into the VIP wing of the hospital wearing a mask and an oversized pair of sunsses. The nurse took a urine and blood sample for the hCG test. 1 Half an hourter, the head of the obstetrics department read Leia''s test report carefully. "You are pregnant, Ms. Norman. The baby is thirty-six days old," she announced formally. "That''s... that¡¯s impossible! I can''t be pregnant!" Leia shrieked and covered her mouth. She felt her blood turning cold. "Your urine and blood tests both show that you are pregnant, Ms. Norman. It is almost impossible that both tests are wrong. Do you want to carry the child to term?" The doctor did not know how else she should exin it to Leia. Leia was already an adult. If she did not want a child, she could have taken preventive measures and not panic like what she was doing now. Leia instantly shook her head and looked at the doctor with pleading eyes." No, I''m not going to carry this child for another day. I want to abort it right now! Can you arrange an operation for me now? I want to get rid of it now!"Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The department head had been a doctor for many years and had performed many abortion procedures on women. It was her first time seeing a woman so anxious about aborting the child. She knew that Leia had an elevated social status, so she asked carefully," Is this your first pregnancy, Ms. Norman? If you would like to abort the child, what procedure would you like? Do you want to abort it by surgery or by medication?" Leia hesitated. Her hands that were holding the handbag were shaking." What¡¯s the difference between the two?" The doctor exined both procedures to Leia. "Medical abortion is suitable for pregnancies less than seven weeks. By taking medication, it will cause the female uterus to contract and expel the fetus. It is less damaging to the body, but the drawback is that the abortion might not be thorough. On the other hand, surgical abortion is performed by a machine. You''ll be sedated, the procedure will onlyst for a few minutes, and you''ll barely feel any difort. The chance of sess is 100%, but you''ll risk damaging your uterus. If you would like to perform a surgical abortion, you''ll have to wait for a few more days for the fetus to grow a little bigger." "What are the chances that a medical abortion will be sessful?" "You are healthy, Ms. Norman, and this is your first pregnancy. The chance of sess is more than eighty percent." Leia considered her options and bit her lip. "I''ll go for medical abortion!" She said ruthlessly. She could not wait to remove that b*stard child from her womb. Every extra minute having Wayne¡¯s spawn in her body made her want to die. The doctor performed another full examination of Leia''s body and made sure that her body was suitable for medical abortion. Then, she prescribed her mifepristone and misoprostol tablets. After receiving a few more pointers from the doctor, Leia left the hospital. Leia left the doctor''s office in a daze. She had to ept the fact that she was pregnant. She did not expect that the fetus was so tenacious. She had already taken emergency contraceptive pills, but she was pregnant anyway. Her expressions shifted from shock to confusion, to regret, and finally numbness. She could only curse her luck. Her eyes fell on the word "Pregnant'''' on the test report in her hands. She wanted to tear it into pieces. How would her parents react if they found out that she was pregnant with Wayne''s child? Would they disown her? She was not going to be driven away just like that. She still wanted to live afortable life. Leia put on her sunsses and quickly stepped away. She bumped into someone as she walked past the long corridor. "Excuse me..." The young woman instantly apologized to Leia. "Hey, are you blind? Can''t you see where you''re going?" Leia''s bad mood was exacerbated by the bump. She instantly started yelling at the young woman. The young woman looked quite beautiful. She had a slightly bulging stomach. She instantly felt aggrieved. She had already apologized to that woman, but that woman remained so arrogant. She fell into the arms of the man behind her andined to him. "What''s wrong with that woman, Xavier? I''ve already apologized to her, but why is she acting like a shrew?" "Who are you calling a shrew, you b*tch?" Leia could not control her temper. She instinctively raised his hand and wanted to p that woman, but when she saw that man''s handsome face, she slowly put her hand down. ''Xavier Tanner! Why is he here?" Xavier could not recognize Leia behind her disguise. "What do you want?" His voice was as cold and harsh as ice. Leia instantly felt uneasy. She was afraid that Xavier might recognize her. She grunted unhappily and said sarcastically to the woman, "Grow some eyes. Don''t bump into someone you can''t afford to offend!" After that, she quickly walked away in her high heels. Xavier did not stop her. He narrowed his gaze as he watched her walk away. The young woman pouted and stomped her feet unhappily when she saw that Xavier was ignoring her. When she lowered her head, she noticed that the woman earlier had dropped her test report. She picked it up curiously and noticed the name "Leia Norman" on it. Her eyes widened in shock and disbelief when she saw the report indicating that Leia was pregnant. She handed the report to Xavier and asked him, "Look at this, Xavier. This test report belongs to the woman earlier... Leia Norman? Is she the actress? Xavier turned to look at Leia disappearing into the corridor. His dangerous gaze became curious. He was sure that the woman was Leia, but he was surprised that she was pregnant! Who was the father of the child in her womb though? Chapter 859 Chapter 859 Have You Never Treated Me As Your Daughter? This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Leia stepped out of the hospital entrance and hurried over to the parking lot. She did not want to be late. After all, her father had summoned her back home, and she dared not disobey him. She had just fastened her seatbelt when she realized that the pregnancy test report was missing. She must have identally dropped it when she bumped into that young woman earlier! Leia''s head spun. She wanted to go back up to collect it, but there were so many people in the hospital, and someone might have already taken it. Moreover, if Xavier had picked it up, he must have already seen it. There were so many people with the same name in the world. Even if Xavier had seen it, he might not guess that it was her. Even if Xavier guessed that it was indeed her, all she had to do was not admit it. Leia breathed a sigh of relief after thinking of that. She started the car and left the hospital. She tuned in to a radio station, hoping to lighten the mood by listening to some music. There was a news sh after a song. "Good afternoon, fellow listeners. We have just received news that the Wayne family is currently undergoing investigations. Victor tt, the eldest son of the tts, has been taken into custody for allegedly being involved in several corrupt dealings that involved family members. At the same time, tt Corporation is also suspected to have ties with the criminal underworld. Vincent tt, the second son of the tts and the CEO of tt Corporation, has been suspended from his position and is being investigated. Wayne tt, the third son, is currently wanted for heinous crimes, and his current whereabouts are currently unknown. The police have promised a hefty reward for anyone who can provide information that leads to Wayne tt''s arrest." Leia was shocked. She did not expect that the influential family would be hit by multiple scandals at once. ''Looks like they''re about to fall from grace. They''re not that powerful after all!'' She thought contemptuously. At the same time, she wondered who might have the power to bring down the three tt brothers. Could it be Luke Crawford? If it were really him, then the man was more ruthless and powerful than she expected. He was quite thorough in dealing with the entire family if he wanted to get back at Wayne for attempting to kill him. Leia thought of the time when she wanted to kill Bianca with poisonous snakes. Luke had abducted her and had given her a taste of her own medicine. He had ced dozens of poisonous snakes on her body and tortured her for the entire night. She almost lost her mind from that ordeal. The man might look gentlemanly and noble, but Leia knew better than anyone else that he was not a gentleman at all. His gentle looks were nothing more than a disguise! She shuddered uncontrobly when she thought of what Luke could do, and she broke out in a cold sweat despite the cooling air-conditioning. She had a hand on the steering wheel, while the other was on her lower abdomen. Whatever happened to the tts was none of her business. She never liked them anyway. However, she was carrying the scion of the tts in her womb. She could not wait for it to be gone! Leia gave a call to her mother right before she arrived home. "Are you at home now, Mom? You''re not? Can youe home soon? Grandpa and Grandma gave me a lot of local produce, including the morel mushrooms that you''ve been craving for a long time. I''ll make mushroom soup when I get home. Pleasee back soon..." After she ended the call, Leia''s expression abruptly changed, as though the young woman who had spoken coyly through the phone was a totally different person. She knew that she could not face her father alone. He was too authoritative and discerning. She believed that her mother would be able to save her. Back at the Norman residence, Leia braced herself before opening the door to her father''s study. "Dad," She greeted her father. Before she could ask what was going on, her face was battered by a thick stack of documents! "What''s going on, Dad? Why are you so angry? Did I do something wrong?" Leia took a panicked step backward and discreetly pinched her arm hard so that tears started to fall. She looked at her father with innocent eyes. Jack red at his adoptive daughter coldly, not influenced by her tears." Look at what you have done, you wretched girl! I thought that you were kind -hearted despite being capricious, but I didn''t expect that you''d be hiding this ugly side of yours from us!" His entire body was shaking from anger. He would have kicked her if not that she was a girl! Leia clenched her fists tightly. She was breaking out in cold sweat, but she tried to remain calm. "What are you saying, Dad? I don''t understand." Jack mmed his fist on the table and nearly broke it. "Are you still trying to deny all the things that you''ve done? I might be able to forgive you for your poor character, but you even tried to harm your elder sister! Why did we raise an immoral ingrate like you?" Leia''s lips were pale as she tried to deny what she had done. "No, I haven''t harmed Bianca. I can swear to God, Dad. I..." "Take a look at the evidence at your feet before saying another word! Hmph!" Leia frantically picked up the documents that were thrown at her earlier. She nearly fainted when she saw the evidence of all the things she did to harm Bianca! It started with her hiring of a private detective to investigate Bianca''s past. After that, she injected the drug into the Persian cat at Blue Honors to injure Bianca. Then, she threatened Dr. Hoover to falsify the DNA test report which resulted in Julie Anderson being brought back to the Norman household. Also, she had conspired with criminals in an attempt to kill Bianca with venomous snakes... Tm finished. Tm finished!'' Leia''s entire body was stiff. The evidence that was presented to her threatened to swallow her whole. She knew that she could not lose her cool. If she did, then there would be no chance to redeem herself. Instantly, tears fell from Leia''s face like rain. "Where did you get all this, Dad? Would you rather believe these baseless usations than believe your daughter? Do I not deserve your trust? All I want to ask is... who am I to you? Have you never treated me as your daughter?" Chapter 860 Chapter 860 I Won''t Keep A Ticking Time Bomb In the Household Jack paused for a moment as he looked at Leia''s pathetic demeanor. "Are you still trying to deny what you''ve done, despite all the evidence that''s beenid bare in front of you? If you''ve been honest with me right from the start, I wouldn''t have been so angry. Do you think that I''m an idiot?" Jack had to admit that the mountain of evidence presented to him was true. He was stunned when he first saw the evidence. He could not believe that his "considerate" daughter could be so ruthless in private. It took him a long time to ept it. Tears swished in Leia''s eyes. Her back was straight, but her chest was heaving. "I only have one question for you, Dad. In all my years in the Norman household, have you ever treated me as your daughter? You''ve always been cold to me, and I can never figure out what you''re thinking. You don''t seem to like me no matter what I do to gain your favor. I thought that it''s just how your personality is, but the truth is cruel to me... Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Ever since Bianca returned to the household, you''ve been so nice to her because she''s your birth daughter. You fulfill her every wish, and you''ve even helped her with her business. Not only her, but you''ve also pampered her children. "How have you treated me? I''ve been an actress for so many years, and Mom is the one who always helps me with all my problems. The only thing you''ve ever told me is that girls should keep away from the chaotic environment and settle down with a stable job. Don''t you know how sad I am when I see you treat Bianca so differently? Now, you shower me with all these baseless usations without even asking me. How unfair is that?" Leia''s face was stained with tears. Every word was an usation of how Jack had unfairly treated her. Jack, despite being a seasoned politician, started to frown. However, he was not going to be swayed so easily. "Hmph," he grunted. He furrowed his brows as he thought of how he had treated Leia. "I admit that I haven''t been fair to you, but is that what you think of me? Without my permission, do you think your mother would have brought you back here so that you can live afortable life? "You have been known for your purity in the entertainment industry, and no director, producer, or funder would force you to shoot a kissing scene or join any of those business dinners. Do you think you alone couldmand their respect? If I haven''t warned them to stay away from you, do you think that you can maintain your pure reputation or win so many awards? Do you think that you can keep a clean record if I hadn''t interfered? "You were raised in an orphanage, Leia, and you might think that you deserve pity, but that doesn''t mean that the world should revolve around you. You always y the victim, even though none of us owe you anything. My wife and I have done our best to raise you as our daughter, but I didn''t expect that you''re an ingrate! Queenie might be soft-hearted, but it doesn''t mean that you can fool the rest of us. It looks like we shouldn''t keep you in the household." Jack''s words made Leia''s face even paler. "I''m sorry, Dad, I... I..." She mumbled, unable to finish a sentence. Jack red at her and ordered her sternly, "Pick up all the documents on the floor!" Leia dared not go against his wishes. She picked up the pieces of paper one by one. She would have ripped apart the documents in her hands if not that she was intimidated by Jack''s authoritative demeanor. Holding the thick stack of documents in her hands, she knew that there was no use denying it any longer. Her father was not going to be as easily deceived as her mother. All she could do was fall on her knees and beg. "I know that I''m wrong, Dad. I shouldn''t have tried to harm Bianca... I was only jealous that Bianca had reced my position in the family, and I was even more afraid that you might disown me, and that''s why I''ve done so many silly things. Please don''t disown me... I swear that I''ll treat Bianca nicely. If I ever go against my word, may I get hit by a truck!" Leia thought that her father would forgive her after making that promise. Jack''s expression did not soften at all. He took out a stamp pad from a drawer. He indicated to Leia to put the documents on the table. Leia could onlyply despite feeling uneasy. Jack tossed the stamp pad on the table. "I can allow you to remain in the household, but I have to be prepared for any eventuality. I want ck-and- white evidence and not verbal promises! Sign on the documents and affix your thumbprint." Leia bit hard on her lower lip. "Dad, you can¡¯t... you can''t treat me like this..." Jack remained unconvinced. "Then you can¡¯t stay here. I can''t allow a ticking time bomb to live in the household and harm my family. Also, I''ll hand in all the evidence to the police station." Leia shuddered and fell on the floor. "Don''t, Dad... I... I''ll sign it. Please forgive me. I won''t do it again. If you hand in the evidence to the police station, I''ll be finished. Please forgive me for this once..." Jack did not say a word. If she was not going to sign the documents, he was quite determined to finish her off once and for all. Seeing that her father was not going to yield, Leia could only sign on each of the documents while feeling greatly humiliated. After affixing her thumbprint, she teetered as though she was going to faint at anytime. Just when she had finished all that, Queenie''s gentle voice could be heard from outside the study... Chapter 861 Chapter 861 I¡¯ll Kneel Here Until He¡¯s Not Angry Anymore Jack calmly kept away the stamp pad and the documents. Queenie happened to step into the study as he locked the drawer. Leia remained kneeling on the floor, staring vacantly at her father''s actions. How she wished that she could spit fire from her eyes to burn those documents into ashes! Fortunately, her mother came back just in time. Her father would not give her a hard time. Queenie''s smiling face sank drastically when she saw her daughter kneeling on the floor while sobbing as though she was punished. She hurriedly rushed up to Leia and helped her up. "Why are you kneeling on the floor, Leia? The floor is so cold. Get up!" Leia stubbornly remained kneeling, her frail body swaying as though she was a dying flower, and shook her head at her mother. "I should be punished for my mistakes, Mom. Dad is right to punish me." When Queenie heard that, she dragged Leia from the floor and red at her husband. "Why did you have to make her kneel if she did something wrong? You could have disciplined her some other way. To think that you''re the Provincial Committee Secretary, too!" Previously, Jack had sent Queenie out on some errands, knowing that she would protect their daughter. He did not expect that she would return so soon. He red at Leia coldly, knowing that his daughter must have gotten Queenie toe back. He wondered why he did not notice how scheming his daughter was. No wonder she would dare to harm Bianca. He took a deep breath. "I have my reasons for doing this, Queenie. You don''t have to meddle in this. One must pay the price for their mistakes. If you continue to harbor her, she will only make bigger and bigger mistakes. There''s only so much I can do to protect my daughter; I don''t want to wait until it''s too late!" It was the first time that Jack had used such a stern tone on his wife. Queenie was too protective of her daughter. She red angrily at her husband. "Leia is a kind girl. She might have made some mistakes, but she''s already learned her lesson. Why must you harp on them? Don''t you know that you''ll traumatize our child? Please keep your airs of a politician at work and not bring them home..." She looked lovingly at her daughter. "Your dad is muddled, Leia. He thinks that he can order us around like we''re his subordinates. Don''t mind him. Let''s go!" Leia nced timidly at her father. Her legs were shaking. "Dad is still angry at me, Mom. I''ll kneel here until he''s not angry anymore..." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Queenie poked Leia''s head with a finger. "Silly girl, do you like kneeling that much? Don''t you listen to your mother? Why, Jack, are you prepared to let our daughter for an entire day?" Jack saw that his wife was ring at him resentfully. He knew that he was not going to discipline their daughter anymore. In any case, he had already achieved what he wanted. He wagged his hands and said helplessly, "Alright, that''s enough for today. I hope you remember your lesson today, Leia. There are some things that you shouldn''t do. Otherwise, I won''t go easy on you. Understand?" His tone of voice might be calm, but Leia could tell from his eyes that his warning was final. Her face turned pale as she averted Jack''s gaze. "I know, Dad... I''ll remember the lesson you taught me today, and I should know what to do in the future. I''ll make sure that you and Mom are proud of me," she said timidly. Queenie held Leia''s icy hand and led her out of the study whileining about how cruel Jack was. Leia smiled dryly and showed a look of despair. "Mom, does Dad hate me? Does he only like Bianca? Is it because Bianca is rted to you by blood, but I''m only adopted from an orphanage?" Queenie¡¯s heart wrenched when she saw how dejected Leia was. "That can''t be. We treat the two of you the same. Moreover, you''re already like a birth daughter after living with us for so many years. No one cane between us. You are our precious daughter, and we won''t abandon you ever." Leia grabbed onto Queenie''s hand as though she was drowning at sea grabbing onto a nk. Her face seemed thinner, but her eyes were sparkling. "Do you mean what you say, Mom? What if I disappoint you greatly one day? Won''t you abandon me either? After all, I''ve tried to harm Bianca..." Queenie had a feeling that Leia was not her usual self, but she did not think too much of it. Instead, she smiled and said, "Of course. We should let bygones be bygones. Your sister won''t hold a grudge against you either. She''s already forgiven you, and I¡¯d forgive you too." She thought that Leia was talking about the harmless pranks that Leia had done to Bianca, and not those that threatened Bianca''s life. Leia smiled and gently hugged her mother. "You''re so nice to me, Mom. You''re the only one who loves me in this family..." While Queenie was not looking, Leia''s gaze was venomous as she stared at the door of Jack''s study. ''Heh, how dare he force me to confess to my crimes? Til find a chance to steal the evidence, then I''ll burn the entire room down! What is he going to do to me then?'' It had already been two months since the incident of The Galleria. Finally, T Corporation and the police held a joint press conference to reveal the truth behind the tragedy: The copse was due to sabotage, and Kassy and Wayne tt were the culprits. T Corporation revealed the evidence that was collected in secret and Kassy''s confession in prison. While a minority of the media remained insistent that T Corporation was at fault, the solid evidence managed to sway many media outlets to speak up for T Corporation. T Corporation had promised topensate the families of the victims a huge sum of money, despite being caught in a difficult financial situation following the bad press. The money was paid promptly, which caused another sensation in the city. Many media outlets and influencers apologized to T Corporation. Even those who had protested against thepany were embarrassed. Soon, the reputation of T Corporation was repaired... Chapter 862 Chapter 862 He Would Give Her A Grand Wedding Other than giving the families of the victims a huge sum of money aspensation, Luke Crawford, the CEO of T Corporation, made a personal promise that he would grant a job for anyone from the victims'' immediate family. If there were any elderly dependents, Luke also promised that T Corporation would support them with their living expenses for the rest of their lives. The families of the victims were incredibly grateful for Luke''s generous measures. T Corporation had resolved its crisis, and its share prices continued to rise. Thepanies that had severed ties with T Corporation during its crisis regretted doing so, but it was already toote. However, the copse of The Galleria was a serious incident. Even though T Corporation was innocent, the police arrested eighteen people, including the contractor, the general manager of the management company, and the constructionpany. The head architect of The Galleria was investigated by the Public Integrity Committee, and T Corporation was hit with certain sanctions. The public was satisfied with the oue of the investigation and T Corporation''s remedial measures. T Corporation was also relieved that their reputation was finally redeemed. Everything seemed to be taking a turn for the better. The only worry was that Wayne tt, one of the chief culprits behind the incident, remained atrge. Even so, the reputation of the tt family was beginning to decline, and Wayne was widely despised. T Corporation. Luke stood at the balcony, enjoying the evening wind. The man stood tall and straight like a god. He wore a simple white shirt and a bespoke patterned tie. The top button of his shirt was undone, and several kiss marks could be seen below his sculpted corbones. His sleeves were folded, and his forearms were revealed. His arms seemed to be glowing under the pale light. Jason, his trustworthy assistant for many years, was standing behind him. After Mavis left T Corporation, his position in thepany became even more crucial. Jason reported thetest financial updates of thepany to his boss and anything his boss needed to know about the Galleria incident."... The government isn''t finding fault with us anymore, and the families of the victims are satisfied with thepensation. Everything is going ording to n, except that Wayne remains on the loose. We''ve tried to hunt him down multiple times, but Wayne was an ex-special forces soldier, and he''s a very cunning one. Whenever we''re about to arrest him, he will manage to escape..." Luke listened to the report without saying anything. He held a menthol cigarette between his fingers. There was a fresh smell of mint as smoke swirled in the air. The smoke obscured his expression, though Jason could see a hint of danger on his boss''s handsome face, and that made him feel uneasy. Luke gave off an intimidating aura, but Jason had to continue to give his report while cold sweat dripped from his forehead. He wondered if his boss was not satisfied with his performance. "Mr. Doyle..." Luke suddenly opened his mouth and interjected Jason''s report. His voice was as cold and harsh as a rock. "Have you held your wedding with Sue yet?" "Huh?" Jason was surprised. He did not expect that his boss would change the conversation topic while they were talking aboutpany business. Luke seemed unsatisfied with Jason''s answer and continued to ask him," Have you registered your marriage yet?" "N... No." Jason wiped the sweat off his forehead and smiled drily. "Sue hates me now. She doesn''t want to marry me or even register the marriage Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Ever since Bailey, his ex-wife, had ruined their photoshoot at the bridal boutique and injured them physically, Sue refused to marry him. They were almost about to get married, but Bailey''s intrusion caused their wedding to be postponed indefinitely. Luke suddenly smiled, though there was a hint of pity in that smile." Haven''t you cated your ex-wife after so many years? I have noints about your capabilities at work, but you seem to be indecisive when ites to your personal rtionships. No wonder Sue doesn''t want to marry you." Through Bianca, Luke found out what was going on between Jason and Sue. If he were Jason and someone harmed the woman he loved, he would make them pay, no matter who the other party was! However, Jason had allowed his ex-wife to repeatedly disrupt his personal life and even harm Sue and her twin daughters, only because Jason had a son with his ex-wife. Luke was quite disappointed with Jason. Jason blushed and lowered his head guiltily. "You''re right, Boss. I won''t let Bailey bully us anymore! I''ll deal with our rtionship and protect Sue and our daughters." He was a soft-hearted man. Moreover, his son with Bailey was suffering from leukemia. Jason had always been in agony watching his young son suffer, but he could never find a matching donor. Despite the resentment between Jason and Bailey, the little boy was innocent. Kari and Teri, Sue¡¯s twin daughters, had matching bone marrow types, but Sue was not going to allow Jason to use their bone marrow on his ex-wife''s son. He could not force her to change her mind. Jason understood that Sue loved her daughters, but at the same time, he felt guilty for his son. He had condoned Bailey to run rampant over his life because of that sickly son, but he did not expect that Bailey would go overboard. Luke was not going to talk to him about his rtionship with Sue. Luke turned around, knocked on the railing of the balcony, and suddenly said, "I''ve heard that every woman dreams of having a grand wedding. I think it''s time that I give Bianca one..." Chapter 863 Chapter 863 She Secretly Desires for A Wedding Reception Wanda had been undergoing a naturopathic treatment procedure for her breast cancer. She took bitter herbal tonics every day, and her health slowly improved. She was happy that she did not have to remove her breasts. One day, she came over to the mansion to visit Bianca and Old Master Rayne. Bianca was giving some pointers on oil painting to her aunt in the studio. On the walls of the studio were an assortment of paintings done in different styles. The paintings were beautiful. Bianca had painted most of them during her free time. She mixed some oil paints on the palette while exining the theory behind oil painting to her aunt. "Painting with oils is very different from painting with watercolors, Aunt Wanda. "When you paint with watercolors, you treat the paper as part of your process. Even if you leave certain parts unpainted, it can still be apleted piece. On the other hand, oil painting emphasizes shape and color. You''ll have to fill in every square inch of your canvas. Look here, doesn''t it look more beautiful when you fill this area with color?" On the canvas was a beautiful and etherealke. In the distance was an arch bridge, while green willows dotted the background. On the bank were several morning glories in bloom, and several birds were flitting mischievously in the sky. Bianca was exining to her aunt how to mix colors and bnce the warmth and coolness of a painting. Recently, Wanda had been obsessed with oil painting. She had signed up for oil painting sses. However, after attending several sses, she thought that the instructor was not as skilled as her niece. That was why she asked Bianca for advice while she was there visiting her father. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Wanda was quite impressed that the rather crude painting had be a lot more pleasing to the eye. Wanda gestured a thumbs-up at her niece and praised her. "I only know that you''re talented in design. I didn''t expect that you''re so amazing with oil painting too! You''re a genius, Bea!" Bianca blushed. "You tter me, Aunt Wanda. I''m not that great. I only doodle a little whenever I''m free. Luke is a much better artist than I am." Wanda put the brush away and said, "No wonder you''re such a good match with Luke. I was worried that his family would bully you because your family isn''t very remarkable, but it looks like the two of you have persevered through thick and thin. I''m relieved when I see that." Bianca took a towel and gently wiped a paint stain on Wanda''s hand. "You don''t have to worry about us, Aunt Wanda. We''re happily married with children after all. I''m worried about you though. Your condition is finally improving, and you''ll have to take good care of yourself. Right, is your ex-... I mean, is that person still bothering you?" Bianca wanted to p herself when she saw her aunt''s smile fade away upon the mention of that person. Wanda''s ex-husband was her nightmare. Bianca should not have mentioned him. Wanda''s gloom onlysted for a brief moment before she resumed her usual expression. "He isn''t. He has his life now, and I have mine. I think it''s a good thing that we won''t ever meet again." "Oh..." Bianca nodded knowingly. Suddenly, she remembered the handsome diplomat she met when she visited her aunt, and she instantly became curious. "I remember that a diplomat was trying to court you, Aunt Wanda. He seemed like a gentleman and cared greatly for you. How are things between you and him?" Wanda blushed and used a finger to poke Bianca''s forehead. "Why are you suddenly so nosy, Bianca? We''re only friends. It''s not like what you think..." "Oh?" Bianca''s face was full of disbelief. "Are you sure that you''re not dating him?" Wanda ruffled her niece''s hair. "I didn''t know that you''re such a gossip, Bianca. Anyway, how are things between you and Luke? You''ve already registered your marriage, and you have three children. Has he ever mentioned if he''d give you a wedding? A wedding is a symbol of love, respect, and tradition. You might be legally husband and wife, but you''ll feel like you''re missing something if you don''t have a wedding reception." Bianca was momentarily startled. "Aunt Wanda, T Corporation had only recently extricated itself from a PR crisis, and Luke has been terribly busy. The wedding can wait. Moreover, I don''t think we need to go through with the formalities if we truly love each other. What can be more blissful than spending the rest of my life with my husband?" Wanda shook her head in disapproval. "You''re so considerate about him, but have you considered your own feelings? You might have registered your marriage with him, and it''s also published in the newspapers, but it''s different when your husband is from a wealthy family. If you don''t hold a wedding, the tabloids will gossip about it." Bianca shook her head determinedly. "You worry too much, Aunt Wanda. I''ve been through so much all these years. Do you think I''d care about what some tabloid thinks?" Wanda sighed. "You''re still too young, Bianca. Haven''t you seen the entertainment newstely? Nevea Carson, that popr actress, is married to John X. They''ve already registered their marriage, have two sons, and even made joint appearances on variety shows. The man hasn''t given her a wedding reception despite being married for many years, and Nevea still addresses her mother-inw as ''Aunt.'' Word has it that John''s mother doesn''t recognize Nevea''s status because she''s a mere actress. I hope you won''t turn out like that, Bea..." Bianca was not sure how to react to that. She hugged her aunt''s neck and said, "I certainly didn''t expect that you care about entertainment gossip, Aunt Wanda. The paparazzi make up stories so that they can sell tabloids. You shouldn''t believe what they saw. You really don''t have to worry about me. If Luke and I have a wedding reception, you''ll be the first to know." "Sigh, silly girl, I hope you don''t get bullied..." Wanda continued to advise Bianca. Bianca might be smiling, but there was a hint of wistfulness in her smile. She would be lying to herself if she said that she did not want a grand wedding reception. Chapter 864 Chapter 864 Have You Offended Anyone? The next three months passed in the blink of an eye. The growth of Brilliant Architectural Design LLC, Bianca''spany, was on track. Other than her, Sue and Nina were also in thepany. Bianca''s designs were spectacr, and she treated every client with equal respect. Moreover, she remained in contact with many clients from the time she was the CEO of T Corporation, and Sue and Nina had many contacts of their own. Thepany was swamped by projects ever since it started operating. Thepany made a profit in less than three months of operation, and it had to hire new employees to keep up with the workload. Bianca and Nina went to a few prestigious academies to scout for prospective employees. TO their disappointment, most of the graduates were boastful with their abilities, and they demanded a high sry despite having no work experience. She posted job listings on several recruitment websites to hire some experienced employees. While Bianca was working in her office one day, the receptionist knocked on her door. "Ms. Rayne, this is the resume of our interviewee today. Her name is Shireen Williams, and she has just graduated from university. I think she is quite outstanding, please take a look." Bianca nodded. She read through her resume and her design portfolio. She was quite excited. ¡¯Ask her in." The receptionist did so. Soon, a young woman in her early twenties entered Bianca''s office. She had short hair, a serene face, and clear eyes. She seemed quite thin, but she had a naturally refreshing demeanor. Bianca instantly had a good impression of her. "Nice to meet you." The young woman was visibly surprised when she saw Bianca. Perhaps she did not expect that the general manager of thepany was a young woman as well. Bianca was dressed in dark-colored office clothes that exposed her neck. Her hair was braided behind her so that her face and her pearl ear studs were uncovered. She seemed like a gentle woman, but Shireen felt pressured by Bianca''s prating gaze. "Please have a seat, Ms. Williams." Bianca pointed at the chair on the other side of her desk. "I see that you have a master''s degree in architectural design from Capital University, and your results are excellent." Bianca''s genuine smile made the young woman feel relieved. Her tightly clenched fists rxed. However, when Bianca mentioned her name, she became nervous once more. She had applied for a job at several otherpanies, but they rejected her instantly when they saw her name. Shireen had asked her interviewers why that was the case. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Those people only shook their heads and returned her resume to her. "I am sorry to say that we cannot hire you, and we are unable to tell you the reasons why. Please leave." Shireen felt her hope fading away. If biggerpanies refused to hire her, chances were that the young general manager in front of her would do the same. She held tightly onto the CV in her hands, crumpling its corners. Bianca noticed Shireen''s changed mood, and her eyes returned to Shireen''s resume. "Ms. Williams, you have been the top scorer of your cohort every year for the four years you were in the degree program, and you have As and A+s for your associate course. You have won the special award of the National Undergraduate Design Competition for two consecutive years, and even more awards while you were pursuing your master¡¯s degree. You have also published several highly-acimed articles in SCI and El. You are an outstanding individual, Ms. Williams. I''m wondering why you''d apply to a small company like us." Shireen looked at her and hesitated. It''s because... I can''t find a job anywhere else." "If your achievements in your resume and your design portfolio are genuine, that shouldn''t have been the case." Bianca inspected her carefully, trying to discern any changes in her expression. Shireen smiled dryly and shook her head. ¡®Don''t worry. I didn''t not fake my resume, but I don''t know why nopany wants to hire me. I''ve lost count of the number ofpanies I applied to. It''s either they don''t give me a reply or the interviewer would tell me that I''m underqualified..." "Have you offended anyone?" Bianca thought for a while and asked. She guessed from her experience that it must be the case. Shireen must have offended someone important and influential. Otherwise, there was no reason that she could not find a job. "My social circle is very small. I usually stay at home and study, and I''ve never fallen foul with anyone. I can''t imagine offending anyone." Shireen thought for some time but remained clueless. Bianca was not going to pry into her personal life. She browsed through Shireen''s CV once more and smiled brightly. "If that''s the case, would you like to start your career in ourpany? It''s not very big, and we''ve only just started, but I believe you''ll enjoy working here." Shireen''s jaw dropped in disbelief. "Are you sure? Am I hired?" Bianca nodded sheepishly. "Yes, I would like to hire you. Ourpany has just started operations, so we can''t afford to pay a lot yet. Your sry in the probationary period will be $2,500, and after that, it''ll be $3,000 withmission and meal allowance. We''ll pay for your insurance and 401K, but we don''t provide amodation." Shireen jumped up from the chair like an excited child. "No, Ms. Rayne, I''m grateful that you''re willing to hire me. The sry isn''t low at all. I''ll do my best here!" "Alright. Wee!" Bianca stood up and shook hands with Shireen. Bianca did not know that she had hired a design genius for herpany. In years toe, Shireen would grow Brilliant Design''s reputation into one of the top architectural design firms in the country. Of course, that would be a story for another time. Bianca stayed back to work overtime. At nine o''clock, she realized that Nina was still in her seat. As she worked on herptop, the illumination from the screen shone on her slightly pale face. Design drafts were scattered all over her desk. Nina rested her head on her hand while drawing a design. She seemed to be worried about something... Chapter 865 Chapter 865 A Leech of A Mother Bianca walked up to Nina and gently patted her back. "Hey, it''s time to go home, you workaholic. Let me treat you to supper." Nina put her pen down, tidied up the scattered pieces of paper on her desk, and smiled gently. "No, thanks. I''ll have to rush hometer. My mom called me earlier and said that she''s fallen sick. I''d better go home soon. Otherwise, she''ll be yelling at me again." Bianca was worried when she saw that Nina''splexion was pale." Should I go with you?" She knew that Anna, Nina''s mother, had always abused Nina. Anna''s abuse was not so grant. Even since Jean was sent to prison, Anna''s character seemed to have changed totally. She had be a leech that sucked Nina''s blood. Nina declined. "It''s fine. I can manage it. My mom is still very prejudiced against you. I don''t think it''s a good idea that you show up." Jean was sentenced to six years in prison because he had plotted to harm Bianca. He was still in prison. Bianca was silent. She remembered how Jean used to love and care for her, but he suddenly became as terrifying as a demon. He had drugged her and let his friends vite her as though she were nothing but an object. It was a painful incident that she did not wish to remember. Even so, they were once in a rtionship, and Bianca could not help but ask Nina about Jean. "How is... how is your brother now?" Nina tried to sound rxed. "He''s alright. I visited him a few months ago. He''s thinner and more haggard, but his personality seems to have changed. It looks like he''s be a more positive person. Looks like he has learned his lesson in prison." "How... long more will he be in there?" Jean was sentenced to six years in prison for attempted rape. Usually, someone whomitted that crime would have received a three-year sentence, but Luke had fought for the maximum sentence of six years. "I''ve heard from the wardens that my brother''s sentence is reduced by two and a half years because of good behavior. He''s already been inside for three years, so it''ll be another year before he''s free." Bianca was silent for a while before sighing. "Do you hate me, Nina? Your brother is in prison because of me, and your life has turned upside-down." Nina yfully punched Bianca''s shoulder and red at her. "What are you talking about? Jean deserves to be sent to prison. If I were the victim, I''d also do what you did. Also, I''ve told you many times that you''re not the one at fault. I just happened to meet a bad guy. Alright, let''s not mention the past anymore. I''ll be heading off!" Bianca was worried as she watched Nina leave. She did not say anything and shook her head helplessly. Nina drove for almost three hours back to her parents'' house at Caerhill Town. It was almost midnight when she arrived. Her high heels clicked on the old steps of a residential building. She could hear her mother before she entered the house. "You worthless, good-for-nothing bum! You don''t make any money, and you sit at home and mope every day! I''ve never known a day of bliss ever since I married you. What kind of father are you to be so indifferent to your son in prison?" Naturally, the voice belonged to Anna, who was relentlessly dressing down on the down-to-earth Mr. Langdon. Mr. Langdon''s hair was graying, and his back was hunched. He was only fifty years old, but he looked as though he was in his sixties or seventies. He took another drag of his cigarette, allowing himself to be battered with insults from his wife. His clouded eyes were filled with misery. The floor was littered with cigarette butts. Nina knocked hard on the door to break the tension in the house. "I''m home, Dad." Mr. Langdon opened the door and smiled caringly when he saw his daughter. "You''re back, Nina. Why are youte? Have you had dinner? I''ll heat up something for you in the kitchen." "It''s fine, Dad. I''m not hungry. I ate something on my way back home." Nina stopped her father from going to the kitchen. She nced around the living room. It was a mess. Her mother had broken many things. Anna grimaced when she saw her daughter return. "Heh, you''ve finally remembered that we''re waiting for you at home! Looks like you don''t need us anymore. What have you been doing outside?" Nina put her handbag down and controlled her temper. "You said that you''re sick, Mom, and so I''m here to check on you. You seem to be quite healthy to me. If there''s nothing else, I''ll be going off. I stillContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. have to work tomorrow; I''m very busy." Anna hurriedly stood in Nina''s way and grabbed her handbag. "It''s rare that youe home. How about you stay for the night?" She snatched her daughter''s LV handbag and opened it. Nina did not say a word as she watched her mother rummage through her handbag like a bandit. Anna emptied out the contents of her handbag and only found some work- rted documents, a simple makeup kit, and some bills of small denominations. She red at Nina as though threatening to devour her daughter with her gaze. "Why didn''t you bring any money to your parents at home? You know that times are hard, so why can''t you give us some money? Do I have any use for an ingrate like you?" Nina chuckled. "Aren''t you ashamed of yourself for saying that? Every month, I transfer to you almost all my sry and allowance. Don''t you withdraw the money from your ount every 15th of the month? I don''t have any personal savings, and that''s all the living expenses that I have. What else do you want?" Anna took all the cash from the handbag without leaving a single cent for Nina and stashed it into her pocket. Then, she took a tattered cloth bag from a drawer, ced Nina¡¯s belongings inside, and imed the LV handbag as her own. "This handbag looks like it can fetch a pretty penny at the pawnshop. I''ll have to help your brother. He''s suffering in prison, and you should help him too. You have many handbags, so you shouldn''t mind giving me this one..." Chapter 866 Chapter 866 Come to Suite 8808 in Hotel X in An Hour! Nina tried very hard to control her anger as she watched her mother rob her clean. Mr. Langdon coughed awkwardly and could not help but reprimand Anna, "I say, Anna, our daughter is already tired from work. Can''t you give her a moment of peace? Nina isn''t very rich in the first ce. Why must you deprive her of every cent? Can''t you..." Anna retorted shrilly, "You''re in no position to speak, you useless bum! If you had made your fortune, I wouldn''t have to take money from our daughter! Our poor Jean is still suffering in prison! I visited him a few days ago, and I saw that he''s be thinner than ever. My poor son! I feel so sorry for him..." Anna''s tears fell like rain as sheined resentfully. She insulted her husband for being useless while scolding Nina for not bringing enough money home. Nina wanted to cover her ears. Eventually, she could not hold it back anymore. "I give you about eight thousand dors every month, Mom. That''s almost a hundred thousand dors in a year. What else are you not satisfied with? I''ve already given you more than two million dors over thest three years. Which other girl would be stupid enough to feed the bottomless hole in their family with their sry?" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Anna prodded Nina''s forehead. "That''s what you should do. You should help out your family who¡¯s in need. Who else in the family can help your brother? Your good-for-nothing dad, or your jobless mother?" "You shouldn''t have spent all your savings on Marie! That woman threatened you with Jean''s child to pay for her house. I told you that it was a bad idea, but you don''t listen. Now that the child is miscarried and Marie is sent to prison, you can''t get the house back, and your savings are gone. You''ve brought this upon yourself!" Anna was livid when Marie was mentioned. "Don''t mention that b*tch''s name in front of me! Jean wouldn''t have done such a stupid thing if Marie didn''t instigate him. That b*tch deserves to rot in prison! Sigh, my poor grandson. He''d be almost three years old if Marie had given birth to him..." Nina impatiently handed a napkin to her mother. "Stop crying. There''s nothing you can do now that the child is gone. Marie sleeps around with so many men. Who knows if that child is actually Jean''s!" Anna stopped crying abruptly as though she gained an epiphany. ''That''s right. That b*tch is a sleazy woman. She''s also sleeping with other men even when she''s pregnant. How disgusting! ''She might have be pregnant with another man''s child and med it all on my son. ''Fortunately, the child was miscarried. I wouldn''t want to raise someone else''s child!'' Even so, Anna remained stubborn. "Your brother will be in prison for another year, and I can''t bear to watch him suffer inside there anymore. Can''t you help your brother? I met someone a few days ago, and he says that he can help with getting Jean released early. He needs one million..." Nina rubbed her temples that were beginning to ache. "I''m a single woman with no money or influence. I''ve already given you all my money, and I don''t have any savings. I don¡¯t know anyone influential either. Stop trying to pull strings to get Jean released, Mom. Do you remember that you trusted your friend who said that she knew someone in the department that could help Jean? You gave her two million dors, and where did all that money go? Haven''t you learned your lesson? How many more lessons do you need?" Anna felt a little guilty, but she soon found her crutch. "That''s because I''m worried about your brother! Right, Nina, don''t you have a sugar daddy now? Ask for his help to bail Jean out." "Mom, how did you know..." Nina was dumbfounded. She had tried to keep her personal life secret from her mother, but somehow she found out... Anna grunted smugly. Don''t think that I don''t know what you do just because you live far away from us! If you haven''t found a sugar daddy, where would you get so much money? The word in town is that you''re sleeping with someone in A City, and it''s not a secret anymore. I don''t really care what you do as long as you send money home... Oh, I also want to buy a house for your brother and look for a job for him so that he''ll be settled once he''s released. No woman would want to marry him if he doesn''t have money. Whatever you send every month isn''t going to be of much use." That materialistic and selfish mother! Nina was furious. She picked up the tattered cloth bag and stepped toward the door. "It seems that my presence is not wee here, and you''re not sick at all, Mom. I''ll be leaving." "You''d better find a way to get more money! We don''t have any more food in the kitchen! All you know is dress up and go to work every day. You don''t care about your brother at all. I nearly died giving birth to you. I should''ve let you die instead!" The more Anna spoke, the angrier she became. She lifted her hand and pped Nina''s face. Nina did not manage to dodge in time. A red welt instantly appeared on her face. She identally bit her tongue, and the taste of blood instantly filled her mouth. Trembling with anger, she stormed out of the house. Mr. Langdon tried to pull her back. "It''s rare that youe back, Nina. Why not stay for the night?" Nina pushed her father away, covered her face, and smiled superficially." You saw what happened, Dad. There''s no ce for me in this house. Take care, Dad. I''lle and visit you another time." "Am I bothering you now, Nina? Don''t evere home then!" Nina did not turn around as she mmed the door. She could still hear her mother''s shrill insults and her father''s sighs from inside. Nina wanted to smile, but tears began to fall. Suddenly, she received a message on her phone. It was from her "sugar daddy." "Come to Suite 8808 of Hotel X in an hour." How demanding and cold! Chapter 867 Chapter 867 She Turned Her Head Away Disgustedly Nina stared at the message for a while beforeughing drily. She eventually chose to ignore it. She was like a pet, subject to her owner''s beck and call. That was such a horrible feeling! Nina got into her car, fastened her seatbelt, and drove away from her parent''s house. She sped all the way back to A City. It would usually take three hours to make that journey, but she reduced it by half. Soon, she found herself in the most happening part of A City. She looked through the car window at the scenery outside. Streetmps like stars adorned the tree- lined avenue, giving off a dreamy atmosphere. She did not like nights like these. The neon signboard read "Queen''s Pub" and gave off an alluring glow. Nina parked her car, took a deep breath, and stepped out. The moment she opened the door, she was hit by a wave of body heat. She looks coldly at the depraved crowd on the dance floor. The speakers in the nightclub sted loud music, causing the bodies and limbs of those people on the dance floor to jerk and writhe. That was the rhythm of the night. Nina stepped past the crowd and went into the employee''s entrance. She changed her clothes and wore her ID. That was her part-time job at night. Her sry at work was not enough to satisfy her mother''s demands. Today, she was in charge of private room number 6. Nina smiled faintly when she thought of all the tips that she would be getting. Room number 6 was a VIP room that served the most wealthy and influential clients of the nightclub. They were usually very generous. Sitting next to her was Leona, her colleague. She wore smokey makeup, but unfortunately, her body was thin and t. She saw Nina''s ID and said jealously, "Hmph, why are you in charge of room number 6 again? You''re not all that pretty." Leona was dressed in the same uniform as Nina, but Nina looked much better than her. Nina''s curves were entuated by those clothes, and even a woman would be enchanted by that ample bosom and slender waist. Leona stared at Nina''s chest jealously. She was not going to get breasts like those even if she went for stic surgery. Nina smiled mockingly at Leona, picked up a tray, and headed toward the private room. "So what if she has a nice body? She''s still ugly anyway!" Leona grumbled as she watched Nina leave.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She tried to push her chest up, but no matter what she did, her chest remained t. She was so angry that she wanted to smash the mirror! Nina held a tray in one hand and opened the door to room number 6 with her other. It was very quiet inside, a stark contrast to the chaos outside. After the door was closed, none of the noise from outside could be heard in the well-insted room. She ced the sses and fruit te on the rectangr table. Ovee by curiosity, she looked around the room. Her manager had warned her during the training session that every customer that came to Queen''s Pub had a powerful background. No matter what she saw in the private rooms, she should keep her head down. She should not even ask a question even if she saw someone being murdered inside. Ninaposed herself as she arranged the fruit tes. As her gaze wandered to her left, she saw a tall man sitting on a bright red Italian couch and hugging two women in his arms. His face was obscured by the dimness of the room, and Nina could only see his long legs and expensive crocodile skin shoes. Nina turned away and began mixing the drinks. She poured soda water into the sses elegantly. Then, she deftly mixed it with vodka. In the tranquil room, only some light music and the asional clinking of sses could be heard. When Nina caught a glimpse of the man''s face, her blood instantly turned into ice... That was Pierre Mallory! She was very sure that it was him! She red at Pierre hatefully. The man had ruined her life and made her abort her child. Her health had been permanently affected after that. As she red at Pierre, she discreetly took out her phone, sent a message to her police officer friend, deleted it, and turned off her phone. "Come here and give Mr. Mallory a drink," one of the men who was inspecting the goods said impatiently. "Yes." Nina''s heart was beating wildly. She tried to keep her head lowered so that her long hair obscured her face. She arranged the sses in a row and began mixing the contents of each ss again. The entire room was filled with the thick smell of cigarette smoke. ''How depraved!'' She cursed under her breath as she continued mixing the drinks, trying to stall for as long as possible. Seeing Nina moving slowly and speaking a word, the man from earlier kicked her. "Why are you so slow? Serve Mr. Mallory a drink now!" Nina clenched her fists and brought a ss in front of Pierre. Her head was lowered. She handed the ss to Pierre and said very softly. "Your drink." Pierre did not move or even look at her. He casually wagged his legs. The beautiful woman sitting on his left took the ss from Nina''s hands and said coyly, "Shall I feed you, Mr. Mallory?" Pierre did not reply instantly. He looked at her, paused for a while, and nodded. The beautiful woman smiled coyly. She took a sip of the liquid, hugged Pierre by his neck, and their lips touched. Under the dim yellow light, Pierre''s brown and curly hair was scattered messily over his forehead. Together with his brown eyes, he was indeed very charming. His movements were unrestrained as his tongue entered the woman''s mouth. Nina turned away, disgusted. Suddenly, someone shoved her from behind. She stumbled and fell on the floor, and her shoulder bumped onto the corner of the low table... Chapter 868 Chapter 868 He Made An Important Announcement Nina lifted her head in surprise and realized that she was in an awkward position. While panicking, she grabbed Pierre Mallory¡¯s... Boom! Nina''s face turned tomato red as her brain froze. In that instant, she felt ashamed and annoyed. She wanted nothing more than to bury her face in the ground. Why was luck not on her side? Pierreughed, grabbed her chin with his long fingers, and forced her to look at him. "Why? You can''t wait to get closer to me?" Everyone around themughed, while some of the men even wolf-whistled to cheer Pierre on. One of the frivolous voices rang the loudest. "Young Master Pierre is too irresistible!" Nina''s cheeks were burning hot, and her hateful eyes shot daggers at Pierre, startling him. "Oh, it''s you." After a long time, Pierre''s sexy thin lips were raised into a sneer as he said, "What happened to the good girl who was top of her ss? How did you end up as a bottle girl? Do you need money? Come be my woman and you''ll never have to worry about money again." He did not expect that the ugly duckling had turned into a charming, attractive woman. Her presence reminded him of that memorable night. Nina was furious and said, "Ugh, who do you think you are? Go to hell!" Everyone around them kept quiet. No one thought that this woman would be so rude. Everyone knew that Young Master Pierre had a bad temper. A lot of people would not dare to even speak loudly to him. Anyone who annoyed him always ended up miserable. They were looking forward to seeing how this Unexpectedly, Pierre said in a stern tone but did not raise his voice, "Little wild cat, your temper is still the same as before." The man next to Pierreughed and said to Nina, "Little girl, you have a lot to gain from dating Young Master Pierre. He¡¯s handsome and great in everything. Sleep with him once and you''ll get more than what you¡¯ll earn working here for a year." Nina lowered her gaze and tried to ignore him. She was used to rude customers. Pierre took out his wallet and pulled out arge stack of money. He stared at Nina lustfully and stuffed the stack of money into her hands. This was the first time Nina had met a customer like this... She was not sure how to deal with Pierre. After a while, Nina snapped out of it and pped his hairy hand off her as she shouted, "What are you doing?!¡± Pierre smiled evilly and finished the wine in one gulp. He stared at Nina as he said, "Not bad, seems... delicious." Nina knew that she should throw the money back at him and ask him to leave. However, it was a lot of money and she needed the cash. Being arrogant and keeping her pride would not fill her stomach... She calmed herself down and ignored the raging hatred she felt for Pierre. She smiled gently and said, "Thank you, Young Master Pierre." Contempt and disgust shed in Pierre''s eyes. He threw the wine ss somewhere. He started talking to other women as though he was no longer interested in her. Nina took the money stiffly as if she was scalded by fire. It felt like she had gotten burnt. Not long after, the manager brought a few beautiful young women over. They all wore all kinds of sexy clothing, and their average height was over 170cm. They were alluring and a treat for the eyes with their seductive long legs. The manager walked up to Pierre and introduced the women one by one," Young Master Pierre, this is the cream of the crop in Queen''s Pub. Is there anyone who catches your eye? This is Candy, a student at the School of Economics at A University. This is Carmen, a neer, a student of Juilliard. She''s 18 years old. I¡¯m sure she''ll suit your appetite, Young Master Pierre." Pierre''s gaze fell on the purest-looking young woman named Carmen. He stared straight at her and scanned her top to bottom. Carmen acted a little shy at first, but when she saw Pierre¡¯s handsome face, she was overjoyed and turned red. She leaned toward Pierre, her eyes clear and innocent as she called out to him, "Young Master Pierre..." Pierre took her into his arms and Carmen happily put her hand over his shoulders. Nina was pouring wine on the side. She had a headache from looking at the unscrupulous scene in the private room. If it were not because the pub paid her well, she would never work here. She had to do it because her mother had been asking her for money. If Nina did not do as she said, her mother would go to thepany and make a scene. Her mother even disturbed her neighbors so much that she had to move many times. Nina had to do what it took to survive. The manager walked out with the rest of the young women who had not been selected. Before she walked out, she winked at Nina and asked her to take good care of the customers. The party was on! Nina closed her eyes in disgust, secretly praying that her police friend would hurry over. It seemed that the angels heard her prayers. Just as Pierre was about to go further, many police officers swarmed into the private room! "Don''t move, raise your hands!" When Pierre and his group were about to be taken away by the police, he nced at Nina coldly and seemed to be smiling. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The curve of his lips was blood-curdling. Before he left, he did a neck-slicing move at Nina and uttered, "B*tch! You¡¯re dead as soon as I get out." The hair on Nina''s body stood on end when she heard that... However, she could not bear to stand back. Pierre Mallory had ruined her life and made her wake up with nightmares every day. Even after a long time, she was unable to get over it. She would still break out in a cold swear whenever she thought about that incident. She was teaching him the lesson that women were not to be messed with! The next day. When Luke brought Bianca back to Crawford Manor for dinner, he suddenly made a big announcement. On the 16th of that month, he was going to have a grand wedding with Bianca. The news dropped like a bomb that exploded in a calmke. Everyone was so shocked that they were not sure how to react... The first who voiced out against it was Allison Tanner. She threw whatever was in her hands on the table as her sharp voice almost pierced everyone¡¯s eardrums. "You signed the paperwork a long time ago, so what¡¯s the point of having a wedding now?! She should count her blessings that I¡¯m willing to let her join the Crawford family. I don''t agree with this!" She still believed that her son would dump Bianca and marry a well- behaved girl with better family background, instead of this daughter-inw who was always against her. Old Master Crawford did not speak. He sighed as his hands stroked his cane. "It¡¯s your decision, I have nothing to say." Chapter 869 Chapter 869 Drama At The Dining Table After all that had happened, Old Master Crawford now understood Luke''s love for Bianca. He would ruin his rtionship with Luke If he insisted that he go along with his wishes. Old Master Crawford was well aware of his grandson''s abilities through how he handled the incident involving The Galleria. He was confident that T Corporation would thrive under his management. He was happy to go with the flow when it came to Luke and Bianca. After all these years, Old Master Crawford knew that Bianca was a wonderful wife to Luke and a great granddaughter-inw. Her capabilities at work and personality were perfect. He would not stand in their way since the two of them truly loved each other. Once upon a time, Old Master Crawford had forced his son, Zachary, to marry and interfered in his private life. His actions had caused his son to renounce himself for many years. Since then, Zachary had acted rebelliously. Zachary''s married life did not bring him joy, and he was not sessful in his work. The old master did not want this tragedy to continue with his grandson. Peace in the household was Old Master Crawford''s only wish. Bianca was aware that Luke owed her a wedding, but she never thought that he would bring it up out of the blue. Allison looked furious, and it led to Bianca biting her lip out of nervousness. She tugged Luke''s sleeve lightly and said, "Luke, it''s not a good time to talk about the wedding..." Luke''s big hands underneath the dining table squeezed her small hands tightly and patted them comfortingly. "Don''t worry." However, when he turned to his mother, his tone became upromising and firm. "I''m informing you about our wedding date, not asking for your permission. Mom, it''s your call whether you want to show up. It doesn''t matter if you don¡¯t attend our wedding. My mother-inw will be there anyway." Allison felt like she was suffocating. She was unable to say anything back to Luke. She coughed a few times and almost vomited blood when she met Susan''s mocking gaze. Allison red at Bianca and then cursed at Luke angrily, "Bastard child, do whatever you like! You''ve never thought of me as your mother. I hope you won''t regret your stupidity in the future!" nche and Rainie were overjoyed when they heard that their parents were getting married. Even as they ate, their adorable faces were filled with joy. Rainie smiled and asked Luke and Bianca, "Mom and Dad, if you have a wedding, can Lanie and I be your flower boy and girl?" Luke rubbed his daughter''s head and said gently, "Of course you can. You''re the little angels who witnessed our journey." When Tommy heard it, he threw the spoon in his hand and swallowed thest bite of his food before he made a fuss. "Mommy, Tommy wants to be your flower boy too!" "Yes, of course." Half of the food prepared for Tommy ended up on his face. Bianca took out a wet wipe and gently cleaned his face. Louis, who had always been yful, was enthusiastic. "Luke, where do you n to get married? What style are you thinking of for the ceremony? Will you hold it in a church or outdoors? I''m experienced with event and wedding decorations. Bianca, what do you like? I can help you with research and advice." Yuri pinched Louis and stared at him, saying unhappily, "You weren''t this enthusiastic when we had our wedding!" Louis happily said, "This is Luke''s wedding. Of course, I¡¯ll take it seriously! I only have one brother. What''s more, he''s a wonderful man while Bianca is beautiful and kind. They¡¯re meant for each other. I must let them have a perfect wedding. Thea, hurry up! Once you''re done, we''ll head out to y..." Louis squeezed Thea''s sweet face. His love for her radiated like the sun, creating a juxtapose from his usual yboy appearance. Thea was a little unhappy and pushed his hand away. She pouted as she said, "Dad, you¡¯re hurting me. I don''t feel like ying today. When I''m done eating, I need to rush off to ballet ss. There''s a dancepetition next week. I want to bring home a medal..." She looked at Rainie with jealousy. Susan and Yuri alwayspared her to Rainie, going on and on about how great Rainie was. They kept telling her to work hard and win against Rainie. Rainie was four years older than Thea, looked more beautiful than her, was better in academics, and won many more medals than her. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Although Thea was only four years old, Susan and Yuri had instilled the idea that Thea had to be better than Rainie since she was young. She had been hostile to Rainie since she was a child and wanted to compete with her in all aspects, i Louis was shocked by what his daughter said. He knew better than anyone else that Thea loved to y. He was curious about the sudden change. He was pleased that Thea was working hard at something. He praised her," It''s great that you''re spending time doing what you love. Whether you win or not, I''ll buy you a big present. I''ll get you whatever you want. Rainie is good at ballet, maybe she can give you some advice? Rainie, would that be an issue?" Rainie smiled sweetly at Louis and replied graciously, "Not a problem, Uncle Louis." Thea stared at her angrily and said proudly, "My teacher is a world-ss ballet champion. She''s amazing. I don''t need advice from Rainie!" Rainie felt awkward. She was not sure why her cousin was so hostile with her. Allison could no longer stay on the sidelines. She snorted and defended her granddaughter, "Rainie is the national champion in children''s ballet. She¡¯s talented and willing to work hard. She can¡¯t be compared to others. We don''t have the time to give others advice. Some people have bad gics and are not qualified!" The four-year-old Thea did not seem to understand what Allison meant, but Yuri''s expression turned sour. If her genes were good, then Allison would not have stolen another''s husband. However, Yuri''s upbringing did not allow her to swear at Allison in front of all the elders. The rosary in Susan''s hand suddenly stopped and her eyes shot daggers at Allison. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, but the rosary in her hand was almost deformed due to the force... Chapter 870 Chapter 870 A Fairytale Wedding The drama at the dining table ended abruptly. Study. Old Master Crawford looked at his handsome grandson who was sitting on the sofa and sighed at how fast time passed. Unknowingly, Zachary had already left for so many years and the baby who was wailing in the swaddle had grown into one of the most influential and highly praised business leaders in the world. Old Master Crawford talked to Luke about T Corporation and then the topic shifted to his personal affairs. ¡¯Luke, are you firm on having a wedding with Bianca on the 16th? To be honest, Bianca is a wonderful woman and it''s your luck to be able to spend your life with her. It¡¯s just that ... the timing of your wedding is a little rushed. After all, the copse of The Galleria happened not long ago. I''m afraid that a grand wedding at this timing will lead to strong dissatisfaction from the families of those victims. Luke ashed his cigarette and replied nonchntly, "I had set the date long ago. I wanted to give her a make-up wedding a long time ago but I haven''t had the time. I don''t want to postpone it anymore. We¡¯ll have our wedding somewhere private, where no reporters will be able to follow nor interfere." When Old Master Crawford saw that his grandson was firm with his decision, he did notment further. He said in a grandfatherly tone, "I''m happy for you and Bianca. She''s a kind and sensible woman. Take good care of her and make sure that this doesn''t end in a divorce or some sex scandal." Luke smiled and replied, "Grandpa, do you think I''m that kind of person? Bianca is the person I¡¯m going to spend my life with. I''ll love her until myst breath." On the way back, Bianca looked at Luke who was in the driver''s seat. She still could not believe he had said what he said in Crawford Manor. He said that they would have a grand wedding. Luke nced at Bianca, whose skin was radiant and cheeks were rosy. Her cherry lips were slightly parted and her beautiful eyes nced at him from time to time. She was fascinating to him. He held the steering wheel with one hand and squeezed her face with the other. "What¡¯s the matter? Why do you keep looking at me like this?" Bianca grabbed his hand and said, "What did Grandpa talk to you about in the study?" Luke raised his eyebrows and replied, ¡¯¡¯Nothing to worry about. Grandpa told me that you¡¯re going to make a wonderful granddaughter-inw. He said that you¡¯re knowledgeable and reasonable. He also asked me to treat you well. He said that he won''t forgive me if I disappointed you." Bianca scratched her head and asked nkly, "Huh? Did Grandpa say that? I thought he didn¡¯t like me..." Bianca nor her parents were able to help out much with the incident with The Galleria. Old Master Crawford, who used to be enthusiastic toward her, turned cold after that. Luke flicked her and said, "Silly girl, why would you think that? Who doesn''t like a good woman like you? Grandpa loves you." Bianca lowered her gaze and then blinked her bright eyes. "Are we getting married on the 16th? Why didn''t you talk to me about it? This is too sudden, I don''t feel ready." Luke''s gaze locked on her pretty face. He could not help but squint as he said, "I thought you were looking forward to being my bride and would be happy to hear the news. I thought all women wanted a romantic wedding?" Although she had not said anything about the wedding that he owed her, he could tell that Bianca was envious whenever they were invited to others '' weddings. Therefore, he wanted to give her a fairytale wedding, write their romantic chapter, and draw a perfect end to their marriage. On the other end of the city, Norman Residence. For the past couple of days, Leia had been feeling that something was off. She had been experiencing a loss of appetite, nausea, and a constant urge to vomit. She thought it was rted to stress and did not think too much about it. That was until Queenie ced a delicious piece of cooked fish onto her te. The moment she sniffed the fishy smell, Leia grew nauseous and forcibly covered her mouth. However, it was toote. Before she knew it, the contents in her stomach spilled onto the dining table. Queenie was concerned when she saw Leia react in such a way. She patted her daughter''s back lightly, her elegant face frowning as she said, ¡¯Leia, what''s wrong? Did you eat something bad? Or are you..." Queenie did not dare to finish her sentence. She felt a chill going down her spine at the thought that it might be true. ''Would such a well-behaved child like my dear Leia get pregnant before marriage? Although... her symptoms are simr to mine when I was pregnant...'' Queenie had acted the same way when she was pregnant with Bianca. Her stomach was always upset and she could not stomach anything. "Mom, my stomach has been acting weird recently. Maybe it¡¯s because I had some unsanitary food in a restaurant outside. Don''t worry, I¡¯m sure I''ll be fine," Leia said in a calm tone, but she was panicking internally. ''No, I can''t be pregnant! I took the abortion pills...'' Moreover, she had bled for several days. That bastard child should be gone. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. However, she still had a bad feeling about it. Queenie was worried. "How about this? When you''re done eating, I''ll take you to the hospital for a check-up. I know a gastroenterologist in the hospital." Leia''s gaze flickered as she refused. ¡¯Mom, it''s okay, don''t worry. I¡¯m going to an art exhibition with a friend today and the art exhibition center is very close to the city hospital. I''ll just go there for a check- up.¡± "Okay, please keep me posted after the results are out." "I will, Mom." In the afternoon, Leia rushed to the private women¡¯s hospital and went to look for Dr. Hoover in the gynecology department. However, she found that Dr. Hoover had been reced by another female doctor who looked to be about 40 years old and wore sses. The doctor greeted her with a gentle voice when she saw Leia, "Hello! I¡¯m Dr. Luis, I¡¯m new here. What can I help you with?" Leia did not even bother taking off her sunsses before she asked straightforwardly, "Where is Dr. Hoover? Is she not here today? I''m her patient." The doctor nodded and replied, "Oh, so you''re a patient of Dr. Hoover? She doesn''t work here anymore." "Why?" "The hospital''s management team suspects Dr. Hoover of working with drug dealers to sell fake abortion drugs through the hospital in exchange for a highmission. Last week, she was taken to the police station for investigation..." The words of the doctor were like a bolt from the blue sky. Leia was shaken to her core... Chapter 871 Chapter 871 Punched And Hit Her Stomach Leia immediately went for a color doppler ultrasound examination. When the image came out, she immediately brought it to Dr. Luis'' office and asked her to take a look at it. The image showed that it was a mid-term pregnancy, single live birth (15W+ 6D), and posterior centa. Dr. Luis carefully read the report. She pushed the big-rimmed sses on the bridge of her nose and said, "Ms. Norman, you''re pregnant. The baby is 15 weeks and 6 days old." Leia''s face turned pale in an instant. She took off her sunsses and screamed, "That''s impossible! When I was more than 30 days pregnant, I took abortion pills. I was bleeding for a few days after that. How could the child be alive?" Dr. Luis frowned and asked Leia, "When did you take the abortion pill? How did you take it? Which doctor prescribed the abortion pill for you?" Leia sighed and answered truthfully, "Dr. Hoover was the one who prescribed the medicine. She gave me three days worth of medicine and not long after I took them, I began to bleed. It was dark red but not a lot came out. On the third day, I felt arger blood clot flow out of my body. I thought it was the gestational sac." Dr. Luis frowned and said sternly, "After you took the abortion pills, didn''t youe to the hospital for a B-ultrasound scan?" Leia bit her lip and answered meekly, "At the time, I thought the gestational sac had been drained and I wasn¡¯t experiencing any difort, so I didn''t go to the hospital for an examination..." "What nonsense." Dr. Luis put down the pen in her hand and rubbed her head from the headache. She said sternly, "Don''t you know it¡¯smon sense to have a B-scan after a miscarriage? Even if that were the case, Dr. Hoover should have told you what you needed to do after taking the medicine." "She told me, but I thought things were okay so I didn''te over." Leia was beyond regretful and continued to ask, "Doctor, I don''t understand. I took the abortion pills! Why is the child still in me?" Dr. Luis sighed and replied, "Dr. Hoover was taken away for investigation on suspicion of selling counterfeit drugs. Most of the drugs prescribed by her were fake. You probably took ineffective abortion pills. The blood loss you experienced after taking the medicine may have just been a sigh of a minor miscarriage. Sigh, how could she harm patients like this?!" Leia hated Dr. Hoover with everything that she had. If that woman was not locked up, she would skin her alive. However, she suppressed her anger because she still had a lot of questions. She asked, "Doctor, what should I do now? Generally speaking, don''t pregnant women experience nausea? My appetite has been great for the past few months and my body weight is in the same range. It''s only these past few days that my stomach started to feel ufortable. What¡¯s going on?" If she had known that the baby was alive or if she had experienced any sort of symptoms, she would not have acted passively. Dr. Luis patiently exined to her, "Generally speaking, morning sickness will appear within the first three months. You may feel nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite. But some women don''t exhibit symptoms as such. For some people, morning sickness starts after three months. This is affected by the patient¡¯s physical fitness, liver function, or levels of bile acid. Moreover, if your centa is in the posterior position, it might take longer for you to have these symptoms." "I don''t want this baby. Can I get an abortion?" Dr. Luis said solemnly, "Your baby is more than three months, nearly four months old. The centa has been formed, the fetus isrger, and the bones have started to harden. You can''t abort now. If you want to abort, you can only go for inducedbor. I have to warn you that it''s far more painful than an abortion, so I suggest that you consider it carefully." Leia was scared witless, and her fingers were trembling as she uttered, "Is ... Is there a painless option for inducedbor?" "There is one, but I have to tell you the truth. Although medical technology is quite advanced, painless inducedbor just means that when you enter the delivery room, you''ll be injected with anesthetics. The patient will not feel pain during the procedure. However, you''ll be injected with Rivanol before the surgery, which patients have reported to feel agonizing pain 24 to 48 hours after the injection. Think about your level of pain tolerance and let me know when you''ve made a decision." "Doctor, I will... think about it and I''ll be in touch once I think it through." "Okay." Dr. Luis handed her a business card. Leia quickly took it and stuffed it into her bag. When Leia walked out of the hospital, a thinyer of cold sweat oozed from her forehead. She felt weak. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She was in high heels and almost slipped a few times, even identally bumping into a pregnant woman. Her husband was furious and red at her. However, at that time, Leia was out of it. She kept thinking about what Dr. Luis said. ''Inducedbor will be painful.'' She was not sure if she could bear the pain. She had been squeamish since she was a child. Even when she was stung by an ant, it would hurt for a long time. How would Leia be able to go through inducedbor? When she got home, Leia was desperate and immediately turned on herptop. She searched for ''inducedbor'' and saw that the reactions ofizens were varied. Femaleizen A said: [Inducedbor is the same as giving birth. I had an injection today. It was a bit painful, but it was tolerable.] Femaleizen B said: [It''s not too bad. I did it the day before yesterday. It hurts more than getting your period. If you decide to go for it, you should get it done as soon as possible. The more you dy it, the more dangerous it is.] Femaleizen C said: [It¡¯s very painful, and I''m not trying to scare anyone. It''s worse than death for the first 24 hours. It''s so horrible during contractions. I''ll never forget the pain I felt, it was horrible! I don''t know how I got through it. I wanted to cry but I couldn¡¯t. My body felt like it was being snapped in half. If you can, keep the baby. Else, go to the hospital earlier. You may be able to survive it.) Femaleizen D said: [Don''t go for it... It''s very painful, especially in terms of psychological impact. It''ll stay with you for the rest of your life. The baby has already been formed and it''s cruel to abort it. Moreover, the seque of inducedbor are terrible. You might have to go through the procedure twice if the first time was not done right. My sister suffered from a serious gynecological disease because of inducedbor and it caused her to be unable to have any more children. It has been more than ten years yet she still hasn¡¯t been able to get pregnant even after trying various means.] Theizens had different opinions. Some said that the pain was within an eptable range, but most femaleizens said that the pain was unbearable. They also said that after inducedbor, the patient might get a pelvic infection, uterine rupture, endocrine disorders, abnormal periods, and so on. In severe cases, it could also lead to infertility. Leia became more and more frightened as she read on. In the end, she closed all the tabs and copsed in front of theputer. After a long time, Leia stood in front of the full-length mirror and peeled open her clothes. She touched her slightly bulging lower belly. Her gaze was gloomy, and she punched and hit her stomach... Chapter 872 Chapter 872 She Had To Think Of Another Way Out Leia was not bothered that there was a faint paining from her stomach. In the mirror, her face was pale as a ghost but there was a cruel smile on her face. However, her stomach cramped for only a while before Leia could no longer stand the pain. Shey on her bed, her expression looking dull and absent. Her eyes suddenly widened and she began to scan through her room. Leia''s room was well designed. The main colors were pink and white, while her curtains and sofas were all high-end imports. The colors and style were the careful work of well-known designers. It had a dreamy look and feel. When she was a child in the orphanage, she had been forced to loot for food. She had always imagined bing a princess and getting adopted by well-meaning people in expensive clothes so that she could live in a gorgeous house. After a long wait, she finally saw hope when Mr. and Mrs. Norman visited the orphanage. She plotted to rece Scarlett Quincy and wiggled herself into the Norman family. Her happy lifested for nearly two decades, and she thought that she would enjoy such a life till the very end. However, when Bianca, the real daughter of the Norman family appeared, her dream of living as the top ten percent was shattered... Leia became furious when she thought of how Jack Norman had evidence of her plotting against Bianca as well as her fingerprints. What Jack said about treating her as his daughter was bullsh*t. He was a hypocrite! For the safety of his biological daughter, he chose to turn his back against her. Leia rummaged through his study and did not find the evidence he had hidden. She was ill at ease! She rubbed her abdomen and felt her scalp tingling when she thought of how she was pregnant with Wayne tt''s child. His cold and serpent-like eyes, as well as his endless ways of abusing her... After lying in bed for nearly half an hour, Leia finally thought of a way out. She immediately called Charmaine Welsh... In a dim private room. The room was extremely luxurious. Leia sat on the soft sofa and drank sweet hot ck tea. The gloom in her heart was not as unbearable now. Leia had never been a fan of ces like this. In the past, she only went to clubs and pubs with her friends because she had to. To maintain her public image, she had excused herself from such social asions. This time, it was Charmaine who told her about this ce. Charmaine was a social butterfly and knew people from various backgrounds. When Cree Summer came in, Leia was shocked and stared at him nervously. Cree¡¯s looks were average, but he was a cut above the crowd due to his burly and sturdy size. He was covered with all sorts of tattoos from top to toe. He wore multiple thick gold nes around his neck. When he smiled, his mouth nted to one side. It was obvious that he was involved with the Mafia. "Hello, I¡¯m Cree, the owner of this nightclub. Charmaine told you toe here?" Cree put on a fake kind smile that made chills run down Leia''s spine. "Hello...'''' Although Leia had met various Mafia bosses when she was in the entertainment industry, she had always been with her team. She was at a loss facing this man alone. Cree stared straight at Leia. His gaze was burning hot and it seemed like he wanted nothing more but to strip her naked. "When did you and Charmaine meet? Why have I never seen you before? If I knew you were so beautiful, I would¡¯ve wanted to meet you sooner." Leia avoided his stare in disgust and tried to maintain her demeanor. "I met Charmaine a long time ago. Charmaine said that you have what I need, but you won¡¯t sell it to me if you don''t meet me face to face, so I just came over to have a look. I want to know... how effective is the medicine? As long as it works, I¡¯m willing to pay." Cree poured a ss of beer for Leia and himself. He continued staring at her and swallowed his saliva as he said, "There''s no problem with my goods. I''m sure that you''ll be satisfied." Leia was still a little concerned and asked, "What''s your rtionship with Charmaine?" Creeughed ambiguously and said flirtatiously, "What''s our rtionship? We''re lovers... Come on, Leia, let''s have a drink." After he said that, he forcibly stuffed the wine ss into Leia''s hand. He grabbed her hand and refused to let go. "What do you think you''re doing?!" Leia was irked and wanted to break free, but Cree grabbed her waist. "You''re so beautiful, much better than that sl*t Charmaine." Cree''s greasy and fat hands squeezed Leia''s mouth open as he forcibly poured the ss of wine down her throat. '' Leia, I have a rule when doing business. The other party has to drink a ss from me. Otherwise, I don''t care how much you intend to pay me." Leia had a bad feeling. She wanted to get up and rush out in a panic, but Cree dragged her back and pressed her onto the sofa. Shey passively under him. She was nervous and scared, but Cree continued to pour arge ss of beer down her throat. She was not sure what was in the beer, but not long after Leia drank it, she felt her body heating up. Her mind was empty, her eyes were gradually turning red, and she soon began to frantically tear her clothes. She made a move on Cree. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Their naked bodies were entangled on the sofa... T Corporation. The sky gradually dimmed, and people in thepany had left. However, Bianca''s office was still brightly lit. She sat on the leather sofa and frowned as she went through the weekly financial statements, as well as the recent orders. She finally let out a sigh. Thepany had been profitable every year since it started, but it seemed that it was trending toward a loss for the current quarter. From what she knew, September to November was not the off-season, but the number of orders had declined significantly. There were not many new orders and orders were mainlying from their loyal customers. She checked thepany''s intr again. There was a small problem with the previous partnership with Company X. The first two payments were received, but the third remittance was dyed. Theirpany''s finance department had reminded the other party several times, but the other party had been dying it on the grounds of the absence of their chairman. They would also me it on their company''s recent financial situation. Company X was not the solepany that owed them money. There were several otherpanies that they were working with which were doing the same. Bianca frowned and crossed out her original to-do list. It would not work if they continued on the same path. She had to think of another way out... Chapter 873 Chapter 873 Leia''s Scheme On the other side of town. When Leia woke up in the private room, she realized that she was naked and her body was in pain. She was alone in the private room. After a brief period of confusion, Leia knew what had happened to her. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. It was because there were countless bruises on her body. A bag containing white powder was ced on the sofa and there was a note under it. Leia took it and saw Cree''s messy handwriting. [Ms. Norman, you''re not bad. We''re in business. This is what you need. Would be happy to work with you again.] Leia was so furious that she crumpled the note. She shuddered with disgust at the thought of having slept with such a good -for-nothing the night before. However, she needed this drug. She knew that Cree had slept with her. It happened only once, but what came to her mind was the scene of her doing it with Cree countless times... When she ran to the bathroom, Leia vomited everything that was in her stomach and cursed Charmaine and everyone rted to her. She immediately called Charmaine, but her phone was turned off. Leia smashed her phone to the floor, turned on the shower, and scrubbed every inch of her body. The hot water hurt her skin. Leia could not help but curse Cree. She then quickly put on her clothes and left the private room with the white powder. At night. A high-end French restaurant. The piano yed in the background of the restaurant. Rows of beautiful French phoenix trees were outside the floor-to-ceiling windows. Countless twinkling fairy lights were hanging on the trees, which emphasized the elegance of this high-end restaurant. At the corner of the restaurant, there were pots of fragrant flowers. A man and a woman sat behind the flowerpots. The man was in a suit, leather shoes, and had the trendiest hairstyle. He stared at the well-dressed woman, his thin lips slightly curled. That woman was Leia, who had spent the night with Cree in the private room just before. The man was Brody Hilton, who had been on a blind date with her once. Brody propped his head and held Leia¡¯s slender hand that was on the table. He had a big smile on his face as he said, "Leia, I''m so happy to see you. Why are you free for a date today? Whenever I asked you out before this, you''d say you have no time or are busy with work... The food here is to your liking, right?" Initially, Brody was indifferent to Leia. However, Leia was skilled in seducing men and breadcrumbed him. She would flirt with him while maintaining a distance. Brody had been obsessed with Leia recently. Leia acted shy and withdrew her hand, saying softly, "I¡¯ve been overwhelmed recently, so I haven''t been able to go on a date with you. It won¡¯t be like this in the future. The food here is delicious, but..." As soon as he saw Leia frowning, Brody straightened his back and said," But what? Leia, tell me straight." Leia nced at the various desserts on the table and pursed her bright red lips slightly. "The food here is expensive. I think it''s wasteful that the two of us ordered so many dishes." Brody was satisfied, thinking that Leia was a caring and loving woman. He thought that although she came from a family of officials, she had the traits of a diligent and thrifty housewife. He chuckled, took her hand again, and nted a kiss on the back of her hand. "Leia, I like you, so I''m willing to give you the best. The Hilton family can more than afford it, so you don¡¯t have to worry. From now on, what''s mine will be yours." Leia resisted the urge to withdraw her hand. She was racking her brain thinking of a way to distract Brody. A momentter, he spoke again. Brody rubbed his stomach with a somewhat embarrassed expression and said, "Leia, my stomach feels off. I need to use the bathroom. Give me a second." Leia nodded and said, "Okay, I''ll wait for you." Brody walked in the direction of the bathroom. A few minutes after he left, Leia took out the white powder from her bag. She looked around cautiously, making sure that no one was looking her way. Then, she raised her lips into a sneer and shook the powder into Brody''s ss of red wine. Leia gently shook the cup, her expression lookingplicated and cruel.'' Brody, I don¡¯t want to do this either, but I have no choice. You say that you like me, and I want to see how much your so-called interest is worth. I would''ve never paid any attention to weird men like you in the past. Now that I''m giving you a chance to marry me, you should count your lucky stars. Many men are infertile and can''t have heirs. When we get married, you¡¯ll be a father. You''re in luck!" Brody came back from the bathroom and saw Leia staring at his wine ss in a daze. He could not help but put his hands over her shoulders curiously. "Leia, what are you thinking about?" Leia was taken back by Brody''s voice. She almost broke out in a cold sweat. She was obviously flustered. However, she carefully observed Brody''s expression and nced at his red wine again. She made sure that he had not noticed anything. Then, she hammered him in the chest. She took the opportunity and handed him the red wine. "How could you? Why did you go to the bathroom for so long? I thought you had left. I''m almost done. Brody, let''s leave after thisst ss of wine..." Brody looked at the coquettish Leia and his heart softened. He took the red wine unsuspectingly and took a sip. "Of course, my love." Seeing that he only took a sip, Leia kept staring at his ss and her tone was anxious as she said, "It¡¯s the weekend tomorrow, it''s time for you to rx. Do you want to go see a movie togetherter? I¡¯ll wake up early tomorrow and cook you your favorite food." Brody nodded. He was overjoyed that Leia was being kind to him and immediately chugged the red wine. Leia pursed her lips in satisfaction when she saw that he had finished it. Brody was oblivious to Leia¡¯s scheme. After the meal, they nned to go to the cinema. Brody was supposed to drive. However, when he got to the driver''s seat, he lost consciousness for a moment and Leia grabbed him in time so he did not fall to the ground. "Brody, are you okay?" Leia struggled to support Brody and faked her concern. Brody shook his head, feeling as though he was losing his sense of reality." I don''t know what''s going on. My head feels dizzy, let''s head back..." Leia exhausted all her strength and forced Brody into the passenger seat." You''re not feeling well. Let me drive you home. Your house..." Before she could finish, Brody passed out in the passenger seat and lost consciousness. Leia looked at Brody and breathed a sigh of relief. A chilly look appeared in her eyes... Chapter 874 Chapter 874 As Soon As She Appeared, All Eyes Were On Her Dawn. A high-end hotel. Leia''s high heels, skirt, top, and stockings were scattered on the floor. Brody''s shirt and trousers... Brody woke up in a panic, feelingpletely drained. What he saw when he opened his eyes was a magnified pretty face. There was a woman in his arms, and it was Leia. Leia was sleeping sweetly and looked content in his arms. Brody was taken back. He looked at the mess on the floor and smelled the musky scent in the air. As an adult, he knew what had happened between them. The scene of their intense and passionate night came to mind. He felt greatly satisfied. He did not expect that the gentle and polite-looking Leia was so wild in bed. Mm, it seemed that it was not the first time they had spent the night together... "Hmm..." Leia woke up from her sleep. When she saw Brody staring at her, she got up calmly and was not at all bothered that she was naked in front of him. Her body was full of scratches from the night before and that pleased Brody. Brody wolf-whistled at the gorgeous woman in front of him. No wonder he was so turned on by herst night that he could not restrain himself from being all over her. He hugged Leia into his arms, his voice hoarse with excitement as he said, "You''re awake? Are you tired fromst night?" Leia wrapped herself in the sheets. She faked a smile at him, looking pure and sweet. Someone once said that a woman should keep smiling no matter what. A smile was the best disguise for a person. As shey on Brody''s bare chest, she said in a coquettish voice, "Brody, we''ve been dating for so long and we''ve been intimate more than once. When... are you nning to tell your parents about me? Do you love me?" Had they been dating for a long time? Brody began to think about how long he had been with Leia. However, even if he racked his brains, he could not figure it out or remember the dates. He thought of the countless times they had enjoyed each other¡¯s bodies- in his vi, the open-air garden, and so on... Leia had made him obsessed with her. She was charming and sweet but had a contradictory temperament, which seemed to attract his full attention. Brody took a deep breath and greedily smelled Leia''s scent. He replied casually, "Of course I love you, you''re my charming fairy! However, my parents are busy at work and they''ve gone abroad. When they come back, I''ll bring you home and officially introduce you." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Leia was overjoyed that her scheme was working. She hugged his waist tighter, and her voice was exceptionally gentle. "Okay, what do your parents like? Tell me so I can buy them some gifts in advance." Cree was wretched and disgusting, so she did not expect that his drug would work. Leia was happy that her efforts were not in vain. "You don¡¯t need to prepare any gifts. As long as you... serve me well..." Brodyughed and positioned himself on top of Leia once again. Leia endured the disgust in her heart and began to tease him. Her neck was leaned back, her hair was flying frantically, and her face was bright red. She looked very tempting... Soon, there was another round of loud noisesing from their hotel room... Time passed quickly and it was the 16th in a blink of an eye. Bianca and Luke''s wedding was held as scheduled. Luke rented a well-known ind that was surrounded by the vast blue sea. The scenery on the ind was exceptionally beautiful. It had a rich tropical setting and felt like a paradise on earth. It was known as ''the ce closest to paradise.'' Their wedding was held on the water. At first nce, mellow wine, blurred lights, and French songs were seen and heard. Everything looked dreamy. Luke decided to hold the wedding in a castle on the water. The exterior of the castle was exquisite. The sea seemed to merge with the sky and the flowers were vying to bloom. Soft white sand was everywhere. There were beautiful and colorful corals that formed a crossshaped path. Luke bought all the vis around the castle to create a splendid sea of flowers. The most eye-catching part of this wedding was the design of the venue, which was in the center of the sea of flowers. There were 521 kinds of precious flowers. They were bright, beautiful, pure, and immacte. Their elegant fragrance attracted butterflies, and the scene represented a lifetime of love. The flower buds were dancing with the breeze, like beautiful girls in various costumes dancing their hearts out. These flowers were all shipped by air freight from all over the world. People standing in the center of the venue felt like they were walking in a sea of flowers. The venue covered an area of 1,000 square meters. The food was selfservice. Members of the upper ss were envious of what they were seeing. Those who came to the wedding had been carefully invited. Most of them were well-known figures in politics and business. Of course, the most popr and shining stars were also present. Those who were nobodies were not eligible to be invited. Those who attended the wedding were all big shots invited by Louis Crawford to boost the mood. "I didn''t expect Mr. Crawford to marry an unknown woman as his wife. I wasn¡¯t optimistic about it before, but since the wedding is happening, it seems that she does have an extraordinary charm. I remember that he was married to Leia, another daughter of Mr. Norman. But they announced their separation shortly after..." "Shh, his wife is not an unknown woman. She''s Mr. Norman''s biological daughter. She reunited with Mr. and Mrs. Norman and they''ve already announced her true identity to the media. Don''t you remember? Leia is just the adopted daughter of the Norman family. She''s a fake daughter, how can shepare to the true Ms. Norman?" "I didn''t pay too much attention to it. It makes sense, though. Any ugly duckling that can turn into a white swan would have the capability to marry the prince." "Shhh, keep your voice down. I heard that Mr. Crawford loves his wife more than anything. If he hears this, your life will be miserable." Amid the discussions among the guests, the wedding ceremony finally began in the castle. When Bianca appeared in front of the guests in a pure white, high-waisted wedding dress, all the chatter came to an abrupt end. As soon as she appeared, all eyes were on her. Chapter 875 Chapter 875 Luke, Who Had Survived Many Battlegrounds, Was A Little Nervous Bianca''s wedding dress was made by the world-renowned wedding dress designer, David. It was the only one in the world, featuring three- dimensional tailoring made by an exclusive soft white yarn. The pure white dress made Bianca''s skin glow like snow. The wedding dress was iid with three- dimensional hollow roses and diamonds, which showed off her slender figure. She had the delicate look of a young girl and at the same time, the coquettish side and mor of a woman. At a nce, the stunning bride gave off the aura of a stunning beauty. Bianca looked like an effortlessly beautiful oil painting. She stood quietly, looking so radiant and breathtaking. She attracted the eyes of all the guests and Luke. Bianca looked at the magnificent wedding venue through the veil. She knew that her husband had decorated the ce to suit her preferences. She could not help but smile from the warmth and joy she felt. She looked in her husband''s direction and saw Lanie and Rainie as well who were not far away. They were dressed as a flower boy and a flower girl, looking as cute as angels. Luke wore a tailored suit and stood out among the crowd. His dazzling eyes were bright and bewitching. When he looked at her, his gaze seemed to be magical and she could not stop looking into his eyes. "Mommy..." Tommy was wearing a suit for children, holding a bunch of flowers in his hand. He happily ran to Bianca in thepany of the babysitter. He cheekily offered her the flowers. Then, he said sweetly, "Mommy, you look so beautiful today! These flowers are for you, I hope you''ll always be young and beautiful." "Thank you, baby." Bianca smiled softly, lifted her veil, and wanted to kiss her baby as usual. However, Luke was just a step ahead. He lifted Tommy to the side like he weighed nothing. He curled his lips slightly and said, "Tommy, go to the back and hold the wedding dress for Mama with your siblings. Today, Mommy belongs to Daddy. No one can take her away from me." "Hmph, considering that it''s your and Mommy''s wedding today, I¡¯ll do as you say. Lanie and Rainie are walking out as a pair. Why didn''t you get a beautiful girl to be my partner? It doesn''t look bnced..." Tommy pursed his lips and made a monkey face at Luke. He was so handsome and cheeky that no one could be annoyed at him. "Mommy belongs to you today, but Mommy will be mine tomorrow. You''re not allowed to fight with me. Mommy told me that we''ll go to Africa to see wild elephants and wild lions once the wedding is over." "I won''t allow it." Luke grabbed Bianca''s slender waist aggressively, frowned, and retorted. Tommy red at him. "Mommy promised me a long time ago." Luke looked down at him condescendingly. "Let''s talk about it when you grow up. I''m the head of the family, so you have to listen to me." Bianca was dumbfounded as she watched the father and son vying for her attention. She gave Luke a light punch. "We¡¯re getting married, why are you arguing with a kid?¡± Tommy did not look at his father and his words had fallen into deaf ears. He hummed a happy tune and went to Bianca¡¯s back to pick up her long dress. The wedding march began to y and melodious music flowed around the castle. Luke held Bianca''s hand and wrapped her in his arms. Hethen whispered in her ear, "Bea, you look beautiful today." After he said that, he licked her earlobe a few times. His flirtatious action made Bianca''s ears itchy and her body tremble a little. "Uh... Stop..." Bianca''s pretty face was flushed, and she lowered her head shyly when she saw the guests looking in their direction. Luke knew that Bianca was easily embarrassed, so he stopped teasing her. Lanie and Rainie, the flower boy and girl, walked in front of Luke and Bianca. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Their beautiful faces had exceptionally serious expressions. The twins carried an exquisite flower basket that was filled with colorful petals. Lanie and Rainie sprinkled the petals meticulously. They looked absolutely adorable in the sea of flowers. With all eyes on them, Luke carried Bianca and stepped on the soft red carpet. Luke walked steadily like a thousand-year-old pine, making people feel at ease; Bianca was as light as a weightless bird. The tail of her wedding dress was dragging across the carpet, her face was full of happiness and shyness. Bianca had dreamed of countless weddings. Now that Luke was giving her one, he no longer owed her anything. She knew that after the wedding, they would be considered aplete family. Bianca was overwhelmed as she thought about that. At the table, her grandfather, aunt, and some of her best friends were all present. Grand Master Rayne and Aunt Wanda had tears in their eyes. When they saw that Bianca was looking at them, they gently waved. Blessings and wishes filled their gazes. Her parents, Jack Norman and Queenie, watched her not far away. Her father''s eyes were filled with reluctance and love, while her mother''s eyes were filled with tears. Queenie fell into Jack''s arms and gently wiped her tears. She was unwilling to loosen her hold on her biological daughter. Several of Bianca''s friends were all at the guest table, smiling brightly like flowers. They all gave her a thumbs up when they saw how happy she looked. The wedding song and the slow tone made Bianca space out. She thought about everything she and Luke had gone through. There were memories of their youth, happy moments, sad incidents, and when they were forced to be separated... Bianca''s eyes were a little moist. She buried her face into Luke''s chest, feeling his strong and steady heartbeat. His powerful heartbeat was telling her that he loved her, and she loved him even more. From this day onward, they would officially be a married couple. When they arrived at the heart-shaped arch made of flower vines, Luke gently put Bianca down. He held her hand and straightened his back. The business overlord who had experienced many battles began to have cold sweat forming on the palm of his hand. Damn it! At that moment, Luke''s heartbeat was beating unusually fast. He could not control it even if he tried. It was the first time in his life that Luke felt so nervous. Luke had never been this nervous, not even when he faced the treacherous and shrewd businessmen of the corporate world alone, or the cruel and vicious criminals on Terror Ind, or when he first signed the certificate of marriage with Bianca... Chapter 876 Chapter 876 Luke Gave Her Only The Best The pastor who officiated their wedding was a respected foreign old man. He had an exceptionally kind face and demeanor. The pastor was around 50 years old. He had gray hair and wore arge blouse. He was wearing a bright-colored ribbon on his left arm and held a Bible in his hand. His expression was compassionate and peaceful. The pastor kindly looked at the loving couple who was in front of him. His mature voice was wise and gentle as he asked, ''Mr. Luke Crawford, will you take Miss Bianca Rayne as yourwfully wedded wife? To spend your life with her ording to the teachings of the Bible, be with her as one before God, to love her,fort her, and take on the duty of a husband for life, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?" Luke held Bianca''s hand and answered without any hesitation, "I do!" The pastor maintained his grace and asked Bianca the same. Luke held his breath while waiting for her answer. Bianca smiled at Luke. As she faced him and the pastor, she said solemnly, "Pastor, I¡¯m willing to marry Luke as his wife. For richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, I¡¯ll stay by his side and be loyal to him for as long as I live." Luke knew that Bianca loved him, but it was the first time she was saying so solemnly in public that she was willing to marry him. He felt like a young boy in love, and his heart was beating rapidly. He could not help but immediately lift her veil. Luke leaned over and kissed her lips that were as delicate as rose petals. Bianca was not used to public disys of affection. She wanted to shyly take a step back, but he pulled her closer in his arms and their kiss deepened. Luke was unable to control himself, and their kiss was like a wildfire. The unforgettable scene amazed countless guests. Jack Norman and Queenie Zeigler were pleased that their daughter was getting married to such a wonderful man. Luke and Bianca''s affection for each other made them feel particrly at ease. Allison Tanner, who was in the main seat, took a few sips of champagne. This scene made her chest tingle and gave her a splitting headache. In the end, her baby son married Bianca, a woman who would cause her countless misery. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Initially, she had refused to attend the wedding, but Old Master Crawford was a man who cared about the family''s reputation. He had told her off, saying that if Allison dared to not attend her son''s wedding, then she would no longer be Luke''s mother and she would have to move out of the Crawford Mansion. He threatened her saying that she would no longer be part of the Crawford family. Despite all the unwillingness in Allison''s heart, she came over due to the old master''s threat. However, throughout Luke¡¯s wedding, Allison looked annoyed and was not bothered to even fake a smile. Her expression made one''s scalp numb. On the stage, Luke and Bianca''s deep kiss continued. Seeing that they were runningte, the pastor coughed dryly and reminded them helplessly, "Bride and groom, please exchange your wedding rings." If it were not for the timing and asion, Luke wanted Bianca all to himself. He had never thought that kissing the love of his life at their wedding would be so addictive. After so many dark and bumpy years, he finally found the purest white moonlight in his heart. He wanted to hold onto her tightly and have her stay by his side forever. Bianca''s lips were red and slightly burning from Luke''s kiss. She was sure that her lips were swollen. She shot Luke an angry look that seemed ashamed and tender, which made Lukeugh out loud. He could not help but kiss her again. The pastorughed. He had officiated countless weddings and seen a lot of loving couples. However, it was his first time meeting newlyweds who were so affectionate. "Bride and groom, please exchange wedding rings. You can kiss each other all you wantter." The pastor reminded them again, which drew a burst ofughter from the guests. Bianca''s face was flushed again when she heard the pastor''s teasingment. Luke let go of her a little reluctantly and took the ring handed by the pastor. He kneeled on the ground in the most gentlemanly manner. He gently ced a pink diamond ring on Bianca''s ring finger. This ring was different from the ring he had used to propose. Their wedding rings were embedded with rare pink rough diamonds collected by Luke from all over the world. Pink diamonds were the rarest of the rare and had to follow strict parameters. Each of the diamonds was the size of an almond. Luke had put in the effort to design the ring himself. It was polished by the world''s best and took nearly a year for the astonishing final product that showcased 48 stacked petals to be ready. The wedding ring was worth tens of millions of dors. The dazzling colors radiated in the sunlight... Everyone marveled at the ring brilliance that almost blinded them. Tears rolled in Bianca''s eyes as she pressed her lips tightly together to get a hold of the overwhelming joy and warmth she felt. Luke smiled with pride when he saw how excited Bianca was. At that moment, he was hers and she was his, forever and ever. He felt secure and excited over their future together. "We¡¯re not done." Luke took Bianca''s hand and smiled gently as he reminded the pastor. The pastor returned to his senses and handed the other ring. '' Miss Rayne, please put this ring on your husband''s ring finger." Bianca took the ring and put it on for Luke carefully. Looking at the diamond ring on his finger, her nose turned red. Their rings were couple rings. Although Luke''s ring was worth millions as well, Bianca could tell at a nce that his ring was slightly inferior to hers in terms of rity and finishing. Luke gave her only the best. She had chosen the right person. The pastor said cheerfully after they exchanged rings, "I now pronounce you, Mr. Luke Crawford and Ms. Bianca Rayne, husband and wife." The guests responded with thunderous apuse. No one noticed that in a hidden corner of the venue stood a tall woman, Mavis Laviere. She had left the country and traveled around the world, experiencing rich and different cultures. She wanted to take in the fresh air, look at different sceneries, go out to meet people whom she would never have met, and get rid of her memories with Luke. However, when she found out about Luke''s wedding, Mavis dropped everything and rushed back from abroad... Chapter 877 Chapter 877 Luke Would Skin Him Alive As she watched Luke and Bianca exchange rings and kiss, Mavis could not help but bawl. She pressed her lips tightly to stop herself from weeping. It was useless. Although she did her best to cry quietly and even though the sound of music was louder than her sobs, the pea-sized tears on her cheeks were real. She knew that her ten-year crush on Luke had toe to an end. When a security guard saw Mavis, who was dressed weirdly and crying, he stepped forward and asked, Miss, are you alright? Do you need help?" "Thank you, I¡¯m fine." Mavis shook her head to signal to the bodyguard that she was fine. She felt as though her heart was in pieces as she sat down in the farthest seat. She continued to watch Luke and Bianca''s wedding. The scene of their happiness was pure abuse for her, but Mavis could not control herself. Luke knew nothing about it. In his striking eyes, there seemed to be only Bianca-his gentle and gorgeous Bianca. The wedding went by smoothly and made him smile from ear to ear. "From this moment on, you''re mine and we''ll never be separated again." Luke held Bianca''s face that bloomed like a flower, kissed her forehead, and made a promise, "I will protect you and our babies, forever and ever." A breeze that carried a floral fragrance blew past them. The strange fragrance lingered in the ancient and magnificent castle. It felt as though there was an invisible hand drawing this heart-warming scene on a white and wless canvas. Bianca stared at Luke''s handsome face. She felt the temperature of his body and his power. She was convinced that they truly belonged with each other. Their story had been bumpy and imperfect, but they got their happily ever after in the end. Luke was stunned when he looked at Bianca. He smiled softly, hugged her, and greedily breathed in her unique fragrance again. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. It seemed that he could not get enough of her. He lowered his head, held her delicate face, and french-kissed her... The other side of the venue. Percy Mallory and Jim Holston stood proudly near the champagne tower. They were two equally stunning men. One was extremely devilish and charming, cool like a lone eagle in the night. He exuded strength that defied the crowd. The other was handsome and graceful, his eyes full of temptation. He looked like he was trying to seduce women regardless of the time or asion. Jim stood in front of the buffet. He ate the steak with a knife and fork while staring at the couple who could not bear to part from each other. He jokingly said, "Wow, I didn''t expect Luke to be such a horndog. He wasn''t like this when we were in university. At that time, he would retreat the moment a woman identally touched him as if he had encountered a venomous snake and be extremely disgusted. I thought he was gay and wanted to introduce him to some handsome rent boys. How unexpected..." Percy nced at him and sipped on some champagne. He had a rare smile on his face. "Have you forgotten about the lesson Luke taught you? Aren''t you afraid that he''ll skin you again for saying such things at his wedding?" Jim coughed, his handsome face was flushed. When they were younger, he had hired a few stunningly beautiful men and stripped them naked before sending them to Luke''s bed. As a result... Luke beat him up so badly that he could not get out of bed for a full week. ''How could Luke be so cruel? It was just a couple of rent boys...¡¯ Tommy stood next to Jim. He was holding a cream cake in his hand, and his face was covered with cream. His eyes looked curious as he tugged on Jim''s pants. "Uncle Jim, what¡¯s a rent boy?" Jim did not expect Tommy to have eavesdropped on their conversation. He touched his chin awkwardly and tried to exin to him, "Ah, rent boys are tall, mighty, and beautiful men." Tommy blinked his big bright eyes and nodded. "Oh... I get it. Uncle Jim, you''re tall and mighty, so you''re a rent boy." Percyughed and lifted Tommy off the ground, giving him a ride on his neck as he said, "What a smart boy!" Jim almost choked to death when he heard Tommy''s innocent words. He had nothing to say and wondered why he was such a chatterbox. Tommy was riding on Percy''s neck and was able to see the venue from a higher standpoint. He was very excited and continued to ask innocently, "Uncle Percy... Why did Uncle Jim get rent boys for Daddy? Daddy likes beauties like Mommy, not men. I¡¯m going to tell Mommy that Uncle Jim got Daddy some rent boys..." When Jim heard that, he broke out in a cold sweat. Although it was a long time ago, he was not sure if Bianca would be furious when she found out. He was not afraid of Bianca being angry; he was afraid of Luke, who would do anything for her. If Bianca got angry or shed a few tears, Luke would skin him alive! At that moment, Jim put down his pride and took Tommy from Percy. He wanted to please Tommy, so he gave him a ride on his neck as he coaxed him in a negotiating tone, "Tommy, you can''t tell your mommy about this, or else your daddy will be angry at me. Can you keep this secret for me? Don¡¯t you want the magic castle of Astra? What if I buy it for you?" The Astra doll castle was one of the most expensive children''s toys in the world. It had the best craftsmanship, architecture, and sculpture. Children and adults were all crazy about it. Tommy grabbed Jim''s hair and bargained with him. "I want a Tibetan mastiff too. Daddy doesn''t allow me to have pets, but I like Tibetan mastiffs. Uncle Jim, make sure you bring me a Tibetan Mastiff." Last month, Tommy, Bianca, and Luke visited the Holston Residence. They saw a fierce and mighty snow-white Tibetan mastiff. The Tibetan mastiff was Simon Holston''s pet. However, Simon Holston was a mini overlord. He loved that Tibetan mastiff more than anything and would not allow Tommy to touch it. Tommy had wanted one since then. Jim chuckled and patted his butt, spoiling him as he said, "Okay, I''ll get you a Tibetan mastiff, you cheeky little one. If your father knows I''m getting you a fierce beast, I don''t know how angry he¡¯s going to get." Chapter 878 Chapter 878 This Man Is A Disaster! The extraordinarilyvish wedding ceremonysted until close to midnight. The guests slowly dispersed, and the lively venue resumed its peace. Luke and Bianca decided to have their honeymoon at the castle on the water. In the dreamy night, a ck Rolls Royce adorned with flowers drove silently along a path among the woods toward the fairytale-like ancient castle. Countless fireworks illuminated the night sky, opening and closing like gigantic umbres. Bianca sat in Luke''s embrace, looking at the beautiful scenery through the car window. She was entirely mesmerized. A firework''s life was short, but it would give asting impression beyond its lifespan. Life was like that too. They might encounter multiple obstacles that stood in their way, but as long as they held each other tightly, they would be able to shine like fireworks. Their future would be as bright and blissful as they made it to be. The Rolls Royce slowed to a halt in front of the entrance of the castle. Luke opened the car door, then bent over and carried his wife out of the car. "You must be tired today." Bianca''s head leaned on his chest, and she sighed. "I''m not that delicate. I can walk by myself." Luke smiled gently. "There''s a superstition that a bride''s feet should not touch the ground before she enters the bridal chambers. The husband will have to carry her. Otherwise, their marriage will be filled with disasters." Bianca blushed slightly. "That''s nonsense. Why would you believe in such superstitions? No one talks like that anymore." She was slightly afraid of Luke''s ravenous gaze. The man had kissed her countless times in front of the guests earlier. If he had his way, he would strip her naked right there and then. She was afraid that he could not control his urges when they were in their roomter. "If I say so, it must be true," Luke said domineeringly. He was worried that she might be tired. He wanted her to rx a little. Luke carried Bianca out of the car. In front of the castle was a vivid red carpet. On both sides of the carpet were servants dressed in festive uniforms. They were standing in attention. When the couple stepped through the door, the servants bowed in unison." Congrattions on your wedding, Mr. and Mrs. Crawford. May your marriage be forever blissful." Bianca was surprised by the spectacle, though she was also quite moved. She thanked those people in her heart. At the same time, she buried her face into his broad chest. Her heart was thumping wildly. Bianca had dreamed of such a wedding when she was younger, though she expected that her actual wedding would be a simple one. She did not expect that her wishes woulde true today. She had never dreamed of falling in love with a man as outstanding as Luke Crawford and eventually bing his wife. Scenes from the past appeared in Bianca''s mind. Those were memories of happiness, sorrow, mncholy... Bianca''s heart was filled with a mixture of emotions. Luke carried Bianca to the master bedroom and gently ced her on the soft bed. His coarse palm caressed her cheek. "Wait for a while. I''ll get someone to fill up the bathtub, and we''ll have a good bath." This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Bianca rubbed his palms coyly like a kitten. "Alright." After Luke went out of the room, Bianca breathed a sigh of relief and looked around her. The room was spacious andvish. It was furnished like a pce. The ceiling was high, from which hung an ornate chandelier. The furniture and firece were all antiques. For a moment, Bianca felt that she had gone back in time to the 17th century, and she was a noble princess. Bianca looked at her face reflected in the bas-relief vanity mirror that hung by the bedside. It had been a long day, but her make-up remained impable. Her face was a deep red color, which was a stark contrast to her wedding gown. Tm really married,'' Bianca thought as she touched her reflection in the mirror. That was the second time she thought of that. She had registered her marriage with Luke earlier, but they had not held their wedding ceremony. That had always been Bianca¡¯s regret. Since ancient times, the wedding ceremony signified thepleteness of a couple''s union. It had been a busy day. Before dawn, she had to get up so that the stylists and makeup artists could prepare her for the day ahead. After that were the formalities. During the banquet, they had to entertain the guests and ept their blessings. Finally, it was time for them to be alone together. That had been her wedding day. Until now, Bianca still remained slightly disoriented. Her breathing was irregr and rapid, and her breath had fogged up the vanity mirror in front of her, blurring her beautiful face. She was lost in thought as she stared into the mirror. Bianca, oh Bianca, you''ve married the man you love the most.'' A silly grin appeared on her face. When Luke returned to the room, he saw Bianca staring at the mirror and grinning. At that moment, she seemed like a rabbit in a fairytale. He could not help butugh when he saw that. He stepped up next to her, rubbed her cheeks, and tousled her hair. "What are you thinking? It''s our wedding day today. Stop dreaming." Bianca came to her senses. She noticed that he had taken off his clothes. The man was topless, and his muscles were sculpted. His bronze-colored skin was seductive under the light of the ornate crystal chandelier. Bianca could not help but gulp when she saw that. ¡¯Mmh, this man is a disaster! ''No wonder all the female guests were staring at him and drooling during the ceremony earlier...1 Chapter 879 Chapter 879 He Wished That He Could Be With Her Forever Luke smiled bewitchingly. There was a yful glint in his gentle gaze. He gazed at Bianca as though she were a priceless treasure. Suddenly, the man picked Bianca up in a bridal carry. "Let this king bathe you, my queen." Bianca could not help but chuckle. She did not expect that the usually serious man would indulge in role-y... "Shouldn''t the queen bathe the king instead? That''s what I see in the movies,¡¯ Bianca joked. "If that is what my queen wishes. Thou shalt not go back on thy word." Luke nced yfully at Bianca. Bianca covered her mouth and smiled. "Hmm, if I''m your queen, does it mean that you have a harem that I don''t know?" "Thou art my only queen. My empire shall only be shared with thee." He grinned wickedly, and his hands quickly relieved Bianca of her clothes and even her underwear. He carried her and stepped into the bathtub. Thevish bathroom was covered in mist, and the man did not attempt to hide his desires. Bianca almost could not breathe. The light from the chandelier shone through the mist and onto Bianca''s skin, making her look like a goddess. "You''re so beautiful, my wife..." Luke showered praises and ttery onto Bianca as he looked at her eagerly. His lips yearned for hers. The woman seemed to be his poison. The longer they were together, the deeper the impression she left on Luke. Bianca reclined in the bathtub. Her delicate ankle was wrapped in his coarse palm. Every one of his kisses was like an electric shock that jolted every single cell and synapse in her body. Outside the window, the starry sky was breathtakingly beautiful. In the bathroom, fragrant rose petals floated on the surface of the water, asionally stirred by the rhythmic turbulence of the couple... When Bianca woke up the next day, she felt that her back and waist were sore. However, there was no one next to her. She stretchedzily and opened her eyes. It was only then she realized that she was in the cabin of a boat. What happened to the castle the night before? She hurriedly got out of bed. After making sure that all her clothes were intact, she breathed a sigh of relief and looked around the cabin. The cabin was extravagant but not to the point of tackiness. Sky-blue curtains hung from the ceiling, and they glistened like sapphires when illuminated by sunlight. The entire floor was made of ss windows. Bianca was afraid of drowning, and the transparent floor did not look safe. Carefully, she ced a foot on the ss floor, then slowly put her weight on it. The ss was as strong as steel, and she was safe. Through the windows, she could see all sorts of beautiful and rare fishes. They swam in schools, and it was a lively scene. Below the azure water was the pure white seabed. Bright green seagrasses swayed along with the current. The schools of fish swam around in circles and yed with each other as the boat moved through the water. It was more beautiful than any aquarium Bianca had been. 1 ''This is so beautiful!'' Bianca thought, utterly mesmerized. She got off the bed and crouched on the floor to gaze below her. There were so many things to see. She felt a little dizzy as the boat swayed gently. She gently knocked onto the ss with her finger. The fish seemed to be attracted to her and swam toward her. Bianca grinned. Before she knew it, she had already left the cabin and found herself on the deck. As she continued to appreciate the scene under her feet, she felt a pair of strong arms hug her waist. She came to her senses. As she turned her head back, Luke''s cool and tender lips fell on her warm lips. That was an intoxicating feeling. She desired that sensation, and she wished that she could remain in his arms forever. "Where were you, Luke? Why are we on a boat? Where''s the castle? Where are we now?" Bianca began to ask questions as she rested coyly in his arms. "I went to work out for a bit. I saw that you were sleeping, so I didn''t wake you up. I know that you''ve always loved the sea, and so I''m fulfilling one of your wishes." Luke gently pinched her nose and gazed at her reddish lips. " Does it still hurt?" Bianca blushed. She knew what he was referring to. "I''m... fine." The man did not care about her feelings at all. They made out several times the night before, and she nearly... Bianca yfully kicked him and red at him. "You''re not going to touch me in the near future!" Luke burst outughing like a hooligan. He picked her up again and brought her back to the cabin. "What... what do you want?" Bianca felt her legs go limp when she saw the ominous expression on his face. She began to struggle. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Luke was not going to let her get away. He pinned her on the bed and said hoarsely, "It''s our honeymoon, the weather is nice, and the sea is our backdrop. It¡¯d be a shame if we don''t do something fun." "Ah, no... I can''t... I have a headache..." Bianca shrieked and wanted to run away. Of course, she was no match for the well-built man. Soon, dissonant noises echoed in the cabin. The brilliant sunlight shone on the horizon. It could have been a calming sight, but the married couple in the cabin wereposing a beautiful symphony in bed. Luke loved Bianca''s voice and her diffident yet bewitching demeanor. She filled him with all sorts of desires, and his only desire was to be with her forever. They were but individuals in the sea of people, but they somehow came together. They believed that their love would never end... Chapter 880 Chapter 880 A Familiar Face from the Past Luke knew that Bianca loved to look at the architecture of foreign countries, especially European architecture. That was why Luke decided to bring her there for the honeymoon. Three dayster, a gigantic cruise ship docked at the port of Venice, Italy''s famous "Floating City." Venice was full of history. Piazza San Marco, Pzzo Ducale, the opera house, and the basilica were the famous attractions that oozed culture and beauty. Tourists of many different countries were wandering the city. Piazza San Marco was the liveliest spot in Venice. It had been the social, religious, and political center of the city, and it was a must-visitndmark of the city. Surrounding the public square were many cafes, boutiques, and specialty stores that attracted visitors from different countries. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Near the square was an open field with neatly trimmed grass, exquisite corridors, a beautiful musical fountain, and flocks of pure white pigeons. The musical fountain was surrounded by various sculptures, forming a harmonious scene with the buildings that surrounded it. There were many street performers. Some were ying the violin, while some were selling paintings. The entire square was brimming with an artistic atmosphere. Luke and Bianca wandered around the za for a while. Then, she pulled him to the side and watched someone paint. Someone yed a cheery tune, and the flock of pigeons took flight. The birds flew merrily in the air, their snow-white wings creating a blizzard. Bianca cried out in surprise. She let go of Luke''s hand and danced among the birds. The sky was clear without a cloud, and the sunlight was a pure golden yellow. Bianca was dressed in a pale blue dress. The golden sun rays enveloped her among the flock of pigeons, which brought out her beauty. A small pigeon rested on Bianca''s hand. The pigeon''s colors were quite vivid. Its head had ck feathers like a scarf, but the feathers at its stomach were yellow-brown. Its gaze was prating and arrogant, and it was not afraid of Bianca at all. It walked along Bianca''s arm like a tiny fan. Bianca''sughter resounded in the square. The delicate woman''s long hair was as ck as ink, contrasting her skin which was fairer than the pigeon''s wings. She seemed to be glowing under the sunlight, as though she had walked out of a ssical painting. Many tourists were dumbfounded by her beauty, and they turned their cameras toward her... Several handsome young men could not resist but to walk up to her and ask, "Signorina, Lei e davvero be, pud farsi un arnica con mi? (You''re very beautiful, Miss. May we be friends?)¡± Bianca could not understand the Italian they were saying. She stared nkly at the few Italian young men who were grinning brightly. "Sorry, I don''t understand..." She blinked and replied. The young men looked at each other, but they did not give up. Just when they were about to try another pick-up line, Bianca felt a pair of arms envelop her. Luke was hugging Bianca possessively. The man''s harsh gaze looked at those Italian young men with hostility. "Mi disce, e mia amata moglie. (I''m sorry, she is my beloved wife.)" The young men were speechless. The man that had suddenly appeared before them had a handsome face with sculpted features and dark irises seemingly speckled with stars. He had a noble demeanor that the best artist would not be able to fully express with their brush. When he stood together with the beautiful woman, it was an extremely pleasing scene. Too bad. That seemingly young woman was already someone else''s wife! The Italian young men shrugged and smiled sheepishly before going away. After they left, Bianca tugged Luke''s arm curiously and asked, "What did you tell those Italian young men, Luke?" "It''s nothing. They said that you''re pretty, and they wanted your number. I told them that you''re already my wife." Luke gently pinched her cheek and sighed. Having a beautiful wife could be worrying sometimes. "Oh, is that so? I don''t think that I look that remarkable. They shouldn''t trust their aesthetic sense, heheh..." Bianca opened her mouth slightly and pinched her cheek. She could not really believe it. To be frank, she had never prided in her looks. Many people have said that she was beautiful, but she did not think that she was very remarkable. Moreover, she was in a city where beautiful women were everywhere. She thought that she was as in as she could be, but she did not expect someone to strike up a conversation with her. Luke wished that he could keep her at home so that other men would not attempt to court her. However, he knew that Bianca did not like to be restrained. All he could do was to protect her from all harm. In the next few days, Luke brought Bianca around Europe and toured the famous tourist spots. He might be a workaholic, but he knew how to enjoy himself too. Bianca had forged many good memories in those days. Thanks to Luke, the honeymoon was a trip that she would never forget. When Luke and Bianca were in Greece, he picked up an emergency call while they were on their way back from a tourist attraction. He told Bianca to go back to the hotel herself while he answered the call. Bianca nodded and did what she was told. When Bianca arrived at the hotel lobby, she saw a familiar face that she had not seen for a long time... Chapter 881 Chapter 881 Pathetic Worm It was a beautiful woman about five-foot-seven in height. Her curly hair was dyed purple-red. She had the typical face of an inte celebrity - big eyes, a tapered chin, apple-red lips, and puffy cheeks. She had heavy makeup on her face, though it was obvious that she had many hyaluronic acid injections. Her appearance made her stand out from the rest of the tour group. Bianca could tell that the woman was Hera Sanchez, her ssmate in junior high. Hera was once the prom queen. She was quite different from how she looked in high school, but her overall shape did not change. Bianca remembered Hera very well because she used to be her bully. Bianca did not remember the names of the two young women next to her, but she remembered seeing them before. They were part of Hera''s gang. Hera was hugging the arm of a plump middle-aged man and resting her head on that man''s shoulder. The man was a full head shorter than Hera. His face was as round as a te, and his eyes were tiny because of the folds of fat. His neck was short and thick, and his body was like a moving ball. 1 He enjoyed the attention that Hera was giving him, and his meaty palm was wandering wildly on Hera''s body. Hera hated it, but she hid her true feelings and pretended that she was enjoying his advances... Bianca watched for a while and prepared to leave. At that moment, Minnie Franklin and Astra York, two of Hera''sckeys noticed her. Astra rubbed her eyes to make sure that her eyes were not ying tricks on her. "Hey, Minnie, look at that girl. Isn''t she... Bianca Rayne?" Minnie was also staring at Bianca."... Bianca?" She called out. Bianca wanted to steer clear of those women, but one of them had already called out her name. She braced herself and returned the greeting, "Long time no see." Hera was not looking anywhere else because she was busy flirting with her boyfriend. When she heard her good friend calling out "Bianca," she was surprised. She turned toward the direction of the voice and saw Bianca. "Why are you here, you pathetic worm?" The "pathetic worm" from junior high had be a beautiful woman. Not only was she dressed in luxury clothing, but she carried the air of a noblewoman. As far as Hera remembered, Bianca was not like that. They were from the same town, and they were ssmates in junior high. Bianca back then was incredibly old-fashioned. She would be in a bowl cut, and her clothes would be old and sometimes patched. Bianca in junior high was diffident and self-abased. She looked as though she deserved to be bullied. However, she was always the top scorer.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Hera was the most beautiful girl in school, and boys often flirted with her. She was arrogant and haughty. She and her friends often bullied Bianca, and she always called her a "pathetic worm." Bianca frowned when she heard that familiar nickname. Even so, she was not going to bring up the past. She smiled gently, even though it was only superficial. "I happen to be on a work hiatus, so I''m here on a vacation, and at the same time recover a debt Hera grimaced, and her hand that hugged her boyfriend''s arm stiffened." That''s impossible! How did youe here? This ce is expensive. I don''t think you have the time or money... so how..." She remembered that Bianca came from a poor family and lived with her grandfather. Bianca would work odd jobs on weekends and during the summer break. Sometimes, she would help her grandfather peddle various trinkets. How could she afford a trip to Europe? Bianca smiled and mercilessly interjected, "No one knows what happens in the future. I''m not the only one who''s changed, Hera. Have you forgotten the bet you made with me?" She nced at the plump middle-aged man sitting next to Hera. The man''s eyes were transfixed on Bianca''s body. Bianca could not help but feel appalled. Hera knew that her boyfriend was perversely attracted to beautiful women. ''Damned fat pig!'' She red at Bianca angrily. "What bet is it? Why don''t I remember it?¡± Bianca narrowed her gaze. "Oh? Are you making excuses now?" "Hah! Am I that kind of person?" Hera repeated, "I''ve never made any excuses. What bet was it again?" Bianca stared at her coldly. "Looks like you''re really forgetful, Ms. Sanchez. Have you forgotten what you''ve said? This came out of your mouth: If I ever go on vacation in another country, you''ll pay for a seven-day trip for the entire ss. I remember that these two beautifuldies were there when you said that. You can ask them." She pointed at Minnie and Astra. The two young women tried to avert Bianca''s eyes. They shot a knowing nce at Hera as though reminding her that it was really the case. They remembered Hera saying that while they were teasing Bianca in school. At that time, Hera remembered it too. She pressed her lips together reluctantly. She had said that because she wanted to humiliate Bianca. She thought that Bianca would never be rich enough to step out of the country for a vacation. Now, she had met the pathetic worm from junior high in Greece. She could not believe her eyes. What should she do? Should she fulfill her promise? She was now a minor Inte celebrity and could afford it, but she was unwilling! Hera nced at her boyfriend, her two BFFs, and the rest of the tour group. They were whispering to each other as though looking down on her. She did not want to fulfill her promise, but she did not want to be humiliated by that pathetic worm. What should she do? Suddenly, Hera had an idea... Chapter 882 Chapter 882 His Gaze Sent Chills Down Her Spine Hera chuckled and spoke to Bianca arrogantly, "I''d love to bring my ssmates on a trip, but I don''t think I can do it this year." Bianca blinked, and a hint of mockery appeared on her lips. "Oh, why is that?" Hera grinned smugly. "You should know that you need a visa to travel, and it''s such a hassle to apply for one. It''ll take forever for everyone to get ready. Also, everyone''s busy with their careers and families now, and we won''t gather everyone. What''s the point if we can''t get everyone?" She thought that she was quite smart for thinking of such an excuse. Once she got out there, Bianca would not be able to find her. Bianca frowned. "There are some countries..." She wanted to say that certain countries, such as the Maldives and Mauritius, did not require a visa or offered visas upon arrival. Hera interjected before she could finish her sentence. She opened her eyes exaggeratedly. "You look confused. Don''t tell me that you don''t even have a passport!" Minnie and Astra both smiled contemptuously. "I don''t think it''s any of your business if I have a passport or not." Bianca was not going to answer such a stupid question, nor was she willing to entertain those women. She nced at them and was about to leave. Hera rushed over and grabbed her. A hint of malice appeared in her eyes." Don''t tell me that you were smuggled here, Bianca Rayne!" The tour group whispered to each other when they heard that. Everyone wondered if that young woman in luxury clothes hade to the country illegally. It would be a serious crime if that were true! Hera thought that her guess was correct, seeing that Bianca did not reply." Heh, I didn''t expect that it''s the case! How gutsy, you pathetic worm! Do you know that if the police arrest you, you''ll be immediately sentenced to prison?" Hera''s boyfriend noticed that Bianca was frowning and thought that she was in distress. He grinned and walked up to her. "How about youe with us? It might be a little tricky since we''re overseas, but it''s not hard for me to get you a passport. You can call me Harvey." His podgy hand reached toward Bianca. Bianca took several steps back, and her expression sank. "Please mind your manners, Mister." The plump man was stunned by Bianca''s reaction. ''She''s got quite the character!'' He thought. Hera was furious, but she dared not lose her temper. "I''m right next to you, Harvey. What do you want to do? Tell me, are you interested in that seductress?" The plump man named Harvey said perversely, "Why would I? I won''t be bothered with other women when I have you. I''m taking pity on your ssmate. After all, she''s from your town. It''d be very unlucky for her if she''s arrested!" "Her luck has nothing to do with us!" Hera said maliciously, "She probably deserves it anyway. Alright, that''s all I''m going to say about it. Serves her right if she gets caught. After all, she''s only a pathetic worm..." "Oh, is that so?" A rion voice was heard. It was low and resonant like a double bass. Following that was the firm stride of leather shoes on the floor. Hera shut up instantly. Her eyes were transfixed on the incredibly handsome man that was walking toward Bianca. All the eyes of the people from the tour group were looking at the same person too. Bianca''s horrid mood instantly brightened the moment she saw Luke. The man''s body was tall and well-built. The sun was shining behind him. His face was hauntingly handsome, but his lips were pressed together coldly. Luke shot an impassive nce at Hera, and his gaze fell on Bianca. His gaze turned gentle when he saw that Bianca wasposed. "Wow, that man looks so handsome! He''s a hundred times more handsome than any actor!" A woman from the tour group was instantly smitten. Her hands pressed on her hot cheeks to stop herself from shrieking. "Huh? Isn''t he Mr. Crawford, the CEO of T Corporation back in our country?" Someone soon recognized who he was. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. After all, Luke''s face frequently appeared in newspapers and on television. He was the face of T Corporation, and many people had asting impression of that impable face. The tour group was prepared to watch theedy unfold, but they were shocked when they saw Luke''s appearance. Some single women were already obsessed, while some were admiring and coveting him. The man had tried to keep a low profile in the country, but he was very attractive. They did not expect to meet him in a foreign country. Hera''s expression changed drastically when she saw Luke. All the malice was instantly gone. Her gaze became eager. "L... Luke?" She rubbed her eyes in disbelief. The man in front of him was indeed Luke Crawford, her upperssman in high school. Luke was an outstanding student. He chaired the student council, and he was an elite basketball yer. However, he was extremely aloof and distant. Many girls dreamed of being his girlfriend, but they could never realize their dreams. Hera had always been obsessed with that boy. She had even handed him a love letter. Unfortunately, Luke had rejected her. Hera could not contain her excitement. She stepped forward and greeted him, "Are... are you really Luke Crawford, the upperssman?" "Mm," Luke replied coldly. He went up to Bianca and gazed at her gently." Why haven''t you gone back to the room?" Everyone was shocked when they heard that. Hera''s jaw dropped. Why would that aloof and invulnerable upperssman speak to that pathetic worm with such a gentle tone? Hera stared at Luke with a hint of resentment in her gaze. She walked up to him and asked him, "Do you know Bianca Rayne?" Luke shot an icy nce at her, which sent a chill down her spine... Chapter 883 Chapter 883 Like A Feather Tickling His Heart Hera was shocked by Luke''s icy gaze. She felt as though her heart was popping out of her chest. She tried to calm herself down while still trying to dress down Bianca. "You probably don''t know about her, Luke. Bianca and I used to be from the same town, and she''s been a sleazy girl since I knew her. Not only does she have multiple boyfriends, but I¡¯ve also heard that she secretly dates her teacher and trades her body for good results. Don''t be deceived by her pure looks." Bianca crossed her arms and watched in amusement how Hera was trying to nder her. If she had a shorter temper, she would have pped Hera several times already. Of course, she did not do that. If Hera found out that the "pathetic worm" had be Luke''s wife, Bianca could not imagine the expression on her face! ''Hmm... this''ll be interesting.'' Bianca could not help but grin when she thought of how Hera was digging her own grave. Hera thought that Bianca''s grin was supposed to instigate her. She nced at Bianca and said, "How are you still in the mood to smile, you pathetic worm? I''m ashamed to be from the same school as you." Bianca''s grin became even wider. "You''re the one who should be ashamed of yourself. Don''t involve me in this." Bianca did not put on any makeup except for some moisturizer and sunscreen, but her fair and tender skin was many times better than Hera''s rough skin covered byyers of makeup. That grin utterly charmed Luke. He felt as though a feather was tickling his heart. Luke could feel a warm current flowing within him as he stared at Bianca. He felt that his throat was dry. Hera did not expect Bianca to talk back. Instantly, she retorted, "You must be out of your mind, you pathetic worm! You''re the one who came here illegally, not me!" "You''ve always thought that you''re in the right, Hera Sanchez. You can say whatever you want. I''m not in the mood to talk to idiots," Bianca said pleasantly. Hera was shaking with anger. She was trying to insult Bianca, but Bianca somehow seemed unaffected, which made her even angrier. She hugged her boyfriend''s meaty arm and said with equal parts of coyness and anger, "That pathetic worm is bullying me, Harvey. Won''t you do something?" Harvey was a businessman and naturally knew who Luke was. He might be rich, but he was nothing compared to Luke of the Crawfords. He dared not say a word in front of Luke. He could not afford to offend him. That man could ruin his fledgling business with just one finger. Harvey nced at the man fearfully and awkwardly shoved Hera away." Stop making a fuss. Don''t you know who that man is? He..." Before Hera could say anything, a low and resonant voice interjected," What is your name?" Hera thought that she could melt when she heard that voice. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. The women in the tour group were smitten, especially Minnie and Astra, who could not look away. Hera was slightly disappointed that Luke did not remember her name. However, she was ecstatic that the cold and aloof upperssman was talking to her right now. She blushed and quickly replied to Luke''s question, forgetting that her boyfriend was standing right next to her. "I''m Hera Sanchez, Luke. Don''t you remember me? I made you chocte truffles when you were in a basketball match in school...¡± Unfortunately, Luke tossed the box of chocte truffles into the trash can in front of everyone, making Hera the subject of ridicule in school for a while. "Hera Sanchez, is it? I remember you now.¡± A hint of impatience shed in Luke''s eyes. He had to remember the name of his wife''s bully. Hera continued to speak boldly, "How about we have dinner together and catch up with each other, Luke? We''re old friends after all. Also... are you married?" Luke thought that it was a waste of time to talk to her. "I''m already married. Also, my wife and I are very busy. Let''s not catch up with each other." Hera was stunned. ''Luke is married? How is that possible?'' Luke did not publicize his wedding. Only the social elite of A City knew about it. Hera was disappointed to find out that he was married, but she could not stop her emotions. She stared at Luke''s face without any reservation. Her boyfriend felt awkward because of Hera''s brazen gaze. Luke also found it appalling. He strode up to Bianca and hugged her waist. "This is Bianca Rayne, my wife." The people were utterly shocked when they heard Luke say that. Hera was the most shocked of all. She nearly jumped up. "How... How is that possible? That pathetic worm can''t be your wife!" Harvey could not believe it either. He stared at Bianca incredulously. He had nearly offended the woman earlier. Would Luke do anything to him? Luke''spany was so powerful that it could even sway government policy. Harvey''spany could never reach that level, no matter how he tried. One would expect that someone of that status would marry a wife of an equally lofty status, so it was not surprising that no one believed that Bianca was Luke''s wife. However, they had to admit that it was true when they saw how intimate Luke and Bianca were... Chapter 884 Chapter 884 Hera Is Arrested The people from the tour group began to discuss animatedly after hearing what Luke said. A girl with a round face almost copsed. Her friend managed to steady her. "I didn''t expect that the girl was Mr. Crawford''s wife. If that''s the case, she couldn''t have smuggled here..." They did not expect that sudden revtion. The subject of ridicule was actually the wife of the CEO of T Corporation. "That''s right!" The round-faced girl''s friend was a tall young woman in sses. "I thought that she looked somewhat extraordinary earlier. I bet Hera insulted her only because she''s jealous of her." "Right. Hera looked so confident too! I nearly believed her. Tsk tsk, how shameless!" "Mr. Crawford''s wife is so pretty. Look, I don''t think she¡¯s wearing any makeup. Her skin is so smooth. She''s the perfect match with Mr. Crawford." "Look at Hera''s boyfriend. He might be rich, but he''s probably a windfall tycoon... Not to mention he looks like a pig. Poor Hera... heheh..." Hera became the focus of discussion instead. It was normal for those people to behave that way when they realized who between the two was the more influential figure. Harvey red angrily at the people in the tour group, but he dared not say anything. Hera remained in shock, not knowing that the public opinion had swayed against her. She could only shake her head in disbelief as she stared at Bianca. "That''s impossible. You''re a pathetic worm, Bianca. You don''t have the right to marry Luke. His family won''t ept her... if it were true, she must have seduced him! You''re a shameless woman, Bianca! You haven''t changed since junior high!" Luke pressed his lips tightly as he heard that woman insult his wife. His icy gaze fell on Hera like the reaper''s scythe. He would have gotten physical on her, if not that he was principled enough to not be violent against women. When Hera was about to continue insulting Bianca, several uniformed police officers came out from the hotel. They were in the middle of their regr patrols. The police captain noticed Luke and went to greet him respectfully. "Is there any trouble, Mr. Crawford? How can we help?" Luke nced at Hera disgustedly and grimaced. "That''s right. This woman here is ndering my wife." ''Who dares nder Mr. Crawford''s wife!'' The police captain thought as he turned toward where Luke was looking. "Is this the woman who ndered your wife?" Hera felt guilty when she saw the police officers appear. She began to panic when she heard the question. "I didn''t nder you, Bianca. Minnie and Astra can be my witnesses. I swear that every word I said is true. How dare you deny it! Haven''t you investigated her background, Mr. Crawford? She doesn''t deserve you..." Bianca''s delicate face remained calm, though her gaze was icy. "You can tell the police that. We don''t have time to listen to your nonsense here." "Don''t hand me to the police, Luke. We were from the same school, and I used to have a crush on you!" Hera turned to look at Luke pleadingly. She hoped that he would forgive her. She did not expect that her insulting words wouldnd her in legal trouble. Perhaps Luke might forgive her. After all, they were from the same high school. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. It would be very humiliating for her to go to jail in a foreign country, not to mention that no one would bail her out. The rest of her life would be ruined. Of course, Hera did not know how ruthless Luke could get, or that Bianca was the only woman that Luke showed his gentle side. Luke shot a hawk-like nce at the pathetic Hera. "That''s enough. Take that crazy woman away," he said coldly. The police captain took out a pair of handcuffs and locked them on Hera''s wrists. "Ah... don''t arrest me. I was only joking. I didn''t mean what I said... Please save me, Harvey..." Hera began to panic when she saw that the police officers were being serious. She turned to look pleadingly at her boyfriend. The police captain asked Harvey sternly, "What rtion do you have with this woman?" "I... I don''t know her at all!" Harvey did not want to get into trouble and instantly broke up with Hera. It was humiliating enough to have such an idiotic girlfriend! Moreover, he had nearly offended Mr. Crawford''s wife because of Hera. Instead of offending Luke Crawford, he would rather break up with that stupid woman! Hera nearly passed out from anger when she heard what her boyfriend said. She could only turn to look at her two "good friends." "Help me, Minnie, Astra! Please..." Her two so-called BFFs did not want to have anything to do with her either. They hurriedly exined to the police officers, "We''re here with the tour group, officer. We don''t know who that woman is!" Hera was livid when she heard that. Bianca smiled at the police officers. "There should be security cameras here, right? You can get the evidence from the footage. Thank you, officers. "No problem at all, Mrs. Crawford," the police officer replied courteously. "How dare you treat me like this, you pathetic worm! Just you wait!" Hera continued to bark like a rabid dog as she was dragged away by the police officers. That was the end of the ridiculous episode. ''Hera dared to offend Mr. Crawford. Her life is ruined!'' Everyone thought. Bianca did not know that the episode would bring her great trouble some time in the future... Chapter 885 Chapter 885 Don''t Touch My Wife Bianca and Luke¡¯s honeymoonsted for almost two weeks. On thest day of their honeymoon, they had nned to take a flight back to A City. However, Percy''s cruise ship happened to dock in the city they were in, and he invited the newly-wed couple on board. The couple dyed their ns of returning and went on the ship. The Mallory family ship was called the Zephyr. It was the property of the Mallory family, and it could sail freely on the open sea. The cruise ship was more than ten floors high and could hold more than a thousand passengers. It cost a billion to build it. The amenities of the luxury cruise ship included buffet restaurants, swimming pools, clubs, bars, gyms, galleries, space simtor rides, casinos, and so on. Only the top hundred wealthiest individuals in the world would receive an invitation to board the cruise ship. All other passengers would have to pay for an expensive ticket to enjoy what the ship had to offer. Everything above the tenth floor was private Mallory territory. No visitors could enter there. Bianca stood on the deck and admired the immensity of the cruise ship. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She could not imagine that the incredibly wealthy Mallory family had built several gardens of different styles on the ship. There were all sorts of tropical flowers, verdant shrubs, towering trees, and even tantalizing fruits. "I''ve never seen such a luxurious cruise ship before. Percy is too rich!" Bianca could not help but exim as she held on to the railings."... I wonder how much of it is illegally earned?" Luke hugged her from the back, rested his head on her shoulder, and smiled. "Mm. If you''d like it, I can build a bigger and more luxurious ship for you." Bianca shook her head hurriedly. "I was just saying. Please don''t be rash. The Mallories run their business on this ship, but I have no use for one. That''ll only be a waste. I''m not going to waste your money..." "Heheheh..." Luke hugged Bianca more tightly and took a deep breath. His nose was buried in her hair. "I¡¯ll do whatever that makes you happy." Bianca smiled when she heard that, and she gently pecked his lips. "That¡¯s all I want to hear. I don¡¯t need anything but you." Every second with him was pure bliss. She hoped that she would never tire of that sensation. The Zephyr set sail into the shining sea. Melodious music could be heard in the air. Thanks to Luke, Bianca managed to ride on a cruise ship. If it were her alone, she would never want to pay for the trip. Nina was also on the ship, keeping Percypany. She was dressed in a dark red Bohemian dress that contrasted with her fair skin and delicate face. She seemed to be in good spirits, but she had be thinner. She seemed out of ce when standing next to Percy. Percy and Luke reclined on lounge chairs and discussed business while Bianca and Nina were at the side, chatting. "How have you been, Nina? Did he... bully you?" She asked. Nina''s gaze wavered when she looked at Bianca. She forced a smile. "Look at me, all decked out in luxury clothing. I''m finally in high society now, and I have unlimited money to spend. Can''t you see how carefree I am?" "You..." Bianca did not know what to say when she looked at the smile on Nina''s face. Only Nina would know if she was truly happy. "Percy, Percy! I¡¯m back!¡± A crisp and girlish voice from the deck broke the silence between the two women. Bianca and Nina turned their heads in surprise. They saw a petite girl skipping and hopping into Percy''s arms. The girl hugged Percy''s neck and said coyly, "I miss you, Percy! Do you miss me?" "Mm, I miss you." The usually stern Percy Mallorynded a wet kiss on the girl''s cheek and tousled her unkempt hair. It was the first time that Nina had seen Percy so friendly. The man rarely smiled. Even if he did, it was always a sinister or plotting one. The smile on his face now waspletely carefree. She was shocked as she looked at the two people. The girl seemed young; she was probably about sixteen years old. She wore a pink pearl hairband. Her delicate face was petite and round, her long and curly hair fell carelessly on her shoulder, which added to her cute charm. The girl pushed herself away from Percy, then kissed Luke heavily. "I miss you too, Luke!" "..." Bianca was speechless. She was surprised that Luke had allowed another female to kiss her, though she guessed that they must have known each other for a long time. Luke noticed that Bianca was staring at the girl. His expression sank, and he hurriedly exined the situation to his wife. "Bianca, this is Daphne, Percy''s younger sister. I''ve known her since she was a baby... Daphne, this is Bianca Rayne, my wife." Daphne ran in front of Bianca and carefully looked at her. "Nice to meet you, Bianca! Wow, you''re so beautiful. You look like you''ve walked out of a fairytale!" The young girl gently touched Bianca¡¯s face with her fair and tender finger, but Luke instantly red at her. "Don¡¯t touch my wife!" Daphne pouted andined, "You don''t love me anymore because you have a wife now! Of course, if I were you, I wouldn''t want anyone else touching my beautiful wife either." She turned to look at Nina, who was sitting beside Bianca, and could not help but poke her chest out of curiosity. "Wow, these are so big! Are they real?" Nina blushed and turned around to avoid the young girl¡¯s finger. She could not imagine how a man as cold and ruthless as Percy could have such an innocent younger sister. Chapter 886 Chapter 886 When Will She Taste Freedom? To Bianca, that young girl was innocent, carefree, and perhaps a little too naive. She could not bear to see Nina being embarrassed, so she blocked Daphne''s hand and asked her, "Are you really Percy''s younger sister?¡± "Of course. Don''t you think that I look like Percy?" The girl smiled brilliantly like the starry sky. She looked like an angel. Bianca carefully studied Percy and Daphne''s faces. Other than the face, there was no simrity at all. Percy''s eyes were thin, almond-shaped, and had an exotic charm to them. On the other hand, Daphne''s eyes were round like a cat''s eyes and had a glint of mischief in them. Most importantly, what differentiated Daphne from her elder brother was her warm, sweet, and innocent demeanor, unlike Percy, who seemed like the devil. No one would have realized that the cold and ruthless man would be rted to the adorable young girl. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Wee back to the Zephyr, Ms. Daphne." Several servants stood neatly in a row and greeted Daphne. Daphne was used to such scenes. She nodded at them and went back to pester her elder brother. "Let me tell you about the countries I''ve visited, Percy..." Percy began to patiently coax Daphne. It was the first time that Nina had seen the man''s gentle side. "Did youe back yourself, or did Pierre bring you back?" "Pierre brought me, of course. He''s busy flirting with women now, and he doesn''t care about me anyway. Why don''t you talk to him about it, Percy..." Nina shuddered involuntarily when she overheard their conversation. ''Pierre is here too! What should I do if I meet him?'' Nina had been distracted ever since she knew that Pierre was also on board the Zephyr. When Percy brought her to his private quarters, she found the courage to ask him, "Why did you bring me along?" "Don''t forget your status. As my partner, you should know what to do. I don''t have to teach you." "You''ve already told me, and we''ve already signed a contract. Our time together ended a few days ago..." "But I''m addicted to you, Nina. You''re as endearing as a rose. Can''t I have you for a little longer?" ''Addicted? ''To me?'' Nina''s eyes opened wide in surprise and stared at Percy uneasily. Before she could ask him what he meant, he lifted her in his arms and ced her on the handrail. "What... what do you want?" Nina was afraid of water. She would feel dizzy whenever she looked at the sea. A flock of seagulls glided through the air around her. Appearing sporadically among the clouds. The silver waves crashed onto the ship, and the droplets that scattered through the air sparkled like diamonds. Nina was not in the mood to appreciate the beauty. She did not know how to swim, and all she could do was hold on to Percy''s shirt tightly, in case she fell overboard and became the sharks'' next meal. "Don''t be afraid. Try to enjoy the beauty of the world with your heart. You don''t have anything to worry about with me next to you." A smile appeared on Percy''s face. He pulled her face away from his chest and forced her to look at the horizon. Nina''s fear subsided a little when she saw his encouraging gaze and the seemingly mocking smile on his face. She grunted reluctantly, gradually loosened her grip, and began to look around her. The ship had sailed out of the port and into the open sea. The ship''s bow sliced the sea into two and formed waves as it moved forward. The horn sounded proudly, as though nothing in the world could stop the ship. As the ship sped across the waves, the entire world seemed to spin around one''s feet. "Aaaaaaaaa! Aaaaaaaaa!" Nina cupped her hands around her mouth and began to yell at the sea, pouring her suppressed emotions into her voice. That was the first time she had released her emotions. It was a cathartic experience. Percy''s arms were around her waist. He seemed indifferent to Nina''s changing expressions as she yelled. The man''s profound gaze fell on her delicate face. No one knew what he was thinking. About ten minutester, Nina''s voice was almost hoarse. She leaned backward and fell on his chest. Once, she had dreamed of being able to spend a day at sea with the man she loved. However, the man beside her now was not one that she loved. They were neither lovers nor friends, even though they had made out in bed with each other. That was a purely financial transaction that fulfilled each other''s needs. "When will our contract end?" The couple seemed intimate as their skin touched, but Nina''s words were as cold as ice. Percy nced at her. His heart continued to thump rhythmically. Suddenly, he pinched her lower jaw hard as though threatening to crush it." Why, do you want it to end so that you can look for another rich man?" Nina''s heart sank, and she closed her eyes in agony. Thefortable sea breeze had be countless sharp knives that dug deep into her heart. "I don''t get it, Mr. Mallory. You should have been able to get any woman you want with the amount of wealth and influence you have. There are so many beautiful women in the world, and I''m the most unremarkable one. I don''t know what makes me so special to you. We''ve been together so long, and you should have been bored with me. Aren''t you going to get yourself someone fresh?" She roared. She had always understood that they were from different worlds. To him, her status was as low as dust. A in woman like her would not have been able to captivate a man of his status, and he would not be satisfied by one woman. Nina was tired of her current life. As she grew in age, she began to desire a normal life like Bianca or Sue. They already had a significant other and children. Whenever she hugged those children, she did not want to let go. She would also like to be a mother and enjoy marital bliss... However, she was nothing more than a pet in a cage to Percy! She was almost losing her mind. When would the man give her the freedom she deserved? Chapter 887 Chapter 887 Intertwined, But Thinking of Separate Things Nina lowered her head and used her shoulder-length hair to obscure her face. She did not want anyone to see her weakness, especially that man in front of her. "Don''t you feel any affection for me after being together for so long?" Percy smiled sinisterly as he gripped Nina''s jaw and maintained his superior demeanor. Nina felt her heart wrench. Her head remained lowered. "Both of us have something we want, and affection doesn''te into the picture. If I have any affection toward you, it''s because I can''t find a more generous man." Nina''s voice was soft, but her words were mocking. Percy''s sinister gaze wavered. He turned her around by her shoulders. "Do you like it here?" Nina tried to swallow her tears, but she could not control them from falling down her face. She lifted her head to look at the boundless blue sky. When she managed topose herself, she nodded without showing any hint of her previous emotions. "The sea and the sky are beautiful. I don''t think anyone would not like it here." Percy suddenlyughed. His beautiful face bloomed like a flower in spring. His thin eyes were transfixed on Nina''s face as he asked gently, "Then... do you like me?" Nina was startled. She suddenly felt uneasy. She touched his face in bewilderment. "What''s wrong with you today, Percy Mallory? Did you... knock your head on something?" Nina could hear her heart thump wildly as she stared at his bewitching face and those "soulful" eyes. She did not want to fall into that man''s trap. She turned her head away to avert his passionate gaze. Keeping true to her personality, she declined his advances. Percy''s lips opened and closed as though he only wanted to hear the answer he desired. "Not even the slightest bit?" Nina brushed the hair next to her ear. She was not an idiot, and she knew how to give and take. She tried to regain herposure so that she sounded like her normal self. "Our rtionship is nothing more than employer and employee. Don''t you think that it''s ridiculous to talk about our feelings? Why, don''t tell me that you like me?" Percy smiled as though he was told a funny joke. "You''re a smart woman, Nina. Why would you ask that stupid question?" Nina took a deep breath and felt bitterness flood her mouth. "I can ask you the same." She knew that Percy was a heartless man and that she was insignificant to her. He might treat her nicely, and sometimes he might even give her the feeling that they were lovers, but that was nothing more than an illusion. She could not escape the fate of being abandoned, so why should she try in the first ce? If he did not love her, then she did not have to love him either. However, was that really the case? Percy held her mmy hand with his hefty palm and hugged her in his arms. She leaned on his sturdy chest. Percy''s cheek rested on Nina''s shoulder. He indicated to her to look up." The weather is nice today." The water was as blue as the purest sapphire, and the horizon glimmered with golden light. The sky reflected the color of the sea, and the seagulls were calling. It was like a dream. "The weather is nice indeed." Nina tried to forget her worries, and a smile began to bloom on her face as she looked at the beautiful sight. Percy gently pecked her cherry lips. Nina''s body stiffened for a while before she rested her head on his shoulder. "Percy Mallory..." Nina called out his name. "Hm?" Percy''s profound eyes nced at her gently, waiting for her to continue. "Do you know, Percy, that I once bore your younger brother''s child in my womb? The baby has be nothing more than a puddle of blood, and my womb is damaged because of him. If you found out that the two of you have had rtions with the same woman, would you find it disgusting?" That was what she wanted to say, but she did not have the courage to say it. She could only bury that shameful secret deep in her heart. When they first made out, Nina was happy as though she had avenged herself. She wanted to see the brothers turn on each other. Now, she felt that she had been so silly. Before she could carry out her revenge, she had already fallen into his trap. She wanted to cry, but she had to force herself to smile in front of him. The man seemed to be able to read her heart. Nina could not hide her emotions in front of him. She did not want to say another word. She could only climb up his neck and deliver her lips to his. Percy was surprised that Nina had taken the initiative, but he did not ask any questions. Instinctively, he pried open her lips with his tongue. Deeper, deeper... The two bodies became more intimate. Even though their bodies intertwined, they were thinking of separate things In the lobby, Bianca sipped a cocktail while chatting with Nina. "Where have you been, Nina? I''ve been searching for you. I also tried calling you, but you didn''t pick up. I thought that you had fallen into the sea..." Nina satzily on a high stool. "Don''t worry. Even if I fall into the sea, I''ll drag you along with me." Bianca chuckled, though she noticed something on Nina''s neck. She gently touched the deep red mark on Nina''s neck and said knowingly," Mm? Were you making out earlier? You''re not even hiding the obvious evidence..." "What?" Nina pped Bianca''s hand away and took out a hand mirror from her handbag. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Through the mirror, she saw the deep mark near the back of her neck. ''Percy, you b*stard!'' She cursed at Percy under her breath as she took out pressed powder from her handbag and smothered the mark, only taking a breath of relief when the mark could be barely seen. As Nina closed the hand mirror, she caught a glimpse of the repulsive face that she could never forget. The man was walking amid a bevy of women in their direction... Chapter 888 Chapter 888 I Didn''t Expect That You¡¯re Such A Good Friend Nina''s face turned pale very quickly after seeing Pierre''s appearance. Even her body began to tremble slightly. "You don''t look too good, Nina. Do you want to go back and rest in your cabin?" Bianca also noticed Pierre. The same hatred appeared in her eyes, and she held onto Nina''s hand tofort her. Nina''s heart turned cold when she saw the man who had gravely hurt her appear in front of her eyes as though nothing happened. The sensation was like walking on a knife''s edge. The pain spread through her limbs. Pierre Mallory, that animal that had ruined her life! "Nina..." Bianca seemed worried about the change in Nina''s demeanor." How about..." Nina shook her head and said determinedly, Don''t worry about me, Bea. You don''t have to try to comfort me. I''ll eventually have to face this obstacle myself. Moreover, I''m not the one who''s at fault here. Why should I suffer alone while the culprit remains free?" Nina nearly screamed when she asked that question. She was quite an easy-going woman and rarely lost her temper, but the events of the day made her want to ventpletely. She could not control her emotions when scenes of her vition resurfaced in her mind. "Nina..." Bianca did not know what else to say to her friend. She could see the tears in her eyes and the sorrow that spread throughout her body, which made her seem extraordinarily frail. Nina''s broken voice seemed so forlorn in the spacious lobby. "I''m fine, Bianca. You don''t have to worry about me." She tried to calm herself down and make her sound as normal as possible, but she could not hide the timidity in her voice. Pierre walked over with a bevy of women surrounding him, like an ancient emperor surrounded by his harem. His face was almost perfect and stood out even among the beautiful women. The disdainful smirk on his face made him seem like a viin. "Pierre..." The women around him tried their best to gain his favor. They tried to push away the two women in his arms so that they could take their ces. "There''s no rush, my queens. You all will have your turn." Pierre pinched one and fondled another. His indulgent behavior disgusted Nina, especially when considering that he had vited her. If she had a knife in her hand, she would not hesitate to stab it in his heart. "What a pig of a man. Pierre is so different from his elder brother. I bet he''ll get his just desserts sooner orter!" Bianca spoke up because Pierre had hurt her best friend. She was not at liberty to criticize Pierre because he was Percy''s younger brother, but she could not help but say something considering that he had harmed her best friend. Nina seemed to know what Bianca was thinking and gently pulled her hand. "It''s fine, Bea. He''s only a dog who had once bitten me. I''m not going to bite it back." She knew that Bianca was stuck in a tough spot because Bianca¡¯s husband was a good friend of Pierre''s elder brother. Luke would help Bianca if she offended Pierre, nor would he me her, but Nina did not want to owe Bianca another debt of gratitude. Nina did not want trouble, but trouble always found her. Pierre also noticed Nina. He was surprised at first, but he soon smirked sarcastically. "Hey, isn''t that Nina Langdon? Why, the famous miser in high school is aboard the Zephyr! It doesn''t look like you can afford to ride here. Did some man pay for your ticket? Fine, seeing that we were once bed partners, I''ll pay for your expenses today..." He sounded as though he was a charitable man. Bianca stood up angrily from her seat and flung a ss of champagne at Pierre''s face. "Watch your mouth, Pierre Mallory! Not every woman wants to tter you. I haven''t gotten even with you for bullying Nina yet. Do you even consider yourself a man?" "Ah, who is this woman, Pierre? She just threw a drink at your face!" "Yes, you have to punish her! She''s too arrogant!" The women around Pierre took out napkins to carefully wipe Pierre¡¯s face while shooting daggers at Bianca. Pierre pushed the women around him away, wiped the champagne off his face with his hand, and red sinisterly at Bianca. "Don''t think that I won''t do anything to you just because you have Luke Crawford behind you! He might be my elder brother''s friend, but he''s not my friend. Do you understand?" Nina clenched her fists. Her gaze was like a bloody dagger that stared at Pierre. "Come at me if you want anything. Don''t harm Bianca!" "Heh, I didn''t expect that you''re such a good friend. I''ve underestimated you." In the next second, Nina felt a warm breath next to her ear. Nina felt as though a venomous snake was sticking its tongue at her neck. Instantly, her eyes widened, and she pped toward Pierre''s face. "Get lost, you animal..." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Nina wanted to p him again, but Pierre grabbed her by the wrist andughed in anger. "I knew that you''re a naughty little kitten. Looks like you need to be taught a lesson!" He pulled Nina toward him and hugged her tightly. She could not get away no matter how hard she struggled. "Looks like you''ve forgotten the lesson that I''ve taught you. You''ll need a refresher!" Pierre narrowed his gaze, lifted Nina over his shoulder, and walked toward the cabin. Everyone was stunned by the scene. They could only watch as Pierre brought Nina away. Only Bianca stood in his way angrily. "You''d better behave, Pierre Mallory. Put Nina down now!" Pierre shoved Bianca away with his strong arm. "Hmph! Who do you think you are?" Bianca stumbled and fell, and her forehead struck the corner of the seat. Drops of blood stained her fair forehead... Chapter 889 Chapter 889 Kneading Her Body Into His Bianca felt a sharp pain on her forehead. She touched it and felt that it was wet. The bright red strains on her fingers told her that her forehead was bleeding. However, that was not the time to care for her wounds. Bianca was extremely worried, seeing that Nina was about to be taken away. Suddenly, she saw Luke and Percying from afar. "Luke!" Bianca cried out hurriedly. Luke stopped talking to Percy when he heard his wife calling his name and looked around to find his wife. When he saw that his wife''s forehead was bleeding, his usually profound eyes were filled with anger. He walked toward Bianca in big strides, hugged her tightly in his arms, and said, "Who did this?" His voice was like thunder. Bianca pointed at Pierre with her delicate hand and said anxiously, "Pierre bullied Nina, and he''s taking her away against her will..." Luke''s fiery gaze shot toward Pierre, and he frowned. "Did Pierre hurt you?" Bianca leaned against his chest and bit her lip. She did not confirm it, nor did she deny it. She only gazed resentfully at Pierre as though her eyes were needles dipped in poison. Luke instantly understood what happened, and his gentle demeanor suddenly turned as cold as ice. "Looks like it''s time for your younger brother to learn a bloody lesson, Percy. I don''t mind teaching him a lesson if you''re not willing!" Percy went ahead and blocked Pierre''s way. His hands were in his pockets, and his eyes gradually turned bloodshot as he looked at his younger brother carrying Nina over his shoulder. He did not say a word, but his imposing demeanor inspired fear from the people around him. Even the usually brazen Pierre began to stammer. "I didn''t mean to hurt her, Percy. She should¡¯ve minded her own business... Nina has been disobeying me repeatedly, and she nearly sent me to jail. I want her to know that I''m not one to be trifled with, and she should pay the price for what she''s done to me! Mind your own business, Percy!" Nina had been struggling in Pierre''s arms, and she had even drawn blood from biting Pierre''s shoulder. When she saw the two brothers in a standoff, she suddenly became quiet. She stared mockingly at Percy, wondering how he would deal with his younger brother. Percy was a head taller than Pierre. He took a step toward Pierre and red downward at him. "You''re not a child anymore, Pierre. Don''t you feel embarrassed for causing such a scene? Put her down now!" Nine could not tell Percy''s emotion from his voice. Pierre was not going to obey his elder brother just like that. "I''m not going to, Percy! Don''t you know what she did? She..." He shouted exasperatedly. "I said, put herdown!" Percy''s thin almond-shaped eyes under his thick brows were usually profound and enchanting. Whenever he got angry, he would slightly lift his eyelids, which made him look eerily sinister. The passengers of the cruise ship stood around and watched the sudden family drama expectantly. The Mallory siblings were arguing because of a woman. That was sensational news. They were surprised that the woman seemed unremarkable despite having a rather shapely body. She was not that special after all... Perhaps those brothers had unique tastes. Pierre was shocked by his brother''s expression. He did not want to let go of his "prey," but he was eventually cowed by his brother''s authority. He tossed Nina on the floor and said, "Hmph, I guess it''s your lucky day today. I wouldn''t have forgiven you otherwise!" He left angrily with his bevy of women. Before he walked away, he shot a murderous re at Nina. "Nina..." Bianca wanted to go ahead and check on her friend, but Luke was hugging her tightly. Bianca smiled apologetically at Nina. She wanted to say something, but Nina smiled weakly at her and indicated that she was fine. Luke led Bianca away. Nina breathed a sigh of relief, but Percy''s slender fingers propped up her chin and forced her to look at him. He towered over her, but she looked at him defiantly. "Not bad. You''ve somehow managed to seduce my younger brother while seducing me." He sounded unhappy, but at the same time condescending. "Let go of me!" Nina wanted to struggle, but all strength seemed to have left her body. Her body did not seem to be under her control. Percy''s finger traced a path on her delicate face and neck. "I don''t know what''s so charming about you. Your figure is barely passable, so I don''t know what my younger brother sees in you." Nina closed her eyes and ignored his insults. She had nothing to exin to him. ''Heh, how ridiculous.'' Was she the one who seduced Pierre Mallory? That was the funniest joke she had ever heard. "Why, don''t you have anything to say?" Percy took her hand and frowned slightly. Her palm was not tender like other women''s. Instead, it was rough and calloused, as though she was used to menialbor. Nina had never hated Percy''s gaze on her as much as she did now. He had piled baseless usations upon her, and he was inspecting her as though she was an item on disy. The gaze made her feel humiliated. It was not the first time she had been humiliated like this, but she felt uneasy when looking into his eyes. She had enough of her current life. One day, she would eventually break free of his clutches! In the VIP cabin, Luke cleaned Bianca¡¯s wound with antiseptic and applied some cooling ointment. Throughout the process, his demeanor remained ice-cold. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He was quite rough with his actions, as though he deliberately wanted to hurt Bianca. Bianca looked at his face and tugged his shirt sleeve guiltily. "Don''t be like that, Luke. I didn''t mean to hurt myself. It was only an ident. It won''t happen again." Luke wanted to ignore her. However, when he looked at her pitiable face and the slight bump on her forehead, he could not help but hug her tightly in his arms, knead her body into his, and take in her fragrance... Chapter 890 Chapter 890 Looks Like You Need a Lesson! Bianca knew that Luke was ming himself for not taking care of her. However, there was little that she could do given those circumstances. "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean it. If I didn''t try to stop him, Pierre would have taken Nina away. Pierre once harmed her because of me. If she falls into his hands again, I don''t know what he would do to her... I''d feel even more guilty if that happens. Do you want that to happen?" If Nina was once again vited by Pierre, she might not recover from the trauma. Bianca''s puppy-dog eyes would usually work on Luke. However, they did not seem to have any effect this time. The man looked at her with a scorching gaze, i He pinned her arms against the wall. Luke kneaded Bianca''s delicate neck. "That''s not the reason why you should act on impulse. You don''t know what Pierre Mallory can do to you. This time, you hurt your forehead when you tried to go against him. Next time, he might want your life instead. Why didn''t you give me a call or ask someone to get me? Hm?" He did not use excessive force, but Bianca could not help but cry out in pain."... I know I''m wrong, Luke. I won''t do it again. Please forgive me..." Luke pinned Bianca on the bed and frowned. "Should I do something practical to make sure that you''ve learned your lesson?" He seemed to have pressed his entire body weight on her body. Bianca almost could not breathe, and her petite mouth was almost contorted. "Don''t be angry anymore. How about I make dinner for youter? After she said that, she remembered that they were on a luxury cruise ship. Any of the professional chefs on board could cook better than her. She frowned in frustration, but Luke gently nibbled her earlobe. "I''m hungry, but not for food..." Bianca struggled and grabbed onto his neck. "No, I cant. We just did it yesterday, and I still need time to recover." Luke''s hands swam under her clothes. "You''ll have to do it anyway. That''s for making me angry." "... Ugh... I thought that you''re a gentle and caring husband, but you''re not caring at all... ugh... you b*stard..." Luke smiled sinisterly, tore off her gown, and breathed next to her ear. "If I don''t teach you a lesson today, you''ll be rushing head-on into danger again Bianca did not have a reply to that. Luke abruptly got off the bed. Bianca saw Luke rummaging for something in the drawer. Tm in the safe period now, Luke. You don''t need it," she said softly as she stared at Luke''s handsome side profile. Luke bent down and gently kissed her forehead. No, I''ll have to make sure that your body is protected. I know that childbirth is very damaging to a woman''s body, and I''m grateful that you have given me three cute and smart children. I''m already satisfied, and I don''t want your body to go through the process anymore. Moreover, I need to attend many business dinnerstely, and I don''t want to have an ident happen when I''m drunk." Bianca thought that it was indeed the case. She wanted a few more children, but it was quite troublesome to raise them. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She still had her business to grow, and she would rather spend her time on her career, not staying at home and bing a housewife ignorant to the happenings in the outside world. Meanwhile, Leia dressed herself in exquisite clothes and went to Brody''s house to meet his parents. Brody had only opened the door when the caretaker came with his indoor slippers. "You''re back. Master Brody. She is..." "Oh, this is Leia Norman, my girlfriend. I''m bringing her to meet Grandma today." Brody held Leia''s hand and smugly introduced Leia to the caretaker. Leia smiled sweetly at the caretaker and said courteously, "Nice to meet you. Please..." Bang! Before Leia could finish her sentence, the sound of a teacup mming heavily on the table could be heard in the living room. An old woman with a noble demeanor sat on a velvet couch with gold trimmings. Her well-maintained face barely had any wrinkles, and she looked young. However, she seemed to be not in a good mood. Leia was shocked by the sudden loud sound. When she nced over, she saw the old woman pulling her braceleted hand away, while the coffee table was wet with small puddles of spilled tea. The caretaker frantically ran over. "Is the tea too hot, Madam?" Brody saw that his grandmother was angry. He quickly went up to her, took her hand, and gently blew on it. "Is your hand hurt? I''ll cool down your hand for you..." The old woman broke intoughter, and her frowning face turned into a loving one. "Why did you only come home after so long? Don''t you know that your grandma misses you?" Brody smiled too. "I know that you miss me, Grandma, and that¡¯s why I''m here to visit you. Right, this is Leia Norman, my girlfriend. Weren''t you always worried that I don''t have a significant other? She''s here to visit you." He shot a nce at Leia, indicating that she should greet the old woman. Leia walked over timidly and stood in front of the old woman with her most dignified pose. "Grandma," she greeted her. "I¡¯m not your grandma!" The old woman nced at Leia coldly before standing up and walked to the stairs. Leia stood there awkwardly. She did not expect that the situation would go out of control... Chapter 891 Chapter 891 I Can¡¯t ept That Debauched Woman! Leia stood awkwardly on the spot. The ttering words that she had prepared to say to Brody''s grandmother were stuck in her throat. Brody tried to defuse the tense situation. He quickly went up to support his grandmother and coaxed her, "Grandma, Leia is a beautiful and sensible girl. You don''t know how happy I am when I¡¯m with her. You''ll know that she''s a good girl after spending some more time with her. Can you be a little more friendly toward her? After all, she''s your future granddaughter-inw..." "Hmph! Our household has no need for a girl like her!" The old woman coldly interjected and continued to dress down her grandson, "I say, Brody, you''ve always been a smart boy, so why would you find a debauched woman like her as your girlfriend? She''s been in the entertainment industry since she was young. You should know that there aren¡¯t any virgins there. Moreover, she''s gued with scandals. She threatened the doctor to falsify the DNA test report, and she''s been caught sleeping around with other men more than once. Do you want to bring her into the household? Not unless I''m dead!" "It''s not like that, Grandma. Maybe Leia has her reasons..." "Shut up!" The old woman red at her grandson and spoke forcefully, "Do you want to ruin our family reputation and make us the subject of public ridicule? Let me tell you. You can marry any other woman except for this one!" "Listen to me, Grandma..." Brody wanted to exin to his grandmother, but his grandmother wagged her hand and went upstairs with the help of her walking stick. He could only follow her upstairs. Before she disappeared, the old woman shot a cold nce at Leia''s face and muttered something. "Ms. Norman? No, she''s an abandoned girl from an orphanage. You can see from her face that her mind isn''t in the right ce. My dear Brody, she''ll bring disaster to the family if you marry her. In the worst case, our family will be ruined. Why do you insist on marrying her?" Leia stood at the bottom of the staircase and watched the old woman go upstairs. She could feel chills course down her spine as she listened to those words. How she wished that she could push the old woman down the stairs so that she would fall and die! "That d*mned olddy is already one foot in the grave. Why would she care?'' The caretaker saw Leia standing there in a daze. Thinking that she was ovee by sorrow, the caretaker felt some sympathy for her. She handed a pair of slippers to Leia. "Madam can be irritable at times. Please wear these slippers." Leia forced a smile at the caretaker and thanked her. She did not put on the slippers. Instead, her expression became colder and colder. That old woman had insulted her, but Brody did not stay by her side. Instead, he helped her walk up the stairs. Those promises that he had made were all but hot air! From what she saw today, she could tell that Brody was still a mama''s boy! The caretaker noticed that Leia was looking at the stairs. She exined," Madam has raised Master Brody since he was a child, and they are very close to each other. Naturally, Master Brody respects his grandmother a lot "Mm," Leia replied impassively and sat on the couch as though she were in her house. "Where are Brody¡¯s parents? Why did his grandmother raise him?" She pretended to be casual as she tried to find out more information. "Brody''s parents are usually very busy, and they''re always on overseas business trips. Sometimes, they would only return once every few months. To be honest, Master Brody isn''t very close to his parents, while Madam pampers him and would stand up for him." "Oh..." Some timeter, Brody came down from the second floor. Leia bit her lip heavily to force her tears to flow. She gazed at Brody with a pitiful face, as though the old woman had thoroughly bullied her. As expected, Brody''s heart wrenched when he saw Leia''s face. He hugged her tightly in her arms. "Sorry about earlier, Leia. My grandma might sound mean, but she has a kind heart." Leia rubbed her bloodshot eyes, and tears sparkled in her eyes. "I don''t think that we should be together, Brody. Your grandma doesn''t like me at all, and she won''t ept me. She might even hate you if we insist on being together. I don''t think we''re a good match." "What do you mean? You are already carrying my child. I''ll have to bear responsibility for you and the baby." It was rare that Brody took responsibility for his actions. However, he seemed to be caught in a dilemma when he remembered how his grandmother had rejected Leia. "How about we wait until my grandma is calmer before I bring you to meet her again? She''s angry now, and she won''t listen to whatever I say." ''You coward!'' Leia thought, though she put on an understanding look on her face. "Who knows how long that''ll take? It''s already been a while, and the bulge in my womb will only be bigger. It''ll be hard for me to hide it by then. I don''t want our baby to be without a father, Brody. You''ll have to convince your grandmother as soon as you can. Otherwise, I don''t know what else I should do." "Don''t worry," Brody coaxed her patiently, "I''ll settle this as soon as I can and bring you into the household." Leia saw that he did not really mean it. She sobbed harder and repeated her words, "You''ll have to marry me and bear responsibility, Brody. Otherwise, my parents won''t be happy, and that might affect your family''s reputation." Brody stared at Leia and felt impetuous anger rise in his heart. "Are you threatening me with the child?" He was quite popr among women. Usually, women ttered and pampered her. Now that he had tried to gain a woman''s favor, the woman had threatened her instead. That made Brody quite angry. Leia was startled. She thought that the man was being unreasonable and wanted to dump him, but she dared not to. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She could only humble herself and deliberately rubbed her t stomach." I''m only worried about our child. Sorry, I was rash. I won''t be like this again, " she said. Brody felt better after seeing Leia apologize "humbly." "Don''t worry. I love children too, and I''ve always wanted a baby of my own. I''ll be responsible toward you and the baby, but I''ll have to take it step by step." "Mm,¡± Leia replied coyly, but she had already begun to scheme. She could only bear it for now. Once she was married to Brody, it was time for that man and his grandmother to suffer! Chapter 892 Chapter 892 Don''t You Feel Sorry for Her? At night, Bianca and Luke took the elevator to the VIP cabins on the top floor of the cruise ship. Bianca was shocked by the disy of opulence. That was not a cabin. It was more like a pce! Inside the spacious hall were a minibar, a buffet line, and an entertainment center. The dim light shrouded the area in an aura of mystery. However, only Percy and Nina were in that vast space. Nina was holding a microphone and singing a song on the karaoke system. Next to her were several empty beer bottles. Percy reclined on the couchzily while smoking a cigarette. His overly beautiful face seemed sinister under the dim light. Bianca was surprised. She felt that the atmosphere between the two people was quite peculiar. Nina was singing "My Heart Will Go On," the theme song of the movie " Titanic." Her graceful and resonant voice sounded like the original singer. If Bianca had not seen Nina singing, she would have thought that Celine Dion was in the cabin. Nina performed the melodic yet sorrowful tune well. Bianca was a sensitive person. She felt a twinge in her nose. Perhaps she was thinking of the heartbreaking story between Jack and Rose, or perhaps she was influenced by Nina''s sorrowful mood. Bianca had always felt guilty about what happened to Nina, and the guilt clung to her like a shadow. She shook her head and went into the cabin with Luke. Her full attention was on Nina''s singing, so she did not look at her feet while she was walking. She stumbled and nearly fell to the floor. Luke managed to grab her slender waist in time. "Are you okay?" Bianca shook her head. "I''m fine. Nina''s voice is too moving, and I was caught in the mood. Look, Mr. Mallory seems to be enjoying Nina''s performance too." After making sure that Bianca was indeed fine, he turned his head to look at Percy. When Percy noticed Luke''s presence, he blew a smoke ring and tossed a cigarette at Luke. "You''re late." Luke took the cigarette and answered, "My wife was a little tired earlier, so she took a nap. I had to wait for her to wake up." This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Percy did not know what he should do to his friend who doted upon his wife. He knew that Luke was a merciless businessman, but he did not understand why Luke would bow to his wife''s whims. Bianca watched the karaoke music video on the screen. In the movie, the male lead gave the female lead onest kiss before falling into the sea, so that the female lead would survive. She had watched that scene countless times, but she never failed to feel sad. The two lovers were separated by life and death. They would never meet each other again, and she could only keep him in her memories. She remembered how she had to live in agony in the years she was separated from Luke. Nina also almost could not control her emotions. Toward the end of the song, her voice started shaking. She put the microphone down, and the music stopped ying. The room fell into silence. p p p... Bianca was the first to apud Nina. She also patted Nina''s shoulder approvingly. "Not bad, Nina. Your singing is getting better and better. You ought to sign up for The Voice!" Nina covered her face shyly. "Thanks. I don''t sing as well as you. I remember that you got the first prize in the high school singingpetition." "Eh, that''s already so long ago. I honestly think that you sing better than me, " Bianca praised genuinely. Percy, who was usually a man of few words, suddenly spoke up. "You don''t have to tter her. Her voice is only mediocre." Thement struck Nina speechless. Bianca coughed andughed. "If you don''t have anything nice to say, you can keep it to yourself, Percy. I''ve been wondering why you don''t have a significant other, so it turns out that you''re so chauvinist! Nina is like a pearl, and she''s being cast before a... you know...¡± Percy''s expression sank instantly. No woman had ever talked to him like that before. Seeing that she was Luke''s wife, he was not going to squabble with her. Nina did not mind thement, though she felt incredibly frustrated. She grabbed a ss of beer from the table and downed its contents. Bianca quickly grabbed the ss from Nina''s hands. "You''ve already drunk a lot of champagne earlier, Nina, so you shouldn''t be drinking beer. It''s not good for your health. Is there milk or some other hot drink here? I''ll bring you some." Nina smiled at Bianca. ''It''s fine. You know that my capacity for alcohol is bigger than yours. I want to drink today, Bea. Here, a toast to you." "No! Your health is poor, yet you still want to drink? Don''t you care for yourself?" Bianca said assertively. She remembered that Nina had almost lost her life when she aborted her baby, and her constitution had been weak since then. The doctor had advised against eating cold food or drinking alcohol. Nina could onlyply when she saw Bianca''s determined look. "Alright, I''ll stop drinking today. Honestly, Bea, you''re so nice to me." Nina had always been grateful for Bianca''s care toward her. Her parents had always favored her brother, and she did not have anyone to care for her at home. Even though Nina''s brother had done despicable things to Bianca, Bianca did not resent Nina. Instead, Bianca had cared for her at work and in her personal life. Bianca had shown Nina more care than her family ever would. Of course, Nina knew that she could only ultimately rely on herself, even though she wanted love from her parents or her significant other. However, that was too difficult for her. Someone had spread the rumor that she had aborted her baby. Everyone in her town knew that she was used goods. They spoke about her in disgust. There could be no bliss in her future. Sometimes, Nina would dream that she was a child once again, and she would be back to her carefree life in her hometown. She remembered that a rather handsome boy dressed in white stood under a tree and smiled at her. Of course, that was a memory that she could not return to. Bianca noticed the empty beer bottles next to Nina. She knew that they must have drunk a lot before she and Luke arrived. She could not help but re at Percy. "Percy, you''ve been dating Nina for quite some time. Don''t you know that she can''t drink too much alcohol? See, her face is already pale. Don''t you feel sorry for her?" Chapter 893 Chapter 893 Madam, Are You Pregnant Again? Percy did not know why Bianca suddenly became angry. Looking at Nina''s pale face, heplied with Bianca''s wishes and asked for a hot drink. Soon, a servant came into the cabin with a hot drink. Percy pointed in Nina''s direction with his chin and said to the servant," Give her the drink." Bianca nced at Nina and could not help but be worried. Percy was a domineering and merciless man. He was not kind at all. Bianca wondered if being by Percy''s side gave Nina any pressure. It was almost midnight when Luke and Bianca got out of Percy''s cabin and returned to theirs. They went to the bathroom to take another bath. While Luke washed Bianca''s hair and sniffed the refreshing smell on her body, he could not help but smile. "Are you worn out? I''ll go easy on you today. We''ll return to A City tomorrow." Bianca gently touched Luke''s handsome face as she enjoyed the "VIP- ss treatment" from him. "I''m fine. I don''t really feel tired whenever I''m with you. On the other hand, Luke was feeling quite tired. His eyes were slightly bloodshot. "Why were you mostly quiet while in Percy''s cabin earlier? I remember that you can sing very well. I noticed that you''ve been feeling down ever since we left the cabin." Bianca wiped away the water droplets from her eyes and said rather unhappily,"... It''s nothing major, well, it''s about Nina. I don''t think that Nina is happy being with Percy. She''s such a nice girl, but Percy, on the other hand..." Luke smiled but did not say anything. His wife was always worried about other people. Bianca tugged his sleeve and said unhappily, "I''ve always thought that Nina''s life is ruined because of me. If not for me, she would still be the carefree girl she used to be. Now, she''s living under someone else''s control. I feel so guilty." Luke''s hand that was operating the hairdryer paused for a moment before he said, "That incident isn''t rted to you, but you always me yourself for it. You''re suffering for nothing, Bea. Nina''s personality is the one that''s causing her difficulties in her personal life. She''ll suffer the same fate with or without your interference." Bianca shot a nce at him and pouted. "Without that horrific experience, she wouldn''t have been so reckless. She had just escaped from that b* stard Pierre''s clutches, but she fell into Percy''s hands instead. Can''t the brothers leave Nina alone? Do you have any way to save Nina from Percy?" She looked at Luke pleadingly. Luke raised his eyebrows. "I have been friends with Percy for many years, and I know him as well as I know myself. Percy might seem uncaring, but he''s very possessive of the things that he wants. If he cannot obtain something that he wants, he would rather destroy it or die together with it." Bianca was shocked. She prodded his chest. "So... isn''t there any other way?" Luke did not reply to her question. He looked into her eyes with a profound gaze. Bianca felt a little flustered and could not help but twirl her hair. "I don''t mean anything else. All I want is for Nina to leave Percy safely. She''s still so young, and I wouldn''t want her to waste her youth on a man who doesn''t seem to care about her. She won''t be young for very long either. If Percy doesn''t let her go soon, how would she be able to find a significant other when it''s toote? Please help Nina, Luke. I''m begging you." She said the things that she had wanted to tell Luke for a long time. Bianca knew that Luke and Percy were good friends. She might be giving Luke trouble by making that request, but she could not bear to watch Nina suffer under Percy. She lifted her head and looked pleadingly at Luke. Luke felt his heart thump harder. He could not help but tousle her hair." This matter is between Percy and Nina, and we should not interfere. If it were you instead, I''d do whatever it takes to save you. Nina might be a good friend of yours, but she''s only an employee to me. "Of course, I won''t refuse if you insist on me interfering in their personal matters, but it''ll be quite troublesome, and I''ll have to sever all ties with Percy. It''s fine though. I''ll do anything that you want me to, and I don''t want to see you unhappy.'' He smiled indulgently, and his eyes never looked away from hers. That made Bianca feel quite uneasy. She tiptoed, lifted her hand, covered Luke''s eyes, and mumbled, "I''m sorry, Luke, for troubling you..." Luke smiled gently. He put her hand down and gazed at her gently. "You don''t have to apologize to me, silly girl. Remember that I''m your husband, and I''ll always be by your side." Bianca and Luke returned to A City by ait the next day. After they arrived at their mansion, Luke reminded Bianca that she should rest while he immediately went back to T Corporation. There were many things that needed his attention during his absence. Suddenly, Bianca''s abdomen began to hurt intensely. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. It was her period. Bianca suffered from low blood sugar. When her period came, her stomach would hurt, and her head would be intensely dizzy. ''Why didn''t my periode when I''m on my honeymoon?'' She could not help but grumble. ''If that were the case, Luke wouldn''t have to torture me...'' The caretaker knew that Bianca was not feeling well and handed her a ss of hot milk. Bianca had no appetite because she was tired from traveling. When she smelled the milk, she could not help but retch... I''m not in the mood for milk or anything else now. Please take it away!" Bianca waved at the caretaker so that she would take the milk away. The caretaker noticed Bianca''s exaggerated reaction and suddenly thought of something. "Madam, don''t tell me... you''re pregnant again?" Chapter 894 Chapter 894 An Incident at Her Company Bianca was startled by the caretaker''sment. After that, she found it funny. She pointed at the ss of milk and reminded the caretaker, "I''m having my period now. How can I be pregnant?" Her stomach would hurt immensely during her period. Moreover, she and Luke had always been careful. The chances of her bing pregnant were negligible. The caretaker was not too sure and continued guessing, "Madam, what if it¡¯s not your period but an early sign of a miscarriage? You ought to take care of your health. This is no small matter. I''ve seen it happen to my daughter-inw." Her daughter-inw had suffered the same symptoms before. After an intense bout of stomach pain, the caretaker''s daughter-inw began to bleed. She treated it as though she was having a period until the blood did not stop flowing. When she went to the hospital for an examination, she realized that she had miscarried. That was how the caretaker lost her first grandchild, and she was afraid that Bianca was going through the same thing. Bianca could see that the caretaker was genuinely worried for her. She could only exin to her, "It''s not like what you think. I''m not pregnant. My period usuallyes on time." The caretaker felt relieved when she heard Bianca say that, though she continued to advise Bianca as she handed her the ss of milk. "You''ll still have to drink the milk. I''ve warmed it earlier, so the temperature should be just nice. Sir told me to make sure that you drink a ss of milk every day. You''re so thin, and you need more nutrition." Jason had selected the caretaker personally to take care of Bianca and the children. She was one of the few caretakers that had passed through many rounds of strict selection. She was kind and considerate, did not gossip, and was friendly toward Bianca and her family. Bianca could not argue with that, and so she took the ss of milk and gulped it down. The caretaker continued speaking, "You''re so lucky to have Mr. Crawford as your husband, Madam. I''ve been a caretaker in many wealthy families before. The couple would look loving on the surface, but they secretly despise each other. You and Mr. Crawford are different; your mutual love is enviable. Oh, Madam, you are so beautiful and Mr. Crawford is so handsome, you ought to have a few more children." 1 Bianca thought of her three children. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. It was a blissful sensation to bear a child for the man she loved. However, three children were already enough. She wanted to focus on her career, and she had never considered bearing another child. At that moment, the doorbell rang, and the bodyguard''s voice could be heard clearly. "Madam, your children are here from Crawford Manow." As soon as he finished speaking, three cute children dashed into the living room. Tommy ran the fastest, even though he had the shortest legs. He ran over and hugged Bianca''s leg. He pouted and grumbled in his adorable voice, "Why did youe back sote, Mommy? Why did you send me home first? I miss you so much that I think I''m going mad." Tears rolled in his big eyes and threatened to slide down his face. He looked very cute that way, and Bianca could not help but to pinch his tender cheeks. "Daddy and I had some business to attend to, and that''s why we got back herete. I hope that you can understand that, right? Didn''t we see each other through video calls every day? You need to learn how to be less clingy." "No, no, I still want to cling to you, Mommy. I want to cling to you forever..." "You won''t say that when you''re older, naughty boy..." The twins were jealous when they saw the interaction between Bianca and their younger brother. Lanie was not that bothered. He was an independent boy after all. Rainie, as the only girl in the family, reacted differently. She had been pampered since she was a baby, and Bianca had loved her the most. Ever since Tommy was born, Bianca had shown less care toward her, and she did not like that. The little girl stood there, silent but full of grievances. Her eyes were filled with tears. After Bianca entertained Tommy enough, she noticed the twins. When she noticed Rainie¡¯s expression, she realized that she had pampered Tommy and neglected the twins. She beckoned at them. When they came near her, she gently kissed them on their cheeks. Bianca asked Lanie to sit on the couch while she hugged Rainie in her arms. "I didn''t expect that you''re growing so fast. You were only as tall as my waist a few years ago. In a few more years, I won''t be able to carry you anymore!" Rainie sniffed her mother¡¯s unique fragrance and smiled. "You''ll still be my favorite Mommy, and I''ll always be your little girl." Bianca smiled,forted. "What do you want to eat, Lanie and Rainie? I''ll cook for you two." "Yay!" The twins answered in unison. Bianca was satisfied that the atmosphere had be jovial once more. Her children were kind, and her husband loved her. That was the life she dreamed of. The weather the next morning was clear. It signified a day of good weather. Bianca woke up early in the morning. She was not dressed in formal office wear but rather a windbreaker and jeans. However, when she arrived at herpany, she noticed that the atmosphere was gloomy. Bianca did not know what was going on, though she saw severalputer technicians hard at work. She frowned. When she saw Sue, she asked her, "What''s going on, Sue?" Sue seemed awkward. "All theputers have been hit by a virus. All our design data is gone..." Bianca''s face turned pale. "When did this happen?" "Last night." Bianca realized the severity of the issue. She took several deep breaths before asking the other employees sternly, "Who was thest to leave the officest night?" Everyone kept quiet and remained so for a long time. Bianca was almost running out of patience when a fair and tender arm slowly raised up. "I... I was..." Chapter 895 Chapter 895 Let Me Take Care of the Children Shireen was the one who raised her hand. Bianca frowned. Virus infection was no small matter, especially one that made them lose all their design data. They had to redo everything, and someone might have stolen their ideas. "Was there anything out of the ordinary when you left?" She asked. Tm not sure," Shireen answered timidly, "I received a file from a clientst night. Before I could see it, the building security asked me to leave." The management was quite strict in enforcing the rules of the building. When Bianca rented the office, it was stated on the contract that no one was allowed to stay in the office past midnight. She did not think too much of it before signing. After all, it was only a smallpany. "Did you shut down yourputer before you left?" Bianca asked. Shireen bit her lip. She realized that she might not have done so. Her face turned pale, and she shook her head. "How could you leave without shutting down yourputer? Do you know that everyputer here has confidential information?" Sue could not help but scold her. Theputers in the office were connected by an intr. Anyone who knew the password could ess all the files on everyputer. Shireen''s face turned red. She did not expect that her mistake could have such serious consequences. Tm sorry. I didn''t mean to do it. I''m sorry," she bowed and apologized repeatedly. Bianca rubbed her forehead. It was a major ordeal for her fledglingpany to encounter such a situation. She lifted a hand to stop Shireen from apologizing. If Luke were in her shoes, he would have been able to handle the situation perfectly. Bianca felt calmer after thinking about that. "It''s not the time to point fingers now. Sue, bring all the rted paper documents. We''ll deal with the projects in the order of decreasing urgency." Sue nodded and did what she was told. After gathering all the paper documents, Bianca set out to work. She delegated the tasks from the most urgent projects and reminded her employees that they would have to get them done before the deadline if it meant that they had to work overtime. The employees went to work. Bianca returned to her office while Sue followed behind her. "What do you think of this incident, Sue?" She asked. Someone must have been behind the virus attack, and Sue might have better insights. Sue thought for a while and voiced her opinion. "I think that Shireen has to go. We don''t have direct evidence that she was the one who infected theputers, but she was indeed thest to leave, and theputers were infected the next day." "Who among you was the first to arrive at the office?" Bianca could not think of a reason why Shireen would do that. There might be some other cause. "I was," Sue replied. She went to work after dropping her daughters off at the babysitter. "Were theputers turned off when you got here?" Bianca asked. "They are," Sue replied after thinking for a while. She remembered switching on theputers and realizing that they were infected. "I think that there''s someone else behind the virus attack, Sue. I don''t think that the incident is that simple. Of course, if Shireen is the one who did it, I won''t forgive her." i Sue looked at Bianca and sighed. "You''re too kind, Bianca." Bianca shook her head. "She reminds me of myself when I first entered T Corporation, and you helped me a lot. I can''t deny that Shireen is very capable." "Alright, if that''s what your decision is. You should ask Mr. Crawford if you need any help. He should know a way." "Don''t worry about it." Bianca believed that she could solve the problem without Luke''s help. Even so, she would have to tell him about the incident anyway. She might not need his help at work, but she would need it at home. Bianca nced at the time. It was still early, and Luke should be busy. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She gave a call to Luke around lunchtime. The call went through. Before she could say anything, she could hear Luke''s voice. "Bea." His resonant voice was filled with love and obsession. Bianca felt her ears tingling as though they had been shocked by electricity. It took Bianca half a minute toe to her senses. "Can you get off work today a little earlier, Luke?" "That should be no problem. I¡¯m not very busy today," Luke replied. "That''s good to know. Can you pick up Lanie and Rainie on the way back from work? I''m quite busy today, and I don''t think that I have the time. Also, I promised that I''d make them pizza. Can you help me with that? The dough is ready in the fridge, and I''ve prepared the ingredients in separate containers. You just have to assemble it and stick it into the oven," Bianca told him. It should not be hard to bake a pizza. Luke agreed. "Are you working on a major project?¡± Bianca sighed and told Luke about the virus attack. Luke was silent for a while before saying, "I''ll take care of the children. You should focus on your work." "Can you manage it?" Bianca was worried. "When you weren''t around, I was the one who took care of Lanie and Rainie, " Luke reminded her that he had been a single father for several years. Bianca became at ease after she heard that. Lanie and Rainie turned out fine, and taking care of three children was not too different from taking care of two. After the call ended, Bianca returned to her work. Meanwhile, at T Corporation, Luke put his phone aside and dialed Jason''s number on the internal line. "Come to my office." Jason knocked on Luke''s door in less than a minute. "Can I help you, Boss?" Luke had considered that the virus attack was a deliberate job. He told Jason, "My wife''spany has just been hit by a virus attack, and I have a hunch that someone is behind it. Go there and find out the details of the situation." Jason nodded. "I''ll get someone to handle it." "You should go yourself." Luke trusted only Jason in handling certain things. "But I still have... Can I go over an hourter, Boss?" Luke nced at him coldly. "Go now." "Yes." Jason had to postpone his work on hand. He thought that his boss cared for Bianca so much. "Don''t look so reluctant when I''m giving you an opportunity to get close to Sue," Luke said coldly. Bianca had mentioned to him what was happening between Sue and Jason. Jason''s face lit up when Sue was mentioned. "Yes, thank you, Boss!" Chapter 896 Chapter 896 Daddy Is a Big Bully When Bianca saw Jasoning into her office, she realized why Sue was yelling earlier. Sue hated Jason for how he handled his previous rtionship. "Why are you here, Mr. Doyle?" Bianca was not fond of Jason for the same reason, but she appreciated his work ethic. Moreover, he was Luke''s assistant, so she had to be courteous to him. Jason was quite flustered at the moment after being yelled at. "Mr. Crawford asked me to help you, Madam." "Do you know how to fix aputer?" Bianca chuckled. She knew that Luke would interfere, but she did not expect that Jason would be the oneing. "What can that idiot possibly know?" Sue was not done dressing down Jason yet. She saw Jason go into Bianca''s office and, under the pretense of delivering a cup of coffee to Bianca, continued to mock him. Indeed, Jason did not possess much technical knowledge outside of his scope of work. He had told Sue that before. "Mr. Crawford asked me to investigate the incident," Jason exined. "What makes you think that you''re a detective?" Sue said without looking at him. Bianca had to stop the argument from continuing and quickly distracted Sue. "This is the task schedule for the next few days, Sue. Can you help me verify it?" Sue had not been able to keep calm ever since Jason arrived. She realized that she hadmitted a gaffe after taking Bianca''s hint. As a mother of two girls, she should have remained calm instead of yelling like a shrew in front of Bianca and the other employees. Sue smiled, tucked some loose strands of hair behind her ear, took the document from Bianca''s hands, and left the office. The office resumed its peace. Bianca cleared her throat and continued to discuss the main topic. "I''ve indeed thought of investigating the incident, Mr. Doyle. I''d be extremely grateful if you would help." Luke''s personal assistant must be very capable indeed. "I''ll get to the bottom of it." Jason thought that it would be an easy investigation. The office building was quite old, and the security measures were quite strict. It would not be difficult to trace the culprit as long as they were not remotely hacked. Bianca smiled and thanked Jason. "Sorry to trouble you, but I hope that you won''t disturb Sue while you''re investigating." "I..." Jason wanted to exin that he had not done that, but he fell silent before he couldplete the sentence. Sue must not want to see him now. Perhaps his appearance in the office had already disturbed her. He did not expect that she would still be angry even after so long. Luke''s words rang in Jason''s ear once more. "I¡¯ve heard that your ex-wife is still harassing you. Sue doesn''t want to meddle in other people''s rtionships, and she thought that you would''ve settled it when the two of you got hitched. I hope that you don''t disturb Sue and the two girls before you settle your ex-wife once and for all.¡¯ Jason smiled dryly. He understood what Bianca meant. "Yes, Madam. I''ll be going to do my work." Bianca knew that she should not have said that as an outsider, but she could not help toment on it. If it were before, she would have said a lot more. After being together with Luke, her management methods became more and more simr to his. With Jason''s help, Bianca was not in a hurry to investigate the virus attack. Instead, she worked on a client''s project. It was more difficult now that she had to start a new design from scratch. Bianca only remembered that Jason was on the case in the evening. She stepped out of her office, intending to ask Jason about the progress of the investigation, but was told that he had left three hours ago. She did not know if Jason had managed to find any leads. Bianca did not have time to worry about that. She went back into her office and saw that Luke had sent her a message, telling her that he had picked up the children. After that, she devoted herself back to her task. She worked on the design until eight o''clock before going home. She had only stepped through the door and had not put down her briefcase when she felt someone hugging her thigh. She lowered her head and saw that Tommy was looking at her with a face full of grievances. "Mommy! Daddy is a big bully!" He pouted and began to sob. Bianca wondered what happened. Seeing that tears were rolling down Tommy''s little face, she put her briefcase down and carried the little boy in her arms. "How is Daddy a bully?" She had just finished speaking when Luke came out of the kitchen holding Rainie''s hand. He smiled when he heard what Tommy said and lowered his head to look at Rainie. "Am I a bully?" Rainie smiled and exined it to her mother, "Mommy, Daddy forced Tommy to eat the pears that he didn''t like. Daddy isn''t a bully, Tommy. He cares for your health." Tommy might be small, but he understood what his elder sister told him. He pouted and fell onto his mother''s chest again. "The pizza today tastes horrible, Mommy! It''s too salty!" "How can that be?" Bianca''s heart wrenched when she saw the tears on Tommy''s face. "I thought I prepared all the ingredients correctly." Luke coughed gently but did not say anything. "Daddy added more salt to it, Mommy. It''s very salty. You can''t let Daddy enter the kitchen again. Mm, I want some water," Rainie said. Children should not eat too much salt. Bianca immediately walked into the kitchen. "I''ll get a ss of water for you." "Let me do it." Luke stopped her. "I know that you haven''t finished your work." Bianca wanted to ask about Jason¡¯s progress in the investigation, but she did not want to talk about work in front of the children. They might not understand what was going on, but they could sense her stress, and that would make them worry unnecessarily. She put Tommy down and patted his head. "I still have some work to do, Tommy. Daddy will take you to your room when it''s bedtime." "Daddy doesn''t know how to tell stories!" Tommy seemed unhappy. Bianca nced at Luke. The man seemed a little uneasy. When he raised Lanie by himself, Lanie had never been so soft. Perhaps Bianca had spoiled Tommy.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Let me tell you a story," he said. "Be a good boy, Tommy," Bianca also tried to coax the little boy. Tommy reluctantly let go of his mother so that she could do her work. At ten o''clock, while Bianca was drawing her design on theputer, Luke entered the room with a ss of warm milk. "Are you done?" Chapter 897 Chapter 897 Simple but Full of Love Bianca massaged her tired eyes. "No. This client is quite picky." Luke sat down next to her and handed her the ss of milk. "You didn''t eat dinner earlier. Have some milk." Bianca took a sip and reflexively licked the milk stains on her lips. It seemed quite seductive. Luke could feel his urges rising when he saw that. He bent over and kissed her. Bianca cried out in surprise and nearly dropped the ss of milk in her hand. Instinctively, she leaned toward the man. Luke''s tongue carefully traced the shape of her lips. They tasted the sweetness of the milk between their mouths, which heightened the sensation of the kiss. Bianca could not resist Luke''s passion. He only let go of her when the air in her lungs was almost depleted. "Bea..." Luke''s voice was hoarse and seductive. Bianca gasped for air as she leaned on her. She would feel so spent every time after they kissed. "No." She could sense that Luke was nning something else, and she grabbed his hands. "I still need to work." Luke looked at the unfinished design on theputer and frowned. He should not have disturbed her while she was working. However, Bianca was as addictive as candy. He wanted to do it right now. "How long more will you take?" He sounded more clear-headed. "I don''t think I''ll be sleeping tonight. It would be great if I can use my previous design," she said in frustration. Luke handed the ss of milk to her. "Drink." Bianca took another sip. She had not eaten much while she was working overtime in the office, and the milk gave her some energy. Luke took herptop and ced it in front of her. "What..." Bianca did not want to trouble him. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. "If the milk isn''t enough? I''ve also toasted some bread. You can eat it in the kitchen," Luke browsed the chat log with the client. Bianca felt warmth in her heart. She leaned on his arm and said, "You don''t have to help me." "I''m your husband. Who else will help you when you''re in trouble?" Luke smiled gently. After reading the chat log, he began to work on the sketch. "About the virus attack... has Mr. Doyle found anything?" Bianca asked after she ced her head on his shoulder. Luke nced at her. He would not want her to leave if she had not insisted on starting her own company. Otherwise, she would not have offended so many people. "Is it very troublesome?" Bianca guessed when she saw that Luke did not say anything. "No." Luke shook his head. "The investigation is almostplete. You''ll know the result soon." "I think there''s something more to the attack. I always have this ominous feeling." Bianca was guessing from her intuition. Luke did not say anything. Bianca stopped asking questions and looked at him draw. Soon, Tommy opened the door to the study and ran to her while pouting." I''m scared, Mommy." "What''s wrong?" Bianca stood up and lifted Tommy, who was about to cry." Why did you wake up?" "I had a nightmare," Tommy said as he buried his head on Bianca''s neck." There were so many aliens..." Bianca was wondering why Tommy would suddenly dream of aliens when he continued, "The aliens from Daddy''s story appeared in my dream. I''m so scared, boo hoo hoo..." Luke stood up impassively and took Tommy. "The aliens won''t hurt you. Go back to bed." Tommy reached out toward Bianca and wailed, "I want Mommy. Save me, Mommy. Daddy is bringing the aliens." Bianca massaged her forehead. When she was about to take Tommy back from Luke, Luke said, "Let me handle this." She could onlyply. Bianca was Tommy''s only parent when Luke was missing. She showered all her love on him considering that he was their youngest child. Perhaps Bianca had pampered Tommy too much. Tommy''s personality was very different from Lanie''s and instead was clingy like Rainie. Maybe it was time that Luke showed him some discipline. After a while, Bianca did not hear Tommy''s crying, and Luke came back to the study. "Is Tommy asleep?" She smiled. Luke was quite reliable after all. Luke hugged her waist and sat down. "Tommy threw a tantrum earlier tonight, so he''s already quite tired. It didn''t take him too long to fall asleep again." "Did you tell him a story about aliens?" Bianca asked. "It''s a story for boys," Luke said while rubbing her nose, "Tommy is a boy, and you pamper him too much. He''s like a princess now." "But he''s your son," Bianca said helplessly. Why would a father say that about his son? However, she knew that Luke''s parenting methods were like that. "I can take care of the children while you''re busy." Luke seemed quite confident of himself. Bianca had no objections. He might be strict, but Tommy was his son after all. She yawned. "If you''re tired, you should take a nap." Luke took control over herptop once again, seeing that she was tired. Bianca shook her head and gazed at his serious side profile. She knew that she was not going to get theptop back, but she did not want to leave." Let me learn from you." Luke did not try to convince her to sleep anymore. Instead, he told her about his design philosophy. Bianca was quite surprised by his thought process; his design suited the client''s requirements more. As the night went on, Luke did not seem to tire. On the other hand, Bianca could not keep herself awake anymore. She sprawled on the desk and fell asleep. When Luke saw that, he kissed her tenderly on her forehead and carried her into the bedroom. When Bianca woke up the next day, there was no one next to her. There was no one in the study either, but herptop screen was on. She went closer and saw that the design was alreadyplete. Bianca was shocked. She zoomed into the design and could not help but exim in surprise. Luke was indeed a genius in architecture design. While saving the design on her USB drive, she nced at the clock. It was already nine o''clock. "Lanie! Rainie!" Bianca remembered that she had to send the kids to school. Right after she stood up, she noticed a sticky note. On it was Luke''s handwriting. "Don¡¯t worry. I''ll send Rainie and Lanie to school. Your breakfast is in the microwave." Bianca felt warmth in her heart. Previously, she would have thought it was morous but troublesome to live with a wealthy family. To amodate her feelings, Luke had moved out of Crawford Manor and lived in a mansion far away from society. That was the life she wanted - simple but full of love. Chapter 898 Chapter 898 Shireen Knew That Bianca Had Some Trust In Her When Bianca returned to the office, she noticed that everyone was listless. After a brief meeting, she went into her office and revised the proposal. Sue walked in and said with envy in her eyes, "Ms. Rayne, you''re pretty efficient, aren''t you?" "Luke helped me out." Bianca was not one to take Luke''s credit. As she spoke, she texted a client toe over to the office to review the revised artwork in the afternoon. The dark circles under Sue¡¯s eyes were obvious. She held her chin, then sighed and said leisurely, "It''s a great thing to have someone help you, unlike me. The twins tortured me all night. When I finally had time to work on the designs, it was already dawn." Bianca put down her phone and smiled apologetically as she said, "You''ve been working hard, and taking care of children takes a lot of energy. How about this? Hand over one of your urgent projects and I''ll take care of it." "No worries! If Mr. Crawford finds out, he''ll kill me." Sue refused Bianca''s suggestion. She envied their love, but unfortunately, she had entrusted her love to the wrong person and there was no turning back now. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. At her age, it was not difficult for her to find a decent man to spend the rest of her life with. However, she had two kids. Although Jason Doyle shared custody of the kids with her, she did not trust him to take care of them. The more Sue thought about it, the angrier she got. Jason Doyle was not a man! How could he lead her on when he was still involved with his ex-wife?! Bianca did not insist as she, too, had a lot of projects on hand. Since she became a mother, all she wanted was to spend her free time with her kids. Sue rolled her eyes and continued asking, By the way, any updates on the investigation?" "They found something and I reckon they''re still collecting evidence." Bianca turned on herputer, opened the artwork, and pressed print. "Okay, I won''t ask any further. I''ll head off and continue working. Else, I won''t be able to submit it in time. By the way, when will Nina be back?" Sue suddenly thought of Nina and asked Bianca. Nina took a long vacation when Bianca was on her honeymoon. As for where she went, she said nothing to anyone. Only Sue knew. Sue felt weird about Nina and Percy Mallory''s rtionship. "Hmm, it should be soon. I''ll ask her." If it were not for Sue¡¯s reminder, Bianca almost forgot that Nina could be of help. She was going to ask Nina first, and if Percy refused to let her leave, she would get Luke to talk to him about it. Although Bianca had notmented much, she knew that Nina was not having a good time with Percy. Otherwise, why was she losing so much weight? Her cheeks looked so hollow thest time Bianca saw her on the cruise ship. "Okay." Sue walked out of Bianca''s office. Before Bianca could finish printing the artwork, someone knocked on her office door. "Come in." She stood in front of the printer and collected the papers as they were being printed. Shireen Williams walked in. "Ms. Rayne." She looked cautious and unnatural as she stood awkwardly by the door. Shireen looked as though she was waiting to be executed. Bianca did not look at her. She pointed at the sofa and said, "Sit down." Shireen parted her lips slightly and eventually stepped in. She closed the door and sat on the sofa. Bianca put away all the printed materials and said, "What can I do for you?" "Ms. Rayne, I''m sorry. I know that I made a mistake. Although I didn¡¯t nt the virus, I forgot to turn off myptop when I left the office. If it were not for me, all of ourputers wouldn''t have been attacked by the virus." "Did you do anything else besides forgetting to turn off yourptop?" Bianca had a calm expression. She did not show too much pity when faced with Shireen''s anxiety. Luke had influenced her. Shireen shook her head for fear that Bianca might misunderstand her. "Ms. Rayne, I didn''t do anything that would harm thepany." "Since you didn''t, what''s the issue here?" Bianca''s voice was faint as she said, "Although I may not take your word for it, we¡¯ll find the culprit sooner orter. At that time, I won''t forgive them easily. Do you understand me?" Shireen knew she did not do it and felt no guilt in her heart, so she said, "I know." "As for your apology for forgetting to turn off yourputer, I ept it. After this, you should focus on the projects that are due soon. Don''t let what happened affect the quality of your work," Bianca reminded Shireen. During this morning''s meeting, she had reviewed everyone''s designs and found that Shireen was the farthest behind. She was talented in design, so this should not be the case. The only exnation that Bianca could think of was that her mind was upied with the virus incident. "Yes, Ms. Rayne." Shireen smiled gratefully at her. Since the incident happened, not once had Bianca questioned Shireen''s loyalty. She asked her about the details of the incident and nothing else. Shireen knew that Bianca had some trust in her. After working overtime for several days, the urgent projects were finally sorted. Bianca breathed in relief after she sent all the designs to the client. That night, she booked a private suite in Hilton to reward the employees who had been working hard for this. Originally, she had assigned Sue to deal with this and did not n to show up. During this busy period, she had not spent more than an hour with her three kids. Even an independent child like nche had someints about it. Bianca was ashamed. After Luke found out about the event, he insisted that she attend. Not only that, but he also sent their kids to Crawford Manor and got Old Master Crawford to babysit. Bianca was puzzled. She put her arms around his waist and asked, "Are you going with me tonight?" Luke smiled and said nothing. He looked at her with hints of excitement. Bianca was even more confused now. She could not help but squeeze his chin. His stubble pricked her soft palm as she said, "Why aren''t you saying anything?" "Don''t worry about it. Just make sure you''re there tonight." Luke held her restless hand, lowered his head, and kissed her smooth fingers. God was kind to Bianca. Even after she worked several jobs when she was studying abroad, her hands were still extremely soft. Bianca went along and headed downstairs to kiss the kids on their foreheads. After she sent them off, she changed her clothes before hurrying to Hilton. As soon as she pushed open the door of the suite, Sue leaned in and asked cheekily, "Didn''t you say you wanted to spend time with Mr. Crawford? Why are you here?" "I wanted to spend time with my children." Bianca picked up a ss of red wine. She took only a sip because she was clear on her limit. "Spending time with your children, you mean... Mr. Crawford?" Sue knew Bianca well. Luke and Bianca had been together for a few years, but they still acted like a newly married couple. Their rtionship was one for the books... Chapter 899 Chapter 899 He''s Here? Bianca noticed that Sue¡¯s eyes were flickering with jealousy. Sue suppressed the loss she felt in her heart and raised a ss to Bianca." Ms. Rayne, ourpany has ovee a crisis, we should celebrate. Cheers!" Bianca smiled and took a sip of wine. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. With Sue starting it off, the other employees were itching to have a toast with Bianca as well. "You¡¯re not allowed to get Ms. Rayne drunk. She has a family. If she goes back drunk, she¡¯ll have a hard time exining herself. If you want to drink, drink with me." Sue stood guard in front of Bianca. She wanted to remind Sue that she also had two kids to take care of, but then she thought that perhaps Sue wanted to get drunk to get some thoughts out of her head. Everyone who worked in T Corporation was like family. Even if Sue got drunk, she would be taken care of. As such, Bianca went along with it. The other side. After Bianca left home, Luke had driven to the airport. Maxine Dous walked out of the airport and saw Luke standing next to the car, smoking a cigarette. She could not help but leap toward him. "Luke, you''re here!" she walked up to him, her face flushed with excitement. When Luke called her, Maxine could not believe what she heard! It was his voice and his number, so she knew she was not dreaming. Maxine did not hesitate and booked the earliest flight to A City. It did not matter that there were no first or business ss tickets avable. She willingly epted economy ss. "Get in the car." Luke''s expression remained calm when faced with Maxine''s excitement. He put out his cigarette and opened the driver''s door without any intention of opening the door for Maxine. Maxine, who was still dazzled by the surprise, did not pay attention to these details. She happily walked around the front of the car and sat in the passenger seat. She turned her head and looked at Luke with infatuation, missing the sinister look that always shed in his eyes. "Luke, are we going home to meet Aunt Allison?" Maxine was so happy that she had begun to fantasize about a life with Luke. "We''re in no hurry." Luke started the car. "Have you eaten?" "No." Maxine was surprised at his thoughtfulness. "Let¡¯s go for dinner, then." Luke''s brows furrowed tighter at the overwhelming smell of Maxine''s perfume. Compared to theplicated and overbearing fragrance, he much preferred the smell of Bianca-clean and pure. Maxine did not think much about what he said and immediately nodded in agreement. Luke''s gaze sank. He stepped on the elerator and drove to Hilton. Maxine was not aware that what was waiting for her was not a sumptuous and romantic dinner but an endless web to entrap her. Hilton. When Maxine got out of the car, she tried to hold Luke''s hand but he avoided it easily. At that moment, she felt a little hurt. However, when she thought about it further, she decided it was not a big deal. After all, a public figure like Luke had to maintain a good image on the outside. What was more, the public thought he and Bianca were still together. If they were photographed holding hands by reporters, it would damage his image. Maxine happily decided to go along with him. Luke booked a private room. Maxine walked behind him. They were seen by Sue, who was headed to the bathroom. "Isn¡¯t that..." She hurried back to the private room and grabbed Bianca''s hand. "What''s the matter?" Bianca looked at her with some curiosity. "I saw Mr. Crawford just now and there was a woman by his side." Sue wanted to mention that the woman was good-looking but ended up keeping it to herself. After all, she did not know the full story. "Luke''s here?" Bianca suddenly realized why Luke sent their children to spend the night in Crawford Manor. It was because he had a meeting to attend. Sue noticed how calm Bianca was and asked curiously, "Aren''t you worried? It''s a woman, after all." Bianca trusted Lukepletely. She shook her head and smiled lightly as she said, "Work is work. Sue, you weren''t like this before. What¡¯s going on? Are you too stressed?" Sue understood. Bianca''spany grew into what it was because of both of them. Sheughed and stopped talking, lest Bianca thought that she was trying to gossip. The celebration continued, but Luke upied Bianca''s thoughts. It was not that she suspected that Luke would wrong her, she just thought that it was weird he had not said anything to her. He would always be forting about the matters he had to attend. This was the only time he was acting mysteriously. The other side. Luke was sitting across from Maxine. The table was empty except for two sses of lemonade. There was no romantic candlelight dinner, nor was there tender affection on Luke''s face that Maxine had been looking forward to. She waited for a while. After she finished more than half of her lemonade, she could not help but ask, "Luke, aren''t we having dinner?" "Wait a minute," Luke answered without looking up from his phone. Bianca knew he was in Hilton, but it did not matter. It would not stop him from putting on a good show. The sess of this could also change Old Master Crawford''s view of Bianca. Maxine was not sure who he was talking to but judging from his serious expression, she thought he was probably busy with work. She wanted to chat with him but controlled herself. Someone knocked on the door of their private room. Before Luke could say anything, Allison Tanner let herself in. "Why are you here?" Luke looked at his mother, who was dressed top to toe in designer wear. Allison sat next to Maxine and held her hand eagerly. She said with a wide smile on her face, "I missed Maxine, so I came by to say hello. Maxine, you promised me that you¡¯de over and chat with me from time to time, but since you left thest time, you haven''t taken the initiative toe over. If Luke hadn''t taken the initiative to invite you, I don''t know when I could see you again." Allison had immediatelye over after Maxine told her about it. She was ecstatic that her son had finally changed his mind! When she saw the blush on Maxine''s face, she teased them, "Am I in the way of anything?" Maxine held in her dissatisfaction with Allison. She only told Allison to keep her updated on the progress of their rtionship, she did not expect her to show up. However, Maxine acted like a good girl and shook her head. No, I''m happy you''re here. We haven''t had dinner together in a long time." Allison was satisfied with her kind and understanding attitude. She had no intention of disturbing their date, but she needed money to maintain her current lifestyle. To do that, she had to improve her rtionship with Luke. Allison would naturally seize the opening that Maxine gave her. She nced at the table and realized that the food had yet to be served, so she asked, "Luke, why hasn''t the food been served yet?" "Wait a minute." Luke was still expressionless. Allison nagged him, "You should treat Maxine better." Luke put down his phone and fixed his gaze on Maxine. He said, "Of course. We have to wait a little longer for our luxurious meal." Chapter 900 Chapter 900 Caused By Man Luke''s words made Maxine overjoyed but Allison was annoyed. He was kind to every woman except her. He was cold and indifferent to her as though there was a deep hatred between them. Allison nced at Maxine, who looked like a young girl in love and decided to please her. Half an hourter, Luke stood up and said, "Let''s go." "Luke?" Maxine looked up curiously and wondered what was going on.'' Why are we leaving before the food is served?'' "Your luxury meal is at the door." Luke slowly tidied his coat, not allowing a single wrinkle. Maxine did not understand what was happening but she stood up anyway. Luke opened the door and several police officers rushed in. "Ah!" Allison was dumbfounded. "Luke, what''s happening?" Luke kept quiet while the officer asked, "Is there a Ms. Maxine Dous here?" Allison looked at Maxine and asked in a sharp tone, "Maxine, what have you done?" Her voice hurt Maxine''s ears. If it had been in the past, she would have cursed at the police. However, Luke was still here so she had to maintain a good image. She replied softly, "I''m Maxine Dous." The policeman who led the arrest motioned at his team. Two policemen stepped forward and handcuffed Maxine. Maxine, who had never been treated so roughly, screamed, "What are you doing?! Luke, save me!" Luke stood on the side with an indifferent expression. The dark look in his eyes looked like it was about to burst at any time, turning into sharp venom to drown her. Maxine could not resist the two strong policemen and was put into handcuffs. Seeing that Luke had no intention of helping her, she knew that he had set her up. He lured her toe to A City just so he could lock her up. If she was back at home, no one would dare to treat her like this! "I''m the daughter of the owner of Capital Corp! How dare you do this to me?!" Maxine threatened the policemen. Unfortunately, she was in A City. Capital Corp was nothing in A Citypared to T Corporation or Luke. The policeman stopped her before she could continue. "Ms. Dous, we suspect that you hired a hacker to spread a virus in theputers of Brilliant Architectural Design LLC, leading thepany to incur financial losses. You¡¯vemitted a crime, pleasee with us." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Maxine''s eyes widened. She did it remotely to mess with Bianca and left no trace. She thought she had gotten away with it since some time had passed. How did anyone find out about it? She insisted that she was innocent. "I don¡¯t know anything about what happened to Brilliant Architectural Design LLC. If you dare to wrong me, my father will make you regret it!" Luke''s thin lips parted slightly. His expression was cold and gloomy as he said, "The police wouldn''t be acting without evidence." Jason Doyle was efficient. If it were not for Bianca being so upied, he would have solved the matter quickly. The police had all the evidence they needed and were not afraid that Maxine''s family would take revenge on them. He waved and said, "Take her away." Maxine was escorted out of the private room. At the same time, there was a knock on the door in the next room. Sue was a little drunk. She held her wine ss and staggered to open the door. She squinted and saw two Jasons at the door. In an instant, she sshed whatever was left in her wine ss at Jason. "Why are you here?" Sue squinted. One Jason was bad enough, but there were two... or three blurry Jasons in front of her. Jason frowned helplessly and felt distressed when he looked at Sue. "Sue..." "Please call me Ms. Carter!" Sue burped and reminded Jason ruthlessly. "You''re drunk!" Jason was focused on the woman in front of him and had forgotten about the task that Luke assigned. "What does it have to do with you? Get out! I''m not in the mood to talk to you!" Sue was intoxicated and had no care about what others might think of her. All she wanted was to vent her dissatisfaction at Jason. Bianca hurried over and held Sue. "Sue, you''re drunk. Can you sit on the sofa?" Sue clung to Bianca''s hand and said drunkenly, "Bea, let me tell you, men are all unscrupulous animals! Of course, that doesn''t apply to Luke. He''s an exception and one of the best men out there. I''m envious of you... Why is the father of my babies such a terrible person?! No, my babies are mine. They don''t have a father!" Jason''s expression turned grim as he listened to her rant. Sue had the right to curse at him. He did not deserve to be the father of their two babies. However, after being sshed with wine and screamed at, he was not in the best mood. Bianca was sharp and observant. She gave her employees a look. Shireen Williams immediately walked over and helped Sue. "Ms. Carter, you''re drunk. Let''s go to the sofa and rest for a while." Sue leaned on her. Shireen was petite and was barely able to hold Sue up. She staggered toward the sofa. Jason was worried that she would fall and wanted to step forward to help, but Bianca stopped him. She passed him a pack of tissues and said, "Mr. Doyle, why are you here?" Jason then remembered what Luke had told him. He pushed his sses, took the tissue, and cleaned himself as he said, ¡®Madam, we found the person behind the virus incident. Mr. Crawford asked you to wait in the private room with the other employees. He''ll get the police to exin everything." "They found out who did it?" Bianca frowned slightly. Why did Luke not tell her anything about it? As soon as her words sounded, Luke walked over with a few policemen behind him. Bianca recognized the person being held by the police. It was Maxine Dous! The culprit behind the incident was Maxine? "My love," Luke walked over, called out to her, and hugged her. "Luke, this is..." Bianca was confused. She and Maxine held no grudges against each other. Why would she hire someone to attack thepany''sputers with a virus? "Shhh." Luke raised his fingers and made a shushing motion. Bianca shut up and did not say anything else. "What''s the matter with you?" Luke looked at Jason, who smelled like alcohol and had sticky hair. Jason smiled bitterly, looked at Sue who was drunk on the sofa, and exined, "There was a small ident." "Exin the situation." Luke realized that it had something to do with Sue and did not comment further. Jason nodded, looked at Maxine and then at the employees of Brilliant Architectural Design LLC who were staring at each other. He said, "After our investigation, the virus attack on theputers in Brilliant Architectural Design LLC was not an ident. Someone was responsible for it." Chapter 901 Chapter 901 Love Potion Shireen felt like her innocence had been proven. She stood up and asked, ¡± Who did it?" Jason said, "The person who downloaded the virus on theputer was David Muller, the security guard on duty in the building that night. He inserted a USB that carried the virus into aputer that was not turned off and it attacked all theputers connected to the inte. This person has been apprehended by the police and has confessed that the main culprit is Maxine Dous of Capital Corp." Bianca listened and was not surprised. She had guessed it when she saw the handcuffs on Maxine. Shireen cried because she was finally able to prove her innocence. During thest couple of weeks, although Bianca had not said anything to her, her colleagues had all acted differently around her. They were extra careful when they were working on new designs around her as though they were afraid that she would steal their designs. In order not to annoy others, she tried her best to be a lone wolf but felt extremely lonely. A female colleague saw Shireen weeping silently and sighed as she remembered how they had treated her. She then handed her some tissues in an attempt tofort her. "I didn''t do it!" Maxine knew that if she admitted to it, there was no turning back. She had nned it so meticulously and thought that no one would be able to find out anything. She refused to admit to her crime, thinking that Luke was bluffing her. "Luke, is this a misunderstanding? How could a well-behaved girl like Maxine do such a thing? What would she get out of it? Her life would go on regardless if Brilliant Architectural Design LLC survives or not." Allison, who had been following from behind, felt that she had to say something. Luke lured Maxine to A City and then got her arrested by the police. It would undoubtedly offend Irving Dous and the entire Capital Corp. Allison thought that Bianca had seduced Luke with a love potion and it made him dumb enough to offend Irving Dous. T Corporation could reach new heights in A City if it had the help of Capital Corp. No matter what had happened, Allison wanted to maintain a good rtionship with them. "What would she get out of it? You have to ask Ms. Dous." As soon as Luke¡¯s gaze left Bianca''s face, his gentleness turned into indifference that was cold enough to freeze people. Seeing his imprable appearance, Allison stomped her feet and looked at Bianca resentfully. Bianca sighed in her heart and knew that Allison''s gaze contained nothing but disgust and hatred. Allison stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Luke, listen to me, it''s a misunderstanding. Don''t let the police take Maxine away, she''s a good girl." "The people you like don''t seem that great,¡± Luke said. He was referring to Leia Norman and now, Maxine Dous. Bianca had not offended them, but they tried everything they could to cause trouble for Bianca. They were willing to use their money, body, soul, and everything they had just to make Bianca''s life miserable. Allison''s expression changed. She knew that she could not persuade Luke but still wanted to put on a show for Maxine to see. "Luke..." she said earnestly. "Mr. Silva, you''re responsible for this case and I hope you''ll not wrong a good person or let a bad person go." Luke''s tone was t, but he was putting a lot of pressure on the policeman who headed the operation. "Mr. Crawford, don''t worry. We''ll follow the legal procedures and give the public an exnation!" the policeman assured him. As Maxine was taken away by the police, Allison hurriedly followed behind andforted her, '' Maxine, don''t be afraid. I''ll get you awyer and inform your dad immediately!¡¯ This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Luke put his arms around Bianca''s waist, lowered his head, and said, "My love, shall we go back to Crawford Manor to pick up our children?" "Okay." Bianca nodded and finally understood why he insisted that she attend this celebration dinner. She turned her head and found that Sue had fallen asleep on the sofa. The employees on the side said with a smile, "Ms. Rayne, don¡¯t worry, we''re almost done here. Go home with Mr. Crawford. We¡¯ll send Ms. Carter home. Bianca smiled and said, ¡¯I''ll order some more wine and cheese boards. Feel free to stay and enjoy yourselves." "Okay!¡± Jason looked at Sue who was knocked out and was worried to leave her be. After he thought about it, he asked Bianca, "Ms. Rayne, can I send Sue back?" Bianca thought to herself that Sue would not want anything to do with Jason, but the other colleagues had also drunk a lot. She was worried that they would not be able to take care of her. She answered, "Then, you have to be mentally prepared." If Jason dared to do something, with Sue''s bold personality, she would most likely chase him around the house with a knife. Jason smiled bitterly. It took him two years to break down Sue¡¯s walls, but his ex-wife ruined it all and their rtionship went back to square one. All he wanted was to send Sue home safely. Bianca and Luke left. At the front desk, they ordered some good wine and snacks for the employees. Then, Luke drove back to Crawford Manor. The couple was surrounded by their loving kids as soon as they arrived in the hallway. "Daddy, Mommy!" nche and Rainie called out in unison, while Tommy prolonged his words, "Daddy, Mommy!" Bianca squatted and nted a kiss on each of their foreheads. "My babies, let''s say goodbye to Grandpa and head home, shall we?" she smiled and said. Luke said, "Give me a second, I have something to tell Grandpa.¡¯ At first, Old Master Crawford wanted him to divorce Bianca to marry Maxine so that they could get the help of Capital Corp to resolve the crisis that T Corporation faced. Now, he wanted to let Old Master Crawford know about the kind of person Maxine was. Although Old Master Crawford was old and put the interests of the family first, he also valued a person''s character. Knowing what he was going to talk about, Bianca nodded. She picked Tommy up, took Rainie in one hand, and walked in. nche, on the other hand, followed Luke coolly. "Grandpa." Luke saw Old Master Crawford sitting on the sofa in the living room, reading a book. He took the initiative to greet him. Bianca also greeted him. "Grandpa, good evening.¡¯ Old Master Crawford was still somewhat dissatisfied, so he just nodded and did not say a word. Luke gave Bianca a look. Bianca understood him. She held her children''s hands and said, "Babies, Daddy hasn''t eaten yet. Let''s go to the kitchen and make him something to eat, okay?" Chapter 902 Chapter 902 Luke Never Hid His Love For Her Old Master Crawford stood up and said with a cold expression, "Let''s talk in the study." Bianca paused and gave a wry smile. Old Master Crawford was not a fan of her and did not want to talk in front of her. She continued to walk into the kitchen while holding her children''s hands. Luke nced at his wife and children before going upstairs with Old Master Crawford. In the study, there was a game of chess on the table that was in progress. Old Master Crawford yed by himself and did not bother to look up at Luke, who sat opposite of him. He asked, "Is thepany okay?" "T Corporation is doing great." Luke took out his phone from his jacket and showed Old Master Crawford a video. "I came over to show you a video." Old Master Crawford stopped and looked up. "What video?" Luke did not hand over the phone immediately. His deep-set eyes were filled with emotions that others could not read as he said, "Grandpa, you like Maxine?" Old Master Crawford was old and did not understand the deep meaning in his grandson''s eyes. He shook his head and coughed. "I don''t like Maxine, Luke. All I want is for T Corporation to be better. Everyone in the Crawford family is keeping a close eye on you, and many in A City are waiting to prey on T Corporation. It¡¯s tough for you to shoulder the weight of T Corporation alone, but your life will be easier if you had the help of the Dous family." He was straightforward. Old Master Crawford did not care who his granddaughter-inw was as long as she had a good character and could help Luke. After so many things had happened, Old Master Crawford understood that no matter how capable Luke was, he was only one man. Luke had his weaknesses and could be defeated. What he wanted for Luke was a stronger backing. Bianca was not the ideal candidate for that. Luke''s slender legs were crossed, and he looked calm as he said, "You told me that it doesn''t matter who your granddaughter-inw is as long as she has a good character." Old Master Crawford was stunned. He had indeed said something like that, but at that time, T Corporation had not experienced such a crisis. Luke handed the phone over and said, "The person you chose is not of good character." Old Master Crawford watched the video and frowned. His expression was sour as he uttered, "What happened?" The video was only one minute long, but he saw Maxine being taken into the police station. "Aputer in Bea''spany was nted with a virus by someone hired by Maxine. The police arrested her and took her in for questioning." Luke folded his hands on his thighs with no intention of putting away his phone. The one-minute video yed again after it ended, repeating the loop. "Luke, did you deliberately arrange this?" Old Master Crawford knew in his heart that without Luke''s help, the police would not have been able to find Maxine. Luke did not deny it. "If someone did something wrong and vited thew, they deserve to be punished." Old Master Crawford was speechless. Luke sent Maxine into the police station in such a tempestuous manner, and reporters were now stationed outside. Irving Dous might think that Luke was picking a fight with Capital Corp. "Grandpa, Bea is my lover. I love her and will do anything to protect her. She has no one to help her in this matter. As her husband, I¡¯ll surely help her. In this life, Bea will be my only wife. I have no interest in other women." Luke once again expressed his stance. "Bea is the only person worthy of standing next to me." Old Master Crawford felt weak and waved his hand. "I know, I''ll not question nor be involved in your rtionship again. I''ll treat Bea like my own granddaughter. Luke, since you were a child, you''ve had strong opinions that not many could change. I trust that you and Bianca will work together to ensure a future for the Crawford family." Tommy was standing at the entrance of the study and eavesdropping with his ears against the wooden door. He heard bits and pieces of the conversation. He went downstairs and walked into the kitchen. He held Bianca''s thigh and said, Mommy, Daddy said that he loves you!" Bianca was not sure what he was referring to. Tommy repeated himself patiently, "Mommy, Daddy said ''I love you¡¯ to Grandpa." Rainie looked at her brother and acted as an interpreter. "Mom, I think what Tommy is trying to say is that Daddy told Grandpa he loves you.¡¯ nche said coolly on the side, "Daddy has always loved Mommy, and Mommy loves Daddy." Bianca was overjoyed and put aside the work at hand to touch the heads of her three children. Luke had never hidden his love for her. Tommy was sucking his fingers on the side. After being guided by his brother and sister, he said softly, "Mommy, Tommy loves you too." Bianca felt a gush of warmth in her heart. She squatted down and hugged the three of them. "Mommy loves you too." Tommy asked her again, "Do you love Daddy?" Rainie grabbed her brother''s finger and said, "Of course, Mommy loves Daddy!" Biancaughed and touched Rainie''s head. She was bing more and more like an older sister. She took the initiative to correct his behavior when she saw Tommy sucking on his fingers. Luke went downstairs and saw the heart-warming scene. "What''s happening?" "Daddy, Mommy loves you." Tommy turned around and hugged Luke''s thigh. Luke stooped to grab Tommy, his eyes filled with warmth as he looked at Bianca affectionately. "Bea." Bianca picked up the te of noodles and said, "Are you hungry? I made some instant noodles and soft-boiled eggs. If you don''t like it, I¡¯ll make you something else." "No worries. I haven''t had it for a long time, I kind of miss it." Luke brought Tommy to the dining room and ced him on the children''s chair. nche and Rainie were also sitting there. When they found out that Bianca was making instant noodles, they all wanted a bowl. Thinking that it had been some time since theyst had instant noodles, Bianca also made them some. The family of five sat at the dining table. The instant noodles were steaming hot and the aroma filled the air. They were happiest when they were together. Bianca carefully ced the bowls of noodles in front of them. Luke''s bowl was thergest, while Tommy''s bowl was the smallest. "Mommy, I want Daddy''s bowl!" Tommy drooled, not satisfied with his portion. "Baby, Daddy works very hard and needs to eat more. You''ve had dinner, and if you eat more, your stomach will be ufortable and you won¡¯t be able to sleepter." Bianca coaxed him as she helped him cool his noodles. Tommy snorted and dared not say anything when he met Luke''s gaze. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Rainie took a bite of noodles and a bite of the egg. She said with a smile," Mommy, it''s as delicious as before. Daddy said it was junk food but he always finished it each time. Is Daddy being a hypocrite?" Chapter 903 Chapter 903 Your Cooking Satisfies Me "It¡¯s impolite to talk while you eat." Before Rainie got an answer from Bianca, she heard Luke''s low voice talking to her. She protested, "Daddy, I haven''t eaten yet." Biancaughed and touched Rainie''s hair. "Baby, eat your food. It won''t taste as good when it''s cold." Rainie smiled sweetly and answered, "Okay, Mommy." Luke looked at the hot instant noodles and two soft-boiled eggs. As before, she had made them with love. He picked up his fork, took a big bite, andmented, "It''s delicious!" Bianca handed a fork to Tommy and was satisfied after she heard Luke''sments. "You''re easily satisfied." "It¡¯s your cooking that satisfies me," Luke corrected her. Bianca lowered her head slightly and took a bite of noodles. Even though it was nothing but cheap noodles, they were happy. The other side. Jason drove the drunk and unconscious Sue home. Although she had moved out of Nina''s vi long ago and never told him her new address, Jason had always kept a close eye on her and their kids. He had memorized the address of her new home. When he was sleepless at night, which often happened, he would drive to Sue¡¯s ce to watch the lights go out. He would silently apany them from downstairs. It was not that he did not want to go upstairs, but he was afraid of Sue and how she looked at him. Jason parked his car downstairs and gave a wry smile. When did he be a coward? When Bailey Quarrington filed for divorce, he was never cowardly. However, when faced with Sue and his twin daughters, he became timid. He wanted nothing more than to give them a better life, but he could not do so because of Sue''s hostility toward him. "Cheers!" Sue was still drunk, and in her dreams, she was still drinking. Jason shook his head helplessly as he looked at her red face. Why did she drink so much? Her drunken appearance made him think that she was using alcohol to relieve her troubles. Suddenly, Sue raised her hand, waved it a few times, and screamed," Jason, you bastard! Coward! I''ll raise my daughters myself, get... out!" "Sue..." Jason''s heart was sore. He had always wanted to mend his rtionship with Sue, but Bailey had been meddling which only made things worse. Sue did not respond to him. Jason unfastened their seat belts, got out of the car, and opened the passenger door. Sue was not heavy, so he easily carried her and closed the car door with one foot. To avoid being harassed by Bailey, Sue had chosen a high-end apartment where unfamiliar vehicles would not be allowed to enter without the owner¡¯s consent. His license te was not registered, so he could only park on the side of the road. He walked in with the woman in his arms. The security guard was familiar with Jason, so he did not stop him. Fortunately, with the help of an elderly couple at the elevator, he managed to carry Sue into the elevator without a hitch. After he told them the floor that they were headed to, the aunt pressed on the button. She curiously asked, "Is this your wife?" Jason''s heartstrings were tugged and he admitted, "Yes." If Bailey had not meddled in their rtionship, he and Sue would have gotten married and be living together now. The aunt started gossiping, "How can you allow your wife to get so drunk? It''s not good for her health if she drinks too much. Why didn''t you stop her?" Jason was a little embarrassed. The old man on the side took his wife''s hand and said, "Who''s to say he didn''t try to stop her? Maybe his wife loves to drink?" The olddy said, "Of course I know! The young man is still walking in a straight line. Does it look like he drank? If it were you, you¡¯d be all over the ce." "Ahem, I¡¯m an old man, after all," the old man said. "If you know you can¡¯t drink, why do you still drink so much? Aren''t you afraid that you might have too much and get a stroke on the side of the road? Passersby won''t dare to save you for fear of being implicatedter on," the aunt babbled on and said in a dissatisfied tone. "What do you know? Drinking makes me happy." The two of them went on and on, talking about how Jason did not help Sue before talking about their daily routine. They were almost quarreling. Jason felt awkward. Even Sue, who was in his arms, was annoyed and buried her head in his chest, seemingly trying to block out the noise the couple was making. Fortunately, the elevator was fast and they soon arrived on the floor where Sue''s unit was. The couple was still arguing. Jason quickly walked out of the elevator so as not to be affected and so that they would not wake Sue. When he got to Block A, he was not sure what to do. The twins and the nanny would be asleep by now. If he knocked on the door, it would wake them up and their kids might be worried to see Sue so drunk. Jason could not bear to worry his daughters. He gently put down Sue and put one hand around her waist. Sue leaned against him subconsciously. The familiar scent, along with the smell of alcohol, filled Jason¡¯s nose. His heartbeat sped up as he was reminded of the night he became acquainted with Sue many years ago. He was obsessed and wanted her all to himself. However, Jason did not dare to do anything, let alone have any other ideas at that moment. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He took the key from her handbag with one hand and opened the door. Before he could extract the key from the lock, Sue fell forward. Jason immediately grabbed her, but he tripped over the threshold and the two fell to the floor, making a loud noise. Sue was drunk and unconscious on his chest. Jason felt pain all over his body. The nanny woke up from the loud crash and immediately turned on the lights. When she saw the two of them on the floor, she eximed, "Ms. Carter, Mr. Doyle, what''s wrong?" Jason was reluctant to push Sue away, afraid that she would hurt herself on the floor. He said, "Sue is drunk, pleasee and help her." The nanny immediately stepped forward to help Sue up. Jason sat up and worked with the nanny to help Sue into the bedroom. The twins woke up from all the noise. Kari held Teri''s hand. They blinked and eximed, "Dad, you''re here!" After Jason tucked Sue in, he squatted down, looked at his twin daughters, and made a quiet gesture. "Don''t disturb Mom." He took the two of them out of the bedroom and closed the door. Teri asked, "Dad, is Mom sick?" "No, she drank a little and got drunk. She¡¯s not sick, don''t worry." Jason looked at his twin daughters with mixed feelings. Although they did not live together, he could recognize who was who at a nce. Chapter 904 Chapter 904 A Minor Mishap Kari hugged his thigh and stared at him with a nk expression. Her round and dark eyes were filled with longing for her father. "Will you stay here tonight?" Jason wanted nothing more than to stay and spend time with the twins. However, if Sue found out, she would rip him into pieces. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He smiled bitterly, not showing too many adult emotions in front of his kids as he said, "I need to work tomorrow, so I can''t stay." The nanny brought out a ss of water and was startled when she heard what Jason said. "Mr. Doyle, can''t you stay here tonight?" "What''s the matter?" Jason asked. Nanny shared the challenge that she faced, "I promised Ms. Carter to stay and take care of the twins until she came back, but I didn''t expect her to drink so much that she''de home unconscious. My mother is sick and I have to go back to prepare the medicine that she needs, but if you want to leave..." Kari and Teri were still young, so they could not be left alone. Teri grabbed Jason''s hand and begged, "Dad, please stay. We''re well- behaved and won¡¯t be of any trouble." Jason felt sorry seeing how sensible the twins were. He nodded and agreed. The next day. Jason got up early, went online to search how to make hangover tonic, and then started cooking in the kitchen. When Sue opened her eyes, she saw the ceiling. She thought back tost night and recalled how she had sshed her wine on Jason. She covered her forehead. She could have held her emotions in check, but it was toote and she felt powerless. "Mom, get up!" Kari opened the door and walked in while shouting. Kari''s temperament was simr to hers-bold and loud. Sue sat up when she saw Kari. Her brows furrowed tightly because of the difort her hangover brought her. "Mom, how are you doing?" Kari was concerned about her. "I''m fine." Sue felt like her hangover was reduced by more than half when she saw how caring and thoughtful Kari was. She did not see Teri, so she asked, "Where''s your sister?" "Teri is in the kitchen," Kari replied obediently, "Daddy is making tonic for you. You''ll feel better once you drink it." "What did you say?" Sue''s eyes widened. "Daddy is in the kitchen, making tonic for you." Kari smiled. She was happy to see her parents together. Sue rushed out of bed and stormed to the kitchen. She then saw Jason, who was busy cooking. Teri stood in the corner obediently, looking at him with admiration. Sue stooped and picked her daughter up as she said, "Baby, go and watch cartoons with your sister." Teri looked at her with confusion. "Mommy, didn''t you say that we can''t watch TV in the morning?" "It''s okay for today." Sue did not want to scream at Jason in front of the kids, so she took the twins to the sofa and turned on the TV. She tried to turn up the volume as much as possible. Kari covered her ears and protested, "Mom, it¡¯s too loud." Sue regained her senses, kissed his daughter''s forehead, and lowered the volume. "My babies, I¡¯ll prepare breakfast while you watch cartoons." After she said that, Sue turned around, walked into the kitchen, and closed the door. Teri looked at Kari and muttered, "Kari, something''s wrong with Mom." Kari touched her younger sister''s hair. She was the same age as Teri, but because it was often emphasized to her that she was an older sister, she had to be more mature. She shook her head like an adult and said, '' Mommy is going to scold Daddy." "Why would she do that? Why don''t our parents live together?" Teri did not understand the situation. She wanted her parents to live together so that she would not have to miss her dad every day. In the kitchen. Sue had her hands on her waist. Her eyes widened as she asked, "Why are you here?" Jason was one step away from finishing the tonic and added the remaining ingredients as stated on the website. "You were drunk yesterday." "What does it matter to you?" Sue wanted to tear him to pieces but dared not act too harshly because the twins were outside. Jason turned off the stove, turned around, and looked at her helplessly." Yesterday when I sent you home, the nanny said that she can¡¯t take care of the twins for the rest of the night, so I stayed." "I can take care of Kari and Teri myself. Get out!" Sue lowered her voice for fear of being heard by the twins, but she could not suppress her anger. Jason was furious. ''You didn''t want to be with me and chose to take on the responsibility of taking care of the twins, so why did you get so drunk?!'' "If you can take care of them, why did you get so drunk?" He suppressed his anger as he did not want to throw a tantrum at her. He did not do well in this matter. To be honest, although Sue had been reluctant to give him an opportunity, he knew he owed it to her. Why did she get drunk? Sue paused, remembering that she wanted to drink her sorrows awayst night. The bitterness she felt in her heart was too much to bear but they could be washed away when she drank, so she wanted to drink more. Sue wanted to say that it was nothing but a minor mishap. After all, she did not think that the nanny would have something else to attend to. However, when she was about to open her mouth, she could not bring herself to say the words. Hence, she shut her mouth and wondered why she was bothering herself with Jason. What if she told him the truth? He would still use her of being an ipetent mother. She was upset and thought to herself, ''Is he trying to fight for custody of the twins? Don''t even think about it!'' She picked up the broom on the side and stared at him. "What does this have to do with you? Get out of here!" Jason thought that she was being unreasonable. Compared to her indifferent attitude before, she was like a hedgehog that was guarding herself against him. As soon as she saw him, she would prick him. Their rtionship would affect the twins. Jason was also worried that she would be hurt from such anger, so he soothed her, saying, "Okay, don''t be angry. The hangover tonic is on the stove, please drink it." He opened the door and went out. Sue let go and the broom fell to the ground. The twins watched Jason leave and ran up to him with their short chubby legs. They hugged his legs and said, "Dad, aren''t you having breakfast with us?" Jason squatted down and nted a kiss on their cheeks. He was not sure how long it would take for him to finally be able to watch the lovely twins grow up while being by their sides. He said, "I need to go to work, so listen to your mother." Sue stood by the kitchen door with her head down. Jason stood up and nced at her. He could not see the expression on her face. He said, "Drink the tonic after you have breakfast." Sue ignored him. Jason opened the door and left. The twins looked at Sue and said, "Mom..." Sue raised her head as tears flooded her eyes. The next moment, she smiled at the twins as if nothing had happened. "I''m going to make breakfast for you." Chapter 905 Chapter 905 Daniel Invited The Entire Crawford Family To His Birthday Crawford Manor. Luke and the family had spent the night in Crawford Manor as requested by Old Master Crawford. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Early in the morning, the table was full of people once again. Old Master Crawford was delighted to see the happy family. Louis went downstairs with his wife and daughter. He saw Luke and said with a smile, "Big Brother, Sister-inw, you''re all here." "Yeah." Luke was calm as always. "Good morning." Bianca was holding Tommy in her arms. He drooled as he looked at the breakfast on the table. If she were not holding him, he would already have a donut in his hand. Yuri Dunn sat down with Thea in her arms, feeling unhappy. She thought that Louis treated an outsider more eagerly more than he treated her and Thea. "Uncle Louis, Aunt Yuri, Thea, good morning," nche and Rainie greeted them. Tommy''s attention finally shifted from the food. He greeted, "Good morning! Nice to see you, Uncle Louis, Aunt Yuri, and Thea." Louis smiled when he saw Luke''s kids. He lowered his head and squeezed Thea''s hand. "Thea?" Thea was unhappy. She lowered her head andined in her heart, * Why is Dad so happy whenever he sees Uncle Luke''s children?¡¯ "Thea? Where are your manners?" Louis put his smile away, his expression turning serious. Yuri sat her daughter next to her andined, "Thea''s throat isn¡¯t feeling well. You¡¯re her dad, don¡¯t you know? The doctor asked her to talk less." Louis frowned and thought to himself, ''Even if her throat is feeling ufortable, she could at least greet others, right?'' Before they went downstairs, Thea was just fine. It was unlikely that she could not speak, but rather, she was sulking with her cheeks puffed. Bianca and Luke nced at each other. Bianca was afraid that a war would break out if they went on, so she smiled and said, "No worries, since Thea''s throat is ufortable, she should take good care of it." Allison listened on the side and said mockingly, "Yeah, they should take good care of her. Thea is very weak and falls sick every couple of days. Thea, don''t just study and work hard. Sometimes, it may not achieve the desired effect. You should exercise more to strengthen your body." Susan did not want to pay attention to this mess but Allison''s words irritated her. She mmed the table, ignoring that it would scare the children. She stared at Allison and said, "Allison, what are you trying to say? My granddaughter is in good health!" Allison pretended to gently touch Rainie''s forehead and then said, "Rainie never falls sick." Old Master Crawford was sick of their fights. Everytime Luke came back, Allison would always show up and there would be chaos in the family. "Shut up and eat!" he screamed at the two women who were more than 100 years old if one put their ages together. Were they not ashamed of acting like this in front of the children? Susan held her anger in and red at Louis. How could Louis do nothing when his mother and child were bullied? Allison was happy because she had the upper hand. She made some toast for nche and Rainie, saying, "My babies, eat more so you can grow up." nche and Rainie, who had grown up watching all this since childhood, exchanged looks and said nothing. They were used to it... Thea looked jealously at the twins who sat opposite her and clutched her cutleries with her little hands. The Crawford family loved the twins and made her feel like she was living in their shadows. One day, she would be smarter and more likable than them. The quarrel at the dining table was settled by Old Master Crawford. Bianca sighed in her heart. The grievances of the previous generation should not fall on the younger generation. She casually put Tommy on the baby chair while hoping in her heart that Rainie and nche would not be victims of theirparison. Luke suddenly grabbed her hand. Bianca smiled and held his hand. Even though he did not say anything, she knew. Luke was determined to move out so that she and her children could have better lives. This decision was the right one. After breakfast, Old Master Crawford announced something. "The day after tomorrow will be Daniel Tanner''s birthday. He invited the entire Crawford family. Who''ll be in attendance?" There was silence at the dining table. Considering what had happened between Bianca and Xavier Tanner previously, the rtionship between the families had worsened. Daniel invited the Crawford family to make peace. Bianca nced at Luke. He was slowly eating breakfast and did notment on the matter. Allison was frustrated with the situation. She was angry that no one from the Crawford family was saying anything. He wanted to make peace, but the people of the Crawford family were refusing. If no one from the Crawford family showed up, she would be shamed when she returned to her family to show off. Old Master Crawford was well aware and looked at Louis. "Louis, are you free the day after tomorrow?" He was also infuriated at the bad things that Xavier Tanner did and did not have much interest in Daniel''s kindness. Louis wiped his mouth and shook his head. "Grandpa, I happen to have a very important party the day after tomorrow, so I don''t have the time to attend." Susan smiled coldly and then added, "Dad, our family is not close with the Tanners. If you want to make peace with them, don''t involve Louis." "Women!¡± Old Master Crawford cursed. He was not nning to show up. If he did, others would think that he was showing the Tanner family respect. Louis was the best candidate, but he was unwilling. "Luke, are you free to go with Bea?" Old Master Crawford asked again. "Well decide at that time." Luke did not give a straightforward answer. Allison was anxious and said quickly, "Luke, Daniel is your uncle. We still need to show him some respect." Luke stood up and stared at her. The Tanner family was equivalent to Allison''s support in the Crawford family. After thestmercial battle, the Tanner family was exhausted and could barely maintain their reputation in A City. If he went, he might give them a chance to revive the Tanner family. "The Tanner family is infamous in A City. What if people misunderstand and think that T Corporation has a rtionship with them?" Luke said indifferently. Susan covered her mouth and smiled. She gloated, "Of course, everyone already knows the truth but some people don¡¯t want to face it. Luke, even if you try to ignore it, everyone knows about your despicable uncle and cousin." Chapter 906 Chapter 906 You Should Learn Some Basic Self-Defense Moves Allison''s pale face was flushed as she red at Susan. "What does this have to do with you?" Susan covered her mouth and smiled. Her gaze was full of disdain and mockery. ¡®You¡¯re nothing but a mistress! Your family offended T Corporation and is being backed to a corner, causing you to struggle now. How ridiculous!¡¯ Luke furrowed his brows. He did not want to see this kind of farce. He had felt helpless when he was a kid but as he grew up, he learned how to ignore it. Bianca carefully wiped Tommy''s mouth, stood up, and interrupted the farce by saying, "Grandpa, Luke and I need to leave first. We need to send Rainie and nche to school." Old Master Crawford nodded. He was getting a headache from Allison and Susan quarreling. His sharp gaze swept over them. Susan noticed how infuriated Allison already was so she said nothing. Instead, she yawned and stood up with a smug expression. She said, "I''m tired too. Life is interesting, there are always ridiculous things happening every day." Allison wanted to say something but was too frightened to speak when she met the sharp gaze of Old Master Crawford. She did not dare to say anything to Luke because she was well aware that she had to depend on him to survive. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Luke and Bianca left with their children. "Grandpa, I also need to send Thea to school." Louis also took Thea¡¯s hand and left this ce that was filled with conflicts. "Go go." Old Master Crawford stared at Allison again to warn her. If she had not given birth to an excellent grandson like Luke, she would have been chased out of the manor. Yuri was on Susan''s side and left without saying anything. Allison was full of anger and sat there, unable to vent. When the maid came to clean up the dishes, she identally got a few crumbs on Allison''s top. She could have easily cleaned herself up, but Allison stood up and waved her hand around. She gave the maid two tight ps across the face. "Ah, Madam!" The maid covered her face, the burning sensation making her cry. "Trash! You can¡¯t do anything right! Can you afford topensate me for my top?" Allison looked grim as she vented all her dissatisfaction on the maid. Two dayster. Daniel Tanner''s birthday banquet was not being held in the hotel because of budget concerns. Instead, it was held in the vi so that they could save on venue fees. He had been in the industry for so many years and knew a lot of people from the same or next social ss, but not the upper ss. He was entertaining the guests with a smile. Xavier walked over with his hands on Riley''s waist. He saidzily, "Dad, happy birthday." Daniel did not expect that he woulde back with Riley. He nced at her belly and swallowed his words. Although Riley was not presentable, she was still pregnant with the grandson of the Tanner family. He did not show much dissatisfaction and said, "Thank you. I''ll be happier if you can take better care of yourself." Riley looked coquettish and passed the gift bag in her hand to Daniel." Uncle Daniel, I wish you a happy birthday. This is a gift from Xavier and me." "Okay, thank you!¡± Daniel took the gift and did not bother to look at it. He just gave it to one of the Tanner family''s servants. Then, he said, "Xavier,e with me to entertain our guests." Xavier looked at the guestsing and going. Most of them were the same. They were people who could not do anything for him, so he refused." Dad, these people are not worth my time." He had no interest in minor characters like them. He was interested in meeting people who were more capable than Luke! Daniel looked at his arrogant attitude, sighed, and stopped talking. The Tanner family became what it was because of what Xavier did to Bianca thatpletely angered Luke. However, Xavier''s attitude remained the same and he refused to admit to his mistakes. Now that there was not much left in the Tanner family and his reputation was ruined, not many of the rich and powerful in A City looked kindly toward the Tanner family. Daniel refused to give up and took advantage of his birthday to host a party so he could rebuild his rtionship with the Crawford family. Seeing Xavier haughtily holding Riley''s hand, he shook his head and put on a smile again. He thought to himself, ''Will the Crawford family show up tonight?'' If they showed up, who would it be? He was hoping that Allison would not show her face here as her presence would not be of much help. After all, except for the few trophy wives who were close to her, the others in A City were not fans of what she had done when she was young. Luke drove to the Tanner family¡¯s vi. Bianca sat in the passenger seat and looked at Luke, who was concentrating on driving. His profile was exquisite enough to drive any woman crazy. He was hers. Bianca thought that she must have done some earth-shattering good deeds in her previous life to earn this blessing. "What are you thinking about?" Luke felt that she had stared at him for five full minutes without blinking. He did not know what she was thinking. Bianca looked at the gift in the backseat and asked, "Why didn''t you have the driver send us to the Tanner family¡¯s vi?" She was worried that Luke would not be able to drive after drinking. Luke smiled softly and answered, "As long as I don''t want to drink, no one can force me to drink." "Yes." Bianca shook her head. As long as he did not want to, no one could force him to do anything- including Old Master Crawford. She pitied Old Master Crawford for having such a rebellious grandson. Luke stopped the car and waited for the red light to turn green. He looked at Bianca and said, "Don''t leave my side when we see Xavier." She knew that he was worried about Xavier''s schemes. Bianca nodded and said, "Okay." If she had the choice, she would not want to face the Tanner family, including Daniel, Lacey, and Xavier... Their family was very weird and would do anything as long as it benefited them or served a certain purpose. Bianca was annoyed with them. However, she knew that Luke had his reasons for attending this banquet. As his wife, of course, Bianca would be by his side. Seeing that he was still staring at her, Bianca said in a serious tone, "I promise I won''t leave your side. When we see Xavier, I¡¯ll avoid him as much as I can. Don''t worry..." "My love, I think that you should learn some basic self-defense moves," Luke said. 1 In the past, every time Bianca was threatened or injured, he was afraid that she would leave him for good. He was not strong enough to protect her, and at the same time, Bianca was too weak to protect herself well. Chapter 907 Chapter 907 Bianca Intended To Spend The Rest Of Her Life With Luke Self-defense? Bianca was well aware of how weak she was. Sometimes when something happened, even the bodyguards that Luke hired could not protect her. In the end, he had to put himself in harm''s way to save her. Bianca raised her gaze and agreed with him, "Tomorrow is Saturday. I''ll sign up for a ss and do my best." She was going to learn self-defense not only to make herself stronger and not hold him back anymore but also for the sake of her health. Bianca intended to spend the rest of her life with Luke, but after giving birth to Tommy, her health deteriorated. She was afraid that her dream would note true because of that. Therefore, her intention of learning self-defense was to protect herself and strengthen her body. "You don''t need to sign up for sses. I''ll get someone to teach you." Luke freed his right hand and held Bianca''s hand. She smiled slightly and nodded in agreement. They soon arrived at the Tanner family''s vi. There were so many guests that many cars were parked in temporary parking spaces on the roadside of the housing area. Luke finally found a parking space but was annoyed that the Tanner family''s vi was two kilometers away. "Bea, it looks like we have to walk there," Luke stopped the car and said. Bianca was wearing afortable pair of kitty heels. She unbuckled her seat belt and smiled, saying, "It''s okay, it''s good to exercise." The couple got out of the car. Bianca went to the back seat and took the gift. Luke had prepared it and she was not aware of what it was. Luke took the bag in her hand, unwilling to let her do any work. "I''ll take this. Bianca had no objections and walked with him to Tanner Mansion. On the way, they saw many cars that upied two parking spaces. She said helplessly, "No wonder it was so difficult to find a parking space." Luke replied, "You can see a person''s character from their choice of friends. Bianca nodded in agreement with him. Daniel Tanner was not a good person, so all the friends he had were people like this. How they parked put their moral standards on full disy. The couple stepped into the Tanner family''s vi and instantly aroused interest from other guests. "Oh my God, it''s Luke from T Corporation! I can''t believe he''s here! He''s sure showing respect to Daniel!" "Don''t you know that Luke''s uncle is Daniel? Of course, he''s here for his birthday." "But T Corporation was behind Tanner Corporation''s crisis. If the two are rted, that shouldn''t be the case, right?" "In the face of profits, torn skin can recover again. The Tanner family is going to be brilliant again. We have to seize the opportunity. Maybe we can still get something out of it?" Bianca frowned slightly as she listened to the guests'' gossip. Luke did not like being talked about like this. Sure enough, Luke stopped in his steps. His cold and sharp eyes looked at the guests who were talking. In an instant, they shut up and pretended to look around. Bianca calmed him down. "Don''t be angry." "It''s okay." Luke grabbed her hand. Daniel heard the news as soon as Luke and Bianca entered the vicinity. He hurriedly ended his conversations and immediately walked to the entrance. ''They came!¡¯ He was surprised and delighted. This pomp was even more prestigious than Old Master Crawford''s. "Luke, you''re here!" Daniel seemed to have forgotten about the previous incident and stepped forward to wee him warmly. Luke handed the gift and said, "Uncle, happy birthday." His tone was cold and unenthusiastic. Compared to Daniel''s wee, which was warm like the sun, he was colder than the Arctic snow. Bianca eased the tension and greeted Daniel, "Uncle Daniel, happy birthday, and I wish you all the luck in the world." If it had been in the past, Daniel would be resentful of Bianca. It was she who seduced Xavier and provoked Luke just like a vixen, causing the two families to lose their peace. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. However, Bianca was the wife of the president of T Corporation now. No matter how resentful Daniel was, he dared not show it. "Thank you, really. You''re too kind." His smile was fake. He nced at the bag and it did not feel heavy when he held it, but he knew that Luke would not be stingy. Luke held Bianca''s hand tightly and said, "The gift is something you like, Uncle." "Good, good." Daniel was excited when he heard it. Everyone present could see that not only did Luke attend his birthday party, but he also prepared a gift that he would love. Had it not been impolite to open the gift on the spot, he would have eagerly opened it. Daniel grinned, his expression ugly and one of ttery. "Luke, I¡¯ve arranged special seats for you. Would you like to go in?" Luke nodded and held Bianca''s hand as they walked in. The so-called special seats were just indoor seats. The people around did not dare to talk to Luke, and Bianca was happy about that. Although the event was boring, she would never be bored with Luke. "Luke, who are you going to get to teach me self-defense tomorrow?¡± Bianca asked curiously. It was likely he would get someone he trusted. After all, it was safe and convenient that way. "Rain. She has experience in this." Luke held her hand, put it to his lips, and kissed it without caring that others were still looking at them. The gossiping was much quieter now. Bianca nodded and grabbed his hand. She was aware of who Rain was although they had not interacted much. She knew that Rain was loyal to Luke. Xavier walked over, followed by Riley. The guests around were his eyes and ears. He knew exactly when the Crawford family showed up and who was in attendance. Knowing that Luke hade with Bianca, Xavier could not wait to rush over. His pace was faster than ever. Riley held his sleeve in one hand and put the other on his waist. She said coquettishly, "Xavier, go slower." Xavier pretended he did not hear her and sat across from Luke and Bianca. He looked at their hands that were tightly interlocked and did not hide the jealousy in his eyes as he said, "Cousin, wee." Riley was panting. The temperature in the room was just right, but she was sweating buckets because of her health. Before she could walk over, she was pulled by Xavier andnded on hisp unexpectedly. "Xavier." Riley was taken aback, but she was still acting coquettishly. Xavier squeezed her face without pity. He did not feel any distress when he heard her yelp in pain. Instead, he had a weird smile on his face as he asked, "Cousin, why are you so quiet? This is my girlfriend, Riley. Take a closer look, doesn¡¯t she look like Bianca?" Bianca frowned in disgust. Bianca and Riley were two different individuals, so they should not bepared. Bianca thought that something was wrong with Xavier when it came to rtionships. His emotional intelligence was notparable to Luke''s. Chapter 908 Chapter 908 Sometimes, He Threw the Ball in Her Direction So That He Could Look at Her Luke''s cold gaze lingered on Riley''s face for one second before turning away to look at Bianca once more while cing the back of her hand in his cheek. "To me, Bianca is a unique presence. No one in the world is like her, and no other woman is worthy of being her substitute." It was rare that Luke spoke so much about her, which warmed Bianca''s heart as she listened to it. She did in fact think that Riley looked somewhat simr to her, and she was quite appalled that Xavier could do such a thing. However, Luke''s words had made Bianca think that Xavier was doing all that in vain. She was irreceable after all. The love that they gave Xavier could not bepared to the love that she gave Luke. Riley seemed surprised. She had suspected Bianca''s identity when she met her at the mall, but she did not expect that Bianca would be Luke Crawford''s wife! Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Her face turned red with embarrassment. Xavier seemed to have set her up for humiliation, while Luke had expressed his revulsion for her. Women did not like beingpared to one another. She said coyly to Xavier, "What do you mean, Xavier? We don''t look alike at all. I am me, and Mrs. Crawford is Mrs. Crawford." Bianca agreed with what she said, regardless of her motive. "That''s right. Ms. Riley is young and beautiful, unlike me." Xavier''s expression sank, thinking that Riley was in no position to talk when men were talking. He shoved Riley, and she nearly fell. Riley was angry. She was bearing Xavier''s child, but Xavier did not seem to care for her at all. She wanted to throw a tantrum but dared not to. She still had to maintain Xavier''s favor. After all, she had always dreamed of living the high life. Xavier was rich, and he was younger and much more handsome than the other sugar daddies. She bunched up her hair and sat down elegantly at another seat. Her gaze was brimming with her love for Xavier. Xavier did not look at her. His gaze was transfixed obsessively on Bianca. If Luke had not interfered, Bianca would still be his wife! Bianca hated being stared at like that. She lowered her head and sipped her juice, pretending that she did not care. "That''s quite enough of you looking at Bianca, my cousin. Please remember that she is my wife," Luke said coldly. Xavier did not feel embarrassed after being called out. Instead, he felt angry. Riley''s nails were digging into her palm. She almost could not maintain the smile on her face. "Have you heard?" Xavier said ominously as though he was not afraid of offending Luke, "What goes aroundes around." He was referring to the fact that Luke had taken Bianca from him. Bianca was angry. She would not have gone to the courthouse with him if he had not deceived her! He would still be in prison if not that Yvonne had taken the fall! Bianca squeezed Luke''s hand. She did not n to speak, but she could not stop herself, "Luke and I genuinely love each other, ever since we were in school." While they were still students, they did not profess their feelings for each other. Even so, after so many obstacles, they remained together. Xavier was furious. Before he could lose his temper, a servant came to speak to him. "Sir has been looking for you, Mr. Xavier. You may find him in the study." Xavier grunted coldly. "Is there anything that can''t wait until the end of the banquet?" "Sir insists that you meet him right away." The servant seemed to be quite troubled. He did not want to offend Daniel. Xavier left the table. He felt aggrieved by what Bianca said, but he had nowhere to release his anger. Seeing that she was left behind, Riley could only helplessly follow him," Wait for me, Xavier." Bianca gradually rxed her brows. She genuinely hated Xavier, but she noticed that Luke was not angry at all. Instead, he was smiling. "Are you smiling?" She was quite surprised because Xavier''s words did not anger him. Even though Luke had ended that farce of a marriage, she was nheless a remarried woman. Luke should have found offense in that. He nodded and gently stroked Bianca''s hair that was scattered on her shoulders. "I''m reminiscing about the time back in high school when you were standing behind the wall and looking at me ying basketball. I could instantly tell what you were thinking." Bianca lowered her head slightly in embarrassment. She was blushing hard. "Unfortunately, I could not choose my significant other. If I had, I would have confessed to you. I''ve been wondering if our life would be easier if I had confessed to you back then," Luke said as he looked at Bianca''s blushing face. Boys who yed basketball in school were the most popr among girls, especially Luke, whose appearance was extraordinary. Many girls would watch him from the side of the court and would try to court him. Bianca was the only girl who stood farther away at the low wall. Luke waited for her to approach him with a towel and a bottle of water, and he rejected all the other girls'' advances. Bianca, on the other hand, did not understand Luke''s thoughts. Luke had purposely thrown the ball in her direction just so that he could look at her, but when their eyes met, she would lower her head like a frightened rabbit, just like what she was doing now. Seeing how timid Bianca was, Luke did not attempt to court her. Bianca shook her head. "I don''t know. Back then, you were too outstanding. I could never dream of being with you." Nina had urged her to confess to Luke more than once. Bianca felt inferior for being an unremarkable girl raised by her grandfather. What right did she have to be the most popr boy''s girlfriend? She had been hampered by her self-inferiority since young. She would not have been confident if not for Luke''s support either. Bianca noticed that Luke''s smiling was bing more and more profound. She looked around and noticed that many women were ogling at him. She was not happy that other women are coveting her husband. "Should we leave now, or are we waiting for something?" She asked softly. Luke shook her head. He had prepared something for the night. "We can''t leave yet, but you don''t have to worry that Xavier would look for trouble with you." Bianca was not worried, but she did not want to see that man again. Xavier should have borne the most responsibility for Old Master Rayne''s current state, but he managed to get off scot-free thanks to Yvonne. Not only that, but Bianca always felt uneasy when she saw Xavier¡¯s wildness. Bianca understood that Luke was waiting for something to happen. She nodded and did not say anything else. Daniel was drawing deeply from his cigarette in the study. Various objects were scattered across the table, including the package that Luke had given him earlier. He thought that Luke would be giving him an expensive present, but it turned out to be a document! He had never known that Xavier had done so many ridiculous things! Chapter 909 Chapter 909 Luke Found Out What He Did and Even Had the Evidence to Prove It Xavier entered the study without knocking at the door. Daniel was furious. He threw the objects on the table at his son. "You wretch! Must you do this to your father?" Xavier''s expression sank, though he was not going to lose his temper at his father. He nced disdainfully at the things that had fallen on the floor. "Why are you acting all crazy? Your guests are waiting for you outside!" He said unhappily. Daniel''s chest was heaving from anger. He pointed at the document on the floor and said, "Pick it up." Xavier bent over and picked up the few pieces of paper. He nced at it and wondered why his father would be so angry. "Where did you get this?" His expression darkened, and the hands that were holding the document began to tremble. "That''s the present from Luke Crawford!" Daniel stood up abruptly and, in a fit of rage, threw the burning cigarette at Xavier''s face. Xavier managed to dodge it in time. He would be hurt if he did not. "How dare he!" Xavier''s expression became savage. In the document was evidence of the things that Xavier had done to resolve his family crisis. He knew how serious things could get if the evidence was leaked, so he had conducted his business personally so that no one could have any dirt on him. Somehow, Luke managed to discover what he did and obtained incriminating evidence! Luke''s influence on the criminal underworld was more far-reaching than Xavier thought. The veins on Xavier''s forehead bulged. He wished that he could rip Luke into pieces. "How dare he? Why wouldn''t he? He''d bemended for his sense of justice if he hands in the evidence to the police!" Daniel was hit by a bout of dizziness and grabbed the back of his chair. In the past, Daniel could always clean up Xavier''s mess. However, the Tanners were no longer influential. Daniel had warned his son to behave to no avail. Not only had Xavier refused to marry Melissa, but he had impregnated an art school student! He had fallen out with the Lerches, and the situation of the Tanner family had be more precarious than ever. Even so, Xavier brought him nothing but trouble! Daniel could feel his blood pressure rising when he considered the possibility that the document might end up in the police''s hands. Xavier would be sentenced to at least twenty years for sure! "What does Luke want?" Xavier¡¯s gaze became murderous. At that moment, he regretted not viting Bianca, which would deal a psychological blow to Luke! Daniel took several deep breaths to calm himself down, took out his blood pressure medication from the drawer, popped a pill into his mouth, and closed his eyes. Then, he slowly spoke, "That man has total control over us now. He must want something from us if he didn''t hand the evidence to the police. I''ve turned a blind eye to whatever you did in the past, but now, you''ll have to control your temper for the sake of the family." Xavier was silent. If Luke could give him that document, it meant that Luke must have made copies. Xavier had done so many things for the Tanners in secret just so that he would fight back against Luke, but he did not expect that Luke knew what he was doing. Without waiting for Xavier to reply, Daniel continued, "If you go to prison this time, who knows if you''ll get out before I die! Also, this matter doesn''t only involve you, Xavier. If you can''t spare a thought for me, at least spare a thought for your mother and that child of yours! Don''t offend Luke for the time being. After the banquet, I''ll try to find out more from him!" Xavier wanted to protest, but he noticed that his father''s face was pale and considered that he would be sent to prison. He did not want to spend the next twenty years in prison! He could only agree reluctantly. "Give that to me!" Daniel extended his hand. No one else could find out the existence of that document, not even his wife! Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. If fewer people knew about it, it would be less risky for Xavier. Xavier handed the document to his father. His gaze was brimming with resentment. Knowing what his son was thinking, Daniel tossed the document in the drawer and warned Xavier again, "Don''t go and look fortrouble with Luke. You can''t afford to offend him!" Xavier grunted coldly and left the room. Riley had been waiting for Xavier outside the study. Seeing Xavier exit the room, she quickly followed behind him. "Wait for me, Xavier!" Xavier was looking to release his anger. He turned around and noticed Riley. "She''s asking for it!¡¯ Xavier grabbed her wrist. "Follow me!" Riley cried out in surprise and was led to the bedroom. "I''m pregnant, Xavier!" "Shut up!" Without being able to get even with Luke, Xavier could only release his anger on the woman''s body. Melissa, standing in a corner, witnessed Xavier and Riley going into the bedroom and knew what they were going to do. She held onto Lacey''s gown tightly and sobbed. ¡®I won''t forgive that b*tch, Aunt Lacey!" Lacey also noticed her son hurriedly dragging Riley into his bedroom. She knew what her son was doing, but she could not bear to see Melissa cry. "Don''t cry, Melissa. You''ll ruin your makeup. Xavier isn''t serious with her!" Melissa was not going to be convinced so easily. She stomped her foot stubbornly. "Go in and stop them, Aunt Lacey! Xavier can only be mine!" She was pampered since young and was used to getting what she wanted. She did not want to lose to a mere art school student! How was Riley any better than her? Lacey was getting impatient. "They''re only going into the bedroom, Melissa, and they''re probably not doing what you''re thinking. After all, Riley is already pregnant, and Xavier knows that he needs to be careful. Maybe your Uncle Daniel was talking to him about breaking up with that girl so that he could marry you, and they¡¯re talking about it in the bedroom!" Melissa was not so easily deceived. She could tell from Xavier''s expression that he was looking for a release. She knew that Lacey had always wanted a grandchild, but she was not going to let her wish to be fulfilled that easily. Pretending to wipe away the tears from her eyes, she said viciously, "I know that you want that child in that b*tch''s womb, Aunt Lacey, but think about it. How many men have Riley slept with before hooking up with Xavier? Who knows if the child is Xavier''s?" "That can''t be..." Lacey had confirmed with Xavier that Riley only got pregnant after hooking up with her son. "Why not? That poor art school student would do anything to make money. She might even be sleeping around with other men while dating Xavier. Do you think Xavier would treat her like that if he''s the father of the child in her womb? Maybe he already knows it, but he''s reluctant to leave that seductress!" Melissa embellished the tall tale with whatever she could think of. Lacey sank deep in thought. "Xavier is still young, Aunt Lacey, and I''m healthy. You can''t let Riley keep the child. Otherwise, she''ll insist that the baby''s father is Xavier and ckmail you with that." Melissa used the opportunity to give her a timely reminder. Chapter 910 Chapter 910 Luke Must Have Done Something Lacey was beginning to waver. Melissa was not done yet. She shook Lacey''s arm and said, "Aunt Lacey, if you like children, I''ll give you one once Xavieres to his senses and marries me. You don''t need Riley''s baby. Who knows if you¡¯re only raising a child for someone else?" Lacey became wholly convinced. "Alright, but that b*tch is already a few months into her pregnancy. We can''t afford to wait if we want to get rid of it." Melissa hurriedly added, "I''ve asked the doctor that examined her. He said that the baby isn''t firmly embedded in the centa, and she''ll have to be careful. Otherwise..." She pretended to hesitate. "Go on, Melissa! Otherwise what?" Lacey was anxious when she considered that the child in Riley''s womb might not be Xavier''s. "Otherwise, if she bumps into something, she might easily lose it." Melissa let go of her hand. Now that she had gotten Lacey on her side, it was time that the little b*tch left Xavier. ''Do you think that you''re special just because of the baby? In your dreams!'' "Hmm, if that''s the case..." Lacey narrowed her gaze and sank into thought. Melissa leaned close to her ear and told Lacey about her n. Lacey immediately agreed with it, though she hesitated. "If we do that, it''ll be bad if Xavier finds out." Melissa grimaced menacingly. "It''ll be fine as long as he doesn''t know about it. Not only will he not know about it, but no one else in the world will. There''s a woman you hate in attendance at today''s banquet, right?" Melissa was talking about Bianca. Bianca was the cause of the Tanners'' decline. Lacey nodded in assent. It would be great if she could kill two birds with one stone. Melissa was delighted. After tonight, she would be the one standing next to Xavier. Daniel sat in the study to catch his breath. When he felt a lot better, he went out of the room. Melissa thought of doing something and told Lacey that she had to leave for a while. Xavier''s bedroom was next to the study. Melissa sneaked into the study and pressed her ear against the wall to hear what was going on in the bedroom. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The walls of the mansion were not particrly thick, but the banquet guests were noisy outside, and Melissa could not hear anything. She bit her fingernails, wondering if she should knock on the door to disturb them. However, she considered that Xavier had a rotten temper. She grunted coldly. "I''ll deal with youter, you little b*tch." She turned around and nced at the messy desk. As far as she knew, her uncle usually kept it well- organized. However, Melissa was not going to take the initiative to tidy it. When she was about to leave, she noticed a piece of paper curled up under the desk. Only a corner was seen. It was by pure chance that she noticed it. Melissa pulled it out. When she nced at it, she was shocked. That piece of paper was one part of the document that Luke had given Daniel. "Did Xavier..." Melissa could not believe it. Her phone began to ring. Instead of returning the piece of paper to where she found it, she instinctively stashed it in her handbag. The call was from Lacey. She stammered, still in shock, "Yes, Aunt Lacey?" "Where are you? The banquet is about to begin. Don''t bete. I''ve already saved a spot for you,¡± Lacey said. "Alright, I''lle now," Melissa said as she rushed out of the study. Throughout the banquet, Daniel and Xavier maintained some distance awake from Luke¡¯s seat. Bianca could guess that Luke must have done something to them. The guests that sat at their table tried to curry favor with Luke but did not go overboard. After the banquet, Luke took Bianca''s hand and prepared to leave. A servant came to him. Mr. Crawford, Sir is requesting your presence in the study." "Noted." Luke stopped walking and gently pinched Bianca''s cheek. "Bea, will you wait for me in the living room?¡± Bianca nodded. "Okay." Luke was very familiar with theyout of the Tanner residence. He saw Bianca sit down on the couch and turned around to go upstairs. When he stepped inside the study, Daniel and Xavier were already sitting on the couch waiting for him. "This better be quick, Uncle Daniel." Luke already knew what they wanted, even when they had not said a word. Seeing how calm and unfazed Luke was, Xavier threw a punch at Luke''s face. "Luke, you b*stard! I''ve already given you Bianca. What else do you want from me?" Xavier might be an experienced brawler, but Luke was not a worse fighter than him. He easily dodged the punch and countered with one of his own on Xavier''s stomach. "Ugh!" Xavier grunted. Luke''s two-year stint on the Ind of Despair was not wasted. Daniel instantly stood up and yelled, "What are you doing, Xavier?" Luke had a lot of dirt on them. Daniel was forced to humble himself even though he was reluctant. Xavier, on the other hand, was rash. Luke''s expression sank. "She was mine in the first ce, Xavier. I''m the one who has three children with her. You should know why you managed to get your marriage license. The police can''t do anything to you, but that doesn''t mean I can''t." Those words of warning stung in Xavier''s ear. Xavier clenched his fists tightly. The veins on his forehead bulged. Daniel held him down. "Yes, you''re right, Luke. Let''s not mention the past. Please have a seat. Would you like some tea?" Luke sat on the single couch, though he was not interested in the tea that Daniel offered him. "Please be quick. My wife is waiting for me downstairs," Luke said. Daniel decided to be direct, seeing that Luke repeated the same thing. "I''ve seen the document you gave me, Luke. I have to thank you for not handing it to the police, whether it''s because Xavier is your cousin, or if you have some other motive." Luke looked at the father and son and waited for them to continue. Meanwhile, Daniel was beginning to feel anxious when he saw that Luke had no intention to speak. The impetuous Xavier could not take it anymore and asked, "What do you want, Luke?" "You''re still fantasizing about my wife, and I don''t like that. If you leave the country, the document will never fall into the hands of the police," Luke told them his demands. Xavier only had the option to leave because he was Luke¡¯s cousin. Otherwise, he would have already been long dead. "You''re going too far!" Xavier roared angrily. Leaving the country would be like going into exile. He might be Daniel''s only son in the household, but he knew that his father was a yboy, and he might have other illegitimate children waiting to rece Xavier. Daniel also did not want Xavier to leave. After all, he was almost at the age of retirement, and he had to hand over the reins of thepany to Xavier soon. "We can talk about this, Luke. You don''t have to force him to leave the country, right? You know that I only have one son." Chapter 911 Chapter 911 Bianca, That Evil Woman, Shoved Riley Luke''s objective was for Xavier to stay away from Bianca. If Xavier did not want to leave the country, Luke had other options for him. "Would you like him to spend some time inside then, Uncle Daniel?" His voice was cold, clearly not in the mood for negotiation. "Please, no!" Daniel cried out in shock. Xavier was indignant when he saw his father begging and groveling. He did not believe that Luke did not have any dirt. Luke got lucky in the corruption case; someone had taken the fall for him. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Perhaps he could find another one... Luke folded his arms together. His diamond wedding ring shone brilliantly under themplight, which stung Xavier''s eyes. Daniel tugged Xavier''s shirt sleeve in case his son acted rashly. "Xavier is almost going to be a father, Luke. After that girl gives birth to his child, he''ll have to marry a daughter of the Lerches. Why would he harass your wife then?" "He can marry outside of the country." Luke stood up and headed toward the door. If Xavier wanted to marry Melissa, he would not have impregnated the other girl. It was pathetic of Daniel to hope that the Tanners and the Lerches could be united by marriage. Xavier clenched his fists and stood up when he saw that Luke was about to leave the room. Daniel instantly held him down. "Stop it!" "Would you rather that I leave the country then?" Xavier''s eyes were bloodshot. He was not going to suffer in another country. Daniel had no other choice. He sighed when he saw Luke leave and close the door behind him. "What other choice do you have when he has dirt on you? Just do what he says for now. I''ll enroll you in a college, and you can tell other people that you''re furthering your studies." "I won''t go." Xavier shoved his father away and left the room. He was not going to let Luke get his wish! Luke went downstairs to the living room but did not see Bianca. "Where is my wife?" He asked. "I think I saw Mrs. Crawford go up the stairs earlier," the servant replied." Right. Madam invited Mrs. Crawford to the lounge for some tea." Luke frowned. Why would Lacey invite Bianca for tea? That was utterly ridiculous. He knew that everyone in the Tanner family hated Bianca to the bone. Feeling worried about his wife, Luke turned around and headed upstairs. Bianca was shocked by the stench of blood when she pushed the door to the lounge open. Riley was sprawled in a pool of blood. She did not make a sound or movement. Evidently, she had already passed out. Blood continued to flow, staining her white dress red. It was a shocking sight. "Help!" Instinctively, Bianca turned around and yelled. Lacey was already waiting in the room next door. When she heard Bianca¡¯s voice, she rushed out of the room and shoved Bianca away. When she saw the unconscious Riley, she pointed at Bianca''s face. "What did you do?" Bianca was puzzled by the sudden usation. She took a step back because the stench of blood was choking her. "I didn''t do anything. She was already like that when I opened the door," she said. Bianca''s cry for help attracted the attention of several people. Xavier rushed over and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Bianca was fine. He was d that she was not in danger. "What are you doing, Mom?" Xavier held Lacey''s hand. He was uneasy seeing Lacey pointing at Bianca''s face. Lacey grunted coldly when she saw that her son was still harboring Bianca. "What did I do? I''d like to ask what that woman did!" Luke came over, hugged Bianca in his arms, and red at the mother and son. "Please tell me, Mrs. Tanner. What did my wife do?" Considering that Riley was still unconscious, she was not in the mood to listen to them bicker. She tugged Luke''s shirt sleeve and said, "Call the ambnce, Luke." "Are you hurt?" Xavier asked when he heard that. Everyone felt awkward by his excessive concern toward Bianca. Luke looked at Xavier unhappily. How dare that man covet Bianca in front of him? Lacey shrieked, sounding a little disappointed. "That evil woman pushed Riley down, Xavier! Why are you so concerned about her? You''re losing your child!" Xavier nced inside the lounge and noticed Riley lying in a puddle of blood. His child... He quickly walked over and carried Riley in his arms. "Call the ambnce." Xavier did not have much affection toward Riley. He kept her by his side because she looked like Bianca, and that she was bearing his child. The surrounding servants came to their senses and called the ambnce. Lacey grunted coldly. After the servant was done speaking to emergency services on the phone, she said, "Also, call the police!" Bianca furrowed her brows. Luke stood in front of her. "How dare you!" His icy voice made Lacey shudder. However, she was determined to frame Bianca today. "Bianca harmed my grandchild. Why shouldn''t I call the police?" Bianca remained calm. She looked at Riley in Xavier''s arms and said, "Why would I harm her?" "Because..." Lacey was at a loss for words. She could not possibly say that Bianca wanted to be together with Xavier. No one would believe that. "Your servant told me that you invited me for tea in the lounge. When I opened the door, I saw Ms. Riley lying in a pool of blood. I''ve never stepped into the lounge before. Why, Mrs. Tanner, do you really want to put me in jail that badly?" Not only did Lacey want to put Bianca in jail, but she also wanted Bianca to die! However, she could express that thought too openly. "Why would I invite you for tea? I''m already exhausted from the day''s events. Do I look like I''m in the mood for tea?" Bianca pointed at a servant. "She''s the one who informed me." Everyone turned to look at the servant. Luke did not say a word, but he already had a conclusion. Lacey red at the servant. "What''s going on? Have I ever said that?" The servant had been working in the Tanner household for several years, and she could tell what was going on. She shook her head and said, "You didn''t say that, Madam. I was busy downstairs, and I didn''t see you earlier." "So why would my wife say that you asked her to go to the lounge?" Luke said coldly. He believed in Bianca''s innocence. Someone must have caused Riley''s miscarriage and lured Bianca to the lounge. They wanted to kill two birds with one stone. The servant shuddered when her eyes met with Luke''s sinister gaze. She bit her lip and insisted, "I didn''t say that." Lacey was relieved that her servant was smart. "Alright then. We''ll let the police investigate this. Call the police!" Chapter 912 Chapter 912 He Could Ensure That Bianca Was Safe From All Harm The servant did not move. She was caught between Lacey and Luke and did not know what to do. The ambnce arrived shortly. Before Xavier carried Riley downstairs, he said, "Bianca isn''t like that, Mom. The truth will be revealed once Riley wakes up." Lacey was disappointed in her son. Why would he still be speaking up for Bianca when he was about to lose his child? Her chest heaved with anger. Seeing that the servant did not act, she took out her phone. "If you''re not going to call the police, I will!" Luke grasped her hand tightly and said sinisterly, "Think twice before you act, Mrs. Tanner." Lacey was at the height of her anger. She wanted to pull her hand away, but she realized that she could not move her hand at all. The pain from her wrist caused her to tremble. "What are you doing? Are you threatening me?" Bianca put her hands on Luke. "The truth will prevail. If you''d like to call the police, Mrs. Tanner, then please go ahead. However, if Ms. Riley wakes up and proves that I am innocent, I think you owe me an apology." "You..." Lacey''s mind was racing. No one should have seen Melissamit the deed. How confident was she that she could pin it on Bianca? The three people were caught in a standoff when Daniel came over. "What are you doing, you woman?" Lacey immediately asked him for help. "Come and help me, Daniel. Bianca pushed Riley and doesn''t admit it. I want to call the police." Daniel was still worrying over Luke''s threat. It was very stupid for Lacey to offend Luke. "What''s gotten into your head? Did you see it yourself?" He roared, then turned to apologize to Luke. "Your Aunt Lacey doesn''t mean it, Luke. Can you forgive her?" Luke loosened his grip and said coldly, "Please go ahead if you''d like to involve the police, Mrs. Tanner. There''s something odd about this incident, and the police should conduct a thorough investigation." "Yes, I trust the police to do a good job," Bianca also said. Daniel''s back was already drenched in a cold sweat. He knew the implication in Luke''s words. If the police came to investigate, what If Luke told them about what Xavier had done? Seeing that Lacey was about to dial 911, he hurriedly snatched the phone and said, "This isn''t the time to get the police involved. We should follow Riley to the hospital to see that she is safe." Xavier was only a couple of years younger than Luke. His parents were worried that he was not married yet. Daniel was not very satisfied with Riley''s status, but he had been anticipating the child to be born. Lacey did not know why Daniel was behaving like that; she thought that he was afraid of Luke. "Don''t tell me that you''re afraid of him, you coward! I want Bianca to spend the night in the lock-up!" She yelled. Daniel delivered a heavy p on Lacey''s face. The phone fell on the floor and the screen shattered. "How dare you p me!" Lacey red at Daniel and ground her teeth. "Are you crazy, Daniel Tanner? I''ve never been hit all my life! Very well. Looks like Bianca has managed to seduce you as well. I''ll kill you today!" The Tanner residence instantly descended into chaos. Lacey grabbed a vase and hurled it at Daniel. "You crazy woman!" Daniel did not back down. "Sir, Madam, please stop fighting." The servants tried to break up the fight. Luke watched all that impassively. He would make Lacey pay for what she said. "Let''s go home, Luke." Bianca was not in the mood to watch the farce. "Mm." Luke was not nning to be the mediator. He hugged her waist and prepared to leave. While they were walking out, Bianca suddenly said, "Luke, I think that Mrs. Tanner will still call the police." The entire incident was too suspicious. Riley was probably an innocent pawn in Lacey''s scheme. "No one will hurt you as long as I am here," Luke promised. It did not matter if Lacey called the police. He could ensure that Bianca was safe from all harm. "What do you think? Did Xavier arrange all that?" Bianca knew that someone was behind the incident, but she did not know who. Xavier would be frightfully immoral if he were the mastermind. After all, the baby in Riley''s womb was his child too. "Xavier was in the study when it happened." Luke was not in the mood to think about the incident. If he were pressed, he could think of several names on the top of his head. For example, Lacey Foster. The next day was Bianca''s first self-defense lesson with Rain. She had to start from scratch because she did not have any experience at all. A caretaker from the mansion came over and said politely, "Madam, you have a phone call from Crawford Manow." "Alright." Bianca guessed that it must have something to do with what happened yesterday. She did not follow up with the developments of the incident after she and Luke left the Tanner residence. She did not know if Riley managed to save the baby. Bianca informed Rain that she was taking a break and went to answer the call. The call was from Allison. After Bianca said hello, Allison directly said," Come over to Crawford Manor." Bianca shook her head helplessly as she listened to the busy tone. Allison was not willing to utter an extra syble to Bianca. "What''s wrong, Madam?" Rain was Luke''s subordinate, and she was courteous toward Bianca. "I''ll have to go back to Crawford Manor for a bit. Sorry about the interruption, Sensei Rain." Bianca had been calling Rain "Sensei Rain" despite her objections. After all, she was Rain''s martial arts student. "Alright. Should I tell Boss?" Rain asked. "There''s no need. I''m only going back to Crawford Manor and nowhere else. There won''t be any danger." Bianca said as she went up the stairs. In the bedroom, she changed her tracksuit into a long white dress. Back at Crawford Manor, Bianca looked around the living room impassively and greeted each one of the people there. The only one who replied was Old Master Crawford. "You''re here." Old Master Crawford sounded old. Bianca could not tell his emotions from his voice. Bianca nodded at him. "Grandpa." The other people in the living room included two police officers and Lacey, who had a bruised and swollen face. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. "Well, Old Master Crawford? Can we have an exnation now?" Lacey wanted to blurt out in curses when she saw Bianca walk through the door. Her husband would not have beaten her if not for that little b*tch. She spent the entire night racking her brain but still could not figure out why Daniel stood on Bianca''s side. Did he have a crush on her? "What do you have to say, Bea?" Old Master Crawford did not want to stand on anyone''s side, though he wanted to hear what Bianca had to say. "What is there to say? My poor grandchild is gone, and it''s all thanks to that b*tch Bianca. Do you have a grudge against us, Bianca Rayne? Why must you harm us over and over again?" Lacey was not as aggressive as yesterday but instead yed the victim. She wailed loudly while thumping her chest. Chapter 913 Chapter 913 Once Bianca Goes In, Don''t Even Think of Coming Out Bianca saw the bruises on Lacey''s face. She indeed looks quite pathetic; Daniel did not hold back at all. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She stood there and faced Lacey and the Crawford family. Even without Luke, she did not feel afraid. "If you want to know what happened, Ms. Riley should know the best." "Riley lost too much blood, and she''s still in aa! You''re the one who harmed her! You''ll be the murderer if anything happens to her!" Lacey huffed. Then, she turned to the police officers. "The culprit is over there. Quick, arrest her!" The police officers looked at each other. It was up to the patriarch of Crawford Manor if they were able to take Bianca away. Old Master Crawford nced at the two police officers with a profound gaze and spoke authoritatively. "Lacey, are you sure that you want my granddaughter-inw arrested?" Bianca was moved. The old man might not be fond of her, but he was willing to stand up for her. Lacey was cowed by Old Master Crawford''s tone of voice. She stood up and continued wailing in an ugly manner. "I''m here so that I can get an exnation. Don''t tell me that you''re harboring that little b*tch? "You''re so lucky, Old Master Crawford. You already have four greatgrandchildren, while I''m still waiting for my first grandchild. Thanks to Bianca, it''s gone, and you''re still harboring her. I might as well die..." Bianca looked at the two police officers. "Is the case on record?" The police officers nodded. "From the medical examination, the victim''s back has signs of physical assault, which caused the miscarriage. It is considered criminal battery, and the police department has opened a case file the moment we received the report." "Am I a suspect?" Bianca asked. She remembered seeing Riley sprawled on the floor the night before. If that were the case, someone must have hit her from the back. The police dared not say that, so they spoke tactfully, "You were the one who discovered the victim. We''ll need to record a statement." Bianca chuckled coldly and looked at Lacey. "I''m not the person you should be looking for. Someone had deliberately injured Riley before I got there. However, I am willing to go to the police station to assist with the investigation." The police officer breathed a sigh of relief when they heard that. They did not put her in handcuffs but instead escorted her courteously to the car. Lacey grunted coldly when she saw that. She might seem sorrowful, but she was secretlyughing up her sleeve. Once you go in there, don''t ever dream ofing out! ''You ought to stay in prison forever, you menace!¡¯ Old Master Crawford stood at the door and watched the police car leave." Inform Luke," he gave the order. When Allison heard that, she said, "Luke is busy at work. You shouldn¡¯t bother him with such trivial matters..." "So should I bother you instead?" Old Master Crawford was no fool; he knew how much Allison hated Bianca. "Why aren''t you on your granddaughter-inw''s side? Do you think you can be of any help here?" "Are you ming me, Father? I''m not the one who caused Riley¡¯s miscarriage. Why should I help Bianca when she''s in the wrong?" Allison and Lacey exchanged nces at each other. ¡®I think Luke ought to divorce Bianca. She only brings bad luck to Luke and the family. If the media gets wind of this, T Corporation''s share prices will fall again!" "Shut up!" Old Master Crawford could only find Allison''s incessant chattering extremely irritating. Allison spoke no further. No one in Crawford Manor dared to go against Old Master Crawford''s wishes. Seeing that she had achieved what she wanted, Lacey cleared her throat and said, "The police will get to the bottom of this, and I''ll be leaving. My poor grandchild, why does he have to leave the world before he gets the chance to see it? Boo hoo hoo..." She walked out of the door while crying. She stopped her fake crying after she got into the car. She massaged her face, which carried a vicious expression. After catching her breath, she took out her phone and gave a call to Melissa. "The police brought Bianca away. It''s up to you now, Melissa. Don''t disappoint me." Her reflection in the rear-view mirror showed her vicious gaze. "Don''t worry, Aunt Lacey. Now that Bianca is inside, she won''t get out that easily," Melissa said cheerfully. "Don''t forget that Luke Crawford is behind her," Lacey reminded her. She was not as optimistic. "I know. I''ll go and make arrangements now." After the call ended, Melissa mumbled to herself, "So what if Luke is behind her? As long as that little b* tch doesn''t wake up and no one testifies for Bianca, she''ll have to go to prison." She dialed another number on her phone. Rileyy unconscious on a bed in the hospital. Her face was pale, and she wore an oxygen mask. Only a nurse was in the room with her. After the nurse received Melissa''s call, her gaze turned cold. She took out a syringe from a drawer and nced at the IV drip bottle. "I''m only doing my job. You only have yourself to me." She knocked on the IV drip bottle and prepared to insert the contents of the syringe into it. Right at that moment, a figure dashed into the ward and delivered a karate chop on the back of the nurse''s neck. The nurse passed out, and the syringe fell on the floor. Bianca remained in the police station for some time. At first, several police officers came to record her statement. She gave her statement a few times, and the police officers asked the same questions. Bianca told them what she remembered at the scene, though her statement did not seem to be of much help. Later, only a female police officer guarded her in the room. Bianca was not in a rush anyway. She closed her eyes and rested. At noon, the door to the questioning room was opened, and a police officer came in. "You may leave now, Mrs. Crawford." Bianca opened her eyes. "Did Ms. Riley wake up?" "No." The police officer shook his head. "Mr. Crawford and hiswyer came to bail you out." ''Luke...'' Bianca felt warm in her heart, though she was also worried. ''Does that mean that Riley hasn''t woken up yet? ''She suffered a miscarriage. Even if she lost a lot of blood, she wouldn''t have been unconscious for so long.'' As she stepped out of the questioning room, she saw Luke waiting for her not far away. "Luke," she called out softly. Her eyes were full of grievances. Luke walked over and hugged her gently. "Did they bully you?" He asked in a low voice. Bianca shook her head. With him behind her, no one in the police station dared to bully her. Bianca had been thinking a lot. The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she got. She understood that many people in the world bore ill will against her, and she had been careful no matter what she did. However, she forgot what Luke told her while at the Tanner residence. When the servant came to invite her to the lounge, she could have declined and waited for Luke to come back to her. She considered that Lacey was Luke''s aunt, and that she might be able to relieve the tension between the two families if she sat down and talked to her. Chapter 914 Chapter 914 You Only Have to Remember That I Love You That mistake allowed Lacey to frame her. "I''m sorry, Luke." She apologized for her mistake. If she had remembered what Luke told her, she would not have gone upstairs to the lounge, and none of this would have happened. Luke sighed and hugged her tightly. "I don''t me you, Bea. Let''s go home. The children are worried about you." The couple left the police station. Several reporters were standing outside of the police station. News that Bianca was brought to the police station for questioning had spread throughout A City. The reporters swarmed up to Luke and Bianca when they saw theme out of the exit. "Mrs. Crawford, is it true that you have deliberately harmed a pregnant woman?" "Mrs. Crawford, it is said that the pregnant woman is your ex-husband''s lover. Did you harm her out of revenge or spite?" "Mr. Crawford, how do you view what your wife did? Are you nning to divorce her to cut all ties with her?" The reporters'' questions got more and more ridiculous. Luke nced at the situation around him coldly. The police and Sean protected them, so they got to their car. Jason was sitting in the side passenger seat. Bianca looked out of the window. The reporters were crowding on the road like zombies just to get the latest scoop. "Who told the media?" She asked worriedly. "Someone with a plot." Luke did not go into the details. He nced at the group of reporters behind him and told Jason, "Get the media to shut up." Jason nodded awkwardly as he scrolled on his tablet. "People are already making up stories online, Boss." "Suppress it," Luke said. Bianca was wracked by guilt. She leaned against her seat and said in frustration, "I''m so stupid to be deceived again." If the news continued to spread, not only she would be affected, but also the Crawfords and T Corporation... "That''s not going to be enough to bring me down," Luke said determinedly as he hugged her waist. Bianca sighed. "I hope that Ms. Riley will wake up soon. She might be attacked from the back, but she should recognize who her attacker was." Luke did not say anything but hugged her tightly. Bianca rested her head on his chest and listened to his steady heartbeat. His muscr chest was her support through tough times. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. "Sigh, I''ve caused trouble for Luke again." Bianca watched as Jason made phone calls to the various media outlets and asked, "Why isnt Ms. Riley awake yet?" "Her body is weak, and the curettage procedure took a great toll on her. That''s why she''s still unconscious," Luke replied. Bianca was surprised. How did Luke know that?" Luke continued to exin to her, "Xavier hired a nurse to take care of Riley, but the nurse was bought over by those people with a plot. When Gale arrived at the hospital, the nurse was injecting something." His tone of voice was casual, but that caused Bianca to sweat in fright. She had naively expected that Riley would eventually wake up and prove her innocence, but she did not expect that those people did not want Riley to wake up at all! If Riley died, she would have be a murderer. No matter how influential Luke was, she would be held culpable if no one else could prove her innocence, which meant that she would not be freed either. "So, Ms. Riley is..." Bianca was worried that Riley might die. "Don''t worry, Gale has kept her in a safe ce and has subdued the nurse. Johann has analyzed the contents of the syringe. It''s a drug that could instantly stop someone from breathing." Luke had an ominous premonition when he was told that Bianca was brought to the police station, which was why he got Gale to go to the hospital. He had to handle the situation at the hospital, which meant that Bianca had to stay in the police station for longer. He held her fair and tender hand and brought it close to his lips. He kissed it gently and apologized to her, "Sorry for making you wait in the police station, Bea." "You did nothing wrong. I''m the one who''s at fault. I should''ve listened to what you said..." Bianca understood that there was a reason he was dyed. If not for his warning, she would have to prepare to spend the rest of her life in prison. Luke gently tapped her lips with his finger to stop her from continuing the sentence. He knew that Bianca went to the lounge because she was concerned about him. Bianca was not the one at fault. However, many ck-hearted people existed in the world. They would not hesitate to harm others to achieve their own desires and ambitions. He wondered who it was this time that harmed his wife to achieve their nefarious goals. Bianca pressed her lips together. She had brought him trouble yet again, but he did notin about it at all. There was nothing more that she would ask from her husband. "I''ll remember every word that you say, Luke." She turned her head and looked into his eyes. Luke smiled gently. "You only have to remember that I love you." Sean and Jason had been listening to what their boss was saying to Bianca. They thought that their previously aloof boss had been more humane after he was reunited with Bianca. Even so, those cheesy lines made them feel awkward. Melissa was about to pop a bottle of red wine to celebrate when she received a phone call from a mysterious person. Her smile instantly vanished, and she yelled out loud, "What did you promise me, you useless fool?" The person on the other end of the call tried to exin, "Perhaps the situation isn''t as bad as you imagine it, Ms. Lerche." "What do you mean? How could someone unconscious disappear all of a sudden? I''ll be finished if that b*tch wakes up! Where did the nurse go? What''s going on?" Melissa tore off her face mask and supported herself with the wall. She was the one who had pushed Riley from the back. Riley managed to grab onto a table and did not fall, so she kicked her twice. Riley turned around and saw her face. At that moment, Melissa realized that she had to knock her out and find someone to kill her so that she could sessfully shift the me to Bianca. However, her n had failed at the most crucial point. "The... the nurse is also missing," the person on the other end of the phone stammered. "What?" Melissa realized that something was amiss. She paced around her room uneasily. "When I gave you the money, didn''t you promise me that the little b*tch will die? Did she manage to inject the syringe?" Riley could not wake up. If she did, Melissa would be the one in prison. "We''ve been trying our best to contact her, Ms. Lerche. Only she knows what happened. Don''t worry, our assassins are all world-ss, and they''ll be able to finish the job," the person on the other end of the phone gave their promise. "World-ss? If she''s so world-ss, she''d make sure that the little b*tch is dead instead of going missing! Let me tell you, you''ll have to deal with her for me. Otherwise, you won''t see a cent out of this. Also, don''t think that your organization is safe either!" Melissa threatened the other person out of anger! Chapter 915 Chapter 915 Luke Could Always Find a Way to Relieve Her of Her Negative Emotions The other person on the end of the phone became annoyed when they heard Melissa''s threat. They were assassins, not menial workers! "Ms. Lerche, ording to your job description, it was supposed to be an easy hit. Now that our assassin has gone missing, it shows that the job isn''t as easy as you first described it. The money that you gave us is not enough topensate us for losing the assassin." "You want to talk money with me? If you can''t settle this issue satisfactorily, you''ll see what''sing!" Melissa shrieked. She was livid about Riley''s disappearance, and she had forgotten that she was talking to an assassin organization. She might be the client, but she would be the target if necessary. The assassin chuckled and replied, "Naive woman!" Melissa flung her phone at the wall out of anger. Crash! The phone was smashed into bits, and the call was cut off. Melissa dashed out of her room and yelled, "Where is the driver? Bring me to the hospital now!" She arrived at the hospital in an hour. The hospital staff did not divulge any information about Riley no matter what Melissa asked. It was as though someone was deliberately withholding information. Without any other option, Melissa had to go to Lacey again. The news that Bianca was taken away by the police spread quickly throughout A City. Several reporters appeared at the usually peaceful mansion. The ck Land Rover stopped at a distance and surveyed the situation in front of the mansion. "What should we do, Boss?" Sean asked. "Go in from the back entrance, and bring the children to the other mansion for now." Luke''s expression was cold. He had already thought of a n. Bianca sighed. The reporters that camped at the front gate had disturbed their regr life. "Don''t worry." Luke caressed her petite face, and Bianca felt the warmth spread all over her body. Luke always found a way to relieve her of her negative emotions. It was true in the past, and it was also true now. Bianca forced a smile on her face. She had brought trouble to him and the children. She wondered what Lanie and Rainie thought about her. Sean took the long way and went into the mansion through the back entrance. Luke had already prepared the children. When the car stopped, the caretaker came out of the house with the three children. Lanie and Rainie each dragged a small suitcase behind them, while Tommy carried a backpack. The family of five got into a car and left the mansion. Tommy leaned on Bianca and looked at her curiously. "Many people were in front of the house earlier. Mrs. Sno said that we shouldn''t let them in because they''re all bad people. Is that true?" Bianca picked him up and ced him on herp. "They''re only doing their job." She did not want to criticize the reporters. Tommy did not look like he understood, but Lanie did. "Daddy said that we shouldn''t disturb other people¡¯s daily lives even though we''re working. They''re not doing the right thing, Mommy," he said coolly. Bianca was impressed by her son''s opinion. Indeed, Luke had been a good educator to his children. She nodded. "You''re right, Lanie." The twins had found out what happened from the news on television, and they nced at each other. Rainie hopped off her seat and clung to her mother. "Mommy, Lanie and I believe that you''re innocent." Tommy did not know what was going on, but he did not want to be left behind. "I believe in you too, Mommy!" He shouted. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Bianca was moved. She was worried that her children might be negatively affected by what happened, but what they said let her know that she had nothing to worry about. Luke took out three bottles of yogurt drink from the mini-fridge in the car, then poured Bianca a ss of fruit juice. "You didn''t eat or drink in the police station. Have something to drink for now. We''re still an hour''s drive away from the other mansion in the countryside." Bianca took the ss, though she was worried about him and the children. "It''s not very convenient, isn''t it?" "Don''t worry, we have a driver. I''ve already applied for extended leave for Lanie and Rainie." Luke nced at his phone and saw a message from Johann. "Also, Riley should be awake by now." Riley''s vitals were stable. She should be awake by tomorrow. "If that''s the case... Sue is managing thepany in my absence. I''d like to go to the hospital tomorrow." Bianca did not n to visit Riley. She would rather stay away from anyone rted to the Tanner family. However, her future depended on Riley''s survival. She thought that Riley deserved pity. Riley had lost her child, and her body was harmed. Bianca remembered the time when she gave birth at eighteen years old. She seemed to have lost an irreceable part of her body. "Mm, the driver will send you there tomorrow." Luke did not object. The family of five arrived at the other mansion an hourter. The other mansion was a two-story building. It was smaller than their previous mansion, but it was built in a unique style. The children cheered and went to pick their rooms. Luke and Bianca carried the luggage into the mansion. "Not bad." The furnishings of the other mansion was in a European pastoral style. Bianca felt at ease. Luke put the children''s luggage down and said, "I bought this mansion when Rainie and Lanie were younger because they wanted to go on weekend vacations. I had been busy, and I never found the chance to bring them here. This ce has been left vacant for the past few years." Bianca smiled when she saw the toys in a corner of the mansion. She liked the style of the furnishings. Luke might be very busy with work, but he always cared for the kids. "My wife." Luke hugged Bianca''s waist. He was obsessed with how slender and flexible it was. She ced the weight of her entire body on Luke''s chest. "Mm?" Luke lowered his head, nted a kiss on her neck, and gently nibbled the skin to leave a mark, which caused Bianca to grunt softly. "We should bring the children here once every two weeks. There''s a fishing pond nearby, and the garden is full of vegetables. They can experience pastoral life here." Bianca was interested in that idea. She sometimes found the bustle of A City tiring. It was great to be able to retreat to a more rxing lifestyle once in a while. "Alright," she smiled and replied. Her eyes were brimming with bliss. "Let''s go upstairs and take a look. I''ve prepared everything that you and the children need." Luke walked upstairs while hugging her waist. "Why do the kids need to bring their luggage then?" Bianca asked curiously. "I told them to bring their most prized possessions with them," Luke exined. Bianca could not help but chuckle. On the second floor, she saw Tommy standing there, holding the caretaker''s hand and swaying from side to side. "Mommy!" Tommy let go of the caretaker, walked up to Bianca, and hugged her thigh. Chapter 916 Chapter 916 Tommy Is a Big Boy Now "What''s wrong?" Bianca lowered her head and looked at Tommy. His round face was full of grievances as though someone had treated him unfairly. Tommy hugged her leg tightly andined, "Mrs. Sna says that I can''t sleep with you." The caretaker felt helpless when she heard the little boy say that, but she did not want to be too agitated in front of Luke. Bianca patted Tommy''s head. Before she could say anything, Luke said," Tommy, do you remember what I told you?" Tommy turned his head and looked at him. He thought for a long while before saying, "You said that I''m a big boy now!" "And you need to learn to be independent,¡± Luke added the second half of the sentence that Tommy forgot. He bent over, patted Tommy¡¯s head, and picked him up. "That''s why you should pick a room that you like and don''t always cling to your Mommy." Tommy blinked innocently and reflected upon what his father told him. Eventually, Tommypromised and jumped onto the floor. "Alright, I''ll pick the room next to Lanie''s!" "Mm." Luke nodded. The caretaker held Tommy''s hand and led him to the bedroom. Soon, Sean came upstairs with Lanie and Rainie''s backpacks. Bianca smiled at Luke. ¡°The caretaker will be very busy unpacking for the children. Let me help her." Luke had hired a cleaner to clean the mansion periodically. Without a live- in caretaker, the beds remained undone. "Alright." Bianca helped Rainie put on the bed sheet. She opened the closet and could not help but smile when she found a set of pink bed sheets inside. Luke knew what Rainie''s favorite color was. She unfolded the bedsheet and ced it on the bed. "Let me help you, Mommy," Rainie said. This is from N?velDrama.Org. "Good girl." They fitted the bedsheet, then prepared the pillows and nket. Rainie looked at her mother busy at work and was slightly confused. Her Mommy was so kind, so why did other people want to ruin her reputation? "Mommy..." Curiosity eventually overcame Rainie. Bianca turned her head and looked at her daughter. "Yes, my dear?" "Why do people want to harm you?" Rainie asked the question that had been troubling her. This incident, as well as the previous abduction, had affected her greatly. Bianca''s heart softened. She hugged Rainie. "I don''t know either." She smiled gently. Perhaps life was fair like that. After giving her a loving husband and a happy family, fate threw a few obstacles in her way. Rainie rested her head on her mother''s chest. ¡±1 think those people are evil. You''re the best Mommy in the world, and you love Daddy and us. Why must they do that to you?" "We can''t control what other people do to us, Rainie. What we can control is how we deal with it. As long as we remain true to ourselves, they won''t be able to hurt us," Bianca patiently exined to Rainie, hoping that it will alleviate the little girl''s worries. Rainie was still young, and she should not carry too many negative emotions. "Mm." Rainie sniffed, and the worry in her eyes went away. "Let''s make the bed and go and help Lanie and Tommy." "Alright." Bianca ruffled her hair. Rainie was so considerate. After helping out the kids, she saw Luke standing on the balcony, talking on the phone with someone. She did not go near him. Instead, she looked at him from afar. Luke turned around to look at her and said to Old Master Crawford on the other end of the phone, "It should be settled by tomorrow.¡± Old Master Crawford trusted his grandson. He had found out the details behind the incident. "Tell Bianca not to be so careless next time so that she doesn''t get into trouble again," he added. If Bianca were not so trusting, she would not have been involved in the incident. "She doesn''t go around looking for trouble, Grandfather. On the other hand, some people need a lesson," Luke said and ended the call. The Tanners must be behind the incident. However, he could not tell if it was Xavier, Daniel, or Lacey. Luke entered the house. Bianca took his hand. The back of his phone was hot; he was on the call for a very longtime. "Who is it?" "It''s Grandfather. He was asking about the situation." Luke put the phone in his pocket and took her hand again. "Are you still busy with settling in?" "It''s only a few beds. That''s not too much trouble." Bianca held his hand and sat down on the couch. "What else did Grandpa say?" "Nothing." Luke did not n to tell her what Old Master Crawford said. He had been attracted by Bianca''s innocence, and he would protect her no matter how difficult things might be. Bianca knew that Luke was hiding something from her, but she did not ask any more questions. Queenie gave Bianca a call that night. "I just saw the news, Bea. What''s going on? Why were you taken to the police station?" Queenie sounded worried. Jack and she had not been keeping up with the news for the entire day. They would still be oblivious to what happened to their daughter if they had not turned on the television. Queenie could not remain calm, and that was why she called Bianca. "I''m fine, Mom. I was there to record a statement." Bianca smiled and rested her head on Luke''s shoulder. He was working, and Bianca tried to learn something from him. "Are you sure that you''re fine? The report was very exaggerated. Remember that we are here for you, Bea. You don''t have to keep everything to yourself. Just tell us when you need our help, alright?" Queenie said worriedly. She had felt guilty for not taking care of Bianca during her formative years. They wanted to extend their help to T Corporation, but Jack was in a sensitive position, and there was not much that they could do. Bianca looked at Luke. He was focused on processing some documents from thepany. She smiled sweetly, put on her slippers, and left the study so that she did not disturb Luke. "I''m really fine, Mom. You shouldn¡¯t trust the articles they write on the Inte. It''s full of spection and misinformation," Bianca said," Moreover, I have Luke behind me. You have nothing to worry about." Queenie put the call on speaker, and Jack heard what Bianca said. "Both your mom and I don''t believe that you''d do something like that. It''s just that the news has gotten out of hand, and the police will be pressured into action. You''ll have to be careful of that. If you ever get in trouble, you can give me a call. I have people I know in the police department." "Thank you, Dad. You don''t have to worry. Everything will be resolved by tomorrow." Bianca sounded like she was sobbing. It was not a major incident, and she had not nned on bothering anyone. "Alright, but you also have to promise us that you''ll tell us the moment something like this happens to you. Don''t keep it to yourself, alright?" Queenie was slightly relieved when she heard that her daughter remained determined and optimistic. Bianca replied in the affirmative once more. After the call ended, she sent a message to her aunt to briefly exin the situation and tell her that there was nothing to worry about. Chapter 917 Chapter 917 Bianca Only Wanted to Be With Luke Forever After Bianca put her phone away, she felt Luke hug her from behind. "My wife." Luke''s voice was cloying. He hugged her tightly as though intending to fuse her body with his. Bianca felt the firm hug from behind and casually ced her hands on his back. "Are you done with your work?" She said, feeling quite carefree. "Not yet. What did Dad and Mom say?" Luke asked curiously. He ced his chin on her hair and took in the fragrance of shampoo. Her unique body scent always refreshed him. Bianca smiled gently, turned around, and hugged his muscr waist. Luke''s profound eyes were sparkling brighter than the stars in the night sky. She could see her reflection in those eyes. "They said that I should tell them if I need any help, but I told them not to worry because I have you beside me." Bianca leaned on his chest. The warmth on her cheek was like a volcano. Luke could hear the trust in her voice, which aroused him greatly. He bent over and picked her up. "Ah, Luke!" Bianca suddenly felt her feet leave the ground, and she reflexively hugged Luke''s neck. "It¡¯s gettingte, Bea. Let''s rest." Luke brought her into the bedroom. Luke ced Bianca on the bed. Before she could catch her breath, Luke leaned on her body and locked her in his embrace. Bianca dared not move a muscle when she smelled the masculine hormones emanating from Luke''s handsome face. "Didn''t you say that we''re resting, Luke? If you''re not tired, you can continue working, and I can apany you..." She pretended to be oblivious. Luke was not going to put his entire body weight on her delicate body. He ced his hands next to her, which caused the bed to sink. She had some wiggle room, but she could not escape. He lowered his head and took in her breath. "Rest." Bianca opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, Luke''s lips covered her mouth. "Mmm..." With her lips sealed, she could not voice out her protests. Luke kissed her passionately and enjoyed her sweetness. Bianca had drunk a ss of milk before going into the study. He could taste the milk in her mouth, which further aroused his curiosity about exploring her oral cavity. The temperature in the bedroom continued to rise. Bianca felt as though she was softening in his arms and melting on the bed. His gentleness had always caused her to submit willingly. Luke''s actions were like a spark that lit up Bianca''s desires. Her eyes were unfocused, and she eventually surrendered her will to him. She did not care if he still had work or if she had to wake up early tomorrow. She moaned gently as she hugged the man tightly. The only thought left in her mind was to be with that man forever. Bianca woke up early the next morning, but she could not get up because her body was sore all over. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Her body flipped over, which woke up Luke. He hugged her tightly and brought her body close. "Good morning, Bea." Bianca was tickled by his beard stubble. Sheughed and tried to dodge." Good morning, let go of me!" Luke narrowed his gaze but did not let go. "It''s still early. Sleep with me for a while more." "It''s not early. Rainie and Lanie will wake up in half an hour, and I''ll have to prepare breakfast for them." Bianca had been thinking about that. There was no live-in caretaker in the mansion, so she had to do the cooking. The children did not have to go to school, but they were used to waking up early. As their mother, Bianca would not let them starve. Luke continued to kiss her. Bianca was tickled by his beard stubble and thin lips. "That''s enough!" She said whileughing and trying to dodge. Luke stopped and looked at her in satisfaction. "Bea..." "Alright, I really have to get up. It''s still early, so you should rest for a while more." Bianca nced at the time. If she did not get up and make breakfast, Rainie and Lanie would have to wait. Moreover, Luke had to go to work. As the CEO of T Corporation, Luke was almost neverte for work. Seeing that Bianca insisted on getting up, he also got up. "I don''t feel like sleeping if you''re not next to me. I''ll help you with breakfast." "There''s no need. You can prepare for work." Bianca walked next to him and pecked him on the cheek. Luke brought her chin closer to intensify the kiss. Bianca smiled, took a step back, and raised a finger to warn him. "Don''t go overboard, Luke!" "Naughty girl," Luke said helplessly. That gentle kiss was enough to arouse him. After brushing her teeth and washing her face, she went downstairs and prepared to make breakfast. It was supposed to be a temporary stay, and there were not many ingredients. Bianca looked at the eggs and spaghetti and thought for a while. Rainie and Lanie were not picky eaters, so the eggs and spaghetti were enough to satisfy them. On the other hand, Tommy was a picky eater, and he would expect more at breakfast. Bianca remembered that there was a small vegetable farm in the backyard, and a gardener would often tend to it. She took a basket to the backyard and picked some ripe tomatoes. She would use the tomatoes to make a sauce. She also picked two zhinis before returning to the mansion. Bianca made five tes of spaghetti with tomato and zhini sauce and squeezed some fresh fruit juice for the children. After she was done, she was about to go upstairs to get the children toe down when she saw Luke and the childrening down the stairs. Rainie and Lanie were in good spirits, but Tommy looked sleep-deprived. He reached out to Bianca when he saw her. "Mommy..." Luke picked him up. "Mommy is tired. Don''t bother her." Tommy looked at Bianca with his sleep-deprived eyes and thought that she did not look tired. Bianca thought that Luke was referring to what they were doing in bed yesterday. She blushed suspiciously and did not say a word. "Good morning, Mommy." "Good morning, Mommy." Rainie and Lanie greeted their mother. Bianca patted their heads and said, "Good morning. Breakfast is ready." The family of five went to the dining hall. Bianca set up a children''s dining chair for Tommy while Luke ced him on it. "There aren''t many ingredients, so I made some spaghetti. We''ll have a heavier lunch in the afternoon." She handed the three children a te of spaghetti each. Breakfast at the mansion was usually a lot heavier. The breakfast they were having now was a lot simpler. Chapter 918 Chapter 918 Who Was the One Who Harmed You? Tommy slurped a mouthful of spaghetti and smiled. "It''s delicious, Mommy! Bianca wiped the tomato sauce from his face with a napkin. "Here, have some juice." "I love you, Mommy," Tommy gave Bianca a flying kiss after his mouth was clean. Bianca''s heart softened. Seeing that her kids were happy, she felt as though she could weather through any storm. Luke and she would maintain the happiness of this family. After the caretaker clocked in for work, Bianca changed into casual clothes, put on a mask and sunsses, and left the mansion. The reporters scrutinized every one of her actions. She had to keep herself in disguise. Sean brought her to the hospital. The car stopped, and Gale came over to open the door. "Good morning, Madam," he greeted Bianca. "Good morning." Bianca lowered the brim of her hat in case someone recognized her. The news had continued to spread throughout the night. If someone recognized Bianca, they would say that she was a murderer. The power of mass media came from harnessing public anger and curiosity. ¡°This way, please." Gale led the way and walked in front of her. Bianca and Gale did not go toward the elevator lobby. Instead, they went into a secret entrance. The entrance was specially built for celebrities and other influential figures. ''Luke is spending a lot of effort in keeping Ms. Riley safe,'' Bianca thought. Gale brought Bianca into the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. "Riley is on the top floor?" "Yes," Gale replied. He received a message through his Bluetooth earpiece informing him about the situation upstairs. Gale continued, "Riley is already awake. Dr. Johann is giving her an examination now." "Alright." Bianca and Gale stepped out of the elevator. Riley¡¯s ward was on the right of the corridor. Two bodyguards dressed in ck suits were standing outside the door like guardian angels. They turned their heads and greeted Bianca when they saw her. "Good morning, Madam." Bianca nodded at them. After Gale opened the door, Bianca could hear Riley crying. "Please, Doctor, return my child to me." Johann read Riley''s health report, seemingly immune to such pleadings." Sorry, we didn''t manage to save your child. However, you can still be pregnant if you take care of your health." Bianca entered the ward and saw that Riley was crying pathetically." Everything was going fine. Why did you take my baby away?" Johann nodded and put the report away. "The patient''s condition is stable, but she isn''t in control of her emotions. We should get a nurse to give her a dose of tranquilizer." "Thank you," Bianca said and went close to the bed. Riley seemed to have found her savior when she saw Bianca. "Please take me out of here, Mrs. Crawford. I want to meet Xavier." She found herself imprisoned in the ward the moment she woke up. None of the people were willing to give her answers. The child was no more. She had to find Xavier for an exnation! "Are you sure?" Bianca kept a safe distance from her, seeing that her face was pale. "Of course!" Riley noticed that the man standing next to Bianca was dressed the same as the bodyguards in the ward. She seemed to have thought of something and looked at Bianca suspiciously. "Are you holding me captive here?" "I''m not holding you captive. After the curettage procedure, you were unconscious for two days. Someone tried to poison you so that you would never wake up, and Luke, my husband, got someone to protect you." Bianca told her the truth. She could see that Riley wanted Xavier''s protection. However, Luke had told Bianca that Xavier had left the hospital after bringing Riley to the hospital and paying the bill. He did not even wait for the results of the operation. "That''s not possible! There arews in this country. You must be lying to be. You must be jealous that Xavier loves me. That''s why you keep her locked up here so that he can''t visit me.¡± Riley''s eyes widened drastically, and her expression turned savage. Bianca took two steps back and sat on the couch. She nced at Gale and wondered if she should tell Riley that Xavier had never visited her for the past two days. "Do you remember how you lost the child?" She asked. Riley''s body stiffened! She might be unconscious for two days, but her memories were fresh in her mind. After the banquet, the servant had told Riley that Lacey was inviting her to the lounge to discuss something. She did not want to go at first, but the servant had wished her "Congrattions," which made her think that Lacey had finally recognized her rtionship with Xavier. She could not find where Xavier was and went directly to the lounge. There was no one in the lounge. While waiting inside, Riley felt someone pushing her from behind. She stumbled and managed to grab onto the table before she fell. She turned around and saw Melissa Lerche, Xavier''s ex-fiancee. She wanted to run away, but her pregnancy caused her to be clumsy. After Melissa pushed her on the floor, she punched and kicked her until she lost consciousness. Melissa was the one who killed her child! Riley grabbed the bedsheets, and her expression turned sinister. How she wished she could tear Melissa into pieces to avenge her dead child! "Who was the one who harmed you?" Bianca asked. Riley did not answer. She had no need of telling Bianca the truth. She thought that Xavier would avenge her baby if she told him about it. The man might be temperamental at times, but he seemed quite caring to the baby in her womb. Bianca knew that Riley was thinking of something. She could have let Riley keep her secret, but she could not afford to do so. It was vital that Riley cooperated with her. Bianca''s expression turned cold as she tried to provoke Riley. "Do you think that Xavier will protect you? After bringing you to the hospital, he turned around and left. We''re keeping you safe here, and the public thinks that you have disappeared. Xavier didn''t show up even after finding out about that." "That''s not possible. You''re lying!" Riley''s body trembled in disbelief. Gale took out a phone and ced it next to her. "This is your phone. I''ve been taking care of it ever since I received the order to protect you, and I''ve kept its battery full. Xavier did not call you. Also, there are two videos in your camera roll that you might find interesting. Take a look." "All of you are liars! You must have tampered with my phone!" Riley felt her throat tighten. She could not believe that it was true. The baby belonged to Xavier. He could not have been that merciless. Bianca forced her to face the truth. "I have no interest in Xavier at all, Ms. Riley. If you think that we''re lying to you, how about watching the two videos before making that conclusion?" Riley struggled internally for a while before picking up her phone with trembling hands and ying the video. The first video showed a woman who was tied up. Her body was filled with injuries, and she was unresponsive to the question from her interrogator.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Chapter 919 Chapter 919 She Loved Xavier, but He Did This to Her... "Who is this?" Riley asked. "Allegedly, she''s supposed to be the nurse that Xavier hired to take care of you, but she''s actually an assassin. She was going to inject a drug into your body to make your heart stop, but we''ve managed to subdue her in time." "Xavier sent her here?" Riley felt a sudden pang of anxiety, and tears fell from her eyes. She loved Xavier, but he had tried to... This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Bianca shook her head. If Xavier did not want the baby, he would have already forced Riley to abort it in the first three months of the pregnancy." That''s not necessarily the case. Maybe the person who harmed you had arranged for the assassin." Riley did not say anything. She flicked her finger and yed the second video. In the video, Xavier was sitting in a nightclub drinking liquor. Riley could not see his expression clearly, but she could see that he was nked by two women, and they were performing lewd acts. Looking at the details of the video, it was shot only yesterday. Riley could not believe it. She hurled the phone against the wall. "That''s all fake! You''re lying to me! "That can''t be true! That can''t be true!" She yelled hysterically while covering her head. Her eyes were opened round and wide as she red at Bianca. Bianca stood up and ordered Gale, "Get the nurse." "Yes." Gale pressed a buzzer to inform the nurse to inject Riley with tranquilizers. "All of you are liars. Xavier loves me very, very much. He should be trying to look for me now. No, I can''t stay here!" Riley pulled the IV needle and blood spurted out from her vein. She continued to try to get out of bed as though the blood did not bother her. The two bodyguards stepped up and stopped her from leaving. "Get lost! All of you!" Riley punched and pped them, but they did not move. She opened her mouth and bit a bodyguard''s hand. The bodyguard pushed her away, though she managed to rip a piece of flesh off the back of the bodyguard''s hand. Bianca frowned hard. Riley was not in the right mental condition to tell the truth to the police. She could only feel that it was incredibly annoying. Riley spat out the flesh in her mouth, sat up, and continued to attack the bodyguards. She did not look like she had suffered from a miscarriage. The nurse was shocked when she walked in. "Why are you still standing there? Give her the injection now!" Even Gale was shocked by Riley''s ferocity. He realized that a woman who had lost her mind was ten thousand times stronger than any man. The bodyguards were ordered to protect her, and they dared not injure her. They could only stop her from inflicting more damage upon them. The nurse came to her senses and filled a syringe with the tranquilizer. Riley pressed her back against the headboard when she saw the nursee near. "I¡¯m not taking any injections. You''re the ones who are harming me. Don''te any closer." "Hold her down," Gale ordered. The bodyguards stepped up and pinned Riley¡¯s limbs. At that moment, Riley seemed to have gone crazy again. She tried to w the bodyguards'' faces with her fingernails. "You''re the ones who took my baby away! I''ll kill all of you!" With the bodyguards'' help, the nurse managed to inject the tranquilizer into Riley''s body. A whileter, Riley calmed down with a dull expression on her face. Gale breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the bodyguard ce Riley back on the bed. "Luckily Johann thought about that. How long will the tranquilizerst?" "It''llst for the rest of the day," the nurse answered as she disinfected the wound and reapplied the IV needle. Bianca sighed. She did not expect Riley to lose her mind. Riley had ced too much trust in Xavier. "You should tend to your injuries," Bianca told the bodyguard whose hand was bitten. "Thank you, Madam." The bodyguard left with the nurse. "What should we do now, Madam?" Gale seemed worried. Luke wanted the police toe and take Riley''s statement after she woke up. Under her current mental condition, she was not going to say who was the one who harmed her. "When she''s feeling better, find a psychologist to give her counseling," Bianca ordered. "But..." Gale hesitated. "It looks like it''ll be a long time before the truth is revealed. The situation is quite chaotic outside, and it''ll be disadvantageous for her. "If we ignore her, who knows if the assassins would attempt to im her life again? She''s not going to be able to help us in her current mental condition." Bianca was hoping that Riley would help her, but things did not seem to be going her way. Gale sighed. "Alright, I¡¯ll take care of that." "Also," Bianca said as she nced at the bodyguards in the room, "Get Rain to guard her at night. Riley might feel safer if a woman looks after her." Riley had not recovered from her mental trauma. She might panic if she saw so many burly men around her. Gale nodded. Bianca wore sunsses and a mask and put on her disguise before leaving the hospital. Back in the car, she gave a phone call to Luke to inform her about Riley''s situation. "I''ll get Johann to check on her," Luke replied after hearing that Riley was not in a good mental condition. "Is he a psychologist too?" Bianca was surprised. "Johann can do everything." Luke nced at the time and saw that it was still early. "You don''t have to worry about this, Bea. I can stall the situation for a few more days." Bianca sighed. "Alright, I shouldn''t bother you. I''ll go to the supermarket." "The supermarket?" Luke sounded worried. The news that Riley had disappeared had spread all over A City. Many people thought that Bianca was the culprit. They thought that Bianca had secretly dispatched Riley to erase the evidence of her crimes. She would definitely cause a stir if she appeared publicly. "Yes, I barely had enough ingredients for breakfast this morning. If I don''t buy more food, I won''t be able to cook lunch for the children," Bianca said helplessly. She knew Luke''s worries and continued, "Don''t worry. I''m disguising myself with sunsses and a mask. No one will recognize me." "Mm. Make sure that Sean is with you," Luke said and wondered if he should arrange some bodyguards for Bianca. However, he soon vetoed the idea. Bodyguards would attract too much attention, and it would be easier for people to recognize her. "Alright," Bianca looked outside the window and realized that she was almost at the supermarket. "Please stop at the supermarket, Mr. Zander." "Yes, Madam." Sean prepared to park at the roadside. "I''m at the supermarket. Talk to youter," Bianca said. "Take care. Call me if you need anything," Luke said. "Okay." Bianca ended the call. Before she got out of the car, she put on her sunsses and mask again. She did not like going out in a disguise, but she had to keep her face hidden from the public so as not to give Luke any more trouble. Sean got out of the car with her. "Please be careful, Madam." "Mm." Bianca stepped out of the car and walked into the supermarket. Chapter 920 Chapter 920 Bianca Rayne Still Loves Mr. Tanner, Deliberately Harms A Pregnant Woman Bianca ced a lot of food products in her shopping cart. Sean followed closely behind her. He was fully aware of their surroundings. Bianca sighed. She thought that Sean would attract more attention to her. Fortunately, it was quitete in the morning, and there were not that many people in the supermarket. She pushed the shopping cart to Sean. "Can you help me with the shopping cart, Mr. Zander?" "Yes, Madam." Sean continued to push it. Bianca picked up some poultry and bought some fruits for the children. After piling the shopping cart with food, she said to Sean, "Let''s go to the checkout counter, Mr. Zander." "Yes, Madam." Sean pushed the shopping cart to the checkout counter. There were not many counters that were open at that hour. Several people were queuing at each of those counters. Bianca randomly stood in line at one of the counters. Sean nced at the queue in front of them. Those people had loaded shopping carts with them. "Madam, this supermarket belongs to Mr. Holston. Should I inform him?" He whispered. Bianca shook her head. ''Let''s wait in line. It won''t take long." Sean nodded and patiently waited in line. In front of them were two middle-aged women gossiping. "Have you heard the news about the T Corporation CEO and his wife?" One of the women asked. "It''s the talk of the town now. Why wouldn''t I know about it?" The other woman replied. Bianca frowned. She did not expect that people would be talking about her even in the supermarket. She lowered the brim of her hat. "What a wicked woman. Not only she harmed that pregnant woman, but she also secreted her away. I pity the Tanners. They lost their baby, and the baby''s mother is nowhere to be found too." "Isn''t that so? I''ve read an article saying that the woman wasn''t hidden but murdered. To think that this could happen in modern times. How scary!" The woman said while drawing a line across her neck. Bianca frowned even harder. How did the rumors evolve to be like that? They were saying that she killed Riley! Bianca turned her head to look at Sean. He seemed to be very angry and wanted to argue with the women. However, he knew that he had to keep Bianca''s identity a secret. "Why hasn''t the police arrested her yet? Murder is a serious crime!" "That''s because T Corporation is rich and influential. The police might be harboring her too! They say that they protect all citizens, but I''m guessing only the rich ones," the woman said profoundly. "So is she getting off the hook just like that? I''ve heard that the Tanners are quite influential too. Are they going to let their daughter-inw go missing without doing anything?" "Haven''t you heard? The pregnant woman is only the Tanner son''s mistress, and they haven''t registered their marriage yet. The Tanners might be rich and influential, but they''re nowhere near as influential as the Crawfords. They reported it to the police, but they can''t do anything more than that." While listening to the gossip, Bianca took out her phone and browsed a news website. The website reported about Riley''s disappearance. Under the article were the readers''ments. Many people were guessing that Bianca had secretly killed Riley. Bianca was helpless. The news article was making wild spections instead of reporting based on facts, but it sounded very convincing. Her reputation online was in tatters. Some people were speaking up for the Tanners. Some were saying that Luke was blind to have married a murderer. Bianca believed that if she took off her sunsses and mask, the women would throw their eggs and tomatoes at her. As she continued to browse the website, she was particrly bbergasted by one of the headlines. "The Shocking Truth! Bianca Rayne Still Loves Mr. Tanner, Deliberately Harms A Pregnant Woman." Bianca was speechless. She felt very wronged. Sean took a step forward and red at the women. "Watch your mouth!" "What about it? I''m only repeating what the news on the Inte says." The woman was slightly intimidated, though she did not want to admit defeat. Sean was about to retort when Bianca tugged his hand. "It''s fine, Mr.This is from N?velDrama.Org. Zander." While the woman ced her items on the conveyor belt, she was still muttering, "How strange! That''s what everyone is thinking now. Don''t tell me that he''s rted to that woman!" Sean was slightly frustrated. If Bianca had not stopped her, he would not have shown any mercy to those women. After checking out, Bianca and Sean left the supermarket with three full shopping bags. After they got into the car, Sean said, "Please don''t mind what those women were saying, Madam." "I don''t care at all." Bianca breathed a sigh of relief as she took off her mask. It was stifling to be wearing that disguise. "Let''s go home, Mr. Zander," she said. "Yes, Madam." Sean started the car and drove toward the mansion. Bianca''s phone started ringing. It was from Sue. "Is everything alright, Sue?¡± "Are you free now, Bianca?" Sue asked. "Yes. Is there anything?" Bianca could guess that Sue was calling her because ofpany matters. "Well... the police called us this morning and said that they''ve closed the case for the virus attack. I went there to sign some papers, but after I reached there, they told me that the general manager of the company has toe." Sue was currently at the police station. She did not want to disturb Bianca, who should be feeling troubled because of Riley''s incident. "Alright. I''m near the police station anyway. Wait for me there, and I''lle over," Bianca said. "Be careful. I noticed that several reporters are waiting outside the police station." Sue guessed that the reporters must be waiting for Bianca. "Alright, thank you." After Bianca ended the call, she told Sean, "I have to go to the police station to handle some matters, Mr. Zander. Please bring me there." "Should I let Mr. Crawford know?" Sean asked. "There''s no need. It''s not about Riley but mypany." Bianca remembered what Sue said and continued, "Right, we should go in from the side entrance. There are several reporters at the front." "Yes, Madam.¡± Sean made a U-turn at the traffic light and drove toward the police station. There were no reporters at the side entrance. Sean parked the car and turned toward Bianca. "HI escort you in, Madam.¡± "Alright." Bianca did not refuse. She put on her sunsses and mask and got out of the car. Chapter 921 Chapter 921 Luke Should Have a Way Bianca went into the police station from the side entrance and met Sue. "Are you okay, Bianca?" Sue looked at her worriedly. Bianca shook her head and took off her mask. "I''m fine. There were no reporters at the side entrance. Where should I sign?" "Over here..." Sue paused for a while. "But I think you''ll need to read the case report carefully." Bianca sat on a chair, and a police officer handed her the case report. "If there are no problems, please affix your signature on thest page of the report." "Mm." She took the report, read it, and understood why Sue said that. The security guard of the building had retracted his previous statement. He said that the person who had instructed him was not Maxine but rather Moxine, a woman with a simr name. The woman named Moxine had turned herself in. She was the general manager of Central Construction LLC, and she had bribed the security guard to install the virus because Bianca''spany had snatched her clients. Everything sounded as though it made sense, but Bianca frowned. "Central Construction?" She and Sue exchanged nces. ''I''ve never heard of them before." She had been in contact with many constructionpanies while in charge of T Corporation, but she had never heard of Central Construction before. "Thepany does exist, and they have been operational two years before ourpany, but they are not in A City," Sue replied. She had searched the Inte for information about thepany while waiting for Bianca to arrive. Bianca did not ask any more questions. She did not show any expression on her face either. Maxine''s family was influential. It was too easy to find someone to take the fall for her. She signed on the case report, indicating that she epted the conclusion. The person named in the report would be punished, but Maxine Dous, the real culprit, would walk free. The police officer took the report from her. "Please wait for a moment while we stamp the report." Bianca waited together with Sue. "So, that''s it?" Sue remained indignant. Central Construction was not in A City, and they only serviced local clients. How could Bianca''spany have snatched their clients? "The security guard''s statement was our strongest piece of evidence, but he retracted it. There''s nothing else we can do," Bianca exined. "Can Mr. Crawford do anything?" Sue knew that Maxine''s family must have pulled some strings. She did not wish for Maxine to go free after having done such serious damage to theirpany. Bianca knew that Luke would have a solution, but she did not want to bother him. T Corporation was still recovering from the Galleria tragedy. She did not want Luke to take on Maxine''s family in the Capital, 1 "Luke has already done a lot for us, and I don''t want to trouble him further. The culprit should have received enough punishment for what she did," Bianca said. The investigation hadsted for quite a while. In that period, Luke had pressured the police station so that Maxine could not be bailed. She had been detained in a lock-up cell ever since she was arrested. That should be enough to teach her a lesson. Sue was silent for a while before patting Bianca''s shoulder. "You''re too kind, Bianca. That''s why those people dare to bully you." She was talking about the virus attack, as well as the incident that had been brewing on the Inte. Bianca smiled helplessly. She wished for a normal life where she only had to worry about money. Now that she was with Luke, she did not have to worry about money, but there were more difficult things to worry about. However, with him beside her, she had nothing to fear. The police officer handed her the stamped case report and said, "The case is considered closed, and the culprit will receive their punishment." "Ahem, Officer, I''d like to make a report!" Maxine shrieked. She and herwyer wereing out of the police station when she saw Bianca. She had informed her family members the moment she was brought to the lock-up. Her father was on a business trip overseas and could not directly help her. Instead, he hired awyer for her. Thewyer arrived at the police station but was unable to bail Maxine out. That was why she had been detained there. The treatment she received was just like any other normal citizen, even though thewyer tried to help her. Thewyer told her that someone had been applying pressure to the police officers, and she thought that the person was Bianca. Bianca and Sue turned to look at Maxine. She seemed quite pathetic after spending many days in the lock-up. She was thinner, and her chestnut hair was in clumps and had lost its original luster. Her face seemed haggard without the use of beauty creams. The police officers frowned after hearing those words. Everyone in the police station knew that Maxine was very troublesome. They wanted her out of the lock-up, but their superior did not allow them to set her free, and there was nothing they could do about it other than listening to her and herwyer''s incessantints. "What would you like to report, Ms. Dous?" The police officer said courteously. "I want to sue her!" Maxine pointed a finger at Bianca. "She''s the one who framed me and caused me unnecessary suffering!" She wanted Bianca to be locked up too. "Well..." The police officer did not know what to say. He knew that Maxine was a graduate from overseas, so why would she be so stupid to demand that? "The security guard framed you, Ms. Dous. It has nothing to do with me," Bianca reminded her. "You!" Maxine wanted to smash Bianca''s teeth. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. "If you believe that this incident has caused you harm and distress, you can tell yourwyer to sue the security guard so that you''ll receive thepensation you deserve." The police officer cleared his throat and said, "That''s right. We conduct our investigation based on the statement provided by the security guard. Feel free to let yourwyer know if you have any grievances so that you can demand further action against the security guard." Maxine was not appeased seeing how Bianca had brushed away all responsibility. She looked at her lawyer and asked, "Can''t I sue her?" Thewyer could only advise her from a professional standpoint. "It''s like this, Ms. Dous..." "Just tell me yes or no!" Maxine was not interested in his exnation. Thewyer pushed his sses and gave her a curt answer. "No." Bianca was not guilty in the first ce. Even if she was the one who had caused Maxine to be locked up for so long, everything that the police had done was ording to procedure. It was hard to pin the me on Bianca. Maxine''s chest heaved with anger as she walked toward Bianca. Bianca and Sue smelled something strange originating from Maxine''s body. Sue instantly took Bianca''s hand and stepped backward. "Careful, Bianca, she smells weird." Sue''s voice was soft, but Maxine had heard that clearly. Maxine had not used her expensive beauty care products in that period, and the only thing that she could use to clean her sensitive skin was bar soap. That was why she smelled weird. She instantly turned red with anger and lifted her hand, intending to p Sue. "What are you saying, you b*tch?" Chapter 922 Chapter 922 Die, Murderer! Bianca quickly blocked Maxine''s hand and said seriously, "We''re in the police station now. Are you sure you want to p her and get thewyer to bail you out again?" Maxine took her hand back in anger, and her eyes were wide open in anger. "Don''t be so smug, Bianca Rayne. All you have is Luke helping you, but you keep on courting trouble for him. Sooner orter, Luke will tire of you, and your good life wille to an end!" Bianca remained calm despite the instigation. She knew very well what Luke thought of her. It did not matter what other people said. Her clear eyes remained cold as she replied impassively, "I''ll enjoy my good life for now, then. Also, Ms. Dous, you''re not that close with my husband, and it''s more appropriate that you address him as ''Mr. Crawford.''" Sue could not help but smile. Bianca seemed gentle and pliant, but she had a sharp tongue. Seeing that Maxine''s face had already turned beet-red, Sue added, "Some shameless women covet other women''s husbands and think that it''s a morous thing. Do they think that they can be closer to the man if she addresses him by his first name? How shameless. Looks like the filthy lockup cell hasn''t taught her a lesson yet." The police officer, tired of Maxine''s torment, added, "Our cells are very hygienic." "Y... You!" Maxine was almost losing her mind from anger. She turned her head and looked at thewyer. Thewyer understood what she wanted. He walked up to Maxine and smelled the weird smell that Sue was talking about, though he reminded her, "Ms. Dous, I can''t do anything about it if they didn''t name any names." Maxine stomped her foot. Since she could not do anything about Bianca, she could only leave. She noticed the reporters waiting at the entrance and reflexively flinched. They thought that they were there to report on her. She had a superior social status, and she could not lose her dignity in front of the media. Thewyer followed her out and told her, "They''re not here to report about you, Ms. Dous?" Maxine narrowed her eyes. She noticed that the reporters did not react when they saw her. After all, she was not as famous in A City. If not for Bianca, her name would not have appeared in the newspapers. "Why are they here?" She asked curiously. The crowd of reporters was not very big, nor was it very small. "You don''t know it because you''ve been detained. Mrs. Crawford is in the newstely, and she''s the focus of attention of the entire A City." After thewyer exined the incident to her, she reached out. "Bianca Rayne? Lend me your phone." Her phone was already out of battery, and she had to borrow thewyer''s phone. Thewyer took out his phone, unlocked it, and handed it to Maxine. Maxine entered Bianca''s name in the search bar, and many news articles popped out. She briefly browsed through all of them, and a sinister smile appeared on her face. "Do they know that Bianca is inside?" "It looks like they don''t," thewyer guessed. "There would have been more reporters if they knew that Bianca Rayne was here. She must havee in through the side entrance.¡¯ Maxine handed the phone back to thewyer and said smugly. "I think that they''re working quite hard to get the next story. How about you go and help them?" "Well..." Thewyer did not want to court trouble. "I''ve heard that the contract between your firm and my dad''spany is almost expiring. My dad hasn''t been too satisfied with your performance. I can perhaps try and convince my father to extend the contract." Maxine bunched her hair together with her hand. She was disgusted by the amount of grime on her hand and wiped it away with a napkin. "I''ll be d to help my friends in the media." Thewyer walked over. After Bianca watched Maxine leave, she said to Sue seriously, "You don''t have to speak up for me, Sue. I can handle it myself." Maxine came from an influential family, and Sue was only a normal woman. Bianca did not want Sue to offend the Dous family. Sue knew Bianca''s worries and patted her shoulder. "Don''t worry about it. I find that pretentious woman disgusting and could not help but say something. It''s alreadyte, and I should go back to the company. You''d better get this settled soon; thepany needs you." "Alright." Bianca nodded. Did youe here by cab?'' "No, I drove here. I''ll be leaving." Sue smiled at her and turned away. Bianca turned to look at Sean. "Let''s go, Mr. Zander." "Yes, Madam." Sean nodded. They left through the side entrance. The car was parked near there. Before Bianca could get into the car, the reporters that had been waiting there swarmed her. "Bianca Rayne is here!" Someone shouted. Bianca''s heart skipped a beat and instinctively took a step backward. Compared to the main entrance, only a single security guard was stationed at the side entrance. Bianca was instantly surrounded by reporters from all directions. Microphones, recording pens, and cameras all pointed at her. Sean could only protect her from the front. "Step back, Madam.¡¯ Bianca tried to move backward, but the reporter did not want her to leave. In the chaos, her foot was stepped on several times, and she could feel the pain spread throughout her body. "Mrs. Crawford, do you know where Ms. Riley is?" "Mrs. Crawford, why are you at the police station? Are the rumors that you have murdered Ms. Riley true? Were you recording a statement?" "Mrs. Crawford, have the police found Ms. Riley''s body? Did you do it? How did you get to leave the police station?" "Mrs. Crawford..." Bianca tried to push away the microphones and cameras that were pointed at her. The camera shes blinded her eyes. The reporters were infuriated when they saw that Bianca did not answer their questions. "Mrs. Crawford, why aren''t you punished for your crimes? If the police already have the proof, why aren''t you detained? Did Mr. Crawford or your father bribe the superintendent?" "No, no." Bianca could tolerate their nder, but she had to speak out when her husband and parents were implicated. The reporters were like a swarm of piranhas, and they could only be satisfied after devouring her clean. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. They clung onto her like maggots, and she could not shake them off. Bianca tried to catch her breath. The police officers soon came out of the side entrance and tried to drive the reporters off. The police officers held batons, surrounding her while pushing away the reporters who tried to get close. Bianca was temporarily safe. A reporter stumbled backward and nearly fell from being pushed. He hurled his microphone and shouted, "Why are you protecting that murderer? Die!" Chapter 923 Chapter 923 I Won¡¯t Forgive Anyone Who Harmed You The microphonended urately on Bianca''s forehead. Instantly, blood spurted from her forehead and flowed down. She stumbled two steps backward. The pain caused her vision to blur. Before she fell down, she could hear Sean screaming at her. "Madam!'' Bianca lost consciousness, and her body leaned backward. Sean made up his mind, mouthed an apology, and carried her in his arms. Maxine burst outughing when she saw Sean being all flustered while carrying Bianca in his arms. "She fainted just like that? Looks like I''ve gone too easy on her." She thought that the scene was not chaotic enough. "The driver is here and waiting at the entrance, Ms. Dous," thewyer reminded her. "I know." Maxine shot a final nce at the chaos. She swore that she would not let go of Bianca that easily, and she would eventually im Luke as hers. When Bianca regained consciousness, she found herself lying on the bed in the mansion. "Ugh," she grunted when she felt the pain on her forehead. "You''re awake, Mommy! Boo hoo hoo, I was so scared." Tommy said while wiping away the tears in his eyes. "You''re awake, Madam." The caretaker was delighted when she saw that Bianca had woken up. "I''ll go and inform Sir." Bianca tried to move, but she felt intense waves of nausea. She slowly turned her head to the side and noticed that all three children were standing next to the bed. "My babies..." She tried to open her mouth, but she instantly felt her stomach churn. "Urk." she retched. "Here, Mommy." Rainie took out a basin that she had prepared. Her eyes were puffy and red, as though she was crying earlier. Bianca''s stomach was empty. She had nothing in her stomach. Looking at how her children were about to cry again, she smiled and patted their heads. ¡¯Good..." Rainie and Tommy started bawling while Lanie stood there like a little adult. "Mommy, the doctor said that you have a concussion. You shouldn''t move about." Bianca smiled and tried to contain the nausea. "Lanie, would you bring your younger siblings out of the room and help me take care of them?¡¯ With her current physical condition, she could not bear to see her children being sad. She was their mother, and she should be the one protecting them instead of letting them worry. Bianca nodded. He took Bianca''s hand in his left and Tommy''s hand in his right. "The doctor says that Mommy needs to rest. Let''s go out." "Mommy..." Tommy kept on looking back while being led out of the room. The bedroom was quiet again, and Bianca closed her eyes. Luke and Johann came into the room. Bianca opened her eyes when she felt a corner of the bed sink. She tried to air her grievances, but her throat seemed to be stuck. "Luke..." She called out with a trembling voice. "Shh, don''t speak." Luke held her hand. He had a gentle expression on his face. Bianca felt the pain lessen. Johann sighed. "I''ll be charging double if I have to see you two acting lovey- dovey in front of me." "Shut up and check on my wife," Luke urged. He was worried that Bianca had been unconscious for a few hours. Johann was caught in a tough spot. He was preparing for another operation when Luke called him. Bianca smiled at Johann but did not say anything. "How are you feeling now?" Johann asked as he examined Bianca with a stethoscope. Bianca furrowed her brows and resisted the urge to throw up. "My forehead is very painful, and I feel nauseous..." Luke held her left hand tightly. The microphone had hit her on the head and had caused a concussion. After the examination, Johann said, "Those are the telltale signs of a concussion. Rest well today, and you''ll be fine tomorrow." "Thank you," Bianca said and closed her eyes. Johann took out a sealed bag of bandages and antiseptic from his briefcase. "Clean the wound every day, and refrain from eating seafood and spicy food. That''ll reduce the chances of scarring. I''ll be back in seven days to remove the stitches." "Mm," Luke replied as he kept the bandages and antiseptic in the bedside cab. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. After Johann left, Bianca opened her eyes and saw that Luke was looking at her. She sighed and said, "Can you lie down with me for a while, Luke?" Luke looked at Bianca with a profound gaze, quickly took off his coat, andid on the bed. Bianca curled up in his arms and closed her eyes. Her face rubbed on Luke''s shirt. Feeling Luke''s arms around her waist, she felt a lot safer. "Sorry to trouble you again," Bianca said softly. Luke sighed and hugged her more tightly. "It''s nothing." "It''s my fault." If she had been more careful, the reporters would not have noticed her. She remembered that the reporters were waiting at the main entrance and did not know why they would abruptly appear at the side entrance. "Jason went to check the security footage at the police station and discovered something." Luke leaned closer to her while trying not to touch the wound on her forehead. The wound was quite deep, and Johann had stitched it. Bianca opened her eyes and looked at Luke in confusion. "When you went there, the reporters were waiting at the main entrance. Maxine informed them that you were at the side entrance, and that was why the reporters were waiting for you there," Luke exined while holding her hand gently. From the security footage, Jason did not see Maxine go and tell the reporters about Bianca, but her lawyer approached them. Not long after, the reporters swarmed to the side entrance. "It''s her..." Bianca was furious. Maxine had harmed her once again because she loved Luke. How despicable! Luke could hear the anger in Maxine''s voice. He sighed and said, "The police have detained the reporter who threw the microphone at you. As for the others who harmed you, I won''t forgive them." Bianca shook her head and felt it spin again. "Ugh..." She moaned in agony. The concussion was quite troublesome. Luke gently pinched her face. Are you ufortable?" "I''m fine, just a little dizzy." Bianca saw the ceiling spinning and closed her eyes again. "Don''t move." Luke tucked her into the nket and hugged her tightly. Feeling that it was not enough, he also held her hands in his. "Other than the reporter who threw the microphone at me, the others are all innocent," Bianca said softly. She knew that Luke would keep to his word if he said that he was not going to forgive all of them. The reporters that had staked out at the police station were going to lose their jobs. However, they only did so because it was their job. Bianca knew that if Luke caused them to lose their jobs, the result would be the opposite of what he wanted. Those people might spread even more rumors about Bianca and Riley. She understood that mobs of people could be scary when they were led by their emotions. "They are not innocent." Luke rubbed her hand gently. He was not going to let them off the hook. Chapter 924 Chapter 924 She Felt Safe With Him Around Luke nced at her feet with a sinister gaze. "They stepped on your feet." It was only then that Bianca realized that her feet were hurting. The pain on her forehead overshadowed the pain on her feet. It was unavoidable that she was stepped on in the chaos. "Luke," Bianca said softly, "I''m not a saint, and I''m not speaking up for them, but I don''t want to cause even more trouble at this time." To the public, she was a cruel and despicable woman. Even though the reporters were at fault, people would think that she deserved it, and the reporters would be treated as the victims. Bianca did not want Luke''s reputation to be implicated as well. Luke knew that she was worried about him and sighed. "Alright, I won''t do anything to them." Bianca was not worried about herself but worried that she would bring more trouble to him. "How is Riley?" Bianca asked. "Johann is looking after her." Luke tapped on the tip of her nose. "Why are you worrying about others when you''re not feeling well yourself?" Bianca smiled faintly. She would not have been hurt if not for Riley. She reached upward and felt the wound on her forehead. It was covered by a thick bandage. "Is the wound stitched?" Bianca asked. "Yes. Johann said that it''ll heal faster that way." Luke knew that Bianca would want to look perfect. "There might be a scar, but there''s a procedure to remove that." Bianca shook her head. "If there''s a scar, let it remain there." It would serve as a reminder not to be so careless in the future. Luke understood what she meant and tenderly kissed her hands. The caretaker knocked on the door. "The porridge for Madam is ready, Sir. Shall I bring it now?" Luke let go of Bianca''s hands and sat up. "Bring it in." "Yes." The caretaker came in with a tray, ced it on the bedside cab, and handed a bowl to Luke. Bianca had to lie down on the bed and could not get up. Luke took the bowl and said, "Let me do it." "Yes, Sir." The caretaker nodded at them and left the bedroom. "I can eat it myself." Bianca felt a little embarrassed when she saw Luke sitting next to her and preparing to spoon-feed her. Luke ced his hand on her shoulder to stop her from getting up. "Just lie down. Allow me." Bianca could only lie on the bed and watch Luke stir the bowl to cool the porridge. Then, he fed her carefully. It took Bianca half an hour to finish that small bowl of porridge. "Do you want more?¡± Luke asked. Bianca shook her head. "No, thanks." She did not have the appetite to eat. If Luke had not fed her, she might have only eaten two bites. Luke put the bowl away, opened a pack of wet towels, and wiped her mouth. He was very gentle and careful. Bianca could feel that he cared for her a lot. "Shouldn''t you eat a little more?" Luke asked, worried that she would be hungry. "I don''t have the appetite." Bianca blinked. Luke did not force her. Tommy opened the bedroom door and ran toward the bed. He ced his hands on the bed, trying to push himself up, but he was not tall enough. "Does it still hurt, Mommy? Let me blow on your wound." Tommy had just finished his lunch. There was still some potato on his lips. Bianca''s heart softened when she looked at him struggling to get on the bed. "Good boy. It doesn''t hurt anymore." Tommy reached out to his father. "I want to get on the bed, Daddy." Luke''s expression darkened. He picked Tommy up but did not put him on the bed. Instead, he brought him out of the bedroom and ced him on the floor. "Mommy needs to rest. Don''t disturb her, Tommy." "Mommy..." Tommy pouted. He wanted to go in, but the adult man in front of him was like a mountain. He was not going to step past him with his short, stumpy legs. "Daddy, you bully!" Tommy clenched his fists angrily and looked upward at his father. "Don''t disturb her." Luke red at him. "I want to see Mommy!" Tommy was rarely so insistent. He had suffered a great shock when Bianca was brought back to the house that morning. Lanie came over and held his hand. "Let''s not disturb Mommy, Tommy. I''ll bring you to y some games." This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Tommy kept on turning his head as he was led away. However, his father was standing at the door. Even if he managed to free himself from his brother, he could go in anyway. Luke closed the door again to stop the children from disturbing her. Bianca sighed helplessly. "I''m feeling a lot better now. I don''t mind the children being here." "They''ll be noisy, and you won''t get to rest." Luke insisted on keeping them out. He ced the bowl on the tray, brought it outside the room, ced it on the floor, and closed the door again. The caretaker would take care of itter. He pulled Bianca''s nket higher. "Take a nap for two hours. I''ll wake you up for your medicine when it''s time." "Okay." Bianca felt nauseous whenever she moved. She could only listen to him. She felt a lot safer with him around. Seeing that Bianca was resting, Luke began to process his documents on the chair nearby. After Johann left the mansion, he instantly went back to the hospital. He gave some orders to his subordinates before going to the top floor. He opened the door. Gale stood up and greeted him, "Good evening, Dr. Johann." "Good evening." Johann went over and looked at Riley on the bed. She seemed to be still in a daze, and she was not very responsive. "Is she waking up?" He asked. Rain nodded and exined Riley''s situation in detail based on her experience. "Her neurological activity has increased in the past half an hour, and her pupils are responding to external stimuli. She should being to her senses soon." Johann looked at her appreciatively. "You''ve studied medicine?" "People in my line of work know more or less some," Rain replied matter-of- factly. "Not bad." Johann took out a small shlight from his pocket and shone it at Riley''s eyes. Her pupils reacted, which meant that she should be fully awake in half an hour. "Remove the restraints from her body," Johann said. Rain was worried that Riley might act violently again and ordered Riley to be ced in restraints. "But..." Rain hesitated. No one could predict how Riley would react once she woke up. It would be hard to restrain her if she went berserk. "No one will befortable in these restraints. How can she calm down if she''s notfortable?" Johann took the initiative to remove the restraints. Rain quickly went over to help him remove the restraints on Riley''s limbs. "You should be carefulter. Earlier, she bit off a piece of flesh from one of the bodyguard''s hands. You can''t stitch that up," she grumbled softly. Having a piece of flesh bitten off was more agonizing than being shot. Even though Rain was an experienced assassin, she could not help but shudder when she heard about that. Chapter 925 Chapter 925 Husband and Wife Should Support Each Other Johann knew about that, but he did not stop. After removing Riley''s restraints, he sat on the stool nearby and read through her medical records that he brought along with him. Seeing that he was like that, Rain rubbed her nose and sat down on the couch. Twenty minutester, Riley began to twitch and slowly return to her senses. "She''s awake?" Johann put the medical records away and wagged a pen in front of her eyes. Seeing that Riley''s eyes were following the pen, he put away the pen and took her pulse. She was generally healthy, other than the fact that her body was weak. Rain stood up and watched their interaction warily. If Riley went berserk, she would be ready to protect Johann. "Doc... tor..." Riley was not fully awake yet. She spoke with much difficulty. "Mm," Johan replied. He turned around and told Rain, "You should leave the ward for now." "But..." Rain hesitated to leave Johann in the ward alone with Riley. "You''ll be distracting me," Johann insisted. Rain nced at Riley. She had not seen Riley in her berserk state, but she saw the bodyguard''s wound on his hand. Would Johann be fine if the two of them were alone in the ward? Seeing how calm Johann was, she could only say, "We''ll be outside the door. Scream out loud if you need our help. We''lle in at once." Rain waved to the other bodyguards, and they left the ward. Seeing that the bodyguards left, tears began to fall down Riley''s eyes. ¡± Doctor, are you helping me?" "Mm." If not that Riley''s life was in danger, Johann would not have agreed to so many people looking after Riley in her ward. To a woman in poor mental condition, the bodyguards in the ward looked more like jailers. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Riley blinked when she saw the ray of hope. "Doctor, can you help me escape from here? My boyfriend is looking for me." Johann was writing down something. His voice was low, gentle, and calming. "Do you love your boyfriend?" He asked. Xavier''s face appeared in Riley''s mind. Did she love her? If she did not, she would not have borne a child for him before they were married. "Yes, I do," she said. Tears continued to fall freely from her eyes. Johann propped her up so that she could sit morefortably. "Think carefully. Do you really love him?" He asked in a low voice. Riley''s voice became agitated. "Are you doubting me? Why does everyone doubt me when I say I love Xavier Tanner?" Johann shook his head. "I don''t know you, and I don''t know who your boyfriend is. I''m not qualified to lay judgment on you, but I am curious about what makes you love him." He deliberately spoke slowly so that Riley felt at ease. She began to think about what made her love Xavier. An hourter, Johann stepped out of the ward, unscathed. "She''s already asleep. Don''t have too many people in the room at once," he told Rain. Rain peeked inside the ward. Riley was sleeping peacefully in bed. "Her condition..." She asked softly. "Not as bad as expected." Johann closed the door and left with the medical records in his hand. Rain was confused. What did the doctor mean when he said that her condition was not as bad as he expected? She turned around and spoke to the other bodyguards. '' Two people can stand guard at the door. The others can go back and rest." "Yes." The bodyguard arranged their schedules. Rain walked into the ward and confirmed that Riley was already asleep. She could hear that Riley was snoring gently. "Did he drug her?" Rain could not help but be impressed at Johann''s abilities as she looked at the sleeping woman. She sat on the couch and reported the situation to Luke. Luke''s phone beeped. He nced at it and saw that it was a message from Rain. [Riley''s condition is stable.] Bianca slowly woke up and looked at the man sitting next to the bed. After a two-hour nap, her voice was hoarse. "Luke..." She called out warmly. "Are you awake?" Luke put the phone down and looked at her intently. "Did someone send you a message?" Bianca asked. The pain on her forehead made her a light sleeper. She was woken up by the sound, and she guessed that Riley should be awake by now. "It¡¯s a message from Rain. She said that Johann had given Riley some psychological counseling, and her condition is stable." Luke ced the documents on hisp onto the bedside cab. Bianca breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Luke. Luke was looking at her too. The space between them was filled with love. "Is it time for my medicine?" Bianca asked softly. "Mm." Luke nced at his watch and saw that she was about ten minutes away. He poured some hot water from a sk into a ss, then mixed it with some room temperature water so that it was not too hot. Bianca looked at the bedside cab. Luke had prepared everything. There was a sk, a kettle, cups, straws, and cut fruit. He prepared all that for Bianca''s convenience. Luke gave Bianca the medicine ording to Johann''s prescription. Bianca furrowed her brows slightly. The medicine was quite bitter. Luke took out a piece of milk candy and stuffed it in her mouth. "Mm, it''s so sweet," Bianca said while smiling. Luke looked at her with a gentle gaze. "That''s from Tommy." "Tommy knows me well." Bianca''s brows rxed as the sweetness of the candy spread across her mouth. Luke gently scraped her nose. "Do you want to take a bath?" Td love to, but I can''t get out of bed." Bianca bit her lip. She had been to many ces earlier today, and the dust made her feel ufortable. Luke smiled at her. "Bea, who am I to you?" "You''re my husband." Bianca did not understand why he asked that. "Shouldn''t husband and wife support each other? I''ll help you if you can''t get out of bed." Luke stood up, kissed her cheek, and went to the bathroom. Bianca heard him turn on the tap and fill up a basin. Two minutester, Luke came out of the bathroom with the basin. Her towel was draped over his shoulder. He ced the basin on the floor, then went to open the closet. "What would you like to wear?" Bianca thought for a while. "The one with the buttons. That should be more convenient." Luke took out a white silk pajama shirt and asked her, "Is this one okay?" "Yes." Bianca looked at him. He took the pajamas and a clean set of lingerie before closing the closet. "Should I get the caretaker instead?" She somehow felt embarrassed when she saw him walk over. They were husband and wife, but to have him clean her body... Would the CEO of T Corporation clean a woman''s body? Luke refused with a straight face. Don''t even think about it. I won''t let another person look at your naked body." "The caretaker is female though," Bianca said. Chapter 926 Chapter 926 He Could Not Bear to See Her Cry Luke put the clothes at the side, picked up the hand towel from the basin and wrung it dry, and gently wiped her face, as though he was afraid that he might hurt her delicate skin. "Not even women," he said domineeringly. Bianca belonged to him. No other person can see her naked body. "Alright then," Bianca said with a smile after Luke had cleaned her face. Luke''s hands rested on her clothes. Bianca suddenly felt nervous. Her heart started to beat faster, and she grabbed his hands. "I''ll do it myself." She had cleaned Luke''s body when he was injured, but when the roles were reserved, she somehow found it embarrassing. Luke pulled his hands away and continued to unbutton her shirt. "Why are you nervous, Bea?" Bianca''s face was not as pale as before. She was blushing slightly, which made her face a seductive pink color. "I''m not." She let go of her hands and grabbed the bed sheets instead. Luke chuckled and undid thest button. "If it were before, I wouldn''t have forgiven you for saying that." Bianca blushed even harder when she heard that. "I''m still sick. The doctor said that we shouldn''t make out." She emphasized what Johann told her. "That''s why I''ve been holding back those thoughts," Luke said seriously as he wiped her body. "Those thoughts..." Bianca only wanted to cover her face with the pillow. Fifteen minutester, Luke helped her change into a clean set of clothes. He was captivated by her body, but he had to resist his urges because she was unwell. He could easily resist any other temptation, but when he looked at her... Luke felt that his entire body was protesting. Bianca blushed and turned away when she saw him enter the bathroom with the basin. When Luke returned, his hands were dripping with water, and he took out a bottle of medicinal tincture from the bedside cab. "Huh?" Bianca did not know what he wanted to do. "Your feet are swollen," Luke exined. When he opened the bottle, a faint smell of alcohol filled the entire room. "Are they?" Bianca looked at her feet and noticed the bruises. It looked like many people had stepped on them. "I''m fine, actually. It doesn''t hurt," she said. Luke rolled up Bianca''s pajama pants, poured some tincture on his hands, and rubbed his palms together. When the tincture was hot, he ced his palms on Bianca¡¯s feet. "Hiss..." Bianca gasped in pain when he touched her. "Are you sure that it doesn''t hurt?" Luke asked. "Don''t press too hard!" Tears were gushing out of Bianca''s eyes. She knew that Luke was massaging her feet to clear the bruises, but it was too painful for her to bear. Luke poured some tincture on her feet and continued to massage them. Seeing that she was almost crying, he reduced his strength by a little. He could not bear to see her cry. She felt slightly less painful after that. She wiped her tears and bore with it. Luke''s palms were warm and could cover her entire foot. Bianca could not help but smile as she gazed at her husband. "You''re not crying anymore?" He joked, but his hands continued to massage her. Bianca felt a little embarrassed. She was already a mother of three, but she still found medicine bitter and massage painful. "I wasn''t crying..." she said softly. After massaging one foot, Luke moved on to the other. Bianca gazed at his impable face as he did all that. Her gaze turned gentle when she thought that the man would do all these for her. She knew that Luke loved her, but she did not expect that Luke would do so much for her. The smell of the tincture was quite pungent, but to Bianca, it was fragrant and filled her heart with bliss. Meanwhile, on the other side of A City. Maxine walked quickly into a high-end nightclub and through the dance floor. She did not apologize when her sharp high-heels stepped on someone''s foot. The man behind him quickly stuffed a wad of cash to the person whose foot was stepped on. She arrived in front of a private room and entered it without knocking. Hera was busy making out with her boyfriend and was shocked by the sudden intrusion. She stood up and red at the woman angrily. Maxine was tall and slender, and she was dressed in luxury clothing. Instantly, Hera felt threatened. She nced at her boyfriend and noticed that he was ogling at the woman with his beady eyes. She was about to explode from anger! "Who are you? Don''t you know that we''ve booked this private room?" Hera took a step forward and discreetly sized up the intruder. Maxine was more beautiful, and her clothes were more expensive than the mainstream branded clothes that Hera was wearing, but Hera was more voluptuous. "Are you Hera Sanchez?" Maxine nced at the two people disdainfully. She wanted to gouge that man''s eyes out for ogling at her. "What''s your business?" Hera said impatiently. She was waiting for someone toe. Maxine lit a cigarette; that was her habit whenever she was irritated. After seeing that her subordinate had closed the door, she went into the main topic. "I''m the person over the phone." "You''re the one? I thought I was talking to a man!" Hera noticed that her boyfriend was still ogling at Maxine and sat on hisp to remind him that she was there. The fat man came to his senses and grabbed her waist. Hera smiled coquettishly. "Naughty naughty, there''s someone else here." Maxine was appalled by their perverse interactions. She could tell that Hera was dering dominance over her boyfriend in case she snatched him away. Why would she bother currying favor with that man? He could notpare to even one percent of Luke. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. "That''s my subordinate. He was the one who closed the door earlier," Maxine said impatiently. Hera nodded, though she felt that the hand on her waist was distracting her. "Do you want a drink?" Maxine nced at the bottle. She was not interested in low-ss alcohol. She opened the door, spoke to her subordinate outside, then closed the door again. "I''m not used to drinking terrible alcohol like that." Harvey''s expression instantly sank. He had ordered the alcohol, and it was worth several ten thousand dors. How was it terrible? How rich could that woman be? He wondered if she had a sugar daddy. Seeing that she was dressed in luxury clothing, he guessed that she had slept with many old men. He grunted and took a big gulp of alcohol. Hera was slightly embarrassed. She said sweetly, "Nonsense. The rich people of A City love this alcohol. You don''t sound like you know anything." Many women with rich sugar daddies might be dressedvishly, but they did not have good taste. Hera guessed that Maxine was someone like that. Chapter 927 Chapter 927 She Wants to Utterly Ruin Bianca Maxine nced at the couple disdainfully. She would have driven them out of the private room if not that she had important business. Hera could sense her disdain. She cleared her throat and whispered into Harvey¡¯s ear. This is from N?velDrama.Org. "You said that you have some dirt on Bianca. What is it?" Maxine asked impatiently. Earlier that day, Hera read a post in the local forum. Someone was paying a high price for any dirt on Bianca Rayne. After meeting Bianca while on vacation, Hera''s luck took a turn for the worse. She lost a fortune at the casino, and Harvey did not help her. She happened to be in dire need of money, so she told that person that she was Bianca''s ssmate in junior high and that she had a lot of dirt on Bianca. She did not expect it to work. Someone contacted her and asked her to meet face-to-face. Hera smiled. "What kind of dirt do you want?" "Something that can ruin her." Maxine''s gaze was sinister. She gritted her teeth hatefully when she thought of Bianca''s face. "That''ll depend on how much money you can give me." Hera saw that Maxine was dressed in luxury clothes. Even if she were a sugar baby, she did not seem to becking in money. Hera would not hesitate to make up facts as long as Maxine paid her. After all, this was probably the only time they would meet. Maxine saw the greed on Hera''s face. She took out a checkbook and wrote down a string of numbers. "That depends on what you can offer me. I can give you whatever you want." Hera was discreetly shocked when she saw the figure on the check. ''Wow, her sugar daddy must be loaded,¡¯ she thought. "You''re too generous. Don''t worry, I''ll surely be able to satisfy your curiosity. Hera kept the check securely. That amount was enough to repay her debts. She handed Maxine a USB drive. "Everything that you want is in here." "A USB drive?" Maxine frowned. She did not have aptop on hand, and she could not verify the contents of the USB drive. "The meetup was called in short notice, and I didn''t have the time to print out everything, so I saved everything in here," Hera exined. Right, why do you want dirt on that pathetic worm?" "That''s none of your business," Maxine held the USB drive in her hand and warned Hera, "The information in the USB drive better be true. Otherwise, you''ll regret it." "Of course it''s true. It''s the dirtiest dirt I have on her. If you want more, we can strike another deal..." "I only want the dirtiest ones." Maxine stood up. The information in the USB drive should be enough to utterly ruin Bianca. If Luke found out about Bianca''s dirt, would he keep her by his side? Maxine walked toward the door with a sinister expression on her face. The room door opened, and her subordinate came in with a bottle of Macan whisky. "Miss?¡± Her subordinate looked at her in confusion. Maxine did not want to stay in the room for another second and see the appalling couple make out with each other. "Give the whisky to them. I''m not drinking it," she said. "Yes." The subordinate ced the bottle on the table. ¡±A present from the Young Miss." Harvey''s eyes opened wide when he saw thebel. His drinking friends had introduced him to the brand, and it was too expensive even for him. He realized that Maxine was incredibly rich. After the subordinate put the bottle on the table, he turned around and left with Maxine. Hera was overjoyed after receiving the money. She shouted at Maxine''s back, "Nice doing business with you, Ms. Dous. I have more dirt on Bianca, and you can contact me again if you''re interested." After the door closed, Hera massaged her face. The botox and hyaluronic acid injections seemed to have mixed together when she smiled a little too hard earlier. Harvey stared at the bottle of whisky greedily. "Who is she, my dear?" "Maxine Dous. Do you know her?" Hera studied the name on the check. She had no impression of that name. "I''ve never heard of an influential Dous family in A City," Harvey said. Harvey would know the names of the ultra-rich people in A City, even if he had not met them before. However, he could not think of anyone with that surname. "Why, are you interested in her?" Hera said unhappily. She would not have bothered with Harvey if not that he was rich. "My dear, do you know how much this bottle of whisky costs?" Harvey hugged Hera with his oily hands. Hera did not know. She was a minor Inte celebrity, and she was mildly acquainted with the high life because of her previous boyfriends. "How would I know? The packaging looks expensive though," she mumbled, "Why, do you know about it?" "It costs six digits." Harvey was almost drooling as he stared at the bottle. "It''s that expensive?" Hera finally understood why Maxine said that earlier. Maxine''s drinks were on another levelpared to what Hera and Harvey drank. No wonder Maxine had been looking at them with disdain. "That woman is generous, and she knows how to enjoy life." Harvey was quite impressed. "How good can she be? She''s probably used goods after sleeping with so many old men. I don''t know why you''re so impressed with her." Hera was instantly unhappy. She did not want her boyfriend to appreciate other women. Harvey thought that what she said made sense and tried tofort her." That''s right. My dear is the most loyal and virtuous woman." Hera felt a little guilty when she heard that. She had lied to him before they had gone steady. "Alright, I don''t need your ttery. Let''s go, Harvey." She wanted to cash in the check. "Where are we going? We still have a bottle of fine whisky." Harvey was not nning on going anywhere. He desired to taste the whisky. "We can ask for a refund and drink something else when we get home." Hera thought that it was a waste if Harvey drank that expensive whisky. "We''re in a high-ss establishment, my dear, and it''d be embarrassing if we ask for a refund. Here, let''s finish the bottle, then we''ll spend the night in the hotel upstairs. What do you think?" Harvey smiled as he groped her. Hera pped his hand away. "Eww!" She mumbled. Harvey opened the bottle, and the fragrance of the whisky spread throughout the entire room. He poured a ss for himself and another for Hera. "Here, my dear. The whisky is very strong, and you''ll have to sip it slowly to enjoy the full vor. Here, let me feed you." Hera took a sip as she curled up in Harvey¡¯s arms. She pushed the ss away. "I''m not used to drinking this, Harvey." Chapter 928 Chapter 928 Public Disy Of Affection Harvey added an ice cube to Hera''s drink. "Babe you¡¯re not enjoying it the way it should be enjoyed. Whiskey is best drunk neat. Forget it, I''ll add some ice for you. I don''t want you to get drunk." He had no intention of carrying her home. Hera took another sip of her drink. The whiskey was diluted with ice cubes and tasted much better now. She was annoyed with Harvey and thought to herself, ''Sure enough, this is what you''d expect from people thate from new money. Money can''t buy ss and taste. This is so much better with ice.'' If it were not for his thick wallet, Hera would not be bothered to entertain him. He did not have the looks nor the body. Worst of all, he was terrible in bed. Harvey reached out his hand to grab her waist, kissed her, and asked," Babe, I didn''t expect your ssmate''s scoop to be worth so much." Hera thought that there would be a negotiation. She did not expect the other party to make such a big deal. "She''s a prime example of rich but brainless." She mocked Maxine, forgetting that she was bootlicking her just a moment ago. Harvey was curious and asked, "What do you have on your ssmate?" "Why are you so curious about this?" Hera remembered that when they were abroad, Harvey''s gaze had been locked on Bianca. He even wanted to make a move on her... She pushed down her annoyance and said coquettishly, "Harvey, don''t tell me that you still think about that woman? You got lucky that Luke Crawford didn¡¯t do anything to youst time." Harvey felt chills running down his back when he thought of Luke''s frightening gaze. He muttered, "I¡¯m not thinking about that woman! What¡¯s so good about her? I was thinking about whether your scoop would lead to a fallout between Luke and that woman." This is from N?velDrama.Org. Hera smiled and said nothing. Harvey was familiar with that smile. He squinted his eyes and asked, "Baby, you''re not fooling that woman, are you?" Of course, Hera would not admit it. She dug deeper into her lie and said," I''m not trying to fool anyone. What I told her did happen, but I don''t have evidence. What she asked for is the scoop on Bianca, she didn''t ask for evidence." Harvey nodded and thought that there was logic in what she said, but he got worried again. "If that woman does something to Bianca, Luke wille after you..." Hera''s expression changed. ''Does he think that he''s not a part of this?'' "Harvey, you''re being silly. If Luke wants to hold someone ountable, he''ll go after the woman, not me." She remembered that Maxine Dous was first in the line of fire if anything were to happen and felt at ease. If Luke did some digging, he would only find out about Maxine. She had nothing to be afraid of. When the sky fell, Maxine would be there to take the brunt of it. Harvey could not say anything. If something happened, Luke wouldunch an investigation and find out about Hera. If that was the case, Luke might even hurt him... Harvey made up his mind. Influencers like Hera were everywhere. Although he was her first, he would never ruin himself for her. He was rich, so he could get any woman he wanted. The two of them were plotting for themselves and drank without saying anything. The next day. Bianca got up with Luke''s support. After resting for a whole day, she felt her body was recovering. She was gaining strength and her head no longer felt dizzy. Johann came over, checked on her, and cleaned the wound on her forehead. Bianca saw the two stitches on her forehead. The ck stitches were iid in the skin. She thought that it looked hideous. "It''s ugly." She sighed and said, "Please wrap it up, I don''t want to scare the kids." Tommy and Rainie would wail if they saw her wound. Luke touched the side of her forehead and said, "You''re not ugly." Johann chuckled slightly at the sight of their public disy of affection. He was quick in bandaging the wound and did it neatly. "My stitching skills have not regressed. As long as you keep to a healthy diet, there won''t be a scar." "I trust you." Bianca smiled slightly, held up the mirror, and looked at her bandaged wound. She was not worried about having a scar, she just did not want to scare her children. Johann packed his equipment as he spoke, "Don''t worry, you¡¯ll be fine. You can move around as normal. However, the weather is getting warmer. It''s best not to exercise vigorously for the time being to avoid sweating. It¡¯ll affect the healing of the wound." "Got it." Bianca put down the mirror, nced at Luke, and asked, "By the way, how¡¯s Miss Riley?" Johann replied, "Riley has her demons to deal with. She¡¯s suffering from PTSD, but her condition is not too serious. As long as she''s being treated, it won¡¯t develop into depression. She¡¯ll eventually recover from the physical and psychological trauma." "When can she have a chat with the police?" Luke asked. He knew that as long as Riley''s matter was not resolved, Bianca would never be relieved. Although she did not say anything, Luke knew that she was anxious and afraid. He wanted to resolve the matter quickly so that Bianca could be happy. "Give it another two days. I''ll continue to counsel her,¡± Johann said with a smile. After chatting with Riley for more than an hour yesterday, he found that Riley only hinted that she liked Xavier but there may be more underneath it. She grew up in a poor single-parent family. When she was in technical school, she ran away from her family. Growing up in an environment as such, shecked love and money. When Xavier appeared in her life and expressed his interest in her, she immediately agreed. She knew it was a business deal, but to make herself feel better, she would lie to herself thinking that she did love Xavier and she was with him not because of his money. Over time, she thought she loved Xavier. After what happened, she could not ept the reality of it because Xavier often talked to her about how wonderful their lives would be after their child was born. Riley had attached great importance to this child. After she found out that their child did not survive, she was unable to ept the reality. The absence of the child was equivalent to the absence of Xavier. Her happy life would disappear along with it. Therefore, when Bianca told her that Xavier had disappeared after her operation, Riley lost it and began to behave insanely. She thought that as long as she exined to Xavier what had happened that night, he would be understanding and the two would be as happy as they were before. Johann was now slowly helping her realize that she was an independent individual and did not have to be attached to Xavier. However, this could not be rushed. Otherwise, all of his previous efforts would be as good as gone. "I want to see her, can I?" Bianca asked. Luke disagreed, worried that Riley would hurt her. "Bea..." Chapter 929 Chapter 929 An Unexpected Presence In Luke''s Life "It''s all my fault. I was eager to know the truth so I pushed her for it. I didn''t think it through and thought that her mental state would be able to take it. It was never my intention to trigger her... I can somewhat rte to how she feels now, and I think it¡¯d be good if I spent some time with her," Bianca exined while she held his hand and whispered in his ears, trying to get him to agree with her. "Luke, let me go. Else, I won''t be able to sleep at night from the guilt." She felt she had to talk to Riley. Luke could not say no to her. Bianca may seem like a gentlewoman, but the moment she insisted on something, she would not stop until she got what she wanted. He looked at Johann and asked, "Will that woman suddenly go mad again?" Johann shook his head. "No, her condition has stabilized." He had thoroughly evaluated Riley''s condition. She would be fine if no one intentionally tried to trigger her. Luke knew that he could not stop Bianca, so he said with a serious expression, "You must protect yourself." Bianca nodded and assured him, "I will, and Rain is here with me. She¡¯ll protect me." After Johann left, Bianca asked Zander to take her to the hospital. Just as she was closing the car door, Luke stepped forward and stretched out his long legs, stopping her from closing the door. "Luke?" Bianca looked at him suspiciously. Til go with you," Luke said as he passed hisptop to her and got into the car from the other side. Bianca shook her head helplessly. "I''ll be fine, you don''t need toe with me." "Hey, let me go with you." Luke took theptop in her arms and put it aside. The events that happened yesterday had truly scared him. If he were by her side at that time, nothing like that would have happened. Maxine would not have gotten away with it either. Maxine Dous... Luke added another name to his list. Bianca sighed helplessly. She did not want Luke to put off work because of her. T Corporation was in the spotlight and was on the cusp of the storm because of her. More than ever, it was important for him to go back and preside over the situation. Zander sat in the driver''s seat andforted her, "Madam, Sir is worried about you. Just let him apany you." Luke responded, "Yeah." Bianca helplessly stretched out her hands and negotiated with him, "Can you promise to wait outside the ward?" Luke had a strong aura and was not as approachable as Johann. If he entered the ward, it might be a psychological burden to Riley. Bianca did not want to trigger Riley. He frowned and seemed to disagree.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Bianca said, "Rain will be inside with me, so don''t worry." "Okay." Luke had topromise and stay outside. If something happened, he could rush in to protect her as soon as possible. After the couple had a discussion, Bianca said to Zander, "Zander, drive." "Okay, Ma''am." Zander started the car and hurried to the hospital. He was happy that Bianca had made Luke more humane. He had driven for Luke for many years and had seen how indifferent and merciless he could be. When he first assumed the position of president of T Corporation, he immediately started acquiring promisingpanies in the same industry. Acquisition battles were always cruel, and Luke used his sharp business acumen to sessfully acquire his targetedpanies at the lowest cost. An owner of one of the acquiredpanies once brought his whole family and knelt at the entrance of T Corporation to beg Luke to abandon the acquisition. Luke had asked Zander to drive off while ignoring the cries of the family. However, Luke did guide the owner in private. That led to the owner''s current life being several times better than before. Several newspapers had scrambled to report about his indifference and ruthlessness. The public went after him but it failed to shake his decision. He was a person who would not change his limits and decision for anyone, except Bianca. Bianca was an unexpected presence in Luke''s life. Zander looked at the two through the rear-view mirror. Luke had turned on hisptop and was focused on work. Bianca leaned on his shoulder to sleep. The couple looked like a painting. Zander sighed, looked away, and drove intently. When they arrived at the hospital, Bianca wanted to wrap herself up before getting out of the car. Luke was not bothered. He opened the car door and pulled her out. "Luke?" She had a mask in her hand. "I''m here, you don''t need this." Luke put the mask that was in her hand back in the car. They walked into the elevator together and went upstairs. Two bodyguards were guarding the ward. "Boss, Madam, good morning." Luke nodded slightly, his expression looking grim. Bianca got to the door, paused to think for a while, and then turned to tell him, "You stay here." "Okay." Luke agreed. Bianca turned and walked into the ward, closing the door behind her. The two bodyguards looked at each other and were surprised that their boss was locked out by his wife! In the past, Luke was the only one who turned people away, but today, he was rejected by his own wife. The bodyguards were surprised! Luke''s mood was gloomy, and his stern eyes swept over the two bodyguards who instantly stood up straight when his gaze met theirs. "Can I get a chair?" he asked. One of the bodyguards said, "There''s one in the ward next door, I''ll bring it to you." There was no one in the ward next door. The bodyguard opened the door, brought a chair over, patted it, and respectfully said, "Boss, please sit." Luke sat on the chair and nced at the closed door. He was not sure what was going on inside. He texted Rain. In the ward. Rain was talking to Bianca when the phone in her pocket vibrated. She took it out and saw a text from Luke, who was asking for an update. She nced at Bianca, lowered her head, and replied, [Riley is emotionally stable and there''s no danger.] Bianca put the thermos on the bedside table and nced at the bowl next to it. A half-eaten bowl of porridge that had long cooled was sitting there. Riley had not eaten much. She opened the thermos and said, "You''re weak and need to take care of yourself. I asked the nanny to make chicken stew. It is good for your health. Would you like to have some?" Riley kept quiet. She would only say a few more words when Johann was here. Bianca picked up a clean bowl, filled it with stew, and said to Riley, "Your face is very pale. This can regte your blood flow and make you look much better. Have a sip! It was simmered for a few hours, so the essence of the chicken is all in it. You had very little porridge. If this continues, your body will not be able to take it." Rain saw Bianca rambling and could not help but say, "Madam, don''t bother, she won''t talk. Dr. Johann prescribed her an intravenous hyperalimentation for nutritional support. She won''t be hungry." Bianca shook her head and looked at Riley. "No matter how good the IV is, it¡¯s not proper nutrition. This will do a lot of damage to the woman''s body. If you don''t supplement your nutrition and take care of your body, it might be troublesome in the future." Chapter 930 Chapter 930 Boss Loves His Wife More Than Anything Riley opened his eyes and there was a look of hatred in them. Rain did not say much, so she could ignore the few words she uttered from time to time and just be immersed in her sad world. However, she could not ignore Bianca''s words... Riley tried to sit up, but her body was weak after the operation so she could not sit upright. Her hands trembled. "Bianca, stop pretending like you care. Go away!" Bianca had anticipated this reaction and put down the bowl. She stood by the hospital bed and bowed. "I''m sorry." Rain was surprised and uttered, ¡¯ Madam?" Riley was taken back as well. "Bianca, what are you up to?¡± Bianca exined herself, "What I said yesterday was a little harsh and I''m really sorry that I hurt you." At that time, she just wanted to help her out of her fantasy and sorrow, but she never thought that it might be too much for Riley. Riley shrank in a corner warily, staying silent. Luke was the most powerful man in A City and stood behind Bianca, so why would she need to apologize to her? Without Xavier, Riley was just a humble ant. Luke and Bianca could step on her as much as they wanted to. After Bianca apologized, she held up the soup bowl again. "No matter how sad you are, don''t torture yourself. Drink a bowl of soup and you''ll feel better. Then, you can do whatever you want." "I want Xavier and our kid." Riley was stubborn. Bianca did not dare to be harsh this time and handed her the soup. "The doctor said that this miscarriage doesn''t mean that you can''t get pregnant again. You''re young and can get pregnant again when you''re ready to. You have to be strong and recover. As for Xavier, I can''t help you with that. But as long as you recover and the doctor clears you, you''re free to leave.¡± Hope appeared in Riley''s eyes as she stared at Bianca and asked, "Are you serious?" "I¡¯m being serious. As long as Dr. Johann says that you''re fully recovered, you can leave the hospital," Bianca nodded and repeated herself. She had trust in Dr. Johann''s medical skills. What was more, what Riley needed more than anything now was the hope to live. Sure enough, Riley seemed brighter and her spirits improved a lot. She stretched out her hand to grab the bowl from the bedside table. "What happened to you?" Bianca asked. "I want to have some porridge first, and then my medicine." Riley had hope now, so she would force herself to eat more. Bianca was right. She could survive with IV drips, but it would not help her recover quickly. Her only option was to eat... Bianca touched the bowl and found that it was cold. "You can''t eat it cold." She turned around and told Rain, "Rain, get them to bring a bowl of porridge from the cafeteria." N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Rain nodded, opened the door of the ward, and saw that Luke was sitting opposite the door. She held a phone in her hand and eximed, "Boss?" "What''s going on inside?" Luke looked slightly nervous when he saw here out. Rain said, "Ms. Riley wants to have porridge so Madam asked us to get a warm bowl of it." One of the bodyguards heard it and said, "I''ll go get it." Rain nodded and continued to look at Luke. Why was he not inside with them? "Boss, do you want toe in?" The dignified T Corporation''s CEO, Luke Crawford, was sitting on a chair in the hospital corridor. It was unbelievable. Rain even thought it was funny. Luke shook his head and replied, "Protect Bianca." Rain thought about it and after she met his gaze, she quickly nodded and closed the door of the ward. After Riley had the porridge and the soup, Bianca told Rain to take good care of Riley before she left. Luke was waiting outside the door and became gentle the moment he saw Bianca. "My love." "Luke, let''s go." Bianca smiled slightly. She was in a good mood since she was able to cheer Riley up. "Yeah." Luke took her hand and left. The bodyguard looked at them and was dumbfounded. "The boss is so gentle..." "Only to his wife." Another bodyguard said, "I heard Gale say that the boss loves his wife more than anything. They look great as a couple." Gale was their boss. "Yes, I¡¯ve heard that women are fickle, but men are no worse than women when they turn fickle." They had seen Luke, who was dissatisfied a second ago, turn gentle upon seeing Bianca. On the way back home, Bianca received a call from Queenie. "Bea, your father and I haven''t seen you for a long time. Are you free for a meal at our ce today?" Bianca nced at Luke. "Mom, I..." Luke heard the voice on the other end of the phone and whispered, "Give me the phone." Bianca handed her phone to Luke. "Mom, I''m Luke. I¡¯ll take Bea back to your ce now." Queenie rejoiced and replied, "Luke, you''re here too, that¡¯s great! I bought lobster, so let''s have lunch today." "Sounds good." Luke gave the phone back to Bianca. She was worried about dying his work, but since he had agreed, Bianca replied, "Mom, we''ll be thereter." After that, she put down the phone and looked at Luke disapprovingly." This will take time away from your work." "I almost finished today¡¯s work while waiting for you in the hallway, don¡¯t worry. Zander, to the wine cer," Luke said. "Got it." Luke had a private wine cer in A City. Although it was not as big, it had countless well-known wines. He rarely shared the bottles of wine there with others-not even Old Master Crawford, who would ask about his wine once in a while. Luke took two bottles of Romani Conti Grand Cru red wine from the cer. Jack Norman liked to have a ss when he felt like it, so this wine was perfect for him. Bianca nced at the two bottles of wine, smiled, and shook her head." Some might think that you''re trying to bribe my father with wine." Luke said as he carefully put the wine aside, "I bought them some time ago. I''m happy to let Jack have a taste of them. Let''s go to the Norman Residence." "Yes." Zander started the car and headed for Norman Residence. Norman Residence. When Bianca walked in holding Luke''s hand, Queenie was busy arranging flowers. Her quiet side profile was somewhat simr to Bianca but with traces of time. She had a mature charm. When she saw theming, Queenie wiped her hands and smiled gently." You¡¯re finally here, Bea. What happened to your forehead?" She noticed the gauze on Bianca''s forehead. She was worried and immediately stepped forward. She wanted to take a closer look at it. "Mom, it¡¯s an ident, it''s okay. Sorry that I¡¯ve been so busy that I ignored you and Dad." Bianca smiled slightly, apologized softly, and hugged Queenie. "Why are you so careless? Luke, why didn''t you take care of Bea?" Queenie greeted the couple. Luke said, "It¡¯s my bad, I''ll pay more attention to Bea next time. Queenie, where¡¯s Jack?" "He¡¯s in the kitchen. He said he wants to prepare the lobster sashimi himself after knowing that you''reing," Queenie replied, her gazending on Bianca again. Chapter 931 Chapter 931 Bianca Was Happy "I¡¯ll go to the kitchen to help." Luke kissed Bianca''s cheek lightly and walked to the kitchen with two bottles of wine. "Okay." Bianca smiled slightly, her gaze following him to the kitchen before she withdrew it. Queenie was initially a little frustrated at Luke because of Bianca''s injury but seeing this tender scene, her dissatisfaction gradually subsided. Sometimes, hits and bumps were inevitable. As long as Luke treated Bianca well and she was happy, she could feel assured as her mother. "Bea,e and help me arrange the flowers?¡± Queenie put a ck porcin vase in front of her. Bianca nodded, trimmed a perfume lily, put it into the porcin vase. She gave it some nutrients. She had not gone for any flower arrangement sses but she was so talented that it looked good even when she just intuitively arranged them. Bianca put in a bunch of gypsoph as an embellishment. She nced at Queenie and slowly said, "Mom, was there anything specific that you wanted to talk about today?" Queenie smiled softly and shook her head. "It''s not me, it''s your father who wants to talk to Luke." Bianca looked at the kitchen from a certain distance and was not sure what the two men were talking about. She gave it some thought. Leia came down from the second floor. When she saw Bianca, she was taken aback and frowned in disgust. Bianca was arranging flowers with Queenie, and they looked like a happy mother-and-daughter duo. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Leia was screaming at Bianca in her heart, ''Who is she to pretend to be well -behaved and virtuous?'' Leia thought that everything Bianca did was malicious. She was angry and nned to leave without paying her any attention. Queenie saw that Leia was all dressed up and asked, "Leia, we¡¯re going to eat soon. Where are you going?" Leia stopped, took off her sunsses, and said, "Mom, I have ns..." Queenie frowned and replied, "Leia, can you reschedule your ns? Your sister and brother-inw are here today. Let¡¯s have a meal together as a family." She knew that Leia had always been hostile toward Bianca. Queenie was trying her best to ease their rtionship. When Leia heard that Luke was here, she was happy but scared. She clutched her coat tightly. If she stayed, she did not know what would happen to her, so she pretended to be embarrassed. "Mom, I..." "Leia, you haven''t eaten at home for a long time. It''s rare for our family to get together, so have a meal with us, alright?" Queenie was upset, thinking that Leia did not want to stay because of Bianca. Leia felt irritated seeing how ufortable Queenie looked. If Jack saw her, he might me it on Leia. Jack was no longer patient and kind with her. She thought it was because of Bianca. ''His real daughter came back, so I no longer matter to him.¡¯ The more Leia thought about it, the angrier she was at Bianca. Everything in the Norman family belonged to her! She walked over and sat next to Queenie. "Mom, I¡¯ll dy my ns, but I have to go out for about half an hour, okay?" Queenie felt better and held her hand. "Okay, go ande back quickly." "Okay, Mom." Leia smiled and kissed Queenie on the cheek, aiming to show her dominance and provoke Bianca. Even though Jack treated her a lot more coldly these days, she still had Queenie. Since Queenie reunited with Bianca, she was afraid that Leia would have misunderstandings, so she tried her best to be fair and treated Leia just as well as before. Therefore, as long as she still had Queenie''s motherly love, Jack could not do anything to her no matter how indifferent he was to her. Leia stood up and nced at Bianca. She was arranging flowers beside her mother with a neutral expression. Leia snorted inwardly and left with her coat in her hands. Bianca nced at Leia''s back as she departed. When she was gone, Bianca asked Queenie, "Mom, doesn''t Leia feel hot?" The weather was getting warmer but Leia was wearing a thick coat as though she was terribly cold. Queenie replied, "Aftering out of that ce, Leia''s body seemed to be doing much worse. She¡¯d feel cold even when there¡¯s a little wind. She¡¯s been wearing thick clothes for a while now and whenever I ask her to see the doctor, she¡¯ll say that she¡¯s okay. Sigh, it could be that her body is weak. I got her a lot of supplements but they don¡¯t seem to be working." "But..." Bianca wanted to say something but hesitated. "What''s the matter?" Queenie picked up Bianca''s flower arrangement and admired it. She was proud of her baby girl-even her style of arranging flowers was the same as her own. Bianca shook her head, smiled, and replied, "Nothing." She thought that Leia''s face was a little rounder than she remembered. How could a person in poor health gain weight? The more Bianca thought about it, the weirder she found it. Queenie held her flower arrangement up and praised Bianca, Bea, your arrangement is beautiful. I¡¯ll put it in the living room for everyone to see." Bianca''s face turned red from the praise. She picked up Queenie''s flower arrangement and replied, "It¡¯s nothingpared to your flower arrangements. Yours isyered, and the colors are harmonious and beautiful. They look professionally done! Mom, why don''t you teach me?" Queenie learned flower arranging after marrying Jack to be able to jive with his social circle. Over the years, she had mastered this skill. She fiddled with the flowers on the coffee table and said, "We happen to have some extra flowers. I¡¯ll teach you now, pick a vase." "Okay." Bianca sat closer to Queenie. She picked a sky blue porcin vase and humbly learned from Queenie. In the kitchen. Luke handed the two bottles of red wine to Jack as he said, "Father-inw, I heard that you''re a fan of wine tasting. These two bottles of wine were brought back from a foreign auction some time ago. They''re for you." Jack was very pleased that Luke understood the way of life and how to treat others. The two bottles of wine dispelled part of his dissatisfaction. Jack kept his face straight and asked in a fake serious tone, "You¡¯re well aware that this could be considered a bribe?" Luke shook his head. There was no doubt that Jack and Bianca were rted. Even their responses were the same. "This is a gift to my father-inw, it doesn''t count." He put the two bottles of wine in the wine cab. Jack was dealing with lobsters and asked when he saw Luke rolling up his sleeves, "Are you going to help?" "Yeah." He chose a ck apron and replied, "You¡¯re cooking for Mother-in-w and Bea. I want to cook for them too." Jack handed him the unwashed vegetables for the sd and said, "I appreciate the thought. Here, you can clean these vegetables." Luke took over, stood in front of the sink, and said, "Jack, did you ask Queenie to call Bea?" Although it was a question, his tone was firm. Jack appreciated Luke even more. He nodded and said, "Yes." It was impressive that Luke could guess it just from a phone call. Jack said straightforwardly, "Although Bea said she¡¯s okay, theizens are still in a rage and there are even reporters camping in front of your vi. What are you going to do?" He was Bianca''s father, so of course, he cared deeply about how she was doing. "This matter will be resolved in two days." Luke carefully washed the vegetables. He remembered that Bianca could not eat seafood and wanted to make her some dishes with eggs and lean meat. Chapter 932 Chapter 932 He Would Never Allow Anyone To Hurt Bianca N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. "Luke, this incident has damaged Bea''s reputation. It can''t drag on. After Bea married you, there have been many misfortunes. If you can''t protect her, let me protect her." Jack was distressed when he thought about his darling daughter. Since he found out about the kind of person Leia was, he had paid more attention to Bianca. He could not ept that his favorite daughter was constantly hurt and wronged. After all, Bianca was his flesh and blood. Jack felt bad that she had to grow up without him and go through so many hardships alone. He wasforted that she still had good conduct and a kind heart. Luke thought to himself that Jack was here to warn him. It seemed that he was dissatisfied with how the matter was being handled. He then told Jack everything. After Luke was done talking, Jack''s stern expression finally turned into a smile. "Not bad, you''re quite far-sighted." He thought it was a simple ident that Bianca was unintentionally involved in, but he never expected that the other party would even hire a hitman to frame Bianca! Had it not been for Luke''s foresight to protect the victim, Riley, Bianca might have been locked up and tried as a murderer. The more he thought about it, the angrier Jack got. He had always been a calm person, but at that time, he pped the chopping board with his hand and shouted, "How could they?! Whoever did it will never get away with it!" How dare they hurt his beloved daughter? They framed Bianca in the territory where he was in charge. He took it as a challenge to his role as the Provincial Committee Secretary! On the other hand, Luke was calm. However, his expression turned vile at the mention of the person behind it. "When I find out who did this, I''ll need some help from you." "No one can get away after hurting my daughter!" Jack did not care what trouble being high-profile would cause, all he cared about was protecting Bianca. Luke answered with a soft hum. He would never allow anyone to hurt Bianca. The two made a table full of dishes. Bianca was holding Queenie''s hands when the two men walked into the dining room. They were overjoyed at the table full of food. Queenie eximed, "Bea, I''ve been married to your father for so many years and he has only cooked twice. This is the second time." Bianca asked curiously, "What about the first time?" "The first day after we got married, he made me breakfast. Isn¡¯t that right, Mr. Norman?" Queenie teased Jack. "When I retire, I''ll cook for you every day." Jack held her hand and said," Luke helped with this. Let''s all take a seat." Bianca felt a warm fuzzy feeling when she saw the love that her parents had for each other. After so many years and so many major events, they still had respect and love for each other. It was a love story for the books. She looked at Luke who was serving food for the family and silently prayed in her heart that they would be the same in the future. The family sat down. Queenie looked at the table and wondered, "I remember the helper said that the lean meat and eggs will be kept for dinner, so why were they cooked now?¡± Jack exined, "Bea can''t eat seafood for the time being. Luke was considerate and made these two dishes for her." Queenie praised Luke, "That¡¯s nice to hear. Luke, you¡¯re a considerate man.¡± "It¡¯s just a small matter." Luke epted her praise generously. Bianca gently held his hand under the table. She was smiling and said nothing. Jack asked, "Where is Leia? Why isn''t she here yet?" Queenie had forgotten about Leia until just then. She picked up the phone beside her. "Leia said that she had something to attend to. It''s been half an hour. Why isn''t she back? I''ll call her." She dialed Leia''s phone number. The phone rang for a long while but no one answered it. Queenie frowned as she said, ¡°What''s the matter with Leia? She¡¯s been so irresponsible." Jack thought of the file he had on Leia and snorted coldly. Leia was great at lying, but not in front of Jack. "Maybe somethingst-minute happened," noting Jack''s displeasure, Queenie whispered. People who had been engaged in political work for a long time were stern, and Leia had been acting weird. She did not want them to have any conflict. "She¡¯s an adult, she can feed herself. Let''s eat, it won''t be as nice if the food gets cold." Jack decided to start their meal without Leia. Bianca nced at Luke as he thoughtfully brought a ss of juice to her." You can''t drink red wine, so have some apple juice instead." "Okay." She nodded lightly and took lobster sashimi for Jack and Queenie." This is for you. Enjoy!" Jack praised her, "Bea, you''re such a sweet child." Her filial piety and sensibility were genuine, unlike Leia, where everything was part of her disguise. Jack was upset when he thought about Leia. He had raised her for more than 20 years but she turned into someone he could not trust. Jack felt a little relieved when he saw the happiness on Queenie''s face. Fortunately, God treated them well and sent their biological daughter back home. Queenie smiled and nced at the phone again. She sent Leia a text but there was still no reply. Leia was in an awkward situation in Hilton Residence right now. Her belly was growing, so she convinced Brody to bring her back to the Hilton family so she could meet his parents who had just returned. Grandma Hilton was not a fan of Leia. She sat on the sofa in the living room and told Brody off, "Brody, why haven''t you broken up with her? Why did you bring her home? Are you trying to piss me off?" Brody had been saying nice things about Leia to his grandmother, but she was stubborn and insisted on her view of Leia. Brody did not want to bring her here because he was not in the mood to be screamed at by his family. However, Leia was insistent, and she somehow found out that his parents were flying back that day. She made him promise her that he would get his parents'' approval and get them to like her. Brody had no choice but to bring her over. "Grandma, I didn''t mean to. Leia found out that you have high blood pressure, so she asked someone to pick some herbs from the mountain to give to you. She said that they can lower blood pressure and wanted to personally send them over to apologize. Let¡¯s talk about it, hmm?" Brody soothed her. Grandma Hilton hummed coldly, stared at Leia with her sharp eyes, and said, "I have no interest in talking to her! Who knows what''s in those herbs? What if she''s trying to poison me? If I''m dead, no one will stop her from marrying into the Hilton family." Leia''s heart sank. This annoying old woman was quite clever. If Grandma Hilton died, she could easily marry into the Hilton family, control Brody, and have endless glory and wealth. She would not have to pretend to be a good girl to deceive her so-called parents. She could even fight with Bianca. However, she was not dumb enough to poison the herbs. "Grandma, I paid a lot to buy these herbs from the supplier..." Leia started tearing. She was an actress and could cry onmand. She rushed to Grandma Hilton''s side. Chapter 933 Chapter 933 Maniptive "Shut up!" Grandma Hilton was fed up with Leia¡¯s crying and weeping. Her gaze was cold as she yed with the bangle around her wrist. "I''m talking to Brody, who are you to jump into the conversation like that? How rude! You call yourself Mr. Norman''s adopted daughter?" Brody coaxed, "Grandma, please don¡¯t be angry. Leia can''t control her emotions, she''s just trying to be nice." Grandma Hilton looked at the herbs on the coffee table, then at Leia''s slightly bulging belly. She snorted coldly and said, "Brody, I love you, but do you think I¡¯m old and confused? I know why she chose to visit today. Today is the day when your parents areing back. She¡¯s thinking that if your parents agree to it, she can then marry into the Hilton family. You¡¯re blinded by love, don¡¯t you see?" Leia wanted to marry into the Hilton family just because she was pregnant? Never! Grandma Hilton''s attitude was unwavering. As long as she lived, she would never allow it. "Grandma, Leia is not that kind of person. She¡¯s simple and kind. We¡¯re here because the herbs arrived just now," Brody exined to her and lied without blinking. Leia bit her lower lip, her pitiful appearance touching even the caretaker in the Hilton family. Grandma Hilton was the only one in the living room who was indifferent. "Brody, I can¡¯t help it if you want to introduce her to your parents, but I believe that your parents will be just like me and won¡¯t consider this woman! She¡¯s a scheming, misbehaving sl*t." Grandma Hilton looked at Leia''s tears and did not grant her any mercy. Her acting skills were good enough to fool Brody, who was inexperienced. Grandma Hilton was slightly disappointed. As Brody¡¯s grandmother, she had worried about all sorts of things since he was young. She had taught him a lot of ways to judge a person¡¯s character. However, when he met Leia, he threw everything out of the window and was fully controlled by Leia now. Brody wanted to say something else but before he could, Grandma Hilton stood up and heard the honking of a car outside. "Are they back?" Grandma Hilton asked. The caretaker went to check and saw Brody''s parents, who just got out of the car. She turned around and said in surprise, "Mr. and Mrs. Hilton are back!" Grandma Hilton nced at Leia coldly and then said to Brody, "It¡¯s your decision whether you want your parents to meet such a woman. However, don''t ask me for help if you''re scolded." After that, Grandma Hilton walked up the stairs and had no intention to continue watching the farce here. Regarding Brody''s lifelong partner, she believed that she and her daughter-inw would share the same thoughts. The caretaker immediately stepped forward to help. Brody was upset because he had been scolded. He stood still, unsure whether to help Grandma Hilton upstairs orfort Leia. Leia hurriedly wiped away her tears. In preparation to meet Brody¡¯s parents, she had put on waterproof makeup so she could look her best. Julius Hilton and Tania Ridley walked into the living room. The driver followed behind them with their luggage. "Brody, this is?" Tania asked curiously when she saw Leia. Her pair of sharp eyes looked at her up and down for a moment. Only onement came to mind, ''Maniptive.'' "Dad, Mom, this is Leia, my girlfriend," Brody introduced Leia to his parents. Julius was tall, mature, and looked great even as a 50-year-old man. His suit and leather shoes disyed his noble identity. Leia was stunned the moment she saw him, and a trace of panic shed in her eyes. How could it be... Julius frowned. His gaze fell on Leia''s pregnant belly as he asked, "Why haven''t we heard that you have a girlfriend?" "It''s been several months. You¡¯re so busy that you don¡¯t even have time to take care of your illegitimate children. You probably have no time to care about my love life, so I haven''t talked to you about it." Brody had a rocky rtionship with Julius. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Julius became angry and shouted, "What nonsense are you talking about?!" "That¡¯s enough. Don¡¯t you feel ashamed for fighting in front of outsiders? Can both of you take a step back? I don¡¯t know what¡¯s the matter with you two." Tania frowned and spoke with a raised voice. She was a career woman who supported Julius. She had a strong personality and ego. She could not stand Brody and Julius fighting in front of outsiders. Tania had exquisite features and was wearing light makeup. Her hair was in a ponytail, and she had a pair of sharp eyes. She wore a professional suit and high heels that were seven centimeters high. She stood apart from other wealthy wives. She looked at Leia for a few seconds before retracting her gaze, seemingly having seen through her. Leia''s face turned paler, and her hands trembled unconsciously. She thought that her efforts would leave a good impression on Brody''s parents, but now, everything was in vain. What surprised her was that Brody''s father was Julius. What a small world... To get into the entertainment industry, she contacted an agency despite Jack Norman''s opposition. To get her hand on better resources, she went with her agent''s suggestion and went for various events. She was aware of the indecent transactions that happened but Leia did not care. Although Jack did not agree with her entering the entertainment industry, she still used him as her backer. If attending events as such meant better resources, she would be happy to do it to gain Jack''s praise. That was when she met Julius. Julius had a friend who was a nationally renowned director. He promised that he would introduce her to his friend if she went on a business trip with him for a week. He promised that she would be the main female character of a TV series that was adapted from books. Leia would never agree to attend something like that, so she sent him a supermodel and got her to go with him on a week-long business trip. The ''business trip'' was a staycation. The supermodelter told Leia they never left the hotel and tried various positions. The supermodel introduced by Leia had satisfied him, so he gave her the contact she wanted. It was a transaction, and after a week, they were no longer in contact. She thought that Julius was a fake name. Hence, she was not sure of hisst name and first name. Leia did not think too much about it after it happened. Unexpectedly, after so many years, they met again... in a situation as such. Brody snorted and stopped arguing with Julius. Instead, he turned around, grabbed Leia''s waist, and introduced her to Tania, "Leia, this is my father and this is my mother. Say hi." "Hello, Uncle Julius, Aunt Tania, I''m Leia. It¡¯s nice to finally meet you." Leia''s smile was somewhat awkward. She could tell that Tania was not one to mess with. If Tania found out that she and Julius had history, she would never allow her to marry Brody! Leia had to act like Julius was nothing but a stranger to her. She was not worried that Julius would say something. Leia was sure that this was not something that Julius wanted his wife to find out. Chapter 934 Chapter 934 She Had Never Been Treated Like This Tania looked at Leia indifferently and said, "Leia Norman, right? I''ve heard about you. You''re an actress who used to be fairly popr." When she heard that, Leia knew that Tania was not a fan of hers... Maybe it was because she did not like that she was in the entertainment industry. Leia exined herself, "I chose to enter the entertainment industry to fulfill my mother''s wishes. When she was young, she wanted to be a star." Tania''s gaze was sharp. She walked over and sat down on the velvet sofaced with gold thread. The caretaker poured her a cup of tea and handed it to her. She picked up the teacup and took a sip. "This needs more tea leaves." The nanny said immediately, "I''ll make you another cup." Brody gave Leia a look, sat down, and massaged Tania''s shoulders while praising Leia. "Mom, although Leia is an actress, she¡¯s also a kind and wonderful girl. She¡¯s not what you¡¯d expect for someone who¡¯s an actress." Tania watched her son rant about Leia and thought to herself that Leia must have bewitched her son. It had not taken long for Leia to make him fall hopelessly for her. "I have my opinion on this matter." She mmed the teacup on the coffee table. The nk of the porcin cup on the ss of the coffee table was not too loud, but it stabbed through Leia''s heart. Her heart was beating violently. She dared not speak as she looked at Tania and Brody. Julius nced at Leia with a half-smile, then sat on the sofa. He picked up the newspaper and read it. He had yet to chime in on the matter between Brody and Leia. Leia saw the smile on the corner of his mouth. She was familiar with every expression on the man''s face. She was his prey. Leia had not forgotten that Julius had specifically asked her to apany him on a business trip. Although she hired a model to attend on her behalf, she still remembered the man''s keen interest in her at the time. "Mom." Brody tried to persuade Tania further. After all, Leia''s belly was getting bigger and bigger. Their wedding could no longer be dragged on. A child born out of wedlock was an illegitimate child. If Leia were from an ordinary family, he would be fine with raising an illegitimate child. However, Leia was the adopted daughter of the Norman family. She grew up spoiled as her adoptive father was the Provincial Committee Secretary. Her status and appearance matched his. This is from N?velDrama.Org. That was why Brody was doing his best to convince his parents and grandmother. Tania raised her hand, stopped her son''s chattering, and looked at Leia with a cold expression. "You went into the entertainment industry to fulfill your mother''s dream?" "Yes." Leia nodded. Tania was more difficult to deal with than she had anticipated. Tania''s gaze was full of disdain. "A mother who allows her daughter to enter the entertainment industry is not a good mother. Are you her cash cow?" Leia''s gaze for help fell on Brody for help. She needed him to speak up for her. "Mom, Leia''s family doesn''tck money. Her father is the Provincial Committee Secretary," Brody exined. Tania had worked abroad for a long time and was not familiar with local news. She had no idea about Leia''s previous scandals. Julius, who was well aware, said nothing about it. He had missed Leia. Tania was surprised. ''The daughter of the Provincial Committee Secretary?'' Tania thought that Leia looked like the kind of actress who would seduce men for money. She never expected Leia to be the daughter of the Provincial Committee Secretary. She was close to many high-ranking officials and nobles. No daughter of theirs would act like this. Tania was annoyed. She nced at Julius. He was reading the newspaper without saying anything except for the asional grunts of dissatisfaction. The caretaker re-brewed a pot of tea and walked over, carefully pouring two cups. One cup was ced in front of Julius, and one cup was ced in front of Tania. "Master, Madam, this is the tea. Enjoy!" Tania picked up her cup and told the caretaker, "You don¡¯t need to cook today. I¡¯ve already booked a private room. Our family of four will head out for dinner." A family of four... If she included Grandma Hilton, it meant that Leia was excluded. Leia was embarrassed, and tears filled her eyes. They were about to fall at anytime. She looked like a sad puppy. Brody frowned and said, "Mom, Leia is here today to visit both of you." Tania was annoyed by her son and put the teacup down. "What did your grandmother say about this?" Brody was stunned. He knew it was best not to lie to his mother and said while feeling slightly embarrassed, "Grandma has some misunderstandings about Leia. Mom, Leia is a good girl. Her first time was with me." "Brody..." Leia did not expect him to say that. If it were not for Julius, she would have made up something on the spot to get away with it... However, Julius was present... Leia nced at him from the corners of her eyes. Julius was still reading the newspaper. He frowned when he heard what his son said. ''Leia''s first time?'' Although he had not seen Leia in a hotel with a man, he was sure that she had done something along the lines. Brody had been brought up by Grandma Hilton since he was a child. He had also learned about how to see through someone''s lies. Leia was the kind of woman who would do anything to get additional resources and was quite experienced in seducing men. Julius kept his mouth shut, while Tania was attacking Leia. Tania was beyond furious as she looked at her son. Are you confused? She said it¡¯s her first time and you believe her? She could have easily gotten it reconstructed in the hospital. Why are you so stupid?! I have trust in your grandma''s judgment. Don''t even think about getting me to agree to the things she disagrees with." Leia was upset that her n did not work. The women in the Hilton family were bitter and mean. None of the men were good either! She continued acting pitiful, but in her heart, she could not wait to leave a few scratches on Tania''s face. All she wanted was to marry Brody. Why could they not leave her alone? She said nothing about how useless Brody was, so why could they not just ept her? She had never been treated like this since she was a child! Brody nced at Leia and added, "Mom, Leia''s belly-" Leia interrupted him and bowed deeply to Tania, acting like a sad puppy as she uttered, "Uncle Julius and Aunt Tania, I''m sorry to have caused you trouble. Brody, you can stay with your family. Don''t worry about me. I¡¯ll head back first." She covered her face and rushed out of Hilton Residence. "Leia!" Brody caught up. Leia leaped into his arms and said, "Brody, I don¡¯t want to live anymore... I''ll die with the baby!" Brody gently held her back tofort her. "Don''t worry, Leia. This is temporary, I¡¯ll make sure to convince my parents. As long as they agree, my grandma won¡¯t be a problem." Leia cursed at the Hiltons in her heart. She thought that Brody was a granny¡¯s boy, but now she found out that he was also a mommy''s boy. He needed his parents¡¯ approval for everything. Even if she gave birth to the child in her stomach, she may not be able to marry into the Hilton family. She had to marry Brody before the child was born! Chapter 935 Chapter 935 Who Does Bianca Think She Is? Leia desperately squeezed her tears and wiped them on Brody''s clothes." Brody, I don''t want to make things awkward for you. It''s okay that your family doesn''t like me, let''s not force it. Our baby is a mistake!" Brody touched her belly and was upset. He promised her, "Okay, don''t cry. My parents will stay for a while. I¡¯ll convince them. Head back first, okay?" "Brody, I''m scared. Can you promise me one thing?" Leia''s eyes were red and swollen from crying. She looked sad. Brody wiped her tears with his sleeves and asked, "What''s the matter?" "I don''t want to force you, but if we want to get married, we have to do it before the child is born. I don''t want him to be called an illegitimate child. I was adopted. I don''t want our child to be bullied like I was when I was growing up. If... If you can''t marry me, let me know. I''ll be considerate and go to the hospital..." Leia leaned on his chest and could not continue her sentence. Brody squeezed her hand tightly and replied, "Don''t worry, you and our child will be part of the Hilton family. Head home first, and I¡¯ll give you a call when I''m done." "Yeah." Leia wiped her tears and got into the car. After kissing Brody goodbye, she drove away from Hilton Residence. She stopped the car by the side of the road not too far away. She looked at her belly and clenched both her fists as she screamed, "If it were not for you, I wouldn''t have to suffer like this!" Leia hated the Hilton family, Wayne tt, and more than anyone, Bianca. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. She had to marry Brody and get rid of all those who were in her way! Norman Residence. After eating, Jack opened the bottle of red wine from Luke. The four of them drank it in the garden. The weather was getting warmer, and the flowers in the garden were in full bloom. The breeze brought along the fragrance of the flowers. The four of them sat on rattan chairs and enjoyed the sunlight. The garden was designed by Jack and managed by Queenie. Jack introduced the different varieties of peonies that he had collected from all over the world to Luke. There were many rare varieties among these peonies. Queenie taught Bianca how to grow flowers in a patient tone. When Leia came back, she noticed that there was no one in the living room. She found a caretaker and asked, "Where''s my mother?" "Sir, Madam, Mr. and Mrs. Crawford are in the garden." The caretaker noticed Leia''s anger and answered cautiously with her head down. Leia''s gaze turned gloomy. ''Mrs. Crawford? Who does Bianca think she is?'' Leia threw her handbag on the sofa and walked to the garden. It was difficult to walk on high heels on the cobblestone path, so she moved carefully and got extremely annoyed. When Leia finally arrived, she saw the four of them sitting on the rattan chairs. They looked like a happy family. When she saw Queenie holding Bianca''s hand, Leia was angry and jealous! Queenie acted like she treated her and Bianca equally, but in the end, one was blood-rted and the other was adopted. Queenie was still biased! 1 "Dad, Mom." Not willing to be ignored, Leia called out to them enthusiastically. She walked over and wanted to sit next to Queenie, only to find that the rattan chair that sat two no longer had any space for her. She stood there awkwardly. Her forehead was smothered with sweat as she had walked over with a thickyer of clothes. "Why are you only back now?" Jack was upset that his conversation with Luke was interrupted. He used to teach her not to interrupt when others talked. Had she forgotten her manners? "Dad, something happened..." Leia was a little embarrassed. "What could make you forget toe home for lunch?" Jack asked in a solemn tone. Leia was aggrieved but got an idea when she was facing his line of questioning. She remembered how the Hilton family had treated her earlier. "Leia, have you had anything to eat?" Queenie nced at the time and asked with concern. Leia knelt and said, "Dad, Mom, I''m sorry, it''s all my fault." Queenie felt distressed. She immediately stood up and helped Leia up." Leia, what are you doing? Get up!" Bianca looked at Leia and exchanged a look with Luke. Where was Leia up to? "Mom, it''s all my fault. Our family was supposed to gather today but I didn''t get back in time. Dad, you can punish me as you please." She knelt there resolutely and refused to get up. After all, Leia was her daughter whom she had lived with for more than 20 years. Queenie could not bear to see her like this. She turned her head and nced at Jack, scolding him a little, "Why are you always so serious? This is home, not work. You''re scaring our daughter..." Jack was speechless. After knowing Leia''s true character, his view of her had changed and he became more demanding than before. He saw that his wife was spoiling Leia, but he did not dare to tell her the truth about Leia. With Queenie''s temperament, she would me herself for not being a good mother if she found out. The couple was not responsible for who Leia turned into. Since childhood, Leia had been provided with only the best, but it did not stop her from bing a scheming person. She had done bad things behind their backs. Jack watched Leia make a scene without saying anything. Queenie was distressed when she heard Leia cry. She wanted to help her up- Leia insisted on kneeling. If Jack said nothing, she would not get up. Seeing this stalemate, Bianca felt embarrassed and said to ease the tension, "Dad, don''t be angry. Maybe you should listen to what Leia has to say? She might have her reasons." Leia was crying with her head lowered, but her gaze sharpened at what Bianca said. She did not need Bianca''s help! Jack snorted. Although he did not like Leia, he did not want to make things worse. Since Bianca had given him an opening, he said, "Get up. What happened?" Leia stood up with Queenie''s support, and she said while sobbing, "Dad, nothing happened." Queenie saw that Leia was upset and knew that something had happened. She took out a handkerchief and wiped her tears. She asked Leia, "How are you okay when you''re crying like this? Tell me, what happened to you? Where did you go?" Leia cried louder, her tears and snot getting all mixed. She did not want to say anything in front of Bianca and Luke. "Mom, let''s talk inside..." "Don''t cry, we''re family here. If you encounter any difficulties, you can ask your sister and brother-inw for advice," Queenie gently patted her back and said lovingly. Leia did not want Bianca''s help... Chapter 936 Chapter 936 All Her Hatred Was Directed At Bianca "Leia..." Queenie was getting anxious. Leia was forced to share her issues under the gaze of four pairs of eyes." Mom, it''s the Hilton family. They''re bullying me." ''Hilton? Brody Hilton?¡¯ Bianca thought of the name in an instant, and her brows wrinkled slightly. ¡® Leia got involved with Brody?'' Queenie was not sure what she was going on about, so she looked at her husband and then at Leia. "Which Hilton family?" "The Hilton family in the west of the city. They''re involved in foreign trade," Luke, who had been silent, said. Bianca was surprised that Luke knew who Leia was referring to. Leia kept silent. "Leia, how did they bully you? Tell me everything, I¡¯ll make sure that you''re treated right." Queenie was gentle and chose to blindly believe in Leia. Although Leia was adopted, she shared a deep bond with her and would never allow anyone to mistreat her darling daughter. Leia cried and recounted what had happened at Hilton Residence. Of course, she did not mention her pregnancy. If Jack knew that she had gotten pregnant before marriage, he would be furious and may even ignore her. Queenie was raging after hearing what had happened to Leia. "How could the Hilton family do this to you?" She wiped away Leia''s tears with distress. Leia was afraid that she would be angry and refuse to help her, so she said, "Mom, I love Brody, but his family looks down on me because I''m adopted..." Queenie said, "You''re my baby girl, just like Bea! Since the Hilton family looks down on our family, there¡¯s no point in being involved with them. There¡¯s a lot of fish in A City." "Mom, don''t be angry. Please don¡¯t me Brody for this, it''s all my fault." Leia panicked! She wanted them to help her, not separate her and Brody. There were many excellent men in A City, but few were as easy to control as Brody. With one dose, he mistakenly thought that the child in her stomach was his. He even believed her when she told him that he was her first. "Leia..." Queenie was annoyed and helpless. Bianca''s phone rang and she answered it. It was the call from the nanny telling her that Tommy was not feeling well and had a fever. She ended the call and said to Luke, "Luke, Tommy is sick, we have to go back now. The nanny can''t take care of the issue alone." "Okay." Luke stood up and apologized to Jack, "Jack, Tania, Bea and I have something urgent to attend to at home. We¡¯ll visit again soon.¡± 2 Jack nodded and was understanding about it. He told Luke, "Next time you¡¯re here, do bring my baby grandson over as well." "Okay, Mom and Dad, we¡¯re off." Bianca nced at Leia. She had no intention to be involved in her affairs. Luke grabbed Bianca''s hand and left. Leia looked at them leaving, her jealousy going off the charts. She hated all of them. She was who she was because of her adoptive parents. Leia could not hate Luke as she loved him. Hence, all her hatred was directed at Bianca. In the Land Rover. Bianca leaned on Luke, her pair of crystal clear eyes staring at him. She looked like she had a lot of questions. Bianca asked, "Luke, how did you know that about the Hilton family?" After all, there were a lot of people with the surname ¡¯Hilton¡¯ in A City. Luke scratched her nose, and his deep-set eyes were full of love for her as he said, "Leia has great taste and will go for the richest Hilton family. However... you seem to know about it from the beginning." Bianca told him about when Leia hooked up with Brody in Grandpa''s house. Luke listened quietly. When Bianca was done talking, Luke had noment. Grandma Norman loved Leia, so she deliberately arranged for this to happen so that her granddaughter could live a good life. Luke knew about the Hilton family''s dirty secrets. If Leia married Brody, it might not be a door to happiness, but rather, it was tantamount to jumping into a fire pit. Bianca rested on his chest. Both of them kept quiet and enjoyed the silence of that moment. They soon returned home. Bianca took Tommy''s temperature. Tommy had a fever of 39.5 degrees. She was anxious and wanted to send him to the hospital. Luke stopped her and calmly said, "Johann has been notified and he¡¯ll be over in another half an hour." It was not the best time for Bianca to make an appearance in the public¡¯s eye. Bianca was stunned. She was so worried about Tommy''s situation that she forgot that she was being made fun of on the inte. She could not take Tommy to the hospital now. Guilt slowly overwhelmed her heart, and Bianca felt distressed when she saw Tommy''s little face that was flushed because of the fever. The nanny held an ice pack as she said, ¡¯Madam, it''s time to change Tommy¡¯s ice pack." "Alright." Bianca gently took away the ice pack on Tommy''s forehead. When she wanted to rece it with a new one, he woke up. Tommy was in a daze because of the fever and mumbled, "Mommy, Tommy is sick." Bianca put on the ice pack and gently stroked his forehead while saying softly, "Tommy, you¡¯ll be fine. Uncle Johann is on his way." "Mommy, stay with Tommy." Tommy¡¯s voice was slightly hoarse. He was so weak that he did not have the strength to cry. Bianca coaxed him in a soft voice. Mommy and Daddy are here with you." Tommy opened his eyes and nced at his parents before falling asleep groggily. Luke sat behind Bianca, guarding Tommy with her. After half an hour, Johann got to the vi. After he checked Tommy, he gave Tommy an injection and prescribed some medicine. Bianca felt like her heart was crushed when she saw that Tommy was so dizzy and tired that he could not cry while getting jabbed. Tommy was afraid of injections, but he was so ill that he did not have the strength to scream for pain. As his mother, she could not do anything to ease his pain. It was also because of her that his treatment may have gotten dyed. Bianca broke down when she thought about it. Luke pulled out a tissue, wiped her tears, and soothed her, "Don''t cry, Tommy is a strong boy." Johann handed the medicine to the nanny and told her to feed it to Tommy. He then said to Bianca, "Tommy''s health is not good. This fever was likely caused by the change in temperaturest night. The fever should go away after half an hour of taking the medicine." Bianca sniffed and looked at Tommy''s red face. She was very worried. Luke understood how she felt and said to Johann, "Stay here." This is from N?velDrama.Org. Johann could understand how they felt as parents, so he agreed. "I¡¯ll stay for an hour." Bianca said gratefully, "Thank you." The nanny prepared the medicine. Bianca took it, insisting on feeding Tommy herself. The medicine was bitter, and soaking it in water did not dilute the bitterness. Bianca did everything to coax Tommy to finish the medicine and put him to bed. Chapter 937 Chapter 937 She Was More Talented Than Him In Cooking Luke and Johann walked out of the bedroom. The two were sitting on the sofa and smoking cigarettes. Johann suddenly remembered something. He smiled and asked, "Does your family have any great news?" Luke frowned suspiciously. "What''s the great news?" Johann was not someone who gossiped regrly. He only randomly mentioned it because he was bored. He took a puff and said, "I saw that movie star, your wife''s sister, going for an appointment with an obstetrics and gynecology specialist in our hospital. A man apanied her for the examination. I heard that she''s beening to the hospital for several months." Bianca walked out and heard what he said, so she asked, "Who''s pregnant?" "The second daughter of the Norman family, your sister," Johann replied and was curious why both of them seemed to know nothing about it. Although Bianca and Leia were not rted by blood and had a little conflict because of Luke, their rtionship should not be so bad, right? After all, they shared the same parents. Bianca walked over to Luke and sat down. She ced a bowl on the coffee table and said, "She''s pregnant?" "Yes, I''m not sure exactly how many months along she is but I''m sure that she''s pregnant," Johann replied. Bianca nced at Luke, her thoughts in a mess. She did not expect that Leia was pregnant. Bianca thought that she was overthinking when she saw theyers of clothes that Leia wore... Unexpectedly, Johann''sments confirmed that she was right. "Huh? You didn''t know?" Johann was surprised when he saw the expression of the couple. Bianca shook her head, picked up the bowl, and stood up. "I''ll pour Tommy a ss of water first." Leia being pregnant would not affect her, but she was surprised when she heard the news. At night. After Tommy''s fever subsided, Bianca finally breathed a sigh of relief. She coaxed him to take another round of medicine. Shey next to the child and sang nursery rhymes to help Tommy sleep better. After a while, Tommy stopped tossing and turning. He had fallen asleep in her arms. Bianca gently got up, being mindful not to disturb Tommy. She walked out of the bedroom, closed the door, and saw that nche and Rainie were waiting by the door. She touched their foreheads respectively. "Mommy, is Tommy feeling better?" Rainie asked. "He¡¯s much better now, don''t worry. It''s gettingte, you should go to bed too," Bianca said. Rainie nodded obediently and said, "Lanie and I are worried about Tommy." "Uncle Johann prescribed medicine for him. After taking it, he''ll be fine. Go to bed. When you wake up, Tommy will be able to y with you tomorrow." Bianca brought the children to their bedroom and said, "Good night." "Good night, Mommy," Rainie and nche said goodnight to her. After coaxing her children to sleep, Bianca dragged her tired body back to the bedroom. Luke was sitting on the bed, looking at some documents. "The kids are all asleep?" Luke asked. He had wanted to coax Tommy to sleep himself, but Tommy insisted Bianca read him a story. "Yes, they''re all asleep." Bianca took off her slippers and sat on the bed. Luke put down the file and hugged her. "Thanks for your hard work, let''s rest early." Bianca breathed a sigh of relief. She had been on her nerves all day until Tommy''s fever subsided. She murmured while holding her phone, "Wait a minute, I''ll set up a few rms and check Tommy''s temperature at night." This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. After she was done, she thought about it and said, "No, I¡¯m still worried. Tommy should sleep with us tonight." She was worried that Tommy¡¯s fever would re up in the middle of the night and she would not be by his side. Tommy was young and did not understand many things. He could be in a blur. Seeing that she was still worried, Luke nodded, got out of bed, and said," I''m going to bring him in." The bed in Tommy''s room was a kid¡¯s bed. Bianca could barely lie down on it, let alone sleep there for a night. After a while, Luke brought Tommy over. Tommy was in deep sleep after taking the meds. Luke did not wake him as he put the child between the two of them. Bianca looked at Tommy, reached out, and touched his forehead. She was relieved when she found that it was not hot. "Don''t worry too much," Luke said softly tofort her. Bianca stared at him, remembering the time he had to take care of nche and Rainie before. Although the two of them were healthy, they would have fallen sick at least once. She asked, "Were you ever nervous when nche and Rainie got sickst time?" "Yes." Luke gently covered Tommy with theforter. He was understanding of Bianca''s nervousness, especially when he had experienced it himself. "Go to sleep." Biancay down gently, leaning against Tommy. Tommy seemed to be able to feel her warmth and took the initiative to lean in her arms. Luke looked at the two of them. His heart was warm as he turned off the lights and wrapped his arms around them. Early the next morning, Bianca woke up and found Tommy looking at her. "You''re up? How are you feeling?" Bianca asked with a smile, reaching to check the temperature of his forehead. She was relieved that his fever had subsided. "Mommy, Tommy loves you so much." Tommy shook his head, positioned himself in her arms, and confessed his love for her. "Aren''t you afraid that Daddy will hear you?" Biancaughed and mentioned Luke, only to realize that he had gotten up. "Where¡¯s Daddy?" she asked. Tommy replied, "Daddy said that Mommy is tired from taking care of Tommy yesterday, so I shouldn''t wake you while he cooks breakfast." Bianca got up for fear that Luke would put too much salt in the breakfast, so she grabbed Tommy and got out of bed. "Baby, let''s wash up and help Daddy." "Okay, Mommy." Tommy nodded, letting her clean him up. After everything was done, Bianca went downstairs with the children and looked at Luke, who was busy in the kitchen. "Dad, why''s the kitchen so dirty?" Rainie walked in and frowned disgustedly when she saw the mess in the kitchen. Bianca was not sure whether tough or cry. The kitchen utensils were everywhere. There were some leftover vegetables on the floor, some bowls in the sink that were unwashed, and scattered flour on the cutting board. The kitchen looked like it had been through a war. It was not in line with his usual neat image. Luke turned around, heard the child''s question, and saw Bianca''s smile. He felt a little helpless. With Jack yesterday, he managed to make it work in the kitchen. Hence, he grew confident. \ He wanted to make some pancakes for Bianca and the children by following the recipes on the inte, but it did not go as nned. ''Til clean upter," Luke said with a stern expression. Bianca put Tommy down and told Rainie and nche, "nche, Rainie, take Tommy to y. I''ll help your Dad with breakfast." Luke was a business genius, but she was more talented than him in cooking. Bianca walked over, looked at the batter that was not too right, and smiled cheekily. She asked, "Mr. Crawford, what do you want for breakfast?" Chapter 938 Chapter 938 It Feels Good That the Family Is United "... Stuffed pancakes." Luke had never felt so defeated in his life. As he took his hand out of the mixing bowl, pancake batter dripped from his gloves. He furrowed his brows, feeling slightly disgusted. Bianca tried hard not tough when she removed the gloves from his hands and washed her hands. "Let me do it." Luke knew that he was not going to seed, so he stepped aside. Bianca put on the gloves and mixed the pancake batter. Luke had added too much water, so Bianca had to add more flour. Luke wanted to do something instead of just standing there. He cleaned up the chopping board and prepared the stuffing. Soon, the bowl of thin pancake batter was at the right consistency. Luke could not help but be impressed. After that, Bianca chopped up some chives. "Why do you want to make stuffed pancakes instead of normal pancakes early in the morning?" "I heard Tommy talking in his sleepst night." Luke was a light sleeper, and he would easily wake up if he heard any noise. He had heard what his son said the night before. "What did he say?" Bianca woke up at her usual time and did not hear anything during the night. "He''s been repeating that he wants to eat stuffed pancakes," Luke ced the chopped streaky bacon on a te and prepared to further season it ording to the recipe. Bianca could not help but chuckle. She stopped him from adding more salt. "You don''t have to follow the recipe so strictly. We¡¯re used to eating lighter food. Let me do it." She understood the tastes of the family members. Luke stepped aside. After Bianca seasoned the meat, she instructed Luke to mince the washed greens. Then, she mixed it into the batter and instructed Luke how to cook them in the skillet. Luke was not very skilled in cooking, but he was quite talented and managed to make several nice- looking pancakes. "The ones that you made are for Tommy," Bianca nted a toothpick g on Luke¡¯s pancakes. "Why?" Luke did not understand. "You¡¯re satisfying his cravings." Bianca chuckled and tapped the tip of his nose with a finger, leaving a white floury mark on it. Luke was amused, but he did not want to dirty Bianca''s face with flour. The fragrance from the grilled meat patties wafted into the living room. Tommy ran into the kitchen and drooled when he saw the stacks of pancakes. "Yay, pancakes!" Bianca patted the little boy''s head and said, "Daddy knows that you want to eat pancakes for breakfast today, so he made these for you." Bianca nced at Luke, who was preparing the cutlery, and felt moved." Because he''s your father, and he can do anything," she said softly. Luke might not be perfect, but to Bianca, he could do anything. Tommy gestured a thumbs-up at his father. "You''re like Superman, Daddy! I want to learn from you!" Luke felt quite smug about himself after receiving praise from his son. Lanie patted his younger brother¡¯s head and said, "Daddy is my idol too." "I think so too!" Rainie nodded. Bianca was not jealous when she saw how the three children surrounded their father. Instead, she was relieved that their hearts were united. For the next few days, various online media outlets continued to report on Bianca. No matter how Luke tried to suppress the reporting, someone seemed to be opposing him and kept on reporting that Bianca had harmed Riley. She could only remain in the mansion and hide from public view. She became a full-time housewife since she could not go to thepany. One day, Bianca woke up early as usual and made breakfast for the family, then went online to read thetest news. Riley was recovering steadily in the hospital, but the people online treated her as though she were dead. Some people even said that Bianca had murdered Riley and destroyed the body to evade legal responsibility. Biancaughed dryly. The police would have detained her because of public pressure, if not that she had an alibi when Riley disappeared. Luke brought the kids down the stairs, and his heart sank when he saw that Bianca was browsing on her phone with aplicated expression on her face. "Bea," he called out. "You''re already awake. Breakfast is ready. I''ll bring it out for you," Bianca said and went to the kitchen. Lanie noticed Bianca''s expression and tugged Luke''s pant leg. Luke lowered his head and looked at his son. "Daddy, Mommy seems unhappy. You''re too inefficient in handling that incident," Lanie said softly. He knew that his mother was distraught by the news she read online. He knew that his mother was innocent, but those people pinned the me on her. Lanie felt aggrieved for her, and at the same time, med his father. After all, Luke had promised the children that he would take care of their mother. "Don''t worry, it''ll be settled soon," Luke was not very happy when he heard his son''s usation. He wanted to set Riley free and let her tell the truth, but Johann said that it was not the time yet. Fortunately, Johann sent him a message the night before saying that Riley''s condition had improved. It was about time that they could prepare for Riley to divulge the truth herself. "Come and get your breakfast!" Bianca''s voice could be heard from the kitchen. Luke patted the three children''s heads. "Go and eat your breakfast. Don''t let Mommy worry." The three children went to the dining table obediently. After the family of five had their breakfast, Luke fetched Lanie and Rainie to school on the way to work. They were already absent for a few days, and Bianca did not want them tog behind in their studies. That was why she wanted them to go back to school. Meanwhile, Bianca stayed at home and took care of Tommy. Bianca was ying games with Tommy in the living room. He was at an age where he was curious about everything, and educational games would help him in his mental development. Bianca received a phone call from Rain around noon. "Pleasee to the hospital, Madam. Riley has something to tell you." N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. The smile on Bianca''s face dissipated. '' Alright, I''ll go over now." She handed Tommy to the caretaker and hurriedly rushed to the hospital. Rain did not tell her much over the phone, though Bianca had an ominous premonition because Rain sounded anxious. ''Did something happen to Riley? Didn''t Johann say that her condition was improving?'' However, Bianca soon thought of something else. ''Or... is she going to tell the truth?'' She did not know which possibility it was. All she could do was floor the gas pedal and speed toward the hospital. Chapter 939 Chapter 939 Melissa Lerche Is Behind This At the hospital, Bianca took the elevator and went to the top floor. She noticed that aside from Luke''s bodyguards standing outside the door, there were also two police officers. She frowned and quickly walked forward. Did something happen to Riley?" The bodyguard replied, "There was a small ident, but the doctor said that it''s not serious." "Then the police..." Bianca shot a nce at them. "Ms. Riley had asked for them toe,¡± the bodyguard said. Bianca was puzzled. Why would Luke agree to Riley''s request? Unless... She opened the door to the ward. Riley was bawling while sitting on the bed, and Johann was bandaging her forehead. "What''s going on?" Bianca asked as she walked over. Johann finished bandaging Riley''s head and told the police officers, "She''s fine. You can record her statement." "Alright. Thank you, Doctor." The police officers went beside Riley. "Have you been here all this while, Ms. Riley?" "Yes," Riley sniffled and continued to answer the question, "I''ve been here ever since I regained consciousness." Bianca frowned hard. She turned to look at Rain, but Rain gave her a gesture to tell her to be calm. She could only look at Riley again. However, Rain''sposure calmed her down. "Can you tell us the details?" The police officers did not understand. They were searching for Riley because of public pressure, and just when they thought that she had died, she resurfaced once more. "Mr. Luke Crawford protected me." Riley''s hands were shaking as they clutched the nket tightly. The incident that happened earlier had given her a major shock, and that made her decide to divulge the truth. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Bianca had told her that they would not imprison her in the ward once she recovered, but she realized that her life would be in danger once she stepped out! Without Luke''s protection, and if the police had not arrested Melissa, she would not know when she would die. She was only a normal citizen and no match for Melissa''s influence! "Bianca Rayne was not the person who harmed me at the Tanner mansion that day. It was Melissa Lerche!" Riley said truthfully. The police officers were shocked, and they quickly recorded it. "Are you telling the truth?" "I saw it with my own eyes. I can''t be mistaken." Riley was agitated. She thought that she could use the fact to ckmail Melissa, but she did not expect that Melissa was not nning on negotiating with her at all! "Please don''t be so agitated. Try to recall as many details of the incident as possible." The police officer nced at Bianca incredulously, wondering if she had threatened Riley to provide a false statement. Riley repeated the events that happened that day. Bianca was quite surprised. She did not expect that the culprit was Melissa. After the police officers recorded her statement, they confirmed with her again, ¡¯ Ms. Riley, can you guarantee that what you said earlier is true?" "Yes, I am very sure of it. Melissa is jealous that I was bearing a child with Xavier, and that was why she tried to harm me and frame Bianca..." Riley tried to make herself sound as calm as possible so that she sounded more trustworthy. Rain stood up with a phone in her hand. "Officer, I have some evidence to prove that what Ms. Riley is true." Bianca looked at Rain in confusion. Why did she not know that Rain had evidence? Bianca leaned closer to look. The person in the video was the servant from the Tanner mansion, the exact person that had invited her to the lounge. In the video, the servant had divulged everything, including how she had invited Riley to the lounge, then Bianca so that she could be framed. The mastermind behind the incident was Melissa Lerche. Bianca could not help but find the entire incident fishy. Why would the servant of the Tanner family listen to Melissa, then turn around and betray her? ''How interesting...'' She did not say anything, nor did the police officer. After watching the video, the police officer said, "We''ll have to make a copy of the video as evidence." "No problem. I¡¯ll also hand you the assassin who tried to take Ms. Riley''s life. She''s quite stubborn, and you''ll need something extreme measures to get her to talk," Rain said cooperatively. "Did you find out anything from her?" The police officer said, feeling quite awkward. "We''rew-abiding citizens, Officer. Why would we do that? You''re better at interrogation," Rain said as she took the phone, then handed the police officer a USB drive. "There is a copy of the video inside. We''ll also send the assassin over to the police stationter." "Alright. Thank you for your cooperation," the police officer said before leaving. Bianca did not expect that the matter was resolved so easily. Rain handed the phone back to Riley. "Here''s a new phone. You should take good care of it instead of throwing it. Also, now that you¡¯ve made your statement to the police, then you should update your social media ounts to tell people that you''re still alive and not in danger. Also, you should rify that Madam Rayne isn''t the one who harmed you." "Of course." Riley seemed to be very cooperative. She took the phone but continued to look at her, "Um, will you still be around tonight?" Rain smiled but did not answer. "Those people know that I''m at this hospital. If you''re not here, my life will be in danger. Your Madam will be in trouble!" Riley nced at Bianca, knowing that Bianca''s innocence relied on Riley''s testimony. "The police already have your statement on record. Even if something happens to you, Madam won''t be involved in it." Rain was purposely pranking her. "You can''t do this to me. You can''t neglect me as long as Melissa Lerche isn''t arrested!" Riley was feeling truly afraid. She did not want to narrowly escape death again. Bianca shook her head helplessly. "You should stay here tonight, Rain. Let the bodyguards protect her until the police make their arrests." "Alright. I''m only doing so because Madam asks me to. Don''t think of trying to ckmail other people just because you have the evidence, Ms. Riley. You are powerless. If those influential people want to silence you, it''s as easy as crushing an ant," Rain told her. Riley felt guilty. She admitted that she had been naive. She nodded and said, ''Thank you. I won''t do this again next time." Bianca nced at Johann and thanked him genuinely. "Thank you for your efforts." "Just doing my job." Johann might be forced by Luke to handle several tasks, but he did not bear any resentment to him. He nced at the bandage on Bianca''s head and reminded her, "You can remove the stitches on your forehead today, Mrs. Crawford. How abouting to my officeter, and I''ll help you remove them?" Chapter 940 Chapter 940 Undeniable Proof That He Failed to Protect Her Bianca was reminded that the injury on her forehead had almost healed. It was time to remove the stitches. She nodded and smiled. "I''ll look for you in your office then. "How about me, Doctor? Will it leave a scar?" Riley touched the bandages on her forehead. It was still hurting a little. She was worried that it might leave a scar. "Your injury isn''t too serious. If you don''t want a scat, don''t touch it for the next few days and watch what you eat." Johann left after saying that. "Sorry to trouble you again, Rain. Please make sure that Ms. Riley is safe," Bianca said to Rain courteously. Rain smiled. "Don''t worry, Madam. It shall be done." "Thank you." Bianca was very polite toward Rain. Without her, Luke would not have managed to escape from the Ind of Despair. Her respect for the woman grew after knowing that they had nearly lost their lives protecting Luke during the escape. She left the ward, put on the mask, and went to Johann''s office. Bianca knocked on the door and went in. Johann was preparing the equipment. "You''re here. Please have a seat." "Alright." Bianca closed the door behind her and sat down on the chair. She saw Johann disinfect both of his hands, put on a pair of gloves, and opened a medical kit. There was a pair of scissors and pliers to cut the stitches and some bandages to dress the wound. Johann stood in front of him, removed the medical tape and undid the bandages, then gently wiped Bianca''s forehead with a cotton ball dipped in iodophor. "It''ll sting a bitter." "Mm," Bianca took a deep breath and anticipated what the doctor would do next. Johann took the scissors and pliers and prepared to cut the stitches when Luke opened the door and came in. "You don''t knock on the door before youe in. What if you give me a shock, and I identally disfigure your wife?" Johann said helplessly as he stepped away. Luke smiled. "If you close the door, I''ll have to open it. What are you afraid of?" "Don''t look at me like that. There''s nothing going on between me and your wife. I closed the door in case someone recognizes her," Johann exined. Luke closed the door, walked forward, and held Bianca''s hand. Bianca could hear the possessiveness in Luke''s voice. She smiled gently and held his hand. Johann cursed under his breath when he saw the married couple disying their affection so brazenly. He dared not say anything but continued to remove the stitches. Bianca could feel the coldness of the scissors and the plies on her skin. She felt a little sting on her forehead when the pliers pulled the thread away, which caused her to gasp. Luke was unhappy. "Be gentle." "That''s how it is. You can do it yourself if you''re not happy." Johann grinned at him. Luke was better than Johann in every aspect, but Johann was confident that his medical skills were better. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Luke was not going to take on the challenge, though he continued to stare at Johann. Soon, Johann got all the stitches out. "I''m done." He put down the scissors and pliers and prepared to dress the wound. Luke looked at Bianca''s forehead and frowned. He made sure to take every precaution, but a scar formed where the wound was. That was the proof that Luke had failed to protect Bianca. "Wait," Bianca said after noticing Luke''s expression, "Do you have a mirror? I''d like to see." Johann did not have a mirror, so he took out his phone and turned on the front-facing camera. "I don''t have a mirror, but there you go." Bianca pointed her forehead at the camera. The wound was healed, but there was a faint pink scar. "It left a scar," she said nonchntly. "It can be removed by surgery. I can schedule an operation with you if you need it," Johann said as he dressed Bianca''s forehead. "It''s fine. It''s not a big scar. Let''s just leave it that way." Bianca put the phone down. After Johann was done, she stood up and looked at Luke. "Anything else?" Luke asked. "Take off the bandages after twenty-four hours, and don''t let it get wet. Here''s the bill." Johann handed him a piece of paper. Luke smiled but did not take it. "Why, are you looking for free stuff?" Johann smiled too. "Add it to Riley''s bill." Luke took Bianca''s hand and left the room without saying a word of thanks. Bianca could only put on the mask with one hand. "Once they got into the car, Bianca took her mask off and looked at Luke while smiling. "Luke..." Her voice was coy but not cloying. She sounded like a young girl. Luke''s breathing hastened. Bianca did not know that using that voice would arouse him. He would not have been able to control his urges if not that they were in the car. As Bianca held his hand, she could feel his body temperature rising and realized that she must have somehow kindled his urges. She blushed and cleared her throat. "Um, are we going home? I drove here earlier. Maybe we should leave in separate cars?" Luke refused. He reached over and helped her fasten the seatbelt. "The driver drove your car away earlier." He did not move away after fastening the seatbelt. Instead, he showered his passionate breath over her. Bianca shuddered. She could not y dumb anymore and said, "Um, we''re in the hospital parking lot. We''ll be easily seen..." "I know." Luke could not help but devour her beauty as he gazed at her luscious lips. Luke swallowed Bianca''s cry of shock into his stomach. The kiss was as passionate and domineering as ever. Despite being in a public ce, Luke did not hold back at all. Bianca could feel her slowly losing control. If he did not stop... She dared not think about it. Luke''s unstoppable urges were roused by a single word. "Mmh..." Bianca moaned. The moan was like pouring honey on Luke''s heart. "Let''s go to a hotel, Bea." Luke''s lips moved from Bianca''s lips to her earlobe. Bianca''s eyes were losing focus. She gripped the seatbelt and instinctively shook her head. "Let''s go home." "It''s still early." Luke did not give her a chance to refuse. He drove the car to a five-star hotel nearby. Bianca nced at the time. It was indeed still early, and Lanie and Rainie were still at school. She did not protest when Luke drove her to the hotel. The Land Rover traced an arc in the hotel''s underground parking lot and smoothly sailed into a parking space. Luke and Bianca went to the lobby and booked a double room. Bianca wanted to hide when she saw the receptionist''s gaze on her. The receptionist did the check-in procedure for the couple. After they left, she prodded her colleague''s arm. "Do you think that man earlier looks like Luke Crawford of T Corporation?" "That looks like him. What room did he get?" The colleague asked. "It''s a double room. I didn''t expect that he would have the mood to make out with another woman when his wife is in such deep trouble. I have to say that he''s really handsome though." Chapter 941 Chapter 941 His Wife Is Smart "That woman is dressed in luxury clothes. Who knows, she might be his wife," another receptionist said as she took out her phone. "I remember seeing her face online." She searched around the Inte for pictures of Bianca. "See? That really is his wife." "I''m surprised that they still have the mood to make out in a hotel. I read in a forum earlier that someone is offering a bounty of a thousand dors if they could provide Bianca Rayne''s location. I don''t think the couple will leave that soon, so..." "Don''t you know that she''s hated online now? Who''s going to take responsibility if the hotel is mobbed? I don''t think the manager will forgive us. We''d better mind our own business." In the room, Luke pinned Bianca on the door. She pushed the man''s chest and said softly, "I wasn''t wearing a mask earlier, and someone might recognize me. How about we go home?" The police might have found out the truth, but they were not going to act so quickly. "No need to be afraid," Luke said as he carried Bianca in his arms. "The receptionists won''t want to bring trouble to the hotel. Also, Riley should''ve updated her Facebook status by now." Bianca held Luke''s neck tightly in case she fell. "That''s true, but... "Mmm..." Luke swallowed the rest of Bianca''s sentence. The two made out for a while until it was almost time to pick up the children. Luke helped Bianca get out of bed. Bianca rolled his eyes at Luke. That despicable man! Luke''s urges were satisfied. He nced at the woman sitting in the side passenger seat and could not help but smile. "Let''s pick up the kids." Bianca had no strength to speak. She watched him as he started the car and drove toward Lanie and Rainie''s school. She thought of checking for any news updates, but she was too spent to even take out her phone. She closed her eyes and rested. When they reached the school, Luke got out of the car and picked up the two children. Lanie and Rainie got into the car. They were pleasantly surprised when they saw their mother on the side passenger seat. "You¡¯re here, Mommy!" Bianca opened her eyes and turned around. She looked at her children with a caring gaze. "Yes. Daddy and I went to the hospital together earlier." "Why do you look so tired, Mommy?" Rainie asked out of concern. Bianca touched her face. Did she look so tired? She shook her head and said, "I''m not tired." Lanie looked at his mother carefully and said, "But we think that you look tired." They were twins, so they usually knew what each other was thinking. Bianca cleared her throat and looked usingly at the man sitting next to her. "Is that so? Maybe I didn''t sleep wellst night." "It''s the weekend tomorrow, Mommy. You should take a good rest. After we finish our homework, we''ll help you with the housework," Rainie said caringly. For Bianca''s safety, Luke did not arrange for too many caretakers to work in the other mansion. The fewer people knew where Bianca was, the better. That was why Rainie thought that her mother was tired from the housework. This is from N?velDrama.Org. "There''s no need. We''ll go back to Great-Grandpa''s house the day after tomorrow," Luke said. Lanie sat up when he heard that. "Is the matter settled, Daddy?" "It is settled." Luke nced at his son in the rear-view mirror, remembering how the boy had voiced his discontent earlier that morning. If he let the matter brew for another two days, he was afraid that his son might riot. The children loved their mother very much. "Not bad." Lanie nodded precociously and considered the resolution satisfactory. Rainie pped her hands. "That''s great! Mommy is innocent again. That means you cane to my performance next weekend, Mommy!" Bianca remembered that Rainie had joined a balletpetition in the city and obtained good results. She was invited to perform at school. She had been practicing her ballet every day after school. At first, Bianca felt disappointed that she might have to miss the performance. Now that Riley''s matter was settled, Bianca smiled when she realized that she could goto Rainie''s school and watch the performance. "Yes, I''ll be watching your performance. You''ll have to work hard!" Bianca turned her head over and cheered for her daughter. When they arrived home, Bianca hugged Tommy and guided Lanie and Rainie on their homework. The children were quite intelligent, so Bianca did not find it hard to guide them. After the children finished their homework, Bianca went upstairs and found Luke in the study. "What are you doing, Luke?" He was not processing documents. Instead, he was looking at his phone. Luke looked up, reached out, took her hand, and pulled her beside him. Bianca sat down on hisp. She was still quite tired, thanks to Luke. That was why she leaned on his body. "Riley has already posted on her Twitter ount that she''s safe. At the same time, the police are taking action," Luke said while pecking her neck. Bianca had insisted on not letting Luke kiss her neck before this. She did not want her children to see. Bianca felt that it was ticklish and moved away slightly. "It''s finally over," she said gently. "Mm." Luke knew that she was tired. He held her close to his chest and let her lean on him. Bianca felt at ease as she listened to his heartbeat. Thanks to Riley, she had received a lot of criticism and pressure online. That was not important. Instead, she felt guilty that she had brought trouble to Luke, the children, and the rest of her family. "Luke..." Bianca knew that Luke must have done something behind the scenes that caused Riley to tell the truth to the police. She was curious to know what happened. "Mm." Luke hugged her. "Why did Riley suddenly decide to tell the truth to the police?" Luke chuckled, happy that his wife was smart enough to realize that he was somehow involved. He told Bianca in detail what had happened. When Johann told him that Riley had almost recovered physically and mentally, he set his n in motion. Chapter 942 Chapter 942 The Male Lead Can Only Be Me Luke got Gale to find several bodyguards that Riley was not familiar with. They wore masks and lurked within the hospital with prop knives. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. In the next examination, Johann told Riley that she should walk around to aid in her recovery, and he also told her that she could be discharged in two days. Riley could not wait to be free from that closed environment. She begged Rain to let her take a walk in the garden downstairs. Rain initially refused her request, as the n dictated. Then, Riley name-dropped Bianca, which made Rainply. Rain pretended that she was helpless against Riley''s request. She arranged two bodyguards who were in the n to escort her. Riley went downstairs with the bodyguards. She was happy but remained cautious, wearing a mask so that she would not be recognized. The bodyguards that were lying in wait pretended to harm her. To make her not suspect anything, they had to injure her a little. They bumped into Riley''s forehead, though her bodyguards managed to fend off the two pretend viins. After suffering from the shock, Riley thought that Melissa had sent those two bodyguards to kill her and begged Rain for help. Rain said that she only acted under Luke''s orders, and she was under no further obligation to carry out any of Riley''s requests. Riley could understand the implications in Rain''s words, so she agreed to cooperate. She called the police to record her statement and told them everything in detail. After Bianca heard all that, she gently rubbed Luke''s chin. Luke''s beard stubble tickled Bianca''s fingers. She should have known that Luke did something behind the scenes and shattered Riley''s hope that someone else would save her. "If one day you decide to retire as a CEO, you can be a scriptwriter," Bianca joked. Luke grabbed her hands and said jokingly, "Alright, then you can be the female lead." "If that''s the case, won''t you have to hire a male lead for me?" Bianca gazed at him. Her eyes were brimming with love. "The male lead can only be me." Luke hugged her and nted an overbearing kiss on her lips. Bianca responded to the kiss by pouring all her passion and love into it. Melissa sat on the couch in the Lerche residence, browsing her phone for news. The assassin organization had not contacted her for a while, so she could only find information about Riley online. She suspected that Luke and Bianca had hidden Riley somewhere. Despite engaging in the services of a private detective agency, she had not managed to find Bianca''s whereabouts. Bianca seemed to havepletely disappeared from A City. The only thing she found was that Bianca had appeared at a police station once, but that was not because of Riley. With no other solution, Melissa could only issue a bounty online. Melissa was angry and frustrated that she had no clue where Bianca was. When she prepared to go downstairs, her phone suddenly rang. A string of random numbers showed up on her phone screen. She quickly headed back to her bedroom, closed the door, and answered it. "How inefficient can you get? To think that I''ve paid you money for this! I want to raise aint! I''ll expose you on the Inte!" Melissa yelled into the phone to express her dissatisfaction. She had been happy but apprehensive over that period. She was happy that Bianca''s reputation in A City was in tatters. On the other hand, she was apprehensive that Riley and her assassin had gone missing, and the assassin organization could not find any leads. The person on the other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds." Ms. Lerche, instead of comining here, why not spend the time to figure out how to cover your *ss?" He sounded quite hostile. "What do you mean?" Melissa thought that the assassins wanted to take revenge against her. "Go look at the Twitter ount of your target, thene and talk to us." The man gave her a reminder to make up for the fact that the assassins were not able to finish the job. He ended the call, and Melissa could only hear the busy tone from the phone after that. She sat down on the couch and opened the Twitter app. She had known Riley''s Twitter handle from a previous investigation. When she entered the name, she saw that there was a new update. It was a video, too. After Melissa watched it, she could not help but curse, ''That b*tch!" Riley had announced that the person who harmed her was not Bianca Rayne but Melissa Lerche. At the same time, she was safe under Luke Crawford''s protection, and she had given her statement to the police. ¡®The police...¡¯ Melissa suddenly understood that the call from the assassin organization was to tell her to run away. ''That b*tch Riley has already informed the police. The police will be here soon.'' Melissa tossed her phone aside. ¡°No, they can''t arrest me." She quickly stood up, took out her suitcase from the closet, stashed several clothes inside, found her ID and passport, and prepared toy low overseas. The servant knocked on her room door. "Are you inside, Miss?" Melissa zipped up her suitcase and told the person outside the door, "I''m here. Get the driver to prepare the car. I want to go out for a bit." As she said that, she walked toward the bedroom door and opened it. When she saw the police officers behind the servant, she dropped the suitcase and fell sitting down on the floor. The servant quickly helped her up. "What''s wrong, Miss?" Melissa struggled to get to her feet and pretended to be confused. "Who are they? Why are they here?" "The police are here to look for you, Miss. They said that they need your cooperation in an investigation." The servant did not check the Inte, so she did not know that Riley had reappeared and used Melissa of being the mastermind. "And you believe them? You''re so silly to let those impostors in!" Melissa red angrily at the servant. She did not expect that the police woulde to look for her so fast! How was she going to escape? Melissa''s head spun. She was not going to outrun those police officers. ''What can I do...'' The police officers shed their badges. "We are real police officers, Ms. Lerche. We are suspecting that you have harmed Ms. Riley. Please cooperate with us for the investigation." "Nonsense! I don¡¯t know who Riley is! Also, you must have faked your badges! Quick, call the police!" Melissa pinched the servant and tried to remainposed. "Ah!" The servant shrieked in pain. She hesitated as she looked at the police officers in front of her. Should she call the police? Would they me her if they turned out to be real police officers? "There''s no need, Ms. Lerche. If you don''t cooperate, then we''ll have to bring you back by force." A police officer took out a pair of handcuffs. In despair, Melissa thought of an idea. She shrieked in agony, closed her eyes, and fell on the floor. "Miss!" The servant was shocked and quickly supported her. Chapter 943 Chapter 943 Getting Closer To Luke The maid was dedicated to her job. "Of course. That''s no problem at all. When Mr. Doyle is here, HI go upto inform you immediately." "Thanks." After Luca thanked her, she left the kitchen and went upstairs. She did not return to the bedroom but went to the study. 1 When she got up today, she checked her wound and noticed that the inmmation was much worse than yesterday. From the condition of her wound, she knew things were not looking optimistic. The medications she had with her had no effect on the wound. If she wanted the wound to heal, she would have to take action fast. Otherwise, she could no longer hide her wound from others. After Luca closed the door, she took the sample and continued with the research. About half an hourter, the maid came and knocked on the door. "Are you inside, Ms. Luca?¡¯ Luca massaged her temples and spoke toward the door, "I am. Is Mr. Doyle here already?" "Yes, Ms. Luca," said the maid. Luca got up and walked out of the study. The maid was waiting for her at the door. *l got it. Let''s go," she said and walked to her bedroom. She picked up the documents and headed downstairs. Jason was still reporting his work progress to Luke in the maid''s room. As for Luca, she was standing in the living room, waiting for him. About another half an hour passed. Only then did Jason carry a huge stack of documents out of the maid''s room. Luca noticed that his expression was dark. She stepped forward and handed him the documents. "Mr. Doyle, these are the tranted documents from yesterday. The tranted information has already been sent." "Dr. Craw, my hands are full now. You can just ce them on top of this stack," said Jason. Luca ced the documents on top. "Then, I shall take my leave now." Jason saw that the documents were ced securely and were about to leave. Thepany''s project was not put on hold just because Luke was injured. The project was at the final stages, and if everything went smoothly, they would be able to finalize the bidding document. Hence, he was especially busy. "What about the documents that I need to work on?" Luca reminded him. "There''s nothing for today. There are not many documents left that need to be tranted. Alya can handle the rest by herself. That¡¯s why I didn''t bring anything for you," Jason exined with a smile. "Does it mean that the bidding document for the project is almost done, then?" Luca asked as she recalled helping Luke to work on some documents yesterday. Even though those were not important documents, it did seem like things were at the final stage now. "Yes," said Jason. After a few months of busying themselves, the bidding document for the project was almost done. Luca became slightly emotional. Luke was indeed capable. Despite so many things happening along the journey, he was still able toplete the bidding document sessfully. "If there''s nothing else for me to work on, then I''ll head back to work," said Luca, not forgetting about her main career. She was not a trantor nor Luke''s assistant but a researcher. "Not for now, Craw. You can just stay here to look after Mr. Crawford," said Jason. She still had to look after Luke. Luca was stunned, then she smiled helplessly and nodded. Her career had actually turned into looking after Luke. From the moment she returned, she had been with a motive and was selfish. She did everything just to get closer to Luke. She seeded and became his employee. However, the distance between them was far from estranged. Instead, they were getting closer and closer to each other. She first became a trantor. Now, in everyone''s opinion, she was someone who looked after Luke. Jason saw Luca smile and did not think much about it. He carried the stack of documents and left. "Go and help Mr. Doyle," Luca reminded the maid. "Alright." The maid followed along and caught up to Jason''s footsteps. She took the initiative to help him carry a few documents. Luca looked at the maid''s room but did not enter. Instead, she chose to head upstairs and continue with her research.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. After the maid sent Jason off, she returned to the living room and saw Luke sitting in his wheelchair in the middle of the hall. "Ddi Luca go out?" he asked. "Nope. I think Ms. Luca is upstairs. For the past two days, she¡¯s always in the study whenever she has spare time. I wonder what''s she researching?" the maid answered. Earlier when Luca opened the door, she noticed there were a few machines in the study. Even though she did not know anything about those things, she knew that they were all items for research. "Sir, do you need anything from Ms. Luca? Do you want me to call her down?" the maid asked again. "No need. As long as she didn¡¯t leave," Luke said and maneuvered his wheelchair back to the maid''s room. The project was at its final stage, and he could not help but have a bad feeling about it. ''If Luca is really hiding her identity and trying to get close to me due to a mission, then once this project is done, she might have to leave regardless of whether she aplishes her mission or not.¡¯ All he could do now was investigate the organization controlling Luca behind the scenes. As for the other issues, he could not do anything about them. Even if he wanted to make Luca stay, perhaps he might not be able to. At noon, Luca came downstairs. When she was preparing lunch, the doorbell of the vi sounded. She was slicing the meat and looked at the maid beside her, who was helping to wash the vegetables. She said, "My hands are greasy. Can you please go and see who¡¯s at the door?¡± "Alright." The maid turned off the tap and walked to the hall. Luca continued to slice the meat. After half a minute, the maid came in with a troubled look. "Ms. Luca, I think it''s best if you go and have a look at things? I don''t know how should I handle this. Mr. Crawford has ordered that if there''s nothing urgent, then I shouldn''t go in and disturb him when he''s working." "What''s wrong?" Looking at the maid''s expression made Luca stop her actions of slicing the meat. She immediately washed her hands. "There are two men outside saying that they want to meet Mr. Crawford. Judging from their appearances, one of them is older than the other. Since Mr. Crawford didn''t mention that people would being over, I asked for their names and their reason for wanting to meet Mr. Crawford. They said they were the ones involved in the car ident and are here to apologize to Mr. Crawford. In this kind of situation, I think it''s best not to let them in. I asked them to return for now, but they insist on meeting Mr. Crawford. If they don¡¯t see him, they¡¯ll keep waiting at the door," said the maid. The people involved in the ident? "I think it''s best to have the police handle it. Why would theye here?" Luca frowned. As Luke was injured, he was also a victim. Logically speaking, those youngsters were indeed the ones who should be med. There was nothing suspicious in this incident, so they should just let the police handle it. After Luke gave his statement, no one hade to bother him. Besides, Jason had settled everything that had to do with the ident. Why did these people suddenly show up? "HI go and have a look," said Luca as she left the kitchen and arrived in the living room. She activated the video function at the door and saw the two people the maid had mentioned. They were still standing at the entrance, waiting. She did not say a word and had turned off the speaker. She did not inform Luke about it immediately but called Jason instead." Mr. Doyle, are you free right now?" "Yes. What''s wrong, Dr. Craw?" Jason asked "Regarding the car ident that Mr. Crawford was involved in, has the verdict been made?" Luca asked. Even though the police had not said a word, ording to the standard procedures, these people should be the ones bearing all responsibility. After all, they had driven under the influence and even injured someone. Chapter 944 Chapter 944 My Most Precious Princess Wildflowers grew along thekeside. Rainie was restless when she saw those beautiful flowers and grasses. "Alright." Bianca fed Tommy thest piece of apple and watched him chew it happily. She wiped her hands and asked, "Shall we go and pick some flowers with Rainie?" Tommy shook his head. "That''s girl''s stuff." Bianca was caught in a dilemma. She could not leave Tommy alone there, but she did not want to let Rainie wander off on her own either. Tommy stood up and pointed at where Luke and Lanie were. "I want to go and see the fishies, Mommy." Bianca smiled, held his hand, and brought him to Luke. "Daddy! I want to see the fishies!" Tommy said coyly as he hugged his father''s arm. Luke was attaching the bait to the hook. When he saw his youngest son grinning at him, he put the fishing rod away and brought him to hisp. "Alright, but you can''t make any noise," he said. Tommy did not understand. "Why can''t I make any noise?" "The fish won''t bite if you make noise!" Lanie exined while wondering why his younger brother seemed so much more simple-minded compared to him when he was his younger brother''s age. Did Tommy inherit his mother''s genes instead? Tommy covered his mouth with his hands and nodded. Bianca could not help but chuckle when she saw him do that. "Be a good boy and sit here, Tommy. I''ll bring Rainie for a walk nearby." "Alright, Mommy!" Tommy hesitated for two seconds before uncovering his mouth, answered the question, and covered his mouth with his hands again. Bianca patted his head. "Don''t go too far," Luke said. "I know. I''m not a child." Bianca smiled, held Rainie''s hand, and walked around. Theke was surrounded by a carpet of green grass and blooming wildflowers. Rainie happily went around picking flowers under Bianca''s supervision. Rainie was dressed in a white dress and wore a butterfly-shaped hair clip. Her long hair was scattered over her shoulders, and she looked like a little fairy. Bianca''s gaze on her was gentle. Rainie had inherited her features, and she was cute and gentle. Bianca felt a little emotional when she saw Rainie running toward her while carrying a bunch of wildflowers. When she was eighteen, she did not expect that her daughter would be so cute. Rainie handed her the bunch of flowers. "These flowers are so pretty, Mommy. Shall we make some gands?" Bianca held Rainie''s hand as they walked back to the pic nket. She nodded. ¡¯Alright, let''s make some gands for Princess Rainie." She nced at thekeside. Luke, Lanie, and Tommy were still fishing. Rainie could not help but mumble when she saw that. "Mommy, why do they like fishing?" Bianca wondered how to answer her daughter''s question. She pouted and eventually said, "I guess men just like fishing." "Fishing is so boring." Rainie sat on the pic nket and watched the three males maintaining the same position. She could not see why it was fun. She held a flower stalk in each of her hands and did not know what to do." How do I make a gand, Mommy?" She asked Bianca. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Bianca sat down, held a length of Cape ivy in one hand and a bellwort in her other, and started weaving slowly so that Rainie could follow her motions. Rainie picked two of her favorite flowers from the bunch and started weaving too. A whileter, she had sessfully made arge gand. On the other hand, Bianca was holding a small gand in her hands. Rainie smiled when she saw that. "Why did you make such a small gand, mommy?" "Because this is for you, Rainie." Bianca ced the gand on Rainie''s head and held it in ce with the hair clip. Rainie touched the gand carefully and asked sweetly, "Am I pretty, Mommy?¡± Bianca nodded and took some photos of her daughter with her phone." You''re the most beautiful princess in the world, Rainie." Rainie shook her head and said seriously, "You''re the most beautiful princess, Mommy." Bianca smiled and touched her face. "Is that so?" "That''s why you should wear a gand too. I made this for you." Rainie held the gand carefully in case she crumpled the petals. It was then Bianca realized that Rainie had made the gand for her. "Thank you, Rainie." She wanted to take it, but Rainie stood up. "Hm?" Bianca was puzzled. "Daddy should put this on for you." Rainie walked over to Luke and handed the gand to him. " Daddy, is Mommy the most beautiful princess in the world?" Luke put Tommy down and took the gand. "Of course, she''s my most beautiful and most precious princess." His eyes were brimming with love as he gazed into her eyes. Bianca felt her heart beating faster. "Help Mommy put the gand on, Daddy," Rainie smiled and said. Luke did not refuse. He stood up and walked toward Bianca with the gand in his hands. He was already a head taller than Bianca, so he only had to lift his hands a little to ce the gand on Bianca''s head. He had a serious expression on his face as though he was cing a crown on a queen''s head. Bianca''s heart thumped wildly. Even though they had been living together for a long time, she could not help but feel nervous whenever he did something so intimate to her. "You''re so beautiful, Mommy. You look like a fairy!" Rainie pped her hands happily. "Your Mommy is always my fairy," Luke said after hearing what his daughter said and nted a kiss on Bianca''s forehead. Tears welled up in Bianca''s eyes. She lifted her hand and touched the gand on her head. "Don''t move. You look perfect." Luke held her hand. The three children were looking at their parents, not caring that the fishing rod had caught a fish. "Shall we take a photo together?" Rainie suggested. She noticed that Luke had brought photography equipment along. "Alright." Luke kissed Bianca''s cheek, which was shining tantalizingly under the sunlight. He thought that was not enough and gave her a few more kisses. Bianca gently pushed him away and smiled. "Aren''t we taking a photo?" Luke was enjoying those intimate moments with her when Bianca pushed him away. He felt a peculiar twinge in his heart, but it soon disappeared when he saw her brilliant smile. He went to the car and took out the camera and tripod from the boot. Luke ced the camera on the tripod, adjusted the settings, and set the timer. Then, he quickly walked up next to Bianca, took her hand, and smiled gently. Bianca gently leaned on him. Her other hand was holding Rainie''s hand. Lanie stood on the other side of Luke. A rare smile appeared on his cool face. Tommy stood between the two adults and did a victory pose. Click! The camera shed and captured that blissful moment. Lanie went to take the camera and handed it to Luke. Luke was satisfied with the oue. He handed the camera to Bianca. "This is beautiful!" Bianca could not stop smiling as she looked at the happy family of five in the photo. Chapter 945 Chapter 945 It Is Not Easy to Be Mrs. Crawford Bianca crouched down so that the three children could look at the photo too. "Daddy, Mommy, why don''t we print a big one and frame it in the living room?" Lanie suggested. "Alright." Luke thought that it was a good idea. Other than the wedding photo with the children, they did not have any other family photos. The photo wouldplete their home. Bianca took the camera and snapped many photos of the children. Theirughter echoed at thekeside. At that time, they did not know that a sinister pair of eyes was watching them from a small patch of forest on the opposite side of theke. "Luke Crawford..." There was a vicious ferocity in that man''s gray eyes. He wished that he could tear the man in front of him into pieces! Luke, Bianca, and the children went to Crawford Manor the next day. Bianca held Rainie and Lanie''s hands while Luke carried Tommy. The family of five entered the door. Before the adults opened their mouths, Rainie and Lanie greeted Old Master Crawford who was sitting on the couch, "Good morning, GreatGrandpa." Tommy was slightly slower, but he was notcking in spirit. "Good morning, Great-Grandpa!" A smile appeared on Old Master Crawford''s stern face. He had not seen the three children for some time, and he missed them. "Come here, let your Great-Grandpa see if you''ve been good children," he said as he beckoned to them. Luke put Tommy down but did not step forward. He held Bianca''s hand tightly and stood together with her. Old Master Crawford was unhappy that Luke was slow in Riley''s incident. He was also dissatisfied with what Bianca did. The three children ran up in front of Old Master Crawford and stood in a row. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Rainie and Lanie could read Old Master Crawford''s expression. They showered him with ttery to make him happy. Indeed, Old Master Crawford''s mood became better. The servant brought out a tray with two teacups for Bianca and Luke. Bianca and Luke took a teacup each and went in front of Old Master Crawford. Luke handed his cup to Old Master Crawford and said respectfully, "Have some tea, Grandfather." The smile on Old Master Crawford''s face faded a little, but he took the cup and sipped from it. Next, Bianca also did the same thing. She handed the cup over, lowered her head, and said respectfully, "Please have some tea, Grandfather." Old Master Crawford grunted coldly but did not take the cup. Luke''s expression sank by a little. "Grandfather." Old Master Crawford interjected, "Don''t speak. Bianca, I have something to ask you." Bianca¡¯s arms were stretched straight while still holding the cup. "Please do, Grandfather." "Do you know that you''ve brought much trouble to Luke, the Crawford family, and T Corporation?" Old Master Crawford''s tone sounded usatory. Bianca was instantly nervous. She knew that Luke had spent many sleepless nights trying to resolve thepany crisis. As for the Crawford family, they had be the subject of ridicule in the upper circles of society because of her. She nodded. "I know. I admit that I am at fault for the oversight." "You''re indeed at fault! You might not have done anything, but if you had only minded your own business, you wouldn''t have gotten yourself implicated, and you wouldn''t have caused so much trouble. The three children almost had a prisoner for a mother!" Old Master Crawford thought that he needed to teach her a lesson. It was not that easy to be part of the Crawford family. Bianca''s heart wrenched when Old Master Crawford mentioned the children. If not for Luke''s help, she would have brought shame to the three children. She lowered her head more. Rainie and Lanie felt uneasy when they saw that. However, as children, they were in no position to say or do anything. Meanwhile, Tommy was on the verge of tears because of the serious atmosphere. Luke wanted to say something again. Old Master Crawford red at him. "Shut up. You can speak up for your wife, but I''m not done talking yet." Luke could only do what he was told. He wanted to take the cup from Bianca''s hands, but she was holding it tightly with her arms stretched straight. Old Master Crawford continued his lecture. "You are Luke''s wife, and as his wife, you should share his burdens instead of adding to his worries. What you do in public directly affects Luke''s reputation. You have to be careful in both your speech and your actions. If the same situation happens again, you''d better not think of doing anything before you know what the other party wants. Remember, you are a Crawford now, and no one can force you to do anything!" "Yes, Grandfather." Bianca smiled dryly. She fell into the trap because she wanted to share Luke''s burdens. However, she failed to gauge how despicable one could be and nearly allowed Melissa''s n to seed. Bianca did not resent Old Master Crawford for lecturing her. Instead, she felt grateful. She would not be rash anymore. Old Master Crawford grunted coldly, took the teacup from her hands, and sipped from it. Bianca breathed a sigh of relief. It meant that Old Master Crawford had forgiven her. "Alright, it''s rare that youe here, and you should spend the night here. Don''t you have a performance tomorrow, Rainie? I want to watch it too." Old Master Crawford patted Rainie''s head. His stern lecture earlier must have frightened the children. However, he had to let Bianca know not to be so kind all the time. Not only would that not help Luke, but she would also add to his burdens. That was a lecture that he had to deliver. Bianca nodded and said, "Alright. I''ll go upstairs and tidy up the room." "Alright," Old Master Crawford said while ying with the children. Bianca and Luke went upstairs while Old Master Crawford yed with the children in the living room. After seeing their parents disappear from view, Rainie suddenly stood up straight. Lanie also stood up straight. "Yes?" Old Master Crawford looked at his two great-grandchildren lovingly. Rainie spoke first, "Great-Grandpa, Mommy did that because she cared for Daddy. You were too stern earlier, and I don''t like it." Old Master Crawford opened his mouth slightly. He turned to look at Lanie. "Great-Grandpa, it was indeed Mommy''s oversight that caused the incident, but Mommy is a woman, and it''s Daddy''s duty to protect her. You can scold Mommy, but you''ll have to scold Daddy too. He''s also at fault," Lanie said confidently. Old Master Crawford found it very interesting. "What''s your Daddy''s fault?" "Daddy is wrong for not protecting Mommy. If he did not leave Mommy alone and keep the baddies away, the incident wouldn''t have happened. That''s why when you scold Mommy, you should scold Daddy too," Lanie said. Chapter 946 Chapter 946 The Two Children Are Very Protective of Bianca Old Master Crawford chuckled. The two children loved their mother very much. Tommy also tugged Old Master Crawford''s pant leg. Old Master Crawford lowered his head and looked at the little boy. "Do you have anything to tell me, Tommy?" "Great-Grandpa, if you scold Mommy like that again, I won''t y with you anymore!" The three children looked at their great-grandfather determinedly. Old Master Crawford looked at the three children and shook his head helplessly. "Looks like you don''t respect your great-grandpa after all." Lanie corrected him, "We respect you, and we love you, Great-Grandpa, but we''ll have to point out your mistake." Since young, Luke had told Lanie that he should be righteous and just. Lanie thought that Old Master Crawford had not been just. "Alright, alright, I was wrong. I won''t do that next time." Old Master Crawford feltforted by the determination in Lanie''s eyes. The Crawford family needed people like him to pass on the family legacy. Luke was a sessful educator. Bianca went into the room and reced the bedding. The servant cleaned the room every day. All Bianca had to do before she rested on the bed was to change the bedding. Right after she took the bedding from the closet, Luke took the nket from her hands. "Allow me to do it.¡± Bianca smiled. "It''s fine. It''s not heavy anyway." Luke took the bedding to the bed. The servant was not going to let them do the chores; she quickly came in and said, "Please let me do it, Sir." Bianca took Luke''s hand and walked out of the room. They did not go downstairs. Instead, they went to the balcony on the second floor. Luke took her hand and sat down on the rattan chair, and Bianca sat down on his right. The potted nts on the balcony were thriving. The sunlight was gentle, and a warm breeze made the curtains flutter gently. As the two people sat there, the scene was as beautiful as a painting. "We haven''t sat together so peacefully for a long time." Bianca and Luke''s hands intertwined. She smiled gently, rested her head on his shoulder, and enjoyed the tranquil moment. This is from N?velDrama.Org. T Corporation was negatively affected by Riley''s incident, and its share prices had fallen. Luke had to get up early every morning to go to work. Bianca felt sorry for him that she could not do anything about it. As the work in thepany increased, the couple spent less time together. However, she had no comints and did her best to take care of the children. She did not expect that Riley''s incident would be resolved the next time that they could sit together and enjoy a moment of peace. Luke draped his arm over her shoulder and randomly tickled her arm. ''Til spend more time sitting together with you in the future, but..." Bianca turned her head and looked at his sculpted chin and his firm lips that were curled upward in a familiar smile. She knew what he was thinking. Luke lowered his head and said, "We shouldn''t waste our personal time sitting here. How about if we go back to the bedroom?" Bianca blushed and pushed his chest away. "It''s still daytime, and you''re already thinking of frivolous things. It''s a good thing that there''s no one around us. Otherwise, they''ll make fun of you." Luke hugged her tightly. "I don''t care what other people think." Bianca chuckled. She leaned on his chest and gazed at the scenery beyond the balcony. "No one in A City dares to make fun of you." He was the CEO of T Corporation, and he wielded significant influence over the economy of A City. Luke rubbed her forehead with his chin. "Yes, no one would dare to say anything. Don''t worry about what Grandfather said." Bianca shook his head and smiled. She held his left hand with both of her hands and curled up her pinky finger as though making a pinky promise. Old Master Crawford must have his reasons to tell her that. Bianca would not forget the lesson, and she would keep it close to her heart. The couple went to the dining hall at lunchtime, holding each other''s hands tightly. The other family members were already seated. Seeing Allison, Bianca knew that there would be trouble. As expected, Allison''s expression darkened when she saw Bianca. Luke did not say anything. He led Bianca to her seat and sat her down. Other than Louis and his family, everyone else was there. "Let''s eat." After Old Master Crawford gave the order, the dishes were brought to the table. Everyone waited for Old Master Crawford to pick up his cutlery before starting to eat. Allison picked up a piece of roast chicken and frowned. "Is oil free? This chicken is so oily. It''ll be very fattening." The cook felt aggrieved. Susan liked her roast chicken that way. "I might have added a little too much oil today. I''m sorry, Madam." She had been using the same recipe, but she had to admit that she was at fault. Susan elegantly put down her cutlery and wiped the corners of her mouth." The roast chicken today is excellent, and it tastes just like the usual. It''s not your fault, but someone here isn''t used to home- cooked dishes after tasting exotic delicacies." Allison bristled when she heard those words. Susan was implying that Allison did not belong to the Crawford family. Indeed, she would not have been part of the family if not for Luke. However, her marriage to Zachary was not legally recognized, and her title as "Madam Crawford" was merely made-up. Allison was here at Crawford Manor today to look for Luke. She had squandered all her money, but she did not manage to contact Luke. When she found out that Luke was at Crawford Manor today, she rushed over as fast as she could. She was prepared to face hostility from Susan and Allison, but she could not hold her temper down when Susan provoked her that way. m! Allison mmed her fork on the table and red viciously at Susan. Bianca was startled when she saw Allison''s face. Allison''s skin seemed impable. However, when she got angry, all the ws on her skin would appear. Her delicate facial features were contorted whenever she was angry. "Oh? Are you angry?" Susan was not afraid of Allison and continued to goad her, "You must be feasting every day in your mansion, and the food here probably isn''t to your liking anymore. Am I right? Sure, you can probably try another dish, but I don''t think any of the dishes here can match your exquisite taste." The wrinkles on Allison''s face became deeper as she roared, "Shut up! It''s none of your business what I eat! What are you going to do about it?" "Shut up!" That was from Old Master Crawford. Susan was about to offer her retort but decided not to do so when Old Master Crawford gave the order. She nced smugly at Allison''s face that had turned hideous because of anger. Susan was sure that Old Master Crawford was not talking to her. Chapter 947 Chapter 947 Allison Only Brought Trouble for Luke Everyone in A City knew about Allison''s extravagant lifestyle. Old Master Crawford was not close to other wealthydies, but he had heard rumors. The Crawford family might be wealthy, but all that wealth had toe from somewhere. Old Master Crawford had worked hard since he was young and had amassed a lot of wealth. People from his generation were very thrifty, and they would save every cent whenever possible. Even until today, Old Master Crawford would not waste any money. His clothes were expensive, but theysted for a long time. He always believed that clothes made the man, which was why he did not spare any expense on his clothes. What Allison had been doing was the exact opposite of Old Master Crawford''s principles. Allison might have moved out of Crawford Manor, and her personal life was no one else''s business, but all her money came from the Crawford family! Susan looked at Allison smugly while waiting for Old Master Crawford to continue speaking. "If you don''t like the food here, you can go back to your mansion and eat there." Old Master Crawford''s voice was resonant and authoritative. His discontent toward Allison grew every day. Even though Allison was his daughter-inw, she seemed to have forgotten all manners ever since she moved out. She never visited him, and he would only see her if Luke was there. That was the least harmless thing Allison had done. What was worse was that her excessive lifestyle and her arrogant manner had tarnished the reputation of the Crawford family. As Luke''s mother, Allison only brought endless trouble for him! N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Old Master Crawford would have disowned Allison, if not that she was the one who raised Luke. Allison was furious, though she could sense the change in Old Master Crawford''s emotions. She had rarely visited his father-inw because she was busy with her beauty routines. Why would Old Master Crawford treat her so badly? Allison wondered if Susan had told Old Master Crawford something. Thanks to Luke, Old Master Crawford had given preferential treatment to Allison. After all, Luke was the capable and talented one, while Louis was a yboy with no skills! Allison regretted moving out of Crawford Manor, but she had no reason to move back either. She lived a carefree life in her mansion, free from Old Master Crawford''s influence! After Old Master Crawford said his piece, she had nothing else to say and could only eat the rest of her meal in embarrassment. Luke said nothing and picked up a piece of roast chicken for Bianca. Allison''s expression turned unpleasant instantly. She put down her cutlery and said, "Pick a piece of egg for me, Luke." Luke nced coldly at her and reminded her, "The egg is right in front of you." "Pfft!" Susan could not help but chuckle audibly. Allison''s expression sank. She did not raise Luke to have him embarrass her in front of other people! She lost her temper, mmed the cutlery on the table once more, and stood up. The chair screeched as it scraped the floor. "I''m done eating. Clean up my te," she said. "Yes," the cook said and took her te. Allison shot a hostile re at Susan and Bianca, then left the dining hall. Bianca was quite bemused by it all. She rubbed her nose, picked some food for Tommy, then continued eating her meal. Allison waited in the living room for the rest of the family to finish their lunch. She stood up when she saw Lukee out. "Go to the study, Luke. I have something to discuss with you." Luke frowned but did not say anything. Allison stomped his foot. "Why are you still standing there? Go upstairs." She thought that she couldmand respect because she was Luke''s mother, but Luke remained standing on the spot. "We can talk here if you have anything to say." Allison shot a nce at Susan, who wasing out of the living room. She took a deep breath and calmed down. "There are outsiders here. Let''s go upstairs and talk." Bianca listened to their conversation and tugged Luke''s shirt sleeve." Maybe she has something important to tell you. Why don''t you go upstairs? It won''t take long, right?" Bianca did not want to see Allison and Luke be enemies. After all, she was one of the reasons why their rtionship soured. Luke listened to Bianca and went upstairs. Before Allison went upstairs, she red coldly at Bianca. She was not grateful that Bianca had helped her. Instead, she was angry that Luke obeyed Bianca instead of her. She felt that her son did not belong to her anymore. That feeling of loss made her miserable. Allison swore to herself that she would wrest control of Luke once more. She would only get to live comfortably if Luke obeyed her. When they were in the study, Allison closed the door behind her and locked it. "What do you want to say?" Luke asked her. Tears instantly gushed from Allison''s eyes. "I''m your mother, Luke. How can you be so cold to me?" Luke did not feel anything as he watched the tears fall from her face. Since young, he had seen Allison cry in front of him because she wanted more riches, just so that she could unt them in front of Susan or her friends. She would never cry because of Luke''s behavior. Allison cried for a full minute. She thought that Luke would give her a word offort, but Luke looked at her coldly without saying anything. She could not cry anymore because of the awkwardness, so she took a napkin and carefully wiped her eyes. "You''re already grown up and have your own family. I shouldn''t interfere in your matters, but I''m disappointed in your nonchnce. I''ve given birth to you and raised you, but you didn''t even greet me and had even humiliated me in front of others. How did we be like this, Luke?" Luke became impatient in the face of Allison''s questions. "Is that all you have to say, Mother?" Allison was shocked. That speech did not move him at all... "If there''s nothing else, I''ll be ying chess with Grandfather," Luke said as he walked toward the door. Allison decided not to stall him with rtionship matters. "There''s another thing. I''ve almost run out of money. Give me some money," she said. Luke turned around and looked at her with a profound gaze. ''So that''s the reason why she''s here.'' Allison could not tell what her son was thinking. She could only exin herself, "You see, it''s been quite a while since you gave me that three million dors. It''s not easy for me to live alone, and I have a lot of expenses. That''s why I''m running out of money." Luke frowned. Spending one million in a month was already very excessive. Bianca had been keeping track of their expenses. The family of five spent about a hundred thousand dors every month. Allison, on the other hand, spent three million dors in the blink of an eye. She was the most excessive of all. Chapter 948 Chapter 948 No Matter How Useless She Might Be, She Is His Mother Allison became nervous, seeing that Luke did not say anything. She had already maxed out her credit card, and she would be cklisted if she did not repay the debt. One of her friends was the wife of a banker. Everyone would know if she got cklisted. "Can you bear to see your mother starve?" Allison began to cry again. Her red and puffy eyes looked more realistic than ever. Rather than trying to evoke pity from her son, those were tears of desperation. Luke stood there with his hands in his pockets and looked at his mother coldly. Allison was used to Luke''s cold treatment, but she was losing her temper. No matter how useless she might be, she was nheless his mother! Allison did not want to throw tantrums because she wanted money. All she could do was cry and evoke pity. Luke was getting impatient with his mother''s waterworks. Through the entirety of Riley¡¯s incident, his mother had never even given him a phone call. Now that the matter was settled, he saw her in Crawford Manor. She said that she missed him, but she actually missed his money. "How much do you want?" Luke said coldly. Allison instantly stopped crying. She wanted to ask for a big figure, but she remembered that Luke had only given her three million dors when she asked for thirty million. At that time, T Corporation was facing a financial crisis, and he did not have much cash. Now that the situation was different, she expected that she could ask for more. "Mm, how about five million?" She said as she syed a hand. Luke frowned even harder. Allison exined sheepishly when she saw that, "I have some credit card debt to pay. Also, I''ll have to pay maintenance fees for the mansion and the caretakers'' sry..." "Mother, do you think that the Crawford family prints money?" Luke thought that his mother was getting greedier than ever. She had easily squandered three million. Even if he gave her the full five million, it would not take long for her to spend it all. This is from N?velDrama.Org. For an ordinary A City citizen, five million dors was enough tost a lifetime. Allison''s eyes were bloodshot, and she pretended that she was losing her temper. "I''ve suffered so much when giving birth to you, and I''ve waited for you to be a sessful man. I''m not asking too much for you other than money. Now that T Corporation has solved its financial crisis, you should have a lot of cash on hand..." Luke''s expression was as dark as ink. He took out his phone and transferred one million dors to Allison''s ount. Allison was delighted when she received the transfer notification. When she looked at the amount on her phone, she eximed in surprise, "What? Only one million?" Luke was already walking out of the study. Allison quickly followed behind him. "You can''t treat me like this, my son. That won¡¯tst two weeks." The three million dors that he gave her vanished in the blink of an eye. What was she going to do with only one million dors? Her exquisite meals, her beauty essence, and the maintenance of all the beauty treatment machines needed money! "One million dors is more than enough. You''ll also be receiving dividends from your T Corporation shares next month. That''ll be enough for a few months," Luke said as he opened the door. He did not mind supporting his mother in her old age, but that did not mean that she could be wasteful. "We''re not even halfway through the month yet, and the dividends will only be paid at the end of next month. One million isn''t going to be enough. How about two million? Can you give me two million?" She followed closely behind him, hoping that he would give her more money. Luke ignored her and left the room. Allison stood at the door. She did not chase after him. It would be embarrassing for her to do so. Susan was downstairs waiting to watch the drama. Allison wanted to smash something, but she was in Old Master Crawford''s study, and there were many expensive antiques there. She dared not smash anything there, and she could only restrain herself. She looked around the room, and her eyes eventually fell on the desk. There was an inkwell that she had never seen before. Perhaps it was a new addition to Old Master Crawford''s collection. Allison had learned some antique appraisal skills to gain Old Master Crawford''s favor. She walked up to the desk, gently picked up the inkwell, and carefully scrutinized it. "This is worth a lot!" She eximed softly. She thought of the one million dors that Luke had given her. That was not going to be enough... Allison thought of an idea. However, she did not take the inkwell. Instead, she put it back where it belonged and went downstairs. If the inkwell went missing, even an idiot would know that she took it. It was not the time to steal it. Allison walked down the stairs. She saw Luke ying chess with Old Master Crawford in the living room, while Bianca was feeding her children fruit. She grunted coldly and returned to her mansion. Elise stood up from the couch as soon as she heard the sound of her employer''s caring from afar. She waited at the front door and smiled as Allison walked in. "Wee home, Madam." Allison was not in a good mood. Luke had given her money, but the amount was less than she expected. She had a feeling that Luke would be giving her less and less money. If she did not have money, she would not be able to maintain her current lifestyle... Allison sat on the couch with a sullen expression on her face. Elise could tell that her employer was in a bad mood. She served Allison a cup of floral tea and lowered the music in the background. "Please have some tea, Madam," she said softly so that she did not disturb Allison. Allison felt a little better after taking a sip. ¡¯ Where''s Elsa?" She asked. "Elsa is preparing the beauty essence in the salon. The sunlight is quite strong today, and you''ll need special treatment to maintain your youth and vibrancy," Elise exined. The beauty essence that Allison had been using was depleted. Elsa brought in another batch. While Allison was not around, Elsa had to mix the low-quality beauty essence with other ingredients so that it seemed high-quality. "The two of you know me very well," Allison''s mood brightened, and the anger she had umted at Crawford Manor dissipated by a lot. Stood up and said, "I want my beauty treatment now. Right, I haven''t had lunch yet. GO and cook something for me." "Yes, Madam." Elise smiled sweetly. After she saw Allison go up the stairs, she sent a message with the number "1" to Elsa. That was the secret message between the siblings. It meant that their employer was home. After receiving the message, Elsa began to make her preparations. When Allison entered the beauty salon, Elsa had already prepared a towel and had switched on the machinery. "Wee home, Madam." She smiled and spread out the towel on the bed. "Mm.¡¯ Allison went over and sat down on the bed. Elsa draped a bathrobe over Allison and took off her slippers. After Allisony on the bed, Elsa carefully covered her with a nket. "How long have you been in the sun today, Madam? I''ll prepare the appropriate amount of beauty essence." Chapter 949 Chapter 949 She Can''t Afford to Be Humiliated Allison closed her eyes and tried to recall. "About half an hour." "Alright, Madam. I''ll perform heat therapy to open up your pores before we proceed with the treatment." Elsa covered Allison''s eyes with a damp towel before starting the treatment. Allison felt a st of hot air on her face. She felt slightly ufortable and asked, "Why does my skin feel off recently, Elsa? It gets very ufortable with the slightest irritation." Elsa''s hands that were mixing the beauty essence paused for a while as sheposed herself. She smiled gently and said, "It means that your skin''s condition is bing better, Madam. Your skin is so soft and tender, so it''s not surprising that it gets irritated easily. Look at the people who work menial labor every day. Their skin is rough, and they won''t be as sensitive as yours." Allison thought that it was quite strange, but what Elsa said made sense too. Her skin was well-maintained, and it should not be surprising that it was more sensitive. She smiled and said, "That makes sense." After mixing the beauty essence, Elsa ced her hands on Allison''s shoulders and massaged her. "Yes, Madam. Everyone out there is praising that your skin is like that of an eighteen-year-old. You can see that the treatment is effective, isn''t it?" Allison thought that what Elsa said was pleasing to the ear. Zachary had fallen in love with her because of her outstanding looks. She wanted to maintain those beautiful looks for as long as she could, which was why she emphasized beauty treatments. She was proud that she was the most beautiful one among the friends of her age. "You''re such a charmer." Allison''s difort disappeared thanks to Elsa''s praise. Elsa''s nimble hands gave her a satisfying massage. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. "I''m only telling you the truth, Madam. Look at Mrs. Jaeger or Mrs. King. When you sit together with them, you don''t look like you''re in their generation. Everyone will believe you if you tell them that you¡¯ve just graduated from college." Elsa might have exaggerated a little, but she was familiar with Allison''s temperament. As expected, Allison was happy when she heard that. She nodded and said, "That''s because I spare no expense in maintaining my beauty." She and her friends would usually go shopping or hang out at cafes, but they would also discreetly compare themselves with each other. After the beauty treatment, Allison could feel that the condition of her skin was bing better and better. Of course, she was quite happy about it. The heat therapy wasplete. Following that was the beauty treatment. It took about an hour. Elise came in with Allison''s lunch. "I''ve made some herbal porridge for you, Madam. Your skin will be glowing after eating it." Allison was already hungry. She took the bowl and began to eat the porridge elegantly. "How is it, Madam?" Elise asked softly. "Not bad. It''s a lot more delicious than those you can find in restaurants," Allison praised. She appreciated Elise''s cooking more and more. Elise and Elsa exchanged nces and smiled. The medicinal herbs used in the porridge were bought wholesale. Elise did not know what herbs those were, so long as they were not poisonous. Allison was addicted to the porridge because Elise had added a certain something inside. It was something that could improve the taste but would not be detected that easily. Allison finished the porridge and handed the bowl to Elise. "This is delicious. My friends will being over in two days, and I want you to make a pot." Elise nodded, took the bowl, and handed Allison a checklist. "This is the list of ingredients, Madam. I don''t think we have enough ingredients if you want to make an entire pot." Allison nced at it and did not look at it carefully. "How much?" She asked. Elise shot a nce at Elsa and said, "These medicinal herbs are top-grade, Madam. It would be cheaper if I buy it all at once, and I''ll need fifty thousand dors." Allison frowned. "Fifty thousand? That much?" Elise took the checklist and said innocently, "That''s already the discounted price, Madam. Take a look at the list. The herbs are all very expensive." Allison did not know all of the herbs, but she could recognize a few that were very expensive. She felt a little reluctant. She only had one million dors, and she still had to pay her credit card debt... "Alright, I''ll transfer the money to your ountter, and you can go buy it. Prepare the porridge two dayster, and also some exquisite desserts," Allison said reluctantly. She had been bragging about Elise''s cooking in front of her friends. It would be embarrassing if there was no porridge. She could not afford to be humiliated that way. Elise kept the checklist and smiled. "Don''t worry, Madam. I''ll use the money and buy the highest quality ingredients. Your friends are discerning eaters, and they''ll know if the ingredients are mediocre. I''ll make sure that every gram of the food is of the highest quality." When Allison heard that, she continued, "Fifty thousand dors won''t be enough. I''ll give you sixty thousand. Make sure that you don''t put anything cheap in it." "Yes, Madam." Elise smiled in satisfaction. It was so easy to get money from their employer. Elsa was in a good mood. She massaged Allison''s legs with all her might. They could not help but feel lucky to have such a wealthy but silly employer. Wealthy olddies who lived alone were the most generous employers. Allison was enjoying the massage, but her brows furrowed gently when she was reminded that she was running out of money. Elise noticed that and asked, "Is there something troubling you, Madam?" Allison thought for a while. The siblings had worked for her for quite some time now, and they did not look like they would gossip. "Do you know any of those ne''er-do-wells?¡± "Who do you mean, Madam?" Elise and Elsa looked at each other but did not answer her question. "I mean, those people thatmit crimes for money,¡± Allison said, though she did not tell the siblings what she actually wanted. "I have a friend who found out that her husband has a mistress, so she''s looking for someone to take revenge. She''s looking for someone with nimble fingers, if you know what I mean." Elsa frowned and thought for a moment before speaking, "I know someone, but don¡¯t misunderstand me. He''s from my hometown, and we took the same bus to A City. We don''t keep in touch, but we''ve heard of what he has done back in our hometown." "Do you have any way to contact him?" Allison was delighted. She could not wait to get her hands on Old Master Crawford''s inkwell. Old Master Crawford had a vast collection of antiques. He would not mind if he lost one. She nned to sell the inkwell on the ck market and use the money to tide these tough times. Chapter 950 Chapter 950 She Is Better Than Rainie Elsa took out her phone and read that person''s phone number to Allison. Allison took that number down. "Madam, may I know which of your friends it is?" Elsa asked curiously. "None of your business." Allison put her phone away andy down on the lounge chair. "You two can go out for now. I want to rest for a while." Elsa nodded, stood up, ced a nket over her, and left the room with Elise. The siblings went downstairs. "Elsa, why do you think Madam wants Jonny''s phone number?" Elise asked curiously. "I don''t know either. Try not to make yourself sound too close to him though. She''ll be wary of us if she knows that we''re friends with those people," Elsa reprimanded her sister softly. "Alright, I know." Elise nodded. "We''ll just have to ask Jonny... Jon when we meet him." Elsa took off her gloves. She would wear gloves whenever she applied beauty essence on Allison''s face so that her bare skin would not have to touch it. "There''s no other reason why wealthy people would look for people like them. Give a call to Jonter. Let him know not to divulge our rtionship," she said. Elise nodded. Later in the evening, Louis returned to Crawford Manor with his wife and daughter. He was happy to see that Luke was there. "You''re here too, Luke. Greet your uncle, Thea." "Good evening, Uncle Luke. Good evening, Aunt Bianca," Thea said sweetly. "Mm, good evening,¡± Luke replied impassively. He was sitting next to Rainie and reading a book to her. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Bianca smiled at the little girl. "I haven''t seen you in a while, Thea. You''ve grown taller." "Is that so? It doesn''t seem like it. I thought Rainie grew a lot taller." Louis patted his daughter''s head lovingly. Thea looked at her father and instantly felt jealous. What did her father mean by that? Thea thought that she had grown taller recently. Did her father think that she was not as good as Rainie? Yuri red at Louis, wondering if her husband was ming her for not taking care of her daughter. Her expression sank instantly, and she went up the stairs. Yuri and Susan had the same sentiment toward Luke and his wife. Louis did not say anything when he saw his wife go upstairs. He knew her personality and hoped that Thea would not learn from her. Rainie put her book down and looked at Louis sweetly. "Good evening, Uncle Louis." Louis had watched Lanie and Rainie grow up, so he was quite close to the twins. He brought Thea closer and asked, "What are you reading, Lanie?" Rainie showed Louis the cover of the book she was reading. "A Midsummer Night''s Dream," she said. "Wow, Shakespeare!" Louis was quite impressed. "No wonder you''re getting smarter and smarter, Rainie. You''re reading such a difficult book at such a young age. Do you understand?" Rainie nodded. "Daddy bought this for me. I can understand it." Louis gestured a thumbs-up at Rainie, impressed that her father had educated her well. "You''re amazing, Rainie. Do you have any tips for me, Luke, Bianca? I''d like my Thea to be as smart too." Thea instantly pouted. ''What does Daddy mean by that? Mommy says that I¡¯m so much better than Rainie. Why does Daddy say the opposite thing?'' That made her very unhappy. "There aren''t any secrets. You just have to keep an eye on them.¡± Bianca was much more sensitive than Louis. She could sense Thea''s displeasure and changed the subject. "You''ve grown so tall, Thea. Right, I bought a ballet dress for Rainie the other day, but it was the wrong size. I heard that Thea wants to learn ballet, right? I can send it over another day. It''s brand new, and it should look beautiful on Thea." "Sounds good! Thank you, Sis!" Louis said gratefully. Thea had been wanting to learn ballet, while her mother had been shopping for dresses. She had not found one that she liked and wanted to go overseas to purchase one. Louis thought that it was too much trouble to do that. After all, it was only a ballet dress. He trusted in Bianca¡¯s aesthetic. That would save him a lot of trouble if Bianca gave the dress to Thea. "I don''t wanna." Thea rejected the offer instantly. She did not want to wear Rainie''s dress. "I don''t want to wear someone else''s dress. Mommy will buy the dress for me." "Thea..." Louis reprimanded awkwardly. It was a kind gesture from Aunt Bianca. Whether the little girl wanted to wear it was a different issue. "Daddy, Mommy said that we have money, and we don''t need someone else''s charity. If you think that you don''t have enough money, then you should make more!" Thea told Louis what her mother always said, then went up the stairs. The atmosphere became awkward all of a sudden. Louis scratched the back of her head and sighed helplessly. "Sorry about that. Thea''s mother spoiled her. I hope you don''t mind what she said. I¡¯ll talk to herter." "Don''t be angry, Uncle Louis. Thea is still young..." Rainie tried tofort Louis. "Don''t worry about it," Bianca said, "She''s still young, and you''ll need some more patience to educate her." Louis smiled awkwardly, made an excuse, stood up, and went upstairs. Ever since his marriage, he stopped fooling around and instead started a business based on his hobbies. Old Master Crawford had told him many times to find a stable job in T Corporation. However, Louis wanted to make a name for himself. He declined Old Master Crawford''s offer, found several friends with simr interests, and started apany. Before the studio could turn a profit, one of the partners took a loan and ran away with all the money. With no liquid cash, the studio had to close down, and the partnership broke up. At the same time, the debt fell to Louis. He could only repay the debt with his savings. It was not a huge amount, but it was not insignificant either. When Yuri found out about it, the two had argued violently. Louis did not give up after that setback. He was in the middle of preparing his second venture despite Yuri''s objections. All his money was tied up in the business. Louis did not have the money to bring his wife and daughter overseas. He did not ask for help from anyone, not even his mother. Yuriined that he was stubborn and vain, and he did not talk back. However, he did not expect that his wife would tell that to his daughter. Louis''s expression was sullen as he walked up the stairs. Bianca watched him leave, then turned to look at Luke. "Louis seems angry, n Chapter 951 Chapter 951 Setting a Bad Example for Their Daughter "Louis is quite egoistic. We shouldn''t interfere in his family matters." Louis took the book from Rainie''s hands and underlined the difficult words. 1 He and Louis were brothers, and they knew each other''s personalities well. Bianca nodded. She sat next to Rainie and listened to her read. In Louis''s bedroom on the second floor, Yuri hugged Thea and gently coaxed her. The little girl was crying miserably in Yuri''s arms. Her huge eyes were blurred with tears, which made people pity her. "Alright, don''t cry. I''ll buy a ballet dress for you." Yuri was angry after hearing what her daughter said. Louis was inferior to Luke in every aspect. He could not even afford a custom-made ballet dress for her daughter. ''Our daughter wouldn¡¯t want something that Rainie can''t wear, you good-for -nothing!'' She cursed in her heart as she listened to the heart-rending sobs of her daughter. "Mommy, I want a better dress than Rainie''s dress." Thea did not want to be outdone. "Of course. Your dress will be better than Rainie''s best dress. You''re the true granddaughter of the Crawford family," Yuri said. Her daughter would be better than Rainie. Luke was the son of his father''s mistress. He could not be considered a true Crawford. Yuri had just finished speaking when she saw Louis enter the bedroom. Her expression instantly sank. Louis did not look too pleasant either. He shot a nce at his wife and daughter, then opened the closet and took out a set of bedding and pillows. Yuri instantly stood up and put Thea down. "Are you sleeping in the guest room?" Louis would sleep in the guest room every time he faced a setback. It was his sixth time this month sleeping in the guest room. The servants were already gossiping about it, wondering if there was something wrong in the couple''s rtionship. "Mm," Louis replied. Yuri stood in front of the door. "You can''t go. Who do you think I am? Do you think you can sleep anywhere you want depending on your mood?" Louis''s expression sank a little. He stood there, ring icily at the obstacle who stood in his way. Yuri began to panic when she saw the coldness in Louis''s gaze. Since when did her husband be like that? She grabbed the bedding from Louis''s hands and threw it on the floor. "You can''t sleep in the guest room tonight. Sleep here! You are my husband, not my pillow friend!" The bedding fell on the floor. Louis clenched his fists tightly. He did not hit women, but Yuri''s tantrums repeatedly challenged his principles. "Waaah!" Thea, who was standing behind them, bawled loudly out of fright. Louis''s frigid expression warmed up a little. He turned around and hugged Thea.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Thea fell into his arms. "Don''t be angry, Daddy, don''t ignore me." Seeing his daughter like that, Louis was not in the mood to argue with Yuri. He carried her, sat down on the couch, and coaxed her softly, "I won''t ignore you." "I don''t want to learn ballet anymore, Daddy. I don''t want the ballet dress anymore. Don''t me Mommy, it''s all my fault. Don''t leave, Daddy." Thea grabbed Louis''s shirt tightly. "Don''t worry, I''m not leaving. Good girl, Thea," he coaxed her while staring at Yuri at the door. She was afraid that Louis would leave, so she did not step away from the door. Thea was only a small child. What would she know? Louis was angry that Yuri had taught Thea to say such things. He coaxed Thea patiently until she stopped crying and fell asleep in his arms. Even though she was asleep, her hands continued to grab Louis''s shirt tightly. Louis''s heart wrenched when he could see that she was insecure. He carried Thea and ced her in the middle of the bed, while he slept close to the edge, indicating his rejection with his distance. The next morning, Bianca, Luke, and the children went downstairs. Louis and Thea were already sitting at the dining table waiting for breakfast. Yuri was nowhere to be seen. Bianca could guess that something must have happened between Louis and Yuri the night before, so she did not ask where Yuri was. Instead, she smiled and greeted everyone at the table. The children also greeted everyone. Rainie did not eat much during breakfast. Louis was concerned. "You''re not eating your breakfast, Rainie. What happened? You''re a growing girl, and you should eat more.¡± "I have a performanceter today, Uncle Louis, so I shouldn''t overeat. Don''t worry. Mommy prepared some toast for me. I''ll eat it after my performance, " Rainie exined. Louis pped his forehead. "Right, you have a performance today! Thea, do you want to see Rainie''s performance?" "No." Thea bore some resentment toward Rainie. If Rainie had not been around the night before, her parents would not have argued. Fortunately, she remembered what her mother taught her and managed to keep her father in the room. Louis remembered what Thea told him the night before while she was crying. He thought that it was a pity for her to give up ballet just because of the dress. As her father, Louis wanted to see Thea dancing elegantly on the stage and receive apuse from the audience. He gently pinched Thea''s cheek. "It''s rare that Rainie gets to perform. Shall we go and watch it together?" He hoped that Rainie¡¯s performance could make Thea interested in ballet. Thea thought for a while and remembered that her father was giving her mother the cold shoulder. "Is Mommy going?" Louis''s smile froze a little. He knew that Yuri would not go because she was not interested in ballet. Seeing her father not speaking, Thea continued, "I won''t go unless both you and Mommy go with me." "Alright. I''ll ask your Mommy if she wants to go," Louis coaxed her. After breakfast, Bianca went upstairs to get Rainie''s ballet dress. Luke walked behind her and told her the uing schedule, "We''ll send Lanie to school, then we''ll go to the ballet theater." "Isn''t Lanie going with us?" Bianca was surprised. "He changed his mind. He said that he didn''t want to miss out on the Latin ss at school today." Luke did not force his son to go. After all, he could tell that Lanie was not very interested in ballet. "Alright." Bianca turned around and packed Lanie''s backpack. She was not going to stop her son from studying. Meanwhile, Louis brought Thea along and asked Yuri if she wanted to go to Rainie''s performance. Yuri was not interested, but she thought that reconciling with Louis was more important, so she decided to temporarily ignore her dissatisfaction toward Luke''s family and go to the performance. Chapter 952 Chapter 952 Rainie¡¯s Dress Is Torn Bianca walked down the stairs with Lanie''s backpack in one hand and Rainie''s ballet dress in the other. The ballet dress had been pressed, and it could not be folded, which was why she did not put it in a bag but instead covered it with a stic dust cover. Thea saw the dress and tugged her father''s hand. ¡¯ Daddy, I want that dress." Seeing that his daughter was interested, Louis asked, "Where did Rainie get that dress, Sis?" "Luke got it custom-made overseas," Bianca replied awkwardly. The scenes fromst night were still fresh in her mind. Louis turned to look at Luke. He could still afford it for his daughter. Luke nodded. "I''ll send you the addresster." "Thank you, Luke." Louis patted Thea''s head. "After you get the dress, I''ll enroll you for ballet sses." "Yes, Daddy." Thea thought of something and went to Bianca. "Can I touch the dress, Aunt Bianca?" Bianca noticed that Thea''s hands were clean. She nodded and handed the dress to her. Thea greedily caressed the high-quality cloth. She was jealous of Rainie. Why would everyone in the family love Rainie? Even Great-Grandpa had nothing but praises for her. As for herself, no one loved her other than her mother. When Thea thought of that, she grabbed one of thece strips tightly and gave it a sharp tug. Then, she handed the dress back to Bianca as though nothing happened. "Here, Aunt Bianca." She smiled sweetly. No one knew what she did. Bianca took the dress, smiled, and walked out of the house with Luke. The twins were already waiting outside. Thea went next to Louis and spread her arms, wanting a hug from her father. Louis bent down and carried her in his arms. "Do you like that dress?¡± "Yup! I want one too, Daddy. It feels so good, just like Mommy''s wedding gown," Thea said. She was thinking that she would look better than Rainie in that dress. Seeing that Thea''s face was full of joy, he nodded and said, "Alright, I''ll get one made for you." Yuri grunted coldly when she saw the interaction between father and daughter. "You''d better keep your promise. Don''t lie to your daughter," she said coldly. Louis frowned. ¡¯ What are you saying in front of the children?" Yuri grunted coldly. She was only telling the truth. Louis had spent all his money on his studio; there was no spare money for their daughter''s dress. She was not going to argue with him. Instead, she took her handbag and went out of the door. Thea heard what her mother said. She looked at Louis. "You''ll buy the dress for me, right, Daddy?" "Of course." Louis gave her his promise. After packing up, the family left the house in two cars. Luke''s car carried Bianca and the twins, while Louis''s car carried Yuri, Thea, and Old Master Crawford. Luke dropped off Lanie at school, then drove toward the ballet theater. At the theater, Bianca escorted Rainie backstage. Ms. Shannon, the ballet teacher, was already waiting there. "Good morning, Mrs. Crawford," Ms. Shannon smiled and greeted Bianca. Bianca smiled. "Thank you for your hard work, Ms. Shannon. I''ll leave Rainie in your care." "You''re wee. Go and get changed first, Rainie. I''ll put on your makeup for youter," Ms. Shannon patted Rainie''s head and said proudly. She felt a great sense of achievement that she had such an outstanding student. "Yes, Ms. Shannon," Rainie took the dress and went into the changing room. Bianca stood there and waited. A whileter, Rainie ran out of the changing room toward Bianca. Her lips were pressed together tightly. "Mommy!" Bianca looked at her. "Why aren''t you changing your clothes?" "The dress is ruined." Rainie handed the dress to her. "That can''t be! I checked it when I pressed it this morning." Bianca frowned. She unfurled the dress and noticed that thece that was supposed to be sewn to the hemline was detached. "What should we do, Mommy?" Rainie looked like she was about to cry. The dress was very important to her. Not only had her father given it to her as a present, but she had also worn it when she won the first prize. Rainie loved the dress and treated it with care. "Oh no!" Ms. Shannon eximed when she saw that. "How did the dress be like that?" Bianca was not sure either. She was very careful when she pressed and packed that dress, and she did not notice anything torn. The dress was hand-stitched, so the needlework should be quite good. "Ms. Shannon, do you have a sewing kit?" She asked. "Yes, but it''s almost Rainie''s turn to go on stage. Will you make it in time?" Ms. Shannon said worriedly as she took out the sewing kit and nced at the schedule. "Please put on Rainie''s makeup first. I''ll be quick." Bianca picked a needle and threaded some white thread through it. ''TH fix the dress for you, Rainie. Rainie nodded and sat on the makeup chair, watching Bianca''s movements worriedly. Thece was hard to work with. Bianca had to be very careful. Seeing that Bianca remained backstage for so long, Luke went to find her there. "Bea?" Luke was curious about why Bianca was messing with Rainie''s ballet dress. "Rainie''s dress is torn. I''m repairing it," Bianca exined. She was very anxious, but she stitched very carefully. "Hss!" She gasped when the needle identally poked her finger. Luke frowned. He went over and picked up her hand for inspection. "I''m fine." Bianca knew that Luke was worried about her. She took her hand away, wiped the finger on a napkin, and continued to sew. The strip ofce was very thin. She was poked by the needle several times by the time she was done. Luke was frowning hard. Bianca breathed a sigh of relief. The dress was as good as new. "Here, go and change, Rainie." "Thank you, Mommy!" Rainie''s eyes were red. She tried hard not to cry in case her makeup was ruined. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. She was very grateful to her mother for fixing her dress. Bianca wanted to pack up the sewing kit when Ms. Shannon said, "Let me do it." "Thank you, Ms. Shannon.¡± Bianca handed her the needle and thread, stood up, and looked at Luke''s face. He seemed extremely displeased, which made the teacher act extra carefully. "I''m fine. It''s just a minor injury. Why the long face?" Sheforted him. Luke did not want her to have any injuries. He picked up her delicate hands and carefully inspected them. Her finger was red, and Luke did not enjoy seeing that. He gently held her hands and asked her, "What happened to Rainie¡¯s dress?" Luke was already awake when Bianca was preparing the dress. He did not see any problems with the dress earlier. Chapter 953 Chapter 953 They Will Meet Again Bianca''s hand was enveloped in warmth. The pain seemed to have subsided a little. She shook her head. "Maybe I identally tore it when I packed it..." Luke frowned hard. The tailor store had been renowned for generations. Their handiwork should have been better than that. Bianca knew that Luke was suspecting someone. However, she considered that Thea was only a child, and the little girl might be afraid that the adults would scold her. Bianca decided not to say it. Rainie came out of the changing room. She would be going on stage after the current performance. "Thank you, Mommy." Rainie hugged Bianca. Bianca hugged her and said, "I''ll be in the audience with Daddy cheering you. Do your best, Rainie. You''re our precious little princess." "Yes, Mommy!" Rainie hugged her again. She looked at Luke, who gave her an encouraging nce. Then she went to the area behind the stage. Bianca took Luke''s hand and left the backstage area. They returned to the audience seats. Bianca was sitting next to the aisle. Next to her was Luke, then Louis''s family and Old Master Crawford. Louis noticed Luke and Bianca''s return. "Where were you, Luke? You were gone for so long," he asked softly out of concern. Luke shot a casual but profound nce at Thea, looked away, and said," It''s nothing." Louis nced at Thea, wondering what was going on. Luke held Bianca''s hand and gently massaged her fingers. She did not say what happened, but Luke could guess. However, Thea was still young, and he was not going to hold her ountable. Bianca held his hand too. After the performance ended, Rainie would be going on stage next. Bianca smiled when she saw Rainie elegantly walk on the stage. She turned her head and looked at Luke. Luke was looking at her too. There was a certain gentleness and pride in his gaze. Bianca smiled at him. When the music started, she turned her head to look at the stage. Rainie might be very young, but she was in her element. Standing on the stage, she was as beautiful as a swan. Every gentle yet firm movement earned her the audience''s praise. She was the youngest performer in the group, but she was the most confident. A noble boy sat in thest row of the theater. He was guarded closely by several burly men. His field of vision was only about half an arm wide. Winston Macdonald''s purple irides followed the little girl''s movements closely. A smile suddenly appeared on his usually stern face. ''Rainie Crawford...'' When he first met the girl in the flower field, he thought that she was a mischievous little fairy. Seeing her on the stage, she was like an elegant and noble princess. ''Princess...'' Winston watched her take a bow. The theater erupted with apuse once the music stopped. He told her that they would meet again, but now was not the time. Winston stood up. ¡¯ Let''s go." "Yes." The bodyguards surrounded him and escorted him out of the theater. Bianca was pping her hands together with the rest of the audience. The feeling of pride in her heart was genuine. Rainie Crawford was her precious daughter! Louis turned to speak to Thea. "Do you think that Rainie danced very well?" Thea was pouting, and her hands covered her ears. She thought that the thunderous apuse was very annoying. She had ruined Rainie''s dress so that her performance would be less than perfect. She did not expect that Rainie''s dress would be repaired, and everyone would be showering Rainie with apuse. ''What''s so good about it? I''ll be a better ballet dancer than her,'' she thought. Yuri helped to cover Thea''s ears. She said to Louis coldly, "Why are you so happy? It''s not like she''s your daughter." Before he was married, Louis was also responsible for taking care of Rainie. As her uncle, Louis was proud of her achievements. Yuri''s attitude was like a bucket of cold water on Louis''s enthusiasm. Louis frowned and turned his head away. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. After the entire performance, Luke and Bianca went on stage, hugged Rainie, and took a photo together. Several dance schools approached them, intending to recruit Rainie as their student. Luke rejected them all. "Your daughter is very talented, Mr. Crawford. She seems to be born for the stage. Won''t you consider enrolling her in our academy? We have the best dance teachers, and your daughter will receive the best instruction," one of the principals of a dance academy tried to convince Luke. First of all, Rainie was truly talented. Secondly, her father was Luke Crawford. If Rainie enrolled in her academy, sponsorships would not be a problem anymore. Luke took Rainie''s hand and said firmly, "I would like my children to develop in multiple fields. If Rainie is interested in pursuing ballet, I will nurture her talent. However, I will leave the choice to her." He had told Rainie the same thing when he hired a private ballet instructor. Rainie did not have to dance too well. She would have to do her best in her sses, but she could also spend some time on her other hobbies and interests. She might be a professional dancer in the future, but there were other options as well. If she got tired of dancing, she still had other talents and skills. Luke would not force Rainie to take over the family business. That was Lanie''s responsibility. Since Rainie was young, Luke had nned for her future, though he would not make her do the things that she did not like. Bianca was moved when she listened to his words. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes. Luke usually did not show his care toward the children. It was the first time that he had spoken so much about them. Every word showed that Luke cared for Rainie''s future. The principal was quite surprised to hear that, and she had no choice but to give up. Their academy was not very remarkable. If she could recruit Rainie, she could use the Crawford family''s resources to hire better teachers. The principal sighed and went to recruit other students. Rainie smiled sweetly. She did not really understand what her father said, but she could tell that he cared for her. "Daddy, Mommy, Great-Grandpa, Uncle Louis, Aunt Yuri, Thea, shall we take a group photo?" Thea leaned on Yuri and turned her head away. She did not want to stand next to Rainie because Rainie''s ballet dress was much more beautiful than her princess dress. "No, I don''t wanna." "Thea..." It was the first time that Old Master Crawford voiced his dissatisfaction. Thea was a sensitive girl, and she cried whenever she was scolded. Louis did not want his daughter to ruin the mood, so he took the camera and said, ¡°Stand closer, Grandpa. Let me take a photo for you all." Old Master Crawford did not say anything, though he was thinking of how to discipline Thea. The little girl seemed to resent Rainie. It was not a bad thing for children topete against each other, but they should be as close as sisters and should not treat each other as enemies. Old Master Crawford made a conclusion. Louis did not know how to discipline Thea, while Yuri must have educated her the wrong way. It would be up to the old man to discipline her. Chapter 954 Chapter 954 He Didn¡¯t Mind Eating Her Leftovers After the performance, Luke and Bianca nned to send Rainie back to school. The family of three went to the parking lot, and Luke said to his wife and daughter, "I''ll go and fetch the car. Wait for me here." "Alright, Daddy." Rainie was holding Bianca''s hand when she suddenly sensed something. She turned her head to look. "What''s wrong?" Bianca noticed her daughter''s abrupt movement. She also turned around to look but did not see anything. "Mommy, I think someone is watching us." Rainie had a keen intuition, but she did not see anything after she turned her head. Bianca took a closer look. She saw cars parked in rows but did not see anyone. "There''s no one around. Could you have been mistaken?" Rainie shook her head and turned away. Luke drove the car over. Bianca and Rainie got into the car and left. Winston came out from a corner of the parking lot, staring profoundly at the Land Rover that was leaving. "We should leave, Prince Winston. Otherwise..." A burly bodyguard reminded him. "You don''t have to tell me." Winston''s eyes were transfixed in that direction for a few minutes before saying, "Let''s go." "Yes.¡¯ The bodyguard snapped his fingers, and a Rolls-Royce drove over. After Luke and Bianca dropped Rainie off at the school, the couple went to a nearby restaurant to have lunch. Luke ordered several iron-rich dishes. Bianca was not sure how to react to that. After the waiter left with the order, she nced at her finger. The needle wounds were almost invisible. "Let me take a look." Luke took Bianca''s hand and wanted to examine it again. He did not get a close look while at the theater. He could see that her finger was reddish, and he felt bad for the woman whom he loved. The reddishness had dissipated, and the needle pricks could not be seen. "I''m really fine. It''s only a little bit of blood, I don''t need to eat that much iron-rich food," Bianca said. Luke wondered if he had overacted. He ordered the iron-rich food to make up for her blood loss. In any case, the order was already made. He cleared his throat and said seriously, "I want to eat it." Bianca could not help but chuckle. As his wife, Bianca knew what Luke¡¯s tastes were. Luke''s gaze was full of indulgence as he looked at her mischievous smile. She was as delectable as a delicious dish. "It''s normal for me to change my tastes, Bea." Bianca smiled. Luke was thest person that would change his tastes. The cook in Crawford Manor had told her that Luke''s stubbornness also extended to his food preferences. He would never change his tastes. Bianca gazes at his stern face. That was the face he showed to other people, though she knew that he was gentle toward her and their children. She was moved when she recalled what he said on the stage earlier. "Mm, I know. I''ll eat with you then." Soon, the waiter served the food. Bianca gently touched her face. She wondered if she would break out in pimples after eating all that. She felt a little worried. "You should eat more," Luke said as he ced some liver on her te. Bianca looked at the entire te of liver in front of them. She could already imagine the pimples showing up on her face by the next morning. Luke saw that she was not eating. "What are you thinking?" "I''m wondering if we should finish it all." Bianca pointed at the liver and pork dishes on the table. "Eat as much as you can. I''ll finish the rest," Luke said. Bianca picked up her knife and fork and began to eat. She cleared half of her te before she was full. After Luke cleared his te, he took Bianca''s te without anyint and finished the food there. He did not show any disdain toward eating her leftovers. Seeing the food on the table rapidly diminishing, Bianca wondered if she should cook something light for dinner. After lunch, Luke and Bianca walked around the block to help in digestion. When it was almost afternoon, Luke sent Bianca back to herpany. Bianca was about to get out of the car when Luke grabbed his hand. She turned around, and Luke said, "Give me a kiss." "Hm?" Bianca was momentarily confused, and Luke took the opportunity to lean forward and kiss her. There was a fresh scent on his lips, as though he had not eaten those pungent foods earlier. Bianca was instantly captivated by the fresh scent. He removed himself when she was about to lose control of herself and gently pecked her on the cheek. "I''ll pick you up after work, Bea." Her face was flushed red as she slumped on the seat. She gulpedrge breaths of air with her mouth, and it took her a while to calm down. She could hear Luke''s resonant voice next to her, and she knew that he would kiss her if she did not leave the car at once. Half of her strength had been sapped away. After getting out of the car, her footing was unstable, as though she was walking on clouds. Luke waved at her. Bianca returned the wave, turned around, and walked toward the office building. The employees greeted her when she arrived at the office. "Good afternoon, Ms. Rayne." Bianca was startled by the spectacle. She soon came to her senses and nodded. "Good afternoon, everyone." Sue and Nina walked toward her with a smile. They exchanged nces and went into Bianca''s office without saying a word.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. After Nina closed the door, she gave Bianca a hug. "You''re finally back, Bea. I''ve been so worried." She and Percy had only returned from their vacation recently, and it was only when she returned to A City that she realized that something serious had happened to Bianca. Her first reaction was to look for Bianca and ask if she needed any help. Percy calmly stopped her and told her not to jump into the mess because Luke would definitely have a solution. Nina realized that she did not have any abilities or influence to aid in Bianca''s situation. She could only run thepany with Sue and patiently wait for Bianca''s return. Bianca hugged Nina and could feel her spine. They had not met in a while, and Bianca thought that Nina had lost weight. "Don''t worry. I''m fine. Thanks to you and Sue for taking care of thepany while I''m away," she said solemnly while taking out a stack of notes from her purse. "Afternoon tea for everyone is on me today." Sue was not going to reject the money. She took the money and said, "You really care for your employees. No wonder they all love you." The employees of Bianca''spany had been facing a lot of pressure. Some members of the public found out that Bianca''s office was in that building and caused trouble every day. The employees did not resign but instead worked their hardest so that thepany survived. Bianca leaned on the office table and asked them for any updates. "How is businessing along?¡¯ Chapter 955 Chapter 955 Interested In Bianca Sue shook her head indignantly. "Not good. Ever since that incident, we''ve received far fewer orders. Some clients would rather pay the penalty for breach of contract than let us do the design for them." Bianca was not too flustered, knowing what those people were thinking." How does itpare to the previous month?" "It''s at least a forty-percent decrease. We''re not a bigpany, and there are several designers without any work on hand. Even St. Heckler Hotel is already looking for another company," Sue reported. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. St. Heckler Hotel was a three-star hotel construction project in A City. It took Bianca a lot of effort to convince them, but Riley''s incident happened right before they were about to sign the contract. She was not at liberty to continue negotiations, so she delegated the task to Sue and Nina. "Have they signed the contract with the other designpany?" Bianca asked. "No, they''re still negotiating. I''ve heard that thepany is charging a high price, which is why St. Heckler hasn''t agreed to their terms yet," Sue replied. Bianca nodded and spoke to Nina, "Nina, can you contact St. Heckler? We''ll have to get them to sign with us." There was a chance that they might win the contract, especially when the media had been reporting about Bianca''s innocence. Nina nodded. "No problem. I''ll set up an appointment now." She took out her phone, tried to make her sound as docile as possible, and managed to make an appointment with the developer. After Nina ended the call, she said, "The developer said that he''s free tonight. I told him that we can meet him." Thepany was desperate for business, so they had toply with the other party''s whims. "No problem. Nina, can you go with me tonight?" Bianca asked and made a mental note that she would have to inform Luketer. "Okay." Nina did not want to return to Percy''s mansion so soon. She would rather stay at work. "Should I go too?" Sue asked. Bianca shook her head. "You''ve been working hard for thepanytely, Sue. Let us do this. You should go home early and spend some quality time with Kari and Teri." Sue thought of her daughters. She had indeed neglected them because of work, so she nodded and said, "The developer was quite keen to coborate with us, and they would''ve already signed the contract if not for the incident. Now that we''re asking for their business, I''m afraid that they''ll be asking for a discount." "I understand. I''ll try to negotiate so that we don''t lose out too much.¡± Bianca nodded. After the discussion, Nina and Sue left the office. Bianca sent Luke a message. Ding! When Luke heard the message notification, he stopped working and unlocked his phone. Jason also stopped giving his report. Luke yed the voice message, and Bianca''s gentle voice was heard." Luke, I''ll be having a business dinner with St. Heckler''s developer tonight. You don''t have toe and pick me up. If you''re working overtime, remember to get the driver to pick up Lanie and Rainie from school." As busy as she might be, she did not neglect her children. "Alright," Luke replied gently. Jason was not surprised anymore when he saw that gentle side of his boss. Only Bianca had the magic to make his boss fall in love with her. Luke put the phone away but did not indicate Jason to continue reporting. Instead, he asked, "What''s going on with St. Heckler''s developer?" As a professional assistant, Jason naturally knew what was going on. He briefly exined the incident about St. Heckler''s developer changing designpanies. The developer of a three-star hotel would want to save as much cost as possible. They would not engage in T Corporation''s services. Luke frowned and continued asking, "Which otherpany did St. Heckler look for?" "Genial Engineering Design LLC," Jason replied. He knew about that mainly because of Sue. "Boss, Ms. Laviere is working there after she left ourpany," Jason reminded Luke. ''Mavis Laviere?'' Luke was surprised. Mavis was a talented worker. Several multinationalpanies tried to poach her before she left T Corporation, and she could have found employment anywhere. Why would she work in a smallpany? "Boss?" Jason called out. "Mm, continue," Luke said. He did not make ament because he was confident in Bianca. Mavis might be a formidable opponent, but Bianca was also very capable. Jason nodded and continued his report. At night, Bianca and Nina went to the Westin Hotel. The other party wanted to meet them there, and they reserved a private room to show their sincerity. Bianca and Nina sat down in the private room, ordered dinner, and waited for the developer toe. Half an hour passed, but the developer was nowhere to be seen. Nina mmed the table impatiently. "Are they doing this on purpose? We''ve agreed to meet at seven o''clock, but it''s already half-past seven!" "Let''s wait for a while more." Bianca calmly sipped her tea. If the other party had not signed the contract with the otherpany, it meant that they were still negotiating prices. The other party''s tardiness was also part of the negotiation process. As the developer, they would want to keep the cost as low as possible. Bianca thought that it would be quite tough for them to win the contract. Nina took a sip of her tea and sighed. "We''ll definitely be short-changed tonight." "Isn''t that how negotiations usually are?" Bianca seemed quite calm about it. If not for Riley, the contract would have already been theirs. Running thepany cost money, and money came from design projects. Moreover, a significant proportion of a designer''s sry came frommissions. Even if Bianca had enough capital to keep thepany running, no designers would be willing to work for her if there were no projects. Nina became thoughtful as she watched Bianca calmly sip her tea. Bianca was not the same as before. She had be moreposed,pared to when she had first entered T Corporation. She envied Bianca''s change in character and hated herself for having to rely on Percy to survive. The developer arrived ten minutester. A beautiful woman opened the door. She nced at Bianca, then turned around to speak to the man behind her. "This is the ce, Mr. Steven." Following that, Bianca saw a potbellied mane into the room. That was Mr. Steven, the developer. Mr. Steven''s eyes sparkled when he saw Bianca and Nina. His secretary was the one who contacted Nina, and he did not expect that the boss of Brilliant Architectural Design would be so beautiful. As he took a drag of his cigarette, he ogled greedily at Bianca''s body. Bianca and Nina stood up and introduced themselves. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Steven. I am Bianca Rayne, the boss of Brilliant Architectural Design. I¡¯m sure that you''ve met Nina Langdon before." Chapter 956 Chapter 956 I Like Assertive Women Like You, Ms. Rayne "Yes, I''ve met her before. I always remember the beautiful women I meet. Yourpany really has a lot of beautiful women. Ms. Langdon is one, Ms. Rayne is too." Mr. Steven''s eyes on his corpulent face narrowed into slits as he ogled brazenly at the two women in front of him. Bianca and Nina exchanged nces. Both of them thought that Mr. Steven''s perverse gaze was quite disgusting. Bianca tried to hold back her disgust as she smiled and said, Please have a seat, Mr. Steven." Mr. Steven''s beautiful secretary pulled a chair, then removed his coat with her delicate fingers and hung it on the rack. "Please sit, Mr. Steven," she said coyly. "Yes, yes." Mr. Steven copped a feel as he sat down on the chair. The secretary smiled and said nothing. She sat down next to him. Nina could not help but wonder how that perverted man managed to get to where he was. She smiled brilliantly, hiding the disgust in her heart, and poured some tea for the man. "Please have some tea, Mr. Steven." "I''m honored to have a beautiful woman pour tea for me." Mr. Steven tried to grope Nina¡¯s fair and tender hand when he took the cup, though Nina dodged it. "Have you had dinner yet, Mr. Steven? Do you want to order some food?" Nina said as she handed him the menu, stopping the man from having perverse thoughts toward Bianca. "Yes, yes." Mr. Steven was indeed hungry. He would havee earlier if not that he wanted a lower price. He had been hungry after waiting for so long. Bianca listened as Mr. Steven rattled his order to the waiter. He ordered many expensive dishes, including seven of the restaurant''s ten signature dishes. Bianca maintained the smile on her face. After ordering the food, Mr. Steven also ordered a bottle of red wine. He smiled and looked at Bianca while saying, ¡°I hope you don''t mind me having a drink or two, Ms. Rayne." "It''s normal to drink at the dining table.¡¯ Bianca''s expression did not change at all. "I like assertive women like you, Ms. Rayne. Let''s drink togetherter." Mr. Steven did not disguise his intentions of making Bianca drunk. He gestured a thumbs-up and shed an ugly, perverted smile at her. Nina could not stop cursing in her heart. She had heard that Mr. Steven was not from A City. He probably found out about Riley''s incident through his secretary, but he did not know that Bianca was Luke Crawford''s wife. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. If Luke found out that a man coveted Bianca to that extent, he would have broken Mr. Steven''s legs before kicking him out of A City. "Don''t forget about me, Mr. Steven." Nina smiled. She did not want Bianca to drink too much. As Bianca''s good friend, she knew Bianca''s capacity for alcohol. Meanwhile, her capacity for alcohol changed a lot over the past three years. She drank whenever she was depressed, and now, she could drink three bottles of hard liquor in one sitting. Of course, the Percy brothers contributed to a lot of it. Bianca tugged Nina''s shirt under the table. She knew that Nina would be at a disadvantage if she drank with that perverted man. Nina squeezed Bianca''s hand, indicating that she would be fine. Mr. Stevenughed at Nina''s hospitality. He continued to talk about something else. They talk about various topics except for business. Bianca and Nina were not worried. After all, it would be rude to talk about business before they had dinner. In any case, it would be easier to negotiate after some alcohol. After the dishes were served, Mr. Steven did not hold back. He ate and drank with his secretary, while Bianca and Nina barely managed. Mr. Steven thought that one bottle of wine was not enough. He hinted that he wanted more. Bianca got the waiter to serve another bottle of wine. After pouring a fresh round of drinks, they began to talk business. Nina took out several design samples to show him what their designers could do. Mr. Steven took a sip of his wine, stood up, sat down beside Nina, and narrowed his eyes. "I''m old and I can''t see clearly. I''d bettere closer." Nina nearly choked when she smelled the alcohol in Mr. Steven''s breath. However, she maintained a professional smile and said, "Look at these designs, Mr. Steven. These are some examples from our previous projects. Our designers are top-notch. Many of them have graduated from overseas universities." Her gentle tone of voice made Mr. Steven at ease. He draped his plump arm over Nina''s shoulder and massaged her through the thin fabric of her shirt. Nina clenched her fists and loosened them repeatedly, then continued to introduce thepany to Mr. Steven. Bianca frowned slightly. She could not tolerate it when she saw the man taking advantage of her good friend. She lifted her wine ss, stood up, and clinked Mr. Steven''s ss. "Don''t you find all that talk boring? Come and let''s drink, Mr. Steven." "Not bad, Ms. Rayne. No wonder you''re running a sessful company. Let''s drink. Bottoms up!" Mr. Steven''s arm shifted away from Nina''s body. Bianca emptied the contents of her ss and shot a nce at Nina. Nina also stood up, moved some distance away, and lifted her ss. "A toast to you, Mr. Steven." They knew that they needed to satisfy the man''s desire for alcohol or women. If they did not want to be taken advantage of, they would have to drink with him. "Yes! Excellent!" Mr. Steven did not refuse. He also downed his ss of wine. Bianca asked the waiter to bring another bottle of wine. Mr. Steven was very happy when he heard that. They drank several more sses. After finishing two bottles, Bianca tried to go into the main topic. "Mr. Steven, now that you''ve seen what we can do, I believe that we can satisfy your demands. If not for an unhappy incident, we would''ve already coborated. Now that the incident is resolved favorably and you haven''t decided on your coboration partner, I think there''s still a chance for us to work together. What do you think?" Mr. Steven was intoxicated by alcohol and lust. He hugged Nina''s slender waist and said, "What do you think, Ms. Langdon?" Nina wished that she could strangle the man when she felt his arm on her waist. However, she could only smile when she remembered that thepany needed the project. "I think that everything can be negotiated, Mr. Steven. I''ve also brought our previous contract with us..." "Were you fooling around when you quoted me that price? I''ve been in talks with Genial Engineering, and their prices are a lot more reasonable than yours." Mr. Steven said while moving his hand upward. Nina turned around, took the bottle, and poured wine into his ss. The man might be drunk, but he could still bargain. If Genial Engineering had quoted them a lower price, Mr. Steven would not have been in talks with them for so long. Nina did not call him out on his lie. Instead, she maintained her smile and said, "You shouldn''t only be looking at prices. Even though everything can be negotiated, I think that you should look for apany that you''refortable working with. What do you think, Mr. Steven?" Chapter 957 Chapter 957 A Bevy of Women Mr. Steven took a step forward in front of Bianca, sniffed the air in front of her, hugged her waist brazenly, and smiled. "Yes, we can talk about the price. After all, yourpany seems quite capable. So how much will it be, Ms. Rayne?" Bianca turned her head away in disgust when she saw his oily, sausage-like lips leaning close to her face. She discreetly distanced herself and said," We can talk about it, Mr. Steven. How about if we sit down and talk?" "Alright, alright, alright. Sit on myp and we''ll talk." Mr. Steven prepared to sit down while hugging her. Nina stepped in between the two. Mr. Steven let go of Bianca and hugged Nina instead. He did not mind that. After all, both of them were beautiful. He smiled at Nina and said, "Would you rather sit on myp, Ms. Langdon?" After many drinks, all Mr. Steven wanted was to cop a feel. Nina was appalled, but she would rather Mr. Steven take advantage of her than her good friend. "How about if we give you a five percent discount on the original quote?" She suggested. "I''ll have to think about it." Mr. Steven might be intoxicated, but he seemed lucid when money was involved. He sat on the chair and tried to pull Nina toward hisp. Bianca wanted to stop him when the room door opened abruptly. "Oh, Mr. Steven, I''ve heard that you¡¯re here. I didn''t expect to bump into you." The person who walked through the door was Mavis Laviere. She was dressed in office wear and wore impable makeup. There was a hint of contempt in her eyes when she nced at Bianca. Bianca frowned. Why was Mavis here? "What a coincidence, Ms. Laviere. Why are you here?" Mr. Steven let go of Nina, smiled, and walked toward Mavis. Mavis was also a beautiful woman, and she was not any lesser than the other two. However, Mavis had maintained an arrogant air in their previous negotiations, and Mr. Steven knew to keep a distance away from her. However, he could sense that Mavis was a lot friendlier this time, and he could tell that she wanted the project too. He would consider himself lucky if either of the women apanied him tonight. Mr. Steven brought a ss to Mavis. "Are you here to negotiate upon the project too, Ms. Laviere? Would you like to have a drink with me?" While he spoke, he rested his hand on her delicate arm. Mavis gently pushed him away and said coyly, "I''d like to negotiate with you, but aren''t you negotiating with Brilliant Architecture now?" Her lips were slightly pouted, indicating her dissatisfaction. Mr. Steven was even more bewitched when he saw her like that. "It''s fine to negotiate a little more. How about all of you negotiate with me at the same time?" All the women in the room knew what he meant. Bianca furrowed her brows and looked at Nina. Nina realized that she forgot to tell Bianca that Mavis was working as a general manager in Genial Engineering, and so she whispered into her ear. Bianca instantly understood, though she was surprised that someone as capable as Mavis would work in a smallpany. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Mavis grunted contemptuously. That man was so naive to think that all three women would want to please him at the same time! She would not havee if she had not received news that Bianca wanted to snatch the contract from her! She had built an extensivework of connections. Even if she lost the project, Genial Engineering would continue to thrive. However, she wanted the project because of Bianca! Bianca had snatched her beloved man from her. She swore that she would make Bianca''s life as difficult as possible! That was why she decided to work in Genial Engineering. She would not be able to oppose Bianca if she joined a majorpany. Mavis smiled and shook her head. "I''d love to talk to you tonight, but too bad I''m engaged somewhere else." "Oh..." Mr. Steven knew what she meant. His expression became cold, and he prepared to walk away. Mavis grabbed his hand and hinted, "We can discuss the price, Mr. Steven. What if I meet you in a nightclub tomorrow and talk about it?" Mr. Steven beamed instantly. "Tomorrow night?" "Yes, tomorrow night. I''ll reserve a private room, and we can talk about it as much as we want!" Mavis whispered into his ear. Then, she stood up straight, straightened her hair, and said seductively, "I''m almostte for my engagement. See you tomorrow, Mr. Steven." Nina was furious when she saw Mavis arrive. She was hoping to win the contract tonight, but Mavis had upended her ns. She knew that Mr. Steven was a lecherous man and would not sign the agreement tonight. "You vixen!" She clenched her fists and cursed under her breath as she watched Mavis leave. Her appearance had made all their arrangements in vain. After Mavis walked away victoriously, Mr. Steven returned to the table while smiling. "Sorry, Ms. Rayne and Ms. Langdon, you can see that you''re not the only ones who want the project. As for the price..." He leaned forward as he spoke. Nina tried not to lose her temper as she stood in front of Bianca. "Yes, I know. I''m confident that you''ll eventually choose us because we are the more capablepany." "You sound very confident, Ms. Langdon. I''d like to see your sincerity in your promise," Mr. Steven hinted. Bianca put down her wine ss and said, "Ourpany is very sincere, Mr. Steven. Let''s not beat around the bush anymore. Our cost is ny-three percent of the original quote. I have to pay my employees, and you should understand that it doesn''t make sense to lose money just to secure a project. If we win the contract without any regard to the cost, we can''t guarantee the quality. You''re a developer, and you should understand that quality is an important factor, don''t you?" Mr. Steven was quite surprised. He thought that Bianca wouldply with his demands to win the contract. However, she had divulged her cost and pretended not to take a hint. He had never negotiated that way before. It seemed that Mavis''s appearance had affected her. "Yes, yes, of course I understand. I''ve heard your offer earlier, and I''ll go home and consider it carefully. Shall we continue drinking?" Mr. Steven held his ss in one hand and hugged Nina''s slender waist in his other. His head kept on leaning close to her. Before Nina could struggle, the door opened again. "What are you doing?" Percy''s handsome face was ice-cold when he saw how intimate Nina and Mr. Steven were. Nina was surprised. She forgot that she was in Mr. Steven''s arms. Why would Percy appear there? "Who the hell are you?" Mr. Steven narrowed his gaze unhappily. He could tell that the sudden intruder was not an ordinary man. The man''s eyes were transfixed on Nina, which made Mr. Steven incredibly possessive. He hugged Nina and did not let go. Every woman in the room belonged to him! Bianca''s heart skipped a beat. She quickly stepped up to Percy and said," Are you here to pick Nina up, Mr. Mallory? We''ve just ended our meeting. Please wait for a moment." Chapter 958 Chapter 958 Death Could Solve All Her Problems Percy''s dark eyes dripped with spite. He stared intently at Steven''s fat hand that was on Nina''s waist. ''How dare this pigy his hands on my woman? Is he tired of living?* Percy asked Bianca, "Is Luke aware that this is how you have business meetings?" Bianca''s scalp felt numb. If Luke found out, she would never hear the end of it. Just as she was about to exin further, Nina got closer to Steven and said in a chilly tone, "We''re just talking about work and didn''t do anything else. What''s wrong? Does it feel dirty? To a dirty man, everything looks dirty. Steven hugged her and said triumphantly, "Yeah! Who are you? You barged into our private room, how rude!" One could seemingly smell gunpowder in the air, and Bianca was caught in the middle. She tried her best to diffuse the situation. "This is Ms. Langdon''s-" "Nina,e home with me now." Percy clenched his fist, walked over, and grabbed Nina''s hand. "Hmph..." Nina snorted and was taken away by a strong force. The next second, she was held at Percy''s side. "Are you trying to pick a fight?" Steven was furious that Nina was so close yet so far. He wanted to charge at Percy. Bianca was taken aback. Luke said that Percy had practiced martial arts for multiple years and was not the typical yboy who was frail. Even if Steven was capable, he would be the one who suffered in the end. All she wanted was for this cooperation to go smoothly. She did not want to see any bloodshed. She said, "Steven, don''t be angry. This is Ms. Langdon''s boyfriend, he¡¯s here to pick her up." Steven squinted his eyes and looked at Percy who was taller than himself. He was discontented and shouted, "So what? Ms. Langdon seems more willing to stay by my side!" Percy stared daggers at the man in front of him who did not know chalk from cheese. No one had ever dared to fight with him for a woman. ''This fat good-for-nothing is sick and tired of living!¡¯ He immediately looked at Nina and domineeringly held her waist. He held her so tightly that it almost hurt her. "Would you rather stay by his side?" Nina pursed her red lips, not wanting to speak. She hated Steven, but the moment Percy appeared, she became courageous due to the influence of alcohol. She did not want to ask him for help. She wanted to pick a fight with him by going against his wishes. "Nina!" Seeing that Nina was keeping quiet, Percy''s grip became stronger. Nina eximed, the pain in her waist getting worse. Even so, she insisted on not saying anything. The smell of gunpowder was getting stronger. Bianca saw Percy clenching his fist. She knew that if Steven took a step forward, Percy''s fist would greet him the next second. She said anxiously, "Nina, maybe you should go home with Mr. Mallory." Nina wanted to get rid of Percy, but she was well aware of the consequences. She was there to help, not to cause any trouble for Bianca. Eventually, she said, "Let''s go back." Percy''s gloomy handsome face was full of dissatisfaction. His eyes were hazy as though there were countless knives hidden in them. He seemed ready to kill Steven anytime. Seeing that Percy was refusing to leave, Nina felt impatient and thought to herself, ''What else does he want? I said we''re leaving!'' Bianca gave Nina a look. Nina''s expression was a little depressed, and she said impatiently, ''If you don''t want to go, I¡¯ll go back by myself." Percy looked at Steven''s fat face and put his arms around her waist. He refused to let go and they walked out together. "Let''s go." Bianca understood this look. It meant that Steven would be suffering soon enough. She sighed in her heart and watched them leave. Bianca was concerned. Percy was in a bad mood. Besides Steven, she was afraid that Nina would also suffer. Bianca felt guilty. If she had known that their potential partner was such a person, she would not have brought Nina along. Percy left with Nina. They arrived at the parking lot and Percy sped all the way back to the vi. He was too high-strung and almost collided with other cars several times. Nina drank a lot but was not drunk. However, after being swayed so intensely, her stomach began to feel weird. After arriving at the vi, she opened the car door, held on to it, and vomited like her life depended on it. Percy frowned in disgust but stood still at the front of the car. The smell of alcohol with food scraps was horrible. After Nina vomited and emptied her stomach, she stood upright holding the door of the car. Sheughed with joy seeing the disgust on his face that was highlighted by the streetlights. There were wrinkles above his furrowed eyebrows, his face filled with disgust for her. Not only was she not sad about it, but she even felt physically and mentally content. Percy was a lunatic. If they were not lucky, he and she would have both met their doom on their way back. Nina was not afraid of death and even thought that being dead could solve all her problems. She would be able to get rid of Percy and have no regard for the situation at home. "Have youughed enough?" Percy''s brows knitted together. He thought it was odd that she was laughing even though she had just vomited. Nina looked very happy, and her smile seemed to be mocking him. The owner of the Westin Hotel was his friend. He happened to be there tonight and when he passed by the private room, the waiter was delivering alcohol inside. The waiter recognized at a nce that the woman pestered by the pigheaded man was Percy¡¯s woman, so he immediately called to inform him. Percy immediately put down his work and went to pick up Nina. He had burned with rage when he saw Steven putting his hands all over her. What was more, not only did she not resist but she even greeted him with a smile! He exploded! If he had not shown up, would that man have kept harassing her? N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. How could she offer her body just because she wanted to close the partnership? It reminded him of the time she left her dignity to be with him for money. The more Percy thought about it, the more frustrated he was. There was the smell of vomit in the air. Nina nced at the vomit on the ground without any emotions and walked into the house. Even though she had drunk a lot, she could walk steadily. She had learned to conceal her fragility in front of Percy a long time ago. "I had a greatugh and I''m tired now. Mr. Mallory, good night." Nina stubbornly stoppedughing, knowing that he was still watching closely behind her back. She waved nonchntly. Percy seldom slept over. Even if he came, he would leave immediately after they were done. Her ce was like a motel where guests spent the night. However, unlike other motels, the only guest here was Percy. Percy took out his phone and sent Luke a text. [Look after your woman. Be careful of the men who areing for her!] After he sent it, he put away his phone, closed the door on the other side, and walked into the vi. Nina sat on the sofa and closed her eyes to sober up. When she heard footsteps, she opened her eyes and said, "Why did youe in, Mr. Mallory? Do you want to bang?" Percy stood in front of her, his gaze looking gloomy. As a result of drinking too much, Nina''s blushing cheeks looked like red roses. They looked so beautiful that they made people want to pinch them. Chapter 959 Chapter 959 Nina Wanted A Hug Percy''s body temperature turned warmer as he pulled off his tie impatiently. The smile on Nina''s mouth carried a touch of mockery. She was well aware of what wasing next. She stood up and took off her coat with one hand. "I reek, I''ll go wash up first." She was still sober. As the most special character around him, she was well aware of his likes and dislikes. Percy hated women who smelled like alcohol. She nned to take a quick shower before they got down to business. Percy gave her a push and shended on the sofa. "No need, I want you right now!" After an hour, Nina was exhausted andy on the sofa. She watched him dress himself up and leave. She slowly let out a sigh when she heard the sound of his car driving away. In Percy''s heart, she was nothing more than a tool. Her status was lower than that of bottle girls in the nightclubs. Bottle girls could choose which customers they wanted to apany. They had money in their pockets and were happy. However, she had no choice and she was never happy afterward. Nina had no strength left in her. She felt sluggish, and the disgust in her heart grew every day. How long would it take her to move on from this kind of life? She missed her old self... Nina picked up the phone that had fallen to the floor and saw that she had an unread text. She tapped on the notification with trembling fingers. It was a text from Bianca. [Nina, are you home yet? Are you okay?] Bianca was worried that Percy would make things difficult for Nina. His mood seemed terrible when they left. [I¡¯m okay.] Nina tried her best to muster her energy to reply to Bianca. [How about you, have you wrapped things up? Are you going home?] After ten minutes, Bianca replied: [I''m home. I''ll talk to you about it tomorrow. Sleep well!] Nina put down her phone and stared at the ceiling. The cleaners were not meticulous enough. There was a spot on the ceiling. It was just like her life; it was notpletely dirty, but a big part of it was contaminated. Her phone rang and Nina picked it up. It was her mother. She did not want to answer it. She knew that her mother would only call to ask her for money. No matter how much she was earning, Anna would take everything. Her mother was like a vampire that was still not satisfied after sucking her dry. She had to eat her corpse to finally be satisfied. The ringing stopped, and after a while, her phone rang again. It rang over and over again. Eventually, Nina received a text message that said: [Nina, if you don''t want me to kill myself in front of you, pick up my calls.] The phone rang again and Nina was forced to answer it. "Mom." Her voice was feeble. She thought about whether Anna would have some pity for her when she heard her voice... In reality, she was hit with a wave of verbal abuse over the phone. She screamed at Nina for being unfilial and ruthless. "You b*tch! I called you so many times! If I didn''t get through to you this time, should I have called the police to check and see if you died somewhere? How many days have you not been home? If it weren''t for the scar on my stomach, I would''ve thought I had never given birth to a child! You unfilial b*tch! Since you were born, bad things have been happening all the time. Come home tomorrow!" Nina gave a wry smile. The Langdon family''s undoing was their fault and had nothing to do with her. After she was born, the family was happy until Jean Langdon and Marie Rayne showed up andpletely destroyed the family. Could anyone me her? Anna yelled at Nina again when she did not hear a reply, "Why aren''t you saying anything? Are you off being a h*e?" Nina tried to sit up but was too dizzy. She frowned andy down again." Mom, how much do you want this time?" Every time Anna called her, it was to ask her for money. Whenever Anna asked her to go home, it was so that she could force her to pay up face-to- face. She used to have some hope for Anna, but she had learned not to trust her mother a longtime ago. Anna was stunned as it was easier than she expected. She calmed down and said, "One million. If you don''t have time, just transfer it to my bank ount. You don''t have toe back." Nina copsed. Anna''s appetite had grown over the years, and she was using her as a limitless ATM. Were they really rted? "I don''t have that much money," she said indifferently. As soon as Anna heard that, her tone turned sharp. "If you don¡¯t have money, who has? You haven''t given me even a few cents after working for so long. I don''t care, transfer me a million dors this week. Or else, I''ll let everyone know how ruthless you are!" Nina smiled bitterly. ''Money? Haven''t I given you enough?¡¯ All her money was given to her so-called family! "Mom, I just gave you arge sumst month. What happened to it? I have no money to give you this month!" Nina had to be ruthless. Anna threw a tantrum. "No money? Your brother in prison needs money. When he¡¯s released, he needs to buy a house. He needs a house to get married. Can you bear to watch him die alone? Your father is in poor health, and that takes a lot of money too. How can we survive with the little money that you gave us? If you don¡¯t give me more, you''ll never hear the end of it! Just how useless are you? You can''t help with anything and even worked with an outsider to send your brother to jail. Nina, how could you do this to us?¡± Nina was drained after the conversation. She did not cry when she was treated roughly by Percy, but at that moment, she could not stop her tears from flowing. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Anna continued cursing at her over the phone. Eventually, she stopped listening, ended the call, and then turned off the phone. Nina gave a wry smile. ''How useless am I?¡¯ i She would have to satisfy Anna''s growing appetite until all that was left of her were her bones. Bianca was a great boss and paid her enough to sustain her family. However, if Anna''s appetite could be filled, she would not still be with Percy. She had been bullied by him again and again. Her soul was already hollow. She was only left with a body without emotions. Nina''s tears kept streaming down her face, and in the end, she could no longer restrain herself. She sat on the sofa and curled into a ball. She was not sure where she could find one million dors to fill Anna''s appetite this time. Nina felt that the life in front of her was a huge ck hole. No matter how hard she tried or how hard she worked, there was always someone who could instantly beat her back down and shatter her dreams. She was done crying. Therge living room was filled only with the sound of her sniffles. It felt a little empty and lonely. All Nina wanted was a hug. However, she was Percy''s prisoner. She was unworthy to find a man who truly loved her. Looking at the marks on her body, the tears that had just stopped started again. She longed for love, but she could not get it. Nina could not figure out why the universe hated her and what forced her to end up like this. Anna said that it was Bianca who caused their family''s misfortune. However, Bianca was a victim. Jean, her brother, was the one to me... Nina then remembered that Jean was about toplete his sentence. She sighed and wondered what would be waiting for her in the future. Chapter 960 Chapter 960 Luke Was Pissed After Percy left with Nina, Bianca had to spend some time reassuring Steven and promising that she would arrange for another meet-up soon enough. Steven was dissatisfied but did not say much. Bianca knew he was upset and bought two bottles of fine wine at the hotel. When she sent him off, she handed him the wine and the other''s mood seemed to ease a little. She was relieved when she watched him leave with his secretary. Bianca was not confident that she could secure this partnership. Bianca massaged her face, which had been cramping from smiling all night. She sighed helplessly. She called for an Uber because she did not want to drive after drinking. When she got home, she walked into the living room and found that Luke was not working in the study as he usually was. He was sitting on the sofa waiting for her. "Luke?" Bianca called out to him softly. The moment she saw the man waiting for her in the living room, her foul mood was gone. She did not want to think about how to secure the partnership with St. Heckler Hotel. At that moment, all she wanted was to be with Luke. "Come and sit here." Luke pointed to the seat next to him while holding a teacup. Bianca sat down and leaned on him. Luke could smell the alcohol on her clothes. He picked up the lid of the teacup and passed it to her. "Drink some tea." Bianca smelled the sweet honey, and after drinking several sses of red wine, her stomach was not feeling the best. This honey tea could ease her difort. "Thank you." She took it and drank several sips. The tea was perfectly warm as if Luke knew when exactly to start preparing it. The warm tea slid down her throat and into her stomach, alleviating a lot of the difort she was feeling. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Bianca put down the teacup, smiled gently, and looked into Luke''s deepset eyes. Maybe it was because she had a few to drink, she seemed to see thousands of stars in Luke''s eyes. She could not help but say, "Luke, I''m so d to have you by my side." Luke looked at her blushing face and sighed. The fury in his heart was instantly extinguished by her beautiful face. "How was dinner?" He squeezed her soft hand and gently yed with the diamond ring on her ring finger. It was glowing under the lights. Bianca frowned and sighed when she thought about dinner. "It didn''t go well?" Luke asked. He thought about Percy''s text and decided that he would take her side no matter what had happened. Even though she had a wedding ring on, there were still men who coveted her beauty. Luke was pissed. Bianca shook her head and did not intend to tell him about Steven. That was because Mavis Laviere was involved. Mavis was one of Luke''s best assistants before leaving. She did not want to ruin their rtionship over this. Although Luke did not feel the same way for Mavis as she felt for him, they had a good working rtionship. "It''s nothing." Bianca picked up the teacup and took another sip. The honey tea made her stomach feel better. She gently leaned her head on Luke''s shoulder. Luke noticed that she was avoiding the topic and asked her directly, "What did the developer of St. Heckler do to you?¡± Bianca was stunned! She looked up and uttered, "How did you know?" Before he answered her, she knew that it must be Percy who said something to him. When she met Luke''s gaze, she told him everything, including Mavis¡¯ involvement. Luke had already guessed that Bianca was taken advantage of by the developer, but when he heard it from her, his heart burned with anger. He was not mad at Bianca but at the pig-headed man who was about to meet his doom. Bianca tried to calm him. "Luke..." Luke asked, "Where did he touch you?" Seeing his serious expression, Bianca knew how terrible things would get if he was this angry. She feared for Steven''s life. She smiled and replied, "He didn''t touch me too much, and Nina helped me block most of it. Poor thing." Luke snorted. "My love, be honest with me." His aura was so strong that Bianca could not put up with it. She obediently told the truth, "My hands... and waist." She did not dare to tell him that Steven tried to kiss her on the cheek but she dodged it. "Please don''t be angry." Bianca felt his mood turn gloomy just after she started speaking. It was not easy for a woman to set up apany, so there might be more events like this in the future. She wanted to build apany of her own and did not want any help from Luke. She wanted to prove to everyone that she was worthy to stand by his side. Pig-headed men were unavoidable. Bianca could still ept what had happened tonight. "I''m not angry." Luke''s face rxed a little. "I''m going to check on the kids." Bianca was missing her three babies. They were already in bed but she wanted to check on them before getting ready for bed. "They''re already asleep. You can see them tomorrow.¡± Luke stretched out his hands and wrapped them around her waist. "I..." When Bianca wanted to continue speaking, she noticed that Luke had tightened his grip on her waist. She asked, '' What are you doing?" Luke proimed, "You belong to me, no man is allowed to leave a mark on your body." He held her waist so tightly that it seemed that he wanted to imprint his mark on her. Bianca sensed his raging jealousy, and when she was thinking about what to do, he suddenly carried her. "Ah..." The sudden movement startled her. Luke loved to carry her. Despite having done it many times, she would still be startled. "Luke..." Bianca clung to his neck. He walked in steady steps as he carried her upstairs. Luke said, "My love, I don''t like you smelling like other men." The thought of her being harassed by a man pissed him off. His beloved wife was touched by that shameless man. He could not turn a blind eye to it. "I''m going to shower." Bianca wondered if she smelled like Steven. "I''ll help you." Luke kicked the room door open and brought her to the bathroom. Bianca knew that she would not be able to sleep early that night. Luke was only willing to let her go an hourter. Bianca picked up her phone and nced at it. There was a message from Nina. She felt at ease knowing that Nina was fine. She was about to reply to her but her phone was taken away by Luke. "My love, it''ste." Luke showed azy smile that was brighter than the stars at night. Bianca was bewitched by his smile and thought to herself, ''He seems alright... He''ll leave Steven alone... right? When he saw that she was in a daze, Luke pulled up theirforter and said, "Let''s go to bed." Bianca nodded, turned sideways, and hugged his waist while closing her eyes. Chapter 961 Chapter 961 Drinks Half an hourter, Luke presumed Bianca was asleep when he heard her breathing slow down. He picked up the phone on the bedside table and sent a message to Jason. [I want everything you can find on the CEO of the developer for St. Heckler on my table tomorrow morning.] Jason was coaxing the twins to sleep. After he received Luke''s text, he immediately replied: [Okay, Mr. Crawford.] Kari was awakened by the notification. She opened her eyes in a daze and muttered, "Dad." Jason put his phone away. He was a workaholic. Even if he was asleep, his phone would never be on silent mode. That was so that he could attend to Luke''s requests at the first instant. He apologized. "I''m sorry, baby. Did it wake you up?" Kari nced at her sister who was sleeping next to her and found that Teri was still asleep. She shook her head and said, "No, Dad." "Baby, go back to sleep." Jason tucked her in, then gently rubbed her belly and soothed her. Kari smiled sweetly and closed her eyes. "Okay, good night, Dad." "Good night." For the past few weeks, Jason would visit the twins every night. His rtionship with Sue had eased a lot. When Kari fell asleep, Jason tiptoed out of the bedroom and gently closed the door. Sue was sitting in the living room applying a face mask. Her expression turned slightly cold when she saw him. She asked, "Kari and Teri are asleep?" "Yeah." Jason walked over and intended to sit next to her, but he was afraid that she would be offended, so he sat on another single sofa. Sue lifted the mask, threw it into the trash can, and patted her face again to promote the absorption of the essence. Jason sighed in his heart and thought that Sue was cruel to him. He asked, "Have you been in contact with the CEO of the developer for St. Heckler?" "I¡¯ve talked to his subordinates before but I don''t have much contact with him. All I know is that his name is Steven and he''s not from around here." Sue had been caught up with work when Bianca was out of the office. She was not able to give the twins her full attention because of that. That was when Jason appeared and took the initiative to take care of the twins. No matter how she scolded him and how cold her res were, he still silently cared for their children. The nanny empathized with Jason and had talked to Sue privately. ''The twins need their father''s love, you shouldn''t separate them.¡± Sue reflected on whether she had been too harsh on Jason. Her attitude gradually improved, and they were able to exchange a few words. Sue asked, "What''s wrong?" "Mr. Crawford asked me to find out everything I can about him." Jason had started investigating. Sue stopped patting her face and replied, "Why are you involved? Is it because of something that happened tonight?¡± Jason shook his head. He only did what he was told and never asked Luke questions. Sue was puzzled and wanted to reach out to Bianca. She paused when she realized that Bianca was likely asleep. She was going to get ready for bed too. Sue took a look at the time, cleared her throat, and said coldly, "It''ste, it¡¯s time for you to head back." Jason was taken back. He sighed and said, "Sue..." The tension with Sue had eased, but their rtionship was merely like ordinary friends. Her face was radiant after putting on the mask. She was more charming than she already was. Jason did not want to be her friend; he wanted to be her husband, stay by her side, and watch Kari and Teri grow up as one family. Before he finished speaking, Sue knew what he was thinking about and said sternly, "If you leave any later, there might be a misunderstanding. My life is very peaceful now. I don¡¯t want to be disturbed, especially by your ex- wife." When she mentioned Bailey Quarrington, Jason frowned. Bailey had never stopped harassing him. Whenever they had a conversation, the only thing she would talk about was their reconciliation. He had no intentions of doing so. His heart that once belonged to Bailey was now upied with Sue. Bailey was stubborn and refused to stand down. She thought that they had enough love between them to keep their rtionship going. Seeing that Jason had yet to take action, Sue stood up and opened the door. "I don''t want to quarrel with you. If you want to see the twins again, please leave." She wanted a quiet and peaceful life. She just wanted the twins to grow up healthily. Jason could not guarantee their safety, so Sue decided that she would be the one to protect her children. Bailey loved Jason so much that she was on the brink of obsession. Sue was destined to suffer if she chose to pick a fight with a crazy woman. It did not matter that she still had feelings for him or that this situation made her heart ache. Sue had sworn never to ask him for help. She would be there for her daughters. Jason sighed, stood up, and walked to the door. He looked at her and saw the stubbornness on her face. He raised his hand, trying to touch her face. Sue dodged his approach. Jason retracted his hand awkwardly and said, "Good night." "Okay." Sue waited for him to go out and closed the door without any reluctance. After Jason left, Sue leaned back against the door. Holding back her tears, she listened to the footsteps behind the door getting farther and farther. She took some deep breaths before she stood up and walked into her bedroom. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. The next day. At six o''clock in the evening, Bianca received a call from Luke. "My love, are you done with work? I''m downstairs." Bianca was stunned that he was here. In the past, Luke would let her know in advance if he came. Today was the only time that he did not do that. She immediately saved her documents and said, ''TH pack up and meet you downstairs." "See you." Bianca quickly cleaned up her desk and went downstairs. She saw the Land Rover parked right in front of the entrance, and Luke was sitting in the car smoking a cigarette. She opened the door of the passenger seat and went in. The tobo smell woke her up. "Luke, why did youe to pick me up today?" Bianca was curious. Luke asked, "There¡¯s ast-minute event that I have to attend. Can you apany me there?" Bianca nodded without hesitation. She took out her makeup bag so she could touch up her makeup on the way there. "Okay, are we going there now?" Luke gave her a peck on her red lips and said, "Let''s have dinner first." "Are we going out for drinks?" Bianca asked. Social events at night were usually for dinner and drinks. If they were going for dinner, then the event later would likely be for drinks. "Yes, but you don¡¯t need to drink if you don¡¯t want to." Luke put out the cigarette and started the car. The Land Rover drove like the wind on the road. He picked a restaurant nearby. Luke took his time and even ordered a dessert for Bianca after they were done with their mains. Bianca did not question him. After all, drinks usually startedte. It might be too early if they went there now. She took her time with the dessert. Luke was sitting next to her. He saw some cream on her lips, and his heart was pumping hard as he asked, "Do you like it?" "It''s decent, do you want to try some?" Bianca scooped some for Luke and wanted to feed him. Luke held her hand and lowered his head, but instead of eating the dessert, he kissed Bianca and licked the cream off her lips. Chapter 962 Chapter 962 Center Of Attention Bianca''s eyes widened as her spoon fell on the table. The red tablecloth was covered with cream. Luke went slow, unlike his past enthusiastic self, and licked the cream from the corners of her mouth little by little. Bianca could not breathe. His slow-paced kisses were heavenly. Her heartbeat sped up and eventually lost its rhythm. She felt like she was in the clouds. She could feel her body, but it felt like nothing else was in her mind as she indulged in his graceful warmth. One of their phones rang, disturbing their kiss. Luke slowly moved away. He held her face in his hands, rubbing it gently with his fingers. Their love was in the air. Bianca gasped lightly. After her cheeks were rubbed by him, they turned even redder. She was swept off her feet by him. Luke looked at her affectionately but did not say anything. He answered the phone. Jason said, "Mr. Crawford, he¡¯s at Club Gravity." "Okay, we¡¯ll be over." Luke ended the call, took her hand away from her face, and held it. "Let''s go, they''re there." "Yeah." Bianca nodded and touched her face with one hand. She was warm, and he knew she was blushing hard even without looking. Luke was a master when it came to flirting with Bianca. As long as he tried, he had her around his fingers. After they paid, the couple left the restaurant holding hands. Luke drove to Club Gravity. "Here?" Bianca looked at the colorful signs. It was dark and the lights were brilliantly bright. The ce gave off a cheap and vulgar vibe. Although she did not go out much, she had heard about the infamous Club Gravity. Club Gravity was well-known in A City not because it was high-end but because of the transactions that happened inside. Bianca looked at Luke and wondered why he would agree to attend an event at a ce like this. Anyone who wanted to work with him knew that he was resistant to infamous clubs as such. Were they at the wrong ce? Bianca nced at the other two clubs nearby. "Let''s go." Luke took her hand and showed her that they were at the right ce. Bianca was at a loss. Did the other party insist on this venue? Who was this partner who got Luke to compromise? The two walked into the club. The waiter''s eyes lit up and he immediately stepped forward. "Hello, do you have a reservation?" Luke''s eyes swept over the ce and he saw Jason standing not far away." I''m here to look for someone." Jason saw them at the same time. He smiled and walked over. He politely said to the waiter, "We can help ourselves." The waiter nodded and turned around to leave. Luke asked, "Where is he?" "Mr. Crawford, they''re in A303. This way." Jason had familiarized himself with the ce just now and led the way. The three of them walked into the private room. "Go in." Luke did not stop even for a moment. Jason knocked on the door politely, then opened it and walked in. Bianca walked in after Luke. When she saw the people in the room, she looked at the man next to her in shock. It was Mavis and Steven. What in the world?! Luke held her hand tightly and walked toward the sofa to sit down. Bianca acted calm and sat next to him. Fortunately, they were some distance away from Steven and the bottle girls. "Ms. Rayne? What are you doing here? I told you yesterday that I¡¯m not free today." Steven looked dissatisfied. He held one bottle girl in each arm and demanded an answer from Bianca, who was the only one he knew among the lot. He was having fun, so he became annoyed when he was interrupted by the group of strangers that barged in. He stared at Luke with a look of disdain and then looked at Bianca again. Before Steven leftst night, he had tried to hint at her but she only arrogantly turned him down. She simply gave him a few bottles of wine and left. In just one night, she seemed to have hooked up with someone else. That man was dressed well and appeared wealthy. Steven was cursing at Bianca in his heart. Mavis stood up, surprised when she saw Luke walk in. Since she left T Corporation, the only way she could find out what he was up to was through newspapers and magazines. Mavis had not seen him for a long time, and her heart was beating like a drum. "Luke, why are you..." Mavis could not hold herself back. Her voice was soft and tender. Luke interrupted her with a chilly tone, "I¡¯m here for Mr. Steven." Mavis froze as though she was sshed with cold water. She was finally awake. Her eyes became filled with hatred at the interlocked hands of the husband and wife. He came here for Bianca. Mavis hated it. Bianca robbed her of her one true love, and now, she wanted to snatch business from her! How dare she?! Bianca met Mavis'' gaze. Luke was the center of attention wherever he went and that led to a lot of people staring daggers at her. She retracted her gaze and pretended that she did not notice her hatred. She sat upright and trusted that the man next to her would have it handled. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Luke moved his fingers, and the two interlocked their fingers. Mavis was furious but took a deep breath and cleared her throat. "Mr. Crawford, what do you have to do with Steven?" Steven, who was called out, sipped on some whisky. His fat face was full of impatience as he shouted, "What do you want from me? I don''t know you, so don''t disturb me drinking." Luke looked at his fat hands that were around the waists of the two bottle girls indifferently. He got angry when he remembered that the same pair of hands were all over Bianca yesterday. He wanted to chop off his fat hands! Who was he to touch Bianca? Jason frowned and looked at Mr. Crawford''s gloomy expression. He was secretlyughing at Steven''s ignorance. ''You want a share of A City but have yet to do your research. Do you think that you''re that rich or are you dumb?'' Jason thought it was thetter, but since the other party asked, he introduced Luke. "Mr. Steven, this is Mr. Crawford from T Corporation. Mr. Crawford has something to talk to you about." "T Corporation?" Although Steven was not from around A City, he had heard of T Corporation. Before he could speak, Mavis could no longer remain calm. "Mr. Crawford, I have something to tell you. Can I have five minutes of your time? Let''s go out and talk." She looked at him with aggrieved eyes. Anyone with eyes could see the love that she had for him. Luke had no intention of standing up. His cold gaze was locked on Steven as he said, "You can say what you want to say here." Mavis felt sad. He so cruelly refused to give her five minutes of alone time. "Okay, let me be straight. If you want to help Bianca, no one can stop you. However, I''m in the middle of a business meeting with Steven. Don''t you think that you''re being rude by barging in? What''s more, your time is so precious. It shouldn''t be wasted on this kind of thing. You''ve changed! The old you would never do something like this," she said while staring daggers at Bianca. Chapter 963 Chapter 963 Lawyer''s Letter ''Just how useless is Bianca?! How dare she run apany when her capabilities are stillcking? She''s begging Luke for help just because she failed at securing the partnership. The man I love is working hard to manage T Corporation but he even has to deal with such trivial matters on her behalf now?! Not only does she not share his worries but he has to help sort out her problems as well. Bianca is not qualified to stand beside Luke!'' Bianca felt nothing when she heard Mavis'' sour and usatory tone. No matter how much Mavis made it seem as though she was involved with Luke, it was all fiction. Bianca trusted Luke and turned her head to look at him tenderly. Luke looked at Mavis indifferently as he replied, Ms. Laviere, my wife is not interested in your kind of business meetings." He said it mockingly as he nced at the bottle girls in revealing clothing. Mavis was taken back and felt ashamed. She was not a fan of ces as such, but she had to cater to Steven''s preferences. She was well aware of Bianca¡¯s tricks. She took a deep breath before she said, ¡¯ Mr. Crawford, do you think of me as a fool? I''m well aware that Brilliant Architectural Design LLC ispeting for the St. Heckler project and you''re here to help her secure it. Here I am fighting tooth and nail for my livelihood. Look at her taking the shortcut and asking you for help. Do you think that''s fair? What''s more, Steven has a meeting with me tonight, not with her." Bianca was irked at Mavis, but she told herself to hold back. Although Bianca was surprised that Luke brought her here and had no clue about it before arriving, she was sure that they were there for something other than the St. Heckler project. Luke could sense that Bianca was ticked off. He rubbed the back of her hand with his fingers, and his gentle movements calmed her inner restlessness. Bianca smiled and calmed down as she processed Mavis'' provocative usations. When Luke looked up again, his gaze turned colder as he said, "I¡¯m her husband." Mavis was thinking of 101 ways to kill Bianca. ''This ipetent woman doesn¡¯t deserve his love!'' "Secondly, I''m not here for Brilliant Architectural Design LLC. Mr. Doyle, I believe you have something for Mr. Steven?" Luke stopped talking to Mavis about things that he thought were a waste of time. He was willing to give her five minutes considering that they had once worked together but would do nothing beyond that. "Yes." Jason handed the document in his hand to Steven, who was still enjoying himself with alcohol and girls. Even when the three of them walked into the private room, Steven had not stopped drinking or touching the girls. Steven asked, "What''s this?¡± "This is thewyer''s letter from Mr. Luke Crawford." Jason smiled and acted innocent. Steven was stunned and asked, "Why am I getting awyer''s letter?" "You harassed my wife and her associate yesterday." Luke turned around and put his arms on Bianca''s shoulder, dering his position. Bianca was stunned too. Then, the corners of her mouth gently raised into a smile. ''This was his n all along!'' Luke came to a ce like this because of the grievance she suffered yesterday. Her mood was bright as she looked at Steven''s shocked expression. However, Steven replied cunningly, "Do you have any evidence of what you''re using me of?" "Every private room in the Westin Hotel has security cameras. Here''s the evidence that you asked for, Mr. Steven. See you in court," Jason answered on Luke''s behalf. Steven hurriedly pushed aside the bottle girls next to him to take a look at thewyer''s letter. Under the colorful lights, he could barely read the contents. Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Luke helped Bianca stand up and they walked out of the private room together. "Luke..." Mavis did not expect this to happen. She stood up and called out to Luke. Luke did not turn around. It was as if he did not hear anything as he left with his arms around Bianca. Jason stood there, put his smile away, and said solemnly, "Mr. Steven, please read through the document in detail. Our team ofwyers will be in contact for the next steps." "This is nder!" Steven¡¯s scalp went numb. All he wanted was a good time. He did not expect that things would get to this stage. "Aren''t you forgetting something? We have evidence in our hands. Ms. Laviere, here''s a gentle reminder to please be mindful of your words. After working with Mr. Crawford for so long, you should understand that although Mr. Crawford loves his wife, he''s not what you said he is," Jason warned her. If it were not for Mavis'' outstanding work that aided in Luke''s career, he would have held her ountable for everything she just said. Mavis sank into the leather sofa, her face turning pale. Jason left and closed the door on his way out. Steven had lost the mood to drink and shouted at the bottle girls to leave. He was feeling at a loss as he scanned through thewyer''s letter. "Ms. Laviere, is T Corporation apany that I should be concerned about?" Although Steven had heard of T Corporation, he was not aware of the details. "Yeah." Mavis was upset. However, it was uncertain whether it was because of Luke''s indifference toward her or because of what she said to him. She knew the kind of person he was, but jealousy made her say something she should not have. ''It''s all Bianca''s fault! Else, I would never have lost the superficial generosity and grace that I''ve always shown Luke.'' When Steven heard that, he immediately took out his phone and searched for T Corporation... After seeing T Corporation''s portfolio and Luke''s photo, he felt chills all over. "It''s over for me," Steven whispered. T Corporation was one of thergest groups in A City. It would take nothing for a powerfulpany like T Corporation to crush him. What was more, he had failed to control his heart and hands the day before. Steven was upset. He thought that he would not have pissed Bianca off if he did not agree to today''s meeting with Mavis. "Ms. Laviere, I wouldn¡¯t be in this mess if I hadn''t agreed to meet you today. You''ll get this sorted out for me." He wanted to drag her into the mess. Mavis was upset, and her voice rose a few decibels as she said, "Steven, how can you say that? Did I grab your hand and force you to touch Bianca? Even if you didn''t agree to this meeting with me, Mr. Crawford would¡¯ve stille looking for you. You should¡¯ve expected awyer letter the moment you laid your hands on her." When Steven heard it, he knew that Luke would never let go of him. His fat body was shaking. In his early years, he had a taste of living a poor and hard life. If Luke insisted on going to court, he was afraid that he might have to return to his previous life. Steven was unwilling to let it go without a fight and said, "Do you think you can slip your way out of this? If you hadn¡¯t said those things, Luke might not have given me awyer''s letter." He believed that the sole reason Luke dropped by was to secure the partnership for Brilliant Architectural Design LLC. However, Mavis annoyed Luke, so thewyer''s letter was handed over. Rich people were all about saving their dignity. When Mavis said that, Luke would not have revealed his true intentions to save his dignity. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Mavis stared at him with her eyes wide open. This man was so addicted to drinking and women that he had lost his brain. He did not know Luke, but she knew him well. She picked up thewyer¡¯s letter and saw that it was issued by Walter Long''s office. She said, "I know thiswyer." "Can you bribe him?" Steven had hope. Chapter 964 Chapter 964 Failed Partnership Mavis was speechless and thought that he was brainless. It was obstruction of justice to bribe awyer! ''What''s more, he doesn''t know who Walter is and what he''s capable of. He won''t be bribed so easily.¡¯ "I''ll introduce you to awyer. If they pursue the case, give her a call." Mavis took out a pen and wrote down Shandra Cullen''s contact information. Among everyone in A City, Shandra was the only one who could put up a fight with Walter. Steven frowned and looked at Shandra''s contact information. He was miserable. Mavis saw his miserable face. Although she knew that he could not escape thewsuit, she still wanted to win the project to prove that she was better than Bianca. She pretended to be optimistic and said, "Steven, don''t worry. Shandra is really good. She wins almost every case she takes on, but..." "What?" Steven was hanging onto her every word. Mavis said, "She''s picky with her cases. However, if you tell her that thewyer representing the other party is Walter, she¡¯ll take your case." Steven touched his fat chin and asked curiously, "Why is this? Did something happen between them?" Mavis was toozy to exin it to him. "Why does it matter as long as she can help you win the lawsuit? Steven, I need to head off. Have fun. I''m going to get the bill. Do you want me to ask the two ladies toe back in? Steven was no longer in the mood. All he wanted was to contact Shandra and get the matter sorted. His beer belly shook as he stood up and said," No, Ms. Laviere. You''ve caused me such trouble, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a chance for a partnership for us." He med thewyer''s letter on Mavis. He would not have hesitated for so long if they did not hike up the price on purpose. If he had not hesitated, he would not have had dinner with Bianca and Nina. When Steven left, Mavis was enraged and did not hold back. "You fat *ss! How dare you me me for your horniness?! I shouldn''t have rmended Shandra to you. You deserve thewsuit!" After Steven left Gravity, he immediately called Shandra. Shandra was taking on a lot ofwsuits and currently working overtime. She wanted to turn Steven down, but when she heard that thewyer representing the other party was Walter, she hardly considered it before saying yes. She shared the address of her office and asked him toe over immediately. Steven wanted to get thewsuit out of the way, so he asked the driver to send him to thewyer''s office. Shandra sat across from Steven, handed him a cup of coffee, and said," Did you bring thewyer''s letter?" "I have it here." Steven was in awe of Shandra''s beauty but did not dare to think about it. He needed her and worshipped her as a god. He could not afford to lose thiswsuit as he would end up with nothing. Shandra quickly scanned through thewyer''s letter and frowned as she asked, ¡¯Did you do anything to Bianca and Nina?" "I didn¡¯t! It''s nder!" Steven denied the usation. Seeing his twinkling eyes, Shandra put down thewyer''s letter and asked," If you want me to help you fight thiswsuit, it¡¯s best you be honest. Did you or did you not do it? What did you do?" Steven was stunned and had no choice but to confess under her watchful eyes. "I touched their hands and waist. It¡¯s not that big of a deal!" "If the two of them were bottle girls, it wouldn''t be a big deal," Shandra said coldly and sipped on her coffee. Steven seemed to be the kind of man who took advantage of women. He had chosen the worst person he couldy his disgusting hands on. As a woman, Shandra hated men like these. If the other party had hired Walter as theirwyer, Steven would never win! Steven was speechless. He picked up the coffee cup and took a big mouthful before asking, "What should I do now?" Shandra asked, "Do they have any evidence against you?" Steven remembered Jason''s words. There was security footage that captured him taking advantage of Bianca and Nina. "Is there?" Shandra asked. It was a simple question but he was taking a long time to answer. She thought that it was a waste of her time. "Yes," Steven replied, But I didn''t go overboard..." "When you chose to do it, you should¡¯ve known that there was no going back. The judge won''t judge you based on how many times you touched her," Shandra stood up and said indifferently, "I can''t help you with this case." Steven was stunned and replied, "Why?! Mavis said you can help me win thewsuit!" ''Til only stand a chance to win if there¡¯s a chance to start with. No one can help you with this case. They have witnesses and evidence. Mr. Steven, I suggest that you apologize to Mrs. Crawford. If Mr. Crawford insists on holding you ountable, no one can help you," Shandra said and gave her assistant a look. Her assistant turned off the recorder. There was no chance of winning this case. This wretched man was wasting their time. Steven was in despair and said, "Is there no other way?" "Make your most sincere apology but don''t have too much hope. As a man who loves his wife a lot, Mr. Crawford will never allow anyone to take advantage of his wife." Shandra''s words were reasonable. Although she wanted a showdown with Walter in court, this case was doomed from the start. She was not stupid enough to let pride get in her head. Luke and Bianca returned home and started working. Bianca knew that Luke would have a lot of things to attend to since he left work early to pick her up. She tiptoed over and gave him a gentle kiss. Then, she turned and walked into the children''s bedroom. After the three children were asleep, Bianca sneaked a look when she passed by the study and saw that Luke was still working. She went back to the bedroom, took a shower, and sat on the bed to read. When Luke was done with his work and went into the bedroom, Bianca was leaning on the bed and yawning. Bianca rubbed her eyes and smiled. "My love, are you done for the day?" "Yes. If you''re sleepy, why did you stay up?" he asked. Bianca felt a little bit more energetic and answered, "Nothing to worry about. Do you want to take a bath? I''ll fill the tub with hot water for you." "No need forthat." Luke sat on the edge of the bed, bowed his head, and kissed her pinkish cheek. Luke did not want to keep her up knowing that she could barely keep her eyes open. "Go to bed first. I''ll go take a shower." Bianca thought about it for a while and then asked, "What are you going to do about Steven?" She felt that Luke did this also because of Brilliant Architectural Design LLC. Luke did not have to send Steven awyer''s letter if he wanted to make his life difficult. Luke¡¯s deep-set eyes showed a hint of yfulness. He squeezed Bianca''s face while admiring how smart she was. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. He wanted to make things difficult for Steven, but not in this way. This was just the beginning. ''Til leave it to you to decide how you want to proceed with this," Luke said. "Luke, I¡¯m d to have you in my life." Bianca held him, raised her head, and looked at his defined jawline. Chapter 965 Chapter 965 Mr. Stevens'' Apology "Go to bed if you''re tired. If you''re still awake when I''m done showering, we¡¯ll...¡± Luke''s thin lips touched her forehead lightly, his kiss carrying a touch ofcharm. Bianca''s face turned slightly red. She lifted the nket and said, "I''m going to bed, good night.¡± Shey down, covered the quilt, closed her eyes, and stopped looking at his teasing eyes. Luke rubbed on her cherry lips with his fingertips and whispered, "Come on now..." Bianca blushed and turned to her side so he could no longer touch her. "I hung your pajamas in the bathroom. Go take a shower." "Okay." After he tucked her in, Luke stood up and walked to the bathroom. Bianca heard the sound of the door closing and momentster, there was the sound of water running in the shower. She was filled with happiness. She picked up the phone on the bedside table, sent a message to Nina, and fell asleep. The next day, Bianca returned to work and held a meeting to work out thepany''s development n for the next quarter. Halfway through the meeting, the assistant at the front desk knocked on the door and walked into the meeting room. "Ms. Rayne, Mr. Steven is looking for you outside." "Take him to the reception room." Bianca''s expression remained unchanged. She knew that Steven woulde to her, but she did not expect that he would be so impatient, just like Luke had guessed. When Luke got up in the morning, he had mentioned that Steven would be visiting Brilliant Architectural Design LLC today. She thought Steven would take some time to process it and show up in a few days when he was desperate. However, Steven made an appearance earlier than expected. "Okay." The assistant at the front desk closed the door and took Steven to the reception room as per Bianca''s instructions. She passed him a cup of coffee before leaving. Bianca continued with the meeting, and they eventually wrapped things up an hourter. After the employees left the meeting room, Nina went to Bianca and asked, "Bea, do you think he''s still here?" Bianca nodded her head and said, "Even if we had a five-hour meeting, he''d still be here." Nina gave her a thumbs up. She was surprised when she received Bianca''s textst night. She thought that Percy ruined things beyond repair and their partnership was as good as gone. "Let''s go, apany me to the meeting room." Bianca put away herptop and walked out of the meeting room with Nina. The two went to the reception room. Steven was slumped on the sofa. His body upied most of the two- seater sofa. Perhaps it was because he was getting impatient while waiting, he even took off his leather shoes. Nina frowned in disgust. ''Does he think of our office as his home?¡¯ She put on a smile and said, "Mr. Steven, sorry to keep you waiting." Steven immediately put on his leather shoes, buckled the edges of the shoes with his fingers, and stood up. He tugged on his wrinkled suit before reaching his hand out while saying, "Ms. Rayne, Ms. Langdon, good morning." Bianca remembered that he had just fumbled with his shoes and ignored his hand. She sat across from him with Nina and said, "Steven, what can I do for you today?" Steven retracted his hand in embarrassment, sat down, and smiled at Bianca and Nina. He was here to apologize. He had not apologized to anyone since he started his business. Even after practicing several times in his heart, he could not bring himself to say it. Steven was chuckling awkwardly. Nina enjoyed this look of fear on Steven. It was what he deserved after he harassed themst night. She said, "Mr. Steven, why aren''t you speaking? Are you here to tell us that yourpany has decided to work with ours? You shouldn¡¯t have made the trip here! You could''ve just given us a call instead of coming all the way here." She was being cheeky. After all, she was humiliated by Percy just because he could not control his hands. Steven shook his head quickly and said, "No, I''m here to apologize to the two of you." Bianca and Nina were both quiet. Steven paused as he was not sure how to continue since they were not saying anything. He took a deep breath and treated the coffee as alcohol. He took a sip to muster up the courage before he said, "I¡¯m sorry that I behaved inappropriately with both of you. I hope that you can forgive me and let this matter go." Bianca and Nina shared a look and thought, ''That''s it?'' Nina was displeased and said, "Steven, do you know how much trouble your actions caused usst night? We¡¯re women hoping to secure a business partner, not bottle girls." "Of course you''re not!" Steven said quickly, "I couldn''t control myself after drinking. I mean... the two of you are really beautiful..." "What did you just say?" Nina did not think that it was apliment. Being drunk did not excuse bad behavior. "I''ll keep my mouth shut." Steven shook his head and hurriedly took out two sets of documents from his bag. "Ms. Rayne, should we proceed with signing the contract?" Bianca picked up a copy and took a look at it. It was the contract that they had previously discussed. She flipped through it and looked up at him suspiciously. "Are you serious?" "I''ve thought about it and I believe that the design concept of Brilliant Architectural Design LLC ispatible with St. Heckler. Ms. Rayne, I sincerely want to work with your firm." Steven gave a sincere look. Nina chuckled and replied, "Steven, why do you suddenly want to cooperate with ourpany? If I remember correctly, Ms. Rayne''s husband sent you awyer''s letter yesterday. Is that why you''re here today?" Since Nina hadid it all out, Steven could do nothing but smile and say," Ms. Langdon, you''re a smart woman. There are some things that we don''t need to be so direct about, right?" "Mr. Steven, how would we know what you mean if you''re not direct?" Nina was not a forgiving person. She knew that she had to stand up and fight for herself. She wanted to make Steven pay a billionfold for what he did to them! After being involved with Percy for a while, her values had been distorted. Steven sighed, and he could only admit defeat. He said, "Yes, I hope ourpanies can establish a friendly business rtionship. Ourpany has other development ns in A City, so there are many future opportunities for us to work together again. Ms. Rayne, Ms. Langdon, I apologize for my behavior. Considering how sincere I¡¯m being, can you get Mr. Crawford to withdraw thewyer''s letter if I sign this contract?" What he said was very moving, but Bianca did not react to it. She went through the contract with Nina. Nina saw the project budget and said, "You¡¯re sincerely apologizing to us, but the project budget..." In the text that Bianca sent yesterday, she made it clear that she wanted this partnership, so they would just letst night¡¯s incident go. After all, it was not something that they wanted to reveal to the public. It was time-consuming to go to court. "Ms. Langdon, what do you mean?" Steven asked immediately. "The budget is unreasonable, Mr. Steven. You said you¡¯re being sincere but this is the same budget that we previously discussed." Nina was such a wonderful negotiator that Bianca did not have to step in.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Chapter 966 Chapter 966 Give The Newbies A Chance "What''s the number that you have in mind?" Steven wailed in his heart and was prepared to be ughtered. "How about a five percent increase?" Nina said the price that she and Bianca had discussed. They were businesswomen. They could not afford to be soft-hearted when faced with men like him. They also wanted to teach him a lesson. Steven felt his heart ache. A five percent increase would mean that the nned budget would burst. He wanted to try his luck and said, "Ms. Langdon, isn¡¯t five percent a little too much?" "It is, but if you were seeking cooperation with T Corporation, their asking price will be more than this." Nina smiled, showing no sympathy for him. Steven gritted his teeth. He knew that she mentioned T Corporation on purpose. Nina added, "What''s more, leaving aside the partnership, if you go to court, you have topensate and lose much more than that." When Steven left Shandra''sw firmst night, she had mentioned that if he went to court, he was doomed to lose. Due to the other party''s identity and status, the amount he had topensate would be about the same as the price Nina was currently proposing. If hepromised, he could still get something out of it and his reputation would not be damaged. After weighing his options, Steven agreed to their request. "Okay, let¡¯s go with a five percent increase." Bianca asked the front desk assistant toe in. The assistant opened the door and walked in. Bianca told her, "Print two copies of the contract with St. Heckler. The price needs to be revised, please increase the original price by five percent. "Okay, please give me a moment." The assistant nodded and made the necessary changes. After a while, she printed the contracts and sent them to the reception room. When Bianca took them, the paper was still hot. She put the two contracts on the solid wood coffee table and said, "Steven, have a read. If there are no concerns, let''s sign the contract today." Steven nced at the price and did his best to keep his cool. It was a big loss and he would need to figure out how to exin it at work. He had always exploited others but for the first time, he was exploited by two women. Steven, who originally looked down on women, now deeply regretted it. He took a closer look at the terms of the contract, confirmed that they were the same, and signed his name on thest page of the document. Bianca also signed her name. She handed one of the copies to the assistant and said, "Put it on my desk." "Okay, Ms. Rayne." The assistant took it and walked out. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Steven''s heart was bleeding. Seeing that he had things sorted, he confirmed with her again. "Ms. Rayne, thewyer''s letter..." "You can keep thewyer''s letter. I¡¯ll inform Mr. Walter to stop pursuing the case. You can rest assured." Seeing that they were done, Bianca stood up and wanted to shoo him off. "Steven, thank you for choosing us. We¡¯ll make sure that you¡¯ll be satisfied with the end result." "Happy to do business with you, I won¡¯t take any more of your time. Good day." Steven was crying and mourning in his heart, but he had to put on a smile and leave the office with the contract in his hand. After Steven left, Bianca returned to her office, took out her phone, and sent Luke a message to update him on the matter. She also asked him to contact Walter Long. Nina opened the door and walked in while praising Bianca. "As usual, I''m impressed. Our financial reports will look great." Bianca looked at Luke''s brief reply and guessed that he was busy. She put the phone away and looked at her friend. "This contract has always belonged to ourpany." If it were not for what had happened, they would have already started designing. Nina nodded in agreement and sat on the chair opposite Bianca, saying," By the way, this project seems to be quiterge. Do you n to work on it yourself?" "I n to give the newbies a chance. I¡¯ll lead this project, but the newbies will be responsible for the main design. I want to spend more time with the kids." Bianca smiled as she thought of her three angels. "Alright." Nina nodded. Bianca''s kids were still young. If she had to take care of all the projects, there would be a lot less time for her to take care of them. Nina asked, "Do you have anyone in mind?" Bianca thought about it for a while and said, "I want Sue and Shireen to be involved. I think Shireen''s designs are good." Nina nodded and agreed. "Although Shireen only started working not too long ago, she''s talented. Even Mr. Yarbrough, who''s infamous for being difficult, was impressed with her work." Bianca said, "Let''s proceed with her then." Nina nodded and sat in afortable position with her legs crossed. "By the way, do you know who I bumped into when I went shopping yesterday?" "Who?" Bianca kept the contract in the safe. Nina said, "Hera Sanchez, the school flower..." Bianca nodded. She knew who Nina was talking about. "What then?" "I think she''s living a good life and probably went for stic surgery. Why did the universe allow such a horrible woman to live such a good life?" Nina sighed. When she saw Hera yesterday, she was signing up for a VIP membership. She was generous and directly handed the credit card to the clerk without looking. "Thest time I went on my honeymoon with Luke, I also saw her. She was with her boyfriend." Bianca thought of the fat and greasy man named Harvey. "Let me guess, is he a local tyrant?" Nina gossiped. "Should be." Bianca was not interested, especially when Harvey did what he did when Hera was taken away by the immigration police. He ran as soon as there was trouble. It was not true love. "Is he handsome?" Nina continued to gossip. "When she was in school, Hera picked only the handsome and rich to be her boyfriends. She said she would not settle if someone had one but not the other." Bianca could not remember what Hera said back then but she still remembered Hera¡¯s bad behavior. "Her boyfriend? How can I put it, he''s..." "What about him?" Nina was keen to find out more. "He''s just another Steven." Bianca could not say that he was ugly, so she had to find a more appropriate description. "Steven? Is he a fat guy?" Nina eximed. It seemed that people''s tastes would change. She did not expect Hera to pick a boyfriend who had money but no looks. "Yes." Bianca called for the assistant to notify Sue and Shireen toe to look for her. Nina was satisfied after gossiping. She stood up and said, "Okay, I¡¯ll leave before your next meeting. I¡¯m meeting the client in an hour, I want to touch up my makeup." "Nina..." Bianca called to her as though she had something to say. Chapter 967 Chapter 967 She Had No Feelings For Percy Nina looked at her and asked with a bright smile on her face, "What''s the matter?" Bianca smiled and replied, "It''s nothing. It¡¯s just that you should be more mindful in situations like these. I don¡¯t want Mr. Mallory to misunderstand." She felt bad that Steven affected their rtionship. Nina said cheekily, "Don''t worry, not every man is a piece of trash like Steven." She muttered in her heart, ''Who is Percy to misunderstand anything?'' She had no feelings for Percy. Sue and Shireen knocked on the door and walked in. Both of them were holding theirptops. Nina waved her hand and said, "I''ll go prepare for my meeting." Sue watched Nina close the door and asked curiously, "Ms. Rayne, what does Ms. Langdon need to prepare for?" "A business meeting. Sit down." Bianca gestured to the chairs opposite of her. Sue and Shireen sat down. Bianca went straight to the point. "Ourpany has secured the partnership with St. Heckler Hotel. I want you two to take charge of the design. Do you have any concerns?" Sue had been in the workce for many years, so she had no objections and said, "I have no problem with it." Shireen was a little surprised and said, "Ms. Rayne, this project is a huge one. I''m still a newbie in the firm, you..." "Your design concept is unique. I''ve seen the ns you designed for our clients. I believe in you, and Sue will be there to guide you. There''s no need to worry." Bianca expressed her trust in Shireen and believed that she was making the right choice. Shireen was moved by Bianca''s trust in her. Since Bianca had said so, she happily epted the responsibility. "I''ll do my best on this project!" She was considered a neer and had less than one year of working experience. Shireen was honored to be able to participate in such a big project with Sue. "Great." Bianca nodded with satisfaction and then exhorted, "The developer has given us plenty of time. You can take your time and discuss the theoretical n before you start with the design. Although we''re not that big of apany, you''re free to scout for the manpower you need. Any questions?" "No." Sue was the first to answer. After working in T Corporation for so many years, she was calm when faced with new projects, no matter how big or small. Bianca turned on the projector and said, "Okay, let''s have a meeting now to discuss the basic design concepts." "Okay." Sue turned on herptop and the recorder. Halfway through the meeting, there was a loud noise outside. Bianca stopped talking and listened to the noise. "Nina! Where''s Nina?!" An annoying female voice sounded from outside. "Who''s that?" Sue frowned. "It''s Nina''s mother," Bianca replied faintly. She recognized the voice and stood up. "I''ll check it out." "I¡¯ll go too." Sue followed her. The rtionship between the three of them was more than that of colleagues. They all sincerely cared about each other. Bianca pushed open the door of the office, only to see Nina with her back facing them. She was trying to persuade her mom. "Mom, please leave." Anna immediately noticed Bianca, whom she had not seen for a long time. She was furious when she noticed how great Bianca looked and recalled that she sent Jean to jail. She refused to back down and shouted, "Why are you asking me to leave? You''re never home! Do you think you can ignore us just because you have a great job? Nina, I''m telling you, don''t even think about it! Your dad and I worked so hard to raise you. Now that you''re living a good life, how could you be so unfilial to us? I''ll let everyone in yourpany know the kind of person you are!" Nina was tearing up. She thought that her mom was just making empty threats previously. She did not expect that Anna would actually show up in her office. Anna favored Jean and often said that he needed to eat and dress well so that he would not lose the respect that he deserved. However, Nina was nothing but an ATM for Anna. Nina could not help herself and yelled, "Haven''t you caused enough trouble? This is a public ce. You¡¯ll be kicked out by the security guards if you continue to disrupt my colleagues'' work." When Anna heard this, she furiously said, "You dare to have them kick me out? What did I do? I''m here to ask you for money because your father and I are starving. We can''t even afford a simple meal. How can you say things like that?" Bianca could no longer stay on the sidelines. She was well aware of Nina''s situation; it was nothing like Anna had just described. Nina was filial and gave most of her wages to help her family, but Anna was a big spender and was never satisfied no matter how much Nina gave her. Bianca stepped forward and said, "Aunt Anna, this is mypany. Nina has some work to attend to in a while. Would you like to go to the reception room for a cup of tea?" As soon as Bianca stepped forward to help Nina, Anna''s entire body was in difort as she pointed to Bianca''s nose and screamed, "Don¡¯t act nice! I know what you''re thinking. Nina will leave the moment I step out. I''m telling you, I''m going to get my living expenses today. Otherwise, I won''t leave. Nina, how can you be so dumb? This woman sent your brother to jail, how can you still work for her?" Bianca was speechless. Everyone knew why Jean went to jail. He did so many bad things that were against thew! However, Anna refused to listen to logic and insisted that it was all Bianca''s fault. She would take every chance to mention it whenever she saw Bianca, hoping to make her feel guilty. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Bianca did nothing wrong though, so why would she feel guilty? Bianca became more and more disgusted with Anna''s behavior. If she were not Nina''s mother, she would have called for the security guards. Sue could no longer bear it. She knew Jean and exactly the kind of person he was. The things he did at the beginning had also made many female employees in T Corporation disgusted with him. She stepped forward and said, ''Madam, please be mindful of your words. When did Ms. Rayne frame your son? Your son¡¯swlessness was all over the newspapers. Ms. Rayne did nothing." When Anna saw someone helping Bianca, she immediately thought of her as the enemy and said, "Bianca seduced my son and when she got together with Luke Crawford, she abandoned him and put him in jail. That''s the truth! My son was framed by this woman! Stop lying!" Sue rolled her eyes and was about to drag Anna back down to reality but before she could say anything, Nina yelled, "It was Jean who betrayed Bea and cheated on her with that b*tch, Marie. They even have kids! As Jean''s sister, I¡¯m ashamed to talk about what he did in public. Besides, I didn''t swindle your deposit, Marie did. I don''t owe you anything. The money I''ve given you is enough for you to live the next half of your life prosperously, but you continue to spend money recklessly and get yourself into more and more debts. The debts I have now are all because of you!" Chapter 968 Chapter 968 Are You Going On a Date? Anna''s face turned beet-red when she heard Nina''s words, and she became more agitated. She could not bear to hear anyone talking bad about her favorite son after he went to prison. She tried to w Nina''s face, "What are you saying, you miserable wretch? He is your brother. I''ll teach you a lesson on behalf of your ancestors." Nina dodged the attack while tears slid down her face. "If my ancestors knew what Jean did, they''d teach him a lesson first." Jean had to go to prison for what he had done, but Nina had to clean up the mess that he left. Nina had suffered for the past few years, and she could no longer pretend that she was fine about it. Seeing that the situation was uncontroble, Bianca told her assistant, "Get security." When Anna heard that, she stopped attacking Nina and red at Bianca." How dare you!" "You are in an office now, Mrs. Langdon. You are causing a disturbance to our work. I¡¯m only calling the security and not the police because you are Nina¡¯s mother. If you continue to disturb us, I will call the police,¡± Bianca warned the woman while shielding Nina behind her. Anna would haveplied if she was reasonable. Unfortunately, there was no use reasoning with her. Even though Bianca was not part of the Langdon family, she was nheless disheartened by Anna''s attitude toward Nina. She felt sorry for Nina, and at the same time understood that Jean''s personality wasrgely shaped by Anna''s doting. "Very well." Anna pointed at Nina''s nose. "Do you think that you''re fine if someone is protecting you? Even if they throw me out of the building, I''ll sit there and tell every passer-by how cruel you are to me!" She only wanted money and nothing else. Nina was angered by the threat. She wiped away her tears and pointed at the door. "Suit yourself. You can tell everyone the entire story and let them know how warped you are. Go now!" The security guards happened to hear that when they came over. They instantly identified the troublemaker and grabbed her by her arms. "Sorry, Ms. Rayne. This is our oversight," they said courteously. Anna continued to struggle and kick even though her arms were restrained. One of her shoes flew off her foot. '' Nina, you heartless wretch, is that how you treat your mother?" Nina closed her eyes in shame. The most fragile part of her personality had been exposed. "Take her away." The security guards began to carry Anna out. "You wretch, you ingrate, I won¡¯t..." Anna''s curses abruptly stopped, and she passed out. The security guards were shocked. They instantly put her on the floor and looked at each other. "It''s... it''s not our fault. We didn''t do anything to her. She passed out by herself." Bianca stepped forward to take a closer look. Anna was perspiring hard, and her face was deathly pale. She did not look like she was faking it. After detecting her pulse, Bianca turned her head around and told Nina, "Call the ambnce, Nina." Nina was flustered when she saw her mother pass out. She came to her senses and quickly dialed for emergency services. After a brief moment of chaos, the ambnce brought Anna to the hospital while Nina followed along. Sue sighed and said, "Poor Nina." With a family like that, no wonder she had to rely on Percy. Sue wondered how many more secrets did Nina''s fragile little frame bore. Bianca turned around to address the employees, "Let''s get back to work. Also, that is the end of that incident. No one shall talk about it in thepany." She knew that Nina had tried to keep her family matters out of work. "Yes," Shireen was the first to reply. "Let''s continue our meeting,¡± Bianca told Sue and Shireen. "Alright.¡± Sue nodded. She shot a nce at Shireen and went to Bianca''s office. In thete afternoon, Bianca received a call from Nina. While in the hospital, Anna had pped Nina, which caused her to knock on the wall and pass out. She had only regained consciousness not long ago. Bianca instantly gave a call to Luke and told him about what happened to Nina. Then, she asked him if he could pick up the children from school. Luke replied, "I''ll go to the hospital with you. The driver will pick up Lanie and Rainie." "Alright." Bianca thought that it would be a good idea for Luke toe along with her, so she waited for him in the office. Sue also wanted to visit Nina in the hospital, but the babysitter called her to say that Teri had fallen sick. She had to go home and take care of her daughter. Half an hourter, Luke''s car arrived downstairs. Bianca hastily sat on the side passenger seat. Seeing that he was about to drive the car to the hospital, she said, "Should we drop by Nina''s house? I''d like to pack some clothes and toiletries for her." Nina sounded weak over the phone. She had to be hospitalized for a few days, and she would need those items for her daily use. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. "Percy will prepare that for her," Luke reminded her. Bianca frowned, thinking that Percy would not be so meticulous. "You can also buy those things at the convenience store at the hospital. If she really needs anything, you can buy it for her at the supermarket downstairs," Luke said. As far as he knew, Nina was staying in Percy''s mansion. The mansion and the hospital were on opposite sides of the city, and it would be nighttime by the time they reached the hospital if they went to the mansion first. "Alright." Bianca nodded. Her phone started ringing; it was from the driver. "Hello?" "Madam, Lanie and Rainie want to talk to you," the driver handed his phone to the children in the back seat. He had just picked them up from school. Rainie took the phone and switched it to hands-free mode. "Mommy, are you with Daddy?" "Mm, yes. We have something to do now. Can you two go home first?" Bianca said gently. "Are you going on a date?" Rainie asked. Bianca was startled by the question. No. Aunt Nina is hurt, and we''re visiting her at the hospital. Right, you should listen to Mrs. Sno when you get back home. Finish your homework, eat your dinner, and take care of Tommy for us, alright?" "Yes, Mommy. Pleasee back soon after you and Daddy visit Aunt Nina, " Rainie said. "Alright, see youter." Bianca ended the call, put the phone in her handbag, and looked at Luke who was driving. "The children are so mature." She remembered that the twins were already precocious when she first met them. They did not act their age at all. Back then, she wondered if children from single-parent families mature faster. "Louis spends a lot of time with them when they''re younger," Luke said, though he did not sound usatory. He educated his children differently, and he was confident that Louis would not be a bad influence on the children. That was why he did not stop Louis from teaching the children "bad things." Chapter 969 Chapter 969 We¡¯re Family Bianca understood instantly. She was also reminded of Louis''s new business venture. Everyone in the Crawford family objected to it, and Old Master Crawford was even begging him to find employment in T Corporation. Only Luke and Bianca did not object. After all, that was Louis''s decision." How is Louis''s studioing along?" She asked. "I''ve heard that he managed to find enough partners. They''re looking for office space now." Luke had been keeping a close eye on Louis''s progress, though he tried not to interfere. Bianca nodded. She understood that it was not easy for Louis to start his business without any help from the family. "Then we should help him wherever we can. Speaking of office space, the tenant above my office moved out not long ago. Do you want to tell Louis that?" I''ll mention it to him tonight." Luke also thought that the location of the office was ideal and the rental was reasonable. "You''re so kind, Bea," he smiled and said. "Louis is your younger brother, and we''re family. Shouldn''t we help each other out?" Bianca said. The Crawfords might asionally make Bianca''s life difficult, but Louis had never done that. He had always treated Bianca with the respect she deserved. "You''re right," Luke said emotionally. Even though Allison and Susan did not see each other eye to eye, he and Louis had always been close siblings. "If you''re free, you should try finding out Thea''s measurements," he said. Bianca could instantly guess what he was thinking. "Alright. After I get the measurements, I''ll contact the tailor. I wouldn''t want his daughter to lose faith in him." They guessed that Louis would be too busy with his new venture and forget about his promise to his daughter. Also, they did not mention how Thea had torn Rainie''s ballet dress. Bianca thought that she could not ask Yuri about Thea''s measurements. Yuri was an egotistical person, and she would not want to ept help from Bianca or Luke. Louis, on the other hand, was a careless man, and Bianca guessed that he would not know his daughter''s measurements. She thought of secretly taking Thea''s measurementster that weekend when they would go back to Crawford Manor. She was the one who bought her children''s clothes, and she could estimate Thea''s measurements more or less urately. "Mm." Luke nodded. At the hospital, Bianca and Luke bought a fruit basket in the supermarket downstairs, as well as some nutritional supplements. Nina was already thin, and Bianca thought that she would be losing weight in her stay in the hospital. She felt a little sorry for her. Bianca considered herself lucky to have married Luke. On the other hand, Nina could not escape her past and was a shell of her former cheerful self. Luke carried the fruit basket, while Bianca carried the rtively lighter supplements. They went to the reception to enquire about Nina''s ward before heading there. Nina was in a ward with two other patients. When they went in, the families of the two other patients were there. It was quite noisy. Bianca frowned. Nina''s bed was closest to the window. Shey there with her eyes closed and not moving, seemingly very alone. Bianca''s heart wrenched as she ced the items on the cab next to her bed. Nina was not asleep. She opened her eyes when she heard the sounds next to her and smiled when she saw that it was Bianca. "Why did youe, Bianca, and you too, Mr. Crawford..." She did not expect that they woulde and visit her, and she felt that she had troubled them. Bianca noticed that Nina''s forehead was wrapped in bandages. She sat down on the chair beside the bed and ced her hand on Nina''s hands." Does it hurt?" Nina shook her head. "I''m fine. I''ll just have to stay here for a few more days. You don''t have to worry about me." Bianca sighed and turned her head to look at Luke. I''ll go and have a smoke." Luke gave the two women some private space. "Mm.¡± Bianca nodded. After the man left, she drew the curtains around the bed to block the prying eyes of the other people in the ward. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" "I bumped my forehead, that''s all. I got a few stitches. The doctor also said that my leg was injured, but it''s nothing too serious. I''ll be out of the hospital in a few days. You don''t have to be like that." Nina felt apologetic when she saw how Bianca cared for her. "You must''ve gotten a concussion. You''d better not get out of bed today then." Bianca knew that the hard way that a concussion was no trivial matter. "The doctor told me that." Nina''s heart warmed when she heard Bianca''s advice. Earlier, she felt useless as she was lying on the bed. Nobody showed any concern to her, as though she had never existed in the world. She was bothered by the noise next to her, though it made her unable to sleep. She could not ask them to keep it down. After all, it was visiting hours. Bianca sighed when she saw the faint smile on Nina''s lips. "Can you get a ss of water for me, Bea? I''m thirsty." Nina blinked. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Bianca stood up, poured a ss of warm water for her, and found a straw." Luckily, Mr. Mallory prepared all these for you. It''d be troublesome otherwise." Ninaughed dryly. "What''s wrong?" Bianca turned to look at her. She thought of something and continued asking before Nina could reply." Didn''t Mr. Mallorye to visit? Does he know that you''re in the hospital?" Nina shook her head and instantly felt the pain on her forehead. She tried to bear it, but tears welled up in her eyes. "Don''t move..." Bianca sat down next to her and brought the straw to her mouth. Nina emptied more than half of the ss before saying, "I''m not that close to him, Bea. That''s why I didn''t tell him." Bianca sighed again and felt genuinely sorry for Nina. "Aren''t you nning to tell anyone that you''re in the hospital? You can''t get off the bed, and there''s no one to take care of you. That won''t do.¡± "The nurse has arranged a caretaker for me. She should be here soon," Nina exined. "Are you going to stay here too? Wouldn''t you rather stay in a private ward? " Bianca heard the voices of the middle-aged woman in the ward. They were speaking very loudly. How would Nina get her rest? "I can''t afford it," Nina said helplessly. She did not have much savings, and she did not know her mother''s condition. The doctor said that he would have to run a more thorough examination on Anna to find out the reason why she passed out. She had to save more money for any eventuality. "Thepany will pay for your stay in the hospital. Get yourself checked into a better ward," Bianca said. "That won''t do," Nina said hurriedly. After all, it was not a workce-rted injury. "Thepany has personal insurance policies for everyone. Don''t worry about it," Bianca exined. Nina stared into her eyes. "Don''t lie to me." "Why would I lie to you? I bought the insurance while you were away on vacation. If you don''t believe me, I''ll get HR to email the policy document to you. Don''t worry. Even if there''s no insurance, I would dly do this for you. You''re my best friend, Nina, and you''ve helped me so much over the past few years. It''s my duty to help you when you''re in need, so don''t be a stranger to me, alright? We ought to help each other." Bianca said as she tucked her into the nket. Chapter 970 Chapter 970 Ending Bianca¡¯s Life "But..." Bianca hesitated. "Don''t worry, Nina. All you have to do now is to take care of yourself and get well soon. Where is your ID? I''ll handle the procedure for you," Bianca said determinedly, not giving Nina any chance to think twice. She respected Nina''s decision not to tell Percy, but she would take care of Nina''s other needs. Nina pointed at the bedside cab. ¡¯It''s in the second drawer." Bianca opened the second drawer and found her ID. "Hold on for a while. I''ll get it done for you." Nina watched Bianca step past the curtains and disappear from view. She sighed. Other than money, there was another reason why Nina chose to be warded in a triple-bedder. There were other people in the ward; it disturbed her peace, but it made her feel good. With so many people going in and out of the ward, she would be distracted by the noise, so she felt less lonely. Meanwhile, Maxine walked domineeringly along the corridor of the stic surgery department on another floor of the hospital, followed by two bodyguards. She pushed open every door and ignored the nurses'' questions. She did not find the person she was looking for, so she went to the next ward. There were three women inside. Two of them were recuperating from the surgery earlier that day, while the third was Hera Sanchez, who was warded only today. "Ms... Dous?" Hera opened her eyes wide. How did Maxine find her? Maxine turned her head and said brusquely to the nurse, Hear that? We know each other." The nurse thought that it seemed to be the case, though she warned Maxine, "Please keep it down. You''re in the hospital." Hera knew why Maxine was looking for her. She had changed her number andid low in another city for a while to evade Maxine. She only came back because she thought that the coast was clear. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. She did not expect Maxine to find her only a day after she came back. Hera could not understand why a mere sugar baby could be so influential. Maxine shot a re at the nurse, then turned toward Hera and smiled sinisterly. "I''ve been looking for you for a long time, Hera Sanchez." "I was on a business trip away from A City, Ms. Dous. Why were you looking for me?" Hera smiled and pretended to be oblivious, though she was cursing in her heart. She did not expect that Maxine was not a fool. Maxine had tried to get people to abduct her the day after the transaction. Fortunately, she was smart enough not to be cornered by those burly men. After finding out that Maxine was hunting for her, she instantly escaped to another city. Only an idiot would stay there and wait for disaster to strike again. "Oh? Does your business trip require you to change your phone number? You''re messing with the wrong person, Hera Sanchez," Maxine walked over and towered over Hera. "I was overseas, so I reced my SIM card," Hera lied. "Enough nonsense. Tell me, what do you have to say about the information you gave me?" Maxine said impatiently and red at Hera disdainfully. She essed the USB drive the moment after she got home. It was indeed full of Bianca''s dirt, but there was no direct evidence. There were no recordings, and the photos were proven to be edited. She could not use them against Bianca. Maxine was not an idiot. She knew that Hera did that only for profit, so she tried to find someone to detain her. Hera managed to avoid her detection and seemed to have disappeared from A City. It was only when Maxine noticed Hera made a credit card transaction that she knew that Hera was back in A City! "Calm down, Ms. Dous. There are other people here." Hera pointed at the two other beds. The faces of the women on those beds werepletely wrapped in bandages. Maxine considered Luke''s poprity and pointed at Hera''s nose. "Get out of the room." Hera could onlyply. The two women went to the end of the corridor. It was quiet there, perhaps because people who had undergone stic surgery did not move about. Maxine red at Hera, then at the elevator. "Don''t think of doing anything stupid, Hera Sanchez. My men are waiting there." Hera nced in the direction of her finger and noticed several burly men stationed there. She was quite startled. ''Who is this Maxine? Why does she seem so capable?'' She thought in frustration. "I''ve already told you everything I know, Ms. Dous," Hera said, secretly wary of Maxine. If the contents of the USB drive could not deceive her, it meant that she was quite astute. If she had known that it was not so easy making money from Maxine, she would not have done so in the first ce. "Toote. What else can you possibly know? Give me back all my money, plus interest." Maxine was not short on money, but she did not want to benefit that person. If Hera actually had any dirt on Bianca, she would have given that to her in the first ce! Hera became nervous when she heard that. She had already spent all the money repaying her debts and paying for the stic surgery. "Ms. Dous, don''t you want more dirt on Bianca Rayne? I have more..." "All you have are fantasy stories! Do you think that Luke Crawford is an idiot? He won''t be deceived by any ims without evidence. I''ve also heard that you had a crush on him when you were in high school. Do you think that you can snatch him while I''m dealing with Bianca?" Maxine grabbed Hera''s cor. Hera had thought of that, but she did not admit to it. "No, someone as noble as Luke can only be a match for you. I''ve never even thought about it. Maxine narrowed her eyes, thinking that Luke would not be interested in a woman as artificial as Hera. She grunted coldly and let go of Hera. "That better be the case. I didn''te here with the police because I''m giving you a chance. Give my money back to me." Hera could not afford that, especially after she had broken up with Harvey. She thought for a while and said softly, "Ms. Dous, there are other ways to ruin Bianca." "What other suggestions do you have? It''s not going to be easy to make any more money from me," Maxine said contemptuously as she saw the sinister gaze in Hera''s eyes. Hera looked around to make sure that there was no one else and whispered into Maxine''s ear, "I know someone who can help you ruin Bianca, and he won''t leave any traces. How about if you treat the money as an agent fee?" "You want to find someone to end her life?" Maxine said grimly. Hera grinned surreptitiously. "You can put it that way, or you can think of it as something else, Ms. Dous. That person is quite capable, and he''s much better than any hitman out there. You won''t have to worry about anything if you find him." "Is he so capable?" Maxine asked suspiciously. She had thought of hiring someone of that kind to end Bianca''s life, but it was too risky. After all, those people only worked for money and would not gamble their lives. Chapter 971 Chapter 971 Crocodile Tears "Yes. Shall we discuss it further in the cafe downstairs?" Hera could see that Maxine was interested. Maxine nodded briefly, though her demeanor remained arrogant. "Don''t y any tricks this time. If I find out that you''re lying to me, I''ll make sure that your death is horrible." "I wouldn''t dare. Let''s go." Hera smiled and reached out to hold Maxine''s hand. Maxine was a little suspicious when she saw how confident Hera seemed. She would like to see if Hera would pull off any tricks on her again. The two women went into the elevator. Two burly men stood next to Maxine, in case Hera did something. Hera kept quiet in case she offended them. Meanwhile, Bianca helped Nina move to a private ward. After the caretaker arrived, she left the ce with Luke. Bianca held Luke''s hand and waited in the elevator lobby. She remembered what Nina told her. "Nina doesn''t n to tell Mr. Mallory." "Mm." Luke nodded and did not give his opinion. Bianca lifted her head and looked at him while he happened to turn his head to look at her. His eyes were as profound as the ocean. Luke was dressed in a ck suit, and he was standing straight. Bianca could not help but to lean on his body while at the same time wondering if he knew something but chose to hide it from her. "Nina is having it hard living all alone," Bianca sighed, though she was impressed by Nina''s stubbornness. "I''d rather not go against her wishes, but I wouldn''t want to see her being alone in the hospital. How about we tell Mr. Mallory?" "Mr. Mallory doesn''t know how to take care of her. If she wants to hide it from him, then so be it. Moreover, he''s not in the country now." Luke pinched her petite nose and rubbed her smooth and fair cheek. He loved every inch of Bianca''s body. Bianca nodded in understanding and wondered why Percy did not bring Nina along with him. Whenever he traveled out of A City, he would force Nina to go along with him. It seemed that what Nina told her earlier was true. The elevator door slowly opened on their floor. Bianca was about to hold Luke''s hand and go in. She saw the two people in the elevator and was surprised. Why would Hera be together with Maxine? The two of them seemed close too. Bianca quicklyposed herself. Maxine''s heart started beating faster when she saw Luke. She could not hide her embarrassment and quickly withdrew her hand from Hera''s grip. They had not seen each other for a while, but Luke remained handsome and noble as usual. Hera also could not help but straighten her hair with her fingers. Luke was the one who had caused her to be arrested, but she thought that Bianca was the main culprit. Maxine could not hold back her joy. She smiled and said, "Long time no see, cousin." Hera also greeted him, "Long time no see, Luke." Maxine turned her head and looked at Hera, dissatisfied. Hera knew that Maxine liked Luke and said sheepishly, "Well, Luke was my upperssman in high school, so I''m just greeting him." Bianca could not help but smile. Luke was too attractive to other women, even though his demeanor was ice-cold. The two women in the elevator seemed to have ignored her too. Luke nced coldly at the two women, then held Bianca''s hand and took a step back. Maxine red anxiously at Bianca. "Weren''t you waiting for the elevator, Luke?¡± "It''s too crowded." Luke turned his eyes away and stared lovingly at Bianca. Maxine was both humiliated and envious. The elevator could fit an entire gurney, and there were only four people inside. It was not crowded at all." Get out!" She roared at the two bodyguards. "Huh?" The bodyguards were surprised by the sudden order. "Get out and wait for the next one!" Maxine pressed the door open button to keep the elevator doors from closing. The other elevator happened to stop on the same floor. Luke took Bianca''s hand and went into that elevator. There were more people inside that elevator, but Luke did not hesitate. Maxine ran out of her elevator and wanted to squeeze into the other one, but there was no space for her. "Please wait for the next one, Miss. You can''t fit in here." A young nurse frowned when she saw Maxine. She gently shoved her away and pressed the button to close the door. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Maxine felt aggrieved as she saw the door close. Luke would rather squeeze with those people than take the same elevator as her! Bianca must have told him something that ruined his impression of her! Hera felt quite happy when she saw that. Luke might have ignored her, but she was happy to see Maxine being humiliated that way. She had already thought of a way to make more money from Maxine. She was pressing the door open button. "Come in, Ms. Dous." Maxine entered the elevator with a gloomy expression on her face. Her bodyguards stood at the door, wondering if they should wait for the next one. "Come on!" Maxine huffed. Her heart was burning with jealousy when she remembered how Luke hugged Bianca in his arms. The bodyguards quickly went in. Hera held Maxine''s hand again andforted her, "Don''t be too sad." "Shut up!" Maxine annoyedly pulled her hand away, leaned on the wall, and red at Hera coldly. "I don''t need your crocodile tears." "I''m sincere." Hera noticed that her smugness had caused her words tock emotion. "In any case, that woman will soon meet her end." Maxine lifted her head and looked at the rapidly decreasing number. She wondered if Luke was going to the lobby or the basement parking lot. Would she meet him again? Seeing no response from Maxine, Hera continued, "That Bianca Rayne doesn''t have any looks or background. What''s so good about her, other than acting all pitiful? Ms. Dous, after we''re done dealing with her, I''ll teach you how to win Luke''s heart. Luke likes women who pretend to be weak and pliable. You can try changing your demeanor." Maxine finally had a response, but it was not what Hera expected. "What do you know? You don''t have to do anything extra, but if you can''t finish the job I ask you to do, you''ll die a horrible death." "Don''t worry. I have full confidence in that person, but he''s not in A City for now. He''ll only be back in about a month." Hera stepped out of the elevator on the first floor. "Let''s go and look for a cafe with a private room. You''ll definitely agree to my n." Chapter 972 Chapter 972 What He Did Earlier Was Extremely Cool Meanwhile, in the other elevator. Luke hugged Bianca tightly in his arms and shielded her from the crowd. She did not lean on him. Instead, she stood straight and looked at his face. She could not help but grin as she remembered the scene from earlier. Luke lowered her head and noticed the grin on Bianca''s face. "Why are you smiling?" The elevator cabin was crowded, but his voice was warm and clear in her ears. Bianca shook her head but did not say anything. How was she going to tell him that what he did earlier was extremely cool? On the first floor, most of the people in the elevator went out. Bianca was pushed from behind and fell onto Luke''s chest. Tears nearly fell from her eyes when her nose knocked onto Luke¡¯s solid chest. "Are you okay?" Luke instantly held her face and noticed that her forehead was slightly reddish. Instantly, there was a hint of gloom in his eyes. He turned around. Most of the people in the elevator were gone, and he did not know who bumped into her. Bianca shook her head and held his hand. "I''m fine, don''t worry." Luke turned around and gently wiped off a tear from the corner of her eye." Lean on me next time." That way, she would not bump into him. An off-shift nurse happened to see that and said enviously, "Your husband is so nice to you, Ma''am." "Shouldn''t all married couples be like that?" Bianca felt a little embarrassed. The nurse shook her head. Not only was the man handsome and the woman beautiful, but they were also so loving toward each other. "Nah, my husband isn''t like that." The elevator reached the basement when she finished speaking. Luke and Bianca stepped out of the elevator while the nurse looked at them from behind. She would be satisfied if her husband treated her half as well. When they got home, Tommy instantly ran over with his arms spread wide. He wanted a hug. "Mommy, Daddy! I miss you." Bianca ced her briefcase on the couch and lifted her son. "Alright, let me give you a hug." Tommy was in a period of rapid growth. He was getting heavier and heavier, and Bianca found it harder and harder to lift him up. Luke put down his briefcase, then reached out to take Tommy. Once Bianca let go, Tommy was already leaning on Luke''s chest. "Daddy!" Tommyughed while draping his arms on his father''s shoulders. Luke hugged him for a while before putting him down. "Where''s Lanie and Rainie?" "Lanie and Rainie are doing their homework. Daddy, Mommy, I want homework too," Tommy mumbled. He thought that he could y with his elder siblings once they came home from school, but they said that they had to finish their homework first. That made him extremely bored. Bianca smiled. She thought that Tommy did not want to be left alone while Lanie and Rainie were busy with homework. "In a few months, you can do homework like Lanie and Rainie,''" Luke said as he bent over and patted Tommy''s head. "Really?¡± Tommy blinked. "Yes. It''s about time you go to preschool," Bianca said while a little surprised by how fast time flew. While she was pregnant with Tommy, Luke went missing in Moscow, and she had to take over T Corporation. When Luke finally returned, Tommy already knew how to walk and speak. Soon, it was time for Tommy to go to school. "Yay! I want to go to school!" Tommy pped his hands happily. Thanks to his elder siblings'' influence, he did not hate the idea of going to school. Lanie and Rainie went downstairs after finishing their homework. They noticed that their parents were home. "Mommy, is Aunt Nina feeling any better? I want to visit her," Rainie said. Bianca touched her cheeks and said, "She''s feeling better. We''ll visit her in two days, okay?" "Okay," Rainie replied. The caretaker came out from the kitchen and said courteously, "Sir, Madam, dinner is ready. Would you like dinner to be served?" Tommy raised his hand. "I''m hungry." Tommy was a growing boy, and he felt hungry easily. Bianca nced at Luke and said, "Let''s eat." "Mm.¡± Luke hugged her waist as they walked toward the dining hall. Bianca turned her head to look at the children and said, " Remember to wash your hands." "Yes, Mommy," Rainie and Lanie said as they followed behind her. Tommy ran behind the twins with his short and stumpy legs. "Wait for me!" N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Rainie stopped and reached toward him. "Come here, Tommy. I''ll bring you to wash your hands." Tommy was unhappy that his Daddy had upied his Mommy. He mumbled reluctantly, though he had to follow his sister to wash his hands. After dinner, Lanie, Rainie, and Tommy went upstairs to y with their toys, while Luke and Bianca went to the study to continue with work. An hourter, Bianca finished her initial design for St. Heckler and uploaded it to the Inte so that Sue could see it. Her phone began to ring. The call was from Wanda. Bianca typed with one hand while putting on the Bluetooth headset with her other. "Good evening, Aunt Wanda." "Are you busy?" Wanda sounded tired on the other end of the call. Bianca stopped typing and said, "I¡¯m not. Why do you sound so tired?¡± "It''s nothing..." Wanda''s voice was breaking up, which made Bianca worry even more. "Did something happen to Grandpa?" She stood up and noticed that Luke was looking at her. Bianca switched over to hands-free and took off her Bluetooth headset. "Your grandpa''s condition is worsening, but don''t worry, I''ve gotten a doctor to examine him. The doctor said that it''s nothing serious, but it''s normal for him to deteriorate with age. He always says that he missed you, Luke, and the children. Remember toe and visit him whenever you''re free, alright?" Wanda said. Bianca felt a little guilty. She had been busy with her family and herpany and had neglected her grandfather and aunt. "I''m sorry, Aunt Wanda. Is Grandpa asleep?" She said. "He''s already asleep. The doctor said that he should rest early. He wakes up early anyway, so I told him that he should rest early," Wanda exined. Bianca nced at Luke and noticed that he had paused his work. "I''ll find some time and visit you two with Luke." "Good girl. I wouldn''t have called you if not that your grandpa has been talking about you. I know that you and Luke are busy, so don''t be too burdened by his request, alright?" Wanda said. She understood how busy a woman could be when she had a career and a family. "Mm, I know." Bianca ended the call and sighed. "Let''s visit Grandpa tomorrow." Luke made that decision one second after Bianca put her phone down. Chapter 973 Chapter 973 Bad News Kept Coming "But it''s Friday tomorrow..." Bianca was a little troubled. Usually, the family would go back to Crawford Manor to have dinner on Fridays. Old Master Crawford adored his grandson and great-grandchildren. He was dissatisfied when Luke and the children moved away because he would only be meeting them once a week. If they did not return to Crawford Manor the next day, the old man would be even unhappier. "Grandfather will understand why we''re doing this. Moreover, we can invite him over to your grandfather''s house. The two old men can chat." Luke had already thought of a solution. "Okay." Bianca nodded. She agreed with his suggestion. The two old men enjoyed an amicable rtionship ever since they first met. They could entertain themselves for an entire afternoon over a game of chess and a pot of tea. They might be better friends if not for that incident. The next day, Bianca and Sue went to visit Nina during lunch hour. The atmosphere in the private ward was calmer and morefortable. After the caretaker exited the ward, Bianca helped prop Nina up and said," I''ve brought some fish soup for you, Nina. It''ll be good for your injury. Would you eat some?" "Okay." Nina''s face was pale, and there was no color on her lips. She had not eaten much since the day before, and she did not want her friend to worry. Sue helpeddle some fish soup into a bowl. "Let me feed you." "It''s fine. I can eat it myself." Nina did not want to trouble others. "Your right hand is hooked to the IV. You''d better not do that." Sue sat down next to the bed and scooped some soup. "I didn''t prepare anything, so I should at least take care of you." Nina smiled and ate a spoonful. Bianca sat on the couch and asked, "Did the doctore and examine you today?" "Yes. He says that there''s nothing serious, and I can be discharged the day after tomorrow," Nina said before eating another spoonful of soup. "That¡¯s good to know. It''s so lonely staying in the hospital alone. You should eat more soup. I''ve heard that fish soup is good for flesh wounds," Sue said. Bianca added, "Yes. I''ve heard from the caretaker that you didn''t eat much yesterday. That won''t do, Nina. You have to take care of your body, alright? At least do that for yourself." "Yes, I know. You two are too kind." Nina felt that the temperature of the soup was just right, took the bowl in one hand, and gulped it down in two mouthfuls. "Another bowl, please, Sue." "Coming right up!" Sue was happy that Nina was eating more and quicklydled another bowl for her. Nina looked at Bianca and pleaded, "Bea, can you bring me to meet the doctor in charge of my mother?" Bianca did not expect that request from Nina. "Can you get off the bed?" "I don''t think I can walk too well. Can you get me a wheelchair?" Nina said. Her father was taking care of her mother, but she was nheless worried about her mother''s condition. Bianca thought for a while and nodded. "Alright, wait for me for a while. I''ll go and ask for a wheelchair from the nurse." "Thank you, Bea." Nina smiled gratefully. Sue had already cooled down the bowl of soup by stirring. Nina took the bowl and finished it in two gulps. Bianca came back to the ward with the wheelchair. Together with Sue, they helped Nina get off the bed and sit in the wheelchair. "Are youfortable?" Bianca asked. She fastened the seatbelt for Nina in case she did not feel secure. "I am." Nina sat in the wheelchair weakly. She looked aged. Bianca''s heart wrenched. She felt that she was partially responsible for Nina''s change. Sue secured the IV drip to the wheelchair and said, "Alright, let''s go!" Bianca pushed Nina toward the doctor''s office and found Anna''s doctor. The doctor happened to be holding a medical report in his hands. He nodded when he saw theme in. "Nice timing, Ms. Langdon. I''ve received a partial report from your mother''s examination this morning. Come and take a look." "Yes. Thank you, Doctor." Nina nodded and tried to cheer up. Bianca pushed Nina inside. The doctor turned on theputer and downloaded the report. "Do you remember what I asked you yesterday? About whether your mother has had any sudden ailments lately?" "I remember that, but I''m not too sure about her condition because I don''t live with her. As far as I know, she would suffer from asional pains in her abdomen and her waist. She''s usually fine after taking some painkillers. The doctor in the neighborhood clinic said that it''s only some minor gastrointestinal issues," Nina said. She could sense something ominous as she observed the doctor''s expression. The doctor nodded and said, "It''s like this. I''ve noticed something in the patient''s CT scan. There is a lump on her liver." Nina''s heart skipped a beat. "A lump? What do you mean?" "I''ve shown the scan to the director, and we think that it might be a tumor. However, we''ll need to run further tests before we can conclude if it''s a tumor or something else," the doctor replied. He could not make a diagnosis just from a scan. Nina could feel her blood freeze. ¡¯ What would happen if it''s a tumor?" "We can''t say that it''s a tumor yet. If it really is, we''ll have to see if it''s benign or malign. Of course, we''ll have to wait for the rest of the report," the doctor said. "When will the rest of the report be out?" Nina''s face was pale. The news was beyond her expectation. She thought that her mother passed out because she was emotionally agitated. She thought that her mother was healthy. "Those are very specialized tests, so it''ll take two more days. However, the day after tomorrow is Sunday, so the results should be ready by Monday," the doctor estimated. "Alright, understood. Thank you, Doctor. Also, please don''t tell them about the results yet. I don''t think that they can ept it." Nina remembered that her father was not very healthy. If he knew about it, he might copse from the shock. "Understood." The doctor nodded. "I''m feeling a little dizzy, Bea. Please send me back." Nina felt her field of vision darken. Her heart was wracked by sorrow. Anna might have abused her ever since her brother went into prison, but she was her mother, and beneath the resentment was love. Nina did not understand why fate treated her so badly.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Bianca and Sue exchanged nces and said softly, "Alright, let''s go back." Back at the ward, Nina slumped on the bed and stared at Bianca. She thought that her suffering would be over once Jean was released from prison. Once Jean was out, someone would help her support the family. After that, Percy would eventually lose interest in her, and her life would be better. However, she did not expect the next bad news to strike so fast. Tears brimmed in her eyes as Nina thought of that. She lifted her head and looked at Bianca. Chapter 974 Chapter 974 You''re Worse Than an Animal "Bea." Nina reached out weakly, seekingfort. Bianca quickly walked over, sat down next to her, held her hands tightly, andforted her, "It''ll be okay. The doctor said that the diagnosis isn''t confirmed, right? It might be a harmless lump, or it might be a technical problem." Nina shook her head. She had been an optimistic person, but she could not even pretend to be optimistic anymore. "I remember Uncle Kevin, Bea. His liver also had a problem, right?" she said. Bianca nodded. "My dad was very sick, but he eventually got better, didn''t he? Don''t worry, your mom will be fine." Kevin Rayne might not be her birth father, but he had raised her since she was young, and that was why she had continued to refer to him as "Dad." The Normans also supported her doing so. "But if it''s cancer, it''ll be fatal..." Nina covered her mouth and sobbed softly. Sue also tried tofort her, "That''s not necessarily the case. Medical technology is so advanced now, and they can remove cancerous tumors through surgery or chemotherapy. Also, the diagnosis isn''t confirmed yet. Don''t be too pessimistic, Nina. You should take care of your body while you wait for the rest of the report. Understand?¡± After hearing that, Nina hugged Bianca and cried. Bianca could not help but tear up when she heard Nina''s crying. Why must life be so unfair toward Nina? She had lost her child, was under Percy''s control, and had gone into debt because of her mother. Now, she had received even more bad news. When Bianca thought of that, she hugged Nina tightly and spoke with a shaking voice, "This will soon pass, Nina. You''re not alone. You have me, and we can conquer any obstacle together!" "I''m so sad, Bea. Why must all this happen to me?" Nina did not understand. She had never done any bad deeds in her life, and she would even give spare change to panhandlers. Why was she not rewarded for her charity, but instead her life only became harder and harder? Sue could not bear watching the two women cry. She turned away and sobbed softly. An hourter, Bianca and Sue left the hospital with puffy eyes. Bianca felt guilty as she sat on the side passenger seat. While in the ward, she could not control her emotions as she sympathized with Nina. Her crying got louder and louder until the nurse rushed into the ward wondering what had happened. She nced at Sue, who was driving, and said, "I must have made a fool of myself, Sue." "Don''t worry about it. I was crying too. Poor Nina," Sue said. She nced at herself in the rear-view mirror and saw that her eyes were bloodshot too. Bianca did not say anything. If not for her, Nina''s life would not have been so difficult. At least her mother would not have med her, and she would not have encountered the two Mallory brothers. Sue noticed that there was a pharmacy up ahead and thought that it would not be good if the two went back to the office with puffy eyes. "I''ll go and get ice packs for the both of us, Bianca." "Alright." Bianca nodded. Sue got out of the car and went to the pharmacy. Bianca sat on the side passenger seat while looking at the roadside. Nina''s words and her pitiful face reyed in her mind. Next to the pharmacy was a jewelry store. Bianca saw Pierreing out of the jewelry store with a beautiful woman. She narrowed her gaze and noticed that the woman was not Pierre''s so- called fiancee. "You wretch!" She cursed under her breath when she thought of what Nina went through because of him. She unfastened her seatbelt, opened the car door, and rushed out toward Pierre. When she got close, she lifted her hand and pped Pierre''s face." You wretch!" Pierre tried to turn away, but his cheek caught the full brunt of the p. He could feel his cheek burning as he turned over angrily. He was surprised to see that Bianca was the one who pped him. "It''s her? ''Luke Crawford''s wife?'' Bianca thought that one p was not enough. She wanted to p him again. Pierre deftly caught Bianca''s wrist. "Are you crazy?" "You animal!" Bianca red at him with her bloodshot eyes. She wished that she would spit out venom so that Nina''s vitor would die. Pierre tightened his grip around Bianca''s wrist, which caused it to turn red." Don''t think that I''m afraid of you because you have Luke Crawford behind you. Aren''t you afraid that I''ll kill you right here and now?" He said gloomily. Bianca felt pain in her wrist. She wanted to pull her hand away, but Pierre was much stronger than her. She was livid. "I was wrong. You''re not an animal. You''re worse than an animal! Come at me if you have the guts. I''m not afraid of you!" Pierre looked into her bloodshot eyes. She was like a mad beast. It had been a while since he met a woman who was not afraid of him. He thought that Luke''s wife was gentle and docile, but he did not expect her to be so fierce and savage! His interest was piqued. He wondered if she really was not afraid of death. Pierre shoved the model beside him and pushed Bianca toward the road." You''re not afraid of death, right? Then you''ll have to pay the price for pping me!" Bianca struggled with all her might when she realized that the man was about to harm her. "Arent you afraid? Don''t you always run rampant because Luke Crawford is behind you? Let me tell you, I''m not afraid of anyone, including Luke Crawford!" Pierre cackled sinisterly as he watched the cars that were speeding on the road. If he shoved her onto the road, he wondered how many cars it would take to tten her. Bianca was afraid when she looked at the cars on the road, but she did not regret her decision. "You want to kill me, right? Very well. I''ll haunt you even after I die!" Pierre paused and looked into her eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot, but there were no tears. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. ''Isn''t she afraid?'' Sue came out of the pharmacy. When she saw the scene, she rushed toward them and flung the ice packs in her hands toward Pierre. "What are you doing?¡± Pierre did not manage to dodge the ice packs that flew toward his face. He hissed in pain and let go of Bianca. Sue dragged Bianca over and shielded her. That was when she noticed Pierre''s face. She thought that the face looked somewhat simr to Percy''s face. Sue instantly remembered that Nina and Percy had a rtionship. She looked at Bianca in shock. While Pierre was distracted, Bianca took the opportunity to grab Sue''s hand and run away. Pierre watched gloomily as the two women ran away and did not give chase. The model quickly came up to him to check his face, but he shoved her away impatiently. "Get lost!" The model was surprised. She touched the ne around her neck to make herself feel better and said, "I''ll be going then, Mr. Mallory. Remember to call me if you miss me." Chapter 975 Chapter 975 Reflect Upon Her Mistakes Bianca and Sue ran back to the car and locked the door. They breathed a sigh of relief when they noticed that Pierre had no intention of chasing after them. "Start the car, Sue," she urged. Sue came to her senses. She was shocked when she saw that man drag Bianca toward the middle of the road. Throwing the ice packs at that man was pure instinct. Seeing that the man was still looking at them, she started the car and quickly drove away. After they were some distance away, Sue asked, "Who is that man, Bea?" "Percy Mallory''s younger brother," Bianca answered as she rubbed her reddish wrist. It would definitely leave a bruise, and she wondered how she would exin it to Luke. Sue nodded and said nothing. The Mallory family was famous in A City, though they were not simr to the Crawford family. The Mallory''s family business was famous, but not as famous as their underworld dealings. Sue felt worried for Bianca. Fortunately, Bianca had Luke behind her. Otherwise, she would have paid a heavy price for offending someone from the Mallory family. After work, Bianca picked up Lanie and Rainie from school, went home to pick Tommy up, then waited for Luke at the entrance of T Corporation. Luke appeared at the entrance with his briefcase, and Bianca let him sit on the driver''s seat. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Good afternoon, Daddy," the three children greeted him as soon as he stepped into the car. "Good afternoon!" Luke turned around and patted each of the children''s heads. Then, he looked at Bianca, held her hand, and prepared to kiss her cheek. "Hiss!" Bianca gasped. Luke had held the wrist that Pierre had squeezed. Luke lowered his head and noticed that there was a ring of redness around Bianca''s wrist. "What happened?" he asked. Bianca shook her head. "Nothing." "Bea..." Luke voiced his dissatisfaction in front of their children. He was not so easily deceived. Tommy added, "Daddy, Mommy said that she bumped into the wall earlier. She also reminded me that I shouldn''t be so careless like her so I won''t get hurt." Luke was not going to be so easily convinced as Tommy. If she had bumped into the wall, why would the bruise go around her wrist? "Is that so?" He asked. With no other choice, Bianca sighed and told him everything. She also said that she had acted out of impulse. After the incident, she realized that she should not have done that. Not only was it dangerous, but she should not have pped Percy Mallory''s younger brother. After all, Percy had helped Luke before. Without Percy''s help, Luke would not have been free from the Ind of Despair so easily. However, she had thought of Nina''s situation... Luke started the car without saying anything. "Luke..." Bianca noticed that his expression was sullen and wondered if she should continue to apologize. She did not expect that Luke and Percy would stop being friends, but she had nevertheless stepped out of line. "We''ll talk after we reach Grandpa''s house," Luke said. "Mm." Bianca sat straight, fastened her seatbelt, and nced at the children in the rearview mirror. They were chatting andughing earlier, but they had fallen silent, perhaps because they were influenced by the change in Luke''s demeanor. That made her regret it even more. Luke went to buy some health supplements for Old Master Rayne and Wanda, then drove the car to Old Master Rayne''s house. After parking the car, the family of five got out. Tommy was the first to point at the Rolls-Royce. "That''s Great-Grandpa''s car." Luke nodded. Bianca wanted to say something but decided to keep her mouth shut because she sensed her husband''s resentment. She took the two boxes of supplements and went upstairs. Luke''s gaze turned profound as he looked at Bianca''s back. Rainie noticed that. She tugged Luke¡¯s shirt and said, "Daddy, please don''t be angry at Mommy." Luke patted Rainie''s head. He knew that the children were sensitive toward their emotions. He was not angry with Bianca, but some things should not be mentioned in front of the children. "I''m not angry." "Mm." Rainie picked up a box of supplements. Luke took the rest of the supplements and went upstairs with the children. When they entered the house, they saw Old Master Rayne in a game of chess with Old Master Crawford. The two old men wereughing happily. "Watch out. Check!" Old Master Crawford moved a chess piece. Old Master Rayne shook his head and said, "Do you think I''m a fool? Watch this!" "Ah!" Old Master Crawford realized that he had fallen into a trap. "Dad, Old Master Crawford, Luke and Bianca are here," Wanda reminded the two old men, seeing that they were engrossed in their game. Old Master Crawford said, "My precious great-grandchildren are here. Let''s end the game here." Old Master Rayne put the chess pieces away and said, "Fine. You''re losing anyway!" Tommy ran over happily. "Great-Grandpa! I want to y too!" He raised his head and smiled at the two old men. The two old men could not help but to rub the little boy¡¯s face. "Sure!" They said. Luke and Bianca walked over, put the boxes of supplements down, and greeted them, "Grandpa, Grandpa." The same greeting was used for both of the old men. Rainie and Lanie greeted their great-grandfathers too. "Good boy, good girl." Old Master Rayne and Old Master Crawford were satisfied. While handing a box of supplements to her grandfather, Bianca turned her head and shot a nce at Luke. She noticed that there was some warmth on his face, but she knew that it was not because of her. Instantly, she felt some bitterness in her heart. She tried to keep those negative emotions down and forced a smile on her face. "Luke bought this for you, Grandpa. It''s good for your hypertension." Old Master Rayne was very happy to receive gifts from his grandchildren." Ah, you shouldn''t have bought anything for me. I''ve been taking my regr medication, and my hypertension has been in control." Old Master Crawford did not feel jealous because Luke had always bought him presents. "Eh, just take it. You shouldn''t disappoint them. These supplements are very good for you. You ought to take care of your health!" "I''m very healthy!" Old Master Rayneughed as he took the box from Bianca''s hands. "Teach me how to y chess, Great-Grandpa! I want to beat Lanie in chess! ¡± Tommy said. Tommy and Lanie often yed chess. The little boy was intelligent, but he was far younger than Lanie and had never won before. "Alright, alright, well teach you!" The two old men said in unison. The two old men restarted their game while Tommy watched. Lanie had nothing else to do, so he watched his great-grandfathers y chess too. Chapter 976 Chapter 976 You Did Nothing Wrong Rainie was not interested in chess, but she was curious about Wanda''s handmade objects. "Mommy, I wanna see Grant-Aunt Wanda''s handicrafts." Bianca nced at the nearby room. That was Wanda''s handicraft studio." You''ll have to ask Grand- Aunt Wanda yourself then." Rainie nodded. She saw that Wanda wasing out from the kitchen with a tray of cut fruit and drinks, so she went to her and asked, "Your handicrafts look beautiful, Grand-Aunt Wanda. May I take a look?" The little girl was interested in beautiful things. Wanda ced the tray on the coffee table and held Rainie''s hand. "Of course you can." Bianca reminded her daughter, "Careful, don''t touch anything without Grand -Aunt Wanda''s permission." "Yes, Mommy." Rainie turned her head and smiled at her. Then, she nced at her father. All three children were not bothering their parents. Perhaps they could work out the disagreement in the car now. In the living room, only Luke and Bianca were standing. Old Master Rayne moved a chess piece and nced at his granddaughter and grandson-inw. "Don''t just stand there, Luke and Bea. Come over here and have a seat." "Alright," Bianca replied. She nced at Luke standing beside her and could not feel any warmth from him. Still feeling dispirited, she walked toward the couch without saying a word. Luke instantly held her hand gently. "Grandpa, the weather outside is quite nice. I''ll sit with Bianca on the balcony." "Alright." Old Master Rayne did not think too much about it. He thought that it was normal for the married couple. Luke led Bianca to the balcony. Old Master Rayne liked to enjoy his afternoon tea at the balcony, so Wanda had furnished it meticulously. There were two rattan chairs and a small round table. Surrounding the ce were potted green nts. Bianca sat on one of the chairs, while Luke sat on the other. The warmth on his face was gone, and he looked stern. Bianca sighed when she saw his face. She felt ufortable. She had realized her mistake on the drive there, but she could not find the chance to apologize to him. Before Luke opened his mouth, Bianca spoke first, "I''m sorry. I''ve made a mistake in this incident." Luke sighed. He kept a stern face to teach her a lesson, but he could not maintain that expression when he saw that she was about to cry. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He moved his chair next to her. They sat together face-to-face. Bianca lowered her head and nced at the bruise on her wrist while thinking of what else to say. "You did nothing wrong. You don''t have to apologize," Luke said. Bianca raised her head in shock. "Luke..." Luke held her hand and gently massaged her wrist. The slightly tingling feeling made her feel comfortable instead of painful. He was trying to clear her bruise. "You did nothing wrong. The person at fault is Pierre Mallory," Luke said. He could tell that Bianca had acted on impulse because she cared for Nina. She had always felt guilty about what happened to Nina, and she thought that she was somehow responsible. Luke had known about Bianca''s sentiment, but he did not call her out on it. Bianca felt even more guilty when she found that Luke had forgiven her. She regretted being impulsive and thought that she should have considered Luke first before acting. If Percy knew that she had pped his younger brother, that would definitely affect his rtionship with Luke... Luke did not stop massaging her. "Your mistake is offending Pierre Mallory. Pierre might be Percy''s younger brother, but they are not alike at all. The two are almost equally capable, and Pierre might even be slightly more capable than Percy. Do you know why the Mallory family let Percy take over the family business instead of Pierre?" Bianca did not say anything. She shook her head, though her tears kept falling. She thought that Luke would scold her, but she did not expect that he remained so gentle toward her. Luke wiped away her tears and continued to exin, "Pierre is a lot more unrestrained and ruthless. When the two brothers were tested by the family elders, Pierre had used rather extreme means to achieve victory. The elders thought that Pierre would send the family business to its grave if they let him take over, and that was why they chose Percy instead. "Pierre only cares about winning. He isn''t as concerned about the family business, which is why he remains amicable toward Percy. However, Percy would not be able to rein in Pierre if he decides to do something. Bea, I''m angry not because your actions might affect my rtionship with Percy, but because you don''t know how to take care of yourself. If Pierre had lost control of himself back then, you or I can''t imagine what might happen next, " he said seriously. Bianca thought of what happened earlier. She was quite sure that Pierre would not push her to the middle of the road. Now that Luke mentioned that and thinking about the details of that incident, she was sure that Pierre would have pushed her if not that he was hit by Sue''s ice packs. It was the post-lunch rush hour, and the traffic on the road was heavy. If she was pushed onto the road, chances were that she would be run over. Thinking that she could have ended her life right there, she began to feel fearful. "I¡¯m sorry, I..." She wiped her tears. Usually, she was a sensible person, but she had acted on impulse because of her guilt. "Don''t cry." Luke frowned when he saw her tears. He did not expect that she would react that way. He was not nning on scaring her. That was how Pierre''s character was. Other people would usually think that he was only a yboy, but that had perfectly hidden the dark side of his personality. Bianca''s tears did not stop falling, which made Luke feel sorry for her. "I''m telling you all this because I can''t always be by your side," he said softly. She leaned on his chest and cried silently. Luke caressed her lower back andforted her, "Grandpa will think that I¡¯m bullying you if you keep crying, Bea." "You''re not bullying me." Bianca rubbed her eyes. The tears blurred her eyes, so she rubbed them again. She was moved by Luke''s real reason for being angry, and she was also afraid. Luke gently pecked her red lips. His heart wrenched whenever he saw her tears. Wanda came to the balcony and noticed that Bianca was crying. "What''s wrong? Did you two have a fight?" She asked anxiously. Bianca held Luke''s hand and shook her head. "We didn''t, Aunt Wanda." "Then..." Wanda noticed that they were sitting face to face and did not look like they were arguing. "Are you facing some difficulty?" Chapter 977 Chapter 977 A Crisis in Their Marriage? Bianca wiped away the tears on her face and shook her head. "It''s nothing, Aunt Wanda." 1 Wanda remained suspicious. Why would Bianca suddenly cry if nothing was happening? She handed her a napkin. "Don''t use your hands. They might be dirty. Also, what''s going on?" Luke took the napkin and wiped Bianca''s tears. "It''s my fault, Aunt Wanda. I made her cry.¡± Bianca shook her head to indicate that it was not the case. Wanda felt quite worried as she looked at the married couple who did not say anything. "It''s nothing major, Aunt Wanda, and it''s also not Luke''s fault. Don''t worry," Bianca sniffed and said. She had not cried for a long time, and she could not hold her tears back. For a while, she thought that their marriage was facing a crisis. Her weak heart could not take it. Wanda felt a little more at ease after hearing the reassurance from Bianca. "I''ll get an ice pack for you. I wouldn''t want the two elders to think that something happened between the two of you." "Thank you, Aunt Wanda." Bianca smiled. After Wanda left, she held Luke''s hand again and promised him, "I didn''t think through it before acting earlier. I won''t do that again." Luke lifted his hand and gently caressed her cheek. Wanda came back and handed an ice pack to Luke. "Help her massage her eyes, Luke. They''re red like a rabbit''s eyes. Come back in when she''s feeling better. The sun is setting soon. The lightbulb blew out, and I haven''t found someone to fix it yet." "Mm." Luke took the ice pack and used it to gently massage Bianca''s eyes. Bianca reflexively wanted to move away when she felt the sudden coldness on her face, but Luke''s warm fingers held her head. Those were two extreme sensations. Luke massaged her for a while before letting her go. Bianca''s puffy eyes were feeling better. "Don''t cry anymore," he said. "I couldn''t help myself." Bianca felt a little embarrassed. She had not been so emotional for a while, and she could not hold back her tears when she found that Luke cared for her. Luke held the ice pack in one hand and Bianca''s hand in the other. "Let''s go in." "Alright." Bianca smiled sweetly and leaned onto him. Once inside, Old Master Crawford beckoned at Luke and said, "Come here, Luke, and y a game for me." Old Master Rayne could not help but take a dig at him, "Tsk, Old Master Crawford, I haven''t met you in a while, and your chess skills are worse than before. Are you asking for Luke''s help?" "I taught Luke how to y chess," Old Master Crawford said matter-of- factly, "So what''s wrong if I ask him to avenge me?" Luke held Bianca''s hand and walked over there. He nced at the chessboard and noticed that Old Master Crawford''s pieces were surrounded. Indeed, he was caught in a tight spot. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Old Master Crawford pointed at the seat next to him and said, "Come and help me in this game, Luke." He had already lost two games in a row, and he did not want to lose again. Luke did not refuse. He sat on the chair and said to Old Master Rayne, "I''ll y with you, Grandpa." Old Master Rayne nodded. "Alright, I''ll defeat the two of you then!" Bianca refilled their cups with tea and went to the kitchen to help her aunt. Wanda was in the middle of preparing dinner, and Bianca went to help her. Wanda noticed Bianca and saw that the redness around her eyes had dissipated. "Why aren''t you sitting outside?" She asked. "I''m here to help you." Bianca did not want her aunt to prepare dinner for so many people alone. Wanda was indeed slightly overworked. She pointed at the cabbages on the counter, "Please wash the cabbages for me then." "Alright." Bianca rolled up her sleeves and brought the cabbages to the sink. "Grandpa seems quite healthy, Aunt Wanda. Has he been going to his monthly check-ups?" Wanda nodded. "Luke''s doctor wille every month to check on him. He was so happyst night when he knew that you wereing. He said that he wanted to sleep early so that he could see you soon. He''s better today because he had enough rest." Bianca knew that Old Master Rayne doted upon her and felt guilty that she had been too busy to visit him. Despite knowing that Bianca was not his biological granddaughter, his love for her did not decrease by the slightest bit, and he treated her just like his own biological granddaughter. ''Tile and visit Grandpa more often in the future,¡± she promised. Wanda smiled. "The thought alone is enough. You''re already busy with your career and family, so you don''t have to worry too much. Also, you have to visit your birth parents and Luke''s family to maintain your rtionship with them." Wanda knew the difficulties that Bianca was facing, so she was not too hard on her. "I know, Aunt Wanda," Bianca smiled and said. They might not be rted by blood, but they remained close to each other. "I know you know that, Bea, but you''re still young, and there are some things that you''re not doing properly. When your grandpa was sick earlier, Mr. and Mrs. Norman came to visit often and brought many presents. I''ve cross-stitched a piecetely, and you can bring it home. Please help me to give it to Mr. and Mrs. Norman when you''re free," Wanda said. Bianca wiped her hands and hugged Wanda¡¯s shoulders. "You''re so nice, Aunt Wanda." "Right, there''s something else." Wanda enjoyed the intimate moment with Bianca. She had watched her niece grow up and had treated her as her daughter. "What is it?" Bianca continued to wash the vegetables. "Earlier, Luke suggested that we move to a house near yours so that it''s easier for your grandpa to visit the children. I''ve discussed it with your grandpa. He thinks that it''s a good idea, but it''s very expensive to buy a house there, not to mention that the current house is closer to the hospital. That''s why we''ve decided not to move. Please thank him on our behalf." Bianca was surprised. She did not expect Luke to do so many things without her knowledge. "It''s not that expensive, Aunt Wanda. Also, the price will appreciate in the future," she said, knowing that Luke was making arrangements for her. "It''s fine. Your grandpa likes it here. He''s already old, and he might not be used to a new environment. I''ll be worried if he can''t sleep," Wanda said. Bianca did not insist after Wanda said that. Rest was very important for the old man. The two women made dinner together. When the fragrance wafted out of the kitchen, Tommy said, "I''m hungry, Daddy." Luke fed his youngest son a grape. "Have some fruits first." Tommy did not look appeased as he chewed the grape. Wanda came to the living room and said, "Father, Old Master Crawford, Luke, dinner is ready." Old Master Crawford had lost many games and was unwilling to admit defeat. "We''ll leave this here and continue after dinner. I''ll definitely be able to beat you!" "I''m not afraid of you!" Old Master Rayne said with a smile. He patted Lanie''s head and said, "I''m good, right?" Lanie nodded and said truthfully, "You''re a good chess yer, GreatGrandpa, but Daddy is better." Chapter 978 Chapter 978 His Boss Is Very Protective of His Wife Old Master Rayne lost two straight games to Luke. He patted Lanie''s cheek and said, "But I''m better than your Great-Grandpa!" "Nonsense! I''m the one who taught Luke how to y chess. If you can''t beat him, then you''re not better than me!" Old Master Crawford was not willing to admit defeat. 1 "And the student surpasses the master. Luke is a better yer than you. If you don''t believe me, you can stay here for the night, and I''ll y you until you''re satisfied," Old Master Rayne said. He usually yed chess alone, and Old Master Crawford rekindled his interest. "Challenge epted. After dinner, I''ll show you who''s the better yer!" Old Master Crawford was determined to win. "Let''s eat," Luke reminded them. "Right, let''s have dinner. We shouldn''t let the children starve." Old Master Rayne pushed himself up with the help of the table and his walking stick. His physical condition had declined after the operation, and he could only walk with the help of a walking stick. Bianca came out of the kitchen and supported him. Old Master Rayne patted Bianca''s hand and said, "Good girl. I can walk by myself." "Let me help you, Grandpa." Bianca insisted on helping him walk to the dining table. The dining table was not big enough to amodate all the guests, so the children ate at the coffee table while the adults sat around the dining table. Seeing the happy family, Bianca told herself that she shoulde and visit her grandfather more often. After dinner, Old Master Crawford decided to stay the night to y chess with Old Master Rayne. Luke had no opinion about that. They lingered for a while more before leaving with Wanda''s cross- stitch. While in the car, Rainie asked, "Mommy, can Ie to visit Grand-Aunt Wanda more often?" Bianca turned her head to look at her daughter and said, "Of course. We''ll bring you to visit Aunt Wanda whenever we''re free." "Grand-Aunt Wanda''s handicrafts are so pretty. She said that she''ll teach me the next time I visit her," Rainie said sweetly. "Great-Grandpa Rayne''s also ys better chess than Great-Grandpa Crawford," Lanie added. Luke smiled when he heard that. "You''d better not let him hear you say that. Lanie immediately understood. "Yes, Daddy." Tommy opened his eyes wide. He did not understand what his father meant. "Why shouldn''t Great- Grandpa hearthat, Daddy?" "Because we have to respect our elders." Lanie gave a sensible reply. Bianca smiled when she heard the conversation between the boys but did not say anything. She sent a message to Queenie, saying that she would go over tomorrow to deliver the cross-stitch. The cross-stitch was about five feet long, and it was a reproduction of a ssic piece featuring galloping horses. That was suitable for Jack''s status and tastes. Luke''s phone started to ring. Bianca nced at it and saw that the call was from Jason. She knew that Jason was calling her husband about work-rted matters, and such conversations would usuallyst for a long time. She took out the Bluetooth headset, helped him put it on his ear, and answered the call. Luke smiled gently. He was pleased with Bianca¡¯s care. Bianca turned around and ced her finger over her lips, indicating that the children should not disturb their father. The children nodded and kept quiet. From what Luke said, Bianca could tell that there was a problem with one of the subsidiaries. She frowned. Ever since Mavis left, Luke had beencking a capable assistant, and he had to personally attend to the matters of T Corporation''s subsidiaries. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Luke was still talking when the car reached home. The children got out of the car. Bianca opened the boot and prepared to take out the cross-stitch. Luke came over, picked up the cross-stitch, and said, "Allow me." Bianca nodded and let him carry it. Jason was slightly startled. "Boss?" He asked. "Nothing. Continue," Luke replied. The five-foot-long cross-stitch was quite heavy, but he carried it without any fuss. Bianca walked beside him and entered the house. She pointed at the couch and said, "You can put it here for now. I''ll deliver it to Dad tomorrow." Queenie had replied to her message, saying that both of them would be at home tomorrow. Bianca would take the opportunity to spend some time with them. "Mm." Luke ced the cross-stitch on the couch. Jason could hear Bianca''s voice through the phone. Remembering that his boss was very protective of his wife, he paused for a while before asking," May I continue, Boss?" "Continue." Luke stood next to the floor-to-ceiling window and listened to Jason''s report. Bianca went upstairs with the children and coaxed them to take a bath and go to bed. An hourter, Tommy was thest one to fall asleep. She exited the bedroom, walked around the second floor, and noticed that Luke had note upstairs yet, so she went downstairs. Luke happened to have finished the call. He saw hering down the stairs, so he went over and hugged her. "Bea." He sounded quite helpless. Bianca lifted her head and looked at him. "Is it very troublesome?" "Yes, quite." Luke nodded. The scheduled project was dyed for no reason. Thepany would suffer a great loss if the dy continued. "Is there anything that I can help with?" Luke had always helped Bianca, and Bianca had always wanted to return the favor. Luke brushed the stray strands of long hair behind her ear. "I''ll be able to handle it myself. I''ll be going on a business trip tomorrow, so I can''t go to Mom¡¯s ce." Bianca thought that the matter must be quite troublesome if Luke had to fly there himself. "I''ll go to Mom''s ce myself then. Where are you going this time, and for how long? I''ll go up and pack your suitcase now." "I''m going to New York. If everything goes well, I should be back in about a week," Luke said as he held her hand and went upstairs. They entered the bedroom. Bianca went to the closet and retrieved a suitcase. Luke frequently went on business trips, so the suitcase in the closet was almost always ready for immediate use. Bianca checked the weather forecast in New York for the uing week and packed a few more sets of clothes. "I''ll put your passport in your briefcase. It''ll be troublesome if it''s in your suitcase," she said. Luke felt warmth in his heart when he saw that Bianca was busy because of him. "Okay." Bianca took out Luke''s passport from the safe and ced it in his briefcase. "Is there anything else you need?" She asked. Luke did not say anything but hugged her tightly. "That''s all. Thank you, Bea. Bianca hugged him and ced her head on his muscr chest. Both of them were usually busy with their work, but they never forgot to spend time with each other every day. Now that Luke was about to leave for a week, she felt reluctant to let him go. Luke loosened his hug and kissed her when he saw that she did not speak. "What''s wrong?" "I''ll miss you if you have to leave for so many days," Bianca said truthfully. She did not hide her feelings for him. Chapter 979 Chapter 979 He Was Already Missing Her Luke was also reluctant to be separated from her for so many days. He hugged her tightly and said, "We''ll send the children back to Crawford Manor, and you cane along with me." Bianca knew that the children would be taken care of in Crawford Manor, but there were other reasons she could not leave. She leaned on his chest and said unhappily, "I have to attend to mypany. There''s St. Heckler''s new project, and Nina is in the hospital. I''ll have to take over her work." Luke stroked her hair gently, feeling a little sorry for her. She would not have been so busy if he had not supported her decision to start her ownpany. He could only ept that she was too busy with work to apany him on a business trip. "I''ll be back as soon as I can." "Mm," Bianca replied. She nced at the suitcase next to them and hugged him even more tightly. Luke held her arm and carefully examined it. The redness had dissipated, but the bruise became even more obvious. He led her out of the bedroom, took the first-aid kit, and sat on the couch in the living room. ¡¯TH massage it for you." "Mm." Bianca gave him her hand. Luke ced her hand on hisp and took out a bottle of tincture. "Please be gentle...¡± Bianca reminded him. "Are you still afraid of pain?" Luke was not very happy when he looked at the bruise on Bianca''s wrist and wondered how strong Pierre''s grip was. He dared not be too rough with her, but Pierre... He thought that he had to do something. "I''m not, but I''m afraid I''ll wake the kids if I scream too loudly," Bianca said as she watched him pour some tincture onto his palm. "This''ll sting a little." After Luke warmed up his palms, he gripped onto Bianca''s wrist and massaged it. "I''ll have to press hard so that the bruise will fade." Bianca tried not to make a noise as Luke massaged her. "If it hurts, you can lean on me." Luke poured some tincture on her wrist. Bianca ced her head on Luke''s shoulder and pressed her lips together tightly. The bruise hurt whenever she lightly touched it, and it was even more painful when Luke massaged it. Bianca tried hard not to scream, and her forehead was wet with perspiration. "It''s getting warmer these days,¡± Bianca grumbled softly. Indeed, summer wasing. "Careful not to kick the nket if you''re turning on the air-conditioning. Don''t catch a cold," Luke said while massaging her. "I know. Do you think that I¡¯m three years old? I won''t kick the nket." Bianca was distracted by those words and smiled. "You''ll kick the nket." Luke stopped massaging when he was done. He closed the bottle and put it back into the first-aid kit. "No, I won''t. I always behave in bed." Bianca stretched her wrist and felt a lot better. She thought that she never kicked the nket. "You always kick the nket, Bea," Luke said, hearing how confident she was. "Really?" Bianca asked doubtfully. "I always tuck you in." Luke''s hands smelled of the tincture. He was not going to touch her but instead went to the washroom. Bianca followed behind him. "Why don''t I know about it? Are you messing with me?" "I''m telling you the truth," Luke said as he pumped liquid soap on his hands. After washing his hands and drying them, he turned around, hugged her, and caressed her waist, which aroused her. "It''ste. Let''s rest." Bianca pushed him away as she felt every cell of her body awaken. "You haven''t taken a bath yet," she said, blushing. "I''ll do thatter." Luke brought her into the bedroom and closed the door. Thinking that he would spend the next week away from her, his body could not hold back anymore. As the night progressed, the gentle moonlight shone on the windowsill. The love between Bianca and Luke only grew stronger. Luke woke up before the sun rose. He went to brush his teeth and wash his face. Bianca did not sleep in. She got up and made breakfast for him. After breakfast, she sent Luke off at the door and watched his car leave. A long whileter, she turned her head back and nced at the clock. It was only half-past five. Bianca sighed gently. Whenever Luke went on his business trips, she would feel that he had taken away something. She sat on the couch in a daze before standing up. She would go to deliver the cross stitch to the Norman residence, then go to the hospital. The children woke up at seven o''clock. Lanie was the first one toe downstairs. He saw his mother preparing the table for breakfast and greeted her, "Good morning, Mommy." "Good morning, darling. Have you brushed your teeth?" Bianca turned her head and looked lovingly at her son. "Yes, I have, Mommy." Lanie looked around and did not see his father. ¡¯ Where''s Daddy?" Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. At home, Luke would either be working or be somewhere close to Bianca. Lanie thought that it was strange when he did not see his father. Bianca pulled a chair and replied, "He''s on a business trip. He should be boarding the ne by now. Come here and eat your breakfast." Lanie nodded. He was not too surprised because Luke often went off on business trips without informing anyone else. That happened all the time before Luke married Bianca. Sometimes, Lanie would wake up and not see his father. He would only know that his father went on a business trip when he asked other people. Bianca prepared Lanie''s favorite breakfast food. "Are Rainie and Tommy awake?" "Rainie is up. Tommy is still sleeping," Lanie replied. Luke had raised the two to wake up early, but Tommy had been spoiled. 1 "I''ll go upstairs for a while. Careful not to choke on your food, darling." Bianca patted Lanie''s head, thinking that the boy looked more and more like his father. "Yes, Mommy," Lanie said before drinking his soy milk. Bianca went to Tommy''s bedroom upstairs and saw that Rainie was trying to get him to wake up. "Mommy, Tommy wants to sleep in," Rainie said helplessly. Usually, Luke was the one who woke Tommy up. Tommy was afraid of his father, so he dared not linger on the bed for too long. However, Rainie was only Tommy''s elder sister. Tommy was not afraid of her, so he did not get out of bed. "Mommy, get Daddy to wake Tommy up," Rainie suggested, thinking that her gentle mother would not be able to get Tommy out of bed either. "Daddy is on a business trip. Breakfast is ready, you should go downstairs and eat. I''ll bring Tommy down soon." Bianca patted Rainie''s head, thinking that she was a considerate little girl. Rainie nodded and went out of the bedroom. Bianca went in and gently removed the nket over Tommy''s head. "It''s gettingte, Tommy. You should get up." 1 Tommy rolled over. He opened his eyes and quickly closed them. "I''m still sleepy, Mommy. I want to sleep a while more." Bianca felt a little helpless. Tommy would do that whenever Luke was not around because Bianca had spoiled him. She carried Tommy in her arms and said, "Good boys don''t sleep in, Tommy. We''re going to Grandma''s houseter. Let''s get up.¡± Chapter 980 Chapter 980 Her Mind Was Full of Thoughts of Him Tommy flopped over, though his eyes remained closed as he mumbled," I''m not going anywhere today, Mommy. I only want to sleep." Bianca was at a loss of what to do. Her son looked too adorable, and she could not bear to wake him up. Tommy had slept for nine hours since the night before, and he already had slept enough. Bianca opened the closet and took out Tommy''s day clothes. Her phone started ringing. Bianca put her son''s clothes away and answered the call. "Bea." Luke''s voice was heard on the other end of the call. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Bianca was surprised; she did not look at the call notification before answering it. "Aren''t you flying yet?" "Not yet," Luke replied. "Is Tommy awake?" "He hasn''t," Bianca said helplessly. She could not persuade him, but the little boy was too young to be punished. It seemed as though only Luke could deal with Tommy. "Turn on the speaker." Luke had guessed that Tommy did not want to wake up, which was why he made the call. Bianca did what she was told and put the phone closer to the bed. ¡± Tommy, your Daddy has something to tell you." "Mm," Tommy replied but did not move. Luke''s voice was heard over the phone speaker. "It''s time to wake up, Tommy." His tone was stern, unlike the gentle tone that he used earlier. Bianca did not expect the simple sentence to have any effect, but Tommy suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Bianca. "Where''s Daddy?" "He''s talking to you on the phone." Bianca wagged the phone in her hand. Tommy sat up instantly. "Are you up yet?" Luke asked again. "I''m up," Tommy replied obediently. Bianca was impressed that Luke''s voice was so effective. Perhaps she should record his voice and use it as a morning rm. Luke continued speaking, "Tommy, Daddy will be away on a business trip for the next few days. You''ll have to listen to Mommy. Don''t be a picky eater, and wake up early. Understood?" Tommy began to pout. Bianca thought that he was about to cry when he instead said, "Yes, I know, bad Daddy!" "I''ll bring you to the theme park when Ie back. Be a good boy and take care of Mommy," Luke said. He could not see his son, but he could guess that Tommy was reluctant. He and Bianca did not have the habit of sleeping in, so he wondered if Tommy learned it from someone else. Tommy was happy when he heard that. He pped his hands and said," Yay! I''ll wait for you toe back, Daddy." Bianca heard the flight announcement on the other end of the call. She brought the phone close to her ear and said, "Looks like you''ll be taking off soon." "Mm." Luke looked outside the window. The ne was beginning to taxi. It would be a long flight across the country. If Bianca were around, the flight would not be as boring. "Have a safe flight. Call me when yound," Bianca said softly. "Mm, alright," Luke replied. "Bye." Bianca ended the call. Suddenly, she realized that her mind was full of thoughts of him, even though he had not been gone for a few hours. Sheposed herself after Tommy got out of bed. She picked up the clothes at the side and asked, "Do you want to wear this outfit today, Tommy?" "Alright, Mommy!" Tommy nodded and yawned. Bianca helped him change, took his hand, and led him into the bathroom. Tommy picked up his little toothbrush and said, "I can do it myself, Mommy." Bianca smiled, nodded, and let Tommy be alone in the bathroom. After Tommy brushed his teeth, Bianca brought Tommy downstairs and brought out his breakfast. Rainie and Lanie had finished breakfast. They sat at the dining table, watching Tommy eat ravenously. He wanted to pick out the carrots from his food when Lanie reminded him, "Daddy said that you shouldn''t be a picky eater." Tommy pouted. The two other pairs of eyes watch him finish all the carrots. Lanie nodded in satisfaction. He looked like a miniature version of Luke. Bianca could not help but cover her mouth and smile. "Mommy, are you going to Grandma''s house today?" Rainie asked. "Mm, I''m nning to deliver the cross stitch to them.¡± Bianca nodded. Jack had beenining that he missed the three children, so she wanted to bring all of them along. Rainie loved Jack and Queenie but did not like Leia. She did not want to go to the Norman residence because she would meet Leia there. "Can I not go, Mommy?" She asked. Bianca was surprised, though she was curious to find out why. "Why don''t you want to go?" "I want to go to ballet ss instead," Rainie said. Ms. Shannon said that she could go to ss anytime. When Lanie heard that, he also said, "I''d like to go to my German ss today, Mommy." Bianca looked at the twins. She was happy that they loved to learn, but she had not heard them mention the sses before. "Lanie, Rainie, why do you want to go to sses suddenly?" Bianca asked sternly. Lanie and Rainie exchanged nces at each other and said nothing. "Tell me why you don''t want to go to visit Grandma. I''ll let you go to your sses if it''s reasonable." Bianca could tell that the twins were hiding something from her. Finally, Lanie stood up and said, "We don''t like Aunt Leia, Mommy. Every time we go to Grandma''s ce, we''ll always meet her." Bianca instantly understood that Leia was the reason why the twins did not want to go. Back then, Leia nearly became their stepmother. Bianca could understand if the children did not feel comfortable around Leia. "Grandpa and Grandma said that they miss you. Wouldn''t you want to meet them?" Bianca said. Leia had been resting at home because of her mental condition, and there was no avoiding her. Rainie shook her head. "We want to, but Aunt Leia is scary." She remembered that time when Leia red at her when no other adults were around. Her gaze looked like that of the wicked witch in a fairy tale. Lanie said, "Mommy, if Grandpa and Grandma miss us, they cane and visit us anytime. Aunt Leia scared Rainiest time, and she had nightmares for two days." Bianca patted Rainie''s head. "Really?" Rainie nodded. She did not tell her mother about that because Leia was her mother''s sister, but she told her elder brother because she was afraid. "Alright, I''ll send you to your sses, then I''ll go to Grandma''s house. I¡¯ll pick you up in the afternoon, alright?" Bianca was not going to force them to go. "Thank you, Mommy!" Rainie smiled happily. Bianca looked at Tommy, who was still eating. "What about Tommy then?" "Tommy isn''t afraid of Aunt Leia. Aunt Leia doesn''t scare him," Lanie said. Tommy was still young and did not know what fear was. Moreover, Leia hated crying children. If Tommy cried because of her, she would have to coax him, and her parents might scold her. That was why she mostly ignored Tommy. Bianca made a mental note of that. After Tommy finished breakfast, she cleaned up, sent Lanie and Rainie to their sses, and brought Tommy to the Norman residence. Chapter 981 Chapter 981 Leia Is Pregnant Bianca brought the framed five-foot-long cross-stitch into the living room. Queenie quickly went forward and helped her, "That''s so heavy! Why didn''t you get the caretaker to help you?" After they put the cross-stitch on the couch, Bianca smiled and said, "It''s not very heavy, Mom. Where''s Dad?" "He knows that Tommy ising, and he''s messing around with something in the study." Queenie bent slightly and patted Tommy''s head. "Good morning, Grandma!" Tommy greeted Queenie. "Good morning! You''re a good boy, Tommy!" Queenie looked at her grandson lovingly. She grabbed a handful of candy on the coffee table and stuffed them in Tommy''s hands. All children loved candy, including Tommy. He held the candy in his hands and said sweetly, "Thank you, Grandma! I love you the most!" "Do you love Grandpa then?" Jack said as he walked down the stairs. He heard what Tommy said earlier. Tommy turned his head to look at Jack and nodded. "I love you too, Grandpa!" Jack was happy as he looked at Tommy¡¯s adorable face. He patted the little boy''s head and handed him a toy. "I made this for you. Do you like it?" Tommy opened his eyes wide and stared at the whirligig in his grandfather''s hands. "What''s that, Grandpa?" "It''s a whirligig. You y it like this." Jack demonstrated it to Tommy, then put it in his hands. Tommy put all the candy into his pocket and started ying with the toy. Jack felt quite aplished when he saw that Tommy was having fun with it. Bianca said, "It must be tiring to make that, Dad. You should have rested instead." She heard from Queenie that Jack was involved in arge-scale citynning project recently. The daily meetingssted until eleven o''clock at night. Jack''s health was already past his prime. Bianca did not want him to spend his time messing around with toys instead of resting during his free time. Jack shook his head. He was satisfied seeing that Tommy was happy. "It''s no big deal. Is it fun, Tommy?" "Yes, Grandpa, you''re the best!" Tommy gestured a thumbs-up at Jack. Bianca patted Tommy''s head, seeing how happy he was. "What do you say when you receive a present?" "Thank you, Grandpa. Thank you, Grandma." Tommy was having fun with his new toy. Jack smiled and patted Tommy''s head too. "Where''s Lanie and Rainie? Also, why isn''t Luke here too?" "Rainie is in her ballet ss, and Lanie is in his German ss. Luke is on a business trip to handle some suddenpany matters," Bianca replied. She pointed to the cross- stitch and said, "Aunt Wanda has a present for you, Dad. She made it herself. Do you want to hang it up?" "Galloping horses? Not bad. Please thank Wanda on my behalf." Jack nced around the living room and said decisively, "Let''s hang it on this wall. It''s been missing something. What do you think, Queenie?" Queenie smiled. "I think that''s a good idea." "I''ll get the caretaker to hang it upter." Jack decided. "Mm." Bianca smiled gently when she saw that her parents loved the present. Jack''s position in the local government made it hard for him to ept gifts. The cross-stitch was perfect; it was not too expensive, and at the same time it suited his tastes. "Come and sit over here, Bea. I have something to ask you." Jack pointed at the couch next to his. Queenie knew what he wanted to ask, so she sat down on the other side. Bianca saw that her parents seemed serious. She carried Tommy and sat down on the couch. "What''s wrong, Dad and Mom?" Jack and Queenie exchanged nces, then looked at her and asked, "Do you know that Leia has a boyfriend?" "I know a little." Bianca was not too familiar with the Hiltons. She was quite surprised by Brody''s disy of chauvinism thest time they met, and she thought that Leia would not hook up with him. After all, Leia had been spoiled by Jack and Queenie, and she was also once a morous actress. She would not be interested in that chauvinistic man. She did not expect that Leia would hook up with him, much less be pregnant with his child. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Bianca looked at her parents, wondering if they knew that Leia was pregnant. "How did they meet each other?" Queenie asked. Jack and Queenie had conducted an investigation after they knew about it, and the results were less than satisfactory. Brody Hilton''s wealth came from his grandparents. His capabilities were mediocre, except for his propensity to indulge himself in entertainment. He was also said to be a frequenter of nightclubs and simr establishments. "Old Mrs... Grandma introduced him to her." Bianca was not used to the appetion yet. "She introduced him to her?" Jack was shocked, not expecting that his mother would be the one to introduce that kind of man to Leia. "I was at Grandma''s house that day. Grandma invited Mr. Hilton over for lunch and introduced Leia to him." Bianca nodded and told what she knew. Jack sighed and shook his head. "She made a mistake." He knew that Old Mrs. Norman adored Leia, but why did she have to introduce her to that man? Queenie held her husband''s hand tightly, not knowing how to react. Tommy noticed that the elders were acting strangely. He stopped ying with his toy and looked at Bianca doubtfully. "Mommy, what''s wrong with Grandpa and Grandma?" "It''s nothing. Keep on ying." Bianca took out a piece of candy from Tommy''s pocket, unwrapped it, and stuffed it into his mouth. Tommy ate the candy and did not say anything. He was once again distracted by his toy. "Mom..." Bianca wanted to say something but checked herself. "Leia is bringing that Mr. Hilton here for lunch today, but we''ve found out some less-than-desirable things about him. We''re wondering how to stop Leia from having a rtionship with him," Queenie said truthfully, at the same time wishing that Leia would be as sensible as Bianca. Bianca nodded, though she thought that there was no stopping the marriage from happening. Leia was already quite advanced in her pregnancy. If she broke up with Brody, was she going to give birth to the child? How would Jack react if he knew that Leia was pregnant? Bianca patted Tommy''s head. She had an ominous premonition that something bad would happen if Leia brought Brody back home for lunch. "What do you think, Bea?" Jack decided to ask for her opinion. Ever since he found out the truth about Leia''s personality, he regretted not being stricter with her in the past. He could not understand why she would be so depraved! Bianca dared not tell him her opinion. She paused for a while and said, "If Leia likes him, then we should let her be." Queenie sighed dejectedly. "That man isn''t anyone decent. Leia might not be my birth daughter, but she''s my daughter nheless. I don''t want to see her ruin her life." Chapter 982 Chapter 982 Showing Off His Wealth Bianca did not know what to say when she saw Queenie sigh. She turned around and yed with Tommy. If she had known that Leia was bringing Brody home, she would not havee. Jack held Queenie''s hand. "Well see what happens." Queenie nodded, though she remained dejected. "I think we owe Leia a lot, Jack." Leia was already at the suitable age for marriage, but Jack and Queenie did not make arrangements for her. If they had found her a suitable significant other, Old Mrs. Norman would not have introduced her to Brody, and none of that would have happened. Jack rubbed the back of Queenie''s hand and was somewhat at a loss. He knew that Queenie was very protective of Leia, and he wondered what she would think if she found out what Leia had done. The living room fell silent. Seeing that her parents were fretting over Leia, Bianca felt bad for them. She was not jealous that Leia received the bigger proportion of their parents'' love, but she felt helpless that Leia did not appreciate what they had done for her. Bianca thought that it was not worth it for Queenie to be sad. After all, Leia would not be grateful. The caretaker came over and refilled the teacups. "Sir, Madam, Ms. Bianca, Ms. Leia and Mr. Hilton are here." The three people looked toward the front gate when they heard that. It was almost summer, but Leia was dressed in a loose jacket. Bianca had not met her for a while, and she noticed that Leia''s face was plumper, not to mention other obvious signs of pregnancy. She hugged Brody''s arm as she stepped through the door. "Dad, Mom. Why are you here, Bianca?" The smile on Leia''s face froze for a while when she saw Bianca. Her arms gripped Brody''s arm slightly more tightly when she remembered the interest that Brody had shown her elder sister. "It''s the weekend, and I''m here to visit my parents. Greet your aunt, Tommy, " Bianca said and reminded Tommy. Tommy was not very fond of Leia. Even so, he did what his mother told him to. ''Good afternoon, Aunt Leia," he said while ying with his toy. Leia removed her sunsses and brought Brody next to the couch. "Dad, Mom, this is Brody, my boyfriend," she said coyly. "Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Norman. I hope you''ll appreciate my little gift for you." Brody thought that the Normans were not as wealthy as the Hiltons. He was not too polite when he spoke. Jack¡¯s face was stern as he picked up his teacup and examined the gift in Brody''s hands. "Thank you, Mr. Hilton. You can take these gifts back," Jack said. He was not going to ept the cigarettes and liquor. Brody was instantly unhappy. He stood there and towered over Jack. "Are they not good enough for you, Mr. Norman? My parents bought these from overseas. You won''t find them in the country." Queenie was more sensitive. She felt a little uneasy when hearing Brody''s arrogant tone of voice. Her gentle expression sank a little. ''You''re mistaken, Mr. Hilton. It''s not that they''re not good enough for us, but you''ll have to remember Mr. Norman''s status. He cannot ept gifts that are too expensive." Brody felt a little awkward after hearing that. He should have known to be a little more careful when giving gifts to a politician. He looked at Leia and med her, "Why didn''t you remind me?" Leia was at a loss for an exnation. She knew about her father''s status, but she had deliberately requested those expensive presents to show her parents that her boyfriend was not in any way inferior to Bianca''s significant other. She became increasingly embarrassed as everyone in the living room looked at her. If she did not say anything, the other people might think that she was being rude. "It''s the thought that counts." When Bianca heard that, she thought that Luke was a more sensible person. She nced at the cross-stitch and thought the same about Wanda. Jack grunted coldly when he heard that. All the education had been wasted on her. If she was both malicious and stupid, what else could he expect from her? 1 "Yes, it''s the thought that counts. Don''t just stand there,e and sit down, " Queenie said. She was not satisfied with Leia''s boyfriend, but she did not say anything about it. Leia smiled at Queenie, knowing that she was the more soft-hearted one. She put the bag of gifts on the floor, then held Brody''s arms and brought him to the couch, as though she was afraid that someone might snatch him away. Bianca did not pay much attention to them. Tommy took out a piece of candy from his pocket and handed it to Bianca. "Open it for me, Mommy." N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Usually, Bianca would not let him eat that many sweets in one sitting. However, she did not want him to whine. She unwrapped the candy and stuffed it into his mouth. Brody looked at Bianca. He had not seen her for a while and thought that she was as beautiful as usual. Unfortunately, she was already married to someone else. "Your son is already so big, Ms. Rayne," he said. Leia was instantly jealous. She wondered why her parents did notment anything about Bianca for seducing her boyfriend. Before Bianca could say anything, Leia interjected, "That''s my elder sister''s youngest son. She also has a pair of twins in third grade." Brody''s eyes widened. Bianca looked so young, and he did not expect her to be so loose. If her children were in third grade, did that mean she was pregnant when she was barely legal? Brody''s sentiments that were leaning toward Bianca quickly returned to Leia. He was pleased that Leia kept herself pure. Bianca could hear the malicious undertones in Leia''s words, but she did not mind it. After all, Lanie and Rainie were her pride and joy. "Yes, they''re in the third grade now. The youngest one will be attending preschool soon." She patted Tommy''s head and smiled gently at her parents. Jack and Queenie, on the other hand, were slightly appalled by Leia''s words. If Allison had not swapped Bianca away right after she was born, she would not have suffered so much, and she would not have borne children for Luke while she was still in college. Jack and Queenie had always felt guilty about that. The caretaker served tea to Brody and Leia. Brody took a sip and decided to unt his knowledge, intending to show the Normans that Leia had made the right choice in dating him. "This must be oolong tea." His grandmother loved drinking tea. He learned how to discern teas from her. Jack remained impassive. "It is. Do you like tea, Mr. Hilton?" "So-so. I usually drink tea with my family, and I''ve picked up quite a bit from them. Of course, the best tea is green tea, and my grandmother would usually get people to buy them from Japan. I don''t think tea is better than coffee though, especially Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. It is fragrant and has a smooth mouthfeel. Do you like coffee? I''ll bring some from my house the next time. I''ve won a batch in an auction at an international exhibition.'' Brody unted his wealth in every sentence, and he did not think that he was vulgar at all. Ordinary people would have regarded him with envy, but the Normans were not ordinary people. Chapter 983 Chapter 983 Future Son-in-Law Brody was not showered with envious gazes as he would have expected. Leia gently pinched his arm and said with a smile, "Brody, my parents don''t like coffee." "Why?" Brody was not embarrassed as he continued to borate," Appreciating coffee is a necessary skill in the upper circles of society. Every party or gathering must have coffee and wine. You''ll need to know how to appreciate coffee so that you won''t be looked down on. Also, one should prepare some premium coffee beans at home to serve guests." As soon as he finished speaking, the living room fell into an awkward silence. Leia pinched him again. She was getting nervous. Jack hated people who loved to show off, while Brody was very fond of showing off. She thought that he had not done that for some time, so why would his old habits return? It would not have been a problem if he showed off in front of her friends, but they were in front of her parents now... Leia discreetly kicked him to stop him from speaking. Brody impatiently pushed Leia''s hand away, feeling a little irritated by the pinching and kicking. "I¡¯ll bring over some Blue Mountain coffee beans on my next visit, Mr. and Mrs. Norman. Once you try it, you won''t want to drink tea or other types of coffee anymore." "It''s fine, Mr. Hilton. We don''t sleep very well, and the doctor said that we shouldn''t drink coffee too often." Queenie rejected Brody''s offer once again. She sounded gentle but insistent. Leia was surprised. ''Is that so? When did that happen?'' Brody was already cursing inwardly when Jack and Queenie had rejected his offer twice. He thought that they did not know how to appreciate the finer things in life. His gaze fell on the cross-stitch that Bianca had ced on the couch opposite him. He decided to unt his family¡¯s wealth again so that they would feel grateful that they would be getting such a rich son-inw. "Did you just take that down?" He pointed at the cross-stitch with his chin. Jack was already very displeased. Brody was frivolous and disrespectful. Was that how he should treat his elders? He did not n to stop Leia from being together with Brody. If she really liked him, he would want her to marry him so that he could announce to others that whatever she did had nothing to do with the Normans. He was beginning to change his mind after seeing that man''s character. Leia saw that her parents did not seem too pleasant and thought that they were unhappy about Brody''s showing off and his tone. To ease the tension, she smiled and said, "That''s a cross-stitch, right? I''ve never seen it at home. Did you buy it, Dad?" "Teh," Brody scoffed, "Who would buy that nowadays, or hang it in their house? That''s so old-fashioned and cheap. Horses? How tacky." Jack was livid when he heard that. How high and mighty must the Hilton family be for that young man to say that? He mmed his teacup angrily. Itnded on the table with a loud bang.Owned by N?velDrama.Org. The people in the living room were shocked. "I love horses and handicrafts like that. What about it?" Jack said while staring at Brody. "He doesn''t mean that, Dad," Leia tried to exin. "That''s enough. Our house is full of cheap and tacky stuff, and we''re an embarrassment to him. Go get the toolbox and hang the cross-stitch on the wall," Jack ordered the caretaker. The caretaker nodded and went to the storeroom. Brody did not expect Jack to react so violently. He became even more disdainful. The caretaker brought out the toolbox and got the driver to help him. Jack wanted to hang the cross-stitch after they had left, but he could tolerate how disrespectful Brody was. If Brody did not show him any respect, then he would not show him any either. The driver drove the nails into the wall. With the caretaker''s help, they hung the cross-stitch. "Careful, this is my favorite piece of art," Jack''s resonant voice rang in the living room. "Yes, Sir," the caretaker and the driver replied together. After hanging the cross-stitch, the caretaker asked, "Is this okay, Sir?" Jack stood up and carefully examined the cross-stitch. After seeing that it was straight, he nodded in satisfaction and said, "Yes, very good." Leia shot a nce at Brody. He should have been smarter than that, so why was he repeatedly offending her father? He stood up, leaned closer to her father, and said intimately, "That''s a beautiful cross-stitch, Dad. Did Mom make it?" "It''s from your aunt," Jack said. "Aunt? Which aunt?" Leia did not know that she had an aunt. "It''s your sister¡¯s aunt," Queenie said while refilling Jack''s teacup. Leia instantly understood. It was Bianca again! She knew that her father loves works of art featuring horses, but she attributed the reason why her father loved the cross-stitch to Bianca alone! Leia nced at Brody and exined, "My dad loves horses." Brody showed a look of understanding and could not wait to unt his family''s wealth again. "So you like horses, Mr. Norman. What do you think of oil paintings?" "They''re too expensive and will raise unwanted suspicion." Jack could understand the implication in Brody¡¯s words, and he rejected him directly." I have some work to do. You can go on without me." He had already discerned Brody''s character, and he had no interest in continuing the conversation. He would let Queenie handle the rest. She might be a woman, but she was used to such situations. Brody was feeling embarrassed as he red at Leia. Leia had told her that her parents were easy- going people, but that did not seem to be the case. Leia tapped her feet, returned to her seat next to Brody, and spoke to her mother, "Has the Integrity Committee been on Dad''s heels? Why is he so defensive?" Queenie knew that her husband was mostly pretending. She was also the same because she was not very fond of Brody. The Normans did not need a son-inw from a wealthy family who had no other capabilities other than unting his wealth. "I don''t know what''s going on in the political scene, but I won''t fault him for being cautious. You should know your dad''s personality, he wouldn''t want to take advantage of anyone," she said. "But Brody isn''t any random person, Mom. I''ll be marrying him. He''s your future son-inw." Leia smiled sweetly while hugging Brody''s arm. Bianca was watching the interaction. She could see that her parents were unhappy, so why was Leia so blind? If Leia mentioned it now, Queenie would definitely not agree with it. Queenie did not show her displeasure on her face. She took a sip of tea gently and said slowly, "What do you mean? There''s nothing wrong with him being cautious, especially when you''re not married yet. Don''t you think so, Mr. Hilton?" Chapter 984 Chapter 984 The Adoptive Daughter Was Different From the Birth Daughter Leia was surprised by what Queenie said. When she divulged everything that day, Queenie felt sorry for her and said that she would not want Leia to suffer anymore. Leia had already treated that as an approval to their rtionship. "Mom..." Leia stood up, sat next to Queenie, and refilled her teacup. "Have you forgotten what you said that day?" Queenie sighed. She thought that Leia was more intelligent than that, so why did she behave as though she had been hypnotized? Back then, Queenie did not know Brody''s character, but things were different now. She knew of Brody''s character after the investigation, and she had changed her mind since then. However, she did not tell Leia about that because she knew that Leia would not want to hear an opposing opinion. Before she could say anything, Brody spoke, "Mrs. Norman, I only want to marry Leia." Bianca, who was ying with Tommy, turned her head together with Queenie and looked at Brody. "Mr. Hilton, we''re not a wealthy family. Leia''s father is only a government worker, and we can''tpare to your family. In terms of status, I don''t think Leia is a match for you, and I''m surprised that for someone who emphasizes one''s wealth, you''d want to marry her and no one else." Queenie frowned. She did not want to tell him so directly that she objected to their marriage, but he had mentioned it first. Her tone of voice was gentle but resolutely firm. Leia finally understood what Queenie had been saying, and that made her angry. She thought that her mother was being difficult because she did not appreciate Brody showing off, but it turned out that she objected to their marriage! Brody also finally knew Queenie''s intentions. He was not angry, but instead, he smiled. "Are you objecting to our marriage, Mrs. Norman?" Queenie could sense Leia''s unease and patted the back of her hand. "Mr. Hilton, you have to understand that marriage is not child''s y. Not every family can be blissful because of money alone. Leia needs a loving husband and not a rich one." She did not think that Leia would be happy being married to Brody. Leia bit her lower lip. Why would her mother say that? Why would she make that decision on her behalf? She shot a nce at the young man next to him. Brody could see that Leia was aggrieved. He could not believe that the Norman family would reject an outstanding man like him. He looked down upon the Norman family. Why would a mere politician receiving a fixed sry be so arrogant? "Do you think so too, Ms. Rayne?" He asked. Bianca was surprised by the question. She had tried to make herself invisible, but Brody involved her in the conversation anyway. She shook her head and said, "I don''t have any thoughts on the matter. This is between the two of you." She knew that no one in the household would be able to change the oue. Leia was furious because Bianca might as well have not said anything. "How about this? I''ll tell you something, then you can decide if I get to marry Leia." Brody stood up and towered over Queenie as though making an important announcement. "Leia is already pregnant with my child. If you continue to object to the marriage, I can choose to walk away, and Leia would be the one at a disadvantage." Brody might be his grandmother''s favorite, but he had conducted an investigation on his father without his grandmother and mother¡¯s knowledge. He found out that his father had many extramarital rtionships, and he needed a child to secure his position in the family. Leia was already far into her pregnancy, and the baby could not be aborted. The only way was to inducebor. Even if he did not marry Leia, he would take the baby away after it was delivered. If the Normans wanted the baby, he was prepared to fight them legally. He would like to see if the Normans wanted their reputation or the baby more. Queenie stood up in shock and instantly felt her head spin. She held onto the couch and looked at Leia. "Is that true, Leia?" N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Leia did not expect that Brody would tell Queenie about her pregnancy. They had promised to tell Queenie after she agreed to their marriage. Seeing how smug he was, as though he was victorious, she inwardly cursed his stupidity. "Mom, I..." Leia wanted to say something but checked herself. She looked at Brody helplessly. Her father would kill her if he found out that she was pregnant before her marriage. Brody ignored her gaze and whistled. "I''ll be going off now. I''ll leave it to you to decide if I can marry Leia." He walked away without turning back. Leia wanted to give chase, but her mother stopped her. "Are you really pregnant, Leia?" Queenie was clutching her forehead. The news was too shocking, which made her feel dizzy. She looked as though she was going to pass out at anytime. Bianca immediately stood up and supported her. "Don''t be too agitated, Mom. Please sit down." As Queenie sat down, she looked at Leia''s loose clothes. It would be summer soon, and it should have been the season for short sleeves. She instantly understood why Leia was dressed in that thick jacket. Leia was furious as she watched Brody leave. She stopped walking and turned to look at her mother. Her priority was to convince Queenie. Once Queenie agreed to the marriage, Jack would agree too. "Listen to me, Mom..." Leia stepped forward and pushed Bianca aside. Queenie''s face was pale as silent tears flowed out of her closed eyes. She did not expect that the adoptive daughter she had raised and pampered would get pregnant before she was married. No wonder Brody was so arrogant. Ever since Leia became pregnant, Queenie never had a say in it! Queenie knew that a woman who got pregnant before she was married would face harsh criticism from society as well as being at a disadvantage in her inws'' household. "You disappoint me, Leia," she said while sobbing. Leia was angry when she heard that. ''So what if I''m pregnant? Bianca gave birth to twins when she was eighteen. Why didn''t she disappoint you? ''You''re only ying favorites! I know I''m only adopted, and I can''tpare to your birth daughter!'' Leia''s mind was twisted. However, she needed her parents'' support to marry Brody. She took off her jacket, revealed her bulging stomach, and began to cry. While crying, she picked up the teacup and admitted her fault. "I know that I''m wrong, Mom, but I love Brody too much. Brody said that his family will ept me as long as I bear a child for him, and I believed him. That''s why I''m pregnant now. I love him too much, Mom, and that was why I trusted him. You should know that I won''t fall in love with a man that easily..." Leia put the me on Brody while also hinting about Luke. Queenie still felt guilty about what happened at Luke''s wedding. Bianca frowned when she heard that. She remembered what happened when she first met Brody. The man was chauvinistic and conservative. Would he impregnate Leia before they were married? Queenie trembled and cried as she listened to Leia''s words. Bianca handed her mother a napkin. "Don''t cry, Mom. We should focus on finding a solution for Leia." Chapter 985 Chapter 985 You Can''t Keep the Baby Tommy watched all that happened. He thought for a while, then ran upstairs to look for Jack. Jack carried Tommy and walked down the stairs. He saw Leia fall to his knees to beg for forgiveness from her mother. "Please forgive me, Mom. I''m begging you, please don''t be angry, alright? I don''t want the baby anymore. I''ll go and get it induced tomorrow. Don¡¯t cry." "Are you crazy? I won¡¯t let you do that," Queenie eximed in surprise. Jack frowned. "What''s going on?" As soon as he spoke, the three people in the living room turned their heads toward the stairs. When Leia noticed him, she stood up and turned her body away. As her adoptive daughter for twenty years, Leia knew her father''s temperament. If she remained on her knees, Jack would definitely keep her kneeling as punishment. The floor was hard, and she had a bulging stomach. She would not be able to take it. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. "Dad." Leia shifted her body to hide the bulging stomach from him. Jack had already noticed her stomach. He put Tommy down and walked over. "Turn around." Leia shuddered but did not move. "Is there something, Dad?" "What''s going on with your stomach?" Jack walked toward the couch. Leia would not be able to hide it anymore. Leia turned around while trembling. She lowered her head to hide the malice in her eyes and began to cry. "I''m sorry, Dad. It''s all my fault. You can hit me." She spoke loudly enough so that everyone in the living room could hear that. Queenie clutched her heart and looked like she would pass out at any time. Jack red at Leia''s round and bulging stomach sternly. He was no expert in obstetrics, but he could tell that the pregnancy was more than three months. "Is the child a Hilton?" He asked, furious after seeing that Brody had already left while Queenie was sitting on the couch with a pale face. How dare that man leave while the Norman household is in chaos? Leia sobbed and nodded. She tried to squeeze tears from her eyes to evoke pity from her parents. "It''s all my fault, Dad. The child is innocent." She was about to fall on her knees again. Queenie''s heart softened when she saw her frail daughter with a bulging stomach. She took her daughter''s hand and wanted to say something before tears fell from her eyes again. She shook her head and looked at her husband. The Normans did not own a big corporation, but they were fairly well- known in A City. She thought that the daughter she had raised had be pregnant before marriage and felt that she had failed her husband and her family. Her daughter would be the subject of ridicule, and her husband''s reputation might be affected. Bianca sighed, gently patted Queenie''s back, and said, "Dad, Leia isn''t in the physical condition to be punished. Shouldn''t wee together as a family and work out a solution?" Jack became angrier as he red at Leia''s bulging stomach. However, he was sensible enough not to ce his anger on Bianca. He sat down and red coldly at Leia. She shuddered again. She might hate them both, but she was nheless scared of Jack. She was already tired from standing, but without her parents'' permission, she dared not move a muscle. Bianca sighed again. That should have been none of her business, but she could only me herself for visiting at the wrong time. "Dad, won¡¯t you let Leia sit down? She''s already heavily pregnant," she advised. Jack grunted coldly and pointed at the couch opposite him. "Sit down and tell me everything from the start." Leia weakly wiped away her tears and sat on the couch. Instantly, her weary feet felt a lot better. Under the gaze of the three people, Leia repeated her story, shifting the me to Brody. Jack was livid after hearing that. His hatred for Brody shot through the roof as he red at Leia''s bulging stomach. "Contact the hospital. The baby cannot be kept alive!" He wanted to abort the baby and have Leia cut all ties with the Hilton family. "No." "No!" Two people objected at once. One was Queenie, and the other was Leia. "I don''t want to lose this baby, Dad. I''ve already carried it for so many months. I don''t want it to go away..." Leia caressed her stomach and begged. She sounded so sincere that one might be forgiven for forgetting that she had tried to medically abort the baby. "She''s already so advanced in her pregnancy. It would be harmful to her body if the baby is aborted now. We can''t do that," Queenie said. Jack was feeling very upset by the two women. He turned to look at Bianca. Bianca knew that Jack was asking for her opinion. However, she also knew that her opinion might not be something Jack wanted to hear at that moment. She shut her mouth and shook her head. Tommy leaned quietly on Bianca. He did not know what was going on among the adults. Jack pressed his lips together tightly, not willing to negotiate. Leia was beginning to be afraid. She looked at Queenie, hoping that her mother would speak up for her. If she lost the baby, she would not have a hold on Brody. Brody might have been disrespectful earlier, but he wanted the child very much. If the child was aborted, Leia did not know how he was going to react. Her reputation was already in tatters. If word got out that she had gotten pregnant before marriage and had aborted the baby, she would not be able to survive in A City anymore! Queenie understood the agony of losing a child. She thought that Leia really wanted the baby, so she held Bianca''s hand and said, "Please talk to your father, Bea." Bianca''s heart wrenched when she saw Queenie''s tear-streaked face. Queenie seemed a lot older than before. Perhaps she had been excessively worried over Leia. If Jack insisted on aborting the baby, Queenie''s past traumas might return. Even though Bianca was reunited with her birth parents, Queenie had always felt that she was indebted to her, and she was always depressed about it. Bianca knew what to say to cause the least damage to Queenie. "I know what you are thinking, Dad. You feel that Brody is not a good match for Leia, so you want to abort the baby and cut all ties with the Hilton family, and Leia can have a fresh start. However, the abortion will have long sting effects. It''ll be very damaging to her body, not to mention that it will be a psychological obstacle," she spoke gently. Jack was not too perturbed when he heard that the abortion would be damaging to her body. "She''s still young, and the damage can be reversed. I can hire a midwife and a nurse to take care of her. The baby cannot live!" Queenie wiped her tears and said, "Don''t be muddled, Jack. You should know how agonizing it was when we lost Bea. How could you let Leia suffer the same agony?" Chapter 986 Chapter 986 Her Fondness for Him Grew When Leia heard that, she quickly fell on her knees. She had to keep the baby no matter what! "I don''t want to lose the baby, Dad. I love the baby! Don''t you want it to call you ''Grandfather'' after it''s born?" Jack was finally moved, but it was not because of Leia''s words. He knew how it felt to lose one''s child. Even though Bianca eventually returned to their side, they had lost a lot of time with her, and the regretsted forever. He decided to wash his hands of the matter. "You can keep the child, but the child has to have a father," Jack said. That was as much as he was willing to concede. Leia was overjoyed. With their support, she believed that she could convince the elders in the Hilton family. "I''ll let Brody know so that he cane over and have a meal with us." "Tell him not to bring any gifts. We can''t afford to ept them," Jack said coldly. "Yes." Leia could not be bothered about everything else. She instantly took out her phone and called Brody. Bianca breathed a sigh of relief, d that the issue was settled without too much chaos or violence. After the call, Leia smiled cheerfully. "Brody willeter. He promised that he will be respectful this time." Among all the people in the living room, she was the only one smiling. Queenie looked at her daughter''s stomach. The baby was saved, but she could not smile. Her emotions were gloomier than ever. Leia had always been her pride and joy. She did not know why Leia had been bringing anger and shame to their family recently. Was it the right decision to adopt her from the orphanage? Queenie sank into deep thought. Knowing that Brody would being soon, Bianca excused herself without having lunch at the Norman residence. She brought Tommy to a restaurant. "Mommy, why aren''t we having lunch at Grandma''s house?" Tommy asked. He was looking forward to Queenie''s meatloaf, but they left the house before eating. Bianca patted Tommy''s head. She did not answer his question but instead said, "Then why did you sneak upstairs to get Grandpa?" "I hate Aunt Leia''s crying." Tommy pretended to cover his ears. He had gone upstairs to look for his grandfather because Leia''s crying irritated him. Bianca smiled and pinched Tommy''s face. If Tommy had not done that, the matter would not have been resolved so quickly. Queenie could not ept the fact that Leia was pregnant with Brody¡¯s child, but at the same time, she did not want Leia to abort it either. She would not be able to find a solution. Jack was the only way out of the dilemma. "I miss Grandma''s cooking, Mommy," Tommy said coyly. Bianca poured a ss of milk for him. She understood how the boy felt." Grandma is busy today, and she can''t cook for you. You want to eat meatloaf, right?" "Mm." Tommy nodded. "Let''s order some meatloaf then. If you can''t finish it, we''ll bring it home for dinner," Bianca said. She summoned the waiter and made another order. Tommy seemed a lot happier. "Mommy, when will Daddy be back?" He asked with a smile. "He''ll only be back in a week. You can start counting from today, and he''ll be back on the seventh day," Bianca exined patiently to him. "I know." Tommy nodded. "Daddy will be back in seven days. I''ll be a good boy, and Daddy will bring me to the theme park." Tommy still remembered what Luke told him earlier that morning. As Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Bianca watched Tommy count on his fingers, her fondness for him grew. She hoped that he would settle the matter in New York as soon as possible and return to them. At night, Bianca checked that the flight had sessfullynded in New York. She sent a message to Luke. [Have you arrived?] She received a video call request ten minutester. Bianca instantly answered it and pulled the phone slightly farther from her face so that he could see her clearly. Luke was standing in the airport. Travelers were moving about behind him. He wore a Bluetooth headset and looked at Bianca''s smiling face. The dim yellow light of the room cast a gentle and holy light on her impable features. "It''s already veryte, Bianca. Why aren''t you asleep yet?" Luke''s voice was gentle. He had just turned on his phone afternding, and his heart warmed after seeing Bianca''s message. "I wanted to sleep after you''vended." Bianca''s fingers gently touched the phone screen, as though she could touch his face and handsome features. "I''vended. You should rest." Luke wanted to chat with Bianca, but he did not want to keep her up. "Wait, there''s something else." Bianca briefly exined what happened at the Norman residence earlier. She knew that Luke was not interested in domestic matters, but it was better for him to know about it since she might be involved. Luke knew about the things that Leia did in private. "You don''t have to involve yourself in Leia''s business. Take a good rest. I''ll be back next week, " he said. "Okay." Bianca felt a lot better after hearing her husband''s voice. Her hands made a heart sign to Luke, then yawned. "I''ll be going to sleep then." "Mm, alright." Luke did not want to hold her back and affect her rest. Bianca smiled and tapped on the end call button. In the next three days, Bianca and Sue were incredibly busy because of Nina''s absence. Not only did they have to take care of their family, but they also devoted the rest of their time to work. On the morning of the fourth day, Bianca sent Rainie and Lanie to school, then drove the car to the hospital. The doctor had already approved Nina''s discharge. Bianca was there to pick her up. She went into Nina''s ward. Nina was sitting on the bed and packing her belongings. "Why are you so early, Bea?" Nina seemed a lot healthier after recuperating in the hospital. The doctor had prescribed some medication so that she slept well at night. "Wouldn''t it be better if you leave the hospital sooner?" Bianca put her handbag down and smiled. Nina was already bored in the hospital. If Bianca picked her up in the morning, she would be able to go home early. "You''re so kind, Bea." Nina smiled as she ced her clothes into her bag. Bianca took out Nina''s ID from the cab drawer and said, "I''ll get the discharge papers from the doctor first. After the caretakeres with breakfast, I''ll go and settle the bill. Stay here and don''t go anywhere." "Okay,¡± Nina replied with a smile. She was quite happy that she would be discharged soon. Bianca left the room with Nina''s ID and closed the door. Chapter 987 Chapter 987 Curse You With the Most Sinister Curses The door opened five minutester. Nina thought that the caretaker had returned with breakfast. She continued to pack her bag without looking back. "Thank you, Ma''am. You can put the breakfast on the table." She did not hear any reply after a while. When she lifted her head, she was utterly shocked. The person who had entered her ward was Pierre Mallory, the man whom she never wanted to see again. Every time she saw him, there was nothing but trouble! Nina''s body started trembling as she recalled the things that he had done to her. She did not want to show her weakness to him, but the fear was borne from a primal instinct. She feared that devil of a man! The wounds that he had inflicted on her had never healed. Whenever she saw that pair of sinister eyes, she would feel as though her body would break out in blisters from which foul blood flowed! "Heh, you''re really in the hospital. No wonder that crazy b*tch Bianca Rayne came to look for trouble!" Pierre was satisfied when he saw that Nina was shaking. It seemed that she remembered to fear him. He had never forgotten what happened on the Zephyr. When he returned to A City, he was distracted by many other things. Bianca was the one who reminded him about Nina. "What did you do to Bea?" Nina knew that Pierre was ruthless enough to even hurt Bianca. She was very worried about her. "What could I have done to her?" Pierre thought that Nina''s frail figure was very ugly in those loose clothes. She looked better when she did not have any clothes on. "Why don''t you ask her what she did to me? How else would I know that you''re in the hospital?" He stepped closer and closer to her. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Nina took a step backward and saw that the door was closed. She remembered hearing a click earlier, indicating that he had locked the door from the inside. "Get away from me, you animal!" Nina moved behind the bed and pressed the panic button when he was not paying attention. Pierre smiled sinisterly as he saw she was curled up in a corner of the spacious ward like a helpless little rabbit. He continued to step forward as though he was catching prey. "You haven''t learned howto appease me yet, Nina Langdon." Pierre stood there with a vicious smile on his face. "After all, we''ve spent a night together, and I don''t believe that you don''t have any affection for me. Why would you scream and curse at me every time you meet me? Have you forgotten how you begged for mercy that day?" Nina covered her ears, not willing to listen to him. It took her countless nights to forget that unmentionable past. Thanks to Pierre''s reminder, the memories came flooding back again. Pierre smiled and took another step closer. "I don''t know why you''re so repulsed. I miss what happened that night. Your looks might be average and your figure isn''t fantastic, but we can relive the memories of that night if you''d like it." Nina shook her head, trying to shake away those words that entered her ears. As he got closer, Nina took out the flowers from the vase and flung them at the man. "I don''t want it, Pierre Mallory. I don''t want to see you anymore. Stay away from me!" Water droplets sshed on Pierre''s expensive suit. His expression darkened as he swept away the water with his hand. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way, Nina." He did not mind abducting her and taking her back to his home. After all, his elder brother was not in the country, and no one could help her now. "Get lost!" Nina pointed at the door. Her eyes were bloodshot. If she could, she did not mind sacrificing her life so that the man would go to hell. Unfortunately for her, she had to suffer while the man remained free. The punishment that should have befallen him had fallen on her instead. Pierre kicked the scattered flowers away and said, "It looks like you need a lesson to remember who I am. You were lucky that Percy was around to help you thest time. This time... just you wait!" Nina saw that he was getting serious. She picked up the vase and knocked it on the table. Crash! The ss vase shattered. Nina held the neck of the vase and pointed the jagged end at him. "I¡¯ll kill you if you dare take another step forward!" Pierre smiled disdainfully when he could see that her entire body was shaking, especially the hand that was holding the vase. "Do you think you can? At least steady your grip first." Nina fell into despair when she saw him continue to inch closer to her. She thought that the man''s touch was extremely disgusting. He had caused her downfall. If not for him, she might have been happier. Nina''s tears began to fall. She missed her carefree life and that baby that could have been hers. Overwhelmed by sorrow, she turned the jagged end of the vase toward her jugr vein. "If youe any closer, I''ll kill myself!" Pierre stopped walking. He could see the determination on her face. Her hand that held the vase was not shaking anymore. He narrowed his gaze, though he was secretly flustered. "Are you not afraid of death?" "Why should I be afraid? You''ve ruined my life. If I die, I''lle back to haunt you and curse you with the most sinister curses. You will never have another good night''s sleep. May tragedy befall you, and may your bloodline end with you!" Nina was not afraid anymore when she thought of her child who had departed before her. If she died, she would no longer have any more worries! The door was kicked open, and Bianca and a nurse rushed in. She was shocked when she saw the broken vase in Nina''s hand. "Calm down, Nina." "Ask him to get lost, Bea! Ask him to get lost!" Tears blurred Nina''s eyes. To her, Pierre was only a blurry silhouette. In her agitation, her hands started shaking. The sharp ss was going to pierce her skin at any time. Bianca red at Pierre hatefully. How dare that mane to find trouble with Nina? She turned to the nurse and said, "That man is a rapist. Why would you let him into the hospital?" The nurse was shocked. Instantly, she shouted at the security guards outside, "Security! Security!" Nina was in a private ward, and all the patients there were wealthy and influential. Many security guards were stationed on that floor to protect the patients'' privacy and safety. Several security guards rushed in, surrounded Pierre, and brandished their batons. Pierre narrowed his gaze when he saw that the guards were treating him like a criminal. "How dare you! Don''t you know who I am?" "It doesn''t matter who he is. Kick him out!" Seeing that Pierre was surrounded, she quickly walked over to Nina and snatched the broken vase from her hand. That was when she noticed the broken ss shards on the floor. Chapter 988 Chapter 988 She Could Not Die Just Yet "Bea!" Nina copsed at that instant, and the sound of ss crashing on the floor made her tremble. If Bianca and the nurse had note in, the shard of ss would have pierced her neck. Pierre squinted and looked at Nina who was holding Bianca and crying. He felt as though a needle had stabbed his heart. A security guard pushed him and said impatiently, '' Why are you still standing here? Do you want us to send you to the police station?" They would usually give them a warning, note down their appearance, and prevent them from entering or leaving the faculty. If the person was a repeat offender, then they would send them to the police. Pierre retracted his gaze, squinted at the rude security guard, and said, "Do you know who I am?" The security guard looked at the man who was dressed in branded clothing. He was not afraid of Pierre. After all, they had seen a lot of men who dressed in counterfeits show up in the wards. He thought that Pierre was one of those fools. "I don''t care who you are. If you don''t want to go to the police station, you''ll follow us without saying another word." The two security guards worked together to throw Pierre out of the ward. Bianca hugged Nina tightly andforted her. "It''s okay, you''re okay." "Bea, why did he show up? Why?!" Nina broke down. She hugged Bianca and cried her heart out. The nurse was shocked when she came in with breakfast. She said, '' Head nurse, what happened?" The head nurse shook her head. They were in between shifts when Nina pressed the call bell, so no one noticed Nina''s cry for help. It was not until the papers for Nina''s discharge were sorted out that the head nurse found that the call bell was on. She hurried over to see what was going on. Bianca was hugging Nina, distressed. Nina was feeling better but everything was ruined when Pierre appeared. Nina was not the only one who hated Pierre, Bianca hated him too. Bianca hated two men, Xavier Tanner and Pierre Mallory! "Nina, it''s okay. I''m sorry that I wasn''t able to protect you." Bianca guessed that Pierre was offended by her behavior on the street when theyst bumped into each other. Pierre did not go after Bianca because of Luke, so he chose to attack the helpless Nina. Nina held Bianca and cried for a long time. She gradually let go of Bianca and sat on the bed. Her face was as white as a sheet because she was overwhelmed by fright. Bianca looked at her tear-filled eyes and felt guilty. She gave the information to the head nurse, took out her credit card, and said, "Can I pay the bill, please?" The head nurse was scared and grateful that nothing had happened to Nina even though she missed her calling bell. If something had happened, she would have to bear the responsibility! She immediately agreed to Bianca''s request. She took the information and credit card to settle the bill. Bianca looked at Nina''s swollen eyes, sat down, and put one hand on her shoulder. Sheforted her, saying, "Nina, it''s okay, it''s all my fault." Nina put her head on Bianca''s shoulder and sobbed slightly as her tears flowed freely. She said, "Bea, why is this kind of person still alive but I have to live even though I''m so tired?" Pierre was living a good life in A City and could get any woman he wanted. Even so, he chose to target her. A lot of women were after him, utterly obsessed with him. However, he showed up in front of her time and again, irritating her and hurting her. Nina hated Pierre with everything she had. She regretted not smashing the ss vase on him when he was still in the ward. ''If I had smashed the vase on him, I''m sure he would''ve bled.'' She wanted him to bleed out and see if his heart was ck in color. Bianca was not aware of Nina''s dark thoughts. All she knew was that she was scared and sad. She stayed by Nina¡¯s side silently and lent her shoulder. About half an hour, Nina calmed down. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and said, "Bea, I¡¯m fine now." "Are you really okay?" Bianca nced at the floor. The broken ss had been swept away by the caregiver. Bianca was still in shock from Nina''s breakdown. She thought that if she had been a minutete, the ss might have cut through her veins. Bianca felt shivers down her spine when she thought about it. Pierre was exactly as crazy as Luke said he was. He would take revenge on whoever wronged him, and there were no exceptions. "I''m okay." Nina sniffed. She did not want to be vulnerable. Her idea tomit suicide was just a momentarypse of judgment. She had a lot of things to deal with. Jean had not been released from prison, Anna had yet to be diagnosed, and Pierre had not died... She could not die just yet, absolutely not. Bianca saw the sadness in her eyes, sighed, and wondered if she should get Johann to help. After all, he had some aplishments in the field of psychology. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. The head nurse helped with the discharge procedures and sorted the medicine that Nina would need. Bianca helped pack up Nina''s belongings. Before leaving the ward, she asked, "Do you want to visit your mom?" Anna had been in the hospital for a while. The doctor did a biopsy a few days ago and the result was not out yet, so they were keeping her in the hospital to monitor her condition. Nina shook her head. She was in a bad mood and did not want to visit her mother. They would quarrel every time they met, and she was not in the headspace to fight with her mother. Seeing her shaking her head, Bianca nodded and said, "Okay, I¡¯ll bring you home." "Bea.¡± Nina stood at the door and said, "You have so many things to worry about, I''ll just go back by myself." "I''m ahead of schedule with my work, and thepany''srgest project is on the right track. I have nothing on hand now." Bianca held her duffel bag in one hand and Nina''s hand in the other. "My most important task today is to apany you. Didn''t you say that you want to eat my food the other day? When we pass by a supermarket, let''s get some vegetables and I¡¯ll cook for you." Nina smiled from the heart and replied, "Bea, I''m grateful for you. I don¡¯t think I can go ahead living without you anymore." "What a silly thing to say, I''ll always be here for you." Bianca squeezed her hand, and the two left the hospital together. Bianca drove out of the hospital. She did not notice that a car was following them the entire time. Bianca stopped the car when they passed by a supermarket. Nina was in a bad mood so Bianca did not want to leave her alone in the car. She asked," Shall we go shopping together?" "Okay." Nina agreed. Bianca parked the car and got down with Nina. They walked into the supermarket. The car that was following them also stopped. The driver nced at the rear-view mirror and asked, "Second Young Master, are we waiting for them?" Pierre''s expression was gloomy. He was following Nina to find an opportunity. Just as he was about to answer the driver''s question, his phone suddenly rang. He nced at it and saw that Percy was calling. He held the phone and did not answer it. After he thought about it, he said," Drive.¡± "Yes." The driver started the car and left. Chapter 989 Chapter 989 He Could Not Be Back On Time After they were done with groceries, Bianca drove Nina home. She nned to cook, so she parked the car in the vi. Nina got out of the car and stared at the Maserati in a daze. "Nina, what''s the matter?" Bianca also noticed the Maserati, which she knew was not Nina''s car. Nina had aplicated look on her face. "He''s here." "Who?" Bianca was puzzled and nced at the numbers on the license te. The license te ended with three eights. The person who owned the car was well to do. Bianca immediately knew who the car belonged to. Percy Mallory. "Master Percy of the Mallory family." Nina retracted her gaze. Percy had not called her for a while. She thought that he had gotten bored with her and did not expect him to appear out of the blue. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Percy treated her ce like a hotel. He came and left as he pleased. Bianca frowned, grabbed the groceries, and held Nina''s hand. "Don''t be afraid, I¡¯ll go in with you." Nina smiled gratefully at Bianca. She was not afraid, but considering her recent encounter with Pierre, she did not want to deal with Percy. The brothers looked simr, and she would think of Pierre when she saw him. The two went into the living room and saw Percy sitting on the sofa. He had opened a bottle of red wine and was tasting it alone. "Where did you go?" Percy raised her eyebrows when he saw Bianca next to Nina. ''When did she get hurt?'' He noticed at first nce that her forehead was bandaged. He felt inexplicably unhappy. "I just came back from the hospital." Nina was expressionless as she turned to Bianca and said, '' Bea, please put the groceries in the refrigerator. I''ll cook for myselfter." Bianca was stunned. She wanted to say something so she could stay with Nina a little longer. Before she could, Percy said, "Mrs. Crawford, I have something to discuss with Nina. Please allow us some privacy." Bianca took a look at Percy. Even though he knew that Nina was injured, histone and expression were neutral. There was no doubt that he had no love for her. He was nothing but a phnderer! Nina knew that Percy would not have visited if he had no motive. She let go of Bianca''s hand and said, "Bea, let me know when you''re home." Bianca knew it was not her ce to insist on staying. She ced the groceries in the refrigerator, took out Nina''s medicine from her bag, and put it in her hand. "Make sure you take this on time." "Thanks, Bea." Nina smiled gratefully. Bianca was still feeling uneasy, so she said, "If you need anything, please call me immediately." "I will. Let me know when you''re home." Nina escorted Bianca out of the living room. After she walked Bianca out, she turned around and looked at Percy, who was enjoying his wine on the sofa. She felt a sense of despair. She knew exactly when Pierre was in a bad mood. When Percy was in a bad mood, his expression would remain calm and cold. No one would be able to guess what he was thinking about at that moment. However, he was swaying his ss now. She thought that perhaps he was in a good mood. Nina walked over and nced at the red wine on the coffee table. Percy had brought over the bottle. He would asionally bring some personal belongings, but she was not allowed to touch or use the things he brought. That had always been the case. Take, for example, the bottle of red wine that he brought. It would be finished by him alone. He would never share it with her. Simrly, he would not touch the bottles of wine she bought. Nina tried to manage the disappointment she felt. She was unwilling to show vulnerability in front of this man. Nina asked Percy, "When did youe back?" "Today." Percy took a sip of his wine, the corners of his mouth stained with a coquettish red, making him look like Satan. "Mm." Nina sat on the single sofa. "How did you get hurt?" Percy asked. He felt inexplicably unhappy looking at the injury on her forehead. He felt the sensation of being pricked by pins and needles. He could not ignore it despite trying his best. "I identally hit the wall." Nina did not tell him that Anna was hospitalized. She knew that even if she told him, it would not arouse any sympathy nor would he feel inclined to help out. He might even ridicule her for being useless. Percy listened to her t tone. She was calm as though nothing significant had happened. ''If nothing is going on, why were you in the hospital for several days?¡¯ He was on a business trip abroad for thest couple of days, and he deliberately did not reach out to Nina. He did not expect not to hear from her throughout the time he was gone. ''Am I dispensable to her?'' Percy got irritated the more he thought about it. He did not show it on his face. He raised his chin, finished his wine, and took off his jacket. Nina felt more sorrowful when she saw his actions. She thought that he was not at all considerate of her even when she was in a state like this. All that he cared about was getting her in bed. "Come here." Percy was irritable and wanted nothing but to possess her. Nina stood up and walked over numbly. At that moment, she suddenly realized that she was not his lover. He owed her nothing and did not have to be sympathetic. She reminded herself to be mindful of who she was to him. Nina walked up to him and took off her coat with a numb expression. When Bianca left Nina''s house, she was worried sick. She parked the car on the side of the road and stayed there. She thought that if Nina needed her, she could be there for her immediately. Her phone rang. Bianca immediately picked it up thinking that it was Nina but it turned out to be Luke calling from overseas. She answered the call. "Luke, are you done with work?" It was nine o''clock in the evening on Luke''s side. It had been the same for the past few days. They would talk on the phone after he was done with work. It was their way of easing their lovesickness. "My love, turn on the camera and let me take a good look at you." Luke''s voice came from the other side of the phone. Bianca immediately turned on the camera. Luke nced at her background and noticed that she was not in the office but in the car. He asked, "You''re not in the office?" "Nina was discharged from the hospital today. I just dropped her home." Bianca did not want to mention too much about what had happened in the hospital. Sheid on the steering wheel and looked at Luke, asking, "Why did you finish work so early today?" "There wasn''t much to do today." Luke noticed her swollen eyes and asked, "Were you crying?" "No." Bianca noticed that her eyes were red. It must have been when she wasforting Nina in the hospital. She could not help crying the entire time. "I stayed up all night yesterday to review some projects, I didn''t get enough rest." She gave an excuse. Luke knew that she was tired of taking care of their three children while working. He said sincerely, "My love, thank you for your hard work." "I''m fine. When will you be done with your work?" Bianca asked. Half a week had passed and he was still upied with work. "It may be another three or four days," Luke exined, "Things here are moreplicated than I initially expected." Bianca was upset when she found out that he could not be back on time, but she was considerate and said, "No matter how busy you are at work, you should eat on time and take a good rest. Promise?" Chapter 990 Chapter 990 She Missed Him More And More With Each Passing Day Bianca was gentle and lovely. Luke felt a surge of warmth in his heart from her words. He nodded and said, "Yeah." Bianca looked into his eyes and touched the screen. She had been doing it a lot recently. As long as they were video calling, she could not stop her hand from touching the screen. It was as if she was trying to touch Luke. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She missed him more and more with each passing day. If she were not caught up with her responsibilities in A City, she would not hesitate to buy a ne ticket and fly to New York to be by his side. Before she was together with Luke, she had never thought of herself as a clingy person. At that time, she lived alone and did not rely on anyone. However, she realized that she loved being near him after they got together. Bianca saw Jason appear in the video and asked, "Do you still have work to attend to?" Luke looked back at Jason and asked, "What''s the matter?" Jason realized that he had disturbed Luke and Bianca''s catch-up. He shook his head quickly and said, "No, boss, you can continue." Bianca noticed that he had a stack of documents in his hand. She smiled and guessed that Jason just did not want to disturb them, so she said, "I have to go back to thepany. You go ahead with your work." Luke knew that she was being considerate. He wanted to talk to her more, but he changed his mind. If things here were dealt with sooner, he would be able to go back sooner. He replied, ¡°Be careful." "I will, it''s not the first day I got my driver''s license," Bianca said to Luke and ended the call. Bianca leaned on the back of the chair, adjusted the position of the seat, and opened the photo album on her phone to look at photos of her and Luke. For the most part, he was not a fan of taking photos but would still look at the camera when Bianca wanted him to. Bianca swiped through the photos with a big, heartwarming smile on her face. Bianca nced at the door of the vi. It seemed that Percy was still inside. She nned to wait a little longer. Suddenly, her phone rang, and it was Queenie. "Mom, good morning," Bianca answered, knowing that it was likely Queenie had called to talk about Leia. She was not interested in Leia''s affairs but she had to pick up her mother''s call. Queenie''s gentle voice was heard. "Bea, are you in the office?" "Mom, I didn''t go to the office today. What''s the matter?" Bianca replied as she nced at the vi¡¯s entrance. "We''re having dinner with Brody''s family tonight. Your dad thinks that it¡¯d be wonderful if you could join us. Are you free?" Queenie invited her because Bianca was Leia''s sister. Both she and Jack thought that it would be better if she joined. Bianca thought to herself, ''Didn¡¯t Leia cry a few days ago saying that the Hilton family doesn¡¯t ept her? It hasn''t been that long ago but they''re having dinner together?'' She did not want to go as she knew that this dinner would not be a peaceful one. "Bea?" Queenie called out to Bianca gently after not hearing a reply. Bianca sighed helplessly in her heart. Luke had told her to avoid matters as such but no matter how much she tried not to be involved, it seemed that drama woulde looking for her. She replied, "I¡¯m looking at my calendar now. When is it?" "The dinner will be in the Westin Hotel at noon today," Queenie replied. "Okay, I''ll be there. Do you need me to pick you up?" Bianca knew that it would not look great for Leia if she did not show up. The Hilton family did not like Leia so they may disrespect her mother. She had to go because she did not want her parents to be looked down on. "No worries, your father will drive me there." Queenie was overjoyed when she heard Bianca say yes. "Okay, see you then." After Bianca ended the call, she kept looking at the time in her car. By noon, Percy still had not left the vi. She had no choice but to leave for the Westin Hotel. After she mentioned Jack''s name, she was brought to a private room by the waiter. Her parents were already there. When Queenie saw Bianca, she motioned to her to sit next to her as she said, "Bea, sit here." "Dad, Mom." Bianca smiled and walked over to sit down while she greeted her parents. Seeing that Leia and the Hilton family had not arrived, she asked, "Where¡¯s Leia?" "Leia went for a check-up. She¡¯lle with the Hiltonster," Queenie replied. Jack''s expression turned sour when Leia''s pregnancy was mentioned." They''rete! They need to work on their time management." Queenie ced her hand on his arm and patted it tofort him. "It¡¯s okay, maybe something held them up." "What could¡¯ve happened?" Jack had gone through hardships when he was younger and was able to manage his emotions in whatever situation. However, when faced with the Hilton family, he could not bring himself to calm down. Queenie was worried that his negative emotions would affect the lunchter. Leia was pregnant with Brody''s child. No matter what, the two families would be inws. If things went badly, Leia would have a tough time. Sheforted him, saying, "There are so many people in the hospital, so you have to wait for everything." Jack was irritated. Even if the hospital was crowded, the rest of the Hilton family should not bete. Brody was the only one apanying Leia for the check-up. "Don''t be angry. If someone sees this, they might think that you have a bone to pick with them.¡± Queenie poured him a cup of tea. Her soft fingers lightly pressed on his shoulders. Although she was not a fan of Brody, it had be a fact that Leia would be marrying him. All she could do now was support Leia the best she could, so no matter how rude the Hilton family was, she was determined to finish the meal. Jack''s mood eased a little. Queenie''s words still had a certain effect on him. Upon seeing this, Bianca went along with and said, "I''ll call Leia to see where she is now." "No need for that, I don''t care if theye." Jack had been working for the government for so long and had not met a family that was this rude. His impression of the Hilton family had turned for the worse. Bianca held her phone and was ready to dial Leia''s phone number. When Jack said that, she decided against it. "Okay, I''m not calling her. Dad, don''t be angry. I''ll show you some videos of your grandchildren." She tried her best to make him happy. She opened the gallery app and passed the phone to him. "Lanie told Ranie that they''lle visit you the uing weekend," Bianca said. "Mm, let me see." Jack put on his reading sses, held her phone, and looked at the videos that Bianca had taken with Queenie by his side. He looked at the cheeky smiling faces of the kids. Only then did a small smile appear. Bianca had recorded the cute moments of her kids. She did not expect that the videos would be useful for times like these. Jack was no longer sulking after he watched some videos. 15 minutester, the door of the room was pushed open. Leia and Brody arrived. Chapter 991 Chapter 991 It Was Likely That Her Child Would Be Deformed "Dad, Mom, Sister, why are you so early?" Leia knew that Queenie had invited Bianca over. Although she was unhappy about it, she did not show it. She had to behave with poise in front of the Hiltons. Brody greeted them, "Uncle Jack and Aunt Queenie, good afternoon." Jack saw the two but did not see the rest of the Hilton family. He put away his smile and turned serious. He handed Bianca''s phone back to her. "Good afternoon." After greeting them back, Queenie nced at Jack, stood up, and took Leia''s hand. "How did the check-up go?¡¯ Leia paused, and her face quickly turned pale. Upon seeing this, Queenie was concerned and asked, "What''s wrong? Is there a problem?" Leia shook her head, returned to normal, and said with a smile, "Mom, I''m just messing with you. The check-up went well, there¡¯s no problem." "Cheeky! You''re going to be a mother but you''re still so naughty. Sit down." Queenie nodded at her and pulled the chair out for Leia. Leia smiled and felt inexplicably guilty. She had gone to the hospital for a Down''s screening and color Doppler ultrasound. The results were not ideal. The doctor told her that it was likely that her child would be deformed. Brody happened to be buying water for her when she got the report, so he did not know about it. The doctor also said that it was highly probable that the deformity was caused by the ineffective abortion pill. The doctor advised her to go for further examinations. If the child had a problem, he told her that she would have to immediately go for inducedbor to avoid giving birth to a deformed baby. Leia asked the doctor to keep it a secret. The doctor agreed on the basis of doctor-patient confidentiality, but he repeatedly urged her to take the follow-up steps. Brody helped her sit on the chair and said proudly, "The doctor said that our child is healthy. In a few months, I¡¯ll have a son as great as me!" Leia smiled as she touched her belly. When she saw how excited Brody looked, she decided to give birth to the child! The Hilton family only agreed to have lunch because she was pregnant. If she aborted the baby, what leverage would she have topete with Bianca? Leia knew how important this baby was, so she would never give it up. Queenie sat down and was in a good mood when she heard that Leia''s baby was healthy. Leia would move in with Brody in two days. This lunch with the Hilton family was to discuss the wedding. Brody took care of Leia well because of the baby. He was pouring tea for her and being mindful of her preferences while looking at the menu. Queenie was satisfied with how Brody treated Leia. Although his attitude toward her and Jack could be improved, she was willing to turn a blind eye as long as he treated her well. After a while, Tania Ridley walked into the private room while holding Julius Hilton''s hand. Brody saw his parents but not his grandmother, so he asked, "Mom, where''s Grandma?" When he called them, they told him that they would drive her here. "Your grandmother isn¡¯t feeling well, so she¡¯s resting at home," Tania exined with an indifferent expression. Grandma Hilton refused to show up in protest of their wedding. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "Have you called the doctor?" Brody was concerned about Grandma Hilton¡¯s health. "Yeah." Tania wanted to move on from it. She nced at Leia and eventually, her gazended on Mr. and Mrs. Norman. She put on a faint smile and greeted them with her husband, "Mr. Norman, Mrs. Norman, how are you?" They were polite and treated the Normans like friends, not inws. Jack and Queenie also greeted them. They had been in politics long enough that they were sick of acting polite. Tania and Julius sat down. They looked at Bianca and asked curiously," This is?" Queenie introduced, "This is my eldest daughter, Bianca." Tania''s eyes suddenly brightened as she looked at Bianca with admiration. She had done her research and knew all about the eldest daughter of the Norman family. She was a career woman, and after hearing about what Bianca had gone through, she rted to Bianca and admired her. Tania wished that instead of the whiny Leia, Bianca was the one marrying Brody instead. Both were daughters of the Norman family, so how could the daughter raised by the Normans and their long-lost daughter be so different? It was a pity that Bianca married Luke Crawford a long time ago. The Hiltons would be counting their blessings otherwise. Leia noticed that Tania was looking at Bianca with admiration. She was exasperated that everyone was looking at Bianca that way. The fire of envy was burning within her, and Leia stood up while saying," Please excuse me, I need to head to the bathroom." Brody also stood up and said, "I''ll apany you." "No, I''ll just go myself." Leia chuckled to hide her jealousy and walked out of the room with her hands on her waist. Tania ignored Leia. She would never have agreed to this marriage if it were not for the sake of the child. Tania handed the menu to the Normans. Although the Hilton family''s business was all abroad, it would be great if they had local government officials as their inws. Tania politely said, "Mr. Norman, Mrs. Norman, what would you like to have?" Jack pushed the menu back to her and said, "You can order whatever you like. My wife and I are not picky eaters." "Then..." Tania''s gaze fell on Bianca as she asked, "Mrs. Crawford, would you like to order for us?" Bianca smiled softly. She did not want to be involved. Mrs. Hilton, you can go ahead." "Okay, I¡¯ll order some dishes to share." As they did not want to order, she opened the menu and ordered some of the restaurant''s signature dishes. Julius stood up. Tania asked, "Where are you going?" "I want to smoke. Mr. Norman, do you want toe with me?" Julius took out his packet of cigarettes from his pocket and invited Jack. Jack had quit smoking, so he shook his head and said, "No, I''ve quit smoking." "It''s good to quit smoking, stay healthy. I''ll be back." Julius smiled and walked outside. Bianca saw him leave. From the moment the couple walked in, Tania had been the one calling the shots. He had not spoken more than a few sentences. It was clear who wore the pants in the Hilton family. However, her instinct told her that this quiet man was not as simple as he appeared. Julius walked out with the cigarette, looked back, and saw that no one was following him. Then, he turned around and walked to the bathroom. Leia was taking a deep breath in the women''s bathroom to adjust her emotions. Every time she met someone who treated Bianca well, she could not help being angry. She had to take some time to ease her mood. She turned on the faucet, washed her hands, and looked down at her bulging belly. She whispered, Baby, you have to fight for US." After wiping her hands, Leia walked out and was pulled into the nursing room on her way back to the private room. She was shocked but saw that it was Julius. "You almost scared me to death! Why are you here?" Leia patted her chest, leaned against the wall, and said flirtily. Julius squinted and looked at her belly. "How long do you want me to wait?" Chapter 992 Chapter 992 He Was Jealous Leia touched her belly and said coquettishly, "This is your grandson. We have to at least wait until he¡¯s born..." After three months, her pregnancy was deemed stable but she was still very cautious. She did not allow Brody to touch her even when he wanted to, so she was not willing to take the risk with Julius as well. The Hilton family only agreed to let join their family because of Brody''s persuasion and the role that Julius yed. He had persuaded Tania to agree to the marriage by bringing up the baby. Leia, on the other hand, had used herself to persuade Julius. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Men like him looked like great husbands on the surface, but in fact, he had cheated on Tania behind her back more than once. All she needed to do to win him over was to go along with his likes. Julius''s gaze was aggressive as the corners of his mouth curved into azy smile. He did not care about the baby at all. "I¡¯ve been waiting for too long." "Can I interest you in other offerings for the time being? What do you think of Zoe? She''s a new model who¡¯s highly in demand." Although Leia was no longer in Hollywood, she was well aware of the current happenings. Julius thought about it for a while. Considering that it would be a while until Leia could give birth to the baby and how it would be nice to enjoy a younger model, he nodded and said, "Make sure that my identity is kept hidden." In recent years, Tania had taken charge of thepany. It was not that he did not want the power but doing so would mean that it would be difficult to keep this side of him hidden. He needed anonymity for the womanizer lifestyle that he enjoyed "I will." Leia touched her belly habitually. From the time she started using the child in her belly as a bargaining chip, she had be ustomed to this motion. It was a reminder that her life was about to change for the better. Seeing that they were done talking, Julius turned around and intended to head out. Leia grabbed him and said, "I''ve been out for a long time, so I''ll head back first. Wait at least ten minutes before you go back." Julius nodded, took out a cigarette, and they left the nursing room. They walked in opposite directions. After smoking a cigarette, Julius returned to the room. The waiter served the dishes one after another. After the two families had lunch, they were done with small talk and went straight into talking about the wedding. After talking about the overall theme, they moved on to talk about the banquet. Queenie offered to pay for half of the wedding and went along with everything that Tania said. Leia listened to Tania while holding Brody''s hand the entire time. She was smiling faintly, but she was feeling upset. Queenie only offered to pay out of politeness, but Tania just went along with it. Traditionally, the man''s side of the family would pay for the wedding. Her own family paying for the wedding would cause her to lose her dignity in front of her friends. The hotel where the wedding would be held was equally important as well. The Hiltons were wealthy enough to get a six-star hotel to hold the wedding. However, they ended up with an ordinary local five-star hotel. Leia was more furious the more she listened, but she could not interrupt them to express her dissatisfaction. She thought about it and decided to make Brodypensate her in other ways. Tania nced at her and said, "Now that Leia''s belly is so big, she won''t look as nice wearing a wedding dress, nor would it be a good idea to stress her out. Should we set a date after the child is born and after she gets enough rest?" "No." Leia was anxious and raised her objection without waiting for others to speak. Everyone stared at her. Leia was embarrassed and realized that she was a little too loud, which may arouse people''s suspicion as to why she was reacting so strongly against it. She immediately returned to normal, smiled sweetly, and grabbed Brody''s hand. "I can''t wait to be Brody''s wife. It''s not a problem. We just need to get a bigger size for the wedding dress. We can simplify the wedding ceremony so that I won''t be tired." In any case, she could not afford to postpone the wedding until after the child was born. If the child was deformed, the Hilton family would change their minds and not allow them to get married. She wanted to make sure that their wedding was held as soon as possible. "I think it''s better to hold the wedding before the child is born too." Queenie agreed. She and Jack wanted the same thing. They wanted to avoid rumors about the shotgun marriage. Tania smiled and understood their intentions. She nodded and said, "Okay, then we''ll have this wedding soon. It may be a little rushed." "It¡¯s okay, I''m more than happy to keep it simple," Leia said thoughtfully. She was willing to sacrifice the grand wedding she had always wanted to avoid a potential dy. After they covered all grounds, Brody and Leia''s wedding was in motion. The two families sat together and caught up for a little. Aside from talking about the wedding, Tania showed her interest in Bianca and kept talking to her. Bianca, who had nned to keep quiet, was forced to talk to Tania with a smile on her face. Leia''s jealousy started raging once more when she saw how the two were being so friendly. After the meal, Bianca left with her parents. After returning to the office, Bianca and Sue had a short meeting with Shireen. After discussing their next steps, the meeting was adjourned. Sue did not leave and sat opposite Bianca. She checked in with her on Nina, '' Ms. Rayne, how''s Ms. Langdon?" "She was discharged from the hospital today. She should be fine." After Sue mentioned Nina, Bianca wondered what Nina was up to. "I¡¯m d to hearthat." Sue nodded and noticed that she was somewhat absent-minded. ¡¯When will Mr. Crawford be back?" "That¡¯s uncertain yet. Why? Do you miss Mr. Doyle?" Bianca teased Sue. Jason had gone along with Luke on this business trip, and the two of them were upied with work every day. Before he went off, Jason had asked Bianca for a favor to monitor Sue so that she would not work overtime. Teri and Kari would feel more at ease if she got back home earlier. After receiving his message, Bianca knew that Jason and Sue¡¯s rtionship had eased a little. "Me? Miss him? I think you''re going crazy missing Mr. Crawford." Sue looked around the office casually, trying to act natural. Bianca saw that she was ufortable with the topic and did not say anything else. "They''ll probably stay in New York for a few more days." Sue picked up the tablet, stood up, and said, "Okay, I''ll continue with my work." "Okay." Bianca moved her mouse. After Sue left, she picked up her phone and sent Jason a text. [Mr. Doyle, Sue misses you.] After she sent it, she put down her phone with a smile. Sue had some feelings for Jason, but she had always been a strong woman and was ustomed to hiding her true feelings. If she did not tell him that, Jason would never know. Hence, Bianca took the initiative to act as a messenger. What she hoped most was that the people she loved were happy. She hoped the same for Nina and Sue. Bianca''s phone rang. She picked it up curiously and saw a message from Luke. [Why are you texting other men?] She read the text andughed as she knew he was jealous. It seemed that Luke and Jason were still working overtime, and that was how he knew she texted Jason. Chapter 993 Chapter 993 For Their Family After she was doneughing, Bianca began to worry about Luke. It was early morning over there and he was still working hard. She quickly replied: [ You''re still working?] Luke quickly replied to her: [Yeah, there''s a lot to attend to.] Bianca sighed. She knew that he was working hard so that he coulde back soon. She replied: [Work can never be finished. Get a good rest and continue tomorrow.] Luke replied: [Okay, my love.] Bianca put down the phone and stopped replying for fear of interrupting his work. She turned on herptop and searched for recipes that were good for those who worked into the night. She nned to cook for him when he came back. Three dayster. Bianca received news that Luke wasing back tomorrow and excitedly asked for his flight number. She wrote it down in case she forgot. Later that night. Bianca checked the ingredients in the refrigerator. She would have to go grocery shopping to prepare for Luke''s return. His flight would arrive early in the morning, so she would not have time to go grocery shopping before picking him up from the airport. Hence, she prepared the ingredients one day in advance. She looked through the recipe again and checked the ingredients one by one. Bianca smiled contentedly at the thought that she would see Luke tomorrow. Tommy walked over while holding half an apple in his hand. He looked at the ingredients in the refrigerator and said with a cute voice, "Mommy, are these for Daddy?" Looking at her cheeky son, Bianca touched his head and answered, "Yes, these are all for Daddy." When nche and Rainie found out Luke wasing back, they were very happy and said they would apany her to go grocery shopping. Hence, they went to the supermarket to buy the ingredients after the children''s ss. Since they got married, Luke had gone on fewer business trips. Even if he had to go, he would make it a short one. "Can Tommy have some?" Tommy looked at her with a nk expression and took a bite of his apple. "Of course, you can." Bianca grabbed his hand and walked to the living room. She was looking forward to their family dinner Tommy was happy when he heard it. He turned around to go upstairs. "I want to tell Rainie and Lanie that there¡¯ll be yummy food for US tomorrow." Bianca looked at his cheeky face and smiled as she nodded. She nced at the time and realized that it was almost ten o''clock. The children should be in bed now. She held Tommy''s hand as they headed upstairs to tell Rainie and nche that it was time to go to bed. Then, she took Tommy to wash up and told him a story to help him fall asleep. Ten minutester, Tommy fell asleep. Bianca put down the storybook, turned off the lights, and tiptoed out. She sneaked a nce at nche and Rainie and found that they were deep asleep as well. She picked up her phone and saw that there were no new messages from Luke. Bianca missed him a lot so she sent a text: [Have you arrived at the airport? 1 Looking at the time, he should be almost at the airport. Bianca was lying on the bed and holding her phone. Luke did not reply even after she waited for a while. She held her phone tightly and scrolled through Facebook, waiting for his reply. She waited for a long time and eventually closed her eyes, falling asleep. Three o''clock in the morning. Luke was carrying a suitcase as he opened the door. The living room was dark, and the only light that was on was the one at the staircase. In the past, if he had toe backte because of work, Bianca would always leave the lights in the living room on. He came back earlier just to surprise her. Luke put down his suitcase, changed into his indoor slippers, and went upstairs. He gently pushed open the bedroom door. The bedroom was still lit, with Bianca sleeping peacefully on the bed. His heart became warm the moment he saw her. He walked to the bed and looked at her peaceful sleeping face. Luke missed her every second that he was away. He touched her face gently. Bianca rolled over when she felt a sense of warmth on her face. She slowly opened her eyes. She could not believe it! She had been dreaming of him but Luke was now in front of her. ''Am I still dreaming?¡¯ Bianca blinked again. His hands gently cupped her face, the temperature of his skin letting her realize that it was real. "Luke?" she called out to him. She had just woken up, so her voice was soft and slightly raspy. Luke felt as though his heart was being gently stroked. He could not bear the itch he felt for her and replied, "Yeah." His voice rang in her ears. Bianca sat up and said excitedly, "You''re back?!" "Yeah." Luke looked at her surprised expression and smiled gently, his gaze softening. During this period when they were both apart from each other, it had been torture. Bianca held him and could not believe that he was home. Even if he was just a few hours earlier, she was overjoyed. "Didn''t you say that you''ll only be back tomorrow?" She could not suppress the excitement in her heart and started tearing. In the past week, she missed him every moment that she was awake. Every time she woke up after dreaming about him, she would feel a pang of loneliness. "I changed my flight to an earlier one because I wanted to surprise you." Luke hugged her as he touched her face with one hand. "Oh." Bianca snuggled in his arms, and she could hear his strong heartbeat. She could not help but keep repeating to herself that he was really back.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. She raised her head and looked into his deep-set eyes that were full of love. When she thought about how he had changed his flight to surprise her, she lightly hit his shoulder and said, "You did it on purpose. You didn''t tell me that you changed your flight." Luke raised his hand and gently held her hands in his. "I wanted to surprise you." "I''m going to cry." Bianca pursed her lips and acted coquettishly. "Don¡¯t cry, it''s all my fault. I missed you so much that I wanted toe back as soon as I could." Luke comforted her. He was supposed to be on the same flight as Jason, but he decided to take the next avable flight out. Bianca nced at the time and saw that it was already 3:30 in the morning. She looked at Luke again. Although the bedroom lights were dim, she could still see his dark circles. She gently stroked his face. He had grown a stubble after the long-distance flight. He looked haggard. "Are you tired?" "I¡¯m not tired." Luke had long been ustomed to high-intensity work. Seeing the concern and distress in her eyes, he said, "I¡¯m not tired at all, my love, but you are." She had her hands full with taking care of their family and managing herpany. He felt sorry for how tired she must be. "I''m not tired... Look at the time. Let¡¯s go to bed." Bianca felt sad as she looked at his fatigued face and listened to him trying to be strong for them. He was working hard for their family. Luke nodded and took off his jacket. It waste and he decided to take a bath tomorrow. Hey in bed next to Bianca in a white button shirt. He stretched out his hands, and Biancay between his arms while hugging his waist. She took a deep breath, feeling content. She had been sleeping alone for the past week and had not gotten a good night''s sleep. She could only sleep peacefully if he was by her side, making her feel assured. Bianca felt his breathing, closed her eyes, and fell asleep. Chapter 994 Chapter 994 Dad Is Back The next morning when Bianca woke up, she saw that Luke was still asleep. He needed the rest after a week of high-intensity work. Bianca turned her head and looked at him. He was a light sleeper. In the past, any movement from her would lead to him waking up and hugging her tighter. However, she turned over and Luke was still asleep. He must be exhausted. After she saw the dark circles under his eyes, Bianca tiptoed off the bed without disturbing him. When she walked out of the bedroom, she gently closed the door. Tommy was walking out of his bedroom at the same time. When he saw his mother, he excitedly wanted to greet her. Bianca immediately stepped forward and covered his mouth. She hugged him in her arms and said softly, "Shh, Daddy is still sleeping." "Daddy?" Tommy followed along and lowered his volume, his big eyes filled with curiosity as he asked, "Mommy, isn¡¯t Daddying hometer?" Bianca gently opened the bedroom door and had Tommy take a look. When Tommy saw Luke, he was beyond thrilled! He wanted to go up and tell Luke how much he missed him, but Bianca hugged him tightly in her arms. Bianca carried him to the living room. She raised her fingers and said, ¡± Shhh, Daddy is tired and still sleeping. You shouldn''t wake him up, okay?" Tommy nodded. Although he wanted to tell Luke about his recent good behavior, he was a good boy who listened to his Mommy''s words. Bianca put Tommy on the floor and opened the door of nche''s bedroom. He was awake. He had even washed up and changed into a new set of clothes. "Mommy, good morning," nche greeted Bianca politely. Bianca looked at their eldest son and thought that he looked like Luke. They were both handsome. Seeing that nche¡¯s cor was flipped, she walked over to tidy it up for him. She then said, "Lanie, we don''t have to go to the airport to pick up Daddyter." nche only woke up early so that he could get ready to pick Luke up. He asked, "Why?" "Stupid, it''s because Daddy is back and he''s sleeping now!" Tommy walked to him and said it as though he was an adult. He did his best to control his volume while speaking. "Daddy is back?" nche¡¯s cool expression brightened up with a smile. "Yes, take care of your brother and make sure that he keeps quiet so that your father can rest. I¡¯ll go check on Rainie." They had nned to pick up Luke from the airport, so all the children had set their rms to wake up early. "Okay, Mommy." Although nche was young, he was sensible. Knowing that Luke had worked hard, he took Tommy''s hand to prevent him from running around and making unnecessary noise. Bianca opened Rainie¡¯s bedroom door and saw that she was awake as well. Rainie wasbing her hair in front of the mirror. "Mommy!" Rainie turned her head when she heard the door opening while holding her hair andb. "Good morning, baby." Bianca walked over. She usually helped Rainie to tie her hair every morning, but Rainie was sensible and knew she was busy this morning. Hence, she did not ask her for help. "Mommy, good morning. Can you help me?" Rainie could not get her braids right. "Okay." Bianca picked up herb and brushed her hair as she said," Rainie, Daddy is back. We don¡¯t have to pick him up at the airport today." Rainie asked in surprise, "When did Daddye back?" "Last night. He came back in the middle of the night and all of you were still asleep." Bianca took the rubber band and tied her hair. She was overjoyed and proud when she saw how beautiful Rainie looked. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "Is Daddy still sleeping?" Rainie asked again. "Yes, he''s too tired. Let¡¯s not bother him, okay?" Bianca asked. "Okay, Mommy." Rainie thought of her brother, stood up, and said, "Oh no, Tommy is too noisy. He¡¯ll wake up Daddy!" "Don''t worry, Lanie is taking care of him." Bianca grabbed Rainie''s hand and they walked out of the bedroom. They went downstairs with Lanie and Tommy. The three children sat in the dining room together. They did not turn on the TV even though Bianca allowed them to watch it as they were worried that they might wake Luke. Bianca was d that her children were so sensible. She cooked breakfast in the kitchen and nned to bring it to the dining room so that the children could eat first, but when she stepped into the dining room, she found that Luke had woken up and was with the kids. All of them were excited. "Dad, did you miss Tommy?¡± Tommy looked at him with his eyes wide open. Luke had freshened up and shaved before he came down, so he looked a lot better now. He smiled, touched his son¡¯s cheeks, and said, "Yes, I missed all of you." Rainie and nche nced at each other and smiled at the same time. They answered, "Dad, we missed you too." Bianca brought out breakfast, put it on the dining table, and said to Luke," Why didn''t you sleep a little while more?" "I had enough sleep." Luke did not need more sleep. If it were not for him being too tired, he would not have slept in. Luke felt a burst of warmth in his heart as he watched Bianca make breakfast for their family. He stood up and wrapped his hands around Bianca''s waist from behind. He whispered in her ears as he looked at the spread on the table, "My love, thank you for your hard work." Bianca was blushing a little from being hugged by him. She reminded in a low voice, saying, "The kids are here." Tommy grinned as he was used to seeing his parents being intimate in front of them from time to time. He said cheekily, "Mommy, we didn''t see anything." Bianca''s face turned redder, and she tried to break away from Luke''s grip." I made fresh bread, I¡¯ll go get it." Luke had no choice but to let go of her. He looked at the kids who were all staring at him and said, "In the future, please excuse yourselves in situations as such, okay?" Rainie was not entirely sure what he meant, so she asked, '' Dad, how should we excuse ourselves?" "Go to the living room, study, y with toys... All of them work." Luke loved his kids, but they were sometimes an inconvenience, such as when he was enhancing his rtionship with Bianca. "Okay, Daddy," the three children said in unison. Bianca blushed in the kitchen when she heard what he said to their kids. Fortunately, the kids did not ask any other questions. Otherwise, she would have to bury her head in the sand. She brought out the bread and said, "Hurry up and wash your hands so we can have breakfast." Luke took the children to wash their hands together before sitting at the dining table. Luke said affectionately to Bianca, "My love, you''ve worked hard." Bianca smiled and said, "It¡¯s nothing." She had cooked more for breakfast today, but as someone who cooked a lot, preparing this was not difficult for her. Even if she had to prepare breakfast for the entire Crawford family, she could handle it. "It''s delicious." Luke took a bite of the fresh bread that Bianca made and praised her, saying that it was not something he could get outside. During his time in New York, he had eaten fast food every day and found it boring. Even if he went to restaurants, all he thought about during meal times was Bianca¡¯s cooking. Chapter 995 Chapter 995 A Familiar Taste Bianca was pleased as she watched him eat happily. She passed him a bun and said, ''Try this, this has raisins." After Luke finished the bread that he had, he picked up the raisin bun and quickly gobbled it down. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Bianca looked at him and could not help butugh. Luke had always been elegant while eating. Today was an exception. It seemed that he had been starving the entire time he was in New York. Like Bianca, Tommy was looking at Luke with a smile. He pointed at the corner of his mouth and said to Luke, "Daddy, you have some crumbs there. Luke picked up the napkin and wiped the corners of his mouth. As expected, there were a few bread crumbs on his mouth. He took a sip of his soy milk and said with glee, "It''s wonderful." "Do you want more?" Bianca asked. She felt a sense of aplishment when she saw them finish the breakfast she made. "I''ve had enough," Luke said. When Tommy saw that Luke was done eating, he blinked his big eyes, climbed off the seat, and ran to Luke''s side. He ced his chubby hands on Luke¡¯sp and asked, "Daddy, Tommy has been behaving well. When will you take US to the carnival?" Luke took out a tissue and wiped his greasy mouth for him, saying, "I''m proud of you, Tommy. Thank you for being so well-behaved. How does this Friday sound?" "Yay!" Tommy pped his hands with glee before looking at his brother and sister. "Daddy, you have to bring Lanie and Ranie too!" "Of course." Luke loved all his children the same. If one went, all the others would too. "Thank you, Daddy.¡± Rainie and nche were excited about their family outing. No matter how sensible the kids were, they were still kids who loved to have fun. Bianca had a big smile on her face as she looked at the joy radiating from their three children. She stood up, cleared the table, and told Rainie and nche, "Rainie, Lanie, go upstairs and get your school bags. I¡¯ll drive you to school." Bianca had taken a half-day leave for the children when she thought that they had to pick Luke up from the airport. Since there was no need to pick him up now, she had to send the children to school. "Okay, Mommy." Rainie nodded and went upstairs happily. She was excited about going to the carnival on Saturday and started nning her outfit. 1 nche also nodded coolly. Although he understood everything that was being taught in school, he also knew that his attendance was necessary. Bianca ced all the dishes on the kitchen sink. The nanny would be there in five minutes, and she would help clean these dishes. After soaking the dishes, she turned around and saw Luke standing by the kitchen door. He was wearing gray loungewear that made him look casual and kind. He did not have the kind of seriousness he had when wearing a suit. "Why are you standing here? Aren''t you going back to the office today?" Bianca smiled and walked over. When she reached the door, Luke grabbed her waist and they walked out together. "I am." Luke had her in his arms as they walked across the dining room. He did not want to let her out of his sight even for just a moment. That was why he was standing by the kitchen and waiting for her to clean up. "Why aren¡¯t you getting ready, then?" Bianca smiled while facing him and holding his hand. Luke said lovingly, "Will you help me with my tie?" Bianca smiled and nodded, then she went upstairs with him to the bedroom. After he changed into a suit, she chose a deep navy blue tie to match it with. She tied it in a beautiful Windsor knot. She turned to look at the full-length mirror and was satisfied with her work. She asked, "Do you think it''s okay?" She was great at pairing colors. The Windsor knot crafted by her was elegant. "Craftsmanship of a master." Luke held her hand and leaned in to kiss her again and again. Rainie stood by their bedroom door and knocked on it. Her bright eyes narrowed into crescents when she saw her parents being lovey-dovey." Daddy, Mommy, the nanny is here." Bianca pulled her hand away and blushed. She got embarrassed everytime one of their kids saw them being intimate. She nodded and said, "Okay, go downstairs. I¡¯ll send you to schoolter." "Okay, Mommy." Rainie nodded and went downstairs with a school bag on her back. Bianca looked at Luke and said, "I''m going to send the kids to school." "I''ll drive all of you." Luke put on his jacket and nned to drop them off before heading to the office. "Okay. Do you want to go back to the manor for dinner tonight?¡± Bianca asked him because they had not gone back to the manor since he went on his business trip. They should have a meal to catch up with their family. "Okay," Luke said, "Tomorrow is Friday. It''s not the best idea to run around with the kids. Let''s spend the night in the manor tonight." "Okay, can you please tell Grandpa? I''ll pack Tommy''s storybook." Bianca agreed. They had clothes and toiletries in the manor, but none of Tommy''s storybooks were there. Without reading him a story, Tommy would never let them go to bed in peace. After Luke drove Rainie and nche to kindergarten, he sent Bianca to her office and watched her walk in before he drove back to T Corporation. CEO''s office. Tina walked into the office with arge stack of documents and put them on Luke''s desk. "Boss, these documents urgently need your review and sign -off. This pile isn''t urgent, so you can save it forst." She was taking over Jason''s role for the day considering that he was still on the ne. Luke looked at therge stack of documents that were several times thicker than that of a high schooler''s textbook. He said without frowning, "I see, thank you." "Mr. Crawford, do you want me to make a cup of coffee for you?" Tina asked. "Yeah," Luke replied as he picked up one of the documents from the urgent pile. Having a cup of coffee would help him go through the documents more efficiently. Tina nodded, walked out, brewed him a cup of coffee, and put it on his desk. Luke enjoyed the aroma of the coffee. Picking it up, he took a sip and thought that it was a familiar taste... He looked at Tina. Tina smiled and said, "Boss, do you think this tastes the same as the coffee that Ms. Rayne makes?" Luke nodded. "It''s simr, but not exactly the same." He could taste the difference between the coffee that Tina made and the coffee made by Bianca. Tina might have gotten the temperature of the water wrong. Tina was a little disappointed when she heard his reply. "I asked Ms. Rayne for advice. The coffee she makes is delicious. I think it''s good enough if I''m able to learn 50 or 60 percent of her recipe and methods." Luke said, "When Mr. Doylees back, teach him how to make this." Tina was asked to teach Jason so that he would not disturb Bianca. "Okay." Tina nodded and left the office. Luke took another sip of the fragrant coffee, lowered his head, and concentrated on his work. Chapter 996 Chapter 996 Ms. Rayne, You''re Blushing Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. At noon, Bianca was worried that Luke would be so busy with work that he would forget to eat. She picked up her phone and ordered a takeaway for him before she went downstairs to have lunch with Sue. Bianca and Sue sat facing each other. Bianca stirred the tea in her cup with a smile and said, "Sue, do you know that Mr. Doyle ising back today?" Sue paused and wondered why Bianca was bringing up Jason out of the blue. "Ms. Rayne, can we not talk about him? It''ll ruin my appetite." Although Sue addressed Bianca as Ms. Rayne, her tone was casual and endearing. Bianca knew that she was lying. "Do you know about it?" "Yes," Sue replied. Jason had told her the moment he booked his flight. Seeing her pretending to be unaffected, Bianca took a sip of her tea and said, "Kari and Teri must miss him." Sue nodded and stayed silent. Some habits were easy to form but difficult to quit. Jason had spent a lot of time with their daughters before he left for the business trip. He was patient with them and told them stories before they fell asleep every night. When he was away on the business trip, Kari and Teri were not used to the stories that she read and often said that her skills were not as good as Jason''s. Sue was a little upset when they said that to her. She had read them the stories the same way Jason did, but it seemed like they favored their dad much more. ''I thought that daughters will be closer to their mothers?'' Their repeated protests made her feel upset. They never disliked the stories she read before he appeared. "Sue, what''s the matter?" Bianca asked when she saw her nodding but not speaking. "The kids love Jason very much, so much so that they''ve been havingints about me as their mother." Sue was depressed and thought that she was not a good mother. She was trying her best to be one for them. It was not easy being a single mother. She was working hard to take care of her two daughters. Bianca said, "He''s the child''s father. Blood is thicker than water. Of course, they love him, but it doesn''t mean that your kids don''t love you." She knew that Kari and Teri were both sensible little girls. Sue sighed and said, "I don¡¯t know how to say it. They make me feel like I¡¯ve failed as a mother." Bianca made a suggestion. "Actually, it''s not difficult to get along with children. Why don¡¯t you ask Mr. Doyle out this weekend and then take Kari and Teri to the carnival?" The best way to get along with children was to do what they liked. Bianca had done the same thing to get closer to Lanie and Rainie. However, she had it easier than others. Their family bond was strong. "I¡¯ll bring the kids myself." Sue did not want Jason there so that the kids¡¯ attention would not be divided. "Kids love spending time with their parents. You should ask Mr. Doyle to join you. The more the merrier, right?" Bianca said, "I haven''t seen Kari and Teri for a long time. We''ll be going to the carnival this weekend. Do you want to go together?" "Let¡¯s talk about it next time. I have to work overtime this week." Sue was not a fan of Jason and used work as an excuse to turn Bianca down. Bianca knew that there was nothing more she could say to change Sue''s mind. Just then, her phone rang and Bianca saw that Luke was calling. She answered the phone. "Hey, Luke." Luke''s deep and sexy voice came from the other end of the call. "My love, did you order lunch for me?" "Who else do you think it would be?" The big smile on Bianca''s face made Sue, who was sitting across from her, envious. She did not long for love for herself, but she admired the beauty of true love. "There''s no one else, you''re the only one who knows what I like." Luke looked at the sumptuous bento on the table. When the phone rang just now, he thought that the other party had called the wrong number. However, after confirming the name, he realized that it was his takeaway. "I''m d that you like it. Fill up your tummy before you continue working." Bianca gently reminded him. After being together for so long, she knew exactly what he liked. "Okay, I love you." Luke''s voice was lingering and flirtatious, making her face slowly blush. After Bianca ended the call, she raised her hand and fanned her face. Sue teased her and said, "Ms. Rayne, you¡¯re blushing." Bianca tried to exin, "The weather is getting warmer, and the air conditioners here don¡¯t seem to be cold enough." Sue smiled and did not tease her further. After the two had lunch, they went back to work. In the evening, Luke picked Bianca from the office after work. They picked up nche and Rainie, then went home to pick up Tommy. Atst, the family arrived at Crawford Manor. Allison Tanner and Susan Armstrong were both in the living room. They sat as far away as they could from each other with looks of disdain. The children walked into the living room and greeted them both. Allison smiled and said, "My lovely grandchildren! You''re so politepared to some other children." She deliberately nced at Susan as if hinting to her that she was talking about Thea. Thea had no manners. When Louis was not around, she would never take the initiative to greet Allison when she saw her. Susan snorted and said, "Some kids sure can act. It''s pointless to act polite if they''re not sincere." Allison''s angry face was pale. ''How dare she suggest that Luke doesn''t care about her!'' When she saw Luke walk in, she was visibly taken aback. "Luke, you''re back from the business trip?" "Yeah." Luke nced around but did not see Old Master Crawford. He asked the caretaker, "Where''s Grandpa?" "Old Master Crawford is in the study," the caretaker replied. After hearing this, Bianca said to the kids, My dears, go and say hello to Grandpa." The children ran to the study. "When did youe back?" Allison asked. She had run out of money the other day and nned to go to T Corporation to find him but was told that he was on a business trip in New York. Since she could not get any money from him, her only choice was to sell an antique that she stole from the manor. Before Luke could answer, Susanughed and said, "Are you that much of a failure as a mother? You don¡¯t even know when your son came back?" "What nonsense are you talking about? Would Louis tell you the hotel room number when he meets women?" Allison refused to back down,pletely unaware that these were two things of different nature. Bianca stood next to Luke and watched the two women tear each other apart. She had a headache and was afraid that the two would go on. Hence, she quickly stepped in and said, "Allison, Luke came back early this morning. It was toote, so we didn¡¯t inform you." Allison went along and said, "No wonder. I was asleep then. A woman''s beauty sleep is important, and my beautiful skin all depends on the beauty sleep I get." Chapter 997 Chapter 997 His Thoughts Were Aligned With Bianca''s Susan was not convinced. Allison''s skin was good, but it could not be attained from just getting enough sleep. She mockingly said, "What a joke! You spent God knows how much on your face. Just admit it if you¡¯re old, there''s no need to spend a lot of money to try to maintain your aging face. Fortunately, Luke still has money. Otherwise, your face would be rotten now!" Allison sneered and said, "Susan, you''re jealous that I''m better-looking and younger than you!" Bianca saw that the two were quarreling again and nced at Luke. His expression was neutral and he did not seem to n to do anything. She thought that it was not appropriate for them to quarrel in front of the children, especially since they were back for the first time in a while. When she wanted to say something to ease the tension, Old Master Crawford''s majestic voice sounded. "Both your agesbined add up to 100 years old. Enough with the fighting!" Susan and Allison looked at the old man. Even though they were still furious and wanted to continue tearing each other apart, they both stepped down. The battle finally came to an end. Bianca and Luke looked at Old Master Crawford, greeting him. Old Master Crawford nodded in response. Seeing that he looked tired, Luke asked, "Grandpa, why do you look so tired?" "It''s nothing. I''m getting old and just need some rest," Old Master Crawford replied. He sat on the sofa and instructed the caretaker, "Go get the chessboard, I want to y a game with Luke." Bianca nced at the staircase. Lanie, Rainie, and Tommy had note down. They were probably ying upstairs, which was a great thing seeing as what had just happened. "Okay, Old Master." The caretaker went to prepare the chessboard. Luke took Bianca''s hand and sat on the other end of the sofa. Allison looked at them and wondered why they were here. She was out of money and nned to steal Old Master Crawford''s antiques. She chose this day to come back to the manor and had even asked the caretaker to clean up her room so that she could spend a night here. She would say that her vi was experiencing a power outage. She was back to be Jon''s backup. She did not expect that Luke would be back. More people meant more trouble. As she watched Luke y chess with Old Master Crawford, Allison was thinking about whether she should put a stop to her ns. However, if she did, she would not have any excuse to spend the night. Since she moved out, she had barelye back to spend the night. If she came back too frequently, it would arouse suspicion from others. Susan was the one to look out for. If she lost something, she would me Allison at once. Allison thought that the living expenses Luke gave her would notst her that much longer, so she made up her mind to go forward with her n! N?velDrama.Org holds this content. After Luke yed a game of chess with Old Master Crawford, Louis returned with Thea. Seeing his eldest brother and sister-inw, he was very happy and said," Big Brother, Sister-inw, you''re back!" "Louis, good to see you!" Luke stopped ying chess and responded to Louis. Thea always acted polite in front of Louis. She greeted the people present," Hello, Great Grandpa Crawford, Grandma Susan, Grandma Allison, Uncle Luke, and Aunt Bianca." "Thea, you''re such a good girl. Come to Grandma. I''ve prepared choctes for you." Susan was overjoyed to see her granddaughter. She beckoned toward her and Thea walked over. Louis put Thea''s school bag aside and said helplessly, "Mom, Thea has tooth decay. Don''t give her so many sweets." "One or two is okay." Susan coddled Thea. She tore open the packaging and stuffed it into Thea''s mouth. "Do you like it?" "Grandma, it''s delicious," Thea said with a sweet smile while pping her hands happily. Allison sneered. "Louis is right. It''s not good for children to eat so many sweets. You should take better care of your granddaughter instead of spoiling her blindly. She''ll grow fat if this continues." Thea did not understand the meaning of her words and looked at Susan, asking, "What does fat mean?" Susan stared at her coldly and replied, "Why do you care? Thea is growing up and there''s nothing wrong with eating sweets. Who are you to say anything? You didn''t buy it with your money." Allison wanted to refute but Old Master Crawford was watching them closely, so she decided to keep quiet. She started the fight and knew that Old Master Crawford might reprimand her. She yed with her delicate nails as though she did not hear what Susan said. Louis sensed that the atmosphere was off and waved to Thea. "Thea, it''s time to go upstairs." Thea nodded and walked over. Bianca stood up, squatted in front of Thea, and touched her head. "Thea, you''ve grown a lot taller. You¡¯re getting cuter by the day." Due to Yuri''s influence, Thea was not a fan of Bianca but she was happy when praised. The corners of her mouth lifted into a smile, making her look adorable. Bianca was secretly figuring out Thea''s size. She had not forgotten the matter she discussed with Luke previously. Luke and Old Master Crawford continued to y chess. Bianca stood up, sat beside him, and watched them y. Although she was an amateur, Old Master Rayne had taught her the basics and the rules. Hence, she was not lost when she watched them y. After ying two rounds of chess, dinner was ready. The family had a meal in the dining room. After dinner, Luke took Bianca and the children for a walk in the manor''s garden. It was summer now and the daytime was getting longer. Bianca watched the sunset, then looked at the children ying around. Her gaze ultimately shifted to Luke, who was standing by her side and enjoying this rare moment of tranquility. Luke walked with her for a while, and they sat down when they got to the pavilion. Bianca took out her phone and wrote down a few numbers. "What''s this?" Luke asked. "This is Thea''s size. I want to write it down so I won''t forget itter," Bianca said, "I think I got the size right. If you have time, please give them a call and ce an order." "Okay." Luke took out his phone and took a photo of the sizes she noted down. "It''s still early in the States, so I''ll call themter." "Okay." Bianca put her phone away and leaned on his shoulder. She watched the children y with each other. To make the kids happy, Old Master Crawford had built a small yground in the back garden. Watching nche guarding his younger siblings, Bianca felt warm in her heart as she said, "Luke, today is such a good day." "Yeah." Luke had put aside his work and was spending time with them. Family time could always put him at ease. He said, "When nche grows up and takes over thepany, I¡¯ll also build a garden like this. There must be a pavilion and a swing set, as well as a yground. When theye back with their children, we''ll sit in the pavilion and watch our grandchildren y." Luke was nning for their future, and his thoughts were aligned with Bianca''s. Chapter 998 Chapter 998 Installing the Signal Jammer Bianca fantasized about the carefree lifestyle after she and Luke retired. Their hair would have been graying, and they would be living a rxing life with their children and grandchildren without the troubles from work. As the sky continued to darken, the family walked back to the mansion. Old Master Crawford was sipping tea in the living room and watching financial news on the television. Susan and Allison had already retired to their bedrooms because they were not interested in that. Louis and his family were not in the house. They were at a dinner banquet. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Only Old Master Crawford was in the spacious living room. Bianca looked at Luke and said, "I''ll go and help Lanie and Rainie with their homework." "Mm." Luke nodded and let go of her hand. He went to the couch and prepared to spend some time with his grandfather. "Grandfather." "How was the walk?" Old Master Crawford turned his head and nced at Bianca and the three children. Bianca smiled gently and replied, "I''ll go and help the children with their homework." "Go then." Old Master Crawford nodded and turned his head back to look at the television screen. He had retired from T Corporation, but he kept a close eye on economic trends. Luke saw that his teacup was already empty. He helped refill his grandfather''s cup. The newscaster was reporting on national tax reforms and analyzing the impact the changes would have on various industries. "What do you think?" Old Master Crawford asked. Before Luke moved out, they would watch the news together and discuss the various topics. "The impact won''t be too big," Luke said impassively as he listened to the report. The tax reforms were targeted toward small and medium businesses. The impact on a multinational company like T Corporation was negligible. Old Master Crawford seemed satisfied with the answer. Evidently, he hade to the same conclusion. "Not bad. Do you know about the changes already?" "Mm." Not only did Luke know about it, but he had also studied it thoroughly. "Not bad. What else is the government up to these days?" Old Master Crawford asked. "I''ve heard that they''re preparing to rezone a piece ofnd in the east of the city formercial use." Luke folded his long legs, made himselffortable, and continued to analyze the situation for his grandfather." The eastern side is quite close to the main city, and that area is currently undergoing rapid development. It will be very profitable if we can develop the area." "Mm. If T Corporation manages to acquire the developmental rights, our profits in the next few years will increase greatly. However, you''ll have to pay attention to our liquid assets. Don''t overspend it on investments," Old Master Crawford said and drained his teacup. "I know." Luke refilled his cup again. They chatted for a long time. Ten o''clock was Old Master Crawford''s bedtime. He stopped talking and went upstairs to read. After Old Master Crawford left, Luke remained sitting on the couch and drank tea. Allison came down the stairs. She frowned when she saw Luke sitting there. The living room would have been vacant if Luke had note back. She smiled and walked over. "Why aren''t you resting yet, Luke?" "It''s still early." Luke was watching the news on foreign stock markets. He had just sent Thea''s measurements to the ballet dressmaker. "Look at you. You must''ve gotten those eyebags from the business trip. That''s enough financial news for the day. You should go upstairs and rest." Allison pretended to be concerned about him. With Luke in the living room, she could not record the locations of the security cameras and install the signal jammer. The caretakers were usually in the living room during the day, so she could not do that. That was why she waited until nighttime. She had to give Jon the quantity and locations of the security cameras. After all, the signal jammer might not be totally efficient. The high-tech surveince system in Crawford Manor was updated once every half a year. She wanted to be absolutely sure that the heist was sessful. Luke turned off his phone. He wanted to analyze the stock market in peace, but Allison was talking non-stop into his ear. He stood up and headed toward the stairs. "Luke." Allison suddenly thought of something. "Hm?" Luke turned his head over. He seemed impassive. Allison was not too pleased about that. Luke had been treating her coldly ever since he got together with that woman. "Are Louis and the rest back yet?" She asked. She knew that Louis brought his wife and daughter out, but she did not know if they were back yet. She was not going to knock on their door to find out. "Not yet. Why do you ask?¡± Luke was getting suspicious. His mother was never concerned about Louis and his family. "Nothing, just asking," Allison said with a smile, though she was getting nervous. That made Luke even more suspicious. Allison exined, "I''m nning to turn off the lights. I won''t do that if they''re not back yet." Luke nodded and went upstairs. After seeing Luke disappear past the corner, She took out the signal jammer and ced it under the coffee table. It was her first time doing something like that, and she was afraid that she would be discovered. After activating the signal jammer, Allison took out a pair of sses. Jon managed to find her a pair of special sses. He thought that Allison would attract suspicion if she recorded the cameras with her phone. Allison lifted her head and spun slowly, pretending to look at the furniture. Then, she took out her phone and asked Jon. [Did you receive the video?] [Yes.] Jon replied very quickly. He had been hiding in the bushes outside of Crawford Manor. Allison went to the kitchen to pour herself a ss of water, then went up the stairs. Her head remained tilted upward throughout so that she could capture the locations of the cameras clearly. Once on the second floor, she did not immediately return to her room. Instead, she lingered around the lobby before going into the study. Old Master Crawford ced a lot of his antiques in the study. She pretended to be looking for a book, but she was transmitting the situation in the study to Jon. After looking around once, Allison picked up a random book from the shelves nervously and left the room. Back in the bedroom, she took off her sses and gave Jon a call. "Have you seen the route clearly?" "Yes, Madam." Jon had saved the video into his tablet and had been reying it. His methods were high-tech, unlike regr thieves. That was why Allison hired him. "Stick to the original n then. Take whatever you can, but don''t leave any trace. Also, don''t hurt anyone," Allison added. "I can''t hurt anyone?" Jon frowned. If he were discovered, it would be difficult for him to escape. "Yes. My son and grandchildren suddenly came back today. You don''t know who they are, so you''d better not hurt anyone," Allison said. If Luke and the children did note back, she would have asked him to injure anyone who stood in his way. Chapter 999 Chapter 999 Thea Is Injured That''s not what you originally told me, Madam.¡± Jon thought that it was very troublesome. Allison had told him that he could dispatch anyone that tried to stop him, and that would have been a much easier job. "What do you want then?" Allison was getting annoyed. If things went her way, she would not have wanted Luke to stay in the mansion for the night. Other than Luke and her three grandchildren, she did not care if anyone else in Crawford Manow lived or died. Jon saw the antiques in the study and thought that Allison had paid him too little. It was the right opportunity to ask for more. "It''ll be easier if you pay up," he said. "How much?" Allison had expected him to say that. However, she had no other choice. "Five hundred thousand," Jon said. "That''s daylight robbery!" Allison was reluctant to part with that much money. After all, that was ten days'' worth of living expenses. "Those antiques are worth a lot of money, even in the ck market. The more I take, the more you''ll earn, isn''t it?" Jon tried to persuade her. Allison thought that it made sense. She had to give some to earn more." Alright, I''ll give you another five hundred thousand. You''d better not leave any traces. Also, if you fail, don''t implicate me in this." "I won''t fail, don''t worry," Jon promised. Allison could not sleep because of the anger and anxiety. Thinking that Louis and his family had not returned yet, she kept the pair of sses in her handbag, then took the ss of water and sat down at the second- floor hall. She would definitely see them return. Louis, his wife, and his daughter only returned at midnight. He noticed Allison sitting on the second- floor hall and asked her, "It''s already sote, Aunt Allison. Why aren''t you in bed yet?" Allison was ready to fall asleep. She did not want to go back to her room before she saw them return. She shed a rare smile at Louis and said, "I haven''t been sleeping in this bed for a long while, so I''m not used to it. I''m out here to get some fresh air. Louis did not suspect anything, though he found it curious that Allison was in a good mood even though she could not sleep. "Oh, so that''s the case. Sleepingte isn''t good for your health, and you should lie on your bed even if you can''t sleep. We''ll be heading to our bedroom," he said. "Go then. I''m falling asleep already. I''ll be sleeping soon." Allison stood up and headed back to her room before they did. Yuri thought that something was amiss when she saw that. '' Don''t you think that she''s acting weirdly?" She said to Louis. Even though Louis dered that he had no intention of taking over T Corporation, Allison remained hostile toward him and his family. Yuri thought that it was strange that Allison was smiling at Louis as though smiling at her son. Louis thought it was strange too, but he did not think too much about it. He looked at Thea sleeping in his arms and said, "It''s weird indeed. Maybe she heard some good news." Yuri was puzzled. Allison would not smile at them even if they gave her ten million dors. She seemed to be hiding something behind that kind smile. "Let''s go to bed." Louis was getting worn out after carrying Thea for so long. They went back to their bedroom. Three o''clock in the morning. Allison woke up, took out her phone, and sent a message to Jon. [You may begin.] Jon replied, [Roger that.] He changed into ck clothes, wore a ski mask to prevent his face from being captured, and switched on the signal jammer. In the mansion, Allison''s phone lost its signal. She knew that Jon was about to break in. She stood behind the door, held her breath, and listened to any sounds from the living room. Twenty minutester, she heard a slight noise, though it was not loud enough to wake anyone up. Jon sessfully broke into the mansion, evaded the security cameras, and went up the second floor. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. He had studied the video that Allison sent to him, and he was familiar with the ce like the back of his hand. He went to the second-floor hall, then quickly sneaked into Old Master Crawford''s study. He turned on his shlight and noticed the inkwell on the desk. He carefully wrapped up the inkwell with newspaper and bubble wrap before stuffing it into his bag. If he identally damaged it, its value would drop by half. After taking all the antiques from the desk and the bookshelves, Jon smiled smugly. It was a beneficial transaction for him. He would receive five hundred thousand dors plus ten percent of the sales from the antiques. His backpack was already quite heavy, but he still looked around greedily. There was a safe in the room, but it seemed quite high-tech, and he did not want to take the risk. He opened the door and prepared to leave when he bumped into Thea, who had woken up to get a ss of water. Thea was half asleep, but she was shocked by the sudden intruder. "Ahh!" She screamed. Jon suffered a fright. Reflexively, he grabbed an antique vase and struck her forehead. Thea fell on the floor with a bang, though her scream had already woken up the people on the second floor. Jon quickly ran away without caring if Thea lived or died. ''Oh no,'' Allison thought when she heard that scream. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard the crash and subsequent fall. Jon did not keep his promise! She could tell that the voice belonged to a little girl, but she could not tell if the girl was Rainie or Thea. She wanted to rush out of her bedroom to confirm the casualty, but she stopped herself when her hand touched the doorknob. She could not go out before the others did. It would be very suspicious. The person toe out to the corridor first was Louis. He was instantly seized by fear when he saw her daughter lying in a pool of blood. "Thea!" He called out, but Thea did not respond. Louis ran over, carried Thea in his arms, firmly pressed on her forehead to stop the blood from flowing, and turned around to speak to Yuri. "Call the ambnce!" Yuri was at a loss when she saw that. Louis''s words made here to her senses. She quickly ran back to the bedroom, picked up the phone, and dialed for an ambnce with trembling fingers. The other people on the second floor gradually came out of their bedrooms, including Allison, who was pretending to be clueless. "Oh, what happened?" Allison''s eyes shed with fear when she saw the pool of blood, though no one noticed that because they were all focused on Thea. Susan was kneeling on the floor while holding Thea''s hand. "Thea, my Thea! What happened to you? Please don''t frighten your Grandma!¡± Thea was not responsive at all. Luke took a roll of bandages from the first aid kit and handed it to Yuri." Hold her forehead. We can''t wait for the ambnce. I''ll drive Thea to the hospital." Louis''s hand could not stop the bleeding. He listened to Luke and carried his daughter downstairs while Thea tried to stop the bleeding with the bandages. Chapter 1000 Chapter 1000 It¡¯s Scary Luke quickly drove his car to the front door. Louis carried Thea into the car while Yuri pressed the bandage tightly on her head. Susan also went along to the hospital. Bianca looked at the bloodstains and the broken shards of the antique vase on the corridor. The stench of blood was thick. She could not forget how lifeless Thea seemed as shey on the floor. "I''m scared, Mommy." Rainie took a step back and hid behind Bianca. She stuck her head out to look at the blood on the floor. "I''m scared too." Tommy also hid behind Bianca. He did not know why Thea was bleeding or why she did not answer when the adults called her name. Bianca covered the children¡¯s eyes and nced at Lanie. His cute little face remained cool, and Bianca was impressed by his maturity. "It''s fine. Let''s go back to bed," she coaxed the children softly. "Mm," Rainie replied softly and looked away from the bloody floor. After Tommy fell asleep, Bianca went to Rainie''s bedroom to check on her. The little girl''s eyes remained open, and Bianca could see that they were filled with fear. Bianca''s heart wrenched. She sat on the bed next to her and tucked her in." Don''t think about it, Rainie. Close your eyes and sleep.¡± "Mommy, will Thea be alright?" Rainie turned her head to look at her. After her father''s ordeal, she knew what was injury and death. Earlier, she heard Thea scream and saw her lying motionless in a pool of blood as though she were dead. Rainie was worried and afraid. Bianca gently patted Rainie''s shoulder andforted her. "She''s at the hospital now, and the doctors will do their best to save her. Don''t worry, alright?" Rainie might still be very young, but Bianca did not want to make empty promises to her. Even an adult would be shocked by the scene earlier, much less a child. Who could have been so cruel as to harm a child? "I don''t want to sleep, Mommy. I want to wait for Thea''s news." Rainie gripped the nket tightly because she felt safer that way. Bianca gently touched Rainie''s forehead. "Be a good girl and sleep. If I have any news about Thea, you''ll be the first one to know." "Alright, Mommy." Rainie blinked and closed her eyes. She was quite traumatized by the incident, but she did not show it so that her mother did not worry. After Rainie fell asleep, Bianca carefully stood up and quietly left the bedroom. Old Master Crawford and Allison remained in the corridor. When Old Master Crawford saw Bianca, he asked her, "Is Rainie asleep?" "Mm, she is." Bianca nodded. She looked at the drying blood on the floor and asked, "Shall we inform the police, Grandpa?" "Yes, we must!" Old Master Crawford tried to keep his angry voice down in case he woke the children up. He would not forgive the person who had stolen his antiques and harmed Thea!Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "I''ll do it now." Bianca shot a nce at Allison when she walked past her. Allison was staring at the bloodstains, seemingly in a daze. When the police knew that someone had broken into Crawford Manow, they said that they would immediately send someone over. After Bianca ended the call, she heard Allison say, "The blood looks so scary, Dad. How about we get the caretaker to clean it up? If Rainie or Tommyes out from their roomster, they''d be frightened. Also, look at the broken vase. I don¡¯t want anyone to get hurt." Old Master Crawford red at her. That woman seemed to have dropped her brain when faced with danger. The broken vase and the bloodstains were important evidence, and the police might find some fingerprints on them. "Wait for the police," he said. "But it''s scary."'' Allison shuddered as though she was scared. She was not too concerned about Thea being hurt, but she was afraid that the police might collect evidence that led to Jon. If that were the case, she might be exposed as the mastermind. She was anxious that Old Master Crawford did not let her clean up the evidence. Old Master Crawford red at her. She was already in her fifties, but she got flustered so easily whenever an incident happened. Even Bianca was better. "Go back to your room if you''re scared," he reprimanded her coldly. Allison was surprised by Old Master Crawford''s reaction. She did not do anything, but the old man had released his anger on her. She kept her mouth shut, but she had an additional thought in her head. How great would it be if Jon had smashed that vase on that old man instead of Thea! Ever since she was brought into the household, Old Master Crawford had been prejudiced against her despite putting up an unbiased front. She might have already lost her foothold in the family if not that Luke was more capable than Louis! Hatred burned in Allison''s chest as she lowered her head and looked at the bloodstains. Bianca walked over and said softly, "The police will be here soon, Grandpa. I''ve also informed the manager of the securitypany, and he''ll be here soon." "Good job," Old Master Crawford praised her despite being angry. Bianca was meticulous and thoughtful. Compared to Allison, Bianca seemed to be the more experienced one. Allison sneered disdainfully when she heard Old Master Crawford praise Bianca. "I''ll go and get some water." Actually, she wanted to remove the signal jammer. Jon had already switched off the signal jammer before he left, but he did not bring it away. The police might discover it if she did not remove it. Old Master Crawford ignored her. Bianca stayed in the corridor in case the children woke up and could not find her. Allison breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that no one followed her. She poured a ss of water in the kitchen, sat down in the living room to drink, and pretended to drop the ss identally. While picking up the ss, she also picked up the signal jammer from under the coffee table. Bianca opened the windows and turned on the fans in the house to clear the stench of blood. Old Master Crawford remained silent when he saw all that. The police came and began to collect evidence. Five minutester, the manager of the security company arrived with the technicians. It took them an hour to settle everything. Bianca listened to the manager of the securitypany as he reported his findings to Old Master Crawford. "The security feed was disrupted at the time of the incident. Our technicians are trying their best to restore the footage.." Chapter 1001 Chapter 1001 Lanie Was Scared Allison''s heart skipped a beat when she heard that. "You can restore the footage?" She blurted. "The surveince system is the most advanced in the world. Barring a power disruption, there''s an eighty percent chance that the footage can be restored," the manager said. They would use the best technology for their important clients. How about the remaining twenty percent?" Allison asked. "If the jamming device is too close to the camera, then our technicians can''t do anything about it." The manager did not want to admit it, but he could not hide the facts when he saw Old Master Crawford''s gloomy expression. "Don''t worry, Old Master Crawford," he said, "Well do our best to restore the footage and cooperate with the police." The stolen antiques were worth at least a hundred million dors, and the culprit had injured someone. The manager knew how serious the incident was. "Mm." Old Master Crawford nodded as he saw the caretakere over with cleaning equipment. The police had finished collecting evidence, and the mess could be cleared up. "Ensure that the ce is spotless," he said. "Yes, Old Master Crawford," the two caretakers said while pouring cleaning solution on the floor. Allison felt uneasy while she watched the technicians at work. If the footage was restored, there was a greater chance that Jon might be exposed. The police left after collecting evidence, while the technicians remained in the living room. Old Master Crawford and Bianca went upstairs. Only Allison sat in the living room watching the technicians. Bianca gently opened the door to Rainie''s bedroom. Rainie was fast asleep, but her brows were tightly furrowed. She was probably having a nightmare. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Bianca sighed, took off her jacket, and draped it on Rainie. The little girl felt warmth around her and instinctively nuzzled Bianca. Her brows gradually rxed after the nightmare was driven away. Bianca hugged her and closed her eyes. Luke was still in the hospital. She switched her phone to vibration mode in case she missed his phone call. The sun rose in the morning, and Rainie woke up to find that her mother had been sleeping beside her while hugging her. Rainie smiled sweetly. No wonder the nightmare disappeared suddenly. Her mother had protected her. Bianca opened her eyes when she felt the little girl in her arms move. She looked at Rainie and saw that she was awake. "Do you want to sleep for a little more?" Bianca asked. "I''m fine, Mommy. I''m not sleepy anymore." Rainie sat up. Bianca also sat up and tied her hair with a rubber band. "Let''s go and brush our teeth then. We''ll go downstairs and greet Great-Grandpa a good morning, alright?" "Alright." Rainie nodded and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Bianca also went back to her bathroom to wash her teeth and change her clothes. ncing at her phone, Luke had not contacted her for the whole night. Thest message was at half- past three, when he told her that he had brought Thea to the hospital. It was still early. Bianca went to check on Tommy and saw that he was still asleep. She closed the door gently, then went to Lanie''s bedroom. He was also asleep, but he had kicked away his nket. Bianca shook her head helplessly. Lanie had rarely kicked his nket. Perhaps he was not used to sleeping in a different bed. When she tucked him in again, she noticed that his body temperature was abnormally high. She touched his forehead and found that he had a fever. She gently tapped his face. "Wake up, Lanie." Lanie opened his eyes groggily, nced at Bianca, then closed his eyes. "I don''t feel too good, Mommy..." "Stay in bed, Lanie. I''ll get a cooling patch for you." After tucking him in, Bianca went downstairs hurriedly and asked the caretaker for the first aid kit. "Let me get it for you, Ma''am," the caretaker said and took out the first aid kit from the television cab. Old Master Crawford noticed that Bianca seemed flustered. "What''s wrong? "Lanie is having a fever. I''ll give him a cooling patch and send him to the hospital." Bianca found the child-sized cooling patch in the first aid kit she got from the caretaker. "Why does he suddenly have a fever?" Old Master Crawford frowned. Bianca shook her head. "I don''t know. Maybe he suffered a fright or caught a cold. I''ll be sending Lanie to the hospitalter. Can you take care of Rainie and Tommy?" Old Master Crawford nodded. "Alright. You''d better go quick." Bianca went upstairs with the cooling patch and happened to see Rainieing out from her room. "Rainie, I''ll have to send Lanie to the hospital. Please stay here and look after Great-Grandpa and Tommy," she said. "Alright, Mommy. Why is Lanie going to the hospital?" Rainie asked as she followed behind her mother. She thought of Thea who was still in the hospital. "He has a high fever," Bianca said as she pushed open the door to Lanie''s bedroom. When she went over next to him, she saw that his cheeks were red. She instantly put the cooling patch on his forehead. Rainie frowned and said anxiously. "He''ll be fine, right?" "He''ll be fine. He just needs some medicine," Bianca said as she picked Lanie up. I feel horrible, Mommy,¡± he mumbled while being half-conscious. "I know. Here, Lanie, I''ll carry you on my back, and we''ll go to the hospital. You''ll feel better after seeing the doctor," Bianca said. She had to carry Lanie on her back instead of her arms because she was not as strong as Luke. Crawford Manor had a family doctor, but it was still early, and it might take the doctor another hour to arrive. If she drove to the hospital, she would reach there in half an hour if the roads were clear. Lanie heard what his mother said. He stood up, hugged her from behind, and lowered her head to speak to Rainie. "Rainie, Tommy will be waking up soon. Can you take care of him?" Rainie wanted toe along, but she nodded when she considered Tommy. She did not want to burden Bianca. "Don''t worry, Mommy. I''ll take good care of Tommy." Bianca nodded, went downstairs with Lanie, and quickly went to the parked car. They arrived at the hospital half an hourter. She had already informed Luke in advance, so when she stopped the car, Luke instantly opened the car door and carried Lanie in his arms. "Have you contacted the doctor?" Bianca asked. She was in a rush, so she had not taken Lanie''s temperature. All she knew was that his body temperature was very high. "Johann is waiting," Luke answered while running toward Johann''s office. Johann raised an eyebrow when he saw Lanie lying groggily on the bed." I''m a surgeon." "You can also be a pediatrician," Luke said while feeling Lanie''s forehead with the back of his hand. "What should I do about you?" Johann took a sterilized body thermometer, flicked it twice, and inserted it in Lanie''s armpit. "I happen to be a genius." Chapter 1002 Chapter 1002 I Didn''t Take Care of Lanie "Faster," Luke urged because he thought that Johann was too slow. "There''s no point in hurrying. A mercury thermometer needs time to work," Johann said leisurely. He shook his head when he saw how anxious Luke and Bianca were. "It''s normal for kids to have a fever, especially Lanie, who hasn''t fallen sick in a while. It shouldn''t be surprising that the fever hit him hard." As the saying went, "Sicknesses on horseback and leaves on foot." Bianca was nheless anxious when she heard that. She had been focused on taking care of Rainie and Tommy the night before and had neglected Lanie. She did not even know when he started to have the fever. Five minutester, Johann took out the thermometer and nced at it." 103.1 degrees. Don''t worry, Lanie is a strong boy. He''ll be fine after an injection and an IV drip." "Alright. Sorry to trouble you." Bianca''s heart wrenched when she saw Lanie''s lips cracking from the fever. She took a cup of water and a straw and said, "Drink some water, Lanie. You''ll feel better." Lanie opened his eyes, pushed himself up, and took a few sips of water. Even though his body was ufortably hot, the difort made him unable to drink too much. Bianca wanted to ask him to drink some more. "Don''t force him if he doesn''t want to drink. He¡¯ll feel better after the IV drip, " Johann said. Bianca could only give up. She looked apologetically at Luke. "I didn''t take care of Lanie." "You did nothing wrong." Luke draped his arm over her shoulders andforted her. "It¡¯s just a fever. You don¡¯t have to me yourself for it." Bianca nodded. She wished that she was the one who fell sick instead. Johann asked the nurse to bring some medicine and gave Lanie an injection. Bianca coaxed Lanie to eat the medicine. The boy was sensible enough, and he swallowed the bitter medicine without making a fuss. Johann observed the family of three. They were in his office, but it seemed that he was the odd one out. "I¡¯ll be going on my rounds. If the IV drip is empty, go to the counter and get the nurse to remove the needle." "Mm, thank you," Bianca said. Luke did not look too pleasant. "Aren¡¯t you staying here?" "I have many patients who are in a worse state than Lanie. Your son is upying my room, so I''ll have to perform my duties elsewhere." Johann grinned. He could only feel so smug when Luke asked for his help. "I¡¯m sorry..." Bianca was embarrassed. "Don''t worry. Money will solve it. I''ll just charge you ording to VIP private ward rates." They were not short of money anyway. Johann took his stethoscope and walked toward the door. "The thermometer is on the table, and next to it are the alcohol wipes. If the fever hasn''t subsided in half an hour, get the nurse to inform me.¡± After that, he walked out of his office and closed the door. Bianca watched the IV solution slowly drip into Lanie¡¯s vein. Luke took her hand and led her to the couch. "Don''t worry. Don''t you trust Johann''s skills?" Bianca had met Johann many times, and she had full confidence in Johann''s skills. However, she could not help but feel guilty. "Rainie and Tommy were frightened by the scene yesterday. I thought Lanie seemedposed, and that''s why I didn''t..." "I don''t me you." Luke''s hands held Bianca''s hands. "Nobody wants that to happen. Right, did the police find anything?" "The police gathered the evidence. The security feed was jammed, so they could only conduct the investigation from the evidence they collected. They haven''t found anything yet." "The feed was jammed?" Luke found it quite surprising. However, when he thought further about it, it was not very surprising that a thief would employ special means to break into Crawford Manor. "They''re still trying to fix it," Bianca said. She was in a rush to leave the house earlier, and she did not ask about how the restoration process wasing along. However, she remembered seeing the technicians still fiddling around with theputer, so she guessed that it had not been restored yet. "Right, how is Thea?" Bianca had been concerned over Lanie''s fever and had not asked about Thea. "She lost a lot of blood and suffered a serious concussion. The doctors managed to save her by giving her a blood transfusion, but she has to stay in the hospital for observation because of the blood clots in her head. If the blood clot doesn''t increase in size, she can be discharged," Luke said. Johann was at the hospital early in the morning because Luke had brought him to the hospital the night before to treat Thea. "It¡¯s that serious..." Bianca felt quite uneasy after hearing that. Children should not have been injured like that. "Johann is here. Don¡¯t worry," Luke said. Johann was the best doctor in the hospital, and he was renowned even in other countries. Many other hospitals had tried to poach him, and he would not have remained in that hospital if not for certain circumstances. "When Lanie gets better, bring me to visit Thea." Bianca looked at her son on the bed. "Alright," Luke said. "I''ll check Lanie''s temperature again." Bianca stood up, took the thermometer on the table, sterilized it with an alcohol wipe, and inserted it into Lanie''s armpit. Five minutester, she took out the thermometer to see if the temperature had dropped. "Lanie, do you want some water?" Bianca asked softly. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Lanie was still feeling groggy from the fever. He shook his head slightly when he heard his mother speak to him. Bianca could not do anything if Lanie did not want to drink. After another injection, Lanie''s body temperature began to fall. She breathed a sigh of relief when she touched his forehead and noticed that it was not as hot. Lanie felt a lot better, even though his body was quite weak. He was already sitting on the bed, and the redness of his face had dissipated. "I''m fine here, Daddy, Mommy. You should go and visit Thea." "Are you going to be okay being alone here?" Bianca wiped her son''s back with a paper towel. He had sweated quite a bit when the fever receded. "I''ll be fine. I won''t go anywhere. I''d better stay here in case I pass my germs to Thea," Lanie said. Even though he was not feeling well, he had overheard his parents'' conversation. Bianca did not want to leave him alone. Johann came in through the door and noticed that Lanie was already sitting up. "Feeling better, Lanie?" He asked with a smile. "Uncle Johann," Lanie greeted the doctor. "Looks like your fever is gone. Let me check," Johann ced his hand on Lanie''s forehead. Then, he turned to Bianca. "Did you check his temperature?" "Yes. It¡¯s 98.6 degrees," Bianca replied. "Very good. Looks like the fever is gone." Johann nodded and handed her the medicine on the table. "Keep it with you in case the feveres back." "Thank you." Bianca ced the medicine in her handbag. "Uncle Johann, can I stay in your office for a little longer?" Lanie asked Johann. Chapter 1003 Chapter 1003 No Wonder He Doesn''t Have a Girlfriend Johann raised an eyebrow and looked at Lanie''s handsome little face." Why would you want to stay here? I thought you hated hospitals." Lanie nced at his parents and said, "Daddy and Mommy want to visit Thea. I shouldn''t go, in case I pass my germs to her." Johann turned his head to look at Luke and Bianca. "Am I a babysitter too?" "Fifteen minutes," Luke negotiated with him with his cial demeanor. He meant that Johann would only have to take care of Lanie for fifteen minutes. "That''s too long. Ten minutes." Johann did not hate Lanie, but he felt ufortable looking at the boy''s face. It reminded him too much of Luke. He would try to avoid Luke whenever possible, and looking at a copy of Luke''s face would give him a headache. "Twenty minutes," Luke said with finality. He took Bianca''s hand and left the room before Johann could say anything. Johann pouted. "What a hard sell. I haven''t even agreed to it." Even so, he had no other choice but to take care of the boy. He poured a ss of water and handed it to Lanie. "You should drink more water to replenish your fluids." "Thank you, Uncle Johann," Lanie said as he took the ss and gulped down its contents. Then, Johann handed a book to him. "We don''t know when your parents areing back. I don''t have any other books, so just read this. Be quiet, I have a report to write." Lanie nodded. He looked at the cover and saw that it was a medical book. Evidently, Johann did not care if he couldprehend it... He nced at Johann contemptuously. The man did not know how to care for a child, and it was no wonder that he did not have a girlfriend. Lanie hopped off the bed, sat down on the couch, and began reading. Johann smiled when he saw how Lanie sat there quietly and read. Lanie indeed looked like his father. He returned to his chair and began to write his report. Meanwhile, Luke brought Bianca to Thea''s ward. Louis was sitting next to the little girl, dabbing her dry lips with a cotton swab dipped in water. He stood up when he noticed his brother and sister- inw entering the ward. "Bro, Sis, how is Lanie?" "He''s fine," Bianca replied. Her heart wrenched when she saw the multiple tubes sticking out of the little girls¡¯ body. "How about Thea? Has she woken up?" "She woke up earlier and cried in pain. The doctor gave her some painkillers, and she fell asleep again." Louis unfolded the foldable couch." Don''t stand there. Come and have a seat." Luke and Bianca sat down. Bianca looked around the ward but did not see Yuri or Susan, so she asked, "Why are you alone in the ward?" "Yuri and Mom went downstairs to buy some food." Louis was worried about his daughter, so he volunteered to stay back to look after her. Bianca sighed when she saw how haggard Louis looked after staying up for the entire night. "Maybe you should hire a caretaker. They''re experienced in taking care of invalids." Louis nodded. "I''ve already told the nurse about that. The caretaker will be hereter. How is the investigation going back at home?" "All the antiques in the study were stolen. The thief was cunning enough to jam the signal of the security cameras, so the police haven''t found anything yet," Bianca said. Louis clenched his fists, and his expression sank. "I won''t forgive that thief!" Bianca had always seen Louis with a smile. He had never given her the impression that he had a temper. Seeing Louis''s gloomy expression, Bianca could tell that he was at his limit. After all, no parent was willing to see their child get hurt. Bianca could empathize with Louis as she held Luke''s hand tightly. As a parent, all they wanted to see was their children to grow up healthy and strong. They stayed in the ward until Yuri and Susan returned with Louis''s breakfast. Back in Johann''s office, Bianca saw that Lanie was sitting on the couch and reading a book with great interest. "What are you reading, Lanie?" She asked. Lanie lifted his head and replied, "Uncle Johann''s medical book." Bianca was surprised. Not even most adults could understand medical books, so how would the little boy understand? "What medical book is it?" Luke nced at the book curiously. The page that Lanie was on happened to be a case study with color photos. It was only a photo, but it was quite bloody for a child. Luke''s expression sank instantly and grabbed the book from Lanie''s hands. "Don''t look at that." Lanie did not understand. He thought that the book was quite interesting, even though he did not understand most of the words. "Why not, Daddy?" "It''s too gory. Children shouldn''t read these kinds of books." Luke tossed the book on Johann¡¯s desk and knocked over a pen holder. Johann wailed. "Oh, my book! Can''t you be a little more gentle to it?" Luke nced at him icily. "That gory book deserves to be burned." Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Johann carefully picked the book up and gently dusted the cover. It took him a lot of connections to find that book, and it was one of his most prized belongings. "I didn''t expect that you''d find it gory," he mocked, knowing that Luke was not that squeamish. It''s not good for children." Luke red at him. Lanie got a fever because of the traumatic scene the night before. Luke did not want his son to be traumatized again by the gory pictures. "Don''t underestimate your son''s mental fortitude. I thought he seemed quite interested," Johann said as he shed a smile at Lanie, "Isn''t that so, Lanie?" "I wasn''t, Uncle Johann." Lanie looked at his father. "Pah," Johann voiced his discontent. He handed Luke the bill and said," You can leave after you pay the bill." Luke took the bill, shot a warning nce at Johann, and took Lanie''s hand." Let''s go home.¡± "Alright, Daddy." Lanie jumped off the couch and wore hisshoes. "Sorry for the interruption, Doctor Johann." As Bianca was led out of the room, she turned around and apologized to Johann. Johann shook his head and wagged his hand, indicating that he did not mind it. After paying the bill, Luke drove the car back to Crawford Manor. When he stepped into the living room, he heard the technician from the securitypany say, "Right, just a little more. It''ll bepletely restored if we can fix this bit." Luke removed his jacket and went over. "Can you restore the footage?" The manager of the securitypany was very nervous when he saw Luke. "Yes, it can be restored," he replied courteously. "It''s taking too long." It had been six hours since the incident. If the thief wanted to escape, they would have already left A City, which made it more troublesome for him to hunt for the thief. The manager''s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly exined, "It shouldn''t have taken so long, but the signal jammer was ced too close to the cameras. I suspect that the jammer was ced somewhere in the mansion." Chapter 1004 Chapter 1004 The Signal Jammer Is in the Mansion Luke frowned, and his gaze turned sharp. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. If the signal jammer was in the mansion and close to the cameras, how did the thief manage to sneak it in? Bianca noticed the grim expression on her husband''s face and could guess that he was thinking about the incident. She did not want to disturb him, so she said softly, "I''ll bring Lanie upstairs." "Mm. I''ll get the caretaker to bring breakfast upstairster." Luke kissed her forehead and went to the couch. Bianca held Lanie''s hand and said softly, "Let''s go upstairs." "Alright, Mommy." Lanie still looked a little weak. The two of them went up the stairs. After seeing his wife and son go up the stairs, Luke went into the kitchen to tell the caretaker to prepare breakfast for them, then walked around the living room. "Why are you so sure?" "It''s like this, Mr. Crawford. The technicians have managed to restore the footage from outside the mansion, but they haven''t managed to do so for the footage within the mansion. The footage gets harder to restore the closer it is to the signal jammer, so the only exnation is that the signal jammer had been ced inside the mansion. Also, we''ve found out that all the cameras were disrupted at the same time, but the intensities were different. It means that the signal jammer remained a constant distance to the cameras," the manager of the securitypany exined. Luke instantly understood that the thief did not bring the signal jammer in. All evidence pointed to the fact that someone had ced the signal jammer in the mansion in advance. "Mr. Griffin," he called out. "Yes, Sir," the butler stepped up to Luke and waited for orders. "Have there been any strangers in the house? Including maintenance workers and others," Luke asked. "There were no strangers in the house recently, Sir. There are also no utility maintenance records either," the butler replied. "Are you sure?" Luke nced at him. "Yes, I am sure, Sir. Thest scheduled maintenance to the electrical systems was six months ago. There were a few minor repairs after that, but the most recent one was five months ago. I have recorded them in a notebook," the butler said determinedly. "Give me the notebook." Luke did not want to forgo any leads. If the signal jammer had been installed beforehand, everyone who stepped in or out of the mansion was a suspect. He would have to investigate them all. The butler handed him the notebook. Luke flipped through the pages and asked, "Is the signal jammer found?" "No. We''ve tried to detect it with specialized equipment, but we didn''t find anything. The thief must have brought it away when they left,¡± the manager replied. Luke frowned. "If he took it away and the signal jammer wasn''t turned off, the effects should be seen in the disrupted footage, right?" "Yes, but he might have done something..." the manager exined. "What is it?" Luke was relentless in his questioning. "The technology is already avable overseas, but we''ll still have to investigate thoroughly before reaching a conclusion." The manager was already breaking out in a sweat from the questioning. "If the technology exists, then you can''t say that the signal jammer is in the house." Luke closed the notebook after finding no one suspicious. "Well..." The manager was at a loss for words. "The signal jammer is in the house. Find it whatever it takes," Luke ordered. The manager was at his wit''s end. If the technicians could not find the signal jammer with their most sophisticated equipment, what else could he do? He could not afford to offend the Crawfords. Their reputation would be affected if they did not solve the problem. "Alright, we''ll do a thorough search again," the manager could only promise that. Luke handed the notebook to the butler. "Give me a copy of all the details inside." "Yes, Sir." The butler went away with the notebook. Allison came down the stairs. She was flustered when she saw the technicians that were still there. She had been eavesdropping on the situation downstairs and knew that they had restored the security footage in the garden. If they were lucky, they would restore the security in the living room too. If that were the case... Allison became afraid. She decided to go to the bankter to transfer the money to Jon, then tell him not to fence the stolen antiques first. "You''re back, Luke," she said. She stole a nce at the technician''sputer and could only see static. "Mm." Luke nodded. His eyes were transfixed on theputer screen, which only made the technician even more nervous. "Is Lanie feeling better?" Allison asked out of concern. "His fever has subsided. He''s resting upstairs now." Luke did not look at her. Allison pretended to look relieved. "That''s good to know. Whatever happenedst night, I didn''t sleep well because of it. I''m going home." Luke did not stop her. However, the manager of the securitypany said, '' Please wait a moment, Madam." Allison''s heart skipped a beat. She turned around and pretended to look impatient. "What is it?" The manager knew that she was Luke''s mother. After all, her tantrum toward the public during T Corporation''s crisis was all over the papers. "Madam, when we checked the footage before the incident, we found that you were in the living room. I¡¯d like to ask if you noticed anything strange. It''s a very small item, something the size of a wireless headset or a security camera." Allison''s heart was beating very fast when she heard those questions. She barely managed to hold her composure. "What do you mean? Are you suspecting that I¡¯ve done something in my own house?" "No, please don''t be mistaken. I''m only asking if you had seen something like a signal jammer," the manager replied with a smile, trying to be as courteous as possible. They suspected that the jammer was located within the house, but they could not find it. They might as well ask her. "No, no, why would I have seen it? How strange. Are you suspecting that I''m the one who installed the signal jammer?" Allison''s voice became louder to hide her anxiety. "We wouldn''t dare to do that. Just asking." The manager was wondering why Allison was giving him such a hard time. Allison grunted coldly. She noticed that Luke''s expression did not change, which meant that he probably did not suspect anything. "If I knew anything, then there''s no need for you or the police. The audacity! " She mocked. After that, she turned around and left the house. Luke frowned as he looked at his mother''s back. Even if she might be offended, Luke thought that she was overreacting. "I didn''t mean to suspect your mother, Mr. Crawford," the manager exined. Chapter 1005 Chapter 1005 Nearly Exposed Herself "Mm." Luke turned his gaze back to theputer screen and took out a name card. "Send to my email the restored footage as well as the footage before and after the incident." "Yes, I''ll do that right away." The manager replied and handed the name card to his subordinate. "Send the clips earlier to this email address." "Yes." Luke received an email notification on his phone. He added, "Inform the butler if there¡¯s any new information." Then, he went up the stairs. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The manager watched Luke go up and said to his subordinates, "Keep working, stop daydreaming." Upstairs, Luke saw Bianca and Lanie eating their breakfast in the second- floor hall. "Are the things downstairs settled?" Bianca handed him a bowl of lukewarm oatmeal. "Here, have some oatmeal." "They haven''t restored the footage." Luke sat down next to her. He could feel through the bowl that the temperature of the oatmeal was just nice for him, so he took a big gulp. "We should give them some more time," Bianca said. "Mm," Luke said and ate a slice of wholemeal bread. Lanie did not have an appetite for food. After finishing a small bowl of oatmeal, he said, "I''m done, Mommy." Bianca handed him a napkin. "Wipe your mouth, then take your medicine." "Thank you, Mommy." Lanie wiped his mouth, then swallowed the medicine that Johann gave him. Bianca was relieved that her son did notin even though the medicine was bitter. She wanted to tell him that he did not need to act so maturely. His parents were behind him. "I''m done," Lanie said and gulped down another mouthful of water to flush away the bitter aftertaste. I''ve already called your homeroom teacher. Take a nap after this, alright?" Bianca said to him gently. Earlier, during breakfast, Lanie said that he wanted to go to school. He thought that he had felt better after the medicine, and he would be bored if he stayed at home anyway. "Alright, Mommy," he said. Bianca saw that Luke had finished his oatmeal anddled another bowl for him. "This one''s warmer. Eat it slowly." Luke was moved when he thought that Bianca had cooled down the earlier bowl for him. "Alright." Seeing that his parents were getting all lovey-dovey, Lanie knew that it was time to give them some personal space. "I''m getting a little sleepy. I''ll be taking a nap in my room." "Mm. Remember to use the nket," Bianca said. "Do you want some more bread?" "Nah. I''d rather eat your cooking." Luke shook his head, finished the oatmeal, put the bowl on the table, and looked at her. "I want to drink the coffee you make, Bea." He had stayed up the entire night, and he would be studying the security footageter. He needed the coffee to keep himself awake. "Alright. I''ll make it for you now." Bianca stacked up the bowls and brought the tray downstairs. The cook took the tray from her hands. "Let me do it, Ma''am." "Alright. Where do you keep the coffee beans at home?" Bianca was not too familiar with theyout of the kitchen in Crawford Manor. It''s in the first drawer of the white cab. Do you want coffee?" The cook asked. "I''m making a cup for Luke." Bianca opened the drawer and saw the pack of coffee beans inside. She took out the beans and the necessary equipment to grind the beans. She made several more cups of coffee. After pouring one for Luke, she told the cook, "Bring these to the people in the living room." The technicians had stayed up the entire night restoring the footage. They should also be tired by now. The cook nodded and smiled. "You''re so kind, Ma''am." "It''s nothing." Bianca knew that they were working very hard. A hot drink might make them feel better. That was why she made a few more cups of coffee. She took the cup upstairs and opened the door to the study. Luke was sitting in front of the desk and looking intently at hisputer screen. "Luke?" Bianca called out softly and ced the cup on the table. The aroma of the coffee filled the entire room. Luke inhaled deeply and enjoyed the smell. "What are you looking at?" Bianca nced at theputer screen curiously. The footage was paused, and the person on the screen was Allison. "I''m reviewing the footage for any clues." Luke minimized the window. Bianca did not know how badly the signal was jammed. "Was that Mom earlier?" "Mm." Luke nodded and opened his mailbox. Bianca did not want to disturb him. "I''ll leave you to your work. I''ll check on Lanie in his room." After the incident, she was not in the mood to return to herpany today. She had told Sue that she would be taking care of Lanie for the rest of the day. "Thank you, Bea." Luke held her hand and kissed it. Bianca smiled and left the room. Meanwhile, after Allison left Crawford Manow, she drove to a river. The questions from the manager of the securitypany had nearly exposed her. She would have been caught if she did not manage to keep herposure. She took out the button-sized signal jammer from her handbag, opened the car window, and tossed it in the river. She did not linger there for too long. She drove to the bank, withdrew two hundred thousand dors from her credit card, put it in her handbag, and gave a phone call to Jon. "Where are you now?" She sounded anxious and angry. Jon gave her an address. Allison drove toward the given address using GPS navigation. She arrived in front of an alley, and the car could not go in. She parked the car at the roadside, took her handbag, and went in. The house at the end of the alley was the address provided by Jon. Allison knocked on the door. After a while, Jon opened the door. "You''re here." Allison looked to her left and right guiltily, saw that no one was following her, and dashed into the house. Once the door was closed, she instantly shrieked at Jon, "What''s wrong with you? Didn''t I say that you shouldn''t injure anyone?'' "That girl appeared in front of me suddenly, and I only hit her out of instinct. How else am I going to get away if I didn''t hit her?" Jon exined. " Is the girl dead yet?'' Allison thought that Jon''s exnation made sense. After all, she was not too bothered because her precious grandchildren were unharmed. "She''s not dead. They managed to save her. The situation is tense now. You should go andy low elsewhere." Jon looked into his house and shook his head. "I''m not going anywhere." "Aren''t you worried that you might get arrested?" Allison red at him. If he was arrested, she would be implicated too. "I''m worried, but if I leave, what should I do with these antiques? I''ve already contacted the buyer, and we can get the money in two days at most," Jon said greedily. He was willing to take big risks as long as money was involved. Chapter 1006 Chapter 1006 We Need A Professional Allison could tell that Jon was thinking about money. She was worried that trouble would follow once the antiques entered the ck market. She said, "No, you can''t do that now. Old Master Crawford is very angry that you hurt his precious great-granddaughter, and he''ll find out that you stole the antique if you release them into the ck market now. Also, your jammer is useless. They''re restoring the footage, and I don''t know if you''ve managed to sneak in undetected. No, you''ll have to leave A City andy low fora while." Jon frowned. Things were not thatplicated when he first epted the job! "I don''t have money now. I''ll only have the money to run away after I sell the antiques," he said while lighting up a cigarette, indicating that he was not going anywhere. Allison took out a fat stack of banknotes from her handbag and handed it to him. "Here''s two hundred thousand dors. I''ve withdrawn this from my credit card. Deduct this from your pay that I''ve promised you, and we''ll split the rest after you''ve sold the antiques." Jon''s eyes widened when he saw the money, though he was not quite satisfied because the amount was less than what Allison had promised him. "That''s not going to be enough. What if you go back on your word? I''d rather keep the antiques with me." Allison red at him. ''What a greedy man!¡¯ "Isn''t this enough for you? If I had money, I wouldn''t have hired you to steal the antiques! Don''t worry, I''ll keep to my word. Ever since you stepped into Crawford Manor, we''ve been on the same boat. I won''t be so stupid as to betray you. Take the money, buy a ticket, and leave A City now," she said as she stuffed the money into his hands. Then, she went further into the house and inspected the antiques. She was satisfied that Jon knew the worth of the antiques. He had made sure that all the antiques were not damaged while he was escaping. Jon blew a smoke ring. "What do you think? I took anything that wasn''t bolted down." "Not bad. Pack them up again and bring them to my car. I want to lock them in the safe of my mansion. After things have died down a bit,e back and help me sell the antiques," Allison said with satisfaction. She was also in dire need of money, but she had to be patient. She still had a hundred thousand dors on her credit card. That would barelyst her until she got the dividends from T Corporation. Jon deftly repackaged the antiques and stuffed them into a sack. Allison opened the door, looked to her left and right to see that there was no one around, and quickly stepped out of Jon''s house. Jon carried the sack and ced it in Allison''s car boot. Seeing that she was quite generous, he said, "Let me give you a word of warning, Ma''am. You should be wary of Elsa and Elise. Don''t ever let them see these antiques." "What about them?" Allison asked curiously. However, she was not nning to show the antiques to the sisters anyway. The fewer people who knew about it, the better. "They''re not good people." Jon leaned on Allison''s car and lit another cigarette. "They say birds of a feather flock together, and I''m friends with them. Don''t fall for their lies, Madam." Allison frowned. The sun was getting hotter, and her skin could not take it." I know. You''d better not linger here for too long either. Also, don''t brag about what you''ve done. I don''t want a third person to know about this." "Of course. I''m not an idiot." Jon stubbed out the cigarette. Allison drove the car away. Before she returned to the mansion, she made up an excuse so that Elsa and Elise vacated the ce. She felt a lot more relieved after storing all the antiques in her safe. Crawford Manor was brightly lit at night. The technicians from the securitypany were still trying their best to restore the footage. The restoration process was at itsst step. After seeing that the footage was ying normally, the technicians breathed a sigh of relief. Luke nced at the screen. The footage was ck-and-white because all the lights were off. The thief seemed to know where the cameras were, though he could not avoid being captured in the frame when he walked up the stairs. "Zoom into that person''s face," he ordered. The technician did what was told. The image was blurry, and the man was wearing a bva. There were no distinguishing features. "We''ve tried our best. This is as much as we can restore," the manager exined. The day had been much more taxing than the entire past year. The quality of the restored footage was not up to par, and the signal jammer seemed to have vanished. "Send the footage to my email," Luke said sullenly. "Yes." The manager breathed a sigh of relief and forwarded the footage to Luke''s email. After the people from the securitypany left, Crawford Manor was silent once more. Luke sat in the living room, cast the footage onto the television, and reyed it continuously. Bianca brought over a cup of floral tea and some desserts and ced them on the coffee table. "You didn''t eat too much at dinnertime. Do you want a snack?" Luke''s heart warmed when he saw the swirling steam from the cup of tea. He lowered his head and kissed her. "Thank you, Bea." "No, thank you." Bianca blushed slightly. Even Old Master Crawford had retired to his bedroom after the long day. Only Luke remained in the living room reying the footage trying to look for clues. Bianca had also seen the footage. The thief was very careful, as though he had an insider. They could not discern anything from the footage. Bianca nced at the television and saw the part where the thief went up the stairs. "That''s strange," she said while furrowing her brows. "Why do you say that?" Luke was slowly chewing on a tart. He wanted to know what Bianca thought. "The thief managed to evade all the cameras, as though he''s very familiar with theyout of the house. However, he stumbled when he was climbing up the stairs, which means that he''s not familiar with the house at all. If he managed to avoid all the cameras, it meant that someone must have told him their locations..." Bianca said. Luke had suspected that the thief hade to the mansion before. However, he soon rejected that thought. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. If that person had onlye once, he would not have been able to spot all the cameras at one nce. The guess was more usible if that person hade to the mansion many times and recorded down the location of the cameras. "You''re right." Luke looked appreciatively at Bianca. Most people would only notice where the thief was going, but they would not notice that the thief stumbled slightly after stepping up the staircase. He must have thought that there was another step. "If you can''t see his face or body, it must be hard to investigate." Bianca frowned and continued to rey the footage. The footage was blurry, and none of the thief''s features could be identified. "That''s why well need a professional." Luke opened the chatting application on hisptop. Chapter 1007 Chapter 1007 Giving Her An Opportunity Luke opened a chat window for Gordan and sent a video chat request. "Are you thinking of asking Gordan for help?" Bianca was surprised when she saw that. "Isn''t he in Moscow?" "It doesn''t matter where he is as long as he agrees to it." Luke leaned against the couch and held Bianca''s hand. Gordan soon epted the request. He made an exaggerated expression to the camera. "Oh, long time no see! I didn''t expect that you''d be looking for me. You''re here too, Sis. Do you miss me?" "There''s serious business," Luke said brusquely and made his intention known. Gordan raised an eyebrow. He saw Luke and Bianca were holding hands and mocked them, "I didn''t expect that you''d be asking for my help! Also, can you two not be so lovey-dovey all the time?" Luke was not going to beat around the bush with Gordan. He said," Someone stole some things from Crawford Manor. Help me find the thief." "Who would be so daring?" Gordan stretched his limbszily. "Give me whatever information you have on him, and I''ll be on his trail.¡± Luke tapped his phone several times and said, "It''s in your email." "Mmhm." Gordan briefly checked it. '' No problem, I''ve received it. What did the thief steal that you''d require my help?" "My grandfather''s antiques. Also, he injured Louis''s daughter." Luke''s expression was gloomy when he said that. "So you didn''t lose anything. In any case, I''ve been feeling bored, and I don''t mind making a trip there. You''d better book a nice hotel for me," Gordan said happily and whistled. Vivian happened to enter the room with a cup of coffee when she heard that. She became anxious because she thought that Gordan was going to leave her. "Are you leaving, Gordan? Where are you going?" Gordan''s expression instantly sank when he heard Vivian''s voice. He red at the woman sullenly and asked, "Why didn''t you knock on the door before youe in?" "The door was open," Vivian exined sheepishly. She had rushed into his room because she was too worried. Bianca overheard the conversation and said, "Is that Vivian? Gordan, can I chat with her for a while?" Gordan saw that Vivian was about to cry. He stood up and said brusquely," Come here. Sis wants to talk to you." Vivian was still holding on to the cup of coffee. She felt quite sad that Gordan was so angry just because she did not knock on the door. When Gordan walked past her, she handed the cup of coffee to him. "This is the coffee you wanted, Gordan." Gordan felt uneasy when he saw how lowly she was when she handed the coffee to him, as though his heart was pricked by a few needles. He took the cup of coffee and left the room. "Don''t mess up my desk!" "I won''t." Vivian tiptoed over, stood in front of theputer, and gingerly bent over. "Good evening, Luke and Bianca." Luke looked at Vivian and nodded. "You two go ahead and chat." "Mm." Bianca noticed that Vivian did not sit on the chair next to her. Instead, she stood there while bent over, which seemed quite tiring. "Isn''t it tiring to bend over like that? Why don''t you sit down?" She suggested. She could tell that Vivian was being considerate, and she thought that Gordan was in the wrong for speaking so rudely to her. "It''s fine. I''m not tired." Vivian was worried that Gordan might be repulsed if she sat in his chair. She had identally sat on his bed once. That night, he had a new bed delivered, and the old one was tossed at thendfill. "You don¡¯t have to be afraid. It''s hard for us to chat like that. Please sit, Vivian. You''re not dirty." Bianca''s heart wrenched when she saw how lowly she behaved. Vivian carefully sat down at the edge of the chair. If she sat on the entire seat, Gordan might find out that the seat was warm. Bianca thought that Gordan had worn away Vivian''s confidence. Otherwise, she would not have behaved like that. "Vivian, Gordan ising to A City tomorrow to investigate something. How about youe along too? Treat it as a vacation." Bianca said. A sparkle appeared in Vivian''s eyes, but she became dejected again when she thought of Gordan. "Gordan won''t let me go, Bianca." "You don''t need his approval; he''s not your boss. I''m the one who''s inviting you, isn''t it?" Bianca said. Vivian wanted to go, but she was apprehensive. She was used to Gordan looking at her with disgust, but her heart ached whenever she saw those eyes. "Don''t you want to spend more time with Gordan?" Bianca asked. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "I want to," Vivian replied immediately. That was the only question she could answer without hesitation. "That settles it then. I''ll book tickets for you and Gordan, and the two of you cane together. Also, I miss you, and Tommy misses you too," Bianca said decisively. "Thank you, Sis." Vivian was truly grateful. She knew that Bianca wanted to give her an opportunity to be together with Gordan. "Right. I''m not going to tell Gordan. Try to pretend that nothing happened. It''ll be toote when he gets on the ne." Bianca had a crafty idea. If Gordan did not want to be with his wife, then Bianca would find her the chance. "I know, Sis." Vivian nodded. She decided to do as she was told so that the n would be a sess. After the call ended, Bianca went upstairs and found Luke in the study. "Are you done chatting?" Luke beckoned at her when he saw her enter through the door. Bianca went over, sat on hisp, and nodded. "Yes. I''ve also done something of my own ord." "Let me guess?" Luke smiled and said. I''ll let you guess." Bianca grinned as she touched his chin. There was a slight stubble which made it quite pleasing to the touch. "You invited Vivian toe along." Luke guessed it correctly on his first guess. He knew that she could not bear to see Vivian being left alone. "How did you know?" Bianca''s grin grew wider. She tried to pinch his cheek, but his cheeks were quite thin anyway. "We''re husband and wife. Of course I know what you''re thinking." Luke took his phone. "I''ll book their flights for them." "Alright," Bianca smiled and said, "But don''t tell Gordan about that. I''m afraid that he might leave Vivian behind." "Mm." Luke nodded and booked two tickets. He sent one of them to Gordan and the other to Vivian. Soon, he received a message from Gordan. [You bought tickets for me too? Not bad. Remember to book a six-star hotel for me. I''m not used to staying in anything less.] Chapter 1008 Chapter 1008 He Did Not Appreciate Being Threatened Bianca grinned craftily when she saw the message. "How about getting him a presidential suite? That should be enough for the two of them." "Alright." Luke knew that he could not force Gordan to like Vivian, but getting them a presidential suite was a good idea. It was up to Gordan if he wanted to stay there. Susan came in through the door and saw Luke and Bianca sitting together intimately. She frowned and said anxiously, "Luke, have you found out who hurt Thea?" "Not yet." Luke was not ashamed of disying his love for Bianca to other people, so he stayed in the same pose. Susan saw that the two were not anxious at all, and her tone of voice instantly became shrill. "I can''t believe that you still have the leisure to cuddle with your wife, Luke! Have you spared a thought for Louis? You''ll have to find the culprit as soon as you can. That''s your grandfather''s orders! She thought that she could intimidate Luke by bringing out his grandfather''s name. The atmosphere became tense immediately after she said that. Luke furrowed his brows impatiently. He did not appreciate being threatened. He and Louis were brothers, and he wanted to find the culprit as soon as possible. He was also quite annoyed that he had no leads to the culprit yet. Moreover, he and Bianca were married. There was nothing wrong with them cuddling. Bianca knew that Susan did not mean it; she was probably too anxious about Thea. Bianca wanted to stand up, but Luke hugged her waist tightly. He red coldly at Susan at the door and said, "I will find the culprit that hurt Thea, but I don''t like other people telling me what to do." Susan was startled, then she became furious. Louis and Yuri were in the hospital taking care of their daughter, while Luke and Bianca were cuddling in the study, and their children were safe and sound. She was quite indignant when she thought of that. Why was Thea the one injured and not Rainie? Susan wanted to assert her authority as Luke''s elder, but she lost her confidence when her eyes met with Luke''s ice-cold gaze. She could not afford to offend Luke. Luke might not help her if he got angry, and the culprit who injured Thea would get away with it. Susan hated Luke thoroughly. She would not have asked for Luke''s help if not that Louis was incapable of anything. She grunted coldly and left the room. Bianca looked at Luke worriedly. "It won''t be good if Grandpa hears of what you said earlier." Old Master Crawford also hoped that the case could be solved soon, not for his antiques but for Thea. Luke gently caressed Bianca''s hair, not worried that Susan would tattle on him. "Grandfather only wants results. He''s not too concerned about the process." Bianca sighed. The politics in the Crawford household was moreplicated than she thought. The enmity from the previous generation had been passed down to the next one. No wonder Lanie and Rainie were much more mature than other children of their age. "Do you have any other work?" Bianca nced at the time on theptop. It was already veryte. "No." Luke let go of her. Bianca stood up and said, "If there''s nothing else, let''s go to bed. T Corporation is holding its shareholders'' meeting soon, isn''t it? You''ll be very busy." She was worried about Luke. The next night, Luke and Bianca met up with Gordan and Vivian at A City International Airport. Gordan''s expression was iparably foul. Behind him was Vivian, who was pushing their luggage on a cart. Bianca frowned when she saw the petite woman pushing the big luggage cart. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "You deceived me!" Gordan roared at Luke when he got close. It was only when the airne took off that Gordan realized that Vivian was sitting next to him. She had covered her face in case Gordan recognized her. The airne had already taken off, so he could not get off, and no one wanted to change seats with him. Vivian stared at him for the entire ten- hour flight. Luke smiled and did not deny it. Bianca crossed her arms and said, "I was the one who invited Vivian." "Sis, you..." Gordan was at a loss for words. Did the two women conspire? He should not have allowed Bianca to talk to Vivian. "Why can''t Viviane to A City? She''s not a criminal, and she shouldn''t be locked up in Moscow," Bianca said. She went over and helped Vivian with the luggage cart. "Let me help you, Vivian." Gordan frowned. "Let her do it, Sis. She''s strong enough." Vivian also nodded. "It''s fine. Let me do it." She was happy to be able to do something for Gordan. Even though she was tired, she did not comin. Bianca furrowed her brows. She was not going to let Vivian do all the work. "I don''t care if someone here isn''t a gentleman, but you can''t ask me to ignore you." Gordan blushed intensely when he heard that. He was a gentleman, but only to certain women. Bianca was Luke''s beloved wife, and Gordan was not going to let her do the work. He sheepishly took the luggage cart from Vivian''s hands. "Let me do it." Vivian shook her head. "I can''t let you do that!" To her, Gordan was her precious treasure. He should not do menial work such as that. Bianca felt sorry for Vivian because she would do all that for Gordan. She held Vivian''s hand and said, "You should let men do that." Vivian nced at her, then at Luke. "Would Luke do that for you?" "Of course." Bianca nced at Luke. Luke would never let her do any heavy work, even if she wanted to do it herself. Vivian was envious of Bianca but did not say anything. "I''ll send you two to the hotel," Luke said. "Thanks, Luke." Vivian smiled shyly. She would be grateful if Gordan showed her half the care that Luke showed her. Gordan remained angry as he pushed the cart to the parking lot and ced the luggage in Luke¡¯s car boot. Luke drove them to the six-star hotel. He had already informed the front desk in advance. When he parked the car, the manager came out and greeted them warmly. "Wee, Mr. and Mrs. Crawford. Are they your guests who will be staying with us?" "Mm." Luke pressed a button on the remote control and opened the boot. Gordan knew that he was going to be the one to take the luggage out of the boot. Once did so, several porters came to carry the luggage away. "Is the suite ready?" Luke asked. "Yes, it is prepared ording to your instructions," the manager said. "Mm." Luke turned around to look coldly at Gordan. "I''ve already checked you in. Let''s go up." Chapter 1009 Chapter 1009 Standing on His Wife''s Side Gordan looked at him. "Aren''t you going up?" "It''s alreadyte. Our children are waiting for us at home." Luke felt blissful as he looked at Bianca. Gordan cringed whenever Luke acted lovey-dovey. He shuddered, clicked his tongue, and said, "Alright. I''ll go and look for you at your office tomorrow." He was on a vacation, but he would rather keep himself upied with work so that Vivian would not bother him. "Mm." Luke and Bianca got in the car. While Luke reversed the car, Bianca could not help but smile as she watched Gordan and Vivian go into the hotel. "Do you think that Gordan will call you?" "Yes, he will,'' Luke said confidently. He had not driven for half a mile when his phone began to ring. He answered it and turned on the speaker. "#%$#%$% you! Why did you only get one room for Vivian and me?" Gordan was blurting curses over the phone. When the hotel manager brought him and Vivian to the suite and gave them two ess cards, he realized that Luke had tricked him once again. "It''s a suite. It has two rooms," Luke reminded him. "It''s still the same room!" Ray was forced to live with Vivian in Moscow. Now that he had a chance to get away from her, they ended up in the same room again! i He wanted a paradise of his own! "I''ve already booked a suite for you. I don''t really care if you want to stay in it," Luke said. Gordan was exasperated. "Why are you so stingy now? It doesn''t cost you too much to book another room for me!" Luke stopped at the traffic light and nced at Bianca sitting next to him. She had already doubled over withughter from their conversation. "I need money to raise my kids." Luke lied tantly. If Bianca wanted to give Vivian an opportunity, he would side with her. "You''ve gone too far, Luke. I''ll book a room for myself!" Gordan thought that he could mooch a vacation off Luke, but Luke had tricked him instead. When he was about to end the call, he heard Luke say, "I''ve already told the staff of the hotel not to rent another room to you." "You..." Gordan did not expect that he would do that. "It''s not just this hotel, but every five and six-star hotel in A City," Luke told him in case he would make a trip in vain. Gordan had set a very high standard for himself. He would not stay in anything less than a five-star hotel. "This is too much. I¡¯m here to help you, but you treat me like an idiot. I quit. " Gordan ended the call angrily. Bianca could notugh anymore. She was worried that Gordan would not help them, and Luke would be even busier. "Is Gordan really angry?" She asked worriedly. "He''s just saying." Luke knew Gordan''s character very well. He was not worried that Gordan would not help him. Bianca sighed. She did not understand. "Vivian is a good person. I don''t know why Gordan is so repulsed by her." Luke looked at her furrowed brows and said, "Bea, do you know that all my friends have the same question after they see you for the first time?" Bianca was curious. "What is it?" "Why I would choose you to be my wife." Luke stepped on the gas pedal as the traffic light turned green. "Knowing my character, they thought that I''d want a strong or aggressive woman as my wife, not someone gentle and apparently harmless like you." Initially, Bianca had the same thought too. She did not expect that Luke would take an interest in her. "I''d agree with your friends." "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I like you, and I couldn''t care less about anyone else," Luke said truthfully. "It''s the same for Gordan and Vivian. This is as much as we should get involved in their business. Anything else is up to them." Bianca nodded in understanding. The next day, Luke went to work early in the morning. Bianca left Tommy in the babysitter''s care and sent Rainie and Lanie to school. After that, she sent Sue a message, telling her that she would not be in thepany in the morning. She wanted to spend some time with Vivian. After all, she was the one who had extended the invitation. Gordan was at T Corporation, so she would y Vivian''s host for the day. Bianca drove to the hotel, then gave Vivian a call. Soon, Vivian arrived at the lobby. Bianca opened the door and waved at her. Vivian smiled and came over to her. "Good morning, Sis." "Good morning. Have you had breakfast?" Bianca smiled at her. Vivian might be shockingly ugly, but Bianca was used to seeing her face. "I haven''t." Vivian smiled awkwardly. She had ordered breakfast for Gordan, but Gordan was a picky eater and threw everything away, including hers. That was why she had not eaten. Bianca opened the side passenger door. "Come, let''s go to eat something local." "You don''t have to do this for me, Sis." Vivian was worried that she might be imposing on her. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Vivian, you''ve taken good care of us when we were in Moscow. Now that you''re in A City, allow me to be your host." Bianca knew that Vivian did not like troubling others, so she tried to make her at ease. "Sorry to trouble you." Vivian was convinced and got into the car. Bianca went to a popr breakfast cafe in A City. It was already past the morning rush hour, so the cafe was rtively empty except for some retired people. Vivian attracted a lot of attention when she stepped into the cafe. She instinctively lowered her head when she noticed that the people were staring at her. Bianca sat her down at a corner table and handed her a menu. Thinking that she might not be familiar with the food, she exined every item to her. "Shall I rmend something for you?" "You don''t have to do that, Sis. I''ll eat whatever you eat." Vivian was not very used to hospitality. They sat facing the wall, so she could not see the faces of the people staring at her. Bianca insisted on exining the items to her. Eventually, Vivian ordered several items that seemed nice. After the waiter took their order, Bianca poured a ss of soy milk for her." I don''t know if you''re used to soy milk, but it''s the beverage of choice here. It''s not too different from milk.'' Vivian took a sip and smiled. "This is delicious. It''s fragrant and sweet. Thank you, Sis.'' "You''re wee." Bianca took a sip of her soy milk and noticed the eyebags under Vivian''s eyes. "Didn''t you sleep wellst night?¡± Chapter 1010 Chapter 1010 Leia Was Too Vain Vivian smiled awkwardly. "I wasn''t used to the bed..." "Was the bedfortable?" Bianca asked out of concern. "It wasfortable. There''s no problem with it." Vivian was worried that Bianca might switch hotels for her, so she added, "I''ll get used to it in another day or two." She did not want to be separated from Gordan, and she woke up very early in the morning so that she could look at him first thing in the morning. Bianca knew what she was thinking and nodded. "That''s good to hear. Right, did Gordan do something to you after he ended the callst night?" Vivian''s smile froze on her face. Gordan did not want to be alone with her. After the callst night, he tried to rent another room from the hotel manager. The hotel manager told him that the hotel was fully upied. After that, he yelled at Vivian in the suit, telling her not toe out of her room if there was nothing urgent. Then, he took his suitcase, entered one of the rooms, and locked the door. "Vivian?" Bianca held her hand. Vivian came to her senses and shook her head. "It''s nothing, Sis." Seeing that she did not say anything, Bianca did not say anything either. Breakfast was served, and the two people ate slowly. After that, Bianca paid the bill and nned to bring her around the city. Vivian said that she wanted to go to the shopping mall. She had only brought long-sleeved clothing, but the weather in A City was warmer than she thought. Bianca brought her to the biggest shopping mall in A City, usually frequented by the wealthy and influential. The people that could be seen there were either wives and daughters of tycoons or white- cor workers who were working hard. The shopping mall was seven stories tall. Each floor carried luxury brands from all over the world. Bianca had noticed that Vivian''s clothing was mostly Chanel, so she said," The Chanel gship store is on the seventh floor. Shall we go up using the ss elevator?" Vivian nodded, secretly impressed by Bianca''s meticulousness. They took the ss elevator to the seventh floor. When the doors opened, Bianca was surprised to see Leia standing outside. "Leia?" Bianca stepped out of the elevator and noticed the shopping bags resting next to Leia''s feet. Leia was also surprised to see Bianca at the mall. She could not help but be sarcastic. "Oh? I didn''t expect that you''d be shopping for fashion. Are you trying to shed your diligent and frugal housewife image?" Leia had been staying at home preparing for her uing wedding, and Queenie would always nag her whenever she had the time. She instructed Leia how to be a good housewife after marriage and even told her to learn from Bianca. Leia was extremely annoyed by the nagging. When she saw Bianca, she was reminded of how Queenie had praised her, which made her extremely jealous. Bianca frowned, wondering why Leia was being so sarcastic. Looking at her bulging stomach, Bianca decided not to argue with her. "I''m here to buy clothes with my friend." Leia only noticed Vivian by then. She was shocked by Vivian''s ugly face and took two steps backward. "Are you doing this on purpose, Bianca? Why would you scare me with such an ugly woman?" Bianca''s expression darkened slightly when she heard that injuriousment. Luckily, Vivian was not very good at English, so she did not understand. "I don''t think Vivian is scary, and we wouldn''t have known that you''d be here shopping either. Also, watch yournguage. Prenatal education is important, and you''ll leave a negative impression on your child." "Your ugly friend will leave a negative impression on my child." Leia nced disgustedly at Vivian. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Bianca was furious. She wanted to bring Vivian away when Charmaine came over carrying shopping bags. "I''m done, Leia." Leia turned around and said impatiently, "What took you so long?" "It''s because I care about you. As your bridesmaid, I want to be at my best." Charmaine smiled as she handed over a credit card. Leia had invited Charmaine to be her bridesmaid, and they were shopping for her clothes. Charmaine did not have to pay a single cent. The credit card was Brody''s supplementary card. Leia kept it away and said, "Are you sure you''ve bought everything then? You''d better not embarrass me." "I''ve bought everything I want. Of course, I won''t hold back since you and your husband are paying." Indeed, Charmaine did not spare any expense. Other than buying the clothes and essories for her bridesmaid duty, she also bought two sets of Gi clothing and footwear. She knew that Leia would be too vain to ask her about it. Leia was quite satisfied with her reply. She wanted to brag to Bianca but realized that Bianca had already gone far away. "Was that your elder sister?¡± Charmaine asked. Leia was unhappy when Charmaine mentioned Bianca. "Don''t just stand there. Carry my bags for me," she said. Charmaine nodded and obediently picked up the shopping bags next to Leia''s feet. After Bianca and Vivian went far away, Vivian asked, "Who was that earlier, Sis?" She did not quite understand what Leia was saying, but she could tell that the woman was not being friendly to her. "She''s my mother¡¯s adoptive daughter," Bianca replied. "She''s your younger sister?" Vivian was even more surprised. Bianca was refined and friendly, so Vivian expected that her parents were good educators. However, she did not have a good impression of Leia and did not expect that Bianca and Leia were from the same family. "Mm.¡± Bianca nodded and admitted to it. Vivian did not say anything. They went into the Chanel gship store. Vivian picked out some incolored summer clothes. Those clothes looked nice, but Bianca thought that they were too in." Vivian, with your skin type, you should look beautiful in patterned clothes. Don''t you find in-colored clothes boring?" Vivian smiled. "I like in-colored clothes." She used to own several patterned clothes, but Gordan did not like her wearing them. He said that ugly women should not try to stand out. Eventually, she only had in-colored clothes left in her wardrobe. Bianca shook her head. She picked out two patterned dresses and asked the sales clerk to take Vivian¡¯s measurements. "Sis?" Vivian was confused. "You have a good figure, and you should look good in these dresses. The dresses are my present for you." Vivian might not have a beautiful face, but she had an excellent figure which could even be described as voluptuous. It was not any worse than a model. "I can''t ept your presents, Sis." Vivian seemed flustered. "I insist," Bianca said. "Luke is looking for Gordan for help, and Gordan didn''t mention anything about payment. They''re friends, and they''re helping each other. You''re Gordan¡¯s wife, and you''ve helped us greatly before. I''d like to show some appreciation to you." Vivian was touched by Bianca''s hospitality and epted the gift. Chapter 1011 Chapter 1011 To Bring Down Bianca Meanwhile, Leia stepped out of the elevator and turned around to urge Charmaine. "You''re so slow. Walk faster." Charmaine gritted her teeth. She would not have carried Leia''s bags if not that Leia had paid for her shopping. Those bags were very heavy. "You''re walking too fast," she could not help but grumble. Leia stopped walking and waited for her. ¡¯Why are you slower than a pregnant woman? Stop fooling around, Charmaine!" Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Td like to see if you can walk as fast when you''re carrying ten shopping bags!'' Charmaine thought. When Charmaine got closer, Leia started walking again. "I''ll be going to the hotel for a tasting session with Brody. Do you want toe?" "Sure," Charmaine replied. She was not going to let go of a chance to eat delicious food, and she was also quite curious about Leia''s fiance. If she got to know him better, he might introduce her to a wealthy man. Leia and Charmaine found their car in the parking lot. When Leia was about to get into her car, a woman suddenly stopped her. "Why are you?" Leia held her bulging stomach. The sudden appearance of that stranger had given her a shock. She patted her chest as she regarded the woman in front of her. The woman had the face of an Inte celebrity. Her features were delicate, but a discerning eye could tell that she had performed stic surgery. Her clothes were considered high-ss. That person was none other than Hera Sanchez. "Are you Leia Norman?" She asked. "Can I help you?" Leia thought that the woman was her fan. She might have retired from the entertainment industry, but she had her supporters. "I''ve something to ask of you. Follow me." Hera nced at the photo in her hand. The woman in front of her was plumper than her face in the photo because she was pregnant, but Hera was sure that she was indeed Leia. "Are you crazy? Why would I follow you just because you told me to? Get lost." Leia did not show any courtesy toward the woman. From that woman''s behavior, she could tell that the woman was not her fan. Hera showed no intention of going away. She blocked Leia from stepping closer to her car and said, "We''ll only need ten minutes of your time, Ms. Norman. If you don''t follow us, we''ll have to use force." Leia noticed that the woman had mentioned "we," so she looked around. She noticed two burly men standing not far away, and she could guess that they were the same gang as the woman. She instantly trembled in fear. "Who... who are you?" Hera wanted tough when she saw Leia''s sudden change in attitude. "You''re Bianca Rayne''s younger sister, right?" "Yes, but I''m not very close to her!" Leia said. There were no other people around to hear it, so she did not mind saying that. If they were looking for trouble with Bianca, they should not have looked for her. Hera nodded. That was what she wanted to hear. "I was expecting you to say that." She nced at Charmaine at the side, who was also trembling in fear. "Do you want to talk here, or shall we go over there?" Leia was afraid. "I can talk to you, but please don''t hurt me." "Of course, we won''t hurt you," Hera said. Leia saw that she was not a bad person, so she followed her. Charmaine breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that they were not here to find trouble with them. She tried to eavesdrop on their conversation, but they were too far away. A whileter, Leia returned, smiling. Hera and the two men had already left. Charmaine pretended to be worried while asking, "Did they hurt you?" "No, it''s all a misunderstanding." Leia waved at Hera as though they were very close friends. Hera was secretly shocked. Why would they seem so close only after a few minutes? Knowing Leia''s arrogant character, Charmaine knew that she would not be so close to a stranger if she did not have something to gain from their rtionship. "Um... what did she say to you? How could it be a misunderstanding?" Charmaine tried to find out more. "Charmaine, isn''t there enough gossip for you in the entertainment industry?" Leia opened the car door and sat inside. "Let''s go. We''re runningte.'' Brody''s family ran a business, and because of their influence, he was not fond of people beingte. Charmaine decided to keep those questions for another time. She put the shopping bags in the boot, then sat in the side passenger seat. She could not help but be more and more curious when she saw the smile on Leia''s face. What could they have talked about in those few short minutes? "I''m not looking for gossip, Leia. I''m worried about you. They don''t look like good people," she said. Leia could not be bothered to reply. It did not matter to her if those people were good or not. Anyone who wanted to harm Bianca was good in her books. Hera had offered Leia cooperation. Leia hated Bianca, but she did not want to attract too much trouble at this critical juncture, so she did not ept the proposal. However, Hera told her that she did not have to do much, only provide Bianca''s location whenever she was asked. Leia thought about it. The other party was not asking for money or effort, and she could see that Bianca was harmed just by providing information, so she agreed to it. After the tasting session at the hotel, Leia returned home. She came in through the door while carrying multiple shopping bags. When she saw Queenie knitting a sweater on the couch, she greeted her, "Mom." Queenie lifted her head and saw that Leia had gone shopping again. She could not help but reprimand her, "Why did you buy so many things, Leia? Have you forgotten what I told you?" Leia was annoyed. Naturally, Queenie had been telling her the virtues of frugality and diligence. If she wanted to be frugal, she would not have married Brody! Why would any woman want to marry Brody, if not for his riches? Leia did not show her displeasure on her face. She sat down next to Queenie and said coyly, "It''s all for the wedding, Mom. You don''t have to keep nagging at me. You should also know that I have a lot to prepare for the wedding, and I don''t even have time for myself." Queenie shook her head helplessly. Leia had been going out shopping on the pretense of preparing for her wedding, but Queenie did not do anything to stop her. She had been Leia''s mother for many years, and she knew what her attitude was like. "Don''t be like that, Mom. When I was out shopping earlier, I saw a very nice handbag." Leia rummaged through the pile of handbags. "Leia, didn''t you already buy the handbag for your wedding?" Queenie remembered that Leia had bought a Gi handbag two days ago. She said she wanted to use it to hold her personal belongings during the ceremony. "What are you thinking, Mom? I bought this for you," Leia pretended to sound angry. She found the handbag and handed it over like a treasure." What do you think? This is thetest design." Queenie took a look at the handbag. It was indeed quite nice, but it was more suitable for someone of a younger age. She tried not to be too critical about it. "It''s nice, but it''s more suitable for young women like you. You should save it for yourself; I''m not short of handbags anyway." Chapter 1012 Chapter 1012 Children Are Angels Leia grumbled under her breath when Queenie rejected her offer. The handbag was not meant for Queenie anyway. If she did not want it, Leia would keep it for herself. She put the handbag back into the shopping bag and said, "Can I discuss something with you, Mom?" Queenie picked up the knitting needles and looked at her." What is it?" "The wedding date is getting close, and we''re still overwhelmed with work. I was thinking of getting Bianca to help me with the gown fitting and the guest list," Leia said. To help Hera, Leia had to lure Bianca out somehow. However, it would be suspicious if she asked Bianca to meet her without any reason. Asking her to help out at the wedding was the best excuse. Queenie stopped knitting. They were indeed quite overwhelmed with the preparations. She had started knitting the sweater before she met the Hilton family, and she was not done with it yet. She would not have the free time to pick up her knitting needles if Leia had not gone to the hotel for the tasting. She would be happy if Bianca could help out, but she also knew that Bianca had to take care of her own family and career. "Your elder sister must be very busy. We''d better not bother her," she said. Leia was not going to let go of the opportunity that easily. She held Queenie''s arm and said coyly, "But she''s my elder sister, Mom. Let''s just ask her. We''ll think of something else if she''s really too busy." Queenie frowned. She used to think that her daughter was adorable whenever she behaved like that. Now that her daughter was pregnant, Queenie felt somehow annoyed when she heard what her daughter said. Even though Leia was about to be married, she still thought that the world revolved around her. Seeing that her mother did not speak, Leia said coyly, "Mom ... Bianca isn''t busy at all." Knowing that she was not close to Bianca, Leia needed her mother''s help. Bianca would not necessarily agree if Leia had asked her. Before Queenie could say anything, Jack came in through the front door. "Why are you back, jack?" Queenie put her knitting needles down and stood up. Jack would not usually come home during lunch hour. She poured a cup of tea for him. Jack took off his coat, gulped down the tea, and said, "Do you know? Something happened to the Crawfords." "What is it?" Queenie was instantly worried that something bad might have happened to Bianca. "I heard that a thief broke into Crawford Manor the day before yesterday, and Louis Crawford''s daughter was injured." Jack immediately went home after he knew about it. "Let''s pack up. We''ll go to the hospital." Queenie kneaded her hands and said, "That''s so serious. Why didn''t Bea say anything?" Louis and Luke might not be born of the same mother, they were nheless rted by blood, and as Bianca''s parents, they had the obligation to visit the young girl in the hospital. "Bianca doesn¡¯t even care about that. Why would she tell you?" Leia stood up and propped her back. Jack frowned and looked at her daughter. "What nonsense are you talking about?" He thought that Leia should have known better. If Old Master Crawford heard that, he would misunderstand. "I''m not talking nonsense. I saw her walking around in a shopping mall with another woman today. If she still has the mood to go shopping after the incident happened, I don''t think she cares at all." Leia would not let go of any chance to nder Bianca in front of her parents. Shopping? Queenie was confused. It was a workday, so why would Bianca be out shopping? Jack red at Leia. If she did not watch her mouth after marrying into the Hilton household, she would eventually learn her lesson the hard way. However, Jack had to get back to work after the lunch hour. He did not have the time to discipline Leia. After Queenie changed her clothes, they left the house. ring at her parents'' backs, Leia''s gaze became gloomy. Meanwhile, while Bianca and Vivian were having lunch together, Bianca received a call from her company, saying that she had to go back and handle some matters. Vivian said that she had nothing to do at the hotel, so she wanted to go along with Bianca. Bianca took the opportunity to invite Vivian to her house for dinner. Vivian hesitated. Bianca knew why she was hesitating. "Gordan will being to my house for dinner too. Wouldn''t you want toe along?" She said. "Thank you for your invitation." Vivian smiled when she heard that Gordan would be going too. She nodded and epted Bianca''s invitation. Bianca first went to the school to pick up Rainie and Lanie. "They''re my elder children. They''re twins," Bianca introduced the children to Vivian. "Lanie, Rainie, this is Aunt Vivian. She is from Moscow." Lanie and Rainie greeted Vivian in Russian. Vivian was delighted to see the angelic faces of the two children. "I''ve heard that your children are very goodlooking. Indeed, they''re like angels." Bianca smiled. "I think that your future children will be goodlooking too." She did not know why Vivian looked so different from her younger brother, but she could tell that their family had good genes. "You tter me, Sis." Vivian touched her own face. "Trust me. All children are angels." Bianca was genuinely thinking so; she was not joking or ttering her. Vivian agreed with what she said. She felt inexplicably happy looking at the two children sitting quietly in the back seat. She really loved children. However, the children in Moscow did not like her. Even if she wanted to y with them, they were not willing to get close to her because of her face. They said that if they took her snacks, they would be as ugly as her. Those children had angelic faces, but their hearts were a different thing. Bianca''s twins and Tommy were well-behaved, and they were not afraid of her. Rainie looked at Vivian and smiled. "Aunt Vivian, do you want some milk?" Bianca kept a few bottles of milk in the car''s fridge for her children''s convenience. Rainie took a bottle and handed it to Vivian. Vivian smiled. "Thank you, Rainie." Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Rainie looked at Vivian''s facial features intently. Her features were not perfect, but she looked beautiful when she smiled. "You look nice when you smile, Aunt Vivian," she said. Vivian was shocked. Other than her younger brother Ray, no one else would praise her looks. She touched her lips while her cheeks slowly turned red. Ray had also said that she was beautiful whenever she shed a genuine smile. She thought that Ray was only trying to make her feel good. Do I really look nice?'' Chapter 1013 Chapter 1013 How Did Mommy Lie to You? Rainie nodded her head earnestly. "You look nice, Aunt Vivian. Mommy said that we shouldn¡¯t lie, so I''m not lying to you. Isn''t that so, Lanie?" Lanie was not as talkative as his sister, though he nodded and said, "Mm." Vivian''s smile became wider as she said to Bianca. "I love your children, Sis." They were true angels. "Tommy knew that you''re in A City since yesterday. He''s been saying that he wants to meet you," Bianca said. Her children seem to be very friendly toward Vivian. "I miss him too," Vivian said with a smile. Her heart felt warm as she took the milk bottle in her hands. Bianca drove the car back to the mansion. She did not see Luke''s car in the garage and knew that he was not back yet. As she unfastened her seatbelt, she gave him a call. The call was answered after two rings. "Bea." Luke''s resonant voice came in through the phone. "Are you still in thepany?" Bianca asked. "I''m on my way back," Luke said. "There''s a bit of traffic, so I''ll be dyed." "Alright." Bianca nced at Vivian and saw that she was staring at herself. She continued asking, "Will Gordan be joining us for dinner today?" "Mm." After Luke gave his reply, Bianca could hear Gordan''s voice over the phone. "I miss your cooking, Sis. Remember to cook something delicious." He sounded cheerful, very much unlike the anger he had disyed over the phone the night before. Luke red at him. "My wife is not your cook." Then, he said to Bianca, "Don''t mind him, Bea. Please ask the caretaker to cook more food today." "Okay," Bianca said with a smile. After the call ended, she told Vivian, "Don''t worry, Gordan is also on his way here." "Thank you, Sis." Vivian nodded and smiled happily. To her, Gordan was the perfect man. She had always thought that her ideal ce was next to Gordan. "I don''t really know what Gordan likes to eat. Would you want to help me in the kitchen?" Bianca asked. She understood what Vivian was thinking. She would be happy to cook for the man of her dreams, even if it might be tiring. Vivian nodded. "It''ll be my pleasure." She would do anything for Gordan. Tommy was sitting on the couch ying with toys. When he saw Vivian, he pounced on her. "Aunt Vivian! Huggy!" Vivian bent down and carried Tommy in her arms. "I haven''t seen you in a while, Tommy. You''ve grown taller." Tommy reached around and hugged her neck. "I miss you so much, Aunt Vivian. Do you miss me too?" "I miss you. I think about you every day." Vivian tapped his cute little nose. She was happy to see him. Tommy blinked excitedly and said, "If you miss me, did you bring me presents?" Bianca shook her head helplessly when she heard her son asking for presents directly. If Luke heard that, he would scold the little boy. Vivian felt a little awkward. She had bought some presents for Tommy at the Moscow airport, but she did not bring them along with her because she was not expecting to visit Bianca''s house. Tommy seemed disappointed. "You didn''t?" "She did buy you presents, but they''re with Uncle Gordan," Bianca said. Tommy looked at his mother. "Mommy, why would Aunt Vivian''s presents be with Uncle Gordan?" "Aunt Vivian is Uncle Gordan''s fiancee, which means that they''re a family. It''s not surprising if her belongings are with him," Bianca said with a smile. "Yay! I''ll wait for Uncle Gordan toe then!" Tommy pped her hands excitedly. "Alright, you''d better get on the floor. Aunt Vivian needs to help me in the kitchen," Bianca said while picking up Tommy, who was clinging onto Vivian like a ko. "Go and y. Daddy and Uncle Gordan will be here soon." "Okay, Mommy!" Vivian was overjoyed seeing Tommy''s happy expression. She stole a few more nces at the boy as she walked toward the kitchen. She felt envious of Bianca. Bianca had a loving husband and a happy family. Was she rewarded for something good she had done? Luke''s car came in through the driveway when the two women were busy in the kitchen. Gordan admired the mansion and eximed, "The surroundings are not bad. Do you have an extra room?" He wanted to move in so that he did not have to face Vivian in the hotel. "Yes, but don''t think about it." Luke parked next to Bianca''s car and candidly dashed his hopes. "Why? I''m not going to steal anything from your house. Why won''t you let me stay here?" Gordan was getting frustrated. Luke had never pried into his personal life. However, he was somehow trying to match him with Vivian. "You''ll be a bad influence on my children, and their studies will be affected. Most importantly, you''ll intrude upon my personal life with my wife," Luke said as he stepped out of the car. Gordan followed suit. "You already have three little third wheels in your house. Why would you care about one more big one?" "I mind it because you''re the ''big one.''" Luke stepped into the house. When Tommy saw the men, he ran over and hugged Gordan''s leg. "Uncle Gordan!" Gordan smiled and picked him up into his arms. He looked at Luke provocatively. "Looks like your son likes me more than you." Luke could tell what Tommy was thinking. He did not say anything, instead, he put his briefcase aside. "Is that so?" Gordan pinched Tommy''s meaty little face. "Tommy, tell your Daddy if you like me more than him." Tommy saw that Gordan did not bring anything when he came in. He did not answer Gordan''s question but instead asked, "Where''s your bag, Uncle Gordan?" "What bag?" Gordan was confused by his non sequitur. "The bag to put the presents in." Seeing that Gordan did not bring any presents for him, Tommy struggled to pull himself free from Gordan''s arms. It was then that Gordan realized that Tommy was asking for a present from him. He did not bring any... He did not prepare anything because he was in a hurry to leave Moscow. "Um, Tommy..." Gordan ced Tommy on the floor, crouched down, and looked into his eyes. "What do you want?" Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "If you didn''t bring anything, then forget it." Tommy pretended to look disappointed and looked at Luke. "Daddy, Mommy lied to me." Luke looked at the little boy. "How did Mommy lie to you?" "Mommy said that Aunt Vivian''s presents are with Uncle Gordan, but Uncle Gordan didn''t bring anything!" Tommyined with his arms akimbo. Chapter 1014 Chapter 1014 He Was Waiting for Her "Vivian?" Gordan instantly frowned when he heard that name. "Why can''t she leave me alone?" Bianca and Vivian were bringing dinner out of the kitchen when they heard what Gordan said. Vivian''s smile froze on her face. She knew that Gordan did not like her, but her heart ached when she had to hear him say that. She seemed dejected as she ced the dishes on the table. Bianca looked at the two and sighed. "Gordan, I''ve invited Vivian here for dinner." Gordan might not be happy, but he dared not offend Bianca. After all, she was the woman he respected the most. He looked at the dishes that Vivian brought out and said mockingly, "Can that be eaten? Did you drug the food?" Vivian shook her head and exined, "I didn''t." Ray had drugged Gordan in Moscow because he wanted to help his elder sister hasten her rtionship with Gordan. Even after Gordan was drugged, he locked himself in the room. From then on, he thought that Vivian had drugged him. Vivian tried to exin her innocence to him, but it was no use. Now that he mentioned it, it made her feel terrible.N?velDrama.Org holds this content. "I was the cook for all the dishes, Gordan. Vivian was only helping. Don''t be so paranoid, Gordan." Bianca looked at the two people and hoped that she could ease the tension. She did not expect that reaction from Gordan when he found out that Vivian was in the kitchen. "I didn''t even touch the finished dish. You... don''t have to worry," Vivian said. She did not want Bianca''s efforts to be wasted. Gordan felt even more annoyed looking at her. Tommy ran over and tugged Gordan''s pants. ¡°Uncle Gordan, I don''t want you to be so nasty to Aunt Vivian." Gordan was speechless. Why did that child like Vivian when she was so ugly? He thought that it was quite embarrassing to be reprimanded by a child. Luke did not speak up for Gordan. Instead, he said, "Don''t just stand there. Let''s eat." Tommy let go of Gordan''s pants and ran upstairs. "1''11 get Lanie and Rainie down for dinner!" Bianca nodded. "I''ll bring the rest of the dishes out of the kitchen." Vivian felt a little awkward. "I''ll help," she said. The awkwardness did not go away at the dining table. The people ate their meals in total silence. Lanie and Rainie could sense the tension. They quickly finished their food and said that they had to go upstairs to finish their homework. Only Tommy was eating happily. Bianca took a napkin and wiped off a bit of mashed potato on his chin. "You should eat slower. It''s better for your digestion." "Okay, Mommy." Tommy shed a bright smile at Bianca and continued eating. After dinner, Gordan immediately went to Luke''s study. He said he wanted to continue the investigation. Vivian helped Bianca clean up and said that she wanted to leave first. "Aren''t you waiting for Gordan?" Bianca asked. "No. I''m feeling a little tired, and I want to go back and rest. I think he''ll be here for quite some time," Vivian said. She was already satisfied that she got to eat dinner with Gordan. Bianca could see that she was indeed tired. She took out several shopping bags from the car boot. Those were all Vivian''s purchases. "I''ll get you a cab," she said. "Thank you, Sis." Vivian was touched. She booked a cab for Vivian and told the driver Vivian''s destination. After watching the car leave, Bianca returned to the house. Gordan happened to being down the stairs. He did not see Vivian in the living room. He sneaked into the kitchen to take a peek and did not see her there either. He saw Biancaing in through the door. "Where''s she?" He asked with a smile. Bianca was quite angry about Gordan''s behavior earlier. " Who?" She pretended not to know who Gordan was referring to. "Ms. in-Face." Gordan could tell that Bianca was not in a good mood. "Do you mean Vivian? She went back to the hotel first because she didn''t want to disturb you," Bianca replied brusquely. If Gordan were not Luke''s good friend and was not here to help them, she would have rolled her eyes at him instead. Gordan frowned. Vivian was not familiar with A City. How did she leave? He wanted to ask that, but soon realized that Bianca might have helped her book a cab and told the driver the destination. He felt a little more at ease after that. He went into the kitchen, poured himself a ss of water, and took a sip. Then, he realized that something was not right. Why was he worried about Vivian? Even if she lost her way and could not speak English well, who would bother taking advantage of her? Bianca was in the living room ying with Tommy. She did not know what Gordan was thinking in the kitchen. Gordan left at about eleven o''clock. After coaxing her children to sleep, she returned to her bedroom. Luke was leaning on the headboard reading some documents. "Are you still busy?" She lifted the nket, sat down next to Luke, and nced at the document curiously. It was rted to the uing T Corporation shareholders'' meeting. She remembered that she had T Corporation shares too, which meant that she would have to attend the meeting. She felt quite troubled when she remembered that such meetings were full of quibbles and arguments. She had taken the reins of T Corporation when Luke had gone missing, and she had chaired the annual shareholders'' meeting. Old Master Crawford had never shown up, so she had to face the shareholders'' questions herself. She had used her dividends to appease the shareholders that wanted to topple her, which meant that Luke got to keep his position when he got back. "I was just browsing because I was free." Luke closed the folder and hugged her. He was reading the documents because he was waiting for her. Bianca leaned on his chest. She could tell the implications in his words. "Did Gordan find anything?" She asked. "No leads yet," Luke replied to her while smoothening the pillows. The culprit had not left many clues to begin with, so the investigation process was quite difficult. "It''s alreadyte. Shall we rest?" He draped his arm over her shoulder. Bianca blushed a little. She nodded, slowlyid down, and their fingers intertwined. Meanwhile, Gordan had returned to the hotel. He stood outside the door of his suite, thought for a while, and went into his room. On his way back, he had the impulse to book a four-star hotel and stay there for the rest of his trip. Even so, he managed to ovee that impulse. Vivian immediately stood up and ced her ear next to her room door when she heard the door open. She had been waiting for Gordan''s return. Gordan nced at Vivian''s room, then looked away coldly, went back to his room, and closed the door. Chapter 1015 Chapter 1015 Finding Fault with Her Vivian, standing behind the door, felt dejected when she heard Gordan''s room door close. She hoped that Gordan would care for her, even just a little bit... There were no sounds beyond the door. The sound instion between the rooms of the presidential suite was great. She could not hear what was happening in the other room. By the next day, the news that Luke had enlisted Gordan''s help had spread in the Crawford family. Allison also knew about it. She did not know who Gordan was, but she knew that he was a very capable investigator! Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Gordan was a notorious figure in the international scene. If he helped Luke, he would bring unwanted trouble for her! Also, she was running out of money. She hoped that the incident would soon blow over so that she could sell those antiques. The more she thought about it, the more flustered she got. She drove to Bianca''s office to find her. The front desk assistant instantly gave Bianca a call on the internal line when she saw the arrogant and nobledy. Ms. Rayne, there''s a woman who wants to see you. She says that she is your mother-in- law." ''Allison Tanner?'' Bianca was surprised. Why would she look for her at her office? "Bring her in." She said. Then, she stood outside her office to wait for her. Allison was not satisfied that Bianca did note and escort her in. She thought that Bianca was rude as she followed the assistant. While she walked, she looked around her and thought that Bianca''s company was so much smaller than T Corporation. She had been wondering if Bianca was capable of starting her ownpany, but it turned out that Bianca was only embarrassing herself. When Allison saw Bianca standing there, she spoke imperiously like a queen, "Why didn''t youe and meet me at the entrance?" "This way please, Madam,'' Bianca said. She was quite calm when facing Allison''s arrogance. Allison grunted coldly and went into Bianca''s office. Bianca asked the assistant to bring a cup of coffee, then closed the door. When Allison heard the door close, she instantly interrogated Bianca, "How could you be so silly?" Bianca was confused. She looked at her and asked, "What are you talking about?" Allison stared daggers at her. "I''m talking about the break-in at Crawford Manor! How could you ask that kind of person to help with the investigation?" Bianca was silent. Apparently, Allison knew that Gordan was involved. The people of the Crawford family should know Gordan''s capabilities. He was the one who had helped Luke in the corruption case. She did not understand why Allison had such a strong reaction. "Are you mute?¡± Allison was furious seeing that Bianca did not say anything. "Gordan is a professional investigator, Madam. Why can''t we ask him?" Bianca did not understand. She was impassive toward Allison''s fury. "You''re asking a thief to catch a thief. Don''t you think that it''s ridiculous?" Allison said matter-of-factly. To her, Gordan''s identity was a stain on his character. She thought that it was a joke to ask a thief to investigate another thief. Bianca remained calm in the face of Allison''s savagery." Gordan is not a thief, Madam. His investigative abilities are quite outstanding." "He''s still a liar and a scammer. So what if he is capable? What if he finds out who the thief is and splits the loot with the thief? How would Luke exin that to Old Master Crawford?" Allison said. Bianca was getting a headache from her twisted logic. "It was Luke''s decision to involve Gordan." "Is Luke as silly as you too? You''re his wife, and you know that it''s the wrong decision. Why didn''t you object to it?" Allison continued to argue using her own logic, not caring what Bianca thought. Bianca was frustrated. She had never thought that it was the wrong decision. "I think Luke made the right decision, Madam. Luke could have investigated the incident himself, but he''s busy with T Corporation work, especially with the shareholders'' meetinging soon. He would not be able to make any progress with the investigation, and Grandfather would me him for that," she insisted. "Gordan might have had a criminal past, butthat is also his strength. He is an outstanding investigator, and he will be able to get to the bottom of it. Moreover, he is blood brothers with Luke. He wouldn''t betray Luke for his personal gain." Allison was livid after hearing that. "Are you purposely opposing me? You''ll do what I tell you to do. Stop giving me excuses! If I say that Gordan isn''t suitable, then he''s not suitable!" Allison was speaking very loudly, and the office was not well- insted in the first ce. Luke, who had just arrived at the He opened the door to the office and saw that Allison was raising her hand at Bianca. "What are you doing, Mother?" He asked. Allison was shocked by Luke''s sudden appearance and red at Bianca. "Did you just tattle on me?" Bianca massaged her temples. "Madam, this ce is a half- hour car ride from T Corporation." She could not predict the future, so she would not have been able to inform Luke half an hour ago. Moreover, Luke did not tell her that he wasing. Allison stood there in confusion. She had to retract her hand when faced with her son''s cold re. "Why did youe?" Bianca asked Luke. Luke did not answer but instead went next to her and faced his mother. "I''ve heard what you said earlier. You''re not satisfied with Gordan''s character, and you think that I''ve made the wrong decision in involving him." "In any case, he¡¯s not a good person..." Allison''s fury receded when she looked at him. She went to Bianca''spany to look for her so she did not have to face Luke, but she could not manage to avoid him anyway. "He saved me, so I have no reason to doubt his allegiance. If you have some other means of investigating the incident, I won''t stop you, but don''t disrupt what I''m doing." Luke did not give his mother any opportunity to retort. He was telling her to mind her own business. "I''m your mother!" Allison reminded her. She was notfortable with what Luke had told her. "Familial rtions don''t matter in an incident as serious as this. Is there anything else you want to say, Madam Tanner?" Luke would usually call her "Mother," but he had changed to another appetion. He was quite unhappy with Allison''s behavior. He was tasked with the investigation, yet Allison had deliberately avoided him and came to look for Bianca. He could tell that she was purposely finding fault. Chapter 1016 Chapter 1016 He Only Wanted to See Her "You..." Allison''s face changed several shades of red because of her anger. She red at her son, and the signs of old age appeared on her face. Deep wrinkles appeared on her face, and she seemed to have aged several decades instantly. That shocked Bianca. It was the second time she had seen Allison''s skin change so drastically, but Allison seemed oblivious to it. Luke was Allison''s son, but ever since he reunited with Bianca, he did not ensure that her whims were satisfied, and sometimes he had even sided with Bianca to bully her. Allison felt more and more like an outsider and a burden, and her hatred toward Bianca grew. She thought that it was the wrong decision to leave her with Kevin Rayne. She should have tossed the baby Bianca into the sea! That would have saved her a lot of trouble in the future. The atmosphere in the office was tense. Neither the mother nor the son was willing to back down. However, Luke was a moreposed person than Allison, and Allison found herself increasingly flustered. He did not close the door after he entered the office, and Sue had been pacing outside to see what was going on inside. They said that one should not air their dirtyundry in public, but everyone in the company had already found out that Luke Crawford was not on good terms with his mother. Bianca was getting worried that the situation might continue to escte. She held Luke''s hand gently and tried to defuse the situation. "Did youe here for something, Luke?" She tried to change the topic to stop the fight from continuing. Luke looked away from Allison and handed Bianca an envelope. That was when Bianca noticed that Luke had been holding an envelope all this while. She opened it and saw the invitation letter to the T Corporation annual shareholders'' meeting. Allison could tell that it was an invitation letter too. He could have given it to Bianca while they were at home, but he had deliberatelye over to Bianca''s office to deliver it. Did he not have a lot of work? What was the meaning of this? Allison became angrier when she thought of that. Not caring that people were gossiping outside, she continued to reprimand Luke, "You''ve been bewitched by that woman, Luke. You disappoint me!" Then, she stormed out of the office. Her high heelsnded heavily on the floor as though she wanted to leave holes. Sue was shocked by Allison''s gloomy demeanor. It was scary to see that the noble woman seemed to age by decades in an instant. After Allison left, Bianca sighed. "Luke..." She did not say what she wanted to say. After all, the problem was between the mother and son, and she could offer no solution. Luke gently caressed her cheeks and closed the door. Tm here because I miss you," he said. Jason had delivered the invitation letters ready to be sent out to Luke''s office earlier. When Luke saw the name "Bianca Rayne," he instantly put aside his work on hand and drove over just to see her. Bianca was moved. She hugged him tightly. "I''m so d that you''re here, Luke." Luke would always appear whenever she was in trouble. It was the same this time. Luke carefully inspected Bianca''s face for any signs of injury. "Did she hurt you?" He asked. "No." Bianca shook her head. He had arrived just when Allison wanted to p her. "Why do you think your mother is so against Gordan investigating the incident?" She asked. Luke''s gaze turned gloomy. He already had his doubts, and those doubts intensified when he saw his mother acting so strangely. Why was she against Gordan investigating the incident? It was because Gordan was very capable. "Are you suspecting that she''s behind this?" Bianca felt a little uneasy when she saw him like that. They were husband and wife, and they could usually tell what each other was thinking. However, Bianca was not willing to suspect Allison''s involvement. Luke was not willing to suspect his own mother too. However, her behavior was too suspicious. He held Bianca''s hand and kissed it. "Let''s not be bothered about it. Gordan will handle it." Bianca nodded. Even though he said so, her unease only grew. If Allison was indeed behind the incident, how would Luke be able to face Louis? "I''ll be going off. Let''s eat at the Westin tonight. I''ve already reserved a private room." Seeing Bianca''s worries, Luke massaged her. "Alright. You''ve been very busy, so let me bring the children over," Bianca said. Luke gazed at her gently. He would not want to leave if he was not so busy. Bianca watched Luke leave the office. She thought that he would be going to look for Gordan. Allison might be his birth mother, but they were not on good terms with each other. Things would be a lot moreplicated if Allison was truly involved in the break-in. "Sigh," Bianca sighed. Sue came into the office and asked her out of concern, "Are you okay, Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Bianca? Just now..." She paused. Even when the door was closed, she could clearly hear the conversation inside the office. She was quite shocked to find out that the seemingly noble Allison was such a shrew. "It''s nothing, Sue. Let''s get back to work." Bianca forced a smile on her face, though she could not hide her worry. Sue was not going to pry into Bianca''s family matters. Sheforted herself by thinking that she was lucky that she did not have inws, put the cup of coffee on the table, and left the office while closing the door behind her. Bianca sat in her chair, staring at theputer screen in a daze. She remembered that in the security footage, Allison had appeared in the living room before and after the incident. The technicians of the securitypany had conjectured that the signal jammer was installed on the first floor. Come to think of it, Allison could have been the one who installed and removed the signal jammer. Bianca shook her head when she thought about that, trying to banish that thought. Even so, she could not stop the seed of suspicion from taking root. After work, Bianca brought the children to the Westin Hotel and met Jack and Queenie there. "Dad, Mom! What a coincidence," she greeted her parents. "Good evening, Grandpa, Grandma," the three children greeted them too. "Good evening." Queenie''s gaze turned gentle when she saw her precious grandchildren. "I haven''t seen you for a long time. Come and let me take a good look at you." The three children came near to her. "Grandpa, Grandma, I''ve grown taller recently," Tommy said. Jack patted his head and picked him up. ¡®Yes, my precious Tommy has grown taller." Bianca could see that her parents were a lot happier when the children were around and thought that she would bring the children to visit them more often. "Are you here for dinner too?" She asked. "Yes. Your mother said that she misses the French cuisine here, so I brought her here," Jack said as he cast a loving gaze at his wife. Chapter 1017 Chapter 1017 She Did Not Want Bianca to be the Winner Queenie held Rainie''s hand and smiled. "Are you sure? I thought that we''re eating out because you''re tired of my cooking." Jack coughed lightly and said, "You did mention that you were craving bouibaisse yesterday." Bianca was warmed by her parents'' interaction. "Didn''t Leiae along with you?" Queenie exined, "Leia is busy making preparations for her wedding, so she couldn''te along." Bianca nodded in understanding. "Luke reserved a private room for us. Do you want to join us for dinner?" She invited them. "Is it a business dinner? Then we shouldn''t disturb you," Jack said. He gently pinched Tommy''s face; he was very fond of his youngest grandchild. Bianca smiled and shook her head. "I wouldn''t have brought the children along if it were a business dinner. It''s just a normal family dinner. You should join us." Tommy was happy to see a bigger crowd around the dining table." Grandpa, Grandma, I''m also inviting you to join us!" Jack and Queenie looked at each other and epted the invitation." Alright, alright, let''s have dinner together." They sat down around the dining table in the private room. A whileter, Luke came in. Bianca had already informed him by a message that she had met her parents at the hotel and had invited them to join in for dinner. That was why he was not too surprised. "Dad, Mom," Luke greeted them and sat down next to Bianca. "Where is Gordan?" Bianca asked. She thought that he would bring Gordan along. "He went back to his hotel because he has some other business," Luke said. He did not tell her that he did not invite Gordan. After all, the dinner was supposed to be a private family affair. The children had been traumatized by the incident in Crawford Manow, especially Lanie. He might seem fine on the surface, but he had fallen sick because of the shock. Johann had told him that the family should spend more time together so that the children would recover faster. "Who is Gordan?" Jack asked. He had never heard of that name. "He''s Luke''s friend, and he''s here to help with an investigation,¡± Bianca exined while pouring a drink for Luke. "Is he here to investigate the break-in at Crawford Manor?" Jack asked. He had asked his friend at the police department about the incident. The investigation was difficult because there were not enough leads. That was why he could instantly guess that the investigation that Bianca had mentioned was about the break-in. i "Yes, Dad." Bianca nodded and took a sip of tea. "Did Old Master Crawford say anything about the incident?" Jack was very concerned about the incident. The crime rate in A City was generally low, and the incident had created shockwaves. After all, the Crawfords were quite prominent in A City. Now that a thief had broken into their mansion without leaving any traces behind, the other citizens were worried about their safety, and sales of high- tech security systems had soared recently. Luke took a sip of tea from his cup. Before he got off work, he and Gordan had reviewed the security footage again and found a new lead. "My grandfather has tasked me with the investigation," he replied. "Let me know if you need any help," Jack said. "Thank you, Dad," Luke said. He nced at Bianca and took her hand that was under the table. Queenie nced at the couple and said, "We''re a family now. You should let us know if you are faced with any difficulty. We wouldn''t have known that Luke''s brother''s daughter was in the hospital if Jack''s colleague hadn''t informed him." "I didn''t want you to worry," Bianca said. She figured that they were busy with Leia''s wedding, and it was best not to disturb them. Queenie shook her head in disapproval. "What should I do with you..." Jack and Queenie had always thought that they owed Bianca, and so they wanted to help her as much as they could. Queenie''s phone rang. The call was from Leia. "Hello, Leia?" "Mom, where are you and Dad?" Leia asked. "We''re having dinner with Bianca. Why is it so noisy over there?" Queenie asked. Leia had told them that she would be going to the wedding nner, but she sounded as though she was on a busy street. Leia paused. ''Bianca again!'' Instantly, she made herself sound aggrieved," Something happened to me, Mom. Can I go over?" "What happened?" Queenie replied anxiously. She nced at Luke and Bianca and did not answer Leia''s question. "Mom, Brody left me downtown. I''m so hungry. I haven''t had dinner yet." Leia pretended to be pitiful. She did not want to see Bianca, but it was a good opportunity.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Did you and Brody have a fight?" Queenie said softly so that no one else heard her. "I''m so tired and hungry, Mom. Can I go over?" Leia could tell that Queenie was reluctant and hated her forthat. Bianca might be Queenie''s daughter, but was she not her daughter too? Was Queenie afraid that she might disrupt the harmony? Bianca could see the hesitation on Queenie''s face. "Is it Leia?" Queenie nodded. "She can join us for dinner if she''s free," Bianca said, knowing Queenie''s dilemma. Queenie told Leia the address and to be careful on her way here. Then, she ended the call. "Shouldn''t she be at the wedding nner''s?" Jack did not seem too pleased. "She quarreled with Brody." Queenie gently held his arm, thinking that he was not happy because Leia had gotten herself pregnant before the marriage. "She''s about to be a wife, yet she doesn''t know how to control her temper.¡± Jack thought that it was all Leia''s fault, even if Brody might be the one in the wrong. Luke and Bianca listened to their conversation and said nothing. They knew what kind of person Leia was, but they did not want to shun her. After all, she had been the Norman daughter for twenty years. Queenie was unhappy when she heard what Jack had to say about Leia. She was also responsible for Leia''s attitude. Half an hourter, Leia came into the private room. She looked at the harmonious scene jealously and instantly felt like an outsider. "Dad, Mom, Sis, Bro, good evening." She hid her true emotions and greeted them with a smile. "Good evening." Bianca smiled and pointed at a vacant seat next to Queenie. "Please sit down." Leia sat down at that seat. Luke was positioned right opposite her. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him. What Luke had done to her had be a nightmare. Even though she had Brody now, she could not forget those emotions when she had a crush on him. It was impossible for her to be together with Luke, but she did not want Bianca to be the winner either. Chapter 1018 Chapter 1018 She Could Not Say No Queenie put her hand gently on the back of Leia''s hand and said softly," Leia." Leia snapped out of it. Dark thoughts filled her head the moment she saw Luke. If Queenie did not call out to her, she might still be staring. "Mom, what''s the matter?" She deliberately acted as though she was aggrieved to gain pity from Queenie. Queenie asked, "Aren''t you supposed to be on your way to look for the wedding nner to go through the itinerary with Brody? Did you get into a fight?" "It''s nothing. We just had a mild disagreement about the wedding." Leia wiped the corner of her eyes and pretended to tear up. Queenie sighed. Leia was pregnant but Brody left her downtown because of a small fight. It was clear to Queenie that Brody was not a dependable man. "Why didn¡¯t you try to talk things through? It won''t do your marriage any good if you get into a fight every time there''s a disagreement. Look at your sister and brother-inw! They always talk their way through issues. I don¡¯t remember thest time they fought." Bianca and Luke rarely fought. When Tommy heard his grandmother boasting about his parents, he smiled and said, "Lanie said that Daddy and Mommy are soul mates who never fight." Bianca was overjoyed to hear what Tommy said. She had a big smile on her face as she reached out to touch his head. Leia endured the fury in her heart, pursed her mouth, and said, "My rtionship with Brody is wonderful but the preparation time for the wedding is too short. I¡¯m under a lot of pressure, so I couldn''t hold my temper when we got into a disagreement. Mom, you know me, this isn''t the real me. If it weren''t for my pregnancy and the pressure of nning the wedding, I wouldn''t have acted like that..." As she said that, she pushed out her belly to highlight that she was still a pregnant woman. Queenie sighed to express her helplessness. There was only so much she could do. Leia wiped her tears and said, "Even now, I don''t have a flower girl, I haven''t tried on the wedding dress, and I''m working on the guest list and invitations at the same time. There''s so much to do!" Queenie looked at her with distress, held her hand, and tried to coax her." Okay, don''t cry. It''s not great for the child if you cry." "Mom..." Seeing Queenie''s reaction, Leia seized the opportunity and grabbed her chest to act weak. "Mom, can you ask Bianca to help me? I don¡¯t know if it''s because I''m pregnant but I feel out of breath when I get overwhelmed." Bianca was stunned when she heard her name being mentioned. ''Leia is asking me to help?¡¯ Bianca was well aware of how much Leia hated her so it did not make sense that she would ask her for help. Queenie did not expect it as well and shook her head. "Bea has a lot of things on her te recently. Leia, what about your friends? They can help too." When Leia saw that Queenie was being so upfront, she replied, "They''re all in showbiz and are busier than me. What''s Bea doing? Is it because of the break-in? Bea, since you''re not the one who''s investigating the matter, you should be free, right?" Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Bianca met Leia''s gaze and sighed in her heart. Leia was so spoiled by Queenie that she did not know how to be a decent human being. "When I have the time, I''ll help." She skillfully phrased her sentence in a hypothetical manner. After all, they were family and it would not be nice to turn her down directly. Bianca thought to herself that Leia would not be so stupid to ask her for help as her presence might make things worse. After she said that, Luke squeezed her hand to show that he was disagreeing with her decision. Bianca smiled bitterly in her heart as she knew that she had no choice. She could not turn down her sister''s request in front of their parents. Leia smiled sweetly when she heard Bianca''s reply. She said, "Thank you, Sister." Her gaze fell on Rainie and nche. The children would not be allowed to live when Bianca was dealt with. Leia continued and said, "Bea, I still need flower children and I think that Rainie and nche are the best people for the job. They¡¯re so cute and will be even more adorable when they wear a suit and a dress. The twins may also bring me luck. Maybe my second pregnancy with Brody will be twins." nche was repulsed as he looked at Leia''s ''innocent'' gaze. Neither he nor his sister liked Leia. nche was not afraid that he would be reprimanded for being impolite and turned Leia down before the adults could speak. "Aunt Leia, Rainie and I are too old to be your flower children. On top of that, as my dad always says that we should focus on our studies and lead by example for our younger brother." They were indeed a little old to be flower children, but Leia insisted and said, "That¡¯s okay. Both of you are cute and beautiful. All you have to do is go shopping for clothes and rehearse the day before the actual day. It''s not a big deal. nche, I trust that you won''t turn down your aunt?" "Aunt Leia, we¡¯re not interested in being your flower children. You should look for other children. Lanie, Tommy, and I will attend the ceremony as guests." Rainie made their stance clear and made sure Tommy would be protected from her as well. They had never been a fan of Leia and did not want to be her flower children. Leia''s smile froze. She did not expect that the kids would be more difficult to deal with than their mother. Her grandson had politely refused but Queenie was worried that Leia would keep on demanding, so she stepped in and said, "My friend has two grandchildren who are at the appropriate age. Leia, why not have them be your flower children?" Since Queenie had already offered, Leia knew that there was nothing she could do about it. ''As long as I get Bianca, the three of them will be orphans who won''t know what''sing for them!'' The private room was no longer harmonious because of Leia''s presence. After they were done with the meal, Luke got the bill and left with his wife and daughter after using work as an excuse. nche apologized when they got in the car. ¡°Daddy, Mommy, I''m sorry." Bianca turned back to look at her son and wondered why he was suddenly apologizing. She asked him, "Lanie, what''s the matter?" "Lanie and I don¡¯t want to be Aunt Leia''s flower children and turned her down before you and Daddy could say anything," Rainie exined. Bianca smiled. She knew that her children disliked Leia. She would never force them to do things they did not want to. "You''ve grown up and are allowed to have your own opinions. You don''t need to apologize." Bianca was pleased that they could think for themselves but still considered her and Luke''s feelings. "Thank you, Mommy and Daddy." nche thanked them. His parents'' understanding made him feel less guilty. Luke also chimed in, "You did the right thing just now." As he said that, he nced at Bianca. Bianca knew what he was thinking about. Bianca smiled helplessly and knew that she should not have agreed to Leia. However, she had made a promise. Her only option was to bite the bullet. 3 Others might not think too much about it if a kid refused an adult¡¯s request. However, Leia was her sister in name. If she refused, Leia would use it against her the next time. Old Master Crawford had told her that everything she did was a representation of Luke, so she needed to evaluate all her decisions carefully. The Hiltons were well-known in A City. Leia had used the wedding as an excuse to make a demand so Bianca could not say no. Chapter 1019 Chapter 1019 He Had To Die Late at night. After Jack and Queenie went to bed, the Norman Residence was inplete silence. Leia pressed her face on the door of the master bedroom, and after confirming that there was no sound inside, she tiptoed back into her bedroom. After closing the door, she turned on the lights. She was instantly caught off guard by the sudden appearance of a man! "Ah-" As soon as she wanted to say something, her mouth was covered by Wayne. A familiar sense of fear invaded her heart. Wayne pushed her against the door, smiled evilly, and warned her. "Don''t yell. If you yell, this knife will slice through your neck in an instant!" Leia''s eyes widened and she felt the pain from being mmed onto the wall. She nodded and shook her hands to gesture that she would not scream. Wayne nced at Leia''s bulging belly. After letting go of her, he grabbed her slightly chubby face and asked, "Is the child mine?" "No, it''s not yours!" Leia denied as the fear in her heart slowly took over her body. ''Didn''t he escape abroad? Why is he back in A City?¡¯ He would kill her if he knew that she was marrying Brody while pregnant with his child! She had no option but to lie to him. Wayne squinted his eyes and an evil smile shed across his face as he said, "The child isn¡¯t mine?" Leia nodded. Although she was doing her best to be brave, her body could not stop shaking when she saw the sharp knife. Wayne yed with the penknife in his hand and moved it to her belly. "If it''s not mine, I''ll dig it out!" "Wayne, please don''t!" Leia immediately covered her belly. She knew that he was a lunatic who would do as he said. She protected her belly and tried to squeeze a smile. "Wayne, I was only joking with you." Wayne¡¯s knife left her belly and he waved it in front of her eyes while saying, "Is the child mine or the bastard¡¯s?!" "It''s yours! I was just joking... Wayne, you''re going to be a father!" Leia trembled as she looked at the penknife. She was afraid that it wouldnd on her stomach. Wayne chuckled and raised her chin with the tip of the knife. "Leia, I hate it when people lie to me." "It''s your child. I have a report. It''s really..." Leia pointed to the bedside table and looked down. "It''s in the drawer." Wayne put away the knife but did not open the drawer to get the report. Instead, he picked up the invitation card on the side table and asked," What''s this?" Leia saw that he was holding a sample of the invitation card and was frightened out of her wits. "Wayne..." "You''re marrying another man while pregnant with my child?" Wayne was beyond furious and tore the invitation in his hand to pieces. As soon as he returned to A City, he heard that Leia was pregnant and getting married to one of the Hiltons, who were involved in international trade. zing hot anger had surged uncontrobly in his gut upon hearing the news and he sneaked into the Norman Residence the same night. After thest incident, the security measures of Norman Residence had been upgraded. However, it was nothing to him. After all, he had been trained in special forces. "Wayne, you fled! You can''t expect me to be a single mother. You don''t know the kind of people my parents are!" Leia cried and said while acting pitiful. "You¡¯re not allowed to marry another man. Both you and the child are mine. " Wayne warned her while holding the knife. "You weren''t there at the time. This child belongs to you and I couldn''t bear to abort it, so this was the only way I could think of." Leia kept her failed attempted abortion to herself. Her life would be hundreds of times better if it were not for the baby. She hated the child and Wayne, so she was more than happy to get rid of them. "Hmph, I''ll kill your parents and that man right now!" Wayne said arrogantly. He already had the blood of a few lives on his hands. He surely did not mind killing a few more. "Wayne, don''t do this!" Although Leia hated the Normans, they could not die just yet. If Wayne killed Brody, her great life woulde to an end. "Why? You can¡¯t let go of them?" Wayne squinted, the murderous intent in his eyes clear and obvious. "No, I don¡¯t care about them. Wayne, you''re still a fugitive and you need money, right?" Leia was racking her brain to find a reason to change his mind. "I¡¯m not marrying that man because I love him. What I love is his family''s fortune. Wayne, if I marry him, you''ll have a worry-free life with all the money that I''ll be getting!" "I¡¯ll make money if I need money. You don''t need to sell yourself to make money for me! I promise you a good life if you choose to leave with me," Wayne said irritably. He was insulted that she thought he could not support her and their child. "Wayne, it''s alright if I suffer a little, but I''ll never allow our child to suffer. Wait until I get the money and I''ll leave with you, how about that? Else, you can kill him, but only after I get his money. Then, our family can run away and start a life of our own!" Leia stroked her belly and approached him." Wayne, I know you can make money, but you¡¯re not alone now. Our baby and I can''t bear to see you working so hard for us. It¡¯ll only be a while more. Wayne squinted and thought about what she said. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Based on the wedding customs of A City, after the two took wedding photos and booked the venue, the man would give the woman betrothal gifts. Leia and Brody were already preparing invitations and were not far from taking their wedding photos. He said, "Okay, I¡¯ll give you some time. Lie down." Leia understood what he wanted and gritted her teeth. It had taken a lot for her to heal from the trauma that Wayne left her with. She knew that her body would not be able to take it. She begged for mercy, saying, "Wayne, the doctor said no." "You¡¯re far along so I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine. I''ll just be careful!" Wayne had not been intimate with anyone for a long time because he had been on the run. "The doctor said that my body is weak, and my pregnancy is still unstable. Wayne, you don''t want the baby to be in danger, do you?" Leia persuaded him. The child was somewhat Wayne¡¯s soft spot, so he cursed, "F*ck! How disappointing!" "Wayne, we have our lives ahead of us." Leia lightly put her hand on his shoulder, enduring the disgust she felt. She asked, "Where are you staying now?" Wayne looked at her with caution and replied, "Why are you asking?" Leia was flustered. She intended to get his address and then have the police catch Wayne. However, after she thought about it, she realized Wayne would only drag her down with him if he fell into the hands of the police. Only dead men told no tales. "I care about you... I''m asking so that I know how to reach out to you when I get the money!" Leia said. Wayne squeezed her face and smirked. "Don''t try anything. You don''t need to contact me, I¡¯ll contact you when the timees. Leia, I¡¯ve been paying attention to you. Don''t waste your time thinking of tricks." Leia''s heartbeat sped up. ''He has been keeping watch?!¡¯ Wayne was a terrible man whose existence shrouded her life in misery. She would not allow him to push her around like this. There was no other way. Wayne tt had to die! Chapter 1020 Chapter 1020 Kill Wayne tt Leia endured her fear, and with his sharp gaze locked on her, she nodded. When a knock suddenly sounded from her door, Leia was shocked. She looked at the door and was not sure if she had locked it just now. "Yes?" Queenie''s voice came from outside. "Leia, why are your lights still on at this hour? Why aren¡¯t you asleep?" "Mom, I just took a shower and I''m going to bed soon." Leia turned her head and looked at Wayne warily. He was still holding a knife in his hand. She was afraid that he would lose control and rush out to stab Queenie. She could not afford forthat to happen. At least, not yet. Queenie''s voice sounded again from outside. "Okay, sleep tight! Remember to blow dry your hair before you go to bed so you won¡¯t catch a cold." "I will, Mom. Good night!" Leia could not rx for fear that Wayne would act irrationally. Queenie headed to the master bedroom after she heard Leia''s reply. Leia''s nerves rxed slightly when she heard the sound of footsteps going farther and farther away. She squeezed a smile at Wayne and touched her belly with her hands." Wayne, I¡¯m not trying to do anything. I''m just worried about you. You¡¯re the father of the child in my belly. I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you." Wayne looked at her bulging belly. It was his child inside. He carefully looked into Leia''s eyes and did not see fear or reluctance in them. Leia had already concealed her true emotions. Wayne''s gaze softened as he said, "I''ll be fine. Take care of yourself and my baby. Eat more." After he said that, Wayne walked toward the balcony and jumped down the railing. Leia breathed a sigh of relief and almost copsed on the bed the moment Wayne left her room. After she thought about it, she walked to the balcony and looked down. Wayne''s figure had disappeared into the night and could no longer be seen. The security system of Norman Residence was not triggered. Leia was speechless at the useless rm system that cost more than 100,000 dors. She began plotting on how to stop Wayne. She picked up the phone and called Hera Sanchez. It was midnight, and Hera was out singing and dancing. Leia could hear that Hera was having fun and went straight to the point. "I now have an excuse to ask Bianca out, but you have to do something for me." Hera walked to a quiet corner and raised her brows. "That won¡¯t be a problem, but it¡¯ll cost you." "I¡¯ll y my part in asking Bianca out for you. If you had the ability, you would have taken care of her a long time ago. Why would you need me to help you?" Leia listened to the other party''s words and said with disdain," As long as you can get it done, I''ll be sure to pay you handsomely." "Give me some information before I agree to anything. I can''t blindly do as you say." Hera lit a cigarette, took a puff, and said. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Do you know Wayne tt?" Leia asked. "Wayne tt? The name sounds familiar." Hera frowned. "The second son of the tt family. Do you know who I¡¯m talking about now?" Leia would not be in this state if she was not afraid of the tts and the evidence in Wayne''s hands. Of course, Bianca was to me too. "Oh, I''ve heard of him. Isn''t the tt family as good as gone?" Hera was well-informed about the major events in A City. The worst part was that the tts did not even know who did it to them. When news about the tts broke, there was already no turning back for them. "Yes, the family is doing poorly. The second son of tts is on the run but has recently returned to A City. I want you to kill Wayne tt. I¡¯m open for discussions on the price," Leia said cruelly. The evidence in Wayne''s hands and his cruelty were the biggest reasons why she could not tolerate him. Leia hated being coerced. Wayne previously ruined her life, and now he wanted to ruin her wedding. ''Don''t even think about it!¡¯ "I can''t make a promise right away, I have to think about it before I give you an answer." Hera then ended the call. She walked back to the table and chased away some women who were having fun singing and dancing. Abel held a ss of red wine and raised his brows to look at her. "Now that you''ve driven all my beauties away, who''s going to spend the night with me?" Hera snorted and replied, "You still have me. Also, I have something important to discuss with you." Abel stretched out his hand and pulled her into his arms. He then gently rubbed her chin. "What do you want to tell me?" "Do you know who Wayne tt is?" Hera asked while she leaned into his arms. She had met Abel abroad. Thest time she saw Luke and Bianca, she was deported on the grounds that she illegally entered the country with false documents. She was even detained for a few days. At that time, she met Abel who was locked up for the same reason. However, he was not a stowaway. He had a strong backing, and the power he held was not something an ordinary woman like her could fathom. They caught each other''s eyes in the detention center, so they bonded after they were released. After two days of traveling in other countries, they realized that they both knew Luke after watching the news together. The difference was that she admired Luke while Abel hated him. Taking advantage of their rtionship, Hera told Abel that he did not need to take his revenge on Luke. If Luke retaliated, they would be harmed in the process, so she and Maxine persuaded him to take revenge on Bianca instead. It would hurt Luke more if he lost the love of his life aspared to him getting hurt. "Wayne tt? I don''t know him. Unless he¡¯s a prettydy or someone powerful, I don''t care." Abel shook his head and kissed Hera. Her fragrance reminded him of someone. Hera lit a cigar for him and said, "Can you take care of him too?" "Why?" Abel was not one to care about others'' life and death, but he wanted to know why. He was smart enough not to fall for her charm. "You¡¯ll get paid for it. We can set the price," Hera said. Abel was a big spender. Although Maxine had been supporting him, they still needed a lot of money to escape from A City after Bianca was taken care of. Hera had no ns to spend the rest of her life with a man like Abel. She needed the money. "Okay, get more information on this. I''ll get it done." Abel agreed. "I¡¯ll reply to her now!" Hera said happily and wanted to tell Leia immediately so that she could prepare what was needed. Abel was a man of his word. He had a lot of mercenaries, each of whom was an elite soldier. Wayne was nothing to him. "Don''t worry. You¡¯ve agreed to apany me now, so you can reply tomorrow." Abel did not let her leave. He threw his cigarette, picked her up, and headed upstairs. Chapter 1021 Chapter 1021 Partners In Crime Crawford Mansion was in chaos. Since the thief had yet to be caught, Susan mored in front of Old Master Crawford every day to comin about Luke. She said that Luke was not taking it seriously and he only cared about his own happiness, not caring about Thea''s injury at all. Old Master Crawford was upset by her never-ending rambling, so he summoned the family and invited them to the mansion for dinner. Luke went back with Bianca and the kids. They walked into the living room and noticed Susan, who was alone in the living room. Bianca sighed and prepared herself for another storm. "Lanie, Rainie, go upstairs to do your homework. If there''s something that you don''t understand, make a note of it and I''lle up to help you with itter." Bianca handed the school bags to the twins. There were certain matters that she did not want to involve the kids in. nche and Rainie nodded and carried their school bags upstairs. Tommy eagerly called out to Susan, "Grandma Susan!" Susan responded with a stern expression and looked at Luke closely. Their family was so harmonious that it made her jealous. Everyone was under the same roof on the day of the incident but Thea was the one who got hurt. Although Thea''s condition had stabilized and she was getting better day by day, Susan could not find peace until the thief had been found. "Luke, when did your level of efficiency be so bad?" Susan went straight into questioning him, ignoring the presence of the children. Luke''s expression remained neutral as he said to Bianca, "My love, please take Tommy upstairs." He was more than willing to deal with matters as such alone. He did not need Bianca to be by his side. Bianca was aware of his intentions and did not want to add to his stress. She said to Tommy, "Tommy, let¡¯s go upstairs to watch cartoons, okay?" Tommy wanted to say that there was also a TV downstairs and they could watch cartoons here, but upon seeing Susan''s gloomy expression, he nodded and followed Bianca upstairs. After Bianca and the kids went upstairs, Luke sat opposite Susan and said," Susan, the matter is under investigation." "Have you been procrastinating? It¡¯s been so long since the break-in and Thea has been suffering in the hospital yet you haven''t found anything useful. Are you trying to drag it out? Could it be that you¡¯re in cahoots with the thief?" Susan was filled with wrath and started making wild guesses because she had not heard anything from him. Luke''s expression turned gloomy in an instant. "If you have doubts about my ability, you can wait for the police to finish their investigation. I¡¯m running a separate investigation alongside the police. Both sides are working on it at the same time," he exined as patiently as he could. Susan was triggered by his response and pointed at him while shouting," You''re finally willing to tell the truth! You''re deliberately dragging out the investigation to buy time for the thief! Are you happy that Thea is hurt? You and the thief are partners in crime!" Her tone changed from questioning to affirmative. Luke was running out of patience and did not care about what she thought. When he stood up and wanted to leave, Old Master Crawford came downstairs. He had overheard the entire conversation. Old Master Crawford was exasperated that Susan said such things. She was acting like a child rather than a respectful adult. He scolded her with a sullen expression, "What nonsense are you talking about?" "Dad, did you hear what he said just now? He told me to wait for the police! This is your ''good'' grandson, the one you have high hopes for! If the police are useful, why do we need him to investigate the matter?!" Susan was arrogant and unreasonable. All she wanted was for Luke to fall from grace in front of Old Master Crawford. Old Master Crawford had heard what Luke just said as well. Although Luke had not shown Susan any respect, it was not as bad as she made it out to be. He stared at Susan and said, "Are you done causing trouble?" Susan thought that she finally had something on Luke and refused to let go of it. "Dad, I''m not trying to cause trouble. Maybe... he worked with outsiders to steal your antiques. Crawford Manor had a break- in the same day he came back. How could there be such a coincidence?" It was a coincidence, and thankfully, Old Master Crawford was not swayed by her. He knocked on the floor with his cane and shouted, "Shut up!" Susan felt wronged. Old Master Crawford was partial to Luke no matter what. "Why would Luke steal things from the manor? Do you think that he needs the money? The cash that he has on him now is more than what you have in your bank ount. Thea is Louis¡¯ child and Luke loves Louis. Do you think he would do anything to harm Leia?" Old Master Crawford was annoyed with Susan. 1 Susan was a troublemaker. She would pick a fight whenever she saw Allison or Luke. Old Master Crawford was so tired that he had even considered dividing the family properties after the matter was over. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Susan wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes and went on to talk about Thea. "Dad, Thea is still in the hospital. I can''t bear to watch her suffer. She''s a sweet child and might have to live the rest of her life with a scar on her head. How can I feel at ease when the thief is still out there?" "The police are not able to find him either.'' Although Old Master Crawford felt bad for Thea, he was well aware of the situation. If the police could not find anything, Luke would need some time to investigate the matter thoroughly. "Someone who dares to steal from Crawford Manor won''t be someone simple. Give it some time, and I don''t ever want to hear you spewing nonsense again. Luke will get to the bottom of it." Old Master Crawford warned her in case she went on rambling. Seeing that the thief had yet been caught, the Crawford family was the center of attention in A City. No one felt safe with the thief still out there. Susan was aggrieved. Luke had given her hope when he asked someone to assist in the investigation. However, she had waited for so long and the case was still open. Hence, she lost her patience and thought he had no intention of helping. "Luke, what¡¯s the status of the investigation?" Old Master Crawford stopped looking at her and turned his focus to Luke instead. "It¡¯s still under investigation." Luke did not share any details of the investigation. There were a lot of people in the Crawford family and if something was revealed prematurely, it may affect the investigation. Old Master Crawford stopped pushing him when he heard his response. Luke said, "Grandpa, I''m going upstairs. The children are doing their homework." "Go. Feel free to spend the night here after dinner so that the children won''t be tired from running around," Old Master Crawford said. "Okay." Luke nodded and went upstairs. Bianca was helping Rainie with her homework. When Luke walked in, she looked up and smiled as she asked, "Are you okay?" "I¡¯m fine." Luke sat next to her, picked up nche''s workbook, and reviewed it. "Daddy, Mommy had already checked it," nche put down the textbooks in his hand and said. "Did you get any questions wrong?" Luke asked. Lanie and Rainie both went to elite schools that were much more difficult than ordinary schools. "Of course not! Rainie, on the other hand, is struggling," nche said as he looked helplessly at Rainie, who was frowning beside him. She had not been attentive in ss recently and did not understand a lot of the questions. Chapter 1022 Chapter 1022 Heavy Is The Head That Wears The Crown "I¡¯m not struggling!" Rainie made a face at nche as she slowly did her homework. nche shook his head indifferently and yed with the trinkets on the table. Luke watched by the side as his daughter finished thest question. She then handed her workbook to Bianca. "Mom, I''m done." Bianca checked and found that there was no problem with it. She then signed her name at the bottom of the page. "Mommy, Daddy, can I go y?" Rainie asked while blinking her big round eyes. "Go for it, but don¡¯t go out of control." Bianca agreed and helped them put their workbooks in their school bags. Rainie and nche walked out of the study. Bianca put the school bags aside. She only feltfortable talking about the break-in after the children left. "Did Grandpa me you?" She put her hand on the back of his hand and asked with concern. Luke grabbed her hand and rubbed her fingers lightly as he replied, "No." Bianca knew that Old Master Crawford was a reasonable man. However, this was not a trivial matter and she was worried that the old man would me Luke. Only she, who was always by his side, knew that Luke had invested a lot of time on the Crawford family and T Corporation. Sometimes, he would apany her to bed and after she fell asleep, he would quietly go to the study to work overtime. He only went back to the bedroom to sleep for two hours before the break of dawn. Bianca felt distressed for him but could not say anything. ''Heavy is the head that wears the crown.'' Seeing him working so hard and being so exhausted, she only had one thought. She would match his footsteps and help him in the future. The caretaker knocked on the doorand walked in. She said respectfully," Master, Madam, Old Master Crawford has asked me to inform you that dinner is ready." "Okay." Luke took Bianca''s hand, stood up, and went downstairs. The atmosphere at the dining table was tense. Susan wanted to act out but dared not with Old Master Crawford around. Louis and Yuri were taking care of Thea in the hospital. They were not eating nor sleeping well. Susan was frustrated at the thought, and after having two bites, she put down her utensils and said, "I''m full." Old Master Crawford ignored her. Susan left the dining room with her blood boiling. Bianca got some greens for Tommy and watched him enjoy the food. He was the happiest out of everyone at the dinner table. "Mommy, can I have some meat?" Tommy said, not satisfied that she only took vegetables for him. Bianca ced two pieces of fish on his te. Tommy continued to eat. Old Master Crawford took a sip of whisky and found it tasteless. He put down his utensils and asked, "Luke, what has your mother been up to recently?" Luke paused, his expression remaining neutral as he asked, "What''s wrong? "I asked the butler to invite her for dinner today but the call didn''t go through. Is she busytely?" Old Master Crawford asked. He was furious that Allison did not answer a call from the manor. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ''Allison is rich and thinks that she can disrespect me like that?!¡¯ "I don''t know." Luke took a sip of the soup. He and Gordan Norton had gotten someone to monitor Allison while the investigation was going on. The person told them that Allison had been in the vi for the past few days, not going out at all. This was out of the ordinary. Allison would hang out with other socialites whenever she had the time. It was rare for her to stay home for several days in a row. Old Master Crawford knew that Luke had his hands full with work but he still said to him earnestly, "She¡¯s your mother. Check-in on her when you have the time. Else, people may gossip." "I will, Grandpa." Luke agreed to his request. After dinner, Old Master Crawford skipped watching the news and went back to his bedroom after walking around the living room for a while. He said that he was tired. Bianca sat beside Luke and watched cartoons with the children. She put her head on his broad shoulder. She thought of what Old Master Crawford said at the dinner table and asked, "What do you think Grandpa was implying?" It was rare for Old Master Crawford to mention Allison''s name since she moved out. "Mom didn''t answer the phone so Grandpa is angry." Luke took out his phone and called Allison. The phone rang five times before it was connected. "What can I do for you? Bianca leaned on his shoulder and heard Allison''s voice on the other end of the phone. If it had been in the past, Allison would be enthusiastic upon receiving Luke''s call. Her voice was different now, and Bianca could tell that she was angry. "Nothing much. We had a family dinner tonight and Grandpa asked why you didn''t answer the phone." Luke nced at Bianca and held her hand. Allison paused. It turned out that the butler had called her about this. When her phone rang earlier in the day, she thought it was because they had found evidence against her. Allison was relieved that it was not the case and replied, "So what? In your eyes, I''m not a member of the Crawford family anyway. Is there anything else that you want to talk about? Else, I¡¯ll hang up." After the butler called, she had been in a constant state of worry. She feared that the police would come over and cause her trouble. Now that she had received a call from Luke, she was relieved to find out the truth. Luke stopped talking, and Allison just hung up. Elsa, who was on the side, was massaging her shoulders. "Madam, did your son call?" She had seen Luke on TV and thought that if she could see such a handsome man in real life, it would be a feast for her eyes. "Don''t mention that unfilial son of mine." Allison clutched her chest. She still could not let go of what had happened in Brilliant Architectural Design LLC. Elise knelt on the cushions to massage her legs and answered softly, "At the end of the day, you''re mother and son. You shouldn''t hold a grudge against him. On top of that, you should be proud of your amazing son." Allison closed her eyes and enjoyed their service. She was proud of Luke, but their rtionship had taken a turn for the worse since Bianca appeared. "You haven¡¯t been a mother so you don¡¯t know the pain I feel," she said while pointing to a sore spot on her shoulder. "Focus on this spot. I haven¡¯t been sleeping well and would feel tired the entire day." "Madam, 111 make you a cup ofvender tea before you go to bed. It can improve your quality of sleep." Elise said. "Okay." Allison smiled. She had not been going out and keeping a close eye on her safe for fear of others finding out. She could not rx, which exined her deteriorating sleep quality. Over at Crawford Manor. Bianca heard the busy tone from Luke''s phone and knew that Allison had abruptly ended the call. This was rare, and it seemed that she was really angry. Although what had happened at her firm was mostly due to Allison being too sensitive and they had not done anything wrong, as Allison''s daughter- inw, she still had to take a step back. Luke did not intend to apologize. Since he was a kid, he was the kind of person who would admit to his mistakes. If he knew that he was in the right, he would never apologize. However, after Bianca made the suggestion, he agreed with her and said, "Okay." Chapter 1023 Chapter 1023 Guilty The next day, which happened to be Saturday, Bianca went to pick up a fancy fruit basket. After returning to the manor, she set off to Allison''s residence with Luke. In the car, Tommy muttered, "Daddy, Mommy, you promised to take me to the amusement park. Why are we going to Grandma''s house?" The n to take the kids to the amusement park was put on hold for a while because of Luke and Bianca''s busy schedules. Fortunately, Tommy was an understanding and considerate child. He was just a little emotional because he had been waiting for so long. Bianca and Luke looked at each other and discussed in a low voice, "Are you going to work tomorrow?" "No," Luke replied. "Should we go to the amusement park tomorrow?" Bianca discussed it with him. "Sounds good." Luke agreed. It was worth taking a day off to spend it with his family. Bianca looked at Tommy, who was puffing out his cheeks. He was grumpy from being woken up earlier and at them for not keeping their promise. She smiled and coaxed him, saying, "Tommy, let''s go tomorrow, okay?" "Mommy, really? You''re not lying to me?" Tommy opened his eyes and grinned. It was easy to coax kids out of their bad moods. "I''m not lying. We¡¯ll go to the amusement park tomorrow," Bianca said. Although it was not the best timing, Luke and Bianca did not want their children to wait too long. As parents, they had to lead by example. Tommy pped his hands happily and said, "You''re the best parents ever!" Bianca turned her head and nced at the side of the road. They were five minutes away from the mansion where Allison lived. "When you see Grandmater, please greet her and don¡¯t touch anything, okay?" Bianca told the child. Allison disyed obsessivepulsive traits and was very sensitive about others touching her belongings without her permission. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "We will, Mom." nche and Rainie agreed to her request. After the car arrived in front of Allison¡¯s mansion, Luke got out of the car and pressed the doorbell. It was Elsa who answered the door. Her heart was beating like a drum when she saw Luke standing at the entrance. "Mr. Crawford, are you here to see Madam Allison?" "Yes, is she here?" Luke took a step back and looked at Elsa with a calm expression. He was a little surprised that Allison would hire such a young woman to serve her. She had always been reluctant to admit the fact that she was getting old, so the people she hired were all middle-aged people as they made her seem younger in contrast. "Yes, she¡¯s here. Come in!" Elsa looked at Luke fanatically and thought that he looked much more handsome in real life! She opened the gate so that his car could get in. Luke sat in the driver¡¯s seat, drove into the mansion, and stopped in the parking lot. Bianca helped the kids out of the car. Only then did Elsa realize that Luke''s wife hade along with him. Elsa felt jealous when she saw Bianca¡¯s delicate and elegant features.'' This woman is living a good life. She''s good-looking and married such an astonishing man.'' "Sir, Madam, Madam Allison is having breakfast now. Please follow me." Elsa put away her emotions, took the gifts they were holding, and walked in front to lead the way. Tommy hopped around while holding Bianca''s hand. When he saw more of the luxurious mansion, he said, "Mommy, Grandma lives in such a big mansion by herself. Isn¡¯t she afraid?" "Shhh." Bianca made a gesture to Tommy to signal him to keep quiet. This was her first time in Allison''s mansion, which wasrger and more luxurious than the one where the family lived. When everyone thought that Luke had an ident, Allison took the money that Luke allocated for her and bought this mansion. Bianca also heard rumors that Allison went into a bidding war for this mansion and ended up spending a lot of money. Bianca knew that it was not her ce to say anything. After all, the money did belong to Allison. Tommy took the hint and stopped talking. Elsa walked into the dining room, smiled, and said, "Madam, your son and daughter-inw havee to visit you." Allison panicked the instant she heard that Luke and Bianca were here. She asked, "Why are they here?" Elsa saw her panicked look and was confused. She replied, "They''re in the living room now. Madam, your grandchildren are so beautiful." She was telling the truth. She rarely saw children as adorable. Allison was upset and overwhelmed with guilt. When Luke visited in the past without prompt, she used to be overjoyed. However, considering that there were a lot of antiques hidden in her mansion at that moment, she wanted the family to stay as far away as possible. She waved her hand and said, "Put these away." "Yes, Madam." Elsa immediately put away the tes on the table. Allison walked to the living room and looked at Luke and Bianca with a nk expression. Her tone was sharp as she said, "Aren''t you busy? Why are you free to drop by today?" Bianca exined with a smile, "Mother-inw, Luke bought you a fruit basket. It has your favorite cherries." "I don¡¯t need it." Allison was still expressionless, but she was extremely flustered on the inside. She was forcing herself to hold her cool. Bianca was surprised at this change in attitude from Allison. Rainie and nche looked at each other. They said sweetly, "Grandma, we missed you so much." While Allison looked at the children''s cute faces, she was still thinking about the antiques. Although they were locked in a safe and Luke was probably not aware of it, she just could not calm herself down. Hence, she covered her forehead with her hand and pretended to be sick. "I¡¯m not feeling well today. If you have nothing else to talk about, please leave." Seeing that Allison was not willing to back down, Bianca looked at Luke helplessly. This was possibly the angriest Bianca had ever seen her. She had put in the effort to get Luke toe over and make peace, but Allison''s attitude was so... Luke put his hands in his pockets and looked at Allison who was acting abnormally. He asked, "You took the box that Dad left, right?" "Yes," Allison replied subconsciously. When Zachary Crawford left, he had left a box for Luke. There was nothing valuable in it. There were just some of his personal items inside. When Allison moved out of Crawford Manor, she had taken the box with her. "I want to have it," Luke said. Allison was a little impatient and replied, "It''s in the study. There''s nothing in that box, why do you want to take it?" "He left it for me." Luke headed straight upstairs. Allison realized that the safe was in the study when Luke was already walking up the stairs. She stomped her feet and was angry at herself for forgetting such an important thing. "Wait here, I¡¯ll get it for you." She hurried to catch up with Luke. Luke did not stop when he heard what Allison said and continued to move forward. Allison followed along and they both went upstairs. Bianca and the three children stood there waiting. Rainie looked up at her mother and asked, "Mom, why does Grandma look nervous?" Chapter 1024 Chapter 1024 The Antiques Are In Her Safe Bianca touched Rainie''s head and did not answer her question. Instead, she asked, "Rainie, do you want to go to sster?" Rainie and Lanie had extracurricr sses nned for the day, but to make Allison happy, Bianca took a leave of absence for them and brought them to Allison''s ce instead. However, Allison was pulling a long face and was not weing, so she nned to leave after Luke took the box. Rainie did not think too much about it and nodded, saying, "Okay, Mommy." "I''m going too," nche said. If it were not for his mother''s request, he would already be in his extracurricr ss. Elsa brought out a pot of tea and walked to the living room. She saw Bianca still standing there and greeted her, "Madam, take a seat and have a cup of tea." Bianca shook her head and replied, "No, we¡¯re leaving soon." When Bianca said that, Elsa nced at the children with a smile while saying, "Okay, I''ll go back to the kitchen first. If there¡¯s anything you need, let me know." Bianca nodded and watched her walk away with coquetry. She wondered in her heart whether Elsa was really a caretaker. Upstairs. Luke''s legs were longer than Allison''s, so he quickly arrived at the second floor. He had not been here before and tried to open the doors of each room. He saw Allison''s bedroom, the guest room, and her vanity room. Even though he opened the doors, he did not go in. He was just looking for the study. Finally, in the penultimate room at the end of the corridor, he stopped and twisted the doorknob. He found that the door of this room was locked. Allison arrived angrily and looked at him with her hands on her waist." Luke, what are you doing? This is not the Crawford Manor nor your home!" Luke looked at her with a chilly expression and said, "This is the study, right?" He was familiar with theyout of a mansion like this. Thest room would usually be amon bathroom. Allison¡¯s mansion had only two floors, and none of the rooms he visited earlier were the study. Hence, he was sure this was the study. Allison bit her red lip, her expression a little contorted. "Mother, why did you lock the study? Is there something important inside?" Luke asked. Of all the rooms in her mansion, this was the only room that was locked. It was indeed unusual. "What do you think can be inside? I want to have collectibles too, but unfortunately, you¡¯re an unfilial son. Even if I want to collect something, I don''t have the money for it," Allison said with a stubborn expression, her tone filled withints about being wronged. "I want to take my father''s box." Luke stood aside and waited for her to open the door. Allison did not move as if she had not heard what he said. Luke raised his eyebrows, put his big palm on the doorknob, and twisted hard. The doorknob made a ''click'' sound. Allison was startled. Luke wanted to use brute force and break the door lock. Passive resistance was useless, so she pped his hand and said," Don''t break my lock." With that, she took a key from her pocket and opened the door to the study. There was only one key for this door, and she kept it on her to prevent Elsa and Elsie from entering the study. If Luke broke the lock and she could not lock the door after, it would cause even more trouble for her. Although no one knew that there were antiques worth hundreds of millions of dors hidden in the safe inside the study, Allison was still cautious. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. These antiques were valuable. They were her lifeline! Allison walked in, took out a box from the drawer of the desk, and handed it to Luke. "This is the box your dad left you. I haven''t touched the contents inside. Take it and leave quickly." She expressed her hostility. Luke picked up the sandalwood box and nced at the study. The bookshelves were full of books, but they were all bought by Allison for appearance''s sake. The books were all brand new as though they had never been flipped through. Apart from that, there were no other luxurious furnishings. He nced at the huge safe in the corner and then walked out of the study. Allison walked out and locked the door of the study. Luke nced back. She was frightened by his gaze and put the key back in her pocket. She asked, "What are you looking at?" "Your safe is a new product that was developed earlier this year. It¡¯s imported from Germany." Luke finished speaking and turned around to leave. Allison was stunned. The safe in the study was one of the most advanced in the world. Without a password, there was no other way to open it except with explosives. In addition, there were infrared detectors and rms on the four corners of the safe. If someone touched it and did not enter the password within five seconds, the rm would sound. If the correct password was not keyed in within five minutes, the rm would automatically make a report to the nearest police station. Under normal circumstances, such advanced products were not used in homes. Allison felt dizzy as she watched Luke leave. She did not go downstairs but returned to her bedroom while rubbing her forehead. She thought that having a kid meant her future would be secured, but she failed to raise a son who could provide for her. Not only did she have to earn her own money but she also had to be alert around him. Allison had a splitting headache andy on the bed. Luke went downstairs, walked to Bianca''s side, and said, "Let''s go." "Okay." Bianca nodded. Looking at the sandalwood box in his hand, she wondered why he had not mentioned this box when he had been back a long time ago. It seemed to her that the box was just an excuse for him toe here. After Luke drove nche and Rainie to their extracurricr sses, he drove back. Tommy murmured that he was sleepy. Bianca sat in the backseat, ced Tommy in her arms, and let him fall asleep in her embrace. After the car drove for a while, Luke broke the silence. "There''s an imported safe in her study. It was justunched earlier this year." Someone from a securitypany had rmended it to him before, but Luke did not have much of an interest in collecting precious goods, so he did not buy it. However, he was well aware of what this safe could do. Bianca paused and expressed her suspicion, "Are you saying that the antiques are in her safe?" "Perhaps." Luke had his doubts even before Gordan came. However, no matter what, Allison was a member of the Crawford family. Although he was suspicious, he did notunch an investigation into it. Later, he got Gordan to change the direction of the investigation. The more he investigated, the more he believed that Allison was involved in the break -in. Before and after the incident, she had appeared on the first floor of Crawford Mansion. They had looked into her bank''s records and found that she withdrew arge sum of money from the bank after the break-in. She still owed money for her credit cards. Gordan was trying to get ess to Allison''s dashcam but she had not left her residence for a few days, so he was waiting for the perfect timing to make a move. Tommy was in a sleepy daze. He opened his eyes and looked at Bianca." Mommy, what antiques are you talking about?" Bianca touched his head and whispered, "It''s nothing, Tommy. Go back to sleep." Tommy pursued his mouth and closed his eyes. The atmosphere in the car was slightly intense. Luke drove Bianca and Tommy home, saying, "I''m going to the office." "Okay." Bianca got out of the car with Tommy and wanted to ask Luke what he was going to do if the person behind the break-in was really Allison. In the end, she did not ask because she knew the answer. Luke was always fair and just. Chapter 1025 Chapter 1025 Didn''t Want To Doubt Her Bianca watched Luke drive away and closed the door of the vi. She had a hunch that the truth behind the break-in of Crawford Manor would soon be revealed. "Mommy?" Tommy woke up in her arms. Seeing that Tommy had woken up, Bianca put him on the ground and touched his little head as she said, "You''re up? Do you want to have some fruit?" "Yeah!" Tommy looked around and did not see Luke, so he asked, "Where''s Daddy?" "He has something to attend to and has to go back to the company." Bianca took his hand and walked into the living room. When he heard that, Tommy became nervous and asked, "Will Daddy be busy tomorrow?" Bianca took out an apple from the refrigerator. She smiled and promised Tommy. "Don''t worry, no matter how busy we are tomorrow, we''re taking you to the amusement park.¡± Tommy pped his hands happily. He stood by the side while waiting for Bianca to peel and cut the apples into slices. He picked up a slice and said as he ate, "Thank you, Mommy." Seeing Tommy''s lively and cute appearance, Bianca felt grateful that Tommy had not left his bedroom in the middle of the night on the day of the incident. She sat on the sofa and felt a sense of warmth as she looked at Tommy eating an apple. Suddenly, her phone rang. Bianca nced at it and saw that it was a string of unfamiliar numbers. She answered the call. Hello, who''s calling?" "Sister, this is Leia!" Leia''s voice came from the other end of the phone. Bianca was stunned that Leia was calling her. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Leia was smart and did not use her phone to make this call because she was worried that Bianca would not answer it if she saw her name. Instead, she used Brody''s phone "Leia..." Bianca asked in a calm tone, "What''s the matter?" Leia would never reach out if she did not need something. Even if she needed something, it would take a lot for her to reach out to Bianca. Leia said straightforwardly, "Sister, can you apany me to try on wedding dresses on Monday?" "Monday?" Bianca frowned. She did not expect that Leia would actually want her to get involved. Leia did not seem like the forgiving kind. "Yes, Monday. I can''t deal with the weekend crowd, so I n to go on Monday, but all of my friends have to work. Bea, please go with me and share your opinions. You¡¯ve been married before so you''d know what kind of wedding dress is the mostfortable to wear. I have faith in you." Leia did not give her a chance to refuse and blurted everything out in one breath. "So, it''s decided. Monday, Mishal Bridal Shop. I''ll see you there." Before Bianca could reply, the call was cut off. She massaged her forehead and sighed. "Mommy, what happened? Are you feeling unwell?" Tommy leaned against her when he saw her react as such and asked with concern. Bianca shook her head and handed him a slice of apple as she said, "I''m okay. Here, have another slice of apple." Tommy took it and continued to eat. The other side. Luke drove to T Corporation. It was a weekend, so there were no other employees there except the security guards. Gordan was sitting on the sofa in the lobby of thepany with his legs crossed. He was waiting for Luke. When he saw Luke walking over, Gordan stood up and said, "Ugh. You asked me toe over as soon as possible, but you''rete! What did you find out?" "Let''s talk upstairs." Luke walked to the exclusive elevator and pressed the button. Although there was no one in the lobby, there were security guards patrolling the building all the time. Before they could confirm the details of what had happened, he did not want others to be involved. Gordan stood up, yawned, and followed him. In the office. Gordan sat on the sofa and sighed, "You sure know how to enjoy life. This leather sofa that¡¯s imported from Italy is sofortable." "When this is done and dusted, I''ll get you one." Luke turned on the computer. Gordan gave a thumbs up and replied, "What a great friend! I''ll make sure I cover all grounds with this investigation. I won''t use a good person, but I won''t let a bad person go!" "Let''s talk business." Luke sat on the executive chair and looked at his friend. "I went to her mansion today." "What did you find?" Gordan became more alert. He was sure that Luke summoned him over because he had discovered something. "There''s only one suspicious ce-the study of the mansion, which contains a safe imported from Germany. It''s thetest product," Luke said. Gordan raised his eyebrows. He knew about safes like that. These high- tech products were challenging to even world-renowned thieves, who would not be able to crack the safes before the rm went off. The price of a product like this matched its top-notch quality. Gordan rubbed his hands and said, "Even if I sneak in, I won''t be able to crack the code. Can''t I get explosives to blow up the safe?" Luke looked at him with a cold expression. Gordan trembled and realized that he was being silly. He said cheekily, "Of course not. I''ll continue to figure out how to get her dashcam footage." Luke nodded and said, "Have you thought about how we''re going to find the thief?" "The lost antiques have not appeared on the ck market. If... If this matter has something to do with your mother and we want to find the thief, I''m afraid you''ll have to start with the cash that she took. We need to get our hands on her dashcam, but it¡¯s a bit difficult considering that she doesn''t go out,¡± Gordan frowned and said. He had never seen a richdy staying at home all day long. Luke was typing on the keyboard, writing some emails. Hearing the distress in Gordan¡¯s voice, Luke said, "You can figure it out yourself." "You''re making me jump through hoops for this leather sofa. She''s your mother, do you have any ideas? I would prefer it if I didn¡¯t have to sneak it. The security system in her vi is quite good, I can''t do it without backup," Gordan said with his legs crossed in front of him. Luke said, "You''re justzy." It was not impossible for Gordan to sneak in, but he had to put in more effort. If he were a thief, he would probably have done a much better job than the one who broke into Crawford Manor. "You don''t have to be so blunt. She''s your mother, I¡¯m sure you can find a way to get her out of the house." Gordan urged Luke. As long as he could get his hands on the dashcam, it was just a matter of time before the truth woulde to light. "Okay, I¡¯ll think of a way," Luke said and then picked up his phone to call the workshop. He mentioned his name and said that Allison''s car needed maintenance. He requested for them to bring the car away for maintenance. He was the one who bought Allison''s car so it was under his name. He also covered the insurance and everything else. As soon as Luke said that, the staff from the workshop went to take care of the matter. Gordan watched him hang up the phone and pped his hands. "That''s smart! Why didn''t you share this good idea earlier on?" Luke turned around and looked at the scenery outside the floor-to-ceiling windows. He could see the entire A City from here. "I didn''t want to doubt her." His voice was indifferent. If he had not seen the safe, he would not be doing this. Allison was his biological mother. If she really did such a thing, he would not be able to understand why. Chapter 1026 Chapter 1026 Faked Calmness Hearing that, Gordan did not tease him any further. He nced at the time, stood up, and said, "Send me the address of the workshop, I¡¯ll head there now." Luke sent him a location on Whatsapp and said, "Let me know as soon as you hear anything." "You have my word," Gordan assured. Gordan arrived at the workshop and sessfully found Allison''s car. While the staff was not paying attention, he removed the dashcam. In order not to alert Allison, he installed another one in her car. After everything was done, Gordan left without any of the staff noticing. After he returned to the hotel, he ignored Vivian, who was waiting for him on the sofa, and went straight back to the room. He closed the door, connected the dashcam to theputer, and started working on it. After importing all the data, Gordan sent Luke a text: [The dashcam has been obtained and we¡¯ll find out more tomorrow.] When he was done sending the text, there was a knock on the door. Gordan was happy with the progress, but the moment he heard the knock on the door, his expression immediately became stern. He did not intend to pay any attention to it. Vivian continued to knock on the door. Gordan had no choice but to open the door. He looked at her ugly face indifferently and felt even worse. "What are you doing?!" Vivian still had a smile on her face as she looked at the man who just yelled at her. She reminded him, "Gordan, the hotel sent lunch over." "I¡¯m not hungry." Gordan closed the door and nned to ignore her. Vivian was anxious and stretched her feet out to block the doorway. Tears welled up in her eyes when the door mmed her foot. Gordan lowered his head and saw her foot swelling up at a speed visible to the naked eye. He did not expect her to block the door with her foot. He had mmed the door with all his might, so she was probably in a lot of pain. "Are you stupid?" An unexinable feeling suddenly rose in his heart and Gordan could not help but yell at her again. Vivian fought to hold back the tears. Gordan had once told her that other women looked pitiful when they were crying but she looked like a disaster. She put on a small smile and looked at him, saying, "Gordan, I ordered your favorite filet steak. I heard that the filet steak here is cooked by a chef from Brazil. It''s delicious and authentic. It''s not going to taste nice if it¡¯s cold-" Before Vivian finished speaking, Gordan interrupted her, "I''ll eat it, bring it over." Vivian looked at the delicately arranged table and felt sad. Gordan had not been eating in the hotel for the past few days. Even if he ate in the hotel, he would not sit at the same table as her. He seemed to be punishing her for secretly following him. Vivian looked at him pleadingly as she said, "It''s on the table. Do you want to go over there to eat?" Gordan saw through her intentions and said mercilessly, "I won¡¯t have the appetite if I have to eat with you. Bring it here. Else, you can forget about it." Vivian shook her head immediately and replied, "I''ll get it for you." Compared to Gordan''s health, her wishes were not important at all. Vivian walked over and looked at the steak with mixed feelings. She knew his taste, so she picked up the sauce on the side, poured it on the steak, and put it on the tray. She poured him a ss of red wine as well. Vivian carefully handed the food to him. Gordan took it with one hand and closed the door without saying thank you. Vivian looked at the closed door with a bitter feeling in her heart. She thought that they could live happily ever after if she persisted, but now it seemed that no matter how hard she tried, she would never be in Gordan''s heart. Luke was eating, and when he heard a notification alert on his phone, he put down his utensils. He read the text and replied: [Okay.] Bianca brought the soup to the dinner table and happened to see his conversation with Gordan. Everything was about toe to light. The Crawford family could no longer maintain this forced calmness. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She nced at the three children who were eating quietly. No matter how big the Crawford family''s issue might be, she would protect them from the stormy weather. The next day. Luke drove their family to thergest amusement park in the area. They did not buy tickets but went in through a special VIP entrance. When Bianca was wondering about it, Luke said, "This is Jim''s property." Jim loved Simon, so he had built this amusement park to please him. He did not intend to make a profit out of it, but he identally made it into thergest amusement park in the city. Many foreign tourists woulde here and spend the whole day in the amusement park. "Ah, that¡¯s why." Bianca nodded. After the family of five entered through the special entrance, the kids screamed with joy as they looked at the various rides and attractions. It was the weekend, so there were many people here. Bianca was afraid that the children would get lost, so she squatted down and said to them, "If you want to go somewhere, you have to tell me and Daddy. You can''t go and y by yourself, promise?" There were three children and only two adults. She was afraid that the children may get too excited and lose control of themselves. She and Luke would not be able to take care of them then. "I promise, Mommy," Rainie said obediently while holding Tommy tightly with one hand. "Rainie, Rainie, is that you?" A child''s voice sounded from the side. Bianca and Rainie looked up at the same time and saw Simon, who was wearing sunsses. He ran over excitedly as three bodyguards followed closely behind him. After confirming that the person he saw was Rainie, Simon took off his sunsses and said, "Rainie, it''s really you!" nche saw Simon standing in front of his sister. When he was about to get close, he squeezed forward and protected Rainie by positioning her behind him. "Simon, why are you here?" Simon was angry that nche was blocking him from seeing the girl he liked. He stared at nche and said, "This is my second home, why can¡¯t I be here?" nche guarded his sister and replied, "I see. But go somewhere else and y. Don''t disturb us." "Lanie..." Bianca knew that he said that because he wanted to protect his sister. She did not me him. She nced at the bodyguard behind Simon and did not see Jim around. She asked, "Simon, where¡¯s your father?" "Dad is with my sister. He doesn''t want me anymore," Simon said as he deliberately squeezed out some pitiful tears. Bianca then realized that Scarlett Quincy had given birth to a daughter. Luke stood beside them and saw everything. "Did your dad ask you toe?" "Um..." Simon looked at his bodyguards and said, "Exin." One of the bodyguards said, "Mr. Crawford, Mr. Holston knew that you wereing to the amusement park today and specifically asked us to take care of you." "Get to the point." Luke was not interested in small talk. "Mr. Holston requests that Master Simon join you for a day of fun in the amusement park," the bodyguard said directly. Luke''s expression was cold. Jim had nned this from the start! He would do anything to get rid of his son and have some time alone with Scarlett. He even entrusted his precious son to them. Chapter 1027 Chapter 1027 Protector Of His Family Simon could not keep his eyes off Rainie. Luke said in a cold tone, "I¡¯m not responsible if you get lost." "Uncle Luke, I''ll follow you closely and make sure I don''t get lost." Simon gave a thumbs up. There were many people around. Tommy was small and might get separated if they did not pay close attention. Hence, Luke picked up Tommy. As for Simon, Luke was not interested in babysitting other people''s children. When Luke would not grant him permission, Simon looked at Bianca with pursed lips. "Aunt Bianca, my life is so miserable. Since getting a younger sister, my dad doesn''t care about me anymore. I''m a poor orphan." The three bodyguards broke out in a cold sweat when they heard what their young master said. If his father heard this, they would be punished. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Seeing Simon acting sad, Bianca softened up and said, "Okay, but don''t run around. You have to be obedient." "Okay, Aunt Bianca. I''ll listen to every word you say. I¡¯ll protect Rainie!" As soon as he got permission from Bianca, Simon smiled, patted his chest, and promised. nche despised him and thought that Simon was a good-for-nothing who acted pitifully and pretended to be miserable to make his mother sympathize with him. "Mommy, Daddy, I want to ride the Ferris wheel." Tommy ignored their conversation and pointed to the Ferris wheel not far away. To him, having fun was the most important thing. Bianca touched the child''s head. "Okay.¡± The group of them walked to the Ferris wheel. Simon being a part of their group meant that they were given priority to get on the Ferris wheel. They did not have to line up and went on almost all the rides. After ying for the entire day, they found a restaurant and sat down. Bianca breathed a sigh of relief. She could not keep up with her children. Their energy was never- ending, and they did not feel tired after walking around the entire amusement park. She ordered juice for the four children and a cup of coffee for Luke. She sat down and said, "I¡¯m d we had the bodyguards with us today. Else, I wouldn''t have known what to do." Luke put his phone back in his pocket, his expression looking solemn. Bianca noticed it and knew instinctively that something had happened. She put her hand on the back of his hand and asked, "What''s the matter?" "Gordan found the address," Luke said sternly. "Do you want to go now?" Bianca''s heart tightened. When she looked at him, she knew that something bad was about to happen. "I want to spend time with the kids today," Luke said as he put his arm around her. nche listened to the conversation between the two. As the eldest among his siblings, he said sensibly, "Daddy, Mommy, we had a great time today and there are no suitable rides left for us. Why don¡¯t we go home?" Luke and Bianca looked at them. Rainie also chimed in, "Yes, I¡¯m so tired. Let''s go home." Tommy looked at his brother and sister. He had enough fun and agreed with them. ¡®Go home! Go home!" Seeing that the children had the same thoughts, Bianca looked at Luke and said, "The kids and I will take a taxi home. You can take the car." Gordan was in a hurry, but Luke decided to let them drive the car back. "I''ll take a taxi, and you drive them back." "Okay." Bianca nodded. Luke looked at the bodyguard at the side and said, "Send this kid back, and tell your boss to take care of his son on his own." The bodyguard nodded and left with Simon. As he walked away, Simon kept turning his head to look at Rainie. He said," Rainie, see you in school!" "Hmph." nche snorted coldly. He knew that Simon just wanted to take advantage of his sister. Bianca and the children said goodbye to Luke at the entrance of the amusement park. Then, she drove them back. nche sat in the passenger seat. He thought about it for a while and asked, "Mommy, is Daddy going to settle the issue of the break-in at Crawford Manor?" Bianca told him the truth, "Yes, the bad guys will be caught soon." There was a look of concern in nche''s eyes. "Mommy, ask Daddy to be careful." "Your dad will take care of himself, don''t worry. He won''t get hurt. He¡¯ll protect all of you," Bianca said. Luke was the protector of their family and he always ensured their safety. "Yeah." nche nodded and looked out the car window. The other side of town. Luke took a taxi and arrived at the address given by Gordan. Gordanined as Luke walked over. "What took you so long?" "Stop talking nonsense. Where?" Luke said with a stern expression. "We have to find it. This is where the car stoppedst." Gordan put out his cigarette. "Based on the timestamp, she was here for a full half an hour." "The alleys don¡¯t have any surveince cameras," Luke said. The car would not stop here for no reason. It must be because it could not get in. "Let¡¯s go in and have a look," Gordan said, "Leave this to me." The two of them walked into a narrow alley one after the other and looked at the dpidated buildings around them. It was an area for those with lower socioeconomic status. Several women heard the footsteps and walked out. The moment they saw Luke and Gordon, their eyes lit up as they shouted, "Handsome! Do you want toe in for tea?" Luke frowned as he could tell that these women were involved in shady business. If they dared to approach him, they would die the next second. Gordan understood his friend''s temperament. However, these women were their source of information and they could not afford to offend them. "Let me talk to them," he said hurriedly and stepped forward while holding a stack of cash in his hand. "Beauties, I have some questions for you.¡± The women''s eyes brightened when they saw the cash in his hand. "Ask us anything! We¡¯ll tell you everything we know." Gordan held up his fingers and motioned to them to be quieter. They stood in the corner, and five minutester, Gordan passed the banknotes in his hands to the women. "There¡¯s an update." He smiled and walked to Luke. "This is a red-light district. Most of them are h*okers. A man named Jon lives at the end of the street." Luke could smell tacky perfume on him and retreated in disgust. "Lead the way." "Your obsessive- compulsion is acting up again. It''s terrible." Gordan deliberately took a step closer and waved to the women. "Beauties, thank you for your time." "Handsome, you''re wee." The womenughed. "Come and visit if you have the time." Gordan continued walking while talking, "From what I heard, Jon was locked up twice for theft but he didn''t steal much so he wasn''t behind bars for long. They haven''t seen him in a while and are not sure if he''s in jail." Luke put his hands in his pockets and looked cool. Gordan continued, "Do you think that a thief like him has the ability to steal from Crawford Manor?" "Someone helped him." Luke reminded him. "Yes." Gordan stopped in front of a room and said, "I think we¡¯re here." "Knock on the door." Luke did not intend toy a finger on the mossy door. The expression on his face was one of extreme disgust. Chapter 1028 Chapter 1028 I Didn''t Mean It Gordan looked around and knocked on the door, which caused the caked dust on the door to fall off. His hands were covered with dust. "Looks like there''s no one inside," he said as he dusted his hands. He did not know how long it had been since the door wasst cleaned. Even though he was not a clean freak, he was reluctant to touch it. Luke nced around at the dpidated houses. "Ask around. I''ll make a trip to the police station." "Leave this to me." Gordan gestured an "OK" and promised that he wouldplete the mission. He would go around and collect information about Jon. At ten o''clock, after Bianca coaxed Tommy to sleep, she went to the living room and made herself a cup of tea. Ever since they left the amusement park, she had not received any news from Luke. She did not disturb him because she knew that he was busy investigating. She sat on a cushion, turned on herptop, and began to design. At eleven o''clock, she could hear a car stopping outside. Bianca stood up, but she had been sitting in the position for too long, so she could only support herself with the couch while she waited for the blood to flow into her legs. Luke came into the house and noticed that Bianca was standing next to the couch while bent over. He walked over quickly and he sounded concerned. "What''s wrong, Bea? Are you feeling unwell?" Bianca looked at him and smiled helplessly. "My leg fell asleep." Luke nced at theptop on the coffee table and could tell that she had been working in the living room. "You should work in the study next time," he reprimanded her. Bianca clung to his arm. "I wanted to wait for you toe home, but I was too engrossed in my work, so I didn''t pay attention to how I was sitting..." "Sit down. Let me massage it." Luke took her hand and sat her down on the couch. Bianca rested her legs on the couch. His warm palms gentlyid on them, brought them onto hisp, and began to massage them. He could feel the smooth and fair skin in his palms, which made him give extra care while massaging. His movements were gentle, and the strength was just right. As the numb sensation dissipated, Bianca could not help but moanfortably. Luke looked at her face. He could never resist her adorable sounds. "I didn''t mean to do it." Bianca covered her face in embarrassment when she realized that the sound was quite misleading. Luke shook his head and continued to massage her legs. After a while, Bianca could feel that her legs had returned to normal. Sheid her hands on his and said, "I''m fine now. Are you hungry? I''ve prepared supper for you." Luke had stayed in the police station for the entire afternoon to find more information about that man named Jon. That name was toomon, and the police officers had to look through all the profiles named Jon one by one. "I''m hungry." Luke kissed her lips. He had not had his dinner yet. "I''ll go heat it up. You can eat soon." Bianca put on her slippers and headed to the kitchen. Luke leaned on the couch and looked at her design. Several parts were undone, so he took theptop and finished it for her. When Bianca came out with the supper, she saw that he was messing with something on herptop. "What are you doing?" "I''ve found some data mistakes on your design. I''m correcting them for you. " Luke did not raise his head. He was calcting something. Bianca ced the food on the coffee table and said, "It''s alreadyte. You should eat something, but not too much. Otherwise, you might find it hard to fall asleepter." "Mm." Luke appreciated her care. After changing thest data field, he put theptop down. The hot food on the coffee table whetted his appetite. He picked up a bowl and ate some soup. Bianca sat next to him. She took herptop and noticed that the problematic data fields had been corrected. She saved the project, turned off theptop, and looked at him obsessively. After Luke ate, Bianca was not in a rush to clean up. She looked at him and said, "You must be tired." "I''m not." He shook his head and told her his findings. Bianca sighed after hearing that. The more he investigated, the more that Allison seemed suspicious. She stacked up the bowls and tes. At the kitchen, uke pinned her waist to the kitchen counter and breathed over her. It was an intimate scene. Bianca lifted her head and was dazzled by the bright fluorescent light on the ceiling. "It''s already very late. You should take a shower and sleep." "I''ve neglected you recently, Bea. I''ll apany you tonight." Luke hugged her waist. After the intimate massage, Luke wanted more. Bianca gently pushed him away by his chest and shook her head. "Nah, I have something going on tomorrow." N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Luke continued to rub her waist as though massaging it. The pulses aroused her sensations in each of her cells. "What is it?" "Leia wants me to go to the bridal boutique with her," Bianca said helplessly. "Don''t go," Luke said without hesitation when he heard that name. Leia brought nothing but trouble. It was best to stay away from her. Bianca looked at her. "I couldn''t decline. I''ll go and meet her, then find some excuse to leave." She and Leia were Queenie''s daughters. If she did not go, Queenie might think that she was not a good elder sister to Leia. "What a troublesome woman," Luke cursed. Before Bianca reunited with Queenie, Luke should have been more ruthless and made Leia disappear from the country. His mercy in the past had led to trouble now. Bianca smiled. "Don''t worry, what could possibly happen?" Luke lifted her up, which made her squeal in surprise and wrap her arms tightly around his neck. "I''m worried. Bring a few bodyguards," he said as he walked toward the stairs. "That''ll be too shy..." Bianca frowned and looked into his eyes. It took Leia a lot to make the marriage with Brody happen. She would not do anything to ruin it. "Nothing good can possibly happen when she''s involved," Luke spoke disdainfully as he walked up the stairs. I''ll let Sean follow me, alright?" Bianca wanted to keep a low profile. Luke knew what she was thinking and smiled. "That''ll depend on your performance tonight." "Mm, I really have to go though." Bianca slumped on his shoulder. "How about tomorrow night?" "I''m aroused now." Luke kicked open the door, stepped inside, and closed it. He ced her on the bed and leaned close to her. "You''re not the one trying out the gowns tomorrow, Bea. It''ll be fine." Bianca opened her mouth but said nothing. "You''re not going to refuse, right?" Luke said. "It''s already sote..." Bianca said helplessly. She would not have asked him for the massage if she knew that the massage would arouse him. Luke reached out, turned off the bed light, and hugged her. "It''ste indeed. Let''s sleep." Chapter 1029 Chapter 1029 Luke Should Have Been the One to Die The next morning, Luke sent the children to school because Bianca had to go to the bridal boutique. After seeing Luke''s car drive away, she sent the design to Sue''s mailbox and gave her several pointers. A whileter, Leia called her, saying that she was leaving for the bridal boutique. Bianca hastily packed up and left the house. She had promised Luke that she would let Sean drive her there, but Sean stayed a half-hour''s drive from her mansion. Instead, she told Sean to wait for her at the bridal boutique. Bianca drove the car out of the mansion. She waited for the front gate to close. Suddenly, a man rushed out and stopped in front of her car. Bianca abruptly took her foot away from the gas pedal. Bianca looked closely at the man. He was Xavier Tanner, who had been missing in the past few months. Ever since Riley''s incident, Xavier was nowhere to be found. In the end, Melissa was not punished. Riley had told the police that she had identally fallen by herself. The police were wary about the Lerche family''s influence, and the victim had retracted her earlier statement, so the case was considered closed. Riley moved in to live with the Tanners, but Xavier had not been seen. Xavier saw that Bianca was sitting in the car. He walked over and knocked on the window. Bianca did not wind down the window. Instead, she looked at him warily. Seeing that Bianca did not get out of the car, Xavier leaned over and mmed on the car window impatiently. "I have something to tell you, Bianca." Xavier saw that Bianca was being wary of him. He went in front of the car, sat on it to stop her from leaving, took out his phone, and dialed her number. Bianca''s phone started ringing. She could see an unfamiliar string of numbers on her phone and could tell that Xavier was calling her. She did not pick up the call, but Xavier did not give up either. After the third time, Bianca had no other choice. Xavier was sitting on the hood, so Bianca could not move forward or backward. Xavier pointed at his phone to indicate that she should answer it. Bianca answered the call. "What''s gotten into you?¡± Xavier could hear the disgust and hatred in her voice. If not for Luke, the woman would have already belonged to him. "Open the door. I have something to tell you." His voice became hoarse as his heart wrenched. Xavier had beenying low in the outskirts of A City, trying to dig up some dirt about Luke. He did not want to go abroad, but he did not want to go to prison either. He did not find any dirt on Luke but managed to find something else. "Xavier Tanner, if you don''t move away now, I''m going to call the police!" Bianca was not going to open the door because she knew what Xavier could do to her. ''Idiot woman!'' Xavier thought as he saw how guarded she was. He knew that Bianca was a stubborn woman. Once she said that she would not open the door, she would not open the door unless something threatened her. Xavier red into her eyes. "Open the door." "Stop wasting my time, Xavier Tanner. You won''t get away with this if you don''t run away now," Bianca warned. Luke had told her that Xavier hadmitted some serious crimes, which was why he had beenying low. Xavier chuckled. Did she think that he was afraid of Xavier? He would not have done this if not that he wanted to escape from Luke''s clutches! "Bianca, you''ll regret it if you don''t get out of the car," he warned. Bianca furrowed his brows. She felt an inexplicable sense of unease when she saw how confident he was. At that time, she received an iing call notification. She nced at her screen. It was from Leia. She did not answer it but instead continued her standoff with Xavier. Five minutester. Xavier gave up after seeing that she had no intention of getting out of the car. "You''re heading to the bridal boutique, right?" Bianca frowned even harder. How did he know? "Don''t go if you want to live," Xavier warned. He wanted to threaten her to stay if she had gotten out of the car, but his threats did not affect her. "You''re being ridiculous!" Bianca was flustered by what he said. She wanted to end the call. "I''m serious, Bianca. You can''t go there," Xavier said sternly. "Someone wants to kill you." "Who?" Bianca asked. Many people wanted to harm or kill her, and she could not do anything other than being cautious. "I can''t say." Xavier''s eyelids drooped. Bianca looked at the man sitting on her hood nervously. He could not say... "Stop fooling around with me, Xavier. If someone wants to harm me, I wouldn''t be safe anywhere anyway." She did not think that Xavier was lying, but she could not be cautious without knowing who was going to harm her. Could it be Leia? Leia would not be that stupid to invite her and kill her. Xavier remained silent. In the next minute, Bianca waited for him to speak while racking her brain for possibilities. "Just don''t go," he said but still did not tell who it was. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Bianca was frustrated. "If you''re not telling, then get lost! I''m calling the police." He wanted to stall her, but she was in a rush. Xavier remained sitting there. Bianca ended the call with him and dialed the police hotline. She turned on the speaker and pointed the screen at him so that he could see that she had called the police. Xavier saw Bianca saying something to the phone. Soon, he could hear the police sirens. He cursed under his breath and left the scene. He could not be caught by the police now. Knowing Luke, he would send him to prison. Too bad for him. The person who should be dying was Luke and not Bianca. He wanted to protect her, but she did not appreciate it. When he thought about that, Xavier quickly hopped into his car and left the scene. Bianca breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Xavier leave. The police car stopped next to Bianca''s car, and two police officers came out of the car. They knocked on her car window to ask her to get down. Bianca opened the car door and said, "He went in that direction." The police officers looked at each other and said, "Did that man harm you, Mrs. Crawford?" "No." Bianca shook her head. "If he didn''t harm you, then we have no reason to arrest him," the police officer said awkwardly. Bianca realized that Xavier was not a wanted criminal yet. He might be on the run, but Luke had not handed the incriminating evidence to the police. "Sorry for the trouble, thank you," Bianca said. The police officers recorded a brief statement before leaving. Bianca returned to the car and noticed she had a missed call notification from Leia. She thought for a while and dialed Sean''s number. Chapter 1030 Chapter 1030 Taking the Initiative "Where are you now?" After the call was answered, Bianca returned to her car, closed the door, and locked it. Xavier''s words earlier had unnerved her. She was worried that someone might jump out of the bushes and harm her. Sean replied, "I''m on the way to the bridal boutique now, Madam. I''ll be there in ten minutes." "Bring a few more bodyguards there," Bianca said. ording to Xavier, someone must be ambushing her at the bridal boutique. If she went there prepared, she might be able to find out who was behind that, and she might be able to set up precautions. Even if she evaded danger today, she would have to live uneasily in the future. Sean was surprised. He instantly sounded worried. "Did something happen, Madam?" "It''s nothing. Just do as I say." Bianca fastened her seatbelt and prepared to leave. "Understood. Should I tell Boss?" Sean asked. From Bianca''s stern tone, he could sense that something would happen. Bianca remembered that Luke was busy with the investigation and the uing annual shareholders'' meeting. She did not want to bother him, not to mention that Xavier might be trying to deceive her. 1 "Don''t let him know. I''ll go to the bridal boutique now." Bianca started the car. "Alright, Madam." After the call, Sean instantly contacted several bodyguards and told them that they needed to be at the destination in half an hour. Ten minutester, while Bianca was still driving, Leia called her again. She answered the call impassively. "I''m driving." "Where are you? I''m going to try on the gowns soon." Leia nced at the bridal boutique. Brody had booked the entire boutique, so there was no one else other than her and the sales clerks. She felt uneasy when it was almost the appointed time and Bianca was not there. "You can go and try it yourself first. I''m still driving," Bianca replied coldly. If what Xavier said was true, the ploy might be rted to Leia. She was bitterly disappointed. She had never done anything to Leia, but Leia had tried to harm her repeatedly. Bianca''s grip on the steering wheel became tighter when she thought of that. Leia cursed under her breath when she heard the busy tone from her phone. She looked to her left and right but did not see Hera''s men. "Is she pranking me?" She dialed Hera''s number. If she missed the opportunity, it would be very hard for her to ask Bianca out again. Hera answered the call quickly. "Where are your men?" Leia asked nervously. She spoke very softly because she did not want anyone to hear her. Hera sounded much calmer. "Why are you worried? They''re already there." "I don''t see anyone." Leia looked around. "They won''t be professionals if you can spot them," Hera said derisively, wondering why that malicious woman would be so restless despitemitting so many evil deeds. "You''d better behave normally and don''t give away anything. Bianca will definitely die. If you don''t want any trouble, you''d better pretend that you don''t know anything." Leia took a deep breath after Hera''s reminder. After she calmed down, she said, "I know. When your mene in, don''t hurt me." "Don''t worry. Just hide in a corner. No one will hurt you," Hera said impatiently and ended the call. Leia''s hand that was holding the phone was shaking. Seeing that Leia''s face was pale and she was flustered, the sales clerk brought her a ss of warm water. "Are you alright, Ms. Norman?" She asked. "I''m fine." Leia put her phone into her handbag and looked around the bridal boutique, trying to find a safe spot when Hera''s men woulde in. The sales clerk handed the ss to her. "You look pale, Ms. Norman. Do you want to sit down and rest for a while? I''ll bring you some catalogs." Leia held the ss. The water warmed her icy palms. Half an hourter, Bianca arrived at the bridal boutique. She found a roadside parking spot and parked her car. She did not immediately get out of the car but instead called Sean. Soon, Sean came with three bodyguards and surrounded her car. Bianca opened the car door, stepped out, and closed the car door in one fluid motion. She looked around. The four people that were surrounding her were very eye-catching. Everyone that walked past her looked at her. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "What are you looking at, Madam?" Sean was nervous. From Bianca''s expression, he could tell that something bad was about to happen. Bianca shook her head. "Let''s go in." "Yes." Seeing that his employer did not say anything, He raised his guard. The four men stood on both sides and escorted her in. The bodyguards were former soldiers. They were there to ensure Bianca''s safety. The staff of the bridal boutique was shocked by that formation. It took them a while before they reacted. "Good morning, Madam. A guest has booked the entire boutique today." "I''m Leia Norman''s elder sister. Is she here yet?" Bianca asked. "Oh, this way, please." The sales clerk led her away. Leia had already told them that her elder sister would being, so the sales clerk did not suspect anything. Bianca followed the sales clerk while Sean walked in front of her cautiously, in case the sales clerk wanted to harm her. When Leia heard the footsteps, she hurriedly stood up. Her bulging stomach made it hard for her to move, and she could only push herself up with the couch. When she turned around and looked at Bianca, she was stunned. Why was she surrounded by so many men? They all looked like bodyguards. Bianca had never brought bodyguards along with her, but now there were four. Was she suspecting something? Leia felt uneasy and walked over. "You''re here, Bianca." Bianca noticed the stack of catalogs next to the couch and skipped the pleasantries. "Have you tried anything yet?" "Not yet, Bianca. I was waiting for you to help me choose." Leia took her hand and led her to the couch. Bianca could smell the pungent perfume from Leia''s body. She looked at Leia''s high heels. Leia was still so vain even though she was heavily pregnant; she did not care that it would be dangerous for her baby. "You should pick something that doesn''t put too much pressure on your stomach," Bianca said. Leia smiled sweetly. "You''re right, Bianca. There are so many designs though, please help me choose one. Ever since I''ve gotten pregnant, I feel that my eyesight is getting worse. You''re a designer, and you should have an aesthetic eye." Chapter 1031 Chapter 1031 Already Married The sales clerk overheard that and asked, "Are you a fashion designer, Madam?" "No." Bianca shook her head while ncing around the bridal boutique. She did not see anything out of ce. "My elder sister is an architectural designer. She designs many big buildings." She could tell that Bianca was being wary. She tried to praise her to lower her guard. "I see, Madam. Would you like a drink?" The sales clerk asked. "Warm water will be fine,'' Bianca said. "Alright. Please sit on the couch. Our designer will be here soon," the sales clerk said. Leia held Bianca''s hand enthusiastically and led her to the couch. The bodyguards followed behind them closely, never allowing them to be more than three feet away. Leia nced behind her and said, "Don''t you think that''s too much, Bianca? You don''t need to bring so many bodyguards with you to just a bridal boutique." "Luke arranged that for me," Bianca said while observing her surroundings. Leia was angry. Was Bianca trying to show off? Everyone in A City knew that Luke loved Bianca. She could not express her jealousy on her face, so she smiled and said," Luke is too paranoid. What could possibly happen here?" Bianca looked at her and said nothing. Leia was beginning to be unnerved when she saw Bianca looking at her like that. She touched her face and said, "Why are you looking at me like that, Bianca? Is there something on my face?" "No, your face is perfect." Bianca took her hand away and picked up a catalog. Leia smiled and sipped some water. Soon, a rather mboyant man came over and greeted the two women." Good morning,dies! I''m Jamie, the designer here. This must be the lucky bride-to-be!¡± Bianca noticed that the designer was looking at her. She said helplessly," I¡¯m already married. This one''s the bride-to-be." Jamie smiled awkwardly as he looked at Leia''s bulging stomach. "My apologies for the mistake." Leia was unhappy. She was the one with the blissful expression on her face, so why would the designer think it was Bianca? "If you can''t see clearly, then you ought to have your eyes checked," she huffed. She would have left the ce if not for Jamie being the most famous wedding gown designer in A City. Jamie did not expect Leia to be so candid. "My sincere apologies," he could only say that because he wanted the business. Leia flipped to a page in the catalog and tried to change the topic. "I think this design suits you, Leia. It''s not too restrictive. You''ll have to prioritizefort in your gown." Leia looked at the design and thought that it was quite nice too. She told the designer, "I want this one.¡± "No problem. Actually, many pregnant brides-to-be will select this design, and they all say that it''s quite comfortable. I haven''t had any negative feedback from it so far," Jamie said enthusiastically. "If you''ve decided on this design, shall I take your measurements? We can discuss the details after that." Leia nodded. "Okay. Where should we go?¡¯ "This way, please," Jamie said. Leia pushed herself up and waddled over. Bianca remained seated. She looked around and saw nothing out of the ordinary. She began to wonder if Xavier was only lying to her to get her out of the car. She exchanged nces with Sean. Sean remained vignt as he stood behind her. The sales clerk brought a tray with drinks. ¡°Please have a cup of tea." Bianca took a cup. It was warm. She did not drink from it. The sales clerk handed the cups to Sean and the other bodyguards. "It''s fine, we''re not thirsty," Sean refused the drink without hesitation. They were specially trained bodyguards, and they knew not to ept any food or drink while on duty. If someone had drugged the drinks, they would not be able to protect their employer. The sales clerk ced the drinks on the coffee table. "I''ll put them here then. If the drinks are cold, you can let me know, and I''ll rece them." "Thank you." Bianca put her cup on the coffee table and did not drink from it. She picked up a catalog and browsed through it. After taking the measurements, Leia came out of the room and noticed that Bianca remained seated there. She felt quite nervous. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ''Why aren''t those people doing anything yet? They¡¯re all pigs! They''d better not hurt me.'' Bianca saw Leiaing out of the room. "Are you done?" "Mm, I''m done. I added an extra inch to my waistline in case the baby grows bigger. I wouldn''t want the gown to be an ill fit." Whenever Leia became nervous, she would try to speak as much as she could. Bianca wondered why Leia was telling her so much. Leia had never bothered telling her all that. It was pretty strange indeed. She closed the catalog and replied, "Mm." Leia nced around her and did not see Hera''s men yet. She could only sit on the couch and touch her stomach. She felt quite thirsty, and she picked up her ss of water. Bianca stopped her. "That''s already cold. Here, take this. It''s still warm." "Why are there so many cups?" Leia took the warm cup from Bianca''s hands. "It''s for them, but they can''t drink while on duty. Don''t worry, they''re untouched," Bianca said. Leia nodded and took a sip of the water. It was slightly sweet and quite delicious. She had gestational diabetes, and the doctor told her that she should take less sweet stuff. She had barely taken any sugar for the past few months. Now that she had tasted sugar, she could not help but drink more. Jamie brought her a booklet and said enthusiastically, "Mrs. Hilton, these are my designs that are not found on the market. How about you pick one and I''ll make it the theme of the wedding gown?" Leia liked being unique. She nodded and took the booklet. "My wedding gown has to be the only one in the world. I wouldn''t have picked your boutique if I had to wear something that someone else has already worn." "Yes, yes." Jamie nodded, though he could not help butin in his heart. ''If you''re that precious, why not get one designed in Italy?'' As popr as the bridal boutique was, it was only popr in A City. If Leia wanted something unique, she could havemissioned a design from an Italian designer. Leia pointed at one of the patterns and leaned on Bianca. "What do you think of... urgh." Chapter 1032 Chapter 1032 Many Men Shall Bow to You Bianca heard the moan and turned her head to look at Leia. Leia was fine earlier, but she seemed to be in a daze now. She was holding her head as though she was ufortable. Bianca ced her hand on Leia''s shoulder. "Leia?" "Get lost!" Leia was suddenly hostile. She wanted to push Bianca''s hand away, but she did not have the strength to do so. "Ugh... Bianca... you... drugged me!¡± "I didn''t..." Bianca stood up and frowned. "That cup of water." Sean was thinking of the same thing. He took the cup that Leia had drunk from, carefully brought it to his nose, and smelled something sweet. "It''s a sedative drug, Madam," he said. He had learned to discern different types of drugs in his bodyguard training, and he was very sure what drug that was. Leia slumped on the couch right after Sean finished speaking. Jamie stood there, flustered. "What''s going on?¡± The three bodyguards surrounded Bianca while Sean deftly went behind Jamie, restrained his arms, and pinned him down on the coffee table. "Who are you?" Jamie struggled to catch his breath. He was not as strong as Sean. "I''m the designer here!" Bianca told one of the bodyguards, "Check the front desk." The bodyguard nodded and went out to check. The receptionist was no longer there. Realizing the severity of the issue, he quickly came back to Bianca and said, "The receptionist is gone, Madam." Sean immediately decided, "Let them escort you to the car, Madam." Bianca frowned as she looked at Leia passed out on the couch. She thought that Leia was behind this, but she had fallen victim as well. Sedative drugs posed a great risk to pregnant women. Leia would not have allowed her and her baby to be put into such danger. Sean saw that Bianca did not move and said anxiously, "Madam, your safety is more important." The cup of water was meant for Bianca and her bodyguards, but Leia had drunk it instead. She could tell that their target was not Leia but her. "Let''s go," Bianca said decisively. Just when she turned around, she felt something whiz past her ear. While she was in shock, the three bodyguards had slumped on the floor. Bianca saw two foreign facese through the door. They were holding homemade guns in their hands. The needles earlier were shot from those guns. "Madam!" Sean was shocked by the scene. He let go of Jamie and prepared to protect Bianca behind him when Jamie struck him with a silver needle. "Idiot!" Jamie said mockingly. "You..." Sean''s eyes opened wide. He wanted to fight back, but the silver needle was coated with a powerful sedative, and he quickly lost consciousness. Bianca stood at the edge of the couch and looked at the three men in fear. "Who are you?" "Why don''t you ask God when you meet him in heaven? He might tell you that Luke was the one who let you die." Jamie walked up to Bianca and tore off ayer of skin from his face. A different Caucasian face was revealed to Bianca. "That''s impossible!" Bianca took two steps back and tried to remain calm. She had learned self- defense skills from Rain, but she alone could not fight against three men. Moreover, they had guns in their hands... "Are you so sure? He said that he hates you and gave us a lot of money." There was a hint of mischief in Abel''s deep-blue eyes. The woman could keep calm in front of them as though she was unafraid. No wonder she could be a match for Luke! Unfortunately for her, Luke''s woman had to die. Otherwise, he could not avenge his dead godfather and Kassy, his most beloved. "Nonsense." Bianca nced at the floor-to-ceiling window next to her, estimating the chances of survival if she decided to break the ss and jump out. i The road was right outside the window, but the ss was thick and heavy. She could not break it with her body. Bianca sank into despair. "This is no fun. Tie her up and knock her out," Abel ordered. One of the men said, "Shouldn''t we kill her, Boss?" "I have a use for this woman." Abel looked into Bianca''s clear eyes. He suddenly thought that he should not kill her just yet. How should he make Luke live the rest of his life in agony? Other than killing Bianca, he could also torture her. "Yes." The man pointed the barrel of his gun at Bianca. Bianca did not want to fall into his hands and be used to threaten Luke. She ran head-first toward the window, thinking that she would rather die than cause Luke more trouble. "Tsk tsk," Abel said while throwing the silver needle in his hand at Bianca. He knew what she was thinking. The needles struck Bianca''s neck, and her knees went weak. Before she could reach the window, she was already on the floor. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Thinking of dying? Your Luke will be very sad if you''re dead." Abel stepped toward her. Bianca gripped the carpet tightly, trying her best to stay conscious. She bit her lip and squeezed some words out of her mouth. "Just... kill... me... don''t waste time..." "I wanted to kill you at first, but I''ve changed my mind. You have a bright future ahead of you, Bianca, just like Luke did." Abel crouched in front of Bianca and pinched her petite face. Her face was clean and elegant. Even though she was in danger, she exuded a unique air. It was a waste for her to stay by Luke''s side. Looking at her closed eyes, Abel smiled and said, "You shouldn''t belong to a man. You can make many men bow to you." He let go of his hand, and Bianca''s head fell on the floor. Abel stood up and told his men, Tie her up and bring her away." "How about these other people, Boss?" His subordinate asked. Abel stretched his limbs and looked at the men slumped on the floor and Leia passed out on the couch. "Idiot," he said to Leia''s unconscious body and walked toward Sean. "Shall we kill him?" A subordinate asked. Knowing Abel''s character, he would not hesitate to kill anyone who offended him. Sean was lying unconscious on the floor. He waspletely helpless. Abel narrowed his gaze and looked at Sean. That man was not the typical bodyguard. From the strength Sean used while pinning him on the coffee table, he could tell that he was a former soldier. Unfortunately, he worked for Luke. "No need." Abel ced his foot over Sean''s hand and stomped hard. With a crack, Sean was crippled. He was unconscious and did not feel any pain. "Let''s go," Abel said after seeing his subordinates carrying Bianca. Chapter 1033 Chapter 1033 I Won¡¯t Let This Slide Bianca was carried onto the bridal boutique van. She was already fully unconscious. Abel sat next to her. He thought for a while and removed the silver needle from her neck. He had learned his needle skills from Robert, his godfather. Robert had offered to teach those skills to Luke, but he was not interested in learning them. Abel pinched Bianca''s petite face and said, "Your man doesn''t know what''s good for him. He didn''t want to learn how to fire a needle, but his wife ended up being a victim of the needle. Tsk tsk tsk, how pathetic." His subordinate, who was driving the van, said, '' Boss, are we going back to the mansion?" He was referring to the mansion that Maxine had prepared for them. "Go to the seaside,¡± Abel said. He originally nned to stay there for longer, but he had a better n. "Yes." The subordinate made a U-turn at the traffic light ahead and went straight to the seaside. When they reached the seaside, Abel got out of the car. He had already called a cruise ship toe and pick Bianca up, and it would arrive in half an hour. By the time Sean and Leia woke up, Bianca would already be somewhere at sea. The subordinate came with a phone. "Boss, it''s from Ms. Dous." Abel stubbed out his cigarette and took the phone. "Ms. Dous." "Have youpleted the mission?" Maxine asked. Hera had introduced Abel to her. Even though Hera had promised that Abel was a very capable assassin, Maxine had her doubts. "It''s done,¡¯ Abel said while enjoying the sea breeze and taking out a skin- thin mask from his pocket. "Really? Is Bianca dead?" Maxine could not hide the joy in her voice. "No," Abel replied. "What did you say? Why didn''t you kill her?" Maxine''s voice instantly turned from joy to anger. "Have you forgotten our deal, Abel?" She had paid arge sum of money to Abel so that Bianca would die. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "I didn''t forget, but I''ve changed my mind." Abel counted the number of cigarette butts on the floor. There were four. It meant that the cruise ship would arrive in another ten minutes. "You''re not keeping up to your end of the deal. Why would anyone want to trust you?" Maxine was furious. She felt as though she had been scammed of her money. "Ms. Dous, what you want is for Bianca to be separated from Luke. I have done that for you. As for where she will go, you don''t have to worry. I can guarantee you that she will never be back to Luke''s side." Abel could guess that Maxine loved Luke, which was why she wanted him to get rid of Bianca. He only agreed to the job because that would be a heavy blow to Luke. Maxine was silent for a while. "Abel, don''t tell me that you''ve fallen in love with Bianca?" She said suspiciously. 1 Abel instantly denied it. "Kassy is the only woman I love." Even though Kassy had never loved him, and he was never short on femalepanions, his heart had always been captivated by Kassy. "What''s the point of keeping her alive then?" Maxine thought that Bianca would remain her biggest threat as long as she did not die. "I have a use for her," Abel said as he watched the cruise ship appear from the horizon. "Don''t worry, Ms. Dous. I have something else to do. Bye." He ended the call, put the phone in his pocket, and ordered his subordinates. "Bring out the woman in the van." "Yes." His subordinate carried out his order. He opened the car door and carried Bianca over his shoulder. When the cruise ship moored, the subordinate carried Bianca onto the ship. After that, Abel ordered his subordinates to burn the van. He stood on the deck and watched the van go up in mes. "Let''s go," he said with a sinister smile on his face. "Yes!" Someone replied, and the cruise ship slowly moved away. Two hourster, Sean and the others slowly woke up. Sean felt that his head was spinning, and when he wanted to push himself up, he found that his right arm was in extreme pain. His hand had been crippled. "Ugh..." Leia slowly got up while pressing on her forehead. She looked at her surroundings. "Where am I?" Sean looked around and did not see Bianca anywhere. Then, he went around to search every corner of the boutique but did not find Bianca. He rushed up to Leia and grabbed her cor with his left hand. "Tell me! Where did you bring our Madam?" Leia struggled to breathe. She tried to p Sean''s hand away as she said," What''s gotten into you? How would I know where Bianca is?" "You''re the one who plotted this. You should know!" Sean was sure that Leia was involved. "Why would I knock myself out if I''m the one who plotted it? Ahh, my stomach hurts!" Leia suddenly felt a sharp pain in her stomach. Sean frowned when he saw that Leia''s dress was gradually stained red. He let go of her and picked up his phone to call emergency services. Leia slumped on the couch, clutching her stomach and saying in agony," My baby... I won''t forgive you if anything happens to my baby." "If anything happens to Madam, you won''t be forgiven either." Sean ignored her warning. If anything happened to Bianca, both of them would be in deep trouble. The contractions in her womb made Leia break out in a cold sweat. She began to fear for her life after she heard Sean''s warning. Soon, the ambnce arrived, and Leia was carried inside. The other bodyguards managed to convince Sean to ride in it too. Luke rushed to the hospital after receiving a call from the bodyguards. Sean was undergoing surgery to treat his broken hand. Two bodyguards stood outside the operating theater. Their heads were lowered as they faced Luke. "Where is Bianca?" Luke asked. "Sorry, Boss. We failed to protect her." One of the bodyguards braced himself and told Luke about what happened at the bridal boutique. "She''s abducted?" Luke''s forehead was bulging with veins when he heard that. How dare someoney a finger on Bianca! "Yes, Ripley is investigating it," the bodyguard said. Ripley was one of the three bodyguards. He was also an ex-special forces soldier, and he was second only to Sean. "Where is Leia Norman?" Luke asked. He rushed over to the hospital right after he received the call. If the incident happened at the bridal boutique, he could guess that Leia was somehow involved. "Ms. Norman is also in the operating theater. The doctor said that she had signs of premature delivery, and she had to undergo an immediate operation. Also, those people crushed Sean''s hand. He''s also inside undergoing an operation," the bodyguard said. Luke turned around and gave Johann a call. "What''s up?" Johann saidzily. "My subordinate is having an operation in your hospital. Go to the operating theater now." After Luke said that, he ended the call and walked out of the hospital. He had to go and look for Bianca! Jack and Queenie arrived at that moment. When they saw Luke, Queenie asked, "How is Leia?" Luke''s face was ice-cold as he nced at Jack and Queenie. "Your adoptive daughter has done a good job. I won''t let it slide!" Chapter 1034 Chapter 1034 What Happened to Bianca? Queenie''s face turned pale instantly. When she received the call, she only got to know that something happened to Leia. The phone call did not mention anything about Bianca at all. She grabbed Luke¡¯s sleeves and asked him, "What are you talking about, Luke?" Jack was also anxious when he heard that something happened to Bianca. "What happened to Bianca?" He asked anxiously. Luke''s eyes were bloodshot. "Bianca was abducted at the bridal boutique." When Queenie heard that, her eyes zed over, and she fainted into Jack''s arms. "Queenie? Queenie?" Jack hugged her and shook her, but she gave no response. When the medical staff saw that, they immediately brought a gurney and took Queenie to the emergency ward. Jack had never faced such a situation before, and he hurriedly followed the nurses in. It was only when he turned around to look that he realized Luke did note along. "Luke... Sigh!" The nurses closed the curtains and blocked Jack''s view. Not sure of what else he could do, he gave a call to his secretary to investigate the incident at the bridal boutique. A whileter, a nurse hurriedly rushed over. "Excuse me, are you Leia Norman''s immediate family?" "I am her father. What is it?" Jack''s arms were akimbo. Usually, he would remainposed when faced with big problems, but he could not calm himself down now. "The patient is going into shock. We need familial consent before we undergo inducedbor to save the adult''s life," the nurse exined Leia''s condition briefly. "Inducedbor?" Jack frowned. Leia''s baby was only seven months old. Would the child survive? "Yes, you''ll have to give your consent now. Every minute dyed poses an extra risk for the patient." The nurse frowned. Leia''s situation was dire. Jack rubbed his chin. "Can the baby be saved?" "We would not give up any chance of saving the baby, but the situation isn''t looking good. We cannot even detect the heartbeat. That''s why we have to induce labor so that we increase the survival chances of the mother," the nurse said. She could not guarantee that the baby was still alive. Jack finally understood what the nurse was telling her. The baby was most likely gone. If he did not make up his mind now, Leia would be gone too. Leia might have gone overboard, but she was nheless his daughter for twenty years. He did not want her to be in danger. "Prepare the document. Ill sign it," Jack said decisively. Even though Leia and Brody were about to be married, they had not registered their marriage, so from a legal standpoint, Jack was Leia''s immediate family. The nurse nodded and led the way. "Please follow me." Jack nced at the emergency ward. Queenie was still unconscious. He had no choice but to follow the nurse and sign the consent form. After that, Jack went back to the emergency room and saw Queenie being wheeled out. "How is my wife?" Jack rushed up and held Queenie''s hand. "She had fainted from a great psychological shock. Well send her to the ward for now. She''ll wake up soon," the emergency doctor said. "Alright. Thank you, doctor." Jack followed them.N?velDrama.Org holds this content. The doctor roughly knew what was going on with their family. "Mr. Norman, your daughter is still in an operation. I''ll help you look after Mrs. Norman, and you should go and wait at the operating theater. Well inform you immediately if there''s an emergency." Jack nodded. He was too concerned about Queenie, and so he neglected Leia. "Alright. Thank you, doctor. If my wife wakes up, you can tell her that I''m at the operating theater." "Of course." The doctor and the nurses wheeled Queenie into the elevator. Jack went to the operating theater to wait. On the way to sign the consent form, he had already informed Brody that his child was at the risk of being born prematurely. He did not tell him that Leia was in danger too. Brody did note even after he knew about it. Jack looked at the time. It had been almost half an hour. Meanwhile, Luke rushed over to the bridal boutique. The police had been informed, and several police officers were collecting evidence at the scene. "Boss! I''ve failed to protect Madam. Please punish me as you see fit," Ripley said when he saw Luke. He felt guilty for failing to protect Bianca and was ready to lose his job. Luke red at Ripley with an ice-cold gaze. "What did you find?" "All the surveince cameras were out ofmission. The police are looking for evidence now," Ripley said. His head was still throbbing from the effects of the sedative. The forensics officer had taken his blood sample for analysis. "Did you see who they were?" Luke clenched his fists. Despite the severity of the incident, the abductors did not make a mess out of the ce to subdue his four bodyguards. At the same time, Bianca was brought away without much of a struggle. His eyes turned bloodshot when he thought of Bianca, as though he would go berserk at any time. He would not forgive anyone who tried to harm his beloved woman. "They''re three Europeans. We managed to see two of them, and the police have already made a facial composite. Sean managed to see the other one, but he''s sent to the operating theater before a facial composite could be done," Ripley reported. "Check the roadside surveince cameras," Luke said. After the police collected evidence, they came up to Luke. "Mr. Crawford, please follow us back to the police station." "Yes. I''d like to talk to the superintendent too," Luke said coldly and turned away. After Ripley saw Luke and the police officers leave, he made a phone call to the city council to obtain the security footage from the roadside surveince cameras. Usually, civilians would not have ess to the security footage. However, the victim was Bianca Rayne, Luke Crawford''s wife. The news had already spread before the police announced anything. The other party understood when Ripley name-dropped Luke. Soon, Ripley received the footage in his mailbox. On the way to the police station, Luke received a phone call from Gordan. "I¡¯ve found something. Are you free toe over?" Gordan said. "Something happened to Bianca. I''m heading to the police station. I''ll leave that to you for now," Luke said. Gordan was shocked. "What happened to Sis?" "Someone abducted her." Luke watched the green traffic light turn red and had the urge to run the light. "How brazen! Do you need any help?" Gordan said. "Not for now. I''m heading to the police station." Luke ended the call. The red light turned green. Seeing that the cars in front of him were slow to move, Luke red his horn impatiently. After parking his car at the police station, Luke went straight to the superintendent''s office. The superintendent was already informed of Bianca''s abduction. He immediately stood up when he saw Lukee into his office. "Please have a seat, Mr. Crawford. I''ve already instructed my subordinates to prepare you a copy of our investigative findings." Chapter 1035 Chapter 1035 Bianca Will Be Fine "How long will it take?" Luke''s expression was grim. His mind was upied by thoughts of Bianca. "They just got back. It should take another half an hour," the superintendent said. Looking at Luke''s frigid expression, he promised, "Don''t worry, well get to the bottom of this. I''ve already contacted the people in the traffic department, and they should be able to track down the getaway car in half an hour." Luke understood that the superintendent was telling him to wait. He could have skipped past the superintendent to receive the security footage from the traffic department. What he wanted was the facialposite from Ripley and the bodyguards'' descriptions. Knowing that the culprits were Europeans, he had a vague feeling that the culprits were rted to his past. Ten minutester, Luke received a call from Ripley. "Boss, I''ve already tracked down the car that took Madam away. They drove straight to the port area in the west, and they did not swap cars." Luke frowned. "Let''s meet there." "Yes. I''m already on my way to the port," Ripley replied. The superintendent overheard the conversation. "Mr. Crawford, have you found out where the culprits went?" "The port in the west," Luke said, stood up, and headed out. The superintendent could not help but be impressed by Luke''s efficiency. All his police officers were not as fast as Luke''s subordinates. He felt that his police department was quite unqualified. "I''ll make arrangements," the superintendent said while following him. "I want thetest facialposites," Luke said as he opened the door. The superintendent dared not dy. "I''ll get them for you now!" He immediately said. The superintendent felt guilty that the police could not solve the break-in at Crawford Manor, so he had to make sure that they could help in Bianca''s abduction. He went to the evidence room, took two facialposites, and handed them to Luke. ¡°This is it, Mr. Crawford." Luke could not identify the two Caucasian faces. He noticed that one of them had a scar on his face and guessed that he must be an international mercenary. Anyone who could afford to hire international mercenaries must be loaded. They did not abduct Bianca for money, but they wanted to lure him out. Thinking that Bianca had once again got into danger because of him, he clenched his fists. Luke, the superintendent, and several police cars went to the post area in the west. His heart wrenched when he saw the charred vehicle. ''Bianca...'' Ripley came over and reported histest findings, "The car was already in that condition when we got here. We did not find any bodies in the car. It seemed like the culprits wanted to destroy the evidence." Luke nced out to the port and clenched his fists. A storm was brewing inside him, threatening to engulf everything in his rage. The superintendent instantly went to delegate his subordinates. "If the culprits came to the port, they must be hiding the person in a container or the slums nearby. Go and search carefully if you can find Mrs. Crawford." "Yes!" The police officers replied in unison and scattered in all directions. Luke''s eyes remained transfixed on the horizon. The superintendent trembled when he sensed Luke''s seething rage. He hoped that Luke would not pull off something major. Otherwise, he might lose his job. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "Search the van. You might find some evidence!" He said. He knew that the culprits had set the vehicle on fire to destroy the evidence, and it was incredibly imusible that they would find anything useful. However, they had to be thorough, lest Luke channeled his wrath on them. "Yes." The forensics officers put on their gloves and masks and started to collect evidence. The charred remains of the van were still hot. The forensics officers had to be very careful. For the rest of the day, the police officers checked on every container and house in the area, but they did not find Bianca. Luke stood next to the sea from afternoon until nighttime. Ripley stood next to him. What they knew was that the port was Bianca''sst known location. However, after checking through all the containers and houses, there was no trace of her. The nearby vigers said that they did not see anything out of the ordinary other than billowing smoke. It meant that Bianca was brought away in another vehicle before the smoke, or... Ripley looked at the sea. If the abductors killed Bianca and threw her into the sea, it would be impossible for them to find the body. If they brought Bianca away, they must have done so by sea. However, the sea was so vast, and they did not know where to start investigating. "Mr. Crawford, uh..." the superintendent had been there for the entire day. He was tired and thirsty, but he dared not leave as long as Luke was there. "Continue searching," Luke ordered. His heart was ice-cold as he stared at the dark sea. He did not know where Bianca had gone, but he believed that Bianca was alive! "Sigh, yes, yes. All of you, continue searching! Don''t miss out on any detail!" The superintendent said. In the hospital, Queenie had already woken up. She sat in the wheelchair while apanying the still- unconscious Leia. After the inducedbor procedure, Leia delivered the child at seven months old. However, it did not survive because it had congenital birth defects. Brody had been out of town, and he did not manage toe while Leia was undergoing the operation. Only Jack and Queenie knew about the baby¡¯s defects. The doctor told them that such defects should have been detected during prenatal testing. After that, they checked Leia''s medical records, and they found that Leia was aware of the defects, but she insisted that she wanted the baby. Queenie decided that she would tell the Hiltons after she calmed down. After all, it was Leia''s fault. However, one of the nurses in the operation was Brody''s distant rtive. After the operation, she immediately told Tania. Queenie sighed. She held some medical reports in her hands. One of them was Leia''s prenatal test results, and Leia had signed on it. "Jack, why do you think that Leia would do this?" Queenie was heartbroken. As much as she doted upon Leia, she had to admit that Leia should not have hidden the fact from Brody and the Hiltons. It was very irresponsible for her to do so. Queenie thought that Leia would learn to behave. However, she realized that she did not understand her daughter at all. She thought that her daughter was not the innocent and carefree girl she used to know. Queenie''s tears began to fall when she thought about that. Chapter 1036 Chapter 1036 Calling Off the Marriage Jack could not bear to see Queenie cry. He took out a handkerchief and wiped her tears. "Alright, don''t cry. You shouldn''t be emotionally agitated." Queenie had passed out for the past few hours. If she became agitated, she might pass out again, Queenie took his handkerchief and looked at Leia on the bed. She was still under the influence of the anesthesia. Her eyes were bloodshot. She remembered that before she passed out, Luke had said that Bianca was abducted at the bridal boutique. She turned around and asked Jack, "Is there any news about Bianca yet?" "I asked Luke earlier. Not yet." Jack looked at his daughter on the bed and wondered if she had anything to do with the incident. If she was proven to be involved, he would disown her! Queenie was ovee by sorrow and nearly passed out again. Jack steadied her by the shoulders. "Luke will find her, and she will return safely to us." "Mm..." Queenie tried hard not to cry out loud. She could only silently wipe her tears. Her elder daughter was abducted, while her younger daughter had to lose her baby. She would rather be the one suffering. The door opened, and Tania rushed in aggressively. She ignored Jack and Queenie while roaring at the patient on the bed. "Get up at this instant, Leia Norman!" Queenie wiped her tears and stood up. "Mrs. Hilton, Leia is still unconscious. She wouldn''t want this to happen either. Tania looked at Queenie and could not imagine that an elegant woman would have a daughter like that. If their distant rtive was not part of the surgery, they would have been deceived until it was toote. She pointed at Leia sleeping on the bed, her finger trembling with anger." Why is your daughter like that, Mrs. Norman? Why would she keep that baby in her womb despite knowing that it has birth defects? Does she want to marry Brody so much? What do we owe her?" Leia was indeed at fault. Queenie bowed deeply at Tania and apologized on behalf of her daughter. "I am sorry. I admit that we were careless and have brought trouble to you. We will ept whatever decision you make." Leia might not be the daughter that Jack and Queenie knew, but they were not going to abandon her at this juncture. Tania was impressed by Queenie''s behavior. She thought that an adoptive daughter like Leia could never learn to be like her mother. "I want to call off the marriage," Tania huffed. Queenie paused. Ever since she found out that Leia had been hiding the truth about the baby, she knew that the marriage would eventually fail. Leia was at fault, and she should bear the consequences. Queenie nodded and agreed to it on Leia''s behalf. "I''ll return all the betrothal gifts in two days." Tania did not expect Queenie to agree to it so quickly and return the betrothal gifts. She was once again impressed by Queenie''s character. Even so, Queenie was Leia''s mother, and the Hiltons would rather not have anything to do with them. Tania did not soften her attitude. She nodded and said, "You don''t have to return that. Treat it as a gift for Leia. Brody already knows about it, and he says that he doesn''t want anything to do with Leia anymore. I hope you can ensure that she won''t pester Brody." As a mother, Tania knew that Brody still had feelings for Leia. Of course, those feelings were only skin-deep. She was afraid that Leia might look for Brody after she recovered. Leia wanted to marry Brody because of his money. She was wicked and useless, and Tania would not have agreed to the marriage if not for the baby in Leia''s womb. Tania''s anger grew once more when she was reminded of that baby. She turned around and left. In a weird twist of luck, Leia did not get to deliver the baby. Otherwise, she would be a sinner to the Hiltons! Queenie sighed again, and her tears fell. Bianca''s whereabouts were unknown, and Leia''s marriage was called off. What was going on? "Jack, what should Leia do?" Queenie looked at her husband helplessly. News of Leia and Brody''s marriage had spread throughout A City. Everyone knew that Leia was pregnant with Brody''s child, and they were to be married soon. Now that the Hiltons knew that the baby had congenital birth defects, it would not take long before everyone knew that Leia had hidden the truth from the Hiltons. Leia''s reputation was ruined. Jack frowned. He did not expect that Brody would call off the wedding. It seemed like Brody wanted Leia only for her baby. Jackforted Queenie, "It''s good that the wedding is called off. Brody doesn''t love Leia anyway. When she gets better, I''ll send her overseas to study. She cane back in a few years when all this has blown over." Queenie grabbed Jack''s shirt sleeve and shook her head. "I''ll miss her." "There''s nothing you can do about that. Leia''s reputation in A City is ruined by now," he said decisively. No matter what Queenie or Leia would say, he would have to send Leia overseas. Back then, he had objected to Leia taking up a degree in performing arts. He only begrudgingly agreed to it because Leia said that she wanted to fulfill Queenie''s dreams of bing an actress. Now that her acting career was destroyed, what else could she do? How would she be able to sustain herself when her parents were no more? Should she rely on a man? Someone like Brody was not reliable at all. It was better for Leia to pick up a new skill. Queenie sniffled. She was reluctant to see Leia go, but what her husband said made sense. It was perhaps a good idea if Leiaid low for a while. She looked at her daughter''s pale face and said, "It''s a good idea if she hides overseas, but she''s not young anymore. When shees back, will she be able to find a husband?" Jack patted her shoulder and sighed. "If Leia could find a significant other while overseas, then she should marry him. It''s better thaning back here and running out of options."Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Leia''s reputation was already ruined. Even if the incident had blown over, it was impossible for her to find a good husband. After all, other people would not forget... Queenie cried even harder when she heard that. She and Leia might not be rted by blood, but she had raised her for so long. "Alright, don''t cry anymore. When Leia wakes up, we''ll tell her," Jack said. "No." Queenie shook her head. "Leia''s body is weak now, and she won''t be able to ept it. We should tell her after she recovers, and we¡¯ll help her step out of the trauma." Chapter 1037 Chapter 1037 Her Fiance Is More Important Than Her Baby Jack did not agree to it. Leia was already an adult, and she should have the mental capacity for it. "You can''t hide it for too long. If Brody doesn''te, she''ll eventually realize what happened." Queenie was silent. "Leia isn''t a child anymore. If she had been lucky, she would have been a mother in two months. We shouldn''t shelter her anymore. She was the one who decided to keep the baby and marry Brody, and she''ll have to bear with the consequences herself," Jack said. Usually, fathers educated their children differently from mothers. Queenie began to reflect if her educational methods had been correct. "Alright." She eventually agreed after pondering over it. Leia woke up two hourster. Before she could feel sad about the fact that the doctors failed to save her baby, Jack told her that the Hiltons had called off the wedding after they knew that the baby had congenital birth defects. "That''s impossible!" Leia leaned on the headboard. She shook her head in disbelief when she heard that Brody had agreed to call off the wedding. "Brody wouldn''t want to meet you anymore, Leia. In a few days, when you''re feeling better, we''ll return all the betrothal gifts to the Hiltons," Queenie said as she touched Leia''s face gently. "Don''t be sad. There will be someone else who will love you more." She and Jack were not greedy people. Even after Tania said that they need not return the gifts, she decided that she should. "Brody loves me so much. He wouldn''t call off the wedding. Is it because of the baby? Mom, tell him that I can give birth to another baby for him. I''ll give him a plump and cute baby!" Leia grabbed Queenie''s hands tightly and begged. "It''s not about the baby, Leia!" Queenie tried tofort her. "You''ve lied to the Hiltons, and they''re furious about it. There''s no more chance between you and Brody." If Leia''s baby had no problems, the Hiltons would not have been so angry. No one would appreciate being deceived like that. "I love Brody too much, Mom, don''t you know? I didn''t want to disappoint him because he''s so eager to be a father, and I dared not say anything. Give me my phone, Mom. I''ll exin it to Brody," Leia said while crying. She would have already gotten off the bed and went to look for Brody if not that her whole body was aching. Queenie''s hands were in pain. She did not pull them away, but instead, she looked at her husband. Jack had been silent all this while. He handed Leia her phone and said, "If Brody still loves you, he''ll answer your call. If not, you should give up." Leia let go of her mother, took the phone, and dialed Brody¡¯s number. The call beeped twice before it switched to the busy tone. She dialed Brody''s number again. This time, she was told that the other party had blocked her number... "No, this can''t be. Listen to me, Brody!" Yelling at the phone, Leia was on the brink of madness. Jack grabbed her phone and said, "Calm down, Leia." "He doesn''t want me anymore, Dad. What should I do? No, I''ll have to go and find him so that I can exin it to him. If he knows the truth, he''ll forgive me!" Leia''s snot was all over her face. Just the day before, she had been fantasizing about what she would do with her riches when she became Mrs. Hilton. The day after that, she was informed that the marriage was called off. Her fantasy crumbled right in front of her. Leia could not ept it. Jack saw that Leia was about to get off the bed, so he pressed the panic button and held her down. "You can''t get out of bed now." "Let me go and find him, Dad!" Leia begged. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. The nurse quickly came in. "What''s wrong?" She asked. "She''s emotionally unstable. Can you give her a tranquilizer shot?" Jack turned his head around and asked. The nurse could see that Leia was out of control. She nodded and said, TH go and get the doctor now." "No, no, I don''t want tranquilizers. I only want Brody!" When Leia heard that, she could not help but curse the cruelty of her father. Why did her parents agree to call off the marriage instead of begging the Hiltons to ept her? Why did her father stop her from meeting Brody? When she thought of that, she bared her teeth and bit down on Jack''s arm. "Ah! Leia, have you lost your mind?" Queenie was shocked when she saw that. She instantly rushed over to shove Leia. She was not very strong, but Leia was very weak now, and she fell on the bed. "Wake up, Leia!" Jack frowned when he looked at his arm. It was bleeding from the bite. Leia slumped on the bed and red at Jack with obvious resentment. The doctor came into the ward and saw the scene. She immediately said to the nurse, "Prepare the shot." "I don''t want any shots. All of you are bad guys. You only want to harm me!" Leia roared at the doctor. "Alright, alright, I won''t give you a shot then. Can the nurse at least examine your body?" Leia remained quiet. The doctor took that as a tacit agreement. She shot a nce at the nurse, then went out of the ward. The nurse knew what the doctor meant. She walked over, closed the curtains, and pretended to examine Leia. "You''ve lost too much blood after the procedure. You shouldn''t move about in case you start to bleed again." "No. I want to get out of the hospital. I want to look for my fiance." Leia frowned. That was what the nurse wanted to hear. She sighed and said, "How about this. I''ll give you a shot to stop the bleeding, and we''ll see if we can get you discharged after that." "Alright. I''ll take the shot. Faster!" Leia instantly agreed to it without thinking. The nurse drew the curtains and said to Jack and Queenie, "I''ll go and prepare the shot now. Sir, you should get your wound treated." "Alright, I''ll goter." Jack nced at his bleeding arm. He did not expect Leia to do that to him. The nurse left the ward. Soon, she and the doctor received the syringe. "I had to lie again. I feel like a sinner," the nurse grumbled to the doctor while preparing the tranquilizer shot. The doctor smiled. "It''s a white lie. Most pregnant women can''t ept the fact that they''ve lost their baby. After tonight, when she''s a lot calmer, she might even thank you for stopping her from doing stupid things." "That might be the case for other women, but not this one," the nurse said." Other women would want to look for their babies, but this one wants to look for her fiance. It looks like her fiance is more important to her than her baby. Chapter 1038 Chapter 1038 Bianca''s Whereabouts The doctor did not know how to react when he heard that. Now that she thought about it, Leia''s reason for her emotional distress was indeed different from other women. She guessed that she needed the baby to retain her fiance. "Do you know who that woman is?" The head nurse suddenly came over. As the leader of the nurses, she should not have been nosy, but she could not help but gossip when she overheard the conversation between the doctor and the nurse. "I don''t know, but she seems familiar,¡± the doctor said. "I don''t think you''d know her since you just got back from abroad. She used to be an actress that has acted in many movies. However, that did nothing to boost her poprity. She retired from public view following an incident, but after that, there was the news that she would be married to Brody Hilton. You should know about the Hiltons, right? They''re involved in international trade, and they''re extremely wealthy. The baby should be her bargaining chip to enter the Hilton household, so that should be why she could not ept the fact that her baby is gone," the head nurse whispered. The doctor instantly understood. "No wonder. She wants to reason with her fiance that the baby didn''t survive. Tsk tsk, it''s not easy marrying into a wealthy family." The nurse nodded. She remembered the wound on Jack¡¯s hand, so she took the antiseptic and gauze. "Isn''t that so? Sometimes it''s easier to live a normal life. I''ll go in and administer the shot." "Go then. Forget what you heard earlier. Don''t agitate the patient and her family''s feelings," the head nurse reminded her. The nurse went into the ward. ''Til be administering the shot now, Ms. Norman." Leia was lying on the bed. Her eyes sparkled when she saw the nurse. Once she received the shot, she would be able to leave the hospital." Quick, quick, I want to recover." The nurse put the tray on the table and prepared the syringe. "It''ll sting a little. You''ll have to bear it." Leia nodded and looked at her adoptive parents. She did not feel any guilt for injuring Jack. Queenie¡¯s tears flowed silently. She was sad when she thought of how Leia had acted earlier. The ward was silent except for the rustling that came from the nurse''s actions. Luke came into the room and broke the silence. "Luke!" Queenie wiped her tears and asked him anxiously, "Have you found Bea?" Luke''s eyes were bloodshot, and his face was frigid. When he saw Leia on the bed, he quickly walked over as though he did not hear what Queenie said. Leia felt a chill when she saw him advance upon her like the devil. She shuddered uncontrobly. "Who were the ones who abducted Bianca?" Luke''s voice was ice-cold. He wished that he could strangle her. If not for her, Bianca would not have been abducted! The police and bodyguards did not even find a hair even afterbing the entire area. Only Leia knew where he went. When he knew that Leia had regained consciousness, he instantly rushed over. He would have to find Bianca as soon as he could... "I don''t know!" Leia shuddered again. She was already physically weak. When Luke red at her like that, she felt as though she had fallen into the abyss. "I know a hundred different ways to make you speak, Leia. Don''t make me," Luke warned. He would have snapped her neck if not that she knew Bianca''s whereabouts! Leia was genuinely afraid. She knew that he meant what he said, especially after that time when he had taken "special care" of her. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. However, if she told him what happened to Bianca, she would suffer an even worse fate. "How would I know? Go and ask the abductors. Why are you asking me?" Leia said insistently. Luke narrowed her eyes. He could tell that Bianca''s disappearance was rted to her. Leia nced at her parents. They had no intention of helping her. She was on her own now. She wiped her tears and continued to wail. "Am I that stupid? Why would I sacrifice my child if I wanted to set Bianca up? My child is gone, and Brody doesn''t want me anymore. Am I that stupid, Luke Crawford? It''s all your fault. It''s all Bianca''s fault. It''s all your bodyguards'' fault that my child is gone." Ripley was standing aside. He could not help but chime in, "Ms. Norman, the doctor said that it''s because of the drug." "Bianca handed me that cup of water!" Leia said regretfully. She knew that someone was trying to harm Bianca, yet she took the cup of water from her. If she had not drunk from that cup, she would still have her baby, and now that Bianca was gone, she would be the only Norman daughter. After marrying Brody, she would be swimming in riches. It was all Bianca''s fault! Leia was resentful, but she dared not say too much. Ripley had no retort to that. Bianca had indeed given her that cup of water, but no one expected that the water was drugged. Seeing that Ripley did not speak, Leia felt more confident. "I''m heavily pregnant. If I''m plotting with someone else to harm Bianca, would I drink that water? Why shouldn''t I stay away at a safe distance?" Leia tried to prove her innocence in every sentence. Luke bent over and clenched her lower jaw. "Have you lost your mind, Luke Crawford? Bianca''s disappearance has nothing to do with me!" Leia''s face turned pale from the pain. "Leia doesn''t know anything. Don''t be like that, Luke." Queenie was shocked. She was afraid that Luke would do something to harm her daughter. "I swear I''ll get to the bottom of this, Leia." Luke loosened his grip and left the ward. Leia slumped on the bed. When she heard his footsteps fade away in the distance, the tears that she held in her eyes finally fell. Luke was terrifying. Leia regretted helping Hera. It was not worth it at all, even though Bianca died in the process. The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she was. "Boo hoo hoo. Bianca''s disappearance has nothing to do with me, Mom." Queenie¡¯s heart wrenched. To her, Leia was also hurt in the process, so she should not be implicated in Bianca''s disappearance. Jack watched all that without showing any emotion. Leia had tried her best to convince others that she was innocent, but he could see that something was amiss. He believed that Luke had seen it too. The nurse stood there with the syringe. Leia seemed to have calmed down, or at least she did not have the tendency to injure other people. Should she administer the shot? She thought for a while but asked anyway, "Mr. Norman, Mrs. Norman, should I administer the shot?¡± Jack nced at the wound on his arm. "Yes." The nurse nodded and said to Queenie, who was hugging Leia, "Would you like to step back for a little? I''m administering a shot for your daughter." Queenie nodded and patted Leia''s head. "Be a good girl. You''ll be fine." "Mm." Leia sniffled. She was thinking that she would be looking for Brody after the shot. Chapter 1039 Chapter 1039 Heart-Wrenching Cry The nurse deftly administered the shot andforted Leia. "It''ll hurt a littleter on. You should close your eyes and rest for five minutes." Leia slowly closed her eyes. The nurse turned around and spoke to Jack, "Let me dress your wound, Mr. Norman." "Thank you," Jack said as he lifted his injured arm. Five minutester, the tranquilizer took effect, and Leia fell silent. Queenie covered her with the nket, went to Jack''s side, and gently touched his hand. "Does it hurt?" "It''s fine." Jack shook his head. After sterilizing the wound, the nurse carefully wrapped it with gauze. It did not hurt even if he pressed it. Queenie sighed. Her eyes were puffed up. "You''ve been a stern father since Leia was small, but you¡¯ve never punished her. Leia respects you a lot, but now, she bit you..." "That''s enough." Jack nced at Leia. The tranquilizer had taken effect, and Leia was incapacitated for now. He told Queenie, "Take care of Leia. I''ll go and look for Luke." "Alright." Queenie nodded. Her unease grew whenever she thought of Bianca. Luke was in Sean''s ward. Sean had already woken up from the anesthesia. He and a few police officers were making the facial composite. His testimony was the most important because he was the only one who had seen the mastermind of the operation. "This is it, Officer," Sean said. He could use his left hand as well as his right. The police officer handed the facialposite to Luke. His face turned ashen when he saw the face. He turned around and said to Ripley, "Do whatever it takes to find this person." "Yes, Boss." Ripley took a photo of the facial composite with his phone. Luke continued to hear Sean give his statement to the police. ording to Sean, the culprits were there for Bianca, and they wanted to kill her. After recording the statement, the police said, "Don''t worry, Mr. Crawford. We''ll do our best to solve this case. We''ll be sending the facialposite back to the police station and issuing a citywide bounty for this man. We''ll also guard every exit point so that he can''t run away." Luke remained impassive after hearing all that. The police would not be able to arrest a criminal of that level, just like the police were not able to do anything to the Ind of Despair. Luke headed out of the ward. Sean stopped him. "Sorry, Boss. I didn¡¯t manage to protect Madam." He would have gotten on his knees if not that he was confined to the bed after the operation. Luke had hired him to take care of Bianca, but he had failed to do that. "You didn''t," Luke said and left the ward. Johann wasing over. When he saw Luke, he said, "I''ve already fixed your subordinate''s hand. Fortunately, only the bones are broken, and the nerves are undamaged. His hand will be as good as new after the bones heal." "Mm." Luke remained cold and distant. Johann was puzzled. "What''s going on with you? He''s still alive, but you act as though he''s dead." Luke had asked for his help to save Sean''s hand, and he had sessfully done so. Why did Luke look so unhappy? "Just do your job." Luke nced at Johann coldly and left. He met Jack downstairs. "Can we chat?" Luke said. Luke nodded. He despised Leia, but he did not hate Jack. Bianca inherited most of her looks from Queenie, but he could see somemon features between Bianca and her father. The two came to the hospital cafeteria. Jack was not going to defend Leia. He did not beat around the bush either. "I think that Leia isn''t innocent. I''ll try to find out something from her, but it''ll be difficult because she''s still emotionally unstable." Luke raised an eyebrow, but he was not too surprised. He thought for a while and eventually said, "Thank you, Dad." "Bianca is my birth daughter. I wouldn''t let her suffer like this..." Jack sighed. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Luke''s expression was cold. Jack had recognized that Bianca was his daughter, but Leia had always denied it and had even tried to harm her multiple times. He would not forgive her if he found out that she was the one behind it! "Bea will be fine. I can sense it," Jack said. He could not bear to see Luke being so cold because of Bianca. He nced at the time. He had left the ward for quite a long time, and he was worried that Queenie might not be able to take care of Leia alone. He stood up and said, "Back then, when my wife was pregnant with Bianca, everyone told me that my daughter wouldn''t survive. I didn''t believe it. My intuition told me that my daughter will be alright. To find the truth, I''ve also hired many people to help with the investigation. Times are different now, and technology has improved. It''s easier to investigate something now. If you need any help, just tell me. I''ll help you even if it costs me my job." After giving the promise, Jack turned around and left. Luke sat on the chair. He sank in deep thought. A whileter, he gave a call to Gale. "Do you remember the people on the Ind of Despair?" "Yes, Boss, I remember," Gale replied. "Give me all your information on them," Luke said. He was worried that someone from the Ind of Despair had abducted Bianca. Gale did not know why Luke wanted that. Boss, most of the people from the Ind of Despair were killed or arrested in the subsequent operations. Why do you want their information?" "Bianca was abducted. I suspect that some people have gotten away," Luke said. Gale was shocked. "I''ll get you the name list now." "Be quick and detailed. After confirming their identities, contact the Russian police to see if they''re in prison," Luke said. All he knew was that Bianca''sst known location was at the port. He did not know who had abducted her. "Understood," Gale replied and went to carry out Luke''s orders. Luke drove to the port. The night was dark, the waves sshed on the walls, and the wind was strong, bringing in the scent of the sea and a faint hint of rain. A storm was brewing somewhere. He looked into the distance, and there was not a ship sailing. His phone rang. It was from Crawford Manor. He answered the call. The butler sounded nervous, "Where are you, Sir? Master Tommy is crying, and he wants you and... Madam." Tommy cried even harder when he heard that. Luke had never heard Tommy cry so hard before. Chapter 1040 Chapter 1040 To Make Luke Crawford Suffer Tommy ran into the scene and wanted to snatch the phone away. He was standing on the sofa and crying his lungs out while staggering. The butler was afraid he might trip over and quickly carried him up, cing him on the floor. He had no choice but to hand him the phone. Tommy asked while sobbing, "Where are Mommy and Daddy? Tommy wants Mommy, I want Mommy!" "Stop crying. I''ll be on my way back now," said Luke with a deep voice. He had to take good care of the child as Bianca would surely be upset if she were to know that Tommy was crying so terribly. Tommy continued to cry hard. "Daddy, you must bring Mommy back." Til definitely bring your mommy back. Be a good kid and hand the phone over to the butler." Luke coaxed him. Tommy rubbed his eyes and handed the phone over to the butler. His big eyes were red after crying so hard, the sight of it making others pity him. The butler took the phone. "Young Master." "How did the kid know about it?" Luke''s voice carried an angry tone. "The two servants identally blurted it out. I''ve already fired them both," said the butler. Tommy happened to overhear the two servants gossiping at a corner when they were coincidentally talking about the issue regarding Bianca. Tommy was no longer a kid who knew nothing. He kept crying while requesting the adults in the house for an exnation upon knowing that Bianca was in trouble. Old Master Crawford was not at home either. The butler was out of his wits and gave Luke a call. "I''m on my way back. Take good care of the kids," ordered Luke. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. "Yes, sir!" the butler answered. Luke hung up the call and immediately drove his car back home. ¡¯Bianca will be back in one piece. She won¡¯t want to see the kids in trouble. Hence, during this period, I must take good care of the kids.'' It waste at night and the ocean waves kept crashing against the cabin. The waves even rushed up to the deck and made the entire ship wobbly. Bianca slowly opened her eyes. As she had been unconscious for a very long time, everything she saw was blurry. "Hmm..." She moved around and her limbs felt numb as though they were being restrained. "You¡¯re awake?" A spooky male voice was heard. Bianca fumbled around and opened her eyes. She nced at the ceiling and asked herself, ''Where is this ce?'' "Are you awake? Are you hungry?" Abel was sitting on the bed and ncing at her with a smile. Bianca spun around and looked at Abel''s smiling face. Chills were running down her back. She found that his smile was not friendly at all. He looked like a demon from the gates of hell. It was as if he would smile like this right before taking someone''s life. "Do you think you¡¯ll be able to get away from me by just remaining silent?" Abel rubbed her face. Bianca felt rather disgusted. "Where am I?" "We''re out on the ocean." Abel let go of her and ced one of his feet over the other. "I''ve changed my mind at the eleventh hour and chose not to kill you. So, are you feeling grateful?" "What are you plotting? Where do you n to send me to?" Bianca wanted to know his intentions and thoughts. She moved her hands and indeed, they were tied onto something, making her unable to move an inch. "I want Luke to suffer," Abel told her this half-truth. As for her second question, he ignored it. "Luke hurt thedy I love, making us unable to meet with each other forever. I want to make him have a taste of losing thedy he loves to let him know how it feels." "You can just kill me," Bianca said calmly. Her hands were hurting due to them being restrained. She was unable to struggle either. "Yeah. Besides, there are lots of people who want to kill you. But in the end, I changed my mind. Bianca, I''ll let you live. In the future, don''t let me down. " Abel got up and walked out the door. "What are you nning to do?" Bianca gritted her teeth. She could only sense that she was being restrained by a maniac, and that maniac still had no idea about what to do with her. "You''ll know about it soon." Abel wiped the smile off his face. "Right now, you just need to live a proper life." He pulled the door of the cabin open and walked out of it. Biancay on the bed and was looking at the ceiling helplessly. Her limbs were restrained and she could not evenmit suicide. She recalled Luke and the three children. ''They''re all currently in A City. Things must be chaotic now...'' Bianca felt a pinch in her heart the moment she thought that she might not be able to see them again for the rest of her life... Abel brought in a bowl of pasta and said, "You people of A City love to eat this whenever you don''t have an appetite to eat, right?" Bianca took in the smell of the pasta and realized she was rather hungry. However, she was determined not to plead and just ignored him. Abel ced the bowl of pasta on the side of the bed and used a fork to cool the pasta. "You citizens of A City are really weird. Whenever you guys don''t have an appetite, you eat food like this. The same goes for Luke," Abel started muttering to himself when he noticed Bianca was not responding to him. Bianca revealed the side of her face and looked at him. "What grudge do you have against Luke?" Abel raised his brows and his eyes glinted evilly. ''''A really huge grudge involving love and murder!" "Luke wouldn''t have simply killed others without any valid reason," said Bianca. She knew Luke very well. Those who were directly or indirectly harmed by him were people who hadmitted bad deeds. "You really do know him well." Abel smiled evilly and threw the fork to the ground. But he did kill someone. He killed my foster father. My beloveddy had once saved his life and treated him so well, yet he was so cruel and sought revenge instead. Now that you''re within my grasp, I want to train you to be this sort of person. I want to make him have a taste of what it feels like to be hurt by cruel people." "You¡¯ll not seed. I''ll never be such a person!" Bianca clenched her fists. "You will. I''ve got a ton of ideas to make you change." Abel ced the bowl to the side of her mouth. "Eat up." Bianca tilted her head and rejected him with her actions. Abel squinted his eyes. His huge palm grasped her face, and with another hand, he grabbed her chin. It made Bianca give in and open her mouth. He stuffed the pasta into her mouth. While doing it, he said mercilessly," Bianca, you can''t die without my approval. You must live your life well and watch yourself slowly change." Bianca choked at the big mouthful of pasta. She tried her best to swallow the pasta. She swallowed half and spat out the other half of it. Abel discarded the bowl to the back and looked at her embarrassing appearance. He teased, "What a shame. From the looks of it, your appearance can''t even match up to half of my beloveddy¡¯s beauty. Is there something wrong with Luke''s judgment?" Bianca let out a few consecutive coughs as the bits of pasta entered her gut while some even entered the nose. She was even more ufortable now. The ship shook and she immediately rolled down from the bed. Abel took a step back and stepped on her calf with one of his legs. "You can ditch the idea of committing suicide. I''ll have someone keep an eye on you." Bianca closed her eyes, tears flowing from the corners due to the choking sensation. The feeling of impending doom yet being unable to die made her feel terrified and filled her up with hatred. ''Just what on Earth is Abel trying to do?¡¯ Abel walked to the side of the entrance and opened the door. He turned around and said, "Don¡¯t you wish to know where we''re heading to? I don''t mind telling you. Our destination is the Ind of Despair." Chapter 1041 Chapter 1041 Find Her and Bring Her Back Bianca widened her eyes. The Ind of Despair! She had heard the name from Luke before and knew how terrifying it was. However, when Luke escaped from there, Percy and the Russian government had destroyed the ce. How could someone survive? N?velDrama.Org holds this content. "Who is your godfather?" Bianca asked with all her might. "He''s the same person as Luke''s godfather. The difference is that Luke wants to kill him, and I want to avenge him." Abel chuckled coldly and left through the door. He said to the mercenaries standing guard outside. "Watch over her in shifts. Don''t let her die." "Yes, Boss," the mercenaries replied. They thought for a while and added," Boss, can we..." "No!¡± Abel''s gaze turned cold. He warned them, "You cannoty a finger on that woman. If I find out that you did anything to her, I''ll chop your d*ck off." The mercenary shuddered. They were at sea, and they could not run away if Abel wanted to do anything to them. They kept those thoughts and said," We''ll look after her." "Go in and gag her with a towel. Don¡¯t let her have the chance to kill herself, " Abel said. If Bianca were any other woman, Abel would not think that she would kill herself. She was not "any other woman," and she would not hesitate to sacrifice herself to protect her husband. He had to be careful at all times. They were not on the ind yet, so he could not control Bianca. Abel left with a sullen expression on his face. He thought for a while and remembered that there was a psychologist on the Ind of Despair who managed to survive. He had a way to brainwash Bianca, but that would be no fun. He had to find some other way to control her. Abel wanted to see Bianca''s love for Luke slowly erode and fade away, and she would be reborn as a woman totally unfamiliar to Luke. Bianca closed her eyes. Tears of despair began to flow. The mercenary came in and saw that she was slumped on the floor. He frowned. "Who let you sleep on the floor?" Bianca did not reply. She was hoping that the ship would encounter a big wave so that she could knock her head on the wall and die. She would rather die than be under that man''s control. The mercenary grinned contemptuously when he noticed that Bianca was looking at the wall. He crouched down and stared at her despairing face." Don''t tell me that you want to kill yourself by knocking your head on the wall?" Bianca did not say anything and closed her eyes. "Don''t even think about it!" The mercenary lifted her and tossed her on the bed. "Ah!" Bianca cried out in surprise and stared at the mercenary warily. The mercenary cackled as he looked at her. She had a nice figure, but too bad he could not touch it. He pried open Bianca''s jaw and stuffed a towel into her mouth. "You''re not going to die as long as Boss doesn''t want you to die." Bianca was crying. She could not make a sound because her mouth was gagged. The mercenary touched her cheek. "Is it ufortable?" Bianca continued to cry. "How about this? Entertain me for one hour, and I''ll remove the towel so that you''ll be more comfortable." The mercenary brazenly ogled her, already enjoying the masterpiece of a body in his mind. "If you agree, then blink. Of course, I won''t tell Boss about this. Don''t worry, I''ll treat you real good." Bianca closed her eyes when she heard that. The mercenary grinned contemptuously. "Don''t pretend to be virtuous. Someone will eventually get into your pants." Bianca gripped the bedsheets in despair. She was out at sea, and no one could save her. Luke returned to Crawford Manor. Old Master Crawford had already returned and was trying to coax Tommy. However, Tommy did not stop crying, as though he would only be appeased when he saw Bianca. The old man felt sorry for him. Luke entered the living room and saw his crying son. "Tommy." When Tommy saw his father, he ran over with teary eyes and asked, ¡¯ Where''s Mommy? Is Mommy back yet?" Luke picked him up. Tommy''s eyes were puffed up like walnuts after crying for so long. "Don''t cry." He carried his son and went upstairs. "They said that Mommy is dead, Daddy. Mommy won''t die. She loves me so much, she''s not dead." Tommy might be innocent, but he already knew what death was. "She''s not dead." Luke hugged him tightly. His heart sank when he heard Tommy say that. "Mm!" Tommy rubbed his eyes when he heard his father''s assurance." When will Mommye back?¡± "She has something to do now. I promise you that I''ll find her, alright?" Luke killed Tommy''s forehead. It was a rare gesture from him. To Luke, Tommy was a boy, and he would treat Tommy differently than how he would treat his daughter. However, he could not bear to see Tommy cry because his mother was abducted. He sighed and hugged him tightly. "Good boy. I''ll let Mr. Griffin coax you to sleep, alright?" "Where are you going, Daddy?" Tommy felt very insecure. "I need to do some work, then I''ll go and look for Mommy." Luke wiped away Tommy¡¯s tears and snot with the back of his hand. "I don''t need Mr. Griffin. I can sleep by myself. You''ll have to find Mommy quickly, Daddy. If you''rete, Mommy will be angry, and I''ll be angry too!" Tommy struggled, and Luke put him on the floor. Tommy went back to his bedroom. Luke''s heart wrenched when he saw the change in Tommy''s behavior. "The children are fine, Bea. You''ll have to be safe," he muttered. Rainie opened the door, and her head poked out. Tears welled up in her eyes when she saw Luke. "Daddy." Luke walked over and patted her head. If Tommy knew about it, Lanie and Rainie must have known about it too. "Your Mommy will be fine." Rainie opened the doorpletely. Luke realized that Lanie was inside too. "Mommy wille back to us, right?" Lanie seemedposed, but his eyes were bloodshot. Luke could tell that he had been crying. "She wille back," Luke promised. "I''ll do whatever I can to bring her back. You should rest now. There''s school tomorrow." Chapter 1042 Chapter 1042 His Love for Bianca Was So Deep "Daddy..." Rainie''s eyes were bloodshot. "I trust you, Daddy." Lanie held his sister''s hand. "We can take care of ourselves. You must bring Mommy back." Luke crouched down and stretched out the pinky finger of his right hand. That was what Bianca did when she made a promise to the children. "I promise." Rainie made a pinky promise with her father. "Mommy wille back," she mumbled. "Mommy wille back.¡± Lanie also made a pinky promise with Luke. Luke patted their heads and said, "I''ll be busy in the next few days. Let Mr. Griffin take care of you, and don''t give him any trouble, alright?" "Alright, Daddy. I''ll take care of Rainie and Tommy." Lanie took up the responsibility so that Luke would not have to worry about them. Luke saw the determination in his son''s eyes. "Brush your teeth and go to bed." "Yes, Daddy." Rainie wiped her tears and went to the bathroom. Lanie also returned to his bedroom. Luke was at ease that his children were so mature. After Lanie and Rainie slept, Luke went to the study and turned on theputer. Gale had already sent him the name list of the important people from the Ind of Despair. Those people had imprisoned him on the Ind of Despair and tried to brainwash him. It took him a lot of willpower to withstand the brainwashing, and he managed to fool Kassy and Robert. Even so, Robert did not offer him any freedom. He could only find out more about the ind at night when everyone else was asleep. He had never seen the faces of many of the important people. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Lukepared the facialposite to the information he was given. Even up until thest page, he did not find a match. He dialed Gale''s phone number. "Did you find anything, Boss?" Gale was also worried about Bianca. It might be dangerous if Bianca fell into the hands of someone from the Ind of Despair, but at least they would have gotten a lead. "None of the pictures match." Luke''s voice was sullen. "Are these all the important people?" Gale paused for a while. "There''s one more, but Rain and I have never seen him before. He''s Robert¡¯s godson, and he would always be wearing a mask. Other than Robert and Kassy, probably no one else has seen his true face." "Did he manage to escape?" Luke knocked on the table. He was deep in thought. "No," Gale replied. "He had a big fight about Kassy with Robert two years ago, and he has already left the ind on his own ord." Luke stopped knocking on the table. "Track him down." "Yes," Gale replied, "But it''ll be hard to track him down. The man is elusive." It had been two years since that man left the Ind of Despair, and Gale did not know what the man looked like. There were not many leads. Luke was silent. He did not know that Robert had another godson. He would not have known about it if not that Gale had been working for Robert for a long time. "Do your best," he said. "Yes, Boss." He was prepared to do his best even if Luke did not tell him. He and Rain hoped that Bianca would return safely. He knew that Luke was devoted to Bianca. If anything happened to her, there would be big trouble in A City. Late at night, at the hospital. When Leia woke up, she realized that she had been tricked by the nurse. The shot was not going to stop her bleeding, but instead, it was a tranquilizer shot! She gripped the bed sheets and tried to sit up. The caretaker who had been sleeping on the couch was awoken by Leia''s movements. She turned on the lights, rubbed her eyes, and looked at Leia." You''re awake, Ms. Norman." "Who are you?" Leia frowned. She looked around the ward and did not see Jack or Queenie. "Mr. Norman hired me to take care of you." The caretaker stood up and walked up next to the coffee table. "Why are you sitting up? Please lie down. The doctor said that your body is still weak. You should lie down and rest." "Have my parents gone home?" Leia asked. She was unhappy that her parents had stopped her from looking for Brody, conspired with the doctor to give her a tranquilizer shot, and had gone home instead of staying in the hospital to take care of her. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. "Yes. Mrs. Norman wasn''t feeling well, so Mr. Norman brought her back home. He also reminded you to eat the fish soup so that you''ll get some nutrition." The caretaker opened a sk, and the fragrance of the soup instantly filled up the ward. Leia saw that her phone was charging, and she took it. "Did anyone touch my phone?" "No." The caretaker brought the fish soup to Leia. Leia did not take the bowl from her. She got off the bed instead. The caretaker grabbed her with one hand. "Where are you going, Mrs. Norman?" Leia chuckled coldly. "Did my parents tell you to stop me from going anywhere?" "No..." The caretaker shook her head, "But your body is still weak, and you might bleed again if you move about." "Don''t touch me. I want to go to the bathroom." Leia could feel a dull ache from her womb. It should be part of the side effects of the inducedbor. She gritted her teeth hatefully when she thought of the baby and Brody. The caretaker withdrew her hand sheepishly. Leia took her phone to the washroom and locked the door before dialing Hera''s number. "Hello." Hera sounded as though she had been roused from her sleep. Leia was furious. Why would Hera be sleeping when something so serious happened? "It''s me. Is Bianca dead yet?" She spoke softly in case the caretaker overheard her. "She''s gone either way, and she''ll nevere back." Hera''s tone was cheerful. Even though Abel did not kill Bianca, she knew that it was only a matter of time that he did. Moreover, she did not owe anything to Maxine anymore. "My baby is gone," Leia said as she subconsciously touched her t stomach. Hera knew about that too. She cracked her knuckles and smiled. "That''s your own problem. You wouldn''t have miscarried if you hadn''t been careless and drank from that cup." "It''s all your fault!¡± Leia gritted her teeth when she heard Hera speak as though it had nothing to do with her. "You didn''t tell me the n. You''ll have topensate me!" She threatened her. If Hera had told her that the cup of water was drugged, she would not have drunk from it! "Now that I''ve lost everything, and if that man knows that my baby is gone, I''ll be dead too. I don''t mind telling Luke everything and bringing the operation down. What do you think he''ll do to you?" Chapter 1043 Chapter 1043 Where¡¯s My Child, Leia? Hera sat up and chuckled. "That defective baby in your stomach? Heheh, you should thank me instead. If you delivered that baby, I''m sure that the Hiltons will disown you, even if you''re already married. Consider this as a blessing in disguise. It''s better that you lose the baby before you''re married instead of being driven out of the household." Leia clenched the hem of her gown tightly. Her stomach was aching, and she had to sit on the toilet. "You know that I only get to marry Brody because of the baby, Hera. I wouldn''t have agreed to help you if I knew that I''d be like this." Listening to Leia''s usatory words, Hera could tell that she would not tell Luke. If Luke wanted to take revenge, Leia would be the first victim. After arriving at that conclusion, Hera said impatiently, "Understand this, Leia, you volunteered to do this. No one forced you." Leia gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. She felt as though she was adrift at sea. She had lost the support of the Hiltons, while Wayne was like the waves that threatened to engulf her. Leia said, "Are you sure that I won''t tell Luke? If I''m going to die anyway, there''s nothing I won''t do. If I have to die, you''ll die along with me!" "The marriage was canceled, right?" Hera did not understand. "Why would you have to die? If you keep it a secret, you won''t have to die." "Wayne will kill me!" Leia was on the verge of a breakdown. Everyone in A City knew that Leia had miscarried the child and that the child had congenital birth defects. It meant that Wayne would have heard about the news too. If he knew that she had miscarried, he would definitely kill her! Leia shuddered uncontrobly when she thought of that vicious face. "Wayne?" Hera repeated. She remembered Leia telling her about someone called Wayne tt. Leia shuddered again when she heard the name from Hera''s mouth. "Help me kill him. Otherwise, if I¡¯m dead, you won''t get to live in peace either." "Alright. I''ll make arrangements." Hera agreed to it immediately and rolled his eyes. As far as she knew, Wayne was a wanted criminal. If she let Wayne kill Leia, perhaps she would not be threatened by Leia anymore. "Faster." Leia ended the call after saying that. It took her a long time to calm down after Wayne was mentioned. She tried calling Brody again, but she received the notification that the other party had blocked her. The caretaker knocked on the bathroom door. "Ms. Norman? Are you okay? "I''m fine." Leia stood up, flushed the toilet, and washed her hands. Her reflection in the mirror was full of resentment. That was not the end of it. Even if Wayne died, she could not rest at ease. She thought that Bianca was her nemesis, as though Bianca was born to oppose her. To get rid of her, she had to sacrifice her future. "Ms. Norman?" The caretaker could hear the sounds of water from inside, but she remained worried. She knocked on the door again in case Leia was attempting something stupid. Leia deleted the call records, then exited the bathroom without any expression on her face. She towered over the caretaker who was a head shorter than her. "What''s wrong with you? Do you think that I''m dead?" The caretaker felt aggrieved. She had heard that the retired actress had a bad temper, and she could tell from today that it was indeed the case. "You should stay in bed, Ms. Norman. You''ve not fully recovered yet," she said. Leia rolled her eyes. She walked back to her bed while clutching her stomach. Before she could lie down, the caretaker brought the bowl of fish soup to her. "You haven''t eaten the whole day, Ms. Norman. You should eat the soup before you sleep." Leia looked at the fish soup resentfully. "That''s because I was knocked out for the whole day. Who knows if the soup is drugged? I''m not eating it." "But Mr. and Mrs. Norman made this soup for you," the caretaker said awkwardly. "They also allowed the nurse to give me the tranquilizer shot. They probably wish that I were dead!" Leia red at the bowl hatefully. "Throw it away. I''m not eating." The caretaker was shocked by what Leia said. In all her years being a caretaker, she had never seen someone who would think that their parents would drug them. The nurse could only do as she was told in case Leia threw another tantrum. If she had known that Leia did not want the soup, she could have eaten it herself. From the ingredients, she could tell that the soup was very nutritious for women who had just delivered or miscarried. Leia could only lie on her side because of the pain in her stomach. She could hear the caretaker''s movements. Following that, the light was turned off once more. She could not fall asleep. She decided that she should not look for Brody for now. She knew that Brody must be still angry. If she went to look for him now, he might forever block her from his life. She heard the door open. Leia did not turn around; she thought that the nurse was making her rounds. She continued to stare at the wall and think of her future ns. Soon after that, she could hear the door close and lock. Leia did not mind it until the footsteps came up right to her. She thought that it was the caretaker, and she turned around impatiently. "Don''t stare at me. I''m not dead yet." The room was dark, but from the light outside, Leia could see that the silhouette of the figure was very big, unlike the skinny and short caretaker. "Leia." Wayne''s hoarse voice spoke out as though he was the reaper, here to im her life. Leia shuddered and sat up. She lifted her head and looked at the man. She could not see the man''s features clearly, which added to the horrific atmosphere. "Wayne..." Leia sounded as though she was about to cry. "Where is my child, Leia?¡± Wayne asked. Leia opened her mouth but decided to dodge the question. "Why are you at the hospital, Wayne? There are so many people here. You''d better leave in case someone sees you and calls the police." "Call the police?" Wayne chuckled coldly and pointed at the caretaker on the couch, "You mean, her?" Leia felt a chill course down her spine when she saw the caretaker slumped on the couch and not moving as though she was already dead. Did he kill her? Leia did not smell any blood. If the doctor found out that the caretaker was dead, would he me her? Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Wayne could tell Leia''s expressions even in the dark. He grunted coldly and said, "Don''t worry, she''s not dead." Leia breathed a sigh of relief, not because the caretaker was still alive but because she would not get into trouble. Chapter 1044 Chapter 1044 How Dare You Harm My Child? "You''d better leave, Wayne. The caretaker might wake up any time..." Leia begged. Her eyes were transfixed on the caretaker on the couch, wondering why she did not notice despite them talking at a normal volume. "I knocked her out." Wayne turned on the bedside light, which dazzled Leia''s eyes. He sat down on the bed and looked at her pale face without any sign of care. Leia grabbed the bed sheets tightly. Wayne''s gaze slowly shifted down from her face to her stomach. Leia noticed that. She wanted to cover her stomach with the nket. Wayne''s gaze turned vicious suddenly. "How dare you harm my child, Leia!" Leia shuddered when facing his gaze. "It was an ident, Wayne. It''s all Bianca''s fault. Bianca made me lose the child." Wayne reached out and touched her stomach. Through the hospital gown, Leia could feel the icy coldness of Wayne''s touch. She shuddered again and exined, "It''s really not my fault, Wayne. Bianca nned all this." Wayne gripped her lower jaw. "Leia, do you think that I don''t understand your character?" Leia felt immense pain, and bruises began to appear on her pale face." Wayne, I didn''t..." "Are you the one who hired someone to abduct Bianca Rayne?" Wayne asked, though he sounded confident of that statement. He might be a fugitive, but he had been keeping an eye on Leia. Leia continued to deceive him. "If I was the one who did it, would I have sacrificed our child?" Wayne narrowed his gaze and considered what she said. When Leia saw that, she held Wayne''s hand and begged him, "You''ll have to avenge our child, Wayne." Wayne looked at her and held her hand tightly. "How do you want me to avenge it?" "I..." Leia did not know what to say. What could she do? Kill Bianca? Bianca was already in that man''s hands. She could only hope that the man could deal with Wayne too. Wayne pulled his hands away mercilessly. "You want me to kill Bianca, right? Then tell me, where is Bianca now?¡± "I don''t know." Leia lowered her head. She did not know where Bianca had been taken to, and she dared to tell him about Hera. Wayne would kill her if he found out that she lost the child because she helped Hera! Wayne suddenly chuckled, though it sounded iparably scary to Leia. "Even if you don''t tell me, I''ll be able to track that person down anyway. Someone like you wouldn''t have been able toe into contact with a person who could abduct Bianca without leaving a trace. You must have gotten help from someone, right?" He could see that Leia''s body was shaking. "Do you think you can hide the facts from me just by keeping your mouth shut? I heard that the child has congenital birth defects, right? Why would that be?" Wayne said.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. He was angry that Leia had lost the child, but he was even angrier to find out that the child had defects. The miscarriage could be an ident, but the defects could not. Leia must have known about it. "The doctor said that it has something to do with my living habits while I was pregnant. I was worried when you were on the run, Wayne, so I didn''t eat or sleep well. I was also hoping that the doctor made a wrong diagnosis, so I wanted to deliver our baby no matter what..." Leia could lie even though she was in extreme fear. After all, the hospital would not admit that they had a doctor that peddled fake medicine. Wayne would not be able to find anything out. Wayne grunted as he looked at her acting. "So you want to deliver my baby that much. Alright, I''ll fulfill your wishes." "Wayne?" Leia thought that Wayne would empathize with her, but she did not expect that he would say that. She widened her eyes and looked at Wayne in fear. "I won''t touch you now." Wayne looked at her pale little face disgustedly and gripped her lower jaw. "Once you''re discharged, I''ll bring you along with me." "I..." Leia wanted to refuse, but Wayne''s grip on her jaw became stronger and stronger. The pain overshadowed the pain in her stomach. "Do you n to say no?" Killing intent shed in Wayne''s eyes. He ignored the fact that Leia was in pain. "I''ll... follow you." Tears welled up in Leia''s eyes. She dared not show any reluctance. Wayne loosened his grip. Before she could catch her breath, Wayne walked toward the door and said, "You belong to me, Leia Norman. You can only bear children for me!" The door opened, then closed. Wayne was already gone. Leia sat on the bed. She could not stop her tears from falling. She hugged herself and buried her head into her knees. She thought that she had everything under control, but all her ns were ruined. No one helped her, and Wayne was threatening her... She clenched her fists and let out a stifled roar. "Ahh!" The nurse at the station heard her. She instantly ran into Leia''s ward and asked, "What happened?" Seeing how flustered the nurse was, Leia wiped her tears and pointed at the caretaker on the couch. "Is she dead? I can''t wake her up." Even though Wayne said that he did not kill the caretaker, the caretaker remained unconscious despite her loud scream. The nurse walked over and carefully observed the unmoving caretaker. She could see that there was regr movement on the caretaker''s chest. "That can''t be. Why is she sleeping soundly?" Caretakers should not sleep soundly in case the patient had an emergency in the middle of the night. Leia released all her anger onto the caretaker. "Is this the quality of your hospital''s caretakers? I didn''t pay her money to sleep on the job!" The nurse was frustrated. She went over and shook the caretaker. "Hey, wake up." The caretaker gave no response. The nurse ced a finger under the caretaker''s nose and found that she was breathing. However, she did not wake up, as though someone had drugged her. From that, Leia knew that Wayne was not lying. He only knocked her out instead of killing her. She breathed a sigh of relief. "Never mind. Let her sleep. We''ll talk about this tomorrow," she said. The nurse was quite surprised by Leia''s change in attitude. She nodded and left the ward. After the door closed, Leia turned off the bedside light, and the ward fell into darkness once again. She turned her body and wanted to get out of the bed, but the pain in her stomach stopped her from doing so. She could not use her strength, so she had no choice but to give up. Chapter 1045 Chapter 1045 Opposing Luke In the western Pacific Ocean, a ship bobbed up and down the waves as it sailed northward through a thunderstorm. Biancaid on the bed. She had been force-fed multiple times. The area surrounding the bed was indescribably messy, and it was starting to stink. She did not know how many days it had been since she boarded the ship. There was only one door, and there were no windows. Her hands were tied, and her mouth was gagged, though her legs were free. However, she was limited to the cabin, so she did not know if it was day or night. Her stomach churned as the boat swayed. She had the urge to vomit, but the cloth in her mouth made her unable to do so. She turned her head away and took deep breaths to calm her stomach down. She had only met three other people aboard the ship -- Abel and the two mercenaries. They did not care that the conditions of the cabin were deteriorating. The bed was beginning to get moldy, but they had no intention ofchanging it. That was why she had been feeling unwell in the past few days. When Abel tried to force her to eat, the urge to vomit became greater. The cabin door opened. Abel came in with a bowl of oatmeal porridge. He had been trying to feed her solids, but she did not want to eat. Eventually, he decided to feed her oatmeal instead. It was much easier to force it down. Usually, half a bowl of porridge would go down her throat, which would ensure that she did not starve to death. Bianca shuddered when she heard the door open. Without looking, she knew that Abel hade in. Other than force-feeding her oatmeal and water, he did not give her any trouble. However, she did not want to eat, and her body reflexively twitched in fear whenever she heard the door open. Bianca did not want to eat whenever she thought that she would be Luke''s burden in the future. Even though Abel did not say what he was going to do to her, she could imagine what would happen. If that were the case, she would rather die. At least she would not be Luke''s burden, and Abel would not get to threaten Luke with her. Abel saw that the mercenary was nodding off, so he kicked his chair. The mercenary instantly jolted awake, stood up, and lowered his head in anticipation that he would receive a scolding. Abel said coldly, "I hired you to keep watch, not sleep. If you can''t do such a simple thing, you might well jump off the ship." "Sorry, Boss." The mercenary felt a chill course down his spine. Then, Abel looked at Bianca. She was lying on the bed in an awkward pose. He went over, took out the cloth from her mouth, and said, "You stink." Bianca chuckled coldly when she heard him say that. Looking at her defiant expression, Abel pinched two points on her lower jaw to force her mouth open, then poured the contents of the bowl into her mouth. Bianca did not have the strength to resist. She could only spit out the porridge in her mouth. She managed to spit out half of it before choking. "Why can''t you just be a good, obedient girl?" Abel showed no pity toward the woman who was coughing violently. If Bianca had obeyed him, she would not have to suffer like this. However, she remained defiant. The more defiant she was, the more interested Abel became. He wanted to make her bow to him. Bianca finally caught her breath. She red at him. "In your dreams." Abel chuckled coldly and reinserted the cloth into her mouth. "You''ll bow to me one day, Bianca Rayne." The mercenary looked at the mess on the bed and said softly, "Boss, shall we change a mattress for the woman?" N?velDrama.Org holds this content. As a mercenary, he had been in all sorts of squalid situations, but the growing stink made him ufortable. "No. Well be arriving tonight," Abel said. They were nearing their destination -- the Ind of Despair. He had left the ind almost three years ago. The situation on the ind was a far cry from what it had been. It took Robert half his life to build his empire, but Luke Crawford had destroyed it all. As Robert''s godson, he had the responsibility to rebuild what was destroyed. Bianca was a pawn that had suddenly appeared in his n. She was an important pawn. Bianca closed her eyes in despair when she heard the conversation. Ever since she boarded the ship, she had prayed that Luke would suddenly appear to rescue her. However, prayers were useless. He had never appeared, and she could not end her life. The porridge churned in her stomach. Bianca closed her eyes and took deep breaths to keep it down. Abel turned around to nce at her, then left the cabin. After the door closed, Bianca opened her eyes, and tears slowly slid down her face. The nearer she was to that ce, the greater her fear. She was not afraid that Abel would kill her, but she was afraid that her future was uncertain. If eventually, she would have to oppose Luke... She did not want that to happen! Meanwhile, Luke suddenly opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. He had been dreaming of Bianca. It had been a week since Bianca disappeared. His subordinates, Percy''s subordinates, and the police had been on the case, but no one managed to find any leads. They did not even know who was the one who abducted Bianca. The police had been tightly guarding all exit points ever since the abduction. However, they did not find anyone who looked simr to the facialposites. They seemed to have disappeared without a trace. The public followed the incident closely. Certain media outlets even ventured that Bianca was already dead at sea. Luke let Jason do his job after seeing such reports. The next day, the media outlet would be dered bankrupt. He had not slept for many days because he devoted all his time to looking for Bianca. He managed to fall asleep because Old Master Crawford had slipped in sleeping pills in his coffee. However, the sleeping pills could not stop him from waking up when he dreamed of Bianca. He dreamed that she was full of scars, looking at him resentfully, asking him why he did not save her, and why she had to suffer. Luke sat up, feeling utterly frustrated. He picked up his phone, and he had not received any new updates. He had hired people to look for Bianca at all hours. The vehicle wasst found at the port, so the police had also mobilized the coast guard to search the nearby sea. However, there was no news. 1 The time on the phone was three o''clock. He had fallen asleep for two hours. Luke turned to look next to him, and Bianca was not there. As warm as the room might be, it could not warm his heart. Chapter 1046 Chapter 1046 Going to the Ind of Despair Seeing that he had not rested for days, Old Master Crawford was worried for his grandson. He put a sleeper sofa in Luke''s bedroom. Luke turned on the light, sat up, kept the bed, and walked out of the study. He opened Tommy''s bedroom door. There was a small orange night light next to the bed. Ever since Bianca was abducted, the usually cheerful and yful boy had fallen silent and easily cried. He used to love to watch cartoons and eat snacks, but those could no longer pique his interest. He would even wake up from his nightmares and look for Bianca. Johann suggested that he put a nightlight next to Tommy''s bed to soothe his emotions. After doing so, Tommy rarely woke up in the middle of the night. Luke gently stepped inside and saw that Tommy had kicked the nket onto the floor. He pressed his lips together and covered him again with the nket. Bianca used to be the one to do that. Bianca would wake up once or twice in the middle of the night to check on their children. Tommy rolled over and mumbled in his sleep, "Mommy..." Luke''s body froze. He looked at his son. Tommy did not wake up. His eyes were still closed. He was probably dreaming of Bianca. "I miss you, Mommy," Tommy mumbled again. His voice shook as though he was going to cry. Luke sighed. Remembering what Bianca used to do, he sat down on the bed next to Tommy and gently patted his back. As expected, Tommy stopped sleep-talking and rxed his furrowed brows. Luke stared intently at Tommy''s face. His usually chubby face had slimmed down a little. If Bianca returned and saw Tommy like that, she would me him for not taking good care of the children. Luke continued tofort Tommy for the next ten minutes. After that, he looked at Tommy''s sleeping face once more, sighed, and left the room. He checked on Lanie and Rainie to make sure that they did not kick the nket away, then went to the study. Sitting on the chair, he looked at theputer screen. In the past few days, he had been trying to search for Bianca as well as handlingpany matters. He thought for a while and eventually decided to call Percy. At three o''clock in the morning, Percy was already sleeping. He opened his eyes when the phone rang, paused for a while, and picked up his phone. Seeing that the call was from Luke, he answered it, expecting good news." Have you found your wife?" He asked. "No." Luke would inadvertently clench his fists whenever anyone mentioned Bianca. He would not forgive her abductors. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "Are you crazy? Why do you have to call me in the middle of the night? To think that I was having a nice dream," Percy cursed. He nced next to him, and Nina was not there. "I want to go to the Ind of Despair," Luke told him his decision. "The Ind of Despair? Didn''t the Russian government take over that ce? It''s probably a barren ind by now." Percy got out of the bed and walked out of the bedroom. As expected, he saw Nina sitting on the couch in the living room. She was hugging her legs, and she seemed lonely. She was shocked when she saw hime out of the bedroom. When their eyes met, Percy could see the panic and sadness in her eyes. "I think that someone from the Ind of Despair did it," Luke said. "I don''t think anyone from the Ind of Despair got away..." Percy went up next to Nina and sat down. He thought that his good friend was overthinking. The Russian government had arrested the important figures of the Ind of Despair and imprisoned them in the most secure prison in the country. Percy had caught those who tried to escape. As far as he was concerned, the League of Shadows was no more. Luke continued as though he did not listen to what Percy said. "Make preparations." "..." Percy was speechless. Luke seemed to want to ask him to go along as well. "Alright, I''ll make arrangements, and we''ll leave the day after tomorrow. Don''t do anything rash for now. I don''t know if the Russian army is guarding the ind. I''ll inform the right people so that we won''t be treated as intruders." "Mm, thank you." It was rare that Luke said that. Then, he ended the call. Percy was surprised. Did he mishear? The usually arrogant and ungrateful Luke would say "Thank you" to him. He thought that Luke would only say that to Bianca. "Is there any news about Bea?" Nina was anxious to know about any updates on Bianca, but she had to wait for Percy to finish the call. "No." Percy tossed the phone aside and looked at her. "Luke wants to go to the Ind of Despair. I''ll be going with him the day after tomorrow." "Mm." Nina was slightly disappointed that Bianca had not been found. Percy could see the disappointment in her eyes. He was quite unhappy that Nina did not say anything else, as though she was not worried that he was going to the Ind of Despair. He had an awkward feeling in his mind. "Why are you sitting here?" "I can''t sleep." Nina could feel his anger and wondered what was going on. A month ago, Percy had dered that he would spend the night with Nina. At first, she was not used to it after living alone for so long. When he was not around, she would have some freedom. Now that he went to her mansion every day after work, she was not veryfortable with the sudden addition of another person in her private life, as though that person had affected her mood and living habits. She could not feel at ease. The more she lived with Percy, the more depressed she was. After knowing that Bianca had been abducted, her depression worsened, although she was used to being alone. "Are you worried about Bianca?" Percy''s tone softened when he saw the sadness in her eyes. He knew that Nina had been friends with Bianca for many years. It was normal for her to worry about her good friend. Nina thought about it. Was her worry for Bianca keeping her up? That was not totally the case. Her gaze fell on Percy''s face. The man was handsome, but he was not gentle, yet she could not say that he was distant. One thing for sure was that he was very rich. He was the dream lover of many women in A City. She did not feel any joy living with him. Instead, she felt as though she was his prisoner. Nina eventually figured out the reason why she could not sleep, but she dared not say it. She nodded and said, "Mm. It''s been a week." She thought that she was quite pitiful for not being able to tell the truth to Percy. He would not have liked to hearthat. If he heard what he did not want to hear, he might abuse her further. Chapter 1047 Chapter 1047 Is She Dead? Percy stared at her. Seeing the sorrow and loneliness in her eyes, his heart trembled, and that made him feel ufortable. "Luke will find her." Percy was surprised that those words came out of his mouth. He was not used to comforting others. Nina looked at him profoundly. She thought that she had misheard just now. Before she could react, Percy stood up. ¡¯Go to bed." Nina chuckled wryly when she heard thatmand. Indeed, she had misheard. Percy was never going to talk to her like that. Nina could not disobey him. Even though she was not in the mood to sleep, she stood up, went into the bedroom, andy by his side. After she closed her eyes, her other senses became more sensitive. She could not ignore his breathing after being used to living alone. Percy used to want to make out with her very often, but he did not want to sleep with her, so she had some time for herself. Now, all her private time had been upied by Percy. Nina sighed, and her mind wandered to her mother. The diagnosis found that her mother had a tumor in her liver. The doctor suggested removing it. She gasped when she heard the costs involved in the operation. When she was thinking of how to get the money, Percy told her that he wanted to move in. The house belonged to him. She had no right to refuse. Percy heard her irregr breathing and opened his eyes. "Aren''t you sleeping yet?" Nina closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. Percy was not deceived by her poor acting. He flipped over, pushed himself up with one arm, and enveloped Nina in his embrace. Feeling the warm breath from his nose, Nina could not pretend anymore. She opened her eyes and looked at him. Percy supported himself with one arm while he held her face with his other hand. "Can''t sleep?" "Mm." Nina was flustered. She could tell what Percy wanted whenever he behaved like that. "Let''s not sleep then." Percy lowered his gaze and hugged her. The night was eerily still. Nina dared not struggle, so she did what she was told. In a daze, Bianca felt the ship bump into something. It shook, then it stopped. The other mercenary opened the cabin door. "We¡¯ve arrived. Boss says to bring the woman along.¡± The mercenary stood up and stretched. "Finally. I''ve been bored to death." "Enough nonsense. Otherwise, Boss will be mad at you," the mercenary at the door urged. Bianca''s head spun when she listened to the conversation. She felt ufortable, but she could not tell which part of her body caused her difort. The mercenary went to her bed and frowned disgustedly. "You look like a refugee now." Bianca did not respond to that. The mercenary grabbed her and prepared to lift her up. He was surprised when he touched her skin. ¡¯You''re so warm. Do you have a fever?" The mercenary at the door showed no pity toward Bianca. "Why do you care?" He said. The mercenary heard that and lifted Bianca up. Outside of the cabin, the light dazzled Bianca''s eyes. She could only close them to reduce her difort. Abel grinned brazenly when he saw how weak she was. "Let''s get on the ind," he said. "Yes!" The three people began to walk. Bianca slumped over the mercenary''s shoulder. She struggled to open her eyes, and she saw that they were on an ind. However, the ruins were overrun with weeds. Were they really on the Ind of Despair? Before she could take a closer look, her vision went ck, and she passed out. The Russian government had destroyed almost all the buildings on the Ind of Despair. After a few months, the walking paths were covered with weeds and could not be seen. However, Abel had lived on the ind since he was a child. Even though he could not see the paths, he knew where to go. As he walked toward the interior of the ind, he clenched his fists whenever he saw the ruins of the buildings. "D*mn the Russian government. D*mn Luke!" Bianca twitched when she heard Luke''s name, but she soon passed out again. Abel''s fury grew as he saw the debris and craters. He turned to look at Bianca, who slumped over the mercenary''s shoulder. Her face was red because her head was upside down. "Is she dead?" Abel asked. The mercenary put a finger under Bianca''s nose and shook his head. "She''s not dead, but she seems to have a fever." Abel''s expression sank. He turned around and continued to walk. "Let''s go." "Yes," the mercenaries said. Abel arrived at the center of the ind. There used to be a ptial building there, but it was reduced to rubble. Signs of the intense battle could still be seen. The Russian government spared no expense to destroy them. Jets had dropped bombs all over the ce. "How are we going to stay here, Boss?" The mercenaries looked at each other. "Continue walking," Abel said sullenly and did not stop walking. They stepped past the rubble until they reached a spot where Abelmanded them to dig with shovels. Soon, a tunnel came into view. Abel led the way down. After the mercenaries brought Bianca inside, the entrance was covered by dirt. They walked for about half a mile before they saw an elevator. The people went inside, and Abel pressed a button. The elevator traveled downward for five floors. When the doors opened, a building appeared before them. "You''ll stay here," Abel said while opening the door with a set of keys. Robert had prepared the undergroundplex as a precaution. The interior wasvishly furnished, and it was not short on amenities. Not many people knew about the undergroundplex unless they had stayed on the ind for more than a decade. Robert would have been able to survive the attack if not that Luke and the Russian government had taken them by surprise. "What a pity...'' Abel clenched his fists tightly and could not loosen them. "What about this woman, Boss?" The mercenary asked. "Put her in the room on the left," Abel said. The mercenary opened the door. There was a bed with several sets of shackles on a rack. It was clear that the room was used to imprison someone. The mercenary tossed Bianca on the bed without showing any mercy. Bianca did not make a sound as though she were dead. The mercenary made sure that Bianca was still alive before he left the room. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Abel ignored the mercenaries. He went to one of the rooms on the right. When he opened the door, he was assaulted by the smell of chemicals and herbs. Chapter 1048 Chapter 1048 She Was Pregnant "You''re back." A man was sitting right in the middle of the room with his back facing the entrance and against the light. Abel looked at the medical equipment in the room and walked to that man. He sat down. "Yeah, I¡¯m back." "Did you seed in taking revenge?" The man nced at Abel and lowered his head, continuing to read his medical book. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. "I''d say it''s a sess." Abel chuckled and picked up a ss filled with red wine, swaying it. When he saw it at a distance earlier, he thought it was a ss of red wine. However, now that he had gotten a better look, he realized there was a finger inside the red wine. His face went pale and he ced the ss of wine down while cursing. He called the man a maniac for doing such a thing. ''Why the f*ck is he using wine to preserve his samples?'' "What do you mean by that?" asked the man with a spooky voice. He talked softly as though he did not possess any ill intention. "I didn''t harm Luke Crawford but I''ve brought his woman to the ind. Shanks, I want to change this woman into a powerful weapon that can kill Luke." Abel revealed his n. The man with the name Shanks gently curled his lips and closed his medical book. "Your n is a waste of time. You might as well kill Luke and give me his heart. I¡¯ll make it into a sample." "That would be too easy for him!" Abel got up and his eyes glinted angrily. No one could change his mind about the n he was determined to carry out. "I want Luke to be in utter despair and die from suffering and shock." Shanks no longer said a word and started frowning. Abel noticed that he was not agreeing to his n but without Shanks, this n would not be sessful. Shanks was a splendid doctor on the Ind of Despair. He excelled in both Western and traditional medicine. He was able to create all sorts of incredible medicines. On any usual days, patients on the Ind of Despair were unable to seek consultation from him, except for Robert who could give him orders. Abel sat back down and said, "Shanks, instant suffering won''t do much. The woman you loved most is dead, and it''s because of Luke. Aren''t you still in pain at this moment? You should let him experience the same thing as well. No, you should make him experience it a hundred times more!¡¯ Shanks looked at Abel with an expressionless face. He had always thought of seeking revenge against Luke but never had the chance to do so. Initially, he thought that Abel would help him grant his wish yet thetter ended up kidnapping a woman back. ''Make Luke experience a hundred times of the suffering I went through?'' Shanks got up. "I¡¯d like to meet that woman." Abel knew that Shanks was willing to take part in his n now and revealed a satisfactory smile on his face. "Follow me." Both of them, one in the front while the other trailed behind, came to the room where Bianca was locked up. "This is Luke''s wife." Shanks looked at the woman on the bed coldly. Just by looking at her, he knew that Bianca was having a fever. "She''s having a very high fever," he said. He did not have the slightest bit of sympathy for women who appeared to have poor hygiene. "That''s why I need your help." Abel revealed his n. "This woman can''t afford to die right now. Once Luke is dead, I''ll then personally finish her and their kids off." Shanks and Abel had both lost the women they loved. ''Hence, Bianca must die once the n seeds.'' "She¡¯s really dirty," said Shanks disdainfully. "You didn''t even help clean her up." "No need for that." Abel stood at the side of the bed and ced both his hands into his pockets. He nced at Shanks who put on gloves before walking to the side of the bed. He took her pulse. In no time, Shanks frowned and retrieved his hand. "What''s wrong?" Abel asked. Shanks looked at Bianca''s reddish face that was caused by the high fever and said, "She''s pregnant." "She''s pregnant?'' Abel looked at the woman on the bed in disbelief. "Don''t ever doubt my skills in taking a patient¡¯s pulse," Shanks said with much dissatisfaction after hearing Abel''s tone of disbelief. Back when he was young, to improve his medical skills, he went abroad to learn from a senior. Hence, he need not conduct all sorts ofplicated procedures and was able to tell that Bianca was pregnant with just a pulse reading. "I''m not doubting you," Abel exined and then touched his chin while ncing at Bianca. ''She''s pregnant. It seems even God is on my side.'' "How dare you bring a pregnant woman back? Do you n to make me prescribe some medication to abort her child?" Shanks said and deemed that Bianca''s child would not be able to live. Abel wanted to change Bianca, and to do that, the woman would have to take a lot of medications. A pregnant woman could not take many types of medications as there was a probability that both the mother and child would end up dying. She could not die on the Ind of Despair. "No need!" Abel immediately rejected without thinking twice. "This child came just at the right time." Shanks frowned. "Initially, my n was to use medications to control her. But you know it as well that there¡¯s a possibility the drugs used might fail when consumed by a person with a strong mental frame of mind. It¡¯s a great thing that we have another thing to use against her. Say, isn''t this better?" ''Using both the baby in her stomach and medications, I believe Bianca will have no choice but to obey me.'' Shanks did not reveal a delighted look on his face. ''Listening to the way he puts it, it seems that he wants the child to remain.'' He reminded coldly, "If that''s the case, you have to wait for nine months." "In theseing nine months, Luke will also be in much suffering." Abel was not bothered by it. He would leave everything aside till Bianca delivered the baby. Shanks spun around to leave. "Go get a woman here to apply alcohol on her." As she was pregnant, she could not consume any antipyretics. Hence, he could only reduce her body temperature through this method. "Alright." Abel was also not willing to touch Bianca, who was very dirty. He spun around to leave the room. Bianca was lying there, having a dream. She dreamt of Luke and her three kids. Just when she wanted to run over, she heard a baby''s cry from behind her, which made her footstepse to a halt. "Bea, I really miss you," Luke nced at her and called out to her softly. The three kids also called out to her at the same time as well. She thought she should head toward her husband and her kids, but the cries of the baby kept ringing in her ears. In the end, she turned her back to Luke and their three kids, heading in the direction of the baby''s cries instead. After walking a distance, Bianca finally noticed the crying baby on the floor. She carried the baby, feeling heartbroken. She spun around, intending to head back to Luke''s side, only to realize there was a huge crack in between them. She looked down and noticed it was an endless dark cliff. Bianca felt a pinch in her heart. She wanted to head back to them. At that moment, Luke said, "Bea, why did you have to leave just now?" "Mommy, do you not want Tommy anymore?" Tommy had a disappointed look on his face. Lanie was looking at her with a cold face, not looking like he missed Bianca. As for Rainie, she was burying her face while crying. Bianca felt a pinch in her heart when she saw the scene. She kept shaking her head and telling them that she left just to pick up this baby. She wanted to head back to them after picking up the baby. "Hear me out, Luke." She wanted to exin. "You''ve let me down." Yet, Luke turned around and brought the kids to leave. Bianca had forgotten about the cliff. She wanted to catch up to them but was careless and fell down the cliff. "Ah!" She opened her eyes and looked at the ck ceiling. Only then did she realize whatever she saw earlier was just a dream. ''It was a nightmare...'' "Miss?" A young person''s voice was heard and this left Bianca dumbfounded. She turned her head and saw the person by the side of the bed. Chapter 1049 Chapter 1049 Would Not Be Able To Escape Eler saw that Bianca had woken up. She took out a thermometer and stuffed it under her armpit. Bianca opened her mouth and noticed her mouth was no longer stuffed with anything. She tilted her head only to see an unfamiliar Westernlooking face. She then asked weakly, "Where is this ce?" "I can¡¯t tell you that." Eler shook her head, her blue eyes glinting with terror. She was not born and raised here but brought captive to this ce. Bianca nced at the surroundings and noticed she was still locked up in a room with only a door and no window. She wanted to sit up, but when she supported herself on the bed, her body felt weak and she quickly fell onto the bed. Eler quickly discarded the towel that was drenched in alcohol aside and came over to check whether Bianca was injured. "Are you alright?" Bianca ignored her and insisted on sitting up. Eler came over to help her up. "Miss, you''re still having a fever. Please refrain from moving about." Bianca looked at the youngdy and saw her crystal clear eyes. She did not seem like someone from the Ind of Despair. She grabbed Eler''s hand." Please help me, I want to escape from this ce." Eler was caught by surprise by Bianca''s words. She looked at the entrance and after ensuring there was no oneing in, she shook her head and said, "Miss, it''s fruitless even if you can escape from this ce. We''re on an ind surrounded by the ocean and there are no boats or airnes. You won¡¯t be able to escape." Bianca was thrown into despair and nced hard at the wall. Eler was very familiar with such an expression. She had seen many captives. Whenever they were being tortured, they would often reveal such an expression and then think of all methods to end their lives. She immediately hugged Bianca. ¡°Miss, please don''t do anything silly. Even if you''re not thinking about yourself, at the very least, think about the future of the child in your womb." Bianca was stunned, feeling as though a storm had overtaken a sunny day. She turned around stiffly. She nced at the youngdy who was hugging her. "What did you just say?" "That''s what Dr. Shanks said. You''re pregnant," said Eler. Bianca''s tears came streaming down. She lowered her head and looked at her t stomach. "How is this possible..." "Dr. Shanks said it himself. There won''t be any mistakes." Eler thought that Bianca would not be so cruel to the point she would even harm her child. She let go of her hand and put on a serious look. "Miss, you must think positively." Abel said that she would be in grave danger if anything were to happen to Bianca. Hence, she was keeping a close eye on Bianca. Bianca justy t on the bed as her mind went nk. ''Why did I get pregnant at this time?'' Eler could not bring herself to see Bianca like this. She held Bianca''s hand and ced it on her stomach, saying, "There''s a new life here. So, please don''t think negatively, Miss." "I need some space.- Bianca clenched her fists and shut her eyes, not willing to say another word. Eler dared not say another line when she saw her looking so dispirited. She then said softly, "Alright. I''ll help you take your body temperature again." Bianca allowed her to pick up the thermometer and stuff it under her armpit. Eler waited for a moment and took out the thermometer once again. She looked at it, and it was 38 degrees Celsius, which meant she was still having a fever. She picked up the towel drenched with alcohol and inched closer to Bianca, saying, "Miss, you''re still having a fever. Allow me to wipe you with this towel." Bianca did not respond. Eler gently wiped Bianca''s body. She used alcohol to reduce her body temperature. After half an hour, Bianca''s body temperature dropped to 37 degrees Celsius. Eler nced at the thermometer again and let out a breath of relief. She whispered into Bianca''s ear, "Miss, please get some rest." Bianca was still not giving any response. Eler took the thermometer and walked out of the room, looking for Abel. She saw the man sitting on the sofa and smoking a cigar. Terror started surging from within her. "This is the man who destroyed my family and made all my rtives and friends be fugitives.'' Eler resented him but was scared at the same time. "Has her fever gone down?" Abel looked at her terrified face but did not pity her at all. He asked coldly. "I just managed to reduce her fever. This is her temperature earlier." Eler''s hands kept shaking as she passed the thermometer to let him check. Abel did not look at it and extinguished the cigar before getting up. He smirked coldly. "As long as she''s not dead." He walked into the room where Bianca was being locked up. Bianca had her eyes closed when she heard footsteps approaching. She did not open her eyes but knew it was Abel who came in. She tried not to think about it but could not help but clench her fists. Abel kicked the side of the bed and said coldly, "Do you know you''re pregnant?" Bianca opened her eyes and looked at him, her eyes glinting with hatred. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "Stop thinking about ways tomit suicide. If Luke knows that you killed his child, he¡¯ll definitely hate you." Abel touched the beard on his chin and put on an evil smile. Bianca felt the blood within her freeze as though the alcohol that was used to wipe her body earlier had taken all her warmth. ¡®Why? Why must I be pregnant at this time... If I give birth to this child, it¡¯ll definitely be a burden to Luke.¡¯ Bianca did not want such a thing to happen. However, after learning that she was pregnant, she could not bear to harm herself. It was just like back when Luke was captured and brought to the Ind of Despair. She endured it all and did not allow herself to fall. It was the same when she received the baton from Luke to manage the Crawford family and T Corporation. During that time, her children were her greatest support. 1 Abel looked at Bianca''s stomach. Back then, he was in love with Kassy and wished that they would have children of their own. However, Kassy was still locked up in prison and he had lost everything. All of this was thanks to Luke. ''Who is he to deserve one kid after another?!'' If it were not because Bianca giving birth to this child would bring him more advantages, he would have forced her to abort it. Looking at Bianca''s quiet expression made Abel aware that she was confused. "Bianca, do you think that by being quiet, you''ll be able to escape from this reality?" Abel bent over. A strong scent of smoke came rushing to her, making her feel nauseated. Eler brought over a tray and broke the tense atmosphere. Abel stood up and squinted while looking at her. "Is there anything?" "This is the tonic that Dr. Shanks prepared for Miss..." Eler trembled. The man¡¯s spooky and hawk-like eyes resembled two shurikens, making her feel as though they would stab her heart if she locked gazes with him. The moment Abel heard it was Dr. Shanks who prepared it, he clenched Bianca''s chin and snorted coldly. "You''d better take good care of your child. You''ll have to die if anything happens to you or your child." He let go of her and pointed at Eler. Eler shrieked out of fear and the tray in her hands fell on the floor. The bowl of tonic broke into pieces. "Do you have a death wish?" Abel was utterly exasperated when he saw her spilling the tonic on the floor. "I¡¯m so sorry, boss. I''ll go get Miss another bowl of tonic." Eler kneeled down and quickly picked up the broken shards before running out with the tray in her hands. In no time, she brought in another bowl of hot tonic. "Take good care of her." After Abel was done ordering Eler, he spun around and left the room. "Alright, boss." Eler was terrified. She looked at Bianca, who was on the bed. She was still lying down on the bed when Abel left the room. Eler ced the tray at the cab by the bed. She turned around to lock the door and returned to the side of the bed, advising Bianca, "Drink some tonic, Miss." Chapter 1050 Chapter 1050 She Could Only Choose To Live Bianca widened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. Eler looked at the nk stare in her eyes and pitied her. She conveyed Shanks'' instructions, "This is what Dr. Shanks specifically prescribed for you and it''s very good for restoring your energy. You were sailing across the ocean for so many days and your body is very weak now. Besides, this tonic can alleviate all the side effects one would have during pregnancy." Still, Bianca did not move an inch as though she was petrified. Eler suddenly got down on her knees. "Miss, I''m begging you, please don''t torture yourself. Or else, my little brother is going to be in deep trouble..." She was well aware that if the woman on the bed did not recover, her entire family would be in trouble. She did not mind being killed but her younger brother... Bianca shifted her eyes. She had heard all the threatening words Abel said to Eler earlier. "I don¡¯t even have the right to do anything now?¡± Herments carried traces of sorrow. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Eler shook her head. "That''s not the case, Miss." "Your little brother is being held captive by Abel?" Bianca asked again. She slowly sat up and looked at the door. Eler fell to the floor and her eyes became teary as she recalled the nightmare from the past. "Abel captured many of the youths in my vige. He''s nning to train them to be worthy underlings and my little brother is one of them..." Her younger brother had a fragile body and was in an environment where he could die at any second. Abel once said that her younger brother would not die if she managed to serve Bianca well enough. "If this baby is delivered, the child will be under Abel''s control as well." After saying this, Bianca could not stop her tears from flowing down. On one hand, it was her and Luke''s child. On the other hand, her child might be captured by Abel right after she gave birth to them. She was not willing to discard the child, yet did not wish to deliver the baby. "Miss, you must not give up on the child." Eler kneeled and ced both her hands on the side of the bed. "I''m not saying all this just for my sake. But during this period, it''ll at least help you have peace.¡± "I don''t wish for peace," said Bianca. What she wanted was to return to Luke''s side. If that wish could not be granted, she would rather end her life. However, just when she was determined to do so, fate did not allow her. It just happened that she was pregnant. Bianca did not think of herself as a noble mother, but for the sake of Luke and the children, she was willing to give up on everything. As for the child in her womb, it was the fruit of the love between her and Luke. "On this ind, the boss is the scariest being. If you have a child, he won¡¯t do anything to you. You can have peace for the next ten months, Miss. In other words, you can consider yourself lucky." Eler uttered the words that were kept within her. People like them were just lowly beings in the eyes of Abel. They would consider themselves as lucky for being able to survive another day. Bianca touched her stomach and asked, "How many months old is the child?" In the past, she and Luke had taken precautions. She did not expect to still end up pregnant. Eler answered, "ording to what Dr. Shanks said, you''re already more than one month along.¡± "It¡¯s already been more than one month..." Bianca lowered her head and looked at her stomach. It would be hard to sense it if she was only one month into her pregnancy. As time went by, the baby would grow bigger in her womb and eventually have a heartbeat before slowly developing organs. The child might perhaps look like her, or maybe they would resemble Luke. "Give me the tonic." Bianca sighed. Under such circumstances, she had no choice but to keep living. Eler immediately got up and served the tonic. "Let me feed you." "I''ll drink it myself." Bianca did not want to have Eler feed her. Abel no longer restrained her hands as he knew that Bianca would not seek death so easily upon learning she was pregnant. Eler nodded and passed the bowl of tonic over. "The tonic is no longer that hot, you should quickly drink it.¡± Bianca looked at the almost ck tonic and inched closer to sniff it. It smelled bitter. She lowered her head and drank the entire bowl. Eler took the bowl and asked while feeling concerned, "Are you hungry, Miss?" "No. I just want to get some rest." Once again, Biancay down. She was not feeling hungry nor was she tired. However, deep in her heart, she felt this numbing sensation. If it were not because she did not want Eler to suffer from the consequences of her nonpliance, she would not have drunk that bowl of tonic. Eler immediately kept quiet when she heard Bianca saying that. She just sat on the chair at the corner and kept an eye on her. Bianca knew why Eler was acting like this. She just closed her eyes and did not say another word. Two dayster in A City. Percy got into contact with the government of Russia and rified that their military troops had long retreated from the Ind of Despair. After greeting them, he got on the ne with Luke. Their destination was the Ind of Despair. However, before that, they would have tond at the airport in Moscow because after Ray got to know they were heading to the Ind of Despair to look for Bianca, he voiced out his intention of joining the group to search for Bianca. The flight took tens of hours before the ne finallynded at Moscow airport. Ray was already ready. After Luke and Percy found Ray, the three of them headed for the helicopter that had already been arranged prior. Ray noticed the lifeless look on Luke''s face. He knew Luke had not been sleeping well for the past few days due to his search for Bianca. He said," You''re not looking too good." "I''m fine." Luke looked out the window, missing Bianca a lot. Ray thought that Luke was just trying to hold himself together. He frowned and said, ¡®We still have another two hours before arriving on the Ind of Despair. You should take a nap." "No need forthat." Luke rejected his kind gesture. Percy snorted and teased, "Do you really think you''re Superman? If your wife really happens to be on the Ind of Despair, how are you going to save her in such a state? You should consider yourself lucky if you didn''t end up getting shot." Luke felt a pinch in his heart and thought that his nagging was annoying. He might as well just shut his eyes. ''Will Bianca really be on the Ind of Despair?'' He had no idea. This was the only thing he could do now. During this time, he was constantly investigating the mysterious guy, Robert. However, he had not received any valuable insight. He was a man who always appeared with a mask. His identity was a mystery, and even the elders of the Ind of Despair were uncertain of his identity. Ray saw him closing his eyes and immediately ended his conversation with Luke. He turned around to ask Percy, "How''s Vivian doing?" Percy shrugged his shoulders and pointed at the man beside him. "I''m not too sure about it. She was invited by Luke, so you should ask him instead." Ray ced his gaze on Luke and thetter still had his eyes closed. Despite worrying about his sister''s condition, Ray thought that it had not been easy to get Luke to close his eyes. Hence, he suppressed the urge to continue questioning. After two hours, the helicopternded in the middle of the Ind of Despair. It was the same spot Robert used tond his ce. There were no buildings around. Hence, there was nothing to stop the ne from having a smoothnding. Percy was the first to unfasten his seatbelt and jump down from the helicopter. He nced at the empty Ind of Despair. He whistled, feeling somewhat smug. Outsiders thought that the Russian government had done something grand and eliminated an evil organization. However, the one who really eliminated the authority of the Ind of Despair was still that man. This abandonednd was the result of the bombs he ced. Chapter 1051 Chapter 1051 All For Naught Percy ced both his arms in front of his chest and sighed. "We¡¯ve finally arrived at our destination." Luke''s face appeared dark when he came down from the helicopter. He nced at the abandonednd before him. Indeed, it was previously bombed till this state back during wartimes. After taking a nce around, no buildings were seen. It was just an inhabited and ordinary ind. Ray frowned and looked at the emptynd surrounding him. He could not believe that Bianca would be in such a ce. "Can a person even survive here?" Luke was not willing to let go of even the slightest hope and just gave a simple statement to express his determination, "Begin the search." Percy and Ray exchanged looks with each other. "Alright, we¡¯ll start searching." Ray retrieved a box from the helicopter. He opened it to reveal a bunch of weapons. "I wasn''t sure whether there¡¯d be anyone here but this is just a precaution." Percy chose a submachine gun and held it in his hands, fiddling with it. He felt ratherfortable holding it. "You have the most weapons." Luke chose a modern pistol and opened the map of the Ind of Despair. It was a map he made back when he was held here. "We''ll be going to these three ces to look for her." He pointed at the map and marked three areas. Ray distributed the walkie-talkies and re guns to each of them. "If you guys spot anything, communicate with the walkie-talkies and re guns." "Alright." Luke got up and nced at the wide ocean. They were currently in the middle of the ind. With just a nce, they were able to make out the situation that was happening on the ocean. *Let''s go." Percy brought along the walkie-talkie and re gun. He spun around and walked away. Luke and Ray also spun around and left as well. In the underground building. The mercenaries spotted strangers trespassing the ind through the hidden surveince cameras and immediately reported to Abel. "Boss, three men have shown up on the ind." Abel got up and smirked. "Let''s go meet our guests." Shanks'' expression did not have many changes and he was still fiddling with the few needles in his hands. "Are you going to get rid of them all?" "No need for that. Given their abilities, they won¡¯t be able to find their way here." Abel spun around to leave. He was able to guess who were the ones trespassing before even looking at the surveince footage. One of them was definitely Luke. If it were in the past, he would not let such a good opportunity slip away. After all, the funds and bullets Robert had left behind were more than enough for him to go to battle with Luke. However, Abel wanted Luke to suffer for a very long time. Hence, he would not easily make a move. He walked into the surveince room and looked at the surveince footage on theputer. He recognized Luke''s outline andughed evilly." He''s quick to make his way over here." The mercenary took out a pistol and asked, "Boss, do you want me to head over and finish them off?" "No need forthat. Everyone will remain here." Abel shook his head and sat on the chair. He ced both his legs on the table and was staring at the surveince footage while smoking, trying to understand these three men''s intentions. Percy found the way to the nearest entrance leading to the underground building. A few mercenaries started bing drenched in a cold sweat when they saw him getting closer to them. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Abel nced at the screen, his expressionposed. He had just hired someone to fix up the ce yesterday and adjust the surrounding soil. Hence, the soil in that area disguised the opening, and Percy would not be able to spot it. In no time, Percy started getting farther and farther away. The mercenaries let out a breath of relief when they saw this. Abel lit a cigar and took a drag of it. "Hmph, they won''t find out anything from their trip here this time." After all, this was an underground building and it was the result of Robert''s hard work over the years. Even if Luke were to stay on this ind for a few years, he would not be able to find out about this building. On the other hand... Shanks ced the needles in his hand down as there was nothing else to do. He walked along the long corridor to the room where Bianca was confined. Bianca was sitting on the bed, daydreaming. Seeing him walk in made her feel anxious. She had never seen this man before. His unfamiliar yet handsome face made him seem more gentle under the dim lights. He looked stunning, to the point he might be prettier than a woman. "Doctor Shanks." Eler got up and was anxious, her face turning scarlet without her realizing it. She did not have much contact with him but could feel that Shanks was different from the others on the Ind of Despair. Bianca heard that and instantly knew he was a doctor on this ind. Yesterday, after drinking that bowl of tonic, the stomach ache she had been suffering from for a few days got much better. The signs of being pregnant were being suppressed and not aggravated. Shanks ignored Eler, staring straight at the woman on the bed. After Bianca had tidied herself up, she looked much cleaner than when she just arrived on the ind. Her facial features were gorgeous and she gave off a prestigious aura. Bianca was different from other women who used to be on this ind. Suddenly, Eler came to understand why Kassy was not able to capture Luke''s attention. ''With such a wife, other pretty women would be worth nothing to him.'' "Stretch out your hand." Shanks walked to the side of the bed and ordered as he lowered his eyes. Yet, Bianca did not budge an inch. Eler saw this and quickly said to Bianca, "Miss, Doctor Shanks is going to take your pulse." Biancay back down and closed her eyes. "No need forthat. I''m perfectly fine." "If it weren¡¯t for the bowl of tonic from yesterday, the life of the baby in your womb would still be uncertain." Shanks'' hand was still in mid-air, waiting for Bianca to stretch out her hand. Bianca was dumbfounded. ¡¯So that was something to stabilize the fetus?'' Eler also advised her, "Miss, he¡¯s just going to take your pulse. So please just listen to him." Bianca opened her eyes and looked at Shanks'' blue eyes. He was a goodlooking man with eyes the color of the deep sea. He seemed different from Abel. She was puzzled. ''Why would he work under Abel?'' She nced at him with a critical gaze and this made Shanks feel irritated. He immediately grabbed her hand and took her pulse. Bianca did not fight back and just kept quiet, allowing him to measure her pulse. Shanks measured her pulse for one whole minute before letting go. He then said coldly, "Signs of instability are gone." Hearing his words made Bianca have mixed feelings. She was unsure whether to feel happy or sad. After all, this baby showed up at the wrong time. Shanks looked into her eyes and was able to see through her inner feelings. He curled his lips and said cruelly, "With me around, your baby will be fine. Even if you try to protest by going on a hunger strike, I''ll still have my way to revive you." Bianca felt a pinch in her heart and stared at him. She asked with a hoarse voice, "Why would you do such a thing?" "I''m helping Abel realize his n because Luke deserves to suffer and die," Shanks said. Bianca fell into despair, and her body kept trembling. Abel was smoking a cigar and huffed out a puff of smoke. He looked at them and happened to hear Shanks mentioning his name. "What are you guys talking about?" Shanks frowned and walked over to him, taking the cigar from Abel. Then, he used his fingers to extinguish the me. "Hey, what the hell are you doing?" Abel spun around and looked at him. "If you want to have her deliver the baby in one piece, then refrain from smoking here," said Shanks. These cigars were specifically made by him just to fulfill Abel''s inclination for a stronger taste. He included lots of ingredients in the cigars. Usually, smoking these would not cause any harm but the smoke was fatal to pregnant women and their babies. Abel said impatiently, "This is a top-notch cigar. I just won''t smoke in here, then. Return it to me." Chapter 1052 Chapter 1052 The Arrival Of Luke Crawford Shanks threw the cigar on the floor and left the scene without turning around. "Pfft." Abel turned around and ordered Eler, "Bring her to the control room." "Yes, Boss." Eler went over to lift Bianca. After these few days of torture, Bianca had yet to recover her energy. She allowed Eler to lift her. "What are you doing?" She red at Abel, her eyes glistening with hatred. She was unable to control her limbs and was being supported down the bed by Eler. "Luke has arrived." Abel chuckled in a crazed manner and pointed above him. "He''s just right up here." Bianca felt her legs be wobbly. ''Luke''s here!¡¯ She red at Abel. ''Is he nning to bring me up and threaten Luke?¡¯ "Luke will not be threatened by you." She exerted much force and freed herself from Eler. Deep down, Eler thought that if Abel did that, Bianca would just smash her head against the wall. She would definitely express her determination. Abel snorted and squinted his eyes. Eler was afraid of being med. She grabbed onto Bianca''s arm tightly. She did not expect ady who had not eaten anything for the past two days to still have so much strength. "You''re still useful so I''ll not bring you over to meet him, rest assured." For the time being, Abel was not interested in exposing himself. He was not powerful enough in this area. If Luke found out there was still an underground building, there was a high chance he would contact the Russian government to bomb this entire area. Bianca bit her lip and looked at him. Abel looked at her eyes that were slowly turning red. It gave him the urge to see her have an emotional breakdown. He ordered, Bring her along and pick up the pace." For the time being, Bianca was still holding herself together. He was looking forward to seeing her have a breakdown the moment she saw Luke. Eler immediately supported Bianca as they followed the rest. Bianca was not willing to walk. She only took each step after being dragged. Eler whispered in her ear, "Miss, we shouldn''t disobey the boss'' instructions. It''s better to just follow him." Despite how unwilling Bianca was, she was still being brought over to the control room. There were more than 20 monitors in the control room. Subconsciously, Bianca was looking for Luke''s figure on the screens. Abel asked, "Have they finished searching?" The mercenary nodded. "They''ve searched every corner and found nothing. They''re now heading back. I think they''re going to gather and leave." Abel faced Bianca and pouted. "Bianca, I''m being very lenient to you. Have a seat and take a good look at Luke. Perhaps after this farewell, you¡¯ll have to wait a few years before being able to see him again." The more he spoke, the wider his smile grew. He was not at all feeling sorry for separating the couple. Bianca looked at one of the monitors and saw Luke walking. She wanted to call out and ask for help, to let Luke know that she was in here. However, this underground building was very sturdy and each wall was constructed using twoyers of soundproof material. Regardless of how much she screamed, no one above ground could hear her. Bianca was disappointed and just stared at Luke, who was walking straight ahead. Soon after, he met up with Percy and Ray. Above ground, the three men headed back to the helicopter. Ray and Percy both shook their heads at the same time. Meanwhile, Luke''s eyes had grown dimmer. Percy tapped his shoulder. "Do you still want to continue searching?" "No." Luke looked at the ind. The sky was already dark as if it was going to pour. The weather here on the Ind of Despair was unpredictable, especially during the rainy season. There would be strong winds, which would make it tougher to fly the helicopter. "Let''s go." Luke was the first to board the helicopter. Percy and Ray looked at each other before going into the helicopter as well. Bianca was pinned onto the chair by Abel. The moment she saw Luke boarding the helicopter, she was unable to stop her tears from flowing down. "Luke..." she muttered. "He won''t hear you," Abel cruelly said when he saw her crying. His rough fingertip brushed away a crystal teardrop as he burst intoughter. This was the very first time Bianca was revealing her weakness in front of him. Being able to torture her made him feel utmost satisfied. Eler was standing aside, not daring to make a sound. She was silently feeling sorry for Bianca as sorrow surged within her. They were both unable to escape from this ind. No matter how much they struggled, they would still end up being Abel''s tools. When she was younger, she had heard of rumors regarding the Ind of Despair. The vige beside her hometown was destroyed by the men from the Ind of Despair. Anyone who was deemed useful was captured and those who they deemed useless would be ughtered and abandoned. The government could not control the men from the Ind of Despair because they would show up out of nowhere. Besides, they were unable to track the location of the ind. After a long time, the corpses of old men from the neighboring vige started to rot and bacteria filled the ce, causing an endemic in the vige. Bier''s younger sister passed away after getting infected. Eler hated Abel and the men from the Ind of Despair. However, despite hating them, she was unable to do anything. She was just like the fragile Bianca. They both could only helplessly endure all the troubles. The helicopter slowly rose. When Bianca saw the helicopter leaving from the monitors of the control room, she slumped into the chair helplessly. "How are you feeling now?" Abel clenched her chin and tilted her to face him. She was staring at him with a hateful gaze. He did not doubt that if Bianca were holding a knife right now, she would stab him without a second thought. Her eyes were gleaming in a way that showed she was prepared to die alongside him. "One day in the future, I''ll be sure to kill you!" Bianca said through gritted teeth. How she wished for every word that she blurted out to be stained with poison so that the man before her could drop dead. Abel wasughing away, and he exerted more strength into gripping Bianca''s chin as though he wanted to crush it. Eler was standing aside, and the sight of this made her feel anxious. She could not be bothered about it anymore and went forward to say, "Please calm down, Boss. Miss didn''t do it on purpose..." N?velDrama.Org content. Abel nced at Eler with an evil look. Eler was stunned and kept quiet, swallowing all the remaining words. Abel resumed looking at Bianca with a proud look. Despite her chin being bruised after being gripped so tightly, she did not plead with him like the others. She was just like a white jasmine flower at a cliff, unwilling to surrender despite the terrible weather. ''Indeed, she''s Luke''s woman.¡¯ Both of them remained that way for five minutes. If he continued to grip her chin like this, perhaps it might fracture. She could feel every bit of this intense pain but she did not plead for mercy at all. Abel snorted coldly before letting go of her. Eler softly let out a breath of relief. She knew that if anyone ever had the guts to say such a thing to Abel, that person would die at his hands. Abel did need not use any weapons to kill someone. He was overwhelmingly strong and his hands were his best weapons. "Bring her back and keep an eye on her." Abel did not expect Bianca to be this stubborn. Even when her chin was about to be crushed, she did not plead nor groan in pain. It had made him lost interest. "Yes." Eler quickly went forward to support Bianca. The woman had lost all her strength. She cked out the moment she got up and lost control of her body, making her fall forward. Chapter 1053 Chapter 1053 Still Having The Thought Of Ending Her Life The mercenary aside was fast to react and immediately caught hold of Bianca. He shook her, only to realize that she had passed out. "Miss!" Eler was so scared that she had broken out in a cold sweat. She quickly moved forward to check on Bianca. Fortunately, Bianca did not hit her head after falling. Abel turned around and saw Bianca, who had passed out. He frowned and lectured them, "Why are you still daydreaming here? Hurry and carry her back." "Yes, Boss." The mercenary quickly carried Bianca and walked out at a fast pace. Eler trailed behind the mercenary and softly reminded him, "Please be a little more gentle, don''t hurt the miss." Abel snorted. He had thought highly of Bianca but never expected her to pass out after a small fright. He walked to Shanks'' researchb and was leaning against the side of the door. The smell of medication came from inside theb. He despised this smell and did not step a foot into theb. "What''s wrong?" Shanks was researching a new drug and did not lift his head as he asked. His attitude was still cold. "Bianca passed out just now," said Abel, who was already used to this man''s coldness. Apart from that woman, no one was able to make him show a sincere smile. Shanks poured a liquid into a test tube and gently shook it while observing the color changes. "What did you do to her?" "It¡¯s just a little violence." Abel shrugged his shoulders. "I didn''t know she wouldn''t be able to take it." "She''s a pregnant woman." Shanks twisted the cap onto the test tube to prevent the liquid from reacting with the air and oxidizing. Then, he got up and walked toward the room where Bianca was being confined. Abel followed from behind, disagreeing with Shanks¡¯ words earlier. Bianca was a pregnant woman but he could not look at her that way. He said in a deep voice, "She''s just a woman who doesn''t know her position here. Just don''t let her die, that''s all." After speaking, he spun around to leave. He had wasted too much time on Bianca today and had yet to inspect the progress of his military force that was currently undergoing training. Shanks'' footsteps came to a halt. He spun around to look at Abel before heading into the room. Eler saw Shanks walking in and immediately pleaded for help. "Mr. Shanks, please save the miss." Shanks did not promise her and just looked at the woman in the bed. He took her pulse and noticed that her pulse was stable. She had just passed out, and her life was not in danger." "Has she eaten?" Shanks asked while examining Bianca''s chin. One nce and he knew that the bruise on her chin was a result of Abel¡¯s violent act. Fortunately, there was no bone fracture and everything was still in one piece. "It''s been a day since shest ate," said Eler helplessly. No matter how much she advised Bianca, she constantly refused to eat and kept acting as though she would go on a hunger strike. "Follow me." Shanks turned around to leave. She would not die for now, so he did not need to do anything major. Eler quickly caught up to him. Shanks prescribed some supplements to Bianca and passed them to Eler." Let her have them once she''s awake." Eler took them with much gratitude. Then, she said again, "Mr. Shanks, how about her chin?" "She won''t die because of that. It¡¯ll heal itself after a few days." Shanks sat on the chair and continued researching drugs. Eler was relieved. Seeing him doing his research seriously made her heart start beating fast. On this ind, apart from those in captivity, Shanks was the only one who never took anyone''s life away. On usual days, he would always be in hisboratory where he conducted his medical research. He was unbothered about the issues happening outside. "Thank you, Mr. Shanks." Eler was blushing, and she could not help but express her gratitude. Shanks shook the liquid in the test tube, still not lifting his head. He said coldly, "I didn''t help you with anything." Eler''s face became redder as she quickly exined, "I''m thanking you on behalf of the miss." Shanks heard her shaky tone and found it amusing. If it were Bianca, she would not thank him for saving her life. As long as Bianca was alive, she would be under Abel''s control. One could imagine how badly she wished to be dead and get rid of all of these problems. "Compared to being alive, Bianca wishes that she¡¯s dead." Shanks picked up a ss slide and dripped some liquid which he had mixed earlier onto it, making it into a sample. He then ced it under the microscope. Eler''s face was as red as a cooked prawn. She realized she had said so many stupidments. "I saved her all so she could suffer more." Shanks was not bothered even if the young woman in front of him would change her perspective of him. Apart from that person he held in his heart, he was not bothered about how others thought of him. Eler was astonished. She had no idea why Shanks hated Bianca this much.'' Was it because of the previous incident that urred on the Ind of Despair?'' ''But this man, who¡¯s so cold and heartless, shouldn''t be in any way attached to the Ind of Despair.'' She did not know what else she should say and just bowed to him in a rush before spinning around, promptly leaving theb. She closed the door as she left. Eler returned to the room where Bianca was being held. She got a spoon and started feeding Bianca the supplements bit by bit without waiting for Bianca to wake up. After an hour, Eler sessfully fed Bianca a whole bottle of supplements. Eler wiped off the sweat on her forehead and waited for the woman on the bed to wake up. After waiting another half an hour, Bianca gradually regained consciousness. She looked at the ceiling and was staring at it nkly. "Am I dead?" Eler was unable toprehend the words she said. She got up and said with concern, "What did you just say, Miss?" Bianca was not scared despite looking at the familiar face. Instead, she was disappointed. When she passed out, she had thought that she would not be a burden to Luke if she died. After knowing she was pregnant, she could no longer muster up the courage to harm herself. However, she still had the thought of ending her life. Looking at Bianca not moving an inch made Eler worried as she asked," Are you alright, Miss?" "No," Bianca answered. She could feel some pain on her chin and even opening her mouth was difficult. "Why am I still alive?" "You passed out because of low blood sugar. There¡¯s no threat to your life." Eler kneeled by the side of the bed and held her hand. "Miss, back in my hometown, being alive is a privilege. So please stop having the thought of ending your life." "Didn''t the people from your hometown tell you that in the hands of Abel, those who are dead are actually lucky?" Bianca retrieved her hand, not wanting Eler''s warmth to get the best out of her. Eler was dumbfounded and felt a lump in her throat. "At least right now, they''re giving their best to stay alive." The youths in her vige were all giving their best despite being in the hands of Abel. They were learning all sorts ofbat skills day in and day out just to get a chance to be alive. Bianca chuckled while tears welled up in her eyes and they slowly dripped down. They were giving their best to live because they were unaware of how dark their future was. Bianca was very sure that if she continued to live, Abel would one day force her to do things she was not willing to. It would only harm herself and also Luke and the three kids. "Miss..." Eler suddenly started crying without realizing it herself. She wiped away her tears. N?velDrama.Org content. Bianca closed her eyes. "I''m exhausted. I want to sleep for a while." "Please have a rest, Miss. HI get the cook to prepare a meal for you." Eler got up and wiped away her tears. She looked at Bianca''s face and sighed. ''I wonder when she¡¯lle to understand things?¡± Chapter 1054 Chapter 1054 The Mastermind Was Allison Tanner In A City. After getting to the airport in Moscow, Luke and Percy flew back home since they did not gain any information from their search on the Ind of Despair. It was already midnight when they got down from the ne. Percy knew Luke was having a hard time and tapped on his shoulder while saying, "Ray will constantly keep his eye on the Ind of Despair. He¡¯ll notify us once there''s news. While on my end, my underlings will continue the search." "Alright." Luke showed a cold expression. Regardless of everything, he would not give up the search. He carried his luggage, and along with Percy, they left the airport but through different exits. Luke turned on his phone and noticed he had tens of missed calls. They were all from Gordon. He called Gordon back. The call went through and Gordon asked, "You finally called me back." "What''s up?" Luke dragged his luggage and headed out of the airport''s exit. "I know you''re busy looking for Bianca but we have some new progress on the investigation regarding the issue here. I''ve also caught the person who trespassed the manor. Do you want to settle this issue first? I can bring this person to your vi." Gordon nced at Jon, who was tied up on a chair. He had exerted a lot of strength to find him and capture him back. After just ten minutes, Jon ended up giving in to Gordon''s intense interrogation and blurted out the entire incident. ''Til head over there now,¡± said Luke determinedly. He did not expect Gordon to find the culprit. ''This incident shoulde to an end now. I have to use all the time I can spare to look for Bianca.'' Sean drove the car to his front and got down from it. He took the luggage and said politely, "Please enter the car, sir." Luke said, "Let me drive. You can take a cab back home." "Yes, sir." Sean handed the car key to Luke with both his hands. Luke drove the car to the hotel. He could not head up to the room as he did not have the room key. Vivian was waiting for him downstairs. Seeing him made her ask, "Brother, any news about Bianca?" She was worried about Bianca but Gordon had told her she was not allowed to disturb Luke during this period. Hence, she could only seize this opportunity to ask about it. Luke shook his head with a cold expression. Vivian covered her mouth and noticed that bringing up this topic would only make Luke sad. "I''m sorry, Brother." "It''s alright." Luke knew she only asked about it because she was worried about Bianca. Both of them headed upstairs and opened the door of the room, only to see Gordon sitting on the sofa. He was ying with a knife in his hand and waving it at Jon, who was tied up on a chair. He was ying with the knife with his agile fingers, terrifying Jon. He was afraid that the next second, the knife would end up in his head. Gordon smirked when he heard the sound of the door opening and brought the knife closer to Jon''s face, tapping it. ¡¯Repeat whatever you said earlier to my brother here." Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Jon trembled as he nced at Luke''s cold expression, obediently recounting the entire incident. When Luke heard that Allison was the mastermind, his face did not reveal too big of an expression. He said coldly, "Hand her to the police." "You''re not going to handle it privately?" Gordon got up and asked. After all, even though Allison was the mastermind of this incident, she was Luke''s biological mother. It would be chaotic if the police exposed it to the public. ''Family members stealing from their own? Others will find it hrious if the news is leaked. If Luke wants to, he can surely find a better way to deal with this matter.'' "I have no time to handle this incident. Let the police deal with it formally," Luke repeated once again. After Allison made up her mind to steal the old master''s antiques, she should have known about the consequences and thought about getting arrested by the police. Luke would not hesitate to make a move just because she was his biological mother. Gordon snorted. ''Just how bad is the rtionship between this pair of mother and son that he''s this cold-blooded?'' "Call the police, Faceless," he ordered. Vivian did not agree with this decision, but seeing that they had made up their mind, she did not express her opinion and took out her phone to make a report to the police. While listening to her conversing with the police, Gordon voiced out, "You look rather tired. Do you want to head back to get some rest?¡± Til wait here for the police." Luke sat on the sofa and looked at Jon. Jon was panicking from being stared at. His eyes kept shifting about, and he looked as though he had ill intentions. Gordon kicked the chair and warned him, "Don¡¯t think of pulling a trick on us. Or else, you''ll end up dead without realizing how." After suspecting that Allison was the mastermind of the robbery, he had been constantly keeping an eye on her and keeping track of her. However, Allison was being very cautious. She almost never stepped foot out of her vi. The more she acted like this, the more suspicious she was. Finally, Gordon received a call from the security guard one day, saying that Allison had driven her car and left the vi. He immediately started his car and followed her. Much earlier on, when he was recing the dashcam, he had installed a tracking device on the car as well. He then managed to follow her all the way to the neighboring city, where he saw Allison meeting up with Jon. That man''s height and silhouette were very simr to the man in the surveince footage. Gordon''s instinct told him that this man was the one who intruded the house to steal the antiques. Gordon waited until Allison left before heading over to catch that man. Looking at the cash in the house, Gordon used his own way of doing things to make Jon spit out the entire incident. Gordon used his phone to record everything that Jon said. Then, he tied him up and brought him back to A City. After waiting for 20 minutes, the head of the police department brought his men to the hotel. Gordon handed the culprit and recordings over to the police. Then, he took out a huge stack of cash from his pocket. "The culprit and evidence have been handed to you." "These are?" The head of the police department looked at the huge stack of cash and was dumbfounded. ¡¯Didn''t Old Master Crawford lose his antiques? Why is this man giving me a stack of cash?'' "Cash. The encryptions are all in series. You just have to bring this to the bank and you''ll know the bills were withdrawn by Mrs. Tanner," Gordon exined. "Sure, sure. We know what to do next." The head of the police department put on a pair of gloves and immediately took the cash. "We''ll bring this man back first, Mr. Crawford. Is that alright?" asked the head of the police department. They had never given up on the investigation but the difficulty of this case made them all lose their heads. They did not make the slightest progress at all. When they received the report, they thought their colleagues from the international organization were pulling a prank on them out of boredom. It was only when Vivian notified them that Luke was also at the scene that the staff in the hotline center started taking it more seriously. The head of the police department did not dy things for even a second and immediately brought his men to the scene. Never would he expect that the mastermind was Luke''s biological mother, Allison Tanner. He had no idea how he should proceed with this case now. "Just handle it ording to the standard procedures." Luke put on a cold expression and lit a cigarette. "Alright!" The head of the police department immediately ordered his subordinates to bring the man away after hearing the reply. After the police brought Jon away, Luke got up and was nning to leave. Gordon asked, "Did you head over to the Ind of Despair today? Did you find anything?" "Nope," Luke said, his face turning darker. "I''ve extended my visa. I''m nning to stay back to help you look for Bianca," said Gordon. Initially, he thought that he could return home after he managed to look for the culprit responsible for the robbery. He never expected Bianca to be kidnapped. He nned to stay back and help Luke search for Bianca. Chapter 1055 Chapter 1055 Stealing From Your Own Family Luke shook his head and was able to understand his intentions. "I''ll book flight tickets for tomorrow for all of you." "Bro..." Gordon put on a serious look. He sincerely wanted to stay back to help look for Bianca. "You guys have been here for too long. We can''t just ignore the issues in Russia," said Luke. Gordon had ditched all his work toe here just to repay the debt. If he did not return even after such a long time, things on the other side would have to be dyed." Besides, Ray was still worried about Vivian. "Let Faceless go back," said Gordon in a determined tone. Vivian was not a weak woman. After all, with a younger brother like Ray, she certainly had the ability to carry out her job well. "No, I want to keep youpany." Vivian immediately rejected him as she wanted to be wherever he was. Gordon frowned and looked at her. Just when he was about to lecture her for being immature, Luke said, "The two of you should go back." "Bianca''s case is much more urgent." Gordon disagreed with the n. "Even though we didn¡¯t find anything even after searching the entire ind, I still think that Bea''s kidnapping incident is rted to the people from the Ind of Despair. You¡¯ll get more insider information back in Russia, so you can also investigate this case when you''re back there," Luke said. That ind was uninhabited, but that did not mean the Ind of Despair would be forgotten just like that. Gordon could only give in after hearing it. "Alright, then." Luke tapped his shoulder, his cold face showing no emotion. With such a close friendship, no words were needed between the two. After seeing Luke off, Vivian headed into Gordon''s bedroom when she thought about their flight back to Russia the next day. She nned to help him pack his luggage. Gordon came in and saw her busying herself in front of the closet. He frowned and asked, "What are you doing here?" Vivian was dumbfounded, and she was holding his white shirt in her hands. "I''m packing your luggage." "Get out," Gorgon ordered while suppressing his anger. They had previously agreed that Vivian was not allowed to enter his room. On theirst day here, she breached the agreement and came into his room. The thought of her touching his clothes made him feel a strong sense of difort. "I''m... I''m sorry." Vivian hung the white shirt in her hands back into the closet. She was feeling depressed as she did not expect Gordon to have such a huge reaction. Before their flight here, she was the one who had packed his luggage as well. It was just that he had no idea... Vivian walked to the door and cautiously passed by him. She turned sideways so that she would not touch him, lest Gordon felt disgusted. Gordon''s scent wafted into her nose. Suddenly, she could not hold back the urge and almost let her tearse streaming down. Vivian was unwilling to let him see her tears because Gordon had once said that other pretty women would look pitiful if they cried, but with her looks, it would be a horrendous sight. She hurried back to her bedroom and locked the door. Gordon¡¯s fists that were clenched slowly loosened. Earlier, he seemed to have heard Vivian sniffing. ''Was she crying?'' The thought of her crying made Gordon suddenly feel depressed. He was feeling remorseful, yet he was irritated at the same time. After hearing the door closing, he walked into his bedroom and shut the door behind him forcefully. Bang! The sound traveled into Vivian''s ears. She leaned against the door and squatted. She covered her face, tears silently dripping down. She had been trying her very best to get on good terms with Gordon, yet every time, he would be disgusted at the sight of her. What everyone was not aware of was that whenever Gordon spoke to her without looking disgusted, her heart would start to thump erratically as though fireworks were erupting from within. However, Gordon still spoke to her coldly most of the time. As time went by, it made her feel more pressured. She was gradually unable to control her emotions. Vivian leaned against the back of the door for half an hour. After releasing all the negative emotions within her, she stood up and started packing her luggage. On the other hand... Luke drove his car and left the hotel. While he was rushing to T Corporation, he received a call from the manor. "Luke, please make a trip back," Old Master Crowford ordered. "Okay.¡± Luke ended the call and took a U-turn at the traffic light ahead. He rushed back to Crawford Manor. He was not at all surprised that the old man was not sleeping despite it being sote at night, even ordering him to return. He guessed that perhaps it was the police officers who hade to look for the old man. Luke drove back to the manor. The lights of the triple-story manor were on. He parked his car and walked into the manor. Old Master Crawford was sitting on the sofa in the hall with Louis as they waited for Luke. "Luke..." Louis got up and was feeling anxious when he saw Luke entering. "Grandpa, I''m back," said Luke as he sat on the other sofa. The three of them were sitting on three different sofas, forming a triangr shape between them. "The police just showed up, iming that they''ve found the robber." Old Master Crowford was holding onto a pipe and took a puff. For the sake of his health, he had quit smoking for many years. However, tonight''s issue made him unable to remain calm. Hence, he had the butler take out his pipe and light some tobo. He wanted to calm himself. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. "Yes." Luke took out his phone with a pair of squinted almond eyes that did not reveal too much emotion. "They''ve captured the mastermind. What are your thoughts?" Old Master Crowford asked. He was dumbfounded when the police told him about it. He had asked the police not to reveal it to the public as he wanted to listen to Luke''s opinion first. However, the police imed that it was Luke who wanted it to be dealt with publicly. Old Master Crowford was unable to grasp what Luke was up to. "I''m the one who asked the cops to handle it publicly." Luke admitted t out. "Grandpa, doesn¡¯t everyone want the culprit to be captured? Now that the aplice is found and we have proof, it''s only logical for the police to arrest them." "Do you know just how much it''s going to affect the Crawford family by publicly disclosing this?" Old Master Crowford frowned, which made his old face look very serious. ''Someone stealing from their own family. Even TV shows won''t show such a thing.'' "If we continue to keep this from the public and wait for someone to dig it out to use against us, it''ll be even more detrimental to the Crawford family," Luke said. His phone vibrated and he lowered his head to sneak a peek. The flight tickets he had booked for Gordon and the rest were approved. He sent a Facebook message to Gordon and then continued holding his phone in his hand. Old Master Crowford felt a pinch in his heart. He had thought that perhaps there was a spy in the Crawford family, or the servants had joined forces with an outsider to get their hands on his antiques. However, to his surprise, the culprit turned out to be Allison. "So you''re nning to have the police arrest her, announce it in public, and then send her off to prison?" Old Master Crowford asked and took a deep puff from his pipe. The tobo lit up, and he tilted the pipe toward the coffee table. "She should receive her punishment if shemitted a crime." Luke put on a stern look and was not at all hesitant just because the culprit was his mother. Louis saw that and was impressed. If he were in Luke''s shoes, he would not be able to make such a firm decision. "Actually, we don''t have to do it this way..." He wanted to leave some room for leniency, given that Allison was Luke''s biological mother. Chapter 1056 Chapter 1056 Luke Had Lost Bianca "What do you mean by that? I think dealing with it ording to the standard procedure will be for the best. At least, no one will talk crap about it." Susan had been standing at the stairs for quite some time. She had overheard the conversation between the three people. She could not help but interrupt when she heard her son saying that. "Mom..." Louis turned around to look. ''Why did shee downstairs?'' After the previous incident, Thea grew paranoid and could no longer sleep on her own. She had to cling to Susan or Yuri before she could fall asleep. Tonight, it was supposed to be Susan''s turn to apany Thea to sleep. "You shut your mouth!" Susan looked at him, disgruntled. If she had not heard Louis speaking up for Allison herself, she would not believe that her son would side with that woman. Louis obediently kept quiet, afraid she might cause havoc if she got mad. Susan walked over with wobbly steps. She had been feeling like she was on cloud nine when she learned that Allison was locked up by the police. It was almost like she had a permanent smile on her face. After coaxing Thea to sleep, she started paying attention to the situation downstairs. She was worried that Luke would talk the old man into letting Allison off the hook. Hence, she deliberately headed downstairs, just so that Old Master Crawford would not listen to Luke. Never would she expect that it was her son who was siding Allison, and the person who insisted to have her locked up was Luke. Susan elegantly sat on the sofa and nced at Louis. Clearing her throat, she said, "Dad, I''m Thea''s grandmother and she was a victim of this incident. I have the right to speak my mind, right?" She knew that the old man despised women who were ill-mannered. Earlier, she had no choice but to interfere. Now, she needed to seek the old man¡¯s approval to talk, or else, she would be viewed as being impolite. "Don''t go rubbing salt in wounds," Old Master Crawford said with a deep tone. Even though Susan had not said her piece, he knew what she was about to say. Susan had no choice but to keep quiet. She had a dark expression on her face and kept inwardly cursing about this injustice. ''Even now, he¡¯s still thinking of protecting a woman like Allison.¡¯ Louis advised, "Mom, you should head upstairs first. If Thea sees that you''re not by her sideter, she''ll be scared." "Why don''t you take a proper look and see who was the one who brought all this harm upon Thea? Her father is clueless and doesn¡¯t know how to protect her. In that case, I, her grandmother, have to protect her!" Susan nagged and shifted her gaze to look at Luke. She had always held a grudge against the Crawford family and Allison. God knew how she wished for all of them to be imprisoned. She even wished that they would spend the rest of their lives in prison without the chance to ever walk free again. That was the only way she would be the true madam of the Crawford family. Luke''s phone vibrated. He clicked into the message and saw that it was news from Gale. "Grandpa, just let the authorities handle this incident." Once again, Luke expressed his opinion and determination. Susan smirked when she heard it and was very satisfied with his answer. "She''s your biological mother," Louis could not help but say. "I''ll help hire awyer for her if I have to. I''ll take good care of the Crawford family''s reputation." Luke headed upstairs without turning around. This was his way of carrying out his responsibility as a son. Old Master Crawford snorted. He knew his grandson''s attitude very well. He would not change his mind after having decided. He did not say another word and headed back to his bedroom with his cane. Susan leaned against the sofa and looked at Louis. She recalled the things he just said and could not help but nag. "Louis, what the hell are you thinking? How dare you say you want to let that woman off the hook?" "Mom, this is a disgraceful thing for the family." Louis did not approve of the way his mother wanted to do things. "Allison should receive her punishment for the wrong deeds she did. It has nothing to do with whether it¡¯ll disgrace the family. Back then, your dad didn''t even consider whether it would be a disgrace to the family when he decided to be with this woman." Susan still bore this grudge till now. It was because she gave birth to her son muchter that Allison gained that opportunity. Louis felt that he could not outwit his mother and showed a cold expression. "I''ll head upstairs to have a look at Thea." "Thea is sleeping soundly after taking her medication." Susan also got up and headed upstairs. She was mean to Allison not just because of the grudge she held but also to help Louis gain more opportunities. If she could make Old Master Crawford feel utterly disappointed in Luke, Louis would be able to gain more. However, her son was not bothered by any of this. Hence, she had to be the one to make the effort. It was as if Louis did not hear what she just said. He headed straight into Thea''s bedroom. He saw her quietly sleeping and sat at the side of the bed, tucking in her nket. Susan walked into the room and softly chased him out. "If you have the time to be here, go spend it with Yuri. Thea is already a big girl now. You guys should n to have a second child." This was not the first time she was bringing this up. Louis was well aware of why his mother wanted him to have a second child. It was so that he would gain more benefits. He was not at all interested in that. He was satisfied having only Thea. Hence, he got up and ignored Susan''s pestering. After exiting Thea''s room, he walked toward the balcony and coincidentally bumped into Luke. "Hey." Louis walked over to him and did not bring Allison up. He asked," Have you gotten any clues about Bianca''s whereabouts?" He knew that Luke had made up an excuse to go look for Bianca. The atmosphere earlier was too tense and he did not have the chance to ask about it. "No." Luke looked into the night sky. Gale called earlier, iming that he had news about Robert''s foster son. He said that thetter was shot to death in the Middle East one year ago after being deemed as a rebel. There was no corpse, no tomb, and only a recording in the military''s documents. The only clue in regards to the Ind of Despair was a dead end. "I can help," said Louis seriously. They were both siblings, so it was only reasonable to help each other out. Luke nced at him, and his almond eyes did not show much warmth. Louis sighed. ''In this world, perhaps only Bianca can give my brother the warmth he needs.'' He dared not think what would happen to his brother if something misfortunate were to happen to Bianca. "No need for that. You should focus on your work," said Luke. He did not allow Louis to help him. There were enough people helping him and enough men were looking for Bianca. It was just that Bianca seemed to have poofed into thin air and vanished. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. "Luke..." Louis seemed to have more to say. In this family, everyone always had ulterior motives for each other. Bianca was an exception as she treated everyone sincerely. With those who disliked her, she would not intentionally get close to them nor try to get on that person¡¯s good side. She would always keep an appropriate distance, which made one feelfortable. Louis did not wish to lose such a nice sister-inw. Hence, he wanted to help. Luke raised his hand and cut him short. "There¡¯s a package in the study. It''s a gift from Bea to Thea. Remember to take itter." He was being firm, which made Louis sigh. He felt that he should not mention it anymore. He just said, "I''ll take good care of Lanie, Rainie, and Tommy." "Thank you." Luke tapped his shoulder and spun around to leave. Louis walked into the study. The package was left in the middle of the office desk. He picked it up and opened it. It was a set of ballet attire and the size was perfect for Thea. He saw the logo of the attire and noticed it was from the same brand as the one Rainie wore. He hugged the attire in his arms and had mixed feelings deep within him. "Sister-inw, you must return safely..." Louis said softly. Chapter 1057 Chapter 1057 To Seduce Luke Crawford On the next day in T Corporation. Luke was handling some issues at work when Jason knocked on the door and entered. He said, "Boss, Miss Dous is in the lobby downstairs. She said she needs to meet up with you regarding a very important issue." "Which Miss Dous are you referring to?" Luke did not lift his head and was in the middle of a conversation with the people from the Middle East to rify the death of Robert''s foster son. Jason replied, "It''s Madam''s niece, the youngdy from the capital." Luke knew who she was. He continued to type on the keyboard. He did not think much about it and immediately rejected it. "I''m not going to see her without an appointment." "Yes, sir." Jason knew what to do and left the office, closing the door behind him. The atmosphere in T Corporation was currently very tense because Luke was in a foul mood. No one dared to offend him. Upon returning to his office, Jason called the front desk and ryed Luke''s message. Maxine was sitting on the sofa, waiting for a response. The front desk employee came over and showed a sweet smile. She ryed Jason''s reply to her. "Miss Dous, I''m sorry to make you wait for so long. Mr. Crawford''s schedule is a little tight today, hence he can''t spare any time to meet those without an appointment." Maxine got up, her sweet expression immediately changing for the worse." Did you guys get something wrong when passing him the message?¡± "What?" The employee was dumbfounded and unable to "The Crawford family is facing such a huge crisis now and I''m here to help. Forget it, it''s fruitless talking to you. I''ll just head upstairs." Maxine spun around and headed for the elevator. The employee knew her own status and dared not stop her. She just trailed behind her. "Miss Dous, this is Mr. Crawford''s order. Please don''t put us in a difficult spot." "Will you guys bear the responsibility if you dy this issue?" Maxine pressed the button for the elevator. The employee was anxious. "Miss Dous, why don¡¯t you tell me the situation and I''ll go ry it to Mr. Crawford? Will that be alright with you?" "No need for that." Maxine saw that the elevator had arrived on the first floor and immediately entered. The employee gritted her teeth while thinking to herself, ''Why do I have to deal with this troublesome visitor?'' She was afraid she would be scolded and fired. Hence, she had no choice but to enter the elevator as well. Maxine ignored her. She took out her lipstick and put on makeup in the elevator. The employee nced at her meticulous actions. ''Those who are unaware would think that she''s going to seduce Luke.'' The news of Bianca being kidnapped had spread like wildfire long ago. Everyone in T Corporation was horrified and worried that they would offend Luke. They did not want to be fired. Maxine had put on thick makeup and was eager to meet Luke. This scene would be easily misunderstood by others. The elevator arrived at the top floor. Maxine kept her lipstick and walked out of the elevator with a sweet smile. The employee quickly followed her, and when they passed by Jason''s office, the employee knocked on the door. Upon entering, she pleaded for help. "I can''t stop Miss Dous, Mr. Doyle." The employee put on a teary look. Jason saw an outline passing by his office. The clicking sound from her high heels made him have a bad feeling. He immediately tossed all the work in his hands aside and walked out. At that moment, he saw Miss Dous walking to Luke''s office. He was very worried that he might lose his job. He caught hold of Maxine. "Miss Dous, the boss is very busy. He has no time to meet anyone." Maxine''s footsteps came to a halt. She looked at him. "Mr. Doyle, I have an important issue to talk about with Luke. If you''re not going to inform him, then I''ll just look for him myself." When she was downstairs, she still respectfully addressed him as Mr. Crawford. Now that she was upstairs, she was referring to him in an intimate manner. Jason was not at all stunned by her shamelessness. He stood before her." Miss Dous, if you enter right now and offend Mr. Crawford, both you and I will not have it good.¡± If it were not because the elevators of T Corporation were undergoing daily maintenance, Maxine would not have been able toe upstairs. "Are you trying to scare me?" Maxine did not intend to continue putting on a show. She ced both her hands in front of her and looked at him disdainfully. "You''re just an assistant. Be careful, or I''ll ask Luke to fire you." Jason was not easily frightened off and still stood in front of her, determined. Maxine noticed that there was nothing else she could do but she could not afford to give up now. She saw that Luke''s office was right in front of her. She shouted, "Oh, Luke, it''s me, Maxine. I have a very important thing to tell you. Luke!" Jason''s expression went pale as he gave the employee a signal. "Go get security." "Ah, yes!" The employee picked up her phone and notified security. "How dare you!" Maxine did not expect them to have the guts to do such a thing. Since she was young, she had always been pampered. No one ever had the guts to treat her rudely-except for thest time when she was brought to the police station and this time in T Corporation... Her voice grew louder as she attempted to capture everyone''s attention. " Oh, Luke!" Luke heard themotion outside but did not stop typing on the keyboard. ''Maxine has yet to intrude, which means that Jason has already stopped her.'' Hence, he continued his talk with the other party. After the security guards received the employee''s call, they immediately came up. "Bring Miss Dous down." Jason put on a dark expression. He did not expect the almighty youngdy from the capital to discard her reputation and cause havoc here. "If you guys dare to touch me, I''ll have all of you fired." Maxine nced at the two burly security guards and used her purse to shield herself. Jason reminded mercilessly, "Miss Dous, if you want to fire someone, please return to the capital to do so. This is T Corporation." Maxine was so mad that her face went scarlet. She turned around and pointed at Jason. She was stunned and unable to say another word. The position of Luke''s wife will certainly be hers. These people should just wait till she became Luke''s wife! The first thing she would do was fire this assistant of his. The security guards were not fazed by her words. After all, they all worked for thepany and had no reason to listen to an outsider. Hence, they escorted Maxine downstairs in a clean-cut manner. They were actually carrying her with one person on each side. Finally, peace was restored on the top floor. The employee was feeling anxious and apologized to Jason. "I¡¯m so sorry, Mr. Doyle, for not handling this well." If only she had mobilized the security guards much earlier, Maxine would not havee upstairs and created havoc. Indeed, those who were able to work beside Luke were all extraordinary beings. Given Maxine''s status, ordinary people like them would not dare to offend her. "Go back downstairs to work. I''ll exin it to the boss." Jason did not me her. After all, nobody would dare to confront Maxine head-on. "Yes, sir." The servant smiled at him, feeling grateful. She bowed to him and then quickly headed downstairs. Jason tidied his shirt and then gave a call to the logistics department." Next time, carry out the elevator maintenance one hour ahead." Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Doing this would be enough to stop many irrelevant people from going upstairs as they pleased. "Yes, Mr. Doyle." Jason cut off the line. He spun around and walked to the entrance of Luke''s office before knocking on the door. "Come in." He heard Luke''s voice from inside. Jason then pushed the door open and entered. He stood in the middle of the office. Luke did not lift his head. His index finger was tapping on the office desk." Pass along my order. If she everes in again in the future, just throw her out of the building." Chapter 1058 Chapter 1058 Robert''s Godson "Yes, Boss, understood," Jason replied quickly, relieved that his boss was not angry at him. Luke frowned hard and did not say anything after that. His fingers tapped swiftly on the keyboard. Jason nced at the time and said, "Boss, we have a quarterly work meeting in ten minutes." "Mm," Luke grunted his acknowledgment. The Middle Eastern military was not very cooperative, and they were not willing to divulge any more information on Robert''s godson. He was stillmunicating with them, hoping that they would tell him more. After sending the email, Luke frowned and sped his hands together, waiting for a reply. Jason knew that he was still searching for Bianca and did not want to disturb him. He walked out of the office and closed the door gently behind him. Meanwhile, two security guards brought Maxine out of T Corporation. Before she could straighten her clothes, she saw several news vans parked at the roadside. The logos on the vehicles showed that they were from A City¡¯s most prominent media outlets. Maxine frowned. She quickly went to her car in case they saw her, but she did not drive away. Instead, she looked out of the window and saw several reportersing out of the vans and standing outside the entrance to T Corporation. Her car window was open, and she could hear the reporters'' conversation. They were there to look for Luke to find out more about Allison. Maxine''s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. After Abel abducted Bianca, she dared not look for Luke in case he suspected her. She would not havee to look for him if not that Allison asked her for help. Seeing the security guards keeping the reporters out of the building, Maxine clenched her fists and mmed down on the steering wheel. She identally hit the horn, which attracted the attention of all the reporters. Maxine quickly let go, fastened her seatbelt, and quickly drove away from the scene. The reporters lingered at the entrance, hoping that they could catch a glimpse of Luke and obtain information from him. Maxine wore her Bluetooth headset and gave Hera a call. "Where are you?" Her sour mood was evident. "I''m at the hospital. What''s up?" Hera was not expecting Maxine to contact her after the deed was done. Was Maxine going to give her more money? Hera was strapped for cash at the moment. "Why are you at the hospital? Are you doing another cosmetic surgery procedure again?" Maxine asked. She could guess what Hera was doing. "How did you know?" Hera was lying on the bed at the moment. She had just finished the consultation session, and the procedure would be done the next day. With the money from the job, she could afford to stay in a private ward. It was much morefortable than the three-bedder. "I¡¯ll go and look for you." Maxine ended the call after saying that. She considered that Luke was Hera''s senior in high school, so Hera should know some way to win Luke''s heart. Maxine entered Hera''s ward twenty minutester and sat on the couch without saying anything. Hera sat cross-legged on the bed, looking at Maxine''s dark expression and wondering if someone had offended her. "What¡¯s wrong, Ms. Dous? Are you in a bad mood?¡± Hera asked. "I went to look for Luke today," Maxine said. She did not tell Hera what happened to her at T Corporation. Hera frowned. She got off the bed, put on her slippers, and poured a ss of warm water for Maxine. "Didn''t you say that you weren''t going to look for him?" When she received the call from Abel saying that the deed was done, Maxine had told her toy low for a while in case Luke suspected anything. Why would Maxine look for Luke mere days after the incident? "It''s because of his mother!" Maxine pushed all the me to Allison, forgetting that Maxine had gone to look for Luke on her own ord after Allison asked her for help. "His mother?" Hera was confused. "What did his mother do?" Maxine rolled her eyes huffily. "Is cosmetic surgery the only thing you have in your mind, Hera Sanchez? Or have you been living under a rock?" Hera was unhappy that Maxine was deriding her, though she did not show it on her face because she still wanted to get money from Maxine. She took out her phone and said, "You should know that I''ve been busy recently. After dealing with Bianca, Leia is now looking for me. What a drag. Leia had asked Hera to help her kill Wayne, but Hera did not know Abel¡¯s whereabouts. She had been stalling for time while looking for another solution. Hera opened the browser. Before she could type Luke''s name in the search bar, she saw thetest headlines. She quickly browsed through the news and found out that Allison had been arrested for being an aplice in a major theft. "Isn''t she Luke''s mother? Why did she steal from her family?" She eximed. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Maxine had also thought of the same question when she first found out about the news. "So are you helping her to persuade Luke?" Hera finally understood why Maxine wanted to look for Luke. "She''s my distant aunt, and I''ll need her help if I want to marry Luke in the future. That''s why I thought..." Maxine was furious when she remembered the treatment she received at T Corporation. If she goes to prison, that''s one less person on my side!" Capital Corp had never helped T Corporation in their times of need. Old Master Crawford might not have said anything, but she knew that he was not on her side. In the entire Crawford family, Allison was the only one who could help her. That was why Maxine had thought of going to persuade Luke to help his mother. She did not expect that Luke did not even want to see her. Hera discreetly sized her up. Maxine had been staying abroad since she was young, so her appearance was influenced by European standards. "When ites to love and rtionships, sometimes you have no one to rely on except yourself," Hera said. Maxine red at her. "What do you mean? Are you saying that I''m not capable enough?" "I didn''t mean that." Hera quickly shook her head. "You can tell that Luke''s family doesn''t have much influence on his decisions. Otherwise, he would not have been able to marry Bianca." "So what about it? Bianca is going to die anyway." Maxine firmly believed that Abel would be done with Bianca in a few days. She had seen what that man could do. Hera rested her chin on her hands. "Even if that''s the case, it''ll be hard for you to approach Luke..." "That doesn''t matter. One day, I''ll be Mrs. Crawford!" Maxine''s expression was close to maniacal. She believed that if she was persistent enough, she would eventually im Luke''s heart. Chapter 1059 Chapter 1059 Arresting Xavier "Actually, I have a suggestion." Hera could tell what Maxine was thinking and could not help but find it amusing. Despite studying abroad for most of her life, why would Maxine be so oblivious when it came to rtionships? Luke would not be so easily swayed by Maxine''s persistence. Hera thought that it would be easier if she did something to gain Luke''s attention. "Say it." Maxine was unhappy because of what Hera said, but she could also tell that it was the truth. "To win a man''s heart, you should start from looking the part. Look at you, you''re charming and beautiful, and men usually fall for that, but look at Bianca Rayne. She''s so in that she''s almost tasteless, but Luke loves her. Doesn''t that tell you that Luke likes women of that type?" Hera analyzed. Maxine thought for a few seconds. She thought that what Hera said made sense, but she needed more data points to confirm that it was indeed the case. "Other than Bianca, has Luke ever had any other rtionships?" She asked. "I''m not sure about what happened before high school, and I didn''t keep in contact with him after we entered college, but I remember reading some gossip in the tabloids. Of course, you should know that the paparazzi is fond of making up stories, and it''ster proven that Luke doesn''t have any interest in those actresses." "What type of actresses are they?¡± Maxine asked. "They¡¯re all beautiful, just like you. Later on, there was Leia Norman. She looked quite pure, and she almost got married to Luke, but it turned out that she ckmailed Luke with some dirt. Before that, Luke had almost married that Bianca b*tch." Hera sounded jealous when she said that. She wondered why Bianca was so lucky. Maxine searched for Leia''s photos after she heard that. Leia indeed had a pure face, but she was gued with scandals, which made her a poor role model. "I think you should stay away from Luke for now, Ms. Dous. You might look perfect, but you''ll have to put in some more effort to win the heart of the man you love. How about joining me in a makeover?" Hera said. If Hera agreed to it, she would ask the doctor to put half of her expenses on Maxine''s bill. Maxine frowned. "You''re asking me to change my face?" She was quite proud of her looks, so she thought that it was quite ridiculous for her to change her face or even her personality just to go after Luke. Of course, her parents would not agree to it either. "No, you don''t have to change your entire face. I mean, you can do something subtle. Your features are delicate, but they''re quite seductive. I think that you can make some minor adjustments, then complement it with make-up so you''ll have a pure face. I believe that you can win Luke''s heart after that," Hera said. She was quite knowledgeable about cosmetic surgery. She even thought that Maxine could make herself look more like Bianca, but Maxine might not ept that. She could not tell. After all, Maxine was conceited and arrogant. She would not want to look like her rival. Maxine touched her face. Indeed, her features were on the sultry side, which was not quite the pure type that Luke liked. "Are minor adjustments really going to work?" She asked, thinking that she did not mind doing the asional nip and tuck. In any case, she was quite open to the idea. "Of course. How about I bring you to see my doctor? He''s the senior doctor here, and he''s very experienced. It''s only a consultation session, and we''ll see what he says." Hera stood up and could not wait to lead her to the doctor''s office. "Mm.¡± Maxine was quite tempted. She did not mind trying if it meant that it increased her chances of winning Luke''s heart. She stood up and left the ward with Hera. Meanwhile, Luke did not receive any reply from the Middle Eastern military. He was in a bad mood for the entire afternoon because of that. After work, Luke received a call from the superintendent. "Mr. Crawford, when I was going through the documents, I found out that your wife had called the police dispatcher on the morning she disappeared, " the superintendent said. The police had been combing through every auxiliary detail just to find some leads on Bianca''s case. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. "Why did she call the police?" Luke instantly sat up. Sean had told him that Bianca seemed to have sensed something on that day. She had requested Sean to bring more bodyguards. Unfortunately, the culprit got the better of them. "She called to report that someone was harassing her at her mansion. ording to the records, the man had already left when the police arrived. The case was closed because the other party did not have any criminal records, and your wife was unharmed," the superintendent said. They were following the standard operating procedure, so he was not afraid that Luke would me them. "Do you have a record of that person''s name?" Luke clenched his fists. His intuition told him that the incident was rted to her abduction. "Yes. His name is Xavier Tanner," the superintendent said. "I know him. It''s very possible that Xavier abducted my wife. You can issue a warrant of arrest," Luke reminded him. "Well..." The superintendent hesitated for a few seconds. Now that Bianca had gone missing, Xavier was indeed the biggest suspect. '' Alright, we''ll issue the warrant now." Luke ended the call and called Percy. "I need a favor." "Shoot." Percy was in the middle of something and did not have time for words. "Find Xavier Tanner. Bianca''s disappearance might be rted to him," Luke said. Xavier had hidden himself because he did not want to go abroad, and Luke did not bother searching for him. His objective was to ensure that Xavier stayed away from Bianca anyway. Things were different now. Xavier might be an aplice, so Luke had to search for him no matter what. "Alright, no problem," Percy replied. After ending the call, Luke tossed the phone aside. He was not in the mood to look at the mountains of documents on his table. Bianca''s face and the children''s expectant gazes appeared in his mind. "Where are you, Bea?" Luke turned around and looked out of the window. He rarely ever felt so lost and hopeless. Chapter 1060 Chapter 1060 The Child in Her Womb Was Worth Something The Ind of Despair. Biancay in her bed weakly. She had not eaten well for the past few days, and she was showing signs of miscarriage. Dr. Shanks instantly treated her. It took him a lot of effort, but he managed to stabilize Bianca''s condition. Looking at Bianca''s pale face, Shanks realized that his supplements could only sustain Bianca''s life but could not promise that the baby in her womb would be safe. He told Abel, "No matter what, you''ll have to let her eat something. The baby can''t survive on the supplements alone." Abel frowned hard. He looked at Bianca, half-dead on the bed, and could not help but curse, "How troublesome. Can''t you invent a supplement that can nourish the baby?" "Even if I could, it''ll take time," Shanks said. His supplements were developed for the League of Shadows''s agents. Sometimes, the agents would have to stay in less-than-ideal conditions toplete their mission, so the supplements would provide them enough nutrients to carry out their tasks effectively. That was why he had been very confident about his supplements, but he did not expect that the supplements could not nourish the baby. Abel frowned even harder as he roared at Eler, "Why are you standing there like an idiot? Go and get some food from the kitchen. I don¡¯t believe that she won''t eat." Eler came to her senses. She nodded and quickly ran to the kitchen. It was already past lunchtime, and there was only some leftover spaghetti in the kitchen. She got the cook to heat it up before bringing it over. Bianca silently closed her eyes as she listened to the conversation. She could fully feel the effects of starvation on her, but she continued to bear with it because she wanted to resist him wherever possible. Every time her hunger caused her pain, she could only mouth a silent apology to the child in her womb. Just when she thought that she was going to die, Shanks managed to save her and the baby. Bianca resented the doctor for that, but there was nothing she could do about it. If Shanks, the prodigious doctor, continued to be on Abel''s side, he would eventually invent a supplement for the baby very soon. When that happened, there was no use resisting anymore. After the ordeal, Bianca realized that there was no point in giving up on herself. What she should do is ensure that she was in the peak condition so that she could find a way to escape. She could not give up on herself, not for Luke or the child in her womb! Eler brought the spaghetti over, and the fragrance instantly filled up the entire room. Bianca was hungry again. She could also tell that the child in her womb was also craving nutrition. "Give it to me." Abel wanted to force-feed Bianca. Eler was shocked when she saw Abel''s calloused hand. If those hands were to force-feed Bianca, she might be half-dead by the end of the meal. " Let me do it, Boss," she quickly said. "Stop wasting my time." Abel grabbed the te from her hands. Bianca opened her eyes, sat up, and looked at Abel impassively. "Hm?" Abel thought that Bianca would continue to passively resist him. "I''ll eat the spaghetti, but you''ll have to promise me something," Bianca said. "You''re now my captive. What makes you think that you can negotiate with me?" Abel smiled mockingly. He towered over her while holding the te in one hand. He wondered if Luke had spoiled her. Did she not know that he hated negotiating the most? Usually, he would kill the other party before they reached the point of negotiation. Bianca was the first woman that tried to negotiate with him. Bianca touched her rtively t stomach with the one-month-old baby." My baby is my best bargaining chip. You want to use the baby to hold me hostage so that I''ll do whatever you say," she said. Abel raised his eyebrow, quite impressed by herposure. Usually, a mother would not want their child to be ced in that situation. Other than crying and begging him to spare their lives, they would not be able to say anything else. "If you can agree to my terms, I''ll make sure that I eat every meal. You won¡¯t need to feed me supplements, and I''ll deliver the baby when it''s time. " Bianca red at him. "Go on, then. What do you want?" Abel''s interest was piqued. To him, the delivery of the baby was fully under his control because he had Shanks anyway. "Release Eler''s younger brother. I want both of them to serve me," Bianca said, ''Don''t say that I''m only a prisoner and I don''t deserve anyone to serve me. Didn''t you ask Eler to serve me?" "Is that all?" Abel raised an eyebrow. That seemed too easy. He had never considered Eler''s younger brother a threat. He was the weakest among the captives, and he had almost zerobat ability. He would have killed that boy if not that Eler was still useful to him. "That is all," Bianca said as she touched her stomach. In her heart, she was apologizing to the baby. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. She would rather not use the child as a bargaining chip, but she had nothing else to offer. Bianca had to n something so that she could escape, and Eler and her younger brother were part of her n. "Alright,'' Abel said and handed her the te of spaghetti. Bianca took the te and looked at the delicious spaghetti. She picked up the fork and said, "I haven''t eaten in a few days, so I might not be able to finish everything. Don¡¯t worry, I will build up my appetite." "I''ve never worried, even if you don''t want to eat." Abel grinned. After seeing Bianca take a few bites of the spaghetti, he said, "I''ll get someone to bring him over now.¡± Eler covered her mouth in surprise, and tears welled up in her eyes. She did not expect that Bianca would help her. Abel might have promised her that he would not harm her younger brother, but she had always been worried that her younger brother might be hurt while training. Her brother was physically weak, and he might die if he was injured and did not receive proper medical attention. Now, Bianca was helping her and her brother. Eler knew that not many people could negotiate with Abel. Bianca could have asked for something else, but she had used it to help Eler and her brother. Eler felt that she was indebted to Bianca. Chapter 1061 Chapter 1061 I Miss Them, Eler Shanks observed Bianca eating the spaghetti. After not eating anything for a few days, Bianca found it difficult to swallow. She did notin. Instead, she chewed slowly and swallowed carefully. Shanks was secretly impressed. Abel was Robert¡¯s sessor and wielded supreme power on the Ind of Despair. No one under him had the right to talk back. However, Bianca, a powerless woman, managed to negotiate with him. What surprised him the most was that she did not ask for Eler''s younger brother''s release by offering him money. Instead, she offered her unborn child for the life of a stranger, and Abel actually epted the offer. Shanks grunted coldly, feeling something in his usually cold heart. He turned around and prepared to walk away. At the door, he stopped and said, "Don''t eat too much in your first meal in a while. You should still eat your supplements and only stop when you can eat the normal amount." When Eler heard that, she replied on behalf of Bianca, "Yes, Mr. Shanks." She sounded quite agitated because she would be reunited with her younger brother soon. All that was thanks to Bianca. After Shanks left, Bianca showed a look of difort on her face. "Please get me a ss of water." Seeing that Bianca was going to throw up, Eler immediately poured her a ss of warm water. Bianca took a big gulp without any hesitation. "Are you alright, Miss? Shall I get Mr. Shanks for you?" Eler asked worriedly. "No need." Bianca took a deep breath to suppress the churning in her stomach. She had not eaten for a few days, and her stomach was not used to the oily food. She forked some more spaghetti, washed it a little in the water, then took the bite. Eler instantly understood. "I''ll get a bigger ss of water for you.¡± "Thank you." Bianca''s face was pale. "Don''t say that, Miss," Eler said when she returned with another ss of water. She fell on her knees and said, "I should be the one to thank you. Miss. You saved my younger brother''s life." Bianca wanted to stop Eler from kneeling, but she did not have much strength. She could only shake her head and said, "It''s nothing. Please get up. Where I''m from, it''s bad luck for someone to kneel at you." She made up an excuse so that Eler would get up. When Eler heard that, she instantly stood up and dusted her knees. "I''m sorry, I didn''t know..." This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Bianca did not say anything and continued to eat her spaghetti. She knew that Eler was worried about her younger brother, so she took the opportunity to ask Abel for him. Her final objective was to get out of the ce, and helping Eler was part of the n. She needed a person whom she could trust. If she could get Eler''s younger brother, that would make two people. If she were to escape in the future, she needed their help, just like how Luke had Gale and Rain''s help. Bianca took a few more bites. Now that her stomach was not empty anymore, she felt a lot better. "Hand me the supplements," she said. Eler was already shedding tears of gratitude when she handed the supplements to Bianca. It was the first time that Bianca had asked for the supplements herself. It looked as though her will to live was back again. Eler did not have to worry that Bianca would try to kill herself or that her brother would be injured. Half an hourter, Bianca frowned. "Why isn''t he here yet?" Eler exined, "This undergroundplex is very vast. It covers more than half the ind. We''re at the east of the ind, while the training grounds are in the west. It''ll take some time to get here." Bianca frowned, though she was quite surprised that the undergroundplex was bigger than she thought. "Have you been to all the ces?" She asked nonchntly. "No. I''m only a captive, and there are many ces that I can''t go. At first, I was brought to the training grounds. Then, I was brought here to be a servant before I met you. We don''t have the freedom to go anywhere we please." After seeing Bianca drink all the supplements, Eler asked, "Do you want some water, Miss?" "No." Bianca shook her head and sat on the bed. Five minutester, Eler''s younger brother came to the room. "Amur!" Eler cried tears of joy when she saw the thin frame of her younger brother Amur. She rushed forward and hugged him. "Eler!" Amur started crying when he saw her. Bianca''s heart wrenched when she saw the siblings reunite. Eler and Amur looked like each other, just like how Lanie and Rainie were alike. She wondered how her children had been. Now that the two children were mature, Luke would not be able to hide the fact that she had gone missing from them. She wondered how Luke would exin it to the children and if they would cry over her disappearance. Tears welled up in Bianca''s eyes when she thought of that. Eler held her younger brother''s hands and said, "She''s our savior, Amur. You''ll have to serve her with all your heart." Eler said "our savior" instead of "your savior" because Bianca had saved herby saving Amur. Amur nodded. He wiped his tears and was about to fall on his knees when Eler stopped him. "Miss says that where is from, kneeling will bring the other person bad luck." Amur could only stand up. He had been malnourished because he did not achieve his training goals, which made his already weak body even weaker. "Thank you, Miss. I, Amur, swear that I will serve you with my life," he said. All he wanted was to live together with his elder sister, and Bianca had helped him do so. He would be forever indebted to her. "Your life is your own. Your name is Amur, right? Promise me that you''ll treat your own life with respect," Bianca said. She did not want either of the siblings'' lives but rather being able to escape from this ce. "Yes!" Amur could not stop his tears, even though he thought that men should not cry. He had been oppressed and bullied for so long that he forgot that his life was his own. Bianca had reminded him that no one deserved to control him. Bianca sighed when she looked at the two siblings. She missed her three children a lot. "I''m a little tired. You can go out for now," she said. "Yes!" Amur nodded, turned around, stepped out of the room, and guarded the entrance. Bianca slowlyy down and closed her eyes while Eler covered her with a nket. "I miss them, Eler." It was the first time Bianca had divulged her thoughts. Chapter 1062 Chapter 1062 Abel''s Prisoner Eler slowly pulled her hands away as tears brimmed in her eyes. "Are you thinking of your family?" She had caught a glimpse of Bianca''s husband while in the surveince room. Even though she only saw him remotely, she could tell from the man''s face that he loved Bianca very much. "Mm." Bianca''s eyshes fluttered. She did not open her eyes, so she could imagine that she was not imprisoned in that small room but that her lover was not far away. Eler saw the tears in her eyes. She helped her wipe them away with a paper towel. She stood there without saying a word. Just like Bianca, she had lost her family after being abducted, and she would often dream of her family whenever she slept. Such memories could only exist in the mind, and she would have to face the cruel reality once she woke up. Eler knew how it felt, so she did not know what to tell Bianca. She was not going tofort Bianca with false promises. Bianca quietened down and said nothing. Eler took a chair and sat down beside her. Outside the room, Abel came in through the front door. He could not help but chuckle when he saw Amur sitting in front of Bianca''s room. Did Bianca request for Amur so that he could be reunited with his elder sister? Amur sat up when he saw Abele near, feeling fear when he saw the eerie smile on Abel''s face. "Boss." "Trash," Abel muttered when he saw Amur shaking in fear. He reached out to push the door open. Amur stopped him. "Miss is asleep now, Boss." Get lost!" Abel frowned. He was like a king in his domain, and he could go wherever he pleased. No one had ever stopped him before. "Miss is resting now, Boss." Amur stood in front of the door determinedly and stared into Abel''s terrifying gaze. Fear had overwhelmed him, and even his fingertips were shaking. He was already eighteen years old, but he had been malnourished, so he was shorter than Abel by a head. Abel gazed at Amur unhappily. After rescuing him from the training grounds, Amur thought that Bianca was his master now. He did not like that. Clenching his fists and throwing a punch at Amur''s face, he wanted to show the boy who was the true master of the ce. Amur''s frail body could not withstand the force. His body fell through the door and gave Bianca and Eler a shock. "Ugh..." Amur moaned in agony as heid on the floor. "Amur!" Eler stood up and wanted to rush over when she saw Abeling into the room. She quickly stopped herself. "B... Boss?" Abel stretched his fingers and smiled brazenly. Looking at Amur on the floor, he said, "So weak. Looks like he needs to go back to the training grounds." "No, Boss!" Eler shook her head and fell to her knees. "Please don''t send my brother back there." Amur was already injured by Abel''s punch. If he went back to that inhumane ce now, he would die at any time. Bianca sat up and impassively observed the situation. She could roughly guess what had happened. She looked at Amur writhing on the floor and said mockingly, "You just brought him here, and now you want to take him away?" Abel narrowed his gaze and looked at Bianca''s calm demeanor. Any other woman would already be shrieking in fear. However, she seemed unfazed. "He''s too weak," Abel said derisively, "yet he''s thinking of protecting you. Are you expecting the weakling to protect you?" "Do I need any protection?" Bianca said calmly. "I''m a prisoner here, just like them. Why would I need any protection? He belongs to you, not me." Abel smiled, satisfied that Bianca knew her ce. "You specifically requested for him, Bianca." "What about it? I couldn''t bear to see the siblings separated. If you want him back, take him away. After all, I don''t have any power here. It''s just that his abilities are limited, so you might as well keep him here to help you, or should I say, watch over me." Bianca tried to sound calm, but she was getting slightly nervous. She could guess why Abel had punched Amur, but she was not sure if she would be able to keep Amur by her side if she said that. In any case, she had to try. Abel was quite impressed with Bianca''s wisdom. Not only had she shown that she knew her ce, but she sounded like she was submitting to him. She did not make that obvious, but he could sense that it was indeed the case. Abel turned his head to look at Amur. He saw that the boy was ring at him, unwilling to admit defeat. He grunted coldly. "I''ll give him another chance, Bianca. Don''t try to brainwash him. If he thinks that you''re his master, I won''t hesitate to feed him to the wolves, and my pet wolves have been starving." "I''m not his master, and I never will be," Bianca lowered her gaze and said. Her hands under the nket were tightly clenched. She hated everything there, including Abel''s twisted theory of ss division. After Abel left, Eler went forward and helped her younger brother up. She started sobbing when she saw that his forehead was bleeding. "Does it hurt?" She helped Amur to the chair. "I''m fine, Eler." Amur did not want his sister to worry, so he tried to bear with the pain. Seeing that the blood did not stop flowing, Bianca told Eler, "You should help him stop the bleeding with a towel." "Ah, yes!" Eler quickly went to look for a towel. Bianca looked at the pale-faced boy. She was impressed by how he was willing to stand up against Abel, but she disapproved of his behavior. "Amur, don''t do that again unless you want to go back to the training grounds or be fed to the wolves," she said. Amur could not help but exin himself, "But Miss, he wanted..." "If he wants toe in, then let him come in. He''s your boss, and I''m only his prisoner. I might have saved you, but the two of us are the same here. Understand?" Bianca said. Before she became stronger, she did not want anyone else to sacrifice their lives for her. Amur could see the determination in her gentle gaze, so he nodded. They were Abel''s prisoners, and they could not fight back.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1063 Chapter 1063 Use This Weapon to End Luke¡¯s Life Eler could not help but shed tears when she listened to Bianca speak to her younger brother. Amur would be sent back to the training grounds if Bianca had not saved him. She used a towel to stop Amur''s bleeding, then cleaned him up. Other than the injury on his forehead, the other wounds were not serious. Eler turned around and spoke to Bianca, "Miss, I want to go to get some medicine from Mr. Shanks." "Mm." Bianca shook her head. She sighed when she looked at Amur''s pale face. Amur was much weaker than she thought. She would have to spend more effort on him to strengthen him. After Eler left, Bianca asked, "Amur, do you want to protect your sister?" "Yes!" Amur gradually calmed down. He felt that he could be calmer with Bianca. "Then you''ll have to work hard. You might be out of the training grounds, but you''re still on the Ind of Despair. You won''t be safe just because you''re here. You should know how to train yourself, right?" Bianca said. All she could do was protect him from being bullied by those people on the training grounds and made sure that he had enough food. She could not promise him anything else. Amur touched the wound on his forehead and nodded determinedly. "Yes, Miss. I will make myself stronger so that I can protect Eler." Bianca smiled. ording to Eler, Amur was eighteen years old this year. However, he did not look or behave like he was eighteen. Despite the harshness of the training grounds, he remained innocent as ever. "Well said, Bianca. I have to say that you can be very persuasive." Abel came through the door. Evidently, he had heard what Bianca said to Amur. Amur was shocked. His eyes were gradually filled with terror. Bianca remained calm as she sat on the bed. "Shouldn''t a boy protect his elder sister?" Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "He should, but why shouldn''t he protect you too?" Abel nced at Amur contemptuously, thinking that he was useless for being so frightened upon seeing him. Tm not rted to him, and I''m also your prisoner." Bianca knew what she should say and what she should not. She could divulge her ns yet. "Heh, well said, prisoner. Come and pick your weapon." Abel waved his hand, and a mercenary came in with a bunch of weapons and dropped them on the floor. Bianca looked at the weapons, then at Abel. "Pick a weapon that you fancy. In the future, you''ll use it to end Luke Crawford''s life." ''You monster!'' Bianca cursed in her heart. Abel nned to use her to kill Luke. She could not fight back for now, so she could only obey. She inspected each of the weapons on the floor and finally pointed at a dagger. "I want that." In one fluid motion, Abel stepped on the hilt and kicked upward. The dagger flew upward and dropped into his hand. Bianca was very impressed by that disy of skill, even though it was not very shy. She thought that even Gale or Sean could not do that. Abel threw the dagger toward Bianca. Amur gasped when he saw that. Bianca did not move. The dagger fell next to her thigh and prated the bed board, but it did not injure her. Amur rxed slightly. The dagger was only a hair away from piercing Bianca''s skin. Bianca calmly pulled the dagger out and rested the tip on her chin. "This is a real weapon. Aren''t you afraid that I might kill myself?" "You won''t," Abel said. He turned his sinister gaze toward Amur. "If you dare to kill yourself, the boy and girl will join you in death." "I''m ttered that you''d think that my life is worth anything now," Bianca said mockingly. Abel ignored thatment. He kicked a longsword toward Amur. "You''ve been using a longsword in your training, right?" "Yes, Boss," Amur replied woodenly as he looked at the longsword next to his feet. He put the towel down and picked the weapon up, and his hands could not help but shake again. Seeing that, Bianca said, "You might as well pick a weapon for Eler too. After all, they''ll be joining me in the training." Abel nodded and allowed it. Bianca looked at the boy. "Amur, go and help your sister pick a weapon." "Eler likes to use whips..." Amur braced himself and said. If Bianca did not speak to him, he would not dare to speak when Abel was around. "She''ll use a whip then." Bianca noticed a whip among the pile of weapons. The mercenary picked up the other weapons and left the whip on the floor. Abel did not leave but instead lingered in the room and stared at Bianca. Bianca felt uneasy when she saw that sinister smirk on his face. "Do you want to hear any updates about Luke Crawford?" He asked. Bianca did not say anything. It did not matter whether she wanted to hear it; Abel would tell her if he felt like it. She might as well shut her mouth and wait for Abel to continue speaking. Abel said, "Luke sent his mother to jail. I wonder if you''ve been so blind to marry such an ungrateful man, Bianca." Bianca was discreetly shocked. It seemed that Luke had found the culprit of the break-in, and Allison was indeed behind it... Luke did not show his mother any mercy. She knew that Allison and Luke were drifting apart, but they were mother and son after all. If Bianca was still by Luke''s side, she would try to persuade him to think twice. Abel noticed the change in Bianca''s expression and smiled mockingly." Looks like you''ve been deceived by that man. It''s okay. I''ll eventually show you his true colors." After that, he left the room. Amur noticed Bianca''s surprise and could not help but ask, "Miss, who is Luke Crawford?" "My husband." Bianca gripped the dagger''s hilt, which was already beginning to warm up. "Were you caught because of him?" Amur seemed to have understood something. He could see the hatred in Abel''s eyes when that name was mentioned. He had never seen that in Abel before. "I don''t me him," Bianca said. She lowered her head to look at the dagger and saw her reflection in the de. She had never med Luke for what happened to her. If she wanted to me someone, she would me herself for not being strong enough to protect herself. Eler finally found the tincture and came back into the room. When she saw the dagger in Bianca''s hands, she eximed in shock, "Don''t, Miss. You have so much to live for!" Chapter 1064 Chapter 1064 She Had to Leave the ce Alive Bianca tossed the dagger in the air, thinking of catching it as Abel did. When she tried to catch it, the sharp de cut her finger, and blood instantly gushed out. "Miss!" Eler ran over and tried to stop the bleeding with a napkin. "You''re too careless." Bianca pulled her hand away and pressed on the wound. "It''s just a small cut." "Where did you get that dangerous weapon?" Eler said while she turned her head toward Amur. She was just about to reprimand her brother for not taking care of Bianca when she saw the sword in his hands. "Amur, how did you..." There was a rule on the Ind of Despair that no one should bring their weapons out of the training grounds. "You''ll get into big trouble if Boss sees it!" Eler broke out in cold sweat. Her mind raced, thinking of how she should dispose of the weapons before someone saw them. "Boss gave us these weapons, Eler. The whip on the floor is yours." Amur stood up, tossed the longsword away, and patted Eler''s shoulder with one hand. "He?" Eler blinked. She had an ominous premonition. "Boss gave us these?" It was not easy for Amur to leave the training grounds. She did not want her younger brother to go back to the hellish training regimen. "Mm. We should train ourselves so that we can survive here." Bianca removed the napkin from her finger. The bleeding had already stopped. She spoke to Eler as she wiped the blood from the dagger with another napkin. Knowing what the young woman thought, she wanted to convince her. Eler stood there in a daze. She had never thought of that, but Bianca seemed to have moved her slightly. She could feel her blood boiling. "Miss..." Eler felt a twinge in her nose as she handed Bianca the tincture." This is from Mr. Shanks, and it''s very effective in healing external injuries." Bianca shook her head and pushed Eler''s hand away. "Amur needs it more than I do." "He''s not going to use that much anyway. Mr. Shanks said that you should keep it in case you need it in the future," Eler said. Bianca smiled. She gripped the dagger as she leaned by the bed without saying a word. "Miss?" Seeing that Bianca did not intend to dress her cut, Eler took the bandages and helped Amur dress his wound. Bianca said nothing. Eler might be oblivious, but Bianca understood what Shanks meant. He was trying to tell her that it would be incredibly difficult to escape. However, there was only one way to leave... Bianca gripped the hilt tightly. She would have to live on no matter what, and she would eventually escape from Abel''s clutches. If Luke could do it, she could do it too. "Bea!" Luke dreamed of Bianca again. He opened his eyes and realized that it was only a dream. He dreamed that Bianca was imprisoned in a small, dark room. Tears streaked across her face, and she was calling out his name in despair. He wanted to save her, but his hands and feet were restrained by thick and heavy iron chains. He could hear her desperate cries, but he was helpless. While the scenes in his dream reyed in his mind, Luke supported his forehead with his hand. "Daddy, did you dream of Mommy?" Lanie said. Luke turned his head around and noticed that his son was standing next to his bed. He did not get up from the bed. "Mm." "I dreamed of Mommy too," Lanie said. There was a hint of worry in his eyes. "What did you dream about?" Luke reached out and patted his son''s head. Tommy and Rainie had been hoping for Bianca''s return, but Lanie did not say anything about that and had even tried to cheer up his younger siblings. Luke knew that he missed his mother too, but he was not going to say anything because he was the eldest. "I dreamed that Mommy told me to take good care of Daddy, and she said that she''lle back." Lanie''s eyes misted with tears. He ced his hand on Luke''s forehead and felt that it was not as hot as before. Luke patted his head again. "Why aren''t you at school?" "I just came back from school," Lanie said sternly. He continued after seeing Luke''s shocked face, "You slept for an entire day. Uncle Johann said that you have a fever. It would have been a lot more serious if the caretaker hadn''t noticed." Luke touched his forehead. His forehead felt cool, though his head felt heavy. He thought that it was because of ack of sleep, but it turned out that he had fallen sick. "Daddy, Uncle Johann said that if this goes on, your body won''t be able to take it, and I''ll have to take care of Rainie and Tommy for you. I know that you''re anxious about finding Mommy, but you''ll have to eat your meals and have enough rest," Lanie said seriously. When the caretaker went to clean the study earlier that morning, she noticed that Luke had not woken up, even though he would usually wake up at the same time. She went into his room to wake him up, but he gave no reaction. The caretaker''s resulting screams shocked the entire Crawford Manor. Old Master Crawford came into the room and found that Luke was having a fever. He hastily called Johann over to treat him. Luke rarely got sick, but he had a 107-degree fever this time. It took Johann a lot of effort to cure him, and he told them repeatedly to ensure that Luke had enough rest. Otherwise, his body might not be able to take the punishment. Lanie listened and memorized all that so that he could repeat it to his father. After hearing what his son said, Luke patted the boy''s head. Lanie held his father''s hand and said, "You have to take good care of yourself, Daddy. Now that Mommy is missing, Rainie and Tommy will be helpless if something happens to you." "Alright, I promise," Luke said as he looked at Lanie''s face. He had raised Lanie since he was young, and Lanie had inherited Luke''s serious demeanor. Compared to other children of his age, Lanie rarely smiled. Lanie only became less serious after Bianca returned to their household. Thanks to Bianca, he started smiling more. Luke realized that he should not let the children worry about him. "Are you hungry, Daddy? The caretaker made some oatmeal for you. Johann also gave you some medicine, but you can only take it after you''ve had your meal.¡± Lanie remembered that Luke had slept for almost the entire day and had not eaten anything. "Alright. I''ll go downstairs and eat." Luke sat up and felt that his body was weak. However, he had a strong constitution, so the weakness did not affect him much. Lanie looked at him worriedly, even though Johann had reassured him that his father was going to be fine. Luke smiled at his son and took his hand. "Are you hungry?" "No." Lanie shook his head. "Won''t you join me downstairs?" Luke said. Seeing how sensible his son was, he did not want him to worry. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. His son was right. Before Bianca returned, he could not afford to fall sick. "Yes, Daddy." Lanie took his hand, and they left the study. Chapter 1065 Chapter 1065 Bianca Had Done So Much for the Family Lanie held Luke''s hand tightly as they walked down the stairs. "Right, Grandma''swyer is here. He''s been waiting for you for more than an hour." "Lawyer?" After he got downstairs, he looked around the living room but did not see Walter. Instead, there was a middle-aged man whom he did not know sitting on the couch. He seemed to be thewyer that Lanie was talking about. The man sitting on the couch was called Henry Sneyder. He stood up when he saw Luke. Despite being one of the bestwyers in A City and having won manywsuits for wealthy families, he could not help but feel nervous when he saw Luke. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Crawford. I''m Henry Sneyder, and this is my name card," Henry said politely while handing Luke his name card. Luke did not take it. "What is your business here, Mr. Sneyder?" "It''s like this. I''m representing your mother, and I''d like to discuss something with you," Henry said, though his arms remained in the same position. He felt awkward because Luke did not take the name card. "Where''s Mr. Walter Long?" Luke said coldly as he brought Lanie to sit down on the couch. He promised Allison that he would find a goodwyer for her, and the bestwyer in A City was Walter Long. The chances of winning the case were basically zero, and Walter had epted the case as a favor for Luke. Lanie turned to speak to the caretaker at the side. "Aunt Jemma, Daddy is already hungry. Can you bring him some oatmeal?" The little boy was always concerned about his father''s wellbeing. The caretaker smiled when she heard that. Then, she went into the bedroom and brought Luke a bowl of warm oatmeal, i Henry put away his name card in embarrassment and sat back down on the couch. "Your mother didn''t want Mr. Long¡¯s help and hired me instead." Henry knew who Walter Long was. If Henry was one of the bestwyers in A City, Walter was one of the bestwyers in the country. No ordinary person would be able to hire him for awsuit. "Did she hire you herself?" Luke asked. He knew who the prosecutionwyers were, and he knew that even Walter could not win the suit. However, Walter could bargain for a reduced sentence. He thought that Allison was incredibly stupid for not trusting Walter. "Ms. Dous contacted me." Henry pushed his sses. The incident had shocked A City, and many lawyers were hoping that they could get a piece of the pie. They knew that it would be almost impossible for the Crawfords to hire them, so when Maxine contacted Henry to represent Allison, he epted the job without even hesitating. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Luke did not say anything. The caretaker brought him a bowl of oatmeal, and he began to eat it slowly. He would have forgotten who Maxine was if not for the fact that she had shown up at T Corporation a few days ago. Seeing that Luke offered no response, he wondered if it meant that Luke had tacitly agreed that he would be representing Allison. "There''s no chance of winning this case, Mr. Crawford, but I can try my best to argue for a reduced sentence," Henry said. "Mm." Luke continued to eat his oatmeal without looking at Henry. Anywyer would have said the same thing. Henry continued, "Your statement will be vital in fighting for a reduced sentence. Can you prepare a petition so that I can hand it to the presiding judge?" "I''m very busy." Luke understood the purpose of Henry''s visit. Walter had told him that Luke''s petition was very advantageous for Allison because he was Allison''s son. Allison had stolen from the family, so Luke could make up a reason for why she was forced to do so. However, Luke had refused. "Mdm. Tanner will be sentenced to at least a few years in prison, Mr. Crawford." Henry thought that he could convince Luke, but Luke had refused him so candidly. Luke finished thest bite of oatmeal and ced the bowl on the coffee table. "See him off," he said coldly. "Mr. Crawford?" Henry stood up, still hoping that Luke would change his mind. "This way, please," the caretaker said to Henry. "Mr. Crawford, Mdm. Tanner is your mother. If you don''t want to write the petition, can you be there on court day?" Henry tried to fight for the slightest advantage for Allison. "I''ll be on a business trip." Luke took Lanie''s hand and walked away. The caretaker escorted Henry out of the house. Luke could see the confusion on his son''s face. "Do you have a question?" "Is Grandma really going to prison?" Lanie asked. The adults tried not to mention that in front of the children, but Lanie had overheard bits and pieces of the conversation. He fully understood after hearing what Henry had to say. "If you made a mistake, should you bear the consequences?" Luke asked as he led Lanie out of the living room. "Yes, you should," Lanie said. "Grandma is bearing the consequences for the mistakes she made," Luke exined. He lifted his head to look at the setting sun. If Bianca were here, she would have disapproved of Luke''s methods. She always thought that Luke''s methods were too direct for the young children. It was better to educate them tactfully. Luke held Lanie''s hand tightly and sighed. "Bea, if you don''t agree with what I¡¯m doing, then you should come home soon." Rainie and Tommy were in the garden with their great-grandfather. They ran toward Luke when they saw him. Tommy hugged his leg and asked, "Why did you get out of bed, Daddy? Mommy said that you should stay in bed if you''re sick.¡± I''m fine." Luke bent over and lifted Tommy in his arms. He could not help but feel forlorn when Bianca was mentioned. Tommy reached out and touched Luke''s forehead, then at his forehead. Bianca had often done that to check if he had a fever. He nodded. "It''s not hot anymore!" Rainie looked at her father. "Are you feeling better, Daddy?" "Mm, yes." Luke brought Tommy to the gazebo while Lanie and Rainie followed behind. He sat down on the bench and put Tommy down. Old Master Crawford had something to say to Luke. He told the children," Lanie, Rainie, Tommy, why don''t you kids go and y over there?" "Okay." Lanie and Rainie nodded. Tommy wanted to stay behind, but his elder siblings brought him to the swings. After the children left, Old Master Crawford asked, "Any news about Bea yet?" "No." Luke''s eyes shed with grief when Bianca was mentioned. Old Master Crawford looked at the three children. Even since Bianca was abducted, he realized that Bianca had done a lot for the household. While Luke was missing, Bianca had single-handedly maintained T Corporation. Old Master Crawford felt guilty for the mistake that he had made. Chapter 1066 Chapter 1066 Bianca Was Everything to Him "Bea is one of us. You''ll have to bring her back no matter what," Old Master Crawford said as he looked at the children who were ying in the garden. They might seem happy, but the old man could tell that they were worried. The children were still young, and they needed a mother for their upbringing. Luke was not the kind of man who would marry another woman just for their children. He was not going to love another woman other than Bianca. Luke looked at the sun that was setting beyond the mountains. Summer wasing to an end. Bianca had said that summer was her favorite season. "I will bring her back," Luke said. He had said the same sentence to many people, and he had sounded confident every time he said that. He was not afraid of any danger. Bianca was everything to him. Old Master Crawford patted his shoulder and said, "I''ve heard that Old Master Rayne''s health is declining. I know that you''re busy searching for Bianca, but don''t forget to show some concern to the old man too." Now that Bianca was missing, it was up to Luke to take care of Old Master Rayne. "Mm." He nodded. As he looked at the ying children, his gaze dimmed with an undetectable hint of sadness. The next two months passed in the blink of an eye. Bianca''s stomach was growing. It was not very obvious, but one could see that she was pregnant. Shanks put the apparatus down and said impassively, ''The baby is stable." Bianca touched her stomach. Life in the past two months had been tough for Bianca. Despite her pregnancy, Abel had insisted that she participate in various training sessions. They were not too physically intensive, but Bianca had never done it before, so she found it quite difficult. However, she persisted. The baby in her womb had persisted too. "You still have to eat those." Shanks stood up and pointed at the supplements on the table. He did not make those supplements. Instead, he had left the ind and bought them on the maind. It had been two months, but various forces were discreetly observing the ind. One had to leave the ind from the opposite side so no one would notice them. The ind was still in the process of rebuilding. If those forces or the government noticed that, they would certainly bring trouble. "Mm." Bianca nodded slightly and touched her stomach. Eler had taken good care of her for the past two months, and she did not skip a meal or miss out on her supplements. Shanks turned around and left the room. In the past two months, Shanks had rarelymunicated with her, other than dressing her wounds. Bianca did not attempt to suck up to him like what other people did, nor did he find any joy in tormenting Bianca, as Abel did. Eler came in with breakfast. Seeing that Bianca was done with her examination, she ced the tray on the table and said, "Please eat your breakfast, Miss." Bianca looked at the steaming hot meal. Her stomach was empty, but she did not feel any difort. "I''m not hungry, Eler." "You should eat some. You''ll have archery sster, so you should take this time to eat. That''ll be better for your stomach," Eler said. Abel had designed a series of courses for Bianca. Even though archery was not very physically intensive, it would not be good for her body if she ateter and had to exercise on a full stomach. N?velDrama.Org content. Bianca felt a pang of despair when she heard that. She looked at her hand; her fingers were already callused from wielding a bow. She got out of bed, sat on the chair, and slowly ate her breakfast. "Have you eaten?" She asked. Eler and Amur were subject to the training regimen too, and their regimen was several times tougher than Bianca''s. "Amur and I have eaten, Miss. Don¡¯t worry about us," Eler said while preparing the day''s supplements for Bianca. Shanks had prescribed all that. She brought the supplements and warm water to Bianca and said, "What did Mr. Shanks say earlier, Moss?" "The baby is stable." Bianca instinctively touched her stomach and ate several more bites of her breakfast. She was feeling quite full, so she ate the supplements and gulped down the water. Eler frowned when she saw that most of the breakfast was untouched." You''re eating too little, Miss." "I''m already full," Bianca said. She was not used to the cooking here. "You''re already three months pregnant. You should eat more." Eler thought that Bianca was too thin and that the baby did not receive enough nutrition. "I''ll eat more during lunch," Bianca said with a smile. She went to the bedside, picked up a jacket, and suddenly seemed surprised. "What''s wrong, Miss?" Eler asked out of concern. Bianca turned around to look at her. "It''s almost winter now, right?" "Mm. It''s almost winter. It should be very cold on the surface," Eler said. It was still fall, but the Ind of Despair was very far north, so the temperature was very low. The temperature was regted in the underground buildingplex. "It''s been that long." Bianca shook her head helplessly and wore her jacket. The winters in A City were usually very cold too. She wondered if Luke had prepared the children''s winter clothes. "It''s almost training time, Miss." Eler did not know what Bianca was thinking, but they could not afford to bete. Bianca and Eler left the room. They did not head to the training grounds. Instead, they walked eastward for ten minutes. The mercenary saw theming in, then looked at the time. Bianca, Eler, and Amur would have been tardy if they had arrived one minuteter. He grunted coldly and said, "You will undergo archery training today. Those one hundred arrows are yours," the mercenary said while pointing at Bianca. Bianca frowned when she looked at the sharp arrows. It would be a difficult session. The mercenary ignored that and pointed at therger pile of arrows next to it. "The six hundred arrows here are for you two. Every arrow has to hit the bullseye. If you don''t, remove the arrow and shoot it again. Today¡¯s training session will end after you have reached your quota." Eler gasped. They had to finish all six hundred arrows, and all of them had to hit the bullseye... She looked at Bianca worriedly. Would she be able to do that? Bianca calmly picked up the bow and arrow and took aim. She stretched her bow and fired. The arrow landed on the bullseye. She had trained the most on archery and her dagger in the past two months. At first, she could not even fire her arrow in a straight line. Now, she could almost always hit the bullseye. She had been improving. "Don''t worry, she can do it," Amur sensed his sister''s worry and said softly. Chapter 1067 Chapter 1067 He Wanted to See Her Embarrass Herself "I''m worried that she''ll tire out." Eler knew that Bianca''s uracy had improved. However, it was no use if Bianca''s arms tired out before she could finish the task. Believe in her," Amur said. The mercenary noticed the siblings whispering to each other and reprimanded them, "What are you doing? You don''t get to eat if you don''t finish the arrows." After Eler heard that, she picked up the bow and arrows and began to shoot. At first, Bianca found it rtively easy to hit the bullseye. As time passed, her arms began to feel weaker. When she stretched the bow, her arms were shaking. "Continue!" The mercenary yelled. He did not give her time to rest. Sweat poured down her forehead. Bianca pressed her lips together and fired another arrow, which hit the bullseye. Eler could not help but feel nervous for her. Abel came to the training grounds. When he saw that Bianca only had about twenty arrows left, he smiled and pped her arm. "Not bad. You''ve hit quite a lot." Bianca grunted. Her arms were already numb. After being deliberately pped, she felt the pain spread throughout her limbs. "Continue." Abel showed no mercy to her. He knew that Bianca was almost at her physical limit, but he did not give her a chance to rest. He wanted her to beg him. Bianca picked up another arrow and fired. She was moving slower and slower. Despite being already exhausted, she persisted. ''What an idiot!'' Abel could not help but think when he looked at her tightly-pressed lips. If she could only beg him, he might give her some rest. However, Bianca did not intend to show any weakness at all. Abel saw her miss several shots in a row. The mercenary pulled out those arrows and tossed them back at her. He chuckled sinisterly and stood there to see how she would embarrass herself. It took Bianca an hour and a half to finish the remaining twenty arrows. Abel had already left. He was happy that Bianca had made a fool out of herself. He was currently sitting in theboratory watching Shanks conduct his experiments. ¡¯Do me a favor," he said. "I can do that, but there are conditions." Shanks did not look up. His hands continued to pour chemicals into different test tubes. "This isn''t a personal favor," Abel said. "By helping me, you''re also helping yourself." Shanks instantly knew that it had something to do with Luke Crawford. "Say it," Shanks said. Abel smiled. "I''ve prepared a woman. All you have to do is change her face. "Consider it done," Shanks replied. He would be able to do anything medical-rted. A City. Maxine sat next to the bed and looked at herself in the mirror. Under Hera''s encouragement, she had signed up for a cosmetic surgery procedure. The procedure caused some visible changes to her mature and charming face. Her big and round eyes seemed pure and innocent, her nose received a tuck to make it rounder, and her lips were more supple. She remained Maxine, but from certain angles, she looked like Bianca. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Hera had also encouraged her to do that. She said that Luke might consider approaching her if she made herself look like Bianca. Maxine stood up and smiled. After the recovery period of two months, her features seemed more natural. She had just finished a video call with her mother, and her mother had noticed the changes. Maxine said that she had put on makeup, and her mother did not suspect anything at all. Maxine was quite happy. She opened her closet, in which was a row of gowns. There was a charity banquet in A City that night. The organizers had invited her to attend on behalf of Capital Corp. She had also found out that Luke would be going. It was the best opportunity to unt herself in front of the man. Instead of wearing a revealing evening gown, Maxine chose to wear a pink gown that was conservative yet trendy. That, as well as her makeup, entuated her pure looks. She believed that she would be able to win Luke''s heart. She became even happier when she thought about that. Maxine was ready by sunset. She was confident when she looked at herself in the full-length mirror. Her phone started to ring, and she answered it. "What is it?" The call was from Hera. "Are you ready, Ms. Dous?" Hera knew that Maxine was going to attend the charity banquet. It would be the first time in two months that Maxine appeared in front of Luke. "Of course," Maxine said with a smile. Her current appearance was a departure from her usual style, but she was quite satisfied with it. In the past two months, she had been discussing with Hera about revamping her wardrobe. She had managed to transform her image in two months. "That''s great. I wish you sess," Hera said with a smile. Maxine had paid for her procedures. Seeing that Maxine was quite generous, Hera decided that she would be herckey. After ending the call, Maxine wore her jewelry, picked up her handbag and the invitation card, and left the suite. She would be the spotlight of the event. Luke would notice her and fall into her gentle embrace. The charity banquet was held at Westin hotel. Maxine had hired a driver. After arriving, she got out of the car. The bellhops escorted her into the hotel. When she handed in her invitation card, she could tell that she had captivated many pairs of eyes. Maxine felt quite smug about it. Not many people in A City knew who she was. Perhaps they were admiring her beauty, or perhaps they were guessing her identity. In any case, she enjoyed the attention. "Don''t you think that the woman looks familiar?" A male socialite standing near the entrance said to his friends. His friend, Socialite B, looked at Maxine walking in proudly and sank into deep thought. "Now that you mention it, she does seem familiar. Is she an actress?" "No, no, I remember now." Socialite A pped his hands and said, "Her side profile looks like Mrs. Crawford, who has gone missing, doesn''t it?" His family business had once coborated with T Corporation, and he had had dinner with Luke and Bianca. When he got to know that Bianca was from an ordinary family, he had paid extra attention to her. Chapter 1068 Chapter 1068 Luke¡¯s Taboo Socialite B rubbed his chin. After his friend''s reminder, he realized that the woman looked quite familiar. "That¡¯s true. Her side profile does indeed look like that woman. Which family is she from?" When he said that, Maxine happened to turn around and look at them. Socialite A shook his head. "I don''t know, but the simrities end there. The front profile isn''t that simr." "Yeah, that''s right. Let''s go in." Socialite B nodded, and the two men went inside. Each guest was assigned a seat, which was written on the invitation card. Maxine nced at her table number on the invitation card and walked into the hall confidently. Tonight, she would sessfully captivate Luke. The Douses were not very influential in A City, but they were quite famous in the entire country, so her table was at the front. After Maxine sat down on her appointed seat, she nced at the tag on the seat next to her. The seat belonged to the Crawford family. ''It''s Luke!'' Maxine could not hold back her excitement. She did not expect to be so lucky to sit next to Luke. She was served a ss of red wine. She took a sip to calm herself down. The guests continued to enter the hall. Many people looked at Maxine in her seat and realized that she was from the Dous family. They knew who the Douses were, even though they did not have any businesses in A City. The socialites who were talking about Maxine earlier also noticed her. "So that''s her." "I''ve heard that Capital Corp is one of the biggestpanies in the country. They''re rted to the Crawfords too." Socialite B was very well- informed. "How are they rted?" The other people did not understand. "They¡¯re rtives. I''ve heard that Mr. Crawford''s mother has blood rtions with the Douses," Socialite B said. Everyone fell silent when Allison was mentioned. The newspapers had reported extensively on how Luke had sent his own mother to jail. However, no one dared to say that Luke did the wrong thing. After all, the evidence was undeniable. "So that''s the case..." Socialite A said, "but I wouldn¡¯t have expected that they''re rted. I haven''t heard Capital Corp helping T Corporation in any of the crises they faced. Apparently, Mr. Crawford had gotten Ms. Dous arrested too." "Who knows? No one from the Douses seems to care that Allison Tanner is in jail now. I guess we shouldn¡¯t probe into their family matters. I still wonder who could have abducted Mr. Crawford''s wife though, the police haven''t managed to find anything," Socialite B said and sighed. "Mr. Crawford is here." Socialite A patted his friend''s shoulder. Everyone knew that two things were taboo to Luke Crawford. The first was Bianca Rayne, his missing wife, and the second was his children. Earlier, Rainie''s ssmate had made fun of her because her mother had gone missing. When Luke knew about it, he instantly took action on that child''s parents. Their family business was dered bankrupt two dayster. After that, no one dared to mention Bianca''s name in front of him in case they offended him. Luke walked toward his appointed seat. Maxine had been listening to the conversations around her. When she heard someone say that Luke wasing, she turned her head to him and smiled gently. Luke stopped walking when he saw Maxine. Three secondster, he continued walking. Maxine''s heart kept thumping when she saw Luke sit down on his appointed seat. She wondered if Luke stopped walking because of her. She dared not look into his eyes, but she noticed that Luke had paused for a while. It was only a few short seconds, but it meant that her presence had an effect on him. Maxine was happier when she thought of that. She blushed intensely when she lifted her head to look at Luke. The redness of her face made her look as though she was drunk. "Luke," she called out softly with a different tone of voice. Instead of sounding outgoing and charming like she used to, her voice was gentle and soft. Luke shot a nce at her and turned away while nodding. That was his reply to her greeting. He was shocked for a brief moment when he saw her side profile, but he did not mistake her as Bianca. However, he was quite surprised that the face belonged to Maxine. Instantly, he became annoyed. If he knew that Maxine would attend the banquet, he would have asked Louis to represent the Crawfords. Maxine was secretly happy when she saw that Luke did not say anything. She wondered if he was still in shock. "Long time no see, Luke. How have you been?" She said, forgetting that the things she did had irked him multiple times. Luke picked up his wine ss and did not say anything, as though he did not hear what she said. Maxine felt awkward. Fortunately, there was no one else at the table, so she did not humiliate herself. Her fingers gripped the wine ss tightly, and she took deep breaths to calm herself down. ''It''s okay. Luke is so cold because he doesn''t want to show his excitement,'' she tried tofort herself. He must have sensed something when he saw her side profile. Maxine felt calmer after reminding herself that she had put in a lot of effort in the past two months. She smiled again and was about to talk to Luke when Percy and Nina came to the table and sat down. The remaining seats at the table were for the Mallory family. "You''re here!" Percy was surprised to see Luke. The charity banquet was Luke''s first public appearance in two months. Before this, Louis would have represented the Crawford family in public events while Luke was busy searching for Bianca. Luke downed the contents of his ss and looked at his friend. "Louis is busy." Louis had to represent his studio for a discussion. If not for that, Luke would not have attended the banquet. "No wonder." Percy took a ss of wine and asked for a ss of fruit juice for Nina. Nina frowned when she saw Maxine sitting opposite her. She knew who Maxine was, but she noticed that Maxine''s appearance had changed slightly. She wondered if Maxine had undergone cosmetic surgery. Nina could guess what Maxine was thinking. Looking at her pure features, Nina vaguely saw Bianca in her, but she was not exactly like Bianca either. Percy noticed that Nina was looking at the woman opposite her. He leaned over and whispered into her ear, "I won¡¯t be happy if you keep on looking at other women." ''Pervert!'' Nina cursed under her breath and turned away. Percy was so possessive that he did not allow her to look at other women. Maxine''s smile froze on her face. She did not expect those two people to be sitting at the same table. If she tried to chat with Luke, she would definitely be humiliated by how coldly Luke treated her.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Chapter 1069 Chapter 1069 He Never Gave Up Searching Maxine did not want to humiliate herself, so she gave up on the idea of talking to Luke. If she said something and Luke ignored her, the two people sitting opposite her would naturally look down upon her. Maxine could only browse on her phone while drinking her wine. asionally, she would turn her head and look around. Meanwhile, Luke sat there with a cold expression. He was also alone, but he did not seem awkward. As Maxine continued to sit there, she felt as though the people around her were mocking her. Nina, sitting next to Percy, was quite reluctant to attend the banquet. She was discreetly observing Maxine. Eventually, she was sure that Maxine had performed cosmetic surgery on her face. The signs were not obvious, but she could tell that her pure looks were not natural. Remembering that Maxine had a crush on Luke, Nina''s contempt toward Maxine grew. "Does she think that she can win Luke''s heart just by making herself look like Bianca? How stupid of her.'' The more she thought about it, the more contemptuous she became. As Bianca''s best friend, Nina would help her protect the people and things that were most important to her. Luke took another sip of the wine, unbothered by his noisy surroundings. His mind was only upied by Bianca. Bianca was the love of his life and the mother of his children... Luke drank ss after ss of red wine. Maxine smiled when she saw that Luke was trying to drown himself in alcohol. Previously, she would have tried to stop him, but now, she hoped that Luke would be drunk. Luke would not be able to clearly discern reality once he was drunk. That way, Maxine had more chances to get close to him. By the end of the banquet, Luke had drunk a lot of wine. After most of the guests left, he stood up with the help of the table, and he began to stumble. "Luke!" Maxine wanted to support him when she saw that. However, Percy was faster than her. He dragged Luke and looked at him contemptuously. "How embarrassing. Do you think that you''re at a nightclub?" Luke narrowed his gaze. "I''m not drunk." "You''re not drunk, but you drank a lot. Let''s go. I''ll bring you home." Percy knew very well that a drunk person would not admit that he was drunk. He carried Luke behind his back and walked away. Nina stopped walking, turned around to look at Maxine, and smiled. "What''s wrong with you?" Maxine was angry that Percy had snatched her chance of getting close to Luke, but she could not do anything about it. Nine pointed upward. "Were you nning to bring Luke upstairs?" She meant the suites. "What nonsense is that? I only want to bring Luke home." Maxine felt embarrassed that Nina had seen through her n. "Is that so?" Nina stopped smiling. She looked at the backs of the two men and said, "Did you perform your cosmetic surgery in A City? It looks quite natural." Maxine was stunned. No one else noticed that she had performed cosmetic surgery, so how did Nina do it? Nina turned around and left while Maxine remained frozen on the spot. No matter how Maxine would try to change her face, Luke would never look at her. His heart belonged to Bianca and no other woman. The extended Rolls-Royce drove toward Crawford Manor. Luke sat in the backseat. He was quite intoxicated, but his sitting posture remained elegant. "Look at him again, and I''ll throw him out of the car." Percy had been dissatisfied with the attention that Nina had been giving Luke. Nina turned around and looked outside the window. "If you really want to throw him out of the car, you wouldn''t have picked him up in the first ce." Percy grunted coldly and looked at his drunk friend. N?velDrama.Org content. He would not have helped Luke if Maxine was not there to take advantage of him. "Hasn''t he given up on searching?" Nina asked. "No. He''s still at it," Percy said. After two months with no developments, everyone should have known what it meant. Bianca was most likely dead, and her body had been disposed of in the sea. The sea was so vast, and there were so many creatures. A body would have been eaten before it could float to the surface. "He won''t give up that easily." Percy knew his friend very well. Nina nodded. She would not want Luke to give up too. Nina sighed as she looked out of the window. In the next second, Percy gripped her chin and forced her to look at him. "You can look at me." She did not resist. Her eyes fell on the man''s face. Percy had been more and more domineering recently. Not only had he moved into the same mansion as Nina, but he also did not allow her to look elsewhere. The Rolls-Royce arrived at Crawford Manor. Percy got the butler to help him carry Luke into the house. Rainie was not in bed yet. After seeing the two men carry his father into his bedroom, she walked toward Nina worriedly. Nina patted her head and asked her softly, "Why aren''t you sleeping yet, Rainie?" Rainie''s eyes were filled with worry. She reached out and held Nina''s slightly cool hands. '' Why did Daddy drink so much, Ms. Nina? Is he worried about Mommy?" Nina smiled and crouched to Rainie''s eye level. "It''s normal for your Daddy to worry about your Mommy, isn''t it? It''s not what you think. Your Daddy drank so much because he was at a business dinner." Nina told a white lie because she did not want the children to worry about their father. After all, they would be extra sensitive after losing their mother at such a young age. Rainie did not seem so tense after hearing what Nina said. She nodded and smiled. "I understand. Thank you, Ms. Nina." "Good girl. It''s already veryte, and you should go to bed." Nina squeezed Rainie''s hand and felt sorry for her. "Alright. Daddy is already back, and I can go to bed now." Rainie smiled and turned away. Percy had already stepped out of Luke''s bedroom. His gaze became profound after seeing Nina talking to Rainie. He had a thought in his head. He leaned against the wall and did not walk over. Rainie noticed Percy standing there and thanked him. "Thank you, Mr. Percy, for sending Daddy home." "You''re wee. Go to bed." A smile appeared on Percy''s usually impassive face. Nina was surprised when she saw that. Percy rarely smiled, but he was smiling at a little girl now. After Rainie went into her bedroom, Percy took Nina''s hand and left the mansion. They were silent even after they got into the car. Percy broke the silence while he was driving. "Do you like children?" Nina''s eyshes fluttered. She lifted her head and said, "I can''t say that I hate them." Chapter 1070 Chapter 1070 He Wanted Her to Bear a Child for Him ''She can''t say she hates them?'' Percy narrowed his gaze. When he saw the love in Nina''s eyes when she talked to Rainie, he suddenly thought of an idea. He thought that he should let Nina bear a child for him. The two people in the car were silent again. Percy''s words made Nina remember the child she once had. She had hoped to deliver the child safely, but Pierre had crushed her hope. Did she hate him forthat? She did, but she could not do anything about it. She was no match for Pierre at all. She had lost to him, and her child was coteral damage. Nina could not forget the scene when blood spurted from her stomach. Over countless nights, she had dreamed of the child that was not fated to be hers. Every dream was torture. All that was because of Pierre, but Nina could not tell Percy that. Meanwhile, Maxine, who had barely spoken to Luke for the entire night, watched as Percy brought the drunken man away. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. She was furious, but she could not throw her tantrum in front of others. Maxine left the scene, pretending to be unperturbed. On the way back to the hotel, she received Hera''s phone call. She rejected the call instantly. The phone began to ring again in less than half a minute. She could not take the ringing anymore and answered the call. "What is it?" She said impatiently. From Maxine''s tone, Hera could tell that Maxine had failed to achieve what she wanted. She briefly told Maxine what she had been informed. "Ms. Dous, Abel will being tomorrow." "Let hime then. What does that have to do with me?" Maxine rolled his eyes. She could not seem to calm down. "He says that he wants to meet you. Shall we meet him tomorrow?" Hera said. She was quite relieved that Abel wasing. Leia had been using Bianca''s disappearance to threaten Hera. She wanted Wayne dead. Obviously, Hera was not able to do that herself. Only Abel could do that, but Abel seemed to have gone missing as well. Fortunately, Abel finally contacted her. Hera nned to ask Abel to kill Wayne when they would meet tomorrow. "What does he want with me?¡± Maxine became wary. Their deal wasplete once Bianca was out of the scene. If the police or Luke found that she was meeting Abel, all that she did would be in vain! "I don''t know the details, but Abel said that it''ll be good for you," Hera told Maxine what Abel told her. Maxine was thoroughly annoyed, especially when she did not know what the other party wanted with her. She did not want to meet him. Before she could give her answer, Hera tried to persuade her. "I know that you want to wash your hands off the deed, Ms. Dous, but if you want to do that, then you should listen to what I say. It won''t be good for us if Abel implicates us." 2 Abel hadplete information about the two women, but they did not know who Abel was, aside from his name. Maxine thought that it made sense. She did not want any extra trouble." Alright, bring him over tomorrow," she said. "Alright." Hera wanted to ask more about what happened at the banquet, but Maxine had already ended the call. Hera could only shrug. "You have such a bad temper. No wonder Luke doesn''t even want to look at you." She had just finished mumbling when she received Leia''s call. "Tsk," Hera said and answered the call. Before the other party could say anything, she said, "If it''s about the thing I promised, I''ll do it." "When can you do it?" Leia sounded anxious. "What''s the rush? The person that will help you will arrive tomorrow. I''ll talk to him." Hera sounded casual. The person in danger was not her. "I want to meet him." Leia was not relieved. She felt that she had to talk to that person herself. "It''s not up to you to meet him. As long as you prepare the money, I''ll make the arrangements," Hera said. It would be very troublesome if Leia got to meet Abel. Leia wanted to say something when she suddenly heard some movement in her room. Her heart skipped a beat, and she could onlyply. "Alright. I''m running out of time. You''d better make arrangements soon." After the call ended, she stared at her room door and hesitated to go inside. Wayne was pressuring her. After he knew that she had lost her baby, he came to look for her almost every day. At first, she could say that she was not feeling well, but she was beginning to run out of excuses. He had said that he was going to bring her away. Naturally, Leia refused. However, Wayne threatened to kill her. She did not want to die, so she could only say that she was still recovering. She had to be healthy so that she could bear another child for him. Leia had been stalling for two months, and Wayne was losing his patience. She knew that Wayne would take her away by force if she did not do anything. That was why Leia was so anxious. She did not want to be a fugitive like Wayne. She heard the noises in her bedroom again. Leia knew that it was Wayne urging her to leave. Queenie came out of the bedroom and saw Leia standing there with a pale face. She walked to her and touched her forehead. "Why do you look so pale, Leia? Are you feeling unwell?" "No, Mom," Leia said with a smile. If she wanted to join Wayne in exile, Jack and Queenie would have been dead by now. However, she was not interested, so her parents were still alive. She would be safe as long as her parents did not disown her. "Mm, your forehead isn''t hot. Don''t stand here sote at night. You should go and get some rest," Queenie said softly, worried that her daughter was still wallowing in sadness. Leia forced a smile and went to her bedroom. She opened the door, quickly went in, and mmed the door shut. She turned on the light. Just as expected, Wayne was waiting for her on the bed. Leia took a deep breath and smiled when she saw Wayne ying with his dagger. "Why are you so early today, Wayne?" Wayne had beening over every night, and Leia did not have the courage to refuse. "Early? It''s veryte, Leia." Wayne narrowed his gaze and looked at her." You haven''t packed your bags yet." "What''s the rush, Wayne?" Leia looked at her open closet. She sat down next to Wayne and breathed into his ear. "I want to stay here for two more days." "No," Wayne answered without hesitation. He pinched her lower jaw and said, "I''ve already given you enough time." "My grandmother''s birthday is in three days, Wayne. She treats me the nicest in the entire family. I''d like to spend one more birthday with her. Is that alright?" Leia found an excuse. "She was the one who introduced that Brody to you. You call that treating you nice?" Wayne narrowed his gaze. Two weeks ago, when he found out that Brody and Leia had made out, he went and castrated that man. Chapter 1071 Chapter 1071 Where Is Bianca? Is She Dead? The most amusing thing was that Brody was hugging another woman sleeping in bed when Wayne found him. Brody did not know what happened until the woman woke up and screamed until she lost her mind when she saw all the blood. It had already been eight hours, and the doctors could not do anything. News soon spread throughout A City, and Leia slowly lost interest in him after that. She did not mind marrying a eunuch, but she did not want to be marginalized in the Hilton household together with him. Brody''s father had many illicit rtionships with women, and it was not surprising if he had other sons elsewhere. If he decided to select another son to inherit the family business, the family would have no reason to object. When that happened, Brody would not have any standing in the family. Wayne did not leave behind any traces. The Hiltons did not know who did the job, and Tania was helpless about it. "Don''t say that, Wayne." Leia clung to him and unleashed her charm on him. "Grandma introduced Brody to me because she could not bear to see Dad and Mom y favorites. She doesn''t want me to suffer here." Wayne red at her fiercely. Leia was afraid, but she continued to speak to buy herself more time." Other than that, she''s been very nice to me despite knowing that the Bianca b*tch is her biological granddaughter. If I follow you, I won''t get to be by her side anymore, so I thought I''d spend onest birthday with her before leaving." Wayne hugged her with one arm. Leia was shocked. She thought that his hand was going to go around her neck... "Please, Wayne?" She begged softly. "I''ll let you stay for a few more days, as long as you satisfy me today." Wayne grinned evilly and pinched Leia''s chin. "Mm, you''re so naughty, Wayne." Leia forced a smile on her face, though she was thoroughly appalled. While Wayne went wild on her in that long night, Leia clenched her fists, thinking, ''He''ll be dead soon... ''Soon...'' Hera went to the airport early the next morning. When she saw Abele out of the arrival gate, she smiled and waved her hand. Abel came over and hugged her slender waist. "Long time no see, beautifuldy. Do you miss me?" Hera blushed. She giggled and leaned onto him. "Of course I miss you. I think of you every day and every night." Abel might be a foreign man, but any woman in A City would fall for his handsome looks. "Good girl," Abel said as he pinched her chin. The two people left the airport and took a cab to Maxine''s hotel. In the car, Hera asked him, "Why were you gone for so long?¡± "I was very busy. Why, are you sad?" Abel ignored the driver''s curious gaze and continued to tease Hera. "I wasn''t sad, silly. I''m being annoyed to death," Hera grumbled. She did not say who or what was annoying her because the driver would overhear it. Leia had been a pest to her. Hera could not live in peace because of Leia''s incessant urgings. "Oh? I''ll have topensate you forthat tonight." Abel sniffed her cheek. The driver could only shake his head helplessly. ''Sigh, young people these days!'' He thought. Maxine had already informed the hotel staff of their arrival. When they reached the hotel, the staff brought them upstairs and pressed the doorbell. Maxine opened the door and saw the two people outside. "Come in," she said. Abel was mildly surprised when he saw Maxine''s pure-looking face and wondered why her demeanor changedpletely after only two months. Hera took Abel''s arm, and they went into the suite. She clicked her tongue when she saw the interior, thinking that Maxine must be loaded to stay long -term in such avish ce. "How did youe here?" Maxine asked Abel as she closed the door. "I took a flight." Abel smiled. After leaving the Ind of Despair, he disguised himself and took a ne from the Moscow airport. Maxine was shocked. ''Aren''t you worried that you might be discovered?" "Luke doesn''t even know who abducted Bianca. Why should I be afraid?" Abel said. As far as everyone else was concerned, he was aw-abiding citizen of Moscow. Maxine was not very happy when she heard him say that about the man she loved. However, knowing what Abel could do, she knew better than to lose her temper in front of him. "You should have kept a lower profile. If the immigration police suspect you for the slightest bit, they¡¯ll be able to track you down." Abel seemed unperturbed. "As the saying goes, the most dangerous ce is the safest. I''m not going to be afraid. Isn''t that so, beautifuldy?" Hera smiled gently. "I trust in your abilities." "Good girl." Abel kissed her. Hera''s heart fluttered, and she leaned closer to him. N?velDrama.Org content. Maxine looked at the couple contemptuously. Suddenly, she thought of Bianca. She narrowed her gaze and asked Abel." Where''s Bianca? Is she dead?" "She''s not dead yet," Abel answered truthfully. "I''ll be letting her off too easily if she dies. And Luke, too." Maxine became nervous. When she knew that Abel was taking his revenge on Luke, she had suggested he take his revenge on Bianca instead, so that Luke would live on in agony. Contrary to what she expected, Abel did not kill Bianca but instead abducted her. Bianca''s whereabouts were unknown... "I want Bianca dead, Abel," Maxine said viciously. She did not spend so much money to keep Bianca alive. "I don''t want Bianca dead." Abel narrowed his gaze, and the smile disappeared from his face. "But you promised me..." Maxine toned down her arrogance when she saw Abel''s terrifying expression. "I promised you to make Luke live in agony, and for that, I need Bianca," Abel said. "Ms. Dous, when you asked me to change my target from Luke to Bianca, it''s because you don''t want Luke to die, right?" Maxine and Hera exchanged nces. She could tell that the man was not an idiot, but even the woman next to him was also thinking of the same thing. "Now that Luke is alone, you have a long time to seduce him. If you can''t do that, it''s because you''re incapable. Don''t tell me you''re expecting a package deal?" Abel said mockingly. Chapter 1072 Chapter 1072 A Business Deal Abel¡¯s mockingment made Maxine blush. She was used to being pampered, and other than Luke, no other man had ever treated her like that before. That made her even angrier. "Looks like you''ve been seduced by Bianca too," Maxine said coldly. "Alright, that''s enough. Aren''t we on the same side? We shouldn''t be quibbling." Hera stepped up to be the mediator when she saw that the atmosphere was bing tense. It would be bad if Maxine made Abel angry before the deed was done. Maxine grunted coldly, sat on the couch, and turned her head away. Abel lit up a cigar and dragged from it. "You don''t have to worry about Bianca. Now that she''s with me, she''ll be begging for me to kill her." "That better be the case." Maxine paused for a while and added, ¡¯ Not only that, but I want her to give up entirely on Luke." "I think so too." Abelughed brazenly as he leaned on the couch. The main objective of his visit was to ask Maxine for a favor. "Help me get some photos," he said. "What photos?" Maxine finally turned to look at him. Abel grinned. "Photos of Luke with other women." He wanted Bianca''s love for Luke to die entirely, then be reborn from the ashes. If she had nothing but hatred for Luke, she would lose all hope of reuniting with him. Desperate women like that would be easily manipted. Maxine chuckled coldly. "You might as well find someone to edit those photos for you. Why did you have toe all the way here?" "That won''t be convincing. This is thetest drug. If Luke takes it, he''ll fall unconscious and be under your control." Abel took out a small vial from his pocket. Maxine''s eyes sparkled when she saw that. Abel knew what she was thinking, so he reminded her, "He''ll be unconscious, but he won''t do anything else.¡± Maxine was not embarrassed that Abel guessed her thoughts. She asked," Do you have any other drugs?" "Yes, but the side effects are serious. If you don''t give Luke the correct dose, he might be impotent for the rest of his life." Abel took out a blue vial and shed a sinister grin. Do you want this? If Luke is impotent, he won''t have any other women." "No." Maxine refused instantly and rolled her eyes at him. She wanted to be physically intimate with Luke, but she would not want to permanently harm him. Abel did not try to convince her. He stashed away the vial and took out a name card. "Once you get the photos, you can send them to my email." "Sure." Maxine narrowed her gaze as she looked at the white vial. With the drug, she could definitely take some nice photos. She could not help but be happy when she realized that she was involved in Bianca''s torment. After that, Abel talked about the next topic. "Ms. Dous, I have some business for you. I wonder if you''d be interested." "What business?" Maxine replied carelessly, her attention fully focused on the vial. "These two drugs," Abel said while taking out the blue vial once more." These are the newest products from ourb. They''ll bring huge profits if you manage to market them?" Abel needed funds to redevelop the Ind of Despair, so he asked Shanks to invent the drugs. "Didn''t you say that it''ll cause permanent damage?" Maxine frowned. She had no intention of investing in it. "As risky as it might be, there''ll always be a market for it. You don''t have to worry about that," Abel said. Lust was a major driver of human behavior. He knew that people would buy the drug to satisfy their personal desires. "I can''t market this in the country. What kind of coboration are you looking for?" Maxine became serious. She finally understood Abel''s true purpose in meeting her. "Myb has many other drugs that can cure various diseases, and they''re much more effective than what you can find in the market now. As long as I receive funding, I can apply for patents, and there''ll be plenty of chances for us to coborate," Abel said. There was money to be made in both channels. He could not market certain drugs openly, so he had to look for Maxine. She was the perfect partner because both of them had dirt on each other. Maxine sank into deep thought. Investing in a pharmaceutical startup required a lot of money, and she could not make that decision. N?velDrama.Org content. "Can you give me a few days to think about it?" She said. "I can only give you one day. If you don''t give me an answer, I''ll just have to look for another partner." Abel did not give her too much time to consider." I''m very confident in my researcher, Ms. Dous. I can say that any drug on the market now isn''t as effective as what he''s making." "Alright." Maxine saw that he was in a hurry to look for a partner. "Is there anything else?" "That''s all." Abel could tell that she was hinting at him to leave. He hugged Hera and stood up. "You can contact me with your decision before this time tomorrow." "Mm." Maxine nned to discuss it with her parents. To Capital Corp, the amount that Abel asked for was not a lot. However, it was a lot of money for her. Abel brought Hera to the door. "Beautifuldy, how about we rent a room here?" "Sounds good. I''ll be able to apany you for the next few days." Hera was very excited. With him around, she would be able to enjoy the services of the six-star hotel for the next few days. "Good. I like it when you are proactive." Abel hugged her waist. Before he left the room, he turned and spoke to the woman behind him. "Luke Crawford might like women with pure looks, but he is more fond of women who are self-reliant. Think about it, Ms. Dous. Luke''s attitude toward you might change if he finds out that you''re not relying on your family''s wealth." Maxine looked at the couple contemptuously. ''Hera is really daring. Isn¡¯t she afraid that she''ll die in the hands of that man?'' After they left, Maxine kept the vials and took out her phone. She prepared to call her parents to discuss funding Abel''s venture. If something bad happened to thepany in the future, they would only be losing money. They were not responsible for thepany''s operations, so they would not be implicated. If thepany was a sess, she would be swimming in riches. After all, hospitals were the most profitable ventures. So many people in the world fell sick every day, and everyone needed medicine to survive. That made her even more determined to invest in Abel''s venture. She dialed her father''s phone number. After leaving Maxine''s room, Hera took Abel''s money to book a presidential suite. She came back up with the ess cards and a smile on her face. Then, she held Abel''s hand and waved the ess cards. "We''ll be staying next door." Chapter 1073 Chapter 1073 Killing Wayne Looking at Hera''s face, Abel smiled but did not say anything. The couple went into the suite. He would not refuse any woman who offered themselves to him. Moreover, Hera was quite bodacious. An hourter. Abel leaned on the headboard and smoked a cigar. Hera took his cigar, kissed his cheek intimately, and took a drag of the cigar. She instantly coughed out loud. "Ugh. Why is this cigar so spicy?" She frowned and handed the cigar back to him. Abel took the cigar, not feeling any pity for the woman. "It''s spiked with something." His cigars were too strong for ordinary people. Only one woman in the world could ept the cigar, and that woman was Kassy. Indeed, no other womanpared to her. "It''s spiked? What did you put inside it?" Hera was shocked. Abel smiled mockingly when he saw the change in her expression. "Don''t worry, you''ll be fine." Hera breathed a sigh of relief after hearing that. She leaned on his chest again and looked up at his sculpted chin. "Where have you been? I can''t even get through you on the phone. Don''t you know how much I missed you?" Abel enjoyed her gentle and cloying speech. "I went back to where I came from, of course. I can''t possibly hide Bianca in any random ce," he said. Luke was all-powerful in A City. When Abel decided not to kill Bianca, he did not linger in A City in case he was discovered. Hera nodded and continued asking curiously, "So where are you from? I can go and look for you if I miss you." "Where I''m from..." Abel''s gaze turned profound. Was she trying to pry information from him? Too bad, no matter how beautiful or seductive she might be, he would not tell her about the Ind of Despair. Abel extinguished the cigar with his fingers and lifted Hera''s chin. "Why do you want to know? Do you want to be my housewife?" "I''m only curious, silly." Hera could tell that Abel did not intend to tell her, and she was smart enough not to pry into his secrets. Instead, she changed the topic. "How long are you going to stay here?" "That will depend on Maxine Dous," Abel said. In other words, if Maxine would agree to invest in his venture, he would go back immediately. "If that''s the case..." Hera thought of how Leia had pleaded to her, so she grabbed his chest. "Can you do me a favor?" "I''m always happy to serve a beautifuldy." Abel held her hands. Hera told him about Wayne and Leia, then eagerly waited for an answer. "Wayne tt?" Abel seemed to have remembered that name. He had agreed to dispatch that person, but he had to change his ns after he changed his decision on Bianca''s fate. "Yes. Leia has been bugging me. Why don''t you help free her from that man''s clutches?" Hera said. "I can do that." Abel nodded. After all, he needed to find something to kill time while waiting for Maxine to get back to him. "Yay!" Hera cheered. She wanted to take her phone to call Leia. "Don¡¯t call her yet. Spend your time with me instead." Abel took her hand. Hera slumped coyly into his embrace. "Naughty you!" "Heh, so what if I''m naughty? I thought you liked that." Abel smiled seductively. Leia received Hera''s call that evening. After hearing that help woulde soon, she breathed a sigh of relief and told Hera that Wayne would being to her house tonight. "Leia, do you mean that you want him to kill Wayne in your house?" Hera asked. Leia was stunned for a while. She did not know where Wayne was hiding, so the deed could only be done in the Norman residence. "I don''t have any other choice. If that man is in a rush to go away, my home will be the only option," she said decisively, not expecting that the police would suspect her if Wayne died in her house. "Very well, you''re very assertive. It looks like you''re not worried that you might be implicated. I''ll go and make arrangements," Hera said with a smile and ended the call. Leia took a deep breath. Was she being assertive? She was forced to do so. She would not have done that if Bianca, Wayne, Jack, and Queenie had not forced her to take such drastic actions. At night, Abel infiltrated Leia''s bedroom ording to the map that Leia had given him. He was very nimble, and he did not trigger any of the security measures. Leia was not afraid of the man in the mask. Instead, she felt quite confident when she faced him. The man would be able to deal with Wayne! "Where should I hide?" Abel asked her. "Over there!" Leia pointed at the open closet. "Wayne will beingter, and he''ll definitely open the closet to see if I''ve packed my bags. You can kill him right then." Abel looked at the spacious closet and frowned. "So you mean I should kill the first person who opens the closet?" "Don¡¯t you have Wayne''s photo? Make sure that it''s him before you do anything drastic." Leia bit her lip. She did not want him to kill the wrong person. "I''ve seen his photo alright, but I don''t want to lose the advantage of surprise. If I give him any chance to react, both our lives will be in danger. Don''t touch the closet if you don''t want to die." As Abel said that, he went into the closet and closed the door. N?velDrama.Org content. Leia tried to stay calm as those words rang in her head. Everything would be over by tonight. She opened the door and stepped out. By ten o''clock, Leia was lingering outside her bedroom. "Leia? Why are you standing there?" Queenie noticed her when she came upstairs. "It''s nothing. I thought I''ve forgotten something, so I''m trying to jog my memory," Leia said, feeling a little nervous when she saw her mother. She hoped that Abel would not make too much noise. "What did you forget?" Queenie looked at the closed bedroom door. Seeing Wayneing out of the door had left an impression on her. "It''s nothing. Why aren''t you sleeping yet, Mom?" Leia was afraid that Queenie would open the door. She put her hands on Queenie''s shoulder and smiled. "Your dad isn''t back yet, and I can''t sleep." Queenie sighed. Jack had been busy with official matters, and he would only return home close to midnight. "You''re not a child anymore, Mom. Don''t tell me that you can only fall asleep if Dad is sleeping with you?" Leia took her hand and brought her to the master bedroom. "If you can''t sleep, how about we chat for a while?" "Don¡¯t you have something else to do?" Queenie asked as Leia led her to the master bedroom. Chapter 1074 Chapter 1074 It''s Either Wayne Dies or She Dies "What else could be more important than spending time with my mother?" Leia smiled innocently. Queenie felt relieved seeing her daughter like that. Ever since Leia lost her baby, she had been ming them for not saving her child or her rtionship with Brody. She might still be holding that grudge if not for Brody¡¯s ident. After the incident, Queenie could sense that Leia was growing apart from her and her husband. She wanted to mend the rtionship, but Leia did not give her the chance to do so. It had been very long since Leia behaved so warmly toward her. Queenie thought that Leia had perhaps forgiven her. "Good girl. Come sit beside me." Queenie smiled warmly and patted the space next to her. Leia took off her slippers, reclined on the bed, and hugged Queenie''s waist. She could not help but think of what was going to happen in her bedroom. Queenie felt Leia''s presence beside her. She sighed when she thought of Bianca, who was still missing. "It would be so nice if your sister is still here." She would want her daughters to be by each of her sides. A hint of viciousness appeared in Leia''s eyes when Bianca was mentioned, though she did not express it in her voice. "Mom, can you tell me a story?" "Story?" Queenie was surprised. "What story?" "You know, the stories you used to tell me when I was younger. I''d like to listen to them again." Leia lifted her head and looked at her innocently. "I was thinking that if I have a child, I''d read her bedtime stories like how you used to." Queenie smiled gently and patted her head. "You''re grown-up now, but you still want to be told bedtime stories. What do you want me to tell?" "Anything is fine, as long as you''re the one telling it," Leia said while leaning close to her. Queenie thought for a while and began to tell her a story. Her voice was gentle and soft, but Leia was not paying attention. She tried to listen to any noise coming out of her bedroom. However, the walls were too well-insted, and she could only hear Queenie''s voice. That made her even more worried. If Abel failed to kill Wayne, Wayne would kill her. There was no way to exin to Wayne why a man was lying in ambush in her closet, i Either she or Wayne would die tonight! Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Abel waited quietly in the closet for Wayne to appear. Suddenly, he heard a slight noise, but it was not the door opening. Abel was sure that it was not Leia or any of her family members. It meant that the person was Wayne... Abel clenched the dagger in his hands tightly. The footsteps outside were closer and closer, and a bloodthirsty grin appeared on his face. At the moment Wayne opened the closet doors, Abel stabbed his body with a dagger. He was very familiar with human anatomy, so he knew where to stab to ensure certain death. Abel''s dagger plunged into Wayne''s kidney and twisted. "Who... are you?" Wayne looked at the dagger in his body in shock. Then, he turned his gaze toward Abel. "Your killer." Abel did not give him the chance to recover. He pulled out the dagger and wanted to pierce his throat. Wayne gritted his teeth and dodged the attack. Blood kept pouring out from the hole in his body. If the wound was elsewhere, he might be able to fight back. However, his organs were injured, so he could only dodge. Abel''s next few attacks missed. "You''re not bad, but you still have to die!" "Why... do you want to kill me?" Wayne''s strength was rapidly draining away. He stumbled and fell on one knee. Seeing that Wayne could not fight back, Abelughed brazenly and pointed his dagger to Wayne''s chin. He was quite impressed with Wayne''sbat prowess, but he thought that Wayne was stupid to let down his guard because of a woman. "It''s not me. It''s your woman." Abel covered his mouth and plunged the dagger into his neck. The dagger severed Wayne''s jugr vein. Blood sttered on Abel''s body. "Heh, what a fool." He took a napkin and wiped his de clean. N?velDrama.Org content. Wayne fell to the floor. His body twitched for a while, and his eyes zed over. He was dead. Seeing that his mission wasplete, Abel whistled a happy tune. Indeed, the scent of warm blood from the jugr vein was the sweetest of all. He took the debit card that Leia had prepared for him and jumped from the balcony. Wayne''s blood was still flowing. Soon, it covered the entire floor. Close to midnight, Leia''s phone vibrated. Her heart skipped a beat, and she picked the phone up. It was a message from Hera. After seeing the codeword, she breathed a sigh of relief. The codeword meant that Wayne was dead... Leia could not control the excitement in her heart, though she had to pretend that nothing happened. Queenie looked at her suspiciously. "Leia?" "I''m feeling a little sleepy, Mom. You should rest too," Leia said with a smile. Queenie nodded in agreement. "The bed is already warm, Mom. You don''t have to get up. I can go back by myself. Looks like Dad won''t being home that early tonight, so you don''t have to wait for him. Dad will feel sorry for you if you get eyebags." Leia did not know the condition of her bedroom, so she would rather Queenie not go with her. "Sigh, you''re so considerate. Alright then, sleep tight." Queeniey on her bed. Leia walked out of the room with a smile. Back at her bedroom, she took a deep breath before opening the door. The fluorescentmp was lit. Her heart fluttered when she saw the spreading pool of blood on the floor. The man lying there was Wayne! He did not move at all. The blood was beginning to coagte. Leia took a deep breath and clenched her fists. The man who had tormented her was dead. After this, no one would be able to threaten her. Her life was beautiful again! She let out a panicked cry. "Ah! Help!" Then, she slumped on the floor and pretended to faint. Queenie was startled by her daughter''s cry for help. She instantly got out of her bed and ran toward Leia''s bedroom. When she saw Leia slumped on the floor, she was scared out of her wits. "What happened, Leia?" Leia could hear her mother calling her, but she did not open her eyes. It was the best option to pretend to be unconscious. She could not hide the joy in her eyes, and she did not want other people to see it, so she might as well close them and pretend that she had fainted. Chapter 1075 Chapter 1075 Wayne Was Found Dead In Leia¡¯s Bedroom Queenie turned around and wanted to get her phone to dial for emergency services when she caught a glimpse of the pool of redness in Leia''s room. "Ahh!" She noticed the man lying in the middle of the pool. It was Wayne tt, the wanted criminal! Queenie''s face turned pale, and her heart started to pound faster. She could not catch her breath, and she fell on the floor and passed out. Leia felt a thud next to her. She opened her eyes slightly and saw Queenie passed out next to her. ''Useless!'' She thought. She continued to lie on the floor. Her surroundings were totally quiet, and her nostrils were filled with the thick stench of blood. The blood belonged to Wayne. She would have gone into the room and felt the blood turn cold with her fingers if not that it would be hard to exin her actionster on. Leia did not feel veryfortable, but she did not want to get up. Instead, she remained in that position and waited for her father to return. Meanwhile, Abel evaded all the security cameras, left the Norman residence, and went into Hera''s car. "Ugh, why is there so much blood?" Hera asked. Her stomach began to churn when she smelled blood. "I slit that man''s throat," Abel said. There was still a glint of bloodthirstiness in his eyes. Hera could not help but shudder when she heard that. ''You slit that guy''s throat? How barbaric!'' "Are you hurt?" She pretended to be concerned. "That''s not possible," Abel said while taking off his clothes. He had prepared another set of clothes because he knew that the encounter was going to be bloody. Hera was quite surprised by Abel''s ability to kill another person without getting injured. She knew that Wayne was a special forces soldier who had injured several police officers while escaping. However, Abel could kill him without getting hurt. As she started the car, she asked, "What are you going to do with those clothes?" "Find somewhere hidden and burn them." Abel was not going to leave any trace of his crime. "Okay.¡± Hera knew where such a ce was, so she drove there. The next morning, Luke was woken up by a call from Percy. "Serious news." "What is it?" Luke was worried that the news might concern Bianca. Hearing Luke''s anxious tone, Percy said, "Don''t worry, it''s not about your wife. It''s Wayne tt." He felt slightly relieved when he heard that it was not about Bianca. "What happened to Wayne?" Wayne was being wanted throughout the country. They had suspected that Wayne was rted to Bianca''s disappearance, but they did not have any evidence. "Wayne tt is dead. His body was found in the Norman residence. When Mr. Norman came homest night, he found his wife and daughter passed out on the floor, so he called the police. The body was found in a horrific state. The police haven''t announced anything yet; they don''t want to cause a panic," Percy said. He had just received the information too. "Did Leia kill him?" Luke asked. He knew that Leia had a grudge against Wayne. "What a creative guess. There''s not a hint of blood on Leia''s body. The entire bedroom floor is covered with blood, but there were none of her footsteps either. It meant that she wasn''t in the room when Wayne died, and she passed out when she saw the body. The police are still investigating the reasons behind the murder, but I think that it''s too suspicious," Percy said. He called Luke to tell him his suspicions. "Indeed, it''s suspicious." Luke stood up. "If Wayne is found dead in the Norman residence and Leia isn''t the killer, the killer must be someone else. Who could they be, and why would they want to kill Wayne?" "I guess that they want to help Leia..." Percy guessed. "From the preliminary autopsy findings, the killer isn''t a weak woman like Leia." "Well have to get to the bottom of this," Luke said decisively. He nned to go to the police stationter. "Sure. I knew you''d say that." Percy could guess that Luke would want to investigate the matter, so he had already made arrangements. After the call, Luke went downstairs. Old Master Crawford and the children were already eating their breakfast at the dining table. "You''re awake." Old Master Crawford nodded at Luke. "Eat your breakfast. You''ll be very busy today." "You already know what happened at the Norman residence?" Luke asked. "Mm. The police want to withhold the news, but they can''t withhold it from me," Old Master Crawford said and took a sip of milk. "I heard about the news earlier. You should go over to the Norman residence and see if they need any help." "Mm." Luke nodded and sat down. Lanie overheard the conversation and asked curiously, "Daddy, what happened at Grandpa''s house?" "It''s nothing. You should eat more." Luke ced a bread roll on Lanie''s te. Lanie did not ask any more questions. He knew that it was a matter among the adults. After breakfast, Luke sent the children to school, then went to the Norman residence. Police officers were going in and out of the Norman residence. Jack was sitting on the couch with a solemn expression on his face. The caretaker came and told him, "Mr. Crawford is here, Sir." "Ask him toe in," Jack lifted his head and said. He knew that Luke would be here. After all, Luke had suspected that Wayne had abducted Bianca. Now that Wayne was dead, Bianca''s abductor was unknown. Luke came into the house and nodded at Jack. "Dad." "Mm." Luke stood up. The police were almost done with gathering evidence. He brought Luke upstairs and said, "You''re quite well-informed." "You can''t hide news this big for too long," Luke said. The police said that they withheld the news so that there would not be a panic, but actually, they were doing it to maintain Jack''s reputation. A wanted criminal was found dead in a high-ranking official''s house. Before the official investigation results were out, the resulting gossip would be extremely disadvantageous for Jack. "I know. I''m only hoping that they''ll find out something soon." Jack sighed as he looked at the police officers walking to and fro. "The fact that Wayne tt is found dead in Leia''s room is enough to spawn a thousand rumors." He brought Luke to Leia''s bedroom. The area was still off-limits. Standing beyond the cordon, Luke could see the dried patch of blood on the floor. All of that blood belonged to Wayne tt. Wayne died because someone slit his throat. When Jack called the police, there was barely any blood left in his body. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. The stench of blood was still thick in the air. There were not many signs of battle in the room, but Luke could make several observations. For example, the blood-stained photo album. Wayne must have toppled it after he was injured. ording to the police markers, the corpse was facing a wall. If Wayne was attacked from behind, blood would have sttered on the wall. However, there was only one spot of blood on the wall. It must mean that the person who slit his throat must have been standing in front of him, and most of the blood sshed on that person''s body. Chapter 1076 Chapter 1076 Xavier Was Found Jack sighed when he looked at the mess in the room. His eyes were lifeless, as though he had aged ten years overnight. "Did they bring Wayne''s body away?" Luke asked. "They did," Jack said worriedly. "His jugr vein waspletely severed by a sharp de." That was the coroner''s preliminary finding. When Jack saw Wayne¡¯s body, he could even see the bones inside. It was a gut-wrenching sight. Luke was not that interested in Wayne''s death. He was so concerned because Wayne might have known something about Bianca''s disappearance. Now that Wayne was dead, Luke had no other leads. His phone started ringing. He went to the balcony before answering it." What is it?" The call was from Percy. "I''ve found the man you want. My men have just tied him up. Where do you want me to deliver him?" "Your house," Luke said. Ever since he found out that Xavier had harassed Bianca the morning she went missing, they had been trying to find the man. Xavier had hidden himself well, and it took them so long to find him. "I''ll go over now." He left the balcony immediately. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Luke went to tell Jack. "You can call me if you need anything, Dad. I have to go now." "Alright then. I won''t bother you." Jack waved his hand, indicating understanding. As far as he knew, Luke was only a businessman, and he would not be of much help in these circumstances. He was afraid that his political enemies would take the opportunity to bring him down and bring trouble to his wife and daughter. Meanwhile, Percy looked at Xavier, who was bundled up like a burrito. He smiled sinisterly and told the driver, "Back to the mansion." "Yes, Sir," the driver replied and started the car. Xavier tried to struggle, but his entire body was tied up, and he found it hard to even wiggle his toes. Sensing movement, Percy turned his head and nced at him. He did not want to get himself involved, but his subordinates called him to tell him that they found Xavier at a ranch in the outskirts. Without hesitating, he drove there to capture Xavier himself. As expected, he found Xavier there and tied him up. Xavier red at him and did not say anything. He had been hiding at the ranch for the past few months. The only time he left the ce was when he went to warn Bianca. He did not want to flee abroad. He hid there so that he could dig up some dirt on Luke. Unfortunately for him, he did not manage to prevent Bianca from being abducted, and his hiding spot was found. Even so, Xavier did not beg for mercy. The car drove back to Percy''s mansion. After Percy got out of the car, he told his subordinates, "Bring him to the living room. We''ll hand him to Luke when hees." "Yes." Two burly men came over, picked Xavier up, and went to the living room. Percy sauntered to the wine cer and selected a few bottles of red wine from his collection. He would be bringing those to Nina''s mansionter. "Sir, Mr. Crawford is here," the butler said as he walked into the cer. "That''s fast." Percy was still holding onto a bottle of wine, not expecting that Luke would arrive so quickly. He handed another bottle of red wine to the butler, "Open and decant this." The butler took the bottle and went away. Percy selected a few more bottles. He would bring them along with him. Back in the living room, he saw Luke sitting opposite Xavier. He went over and asked him, "Did you manage to find out anything?" Luke stared intently at Xavier. He had been sitting there for five minutes, and Xavier did not say a word. Seeing that no one said anything, Percy shrugged, sat down on the couch, crossed his legs, and stared at Xavier. He might be a captive now, but he was not going to divulge what he knew so easily. The butler brought the decanter and several sses to the living room." Your wine, Sir." "Mm." Percy poured two sses of wine and handed one of them to Luke. He took the other one, leaned back on the couch, and looked at Xavierzily. Seeing that the two people were looking at him, Xavier closed his eyes to avert their gazes. Luke chuckled and took out a stack of documents from his briefcase. "You brought something? What is it?" Percy picked up the documents curiously and flipped through them. "I didn''t expect you to do this. Not bad, Xavier, I can see that you''ve been a burden to your father." Xavier opened his eyes. "Just kill me." It was his misfortune to be captured. "Look at this." Percy brought the document in front of Xavier and flipped to the first page. Xavier''s eyes widened when he saw the document. "How dare you do this, Luke Crawford!" "Where is Bianca?" Luke crossed his arms in front of him. His tone was low and sinister, like a devil. Xavier clenched his fists and red at Luke. "Relinquish those shares." The document indicated that Luke was one percent away from holding a dominant stake in Tanner Corporation. The purchases were done in secret. The Tanners were not aware of that. Percy could not help but chuckle when he saw Xavier¡¯s bloodshot eyes. He thought that Luke would not be able to make Xavier open his mouth so easily. ''How... boring.'' He took a sip of his wine and decided to let Luke do his thing. "Tanner Corporation will be safe as long as I can find Bianca," Luke said gloomily. In other words, if Xavier did not cooperate with him, he would not hesitate to ruin the business. Xavier''s eyes were blood-red. He knew that Luke had been putting all his time and effort into searching for Bianca, but he did not expect that Luke had been trying to take over his family business at the same time. He truly regretted offending Luke. "I don''t know where she is," Xavier said hoarsely. If Tanner Corporation fell, his livelihood would be gone. Luke did not believe it. "You''ve been hiding in the ranch, and you only appeared on the day that Bianca went missing. Don''t try my patience, Xavier Tanner. You might be tough, but the rest of your family isn''t as tough as you." The fear in Xavier''s heart grew. He knew that Luke was capable of carrying out his threats. If Luke did not spare Tanner Corporation, then Tanner Corporation would surely fall! Chapter 1077 Chapter 1077 Make Me Breakfast Too Xavier thought that he was quite pathetic. However, that was all because of Bianca. He looked at the stack of documents in front of him and considered carefully. Finally, he decided to spill the truth. "I only know that someone wanted to harm Bianca that day, but I don''t know who the culprit was." "Tell me everything that you know,¡¯ Luke ordered. He had already dispatched his subordinates to the ranch, and he would soon find out if Xavier was lying. "You can''t imagine how powerful that person can be." Xavier red at Luke with bloodshot eyes. "I''ve also been trying to search for Bianca ever since that day, but I''ve never managed to find her. Luke, if I can''t find her, you won''t be able to find her either." Xavier was quite confident of his methods, but he had not been able to find anything ever since Bianca was abducted. Luke narrowed his gaze and looked at Xavier. Xavier was not afraid. "That''s all I know. You must be sending your subordinates to the ranch now, and they will bring you all the information I have. You can continue the investigation if you have the ability." TH get to the bottom of it, and I''ll bring Bianca back. What did you tell her on that morning?" Luke asked. "I knew that someone was going to harm her, so I went there to warn her. Unfortunately, Bianca is irredeemably silly. She knows that someone wants to harm her, yet she thinks that she can find out who that person is. What do you think happened then? If she could trust in you a little more, all this wouldn''t have happened!" Xavier said. He had been thinking of that ever since he started searching for Bianca. If Bianca were a little more reliant on Luke, she would not have been abducted. Luke narrowed his gaze as the anger in his heart grew. Bianca knew that she was in danger, but she did not inform him. That had caused him much regret. If he had stayed with her on that day, all of that would not have happened, and Bianca would still be with him. Percy noticed the change in Luke''s expression and said, "What do you want to do with him, Luke?" "Hand him to the police," Luke said. "Understood." Seeing that Luke had gotten what he wanted from Xavier, Percy got his subordinates to bring Xavier to the police station. After the bodyguards went away, the living room once again fell into silence. Luke took his wine ss and downed its contents. Percy shook his head. "What a waste of good wine." Luke ignored hisment. He poured himself another ss and drained it. Percy snatched the bottle. "Don''t waste my fine wine. At least appreciate it a little." Luke put his ss down and sat there. "Stop ming yourself for what happened to Bianca." Knowing what Luke was thinking, Percy put the bottle down and patted Luke''s shoulder. "She wanted to thrive without always relying on you. You can''t me anyone if the ident happened." Bianca came from a different backgroundpared to Luke. It was not surprising that Bianca wanted to be self-reliant too. Luke crossed his arms in front of him. His expression was gloomy. Percy knew that there was no point in trying to convince him. Luke would have to walk out of his depression himself. Half an hourter, Jason came in with a box. He ced the box on the coffee table and said, "Boss, this is what we found on the ranch." Percy nced at the documents that filled up half of the box. "That''s all from Xavier?" "Yes. Most of it is rted to Madam," Jason replied. He did not know which ones were useful, so he brought everything over. Luke tipped the box over. Percy held his hand and said, "Let me help you." "No need." Luke refused and began to search the contents of the box. Percy sighed and turned to look at Jason. "What else did you find?" "There were no other findings. Xavier had been focusing on his search for Madam," Jason said politely. Percy wagged his hand in understanding. Luke flipped through the documents. Xavier had conducted a thorough background investigation on Bianca and the people who were close to her. However, the page on Bianca''s abduction remained nk. Disappointedly, Luke put the documents on the table. Percy could not bear to see his friend like that. He ced the wine bottle on the table, stood up, and said, "Looks like I''ll have to waste this bottle of wine on you." Luke picked up the bottle. Instead of pouring the wine into the ss, he poured it into his mouth. "Don''t give up yet. We''re still on the case, and we¡¯ll find Bianca eventually," Percy said as he looked at his dejected friend. Luke did not reply. He continued to drink the wine. Percy turned around and said to the butler, "Look after him and make sure he doesn''t drink too much. Get someone to drive him home too." "Yes," the butler replied and nodded. Percy went back to the cer to pick up the bag of wine bottles. Then, he drove to Nina''s house. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Nina happened to wake upte today. She had just changed her clothes and was preparing to make breakfast before going to work. Now that Bianca was missing, Nina and Sue were taking care of thepany on her behalf. She turned around when she heard the footsteps and was surprised to see Percy. "Shouldn''t you be at work?" "Shouldn''t you be at work?" The two people said at the same time. Nina was surprised again, though she was the first to answer. "I woke upte, and I''ll be going to work soon." Percy nodded and ced the bag on the table. Nina was speechless when she saw the bottles of fine wine. He used to not share the wine that he brought over, but recently, he had been asking her to drink with him. She did not have the right to refuse. "Are you making breakfast?" Percy smelled the aroma from the kitchen while he put the bottles in the cab. "Mm," Nina replied softly. She did not usually make breakfast because she did not want the smell of food to taint the house. She only treated herself as a temporary lodger in the house. "What are you making?" After keeping the bottles, Percy went to take a look at the stove. Water was boiling in a pot, and she was holding a basket of eggs. "Eggs on toast." Nina lowered her head and put two eggs into the pot. "Make some for me too," Percy said. It was the first time he saw Nina make something in the kitchen. Nina was a little flustered. She did not prepare enough ingredients, and she nned to bring the rest of the toast to work so that she could eat it for lunch. "What''s wrong?" Percy was unhappy seeing that Nina stood there. "I... I don''t think you''ll like it," Nina said. I''m not picky," Percy replied and took the basket of eggs from her hands. Chapter 1078 Chapter 1078 Percy Was Acting More And More Abnormally Nina was stunned when she saw that Percy had poured all the eggs into the pot. She stirred it with a ladle, covered the pot, and turned around to prepare the toast. The toast she prepared previously was only enough for her. Percy crossed his hands in front of his chest. The sight of her preparing breakfast while wearing an apron brought an unprecedented surge of warmth to his heart. Nina was preparing the sd and picked up her pace when she noticed his scorching gaze. She asked, "Is there any news on Bea?" Although she woke upte, she knew that Percy had gotten up and left after answering a call. She heard him mention Bianca and Xavier Tanner. N?velDrama.Org content. "No." Percy shook his head, and his gaze shifted to the bowl full of washed cherries. He stretched out his hand, picked two, and plopped them into his mouth. The cherries were big and sweet. They were delicious. Nina wanted to say something but hesitated. When Percy noticed her expression, he raised her eyebrows and asked," What''s wrong?" "Those are for Kari and Teri." Nina was a little puzzled as Percy did not usually enter the kitchen nor eat fruits. He was acting a little abnormally. To be specific, Percy was acting more and more abnormally. "Jason Doyle''s daughters?" Although Percy was indifferent to these kinds of things, he had heard about the twins due to Jason''s tormenting ex-wife who had done a lot of absurd things. "Yeah, Kari and Teri were moring for cherries yesterday.¡¯ The water in the pot was boiling. Nina took out tworge tes and put them aside. She then picked up thedle, lifted the lid, and scooped the eggs out. "Are you still taking care of the kids?" Percy asked. "Kari and Teri don''t have to go to school for these two days, and the babysitter is upied, so Sue had to bring them to work." Nina was not sure why she was exining so much to Percy, but she still told him everything. ''Didn¡¯t she say that she isn''t a fan of kids? Why is she still helping Sue take care of them, then?'' Percy thought to himself. He asked, "I thought you don''t like kids?¡¯ Nina was not sure how to react. She put the sd aside, chaotically toasted some more bread, and then put them on two separate tes. Nina knew that Percy had arge appetite, so she deliberately put more slices of toast on his te before she topped the sd off with her special sauce. The recipe was shared with her by Anna. Nina''s heart sank when she thought of how Anna was in the hospital waiting for surgery. Anna had decided to undergo a liver transnt, but there was no suitable donor for her. Nina''s were not a match, so the only option was to wait for Sean to get out of prison before they could proceed with the transnt. 1 Sean had about half a year left to serve in prison, but after considering Anna''s condition, the court reduced his sentence. Sean would be released in half a month. When that time came, she was not sure whether she would be happy or sorrowful. The breakfast prepared by Nina wafted with a tempting aroma that excited Percy. As he stared at the tes of breakfast on the kitchen ind, all he could think of was when he could eat. Nina took out a tray and wanted to put the tes on the tray before serving them. Percy stepped forward and said, ¡®Til do it.¡¯ He picked up the two tes with both hands. Nina was worried that they were too hot to hold. She held the tray and suggested. "Let''s ce them here?" "No worries.¡± Percy walked out holding the tes without a bother in the world. Nina ced the tray back, picked up some utensils, and headed out. Percy was already sitting at the dining table. There were two steaming tes of eggs on toast on the table. There were blooming lilies in the vase on the table. The fragrance of the flowers and the aroma of the food stimted her senses. Nina sat on the chair and handed him a set of utensils. Percy took it and ate the toast. Listening to the clinking noise of the utensils colliding with the te, Nina was not sure how to feel. ''Is there something wrong with me? Why does this make me feel wonderful?* The other side. The Ind of Despair was tranquil. Bianca was lying on the bed, the silence making her feel extra lonely. She nced at the wall, and there were already many markings on it. Every day, she would make a mark on the wall. Fearing that she would lose herself if she stayed here for too long, she started keeping a record of the days. Everything was the same in the past few days. Her training was getting more intense while she was bing more and more proficient. Oddly enough, Abel had not made an appearance in the past few days. Bianca rolled over and nced at the clock. It was four o''clock in the morning, and she was having insomnia. "Miss, are you awake?" Eler''s voice came from behind her. Bianca closed her eyes, not wanting to let Eler know that she was awake. In the past month, she had never gotten a good night''s sleep. Bianca would sleep for two or three hours at most before waking up from her dreams of Luke and the kids. Bianca did not tell anyone about her pain and suffering. She knew that if she told someone about it, Shanks would find a way to help her. However, she did not need help. Bianca missed Luke and her kids, but she could not get out of her current situation, so she could only depend on her dreams to alleviate her lovesickness. Although most of her dreams brought her pain, she was willing to endure it as those dreams helped her remember what Luke looked like. Eler did not hear a reply from Bianca and thought that maybe she was overthinking. She then smiled and closed her eyes. The next day. Bianca and Eler went to the training ground together. They then discovered that the trainer for the day was not a mercenary hired by Abel but Shanks. "Mr. Shanks?" There was a hint of surprise in Eler''s voice. Shanks nodded and remained expressionless. Bianca nced at Eler and thought that the blush on her cheeks was a little too obvious. "Today, you¡¯ll be attending my medical ss." The tone of his voice was as cold as his expression. Eler happily sped her hands together and nced at the instruments around them. These were commonly seen instruments in Shanks''boratory. She did not see Amur so she asked, "Mr. Shanks, where''s my brother?" "He¡¯s in another training program," Shanks replied. "Oh, okay. Mr. Shanks, we''re ready." Eler''s blue eyes were shining as she looked at him admiringly. Bianca understood what this look meant. She shook her head and looked down at the instruments in front of her. ''We¡¯re doing a medical ss today?¡¯ She did not know that Abel had prepared such a course for her. ''Is he not afraid that I''ll learn how to poison him after this?'' Bianca was deep in her thoughts when she heard Shanks say, "Today, I''ll teach you the basics of medicine. You''re not allowed to use any leftover materials. I''ll be checking everything after ss." Bianca snapped out of her thoughts and looked at the materials in front of her. She was not familiar with any of them. Shanks nced at her, picked up the materials, and started teaching, 1 Chapter 1079 Chapter 1079 Luke Does Not Seem To Miss You That Much Bianca listened carefully to his every word, unwilling to miss out on anything. She had a basic understanding of the drugs in front of her after Shanks'' exnation. She was a little disappointed to find out that these drugs would not cause much harm to the human body. After Shanks went through the basics, he went on to teach them how to operate the instruments without checking whether the two of them could keep up with his pace. Bianca was introduced to these instruments when she was in school. Compared to Eler, she was much more proficient. After Shanks assigned them a task, she mixed the materials andpleted the purification process not long after. Shanks sniffed her end product and said as he nodded in satisfaction, "Not too bad. You¡¯re done for the day." Bianca raised her eyebrows. Since she arrived on the Ind of Despair, today was the first time she knew she could get out of ss early. However, she was happy to leave. She took off her gloves, turned around, and walked out. "Miss..." Eler held the test tube and looked like she was about to burst into tears. She looked at Shanks imploringly. She was fine serving others, but this was torture for her! Shanks said with a cold expression, "You can only leave when you''re done." "Mr. Shanks, this is too difficult for me..." Eler felt helpless. She did not get to go to school much back when she was in the vige. Her family was not well-to-do, so she had given up the opportunity to go to school to her younger siblings. This was her first time being exposed to instruments like these. Shanks did not react to her pleas and continued staring at her coldly. Eler sighed and had no choice but to continue with the task at hand. Her mind was all over the ce and she almost knocked over themp. Bianca walked out of the room and looked at the bright corridor. The incandescent lights were constantly shining, reminding her of daylight. Sheughed mockingly. ''No matter how bright the lights are, I¡¯m still underground where there¡¯s no such thing as day and night. When the lights are off, the only thing left is endless darkness.'' When she saw Abel approaching, Bianca''s body stiffened and she subconsciously wanted to turn around. "Stop." Abel smiled wickedly the moment he saw her. He sped up his pace and stopped in front of her. Bianca kept quiet and stared at the evil man. Abel lifted her chin and asked, "Why are you so free?" "Shanks allowed me to leave early," Bianca said. Abel was in charge of nning her schedule, so he had a grasp of the sses she took every day. He increased the strength of his grip. He squeezed her face and asked, "Do you miss Luke?" Bianca froze. The emotions in her eyes betrayed her. "You miss him a lot, don''t you?" Abel grinned, let go of her, and crossed his arms in front of his chest. He looked down at her and said, "Luke doesn''t seem to miss you all that much, though." "What do you mean?" Bianca asked warily. ¡®Luke doesn''t miss me? Did he go to see Luke? Does he know that I''m trapped here?¡¯ Seeing the looming hopefulness in her eyes, Abel wanted nothing more but to shatter it. "I heard that Luke has been intimate with a woman recently. If it''s not because he''s still legally married to you, they''d already be walking down the aisle," Abel said. Maxine had not taken action, so he had no photographic evidence yet. However, he did not need photos to start a rumor. All he wanted was to trigger Bianca. "That''s ridiculous." Bianca lowered her gaze and did not react to what he said. That was because she knew Luke was not that kind of person. Although a few months had passed, she was certain that he was still looking for her, so Abel''s words held no credibility. "You don¡¯t believe me?" Abel raised his eyebrows. He did not expect that his words could affect their rtionship in the first ce. "If there''s nothing else you want to talk about, I¡¯ll go back to my room first." Bianca turned around and walked to her room. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Abel looked at her as she walked away. She was like a noble swan, unaffected by his words. He pursed his lips. His eyes were like poisonous snakes, evil and scheming. He was interested to see how long Bianca could keep up her proud and confident appearance. The moment Bianca walked into her room, she fell limply on her bed as though all her strength had been sucked dry. "Luke...¡± She had gotten a scare when Abel mentioned Luke''s name. Luke was still not aware of his true identity. If Abel approached him, she was afraid that Luke would suffer... Bianca picked up the small stone on the side and carved a line on the wall. Another day had passed in this hell hole... She touched her bulging belly. Although she was imprisoned, her physical condition was decent and their child was slowly growing up in her belly day by day. Bianca put the stone aside and whispered, "Baby, if something happens in the future, don¡¯t me me for the choices I have to make." Eler was finally done with the experiment and returned to the room. She saw Bianca spacing off, so she stepped forward and asked, "Miss, are you okay?" I¡¯m okay." Bianca was deep in her thoughts thinking of Luke and came back to her senses. She had been thinking about everything and anything, including the identity Abel would use to approach Luke to retaliate against him. She was in despair knowing that no matter what Abel did, she would still be imprisoned, unable to help Luke. "You don''t look so good. If you''re feeling ufortable, don¡¯t force yourself," Eler said with care. "Mm." Bianca nodded and replied, "I¡¯m a little tired, I want to lie down for a while." "Okay, take some rest, there''s still some time before the next meal." Eler nced at the clock on the wall. The Ind of Despair followed a militarized schedule, so everything was in ordance with the rules and regtions. Even a pregnant woman like Bianca was not exempted from the schedule. Eler tucked her in and said, "Miss, Mr. Shanks just said that because your belly is getting bigger and bigger, it''ll be inconvenient for you to continue on with the training. Until you give birth, we''ll only be going to medical sses." "That''s great," Bianca said with her eyes closed. She liked medical sses not because they were easy but because poison was the only method that did not leave a trace of blood when killing. "I think it¡¯s so difficult." Eler considered Bianca a friend and would sometimes rant to her. "I don¡¯t understand those instruments. Themp almost exploded just now..." Bianca kept quiet. Shanks'' ss was not the same as those that ordinary medical students attended. He was efficient in his teaching, quickly allowing her to learn what she wanted to learn. Based on the current progress, she should be able to gain a lot of medical knowledge before giving birth. Eler looked at her and said with envy, "Miss, I''m envious of you. It¡¯s both our first time learning about this but you managed to finish Mr. Shanks'' assignment so quickly. Unlike me, I feel stupid and ashamed." "Practice makes perfect." Biancaforted her and made a mental note. Eler did not realize that whenever she mentioned Shanks, her tone conveyed a sense of admiration. Chapter 1080 Chapter 1080 Teenage Crush Eler nodded and said shyly, "It was so scary just now. Fortunately, Mr. Shanks was there to help..." Bianca''s expression was calm when Eler mentioned Shanks again. She noticed how shy Eler would get whenever she mentioned Shanks. It was exactly how a 19-year- old girl would act when she had a crush on someone. Eler noticed that Bianca was silent. The thoughts in her mind were overwhelming her, so she blushed and asked, "Miss, you''re more knowledgeable than me. What kind of girls do you think Mr. Shanks likes?" Bianca shook her head to indicate that she had no clue. Abel had once mentioned that the reason why Shanks was helping him retaliate against Luke was that the love of his life died from the bombing of the Russian army. From that, she could determine that Shanks was a loyal and affectionate man. No other woman could hope to have a happy ending falling in love with him. "Sister!" Amur walked in, his expression instantly changing when he heard what Eler said. Eler was taken aback as she did not expect that her secret would be overheard by someone else. "Amur..." She was a little upset that Amur had heard it. Their vige was destroyed and their parents were killed. Amur hated everyone on the Ind of Despair, including Shanks. Amur''s expression was sour, but he did not want toment in front of Bianca. Hence, he said, "Sister, can I talk to you outside?" Eler pursed her lips and looked reluctant. She also hated the people from the Ind of Despair, but Shanks was excluded. She fell for him because she believed that Shanks was a good person. Bianca felt the tension and persuaded Eler. "Go. It''s best that both of you clear things up." Eler reluctantly walked out to avoid disturbing Bianca. Amur closed the door. Seeing that her involvement was no longer required, Biancay on the bed and closed her eyes. "You like Shanks?!" Amur''s eyes were red as molten anger rolled through him. He asked directly without thinking whether it would hurt Eler¡¯s feelings. "Mr. Shanks is very nice." Eler retorted with a blushed face, her lips trembling slightly. She did not understand why he was so disgusted. Shanks was different from the others on the Ind of Despair. "Sister, you can''t fall for the men here. They''re horrible people." Amur was overwhelmed by emotions and grabbed her shoulders. Although he was thin and weak, he was still taller than her. Eler looked up at her brother and said, "Amur, he¡¯s different from others. Others hurt us, but Mr. Shanks would never. He treated you before... How can you forget the kindness he has shown you?" "Forget? Sister, you''re the one who has forgotten!" Amur was irritable seeing that he could not persuade her to change her mind. He turned around and kicked the wall a few times. Months of training had made Amur stronger. He could see cracks in the bricks. "Amur, what are you doing?!" Eler immediately grabbed his arm. If Abel saw Amur acting like this, he would be locked up. Amur''s face was contorted with rage. He turned to look at Eler and said," Have you forgotten that our parents died because of the poisonous gas? Aside from Mr. Shanks, who else do you think has the capability to create that poisonous gas?" When Abel led the mobsters to attack the vige, he took away all the youngborers. Hethen ordered for the remaining middle-aged and elderlyborers to be locked in a house where poisonous gas was released. Their parents were also inside that house... Eler was taken back. She said, "Mr. Shanks'' drugs are used to save people. N?velDrama.Org content. The poisonous gas may have been created by others..." Amur was disappointed that Eler was obsessively siding with Shanks. "On the entire ind, he is the only one with that ability." ''Others? Does she think that the blockheaded mercenaries have the ability to create poisonous gas?¡¯ "That¡¯s impossible..." Eler still refused to believe him. "I created it." Out of the blue, Shanks'' voice sounded. Eler and Amur turned to look at him. Eler¡¯s face was pale. She could not believe what she just heard. "Mr. Shanks, how could you?" "The poison gas you''re talking about is indeed my creation. I prefer to study drugs that can killpared to those that can save lives." Shanks'' blue pupils were motionless and reminded Eler of a bottomless abyss. She was unsure whether what he said was the truth. Eler took two steps back, her eyes filled with despair. She could not believe that she had fallen for a murderer. Amur was shaking uncontrobly. His hands curled into fists, and he wanted to kill Shanks. Bianca opened the door of the room and looked at Eler and Amur with a cold expression. When Amur was about to lose control, she said slowly," Eler, Amur,e in." Amur was stunned. His mind was filled with thoughts of revenge, but Bianca¡¯s words snapped him out of it. Eler turned around, held Amur''s hand, and rushed into the room. After they walked in, Bianca nodded slightly and shut the door without bothering about Shanks. Shanks looked at the brown iron door, then turned and walked toward the researchb. In the room, Eler broke down. She squatted in a corner and silently cried while covering her face. Bianca ignored her. Her gaze fell on Amur, who was still clenching his fists. She said, "Do you think you can beat Shanks up just after a few months of training?" Amur''s body shook, and he stood up straight in an instant. His clenched fists loosened and tightened again and again. Bianca shook her head. Amur was blinded by hatred and could only think about the poisonous gas that killed his parents. He failed to see the bigger picture. She said, "Amur, even without Shanks, your parents would''ve still died. When Abel attacked your vige, he had already nned to deal with those who stood in his way. Shanks is not the only one you should me." As an outsider, she was well aware of Abel''s wickedness. If Abel wanted to kill someone, he would do it no matter the cost-even if it meant risking his life. Amur loosened his fists and stood there weakly. His head drooped, and he felt like a desperate loser. He was burning with rage earlier and eager to avenge his parents, so he chose Shanks as his primary target. One of the reasons was because Shanks was the creator of the poisonous gas. The other reason was that Shanks looked gentle and weak, so he thought that Shanks would not be able to fend for himself. However, Bianca knew that one should never judge a book by its cover. Shanks may appear gentle, but if Bianca had not appeared just now, Amur might have alreadynded a punch and things would have taken a turn for the worse. Maybe Shanks would have killed him, which would then drag Bianca and Eler down with him. "Miss, I''m sorry." Amur apologized. Bianca''s words made him realize that his enemy was Abel, while Shanks and the others were just his tools. Even if the tools were dealt with, he may not be able to get the pleasure of revenge. Bianca said, "I¡¯m d you¡¯re seeing things clearly now. The training that you¡¯re receiving during this period is not for you to exact your revenge now. You''re not strong enough, and people who are not strong enough should not be thinking about revenge. It''ll only lead to meaningless sacrifices. Take a breather and think about you and Eler. Amur, you have a long way to go. You need to get stronger." Chapter 1081 Chapter 1081 Don''t You Want To See Luke? Bianca did not want to be involved, but if there was no one to guide Eler and Amur, they would fall into a bottomless abyss. She said so much in hopes that Amur would not push himself into a corner. Amur''s current physique and skills were far from enough to escape this ce. Amur nodded, bent over, and said, "Miss, I understand." Bianca nced at Eler, who was still crying. She nodded and said, "It''s time for lunch. Go have something to eat." Amur nced at Eler and nodded. "I''ll bring both of you some food." "Okay, thank you." Bianca thanked him. After Amur left, Bianca sat on the edge of the bed and silently watched Eler. Eler cried for a long time before noticing that Bianca was staring at her. She silently wiped her tears away. "Miss..." She felt like breaking down again as soon as she spoke. Seeing her tears falling uncontrobly, Bianca grabbed some tissue and handed them to her. Don''t cry. Love isplicated but you''ll figure it out eventually." "Miss, have you experienced this before?" Eler asked with her eyes red from crying. ''A crush?'' Bianca thought of Luke, and the corners of her mouth rose slightly. When she was in high school, she thought that their love would lead to a dead-end, but they eventually made it to where they were. "Yes, I have," she nodded and said, "Eler, don''t worry about it so much. You still have a long way to go. Who knows what will happen in the future?" Eler sat next to her and said, "The saddest thing to me is that Mr. Shanks, whom I always thought was kind, would actually do such a thing." Bianca patted her head. She understood that this was something every teenager would go through. "You¡¯ll learn from this experience. You have to be strong. Amur still needs your protection." Eler thought of her brother and nodded. "Thank you, Miss." She was well aware of her younger brother''s temper. If it were not for Bianca, he might have already made a move on Shanks. There must be a reason why Shanks managed to stay on the Ind of Despair for so long. Apart from his excellent medical skills, he might have other abilities. Bianca smiled when she saw that Eler had slowly snapped out of it. She looked at the markings she made on the wall. ''I have to get out of here and return to Luke¡¯s side so that I can apany our children as they grow up. When Rainie grows up, she might face the same troubles as Eler.¡¯ Luke would not be able to understand teenage crushes, so how would he advise their children on what to do? Bianca felt a pain in her heart as she thought about it. She had missed out on too much of their lives and did not want to miss out on more. Eler looked at Bianca''s peaceful expression and sighed. She hugged her while saying, "Miss, did I remind you of something that makes you sad?" "I have a young daughter. One day, she¡¯ll grow up to be your age and maybe she''ll face the same troubles." Bianca gently touched her head. "Eler, do you think I can see my family again?" "Definitely!" Eler hugged her even tighter. This was the first time she was hugging Bianca. After what had happened, she thought of Bianca as a big sister who would help her find her way through life. Bianca chuckled softly. ''Yeah, sure.'' The next day. 1 Bianca went to the training ground alone. Shanks stood there and raised an eyebrow when he did not see Eler. "Where''s Eler?" "She''s not interested in medicine, so she went along with Amur to the other training ground," she replied, standing in position. Eler was not sure how much Shanks had heard yesterday, but whether he heard about her crush or not, she decided to avoid him. Although Bianca did not agree with her decision, she respected her wishes. It just so happened that Abel did not have any objections, so Eler and Amur went fortraining together. Shanks nodded and remained expressionless as he said, "Let''s start. Move that stool over there." Bianca saw a stool near the wall and looked at him with some doubt. "It''s for you," Shanks said. Pregnant women like Bianca were prone to fatigue, and her feet might swell if she stood for a long time. N?velDrama.Org content. Bianca walked over, moved the stool, and sat down. Shanks began his lecture. Bianca listened carefully and jotted down everything he said. Her gut feeling told her that this information would be useful someday. For several days in a row, Shanks was Bianca''s teacher. One day after ss, Bianca was about to leave when she saw Abel standing by the door. "Bianca, I have something I want to show you." Abel grinned and walked over. Bianca looked at his ill-intentioned smile and had no interest in what he had to say. She said with a cold expression, "I¡¯m not interested." "Don''t you want to see Luke?" Abel was shaking the phone in his hand. Bianca paused and looked at him warily. "What did you do to him?" "I didn''t do anything. Don''t worry, he¡¯s fine. And..." Abel deliberately stopped midway through his sentence. "And what?" Bianca could not maintain her usual calmness whenever Luke was mentioned. "And... he¡¯s having the time of his life." Abel turned on the phone, zoomed in on a photo, and handed it to her. The man in the photo was Luke. He was lying there with his eyes closed. His clothes were stripped off and a woman was lying on his chest. The woman''s face looked familiar. Bianca felt sick. Before she realized who the woman was, her eyes rolled to the back and she fainted. Abel moved quickly and carried her into his arms before she fell to the floor. He looked at her closed eyes and frowned fiercely as he uttered," What the hell?! She fainted just like that?" Shanks looked at Bianca, who had passed out, and shifted his usatory gaze to Abel. Abel understood what he meant and said innocently, "I didn''t know she¡¯s so weak." "Nuisance." Shanks walked out. Abel stuffed the phone into his pocket, carried Bianca, and caught up with him. "She¡¯s usually so stubborn and tough. It''s kind of interesting that she fainted when she saw the photo." "Abel, she''s a pregnant woman." Shanks reminded him. "So what? Whether Bianca is pregnant or not, it wouldn''t change her personality." Abel thought that she would argue fiercely after seeing the photo, but unexpectedly, she fainted without saying a word. ''How boring...'' "It''s easy for pregnant women to get too emotional." Shanks pushed the door open. Abel ced Bianca on the bed and said, "Tsk, how disappointing." Shanks ignored his perversion and sat on the side of the bed to check her pulse. After a while, his hand was still resting on her pulse. Seeing him maintain the same position for so long, Abel asked impatiently, "How''s she doing?" "She got too emotional just now and there''s a risk of miscarriage. You can¡¯t trigger her anymore." Shanks retracted his hand and frowned as he looked at Bianca''s frail body. Pregnant women would gain weight as their baby grew, but Bianca was getting thinner. Previously, he did not think too much about it seeing as the baby was still fine. Chapter 1082 Chapter 1082 Miscarriage As a pregnant woman, Bianca was too frail. Shanks had to take it seriously now that she was at risk of a miscarriage after being triggered. Abel was not anxious when he heard that the child in Bianca''s stomach was in danger. He leaned against the wall and whistled, feeling a little triumphant. "What a weakling." Shanks'' hands were in his coat pockets as he looked at the woman lying on the bed. He said with a nk expression, "Do you want to keep the baby? "Of course," Abel replied without even thinking about it. "Keeping the baby will be more troublesome," Shanks said as he knew that Bianca''s body would be affected after going through these near-misses. Abel shrugged his shoulders and acted indifferently. "It doesn''t matter how troublesome it is as long as I can control Bianca." Eler walked into the room and was stunned when she saw what was going on. She looked up at Shanks and asked, "What happened to Miss?" Shanks did not answer her. Since Abel was sure that he wanted to keep the child, all he had to do was follow his instructions. He said to Eler, "Go to my researchb and bring the blue box over." "Huh?" Eler was dazed and looked at him quizzically. She wanted to avoid him but did not expect to meet him so soon. At that moment, her mind was all over the ce and she was not sure how to react. Shanks saw her dumbfounded reaction and said, "If you don''t want her to be in trouble, go get my blue box now." He had specially prepared a box full of medical equipment for pregnant women because of Bianca. "Ah, yes!" Eler nced at Bianca who had fainted, then turned and ran out. She found the box that Shanks mentioned, picked it up, and ran back. "Mr. Shanks, please save Miss." Eler looked anxious and pleaded with him. Shanks opened the box and took out the equipment inside. He raised his gaze, nced at Abel and Eler, and ordered, "Both of you, get out." Abel replied with a hum and turned around to leave. Eler stood there and looked anxiously at Bianca. "Mr. Shanks, Miss will be fine, right?" "Your presence will only disrupt my treatment," Shanks said as he put on his gloves. When Eler heard this, she dared not to stand around any longer. She turned around and walked out. Shanks began to treat Bianca. Eler waited anxiously outside the door. After an hour, Shanks walked out. "Mr. Shanks, is Miss..." Shanks took off his gloves, his blue eyes darkening as he said, "She¡¯s okay for the time being.¡± Eler breathed a sigh of relief. Shanks continued talking, "She''s still undergoing infusion therapy. Go and check in on her. You can remove the needle when she''s doing better.¡± "Okay." Eler was ill at ease. After all, Bianca was fine in the morning but fainted a few short hourster. "Do you know how to remove the needle?" Shanks asked again. Eler felt his gaze and blushed. She nodded and replied, "I know how to do it." "Okay." Shanks retracted his gaze and walked to the researchb. Abel had been waiting in the researchb with his legs on the coffee table. There were a few human specimens beside him. He asked, "How¡¯s she doing?" ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Shanks gave him a cold stare and said, "If you continue to torture her, she''ll not be far from death." Abel had no guilt nor worry. It was as though Bianca''s life and death did not matter to him. "What a weakling." Shanks put the box aside and replied, "She''s weak." "She has to give birth to this child. Thank you for your hard work," Abel said while handing him some documents, "This is the contract I signed with Capital Corp." "It''s done?" Shanks knew that Abel wanted to start a pharmaceuticalpany. He would be in charge of research and development. "It¡¯s done. There''ll be arge sum of funds." Abel smiled with satisfaction. With Capital Corp¡¯s support, he could make a profit from both ends. "Once the patent has been applied for and approved, the company will be immediately established." Shanks sat in a chair and looked through the documents Abel had brought over. Abel waited patiently. After Shanks was done reading them, he said, "I won¡¯t be involved with thepany. My role is just to provide the formtions." "No problem. Do pay more attention to Bianca." Abel stood up with a satisfied expression and left the researchb. The other side. Eler watched over Bianca. She waited until it was dark. Only then did Bianca wake up. "Eler?" Bianca looked at the person beside the bed and said with a weak voice. "Miss, you''re awake!" Eler was surprised and happy. She stood up and looked at Bianca, then said tearfully, "You nearly scared me to death." Bianca''s expression turned sour. She touched her belly and said, "What''s wrong with me?" "You fainted and..." Eler paused. She knew that she cared about her baby. Although the baby was saved, she was not sure if telling her about the danger earlier might trigger her. "And what?!" Bianca grabbed her clothes suddenly. ''Did something happen to my baby?'' Eler said, "You were at risk of a miscarriage but Mr. Shanks treated you and the baby is safe now. However, you''ll have to be on bed rest for theing week..." Bianca was relieved to find out that her baby was okay. "Miss, why did you suddenly faint?" Eler asked curiously. "Don¡¯t worry about it." Bianca nced at the time and realized that it was already eight o''clock in the evening. It was probably midnight in A City... Luke and the kids should be asleep. "Miss..." Eler felt her sadness. "I''m a little hungry." Bianca changed the topic and did not want Eler to ask any more questions. "Okay, I''ll go to the kitchen and reheat this for you." Eler nodded, stood up, and left with the meal that she had prepared for Bianca. Biancay still in bed, her stomach still hurting. She had two children, so she knew why she was feeling like this. She was so frail that she fainted when she saw that photo of Luke. ''That photo...'' Bianca frowned slightly as she tried to remember the photo. ''Who''s that woman?* It was unfortunate that she fainted before she could see the photo clearly. She was not able to identify the woman after just a nce. However, she believed that Luke was not that kind of person. Even so, Bianca did not feel relieved. She did not know how Abel got his hands on such a photo. Regardless of whether the photo was real, it meant that he had started making a move on Luke. "Luke, I hope you''re safe," Bianca said while grabbing her clothes. A City. The atmosphere in Crawford Manor was awkward. Luke sat on the sofa, expressionless. Sitting across from him was Old Master Crawford, and next to him was Maxine, who was crying. "Luke, what the hell is going on?" Old Master Crawford said with a cold expression. The deep wrinkles on his face made him appear more serious than he was. "Nothing happened," Luke uttered these two words. He did not even look at Maxine, who was by his side. "Luke, how can you say that?" Maxine''s face was flushed, and she covered her face. Chapter 1083 Chapter 1083 New Mother Luke stared daggers at her as soon as she said that. Maxine paused and kept the rest of what she wanted to say to herself. His gaze was spine-chilling. It reminded her of a demon from hell that was capable of silently killing anyone. She felt scared, but she had no regrets. The night before, she found the opportunity to spike Luke''s wine with the drug that Shanks gave her. Things went well. After he drank it, he passed out. Maxine then sent him to the hotel, took the photo that Abel requested, and kept a copy for herself. She deliberately did it so that Luke would get the wrong impression. However, she did not expect that when he woke up the next day, he did not react and even treated her as though she was invisible. Maxine was beyond furious, so she came to Old Master Crawford in hopes that he would be on her side. Susan was just enjoying the drama. When she saw that Maxine was so scared that she immediately kept quiet after being stared at by Luke, Susan said mockingly, "Luke, how could you do something like this? As part of the Crawford family, I need to say something. We¡¯re still unsure if Bianca is alive yet you did such a thing to this poor girl. What are you going to do?" "Mom!" Louis tugged at her sleeve. Susan did not want Luke to marry Maxine. However, when she was presented with such a good opportunity to ridicule Luke, she naturally would not let it go. She red at her son, shook him off, and said, "You can consider getting married, but seeing that we have yet to hear anything about Bianca, you won¡¯t be able to get a divorce just yet. If you can¡¯t get divorced, it won¡¯t be an easy task handling the Dous family." "Are you done talking?!" Old Master Crawford said and felt disgusted with Susan from the bottom of his heart. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Susan picked on her nails as she said, "I''m justying out the facts. Luke''s mother is in jail. As his elder, I have the responsibility to give him advice! Else, our family might be the center of gossip!" "Shut up!" Old Master Crawford could not stand it any longer and yelled at Susan. "Maxine, what do you want? I''ll redress the bnce for you!" He looked at the crying woman. Although he was not a fan of Maxine, he knew that Luke was in the wrong this time. On top of that, the Dous family was powerful. Old Master Crawford had to be fair and just to avoid conflict from happening. Maxine looked at Luke timidly and deliberately acted like she was at a loss. "Luke, don''t deny that we-" "It¡¯s my body, I would know if I had done it." Luke finished speaking and stood up. "Miss Dous, if you insist that we slept together, please show some evidence." "Isn¡¯t that photo enough?" Maxine blushed and stood her ground. That photo was enough to prove that they were together that night. She had even put in the effort to leave some love marks. "All it proves is that we shared a bed," Luke said in disgust. He was certain that he had not done anything that night. "You..." Maxine did not expect him to say that. "You wouldn''t be able to take a photo if I were conscious." Luke remembered that he had passed out after drinking just a ss of wine. He could hold his liquor fairly well, so the only exnation was that Maxine had spiked the wine. "You weren''t sober, that''s why you thought that I was Bianca and did those things. Luke, I don''t need you to take responsibility, but it¡¯s not fair that you¡¯re ming everything on me. You''re hurting me." Maxine acted like a victim. "If I did it, I''ll take responsibility for it." Luke put his hands in his pockets and disyed the aura of a champion as he said, "But only if you have more evidence to show." "You mean you''ll only believe me if I¡¯m pregnant?" Maxine did not expect him to be so difficult. If she knew he would be like this, she would have left immediately after taking the photo to avoid so manyplications. However, she was so obsessed with him that she thought doing this would mean she could get her hands on Luke... Maxine regretted it, but at this juncture, she had to grit her teeth and insist that they had slept together. "You won¡¯t get pregnant." Luke''s deep gaze that was as sharp as a knife fell on her face. "Because I didn¡¯t sleep with you." "Luke!" Old Master Crawford frowned. As an elder, he was ashamed that Luke was still denying it even though there was a photo. "Grandpa, if Miss Dous can provide more evidence, I¡¯ll dly take responsibility for it," Luke said, "I''m heading upstairs to check on the kids." After he said that, he went upstairs without looking back. Susan picked up the teacup, pretentiously took a sip, and said with a smile, "Look, this is Allison¡¯s good son. Sure enough, the apple doesn''t fall far from the tree." "Isn¡¯t this enough of a sh*tshow for you?" Old Master Crawford stared at her and thought that Susan¡¯s presence was nothing but trouble. When something major happened, she would never be on the same side as them. "Dad, what I''m telling you is the truth. Maxine, don''t be too sad. It¡¯s unfortunate that you met Luke. If he doesn''t admit it, you should just assume it didn''t happen," Susan said gleefully. Maxine stood up, stomped her feet, and said to them, "I¡¯m not lying to you!¡± "Maxine, I¡¯ll be fair to you in this matter." Old Master Crawford held the photo and nned to find someone to examine it. If the photo was real, he had to give the Dous family an exnation. If the photo was fake, there would be no need for that. "Grandpa, it''s all true..." Maxine emphasized again, acting pitiful. "I know. It''ste, you should head back." Old Master Crawford wanted her gone because he had a headache looking at her. Maxine knew Old Master Crawford''s ns. The evidence she showed was real, so she was not afraid of having it examined. Hence, she nodded and turned to leave. Upstairs. Luke checked on Tommy and Rainie to make sure they were both asleep. Then, he walked into nche''s bedroom. The lights were still on in the bedroom. nche sat on the bed. He was wide awake. "Why aren''t you sleeping?" Luke walked in and sat on the edge of the bed. "Dad, is what Aunt Maxine saying true?" nche asked. Although the adults had sent them back to the bedroom when they were discussing it, he noticed that something was wrong and stood by the stairs to eavesdrop. He had heard everything. He did not understand a lot of the vocabry, but what he got out of it was that his father was involved with Maxine. "It¡¯s not true.¡± Luke touched his head. "I love your mother, so I won''t do anything to wrong her." "Mommy may note back." Although nche oftenforted his crying siblings, he did not hold much hope in his heart. "A ssmate of mine lost his mother, and soon his father found him a new mother. Daddy... Rainie, Tommy, and I don¡¯t want a new mother," he said seriously, not wanting Maxine to be their new mother. Chapter 1084 Chapter 1084 I Only Have One Wife Luke looked at his son seriously. The light shone on his childish face, highlighting his serious expression. He touched his son¡¯s face and said, "I have only one wife and you only have one mother. Her name is Bianca." Since high school, his heart had always belonged to Bianca. Even when they were not together, he still cared a lot about her and silently paid attention to what she was doing. Luke never thought about starting a new rtionship even when she went to study abroad after the twins were born. Luke and Bianca were soul mates. Once they were in each other¡¯s lives, they were destined to be involved for a lifetime. The connection they had would never be forgotten. "Daddy, do you love Mommy?" nche asked again. He loved his family a lot and did not want to be separated from them for even a moment. "I love her," Luke nodded and said. His love for her was not the superficial kind but the kind that was etched deeply in his soul. nche smiled, the worry in his eyes vanishing as hey down and obediently covered himself with the nket. Luke tucked him in and said, "Go to bed." "Okay, Daddy, good night." nche closed his eyes. Ever since Bianca was kidnapped, the task of putting them to bed had fallen on Luke. After the child was asleep, Luke turned off the lights and walked out of the bedroom. Old Master Crawford stood there waiting for him with his cane. "Grandpa." Luke closed the door and stood in the hallway, his gaze looking deep. Old Master Crawford said, "Tomorrow, I''ll get someone to verify the authenticity of the photo." "The photo is real," Luke said. There was no need for authentication. When he woke up the morning before, he knew that this would happen the moment he saw Maxine lying by his side. It was his carelessness that led to him falling prey to her schemes. He did not want to drink at home so that the kids would not see him, hence he went to the bar to drink to relieve his lovesickness. Unfortunately, that gave her a chance to take advantage of him. Old Master Crawford''s cloudy eyes widened as he said, "The photo is real, so how are you going to exin it to the Dous family?" "Grandpa, don''t worry about this," Luke said. "The Dous family is going toe over to make a scene, so how can I not worry?" Old Master Crawford was an astute man. When he saw Maxine leave, he knew that it was a matter of time before the Dous family came over to cause trouble. ¡¯Til take care of this." Luke walked to the door of his bedroom, paused, and stood there as he assured Old Master Crawford. "I didn¡¯t do anything that would wrong Bea." Old Master Crawford sighed when he saw Luke firmly denying having slept with Maxine. ''Even if Luke ims that he did not sleep with Maxine, she has photographic evidence. What evidence does he have?'' If they used the photo to insist on it, Luke would be at a disadvantage. He shook his head helplessly. Allison was already in jail, but she still gave the Crawford family trouble. Old Master Crawford walked back to his bedroom with his cane. He knew that Luke might not hear the end of it after provoking someone like Maxine. Old Master Crawford was right. Two dayster, Irving Dous brought his wife, Verona Smythe, and Maxine to Crawford Manor. They came with a clear motive-to get an exnation from Luke. Seeing them appear, Old Master Crawford had no choice but to smile and entertain them. He asked the housekeeper to call Luke downstairs. "Here''s some tea, enjoy," Old Master Crawford said after the servant made the tea. Verona snorted coldly and looked unfriendly. After all, the two of them never had a good impression of Luke. When they heard that their daughter was taken advantage of by him and Luke refused to be held ountable, she naturally was not in a good mood. Compared to Verona''s cold attitude, Irving seemed neutral about it. After all, the Crawford family was well-to-do. It was an opportunity for their twopanies to join forces and create an empire. It was not the best idea to burn all bridges now. He picked up the teacup, raised it to Old Master Crawford to show his respect, and drank the tea. Old Master Crawford smiled and looked at Maxine. He thought to himself that Maxine seemed different from thest few times he saw her. ''What happened to her?'' When Old Master Crawford was staring at Maxine, she remembered the old man''s ns for the photo she had shown. She asked, "Old Master Crawford, I trust that you''ve gotten someone to authenticate the photo and found that it''s real.¡± "The photo is real," Old Master Crawford said. With this photo, their family was at a disadvantage. "I wouldn''t lie." Maxine lowered her gaze slightly, but the corners of her mouth could not help but raise into a smile. With this photo and her parents, Luke and the Crawford family would have to give her an exnation. When she was convincing her parents toe, she had gotten scolded. Verona ranted on and on, not understanding why she did it. However, what was done could not be undone. She and Irving could onlye here and provide her with a helping hand. Luke came downstairs with nche following closely behind. After he knew that the Dous family was here, he went and pestered Luke as he was worried that Maxine would snatch his father away. Luke knew about his thoughts and took him with him. The servant said, "Old Master, Young Master is here," Maxine raised her gaze and turned her head. When she saw Luke lead nche toward them, a look of admiration shed through her eyes. Irving also turned his head and looked at Luke. Capital Corp had no contact with the Crawford family before this, so it was his first time seeing Luke in person. Luke was more outstanding in person than in magazines and newspapers. No wonder Maxine had fallen in love at first sight. Verona looked at him and somehow understood why her daughter insisted on being with this man. Putting her prejudices aside, Luke was indeed excellent and notparable to ordinary men. Luke sat on the sofa at the side, ced nche on hisp, and greeted them, "Mr. and Mrs. Dous, nice to meet you." He did not bother to look at Maxine nor greet her. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Maxine was a little embarrassed. His attitude was neither humble nor arrogant. Verona, who felt like she did not receive the respect she deserved, was fuming. He refused to admit that he had slept with Maxine, and as a junior, he was so disrespectful toward them. If it were not for her daughter insisting, she would never agree no matter how excellent the other party was. Capital Corp was more than capable of finding a better husband for Maxine, but their daughter was so stubborn that they could not do anything about it. Irving''s opinion was different from Verona''s. He looked at Luke with some admiration. "Mr. Crawford, we¡¯re all businessmen, so let¡¯s not waste each other''s time. We¡¯re here today to talk about your rtionship with Maxine. You did such a thing, so you should be responsible for her." Irving went straight to the point. Maxine did not expect her father to be so direct. Luke was not someone who would give in when pushed to a corner. She looked at Luke anxiously. Chapter 1085 Chapter 1085 Where Did The Drug Come From? Luke''s expression did not change one bit when faced with Irving''s urging. His gaze was cold, and he did not have the attitude they thought he should have considering he had done something wrong. "Butler, go to the study and get the ck folder on the table,¡± Luke calmly ordered the butler. The others in the living room were confused. "Yes." The butler was not sure of his intentions but went upstairs at his orders. "Luke...¡± Old Master Crawford thought he was being abrupt and impolite. "Grandpa, I¡¯m telling you that I didn''t do anything to Miss Dous. As a matter of fact, mywyer thinks that she has caused harm to my body." Luke''s expression was cold. He held nche tightly in his arms. nche kept quiet when the adults were conversing because he believed in his father. Irving''s expression changed a little when he heard Luke''s words. He had looked at him with admiration a second ago, but now, he was fuming. ''Maxine harmed him? It takes two hands to p! How could he say such things about my baby girl?'' Before Irving could say anything, Verona stepped in. "Luke, Maxine is the one who was vited. How could you bite back at her like that? Do you think that you''re being reasonable?" "Miss Dous knows in her heart whether she was vited." Luke leaned on the sofa, his royalty-like aura could not be ignored. Verona had a cold expression and did not care that there was a child here. She said in a sharp tone, "Old Master Crawford, it seems that Luke thinks that Maxine is in the wrong? Our family is indeed in the wrong. We should have demanded Allison to have a tighter grip on her baby boy!" When Old Master Crawford heard it, he frowned and felt disgusted. ''When Allison was in trouble, the Dous family had no interest in helping. Who do they think they are to say such things now?'' Luke''s expression remained unchanged when he listened to them talk about Allison. He knew that she was mocking him. nche, who was sitting in his arms, shifted around ufortably. Luke touched his head and motioned him to calm down. nche was his own person, so it was normal for him to feel uneasy when he heard that. The butler handed Luke the ck folder and asked, "Young Master, is this one?" "Yeah." Luke did not take it but raised his chin and said, "Hand the folder to Mr. Dous." Upon hearing this, the butler respectfully handed the folder. Irving had a sour expression and opened the folder to see what Luke was upto. In the folder, there was a blood test report filled with medical terms. He was a businessman, so he did not understand much of the content. "Mr. Dous, the doctor¡¯s diagnosis is at the end of the report," Luke said. Irving skipped the obscure test report and went directly to thest page. He quickly read the doctor''s diagnosis, and when he was done, his face turned pale. Luke said, "I woke up that morning and went to the hospital for a blood test. The report shows that the CNOOC residue in my blood sample contained a drug that hadn''t been dposed. The drug is strong, and a small amount will cause one to pass out. One¡¯s bodily functions would be almost in a static state, so how could I have done what Miss Dous imed I did?" Maxine''s face turned pale as she immediately said, "How could it be? You were fine that day! You were drunk but not unconscious." "The hospital has my blood samples. If you don''t believe me, you can take a sample and go to the hospital that you trust for a reexamination." Luke curled his lips and looked at Maxine coldly. The report only came out yesterday. If he had gotten his hands on it a few days earlier, Maxine would not have gotten the chance to bring her parents here to nder him. Maxine''s body felt weak and she could only sit there while mumbling, "It''s impossible..." "The hospital is still running tests on my blood sample because theposition of this drug is very rare. It''s very different from the drugs found on the ck market. They''re also curious as to where the drug came from." Luke''s ruthless gaze fell on Maxine. ''How did she get her hands on drugs that are not even on the ck market? Irving¡¯s expression was bitter. He turned to look at his daughter and knew that what Luke said was the truth after seeing Maxine¡¯s pale face. Verona snatched the report in her husband''s hand and looked at it. After reading it, she said, "These reports can be forged!" "The chief of police can help me prove that this report is true. When my blood was drawn for examination, I asked him to film and notarize it." Luke knew that Maxine was plotting against him, so he made sure that he covered his grounds after the incident. "Miss Dous..." He asked the pale woman, "A lot of people are curious about where the drug is from." "How would I know?" Maxine shook her hands and tried to act innocent. "How could you not know?" Luke sneered. "You came into contact with that ss of wine. You were the one who spiked me, so let me ask again, where did the druge from?" "I don''t know what you''re talking about." Maxine quickly shook her head. She felt bitter as she did not expect him to cover all grounds. All she could do at this point was to deny it. "I saw you falling near the bar, so I brought you to the hotel. But I didn''t expect-" "With this particr drug''s effects, I wouldn''t have been able to do anything. Miss Dous, when will you stop insisting that we slept together? " Luke looked at her pale appearance and said without any pity. "Luke..." Maxine pursed her lips, looking pitiful. She tried to fend for herself and said, "I really didn¡¯t-" "You scratched me with your fingers and left marks on my body too, didn''t you?" Luke felt disgusted at the thought that her hands had touched his chest. ?l n "The police have already taken some photos. If you still insist that we slept together, then I think it¡¯s necessary for me to find awyer and sue you for defamation and assault. Miss Dous, it wouldn¡¯t be your first time in a police station. I¡¯m sure you''d feel at home there when you''re locked up for a few days." Luke warned her. He was not too bothered with this. After all, his full attention was on finding Bianca. However, if Maxine continued to provoke him like this, he would have to make a move. ''Stupid woman, do you think you can nder me?!¡¯ "I really didn''t, I didn''t..." Seeing that she could not get out of this, Maxine was flustered and did not know what to do to bring this matter to an end.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. She did not want to go to the police station. If the policeunched an investigation and found something, that would be it for her. I¡¯m sorry." Irving interrupted her cries and solemnly apologized to Luke." Mr. Crawford, it''s my fault for not teaching my daughter how to behave. I''m sincerely sorry that she has brought you so much trouble!" Chapter 1086 Chapter 1086 Pharmaceutical Company '' What are you doing?" Verona did not understand why her husband was apologizing. To her, it was not a serious matter. If Luke really pursued the matter, the worst-case scenario would be to go to court. They most definitely could afford to hire a famouswyer. "Shut up!" Irving felt ashamed. Originally, he thought it would be great to build a rtionship with the Crawford family, but he did not expect that this was all plotted by his own daughter from beginning to end. As her father, he ended up being used by her! Verona wanted to express her dissatisfaction, but seeing that Irving''s expression had turned ugly, she held herself back. She red at Luke, stood up, and took Maxine''s hand. "Let''s go." ¡¯Mom..." Maxine did not want to leave, but she had no choice considering how awkward the situation was. Haven''t you embarrassed us enough?" Irving also wanted to leave. He had lost all his dignity and stared at her fiercely. ''Spiking someone''s drink and taking an indecent photo just to nder them?! What kind of women would do such things?! How shameful!¡¯ Moreover, if Luke was not exaggerating, the drug''s origin was unknown. After being red at, Maxine stood up reluctantly. Her tears were still falling and she looked pitiful, but she could not gain any sympathy points from Luke. The hard work she had put in over the past few months was in vain. She felt somewhat hesitant to ept this. Verona took her daughter away. Irving apologized to Luke again and then left with his wife and daughter. When they got to the entrance, Luke slowly said, "Miss Dous, you should think about how to exin where the drug came from. The police have deployed a team to look into this drug and are preparing to make it a high- priority investigation." He did not experience any side effects from this drug, but it was a new type of drug and since the police knew about it, it was impossible for them to ignore it. Maxine felt as though a thunderbolt had struck her head. If the police investigated this and found that she was involved, she would be in deep trouble. Even though she was unwilling, Maxine immediately hurried to leave. Seeing that the farce was finally over, Old Master Crawford breathed a sigh of relief and nced at his grandson. He ranted, "Why didn''t you bring this report out sooner?" "The report came out yesterday," Luke said. Old Master Crawford asked curiously, "What you said is true?" "Yeah." Luke picked nche up, put him on the floor, and touched his head. He said, "I told you that there''s nothing to worry about, right?" ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. nche was relieved to know that his dad had not wronged Mommy. He nodded and said with a thumbs up, "You''re awesome!" Luke touched his head. ''If I''m awesome, Maxine wouldn''t have been able to take advantage of me.'' He stood up, took his son¡¯s hand, and said, "Let''s go. You need to do your homework." "Okay, Daddy." nche nodded obediently as the duo went upstairs together. Old Master Crawford was still sitting on the sofa, staring at the ck folder. ''Maxine is just a woman, and the Dous family are also proper businesspeople. I have never heard about them getting involved in the underworld. How did she get this kind of drug?1 After this incident, Old Master Crawford was even more dissatisfied with Maxine. Before that, he had a pretty good impression of Maxine and even thought that if Luke gave up on Bianca someday, Maxine would be a good choice. However, at this moment, he no longer liked her at all. A scheming woman as such was not suitable to be the mistress of the Crawford family. Susan Armstrong and Allison Turner had given him enough headaches. In contrast, the best mistress of the Crawford family was still Bianca. Irving drove back to the hotel where they were staying. The moment they walked into the bedroom, he waved his hand and pped Maxine on the face. "Ah!" Maxine screamed while covering her face. He did not hold back with that p. Her face instantly became red and swollen. "What are you doing?! Are you crazy? Why are you hitting our child?" Verona felt distressed. Maxine was her youngest daughter and also her favorite child. "Why do you think I hit her? I worked so hard to bring her up and in the end, look at what a fool she has be!" Irving''s chest rose and fell, his face flushed because of anger. "It''s a trivial matter, do you have to go so far? We''ve never been involved with the Crawford family, so this isn¡¯t a big deal and no one will know about it. Why are you reacting like this?" Verona''s heart ached as she looked at her daughter whose eyes were red from crying. She raised her hands and said in a soft voice, "Let me see." "Mom." Maxine carried resentment in her heart. She cried and uncovered her hand from her face, revealing her swollen face. "You¡¯re crazy! Even if she has done something wrong, you shouldn¡¯t p her!" When Verona saw that Maxine''s face was swollen, she immediately turned around and protected her by moving in front of her. Verona red at her husband. "Do you think what she did is a small matter? If Luke goes after her, she''ll bring shame to the entire Dous family!" Irving was very angry. He knew that a loving mother made a wastrel. He had sent Maxine abroad when she was young to train her to be independent. wicked. Irving was annoyed. Verona understood his point of view. She said, "The Crawford family said that they would let it go. Even if news of it breaks out, you should nevery your hands on her. She did it because she loves Luke. Those who are in love will understand." When she was young, she had also relied on tricks to seduce Irving. "Everyone knows how Luke came about. His mother is a disgusting mistress and if he dares to disclose news of this, I''ll reveal all of his mother¡¯s dirty secrets!" Verona said with a stern expression. Irving was disappointed when he saw his wife blindly defending their daughter. "You still don''t see the seriousness of the situation!" His sharp gaze fell on Maxine''s face. He did not feel sorry seeing her red cheek. "Maxine, tell me honestly. How did you get those drugs?!" "Dad, I don''t know what drug Luke was talking about. When I arrived, Luke was already lying on the bar." Maxine refused to admit it. Irving looked disappointed. "You''re not willing to tell me the truth?" "Dad, I''m telling you the truth!" Maxine was flustered. Irving was not easy to fool, so she did not dare to make up excuses nor tell the truth. "Were those drugs given to you by the pharmaceuticalpany you''re working with?" Irving remembered that she had persuaded him to invest in a pharmaceuticalpany. "That''s a proper pharmaceuticalpany. How could they be involved with drugs like that?" Maxine cried out in denial. Chapter 1087 Chapter 1087 Partnership Canceled Do you think that there''s nothing I can do if you don''t want to tell me the truth? I¡¯m canceling the partnership right now." Irving was disappointed when he saw how she refused to tell the truth. "Dad, I told you that I don''t know anything about the drug. We¡¯ve already signed the contracts, and if we back out now, we''ll lose a lot of money!" Maxine panicked when she heard that her father wanted to pull back his funds. It was a trivial matter to back out of the contract as Capital Corp could afford it, but Abel was no ordinary man. If they canceled the contract, Abel would be furious and take revenge. She would not be able to defend herself at all! Maxine had heard from Hera Sanchez that Abel was so powerful that he could make someone disappear without a trace. If such a man was unhappy and decided to go after her, she would be helpless. Maxine, what else are you hiding from me?" Irving clenched his fist. If Verona were not standing in front of Maxine, the other side of Maxine''s face would be swollen as well. He favored his youngest daughter very much, but against the reputation and fate of the Dous family, he chose thetter. Verona did not understand her husband¡¯s reaction. She defended her daughter, saying, "How is Luke''s matter rted to the pharmaceuticalpany? It¡¯s a great thing that Maxine is interested in starting a business. You should be on her side." "I¡¯ve indulged her too much and spoiled her!" Irving looked at his wife and daughter with resentment. "This is a new type of drug. Have you ever thought about how your daughter got her hands on something that''s not even on the ck market?" Verona opened her mouth. She thought about what he said and remembered what Luke had mentioned earlier. She suddenly realized the seriousness of the matter. She turned around and looked at Maxine with a serious expression. ¡® Maxine, there¡¯s no one else now. Tell us where you got the drugs from." ''I don''t know!" Maxine said firmly. She could not tell them the truth, not even if they were her own parents. Well, since you insist that you don''t know anything, you have to tell the police the same thing when they come knocking on our door." Irving was incredibly disappointed in her. He turned around and called his assistant. When Maxine heard him order his assistant to destroy the signed contract, there was a burst of despair in her heart. '' Dad..." She wanted to try to turn the situation around. Irving had a stern expression as he walked out of the room. He could not be bothered to look at her anymore. "Mom, what should I do?" Maxine could not help but throw herself into Verona''s arms while weeping. "This partnership can''t be canceled." Verona did not understand why she was reacting this way. She thought that Maxine was upset because she grew up living afortable life and had never experienced this kind of failure. Sheforted her, saying, "My dear, your father is too angry right now and that¡¯s why he¡¯s reacting as such. Don''t cry. There are a lot of opportunities in the future for investments and entrepreneurship. When your father calms down, you can find anotherpany to invest in. We¡¯ll support you." Maxine cried louder when she saw that they did not understand what she was afraid of. ''What should I do if Abeles after me?¡¯ The Ind of Despair. After Abel read Maxine''s email, his expression turned gloomy. Boss, what¡¯s the matter?" The mercenary by his side watched the cracks on the desk and gulped. If Abel pped someone, even the hardest bones would crack. Damn that woman!" Abel walked out of the office with a furious expression and went to Shanks'' researchb. "What''s the matter?" Shanks was busy working on finalizing the form. It was to apply for a patent for Abel. ''That b*tch screwed things up," Abel said with a cold expression. Shanks stopped working and looked at him. "This b*tch said that she wants to cancel the cooperation," Abel said. ¡¯I¡¯ve already started preparing for thepany. How dare she pull her funds out at this moment?!'' Shanks understood the situation and lowered his head to continue with the work at hand. "Now what?" "Now what?! Hmph, all the ns I made have been disrupted!" Abel was extremely angry. Originally, after thepany was established, they would apply for a patent and thepany could apply to be listed. However, with Maxine now out of the picture, he would not have enough funds to even establish thepany. ''They¡¯ve signed a contract with you and will have topensate for backing out of the contract. With this money, plus the money that Robert left you, it''s enough for you to start a pharmaceuticalpany," Shanks said. Abel pretended to be calm. He was well aware of Robert''s money. However, he had no intention of using that money. "If you don''t want to touch that money, you can continue looking for a partner. But if you visit the Ind of Despair so frequently, someone will find out sooner orter." Shanks reminded him. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ''If I knew this woman was so unreliable, I wouldn¡¯t havee back." Abel was confident before this. However, seeing what had happened, he had to listen to Shanks. After all, there were still people outside keeping their eyes on the Ind of Despair, so his frequent visits could lead to them being discovered. Abel left angrily. Shanks nced at the door and lowered his head to continue working on the form. They had to apply for patents for these drugs and they had to wait for Abel''spany to be established before they could conduct clinical trials. These things cost a lot of money, so it made sense for Abel to be so upset. However, the issues of funds and thepany''s operations had nothing to do with him, so Shanks calmly continued with his work. Eler stood at the door and took a deep breath before knocking on it. Shanks raised his gaze and nced at her. He pointed to the tonic on the table and said, "Take this." "Yes, Mr. Shanks." Eler was there to retrieve the tonic for Bianca. After Shanks helped her save the baby, Bianca had to take the tonic every day. Bianca was getting better every day. Eler walked into the researchb. Her heart was beating like a drum as she walked toward Shanks to pick up the tonic on the side of the table cautiously. Shen then turned and left. It was not until she got away from Shanks'' researchb that her heartbeat slowly calmed down. Eler could not look directly at Shanks after her secret was revealed. She had to constantly remind herself that she could not fall for Shanks and should not have too much eye contact with him so that her emotions would stabilize. "Sister?" Amur walked over and looked at Eler, who was suspiciously standing in the corner. "Huh?" Eler snapped out of it and looked at her brother. "What are you doing here?" Amur nced at the tonic in her hand and knew that something was wrong with her because she had just seen Shanks. Nothing." Eler shook her head and walked to Bianca''s room. Amur knew what was going on but kept it to himself. As he watched her leave, he hoped that she would be able to snap out of it. They and Shanks were not the same kind of people. Eler would not have the happy ending she hoped for with Shanks. Eler walked back to the room while holding the tonic. Bianca was sitting on the bed and reading a book. When she heard footsteps, she raised her gaze and looked at Eler. "You''re back?" Chapter 1088 Chapter 1088 Bianca Is Found Eler seemed to be in a daze. It took her a while toe to her senses after hearing Bianca''s voice. She nodded and said, "I''ve brought you the medicine, Miss." Bianca knew that she was behaving like that because she had met Shanks. "Bring it to me," she said. To ensure that the baby was safe, she tried not to get out of bed. Eler handed her the medicine. Bianca opened it and downed it withoutint. To her, the most important thing now was keeping the baby safe. By now, she had some affection for the baby. Eler brought Bianca a ss of water after Bianca finished the medicine." Please wash your mouth." Thanks," Bianca said. She finished the water and handed the ss back to Eler. Miss..." Eler wanted to say something. "Is it about Shanks?" Bianca could instantly tell what she wanted to say. ¡¯Mm. I think that I''m useless." Eler was dejected. Bianca sighed. "Useless" was not the correct term to describe someone in love, but she had to admit that Eler fell in love with the wrong person. "Come and read with me, Eler." Bianca did notfort Eler, but instead, she pointed at the books next to the bed. Amur had helped her obtain those books; most of them were in Russian, and she had to read them slowly with the help of a dictionary. Eler thought that Bianca would offer her some words offort, but Bianca had asked her to read instead. She could see that Bianca was focused on her book, so she did not want to disturb her with rtionship matters. Everyone had something that troubled them, and no one was obligated to listen to other people''s troubles. Eler sat down beside Bianca and started reading too. In A City, winter came and left. Spring passed, and soon, it was summer. Crisp green buds were thriving on the branches that extended into the balcony. Luke was standing there. He seemed dejected like an old man. Nothing seemed to cheer him up. Bianca had been missing for nine months. Nothing eventful happened in that time, nor did he manage to find her. She seemed to have disappeared without leaving a trace behind. The police had given up on the search, and he stopped receiving any replies to his announcements. Even so, Luke did not give up on the search. He reached out and snapped the twig. "Where are you, Bea?" He mumbled softly. His phone rang. Luke crushed the twig in his hand and tossed it on the floor, then answered the call. "Speak." Boss, our men seem to have found Madam..." Jason sounded agitated over the call. He dared not speak confidently in case the person was not Bianca and Luke med him for it. Luke''s gaze turned profound. He paused there for a moment. He had heard the same line many times. Despite every search ending in disappointment, he never gave up hope every time he heard that. Boss?" Jason called out. "Where is it?" Luke''s voice was unexpectedly hoarse. "It''s in a vige in D City. Someone there said that many features of that person matched. Should we go over there, Boss?" Jason asked. "We leave now.¡¯ Luke ended the call and drove toward his private airstrip. He was always so nervous whenever he went to search for Bianca. Jason had already arranged for the flight. The airne was waiting for Luke. Luke immediately boarded the ne with Jason following behind. He was tapping on his phone screen to make arrangements in D City. Two hourster, the airnended at D City Airport. Luke got off the ne, and there was already a car waiting. "Go directly to the location," Luke said. "Yes!" The driver replied. Jason''s phone beeped, and he took it out to look. At first, he was ecstatic, but he soon became stunned. ¡°What''s the news?" Luke pped his thigh. He saw the change in Jason''s expression. Boss, our men have found the woman and have sent her photo over, but..." Jason stopped mid- sentence. "It''s not Bea?" Luke spoke in a low voice. The same thing happened many times over the past nine months. "She looked very simr to Madam, but they found her in the red-light district." Jason did not hide the information. He passed his phone to Luke. The red-light district... Luke''s eyes opened wide when he heard that. He felt a chill spread through his body starting from the soles of his feet. The woman in the photo indeed looked like Bianca, but she looked like a stranger... Luke did not think that he knew her. "Boss..." Jason called out worriedly. If the woman in the photo was indeed Bianca Rayne and she was found in the red-light district, it might mean that she was forced to do certain things against her will. If that were true, Luke did not want to think of the things she had been through! Luke closed his eyes and said, "Drive." "Yes!" Jason told the driver the address, then looked at Luke worriedly. N?velDrama.Org content. Half an hourter, the driver arrived at the location. Luke got out of the car and looked at the so-called red-light district. The buildings were worn and dpidated, as though they would copse at any moment. The garish signs indicated that those were ces where men could find entertainment. It was an appalling sight. "Where is she?" Luke became nervous. He wanted to confirm it for himself. Jason made a call. A whileter, a bodyguard came out of a building on the left. He came up to them and said courteously, "The woman is over there, Boss.¡¯ They had surveyed the location several times, but they dared not confirm that the woman was Bianca. That was why they had been referring to her as "the woman." Luke and Jason went over together. The building did not have an elevator. The few people walked up the stairs and were greeted by lurid and vulgar posters and photographs. Luke became even more nervous. He did not expect Bianca would appear there. "This is the ce, Boss," the bodyguard said. Luke went in and heard a woman shriek. "Ahh! Who are you? Let me go!" He frowned when he heard the shrill and raspy voice. ''This isn''t Bianca. The voice definitely doesn''t belong to Bianca,'' he felt oddly relieved. Bianca had a soothing voice, while the woman had an unbearably raspy voice. What''s going on? Is that another woman?" Jason asked the bodyguard. "There''s only that woman here. She has a scar on her throat, as though her vocal cords were destroyed," the bodyguard exined. Chapter 1089 Chapter 1089 The Real and the Impostor Bianca Luke was relieved at first, but he became nervous again. He carefully stepped inside and saw the woman. The woman looked exactly like Bianca. His eyes opened wide at that instant. His legs froze, and he refused to take another step forward. ¡¯Bea..." Luke opened his mouth, but his throat was dry, and his voice was forced. The woman sat on the bed, hugging her knees and shivering. She was cackling maniacally and shrieking as though she did not hear Luke. When she lifted her head, the scar on her neck was clearly seen. The scene stabbed Luke''s eyes like a knife. She was his Bianca, but she was also not his Bianca! All of you are bad guys! Bad guys!" The woman tore her clothes but soon clenched them tightly. "Don''t touch me! Get lost! Go away, now!" No one dared to step closer to the bed while she continued to behave erratically. She threw a pillow at Luke and screamed, "Go away! All of you are bad guys!¡¯ The foul-smelling pillownded on Luke''s face, but he did not dodge. The bodyguards looked at each other, then at Luke. Was that woman really their Madam? They dared not say anything, so they waited for Luke to say something. ¡¯How did she be like this?" Luke asked. He wanted to step forward, but he had only taken a step when the woman shrieked maniacally again. He had no choice but to stop. A bodyguard replied, "Any woman found at this ce would be... suffering." Everyone knew what the bodyguard was implying. The woman''s mental state was caused by repeated vitions from men or other abuses. ¡¯Call the ambnce," Luke said. He dared not step forward in case the woman attempted to hurt herself. "Yes." Jason immediately dialed emergency services and gave the address. The emergency medics arrived soon. Jason had already informed them to bring tranquilizers, though it took them a while before they managed to inject "Bianca" with it. After Bianca calmed down, the medics ced her on the stretcher while Luke followed behind. He remembered something while they went down the stairs, so he told Jason, "Investigate everyone in this building. Find out when she first appeared here." After nine months, he found Bianca at such a ce... Luke clenched his fists. He swore that he would take revenge on Bianca. "Yes!" Jason stopped walking and turned around to give the orders to the bodyguards. Luke followed the ambnce to the hospital. A man was standing by the road. When he saw Bianca being carried into the ambnce and Luke following behind, he grinned and made a phone call. At the Ind of Despair, Abel answered the call and grinned in satisfaction. He opened the door to Bianca''s room and saw that she was reclining on the bed with a bulging stomach. That made him smile even more. Bianca put her book away and looked at him warily. "Why are you here?" She was already more than nine months pregnant. Without advanced medical equipment, Shanks could not project Bianca''s delivery date, but from her pulse, he could tell that she would be giving birth soon. Abel stood at the door and grinned. "I have good news for you." Bianca was not interested in his "good news," but she felt uneasy when she saw the sinister grin on his face. Bianca''s indifference did not dampen Abel''s excitement. He continued," Five months ago, I arranged a woman." "Luke won''t fall for it," Bianca said calmly. She thought that Abel had arranged a woman to seduce Bianca, but she was confident that Luke would not be swayed by beauty or charm. 1 ¡¯What if the woman looks exactly like you?" Abel said. Bianca was shocked. She sat up and stared at him, "What did you say?¡¯ "Five months ago, I found a woman and altered her appearance, so she looks exactly like you. Now, she is by Luke Crawford''s side. I''m sure that he won''t fall for other women, but what if the woman looks exactly like you?" bel said. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Bianca remembered that Shanks had studied her face five months ago. She was doubtful about what was going on, but she was not interested in interacting with them, so she did not ask any questions. She did not expect that Abel had arranged for a stic surgery procedure for another woman. ¡¯You''re despicable, Abel!" Bianca said through gritted teeth and red at him hatefully. That devil of a man did that to her! Abel shrugged nonchntly. He was in a good mood, and nothing that Bianca said could anger him. He smiled when he saw Bianca''s pale face. "I thought you were very confident that Luke wouldn''t fall for it." "..." Bianca was speechless. "My men saw Luke falling for it. He went into the ambnce with that woman. I think he truly believes that his wife is back," Abel said. Bianca suddenly felt a dull pain in her stomach. She pushed against the bed board and did not make a sound. She could not show Abel her weak side. ¡¯You must be curious who that woman is, right? She''s one of my captives. Usually, she''s used as a reward for my best performers on the training grounds. Mm, after fixing her face, I let my men loose on her, and I''ve gotten Shanks to hypnotize her. At first, she''ll have some problems here." Abel pointed at his head. Bianca''s forehead was drenched in sweat. Abel continued, ¡¯Later, she''ll carry out our orders perfectly. Do you think Luke will realize that, Bianca? Even if he suspects something, he¡¯d think that she lost her mind because she''s been vited by too many men. He won''t ever suspect if the woman in front of him is the true Bianca Rayne.¡± Bianca gritted her teeth when she heard that. "You freak!" Abel burst outughing. "I''m curious how long Luke will be able to bear it. He''ll have to face stress from both sides." Bianca knew what he meant. The first side was from the woman, and the other side was from other people. Abel would not stop here. He would definitely spread the rumor that the woman had been vited repeatedly. Everyone would know that "Mrs. Crawford" had served many men. No sane man would be able to tolerate rumors like that about his wife. Abelughed even more brazenly. Bianca clutched the bed tightly, trying to tune out Abel''s voice. Suddenly, her vision went ck, and she passed out. Chapter 1090 Chapter 1090 stic Surgery Bianca''s water broke. The bedsheets were gradually stained with a mixture of amniotic fluid and blood. Abel grinned even sider when he saw the woman slumped on the bed. He sauntered over casually and checked her breath. Bianca was still breathing, albeit her breath was very shallow. "It''s finally time." Abelughed brazenly. He had been waiting for this moment for very long. Bianca was wheeled into the operating theater. Shanks was preparing for the operation. Abel came in through the door and said, "Take this opportunity to change her face too." Shanks was wiping his instruments with a sterilized cloth. He paused for a while before saying, "Are you sure you want to do it now?" ¡®She''ll have to go under anyway. To you, a C-section and stic surgery are minor procedures." Abel thought of achieving his goal in one shot. Bianca''s water broke, and there was a threat of miscarriage. After conducting an examination, Abel decided to perform a C-section. Abel did not want to let go of the opportunity. Indeed, those operations were considered minor procedures for Shanks. Shanks stared at Abel for a while. He turned around and prepared to go into the operating theater. Abel stood there and said, "Make her the opposite of what she was. Don''t make her too in though, that would be no fun." Shanks knew what Abel nned. He nodded and went into the operating theater. When Eler came back from the kitchen, she was shocked when she saw the bloodstains on the bed. Instantly, she went around to search for Bianca. ¡®What''s wrong, Eler?" Amur came in and asked his elder sister when he saw her opening the bathroom door anxiously. ¡®Something might have happened to Miss." Seeing that no one was inside the bathroom, Eler rushed out of the room. She thought that Abel had brought Bianca away. Miss might be with Shanks," Amur reminded her as he grabbed her arm. Eler was stunned. Indeed, Bianca was almost due, and she would not go around without supervision. She must be with Shanks. 1 "Go and check with Mr. Shanks, Amur. I''ll go and look for Boss," she said. Amur shook his head helplessly. Eler was still trying to keep a distance from Shanks. The two siblings went separate ways to search for Bianca. Eventually, they found out that Bianca''s water broke, and she was in the operating theater. They came to the entrance to the operating theater. The operating theater was not very well-equipped for delivery. Usually, it was used to treat the assassins that were injured during their missions. The siblings stood uneasily in front of the door. Eler was standing at a corner. Her hands were sped together, and she prayed that Bianca would be safe. An hourter, a middle-aged woman came out of the operating theater with a baby. Eler tugged Amur''s shirt sleeve. "It''s Miss''s baby!" The siblings went up to the woman, who was a helper in the kitchen. Eler smiled fawningly at her, "Madam, is this Miss Bianca''s child?" The middle-aged woman rolled her eyes and hugged the child tightly. "This isn''t your Miss Bianca''s child. This is Boss''s child." "But..." Eler did not understand. The middle-aged woman quickly left the scene without giving any further exnation. "Wait." Amur wanted to go and grab the child. Eler suddenly thought of something. She grabbed his shirt sleeve and shook her head. Boss wants her child, so he won''t do anything to it. Miss needs us." Amur thought what his elder sister said made sense. He stopped walking and waited in front of the door for Bianca toe out. They expected Bianca to be wheeled out of the operating theater after the child was delivered. However, they waited there for the next two hours. "Amur, do you think something happened to Miss?" Eler was worried. Back in her vige, she knew that women would die while giving birth because of inadequate medical attention. She was worried that the same thing would happen to Bianca. ¡¯Miss will be fine," Amur said confidently as his eyes were transfixed on the door. Shanks must be doing something to Bianca if they were inside for that long. Another three hourster, Shanks wheeled Bianca out of the operating theater. ¡°Miss!" Eler pounced onto Bianca, temporarily forgetting that she was trying to keep a distance from Shanks. Bianca''s face was wrapped in bandages. Her eyes were closed, and she gave no response when Eler called her. Tears welled up in Eler''s eyes. "Miss?" She called out again. Bianca remained unresponsive. She went into the operating theater to deliver a child, but she came out with a face full of bandages. Amur clenched his fists and went up to Shanks. "What did you do to Miss?" He became a lot more well-built after several months of physical training. Shanks remained indifferent toward Amur''s insolence. He slowly took off his mask and said, "I worked on her face." ¡®Why?" Amur was shocked. Instinctively, he wanted to grab Shanks''s cor. Eler immediately stopped him and stood in between them. "Calm down, Amur!" She knew that Shanks did not have a grudge against Bianca. He would not have done that if Abel did not order him to do so. Seeing how protecting Eler was to Shanks, Amur clenched his fists and loosened them repeatedly. After Amur calmed down, Eler turned around to see Bianca lying on the bed, then looked at Shanks with bloodshot eyes. "Did Boss ask you to do this, Mr. Shanks?" "Mm." Shanks nodded. He said while pushing the bed, "She''s still under the effects of anesthesia. We''ll have to keep a close eye on her.¡° Eler''s heart wrenched for Bianca. Bianca would be greatly shocked if she woke up and found out that her appearance had changed. "Help me with the bed," Shanks ordered the siblings impassively. The siblings seemed dejected as though they were the ones who had gone under. ¡±Ah, yes!" Eler quickly grabbed the other corner. Amur pulled the bed from the front. After bringing Bianca back to her room, Shanks hooked her to an IV drip and measured her blood pressure and body temperature. After seeing that all her vitals were normal, he stood up impassively. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Mr. Shanks..." Eler wanted to ask him more about Bianca, but she could not speak when Shanks''s gaze fell on her. Shanks did not say anything when he saw that Eler did not speak. He sat down on a chair by the side and started reading a medical magazine. Eler was surprised. Was he going to stay here to take care of Bianca? She nced at Bianca and retreated to one side. The medical facilities on the ind werecking, so it would be safer if Shanks kept a close eye on Bianca. Chapter 1091 Chapter 1091 Heart-Rending Cry The room was quiet save for Shanks asionally flipping the pages. The siblings did not do anything. An hourter, the effects of the anesthesia wore off, and Bianca slowly came to. She opened her eyes with much difficulty. She could feel pain all over her body. Noticing Bianca''s movements, Shanks put the magazine away, nced at the drip bottle, and looked at her. "How do you feel?" Without the effects of the anesthesia, Bianca thought that her entire body was in pain. She opened her lips slightly and found that they were numb." Hurts." Bianca''s weaknesssted for only one second. She remembered that she had just delivered and asked, "Where is my child?" "The operation was sessful. The child is with Abel,¡± Shanks replied. Bianca took a deep breath. After bearing the baby for nine months, she did not have the right to carry the baby in her arms. "It''s a girl," Abel said. Silent tears flowed down Bianca''s face when she thought that the baby girl could not remain by her side. Shanks frowned when he saw the tears. He wiped them away with a napkin and said, "You shouldn''t let your wounds get wet." ''Wounds?'' Bianca lifted her hand and realized that her face was covered in bandages. "My face..." She opened her eyes wide and stared at Shanks. She had an ominous feeling about it. "Abel ordered me to change your face," Shanks said, "I didn''t want to put you under so many times, so I did the procedure together with your C- section." Bianca put her hand down defeatedly and closed her eyes. Without knowing it, she had be a stranger even to herself. "Miss..." Eler¡¯s heart wrenched when she saw Bianca behaving like that. She wanted tofort her. Shanks stood up and reced the empty drip bottle with a new one. "She''s no longer at risk now. Come and look for me if anything happens." "Yes!" Eler nodded and watched Shanks leave the room. Bianca opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling. The paint on the ceiling was peeling because of long-term neglect. She imagined that her face was also like the ceiling. "Eler," Bianca called out weakly. Her strength had not returned since the operation. "Yes, Miss. I''m here." Eler wiped away a tear. "Is there a mirror?" Bianca asked. Eler hesitated when she saw the bandages on Bianca''s face. Bianca knew what Eler was thinking. She continued, "Get me a mirror. I''d like to take a look." "Yes." Eler took a mirror from the bathroom and handed it to Bianca. "Your face is covered in bandages, Miss." Bianca took the mirror with trembling hands and brought it in front of her face. She wanted to see what Shanks had done to her face. Other than her eyes, nostrils, and mouth, every other facial feature was tightly wrapped in bandages. Bianca could not see anything. In other words, Shanks might have changed her entire face. "Miss..." Eler could not bear to watch. She felt that it was too cruel. "I''m fine." Bianca put the mirror down and tried to bear with the pain. She continued, "Were you waiting for me outside the operating theater?" "Yes, Miss. We didn''t move away, even a single step." Eler nodded. "Did you see the child?" Bianca asked. Eler and Amur looked at each other and fell silent for a few seconds before Eler answered, "Yes, but the kitchendy brought her away. She didn''t let us carry her." "How does she look?" Bianca was on the verge of a breakdown. She was forced to separate from the baby moments after her birth. "She is fair and cute. Unlike other children, she doesn''t cry. When we went closer to take a look, she even smiled at us. She''s a good girl, Miss." Eler tried to recall what she had seen earlier. They wanted to make Bianca happy. "She has an elder sister. Her name is Rainie." Bianca closed her eyes. Her lips were trembling. '' Her sister is as pretty as her. When I gave birth to Rainie, I didn''t get to carry her either." Eler did not know about Bianca''s past. When she heard that, she could not help butfort Bianca, "I don''t know what happened to your past, Miss, but we''re on the same ind now. Even though your daughter is with Boss, you should be able to see her again, won''t you?" Bianca blinked. Indeed, what Eler said was true. They were on the same ind. However, she would rather the child be somewhere else instead of being held hostage by Abel. Bianca did not want to let the child go. As long as the child was in Abel''s hands, Bianca would have to listen to Abel and do his bidding. From now on, she had be Abel''s puppet. "Boss!" Amur, standing guard at the door, called out loudly when he saw Abel approach. He was also warning the people in the room. Bianca was surprised when she heard that Abel wasing. She could feel the hatred in her heart grow. Abel came into the room with a crying child in his arms. "Your child is such a bother, Bianca," Abel said. He knew that the newborn baby was very fragile and dared not do anything rough to stop her from crying. After all, it would not be as fun if something happened to the child. Bianca could hear the baby crying as though she was calling for her. She closed her eyes and ignored Abel, even though she yearned to see the baby. Abel could guess what Bianca was thinking when he saw her defiant expression. Heughed and said, "Bianca, are you really neglecting your child?" "Take her away." Bianca could feel her heart bleeding when she said those words. She wanted to see her child very much, but she could not. If Abel knew that she cared for the child, he would be able to exert more control on her. Bianca did not want that. N?velDrama.Org content. Abel brought the wailing baby next to the bed. "Tsk tsk tsk, look at how pathetic she is. She''s comining that her mother is neglecting her after she''s born." Bianca gripped the bed sheets tightly. She wished that she could cover her ears so that she did not have to listen to Abel or the crying baby. The child''s heart-rending wails were like a sharp de that stabbed her heart repeatedly. Amur stood by the door. He could not bear to watch that. As though sensing what he was thinking, Eler shot him a nce and shook her head, warning him not to act rashly. Chapter 1092 Chapter 1092 I Cannot Take Care of Her After he finished speaking, the baby cried even louder. Her face was red. Bianca''s heart wrenched, but her eyes remained closed. She did not want to look at the baby. "Tsk tsk." Abel shook his head at the crying baby. "I didn''t expect that you could be so heartless, Bianca. I''ll be bringing the baby away with me. You cane to me any time you feel like seeing her." After that, he left the room with the baby. The baby continued crying. Bianca could hear her wails as she disappeared down the corridor. Bianca slowly opened her teary eyes. She looked as though she was going to cry at anytime. Eler immediately wiped her eyes with a napkin. "You shouldn''t cry, Miss. It''ll be troublesome if your wounds are infected." Bianca blinked and looked upward. From Bianca''s expression, Eler could see that she was not as heartless as Abel said she was. "Miss, if you miss your baby, I''ll let Boss know. He seems like he wants you to take care of the baby." ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Bianca shook her head. "I can''t take care of the baby." Seeing that tears were oozing out of the corners of Bianca''s eyes again, Eler carefully wiped them away. She thought that it was very cruel of Bianca to neglect her child, but she understood that Bianca must have her reasons fordoing so. "If I show the least bit of love toward the child, Abel will definitely use the child as a hostage and order me to do horrific things," Bianca exined. "I want to love and take care of my baby, but as much as I want to, I cannot. She''ll hate me after she grows up." Eler was silent when she heard that. Bianca might be a prisoner just like them, but she had other worries. To Abel, Bianca was much more useful than the two siblingsbined. "Don''t be too sad, Miss. Your child will understand what you''re doing." Eler could onlyfort Bianca with words. She could tell that Bianca was doing that for the child''s own good. Bianca blinked and smiled wryly. She identally stretched her wound, which made her furrow her brows in pain. Children were supposed to be innocent. She could envision that Abel would be teaching her daughter all the bad things, and her daughter would lose her innocence at a young age. How would her daughter understand what she had to go through? 2 The more Bianca thought about it, the more she regretted it. Perhaps she should not have given birth to the baby. Eler did not know what to say when she saw Bianca like that. She could only sit next to Bianca and apany her. Seven dayster, Shanks removed the stitches from Bianca''s face. The needlework of the stic surgery procedure was meticulously done, and there were no scars. Shanks tossed the bandages on the floor and looked at her. "Do you want to see yourself?" "Mm." Bianca nodded. Shanks handed her a mirror. "Behold the new you." Bianca''s pure looks were now seductive and charming. Even though her face had not fully healed, Shanks was very satisfied with his handiwork. Bianca''s hands that were holding the mirror were shaking. She lookedpletely different. She was no longer her former self. Even though her face remained swollen from the procedure, she could tell that her face was supposed to be seductive. With his scalpel, Shanks had turned her face into something charming and sexy, like a movie star in the magazines. "You''ve turned another woman into me and turned me into another woman. I have to admit that you''re very skilled," Bianca mumbled as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her voice was suffused with despair. She wished that she was looking at someone else. However, when she opened her mouth, the reflection in the mirror also opened her mouth. When she closed it, the reflection closed her mouth too. Shanks felt something peculiar when he heard her say that. He did not answer her question but instead said, "You can see the effects even when your face is swollen. After the swelling subsides, you can let me know if you''re not satisfied with anything. I¡¯ll change it for you." Bianca put the mirror away in despair. She had been steeped in misery ever since the procedure. When she heard what Shanks told her, she wanted to m her head into the wall. "Rest well. Your training will resume in a week," Shanks said decisively. Shanks did not give her a confinement period after delivering the baby. He only gave her some time to rest because she was weak after the C-section. Bianca did not pay attention to what Shanks said. Her mind was upied with her face that did not look like herself. Slowly, she slumped on the bed. Her gaze was hollow. Not long after Shanks left, the kitchendy came into the room with a device. "Sit up," the kitchendy said brusquely to Bianca. Eler looked at the middle-ageddy suspiciously. "Is there something, Madam? Miss isn''t feeling well." The kitchendy rolled her eyes. "Boss told me to extract some breast milk from her. If she''s not taking care of the baby, what should the baby eat?" Eler blushed and looked at Bianca worriedly. "Can you sit up, Miss?" Hearing that the baby needed to be fed, Bianca nodded. She had to sit up even though it was painful. She could not take care of her baby personally, so that was all she could do for her. "Help me up," Bianca said. Eler pressed her lips together and carefully helped Bianca sit up. Bianca felt pain shoot up her stomach when she sat up, and her body uncontrobly arched. It had been seven days since the delivery, but the pain lingered. Eler could see that Bianca was ufortable. She asked, '' Madam, can you do it if she''s lying down?" "You''re not married, so you don''t know. She''ll have to sit up," the kitchendy said coldly. "I''m fine." Bianca sat up straight with Eler''s help. She was not in the hospital, so the bed could not be adjusted. She had to push herself up inch by inch and lean on her bed. Eler turned her head to speak to Amur. "Go out and close the door, Amur." "Yes." Amur nodded and went out of the room. The kitchendy opened Bianca''s shirt and massaged her. Shanks had taught her what to do, but she was not a professional, and that made Bianca quite painful. Eventually, her breast milk started to flow. "That''s so little milk! Boss already told me to cook you nutritious food, and you can go to the kitchen to take it. Also, I''ll leave the pump here so you can pump your milk regrly." The kitchendy put the breast milk in a sk and left. She did not look like she was going to harm Bianca. Tears welled up in Eler''s eyes seeing Bianca in agony. She helped Bianca button her shirt while saying, "Just bear with it for a little longer, Miss. You can lie down soon." Bianca''s eyes were also filled with tears. "I''m fine." "You seem to be in a lot of pain. Why not feed the baby with form?" Eler helped Bianca lie down. Chapter 1093 Chapter 1093 Is She Bianca? "It''s not painful. It''s better to feed the baby breast milk," Bianca said softly. She knew that breast milk was better than baby form. Seeing Bianca''s determination, Eler did not try to convince her otherwise. She saw that it was already noon and said, "I''ll go and get lunch from the kitchen, Miss. Please rest for a while." "Alright." Bianca closed her eyes. Meanwhile, in A City. Luke was standing in the corridor. He frowned hard when he heard the hysterical screamsing from inside. Unable to alleviate his frustration otherwise, he took out a pack of cigarettes and lit one. The person screaming hysterically in the ward was Bianca Rayne. He had made arrangements to transport her back to A City after finding her. ording to the diagnosis, Bianca had many serious psychological problems caused by repeated trauma. As for her body... Luke dragged his cigarette out of frustration. Johann had asked a female doctor to conduct a full examination on Bianca''s body, who found many signs of abuse. ording to the condition of her wounds, thest time Bianca was vited was three months ago. Wanda walked over hurriedly when she saw Luke. "Luke, we heard that Bianca is back. Is it true?" "Yes," Luke replied as he listened to those hysterical screams. Bianca was in a horrible condition. She would not let any stranger go near her, and she would react violently whenever she saw a male. "How is she?" Wanda and her father had gone back to their hometown and stayed there for a while. They only returned to A City after receiving the news that Bianca was found. She did not realize that the person screaming hysterically in the ward was Bianca. "Aunt Wanda, she..." Luke stubbed out the cigarette and took a deep breath before continuing, "She''s not well." "What do you mean?" Wanda''s heart skipped a beat and asked anxiously. Luke nced at the door and said, "The doctors are treating her." Wanda''s eyes opened wide in disbelief. "She''s injured? Does the voice belong to her?" "Mm." Luke nodded, feeling agony in his heart. Wanda shook her head. "No. That''s not Bea''s voice. She would not make that kind of noise even if she''s suffering from a breakdown." Wanda was Bianca''s aunt and had watched her grow up. She knew what Bianca''s voice was like. "Bea''s been through some things, Aunt Wanda. Her voice is different now because of the trauma," Luke said. From the scar on Bianca''s neck, he could tell that her vocal cords were damaged. Wanda''s vision turned ck all of a sudden, and she supported herself with the wall. "How could this... did Bea lose her mind?" Luke did not reply. He did not know if Bianca had lost her mind, and Johann could not give him an answer. asionally, Bianca would behave normally. She would only be hysterical when he or other men appeared in front of her. "Bea wouldn''t lose her mind. She''s a strong girl..." Wanda could not believe it. "Don''t worry, Aunt Wanda. She''ll eventually recover," Lukeforted her. "I still don''t believe that the person inside is Bea. Can I go in and take a look, please?" Wanda said. "You can go inter," Luke said. "Bea is emotionally unstable now, and the nurse is administering a tranquilizer shot." Bianca tended to behave recklessly, such as stripping her clothes or injuring herself and others. "Okay." Wanda nodded and sped her hands together. They were cold, just like her heart. The sounds in the ward subsided a little, indicating that the tranquilizer was taking effect. Luke brought her to the door and said, "You can go in now, Aunt Wanda." "Aren''t you going in?" Wanda looked at him. "Bea hasn''t recovered yet, and she will react violently when she sees any male. I don¡¯t want to agitate her," Luke exined that Bianca did not recognize him. Wanda pressed her lips together and went inside. A womanid on the bed. Wanda could see that her fingers were still moving; the tranquilizer had not taken full effect. "Bea?" Wanda called out with a trembling voice. The patient on the bed gave no reaction. "Is it really you, Bea?" Wanda walked over slowly and looked at the patient on the bed. She had the same face as Bianca. It was indeed Bianca. As Wanda stared at the woman, her expression slowly dulled. She could not believe that the person in front of her was indeed Bianca. Tears gushed out of her eyes when she saw the bandages around the woman''s body. "What happened to you, Bea?" The woman on the bed did not respond. Instead, she slowly closed her eyes. The tranquilizer was taking effect. The nurse standing by the side said, "She''s not very responsive to people now. She would ignore anyone who speaks to her." Wanda could not believe it. She covered her mouth and began to sob. "Will she get better?" "The patient is very uncooperative now, and the doctor can''t promise anything, so we don''t really know. Don''t worry, we''ll take good care of her nheless," the nurse promised. Bianca seemed to have retreated into her own world, and she never acknowledged the conversations that happened around her. The doctor said that Bianca was disying signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. That was how she could cope with what happened to her. Wanda shook her head. "This isn''t Bea." The nurse was not too surprised. "Give her some time, she''ll eventually recover," sheforted Wanda. Wanda shook her head again. She could not sense a bond with the person in front of her. It was not because the person in front of her had lost her mind. Wanda watched Bianca grow up, and they shared an inexplicable familiar bond. She did not sense that in the person in front of her. Other than the face that looked exactly like Bianca, the woman seemed to be a stranger to her. Wanda shook her head and left the ward. Luke was still standing in the corridor. Wanda went over and asked him," Are you sure that the woman is Bea?" "Aunt Wanda?" Luke was confused. "Why do you ask that?" "She doesn''t give me the feeling that she''s Bea. She''s like someone wearing Bea''s face, but she''s not Bea," Wanda said. Luke was secretly shocked. He had the same feeling ever since he found the woman. He thought that he was feeling that because Bianca had lost her mind. That made him feel very guilty. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Now, Wanda had confirmed his feelings. "Trust me, Luke. I''m Bea''s aunt. The woman there seems like a stranger to me. Are you sure that she''s Bea?" She said. Chapter 1094 Chapter 1094 Bea, Are You Really Back? Luke was silent. Just like Wanda, he had the same unfamiliar feeling with the woman in the ward. He had been telling himself that Bianca had changed a lot after the trauma she had experienced. Wanda was silent when she saw that Luke did not say anything. "I understand that you have reasonable doubts, Luke. I might be Bianca''s aunt, but I won''t say anything if you decide to investigate." Luke nodded slightly. ''Til go in and take a look at Bianca." Wanda nodded. ''Til go home first. Bea''s grandfather is still waiting. I hope you can give some consideration to what I said." "I''ll consider it carefully," Luke said thoughtfully. After Wanda left, Luke went into the ward. The nurse taking care of Bianca nodded toward him, then left the ward to give the married couple some personal space. Luke moved close to the bed and looked at Bianca, who was sleeping soundly. Ever since she was admitted to the hospital, she had been either behaving hysterically or sitting there in a daze. She responded to no one, had to be sedated through medication, and barely ate or drank anything. In just a week, she was visibly thinner. The children at home wanted to meet their mother very much, but Bianca was in a terrible state. Luke could only find excuses to stall them. The media outlets found that Bianca was found and even caught wind of what happened in D City. They staked out at Crawford Manor, T Corporation, and the hospital, hoping to get thetest scoop. Bianca''s return caused a sensation in A City. "Bea, are you really back?" Luke asked. Bianca did not respond. Luke looked at Bianca''s hair. His gaze wavered when he thought of what Wanda told him. Eventually, he did not touch her. Bianca was in this mental state because of her trauma. He still believed that the woman was truly Bianca. Luke pulled his hand back, sat down next to her, and covered her with the nket. The news that Bianca was found soon spread to the capital. Maxine was furious when she heard about it. She immediately went to her bedroom and called Abel. After the call went through, Maxine started yelling into the phone. "What''s the meaning of this, Abel? I''ve already forgiven you for not killing Bianca, but why did you set her free? What should I do?" Abel frowned and moved the phone away from his ear when he heard that voice. He said, "I say, Ms. Dous, why are you so agitated? Our deal was to deal with Bianca. I''ve never promised that I''ll help you court Luke." Maxine became even angrier when he mentioned that. "So what''s the meaning of setting Bianca free?" "Are you sure that the woman is Bianca?" Abel smiled sinisterly and looked at the baby cot next to him. Bianca''s daughter had fallen asleep after drinking milk. The sleeping baby was like an angel. That only made Abel want to destroy the baby even more. Maxine was shocked. "What do you mean? Are you saying that the woman Luke found is an impostor?" "Indeed. I''ve arranged it." Abel reached out and poked the baby''s cheek. The baby pouted to show her dissatisfaction to the person who disturbed her, but she did not wake up. Maxine lost her temper at that instant. "Why do you do that? How am I going to win Luke''s heart after this?" Ever since the drugging incident, her father had kept a strict eye on her and did not let her step out of the house. Even so, she could not stop thinking about Luke. She sank into despair when she found out that Bianca was back. "I''ve told you that whether you manage to court Luke is none of my business. I don''t provide any after- sales service. Also, I have my reasons why I arranged an impostor Bianca. How can you me me when you can¡¯t court him after nine months?" Abel''s voice was suffused with impatience. He made it clear that he did not promise to help Maxine win Luke''s heart. Even if he did, he would break his promise, just like what Capital Corp did. The breach of contract dealt a huge blow to his ns. He had to dig into the funds that Robert left for him to finance the pharmaceuticalpany. That was why he arranged for an impostor Bianca despite knowing that Maxine was still trying to court Luke. "You!" Maxine bit her lip. Abel sounded calm, but she could hear the mockery in his tone. He was implying that Maxine was not capable. Backed into a corner, Maxine said hatefully, "Aren''t you afraid that I''ll tell Luke that the woman is an impostor? He''ll find out everything if he sends her DNA for analysis!" Abel narrowed his gaze, not threatened by what Maxine said. "Go and tell him if you wish. I''ll have to remind you that we''re on the same boat now. If you ruin my ns, I won''t let you off that easily too." "You''ve gone too far, Abel!" Maxine hung up angrily. Abel was not in a hurry to call back. He knew that Maxine was not stupid. She would not spoil his ns just because of an impostor Bianca. However, Maxine''s words reminded him of something: He could fake Bianca''s appearance but not her DNA. Abel dialed a number on his phone and said, "Help me do something..." Meanwhile, Bianca ate her meal, prepared her baby''s dinner, and put on her clothes. Shanks came into the room. Bianca was shocked. After seeing that it was Shanks, she handed the sk to Eler and said, "Please help me deliver this to the kitchendy, Eler." "Yes, Miss." Eler took the sk. Her gaze lingered on Shanks''s face for one second before looking away and leaving the room with her head lowered. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. "Why are you here?" Bianca asked. "For an examination." Shanks walked over and revealed a syringe. "Roll up your sleeve. I want to take some blood.¡± Bianca did what she was told because she knew that she could not say no. Shanks deftly tied Bianca''s arm with a thick rubber band, found the vein, and inserted the needle. Her blood slowly filled up the small vial. Abel pulled out the needle and pressed her arm with a cotton pad. "I can do it myself." Bianca pressed on the cotton pad so that blood did not spurt from her arm. After packing up the vial, Shanks took a zipper bag and a pair of scissors from his pocket. "What do you want?" Bianca was not afraid when she saw the scissors in Shanks''s hand. If Shanks wanted to kill her, he had plenty of opportunities to do so. Shanks did not reply. He snipped off a lock of hair. Before she could react, he also plucked two strands of hair from her head. Chapter 1095 Chapter 1095 Stomach Flu Bianca lifted her head in shock and saw Shanks cing her hair in the sealing bag. "What are you doing?" "Preventing Luke Crawford from discovering that the person is a fake Bianca Rayne." Shanks did not hide the truth from her. Now that she had delivered her baby and her health was recovering, he was not afraid that she might kill herself. He expected that Bianca would be angry after hearing that. However, she smiled mockingly instead. "How meticulous. How else do you n to torment me?" She asked. As Shanks looked at her mocking expression, his heart stung as though there was a tiny needle pricking it. He picked up his things on the bed and left the room. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Bianca''s mocking smile faded as she watched Shanks leave the room. She expected that Luke would suspect that the woman was only an impostor and get her DNA analyzed, but she did not expect that Abel and Shanks would think of that too. If Luke performed a DNA test on that woman, they would be swapping her blood and hair samples. Once they managed to fool Luke with the DNA samples, the lie would be the truth. Luke would believe that the woman who looked like her was really her. When she would eventually appear in front of him with a different face, he would not even look at her. That was the truth. No matter how intelligent she and Luke were, Abel in the shadows was always a step ahead of them. Shanks returned to hisboratory. He still felt the slight pain in his heart, as though a heart attack was coming. He took out a bottle of heart pills, took one out, and swallowed it immediately. Abel came in with Bianca''s baby and noticed that Abel was swallowing a pill. "Hey, what happened to you? Why are you taking pills?" He asked curiously. "It''s nothing." Shanks''s face turned ashen when Abel caught him in the act of taking medicine. He put the bottle of pills away and turned around. When he saw the unprofessional way Abel was carrying the baby, he frowned and took the baby from Abel''s hands. Abel could not help but chuckle when he saw how nervous Shanks was." You seem to care for the baby a lot. Why don''t you take care of her? That''ll save me some trouble." The baby was very young, but her personality was exactly like Bianca''s. She was adorable when she was quiet, but once she started throwing a tantrum, Abel had the urge to toss her on the floor to silence her. "No." Shanks rejected the idea immediately. Abel could have given the baby back to Bianca if he did not want to take care of her, but he did not do so, as though he was deliberately tormenting her. "Teh. I didn''t expect you to refuse so quickly." Abel was quite disappointed. "What''s wrong with her?" Shanks asked. He knew that Abel was not the kind of person who would carry a baby around just for the fun of it. Abel must have a reason for bringing the baby to look for him. "She threw up after she drank milk. The kitchendy said that she''s been having the runs too. Can you check on her?" Usually, Abel could not be bothered dealing with such petty matters, but the baby was frail and dependent on him. If he neglected her, she might die at any time. When Shanks heard that, he stuffed the baby back into Abel''s arms. "You..." Before Abel could let his dissatisfaction known, Shanks began running his tests. Soon, he announced his conclusion. "She has the stomach flu." "What should we do?" Abel asked. He had no experience in childcare, and he was not interested in taking care of children. "Reduce her food and liquids. If she doesn''t recover, I''ll have to hook her to a drip," Shanks said. "That''s so troublesome," Abel said in frustration when he heard that. He stuffed the baby into Shanks''s arms. "You''ll take care of her while she''s sick. Don''t worry, I''ll get the kitchendy to help you too." Before Shanks could protest, Abel had already turned around. Suddenly, Abel seemed to have remembered something and turned around again." Right, where are the things I want?" Shanks looked at several objects on the table. When Abel saw where Shanks was looking, he went over and picked up all the items from the table. Then, he patted Shanks''s shoulder and said," Thanks." After that, he left theboratory. Shanks lowered his head and looked at the baby. The baby had already woken up after being shoved around. She was looking at him. The baby was too young to recognize faces, so she was not afraid of strangers. Shanks''s gaze turned gentle when the baby smiled sweetly at him. He could feel a corner of his heart melt. Shanks sighed. He would have to deal with the little menace for now. Abel got his minions to send over the baby cot and all sorts of supplies to Shanks''sboratory. Shanks was not used to so much clutter in hisboratory. The baby had already fallen asleep again, so he gently put her in the cot. The kitchendy came in. She was behaving courteously toward Shanks." Mr. Shanks, Boss asked me toe here to take care of the baby." Shanks was the only doctor on the ind, and he was irreceable. Everyone on the ind had to respect him. Abel nced coldly at the person who had juste through the door and said, "I don''t like being interrupted when I''m conducting experiments. If I don''t need you, you can wait outside." 2 "Yes." The kitchendy dared not retort because she knew that Shanks had an entric personality. Shanks nced at the sleeping baby and said, "I don''t need you now. Go outside and wait. I''ll call you if I need you." "Yes." The kitchendy nced at the sleeping baby and could not help but wonder how Shanks managed to calm her down. When the baby was under Abel''s care, she did not stop crying and wailing. The kitchendy would have to carry her to sleep. After the baby was ced in the cot, she would usually start crying again. "Why are you still standing there?" Shanks asked. The kitchendy rubbed her nose and answered, "I''m afraid that the baby might wake up and disturb your experiments." "She''s sleeping soundly now," Shanks said. The kitchendy nodded and left theboratory. At night, Eler brought the sk of breast milk to Abel but was told that the baby was with Shanks. Feeling quite frustrated, Eler brought the sk to Shanks''sboratory. She saw the kitchendy standing in front of the door and asked her, "You''re here, Madam. This is from Miss." The kitchendy took the sk, nodded, and continued to stand there. Seeing that the kitchendy had no intention of going inside, Eler was confused. "Aren''t you going inside, Madam?" "Mr. Shanks told me to wait here. He''ll call me if he needs me," the kitchendy said brusquely. She had been standing there for an entire afternoon. Though she was d that she could shirk around, she was already feeling quite bored. "Why is the baby with Mr. Shanks?" Seeing that the kitchendy was willing to speak, Eler tried to find more information from her. "He said that she got the stomach flu. She''ll have to eat less." The kitchendy nced at the sk. Half of it would be wasted. "What? Is it serious?" Eler was worried about the baby. Chapter 1096 Chapter 1096 Shanks Is Taking Care of the Child "It''s not serious. Don''t you trust in Mr. Shanks''s skills?" The kitchendy chuckled when she saw how anxious Eler was. Then, she continued, "It''s strange though. The baby has been very difficult, but I''ve never heard her cry in theb. Mr. Shanks is either very good with kids, or..." The kitchendy stopped speaking. Eler did not understand what she was trying to say, so she asked, "Or what, Madam?" "Silly girl! What if Mr. Shanks calmed the baby down with drugs?" The kitchendy whispered. Shanks was not short on drugs. Surely at least one of them could be used to calm a baby down. Eler was shocked. "Mr. Shanks will never do that!" She said in disbelief. "What do you mean? None of the men on this ind would have the patience to take care of a baby!" The kitchendy said. Eler became even more anxious when she heard that. She was about to rush into theboratory to check on the baby when Shanks came out while carrying the baby. "Give it to me." He nced at the sk in the kitchendy''s hand. The kitchendy gave him the sk immediately. Eler stole a nce at the baby in Shanks''s arms. She had a smile on her fair and cute face, and her eyes were animated and lively. The baby did not look like she was drugged. Shanks nced at Eler. "Is there anything?" He asked. Eler shook her head and replied, "Nothing. I''ll go and take care of Miss. Bye, Mr. Shanks." She bowed, turned around, and hurriedly left. Shanks turned his head to look at the kitchendy. The middle-aged woman bowed her head subserviently, as though waiting for his orders. "I don''t like people who talk behind my back. You can go back to the kitchen," Shanks said coldly. The kitchendy was shocked when she heard that. Kitchen duty was tiring and dirty while taking care of the child was rtively easier. She tried to exin herself, "I didn''t mean that, Mr. Shanks." "Don''t make me repeat myself." Shanks closed the door. The kitchendy watched the door close and could only turn around and walk away while cursing Eler under her breath. Back at the room, Eler smiled and told Bianca, "I have news for you, Miss." Bianca put the book away and looked at her. "What is it?" "Mr. Shanks is taking care of the baby now. He''s quite easygoing, and he won''t tell tales. If you miss your daughter, you can visit her at hisb," Eler said happily. To Eler, Shanks was much gentler than Abel. She believed that Shanks would be able to take care of the child properly. "Shanks?" Bianca was surprised. "Did something happen to my child?" "It''s nothing serious, she only caught the stomach flu. Don''t worry, Mr. Shanks is a very skilled doctor, and your daughter will surely be fine. I saw her earlier, she doesn''t look like she''s sick." ''Stomach flu...'' Bianca felt slightly more relieved. She knew that it wasmon for newborn children to be down with the stomach flu because of their weak immune systems. Tommy had been down with the stomach flu several times before he turned one. The baby would be fine as long as someone took good care of her. "Do you want to visit her, Miss?" Eler asked. "It''s fine. Mr. Shanks will take good care of her, and she doesn''t need me." Bianca decided to be heartless. Shanks might not have harmed her on his own ord, but she treated him as her enemy. She dared not visit the child in case it would result in some unwanted incidents. She was happy as long as the child was safe. Bianca knew that she could not protect the child. What was most important now was to keep her distance from the child and not get too involved with her upbringing. In the future, when she was strong enough to leave the Ind of Despair, she would bring the child along with her. "Alright." Eler sighed. She knew that Bianca would not be able to stay strong if she visited her child. Seven dayster. The swelling on Bianca''s face had subsided. The adjustments on her face looked more natural and charming than ever. She would be resuming her training today. She did not undergo any strength training when she was pregnant, so Abel had arranged a series of intensive strength training programs for her. "Can you take it, Miss?" Eler was worried when she found out what Bianca had to do. "I need to be stronger." Bianca pinched her stomach and put on her jacket. She was too weak now, and if she followed her previous routine, it would take a very long time for her to be strong. If she wanted to escape from her current situation, she had no one else to rely on but herself! "You can do it, Miss!" Eler cheered her on. She and her brother had also been training, but they did not improve as fast as Bianca did. "You too, for yourself and Amur." Bianca wrapped a rubber band and left. "Yes!" Eler replied and followed behind her. Eler felt emotional when she looked at Bianca''s seemingly frail back. Bianca always had a way to cheer the siblings up. They had to work harder so that they could escape from Abel''s clutches. A mercenary was already waiting for Bianca at the training grounds. His beady eyes shed with interest when he saw her petite and frail body. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. "You''rete," he said. Tardiness at the training grounds was met with punishment. Bianca nced at her watch and said coldly, "I still have one minute." The mercenary looked at his watch and saw that it was indeed the case. He grunted coldly. Bianca stood opposite him and counted down. When the time was up, she said, "Let''s begin." "We''ll wrestle today." The mercenary took off his jacket, revealing the pure, solid muscle underneath. There were a few menacing scars on his arms, and Bianca could tell that he was going to be a formidable opponent. Bianca sized up the mercenary. She had a rudimentary grasp of wrestling thanks to Rain, and she would not be able to defeat the man. "I don''t have any experience," she said. The mercenary did not look like he was going to go easy on her. "You''ll learn after every fall. Come here.'' Bianca walked over and lifted her head to look at the man who was much taller than her. Before she was mentally prepared, the mercenary rushed at her and threw her on the mat. Bianca grunted in pain. She could also sense that the mercenary was taking the opportunity to cop a feel. She immediately flipped over and got to her feet. "That''s wrestling," the mercenary said sinisterly. "Let''s continue. Don''t think of leaving before you''re thrown a hundred times." Bianca stretched her limbs which were beginning to hurt. Eler felt worried for Bianca. She stepped up and said, "Miss doesn''t have any experience in wrestling. Shouldn''t you teach her the fundamentals before training?" "Shut it! Otherwise, you can rece her!" The mercenary grabbed Eler''s throat and red at her viciously. Chapter 1097 Chapter 1097 He Wanted to Kill Her With the mercenary''s hand on her throat, Eler struggled to breathe. She pped the mercenary''s hand to free herself, but he did not loosen his grip. "I''ll spar with you," Bianca said. The mercenary let go of Eler when he heard that. He smiled viciously at Bianca and said, "Alright, let''s do it." Eler took two steps back. While she caught her breath, she looked at Bianca worriedly. All the mercenaries on the ind had blood on their hands. How would Bianca remain unhurt? Bianca looked warily at the man that would pounce at her at any time. He was like a wolf, while she was nothing more than food. She was not going to be defeated. "Coward," the mercenary muttered. Seeing that Bianca did not take the initiative to attack him, he pounced at her again. He had aplete advantage in terms of size and strength. Bianca nimbly dodged the attack. "Amateur!" The mercenary grunted coldly. He steadied himself beforeunching at her again. When the opponent got close, Bianca remembered what Shanks had taught her and stared intently at a certain spot on the opponent''s arm. Just when their bodies were about to touch, she pinched that spot on his arm. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. "Ahh!" The man roared in pain and held his arm. Bianca let go and looked at him calmly. "What did you do to me?" The mercenary red at her. "Shall we continue?" Bianca asked. She had learned a lot about human anatomy from Shanks when she was pregnant, and she was familiar with the body''s weak points. The mercenary might be a skilled fighter, but he was not as well-learned in anatomy. Bianca knew that she could not beat him in brute force, so she had to fight him with her strengths. The mercenary was not going to admit defeat yet. He tried to charge at him again, but he could not lift his arm at all. "What did you do to me?" The pain in his arm was causing him to tear up. "Nothing much. You''ll be back to normal in twelve hours. Just make sure that you don''t overwork your arm in this period," Bianca said. "You! Just you wait!" The mercenary wanted to throw a punch at Bianca, but he could not clench his fist. It was as though his arm was broken. He could only leave pathetically. Bianca looked at Eler. "Are you okay?" "I''m fine, Miss." Eler smiled so that Bianca did not have to worry about her. Bianca looked at the red mark on Eler''s neck seriously. Eler looked at Bianca respectfully and asked her, "What was that move earlier, Miss? That looked quite powerful!" Bianca gripped a horizontal bar and began to do pull-ups. "I knew where his weak point was." The effect was different depending on how hard Bianca pinched his weak point. She had used her full strength earlier, so his arm was temporarily incapacitated. If she did not pinch so hard, he would have felt pain in the arm for a while, but he would be able to use it immediately after that. She did not show mercy to the mercenary. After all, he had tried to take advantage of her earlier. "Weak points? That''s amazing, Miss!" Eler''s admiration toward Bianca grew even more. "It''s all thanks to Shanks." There was no hint of admiration in Bianca''s voice when she said those words. Indeed, she had to thank Shanks forteaching her anatomy. Otherwise, she would be dead or at least seriously injured by the end of the session. The mercenary went toin to Abel. "Trash!" Abel yelled at the mercenary when he heard that Bianca had disabled the mercenary''s arm with one pinch. The mercenary was angry, but he dared not talk back. He had indeed underestimated Bianca, but calling him trash was too much. Abel stepped out with a savage expression on his face. "I''d like to see her trick for myself." He did not believe that Bianca could incapacitate a mercenary that easily. Bianca was still doing pull-ups while Abel came to the training grounds. She grinned when she saw Abel and the mercenary walk in. The routine was quite physically demanding, so she was panting when she hopped off the bar. "What did you do?" Abel asked. "I found his weak point," Bianca replied while looking contemptuously at the mercenary behind Abel. She did not expect him to tattle on her. Abel raised an eyebrow. He could not help but be impressed by Shanks''s knowledge as he admired the charming face." Was that wrestling?" "It''s not wrestling, but he wasn''t trying to wrestle me either. He wanted to kill me!" Bianca said. "Nonsense! I was teaching you how to wrestle!" The mercenary retorted. Abel had told them that none of them could attempt to kill Bianca. He would be punished if Abel found out about what he was trying to do. "You also tried to cop a feel when you threw me," Bianca continued. "Nonsense! Do you think that you''re that desirable? You''re nothing but used goods!" The mercenary retorted sarcastically. "Shut up!" Abel yelled at him. The mercenary shut his mouth sheepishly. Abel could see that the mercenary was indeed trying to hide something. The mercenary felt uneasy being stared at like that. He tried to deny it again. "That woman is lying, Boss!" Bianca listened to his weak defense and chuckled coldly." Am I lying?" "Yes you are! How can I possibly be interested in you?" The mercenary retorted. Bianca did not speak further. Abel was not blind, and there was no point in her talking. Abel turned around and faced the mercenary. "Boss..." The mercenary wanted to exin further when Abel kicked him to the door. "Ugh, Boss..." The mercenary tried to speak while clutching his stomach. Abel ced a foot on him and stepped down hard. "What did I tell you before you came here?" He had told him that Bianca was an important pawn in his n, and no one could attempt to take her life. The mercenary thought that his ribs were going to break. He quickly begged, "Boss... I was wrong. Please forgive me. I won''t do that again!" "I don''t need anyone who can''t follow orders!" Abel cackled sinisterly. The mercenary was already confessing to everything. What Abel hated the most was people who disobeyed his orders. Bianca stood there and watched the scene coldly. The strong and well-built mercenary was so weak in front of Abel. Abel had taken him down with one kick. She was not sure of the extent of Abel''s strength. All she knew was that she had to be stronger if she wanted to escape from Abel''s clutches. Abel turned his head and smiled viciously at Bianca. He bent down and grabbed the mercenary''s head. The mercenary knew what Abel wanted to do, and he started to panic. "Please, no, Boss. I won''t do it again." He shook his head. "So many people on the ind are like you. I want to use you as an example," Abel said while his hands twisted the mercenary''s neck. Bianca could only hear a crack, and the mercenary instantly stopped breathing. 5 Chapter 1098 Chapter 1098 N Crawford Abel chuckled, stood up, and looked at Bianca. She remained impassive, even though he had ended someone''s life in front of her. "I''ll get you another trainer.¡± Abel turned around and walked away. Eler could not stop shaking as she looked at the dead mercenary. "What do we do, Miss?" "That''s just how Abel is, Eler. Try to steer clear of him." Bianca stared at the dead mercenary, whose eyes were still open. She showed no fear even after Abel left. She turned around, went back to the horizontal bar, and continued doing pull-ups. Eler took two steps back and said in a daze, "What about that man..." Bianca struggled to pull herself up the bar while saying," Abel will take care of that." The mercenary''s eyes were wide open, though there was no light in them. He looked at them as though hoping that they would help him. Eler was unnerved. She went toward a corner of the wall. Soon, two well-built men came into the training grounds. They did not say a word as they carried the dead mercenary away by his arms and legs. "Wait, what are you going to do with the body?" Eler asked them. "Throw him into the wolf pen. Boss''s orders," one of the men replied. Abel reared several wolves, and that man had be their food. Eler''s stomach churned when she imagined how the wolves would tear through that man''s body. The two men left the training grounds with the man''s body. Eler walked up next to Bianca and saw that she was drenched in sweat. "Please rest for a while. Miss," she said. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. "I''m fine." Bianca remained determined. She did her next pull -up. After a few more reps, she felt that she was at her physical limit, so she jumped off the bar. Eler handed her a towel and a bottle of water. She took them, drank two sips of water, and wiped her forehead. She had to train harder so that she would be physically stronger. Another mercenary came in through the door and said to Bianca impassively. "I''ll be your trainer." Bianca nodded and stood at the position of the student. Word had spread around the ind that Abel had dispatched an insubordinate mercenary. The rest of the people dared not go against Abel''s orders. The mercenary walked in front of the two women, took off his jacket, and gave them an introduction to the fundamentals of wrestling. Bianca listened to the exnation attentively. When it came to putting the theory into practice, Bianca wascking in physical strength, but she managed to put up a tough fight. The mercenary nodded in satisfaction. "Very good, you''ve mastered the basics. You''ll improve greatly if you canplement your technique with strength training." "Thank you." Bianca nodded. She looked at the time; it was the end of the training session. After the mercenary left, Eler looked at Bianca while panting. "Miss, are you tired?" "I''m not tired." Bianca wiped the sweat off her body with a towel. She could see that Eler was worn out. "Let''s go back," she said. "Alright." Eler stood up, picked up the water bottle and the towel, and followed behind her. As they were walking toward their room, they met Shanks, who was pushing a baby stroller. Bianca''s heart skipped a beat. She immediately turned around so she did not have to face Shanks. Shanks stopped walking when he saw Bianca behave like that. He lowered his head to look at the sleeping baby and said, "Don''t you want to see your daughter?" "I don''t," Bianca lied and acted tough. Tears had already welled up in her eyes as she turned over. Shanks carried the baby in his arms. "You haven''t given a name to your daughter, Bianca." "Do I have the right to?" Bianca lowered her head. She could not control her tears. She had been thinking of a name before she gave birth to the child. "You are her mother." Shanks went closer to her with the baby. "N. N Crawford," Bianca said softly. Her shoulders trembled uncontrobly. "N," Shanks repeated the name as he carried the baby in his arms. "You haven''t looked at N yet, Bianca. The girl is docile and obedient. She looks like you, especially your eyes. Bianca was on the verge of a breakdown after hearing Shanks''s words. She clenched her fists and punched the wall. "I don''t want to look at her. Take her away!" Her loud voice caused the sleeping baby girl to wake up and cry. Her heart wrenched as the baby girl''s cries entered her ear. Shanks gently rocked the baby while saying, "Do you think that you can hide from her forever? You''ll still have to face her when she grows up. Wouldn''t it be a pity if you missed out on her formative years?" Bianca''s body shook. Of course, it would be a great pity. She had missed out on the first few years of Lanie and Rainie''s lives, and she had always felt guilty about it. She tried to make it up to them whenever possible. "Please look at your daughter, Miss," Eler also tried to convince Bianca. Bianca closed her eyes and let the tears flow. A long whileter, she slowly turned over. The baby was still crying. She looked at the baby in Shanks''s arms and reached out." Give her to me." Shanks handed the baby to Bianca. Bianca was experienced in carrying babies. She immediately put the baby in afortable position. Little N eventually calmed down and stopped crying. She looked at Bianca curiously with her big and round eyes. Bianca''s heart was melting when she saw that innocent gaze. She lifted one of her hands and wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes. "N." The babyughed, as though she knew that Bianca was calling her. "It looks like N loves you, Miss!" Eler said delightfully. Bianca hugged the baby tightly. The baby seemed to know that the woman hugging her was her mother and quickly bonded with her. Shanks''s gaze turned profound when he saw the scene. Eler suddenly thought of something and said to Shanks, "Mr. Shanks, can you leave N with Miss so that she can take care of her?" "Don''t say it, Eler," Bianca said before Shanks could say anything. Eler said helplessly, "But Miss, N looks like she loves you. Why don''t you take care of her?" "I..." Bianca wanted to refuse. If Abel knew that Bianca had bonded with N, he would be able to use the baby as a hostage. "I can," Shanks interjected. "You''re N''s birth mother, and it''s normal that you take care of her." Bianca looked at Shanks in disbelief. "Don''t you hate me?" i Chapter 1099 Chapter 1099 Reuniting With the Child "I hate you," Shanks said candidly. He hated Luke Crawford and his family, but that seemed to have changed after he took care of N. He could not get himself to hate that baby at all, even though the baby carried Luke and Bianca''s blood. "Why would you grant me my wish then?" Bianca asked. Ever since she carried the baby in her arms, she could not hide her true emotions. "I have no interest in taking care of your baby for you," Shanks said while putting his hands into his pockets. He turned to Eler and said, "She''s almost recovered from her stomach flu now, but you''ll have to be careful. Also, the baby''s necessities are in myb. Come over and take them away." After that, he turned around and left. Bianca felt aplicated mix of emotions as she watched Shanks leave. If Shanks did not want to take care of the baby, he could have handed it to the kitchendy or even Abel. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Why would he hand the baby to her? Bianca was confused. Eler was delighted. She touched the baby''s hand and said," This is great news, Miss. From now on, you can personally take care of N." Biancaughed dryly. "I don''t have the time for that." Her only free time was at night... Abel would not grant her the luxury of taking care of her baby. Also, she was not willing to sacrifice her training time. Bianca wanted to leave the Ind of Despair, so she wanted to grow strong as soon as possible. Having to take care of the baby would interfere with her ns. Eler nned to go along with Bianca. As she watched Shanks leave, she said thoughtfully, "I think Mr. Shanks will think of a way to help us." Bianca chuckled and started to walk back to her room. "He won''t help me." "Mr. Shanks isn''t as bad as you think, Miss," Eler said. She had focused her attention on Bianca and her baby, so she did not have the time to process her affection for Shanks. Now that she had calmed down, her face began to blush. Bianca shook her head. "Bring the stroller here." Eler went and pushed N''s stroller toward the room. At night, the kitchendy went to Bianca''s room. "Is there something, Madam?" Eler and Bianca were ying with N. "Boss says that I''ll take care of Ms. Kathryn when you''re away at training," the kitchendy said quite rudely. She thought that Eler had set her up so that Shanks got angry at her. "Kathryn?" Bianca looked at the baby. "Yes. Boss gave the baby a name, and it''s Kathryn!" The kitchendy said. "Mm. I know." Bianca did not expect that Abel would do that. Perhaps Shanks had a part in it. She was relieved that the kitchendy would be able to take care of N while she and Eler were away at training. Eler held Bianca''s hands excitedly. "This is good news, Miss. I knew that Mr. Shanks would think of something. We won''t have to worry about N while we''re away at training." The kitchendy nced at Bianca and Eler coldly before leaving without saying a word. She decided to let go of the grudge against Eler. Now that she was tasked to take care of the baby again, she could stay away from the tiring and dirty work of the kitchen. "Mm." Bianca looked at N and gently poked her little nose. "You are not Kathryn. You are N. N Crawford. Understand?" No matter what Abel thought of the baby, she was a Crawford. Little N smiled at Bianca. Eler''s heart warmed when she saw that. "N really looks like you, Miss." Bianca touched her face, wondering if that was true. "She doesn''t look like the current me." "I''m sorry, Miss..." Eler realized that she had misspoken and apologized immediately. Even though Shanks had done a fine job, Bianca still could not ept the fact that she looked like a different person now. "It''s nothing." Bianca shook her head and carried N. "Help me close the door. I want to feed N." "Alright." Eler nodded and closed the door. The door had no lock, so Eler had to lean against the door so that no one coulde in. Late at night, Bianca could not sleep. She sat up and looked at N in the cot. N was sleeping soundly. "I''m your mother, N. Your father is Luke Crawford. Can you remember that?" Bianca mumbled while leaning on the cot. N did not wake up, but her hand moved as though replying to her mother. Bianca smiled and covered her with the nket. Luke was her father, and she was her mother... A City. Luke was in a meeting at T Corporation, but he was interrupted by a phone call. After ending the call, he whispered something into Jason''s ear, then left the conference room. The managers in the conference room looked at each other. It was not the first time that this happened. They could tell that the interruption had something to do with Mrs. Crawford. Rumors had it that Mrs. Crawford had lost her mind. There was no concrete proof, but it was not entirely made up either. They could tell that there was some truth behind the rumors every time Luke abruptly stepped out of the meeting or changed his schedule. They were all veteran employees of T Corporation, and they knew that the only person who could get their boss to put down his work was Bianca Rayne. Jason coughed to regain their attention. "Boss has to attend to some other matters. I¡¯ll continue to chair the meeting," he said. The managers nodded. No one dared to say anything. Luke went to the parking lot and sped to the hospital. He went through a secret entrance toward Bianca''s ward without attracting any attention. "What happened, Aunt Wanda?" He stood at the door and asked Wanda. Neither of them dared to step inside. "I¡¯m sorry, Luke. I thought I''d show her a painting that she liked to jog her memories, but I didn''t expect that she would react so violently." Wanda seemed helpless as she tried to exin what happened. "..." Luke was silent. Bianca was not in a good mental conditiontely, but she had not reacted violently toward her aunt. "The nurse can vouch for me. I only handed her a painting. At first, she calmly looked at it, but when I said, ''Do you remember? This is your favorite piece of work.'' she began to ..." Wanda felt guilty even though she did not do anything out of line. "I don''t me you, Aunt Wanda. Bianca is still emotionally unstable," Luke said. He noticed the injuries on Wanda''s hands and said, "You''re hurt. You should get the wound cleaned." Wanda nced at the sh marks on her hands. Bianca had tried to cut herself with a knife, and Wanda tried to stop her. Chapter 1100 Chapter 1100 Let Bianca Forget Her Past "I''ll go and attend to these," Wanda said helplessly and nced at the patient inside the ward. The nurse had administered a tranquilizer shot to Bianca. Biancay there like a wooden puppet while the nurse dressed her wounds. Luke nodded and went inside. "Where is she hurt?¡± He asked the nurse. The nurse answered Luke''s question while dressing Bianca''s injuries with a bandage. "Most of the wounds are on the wrists. I''ve already cleaned them, and she''s fine now." Luke felt a dull ache in his heart when he saw theyers of bandages on her wrists. "Right, Mr. Crawford, Dr. Osmond asks you to go to her office," the nurse ryed the information from Bianca''s doctor. "Alright, I''ll go over now." Luke left the ward and went to Dr. Osmond''s office. "You''re here, Mr. Crawford," Dr. Osmond said as soon as she saw hime in. Luke sat down opposite her. They had been discussing Bianca''s condition like that for some time now. "The nurse said that you were looking for me," he said. "Yes, I want to see you because of what happened earlier today." Dr. Osmond ced a lot of attention on Bianca''s case, not only because of Bianca''s elevated status but also because her circumstances were rather unique. "I watched the security feed, and everything was normal until your wife saw the painting. She became emotionally disturbed and had self-harm tendencies. I think that she hasn''t calmed down enough yet. In my opinion, you shouldn''t rush her into remembering her past. After all, her biggest obstacle to recovery is her psychological trauma. We should tend to her trauma first before letting her recollect her past," Dr. Osmond said. It was normal for a patient''s family members to be impatient. Wanda did not do much, and no one had expected Bianca to react so violently. "Her trauma is because of her experiences, right?" Luke asked. "That should be the case." Dr. Osmond nodded. Bianca did not want to talk to anyone. The doctor had used many methods and could only conclude that Bianca was very afraid of certain things. For example, she was afraid of men. The doctor had also just found out that she was afraid of certain things in her past. "Do you have any way to make her forget what happened in the past nine months?" Luke asked. "Well..." Dr. Osmond hesitated. "Yes or no?" Luke asked. His tone of voice turned cold. Luke''s imposing demeanor managed to make Dr. Osmond lower her head, even though she was a psychologist. "There is a way, but it''s practically very difficult," she said. "Continue." Luke was listening. "We can suppress a patient''s deepest fears by using hypnosis. The memories would not be triggered unless the patient is faced with another major traumatic incident. Many case studies have shown that hypnosis helps in helping a patient ovee their fears. However, it''s not a foolproof method. After all, its efficiency greatly relies on the patient''s willpower. Some people cannot let go of their past traumas, and the memories would resurface very quickly even after sessful hypnosis," Dr. Osmond said. "What are the chances of sess?" "ording to research, there''s a sixty percent chance of sess, and many people can live uninterrupted lives for five years or more. However, there are certain risks to hypnosis. For example, some people''s memories might be buried together with their trauma, and they would wake up to a world that is wholly unfamiliar to them. Also, if the procedure fails, the patient would suffer double the trauma," Dr. Osmond answered truthfully. "What do you suggest?" Luke wanted to hear her opinion. Dr. Osmond smiled and said, "I would suggest that we keep observing her. If her situation doesn''t improve in a month, it''s not toote to explore other treatment methods." Luke did not want to wait without knowing the results. He asked again, "Who is the most famous hypnotist in the world?" If Bianca suffered, he would suffer too. In the worst-case scenario, Bianca would have to forget her past. "As far as I know, the best hypnotist is Professor Tia. She has her unique set of methods, and she rarely fails. However, she has her own researchb, and not many people get to hire her. Also, Mrs. Crawford shouldn''t travel long distances for the time being," Dr. Osmond said. "Mm." Luke stood up. "I''ll contact her." All Luke needed was the name. If there were no other options than hypnosis, Luke would hire her no matter what it took. After leaving Dr. Osmond''s office, Luke went to Johann''s office. Johann was browsing through some medical records when he heard the sound of footsteps. He lifted his head and nodded at his visitor. "I''ve heard all about Sis." N?velDrama.Org content. "I want to hire a hypnotist so that she can forget what happened to her in the past months," Luke said as he sat down on the couch. Johann frowned. He knew some psychology, but he was not a professional psychologist. "What did Dr. Osmond say?" "She suggests observing Bianca for another month," Luke replied. He did not want to wait for that long. Every passing day, something new would trigger Bianca''s manic episodes. Currently, her mental state was extremely frail. Luke wanted to protect her with all he could, but ironically, she did not want him to approach her. "I suggest that you follow Dr. Osmond¡¯s advice. You should know that deep hypnosis is very risky,¡± Johann suggested. "I n to get in touch with Dr. Tia. Do you have any contacts?" Luke had to n what he would do in a month. "Tia?" Johann frowned. "Are you sure you want to look for her? She''s very arrogant, and not everyone can hire her." Johann knew who Tia was, but his impression of that woman was purely negative. "She''s our best hope," Luke said. He was prepared to pay whatever price she named. "Indeed." Johann had to admit that Tia was indeed the best in her field, even though he did not like her. He thought for a while and continued, "I know her, and I''ve coborated with her mentor. I can pull some strings if it''s necessary." Chapter 1101 Chapter 1101 It¡¯s All Your Fault, Bianca Rayne! "Mm." Luke was quite relieved that Johann could connect him with Tia. Meanwhile, Maxine found a way to sneak out of the capital and came to A City. She found out the hospital where the impostor Bianca was, got herself a nurse''s uniform, and sneaked inside. The nurse who was attending to Bianca watched as Maxine entered the ward while wearing a mask. "Who are you?" She asked suspiciously. Maxine looked at the woman on the bed and gasped. The woman looked exactly like Bianca Rayne! "Hey, who are you? Don''t you know that you can''te in here as you like?" The nurse stood in front of Maxine and blocked her view of Bianca. "I''m sorry. I''m here to give her an injection." Maxine came to her senses and fumbled over her cart. "Injection?" The nurse checked Bianca''s schedule and frowned. "All the scheduled injections today are done, and I didn''t receive any new instructions from the doctor. What is this injection for?¡± "Ah!" Maxine eximed. The nurse was ring at her, but she managed to find an excuse. "Isn''t this Bill O''Malley''s ward?" "It''s not. You''re mistaken." The nurse frowned and picked up the vial. Thebel indeed indicated that the injection was for Bill O''Malley. "What are you doing? This is for the urology department. Why are you here?" Seeing that her cover was about to be blown, Maxine immediately said, "I''m sorry! I''m new here, and I got lost..." "You shouldn''te here. If the head nurse sees you, you''ll definitely get a scolding. You''d better leave quickly; the urology department is on the fifth floor," the nurse urged her. "Ah, alright, thanks. Please don''t tell anyone about my mistake." Maxine smiled at the nurse and nced at Bianca. She pushed the cart out of the ward while being secretly shocked by how realistic the disguise was. No wonder even Luke did not notice that the woman was an impostor. Abel must have spared no expense in deceiving Luke. Maxine touched her face. She had made some minor adjustments to her face so that she could get closer to Luke, but there was no use. Now that Abel sent Luke an impostor Bianca, Luke did not suspect anything at all. Maxine was extremely frustrated. She turned a corner, took off the nurse''s uniform and mask, and tossed them aside. She thought for a while and decided that she should meet Luke. She went to the parking lot, found Luke''s car, and patiently waited next to it. She did not believe that Luke did not spot anything strange. She would try to hint at something, and Luke would realize that the woman was an impostor. Meanwhile, Luke left Johann''s office and went to apany Bianca for a while. He only left the ward after receiving Jason''s call. Maxine saw the maning from afar, and her heart began to beat faster. The man seemed to have aged by a lot since thest time she saw him, perhaps because he had been worried about Bianca. Her heart ached when she saw the eye bags under Luke''s eyes. ''It''s all your fault, Bianca Rayne!'' "Why are you here?" Luke frowned when he saw the woman standing next to his car. "I have something to tell you, Luke." Maxine felt hurt when she saw the disgust in Luke''s eyes, but she decided that she had to tell him. After all, she would only stand a chance if Luke realized that the woman was an impostor. "Do you want to talk to me about the drugs?" Luke ced his hands in his pockets and maintained a distance from her. The police could not find out about the origin of the drug. He got the analysis report from Johann and ordered his subordinates to investigate the ck market, but they could not find anything either. N?velDrama.Org content. "I don''t know anything about the drug." Maxine pretended to be aggrieved. "Why don''t you believe me? I really don''t know anything...¡± Luke obviously did not believe it. "Is there anything else?" He said impatiently. Maxine thought of exining herself, but she soon realized that she was there to talk about the drug. Moreover, Luke was already prejudiced against her, and she had no evidence to prove that she was innocent. He was not going to believe her. When she thought of that, she bit her lower lip. The only way to redeem herself was to give a better impression to Luke. "I really don''t know anything about the drug, Luke, but there''s something else that I have to tell you." "If you don''t know about it, then I have nothing to talk to you. Step aside. I have to go back to my company," Luke said. Maxine was leaning on his car, and he did not want to get near her. He was a clean freak. Maxine was worried that he might shove her away, so she immediately said, "It''s about Bianca Rayne!" Luke frowned. "Luke, have you ever wondered why Bianca was suddenly found after nine months? Don''t you think that there''s something fishy about it?" Maxine used the opportunity to speak. Luke did not show any reaction. "Have you ever considered that someone is nning all this? What if the Bianca in the hospital is an impostor? Wouldn''t that make you miss out on the real Bianca?" Maxine tried to exaggerate the situation in case he did not believe her. "Rumors are flying all over A City. You have to think carefully whether the woman in the hospital is the woman you think she is!" "What do you know?" Luke replied. Maxine was shocked. "I don''t know anything. I can''t help but think that the entire incident is too strange, so that''s why I thought of warning you. Don''t be deceived, Luke." She realized that she would be exposed if she continued to speak, so she ran away after that. Luke felt even more suspicious as he watched her leave. His phone began to ring. It was from Johann. "What is it?" He answered the call. "I''ve already sent an email to Tia, but you should send one too, to show that you''re sincere. I''ve emailed you her email address. That''s her private email and not her work email," Johann said. "Thanks," Luke said. "Johann, is it possible topletely change a person to another?" "Practically, it''s impossible. You can change a person''s face, but you can''t change their DNA. No matter how you change one''s appearance or personality, they will never be fully simr to the other person." Johann realized what he was thinking. "Are you suspecting Sis?" "Mm," Luke replied. "I''ve told you since the beginning that the most reliable way of verifying her identity is to perform a DNA matching test with the children. It pays to be cautious, Luke. No one will me you," Johann said. "Help me make arrangements," Luke said decisively. Rather than calling it suspicion, he wanted to know if that woman is the real Bianca Rayne. Chapter 1102 Chapter 1102 Tommy''s Birth Mother Seeing that Luke had already made up his mind, Johann replied, "Alright, I''ll make arrangements for that immediately. If you can provide me with the hair of one of the children, I can give you the results in three days." "I''ll get Jason to deliver it," Luke said. He went back to hispany and told Jason to deliver a lock of Tommy''s hair to the hospital. Jason went and did what he was told. Luke went back to his office. His desk was piled with documents waiting for him to process. He sat on his chair but did not immediately read through the documents. Instead, he opened his mailbox and sent an email to the address that Johann had given him. He waited for the entire afternoon, but Tia did not give him a reply. Luke sank into deep thought as he stared at the screen. After a while, he picked up the receiver of the internal phone and spoke to Tina, "Book me a flight to New York." "When do you want to fly?" Tina opened the flight booking app immediately after hearing the request. "In four days," Luke said. He could not afford to be passively waiting for Tia''s reply. He nned to go over personally to show her that he was sincere. In four days, he would have already gotten the DNA test results. "Alright, I will get it done for you." Tina ended the call, booked the flight ticket, and checked Luke''s schedule for the weekend. "This is strange. There aren''t any business trips in his schedule, so why would he suddenly want to book a flight?" Tina said to her colleagues. As Luke''s secretaries, they knew about what happened to Bianca. 2 Their boss was already busy enough dealing with matters in hispany, his home, and the hospital. Why would he have the leisure of making a trip to New York? "We''re not in the position to guess what our boss is thinking, " Tina''s colleague said. "Don''t tell me Boss wants to bring Mrs. Crawford there for therapy?" Tina could not help but guess. After receiving the flight itinerary, she forwarded it to Luke''s phone. Meanwhile, Jason went to Crawford Manor, took a sample of Tommy''s hair, and immediately went to the hospital to look for Johann. Johann took the hair sample and nned to deliver it to theboratory himself. N?velDrama.Org content. A nurse ran over hurriedly and said, "Dr. Park, a patient in Room 306 is exhibiting signs of hematemesis. You should go and check on him." Johann frowned and handed the hair sample back to Jason. "Please deliver the sample to theboratory on the twentieth floor, Mr. Doyle." "Alright." Jason nodded and left with the sample. Jason handed the hair sample to the doctor in theboratory and filled in the form. At night, after all the doctors in theboratory had left, a man in a mask and a doctor''s coat entered the laboratory. He found Bianca''s samples, took out the hair that was in the pouch, and reced them with the strands of hair that he had prepared. After that, the man left without leaving a trace. The DNA test results were out in three days. Luke sat in Johann''s office with an envelope in his hands. He had no intention of opening it. Johann sighed when he saw his stern expression and poured him a cup of coffee. "You have the results in your hands. Aren''t you opening it?" Luke held the envelope tightly. He was thinking of something. Johann heard a ding on hisputer. He walked back to his desk, nced at the screen, and said to Luke, "I just got a reply from Tia." Luke''s gaze turned profound. "What did she say?" "She says that she''ll being to A City the day after tomorrow. You don''t have to go to New York." Johann knew that Luke had already booked a flight. "Mm." Luke''s gaze fell onto the envelope again. Johann crossed his legs and observed Luke''s expression." What is your concern?" He asked. "Nothing." Luke seemed to have made up his mind. He tore open the envelope, skipped through the final part, and read the conclusion. "What is it?" Johann could not tell from Luke''s expression. "She''s Bea." Luke ced the report on the coffee table and took a deep breath. Johann raised an eyebrow. He took the report to read it himself. Indeed, the report indicated that Bianca Rayne was Tommy Crawford''s birth mother. "Are you alright?" Johann asked out of concern. Bianca was still emotionally unstable, and he could tell that Luke was facing a lot of pressure. "I''m fine. Can you arrange a meeting between Tia and me?" Luke took the report, folded it, and inserted it into the envelope. "Sure, I''ll arrange a meeting with her. She''s a very demanding person, so be prepared that she''ll make things difficult for you." Johann nodded. He was not keen on talking to Tia, but he agreed to make arrangements. "Mm." Luke held the report tightly in his hand. After leaving Johann''s office, he took the elevator and went to Bianca''s ward. Bianca slept well because of the sleeping pills the doctor gave her. She seemed to be in good spirits. She sat there andbed her hair with her fingers. asionally, when she lifted her head, Luke could see the reticence in her eyes. She was still caught in her past. Suddenly, Bianca seemed to have sensed something. She suddenly grabbed her hair. The nurse noticed her irregr movement and quickly grabbed her hands. "What happened?" She asked. Bianca lifted her head and stared at the nurse without saying anything. "Don''t worry, you''re safe now," the nurseforted her. Bianca nodded woodenly as though she understood what the nurse said. She looked around her. She nearly saw Luke standing next to the window. He immediately hid himself. If she saw him, she might be emotionally unstable again. The nurse noticed that the curtains were not closed. She let go of Bianca and went over to close the curtains. Bianca was not in the state of mind to look at strangers, especially men. She felt calmer after the nurse closed the curtains. Luke was inexplicably dejected when he saw the thick curtains obscure his view of the ward. He turned around and left. He had decided that he would get Tia to help Bianca. He wanted Bianca to return to who she was, even if she might lose all her memories. He would be satisfied as long as she was safe. No matter what Bianca might be, he would stay by her side. After Luke left, Bianca lifted her hand and pointed at the curtains, "Openthem." The nurse looked at her in surprise. It was very rare that Bianca spoke. "Are you sure?" She asked. Bianca pulled her hand away and fell silent once more as she looked at the curtains. The nurse sighed. She noted it down in the logbook so that Dr. Osmond would be able to treat Bianca. Chapter 1103 Chapter 1103 Luke Is Already Married Four dayster, Luke picked Tia up at the A City International Airport. Tia was wearing shades. She narrowed his eyes in appreciation when she saw the man in front of her. Luke was dressed in a bespoke polyester shirt and a pair of neatly-pressed cks. He exuded an overbearing yet attractive aura. Tia could feel her heart flutter. She had seen many handsome men before, but it was the first time she had met someone with Luke''s demeanor. She felt as though she might lose control of her emotions at any time. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Tia." Luke went forward and greeted her. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Crawford," Tia extended her hand elegantly. Luke shook hands with her. He rarely shook hands with people, but Johann had cautioned him repeatedly that Tia was a demanding woman, and he should not go against her wishes. Tia felt dizzy when their hands touched. Fortunately, her shades obscured the gushing emotions from her eyes. Trying to maintain herposure, Tia elegantly pulled her hand away. Her timing and movements did not make Luke suspect anything. "Thank you foring all the way here, Ms. Tia. I''ve already arranged transport and amodation for you. This way, please.¡± At first nce, Tia could tell that the man was outstanding. Such an outstanding man was only waiting for an equally outstanding woman. Luke Crawford was the man for her. A Rolls-Royce was parked outside the airport. Luke opened the door for her like a gentleman, and they sat facing each other. The car started. "Mr. Crawford, are you a good friend of Dr. Park?" She tried to chat up with him. "Yes." Luke nodded and looked at her. She had not taken off her shades, and she exuded the aura of a self-made woman. Just like Johann said, she was going to make things difficult. Luke would agree to her requests no matter what. "You''ve sent me an email, right?" Tia removed her shades. Her dark-blue pupils exuded a feminine charm as her eyes were transfixed on him. As a psychologist, she knew the perfect gaze to captivate a man¡¯s heart. Luke looked at her, nodded, and said, "Yes. I need your help with something." His expression remained impassive. Tia was surprised that he was not charmed by her gaze, considering that not many men could resist her charms. Tia could tell that Luke was not pretending. Her gaze had no effect on him at all. She smiled gently and leaned forward slightly. "I receive a lot of mail every day, and my assistant must have filtered it. What can I help you with?" Luke remained unresponsive to Tia''s movements. "I''m not in a hurry. I''ve heard from Dr. Park that you''re here at A City to attend a conference. Perhaps we can discuss it after your conference." Tia raised an eyebrow. Her appreciation for the man increased. She liked men who did not rush her. "Sure, we can talk over tea," Tia replied. The Rolls-Royce arrived at the hotel, and Tia and her assistant got out of the car. While they waited for the driver to unload their luggage, she smiled and said, "Mr. Crawford, shall we have some coffee?" Luke nced at the time and said, "I still have some work back in my office, and I''ll have to owe you a date for now." Tia was happy even though Luke had declined her invitation. She nodded and said, "Alright, I won''t take any more of your time yet. See you next time." "Mm." After seeing them go into the hotel, he re-entered the car. Luke had booked a presidential suite for Tia. She put her luggage aside, sat on the couch, and smiled as she took out her phone to find more information about Luke. Tia was an arrogant woman, and she was not interested in normal men. She did not bother to find out who Luke was before she came to A City. She would not have agreed to meet Luke if not that Johann had personally contacted her. Her assistant came over with a cup of coffee. "Here''s the coffee you requested, Ms. Tia," she said softly. Tia put her phone away and took the cup. "What do you think of Luke Crawford?" She asked. The assistant had worked under Tia for many years and knew why her employer was asking that question. "Do you have a crush on Mr. Crawford?" "I''m just asking. Don''t be so nosy." Tia sounded like she was reprimanding her assistant, but she seemed to be in a good mood. Her assistant could see the blushes on Tia''s face. "I haven''t seen you having a crush on anyone yet, Ms. Tia." She thought that only Johann could be a match for Tia. However, Johann chose to stay in A City, and that was why their rtionship did not thrive. Tia only agreed to meet with Luke because Johann had asked her. "Watch your mouth if you want to keep your job," Tia said yfully. "Please forgive me, Ms. Tia," the assistant begged. "I''ll give you half an hour to find me everything there is on Luke Crawford," Tia said. "Also, you''d better not tell that to anyone else." "Alright, I''ll get to it." The assistant was secretly relieved that Tia did not punish her. Half an hourter, the assistant handed her a folder. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Tia put the magazine away and looked at her. "What''s with your expression?" The assistant shook her head and said, "It''s nothing, Ms. Tia. Tia took the folder and opened it. All the information inside was about Luke Crawford. Her expression sank when she saw that Luke was already married. "Luke Crawford is already married?" "Yes. From what I can find on the Inte, Luke Crawford has been married for several years, and the couple has three children." The assistant shuddered. She was most afraid of Tia in a bad mood. Tia tossed the folder aside and said, "Whatever. Do you have any information about his wife?" "Yes, it''s also in the folder." After finding out that Luke was married, the assistant went to investigate his wife. Tia picked up the folder again and flipped to the next section. She narrowed her gaze and mumbled, "Bianca Rayne?" She flipped to the next page and could not help but chuckle when she saw Bianca¡¯s photo. "Is he for real? This woman looks so in." The assistant looked at her but dared not say anything. It was no surprise for a woman to think that her love rival was ugly. Chapter 1104 Chapter 1104 Bianca Is Everything to Him Tia narrowed her gaze and continued reading. At the end of the report, she grunted coldly and said, "She''s no one remarkable. Why does she deserve to be Luke Crawford''s wife?" "Regardless of what you think of Bianca Rayne, she''s nheless Luke Crawford''s wife." That was what the assistant wanted to say but dared not. She knew that she would lose her job if she offended Tia. After reading through Bianca''s information, Tia flipped to the first page and began to read Luke''s information again. She seemed obsessed. Half an hourter, she put the folder away. The assistant asked her carefully, "Would you like to have your meal now, Ms. Tia?" "No. Help me set up a meeting with Johann. I''d like to ask him why is Luke Crawford looking for me," Tia said. The assistant thought for a while and said, "I believe Mr. Crawford is looking for you to help his wife." "His wife?" Tia frowned. She did not want to hear about Luke''s wife. "I read on the Inte earlier that Mr. Crawford''s wife suffered some psychological trauma and has been behaving erratically," the assistant said. Knowing that Tia was a world- renowned psychologist, the assistant put two and two together. "Is that so?" Tia''s eyes shed with coldness. "Bianca Rayne is mentally unstable. How can she be a suitable wife for Luke Crawford?" The assistant was speechless. She had been working for Tia for many years, and it was the first time seeing her being so obsessed with a man. Tia nced at her assistant. "Why aren''t you saying anything?" This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. "I think that you''re right," the assistant hurriedly said. She dared not speak her true feelings. Tia grunted coldly. "Will you help him?" The assistant asked. "If an outstanding man asks me for help, how can I possibly refuse?" Tia stood up. Her eyes narrowed as though she was plotting something. The assistant knew what Tia''s gaze meant. Two dayster, after Tia''s conference ended, Luke contacted her. At the end of the call, Tia returned to her suite and freshened up. When it was about time to meet Luke, Tia walked to the door and said to the assistant, "Come along with me." The assistant was surprised. "Ms. Tia, aren''t you going on a date with him?" "Luke wants to discuss official business, so you''ll have toe along.¡± Tia rolled her eyes at her assistant''s slowness. If she went alone, Luke could easily guess what her ulterior motives were. She would not let the man see through her. "Oh." The assistant quickly brought her briefcase. The two women went downstairs and saw Luke''s Rolls- Royce parked at the entrance. Seeing them in the lobby, Jason went out of the car and greeted them. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Tia. I am Mr. Crawford''s personal assistant. He has some more business in his office, so he told me to fetch the two of you over. He will be joining you shortly." Tia was not very happy, though she felt quite privileged to be transported around by Luke''s personal assistant. She nodded arrogantly. Jason opened the door, and she stepped into the car. After her assistant got into the car, Jason closed the door, sat in the side passenger seat, and told the driver to drive. Tia took off her sses. Her assistant sitting next to her asked, "Why did you get on the car, Ms. Tia?" Tia was very particr about who got to drive her. If she epted an invitation and the person who invited her did not personally drive her, she would not get into the car. "Why are you asking so many questions today?" Tia red at her. The back seats might be insted from the front, but it was not totally soundproof. She would be humiliated if Mr. Crawford''s assistant knew that she made an exception for his boss! "I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Tia." The assistant apologized after realizing her mistake. Tia closed her eyes and thought about Luke. When they arrived at Westin Hotel, Jason brought them to the private room. Luke had already arrived before them and was waiting. "Good day, Mr. Crawford." Tia took off her shades and extended a hand. "Good day, Ms. Tia." Luke reached out and shook hands with her. Then he pulled his hand away and pulled out a chair. "Over here, please." "Thank you." Tia nodded, smiled, and sat down. Her assistant sat down next to her and poured her a cup of tea. The waiter came into the room and handed them a menu. Luke nodded and said to Tia, "You first, Ms. Tia." Tia ordered her meal, happy that Luke was well-mannered at the dining table. Luke ordered his meal as well as dessert for everyone. Tia realized that they were all her favorite desserts. Tia was quite happy that Luke had done his research in an effort to appease her, though she soon realized that he was doing it for his wife. She did not want to let that outstanding man slip through her fingers. After the meal, the three people had some wine. Tia did not say anything; she waited for Luke to make his request. Luke opened another bottle of fine red wine, clinked sses with Tia, and said, "You''re the best psychologist in the world, Ms. Tia. I have something to ask of you." "I''ve roughly heard about your request, Mr. Crawford. Do you want me to treat your wife?" Tia held her wine ss elegantly. She looked at Luke like a hunter looking at her prey. She had to im that outstanding man as her own. "Yes," Luke replied candidly. "I was hoping that you could hypnotize my beloved wife so that she can forget her past traumas. I know that you''re an expert hypnotist, so the chances of sess will be the highest." "Johann rmended me to you, right? Heheh, I''ll be honest with you. I can''t just hypnotize someone on a whim. I''ll have to conduct a face-to-face mental assessment session with your wife first before I can conclude if she''s suitable to undergo hypnotherapy. If you trust me. I''ll get my assistant to schedule a meeting," Tia said. Seeing that Tia agreed to the meeting so readily, the assistant took out her phone to update her employer''s schedule. Tia was on a tight schedule, but she nned to postpone everything else so that she could get closer to Luke. "You can set the time." Luke was willing to coordinate with Tia so that she could help Bianca get better. Bianca meant everything to him. He would not want to see her suffer any longer. Chapter 1105 Chapter 1105 Hypnotherapy Tia nodded and looked at her assistant. "Make arrangements in my schedule." Tia had already told her assistant what to do. The assistant nodded and said, "You have a free two- hour slot from nine to eleven tomorrow morning." "Would nine to eleven a.m. do, Mr. Crawford?" Tia looked at Luke. "I''ll have to conduct a comprehensive assessment with the patient. Of course, I hope that no one else will be present while I conduct my assessment." "That is possible." Luke nodded as he understood what Tia wanted to do. His profound gaze showed no emotion. "I''ll make arrangements with my wife, and I''ll prepare transport for you from your hotel." "Alright." Tia lifted her ss and prepared for a toast. The two people clinked their sses. Tia slightly pursed her lips and emptied the contents of her ss. Meanwhile, at the Ind of Despair, Bianca overheard the conversation between Abel and a mercenary while she was walking from the training grounds to her room. "Latest news from A City, Boss. Our agent has sessfully swapped the samples, and Luke Crawford truly believed that our woman is the real Bianca Rayne. He has also hired a psychologist to perform hypnotherapy on that woman." "Excellent! That saves some of my time," Abel said. He did not expect Luke would take the initiative to hire a hypnotist to treat Bianca. That inadvertently helped him. The impostor Bianca was already under hypnosis. After the second session, she would recall her mission. They also controlled the impostor Bianca with drugs, so they were not afraid that she would not carry out the mission. Abel wanted to wait for a while before cing the impostor Bianca under the second hypnosis. That way, Luke would not suspect anything. If Luke had made the decision for him, he would not have to find a hypnotist to do that. "Now that Luke believes that the woman is the real Bianca Rayne, should we still keep an eye on him?" The mercenary asked. "Continue with the surveince. We can only drop our guard when the impostor Bianca returns to normal," Abel said. "Yes." Bianca''s emotions were a mix of shock and despair when she heard that. She had already known the reason why Shanks had collected her hair and blood samples, but she was still hopeful that Luke would not fall for it. After all, not any random person could sneak into the hospital and swap the DNA samples. However, Abel had done it without leaving a trace. To Luke and everyone else in A City, the woman was the real Bianca Rayne. If she would ever appear in front of Luke again, she would be no more than a stranger. Bianca felt a pang of sorrow when she thought of that. She was uneasy whenever she thought that Luke would treat another woman as herself. Abel walked over and grinned when he noticed the sorrow on Bianca''s face. "Did you hear everything?" Bianca did not say a word. Abel continued, "Very soon, my agent will return to normal, and she will fully rece your identity. Tsktsk, I didn''t expect Luke would be so impatient to hire a hypnotist for her. I don''t have anything to worry now." "You despicable wretch!" Bianca said through gritted teeth. Not only had Abel imprisoned her in this deste ce, but he also arranged for a woman who looked exactly like her to take her ce next to Luke. Would a sane person do that? From that, she could tell that Abel was not sane at all. "Despicable? You''re right, I''m despicable. In the future, I''ll be doing more despicable deeds. You''d better pray that Luke can handle everything that I throw at him." Abel grinned and walked away. As hisughter disappeared down the corridor, Bianca slumped on the wall and struggled to breathe, as though all her strength had been drained away. Eler happened to walk past and noticed Bianca''s pale face." What happened, Miss? Are you feeling unwell?" "I''m fine." Bianca''s heart wrenched when she thought of her future with Luke. She loved Luke too much. She did not want to be reced by another woman. She felt only guilt and regret when she thought of the challenges Luke would face in the future, and it was all because of her. N?velDrama.Org content. "You look unwell. I''ll help you walk back to your room." Eler could see that Bianca was in agony. She was worried for Bianca, but she was helpless if Bianca did not want to say what was wrong. Bianca nodded and let Eler support her. Back in the room, the kitchendy handed N to Bianca. Her job was done after Bianca returned from training, and she did not want to linger for an extra moment. Bianca took N and looked at her. The baby opened her eyes to look at her and smiled. Bianca''s heart wrenched even harder as she hugged the child tightly. That seemed to have made N ufortable. She instantly pressed her lips together and started to cry. Bianca immediatelyforted her. It took a long while before the baby stopped crying. She sobbed in Bianca''s arms. "Let me do it, Miss," Eler said when she saw the sorrow on Bianca''s face. "I''m fine. You should go and get dinner. I''m hungry," Bianca said while gently rocking the baby. She knew that the baby cried because of her sorrow. She knew how to calm the baby down again. "I''ll get Amur to get dinner for us. I''ll stay here with you," Eler said. She looked at the time and reminded Bianca, "It''s time to feed N." "Mm." Bianca felt guilty when she saw that N''s face was red from crying earlier. After closing the door, Bianca breastfed the baby and looked at her while thinking of the conversation between Abel and the mercenary. "Eler, do you think that Abel''s n will seed?" She asked. "I believe in you, Miss. If you think that his n will fail, I think that his n will fail too," Eler said. The siblings'' allegiance was with Bianca, and they did not want anything to do with Abel''s n. 1 They had to obey Abel for now because they were not strong enough. "I won''t let him seed. I''ll make sure that N and you two will leave this organization safely," Bianca said hatefully. N fell asleep while drinking milk. Bianca lowered her head and noticed that. She gently put the baby on the cot. After tidying her clothes, she told Eler the conversation Abel had with the mercenary. "How despicable!" Eler clenched her fists subconsciously. Before meeting Abel, Bianca could not imagine someone would go to such lengths to carry out his revenge. She turned her head to look at N and clenched her fists. She had to make herself stronger so that she could escape from Abel''s clutches. Chapter 1106 Chapter 1106 Bianca Will Be Under Her Control The next day, Jason went to the hotel under Luke''s orders and brought Tia to the hospital. Guided by Dr. Osmond, Tia went into the ward and saw Bianca, who was in a daze. The nurse smiled when she saw Tia walk in. "Good morning, Ms. Tia." Tia was a renowned psychologist. Everyone in the department wanted to catch a glimpse of her when they heard that she wasing. Tia arrogantly ignored the nurse¡¯s greeting. She took off her shades and said to the nurse, "I don''t want anyone else present during my consultation sessions." Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. The nurse understood what she meant; the management had already informed her about Tia''s temperament. "Understood. I will be waiting outside the door." Tia did not listen to what she said. Instead, her eyes were transfixed on Bianca. After the nurse left the room, Tia''s assistant closed the door. "Bianca Rayne?" Tia called out. The woman on the bed gave no response. Tia had met many simr cases like Bianca before, so she was not flustered. If she lost her temper whenever someone ignored her, she would have lost her temper a few thousand times. Tia sat elegantly on the couch and spoke to her assistant, "Give her a pen and paper. I''d like to see how I can evoke a response from her." The assistant nodded. That was Tia''s unique way of stimting a patient and getting them to respond to hermands. After getting some pen and paper, Tia and her assistant set out to work. An hourter, Luke arrived at the hospital. The door to the ward remained tightly closed. The nurse waiting at the door greeted him, "You''re here, Mr. Crawford." "How are things?" Luke saw that not only the door was shut, but the curtains were also closed. He could not see what was going on inside. The nurse shook her head and said, "Ms. Tia has been inside since an hour ago. She hasn''te out yet." "Did you hear anything?" Luke was worried that Tia''s unconventional methods might unnecessarily agitate Bianca. "Nothing yet," the nurse replied. Luke had to calm down. She might be worried, but there was nothing he could do except wait. Usually, a husband would take care of his wife whenever she fell sick. However, Bianca would go into a manic frenzy whenever she saw him. Luke could not take care of her, but instead, he made her condition worse. He felt uneasy when he thought of that. He ced his hands in his pockets and looked at the door. Half an hourter, Tia opened the door. She was surprised to see Luke outside. She did not expect that Luke woulde over. Was he that concerned about Bianca? Why would he care so much about a woman who had lost her mind? The more Tia thought about it, the unhappier she was. However, she knew how to mask her feelings well. "You''re here, Mr. Crawford," she smiled and greeted Luke. She was still holding onto her shades. Luke nodded, though his heart was with Bianca. "How is my wife, Ms. Tia?" "Worse than I expected, but she can undergo hypnotherapy. I''ll give her two days'' worth of medication to calm her down before we begin," Tia said decisively. Luke breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that Bianca could undergo hypnotherapy. ''TH be relying on you to cure my wife," he said. "I''ve agreed to help you, so I¡¯ll do my best," Tia said with a gentle smile and handed a piece of paper to the nurse. "You can stop the medication she''s currently taking. Use my prescription instead." "Yes." The nurse took the paper and went to the nurses'' station. Tia turned around and looked at Bianca. "She''s sleeping now. You can go in and look at her." "Mm." Luke looked at Bianca through the door but did not step inside. Tia was quite happy when she saw that. She would not fully cure Bianca; if she had done so, she would have no excuse to get close to Luke. That was why she would employ certain techniques. After Tia left, Luke went to Dr. Osmond''s office. "Please have a seat, Mr. Crawford." Dr. Osmond was studying Tia''s prescription. Luke sat opposite Dr. Osmond and recognized that the piece of paper in her hand was the prescription that Tia gave the nurse. "Is there a problem with the medication?" He asked. "There''s no problem." Dr. Osmond shook her head. "I''m a little concerned about the side effects because the doses are quite aggressive, but it should be fine in the short term." Luke felt relieved when he heard that. After all, Dr. Osmond had been Bianca''s doctor ever since she was brought to the hospital. The doctor would know her condition the best. "Don''t worry. With someone as reputable as Tia treating her, her mental condition will definitely improve." Dr. Osmond was already at wit''s end trying toe up with a solution for Bianca. She was quite relieved that Tia was there to help her. She would not have been so pressured if Bianca were anyone else, but Bianca had to be Luke Crawford''s wife. "Mm. I''ll leave my wife in your care." Luke thanked the doctor and left the office. Two dayster, Tia started the hypnotherapy procedure on Bianca. As usual, no one could disturb her while she was working. Luke could only wait outside the door while Johann apanied him. Bianca seemed to have calmed down a lot after taking the medication. She could look into Tia''s eyes and consent to the procedure. Two hourster, the door opened. The assistant came out of the ward, closed the door behind her, and told Luke, "Mr. Crawford, Mrs. Crawford showed some resistance during the session. Ms. Tia says that it''ll take her another half an hour." "Mm." Luke nodded and frowned even harder. Johann patted his shoulder andforted him, "It''s normal for a patient to resist hypnotherapy. Give her some more time." Luke did not say anything. Half an hourter, Tia ended her session. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Bianca sleeping soundly. The hypnotherapy session should have been easy, but Tia had inserted some unstable factors into Bianca''s memories while reshaping them. She did not expect to encounter some resistance, so the session was more difficult than she had thought. Fortunately, she eventually seeded. Tia smiled gently. She still had some sweat beads on her forehead when she stood up and told the assistant, "Open the door." "Mm." The assistant nodded and opened the door. Tia came out with a tired expression on her face. Before Luke could ask any questions, she said, "The hypnotherapy was a sess, but..." "But what?" Luke frowned. "There was a minor mishap halfway through the session, so I can''t say that it''s a hundred percent sess. I''ll have to keep on observing her after she wakes up, and you''ll have to be mentally prepared too," Tia said. Chapter 1107 Chapter 1107 Bianca''s Amnesia Luke was immediately fraught with worry. "Mentally prepared? Why?" Tia nced at Johann and found a good excuse. "The objective of the hypnotherapy session is to make her forget the traumatic events of her past, but I''m not sure how much she had forgotten." "Will she be able to forget everything that happened to her in the past nine months?" Luke was most concerned about that traumatic part of her life. "Generally, it shouldn''t be a problem, but I can''t guarantee if she forgot anything that happened more than nine months ago. When I tried to ess her subconscious memories, she did not seem to have a sense of time," Tia exined. Johann frowned when he heard that. As far as he knew, no matter how insane a person might be, their subconscious should beid bare once they were hypnotized. It was rare that Bianca lost her sense of time even after she was hypnotized. Seeing that they did not speak, Tia looked at the time and said, "She will wake up in another half an hour. You''ll have to ept whatever she might be. It''s practically impossible to reverse the process." "Mm." Luke went into the ward and looked at the sleeping Bianca. She was lying on the bed silently. It was the first time she could sleep calmly without the aid of medication. Half an hourter, the patient on the bed slowly opened her eyes. Luke held his breath and gazed at her. His hands that rested on his knees were clenched into fists. Tia felt disdainful and smug when she saw him behave like that. If she had more chances to interact with him, she was sure that he would eventually fall for her. "Ugh," Bianca grunted softly. "Bea," Luke called out. He could hear that she was in agony. Bianca blinked and looked at him. "Who are you?" She sounded confused. Luke opened his eyes wide in shock. "It''s me, Bea. I''m Luke. Don''t you remember?" "Luke?" Bianca looked at the other people in the ward. "Who is Luke? Who are all of you?" Her voice was hoarse, unlike before. Luke felt a dull ache in his heart when Bianca said that she did not recognize him. Tia pretended to be anxious and asked her, "Do you remember who you are?" "I''m Bianca Rayne. What about it? Why am I here? Shouldn''t I be in school?" Bianca wanted to sit up, but she did not have the strength to do so. "What did you do to me?" Luke could not believe what he saw and heard. He looked at Tia. Indeed, Bianca had stopped reacting violently when she saw him, and she had forgotten the traumatic events of the past nine months. At the same time, she hadpletely forgotten about him as well. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. His chest ached even more when he thought of that. "You can leave the room for now. Ill try talking to her," Tia said. Johann patted Luke''s shoulder when he saw that Luke remained seated on the chair with his eyes transfixed on Bianca. "Give Tia some time." Luke nodded slightly, stood up, and left the ward in a daze. Tia''s assistant closed the door and asked, "What''s going on, Ms. Tia?" "Shut up!" Tia red at her assistant, then resumed a friendly expression." Nice to meet you, Bianca. I''m Tia, your therapist. Can you tell me what you remember?" "Therapist? I don''t have a therapist. Are you mistaken?" Bianca looked at her in confusion. "I''m not mistaken. You might have forgotten a few things. How much do you remember about yourself?" Tia asked. "My name is Bianca Rayne. I..." Bianca stopped and looked at Tia in a daze. "I forgot. I remember that my name is Bianca Rayne." Tia was surprised that Bianca had forgotten everything. She continued asking, "Do you remember anything other than your name?" "I don''t remember. I''m a student, right? I think I remember that I''m a student ..." Bianca trailed off while speaking mid-sentence. Tia was overjoyed. It was a good thing that Bianca forgot everything. It meant that she had forgotten all about Luke as well, which meant that Tia could control her better. Tia opened the door and pretended to look solemn. "Mr. Crawford, I''m sorry to tell you that Mrs. Crawford doesn''t remember anything other than her name." "What?" Luke could not believe it. He rushed into the ward and held Bianca''s shoulders tightly. "Do you remember me, Bea?" Bianca did not seem repulsed when Luke touched her. Instead, she looked at him in confusion. "Who are you? Do I know you? I don''t think I remember Luke''s knees went weak, and he fell sitting on the bed. Johann came in. "Don''t you remember anything at all?" He said with a frown. "I only know that my name is Bianca Rayne." Bianca seemed timid when two strangers asked her questions. "What''s going on? My name is Bianca Rayne. Where are my parents? Do you know where they are?" Luke lowered his head defeatedly. It was the first time Johann saw him like that. He sighed and said, "I''ll examine her body." Luke stood up woodenly and left the room. Bianca seemed confused when she looked at his back. Who was he? After Luke closed the door, Tia stood next to Luke, waited for a while, and said, "There might be an exnation for the situation..." "Why?" Luke¡¯s voice was low. Tia could hear the sorrow in his voice even though she did not see his face. She continued to exin, "Perhaps Mrs. Crawford might have thought that everything that happened in the past was traumatic to her, so she took the opportunity to forget everything." "She was once happy," Luke said. Bianca''s life was indeed difficult before, but she was happy when the family was together. "Of course, everyone has their happy and sad moments. Sometimes, when people receive hypnotherapy, they do not wish to have nk spots in their memories. Instead of forming new connections, they might decide to forget everything," Tia exined. "That might be what happened to Mrs. Crawford. She would rather forget everything." Luke clenched his fists when he listened to Tia''s words. Johann conducted a basic examination for Bianca and confirmed that she was physically healthy. As Biancay on the bed and watched Johann leave the room, an uncanny smile appeared on her face. Chapter 1108 Chapter 1108 Discharged Johann left the ward. When he saw Luke''s gloomy expression, he said helplessly, ¡®I¡¯ve done a basic examination and there are no issues with her body." Luke''s expression turned even more dejected. Johann patted his shoulder andforted him. "Now that she doesn''t reject you, why don¡¯t you go in and spend some time with her?" Luke walked into the ward. Johann looked at Tia. His attitude was cold as he said, "Come to my office. I''m not going to." Tia became snobbish when she saw the man she was once involved with speaking to her in a rude tone and attitude. Johann put his hands in his pockets and said, "It''s okay if you want me to talk to you here." "What do you want to talk to me about?" Tia looked at him vigntly. She was wondering if he had found out about what she did. However, she was very cautious. Seeing that Bianca had amnesia, it was unlikely that he noticed anything. Johann stared straight at her with a calm expression. Even as a psychologist, Tia could not read him. After she thought about it, she put on her sunsses and said, "Let''s go." Johann turned around and led her to his office. When they arrived at his office, Tia walked to the sofa and sat down. She looked around the office and could not help but mock Johann, "You call this an office?" Johann was familiar with her character, so he did notsh out. He poured her a ss of warm water. Tia treated him coldly, saying, "I don''t want water, I want coffee." "We don¡¯t serve coffee here." Johann took the cup away after seeing her refusal. He sat in his office chair and turned to look at her. ¡°The coffee in the restaurant downstairs won¡¯t suit your taste." Tia casually put her hands on the sofa and showed a charming smile. "I thought you had forgotten about it, I¡¯m surprised you remember my likes and dislikes. I don¡¯t get it. The conditions here are so bad. Why did you insist on returning?" If he had not returned, they might have ended up together. "What did you do to Bianca?" Johann did not answer her question and went straight to the topic. Tia was stunned. ''He found out?!¡¯ "I don''t understand what you mean." She concealed her panic very well and remained calm on the surface. She would be ashamed to call herself a psychiatrist if she could not even hide her emotions. Johann said, "Although Bianca''s situation isn¡¯t ideal, it¡¯s unlikely that she lost all her memory after hypnosis." He knew Bianca and Tia well. Such a serious mistake should not have happened. "Are you trying to say that I deliberately caused Bianca to lose her memory? " Tia chuckled and intentionally looked at him with a disappointed expression. "Johann, what good will this do for me? That session was a failure and will be on my record permanently. What can I gain from doing such things?" Johann kept silent. Tia continued talking, ¡°It¡¯s a fact that hypnosis is risky. The patient''s family signed an agreement for the session and was willing to ept all the consequences. Mr. Crawford has not said anything, but you... Why are you saying such things? Unless..." Johann knew exactly what she wanted to say. ''She was like this a few years ago and she''s still the same a few yearster. Time did not change her one bit.¡¯ "Stop it with your nonsense," Johann said with a stern expression. "What good will this do for you? Although you hide your feelings for Luke very well, I can see through you." Tia frowned and looked at him. "When you look at Luke, it''s like a cheetah looking at its prey." Johann knew her too well. He could tell what she was thinking about just from her gaze. "Johann, are you jealous?¡± After the truth was exposed, Tia smiled slightly and tried to divert the subject. Johann¡¯s expression was somber as he said, "I never had any interest in you. Never had, never will." This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Tia was speechless. Johann asked again, "What did you do to Bianca?" "I¡¯m a woman with morals. Isn''t it normal for me to be interested in a good man like Luke? However, I would never do anything to Bianca just because I fancy him. If you continue to spew nonsense like this, I¡¯ll see you in court.¡± Tia stood up, adjusted her dress, and left furiously. As he watched her leave, Johann''s expression remained stern. ''Same old, same old. A woman like that will never attract Luke''s attention. However, Bianca...'' Johann shook his head helplessly. The memory loss caused by hypnosis may be temporary, but it may be permanent as well. Regardless if it was temporary or permanent, it was not good news for the couple. When her memory recovered, Bianca may remember everything that had happened nine months ago. If the memory loss was permanent, the rtionship between the two of them would go back to square one. Johann knocked on the keyboard, stood up, and walked to Bianca''s ward. Luke and Tia were both there. When she saw himing, the nurse who stood at the door greeted softly, "Dr. Park." Johann heard no sounding from the ward, so he asked, "How¡¯s the patient?" "The patient''s mood is stable, but she was tired and went to sleep," the nurse said. Johann nodded. Luke came out and took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He took one out and handed it to Johann. Johann was not a fan of smoking but would still smoke with him. He took the cigarette from Luke and lit it. "Her memory may recover," Johann said. "I know." Luke took a long inhale, blew out a smoke ring, and looked into the distance downheartedly. "Tia has said that if her memory recovers, she may also remember the bad memories." "What do you think about this?" Johann asked. "No matter what she bes, she¡¯s the love of my life. I¡¯m content as long as she can stay by my side." Luke shared his thoughts. Johann listened to Luke but kept his thoughts to himself. He had seen many patients with amnesia. Even if they could ept their condition, their temperaments would change drastically. There were many examples of patients who have gone from gentle to manic after suffering from amnesia. ''Will Luke be able to ept it if Bianca turned into apletely different person?¡¯ He believed that Luke''s feelings for Bianca were sincere, but epting apletely different Bianca posed a major challenge. It would be great if Bianca could forget the pain of the past, but the burden of the other missing chapters would fall onto Luke. "I believe that Tia has told you about all these. You should mentally prepare yourself." Johann took a drag of the cigarette before putting it out and throwing it in the trash can. "When will Bea be discharged from the hospital?" Luke asked. "I¡¯ll arrange for a detailed physical examination for her in the afternoon. If there are no significant findings, she¡¯ll be discharged tomorrow," Johann said. "Okay.¡± Luke nodded. Their kids had been acting out since Bianca got admitted to the hospital. It was time for her to go home. Chapter 1109 Chapter 1109 Two Years Later Two yearster, on the Ind of Despair. Bianca hurried back to her room as soon as she was done with training. After N was weaned, Abel took her away and stipted that Bianca could only see N one night per week. She was finally able to see N after a long week of waiting. Eler and Amur followed behind her with the same fast pace. When they were about to reach the entrance, Amur took out a small wooden windmill from his pocket and said, "Miss, I made this for N..." Bianca looked at the windmill, smiled, and said, "Amur, thank you." In the past two years, Eler and Amur had been by her side. The three of them were training together as well. They had made great progresspared to when they first met. "Miss, you''re wee." Amur touched the back of his head shyly. "N is adorable, and we all love her." Bianca smiled slightly. When she pushed the door open, she saw N sitting on her bed waiting for her. Her heart melted. "N!" A bright smile appeared on N¡¯s face when she heard Bianca calling out to her. She stood up awkwardly and spread open her hands to ask for a hug. She said in Russian, "Mom! N misses you so much." Bianca immediately walked over and hugged her. "Mom misses you too." Although she was not allowed to spend much time with N, blood was thicker than water. They were as close as can be every time they met. "Mom!" N hugged her neck and said, "You lied to me, you said you woulde and visit me." Bianca forced a smile. Every time Abel''s man wanted to take N away, she would be unwilling to go and start crying. Due to Bianca''s distress, she would coax N by promising that she would visit her soon enough. In reality, except for the one day a week, Abel would never give her the chance to visit N. "N, I''m sorry, I''ve been busy. Look, what is this?" Bianca handed her the windmill made by Amur. N?velDrama.Org content. "It''s a windmill!" N said in surprise. Children could never resist toys, especially in a ce like the Ind of Despair, where there were no children''s toys. Amur was the one who made toys for N. "Uncle Amur made it for you, what should you say?" Bianca turned around while holding N, looking at Eler and Amur who stood at the entrance. "Thank you, Uncle Amur. Thank you, Aunt Eler." N was very polite. Bianca put N on the bed and watched her y with the windmill happily. She was deeply moved. Before Abel took N away, she was worried that Abel would harm her and set a bad example for her. Fortunately, N grew up kind and loving. N reminded Bianca of Tommy when he was a baby. Bianca felt even more bitter at the thought of her three kids. She heard that the woman had sessfully gained Luke''s trust and was now living with Luke while assuming her identity. ''How are they doing?¡¯ Every time Bianca thought about it, her heart would ache. "Mom!¡± N yed with the windmill for a while before calling out to her again. Bianca snapped out of her thoughts and looked at her daughter with a smile. "Baby, what''s the matter?" "Mom, when can we go up?" N pointed to the ceiling. She had inherited Luke''s intelligence. After overhearing Abel and his subordinates'' conversation, she knew that they lived in a ce that was different from other ces. Bianca was stunned. She sat on the bed and touched N¡¯s head as she said, "N, do you want to go up?" "Yeah!" N nodded. Bianca smiled. ''TH do my best to bring you up." She was determined to leave the Ind of Despair with N and get out of Abel''s control. "Okay, Mom!" N smiled sweetly and continued ying with her toy. She said, ¡¯Shanks said that the scenery up there is beautiful!" Bianca corrected her, "It¡¯s Uncle Shanks!" "Mom, Shanks is so good-looking. He¡¯s not an uncle!" The little girl insisted. Bianca shook her head helplessly. She was not sure what Abel and Shanks had told N that she now insisted Shanks was a good person. N was young but very stubborn. Once her mind was set, there was no changing it. A mercenary walked in and said in a loud voice, "Bianca, the boss is looking for you." Bianca was stunned and replied with a stern expression, "Today is the day I can spend time with my child. What does he want?" The mercenary said impatiently, "How do I know? All I know is that you need to go see him as soon as possible.¡± Bianca did not want to go. Seeing that she had no intention to move, the mercenary urged her. "The boss has the final say on this ind. Bianca, are you going to disobey his orders?" Bianca was no longer the person she was when she first stepped onto the ind, but she was still not strong enough to stand against Abel. She had no choice but to stand up. She said to Eler, "Take care of N." "Okay, Miss." Eler nodded. N tugged on her clothes and asked, "Mom, where are you going?" "I''ll be back in the blink of an eye. Aunt Eler will y with you, okay?" Bianca turned her head and said softly to her. N looked at her and eventually nodded. Bianca followed the mercenary to Abel''s room. The room was filled with smoke, causing Bianca to frown in disgust as she fanned the smoke before her eyes. The mercenary said, "Boss, she¡¯s here." "Okay, you''re dismissed." Abel turned his chair around and looked at Bianca while holding a cigar in his hand. The mercenary nodded and left. Bianca looked at him and asked, "What do you want?" "You¡¯ve been on the Ind of Despair for almost three years. Over the past three years, you''ve learned a lot. It''s time." Abel put out the cigar in his hand, stood up, and walked toward her. Bianca looked at the man who was more than one head taller than herself and stepped back to keep a distance from him. "What do you want to do?" "What do you think?" Abel asked with a wry smile on his face. Three years was his limit. He had trained Bianca well over the past three years. Now, it was time to put her to use. "If you don''t tell me, how would I know?¡¯ Bianca replied disdainfully. She was different from the others on this ind. Others treated him with respect, but she often dismissed him. Abel said, "In the past three years, your temper hasn''t changed. You''re not too shabby." Bianca looked at him in disgust. Abel smoked a lot of cigarettes. Whenever he spoke, she could smell the smokeing out of his mouth. She hated the smell. Abel turned around, took out a bottle from the cab, and handed it to her. "Drink it." "What''s this?" Bianca was not stupid enough to obey his orders blindly. Chapter 1110 Chapter 1110 Drank The Poison "Poison." Abel grinned and shook the bottle in his hand. "You''ll be fine as long as you drink the antidote every month." Bianca frowned as she stared at the blue-colored poison. Not only was Abel using N to control her but he even wanted to rely on poison. ''Is he going to have me leave the Ind of Despair and start implementing his n?1 Bianca''s heart sank. She was not excited and even felt a little sad. ''Is it finally going to happen?'' Abel put the poison on the table and did not force her. "You don''t have to drink it if you don''t want to. However, if you don''t drink it. I''ll have Kathryn drink it." Bianca did not hesitate any further. She picked up the poison and drank it. The poison slid down her throat, and she was surprised that it was sweet. She put down the empty bottle, looked at Abel, and asked, "When am I getting the antidote?" "Don''t worry, I''ll give it to you when the timees." Abel grinned. He was satisfied with her performance. Children were her soft spot. He felt great to be able to control her. Bianca clenched her fist tightly and watched him smile wryly in front of her. She wanted to smack that smile off his face. "Bianca, get packing. You''ll leave the Ind of Despair tomorrow." Abel continued talking. He made her drink the poison to have better control over her. The n, which had been brewing for three years, was about to be realized. "What do I need to do?" Bianca asked. From the moment he handed her the poison, she knew that she was leaving this ce to carry out his n. "Go work in Luke''spany. I¡¯ll tell you the specificster." Abel picked up the empty bottle and put it away. Bianca had grown to be an expert in pharmaceuticals. If she got her hands on the bottle, she could easily figure out the form for the antidote. When she heard Luke''s name being mentioned, she was taken back. She felt her pupils dte and then shrink in an instant. She felt a strong pang of pain. "Abel, what are you up to?" Bianca felt that her fate was in his hands. She could not predict nor struggle. Her only option was to be obedient. However, she did not want to be obedient. The more she thought about it, the more she felt the pain. "You¡¯ll find out when the timees." Abel was not in a rush to reveal her mission. Bianca clenched her fists and wanted nothing more but to kill him, but she knew that it was not the time. She said, "I want to take N with me." "Kathryn has to stay on this ind. Bianca, you¡¯re a woman who has no fear of death and you''re even willing to die for Luke. Poison can''t stop you, but Kathryn can," Abel said. The poison was just so that she would follow her orders. Keeping Kathryn was to ensure that she would not betray him. "You..." Bianca took a deep breath. She knew that it was not an easy task to escape the Ind of Despair. She was being too emotional now and forced herself to calm down. "I only have one request, which is for Eler to be the one to take care of N." "Not an issue. Bianca, go and pack your bags. Tomorrow, I''ll send you off the ind. Aren¡¯t you happy that you''ll finally get to see the man who you''ve been thinking about?" Abel had a cruel smile on his face. He was delighted to have everyone under his control. Bianca gave him a cold stare. Tm not at all happy with this arrangement.'' She turned to leave, but she heard Abel say, "You know what? Kassy died yesterday in the toughest prison in your country, so you and Luke both have to die. As for Kathryn, it depends on your performance. Bianca, her life is in your hands." Bianca paused for two seconds and continued to move forward. Kassy''s death was what drove Abel to send her off the ind. Three years of separation was more than enough. Bianca had looked forward to the reunion since she got on the ind. However, she was afraid of reuniting with Luke because it meant that the two had to stand in opposition. On top of that, Abel had forced her to undergo stic surgery. Even if they met again, Luke would not recognize her. There was already a counterfeit by his side... Bianca went back to her room in despair. Eler was feeding N and when she saw that Bianca was back. She immediately checked in on her. "Miss, what did the boss say?" "Nothing." Bianca did not want to mention anything in front of N. She walked over, sat next to N, and said, "Let me do it." "Okay." Eler handed her the bowl and spoon. Bianca took over and fed N bit by bit. N took two bites and said, "Mom, I''m full." "N, you should eat more." Bianca frowned as she looked at the food that was still in the bowl. N''s health was not the best as Bianca went through a lot of trauma when she was pregnant, hence N had to rely on a healthy diet to regte her health. N''s appetite was small. The person who usually took care of her would never force her to eat, which was why N felt full after eating a small amount. N?velDrama.Org content. She grabbed Bianca''s hand and said, "Mom, you eat!" Seeing her daughter''s adorable appearance, Bianca''s heart softened as she said, "How about this? If I take a bite, you''ll have to take a bite too, okay?" "Okay, Mom." Npromised. Bianca took a small bite and then fed N. N ate more than she did before. Eler sighed and said, ¡¯ Miss, you''re the only one who knows how to manage her." Bianca put the bowl aside and wiped the stains from N''s mouth with a paper towel. Of course, she knew howto manage N. She had the same experience with Tommy. Tommy had a small appetite as well and was a picky eater. She had used the same method to get him to eat a little bit more. Seeing N''s sweet and lovely appearance, Bianca touched N''s head and said in a soft voice, "N, weren''t you just asking me when you can go up to have a look?" "Yes, Mom. N wants to go up." N was immediately interested. "Your body is too weak now and you always fall sick, so you can''t go up. You have to get better to go up." Bianca took her into her arms. Tomorrow, she would have to leave the Ind of Despair. If she did notplete the task assigned by Abel, she might not be able to return. If she could note back, she would not be able to see N anymore. Hence, she was cherishing the time that they had together. "When will N''s body get better?" N asked with her eyes wide open. "As long as you eat more, your body will get better. When you be healthy, you can go up and have a look." Bianca lowered her head and kissed N''s face. N blinked and asked, "Really?" "Really. If you don''t believe me, you can ask Aunt Eler," Bianca said with a smile. N looked up at Eler. "Of course, it''s true. When you be healthy and strong, you can go up," Eler said. N nodded, looked Bianca in the eye, and said earnestly, "Mom, I promise I''ll eat more. You must take N up when I be healthier." "Okay." Bianca hugged N tighter. Into the night. After Bianca put N to sleep, she whispered to Eler, ''Eler, I''m going on a mission tomorrow. Chapter 1111 Chapter 1111 Leaving The Ind of Despair "Miss?" Eler was shocked. She was afraid that her voice was too loud and she would wake N up, so she whispered, "Why so sudden?" "Kassy is dead and Abel isn''t willing to wait any longer. He sent me to implement his n." Bianca gently patted N¡¯s back to help her sleep more peacefully. In the past two years, Eler had learned more about Kassy and Abel¡¯s story. She looked at Bianca worriedly and asked, "Does he want you to go against your husband?" "Yeah." Bianca''s gaze darkened, her mood gloomy. She finally had to stand in opposition to Luke. It was not what she wanted, but she could not escape from it. She did not want to keep N on the Ind of Despair. "What about N?" Eler looked at the child worriedly. "Abel won¡¯t let me take N, she''ll have to stay on the ind. Eler, when I leave tomorrow, I''ll make a request to Abel to have you take care of N. Will you be willing to do that?" Bianca said while looking at N¡¯s face. N looked like Rainie when she was younger. "Miss, of course, I''m willing to." Eler agreed without a second thought." However, I would prefer to stay by your side." "You have to drink the poison made by Shanks if you want to leave the ind. Eler, don¡¯t come with me. Stay here and take good care of N. If N asks about my whereabouts, tell her that I''m on a business trip and she has to be obedient while waiting for me toe back. Tell her that when I''m back, I¡¯ll bring her up." Bianca saw that N was already asleep and stopped patting her back. She then tucked her in. "Poison? Is it deadly?" Eler was startled. "It¡¯s not. I¡¯ll be fine as long as I drink the antidote every month. Eler, can you promise me to take good care of N?" Bianca did not feel reassured until she had verbal confirmation from Eler. "I promise." Eler was overwhelmed with sadness. She noticed how serious Bianca¡¯s expression was and nodded in agreement. "It''s gettingte, you should get some rest,¡± Bianca said. Eler nodded and walked out of the room. After Bianca''s condition stabilized, Abel got her to move to the next room. Hence, Bianca had been staying in the room alone. After Eler left, Bianca looked at the wall. She had already made countless markings on the wall. She would carve a line every morning when she woke up. She could finally leave the Ind of Despair, but she was far from happy. Bianca stopped staring at the wall and looked at N, who was already asleep. She turned off the lights andy down beside her. Early the next morning. Abel''s men came to pick up N. When the little girl who had yet to wake up realized that she had to leave Bianca again, she broke out in tears. Bianca''s heart felt like it was being stabbed with a needle when she saw N crying. She wanted to hold her hand, but Abel''s men resolutely separated the mother and daughter. Bianca stood there feebly. Her heart broke when she heard N¡¯s cries getting softer and softer as she was brought away. ''N, my baby...'' Another mercenary stepped forward and said with a nk expression, ¡¯ Hurry up and pack. Once you''re done, I''ll send you over." Bianca walked to the bathroom in a daze to freshen up. She then changed into a fresh set of clothes. She walked up to the mercenary and said coldly, "I''m done." When the mercenary saw that she was empty-handed, he raised his brows and said, "You have no luggage?" "No," Bianca said. She came to this ce empty-handed, so what kind of luggage would she have? Even the clothes in her cab were given by Abel. Nothing she had on the Ind of Despair belonged to her. "Let¡¯s go then," the mercenary said. "Miss..." Eler''s eyes were red from crying. She stood there, wanting to leave the ind with Bianca. "Don''t send me off. Remember, take care of N. At the same time, continue your training so you can be stronger." Bianca looked back at her and turned to leave. They had made a lot of progress in the past three years. They were strongerpared to when they first started, but it was not enough for them to escape the ind. Eler was stronger than an ordinary woman, but it was still a challenge for her to fight more than three mercenaries. There was no shortage of mercenaries reporting to Abel, so it would take some time and a detailed n for them to escape. Bianca walked to the elevator and saw two mercenaries standing there. When they saw her walking over, they handed her a bag and said, "These are the details of your new identity, your passport, and ID card. From now on, you¡¯ll be Ivana, not Bianca. Here, take it." Bianca took it with a mocking smile on her face. Not only did Abel give her a new face but he was also giving her a new identity. How ironic... Bianca got on the elevator and arrived at the top of the ind. The mercenary handed her a set of protective clothing and said, "Put it on." "What is this?" "If you don''t want to be sunburned, put it on." The mercenary reminded her. Bianca had been underground for three years where she was not exposed to the sun. Her skin was pale and sensitive. If she was exposed to the sun, she would easily get sunburned. When she heard that, Bianca took the protective suit and put it on. Then they passed through the dense jungle to arrive at a cruise that was anchored by the shore. When she first arrived on the ind, she hade on a cruise as well. The experience of being seasick for days and nights scarred her. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. "Am I taking the cruise?" Bianca asked. "No, the ship will dock when you reach Russia. You¡¯ll be taking the ne after that." the mercenary said as he motioned her to board the cruise. Hearing this, Bianca got on and headed inside. This was Abel''s cruise, and its interior was well-decorated and magnificent. She was not in the mood to appreciate it, though. She found a bedroom at random. She closed the door and ignored the mercenaries outside. Feeling the movement of the hull, Bianca knew that it was time to set sail. She sat on the bed, silently leaning against the head of the bed with her eyes closed. As she thought about everything that had happened in the past three years, her tears could not help falling. Bianca opened the file to read about the new identity that Abel had arranged for her. A mocking smile then appeared on her face. Ivana was Russian and an ordinary woman, just as ordinary as her previous identity. The only difference was that she had a lot more skillspared to her previous self. Abel had arranged for her to work in T Corporation. She believed that with her current ability, she would soon rise to the top and be appreciated by Luke. Then... Bianca did not want to think about what woulde next. She continued to close her eyes and endured the pain she felt. A City, Crawford Manor. It was dead silent at night. Luke was sitting in the study and was upied with work. The study door was pushed open. He looked up and saw Bianca walk in with a cup in her hand. He smiled slightly, put down the pen in his hand, and asked, "Why are you still awake?" Bianca pursed her lips, put the cup next to him, and said with an aggrieved expression, "Luke, I can''t sleep." Luke nced at the milk in the cup, then smiled and asked, "Insomnia? I¡¯ll have Tiae over tomorrow for a check-up, alright? If necessary, I¡¯ll have her prescribe some medicine for you." Chapter 1112 Chapter 1112 Not the Bianca He Knew When Tia was mentioned, a trace of gloom and dissatisfaction shed through Bianca''s gaze. She did not want to see Tia. Seeing that Luke did not get her subtle hint, she slightly pulled her nightgown down to reveal thece lingerie inside. Bianca deliberately leaned forward and said in an aggrieved tone, "I''m fine, she doesn¡¯t need toe over. Luke, how long until you''re done with work?" Luke felt nothing despite her actions and answered, "I''m going to be workingte tonight, you should head to bed first." Seeing that he was not reacting, Bianca adjusted her nightgown angrily and said, "You¡¯ve been busy for several nights and barely spent any time with me. "Bea, you need to focus on your health. Go get some rest." Luke pretended not to hear her dissatisfaction and continued to coax her patiently. Bianca felt thwarted at his reaction. "I''m doing much better. Luke, the doctor said so thest time I went for a physical examination. In the past few months, you..." "Bea, I''ve been upied because T Corporation is preparing to enter the military-grade pharmaceutical industry. Don''t think too much about it." Lukeforted her. Seeing that he had no intentions of apanying her to bed, Bianca deliberately put on a reluctant smile and said, "Okay, I''ll let you get back to work. I''ll go to bed first." "Okay." Luke nodded. After Bianca left, he picked up a cigarette, lit it, and took a puff. Johann had told him that patients with amnesia may have drastic changes in their personalities. Bianca''s character had indeed undergone drastic changes.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. The changes made her feel like a stranger to him. He had been by her side for two years but Bianca had not recovered any of her past memories. Compared to the past, her personality had greatly deviated and even her dressing was very different from before. Luke found it weird, but he could not point a finger at it. He could only say that these changes in her made him feel strange. He felt that the person in front of him was Bianca, but not the Bianca he knew. That was why in the past two years, he had not been able to break through his psychological barriers. Although they were still husband and wife, he kept a certain distance from her. After Bianca knew that she had lost her memory, she epted the fact and stayed by his side. As the two became more familiar with each other, Bianca''s temperament became even stranger. He was not the only one who could not ept it, even their kids rejected her. When he first brought Bianca home, Tommy did not pounce on her as intimately as he used to. Instead, he sat on the floor crying and screaming that this was not his mother. No matter how much Luke tried to exin it to him, Tommy just would not ept it. Aside from Tommy, nche and Rainie were also alienated from Bianca. Bianca did not seem to care about how their kids reacted, though. Even when she knew that they were her flesh and blood, she did not put in the effort to rebuild their rtionship. All she cared about was him. She had hinted at him countless times. Luke refused her every time because he could not get over the odd feeling he had in his heart. In the past two years, they had not been intimate. The more he refused her, the more dissatisfied Bianca was. However, she knew she could not do anything about it. Luke felt guilty, but he could not bring himself to fulfill her needs. He thought that he might be sick. Luke put out the cigarette in his hand, thought about it for a while, and dialed Johann''s number. "It''s sote, what''s the matter?" Johann asked after he picked up the call. "I want to have a consultation with a psychiatrist. Please set up an appointment for me," Luke said. "You want a consultation? Why don''t you go to Tia?" Johann wondered. In the past two years whenever Bianca''s situation was not stable, Tia would step forward to solve the problem. She used Bianca as an excuse and moved her clinic to A City. On the surface, she acted as though the decision was made because she wanted to focus on Luke and Bianca when in fact, she just wanted to use Bianca''s treatment as an excuse to get closer to Luke. Johann had seen through all of it. However, even after two years, Tia had not seeded yet. Hence, he did not say anything. "I need a male psychologist," Luke said. "Okay, I''ll help you set up an appointment. I''m curious, what¡¯s wrong with you?" Johann teased him. "There¡¯s something wrong with you. Make an appointment for ten o''clock tomorrow morning." After Luke finished speaking, he immediately hung up the phone, unwilling to give Johann a chance to speak. Everytime he rejected Bianca, the guilt in his heart increased. However, no matter how guilty he felt, he could not bring himself to do it. It was not that Bianca had not taken the initiative. It was just that he felt nauseous the moment she touched him. It was just like when other women deliberately touched him. He would only feel nauseous, dirty, and not at all seduced. That was why Luke felt that something must be wrong with him. After he was done with work, Luke stretched his body. He did not intend to go back to the bedroom to rest. Instead, he slept on the sofa bed in the study. The next day, Luke got up and had breakfast with the kids. Old Master Crawford sat at the dining table. When he did not see Bianca, he frowned and asked, "Where''s Bianca?" Luke realized that Bianca had note down yet, so he exined," Perhaps she''s still sleeping." "She¡¯s still asleep at this time? How outrageous!" Old Master Crawford was dissatisfied. When Bianca first came back, he had kept his mouth shut. After all, the Crawford family owed it to her. Even though the things she went through brought shame to the Crawford family, he did not say anything for the sake of the three children. However, he was more and more dissatisfied with Bianca. ''She only lost her memory, so why did her temperament change too?* The Bianca he knew was hardworking and gentle. She took good care of her family and children. She even ran her own business. Now, Bianca had a bad temper and waszy, just like a countrywoman. She never paid attention to the family, and if things did not go her way, she would lose her temper. The servants of the Crawford family were also afraid of her. Old Master Crawford was beyond unhappy. Luke said, "Grandpa, don''t worry about Bea. She probably didn''t rest wellst night, that¡¯s why she¡¯s sleeping in." Old Master Crawford snorted and said nothing more. After breakfast, Luke sent the three kids to school. Tommy sat in the back seat, nced at his brother and sister, and made a gesture with his eyes. Lanie and Rainie received his signal, shook their heads, and kept quiet. Seeing that they refused to speak, Tommy asked, "Dad, where did you sleepst night?" "In the study. What''s the matter?" Luke asked deliberately. "It¡¯s nothing. Dad, can you sleep with me tonight?" Tommy said. He wanted to upy Luke''s time so that Bianca could not y any tricks. "Why do you want me to sleep with you?" Luke did not need to look at Tommy to know what he was thinking. Chapter 1113 Chapter 1113 Ivana ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. "I had a nightmarest night! Dad, please apany me to sleep." Tommy did not dare to tell Luke the real reason, so he pestered him. Even if the woman in their home who imed to be their mother looked like their mother, Tommy refused to admit that she was his mother. It was because he knew their mother was not like this. Their mother must still be somewhere and could note home yet, but he was confident that she would be back eventually. "Okay." Luke nodded and agreed. Even though he knew Tommy¡¯s true intentions, he still went along with him. Tommy smiled and winked at Lanie and Rainie. He was happy that he was able to protect his father''s innocence once again. Lanie and Rainie exchanged nces. They thought that their brother was nimble-witted! After he sent the children to school, Luke drove to the hospital. Johann had arranged a male psychologist for him. He sat on the sofa and told the doctor about his problems. After listening to what Luke shared, the doctor got the general gist of things and asked, "Mr. Crawford, has this happened with other women?" "Except for my wife, I feel sick when I¡¯m touched by other women," Luke answered truthfully. He did not want to see Bianca aggrieved, but he was inexplicably resistant to her touch. Hence, he could not wait to recover and fulfill his duty as her husband. "In that case..." The doctor pondered on it for a while. Everyone in A City knew what had happened to Luke''s wife. The doctor cautiously said, "Mr. Crawford, whateveres next is helpful for your treatment. I hope you can look into your heart and answer me truthfully so I can understand why you''re feeling resistant against your wife." "Okay." Luke nodded. "Does what happened to her bother you?" the doctor worded his question vaguely. Luke understood what he meant and pondered for a moment. Did he think that Bianca was dirty because she had been touched by other men? It did not seem to be the case, so he shook his head and said, "What happened to my wife was not by her choice. I know she''s not such a woman, so I don''t mind." The doctor frowned and saw how sincere Luke was when he answered his question. It did not seem like he was lying. He said, "Okay. The resistance you feel every time your wife makes this request, does it feel the same as when other women touch you?" "It''s the same," Luke replied immediately. He had always felt this way since Bianca''s return. Even when Bianca leaned in his arms, he wanted to push her away. The doctor was a little confused. It seemed to him that Luke was resisting Bianca purely because he was germaphobic, not because of what had happened to Bianca. It was the same reason why he resisted the touch of other women. "Mr. Crawford, I think that subconsciously, you don''t think she''s your wife because of her change in temperament. As such, you''re resisting her," he exined. Luke frowned in confusion. He did not mind what had happened to Bianca at all. It appeared he could not ept her because he felt that the person in front of him was not the Bianca he knew. "What should I do?" Luke asked. The doctor helplessly shook his head and said, "You have to make the breakthrough yourself. Taking medicine won''t help you. The effects of counseling are limited too. The situation will only gradually improve if you truly ept your wife''s changes." Luke nodded and seemed to understand what it meant. He found the root cause but did not feel relieved. In the past two years, he seemed to have epted Bianca''s change in temperament but he still felt antipathy. ''What should I do to ept the changes in her?'' Luke was not sure how to approach the matter. After he left the hospital, he immediately headed to T Corporation. When he arrived at the office, a notification sounded from his phone. It was a text from Bianca. She wasining about the servants gossiping about her and also Old Master Crawford throwing his temper at her early in the morning. Luke did not reply immediately. He was perplexed, so he put his phone down. Jason knocked on the door of his office. He walked in straight as the door was not closed. He said, "Boss, the pharmaceutical professors scheduled to be interviewed today are already waiting downstairs." "HI head down right away," Luke said. He nced at the phone and decided not to reply to Bianca. He would receive texts simr to that every day. Bianca was not satisfied with her life in Crawford Manor and wouldin to him endlessly. In the beginning, he was patient and did his best to calm her down. However, after so long, he was numb to it. Luke felt that he should not react as such and be more considerate of Bianca. ''She lost her memory and must feel extra sensitive. Maybe that''s why she has so many negative thoughts.'' However, even with such a mindset, he still could not extend the understanding he had with her previously. Luke put on his jacket, muted his phone, and put it in his pocket. Hethen went downstairs with Jason. T Corporation had decided to enter the pharmaceutical industry. Afterpleting the preliminary work, the first thing they did was recruit talents. The people they were interviewing today were important. They would serve as the future developers of the pharmaceuticalpany. Jason passed the documents that had information of all the applicants to Luke. Luke walked into the elevator and flipped through it at random. He thought that the professors would all be male, but he was stunned when he saw a female face. When Jason saw him staring at the page, he exined, "She just returned from Russia. Although she looks young, her resume is more interesting than the other professors''." "That doesn''t mean she has a rich experience. What ourpany wants is someone who sees and manages the big picture. At the same time, we need people who can develop drugs that are more effective thanpetitor products that are currently in the market." Luke closed the folder and ignored the surprise he felt. He did not think about why he had such a weird feeling when he saw this woman''s photo. Luke and Jason walked into the conference room and conducted the interviews with several employees from Human Resources. A pharmaceutical professor walked in, introduced themselves, and then introduced their new products and future R&D proposals. All the other candidates did the same. They all boasted about themselves as though they were the best candidate. Luke was a little bored with the endless rambling and self-promotion. Anyone who had been in the pharmaceutical industry for a few years could say those same things. Jason put thest resume in front of Luke and said in a soft voice, "Boss, this is thest one." Luke looked down and saw Ivana, the only woman in the group of applicants. "Let her in." He stared at the photo, his voice a little hoarse. Chapter 1114 Chapter 1114 Ivana Luca Craw The entrance was pushed open and Luke''s gaze immediately shifted to the door. A woman walked in and sat across from the interviewers. She ced her hands on her knees casually. Luke¡¯s heartbeat inexplicably sped up when he saw her charming face. He thought that she looked familiar. However, he was certain that they had never met. Luke maintained his calm and waited for her to speak. Ivana just stared at them. She did not move nor was she bothered to introduce herself and greet them. When she looked at Luke, her heart ached. After three years, she finally saw the face she had been thinking about. However, her face and identity were different now. She could not tell him that she was Bianca. No one would believe that she was Bianca. When she returned to A City, she had done her research on Luke. When she saw him and the fake Bianca attending various asions and events, she felt as though a thousand swords had pierced through her heart. The counterfeit next to him had be genuine, while she went from being the real Bianca to Ivana, someone who was plotting against him. Bianca''s heartache was so bad that it hurt to breathe. However, her training on the Ind of Despair stopped her from showing the slightest w. The two HR managers looked at each other and then at Ivana, who was expressionless. They wondered why she was saying nothing. ''Is this how Russians are?¡¯ ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. They nced at their boss, who was staring at the woman in front of them. ''What¡¯s happening here?'' Finally, the HR manager who was sitting next to Luke broke the silence and asked, "Miss Ivana, you can introduce yourself now." "My name is Ivana and I¡¯m of Russian descent," Ivana briefly introduced herself. She was not as enthusiastic as the previous interviewees. Her aim was not to be hired by them. If they did not hire her, she would not have to stay with Luke and be a ticking time bomb. Although she missed him madly, she did not want to hurt him. Between hurt and longing, she chose thetter. If she did not work in T Corporation, she would be sent back to the Ind of Despair. Even though she would miss him, she would not pose a threat to him. The HR manager got a headache and asked, "That¡¯s it? Is there nothing else you want to share with us?" Ivana looked away calmly and replied to the HR manager, "What else do you want to know?" The HR manager opened his mouth slightly and wondered who was the one being interviewed for the job. "What¡¯s your full name?" Luke said suddenly. The HR managers were taken aback. During the previous interviews, Luke did not speak or ask any questions. Now when they were interviewing Ivana, he spoke for the first time and asked for her full name. ''This is... weird. Ivana is acting so arrogant, maybe she knows she¡¯s going to get hired either way due to some prior arrangement... Are they rted?'' "My name is Ivana Luca Craw," Ivana said. Luke was taken aback. It felt like someone had poked at him with an electric stick. "Luca Craw?" "My mother named me," Ivana exined. She had given herself this name... She could not express how much she missed him openly, so she opted for a name simr to his. "Okay." When Luke heard her reply, he thought that they shared a simr surname. "Do you have any other questions?" Ivana pushed down her emotions and asked impatiently. The HR managers were surprised. This was the most arrogant interviewee they had ever seen. "Ms. Ivana, can you talk to us about some of your past pharmaceutical experience or any patented products that you''ve developed?" the HR manager asked. "I have written it on my resume. All of my relevant experiences are listed there. Do you need me to read them out loud? Do you like to waste time?" Ivana deliberately acted impatiently. They would never hire an interviewee like her! The HR managers were speechless and looked at their boss. Luke''s gaze was on her face the entire time. She had light makeup on but she was so beautiful that he could not take his eyes off her. "Tell me, why did you apply for the job?" "I need money, so I need a job." Ivana¡¯s simple and straightforward reply shocked the HR managers again. They thought that if this woman was hired, she must have someone who was backing her in T Corporation. If that was the case, they would have to build a good rtionship with her. Ivana took a look at the time and said impatiently, "Do you have any questions? If not, I have to rush to the next one." "Next one?" the HR manager asked. "The next interview," Ivana said. When Luke heard it, he immediately made a decision. "No need to go for that interview. We''ve decided to hire you as a researcher for T Corporation''s pharmaceutical project." Ivana could not believe what she heard and asked, "Are you sure?" "Yes." Luke nodded, put her resume on the table, and said, "Come to the headquarters tomorrow. You have to fill in some documents and go through induction. Your first day will be the first of next month. We''ll pay you the sry mentioned in your resume." She only acted as such because she did not want the job, but Luke... Ivana was not sure how to feel. It was as though she no longer had a soul as she stood up and left with a nk expression on her face. The HR managers were surprised. Their gazes fell on Luke, but they did not dare to speak nor ask questions. They looked at Jason. Jason was also surprised that Luke made the decision so quickly. He knew that researchers yed an important role in pharmaceuticalpanies. "Boss, do you know Ms. Ivana?" he asked curiously. "I don¡¯t know her, it''s the first time we''ve met," Luke said. Although it was their first meeting, he found her familiar. "Don''t you think you made your decision a little too hastily?" Jason worded his sentence carefully. Ivana''s attitude was terrible. It seemed that she was not a suitable candidate for T Corporation. "Look at her resume. From the resumes of the several pharmaceutical professors we interviewed before her, it''s obvious they can''tpare to what she can bring to the table," Luke said before standing up to head outside. "But..." Jason met Luke''s gaze and immediately stopped talking. "You can pick two more researchers and get HR to notify them." Luke finished speaking and walked out of the conference room. The HR managers surrounded Jason to gossip. "Mr. Doyle, is Ms. Ivana not rted to the boss?" "The boss has no rtives who are from Russia." Jason felt puzzled. Luke said before the interviews that resumes could be faked and ability was more important. However, Ivana did not show much of her ability just now. Even so, he hired her without a second thought... Chapter 1115 Chapter 1115 Afraid of The Future When the HR managers heard Jason''s reply, they said, "That¡¯s interesting. The boss isn''t the kind of person who would go for under-the-counter deals. If someone else came here with Ivana''s attitude, they would''ve been kicked out without the opportunity to join thepany." Jason listened to their discussion and said with a straight face, "Stop with the gossiping and go focus on what you need to get done." The HR managers nodded and started a discussion on who to hire for the remaining positions. Jason walked out and headed downstairs. He happened to bump into Ivana, who was waiting by the entrance for a taxi. He asked curiously, "Ms. Ivana, do you remember me?" Ivana turned her head and looked at him. Of course, she knew Jason. He was Luke''s special assistant and the father of Sue''s two daughters. "Mr. Doyle, what''s the matter?" "Nothing much, I''m just curious and wanted to ask you if you know our boss from before?" Jason asked. Ivana frowned and asked, "What do you mean? You think that I got in through the back door?" Seeing that she had misunderstood him, Jason immediately shook his head and exined, "I didn''t mean that..." "Mr. Crawford and I don''t know each other." Ivana saw an empty taxi slowly approaching and waved to the driver. Jason watched her as she left in the taxi. As he stood there, he could not help muttering, "What an interesting day." After Ivana got in the taxi, she breathed a sigh of relief. She did not expect Luke to hire her even when she performed so badly. This was not his style. Jason was not the only one who found it weird as she felt the same. Now that she was hired, the news would reach the Ind of Despair soon. It was just a matter of time before Abel found out. Even if she refused to report it or lie to him, there was no way to hide the news. All she could do was to work in Luke''s pharmaceuticalpany as Abel had instructed her to. Ivana felt frustrated when she thought of this. ''Why would Luke agree to hire me? Does he know that I''m the real Bianca?'' She shook her head and smiled bitterly. ''He wouldn''t know that it''s me.'' If he knew that the Bianca next to him was a fake, the media would not report on how much the two loved each other. Ivana looked at the scenery outside the window and felt a little lost. ''Am I going to go along with Abel¡¯s ns?¡¯ For the first time, she was afraid of the future. The other side. Bianca, who was sulking in Crawford Manor, did not receive any reply from Luke and got angry. When she was about to take it out on the servants, she received a text notification. She took a look and immediately deleted the text message. She changed her clothes and walked downstairs so she could head out. Old Master Crawford was sitting in the living room, enjoying his tea. When he saw that Bianca was all dolled up, he frowned and asked, "Where are you going?" "Grandpa, I''m heading out to get Luke some new clothes." Bianca was not the biggest fan of Old Master Crawford, but she had to act respectfully so that Luke would not know her true colors and end up hating her. Old Master Crawford snorted and stopped looking at her. Bianca was happy that he was not bugging her and hummed as she left. Susan, who was sitting by the side, said mockingly, "What an eye-opening experience. Is this the kind of woman that Luke likes? Pfft! I think her amnesia is a lie. She used to pretend to be nice, but now that she''s done pretending, she has revealed her true nature." She continued ridiculing Luke and Bianca. Old Master Crawford got upset. If this was really Bianca''s true nature, it meant that both he and Luke were deceived from the start. N?velDrama.Org content. He red at Susan and said, "Even the best tea can''t shut you up?" Susan pursed her lips. Old Master Crawford was biased. If Yuri were to act like Bianca, she would never hear the end of it. The only person who got an exception was Luke''s wife. After all, Luke was his favorite grandchild. Bianca dismissed the driver whom Luke had hired for her and personally drove out of Crawford Manor. She had written down the address sent to her via text. She carefully removed the dashcam and drove to the location mentioned. Bianca frowned in disgust when she arrived at a bungalow. ''Why couldn''t they have chosen a better ce?¡¯ After sheined about it, she parked the car and took a look around to make sure no one had followed her. She then got out of the car and knocked on the door. The moment the door was opened, she was pulled in by a man. Bianca was taken aback. She stood up straight and nced at the surroundings under the dim lights. The ce was in a terrible state. She asked, "Didn''t the boss give you money? Why do you keep choosing dirty ces for us to meet?" "Didn''t you live in such a dirty ce before? Why? Two years after joining a wealthy family, you can''t stand this kind of ce anymore?" The man grinned, took a bottle out from his pocket, and handed it over. "This is the antidote for this month." Bianca immediately took it, opened the lid, and drank it. "The past is in the past. Now, I¡¯m Mrs. Crawford." "Heh, is there anything that you want to report to the boss?" The man lifted her chin and looked at her. "There''s nothing. Stop being annoying every time, I''ll tell you if there¡¯s any progress.¡± Bianca was frustrated when she thought of how Luke had rejected her the night before. If he did not have three kids, she would suspect that he liked men or had an embarrassing disease. "Tsk tsk tsk, do you know what you look like now? Repressed!" The man smirked. Bianca snorted and replied, "Something seems to be wrong with that man. Can you give me some drugs? It''ll make things easy for me." "The boss said he''ll get suspicious if you do this. He doesn''t want to get someone to sneak into the hospital to swap the DNA samples. It¡¯s fine if nothing happens, all you have to do is figure out his habits and schedule by staying by his side." The man slid his hand from her chin to her neck and sighed as he admired how Bianca had changed since joining a rich family. Her skin used to be terrible, but it was now radiant and tender. Biancaughed and patted his restless hands. "Hurry up and help me." "What can I do for you? Weren¡¯t youining about how dirty this ce is?" She and the man both had flirtatious smiles on their faces. An hourter, Bianca cleaned herself up and drove to the mall. She went straight to the women''s clothing area and chose a bunch of in- season clothes for herself. She then walked to the men''s clothing area to choose a few pieces of clothing for Luke. When Bianca was about to leave, she thought of Luke''s three kids. She gave an impatient ¡®tsk¡¯ andined a little. Even so, she turned and walked to the children''s clothing area. Although she did not like the kids, she still had to act as though she did. Chapter 1116 Chapter 1116 His Subordinate Bianca bought some clothes and toys in the children''s area before finding a restaurant to dine in. She chose a central position to sit and enjoyed the looks of people around her. She was getting used to being Mrs. Crawford. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Bianca picked up the coffee that was served by the waiter earlier and took an elegant sip. She remembered what the man had told her. He said that the boss had arranged for the woman toe back to A City. She was instructed to pay attention to the woman and observe her secretly. She had to record her every move and report it back to the Ind of Despair through secret messages. ''Isn''t it enough for Abel to have me undergo stic surgery and send me to Luke? Why did he send the woman back? She''s just going to get in my way.¡¯ However, when she thought about how the woman had changed her appearance and did not pose a big threat to her, she became more epting of it. She picked up a tissue and wiped the coffee stain on the corner of her mouth. She smiled. Bianca looked at the time and realized that Luke was about to get off work. She called him and asked him to pick her up from the mall. Ivana, who was sitting in the corner, silently observed Bianca. She was here to eat, but unexpectedly, she bumped into Bianca who walked in with her tens of shopping bags. She was shocked. ''This must be the woman Abel ced beside Luke. She looks exactly the same as I used to look.'' Ivana''s heart ached. She silently clenched her grip on the teacup and continued observing the woman. She acted very differently from how she acted in the past, but with amnesia as an excuse, Luke would not suspect a thing. She thought back on the meeting between the two and felt as though her heart was cut open by a knife. He was being apanied by a woman who looked like her, while she had changed her face and even her identity. She was now merely his subordinate. She could not reveal her true identity because N was still in Abel''s hands. Ivana''s heart ached so much that it made it hard to breathe. The waiter brought her the meal that she ordered. Ivana had gotten his attention the moment she walked in because of her beauty. When he saw how pale Ivana''s face was, he asked, "Miss, are you okay?" Ivana shook her head to indicate that she was okay. The waiter put down the dishes and said diligently, "Miss, if you need help, feel free to call for me any time." "Okay." Ivana took out a banknote and handed it to him as a tip. The waiter was overjoyed when he saw it. The woman in front of him was not only beautiful but she was also generous. This tip wasparable to the tips given by several guests. He nced at Ivana¡¯s coquettish face and wondered what her background was. Ivana had no appetite. After taking a few mouthfuls, she silently looked at Bianca, who was also eating dinner. Bianca had ordered steak. She ate it gracefully as if she had received professional training for it. Ivana remembered that every time she ordered steak in the past, Luke would cut them into small pieces and then feed her. She mockinglyughed at herself as she thought about it. She then asked the waiter for the bill and handed over the banknotes. She left without waiting for the change. It was a bad idea to sit there and observe the fake Bianca. She would only make herself sad, and it was a horrible feeling. Ivana walked out of the entrance of the restaurant and saw Luke walking over a distance away. She was stunned, and her heartbeat instantly sped up- She stopped and looked at the man who was walking toward her in a daze. She wanted to reach out to him, just like how she had always done before so that he could hold her hand. "Luke, you''re here.¡° A voice sounded from behind her. Ivana was stunned. She turned her head and watched Bianca walk by from behind her. Even though Bianca brushed past her shoulder, she did not stop and even started running toward Luke. He was there to pick her up. Ivana looked at the hands of the two of them that were tightly intertwined and instantly lowered her head. Tears started to gather in her eyes. This may be the most ufortable she had been in her life. The love of her life was holding the hand of a woman who looked like her, and all she could do was stand there while feeling ufortable and helpless. She could only watch them act intimately. Even after lowering her head, she could still hear their affectionate conversation. "Luke, you''re here! Are you hungry? Should we go in and eat?" Bianca smiled sweetly, her eyes full of love for Luke. Luke shook his head. He took the shopping bags in her hands and said, "I''m not hungry, let''s go home." "Okay." Bianca''s hand was interlocked with his. She raised her head and was ready to leave when she heard Luke say, "Ms. Ivana?" When Ivana heard Luke mention her name, Ivana raised her head. The sadness and pain in her eyes were instantly hidden. Apart from the pale face, there was nothing unusual about her. "Mr. Crawford, hello." She did not walk over and decided to keep her distance. She just nodded in his direction. Her gaze was familiar but distant, which made Luke feel a burst of inexplicable affection from his heart. The two looked at each other for a few seconds. A sense of crisis overwhelmed Bianca. She pulled on Luke''s sleeve and asked, "Luke, who is this?¡± "The new researcher hired by thepany, Ms. Ivana." Luke regained his senses and introduced Ivana to Bianca. "Ivana?" Bianca looked at her hostilely and said, "Ms. Ivana, wee to thepany." She weed Ivana to T Corporation as the CEO''s wife. Ivana nodded slightly, but her expression was still arrogant as she replied," Thank you." Luke noticed that Ivana wanted to maintain some distance but he did not move away. He wanted to say something but Bianca shook his arm. "Luke, let''s go back. I¡¯m tired from carrying these bags." Luke looked back at her, smiled, and took the remaining bags from her hands. In an instant, his hands were full from carrying the bags. Bianca held his arm with her body pressed against him as she said, "Luke, you¡¯re the best." Luke smiled, and when he looked up again, Ivana had already left. Bianca followed his gaze and looked at Ivana''s back. She thought that Ivana was one of Abel¡¯s chess pieces. She retracted her gaze and looked at Luke. Luke was still staring in the direction Ivana had left. Bianca felt wary in her heart. ''Didn''t the two just meet today?'' She shook Luke''s hand again and asked in a soft voice, "Luke, what are you looking at?" Luke snapped out of it, shook his head, and said, "It''s nothing, let¡¯s go home. The kids should be home from school now.¡± Bianca smiled in response to him, but she could not help muttering in her heart. If she could, she would rather the three of them never came home from school. It annoyed her that they did not treat her as a mother. "Luke, I bought some toys for the kids, as well as clothes for the uing season." She did not let Luke notice her feelings. She wanted to gain his approval. Chapter 1117 Chapter 1117 Toys "They¡¯ll love it," Luke said. "Tommy never likes what I buy for him. I forget a lot of things, so I don''t know what he likes. Sigh, it¡¯d be great if I could remember the things from the past." Bianca pretended to sigh in distress and lowered her head with a sad expression on her face. Luke thought of how Tommy was repelled by her, as well as Lanie and Rainie''s alienation. Their problems began when Bianca lost her memory. However, he did not want her to remember the past. Luke¡¯s hands were full, so all he could do was give her aforting smile as he said, "Bea, don''t think too much about it. The children are still in their rebellious phase. They¡¯lle to be more understanding of you eventually." Bianca nodded at him, but the look of grievance in her gaze did not disappear. To her, the kids were an existence that hindered her n. Sooner orter, they would have to be eradicated. Luke and Bianca returned to the manor. Tommy sat in the living room watching cartoons. When he saw theming back, especially when he noticed how close Bianca was to Luke, he immediately stepped forward and hugged his leg. "Daddy, Daddy, I don''t know how to do my homework. Can you help me?" Bianca heard his request and said with a smile, "Tommy, Daddy still has things to do. How about I help you with it?" "Do you know how to do it?" Tommy looked at her suspiciously. Bianca wanted to say that the kindergarten homework was not difficult, but it was a fact that she did not know how to do the questions. She smiled awkwardly and looked at Luke. "Bea, didn''t you buy toys for the kids?" Luke helped Bianca out of the awkward situation. "Ah, yes. Tommy, I bought you new toys. Come and have a look. I bought some for Lanie and Rainie too!" Bianca took a few bags from Luke, all of which were clothes and toys for the kids. nche heard it, stood up, and had a cool expression. He did not look happy as he said, "Mommy, I don''t like ying with toys anymore." Rainie also said, "Mommy, I¡¯ve been upied with ballet sses and don''t have time to y with these toys. Give them to Tommy." After they said that, the twins went upstairs together. Bianca''s expression turned even more awkward. Although they called her'' Mommy¡¯, they did not treat her as their mother. She sat on the sofa, opened one of the bags, and said, "Tommy, these are new toys imported from abroad. You¡¯ll love them." Tommy stood there watching her hand over the toys as if she was offering treasures. There was not a trace of joy on his face. When Bianca took out thest toy, he said, "I''ve grown up. These are toys for children." Bianca opened her mouth slightly. She wanted to say that she saw him y with these same toys yesterday. "Is that so? Luke..." She turned around and wanted to ask Luke for help. She could not get the kids to ept her no matter how hard she tried. Luke walked over and nced at the toys on the table. Even though he did not often y with Tommy, he knew that Tommy already had these toys. It was pointless for Bianca to buy another set of the same toys. "Bea, put these toys away first," Luke said. If Tommy did not like them, he did not want to force him to ept them. The kids still treated Bianca like a stranger. As their father, he had tried many ways but failed to get them closer together. For some reason, he did not want to force his children to ept Bianca. It was a weird feeling, just like how Bianca would hint at him for countless nights yet he just pretended not to understand. "Yeah, okay." Bianca was a little disappointed but was also used to Luke taking the kids¡¯ side. She was unhappy but did not say anything. Tommy happily took Luke''s hand and said, "Dad,e and help me with my homework." "Okay." Luke fondly touched Tommy''s head and went upstairs with him. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Bianca looked at them, and her gaze gradually darkened. She looked at the toys on the table and was furious that they did not react to her kindness! Bianca angrily put all the disassembled toys back into the bags. Old Master Crawford walked in. He looked at the coffee table that was full of toys, frowned, and asked, "Why are there so many toys?" Bianca snapped out of it, looked at Old Master Crawford, and exined with a smile, "Grandpa, I bought these for Tommy." Old Master Crawford was very fond of Tommy. If he knew that she was treating Tommy so well, she believed she would be praised by him. Bianca was happy and said, "These are all suitable for Tommy." "Tommy has already yed with these toys when he was a child. Now that he has grown up, he won''t be interested in them," Old Master Crawford said, "These will only go to waste." Bianca was stunned. ''No wonder Tommy doesn''t like them, he has already yed with them.'' She had shared Tommy''s age with the sales assistant and bought the toys based on the rmendations. "I... don''t remember," Bianca exined. "It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s not your fault you can''t remember the things from before. But Tommy is smart and knows more than other kids, so let''s buy less of these toys in the future." Old Master Crawford was not bothered about the money. He just thought that she was doing useless work. Before Bianca had amnesia, she was an outstanding mother. However, after what had happened, it felt like she was a different person-one whom Old Master Crawford disliked more and more as the days passed. "Okay, Grandpa." Bianca put the toys away, her emotions bing more and more unbnced. She was working hard to please this family, but in the end, none of them were sympathetic to her painstaking efforts. After Old Master Crawford left, Bianca stuffed all the newly bought toys into the utility room and went upstairs. Luke was not in the living room on the second floor. She walked into the study and bedroom, but he was not there either. Bianca walked to Tommy''s room and saw the father and son there. She squeezed a smile and walked in. "Tommy, are you done with your homework?" Tommy raised his head, then lowered it again to continue doing his homework. "Not yet." Bianca saw that there was a chair next to Luke so she sat down and rested her head on his broad shoulder. She said, "Luke, let me sign Tommy''s homework today." "No!" Tommy turned her down before Luke could say anything. "Tommy..." Luke looked at him disapprovingly. "Mommy just wants to sign it for you, why won¡¯t you let her?" "Dad, your handwriting is good and my teacher likes your signature very much. He¡¯ll give me high marks on my homework every time, but when Mommy signs it..." Tommy did not go on. Tommy had seen Bianca''s signature on Lanie and Rainie''s homework in the past and thought that it was graceful. It was a world apart from her signature now. He had never thought of this woman as his mother. It was his father who insisted that she was. He insisted that things were different only because she had lost her memory. The children could not prove it, so they did not say anything. "I..." Bianca''s eyes were red. She nodded and pretended to be understanding of the situation. "Okay then, your dad will sign it.¡± "Bea, go back to the bedroom first. It¡¯ll take some time for Tommy to finish his homework." Luke saw her teary eyes, but he was a little impatient now and did not feel sorry for her. Chapter 1118 Chapter 1118 They Were Not Convinced by Her Bianca pouted unhappily. "I want to apany you... and Tommy." "Mommy, I''ll be fine with just Daddy here," Tommy said. Bianca bit her lip. Luke had been treating her more and more coldly, perhaps inadvertently influenced by the children. The caretaker brought Bianca''s shopping bags into the house and asked," Madam, should I bring these bags to your bedroom?" Bianca remembered that the other family members were not very happy whenever they saw her buy new clothes. She stood up and smiled at Luke and Tommy. ¡¯ Alright, I''ll go back to my bedroom then. I''ve also bought some new clothes for you. After you''re done tutoring Tommy,e over and try them on, alright?" "Mm." Luke nodded, though his eyes remained transfixed on Tommy. When he saw Tommy make a spelling mistake, he patiently corrected him. Bianca was frustrated that Luke did not look at her at all, though she could not lose her temper in front of her husband and child. She smiled at the caretaker and said, "Follow me." "Yes, Madam." The caretaker nodded and followed behind her. Once out of Tommy''s bedroom, Bianca''s expression sank instantly. She walked to her bedroom and said to the caretaker brusquely, "Just put them here." The caretaker had been working in Crawford Manor for many years and was used to Bianca''s cold demeanor. She carefully ced the shopping bags on the couch, bowed politely, and left the bedroom. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Bianca took the new clothes out of the packaging and tried them on one by one. She looked at her face in the mirror and was reminded of the woman she saw at the restaurant earlier. Luke seemed to have paid extra attention to that woman. In the two years that she was with Luke, it was the first time that another woman had evoked that reaction from him. Bianca clenched her new clothes uneasily, wondering if that woman had been sent here by Abel. She looked at herself in the mirror again. Her face was exactly like Bianca''s, and her amnesia was a good excuse. However, she somehow could not convince Luke and the children. She did not know where her mistake was. She thought that she had nothing to worry about because of her face, but she had noticed Luke''s reaction toward that woman, and that had made her flustered for the first time... Bianca touched her face again. She was experiencing a multitude of emotions. After Luke tutored Tommy, he pinched the little boy¡¯s cheek and said," You''ve been naughty, Tommy." Tommy pretended to be confused. "I wasn''t, Daddy." "You shouldn''t find your homework difficult at all," Luke called him out. He had been tutoring the children personally over the past two years, and he knew that Tommy should not find his homework challenging. Tommy stuck out his tongue and smiled. "I wanted you to spend more time with me, Daddy." Luke did not me Tommy. Before Bianca regained her memories, he wanted to take care of the children. No matter how Bianca tried to take care of the children, they would find her a stranger. "Don''t be like that next time," Luke said softly. He did not scold him. "Yes, Daddy,¡± Tommy said. He did not want Luke to have too many chances of being close with Bianca. That woman might have the same face as their mother, but he and his elder siblings firmly believed that she was not their mother. They did not find any familiarity in her. After leaving Tommy''s bedroom, Luke wanted to go to the study to continue with his work. However, he remembered what Bianca told her, so he went to their bedroom. Bianca was staring nkly at the mirror. He went over and stood by her side. "What are you thinking, Bea?" Bianca came to her senses. She turned her head and looked at him, feeling that he was keeping some distance from her. They might seem like a perfect match as they stood together, but she could not seem to get any closer to him no matter how hard she tried. The mercenary that delivered the antidote told her that Abel was not satisfied with her progress. If she could not win Luke''s heart, Abel had no reason to keep her alive. Bianca became very afraid. She looked away from the mirror, turned around, and looked lovingly at the man in front of her. "I''m thinking of the children." "What about them?" Luke noticed a stray lock of hair on her cheek. He wanted to reach out and sweep it away, but when he saw her cloying gaze, his hands remained firmly nted in his pockets. "Nothing." Bianca took his hand and led him to the couch. There were several unopened shopping bags. She opened them one by one and said," I''ve bought you some clothes for the next season. Try them on and see if they fit you." She handed the clothes over as though presenting a trophy. Luke took the clothes and nced at them. "They look nice." Bianca could see that Luke was half-hearted. "Don''t you want to try them on?" "You bought them ording to my measurements, right? I''m sure that they''ll fit me perfectly." Luke put the shirt away. He noticed that most of the new clothes on the couch were hers. Ever since Bianca lost her memories, her favorite activity was shopping. Seeing that Luke was not willing to try on the clothes, she did not force him. She remembered about Ivana and asked, "Right, Luke, do you remember that woman we saw at the restaurant earlier? You said that she''s a new employee of the pharmaceuticalpany, right?" "Mm." Luke nodded. He felt an uncontroble sensation when he remembered Ivana''s beautiful face. "She is beautiful." Bianca pretended to seem envious. She continued asking, "She has a strange name. Is she foreign? I didn''t think she''s foreign." "She''s from Russia," Luke exined. When Bianca heard that Ivana was from Russia, she thought that the woman was sent here by Abel. "So that''s how it is. Right, why do you know about that? Don''t tell me..." Bianca pretended to be jealous. "Don''t overthink it. These employees are vital to thepany''s development, and I interviewed them personally. The information is on her resume," Luke exined. He noted her jealous expression but did not pay too much attention to it. Bianca was satisfied that Luke took the effort to exin it to her. She hugged his waist and looked at him. "Will she be working in T Corporation?" She hoped that Ivana did not work in T Corporation. Luke would be able to see her more often. Luke knew what she was thinking. He shook his head and said, "No. The pharmaceuticalpany will have its own building. Other than reporting for duty at T Corporation, she would be working at the other building." The pharmaceuticalpany needed technical equipment for research, so he built a research laboratory elsewhere. Luke somehow felt happy when he was reminded that he would not meet Ivana often. Chapter 1119 Chapter 1119 Employed Bianca was relieved when she heard that Ivana would not be working in the T Corporation building. However, she could not let her guard down yet. She took Luke''s hand and said coyly, "Luke, why don''t I work in T Corporation too? You can arrange forthat, right?" Luke frowned slightly and looked at her. "Isn''t it better to stay at home?" Bianca did not know anything after losing her memories. She could not even tutor Tommy with his homework. How was she going to work in T Corporation? "I feel so bored at home. I want to help you too, so that Grandpa doesn''t look down upon me," Bianca pouted and said. Luke tried to convince her otherwise. "You''ve yet to fully recover. It''s best for you to stay at home." "I don''t wanna. You said that I used to be very career-focused, right? I might not remember anything now, but I want to try to find my former self." Bianca wagged his hands. After thinking very carefully, she thought that the reason for not being able to win Luke''s heart was simple -- she was too different from the previous Bianca. However, no one told her what the previous Bianca was like. That was why she had spent the past two years trying to live as herself instead of trying to imitate Bianca. She realized that she should have imitated the previous Bianca, but she could not change her current personality suddenly. She could only gather hints from her conversations with Luke to find out that she should be a career-oriented woman. Luke was beginning to feel dizzy after being wagged about. He even thought of pulling his hands away. If she were any other woman, he would have already retreated very far away when she touched him. He tried to suppress those feelings as heforted her, "Alright, if you want to work so much, why not go back and manage yourpany?" Luke had been managing Brilliant Architectural Design, Bianca''spany, ever since she went missing. He had been making the major decisions while Sue and Nina dealt with smaller matters. The company had been thriving in the past two years even without Luke''s reputation, and it had be one of the top architectural design firms in A City. Bianca let go of her hands when Luke mentioned thepany. "Never mind. I can''t remember anything at all. How am I supposed to manage it?" What she wanted was to work in T Corporation so that she had more chances of getting close to Luke. She did not expect that her husband did not catch on to that. Sue and Nina were managing thepany brilliantly. There was nothing for her to do there. The two women were Bianca''s best friends. However, they had been keeping a distance from her. They could barely be considered friends now, and Bianca would not want to risk being exposed by going to work at Brilliant Architectural Design. Luke patted her head and said, "If you don''t want to manage it, then it''s better for you to stay at home." Bianca thought about it and realized that it was the best choice for her. The caretaker knocked on the door and reminded them, "Sir, Madam, dinner is ready. Old Master Crawford is asking the two of you to go downstairs." Bianca shook her head and said, "I was hungry earlier and ate at the restaurant. You should go and have dinner, Luke." "Alright." Luke pulled his hand away without any regard for her feelings and went out of the bedroom. Bianca waved at the caretaker. The caretaker came into the room and said courteously, "Can I help you. Madam?¡± "Send these clothes for dry-cleaning and keep them in the closet." Bianca was irritated by the mess on the couch. "Yes, Madam." The caretaker knew what Bianca was thinking and immediately tidied up the ce. Bianca watched the caretaker fold the clothes one by one and take them out of the bedroom. Luke went downstairs and saw that the three children were already sitting at the dining table. Old Master Crawford saw that only he came down and asked, "Where''s Bianca?" "She had dinner earlier," Luke said as he sat down next to Tommy. Old Master Crawford grunted unhappily. Meanwhile, Susan said sarcastically, "She probably doesn''t care about eating together with the family. That''s why she''d rather eat out." Luke did not reply to that. Instead, he told Tommy not to be a picky eater. Meanwhile, Ivana stood on the balcony and took in the evening breeze. As she watched the sky gradually darken, she found that she could not calm down at all. How long had she been standing there? She did not know, but her feet were turning numb. She did not want to step away. Only the evening breeze kept her sane. Abel had arranged the residence for her. Without checking, she knew that the house was filled with surveince cameras. That was how Abel kept an eye on her. After the sky had turnedpletely dark, she looked at the time and went back into the living room. By now, Luke should be having dinner with the family in Crawford Manor. To ease Ivana into her mission, Abel hadpiled a dossier on Luke for her. She knew that Luke and the children had moved back to Crawford Manor after she went missing. Even after he was reunited with the impostor Bianca, he did not intend to move away. Ivana nced at the punching bag next to her. She put on her gloves and released her anger on it. In the span of one day, she had met him twice. The first encounter might be arranged, but the second was aplete coincidence. Fate seemed to have yed a prank on her by letting her meet the person she did not want to meet the most. While Luke remained oblivious to the truth and allowed the impostor Bianca to stay by his side, the real Bianca could only release her anger alone. An hourter, she fell sitting on the floor, exhausted and panting. The next day, Ivana lingered in her apartment for a while before going to T Corporation. ording to Luke, she had to report to the HR department at T Corporation for some employment paperwork. The people from T Corporation called her to remind her about it. She let them know the time she would arrive and left the apartment when it was almost time. That way, she was quite sure that she could avoid meeting Luke. Ivana did not want to meet Luke ever again. The cab arrived at T Corporation. She got out of the car, read the message that the HR staff sent her, then went into the elevator lobby. When the elevator arrived, she went inside and pressed the button that would lead her to the HR department. She looked around her. Luke was not there. N?velDrama.Org content. Ivana breathed a sigh of relief before realizing what she did was quite ridiculous. She was only a lowly employee, so there was no reason why Luke would want to deliberately meet her. It was a pure coincidence that they met each other twice the day before. She would not be so lucky again today. Chapter 1120 Chapter 1120 Her Voice Is Very Familiar Ivana knew the internal structure of T Corporation very well. She could navigate her way to the HR department even with her eyes closed. At the HR department, she filled up the relevant paperwork and had her photo taken. After that, she was officially an employee of T Corporation. After the HR staff member gave her the staff ID, she looked at it in a daze. The person on the ID seemed like a stranger to her. "Um, can I change my name on the ID?" She handed the staff ID back. The HR staff member looked at her in confusion. "What name do you want? "Luca. That''s my middle name," Ivana exined. She had given herself that name, while Ivana was the name that Abel had given her. "What?" The HR staff member did not understand. Ivana took a pen and paper, wrote the name down, and handed it to the staff member. The HR staff member looked at the name and said, "No problem, I''ll get that changed for you. That''s a nice name." Ivana smiled slightly. The HR staff member changed the name on the staff ID for her and handed it back to her. The HR staff member stamped the two copies of the contracts and handed a copy to Ivana. "You''ll start work next Monday, Ms. Ivana. The researchb isn''t in this building. You can find the address of theb on the contract, and you can go there directly." Ivana took the contract, said thank you, and left. She was relieved after hearing that she would be starting work next Monday at another location. That way, she would not have to meet Luke. Ivana stepped away from the HR department toward the elevator lobby as fast as she could. Naturally, the more she wanted to evade someone, the easier she would bump into him. Ivana felt helpless as she watched the man walking down the corridor. Luke was walking toward her while being surrounded by several employees. He emanated a domineering aura like that of a king. From afar, Luke could see Ivana standing in a corner. Her head was lowered, and she looked as though she was trying to hide from him. Jason noticed her as well. He nced at his boss and said softly, "Boss, that''s Ms. Ivana." "I can see her." Luke had a grim expression on his face. As he saw her trying to inch away, he suddenly felt angry. Jason noticed that his boss''s expression had turned sour all of a sudden. He rubbed his nose, wondering if he had identally offended his boss. Ivana lowered her head even more when she felt several pairs of eyes looking at her. Suddenly, she saw a pair of shiny leather shoes. She recognized the brand. All of Luke''s leather shoes were custom-made by that maker. "Ms. Ivana, are you here to settle your employment paperwork?" Luke said. Ivana felt that it would be rude if she kept her head lowered. She lifted her chin and looked at the man who was a head taller than her. "Yes." She tried to keep calm. Luke nced at the staff ID in her hand. His gaze turned profound when he noticed that she used her middle name. "Do you have some time?" He said. "Huh?" Ivana did not know why he asked that. "I''d like to chat with you," Luke said. "Is there anything?" Ivana tried to look awkward. She did not want to talk to him in case she identally divulged the truth. "I''m your employer. Isn''t it normal for me to know my employees better?" Luke looked at her and said, "Bring her to the reception room, Mr. Doyle. I''ll go over there soon." Ivana was not the only one who was shocked. The employees surrounding Luke were shocked too. Jason, on the other hand, did not seem very surprised. He said, "This way, please, Ms. Ivana." Ivana had no excuse to refuse Luke''s invitation. She could only follow behind Jason. Luke watched them enter the elevator. After the door closed, he continued toward the HR department. Ivana stood in a corner of the elevator and watched the numbers tick up. She guessed that Jason must be bringing her to the reception room on the same floor as the CEO''s office. Jason''s phone vibrated. He took it out and saw a message from Luke. [Don''t let her leave.] [Yes.] Jason replied swiftly and pretended that nothing happened. At the destination floor, Jason said courteously, "This way, please, Ms. Ivana." Ivana came to her senses and followed behind Jason. T Corporation had been renovated in the past two years, but theyout was roughly the same. Ivana knew where to go even if Jason was not leading the way. They entered the reception room, and Ivana sat on the couch. "Ms. Ivana, would you like some coffee or tea?" Jason asked. "Water is fine," Ivana said. "Yes." Jason nodded and poured a ss of warm water for her. He also brought her a small te of tarts. "These are very famous in A City. Please give them a try.¡± Ivana felt a flood of emotions when she looked at the tarts. Any child in A City would love those tarts. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Ivana smiled and asked, "Mr. Doyle, do you know what Mr. Crawford wants to ask me?" Jason was taken aback. Ever since he heard her voice, he thought that she sounded familiar, but he could not tell where he had heard that before. Now that Ivana called him "Mr. Doyle," he realized that her voice sounded like Bianca Rayne! Ivana''s voice was soft and gentle, like the rain of spring. She also carried the unique drawl of someone from A City. "Mr. Doyle?" Seeing that Jason did not reply, Ivana called out his name again. Jason came to his senses and shook his head. "I''m not too sure, but don''t worry about it. I''m sure that my boss wants to know more about you because the resume isn''t as detailed. You don''t have to worry about anything." "Mm." Ivana nodded. Jason sat opposite Ivana and waited for Luke toe in while discreetly sizing her up. Ivana''s voice might sound like Bianca''s voice, but the two women shared no other simrities. Ivana felt a little awkward being stared at. She touched her cheek and said, "I''ll be fine waiting here myself, Mr. Doyle. I don''t want to take up too much of your time." Jason was sitting there watching her because Luke told him not to let her leave. However, it was not very polite to keep on staring at her. Jason thought for a while and stood up. He smiled and said, "Alright, I''ll be off to do my work then. If you need me, you can press the number 1 on the phone to connect to the internal line." Chapter 1121 Chapter 1121 Have We Met Before? "Alright, thank you," Ivana said. After Jason left the room, she breathed a sigh of relief and rxed her pose. Jason was staring at her earlier. She wondered if her cover was blown. Her face had totally changed. How did they manage to recognize her? Ivana held the ss of water and continued to wait. Fifteen minutester, Ivana turned her head when she heard the room door open and saw Lukeing in. "Mr. Crawford." She stood up and greeted him awkwardly. Luke nodded. His heart skipped a beat when he noticed that Ivana did not wear any makeup. Ivana had a seductive face, but she was different from other women. Most if not all other women would wear makeup whenever they went out of their houses. That reminded Luke of the previous Bianca. Before Bianca lost her memories, she did not wear any makeup unless it was an important asion. Now, she would spend her time in front of the vanity the moment she woke up... Luke did not remain stunned for too long. He sat down opposite her. Ivana sat up straight. Her gaze wandered around the room and avoided the man in front of her. Luke noticed the ss of water in her hands. "Do you want a new ss?" He asked. "No, it''s fine." Ivana shook her head. In the moments of silence, she could hear her heart beating faster. Luke crossed her legs and looked at her. "I''ve read your resume, but there are a few more things that I''d like to ask." 1 "Please." Ivana took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. Luke asked, "You mentioned that you own several research patents in Russia. Can I ask what they are about?" "I''ve been researching a cure for cancer," Ivana said. Shanks was the inventor behind those patents, but she knew their contents very well. "Do you think that you can research something better here?" Luke asked. "Yes, I am confident." Ivana nodded. Shanks might have been the one who invented the cure, but she had helped him in his research. She did not expect that Shanks would name her as the patent holder. Abel seemed to know that Luke was eyeing the pharmaceutical industry. Luke thought that the determination in her eyes seemed familiar, and he began to sense something within him. He changed his sitting position and continued to ask her about her experience in pharmaceutical research. Ivan felt slightly more at ease when Luke only asked her about work- rted matters, but she could not be fully at ease. After all, the man in front of her was Luke Crawford... Luke and Ivana chatted for almost an hour when Jason knocked on the door and reminded Luke that the next meeting was about to begin. Luke stood up, straightened his clothes, and looked at Ivana who also stood up. He asked, "Ms. Ivana, have we ever met before?" Ever since he saw her, he thought that she somehow seemed familiar. "Yesterday was the first time we met." Ivana''s heart started to beat faster when she heard him say that. She clenched her fists to try to calm herself down, and her fingernails dug into her palms. "Have you been to A City before?" Luke looked at her with a profound gaze. Ivana forced a smile and said, "I was born in A City, but our family migrated to Russia when I was very young. This is the first time I''m back in the country. I don''t think we''ve ever met before." 1 Luke nodded when he thought of her middle name. "I like the name ''Luca.'' I''ll call you that in the future." Ivana was taken aback as he continued, "Ms. Luca." "Mm. Take care, Mr. Crawford." Luca''s blood slowly froze when she heard him call her that. Every one of his words could make her blood freeze or boil. After Luke left the room, Luca''s body teetered, and she fell on the couch. It took her a long while before she found the strength to leave the room. Luca took the elevator downstairs. She did not have a car, so she had to take a cab from outside the T Corporation building. She did not notice that someone sitting in a BMW across the road was staring at her. Bianca had a savage expression on her face as she watched Ivana leave. She had an informer that was close to Luke. That person had told her that Luke was going to meet Ivana alone! She immediately drove over to T Corporation. However, she stayed in the car because she could not find a reason to disturb Luke. Their meetingsted for an hour! Bianca clenched her fist and punched the steering wheel. What other reason did a man have for meeting a woman alone for an hour? She took out her phone and made an encrypted call. The call was soon answered. Bianca asked directly, "What''s the name of the woman that Boss sent here?" "Boss said that we shouldn''t tell you yet. He''ll tell you about her when it''s time," the man on the other end of the call said. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. "If you don''t tell me who she is, you''re only making my life difficult. Just tell me her name, and I''ll keep a close eye on that woman," Bianca said. She had to find out if Ivana was that woman. "You and I have no right to question Boss''s orders. Just do your job." The man ended the call after that. They were talking through an encrypted channel, and their calls could not be very long. "Useless!" Bianca cursed savagely and tossed the phone aside. She looked at her phone for some time before deciding to give Luke a call. The call was soon picked up. Bianca tried to make her voice gentle, but her vocal cords had been ruined, so there was always a hint of hoarseness in her voice. "Luke," she called out to the man on the other end of the call. "Mm," Luke frowned as he looked at his employees in the conference room. Bianca always called him at the wrong time. "I''m informing you that I''m near Tommy''s school now. I can pick him up after school, so you don''t have to worry," Bianca said. "Alright, Bea. I''m in the middle of a meeting," Luke said. Bianca knew the implications of his words. She said, "Alright, I won''t disturb youthen." She tossed the phone aside after the call ended. She had broken several phones in the past two years. Luke did not say anything about her bad temper. However, things seemed to have changedtely. "No, I''ll have to make out with Luke somehow," Bianca mumbled to herself. To im a man''s heart, she had to im his body first. She had never seen a man who did not desire her body. If this carried on, Ivana would have a chance of getting close to him. Even if Ivana was out of the picture, there were other women like Tia... After making up her mind, she drove toward Tommy''s school. Chapter 1122 Chapter 1122 He Would Not Divorce Her Bianca drove the car to Tommy''s school. Seeing that it was still early, she sat down at a nearby cafe and ordered a coffee while waiting for school to end. Usually, Luke or the driver would be the ones to fetch the children home. It was the first time that she did so. Bianca browsed on her phone, feeling quite bored. She would not have done this if not that she wanted to gain Luke''s favor. To achieve her objective of getting closer to him, she had to pretend that she was a good wife and mother so that Luke would ce his trust in her. An hourter, Bianca casually sauntered out of the cafe and went to the school gate. Parents and caretakers were crowding at the gate. Bianca frowned disgustedly when she saw the crowd in front of the gate. She thought that they were disorderly and unmannered. She was not in a rush anyway. After the crowd dispersed, she slowly walked toward the gate. N?velDrama.Org content. She saw Tommy carrying his backpack standing next to the teacher. Putting on a fake gentle smile, she waved at him and said, "I''m here to pick you up, baby." Tommy pouted when he saw her, as though he was angry. It was the first time that the teacher saw Tommy¡¯s mother. She lowered her head and asked Tommy, "Is that your mother, Tommy?" "Mm." Tommy nodded reluctantly. He did not consider the woman in front of him as his mother, but he had to admit that she had the exact same face as Bianca. "Good day, Mrs. Crawford," the teacher greeted Bianca with a smile after Tommy confirmed it. Bianca nodded at the teacher arrogantly, walked over, and took Tommy''s hand. "Let''s go." As Tommy was dragged away, he turned around and waved to the teacher. "Goodbye, Miss." "Goodbye, Tommy. Remember to do your homework, and see you tomorrow." The teacher waved goodbye to Tommy with a smile. Bianca held Tommy''s hand tightly, ignoring his greeting to the teacher. She opened the car door and pretended to look motherly. "Here, Tommy, get in the car." Tommy pulled his hand away from her and mbered into the car. Bianca cursed under her breath seeing how ungrateful Tommy was. Then, she closed the door. She walked around her car and went to the driver''s seat. While fastening her seatbelt, she heard Tommy ask, "Where''s Daddy? Where''s Uncle Sean? Why aren''t they picking me up today?" Sean was usually the one who picked Tommy up from school. Bianca turned around and saw Tommy''s look of dissatisfaction, as though he were an arrogant heir. She smiled and exined, "Your Daddy is busy at work, and I happen to be nearby, so I thought I''d save your Uncle Sean some trouble and pick you up." "You always trouble Uncle Sean though." Tommy took out a toy from his backpack. Bianca''s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, and veins bulged on the back of her hands. No matter what she did, Tommy remained hostile to her. "How can you say that, Tommy? Uncle Sean is our driver. Sometimes, I''ll have to rely on him to fetch me around. There''s nothing wrong with that, right?" She said. Tommy ignored her. Bianca felt as though she was talking to herself, which made her embarrassed. She did not attempt to speak to Tommy anymore. Instead, she started the car and drove to Crawford Manor. Her task would beplete as long as she sent Tommy home. However, Tommy''s words were like a thorn on her heart that caused her pain and difort. Bianca nced at the rear-view mirror and saw Tommy ying with his toys. She narrowed her gaze and had an idea. Back at Crawford Manor, Tommy picked up his backpack and went toward the house without saying a word. The butler greeted the boy with a smile. "You''re back, Master Tommy." "Good afternoon, Mr. Griffin," Tommy greeted the butler courteously. Then, he skipped happily into the house. Bianca, who was following behind Tommy, saw the scene and felt indignant. The boy was not rude; he was only rude to her. The butler smiled at Bianca when he saw her. "You''re back, Madam." Bianca was in a bad mood. She showed a sour face to the butler and replied to him with only a nod. Tommy was already back in his bedroom. Bianca could not be bothered to entertain him, so she went back to her bedroom and closed the door. She nced at the time. Luke was almost home, and she would want to have a serious discussion with him. The three children had been a thorn in her side. Luke went to check on his three children after he got home. They were doing their homework. After spending some time with them, he remembered that he did not see Bianca downstairs. She must be in her bedroom. Luke patted Tommy''s head and stood up. Tommy turned to look at him. "Daddy, are you leaving?" "I''ll go and put my briefcase down." Luke went straight to the children''s bedroom after returning home. He was still carrying his briefcase. Tommy nodded and pointed at his workbook. "There are some questions that I don''t know how to answer. You''ll have toe and teach meter." "Alright." Luke smiled and left Tommy''s bedroom. He came to Bianca''s bedroom and saw that the door was ajar. He went inside and saw Bianca sitting on the couch with her arms crossed. She seemed very angry. "Bea." Luke walked upto her and looked at her. Bianca lifted her head, and tears welled up in her eyes. "What''s wrong?" Luke felt a little helpless when he saw her crying without provocation. Tve been thinking about this for a long time, Luke. I think I should move out," Bianca said, sounding aggrieved. Luke put his briefcase away, though he remained calm. He sat down on the couch and looked at the woman next to him. "What happened?" He said. "I''m the mother of the children, but they don¡¯t ept me because I''ve lost my memory. You too... I don''t think there''s a ce for me here. I should just move out. Also, if you want to find another wife, I will agree to the divorce without asking for anything in return. I just want to live my life peacefully." Bianca knew that she had to yield temporarily. She knew that Luke felt guilty about her abduction, which was why she dared to say that. Luke would not agree to her moving out or the divorce. Bianca wanted Luke to take over the reins and help her discipline the children. Luke frowned hard and held her hands tightly. "Don''t go, Bea." Bianca pulled her hands away, seemingly agitated. "What else should I do then? Should I stay here and be a nuisance to Tommy and the others?" "What did Tommy say to you?" Luke felt a slight headache as he saw her flowing tears. He knew that there was a problem between her and the children. Chapter 1123 Chapter 1123 Family Conflict Luke did not know how to solve that problem. He hoped that his children would eventually ept the fact that their mother had lost their memories and changed her personality. Two years had passed. The three children continued to mature, but they could not ept Bianca into their lives. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Bianca sniffled and turned her head away. "I don''t want to say. If they can''t ept me for who I am, I might as well leave." "Bea..." Luke''s voice became low. Bianca did not say anything. "What happened when you picked Tommy up from school?" He asked. Bianca continued to shed her tears. When she thought that she had cried enough, she leaned on his shoulder and aired her grievances. "I''m so tired, Luke. Why is Tommy so mean to me when I''ve done so much for him? I really can''t remember how I used to be. Should I look for Ms. Tia again? Maybe she can help me recover my memories." Luke''s expression turned as cold as ice when Bianca mentioned Tia and her memories. He held Bianca''s shoulders and said, "The boy is still young, and he doesn''t understand what happened. Don''t be too caught up with your past, Bea. I''ll go talk to him, and things will be better." Bianca looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Will things really be better?" "Mm. Don''t overthink it. Go wash your face and eat your dinner/¡¯ Luke said. Bianca nodded and reluctantly stepped away from his shoulder. She was satisfied that he would be talking to the childrenter. One had to know that Luke had never spoken up for her before. Bianca went into the bathroom. Luke stood up and nced at his wet shoulder. He left the bedroom and went to Tommy''s bedroom. Tommy was doing his homework. "Are you done yet?" Luke said. Tommy lifted his head and smiled at his father. "I''m almost done, Daddy, but I need help with these two math questions..." Luke sat down beside him and said, "Show me and I''ll help you." Tommy pointed at the questions on his workbook, and Luke solved them in no time. After Tommy finished his homework, he handed the workbook to Luke." Please check my work, Daddy." Luke checked that Tommy had finished his work and signed his initials on thest page. Tommy cheered happily. Once he was done with homework, he could go and watch cartoons. He was about to leave the room when Luke grabbed his hand. "Daddy?" Luke looked at Tommy with a serious expression and said, "Stay with me for a while. I want to talk to you." Tommy nodded and sat back down. "What do you want to talk about, Daddy?" Luke held his little hand and said, "Your Mommy is unhappy today. Do you know why?" "I don¡¯t know." Tommy shook his head in confusion. "Mommy is usually unhappy anyway. You''ll just have to get used to it." Luke frowned when he saw Tommy''s innocent expression. "She''s unhappy because you''ve done something bad to her, Tommy." Tommy knew what he wanted to say and instantly pouted. "I didn''t do anything to her." Tommy did not want to take the me. He said, "I only asked her why Uncle Sean didn''t pick me up today, but she told me that I shouldn''t trouble Uncle Sean too much. Mommy troubles Uncle Sean all the time, isn''t it?" Luke sighed. He knew that Bianca was unhappy not because of what transpired today, but because of the chronicmunication problem between her and her children. "I know you''re a good boy, Tommy, and you should be more understanding about your mother. She''s forgotten about everything in her past," he continued. Tommy pouted, stood up, and said angrily, "I didn''t do anything wrong, Daddy. Why should I be understanding to her when she doesn''t attempt to understand me? She''s an adult while Lanie, Rainie, and me are children. Why are you on Mommy''s side? You''re a baddie, just like her! Give my Mommy back to me!" Luke was helpless when Tommy started crying. "Listen to me, Tommy!" He said. "I listen to you all the time, Daddy. You always tell me that I have to make sense whenever I speak. I''m making sense now, but you''re not making sense. I don''t want to talk to you anymore, you baddie!" Tommy began to bawl after he said that. Rainie was next door and heard themotion. She immediately came over and saw the father and son in a standoff. "Daddy, why is Tommy crying?" She asked. She knew that Tommy hardly cried, and her heart wrenched when she saw Tommy being so sad. "Daddy is a baddie!" Tommyined to his elder sister. Luke stood there helplessly, looking at the two children in the face of Tommy''s usation. "Don''t cry, Tommy." Rainie tried tofort her younger brother. Tommy did not stop bawling. "How about you leave the room for now, Daddy? I''ll try to calm Tommy down," Rainie said. "Mm." Luke rarely dealt with situations like this. He could only leave the room. After Luke left, Tommy continued to bawl. It took Rainie a long time to calm him down slightly. "Daddy is a baddie. He''s been brainwashed!" Tommyined to Rainie. "What happened to Daddy?" Rainie held Tommy''s hand and sat on the chair. Tommy told his elder sister what happened earlier that day. "Rainie, don''t you think that the woman who''s pretending to be our Mommy is brainwashing Daddy?" He said worriedly. "There''s no such thing. Don''t overthink it. Daddy is doing so to preserve the harmony in the family. Do you know what ''harmony1 means?" Rainie had matured a lot ever since Bianca went missing. "I know. Great-Grandpa always talks about harmony in the family." Tommy nodded. "Daddy is usually tired from work, so he doesn''t want us to cause trouble within the family because of this. Do you understand?" Rainie asked. Tommy did not quite understand it, though he bore a grudge against Luke for being on the woman''s side. Suddenly, he had an idea. When the butler called the children downstairs for dinner, Tommy wiped his tears and went downstairs with Rainie as though nothing happened. Luke could see that Tommy¡¯s eyes were red and puffy. He felt guilty about what he said earlier. Instead of clinging to his father, Tommy sat in his chair and ate his meal quietly. After dinner, Tommy did not watch his favorite cartoons. Instead, he went upstairs and closed the bedroom door. Chapter 1124 Chapter 1124 Running Away From Home Luke followed him upstairs and knocked on the door. "I''m sleeping." Tommy''s childish voice came from within. Luke''s hand froze. Rainie could see that her father was distressed and told him, "Don''t worry about Tommy. He''ll forget about it by tomorrow morning." Luke sighed and patted Rainie''s head. His daughter always seemed sensible. "I have some more work to do. Please take care of your younger brother." "Yes, Daddy." Rainie nodded. Luke returned to the study. T Corporation had been expanding over the past two years, and his responsibility became greater and greater. He would work in the study every night. After Luke left, Rainie knocked on the bedroom door. "Tommy, it''s me, your sister. Let me in." "I''m sleeping, Rainie," Tommy said. Rainie was not sure how to react to that. "Don''t you want Daddy to sleep with you tonight?" "I can sleep by myself tonight, Rainie. I''m very sleepy!" While Tommy said that, he rummaged through his closet and found the biggest backpack. When Rainie heard what Tommy said, she knocked on the door again. Once again, Tommy did not open the door. Rainie sighed and said, "Alright then, I won''t disturb you. Sleep tight and see you tomorrow, Tommy." Tommy brought a stool over, stood on it, and took out some of his clothes from the closet. He decided that he would run away from home so that his father would pay more attention to him! After packing the clothes, he stashed some of his favorite books and snacks into the backpack. Then, he smashed his piggy bank and took out the money inside. Hey on the bed after the preparations were done. All he had to do now was wait. By three o''clock in the morning, everyone in Crawford Manor was sleeping. Tommy gently pushed the door open and looked down the corridor. A sliver of dim yellow light shone from the door to the study that was ajar. He tiptoed toward the study and peeked inside. Luke was sleeping on the sofa bed without turning the lights off. Tommy chuckled to himself, returned to his bedroom, wore his backpack, and left Crawford Manor. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Crawford Manor was in a secluded location. Tommy walked along the road until he was exhausted. He tossed the backpack away and sat down on the ground, panting. "This is so tiring." Tommy nced at his backpack next to him. If he had known that it would be so exhausting to run away from home, he would have brought less things along with him. It was only after he left Crawford Manor that he did not know where he should go. He crouched by the road and mumbled to himself, "Should I go home?" Instantly, he shook his head and dismissed the idea. "No, I can''t go home now. That would be very embarrassing!" He hugged his backpack, leaned against the wall, and fell asleep. There were no cabs on the road sote at night. He would leave in the morning instead! The next morning, Tommy woke up and realized that a group of people were staring at him. He rubbed his eyes, looked at the adults surrounding him, and asked, "What are you all looking at?" An old man who was on his morning jog crouched down and asked him," Why are you sleeping here, little boy? Are you lost?" "I''m not lost." Tommy stood up, wore his backpack, and dusted his clothes. A woman noticed that the clothes Tommy wore were very expensive. She smiled lovingly and said, "Little boy, can you tell me where you live? I''ll bring you home." Tommy instantly thought of how Luke had reprimanded him the day before, so he shook his head. "No, Ma''am. I''m not going home." "It''s very dangerous for a little boy like you to be wandering outside alone. Why don¡¯t you want to go home?" The woman asked Tommy. There were so many human traffickers nowadays, and the cute and handsome boy would be a lucrative target. As she thought about that, her motherly instincts went off the charts." Come with me. My car is right over there. I''ll bring you home." The old man agreed with her. "Yes. You''re so small, what if you meet a bad guy? Your Daddy and Mommy must be worried about you. You should go home." "I''m not going to Daddy''s home. I want to look for Mommy," Tommy pretended to look aggrieved. He did not want to follow those adults back to Crawford Manor, so he had to make up another excuse. The adults immediately understood. The boy''s parents were divorced, and the father must have won custody of the boy. However, his father was mean to him, so he wanted to look for his mother. They also guessed that the boy had run away from home and lost his way. That was why he was sleeping by the roadside. Tommy thought for a bit and held the woman''s hand. "Ma''am, I know my Mommy''s address. Can you hail a cab for me? I have money." The woman''s heart melted when Tommy looked at her with those big and animated eyes. "Would it be too dangerous taking a cab by yourself?" She said. "I''ll be fine. Cab drivers are usually good guys. Also, you can give me your phone number and note down the cab''s license te. When I arrive at my Mommy''s house, I''ll give you a call to tell you that I''m safe!" Tommy thought up of a way to stop the woman from worrying. "Are you sure you want to take a cab? I can send you there," the woman said. "You must be on your way to work, Ma''am, and I''d hate to impose on you. I¡¯ll be fine taking a cab on my own." Tommy blinked. He was not sure where his destination was. If he had ridden in the woman''s car, his lies would be exposed. "Alright then." The woman used her phone to hail a cab. She gave Tommy her phone number, noted down the cab''s license te, and handed the driver a twenty-dor bill. "Please deliver the boy to his mother." "Don''t worry." The cab driver nodded. The driver started driving and asked Tommy for his destination. Tommy gave him an address; Bianca used to bring him there. The cab driver said, "Alright. Sit tight, little boy. I''ll bring you there right now. "Thank you, Sir," Tommy replied sweetly, which made the driver happy. At the destination, Tommy rummaged through his backpack and took out some money. The driver shook his head and said, "The woman who helped you get a ride already paid me. Quickly go and look for your Mommy." "Alright. Thank you, Sir." Tommy thanked the driver again and did not insist on paying. After all, he needed money to survive. The driver opened the back door of the car, and Tommy hopped out. He looked around and asked, "Where''s your Mommy?" "She lives over there!" Tommy randomly pointed at an apartment nearby and said, "Mommy doesn¡¯t know that I''m here. I can go there myself." Chapter 1125 Chapter 1125 Spare Me! Seeing that the apartment was not very far away, the driver nodded and said, "You should be careful. Don''t talk to strangers." "Yes, I know. Thank you, Sir!" Tommy smiled sweetly and skipped toward the apartment. After the driver left, he stopped skipping and began to frown. He was very far away from Crawford Manor now, but he did not know where he should go. "Sigh." Tommy frowned and looked at the budget hotel nearby. Should he stay there for a few days? Tommy walked toward the hotel. It was better to stay there than to stay out in the open. A short whileter, Tommy walked out of the hotel dejectedly. He was too young and had no ID, so the hotel staff did not allow him to check in no matter how much money he gave them. They even said that they would bring him to the police station. He knew that he had to stay away from the hotel as far as possible, and he turned a corner into a narrow alley in case someone was following him. Several hooligans were smoking in the narrow alley. They exchanged nces when they saw Tommy running into the alley, and they immediately surrounded him. "Hey, kid." Tommy lifted his head and looked at the hooligans. "Can I help you?" "Why are you running so hurriedly? Did you do something bad and the police areing to arrest you?" A plump hooligan asked. "Yes, baddies are chasing me," Tommy said and shuddered. The people surrounding him did not look like good people. How was he going to run away? Luke might have hired a taekwondo instructor for him, but he was not strong or skil led enough to fight off even one of them. Now, there were so many... "Don''t worry, we''ll protect you, but..." The plump hooligan and his friend chuckled. The boy was dirty and disheveled, but they could discern the brand of his clothing. They could tell that the boy was the son of a wealthy man. "But what?" The gears in Tommy''s head spun at record speeds. He was thinking of how he could shake off those people. "But you''ll have to give us something in return. Protection isn''t free after all. You look like you''re from a wealthy family, kid. You must get a lot of pocket money from your parents, right?" The plump hooligan nced at Tommy''s backpack and thought that it must be stuffed with money. As stingy a wealthy person might be, they would not be stingy toward their children. "I don''t have money!" Tommy knew what the hooligans wanted, so he denied it and began to cry. "My family is very, very poor." "That can''t be." The plump hooligan did not believe him. A thin hooligan said impatiently, "We don''t have to waste our time on him. Just snatch his backpack." When Tommy heard that, he immediately grabbed the two shoulder straps of the backpack. He absolutely could not let the hooligansy their hands on his money. If they did, his n would fail! Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Seeing how nervous Tommy was, the plump hooligan cackled and reached to grab his backpack. "Help! Help!" Tommy screamed loudly. "Shut up!¡± The thin hooligan immediately covered Tommy''s mouth in case his screams attracted the attention of other people. Tommy opened his mouth and bit the thin hooligan''s hand. "Argh! How dare you bite me, you damned brat!" The thin hooligan raised his hand and prepared to p Tommy''s face. Tommy nimbly dodged the attack and tried to escape from between their legs. "Help! Help!" The thin hooligan was incensed. "Grab him! I want to strip him naked!" He yelled. The other hooligans instantly surrounded Tommy. Tommy could not run away, and he was forced into a corner. He could not scream because of fright. "You b*stard!¡° The thin hooligan looked at his hand. It was already bleeding. "Don''t...e close..." Tommy struggled to breath. He was panicking. "Hmph! He''s so protective of his backpack, there must be money in it! Take his money and strip him naked!" The thin hooligan ordered. The other hooligans went closer to Tommy. Their attention was focused on Tommy, and they did not notice that a woman had appeared behind them. "That''s very mature of you to gang up on a little child!" Luca saw several hooligans surrounding a small child and frowned disgustedly. She wanted to take a shortcut to her apartment, but she did not expect to encounter that situation. In any case, she was not going to allow that to happen. The hooligans turned their heads when they heard a woman''s voice behind them. The thin hooligan looked at Luca''s voluptuous body and was instantly aroused. He rubbed his chin and said, "Why don''t you mind your own business?" "Because I can''t do nothing when I see you bullying a child." Luca nced at the child behind the hooligans. The child was heavily surrounded, so she could only see the color of the child''s clothes. "It doesn''t pay to be a meddler, Miss." The plump hooligan cackled. Not many people usually paid attention to what was happening in the alley. If they could subdue the woman, they could do anything they wanted to her. The hooligans exchanged nces and focused their attention on Luca. They were very interested in that woman''s body. "It doesn''t pay to bully a defenseless child either. It''s either you apologize to him and get lost now, or all of you can fight me at once." Luca sped her hands together and began to crack her knuckles. "Tsk, you think too highly of yourself," the thin hooligan said viciously and spat on the floor. "Someone go and keep an eye on that kid. Today, I want both money and her life." The plump hooligan volunteered to grab hold of Tommy. That was the easiest task because he was not as nimble as the others. "You asked for it." Luca''s expression turned serious. "You¡¯re the one who''s asking for it. If you surrender now, I might make what happens nextfortable for you. Otherwise..." Before the thin hooligan could finish the sentence, Luca lunged forward and punched his face. Wham! The thin hooligan instantly fell on the ground. "Ahh!" The plump hooligan shrieked in shock. How did that woman knock out the six-foot-two man in one punch? Luca did not give the other hooligans the time to react. She swiftly took down the other hooligans. The hooligans sprawled on the ground. They wanted to curse, but their faces were swollen and they could not say anything. "And you!" Luca looked away, but her finger was firmly pointed in the plump hooligan''s direction. The plump hooligan''s knees went weak. He fell down with a plop and said," Please spare me!" Tommy regained his freedom. He ran toward Luca and hid behind her." You''re amazing!" Chapter 1126 Chapter 1126 I Think I¡¯ve Met You Before Luca''s heart melted when she heard that childish voice. When she turned to look at Tommy, she was immediately stunned. "You..." She could not make a sound, as though a fish bone was stuck in her throat. The hooligans saw that she was standing there in a daze. They dared not provoke her again, and instead, they quickly got to their feet and left the scene. Luca did not care about the hooligans. She stared at the little child in front of her. It had been two years, but she could instantly tell that the little boy in front of her was Tommy, her son... "What''s wrong, Miss?" Tommy was wondering what thedy was thinking. Even though she had defeated the hooligans so violently, he was not afraid of her at all. In fact, when he held her hand, he thought that the feeling was somewhat familiar. "Nothing.¡± Luca came to her senses and took his hand. He was much taller and bigger. Even his hand in her palm felt bigger. Luca felt a little emotional when she thought that she had missed out on Tommy''s growing years. She thought of finding out the school her children were in so that she could look at them from a distance. She did not expect to meet Tommy here. "Do you know me, Miss?" Tommy asked her when he noticed that tears were welling up in her eyes. "I don''t." Luca shook her head instinctively. Tommy had another mother now. She could not possibly tell him that she was his real mother. Tommy was still young, and he would not understand. There were many things that she had to keep to herself. "Are you sure you don''t know me, Miss? I thought you looked familiar. I might have seen you somewhere before." Tommy smiled brilliantly and leaned close to her. Luca saw that Tommy''s face and clothes were dirty. She patted his head and asked him, "Why are you here alone? Where are your parents?" "I don''t have parents," Tommy said. Luca was surprised. Why would he say that? Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "Every child has their parents. You must have your parents too," she tried tomunicate with Tommy patiently. "Miss..." Tommy frowned. It looked like thedy was not as easily convinced as those people earlier. "I like children who are honest. If you tell me the truth, I''ll buy you breakfast, " Luca said. Tommy''s stomach growled. He sighed and said, ''Alright, Miss, I''ll tell you, but you can''t tell anyone else." Luca nodded. "I promise I won''t tell anyone else." They were very far from Crawford Manor, and there must be a reason why Tommy appeared alone there. She had to find out the reason. "Daddy doesn''t love me anymore, and he scolds me even though it''s Mommy''s fault. That''s why I''m running away from home," Tommy exined the reason briefly. Luca felt sorry for him. She knew that the boy was hungry, so she did not ask any more questions. She poked his nose and said, "I live nearby. Do you want to eat at a cafe, or shall I make breakfast for you?" "I want to eat your cooking, Miss!" Tommy''s eyes were sparkling. Even though he had been told not to trust strangers, he did not think that the woman in front of him was a stranger. In fact, he thought that she was not a bad person. Luca shook her head helplessly and brought Tommy back to her apartment. Tommy looked around at the cramped apartment. It was totally unlike Crawford Manor, but he had the inexplicable urge to stay there. Luca brought him to the bathroom and said, "I don''t know how you got so dirty. Quickly go and take a shower. Right, do you have any clothes?" She did not have any items for children in her apartment. Tommy nodded. "I have clothes in my backpack." "That''s good. Go and take a shower, and you can put the dirty clothes in that basket," Luke said. Tommy smiled brilliantly. "You''re a nice person, Miss." "Why do you think that I''m nice? Aren''t you afraid that I¡¯m a bad person?" Luca''s heart melted when she saw his smile. She had not met her children for so long, and she selfishly wanted her son to stay with her for a little longer. That was why she did not inform Luke about it. Moreover, she was supposed to be someone who had just returned to the country. If Tommy did not tell her about it, she was not supposed to know that Luke was his father. Luca thought that it made sense if the boy stayed with her, and she had no qualms about it. "You''re a nice person because I said so." Tommy opened his backpack and took out his pajamas. Luca felt a flood of emotions in her mind. She did not know what happened that made Tommy run away from home. Seeing Tommy''s dirty face, she grumbled that Luke did not take care of their children. She sighed. Tommy heard the sigh and looked at her. "What''s wrong, Miss?" "It''s nothing. Shall I take a shower with you?" Luca remembered that Tommy was very clingy. Even though Luke had told him to be independent, he would always find a reason to cling to her. Tommy blushed and shook his head. "I''m fine, Miss. I''m a big boy now, and I can take a shower myself." Luca felt slightly disappointed. She helped Tommy adjust the water temperature and asked him, "Since when did you take showers by yourself? "About three years ago, I think. Ever since my Mommy went missing, I''ve been taking showers myself." Tommy smiled at her when he said that. Luca stood up and said, "Alright, you go and take your shower, and I''ll make breakfast for you. Right, don''t lock the door." "I know!" Tommy smiled and closed the bathroom door after Luca left the bathroom. He took off his clothes and stepped into the shower. He did not feel awkward in the unfamiliar environment, but instead thought that it was warm and homely. He always had that feeling from his mother, but ever since she went missing three years ago, he had never felt that anymore. "I''m so lucky," Tommy said to himself. While he was immersed in happiness, Crawford Manor was in chaos because of Tommy''s disappearance. Luke''s expression was sullen as he watched the security footage on the screen. When he went to Tommy''s bedroom that morning, he realized that Tommy was not inside. He thought that Tommy had gone downstairs on his own, but he did not find him downstairs either. He was afraid that someone might have kidnapped Tommy, so he reviewed the security footage. He realized that no one had kidnapped Tommy. Instead, Tommy had left the house with his backpack at three o''clock in the morning! Luke was furious when he saw the footage of Tommy sneaking out of the house. Chapter 1127 Chapter 1127 You Can Choose to Leave Bianca stood next to Luke and watched the footage of Tommy sneaking away. She was unhappy about what she saw. Was Tommy giving her trouble by running away from home at this juncture? She might be unhappy, but she managed to conceal her emotions. She ced a hand on Luke''s shoulder and showed a worried expression. "What should we do now, Luke?" Luke had been reying the security footage. The cameras could only track Tommy until the front gate. Beyond that, Luke did not know where he went. He was incredibly frustrated. "Well have to find him." Tommy was still young. Where could a young child possibly go? However, Luke was worried precisely because Tommy was a young child. He called Jason on his phone to look for Tommy immediately. Bianca looked at Luke''s gloomy expression. He did not say it, but she could tell that he knew the reason why Tommy ran away. She began to me herself. "It''s all my fault. Tommy is still so small, I shouldn''t have scolded him. He''s my son too..." Luke was not in the mood tofort Bianca, who was about to cry. All he could think of was finding Tommy. He stood up and said, "I''ll go to the police station." Bianca was taken aback when she saw him leaving the study. She quickly ran after him, not bothering to wipe away the tears on her face. "I''m going too, Luke." "You stay at home." Luke was worried about Tommy''s whereabouts. He did not want to bring her along. Bianca could only watch as Luke quickly walked away. She had no way to release her anger. She had done all she could in two years, but she could not get Luke to ept her. What else could she do so that Luke would care for her? If this went on, Luke would only continue to drift apart from her. Even if he did not fall in love with another woman, he would focus his entire attention on his three children, while she could only be a trophy wife. She did not want that to happen! Bianca went downstairs. Old Master Crawford was standing in the middle of the living room and reprimanding the servants of the house. Tommy managed to sneak away from Crawford Manor because the front gate was not locked. All Tommy had to do was to stand on tiptoe and open thetch. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Bianca did not know what to do when she stood at the staircase and watched Old Master Crawford being so angry. All she could do was to pretend that she was very worried about her son. She tried to squeeze some tears in her eyes, hoping to evoke the old man''s pity and show him that she was also worried about Tommy. When Old Master Crawford heard her sobbing, he shot a disdainful nce at her and told the servants, "Make sure that you lock the front gate before you go to bed every night!" "Yes, Old Master Crawford!" The butler replied. He felt slightly aggrieved when he remembered that there were two locks on the gate. One of the locks was at the usual position, while the other was slightly higher. The higher lock had not been locked for more than a year, and no idents had ever happened. However, Tommy found his chance to run away precisely because of that! "You¡¯re dismissed." Old Master Crawford was deathly worried about finding Tommy, but there was no point in scolding them excessively. After all, they were no experts in lost child retrieval. Luke had already dispatched his subordinates to look for Tommy. With the help of the police, they should be able to find Tommy in no time. Seeing the servants scatter to their respective posts, Bianca wiped the tears from her eyes and went over. '' Don''t be angry, Grandpa.¡± "How can I not be angry?" Old Master Crawford red at her. After knowing that Tommy had run away from home, Rainie had told him what happened the day before. Luke would not reprimand his children for no reason. Old Master Crawford could guess that it was all because of Bianca. "Grandpa..." Bianca did not expect that Old Master Crawford would be angry at her too. "Luke reprimanded Tommyst night. You must have told him something, right?" Old Master Crawford did not beat around the bush. He did not y favorites among his great-grandchildren, but he paid more attention to Tommy because Luke went missing when Tommy was born. Everyone thought that Luke was gone forever. Tommy''s birth had mended a hole in Old Master Crawford''s heart. No matter how naughty the little boy might be, Old Master Crawford could not bear to scold him. "I didn''t..." Bianca tried to exin. Old Master Crawford did not give her the chance. "Bianca, you''ve lost all your memories, but that''s okay. I still treat you as Luke''s wife. You don''t remember anything about your children or even think that Tommy and the others aren''t your children, but I don''t me you because you didn''t ask for that to happen. Now, as a mature adult, you''re tattling on a child. Are you purposely trying to upset him? If you think that you''re not happy staying here, you can choose to leave at any time! Let me say this right now. I won''t let anyone try to convince you otherwise!" Old Master Crawford''s words were like barbs that pierced Bianca''s heart. When she heard that Old Master Crawford would not try to convince her to stay, her face went pale and she shook her head. "I didn''t mean that, Grandpa. That''s not what happened yesterday..." Old Master Crawford cut her off mid-sentence. "You don''t have to exin yourself. I can roughly guess what happened yesterday. You''ve given birth to three children for the Crawford family, yet you don''t want to take care of them. Fine, I''ll take care of them on your behalf then!" "I..." Bianca''s mind was in a mess. She did not expect that old man to say that. "Don''t be angry, Old Master Crawford. Please take care of your health," the butler reminded him when he saw that the old man was very agitated. Bianca was helpless. She did not know what else to say to convince him that Tommy''s running away from home was not her fault. She looked at Old Master Crawford''s sullen expression, gritted her teeth, and pretended to faint. Bianca fell on the floor with a plop. To make sure that her fall was convincing enough, she did not try to brace herself or cushion her fall. A wave of pain coursed through her body the moment she struck the floor. Bianca bore with it. She did not open her eyes. "Madam!" The butler quickly went over and shook her shoulders. The woman on the floor gave no response. Seeing that the woman had fainted at such an opportune time, Old Master Crawford grunted coldly and said, "Get the doctor." "Yes!" The butler told the servant, "Give Dr. Park a call." "Don''t bother troubling Johann. It''s nothing too serious. Just call any doctor over." Old Master Crawford stopped the servant from calling Johann. Chapter 1128 Chapter 1128 House Rules The butler could only do what he was told. "Give Dr. Cairn a call." "Yes," the servant picked up the phone and made a call to the Crawford family doctor. The other two caretakers carried Bianca upstairs and ced her on the bed. While the entire Crawford Manor was in chaos because of Tommy''s disappearance, the culprit was enjoying himself. After his shower, he stepped out of the bathroom and smelled the fragrance of food. That made his stomach growl loudly. Luca seemed to have sensed Tommy behind her, and she turned her head around. She smiled when she saw Tommy standing at the kitchen door and said, "Are you done with your shower? Go and sit at the dining table. I''ve prepared some warm milk for you. You can drink that first, I''m almost done." "You''re so nice, Miss." Tommy giggled, turned around, and sat on the chair. He took a sip of the milk that she had prepared for him, then turned his head to look at the woman in the kitchen. He liked the ce, and he liked that woman. He thought that it would be a good idea if he could stay here. However... He was worried that the woman might attempt to take him home. That was why he had to find an excuse so that he could continue staying here. As for his father... Tommy became angry when he thought of his father. ''If he''s not going to believe me anyway, he can continue searching!'' Luca came out of the kitchen with two tes of spaghetti. She ced the smaller te in front of Tommy. The food had been slightly cooled down because Luca did not want Tommy to identally scald himself. "Let''s eat. You must be hungry." Luca handed the cutlery to Tommy. Tommy took the te with a smile. Before he even took a bite, he was already praising the cooking. "The spaghetti smells really nice, Miss." "Really? It''s been a while since I cooked anything. Give it a taste and see if it suits you," Luca said. She did not step into the kitchen in the three years she was on the Ind of Despair, and she wondered if her skills had be rusty. Moreover, she did not know if Tommy''s tastes had changed in the past three years. She was quite worried that Tommy did not like her food. Tommy twirled a forkful of spaghetti and stuffed it into his mouth. His eyes immediately sparkled. "Wow, your spaghetti is so delicious, Miss! It tastes just like how my Mommy used to make it." "Really?" Luca was happy when she heard Tommy''s praises. The "Mommy" might not be referring to her, but she was indeed Tommy''s mother! "Really. I haven''t eaten something so delicious for so long," Tommy said as he took another bite. Luca frowned slightly. "Why?" "Can you stop asking me that, Miss?" Tommy did not want to exin it to her, or rather, he did not know how to exin to a stranger that he suspected that his mother was not his real mother. Not many people would believe in that im. Luca felt a twinge in her nose. ''Alright, I won''t ask you anymore." "It''s been three years since I''ve eaten spaghetti like this. You''re so nice, Miss!" Tommy grinned at her in satisfaction. Luca smiled and handed him a napkin. "Wipe your mouth." "Thank you, Miss," Tommy thanked her. He felt that he wanted to be closer to her when he saw her smile. After breakfast, Luca cleared up the table. Seeing her busy cleaning up in the kitchen, Tommy thought hard about what to do next. He expected the woman to ask him again about his parents, then inform them about his whereabouts! No! He did not want to go back so soon! Tommy wanted to stay with the woman for a while longer. He thought of something and took out all the snacks in his backpack. After Luca finished cleaning up in the kitchen, she saw that Tommy was sitting obediently on the couch. There was also a pile of snacks on the coffee table. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. She smiled and walked over. "That''s a lot of snacks." "This is for you, Miss. Thank you for taking me in." Tommy blinked mischievously. "Wow! You''re giving all that to me? But all I did was make you a te of spaghetti." Luca knew what Tommy was trying to do. She was the mother to the child. How could she not guess what he wanted? Even though they had not met each other for three years, she felt that Tommy was still the same boy, except that he had grown taller. Perhaps that was the proof that they were rted by blood. Tommy became dejected, thinking that he had no hope of staying there." Can''t you take me in for a while, Miss?" "Why don''t you want to go home?" Luca took the opportunity to ask. Tommy''s gaze wandered around the room. Luca could tell what that gesture meant. She said, "I''ll consider letting you stay if you tell me the truth." Tommy told her everything, except the part where he suspected that the Bianca at home was not the real Bianca. Luca sank into deep thought. Tommy grabbed her arm and shook it. "You''re so nice and pretty, Miss. Can''t you let me stay here for a few days out of your kindness? I promise I''ll behave and won''t give you any trouble." "If you stay here, how are you going to school?" Luca said. She was beginning to be swayed by Tommy''s begging. She could not believe her luck. She was satisfied to be able to stay with her child for a few days and form some new memories, even if she could not reunite with her family. "Don''t worry about that, Miss. See, I brought all my textbooks with me. I won''t miss out on my sses." Tommy took out several books from his backpack. Luca did not expect that Tommy would bring so many things with him. She nced into his backpack and noticed that there were two sets of clothing, some more books, and a pile of pocket money. She could not help but smile. "I''ll go home when my Daddy realizes his mistakes. I hope that you can take me in, Miss," Tommy begged. Luca had no other choice but to give in to his request. "Alright then. I''m not working now, so I''ll have to take care of you. When I go back to work next Monday, you''ll have to go home. Agreed?" "Yes!" Tommy agreed to it instantly. It was only in the middle of the week, and he was happy when he thought that he could stay there for a few more days. "Also, if your Daddy finds you, you''ll have to go with him immediately. I don''t want to be treated as a kidnapper," Luca continued to list her conditions. "Yes!" Tommy agreed to it immediately. If Luke managed to find him, he would have no choice but to go home anyway. "Finally, if you don''t want to be discovered by your Daddy and his subordinates, you''d better not tell me that you want to go outside. I don''t like going out anyway," Bianca said her final condition. She went out of her house on a whim to get some morning exercise. If not for that, she would not have met her son. Chapter 1129 Chapter 1129 You¡¯re So Smart, Ms. Luca! "Yes, Miss. I promise that I won''t leave the house!" Tommy held up both of his hands and promised solemnly. His father would not find him so easily if he did not step out. "Good boy!" Luca patted his head. Of course, she knew her son very well. Tommy was not someone who could sit still. To ensure that he could stay with her for a longer period, Luca decided to tell him to stay in the house. If she let Tommy out, Luke''s subordinates would easily find him. Tommy thought for a while and continued asking, "How would you know that I''d be discovered by my Daddy''s subordinates if I go out? Do you know who my Daddy is?" "Who is your Daddy?" Luca pretended that she did not know. "He is..." Tommy paused and grunted angrily. "Never mind, let''s not talk about him. He''s a big baddie." "Don''t say that. I''m sure that your Daddy loves you very much. Who knows that it might only be a misunderstanding? As for how I know that your Daddy has subordinates, I can tell that from your clothes." Tommy looked at the clothes he was wearing, then looked at Luca in confusion. Luca exined, "All your clothes are branded, and not any normal family can afford them. I can guess that your Daddy is a wealthy businessman. I bet that he''s very nervous that you¡¯re missing now, and he''s getting his subordinates to look for you." Tommy looked at Luca in admiration. "You''re so smart, Miss!" Luca said nothing. She smiled and patted his head. She felt quite proud about herself that her son admired her. "But you haven''t told me your name yet." Luca suddenly realized that she had not asked Tommy for his name. "I''m Tommy. How about you?" Tommy replied to the question with a smile. "I''m Luca." Luca introduced herself. She opened up a pack of crackers on the coffee table and handed a piece to Tommy. Tommy took it and ate it without hesitation. Luca continued, '' Why do you trust me? Aren''t you afraid that I''m a bad person?" "You''re so pretty, Ms. Luca, I don''t think that you''re a bad person at all. I might be young, but I can tell a good person from a bad person!" Tommy said smugly. The moment heid his eyes on Luca, he could tell that she was a good person. Luca raised her eyebrows. "Am I a good person just because I''m pretty?" "Not really, but I believe that you are a good person!" Tommy said. He picked up a cracker and handed it to her. "You should eat some snacks too, Miss." "Thank you." Luca was touched. She lowered her head and ate the cracker. Meanwhile, Luke came home immediately after knowing that Bianca had fainted. Old Master Crawford was sitting in the living room. When he saw Luke return, he asked, "Have you made arrangements to search for Tommy?" "Yes, I have, Grandfather." Luke headed toward the stairs. Old Master Crawford shook his head helplessly when he saw that his grandson was singrly focused on Bianca. Ever since Bianca returned, there had not been a single day of peace in the Crawford household. Was every Crawford man destined to be gued by problems with women? Zachary, his son, was like that. Luke, his grandson, was also like that... Luke quickly walked up the stairs. When he went into the bedroom, he saw Dr. Cairn packing up his equipment. "How is Bea, Dr. Cairn?" He asked. "Mrs. Crawford fainted because she was emotionally agitated. She''ll wake up soon, but..." Dr. Cairn paused. "But what?" Luke asked. "If Mrs. Crawford''s emotions are usually unstable, it''s best to engage the services of a psychologist. She is physically healthy, and she shouldn''t have fainted so easily because of a physical problem. The only exnation is that it''s a mental problem," Dr. Cairn exined. Tia had paid him off, so he would mention Tia''s services whenever Bianca was involved. If Tia coulde and treat Bianca, it meant that she had more opportunities to be in close contact with Luke. She was an arrogant woman. Even though she had a crush on Luke, she would rather wait for Luke to approach her. "Alright, I know." Luke''s expression sank as he looked at the woman on the bed. After Dr. Cairn left, Luke told the butler, "Schedule an appointment with Ms. Tia." "Yes, Sir." The butler nodded, took out his phone, and gave a call to Tia. Bianca had been pretending to be unconscious on the bed. She was quite reluctant to have Tia treat her again, but if she got up at this time, they could tell that she was faking it. She had no other choice but to allow the butler to call Tia over. Tia was ecstatic after finding out that Luke had invited her over. She told the butler she woulde over now, and even the butler could tell that she was somehow happy. After the call ended, the butler told Luke what Tia told him. Luke nodded and nced at Bianca on the bed. "Take care of her," she said. "Yes, Sir," the butler replied. Luke left the room. He was very anxious about Tommy''s disappearance, and he had to channel all his energy toward finding the boy. Old Master Crawford saw Lukee down the stairs. "How is she?" "It''s nothing. I''ll be leaving, Grandfather. I still have to look for Tommy,¡± Luke said. Old Master Crawford grunted softly and nodded. "Go then. You''d better find my precious great- grandson as soon as you can." "Yes." Luke did not linger for another moment. Tia did not see Luke when she arrived at Crawford Manor. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. She greeted Old Master Crawford and went upstairs with the butler. When she arrived at the second floor, she could not hold back her curiosity anymore. "Where''s Mr. Crawford?" "He''s busy with work, so he''s not at home now," the butler replied. Tia was not very happy when she heard that. If Luke was not in the house, there was no reason for her toe at all. She had canceled all of her other appointments and came to Crawford Manor so that she could meet Luke. Because of Luke, she had moved herboratory to A City. However, their rtionship did not improve at all after three years. Whenever they met, their conversations were strictly about Bianca''s condition. Was what her assistant said true, that she had to take the initiative to break the stalemate? Tia''s thoughts were in a mess. The butler brought her to the master bedroom. Tia nced at the woman on the bed and asked, "Is her mental condition unstable?" "That was what Dr. Cairn said," the butler replied. Tia immediately understood that Dr. Cairn was creating an opportunity for her, but too bad Luke was not in the house. She nodded and said, "Alright, understood. I''ll sit here and wait for her to wake up. I won''t take any more of your time." "Thank you." The butler bowed slightly at her and left the bedroom. Chapter 1130 Chapter 1130 She Felt Indignant for Luke After Tia closed the bedroom door, she sat down on the couch and waited for Bianca to wake up. She felt quite bored. She looked around the room and chuckled slightly. Nothing in the room indicated that Luke stayed in the same room as Bianca. Tia was quite happy to find out about that. As loyal as Luke might be, he would not be able to ept the woman with such a tarnished past. It was a miracle that Bianca remained in the Crawford household despite what she had been through. After all, her existence was a humiliation to Luke. The more Tia thought about it, the more indignant she got. Bianca, lying on the bed, did not hear any movement and decided to be done with her act. She slowly opened her eyes and groaned in pain to tell Tia that she was awake. "Ugh..." When Tia heard that, she stood up and looked at Bianca on the bed." You''re awake, Mrs. Crawford." She might have utter contempt for Bianca, but she did not show that on her face. Bianca sat up and looked at Tia. She was disgusted by how pretentious Tia was, though she was also very good at acting. "Why are you here, Ms. Tia?" She asked. "Mr. Crawford asked me to check on you. Why did you faint this time, Mrs. Crawford? Are you stressed by something?" Tia moved a chair next to the bed and sat down. Bianca shook her head and said nothing. Ever since she found out that Tia had a crush on Luke, Bianca had never told her the truth. Tia sighed when she saw that Bianca refused to say anything. "Mrs. Crawford, I know that you don''t want Mr. Crawford to worry, but it''s not good for your mental health if you keep on holding it in. That''ll in turn affect your sleep quality and your health. That''s why you have to tell me if you have something troubling you. I''ll help you as much as I can." Bianca listened to Tia¡¯s pretentious speech, wondering why Tia was putting up the act even though Luke was not here. She was never convinced whenever Tia pretended to be gentle. "Mrs. Crawford?" Tia called out when she saw that Bianca''s expression suddenly changed. Bianca came to her senses, and her expression suddenly turned solemn." Do you have a way to restore my memories?" Tia''s expression suddenly became solemn as well. How was she going to restore her memories? Nothing good woulde out of it if Luke found out. "Mrs. Crawford, no one expected that you''ve lost all your memories. It would be even more unpredictable if we try to restore them..." "So you don''t have a way, either?" Bianca confirmed it with Tia. Tia smiled and tried to distract her focus. "I don''t have a way, indeed. Actually, your life is great now. You won''t be so sad if you can focus more on the present." Bianca could tell that Tia was unwilling to restore her memories. She smiled and unted Luke''s love for her. "Yes, I''m very happy now. Luke is very nice to me too. He gave me warmth when I lost everything and felt that I didn''t belong to this world. Thank you for reminding me of his love." Tia was incredibly angry and frustrated when she heard what Bianca said, though she had to pretend to look empathic. "Yes, I''m d that you''re able to look at it from a different angle. You shouldn''t split hairs over minor issues. If you need any help, feel free to call me and I''ll help you." "Thank you, Ms. Tia." Bianca could tell that Tia was faking her concern. She got off the bed and said, "Something happened earlier today, and I don''t think you should stay for dinner. I''ll escort you downstairs." Tia was even more frustrated when she heard that. She had spoken so much with Bianca because she wanted to stall for time so that she could wait for Luke toe back. He was not back yet, but the woman in front of her was already telling her that she should leave. Bianca pretended to be oblivious when she saw that Tia sat on the chair with no intention of getting up. "Ms. Tia?" It seemed that Bianca did not want Tia to stay. Tia could only stand up and smile. "Alright, if there''s something else that''s so urgent, I shouldn''t be a nuisance." ''Hmph, at least you''re sensible,'' Bianca thought. The more Tia wanted to get close to Luke, the harder Bianca would try to stop that from happening. Tia stopped at the door and said, "You should still be unwell, Mrs. Crawford. You don''t have to send me off; I''ll show myself out." "Take care," Bianca said. She was not going to pretend to be hospitable if Tia had said that she was going to leave. She had copsed on the floor when she pretended to faint. Her body was still aching from the fall. Tia remainedposed after leaving the bedroom. She had been to Crawford Manor multiple times, and she could navigate the ce with her eyes closed. Her expression sank immediately after she left the house, and she made a phone call. After the call went through, she said, "Go and investigate what happened in the Crawford household this morning." "Yes, Ms. Tia," the person at the other end of the call replied. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. After the call ended, Tia got into his car and left. Meanwhile, someone was looking for Tommy in every corner of A City, and the culprit of the incident was sitting on the couch munching on his snacks while watching his favorite cartoon. Luca was sitting next to him and reading a medical book. She was not distracted by the noise from the television. After watching an episode, Tommy turned his head and looked at the woman who was reading intently. "Ms. Luca," he called out. "Hm?" Luca turned her head and smiled indulgently. Tommy had grown up by quite a lot, but he still loved cartoons. He could sit quietly for the entire afternoon as long as he had snacks and cartoons. "I¡¯ve finished my cartoon." Tommy rubbed his stomach. "When are you going to make dinner, Ms. Luca?" Luca nced at the wall clock. It was five o''clock. She nced at the empty snack packets on the coffee table and asked, "Are you hungry?" "Mm!" Tommy nodded. Luca smiled. "Are you experiencing a growth spurt? Why are you still hungry after eating so many snacks?" Tommy blushed when he saw the empty snack packets. "That''s because I like your cooking, Ms. Luca." Luca was not going to let her son starve. She put the book away and stood up. "Wait for a while and I''ll cook dinner for you. I don''t really have that many ingredients now. Are eggs okay?¡± "Of course! I love everything that you make for me, Ms. Luca!" Tommy loved Luca''s cooking very much. Luca''s heart warmed when she saw Tommy''s happy face. At the same time, her heart wrenched. She had missed out on the opportunity to watch her children grow. Perhaps fate had taken pity on her and allowed them to reunite for a short time. She had to treasure the next few days. Chapter 1136 Chapter 1136 The Mysterious Benefactor Tommy looked at the snacks in his hands and pouted. "Ms. Luca, after I go home, will I ever get to see you again?" Luca thought for a while. She wanted to meet the child in the future too. She took a piece of notepaper and wrote her phone number on it. "This is my phone number. If you miss me, you are wee to call me any time. We can also have a video call. What do you think?" "This is great!" Tommy grinned. He had a phone, but he did not bring it in case they were able to track his location with it. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Luca was reluctant for Tommy to leave, and she knew that her reluctance was growing by the minute. She opened the door and said, "Let''s go." Tommy held her hand, and the two people went downstairs. When they stepped out of the elevator, Luca noticed the bodyguards in ck suits. She asked Tommy, "Is that one of your Daddy''s men?" Tommy could recognize a few of them. He nodded and said, "Yes!" "Go then. Be a good boy, alright?" Luca could guess that his father would scold him when he returned home. "Aren''t you sending me over there?¡± Tommy looked at her reluctantly. "I don''t think I should. I''ll just watch you from here." Luca let go of Tommy''s hand. She did not want the bodyguards to tell Luke about her. Tommy could only walk over alone while frequently turning back to look at her. Luca waved at him. She only left after seeing Tommy return to the bodyguard''s side. Those people shall not know about her. The bodyguards asked Tommy many questions, though Tommy did not answer them. When he turned his head again, Luca was already gone. Tommy felt very dejected. The bodyguards noticed that Tommy was feeling down. They asked," What''s wrong, Master Tommy? Are you feeling unwell?" "No." Tommy felt a little better after looking at the snacks in his hands and thought about the phone number in his pocket. "I''m tired. Bring me home." "Yes!" The bodyguards were relieved that they found the boy. They escorted him to the car while informing Jason about it. Jason ryed the news that Tommy was found to Luke. Luke instantly abandoned his work and drove straight home. Tommy was already sitting on the couch while being surrounded by a few people. "You''re back, Sir," the butler said courteously. Tommy was startled when he heard that. He hopped off the couch and wanted to run away. "Tommy," Luke called him and blocked his way. Tommy lifted his head and looked at Luke''s stern face. He looked at Old Master Crawford, knowing that his great-grandfather was the only person who could save him. He had already told Old Master Crawford everything the moment he got back to Crawford Manor, including the fact that a woman named Luca had taken him in for the past two days. "Where have you been since yesterday?" Luke asked. Jason had only told him the general area where the bodyguards found Tommy, but that was all they knew. No one had provided them with any leads, and Tommy had appeared in front of the bodyguards all of a sudden. "Hmph!¡± Tommy pouted and did not answer his father''s question. He knew that his great-grandfather would protect him. Even though he was back home, he was still angry at Luke! Luke''s expression sank. Before he could lose his temper, Old Master Crawford took Tommy''s hand. "Tommy, are you hungry?" I''m hungry, Great-Grandpa," Tommy immediately answered. "Alright, let''s go and have dinner.¡± Old Master Crawford was furious after hearing what Tommy had to say. That was why he sided with his great- grandson. Lanie and Rainie exchanged nces, and the four people went into the dining hall. The only people left in the living room were Luke, who was still angry, and the butler. "Mr. Griffin," he called out sullenly. "Yes, Sir." The butler stood behind him and nodded. "Where has Tommy been for the past two days?" Luke asked. "ording to Master Tommy, a young woman took him in. Earlier, the woman saw the bodyguards going around her neighborhood looking for Tommy, so she let him go," the butler said. "The woman has taken good care of Master Tommy. When Master Tommy was found, his clothes were clean, and he was holding a pile of snacks in his hands. It seemed that he had an easy time." "Did he say who that young woman was?" Luke ced his hands in his pockets. Why would someone take Tommy in but not identify herself? Did the woman not know who Tommy was? "Yes, but...¡± The butler paused. "Speak." "Master Tommy only told the identity of that woman to Old Master Crawford, and I did not hear who she was. Moreover, Old Master Crawford doesn''t want you to know who that woman is," the butler said. Old Master Crawford knew that Luke would be suspicious. If Luke knew the identity of the person who took in Tommy, he would send someone to investigate her. That person had taken Tommy in without asking for anything in return, and she was not willing to reveal herself. It meant that she did not want to be disturbed, and that was why Old Master Crawford did not tell anyone else in the Crawford family. Luke sighed helplessly and went upstairs. The butler looked at his strong and well-built back and sighed too. Luke did not have it easy. Ever since Bianca lost her memories, he was caught between his wife and his children. It had been two years since thest serious incident in the family. Any other family would have been devastated by now. At night, Tommy went back to his bedroom early. Luke stood in the corridor. He leaned against the wall and faced Tommy''s bedroom door. Rainie came out of the bedroom and saw her father. "Tommy is fine, Daddy, " she said. "Mm." Luke nodded. He did not knock on the door, nor did he ask the little boy toe out and face him. "He might be angry at you now, but he''ll probably forget about it by next morning." Rainie was a sensible girl. Sheforted her father. Luke looked at her and asked, "Do you know who was the person who helped your little brother?¡± Rainie nodded and said, "I know, but I can''t tell you." Tommy had already told Lanie and Rainie about Luca when he got back. He also said that he would bring them to meet her. "Why?" Luke frowned. "Old Master Crawford told me that if you find out who she is, you''ll try to investigate her. That woman is a good person, and she doesn''t deserve to be disturbed!" Rainie said. Luke frowned even harder when he heard what his daughter said. The more Luke thought about it, the more confused he was. Rainie smiled when she saw her father¡¯s confusion. "I''ll be back in my room studying, Daddy," she said. "Mm." Luke guessed that Tommy would not be opening his bedroom tonight. He went back to his study. Bianca came out from the bedroom. She had overheard Luke and Rainie''s conversation earlier. That made her even more curious about the mysterious benefactor''s identity. Chapter 1137 Chapter 1137 Jasmine Langdon Tommyy on his bed. He was on a video call with Luca. Luca looked at Tommy on her phone screen, wishing that the joy she experienced in the past two days couldst forever. However, she was now Luca and not Bianca. She could not be by her children''s side for too long. Seeing that Tommy was yawning, Luca said softly. "It''s gettingte. You should go to bed." "I hope that I can sleep with you, Ms. Luca," Tommy pouted and said coyly. He remembered that he had slept soundly by her side the night before, and he wanted to experience that again. "You''re a big boy now. You have to be independent," Luca said. She also wished that she could be by her children''s side, but that was an impossibility for now! Tommy blinked and looked at her gentle demeanor. "Ms. Luca, when I decide to forgive Daddy in a few days, I''ll let him know that I want you as my godmother!" "We''ll talk about this next time. You still have school tomorrow. You''d better sleep soon," Luca said. Tommy nodded and reluctantly ended the video call. As hey on the bed, he thought of how he should introduce Luca to his elder siblings. He decided that he would ask Lanie and Rainie to join in the video call tomorrow. As her phone screen darkened, Luca sighed inaudibly. She went to clean up her house. When she saw the yogurt and milk in the fridge, she sighed again. She had bought all those drinks for Tommy, but she had forgotten to tell him to take them along with him when he left. Luca closed the fridge door, went back to her bedroom, and fell on the bed. She flipped to her side and touched the empty space where Tommy had slept the night before. "It would be great if I could spend another night with him." However, she knew that she should not indulge herself with such thoughts. The bedroom light was blinding her, so she turned the light off. In the dark and silent night, her tears suddenly started flowing again. Luca stayed at home for the next three days. When she ran out of food, she went out of her house to replenish supplies. She went to the nearby supermarket and found that it was closed for renovations. With no other choice, she had to take a cab to another supermarket in the downtown area. She got out of the car and looked at her surroundings. Many things had changed in the past three years, and she was not familiar with the ce. Luca had the idea to go around shopping. She went into a shopping mall and bought several shirts for work. Then, she took the esctor upstairs. As she wandered around the mall, she found herself in the children''s section. There were many clothes and toys for children. Luca suddenly had the urge to buy some. Whenever she touched the clothes, she would pull her hand back and sigh. She could not reunite with the three children, and N was not with her. There was no one for her to buy clothes for. A sales clerk saw that and enthusiastically went up to her. "Are you buying clothes for a child?" "Mm." Luca nodded. The sales clerk said, "These are thetest designs in our store. All sizes are avable, and they fit children from one to ten years old." The colorful array of children''s clothing made Luca even more dejected. She shook her head and said, "I''m just looking. You don''t have to worry about me." "Alright then, you can call me if you need anything." The sales clerk left. Luca stayed in that section for quite a while. She imagined that N would love the clothes here. The cloth and sewing materials on the Ind of Despair were mostly drab colors. There was no aesthetic sense to N''s clothes. "Ow!" While Luca was lost in thought, a little girl ran over and bumped into her. She steadied herself and looked at the little girl sprawled on the floor. She helped her up and asked her, "Are you okay?" There was a red spot on the girl''s forehead. She started bawling. When Luca wanted tofort her, she heard the voice of a woman. "I told you not to run around, Jasmine, but you don''t listen." Luca was shocked. She turned her head and saw that the voice belonged to Nina. Nina came over, picked up the crying little girl, and smiled apologetically at Luca. "I''m sorry, I should have kept a closer eye on her. Are you hurt?" This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Luca shook her head. She felt a lump in her throat when she saw her best friend. "I''m fine." "Boo hoo, it hurts," little Jasmineined as she pressed her forehead. Nina gently rubbed the little girl''s forehead. "It''s painful, right? That''s why I told you not to run around." "Aunt Nina..." Jasmine slumped on Nina''s shoulder, and her crying ceased." I won''t do that anymore," she said coyly. ''Aunt Nina?'' Luca guessed that the child must be Jean''s daughter. Jean must have been released from prison. Luca became quite emotional when she thought of what happened in the past. Seeing that the little girl had stopped crying, Nina turned to look at Luca." Are you really alright? I thought I saw your stumble when the girl bumped into you. You''re not hurt anywhere, right?" "I''m really fine. Don''t worry about it." Luca tried topose herself so that Nina could not hear that she was about to cry. She missed everything in A City, including her family and friends. "That''s good." Nina thought that the woman in front of her looked familiar, but she could not remember where she had seen that face. "Right, have we met before?" "I believe this is the first time we''ve met," Luca smiled and said while hiding the shock in her heart. Nina nodded. Jasmine tugged her cor impatiently and said, "Let''s go and meet Mr. Handsome, Aunt Nina!" The "Mr. Handsome" she was referring to was Luke. Brilliant Architectural Design was involved in an event in the mall. Luke, as the person in charge behind the scenes, was in attendance. Jasmine admired him. When she knew that Luke would be at the mall, she insisted oning to meet him. Nina gently poked the girl''s nose and said, "Alright, I''ll bring you to meet him." Jasmine was the daughter of her elder brother. After being released from prison, Jean saved Anna''s life through a liver transnt. After that, he slept with a woman he met in a nightclub and impregnated her. The resulting child was Jasmine. Jean did not know how to be a father. He often neglected her. At the same time, he was also addicted to gambling. Eventually, he umted a huge debt, and Nina was not willing to shoulder the debt for him. He had no choice but to run away, and he left his daughter in Anna''s care. Anna was not fond of girls. Nina took pity on the little girl, so she took her in and treated her as her daughter. Chapter 1138 Chapter 1138 Hated Feeling Powerless Nina''s gaze shifted away from her kids and toward Luca, but she found that she had already left. As Nina watched her walk away, she found Luca familiar. After Luca left the children''s clothing area, she slowly calmed down and contained the pain she felt. She was overjoyed to meet Nina. She wanted to hold her hand and catch up to ask about how she had been in the past few years. However, she could not do that. Luca hated feeling powerless. She walked around the mall and realized that she was not in the mood to shop, so she walked toward the exit. There was an event happening on the first floor of the mall. Luca looked up and saw the logo of Brilliant Architectural Design LLC. She was stunned and brought her steps to a stop. She could not hear anything that the host of the event was saying. She just stood there and stared at the logo of Brilliant Architectural Design LLC with mixed feelings. This logo was designed by her. Three yearster, thepany was still around and the logo remained. Luca wondered if Nina and Sue were the ones trying to keep thepany up and running. Suddenly, Luke''s name was mentioned, and Luca snapped out of her daze. She looked at the man who was walking onto the stage. Luke was wearing a tailored suit and walking to the center of the stage with high spirits. He then took the microphone handed by the host. The noise around him stopped when he arrived at the center of the stage. Luke began to introduce Brilliant Architectural Design LLC. When he mentioned that thepany was founded by the love of his life, she could not help but chuckle. Luke was the center of attention everywhere he went. Even though the lighting in the shopping mall was not the best, his appearance seemed to gather everyone''s attention. No matter where he went, he would always stand out. Luca looked at the distance between herself and Luke-not only the distance from the stage to where she was but also the distance that could not easily be spoken of. She watched as Luke finished his speech and turned around to leave. Before she could leave the area, Jason called out to Luca. "Ms. Ivana?" Luca stopped. She wanted to leave but if she did, it would make things awkward. Hence, she looked back at him and said with a smile, "Mr. Doyle." "You''re here..." Jason nced at her, then turned to look at Luke on the stage. "Are you here to shop?" Luca smiled and said, "Yes, I didn''t expect to bump into Mr. Crawford for an event here." "This is fate." Jason smiled. "Ms. Ivana, there''ll be a reception in thepanyter. Would you like to join us?" Luca turned him down without a second thought. "No, I''m not a part of Brilliant Architectural Design LLC and I think it''s best if I sit out of it." "Don''t be silly, you''re also a part of T Corporation. I believe the boss would be more than happy to see you there." Jason extended the invitation once again. Luca shook her head and looked somewhere far away. She saw Sue standing there, sneaking looks in their direction. Hence, she said, "I have something to attend to, so I''ll make a move first." When Jason heard her reply, he knew that it was pointless to ask her to stay again. He smiled and watched her leave. Luke, who was standing on the stage, watched the interaction. His eyes darkened. ''When did Jason get close to Luca?'' After Luca left, Jason returned to Sue with the intention to help her distribute the leaflets and gifts from Brilliant Architectural Design LLC. As soon as he picked up the leaflets, Sue snatched them and said, "I don''t need your help." Jason was confused about her angry tone. ''She''s angry?¡¯ "Sue..." Jason picked up the gifts on the side and held them tightly in his hands so they would not be taken away by her. "What happened?" "I''m fine. Aren''t you busy? Go and work on whatever that you need to work on." Sue saw that he was holding onto the gifts tightly and knew that it would be pointless to try and snatch them from him. "I''m not busy." Jason looked at her puffed-up cheeks and suddenly understood the situation. He got closer to her and asked, "Are you jealous?" "Me? Jealous?" Sue rolled his eyes. Jason knew that she was saying one thing but her heart was saying another. He patiently exined, "She''s a new talent hired by the boss." Sue handed the leaflets to her colleagues and asked, "What kind of talent? IsT Corporation hiring?" Although Luke was managing Brilliant Architectural Design LLC, it was run separately from T Corporation. Brilliant Architectural Design LLC was Brilliant Architectural Design LLC, while T Corporation was T Corporation. Seeing that she had moved two steps to the side, Jason got closer and said cheekily, "T Corporation is going to enter the pharmaceutical industry, so we went through a round of recruitment. The woman from just now is one of thepany''s researchers." Sue snorted. She was ufortable seeing Jason so close to other women, but when she saw that woman, she could not bring herself to dislike her. "A researcher who''s smart and beautiful?" She sighed, her tone did not convey any trace of envy. "The boss hired her for her capability," Jason said while he handed out gifts to the people around him. "Men always go for looks." Sue watched as Luke walked over, surrounded by bodyguards. She deliberately walked farther away. Jason wanted to catch up to her but Luke called out to him. "Where is she?" he asked. "Boss, are you talking about... Ms. Ivana? She left," Jason replied. Luke nodded slightly. When he was giving the speech on stage, he saw Luca standing in the corner. He turned and walked out. "Get the car ready, let¡¯s head back to T Corporation." One of the bodyguards following him immediately replied, "Got it." When he heard that, Jason immediately put down the gifts, walked over to Sue, and whispered, "I have to go back to T Corporation to attend to some work. I¡¯ll pick up Kari and Teri in the afternoon." Sue waved her hand impatiently and replied, "Go, go, you''re so annoying." Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Nina overheard their conversation. After Jason left, she could not help herself from teasing Sue, "Is Mr. Doyle annoying?" Sue said nonchntly, ¡®I have never met such an annoying man!" "You¡¯re lying. You clearly care about him. Otherwise, why were you jealous when you saw him talking to another woman?" "You saw it?" Sue frowned. ''Was I too obvious just now?'' Over the past two years, Jason had been patient in re-entering her life. Although they had not held a wedding, they had moved in together. "I didn''t see it, I heard it. You sounded jealous," Nina said. Jasmine, who was on the side, immediately agreed. "Yes, I noticed it too." Sue flicked Jasmine''s forehead and said, "The adults are speaking. What do kids like you know about jealousy?" "Aunt Sue, I know a lot about it! My aunt told me that this is how someone jealous acts!" Jasmine said cheekily. "Look, even kids know better than you," Nina happily said, "You¡¯ve been living together for so long. When do you n to have the wedding?" Chapter 1139 Chapter 1139 Unable To Be Calm Because Of His Abnormality Sue shook her head helplessly when the word ''wedding'' was mentioned. "I don¡¯t think it''s possible for me to get married." "Why?" Nina was puzzled as she thought that Jason and Sue had a stable and sweet rtionship. It should just be a matter of time before they got married. "Whether we can get married depends on when his ex-wife will stop bothering him. Only then will I agree to his marriage proposal," Sue said. It was not that Jason had never proposed to her but that she kept turning him down. In the past three years, Bailey had not given up on badgering Jason. Although her methods had toned down, Sue still did not feelfortable about it. If and when Jason found a way to put a stop to his ex-wife''s erratic behavior, she would get married to him then. When Nina heard about what was going on between them, she sighed and said, "What if Mr. Crawford introduces a sessful entrepreneur to Bailey? Maybe she¡¯d give up on Mr. Doyle then. That woman is truly sickening." Sue listened to her rant. Although what Nina said was true, she shook her head and said, "Let''s not talk about this in front of kids." "It''s not a big deal." Nina touched Jasmine''s head. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. On the other side, Luke left the mall in a car and noticed Luca, who was standing not too far away from where he was. His gaze locked onto her. Jason, who was sitting in the passenger seat, noticed it. He turned around and said to Luke, "Boss, it''s Ms. Ivana." "I know." Luke''s deep-set eyes stared at him. ''Why does he seem so interested in Ivana?1 Jason was ufortable being stared at like this. He touched his nose, turned his head around, and stopped looking at Luke. He was not excited to see Ivana. However, he was not sure why he reacted as such. He thought it could be because he knew that Luke was interested in her. "Stop by the side and get down," Luke uttered. The bodyguard in charge of driving and Jason looked at each other. The car was immediately parked next to Luca. The two then got out of the car together. Luca looked at the car parked next to her with a suspicious gaze. She wanted to take a taxi home but the mall was crowded on weekends so there were not many avable. That was why she was still stuck here. Jason got out of the car and opened the door. "Ms. Ivana, please get in the car." "Don''t worry about it, I¡¯ll wait for the taxi." Luca looked at Luke who stepped down from the back seat and turned the offer down without a second thought. She did not want toe into too much contact with him, lest her heart went out of control. "Our boss has something to talk to you about," Jason said. Luca looked at Luke. He was standing next to the driver''s door with one hand on the roof, staring at her. After the two looked at each other for three seconds, Luke said, "Get in." His simple and directmand made Luca unable to turn him down. He looked at her with a nk expression. His aura was so strong that she could not take it any longer. Jason made a motion to invite Bianca in. Luke and Jason did not seem like they intended to leave... Luca looked at the carsing and going. People might gossip if they noticed that she and Luke were staring at each other in public. Grudgingly, shepromised and went into the passenger seat. Luke sat in the driver''s seat. The bodyguards and Jason closed the doors before walking to the convoy that followed behind them. They got into one of those cars. Luca concealed her panic by buckling the seat belt. Her hands were sweaty when she was done. She had never felt like this with other men, no matter how powerful they were. Only when she was with Luke did she feel this mess of emotions that consisted of guilt, difort, and indescribable love. When those feelings were mixed together, she became embarrassed and uneasy. "Where do you live?" Luke started the engine. Luca was taken aback. ''Is he going to send me home?'' She was already in the car and had no choice but to share her address with Luke. Luke frowned when he heard the address. She lived in the same ce where Tommy was found. He did not think too much of it and stepped on the elerator. The convoy followed closely behind. What they did not notice was that a news reporter who was leaving the mall had taken a picture of them. Jason notified the other bodyguards who were driving and when they got to the next intersection, they did not follow Luke''s car and drove straight to T Corporation. From the rear-view mirror, Luca noticed that the convoy following them had made a turn in thest intersection, so she said, "Mr. Crawford, your bodyguards..." "They have other things to attend to," Luke said. Luca was speechless. The role of a bodyguard was to protect him, the CEO, but he was skipping work to drive her home and even told her that the bodyguards had other things to attend to. His reasoning would have worked with a three-year-old, but not her. Although Luca did not believe him, she did not want to think too much about why Luke was acting abnormally. Maybe he simply valued her as a talent... Luca tried to calm herself down by making up reasons in her head, but she felt more and more depressed. Along the way, the two did not talk much. When they spoke again, it was when Luke had parked the car at the gate of themunity where she lived. "Is this it?" He frowned when he looked around the neighborhood. The area was not the safest, and the security facilities were iplete. He was puzzled about why Luca lived in such a ce. She was a senior technician who could afford to live somewhere better. "Yes, thank you." Luca unfastened her seat belt. She noticed his frown but did not dare to think too much of it. Before she got out of the car, Luke said, "Thepany has a dormitory. If necessary, you can apply for it." "No worries, it''s pretty good here." Luca was stunned and came back to her senses a secondter. "This ce is far from the office," Luke said. He did not know why he was saying so much to her. He thought that the area was not safe for a woman like her who was staying alone. "I''ll just get up a little earlier. Thepany dormitory should be reserved for those who need it more." Luca smiled and thanked him as she got out of the car. She stood by the side and waved at him. Having worked for T Corporation, she knew that the slots for the dormitory were scarce. Otherwise, she would not have shared a ce with Nina previously. Seeing that she was being insistent, Luke felt even more puzzled. He felt as though he was wrapped in cotton and unable to breathe. In the end, he chose to not say anything and stepped on the elerator to leave. Luca stood there watching him leave. Her heart was unable to calm down for a long time because of his abnormal behavior. Eventually, she returned to the apartment carrying a bag. As soon as she opened the door, she noticed that something was wrong and immediately drew out the short knife ced in the shoe cab. She had been trained to use short knives on the Ind of Despair. Her skills were top-notch. Luca trod lightly and slowly approached the living room. She saw a man standing there. She held the knife in her hand tightly and nned to subdue him when he was not paying attention. Chapter 1140 Chapter 1140 On A Mission "Miss!" Amur was standing near the balcony. The moment he heard something, he turned around and saw the familiar face that made him pleasantly surprised. Luca was relieved to see that it was Amur. She kept the knife in her hand in her pocket and said, "Amur, it''s you! Why did you get off the ind?" "I left the ind because the boss sent me on a mission that happened to be near here, so I wanted to visit you. Miss, how are you doing?" Amur grinned when he saw her, his gaze softening. "I''m doing great. You''re getting buff! It seems that your training has improved." Luca approached him and did not ask how he came in. They were all trained on the Ind of Despair. Gates as such did not pose any difficulty. Even the security measures of Crawford Manor could not hinder them. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Amur had grown a lot stronger during the time she was away. That was why she did not recognize his figure just now. Amur blushed when he heard her praise. He touched his hair and approached her. "Miss, I''ve been training hard, so my body has gotten much stronger." "Really? Let¡¯s have a look." Luca observed as he walked closer to her. She suddenly grabbed his hand and subdued him to the ground in a second. Amur was in pain but his face remained unchanged. "Miss..." He did not expect Luca to do that. "Amur, your fighting skills may have improved, but your defense still needs some work," Luca said as she let go. Amur stood up and straightened his crumpled clothes. "Miss, I¡¯ll pay attention next time." Luca shook her head helplessly. He had never kept his guard up against her. Every time he was knocked down, he would always say that he would pay more attention the next time. He trusted her too much. "Your mission is in A City?" Luca asked. "Yeah." Amur nodded. This was his third mission. "Be careful." Luca patted his sturdy shoulder. With the rules of the Ind of Despair in mind, she did not ask him about his mission to avoid putting him in a tough spot. "I will, Miss." Amur touched his face and felt a little warm. Every time he had physical contact with Luca, he could not help but blush. Luca picked up the groceries on the coffee table and asked, "Are you in a hurry? If you''re not, stay for dinner." "The boss gave me one month to finish my mission, Miss. I¡¯m not in a hurry, " Amur said as he took over the grocery bags in her hand. "Do you have a ce to live?¡¯ Luca said as she passed him the bags. Amur had already figured out theyout of the apartment and ced the groceries in the refrigerator. When he heard Luca¡¯s question, he shook his head and said, "I don''t have a ce to live yet. I n to find a hotel nearby." Luca looked at his tall figure and smiled. "I have an extra room here. If you don''t mind that it''s filled with potions and books, you can stay there." "Really?" Amur poked his head out and looked at her. "Of course, but there''s only a sofa bed. You''re more than wee to stay here if you don''t mind." Luca nodded. For the past three years, she had thought of Amur as her younger brother and Eler as her younger sister. "Okay, thank you, Miss." Amur smiled shyly. "Okay! I''ll cook. Thinking about it, this is the first time you¡¯ll be trying my cooking. Do you have any preference on the cuisine?" Luca did not forget that he was a foreigner. "It doesn''t matter what you cook. I''m sure that anything you cook will be delicious." Amur wanted to help but remembered that he knew nothing about cooking, so he just smiled awkwardly. Luca nodded, took out the ingredients, and nned to show him her skills. An hourter, she made a sumptuous lunch. The two of them sat at the table. Luca raised her ss of juice and said, "There¡¯s no wine here, so I''ll use juice instead of wine to wish you all the best for your mission." "Thank you, Miss." Amur held up his juice and clinked sses with her. After they clinked sses, Bianca served him some food as she said, "You won''t find these dishes on the ind, so eat more." Amur was touched to see his te full of food, which Bianca had cooked for him. "Miss, do you miss N?" Amur asked. Luca was stunned. She teared a little as she thought of her youngest daughter. She nodded and said, "Of course, I miss her." "Miss, before I left the ind, I took a few photos of N. They''re on my phone. I''ll send them to you." Amur immediately took out his phone. The Ind of Despair did not allow the use of phones. Only before each mission could they bring a mobile phone with a tracker so that they were contactable. That was why when Luca left, she could not take any photos of N. "How did you..." Luca was surprised. "I thought that you would miss N a lot, so I took them before I left." The moment he found out Bianca was close to where he had to carry out his mission, Amur took the risk and took some photos just so Luca could see N again. "You shouldn''t have. It''s too risky. If Abel finds out, you''ll be punished!" Luca was moved and d that he was not caught. On the Ind of Despair, there were strict rules about taking photos of the ind. It was so that what was happening on the Ind of Despair would not be leaked to outsiders. "Miss, we know you miss N, so Eler and I nned to take some photos of her for you.¡¯ Amur looked at her phone on the table, picked it up, and shared the photos using a software developed on the Ind of Despair. "Thank you." Luca smiled and could not wait to open the album. She was moved to tears when she saw N''s photos. "N has grown two centimeters taller. My sister said that she''ll grow faster and faster. Soon enough, she¡¯d need new clothes." Amur said. "When a child reaches this stage, they sprout fast." Luca suddenly felt upset. N was growing up yet she could not be by her side. "Miss..." Amur noticed her change in mood and was not sure how to console her. "I''m fine. By the way, you¡¯re in A City now. Stop calling me ''Miss¡¯. Others might be curious when they hear it." Luca put down her phone to correct him. Amur did not have a problem talking normally to other people but he always used honorifics around her. That was okay on the Ind of Despair, but they were off the ind now. "Okay..." Amur paused and looked at her awkwardly. "What should I call you?" "I''m older than you, you can call me Luca, or ''Sister*," Luca said. It was just a title, she did not mind. Amur paused and called out to her, "Luca..." Chapter 1141 Chapter 1141 There Are Many Opportunities To Deal With This Woman Luca chuckled softly when she noticed how ufortable he was. He had referred to her as ''Miss¡¯ for three years and was not used to calling her by her name. She served him two pieces of beef and said, "Okay, let''s eat." "Thank you..." Amur smiled shyly. "Thank you." After the meal, Amur took the initiative to wash the dishes while Luca helped him clean up the room where he would sleep in. She put all the books back in the bookcase and took out a new bed sheet from the closet. She wanted to make sure that he felt at home. "Thank you, Miss." Amur finished washing the dishes and saw her running around to prepare the room for him. He stepped forward to thank her. "Stop calling me ¡¯Miss¡¯." Luca shook her head helplessly, pointed to the trash bag on the floor, and said, "You can take this out for me. I haven¡¯t had the chance to clean it up after I experimented two days ago." "Okay." Amur took the garbage bag and walked out. After Luca made the bed, she took the initiative to wipe all the surfaces in the room. Amur came back after throwing the garbage. His heart was warm when he saw that she was still cleaning. When they were on the Ind of Despair, Luca was cold to everyone. The only time she would have a warm smile on her face was when she saw N. Now that she was not on the ind, she looked much morefortable and showed her warm personality. Only after she left the Ind of Despair could she be who she truly was- someone beautiful and warm. After Luca cleaned everything, she said softly, "Okay, it¡¯s clean! You can sleep morefortably now.¡± "Yeah." Amur looked at the cleaned room. Although it did not look like a proper bedroom, it was warmer than the environment he was used to living in. Luca took the towel and walked out of the bedroom. She looked at the time and said, "Amur, I need to prepare for work tomorrow. There''s a TV and aputer in the room. Feel free to use them to kill time." "Okay, Luca. You can do what you need to do. Don¡¯t worry about me." Amur smiled shyly. Luca looked at his shy smile and thought that he looked like a typical boy next door. No one would believe that he was an assassin. Logically speaking, Amur and Eler should not have been able to survive on the Ind of Despair. If Abel had been cruel enough, the siblings would not be here today. Luca smiled and went back to her bedroom. She sat on the bed and thought of Amur''s first mission. At that time, he was already good enough and completed the mission that involved taking someone''s life. After returning to the ind, he had nightmares every night for half a month. Others did not know about this, but she and Eler did. For an assassin, there was no turning back after the first kill. This was Amur''s third mission. He still had the warm smile of a young boy on his face, but as time passed, his attitude would gradually shift. Luca sat on the sofa and sighed. She hoped she could leave the Ind of Despair as soon as possible and help the siblings move on with their lives. She took out her phone to look at the photos Amur sent her. As she stared at N¡¯s cute face, she thought to herself that she must go back soon and leave the ind with N. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. After she thought about it for a while, Luca turned on herputer and began to look through the documents that Shanks had previously worked on. Abel wanted her to continue the research based on what Shanks had found and use it to benefit T Corporation''s new pharmaceutical division. Luca was not sure why he wanted to do this, but she was certain that Abel was not trying to benefit Luke. He had something else nned when he instructed her to do this. By the time she sorted out all the documents, it was already evening. When she walked out of the bedroom, she found that Amur had prepared dinner. "Amur, what are you..." Luca looked at the Russian food on the table that smelled wonderful. "I didn''t know you could cook." "When I was young, Eler and I used to cook on alternate days. But it¡¯s been years since I cooked. I only know how to cook Russian food. If you don''t like it, I¡¯ll cook other dishes for you." Amur was worried that she was not a fan of Russian cuisine. "You don''t need to cook anything else. These are wonderful, and they smell great." Luca walked over and sat down. The aroma of the food whetted her appetite. Amur was a little overwhelmed by her praise. He smiled, sat opposite her, and looked at her nervously. Luca picked up a fork and took a bite. The vors of Russian food was not the same as what she was used to, but she had grown ustomed to the taste after so many years on the Ind of Despair. After taking a few bites, she smiled and said, "It''s delicious, even better than the cooks on the ind." "I¡¯m d you like it." Amur heaved a sigh of relief when she said that she liked his cooking. After dinner, Amur took the liberty to do the dishes again. Seeing that there was nothing she could do to help, Luca put her coat on and said to Amur, "Amur, I¡¯ll go for a walk downstairs." "Okay." Amur leaned half of his body out from the kitchen and said with a smile, "Be careful." "Don''t worry, not many people can hurt me." Luca smiled and opened the door to leave. The streets were lively at night. There were many small food stalls around and the crowd was bustling. This area was not considered a wealthy area in A City, but it was a depiction of real life. Luca walked slowly on the side of the road, enjoying the feeling of peace in her heart. In a barbecue stall, a fat man squinted his eyes and watched as Luca walked over. He nudged a thin man with his elbow and said, "Boss, is this the woman who beat us up thest time?" "Yeah." The thin man narrowed his eyes. After the woman easily took them out, they all had to go to the doctor. The doctor said that they were severely injured and had to take a long rest. Their bodies were in agonizing pain for three days. The thin man could not let the matter go. They had never been embarrassed by a woman before. "Big Brother, what are you doing?" Seeing that the thin man was about to stand up and provoke Luca, the fat man immediately stopped him. "We haven''t beenpensated for our medical bills. What do you think I want to do?" The thin man threw his utensils on the table and nned to go forward to pick a fight with Luca. When the fat man saw that he had forgotten what happened during their previous encounter, he reminded him in a low voice, "Boss, have you forgotten how that woman fights?" The thin man was startled, and his expression turned sullen. If others found out about what had happened, they would not have the social standing that they enjoyed now. Seeing the resentment on the thin man''s face, the fat man whispered," Boss, look at the big picture. Before this, we had so many people mess with this woman and failed. How can the two of us beat her? Take a breather and have a seat." The thin man was forced to sit down. He looked at Luca and said, "Are you that kind that you can let this go?" "Boss, don''t be angry, I have a way. There¡¯ll be many opportunities for us to deal with this woman!" the fat man said immediately. Chapter 1142 Chapter 1142 An Act Of Kindness Shall Be Repaid Tenfold The thin man took a sip of beer and looked at him. "What do you have in mind?" The fat man got close to his ears and shared his evil ns. After he heard the fat man¡¯s ns, the thin man smiled grimly, picked up his fork, and got himself a piece of popcorn chicken. "That''s a good n. We¡¯ll make this woman kneel in front of our brothers and beg for mercy!" "That''s right, Brother. A wise man does not fight when the odds are against him. It¡¯s just a matter of time before this woman begs for your mercy." The fat man smiled wryly. Theyers of fat on his face were squished together. As his smile was too big, his fat face was jiggling. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Luca did not notice them and continued to walk forward. When she was tired, she sat at a food stall where she ordered two dishes and a bottle of beer. On the other hand in Crawford Manor. Bianca sat on the sofa in the bedroom. She looked at the photo on the phone and tightened the grip on her phone. Her veins were nearly bursting. She received an anonymous email that contained photos of Luke and a woman. A bank ount number was mentioned, along with the message to transfer 500,000 dors if she did not want these photos to appear in the newspaper. Bianca did not care about the money. What she cared about was the woman in the photo. It was Ivana! That morning, Luke went to an event held by Brilliant Architectural Design LLC. The event had nothing to do with Ivana, so why was she with Luke? Rage flowed through her likeva as she stared at the two people in the photo. She wanted nothing more than to tear the photos to pieces. There was a knock on the door and Bianca immediately hid her jealousy. She lowered her head and said, "Come in." The caretaker opened the door gently and reminded her, "Madam, Old Master Crawford is asking you to go downstairs for dessert." "Okay, I''ll go down in a minute." Bianca lowered her head, squinted her eyes, and looked at the photos on the screen. Suddenly, she had an idea! Ivana wanted to be more involved with Luke? She would not let the other party do what she wanted. "Okay." Seeing that her mood was not the best, the caretaker did not dare say another word and closed the door. Bianca rubbed her eyes until they were red to make it look as if she had been crying before going downstairs. Susan was out with her friends, while Louis had taken his wife and child out to socialize. Hence, there were only Old Master Crawford, Luke, and the three children in the living room. They were almost done with desserts. Old Master Crawford was annoyed that Bianca waste. He snorted and said, "If you don''t want to eat, don''t." Triggered by the words of Old Master Crawford, Bianca appeared more aggrieved and sat on the sofa. "Grandpa, I didn''t do it on purpose." The caretaker brought out a portion of the dessert and handed it to her." Madam, this is for you." Bianca took it and put it on the coffee table. She stared straight at Luke, saying, "Luke, I have something to tell you." Luke put down his te and looked at her. "What''s the matter?" His voice was as calm as ever, which made Bianca feel chills. She nced at the old man and the kids, thinking that since he could do such a thing to her, she did not need to care much about his dignity. She took out her phone and opened the photos. "Today, I received an email. The other party is asking me for 500,000 dors for these photos." "What photos?" Luke asked, his tone was neutral. "Photos of you and Ivana." Bianca put her phone on the coffee table. "Who''s Ivana?" Old Master Crawford frowned and looked at them. "Luke¡¯s employee," Bianca replied before Luke could. "They were sitting in the car together and were secretly photographed by a reporter.¡± Luke frowned and picked up the phone. The photos were secretly taken earlier that day. "Let me see," Old Master Crawford said in a low voice. Luke handed the phone to the old man. He had not done anything wrong, so he was not afraid to have Old Master Crawford involved. "Luke, what¡¯s the deal with this?" Old Master Crawford asked. There was nothing ambiguous about the photos. Putting their identities aside, it just looked like a man and a woman were getting in the car together. However, Luke was not an ordinary man. Apart from Bianca, the old master had never seen him personally send anyone home. "I bumped into her. She couldn''t get a taxi, so I sent her back,¡± Luke exined briefly in front of the kids. He did not think he did anything wrong. "Luke, even if you value her as an employee, you could''ve asked any of your other subordinates to send her back. Why did you drive her yourself? Even if your intentions are pure, how can you be sure that the other party has pure intentions as well? Maybe she plotted with the reporter so that she could ckmail us." Bianca thought that Old Master Crawford was on her side, so she spoke aggressively. Luke frowned. Except for Allison, no one had been so aggressive toward him. He stared at Bianca. She felt a little flustered and began to reflect on her words. She thought about it and decided that she had done nothing wrong. ''Am I not allowed to say anything even after seeing my husband being in close contact with other women?¡¯ Tommy sat there and listened to what the adults were saying. Hey on Old Master Crawford and looked at the photo shown on the screen. It captured Luca''s side profile. Tommy recognized the woman at a nce and said, "Huh?" Old Master Crawford looked at him. "Great-grandpa, she''s not a bad person." Tommy put his finger on the screen and zoomed in on the photo. It was a high-resolution photo. He looked at the woman''s side profile and determined that it was Luca. "She was the one who took me in. Dad knows about it. That must be why he sent her home as a thank you." When Bianca heard it, her face turned pale. ''How could there be such a coincidence? Tommy ran away from home and Ivana just happened to take him in? Then, she ran into Luke in the mall?¡¯ "Tommy, didn''t you refuse to mention who took you in?" Bianca did not believe him. She thought Tommy was doing it on purpose to pick a fight with her. "I told Dad after that. Dad said that an act of kindness shall be repaid tenfold. I''m still young and can''t repay her kindness, so Dad was probably helping me repay the favor," Tommy said and looked at Luke. "Dad, is that right?" "Yeah." Luke was not sure why Tommy would suddenly speak up for him, but it was most likely because of Luca. Tommy liked Luca, so when he saw the photo, he immediately sided with him. Luke was shocked. He thought that Luca just happened to live there, but unexpectedly, she was the one who took Tommy in. Tommy tugged on Old Master Crawford''s sleeve. He said, "Great-grandpa, I want her as my godmother. Is that okay?" Bianca''s expression turned sour when she heard that. She was no longer polite and shouted, "No, you already have a godmother!" Chapter 1143 Chapter 1143 He Thought He Would Get To See Luca More Often "Even if I already have a godmother, I can still have a few more." Tommy was puzzled. "Don¡¯t you think that you¡¯re being too reckless about this? She¡¯s your father''s employee. If she bes your godmother, the hierarchy will be messed up." Bianca resolutely refused, the hostility in her heart growing more intense. Ivana was picking a fight with her. It seemed that she was going to take away not only Luke but also the children. She would never let this happen. If she failed the mission, she would be dead within minutes upon returning to the Ind of Despair! Tommy pouted and said in a dissatisfied tone, "Why does it matter? Aunt Nina is my godmother and she¡¯s also Dad¡¯s employee." Luke noticed Bianca''s resistance and said, "She has to agree to be your godmother before we can do that. We¡¯ll talk about itter." Tommy pouted and nced at the photo. He then sat back and replied," Okay, I¡¯ll ask Aunt Luca when the timees. I''m sure she¡¯ll agree." Bianca was furious when she heard Tommy¡¯s reply. She shook her head, stood up, and took her phone. Her face was pale as she said, "I''m feeling a little sick, I''m going upstairs." Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Luke watched Bianca go upstairs and had no intention to apany her. He just sat there. "Great-grandpa, Dad, we¡¯re going upstairs too." Lanie noticed that the atmosphere was awkward, so he jumped off the sofa and left with his siblings. Old Master Crawford and Luke were the only ones left in the living room. Old Master Crawford picked up his teacup and sighed. "Luke, except for Bianca, you¡¯ve never been so concerned about any other woman before." Old Master Crawford knew his grandson well. He was certain that Luke would not make an exception to send this woman home just because the woman had once saved Tommy. "Grandpa, I know what I¡¯m doing," Luke said with a calm expression. Seeing that Luke was not avoiding the topic, Old Master Crawford said, "I believe that. However, I''ve mentioned to you before that I hope you won''t follow in your father''s footsteps. The Crawford family had to go through so much for the peace that we have today. I don''t want anything to happen again. You haven''t made me worry about anything for so many years. I believe you''ll handle it well this time too.¡± "Alright, you don''t need to worry about anything," Luke said. When Old Master Crawford heard his reply, he nodded, grabbed his cane, and wanted to go back to the bedroom to rest. Before he left, he thought about it for a second and then said, "By the way, you don''t need to transfer money to the reporter for this matter." "I know." Luke nodded. He had not done anything wrong, so he would not transfer money to the reporter to cover up this issue. The more he tried to hide things, the more others would think that there was something to it. The reporter would pay more attention to this matter and it would eventually lead to unnecessary trouble. Moreover, even if the reporter made the photos public, he still had a set of arguments to shut the public up. After Old Master Crawford returned to his bedroom, Luke did not continue to sit in the living room and went upstairs. He nced at the closed bedroom door. Instead of knocking on it, he turned around and went into Tommy''s bedroom. Tommy was sitting at his desk, reading a book. "Dad?" He heard footsteps and looked back at Luke. Luke nodded and closed the bedroom door. He walked over to him before sitting down. Tommy had been back for a few days and the tension between them had eased. "Tommy, tell me what happened that day," Luke asked. "Are you talking about Aunt Luca?" Tommy closed his book and looked at him. Luke nodded. Tommy had not told him about the events that happened after he ran away from home. He only blurted it out because of what had happened. Seeing that things were out in the open, Tommy told Luke everything. After he shared the full story, he said, "Aunt Luca is a good person and she¡¯s a great cook! Dad, can I go to her ce for dinner in the future?" "If she doesn''t mind, you can," Luke said. Tommy pped his hands happily. Before this, he did not dare to tell Luke who took him in for fear that he would object to them meeting again. Now that he agreed, Tommy was overjoyed. "That''s great! I''ll bring Lanie and Rainie too!" Tommy thought of what Bianca said in the living room and asked, "Dad, does she work in yourpany?" "Yes, it¡¯s her first day tomorrow." Luke touched his head. Tommy blinked and said excitedly, "Then, can I ask for a leave of absence tomorrow to go to your company to y with her?" "No." Luke rejected him. He knew what Tommy was thinking. "She doesn''t work in the headquarters. It''s best if you go to school obediently." Tommy pouted and said, "It''s a pity." He thought he would get to see Luca more often. Luke touched his head, nced at the time, and said, "It''s gettingte, get some rest." "Okay!" Tommy nodded and jumped off the chair. He thought of something else and said, "By the way, Dad, don''t investigate Aunt Luca. She¡¯s a good person who doesn''t want to be disturbed." "How do you know about that?" Luke looked at his son. "After she sent me downstairs, she stood in the distance and watched me walk to the security guard. She didn¡¯t personally send me over. She¡¯s a good person and doesn''t want to be harassed," Tommy exined, "I knew that Great-grandpa would scold you if I didn''t say anything just now. If it weren''t forthat, I wouldn''t have told you that Aunt Luca is my savior." "Savior?" Luke raised an eyebrow. "When I was hungry, Aunt Luca fed me." Tommy immediately changed his story. He almost broke out in a cold sweat. If Luke found out that he was in danger previously, he would never be left alone! Since he came back, two bodyguards had been assigned to follow him whenever he left the house. If Luke found out that he was in danger before bumping into Aunt Luca, he would be followed by a dozen bodyguards in the future instead of two. He did not want that to happen! "Okay, good night," Luke said. After Luke left, Tommy immediately locked his bedroom door and turned on his tablet. He nned to inform Luca. However, the video call rang for a long time without Luca answering it. Tommy pouted and muttered, "Aunt Luca, what are you up to?" He made another video call but she still did not pick up. Tommy nced at the time and saw that it was late. If he did not go to bed now, he would not be able to get up tomorrow. He gave up and had no choice but to turn off the lights and go to bed. After Luke left Tommy¡¯s bedroom, he walked to the study. The study was in his bedroom, and Bianca stayed alone in the master bedroom. As soon as he sat down, Bianca knocked on the door and walked in. "Luke, are you busy?" Luke looked at the woman standing at the door. She did not walk in as if she was afraid of disturbing him. Her eyes were red from crying, and she looked like a poor little rabbit. Chapter 1144 Chapter 1144 Nothing Happened "It¡¯s sote. Why haven''t you slept?" Luke crossed his arms and sat in the chair. His expression was calm. "I can''t sleep." Bianca yed with her fingers anxiously. Before he could say anything, she said, "Luke, I overreacted today. I didn''t mean anything else. But if you''re interested in her, I''ll leave. Since Tommy likes her too, you can be one happy family." As Luke listened to her sorrowful words, his expression was t. Bianca could not see any joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness. Bianca waited for his answer by the door. Seeing how calm he was, she turned from confident to anxious. "Don''t think too much of it. Go to sleep," Luke said after he did not move for sometime. He did notfort her norment further... Bianca was dissatisfied but calmed down a little. At the very least, he was not going to divorce her for Ivana. She nodded. When she was about to turn around and leave, she heard Luke say, "Don''t worry about the reporter." "Aren''t you going to pay him off?" Bianca was taken aback. She thought that he would pay up to bury the matter. "Nothing happened, so there''s no need to do such things." After he said that, Luke turned on his computer. His gaze was fixed on his screen as he started working. Bianca was taken aback. After a while, she understood what he meant. If he paid the reporter, it meant that he had something to hide and was involved with Ivana. The reporter would never let go of it. "But I''m afraid that they''ll make up a story with those photos." Bianca expressed her concern, not realizing how stupid her words made her seem. "I know how to deal with it," Luke said. He took a look at the time and realized that it was almost midnight. Listening to the sound of his constant typing on the keyboard, Bianca nodded and left. She closed the door on her way out. She knew that Luke would not sleep in their bedroom tonight. Bianca stared at the closed door and clenched her fists. In this home and Luke''s heart, she was starting to matter less and less as time went by. She knew that something needed to be done for her to hold onto Luke''s heart. Early the next morning. Luca got up early, made breakfast for Amur, and freshened up before leaving. Luca stood at the gate of themunity and waited for a taxi. It was rush hour now, so all the taxis that came by were upied. Luca waited patiently. A fat man was hiding at the corner of themunity. He secretly took photos of her with his camera. Luca sensed something. She looked over and saw the corner of the fat man''s clothes. Her lips curled up into a smile. She was not bothered. If they wanted to take a photo of her, she would let them. These gangsters did not pose a threat to her. After five minutes, Luca finally got an empty taxi. She got in and left. After seeing her leave, the fat man walked out of the corner and called the thin man. "Boss, I got the photos you wanted." "Very well, send them to me," the thin man said happily. The fat man left without knowing that Luca had spotted him. The taxi driver followed the GPS and drove her to the destination. After she paid, Luca got out of the car and looked up at the new building that had a sign that read ''Watson Biopharmaceuticals''. This was the building where T Corporation''s pharmaceuticalpany was located. Luca was surprised that Luke built a building for this pharmaceuticalpany. It seemed that he had full confidence in entering the pharmaceutical industry. She walked inside and thought about Abel''s possible ns. However, Abel was too unpredictable. She secretly made up her mind to make as much money as possible for Luke before Abel plotted his next step. Luca walked into the pharmaceutical building and went through security with her badge. After that, an employee was registering fingerprints and pupil recognition for the new employees. It was the first day of work, so there were a lot of people. Luca followed the crowd and joined the long line. Standing in front of her was a young and lively woman. She looked back at Luca, smiled sweetly, and stretched out her hand as she said, "Hello, my name is Talia. What''s your name?" "Luca." Faced with the woman''s enthusiasm, Luca had no choice but to shake her hand. She looked a little ufortable. The other party was enthusiastic, but Luca had no intention of making friends. She just wanted to complete Abel''s mission and return to the Ind of Despair so that she could buy time to n her escape. Talia realized her abruptness and smiled as she withdrew her hand. However, she did not give up talking to Luca. "By the way, I''m an administrative assistant. Which department do you belong to?" "Technical department," Luca said. She kept her words concise. Talia¡¯s eyes were opened wide as she said enviously, "Are you a research assistant? Oh my goodness, I envy you so much." Luca kept quiet. Talia did not realize that the other party did not want to continue the conversation and went on with her chatter. "I wanted to enter the technical department but the requirements there are so high and they''re picky with researchers. So in the end, thepany said that they would ce me in the administration department. I agreed. After all, if I perform well, there''s a chance that I can change departments. Let me tell you, working in the technical department is great! You have a high sry and can learn relevant professional knowledge. You have to appreciate this chance that you''re given. I''m so envious of you! I don¡¯t know when I can be transferred to the technical department." "Why do you want to join the technical department?" Luca asked. "I majored in biopharmaceuticals, but I don''t have the experience, so I can only go along with the company''s arrangements." Talia shrugged. "You can choose another pharmaceuticalpany," Luca said. If Talia could not enter the department she wanted to enter, she had the choice of working for anotherpany. The pharmaceutical industry was booming. There were many pharmaceuticalpanies in A City. Talia shook her head and said, "How can other pharmaceuticalpaniespare to T Corporation''s pharmaceuticalpany? To put it bluntly, even if I¡¯m an administrative officer, as long as my internship report is stamped with the logo of Watson Biopharmaceuticals, I¡¯ll get mentors who will appreciate me and look at me differently." Luca envied how enthusiastic Talia was. Those who just left university were truly motivated. They were bright and warm like the sun. "By the way, did you also major in biopharmaceuticals?" Talia asked. Luca pointed to the front and said, "It''s your turn.¡¯¡¯ "Oh, that''s fast!" After Bianca''s reminder, Talia turned around and cooperated with the staff to register her fingerprints and pupil recognition. After she was done, it was Luca''s turn. Luca handed her employment letter and employee ID to the employee. Then, she registered her fingerprints and pupils on the machine. When the employee saw her ID, they suddenly smiled and buttered her up." Dr. Craw, here''s your ID. Pleasee in." Luca took the badge, nodded, and walked in. Talia, who was waiting for her, stared at her after she heard what the employee had said. ''Doctor?''Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Chapter 1145 Don''t Want To Be Disturbed "Dr. Craw?" Talia was surprised. She could not help herself from talking to Luca again as she walked over. "You''re not an assistant? You''re a professor?" "Yeah." Luca did not hide anything from her. Her expression remained neutral as she walked to the elevator with her ID in her hand. "You look so young..." Talia could not help but utter what was in her heart. Realizing that she had said something wrong, she immediately covered her mouth and exined, "I¡¯m not questioning your ability, it¡¯s just..." "It''s okay." Luca did not take her words to heart. It was normal for a young person like her who had just entered the corporate world to be straightforward. It was a great thing that she had yet to be tainted by office politics. Luca thought of the days when she had just returned to the country. Suddenly, she felt a little sad because she realized that it was all in the past. It was difficult for her to live a normal life now. Seeing that Luca did not seem to mind her words, Talia breathed a sigh of relief. As the elevator slowly arrived on their floor, she immediately stepped forward. "Dr. Craw, can I ask you a question?" she asked in a soft voice. "Okay," Luca lowered her head and pinned her ID to her shirt. "How old are you?" Talia asked. Luca looked young, that was why she thought that they were about the same age and that Luca must be an assistant. That was until she found out that Luca was a researcher... "I have children." Luca did not answer her directly but mentioned their age difference. Talia calcted with her fingers. ''To be a researcher, she must at least obtain a master''s degree or even a doctorate... She also gave birth... Woah, our age gap must be huge!'' Talia sighed in her heart and nced at Luca again. Although they had an age gap, Luca''s face and skin made her look young. Talia was envious. There were a lot of people in the elevator, so she leaned over to Luca and asked in a soft voice, "Dr. Craw, do you have any skincare tips? Your skin is great!" "Drink plenty of water," Luca said. Talia was speechless. The technical department was on the 15th floor, and the other departments were below the 15th floor. After some people got off the elevator, the elevator was more spacious. Luca stood in the corner of the elevator and nced at the other person standing in the elevator. He was a middle-aged man with sses. He seemed gentle and looked like someone with a good temperament. It was likely that he was her colleague. Luca sneaked a look and then retracted her gaze. The elevator soon reached the 15th floor. She walked out of the elevator and looked at the two employees standing there. One was male and one was female. She nced at their IDs. They were assistant researchers. Seeing that they had arrived, the female employee weed them." Professors, wee to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Mr. Crawford has prepared a wee party for everyone, pleasee with me." The two led the way. Luca was not sure whether she should follow them. She did not expect that Luke, who never paid attention to things like this, had prepared a wee party... Seeing that Luca stood still, the female assistant smiled and invited her once again, "Dr. Craw, please come with me." Luca bit the bullet and followed them. The wee party was held in a conference room on the 15th floor. The space wasrge enough. When the assistant opened the door, he said, "Dr. Cole and Dr. Craw are here." Luca walked in, looked at the people inside, and was stunned. In addition to the professors she met during the interview, Luke and Jason were also here. She sighed in her heart. She thought that Luke would not be here but it seemed that she was being naive. Luke valued them, so how could he not show up for this wee party? "Hello everyone, I''m Dr. Cole Kidman. I''m excited to work alongside all of you." The man who came in with her introduced himself first. After he was done, Luca knew that it was her turn. She had no choice but to say, "I''m Luca Craw. I''m looking forward to learning from all of you." She was the only female researcher, and those present were all middle- aged men. There was nothing wrong with her saying that she wanted to learn from them. Luke stood there with a ss of champagne. His thin lips curled up slightly as he raised his ss and said, "Wee to Watson Biopharmaceuticals." The female assistant immediately handed them two sses of champagne. Luca took one of them, raised it in Luke''s direction, and took a sip. Her actions were casual, but in the eyes of others, they were amorous. The eyes of many researchers were drawn to her. Luke noticed that and was upset but did not show it. He put down his wine ss and said, "The wine and snacks here are for everyone. You can eat and drink as you wish. Today, I''ll not talk about work. I just hope that everyone here will enjoy themselves." "Thank you, Mr. Crawford." Several people snapped out of it and thanked him. Luke walked to Luca. Luca had the urge to escape when she realized that he wasing toward her. Although the man had a smile on his mouth, his gaze was unfathomable. She did not want to confront this unfathomable man for fear that she would give herself away. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. However, in front of so many people, escaping was not an option. Luke walked up to her and said, "Dr. Craw, pleasee with me." Many of those present heard what Luke said and were taken aback. ''He wants to talk to her in private?'' When Jason, who was not far behind him, heard this, he immediately stopped. He turned around, picked up the champagne ss, and chatted with the researchers. His boss wanted to have a private chat with Luca, so he would not be stupid enough to follow along. He already knew about Luca taking in Tommy and could not help but sigh. The two were fated. Luca had no choice since she was personally called out by Luke. Hence, she ced the champagne ss somewhere and followed him out. The two walked out of the conference room one after another. Luke did not stop and walked toward the corner of the corridor. Luca followed him. The two stopped at the end of the corridor. Luca broke the silence. "Mr. Crawford, what''s the matter?" "You took Tommy in?" Luke asked. "Yeah." Luca nodded and exined, "I didn''t know that he was your son butter saw that you were looking for him, so I sent him back." "I''m not holding you ountable," Luke listened to her exnation and said in a neutral tone. Luca did not feel at ease when she heard his reply. Instead, she felt anxious, wondering what Luke thought about her taking Tommy in. She felt helpless. She had told Tommy not to tell Luke about it but he still told him. "Okay." Luca nodded, waiting for what Luke would say next. "When you sent Tommy back, why didn''t you show your face?" Luke asked. "I don''t want to be disturbed." Luca raised her eyes and met his gaze. She was stunned as she did not expect Luke to lower his gaze to look at her. Chapter 1146 Chapter 1146 Someone Others Looked Up To Luca noticed that her heartbeat was elerating. Luke, who used to be aloft, rarely looked at others like this. He did not care about others. Engaging in simple conversations would already be a test of his patience. He had always been someone others looked upto. He never lowered his gaze for anyone. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Luke frowned. ''She thinks she would be disturbed by sending Tommy back? Luca knew him well. In the past, he wouldunch a thorough investigation into her life, but now, he had no such intentions. "What are you hiding?" Luke put his hands in his pockets, his deep-set eyes staring straight at her. "I¡¯m sure Mr. Crawford has had me investigated." Luca''s expression was calm. Luke did not suspect a thing. "I didn''t ask anyone to investigate you," Luke said. Luca was a little surprised, but it was not because she was afraid that he would find out anything about her. After all, Abel got a group of people to work meticulously to make sure that there was nothing about her that would raise suspicion. She was just surprised that he did not investigate her. Luca was taken back. ''Maybe he didn''tunch an investigation because he regards me as an ordinary employee?¡¯ Sometimes, she hoped that Luke would discover something during his investigation and dig further. Maybe he could find something... "Why don''t you want to be disturbed?" Luke asked. Luca put on a smile that did not reach her eyes. "Does this question have to be answered?" Luke realized that he had asked a stupid question, but whenever he came into contact with her, he would get a strange feeling. He just knew he wanted to continue talking with her. It did not matter what they were talking about as long as he could listen to her voice. "No," Luke said. Hearing his answer, Luca''s expression became serious as she said, "I didn''t take your son in to get anything in return, so I didn''t show my face. Since you''ve found out, just know that I do what I want to do. Helping your son was something that I wanted to do. I have no other intentions." She had been around Luke for many years and knew him well. If she could not provide a logical exnation, she was afraid it would be even harder to exin in the future. "Okay." Luke was inexplicably upset when he heard her reply. ''She just wanted to help? She has no motives?¡¯ "Also, Mr. Crawford, let''s reduce the number of such private conversations in the future. I don¡¯t want to be the topic of gossip," Luca said. Luke''s actions had indirectly pushed her into the abyss. Others would start making up stories in their heads. She just wanted to work in peace and did not want to be looked at by others with ambiguous stares. Luke was annoyed seeing that she wanted to draw a line between them. He squinted at the woman in front of him and said coldly, "There¡¯s nothing between us to be gossiped about." When Luca heard that, she took a deep breath. The air conditioner in the corridor was strong, and the man in front of her overwhelmed her. She felt as if she had difficulty breathing and was unwilling to stay any longer, so she asked, "Mr. Crawford, can I go in now?" "Yeah," Luke said. Luca nodded slightly at him and walked back to the conference room. The wee party in the conference room went on. Luca stood in the corner with a ss of champagne. She had no intention of talking to the other researchers. They were all much older than her. If she initiated a chat, they might think she was deliberately ttering them. Besides, she was not bothered to build workce rtionships. Luca thought that it was best if she stayed low-key. After she walked in, Jason walked out of the conference room and Luke never came in again. An hourter, the wee party ended. Everyone had something to drink today, so they would not be working. The two assistants brought them around to familiarize themselves with thepany''s various departments and then handed them the office keycard. After Luca received the card, she walked back to the office. The professor behind her was still discussing having lunch together. She had no intention of participating. Dr. Cole Kidman was the head of the research department. Looking at Luca, he frowned unhappily. Although she was good-looking, her attitude was not the most weing. ''She was called out by the boss just now but the boss did not talk to the rest of us alone...¡¯ Dr. Cole guessed that Luca was just another pretty face who came in through the backdoor. Thinking of this, he despised her even more. A professor who was talking to him diverted his attention. Luca walked back to the office and closed the door, not wanting to be disturbed. She sat on the sofa to sober up. Even after three years, she was not much of a drinker. An hourter, there was a knock on her office door. Luca did not stand up and asked, "Who is it?" "Dr. Craw, I''m Mo Stone. I''m here to inform you that we¡¯ll be having lunch together at noon. Dr. Cole arranged it." A woman''s voice sounded. Mo was the female assistant who weed them. Luca remembered the conversations of those middle-aged men and had no interest in attending. She stood up and opened the door while holding her forehead. "Please tell Dr. Cole that I don''t feel well after drinking today. I don¡¯t want to be a wet nket by showing up." Seeing her appearance, Mo nodded, turned around, and told Dr. Cole what Luca said. When Dr. Cole heard that, his face turned sour in an instant. "She''s drunk?" Mo shook her head. She had seen how a drunk person would act. ¡¯ Doesn''t seem like it. She just seems unwell." "It doesn''t matter. Since Dr. Craw doesn¡¯t wish to join us for lunch, we shouldn''t force her.¡± Dr. Cole was pissed, but as the leader of the department, he could not go too far no matter how furious he was. After making some thought-provoking remarks, he turned and walked out of the conference room. Several of the researchers followed. Mo touched her chin and told Rhett Link, who was also an assistant, "It seems that Dr. Craw has already offended Dr. Cole on her first day." "Yeah, but I can''t me her. I heard that Dr. Craw came back from Russia. Maybe the workce culture that she¡¯s used to is different from ours, so we can''t me her for not understanding the way things work here. On the contrary, Dr. Cole should be more understanding," Rhett replied and then called the logistics department to ask them to send someone to clean up the conference room. "Tsk tsk, you mean that Dr. Craw didn''t do anything wrong? She should learn how to fit in. Since Dr. Craw wants to develop her career here, she should understand these unspoken rules. I thought you were someone reasonable, but it seems like you''ve been distracted by her beauty." Mo was joking but seemed a little sour. Chapter 1147 Chapter 1147 Research Form Rhett blushed and retorted, "Stop it with your nonsense. If Dr. Craw hears it, she might misunderstand." "Look at you blushing! Sigh, Rhett, I''m so disappointed in you. However, ourpany looks at capabilities, not appearance," Mo said. From the moment Luca stepped into the conference room, she noticed that Luke paid more attention to Luca than others. The private conversation they had made her think more of the situation as well. Rhett was reluctant to continue discussing this topic with her. "Let''s stop talking about it. It won''t be good if others hear it. I¡¯ve already asked for someone toe to clean up the room. I''ll head off now." After he said that, he turned around and left. Mo crossed her hands in front of her chest and watched as he left. She muttered in her heart that all men were the same. When they saw beautiful women, they instinctively wanted to side with them. After Luca dismissed Mo, she closed the door and sat on the sofa again. She held her forehead, sighed, and nced at the time. Her phone happened to ring. Luca looked at the unfamiliar numbers on the screen. When she finally picked up, it had been ringing for a while. The call was from the Ind of Despair. "What''s the matter?" "Have you entered Watson Biopharmaceuticals?" Shanks'' voice came from the phone. "I¡¯m in." Luca held her breath, wanting to hear what was happening on his side. Shanks would sometimes keep N by his side to take care of her. However, Luca heard nothing except for Shanks'' voice and the sound of typing on the keyboard. "I''ve emailed some research materials to you. You can just continue with the research," Shanks said. Hearing this, Luca approached herputer and opened her inbox. She saw a bunch of garbled codes. This was an exclusive passcode from the Ind of Despair. Luca lowered her gaze and said, "This is your medical research, why are you giving it to me?" Every one of his medical research was valuable. If hepleted them, he would gain immeasurable wealth. "Abel asked me to hand it to you." Shanks'' words were crisp and clear. He did not exin any further. Luca was speechless. He was not Abel''s subordinate, so there was no need for him to follow Abel''s commands. What was more, Abel also had a pharmaceuticalpany. Shanks'' research would bring huge benefits to thepany, so why would he do this? ''Is there any shoring that''s hard to solve in this research? Are they asking me to continue with the research and production just to cause trouble for Watson Biopharmaceuticals?'' "What is he up to?" "I don''t know." Shanks'' answer was still brief. Luca''s heart sank. Shanks continued talking, "Just follow Abel''s instructions." "I''ll ept this, but I¡¯ll conduct the research on my own without you being involved." Luca ended the call after she said that. Her gaze was gloomy as she looked at the garbled code on theputer screen. It could be that Abel wanted her to climb up the food chain of Watson Biopharmaceuticals, but she could not afford to take it lightly. Luca opened the software on the phone and entered the garbled codes. Soon enough, a document appeared in front of her. After she saved the document, she walked out of the office with her maic card. It was lunchtime, so Luca walked toward the elevator, nning to go to thepany cafeteria for a bite. While waiting for the elevator, Rhett happened toe over. "Dr. Craw, are you feeling better?" "I''m feeling much better." Luca nodded, believing that her rejection of Dr. Cole''s invitation had spread throughout the department. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "That''s good to hear." Rhett looked at her beautiful face and held his hands in front of him somewhat awkwardly. Luca was the only female researcher in the entire department and was a rare beauty. It was unfortunate that she appeared arrogant and cold, making it seem like she was difficult to get along with. The elevator was still on the lower floors. Seeing that Luca was keeping quiet, Rhett asked, ¡®Dr. Craw, where are you heading to?" "Cafeteria," Luca said. After drinking some wine earlier in the day, she wanted to eat something to feel better. "Dr. Craw, I''m also going to the cafeteria. If you don''t mind, I can order food and bring it up for you," Rhett said. He was on the organizingmittee for the weing party, so it was natural that he would want to help Luca in any way that he could. "No, I''ll do it myself." Luca did not have a second thought before turning him down. She was unwilling to let people do things for her. When the elevator reached their floor, she walked in. Rhett was still standing at the elevator door as if he was hesitating. "Come in," Luca said. Rhett responded, walked in, and pressed the second floor. The elevator went all the way down. When they reached the second floor, she walked out on her own while ignoring Rhett. Rhett looked at her and sighed. Luca appeared to be a cold boss. Although she seemed a little unkind, it did not seem too bad to work under her. This kind of boss was less troublesome. An idea popped up in Rhett''s mind. He wanted to be Luca''s assistant. After ordering lunch, Luca found a corner with fewer people to dine in. Talia, who had just walked into the cafeteria, saw her at a nce. She walked to the opposite side of her with her lunch and asked politely, "Dr. Craw, is anyone sitting here?" "No." Luca lowered her gaze, took a sip of soup, and did not reject her. When Talia heard her reply, she put down her food and sat opposite her." The food in thepany cafeteria looks good." Luca did notment on it. Talia did not feel embarrassed at all. She was a friendly person. Even if others did not speak, she could talk for a long time. Looking at Luca''s lunch, she said, "Dr. Craw, is this all you¡¯re having for lunch?" "Yes," Luca said. "Wow, no wonder your body is so fit.¡± Talia sighed. Luca had an enviable physique. She nced around. There were not many employees around seeing that it was the first day of thepany''s operations. She whispered, "Dr. Craw, can I ask you some questions about thepany?" "I don''t know much." Luca finished the soup and wiped her moirth. The hot soup had warmed her stomach and she felt much better now. "It''s okay, I''ll ask anyway," Talia smiled and said, "Is the technical department still hiring assistants?" Her mind was fixed on being a research assistant. Luca raised her gaze. Even though Talia had not said much, she saw through her. "The personnel department has the final say on recruitment matters." Talia smiled and did not mind her reply. She said, "I know that the personnel department of the company has the final say. If I have a chance, I want to fight for it. After all, I can learn a lot more in the technical department than in other departments." To join Watson Biopharmaceuticals, she went all out preparing for the interview and agreed to go with thepany''s arrangements so that one day, she could enter the technical department. Luca could see Talia''s longing and noted that she seemed to have expectations for the future. She did not say anything. After eating two more bites, she stood up with her te and said, "I''m full. Enjoy your lunch." Chapter 1148 Chapter 1148 A Scandal Talia smiled and nodded. "Alright." Luca returned the tray and left the cafeteria. Talia watched as she left and thought to herself, ''Dr. Craw doesn''t seem very approachable.'' She thought that she would get on her good side so she would have someone to rely on when she changed departments. Judging from the interaction earlier, she realized that it would be difficult to be Luca''s friend. She would have to find other connections to get into the Technical Department. Back at the office, Luca switched on herputer and studied Shanks''s forme. It was a new type of antibiotic. If the research seeded, it would be a blessing to many people. Research on the antibiotic was eighty percent done, so she would only have toplete thest part before they proceeded with the clinical trial phase. Luca dared not run any experiments yet in case there were certain risks. Instead, she decided that she would do the research again. After deciding on that, Luca printed out the forme and prepared to start working on them. Then, she took the printouts and headed out from the office toward the researchboratory. All the technical equipment was located there. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. At the researchboratory, Luca saw that Rhett was fiddling with a piece of equipment inside. "Dr. Craw?" Rhett smiled at her and noticed the printouts in her hand. "Are you here to do research?" "Mm." Luca found a corner spot and said, "Can I sit here?" "Of course you can." Rhett nodded, feeling quite surprised. He found her namete and ced it at her table. Tables in theboratory were firste, first served. Even though she was the first to arrive at the researchboratory, she chose the worst position for herself. Luca nced at the namete. She ced some of the printouts on the table, then prepared to collect some materials she needed for her research. "Dr. Craw, do you need any help?" Rhett asked. "Prepare these materials for me." Luca gave him a piece of paper. On it was printed the list of apparatus she needed. "Yes, no problem." Rhett nodded. The two people worked busily in the researchboratory. After taking her lunch, Mo returned to the Technical Department and heard some activity in the researchboratory. She curiously pushed the door open and went inside. Luca was sitting in a corner observing something with a microscope while Rhett was assisting her. She could not help but chuckle derisively, thinking that Rhett was foolish to suck up to Luca so quickly. Meanwhile, Bianca sat in a private room of a cafe, waiting for the reporter to arrive. By the time the reporter came in through the door, he was already half an hourte. Bianca never had to wait for other people before. She was angry that the reporter had made her wait for half an hour, but she dared not say anything. She did not lose her temper because she had to rely on the reporter to do something she wanted. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Crawford." The reporter smiled at her. One could tell that he was plotting something. Bianca stirred her coffee and lifted her chin slightly. "Do you want a drink?" She said coldly. "One Blue Mountain, please." The reporter ordered the most expensive item on the menu. "Yes, Sir. One Blue Mountain coffeeing right up." The waiter nodded and left the private room. The reporter put his camera aside and asked Bianca, "You wanted to meet me today, Mrs. Crawford. Are you nning to pay up?" "There''s no rush." Bianca wagged her hand. "Well talk about it over coffee." The reporter understood what she meant. After the waiter brought him the coffee and left the room, Bianca said, "Tell me how much you want." The reporter chuckled. He knew that the Crawford family was incredibly wealthy, but he dared not ask for too much in case he offended them. "I''m not very greedy. I''ve already stated the price in the email," he said. ''You''re not greedy? I''ve never seen someone as greedy as you!'' Bianca thought. "I can give you another one hundred thousand dors on top of that," she said. The reporter''s eyes opened wide. "Another one hundred thousand?" "Yes. Do you want it?" Bianca asked. "I have my ethics, Mrs. Crawford. I''m guessing that you want me to do something." The reporter could tell that there was no free lunch. If Bianca was willing to give him more money, it meant that he needed to do something more. "Yes. I want you to report on it and blow it up as much as you can." Bianca said and sipped her coffee elegantly. To gain Luke''s attention, she had been learning etiquette so that she could be a match for him. However, Luke had never paid any attention to her. "You want to blow up the scandal?" The reporter was quite surprised. Why would the woman want to implicate her husband in a scandal? On the other hand, he was aware of his limits. The photos themselves did not prove anything, though most wealthy individuals would rather pay up to stay away from trouble. "Yes, Sir. One Blue Mountain coffeeing right up." The waiter nodded and left the private room. The reporter put his camera aside and asked Bianca, "You wanted to meet me today, Mrs. Crawford. Are you nning to pay up?" "There''s no rush." Bianca wagged her hand. "Well talk about it over coffee." The reporter understood what she meant. After the waiter brought him the coffee and left the room, Bianca said, "Tell me how much you want." The reporter chuckled. He knew that the Crawford family was incredibly wealthy, but he dared not ask for too much in case he offended them. "I''m not very greedy. I''ve already stated the price in the email," he said. ''You''re not greedy? I''ve never seen someone as greedy as you!'' Bianca thought. "I can give you another one hundred thousand dors on top of that," she said. The reporter''s eyes opened wide. "Another one hundred thousand?" "Yes. Do you want it?" Bianca asked. "I have my ethics, Mrs. Crawford. I''m guessing that you want me to do something." The reporter could tell that there was no free lunch. If Bianca was willing to give him more money, it meant that he needed to do something more. "Yes. I want you to report on it and blow it up as much as you can." Bianca said and sipped her coffee elegantly. To gain Luke''s attention, she had been learning etiquette so that she could be a match for him. However, Luke had never paid any attention to her. "You want to blow up the scandal?" The reporter was quite surprised. Why would the woman want to implicate her husband in a scandal? On the other hand, he was aware of his limits. The photos themselves did not prove anything, though most wealthy individuals would rather pay up to stay away from trouble. "Yes, I want it to blow up. Why, you already have the photos. It''s not hard to write a short article, isn''t it?" Bianca said. The reporter felt pressured. The rumors that Mrs. Crawford''s personality changed drastically after she lost her memories were true. "I can write the article, but if I''m taking your money, I don''t know how to exin it to Mr. Crawford," he said. "You don''t have to worry about that." Bianca took thest sip of her coffee and said. "The Crawford family doesn''t intend to pay you any money, so you can use those photos to publish an article. If my expectations are reached, I can pay you an additional one hundred thousand dors." "Mrs. Crawford, may I ask your intentions for doing this?" The reporter asked warily. He had never encountered a woman who wanted her husband to be implicated in a scandal. "Do you want to do it or not? Don''t ask so many questions," Bianca said. The reporter thought about it for a while and nodded. "Alright, I''ll do it!" With the money, he could instantly repay all his debts. Moreover, he was not afraid that someone mighte after him. After all, it was not surprising that a reporter like him would make up some stories for entertainment purposes. If Luke did not intend to pay him, then there was nothing to be afraid of. "Alright, it''s a deal." Bianca took out two contracts from her handbag, wrote down the amount, and said, After you sign it, we''re considered partners. You just have to do what you''re told, and you don''t have to care about anything else. I want the article to be published tomorrow." "No problem." The reporter took the contract, browsed through it, and signed on it. Each party received a copy of the contract. Bianca put her copy into her handbag, put several bills under the coaster, and left the room. Chapter 1149 Chapter 1149 Luck Was on Her Side The next day, news about Luke¡¯s scandal appeared on all major papers in A City. There were only two photos, but the reporter had whipped up a fancy story, so the entire A City was talking about it. Old Master Crawford read about the news. His face was ashen and grim as he read the article in the newspaper. He knew that Luke had no rtion to the woman in the article, but he was unhappy to see the reporter deliberately tarnishing his grandson''s reputation of being a loyal husband. "Mr. Griffin." The old man mmed the newspaper angrily on the table. "Do something for me." "Yes, Old Master Crawford," the butler said courteously. "Find the reporter of this article for me. You know what to do next." Old Master Crawford narrowed his gaze. There was a hint of viciousness in his clouded eyes. He had retired many years ago, but he was still as merciless and assertive as ever. "Yes." The butler nodded and left. Bianca happened to be walking down the stairs when the butler was talking over the phone. She stood there to listen and found out that he was talking about the scandal. ''Oh no...1 Bianca was surprised that Old Master Crawford wanted to hunt the reporter down. She felt a little flustered. After the butler ended the call, he turned around and noticed Bianca standing there. He was quite surprised that Bianca woke up so early, but he soonposed himself and smiled at her. "You''re up early today, Madam. Would you like to have breakfast?" "No. I heard you making a phone call earlier. Did something happen?" Bianca asked. She had woken up early today because the reporter had promised her that the article would be published in the newspapers today. "Yes, something happened." The butler hesitated. "What is it?" Bianca asked. "It''s nothing major. Don''t worry, Madam, Old Master Crawford will take care of it." The butler did not tell her because he did not want her to worry. Bianca frowned. "Does it have something to do with Luke or me?" "A certain photo was published in the papers today, and the article was filled with lies. Don''t worry. Old Master Crawford will take care of it." The butler thought that he would not be able to hide the news from her forever, so he might as well tell her. Bianca frowned even harder. She picked up her phone and pretended to search for the news article. "Madam..." The butler was worried that the shock might cause her to faint again. Tm fine." Bianca pretended to hold her breath as she read from her phone intently. The butler became increasingly worried as he noticed that Bianca''s face was turning pale. Bianca sat down on the couch. She had read the article when she got out of bed, but she pretended to read it carefully in case the butler suspected her. After reading the article, she asked, "What does Grandpa n to do?¡± "Old Master Crawford wants to search for the reporter''s whereabouts," the butler replied. Bianca held her forehead with one hand. "Mm, I see. Lies like these will affect Luke''s reputation. You should act on it faster." "Yes." The butler nodded and went to the dining hall. She watched the butler disappear from view and quickly stood up once more, holding her phone tightly. There was something else she had to do so that Old Master Crawford could not find the reporter. The reporter might have signed a contract with her, but she had expected that someone as untrustworthy as him would spill the beans when interrogated. She went up the stairs with a pale face. On the second floor, she bumped into Luke, who hade out of the study. "You''re awake, Luke." Biancaposed herself and smiled at him. "Mm." Luke noticed that her face was pale. "Why are you awake so early?" He had never shown such concern to her before. "I slept earlyst night, so I woke up early today." Bianca smoothened her long hair. It was a good opportunity to talk to Luke, but she had more important things to do. She did not want Old Master Crawford''s subordinates to find the reporter before she did. Old Master Crawford might be elderly, but he was the one who founded T Corporation, and he was as sharp as ever. "Have you had breakfast?" Luke asked. "Not yet. I don''t think I''m eating now. I feel a little sleepy, so I might want to nap for a little longer,'' Bianca said, hurriedly walked past Luke, went into the bedroom, and closed the door. Luke shot a nce at her. He did not think that she was acting strangely. After Bianca went into the bedroom, she ced her ear behind the door. After making sure that Luke was gone, she locked the door and made a phone call. "Do something for me," she said. "What is it?" A man spoke on the other end of the call. "Help me hide some. I don''t want the Crawfords to find him," Bianca said. She was talking to another person from the Ind of Despair who was stationed in A City. If she needed help with anything regarding Luke, she could always ask him. "Reason?" the man asked. "I have to eliminate a rival. Once that woman stays clear of Luke, he''ll pay attention to me," Bianca said softly. "No problem. Give me his information," the man said. "Also, don¡¯t tell Boss about this. It''ll be hard for both of us to exin to him if he finds out about it," Bianca said. She was not sure if Ivana was Abel''s minion, so she would rather hide that from Abel for now. If Ivana were really from the Ind of Despair, Bianca would be in serious trouble if Abel found out that Ivana was getting closer to Luke! "Mm." The man hung up. After that, Bianca called the reporter and told him to continue reporting on the scandal. She also promised him that someone would hide him in a safe ce. The reporter did not agree to it at first, but he became convinced after Bianca gave him more money. After giving the reporter''s information to the man, Bianca smiled. No matter how efficient Old Master Crawford''s subordinates might be, they would not be able to catch up with her n. She realized that the reporter''s location was not far away from the man. Even luck was on her side! Bianca felt extremely pleased with herself as shey on the bed. The scene downstairs must be chaotic at the moment, and she knew better than to ce herself in Old Master Crawford''s line of fire. She was happy about how things were going, so she did not want to put up a worried face in front of the other people in the household. Luke went to the dining hall downstairs to have breakfast. Old Master Crawford was sitting on a chair with a stern expression. "Grandfather," Luke greeted him and sat next to him. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "Look at the news." Old Master Crawford handed the newspaper to him. He did not expect the article to appear today because there was no news about it the day before. Chapter 1150 Chapter 1150 All Over the Papers Luke took the newspaper. Before he read the article, he saw the photo in which Luca stepped into his car. He frowned but soonposed himself. "You don''t have to worry about it. I''ve already gotten someone to handle this," Old Master Crawford said. "Let me handle this, Grandfather." Luke did not want to trouble Old Master Crawford. "No. I''ve already sent someone to hunt the reporter down." Old Master Crawford stroked his beard. Other than what happened to Bianca two years ago, the Crawford family had been rtively peaceful for the past two years. Now, someone was challenging their authority once more. The butler came into the dining hall and reported to them, "Old Master Crawford, Sir, we have found that the five major media outlets in A City are increasing their cirction to report on this issue. Also, online versions of the article have been read at least three million times." The news was only published an hour ago, but it had already received three million views. Clearly, many people were paying attention to it. Old Master Crawford''s expression darkened. He wished that good news would receive so much attention too. Luke sipped his coffee calmly and waited for his grandfather''s arrangements. "Go and pressure those websites to take the article down," Old Master Crawford said. There were too many websites sharing the article. If they could halt the spread on the major news websites, they would be able to cut the exposure by half. As for the smaller websites, they would be caught up in some other scandal in a few days. Luke took a bite of his toast and stood up. "Are there many reporters outside?" He asked the butler. "After the article was published, many reporters from the major media outlets have camped outside the front gate," the butler said worriedly. "Get the bodyguards to drive them away, and get Mr. Zander to bring the children to school," Luke said. "Yes." Hearing that Luke was about to leave the house, he went to make arrangements. After the bodyguards drove the reporters away, Luke left in his car, and the driver brought the children to school. Luke did not go to T Corporation but instead went to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. An important meeting was scheduled there today. He had nned to attend the meeting via teleconferencing, but he changed his mind after reading the article. He wondered if Luca was affected by the news. The article did not specifically mention Luca''s identity, and the photo only showed her side profile, but he expected that the media outlets would be able to pinpoint Luca''s identity anytime soon. Luke stopped his car at an intersection. He rubbed his chin as he stared at the traffic lights. Perhaps he should warn Luca about it. Meanwhile, Amur had already prepared breakfast by the time Luca woke up. "Wow, that''s a lot of food!" She eximed after she had dressed up in office wear and came out of her bedroom. "It''s just the two of us, Amur. We won''t be able to finish everything." "It''s fine. I''ll store the leftovers in the fridge." Amur grinned. If Luca had not told him, he would not have realized that he had bought too much food. Luca shrugged. She quickly wolfed down a slice of bread and a ss of milk before preparing to leave the house. Amur said, "Um... Mr. Crawford is in the news today." "Luke Crawford?" Luca stopped wiping her mouth. She took out her phone and opened the browser. She was dumbfounded when she saw the photo in the article. "The woman in the photo seems familiar..." Amurmented. He lifted his head and looked at Luca. Their side profiles looked very simr. "That''s me..." Luca did not expect that a reporter would take her photo. Worse yet, the reporter had made up a scandalous story based on the photo alone. She sighed and realized that she had been careless. The photo did not show any intimacy between the two subjects, but one of the subjects happened to be Luke Crawford, and that had given the photo incredible gossip value. "Luca, are you still going to work today?" Amur breathed a sigh of relief after reading the article. The article did not include any personal information on Luca. "Yes." Luca remembered that Rhett had told her that the meeting today was very important. If she wanted to receive grants for the two research projects on hand, she would have to attend the meeting. "But..." Amur was worried that someone might recognize her. "It''s fine," Luca shook her head and said. She removed the hair band that kept her hair together, then picked out a baseball cap from the closet. The outfit was quite mismatched, but that would differentiate her from the woman in the photo. "This should do it." "I hope so." Amur smiled and sent her off. Luca took a cab to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. As she walked past the lobby, she overheard several employees talking about the news. Luke had not been involved in a rtionship scandal for a long time. Everyone was surprised to see him in the limelight again. Luca lowered the brim of her cap. When Talia noticed her, she went up to talk to her. "Dr. Craw, have you read the news today?" "I''m not interested in reading the news," Luca said as she walked toward the elevator. Talia nodded and continued, "There''s an announcement in the HR department today. Some researchers in the Technical Department are looking for assistants. I''d like to try." Luca pressed a button and said, "You should try." "The researchers will be making the final decision. I''m still inexperienced, so I don''t think the researchers would want to recruit me." Talia seemed frustrated. No one would want to recruit an intern as their research assistant. "You don''t know if you don''t try." The elevator doors slowly opened, and Luca stepped inside.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Talia''s eyes sparkled. She misunderstood what Luca was telling her. "Do you mean that there''s a chance I can make it?" "You''ll have to work hard for it." Luca''s mind was upied by the news. She did not pay attention to what Talia was saying. "This is great! I''ll work hard for it. Thank you, Dr. Craw!" Talia was overjoyed. She thought that her sess was a foregone conclusion. "I didn''t do anything. You don''t have to thank me," Luca said. Talia did not think so. She thought that Luca was being modest. When Talia arrived at her floor, she bowed at Luca and walked out of the elevator. Luca was alone in the elevator. She frowned when she saw her reflection on the metal walls. Her outfit was very jarring. She removed the cap and tied her hair with a rubber band. Luca exited the elevator at the Technical Department. She met Mo on her way out. "Dr. Craw, Mr. Crawford will arrive at thepany in twenty minutes. Please be at the conference room five minutes before the meeting." Luca stopped walking and looked at her in shock. As far as she knew, Luke would only be attending the meeting via teleconferencing. Why did he change his mind? "You mean Mr. Crawford ising to chair the meeting personally?" Chapter 1151 Chapter 1151 She Did Not Want Any Trouble "Yes. Mr. Crawford changed his mind this morning," Mo said. "Mm, understood." Luca was frustrated by the news article. She would have to face Luketer... She quickly walked into the office to make some preparations for the meeting. Mo watched her walk away and mumbled, "Why does Dr. Craw look so much like the woman in the photo?" Fifteen minutester, Luca came out of the office. When she arrived at the conference room, almost all the other personnel from the Technical Department were there. Luca looked at the nametes on the oval table and found her seat. She was relieved when she found out that her seat was some distance away from the CEO. She casually nced around the room and noticed that no one was paying any attention to her. It seemed that no one recognized her in the photo. Luca felt a lot more at ease. All she wanted was to do her job and not cause any trouble. She knew that Luke would deal with the media outlets, so she was not worried that the news would spread. Five minutester, Luke came in through the door. Behind him were Jason and Cole. Luca lowered her head and pretended to revise her notes. She did not want to meet his gaze. Luke sat in the CEO''s seat and gazed at everyone in the room coldly. His gaze darkened when he saw Luca. Mo was observing all that discreetly. She noticed the change in Luke''s expression. She followed the direction of Luke''s gaze and found out that he was looking at Luca. Cole sat on Luke''s left side. The conference room was silent. He braced himself and asked, "All the researchers are present, Mr. Crawford. Shall we begin the meeting?" "Mm." Luke nodded. He sat there but did not do anything, as though he was a mere observer. Cole waited for thirty seconds for Luke to speak. Seeing that Luke was not speaking, he cleared his throat and said, "Let''s begin the meeting then. Our agenda today is to determine thepany''s development ns for the next financial quarter. I hope that all of you are prepared to present your projects; that will determine the amount of funding you will get in the future." The researchers nodded. They were notified about the meeting yesterday, and they had worked overtime on their presentations so that they would receive more funding. Seeing that no one objected, Cold waved his hand and said, "Let''s start from the left." The researcher sitting next to Cole broadcast his slideshow on the screen and presented his research project. Luca was the third researcher to present. She handed her USB drive to Mo so that Mo could help her broadcast it. Then, she began to introduce the two drugs that she was researching. The first drug was a cure for cancer, while the other was an antibiotic. Shanks did half of the work for both of the projects. As Cole listened to her presentation, his dissatisfaction gradually turned into shock. He thought that Luke had employed the woman because of connections. The presentation showed him that Luca was a far more capable researcher than he had imagined. Her work had surpassed many experienced researchers. Unlike most modern drugs that improved other drugs with simrponents, Luca''s drugs were wholly revolutionary. If she were not capable, she would not have been able to perform such research. Luca could tell that all eyes in the conference room were on her, but she could not keep calm when she realized that Luke was looking at her. She tried to still her wildly thumping heart as she presented her progress report on the two drugs. After it was over and she sat down, she heaved a sigh of relief. Luke''s gaze turned even more profound after hearing her presentation. He did not expect that she would be presenting two progress reports. If the two drugs made it to the market, it would be a blessing for countless patients and bring record profits to thepany. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Luke looked at the presentation on the screen and sank deep in thought. After Luca''s presentation, the other researchers also presented their progress reports one by one. Luke listened to them all. By the end of the meeting, none of the other researchers'' presentations were as attractive as what Luca presented. Cole turned to Luke and said, "Mr. Crawford..." "Dismissed," Luke said curtly and stood up. He looked around the conference room and was the first one to leave. The people in the conference room looked at each other. Luca lowered her head. Her hands were sped tightly under the table. Earlier, his gaze seemed to have lingered on her for a little longer. After Luke left, he took the elevator and went to his office on the top floor. Jason was standing behind him. He asked, "Boss, aren''t you going back to T Corporation?" "Are there many reporters outside T Corporation?" Luke asked. "Yes," Jason answered. He thought that Luke stayed behind because of a certain woman, but it turned out that he was mistaken. However, whenever a scandal happened in the past, Luke would hold the fort in T Corporation instead of hiding in a subsidiary. Jason discreetly observed Luke''s expression and scratched his head in confusion. When the elevator reached the top floor, Luke stepped out of the elevator and told Jason, "Get Luca Craw toe to my office in half an hour." "Yes!" Jason nodded. Luca returned to her office. Before she could sit down, Mo came in and told her, "Dr. Craw, Mr. Crawford wants to see you at his office." "Noted, thanks. I''ll go over now." Luca put down the notes in her hand and left the office. She thought for a while and asked, "Do you know why Mr. Crawford is looking for me?" "I don''t know." Mo thought for a while and continued, "It should be rted to your research projects." "Did he ask any other researcher to go to his office too?" Luca asked. "As far as I know, you''re the only one," Mo said with a smile. Luca nodded. It was normal for an employer to have private meetings with their employees, but she could not shake off the feeling that Luke wanted to meet her for something else. Mo was still looking at her with a smile. "Dr. Craw, were you and Mr. Crawford friends before this?" Luca could sense something in Mo''s gaze and instantly understood what she was thinking. "Is there something that you want to know?" She asked. "No, just asking." Mo shook her head, feeling a little flustered. Even though both of them were employees, Luca held a more important position in thepany, and Mo knew better than to overstep her boundaries. Luca smiled when she saw the panic in Mo''s eyes. "I''ll go up myself," she said as she pressed a button. "Yes!" Mo nodded and quickly left. Luca took the elevator to the top floor. Jason was waiting for her. "This way, please, Dr. Craw," Jason said cheerfully when he saw her. Chapter 1152 Chapter 1152 Are You Bothered? Luca followed Jason to the CEO''s office. Watson Biopharmaceuticals was only a subsidiarypany, so the furnishings in the CEO''s office were not asvish as that of T Corporation. The dull gray walls gave her an oppressive feeling. Jason stood at the entrance, and he had no intention of going inside. He pointed toward the interior and said, "Please, Dr. Craw." Luca took a deep breath and knocked on the door. "Come in." Luke''s voice was heard from the inside. Luca''s hand gripped the metal doorknob. It was cold to the touch and made her shudder slightly. She pushed the door open and walked in. Seeing Luke sit on the swivel chair, she deliberately left the door open. "Mr. Crawford." "Sit." Luke pointed at the seat opposite him. Luca nodded. She had only taken two steps when she heard Jason closing the door behind her. She turned around and nced at the closed door. She did not want to close the door because she did not want to share a private space with Luke. Luke coughed gently. Luca came to her senses and sat down at the chair opposite him. "Can I help you, Mr. Crawford?" She asked softly. "I''m very interested in your projects," Luke said candidly. Luca breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that Luke only wanted to meet her for her projects. "Thank you." "How much money do you need?" Luke asked. His heart skipped a beat when he heard her soft voice. Luca lowered her head and did not notice the sparkle in Luke''s eyes. She thought carefully for a bit, though she was not very sure about how researching funding worked. As far as she knew, her projects were in the final stages, and she did not need as much funding as those that had just started. All she had to do was to verify the data from Shanks''s research. There was practically no risk of failure. "I don''t need too much money because my research is in its final stages. I shall leave it to your discretion," Luca said. "Don''t you want to request more?" Luke was quite surprised. Any other researcher would want to take the opportunity to ask for more money. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. After all, if the research was sessful, they would make massive profits for thepany, and they could take the credit for it. "More money wont make my research better, so I¡¯ll only ask for enough." Luca was not interested in research funding. "Mm." Luke wrote some characters on a document. From how Luke was holding the document, Luca could not discern what he was writing. She guessed that he was filling up a budget document. "When I talked to youst time, you were only working on one project. Why do you suddenly have two?" Luke put the document away and asked. "Isn''t that good for thepany?" Luca said. "It''s good, indeed." Luke nodded. "The project is in its final stages, so you must have spent a lot of time on it. Did you bring it over from your previouspany?" Luca knew what he was worried about. She nodded and reassured him, "It is indeed a continuation of a project from my previouspany, but I''ve done most of the research in private after I resigned. They don''t have any useful information." Luke nodded, and his phone began to ring. It was from an unknown number, and he rejected the call without hesitation. Luca did not say anything and waited for Luke to speak. "Did you read the papers?" Luke asked. He thought that the phone call was from a reporter. "You mean that piece of gossip? I''ve read it." Luca''s heart skipped a beat. She knew that he would eventually mention it, and she did not know what he thought of the article. She observed Luke''s expression. He seemed calm, but she did not know what he was thinking. "Mm." Luke nodded slightly. When their eyes met, he felt a tingle in his nervous system. That was a sensation that he had not experienced for a very long time. "Are you bothered?" "The photo doesn''t show my face clearly, but I hope that you''ll be able to settle this problem, Mr. Crawford," Luca said. If the news continued to spread, Abel would eventually find out about it. She did not know what Abel''s n of revenge was, and she could not predict what he might do." ''Til deal with it." Luke could tell that the woman was trying to keep a distance from him. That somehow made him feel unhappy. Jason knocked on the door and said. "Boss, Tommy¡¯s homeroom teacher wants to speak to you." Luke frowned. "Come in," he said. "Yes, Boss," Jason replied and opened the door. He was holding a phone in his hand. He handed the phone to Luke. "Hello, I am Luke Crawford." Luke took the phone and spoke into it. His tone of voice was ice-cold. The teacher nced at Tommy who was sitting on a chair. She said, "Good day to you, Mr. Crawford. I''m sorry for disturbing you. Tommy isn''t feeling well. Do you want to pick him up and bring him home?" "Mm. I''ll go over now," Luke said and handed the phone back to Jason. He stood up and took his coat that was hanging at the side. After Jason ended the call, he asked, "Are you going to Tommy''s school, Boss?" "Tommy isn''t feeling well. I''ll have to bring him to the doctor," Luke said. Over the past few years, Luke had been taking care of the children himself. He would only delegate those tasks to the driver and the caretakers if he had to go on a business trip. He never let Bianca do anything for the children. Luca instinctively stood up. She seemed worried. Luke noticed all that. "Should I go with you?" Jason said. "Stay here and talk with each of the researchers. Make a note of the amount of funding they want," Luke said. "Yes!" Jason nodded and watched Luke leave. Luca remained on the spot. When she estimated that Luke had already gone into the elevator and went downstairs, she turned to speak to Jason," I''ll go downstairs and continue my work, Mr. Doyle." "Mm. Take care, Dr. Craw." Jason watched her leave. He rubbed his chin curiously, thinking that how Luca called him Mr. Doyle" sounded very simr to the previous Bianca. He wondered if his boss had taken an interest in Luca. However, her voice was the extent of Luca''s simrities to Bianca. As far as Jason knew, Luke had reunited with Bianca two years ago, and Luke would not be interested in any other woman. The more Jason thought about it, the more confused he was. His intuition told him that Luke was acting strangely, but he did not think that Luke was that kind of person. Chapter 1153 Chapter 1153 There Must Be a Reason After Luca left the CEO''s office, she did not go anywhere else other than the elevator lobby. She was surprised when she saw Luke standing there waiting for the elevator. It had been quite some time, but the elevator had not arrived yet. It was then that she realized that they were not in T Corporation, and Luke did not have a personal elevator in the Watson Biopharmaceuticals building. It should not have been surprising that Luke would be waiting for sometime. Luke must have heard her footsteps because she was not sneaking, and it would be very suspicious if she tried to run away. Luca had no other choice but to approach him. "Mr. Crawford." "Mm." Luke nodded. His eyes remained transfixed on the elevator disy. The elevator had not arrived yet. Luca stood some distance away from him. She thought for a while and asked, "Is Tommy okay?" "I don''t know. I''ll have to bring him to the doctor," Luke said. He ced his hands in his pockets, and he looked cool and handsome. Luca nodded. She was worried about Tommy, but she did not say anything. The elevator arrived at the top floor. Luke went inside first and held the door open. Seeing that Luca had no intention of going in, he ordered, ¡± Come in." Luca could not refuse, so she went inside. Luke pressed the button for the basement parking lot, then pressed the button for the Technical Department. Luca stood there stiffly. She lifted her head to look at the decreasing numbers on the disy. "Are you worried about Tommy?" Luke said. "I think I have an affinity with that child," Luca said. "He wants you to be his godmother." Luke nced at her side profile. She was wearing light makeup, and she looked like a blooming rose in the wilderness. "Can I refuse?" Luca said. She could ept that she would not be able to reconcile with her child, but she could not ept that she would be her child''s godmother. "You can," Luke said. The elevator stopped at the Technical Department. The elevator doors opened, and Luca did not want to stay in the elevator for an extra second. She breathed a sigh of relief as she heard the elevator closed behind her. She noticed that Cole was standing not far away and looking at her. "Dr. Kidman." Luca was not interested in office politics, but she had to be polite. "I learned a lot from your presentation today, Dr. Craw. If you''re free, shall we have a chat?" There was a hint of appreciation in Cole''s eyes. He thought that Luca was not very capable, but it turned out that her research held far more value than what he had. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. He did not have to think too hard to conclude that Luke had approved a big amount of funding for her. "Sure." Luca was not fond of that man, but she had to remain diplomatic. Cole continued, "Mr. Crawford asked you to meet him in his office earlier. Is it about your projects?" "Yes," Luca replied curtly. She had just finished speaking when Mo came over and said, "Dr. Cole, Mr. Doyle wants to meet you upstairs." Cole frowned. "Why is it Mr. Doyle?" He wanted to speak with Luke about the funding. "I don''t know," Mo replied with a smile. Cole shot a nce at Luca. Luca got to meet with the CEO, but he only got to meet with the assistant. Luca noticed that Cole was looking at her. She exined, "Mr. Crawford had to leave because of an emergency." "I see." Cole pped his hands and said, ''Til be going up then." Luca smiled, watched him leave, and went back to her office. Cole was someone who craved power. She had to exin herself because she did not want him to have the wrong impression of her. She did not really care if Cole misjudged her personality, but she did not want Cole to think that there was something going on between Luke and her. Luke drove the car to Tommy''s school. The boy was sitting in the teacher''s office waiting for him. "Daddy." Tommy smiled when he saw Luke. He jumped off the chair and walked toward him. Luke touched his forehead to check the temperature, but it was not very warm. "Are you alright?" "I''m a little dizzy." Tommy leaned on him and pouted. Luke took his hand. "Mm. I''ll bring you to the doctor." Tommy''s teacher handed Luke an early leave form. "Please initial here, Mr. Crawford." Luke nodded. He took out a pen from his pocket, signed his initials on the form, and brought Tommy away. "They look really outstanding." The teacher could not help but exim as she watched the father and son leave. "It''s toote to have a crush on him. He''s already married," another teacher joked. "I''m not having a crush on him. I''m just saying." The teacher blushed. Luke drove the car to the hospital. Johann had already been waiting for him in the consultation room. When he saw Luke and Tommy walk in, he said jokingly, "I wish that you won''te and look for me only when you need something. How about making a donation? We need a new block. Some research funding will be good too. "Is your hospital short of money? Stop that nonsense." Luke ced Tommy on the chair and said, "Tommy says that he''s dizzy. Take a look at him." Johann pinched Tommy¡¯s cheek. "What''s wrong, Tommy?¡± Tommy blinked and said, "I don''t know, Uncle Johann. I feel really dizzy." "You''re feeling dizzy. Let me check," Johann said. He ran a few tests but did not find any problems. "Are you sure that you''re feeling dizzy, Tommy?" he asked seriously. "Mm!" Tommy nodded. Johann continued, "Where do you feel unwell? Is it here, or here?" Tommy pointed to several parts of his body. "Here, and here." Johann frowned. "Well...¡± "How is it?" Luke asked. "It''s nothing serious," Johann said as he removed his stethoscope. "He didn''t sleep wellst night." Tommy blinked. "How do you know, Uncle Johann?" "That must be why you''re feeling unwell, isn''t it?" Johann patted his head. Luke looked at his son and frowned. "There''s nothing wrong?" "Nope. He just needs to rest early today." Johann did not want to tell Luke that the child was faking it. Tommy waspletely fine, but Johann could guess that there was a reason he was faking his sickness. Tommy nodded and told Luke, "I should be fine after resting for a bit, Daddy!" Luke nodded. "Let''s go." Tommy jumped off the chair and took his hand. Seeing that they were about to leave, Johann said, "Hey, what about my consultation fees?" Luke nced at him with a withering gaze. "How much?" Chapter 1154 Chapter 1154 The CEO''s Son Knows Luca Johann shuddered when he met Luke''s gaze. He wagged his hand and said, "Never mind. I wouldn''t dare to take your money." When Luke heard that, he took Tommy''s hand and left the room. Johann shrugged and shook his head. "Why does he look like he''s never satisfied? I don''t get it. He''s already married, but he''s so scary." The nurse captain happened to walk into the room. When she heard Johann talking to himself, she smiled and asked him, " Which married man is so scary?" "It''s nothing." Johann resumed his serious expression. "Is there anything?¡± "The patient in Room 36 isining that he''s feeling unwell. Are you free to check on him?" The nurse captain asked. "Mm." Johann hung the stethoscope around his neck and left the room. Luke brought Tommy back to his car. ¡¯TH send you back home." "No, Daddy!" Tommy did not want to go back to Crawford Manor. "I want to apany you, Daddy." Luke was about to start the car when he heard that. He turned his head to look at Tommy in the backseat and asked, "Are you nning something?" "What are you talking about, Daddy? Tommy doesn''t understand." Tommy pretended to be oblivious. He rarely referred to himself in the third person. Luke confirmed his suspicions and called him out, "You''re pretending to be sick, right?" "Uncle Johann says that I''m unwell." Tommy blinked, though he was thinking, ''Why is Daddy so smart?'' "I''m sure it''s only because he doesn''t want to call you out." Luke would not deserve to be the boy''s father if he could not tell that. Tommy stuck his tongue out. "Tell me why are you pretending to be sick," Luke asked. "Uncle Jason said that you''re at the newpany." Tommy missed Luca and wanted to meet her again. He pretended to be sick so that Luke would pick him up, and he would be able to go to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. "How did he tell you?" Luke asked as he started the car. "Ms. Lina said that she can''t get through to you, so I told her to call Uncle Jason''s number. That was how I got to know about it from him." Tommy blinked. "Bring me there, Daddy. I want to meet Ms. Luca again." "Alright." Luke did not refuse, but he warned his son, "I''ll let you off this time. Don''t do it again. I''ll bring you there after lunch." "Thank you, Daddy!" Tommy said happily and fastened his seatbelt. The car arrived at Watson Biopharmaceuticals, and Luke brought Tommy upstairs. "Where is Ms. Luca, Daddy?" Tommy asked. "I''ve already pressed the button," Luke said. Tommy found the button and memorized the number. At the Technical Department, Luke did not bring him directly to Luca''s office. Instead, he brought him to the assistants'' office. "Boss?" Rhett was the only person inside. He stood up when he saw Lukee in, but his gaze soon turned toward the little boy. That boy was a spitting image of Luke! "He must be your son," Rhett said. "Mm." Luke shot a nce at Tommy and let go of his hand. "Help me look after him." "Ah, yes." Rhett nodded. He did not expect that he would have to take care of the CEO''s child one day, but the child seemed to be amiable. After that, Luke left Tommy in the office while he went upstairs for work. Tommy looked around the office. "Where''s Ms. Luca?" "Do you mean Dr. Craw?" Rhett was surprised that the CEO''s son knew who Luca was. "Yes, yes! I''m here to look for Ms. Luca!" Tommy nodded and blinked. "Is she here, Uncle?" Rhett was about the same age as Luca, and he did not think of himself as particrly avuncr. "Dr. Craw isn''t here," Rhett said. "Stupid Daddy, he told me that he was bringing me to meet Ms. Luca! He lied to me!" Tommy wanted to storm out of the office when he heard that. Rhett quickly held his hand and said, "She''s in another office." Tommy instantly smiled when he heard that. "Oh? Please bring me to her, Uncle!" Rhett could only nod. "Alright." Tommy cheered and thanked him, "Thank you, Uncle!" As Rhett brought the boy to the researchboratory, he rubbed his chin.1 Uncle? Do I look that old?'' Rhett did not find Luca in the researchboratory, so he brought Tommy to Luca''s office. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Mo noticed that Rhett was bringing a child around. She went up to ask him curiously, "Whose child is he, Rhett?" "He''s the boss''s child," Rhett replied. The child was friendly and easy-going, even though he had been calling him "Uncle." Earlier, in theboratory, Rhett had told him not to touch the equipment, and he was quite obedient. None of the other children he knew would be that obedient. "Are you the boss''s babysitter now?" Moughed. She bent over and smiled at Tommy. "Hey, li''l Boss, do you want a snack? I have plenty of snacks." Tommy frowned, not tempted by the snacks. He said, "I don''t eat snacks, Ma''am. I want to meet Ms. Luca!" "Ms. Luca?" Mo was not used to Luca being referred to by her first name. "He means Dr. Craw," Rhett said and brought the child away with him. Mo became more and more curious. She did not expect Luca to be friends with the CEO''s daughter. That was irrefutable proof that Luca knew who their CEO was before she was employed, i No one would believe Luca if she said otherwise! Mo smiled. She was fond of gossip, and the biggest subject of gossip was in the Technical Department. ''This is interesting...'' She resolved to find out more about the covert rtionship between the CEO and Luca. Rhett brought Tommy to Luca¡¯s office and knocked on the door. "Come in." Luca''s voice was heard from the inside. Rhett twisted the doorknob. It was not locked, so he pushed the door open and went inside. When Tommyid his eyes on Luca, he immediately ran over, "Ms. Luca!" Luca was shocked when she heard that familiar voice. By the time she lifted her head, Tommy was already in front of her. "Tommy?" Tommy syed his arms on the table and said, "I miss you, Ms. Luca. Do you miss me?" Luca patted his head and turned to look at Rhett, who was standing at the door. Rhett understood what Luca was implying. "If there''s nothing else, I''ll be returning to my office," he said. "Mm. Please close the door," Luca said. Rhett nodded and left, closing the door behind him. Only Luca and Tommy were left in the office. Luca''s heart melted when she saw Tommy blinking at him. Her tone became gentle. "Of course I miss you. Why are you here though?" Chapter 1155 Chapter 1155 The Most Delicious Dinner "Don''t worry, Ms. Luca. I didn¡¯t sneak out this time. Daddy brought me here! " Tommy smiled sweetly. "Ha, I hope you won''t do that again!" Luca took the opportunity to discipline the child. She hoped that he would not run away from home again. If he ran away again, he might not be so lucky. "Don''t worry, Ms. Luca, I won''t!" Tommy reassured her. Luca remembered that Luke said that Tommy was sick. She ced her palm on his forehead but did not think that he was having a fever. Tommy thought that Luca''s hand was warm, and it had given him an inexplicable sense of security. "What are you doing, Ms. Luca?" he asked. "Aren''t you feeling unwell? I thought you''d be having a fever," Luca said. Tommy shook his head. "I lied to Daddy. I''m feeling very healthy!" Luca was relieved when she heard that, though she pretended to re at him. "You''re such a naughty boy. You shouldn''t lie to your Daddy." "I wouldn''t be able to meet you if I hadn''t lied to Daddy, Ms. Luca," Tommy said matter-of-factly. He did not think he did anything wrong at all. "I''m only telling a white lie. All I wanted was to meet you." "Naughty." Luca gently flicked the back of his hand. "Don''t you want to see me, Ms. Luca?" Tommy asked. "I''m happy when a handsome little boy wants to meet me, but you shouldn''t do that next time. It''s not good to lie." Luca stood up, held his hand, and led him to the couch. "Understand?" "Yes!" Tommy thought that he would not have such opportunities often. He would not have made up an excuse to skip school if he did not know that his father was going to Watson Biopharmaceuticals today. "Ms. Luca, can I have dinner at your house tonight?" Tommy asked. Luca raised an eyebrow. "Why do you want to have dinner at my home?" "I miss your cooking, Ms. Luca," Tommy said with a grin. His n was working. Luca remembered that Amur was living in her house now. He might be trustworthy, but she did not want Tommy to meet another person from the Ind of Despair. She could only say, "I can''t promise you anything. I might need to work overtime today, and your Daddy, who is also my boss, might not agree with your n." "What if Daddy dopes?¡± Tommy frowned and said. "We''ll see about that." Luca was quite sure that Luke would not agree to it. He would want to bring the boy back to Crawford Manor. "Alright, we''ll see what Daddy says!" Tommy decided that he would try to convince his father. Luca nodded. She knew what Tommy was thinking, but she was not worried. She knew Luke very well. Once he was set on something, nothing would be able to persuade him to change his mind. The only person who could do so was Bianca. She was quite unhappy when she thought about the impostor Bianca. Tommy might have told her that Luke and the impostor Bianca had been sleeping separately, but Luca was worried that the little child might not have seen the entire picture. "Ms. Luca! Ms. Luca?" Tommy saw that she was lost in thought, so he tugged her shirt sleeve. Luca came to her senses and looked at the little boy. "Yes?" "You should finish your work so that you don''t have to work overtime, Ms. Luca. You''ll have to cook a delicious dinner for me tonight," Tommy said. He hade to Luca''s office to meet her, but he did not want to distract her from her work. He was quite empathic! "What about you?" Luca asked. Her office did not have a television, and she had to use the other electronic devices for her work. "You don''t have to worry about me, Ms. Luca. I brought a book!" Tommy smiled and took out a general knowledge book from his backpack. "Alright then. You can read while I finish my work on hand." Luca was at ease when she saw that Tommy could keep himself upied. She returned to her chair and resumed her work. Luca reproduced the steps of Shanks''s research and did not discover any problem. Not feeling very convinced, shepared his data with hers one more time. If she realized that something was wrong, she would immediately terminate the experiment. If that happened, she would have to bring out another project to cate Luke and the other people. Tommy was sitting on the couch reading his book. asionally, he nced at Luca and could not help but grin when he saw her hard at work.1 She''s so pretty," he thought. He wished that he could live with her forever. Just when she was about to go off work, someone knocked on her door. She thought that Rhett was bringing the experiment results in. "Come in," she said without asking the person outside to identify themselves. When the door was opened, Tommy hopped off the couch and ran over." Daddy!" Luca''s expression stiffened, and she lifted her head with much difficulty. When their eyes met, Luca wanted to lower her head again. However, that would seem very awkward, so she did not do it. She stood up and greeted him courteously, "Mr. Crawford." "Mm." Luke nced at the couch. On it was Tommy''s backpack and a book. He did not see any snacks, juice bottles, or tablets. How did Luca manage to get him to sit still for an entire afternoon? Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Luke thought that it was quite unbelievable. He knew that Tommy could hardly sit still, and the boy could only concentrate on something for two hours at most. No matter how interesting a book might be, he would only be able to read it for two hours maximum. After that, he would be moring for snacks or games. Looking at the scene, he guessed that Tommy had been reading the book in Luca''s office for the entire afternoon. Was what Luca said true, that she had an affinity with Tommy? Otherwise, how could he exin why Tommy would sit there for an entire afternoon? When he thought about that, he looked at Luca again. "Are you going off work, Daddy?" Tommy asked. "Mm, yes. Let''s go home." Luke came to his senses and looked away from Luca. "Go and pack up." He pointed at Tommy''s book and backpack. Tommy remembered Luca''s promise. He tugged his father''s shirt sleeve and said, "Can we not go home yet, Daddy?''" "Why?" Luke asked. "I want Ms. Luca to make dinner for me. She cooks really delicious food. Can we go and have dinner at her house?" Tommy said. ''Dinner?'' In the past, Luke would have rejected the thought instantly. Bianca had already made the most delicious dinner for him. Bianca''s cooking was different from others. She only cooked for him. Unfortunately, she had lost her memories, and her cooking skills were lost forever. Chapter 1156 Chapter 1156 Tricked by Luke and Tommy However, when Luke heard Tommy''s suggestion, he was suddenly interested in trying Luca''s cooking. He looked at Luca and asked her, "Would it trouble you?" Luca was about to say that it would trouble her very much, but Tommy spoke before she could. "Ms. Luca says that it''s okay as long as you agree." Luca was speechless. The child was always faster than her. "Alright, sorry to impose on you then," Luke said. She felt as though the two were ganging up on her. Cooking was not something hard for her, especially after Tommy stayed over in her house. She had regained her confidence in her cooking skills. However, she hoped that Tommy and Luke would note into contact with the other people from the Ind of Despair. She was afraid that Amur might give away something if he knew who Luke was, even though Amur might be worried about her. She did not want to put N in danger just to satisfy her selfish needs. "Yay!" Tommy pped his hands and cheered. "I have something to tell you, Mr. Crawford." There was only one excuse left to keep them out of her house. "Speak." Luke gazed at her. She did not know what Luke was thinking. "My stove is broken, and I haven''t found someone to fix it yet, so I can''t cook," Luca said while kneading her hands. It was not very convincing, but it was a reason nheless. If her stove was broken, he could not force her to cook. Luke was about to say something when Tommy spoke first. "Huh? What brand is it, Ms. Luca? Why did it break so easily?" Luca felt a little embarrassed, as though Luke and Tommy had seen through her lies. However, she could only tell more lies to cover up her previous one. "The stove belongs to myndlord. It might have broken because the previous tenant abused it." Tommy nodded. He could think of many solutions just so that he could eat Luca''s cooking. "Don''t worry, Ms. Luca, you cane to my home and cook." "Huh?" Luca did not expect Tommy to think of that. She shook her head and said, "That''s not very convenient, isn''t it? Don''t you have a cook at home?" "We don''t have a cook at my house," Luke said. Crawford Manor had a cook, but his house did not. Luca was taken aback. ''My house? ''Is it the one I''m thinking of?'' "Yay, this is great! You cane to my house and cook, Ms. Luca." Tommy pped his hands, happy that his father was helping him. Luca knew that she had run out of excuses. She would not be able to leave if she did not make dinner for Luke and Tommy. She could only nod and agree. Luke nodded. "Pack up. We''ll be leaving soon." That line was spoken to both Tommy and Luca. Tommy went to the couch and put the book in his backpack while Luca tidied up her desk and ced her research notes in the safe. Every office was equipped with a safe so that no one else could steal the proprietary information. If any outsiders got their hands on the projects, thepany would suffer huge losses. Luca took off herb coat and put on her jacket, wore her cap, and left with Luke and Tommy. The three people walked toward the elevator. It was only the second day of operations, so many people had not started on their projects. Moreover, it was already way past office hours, so there was no one else in the Technical Department. The elevator doors opened, and the three people went in. Tommy stole a nce at Luke, then turned his head to look at Luca. He giggled when he thought that they looked like a family of three. Most importantly, Tommy did not seem to mind it at all. He had never liked any woman that tried to suck up to Luke. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. As the elevator doors slowly closed, Luca felt that the atmosphere was quite awkward. "What would you like to eat, Mr. Crawford?" She asked. "I''ll eat anything that you cook," Luke said. Luca''s heart skipped a beat. The answer was quite perfunctory, but she was somehow moved. ''What''s going on with me...'' "Mm, alright." She nodded. She lowered her head and looked at Tommy," How about you, Tommy? What would you like to eat?" Til eat anything that you cook, Ms. Luca." Tommy did not specify any particr dish either. Luca thought that it was very troublesome to cook for Luke and Tommy. She knew all their favorite dishes, but she could not cook only those. Otherwise, they might suspect that she was trying to suck up to them. Luca decided that she would decide what to cook after going to the supermarket. "Can you make some more food, Ms. Luca?" Tommy said. "Oh? Why?" Luca did not understand. "Daddy is a big eater, so you should make more food. He won''t be able to sleep on an empty stomach. The doctor says that you''ll get a headache if you don''t sleep well." Tommy tried to find an excuse for his greed. ''Didn''t he say that he was sick?'' The elevator arrived at the basement parking lot. Luke went to bring the car while Luca and Tommy waited in the lobby. Tommy held Luca''s hand tightly in case she tried to escape. "Ms. Luca," he called out. "Hm?" Luca lowered her head to look at the child. "You don''t have to worry, Ms. Luca. Daddy and I aren''t picky eaters. He''s used to eating good food, but he''s really not picky. Last time, my Mommy wanted to cook something for him, but she made a charred omelet. We didn''t eat it, but Daddy ate the entire thing. He''ll definitely love the food you cook for him." Luca patted her son''s head. She knew that he did not want her to be too anxious. However, her heart wrenched when she heard that Luke was so tolerant of the impostor Bianca. She even felt pity for him. "That''s because your Daddy loves your Mommy," she said. "No, he''s not picky." Tommy was stubborn. "Alright, he''s not picky then. Why did you tell that to me though?" Luca smiled and said. "That''s because your hands are mmy. Uncle Johann said that you have mmy hands when you''re feeling uneasy. Are you feeling uneasy now, Ms. Luca?" Tommy asked. As far as he remembered, Luca''s hands were always warm. "Yes. Your Daddy is my boss, you know," Luca said with a smile. There were many reasons that her hands were mmy, but the biggest reason was Luke. "Don''t worry, Ms. Luca. If Daddy wants to fire you because of your cooking, I''ll run away from home again!" Tommy said while thumping his chest. He was ready to protect her. Chapter 1157 Chapter 1157 Looking at Luca Luca shook her head helplessly and said, "Didn''t you promise me that you won''t run away from home anymore?" Tommy stuck his tongue out. He could be a little reckless whenever he was anxious. "I was just saying it for fun, Ms. Luca." He took her hand and rubbed it against his cheek. Luca could not help but smile when she saw how Tommy was acting. She patted the boy''s head. Luke sat in the car and observed their interactions. There was a motherly glow in Luca''s gaze. That expression could not be faked. Luke could sense that Luca''s feelings were genuine. Tommy looked to his right, and his eyes sparkled. "Daddy''s car is here, Ms. Luca." Luca looked at the car that was slowly approaching them and nodded." Mm." Tommy moved to the back while Luca helped him open the door. After Tommy went inside, Luca prepared to sit beside him when he said, "You should sit next to Daddy, Ms. Luca." "Huh?" Luca nced at the side passenger seat. She felt a little awkward. The side passenger seat made her too close to Luke. It would be bad if a reporter caught them together again. Tommy urged, "Daddy will be bored if he''s sitting alone in the front. You should apany him." Luca did not know what to say to him. If other people found out, they would think that she was trying to suck up to Luke. She pinched Tommy''s cheek and sat inside the car. "Won''t you be bored if you''re sitting alone in the backseat? Let me apany you, alright?" Tommy thought about it and nodded, "Alright, Ms. Luca." Luca smiled and closed the door. She felt a lot more at ease when she sat next to Tommy. If she had to sit next to Luke, it would have been a nerve-wracking experience. Luke nced into the rearview mirror to ensure that the two people had fastened their seatbelts. He stepped on the gas pedal, and the car drove away. Tommy leaned on Luca, and he could feel that she was very nervous. He kept on talking to calm her down. The childish voice echoed in the car. Luca looked at him lovingly and replied to him. Luke drove toward the apartment. The apartment had been vacant ever since Luke and the children moved back to Crawford Manor. Nobody went there except for the cleaners. "Are we going to the apartment, Daddy?" Tommy looked out of the car window and recognized where they were heading. "Mm." Luke nodded. He nced at Luca through the rearview mirror again. Even though it was only a casual nce, Luca noticed it. When she did so, her heart skipped a beat. Luke turned his gaze back to his driving. "There''s a supermarket in front. You can get the ingredients there." "Yes." Luca nodded and looked out of the window. The surroundings hadrgely changed over the past three years, though the supermarket remained the same. Luca remembered that she used to buy food ingredients at the supermarket so that she could cook for Luke and the children. Luke parked the car at the roadside. Luca put on her cap and prepared to step out of the car. "I want to go too, Ms. Luca,'' Tommy said. Luca turned around to look at him and shook her head. "I''ll be back very soon, Tommy. You and..." Luca paused. She nearly said, "You and Daddy should wait in the car." Luke would definitely suspect something if she said that. Her abrupt pause made Luke suspect something anyway. That tone of voice sounded familiar... He turned his head to look at the woman who was about to step out of the car. Lucaposed herself. "You should stay in the car. I¡¯ll be very quick." Tommy pouted because he did not want to be apart from Luca. "But Daddy! " He turned to look at Luke. "Wait in the car," Luke said. He understood the reason behind Luca''s decision. The papers were still having a field day on the scandal. If the paparazzi managed to take another photo of him shopping in the supermarket with Luca, Old Master Crawford''s previous efforts would have gone to waste. Earlier, he received a call from the Crawford Manor butler. The reporter was nowhere to be found, and Old Master Crawford could only suppress the news by money and connections. Luke was not afraid of being implicated in the scandal, but Bianca would definitely throw a tantrum. He would rather Bianca not give him any more trouble. There was nothing they could do if they could not find the reporter. After all, some other scandal would soon rece the headlines. Tommy pouted when he heard his father''s order. ''Can''t he see that I want to get closer to Ms. Luca?'' Luca put on the cap and said, "HI be back soon." Luke nodded and watched her exit the car and go into the supermarket. Tommy suddenly leaned forward and said, "You can look away now, Daddy. "What are you talking about?" Luke turned his head away. He did not seem flustered when his son caught him staring. "You were staring at Ms. Luca earlier," Tommy said. "Didn''t you do the same thing?" Luke did not hesitate to call him out too. "I can do that, but you can''t. You''re already married," Tommy wagged his head and said. Even though he did not think that the woman in the home was his real mother, he could not argue with the fact that they were legally married. Luke''s gaze turned profound when Tommy mentioned Bianca. "You''re only a child, so you can''t stare at her either," he said, feeling inexplicably frustrated. He took out a cigarette, then put it away when he realized that he should not smoke in front of his child. "Hmph, I''ll grow up one day!" Tommy crossed his arms and protested. He looked like a little adult. Luke remembered that when he had firste back from Russia, Tommy would always be very possessive of Bianca and be in the way when he wanted to be intimate with her. Luke could tell that Tommy was behaving the same way toward Luca. Usually, Tommy was friendly and cute, but he would keep a distance from other people. Luca was somehow different. "Tommy," Luke called his child''s name. "Why do you like Ms. Luca so much?" "Because she''s nice," Tommy said with a smile. "Because she gave you snacks?" Luke remembered that Tommy was carrying a pile of snacks when he was first found. He knew that his child was not so easily bribed, so there must be some other reason. "Do I look like I can be bribed by snacks?" Tommy nced at his father contemptuously. "I like her from the moment I set my eyes on her!" "You''ve already said that you''re a child. She''s not going to wait until you grow up." Luke dressed him down. Somehow, he felt ufortable when he saw Tommy being so close with Luca. Was he feeling indignant for Bianca? Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Luke quickly rejected that thought, but he could not find another exnation. Chapter 1158 Chapter 1158 Cooking for Luke and Tommy Tommy looked at Luke, who seemed to be lost in thought. "What are you thinking, Daddy?" he asked. "Nothing." Luke did not tell him about his confused feelings. He had only met Luca for only a few days, but why did she seem so familiar? Tommy did not ask him any further questions. He returned to his seat and waited for Luca toe back. Wagging his legs, he mumbled to himself, "I wonder what would Ms. Luca cook for us today?" That made Luke think of the same question too. Meanwhile, Luca went into the supermarket and quickly ced fresh food ingredients into her basket. She knew that Tommy and Luke were both picky eaters, so she had to be meticulous. She devised a recipe as she picked up the food ingredients. After that, she realized that there should be no seasonings or spaghetti in the apartment, so she added those to the shopping basket. Luca approached the checkout counter with a full shopping basket. It was the evening rush hour, so the queue was very long. By the time she came out of the supermarket, it had already been half an hour. She rushed toward the car while carrying two shopping bags. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Tommy saw hering from afar and happily opened the car door. "You''re finally back, Ms. Luca!" Luca put the two bags in the car before sitting inside. She nced at the man in the driver''s seat and blurted an apology. "I''m sorry, there are a lot of people in the supermarket." "It''s fine." Luke saw her red face in the rearview mirror. She had been walking hastily while carrying two seemingly heavy shopping bags... Luca raised her head and looked at the rearview mirror too. Luke was taken aback. Aftering to his senses, he started the car and drove toward the apartment. In the car, Tommy looked at the two bulging shopping bags excitedly with sparkling eyes. "Why did you buy so much food, Ms. Luca? Daddy might be a big eater, but he won''t be able to finish everything." Luca patted his head and exined, "There''s also spaghetti and seasonings inside." "Oh!" Tommy nodded. Luke overheard that while driving. He was impressed that Luca was meticulous enough to guess that there was no seasonings or spaghetti at the apartment. When they arrived at the apartment, Luca brought the two shopping bags out of the car. After her training on the Ind of Despair, she did not find those bags heavy. "Let me help you, Ms. Luca." Tommy behaved like a gentleman. Luca did not let go of the bags. "I can do it myself. They''re not very heavy." "Daddy..." Tommy turned around to look at Luke, who was walking behind them. "Can you help Ms. Luca?" "Mm." Luke nodded and said to Luca, "Allow me." Tm fine..." Before she could finish her sentence, Luke had taken the shopping bags from her hands. When Luke bent over to take the bags, she could smell the familiar cold and sharp scent of mint on him. Luca''s eyes reddened slightly. That was his unique scent. Every sleepless night on the Ind of Despair, she could not help but think of him. Luke took the bags and headed toward the elevator. An elevator happened to be waiting on their first floor, and the three people went in. Luca was seized by a wave of emotions when she saw Luke press a familiar button. That used to be her home too... Luca''s phone started ringing and interrupted her thoughts. She frantically took her phone out and saw that it was Amur calling her. It was not appropriate for her to answer the call because Luke was nearby. She rejected the call, then sent a text message to Amur, saying that she would have to work overtime and not be home for dinner. Very quickly, Amur replied with his acknowledgment. Luca put her phone away. "Who was it?" Luke asked. Luca was taken aback by the question. "It was a telemarketer." Luke did not ask any further questions, even though he knew that she was lying. She would not have replied to a telemarketer with a message after rejecting the call. Luca gently lowered her head. When she heard the elevator doors open, she lifted her head again and saw Luke stepping out of the elevator. Tommy shook her hand. "We''re here, Ms. Luca." "Mm." Luca nodded and walked out of the elevator with the boy. Tommy let go of Luca''s hand and ran happily toward the door. He keyed in the passcode and unlocked the door with a click. "Come in, Ms. Luca!" The boy waved excitedly at Luca. Luca smiled. She looked at Luke and saw that he was still standing at the door... Suddenly, she felt a little nervous. "Go in," Luke said, noticing the slight change in her expression. Luca nodded and went inside. Luke took the two shopping bags and went to the kitchen. "The kitchen is over there, Ms. Luca," Tommy said excitedly. "Alright." Luca looked at Tommy. His enthusiasm seemed to have affected her, and she could not help but smile. She did not expect that he would be so excited over a meal. Luca looked around the living room. The furnishings remained the same; it was as though she had stepped into a time machine and returned to three years ago. Her gaze fell on the television, and she could see her face on the reflective surface. Luca was brought back to the present. She did not travel through time; it was just that nothing had changed. The only thing that changed was herself. Her face and role were different, while Tommy had grown taller. Luca looked away, unwilling to see her face. She lowered her head and said to Tommy, Til be going into the kitchen." "Alright, Ms. Luca." Tommy nodded and sat on the couch. His parents had told him that children should not go into the kitchen, so he did not follow. In the kitchen, Luca saw Luke taking out the items from the shopping bags. She saw him put a pack of spaghetti on the kitchen counter and told him," Let me do it." Luke stepped aside. He was not familiar with the workings of a kitchen. Without saying a word, Luca quickly took the items out of the shopping bags and arranged them on the kitchen counter. Luke furrowed his brows slightly as he observed her doing that. There was a certain order to the items. The order seemed somewhat familiar too. "Is that also how you arrange your items?" Luke asked abruptly. Chapter 1159 Chapter 1159 Habits Luca was surprised. She had not put too much thought into how she arranged her items, and she had done what she always did. Three years ago, Luke would asionally step into the kitchen to watch her cook. He had even asked her about how she arranged the items, and she had patiently exined it to him... "Also?" Luca was flustered for a second, but she soonposed herself. She turned her head to look at him. "Have you seen someone else arrange her items like this?" "My wife," Luke said. "She used to arrange her items like this." Luca nodded. That was how she had arranged her items since she was young. Even though she had not stepped into the kitchen for three years, she could remember how to do it when faced with a variety of items. "I learned this method from the Inte. This way, I can efficiently find the things I want, and that''ll help me cook faster. Not only that, but I also arrange my apparatus like this when I''m in theb. I won''t have to waste time looking for the things I want." Luke nodded. He stared at the kitchen counter, thinking of something. It was normal for two people to share some simrities. Perhaps Tommy was fond of Luca because she shared some simrities with the Bianca from before. How about him then? Luke was confused. He had never approached another woman so readily and hoped to know her better. That was not how he usually acted. Seeing that Luke was still standing there, she said, "Can you leave the kitchen for a while, Mr. Crawford? I''m not used to someone watching me cook." She was afraid that Luke might catch on to some of her other quirks. She did not expect that Luke knew her so well, that he could think of the previous Bianca just by watching her arrange the items on the kitchen counter. Luke might not have thought that Luca and the previous Bianca were the same person, but she could not bear to see the confusion in his eyes. What had she done to make the man so concerned about her? Luke nodded and left the kitchen. Luca breathed a sigh of relief, though she felt very dejected. Earlier, she hoped that Luke would suspect her for the slightest bit. He did not, and everything was just as usual. Luca took out the rest of the items from the bags in a daze and prepared to cook. Luke sat on a chair in the dining hall and listened to what was going on in the kitchen. The door was open, and he could hear everything clearly. His gaze became even more profound as he heard her turn on the tap. Everyone had their method of arranging items, and it was impossible that the two people could behave so simrly. Luca''s exnation earlier was quite far-fetched. "What are you doing, Daddy?" Tommy thought that the cartoon on the television was boring, so he ran over to the dining hall. "Nothing," Luke said. He did not want to tell his son what he was thinking. Luke''s phone rang. It was from Bianca. Luke answered it. "Luke, the butler said that you and Tommy aren''t not having dinner at home tonight. Do you have a business dinner to attend?" Bianca''s voice was heard from the other end of the phone. Luke looked at Tommy, who was sprawled over the table. "I''m working overtime today." "With Tommy?" Bianca felt a little suspicious. When Sean, the driver, came home and said that Luke had taken Tommy from school, she did not think too much about it. It was only when she got to know that Luke was noting home for dinner that she began to wonder what was happening. "Tommy wasn''t feeling well earlier. I picked him up from school, and he''s now in thepany with me," Luke exined. "If that''s the case, should I send some food over?" Bianca felt a little more at ease after hearing his exnation. Whenever there was a change in Luke''s schedule, she would immediately think that it had something to do with Ivana. "There''s no need. We''re getting food delivered." Luke looked at Tommy. He was grinning cheekily, as though telling him that he should not have lied. However, he had to tell the lie. If he told Bianca his current location truthfully, she would definitely overthink and go crazy. Bianca was toozy to go to T Corporation anyway; it was quite far from Crawford Manor. She would not have said that if not that she had to pretend that she cared. She was quite happy when Luke said that she need not go. "Alright then,e back soon." "Mm,¡± Luke replied and ended the call. Tommy was grinning. "You shouldn''t lie, Daddy." "I wouldn''t need to tell a lie if not for your cravings," Luke said with a straight face. "You only agreed to my suggestion because you also want to try Ms. Luca''s cooking, don¡¯t you?" Tommy said. He was smart enough to tell what his father was thinking. "Don''t tell anyone else what we did today," Luke said. "I know!" Tommy also knew what was going on. He ced a finger in front of his lips and blinked. "This is a secret between me, Daddy, and Ms. Luca!" Meanwhile, Luca was very busy in the kitchen. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Tommy was only a child, so he would not realize that her cooking tasted exactly like the previous Bianca''s cooking. However, Luke was not the same. She realized that Luke had remembered Bianca¡¯s mannerisms, so she had to change the way she cooked so that they did not taste the same as before. Luca was doing all she could so that Luke did not suspect that she was the real Bianca. She finished cooking one and a half hourster. After tasting the dishes and finding that they were different from before, she served the food on the dining table. "That smells really good, Ms. Luca!" Tommy cheered. Luca could not help but smile. "Let''s eat. Go and wash your hands." "Yay!" Tommy held Luke''s hand. "Wash your hands, Daddy!" Luke nodded slightly. He shot a nce at the food on the table and realized that he was looking forward to eating it. Her method of arranging things was the same as Bianca''s. Would her cooking taste the same too? Luke brought Tommy to the sink while Luca ced individual portions of food on different tes. She handed a child-sized te to Tommy, then another te to Luke. "Thank you, Ms. Luca!" Tommy smiled brilliantly and began to shovel spaghetti into his mouth. "Let''s eat." Luca sat opposite him and nced at Luke. "Won''t you give it a try? If the food doesn''t suit your tastes, I can fix it in the kitchen." Chapter 1160 Chapter 1160 Her Reluctance "Your food is amazing, Ms. Luca!" Tommy said cheerfully as he picked up a pork chop. Luca smiled and stole a nce at Luke. He was eating a fish fillet, and she could not discern his expression. She could tell if Luke was enjoying the food or not. Luke ate silently without saying a word. Not speaking while eating had been a good habit of his. Luca silently nibbled on a piece of broli. The only sounds around the dining table were from Tommy eating loudly. When the father and son fought over thest fish fillet, Luca could feel the rivalry between them. "There''s more in the kitchen," she said, not expecting that the dish would be so popr. Luke was not going to fight his son for a fish fillet. He pulled his hand back, and Tommy gleefully took the fish fillet away. Luca hastily picked up the te. "I''ll go and get some more for you, Mr. Crawford." Luke shot a nce at her bowl and said. "Don''t worry about it. You''ve been eating only vegetables." "Huh?" Luca realized what he was saying and quickly nodded. "Alright." She picked up a pork chop and ced it on her te. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. She knew that Tommy loved her pork chops, so she had not taken any for herself. Luke''s gaze turned profound when he saw how Luca ate carefully in small bites. She was well-mannered, as though she was well-taught in etiquette. After dinner, Tommy patted her bulging stomach and burped. "Your cooking is really delicious, Ms. Luca. I hope I can eat your cooking every day so that I''ll be tall and strong!" Luca smiled as she cleared the table. "Just leave it. The cleaner wille tomorrow," Luke said. "Alright." Luca did not insist. She nced at the father and the son and said, "Do you want some fruit?" Tommy''s eyes sparkled. "Yes, Ms. Luca!" He wanted to eat everything that Luca prepared for him. Luca smiled when she saw Tommy''s face. She walked into the kitchen, brought out a bunch of grapes on a te, and ced it on the dining table. Tommy blinked. "You''re amazing, Ms. Luca. How do you know that I love grapes?" "Do you love grapes? Then you should eat more." Luca pushed the te in front of him, then looked at Luke. "It''s gettingte, Mr. Crawford. I''d like to go home." I''ll give you a ride," Luke said. The sky waspletely dark, and it was already quitete. Luca refused. "It''s fine. I''ll catch a cab myself. Bye." After that, she walked toward the door. Luke had the sudden urge to rush up to her and insist on sending her back home. However, he did not do so. He was in a daze as he saw the door open and close. "Why didn''t you stop her, Daddy?" Even Tommy could tell that Luke was about to stand up. "Eat your grapes." Luke''s expression darkened. He shot a nce at the grapes. They were fresh and were still coated in water droplets. "Oh," Tommy said and continued to eat the sweet and juicy grapes. After leaving the apartment, Luca caught a cab and went home. The surrounding scenery only made her feel mncholy. Back at her apartment, she pushed the door open and saw that Amur had been waiting for her. She smiled and said, "I''m home." "Wee home." Amur could tell that she was exhausted. He said out of concern, "Did you have a lot of work to do today?" "No." Luca saw Amur''s equipment on the table. "Is it time that you went on the mission?" "Yes." Amur nodded. His target was back in the country, so it was about time to act. "Take care." Luca went over to the coffee table, inspected his equipment, and patted his shoulder. After Amurpleted his mission, he would be going back to the Ind of Despair, and she would be alone once more. "Mm." Amur grinned sheepishly. Luca nodded. She knew the rules of the Ind of Despair, so she did not ask him any details about his mission. "I won''t bother you then. I''ll be sleeping soon," she said. "Alright." Amur was polishing his weapon. The retractable long sword was his weapon of choice when he had resolved to protect Eler and Luca. He had been carrying the weapon with him for three years, and his fighting skills had improved considerably. After Luca went back to her bedroom, Amur took out a ck listening device from his pocket and stuck it to the underside of the coffee table. He was worried that Luca might face some difficulties after he left, so he decided to nt a bug in the apartment that mighte in useful someday. After installing the bug, he packed up his equipment and went to his bedroom. Before he closed the door, he stared at the tightly shut door of Luca''s bedroom. He held his breath and heard nothinging out of her bedroom. Luca did not know that Amur had a very keen sense of smell. She had told him that she was working overtime, but he could smell the scent of oil and smoke on her. If she had been working overtime, why would she be cooking? After Tommy finished his grapes, he and Luke returned to Crawford Manor. In the car, Tommy wagged his legs and smiled. "Daddy, don''t you think that Ms. Luca''s cooking is amazing?" "It''s not bad," Lukemented. Tommy sighed. "Her cooking tastes a little different today though. Thest time she made fish fillets for dinner, they tasted exactly like how Mommy used to make them." "Is that so?" Luke paid no heed to what Tommy said. After all, Tommy was still a toddler back then. He would not have remembered how Bianca''s cooking tasted like. "Daddy, we should invite Ms. Luca for dinner more often," Tommy said. If his father could invite Luca for dinner, he would be able to eat Luca''s delicious cooking more often. Luke nced at his son. He wondered if the cook at Crawford Manor was doing a bad job. "Daddy?" Tommy waited for his reply. If his father would agree to his request, he would be able to regrly eat Luca''s cooking. "She''s not our cook. We shouldn''t trouble her," Luke said. Luca might not have said anything, but Luke could tell that she was reluctant to have them over. Even at the workce, Luke could sense that Luca was trying to keep her distance from him. "I don''t think Ms. Luca finds it troublesome." Tommy pouted. It was the first time that he had an instant liking of a stranger. "Alright, we shouldn''t talk about this when we get home. You wouldn''t want Mommy to worry, would you?" Luke saw that they were nearing Crawford Manor. He reminded his son not to speak about Luca in front of Bianca. "I won¡¯t." Tommy covered his mouth to show that he would keep it a secret. He saw what happened the day before yesterday, and he would not want to bring any trouble to Luca. Luke pressed a button on his remote, and the front gate slowly opened. He drove the car inside. Bianca stood on the second floor and watched Luke''s car enter the garage. She put on her jacket, thought for a while, and went downstairs to greet him. Chapter 1161 Chapter 1161 She Is Our Mother Tommy skipped into the living room, and Bianca walked toward him and said gently. "You''re back home sote, Tommy. Are you hungry?" Tommy could sense the reluctance in his mother''s voice. He shook his head and said, "I''m not hungry." Bianca smiled. She was already used to Tommy''s coldness toward her. She then turned to Luke and said, "I''ve saved some chowder for you, Luke. I''ll heat it up for you." "Don''t worry about it, Bea. I had a big dinner," Luke said. He had eaten a lot in the meal earlier, but he did not tell Luca or Tommy. "Ah..." Bianca nced at Tommy, who was already heading up the stairs. She continued, "Alright then. You must be tired. I''ll go and prepare the bathwater for you, then you can take a bath and sleep." Luke was not really convinced by the concern Bianca showed him. "It''s fine, Bea. I still have some work to do. If you''re tired, you should go to bed first." Bianca maintained the smile on her face even though Luke had refused her offer. She had already expected Luke to refuse. She went up to him and hugged him. "Alright then. You shouldn''t sleep sote though. Also, try to come home for dinner. I''d be worried if I don''t see you or Tommy." Luke''s profound gazended on her face and paused there. "Okay," he said. "I''ll go and throw away the soup in the kitchen. It''ll smell if I leave it overnight," Bianca said gently. "Mm." Luke nodded and went upstairs. Bianca went into the kitchen and opened the door of the microwave. There were two bowls of chowder inside. One was for Luke, and the other was for Tommy. She took a bowl out and threw the contents into the trash can. As she watched the gooey droplets trickle from the bowl, her expression gradually turned vicious. She had given her heart to Luke, but Luke had ignored her! Bianca remembered that she smelled the scent of perfume on Luke when she hugged him. The perfume belonged to another woman! She had honed her sense of smell on the Ind of Despair. Even though the scent was very faint, she could tell that it was not car perfume but the perfume of a woman. Moreover, she had never caught that scent on him before. Bianca''s grip on the bowl slowly tightened. The veins bulged on the back of her hand. It was an ugly sight. Rainie happened to step into the kitchen and witness that scene. She was shocked. "Mommy?" Bianca came to her senses and quickly hid her vicious expression. She smiled at Rainie and said, "Yes, Rainie?" "It''s nothing." Rainie shook her head. She had wanted to take a ss of water in the kitchen, but she did not expect to see that vicious side of Bianca. The suspicion in her heart grew. Was the woman in front of her really her mother? Previously, her mother would not have that expression on her face even if she were really angry. Earlier, she thought that her mother had be an ugly witch that ate little children for breakfast. Bianca ced the bowl in the sink and said, "It''s already sote. Why aren''t you in bed yet?" "I want a ss of water." Rainie came to her senses and poured herself a ss of water. Even though Bianca''s expression had returned to normal, she still felt afraid. When Bianca saw Rainie gulp down the ss of water, she stepped up to her and wanted to pat her head. Rainie instinctively dodged. "Rainie?" Bianca pretended to look hurt, though she was wondering if Rainie had seen her expression earlier. Rainie smiled to try to hide her fears. "I''m going to bed, Mommy. Good night." "Mm." Bianca nodded. After she watched Rainie leave the kitchen, she took the other bowl out of the microwave and poured its contents into the trash can. She put the bowl in the sink and quickly went upstairs. Among the three children, Rainie was the friendliest to her. The girl was her key to getting close to Luke. She did not want to lose that key! Bianca went upstairs. She tried to go into Rainie''s bedroom, hoping that she could improve their rtionship. When she tried to twist the doorknob, she realized that Rainie had locked the door. Bianca''s expression stiffened. She knew that the children had never locked their doors when they went to bed, especially Rainie. She tried twisting the doorknob again and failed to open the door. Bianca did not want to call out her name either, so she could only leave. Rainie had been standing behind the door. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard her mother''s footsteps fading away into the distance. She realized that what her brother said was correct. There was indeed something weird about their mother... Rainie did not want to believe it, but from what she saw earlier, she had no choice but to admit it... She crouched on the floor in fear and began to tremble. The next day, Rainie woke up earlier. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she went in front of Lanie''s bedroom. "Lanie, are you awake?" She knocked on the door instead of going in. "I''m awake," Lanie said. Rainie opened the door and went inside. She saw her brother sitting at his desk reading a book. She closed the door, locked it, then went up next to her brother. "I have something to tell you, Lanie." Lanie put the book down and looked at his younger sister. "What is it?" "Yesterday, I..." Rainie told Lanie about what she saw in the kitchen. They were twins and had a tacit understanding of each other, so Rainie did not need to exin in detail before Lanie knew what she was trying to tell him. "Are you sure about what you saw?" Lanie frowned, though his handsome face remained mostly impassive. "I''m very sure, and I''m not mistaken," Rainie said. She was not sleepy when she went into the kitchen to get a ss of water, so she was sure that she saw it clearly. Bianca''s ghastly expression gave her a nightmare. "What should we do now, Lanie?" Rainie said worriedly. "Now, she''s our mother." Lanie rubbed his chin. He thought that something was not quite right. "I don''t think that she''s our mother. Our mother used to be so gentle and kind. She wouldn¡¯t show that expression on her face." Rainie sat on the bed defeatedly. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "You''re finally suspecting her." Lanie patted his sister''s head. He could tell from her eye bags that she did not sleep well the night before. "Yes. Why don''t we tell Daddy?" Rainie nodded. There were not many people in the family that they could trust. Other than their father, the only other person was Old Master Crawford. "We can''t." Lanie shook his head and reminded him, "Have you forgotten that Daddy has the DNA test report?" When Tommy threw a tantrum because he did not want to ept that Bianca was his mother, Luke had convinced the children with the DNA test report. "What should we do?" Rainie said, frustrated. "I have a way!" Lanie suddenly thought of something. He leaned close to Rainie and whispered something. Chapter 1162 Chapter 1162 Suspecting Something Rainie nodded as she listened to what her brother said. Soon, they heard a knock on the door and their butler''s voice. "Master nche, Miss Rainie, are you two inside?" "We''re here!" Lanie and Rainie said at the same time. "It''s time to go downstairs for breakfast. Otherwise, you''ll bete for school, " the butler said. The two children were usually punctual at the dining table, but the butler did not see them, so he went upstairs to remind them. "It''s Founder''s Day at our school today, Mr. Griffin. We don''t have to go to school," Rainie said. The butler thought for a while and realized that it was the case; he had forgotten about it because he had been too busy. "I see. However, your Great-Grandpa is waiting for the two of you downstairs." Old Master Crawford might dote on them, but he was also strict toward them. The children were not supposed to sleep in, they had to eat three meals a day, and they had to exercise three times a week. Those were the rules that Old Master Crawford had set for them. "We know. We''ll go downstairs soon,¡± Lanie said. The butler went downstairs. "Do you understand what I told you?" Lanie looked at Rainie. "Yes, Lanie." Rainie nodded to show her understanding. Lanie opened the bedroom door, and the twins went downstairs. Tommy was already at the dining table eating his breakfast. When Old Master Crawford saw the twins, he asked them, "What were you doing in the room? "Good morning, Great-Grandpa. It''s a school holiday today, so Lanie and I were discussing what we should do for the rest of the day." Rainie smiled sweetly and sat next to Old Master Crawford. Tommy''s eyes sparkled when he heard that. "I want a school holiday too!¡± "You''ll have to go to school," Lanie said coolly. Tommy went to a different school than the twins. "No, Lanie. I wanna y with you." Tommy wished that he could have a holiday so that he could go and visit Luca. Lanie pretended to ignore Tommy. They could not involve their younger brother in their n today! Before Tommy could say anything, the driver came into the dining hall. "It''s time to go to school, Tommy." Tommy nced at his elder siblings, but they said nothing. His pleading gaze turned toward Old Master Crawford. "Great-Grandpa..." "Didn''t you already have a day off from school yesterday? You should go to school today." Old Master Crawford did not coddle him. Tommy could only pout and leave with his backpack. Lanie and Rainie exchanged nces. Eventually, Rainie said, "Great Grandpa, Lanie and I would like to go to Simon''s house to y. Can we?" "Simon? That Holston kid?" Old Master Crawford narrowed his gaze. "Yes!" Rainie hugged Old Master Crawford''s arm. "Our teacher told us that we should get along with our ssmates, so we thought of taking the opportunity to improve our friendship with him." That was what Lanie asked Rainie to tell the old man. It was much more convincing when it came out of Rainie''s mouth. "Yes, you can, but you''ll have to let Uncle Zander bring you there," Old Master Crawford said. "Yes, Great-Grandpa." Rainie smiled sweetly and winked at Lanie. The first step of their n was a sess. While Sean brought Tommy to school, Lanie and Rainie waited for him at home. After breakfast, Rainie went upstairs and knocked on the master bedroom door. "Who is it?" Bianca''s voice was heard from inside. "It''s me, Mommy." Rainie took a deep breath, trying hard not to be reminded of the horrific scene yesterday. "Rainie? Come in," Bianca said. Rainie pushed the door open and saw Bianca sitting on the bed. She seemed to have woken up not too long ago, and her hair was disheveled. She did not look gentle at all. She remembered that her mother used to have a gentle gaze even though her hair and clothes were disheveled. That made her want to go closer. The woman in front of her did not give her that impression at all. "It''s gettingte, Mommy. You should eat your breakfast soon. It''s not good for your health if you eat your breakfast toote." Rainie leaned on the doorframe. She was as caring as an angel. Bianca looked at the time and realized that it was indeed quitete. "Good girl. Right, why aren''t you at school yet?" She asked. "It''s Founder''s Day today. You should get cleaned up. Otherwise, GreatGrandpa won''t be happy," Rainie said. Bianca was instantly reminded of that annoying old man. She narrowed her gaze and said, "Alright, I''ll go and wash my face now." Rainie smiled. She watched Bianca walk into the bathroom, and she tiptoed into the room the moment the bathroom door was closed. To hide the sound of her footsteps, she asked, "What would you like to eat for breakfast, Mommy? The food is getting cold, so I''ll ask the cook to heat it up for you." "Toast is fine. Thank you, Rainie," Bianca said. Rainie went to the bed and saw a few strands of hair on it. She picked up two strands and said, "Alright, I''ll let the cook know." She left the room with the strands of hair. Lanie was already waiting for her in the living room. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Rainie ced the strands of hair into Lanie''s palm and said, "I''ll go and tell the cook to prepare breakfast for Mommy. Otherwise, she''ll suspect us." Lanie nodded. He held the strands of hair tightly in his palm and went to his bedroom. Both of them suspected that Bianca was not their real mother, so they had to confirm it forthemselves. While Rainie told the cook in the kitchen to make some toast for Bianca, Old Master Crawford grunted. He was not happy that Bianca waszy. In a moment, Bianca slowly walked down the stairs while yawning. "If you''re still sleepy, you should go back to sleep. You don''t have to eat breakfast," Old Master Crawford said. Bianca smiled. She was used to Old Master Crawford acting so hostile toward her. "I haven''t been sleeping well recently, Grandpa. I didn''t mean to Old Master Crawford red at her. Was she the same woman that Luke married? He regretted telling Luke to find Bianca no matter what it took. If he had known that Bianca''s personality would change so drastically after she lost her memories, he would rather the three children grow up without a mother! Bianca went directly into the living hall, not waiting for Old Master Crawford to retort. Rainie and Lanie walked down the stairs. They were carrying their backpacks. Lanie said, "Great-Grandpa, Uncle Zander is already here. Can we go to Simon''s house?" "Of course you can. You''ll have to mind your manners when you''re at someone else''s house, alright?" Old Master Crawford did not expect that the twins would be good friends with Simon, though he did not suspect anything. Chapter 1163 Chapter 1163 Blow It Up Everyone in the Crawford household knew that Lanie considered the Holston boy his rival. That was why Old Master Crawford nagged him a little. "Yes, Great-Grandpa. I''ll make sure that Lanie won''t fight with Simon," Rainie said. "Yes, you should." Old Master Crawford waved his hand. He was not worried when the twins looked out for each other. After they left the living room, Lanie protested, "What nonsense were you on earlier?" "Great-Grandpa was worried that you''d pick a fight with Simon. I was only reassuring him that you won''t," Rainie said with a smile. "Nonsense. I can''t be bothered to pick a fight with Simon." Lanie said coolly. His hands were in his pockets, and he looked like a mini version of Luke. He only fought with Simon to protect his sister. Lanie looked at his sister, who was skipping out of the house, and thought that she would not understand what her brother did for her. Sean was already waiting for them in the garage. After the twins got into the car, he drove the car and left the house. Bianca happened to look out of the window of the dining hall and saw Sean''s car leave. ''Didn''t they say that it''s a school holiday today? Where are they going?'' She wondered. She walked into the living room and saw that Old Master Crawford was reading the papers. "Grandpa, where are the children going?" Old Master Crawford frowned. Why would she care about the children? "Don''t you know?¡± He retorted with an usatory tone. Bianca was taken aback. Why would she know about her children''s whereabouts if they did not tell her? She was nning to use the holiday to improve her rtionship with Rainie. However, Rainie had left the house, and Bianca did not know where she was going. "They didn''t tell me, Grandpa," Bianca murmured. She knew that Old Master Crawford was unhappy, and she had to pretend that she was at fault. "They''re going to y with the Holston kid," Old Master Crawford said coldly. Bianca frowned when the Holston name was mentioned. She knew that the real Bianca had some interaction with the Holston family, and that made her feel uneasy. "I''ll refill your tea for you, Grandpa." Bianca saw that Old Master Crawford was reaching for the teapot. She once again tried to get in his good graces. Hopefully, Old Master Crawford would tell her what the children were doing. "No, thanks." Old Master Crawford shook his head. He did not let go of his grip on the teapot handle. "You can go and mind your own business." Bianca pressed her lips together and slightly narrowed her gaze. There was a hint of resentment in her eyes. Old Master Crawford was impassive toward Bianca''s aggrieved silence. He poured the tea into his cup, and the fragrance soon filled the entire living room. Bianca sniffled and said, "I''ll go upstairs then." "Mm.¡¯ Old Master Crawford did not have too many words to spare. Bianca turned around and nced at the old man, thinking that she would eventually take over the household one day. He would be lucky if he died before that. If he had not, she would not show any mercy to him! Bianca went into her bedroom and looked at the luxurious furnishing. She thought that it was not enough. In the entire Crawford Manor, she could only move between two ces -- the dining hall and the bedroom. She felt that she was more like a guest in the house! Bianca was not satisfied. She sat on the couch and thought of the scent of perfume that she smelled on Luke''s body. She would have to take the initiative, no matter if the other woman was Ivana or someone else. When she thought about that, she made a phone call to the reporter. "I have another deal for you," Bianca said candidly. The reporter was having a good time in the safe house. He ced his legs on the table and wagged them. "What is it, Mrs. Crawford?" I''ll give that woman''s information to you. You know what to do with it," Bianca said. "Is that it? You want to further blow up the scandal?" The reporter was surprised. Usually, any other wife of a wealthy individual would want to cover up the news to protect their husbands'' reputation. He had never met someone who behaved like Bianca. "Yes. Blow it up. I''ll reward you handsomely," Bianca said. "The woman in the photo is an employee of Watson Pharmaceuticals. You should know what to do with that information, right?" The reporter instantly understood. "Are you very sure that you want the scandal to blow up?" "After you publish the news, pay attention to your bank ount," Bianca replied. The reporter was happy that not only did he get to live luxuriously, but he was also well-paid. He agreed to Bianca''s request readily. "Yes, no problem. You''ll see it in the evening edition," the reporter said. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Meanwhile, the two children arrived at the Holston residence. Lanie had already informed Simon in advance, so when the driver parked the car at the entrance, they saw Simon waiting for them at the gate. "You''re here, Rainie." Simon grinned when he saw Rainie. He wanted to go closer to her. Lanie instantly shielded his sister behind him. "Stay away from my sister, Simon Holston." Simon shrugged helplessly when he saw how protective Lanie was to his sister. "You''vee to my house to y with me. How are we going to y together if I have to stay away?" Lanie was ring at him as though he would punch him if he dared to approach Rainie. Simon said to Rainie, "Rainie, your brother is being unreasonable." Rainie ced her hand on Lanie''s shoulder and grinned. "That''s because he loves me. Can we go into your house?" "Of course you can." Simon put on the demeanor of a gentleman. "This way please, Rainie." Rainie smiled and turned her head to speak to the driver. "You can go home for now, Uncle Zander. Well call you when we want to go home." "Yes. Please enjoy yourselves." The driver went into the car and left. After watching the driver leave, Rainie said to Lanie, "Should we go now?" "Wait for a moment." Lanie looked at Simon. "We shouldn''t go by ourselves. "Hey, what do you want to do? Aren''t you here to y with me? My dad recently built a game room for me. It''s super cool. Come in quick," Simon said. He did not know what the twins were nning. Rainie ignored that. She was not interested in games, and furthermore, she had some other important business. "What should we do now, Lanie?" She asked her brother. "Simon, do you want to go and y outside?" Lanie looked at the confused Simon. He knew that if he had not protected Rainie behind him, Simon would have already pounced on her. Chapter 1164 Chapter 1164 Looking for A Doctor "Huh? You want to go out and y?" Simon looked at Rainie and nodded his head. "Yeah! Let''s go out and y!" "Then let''s go out and y," Lanie said. He could not think of an excuse for the driver to take them to the hospital, so he thought of getting Simon to help him instead. "Where are we going?" Simon asked. "You''ll know very soon. Right, is your driver at home?" Lanie said. "Of course. I''ll get him to drive the car over now," Simon quickly ran inside. Rainie knew what her brother was nning, though she was quite worried." Lanie, do you think Simon will help us?¡± "You''ll see." Lanie was confident. Rainie nodded and said nothing. She did not think that taking advantage of other people was wrong as long as they could confirm their mother''s identity. Moreover, Simon would not lose anything. Five minutester, the Holston family driver drove a car over. Simon opened the car door and waved at them. "Come in, Rainie." Rainie looked at her brother. "Let''s get into the car." "Mm,¡± Lanie said coolly and stepped inside. He sat in the middle seat and waved at Rainie, "Come in, Rainie." "Yes, Lanie." Rainie nodded and stepped into the car. Simon kneaded his hands and looked at Lanie, who was sitting between him and Rainie. "Hey, nche Crawford, how about if I swap ces with you?" "No." Lanie insisted on protecting his sister.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "You..." Simon was frustrated when he looked at Lanie''s cold demeanor. The twins were sitting in his family''s car, but Lanie acted as though he owned the car. However, he felt a lot better when he looked at Rainie''s sweet smile. The driver asked, "Where are we going?" "To Central Hospital," Lanie said. "Master nche, are you feeling unwell?" The driver became worried when he heard that Lanie wanted to go to the hospital. "No. A bookstore recently opened near the hospital. Let''s go there and take a look." Lanie did not even blink when he told the lie. "Aren''t we going out to y? What''s so fun at a bookstore?" Simon immediately protested. He always got a headache whenever he read a book, so he was not keen to visit a bookstore. "Are we going to the bookstore? Yay! I''ve heard that there¡¯s a cafe selling many tasty desserts too. Let''s go there!" Rainie caught on to her brother''s story. "Yep, that''s the one." Lanie nodded. The twins made a perfect team. "I''d love to go there." Rainie blinked and looked at Simon. "Simon, shall we go there?" Simon was charmed when he saw that Rainie''s eyes were sparkling. He nodded and said without hesitation, "Yes." The driver started the car and drove away. Twenty minutester, the driver stopped the car near the hospital. He looked around the ce, then checked the area on the map application." Where''s the bookstore you were mentioning, Master nche? I can''t find it on the map." "It''s newly opened, so the maps aren''t updated yet. Sir, can you drop us off at the hospital entrance?" Lanie said. The driver did so. Rainie opened the car door and stepped out, after which Lanie got out of the car too. When the driver saw that, he said, "Master nche, Miss Rainie, where are you going?" "We won''t take too long. Can you wait for us here?" Lanie did not want the driver to follow them. "I''m afraid that''s..." Before the driver could finish his sentence, he saw Simon getting out of the car too. "Master Simon!" "I''ll go with them." Simon was afraid that he would not get to y with Rainie, so he decided to follow them. "Ah, that''s..." the driver wanted to follow them, but he could not park the car here. He drove to a nearby parking lot and used the tracker to track down Simon''s location. Simon''s father knew that Simon was naughty and did not want bodyguards to escort him. That was why he made him wear a tracker so that the adults could always track his location. Simon followed the twins into the hospital. Seeing that they were heading straight to the lobby, he could not help but ask, "Rainie, nche Crawford, where are you going?" "We''re looking for a doctor." Now that they were at the hospital, Lanie did not hide the truth from Simon. "Are you feeling unwell?" Simon asked. Lanie stopped and looked at the chattering boy. They were the same height, but Lanie looked a lot more mature. "Any more questions from you, and you''ll get back in the car," he threatened. Simon pouted. "I don''t wanna get back into the car. I want to be with Rainie. Lanie did not stop Simon from following them into the hospital lobby. A nurse saw the three children wandering in the lobby without any adults with them. She could not help but to go toward them and ask, "Why are you here, children? Are you lost?" Before Lanie could say anything, the Holston family driver rushed over." I''ve finally found you, Master Simon." The driver was worried when he saw Simon''s signal enter the hospital. How was he going to find the boy when there were so many floors? Simon looked at the driver and nodded. Then, he looked at Lanie. Lanie pointed at the driver and said, "We''re not lost. He''s our guardian." The nurse looked at the driver and nodded. "Alright. The hospital is very big. Try not to go too far away from your guardian." "Yes. Thank you, Miss Nurse!" Rainie said sweetly. The nurse patted their heads. Lanie took the opportunity to ask, "Miss Nurse, where is theboratory department?" "It''s on the fifteenth floor," the nurse said. She was extremely happy when the children called her "Miss Nurse." Lanie nodded and went to the elevator. Rainie followed behind him, while Simon followed behind her. The Holston family driver did not know what was going on, so he followed them. The four people took the elevator to the fifteenth floor. The driver and the children stepped out of the elevator. "Master nche, Miss Rainie, what are you doing here?" Lanie turned around and looked at the Holston family driver. Just like the Crawford family driver, he was dressed in a suit, and he looked more formal than some of the hospital staff. "Uncle Clement, can you help us with something?" he asked. Chapter 1165 Chapter 1165 Meeting the Twins The Holston family driver felt pressured when the three children looked at him at the same time. Simon seemed to be on Lanie''s side, and he did not think that he could refuse. He could only nod and say, "How can I help you, Master nche?" "Help me fill up a form," Lanie said. He was only a child. The nurse might not ept the hair sample that he wanted to get tested. It should not be a problem if the Holston family driver helped him. The Holston family driver could only agree. Meanwhile, Luca was working in her office. It was a peaceful day because Luke was not there. She went to theboratory with a stack of documents. She had asked Rhett to help her input the data. After half an hour in theboratory, her phone rang. Rhett happened to look at her phone screen. He said, "Dr. Craw, it''s a long string of numbers. Shall I reject the call for you?" He thought that it was a scam call. "No." When Luca heard that, she put away the test tube in her hand and answered the call. "This is Luca." "Miss... Luca, I''m at the hospital. Can youe over?" Amur''s voice was heard. Luca could hear that his voice was weak. "Why are you in the hospital? What happened?" She asked. "I''m... I''m hurt." Amury on the bed and bore with the pain while the nurse bandaged him. The nurse had asked him if he wanted to be sedated. He refused. There was a rule on the Ind of Despair that they should not be sedated on a mission, in case they divulged any secrets while they were unconscious. Luca immediately stood up. "Are you at Central Hospital? I''ll go over now." "Yes, thank you." Amur''s lips were pale from the pain. He did not want to trouble Luca, but he did not have any money on hand, and he could not pay the bill. Calling Luca was hisst resort. After Luca ended the call, she took off her gloves. Rhett could tell that she was worried about something. "What happened, Dr. Craw?" "My younger brother is in the hospital, and I''ll have to leave. Is Dr. Kidman here?" Luca hastily packed up her documents. She would have to inform her department lead before she could leave. "I think Mr. Kidman went out for something," Rhett said. "How about you fill out an emergency leave form, and I''ll hand it to Dr. Kidman?" "I guess that''ll do." Luca was very worried about Amur''s condition. She brought her documents back to the office, hastily filled up a form, and handed it to Rhett before leaving. She rushed to the hospital and found Amur there. The nurse had dressed him with bandages. She could not see the extent of his wounds under the thick layers of bandages, but she could tell that he was seriously injured. "How are you?" Luca frowned when she saw his pale face. His pallor meant that he had lost a lot of blood. Indeed, he was currently undergoing a transfusion. "I''m fine. It was... an ident." Amur was in pain, but he maintained a smile on his face. Luca knew that he had encountered someplications during his mission, but she did not know how dangerous his mission was. The nurse saw Luca and came over. "Are you the patient''s family?" "Yes. I''m his elder sister," Luca said. The nurse looked at Amur''s face, then at Luca. ''Elder sister? Are they biologically rted?'' Despite her curiosity, she did not forget the main reason she was there." The patient needs to be admitted. You''ll have to pay the treatment fees and the deposit before we can admit him. Can you settle the payment?" Luca nodded and said, "Yes. I''ll do that now." She turned to Amur and asked him, "Do you have your ID?" "Yes... it''s... in my jacket," Amur said. His pain caused him to speak haltingly. Luca found his passport in his jacket pocket. The cover was stained with blood. Luca wiped it with a napkin before leaving the room. The hospital was crowded, and she did not receive any special treatment. She had to stand in line and wait. At the same time, the Holston family driver brought the three children over. Lanie had made up a story for him. He pretended to be their father, and he wanted to perform a DNA test because he suspected that his wife cheated on him and the children were not biologically rted. The nurse saw that the three children looked very different from the driver and did not ask too many questions. In fact, she felt some pity for him. Simon had threatened the driver that he would lose his job if he did not obey what Lanie said. He could only shut up andplete the rest of the procedure. "You''re so smart, Lanie!" Rainie was amazed that Lanie had gotten the test done so easily. "It''s all thanks to him." Lanie shot a nce at Simon. Without Simon and his driver''s help, it would have been much more difficult toplete their mission. It was much easier for a child to navigate the adult world with the help of an adult. Rainie smiled at Simon and said, "Simon, can we treat you and Uncle Clement to lunch?" "Really?" Simon was happy that the girl of his dreams invited him for lunch. "Yes!" Rainie nodded. "Yay! Thank you, Princess Rainie!" Simon pped his hands. Luca was shocked when she heard the name "Rainie." She turned around in disbelief and saw Lanie and Rainie. Fate worked in mysterious ways, and she did not expect to see the twins at the hospital. Rainie was smiling and looking in her direction. Luca''s hands trembled. She quickly turned away in case they recognized her. "Where are we going for lunch, Rainie?" Simon asked. "You can decide where you want to have lunch. It''s our treat today. Uncle Clement, you can let us know if you have any ce in mind," Rainie said. Luke had given them a lot of pocket money. Luca was in a daze when she heard their conversation. She realized that the children would not recognize her because she looked totally different now. Feeling dejected, she turned her head to look at the children asionally. She did not hide it very well, and Simon happened to notice it. He whispered to the twins, "Rainie, that woman over there keeps on stealing nces at you." Rainie looked in the direction he was pointing and noticed Luca. When their eyes met, Luca instantly turned her head away as though she had done something wrong. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Lanie also looked in that direction. Simon noticed that Luca was acting awkwardly. He whispered, "I think that she''s a bad person. Don''t worry, Rainie. I''ll protect you!" Chapter 1166 Chapter 1166 You Can''t Tell a Bad Person From Their Face Rainie was not impressed by Simon''s bravado. She turned her head to look at that woman''s back and said, "Lanie, I don''t think that she''s a bad person." "Mm." Lanie was staring at that woman''s back too. Simon saw that his friends were staring at the woman as though they were bewitched. He could not help but mumble, "You can''t tell if a person is good or bad from their face." "Shut up, Simon," Rainie said while continuing to stare at the woman. When it was Luca''s turn at the counter, she hastily paid the bill and left without looking at the children again. She returned to the emergency room with the receipt. After the nurse verified it, she arranged for Amur to be admitted. Luca looked at Amur lying on the bed. "Are you hungry, Amur? Do you want to eat something?" "I''m not hungry." Amur shook his head. The nurse had told him that he would have to stay in the hospital until they removed his stitches. That would be seven dayster, and he did not want to stay there for so long. "Luca..." he wanted to tell Luca about getting discharged early. Luca shook her head. "Don''t think about leaving so soon. You''ll have to listen to the doctor.¡± "I''m fine. You''ve studied medicine before, right? My wounds aren''t that serious, they''re just a little deep," Amur said. He could not get out of the bed in case the movement tore his wounds. "That doesn''t mean that you can be discharged tomorrow. We''ll see what happens when your wounds have scabbed over. Also, I can''te to the hospital that often. I''ll hire a caretaker for you, and if language is a problem, you canmunicate with her through a trantion app," Luca said. Their blood was enhanced with a drug that encouraged scabbing. It would still take three days before he could be discharged. "Alright." Amur nodded and agreed. Luca nced at the medication that the doctor had prescribed him. The drugs encouraged healing and replenished blood levels, and there were also nutritional supplements. With the IV drip, Amur would not feel hungry. She said, "I''ll charge your phone, Amur. You can call me if you need anything." "Alright." Amur blinked. He only troubled Luca because he did not have money. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. If he got injured and did not contact her, she would probably think that he had returned to the ind after he sessfullypleted his mission. Luca walked to the door, but she suddenly turned around and said, "You have to take care of yourself, Amur." "I will." Amur smiled at her. When Luca left the hospital, she happened to see the Holston family driver leave the hospital with the children. She hid behind a tree and watched the car leave while sighing reluctantly. Ever since she returned to A City, she had been busy doing Abel''s bidding and trying her best to hide from the people she knew. Other than Luke and Tommy, she did not want to see anyone else. She was not being cruel, but she did not want to be reluctant to leave them when she would eventually have to. However, Luca realized that she wanted to see them very much. When she thought of that, Luca did not take a cab back to thepany. Instead, she went to the Norman residence. Nothing much changed in A City in the past three years, though the Norman family had some changes. Two years ago, Jack retired from his post despite being at the peak of his career. He did so to apany his wife. Leia was sent overseas on the pretense of furthering her studies, and she had never returned since. Luke yed a part in ensuring that she would not be able to return to the country. Luca had investigated all that before she returned to A City. She also knew that her mother''s health had declined after so many ordeals. "We''re here, Miss," the driver told her. Luca came to her senses. She paid the fare, thanked the driver, and stepped out of the car. The Norman residence stood in front of her. The gates had not changed, but she could not go in. To the Normans, she had be a stranger. Luca sighed. There was no ce for her to sit down, so she could only stand under the shade of a tree and hope that she was lucky. If she was lucky, she might get to see her parents. Queenie came out of the house. She wore a thin shirt in the warm weather because she was weak, and she held a pair of hand pruners in her hand. She wanted to prune the roses in the yard. Jack came out of the house with her and said, "If you''re not feeling well, you shouldn''t abuse yourself. The gardener will be here in two days." "The flowers will wilt in two days." Queenie smiled and shook her head. Her face was pale. "I¡¯m fine. I''m only pruning the flowers. It won''t be too taxing on my body." Those roses were Bianca''s favorite. Bianca might have lost her memories and would note to visit them, but Queenie wanted to tend to the nts in case Bianca mighte over one day. "Sigh, you never listen," Jack said helplessly. He reached toward her hand pruners and said, "Let me do it." "You don''t know how to." Queenie shook her head. Jack might be a good writer and orator, but he had no talent for gardening. "I can learn. You''ll be my teacher, right? I''d like to find something to do," Jack said as they walked across the yard. "Yes, I know that you''ve been bored after you''ve retired. I feel like I''ve always been a burden to you, Jack." Queenie felt mncholy. If she had been healthier, Jack would not have retired so soon. The doctor had said that she needed the apaniment of her family, and she should not overthink. When Jack heard that, he submitted his resignation without any hesitation. Later, someone tried to persuade him to return to his post, but Jack refused. "Don''t say that. I''m getting older, and I can''t be as active as before, so it''s not surprising that I''m feeling bored. However, I''m happy as long as you''re by my side. You''re never a burden, Queenie. I''m so lucky to have married you." Jack was not a particrly romantic person, but he could not help but say that when he saw Queenie''s graying hair. Queenie smiled. She felt a warm current flow through her heart. It was one of the rare times that Jack had bared his heart to her. The seasoned politician had willingly retired to take care of her, and there was nothing else that she could ask for. Marrying the man was the best decision she had made in her life. Chapter 1167 Chapter 1167 She Could Not Apany Her Parents The couple went to the rose bush in the yard. Queenie told Jack which flowers he should cut so that the future blooms would not be affected. After they were done, Queenie sat in the gazebo and wiped off the sweat from her face. Jack noticed that herplexion was quite pale. He asked her out of concern, "Do you want to rest in the house?¡± "No, it''s cool and windy here. I feel much better after sweating," Queenie said with a smile. Jack sat down beside her. Queenie took his hand and said, "Jack, I have a craving for the apple pie they sell in the cafe at the street corner. Shall we walk over there?" "You''d better not walk around. I''ll buy it for you," Jack said. Queenie held her hand and shook her head. "I''m not that fragile, Jack. I''d like to sit in the cafe with you and enjoy some dessert, just like what we used to do in our younger days." After she married Jack, Jack was busy with his work, and they always tried to find time out of their busy schedules to enjoy some apple pie in the cafe. The memories from those years gone by were still fresh in her mind. "Alright." Jack did not want to see her tire out, but he could not refuse her request. He reached out to Queenie. "Come, let me buy you some apple pie. Queenie smiled gently and took his hand. "Alright." The couple stepped out of the gate. When Luca saw them walking toward her, she suddenly felt flustered and did not know what to do. She had been standing under the tree for an hour, and she did not expect to be lucky enough to meet them. Queenie noticed Luca in the distance. She patted Jack''s hand and said," Look at that young woman over there, Jack." Jack also noticed Luca. Luca was drenched in sweat after standing in the sun for an hour. Several stray strands of hair were stuck to her forehead. "Let''s go over there." Queenie could not bear to see a young woman standing under the sun. "Mm." Jack nodded, and the couple headed toward Luca. "Good morning, youngdy," Queenie smiled and greeted Luca. "Good morning..." Luca did not expect that they woulde over and greet her. She suddenly felt a twinge in her nose, and her eyes were flooded with a mixture of tears and sweat. "Are you waiting for someone?" Queenie asked. It was almost noon, and the sun was scorching hot. She could not imagine why any normal person would stand there. The tree had been recently pruned, and it did not provide much shade. "Ah, yes." Luca nodded. She was incredibly moved by the seemingly mundane conversation. She wanted to tell them that she was waiting for them, but she could not say that. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. "Look at you, all drenched in sweat. You must have been waiting for a long time, isn''t it? There''s a cafe at the street corner up ahead. Why don''t you wait there?" Queenie said gently. She did not know why she decided to be so friendly to the young woman in front of her. She had never seen that face before, but she felt that the young woman was incredibly familiar. "We''ve agreed to meet here." Luca tried to find an excuse. "It''s not too far away. I''m sure that it''s incredibly tiring standing here. We''re going there, shall we go together? You can tell your friend that you''re waiting in the cafe." Queenie extended the invitation. Luca nodded emotionally when she received the invitation to go along with them. Jack did not say anything. He knew that his wife was a kind and charitable person. The three people walked toward the cafe. Luca did not speak on the walk there. They were supposed to be new acquaintances, and Luca did not want to unnerve them. She knew that Jack was naturally cautious because of the nature of his career. If she tried to strike up a conversation with Queenie, Jack would grow suspicious of her. "We''re here. The apple pie here is amazing, youngdy. You can try some." Queenie smiled and shot a nce at Jack. Jack smiled indulgently. "You can go and find a seat. I''ll get the desserts at the counter." "Alright. Get a slice for this youngdy too," Queenie said. "Madam, I..." Luca did not expect that Queenie would be so hospitable toward her. "Why, don''t you like apple pie?" Queenie said. "No, I love it." Luca shook her head. Her tastes were simr to Queenie''s tastes. "That''s good." Queenie felt an inexplicable fondness for the young woman. She took her hand and said, "Why not have a slice of apple pie while you wait for your friend? It''s a lot morefortable waiting here, isn''t it?" "Yes, it is. Thank you, Madam." Luca took her hand and brought her to the corner. "Shall we sit here?" Luca asked. "Of course." Queenie smiled and sat down. Jack was done ordering at the counter. He looked around the ce and saw that they were sitting in a spot where the air conditioning was not as cold. He had a newfound appreciation for the young woman. In the short walk earlier, the young woman had noticed that Queenie was not very healthy, and she had selected a spot that was not as cold. Luca sat opposite the couple. Now that they had be more familiar with each other, she began to chat with them. "Sir, Madam, how should I address you?" "My husband''s surname is Norman," Queenie said. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Norman and Mrs. Norman. My name is Ivana, but you can call me Ivy," Luca smiled and said. After sitting opposite them, she carefully observed theirplexions. She had learned that skill from Shanks. Jack seemed healthy, but Queenie''s health was declining. "Mrs. Norman, this is the first time I¡¯m meeting you, and I hope I''m not being presumptuous. I''ve studied some medicine, and I can tell from yourplexion that you''re not feeling well." Queenie touched her cheek, shook her head, and smiled. "At my age, that''s not too surprising." "Can I give you a diagnosis?" Luca said. She was eager to know if Queenie was ill, and if there was a cure to whatever was ailing her. She regretted that she could not apany her parents, but she would like to at least do something for them. She had picked up many medical skills from Shanks on the Ind of Despair. Queenie was quite surprised by what she heard. "Do you know how?" "Mm, a little. May I?" Luca stretched out her arm. Queenie and Jack exchanged nces. Queenie knew that she had not been able to cure whatever that was afflicting her, but she did not mind letting the young woman try. Chapter 1168 Chapter 1168 Concoction "Okay." Queenie smiled softly, rolled up her sleeves, and reached out her hand to Luca. Luca''s fingers trembled slightly as they rested on Queenie''s veins. Even on a hot day, Queenie''s skin was extremely cold. It was clear that her health was weak. Luca held her breath, checked Queenie''s pulse, and had a rough idea of what was going on. She motioned Queenie, wanting to take the pulse reading on her other hand. After Queenie saw that, she reached out her other hand. Seeing how Luca seemed like she knew what she was doing, Queenie was a little excited. Over the years, Jack and Luke had searched for doctors to treat her but in the end, they only had Johann to count on to take care of her health. However, Johann had no permanent solution to cure her. All he could do was help Queenie manage the difort. Johann said that her problems could only be managed, not cured. Since then, no matter which doctor tried to treat her or prescribed her any medicine, she no longer held any hope. Luca felt something abnormal in Queenie''s pulse. She frowned and wanted to dig deeper into the issue. At that time, the waiter brought three slices of apple pie and ced them in front of them. Luca retracted her hand and had a rough estimation of what was going on. Her eyebrows were knitted together. She thought that what she had in mind was unlikely. "Ms. Ivy, what''s wrong?" Queenie asked nervously. Luca shook her head and said, "It''s nothing." "You can just tell me the truth. I know my body. I''ve been sick for so many years and I don''t have much hope anymore," Queenie said as she picked up the fork and fiddled with the apple pie. Jack had ordered her a freshly baked apple pie. She was waiting for it to cool so as to not burn her mouth. "Mrs. Norman, I have a few questions for you," Luca said. She needed more evidence to confirm her suspicions. "Go ahead," Queenie said. "You usually feel cold during the day, but both hot and cold at night. However, the times when you feel hot and the times you feel cold are different. Most of the time, you feel cold, don¡¯t you?" Luca asked. "Yes." Queenie nodded, her eyes lighting up. She had only told Johann this and was surprised that Luca could find out about it so quickly. ''She got this just from checking my pulse?'' "Also, you usually don''t have much of an appetite, except for sweet things. If you force yourself not to eat sweets, there would be a bitter taste in your mouth, even when you didn''t take any medicine," Luca continued. "Yes." Queenie nodded again. "One more thing... Although your body is weak, your basic indicators are all normal-including your blood pressure, blood sugar level, and heart rate," Luca said. "Yes, you¡¯re right." Queenie''s tone was a little excited as she said, "Ms. Ivy, what''s wrong with me?" Earlier on, she refused to believe that there was something wrong with her body because when she went to the hospital for a check-up, everything seemed normal. Jack had high blood pressure but she did not have those problems! However, as time went on, her body grew weaker and weaker without any warning. She finally epted the fact that she was sick. Jack listened to what Luca said and asked, "Yes, what''s wrong with my dear''s body?" "Mr. Norman, Mrs. Norman''s body needs to be nurtured. As long as that¡¯s taken care of, she¡¯ll eventually get better," Luca said. When Queenie heard her reply, her excitement slowly dissipated. Everyone had told her the same thing, but she was frustrated as it was unknown how long it would take for her to feel better. "I see, thank you." Queenie smiled reluctantly. She initially thought that there was hope, but unexpectedly, she was disappointed once again. After she ate half of the apple pie, Luca hurriedly left under the pretext that her friend had arrived. She hailed a taxi, went back to her apartment, and went straight into the study to work. Queenie''s body was bing weak because she was being exposed to a colorless and tasteless poison. It could be consumed through food, and after it umted in the body for a long time, the harmful effects on the body would gradually increase in severity. It was not very poisonous, but if it was consumed for a long time, it would affect one¡¯s health and eventually lead to organ failure. From what Luca felt from Queenie''s pulse, it was likely that Queenie had been consuming this poison for at least three years. The poison was deep in her body, but her condition did not continue to deteriorate as she had not taken it for thest year. As long as the toxins were still in her body, her body would still be affected. Luca spent the whole afternoon preparing some herbal concoctions. She did not have enough ingredients on hand and went to a nearby pharmacy to restock what she needed. Once she was done, she delivered the concoctions through express delivery to Norman Residence. 1 She did not include her real address to prevent Jack and the others from finding out that she was the one who sent it. At night in Norman Residence. Luke and the kids were in Norman Residence for dinner. A few nights every month, he would bring the kids back to Norman Residence for a meal. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Bianca had lost her memory and refused to acknowledge them as her parents, so he would take on the filial duty to apany them. Jack was setting up a game of chess. He was nning to y another round with Luke before dinner when the doorbell rang. The caretaker in Norman Residence was in the kitchen. Jack stood up and said, "I''ll go get the door." "Okay." Luke nodded. Jack looked at the inte and saw that it was a deliveryman, so he went out to collect the package. Looking at the package that did not include the sender''s name, he frowned and walked into the house with it. "Grandpa, what is this?" Tommy went to him curiously. "I don''t know." Jack checked with Queenie and she confirmed that she had not bought anything. However, the package had his name and the delivery details were urate, so he signed for it. He picked up the scissors, opened the package, and found that there were smaller packets of goods inside. "What is it?" Queenie walked over and took a look. Luke picked up one of the packets and sniffed it. There was a strong herbal smell. "They must be herbs." "Herbs? I didn''t buy any herbs." Jack opened a packet and looked at the herbs that were in it. He was not sure what any of them were. "Dear, there¡¯s a letter here." Queenie saw an envelope at the bottom of the box, took it out, and handed it to him. Jack put on his sses, opened the envelope, and read the contents. "Father-inw, what¡¯s on it?" Luke noticed his serious expression and asked. "The letter says that these herbs are medicine to cure your mother-inw. Once she consumes the herbs, the effects would be immediate. The letter also mentions that there¡¯ll be other packagesing our way. As long as she continues to consume the herbs for a month, she¡¯ll be cured." Chapter 1169 Chapter 1169 Won¡¯t Fire Her Jack finished reading the letter and looked at his wife. He was lost in his thoughts. "Could this be from the woman we met today?" Queenie asked. Ivana was the only person who popped into her mind. "Could be." Jack frowned as he stared at the package. She managed to list all of Queenie''s symptoms just from checking her pulse. However, she did not say anything about it being curable earlier. Then, they were sent some herbs. Who else would it be if not her? "Jack and Queenie, who are you talking about?" Luke looked at the two. Although Bianca did not recognize them, he still cared about his inws. Jack told Luke what had happened earlier. After Luke heard what Jack said, he picked up one of the packets and said, "Jack and Queenie, don''t take this medicine for now. I''ll bring it to Johann to test it tomorrow." Queenie hesitated. Her gut feeling told her that Ivana was a good person, and she felt an inexplicable surge of warmth when they first met. Jack was concerned about Queenie''s health. He nodded and said, "Okay, it''s best if we can get Dr. Park to run a test on it. It''s not worth taking the risk since we don''t know what this is." When Queenie heard her husband agree with Luke, she nodded in agreement as well. After dinner, Luke took the medicine packet and left with the kids. Queenie looked at the remaining medicine packets and picked up the letter again. The handwriting on it was beautiful. She thought of Ivana¡¯s young and charming face. The corners of her mouth raised into a smile. "What are you thinking about?" Jack made some tea and put a cup in front of her. Queenie put down the letter, held up the cup to warm her hands, and said," I don''t think that the girl has ill intentions." Jack kept silent for a few seconds. They were soulmates, so of course, he knew her thoughts. "The source of the herbs is unknown. It¡¯s better to have them checked before you decide whether to take them or not." "That¡¯s true." Queenie took a sip of hot tea, then picked up the wrapped box to look for a phone number. "What are you looking for?" Jack asked. I''m looking for the girl''s phone number, it''s just..." Queenie looked at the censored delivery details and reluctantly put the box aside. "I can get someone to find out," Jack said. Deliverypanies would have some sort of records. Moreover, the parcel was sent from the same city. It would not be too much trouble to investigate it. As soon as he mentioned it to someone, they would get everything done. "No.¡± Queenie shook her head and let out a sigh. "I¡¯m sure she doesn''t want to be harassed by us. If she wanted us to contact her, she would¡¯ve mentioned something in the letter." "That''s fair." Jack nodded. When he raised his head, he saw their family photo hanging on the wall. He shook his head. The people in the picture were still around but the circumstances had changed. After a while, the caretaker of Norman Residence walked over with a tablet and handed it to them. "Master, Madam, you should read tonight''s news." Jack took the tablet and nced at it. His brows were knitted tightly together as he said, "Nonsense, a bunch of nonsense!" "What''s wrong? Why are you so angry?" When Queenie saw how angry he was, she took the tablet from his hands. The news stated that Luke was secretly dating a researcher from Watson Biopharmaceuticals. The couple knew about it as Luke had exined to them what was really going on before the news broke. They trusted Luke, but they did not expect that the media would announce the identity of the woman. In the report, it was mentioned that Luke was using hispany as an excuse to see his lover. "Nonsense!" Jack said angrily. They did not believe that Luke was that kind of person. The caretaker chimed in, "The reporters nowadays are disgusting and full of lies! Madam, what are we going to do now?" "Luke will take care of it." Queenie sighed. They all believed that Luke would never wrong Bianca, but that was not enough. Whatever happened next was up to Luke. "Give me the phone," Jack said solemnly. "Okay." The caretaker immediately handed Jack his phone. Jack called Luke to inform him of what had happened. Luke, who was driving, immediately stopped the car when he heard the news. He clicked on the link that they sent him. The three kids sitting in the back looked at each other. Tommy could not help but ask, Dad, what''s the matter?" Luke scanned through the article with a gloomy expression. His eyes were filled with anger. "Nothing to worry about." Tommy muttered to Rainie, "Dad seems really upset." "Shh," Rainie whispered. She knew that the only reason Luke would react as such was that something unpleasant had happened. Luke put his phone in the passenger seat and drove back to Crawford Manor. Old Master Crawford was waiting for him in the living room. "Grandpa, I''ll take care of it," Luke said. Old Master Crawford frowned. He was extremely dissatisfied with what had happened. He grabbed the cane in his hand tightly as he said, "Hold a press conference, and if necessary, fire this woman so that we don¡¯t have to hear about this again." "She''s great at what she does, I won¡¯t fire her." Luke refused. Old Master Crawford widened his eyes and stood up with the help of his cane. "Firing her is the easiest way." "If the reporters want to pick a fight, firing her will not prove my innocence. Grandpa, when you took over T Corporation, you told me that we must cherish those who are talented." Old Master Crawford was stunned by that and had nothing to say. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. He did say that to Luke and he stood by it. He asked, "Is this woman that capable?" "Her research will bring huge profits to thepany," Luke said. In truth, he did not care about profits. It was just that the other researchers¡¯ projects were mediocre at best. Luca¡¯s research was the most outstanding. That was why she was a precious talent. Old Master Crawford wanted to remind him that the Crawford family could live without the pharmaceuticalpany. However, the sentence was stuck in his throat. He could not bring himself to say anything. He sighed and said, "Okay, I¡¯ll leave it to you to deal with it. Handle it well. Have someone find out where this reporter is!" Old Master Crawford hated this reporter who had been targeting their family. If he knew his whereabouts, the reporter would not be let off easy! "Okay." Luke nodded. After he put the medicine packet away, he went up to the second floor. When he bumped into the caretaker at the stairwell, he thought of Bianca. Bianca would be upset if she saw the news. He did not feel any pity, but rather, he felt that he had to fulfill his obligations as her husband. Hence, he asked, "Where¡¯s Bianca?" Chapter 1170 Chapter 1170 The Other Woman "Madam felt ufortable after dinner so she went to rest early," the caretaker replied. "Okay." Luke nodded, walked to the second floor, and gently pushed open the door of the master bedroom. It was dark inside and it seemed that Bianca had gone to bed. He did not wake her up. He just closed the door and walked to the study. Bianca, who was lying on the bed, opened her eyes. She turned around and looked at the closed door while shing a chilling smile. If it were before, she would have made a lot of noise after seeing the news, but she could not afford to do that right now. What she had to do was to give Luke some time to manage the situation, and at the same time, she had to make herself seem magnanimous. Bianca used to be like this, so she had to act as such too. The more she acted like this, the deeper Luke''s guilt toward her would be. Bianca took out her phone. She did not care that it would hurt her eyes to look at her phone when the lights in the room were switched off. She opened the web page and was overjoyed as she read the comments. Luke took out his phone as well. After thinking about it, he called Luca. Luca, who was working, heard her phone ring. She put down the pen and answered the call. Luke was calling. "Hello." She had never talked to Luke on the phone before, so she could only pretend that she did not know who was calling her. "It¡¯s Luke." Luke''s heart tightened when he heard the soft voiceing from the other end of the phone. "Oh, it''s you, Mr. Crawford. Hello, why are you calling sote?" Luca asked. "Have you seen the news?" Luke asked. "What news?" Luca paused. She has been working since she delivered the package and had not paid attention to the news. "Open your browser and have a look. Also, if you don''t want to go to work tomorrow, you don''t need to," Luke said. He mentioned that because he thought that she would be emotionally affected by it considering that she was involuntarily involved in this drama. Besides, there were a lot of people calling her all sorts of names on the inte. While listening to him speak, Luca opened the browser and typed in Luke''s name. She immediately saw the news he was referring to. She quickly scrolled through until she reached the bottom of the page. She saw thements left by netizens. Most of thements were directed at her. They said she was shameless and called her the other woman. They scolded her for meddling in another party''s marriage for the sake of her career and destroying their rtionship. Luca¡¯s gaze gradually turned cold as she said, "Oh, so this is what you were referring to. Mr. Crawford, don''t worry. This news won''t affect my work." Luke listened to her calm tone. It did not seem like she took the news to heart. He opened his mouth and felt like there was a fishbone stuck in his throat. He wanted to say something but he could not bring himself to. He slowly swallowed his words and felt a pang of pain. He wanted to ask Luca whether she really did not care about this. In the end, he kept his thoughts to himself and said, "Okay. If you want to take some time off, Dr. Cole can approve your leave at any time." "Mr. Crawford, we''re both innocent. If you want me to take a leave of absence at this moment, won''t things get more suspicious?" Luca looked at the screen, her expression growing colder and colder. Theizens were calling her a shameless mistress, but none of them knew that she was Luke''s rightful partner. These people did not know right from wrong because she was forced to change her face. They did not know the truth, so it was natural for them to be easily misguided by the news. Luca felt sad but understood her circumstances. She could not exercise these rights given by Luke. Otherwise, those with ill- intent would take advantage of it to make things worse. "I''ll find this reporter as soon as possible and give you peace." Luke listened to the coldness in her voice. It seemed that she really did not care about this. There was nothing more that he could say. "Yes, this is indeed annoying. Mr. Crawford, please hurry and take action." Luca was tearing up, but she kept blinking and forced the tears back. After she said that, she ended the call. It was not that she did not want to listen to Luke''s voice anymore but she was not qualified to. Luke heard the busy tone on the other end of the phone and could not help feeling agitated. The next day. Luke took the medicine packet to the hospital and looked for Johann. He ced the medicine packet on the table and said, "Get this tested as soon as possible and find out what''s inside." Johann raised his eyebrows when he smelled the strong herbs the moment the medicine pack was ced on his desk. He said, "Herbs? I can tell you what this is without going through a test." "I want to know what the herbs are for.¡± Luke was not in the mood to joke with him. He just wanted to know what these herbs were. "Let me see." Johann slowly opened the medicine packet and identified the herbs one by one. When Luke saw him picking up thest piece of herb, he asked, "What is this concoction used for?" "It''s weird..." Johann mumbled to himself, "Where did you get this prescription?" Luke told him about everything that happened in the Norman Residence the day before. Johann pped his hands and looked a little excited. "Get your mother-in-w toe to the hospital as soon as possible. I want to run a toxicology test." "She¡¯s been poisoned?" Luke frowned. "If you say that this packet was specially made for your mother-inw, then there¡¯s a chance that she was poisoned. However, this poison is not verymon and the hospital wouldn''t usually run these tests during blood tests," Johann said. Seeing the seriousness of the situation, Luke immediately picked up his phone and made some arrangements. He informed Jack to bring Queenie to the hospital. After Queenie arrived at the hospital, she was brought to theboratory by the medical staff for a blood test before she even had time to say hi to Luke. They took three tubes worth of her blood. She raised her head and asked," Dear, what''s happening?" "Go along with Luke''s arrangement." Jack did not know what was going on either, so he could only comfort her. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. He was calm because he knew that Luke would never hurt them. After the blood was drawn, the couple went to meet Luke. Queenie was a little weak and sat in a wheelchair. She asked anxiously," Luke, is there something wrong with my body?" "Queenie, don''t worry. Dr. Park realized that he missed out something during your previous check-up so he wants to re-do the test," Luke said. He did not want to scare them before the matter was confirmed. Queenie did not continue asking, seeing that Luke refused to tell her the truth. Even if he did not say anything, she knew in her heart that this should have something to do with the medicine packet that they received. ''Could it be that the woman from yesterday knows exactly what''s wrong with me and prescribed those medicines to help me?'' The more Queenie thought about it, the more excited she became. If that was the case, Luca was her savior! Chapter 1176 Chapter 1176 He Started Acting Abnormally Since he had already said that, Bianca knew better than to hold on to this matter. She said, "Maybe I am overthinking..." Luke took out thest folder and looked at Bianca, who was still standing at the door. Bianca felt aggrieved because she knew that he wanted her gone. ''What has he be? He wants me gone? He wouldn''t have done this in the past.'' Things changed from the day Ivana appeared. That was when he started acting abnormally. Bianca pretended not to understand what he meant and asked, "Luke, what are you going to do about the article?" Luke''s phone vibrated. He lowered his gaze and nced at the message. He replied, "It''ll be over soon." "Do you have a solution?" Bianca''s tone was a little impatient, even agitated. The only solution she knew was to fire Ivana so he could prove his innocence. "Yeah," Luke said. "What''s your n?" Bianca was too agitated and forgot to pretend to be gentle. "Bea, I''ll deal with it. I''m sorry you have to go through this." Luke did not tell her what the solution was. After she lost her memory, he had be more reserved with her. Jason had texted him saying that they found the location of the IP address, so he wanted to check it out. Bianca was a little disappointed that he refused to tell her, but she believed that if he said it would be solved, it would definitely be solved. Ivana would soon be kicked out of Watson Biopharmaceuticals. No one could pose a threat to her again. "I don¡¯t feel wronged. I know you''re innocent. Thements on the inte are just a bunch of nonsense." She expressed her trust in him. Seeing Luke keep the documents he had just taken out, she was puzzled and asked, "Luke, aren''t you busy with work?" "Something happened at thepany and I need to head out. You should rest early. Don¡¯t stay up too late,¡± Luke said as he took his jacket and walked outside. Seeing him walk past her, Bianca followed him and asked," It¡¯s sote. Do you still have to go to the office? Can¡¯t it wait until tomorrow?" Bianca was happy that Luke would take action against Ivana. She was very happy and wanted him to stay with her. "I''ll be back soon enough." Luke nced at her and walked out of the study resolutely. Bianca did not follow him. She watched him leave as the corners of her mouth curved into a smile. ''He''s leaving in such a rush. Is he going to deal with Ivana?'' Bianca had always hoped that Luke would do something to save their rtionship. If he handled the matter with Luca, she would be very happy. Luke left Crawford Manor. Rainie hid in nche''s room and whispered, "Brother, I just saw Daddy go out." "Why did Daddy go out?" nche asked. Rainie shook her head. She did not know what Luke was going to do. "Daddy must be caught up with work, but he hasn''t gone out sote in a long time." Since their mother came back, he rarely worked overtime in the office. When it was time to leave, he would take his work home and spend time with the family. "Daddy is upied with a lot of stufftely." nche turned on theputer and randomly did a search. An article caught his attention. "This..." Rainie did not keep up with the news like nche and did not know much about what was happening. The adults rarely talked about these things in front of them, so of course, she did not know anything. "This must be the reason why Dad has been upied," nche said. "Didn''t Tommy say that this sister is a good person? Would she use Daddy to enter thepany?" Rainie was doubtful of it. nche also expressed his suspicion, but it was an issue that the adults had to deal with. Children like them were nothing in the adults'' eyes, so if there was a problem, it was not their ce to solve it. "We don''t need to worry about this. Daddy will take care of it, " he said. All they had to do was wait for the results from the hospital. "Brother." Rainie suddenly lowered her voice and said, "If the result from the hospital isn¡¯t ideal, shall we tell Daddy?" She was referring to if Bianca was not their biological mother. "Let¡¯s take it one step at a time." nche was so calm that he looked like an adult. He shook his head as he scanned through thements on the screen. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. If this matter was not resolved as soon as possible, he knew that his great-grandfather would not remain calm. Seeing how nche was acting, Rainie shook her head helplessly and walked out of his bedroom. Bianca was walking out of her bedroom as well and bumped into Rainie. She smiled and said, "Rainie, why are you still awake?" "Ah, I''m going to sleep," Rainie said. She guessed that Biana had just walked out of the bedroom and probably did not hear her conversation with nche. She calmed down a little after that. Bianca nodded and thought of chatting with her to improve their rtionship. However, when she saw Rainie yawning, she said, "If you''re tired, go to bed." "Okay, Mommy." Rainie looked at her kind face but felt weird and awkward. She had seen her hideous side. The kind face that Bianca put on only reminded her of the scene she saw in the kitchen. Rainie walked back to her bedroom, then closed the door and subconsciously locked it. Upon seeing this, Bianca walked to nche''s bedroom. She saw that the bedroom door was closed shut. She did not bother knocking. Luke''s two sons were not close to her at all, and she had no interest in being snubbed. Bianca went back to the bedroom and swiped through the forum on her phone. When she saw that the comments were increasing, she sneered and said, "Mr. Liam is good at what he does." Judging by the momentum, she would have to spend a fortune. However, she was more than happy to pay the amount. She thought that it was worth it. The other side. Luke drove to the address given by Jason and found that there were already several cars parked around the area. The cars were filled with men who worked under him. Luke got out of the car. Jason took the lead and greeted," Boss." "Where is it?" Luke looked at the houses around. They were rented to migrant workers who needed a ce to rest after work. Hence, there were not many people on the streets. "That house," Jason said, "That reporter is still posting on the inte. We''ve confirmed the IP address and verified that he''s here.¡± "There may be someone helping him, but no matter what, we must catch the reporter," Luke ordered. "Got it!" Jason turned around to manage the other men. All of Luke''s bodyguards were here as well. They were more than capable of dealing with a reporter. What they worried about was theputer expert behind the reporter. They did not know how many people were with the reporter, so Jason brought a lot of people over. Chapter 1177 Chapter 1177 It Was Bianca Who Asked Me To Do It Inside the house. The man was smoking and looking at the surveince footage outside. The moment Luke got down from the car, he stood up, turned off theputer, and pulled thework cable. His movements were light, so Liam, who was working hard in his room, did not notice him. The man put out the cigarette, picked up theputer, and went upstairs. He went to the very edge and sprinted before jumping to the roof of the next house. It was difficult for an ordinary person to do this, but he was from the Ind of Despair. This was nothing to him. Jason brought his bodyguards to close in on the house. He then asked a bodyguard who knew how to pick a lock to open the door. A group of people quietly walked into the house without rming Liam. When Liam noticed them, the room he was in was already surrounded by several bodyguards. With two bodyguards standing at the door, Liam realized that there was no escape. "Hey, hey!" he called out to the man but there was no reply. Liam fell wretchedly on the floor. He knew that he was trapped and there was no one there to save him. He wet himself. Jason walked in and looked at Liam, who had been subdued by the bodyguards. Jason said, "Our boss wants to see you." Liam recognized the person in front of him as Luke''s assistant. His eyes went nk as he fainted. ''Mr. Doyle, this..." The bodyguards were dumbfounded. ''This guy peed himself the moment he got caught and even fainted?! How unexpected.'' "Bring him to the car." Jason covered his nose in disgust.'' Such a cowardly reporter dares to pick a fight with Luke?* "Okay." The bodyguards nodded and carried Liam into the car. Jason stepped out, walked to Luke¡¯s side, and said, "Boss, we found him, but he fainted." Luke was holding a cigarette in his hand. In the night, the sparks of the cigarette dimmed and brightened, making him look alluring. "Was he alone?" He watched as two bodyguards carried the fainted man into the car. "We only found him, but we found a cigarette butt that was just extinguished in the other room. It seems that the other person left not too long before we showed up," Jason said. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. They had been keeping guard at the door and no one came out from inside. He was curious as to how the person got away. "Mm." Luke''s gaze grew deeper. He looked at the security camera in the corner. The person must have found out that they wereing from the camera, so he left before they went in. The surveince camera was so hidden that Jason did not notice it the first time. It seemed that the person behind this reporter was a professional. "Boss, what should we do with this reporter?" Jason asked. "Take him to the apartment," Luke said. He had some questions for the reporter. "Yes," Jason turned and walked over after receiving Luke''s orders. Luke got in the car and started the car. He left before the others. Jason ordered the bodyguards to change the reporter into a fresh pair of pants. He had been working with Luke for a long time and knew that he took hygiene seriously. The group then drove away. The man stood on the roof of the neighboring house as he watched the scene unfold in front of him. He touched his chin. Except for those from the Ind of Despair, he thought that no one could crack his code so quickly. He thought that Luke''s men were all idiots. He did not expect them to break through the barriers he set up so quickly and find the ce. It seemed that Luke was indeed capable. After the cars arrived at the apartment, the reporter woke up in one of the cars and looked at the bodyguards sitting around him. He shivered as he muttered, "Brothers, I think you have the wrong person!" The bodyguards did not budge. Jason walked over with a pair of trousers that was prepared by the bodyguards. He opened the car door, threw in the bag that carried the trousers, and said, "Time to change." "Brother, I have no grudge against you. Why would you kidnap me?" Liam pretended to be innocent and tried to deceive Jason. "Stop pretending. If you hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, why did you faint? Put on your pants. Else, if I get the bodyguards to change it for you, I can''t promise you won¡¯t walk away without a few bruises." Jason threatened him. Liam shivered and immediately took the pants. "I''ll do it myself." The bodyguards got out of the car and closed the door. The reporter took a while. "I''m done." Jason nodded slightly and said, "Take him up." "Yes." The bodyguards opened the door, dragged the reporter out, and took him to the apartment. In the apartment, Luke was sitting on the sofa, looking as mighty as a king. He was holding a cigarette in his hand, and his expression was dull. Liam was brought to him by the bodyguards. His body was trembling when he looked at Luke. "Do you want to take the initiative to exin it to me, or should I ask you one question after another?" Luke opened his mouth and said coldly. Liam was so scared that he wanted to confess everything, but suddenly, he thought of Bianca. Even if he confessed, Luke might not believe him considering that they were husband and wife. He said, "Mr. Crawford, I don''t understand what you''re talking about." "Stop acting dumb!" a bodyguard yelled. It made him tremble even more. "Boss, hisputer is with us. It has his fingerprints and he''s still logged into the ount," Jason said. Liam bit his lower lip. ''Why am I so unlucky? Why did I piss Luke off? I have yet to receive a single cent and he already busted me.'' "This is a civil society. You can¡¯t treat me like this! If the police and public find out about this, you won''t be able to exin yourself." He started appealing to Luke. "So you want to go to the police station?" Luke asked coldly. Liam shivered. Jason said, "Mr. Liam, do you really want to go through legal means? Our boss can also sue you for defamation after all the remarks you made on the inte. When the timees and we go to court, are you sure you can win?" Liam was regretful. He should never have provoked Luke for money. Looking at his reaction, Jason knew that they were close to getting a confession. "If you confess, there may be a way out for you." "You won''t believe me! You''ll only protect your own!" Liam knelt on the floor, tears falling down his face. His cries did not receive much sympathy. On the contrary, everyone present looked down on him. Luke understood the hidden meaning of his words and slightly leaned forward. "Who''s the person who instructed you to do this?" "It''s your wife! It was Bianca who asked me to do this!" Liam closed his eyes and exined the matter. If he did not confess, he knew that it was the end of him. In A City, everyone was well aware of how powerful Luke was. He would never have done it if Bianca had not tempted him with money when he was drowning in a sea of debt. Chapter 1178 Chapter 1178 Bianca''s Arrangement Luke''s expression sank when he heard Bianca''s name. Jason, on the other hand, was startled. He said sternly," You''ll have to be responsible for what you say!" "I swear that what I told you is true. I make recordings of our conversations every time I meet her!" Liam told Luke. He sounded like he was telling the truth. Jason gulped when he heard what the reporter said. It was his turn to be speechless now. If the reporter had recordings of their conversations, it probably meant that he was not framing her. "Give me the recordings." Luke crossed his legs and leaned on the couch. His expression was sullen. "It''s in my phone." Liam rummaged his pockets and realized that he had changed his pants. "My phone is in the car." "Go and get it," Luke said sullenly. "Yes." A bodyguard nodded and went downstairs, found Liam''s previous pair of pants, took out the phone, and brought it back up. The phone was ced on the coffee table, but Luke did not touch it. "The recordings?" Liam took the phone. With trembling fingers, he found the recording files. Before he yed them, he asked, "Shall I put it on speaker?" Luke turned around and looked at Jason. Jason understood what Luke meant. He gestured to the bodyguards. The bodyguards stepped outside of the apartment and closed the door. "y it," Luke ordered. Liam did not hesitate to press the y button and put the phone on the coffee table. His and Bianca''s voices could be heard clearly. Luke could instantly recognize Bianca''s voice because her vocal cords had been damaged. Jason''s expression changed drastically. It seemed that Bianca might be involved in this. "Boss, the recording might be faked," he reminded Luke. "I didn''t fake it. If I knew how to do it, I wouldn''t need someone to protect me, and I wouldn''t be caught by you," Liam retorted. Now that he was caught, he might as well implicate the other person. "Who has been protecting you?" Luke red at the reporter like a hawk. "He''s a fierce-looking man. I don''t know his name." Liam said, feeling aggrieved that the man did not protect him when he needed it most. "Right, Bianca arranged that person for me. If you want to know who he is, you can ask her." coffee table with him. Seeing that Luke was walking out of the door, the reporter said, "I''m telling you the truth, Mr. Crawford. I wouldn''t have done this if your wife hadn''t instructed me to do so. Please forgive me!" Luke left the apartment without saying a word, and Jason followed behind him. Luke told the bodyguards outside the apartment, "Keep a close eye on him. Don''t let him run away." "Yes!" The bodyguards replied. Jason remained silent behind Luke. He dared not give anyment about what they had just found out. "Go and get the recordings analyzed. See if they''re faked." Luke handed Jason the phone. "Yes." Jason rubbed his nose and sighed. If the recordings were real, there would be chaos in the Crawford family again. He did not expect that Bianca would do that to her husband. Was she trying to frame Luca? The more he thought about it, the more unnerved he got. Bianca seemed to have changed her personality after she lost her memories. She became as ruthless as Bailey, his ex- wife. The thought of Bailey reminded him of his two daughters. He followed Luke down the stairs, and when he was thinking if he should excuse himself, Luke said, "You should go home, rv "Yes!" Jason watched Luke''s car leave before driving back to Sue''s house. He nced at the time and saw that it was already veryte, and the children must have been asleep. He carefully opened the door. When he stepped in, he noticed that Sue was sitting in the living room. The television was on, but the volume was barely audible. Was she watching something? "Sue." Jason''s heart warmed when he saw that Sue had been waiting for him. When Sue heard that, she shot an impassive nce at Jason and turned away. "You¡¯re back." Her voice was close to a whisper, as though she was afraid to awaken Kari and Teri, who were asleep. "Mm. I had to settle some official business." Jason took off his coat and hung it on the rack. He had moved his belongings into the house. However, Sue insisted on sleeping in separate rooms. "There''s some broth left in the kitchen. Kari told me to save some for you. If you want it, you can go and get it yourself." Sue rubbed her eyes. Her eyes were getting tired from work and television. "Alright." Jason''s heart warmed. He did not call her out on her lie. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. He knew that Sue was the one who wanted to save the broth for him, but she said that it was her daughter''s request. Jason adored that part of Sue''s personality. He went into the kitchen and took out the bowl from the microwave. When he returned to the living room, he wanted to sit beside Sue on the couch, but he realized that she had ced herptop next to her. He put the bowl on the coffee table, then put theptop on the coffee table too. After that, he sat down close to Sue. "Leave me alone. It''s so cramped here." Sue frowned and gently pushed him. She did not push him hard, and Jason did not move. He smiled, picked up the spoon, and took a bite of the soup." The soup is delicious." "The caretaker made it," Sue said while channel-surfing aimlessly. Jason raised an eyebrow. "I can taste that you made this." He was very familiar with the taste of her cooking, and he could tell that it was her cooking even if he was blindfolded. Sue was not angry that Jason had called out her lie, but she blushed slightly. "What made youe home sote?" She shifted the topic. Ever since Bianca lost her memories, Luke would leave the office on time and bring his work home. As his assistant, Jason should not have had to work overtime. Today was a rare exception. Jason did not tell her that he had to work overtime, and Sue could tell that there must be special circumstances. "The bodyguards found the reporter who wrote the article," Jason said. He did not mind telling everything to Sue because he knew that she could keep a secret. Chapter 1179 Chapter 1179 It¡¯s Bianca "They found him?" Sue was quite surprised. She heard from him yesterday that the reporter''s IP address was heavily masked, and it was very difficult forthem to pinpoint his location. How did they manage to find him in one day? "Who is he?" "He''s from some tabloid." Jason had barely eaten anything for the entire day because he had been busy hunting down the reporter after finding out his IP address. The hot soup made him feel a lot better. "How dare a mere tabloid reporter do this to Luke and Bianca? I''m impressed!" Sue had been keeping a close eye on any developments about the incident. Even though she did not interact with Bianca after she had lost her memories, Sue nevertheless hoped that Bianca''s life would be blissful. "Someone instructed him to." Jason devoured the bowl of soup and wiped his mouth. "Who?" Sue wanted to know. She had thought of many possibilities in a few seconds. Could it be Susan Armstrong, Luke''s other mother? Perhaps it was a business rival or even a businessman who had fallen from grace and wanted to take revenge. Jason stared at her curious face. He wanted to say something but stopped himself. "What''s wrong?" Sue became even more curious. "You wouldn''t want to know." Jason shook his head. "You can be such a clown sometimes. Why bother telling it to me if you only want to tell half the story? I really would like to know. Are you going to tell me?" Sue crossed her arms as though she wanted to force him to tell her. "It''s Bianca Rayne." Jason could guess that she would be pestering him for the rest of the night if he did not tell her. "What? Impossible!" Sue''s expression was extremely exaggerated. Was Jason making up stories? Why would Bianca implicate her husband in a scandal? "The reporter provided us with a recording. I''ll be getting it analyzed tomorrow to determine its authenticity. Don''t tell anyone I told you this," Jason said. The incident would tarnish the Crawford family''s reputation. If the recording was proven to be authentic, Bianca''s actions were truly iprehensible. "I''m not an idiot. Of course I won''t tell anyone about it." Sue rubbed her nose, still in disbelief. "Can I listen to the recording?" "No." Jason did not yield this time. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "Fine then, I shouldn''t put you on the spot. At least tell me if the recording is authentic after you get it analyzed tomorrow." Sue stood up, picked up theptop, and headed toward her bedroom. "Sue." Jason also stood up and looked at her. "What?" Sue turned around and looked at him. She could tell from his eyes what he was thinking, and she immediately refused. "Don''t even think about it." Jason smiled helplessly. She understood him well enough to reject his advances before he had even opened his mouth. Of course, he wanted to ask if he could sleep with her. Jason brought the empty bowl to the kitchen and washed it. When he returned to the living room, Sue''s bedroom door was already tightly shut. He would have to sleep alone again tonight. Meanwhile, by the time Luke returned to Crawford Manor, everyone in the house was already asleep. He walked up the stairs. A solitary dim light illuminated the corridor. The light washed out the colors of the area, and the house was entirely silent. The atmosphere was frigid, just like his heart. He stood outside Bianca''s bedroom for some time, but he never did open the door. The woman sleeping inside was the love of his life, but she had be a stranger to him. He thought that it was normal for Bianca''s personality to change after she had lost her memories, but whatever she did was not normal at all. Luke''s suspicion grew. The woman in the room was not the same woman that he loved. Meanwhile, Lucay on her bed, unable to sleep. She found it hard to sleep at night, so it was normal for her to be awake at this hour. Her phone began to vibrate. On the screen was a string of numbers. She answered the call. "Ivana. I''ve settled Bianca''s incident. Don''t forget who you are. Report to me before you do anything!" Abel''s voice was heard from the other end of the call. Luca could tell that he was furious. She replied calmly, "I don''t know that someone from the Ind of Despair is behind the incident." "You know who Bianca is!" Abel did not believe Luca''s excuse. He knew that the woman was crafty, but he was not stupid either. "But I don''t know that Bianca was the person behind the incident. If I hadn''t noticed the tattoo on the man''s body, I wouldn''t have known that the Ind of Despair was supporting what she did," Luca said mockingly and chuckled softly. "Don''t you think that it''s ironic? You''re trying your best to sneak me into Watson while another one of your minions is trying to foil your n. I thought you''d be a better nner." Abel felt as though he had been pped in the face. He felt that he was humiliated even though no one else knew about the n. Naturally, he released his anger on Bianca. "That''s enough. The incident is over, and the woman will be receiving her punishment. You''d better do your job and not let Luke suspect your identity. Try to climb the ranks as fast as you can. I can''t wait to see Luke writhe in agony." Abel knew where her sore spots were. Luca''s face instantly turned pale. She had always been unwilling to help him to bring Luke down. However, she was not in the position to fight back, and she could only do what Abel told her. She tried to calm herself down while hearing the man''s breathing on the other end of the call. ''Anything else that you want to tell me?" "That''s all. Anyone who disobeys me will receive their due punishment. You''d better watch yourself too," Abel warned her coldly. Luca ended the call. She leaned against the headboard and took in deep breaths. Abel''s warning echoed in her mind. No matter how hard she tried, she could not calm down. He was the devil who had separated her from Luke and reced her position with an impostor. That woman had even tried to frame her... All that Luca could do now was to obey Abel¡¯s instruction while watching her step. She knew that eventually she would have to oppose Luke and cause his downfall. When she thought about that, tears slid down her cheeks. She did not want to cry, but she had no other way of releasing her emotions. She would have to cry at night so that she could be strong again in the day and do the things that she was unwilling to do. After she was tired of crying, she slowlyy down on the bed. Her eyes were puffy, and her nose was stuffed. However, the difort could notpare to the pain in her heart. Chapter 1180 Chapter 1180 Poisoned The next morning, Crawford Manor was as peaceful as ever. The only difference was that Bianca had woken up early. She opened the door to the study and saw that Luke was wearing his necktie. She grinned brilliantly, walked over, and said, "Let me help you, Luke." Luke let go of his hands and let her do it. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Bianca took the necktie and tied a perfect Windsor knot. She had learned to do that to get in his good graces. "Is this good enough?" "Mm." Luke lowered his head and looked at the necktie. Her fingers were just as nimble as before, but her personality had nevertheless changed. Even though Jason had not returned with the analysis of the recording, he believed what the reporter said. If Bianca had not done it, the reporter would not have framed her. "You came back verytest night, didn''t you? What time did you reach home?" Bianca asked. She guessed that Luke had left the house yesterday to take care of the scandal. She wanted to wait for him to see if he managed to do anything, but she had fallen asleep before he returned. "Some time after midnight, I think." Luke turned around and put on the freshly-pressed coat. "How''s the investigationing along?" Bianca asked. Luke turned around to look at her. Bianca was looking at him with an innocent smile. She did not seem flustered at all. Was the truth just as the reporter said? If that were the case, it meant that Bianca did not know that he had found the reporter, and the person who had been harboring the reporter did not tell her. Thest possibility was that she was a good actress, and she wastesting him. "What investigation?" Luke did not tell her that he had found the reporter. "Huh? Didn''t you go out to handle the scandal? I know that you''re innocent, but if the scandal continues to spread, it won''t be good for you, the family, thepany, and the children," Bianca said. She did not believe that he had not done anything yet. "I''ll get to the bottom of it." As soon as Luke finished speaking, his phone started to ring. He looked at the screen and saw that it was from Johann." Let me pick this up." "Alright." Bianca sneaked a nce at his phone screen, saw that the call was from Johann, and left the room. Even so, she could not believe that Luke had not done anything about the scandal. ''Where did he gost night? Don''t tell me he was with that Ivana woman?'' Bianca became wary when she thought about that. At the same time, her phone started to vibrate. On the screen was a string of numbers. Instantly, she returned to her bedroom, locked the door, and answered the call. Luke went downstairs after ending the call. When he met the butler, he told him, "I''m going to the hospital. Get the driver to send the children to school." "Yes, Sir." The butler nodded. While Luke picked up the keys, the butler said, "Sir, won''t you have your breakfast before leaving? I don''t suppose that you''re in such a hurry." "It''s fine." Luke took the keys and walked out of the house. Johann had told him that Queenie''s test report was ready, and he should go over and take a look. The toxicology report had been expedited, and Luke could hear from Johann''s tone of voice that the matter was serious. That was why he immediately went to the hospital. The butler saw Luke leave hurriedly. He sighed and went to report it to Old Master Crawford. Old Master Crawford did not say anything because he knew Luke''s personality. Soon, Bianca came down the stairs. Unlike Luke, her face was pale, and she seemed very anxious. The butler went over and asked her, "You look pale, Madam. Are you feeling unwell?" "I''m fine. Right, I have some business elsewhere. Tell the cook that I won''t be back for lunch," Bianca shook her head and said. She took the car keys and left the house. "Yes, Madam." The butler nodded. Seeing how anxious she was, he did not ask her any further questions. Luke arrived at Johann''s office in the hospital. At the same time, Jack and Queenie arrived too. The air from the central air-conditioning unit was quite cold, and Queenie''s body was frail. She was covered in a thick quilt and sat in a wheelchair. "Dr. Park, are the test results out?" Queenie asked. She seemed more haggard than ever because she was worried about the test results and did not sleep well the night before. "Yes." Johann handed them a test report. Luke took the test report and flipped the pages while Jack leaned over to see. They skipped over the long paragraphs of medical jargon andnded at thest section. Jack''s eyes widened. He could not believe what he saw." That''s impossible!" Luke''s expression was also grim. Queenie was anxious to read the report when she saw their expressions, but she was also afraid to know the truth." What is it, Jack?" She asked. Jack''s expression was one of immense grief. He did not expect that Queenie''s health declined because she was poisoned! Who could have poisoned her? "Don''t frighten me, Jack, but don''t deceive me either. Let me know what''s going on so I can at least be mentally prepared! " Queenie''s tone was anxious. She wanted to stand up and look at the test report. "Don''t worry. Now that we''ve found the root cause of Mrs. Norman''s problems, her condition can improve through medication." Johann tried tofort them when he saw that they were so shocked. "Can she be treated?" Jack asked. "Of course!" Johann answered. "I can stake my reputation as a doctorthat Mrs. Norman''s condition will improve as long as she takes her medicine regrly." Jack nced at his wife again. He wanted to say something but stopped. He was worried that Johann said that to calm Queenie down. He was thinking if he should send Queenie back to the ward so that Johann would tell him the truth. "What''s wrong with my body, Mr. Park?" Seeing that Luke and Jack were not telling her, she could only ask Johann. "Mrs. Norman, the report shows that you are indeed poisoned. This is a slow-acting poison, and the dosage is so low that it would not cause any immediate damage. However, the long-term effects of the poison include nerve damage and reduced organ function that will lead to death. Fortunately, the poison in your body isn''t at a lethal level yet, but it will cause you to be weaker," Johann exined. "Can I be cured?" Queenie was frightened after hearing that she was poisoned. "Of course. For every poison, there is an antidote, and luckily, you''ve received the herbs. I believe that the person who sent you the herbs knew that you were poisoned and so they gave you a prescription. That was why I asked Luke to bring you for a toxicology test when I saw the herbs. Indeed, you are poisoned," Johann said. Chapter 1181 Chapter 1181 The Root Cause of Queenie¡¯s Illness Johann had been treating Queenie¡¯s illness for some time, but it took him so long to find the root cause. He thought that it was not easy. The typical checkup would not include a toxicology test. If Queenie had not received the mysterious package, her body would continue to weaken, and she might have died without anyone knowing any better. The mysterious package had saved her life. "Do you mean that you wouldn''t have known that I was poisoned until you saw the package?" Queenie eximed. She realized that the young woman had discovered the root cause of her illness just by taking her pulse, and she had delivered the package to her. "Yes. I''ve studied the package, and it indeed contains the antidote, and the dosage is correct. If you take the medication regrly, your body will expel the poison very quickly. Also, the medicine includes severalponents that will strengthen your constitution," Johann said. Queenie¡¯s tears fell when she heard that. She did not understand why the young woman would want to save her life. All she did was invite her for a slice of apple pie. Queenie looked at Jack. "Jack, please find that woman. She is my savior." Jack nodded. "Don''t worry, leave it to me." He might have retired from the political scene, but he still had many connections in A City. It was not hard to search for that woman if he wanted to. Luke frowned as he listened to the conversation between his inws. "How were you poisoned, Mom?" Johann frowned and said, "I''ve been thinking about it too. If she had taken arge dose of the poison, the effects would be instantaneous, but I''ve never seen Mrs. Norman exhibiting any signs of poisoning. I can conclude that the poison must have been administered in very small doses, and it has been umting in her body over a long time. The poison has taken a toll on her body, but seeing that her condition did not continue to decline, I guess that thest dose of poison she ingested was over a year ago." Jack listened to Johann''s analysis and frowned. "Dr. Park, do you mean that the poison is ingested through the mouth?" "That is correct." Johann nodded. "My wife and I have been eating the same food every day, so how was she poisoned while I don''t feel anything at all?" Jack said. Looking at Queenie¡¯s condition, if she had been poisoned over a prolonged period, Jack should have felt something too, but he was just as healthy as ever. Luke thought for a moment and asked, "Mom, is there something that you''ve been eating but Dad hasn''t?" Queenie nodded. "I''ve been taking health supplements since five years ago. Jack doesn''t take that." "Health supplements?" Jack frowned. "You mean the ones that Leia bought for you?" "Yes. Leia usually buys a year''s worth of health supplements for me. After she went overseas and I finished up the remaining supplies, I switched to another brand. After that, you know that I stopped taking the supplements ever since my health declined." Suddenly, Queenie understood Jack''s suspicions. "Are you suspecting that Leia did it?" "I guess we''ll never find out," Jack frowned and said. He knew Leia''s true character. He knew Leia''s true character, and although she had been behaving for the past few years, he was disappointed when he heard what Queenie told her. "Leia won''t do that." Queenie shook her head. "I''m her mother. Why would she do that to me?" She could not believe that her daughter would poison her. "Forget it then. It doesn''t matter if she''s the one who did it. You''ve already finished the supplements. We don''t have any evidence that she did it, and there''s no way for us to investigate it. We''re lucky that the poison has a cure." Jack did not insist that Leia was the culprit in case Queenie became too agitated. Queenie had already received a huge mental blow from Bianca''s disappearance. If he tried to convince her that Leia had poisoned her, it would be another huge blow to her. Knowing Leia''s personality, it was not too farfetched to imagine that she would poison her mother. After all, he was fine because he did not take the supplements, while Queenie was poisoned. He remembered that Leia used to buy liquor and cigarettes for him, but he did not take them because of health concerns. He considered himself lucky. Luke turned around and asked Johann, "She''ll be fine as long as she takes the herbs from the package, right?" "Yes. Boil the concoction in three cups of water and reduce it to one," Johann nodded and said. "How many portions did you receive in the package? I think Mrs. Norman will need to take the medicine consecutively for a month before we can see if she gets any better." "The person said in the letter that they''ll be sending more packages," Queenie said. "What if she forgets?" Lukemented, then turned to ask Johann, "Can you create the same concoction?" "Frankly, I''m not that well-versed in herbology, so my prescriptions might only be half as effective." Johann smiled awkwardly. "Everyone has their strengths, and I''m more proficient in surgery and modern medicine. It''s best to cure Mrs. Norman''s condition with a naturopathic treatment procedure. I believe that the mysterious benefactor will definitely send her more packages." "Can''t you just replicate the prescription?" Luke was worried that there might be some unforeseen problems. "Luke, I think you''ll have to trust that person. If she can diagnose that Mrs. Norman is poisoned without any modern equipment, it means that she is very familiar with the poison. If she didn''t send the full course of medicine, it must mean that the dosage will changeter. Don''t worry, maybe she''ll appear once Mrs. Norman is cured. We¡¯ll just have to keep a close eye on Mrs. Norman''s condition for the time being, and if her condition doesn''t improve, I can still treat her with alternative means." Johann tried to convince them to trust that mysterious person. "Mm." Luke nodded. After all, he had to trust the professional. Johann breathed a sigh of relief and said, "You can be discharged today, Mrs. Norman. Do you want to take the concoction at home or over here?" Before they could answer, Luke said, "We¡¯ll take it here." Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. It was better for Queenie to drink the concoction in the hospital in case an ident happened. "Alright, I''ll get the nurse to prepare the concoction. Mr. Norman, you can bring your wife back to the ward." Johann knew what he was thinking. He smiled and left the room with the package. Chapter 1182 Chapter 1182 The Family of Six Jack pushed the wheelchair out of the office while Luke followed behind them. They waited for the elevator at the elevator lobby. Jack asked, "Luke, how is the situation with the scandal?" "Don¡¯t worry. I''ve already found the reporter behind the article." Luke did not tell him the situation in detail because he did not want his inws to worry. Jack nodded and said, "Now that you''ve caught him, you shouldn''t let him off so easily. Bring him to court if you need to. It might not be a bad thing for you and Bea if you decided to blow up the incident even more." He only suggested that because he believed that Luke would not deliberately ruin his own reputation. "Mm.¡± Luke nodded. He wondered if his inws would say that if they knew that Bianca was the mastermind behind the incident. They would not understand why Bianca would do that. The elevator arrived, and the doors slowly opened. It was not the peak visiting hour, so there was only one woman in the cabin. Luca¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she saw the three people who were waiting for the elevator. She reflexively lowered her head. ''What a coincidence...'' The three people outside the elevator were Luke, Jack, and Queenie. Jack pushed the wheelchair into the elevator while Luke held the door open. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Luca watched the scene with the corner of her eye. She was relieved when she saw Luke taking good care of her parents. Even if she could not reunite with them, she believed that she could entrust them to Luke. After the three people went inside, the elevator doors slowly closed. Queenie, sitting in the wheelchair, turned her head to look at Luca. Luca lowered her head even more when she realized that Queenie was looking at her. Fortunately, she was wearing a cap and a mask because she did not want to be recognized as the woman in the scandal. Jack and Queenie should not be able to recognize her. When the elevator arrived at her floor, Luca rushed out as fast as she could. Luke stepped aside to make way for her. He frowned when Luca walked past her, thinking that the scent was very familiar. Luca did not stop walking toward Amur''s ward after she got out of the elevator. She wanted to bring some broth for him while checking on his condition. If he was well enough, he could be discharged from the hospital. She did not know when Queenie would be discharged, and she was afraid that they might eventually recognize her. After all, it was quite a big coincidence to meet Queenie two days in a row. Luca did not want Queenie or Luke to know that she was the person who had sent Queenie the package. The doctor and the nurse were in Amur''s ward when she arrived there. The nurse had just reced Amur''s bandages, and Amur had not put on his clothes yet. When Amur saw Luca walking in, he hastily covered himself with the clothes in embarrassment. Luca did not pay too much attention to that. Amur was like a little brother to her. She ced the sk of broth on the bedside cab and asked the doctor, "How is my younger brother doing?" "There are no signs of infection on his wounds, and his rate of recovery is much faster than anyone else I''ve seen. Has his body always been like this? " The doctor was surprised that Amur was recovering amazingly fast. Anyone else with the same type of injury would still be bedridden on the third day, and they would not be able to move about in case they aggravated their wounds. However, Amur had already stopped bleeding and could freely move about. "Are you talking about how fast his wounds heal?" Luca smiled. "My younger brother has always been healthy. Even when he catches the flu, he¡¯d recover faster than anyone else. There shouldn¡¯t be any major problems with his body, right?" "He looks as though he has been recuperating for a week, so there won''t be any problems. I''ve been wondering if there was something weird, but if you say that he''s always been like that, then it''s nothing out of the ordinary," the doctor said. He knew that some people have a better physical constitution than others. "Can he be discharged today?¡± Luca asked. "Of course. You can go to the nurses'' station in half an hour." The doctor nodded and said to the nurse, "Go and get the paperwork done." "Yes, Doc." The nurse left the ward. "Thank you." Luca smiled and nodded. After seeing the doctor leave, she paid the caretaker for her services. After the caretaker left, she went to the bedside cab and opened the sk. "I boiled some broth for you. You''ll have to finish it." "I''m fine now." Amur frowned slightly. The herbal broths that Luca made for him helped him in his recovery, but they were quite bitter. "You''re not fully recovered yet. One scratch and you''ll be bleeding again." Luca poured the broth into a bowl and handed it to Amur. "It''s either you finish the broth and I¡¯ll get you discharged, or you can stay in the hospital for two more days." Amur took the bowl, indicating his decision. "I''ll finish the broth." Luca smiled at him gently and said, "Can I bother you with a favor?" "Skip the formalities. You saved my life." Amur took a big gulp of the broth and grimaced instantly. "Help me hack into the hospital system once more. I want to see if Queenie has received her medical report," Luca said. "No problem." Amur finished the rest of the broth in another two gulps and started to work on his laptop. Luca poured the rest of the soup into the bowl while watching Amur''s fingers fly on the keyboard. She sat on the couch and did not disturb him. In the meantime, she sent a message to Rhett, telling him that she would be taking the rest of the morning off. Rhett replied very quickly, saying that Cole had approved of her leave. She looked at N¡¯s photos in her photo album and smiled gently. Whenever she felt down, she would feel better if she saw her daughter''s smile. If only the family of six could live happily together... In a short while, Amur said, "I''ve found it." "Let me see." Luca put her phone away and went over to see the medical report. She skipped the medical jargon even though she fully understood what it meant, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the final section. Indeed, Queenie was poisoned... "You knew?" Amur asked when he saw that she was not very surprised. He knew that Queenie was her birth mother, and Luca would not have been able to be so calm if she had not known about it. "Mm, I knew it." Luca nodded, though she seemed unhappy. "I''ve made a herbal concoction for her too. She wouldn''t have suffered if I had returned earlier." "In any case, you''ve saved her life." Amur was not sure how tofort her, so he told her as it was. "They''re the ones who gave me life." Luca smiled. Seeing that it was almost time, she stood up and said, "Finish the rest of the broth. I''ll go and get the paperwork done." Chapter 1183 Chapter 1183 It''s Him "Alright." Amur thought that what she said made sense. Luca was the person who had given him a new life, so he would stand by her side no matter what. Luca went to the nurses'' station to settle the paperwork, then went downstairs to pay the bill. Meanwhile, after Bianca had received the call from the Ind of Despair, she rushed over to the outskirts of A City. In case she was discovered, she removed the dashcam when she was halfway there. When she arrived at her destination, she exited the car and saw a luxury car parked outside a dpidated house. The Ind of Despair must have sent an important figure over. Bianca felt an inexplicable sense of panic. The phone call did not say whom she was meeting. She walked to the entrance, looked around to see that no one was following her, then knocked on the door. After a single knock, dust from the door fell on her hand. Her fair hand was instantly dirty. The door creaked open, and before Bianca could react, a masculine hand pulled her into the house. "What are you doing?¡± As the door closed, Bianca could recognize that the person in front of her was the man that Abel had sent to help her. She lost her temper instantly. That made the man even angrier. He would not have fallen for her deception if he had not trusted her. "Boss is waiting for you inside," he said coldly. "Boss is here?" Bianca''s voice trembled subconsciously. The fear in her heart became greater. The man walked away. Bianca asked curiously, "What happened to the man I asked you to protect? When the man heard that, he turned around and red at her. Bianca was shocked by that terrifying gaze, and she subconsciously took two steps back. "What does that mean?" The man grunted coldly and continued to walk forward. The ominous feeling in Bianca''s heart grew, though she had no choice other than to follow the man down the corridor and arrive at a hall. She saw Abel sitting on a rattan chair with a cigar in one hand. It¡¯s him...¡¯ Bianca''s body trembled uncontrobly. The memories from the Ind of Despair reyed in her mind. She was a captive brought to the Ind of Despair. She had undergone physical training and was an excellent fighter, but she had suffered greatly on the ind because there were more men than women. When she proved herself inbat, Abel tasked her with a long-term mission. She was to disguise as Bianca Rayne. She had to undergo stic surgery to change her face, then she was sent to a red-light district in A City and was repeatedly vited. Eventually, Luke found her and brought her home. Everything had been going ording to n, but only she was privy to the entire ordeal. She had suffered a lot just to be Luke Crawford''s wife. Luke and the rest of the Crawford family had treated her well, which caused her to stray from her mission and have feelings for Luke. She thought that she would be performing the mission for the rest of her life, but at the moment she saw Abel, she realized that it was Abel and not Luke that had given her thefortable life she was enjoying. It was not impossible for Abel to take all of that away from her either. That was why Bianca was so afraid. Her unease grew when she thought that he had found out what she had done behind his back. Abel narrowed his gaze and regarded the woman in front of him. Her appearance did not change in the two years she left the ind, but her allegiance seemed to have changed. "Good morning, Boss," Bianca greeted Abel while trying to remain calm. "Would you care to exin what I''m reading on the Inte?" Abel did not beat around the bush. He was not convinced by her meek attitude. To him, he only cared about results. The woman had failed to win Luke''s heart for two years, and he was greatly disappointed. He would have reced her with another woman if not that it was very troublesome to do so. Abel knew about it. Bianca shuddered and fell to her knees. "I admit that I''m the one behind the scandal, Boss, but there''s a reason for that. Please listen to my exnation." Abel looked at her shaking body. The woman had the same face as the real Bianca, but her demeanor and courage were totally different. No wonder Luke did not buy into her act. She was an impostor after all. Abel took a drag from his cigar. The extra drugs inside it stimted his nerves. He mmed the table and said, "You didn''t tell me before you did that." "But she''s no one important..." Bianca started on her prepared speech. "She''s the same as you!" Abel felt calm after mming the table. He narrowed his gaze and red at her. Bianca felt as though Abel could see through her lies. "I didn''t know that, Boss..." "I told you that you have to report to me before you do anything." Abel stubbed out the cigar with his fingers as though he did not feel any pain at all. "I was wrong, Boss." Bianca lowered her head and admitted her fault. The man behind her also kneeled down and said nothing. Abel pped his hands, and several burly men in ck suits came out from a room by the side. They stood in a row and greeted him, "Boss!" Abel nodded and red at Bianca coldly. "You''ve nearly ruined my n, and you deserve to be punished." Bianca shuddered when she saw the whips in the burly men''s hands. She knew that there was no use begging for mercy, but she hoped that they would take pity on her. "I have a request, Boss," she said. "Say it." Abel flicked his fingers. "Please be gentle on me. I wouldn''t know how to exin it if they found the marks on my body," she said. "They''ll know what to do." Abel waved his hand. The burly men carried Bianca and the man behind him and went to the bedroom. Soon, the sounds of whips striking bare skin could be heard. Abel narrowed his gaze and lit up another cigar. He felt no pity when he heard the heart-rending criesing from the bedroom. Instead, he took out his phone and recorded it. After saving the recording, he sent it to Bianca. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. At the same time, Bianca had brought Amur out of the hospital, and they were waiting for a cab. Her phone vibrated, and she knew who sent her the message when she saw the string of numbers. She opened her messaging app and saw the message. She frowned and turned to ask Amur, "Do you have your earbuds with you?" "Yes." Amur took out his earbuds from his pocket and handed them to Luca. ¡°What is it?" "He sent me a voice message." Luca showed Amur the screen, put on the earbuds, and yed the message. Chapter 1184 Chapter 1184 The Real Reason He Left the Ind Luca heard the wretched screams from the clip. She took off the earbuds and frowned hard. ''What''s wrong?" Amur asked her out of concern. "Abel is in A City," Luca said. She could tell that it was the impostor Bianca''s voice. Abel must have been in town because he knew about the scandal. Luca was quite surprised, but at the same time, she also felt slightly uneasy. She was worried about Abel¡¯s presence in the city, and she had the impulse to inform Luke about it. "He''s here?" Amur was surprised too. "Is he here to deal with the scandal?" "There should be something else," Luca guessed. She noticed a vacant cab and gged it down. The cab stopped in front of them. Luca opened the car door and handed a bag to Amur. "I''ll have to return to thepany. You should go home first." "Yes." Amur nodded and went into the cab. Luca gged down another cab and returned to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. She was upied with her experiments until the evening, and she only rxed after she prepared to go off work. "It''s already sote!" Luca looked around the emptyboratory and said to Rhett next to her. Rhett nced at his wristwatch. "It''s half an hour past office hours." "I didn''t notice the time..." Luca was too engrossed in her experiment. She tidied up her documents and said, "You can go now." Rhett said, "Let me help you pack up.¡± Luca nced at the documents scattered all over the table. She did not stop him from helping him, and they packed up the documents together. She held the stack of documents in her hands and asked him, "Did Mr. Crawforde over today?" "He didn''t. Is there anything?" Rhett asked. "No. You can leave now." Luca shook her head and returned to her office. "Alright." Rhett nodded and left. After keeping the documents in the safe, she left the building through the side entrance in the parking lot. She nced at the main entrance and noticed that the reporters were all gone. Did they leave because it was already past office hours? Luca shook her head and gged down a cab. She stopped by the supermarket to buy some ingredients before returning to the apartment. Amur had just been discharged, and she would rather cook for him than get delivery food. Even though the wounds were not life-threatening anymore, he would still need the nutrition. With a shopping bag in her hand, she pushed the door of the apartment open and smelled cigar smoke. There was something harsh and bitter in the smoke. She remained calm as she put the shopping bag down, took two steps, and saw Abel sitting on the couch. "You''re here.¡± Unlike other people, Luca did not greet him as "Boss." To her, Abel was an enemy who had ripped her away from her family and threatened her to do his bidding. "You don''t look too surprised, just like him." Abel raised his eyebrows and pointed at Amur. Luca shot a nce at Amur and saw that he was rtively calm. She breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I knew that you''re in A City when you sent me that voice message. Why, did you beat the impostor Binca to death?" "I couldn''t have possibly done so." Abel grinned, not feeling any guilt for the blood on his hands. He hated his minions doing something behind his back, but the impostor Bianca had been irreceable in his n. That was why he had gotten his minion to punish Bianca and not kill her. "Too bad." There was a hint of pity in Luca''s voice. "I didn''t expect that you could tolerate someone who goes against your wishes and let her live. You must''ve gotten soft." "I know that you want to see her dead. If she dies, you won''t be able to get away with it either," Abel said. "I know." Luca knew that she would not be able to reunite with Luke even if Bianca died. To her, the impostor Bianca had never been a rival. "I didn''t expect that you''re still aware of that fact." Abel pped his hands, and ashes fell from the cigar between his fingers onto the carpet. Luca remained impassive. "So, are you here just to tell me that you beat up the impostor Bianca and resolved the incident?" "Don''t worry. I''ll remember everyone who goes against my orders. Once the mission is over, no one will be able to escape their punishment," Abel said. He was talking about the impostor Bianca as well as giving Luca and Amur a reminder. Luca shrugged nonchntly. "And?" "Just do your job." Abel''s gaze turned profound. "She won''t give you any trouble anymore. Also, Amur, why did you fail your mission?" "The target has someone powerful protecting him. I''ve underestimated them," Amur said. "What''s your n?" Abel asked. If Amur returned to the Ind of Despair now, he would have to be punished ording to the rules. Alternatively, he could attempt the mission again. Naturally, the mission would be more difficult the second time. The target would have been warned that someone had ced a hit on them, and they would be more cautious. Moreover, the Ind of Despair would not send more people to help the assassin, so most people would rather quit and receive their punishment. ''Til attempt the mission again," Amur said. Abel raised his eyebrow and nodded. "Alright. If you fail again, you should know what will happen to you when you return." "I know," Abel said determinedly. If he failed again, the punishment that awaited him when he returned would be more severe. Abel grinned and stubbed out his cigar. He stood up, looked at Luca, and said, "He''s as stubborn as you, and you should know that stubbornness doesn''t pay." "It''ll be the same if it''s the opposite, isn''t it?" Luca leaned against the wall and smiled nonchntly. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Abel smiled and left the apartment. Luca breathed a sigh of relief after the door closed. She looked at Amur. "I''m fine." Amur knew that she was concerned about him. "I know that he won''t act now," Luca said. "Did he say anything else?" She wanted to know the real reason why Abel left the ind. She knew that Abel would not have left the ind unless it was critically important. Chapter 1185 Chapter 1185 Her Love for Him Never Diminished Amur shook his head and said, Boss sat on the couch and waited for you after he came into the apartment. He didn''t say anything." Luca nodded, and her expression became serious. "Don''t worry. It''ll be fine," Amur tried tofort her. "He must have something that he wants to do," Luca said as she picked up the shopping bag. I''ll keep an eye on him." Amur felt uneasy when he saw Luca so worried. He knew that she was worried that Abel might act on her husband. Luca might not be able to reunite with her husband, but her love for him had never diminished. Amur continued to look at Luca as she walked into the kitchen. He knew that it was not easy to be caught in that dilemma. Luca suddenly turned around and told him, "I''ll cook dinner now. If you''re hungry, there are some snacks in the cab." "Alright." Amur nodded. He only looked away after Luca walked into the kitchen. He sat on the couch and stared nkly at the cigar ashes on the floor while thinking of what Abel had told him before Luca returned. Even though Abel was far away on the Ind of Despair, he knew the real reason why Abel failed his mission. Furthermore, he had promised Amur that he would let him stay in A City and apany Luca if Amur did something else for him. Underestimating his target''s bodyguard was a minor reason for his failure. The other reason was that he was worried about Luca. He wanted to stay with her in case something happened to her, so he deliberately failed his mission and was heavily injured. Amur thought that his n was perfect, but Abel had figured it out. He wondered how vast Abel''s influence could be for him to know that he had deliberately failed the mission. Amur sighed as he heard Luca slicing vegetables in the kitchen. He wanted to stay beside Luca. A City might seem peaceful on the surface, but the undercurrents were chaotic thanks to Abel''s n. An hourter, dinner was served on the dining table. "Let''s eat, Amur," Luca said. "Smells good." Amur walked over. His heart warmed when he smelled the food on the table. Hospital food had been tasteless, and he could not wait to dig into that delicious food. "You should eat more. I''m also boiling some broth for you," Luca said as she handed the cutlery to him. "What about that broth?" Amur was taken aback as he looked at the vegetable broth on the table. "That''s for me. Your broth is still boiling on the stove," Luca said with a smile. She could tell what he was thinking. "Don''t worry. It won''t be as bitter as before." "Mm." Amur began to eat. He did not mind eating anything Luca cooked for him, even if it was poison. After dinner, Luca brought out Amur''s broth from the kitchen in a bowl and ced it in front of him. "Try it. It shouldn''t be as bitter." Amur carefully sniffed it. The stench of herbs was indeed not as strong. He picked up the bowl and carefully sipped the hot broth. As Luca looked at Amur, she was reminded of Eler, who was back at the Ind of Despair. She must be worried about Amur right now. However, there were no phones on the ind, so she could not contact him. "What are you going to do about your mission?" Luca asked. "I''ll deal with it." Amur''s expression stiffened a little. It would be hard for him to continue the mission. "I can help you." Luca knew that the mission would not be easy, especially when Amur''s first attempt ended in his injury. Amur shook his head and said, "This is my mission." Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. He was unwilling to let Luca shed any more blood. Luca ate a spoonful of her broth and shook her head. "I know that you''re more capable than that, Amur." Amur looked at her, confused. "I''ve investigated your target on the day of your mission, and I know that you shouldn''t have failed. You failed the mission deliberately so that you can stay here, right?" Luca said. "No. I was careless that day." Amur knew that Luca was not so easily deceived, but he insisted on his story. He was not willing to admit his true reason for failing the mission. Luca sighed. She finished her broth and cleaned up the table. "Are you angry?¡± Amur asked when she said nothing. "No." Luca shook her head and looked at him. "Eler will be worried about you. No matter what you might do in the future, please don''t risk your life." Amur felt emotional when he heard that. He took the rag from Luca''s hand and said, "Let me do it." "Mm." Luca did not insist on cleaning the table. She let go of the rag in her hand and watched Amur do it. Amur brought the bowls and spoons to the kitchen. After doing the dishes, Luca was already back in her bedroom. Amur stood outside her bedroom. It was very quiet inside, and Amur could not hear any movement. He sighed and returned to his room. Even though he had been away for the past three days, his bedroom was kept spotless. He was surprised to find that Luca had added a table light and a potted nt in his room. He turned on the table light, and the room was lit up by a dim glow. It made him feel at home. The light was as gentle as Luca''s smile. Amur closed the door, sat on the bed, and stared at the table light for a long time. After Bianca was whipped, she put on her clothes and returned to Crawford Manor. She reached home in thete afternoon. No one was in the living room, so no one realized that there was something wrong with her. Bianca continued to lie on her bed as night fell. Her body was sore all over. There were no signs of injury on her face and limbs. All the wounds were on her back, her abdomen, and between her thighs. The wounds were very deep, but they could not be seen externally. No one would notice them even if they stood in front of her. Someone knocked on the door. Bianca did not get up. She took a deep breath and said, "Yes?" "It''s dinner time, Madam." The caretaker stood outside the door. She dared not go into the room without Bianca''s permission. "I''m not hungry. They can eat without me," Bianca said. She did not have the strength to get out of bed, let alone eat dinner. She would have to rest and recuperate. She received some medicine from Abel earlier. That would help her wounds to heal. "Yes, Madam." The caretaker did not attempt to convince her. She went downstairs and told it to Old Master Crawford. Old Master Crawford was not bothered, and he did not ask why Bianca did not want to eat. "Let''s eat," he said. "Yes!" The butler replied and got the cook to serve dinner. Rainie held a fork in her hand and asked, "Great-Grandpa, where''s Daddy?" "He has something to do, so he''ll be back homete," Old Master Crawford said. He guessed that Luke must be busy dealing with the scandal. Chapter 1186 Chapter 1186 You Shouldn¡¯t Have Offended Mr. Crawford Rainie nodded and did not ask any further questions. After Luke sent Jack and Queenie back to their residence, he went to the apartment. Liam was eating a boxed dinner that the bodyguards bought him. He stood up immediately and instinctively straightened his clothes when he saw Luke walk in. "Mr. Crawford, can I go home now?" "Not yet," he said sullenly. "Why not? You''re detaining me illegally," Liam said agitatedly when he heard that he could not go home yet. The bodyguards treated him well, but he was not free toe and go as he pleased. "Do onest thing for me," Luke said. His gaze was unfathomably profound. Liam shuddered when he looked at the man who was one head taller than him. "What do you want me to do? "Write another article and confess that you have ndered Mr. Crawford because you were paid to do so," Jason, who was standing behind Luke, said. He had sent the recording in for analysis earlier and found that it was authentic. "Paid to do so?" Liam''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you sure you want me to say that your wife paid me to do it?" Luke''s expression sank. Liam realized that he had misspoken. He shuddered and said, "I know what to do." He understood that they wanted him to confess that he had taken money to do the job, but at the same time, they did not want him to expose the fact that Bianca was the one who had hired him. "Give him theptop." Luke turned around and sat down on the couch. Jason nodded and handed the reporter theptop that he had prepared." Go on and write the article. You can go home after you''ve written it." Liam dared not protest. He took theptop, logged into his ount, and began to write the article. With his many years of journalistic experience, he quickly finished the article and let Luke read it. Luke nodded after browsing through it. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. "Publish it," Jason said. Liam took two deep breaths and pressed the button to publish the article. The article also meant the end of his career. At the very least, no media outlet in A City would want to hire him. Jason browsed the forum and saw Liam''s announcement. He nodded and said, "It''s done, Boss." "Let him go," Luke said. "You can go now." Jason took theptop and shut it down. Liam stood up but did not move. He was thinking of something. Seeing that the reporter remained on the spot, Jason asked him, "Is there anything else?" Liam rubbed his palms together. Now that his career was ruined, he might as well ask Luke. "Mr. Crawford, now that I''ve posted the announcement, I won''t be able to find a job in A City anymore. Can you at least give me some money so that I can return to my hometown?" Luke stood up and left the apartment. Liam watched in shock as Luke walked away. "Mr. Crawford?" He tried to give chase. "Don''t bother." Jason stretched out his arm and blocked him. Liam tried to go around Jason''s arm, but Luke had already left the apartment, and the bodyguard closed the door. Liam felt the despair creeping in. Jason shook his head and told him, "You should''ve known better than to offend Mr. Crawford. Perhaps you should have refused the job, but it''s toote now." Liam sighed regretfully, but indeed, it was toote to regret what he did. He looked at Jason helplessly and asked him, "What should I do?" "Didn''t Mrs. Crawford give you money?" Jason said. "She hasn''t..." Liam sighed. "I don''t think she''ll give me money even if I ask her now." "You shouldn''t have offended Mr. Crawford in the first ce." Jason did not show the reporter any pity at all. Now that Liam had published his confession, there was nothing that he could do to save himself. Of course, he could not possibly get back at Luke as well. When Liam heard that, he instantly sank into despair. epting Bianca''s offer and offending Luke was the biggest mistake in his professional life. Now, his career was ruined, and he did not receive his pay. The bodyguard returned his phone to him and urged, "You should leave before Mr. Crawford changes his mind." Liam took the phone and slowly walked out of the apartment. He stepped out of the neighborhood and stood at the side of the road. The night wind was especially cold that day. Liam essed the forum on his phone. In only a few minutes, his announcement received a barrage of negativements. asionally, some people would ask him why he would suddenly make the announcement, and if Luke was holding him hostage. However, thosements were quickly buried by a slew of angry curses. Dejectedly, Liam stuffed his phone into his pocket. The incident was considered over, and he was utterly ruined. It was about nine o''clock when Luke returned to Crawford Manow. Old Master Crawford had already retired to his bedroom. Luke walked into the living room and looked at the surroundings. Three generations lived under the same roof, though the people seemed to have slowly drifted apart. Even his wife was like a stranger to him now. The butler came over and asked him, "I''ve saved some soup in the kitchen for you, Sir. Do you want it?" "No." Luke nced at the butler. Mr. Griffin had been working in the household for more than a decade. Luke wondered what he thought about the changes that happened to the family. The butler noticed his profound gaze and asked him, "Is something bothering you, Sir?¡± Luke was taken aback by the question. The aged butler had watched him grow up, so he could read Luke''s expressions pretty well. ''I¡¯m fine. Is my wife upstairs?" He asked. "Yes. Madam is in the bedroom." The butler nodded and added, "Madam has been acting strangely today, Sir. She left the house before breakfast. After she came back, she shut herself in the bedroom and did note out." "Didn''t she eat dinner?" Luke frowned slightly. "No," the butler shook his head and replied. "Mm. Thank you." Luke walked up the stairs. He came to the master bedroom and knocked on the door. "What is it?" Bianca''s voice was heard from the inside. "It''s me," Luke said, "Can Ie in?" If it were any other time, Bianca would have been happy to see Luke in the same room as her. However, she did not even have the strength to get out of bed now. Moreover, if Abel had managed to find her, it meant that the scandal had already fallen through, and he might have already found the reporter. She was not in the mood to deal with him now. "I''m almost asleep, Luke. Can we talk about it tomorrow?" Chapter 1187 Chapter 1187 It Was as Though Luca Was His Mother Luke could hear the weakness in her tired voice. His hand twisted the doorknob but found that she had already locked the door. Bianca instantly became wary when she heard Luke twisting the doorknob. She was afraid that Luke might ask the butler to unlock the door. "I''m really tired, Luke." Her voice became weaker as she clutched the bedsheets. If he was in such a hurry to talk to him, she thought that he wanted to ask her about Ivana. Bianca was bitter when she was reminded about Ivana. Because of Ivana, Abel had nearly crippled her, and Luke was going to confront her. She bit her lower lip, swearing that she would take her revenge! Luke drew his hand away from the doorknob when he heard her tired voice. "Alright, rest well then." There was not a hint of warmth in his voice. In the darkness, Bianca''s expressions slowly became vicious. ''It''s all because of that Ivana...'' "Mm." Bianca did not hear Luke''s footsteps and did not know if he had left. She could only reply weakly. Luke returned to his study and saw Tommy sitting on the couch while reading a children''s book. "You''re back, Daddy!" When Tommy saw him walking over, he put the book away, hopped off the couch, and waddled over. "Why did youe home sote?" "I had some business to take care of." Luke could tell that his son had something to tell him. "Is it about Ms. Luca?" Tommy asked. He thought for a while and added," It''s already been so long, Daddy. You should''ve taken care of it long ago. Otherwise, Ms. Luca would be really bothered." "Don''t worry. It''s all done now." Luke patted Tommy''s head. The little boy cared for Luca a lot, and someone might even mistake Luca for Tommy''s mother. "That''s good to know. I can tell that Ms. Luca has been troubled by the scandal. Our video calls have been very short, and she barely spoke anything today before she had to hang up." Tommy was still not very satisfied with his father''s performance. While he listened to Tommy air hisints, Luke went over and sat down on his executive chair. "You''ve been calling Ms. Luca?" "Yes! I have a video call with Ms. Luca every day!" Tommy nodded and said, "I love Ms. Luca a lot. I don''t think I can sleep well if I don''t see her every day. Can I take the day off from school tomorrow? I want to go and visit her." "You can''t." Luke was not going to allow his son to neglect his studies, and his decision was not up for negotiation. "Don''t be like that, Daddy." Tommy walked toward him and tried to reason with him. "You''ve caused Ms. Luca a lot of trouble, and it''s up to me to appease her. Don''t you think so?" Not even the least bit moved by his son''s "sacrifice," Luke flicked Tommy''s forehead with his finger and said, "Don''t even think about it. Go to bed now. "Daddy..." Tommy was still trying to get a word in. "No." Luke stood up and took his hand. "What do you want, Daddy?" Tommy shuddered. Was Luke going to spank him? As far as he could remember, Luke had neverid a finger on him, but he knew that his naughty ssmates were often spanked by their parents. Was it his turn to finally experience it? "You should sleep now." Luke brought him to his bedroom, lifted him up, and ced him on the bed. "It''s already past your bedtime." "But what about Ms. Luca..." Tommy breathed a sigh of relief when he found out that he was not going to be spanked. I''ll arrange for it," Luke said perfunctorily. Convinced that his father was going to arrange a meet-up, Tommy pped his hands happily. "Yay!" After Tommy settled down and Luke tucked him in, Luke went out of the bedroom. He looked at Tommy''s bedroom door and shook his head. Tommy was not someone who would like another person so easily, but he somehow shared an affinity with Luca. Was it because of her voice? Luca''s voice was quite simr to Bianca''s in the past. Luke shook his head. He returned to the study to continue his work. When he woke up the next morning, he realized that he had woken up earlier than usual. Hey on the sofa bed while staring at the ceiling. He was not in a rush to get up. He rarely dreamed, but he vividly remembered what he had dreamed the night before. He dreamed of being on the beach with the Bianca in the past, leaning against each other and basking in the sun. Her voice was soft and gentle. As they gazed into each other''s eyes, Bianca''s face gradually morphed into Luca. The voice was the same, but the person was different. Luke was startled awake by the dream. He was sure that the woman in his dreams was Bianca, but her transformation had caught him by surprise. In the dream, he gazed at Luca''s face with passion... That was not what he would do... He sat up and ruffled his hair. Looking at the clock, it was half an hour before his usual waking time. That was not what he would do either. Bianca had locked the door to the master bedroom, and his work clothes were still inside. He had to go into the master bedroom. He twisted the doorknob, and the door opened. Bianca was sitting on the bed. She smiled as she looked at him. "Why are you awake so early, Luke? Didn¡¯t you sleep well?" "There''s some work in the office," Luke said. He did not think too much of her pale and haggard face; he thought that she looked like that because she had not put on makeup. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "You''ve been quite busy recently." Bianca frowned when she heard that. Luke went to the closet and took out a suit and a tie. "Mm. Business has been goodtely." He nodded and went into the bathroom. Bianca stood at the bedside, looking at the bathroom door uneasily. Was he not going to mention Ivana at all? She could not sleep for the entire night because of the pain. When she browsed the forum, she realized that any articles rting to the scandal were buried, while Liam''s confession was pinned at the top. Bianca knew that the reporter was not protected by the Ind of Despair. Luke must have found him and coerced a confession out of him. There was no mention of her in the announcement. That must have been Luke''s handiwork as well. Bianca was feeling very flustered. She thought that he could confront her over the matter, but he did not mention it at all. Luke stepped out of the bathroom after brushing his teeth, washing his face, and changing his clothes. Bianca went up next to him and said softly, "Luke, I have something to tell you..." "It''s already in the past." Luke could see the guilt in her eyes. He was disappointed by what she did, but he was not going to reprimand her. "You..." Bianca was surprised that he was not going to me her for it. She knew that the scandal had affected him negatively, and she had spent the entire nighting up with a speech so that she could minimize his anger. What shocked her the most was that Luke had no intention of ming her! Chapter 1188 Chapter 1188 It¡¯s All in the Past Now Bianca remained uneasy. She gently tugged Luke''s shirt sleeve and said, "I know that I''m at fault, Luke. I can exin." Luke pulled his arm away and said, "I''ve already dealt with the aftermath. You''d better not contact that reporter again." "Yes." Bianca suddenly had the urge to grab onto something, but Luke had already left. He did not ask her why she had contacted the reporter or why someone was harboring the reporter. It was as though the incident was not rted to her at all. Even so, Bianca could clearly feel that Luke''s attitude toward her had be more distant. She knew that if she listened to what he said and did nothing, Luke would only grow more distant from her. She closed the door, took off her clothes, and looked at her back in the mirror. After one night, her wounds were already healing, even though it was still quite painful. Using a cotton swab, she slowly applied the medication to her wounds. After that, she changed into a fresh set of clothes and went downstairs to find that Luke and the children had already left. "Good morning, Madam. Do you want breakfast?" The butler was quite surprised to see Bianca rise so early. "Mm." She nodded and sat down at the dining table. After breakfast, Bianca left Crawford Manor in her car. Old Master Crawford sat in the living room and listened to the butler read the reporter''s announcement to him. His elderly gaze narrowed after the butler finished reading. "Did the announcement say who was the mastermind behind the scandal?" The butler shook his head. "I don''t think so. It seems like the reporter took great pains not to mention the identity of the mastermind." "I wonder if Luke has be soft?" Old Master Crawford might be asking a question, but the usatory implications were clear. The butler was silent. Luke told him that he had dealt with the incident, but he did not exin much about what he did, and the announcement did not mention anything about the mastermind. Was Luke trying to harbor the mastermind? Old Master Crawford chuckled. There was a hint of lucidity in hisughter, as though he knew what was going on. "Did Bianca leave?" "Yes. Madam left after breakfast." The butler put the tablet away and massaged Old Master Crawford''s shoulders. Old Master Crawford narrowed his gaze. "Did she say where she was going?" "She didn''t." The butler shook his head. He was only a worker in the household, and he had no right to ask his employer about their whereabouts. Old Master Crawford saw that the kettle was boiling on the portable stove. He raised his hand, and the butler stopped massaging him. The elderly man leaned forward and poured the boiling water into the teapot. In a few seconds, the invigorating fragrance of the tea filled the entire living room. He poured a cup of tea and continued, "I''ve heard that Queenie has been poisoned, and that''s why her health has been poor." It was hard to keep secrets in the upper circles of society. Even if Luke did not tell him about Queenie, he somehow knew about it. "Yes. Allegedly, her adopted daughter was the one who had poisoned her," the butler replied. "Who would have guessed?" Old Master Crawford picked up the teacup and gently blew on it, creating ripples on the surface. "Is there any evidence that she did it?" "Unfortunately, no." The butler shook his head and continued, "It seems like the Normans aren''t interested in pursuing the matter either." "Even if there''s no evidence, it doesn''t mean that she didn''t do it. I''m sure that Jack just doesn''t want her daughter toe back." Old Master Crawford understood that the Normans'' adoptive daughter was notorious in the upper circles. Even if she did not do it, they would certainly pin it on her. The butler nodded and refilled Old Master Crawford''s teacup. "You''re absolutely right." Old Master Crawford narrowed his gaze. "Jack''s wife is quite lucky, too. She somehow met a stranger who correctly diagnosed her problem. Do you think that I''ll be as lucky?" The butler was taken aback. "You''re still healthy, Old Master Crawford. You''ll definitely live up to a hundred years old.¡± "Heheh, you''re ever the charmer." Old Master Crawford chuckled and finished the cup of tea. Meanwhile, Bianca drove her car to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. The reporter had announced that the scandal was fabricated, so Luca instantly lost all newsworthiness. No reporters were staking outside the building. Bianca did not have an ess card. She could only park her car at the roadside. She wanted to go into the building, but a barrier stood in her way. She could only go and look for the security. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org "I want to go upstairs," Bianca said. "Please fill in this form." The security guard handed her a nk form and a pen. Bianca was about to lose her temper. She was the wife of the CEO, so why did she have to register to enter the building? However, she stopped herself. It was normal that the security guard did not recognize her because she was not at T Corporation. Luke did not have a good impression of her now, so she should not make him hate her even more. Bianca took the pen and filled up her name, phone number, and time of visit. "Is that okay?" She handed the form back to the security guard. The security guard nced at the form. ''The name sounds very familiar...1 he thought to himself. He pointed at the nk column. "You haven''t written the department you wish to visit." "I''m looking for Ivana. Which department is she in?" Bianca took the pen again and realized that she did not know where Ivana was working. After all, it was her first time visiting a pharmaceuticalpany. "I don''t recognize that name. There are so many people in thepany, I can''t remember them all," the security guard said while shaking his head. "You must know her. She''s the star of a recent scandal. I believe she''s a researcher here. Which department is that?" Bianca tried to keep her temper down. On any other day, the security guard would have already lost his job. "Oh, you mean Dr. Craw?" The security guard understood, but he looked at Bianca warily. "Don''t tell me that you''re a reporter!" "I''m the wife of your boss!¡± Bianca could not take it anymore. She threw the pen at the table. "You''re..." the security guard''s eyes widened. Indeed, their CEO''s wife was called Bianca Rayne. No wonder he thought that she looked familiar. He took out his ess card and opened the gate for her. "I''m sorry, Mrs. Crawford! I didn''t know it was you!" Bianca red at him and stepped into the building withrge strides. That stretched the wounds on her back, and she could not help but grimace. Feeling that everyone''s eyes were on her, she continued to walk forward while pretending that nothing happened. Chapter 1189 Chapter 1189 Your Insolence Will Be Your Downfall Luca smirked when Mo told her that someone was waiting for her in the guest lounge. Even if Mo did not tell her who it was, she could guess the identity of that person. She sauntered over to the guest lounge, opened the door, and saw Bianca sitting elegantly but slightly stiffly on the couch. Luca closed the door and sat down opposite her. "You''re looking for me?" "You don''t say?" Bianca rolled her eyes. She felt an instant disgust when she looked at Luca''s facial features; no wonder Luke would fall for her bewitching charm. ording to the report she was provided, Luke preferred pure-looking faces. She was doubting the uracy of the report now. "I''m busy at work. If you have anything to say, make it short." Luca said brusquely and crossed her legs. Now that they knew each other''s identities, there was no need for courtesy. After all, both of them were Abel''s minions. "You already know who I am." Bianca red at Luca as though she was in control of everything. She wanted to look apologetic, but she found that she could not keep calm at all. "Abel told me before I left the ind." Luca picked up a cookie from the te on the coffee table. "What is your mission?" Bianca clenched her fists. Luca took a small nibble. She heard that Bianca had taken lessons on etiquette just so that she could be more like her and be a match for Luke. Despite the lessons, Luca could see that she was still rough at the edges. Bianca''s hatred toward Luca grew when she saw Luca¡¯s rxed demeanor. She knew that she would have to eliminate her from the picture. Otherwise, Luke would easily fall for her. "There are no other men here. You can drop your pretense now,"'' Bianca mocked her actions. Luca smiled. "Even if there''s no one else here, I can¡¯t tell you my mission. That''s a rule of the Ind. Have you forgotten?" Bianca was stunned, and her breathing became heavier. Luca shook her head and said, "You''ve been gone from the Ind for too long, and you''ve forgotten the rules. Didn''t Abel give you a refresher yesterday?" "Your insolence toward the Boss will eventually come back and bite you." Bianca clenched her fists tightly. She was ovee with anger when she heard Luca mention yesterday''s punishment. The veins on her forehead bulged, and she forgot her objective to meeting Luca. "I''ve always treated him like this, and the reason is simple: I''m irreceable, and you¡¯re not." Luca wiped her hands on a paper napkin after finishing the cookie. "If you anger him, he can easily substitute you with someone else. He''ll just have to say that you met with another ident, and your voice changed again." Bianca stood up in anger, forgetting about the wounds on her back. She grimaced in pain. Luca stood up as well. "Calm down. The whipping wounds won''t heal that quickly." "You!" Bianca wanted to raise her hand and p Luca, but that would stretch the wounds. She could only put her hand down sheepishly. "Even though you''ve left the Ind, don''t forget your mission. If you think of standing in my way again, you should think carefully if you can bear the consequences." Luca took out a vial of powder from her pocket. "Abel asked me to give you this." Luca received a call from Abel earlier that morning to concoct some medicine for the impostor Bianca. He was worried that Luke might suspect something if Bianca''s wounds did not heal. Luca was reluctant to do so, but she had toply because N was in his hands. "Is that poison?" Bianca did not think that Luca would want to help her. "Apply it to your wounds once in the morning and once at night. If you''re worried that I might poison you, you don''t have to apply it, though you''d better pray that Luke doesn''t notice you grimacing all the time." Luca walked toward the door. When she was about to open it, she turned around abruptly and said, "Oh, right, don''t tell me that you''re here today just to lose your temper on me. I don''t expect you to apologize to me anyway. You''ll just have to perform your role, and make sure that you stay away from me." She knew that she would not be able to coexist peacefully with the impostor Bianca, so she would rather keep a distance from her. Lucaposed herself and walked out of the lounge. She saw Mo standing not far away and nodded at her as a greeting. Despite the incident giving her a lot of unwanted trouble, Luca could not be bothered to get back at Bianca. One positive thing that she found from the incident was that the impostor Bianca had feelings for Luke. Those feelings would not die that easily, and Luca knew that the impostor Bianca would hesitate if Abel ordered her to do something that would harm Luke. Bianca held the vial of medicine tightly in her hand. Who could that woman be? Why did she say that she was irreceable? Bianca suddenly felt a sense of inferiority that nearly overwhelmed her. She soonposed herself. She was not going to let that woman intimidate her. She stuffed the vial into her handbag and stepped out of the guest lounge with deliberate elegance. Her expression was calm, though she was holding back the pain from the wounds on her back. Mo quickly stepped up to her. "Mrs. Crawford, is everything alright?" Despite the reporter''s announcement, Mo did not believe that there was nothing between Luca and their CEO. Mo was prepared to gloat over the ensuing drama when she saw Mrs. Crawford walk into the office. However, the scene was rtively calm, and Luca did not seem too perturbed when she walked out of the guest lounge. That made her feel slightly disappointed. Bianca shot a nce at Mo and could tell that she was a nosy one. She nodded and said, "Yes, it went well. Can you do me a favor?" "Of course." Mo did not want to let go of any opportunity to get in Mrs. Crawford''s good graces. "Let everyone in thepany know that I''vee here to talk to Dr. Craw. Also, try to let Mr. Doyle know about it too," Bianca said. She wanted to give Luke the impression that she had apologized to Luca. Even though she did not apologize, her presence in thepany was convincing enough. "Alright, no problem," Mo said. She guessed that Bianca wanted Luke to know how aggrieved she was. It was not a difficult task. Jason was in the Watson employees'' group chat, so all she had to do was casually mention it during lunchtime. "Mm. This is my name card. Let''s have coffee together some time." Bianca handed Mo the name card and nned to make the young employee her pawn in Watson Biopharmaceuticals.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Chapter 1190 Chapter 1190 A Ridiculous Dream "Yes, Mrs. Crawford." Mo was overjoyed as she held Bianca''s name card. After escorting Bianca to the exit, she returned to the Technical Department to continue her work. Cole went into her office and asked her, "What were you busy with the entire morning? I asked you to compile the interviewees'' resumes and put them on my table. Where is it?" Mo stood and exined, "I was busy taking care of Madam just now, so I didn''t have the time to do it. Let me get it done for you now." "Madam?" Who''s Madam?" Cole thought that Mo was trying to find excuses for herself. The Technical Department had two assistants, but Rhett had been recruited by Luca to be her personal assistant, so Mo was tasked to do everything else. Mo had been busy the past two days because she had to help the department manager hire another assistant. "She''s Mrs. Crawford, Mr. Crawford''s wife. She just left," Mo exined. If he did not believe her, he could go downstairs and check with the security department. "Mrs. Crawford was here? Why didn''t you tell me?" Cole said. Mo could not help but feel contemptuous toward Cole when she saw how he was eager to lick her boots. She did not think he was qualified to be the manager of the Technical Department, and he had nothing but his age and experience to prove himself. Even though she was having those thoughts, she smiled and replied, "Mrs. Crawford was here to meet Dr. Craw." When he heard that, Cole mumbled, "Why is everyone looking for her?" "Maybe they''re friends." Mo knew better than to tell him the truth. "Don''t worry, Dr. Kidman. You''ll have the interviewees'' resumes on your table in half an hour." "Mm. Please be faster." Cole was not going to me Mo because Bianca had made her neglect her work, so he could only urge her to be faster. "Yes, Mr. Kidman," Mo replied. After Cole left the office, she turned away and muttered contemptuously, "Pfft, what a bootlicker." Meanwhile, Luca returned to her office and read through some documents. When she heard her rm go off, it was already noon. She logged into the group chat on her phone and saw that a conversation was going on. Reading the contents, the employees were talking about how Mrs. Crawford had visited the building to look for her. Luca closed the app and did not say anything. She knew that Bianca wanted to let Jason know about her visit through the employees, and Jason would inform Luke about it. That way, she would achieve her goal. It was not a clever n, but it was not a stupid one either. Luca stepped out of the office and bumped into Rhett, who was carrying a stack of documents. "Here are the documents you requested, Dr. Craw." "Put them on my desk," Luca said as she held the door open for him. Rhett nodded. He put the documents on her desk and stepped out of the office. "Have you had lunch?" Luca asked. "Not yet. I was just about to go to the cafeteria." Rhett nced at the time on his phone, then put his phone back in his pocket. "Have you read the employee group chat?" Luca asked. "Yes." Rhett nodded. "Let''s not go to the cafeteria. We''ll eat out today. It''s my treat." Luca ced her hands in her pockets and walked toward the elevator. "Thank you, Dr. Craw." Rhett quickly followed behind her. He guessed that she did not want to be surrounded by other employees who would be gossiping about her. At T Corporation, Jason noticed that a lively conversation was going on in the Watson employee group chat. In any case, it was lunchtime, and it was normal for the employees to be chatting during their free time. He browsed through the contents of the chat and went to the CEO''s office. The office door was open. Jason knocked on the door and said, "I have something to report, Mr. Crawford." "What is it?" Luke''s eyes remained transfixed on theputer screen. "Madam went to Watson today," Jason said. Luke''s fingers on the keyboard froze for one second and asked, "Why did she go there?" "Apparently, she''s there to meet Dr. Craw," Jason said. He had been paying attention to the aftermath of the situation because he knew that Bianca yed a part in the scandal. "Mm. Is there anything else?" Luke did not seem too bothered. "That''s all for now." Jason nced at his phone. The people in the chat group were discussing Mrs. Crawford''s meeting with Luca and nothing else. It seemed that it was not something worth worrying about. "Mm," Luke replied while working. Seeing that Luke did not give him anymands, Jason rubbed his nose and left the office. After Jason left, Luke stopped typing on his keyboard and took out his phone. None of the people in the chat group knew that Jason had added Luke''s alternate ount into the group. He read the conversation and found that the Watson employees were very interested in Bianca''s appearance. He scrolled upward and saw that Mo was the first person to mention Bianca. He knew that Mo was an assistant in the Technical Department. She kept on diverting the conversation toward the meeting between Bianca and Luca, even when the other employees were starting to talk about other things. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. It was as though she wanted everyone to focus on the incident. Luke also noticed that Luca did not say anything. He tapped on her profile. She did not upload a profile picture, and he could not see her timeline because they were not friends. Knowing her personality, Luke guessed that she would not have posted anything to her timeline anyway. Luke was suddenly reminded of the dream. He could not help but feel uneasy when he remembered how Bianca''s face had turned into Luca. He put his phone away and forced himself to focus on his work. The more he tried to focus on his work, the more he could not do so. Luke pushed his keyboard away. At that time, Jason happened toe into the office with Luke''s lunch delivery. He was quite surprised when he saw Luke doing that. He had worked for Luke for many years, but he had very rarely seen Luke disy that level of impatience as though something was bothering him. "Your lunch is here, Mr. Crawford." Jason stood at the doorway, not knowing if he should go in or leave. "Put it here." Luke took a gulp of coffee, stood up, and went to the window. Jason could sense his irritation. He stepped carefully into the office, put the lunch box on his desk, and immediately left. Luke stared out of the window for a very long time before he felt the irritation die down. He rarely remembered his dreams, but that ridiculous dream clung stubbornly to his mind. Every time he recalled it, it evoked a greater reaction within him. The irritation red up when he recalled Luca''s face. He punched the window and cursed under his breath. Chapter 1191 Chapter 1191 Good Afternoon, Mr. Abel Jason had not gone too far when he heard the loud thump. He paused and turned around to see, wondering what was making his boss so unhappy. Was the lunch not to his taste? Jason shook his head. He remembered that he had something else to tell his boss, so he went back to the office. "Boss." He knocked on Luke¡¯s office door. Luke turned around and looked at him. "What is it?" Jason guessed that Luke had punched the window. He nced at the window to make sure that there were no cracks on it and said, "You have a meeting at two-thirty this afternoon with the CEO of Belpharma." Luke did not remember the meeting. He frowned and asked, "When was this meeting scheduled?" Jason replied, "Two weeks ago. You agreed to the meeting." Luke thought about it and realized that it was indeed the case. Belpharma was a pharmaceutical company that received foreign investment. It invented many types of medicine after setting up its headquarters in A City, and its sales ounted for fifty percent of the entire pharmaceutical market. Watson had only just opened its doors back then, so when someone from Belpharma initiated a meeting with Luke, he agreed to it immediately. The CEO of Belpharma was overseas at that time, so their meeting was scheduled to happen two weekster. "Mm," Luke replied after he remembered it. He sat down on his chair. Usually, he was not so forgetful, but there had been too many things on his mind. Jason rubbed his nose and said, ''I''ll go and make arrangements." The CEOs of the twopanies would be meeting in T Corporation, so Jason had to make sure that thepany looked presentable. Luke nodded and returned to work. At half-past two, the CEO of Belpharma appeared at T Corporation. Jason brought the person to the guest lounge and informed Luke about it. Meanwhile, other staff members of T Corporation made sure that the guest wasfortable. After Luke was informed, he went downstairs to the guest lounge. When he opened the door and saw the man sitting on the couch, he narrowed his gaze. "Good afternoon, Mr. Abel." Heposed himself and walked over. Abel stood up and extended his hand. "Good afternoon, Mr. Crawford. I''ve heard about you, and it''s my honor to meet you today." Luke shared a brief and firm handshake with Abel. Even though the man in front of him had a friendly smile on his face, Luke could tell that he was not as kind as he might seem. "Please have a seat." Luke gestured to the couch. Abel nodded and sat opposite him. Tina came in with two cups of coffee, ced them on the coffee table, and quietly left the room. "A City is a great ce with abundant talent, Mr. Crawford. Even your secretary is very pleasing to the eye." Tina had not gone too far. She heard Abel''sment and frowned, not expecting that someone with such a gentlemanly demeanor could say that. Luke smiled diplomatically and went into the main topic. "What business do you have with me today, Mr. Abel?" Abel turned his head away from Tina and transfixed his eyes on Luke. He had to admit that Luke was a very handsome man. No wonder Kassy would fall for him. Luke had the demeanor of a noble, though he was too heartless. Kassy''s efforts on him were in vain. Abel grinned. Seeing how impatient Luke was, he was not going to beat around the bush either. He took out an envelope from his briefcase. "There is a pharmaceutical association in A City. Now that T Corporation has ventured into this industry, I, as the president of the A City Pharmaceutical Association, would like to officially invite you to join us," Abel said as he handed the envelope over. Luke had heard about the association before, but he had never thought of joining it. He took the invitation with an impassive expression on his face. Belpharma had all but monopolized the pharmaceutical market in A City. There was no practical reason for the association to exist. "On behalf of the association, I would like to officially invite you to join us," Abel repeated. "Alright." Luke nodded and agreed. Now that he had received the invitation, it would be rude of him to refuse to join the association. There were several reasons why Luke wanted T Corporation to venture into the pharmaceutical industry. Not only was the industry very lucrative, but it was monopolized by a few major yers. The venture would bring great profits to T Corporation, and at the same time, it would be able to break the monopoly. "This is great." Abel pped his hands and extended his hand. "We wee you to the Pharmaceutical Association." "Thank you." Luke was not interested in such associations, but joining it was the only way to find out what his rivals were doing. He stood up and shook Abel''s hand. Abel continued, "There will be a wee party this Sunday. Would you like to join us?" "I will." Luke nodded. Abel grinned brilliantly. Putting up the pretense of a gentleman, he said," That is wonderful. Each of the members of the association will be bringing their researchers so that they can interact with each other. Right, Mr. Crawford, you can bring your family along with you too. I''ve heard that your wife is beautiful, and I wonder if I''ll have the chance to meet her." "My wife isn''t feeling very well. We''ll see," Luke said coldly. He was not very happy when he heard that, but it was not because he had made a remark about Bianca. Luke had been wary about Abel ever since they first met. He would always find fault with Abel no matter what Abel said. "Alright then, see you in two days." Abel left after he said that. Luke asked Jason to escort Abel downstairs. After Jason saw Abel off, he returned to Luke''s office. "Boss." He knocked on the door. "Come in." Luke came to his senses. He took a sip of his coffee. Jason went into the office, and Luke asked him, "Have we ever coborated with Abel before?" "No," Jason replied immediately. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "I want to know everything about him." Luke put the invitation letter on the desk. Abel was one of the very few people that could make him feel pressured. "Alright. Our men are on it. You should be receiving his information in your mailbox in an hour," Jason nodded and said, i Chapter 1192 Chapter 1192 Talia Was in Cole¡¯s Office Jason had been working for Luke for a long time, and he knew what his boss wanted before he was told. "Mm." Luke nodded, leaned back on his chair, and put the invitation letter into his drawer. Jason continued, "Boss, should we invite Cole Kidman to join the party?" Abel''s words earlier left a deep impression on him, as though Abel deliberately wanted Luke to bring certain people along with him to the party. "Inform Cole Kidman." Luke paused fora second and said, "And Luca too." Jason was quite surprised. Usually, people would only bring one extra guest to such parties, but Luke wanted to bring two. Even though the scandal had already concluded in their favor, it was good to behave tactfully to avoid any suspicion. Clearly, Luke was not bothered by that. "Alright, I''ll inform them now." Jason nodded and left the CEO''s office. The decision was not up for him to make. Jason informed Mo, who in turn informed Cole and Luca. Luca was surprised when Mo told her about the party. ''The Pharmaceutical Association? What organization is that? I don''t think it existed three years ago!'' "Have you heard of the Pharmaceutical Association before?" Luca asked Rhett. Rhett stopped working on his experiment and answered, "The Pharmaceutical Association was founded two years ago, and it¡¯sprised of the pharmaceuticalpanies in A City as well as certain renowned doctors. The president of the association is the CEO of Belpharma. He''s also the one who founded the association." When Luca heard the name "Belpharma," she realized what was going on. No wonder Abel left the Ind. He wasing for Luke, and dealing with Bianca was a mere convenience. She need not think too hard to realize that Abel had an ulterior motive when he invited Luke to join the association. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Luca shook the test tube in her hand. Thinking that she would have to face both Luke and Abel at the party, she was not very keen on going. ording to Mo, Jason had only informed Cole and Luca. Luca wondered if she could give the invite to someone else. Rhett said, "Events like these are a good opportunity to meet other people in the industry, Dr. Craw. They don''te by that often." Luca raised her eyebrows. "How about you go?" Rhett smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "I''d love to go, but I''m not qualified," he said frankly. "I don''t want to go," Luca said and returned to her research. Rhett looked at her, confused. Every other researcher would appreciate the opportunity to join such an event, but why did Luca not appreciate it? Rhett thought that Luca was only interested in doing research and was not fond of socializing. He could understand why she did not want to go. "Right. Is Dr. Kidman interviewing the new applicants now?" Luca asked. "Yes." Rhett nodded. The interviews were supposed to be conducted by the HR department and not the Technical Department, but Cole had insisted on being the main interviewer. "When will he be done?" Luca asked. "There are about twenty interviewees today, so it should be about another hour," Rhett said. "Noted." Luca devoted her focus to the experiment. She would meet Cole after he was done with his interviews and tell him that she would pass on the opportunity to another researcher. An hourter, Rhett came into theboratory and told Luca that Cole had finished the interviews and was back in his office. Luca nodded, stood up, and took off her gloves. "Tidy up the documents and bring them back to my office. You can go home after that." "Yes." Rhett went over and picked up the documents from her desk. Luca went to Cole''s office and knocked on the door. "Who is it?" Cole''s voice was heard from the inside. He sounded quite gruff. Luca did not think too much about it. She replied, "It''s me, Luca." "It''s you, Dr. Craw." Cole nced at Talia next to him, who was hurriedly tidying her clothes. "GO and open the door." "Yes!" Talia was quite frustrated that Luca had appeared at an inopportune moment. While she smoothed her hair, Cole said, "Meet me at the parking lot after work." "Yes, Dr. Kidman." Talia shed a cloying smile and opened the door for Luca. "Good afternoon, Dr. Craw,¡± she said. Luca raised an eyebrow. Why would Talia be in Cole''s office? ''How interesting...* "Good afternoon. What a coincidence." Luca noticed that the lipstick on the corner of Talia''s mouth was smeared... "I forgot to hand in some documents during the interview earlier, so..." Talia was surprised to see that Luca was looking at her coldly, as though Luca already knew what she was doing. "Mm." Luca looked away and went inside. Talia left the scene hastily, as though her motives would be exposed if she lingered for another second. "Please have a seat." Compared to Talia, Cole was a lot moreposed. He pointed at the chair opposite him. Luca sat down on the chair. She understood why Cole had sounded so gruff earlier, but she was not going to call him out on that. She noticed a stack of resumes on his desk, and the topmost one was from Talia. "Dr. Kidman, do you think you can ask someone else to rece me for the party this weekend?" Mo had informed the two of them about the party through a text message. Cole felt honored that his boss had invited him to the party. At the same time, he could not understand why Luca was invited. No matter how talented Luca might be, she was still considered a rookie in this field. Luke had given her too much attention. "Why don''t you want to go?" Cole asked. Other researchers could not go even if they wanted to. "I''m not too fond of socializing. At this point, I''m not interested in anything other than working on my research. I think that I should give this chance to one of my seniors in the field and not a new employee like me," Luca said, trying to keep a low profile. "Mm." Cole did not insist. After all, many other researchers were willing to take her ce. "Alright, I''ll ask Dr. Muller if he wants to go then." "Alright." Luca smiled and shook her head. She had no other reason to be there, so she stood up and left the office, closing the door behind her. After seeing Luca leave, Cole muttered under his breath, "How stupid." What use was her research if she did not treasure the opportunity to unt her talent? She would not be able to thrive in the industry no matter how good her research might be! Chapter 1193 Chapter 1193 She Agreed to It Cole dialed Dr. Muller''s number with the internal phone and told him the good news. When that was done, it was time to go off work. Remembering his promise to Talia, he stood up, whistled, and went downstairs. While he was walking, he let Jason know that Luca had given her invitation to someone else. After Luca left Cole''s office, she went back to her office and happened to meet Rhetting out of the laboratory with the documents. "Are you done?" She took the stack of documents from his hands. "All the documents are here," Rhett smiled and said. He suddenly felt the load in his hands be lighter. "Let me do it, Dr. Craw." "It''s fine. It''s not heavy anyway." Luca continued walking toward her office with the thick stack of documents in her hands. ¡¯You should go home." "Alright." Seeing that his work was done for the day, he went to clock out and leave the office. After Luca returned to her office, she stashed an important document in her briefcase, then put the rest into her safe. Her phone began to ring. The call was from Amur. "Hey, Amur." While storing the documents in the safe, she answered the call after putting on an earbud. "I''m at the supermarket now, Luca. What would you like to have for dinner? " Amur asked. He thought that Luca must be exhausted aftering home from work, so he decided to get the ingredients for her from the supermarket. "You should be resting at home." Luca frowned when she heard that Amur was in the supermarket. His wounds had just healed, and he should not be walking around. "I''m fine." Amur looked at the vast disy of fresh food, feeling a little overwhelmed. It was his first time buying food in the supermarket, and he did not know what to do. Luca could hearthat his surroundings were noisy. Now that he was already at the supermarket, she could not ask him to go home. "Get two cod fillets, a dozen eggs, and a zhini,¡± she said. "Alright." Amurmitted the list of items to his memory. "I''ll get them right away." "Remember to get everything fresh, especially the fish. Make sure to check the packing date on the packaging," Luca reminded him. "Yes." Amur¡¯s heart warmed when he heard her nag at him. After the call ended, Luca put the rest of the documents into the safe and locked it. When she walked out of the office, she received a call from an unsaved number. Even though she did not save the number, she knew that it was from Jason. "Mr. Doyle," she said after answering the call. "Dr. Craw, have you already gone off work?" Jason sounded happy, as though he was smiling while speaking. "I''m about to leave," Luca answered, though she did not know why Jason was asking about that.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "That''s great. Mr. Crawford is waiting for you in the Watson parking lot. Won''t you go and look for him?" Jason said. "Does Mr. Crawford want to see me?" Luca stopped walking. "Yes. Mr. Crawford has found out that you''re not going to the party this Sunday, and he wants to talk to you about it," Jason said. When he found out from Cole that Luca had given her invitation to Dr. Muller, he immediately told Luke about it. Luke happened to be nearby, so he got Jason to ask Luca if she was still in the building. "What does Mr. Crawford want? Does it mean that I must go?" Luca frowned. "Mr. Crawford appreciates talent, and you''re one of the most talented employees in thepany," Jason answered her question indirectly. From the answer, Luca knew that she would have to go to the party even if she did not want to. She had no other choice but to say, "If that''s the case... Mr. Doyle, please let Mr. Crawford know that I will attend the party." "Mr. Crawford wants to meet you for something else." Jason could hear from her tone that she was reluctant to meet Luke. He shook his head and reminded her. There had not been a precedent where Luke did not get to meet the person he wanted to meet. Luca was silent for several seconds. "Alright, I''ll head downstairs now," she said. "Mm. Goodbye," Jason ended the call after hearing that she was willing to meet Luke. Still holding her phone to her ear, Luca sighed and went to the elevator. Most of the employees had already gone off work, so she did not have to wait too long for the elevator. After stepping inside and pressing the button for the first floor, she suddenly remembered what Jason told her. She pressed the button for the basement. Luca stepped out of the elevator into the basement parking lot. After walking about fifty feet, she saw Luke''s car parked there. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the man sitting in the driver''s seat. When Luke noticed her, he shed his headlights. Luca walked over but did not step into the car. Instead, she stood next to the side passenger seat and kept a distance from him. She bent over slightly and looked at the man in the car. "Is there anything, Mr. Crawford?" "Get in the car." Luke pointed at the side passenger seat with his chin. Luca froze on the spot. She looked at her surroundings to make sure that no one was around, then said, "We can talk like this if there''s anything, Mr. Crawford. I''d like to rush home." "I''ll send you home." Luke narrowed his gaze. He found that Abel was Russian after reading his dossier. Suddenly, he remembered that Luca was Russian too. That was why he came to look for her. Luca did not get in the car. "I won''t talk to you if you don''t get in the car," he said. Luca stared at him. She never knew that he could say something so thuggish. She knew very well that Luke meant what he said. If she did not get in the car, she would be standing there, and some other employee might see her. She had no other choice but to sit in the side passenger seat. After Luca fastened her seatbelt, the car drove away. In a corner of the parking lot, Cole stuck his head out of his car window and looked at the car that was driving away. "Isn''t that Mr. Crawford''s car?" He asked. "Yes. I saw that Mr. Crawford was sitting inside." Talia tidied her hair. She was still panting. "Did Luca get into Mr. Crawford''s car?" Cole frowned. It seemed that the gossip was real. "Everyone in thepany is saying that Dr. Craw only managed to get a job in Watson because she got into Mr. Crawford''s pants," Talia said as she applied lipstick with the help of a hand mirror. She had promised that she would spend the night with Cole, so she had to look her best at all times. "Don''t tell anyone about it." After Luke¡¯s car went out of sight, Cole fastened his seatbelt and started his car. If the word spread, he was worried that Luke might suspect him. "Don''t worry, Dr. Kidman. I won''t tell anyone." Talia also knew better than to court trouble for herself. She bore a grudge against Luca. If Luca would help her, she would not have bothered to suck up to that gnarly man in his fifties. Chapter 1194 Chapter 1194 Am I Affecting Your Work? Talia felt unhappy when she remembered the scene where Luca stepped into the CEO''s car. She thought that she was quite beautiful, and she was younger than Luca, so why did Luca manage to seduce Luke, while she had to settle for someone like Cole? Talia nced at Cole, who was driving, and said emotionally, "I didn''t expect that the rumors were true. I pity Mrs. Crawford now." Cole would hear a hint of pretentiousness in her words. "It''ll serve you well to leave them alone." "Ah, I''m just saying." Talia could sense his unhappiness and realized that she had misspoken. She thought that she was the same as Luca. Both of them have sold their bodies in exchange for their jobs. Luke was married, and so was Cole. When Talia approached Cole, she promised him that she would not interfere with his family life. That was why Cole was willing to give Talia a chance. Talia''s words earlier reminded Cole that he was having an affair too. She smiled apologetically and hoped that he would forget about it. Meanwhile, Luca sat in the passenger seat with her fingers sped together tightly. She stole a nce at Luke''s side profile and took a deep breath, filling her lungs with his scent. Inexplicably, her heart began to beat faster, and her cheeks reddened. "What do you want to tell me, Mr. Crawford?" She asked. "Why don''t you want to join the party?" Luke did not look at her. Instead, his eyes were transfixed on the road ahead. It was the evening rush hour, so the roads were slightly congested. "I''m not good at socializing,¡± Luca exined. "People only drink alcohol and chat at parties like that. I''m not too interested." "You have to go." Luke did not ask for her opinion. Luca wanted to refuse, but she could not. He was the boss, and she would have to obey. She nodded and said, "Alright, I''ll attend the party. You can drop me at the intersection ahead, Mr. Crawford. I''ll take a cab home." "I''ll send you home," Luke repeated. His hands gripped tightly on the steering wheel, and he did not look like he was going to turn it. Luca gripped the seatbelt. "Aren''t we done talking?¡¯ "Not yet." Luke gazed at her. His gaze was not as prating as before. Luca could see the gentleness in his eyes, which made her gasp for breath. Sheposed herself before saying, "Do you have any other questions?" Luke was frustrated when he sensed the impatience in her voice. Why was she so afraid to be with him? "Do you know about Belpharma?" He asked. "I''ve heard of them. As far as I know, they''re one of the biggest pharmaceuticalpanies in the country," Luca replied. She could not say that she did not know about them. It would be quite ridiculous for a researcher in the industry not to have heard of them. "How about their CEO?" Luke asked. "I know about thepany, but I''m not too sure about its internal structure, " Luca shook her head and said. "Their CEO is called Abel, and he''s also Russian. Apparently, he''s very famous in his country. You''ve at least heard of him, right?" Luke asked. Luca cast her gaze downward to hide her emotions. Should she say she knew who Abel was or not? Abel was quite a prominent figure in Russia. If she said that she knew him, she was worried that Luke might ask her more questions, during which she would inadvertently divulge something. If she said that she did not know him, it would cause Luke to suspect whether Luca was actually from Russia. Luca did not think for too long before she replied, "I''ve heard of him. He''s a famous entrepreneur in Russia." "Indeed." Luke had perused Abel''s dossier. There were no ws in it. However, any sessful Russian entrepreneur would surely have some dirt on them. Abel''s background was too clean, and Luke could not help but suspect that something was amiss. Luca nced at him. He looked like he was concentrating on driving, but Luca knew that his expression meant something else. He was thinking of something. Knowing that Luke would not let her out of the car before they reached their destination, she could only try to rx and sit patiently. After talking about Abel, Luke continued asking his questions, "Why did you choose to apply to Watson?" "I wanted to work in a newpany so that I can prove myself," Luca said. Then, she deliberately sighed. "I won''t be able to prove myself if you keep on trying to get close to me, Mr. Crawford." "Am I affecting your work?" Luke raised an eyebrow. It was the second time he heard someone say that he was affecting their work. The first person to say so was Bianca Rayne. "No..." Luca remembered that she had said that with her previous identity. She continued to exin, "The reporter might have made an announcement that the entire scandal was made up, but the Watson employees won''t be so easily convinced. They still think that I got the job as a researcher because you pulled some strings. Mr. Crawford, I hope that you can keep some distance from me in the future. All I want is to do my research so that I can prove my abilities and bring profits to thepany." "I suppose you''re right. I have indeed affected your work," Luke said impassively. Somehow, he was not very happy when Luca said that she wanted him to keep a distance from her. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Luke''s words brought anguish to Luca¡¯s heart. She felt as though her rtionship with Luke had returned to zero. Back then, she did not know Luke''s true intentions, and she was not sure about how she felt. That was why she had tried to keep a distance from him. However, she had to keep a distance from Luke now because she was not Bianca Rayne anymore. With her new identity, she had no right to demand Luke''s affection. If she tried to do that, she would be cursed and damned. She did not mind being called a seductress, but she would not want to implicate Luke. If she tried to get close to Luke, he was the one who would be disadvantaged. Luke''s frustration grew when he saw that she did not confirm or deny it. He realized that he had no reason to release his emotions. His emotions felt like a lump in his chest, and he could not get rid of it. "I''ll let Jason enact a new rule in thepany," Luke suddenly said. "Huh?" Luca was lost in her thoughts. Her gaze shed with a hint of sorrow when she came to her senses. Her most beloved man was right in front of her, but there was nothing that she could do. "No Watson employee shall be in a romantic rtionship with another employee. Anyone who breaks the rule will be immediately fired," Luke said. When Luke mentioned that, the first thing that Luca thought of was Cole and Talia. She thought about it and realized that Cole was far older than Talia, and he should have a wife and children. Their rtionship was not romantic but illicit. Chapter 1195 Chapter 1195 Stop Thinking of Him "Not bad," Luca said after being stunned for a few seconds. She was not nning to be romantically involved with anyone in the office anyway. The new rule would not affect her. When Luke heard her nonchnt response, he stepped on the gas pedal harder. Luca could feel the car travel faster, but she did not gasp or exim in surprise. She sat there calmly, as though she was used to traveling at this speed. The car was traveling on the open road, and traffic was very light. Luca was not worried that Luke might rear-end another car, so she managed to keep calm. She knew that Luke was a skilled driver. Luke stopped his car outside Luca''s neighborhood. After the car came to aplete stop, Luca unfastened her seatbelt and said to him, "You''re a skilled driver, Mr. Crawford." She opened the door and stepped out of the car. Luke raised an eyebrow and asked, "Aren''t you inviting me to go upstairs?" Luca was taken aback, not expecting Luke to say that. When she came to her senses, she said, "That''s not very convenient." ''Not very convenient?'' Luke was not sure why he was not very happy when he heard that. Perhaps it was because it was the first time that someone had refused his request. He unfastened his seatbelt. When he opened the car door, he heard a masculine voice saying, "You''re back." Luke stepped out of the car and saw a young man standing next to Luca. He turned to face Luca as though waiting for her to introduce that man. Luca did not expect to meet Amur downstairs. She smiled awkwardly and said, "It''s you. Why did you come back sote?" Half an hour ago, Amur was in the supermarket. What took him so long? "I bought quite a lot of things." Amur stared at Luke. From afar, he saw Luca step out of that man''s car. He recognized who that man was. He was Luca''s husband... Amur smiled as he looked at Luca. "Who is he?" "He''s Mr. Crawford, the CEO of mypany.¡± The two men were looking at her, and she had no choice but to introduce each other. "Mr. Crawford, this is Amur, my younger brother." "You two don''t look alike at all." Luke turned away from Amur. He did not like that young man''s face. He hated it even more when he saw how Amur was gazing at Luca with his bright blue eyes. "We have different mothers, so we don''t look alike." Luca had already prepared an excuse. Amur wanted to say something, but when he heard Luca say that, he could only say, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Crawford. Thank you for sending my elder sister home." From Amur''s tone, Luke could sense that he was very possessive of Luca, and that had irked him greatly. It felt as though Luca had stabbed his heart with a thorn, and Amur had pulled it out abruptly. "You''re wee." Luke nced at Luca once more before going back into his car, closing the door, and driving away. Luca breathed a sigh of relief. She saw that Amur was carrying two shopping bags, so she took one from him, and the both of them headed toward the apartment. Luca turned around to look, but Luke''s car had disappeared from view. She asked Amur, "What did you buy today that took you so long?" The supermarket was only a five-minute walk from the apartment. "I bought everything that you told me to, but I''m not too good at judging the freshness of the food," Amur exined. "Next time, just leave it to me." Luca shook her head. They stood in front of the elevator and waited for it toe. "I don''t have anything to do at home. Let me at least help you with the groceries," Amur said. Seeing that Amur was quite determined, Luca could only nod. Amur took a closer look at Luca''s delicate face, thought for a while, and said, "That man earlier..." "We''ll talk when we get home,¡± Luca interjected. Amur kept quiet. They stepped into their elevator one after the other and returned to the apartment. Luca took the shopping bag into the kitchen. Amur quickly followed behind her and asked her, "That man earlier, is he your husband?" "Mm." Luca was taken aback by the question, though she nodded. Legally, Luke was indeed her husband. Even though she had changed her appearance and identity, her DNA did not change. It did not matter if no one could recognize her, her DNA would not lie. "Have you told him?" Amur asked. "That''s impossible..." Luca felt her heart skip a beat when she heard that question. She had thought of telling Luke the truth, but she could not bring herself to do it. "You still love him..." Amur could see the anguish in her eyes. Amur could tell that Luca was only pretending not to care about Luke. After all, the siblings were the closest people to her for the past three years. "I''m going to cook, Amur. The kitchen is quite cramped, so you should go out." Luca felt a blunt pain in her heart when Amur correctly guessed her feelings. She did not want Amur to see her in agony. Amur put the shopping bag on the kitchen counter. He could see that she was frowning slightly. "If your feelings are causing you anguish, you should stay away from him." Then, he left the kitchen. Luca clutched her chest tightly. Her heart was aching. She knew that if she did not see Luke or think of him, she would not have been in such pain. However, Abel''s n did not allow her to stay away from him. Abel wanted Luca to get close to Luke and make them sink into despair. The more she tried to run away, the more Abel would try to force her to approach Luke. Everything was going ording to Abel''s n. Luca had the premonition that something bad would happen at the party on Sunday. Luca took a deep breath. As she unpacked the groceries, her hands were shaking slightly. She tried to force herself to calm down. It took her about ten minutes before her hands stopped shaking. Luca took out her phone and opened the photo album. She looked at N''s photos, then at Tommy''s smiling face. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. She smiled. She would protect them with all her might! Amur stood on the balcony and looked at the distance. The man earlier was the man Luca loved... He was handsome and noble, and he emanated an aura of sess. Indeed, he was quite charming. However, he had failed to protect Luca three years ago, which had resulted in the situation today. Amur did not have a good impression of Luke. When he remembered that longing look on Luca¡¯s face when she mentioned Luke, he could not help but punch the balcony railing. As long as he was with Luca, he would not let Luke hurt her. He thought of the additional mission that Abel gave him. To protect Luca, he would have to stay by her side in A City. When he thought of that, he took out his phone and sent a message to Abel. Chapter 1196 Chapter 1196 The Reason Behind the Scandal Meanwhile, as Luke drove away, he could not help but feel unhappy when he remembered Amur''s face. He took out his phone and gave Jason a call. "Send me Luca''s dossier,¡± he said. Jason was taken aback. "Haven''t you already seen it before?" "I want to look at it again," Luke said. "Yes." Jason did not know why his boss would suddenly want to do that. However, he was in no position to question his boss''s decisions. After the call ended, he immediately turned on hisptop to find Luca''s dossier. It took him some time to find Luca''s folder from the numerous employee folders and send it to Luke''s mailbox. Kari was sitting next to him, watching him work. She ran into the kitchen and said, "Mommy, Daddy isn''t helping us turn on the TV." "Isn''t he sitting on the couch? Why isn''t he helping you?" Sue was busy in the kitchen cooking dinner. She turned around to nce at her daughter before resuming slicing vegetables. "Daddy is very busy." Kari pouted. When Sue heard that, she went to the kitchen door and roared at Jason," Jason Doyle! Turn on the TV for your daughters!" "Alright, alright!" Jason shuddered. He plugged in the television, turned it on, and switched to his daughters'' favorite cartoon channel. To prevent her children from watching too much television, Sue had installed the power socket for the television at a high ce so that the children would not be able to turn on the television by themselves. After switching on the television, Jason checked hisptop that he had sent the files over to Luke before turning off hisptop. He could hear the sounds of slicing vegetables beyond the sounds of the television. "Watch your television and don''t go anywhere, alright?" He told the children before going into the kitchen and rolling up his shirt sleeves." Do you need any help?" "Wash the lettuce." Sue was very busy in the kitchen. Usually, the caretaker would be there to help her, but the caretaker had to take the day off today. She had been working in the kitchen alone. She was not a very proficient cook in the first ce, so the kitchen was in a mess. "Alright," Jason replied and went to the sink. "Mr. Crawford called me and told me to give him the information on Dr. Craw, so I had to do it immediately," Jason exined. "Dr. Craw? The woman implicated in the scandal with Luke?" Sue raised an eyebrow. "Mm." Jason could tell that Sue was thinking that the rumors were true, so he reminded her, "The reporter has announced that he created the scandal because someone paid him to." Sue chuckled. "So what? Your boss is still interested in that woman." "It''s important for every employer to understand their employees'' background," Jason said. "Shireen Williams from yourpany is a prime example. Ms. Rayne didn''t do a thorough investigation of her background, and that had caused yourpany a lot of troubleter." Sue waved the kitchen knife at Jason''s face. "Don''t you know when to keep your mouth shut?" Bianca had hired Shireen even though no other designpany wanted to. Shireen''s performance at work proved that Bianca had made the right decision. Last year, Shireen had won an international award for her design, and Brilliant Architectural Design became world-famous after that. Even though Bianca was no longer around, Shireen continued to stay and contributed to thepany greatly. She had refused many lucrative offers from otherpanies so that she could repay Bianca''s debt of gratitude. Eventually, the otherpanies stopped trying to poach her. After Shireen''s poprity exploded, thepany doubled its clients. Sue was happy to see that happen, and Nina was meeting a new client every day. However, the good times did notst very long. Two monthster, a foreign constructionpany brought Brilliant Design to court for giarism, and the other designers were implicated as well. Sue and Nina were busy talking to theirwyer during their period, and most of their clients had terminated their contracts after hearing that Brilliant Design was involved in a giarismwsuit. Luke had to step in to investigate. He found out that Shireen was the reason why thatpany was picking on Brilliant Design. The reason was not surprising. Shireen was the ex-girlfriend of the boss of thatpany. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Shireen had hidden in A City for many years, and that man could not find her. Now that she was internationally famous, the man set his sights on her once more. He had bought over a designpany in A City and offered Shireen a job there, but Shireen refused and insisted on staying at Brilliant Design. That angered the man, and he tried to make life difficult for Brilliant Design. "Alright, I shouldn''t have brought that up." Jason could not help but smile when he saw her face. Sue was not angry that Shireen had brought trouble to thepany. After all, Shireen had brought them a lot of profits. She was angry that the man had tried to poach Shireen, Brilliant Design''s best designer, using such underhanded means. "Why didn''t he investigate that woman sooner?" Sue asked. "Mr. Crawford had read through every employee''s information, but he suddenly wanted to see Dr. Craw''s dossier again." Jason thought that it was quite strange too. Luke had never done that before, so Jason had no rational exnation for his behavior. He would rather not think that Luke''s behavior had an irrational exnation either. Everyone knew that Luke was loyal to Bianca. Jason would not want to believe that he had feelings for Luca. "I guess that Mr. Crawford has some sort of secret," Sue mumbled. "Or maybe he wants to know why Mrs. Crawford wanted to implicate Dr. Craw in the scandal," Jason guessed. Jason had told Sue about the recording between Bianca and the reporter, so Sue also knew that Bianca was the one who had orchestrated the scandal. Sue had never said it, but she had been wondering why Bianca''s personality changed totally after she lost her memories. "Bea wouldn''t have done that if Mr. Crawford was innocent. Her personality might have changed, but jealousy is a good motivator for her erratic behavior," Sue said. "Maybe that''s the case." Jason did not want to argue with her. He knew that men''s thought processes were different from that of women. After knowing that Bianca was the culprit behind the scandal, his intuition told him that the situation was not as simple as Sue made it out to be. Luke was not interested in finding out the real reason, so Jason was not going to do it either. Chapter 1197 Chapter 1197 Investigate Someone After Luke parked his car in the Crawford Manor, he did not get out of his car. Instead, he opened his mailbox and read through Luca''s dossier several times. There was not a lot of useful information on Luca, perhaps because she was from Russia. Luke sank into deep thought. He heard a knock on the car window. He came to his senses and saw the butler standing next to the car with a gentle smile on his face. Luke rolled down the car window. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "Sir, Old Master Crawford wants to know why you''re not going into the house," the butler said. Old Master Crawford was deliberately waiting for him in the living room, but Luke did not go into the house. "I''m still doing a bit of work. I''ll go in soon," Luke said. "Yes, Sir." The butler nodded and went away. Luke took out his phone and gave Gale a call. "Any orders, Boss?" Gale answered the call very quickly. He sounded quite carefree. "Go to Russia, and bring Rain with you. I want to investigate on someone," Luke said. Rain and Gale had been overseas for the past two years to build up awork of contacts. The first ce he chose to build hiswork was Russia because he was afraid that the Ind of Despair would rise again. "Yes, Boss. Who''s the target?" Gale asked. After building up awork of contacts in various countries, it was not a challenge for them to seek information. Luke''s influence had grown greatly in the past three years, though to the averageyman, he was only the CEO of T Corporation. "Luca Craw. Her name in Russia is Ivana." Luke sent Luca''s dossier to Gale''s mailbox while he spoke. "I''ve just sent you her dossier. Go to Russia with Rain tomorrow and find out everything about her." "Don''t worry, Boss. Well do that as soon as we can," Gale said. "Find whatever you can about her family too," Luke said. "Yes, Boss." After ending the call, Luke went into the living room. Old Master Crawford was sitting on the couch waiting for him. "You''re back," the elderly man said. "Yes, Grandfather. Have you had dinner?" Luke knew that he was going toe homete, so he told the butler not to wait for him. "I have. The cook saved some food for you. You can get it in the kitchen if you want to eat," Old Master Crawford said while stroking his beard. Luke put his briefcase away and sat down on the couch. "You have something to tell me," he said to Old Master Crawford. That was a statement and not a question. Old Master Crawford nodded. "How is your mother-inw?" He tried to make some small talk. "She''s taking her medication now. It''s only a matter of time before she is cured," Luke said. Queenie had taken the first dose of the herbal concoction in the hospital. She was still weak, though the concoction did not give her any side effects. Johann said that the effects of the concoction would only be seen after some time, and he reminded Jack to boil the concoction for Queenie regrly. "I''ve heard that the Norman girl is the culprit," Old Master Crawford said. There was no one else in the living room to overhear it anyway. "There''s no evidence." Luke''s expression sank slightly. He and Jack knew about the things Leia had done. However, Jack decided not to pursue the matter because there was no evidence, and Leia was not in the country. He thought that the matter would stay within Johann''s office, and he did not expect Old Master Crawford to have caught wind of it. Old Master Crawford nodded. He could guess why Jack made that decision. If Queenie could be fully cured, the higher-ups in the government would reappoint him to his job. Moreover, his rank this time would be higher than thest. Jack had voluntarily retired to take care of his wife, and that had affected his reputation positively. Because of his newfound reputation as a family- oriented man, his political career would be smooth- sailing. "Your father-inw''s reputation will continue to grow after this incident, Luke. You should spend some more time with them. Right, you should bring your wife along with you too. In any case, she''s their daughter," Old Master Crawford said. Ever since Bianca lost her memories, she refused to meet the Normans. Even though they were rted by blood, they would eventually drift apart if they did not maintain the rtionship. Old Master Crawford was worried about her future, and that was why he had told Luke to bring Bianca along whenever he visited the Normans. "I know." Luke knew what Old Master Crawford was talking about. If Jack returned to the political scene, T Corporation''s influence would grow. Even though they did not really need the extra help, it was good to have another person to rely on. "Alright. I''ve bought two cases of supplements, and I''ll get the butler to put them in your car boot. It''s Saturday tomorrow, so if you''re free, you can bring it over," Old Master Crawford said. Now that Queenie was discharged from the hospital, she would need all the nutrition that she could get. Luke nodded. He had nned to visit them tomorrow anyway, so Old Master Crawford''s exhortations did not change his schedule. When Luke was about to stand up, Old Master Crawford said, "Right. Find that mysterious woman if you can. I''m talking about the woman that discovered your mother-inw''s condition." The mysterious woman and Queenie¡¯s condition was not a secret in Old Master Crawford''s social circle. Everyone he knew was talking about it. Everyone wanted to find out the identity of the mysterious woman. After all, it was rare to find someone who could urately diagnose an illness just by taking one''s pulse. Luke frowned slightly. "Everyone wants to be acquainted with that woman. If you manage to find out who she is, you might prevent her from being disturbed," Old Master Crawford said. Luke nodded, thinking what his grandfather said made sense. The other people would definitelyunch their own investigations. Even if Jack and Queenie did not want to bother than woman, someone else would eventually do that. "HI be upstairs, Grandfather," Luke said. Old Master Crawford sipped his tea. "Aren''t you having dinner?" "I''m not hungry." Luke took his briefcase and went up the stairs. He noticed that the master bedroom door was open. Luke thought for a while and went inside. He saw Bianca sitting in front of the vanity and applying moisturizer to her face. "You''re back, Luke." She turned her head when she heard the footsteps behind her. That movement stretched the wound on her back. She inhaled deeply but managed to maintain the gentle smile on her face. Chapter 1198 Chapter 1198 Luke Was Wrapped Around Luca''s Fingers "Yeah." Luke looked at Bianca. The light from the dressing table illuminated her side profile. She looked delicate and wless. However, no matter how he looked at her, he was not spellbound by her as he used to be. He did not believe that time could change his love for Bianca, but it was true that he was no longer infatuated with her. "What''s the matter with you? Why do you look so serious?" Bianca narrowed her eyebrows and observed his expression. Luke''s expressionless face did not carry a tinge of warmth, and it made her feel uneasy. "It''s nothing to worry about." His expression was still cold and indifferent. Bianca stood up and tried to approach him when she suddenly heard him ask, "Why did you go to Watson Biopharmaceuticals today?" "You found out..." Bianca lowered her eyes slightly to show an aggrieved expression. She knew Luke would find out since she had paid off Mo. Her goal was achieved. Luke was aware that she went to Watson Biopharmaceuticals to look for Luca. Bianca said, "I went to Watson Biopharmaceuticals to look for Ms. Ivana. I wanted to apologize to her for the news that broke out. I felt horrible that I caused a lot of trouble for her-" "She didn''t know that you''re involved," Luke said. Bianca was ufortable with how Luke was wrapped around Luca''s fingers. ''She didn''t know? How could she not know?! Ivana was the first to know!¡¯ "That might be true but she''s an employee of Watson Biopharmaceuticals, after all. If she pursued it any further and found the reporter, she would''ve foundC¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org out about everything then. I took the initiative to look for her and sincerely apologized in case things got worse,¡± Bianca said. "Luke, I''m sorry for what I did, but please know that I only did it because of how much I love you. I believe you. I know nothing is going on between you and Ms. Ivana. I''m sorry for being oversensitive." She stared into Luke''s eyes and sincerely apologized. She could not afford to stand still. Admitting to her mistakes was her best option. Although Bianca did not think she did anything wrong, legitimacy belonged to the victor. She had no choice but to admit it was her fault now that her scheme was unmasked. "Don''t worry about it." Luke looked at her pitiful expression and the tears welled in her eyes. It was as though her tears would fall if he said another word. He chose to let it go. Bianca smiled slightly and walked toward him. "Do you forgive me?" "I never med you." Luke knew that Bianca had gotten a little more sensitive after she got amnesia. It was likely that she did what she did because of her insecurity. He thought about it for a little while and said, "I have an event on the weekend. Do you want to join me?" Bianca was overjoyed. When she was about to agree, she thought of the wounds on her body. The wound on her back was still prominent... She had to wear a dress for the event. Even if she wore a long dress, it may not be able to cover all the wounds on her body. Bianca could not go for a customized dress either. If someone saw the wounds on her back, they might misunderstand and make some nastyments, which might affect Luke. The more Bianca thought about it, the angrier she became. Unfortunately, the wounds on her back gave her no choice but to turn Luke down. She asked, "What kind of event is it?" "It''s a banquet held by the Pharmaceutical Association," Luke said. "Hmm... I''m not good at socializing with medical professionals and I don''t know anything now, so it''s best that I don''t go, lest I embarrass you," Bianca said vaguely. She knew that Abel owned the Pharmaceutical Association that Luke was referring to. She could not go in case Abel was there too. If his mood changed and he wanted to do something to her, it would not be worth the loss. Bianca was determined not to apany Luke to attend the event on Sunday. Eventually, the fury in her heart gradually faded. Seeing that Bianca was unwilling to apany him, Luke nodded and said coldly, "Mm, it''s your choice. Get some rest." Bianca looked at him as he finished speaking and then turned to leave. She let out a sigh of relief and paused before she said something else. Even if she got Luke to stay, there was nothing she could do. Her body was wounded, so even if Luke stayed, she would not be able to do anything with him. All Bianca could do was watch him leave. She then closed the door. Luke returned to the study and thought of what Old Master Crawford had said. The news of Queenie being poisoned had spread. Many of the rich and famous wanted to know who was the wicked person who harmed her. Even if he and Jack did not pursue it, others would. If he found out who that person was before everyone else, maybe he could protect them before the others got to them. He texted Jason to make some arrangements. Early the next morning. After Luke got up, he notified the three children separately that he would be bringing them to the Norman Residence. The kids were overjoyed when they heard that they were going to visit their grandparents. They immediately jumped and started getting ready. Luke walked to Bianca''s bedroom after that. The bedroom door was closed. He knocked but there was no response. He knocked again thinking that Bianca had not woken up. Tommy walked over and looked up at him. "Dad, what are you doing?" "I''m trying to wake your mother up," Luke said. Tommy nodded but asked, "Why are you knocking on the door? Why don¡¯t you just go in?" "..." Luke was speechless after hearing what his son said. Tommy was right. He could just go in without knocking on the door. He and Bianca were husband and wife. However, it was not in his subconscious to do that. It was because he felt distant from Bianca. They were more like roommates living under one roof. "Dad, why are you in a daze?" Tommy asked when he saw that Luke was spacing out. Luke snapped out of it, put his hand around the doorknob, and found that the door was locked. "The door is locked," he exined. "Oh." Tommy nodded. "Daddy, take your time to wake Mommy up. I''ll go downstairs to have breakfast first. I¡¯m excited to go to Grandma''s houseter!" Tommy then turned around and left. Luke continued knocking on the door. After knocking four times in a row, there was finally a reaction. "Who is it?!" Bianca was in a rage from being woken up. "It''s me." Luke was startled when he heard her rude tone. The old Bianca had never spoken like this. "Luke..." Bianca woke up and instantly sat up. Her sudden movements caused her wounds to ache. Thankfully for her, it was already the third day after she got injured and she had started to take medicine as well. Hence, the wounds were quickly healing and did not hurt as much as before. She hurriedly got out of bed, tidied her messy hair in the mirror, and opened the door. Bianca''s smile was extremely unnatural as she stared at Luke, who was standing by the door. "Luke, why are you up so early on a Saturday?" Luke looked at Bianca, who was pale, and took a step back. "I¡¯m bringing the kids to the Norman Residenceter. Why don¡¯t youe with us?" Chapter 1199 Chapter 1199 Bianca Was Not The Biggest Fan Of Family Love "Norman Residence?" Bianca felt bitter when she thought of Jack''s face. Jack always had a stern face that was a little too serious whenever they were in the same room. His majestic gaze seems to be able to see through everything. There was also Queenie, who was so fragile. Every time Bianca went to the Norman Residence, she had to do all kinds of housework for Queenie to maintain the image of a good daughter. Bianca hated all of this. "Mm." Luke noticed her resistance and did not choose to amodate her this time. Bianca looked at the calmness on his face and felt slightly disappointed that he did not show any empathy toward her. Luke was not saying anything to help her out of this, which meant that she had to go. Bianca was not happy about it but dared not express it. Too many things had happened recently. If it were in the past, she could turn him down, but in the situation that she was in now, she could no longer take any risks that would cause Luke to dislike her even more. She said, "I¡¯ll go get ready." "Mm, we¡¯ll wait for you downstairs." Luke turned to leave when he saw that Bianca agreed. Bianca looked at him as he left. She was tightly clutching the door frame with her hand, and some sawdust had gotten into her nails. Luke cared about her less as the days went by. Bianca wandered downstairs half an hourter. Luke had finished breakfast and the kids were seated around the table, drinking juice. "Luke, I''m ready." She walked over feebly. Luke nodded and handed her a te. "Have some breakfast before we head over." Old Master Crawford, who was sitting on the chair, put down the newspaper and took off his reading sses when he heard what Luke said. He said, "Luke, I have something for 01" Norman. Pass it to him when you see himter." "What is it?" Luke asked. "Mr. Griffin, please bring it to me," Old Master Crawford said. When he heard that, the butler bowed slightly and left the dining room. After a while, he returned with a bag in his hand. "These are kolinsky sable paintbrushes. I heard that 01" Norman used to paint but stopped after your mother-inw fell sick. Send this to him. Maybe he¡¯ll have some use for it in the future.¡± Old Master Crawford took the bag from the butler and handed it to Luke. Bianca enjoyed her breakfast while listening to Old Master Crawford''s words. She was surprised that Old Master Crawford treated Jack so well. It seemed likely that as soon as Queenie recovered, Jack would return to politics. However, none of these had anything to do with her. She did not want to be involved with anyone from the Norman family. "I''ll pass it to my father-inw." Luke took the bag. It was heavy, so he ced it gently on the side. The brushes were probably from Old Master Crawford''s own collection. It was intriguing that he decided to gift items from his precious collection to Jack. After Bianca was done with breakfast, Luke drove her and the kids to Norman Residence. They had informed Jack and Queenie in advance that they were visiting. When Luke arrived at the Norman Residence, Jack and Queenie were waiting for them in the living room. In the past, Queenie would usually be resting in her room around this time. Queenie smiled and waved at the kids. "Lanie, Rainie, Tommy,e here. Come to Grandma." The three walked to her. "Grandma, good morning." The children greeted her in unison and looked at Jack. "Grandpa, good morning." "Good morning, my love." Queenie was overjoyed to see the kids. She lovingly rubbed their heads. Rainie was a sensitive and loving child. She asked, "Grandma, I heard from Daddy that you were just discharged from the hospital. How are you feeling?" "I feel much better. All the pain is gone the moment I see all of you." Queenie could barely conceal her delight. She held Rainie''s hand and said," I haven''t seen you for a while. It seems that you''ve grown a lot taller." When he heard this, Tommy raised his hand and said, "Grandma, I¡¯ve grown taller too! If you don''t believe me, take a look! Soon, I¡¯ll be taller than Rainie. Queenieughed with joy while talking with the kids. Her mood improved significantly. Luke''s eyes fell on Bianca, who stood next to him. She was carrying the gift bag Old Master Crawford had passed to them in her hand. When she noticed Luke''s gaze, Bianca said, "Dad, Mom, this is what Luke and I prepared for you." Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. She called out to them timidly. Queenie''s eyes were moist. "My dear girl...e. Come and sit with me." She waved to her. When Bianca returned, she lost her memory and did not make any attempt to get close to Queenie and Jack. Bianca was resistant whenever Queenie tried to bond with her. Unfortunately, the gap in their rtionship only grew bigger with time. Since Leia was abroad, Queenie wanted to focus all her attention on Bianca but Bianca did not want any of it. Eventually, Queenie''s health got worse and she no longer had the energy to do anything to improve their rtionship. When Queenie heard her voice, tears filled her eyes. She felt like she owed Bianca. Bianca felt awkward seeing Queenie''s overflowing motherly love. She grew up in an environment where her father and mother did not pay her any attention. She was never close with her family. After she was brought to the Ind of Despair, family love became more and more distant. Bianca was not the biggest fan of family love, but unfortunately, she had to face Queenie. She ced the bag on the coffee table and had a stiff smile on her face as she sat next to Queenie. Queenie grabbed her hand as it was the first time Bianca was willing to be so close to her... She looked at Bianca''s frail face and said, "You''ve lost weight." Bianca smiled. If not because she was afraid Luke may be displeased, she would never havee here, nor would she go along with Queenie''s wishes. "No, I''m fine," Bianca said as she pulled out her hand. Queenie''s hand was cold and she did not like it. To make it less obvious, she took Rainie''s hand and said, "Luke treats me well, so I¡¯ve started gaining some weight." Rainie felt ufortable being held by her so she pulled out her hand and said with a smile, "Grandpa, Grandma, Lanie and I want to go to the garden to y." "Okay, go." Queenie nodded and felt warmth as she looked at how lively and full of joy the kids were. Rainie exchanged nces with Lanie and the two walked out. Tommy followed along. The four adults were left in the living room. Bianca felt ufortable being watched by Queenie and Jack. Luke sat down and passed the gift bag to Jack. "Father-inw, these are the kolinsky sable paintbrushes from Grandpa." "This..." Jack held the bag and felt the heavy contents in it. He knew that Old Master Crawford had gifted him something precious Luke added, "You used to be a wonderful painter but quit the art club to take care of Queenie when she fell ill. Many members stillment that they weren¡¯t able to see your paintings. Now that Mother-inw''s health is getting better every day, Grandpa hopes that one day you¡¯ll pick up this hobby again. This set of kolinsky sable paintbrushes is a part of his collection but he believes that it''s better off with someone who knows how to appreciate it." Chapter 1200 Chapter 1200 He Was Curious About The Woman''s Identity Jack knew what Old Master Crawford''s intentions were by giving him the kolinsky sable paintbrushes at this timing. He nodded and epted the gift. "Please thank Old Master Crawford for me. When Queenie feels better, our families should have a meal together." "Sounds good," Luke nodded. Old Master Crawford knew that Jack would do better than ever after he returned to politics, so T Corporation would be riding on his wave then. The caretaker walked over with a bowl of herbal concoction and said softly, "Madam, the concoction is ready." Queenie smiled and picked up the bowl. She chose to gulp it all down in one sitting instead of drinking it sip by sip because the concoction was bitter. After she finished it, she frowned slightly as she could still taste the bitterness of the concoction in her mouth. The nanny handed her a piece of candy and said, "Madam, you''ll feel better if you eat something sweet." Queenie shook her head to turn her down. Luke asked, "Mother-inw, how do you feel after taking the concoction?" "I feel much better and am not afraid of the cold as much as I was before. The temperature of the air conditioner in the house today is lower than it usually is. Although the effects aren¡¯t immediate, I do feel much better." Queenie smiled. Even though she could still taste the bitterness in her mouth, her heart was finally at ease. After she started taking the herbal concoction, she felt that her health was improving by the day. "That''s good." Luke nodded and thought about the mystery woman who gave Queenie the herbs. He was curious about the woman¡¯s identity. Queenie''s gaze fell on Bianca again, she said, "Bea, stay for dinner. I¡¯ll have the caretaker cook your favorite dishes." "Yes, that sounds good," Bianca nodded. Queenie said, "Bea, the flowers in the garden are in full bloom. You used to love looking at the flora and fauna in the garden. Why don''t we go for a walk?" Bianca had no interest in nts and wanted to turn her down. However, Luke was there, so she had no choice but to nod, stand up, and say, "Okay." Queenie was pleased to see that Bianca was not as resistant toward her as before. The corners of her mouth were raised as she stood up and said," Okay, I''ll take you there." Jack urged her, "Put a jacket on." "No." Queenie shook her head and smiled. "The sun is warm and wonderful. I don''t feel that cold today." With that, she held Bianca''s arm intimately and they walked out together. Luke watched them leave and said, "Queenie is doing much better." "Yes. At midnightst night, she told me that it was too warm and wanted me to remove the nket." Although Jack''s expression was still serious, he could not conceal his joy. He was happier than anyone that Queenie was getting better. Luke said, "Father-inw, I want to find out the identity of that woman." Jack nodded, pondered on it for a while, and then said, "Your mother-inw doesn''t want us to pursue this. Since that woman chose to go about it anonymously, she thinks that the woman does not want her identity to be known." "Everyone already knows how you met her and is concerned about her identity. This is a vi area and the security system is excellent. Even if we don''t look into it, others will," Luke said. "I know..." Jack knew that news about what happened to Queenie had already spread throughout A City. Since then, everyone thought of the mystery woman as a goddess-like figure. Anyone who was sick wanted to contact this woman for treatment, so of course, people were motivated to investigate this matter. "If I find out who she is, I can misdirect the public and protect her privacy," Luke said. Jack thought that what he said made sense. If they did not investigate, the woman would still be found by others sooner orter. He looked at Luke. "Go forth with the investigation, then. I want to thank her face to face. By the way, there''s one thing that''ll help you." Luke nodded and knew what he was talking about. Jack asked the maid to take the box from his study and handed it to Luke." This is the box that the herbs were packed in. I haven''t torn off the courier note on it, so you have an advantage over the others who are trying to find her." "Thank you, Father-inw." Luke took his phone out, snapped a photo of the courier note, and sent it to Jason. The parcel was sent from the same city. As long as he had the tracking number, he could find out which employee picked up the parcel. This was faster than going through the security footage. "Find this person, but don''t let your mother-inw know. She''s grateful to that woman. If she finds out that she has caused a lot of inconvenience to that woman, she''ll feel guilty," Jack said. "Okay," Luke nodded. Jack poured him a cup of tea. "Here, have some tea." Luke picked up the teacup, took a sip, and heard Jack say, "You asked Bea toe over today, right?" Even though Jack had not said anything about this matter, he still noticed the unwillingness hidden in Bianca¡¯s smile. "Johann said that being in a good mood will speed up the discharge of toxins." Luke did not deny it. Jack had been in politics for decades and was proficient in reading bodynguage. He could tell at a nce whether Bianca came willingly or not. "Yeah, what she wants now is to see Bea and the children." Jack took a sip of tea and sighed. In the garden of Norman Residence. Queenie held Bianca''s hand, not knowing that she was ufortable with it. Although it was morning, it was way past dawn so the sunlight was getting stronger. Bianca felt ufortable when the sun shone on her skin. Bianca still had severalyers of gauze wrapped around her body. If she sweated, the gauze might stick to the wounds and she would have to deal with it when she got home. When she thought about that, she said, "Mom, let''s go sit in the pavilion." Queenie was still admiring the flowers. When she heard Bianca say that, she thought she was tired and nodded. The two went to the pavilion to rest. Queenie looked at the children who were ying not far away and said," Bea, I''m very happy that you and the kids are here to visit me today." In the past, Luke would bring the kids to visit but Bianca would never make an appearance. In addition to feeling lost, Queenie would also feel sad. As such, she was overjoyed that Bianca had taken the initiative to pay her a visit today. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "If it makes you happy, I''lle by to visit more." Bianca squinted to look at the kids while she half- heartedly replied Queenie. She was not interested in fulfilling her promise. "Really? That''s great!" Queenie was overjoyed. "Bea, when I get better, let''s go abroad together." "Where?" Bianca asked casually. "We can visit your sister," Queenie said, "Your sister has a boyfriend and they want to get engaged. Of course, we have to go there! I''ll have to talk to your dad, and I''m counting on you to help. We can just tell him that we''re going on a vacation abroad. How does that sound?" Chapter 1201 Chapter 1201 She Chose This Path "Visit Leia?" Bianca frowned and thought of Leia. She had never been in contact with Leia but she learned a lot about her from documents. She felt neutral toward her so-called sister. ''She¡¯s still thinking about Leia? Is she stupid?'' Bianca looked down on Queenie¡¯s benevolence, but on the surface, she smiled slightly and said, "Mom, let''s have Dad decide on this matter." Based on what she read on the documents. Jack was the one who sent Leia abroad. At that time, Leia refused to leave A City and made a big fuss before she was sent abroad. Since she left, Leia had been trying to figure out a way toe back. Jack and Luke were getting in the way of it, so Leia never had a chance to return. Bianca was surprised to hear that Leia found a partner abroad and wanted Queenie to visit. It seemed to her that the engagement was fake and just a part of Leia''s plot. When she heard Bianca''s reply, Queenie sighed and said in a mncholic tone, "Your father is still angry... I can¡¯t persuade him alone." This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Jack loved her, but after all, he was once a soldier and had a stubborn temper. Jack was already infuriated with Leia for everything that happened previously. If they had not spent more than 20 years in the same household, he would have severed their father-daughter rtionship. Bianca did not want to see Leia, so she deliberately showed an ufortable expression as she said, "Mom, you''re just getting better and I heard that this poison..." She paused and did not continue talking. Rumor had it that Leia was the reason why Queenie was poisoned. Bianca was a little skeptical. Since everyone seemed to think so, it must not be a groundless usation. ''Why would she still want to see Leia? Is there something wrong with her brain?'' Queenie¡¯s smile froze when she heard what Bianca said. She patted Bianca''s hand and sighed softly. Bianca had lost her memory and started to alienate herself from Queenie after that. It seemed that Bianca no longer understood her as well as she did. Seeing her reaction, Bianca was worried that Luke would think she had done something to Queenie, so she chose to change the subject. "Mom, who''s the woman who took your pulse?" "I don''t know. It was my first time meeting her." Queenie showed a faint smile on her face when the mystery woman was mentioned. "Didn''t you ask for her name?" Bianca was very curious. To Bianca, Shanks had the best medical skills, but she knew that Shanks would never treat Queenie. "She didn''t mention anything, but that woman is beautiful. Her beauty and temperament are refreshing." Queenie thought about their previous interaction and even felt a feeling of warmth in her heart. However, it was the first time she had seen the woman. Bianca was speechless hearing Queenieplimenting the woman. At noon, after the maid informed them that lunch was ready, Queenie and Bianca took the kids by the hands and walked to the dining room. Jack''s mood had improved a lot because of Queenie¡¯s recovery. He was happy and opened a bottle of red wine. When they were walking in, they saw him pouring Luke a ss of wine. Queenie walked over, shook her head, and said, "Dear, you shouldn''t be drinking." "It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m in a wonderful mood today," Jack said. His expression was still upright and serious, but the corners of his mouth could not help but rise into a smile. Bianca was a little puzzled. When she and Queenie walked to the garden just now, he was not happy at all. ''What did Luke say and do to make him so happy?'' Queenie shook her head and said softly to the kids, "Come, sit down." "Okay, Grandma." The kids nodded and took their seats. Bianca wanted to sit next to Luke, but Tommy and Rainie took the left and right seats next to him. Reluctantly, she sat next to Rainie. Halfway through the meal, Jack finished half a bottle of wine and was a little tipsy. "Come on, Luke, another ss! Bea will drive you backter." Jack clinked sses with him. Luke clinked sses with him and finished the wine in one gulp. Queenie watched the two of them drink. She took a sip of juice, put down her utensils, and said, "Dear, I have something to tell you." Jack was tipsy. In thest few years, he had not drunk a single drop of alcohol to focus on taking care of her so his alcohol tolerance had be worse. His face was flushing. He asked, "My love, what do you want to talk to me about?" Queenie said, "Leia has found a boyfriend abroad and said that they¡¯re going to get engaged. Let¡¯s go visit them and meet the guy¡¯s parents to discuss wedding details." When he heard Leia''s name, Jack shook his head. Although he was tipsy, he was not a fool. "I don¡¯t care about her." "Dear..." Queenie was a little anxious when she heard that he was unhappy. "She''s in a foreign country and the customs are different from ours. It''s their business that they want to get engaged. It has nothing to do with us." Jack waved his hand, picked up the bottle again, and poured himself and Luke a ss of wine. "Luke, don¡¯t you agree?" "Mother-inw, let¡¯s talk about thister. Long-distance travel is not the best for your condition now." Luke picked up the ss. He did not persuade Queenie to give up nor did he agree to anything. Leia had always wanted to return to A City, but he and Jack would always secretly put a stop to her attempts, forcing her to stay abroad. Now that she was done with her studies, she realized that she still could note back. Perhaps she thought that if she found someone to marry, it would soften Queenie¡¯s heart and Jack''s attitude. Luke would never let her seed. When Queenie heard his reply, disappointment shed in her eyes but she just nodded. She knew that what Leia did was disappointing and unforgivable. She should have gone to jail... However, she had always seen Leia as her own. She was unwilling to see Leia go to jail, so she begged Jack to send her abroad instead. Many years had passed since thest time she saw Leia. Queenie missed her. After lunch, Jack and Luke continued drinking. Luke was okay as he frequently socialized and could take his alcohol. After he supported Jack to the bedroom upstairs, he took his wife and children to say goodbye to Queenie. Queenie escorted them out. When they were about to get in the car, Queenie could not help but say," Luke, Leia didn''t intend to cause anyone any hurt. Do you understand?" Luke stood by the passenger door and looked at Queenie. Although she was doing better, herplexion was still pale. In the past two years, Queenie¡¯s complexion had progressively worsened. Although her appearance was still well maintained, her condition was not as good as before. It was all because of Leia. However, Queenie still chose to stand on her side. Luke''s expression was unchanged as he said, "Mother-inw, she chose this path. Take care and we¡¯ll see you soon.¡± Chapter 1202 Chapter 1202 Caught Queenie heard what he said and fell into a daze. ''Yes, this was the path that Leia chose. However, if I had paid more attention to her, she might not have embarked on this path.'' Bianca stood aside, watching indifferently. The night was her best cover, and no one noticed the mockery in her gaze. She realized that there was a reason why she did not like Queenie. In addition to the indifference she felt for her blood-rted family, she thought that Queenie was too soft and kind. Someone like Leia had Queenie easily wrapped around her fingers. If it were her... The mockery in Bianca''s gaze grew stronger. ''If I cried in front of her, would she cry to Luke on my behalf?1 Luke said, "Mother-inw, we¡¯re heading off now." "Okay, drive safe." Queenie turned around in a daze and walked back to the house. Looking at her deste figure, Luke bent over and sat in the passenger seat with a cold expression. Bianca sat in the driver''s seat and drove back to Crawford Manor. After getting out of the car, the kids walked into the living room while Bianca sat in the driver''s seat looking at Luke, who was leaning against the car door with his eyes closed. Although he could handle his alcohol, he had drunk a lot with Jack and was likely drunk. "Luke, aren¡¯t you going to help her?" Bianca asked cautiously. "I''m already helping her." Luke opened his eyes and unbuckled his seat belt. "I assume that Queenie asked you to help convince Jack?" "Mm, I didn''t agree. I''m afraid that you and Dad will be upset," Bianca said in an aggrieved tone and hinted at him about her cautiousness. "Leia being abroad is for the best, especially for the Norman family,¡± Luke opened the door and got out of the car. Bianca followed him and got out of the car as well. She asked, "I don''t remember anything about Leia. Is she a bad person?" "You have amnesia. Don''t think about it if you don''t remember her. As long as it involves Leia, stay away," Luke said. "Okay." Seeing him walking toward the manor, Bianca followed him and walked by his side. Luke staggered, and when she tried to support him, he stood firm and took a step forward. Bianca was taken aback and said, "Luke, you drank a lot tonight. You should rest in the master bedroom. If you feel unwell in the middle of the night, I can take care of you." If it were in the past, she would have other intentions for inviting him to the master bedroom. However, at this moment, Bianca did not have any ulterior motives. After all, she did not want him to know about the wounds on her body. She invited him to the master bedroom so that he could get a good rest and to give him a good impression. "I still have some work to attend to, you should go get some rest." As usual, Luke turned her down. Although it was not a direct rejection, Bianca knew what it meant. Even if she stayed up for Luke, he would not be going into the master bedroom. At night. After Tommy showered, he video-called Luca. Luca quickly answered. As she looked at Tommy, who was on the other side of the screen, her gaze became tender. She put the documents aside. She said, "Tommy, it''s sote. Why are you still awake?" "Ms. Luca, I just got home." Tommy smiled and was happy to see her. Luca raised her eyebrows and replied, "Oh? Why did you get home sote? Where did you go?" "We went to Grandma''s house!" Tommy said, "The chef at my grandmother''s house made a lot of yummy food for us. Everyone was so happy. Daddy even drank a lot of wine with Grandpa." He babbled as if doing a daily report, and Luca got a lot of information from him. She asked, "Really? What did the chef make?" Tommy thought about it for a while and did not answer her question. Instead, he fawned over her and said, "She cooked a lot of food, but they''re not as delicious as your cooking.¡± Luca smiled and shook her head. "How''s your Grandma doing?" she continued to ask about the things that she cared about. If she guessed correctly, Queenie should be taking the concoction that she prepared for her. Since there was no news, she assumed it meant that Queenie¡¯s body was recovering well. "Grandma''s health..." Tommy shook his head and continued talking, "I don''t know, but Grandma looks better and doesn''t wear as manyyers of clothes as before." In the past, he never understood why Queenie was so different from them. When he was in short sleeves, Queenie would be wearing multipleyers of long-sleeved clothing. "That''s good to hear." Luca sighed. If she could, she wanted to see Queenie in person and check on her. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. "Why did your father drink so much?" she asked. "Grandpa was in a good mood, so he drank with Daddy. Ms. Luca, isn''t it bad to drink alcohol?" Tommy asked. "A small amount of alcohol is fine and can improve your mood, but drinking too much would harm the body," Luca said softly. "Daddy used to drink a lot, so he¡¯s in bad health," Tommy muttered. "What about now?" Luca''s heart ached when she heard that Luke paid no attention to taking care of himself in the past. ''Did he start drinking heavily because of my disappearance?¡¯ "He doesn''t drink much now!" Tommy said with a grin, "Ms. Luca, don''t worry. I''ll keep watch of Daddy and make sure that he doesn''t drink too often." Luca thought what he said was a little weird but could not tell what was weird. She nced at the time and said, "It''ste. Let¡¯s go to bed?" "Okay, Ms. Luca!" Tommy blew a kiss to the camera and winked yfully. Luca was not sure how to react but noticed that his hair was still wet. She said, "Blow dry your hair before you go to bed. Otherwise, you''ll get a headache tomorrow." Tommy nodded and said, "Ms. Luca, you''re so sweet, just like my mother used to be." Before Bianca disappeared, she would wash and dry his hair for him. When his mother¡¯s gentle hands fiddled with his hair, he would be cheeky and tell her that he wanted a hairstyle that made him look handsome. Luca reminisced, smiled, and said, "Okay, you should get some rest now. Good night." "Good night, Ms. Luca." Tommy ended the call reluctantly. He still wanted to talk to her, but Luca said that he was not allowed to go to bed toote. If he went to bed toote, she would not pick up his call the next day. Tommy listened to her every word and went to sleep. After the video call ended, Luca exhaled slightly. She felt a little thirsty, so she stood up and opened the door, only to find that Amur was standing in the doorway. "Amur?" Luca looked at him suspiciously. "What''s the matter?" "I heard some noises in your bedroom, so..." Amur was curious about who she was calling so he wanted to eavesdrop, but he did not expect to be caught. He was too focused and did not hear her footsteps. Chapter 1203 Chapter 1203 Beautiful Even Without Makeup "Yeah, I was on a video call with Tommy," Luca said as she walked to the living room. She picked up a ss of water and finished drinking it. Amur knew that Tommy was her son. He felt a little more rxed knowing that the person she was on a call with was her son. When he saw her finish her ss of water, he asked, "Are you going to the banquet tomorrow?" "Abel asked me to go, so I don''t have a choice." Luca knew that Abel was somehow involved in why Luke asked her to attend. Amur kept silent. Luca asked, "Did you prepare what I asked you to?" "It''s on the sofa." Amur jerked his chin to point at the sofa. Luca saw a box on the sofa and smiled. She did not have time to pick a dress so she got Amur to help. "Thanks." She did not open the box and walked straight to the bedroom. "Do you want to try it on?¡± Amur asked. "No." Luca shook her head, then suddenly turned to look at him. "When are you going on your mission?" "The day after tomorrow," Amur said. "Okay." Luca nodded slightly, walked into her bedroom, and closed the door. Amur stood there and was slightly in a trance. He did not mean to eavesdrop. He was just worried that Luca would be too involved with Luke. Luca''s priority should be to keep herself alert and stay away from Luke to ensure her safety. If Luke and Luca got too close, Luca was the one who would be hurt in the end. She was standing in opposition to Luke. Sooner orter, she would have to execute the order given by Abel. The closer they got, the deeper her feelings for him would be and the more pain she would be in after the mission was over. Luca''s bedroom was quiet. Amur sighed and went back to his bedroom. Crawford Manor. Tommy walked to the study, opened the door gently, and saw that Luke was busy. "Daddy." He pouted and walked in. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Luke was a little dissatisfied when he saw that his youngest son had not slept yet. "It¡¯s sote! Why haven''t you gone to bed?" "Daddy, my hair is still wet. Can you blow-dry it for me?" Tommy said. In the past, the maid would help him dry his hair but it waste and she had already gone to bed, hence he asked his dad for help. Luke noticed that Tommy''s hair was still slightly wet, so he said, "Okay." He stood up and held Tommy''s hand as they headed for the bedroom. Tommy sat on a small stool. He watched Luke take out the hairdryer, plug it in, and said with a smile, "Ms. Luca told me that I must dry my hair before I go to sleep. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have bothered you." "Ms. Luca?" Luke''s thumb was on the switch. He was taken aback when he heard what Tommy said. "You video called Luca tonight?" "Yes! I also secretly took a few screenshots. Ms. Luca is so beautiful!" Tommy picked up the tablet, opened the photo album, and handed it to Luke as though he was presenting him with a treasure. Luke''s breathing inexplicably hitched when he saw a photo of Luca. This was the first time he saw her without makeup. It was not that different from when she had light makeup on at work, but he thought that she looked even more beautiful without makeup. "Dad, what''s the matter?" Tommy asked when he saw that his father had not pressed on the switch after a while. "Nothing." Luke turned on the hairdryer and helped Tommy dry his hair. Tommy''s hair was short, so it did not take too long to blow-dry it. After Luke put away the hairdryer, he held Tommy''s tablet in one hand. "Daddy?" Tommy did not understand his actions. "It''ste, go and rest," Luke said. "What are you doing with my tablet?" Tommy stood up, puzzled by his actions. "I don''t want you to secretly watch cartoons at night, so I¡¯m going to confiscate it temporarily. Go to bed. I¡¯ll return it to you tomorrow morning," Luke said as he took the tablet and walked out of the bedroom. Tommy pouted and looked discontented. If he knew that Luke would confiscate his tablet, he would not have shown him the photo. Sure enough, when adults wanted something from children, they would have endless reasons and excuses. After his bedroom door was closed, Tommy murmured, "Bad Daddy!" He had wanted to take a good look at Luca before going to bed! Luke took Tommy''s tablet and walked back to the study. The moment he sat in the executive chair, he could not help but turn on the tablet. Tommy has set a password on the tablet. He cracked it almost instantly. It was his birthday. The moment he unlocked the tablet, a photo of Luca appeared in front of him. Luke frowned and stared at it for a while. It was not until three minutester that he snapped out of it and realized that he had been staring at the tablet screen for too long! That was not normal... Luke was in aplicated mood and turned off the tablet. However, he felt as though the photo had already imprinted into his mind. His head was filled with Luca. "..." He looked at theputer screen and was unable to concentrate on his work, so he called Gale to check on the progress of the investigation. The next day. The first thing Tommy did when he woke up was to run to the study. Luke was still asleep. "Daddy, Daddy, get up! Daddy!" He stood by the bed and repeated his words like a broken recorder. Luke opened his eyes slightly and realized it was bright outside. He murmured and rolled over. Tommy did not mean to wake him up. He ced both hands on the bed and said, "Daddy, return the tablet to me before you go back to sleep." Luke closed his eyes and fumbled around the pillow. He found the tablet and handed it over. Tommy took the tablet with a grin. When he tried to turn it on, he found that the tablet could not be turned on. His smile disappeared instantly. He looked at Luke with his cheeks puffed out. Luke''s eyes were still closed. He only fell asleep early in the morning, so he had not gotten enough sleep yet. "Bad Daddy, you broke my tablet! It won¡¯t turn on!" Tommy frowned, tears rolling in his eyes. "No." Luke put a hand on his forehead. Tommy''s voice was disturbing his rest. "You did!" Tommy used him. "The tablet won''t light up! Ahhhhh, Bad Daddy!" He started crying and made a lot of noise. Lanie heard the ruckus and walked in immediately. He looked at Tommy who was crying beside the bed and asked, "What happened?" Tommy cried and said, "Brother, Daddy broke my tablet! Ahhh! He''s a big bad wolf!" Lanie picked up Tommy''s tablet and nced at it before looking at Luke, who was still sleeping. He said, "Maybe it ran out of battery?" At that moment, Tommy stopped crying. Lanie shook his head and walked out holding Tommy''s hand. "Go try charging it. Don''t disturb Daddy''s rest." He and Rainie could understand that Luke worked hard to provide for their family. Their naughty brother was the one who always disturbed Luke''s rest. However, no one held it against him because he was just a kid. Chapter 1204 Chapter 1204 Might Be In Love With Another Woman Tommy took out the charging cable and broke into a smile the moment the tablet¡¯s screen turned on. Lanie looked at his brother''s appearance and shook his head helplessly. "In the future, don''t bother Daddy when he¡¯s resting." "If Daddy hadn''t taken my tablet away, I wouldn''t have bothered him!" Tommy sat in a chair and waited for the tablet to charge before turning it on. Lanie was a little baffled by what Tommy said and asked, "Why did Daddy take your tablet?" "I don''t know, maybe he was ying games. He used it until it was out of battery. It was fullst night!" Tommy comined angrily. It was because he remembered fully charging the tablet that he thought it was broken when it did not turn on. Lanie raised his eyebrows. ''How is it possible that Dad took a kid¡¯s tablet to y games?'' After charging, the tablet turned on automatically. Tommy watched eagerly. After the tablet was turned on, he clicked on the album and smiled when he saw that Luca''s photos were still in it. He said," Thank goodness." He was worried that Luke would delete these photos! Lanie stood by his side, looked at the person in the photos, and could not help himself from clicking on one. "This is..." "Brother, this is Ms. Luca, the nicedy who took me in previously. Isn''t she beautiful?" Tommy showed him as though he was offering him a treasure. Lanie frowned. ''Is this woman the one who was rumored to be having an affair with Daddy?'' He thought that she was pretty. "Tommy, did Daddy see this photo yesterday?" "He saw it then said he¡¯d confiscate my tablet to prevent me from ying with it at night.¡± Tommy carefully closed the tablet''s protective cover and put it aside. Suddenly, Lanie had a weird feeling and touched his brother''s head. He said, "Okay, all is well if the tablet is not broken. You should go downstairs for breakfast." Tommy nodded. After Lanie mentioned it, he did feel hungry. "Okay!" He stood up and walked out. When he got to the doorway, Tommy noticed that Lanie was not going downstairs but was instead walking to his bedroom. He asked curiously," Lanie, aren''t you going to have breakfast?" "You go downstairs first, I''ll head downter," Lanie said. "Okay!" Tommy nodded, turned around, and walked toward the stairwell. Lanie walked to Rainie''s bedroom and knocked on the door. Rainie opened the door. She had just gotten up and washed up. She had notbed her hair, which fell over her shoulders. It made her round face look even cuter. "Lanie, I''ll go down soon,¡± she said. "I have something to talk to you about. After youb your hair, meet me in my bedroom," Lanie said. "Okay." Rainie nodded. After she tied her hair into a ponytail, she walked to Lanie''s bedroom." Lanie, what do you want to talk to me about?" Lanie closed the door and locked it before he said, "Rainie, I think that our daddy might be in love with another woman." "Why do you say that?" Rainie was slightly surprised and thought that it was crazy. Although she was young, she understood what love was. Their daddy was not that kind of person! "I just saw a photo of a woman on Tommy''s tablet. It''s a photo of the woman who took him in when he ran away from home," Lanie said. "Okay, what about it?" Rainie frowned when she realized the seriousness of the situation. She sat down in shock. Regardless of whether their mother was their real mother, it was a serious matter that their daddy had fallen in love with someone else. "When Daddy saw her photo, he confiscated Tommy''s tablet. The next day when Tommy asked Daddy to return the tablet, the tablet was out of battery. Tommy said that the tablet was fully charged before Dad took it," nche said. The tablet went out of battery in one night, which could only mean that the tablet was on all night. Otherwise, the tablet with ultra-longsting battery life would not have run out of battery so easily. The only exnation for why their Dad would use a children''s tablet was to look at photos. "So, Daddy likes the woman who saved Tommy?" Rainie asked. "I think it''s possible." Lanie frowned, just like Rainie. There were many things that the adults would not tell them, but there were many maids in the house. The children were able to pick up a thing or two from their conversations. For example, Old Master Crawford had asked Luke to fire the woman but Luke was reluctant. "Then, what should we do now?" Rainie felt lost. "We can only pretend that we don''t know anything," Lanie said, "Will we be getting the results today?" "Yes, I''ve made an appointment with Simon. His driver will continue to help us." Rainie nodded. They would be getting the report on that day. "Very well. We can''t take care of Daddy''s affairs now. Daddy and Mommy have been sleeping in different rooms for so many years, which shows that Daddy has long lost his affection for Mommy, so it''s possible that he has fallen for another woman," Lanie said. He epted it fairly easily. "However, Daddy hasn''t shown an interest in another woman for so many years. Lanie, I''m afraid..." Rainie sped her hands together tightly. "We have nothing to be afraid of." Lanieforted her. "Let''s figure out what''s going on with Mommy and put aside what''s happening with Daddy for now." They had no control over who Luke fancied. The most important thing at that moment was to figure out whether the person living with them was their mother. "Okay," Rainie nodded. After their discussion, they left the bedroom and went downstairs together. At breakfast, they told Old Master Crawford that they were going to see Simon Holston. Old Master Crawford listened to them and thought about it for a while. "It seems like you¡¯re getting closer to that Holston fe?" Rainie nodded and replied, "Yes, Great-grandpa. We''re ssmates. Besides, our father and his are great friends, so we decided to ept him as our friend." Lanie listened to her sister''s words and could not help but mutter in his heart, ''If Simon were not useful, we wouldn¡¯t be bothered to y with him.'' Old Master Crawford nodded repeatedly after he heard Rainie¡¯s reply." Okay, I''ll have the driver take you there after breakfast.¡± "Thank you, Great-grandpa." Rainie smiled and thanked Old Master Crawford. When Tommy heard that they were going out, he immediately said, "Rainie, I want to go too." "No!" Before Rainie could speak, Lanie turned him down. "You should stay at home and spend time with Great-grandpa and Daddy." This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Their sole intention of going out was to get the report. Tommy was still young and not the best at keeping secrets. If he went with them, it would only be a matter of time that their n was known by the entire Crawford Manor. Chapter 1205 Chapter 1205 Work Out An Antidote Tommy pouted and felt dejected when he heard Lanie''s reply. Old Master Crawford chimed in and said happily, "It''s okay, Tommy. Don''t go with them. Should we go fishing instead?" Although Tommy was naughty and lively, he loved fishing. When he heard that Old Master Crawford was going to take him fishing, his eyes lit up as he nodded quickly. Even after breakfast, Luke had note downstairs. Old Master Crawford asked, "Why isn¡¯t Luke down yet?" The butler replied, "Old Master Crawford, Young Master Luke is still resting. Lanie answered, "Great-grandpa, Dad worked untilte into the night yesterday. Let him sleep for a little while longer." "That''s not true! Dad took my tablet to y games untiltest night. That''s why he can''t get up now. He''s azy bum!" Tommyined when he thought of how his father had confiscated his tablet and used it all night till it ran out of battery. Lanie did not refute. He looked at his younger brother''s silly appearance and sighed in his heart, thinking that luck favored the fool. It was a good thing that Tommy was not aware of everything that was happening. He and Rainie would take charge of the matter involving their daddy. Rainie drank a sip of juice gracefully. When she wanted to argue on Luke''s behalf, Lanie hinted at her not to say anything, so she shut up and pretended not to know anything. Old Master Crawford did not pay much attention to what Tommy said. He just smiled cheerfully. ''Luke ying games all night? No one will believe it. Even when he was in school, he had a strong sense of self-discipline and wouldn''t do such things. It doesn¡¯t make sense that he would do such things at his age now.'' After breakfast, Lanie and Rainie left Crawford Manor in a car. Meanwhile, Tommy went fishing in the park with Old Master Crawford. It was almost noon when Luke woke up. He went downstairs and saw the empty living room. He asked the butler, "Where are Grandpa and the kids?¡± "Young Master Lanie and Young Miss Rainie went to a ssmate''s house, and Old Master Crawford took Young Master Tommy to go fishing," the butler replied. Luke rubbed his aching forehead. He had woken upte but did not seem to have gotten enough sleep. "Master, do you want anything to eat?" the butler asked. "Pour me a cup of coffee." Luke felt like he had no energy and needed a cup of coffee to refresh his mind. After learning about the investigation process from Gale the night before, he could not help but turn on the tablet and look at Luca''s photos. Before he knew it, it waste at night and Tommy''s tablet ran out of power. "Okay." The butler nodded and walked into the kitchen. Luke sat on the sofa and nced at the clock on the wall. It was already noon. He had not woken up thiste since high school. The butler brought him a cup of ck coffee and put it in front of him. Luke picked it up, smelled the aroma of the coffee, and asked, "Where''s Madam?" "Madam got up early today and went out after breakfast," the butler replied, "I heard that she¡¯s going shopping.¡± Luke took a sip of coffee in silence and said, "I have an event tonight. Please prepare a suit for me." "Okay." The butler nodded and asked, "Do you want me to prepare something for Madam?" "No, she won''t be going with me tonight," Luke said. "Okay." The butler then went upstairs to prepare a suit for him. Luke had many sets of event suits in his cloakroom. All the butler had to do was choose one, iron it, and Luke could wear it that night. The other side. Bianca drove to a single-story house in the suburbs. It was the day that she had to take the antidote. After she arrived at the ce, she got out of the car and knocked on the door. The door was quickly opened. She walked in and said, "I''m here to take the antidote.¡± "Okay." The man nodded, took out a bottle of antidote from the drawer, and handed it to her. Bianca took it and finished the antidote in one gulp. She was curious as to why the man had not pounced on her like he used to. ''Why is he so prim and proper today?'' She smiled softly as she looked at him seductively. "You..." Before she could finish her words, the bathroom door opened and Luca walked out of it. "Why are you here?" Bianca stared at her, her gaze full of hatred. No wonder the man acted so proper. It turned out that someone else was there with them. Luca looked at Bianca with a cold expression and noticed the hint of seduction in her gaze. She was not surprised to meet Bianca here. After all, Abel loved drama. She was not surprised, just annoyed. "Where''s my antidote?" Luca asked. "Here." The man took out another bottle of antidote with a cold expression and handed it to her. Luca took it and drank the antidote in the bottle. Bianca watched her and realized that Luca was here to drink antidote as well. She asked, "Why is she here at the same time as me?" "The boss arranged it," the man replied. He was unhappy with this arrangement as well. He was aware that Luca was not someone to be reckoned with and not as open as Bianca. With her around, he could not do anything with Bianca. She was getting in their way. As the man talked, Luca gulped the antidote without a change in expression before handing the empty bottle to the man. "Did you finish it?" the man asked. Luca nodded and walked out the door. Bianca stared daggers at Luca as she walked away. If her gaze was a knife, Luca would have been cut into bits and pieces. After she left, Bianca asked the man, "Is there a way to prevent her from taking the antidote at the same time as me?¡± "This is the boss'' arrangement. You and I can''t bear the consequences of changing the boss'' arrangement without his authorization." The man did not have the guts to go against orders. Bianca snorted and secretly despised the cowardly man. ''He doesn''t even dare to do something as simple as changing the timing. How timid!'' The man approached her excitedly. Bianca''s mood had disappeared the moment she saw Luca. She pushed the man''s hand away and said, "I''m leaving." "So fast?" The man was stunned. "I''m still injured. This is what I got for going against the boss¡¯ wishes. I don''t have time to fool around with you," Bianca said, then she opened the doorand left. She was standing on the side of the road. Luca had left without a trace. Bianca snorted and arrogantly got into her car before driving away. Luca had not left. She was standing in the alley with a tube in her hand. She spat out some saliva into the tube and then closed the lid. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org She had finished the antidote but did not swallow her saliva after that. Therefore, there were still some drug residues in her saliva. She wanted to see if she could extract these residues and find out about the properties. From there, she might be able to figure out the formtion of the antidote that Abel gave them. Once she did that, there was a chance that she could work out an antidote. Chapter 1206 Chapter 1206 Yearned For Something More If she could figure out the form, she, Amur, and Eler stood a better chance of surviving... Luca put the tube away. When she walked out of the alley, she saw Bianca driving away. She glowered at her. Only when Bianca''s car was far away did Luca pick up the phone and call for an Uber. They were close to the suburbs, so it was not as easy to get a car. After the driver epted the order, Luca put her phone back in her pocket. She heard a squeak from behind and turned her head. The man in charge of dispensing the antidote came out. "You haven''t left?" The man had a wide smile on his face as he checked Luca out. He thought that the woman in front of him was hot and betterlooking than Bianca. "I¡¯m waiting for my ride." Luca was so disgusted with his gaze that she turned around to stop looking at him. The man approached her and said, "It''s hard to get a ride here. I''ll drive you?" "No." Luca felt him approaching and impatiently took two steps away from him. "Don''te near me." "Why?" The man noticed her refusal and was a little annoyed. ''How dare she turn down my advancement?! I¡¯m responsible for distributing the antidote that makes sure she lives! I¡¯m not someone she can afford to offend! I can mess with the antidote at any time. She won''t die, but she''ll wish she were dead if she goes a month without the real antidote!'' He was surprised that Luca dared to say no to him. "You disgust me," Luca said. "Aren''t you afraid?" The man narrowed his eyes. He could have had a good time with Bianca, but Luca''s appearance made him miss the opportunity. Hence, he nned to have the woman in front of him make up for it. "What would I be afraid of? Afraid you''d do something to the antidote?" Luca chuckled. "You may be able to do that to others, but with me, you dare not and cannot." "Are you so confident?" The man looked at her with a displeased expression. Luca said, "Feel free to ask the boss if I''m someone you can mess with. "The woman from just now has an improper rtionship with you, am I right?" she continued talking without giving the man a chance to react. The man¡¯s heart sank as he replied, "Nonsense." "If I hadn''t shown up, you would¡¯ve rolled in the hay the moment she stepped in." Luca was observant and had already noticed some clues. She heard that the fake Bianca was from the Ind of Despair. Not every woman on the Ind of Despair was like her and Eler. Most of them had to receive training and be a man''s ything. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Therefore, the fake Bianca was different from ordinary people in some respects. Luca could see the seductive look in Bianca''s eyes earlier and naturally guessed that something was going on between them. She guessed that Bianca left so quickly this time because she was upset by her appearance. At the same time, Bianca still had unhealed wounds on her back. If Bianca wanted the wounds to heal quicker, she would not dare to mess around. The man was slightly surprised when she revealed their secret but he retorted, "Nonsense." "You know it in your heart whether I''m telling the truth. By the way, do you know that she¡¯s injured?" The corner of Luca¡¯s mouth raised slightly as a look of gloominess shed in her eyes. If she were not forced to restrain herself and wait for the perfect timing, she would have taught the man a lesson a long time ago. "So what?" The man maintained his calm appearance. "If you dare to do anything to me, you¡¯ll end up just like her." Luca gave him a final warning before turning and leaving. She walked to the door of the next house and continued to stand there to wait for her ride. The man was sensible and did not continue to pester her. After a while, the ride that she got arrived. Luca opened the door and looked at the man who was standing there unrelentingly. The corners of her mouth were raised, and her gaze was full of mocking. She did not go home immediately but chose to go to another vi in A City. Luca knew about Amur¡¯s mission. The target was a well-known local wealthy businessman and he stayed at the address that Luca was heading to. After she arrived at the destination, she checked out the security measures and cameras of the vi community. It would be difficult for an ordinary person without an entry pass to enter. The security measures were considered top-notch. However, she was not an ordinary person. Luca intended to walk around the outside of themunity to see if there was an entry point. Luca walked around and found the best entry point. Seeing that there was no one around, she sneaked in without triggering any rm. She followed the clues from her previous investigation to find the target''s vi. She pretended to be someone on a walk and explored the vi¡¯s surroundings. Luca walked a full round and memorized all the locations of the surveince cameras before leaving. She returned to the apartment and found that Amur was not there. Luca took the tube out of her pocket and went straight into Amur''s bedroom. Although the ce had been tidied up, the research equipment was still inside. She extracted the liquid and started experimenting. Two hourster, Amur came back with a bag in his hand. Luca heard the sound of the door opening. She put the sample away and walked out of the bedroom. "You''re back?" Amur wondered when he saw her walk out of his bedroom. "Yeah, I was in your room doing some experiments," Luca exined as she walked into the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee. "What experiment?" Amur wondered. ''Is her workload so heavy that she has to bring the experiments home?'' "I''ll tell you after the experiment is sessful." Luca took a sip of coffee. She did not get much restst night, so she needed coffee to wake herself up. There was a reason why she did not mention her research. She did not want Amur to have too many expectations. If she seeded, it would be a surprise. However, if her research failed and Amur and Eler knew about it in advance, they would be greatly disappointed. During their years on the Ind of Despair, Amur and Eler had experienced a lot of disappointment. Luca did not want to add on to it. Amur nodded and did not continue to pursue the matter seeing that Luca was unwilling to share. She had her reasons, and he chose to believe her. Luca finished the coffee and yawned, looking tired. "Why don''t you take a break? You''ll still have time before the event tonight," Amur suggested. Luca nced at the time. She had to face Abel and must be vignt to not let the man seed in his evil ways. "Okay, I''ll take a rest. By the way, I bought you a loaf of bread. It''s in the refrigerator. If you want to eat it, you can take it out and eat it," she said. "Okay." Amur watched her return to the bedroom. He put down the bag in his hand and opened the refrigerator. There was bread and milk in the upper section. His heart was warm as he took them out. Luca took great care of him but he knew that it was because she saw him as a brother. However, Amur''s heart yearned for something more. Chapter 1207 Chapter 1207 Enthralled By His Good Looks Crawford Manor. After she drank the antidote, Bianca was not in the mood to hang around outside so she drove back home. She walked into the living room and saw Luke sitting on the sofa. The financial news was ying on the TV but he did not seem to be paying any attention to it. She smiled and approached him, sitting next to him. "Luke." Luke came back to his senses and looked at the woman next to him. A sh of impatience appeared in his eyes. The perfume smell on Bianca overwhelmed Luke when she approached him. In the past, she did not like to use perfume and always had a natural fragrance on her body. After losing her memory, she fell in love with variousdies'' fragrances, which made Luke even more reluctant to be close to her. "You''re back?" He kept some distance from her with the excuse of pouring himself a cup of tea. Luke''s action seemed natural, so Bianca did not notice his true intention. She nodded and said, "Yes, I''m home. You¡¯re watching financial news? Why are you so free today?" In the past, he would be working overtime in the study orpany even on the weekends. It was rare to see him in the living room. "It¡¯s just for a while," Luke replied. He looked at Bianca but was thinking of Luca. Jack had just texted him saying that he found that the package was delivered from Luca¡¯s address. To confirm that the person who sent the parcel was indeed Luca, he took the initiative to go through the surveince footage and confirmed that Luca was the one who sent the herbs to Queenie. Jack also found out that their encounter did not seem to be idental because the surveince footage showed that before Jack and Queenie left the house, Luca stood outside of Norman Residence for a full hour while staring at the vi''s entrance. Back then, she had told them that she was waiting for her friend but it seemed that she was waiting for Jack and Queenie toe out. Luke was shocked. He did not expect that Luca was the person who helped Queenie. Not only was she a professor of pharmacy, but she was also medically trained... Luca''s medical skills were beyond ordinary biopharmaceutical students... "Luke?" Bianca called out to him when she saw him staring at the TV screen in a daze. Luke snapped out of it and replied, "What''s the matter?" Bianca raised her hand to his forehead, asking in a caring and soft voice," What''s wrong with you? Are you feeling okay?" Luke shook his head. He took her hand, moved it, and let go of it. "I''m fine. The butler said that you went shopping, but you came back without buying anything?" He noticed that Bianca would go shopping the same day every month. "Nothing caught my eye, so I didn''t buy anything.¡± Bianca felt diffident. Although Luke knew nothing about her having to take an antidote every month, she felt guilty when he asked about it. Luke was not a fool. Bianca was in a horrible mood after seeing Luca and was so angry that she did not want to go shopping when she left, so she came back empty-handed. If she had known that he was home, she would have bought something random beforeing back. "Mm." Luke nodded, stood up, and said, "I¡¯m heading back to the study to work." "Okay." Bianca smiled slightly and did not follow him. After she watched him go upstairs, she stood up to find the butler. "I want to ask you something." "Madam, go ahead," the butler answered respectfully. "What happened today? Why does Luke seem like he¡¯s out of it?" Bianca''s hands were crossed in front of her chest, and her tone was slightly rude. The butler shook his head and said, "Nothing happened today. Maybe the young master is tired. He got upter than he ever did." Bianca squinted her eyes and stared at the butler for a long time. "Are you sure that nothing happened?" She did not believe that Luke would act as such for no reason. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. "It''s been very quiet in the manor today. Nothing happened," the butler replied in an affirmative tone. "Fine. I want to eat macaroons. Have the chef make me some." Bianca stopped thinking about Luke and instead ordered the butler. The antidote had left a bitter taste in her mouth, so she wanted to have some desserts. "Okay." The butler bowed to her, turned, and walked toward the kitchen. Luke locked himself in the study and did not leave until four o''clock in the afternoon. Bianca was sitting in the living room on the second floor. When she saw him, she put down the magazine, stood up, and immediately walked up to him. "Luke, the butler has ironed your suit. Do you want to change into it now?" She remembered that Luke was attending a banquet held by the Pharmaceutical Association. Although she could not apany him to y the role of a good wife, she still wanted to do something. Luke had been paying less and less attention to her nowadays. It prompted a sense of crisis in her. She felt like she had to do something. "I''ll do it myself," Luke said, turned around, and walked into the master bedroom. His cloakroom was still in the master bedroom. Every time the butler ironed his clothes, he would put them in the master bedroom. Bianca followed him and wanted to help him get dressed but Rainie and Lanie came upstairs at the same time. She not only had to y the role of a good wife but also a good mother. When she saw them, she stopped and smiled. "Lanie, Rainie, you¡¯re home." When Rainie heard her voice, her body shivered visibly. She lowered her head immediately and said, "Yeah." "Why are you so pale? Are you feeling ufortable?" Bianca noticed that there was something wrong with Rainie''s expression and wanted to show her some concern. Lanie immediately positioned himself in front of Rainie and raised his head. His face looked like a younger version of Luke. He was calm as he said, "Simon scared Rainie. She just needs some rest." "Is that so... How could Simon scare her like that? Lanie, bring Rainie to rest." Bianca deliberately talked bad about Simon but in truth, she was annoyed by the children. ''They sure know how to ruin a perfect moment. They came back when Luke was about to change and didn''t give me the chance to show my gentle side to Luke.'' Lanie took Rainie''s hand and nodded. He turned around and said, "Rainie, I''ll walk you back to your bedroom." "Okay, Brother." Rainie''s face was pale, and she did not dare to look at Bianca. They had gotten the test report, which showed that they were not rted to the woman who was currently standing in front of them and imed to be their mother. Rainie felt scared when she thought of how this woman had pretended to be their mother for so many years. ''What¡¯s her intention? Is she going to do anything to Daddy?'' Lanie took Rainie''s hand and they walked into the bedroom before closing the door. Bianca watched from the side and muttered, "Why are they acting weird?" She did not take the kids'' abnormality to heart and walked into the master bedroom. Luke had closed the cloakroom door and was changing. Bianca stomped her feet, her expression gloomy. The moment the cloakroom''s door opened, she burst into a wide smile. Her gaze was lustful as she looked at the man in front of her. The suit was ironed neatly and wrapped around Luke''s perfect figure. He looked like a handsome god. Luke was a natural model. Bianca had been looking at him every day for the past two years but she was still enthralled by his good looks. Chapter 1208 Chapter 1208 Should We Tell Daddy? Luke nced at her but immediately looked somewhere else. Previously, if Bianca had looked at him with that loving gaze, he would definitely not be able to hold back his urges. However, he realized that he did not feel anything at all. Luke took his necktie and prepared to wear it when Bianca stepped forward and said gently, "Let me help you." He did not refuse it. Instead, he handed her the necktie. Bianca took the necktie with a loving smile on her face and did a Windsor knot for him. "Does it look good?" "Mm.¡± Luke looked at himself in the dressing mirror, then at Bianca next to him. Suddenly, he thought of Luca. He shook his head. Bianca thought that he did not like it. "Do you think that it doesn''t look good? Shall I change it into another knot?" "No. This is fine." When Luke saw that she was about to put her hands on the tie, he turned around and wore his coat. "Are Lanie and Rainie home?¡± He asked. He thought he heard them talking in their room when he walked to the bedroom earlier. "Yes." Bianca walked out of the closet with him. She tried to find more conversation topics. "That Simon boy frightened Rainie. She looked pale." Luke gave her a side-eye but did not say anything. He wore a wristwatch and left the bedroom. Bianca frowned when she looked at his gloomy expression. Did she misspeak? She followed behind Luke closely and went down the stairs with him. At the door, Bianca said, "Don''t stay out toote, Luke, and don''t drink too much." "Mm," Luke replied. The driver was already waiting outside the front gate. Luke opened the car door and stepped inside. Bianca stood there and watched the car leave. As one of the most prominent figures in A City, many women tried to gain Luke''s affection despite the fact that he was married was well-known. Bianca wanted to be by Luke''s side so that she could dere her dominance. The wounds on her back made her unable to go, nor did she want to walk into Abel''s plot. She could only stand there as Luke''s car disappeared in the distance. Bianca went back into Crawford Manor after the car was out of sight. She remembered how pale Rainie looked earlier, so she went up the stairs and knocked on Rainie''s bedroom door. "Rainie, are you feeling better?" Rainie was startled when she heard Bianca''s voice. Then, her body began to shudder uncontrobly. "What should we do, Lanie?" She whispered. Lanie was much moreposed than her. He put a finger to his lips, signaling Rainie to keep quiet. Rainie nodded. She tried to be calm, but the mere thought that a woman had disguised herself as their mother and lived in their house for two years had scared her. No wonder Tommy could not ept her presence in the house. There was a valid reason behind it. That woman was not their mother, but only a woman with the same face as their mother. If that woman took the ce of their mother in the household, then where was their real mother? The more Rainie thought about that woman''s terrifying expression and the fact that their mother¡¯s whereabouts were unknown, the more afraid she became. Tears began to flow down her cheeks. Lanie handed her a paper napkin. When Bianca did not hear any response from within the room, she wanted to open the door but realized that the door was locked. Without any other way, she called out again, "Rainie?" Lanie stood up and patted Rainie''s head, indicating that he would protect her. He unlocked the door, but instead of opening it wide, he only opened a small crack. "Rainie is sleeping." Bianca was shocked to see Lanie inside. She wanted to see if Rainie was really asleep, but she could not see anything through the crack. "Oh, is Rainie already asleep? You''d better not disturb her then," she said. "I promised Rainie that I would watch her sleep. You don''t have to worry about her, Mommy. I''m here for Rainie," Lanie said. He did not sound like he was going to leave. Bianca was quite happy when she heard Lanie call her "Mommy." After all, Lanie was a boy of few words. Now that Lanie was willing to call her "Mommy," did it mean that her rtionship with the twins had be closer? She thought that it was a good decision to be nice to Rainie. Bianca nodded and said, "Alright then. You can call me if you need anything." "Mm.¡± Lanie nodded and closed the door.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. He did not leave but instead ced his ear next to the door. When he heard Bianca''s footsteps travel down the corridor, he turned around and went back to sit with Rainie. "She''s gone." "What should we do, Rainie?" Rainie was clueless. She did not expect that her suspicions woulde true. Was their real mother in danger? Should they tell their father about their discovery? However, they were only children. If they eventually had to confront that woman, they believed that their father would stand on that woman''s side. If they acted rashly, their real mother might be in more danger. "For now, we can only pretend that we don''t know anything." Lanie was moreposed than Rainie. He was thinking of the same things as her. "But she..." Rainie was not willing to be in the same house with that woman. "We don''t have a good opportunity to expose that woman''s disguise now, Rainie. Moreover, if Mommy is still alive and the mastermind knows that we''ve ruined their ns, they might harm Mommy..." Lanie said. He was still young, but he was much more mature than his peers of the same age. Rainie''s tears flowed silently. Their mother was still out there somewhere, and they did not know if she was safe... "Alright, don''t cry." Lanie handed her another paper napkin. The one earlier was alreadypletely drenched with her tears. Rainie took it and wiped her tears. "I miss Mommy," she said softly. "I miss Mommy too, but we can''t let the woman know that we''ve found out her secret. You''ll have to be a good girl to her so that she won''t suspect us. If she keeps a closer eye on us, then everything we''ve done so far would''ve been in vain," Lanie said. If Rainie had not been so affected, he would not have put the me on Simon. If it happened again, Bianca might go to reason with Simon''s parents, and their lie would be exposed. Rainie wiped her tears when she heard that. Her eyes were bloodshot, though her voice was determined, "I''ll do my best so that woman won''t suspect anything!" "Mm, that''s the way." Lanie patted his sister''s head endearingly. Before their real mother returned home, he would take good care of Rainie and Tommy. Chapter 1209 Chapter 1209 Distance Luca only finished dressing up when it was almost nighttime. It was not a particrly important party, so she wore a ck long dress, tied her hair into a bun, and put on some light makeup. She was taken aback when she saw herself in the mirror. Ever since her face changed, she had never groomed herself to this extent, and the face in the mirror was still unfamiliar to her. Luca could not help but chuckle coldly when she looked at her delicate features. Ever since her face changed, she stayed away from the mirror whenever she could and rarely dressed herself up. She would not have done so if she were not forced to go to the party. Her phone began to ring. She nced at the screen and saw that the call was from Luke. Did he call her because he was afraid that she might bail on him? Luca took a deep breath and answered the call. '' Mr. Crawford/ "I''m downstairs," Luke said. Before she could react, Luke had already ended the call. Luca was speechless as she listened to the busy tone from the phone. He was not going to let her run away... He told her that he was downstairs, not even asking if she was ready yet... Luca sighed. She put on her ne, picked up her phone and handbag, and left the bedroom. Amur was wiping the coffee table in the living room. He was stunned when he saw Luca. "What''s wrong, Amur?" Luca asked, wondering if she was underdressed for the party. Amur blushed slightly. "You look very good in that dress," he said. "Do you think it''s too shy?" Luca had chosen to wear a ck dress because she wanted to keep a low profile. "No," Amur said. It was the first time that he saw Luca put so much effort into her appearance. He loved how she looked. "That''s good." Luca nned to stay in a corner for the entire party. It would be best if no one talked to her or interacted with her. She hated such events, especially when she had to attend an event under a fake identity. Amur put away the rag in his hands and stood up when he saw Luca putting on her high heels. While he wiped his damp hands on his shirt, he said, "Are you going to the party now? Shall I send you there?" "It''s fine." Luca paused before continuing, "Mr. Crawford''s driver is waiting downstairs." Amur nodded pensively. Before Luca left, he said, "Abel is hosting the party tonight. You should be careful." "Mm. Don''t worry." Luca nodded and opened the door. She went downstairs and saw Luke''s car parking at the roadside. Her apartment was located in a middle-ss neighborhood, and no one in the area could have afforded a car of that price. A car like that also rarely appeared in that area. The area was quite crowded at the moment, and the car caught a lot of attention from the pedestrians. Luca sighed. She went over and tapped on his window. Luke¡¯s gaze had been transfixed on Luca ever since she stepped out of the apartment. He had never looked away. He thought that she was dressed appropriately for the business-style party. She did not underdress, but at the same time, she was not too shy. The driver stepped out of the car and opened the back seat door for her." Good evening, Ms. Craw." That was when Luca knew that Luke was not there to make sure that she did not run away, but he genuinely wanted to pick her up. Now that Luke and his driver were already there, there was no reason for her to run away or not get into the car. She stepped into the car, sat down, and nced at the man sitting next to her. "Mr. Crawford." "Mm." Luke nodded and praised her, "You look good tonight." He had expected that she would not be bothered to dress herself up since she was so reluctant to attend the party. Luke was quite pleased that she valued the opportunity. "Thank you." Luca nodded slightly and looked away. Luke''s gaze turned cold when he heard that reply. He could tell that Luca was trying to keep some distance between them. "Let''s go." "Yes, Sir." The driver started the car. Their destination was the Westin Hotel, which was quite far away from Luca''s apartment. The car stopped at the entrance of the Westin Hotel half an hourter. Throughout the drive, neither of them spoke to each other. The driver opened the car doors for them. After they stepped out of the car, he drove the car away. Luca looked at the hotel entrance. It had been three years, but the Westin remained the most luxurious hotel in A City. Many new hotels had been built over the past three years, but none of them could surpass the Westin. She sighed when she looked at the newly refurbished entrance. Luke raised his eyebrows when he heard her sigh. "Is it your first time here? "I''ve heard that the Westin is the most luxurious hotel in A City. Now that I''ve seen it with my own eyes, I can say that it''s true," Luca said while turning her gaze away. Luke''s gaze wavered. She sounded as though she had never seen the world, but her tone was filled with grace and nobility, and he could not look down on her. His gaze became pensive when he remembered Gale''s report on that woman. Luke brought her into the hotel. Luca was careful to keep some distance from him. Even though Abel knew about her secret with Luke, she could not let him get any more dirt on them. Moreover, the scandal had just concluded, and she did not want it to happen again. That was why Luca tried her best to look like his subordinate and not his partner. The party was held at the rooftop banquet hall. While waiting for the elevator, he turned around and saw that Luca was staying as far away as possible from him as though he were dirty. That made him feel inexplicably unhappy. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Any other woman would have taken the opportunity to try to get close to him, but she had distanced herself from him as though he were a venomous snake. She was so different from other women. Luke also remembered that he wanted to ask her why she would treat Queenie''s illness. Not only that, she had given Queenie a fake name when Queenie asked her. However, she did not cover her tracks perfectly. Anyone could have found out that she was the one who sent the package if they put some effort into it. Was she really careless, or did she deliberately leave a clue behind for him? Did she really want to be left alone, or was she ying hard to get? The elevator arrived. Luke put one hand into his pocket and stepped into the elevator. "Come in," he said. "Yes." Luca narrowed her gaze, stepped inside, and went to the other corner. Their distance earlier was like that between a boss and a subordinate. Now, they looked like they were total strangers. Chapter 1210 Chapter 1210 Interested in Her Luca did not say anything as she watched Luke press the button for the rooftop banquet hall. The two people remained silent during the elevator ride. No one went in or out throughout the ride, so they reached the rooftop rtively quickly. The elevator doors opened, and two waiters were waiting forthem. The waiters could recognize Luke. They greeted him warmly and noticed Luca that also stepped out of the elevator with him. One of the waiters recognized that she was the woman implicated in Luke¡¯s scandal earlier. It was not surprising that the two people appeared at the same party. After all, one was a prominent businessman, and the other was a researcher in the field. What was surprising was that they arrived at the same time. Luke handed the invitation to the waiter and walked into the hall. Everyone in the hall noticed his arrival. Their eyes fell on Luke, and naturally, they noticed Luca too. She did not feelfortable being looked at, so she took a ss of champagne and went to a corner. She was not nning on interacting with those people anyway. After all, she worked in the technical department and not the sales department, and she did not need to build up awork of contacts. The people surrounded Luke to greet him. After greeting every one of them, he instinctively looked around to search for Luca. It did not take him too long to find Luca, who was hiding among the crowd. She was holding onto a ss of champagne and looked into the distance, as though appreciating the night view of A City. As one of the most prominent doctors in A City, Johann was also invited to the party. He was also surrounded by a group of people when he stepped into the hall. After dealing with those people, he walked toward Luke. "What are you looking at?" Johann could see that Luke''s eyes were transfixed at a particr spot. He followed the direction of his gaze and soon noticed Luca standing in a corner. He whistled softly and said, "What a beauty." Luke came to his senses and red at Johann. Johann was slightly bemused. He touched his cheek and asked Luke," What are you looking at?" "Don''t you think that she looked familiar?" Luke said. "She''s too far away, and I can''t see her clearly. She has a nice body though, I wonder if she''s single..." Johann said. He might be a single man, but he was willing to appreciate a beautiful body. "She was in the tabloids some time ago," Luke said. "How do you know? You don''t look like someone who would..." Johann paused mid-sentence when he suddenly thought of something. "Don''t tell me that she''s the woman in your scandal?" Luke''s gaze became ice-cold. Luke did not admit it, but Johann could tell that he had guessed correctly. "Her body is great. I bet she has a great personality too," he said.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Right after he said that, Johann could sense Luke''s aura bing dangerous. He cleared his throat and put on a serious face."... I think I¡¯ll just appreciate her from afar." "Do you know who else she is?" Luke said., "I know that she''s one of the researchers in yourpany. Who else could she be?" Johann asked. "She was the one who diagnosed my mother-inw''s illness." Seeing that no one was around them, Luke whispered to Johann. "She?" Johann was shocked. It was normal for a pharmaceutical researcher to know some medicine, but they were not professionals, much less diagnose an illness. Someone who could diagnose an illness just by taking a patient''s pulse and correctly administering a prescription was nothing less than a savant. One had to consider that she was not a doctor but a researcher! Johann was thoroughly impressed. He had thought that the mysterious person who helped Queenie was an amazing doctor. "I didn''t expect that. I didn''t expect that at all," Johann repeated himself. Luke did not respond to that. Johann continued asking, "Have you confronted her about it? Did she admit it?" "Not yet. I''m still looking for an opportunity," Luke said. He could not ask her about it at the party when there were so many people around them. He would only get his opportunity after the party. "I''d like to be acquainted with her." Johann was very interested in her, but he could sense that Luke was somehow very possessive of her, so he dared not act rashly. "Go then.¡± Luke finished the champagne in his ss. "Are you sure?" Johann was quite surprised. He had never questioned Luke''s loyalty to Bianca, but he could tell that Luke was interested in that woman too. That made him even more confused than ever. Luke red at him coldly. Johann shuddered and decided that it was safer to stay away from her. Some timeter, a man with a microphone in his hand walked to the center of the venue. He cleared his throat, and the people in the hall stopped talking to each other. Luke looked at the man and frowned. That man was not Abel. The man looked around him, smiled, and began his speech. "Good evening to you, honored guests. I am Finn Jeffries, the deputy president of the A City Pharmaceutical Association. Mr. Abel, our president, could not attend the party today because of unforeseen circumstances, so I would like to greet all of you on his behalf. I would also like to take the opportunity to wee Watson Biopharmaceuticals into our association. Please enjoy yourselves, and I hope that you will take the opportunity to strengthen the bonds within the industry." There was a round of apuse after the man finished his speech. Luca stood in the corner, seemingly unperturbed. Why would Abel not attend the party? She looked around the hall. The banquet hall was in the open, so there were not many ces that she had to inspect. Very quickly, she noticed the surveince cameras hidden on top of two decorative pirs. Was he truly absent, or was he observing from the shadows? Luca tried to think about that question as she took a sip of her champagne. She realized that she could not understand what Abel was trying to do. What was he nning in his absence? Luca continued to look for surveince cameras. After the man gave his speech, everyone turned their heads to look at Luke. He raised his ss at them, then continued to look at Luca. Johann noticed that Luca''s gaze darted around her. "That prettydy seems to be looking for something," he said. Luke took a sip of champagne. "That''s none of your business," he said coldly. "Tsk tsk, why are you so possessive? If you don''t want other men to look at her, you shouldn''t have brought her to the party," Johann said mischievously. He knew that Luke had invited several of his employees to the party, and that was why he dared to make fun of him. Johann shuddered when he sensed Luke''s icy gaze on him. "Alright, alright. I admit that I''m interested in her, but it''s not like what you think." Chapter 1211 Chapter 1211 Abel¡¯s n Luke''s gaze remained as harsh as ever, so Johann exined, "I''d like to discuss external medicine with her so that I can hone my skills." Luke did not reply. Instead, he looked away from Johann and continued to look at Luca. Johann shrugged and looked at Luca too. Luca looked over and noticed that the two men were looking at her. She was standing in a rtively secluded corner, so she was very sure that the two men were looking at her. She felt slightly uneasy about it. Meanwhile, in a VIP suite in the Westin Hotel, Abel swirled a ss of red wine in his hand. Hera was sitting next to him, and her heart shuddered every time Abel swirled the ss. They had not met each other for quite some time, and she was quite surprised when Abel said that he wanted to meet her. "What are we doing now, Abel?" Hera desired Abel''s money, but she was wary of his unpredictability. Abel had been staring at the television screen ever since Hera came into the room. On the screen was the security feed of the party on the rooftop banquet hall. She thought that he would want to attend the party, but he had been only sitting there. She looked at the television screen too. Other than spotting Luke''s presence at the party, there was nothing special about it. "Waiting." Abel lit up a cigar and dragged it. Hera frowned when she smelled the harsh scent of the cigar. She was also a smoker, but she could not stand it. She thought that it was hard to breathe whenever Abel lit up that cigar. If Abel was only sitting there, she was not going to go anywhere either. It was boring, but the wine was nice. She was happy to see Luke on the screen too. Looking at the entire party on the screen, she felt as though she was in control of everything. With that thought in mind, Hera did not feel as bored as before. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. A whileter, Abel finished the wine in his ss, then snapped his fingers. A man in a ck suit stepped forward and said loudly, "Your orders, Boss." "Go and give them what I''ve prepared forthem," Abel narrowed his gaze and said. "Yes, Boss," the man replied and left the suite. Hera clung to him. She had drunk a ss of wine, and she was feeling a little tipsy. "What have you prepared for them, Abel?" "A gift for Luke Crawford," Abel said as he smiled cryptically. That made Hera even more confused. "What are you giving him?" She remembered that Abel and Luke were enemies. Why would Abel be so kind to give Luke a gift? "You don''t have to know. I''m sure that he''ll thank me for it," Abel smiled and hugged Hera in his arms. He had investigated the scandal in detail and found out that Luke did not fire Luca even after the scandal blew up several times. That was the opposite of what he expected Luke to do. From that incident, Abel could tell that Luke had certain unmentionable feelings for Luca. The woman that was supposed to charm Luke could not do so in three years, but when the real Bianca returned to him, she easily captivated Luke''s heart. Abel wondered if Luke would ept the real Bianca if he delivered her to him. Luca was not willing to reunite with Luke, but she was only a pawn in Abel''s n. Hera could see the mischief in Abel''s sinister gaze. She could tell that he was upto no good. Before she could react, Abel stood up and also made her stand on her feet. "Let''s go. You must be bored, aren''t you? We''ll go and find something fun to do." Hera knew what he meant. She yfully thumped his chest and said coyly," You''re so naughty." Meanwhile, after realizing that the two men were looking at her, Luca went to a farther corner. She had been wary in case Abel would do something to her. However, the party was almost over, and she had not seen anything out of the ordinary. That made her let down her guard a little. Several businessmen and medical experts were trying to strike up a chat with Luke and Johann. After dealing with them, Johann said, "Looks like your prettydy doesn''t want to be stared at." "She''s not mine," Luke said. Johann was not pleased by Luke''s stiff tone of voice. He nodded and said," Right, right. She''s not your prettydy. She''s your Dr. Craw." Luke did not say anything but instead shot a withering re at Johann. "You can''t take a joke," Johann said while rubbing his arm. Soon, they were surrounded by other guests once more. Luca sighed when she looked at Luke being surrounded by people. That man was so popr no matter where he went. She could not remember how she had the confidence to stand beside him. Luca''s gaze wandered as she recalled the past events. Back then, Luke had reeled her in using the children as an excuse. When she realized it, she had fallen for him irredeemably. Abel had forced them to be apart. She was unwilling to look at Luke from a distance, but she could do nothing about it. She had the urge to tell him her real identity, but she knew that she could not do so. What else could she do? She came to her senses and wanted to take a sip from her ss, but her ss was already empty. Luca shook her head. She did not want to go to the bar counter, so she stood there and looked at the scenery with an empty ss in her hand. A waiter came over and asked her, "Would you like some champagne, Miss?" Luca turned around and noticed that he was holding a tray with several champagne sses. She put the empty ss on the tray, then picked a ss of champagne. The waiter smiled and walked away. Luca nced at Luke with the corner of her eye. He was still surrounded by many people... Feeling more and more dejected, she downed the ss of champagne in one gulp. A minuteter, Luca realized that something was amiss. Her head was spinning, which should not have happened after only two sses of champagne... Realizing that she had fallen into Abel''s trap, she instantly tried to rummage through her handbag. However, her vision was getting blurry, and her fingers fumbled as she tried to unsp her handbag. She bit her lower lip in an attempt to keep herself conscious. 1 Soon, her vision went ck, and her knees went weak. Before she copsed, she saw Luke running, seemingly toward her. Chapter 1212 Chapter 1212 Luca Is Drunk When he saw the woman copse on the floor, Luke did not give a second thought before crouching down and cradling her head. Johann also crouched down and took her pulse. A minuteter, he looked at Luke. "She''s drunk,¡± he said. "Drunk?" Luke looked at the unconscious woman, wondering why she had passed out when she did not drink much. "Yes, she''s drunk. Her pulse is regr, and she doesn''t look like she has a medical condition," Johann said. Luke looked at Luca''s face. She did not look like she had drunk a lot, and her face was not blushing. Cole nced at Luca and suggested, "How about I send Dr. Craw home?" Luke shook his head. Luca was unconscious, and he did not want to leave her in someone else''s hands. Moreover, he knew Cole''s character very well. Luke knew what Cole had done before, but Watson needed the manpower, and he hired him because of his abilities and experience. Johann nced at her and said, "It''s not a good idea to send her back now either. How about we book a room for her? We''ll send her back after she wakes up." Right after he said that, the deputy president came over and said, "Mr. Crawford, we have booked several rooms for our guests. Would you want to bring her there?" "Mm." Thinking that it was the best option for now, Luke carried Luca in his arms without any regard for what other people thought of him. Johann looked around him. Seeing that other people might misunderstand Luke if he brought the woman into the room alone, he decided that he should follow too. The deputy president led the way with an ess card in his hand. While Luke rushed toward the room with Luca in his arms, he did not seem to be burdened at all. The woman in his arms was light, but his heart was heavy. His heart had been empty for three years, but at the moment he picked up Luca in his arms, he felt that his heart was full once more. The sensation came too quickly, and he did not have the time to wonder why he felt that way. The deputy president unlocked the door with the ess card. "Here, Mr. Crawford. Be careful," he said while opening the door for Luke. Luke brought Luca inside and ced her on the bed gently. The deputy president inserted the card into the slot and said, "I''ll return to the party. You..." "Well keep an eye on Dr. Craw''s condition." Johann saw Luke take off Luca''s high heels and cover her with a nket. He was so gentle as though the woman in the bed was Bianca. "Alright. If you need anything, you can shoot me a message." The deputy president nodded, left the room, and closed the door behind him. After walking away, he took out his phone and sent Abel a voice message." They''re in the room, Boss, but Johann Park is with them." After sending the message, he took the elevator and returned to the rooftop. It was silent in the hotel room. After Luke tucked her in, he sat down on the couch and stared at her. Johann also sat on the couch, but his gaze shifted between the two people. Now that he had the time to think about it, he suddenly thought of something. He realized that Luke''s worry toward Luca earlier was genuine. Luke could not have faked his expression. It was not the type of worry that a boss would show to his subordinate. That was why he had followed along on an impulse. He was afraid that Luke might not be able to control himself. Johann looked at Luke. Luke seemed to haveposed himself, and Johann could not find the same expression on his face. Luke''s expression was cold, and Johann wondered if he had hallucinated. However, he was not willing to admit that he had hallucinated. "Luke, just now..." Johann stopped himself. Luke was looking intently at the woman on the bed. Johann had said that she was drunk, but she did not struggle as a drunk person would. Was she really drunk? "What about just now?" Luke did not look at Johann when he said that. "Nothing." Johann realized that Luke was not aware of his emotions earlier, so he did not call him out on it. If Luke was still single, or if Bianca had not returned to him, he would have told Luke about it. After all, he hoped that his good friend would find bliss again. Things were different now. Luke was already married with children, and he also had reunited with Bianca. Eventhough Bianca had lost her memories and changed her personality, no one could deny that Luke was still married to her. That was why Johann did not want to see Luke have feelings for other women. He knew that Luke still felt guilty about what happened to Bianca. If Luke realized that he had feelings for Luca, he would be the one to suffer in the end. That was why Johann did not tell him about it. Luke did not pursue the topic. He looked at the unconscious woman on the bed and said, "She doesn''t look like she''s drunk." Johann knew what he meant. He exined, "Some people are quiet after they''re drunk." Luke knew that people behaved differently under the influence of alcohol, but he did not believe that Luca had passed out because she was drunk. Johann stood up and said, "Let me take her pulse again." Luke nodded. Johann went over and took her pulse. A minuteter, he frowned and said,"'' Her pulse is faster now. That''s the telltale sign of intoxication. If she passed out because of something else, her pulse wouldn''t be as fast." The two diagnoses were the same. Luke was silent. "Don''t worry, Dr. Craw will be fine," Johann said as he sat on the couch once more. Meanwhile, Hera heard the voice message on Abel''s phone. "They''re in the room, Boss, but Johann Park is with them." Hera knew that Johann was Luke''s good friend. Upon hearing the word " room," she instantly knew what Abel''s "gift" was. "What are you going to do about the third wheel in the room?" Hera asked. Abel was not worried. As he typed on his phone, he said, "HI just have to find a distraction for him." C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org After a while, he put his phone away and chuckled. "Alright, now we''ll just wait." Hera leaned onto his chest and said, "If Luke really did it, what are you going to do?" Everyone in A City knew that Luke Crawford was loyal to his wife. Even though Bianca was found in a red-light district, he did not detest her. Instead, he took her home and treated her well. Chapter 1213 Chapter 1213 What Happened to Her? Everyone in A City was shocked when Luke brought Bianca home. Many media outlets had thought that Luke was only pretending to reunite with her. They expected that their marriage would end in failure after some time. While everyone waited with bated breath for the drama, two years passed just like that. In that period, many female celebrities tried to stir up a scandal with Luke''s name, but none of them seeded. They had toe up with public apologies and admit that they were making up stories. Luke could say that he had not done anything to betray Bianca over the past two years. If Luke took the bait, Hera was eager to see what Abel would do. Abel narrowed his eyes and thought of her question. "What am I going to do? I haven''t thought about it yet. I guess it''ll depend on my mood." He did not n to ruin Luke so quickly, so he would not do anything too drastic. What he wanted to see was Luke slowly sinking into the abyss of despair. Hera could see the malice in Abel''s eyes. She did not believe that Abel would be so kind to let Luke off so easily. Luke used to be her crush in high school, but she no longer had any feelings for him. At the moment, she was quite happy to see tragedy befall him. In the hotel room, Johann wanted to leave only after he saw Bianca regain consciousness, but he received a call from the hospital. The nurse told him that a patient at the hospital was having an emergency, and the doctors there needed help. Johann might usually look like a cker, but he was quite dependable during an emergency. He stood up and said, "There''s something at the hospital that needs my help." "What about her?" Luke frowned when he heard that. Rather than being drunk, Luca seemed to be in aa. "She''ll be fine," Johann said. He thought for a while and added, "How about this. If she doesn''t wake up in an hour, bring her to the hospital." He was confident with his diagnosis that Luca was merely drunk. Moreover, she had instinctively cushioned her head when she fell. That was why he did not treat her condition too seriously and brought her to the hospital immediately. Luke nodded. Johann put on his coat and left the room. Luke remained seated on the couch and looked at Luca. Now that he was alone, he had the time to process his feelings. Those feelings that he had when he carried her... Luke had never felt that way for two years. Even when he was hugging Bianca, he did not feel anything at all. He thought that it was because Bianca had lost her memories. However, he did not expect that he would get the same feeling from carrying Luca. When Luca first appeared in front of him, he would catch his gaze drifting toward her...C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org The more Luke thought about it, the weirder he felt. Twenty minutester, Luca suddenly kicked the nket. It was not very loud, but it was loud enough to gain Luke''s attention. He stood up and stared at her. Luca slowly opened her eyes. Her face was red, as though she was drunk. "How do you feel?" Luke felt relieved when he saw her wake up. Looking at her red face, he was finally convinced that she was merely drunk. Luca wanted to sit up. When she tried to prop herself up, she realized that she did not have any strength in her arms. Abel must have drugged that ss of champagne... She could feel her body temperature rise and her nerves be more sensitive. She realized that the drug was taking effect, and her sanity was slipping away. ''So hot... so itchy...'' Luca was overwhelmed by the two sensations. The only thing she could think of was that she had the antidote in her handbag. "What''s wrong?" Luke could see the redness on her face quickly spread to her chin and neck as though it was an allergic rash. Frowning, he knew that it was not an allergic reaction. When Luca heard his question, she opened her mouth and wanted to tell Luke to take the antidote from her handbag. "Nggh..." Only shameful moaning sounds came out of her mouth. Luke stared at her, stunned. Luca closed her eyes so that she did not have to look at Luke''s passionate gaze. No man would be able to resist the state she was in right now, but she hoped that Luke would not do anything. If Luke did something, the situation would be irredeemable. Every nerve and cell in Luke''s body responded to Luca''s sensual moans. He spoke in a low growl, "Are you feeling ufortable?" Luca was barely conscious. When she heard what the man said, she bit her lip and nodded. She dared not attempt to speak in case she made any more shameful sounds. ''Til bring you to the hospital now." Luke decided immediately. "No!¡± Luca used the remaining strength in her body to refuse Luke''s offer. She could not go to the hospital, nor could she be seen going to the hospital with Luke. She did not want to be seen with Luke in her current state. Rumors would fly if they were seen together, and that might be exactly what Abel wanted. "But you''re ufortable." Luke seemed pensive, though emotions were raging in his heart. Seeing Luca behave like that, Luke was assailed by various emotions, including the ones that he was not supposed to have. "Water." Luca only managed to speak a single word. Water could help her suppress her body¡¯s restlessness. Once she calmed down a little, she could take the antidote. She knew the drug that Abel used, so she was sure that the antidote couldpletely neutralize the effects. Luke immediately opened a bottle of water, sat down on the bed next to her, propped her head up, and ced it next to her mouth. Luca''s brows were tightly furrowed. The moment Luke touched her, she felt her sanity consumed by the fires of passion. Her body temperature continued to increase, while Luke''s body was pleasantly cool. "Drink," Luke said while propping her up with his strong arms. The physical contact stirred up Luca''s urges even more. The fire in her body was bing intolerable now. Like''s resonant voice tickled Luca''s ears. She clenched her fists tightly to stop herself from groping Luke, and she writhed ufortably under the influence of the drug. When she realized that she was moving suggestively, she tried to restrain herself when what was left of her consciousness. Luca took two sips, but some water leaked out of the corner of her lips and flowed along her cheek and onto the pillow. She realized that if she continued drinking the water, she would be bloated without being able to find any relief from the effects. She turned her head away and felt the water evaporate from her body. Using her remaining strength in her body, she said, "Bathroom." Chapter 1214 Chapter 1214 Fallen Into His Trap Luke understood what she meant. He put the water bottle away, gritted his teeth, and picked her up in a bridal carry. "Bear with it just a little longer." Luca could feel the world spin around her. When she was picked up from the bed, she instinctively grabbed Luke''s shirt sleeve. Luke had already taken off his coat when he entered the room earlier. Through the thin material of his shirt, he could feel the boiling-hot temperature of her hand. Luke grunted and stifled his urges. He quickly walked into the bathroom and gently ced her into the bathtub. When Luca loosened her grip on him, Luke felt that he had lost a part of him. Luke saw that Luca''s eyes were tightly shut, and her brows were tightly furrowed in agony. Without hesitation, he turned on the shower. The warm water sshed on Luca''s body. Soon, her dress was soaked through and clung to her skin, revealing her curvaceous body. Luke gawked at her. He did not realize that passion was ring in his eyes. The water level rose gradually. Soon, Luca''s body was immersed in water. "Do you feel better?¡± Luke asked. If the water did not have any effect, he would bring her to the hospital. Luca did not respond. Her brows were still tightly furrowed. Luke took two steps back when he saw the hem of Luca''s dress floating in the water. His gaze remained on her body. It took Luca a while before she felt her body cool down, but she dared not stand up yet. The dress would cling tightly to her body and expose her figure. Another reason was that she was familiar with the effects of the drug. Shanks was the one who had invented the drug, and she knew itsponents very well. Shanks had told her about the ingredients and challenged her to make an antidote for it. She had taken the drug together with the antidote. ording to Shanks, any researcher worth their salt ought to take the drugs they invented. That was why she knew that there were two ways of curing the effects of the drug. The first was to make out with someone, and the second was the antidote. Soaking herself in water could only temporarily suppress the effects of the drug. If she stepped out of the bathtub, she would suffer from the effects again in less than a minute. Luca looked at Luke. She could only rely on him. "Mr. Crawford, can you do me a favor?" She hugged herself tightly to show that she was helpless. "Speak it," Luke said. "Can you bring me my handbag?" Luca pleaded. Luke thought that the request was quite weird, but he did so anyway. He went out of the bathroom, took Luca''s handbag on the couch, and returned to the bathroom. "Get me a bottle of water too," Luca said after taking the handbag from Luke. Luke went out of the bathroom again, took the bottle of water that Luca was drinking from earlier, and went back inside. Luca had already found the antidote in her handbag. She poured a pill from the bottle into her palm. Luke handed the bottle of water over and watched her swallow the pill with a gulp of water. "What''s that?" He asked. "It''s a pill that can cure my condition," Luca said in between deep breaths. Luke saw Luca''s fair skin undte under the ripples, but he did not feel any emotions. "How do you know that you''ll be drugged?" "I''m not a fortune-teller. It''s just a habit of mine." Luca took out several more bottles of pills from her handbag. "I''ve always brought these pills together with me as a precaution." "That''s a very peculiar habit to have," Luke nced pensively at the bottles in her hand. There was only abel with a chemical equation on each of the bottles, and he did not know what they meant. Usually, other people would put aspirin in their handbags as a precaution, but Luca put antidotes for date-rape drugs inside. It was quite hard to imagine why. Luke thought that Luca was different from other women. "Just in case," Luca said and did not offer any further exnation. How else was she going to exin why she had so many pills in her handbag? She could not tell him that Abel was plotting something against them. That was why she would rather remain silent. Luke saw that the redness on Luca''s face was fading away. He took a bathrobe and ced it next to the bathtub. "Put it on. I''ll wait for you outside." Luca was surprised as she watched him close the bathroom door. She thought that Luke would leave after seeing that she was free from the effects of the drug. She wondered if Luke wanted to ask her more questions once she was outside, or was she overthinking it? Luca sighed and stood up. Her wet dress felt very heavy. She took off the dress and put on the bathrobe. When she looked at herself in the mirror, her makeup was already undone. She noticed the bottle of makeup remover next to the mirror and cleaned her face with it. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. When everything was done and she opened the bathroom door, ten minutes had already passed. Luca felt reserved when she saw Luke sitting on the couch. She thought for a while and sat on the bed; that was the farthest ce from the couch. After she sat down, she looked at the man on the couch. She looked quite disheveled after the ordeal, while his demeanor was like that of a king, without a single crease on his clothes. She lowered her head and looked at her own hands that were wrinkled from soaking in the bathwater. Earlier, she had grabbed his shirt, and she could sense the coolness of his skin through the thin material of the cloth. The coolnessforted her greatly. "I''m sorry for what happened today, Mr. Crawford," Luca said. "Why are you apologizing?" Luke said. "You''re a victim." Indeed, she was a victim. If Luke were not there, she would not have had to go through all that. Luca bunched up her wet hair. When Luke saw that, he said, "There''s a hairdryer in the bathroom." Luca was not in the mood to dry her hair now. She let go of her hair and looked at Luke. "Thank you for saving me." If he had not helped her, someone else would have saved her, and she could not guarantee that they would not do anything to her. Luca remembered that Marie had drugged her when she had first returned to the country, and it was also Luke who saved her. Luke epted her thanks. "How did you get drugged?" "I drank from a ss of champagne that the waiter handed to me," Luca said. Shanks''s drugs were very quick-acting, so she was very sure that the drug was in the ss of champagne. She clutched the bed sheets tightly when she thought of that. If Luke had done nothing, she would have suffered a worse fate. "Do you remember what the waiter looked like?" Luke asked. Chapter 1215 Chapter 1215 Would You Believe That It''s Only a Coincidence? "I can''t remember." Luca shook her head. She should not have been so careless. In that atmosphere, she was not in the mood to pay attention to the details. It did not matter if she did not remember. After all, they could check the surveince cameras if they wanted to get to the bottom of it. However, Abel was much more meticulous than that. Even if they managed to identify the waiter, they would not be able to trace it back to Abel. Luke''s expression sank. He did not expect such an incident to happen in a six-star hotel. Luca could sense the iciness in his eyes. "Forget it. You won''t be able to find out anything." "How would you know?" Luke raised his eyebrows. Luca seemed to have an answer for everything, but those answers seemed so perfunctory. He could not believe her. Luca did not have a reply for that. The antidote had alleviated the physical effects of the drug, but her thoughts were still in a muddle. If she were not careful, she might identally divulge something. She wanted to knock her head in case water went into her brain when she was soaking in the bathtub earlier. "I was... just guessing..." Luca knew that Luke was not so easily convinced, but she could not think of a better exnation. Luke narrowed his gaze. Did she think that he could be deceived so easily? He stood up from the couch, walked up to her, and towered over her. Luca''s breathing became shallow because of the intense pressure that Luke was emanating. His prating gaze seemed to see through everything, including her anxiety. "Why do you want to hide the truth?" Luke leaned slightly forward. He could see that she was trying her best to keep her cool, but that had caused his heart to skip a beat. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Luca shook her head and sighed. "That''s because I don''t want to court trouble." She seemed to be trying to keep attention away from her. That happened when she took in Tommy when he ran away from him. Then, she helped Queenie anonymously. She was the victim, but Luke could tell that she did not wish to pursue the matter. What was the woman trying to hide from him? Luke was deathly curious. She was but a stranger, but she had somehow attracted her. Luke''s instinct told him that he had to get to the bottom of the matter. The two people continued to look at each other. He did not say anything, and Luca was not going to break the silence either. Remembering that when she was Bianca and had first returned to A City, she dared not look at Luke eye to eye. He had slowly warmed up to her with his expressions of love. It was when she had nowhere to run to that she began to look into his eyes. The gaze between them was as sweet as honey and flowing like water. Now, they were looking at each other like they were two duelists. She could not expose her weaknesses to him, and there was no affection in her gaze. Luca wanted so much to hug him and break down into tears as she told him what had happened over the past three years, but her conscience told her that she could not do so. N would suffer if Luca decided topromise. Abel had kept N hostage on the Ind of Despair. He had not done anything to her yet, but if Luca decided to disobey him one day, her daughter would be the victim. 1 She knew that the impostor Bianca was abducted to the Ind of Despair when she was a young girl, and what had happened to her... Luca''s gaze became determined when she thought of that. She was not going to let N experience the same thing as well. Luke noticed the change in her expression from sorrow, to hesitation, to determination. He wondered what she was thinking to cause that rapid change. In any case, Luke was only thinking of one thing. He wanted to find out the real reason she hade to A City. If the meeting between her and Tommy was a coincidence, what about Queenie? Everything that she did seemed to be rted to the people around him. Luke could not help but get to the bottom of it. "Your career was on an upward trajectory in Russia. Why did you choose toe to A City to advance your career?" Luke stood straight and tall. Even though he had been rushing around earlier, his clothes remained impable, and his demeanor was frigid. Luca narrowed her gaze when she heard that question. "It''s my freedom to advance my career wherever I want. You asked me before why I had chosen to join Watson, and now you''re asking me why I hade to A City. The answer to the two questions is the same." ''The answers are the same?'' Luke felt frustration and anger brewing within her when he heard that answer. She seemed quite casual about it. Luke gently clenched his fingers but did not form fists. "You said that taking Tommy in was a coincidence. What about Queenie then?" He asked, not giving her a chance to find even more excuses. ''Queenie?'' Luca was taken aback, and her gaze wavered. "I..." "You know what I''m asking about. You stood outside the front gate of the Norman residence for more than an hour. Were you really waiting for something?" Luke interjected. His tone was quite aggressive because he was eager to know the answer. Luca knew very well that he was able to find out that she had waited in front of the Norman residence. "My friend was veryte that day," she said. That was the lie she had told Queenie, and she was not going to change her statement. "Your friend waste? Who is your friend, and why did you agree to meet them there? Do they live nearby?" Luke continued asking. The Norman residence was in a residential area, and there were no shopping malls nearby. "You seem to be very interested in me, Mr. Crawford." Seeing that there was no use making up even more excuses, she tried to shift the conversation topic. "Everything that you do is somehow rted to the people who are close to me." Luke leaned closer. He could faintly detect her scent. Luca lowered her head. "Would you believe it if I told you that it''s only a coincidence?" "If it''s only a coincidence, why would you take her pulse, and why would you send her the antidote?" Luke could not believe such farfetched exnations. "I happened to pass by, and I happened to know some medicine. I don''t wish to see Mrs. Norman suffer, and I don''t want to be disturbed by other people. That was why I sent the antidote in a package. I''ve already made my intentions clear, but you managed to find me anyway. Don''t you know that you''re giving me a lot of trouble?" Luke frowned as he heard her exnation. She had not exined why she was standing in front of the Norman residence. Everyone in A City knew that Queenie''s illness was chronic. He believed that she had deliberately shown up there. Just when Luke wanted to ask more questions, his phone began to ring. Chapter 1216 Chapter 1216 Luca Did Not Regret It Luca smiled slightly when she heard Luke''s phone ring. She could recognize the ringtone; it was Bianca''s special ringtone. The ringtone once belonged to her. Jason had told her that whenever Luke heard that ringtone, he would drop everything and immediately pick up that call. However, the ringtone did not belong to her anymore, and she could not get Luke to set a unique ringtone for her. Luke had no intention of answering the phone. His eyes remained transfixed on her. He had noticed the slight smile on Luca''s face when the phone started ringing. Was she hoping that she would be saved by the call? Seeing that Luke was not picking up the phone, Luca reminded him, "Mr. Crawford, your phone is ringing." "I know," Luke said. He had taken out his phone while waiting for her to change. After she stepped out of the bathroom, he put the phone on the couch. The phone on the couch was ringing non-stop, but he was standing next to the bed. "That ringtone isn''t one of the default ones. You must have specifically set that as a custom ringtone, didn''t you?" Luca said. Her eyes were on the phone on the couch. Bianca probably wanted to check Luke''s whereabouts. Just as she finished speaking, the ringing abruptly stopped. The room fell into an awkward silence once more. Luca continued, "Aren''t you returning the call?" Luke ced his hands into his pockets. "You haven''t answered my question." "I happened to be there, and I met Mrs. Norman by sheer chance. I noticed that herplexion was pale, so I took her pulse. Her condition happens to be one I could treat." Luca exined her meeting with Queenie as one of pure coincidence. "How were you so sure about her illness when you only took her pulse?" Luke asked. Johann said that someone who was able to do that was an incredible physician. Was it also a coincidence that an incredible physician chose to work in Watson Biopharmaceuticals too? The growth of T Corporation in the next three years depended greatly on Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Luke could not afford to have anyone mess up his ns. "It''s all a coincidence. I wasn''t too sure when I made the diagnosis." Luca remained calm as she said that. She had approached Luke under the pretense of a lie, so any further lies only served toplete the previous one. She found it very exhausting to keep on making up lies to cover up her previous ones, especially when she had to face Luke''s unyielding questioning. She was never a good liar, and the three years spent on the Ind of Despair did not make her a better liar. "If you''re not so sure, why would you give her a prescription?" Luke continued asking. Luca sighed. "It''s not like Mrs. Norman would ept my prescription, isn''t it? They would definitely suspect something, and they''d bring the concoction to the hospital for analysis. I thought that a doctor would definitely order a toxicology test when they see the concoction. "If she decides to ignore my diagnosis instead, that wouldn''t have affected me either. Even if I''ve made a mistake in my diagnosis and she takes the concoction, it wouldn''t have negatively affected her health. Most of the herbs in the concoction are nourishing, and her body badly needs the nourishment." Luca tried to exin that she had never wanted to harm Queenie when making the diagnosis and prescription. She was worried that she might have misdiagnosed Queenie, so that was why she had given her such a concoction. She did not expect that it would still bring her trouble. However, Luca did not regret it. She did not want to see Queenie live the rest of her life under the effects of the poison. The longer the poison remained in her body, the greater the effects. Luke continued to stare at her. His phone began to ring with Bianca''s unique ringtone again. Luca looked at him with an ambiguous smile on her face. This time, she did not speak. Luke walked to the couch, picked up the phone, and answered the call. He heard Bianca''s voice over the phone. "Luke, is the party over?" He looked at his wristwatch. Judging from the time, the party should have been over by now. He did not expect to spend so much time on Luca... "It''s over,¡± Luke answered with an ice-cold voice. When Bianca heard that, she pretended to sound weak. "When are youing back? I''m feeling a little under the weather..." Luke frowned and nced at Luca. Her head was lowered and turned to the side, and her long wet hair covered her face. He could not see her expression. "Rest for a while. I''ll call Dr. Cairn over," he said. Bianca knew that had always been Luke¡¯s response whenever she said that she was feeling unwell, so she said, "Alright. You shoulde back soon. I''m very ufortable." "Mm," Luke replied and ended the call. Luca turned her head and watched him put the phone in his pocket. When she thought that he was about to leave, she smiled to hide the agony in her heart. It was perhaps a good thing that he left. She would not want to lock horns with him anymore. Luke was naturally a suspicious person. Even though she had not harmed him or the people close to him, he would nevertheless suspect her. She would rather not be suspected of anything, but he could not help but suspect her of everything she did. Luca had enough of that treatment. When she heard how he spoke softly to the impostor Bianca over the phone, she felt as though her heart had been torn in two. The pain was indescribable, yet she had to maintain a smile on her face. That was how she hid her sorrow. It took her all her strength to lift the corners of her mouth. Under the dim light, Luke thought that the smile on Luca''s face was barefaced mockery toward him. He turned around with a sullen expression on his face. "I have something else to attend to, and I can¡¯t send you home. You should rest here tonight." "I''ve been drugged, and I indeed need the rest. Also, I''d like to take tomorrow off," Luca said. "Approved," Luke said. It was the first time he had seen a drug with that effect. First, it was like a sedative, but an hourter, it was like a stimnt. It was as though Luca had been drugged twice. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Luca saw him ce his hand on the doorknob and said, "Mr. Crawford, I don''t want other people to know about the matter between me and Mrs. Norman." "The Normans will know about it. I''ll try to keep it from spreading to other people," Luke said. He had already tasked Jason to do that even before she had requested it. Diversion was amon tactic in business. It was all too easy to apply it to Luca. "Thank you." Luca breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that. With his help, she would not have to worry. Chapter 1217 Chapter 1217 He Did Not Appreciate the Opportunity Luca did not expect the matter to blow up when she decided to mail the package to Queenie. She had expected the Normans to keep the matter under wraps, even if Queenie had to go to the hospital for a checkup. Naturally, she had forgotten about Luke''s involvement. Luke''s status meant that his mere presence would cause drama. Luca knew that all the reporters would want to pin a camera on him if they could. His frequent appearances in the hospital gained attention. When Queenie''s report was released, the media outlets reported on it. The reporters continued to find information about her toxicology test and the reasons behind her poisoning. Naturally, they also found out about the antidote in the mysterious package. The development of the matter had exceeded Luca''s expectations, and she was not sure how to deal with it. Luke turned around and looked coldly at her. Luca lowered her head and did not meet his gaze. Luke opened the door and left. The moment the door closed, Luca fell on the bed and gasped for air. Even though she had taken the antidote, the effects of the drug were very taxing to the body. She was completely spent after confronting Luke for that long, and she would have copsed out of exhaustion if the confrontation continued. She continued to lie on the bed, even though her hair was still wet. She had to sleep now to regain her energy. Meanwhile, Abel received a voice message from the deputy president, saying that Luke had already left the hotel room without anyone following him. "Too bad he doesn''t appreciate the chance I''ve given him." Abel chuckled. He had expected Luke to stay the night. The impostor Bianca had told him that Luke had never touched her in bed after all these years. In fact, they had never even slept in the same bed. Perhaps Luke was smart enough to guess that Bianca was an impostor, or maybe he might have sensed the differences between the real and the impostor Biancas. Now that Abel had arranged for the real Bianca to be in the same room as him, he did not appreciate the opportunity. Hera was leaning onto Abel''s chest. She heard the message too. Realizing that Luke was not in the room for too long, she wondered if Luke had any carnal rtions with the woman in the room. "Mr. Abel, do you think that Luke took the bait?" She asked curiously. "Who knows?" Abel smiledzily and lit a cigar. "I don''t suppose Luke could have kept it to himself. Don''t you think so?" He knew that once the drug took effect, no woman would be able to remain rational. Luca would not have been able to resist it, no matter how much she wanted to stay away from Luke. Abel hugged Hera tightly and exhaled a smoke ring. His n might have been perfect, but he did not expect that Luca had brought the antidote with her. She managed to cure herself with the antidote, and Luke had managed to resist her charms. In Crawford Manor, after Bianca ended the call with Luke, she took out a metal box from the bottom drawer of the dresser. There was an intricate lock on it. She unlocked the box and took out a pill. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. The pill was given to her by someone from the ind. They told her that she could take the pill as ast resort if she did not manage to win Luke''s affection. The pill would cause her to develop the symptoms of the flu, and there was no cure for it. Eventually, she would look like she had gotten pneumonia, but she would not die from it. It would take her body a month to fully recover from the symptoms. In the month after that, her body would remain weak. The effects of the pill were very taxing to the body. That was why the pill had to be taken as ast resort. Bianca stared at the pill for some time. She would take the pill because of Luke. Half an hour ago, she had received a message. Attached to the message was a photo of Luke leaving the party while carrying Luca in his arms. She checked the timestamp. The photo was taken an hour ago. Bianca could not remain calm, and that was why she had given Luke a call. Luke did not answer the first time. She began to panic. Luke had never missed her calls! She called him again. Fortunately, Luke answered this time, and he sounded rtively normal. At that time, Bianca was worried that Luke was making out with Luca, and she had called him without thinking of an excuse to do so. She did not want Luke to think that she was being troublesome, so she made up an excuse that she was feeling under the weather. She was used to pretending to be sick anyway. Whenever Dr. Cairn prescribed medicine for her, she would take it and recover quickly. Bianca felt that things were different this time. If she did not pretend to be seriously ill, she thought that Luke would continue to ignore her. She guessed that Dr. Cairn would arrive at Crawford Manor in another ten minutes, so she did not waste any more time and swallowed the pill. There was no water in the room, and it would be quite suspicious if she left the room now. She had to swallow the pill dry. After that, shey on the bed. Ten minutester, the butler brought Dr. Cairn to the bedroom and knocked on the door. "Come in," Bianca said weakly. The pill took effect very quickly. Bianca could feel her body heating up already. The butler pushed the door open and told Dr. Cairn, "Please enter, Dr. Cairn. If Dr. Cairn nodded and looked unhappily at the woman on the bed. He was enjoying his night, but Luke had called him over because she was feeling unwell. Usually, he did not mind being called over to Crawford Manor. He knew that Bianca was pretending to be sick, and it was good money. Things were different tonight. He had spent a lot of money and pulled some strings to hire the new escort in the nightclub. Just when things were about to warm up, Luke had given him a call. He was not going to refuse Luke''s request, especially not when he was being paid for the visit, but he felt quite aggrieved about it. With no other choice, he could only tell the escort to wait for him at the motel while he rushed over to Crawford Manor. "How are you feeling now, Madam?" Dr. Cairn asked with a smile. He could not show her that he was unhappy. "I feel dizzy, and my body feels warm, as though I''m sitting on an oven," Bianca said weakly. Dr. Cairn took out the digital thermometer and ced it in her ear. The temperature read 99.5 degrees. "You have a slight fever. Did you forget to sleep with a nket?" He asked. Usually, when Bianca pretended to be sick, her body temperature was normal. She was slightly feverish now, but that might have been deliberate too. Chapter 1218 Chapter 1218 Igniting Luke''s Love for Her Bianca slightly narrowed her eyes. ''Just a slight fever? I guess the pill isn''t fully in effect yet.'' She shook her head and replied to the doctor, "I don¡¯t know." "It''s not too serious yet, so you don''t have to take any medicine. Sleep with a nket tonight and see if you can sweat the fever out. I''ll prescribe some medicine just in case, so you can take it if you''re not feeling any better, alright?" Dr. Cairn said to her. He was not too worried because her temperature was not too high. Bianca frowned and nodded. She was not too bothered because she knew that the pill was causing the fever. Her condition was going to deteriorate anyway, and even if she did not take any medicine, she would recover in a month anyway. She nodded just to keep the doctor off her back. It was better than giving the doctor the impression that she did not listen to him. Dr. Cairn nodded and told the butler, "Madam is sick often, and maybe the medication doesn''t have much effect on her. Can you get her two more nkets? I''ll still prescribe some medication." "Yes, thank you," the butler said. He did not want to go through Bianca''s personal belongings, so he got a female caretaker to help him. Bianca felt the caretaker cover her with two nkets. Then, she turned off the air conditioning. She was already feeling ufortable with the warm weather. Now, she felt as though ants were crawling on her skin and biting her nerves. She wished that she could throw the nkets off her, but she could not. She was supposed to be sick, and she could only bear it. Remembering that the escort was still waiting for him at the motel, Dr. Cairn hastily prescribed the medication and ced it on the bedside cab. "If Madam''s condition doesn''t get any better, she can take the medicine, and she should be fine after that." "Yes, thank you," Bianca said weakly. She wished that she could drive everyone out of the room; their mere presence was torture to her. "Please send Dr. Cairn off, Mr. Griffin," she said. The doctor was delighted to hear that. Sometimes, he would have to stay back and talk to Luke about Bianca''s condition, just so that he could get on Luke''s good side. He was quite happy that Luke was not around, and he did not have to stay back. "Yes." The butler nodded and led the way. Dr. Cairn left the bedroom after him. Bianca''s forehead was wet with sweat, and she did not know if it was because of the pill or the two nkets. She looked at the caretaker who was waiting beside her and said, "I''d like to rest. You can leave for now." "Yes, Madam." The caretaker did not want to leave a sick person in the room alone, but she had to follow her employer''s orders. After the caretaker left the room and closed the door behind her, Bianca kicked the nkets away. She felt a little better without the nkets suffocating her. However, in a few minutes, she felt that her body had turned from warm to cold. "What kind of pill was that?" Bianca mumbled through gritted teeth. The alternating sensations of hot and cold were double the torture. She could only cover herself with the nkets again and switched on the heating. Soon, she could hear the caretaker''s voice from outside. "Good evening, Sir." Luke had returned. Bianca tucked herself into the nket so that not an inch of her skin was exposed. Luke opened the bedroom door and frowned when he saw the person on the bed. He could see the sweat dripping down from Bianca''s forehead along her hairline. Turning around, he asked the caretaker, "How are you going to take care of Madam if you''re standing outside?" The caretaker shuddered. Luke rarely questioned the caretakers at home about their jobs, but whenever he did, he was quite harsh. "Madam told me to,¡± she exined. Luke''s expression darkened a little as he said, "Madam is sick, so you should stay by her side and take care of her. Go and get a towel to wipe off Madam''s sweat." "Yes." The caretaker bowed slightly and went into the bedroom. Seeing Bianca''s forehead glistening with sweat, she quickly went into the bathroom and took the towel. Bianca''s heart warmed when she heard that Luke cared for her. If it took a bout of illness to gain his attention, swallowing the pill was the right choice. In the next month, she hoped to ignite Luke''s love for her. "Don''t me her, Luke. I was the one who told her to go out of the room." Bianca would not have spoken up for the servants at home if not that she had to pretend that she was sympathetic and kind like the previous Bianca. Luke could hear that she was struggling to speak. "Don''t speak. You should rest." Bianca smiled and closed her eyes. She was relieved that he was back home. She was not going to let Luke be together with Luca. No matter what stage of a rtionship they were in now, Bianca was not going to let them progress any further! Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. The caretaker came out of the bathroom with a basin of warm water and a hand towel. She set the basin down next to the bed and, when she was wringing the towel to wipe Bianca''s face, Luke said, "Let me do it.¡± The caretaker handed the towel to him. Luke took it and wrung it again. "Has Dr. Cairn left?" "Yes. Dr. Cairn said that it''s only a mild fever, so she''ll be fine after sweating it out. He gave some medicine in case Madam''s condition doesn''t get any better." The caretaker repeated what Dr. Cairn said earlier. Luke did not say anything and wiped the sweat from Bianca''s forehead. She grunted slightly when she felt the cool towel on her skin. She did not know if the sensation wasfortable. After all, she was alternating between feeling hot and cold. The cool sensation of the towel was quite jarring. Seeing that Bianca was still ufortable, Luke used the thermometer and took her temperature again. It was 99.5 degrees, and Luke could tell that it was not a high fever. Sometimes Tommy would also be down with a mild fever, but his symptoms were totally different from what Bianca was exhibiting. Luke put the thermometer away. "What was her temperature earlier?" "99.5 degrees," the caretaker answered. Luke looked at Bianca. Her forehead was once again wet with sweat. It seemed a lot more serious than a mild fever. "Stay with her tonight and take her temperature every half an hour. Inform me if her temperature goes up." Luke took the towel and wiped Bianca''s forehead again. "Yes," the caretaker replied, though she was quite reluctant. She would not be able to sleep that night... Bianca was not very kind to her anyway. The caretaker could not be bothered to do that for her if not that she was at risk of losing her job. Never mind, that''s the fate of a wage earner...¡¯ the caretaker thought. Chapter 1219 Chapter 1219 Extreme Difort Bianca was not very happy when she heard that. She was expecting Luke to take care of her. She slowly opened her eyes. She did not have to pretend that she was weak because she was already ufortable enough. "I''m not feeling very well, Luke," Bianca said softly to evoke Luke''s pity. At the same time, she was wondering why her temperature was so low even though she felt much worse. "You''ll be fine. Just have some rest." Luke tucked her in, though he suddenly thought of Luca at that moment. Luca must have suffered a lot when she was fighting the effects of the drug, but she said nothing at all. Instead, she had closed her eyes and grabbed onto the bed sheets tightly. When Luke stepped out of the bathroom in the hotel, he noticed the creases on the bedsheets and realized that she had notined one bit. "Luke..." Bianca wanted to tell Luke to apany her, but she could not finish her sentence. Luke came to his senses. Byparing the two women who were feeling unwell at the same time, Luca''s resilience was a stark contrast to Bianca''s weakness. "Rest well." He stood up and told the caretaker, "Take care of Madam.'' "Yes," the caretaker replied as she watched Luke leave the room. She had been working in Crawford Manor for two years. Whenever she chatted with the other caretakers who had worked there for longer, they would always talk about how things were in the past. They said that Bianca used to be very caring toward the servants in the household and how Luke had loved Bianca and would do everything for her. The caretaker shook her head. Things were not the case now. Luke did not seem like he loved Bianca, and Bianca was not as approachable as the others said. Biancay on the bed with her eyes closed. Without looking, she could tell that Luke had already left the room. He had left just like that, not caring that she was getting sicker and sicker in bed. The caretaker saw that Bianca was sweating again, so she wiped her forehead with a towel. Bianca wanted to say something, but she did not have the strength to do so. She could feel her condition deteriorating fast. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. She could not tell the caretaker to inform Luke about her condition. With no other choice, she closed her eyes and soon fell asleep. Luke returned to the study. Ever since that moment in the bedroom, his thoughts were upied with images of Luca, and he could not calm himself down at all. Under the influence of the drug, Luca seemed so charming. He admitted that he was bewitched at that moment, and he would not have been able to resist it if not for his mental fortitude. As he sat in his executive chair, he could not stop thinking about Luca, and he was getting more and more aroused. ¡¯Damn it," he cursed. He turned on hisputer and contacted Gale. "How is the investigationing along?" He asked. Gale frowned and replied, "Things aren''t going smoothly, Boss. It''s as though this Luca woman never existed. We couldn''t find anyone who knows her over here, and her identity and background are, as far as we can tell, non-existent." "She can''t possibly have a non-existent background unless she made up her identity,¡± Luke said. Gale nodded and understood what he meant. He continued, "Yes. Gale and I will continue to investigate this." "Mm.¡± Luke nodded. The night passed uneventfully. Near dawn, the caretaker knocked on the door of the study hurriedly. Luke was startled awake from his dream. He rarely dreamed, but he had dreamed once again. In the dream, Bianca''s face turned into Luca''s face. She sat on hisp, and she stroked down his body with her slender hands. Her hands slowly traveled down his face, to his neck, his shoulders, and his chest. Those hands seemed to be magical and tickled his every nerve... He woke up when those hands traveled below his abdomen. Frustratedly, he propped his forehead with his hand. Why would he dream of that? Was it because he had not made out with a woman for so long? Even if that were the case, he should have dreamed about Bianca instead of Luca. Knock knock! Knock knock! The knocking on the door interrupted his thoughts. "Who is it?" He sat up tiredly. "Sir, Madam¡¯s fever is at 102 degrees now," the caretaker said anxiously. She had been taking Bianca''s temperature every half an hour, just like Luke ordered. Even until half an hour ago, Bianca''s temperature was 99.5 degrees. Other than the excessive sweating and asional sleep-talking, she seemed normal. The caretaker had been staying up all night wiping the sweat from her forehead and wetting her lips with a cotton swab. She was shocked when Bianca''s temperature rose dramatically. Luke got up and opened the door. "What happened?" "She was fine half an hour ago, but suddenly..." The caretaker showed him the record of temperatures on the thermometer in case Luke med her. "Has she taken her medicine?" Luke nced at it and walked toward the master bedroom. The caretaker followed closely behind and said, "Madam woke up around midnight and said that she felt very ufortable, so I''ve given her the medication earlier, but her temperature did not decrease. Should we call Dr. Cairn again?¡± "Get the driver to prepare the car. I want to bring her to the hospital," Luke said. If her condition did not improve even after she took the medication, she would have to be hospitalized. "Alright." The caretaker ran downstairs and informed Sean. Luke went into the master bedroom and saw Bianca lying on the bed. Her lips were pale and cracked from the fever, while her face was an unnatural shade of red. She opened her eyes slightly when she heard the footsteps, but her vision was blurry. "Luke? Is that you?" Her voice was weak, as though she was whispering. He could not discern what she said if he did not focus on listening. "It''s me. Don''t be afraid. I''ll send you to the hospital now," Luke said. He took a coat from the closet, pulled the nkets away, wrapped her up with the coat, and carried her in his arms. Bianca could feel her body being lifted up by a pair of strong arms. However, she was so sick that she could not feel the romance in the situation. At that moment, she regretted taking the pill. If she had known that the pill would cause her so much difort, she should have just pretended to be sick. Of course, there was nothing for her to do except regret it. Luke carried her downstairs. It was already six o''clock, and Old Master Crawford was already awake and sitting in the living room preparing to go for his morning exercise." What¡¯s wrong?" He asked when he saw Luke rushing down the stairs with Bianca in his arms. "Bea suddenly has a fever. I''m bringing her to the hospital," Luke exined as he walked toward the door. Old Master Crawford frowned as he watched them leave. The caretaker had told him that Bianca had a mild fever the night before, but it had suddenly be a high fever. Sean was waiting at the front gate with the car. When he saw Lukeing out of the house, he opened the car door for him.ab Chapter 1220 Chapter 1220 They Were Alone in the Room Luke and Bianca got into the car. Eventually, Luke managed to get Bianca admitted. Johann performed a brief examination on Bianca, took off his stethoscope, and said, ¡¯She has a high fever alright, and she''s slightly dehydrated after one night. I''ll get the nurse to hook her up to a saline drip and prescribe some medication. Don''t worry. She''ll be fine." "Mm." Luke nodded. Johann put the stethoscope into his pocket, nced at Bianca, then at Luke curiously. He wondered when Luke had left the hotel room. Did he wait until Luca regained consciousness? "Yes?" Luke asked. Johann shook his head. Even though Bianca was asleep, it was not appropriate to discuss private matters in the hospital. He said, "It''s nothing. I''ll get the director of internal medicine to keep an eye on your wife. I need to go to New York tonight for a medical conference." "Mm," Luke replied. Johann felt relieved that Luke was willing to let him go. He was worried that Luke would insist that he take care of Bianca. Johann was very nervous every time Bianca fell sick. Luke would never let any other doctor take care of her. It was good to see that Luke had learned how to rx a little. Before Johann left the room, he turned around and nced at the couple. Bianca was sleeping on the bed while Luke was sitting on the couch. Johann shook his head. Luke had not learned to rx, but it was more like Luke''s feelings for Bianca had lessened. He remembered how reluctant Luke was to leave Luca when she was drunk. Luke had always been distant and aloof. It was only after he fell in love with Bianca that he gained a trace of humanity in his personality. After Bianca went missing, Luke seemed to have slowly reverted to his previous personality, and even after she came back, Luke never recovered from it. Luke''s expression was ice-cold. No one could read his thoughts or know if he was worried about Bianca. It was only when he was close to Luca that he regained some of his former warmth... Johann suddenly had a bad feeling about the situation. He hoped that he was not overthinking it. Meanwhile, Luca had just woken up in the hotel room. She was slightly startled when she stared at the unfamiliar ceiling and chandelier, but she soon remembered what happened the night before. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Abel had drugged her, and Luke had saved her. Fortunately, she managed to restrain herself, and Luke did not do anything to her. Nothing happened between them except for the conversation. Abel did not seed. Luca nced at her phone next to the bed and saw that she had several missed calls. Before she could unlock her phone, her phone shut down because it had run out of power. "..." She was speechless as she looked at the dark phone screen. She pushed herself up. Her strength had returned after a night''s rest, and her hair was already dry. Luca sighed slowly, got out of bed, washed her face, changed her clothes, and left the room. She left the ess card on the front desk before leaving. Luca knew that Abel was still lurking around somewhere, but she was not going to confront him yet. It would take her some effort to find him, and she had more important things to do today. Luca caught a cab and returned to her apartment. When she opened the door, she saw Amur sitting on the couch. "Why are you up so early, Amur?" She asked. When Amur heard her voice, he immediately stood up and said, "Where have you been the whole night, Luca?" Luca could sense that Amur was very worried. She waved her hands to indicate that he should calm down. Amur sat back down on the couch, though he could not help but say, "I tried to call youst night, but you didn''t answer." Luca could guess that all the missed calls were from him. Other than him, no one in A City would care so much about her. Luca smiled. To prevent herself from being disturbed by prank calls at night, he had a setting on her phone so that it would not ring past a certain time. The setting would only revert to normal the next morning. "Sorry, Amur. I was too tired yesterday, so I didn''t check my phone." Luca noticed the eyebags under Amur''s eyes and knew that he had stayed up the entire night. "I slept in the hotelst night. Abel did something to me," Luca said. Then, she told him everything that happened the previous night. Amur was shocked by what he was told. He felt slightly relieved when he heard that she had taken the antidote. However, he became wary once more. Did she really take the antidote? Was it possible for that man to remain unmoved? Even though Bianca had changed her face, she was nheless very attractive. Moreover, that man was Luke Crawford, the man she loved the most... Abel knew that her feelings toward Luke had never changed over the past three years, and nothing would be able to change them. Seeing that Amur was silent, Luca continued, "Abel''s n didn''t work." "Mm." Amur could not voice his suspicions. He knew that Luca was aware of what she should do and what she should not. "You didn''t sleep, did you? You should go and rest. You have a mission tonight, and you need to seed this time." Amur was indeed tired after staying up for the entire night worrying about her. He nodded and went back into his bedroom. Luca sat on the couch for a while, deep in thought. Even though Amur did not say anything, she knew what he was thinking. She had spent some time with Luke in the hotel room. Even though he eventually left without doing anything, someone with malicious intentions could make up stories, and there was no way of exining around it. Luca was afraid that Abel would make up stories from that incident. She plugged her phone to charge it and turned it on five minutester. There was a five-percent charge in the battery. She opened an app and connected it to herptop so that she could check on Abel''s whereabouts. After Amurpleted his mission tonight, she would look for him and find out what he wanted to do. Chapter 1221 Chapter 1221 If She Were Dying, Would Luke Prioritize Work Over Her? It was quite slow to find someone using the program. Luca leaned on the couch with her eyes slightly closed. She became impatient after a while. She plugged theptop into the power source, stood up, and went to rest in her bedroom. Even though her strength had returned, she still felt quite sluggish. She nced at herptop, yawned, and went back into her bedroom. She looked at the door of the next room and shook her head. Back in her bedroom, she set an rm on her phone, sent a message to Cole saying that she would be taking the day off, and plugged her phone into the power source. No matter what, she would not let Amur act alone. Abel was in A City, so Amur should finish his mission as soon as possible and return to the Ind. Danger lurked wherever Abel was. She did not want Amur to remain in A City. Luca closed the curtains andy on the bed. She might not have been able to sleep if it were any other day, but she quickly fell asleep thanks to the drugs. Meanwhile, in the hospital, Luke received a call from Jason. He nced at Bianca sleeping soundly on the bed, then went to the balcony to answer the call. "How are things?" He asked Jason before Jason could speak. "We''ve already gotten someone to tamper with the security feed, Mr. Crawford, and we''ve also talked to the courierpany. Even if someone wants to investigate the issue, they wouldn''t be able to trace it back to Dr. Craw," Jason reported. "Very good. I don''t want her information to leak out one bit. Understand?" Luke said. If someone else found out that Luca was the person who diagnosed Queenie''s illness, Luca and even T Corporation would be needlessly troubled. "Yes," Jason replied. Remembering that there was another incident the night before, he continued, "There''s something else, Mr. Crawford." "Speak," Luke said in a low voice. "The Westin has gotten back to us. They said that they could not find the waiter in the security feed, and they said that the person isn''t one of their employees," Jason said. Luke had sent some of his people to investigate what happened to Luca at the hotel. As expected, they could not find anything. "Not an employee?" Luke raised an eyebrow. The owner of the hotel was his friend, and the hotel management would not lie to him. In other words, someone had disguised as an impostor to drug Luca. Luca was someone rtively new to the country. Could she have offended someone? Luca was indeed attractive, but no one in the party should have tried to drug her. Everyone at the party knew that Luke had brought her along, so even if someone had set their eyes on her, they would not have so brazenly acted upon their desires. Luke eliminated all the guests at the party from his suspicions. However, he did not know if Luca had offended someone else. One thing he was clear about was that someone who would harm Luca might not be Luca''s enemy. They might be his enemy too... "Yes, Mr. Crawford," Jason replied. He had not given up on investigating the incident at the party, but he had to make timely reports. "Also, Dr. Craw left the hotel alone at six-fifteen this morning." "Noted." Luke felt somehow relieved after knowing that she had left early in the morning. If she could leave the hotel by herself, it meant that her health was not affected. I''ll bete to work today. Reschedule some of the less important meetings. "Yes, Mr. Crawford," Jason replied. As Luke''s subordinate, all he had to do was carry out Luke''s orders without asking why. After ending the call, Luke went back to the room. After being hooked up to a saline drip, Bianca''s lips were not as dry as before. The redness on her face also subsided a little. Her condition seemed to be improving. He sat on the couch and waited for the caretaker toe from Crawford Manor to take over. He could only leave for work after the caretaker arrived. In a short while, a caretaker from Crawford Manor came with two sks in her hands. "Sorry that I''m late, Sir. There was some traffic on the road." "It''s fine." Luke stood up. "The thermometer is on the table. Take her temperature once every half an hour, and tell the nurse if the temperature fluctuates by too much. Also, make sure that she''s hydrated." "Yes, yes." The caretaker remembered what Luke told her. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Luke nced at Bianca again and said, "Call me if there''s an emergency. I need to return to the company for some work." "Ah, Sir, please eat some breakfast before you leave. Old Master Crawford asked me to prepare this for you. You shouldn''t starve yourself," the caretaker said as she handed a sk to Luke. That was the oatmeal she had prepared for Luke, while the other sk contained some clear broth for Bianca. They had rushed to the hospital, so they had not eaten their breakfast. Luke took the sk and said, "I''ll eat it when I get to thepany. Take care of Madam." "Yes." The caretaker nodded and watched him leave. ''He''s changed...1 She had been working in Crawford Manor for many years, and she knew how loving Luke was to Bianca. Luke would never leave Bianca alone if she fell sick, and he would take care of her himself. Other people might still see them as a loving couple, but they would not know as much as Luke''s servants. Some timeter, Bianca slowly woke up. When she opened her eyes, she tried to look for Luke, but she did not see him in the room. "Where''s Luke?" Bianca asked. She could tell that the person on the couch was one of the caretakers from Crawford Manor. The caretaker quickly stood up and went to her. "Sir is back at hispany. He left not too long ago." Bianca''s heart sank when she heard that Luke had neglected her so that he could work. To him, work was more important than her... Feeling aggrieved, she clenched her fists. The caretaker noticed the change in Bianca¡¯s expression and guessed what she was thinking must be rted to Luke. Did Luke neglect her because of work or something else? Bianca thought that Luke was not paying enough attention to her even though she had fallen sick. It looked like she was not sick enough. If she were dying, would Luke still prioritize work over her? Seeing Bianca''s ashen face, the caretaker tried tofort her, "Don''t be angry, Madam. I don''t think Sir means to neglect you. I''m sure that he has a lot to do at his work." She did not pay attention to financial news, but she knew that T Corporation was expanding rapidly, so it was normal for Luke to be busy. Chapter 1222 Chapter 1222 How Heartless... Bianca gave the chattering caretaker a side-eye. How dare a mere servant talk back to her? Luke was not around, and she had no reason to put on her disguise. "Shut up," she said. The caretaker was shocked when she realized that she had spoken too much. "Sorry, Madam," she said while nodding. She knew that she was only a servant in the household, and she should not have meddled in her employers'' affairs, but she could not bear to see Bianca being so sad and aggrieved. She did not expect that Bianca did not want her pity. The caretaker nced at the sk and said, "Madam, the cook prepared some clear broth for you. Do you want it now?" "No. I don''t want to eat anything," Bianca refused the caretaker''s offer without hesitation. She tried to reach into her pocket, but she realized that she was wearing only a hospital gown. "Where''s my phone?" She asked. "It''s in the drawer." The caretaker took out Bianca''s phone from the drawer and handed it to her. Bianca felt a lot better after being rehydrated by the saline drip. It was boring in the hospital, so Bianca used her phone to make a call. "I''m in the hospital now. Come and apany me." The voice of a woman could be heard on the other end of the phone. "Huh? What happened to you?" "I have a high fever. Come over here quickly. I''m bored to death." Bianca dared to make that call in front of the caretaker because the other party was a woman. Bianca even put the call on speaker so that the caretaker could listen to the conversation. "But I have to go to work..." the woman on the other end of the call hesitated. She was not pampered like Bianca, so she did not agree to it straight away. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org "Screw work. Take the day off. It''s not like you''re getting paid less if you work less," Bianca retorted impatiently. The woman''s name was Grace Sheppard. She was a sales clerk that Bianca had befriended when she was shopping, 1 Grace bit her lip. She hated how Bianca spoke to her, but she could not tell that to Bianca. After all, Bianca provided her with a lot of benefits. She was willing to be Bianca''sckey, despite what other people thought about her. "You''d bettere quickly. Otherwise, I won''t want to be friends with you anymore." Bianca could tell that Grace was hesitating, so she gave her an ultimatum. Bianca did not have many friends. She would either go shopping or cafehopping alone, or she would invite Grace toe along with her. She was not fond of mingling with the otherdies in the same social ss. Those people did not want to associate with her because of her past. Abel''s n involved getting Luke to know that his woman had been vited by other men. Given a choice, Bianca would never want that to happen to her. Because of that, other socialites thought that she was not qualified to be Luke''s wife. She was relentlessly bullied while Luke seemed unaffected. That was why Bianca hated those socialites who thought too highly of themselves. "Alright, I''ll let my manager know about it before I go over. Right, have you had breakfast? Should I bring something for you to eat?" Grace asked. She did not mind spending some money on Bianca. After all, her returns would be many times greater if she made Bianca happy. "Nah. I don''t have the appetite." Bianca only wanted Grace toe over so she had someone to chat with. "Alright, see you soon.¡± "See you," Bianca said happily and ended the call. She looked at the caretaker, who seemed to be at a loss, and frowned. "My friend will being over soon. Go downstairs and buy some fruits and cupcakes for her. We wouldn''t want her to think that we''re stingy." The caretaker nodded, though she was thinking, ''Fruits and cupcakes? Does she n to hold a tea party in the hospital?¡¯ However, she could only do what she was told. After the caretaker left, Bianca nced impatiently at the saline drip. There was half a bottle left. It was a bother to be hooked to the drip, but she could not remove it. She had fallen sickst night, but Luke only tended to her for a while before returning to the study. Earlier, he had sent her to the hospital, but he left for work soon after that. Other people would think that he was only a rtive and not her husband. ''How heartless...'' Half an hourter, Grace arrived at the hospital. She had told her manager that Bianca wanted her to take the day off, and the manager did not ask her any further questions. After all, Bianca was a regr customer in the store. If Grace were good friends with Bianca, she would come to shop more often, and the manager would benefit from the increased sales. "How did you fall sick all of a sudden?" Grace asked after she entered the room. Bianca¡¯s face was pale, and she did not look like she was pretending to be sick. "I probably caught a cold," Bianca said. She did not tell Grace about the pill. "What did the doctor say?" Grace continued to show her concern. "I don''t know what the doctor told my husband. In any case, it''s so boring staying here all by myself. Right, there are some cut fruit and cupcakes for you. Help yourself," Bianca said generously. She had considered inviting Grace to Crawford Manor to be a guest so that she could unt her generosity. She imagined Grace''s admiration toward her wealth would satisfy her vanity. She did not do so because she knew that Old Master Crawford would not like it. After all, Old Master Crawford was a modest person. It would be very embarrassing if Old Master Crawford scolded her in front of her guest. Moreover, the people of the Crawford household seemed to detest strangers visiting. ording to one of the caretakers, Luke''s mother had conspired with an outsider to rob their house, getting Thea injured in the process. That was why Old Master Crawford did not like strangers in his house. After remembering that Luke had sent his mother to prison, Bianca dropped the idea. Grace was only a typical wage-earner who could only dream of wealth and fortune. What if she conspired with a thief to steal from Crawford Manor and implicated her? "Wow, thanks so much! I haven''t had breakfast yet," Grace smiled and said. She sat down on the couch and looked at the cupcakes served on a te." Did you buy these cupcakes at the hospital cafeteria?" She asked. She thought that Bianca would have prepared something more exclusive for her, but the cupcakes seemed very in. "Is that so?" Bianca knew that the caretaker had returned with a paper bag. The packaging looked decent, so she thought that the caretaker had gotten something better. "Did you buy those at the cafeteria?" She asked. The caretaker nodded. "Sir wants me to take your temperature every half an hour. I was worried that I won''t be able to take care of you if I went too far." Chapter 1223 Chapter 1223 They Were From Different Social sses "The cupcakes are for my guest. How can you buy cheap ones?" Bianca chided, thinking that the caretaker was deliberately tarnishing her reputation. The caretaker felt aggrieved, but she was afraid that she might lose her job. She could only apologize. "Sorry, Madam. I''ll go and get new cupcakes for your guest." Grace thought that Bianca and the caretaker were being dramatic. She shook her head and said, "It''s fine, Bianca. I don''t think she''s usually this inconsiderate, but I''m sure it''s because she wants to take care of you. The cupcakes aren''t very delicious, but I can get some better ones delivered. Do you want to eat anything?" "Alright then. You don''t have to get any food for me. When I''m better, I''ll treat you to some delicious dessert," Bianca said with a smile, then red angrily at the caretaker. The caretaker had bought cheap cupcakes for her guest. If Grace was not so magnanimous, she might even think that Bianca was neglected in the household. The caretaker smiled gratefully at Grace for helping her. Grace smiled but said nothing. She took out her phone and ordered some food delivery. She had her motives for helping the caretaker. If Bianca invited her over one day, the caretaker would already have had a good impression of her. After all, she was more understanding and kind than the Madam of the household... After ordering her food, Grace asked Bianca, "Right, where''s your husband? You''re in the hospital, but he isn''t around." Grace had only seen Luke¡¯s face in the television and newspapers. She had never seen him in real life before. She had another reason foring to the hospital. If she could meet Luke in the flesh, it was another thing for her to brag about. Bianca had calmed down earlier, but she was angry again when Luke''s name was mentioned. However, she had to protect Luke''s reputation as a caring husband, so she smiled gently and said, "Luke is busy with his work. I''m not very ill anyway, so after I woke up, I told him that he should go back to hispany to catch up on his work." When the caretaker heard that, she could not help but think, "Are you sure that you''re the one who told Luke to leave? You were so angry when you found out that Luke had left you alone in the hospital.'' Grace did not agree with it. "He can do his work some other time. You''re sick, and he should be taking care of you.¡± Bianca was not very pleased when she heard that. Usually, Grace would know how to read the atmosphere, but sometimes, she can be quite annoying with her words. "I''m fine with it," she said. Grace only shrugged when she heard that. Johann knocked on the door and came into the room. He smiled when he saw that Bianca was already awake. "How do you feel, Sis?" "I feel better after the injection. Thank you, Dr. Park," Bianca said with a smile. She was not very happy with Johann, but she had to remain civil toward Luke''s friends. After all, those rtionships were important. Johann nced at Grace sitting on the couch but said nothing. He picked up the digital thermometer and took Bianca''s temperature. It was 100 degrees, and that was quite an improvement. He looked around the room and did not see Luke. "Where''s Luke?" Bianca exined patiently, ¡°I told him that he should go back to hispany to work. It''s not very serious anyway." Johann did not call out on her lie. Instead, he shook his head and said," That''s Luke''s fault. Work might be important, but his wife is in the hospital. How can work be more important than one''s significant other?" Before Luke left, he had told the director of internal medicine that Bianca was still sleeping and to call him if there was anything. Johann had overheard that conversation. Bianca smiled, while Grace nodded in agreement. Johann continued, "You should''ve seen how anxious he was when he brought you to the hospital. That made everyone anxious too." That made Bianca quite proud of herself. She smiled and said, "It''s just a regr fever." "It''s still no small matter." Seeing that the drip was about to run dry, Johann called the nurse over. The nurse soon came in. When she saw that Johann was inside, she greeted him enthusiastically, "You''re here, Dr. Park." "Mm. Take good care of her. She''s the wife of my friend," Johann said that and left the room. Grace was holding her phone, but her eyes were on Johann instead of the screen. Her heart was thumping hard. The nurse deftly removed the needle from Bianca''s hand and left the room with the empty drip bottle. Grace stood up and went close to Bianca. "Who''s that doctor just now?" She asked in a soft voice. "He''s Dr. Park, a famous surgeon in A City." Seeing Grace''s sparkling eyes, Bianca could tell what she was thinking. Grace became more interested in Johann after she heard that. That man was a wealthy, handsome, and famous doctor. He was like the man of his dreams... "Does he have a girlfriend?" Grace asked. Bianca genuinely did not know the answer to that question. She did not have too many interactions with Johann, but she knew that he was very popr. Some women deliberately injured themselves so that they could meet him in the hospital. However, she could not admit that, so she said, "I''ve never seen any specific woman by Johann''s side, so I guess that he doesn''t have a girlfriend." "You guess?" Grace raised an eyebrow. "Isn''t he your husband''s good friend?" "Yes, but I''ve never seen him with another woman, and we don''t talk about that topic anyway. Why, are you interested in him?" Bianca said candidly. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Grace was not one to be easily embarrassed, so she admitted to it. "I think it''s love at first sight, but why would such an outstanding individual not have a girlfriend..." "That''s true," Bianca said. Grace continued, "But I like him anyway. Can you give me his number?" Bianca was taken aback by the question. Johann might have been her doctor, but she did not have Johann''s phone number. She dared not ask for his number in case Luke might misunderstand. "Is everything okay?" Grace asked when she saw Bianca not saying anything. She wondered if Bianca had Johann''s phone number. Bianca came to her senses and smiled. "I think I should ask him for his consent before giving his number to you. I can ask him if he has a girlfriend too." "Alright." Grace smiled sweetly. Her phone rang, and after answering it, she said, "My food delivery is here. I''ll go and get it." "Okay." Bianca watched as Grace left the room. Once she was alone again, the smile on her face disappeared. Did Grace think that she deserved Johann? Grace would not catch Johann''s eye even if she had his phone number. They were of different social sses. Chapter 1224 Chapter 1224 She Could Not Refuse Because Luke Would Be Angry Amur woke up in the evening. Seeing that it was almost time, he opened the door to make some preparations for his mission. After he left his bedroom, he was surprised to see Luca sitting on the couch. "Why aren''t you at work?" "I was drugged, so I needed the rest. I took the day off." Luca saw that Amur was dressed in ck. "Are you going on your mission?" ck was the best color to hide something, such as oneself in the dark of the night, or the wounds on one''s body... "Mm.¡± Amur nodded. Luca stood up and removed her jacket. She was also dressed in ck. "Are you...¡± Amur seemed to have realized something. "I told you that I''ming along with you on the mission. You''re already injured once, Amur. I can''t let you get injured again. As long as you''re in A City, I''ll take care of you on Eler''s behalf." ''Is it just because of Eler?'' There was a hint of disappointment in Amur''s eyes. He did not want Luca to risk her life with him, but she insisted on going, and he could not refuse. Even if he did, Luca would still find some way to tail him. "It''ll be very dangerous." Amur''s voice was slightly hoarse. "I know, and that''s why I want to go along with you. Don''t worry, with me around, your mission will be easier." Luca wore a ck backpack. She looked as though she was going to the gym. The assassins on the Ind of Despair had various specialties other than physical training. Luca''s specialty was in medicine and pharmaceuticals, while Amur''s specialty wasworking and hacking. "Alright." Amur nodded and left the apartment with her. When they went into the elevator, Luca rubbed her stomach. '' How about getting some dinner first?" The two of them had been sleeping for the entire day, and they had not eaten anything. "Okay. What do you want to eat?" Amur replied. "How about burgers?" Luca suggested. "Whatever you want,¡± Amur said. The elevator arrived on the first floor, and they stepped out. There was a burger joint right outside the neighborhood. When they were at the exit, Bianca was surprised to see a luxury car parked outside. It was the same car that had brought her to the party yesterday. ''That''s Luke''s car...'' Amur did not know whose car that was, but he could guess it, judging from Luca''s expression. She stood frozen on the spot. A whileter, she saw Luke getting out of the car. "Wait for me at the burger joint, Amur," Luca said. "You..." Amur was reluctant to leave. In fact, he was thinking of standing in front of Luca so that Luke could not get close to her. "Just go. I''ll be fine." Luca shed a genuine smile. Amur nodded. His blue eyes lingered on Luke for a while before walking toward the burger joint. While Luke walked over, he noticed that the two people were dressed in ck, as though they were a couple. Luca seemed active and nimble in those ck clothes, and she looked very different from her modest attire when she was at work or her elegant party wearst night. He said, "Are you going somewhere?" "I''ve already taken the day off, and it''s already past office hours anyway. Are you so interested in my personal life?" Luca retorted. Luke was not pleased with Luca''s tone, but he had nowhere to release his anger. "He doesn''t look like your younger brother," Luke said. "But he is my younger brother," Luca emphasized. There was no need for her to exin her rtionship with Amur, but she did not want Luke to misunderstand. "How are you feeling now?" Luke continued, shifting the conversation topic. Luca narrowed her gaze and smiled calmly. "I''m feeling a lot better now. Thank you for your concern, Mr. Crawford." It seemed like a normal conversation, but the tone and the words they used were very awkward. "I''ve already settled that thing." Luke continued. The conversation should have ended earlier. Luke should have already gotten into his car and left, while Luca should be continuing her way to the burger joint. "Thank you, Mr. Crawford." Luca understood what Luke was saying even though he was being ambiguous. That was the tacit understanding they had with each other after years of being together. "Mr. and Mrs. Norman want to invite you to their house for dinner as a sign of thanks," Luke said. Earlier, he had given a call to Mr. and Mrs. Norman and told them about Luca''s identity. They were very grateful and wanted to meet her. "Not today." She wanted to meet her parents very much and check on Queenie¡¯s condition, but she had a mission. "Tomorrow," Luke said. "Okay." Luca knew that she could not refuse in case Luke got angry. After that, she decided to break off from the awkward conversation. "Am I free to go for dinner now, Mr. Crawford?" "What do you want to eat?" Luke asked. Luca held the straps of her backpack and said, "I''ll be having dinner with my younger brother, Mr. Crawford. Also, your car is causing quite a disturbance. Bye." The drivers of other cars were wary of identally bumping into Luke''s luxury car, so they tried to stay some distance away, which made the already narrow entrance to the neighborhood even narrower. Luke watched her leave coolly, as though their intimacy the night before meant nothing at all to her. He stood there pensively for a while. Eventually, he turned around and went back into his car. When Luca stepped into the burger joint, Amur grinned at her. "Is he gone?" "He''s gone." Luca seemed composed. She poured a ss of water for herself and ordered a double cheeseburger. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. "Right away," the cashier said. "Why did he look for you?" Amur asked. Luca skipped most of the conversation and told him that the Normans wanted to meet her. "Will you go?" Amur asked. "I''d like to check on her condition again so that I can treat her," Luca said. The concoction she had given Queenie was prepared based on Queenie¡¯s condition back then, and Queenie¡¯s health must have improved since then. Luca would have to make frequent diagnoses if she wanted Queenie to be cured fast. She had nned to mail packages with reduced dosages in the future, but now that they knew who she was, she did not have to hide her identity anymore. She could take Queenie¡¯s pulse and prescribe appropriate concoctions. Amur looked at her and said nothing. He could not stop her from meeting Luke or Queenie. They were her husband and birth mother respectively. Chapter 1225 Chapter 1225 No Woman Can Beat Me After eating their dinner, Luca and Amur set out together. They were careful to cover their tracks. Instead of heading to their destination directly from the apartment, they took several detours before going there. The sky was alreadypletely dark by then. "I''ve scouted the location earlier, and I''ve found a w in their security. If we go in from there, we won''t be discovered," Luca said. They were already dressed in tight ck clothes and wore masks. Amur nodded and let Luca lead the way. They stood at the side of the mansion. That was a blind spot that the security cameras could not detect. The lights in the mansion were brightly lit. Obviously, the owner of the mansion was inside. Amur had already investigated his target. The mansion belonged to him, but his mistress lived there. Without fail, the wealthy businessman would spend the night at the mansion every Monday. He would usually keep a low profile whenever he visited the mansion, so he did not bring too many bodyguards with him. It was the best time to take him out. Luca took out a drone from her backpack and attached a camera to it. With a controller, she made the drone ascend into the air. Once it was too high to be detected by the mansion''s security system, she made it fly into the mansion. The businessman was making out in the bedroom, and the bodyguards were standing on guard outside. Through the camera on the drone, Amur could tell that there were eight bodyguards in the mansion. Luca and Amur exchanged nces. She circled the drone around the mansion one more time before recalling it. "Let''sy low for a little while longer," she said. If they acted now, they might alert all the bodyguards in the mansion and cause a bigmotion in the area. Amur nodded, and they began to wait. By midnight, the lights in the mansion became dimmer, while the lights in the other mansions turned off one by one. The surrounding walls of the mansion had motion sensors, and even a passing bird would trigger an rm. Luca and Amur could not go into the mansion by scaling the walls. Luca took off her mask and skin-tight clothing, then gestured to Amur to watch her. Amur¡¯s gaze followed her. Luca lowered the brim of her cap, went to the front gate of the mansion, and rang the doorbell. She was standing at a very peculiar angle. Through the security feed, the people in the mansion could see that there was a woman at the front gate, but they could not see her face clearly. Usually, people would not be as wary when interacting with women, even though they could not see her face. Moreover, she was standing there alone. Two minutester, the front gate opened. A man stood there and asked her, "What is it?" Luca lowered her head so that the man could not see her face. "Can you help me with something?" She said softly. "What''s wrong with you? This is a private mansion, not the police station! Are you crazy?¡± The man said gruffly. From the corner of her eye, she could see from his clothes that he was a bodyguard. Just when he was about to close the gate, she hit the back of the man''s neck with a karate chop, and the man instantly copsed on the floor. She did not kill him but instead only knocked him out. Amur''s target was not the bodyguard, and Luca would not want to kill an innocent man. Amur quickly went over and handed her the mask. Luca lowered her head and put on the mask, keeping her face away from the security camera. She whispered, "There are at least seven more bodyguards inside. You deal with four, and I''ll deal with the rest. Just knock them out; don''t kill them." The bodyguards were only hired employees, and they would not fight the intruders to the death. Moreover, the businessman was known to be a miser. Amur nodded. They stepped over the man at the gate and went into the mansion. At the front yard, they stood face-to-face with seven bodyguards. "Who are you? How did youe in here?" One of the bodyguards asked. Luca pointed at the gate behind her with her thumb and whispered, "From the gate." The bodyguard realized that those intruders had malicious intentions. He said, "Quick, capture them! Otherwise, we''ll lose all our jobs tonight." Luca shook her head. They would all be losing their jobs tonight once the businessman was dead. The bodyguards rushed toward them, and Luca and Amur started fighting them. They would have to knock them out. Later, they would be fighting the businessman''s personal bodyguard, and if they spared any of them now, they would be a distractionter. Five minutester, the bodyguards were all sprawled over the ground. They were already knocked out, so they did not make a sound. Luca was satisfied that they did not cause amotion. She took out a spray can and a pill from the pocket and handed thetter to Amur. "Eat this." Amur did not ask what it was. He removed his mask and swallowed the pill, not worried if she had given him poison. Luca shook the spray can and shot a nce at Amur. Then, they sneaked into the mansion. The light in the living room was on. Once Luca and Amur walked through the door, they saw a man sitting on the couch. The man red at them like a hawk. "Looks like you haven''t given up yet. You even brought a helper this time, and a girl, too!" His solid muscles rippled as he spoke. "Leave him to me," Luca said. Amur knew that the man was a proficient fighter. He wanted to stop Luca, but she had already rushed toward the man. "No woman can beat me," the man said contemptuously. "You''ll see." Luca''s eyes focused on him, thinking that he would soon pay the price for his chauvinistic thoughts. The man did not bother to pick up the weapon he had ced on the coffee table. Instead, he prepared to fight Luca bare-handed. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Luca smirked when she saw that the man did not attempt to dodge. She raised the spray can in her arm, discharged the gas at the man, and quickly dodged aside. She had never nned on fighting with that man. She might not lose if they really had to fight, but they would definitely alert the people upstairs. Luca had to use a trick so that she could end the fight as fast as possible. Amur saw the man open his eyes wide as though he could not believe that he had been tricked. Two secondster, he copsed on the floor and passed out. Luca smiled and fanned the air in front of her. The spray can contained a fast-acting sedative. It could knock out a brute in two seconds t, but it had a horrible smell. One would feel nauseous if they had not taken the antidote. Luca turned around and smiled at Amur. Chapter 1226 Chapter 1226 They Were Not That Different Even though Amur could not see Luca''s smile behind the mask, he could tell that Luca was smiling because her eyes were curved like crescent moons. "Let''s go," Luca said. Amur was taken aback. He remembered that Luca had said the same thing when she stood up against Abel to protect him. Whenever he was bullied by other mercenaries on the Ind of Despair, Luca would fight them, and she would always say "Let''s go" whenever she was done. Amur reached out and grabbed her shirt sleeve to stop her from going. Luca turned around and looked at Amur doubtfully. "Let me handle the rest," Amur said. Luca might also be trained on the Ind of Despair, but she had never taken a human life. Amur did not want her innocence to be taken away by killing, so he would do all the dirty work himself. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Luca knew what he was thinking. She smiled and handed the spray can to him. "Knock them out first before doing the deed. Don''t harm the woman." "I know." Amur nodded and took the spray can. Luca was thinking about protecting the innocent even when she was on an assassination mission. That was why Amur did not want her to do the deed. Amur went up the stairs while Luca waited at the bottom of the staircase. It was silent all around, so Luca did not know what Amur was doing. Suddenly, she could smell the faint scent of blood. She smiled, knowing that Amur had sessfully completed the mission. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Amure down the stairs. He had sessfully completed the mission without getting injured or harming people other than the target. Luca was d that Amur could return to the Ind of Despair and be reunited with Eler. "Let''s go," Amur said. Luca nodded and nced at him. Even though he was dressed in ck, she could smell the scent of blood on his clothes. He might have inadvertently sshed himself with blood when doing the deed. "You''ll have to burn the clothes once we get back," she said. "Yes." Amur nodded. The two people sneaked out of the mansion and left the neighborhood by the path they came from. No one else was alerted. The next day, the news that a wealthy businessman was killed in his mistress''s mansion had spread throughout A City. The police had cordoned off the area and conducted investigations. Luca was impassive as she watched the news sh on the television. She knew that the businessman had made his fortune through human trafficking in his younger days. Many innocent young women were ravaged and tortured because of him. The businessman was influential enough to suppress any scandals about him. Later, he used his ill- gotten gains to start his business. Using his connections, his business thrived, and his wealth grew. Luca had no sympathy forthat man. She thought that he deserved to die. She turned off the television, stood up, and emptied the ashes in a barrel into the trash can. Those were the ashes of Amur''s clothes which she had burned because they were stained with blood. After dealing with that, she left a written note for Amur and went to work. Many employees at Watson Biopharmaceuticals were concerned about Bianca. The news that Bianca had copsed at the party spread throughout thepany, and the employees crowded around her and asked her if she was okay. Luca went into the elevator and pressed a button. She was slightly frustrated that the other employees knew that she had copsed, which meant that they must know that Luke had carried her away too. She wondered how the rumors would evolve... That made Luca even more frustrated than ever. Rather than worrying about what Abel might do with the information, she was worried that her colleagues would continue to spread the news. She was surprised when she met Talia at the Technical Department. "Talia?" She was not surprised that Talia was recruited into the department, but that the new recruits had already started working. "Good morning, Dr. Craw," Talia greeted Luca with a smile. Luca nced at her nametag and saw that she was Dr. Kidman''s assistant She should have known. "Good morning. Congrattions that you''ve be Dr. Kidman''s assistant, " Luca said, though she did not extend her hand for a handshake. "Thank you." Talia felt somewhat awkward when she heard that. After all, Luca had seen her in Cole''s office. Luca nodded and said nothing. She went to her office. She could not care less that Talia had be Cole''s assistant. All she hoped was that the two people did not disturb her. As Talia watched Luca leave, she wondered if Luca would spread rumors about what happened between her and Cole. Thinking about it again, Talia realized that Luca had also gained her position through simr means, and she had no right to criticize her. ''Looks like we''re not that different after all...'' Talia grinned when she thought about that. However, the grin instantly vanished from her face. She realized that Luca was very different from her. Luca managed to seduce Luke Crawford, the ideal man, while she could only get Cole Kidman, who was already half a century old. She could not smile when she thought of that. After Luca returned to her office, Rhett brought her a cup of coffee. "Your coffee, Dr. Craw." "Thanks," Luca said while taking the cup from him and reading the report that he had prepared for him. Rhett had prepared a report for her because she had missed work the day before. "Very good," Luca praised Rhett after reading the report. Rhett smiled sheepishly. He had worked under several other researchers before Luca, but they had nitpicked on his reports, which made him feel inferior. Luca was the first researcher to praise his report. Luca put the report away and held the coffee cup tightly in her hands." Right, what did the other people say in my absence yesterday?" "They were discussing you passing out at the party," Rhett replied. "Is there anything else?" Luca wanted to know. Rhett shook his head. "That''s about it. I don''t remember them talking about anything else." Luca fell silent for a few seconds. She knew that men were not very interested in gossip, so it was normal that Rhett did not know too much about it. She nodded and said, "Alright, go and get prepared. We''ll start the experiments in half an hour." Chapter 1227 Chapter 1227 They Used to Call Her "Bea" Luca was busy for the rest of the day. She wanted to work overtime when she remembered what she had promised Luke the day before. Her phone began to ring when it was time to go off work. She recognized that the string of numbers was Queenie''s phone number. Luca answered the call. "Hello." It was the first time she had received a call from Queenie, so she had to pretend that she did not know who the other person was. Queenie could not help but be emotional when she heard that slightly familiar voice. "Is this Ms. Craw?" "Yes, I am. Are you Mrs. Norman?" Tears welled up in Luca''s eyes as she listened to the voice. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. When she had first reunited with Queenie, Queenie''s voice was slightly quivering, just like how it was now. "Yes, yes I am. Do you remember me?" Queenie was shocked that the woman recognized her voice in just one sentence. "Your voice is very gentle and friendly," Luca said. "Also, you sound a lot more energetic. Are you feeling better now?" "I''m feeling a lot better, and it''s all thanks to your concoction," Queenie said as she held the phone in her hands tightly. Jack was sitting next to her. "Get to the main point," he reminded her. Queenie remembered why she had called Luca. She said, "Oh, right, I was so excited that I nearly forgot why I called you. Ms. Craw, my husband and I would like to thank you in person, so we asked Luke to invite you for dinner. Do you remember?" "Yes, I remember. I''ll head over after I pack up," Luca said as she wiped the tears that were flowing from her eyes with a napkin. "Luke got someone to drive you there. You can go downstairs now; the car is waiting for you," Queenie said. Luca had a headache when Queenie mentioned Luke''s name. "It''s fine, Mrs. Norman. I can catch a cab." "It''s the evening rush hour now, and you won''t be able to catch a cab that easily. Luke''s car is already waiting downstairs. You don''t have to refuse," Queenie said eagerly. Luca was silent. It looked like she could not find an excuse. "Alright," she replied. She sighed after the call ended; all she wanted was to keep a distance from Luke. After tidying her desk, Luca quickly went downstairs and left the building. There was a Maybach parking at the roadside. She could instantly tell that the incredibly shy car belonged to Luke. Luca looked to her left and right. Most of her colleagues had already left, and no one she knew was around her. She quickly walked over to the Maybach and opened the door. After sitting in the backseat, she realized that she and the driver were the only people in the car. She had to ask, "Is this Mr. Crawford¡¯s car?" Without seeing Luke, she was worried that she sat in the wrong car. "Good evening, Ms. Craw. Mr. Crawford asked me to drive you to the Norman residence," Sean said. "Alright, thank you." Luca was relieved that Luke was not in the car. Sean started the car and drove off. Talia walked out of the building and raised her eyebrows. She had kept a close eye on Luke, and she could recognize that the Maybach was his car. After all, she still had a crush on him. ''See? I knew that Luca only got a job in Watson because she¡¯s sleeping with Luke. I wonder why she can be so arrogant.'' Talia was angry when she remembered how Luca had rejected her. "Hmph, I''ll let the entirepany know what kind of person you are." 1 Sean parked the car in front of the Norman residence. "We''re here, Ms. Craw," he said. Luca came to her senses, thanked him, and stepped out of the car. She rang the doorbell, and the Norman family caretaker quickly came out of the house. She greeted Luca warmly, "You must be Ms. Craw. Please,e in." The caretaker treated Luca warmly because she was Queenie''s savior. In her ten years of working for the Normans, Queenie had been very kind to the caretaker. In fact, Queenie was the person who had extended financial help to the caretaker when her family faced problems. The caretaker was very grateful toward Queenie. Luca had saved Queenie''s life, so she was a benefactor to the Normans too. Luca nodded and walked through the gates behind the caretaker. As they walked past the front yard, Luca noticed the rose bushes that were blooming vividly. Those rose bushes used to be her favorite, and she did not expect that Queenie would tend to them even though she was ill. It seemed that Queenie had spent a lot of effort on the rose bushes. She must have watered, pruned, and weeded them regrly. The caretaker noticed that Luca was staring at the rose bushes. She smiled and said, "Ms. Craw, do you like roses too?" "I love them," Luca said. "What a coincidence! Mrs. Norman and Ms. Bianca love roses too. Before Ms. Bianca lost her memories, she adored those rose bushes. Even though she had rarely visited us over the past few years, Mrs. Norman is still taking very good care of them," the caretaker exined. Luca smiled and looked away. It was true that Queenie loved roses, but she would not have devoted so much effort to those rose bushes if not that Bianca loved roses too. Luca could see that Queenie truly cared for Bianca. Luca went into the living room with the caretaker. Jack and Queenie were already sitting there waiting for her. Queenie became emotional when she saw Luca walk in. She stood up, walked up to Luca, and grasped her hands tightly. "It''s really you!" Queenie said. Luca was not feeling veryfortable when Queenie''s hands were wrapped tightly around hers. No one had held her hands like that for a long time. "Good evening, Mr. Norman, Mrs. Norman." Luca nodded at Jack and looked at Queenie. "Good evening." Queenie suddenly realized that Luca''s gentle and soft voice sounded very familiar. She liked that voice a lot. It reminded her a lot of Bianca''s voice before her vocal cords were ruined. She was too ill to realize that earlier. Now that she got to listen to Luca''s voice carefully, she realized that it was the same as the previous Bianca''s voice. Luca could feel her emotions roiling as Queenie stared at her. "Don''t just stand there, Queenie. Come over with Ms. Craw and sit down," Jack broke the silence. Queenie came to her senses and nodded. "Yes, yes. I was too emotional. Pardon my manners, Ms. Craw." Luca thought it was awkward that they were calling her "Ms. Craw." She was their daughter, and they had called her "Bea." She was not used to them calling her "Ms. Craw," and she did not like it. Chapter 1228 Chapter 1228 Nothing Was Fated Luca followed Queenie and walked to the sofa to sit down. She looked at Jack and Queenie, saying, "Mr. and Mrs. Norman, you can just call me Luca. Ms. Luca sounds too formal." Jack and Queenie nced at each other. They both smiled gently. "Okay, Luca sounds nice. We want to be more casual too but were afraid that you would mind." "I don''t mind," Luca answered almost immediately. She did not mind at all. When she decided to appear at Norman Residence, she was already prepared to be in contact with Jack and Queenie for the long term. Hearing them call her Ms. Luca made her feel even more distant from them. "Well, then you should call us Uncle Jack and Aunt Queenie." Queenie loved Luca¡¯s sincere and gentle character. "Uncle Jack and Aunt Queenie," Luca went along with Queenie''s wish. Queenie was overjoyed and quickly poured her a cup of tea as she said," I''m sure you¡¯re exhausted from the journey here. Come, have a cup of tea to warm your stomach." Luca was not tired from the car ride as Luke''s car wasfortable. She was, however, tired from doing experiments. She took the cup of tea from Queenie and thanked her. Jack¡¯s gaze carried a hint of appreciation when he saw her sipping the tea slowly, unlike the others who rushed to finish it in a gulp. He was happy to have met someone who knew how to enjoy his first-rate tea. After Luca finished the cup of tea, she felt as though her exhaustion was nearly gone. Sure enough, it was top-shelf tea. Jack was a fan of good tea, so the tea he brewed for guests was excellent. She felt satisfied after drinking it. Jack noticed the satisfaction in Luca''s eyes and asked her, "Do you enjoy drinking tea too?" "Yes, I do." Luca nodded, and as soon as she put down the teacup, Queenie poured another cup for her. Queenie did not do that because Bianca was her savior but because she liked her very much. She thought of the first time they met and how she had felt inexplicably close to Luca. Their interaction brought her a lot of joy. "If you like it, drink as much as you want," she said. Luca was supportive. To prove that she did not say what she did because she was apple-polishing, she picked up her cup again, took a sip, and then put it down. "There are three vors in this tea. Different vors are brought out when the tea is drunk at different temperatures-hot, warm, and cold." Jack shot her aplimentary look. "Sure enough, you''re someone who values and knows tea." Luca smiled. After she heard what Luca said, Queenie asked curiously, "Luke said that you came from Russia. I''ve always thought that tea wasn''t a big thing in Russia. Luca, who did you learn your tea-tasting skills from?" Luca replied, ¡°I learned from a tea shop owner who came from a family of tea lovers. He has unique insights into tea tasting." "That''s interesting." Jack nodded, waved his hand, and said, "The tea is warm now. Would you like to take a sip?" Luca nodded, took a sip from her cup, and said, "Compared to when the tea is hot, there''s a hint of astringency, but the tea is still fragrant." "When the tea cools, the astringency will be stronger." Jack nodded, and his admiration for her grew. Queenie sat on the sofa bed as a smile appeared on her face. She listened to the two of them talk about tea. They got along so well that others would not believe it was only their second time meeting. If someone said that they were father and daughter, it was likely that others would believe it. Jack had always been stern and was rarely so gentle and friendly with youngsters he did not know personally. Queenie knew that he was not acting like this only because Luca saved her life; it was also because they got along well. Jack rarely bonded with someone else like this. They had so much to talk about just on the topic of tea. "I''m going to try it when it has cooled down." Luca put the teacup aside and waited for the tea to cool. Queenie covered her mouth and smiled when she saw how the two shared the same love for tea. She said, ¡®Luke said that you just started working at Watson Biopharmaceuticals, right? It feels like we were fated to meet. We bumped into each other and now... You and Jack share the same interest." She could not drink strong tea because of her health, so Jack alwaysmented that he was missing a tea buddy. "Yeah, it''s all fate." Luca smiled as she listened to Queenie''s words. However, she felt a little guilty. Nothing was fated. All these were just coincidences created by her. Queenie sighed seeing the shy smile on her delicate face. She thought that Luca was good-looking and good-natured. They chatted a little more. Queenie also asked about Luca''s family. Luca told her the background story that Abel made up for her. Listening to her past, Queenie sighed and said, "You''re an excellent woman. Luca smiled shyly. She was not excellent because everything that she said was made-up. If she had the choice, she would choose her previous simple life. She was insignificant and ordinary in the streets of A City but she had all of Luke''s love. About half an hourter, Luca heard the maid of Norman Residence say," Master, Madam, Master Luke is here." Luca nced sideways and noticed Luke walking in. He looked a little tired. "Luke, you''re here." Queenie stood up and greeted him eagerly. "Mm.¡¯ Luke had two bags in his hands. He walked over, and his gaze fell on Luca. "Dr. Craw, you''re here." "Hello, Mr. Crawford." Luca nodded slightly. Luke looked away, and his gaze fell on Jack and Queenie. He said, "I passed by the gift shop and the boss said that he stocked some fine tea and imported fruits. I bought some for you." He put the bags on the coffee table. Aside from alcohol, Jack also loved tea. When he learned that Luke bought these, Jack could not hide his joy. "We still have a lot of the tea that you gave usst time. Are you expecting me to only drink tea?" Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Queenie echoed, "Yes, Luke, don''t spend so much on us next time. We¡¯re more than happy just to have you visit us." Luke sat on the other sofa and exined why he bought the gifts. "In the future, there''ll be more people visiting and the tea will be finished quickly. Father-inw, you don''t need to worry. The doctor said that Queenie is weak and has to be careful with what she eats but since her body is gradually recovering, she can enjoy these imported fruits. Isn''t that right, Dr. Craw?" Luca spaced out and only snapped out of it when she heard her name mentioned. She nodded and said, "Yes, the fruits will be great for your health." Queenie listened to them, and the arc of her smile grew wider and wider." You..." Chapter 1229 Chapter 1229 Spark Of Excitement And Passion Luke''s words reminded Luca of something. She looked at Queenie and said, "Aunt Queenie, can I check your pulse?" When Queenie heard it, she immediately rolled up her sleeve and ced her hand on the coffee table. Luca then put her finger on Queenie¡¯s wrist where her veins were and checked on her. Luke looked at her actions, which were simr to how Johann would do it. She seemed professional. Two minutester, Luca motioned to Queenie to switch to her other hand and continued to check her pulse. After a while, she withdrew her hand. Queenie asked, "Luca, how''s my body doing?" Luca chuckled softly and said, "Aunt Queenie, you have nothing to worry about. Continue to take the concoction and your body will get better day by day. You can stop taking it in another half a month." The effects of the herbal concoction were much better than expected, so she reduced the length of Queenie''s treatment cycle. "Really?" Queenie asked in a surprised tone. She thought that she would have to go through a few more treatment cycles and did not expect that it would be reduced by almost half a month instead. "Yes, really. After I go back, I''ll adjust the concoction and send it to you," Luca said. Queenie looked at her tenderly and replied, "I don''t want to trouble you too much. Why don¡¯t you give me the prescription and I''ll get someone to prepare it?" Luca shook her head. It did not feel bothersome to do these things for Queenie, and she was concerned about the quality of herbs too. If she bought those that were of poor quality, it would affect Queenie''s recovery. She insisted and said, "I''ll get it done. I''m more familiar with herbs and can ensure the quality." Queenie thought that what Luca said was true. She knew nothing about herbs, so she held Luca''s hand tightly and said, Thank you for going through all the trouble." "Nothing to worry about." Luca smiled. Queenie held her hand and did not want to let go. She was not sure why but she liked interacting with Luca. Luke raised an eyebrow seeing the interaction between Queenie and Luca. He thought that the two were as close as mother and daughter. Jack poured him a cup of tea and asked, "Luke, why isn¡¯t Bea with you today?" C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org His words reminded Queenie of the promise that Bianca made. ¡¯Yeah, why didn''t Beae to visit? Thest time that she was over, she promised toe to visit me more often. Since Luca is here, I wanted them to get to know each other." Luke''s expression was cold when Bianca, who had been cast aside, was mentioned. "Bea is sick and is now in the hospital." "Hospital?" Queenie¡¯s voice increased a little, and there was tension in her tone. "Why is she hospitalized?" "She was sent to the hospital because she caught a cold and got a high fever. Her condition has stabilized,¡± Luke said. Bianca¡¯s body temperature had dropped in the morning, but in the afternoon, it suddenly rose again. Her condition only stabilized after she received an IV drip. The doctor advised her to be hospitalized for observation, so he did not help her with the discharge procedures. When Queenie heard that her condition had stabilized, she rxed a little and said, "She must''ve caught a bad cold." Jack said, "She''s already a mother of three, why does she still act like a kid..." Luca felt like crying when she heard what Jack and Queenie said. Although they were saying these words to the fake Bianca, they said it as her parents. She had not heard such words for a long time, so when she heard them, a lump formed in Luca''s throat. Her heart ached. "Master, Madam, dinner is ready. Do you want to eat now?" the maid asked. When Queenie found out that Bianca¡¯s condition was stable, she did not ask about it any further. She looked at the maid and nodded. "Let¡¯s have dinner." "Madam, duly noted.¡± The maid nodded, turned around, and returned to the kitchen. Queenie looked at Luca. For some reason, she felt that the smile on the other''s face carried a hint of sadness that was not present before. She could not help but wonder if she was overthinking. "Luca, shall we go have dinner?" she asked. Luca nodded and stood up with her. Then, Luke and Jack also stood up. The four walked into the dining room together. At the dinner table, Jack sat face to face with Queenie while Luca sat next to Queenie. The person sitting across from her was Luke. The maid served the dishes one by one. Queenie poured a ss of orange juice for Luca and said, "I should have made this meal but my body can''t take it for the time being. Luca, the next time you visit after I recover, I''ll cook a meal for you." "Aunt Queenie, thank you for your hospitality. It¡¯s been a long time since I''ve eaten such a hearty local meal. I''m very happy that you invited me over today." Luca felt Luke sneaking a peek at her from time to time and felt ufortable. She held her ss of orange juice and said, "I should be the one thanking you." Jack and Queenie were overjoyed with her presence. Luke frowned inadvertently when he heard her overly polite words. ''She can cook local dishes, so why is she saying that she hasn''t had them for a longtime?'' Her words were clearly said to please Jack and Queenie. On top of that, she would video call Tommy every night. All of her actions seemed to be intentional and well thought out. Luke could not help but deepen his suspicions toward her. After the meal, Luca did not stay around for too long. She knew that if she continued to have a good rtionship with Queenie, Luke would be more suspicious of her. She gave an excuse and left. Zander was her driver once again. Luca asked Zander to send her to the intersection of her apartment and got out of the car there. She told him that she wanted to buy something and he did not need to wait for her as she would head home on her ownter. Zander nced at the nearby supermarket and drove away without any doubt. Luca did not return to the apartment but went directly to Abel. She had looked for him the day before and found that Abel had not left the country. It was likely that he was in the Westin Hotel. Luca turned around and stopped a taxi to rush to the Westin Hotel. She was standing in the lobby of the hotel and could not get up because she did not have an ess card. All she could do was wait for other guests to try to get upstairs. In the presidential suite. Abel stood alone on the balcony, looking at the city skyline. A mercenary came over and said softly, "Boss, Ivana is downstairs." Abel raised his eyebrows. ''She finally showed up.'' He sat down, picked up the red wine, poured himself a ss, and said, "Go and pick her up." "Yes." The mercenary went out after receiving Abel''s order. Abel picked up the wine ss. He had been waiting for Luca to look for him since the day before. He did not expect her to be so patient and only show up now. ''That''s not true. If she was patient, she wouldn''t be here sote at night.'' Abel shook his ss and a wicked smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He really wanted to know what had happened between Luca and Luke on Sunday night. He thought that there might be some spark of excitement and passion. Chapter 1230 Chapter 1230 Amur Left Luca frowned when she saw the mercenary who was walking toward her.'' Sure enough, Abel is here.'' He even knew that she wasing so he asked a mercenary to bring her to him. Luca followed the man without any hesitation. After they arrived at the top floor, the mercenary said, "The boss is in the innermost room." Luca walked over and found that the door of the suite was unlocked. She did not bother to knock before storming in. She followed the sound of ss clinking and found Abel on the balcony. "You''re here." His tone was eerily calm. Luca frowned and wanted nothing more than to smash a bottle on his head when she saw how casual he was acting. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. "Why did you do what you did on Sunday night?" She resisted her impulse and knew that it was not worthwhile to pick a fight with him now. Abel looked up and finished the red wine in his ss. "I was giving you and Luke an opportunity. How did it go? You got what you wanted on Sunday night. Are you happy? You should be thanking me." "Your n failed." Luca stared into his tyrannous eyes as she said without any fear, "I took an antidote." Sure enough, Abel stopped smiling. "Although I didn¡¯t know about your n, I prefer to be prepared. You spiked my drink but I took an antidote. Nothing happened between us and Luke just stayed in my room for a while," Luca said. Abel was a little surprised. He did not expect them to waste their night together like that. He stood up and shook his head. "Luca, you wasted your chance. I brought Luke to your side and you did nothing." 1 Luca clenched her fists tightly and stared at him. He did not do it because he was kind, he just wanted to watch the drama unfold. "Look at you, he still has no idea who you are. If you had spent the night with him, maybe he would¡¯ve gotten suspicious and thought of you. Isn''t that what you want?" Abel bent over and looked at her. Luca took a step back. She was not scared, she was just disgusted with him. Abel said, "How disappointing. Although nothing happened between you and Luke, someone saw him take you into the room before he left. Even if you''re innocent, gossip spreads fast and you''ll no longer be deemed innocent.¡¯¡¯ "If someone leaks the news... Oh, excuse me... If you wanted to do so, you would''ve already done it." Luca shook her head and stared straight at him." I guess you don''t dare to do it now because you have a detailed n." "Yes, I won''t let the news leak. I''ll also ask the employees in this hotel and the attendants from that event on Sunday not to say anything because I have a n. Luca, are you ready?" Abel could not help but appreciate how clever she was. It would be great if she could be on his side, but unfortunately, she would always be on Luke''s side. Even after she left and changed her appearance, her heart was still with Luke. ''Women are always so stupid. Luca and Kassy are the best examples.¡¯ "Your n has nothing to do with me," Luca said. "No, no, you''re the executor of this n. Oh, yes, do you think Luke will doubt you?" Abel suddenly remembered something that his subordinates reported to him. Luca did not say anything. She knew that from the day she was sent out of the ind, she was destined to be used as a pawn to execute his so-called revenge n, i "He''s already suspicious of you. He sent someone to Russia to find out more about you. Luca, you''d better behave well and make sure he doesn''t suspect a thing. Otherwise, you and your baby girl will suffer." Abel reminded her. Luca''s pupils tightened when he mentioned N. She clenched her fists and shouted, "Don''t hurt N." 1 "Don''t worry. For the time being, she''s fine. But if you don''t cooperate, she¡¯ll suffer." Abel was in a good mood after he saw the fear in her eyes. N was his strongest chip to threaten Luca. Abel felt happy seeing that she still feared him. "You don¡¯t have to worry about Kathryn. If you want to worry, you should worry about the people around you." Luca frowned and looked at him with a puzzled expression. ''People around me? Who is he referring to? N? Luke?'' Abel snapped his fingers and a mercenary came from the suite. He ordered, "Send her downstairs." "Yes, Boss," the mercenary said. She looked at Luca and motioned for her to leave. Although Luca was skeptical of Abel¡¯s words, she knew that if he did not want to share, she would never find out no matter how hard she tried. When she turned around and was about to leave, she heard Abel say, "If you don''t want him to be suspicious, don¡¯te here as frequently. Luke''s scouts are keeping watch around here." Luca clenched her fists and turned around to leave. Just as Abel said, she was photographed by Luke''s scouts when she walked in and out of the hotel. After Luca left the hotel, she stopped a taxi to go home. She opened the door of her ce, looked at the dark living room, and turned on the lights. It was empty here and she was not used to it. In the past, Amur would wait for her at home, but this time, she did not see him sitting on the sofa waiting for her. Luca walked to the second bedroom, looked at the tightly closed door, and knocked, "Amur, are you asleep?" There was no response. Luca wondered what was going on. She shook the doorknob only to find that the door was unlocked, so she pushed the door open and found that it was empty. Amur was not inside. "Where did he go?" She turned on the lights and saw that the bed was tidy with no pillows, sheets, or a nket on it. Luca walked in and opened the closet. She found that Amur had folded the nket neatly and put it in the closet. "Did he leave?" She touched the nket, closed the closet, and then walked to the living room. She searched all over the living room to see if Amur had left a note or something. She did not find a note from him but noticed that the note she left him in the morning was untouched. Luca was confused. "Why didn''t you tell me that you were leaving?" She sat on the sofa and looked at her note for a while. She thought about it and eventually let go of it. Amur had left the Ind of Despair for a considerable amount of time. He must have missed Eler, so he could not wait to leave after hepleted his mission. If she guessed correctly, Amur left in the middle of the night. It was a good thing that he left. A City was not safe. Luca remembered Abel''s warning and her heart began to feel uneasy again. Chapter 1231 Chapter 1231 Recurrent Fever On the other end, Luke received a text from his subordinates on his way back from Norman Residence. While he was waiting for the traffic light, he clicked on the text and saw that Luca was in the photo. The photo was taken on that same day. She was dressed exactly the same as early that night. Luke called Zander and asked, "Did you send Luca back?" "Mr. Crawford, I sent Ms. Luca back but she got off at an intersection in front of her apartment. She told me that she wanted to get something and asked for me not to wait for her." Zander did not dare to miss any details and told Luke everything that he remembered. Luke responded, "I see." After that, he cut off the call. He nced at the photo again. ''Luca lied when she told Zander she wanted to buy something. The truth is that she was going to the Westin Hotel. What was she doing there?'' This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Luke thought back to the time when Luca told him that he would not be able to find anything when he wanted to dig into the matter. ''How did she know that I wouldn''t be able to find anything? Luca seems to be hiding a lot of secrets.¡¯ Luke''s phone rang and he pressed to answer. The maid said anxiously," Young Master Luke, Madam is having a high fever again and it reached 105 degrees Fahrenheit. The doctor asked you toe to the hospital immediately." "I''m on my way." Luke hung up. When the red light turned to green, he made a U-turn and drove to the hospital. After he arrived at the ward, it just so happened that Dr. ke, the head physician of the internal medicine department, was checking on Bianca. When Dr. ke saw the number on the thermometer, he frowned and said," Didn''t her temperature go down when I left?" "Yes, Dr. ke, but the patient''s temperature went up again," the nurse said helplessly as she looked at Bianca who was a little groggy from the high fever. She was unsure of why Bianca''s condition was fluctuating. "Give her the fever-reducing injection and prepare a bottle of saline. Her recurrent high fever will make her dehydrated. She needs to start fasting. We''ll run a blood test tomorrow morning." Dr. ke made the arrangements for Bianca''s treatment. "Okay." The nurse nodded and said to the maid, "The patient needs to fast. If she''s thirsty, you can moisten her lips with a cotton swab." "Okay." The maid took notes. She was dumbfounded at Bianca''s condition after taking care of her in the hospital for the entire day. ''What''s wrong with her...¡¯ Luke walked into the ward and asked, "Why is my wife suffering from recurrent fever?" Dr. ke recognized Luke and respectfully said, "Mr. Crawford, we don''t know much at the moment but well find out more after the blood test report is out tomorrow." Bianca, whoy weakly on the hospital bed, heard his voice and wanted to open her eyes to look at him. Unfortunately, the fever was draining her energy and there was nothing she could do. Luke looked at how ufortable she looked and pursed his thin lips. "Mr. Crawford, don''t worry. Well do our best to cure Mrs. Crawford," Dr. ke said. He was confident that he could heal her. "Then what are you still doing here?" Luke asked indifferently. What he needed was not someone who made empty promises but someone who could get things done. Dr. ke was stunned. He did not expect Luke to react as such. However, he could not afford to offend him, so he nodded and immediately walked out of the ward to update his treatment n. After a while, the nurse walked in with the saline and swiftly set up the drip for Bianca. The maid looked at Luke who was standing in the center of the ward and said, "Young Master Luke, you should sit and rest for a while. Madam will be fine. I believe that her fever will go away soon enough." "She''s been in this condition since the afternoon?" Luke asked. In the afternoon, Bianca also had a high fever but he could not get out of the meeting he was having then. After the meeting was over, the maid told him that she was doing better after the doctors treated her. "Yes." The maid nodded. "Her fever would suddenly spike up. Things would be normal for the first half an hour but the fever woulde out of nowhere. However, as soon as she¡¯s injected with the meds, her body temperature would lower." Luke stared at Bianca. Her condition was worse than the night before. After she adjusted the speed of the drip, the nurse said, "The drip can''t go any faster. With this speed, it should take two hours for the saline to finish. Those taking care of the patient can take a short break." The maid thanked her. "Okay, I see. Thank you." After the nurse left, Luke looked at therge bottle of saline and kept silent. Although Bianca had her eyes closed, she was conscious. She wanted to act coquettish in front of Luke to gain his sympathy, but at that moment, she could onlyy on the bed. She felt as though her body was not her own. The maid nced at the time and noted that it waste. She looked at Bianca and thought that her condition seemed to be improving, so she suggested, "Young Master Luke, why don¡¯t you go back and rest first? I¡¯ll keep watch of Madam." Luke raised his wrist and nced at the time. It was almost midnight. He thought about it and replied, "Stay and take care of her for another night. I¡¯ll have someone else come and rece you tomorrow." "Okay, thank you, Young Master Luke." The maid thanked him happily. She felt more tired taking care of Biancapared to having to clean Crawford Manor. She was very happy to find out that she would not need to stay in the hospital tomorrow. Bianca, who was on the bed, felt unsettled when she heard that Luke was leaving. She tried to open her eyes but her efforts were in vain. The medicine had takenplete control of her body... Luke noticed that Bianca¡¯s eyelids were moving. He stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Bea, I¡¯ll be heading home. Have a good rest and you''ll be fine when you wake up." After he said that, he turned around and left. Bianca listened to the sound of him leaving. She was anxious and angry. ¡¯ He won''t stay even if my fever is 105 degrees! What do I need to do to get him to pay more attention to me?'' The next day at Watson Biopharmaceuticals. As soon as Luca got to work, Mo told her to go to a meeting. She picked up her tablet and walked to the meeting room only to find that the person who was presiding over the meeting was not Dr. Cole but Luke. Luca lowered her gaze, walked silently to her seat, and sat down. 1 Luke kept looking at her with a cold expression. He waited until she sat down before he shifted his gaze. After waiting for another five minutes, everyone in the Technical Department arrived. Dr. Cole took the lead to talk about the agenda of the meeting. Luca understood that thepany was offering two spots for a one-week offsite training in New York that was set to happen next month. The meeting was to discuss the allocation of the two spots. Luca looked down and listened. She could not help wondering why Luke would preside over the meeting in person for such small matters. Chapter 1232 Chapter 1232 Don¡¯t Want To Go For The Off-Site Training ''Does he have too much time?'' After Dr. Cole finished speaking, Luke also said a few words. He mentioned that the spots for the off- site training were limited and the opportunity was rare. He wanted them to discuss who should go. Everyone looked at each other. ''Does he want us to sell our work and fight for the chance?'' Luca continued looking down. Most of these so-called off-site training was for people to go have fun, which to her, felt meaningless. That was why she kept quiet when everyone started the discussion. When everyone was trying their best to put their names forward. Dr. Cole noticed that Luca had been quiet so he asked her, "Dr. Craw, what do you think?" Luca looked at him suspiciously, then nced around and noticed that everyone was looking at her. ''What do I think? I have no opinion.'' "I''ll go along with thepany''s arrangements," Luca said. Luke''s expression was stern. Her reply had everyone''s gaze shift toward him. Dr. Cole nodded and looked at Luke as well, waiting for his response. Luke said, "In this case, we''ll make the decision based on your research progress. The two professors with the most progress on their research will get this opportunity for off-site training. After half a month, everyone will present a progress report." "Okay." Everyone agreed as this method of selection seemed to be the most reasonable. Luca was even more puzzled. ''This is undoubtedly the fairest way. Luke must have already thought things through. Why did he have toe to the meeting, then? Unless...¡¯ Luca remembered what Abel told herst night. He said that Luke was suspicious of her. Luke may seem like he was there for the meeting but in fact, he was there for her. If that was the case, Luke would surely talk to her after the meeting. After the decision was made, Luke said, "We''re done here." Everyone left the meeting room. Luca knew that he wanted to talk to her, so she stayed in her seat. After everyone left, she stood up and asked, "Mr. Crawford, is there anything else you''d like to discuss?" "Yes." Luke was present at the meeting to talk to her. Luca knew that he had something to ask her. "Go ahead." She continued to sit. She was in the seat farthest away from Luke''s, so she was a little calmer. "You went to the Westin Hotel yesterday." Luke did not question her but stated a fact. Luca nodded and confessed openly, "Yes, I was there." Sure enough, as Abel mentioned, Luke had nted his men around the area. She was spotted as soon as she appeared. "What were you there for?" Luke asked. The more he pursued it, the more enigmatic the woman in front of him became. The feeling she gave him was that she was tooplicated and he could not wait to find out more about her. "It has nothing to do with you nor thepany," Luca said, choosing not to answer. No matter what she said, he would still pursue the matter. At least if she chose to keep quiet, he would not be able to find out much. After all, Abel would never let him find out about his ns. Luke was dumbfounded. The matter was of a private nature. Even if he was her boss, he had no right to intervene. When Luca saw that he was staying silent, she stood up and left the meeting room. Luke was left sitting in the huge meeting room alone with a gloomy look on his face. After Luca left the meeting room, she walked back to her office. Rhett stood at the door of the office waiting for her. Seeing that she had returned, he said, "Dr. Craw, these are the documents that you requested." Luca nodded and lifted her chin. "Let''s talk inside." "Okay," Rhett followed her into her office. Luca closed the door and sat down before flipping through the documents that he had prepared. After she read through it, she said, "There was a meeting with management today. It seems there are two spots for off-site training." "Have they chosen the candidates?" Rhett asked. "Not yet. Mr. Crawford decided to make the selection based on everyone''s research progress. See if you can find out more about how the other professors are doing," Luca said. She wanted to know the research progress of each researcher so that she could make adjustments ordingly. She did not want the spot. Rhett touched his head and mistakenly thought that Luca wanted him to learn more about the others'' progress because she wanted to go for the training. He nodded and promised her, "Okay, I¡¯ll try my best." The Technical Department had hired a group of new assistants, which meant that a research assistant reported to each researcher. He was friendly with the assistants, so it would not pose much of a challenge for him to find out more. "Very well. Thanks for going through the trouble. I have some matters to attend to and will go to the laboratory in an hour. Clean up the data." Luca picked up the research data that had been cleaned up the day prior and handed it to Rhett. "Dr. Craw..." Rhett took the files over with some doubts in his mind. ''Wasn''t the data cleaned up yesterday?1 "What¡¯s the matter?" Luca looked at him. "It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ll attend to it now." Rhett did not say anything. He was happy to go along with her orders. Luca was not one to make mistakes, so he thought that she asked him to clean up the data again because there was an issue with it. After Rhett left with a pile of documents, Luca leaned back in the chair. She had nothing to do and just did not want to run experiments. She did not want to continue with the research now that she knew the selection for the off-site training would be based on the progress of the researchers'' experiments. Luca decided to take it easy for at least half a month. Even if she did not ask Rhett to suss things out, Luca was pretty sure that she was ahead of everyone. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. The other professors had to start their research from scratch while her research was a follow-up of Shanks¡¯ research. Her research was backed with experimental data and various supportive documents, so there would not be many issues. Her experiments would not fail as often as the other professors¡¯ experiments. Luca ced one hand beneath her chin and was deep in thought. ''I don''t want to go for the off-site training... What should I do?¡¯ Hospital. After a rough night, Bianca''s temperature returned to normal. The moment she opened her eyes, she felt like she had gone through a near-death experience. With the maid¡¯s help, she took a shower, changed into a new patient¡¯s gown, and then sat on the bed. Bianca took her temperature with the thermometer. Her body temperature was now 98 degrees, which was normal. "Madam, your body temperature is back to normal. That¡¯s great!" the maid said happily. Bianca did not seem too happy about it because she knew that it was only temporary. After she took the pill, she would only recover after having a recurrent fever for a whole month. When Bianca felt that her lips were dry and she wanted to drink water, the nurse walked in and said, "Mrs. Crawford, good morning. How are you feeling?" "A lot morefortable," she said. "Did you have anything to eat or drink?" the nurse asked as she took out a needle. Chapter 1233 Chapter 1233 Luca Was Not In The Mood To Work "No, but I feel a little thirsty and want to drink some water," Bianca said and looked at the maid. The maid nodded and poured a ss of water for her immediately. The nurse stepped forward with a smile and said, "You can drink water after your blood is drawn. If you have the appetite, you can also have some oats. Try to eat something light for the next few days." Bianca looked at the needle and became alert. "Why do you want to draw my blood?" She remembered that Abel said not to go for blood tests because her blood type was different from the real Bianca. Luke was a smart man. There was a higher chance of her getting exposed if she went through with the blood test. Seeing her strong reaction, the nurse exined patiently, "You¡¯ve been hospitalized for 24 hours, but the high fever is recurrent. We need to do further examinations to find out what¡¯s going on with your body." Bianca shook her head and turned her down. "I¡¯m fine now. It¡¯s okay, I don''t need to go for a check-up." She thought that she could only go for the blood test on an empty stomach, so she picked up the ss of water that the maid had ced on the bedside table and drank it all. "Mrs. Crawford, you..." The nurse was speechless. The maid was also dumbfounded and did not expect such a thing to happen. Bianca chugged a ss of water just so that her blood would not be drawn? ''It''s just getting her blood drawn. Why is she so afraid that she''d do this...'' After she drank the ss of water, Bianca said to the nurse, "I¡¯m in good health so you don¡¯t need to draw my blood for examination. If you insist on drawing my blood, I''ll sue you." Seeing that Bianca was insistent, the nurse had no choice but to call for Dr. ke. Dr. ke wanted to exin it to her when he heard about it, but Bianca started yelling. "I said that I don¡¯t want to do it! If you insist on drawing my blood, I want to be discharged from the hospital right now." Dr. ke had no choice but to go along with her. "Okay, Mrs. Crawford, please calm down. I''ll cancel the blood test for you. It''s best that you stay in the hospital for observation because of your recurrent fever." "I''m fine with staying in the hospital, I just don¡¯t want to do a blood test.¡± Bianca made her stance clear. Dr. ke nodded and said to the nurse, "Help Mrs. Crawford cancel her inspection and tell the laboratory department that there''s no blood sample for them to work on today." He had given theboratory a heads up and asked them for a favor to give Bianca priority, but he did not expect that she would react so strongly. They had no choice but to cancel the test. "Okay, Dr. ke." The nurse nodded and walked out. Dr. ke helped Bianca take her temperature. Seeing that she was fine, he turned around and left the ward. He thought that Johann had done him a favor by introducing him to this job, but unexpectedly, Bianca was such a difficult person to deal with. She had a recurring fever and he was certain that something was wrong with her body. She had to go through a blood test for him to be able to find out why. The next time she had a fever, all he could do was give her an injection to reduce the fever but he knew that was not a long-term solution. Dr. ke was afraid of being med, so he called Luke and informed him of Bianca''s refusal to do a blood test. Luke was still sitting in the meeting room at that moment. His expression turned stern when he heard what Dr. ke said. "Thank you for letting me know. I''ll talk to her and find out what¡¯s going on," he said. Luke then hung up the call with Dr. ke and called Bianca. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Bianca was drinking the oats the maid had prepared for her when her phone rang. When she saw that Luke was calling, she jumped for joy! She pressed to answer. "Luke, the doctor said that I can¡¯t be discharged yet and have to stay in the hospital for observation." "Listen to the doctor." Luke listened to her coquettish voice and thought that she was in a good state of mind. "Mm, I''ll listen to the doctor. Why didn''t youe to see me today?" Bianca''s tone was a little sad. Even though she was dissatisfied with him, she did not dare to make it too obvious. Luke exined, "I had a morning meeting today. I''lle visit you in the evening." "In that case..." Bianca was still dissatisfied. Whenever something happened, she could tell that that work was more important to Luke than her. She grabbed her phone tightly. "Why didn''t you take a blood test?" Luke asked. Bianca knew that he would ask about this. She exined in a coquettish tone, "I''m hemophobic and the process is so painful... Also, I''m fine. I just identally caught a cold. My health is not the best, that¡¯s why the fever keepsing back." Luke was indifferent to her coquettish ways. His voice was stern as he said, "Follow the doctor''s instructions and go for a check-up. It''ll make me feel more at ease.¡¯ "I don''t want to, and I''ve already eaten breakfast. The blood test has to be done on an empty stomach. Let''s talk about itter." Bianca thought to dy it as long as she could. After Dr. ke left the ward, she knew that he would notify Luke immediately. Hence, she ate breakfast just so that they could not draw her blood. Luke kept quiet. Bianca noticed his silence and knew that she was being too childish. She coaxed him, saying, "Don¡¯t worry, I''ll be fine. Maybe I can be discharged and go home after today." "Yeah.¡± Luke¡¯s voice was calm and carried no other emotions. Bianca said, "Okay, I''ll continue to eat breakfast. Get back to work and remember to visit me tonight, or else I''ll be angry." "Okay." After Luke said that, Bianca put down the phone. After he heard the busy tone, he stood up, picked up the folder on the table, and walked out of the meeting room. The off-training was organized by the Pharmaceutical Association. He came to the meeting to ask Luca questions and because he wanted to see her reactions in person. Luke suspected that Luca may be involved with the Pharmaceutical Association. An hourter, Rhett knocked on the door of Luca''s office. "Come in," Luca minimized the website she was on. She was reading the news online because she had nothing to do. Rhett opened the door and walked in while holding a pile of documents in his hand. "Dr. Craw, I ran through the data again and there''s no issue with it. "That''s good to hear," Luca took the documents he handed to her and put them in the drawer. Rhett asked, "Dr. Craw, are we going to do experiments now?" "Experiments?" Luca frowned. "I''m feeling under the weather today. Why don''t I hand you these materials and you can take a look at them? We can talk about themter." Rhett was speechless as he looked at the medical journals and folders she was taking out of the drawer. He felt like Luca was not in the mood to work. "What''s the matter?" Luca raised her head and asked when she noticed that he was just standing there. "Nothing." Rhett shook his head. "If there¡¯s nothing you''d like to discuss, go through the documents and don''t disturb me if it''s not urgent." Luca leaned on the chairzily. "Okay." Rhett nodded, picked up all the documents she had brought out, and turned around to leave. Chapter 1234 Chapter 1234 She Had To Show Some Progress After Rhett left, Luca continued to browse the and read the news. She thought of Amur when she saw the news of a wealthy businessman who was brutally murdered in his vi. She took out her phone and called him. However, it seemed that his phone was turned off. With no other choice, Luca had to put down the phone. She thought that Amur should have arrived at the Ind of Despair by now, but for some reason, her heart just could not settle down. Luca''s expression turned solemn when she thought of what Abel said. The phone rang. Luca picked up the phone and nced at it. It was a call from an unfamiliar number based in A City. Luca picked it up and a kiddish voice sounded from the other end of the call. "Ms. Luca, I¡¯m Tommy!" Of course, she knew who was on the other end of the phone. Luca chuckled softly, and the sadness in her eyes melted away when she heard Tommy¡¯s voice. "I know. Why did you call me? Isn''t it time for school? "I borrowed the teacher''s phone to call you." Tommy nced at the teacher with a cheeky grin on his face. It had taken him some effort to convince the teacher to lend him her phone. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. "Mm, have you been good in school?" Luca asked. Tommy was different from Lanie and Rainie. He was active and lively, so it took a little more effort to manage him. "Of course, I''m a good boy!" Tommy puffed his chest proudly and thought about why he called her. He said, "Ms. Luca, can I go to your house tonight? "Come to my house?" Luca frowned slightly and wondered whether it was his idea or Luke''s. "Yes, yes." Tommy nodded quickly. "I miss your cooking." Luca could not bring herself to turn him down when she heard Tommy''s cheeky voice. Since Amur had returned to the Ind of Despair and there was no one else in the apartment, she wanted to see her kid. However, when she thought of Luke, she hesitated and asked, "Did your father agree to this?" "He said yes. Dad has been busytely and has no time to take care of us. By the way, Ms. Luca, can I bring my brother and sister? We¡¯ll be good, we promise!" Tommy was worried that she would not agree so he made sure she had no reason to. Luca''s heart softened when she knew that Luke would not show up and did not stop Tommy either. She nned to pick up the kids after she got off work and then go to the supermarket to buy groceries, just like before." Okay, I''ll pick you up from school?" Tommy thought about it for a while. He did not want to trouble her by having her drive back and forth, so he said, "Ms. Luca, don''t worry. Zander will send us there, I remember your address." He had only been there once but he remembered the name of Luca''s building and the floor she stayed on. The smile on Luca''s face grew bigger and bigger when she noticed how sensible her baby boy had grown. She said joyfully, "Okay, do you have anything in particr you want to eat? Also, what do your brother and sister like to eat?" After so many years, she was not sure if Lanie and Rainie''s taste had changed. "We¡¯ll eat anything you cook," Tommy said with a smile. Even though Lanie and Rainie had not tried Luca''s cooking, he believed that they would love it. Even though it was a perfunctory reply, because it came out of Tommy''s mouth, Luca felt his sincerity. "Okay, see you tonight." She smiled and was overjoyed that she would be able to see her kids without having to meet Luke. Luca sat in the chair and nced at the time, hoping that it would pass sooner. The phone rang again. Luca''s smile gradually disappeared when she saw the caller ID. It was a random string of numbers, but she knew that it was Abel''s number. The phone rang twice and Luca slowly pressed the button to answer. She kept quiet and just listened to the person on the other end of the phone. Abel was not the one who spoke but a man with a rough voice. "Ivana, the boss has given an order. You must secure a spot for the off-site training." "Off-site training?" Luca''s mood sank. She suddenly thought of something and calmly said, "I want to talk to him." The manughed disdainfully and said mercilessly, "The boss isn¡¯t here, you just need to do what he tells you." He hung up the phone immediately after. When she heard the busy tone, Luca put her phone aside and was furious. She opened the safe and took out the research materials. She thought the off-training was nned by thepany and did not expect that Abel was involved. She had no choice even if she did not want to go. After all, the order came from Abel. Abel might take action if the spot was given to others in thepany. Luke had already begun to suspect her and she was determined not to let him find out more. Her next steps had to be executed seamlessly. 1 Luca left her office holding the documents and walked to the assistants¡¯ office. Mo and Rhett were the only ones around. The other research assistants were not there. Luca guessed that they were all busy doing experiments. "Dr. Craw?" Rhett saw her walk in and stood up immediately. Luca nodded and said to him, "Let''s start with our experiment." "Okay." Rhett was surprised but did not question her. He walked out with a pile of documents. The two walked to theboratory. On the way, Luca asked Rhett, "At what stage of the experiment will thepany assign additional headcount to the project?" "As long as the first stage ispleted and the report isplete and submitted, there''ll be additional headcount and an independentboratory, " Rhett replied. "Then, let¡¯s hurry up," Luca said. In the early stages of the experiment, she dyed the work as long as she could so she would not progress to the next stage as the findings were not ready yet. She thought that doing so, it would not attract Luke''s attention. However, her unintentional actions and Abel¡¯s plot had attracted Luke''s attention. If it continued to drag on, Luke might get more suspicious and Abel would not let her off the hook easily. She had to show some progress... Luca walked into theboratory, noticed the several researchers doing their experiments in their area, and walked to her spot with her expression unchanged. She began her research. With Shanks'' preliminary findings on hand, as long as she does not dy the work, she would be able toplete the first stage soon. After work. Luca raised her gaze, looked at the several researchers who were still busy doing experiments, and stood up calmly. "Time to go home." Her words were directed to Rhett. "Dr. Craw, are you going to get off work?" Rhett was surprised. ''Isn¡¯t she trying to get the opportunity to go for the off-training in New York? She sure is calm about it." "Mm, I have ns after work," Luca replied softly, but it was still heard by Dr. Cole who was nearby. He had a test tube in his hand and looked at her several times. Then, he turned around and asked Talia to record the data. Everyone was usually calm when it came to pharmaceutical research. After all, it was not an easy task. They would choose to bezy and make excuses. However, the opportunity to go for off-site training would reflect their standing in thepany and they had to take it seriously. That was why they were all in theboratory. Chapter 1235 Chapter 1235 Her Three Kids Stood Outside Luca knew that several of them were looking at her but she walked out of theboratory with the documents in her hand without a care in the world. Rhett quickly grabbed the other documents and followed her. After they walked out of theboratory, Rhett looked back at his colleagues who were working overtime. He could not help but whisper what he was thinking about, "Dr. Craw, you''ve been acting a little abnormal today." In the past, Luca was the most diligent and serious in the Technical Department. When the researchers werezing around in their office, she was spending all her time in theboratory doing experiments and runningparative analyses of various data. "Is that so?" Luca knew what he meant by that. "Yes." Rhett touched his chin. There was no one around him, so he could speak whole-heartedly. "Dr. Craw, I¡¯ve asked around and it seems that the other professors'' research progress is pretty good, especially Dr. Cole''s..." Although the other professors had no sense of urgency toplete their research, they were all capable. Otherwise, they would not be able to join Watson Biopharmaceuticals. "I see. Make sure you save the data before you get off work." Luca opened the door of the office and thought about what she was going to cook for the kids for dinner. Her tone remained calm as if she had no intention ofpeting with the others. Rhett was confused and scratched his head. After Luca closed the door, Rhett walked back to the assistants'' office. Mo was tidying up her desk in preparation to get off work. When she saw him, Mo was puzzled and asked, "You''re getting off work now? Don''t you need to work overtime?" Based on what she had noticed, the otherboratory assistants should be working overtime with their respective researchers. "Yes, I¡¯m done with work for the day, Dr. Craw won''t be working overtime tonight," Rhett said as he ced the data on the table. Mo raised her eyebrows. "Dr. Craw is not nning to fight for a spot for the off-site training? The other professors are working overtime to catch up." "I don''t know." Rhett shook his head. After Mo mentioned it, he suddenly felt that Luca did not care about the training. Although she had asked him to find out about the research progress of other professors, her actions did not make it seem like she wanted to fight for it. Mo was interested when she saw Rhett deep in thought. She stopped tidying up and sat in a chair to gossip. "To be fair, Dr. Crawes from a strong background. This off-site training doesn''t affect her, but you... Oh, what a pity! If Dr. Craw goes for the training, she¡¯ll take you with her and it would be great for your portfolio and personal development." Rhett was not infuriated by her words. After all, he chose to be Luca''s assistant. "That''s enough. This is Dr. Craw''s decision." "Yes, yes, it''s Dr. Craw''s decision. You¡¯re giving her everything you have but she doesn''t think about what¡¯s good for you at all." Mo could not take how Rhett backed Luca for everything. They joined Watson Biopharmaceuticals at the same time and were both supposed to be office assistants, but in a blink of an eye, he teamed up with Luca, the only female researcher in this department. Of course, Mo suspected that there was more than met the eye regarding why he did so. Rhett thought that she was just talking nonsense and stopped replying. Mo¡¯s mood sank when she saw him lowering his head and stuffing the experimental data back into his drawer. ''Rhett is upset because I said something about his precious Luca? Is he in love with her? Mo was upset and asked, "Why are you so quiet? You don''t have to be discouraged. Maybe Dr. Craw has secured one of the spots, so she''s so calm. I should congratte you!" Listening to her words, Rhett looked up suddenly and asked, "What are you talking about?" "Don''t you know? Dr. Craw is close with the CEO, so..." Mo said, "Anyway, congrattions. I¡¯m heading off. Do you want to leave together?" "I have to sort out the data, I''ll see you tomorrow." Rhett took out the data he had just stuffed in the drawer and pretended to be busy. Mo saw that he was unwilling to go with her. She red at him before turning to leave with her bag. When she got to the elevator, she happened to bump into Luca. Mo smiled and greeted her, "Dr. Craw, what a coincidence. Are you done with work?" "Yeah," Luca looked at her, then continued to look at her phone. Seeing that she was neither hot nor cold, Mo narrowed her mouth and cursed Luca in her heart. Before the elevator reached their floor, she said, "Dr. Craw, are you nning to fight for the opportunity to go for the training in New York?" "I''ll go with the flow." Luca was looking up recipes because she wanted to make delicious dishes so the children would be happy. Mo felt even more disdainful in her heart when she heard Luca''s answer.'' Go with the flow? I''m sure she already has everything nned and got the spot after pulling some strings.¡¯ She was convinced that it was the truth. After they left the office, she looked at Luca walking to the taxi stand while she could only walk to the bus stop. ''We¡¯re both working for Watson Biopharmaceuticals but Luca can take a taxi to and from work while I''m forced to take the bus.¡¯ Mo''s emotions were a little imbnced. She took out her phone and sent a text message to Bianca. She firmly believed that Bianca, Luke''s wife, would punish Luca! Luca stopped a taxi and purchased two full bags of groceries from a supermarket near her apartment. After she arrived home, she took off her coat and put on an apron. She nned to make some snacks for the children before she prepared dinner. Luca moved quickly, and before Zander sent the kids over, she put the cake in the oven to bake. She remembered that Rainie loved desserts. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. The doorbell rang and Luca knew that the kids were her. She walked quickly to the door and put her hand on the doorknob but did not open the door immediately. Her three kids were standing outside the door... Luca was nervous. When she found out that when she wasing back to A City, she had thought about secretly going to see the children. However, she did not expect that she would meet Tommy so soon and be involved in his life. That was beyond her imagination. Now, she was about to see Lanie and Rainie. Luca''s heart was thumping and throbbing. It took a lot for her to hold herself back from telling her children that she was their biological mother. The people at the door were impatient and rang the doorbell again. Luca opened the door and saw Zander as well as the three children. "Ms. Luca!" Tommy was close to her, so after he cheered, he jumped on her and hugged her tightly. "Hello, Tommy." Luca hugged Tommy tightly while looking at Lanie and Rainie at the same time. Thest time she saw them was at the payment counter of the hospital. At that time, she thought that they had grown taller. Finally, she was able to see them up close. Lanie and Rainie said in unison, '' Hello, Ms. Luca." They addressed Luca just as Tommy addressed her. It was Tommy¡¯s request toe here, and they followed along only because they felt uneasy to have him go alone. Chapter 1236 Chapter 1236 However, This Time, He Could Not Have Known Lanie and Rainie came to see what kind of person it was who could make Tommy talk about her cooking non-stop. They also wanted to see if the other party wanted to use Tommy to approach their father. After all, there had been quite a few women like that over the years. Luca''s eyes were filled with tears when she heard the kids greeting her. She was moved when she saw how tall Lanie and Rainie had be. ¡¯ Hello,e in." She reached her hand out to both of them. Rainie felt inexplicably affectionate toward Luca and held her hand. "Okay." Lanie felt the same way as her sister but chose to nod coolly. They then walked into the apartment together. Zander smiled and said, "Ms. Luca, thank you for the trouble." Luca was surprised. "Zander, won''t youe in and have dinner with us?" "I don''t have time. I have to send documents to the boss," Zander shook his head and said. Luca was surprised. Luke must have agreed to him leaving the children here to send the documents to him. ''He agreed to let me take care of the kids? He''s suspicious by nature... That shouldn''t be the case... Could it be that he trusts me?'' However, based on their previous encounters and the conversation in the meeting room, it did not make sense that Luke trusted her... "Okay." Luca did not force him to stay knowing that he had a task at hand. Zander nced at the time, then smiled and said, "Ms. Luca, I''ll pick them up around nine o''clock. See youter." When Tommy heard that, he immediately said, "Zander, you cane here a littleter than nine." "Young Master Tommy, you have to go to ss tomorrow and need to rest early. I''ll pick you up at nine o''clock. Your father will scold me if I send you homete." Zander insisted. Nine o''clock was the time that Luke and Tommy had agreed on. Tommy pursed his mouth. He made a bunch of promises just so he coulde to Luca''s ce. For example, hepromised and agreed to reduce the time he had to watch cartoons by half an hour. Zander smiled and nodded. He then turned and left. Luca still could not believe it. Luke trusted her enough to leave the three children by her side for a few hours. In a daze, she thought about the first time she returned to A City after studying abroad. Luke knew that Lanie and Rainie were her kids, so he tried her best to let her take care of them... However, this time, he could not have known. Luca closed the door in a daze. Tommy took a deep breath and smelled the cake. His eyes lit up as he asked, "Ms. Luca, are you hiding some delicious food?" Luca came back to her senses. She looked at the child''s bright eyes, smiled, and said, "I knew you wereing so I made a cake, but you¡¯ll have to wait for a while before you can eat it." "Cake? Rainie loves cakes!" Tommy grinned and took Rainie''s hand. He said, "Rainie, didn¡¯t I tell you that Ms. Luca is the best? She made you a cake! Ms. Luca, we all like to eat cakes." Rainie touched Tommy''s chubby face. She was happy because she loved cakes, but she was picky and only liked to eat the cakes made by her mother. The chef in Crawford Manor had tried a variety of recipes to make all kinds of cakes to bring a smile to her face. In the end, only one recipe worked as it tasted a bit like the ones Bianca used to make, so she would only eat that. She was not a fan of those made by others or bought from local shops. However, her mother... Luca looked at the kids. They had grown a little taller and their fleshy faces had be thinner, but the rest was still the same. "I''m happy if you''re happy," she smiled and said. "Thank you, Ms. Luca. I¡¯m Rainie. This is my brother, nche. You can call him Lanie.¡± Rainie looked at Luca''s smile. The feeling of intimacy and familiarity in her heart got stronger. She could not help but introduce herself. Lanie heard this and said coolly, "Hello, Ms. Luca." "Okay, you can sit down for a while. The cake will be ready soon," Luca said. In addition to the cake, she had also prepared some fruits that the children used to love. Looking at the fruits on the coffee table, Tommy cheered and asked, "Ms. Luca, do you have any other snacks?" Luca smiled and nodded at Tommy''s cheeky appearance. "Yes, but you can eat them only after you finish your meal. Have some fruits first." As soon as she said that, the oven rang to indicate that the cake was ready. Luca said, "The cake is ready, I''ll take it out for you but don''t eat too much. There¡¯s still dinnerter." Tommy patted his stomach and replied, "Ms. Luca, don''t worry. My stomach can hold a lot of food. I''ll finish everything that you prepare." Luca smiled and shook her head. ''How big can a child''s stomach be?¡¯ She only said that because she did not want them to be too full. "I¡¯ll take three out first. You can take the rest back after dinner." Rainie, who was sitting on the sofa, looked at this scene with deep emotions stirring in her heart. Their father and grandfather were strict with them. They never allowed them any snacks before meals. However, their fake mom was different. To please them, she secretly gave them snacks. No matter what it was, both sides were overdoing it. She thought that Luca was different from them. Compared to being overly strict or indulgent, Rainie found her approach morefortable. Luca took out three cakes from the oven. The cakes were not big but they were just right as snacks before meals. They were delicious and nutritious. She carefully put the cakes on tes, prepared some forks, and ced them on the coffee table. "Okay, enjoy. I''ll cook dinner." "Thank you, Ms. Luca!" The kids thanked her in unison. Luca smiled, walked into the kitchen, and started preparing dinner for them. It was not that she did not want to spend more time with them, she just did not want them to be hungry. Rainie took in the aroma of the cake but did not pick up the fork. There was the sound of water flowing from the kitchen. Tommy had already picked up a fork and taken some to eat. "Wow, it''s delicious!" When he saw that Rainie was not trying it, Tommy said, "Rainie, why don''t you have some?" This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Rainie shook her head. Seeing her brother''s gluttonous appearance, she smiled and said, "Is it delicious? If you like it, you can have mine too." Although it was delicious, Tommy resisted the urge to take her piece. Instead, he asked, "Rainie, don''t you love cakes?" "Yeah." Rainie smiled without exining any further. Lanie knew why Rainie was acting like this. He picked up the fork, took a bite, and his eyes widened. Chapter 1237 Chapter 1237 Luca Was Not Their Mother Rainie noticed the change in Lanie¡¯s expression and asked in a confused tone, "Lanie, what''s the matter with you?" "Rainie, I think you¡¯ll like it," Lanie said as he put another piece of fluffy cake in his mouth. Even though he was surprised, he still ate it like a gentleman. Rainie looked at the cake and was debating internally on whether she should try it or not. After she thought about it for a while, she picked up the fork, took a small piece, and put it in her mouth. Tommy blinked and asked with a smile, "Rainie, how is it? Isn''t it delicious?" Rainie showed a shocked expression as she uttered, "This cake..." She did not continue talking. It may have been a long time but the taste was exactly the same as what she remembered. It was even more delicious than the ones the chef at home prepared. Tommy noted their expressions and proudly stood up, saying, "I knew that you¡¯d like the cakes made by Ms. Luca!" Rainie had aplicated expression on her face as she looked at nche. Maybe her memory was messed up but she thought that although the taste was a little simr to what the chef made, it tasted much better. The cake tasted exactly the same as the cakes their mother made back then. nche nodded and said, "Let¡¯s eat." "Yeah." Rainie felt like tearing up. She lowered her head and enjoyed the cake as she listened to the noise in the kitchen. An hourter, Luca was done cooking and started serving dinner. The smell of the dishes filled the apartment. Tommy took a deep breath greedily. Before he ate, he praised Luca. "Ms. Luca, the food smells delicious!" Luca smiled at the three children and said, "Let''s get ready for dinner. You should wash your hands first." "Okay, Ms. Luca.¡± Rainie nodded and looked at her. Although Luca''s face was unfamiliar, she made cakes that tasted the same as their mom¡¯s. ''No wonder Tommy likes her so much.'' She initially thought that Luca had ill intentions, but at that moment, she did not think so. People who could make cakes that tasted the same as their Mom''s should not be someone bad... Tommy nodded, raised his hand, and said, "Yes, Ms. Luca!" He turned to his siblings and said, "Lanie, Rainie,e with me! Let''s wash our hands." He had lived here for a while and was familiar with theyout. He led them to the bathroom like he owned the ce. Luca looked at the kids and smiled. With them around, it was as though she had gone back three years in time. All of the tiredness and sadness melted away the moment she saw them. All that was left in her heart was a glowing warmth. After the kids washed their hands and walked out, Luca had already brought out all the dishes. "Wow, it smells good." Tommy hopped to his seat and let out a sigh. Luca said, "I¡¯m sure you''re hungry. Come, sit down and eat." The three children nodded and sat on the chairs. Lanie and Rainie looked at the home-cooked dishes and nced at each other. The dishes were ordinary home-cooked food but the color and fragrance were top-notch. They were curious if the food tasted as good as it looked. Rainie thought of the cake she had just eaten and looked forward to the meal. ''The cake Ms. Luca made tasted the same as the cakes Mom used to make. I wonder if this meal will also taste the same as Mom¡¯s cooking...'' "Thank you for cooking for us!" Although he had eaten some cake just earlier, Tom felt hungry when he smelled the aroma of the meal. He picked up his utensils and dug in. Luca noticed that Lanie and Rainie were not moving, so she said, "You guys should eat too." Tommy looked at his sibling, swallowed the food in his mouth, and said," Yes, Lanie and Rainie, eat! It''s delicious!" Lanie was speechless seeing Tommy acting as though he had not eaten anything for three days. He picked up the cutleries and slowly started eating. When he took the first bite, he was still calm, but after tasting it, he paused and finally understood why Tommy always mored toe here for dinner. The food she cooked was very simr to the food their mom cooked. After three years, he finally got to taste it again. Lanie had always been calm but could not help tearing a little. Rainie reacted the same way. As she ate, she felt like she was about to cry. The taste was so simr to their mom''s cooking. Rainie looked at Luca. She had taken a bite and just watched them eating silently. The loving look in her eyes was just like their Mom''s. Rainie suddenly felt like holding her and crying. "Rainie, what''s the matter? You don''t like any of the food I cooked?" Luca asked worriedly when she saw that the girl had only taken a bite and stopped eating. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org "That''s not it. Ms. Luca, the food you cook is so delicious. Can I learn to cook from you?" Rainie asked. "Of course." Luca felt calmer when she found out that Rainie liked her food. Rainie said, "Also, Ms. Luca, the cake you made is delicious. Can I ask you for the recipe?" She had to seize this opportunity to get the recipe so that the cook at home could make it for her. "Of course. Eat, eat! Else, the food will be cold." Luca nodded. She was d that Rainie enjoyed her cooking Tommy also said, "Yes, Rainie, eat! It''s so delicious." Luca could not help butugh when she saw Tommy''s greasy mouth. Rainie was infected by herughter and alsoughed. After dinner, the kids sat on the sofa and ate fruits while watching cartoons. Luca cleared the dishes and brought them into the kitchen. When Rainie saw her walk into the kitchen, she asked her brother in a low voice, "Tommy, did you meet Ms. Luca by chance?" "Yeah." Tommy nodded. He had already told his siblings about how he met Luca, so he did not repeat himself. He said, "Ms. Luca is my hero. She took down the heroes without much effort." Rainie exchanged nces with Lanie, then looked at her younger brother again. "Do you think that the food Ms. Luca cooked tastes like Mom¡¯s food? "Yeah, I think it does. It''s delicious!" Tommy said while smacking his lips together. Rainie looked at his brother''s greedy appearance and picked up a cherry to stuff into his mouth. All Tommy could think about was food... "Lanie, what do you think?" Rainie asked. Lanie kept quiet and nodded. Rainie felt the same way. She watched TV and nced at the clock on the wall. There was still a while before nine o''clock. Even though they still had some time, she was already reluctant to leave. However... Luca was not their mother, and there was someone in their home who was pretending to be their mother... Rainie thought of the DNA test report and felt another wave of panic. "I''ve packed the cakes for you. When you go back, remember to put them in the refrigerator. If you want to eat it, just put it in the microwave and heat it." After Luca washed the dishes, she walked out carrying the packed cakes. Chapter 1238 Chapter 1238 Rainie Loves Cupcakes Tommy''s eyes sparkled when he saw the cupcakes. Luca noticed the change in Tommy''s expression and shook her head. "Not now, Tommy. Eat them when you get home." "Can''t I just eat one, Ms. Luca?" Tommy lifted one finger and looked at Luca eagerly. "I''m hungry." Luca''s heart melted when she saw Tommy''s puppy eyes, though she knew that he had eaten a lot earlier, and she did not think that his stomach could take it. She steeled herself and shook her head. "You''ve just eaten. How can you be hungry? Be a good boy and listen to me." Rainie also helped Luca convince her younger brother. "You''ll get a tummy ache if you continue eating, Tommy. Ms. Luca said that we can bring the cupcakes home, so you can eat them when we get home." Tommy rubbed his round stomach. He was indeed full, but he wanted to eat some more. Even so, he listened to Luca and Rainie. He nodded his head and tried to control himself. Luca could not bear to see Tommy like that. She sat down next to him and picked two cherries from the fruit te. "Why not have some fruit for now?" "Mm! Feed me, Ms. Luca!" Tommy immediately cheered up. He opened his mouth and waited to be fed. Luca smiled, plucked the stems from the cherries, and stuffed the cherries into his mouth. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Rainie suddenly felt envious when she saw their interaction. They looked like mother and son, and she wanted to be pampered like that too. Ever since their mother went missing, she had never been pampered by anyone. As she stared at them, the eagerness in her eyes grew. Luca inadvertently noticed that from the corner of her eye. She smiled and tapped the seat next to her. "Rainie, do you want to sit here?" Rainie was surprised, though she did not hesitate to sit down next to Luca. Luca smiled and handed her two round and sweet cherries. "Do you want cherries too?" "Thank you," Rainie said courteously, took the cherries, slowly plucked their stems, and put them in her mouth. Luca became emotional when she saw how quiet and gentle Rainie was. Lanie was more reserved than Rainie, but they were active children, especially Rainie, who was cute, obedient, and empathic. Now, the twins were a lot quieter and more reserved. Luca wondered if it was because the twinscked motherly care or if their environment caused them to be like that. She remembered the reason why she and Luke moved out of Crawford Manow. She did not wish for their children to grow up in that toxic and chaotic environment. After she was abducted, Luke and the three children moved back to Crawford Manor so that the children had someone to take care of them. Even though Allison was already in prison, Susan was still living in Crawford Manor, and Luca knew what kind of person she was. Luca did not expect the impostor Bianca to take care of the children either. When Luca thought of that, she patted Rainie''s head lovingly. Rainie enjoyed the sensation of Luca''s soft hand caressing her hair. Somehow, she felt the urge to be closer to her. "Your hand is so soft, Ms. Luca," Rainie lifted her head and looked at Luca with sparkling eyes. She thought that it was not enough, so she added," You smell very nice too, Ms. Luca." Luca smiled. She noticed that Lanie was looking at them. However, the seats on both sides were taken. Luca picked Tommy up and ced him on herp. "Ms. Luca?" Tommy looked at Luca, slightly confused, though he was quite happy that he got to sit on herp. "Why don''t youe and sit over here, Lanie?¡± Luca said to the boy. Lanie might not seem too eager, but as his birth mother, Luca knew what he was thinking. Even though Lanie was much more mature than children of his age, he was still a child and wished to be treated equally. Lanie nodded. Without hesitation, he sat down by her side. Luca''s heart warmed when she felt the three children surrounding her. Subconsciously, she hugged Tommy more tightly. "I want more cherries, Ms. Luca,¡± Tommy pouted and said. "Alright, I''ll get them for you," Luca said with a smile. She leaned forward and picked up the entire fruit te. "Here, have some more cherries." The three children took turns picking cherries from the te. Tommy was enjoying himself as he sat on Luca''sp and leaned against her. At nine o''clock sharp, a knock was heard on the door. "That must be Uncle Zander," Tommy pouted and said reluctantly. Luca looked at the wall clock. Sean had told her that he would pick up the children at nine o''clock. She put Tommy down even though she was quite reluctant. "It''s already sote. I''ll go and open the door." Tommy looked at his elder siblings. They must be reluctant to leave too... Luca opened the door and was shocked when she saw the person standing outside. She did not see Sean. Instead, the person to pick up the children was Luke. "Why are you here, Mr. Crawford?" Luca said woodenly. "I''m here for my children." Seeing that Luca had no intention of inviting him in, Luke squeezed past Luca and went into the house. "Uh..." When Luca came to her senses, Luke was already inside the house. She had no chance to stop him. The three children stood up together when they saw that it was their father. "Daddy," they greeted him in unison. "Mm. Let''s go home." Luke was standing near the couch. First, he nced at the children, then he looked around the apartment. ¡±..." Luca was wondering what he was thinking. Tommy was not ready to go home yet. He quickly ran over to Luke, hugged his thigh, and asked him, "Daddy, have you had dinner?" Luke looked at his youngest son and raised an eyebrow. "Why?" He asked while caressing his son''s cheek. Luca''s heart warmed when she saw the interaction between Luke and Tommy. She could tell that he was a good father to the children, but he was too busy with work, and he could not afford to give the children the attention they needed. "Ms. Luca made some delicious cupcakes, Daddy. If you''re hungry, why not eat a cupcake before we go? There''s fruit too..." Tommy held Luke''s hand and led him to the couch. Rainie and Lanie stepped aside to make way. Tommy continued, "You must have been working overtime and haven''t eaten anything, Daddy. Ms. Luca, can you give Daddy a cupcake?" "Of course." Luca nodded. How was she going to refuse the little boy''s request? "Cupcakes?" Luke raised an eyebrow. He did not expect that Luca knew howto make desserts. Coincidentally, cupcakes were Rainie''s favorite dessert. "Have a cupcake, Daddy." Rainie picked up a cupcake from the te on the coffee table. "It''s very tasty. Won''t you try one?" Luke was interested in eating that delicate cupcake. He knew that Luca could cook delicious food, but what about dessert? "Alright." He sat down on the couch. Chapter 1239 Chapter 1239 The Familiar Taste of Spaghetti Luca''s eyes opened wide. She did not expect Luke to sit down, much less eat a cupcake. Rainie picked up a cupcake and peeled the liner away. "Try one, Daddy." Luke took the cupcake. It looked petite and delicate in his hand. He was not very fond of cake, but he had to try the cupcake that Luca baked. The three children looked at him eagerly. In one bite, Luke ate half of the cupcake. Luke carefully tasted the sweetness of the cake that melted in his mouth, though he seemed to be pondering something. He finished the rest of the cupcake in another bite. Rainie smiled and asked him, "Daddy, isn''t it very tasty?¡± "Not bad." When Luke said that, he turned around to nce at Luca. Luca was standing there ever since Luke came into the house, as though she were the guest. Rainie smiled at Luca. "Ms. Luca, Daddy likes your cupcakes!" Tommy also added, "Daddy doesn''t only like Ms. Luca''s cupcakes. He loves her cooking too!" Rainie nodded. It was not a surprise that their father loved Luca''s cooking because it was so delicious. She picked up another cupcake and said," Have another one, Daddy!" Luke took it and ate it slowly. Lanie had been silent all the while. He suddenly said, "Daddy, I guess you haven''t had dinner?" "Mm," Luke replied casually. He was busy with work at thepany. After that, he had to go to the hospital to check on Bianca beforeing to Luca''s apartment to pick up the children. He did not have the time to eat. Rainie said tenderly, "You must be too busy with work, Daddy. Uncle Johann said that you shouldn''t skip dinner because of your gastric problems!" Luca was slightly taken aback when she heard what Rainie said. Since when did Luke have gastric problems? She guessed that it must be because of his irregr mealtimes. Tommy ced his hands on his waist as though he was ready to reprimand his father too. "Rainie is right, Daddy. You shouldn''t skip dinner!" Luke did not say anything when his children reprimanded him. Instead, he reached out to take another cupcake. Earlier, he did not feel that he was hungry, but after eating two cupcakes, he realized that his stomach had been empty. Tommy was slightly worried when he saw that his father was going to eat all the cupcakes. Immediately, he said, "You can''t only have cupcakes for dinner, Daddy. Why not ask Ms. Luca to make some spaghetti for you?" Luca was surprised when Tommy mentioned her. "Spaghetti?" Tommy nodded and took the te of cupcakes away. "Ms. Luca, won''t you take pity on our father? He hasn''t had dinner yet, and cupcakes alone won''t fill him up. Won¡¯t you make some spaghetti for him?" Luke did not say anything when he heard his son pleading on his behalf. He remembered how Luca''s cooking tasted like, and he wanted to taste it again. Luca waited for Luke to tactfully refuse, but the man said nothing. Her fingers clenched the hem of her clothes. Seeing that the man did not refuse and that the children were all looking at her, she realized that she had to make that te of spaghetti no matter what. Tommy was happy that he managed to save the rest of the cupcakes, and he would get a taste of the spaghetti too. He looked at Luca eagerly and said, "Is it okay, Ms. Luca?" Luca did not know how to say no. Luke had helped himself with the couch and the cupcakes as though he owned the ce. She could only smile and ask, "Is there anything in particr that you''d like to eat, Mr. Crawford?" Tm fine with whatever," Luke said. Luca sighed discreetly, knowing how hard he was to please. "I''ll just make you spaghetti with tomato sauce then." "Okay." Luke did notin. He would eat whatever Luca cooked, even if it were literally only spaghetti and tomato sauce. Luca nodded slightly. She knew that Luke would not leave if she did not produce a te of spaghetti for him. She walked into the kitchen and took out a pack of spaghetti she had bought earlier. She had bought that pack earlier, and she did not expect that it woulde into use so quickly. While the water boiled, Luca thought that she should add something to the meal. She mixed some minced pork into the sauce and nched some vegetables. In total, she made two portions. After the sauce was done, she seasoned it with some chopped herbs to make it taste even better. She carefully brought the te to the dining table and said, "Your spaghetti is ready, Mr. Crawford." "Mm." Luke stood up from the couch and walked over while the three children followed behind him. Luca was caught in a daze when she saw that scene. Three years ago, she had made supper for Luke, who had skipped dinner because he worked overtime. The three children had also followed behind him just to get a taste of her cooking. "That smells so good," Tommy eximed as he stared eagerly at the spaghetti on the dining table. "I''ve made some for you too," Luca said. "Sit down at the table, and I''ll get you your spaghetti." One of the portions was for Luke, while the other was to be shared among the three children. Tommy''s eyes sparkled when he heard that Luca had made supper for him too. He sat down on the chair and said, "How did you know that I''m hungry again? You''re so nice to me, Ms. Luca." Lanie and Rainie sat on their respective chairs too. Luca split the other portion of spaghetti into three bowls and brought them out to the dining table. "You had dinner and dessert earlier, so I didn''t cook too much for you." The three children took a whiff of the spaghetti that was served in front of them, and they said, "This smells so good." Rainie noticed that Luca did not make spaghetti for herself. She asked," Aren''t you eating, Ms. Luca?¡± "I don''t usually eat supper. You should eat," Luca said while removing her apron. She put it in the kitchen, then went to the coffee table to clean up the fruit te. Tommy began to dig in. Luke looked at his te. Clearly, it was not only spaghetti with tomato sauce. He had not eaten supper for a long time. Sometimes, when he came homete from work, he would not ask the cook to make supper for him even though he had not eaten dinner. If he was too hungry, he would fill his stomach with a cookie. It had been three years since he had eaten spaghetti for supper. That was what Bianca used to make him before she was abducted. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. As he took in the fragrance of the spaghetti, he was lost in the memories of three years ago. "Why aren''t you eating, Daddy?" Tommy asked after taking a bite. Luke came to his senses. He picked up the fork, twirled some spaghetti, and put it into his mouth. "Does it taste good?" Tommy asked with a smile. "It does." Luke ate the spaghetti slowly, thinking that it tasted very familiar. Chapter 1240 Chapter 1240 She Could Not Love Him Luca was cleaning up the coffee table. She was quite surprised when she heard Luke''s praise. He had always been a man of few words, especially when talking about other people. Luca did not expect that the te of spaghetti would receive his approval. She took out a stic bag from under the coffee table, and it was filled with Tommy''s favorite snacks. She put the remaining fruit from the te inside the bag too. If Tommy liked those snacks, Lanie and Rainie would like them too. That was why she bought triple the usual quantity of snacks from the supermarket. While Luca was done cleaning the coffee table, she heard Luke ask her," Where is your younger brother?" When he noticed that they were walking out of the neighborhood together thest time, he could tell that they were living together. "He''s away on a business trip," Luca answered calmly. Business trips were always the best excuse. Luke twirled another forkful of spaghetti, blew on it to cool it down a little, and carefully put it into his mouth. After chewing it slowly, he said, "You didn''t write that on your resume." Luca did not know what he was talking about. "Write what?" "That you have a younger brother," Luke said. He had always thought that Luca looked very different from her younger brother, and he could not have told that the two people were siblings had Luca not told him. "I don''t think that''s necessary information, isn''t it?" Luca said, not feeling guilty about the lie. She had always treated Amur as her younger brother. If he decided to probe into the matter, she could easily find exnations for it too. Fortunately, Luke did not ask any further questions. The three children looked at each other, then shot a nce at their father and the person sitting on the couch. For some reason, the atmosphere was really awkward. Should they ask something? That was what they thought, but no one asked anything despite the suspicions in their hearts. Rainie was done eating after taking two bites. She hopped off the chair, went to Luca''s side, and picked up the rag on the coffee table. "Let me help you, Ms. Luca." Luca took the rag away from her hand and shook her head. "Don''t worry about it. I''ve already cleaned the coffee table earlier. Here, take this bag." Rainie took the bag and asked, "What''s this?" "These are snacks for you," Luca exined. She could not help but pat Rainie''s head. Rainie smiled sheepishly. She was not fond of other people patting her head, but she was not repulsed by Luca''s actions at all. Instead, she hoped that Luca would pat her head more often. "You''re so nice, Ms. Luca. Thank you," she said. Tommy had just finished his spaghetti. When he heard that Luca had prepared snacks for them, he hopped off the table and ran toward Luca." Thank you, Ms. Luca!" He said cloyingly. "Good boy.¡± Luca patted his head too. She heard the soft sound of chair legs rubbing against the floor and turned her head toward the dining table. Luke had already finished his spaghetti. He stood up and looked at Luca. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. At the moment their eyes met, Luca''s heart started beating faster. "Let''s go," Luke suddenly said. Lanie and Rainie nodded, though Tommy was quite reluctant. He would not mind staying with Luca for another week, even though his father and elder siblings would not be there. "Daddy, shouldn''t you thank Ms. Luca?" Tommy suddenly said. "Ms. Luca made delicious spaghetti for you, and you should thank her. My teacher said that we should be grateful." Luke was speechless after being rebuked by his son. He thought that what Tommy said was correct. Luca smiled when Tommy spoke up for her, but she did not want Luke to linger for too long. She had never expected Luke to thank her either. Whenever she faced Luke, she had to exert a great amount of restraint. Luca stood up and was about to say "It''s nothing,¡± when Luke slowly said," Thank you." "... You''re wee," Luca said in a daze. Tommy nodded, satisfied that his father was well-mannered. He walked up to Luke and took his right hand. "Let''s go, Daddy. I''m feeling sleepy." He knew that his father would not allow him to stay over, so he might as well leave. "Mm.¡± Luke nodded and turned toward the door. Luca quickly opened the front door and said, "Take care, Mr. Crawford." Luke seemed pensive when he heard her call him "Mr. Crawford," thinking that she was trying to distance herself from him once more. "We''re not in the office?" "Huh?" Luca lifted her head and looked at him. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw what Luke was thinking. "You can call me something else," Luke said while stepping through the door while holding Tommy''s hand. Lanie and Rainie were following behind him. Luca nodded and said, "Yes, Sir." He thought that Luca would call him something more intimate, but "Sir" was even more distant. However, there was nothing wrong with that. Rainie turned around and waved goodbye to Luca. Luca smiled and waved at her too. After seeing Luke and the children step into the elevator, Luca closed the front door and leaned her back against it. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths. Some timeter, she slowly opened her eyes and gently tapped on the door. Luke''s scent seemed to linger in the air... When Luca remembered Luke''s pensive gaze, her eyes filled up with tears. Abel knew how to torment her. It was cruel not to be able to love the man she loved. She could only hide the truth from the man she loved and her children because she did not want them to share her pain. The pain was hers alone to bear. Luke brought the three children back to Crawford Manor. After that, he went into the study to continue his work. He finished processing all the documents by midnight. Just when he was about to sleep, he received a call from the hospital. Bianca''s fever took a turn for the worse, and she was exhibiting signs of pneumonia. After Luke ended the call, he immediately rushed to the hospital. In the hospital, Bianca was suffering from a high fever and dehydration. While she drifted in and out of consciousness, she heard the doctor making a phone call to Luke. She forced her eyes open. After the doctor ended the call, she asked," What''s going on with me?" "You''re having a high fever now, Mrs. Crawford. The doctor has already given you an injection, and you¡¯ll be fine after some rest," the nurseforted her. Even though Bianca had treated the nurse rudely during the day, the nurse had to take care of her. Bianca knew that Luke was on his way to the hospital, so she said, "I''d like to meet my mother." "Well..." the nurse paused for a second. "Mr. Crawford will be here soon." Chapter 1241 Chapter 1241 Asking Luca for Help "I''d like to meet my mother." Bianca might be suffering from a high fever, but her mind was still lucid. She knew that her fever would eventually subside, and Luke would not stay by her side for long. She hoped that Queenie would see her in her current condition and get Luke to care for her more. Even though no one told her about it, Bianca knew that Queenie''s condition was getting better by the day, and the situation of the Normans became better and better. That was beneficial for the Crawfords - - Luke might be standing at the pinnacle of the business world, but that did not mean that he was immune from danger. "But I don''t know how to contact your mother," the nurse said helplessly, not suspecting anything. After all, it was normal for a very ill patient to miss their parents. "My phone..." Bianca shook her head. Her head was spinning under the effect of the pill, and as much as she wanted to sleep, she could not sleep just yet. "The phone''s passcode is 0218. Help me give her a call." "Alright." The nurse immediately did what she was told. She took Bianca¡¯s phone, unlocked it, found Queenie''s number, and gave her a call. It was already past midnight, and the phone was only answered after some time. The nurse told Queenie about Bianca''s situation as well as Bianca''s wish. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Queenie immediately sat up when she heard that. She told Jack about it, after which they hastily changed their clothes and rushed to the hospital. After the nurse ended the call, she told Bianca in a gentle voice, "Don''t worry, I''ve already told your mother about it. She''s rushing over to the hospital with your father." Bianca smiled after she heard that. Then, she fell asleep. After Luke arrived at the hospital, he went to find out Bianca''s condition first. Bianca''s face was red from the high fever, but her lips were pale. "What''s wrong with her?" Luke frowned and asked the nurse. "The doctor gave her an injection earlier, but it doesn''t seem to have any effect on her. We''ll try to lower her temperature through physical means," the nurse answered while she prepared the alcohol solution. Luke frowned even harder. "Right, Mr. Crawford, Dr. ke is waiting for you in his office," the nurse remembered what the head physician told her. He was working overtime because of Bianca''s condition, and just as he expected, her situation worsened. Mm." Luke shot a nce at the unconscious Bianca on the bed, then left the room. He was not worried because there was a nurse to take care of her. Luke went to the head physician''s office, knocked on the door, and went inside. Dr. ke was checking some information on hisputer. When he saw Lukeing in, he immediately stood up and said courteously, "Please have a seat, Mr. Crawford." Luke sat down on the couch and red at Dr. ke with a prating gaze. "What''s going on with my wife?" The doctor sighed. "We don''t know. Mrs. Crawford doesn''t allow us to conduct a blood test on her. I want to meet you so that you can give us consent to take her blood sample for a test." Dr. ke thought that Bianca only had a regr fever. He was quite grateful toward Johann for giving him a good opportunity to gain Luke''s favor, but he did not expect that things would be so troublesome. Bianca''s fever rose and fell, and Dr. ke realized that her condition was not as straightforward as he had expected. It would not have been as difficult if the patient would let him take a blood sample, but the patient was being uncooperative. Luke took the consent form and browsed through it. Then, he signed at the end of the document. "When are you taking her blood sample?" Luke asked, thinking that he should stay by her side when her blood was taken. When Bianca''s fever rose again, the doctor had already checked with the caretaker when Biancast ate. He replied, "I can take her blood sample in an hour." "Get the sample analyzed as soon as you can. I''d like to know her condition, " Luke stood up and said. He was not happy that Bianca''s condition did not get any better, but he also understood that he could not me the doctor for it. After all, she refused to provide a blood sample and had even deliberately eaten so that they could not take her blood. Dr. ke felt slightly relieved when he saw that Luke did not voice out his dissatisfaction. "Yes. We''ll expedite her test." After getting the doctor''s reassurance, Luke left the office. When he returned to Bianca''s room, Jack and Queenie were already sitting there. Luke, what''s going on with Bianca?" Queenie asked Luke anxiously when she saw himing into the room. "The doctor is going to conduct a blood test. He''ll let us know once he has the results." Luke was quite surprised to see them there. "You should go home and rest first." "With Bianca like that, I won¡¯t be able to sleep." Queenie sighed. "The nurse told me that she wanted to meet me, so I''ll wait here until she wakes up. She needs to know that she''s not going through this alone.¡± Luke could see that Queenie was very worried. He did not convince her to go home. Queenie''s health had improved greatly after taking Luca''s medication, so she could stay up half of the night without any ill effects on her body. "I''ll get the nurse to bring another bed in, Mom. If you''re tired, you can rest for a while," Luke said. "I''ll be fine. I can rest on the couch." Queenie sighed again after looking at Bianca on the bed. "How did she get so sick?" Luke sat down on the single-seater couch. "The doctor will be collecting her blood sample in an hour." "Mm." Queenie and Jack exchanged nces and sighed again. "I''ve heard from the caretaker that Bianca has been sick for several days." "Mm. Her condition hasn''t been improving." Luke did not hide the truth from Queenie. "Why didn''t any of you tell me about it?" Queenie sounded usatory when she said that. The caretaker spoke up. "Madam''s condition wasn''t so bad earlier. The doctor told her that he wanted to take a blood sample just in case, but Madam refused. She knew that she shouldn''t eat before a blood test, but she deliberately ate breakfast just so that she could skip the test." Queenie thought about it and realized that she could not me Luke for Bianca''s illness. She shook her head and said, "Bea should''ve known better. Luke did not say anything. "Luke, why don''t we hire Ms. Craw to take care of Bea? It''s better than letting her condition worsen," Queenie suggested. She could not bear to see her daughter suffer, and she had thought of Luca''s amazing medical skills. Even though Luca said that she had diagnosed Queenie''s illness by pure chance, Queenie thought that she was only being humble. Chapter 1242 Chapter 1242 Her Blood Type Is Different Luke''s expression remained the same when Queenie mentioned Luca." We''ll see after we get the test report." "But Bea isn''t..." Queenie sighed. She knew that she would be bothering Luca by asking her about it, and Luca had made it known that she wanted to remain anonymous. "Let''s listen to Luke on this," Jack said. "Bea might only be down with themon cold. It''s probably nothing too serious." Queenie nodded slightly, though she seemed just as worried as earlier. After being ill for so long, words offort no longer held any meaning for her. Even though she was recovering day by day, her outlook remained pessimistic. An hourter, Dr. ke and a nurse came into the room. They brought the apparatus for taking blood with them. Mr. Crawford, We''ll be taking a blood sample from Mrs. Crawford now," Dr. ke said. Usually, he would not have to take a blood sample himself, but he did not want to offend the other party. Mm." Luke nodded and stood by the bed. The nurse sterilized a patch of Bianca''s skin and extracted two vials of blood from Bianca. Bianca was still unconscious because of the fever, so she did not feel the needle at all. After the blood samples were taken, Dr. ke said, "Send the samples to theb now. Tell them that I want a report as soon as possible." "Yes, Dr. ke." The nurse left with the blood samples immediately. Dr. ke turned to talk to Luke. "Don''t worry, the report should be done in about two hours. We''ll find out the reason why Mrs. Crawford is having a fever." "Mm." Luke nced at Bianca on the bed. Her body temperature only went down by one degree after the nurse and caretaker wiped her with rubbing alcohol for one hour. Things were not looking good for her. Even though he was not knowledgeable in medicine, he could tell that the medication had no effect on her so far. Queenie asked out of concern, "Doctor, didn''t you give her an injection earlier? Why isn''t her condition improving?" "Mrs. Crawford had been taking regr medication over thest few days, and she was recovering just fine. We don''t know why the medication didn''t work until we have the results from the blood test," Dr. ke said. He dared not make any wild guesses without the report. Queenie nodded when she heard that. Luke sat on the couch and sent Johann a message. [When are youing back?] Soon, Johann sent his reply. [I''ll only be back in another week. I''ve heard about Sis''s condition from Dr. ke. Don''t worry, we''ll see what the blood test tells us.] Even though he was away in another city, he knew what was going on in the hospital. When Bianca refused the blood test earlier, Dr. ke hadined to him about it. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Luke put away his phone after reading Johann''s reply, though Johann sent him another message soon after. [I''m just wondering why Sis didn''t want her blood sample taken.] Luke frowned. Ever since Bianca lost her memories, he had never heard of Bianca passing out at the sight of blood. Queenie noticed the expression on Luke''s face. "You should go back and rest, Luke. We can take care of Bea. You still have to work tomorrow, so don''t tire yourself." "I''m fine." Luke ced the phone back in his pocket. He had been wondering why Bianca refused the blood test even before Johann asked him. Seeing that Luke insisted on staying, Queenie nodded and leaned onto Jack. They waited for the blood test report. An hourter, when the horizon was beginning to light up, Dr. ke received Bianca''s test report. His expression was grim when he came into Bianca''s room. "Dr. ke, is that the test report?" Among all the people in the room, Queenie was the most anxious. Dr. ke nodded and said, "It is the test report, but..." "What are the results?" Judging from the doctor''s expression, Luke could tell that he did not have good news. Dr. ke took a deep breath and said, "We''ve run all the tests with the sample, but we didn''t find anything irregr. You can take a look at the test report." Luke took the report from Dr. ke''s hands. The data shown in the report showed that Bianca''s condition was normal. "Dr. ke, are you saying that Bea only has amon cold?" Queenie asked after browsing the report. After being ill for so long, she was quite proficient in reading medical reports. "Her body has a stress response toward the abrupt rise in body temperature. Aside from a slightly higher white blood cell count, everything else is normal. I can only conclude that she has amon cold," Dr. ke said, a lot more confident now that he had the report. Did you say something about pneumonia?" Luke asked. Before he came to the hospital, the doctor had told him that Bianca''s condition might turn into pneumonia. "If her body temperature continues to rise and fall, there''s a chance that it might develop into pneumonia." Dr. ke replied. Queenie was worried when she heard that. "What should we do, Doctor?" All we can do now is to lower her body temperature by physical means. I''ll adjust her next dose of medication," Dr. ke replied. Bianca''s temperature had only decreased by a little more than one degree after more than two hours. It was time to use something stronger. "Alright, thank you," Queenie said, still worried. When she saw the caretaker using the towel to wipe Bianca''s forehead, she walked over and said, "Let me do it." The caretaker nodded and handed her the towel. Queenie carefully took care of Bianca and said softly. "I didn''t expect that it''s only themon cold. She''s too frail." Dr. ke felt a little embarrassed when he heard that. He was quite sure that Bianca was suffering from viral fever, but he did not expect that it was only the common cold. "Take her temperature every ten minutes," Dr. ke told the nurse. "Let me know immediately if her temperature rises." "Yes, Doctor," the nurse nodded and replied, though she was not too happy about it. She had been assigned to a double shift at thest minute, and her next shift would start soon. She was extremely tired, but she could notin. Luke sat down, took photos of the report, and sent it to Johann. Soon, he received a reply. [Everything seems normal except the white blood cell count. How''s her temperature?] "What does Dr. Park say?" Jack noticed that Luke was taking photos of the report, so he knew that Luke was asking Johann about Bianca''s condition. Everything is normal," Luke replied while typing his next reply. A whileter, he received a message from Johann. [Is theb mistaken? That''s not her blood type.] Chapter 1243 Chapter 1243 The Woman Is An Impostor Luke flipped to the front page of the report again. It was written there that the subject had B-type blood. He remembered very clearly that Bianca had O-type blood. Luke was about to head out of the room to find Dr. ke, but the doctor hastily came into the room with some equipment. "Sorry, Mr. Crawford, the people in theb might have made a mistake. I''ll schedule another test right now," the doctor said while shooting the nurse behind him a nce. Johann had told him that the blood types did not match. Dr. ke immediately checked Bianca''s files and found out that she had 0- type blood. He immediately gave a call to theboratory, but the technicians insisted that they did not mix up the samples. After all, there was only one sample sent to theb that night, and there was no chance that they had mixed it up with another sample. Dr. ke had no other choice than to schedule another blood test. The nurse stepped forward and prepared to take Bianca''s blood. Jack and Queenie were wondering what was going on. They asked, "Why do you need another blood sample?" Before Dr. ke could answer, Luke said, "There might be a few more tests. Isn''t that so, Dr. ke?" Dr. ke was slightly confused. If Johann had read Bianca''s test report, Luke must have been the one to send it to him. If Luke knew the reason why they needed another test, why did he ask the doctor about exactly that? The doctor could only nod and say, "Yes." Queenie nodded. She put away the towel and ced her hand on Bianca''s forehead. It was still as hot as ever. The nurse took another blood sample and quickly left the room. "How long will this take?" Luke asked. "Only ten minutes. We''re only running a simple test. I''ll be back soon," Dr. ke replied. If theb technicians insisted that they did not mix up the samples, all he had to do was confirm the blood type of the sample, and it would not take too long. "I''ll go with you." Luke walked up to the door and turned around to speak to his inws, "Dad, Mom, I''ll go with Dr. ke for a while. Please take care of Bea in the meantime." "Alright, go then." Queenie nodded. She wrung the towel and ced it on Bianca''s forehead again. Luke went to Dr. ke''s office and sat down inside. This was A City''s best hospital, and he could not believe that they made such a silly mistake. He had to sit there and confirm the results with his eyes. His suspicion grew when he heard that the blood types did not match. Was that the reason why Bianca had refused to give a blood sample? If the blood types did not match, the woman in the room was not the woman that Luke loved. It would also mean that the DNA test results were fabricated... The more Luke thought about it, the more he thought there was someone behind the scenes controlling everything.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Ten minutester, the nurse came to the office with the test results. "Dr. ke, the patient''s blood type is indeed B. Could Dr. Park have been mistaken?" Dr. ke realized that something was amiss when he browsed through the report. Someone with B- type blood could not have O-type blood. Moreover, Bianca had had her blood sample taken at the hospital multiple times, and the blood test could not have been wrong everytime. Alright. You can go, and close the door behind you," Dr. ke said. The nurse nodded, left the office, and closed the door. Dr. ke handed the test report to Luke, knowing that he must have guessed something. "It''s indeed B-type blood, Mr. Crawford." Luke took the report, nced at it, and stood up abruptly. "Could something have changed her blood type?" "There is a chance that a bone marrow recipient might experience certain alterations to their DNA, and such cases have been documented in other countries. There hasn''t been a precedent that a patient''s blood type would change though," Dr. ke replied. Luke sank deep into thought. Without performing another DNA test, he could tell that the woman was not the real Bianca. The woman unconscious on the bed was only someone who looked identical to Bianca. She could not mimic the real Bianca''s personality, so she had used memory loss as an excuse. Someone had been manipting him for the past three years. "Don''t let anyone else know about it," Luke said, trusting that Dr. ke knew what could be said and what could not. "Yes!" Luke put the report in his pocket and returned to Bianca''s room. When Queenie saw Luke, she asked him nervously, "How is it?" "Everything is normal," Luke answered as he looked at the faint scar on the woman''s neck. The scar was already on her neck when he first discovered her. After two years of scar removal treatments, the scar was quite faint, but a trace of it remained. The injury to her throat had ruined her voice. In addition to her im of memory loss, everyone treated her as Bianca. As for the DNA test report, only someone powerful and influential could have swapped the DNA samples. It also meant that said person had ess to the real Bianca''s DNA samples. Luke was sure that the woman in front of him was an impostor, and he did not know where the real Bianca was. "Normal..." Queenie could tell that there was something amiss. "What''s wrong, Luke?" "It''s nothing." Luke turned his gaze away from the woman on the bed. He did not want to expose the woman''s lies now. First, he had to know where the real Bianca was. He could tell that the mastermind was holding Bianca hostage somewhere. Even though he was furious, he did not lose his temper in front of his inws. Queenie could tell that Luke was hiding something. She exchanged nces with Jack. Jack shook his head, indicating that she should trust Luke. If there was something that Luke did not tell them, there must be a reason behind it. Queenie could only continue to take care of Bianca. The nurse came in with a syringe. While sterilizing a patch of skin on Bianca''s arm, she said, ¡®Dr. ke adjusted the dosage of the medication. Her fever should soon subside." "Alright." Queenie continued to frown as she watched the saline drip into Bianca''s veins. The sky was already bright by now. Luke said, "Dad, Mom, I''ll take care of Bea after this. You haven''t slept the whole night, so you should go home and rest." Queenie sighed and said, "How can I sleep when Bea is so ill? You should go home. I''ll take care of Bea here." Seeing that his inws did not want to leave, Luke shook his head and sat down on the couch. In a while, the Crawford family cook came to deliver breakfast. She looked at Bianca on the bed, then turned to speak to Luke. "Sir, It''s Carnival Day at Tommy''s kindergarten today, and..." Chapter 1244 Chapter 1244 Carnival Day Carnival Day was an event at Tommy''s kindergarten that encouraged the students'' parents to join in. However, Bianca was horribly ill, and Luke did not look like he was free either. "I''ll go," Luke said. He had promised Tommy that he would be joining him during Carnival Day. "Dad, Mom, the caretaker can take care of Bianca. I''ll send the two of you home." Thinking that his inws did not sleep, he was not going to let them drive home themselves. "I should stay in the hospital to take care of Bea." Queenie shook her head, not relieved that Bianca''s condition had not gotten better yet. Jack also said, "Right. We should stay here. You should go to Tommy''s school, Luke." Luke did not insist on sending them home. When the morning shift caretaker came into the room, Luke gave her some orders before he left the hospital. The driver must have sent Tommy to his kindergarten, so he drove there directly. The event was about to begin when Luke arrived. The teachers waiting at the front gate were surprised when they saw Luke arrive. They went up to him and greeted him with a smile. "Wee to Carnival Day, Mr. Crawford. This way, please." Luke nodded and followed the teacher inside. All the students in the kindergarten came from wealthy families. As Luke walked past the crowd, he noticed that most of the adults there were not the parents of the children. Judging from their clothes, Luke could tell that they were caretakers of the children. There were very few parents at the event. Tommy noticed Luke from afar. He scampered toward Luke and hugged his thigh. "You''re here, Daddy! I almost thought that you weren''ting." Tommy was truly surprised. When he woke up earlier that morning, he found out that his father had gone to the hospital. Luke was not back home by the time Tommy finished his breakfast, and the boy had thought that he would be at the event by himself. "I''ve promised you that I''lle." Luke took Tommy''s hand. "Where''s your stall?" Luke had been ying the role of both parents to the children ever since Bianca was abducted. Even though he was reunited with the impostor Bianca, the children did not receive much motherly love from her. He did not spend much time with them, but it did not mean that he neglected them. "Over there!" Tommy pointed at his stall. Sean had helped him decorate it, while the cook at home had prepared the food. Let''s go." Luke nodded and led his son there. The teachers were envious when they saw that. "That''s rare." "What''s rare?" The kindergarten principal happened to overhear that. The teacher pointed at Tommy''s stall. "Ma''am, most of the children heree with their caretakers instead of their parents. It''s rare that someone as busy as Mr. Crawford would spend his time here with his child. I can tell that he really loves his son." The teacher had been working in the kindergarten for several years. Many parents said that they loved their children, but not many put their words into action. During Carnival Day or parent-teacher conferences, she would usually the childrening to the kindergarten with their caretakers or their grandparents. Whenever she asked them where their parents were, the answers were usually the same - they were busy at work or on a business trip. "That''s Mr. Crawford''s youngest son. Mrs. Crawford had given birth to the child when everyone thought that Mr. Crawford had died overseas. It was a terrible ordeal for the family, and Mr. Crawford adores the child very much. " The kindergarten principal was an A City local, so she remembered what happened five years ago. No wonder. Tommy is so lucky," the teacher said. The principal shook her head and said, "Alright, let''s get ready. The carnival is about to start." "Yes, Ma''am." The teacher went away to greet other parents. When Luke stood in front of the stall, he became an instant attraction. Many people were staring at him, but his gaze remained cold. "So many people are looking at you, Daddy," Tommy eximed. Luke patted his son''s head. Even though he did not sleep, he was used to working through the night, and he did not feel sleepy at all. "What does your stall have?" "Snacks!" Tommy said as he removed the lid from the food container." Mrs. Nancy prepared mini corn dogs and nougat bars for me. Do you want to try one?" "Mm." Luke picked up a corndog and took a bite. "Is it delicious?" Tommy asked him. Not bad," Luke replied. He knew that he could trust the cook''s culinary skills. Tommy grinned and said, "I bet Ms. Luca can make something better." Luke noticed that Tommy genuinely liked Luca. The boy would always slip her name into the conversation. Daddy, may I go to Ms. Luca''s house to have dinner more often?" Tommy might as well begin negotiating with him. Luke agreed that Luca made delicious food, but the food back at Crawford Manor was not bad either. Why was Tommy so fond of Luca? May I, Daddy?" Seeing that Luke did not answer the question, Tommy repeated again. "You shouldn''t bother her." Luke shook his head. "But I like Ms. Luca, and Ms. Luca likes me. She doesn¡¯t think that I''m bothering him at all. How about this, if Ms. Luca agrees to it, then you''ll have to let me go there, okay?" Tommy said. ''Alright then." Lukepromised. His son did not notice it, but he could tell that Luca did not wee him at her apartment. He was quite sure that Luca would not agree to it. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org "Yay! You''ve been neglecting ustely, Daddy. I''ll bring Lanie and Rainie to Ms. Luca''s apartment to have dinner too." Tommy pped his hands excitedly. "How have I been neglecting you?" When Luke heard Tommy''sint, he stuffed the rest of the corn dog into his mouth, then sat down on the stool so that he was at Tommy¡¯s eye level. "Isn''t Mommy in the hospital? You''re taking care of her, aren¡¯t you?" Tommy picked up a nougat bar and took a bite. When Tommy mentioned his mother, there was no concern or worry at all. Previously, Luke thought that the children drifted apart from Bianca because she had lost her memories. He finally realized that the impostor Bianca was not their mother at all. No wonder the children did not want to be close to her. Even though Tommy would reluctantly call her "Mommy" sometimes, Luke could tell that there was no intimacy in the boy¡¯s tone. Luke patted Tommy''s head. Before Tommy could say anything more, he was interrupted by the principal''s announcement that the carnival had begun. Tommy''s stall was very popr. The corndogs and nougat bars were soon sold out. Chapter 1245 Chapter 1245 Bianca Cannot Die Tommy looked at the pile of coins in his money box. The money was to be donated to a rural school, but he was not happy because there were no snacks left. He nced at the other stalls. None of the other stalls were as popr as his. Tommy pulled Luke''s pants and pointed at the stall next to his. "I want some cupcakes from that stall, Daddy." That reminded Luke of Luca¡¯s cupcakes. They were indeed very delicious. "Alright." Luke packed up the money box, then led Tommy to the cupcake stall. The stall was manned by a little girl and her mother. When the young mother saw Luke walking toward her, her heart began to beat faster. She had noticed him earlier, but she managed to resist the urge to chat up with him. She did not expect that he would bring his son over to his stall. "What would you like, little buddy?" The woman asked Tommy, though her gaze was transfixed on Luke. Two cupcakes please, Ma''am," Tommy said while gulping as he gawked at the golden cupcakes. "Coming right up. Lydia, pack up two cupcakes for the charming man and the handsome little boy, please," the woman said. The little girl named Lydia packed two cupcakes in a box and handed it to Tommy. Luke took out a hundred-dor bill and handed it to the woman. "I don''t have change for that..." the woman said awkwardly. "Keep the change." Luke was about to leave with Tommy when he heard the woman say, "No, I can''t do that. How about this, I''ll find some way to break it up for you..." "It''s for charity." After Luke said that, he heard Tommy say, "Mm, it''s not as nice as the ones that Ms. Luca makes." When the little girl heard that, she immediately retorted. "You''re lying! My Mommy''s cupcakes are the best. Everyone loves them!" Tommy turned his head and looked at Luke. "I still think Ms. Luca''s cupcakes are better, Daddy." "My Mommy¡¯s cupcakes are better!" The little girl was still trying to speak up for her mother. The little girl''s mother felt somewhat embarrassed. "Alright Lydia, it''s fine." Luke led Tommy to another stall. The woman was infatuated by Luke¡¯s appearance, though the little girl remained indignant. "Your cupcakes are the best, Mommy. They don''t know how to appreciate it." The woman smiled and patted the little girls'' head. "I know that. Right, Lydia, is the little boy in your ss?" "Yes!" Lydia pulled a funny face in Tommy''s direction. "Oh? What''s his name?" The woman had newly arrived at A City, and she was not familiar with many things. "The teacher calls him Tommy. Mommy, I don''t like him at all. The teachers all like him and not me. He''s a doo-doo head." Lydia was used to being showered with attention in her previous kindergarten, and she realized that the teachers in her current kindergarten all adored Tommy. That was why she hated him. "Tommy? Is that short for Thomas?" The woman asked. "I don''t know. That''s what everyone calls him!" Lydia said with a frown. "Is he from a single-parent family?" The woman asked. She only turned her head away after Luke disappeared among the crowd. "What''s a single-parent family, Mommy?" Lydia did not understand. "Just like us. You don¡¯t have a Daddy. Mm, does Tommy have a Mommy?" The woman was not afraid to voice her thoughts. The woman was newly divorced, and she had used the money from the divorce settlement to move to A City and enroll her daughter at the kindergarten. "I don''t know. I''ve never seen his Mommy before." Lydia shook her head. The woman smiled. As far as she knew, such events were either attended by both a child''s parents or their caretakers. If Luke attended the event by himself, and Lydia had not met Tommy''s mother before, could that mean... "I''d like two cupcakes, please," a child''s voice interrupted the woman''s thoughts. She came to her senses and gave the child a box of two cupcakes. The carnival ended at noon, and the students did not have to go to ss after. Luke brought Tommy to the hospital. "Why are we here, Daddy?" Tommy did not understand. "We''re here to visit your Mommy." Luke did not n to tell the children about his discovery. After all, they were still young, and they should not know about it.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Moreover, the fewer people knew about it, the better. "Oh." Tommy nodded. He did not seem too perturbed. Luke brought Tommy into Bianca''s room, and Queenie smiled when she saw them. "Why did you bring Tommy here? There are so many germs at the hospital." "Tommy''s kindergarten is off today, so I brought him along with me," Luke exined. "I''ve raised a lot of money at Carnival Day today, Grandma. Look, my teacher gave me a sticker!" Tommy pointed at the sticker on his shirt. Tommy''s stall sold out the fastest and raised the most money. "That''s amazing, Tommy!" Queenie praised. Luke nced at Bianca on the bed. Her face was still red, and her condition had probably not improved. "How is Bea?" He asked. "After the new dosage, her temperature went down by one degree." Queenie seemed sad when Luke mentioned Bianca. Bianca''s condition had only improved slightly. How could anyone bear the constant torment from the fever? Queenie continued, "I''ve overheard the conversation between the nurses earlier. They said that if Bea''s condition doesn''t improve, it might worsen into pneumonia." Luke was silent. "I''d rather not trouble Luca, but if this goes on... Can''t we ask her toe here and check on Bea just once?" Queenie said. She did not want to bother Luca, but she was desperate for Bianca to recover. Luke thought for a while and nodded. "I''ll go and make a call." "Alright." Queenie smiled when Luke agreed. She thought that Bianca would be cured once Luca was here. Luke left the room. He agreed to make the call because he hoped that Bianca would be safe. The impostor Bianca was his only lead for now, so she could not die just yet. He had to find out who the mastermind behind the plot was. Also, he wanted to find the whereabouts of the real Bianca. Luke leaned against the wall, took out his phone, and gave Luca a call. Chapter 1246 Chapter 1246 She Knew Luke Too Well Luca was in the middle of performing an experiment when her phone began to ring. She was surprised when she saw the familiar string of numbers on her screen, but she did not immediately answer it. She did not save Luke''s number on her phone, but she had memorized those numbers well. Luca had ced her phone between her and Rhett earlier. Rhett nced at the vibrating phone and asked, "Dr. Craw, aren''t you answering the call?" Luca came to her senses. She took the phone and told him," I''ll go and answer the call. Please help me record the data." "Yes." Rhett nodded. Luca left the room and answered the call. "Mr. Crawford." "Are you at thepany now, Dr. Craw?" Luke hated to admit that Luca''s gentle, wispy, and slightly raspy voice was very alluring. "Yes," Luca told him candidly. "Sean is going over to pick you up. He''ll be there in fifteen minutes. I''d hate to bother you, but I need you at the hospital, " Luke said. Luca frowned slightly when she heard that. He had rarely used that tone to speak to anyone. "Is there anything, Mr. Crawford?" Luke was silent for a few seconds. He wanted to say "My wife is ill." but he found it hard to call the woman on the bed his wife. "We''ll talk at the hospital," he said. "Alright." Luca sighed after ending the call. She had expected something like that would happen after she saved Queenie. She did not expect that it would happen so soon, and she did not have the right to refuse. There were not many people that could evoke this level of concern in Luke. Luca wondered who that person was. Suddenly, she remembered that Tommy had told her that Bianca was ill. ''It must be her, right?¡¯ She thought. Only Bianca could make Luke stoop to ask for help from others. Luca put her phone back into her pocket and headed back to theboratory. Rhett was focusing on recording the data from the experiment. "Make regr observations for the next two hours and record all forms of the virus. Two hourster, deep-freeze the specimens, tabte the data, and give it to me when I return." Rhett nodded and remembered what she said. "Are you going somewhere, Dr. Craw?" "Mm. I need to go to the hospital for a bit." Luca returned to her table and filled up a written request for leave. Even though her boss was the one who asked her to go to the hospital, she had to go through the regr procedure. She did not want Cole to think that something was going on between her and Luke. Luca handed in the request after writing it. Cole approved her leave without asking too many questions. He did not mind that Luca was stepping away from her work. After all, Luca was a strongpetitor in this period. If she had fewer research hours, then he had a higher chance of winning a spot. After receiving Cole''s approval, Luca returned to her office and packed her handbag. Soon, she received a call. She heard Sean speaking over the phone. "Ms. Craw, I am the driver. I''m waiting for you downstairs." "Alright. I''m going down now," Luca said. She picked up her handbag, went downstairs, and saw Sean''s car parked at the roadside. She went over, opened the door, and sat inside. Sean started the car and drove away. While Luca watched the scenery outside the window, she asked, "Is Mrs. Crawford ill?" Sean smiled. "I''ve heard that she has a high fever. Did Mr. Crawford tell you about it?" "He didn''t say anything, but I can guess it," Luca said nonchntly. She asked him only to confirm that it was indeed Bianca who had fallen ill. "Good guess," Sean said. Luca did not say anything. To be frank, it was not much of a guess. She knew Luke''s character too well. Soon, the car arrived at the hospital. The pungent smell of antiseptic assaulted her nose, and she could not help but frown. "Ms. Craw, Mrs. Crawford is at the VIP ward. This way, please." Sean led the way. Luca followed him and did not say anything. When she entered the room, Tommy ran over, hugged her, and said sweetly, "Why are you here, Ms. Luca?" Luca felt a little better after seeing the little boy''s smile. "I have some business here. Why aren''t you in school?" "We have the day off. It''s Carnival Day today," Tommy said as he clung to her. All the adults in the room other than Luke were surprised to see that. Why was Tommy so close to Luca? For a brief moment, they had even thought that Luca was Tommy''s birth mother. "You''re here, Luca," Queenie said. Luca could tell from her bloodshot eyes that she had stayed up through the night. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Norman." Luca nodded. She could not bear to see Queenie exhausted like that. She nced at Jack, and eventually, her gaze fell on luke. All of them hadn''t slept...'' Queenie held Luca''s hand and said, "We wouldn''t have bothered you if we didn''t have any other choice. My daughter is sick, Luca. Can you see if you can do something about it?" Luca¡¯s gaze fell on Bianca¡¯s face. Her cheeks were red, and her lips were pale and cracked... It looked like she was suffering from a high fever. Luca knew that the impostor Bianca must have taken the poison before she left the ind. The poison had a side effect of strengthening their physique, so how could she fall so ill? "Let me take a look." Luca patted Tommy''s head and went to the side of the bed to look at Bianca. "How long has it been?" She asked. "She had a mild fever since eleven o''clockst night, and the temperature continued to increase," the nurse said. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Luca touched Bianca''s forehead with her hand. It was quite hot. "This must be at least 102 degrees." "Her temperature was 102.4 degrees ten minutes ago. It''s only two degrees lower than the night before." The nurse was quite impressed that Luca could urately tell Bianca''s body temperature only based on touch. Luca did not say anything. She sat down on a chair and took Bianca''s pulse. Bianca''s pulse was steady, as though she was not ill at all. However, her body exhibited all the physical symptoms of a high fever. "Have you tested her blood?" Luca asked. "Yes. We''ve conducted aprehensive blood test, but we didn''t find anything. Everything is normal except for a slightly elevated white blood cell count," the nurse replied. At the same time, Luke handed the blood test report to Luca. She browsed through it briefly and could guess what had happened. Bianca''s constitution should have been tougher. The only exnation was that she had made herself sick. "If regr medication isn''t working on her, I''d like to try acupuncture as an alternative treatment. You can leave the room for now,¡¯ Luca said. "I''ve never heard of using acupuncture to treat a fever." The nurse looked at Luca suspiciously. Chapter 1247 Chapter 1247 None of Your Business! Luca did not exin herself. Instead, she said, "I don''t have my acupuncture needles with me. Can you find me a set?" The nurse looked at the patient''s family. None of them had any objections, as though they trusted that womanpletely. On the other hand, they seemed to have ignored her question. "Are you sure that you want to perform acupuncture on the patient?" The nurse asked again. "Yes.¡± Luca nodded and pulled her hand away. Seeing that no one raised any objections, the nurse left the room. Tommy walked upto Luca and asked her softly, "Ms. Luca, can you make Mommy well again?" Luca patted the boy''s head but said nothing. If her guess was correct, no one could make Bianca well again. Bianca should have taken a drug that had no antidote. Shanks had discovered the properties of the drug when he was teaching medicine to Luca. He did not find an antidote for it because it was not lethal. Luca knew that Bianca''s condition would continue to deteriorate, but she would fully recover in a month. In the meantime, no amount of medication could possibly cure her. What Luca could only do now was to verify her guess with Bianca. For that to happen, she had to wake Bianca up first. Tommy did not seem too worried when he failed to get an answer from Luca. Instead, he asked, "Ms. Luca, are you busytely?" "Not very. Why?" Luca looked at the boy lovingly. She could tell that the boy genuinely liked her. "I want to visit your house," Tommy said with a smile. Instinctively, Luca shot a nce at Luke. She thought that she saw him look away for a brief moment when he had been looking at her earlier. "Be a good boy ande to Grandma, Tommy." Queenie was quite surprised that Tommy was so close to Luca. Tommy shook his head. He wanted to stay by Luca''s side. Just when Queenie wanted to tell Tommy not to bother Luca, the nurse returned with a box in her hands. "Let me know if this works for you. Do you need anything else?" The nurse asked. She had to make a few calls to different departments to find the needles. "This''ll do," Luca said after a brief check. "I need to be alone with the patient. Can you leave the room for a while?" Queenie understood that Luca would have to take off Bianca''s clothes for the treatment, and the sight of someone being pierced with needles might be traumatic to Tommy. She said, "I''m her mother, Luca. Can I stay here?" "I''m afraid that you''ll distract me, Mrs. Norman. Maybe you can wait outside. I''ll be done in fifteen minutes," Luca insisted. After Bianca woke up, she had many questions to ask her. Luke came over, took Tommy''s hand, and led him out of the room. He had many questions about Luca''s background, but he fully trusted her when it came to treating Bianca. "Well be outside." Luca could not help but smile wryly when she heard that. Was that supposed to be a warning? After Luke and Tommy left the room, the other people followed them. The nurse asked, "Should I stay back to help you?" "There''s no need." Luca opened a bottle of alcohol and prepared to sterilize the needles. "Please close the door on your way out." The nurse nodded and left the room, though she was quite surprised that Luke would allow a stranger to attempt to treat his wife using alternative means. After everyone else left, Luca took a needle, sterilized it, and inserted it into a certain point on Bianca''s forehead. The unconscious woman twitched an eyebrow involuntarily. Luca sterilized a second needle and inserted it in another spot. Three secondster, Bianca slowly opened her eyes. She frowned as she looked at the woman sitting next to her, but she grimaced in pain. "Why are you here?" She could tell that she was still in the hospital, but she did not know why Luca had suddenly appeared there. "Luke Crawford asked me toe," Luca reached out and removed the needles on Bianca''s forehead. "Go away." Bianca did not attempt to mask her hatred toward Luca. She became even more agitated when she heard that Luke was the one who brought Luca here. "He asked me toe to check on you because you had the fever for a very long time. Also, don''t be too agitated. The room might be well-insted, but I don''t think you want them to hear our conversation." Luca tossed the used needles into the trash can. She remembered what she had said earlier and tossed the other unused needles into the trash can as well. Bianca spoke a lot more softly after that. "I don''t need your help." She knew the condition of her illness very well. She would recover fully in a month without needing any medication. "Of course. You also know that you''ll recover in a month without any medication," Luca said calmly. From Bianca''s expression, Luca could tell that she had indeed taken the drug. Bianca was taken aback. ''Did she guess it?" "Let me guess. You''re trying to gain Luke''s attention, and you''ve fallen ill because you''ve taken Shanks''s pill," Luca said candidly without beating around the bush. Bianca was feeling weak, so she could only re at Luca." So what about it? I did it because I want to complete my mission." "You''re going to be ill for one month in exchange for his attention. Do you think that''s worth it?" Luca shook his head. She could not believe that Bianca would go to such lengths toplete her mission. She guessed that Bianca must have fallen in love with Luke. "That''s none of your business!" Bianca was embarrassed after Luc correctly guessed her thoughts.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Luca nced at the door. "They''re right outside. You can be louder and tell them what they need to know." Bianca gripped the bed sheets tightly and spoke in a low voice. "I know that you have a mission too. Just mind your own business and do your job." Luca nodded. "I am doing my job. By the way, how did you get your hands on that pill?" "I wouldn''t have gotten it if Boss didn''t give it to me, right?" Bianca said. Even though Abel had not handed her the pill directly, he had given it to someone to give it to her. Luca nodded. "How many pills did you take?" "None of your business!" Bianca red at Luca. She knew that she was not going to die, so she had no obligation to answer Luca''s questions. "Do you actually think that you won''t die from the drug? Overdosing it without an antidote can be fatal. Your body is now developing a resistance to the drug. You''d better tell me if you don''t want your brain to melt into goo." Luca was not lying to her. The regr medication would be able to suppress the effects of the drug if Bianca had taken the regr dose. From Bianca''s situation, Luca could tell that normal medication had no effect on the drug. "I..." Bianca wanted to speak but stopped just as soon as she spoke. "You''re only scaring me." "Your fever hasn''t gotten any better sincest night, and it''s going to get worse." Luca decided to give her onest warning. Chapter 1248 Chapter 1248 Luca Should Have Been the Outsider Bianca could also sense the situation she had put herself in. At the moment, she was clearly lucid, but her body was ufortably hot. "I took one pill," she said. Luca blinked, though her expression did not change. "That''s too much. You can only take half a pill at most." "You''re lying." Bianca did not believe her. She thought that Luca was only trying to scare her. "I guess the person who gave you the pill didn''t tell you the proper instructions, or you might have missed it." Luca stood up and walked toward the door. Bianca tried to recall what she was told when she was given the pill, but her head was spinning, and she could not remember anything at all. She wanted to ask more probing questions, but Luca had already left the room. "Mrs. Crawford is awake," she told the people waiting outside of the room. Bianca watched Luke walking into the room while holding Tommy''s hand. Behind him, Queenie, Jack, the caretaker, and the nurse also followed. She could only swallow the words that were on the tip of her tongue. "Bianca, are you awake? Let me look at you." Queenie quickly walked over to the bed. She started tearing up when she saw Bianca sitting weakly over there. "How are you feeling now, Bea?" Bianca remembered what she had told the nurse before she fell asleep the night before. Even though she felt intensely ufortable, she said, "I don''t feel too well, Mom..." Queenie became flustered when she heard that. She turned around and looked at Luca. "What should we do now, Luca?" Luca looked at Bianca resentfully. She had brought this upon herself, and she still wanted Queenie to worry about her. "I¡¯ve read the medical report, and I can safely say that it''s just themon cold. Just take good care of her, and she''ll be fine," she said. Even though Bianca was feeling groggy, her eyes widened when she heard Luca mention the medical report. "What medical report?" She asked. Queenie exined, "You had a high fever the night before, and the temperature won''te down. The doctor took a blood sample, ran some tests, and found that everything is normal. Don''t worry." Bianca shuddered involuntarily when she heard that her blood was taken. She looked at Luke. "Luke..." ''Could he have discovered something?'' Luke noticed the anxiety in her eyes. He said, "The report shows that there''s nothing wrong with you. You''ll be fine." Bianca felt slightly relieved when she noticed that there was nothing unusual about Luke''s expression or tone of voice." I''ve already told you that there''s nothing wrong with me. It''s just themon cold. I don''t really need any tests." When the nurse heard that, she could not help but think, ''If you''re so smart, why don''t you stay at home and treat yourself? Why do you have toe here, and all of us have to bend to your whims?'' Queenie ced her hand on Bianca''s forehead and found that it was still shockingly hot. "What should Bea do now, Luca? The medication that the doctor gave her isn''t working at all." "She''s probably building an immunity to the drug. That''s normal, considering that Mrs. Crawford has a weak constitution. If I prescribe her a herbal concoction, I believe that she will eventually recover," Luca said, i When Bianca heard that, she asked, "Can you at least lower my body temperature?" She was afraid that the fever would cause permanent problems. Luca nodded and said, "I''ll try my best." She sat down on the couch and began to type a note on her phone. It was a herbal concoction. There was no antidote to the drug that Bianca took. Luca could only prescribe a herbal concoction to suppress the effects of the drug and lower her body temperature. A whileter, Luca took out a piece of note paper and a pen from her handbag. She copied the contents of the screen on the note paper and handed it to the nurse. "Here''s the prescription. Get the herb and pack them into daily portions." "Uh..." The nurse hesitated and did not take the note paper. "What''s wrong?" Luca frowned. "You''re not a doctor at this hospital, so we can''t ept your prescription." The nurse nced at what Luca wrote on the note paper. Many of the herbs were utterly unfamiliar to her. After all, one would not find herbs in a hospital''s dispensary. Luca thought that what the nurse said made sense. Queenie took the note paper from Luca''s hand and said, "I''ll go and get them from somewhere else, then I''lle back after I''ve prepared the concoction." She did not question Luca''s prescription, thinking that Luca would not deliberately harm Bianca. Putting it in other words, Queenie did not think Luca would deliberately harm anyone. Now that Luca''s job was done, she did not care about what other people were going to do to Bianca. She looked at Luke and said, "Mr. Crawford, if there''s nothing else, I''d like to return to work." Luca was not a doctor, nor was she a caretaker of the Crawford family. Luke had no right to detain her, so he nodded and said, "I¡¯ll get Sean to send you there." "It''s fine. I''ll catch a cab," Luca refused. When Tommy heard that Luca was going to leave, he quickly grabbed her hand and said, "Are you leaving, Ms. Luca? Can Ie along with you? I won''t disturb your work." Luca smiled and patted the boy''s head. "I cant bring you along. I''ll be very busy." "Ms. Luca..." Tommy was still trying to convince her. "Tommy," Luke called out to his son. Tommy reluctantly let go of Luca so that she could leave. After Luca left, Tommy looked at his father resentfully. "It''s not like you have time to take care of me anyway. Why don''t you let me go with Ms. Luca?" "She needs to work," Luke said sternly. Tommy pouted unhappily. Queenie could not bear to see her grandson looking so aggrieved. She said to Tommy, "Are you bored staying in the hospital? Come, let me bring you out for a walk." "Yes, Grandma." Tommy did not want to stay in the hospital for a moment longer. Queenie said, "I''ll go to the pharmacy to get the herbs, then I''ll go home and prepare it beforeing back." "Mm." Luke watched his inws leave before sitting on the couch. Bianca burned with jealousy when she witnessed the interaction. Luca should have been the outsider, but she was closer to her husband and parents than her! Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Looking at how Tommy clung to Luca, other people might think that Luca was Tommy''s mother! Then, there was Luke... Even though he had kept his distance from Luca, Bianca could still sense that his eyes were gazing at Luca more than half of the time! Bianca gripped the bed sheets tightly, the physical difort of her body exacerbated by the jealousy in her heart. The caretaker noticed Bianca''s difort. "Are you okay, Madam? Do you want to drink some water?" "No!" Bianca refused even though her lips were cracked. The nurse said, "Mrs. Crawford, you should drink more water now. The fever has caused you to be dehydrated." Chapter 1249 Chapter 1249 Choosing to Trust Her Bianca red at the nurse. When she was about to speak, Luke spoke first. "Give her some water." "Yes." The caretaker deftly poured a ss of water, put a straw in the cup, and brought it next to Bianca''s mouth." Please drink some water, Madam." Bianca red at the nurse, though she had no choice but to drink from the straw because Luke had given her the order. Two hourster, Queenie returned to the hospital with the concoction. Bianca did not want to drink it. After all, it was Luca''s prescription. However, she remembered what Luca had told her. Fearing that her brain might melt if the fever persisted, she hesitated for a while when the caretaker brought the straw close to her mouth, but eventually, she took the sk and finished it all. Half an hourter, Bianca''s body temperature began to drop. The nurse read the thermometer. "Your temperature now is 99.5 degrees." Queenie was overjoyed. "I knew that Luca was capable. The concoction worked in half an hour." Bianca could not bear Queenie referring to Luca by her first name. "It might be the hospital medication taking effect too." Queenie did not really care about Bianca''s jealous words. She sat down on the bed and patted Bianca''s hand. "In any case, I''m d that your temperature is down." i Bianca felt a lot better after her fever subsided. She nced at Luke, who was sitting on the couch, and said, "I don''t want to stay in the hospital anymore, Luke. Can you get me discharged?" Luke frowned when he heard that. "The doctor said that he needs to observe your condition." "I''m already feeling much better," Bianca said after touching her forehead. "See, it''s not hot anymore." She was worried that her fever might return, and the doctor would have to take another blood sample. Even if Luke did not discover anything, she could not guarantee that he would not discover anything in the future. She could not afford to take that risk. "Stay here for two more days," Luke said insistently. "But..." Bianca was prepared to put on her puppy eyes when Jack said sternly, "Bea, listen to Luke and the doctor. You also heard what the doctor said earlier, didn''t you? Just stay here for two more days." Queenie also tried to convince her. "Yes, Bea. The doctor wants to stay here because it''ll be good for you. If you feel bored, I''lle and apany you every day." Bianca realized that she could not convince three people at the same time. She could only nod and agree to stay in the hospital for further observation. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Luke¡¯s phone began to ring, and he went to the corridor to answer it. Half a minuteter, he returned to the room and said, "Dad, Mom, I need to return to thepany to resolve an emergency. I''ll get Sean to send you two home." "Go then. You don''t have to worry about us." Queenie shook her head. She nned to stay in the hospital to apany Bianca. "You haven''t slept sincest night, Mom," Luke reminded Queenie. His inws were no longer young, and staying up would definitely take a toll on them. "I''ll go home at night. Don''t worry about me, Luke. I still feel fine." Queenie smiled knowing that Luke was concerned about her. Ever since Leia was sent overseas and Bianca had lost her memories, Luke had been taking care of the old couple. "I''ll go then. Tommy, do you want to stay here with Mommy or go to thepany with me?" Luke asked Tommy. "I''ll go with you, Daddy." Tommy did not want to stay in the hospital at all. Bianca felt dejected when she saw how Tommy had chosen to follow Luke without any hesitation. The little boy was closer to a woman who had appeared out of nowhere than her. No one would believe her if she said that Tommy was her son. She could not help but feel pressured. Luca was taking everything away from her. No, she could not let Luca seed! "What are you thinking, Bea?" Queenie asked out of concern when she saw that Bianca was deep in thought. "Nothing, Mom." Bianca came to her senses and looked at her. "Why was that Luca woman in the hospital?" "I asked her toe," Queenie said with a smile and poured a ss of hot water. Jack suddenly stood up and said, "An old colleague of mine is in the hospital. I''d like to pay him a visit." "Go then," Queenie nodded and said. She ced the ss on the bedside cab and waited for the water to cool down before feeding it to Bianca. The doctor had reminded her that Bianca should drink more water. When Bianca heard that, she said, "You shouldn''t visit your friend empty-handed, Dad. You can bring one of the fruit baskets on the table with you. It''s not like I can finish all those fruits anyway." Queenie nodded. "You''re so considerate, Bea. Listen to your daughter, Jack. It''s not polite to visit someone in the hospital empty-handed." "Alright then." Jack agreed with what Bianca said. He picked up a random fruit basket from the table and left the room. Bianca turned to look at Queenie and continued the conversation. "Mom, are you close to Luca Craw?" "I guess you can say so. Luke didn''t want to bother her, but I''m so worried when I see that you''re not getting any better. That''s why I asked Luke to look for her. You haven''t eaten anything in almost a day. Should I get you some oatmeal?" Queenie asked. Bianca shook her head. The bitter aftertaste of the herbal concoction was still in her mouth, and that made her lose her appetite. "You mean that Luke didn''t want her toe in the first ce?" She asked. That question was very important to her. If Luke had thought of inviting Luca over, it meant that Luca was important to him. It was troublesome enough that Tia was vying for Luke''s affection. She would not be able to tolerate another rival. She would have used her connections to the Ind of Despair to off Tia, if not that Tia posed her no threat. However, Luca proved time and time again that she was a real threat to Bianca''s position. What could she do? Luca was also from the Ind of Despair, and Bianca could not use her connections to get rid of her. "Yes," Queenie replied. "When I came over to the hospitalst night, I was already thinking of getting Luca toe, but Luke said not to bother her." Bianca felt slightly relieved. At least Luke was not too eager to meet Luca too often. It probably meant that Luke was trying to keep a distance from Luca. "Mom, I also don''t think we should trouble Luca," Bianca said. "Why?" Queenie was quite surprised. Bianca bit her lower lip and found a usible excuse. "I think that she''s getting dangerously close to Luke. It''s not that I don''t trust Luke, Mom, but there are so many women out there who are like that, and I don''t feel too confident of myself." Queenie sighed when she saw how aggrieved Bianca looked. In her past few interactions with Bianca, she thought that Bianca always had a different opinion. However, Bianca was her daughter, and Queenie chose to trust in her. Chapter 1250 Chapter 1250 Did He Wrongly use His Father? Queenie understood that one should not judge another by their appearance alone. Even though she had a good impression of Luca in the few times they interacted, she could understand why Bianca felt uneasy. "Don''t worry. I''ll keep an eye on Luke," Queenieforted her. She knew that Luke was not flirtatious, but many women had tried to get on his good side over the past three years. Bianca took Queenie''s hand and pretended to look grateful." You''re so nice to me, Mom." "I''m your mother, silly girl. No matter what happens, I''ll be by your side. Don''t worry. Luca is only close to me because she treated my illness. I''ll make sure that they don''t have any private affairs." Queenie patted Bianca''s head. Meanwhile, after Luke left the hospital, he sped back to T Corporation. Tommy was sitting in the backseat. He thought for a while and said, "Daddy, shouldn''t you let Ms. Luca know that her concoction works?" "Mm." Luke nodded. "Let me tell her then!" Tommy said while grinning. "Give me your phone, Daddy." Luke ignored his son. He wore his Bluetooth headset and gave Luca a call. At that moment, Luca was verifying the experiment data in theboratory. If there were no problems, she could proceed to the next stage of research. Her phone began to ring, and she answered it while keeping her eyes focused on the data table. "Hello." "Are you busy?" Luke asked. It was the first time that Luca had picked up her call so quickly. Luca''s motions paused for a split second. She was busy with her work and had forgotten to look at the call notification before answering the call. "Mm," she replied in a soft voice. Luke could sense Luca''s change in tone from friendly to distant in that singr syble, and that had frustrated him greatly. "Your concoction works. Bianca''s fever subsided." ''That''s good to know," Luca said coldly. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. The man suddenly fell silent, and Luca could hear Tommy bbering next to him. "Give me the phone, Daddy. I want to talk to Ms. Luca..." Luca took a deep breath. Even though she was only interacting with Luke through a phone call, she could feel his presence exuding immense pressure. However, she was not the Bianca from before, and she would not yield so easily. She broke the silence. "She''ll have to keep on drinking the concoction." "For how long?" Luke''s voice had also turned cold. "Until her fever goes downpletely. It should take a month," Luca said. "Okay." Lukemitted those words to memory. He was not too concerned about Bianca''s condition, but rather, he did not want anything bad to happen to her. Knowing that Luke had gotten the point, Luca suddenly felt her heart wrench. "Is there anything else, Mr. Crawford?" "That''s all," Luke said. When Tommy heard that, he immediately yelled, "There''s something else, Ms. Luca! Can Ie to your house for dinner tonight? Don''t worry, I''ll get Daddy to buy all the ingredients you need and more!" "...""..." Luca and Luke were both speechless. Tommy leaned against the front seat and asked, "Daddy, what did Ms. Luca say?" Luca had heard Tommy''s request over the phone. If only Tommy came alone, she would dly wee him. However, she knew that Luke would definitely tag along. "I have to work overtime today, so I won''t be able to take care of Tommy. Bye." "Mm," Luke replied, but Luca had already ended the call. Tommy pouted. "Daddy, what did Ms. Luca say?" "She has to work overtime today, so she can''t cook dinner for you." Luke took off the headset and drove into T Corporation''s basement parking lot. Tommy was disappointed when he heard that. "Daddy, isn''t Ms. Luca your employee? Can''t you tell her not to work overtime?" Luke did not reply. Tommy was not very happy. He wanted to say something, but Luke managed to silence him with a single sentence. "I''ll take away your tablet if you don''t behave." Without his tablet, Tommy could not have video calls with Luca. He immediately sat down quietly. Luke was satisfied by Tommy''spliance. He parked his car in his personal parking spot and got out of the car. He opened the back door, and Tommy hopped out with puffed cheeks. Luke and Tommy went up to the CEO''s office in Luke''s personal elevator. Jason greeted them. "Good afternoon, Mr. Crawford. Oh, Little Mr. Crawford is here too." In thepany, Jason would sometimes call Tommy "Little Mr. Crawford" as a joke. "We''ll have a meeting in ten minutes," Luke said. "Yes." Jason nodded. He began to tap his tablet to make preparations for the meeting. Tommy pulled his hand away from Luke. "I''m not going with Daddy!" He said. Jason could see that Tommy was angry. He joked, "Little Mr. Crawford, where are you going if you''re not following Mr. Crawford?" Tommy pointed at him. "I''ll go with you, Uncle Doyle." Luke was quite happy that someone would take care of his son for him. "I''ll leave him in your care." "Yes," Jason could only reply. He did not expect to pick up another job just because he had cracked a joke. Luke went into the CEO''s office, while Tommy went into the assistant''s office with Jason and sat down on the couch. Jason brought out a ss of milk and some cocktail sausages from the pantry and gave them to Tommy. "Why do you look so angry today, Little Mr. Crawford?" "Daddy is forcing Ms. Luca to work overtime, so I cant go to her house to have dinner," Tommy said huffily as he stuffed a sausage in his mouth. "Ms. Luca?" Jason did not understand at first. "Ms. Luca, the researcher at Watson. You know her, right?" Tommy said. Jason nodded and said, "I know her. What about it?" "It''s nothing. Ms. Luca makes very delicious food, and she''s even better than the cook at home, but Daddy wants her to work overtime... Uncle Jason, can you stop Ms. Luca from working overtime?" Tommy asked after drinking a gulp of milk. Jason finally found out the reason why Tommy seemed so aggrieved. It was because he could not eat Luca''s dinner. However, Jason did not understand how Tommy had gotten so close to Luca. "Well, I don''t think I can help you with that," Jason shook his head and said. "Your Daddy didn''t force her to work overtime. Everyone in Watson has been working extra hard, and I believe that she''s working very hard too.¡± "Are you telling me that Ms. Luca is working overtime willingly?" Tommy pulled a long face. "Yes, that should be it." Jason nodded. "Mmm, I miss Ms. Luca." Tommy seemed frustrated. If Luca had volunteered to work overtime, had he wrongly used his father? Chapter 1251 Chapter 1251 Have Some Pity On My Daddy Jason smiled wryly when he saw Tommy''s frustrated expression. He shook his head and went back to work. Five minutester, he stood up and said to Tommy, "Hey, Little Mr. Crawford, I can''t do anything if you miss Ms. Luca, but I can bring you to someone else. Do you want to go?" "Is it Madam Tina?" Tommy asked. Tommy chuckled. Luca and Tina were about the same age, but to Tommy, the former was a "Miss" while thetter was a "Madam." Tina would lose her mind if she found out about it. "Yes. I''ll need to attend a meeting with Mr. Crawford in a while. Why don''t you go to Madam Tina''s office?" Jason said. He did not want to leave the young child alone in his office. "Alright then." Even though Tommy missed Luca, he did not want to burden Jason with extra trouble. Jason took his hand, and they left the office. After handing him to Tina, he rushed to Luke''s office to remind him that the meeting was almost starting. It was already half-past nine when the meeting ended. Tina had taken good care of Tommy. She made sure that he ate dinner on time, and she also got some supper delivered. Luke officially got off work at ten o''clock. Tommy was already asleep on the couch in the secretary''s office. His heart melted when he saw Tommy sleeping soundly. Even though Tommy could be naughty at times, he was Luke''s youngest child, and Bianca had been through a lot by giving birth to the boy. That was why Tommy was very special to him. "Mr. Crawford," Tina stood up and greeted Luke when she saw him. She tried to keep her voice low so that she would not wake the sleeping child up. Luke nodded, walked over to the couch, removed the quilt that covered Tommy, and picked him up. "Thank you for your hard work. You can go home," Luke said before leaving the secretary''s office. Tommy did not wake up even though he was picked up. Instead, he snuggled into Luke''s arms. The elevator took Luke down to the basement parking lot. He carefully ced Tommy on the back seat, fastened the seatbelt on him, then removed his coat and draped it over the boy. After that, he sat in the driver¡¯s seat and started the car. Tommy was still fast asleep sitting in the backseat. In his dreams, he mumbled, "I miss you so much, Ms. Luca." Luke was surprised. He looked at his son through the rear-view mirror and realized that he was sleep- talking. He could not understand why Tommy was so fond of Luca, though he could guess that Tommy must be feeling very sad that he did not get to visit Luca today. It was not a difficult request, but Luke had failed to fulfill it. He thought for a while and turned the car around at the intersection. Half an hourter, he parked his car under Luca''s apartment. Luke sat silently in the car. He was not sure why he drove all the way there. Was it to satisfy Tommy''s wish? However, it was already sote, and Tommy was already asleep. Going there would not make Tommy happy. Moreover, by the time Tommy woke up, he would have forgotten why he was angry in the first ce. He was not worried that Tommy would bear a grudge against him. Suddenly, Luke heard a slight noiseing from the backseat. He turned around and saw that Tommy was already awake. The boy rubbed his eyes and looked at his father, "Daddy, aren''t we going home?" After knowing that Luke did not force Luca to work overtime, Tommy had stopped being angry at his father. Tommy realized that the car was not moving. He sat up, looked out of the window, and instantly recognized that they were in front of Luca''s apartment. "Daddy, are you here to visit Ms. Luca?" Tommy asked. Luke remained silent. "It must be already veryte, isn''t it? Ms. Luca is probably asleep by now. You shouldn''t disturb her, Daddy," Tommy said. Luke could see that Tommy was eager to meet Luca. He wondered who it was that had pestered him to come here in the first ce. "Let''s go home, Daddy," Tommy continued. Even though he wanted to meet Luca very much, he did not want to disturb her while she was resting. "Mm." Luke nodded and prepared to start the car. A cab stopped in front of his car, and he had to wait for it to leave. Tommy also noticed the cab. Soon, a person stepped out of the cab. Tommy''s eyes widened. "Daddy, it''s Ms. Luca! Ms. Luca isn''t asleep yet!" Luke thought that it was an incredible coincidence. Tommy unfastened his seatbelt and wanted to get out of the car. "Daddy, I want to go and say hello to Ms. Luca." Luke did not move. He had locked the car doors, and Tommy was not able to open them on his own. In his desperation, Tommy wound down the window and waved at Luca. "Over here, Ms. Luca!" Luca stopped walking. She thought that she had misheard. There was no other usible exnation for hearing Tommy''s voice at this hour. She turned around and noticed the luxury car parked behind the cab. A head poked out of the window, and she realized that she was not hallucinating. Both Luke and Tommy were there. "Ms. Luca! Ms. Luca!" Tommy waved even harder when he noticed that Luca was looking at him. He said to Luke, "I want to go out, Daddy.¡± Seeing that Luca had already turned around and was looking at them, Luke had no choice but to unlock the car doors. Tommy hopped out of the car and ran toward Luca. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Luca was not sure how to react when she lowered her head and saw that Tommy was clinging onto her leg. "It''s already sote. Why are you here?" "Daddy brought me here!" Tommy said as he looked at the man who was still sitting in the driver''s seat. Luca looked at the man in the distance. Under the dim street light, she could only see the man''s sculpted chin. The upper half of his face was shrouded in darkness. Luca could not see his eyes, but she could sense that he was looking at her. Her heart began to beat faster. A few years ago, Luke had gazed at her in the same manner. Tommy asked her, "Ms. Luca, did you just get off work?" "Mm, yes." Luca nodded and turned her head to look at the child. She patted his head and, seeing that he was only wearing a thin shirt, told him," It''s cold outside. You should get back into the car." Tommy did not let go of her. Instead, he asked, "Ms. Luca, have you had dinner?" "Not yet." Luca did not lie to the child. "What a coincidence, Ms. Luca. Daddy hasn''t eaten his dinner either. Why don''t you cook something for him?" Tommy said with a grin on his face. "Well..." She hesitated. The first thing that came into her mind was, ''Again?'' "Ms. Luca, Daddy was in a meeting since the afternoon. The only thing he ate today was a corndog at the school carnival. Have some pity on him!" Tommy tried to make the situation sound as pitiable as possible. Chapter 1252 Chapter 1252 Her Identity Was a Mystery ¡¯Did he skip lunch and dinner again?¡¯ Luca remembered the scene at the hospital earlier. She heard that he had been keeping watch in the hospital for the entire night, which meant that he probably had not eaten a proper meal since the te of spaghetti at her house the day before yesterday. Tommy noticed her hesitation. He wagged her hand. *''My Daddy has gastric problems, Ms. Luca." Right, he has gastric problems...'' Luca gently pinched Tommy''s hand and said, "I only have spaghetti, vegetables, and eggs at home, so I can''t cook something too fancy. He cane and eat if he doesn''t mind that." She sighed to herself. She could not bear to see Luke torture himself after all. ''He must be tired all these years, having to take care of thepany and the children...'' "Daddy won''t mind it at all. Your scrambled eggs are great," Tommy said with a grin. He ran back to the car and told Luke who was sitting in the driver''s seat, " Daddy, Ms. Luca promised to cook for us. Let''s go." Luke raised his eyebrows. Somehow, Luca was convinced by Tommy''s sob story. Luca watched him park the car in a parking spot and step out of the car. She did not say anything and walked toward her apartment. Tommy jogged up to Luca and took her hand. "Don''t go so fast, Ms. Luca." It was then that Luca realized that she had subconsciously walked faster, so she slowed down a little. Soon, Luke caught up to her. The street lights in the neighborhood cast long shadows on the three people. Even though the adults kept some distance from each other, their shadows looked so close together. It was as though they were a family of three. "How is Mrs. Crawford?" Luca asked, breaking the silence. "After her fever subsided, her body temperature remained constant," Luke said. He knew that Bianca''s fever had not returned because the caretaker did not call him for the entire day. "She''s not very healthy, so her fever might return some day. You should make sure that she keeps on drinking the concoction," Luca said carefully, though she felt bitter in her heart. Luke seemed to talk more when talking about Bianca. Inexplicably, he became doubtful after hearing what Luca told him. "Are you sure that it''s only the common cold?" "That''s as far as I can conclude from the test report." Luca nodded. Indeed, she could not give any other answer. She could not tell him that it was because of the drug. The chief physician had told him the same thing, but Luke somehow felt that Luca was hiding something. The three people stepped into the elevator and arrived at Luca''s house. Luca opened the door, put her handbag on the couch, and turned around to look at the man behind her. He was walking into the house, so she told him, "Sit down for a while. I''ll go and cook in the kitchen." "Ms. Luca, why not ask Daddy to help you?" Tommy said eagerly. Luca shook her head. For a while, she thought that Tommy was trying to match her with Luke. "I''m fine doing it myself. It won''t take long for me to cook something simple." She turned around and walked to the kitchen. Tommy saw Luke sitting on the couch as though he was in his own house, so he sat down beside him. "Can I discuss something with you, Daddy?" "I don''t agree," Luke said. Even though Tommy had not mentioned what it was, he could guess that it had something to do with Luca. Tommy puffed his cheeks. "I haven''t even said it!" Luke did not reply. He took out his phone and read his work emails. Tommy whispered into his ear, "Daddy, I''d like Ms. Luca to be my godmother. What do you think?" "No," Luke replied while he browsed through an email and deleted it. His tone remained the same. "Hmph!" Tommy crossed his arms and said angrily, "I''ve done so much for you, but you can''t even agree to one small request! Daddy, you old geezer!" Luke did not reply. Tommy bit his lip. He knew that there was no use changing his father''s mind once he had made a decision. He picked up the remote control, turned on the television, and raised the volume. Luke was not bothered by the loud soundsing from the television. He continued to read his emails. About half an hourter, Luca served the food on the dining table. Her heart warmed when she saw the father and son sitting on the couch. "Let''s eat." When Tommy heard that, he hopped off the couch, walked to the dining table, and took a deep whiff. "You shouldn''t be working in Daddy''spany, Ms. Luca. If you open a restaurant, I''ll go there every day." Luca smiled as she filled up a te with spaghetti and ced it across the table. That was Luke¡¯s te. She filled up a smaller te for Tommy, thinking that he must have eaten his dinner earlier. Luke came over and looked at the food she had prepared. It was only Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with sauteed vegetables and omelets, but it looked very delicious. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. It was as though the simplest ingredients could be extreme delicacies in her hands. Luke suddenly remembered that Bianca used to be able to do that. She would turn simple ingredients into delicious food so that the children would eat more. He realized that when he was with the impostor Bianca, his heart would not be fluttering like what he was experiencing now, and he would rarely reminisce about the past. However, when he was with Luca, he could not help but think of the precious Bianca. Luke lifted his head and looked at Luca. She was pouring a ss of milk... Did the woman possess some magic that evoked his past memories? Earlier, Gale had sent him an email saying that he encountered someplications while investigating Luca in Russia. He could only send Luke the information in a few days. Luca''s identity remained a mystery. Luca put the two sses of milk in front of the father and son. Tommy was already eating, but Luke had not touched his fork. His gaze was transfixed on her. Luca felt her heart skip a beat. She was easily affected by Luke''s cold and prating gaze. She remembered that he used to look at her with a gentle gaze, and that had made her very dejected. She sat down on the chair and pretended to ask, "Mr. Crawford, is there a problem with the spaghetti?" Tommy answered first, "The spaghetti is amazing, Ms. Luca." Even though Tommy did not enunciate his words clearly because he had a full mouth, Luca could understand what he said. She ced half an omelet on Tommy''s te and said, "You should eat more then." Chapter 1253 Chapter 1253 Selected "Thank you, Ms. Luca!" Tommy thanked Luca and continued eating. Luke noticed that Luca was very gentle toward Tommy. Over the past three years, he knew that many people had tried to be nice to Tommy so that they could get closer to Luke, but none of them had managed to do what Luca did. Her care toward the boy seemed to be genuine. She was not faking it at all. Luke picked up his fork and began to eat. Luca felt slightly relieved when she saw that Luke had started eating. It was the third time sitting at the same dining table as Luke. Every time, she could not process her feelings. Fifteen minutester, all the tes were swept clean. Luca stood up and cleared the table. Tommy yawned. Luke noticed that it was already eleven o''clock. Usually, Tommy would have already been in bed, but today was different. "Tommy is sleepy, Mr. Crawford. You should send him home." Luca also thought it was already quite late. When Tommy heard that, he shook his head and said, "I''m not sleepy at all." He wanted to stay there for a bit longer. Somehow, he felt safe andfortable whenever he was in Luca''s house. Luke could see that Tommy was barely awake. He thought that Tommy really liked Luca. He stood up and said, "Thank you for your supper." "You''re wee." Luca put the stacked tes and cutlery on the dining table once more. "Let me see you out." Luca saw them out at the door. After Luke took Tommy''s hand and they went out of the house, Luca closed the door slightly and watched them leave. Tommy turned around and looked at her. He was reluctant to leave. Luca waved at him. Tommy waved back. "I''ll be back to visit you again, Ms. Luca." Luca nodded but did not say anything. She only closed the door after watching them go into the elevator. She leaned on the door and looked at the stack of tes and cutlery on the dining table. Other than feeling relief that Luke and Tommy had left her house, she also felt reluctance. She did not want to see them leave. Every time they met, Luca felt that she was bing more and more inseparable from Luke... She closed her eyes weakly, pretending that Luke was still in the house. A weekter, Luca presented her research findings during a meeting. She was thest one to present, but she was also the researcher who showed the most progress. After her presentation, everyone''s gazes fell on Luke. Today, Luke would decide on who to send to the off-site training in New York. Luke did not immediately announce his decision. Instead, he looked at Cole. "Who do you think should go, Dr. Kidman?" Cole was quite confused. During the research period, Luca had been absent often, and she would regrly take time off work. Why would her research progress the fastest? Moreover, her research topic was not an easy one... Cole thought that he would be one of the chosen, but it seemed that he could only be number three. He was reluctant to admit it, but he had toply with the rules. "Mr. Crawford, ording to the rules set during this period, the people who should go to the off-site training shall be Dr. Albus and Dr. Craw.¡± "It''s decided then." Luke nced at Luca. Even though Dr. Albus had come in at number two, his research was far behind what Luca had done. "Alright." Cole felt aggrieved, but he could not go against his boss''s decision. "Dismissed," Luke said. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Everyone stood up, and Luca left along with the other researchers. Only Luke and Jason were left in the conference room. While Jason packed up the meeting minutes, he could not help but say, "Dr. Craw seems quite capable. She''s only here for a month, but she''s already done so much. After this, she should be applying for an independentboratory and research team, right?" Usually, many pharmaceutical research projects needed at least six to twelve months to show some results. It was surprising that Luca had done so much within a month. Luke stood up and put his hands into his pockets. "Back to the headquarters." "Yes." Jason took the minutes in his hands and left with Luke. In the elevator, the other researchers gave Luca their congrattions. Luca returned their well wishes one by one, though she could not help but sense their jealousy. Even though they did not say it, she could tell that they were unhappy about the decision. Many researchers there had thought that Luca managed to gain a spot in thepany because she had some illicit rtionship with Luke. However, Luca had proven to them that she was actually a very capable researcher. They could not ept that their preconceived notions were wrong. Back at the Technical Department, Luca went back to her office. "Dr. Kidman, shall we go for a smoke?" Dr. Albus said while taking out a packet of cigarettes from his pocket. Cole nodded. The two people stepped out of the elevator and went to the stairwell. Dr. Albus handed a cigarette to Cole and lit it. Then, he lit another one for himself. He took a drag and said, "I''m sorry, Dr. Kidman. I didn''t expect that things would turn out like this." Dr. Albus had struck a deal with Cole so that his research progress was slightly faster than Cole''s. He did not expect that he earned a spot while Cole did not. He was confident that Cole and he would be the two who were selected, and that was why he had given some benefits to Cole so that Cole would let him take the first ce. Cole was not too concerned if he came in first or second. Moreover, he was willing to let Dr. Albus win by a little. However... Their research progress was not too far apart from each other, but one got what he wanted, and the other did not. Cole could not do anything other than pat Dr. Albus''s shoulder and say, "No one expected that." If he had to me someone, then Talia was to be med. He had tasked Talia to spy on the other researchers on their progress, but he did not expect that she failed at her job. Talia had said that Luca''s progress was about the same as the other researchers. Considering that her topic was difficult and that she was frequently absent, Cole did not pay too much attention to Luca. Was it about the same? Of course not. Cole returned to his office and called Talia on the internal line. Soon, Talia came over to his office, grinning. "Congrattions, Dr. Kidman." Cole''s expression instantly sank. "What are you congratting me for?" Talia was surprised. When she saw Cole''s expression, she asked, "Weren''t you selected for the off-site training?" Chapter 1254 Chapter 1254 She Dreamed of Luke Cole''s expression sank even more, which confirmed Talia''s guess. Talia had expected that Cole would be selected to join the off-site training, but the results were out of her expectations. Disregarding Cole''s sullen expression, Talia continued asking, "So who got selected?" "Luca Craw, and Dr. Albus!" Cole sat sullenly on his office chair. As the manager of the Technical Department, it was a huge embarrassment that he was not selected for the off-site training. He said sternly to the woman in front of him, "What happened? Can''t you even do a simple job?" Talia felt quite aggrieved that Cole was ming her for it. She knew about the deal between Cole and Dr. Albus. Cole was the only one who had benefited from the deal, and she did not see a single cent from it. If Cold had not epted Dr. Albus''s bribe, he would definitely be selected. She thought that it was wrong for Cole to me her. After all, she managed to make friends with all the researchers'' assistants except for Rhett. They did not join the department at the same time, and Rhett was not a social person, which was why they were not close to each other. She could only estimate Luca''s research progress from what other research assistants told her. "Sorry, Dr. Kidman." Talia could only apologize to cate Cole. She was also not very happy that she had missed the chance to join the offsite training. Cole grunted huffily. Now that he was not selected, there was nothing that he could do. It was not like he could ask Dr. Albus to make way for him! "Get out." Cole became even more annoyed when he saw Talia''s groveling manner. He did not want to see her in his office. "Yes." Talia was also not willing to be in the same room with Cole while he was angry. When she heard Cole''smand, she slunk out of the office as fast as she could. As he watched the office door close, Cole suddenly regretted getting Talia to be his assistant. She had poor technical knowledge, and she could not do what he wanted. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Meanwhile, as soon as Luca sat down on her chair in her office, someone knocked on her door. She instinctively stood up again and opened the door, and she was slightly taken aback when she saw that it was Rhett. "Congrattions for being selected, Dr. Craw." Rhett was rarely so excited. Luca would definitely bring her research assistant along, which meant that Rhett would be going to New York too. The event would look good on his resume, and it would be beneficial to him if he decided to further his studies or career in the future. "Mm." Luca did not look too happy. Abel had wanted her to join the off-site training, which meant that he had nned something for her. She would have to be on her guard at all times, and that was nothing to be excited about. Rhett thought that Luca was not being herself today. Usually, Luca would tell him toe in instead of opening the door for him. This time, Luca had opened the door for him, and she did not look too happy. "What¡¯s wrong, Dr. Craw?" Rhett asked out of concern. Luca came to her senses. What was she doing? When she heard the knock on the door, she instinctively thought that Luke was outside. That was why she had opened the door for him while thinking of how to keep her distance... She shook her head. "It''s nothing. Our next step is to apply for an independent researchboratory for the next stage of our research. Also, pack your bags. Well be heading to New York soon." The exact date had not been decided, but Luca guessed that the trip would be in the next few days. Rhett nodded and made a mental note of what Luca told him. "Alright, I''ll prepare the application soon." "Mm." Luca nodded. She turned around and was prepared to close the door when she heard Rhett say, "You seem tired, Dr. Craw. Why not take it easy today, and you can rest a little?" Rhett could see the lethargy on Luca''s face, as though she had many things on her mind. Luca paused. "Alright," she said. She closed the door and sat on the couch. Rhett was right. She had not been sleeping well ever since she went to the hospital to diagnose the impostor Bianca''s illness. She had tried to force herself to sleep with the aid of sleeping pills, but her dreams were wild and chaotic. In her dreams, she saw Luke being physically intimate with the impostor Bianca, and they were a happy family with their children. She could only watch those scenes helplessly as she realized that she was only a spectator with no influence on them. There was once when she dreamed that the impostor Bianca had used her of being a seductress while Luke only watched coldly without saying a word. When Luca turned around, she saw Luke and the impostor Bianca making out. The dreams wore her out. Eventually, she stopped taking the sleeping pills. Even so, not only had she found it hard to fall asleep, but whenever she closed her eyes, Luke''s face would appear in her mind. That was why she had been sleeping only a few hours every day for the past week. Luca leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes. Even if she could not fall asleep, she could at least unwind a little so that she did not look so haggard. Ten minutester, her phone began to ring. Luca opened her eyes and adjusted to the brightness for a few seconds. She picked up the phone and saw that the call was from Queenie. "Good morning, Mrs. Norman." She answered the call with a smile. "Good morning, Luca." Luca could sense the anxiety in Queenie''s voice. "May I help you?" "Are you busy now?" "I''m not. Did something happen, Mrs. Norman?" Luca was worried that something happened to her. "It''s Bea. Her fever has red up again, and it''s worse thanst time. The doctors have tried to resuscitate her earlier. Luca, I know that it''s very rude of me to ask this of you, but can youe to the hospital again?" Queenie''s voice was shaking. She was almost in tears over what had happened earlier. Resuscitate her?'' Luca frowned. Her herbal concoction should not have caused a drastic reaction with Bianca, so why would she need resuscitating? She was quite confident about her prescription, and she suspected that there was an element of sabotage. "I''m begging you, Luca." Queenie did not get a reply from Luca and thought that she did not agree to it. Luca quickly said, "I''ll go over now. Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Norman. She''ll be fine. If Chapter 1255 Chapter 1255 Are You Trying to Kill Her? After Luca ended the call, she hastily typed up a leave application form and went to Cole''s office. She knocked on the door and only went in after the person inside gave his consent. She ced the form on the table and said, "I need to take time off work, Dr. Kidman." Cole narrowed his eyes. If it were before, he would not ask too many questions. After all, if Luca had lagged behind on her research, it was beneficial for him, but now... He was angry that her research had progressed so quickly despite taking time off work frequently. Even the veteran researchers could not catch up with her. Cole took on the demeanor of her superior and sighed. "Dr. Craw, how many times have you taken time off work this month?" Luca did not answer. She knew that Cole was unhappy that she had taken his spot in the off-site training trip, and her attendance at work had nothing to do with it. "There might not be a written rule about how much time off an employee can take, but you''ve been regrly absent from work, and you should know that other employees might not be too happy about it," Cole said imperiously. "I have something urgent," Luca said. Cole nced at the application form. Luca did not write her reasons for taking time off, so he asked, "Tell me then, what''s so urgent?" "It''s about Mrs. Crawford," Luca said. She would not be so insistent on going if Queenie had not made the request herself. She was not concerned about the impostor Bianca''s health at all, but she did not want Queenie to be worried or afraid. After all, Queenie''s health had only recently improved, and she should not fall ill again because she was worried over the impostor Bianca. "You''re acquainted with Mrs. Crawford?" Cole was quite surprised, though he was also suspicious. "How could she be acquainted with Mrs. Crawford? Isn''t she Mr. Crawford''s mistress?'' "I really have to go, Dr. Kidman. Please approve my application," Luca said. Cole could see that Bianca was not lying. He thought of making Luca''s life difficult, but he did not want to offend Bianca. Eventually, he signed his initials on the application form and approved her application. "Thank you." Luca left with the form. She happened to meet Talia on her way out of Cole''s office. Talia felt disgusted by Luca''s impassive expression. ''What''s she so smug about?'' "Good morning, Dr. Craw," Talia greeted Luca even though she was not happy to meet her. "Mm." Luca nodded and left. When Talia went into Cole''s office, she asked, "Dr. Kidman, why did Dr. Craw look for you?" "She''s taking time off work," Cole answered. From Cole''s expression, Talia could tell that he was not pleased about Luca taking time off work so often. It was a simr situation in high school, where the ace students who did not pay attention in ss would turn out to have better results than others. Luca was like an ace student in high school. Her results proved that she was on a different level from the others, and other people would be naturally jealous of her. Talia said indignantly, "She''s been taking time off work so often this month. I don''t see any other researcher taking off work so often." "She says it''s because of Mrs. Crawford," Cole said. "Do you know about her rtionship with Mrs. Crawford?" "I don''t know..." Talia shook her head and raised her doubts, "But isn''t she sleeping with Mr. Crawford? How would Dr. Craw and Mrs. Crawford know each other?" "That''s true." Cole''s expression sank. He realized that he had been deceived! Talia thought that the only way to gain Cole''s good graces now was to stand on his side. "Dr. Kidman, I''ve heard that Ms. Stone is acquainted with Mrs. Crawford. Should I try to find out something from her? If we find out that Mrs. Crawford is lying, you have the right to admonish her." Cole thought that it was a good idea. He nodded and said, "Alright, go and find out whatever you can. I''d really like to know if Luca Craw is really acquainted with Mrs. Crawford." "Yes!" Talia said and left the office. After Luca handed the application form to Mo, she packed up her handbag, left the building, and caught a cab to the hospital. When she stepped into the hospital room, she was surprised to see Bianca hooked up to medical equipment. It seemed that she was sessfully resuscitated, but her condition was not stable. Luke was there too. When he saw Luca, he asked, "Why are you here?" Luca was not surprised that Luke was there. Before she could answer, Queenie said, "I asked Luca to come. Bianca was fine earlier, but suddenly... Luke did not reply. Luca said, "Can I take her pulse?" "Mm." Luke nodded. He was on his way back to T Corporation when he received a call from Dr. ke that Bianca had suddenly fallen into aa. That was why he immediately turned around and went to the hospital. He did not expect that Queenie had informed Luca about it. Luca walked over to the bed and ced two fingers on Bianca''s wrist to take her pulse. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Dr. ke was informed that Luca had arrived. He rushed over to the room and observed her with fascination. The nurse had told him that Luca prescribed a herbal concoction to Bianca. He did not think much of it, thinking that it was only a health supplement. He did not expect that the concoction could actually improve Bianca''s condition. Not only had the fever subsided, but she seemed to be healthier by the day, except for today... After taking Bianca¡¯s pulse, Luca turned to ask the caretaker. "Has Mrs. Crawford been drinking the concoction regrly?" "Uh..." The caretaker hesitated to answer the question. "She didn''t, right?" Luca could guess what might have happened. "What''s wrong?" Luke asked. The caretaker could only tell them the truth. "Madam has been drinking the concoction for the first few days, but she has been secretly pouring the concoction away since two days ago." Bianca had told her to keep it a secret, but the caretaker dared not hide anything from Luke. "I''ve said that she''ll have to drink the concoction daily for a month. If she stops the treatment, her body won''t be able to take it," Luca said coldly. She knew that there were no problems with her prescription; the problem was with Bianca. Despite Queenie''s gentle temperament, she could not help but raise her voice after she heard that. "How can you allow Bea to do as she pleases? You know that she''s ill, and you hid it from us. Are you trying to kill her?" Chapter 1256 Chapter 1256 It''s Along the Way Luca was silent as she listened to Queenie admonish the caretaker. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Queenie was a gentle woman, and she would even be kind toward someone who had taken advantage of her. However, she used harsh words on the caretaker because of Bianca. Luca''s heart wrenched, though at the same time, she felt jealous. She should have been the recipient of Queenie''s love and concern. Abel had taken that away from her, and she could only bear the pain silently. 1 The caretaker felt aggrieved. "I don''t make the decisions, Mrs. Norman. Madam told me to keep it a secret, and I dared not tell anyone." Queenie could empathize with the caretaker, and she could only me Bianca for being ignorant. The concoction was supposed to help Bianca feel better, but she had suffered because of her own caprice. Queenie looked at Luca worriedly and said, "What should we do now, Luca? "Drink the concoction." Luca pulled her hand away and said. "Will she recover if she drinks the concoction?" Queenie asked, thinking that it was too easy. "I''ll try acupuncture again." Luca turned to look at the nurse and recognized that she was the same one asst time. "I''ll get the needles ready for you." The nurse immediately knew what to do. Luca looked at Dr. ke. "You''re the chief physician, right?" "Yes." "I need a list of drugs you gave her when you resuscitated her earlier," Luca said. None of this would have happened if Bianca had drunk the concoction daily. She had to know the drugs Bianca was given so that she could adjust the dosage. Dr. ke looked at her solemn expression and nodded. As he handed her the report, he could not help but wonder if the woman knew what she was doing. Luca nced at the report. They did not use too many drugs. "Maintain the dosage. She''ll have to drink a bowl a day," she said. "Yes," the caretaker replied. "I''ll get the cook to prepare a bowl now." After the caretaker left hurriedly, the nurse returned with a set of acupuncture needles. Luca took it and said coldly, "All of you should leave the room. Close the door behind you." Luke was the first to leave, and Queenie and the nurse followed. Only Dr. ke remained in the room. "What do you n to do?" Luca sat down on the chair next to the bed andid out the items in front of her. "I''m waking Mrs. Crawford up." Dr. ke frowned. "The patient is unconscious. She can''t possibly wake up now." He was very familiar with Bianca''s condition, and he knew that Bianca would not wake up when she was still so weak. "I have my way of waking her up. You should leave the room; I need to remove her clothes." Luca could see the skepticism in the doctor''s eyes, and she did not bother to exin herself. Dr. ke could see that Luca was determined. "The patient is very weak now, and you''ll have to bear all responsibility if anything happens to her," he said sternly. "No problem." Luca nodded. She could understand that the hospital was afraid of getting into trouble, especially when the patient was Luke Crawford''s wife. Seeing how readily Luca agreed to take responsibility, Dr. ke left the room. Luca inserted two needles into Bianca. When she saw Bianca slowly waking up, she removed the needles. Bianca''s condition was worse thanst time. She was very weak when she woke up. "Why is it you again?" She scrunched up her face in disgust after seeing Luca in front of her. She tried to sit up, but her body was weak. "What did you do to me? I can''t move my muscles!" "What did I do? Your condition is deteriorating abruptly because you didn''t drink the concoction. You were already one foot in the grave, but the doctor managed to save you. I can''t stop you if you really want to die. I''ll be going to New York in a few days, so if you don''t drink the concoction, I don''t think the doctors can save you again." While Luca spoke, she walked toward the door. Her tone was filled with impatience. She could not find any sympathy for Bianca when Bianca had done that to herself. "You!" Bianca''s face was pale with anger. However, she could only swallow her words when she saw Luca open the door. "She''s awake," Luca told the people waiting outside of the room. Dr. ke could not believe it, so he was the first to rush into the room. He saw Bianca sitting on the bed, and aside from being a little pale, there did not seem to be anything wrong with her. "Mrs. Crawford, are you feeling better?" He asked. Bianca blinked. She pretended to be oblivious as she looked at her parents and Luke. "What happened to me?" "You had a fever, and you passed out..." Queenie said in equal parts of pity and me. "Why didn''t you drink the concoction?" "It''s all my fault, Mom." Bianca lowered her head and pretended to apologize, though her gaze became vicious. She might have been unconscious, but she remembered the moments before she passed out. Her heart had suddenly beat faster, all the nerves in her body seemed to be ripped apart, and cold sweat did not stop flowing... She could not find anyfort from the increasing agony, and she passed out in half a minute. She felt as though she was dying... There were several reasons why Bianca did not drink the concoction. Other than the fact that she hated Luca, she thought that Luca was only trying to scare her. She also knew that she would not gain Luke''s attention if her health improved. After the ordeal, she realized that she had to take Luca''s warning seriously. She would not be able to win Luke''s heart if she was dead. Also, she could not use her caprice as an excuse anymore. Queenie could not bear to scold Bianca when she saw her apologize so readily. Luca decided that she was done watching the farce unfold. She said, "If there''s nothing else, I think I should go back to work." Queenie turned to look at Luca and smiled. "Thank you, Luca," she said gratefully. "Don''t mention it, Mrs. Norman." Luca nodded and prepared to leave the room. Queenie said, "Luke, you should send Luca back." She knew that Luca did not drive, and it would be rude if they let Luca leave by cab. "Mm.¡± Luke agreed after seeing that Bianca had recovered. Bianca was secretly shocked when she heard that. Queenie had promised her that she would keep an eye on Luke, but why did she... She was unhappy about it, but she could not air her grievance in front of everyone. Luca wanted to refuse, but Luke looked at her straight in the eye and said," It¡¯s along the way.¡± Chapter 1257 Chapter 1257 He Had Never Feft That Way Luca pressed her lips together and swallowed her words of rejection." Sorry to have troubled you,¡¯ she said stiffly. Luke nodded and left the room, and Luca followed behind him. Bianca watched as the two people left the room one after another. She wished that she could step between them, but her condition did not allow her to do that. Meanwhile, Dr. ke was still amazed that acupuncture could awaken an unconscious patient. He nced at the trash bin in the room; there was a pile of needles inside. What he did not know was that Luca had only used two of them. Dr. ke asked, "How do you feel now, Mrs. Crawford?" "A little tired..." Bianca answered. If she was resuscitated, there should not be major problems to her health. "I''m d that you''re feeling better." Dr. ke heaved a sigh of relief. He still had his suspicions, but it was nheless good news that she managed to wake up. I''m fine." Bianca wanted to sit up, but she did not have the strength to do so. Dr. ke nodded. Earlier, he did not believe what the nurse told him, but now, he had no choice but to admit that it was true. He said, "You should rest more. You can call the nurse over if you don''t feel well." "Alright." Bianca gave a perfunctory response. After the doctor and nurse left, she looked at Jack and wondered how she should make him leave the room. "I think I want to drink some milk, Dad. Can you buy a bottle for me at the cafeteria downstairs?" Jack nodded. The room was getting stuffy, so he took the opportunity to go for a walk. After Jack left, Bianca found some excuse to make the caretaker leave. Only she and Queenie were left in the room. Bianca said candidly, "Mom, why did you ask Luke to go with that woman?" Queenie could see the jealousy in Bianca''s eyes. "Bea, Luca came here because of you, and it''s only polite for us to send her back. You should be grateful to her." Bianca was not in the mood to listen to all that. ''How pretentious!'' She thought. "I know, Mom, but I can''t be at ease when I think of what that woman might do to Luke. Look at me, I''m helpless now, and I can''t do anything if the woman decides to make a move on Luke," Bianca said. Queenie sighed and patted her hand. "Alright, I won''t do it next time. You just woke up, so you shouldn''t be too agitated." Bianca took a deep breath to calm herself down. In her agitation earlier, her heart began to heat faster again. "I love Luke too much..." "You should trust him. Luke is a good husband and a good father," Queenie said. Bianca nodded but said nothing. She would not have been so anxious if it were some other woman because Luke would not have been bothered with them, but she could not keep calm when it was Luca. Somehow, Luca had to be the first exception... "You... you''re thinking too much," Queenie said lovingly as she stroked Bianca''s forehead. Bianca knew that she was not overthinking. Perhaps Queenie thought that Luca was a good person, but Luca was from the Ind of Despair, and no one from there could be good. Meanwhile, Luca sat solemnly on the side passenger seat. The atmosphere in the car was tense, but Luca did not n to break the silence, 1 She thought that the silence would continue when Luke, driving, suddenly spoke, "The progress of your research is much faster than the others." Luca nodded and said, "Mm." "I''m surprised," Luke said. Indeed, he was quite surprised when Luca made her progress report earlier. Luca had made the most progress among all the researchers, and her topic was not an easy one. "It''s nothing. I''ve been working on it for some time," Luca exined. Luke remembered Luca saying that she had brought the research over from Russia. "Mr. Doyle has booked a flight to New York in two days. Is that okay?" Luke asked. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "No problem." Luca turned her head to look outside of the window instead of the man next to her. His scent lingered in her nostrils, and her hands slowly clenched into fists. The conversation ended, and the car fell into silence again. It was so quiet that they could hear each other''s breathing. Her breathing was very soft, as though she did not want to make too much noise. 1 Luke somehow felt uneasy, as though there was something in his mind nagging him. He was usually aloof, but he could not feel the same way about Luca. He did not show those feelings on his face, and Luca did not know what he was thinking. Half an hourter, Luke¡¯s car arrived at Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Luca had already unfastened her seatbelt while the car was still moving. When Luke stopped the car, Luca opened the door and cast a sideways nce at him. "Thank you, Mr. Crawford." "You''re wee." Luke''s voice was low and stiff. He had never experienced those sensations before, and he did not understand why those sensations bloomed when Luca was near. After Luca shut the car door, she walked toward the building without turning back. For the next half a minute, Luke stared at her walking away. He only left after she disappeared from view. Mo came out from her hiding corner. She went downstairs to buy something, but she did not expect to witness that scene. "There''s really something going on between Luca and Mr. Crawford..." She muttered to herself. When she remembered what Talia had asked her that morning, she could not help but smirk. Luca had used Mrs. Crawford as an excuse to go on a date with Mr. Crawford. Mo thought that Luca''s story was imusible when Talia told her about it earlier. Bianca hated Luca, so there was no reason Luca wanted to meet her. i Now that she witnessed them together, things seemed to be more interesting than she thought... Mo looked at the photo she took earlier and sent them to Bianca without any hesitation. Then, she went back to thepany. 1 Luca was still waiting in the elevator lobby. Mo walked over and asked her, "Dr. Craw, did you go out earlier?" Luca nced at Mo and noticed that she was carrying a stic bag from the convenience store. At one nce, she could see the contents. "Mm, I had something going on," she said. "I heard that you were meeting Mrs. Crawford," Mo said, maintaining a smile on her face so that Luca would not suspect anything. Luca was not surprised that the news that she had taken leave using Mrs. Crawford as an excuse had spread among the employees. She nodded. "Yes." Mo was sure that Luca was lying. After all, Bianca was still very ill in the hospital. "How is Mrs. Crawford? I heard that she was admitted to the hospital a few days ago. Has she been discharged?" "Not yet," Luca said. The elevator door opened, and she stepped inside. Chapter 1258 Chapter 1258 Set Off For New York "Were you at the hospital just now?" Mo followed behind her into the elevator and wanted to probe more. "Yes, I came from the hospital." Luca was unfazed with her questions and pressed the elevator button. She was almost certain that Bianca and Mo partnered up when she came to thepany to look for her thest time. Otherwise, how would she know that Bianca was hospitalized?¡¯ Mo replied, "Then, is Mrs. Crawford doing better?" "She''s doing much better," Luca answered casually. "Since you care about Mrs. Crawford so much, why don''t you visit her at the hospital?" Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Mo was stunned. She had seen the news of Bianca''s hospitalization from social media but she never went to visit. Even if they were friends on social media, the gap between their status was like heaven and earth. ''Bianca may not want me to visit her...¡¯ "I''ve been...rtively busy these days," Mo exined with an awkward smile on her face. Luca nodded and did not expose her. After the elevator reached their floor, the two walked out one after another. Mo stood behind Luca while staring at her bitterly. ''One day, Bianca will take care of her! Let¡¯s see if she''ll still act proud then!'' Two dayster, Luca, Rhett, Dr. Albus, and his assistant set off for New York. Jason booked the same flight for them. When the four arrived at the airport, they discovered that Luke was also at the airport. Jason and a little boy stood beside him. Tommy smiled and ran toward Luca the moment he saw her. "Ms. Luca!" Dr. Albus was curious as to why the mini version of Luke, probably the boss '' youngest child, seemed close to Luca. Luca was confused when she saw Tommy at the airport. She let go of the handle of her suitcase, lowered her body, and touched the child''s head." Why are you here?" "I¡¯m going to New York with Daddy. Ms. Luca, you¡¯re also going to New York, right?" Tommy blinked his eyes and said cheerfully. "Yeah." Luca nced at Luke with confusion on her face. ''Why would he take Tommy to New York when he has school to attend? It¡¯s not like him to do this... Luke has always been very strict with the kids. If it''s nothing serious, the kids are never allowed to be on a leave of absence. On top of that, he''s also going to New York?'' "Ms. Luca, let¡¯s go there together." Tommy took her by the hand. When he saw her, he forgot that his Daddy was behind him. Dr. Albus and the assistants watched the scene while marveling in their hearts. They all thought that Luca and Luke were secretly seeing each other. They were shocked that she had completely won over his youngest son. ''No mistress would be able to achieve what she did.'' Luca was aware that others were staring at how Tommy was hugging her. She knew that there was nothing she could say, so all she did was nod gently. "Awesome!" Tommy¡¯s smile grew even wider. Luke looked at the scene in silence. He did not ask Tommy toe back to his side. He was going to New York to deal with some work matters, not because the team, including Luca, was going there. Tommy wanted to follow along because Jason mentioned that he had booked a ticket for Luca and others when he was updating Luke about work. Tommy happened to overhear it so insisted that he went too. Luke wanted to turn him down, but when Tommy looked at him with tears in his eyes, he suddenly remembered Luca''s eyes and agreed. That was what happened. Jason was getting used to the scene before him. He nced at the time and reminded Luke, "Mr. Crawford, it''s almost time to check in." "Let¡¯s go." Luke strode forward. Tommy held Luca''s hand and said, "Ms. Luca, shall we go for check-in too?¡± "Yeah," Luca nodded. She was holding him with one hand and pulling her suitcase with the other. She stared at Luke, who was walking in front of her, and felt the distance between the two of them. It was an insurmountable distance. Luca held Tommy and lined up to go through the security check. She wondered why Luke was flying with them to New York for the off-site training. ''Is it because of me?'' Soon, Luca stopped thinking about it and said to Tommy, "Are you traveling to New York for holiday?" "No, Daddy is on a business trip," Tommy shook his head. "Then, why are you..." Luca was puzzled. ''Taking Tommy on a business trip?'' "I heard Daddy talking to Uncle Jason and found out that you¡¯re going to New York too, so I made Daddy bring me along," Tommy exined with a wide grin on his face. It was no secret that he loved spending time with Luca. He liked to be by her side all the time. Luca was dumbfounded. She noticed that there were two other people in front of them for the security check. "How long did it take before he agreed to your request?" "It didn''t take too long. Only one night," Tommy said while sticking out a finger. He knew about it the night beforest and asked Luke then. Luke agreed yesterday morning and called his teacher to request a leave of absence. Luca thought that it would have taken Tommy weeks to convince Luke. "Go through the security check. I¡¯ll be right behind." When they got to the front of the line, she asked Tommy to go through it first. Luke and Jason had already passed the security check and were waiting in front. She was like Tommy''s babysitter. Dr. Albus watched silently behind them. He was some distance away from Luca and could not help but gossip to Rhett, "Mr. Link, is Dr. Craw close to the boss¡¯ family?" "I''m not sure." Rhett shook his head. He would be just as curious if he had not seen Tommy being so close to Luca previously. "The boss¡¯ kid..." Dr. Albus stroked his chin. It seemed that it was not the first day they met. Rhett smiled and did not continue to speak. After going through the security check, Tommy was still following Luca closely. All of them walked to the waiting area together. Luke was still walking in front while they were walking at the back. After arriving at the terminal, they found some seats and sat down. Tommy had no intention to sit beside Luke. He sat next to Luca and looked at her with a smile. After a while, a middle-aged woman came over to sit beside Luca. She smiled at her and asked, "Are you going to New York too?" "Yeah." Luca nodded. Tommy tugged her sleeve and said, "I can¡¯t open this. She looked at the child next to Luca who was holding a water bottle in his hand. The lid was screwed on tightly and Tommy could not unscrew it. Luca smiled and said, "Give it to me. I¡¯ll help you unscrew it." Tommy gave her his bottle obediently. Luca opened the bottle easily and poured some water into the cap. "I''m sure you''re thirsty. Have some." Tommy took it and drank the water. The middle-aged woman sighed when she saw the scene. "Is this your child? He looks so handsome. Are you traveling to New York for a holiday?" Chapter 1259 Chapter 1259 I Thought You''re His Mother Luca touched Tommy¡¯s head, then shook her head and said, "This is my boss¡¯ kid. I¡¯m heading to New York for business." The middle-aged woman smiled and said, "I thought you were his mother seeing how close the two of you are. You seem like a kind mother." 1 Tommy finished drinking the water and handed the bottle cap to Luca. He said, "I like Ms. Luca the most!" Luca smiled. Every time he told her that he liked her, the joy in her heart was endless. She could never get sick of hearing it. "He''s so cute. I¡¯m sure his parents are great-looking since he''s such a cute child." The middle-aged woman said with envy. She liked good-looking children. Luca smiled and said nothing. As Tommy¡¯s mother, she was happy that her child was being praised. Although Tommy got most of Luke''s good genes, she still contributed. Tommy blinked his eyes and said proudly, "Daddy is very handsome." He only praised his dad but did not mention his mother. The middle-aged woman noticed that and teased him. "How about your mother? Is she beautiful?" "She''s beautiful, but I think Ms. Luca is more beautiful." Tommy put his elbow on Luca''s thigh and looked up at her. "I can see that this kid likes you," the middle-aged woman said. Luca smiled and felt someone''s gaze on her. She did not look up because she knew that it was Luke. The boarding prompt sounded. She took Tommy''s hand and stood up." Tommy, it''s time for us to board the ne.¡± "Okay!" Tommy nodded and followed her while holding his small rucksack. Jason had booked first-ss tickets for all of them. After showing their boarding pass, they boarded the ne. Luca found her seat. It was next to Rhett''s. On the other end, Tommy was arguing with Luke. "Daddy, I want to sit with Ms. Luca!" "The seats have all been booked. Sit down,¡± Luke said with a cold expression on his face. He noticed how well Tommy and Luca got along. He was unsure how to feel seeing that Tommy was so dependent on her. It was not disgust nor difort, but rather, joy... After Luke noticed his feelings, he felt that it was odd that he felt happy about it. "No, no, I can exchange seats with that uncle!" Tommy said. He recognized that the person next to Luca was also an employee of thepany. "Sit down! Or I¡¯ll send you back home." Luke¡¯s expression turned gloomy since Tommy was being disobedient. Tommy pouted when he heard Luke''s answer. He did not dare to make any more noise no matter how dissatisfied he was. He just wanted to be with Luca. If he was sent home, he could not spend time with her. Anyway, it was just a matter of ten or so hours. He would brave through it. Tommy sat in the chair and stopped making a fuss. Luke was satisfied. He buckled his seat belt and told him, "Sit down and don''t cause any more trouble." "Okay, Daddy." Tommy''s cheeks were still bulging as he was angry with Luke. However, he was scared of him, so he could only follow along. Rhett watched Luca pull out an eye mask from her pocket and asked curiously, "Dr. Craw, why does Mr. Crawford''s son like you so much?" "I don''t know. Why don''t you ask him?" Luca said while looking at him sideways. Rhett immediately shook his head and said, "I dare not." "He''s just a kid." Luca put the eye mask around her neck and said, "If you''re curious about something, ask the person involved." As soon as she said that, Rhett knew that Luca was angry. She did not like others snooping about her. His words had tested her limit. Rhett apologized immediately. "Sorry, Dr. Craw." "Rhett, focus on what you need to do. I don''t care about other things, so don''t ask me about them." Luca put on the eye mask when she finished speaking. She then adjusted the position of the seat andy down. Rhett did not know what her emotions were without being able to look at her eyes. He felt regretful as Luca was an excellent boss. However, he said the wrong thing and made her angry... Indeed, there were some things that he should not be curious about, nor was it his ce to ask. Rhett decided to focus on doing a good job and ignore all the gossip. "Got it, Dr. Craw. I''m sorry." He whispered, then adjusted his seat andy down at a morefortable angle. Luke turned his head and looked at Luca. He could see Luca clearly from where he sat. She was already lying down. 13 hourster, the nended safely at New York Airport. As soon as he left his seat, Tommy rushed to Luca''s side and said, "Ms. Luca, I''m so tired!" This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Although he was in first-ss, it was tiring for him to stay still for 13 hours. Many people were waiting to get off the ne. Luca was worried that she would lose Tommy, so she stooped down to pick him up. She rubbed his shoulders and said, "You''ll feel better after you walk around a little." Tommy was happy being held in her arms. He was considerate like a little gentleman and said, "Ms. Luca, you¡¯re so strong but Daddy said that I''ve grown up and am very heavy. You don''t have to carry me, I don''t want you to be tired." "It''s alright," Luca said, insisting on carrying Tommy toward the exit. She went through a lot of training on the Ind of Despair. It would not be a problem carrying him in her arms and running for a few kilometers. Rhett followed behind them and was surprised that Dr. Craw, who looked thin, was so strong. She did not huff or puff when carrying Tommy while walking. If it were him, that may not necessarily be the case. Luke and Jason followed behind them. Jason could not help but sigh when he saw Luca and Tommy. "Dr. Craw is stronger than she looks!" Luke stayed silent. Tommy leaned in her arms, turned his head, and waved at him triumphantly as if to say that even if he did not allow him to disturb Luca, he still had that ability to do so. "Tommy is so cute," Jason said. All of them got off the ne together. After they took their luggage, they walked out of the airport together. Dr. Albus could not hold back any further and asked, "Mr. Crawford, are you going for training with us?" Jason replied on Luke¡¯s behalf, "Mr. Crawford is here on a business trip to deal with some matters at the branch here." Dr. Albus nodded. After they walked out of the airport, Jason made a phone call and then said, "Mr. Crawford, the car is already waiting at Exit D. Are we going to the hotel now?" "Let¡¯s bring the luggage to the hotel and settle down first." Luke nced at Luca. She was no longer carrying the child but was dragging the luggage with one hand and holding Tommy¡¯s hand with the other. Chapter 1260 Chapter 1260 Dr. Craw, Do I Scare You? "Will do," Jason replied while handling his luggage. He looked at the five people walking behind him and said, "Let''s go to the hotel first. The car is waiting at Exit D." "Okay.¡± Dr. Albus dragged his luggage and looked at Jason. Then, his probing eyes fell on Luca and Tommy again. Luke did not react to Tommy being so close to Luca. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. He acted as if Tommy should be with Luca. Two Rolls-Royce vehicles were parked at exit D. In the bustling New York, there was no shortage of luxury cars but these cars made it extra scenic. When Luke got closer to the cars, the drivers got out of the cars and opened the doors. Luca watched Luke walk toward the car in front and was about to get into the second car, but Tommy tugged on her sleeves. "Ms. Luca, let''s take that one.¡± He pointed to the one parked in front. "You can go." Luca let go and was not nning to get into Luke''s car. Although it was ufortable for her to squeeze in a Rolls-Royce with three men, she preferred it over being in the same car as Luke. Tommy took her hand, pouted, and said, "I want to be in the same car as Ms. Luca." Luca was speechless. Tommy looked at her with puppy dog eyes and said, "Ms. Luca..." "I can''t squeeze in," Luca said, trying to persuade the child. "Come on, I''ll see you in the hotel soon." Luke listened to their conversation, and his expression remained neutral as he went into the car. When Jason saw this, he had an idea and said, "Dr. Craw, four of us, including myself, will be sitting in this car. There''s no extra room, so why don¡¯t you get in that car?" Luca whispered, "Huh?" She saw Jason hand over all his luggage to the driver of the car behind. Jason made it obvious that he would be getting in. He was Luke''s assistant but was not riding in the same car as him. Tommy had a bright smile on his face as he said triumphantly, "Ms. Luca, this car has no space for you. Let''s get into the car in front." "Okay..." Luca had no choice but to agree. The driver of the car in front took her luggage and then said, "Wee to New York. Please watch your head as you get into the car." Luca stood in front of the car door and looked at the person inside. She lowered her gaze slightly, carried Tommy into the car, and climbed in as well. She sat next to Luke with Tommy sandwiched between them. After they were all in, the cars left the airport. Tommy was caught between the two of them. He suddenly looked at Luca, then at Luke. None of them spoke. Tommy had an active and friendly personality. He found it boring since no one was talking. He propped his chin, looking like a small adult thinking about life as he asked, "Daddy, Ms. Luca, why aren''t you guys talking?" It was no longer quiet as Luke looked sideways at Tommy and Luca. Luca looked out the window to avoid his gaze. Luke noticed that Luca was being avoidant. If it were the past, he would not say anything, but he had a thought now. "Dr. Craw, do I scare you?" he asked slowly in a low voice. Luca was stunned. She subconsciously turned her head to look at him and instantly fell forthose deep- set eyes. "No.¡± Her answer was quick. She blurted it out as soon as she turned her head as if she said the words without having to think about it first. Luke was satisfied with her reaction. He continued staring at her. He was not sure why but when they looked at each other, he felt that the other person''s eyes were more and more familiar. They reminded him of Bianca. Although the fake Bianca was lying in the hospital, she had undergone stic surgery and could fool anyone. Otherwise, there was no way she could stay by his side with a fake identity for so long. Her eyes were beautiful, as deep as the sea. When he wanted to explore further, he was covered by a shallowyer of haze. There seemed to be inexhaustible words hidden in her eyes that others could not see through. Tommy looked at the two and said, "Daddy is not scary, right, Ms. Luca?" Luca snapped out of it. Being in the same car as Luke, she started recalling all about their past memories. "How could Mr. Crawford be scary?" She repeated it and went along with Tommy. Her tone was more awkwardpared to before. Luke noticed it. Her reaction was less authentic after he gave her enough time to react. Even though her thoughts were the same, he preferred how she was previously. He thought that it was the real her and she was not hiding behind anything. Tommy did not notice much. He just thought that the atmosphere between the two was a little strange. He wanted to make conversation so that things would seem normal. "Yeah, I think so too." He held Luke''s hand with his left hand and Luca''s hand with his right. On one side was his Daddy, and on the other side was Luca, whom he wanted to be close to. He hoped that they could get along with each other in harmony. Luca kept silent as she looked at her hand that was being held by Tommy. They were held by one hand each. Tommy was like a connector, trying to connect the two of them. If it were not for the fake Bianca, she would think that Tommy was trying to do what Lanie and Rainie did back then. At that time, they had their eyes on her. In order to have a new mother, they tried their best to keep her by their sides so that she could be in contact with Luke more. Tommy was still chattering while Luca listened. Her replies were a little casual. Luke listened to the conversation between the child and her. His gaze became deeper and deeper as he thought about how much Tommy liked her... Tommy was never discouraged even when her attitude was carefree. The ride was smooth, and after half an hour, they arrived at the hotel. Jason took their passports and checked in at the front desk. Thepany has booked standard rooms for their employees. In six-star hotels like this one, even the standard rooms wereparable to those of deluxe suites in five-star hotels. Luke and Tommy checked into the presidential suite. The floor of the standard rooms was not the same as the floor of the presidential suite. After they arrived at their floor, several of them walked out of the elevator while Luca was thest to leave. When she was about to leave, Tommy reluctantly pulled the handle of her suitcase and said, Ms. Luca, wait for me. I''lle and y with youter." Luca noticed that Tommy was reluctant to leave her. She felt the same in her heart. If she was not concerned that Luke would be suspicious, she would definitely not want to leave Tommy. She nodded and said, "I''ll go to my room first." "Okay, goodbye, Ms. Luca." Tommy waved his hand and watched her walk out of the elevator. After the elevator door slowly closed, he looked at Luke. "Daddy!" he called out to him. His face that looked like a mini-version of Luke''s was full of seriousness. Chapter 1261 Chapter 1261 Why Do You Like Her? Luke raised his eyebrows and looked down at his son without saying anything. Tommy put his hands on his waist, looking like he was about to give Luke a lecture. "Daddy, can you arrange for Ms. Luca to stay on the same floor as us next time?" Apart from them, the only other person in the elevator was the lift attendant. Luke was not worried about letting him overheartheir conversation. "Thepany has limited funds." Tommy was young and did not know what limited funding meant, but he knew that funding was money. "Daddy, you''re not short of money!" he retorted. Luke looked at his son. This was a six-star hotel. Even if it was just a standard room, the environment was top-notch. He knew what Tommy was thinking about and deliberately asked, "Why do you want her to stay on the same floor?" Tommy said honestly, "It''ll be easier for me to go look for her." It was obvious that Tommy was reliant on Luca. When they reached their floor, Luke pulled the suitcase with his left hand and held Tommy''s hand with his right hand. "Why do you like her?" he asked. Tommy thought about his question for a while. ''Do I need a reason to like her?¡¯ He could not find one, so he said, "I liked Ms. Luca since the first time I saw her." Luke stood at the door, took out the room card, and opened the door. Tommy walked in and looked at the luxurious room while eximing," Daddy, this room is so big! There are two rooms here. We can invite Ms. Luca to stay in one of them! I''ll stay in the same room as Ms. Luca!" Luke shook his head and said, "No." "Why?" Tommy looked at him disappointedly. "Others might misunderstand.¡± Luke put down his suitcase and nced at the suite. It felt nice. His gaze fell on Tommy again. He looked puzzled. Luke exined, "I have a wife, your Mommy, so I can''t stay in the same room with her or others might misunderstand the situation." Tommy said, "Only a couple can stay in the same room?" "Yes." Luke nodded. No matter how much Tommy liked Luca, he could not let her stay here. "Daddy, you don''t spend the night in the same room as Mommy. You sleep in the study every night," Tommy said. Luke''s mood turned half-gloomy when he heard what Tommy said. The reason why he chose to sleep in the study was that he felt something was off with Bianca. He chose to believe her when Bianca used amnesia as an excuse. However, he felt ufortable whenever they had any physical contact. The intimacy was no longer there. Therefore, to avoid further contact, he chose to sleep in the study. At that moment, he finally understood why he felt this way. He was d that he did not go against his gut feelings and chose to sleep in the study. "Daddy?" Tommy was not afraid of him even though he waspletely silent and seemed like he was in a bad mood. "I''ll get you your pajamas. Take a shower and go to bed," Luke said. They arrived at the hotel around 11 at night. Tommy was not sleepy because of the jetg, but he had to adapt to the timezone here. That was why Luke asked the child to take a bath and sleep. "Daddy, you haven''t answered my question yet." Tommy stood there, watching as Luke turned the suitcase sideways, unzipped it, and took out a set of pajamas from it. "Mommy and I are an exception," Luke said, "Living in the same house is the same as living together." "Daddy, then this is also considered the same house..." Tommy still wanted to try to argue, but when he saw Luke''s stern face, he did not dare to say more. He silently picked up the pajamas in Luke''s hand and said, "I''m going to take a shower." Luke nodded and took out Tommy''s other toiletries from the suitcase. Tommy found the bathroom, walked in, and looked at him again. Luke put his toiletries aside, adjusted the temperature of the water, and asked, "Can you do it alone?" "Of course, I¡¯m not a kid anymore!¡± Tommy nodded. Upon seeing this, Luke tested the water temperature again before leaving the bathroom. He was sitting on the sofa talking to Jason about his schedule for tomorrow. Tommy walked out after taking his shower. "Daddy, I''m done. You should wash up too before it gets too late." "Okay." Luke nodded, then said to Jason, "Okay, that''s the schedule for the time being." "Okay, Mr. Crawford," Jason responded. Tommy listened to him and asked curiously, "Daddy, are you talking to Uncle Jason?¡± "Yeah," Luke nodded. "I want to talk to Uncle Jason," Tommy looked at Luke with puppy dog eyes and said. "My son wants to chat with you," Luke said. Jason agreed to talk to Tommy, and Luke gave Tommy the phone. Then, Luke picked up his pajamas and walked into the bathroom. Tommy held the phone, and after he saw Luke close the bathroom door, he whispered, "Uncle Jason, what''s Ms. Luca''s room number?" When Luca left the elevator, he made a note of the floor she was on but he did not have the time to ask for her room number. Moreover, he did not bring his tablet on this trip to New York so there was no way for him to contact Luca. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Dr. Craw?" Jason thought about it for a while and said, "She''s in 1218." "Okay, thank you, Uncle Jason." Tommy smiled cheekily, made a mental note of Luca''s room number, and then ended the call. Jason smiled when he heard the busy tone. He was certain that Tommy only wanted to talk to him to enquire about Luca''s room number. Tommy was head over heels for Luca. However, Luke''s schedule for this business trip was very tight. Jason could not figure out why he brought Tommy with him. After all, Tommy was still young and needed someone to take care of him. All of them were upied with work and no one was free to take care of Tommy. Jason thought that they would have no choice but to bring Tommy along for business negotiations. After he put down the call, Tommy put Luke''s phone on the coffee table. When Luke came out of the shower, Tommy yawned and said, "Daddy, I''m sleepy. Which room are you sleeping in?" "Whichever." Luke dried his hair and looked at his sleepy son. "If you''re sleepy, go to bed." "Okay, good night, Daddy.¡± Tommy walked into the room closer to the front door, closed the door, andy on the bed with his eyes wide open. He was not sleepy, not at all... He said that only to deceive his daddy. Luke sat on the sofa and turned on theputer to deal with work emails for a while. When he was feeling a little sleepy, he turned off theputer and walked to the room where Tommy slept to take a look. Tommy was asleep. He closed the door gently and left a light on in the living room. He then went to another room and nned to go to bed. Chapter 1262 Chapter 1262 He Has A Wife Tommy heard the sound of the door opening and closing. He opened his eyes and calmed the restlessness in his heart. After waiting for a long time, he crawled out of bed. He gently pushed open the bedroom door and nced at the living room. There was no one. ''Daddy must have gone to bed.'' Tommy smiled cheekily. He decided to go find her alone since Luke would not let Ms. Luca stay with him. They were all in the same hotel anyway. It was not considered as running away from home. Tommy thought about it for a little and walked to the door. He looked at the locked door and jumped a few times before he finally opened it. Then, he walked out without a second thought. Luke was in the bedroom and opened his eyes when he heard the door opening. He had yet to fall asleep, and his bedroom door was not shut. A tiny squeak was enough to wake him up. Tommy walked to the elevator and pressed the button. After he waited for a while, the elevator door opened slowly. When the elevator attendant inside saw him, she smiled and asked, "My dear child, why are you alone? Where are your parents?" Tommy did not fear talking to strangers. He blinked and answered, "Aunt, I''m looking for my Mommy." Seeing that he was so adorable, the elevator attendant''s heart softened. She asked, "What''s your room number? Isn¡¯t your Mommy in the room?" "My Mommy is in room 1218," Tommy told her Luca''s room number. If he did not make up the lie, the elevator attendant might not have agreed to send him down. "12th floor? Why are you on the 18th floor, then?" The elevator attendant was not a fool. If he did not have a room card, he would not be able to walk around as he pleased. Not to mention, he was in his pajamas. "My Daddy''s room is on the 18th floor," Tommy turned around and did not see Luke. He felt relieved and continued talking, "My daddy and mommy got into a fight today, so they''re sleeping in different rooms. Aunt, I can¡¯t sleep without my mommy." Seeing that his cute face was full of grievances, the elevator attendant sighed and said, "Well,e in then. Ill take you to find your Mommy." "Aun, you''re so nice." Tommy walked into the elevator immediately. A triumphant smile appeared on his face when the attendant pressed the button. He knew that no matter where he came from, no one would say no to a child who pretended to be weak. The elevator attendant touched his head and said, "You''re a good boy." Luke walked out from the corner. He was still in his pajamas. After Tommy opened the door and went out, he knew where he was going. He watched as the numbers on the elevator went down. When it reached the 12th floor, it stopped. He was relieved and called Jason, "He''s on the 12th floor." Since Tommy wanted to find Luca secretly, he allowed him to do so. He just wanted Jason to double- check and see if he entered Luca''s room. "Okay, Mr. Crawford. I''m going to check on Tommy now." Jason''s room was next to Luca''s. He could hear the movements outside if he paid attention. After the elevator reached the 12th floor, Tommy thanked the elevator attendant. "Thank you, Aunt. I have no money with me but I''ll ask my daddy to give it to you tomorrow." "You''re wee." Seeing that he was so sensible and well-behaved, the elevator attendant was worried about him walking around the floor alone. Hence, she said, "Let''s go, I''ll take you to your Mommy''s room." "Thank you." Tommy nodded. The elevator attendant took Tommy''s hand and walked to room 1218. Then, they rang the doorbell. Luca had not gone to bed. She was wary when she heard the doorbell and saw a woman dressed as an elevator attendant through the peephole. Luca opened the door. "Hello, what''s the matter?" Her door was chained, so she was not afraid that the woman would barge in. "Hello, your child is looking for you," the elevator attendant said with a smile. "My child?" Luca was puzzled. When she was about to say that she had no children, she heard Tommy''s voice. "Ms. Luca, I''m looking for you." She unchained the chain, pushed the door open, and looked at the child at the door. It was indeed Tommy. "Why are you here?" Luca asked suspiciously. She looked around again and did not see Luke. Tm here for you." Tommy walked in with a smile and thanked the elevator attendant outside the door. "Aunt, thank you. This is my Mommy." i When Luca heard him call her Mommy, her emotions overwhelmed her and she got a little teary. She wanted to take this title selfishly and have Tommy call her Mommy a few more times. "You''re wee, Madam. I hope you''ll reconcile with your husband as soon as possible. The child is innocent," the elevator attendant said with a smile and turned around to leave. Luca closed the door with a confused expression on her face. It was strange enough for Tommy to call her ''Mommy*, but she also had a husband? "Tommy, why are you here?" She locked the door, then squatted down to look at Tommy sternly. "Ms. Luca, Daddy won''t let you move upstairs, so I came downstairs to look for you," Tommy said. "Why did you call me ''Mommy''? And what¡¯s this about my husband? Since when do I have a husband?" Luca continued to ask. Tommy blushed. He did not expect his lie to be exposed so quickly. He touched the back of his head and obediently told the reason why he said that to the elevator attendant. It was to let him get on the elevator. Luca was speechless after she heard his exnation. Tommy was a very clever child, but he was taking advantage of the wrong situations. If the elevator attendant were a bad person or someone nted there by Abel, the consequences would have been disastrous. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Even though the hotel was high-end and the security protocols were good, she did not dare take it easy for even a moment. They were not in A City, and Luke did not have much influence in New York. If something happened, they might not be able to get out of the situation in one piece. She had to be more cautious. Luca did not speak. Tommy yed with his fingers nervously for fear that she would think she was a bad boy and no longer like him. He exined, "Ms. Luca, I didn''t mean to lie. I just wanted to stay with you. Daddy''s suite has two rooms. I asked him if you could move in and he said no, that''s why I " Luca knew that Tommy did it because he wanted to spend more time with her. As his mother, she was overjoyed that Tommy wanted to spend more time with her. She was not angry at him. "Your Daddy is the boss while I¡¯m his subordinate. Our rtionship doesn''t allow us to stay in the same room. What''s more, he has a wife." Chapter 1263 Chapter 1263 Luke¡¯s Private ount Tommy listened to her and replied in a slightly frustrated tone, "Ms. Luca, you and Daddy said exactly the same thing." Luca was stunned. Tommy continued, "However, Daddy and Mommy are husband and wife but they don¡¯t sleep in the same room..." Luca had known about that for a while and was a little happy about it. She touched his head and said, "Okay, let''s move on from this. Promise me that you won''t do this again. This is dangerous." "This is the hotel." Tommy did not understand why it would be dangerous. After all, his Daddy and Luca were both here. "Who said that the hotel is safe? Have you ever thought that if the person in the elevator was bad, you wouldn''t see me ever again?" Luca frowned when she heard what he said. This kid needed to improve his safety awareness. Thest time, he was almost bullied by gangsters. Not long after, he still dared to run up and down in the hotel in the middle of the night. Personal safety was not something to be joked about! "I know I did something wrong, Ms. Luca, but I just wanted to be with you. Ms. Luca, I miss it when you cuddle me to sleep." Tommy pouted and showed an aggrieved expression. Luca''s heart softened. She did not want to shoo Tommy back to his room since he was here for her. "Is your daddy asleep?" "Daddy is already asleep." Tommy nodded. "You can rest in my room tonight. I''ll send your daddy a text to inform him so that he won''t worry if he can''t find you tomorrow," Luca said and looked for her phone. "Okay, Ms. Luca." Tommy burst intoughter when he heard that he could stay by her side. Luca found her phone on the coffee table and sent a text to Luke informing him that Tommy was with her. At the same time, Luke received an update from Jason that Tommy had gone into Luca''s room. Hey down and scrolled the screen as he stared at the text from Luca. Luke did not notice that the corners of his mouth were slightly raised. After Luca finished sending the text, she put her phone down, touched the child''s head, and said, "It''s late. Why don''t we go to bed?" "Okay!" Tommy felt happy when he thought of how he would be able to go to bed in her arms. "You look energetic, but we have to adapt to the jetg. By the way, how long will your daddy be on this business trip?" Luca asked again. "I don''t know. Daddy said it depends on the situation, but he helped me take a two-week leave." Tommy held her hand and walked to the bedside, then replied obediently. ''Two weeks? Isn''t that the duration of my training?'' Luke was not the kind of person who would abuse his power at work for private matters. There was no reason for him to go along with them for training. He must havee to New York with them for official business. However, it was coincidentally for two weeks as well... Luca felt a little uneasy and thought that Abel was somehow involved. ''What on earth is that horrible man going to do...'' The hotel bed was rtively high, so Luca put Tommy on the bed and then took out a clean towel from the bathroom. She folded it and put it on the bed. There were no pillows for children in her room. The hotel pillows were too high for Tommy, so she patted her pillow and said, "Is it okay if you sleep on this tonight?" "Okay, Ms. Luca." Tommy grinned. He forgot to bring his pillow when he came downstairs. He did not expect her to be so thoughtful. With his permission, Lucay down on one side of the bed. When the twoy down, Tommy curled up into her arms and whispered," Ms. Luca, your arms are very warm, like..." Luca asked curiously, "Like what?" ''Just like Mommy''s arms...'' However, Tommy kept it to himself. Even though he did not want to admit that the person in A City was his Mommy, she was. Luca gave him a lot of warmth. However, she was just Ms. Luca. "It''s like a heater!" Tommy replied and closed his eyes to conceal the sadness in his eyes. This was the first time he felt that Luca was more suitable to be his Mommy than Bianca. Her gentleness, kindness, and warmth made her a suitable candidate. However, he could only have one mommy... Tommy closed his eyes. The scale in his heart was unconsciously tipped toward Luca. He really wanted her to be his Mommy. However, that was impossible... Luca gently swept Tommy''s back. Tommy was adaptable, and the motion helped him adapt to the jet lag. He quickly fell asleep. Sure enough, Tommy''s breathing slowed down after a while. Luca rested on the pillow and looked at Tommy. She left the bedsidemp on to make Tommy feel safer because they were in an unfamiliar environment. It was also because in case she woke up in the middle of the night, she could immediately figure out where she was. She listened to Tommy''s steady breathing, and a smile appeared on her face, revealing a sense of happiness. Suddenly, a burst of sleepiness struck and she closed her eyes. Tommy and Luca both slept very peacefully that night. When Luca opened my eyes, the sky was already bright. She looked at the ceiling and tuned out for a while. Last night, she fell asleep without taking any medicine. She was not affected by jetg, insomnia, and did not even dream. ''This is...'' She turned sideways and looked at Tommy, who was next to her. She moved a little, and the sleeping child instantly leaned into her. His extreme dependence and insecurity caused her heart to ache a little. ''The reason why I slept so wellst night was because of him...'' Luca has a keen sense of smell and thought that the child¡¯s scent was very close to that of Luke''s. They were father and son, so their scents were simr. She touched the child¡¯s head and reached for her phone. She turned on the phone and looked at the time. It was still early, so she did not n to wake Tommy up. She wanted him to sleep longer to aid his growth. The next second, Luca noticed that she had a new friend request on Facebook. She clicked on it, looked at the request, and was stunned. It was a friend request from Luke. It was not his work ount but his private one... Luke had two Facebook ounts. One was used to contact partners and subordinates at work, while the other was private. Private Facebook ounts were usually used to contact family and friends. They had nothing to do with work. She recognized that it was his private ount because the profile photo was a group photo. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. It was a group photo of them on a pic three years ago. Chapter 1264 Chapter 1264 Would Luke Have Any Objections? Luca could not help but click on his picture. The group photo was erged on the screen. She still remembered that memory from three years ago. The weather was wonderful and the sun was warm. The wildflowers were in full bloom and were fragrant. There was an atmosphere of happiness all around. That day, their kids had a great time ying around. Luke, whose expression was mostly cold, also showed a bright smile on his face. Luca remembered everything from that day clearly. She looked at the photo, the corners of her mouth slightly raised as she touched the screen. "Ms. Luca..." Tommy''s muttering interrupted her. Luca turned off her screen, turned sideways, and looked at Tommy. He was close to her. She asked in a soft voice, "What''s the matter?" "I want a hug..." Tommy had not fully woken up. His voice was sleepy and he acted like a baby. Luca smiled softly, took him into her arms, and whispered, "It''s still early, go back to bed." Tommy closed his eyes and felt extremely happy being in her arms. "Ms. Luca, did Daddy look for me?" "He knows that you''re here, don''t worry." Luca gently swept his back, quietly soothing him. When Tommy heard her words, he closed his eyes and went back to sleep. Luca''s actions became softer and softer before she eventually stopped. She watched as the child slept innocently. Her heart was warm as she silently covered Tommy with the nket. After an hour. Luca saw that it was gettingte and shook Tommy''s arm slightly." Tommy, wake up." Tommy groaned but did not open his eyes. He held onto Luca''s hand. "Ms. Luca, your hand is so warm." His eyes were still closed when he spoke. He felt a sense of security whenever he was around her. He was reluctant to leave. Luca looked at the child and was not sure whether tough or cry. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. It was just the beginning of autumn, and the weather was not too cold. She touched Tommy¡¯s head. If it were any other day, she would have wanted the child to sleep a little longer and spend more time with him. However, if they continued to stay in bed, they would bete. Luca remembered how she used to wake Tommy up. Just then, she scratched his armpit gently. Tommy was ticklish and his eyes opened in an instant. His round eyes looked at her while his body kept evading her attacks. "Ms. Luca, what are you doing?" "Waking you up." Luca stopped when she saw him wake up and squeezed his cheek gently. "Okay, get up now." Tommy was still drowsy and sat up. He looked at her and said, "Ms. Luca..." Luca sat up andbed his messy hair with her fingers. "What''s the matter?" "My mommy used to wake me up like this. For a moment, I thought you were my Mommy," Tommy said. Since Bianca lost her memory, no one had woken him like that again. Although he was ticklish, he missed this kind of intimate interaction. When his eyes were closed, he thought she was his mommy. Luca''s smile was a bit stiff. She thought that children had poor memory and would not remember most of their childhood memories. However, it seemed that Tommy remembered everything. Luca''s mood wasplicated. ''Tommy must be very disappointed about the fake Bianca entering his life. Otherwise, why would he remember those little things from before?* "Ms. Luca, did you do it on purpose?" Tommy asked when she kept silent, then held her hand. Luca shook her head. She did not know how to exin it to Tommy, so she had no choice but to lie. "What do you mean? Aren¡¯t all the children in the world ticklish?" Tommy pouted and said, "Ms. Luca, you did it on purpose." "I wanted to wake you up. Look at you, you look so energetic now." Luca squeezed his cheeks, got out of bed, and said, "Let''s wash up." "All my toiletries are at Daddy''s..." Tommy said. He should have brought his toothbrush and towel with him if he knew that things would go so well. Luke was obsessed with cleanliness. Even in the best hotel, he insisted on using his own toiletries. Luca knew about that. Seeing that Tommy insisted on using his toiletries to wash up, she thought about sending him upstairs. Then, the doorbell rang. I''ll see who it is. Wait here," Luca said as she walked to open the door. Jason stood outside with a bag in his hand, looking at her with a smile. "Good morning. Dr. Craw, did you sleep well? Are you happy with your room?" He took the initiative to greet her. "Hello, Mr. Doyle. Everything''s fine. What can I do for you?" Luca asked. "Oh, yes, these are Tommy''s toiletries. Mr. Crawford asked me to pass them to you." Jason handed her the bag. Luca took it and thanked him. Jason did not linger and turned around to leave. She closed the door and opened the bag to find that it was filled with children''s toiletries. Luca walked to the bed and said, "Mr. Doyle brought your toiletries here. Come, let''s wash up." "Okay, Ms. Luca." Tommy yawned, got off the bed with a smile, and followed her into the bathroom. Luca took out the toiletries one by one and looked at him again. "Do you want me to help you?" "Ms. Luca, I''ll do it myself." Tommy was independent and did not need her to help with these things. Luca nodded. Although she spoiled Tommy, she would let him be independent when he should be. She squeezed the toothpaste and handed it over. She filled a cup of mouthwash and said, "Okay, you can do it by yourself." "Okay." Tommy took the toothbrush and started brushing his teeth. Luca looked at his well-behaved appearance. She opened a set of toiletries and brushed her teeth. After she was done, she asked him, "Should I take you to Mr. Crawford?" She had to go to training and could not bring him with her. Since Luke brought Tommy to New York, he should take care of the child. Tommy did not answer her question but asked, ¡±Ms. Luca, what are you going to do, then?" "I''m going to have breakfast and will be busy with training for the rest of the day," Luca said as she took out a coat from the suitcase and put it on. Tommy nodded. "Ms. Luca, I''m hungry too. Bring me to breakfast with you! You can send me back to Daddy after we eat!" He knew that the training was important. He did not insist on going for training with her but asked to have breakfast together. "But Mr. Crawford..." Luca hesitated. She was not sure if Luke would have any objections seeing that she had already spent the night with Tommy. "Daddy wouldn¡¯t say anything since he already asked Uncle Jason to deliver my things over." Tommy touched his stomach and said pitifully," Ms. Luca, please take me for breakfast." Chapter 1265 Chapter 1265 Friend Request Seeing his pitiful appearance, Luca could not bear to let him starve. She nodded and said, "Okay, I''ll take you to breakfast, but after eating, I¡¯ll send you back to Mr. Crawford. Promise me that you won''t make a fuss then." From past experience, Tommy would try his best to stay by her side every time they had to separate. She wanted to cover her ground to make sure that Tommy would not get in the wayter because he did not want to leave. "Okay, Ms. Luca!" Tommy nodded and agreed. The two left the room together. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca brought him to the restaurant downstairs. Rhett, Dr. Albus, and the others were already sitting there eating breakfast. The hotel that Jason booked for them had a breakfast buffet, so they were all here to fill their stomachs. "Dr. Craw, good morning." Rhett greeted her because they were sitting near the door. "Good morning." Luca nodded at them, then took Tommy to the self- service area. Dr. Albus looked at the scene and could not help but say, "That''s Mr. Crawford''s child, right? Why is he with Dr. Craw first thing in the morning?" They witnessed how close Tommy was to Luca with their own eyes, but it was strange that Luca was with Tommy in the early morning. ''Shouldn''t the kid be with Luke? Mr. Crawford hasn''t appeared yet Luca showed up with Tommy...¡¯ Dr. Albus exchanged nces with his assistant. They then looked at Rhett at the same time. "Mr. Link, what''s going on with Dr. Craw?" "I don''t know." Rhett shook his head. He knew about all the bad thoughts in their minds at a nce. Since Luca showed up with Tommy early in the morning, they must think that she did not sleep in her roomst night. Although they walked out of the elevator together, it was difficult to say what happened after they went into their respective rooms. "Why don''t you go find out? We¡¯re quite curious," Dr. Albus said. Rhett was scolded by Luca just the day before. He did not dare to trigger her just to satisfy their need to gossip. He shook his head and said, "Dr. Albus, this is Dr. Craw''s private matter. It''s not my ce to ask anything." Dr. Albus did not push Rhett further, seeing that he turned him down. He did not want to be known as a gossiper. Luca brought Tommy to take some food that he wanted. She then randomly chose a table. Tommy took a sip of milk and asked, "Ms. Luca, why aren''t you sitting with them?" "It''s noisy when many people sit together. Isn''t it nice to have a quiet breakfast like this?" Luca said as she took a sip of the coffee. She was not a fan of crowds. She would not sit with them even if Tommy were not with her. Tommy nodded in agreement and said, "Ms. Luca is right! Daddy also said that it¡¯s best to keep your mouth shut during a meal." Luca smiled and touched his head. Halfway through breakfast, Luke and Jason both appeared in the restaurant. Dr. Albus and the others stepped forward to greet them before returning to their seats. Dr. Albus exchanged a nce with his assistant. He thought that Luke was great at avoiding suspicion. Luke and Luca did not appear in the restaurant at the same time. Luke chose to appear with his assistant in the restaurant after Luca arrived so that others would not misunderstand. Tommy had been following Luca around. Everyone saw how dependent he was on Luca. They thought that she had no choice but to bring him along since he would not part from her. Tommy made it hard for them to conceal the truth. Dr. Albus thought that he had seen through the whole thing and felt triumphant. Although Luca''s research was great, she was still dependent on men. Luca lowered her head to eat breakfast silently. After she finished thest sip of her coffee, she looked at Tommy who was sitting across from her. He was done with breakfast. "Tommy, go to your Daddy," she said. Tommy did not move and asked, "Ms. Luca, do you need to go to work already?" "Yeah." Luca nodded. Although Tommy was reluctant, he remembered what he promised her and had no choice but to wave his hand reluctantly. "Ms. Luca, goodbye." "Goodbye." After Luca stood up, Tommy also stood up and walked toward Luke. "Daddy," Tommy called out to Luke and sat next to him with a ttering smile on his face. "You¡¯re back?" Luke took a sip of coffee gracefully while frowning. Even at a six-star hotel, the coffee was nothing beyond average. The best coffee he ever had was prepared by Bianca. "Daddy, don''t be mad... I''m sorry." Tommy could not figure out his mood as there were no ups and downs in his expression. However, he knew he was at fault for leaving the room without Luke¡¯s permission. He had no choice but to apologize obediently. Luke lifted his gaze and nced at Tommy, who was trying to please him and reduce his anger. His expression remained neutral. Tommy touched the back of his head. Jason wanted tough when he saw the father and son act like this, but he could notugh in front of Luke. Hence, he had to put food in his mouth to divert his attention. Tommy acted pitifully and tugged on Luke¡¯s sleeve. "Daddy, I was afraid of going to bed by myself... You wouldn''t want to sleep with me so I had to find Ms. Luca." Luke picked up the napkin and wiped the corners of his mouth. He only ate half of the food on his te and less than a third of the coffee in his cup was drunk. "Tell her to check her notifications," He said. "Her? Who, Daddy?" Tommy asked, puzzled. Luke looked at Luca and Tommy instantly knew who he was referring to. There were still 15 minutes before they had to assemble. She stood up and sat down again while sneaking nces at Luke''s table. Tommy nodded and said, "Oh, you''re talking about Ms. Luca!" Luke was speechless. Tommy went to Luca immediately. "What''s wrong? Did your daddy scold you?" Luca touched his head. She did not hear what they were talking about because she was far away. Tommy shook his head and said, "Ms. Luca, Daddy asked you to look at your phone." Luca was speechless as she watched Tommy return to his table. ''He used Tommy to get me to check my phone?'' She took out her phone and was puzzled for a moment. She then remembered Luke''s friend request from the night before. ''Is he talking about this?'' "Dr. Craw, we''re leaving." While she was still hesitating, Rhett walked over and reminded her. Luca snapped out of it and nodded. Without looking at Luke, she hurriedly followed Rhett and left the restaurant. Luke kept looking in her direction. After Luca left, he took his phone out of his pocket and unlocked it. The friend request was still pending. Luke''s expression was stern as he put the phone back in his pocket. Tommy noticed his shift in mood and asked, "Daddy, what''s the matter with you?" Chapter 1266 Chapter 1266 What Are You Saying? Luke''s expression was neutral earlier, but it turned gloomy after Luca left. Jason lowered his head to eat his breakfast silently. Tommy was the only one who dared to ask questions. Luke nced at his son, then turned to look at the entrance of the restaurant. Luca and the others had already left. He looked away, picked up the napkin, wiped his mouth, and stood up. Jason followed him, stood up, and asked, "Mr. Crawford, are you going to the office now?" "Mm," Luke took Tommy''s hand and walked out. Jason followed behind him as he took out his phone and gave the driver a call, asking him to wait for them downstairs. Tommy looked up at Luke and asked, "Daddy, are we going to where Ms. Luca is?" "No," Luke stood in front of the elevator and answered his question with a stern expression. "Ah, why not?" Tommy thought they were going to be at the same event together, which was why he agreed to Luca''s request obediently. After Jason spoke to the driver, he said to Tommy, "Tommy, Dr. Craw is going fortraining. We''re going somewhere else." Tommy was stunned, he curled his lips and said, "I thought I would be seeing Ms. Lucater." Jason was not sure whether tough or cry when he saw Tommy''s reaction. However, he did not dare to be presumptuous in front of Luke, so he could only try to hold in his smile. He had been working by Luke''s side for many years and had already mastered his ability to hold back hisughter so Luke would not notice. After the elevator arrived, Luke and Tommy went downstairs. The Rolls-Royce was parked at the entrance of the hotel. When the driver saw theming, he immediately got out of the car and opened the door for them. Tommy stood by the car, looked at Luke eagerly, and said," Daddy, I want to look for Ms. Luca." "No," Luke carried him into the car, closed the door, and got into the car from the other side. Tommy''s request was ruthlessly rejected. He looked at him with puppy dog eyes. When he wanted to say something, Luke said, "Have you forgotten what you promised me?" Tommy shut his mouth instantly. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. To go on the trip to New York, he promised that he would not make a fuss and be obedient. His tiny fist hammered his knee, then he sighed deeply. He frowned like a little adult with infinite sorrows. Luke was unmoved by his actions. He took out his personal phone and found that there were no new notifications. He put the phone in his pocket and closed his eyes. Tommy nced at him and knew it was best to stop bothering him. However, he did not rest with his eyes closed but looked at the scenery that was shing outside the car window. He had a good rest the night before and was very energetic. The other side. Luca, Dr. Albus, and the others got in the car arranged by the Pharmaceutical Association. They were going to attend a lecture with the top medical professors and pharmaceutical professors from all over the world. They would get together and exchange ideas with each other on the special cases they had taken on. This was Luca''s first time attending a lecture as such, butpared to others, she was not as interested. Dr. Albus went through the list of attendees in the car and said excitedly, "Dr. Steve will also attend this lecture! That¡¯s wonderful!" Luca did not know much about these big shots in the field, so the expression on her face was calm like stagnant water. Rhett could not believe it. He stared wide-eyed and asked," Dr. Steve?" "Yes, look at this list. I heard that he very rarely attends lectures like this. I didn''t expect to be able to meet him this time. It seems that luck is on my side!" Dr. Albus'' tone was full of admiration toward Dr. Steve. Dr. Albus'' assistant said, "Dr. Steve also published a new research paper in an international journal a few days ago. The research direction of his paper is rted to what you''re working on now. It¡¯ll be great if we can pick his brain on it." Dr. Albus¡¯ pharmaceuticals were mainly for the treatment of intestinal infarction, which was relevant to Dr. Steve''s recent research paper. Hence, they were overjoyed. They would have something to boast about if they had the chance to have a chat with Dr. Steve for a few minutes. "Well, we must seize the opportunity." Dr. Albus nodded and secretly made a decision. The three of them were discussing happily and were happy to be able to meet the big names attending this lecture while Luca kept quiet. Rhett handed a list to Luca and asked, "Dr. Craw, would you like to see it?" "No need." Luca shook her head and closed her eyes. She was neither sleepy nor tired but she did not want to talk about this lecture with them any further. Abel was involved. Compared to their high expectations, she would be taking a precautionary route so as not to identally fall into Abel¡¯s trap. Rhett heard her reply and nodded. Their names were also on the list but they were on thest page. The pharmaceutical industry would not attract the attention of the public if there was nothing major. In addition, they were not big names in the field, so their names were at the back. Dr. Albus was pleased to see his name on the list. He took out his phone, took a photo, and nned to post it on social media because it was a rare opportunity for him to meet all these big names in the industry. The car drove for about half an hour before it reached its destination. The lecture was held in the auditorium of a university in New York. The four of them got out of the car and followed the instructions to the auditorium. Many students were in the universitypound because it was a school day. Luca walked on the path, her delicate face bing part of the scenery. A male student noticed her since she got out of the car. Even though there were three men beside her, he was not demotivated. As Luca got closer and closer to him, he exchanged nces with his friend, jumped off the railing, and walked to Luca. Her path was blocked by the tall male student. Luca frowned and looked at the person in front of her. "Hello, my name is William! You¡¯re so beautiful, can you give me your number? Shall we be friends?" As soon as William finished speaking, his friend whistled to cheer him on. Some of his friends chanted, "Give him your number! Give him your number!" Luca was not interested. She wanted to bypass the boy but was immediately blocked. "What''s your name?" "What are you saying?" She frowned and showed a puzzled expression. She spoke in Russian and pretended that she could not understand what the other party was saying. William''s expression was a little petrified. He was shocked that the delicate doll in front of him did not understand English. However, he did not understand Russian. Luca did not give him time to react, took a detour, and continued walking. Chapter 1267 Chapter 1267 Approve My Friend Request Dr. Albus, who was watching as things went down, gave Luca a thumbs up. He smiled and said, "Dr. Craw, impressive." In his heart, he secretly despised Luca and thought that she was something else. ''No one, not even university students, can escape her seduction. It''s no wonder she receives special treatment from Luke.¡¯ Luca kept quiet and followed the signs to the venue. William, who watched her walk away, was a little sad. He thought that thenguage barrier was a pity. His friend on the side noticed that he looked sad and lost. He patted him on the shoulder and asked, "William, why are you so upset?" i "Paul, I fell in love with her at first sight, but such a beautiful woman doesn''t understand our language..." William was head over heels and stared at Luca''s back. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Paul sneered, snapped his fingers, and said, "Friend, you were deceived by her. She''s walking to the university''s auditorium. There¡¯s a medical lecture in the auditorium today, and those with her don¡¯t look like students. She must be here to attend the lecture. It doesn''t make sense that she got an invitation to the lecture but doesn''t understand a single word of English." William was shocked. "So... are you saying that she understood me?" "Of course, but..." Paul looked at him and had a nasty thought. He said, "She understood you but pretended not to. It must be because she''s not interested in you." William was frustrated. This was the first time in his life that he failed to pursue someone. He was voted the school hunk of this university. Apart from being a popr face in this university, he was also known in other universities for his excellent football skills and was admired by many girls. However, from the moment he saw Luca, he no longer had eyes for other girls. Paul put his arm around his shoulders and asked, "Why are you so upset? It''s just a woman. I''ll help you." "I don''t want to hurt her." William shook his head and refused. He knew what his friend meant. He was not a good person. He was a yboy but did not want to hurt Luca, who he fell in love with at first sight. "A beautiful woman like her will be swept up by others after staying in New York for two more days. Do you want that to happen? Don''t regret it when you see her with other men," Paul said. William suddenly clenched his fists, his eyes bursting with possessiveness as he grunted. "No, she belongs to me." "Okay, very good!" Paul smiled when he saw that William was on board. He said, "I''m your best friend. Of course, I''ll help you go after the woman you love." Luca walked into the auditorium with the others. She would not expect that the consequences of rejecting a seemingly harmless boy would be so dire. They were seated far behind, but this arrangement was exactly what Luca wanted. She was not interested in medicine in the first ce. The reason why she studied so hard was that she wanted to live. On the Ind of Despair, learning another skill meant gaining another shot at protecting your life. Luca sat with Rhett on her left and Dr. Albus on her right. People came into the auditorium one after another. Luca walked aimlessly and saw Johann. However, he was surrounded by people, so he did not notice her. More and more people entered the auditorium. After a while, the lecture officially began. Luca was a little absentminded listening to the various medical reports. She thought of Luke. He asked Tommy to ry his message and asked her to check her notifications. ''Does he want me to approve his friend request? Why would he... want that?'' Luca''s thoughts were getting jumbled when out of the blue, the phone that she was holding on began to vibrate. No one was rmed because she turned it to vibration mode before the lecture started. She picked her phone up and found that it was a video call request from Tommy. Luca took the earphones from her bag and picked up the call. Tommy''s cute face appeared on the screen. Luca smiled, she could only type because it was inconvenient to speak. [What''s the matter?] Tommy said happily, "Ms. Luca, Daddy gave me a phone to y with so I called you. What are you doing?" Luca replied: [Listening to the lecture.] "Oh, you and Daddy are so busy. Ms. Luca, look at him..." Tommy tapped his finger on the screen and it cut to the rear camera. She saw Luke, who was sitting behind Tommy, at his desk. He was leaning on his side with his gaze on theputer screen. He was highly focused on his work. His resolute and stylish side profile made it impossible for anyone to look away. ''Luke is so handsome when he works...'' Luca''s heartbeat suddenly skipped a beat. The pace of her heartbeat seemed to be out of control... "Daddy made me stay here after he brought me to thepany. He keeps looking at theputer. I''m so bored, Ms. Luca," Tommy pouted while telling her about his boredom. Luke, who was busy, heard his son''sint and stood up to walk over to him. Tommy held the phone and kept the camera on him. "Daddy, what are you doing?" Luke walked to Tommy''s side and looked at the child while standing. "Give me the phone." He held out his hand. "Daddy, I''ll be bored out of my mind if you take the phone away. My teacher said that it''s not good for kids to be bored. It might make me stupid." Tommy protected the phone. Luke sat down, took the phone from his hands easily, and turned the camera around. Tommy watched silently. Luca looked at the camera shaking for a while before it finally froze on Luke''s handsome face. She subconsciously ced her phone down, then nced at Dr. Albus. Fortunately, he was fascinated and focused on the lecture. He did not notice her movements. Luke looked at Luca. Her phone was now lying t, and the camera captured her from a downward angle. The average person would look ugly from this angle, but her face still looked beautiful. At that angle, he felt like he was looking up at her from beside her. Luke suddenly moved, feeling that his body was a little hot. His legs unconsciously folded in an instant. "Listening to the lecture?" he asked. He knew about the schedule of their training, and the voices coming from her side all mentioned medical terms. Luca snapped out of it and typed: [Yes.] Luke nodded and said, "Approve my friend request. Bye." After Luke said that, he ended the call. The screen on Luca''s phone instantly returned to her chat with Tommy. "..." Listening to what he said, she was now sure that he asked Tommy to get her to approve his friend request earlier. Chapter 1268 Chapter 1268 Was Luca Afraid of Him? Luca opened his friend request but hesitated for a long time. She wanted to ept the request, but her rationality told her that she should not. The fewer interactions with her, the better it was for him and the children. She struggled internally for a long time before putting her phone back into her handbag. She did not ept his friend request. She knew Luke''s character very well, and she knew that he would not ask her directly to ept the friend request. All she had to do was to wait three days for the request to expire, and she should be off the hook. Meanwhile, Tommy was sitting next to Luke. "Daddy!" He eximed when he saw Luke end the video call. "Don''t disturb her," Luke said and handed the phone back to him. He knew that Tommy would be bored, so he asked Jason to buy several children''s books. "I''m not disturbing Ms. Luca at all. Can''t you see that she''s so bored?" Tommy pouted and protested. Luke stood up as though he did hear what Tommy said. Seeing that Luke had already ended the video call, Tommy thought it was not appropriate to call her again right now." Daddy, did you send Ms. Luca a friend request?" He asked. "This is adult stuff. It''s none of your business." Luke sat on the executive chair and continued to read through his emails. Tommy pouted. He decided to download a game on the phone. "Ms. Luca won''t ept your friend request," he said crankily. "Why?" Luke raised his eyebrows when he heard his son say that. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Ms. Luca doesn''t like you," Tommy said while downloading a puzzle game. "Don''t you know? Ms. Luca seems awkward whenever you''re around. I think that Ms. Luca is afraid of you. That''s not too surprising. After all, there aren''t that many people in the world who aren''t afraid of you. You shouldn''t go the next time I visit Ms. Luca. Don''te and disrupt our intimacy." "That''s not how you use the word ''intimacy.''" Inexplicably, Luke felt irritated by what his son told him. Is Luca afraid of me?'' Luke rubbed his chin, wondering if he was that scary. He did not reply to his son. Instead, he continued to read his emails when he received an email from Gale. Attached to the email was Luca''s dossier. It had been dyed fora longtime. It was the first time that Gale took so long to investigate someone. Luke opened the document and read all eleven pages. He frowned and began reading from the top again. The dossier was very detailed. It recorded Luca''s experiences since she was a child, and every statement was well-supported by evidence. Luke wondered why Gale took so long to investigate someone with an unremarkable past. Moreover, Gale told him that he faced difficulties because someone seemed to deliberately withhold Luca''s information from him. Luke had been wondering if that was the case or if Luca''s information was made up. A knock on the door brought Luke back to his senses. He closed the email window and said, "Come in." Jason came in with a bag of books. "Mr. Crawford, here are some books for Little Mr. Crawford''s enjoyment." Tommy stood up and took the bag from Jason. "Thank you. Uncle Jason." He loved reading, so he was very happy to take the thick stack of books from Jason''s hands. Luke nodded. "Thank you." "You''re wee." Jason nodded and left Luke''s office. Instead of ying on the phone, Tommy picked up a book and began to read. Soon, he was engrossed in the story and forgot all about Luca. Luke narrowed his eyes. He checked his personal phone to find that Luca had not epted his friend request. The organizers had invited many presenters to the conference, so the lectures were split into two sessions: One in the morning, and the other in the afternoon. After the morning lectures ended, Luca and Dr. Albus left the auditorium and went to find a ce to have lunch. They would have to return to the hall in the afternoon. After they left the auditorium, Dr. Albus''s assistant suggested, "I was searching around and found that there is a restaurant in the university that serves decent food. Should we have our lunch there, Dr. Albus, Dr. Craw?" Luca nodded. She was not a picky eater. Dr. Albus agreed with the suggestion, so the four people walked toward the restaurant. Finding himself on a university campus and looking at the students around him, Dr. Albus was in a good mood. "Ah, to be young again. Dr. Craw, do you think that you''ll be lucky enough to meet that young man at the restaurantter?" Luca''s expression sank when Dr. Albus mentioned that impudent young man. "That''s no joking matter, Dr. Albus." Dr. Albus could feel that the atmosphere was turning awkward. He forced augh and said, "Don''t be angry, I was just pulling your leg, but I guess if those young men would want to court you, it does prove that you''re quite charming." Luca did not reply. Dr. Albus rubbed his nose. The atmosphere was more awkward than ever. Even though Dr. Albus was silent, he was not happy to admit fault. ''Why is Luca so haughty? Is it because he''s Mr. Crawford''s mistress? I''ve never seen a mistress act like that before. ''I wonder what will happen if Mr. Crawford''s wife and grandfather find out about her. Will she still be able to act like that?'' Eventually, the four people found the restaurant. They arrived there just before lunchtime, so there were not many customers there. After ordering their food, they sat down in a corner. While they waited for the food to arrive, groups of students entered the restaurant. Luca could guess that it must be lunchtime for the students now. She opened her messaging app but closed it immediately. She was afraid that she might not be able to control herself when she saw the friend request. Soon, their food was served. The four people ate quietly, not talking to each other. William and Paul caused amotion when they entered the restaurant. Many female students turned their heads and looked at them unblinkingly. William was not in the mood to care about those students. His eyes darted around the restaurant. Paul tapped his shoulder and pointed at a table in the corner. "Over there. Your Russian doll." William did not know Luca''s name, so he called her "the Russian doll." It was because her features were so delicate, like a doll. They went to the restaurant to try their luck, and they did not expect that they were so lucky. William was overjoyed. He walked over to that table. Rhett was the first to notice Williaming over. He whispered, "Dr. Craw, it''s that student from earlier." Luca frowned when she heard that. When she lifted her head, William was already at their table. Chapter 1269 Chapter 1269 Dr. Albus Was Trying to Exacerbate the Issue William noticed that Luca was looking at him, so he waved to her. "Hey, what a coincidence! We meet again. I''m William. Do you remember me?" Luca nned to use the same trick as in the morning. She pretended not to understand him, looked away, and continued to eat her food. William nced at Paul when he did not get a reply from Luca. Paul said, "Why don''t you try the trantion app you downloaded earlier?" William nodded and opened the trantion app on her phone. With the app, Luca could not use the excuse that she did not understand English. Dr. Albus watched the scene unfold and remembered how Luca had given him the cold shoulder earlier. A mischievous thought brewed in his mind. "Do you need something from Dr. Craw?" William paused and smiled. "Dr. Craw? Is Craw your name?" Luca frowned when she heard the student call out her name. Did Dr. Albus deliberately do that? She turned her head to look at her surroundings. Thanks to William''s presence in the restaurant, some of the other customers were looking toward them. Luca could tell that William was an outstanding individual. She could see that many female students were looking at her jealously. She sighed and said, "I''m not interested." Luca said those words quite clearly, and the people at the surrounding tables could hear what she said. The female students were stunned in disbelief. How could she not be interested in William, or was she just ying hard to get? The male students, on the other hand, were whispering among each other, gloating over William''s embarrassment. After all, William had stood in the limelight for too long. William was unhappy that he was rejected. He did not feel as embarrassed when Luca rejected his advances that morning because it was amunication issue, but now, Luca had rejected him while speaking in English. If he could understand what Luca was saying, everyone in the restaurant would understand too. William slowly clenched his fists. His cheeks were on fire. Rhett thought that William wanted to get physical. He took a deep breath and stood up. "Mr. William, Dr. Craw has already said that she''s not interested. Please leave now and do not disturb us." William turned to look at Rhett. The former was much taller and more muscr than thetter because he had been working out regrly. Just when William was about to charge toward Rhett, Paul grabbed William''s shoulder while his other hand tapped Luca''s handbag. "It''s alright, William. We''re the ones at fault for disrupting their lunch. Let''s go." William did not feel so embarrassed when his friend helped him. They left the restaurant. Paul turned around and smiled ambiguously when he looked at the woman who was eating lunch calmly. Luca continued to eat her lunch, though she could hear the discussions happening on the surrounding tables. "Who''s that woman?" "I don''t know. She seems too old to be a student. Is she a teacher?" "I don''t think that we have a teacher who''s so ugly! Isn''t there some conference at the grand auditorium today? I guess she''s an attendee." "It doesn''t matter who she is. If I see her aler. I''ll teach her a lesson on behalf of William." Luca was silent as she listened to the conversation among the girls. She was no stranger to such situations. After all, she could tell that William was the most popr boy in the university. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Certain memories came back to her. When she was in high school, she was bullied because other girls saw her sneakily observing Luke ying basketball. They thought that she tried to be different so that she could gain Luke''s attention. Luca finished her soup and wiped her mouth. Dr. Albus also heard what the female students were talking about. He frowned and pretended to look indignant. "Those students have gone too far, Dr. Craw. Let me tell them off for you." Luca could tell that Dr. Albus was trying to exacerbate the issue using the guise of helping her. She said, "You don''t have to do anything, Dr. Albus. There are so many students here. Don''t tell me that you n to tell them off one by one?" Dr. Albus smiled. He was not nning on helping Luca in the first ce, but if Luca had stopped him from acting, he was not going to say or do anything. After lunch, they returned to the auditorium to continue with the afternoon segment of the conference. The conferencested until nighttime. After thest lecture, Luca sat in a chair and watched Dr. Albus and his assistant strike a conversation with the famous professors. She was already exhausted from an entire day of lectures, and she was impressed that Dr. Albus had the strength to talk to those professors. He even took a few group photos with them. She turned to look at Rhett, who sat next to her. "Aren''t you going too?" Rhett shook his head. ¡°I''ve already learned a lot from the lectures earlier. Those professors are surrounded by so many people. Even if I managed to talk to them, I don''t think I''ll be learning anything useful." Luca smiled, thinking that he was quite wise. Those people surrounded the professors because they wanted something to brag about. They would not receive any help in their times of need. Eventually, the professors made their way out of the auditorium, and Dr. Albus and his assistant came back. "Dr. Craw, can we go back to the hotel now?" Dr. Albus was the one who was reluctant to leave, though he made it sound like she did not want to leave instead. She stood up calmly and said, "Yes." The four people left together, and they caught a cab at the entrance of the university. William and Paul came out of a dark corner and watched the cab leave. "Let''s get into the car," Paul said and opened the door of the car that was parked next to them. William hesitated. "Are you sure that this is a good idea, Paul?" "Why, don''t you want to know where your Russian doll lives? " Paul stared intently at his phone. There was a bright red dot on it. He had stuck a tracker when he touched Luca''s handbag earlier. He had prepared that because he knew that William was not going to give up so easily. "Of course I want to!" William pressed his lips as he watched the cab drive away. "Then get in the car. Just think about it. She humiliated you earlier. Even if you don''t win her heart, at least you get to im her body. Can you take that humiliation lying down?" Paul tried to instigate him. William remembered how embarrassed he was at the restaurant earlier. He bit his lip and stepped into the car. Paul stepped on the gas pedal and followed the signal from the tracker. "Are you interested in her too?" William asked as he watched the blinking dot on Paul''s phone. He thought that Paul was a little too enthusiastic. Chapter 1270 Chapter 1270 Why Haven¡¯t You Seeded Yet? Paul smiled and shook his head. "I''m not interested in Russians, bro. No matter what you want to do later, I''ll be there to support and help you. Don¡¯t worry, I''ve heard that Russians aren''t as cold as they make themselves out to be. Once you im her body, I''m sure that she''ll fall for you as well." William puffed out his chest confidently. He knew that no woman who had slept with him could resist his charms. "Of course." "I''m helping you because I don''t want to see you looking like a walking corpse after she rejected you," Paul said as he continued driving. "Thanks. Let me know if you need my help next time." William thought that Paul was a good friend. Paul smiled but did not say anything. He had to focus on the signal because his tracker was not a very good one, and the signal would be lost if the tracker went too far away. The signal eventually stopped at the hotel. Paul nced at the six-star hotel in front of them and frowned. "Bro, I think the woman stays here." "How are we going to find her?" William gawked at the hotel in front of him. They did not expect that Luca was staying at a high-ss hotel. If Luca were staying at a budget hotel, they could think of a way to find out Luca''s room number. However, if Luca were to stay at that hotel, they would not be able to bribe the receptionist to give them the information they wanted. Even if they booked a room tonight, they did not know Luca''s floor, and the ess cards could only go to their floors. They mighte from wealthy families, but they were not rich enough to book a room on every floor. Paul was also thinking of the same problem. He had no other choice but to park the car at the curb and say, "Well, we can only wait." "Wait?" William frowned. No woman had ever wasted so much of his time. He did not mind waiting, but he did not want to wait there for nothing. As Paul looked at the stationary dot on his phone, he said," If we had gotten closer to her, we might have found out her floor. Now, all we can do is just wait. If we''re lucky, the woman might decide to step out of the hotel, but if we''re not ... How about this? We''ll wait until midnight. If the woman doesn''t show up, we''ll go home." William had no other choice but to agree with what Paul said. He had gone so far, and he did not want to quit so readily. Back in her room, Luca felt some difort in her lower abdomen. She went to the bathroom and confirmed that she was on her period. She knocked her forehead and cursed her carelessness. Her lifestyle and work hours had been irregrtely, which made her period come early. It also meant that she had not packed sanitary pads along with her. Luca picked up the phone receiver and wanted to call the front desk to send up a pack of sanitary pads. However, she remembered that any expenses would be charged to Luke''s ount. If she bought a pack of sanitary pads from the front desk, it would be charged to the room, and Luke would definitely see that expense. Luca sighed. She picked up her handbag and prepared to go downstairs to get it herself. On the way back to the hotel, she remembered seeing that there was a twenty-four-hour convenience store nearby. Paul sat in the car and looked at his phone screen, asionally ncing at the pedestrians on the sidewalk. He saw the dot move and said, "Looks like today''s your lucky day, bro." William also noticed the moving dot. He lifted his head and saw Luca walking out of the hotel. He could recognize his Russian doll¡¯s features even from a distance. "Thanks. I''ll be back soon," William said. If Luca said yes, he was willing to treat her gently. After all, she was different from other women. As Luca walked on the sidewalk, she was shocked to see a man suddenly appear before her. She looked carefully and realized that he was the male student who had harassed her earlier. "Why are you here?" Luca was filled with disgust toward that young man. The university was quite far away from the hotel, so how did he manage to find her? "It''s me. You remember me, right?" William looked at Luca''s delicate features under the street light, feeling more infatuated than ever. "Dr. Craw, that''s what they call you, right? Are you really a doctor? I don''t mean anything else, but I thought that you look young, just like a student..." William said while following next to Luca, who did not break her stride. Luca continued to ignore her, though she was regretting that she did not get the front desk to deliver the sanitary pads to her. She would rather let Luke know about it than have that boy pester her. i She was also wondering how did the boy know where she was. William thought that Luca''s silence was arrogant or even rude. However, he was not going to give up. After all, that made her a bigger challenge. "Right, you haven''t told me your name." Luca said nothing and went into the convenience store. William also followed inside and continued his questioning." Are you here to buy some snacks? Let me buy them for you." Luca picked up a pack of sanitary pads and went to the cashier counter. William frowned when he saw the thing in her hand. How was he going to make a move on her if she was on her period? Paul was in the car watching all that unfold. Suddenly, a sinister grin appeared on his face. "If you like that woman so much, William, then I shall help you. Once you experience bliss, you shall be dragged into the pits of despair," he mumbled to himself. Paul had a motive to befriend William, i A year ago, William had courted Paul¡¯s girlfriend. However, he soon grew tired of that girl and broke up with her. The girl never recovered from the shock. She tried to reconcile with him, but William treated her cruelly. Eventually, she lost her mind and jumped off a building. Everyone thought that the womanmitted suicide because of her mental problems, but no one knew that William was the cause of those problems. William''s rtionship with that girl had never been publicized, so when the girl tried to look for him after he broke up with her, he told his groupies that the girl was crazy and had hallucinated a rtionship with him. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. William''s groupies bullied the girl relentlessly until she died. Paul''s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. He had been waiting for his chance by William''s side, and he finally found the chance today. ''You love that woman very much, right? Let me help you then." Paul watched Lucae out of the convenience store with a stic bag in her hand. He said, "Why haven''t you seeded yet, William?" Chapter 1271 Chapter 1271 Mr. Crawford Was Hurt When He Saved Ms. Luca William shot his friend a nce, angry at his mocking tone." Shut up!" He said. "I told you that I''d help you.¡± Paul walked toward them with a sinister expression on his face. "No!" William refused because he knew that Luca was on her period. "Why not? This is the only chance you''re going to get, William. Are you sure that you won''t regret it?" Paul said as he stood in Luca''s way. "The conference is a one-day event, and that woman won''t show up in the university tomorrow. Also, I guess that she isn''t from New York either. Don''t tell me you want to go into a long-distance rtionship, do you? How foolish. Aren''t you satisfied if you could im her for just one night?" Luca slowly clenched her hands into fists when she listened to his words. She did not want to get physical just now because she did not want to cause trouble. Moreover, William was only a university student. However, the two boys seemed to have other ns in mind... "What do you want?" Luca said. Paul looked at her. The woman had delicate facial features, but too bad for her, she would be the sacrifice for tonight. "Why are you hesitating, William? It''s better to act than to regretter, right? Don''t worry, it''ll be fine. Women like her are actually very timid," Paul continued to instigate William. Indeed, William did not want to let her slip away just like that. He looked at her seriously and said, "Are you really that unwilling to tell me your name and give me your number?" Luca frowned hard and told him clearly, "I will not give them to you." "See that? You won''t get to im her unless you use some force," Paul said. William was already quite angry at this point. The woman had rejected him three times in a day, and he was rapidly losing his patience. He grabbed Luca''s wrist tightly and said viciously, "If you''re not going to give it to me, I''ll just help myself to it." Luca watched as William grabbed toward her handbag, which contained her wallet and important documents. She let go of the stic bag and clenched her fists, preparing to subdue him. "Let her go." A cold voice was heard from not far away. Even though she did not see who it was, she could tell from the voice that it was Luke. Her expression froze. She turned around and saw that it was indeed him! William frowned when he saw the appearance of the sudden intruder. He had already restrained Luca, but someone came and interrupted them. He saw that the man was not the same one as he saw earlier at the university. "Mind your own business!" William said angrily. In a city like New York, he was not afraid that some passerby would call the police. "Let her go," Luke repeated. His gaze was transfixed on William''s hand that grabbed Luca''s wrist. William subconsciously shuddered when he felt the immense pressure emanating from the man. Who was that man, and why was he so imposing? Paul sensed that William was wavering, and he could tell that things were not going their way. If they ran away now, Paul would have missed his opportunity. He did not want that to happen! Paul took out a Swiss army knife from his pocket, stepped forward, and said, "Don''t be a coward, William. There''s only one of them and two of us. Let me handle the woman, and you can go and fight that man." He reached out to grab Luca''s wrist and handed the Swiss army knife to William. William was still hesitating. Paul continued to instigate him, "It¡¯ll be very humiliating if you stop now. The woman knows our name and our university. What if she posts about up as revenge? Your reputation will be in ruins. Do you think that those girls will still love you if you be the subject of ridicule?" William was very concerned about his reputation with the girls. He grabbed the Swiss army knife impulsively, made sure that Paul was holding Luca firmly, then let go of Luca and brandished the knife in his hand. "Mind your own business. Get lost if you want to live!" Paul grabbed Luca''s delicate wrist tightly, which caused Luca to exim in pain ande to her senses. "I don¡¯t need your help here, Luke," she said. "It''s toote." Just as Luke finished speaking, William charged over with the knife. Luke deftly dodged William''s attack. He wanted to end the fight as fast as he could because Luca was still in Paul''s hands. "I''ll kill you, you busybody!" William''s eyes were bloodshot. He gripped the knife in his hand tightly and charged toward Luke again. In the next second, Luke kicked outward, and William was sent sprawling on the ground. ng! The knife fell to the ground. Paul could see that William was no match for that stranger. He noticed that Luca was distracted, so he choked her neck with both of his hands. "Don''te any closer. Otherwise, I''ll strangle her!" Luca struggled to breathe as the hands closed around her neck tightly. She realized that she had been careless. She thought that Paul was a pushover, but she did not expect that he would dothat. Luke frowned harder when he saw Paul choking Luca. He walked step by step toward Paul, which caused him to step backward. Finding the right opportunity, she used her elbows to ram into Paul''s ribs. Paul yelled in pain and let go of her. At the same time, William had already gotten back on his feet. He grabbed the knife and shed toward Luke. Luca saw that and yelled, "Careful, behind you!" This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Luke turned his head around and dodged the attack, but he was a split second toote, and the knife drew a line on his arm. Jason was in the car. When he saw that, he cried out, "Oh no, Mr. Crawford is injured trying to save that woman! I''ll have to call the police!" Luke looked at the wound on his arm. He greeted William''s face with his fist and sent him sprawling. At the same time, Luca had sessfully subdued Paul. The two university students were sprawled on the ground and groaning in pain. Luca looked at Luke. His arm was injured... Jason quickly came over. At the same time, they heard the police sirensing from afar. Luca turned away. His foot was still on Paul''s back. She could have handled those two boys easily on her own. Luke''s sudden appearance had distracted her. The police brought William and Paul away, and Luke tasked Jason to follow up with the incident. Luke looked at Luca, who was still standing there. "Let''s go. I''ll bring you back in my car." The convenience store was not too far from the hotel. Luca wanted to refuse, but when she saw his injured arm, she nodded, picked up the stic bag on the ground, and followed him. Chapter 1272 Chapter 1272 I¡¯m Not Afraid of Mr. Crawford Luke waited next to the car door. When Luca stepped closer, he opened the car door but did not get in. Instead, he gestured to invite her in. They were quite close to each other. For a split second, she could catch Luke''s scent in her nostrils. Tommy was sitting in the car. He was very excited when he saw Luca. "Come in quick, Ms. Luca!¡± Luca could not stop looking at Luke''s arm. The light was too dim, and she could not see the extent of his injuries. She bent over and stepped into the car. Luke closed the car door, then stepped into the car through the other door. "Hotel," he ordered the driver without using too many words. The driver responded, then started the car. Tommy looked at Luke with eyes full of concern. "Daddy, does it hurt?" "It doesn''t hurt," Luke said. He nced at his arm coldly, seemingly unperturbed by the sh wound. Tommy stopped worrying when he heard his father say that. He gestured a thumbs-up at him and said, "You were so cool just now, Daddy! You were very cool too, Ms. Luca." Jason noticed themotion while they were on their way back to the hotel. The driver parked the car by the roadside, and Luke stepped out immediately to help Luca with her predicament. Tommy had watched the fight happen and was thoroughly impressed by their prowess. "Thank you," Luca said sullenly. She could have dealt with the two boys easily, but Luke''s sudden appearance had caught her by surprise. She would not have wanted to show off herbat skills if William had not brandished the knife. Luke flexed his wrist. Tommy had told him that Luca had single-handedly defeated several hooligans. Now that she took down a jock by herself, he was quite impressed. The only other woman he knew with such brawling skills was Rain. "Where did you learn how to fight?" Luke asked. He could tell that she had been training for many years. "I''ve been training at a dojo near my house since I was young," Luca said as she looked out of the window. The driver stopped the car outside of the hotel, and Luca hurriedly opened the door and stepped out. Tommy stepped out of the car on her side. The three people went into the hotel together. Under the bright lights in the lobby, she finally could see Luke''s injury clearly. The blood had already dried, but Luca could tell that the cut was quite deep. He would not have been hurt if he had not stepped out of the car. Luca felt an inexplicable pang of guilt. She turned around and stopped looking at him. The three people stepped into the elevator together. The elevator stopped at Luca''s floor, and the doors slowly opened. Just when she was about to step out, Tommy tugged her shirt sleeve and said, "Ms. Luca, shouldn''t you help Daddy dress his wound?" Tommy''s reminder made Luca''s gaze fall on Luke''s arm again. Tommy continued, "I''d help Daddy if I know how to, Ms. Luca. Is the injury serious?" Luca felt even guiltier when she heard that. She nodded and said, "I''ll help you dress your wound, Mr. Crawford." Luke nced at his son, then at his arm. He nodded and said nothing. The elevator attendant saw that Luca did not leave. He smiled and said, "Do you want to go up, Ma''am?" "Yes." Luca nodded. The elevator attendant pulled his finger back from the button, and the elevator doors slowly closed. When the elevator arrived at Luke''s floor, the three people stepped out. Luca walked behind the father and son and could not help but feel dejected. "Come in, Ms. Luca!" Tommy waved at her and smiled warmly. Luca came to her senses and stepped into the suite. Tommy closed the door behind her, then took her hand and led her to the couch. "Please sit down for a while, Ms. Luca." When Luca looked at the child''s innocent smile, she could not help but feel that she had been tricked somehow. "Are you feeling unwell, Ms. Luca? You seem weird," Tommy asked when he saw the forced smile on Luca''s face. "I''m fine." Luca shook her head and patted Tommy''s head. Luke took off his coat and hung it on the coat rack. He nced at them and said, "I''ll go and take a shower first." "Mm." There was no first aid kit in the suite. After Luke closed the bathroom door, she picked up the phone receiver and gave a call to the front desk. When the call was picked up, she asked for some antiseptic and bandages. The service at the six-star hotel was very efficient. In less than three minutes, someone brought all the items she requested to the suite. Tommy sat next to her and wagged his legs. "Daddy is a clean freak, Ms. Luca. He''ll be in the bathroom for a while." "Mm." Luca carefully inspected the items that the attendant brought her and saw that nothing was missing. She continued, "Right, Tommy, you should go and tell Daddy not to wash the wound with shower cream." "Why don''t you go and tell him yourself, Ms. Luca?" Tommy asked. Luca was messing around with a bottle of rubbing alcohol in her hands. Before she could reply, Tommy continued, "Are you afraid of my Daddy?" "..." Luca was speechless as she looked at Tommy. " Really, Ms. Luca? You''re afraid of my Daddy?" Tommy''s eyes widened. He had made a harmless guess, and he did not expect to guess right. "No." Luca shook her head weakly. She was not afraid of Luke, but rather, she did not want too many interactions with him. Luke and Tommy did not know that Luca would be assaulted by various emotions every time they met. If she would have to return to the Ind of Despair eventually, she would be very reluctant to leave. Even though they were separated for three years, Luca''s love for Luke did not lessen the least bit. Reminiscing the past was painful enough. She did not want to create more memories with him; that would only make things even more agonizing. "So why wouldn''t you want to tell him yourself?" Tommy asked with a cheeky grin, as though he really wanted Luca to do it. "Alright then, I''ll go.¡± Luca ced the bottle on the table and walked toward the bathroom. The door was a good instor of sound. She could barely hear the sound of watering from inside. Luca took a deep breath and knocked on the bathroom door. "Yes?" Luke''s voice could be heard from within. "Mr. Crawford, try not to wash your wound with shower cream," Luca said. "Alright," Luke replied. Luca returned to the couch and looked at the boy. She emphasized again, "I''m not afraid of Mr. Crawford." "Mm, I know, Ms. Luca!" Tommy smiled and wagged his legs. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Luca knew Tommy''s character well, and she could tell that he did not really believe her. Chapter 1273 Chapter 1273 Tracker Luke stepped out of the bathroom after taking a shower. He was dressed in the hotel¡¯s bathrobe, and he draped the towel around his neck. His hair was still dripping with water, and his body was still coated in ayer of vapor. His demeanorcked his usual seriousness. Instead, he looked sensually carefree. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Luke dried his hair with his towel as he walked over and sat on the couch. He ced his arm on the coffee table, indicating that he was ready for Luca to dress his wound. Luca opened the bottle of rubbing alcohol after making sure that it was suitable for her use. ¡¯This will sting a little," she reminded him. "It''s fine." Luke''s voice was slightly hoarse after the hot shower. "Daddy''s isn''t afraid of pain," Tommy added. Luca dipped a cotton swab into the bottle, then gently rubbed it over his wound. Luke had avoided getting the wound wet when he took the shower earlier. After cleaning away all the dried blood, she noticed that the wound was quite deep. She sighed and said, "If the wound were any deeper, you''ll have to go and get it stitched at the hospital." He remained silent as he watched Luca do her job, and he did not make a sound when the alcohol irritated his skin. Luca was very careful when cleaning his wound, as though she was afraid that he might find it painful. After sterilizing the wound, she took out a bottle of powder from her handbag and applied it to the wound. "What''s this?" Luke asked. "It''s my own creation. It can help in healing wounds. Don''t worry, it''s harmless to the body," Luca said. She had been bringing the powder in her handbag in case of emergencies. "Do you carry everything in your handbag?" Luke was quite surprised. Luca had brought the antidote to the drug at the party. Now, he found out that she brought along a powder for healing wounds. After spreading the powder over the wound evenly, she began to wrap it with a bandage. Her eyelids drooped when she heard his question, and she answered calmly, "They''re only everyday items." Tommy looked at her handbag and noticed that there was something stuck to it. He tore it away and asked, "What''s this, Ms. Luca?" Luca''s expression sank as soon as she saw the thing in Tommy''s hand. "Where did you find this?" In Tommy''s hand was a miniature tracker. "It was stuck to your handbag," Tommy said as he looked curiously at the thing in his hand. Luke also knew what that thing was. "Did those two people appear out of nowhere?" Luca shook her head. She thought that the two students had attached the tracker to her handbag while they were brawling in front of the convenience store earlier, though things did not seem to be that straightforward. The hotel was so far away from the university, so how could the two students have known that she was staying here? "I met them in the university when I was there for the conference. They should be students." Luca did not go into detail about what happened at the university. "It seems like you''re quite popr." Luke could guess what happened even though Luca did not tell him too many details. "The tracker belongs to them." "Mm." Luca tied the bandage in a knot and took the tracker from Tommy''s hand. The tracker was very small, and she did not know its exact functions. Luca originally thought that the incident had nothing to do with Abel. As she looked at the tracker in her hand, she realized that she had to find out the tracker''s functions before she could conclude whether Abel was behind it. She stood up, picked up her handbag and the stic bag, and said, ¡¯I''ve dressed your wound, Mr. Crawford. Try to keep it dry for the next two days. I''ll leave the powder with you, and you can apply it to the wound daily. I''ll be leaving if there''s nothing else." Luke nodded. Earlier, he had noticed the change in Luca''s expression when she first saw the tracker. Normally, people would not have known what that thing was. However, Luca could instantly recognize it. Adding that to her impressive brawling skills, Luke could tell that there was more to her than he expected. Should Gale and Rain start over their investigation? After all, their report did not mention anything about herbat abilities or her technological knowledge. Tommy stood up when he saw that Luca was leaving. "Ms. Luca..." Luca was already at the door. She turned her head around when she heard the child calling her and smiled apologetically. "I''m busy tonight, Tommy. You should sleep with your Daddy, alright?" "Alright then..." Tommy''s smile vanished when Luca told him that she would not be able to take care of him. He watched Luca leave the suite, then turned around and asked, "Daddy, does Ms. Luca hate me?" "She doesn''t hate you," Luke said. He could tell that Luca was feeling guilty when she said that she was not able to apany Tommy. "Why didn''t she want to bring me along with her then?" Tommy did not understand. "She''s busy," Luke said as he looked carefully at the bottle of powder she left behind. He could tell from Luca''s expression that she wanted to take the tracker apart and analyze it. His gaze on the bottle became more pensive when he thought of that. He did not know what she was hiding, but he was sure that there was more to her character. The bottle in his hand was only a simple ss bottle without abel. Tommy shook his head and sighed dejectedly. "Fine then. Looks like I''ll be sleeping alone tonight." Those words made Luke wonder if Tommy could sleep soundly while sleeping with Luca. What was the reason he liked her so much? Luca took the tracker back to her room. She also asked for a toolbox from the front desk. Soon, an attendant brought a toolbox to her room. "Is something broken, Madam? We have a professional repairer over here. Should I call him to help you fix it?" The attendant asked her enthusiastically. The tools that Luca requested were all used for repairs. That was why the attendant thought that Luca wanted to fix something. "It''s fine, thanks. I can do it on my own," Luca said. Then, she closed the door and sat on the chair. She had ced the tracker on the table in front of her. A small red light was still blinking, indicating that it was still functioning. Luca could not find the off switch, so she took it apart. By looking at the internal structure, she could tell its tracking range. From the parts, she could also tell the value of the tracker. With that information, she could tell if the incident was part of Abel''s n. After studying eachponent, she breathed a sigh of relief. The tracker was a cheap, mass-produced item with a very limited range. Chapter 1274 Chapter 1274 Luke Was Poisoned After finding out that the tracker was cheap and mass- produced, Luca was almost sure that the incident was unrted to Abel. She smashed the tracker into pieces and tossed it into the trash can. She was a lot more relieved when she found out that Abel was not involved in the incident. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, shey on the bed. Meanwhile, the police arrested William and Paul and brought them to the police station. Jason followed behind the police car so that he could see the incident to itspletion. William and Paul were handcuffed and ced in the same room. They waited for the familywyer to arrive before the questioning started. "What should we do now?" William asked worriedly as he looked at his handcuffed hands. He was born in a wealthy family, and even though he had frequently gotten himself in trouble since he was young, he had never been arrested by the police before. His family might be rich and influential enough to bail him out, but he had indeed injured someone. The incident might leave him with a criminal record, and his father would not forgive him if that happened. "What''s there to worry about? Rx. Your parents will definitely bail you out. As for me... sigh. What are you worried about if I''m not even worried?" Paul said. He was not as wealthy as William, and he did not have a familywyer, but he was much moreposed than William. "That man looks quite powerful." William was not as optimistic. After cutting Luke, he noticed that those people had stepped out of a Rolls-Royce. There were less than ten of those cars in the entire New York, so William could tell that the man was rich, influential, or both. He was afraid that his family was not as influential as that man. The more William thought about it, the more anxious he got. His hands that rested on the table began to tremble. Paul smirked nonchntly. "Just rx. That man definitely won''t press charges. In fact, he might even need your help.¡± "Why do you say that?" William did not understand. Seeing howposed his friend was, he thought that he should not be so anxious too. "You''ll see," Paul said as he shook his legs. He had coated the Swiss army knife with poison before handing it to William. The poison and the tracker were bought in the ck market. ording to the man who sold him the poison, once the poison was applied to an open wound, it would take two hours to take effect. He originally wanted to use the poison on William, but he did not expect that it was used on that man instead. Paul was confident that the man would not press charges because he knew that the man needed the antidote from them. Of course, the man would still be angry, but Paul would push the me on William and get off scot-free. After all, William was the one who hurt that man with a knife. William did not know that Paul was plotting something against him. He nodded, leaned back on his chair, and looked at the clock on the wall. "Why isn''t thewyer here yet?" He said impatiently. "There''s no rush. It''s almost time," Paul said. He could see that it was almost two hours. Luca had just fallen asleep when she was woken up by the shrill ring of her phone. She opened her eyes, and before she came to her senses, her finger instinctively tapped on the button to answer the call. "Hello," she said. "Ms. Luca? Come here, quick. There''s something terribly wrong with Daddy..." Tommy said anxiously. Luca immediately sat up. "What happened?" She asked. "Daddy seems very ill. Pleasee here faster, Ms. Luca. Boo hoo hoo, he looks like he''s in pain." Tommy stood next to the bed and looked at the man on the bed. Tommy was already sleeping, but he was woken up by a loud growl. He could tell that the noise came from Luke''s bedroom, so he went over to take a look. He realized that Luke had been growling, but no matter how much he called for Luke, Luke did not seem to respond. Tommy was worried and afraid. He immediately thought of Luca, so he took Luke''s phone and called her. Hearing that the boy was about to cry, Luca quickly got out of bed and wore the hotel slippers. She left the room without even putting on a coat. "Don''t cry, Tommy. I''lle upstairs now, but I don''t have the ess card, so I''ll need your help. Bring your ess card to my floor, and I''ll go up with you. Did you get that?" Tommy could see that Luke''s lips were already turning purple. He tried to hold back his tears when he heard Luca''sforting voice, then nodded and replied, "Alright, Ms. Luca. I''ll go to you." With the phone in one hand and the spare ess card in the other, Tommy ran out of the suite. He had taken the elevator the night before, so he managed to find Luca quickly. When Luca stepped into the elevator, Tommy pounced on her and hugged her. "I''m so scared, Ms. Luca." "Don''t be. I''ll go and check on him." Luca took Tommy''s ess card and tapped it on the sensor in the elevator. Before the elevator attendant realized what was going on, Luke closed the elevator doors. Tommy had tried to hold back her tears, but he could no longer stop them from falling the moment he saw Luca. Luca''s heart wrenched when she saw him being so sad. She wiped Tommy''s cheeks with the back of her hand. "Alright, don''t cry. Your Daddy will be fine." Tommy continued to sob. He was a child after all, and he was shocked by Luke''s sudden change. He hugged Luca tightly, as though she might disappear the moment he let go. The elevator attendant did not know what was going on." What happened, Ma''am?" He asked. "It''s nothing," Luca replied. When the elevator arrived at their destination floor, Luca picked up Tommy and hugged him. She did not know what happened to Luke, but she could see that Tommy suffered a shock. Hugging him would give him a sense of safety. After leaving the elevator, Luca quickly walked toward the entrance to the suite and opened the door. "Is your Daddy in the bedroom?" She asked. "Mm." Tommy wiped his tears. Luca ced him on the floor, and he led the way. The moment Luca stepped into Luke''s bedroom, she could smell something sharp in the air. She went close to Luke''s bed and found that he had thrown up- "Ms. Luca..." Tommy could see that Luke''s condition was worse than ever. "Your Daddy will be fine.¡± Luca ced her fingers on Luke''s wrist and took his pulse. Luke''s breathing was very shallow, but his pulse was irregr. Luca looked under Luke''s eyelids, then undid the bandage on his arm. After the bandages were undone, she could see that Luke''s wound had turned ck. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ''He''s poisoned...'' Luca knew that there were no problems with the powder. The only other thing that could have caused the poisoning was William''s Swiss army knife. Why is Daddy like this, Ms. Luca?" Tommy was very afraid. Chapter 1275 Chapter 1275 Snake Venom "He''s like this because he''s a little hurt. Don''t be scared. I''ll go downstairs to get something, and I''ll be back soon, alright?" Lucaforted Tommy. Luke had a weak pulse, and he had thrown up earlier. She could not find any other symptoms of his poisoning. She knew that she could not wake him up, and there were thousands of poisons that could cause the same symptoms. Without being able to know what poison it was, all she could do now was to stabilize Luke''s condition. "Alright," Tommy nodded and said. "I''ll look after Daddy here. IV Luca saw that Tommy was still holding Luke''s phone. "Give me the phone." Tommy trusted Luca, so he handed the phone to her. Instinctively, Luca entered the passcode she knew Lukest used, and she did not expect to be able to unlock it. "Your Daddy needs to go to the hospital. I''m using the phone to make a phone call, and I''ll also go downstairs to get some medicine. Stay here and look after Daddy, alright?" "Mm," Tommy nodded and replied. As Luca walked out of the room, she dialed Johann''s phone number. "Hey, Luke, don''t you know the time now? I was sleeping," Johann grumbled as soon as he picked up the call. "Sorry, Dr. Park. I''m Luca Craw. Do you remember me?" Luca said. Johann''s eyes instantly widened. He remembered who Luca was, but why was Luca using Luke''s phone? He looked at the phone screen to confirm that the call was indeed made from Luke''s phone. "Of course I remember you. Dr. Craw. Is there something?" "There''s something wrong with Mr. Crawford, and he needs to be sent to the hospital now. I know that you''re also in New York. Can you arrange something?" Luca said. Luke''s condition needed a specialist. Luca knew that she had to look for Johann''s help if she wanted Luke to be cured as soon as possible. "What''s wrong with him?" Johann sat up and said anxiously. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "He''s poisoned, but I don''t know what poison it is. Later, I''ll feed him a pill that I made myself, but I can''t say if it''ll work on him. Please arrange for an ambnce toe to Washington International Hotel," Luca said. "Alright, I''ll make the necessary arrangements now." Johann jumped out of bed after realizing the severity of the incident. After the call ended, he made a call to the hospital. Johann''s name was renowned throughout the country, so he managed to notify the hospital very quickly. He changed his clothes and rushed over to the hospital. Luca returned to her room and took out an antidote pill from her luggage. Then, she quickly went upstairs and fed the pill to Luke. Tommy was guarding anxiously by the bedside. Fifteen minutester, there was a knock on the door. Luca quickly went to open the door and saw a team of emergency medics outside. She told them Luke¡¯s situation, and Luke was brought into the ambnce. Luca and Tommy also followed. Johann had arranged for Luke to be sent to the closest hospital to the hotel. The ambnce arrived at the hospital ten minutester. At the hospital, Luca met up with Johann/ "Dr. Park," Luca greeted and nodded at Johann. The dark color on Luke''s lips lessened a little after taking the antidote pill, but he remained unconscious. The antidote pill was not exactly effective, though it managed to stop the spread of the poison. "Dr. Craw, do you know what happened to him?" Johann frowned when he saw that Luke was unconscious. "He should be poisoned, but my antidote didn''t manage to cure him. I think he needs a toxicology test, but I''m guessing that it''s snake venom," Luca said. She knew that her antidote was least effective against snake venom, and the time the poison took effect was simr to snake venom. "Alright." Johann nodded and talked to the medics. Soon, a nurse came and took two blood samples from Luke. Luca could see that the blood that flowed out of Luke''s veins was a lot thicker than usual. She took out a bottle from her pocket and handed it to Johann. "He took a pill earlier. He should take one more." "Did you make these pills yourself?" Johann said as he took the bottle. "Yes. It''s a general antidote, but it''s the least effective against snake venom. That''s why I guessed that Luke is affected by snake venom. The pill isn''t poisonous, and you can eat it if you want," Luca said. Johann opened the lid and instantly smelled herbs. He poured a pill onto his palm and looked at Luca. Eventually, he ced his trust in Luca and fed Luke a pill. "Why is he poisoned?" Johann asked. "I got into some trouble while walking on the street. Mr. Crawford stepped in to help me, and he got hurt. He was cut by a knife that was coated in snake venom," Luca said while looking at Tommy. She felt immensely guilty that the little boy had to go through that. He must be so worried... Johann was surprised that Luke would help her. He remembered that Luke had helped her at the party. This was the second time... It seemed that Luke''s rtionship with her was more than just her boss. Johann noticed the knife wound on Luke''s arm. "Is that the cut?" "Yes. The color of his blood was normal when I dressed the wound, so I didn''t think of that possibility," Luca said. "Did you use any medication for the wound?" Johann asked. "Yes, I did. It''s a powder that I made myself. It''s useful for healing open wounds, and it has no side effects. If you don''t trust me, you can take a sample of the powder for analysis. I can guarantee you that it''s perfectly safe," Luca said. Johann shook his head. "It''s not that I don''t trust you, but it''s too much of a coincidence. In any case, we can talk about that after Luke wakes up." Luca knew that Johann was suspecting her, but she did not bother to exin herself. If they wanted to analyze the powder, she was not afraid anyway. Tommy was holding Luca''s hand tightly as he listened to the conversation between the two adults. "Uncle Johann, will my Daddy be alright?" Johann could see the worry in Luca''s eyes. Was she worried about Luke? He turned his gaze toward the child and said, "He''s going to be fine. We''re here to help him." Half an hourter, Johann received the toxicology test report. Indeed, it was snake venom. The snake was an umon species native to the area. Fortunately, the hospital happened to have the serum for it. Johann frowned as he read through the report. "Are you saying that two college kids injured him?" "Mm." While waiting for the toxicology report, Luca had told Johann about the incident, including the identities of the people who had injured Luke. "That''s strange," Johann said with a frown. "The snake is quite rare even though it''s native to this region. Don''t tell me that two college kids have ess to the ck market!" Luca thought that Johann did not believe her. She continued, "The Swiss army knife is in the police station now. If you don''t believe me, you can get the knife tested." Chapter 1276 Chapter 1276 He¡¯s Lucky That You¡¯re Here Hearing from her serious tone that she had mistaken what he meant, Johann quickly wagged his hands and shook his head. "You say that the two people are college kids, but they have to know certain people in order to get their hands on this poison. Mr. Doyle is still at the police station, isn''t he? Get him to keep a close eye on the two kids. Don''t let them get away." Luca pressed her lips when she heard that. The nurse had injected the serum earlier, and it had not taken effect yet. "I''ll go and make a call," she said. "Mm." Johann nodded. "I''ll take care of him." All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca went to the balcony. A gust of night wind made her shiver. It was only then that she realized that she went to the hospital in her pajamas. In her anxiety over Luke''s condition, she had forgotten to change her clothes. She gave a call to Jason and told him about Luke''s condition. Jason was furious when he found out that Luke was poisoned. "I won''t let them off so easily." "Mr. Doyle, Mr. Crawford has already received the serum, and his condition will improve soon. However, his body will be weak for the next few days. I''ll keep an eye on him, so you can handle the matters at the police station without worry. Also, investigate the background of the two students. Dr. Park said that the snake venom can only be found on the ck market. They wouldn¡¯t have gotten their hands on it unless they knew certain people," Luca said. "Alright, I understand. I''ll get to the bottom of this," Jason said. "Thanks for taking care of Mr. Crawford, and Little Mr. Crawford..." "Don''t worry, I''ll take good care of them," Luca said. The night wind rose again, and she rubbed her arms and sighed. She could not remain calm after knowing that Luke''s life was in danger. If Abel knew what happened tonight, he would definitely use that fact against her. Luca remembered Abel''s sinister gaze and rancorous expression whenever Luke was mentioned, and that made her shudder uncontrobly. She thought that the Ind of Despair was not involved in the incident, but that did not seem to be the case. After realizing this possibility, Luca quickly went back to the hospital ward. Color had already returned to Luke''s face, and his lips were not as dark as earlier. However, he had not regained consciousness. Tommy came up to her when he saw her. "Ms. Luca." "Good boy. Your Daddy will be fine." Luca patted Tommy''s head and continued to gaze at the man lying on the bed. "The serum is working. I estimate that he should be awake before dawn," Johann said. Luca nodded and said gratefully, "Thank you so much, Dr. Park.¡± "You''re wee. I''m d that he''s fine," Johann said and yawned. He was exhausted after attending a full day of lectures, and he would rather be taking care of patients. Luca could see that he was tired. She said, "I can look after Mr. Crawford. You should go back and rest." Johann was less worried about Luke now that he had received the serum, and he really needed the rest. He said," Alright, I''ll be going back to my hotel. I''lle and check on him again tomorrow morning." "Mm." Luca nodded. Johann saw that Luca was only dressed in thin pajamas and guessed that she was in a hurry to get Luke to the hospital. He took off his coat and ced it on the couch. "It''s cold at night. You can use my coat. Careful, don''t catch a cold." "Thanks." Luca nced at the coat Johann ced on the couch, then looked at Luke on the bed. Even though Luca seemedposed, Johann could tell that she was worried. He smiled and spoke to Tommy, "Do you want to go back to the hotel with me?" Tommy shook his head and held on to Luca''s hand tightly. "I want to take care of my Daddy with Ms. Luca." Johann did not force the boy to go with him. "If you need anything, just give me a call. I''ll bring it over tomorrow morning." "Alright, thank you." Luca''s gaze did not move away from the bed. Johann left the ward and closed the door behind him. "Let''s go and sit down, Ms. Luca." Tommy shook Luca''s hand and said. Luca nodded and led him to the couch. Tommy was also in his pajamas, but he was also wearing a jacket. She hugged him tightly in his arms to give him a sense of safety. 2 He must have been traumatized by the events earlier. Tommy curled up in Luca''s arms, though his eyes were on his father on the bed. "Daddy will be fine, right?" Luca patted Tommy''s forehead, and her heart wrenched. Indeed, he was quite affected. "He''s not in danger now. He''ll be okay after a night''s sleep." She spread out Johann''s coat to cover her and Tommy. "I''m so d that you''re here, Ms. Luca. Otherwise, Daddy might have died," Tommy said as he hugged her arm tightly. Luca''s eyelids drooped. The boy said that Luke was lucky that she was around, but he did not consider that Luke was injured because of her. If she were not here, none of that would have happened. "Alright, let''s not think too much about it. We should sleep for now, and when we wake up, your Daddy will wake up too, " Lucaforted him. "Mm, okay, Ms. Luca." Tommy nodded. The couch was wide enough for them to sleep side by side. Luca slept near the edge so that Tommy would not roll off. Theyy there quietly with Johann''s coat as their nket. Luca was not sleepy at all, but she closed her eyes to give the child next to her a sense of security. Tommy had been looking at her for some time. Eventually, he closed his eyes and fell asleep. Luca opened her eyes after sensing that the child''s breathing had be even. She could not sleep after what had happened. Instead, she sighed and hugged Tommy more tightly. She did not move so that the child could have a good night''s sleep. The night passed slowly. Luca heard a slight noiseing from the bed. She immediately sat up and looked in that direction. Luke was awake. Luca stood up and observed that the color of his face had returned to normal. "Are you alright?" She asked. Luke frowned when he saw Luca standing there in her pajamas. "Am I in the hospital?" "Mm." Luca nodded. "What happened?" Luke asked. "Don''t you remember?" Luca took another step so that she could observe Luke''s condition more closely. "I remember a little." Luke tried to recall what happened the night before. He was reading some work emails when he felt his head spin and his body ache. He wanted to lie down to make himself feel better, but his condition became worse overtime. Chapter 1277 Chapter 1277 You Have Dr. Craw to Thank He could not remember anything that happened after that. Luca saw that Luke was struggling to sit up. She sighed and said, "The knife that injured youst night was coated in snake venom. You were poisoned." ¡¯Poisoned?'' Luke raised his eyebrows slightly as though he could not believe what was told to him. He could only remember that he was in great pain and that he threw up before he passed out. "After the snake venom took effect, Tommy heard your cries of help and gave me a call." Luca turned around to look at the child. He was still sleeping on the couch. i "And then?" Luke asked. "Then I gave Dr. Park a call, and he arranged an ambnce to send you to the hospital. The doctor ran a toxicology test and found that you were poisoned by a snake found locally." Luca did not tell him about feeding him the antidote pills. Luke nodded. Luca continued to talk in case Luke had doubts. "Your poisoning has nothing to do with my powder. If you feel the need, you can get Mr. Doyle to get that Swiss army knife analyzed." "Will you poison me?" Luke asked her instead of replying to her statement. Luca instantly shook her head. "I won¡¯t." She could not even bear to see him being injured. Why would she poison him? "There''s no need then," Luke said. Even though Luca''s background remained a mystery, Luke decided to trust her. Luca was slightly shocked when she heard how readily Luke had trusted her. Even Johann had suspected her. "Where¡¯s my phone?" Luke tried to look around for his phone but could not find it. "Over here." Luca took out Luke''s phone from the pocket of her pajama shirt and handed it to him. Luke noticed Luca''s clothes. "Why are you dressed like this?" "I was in a rush, so I didn''t get to change," Luca replied. She did not tell him that she was too worried about his condition. The two adults did not speak very loudly, but their conversation woke Tommy up. He slowly opened his eyes and recognized Luke¡¯s voice. "Daddy, you''re awake!" He eximed as he sat up and looked at his father. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Luke could tell that his son must have been shocked by the ordeal. He nodded and said, "Yes, I''m awake." Tommy hopped off the couch and ran to his side. "You gave me such a fright yesterday, Daddy. Fortunately, Ms. Luca is here. Otherwise, I might not have a Daddy anymore." Tommy might still be young, but he knew that Luke''s condition yesterday was potentially fatal. Luca had saved Tommy from the fate of losing a father. Luke looked at his son, then at Luca. Tommy continued," Daddy, you have to thank Ms. Luca. She was the person who saved your life." "Mm. Thank you." Immediately, Luke turned to look at Luca and thanked her. When Luca heard that, her face turned bright red as though someone lit a bonfire under her chin. She shook her head. "I didn''t do anything." Tommy shook his head. "You did a lot of things, Ms. Luca. You called Uncle Johann to help Daddy, and you also fed Daddy the antidote pills. The doctor said that the pills had stopped the spread of the poison, and that greatly increased Daddy''s chances of survival." Luca was speechless. She knew that Tommy was an intelligent boy, but she did not expect him to understand what the doctors were saying about Luke''s condition. "Pills?" Luke looked at her intently. "I made some pills myself. It''s a general antidote, but it doesn''t have too much effect on snake venom," Luca exined. Tommy added, "It''s because of Ms. Luca''s pills that the doctors could determine that you were poisoned by snake venom. That''s why they could identify the species of the snake quickly and give you the correct serum." After hearing Tommy''s exnation, Luke realized how much Luca had helped him in this incident. Just like what Tommy said, if Luca had not helped him, he might have died. If she did not harm him while he was in danger and instead helped him, he could tell that Luca never wanted to hurt him Even though Luke had many questions about Luca''s background, he decided to ignore all that for now. Luca was an excellent researcher that could bring profits to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. That alone was enough. He would stop his thoughts from affecting him and treat her just like any other employee. That way, Luke was a lot less suspicious about Luca in thepany. Luca could not help but sneeze when she looked at Luke and Tommy. Tommy had divulged to Luke what she wanted to hide from him. Even so, she was not eager to im credit for what she had done. The most important thing was that Luke was safe. When she sneezed, Tommy went to the couch and took Johann''s coat. "Wear this, Ms. Luca." Luca rubbed her nose. When she was about to take the coat from Tommy, Luke asked, "Whose coat is that?" He could tell that it was not his. "It''s Uncle Johann''s coat. He saw that Ms. Luca was only dressed in her pajamas, so he lent Ms. Luca his coat in case she caught a cold," Tommy said. ''Johann?'' Luke frowned slightly. The door to the ward opened, and Johann came in. He saw Luke already awake and in good spirits, so he said jokingly," Hey, you''re already awake. How do you feel?" "I feel excellent." Luke was not expecting to see Johann the moment the doctor was mentioned. He nced at the coat in Luca''s hands. He remembered that Johann was very interested in Luca. "Then you have Dr. Craw''s antidote pills to thank. Without the pills, the snake venom would have lasting effects on your body even if you were resuscitated. The venom might be slow-acting, but it attacks the nerves. There have been a few cases where the patient didn''t receive the serum in time, and even though their lives were saved, they were paralyzed and had to spend the rest of their lives in a wheelchair," Johann said. He was telling the truth and not trying to scare anyone. Tommy shuddered uncontrobly, which made Luca frown. Even though Johann meant well, it was nheless inappropriate to be spoken in the presence of children. "You talk too much," Luke said sternly. He also noticed Tommy''s reaction. Johann rubbed his chin and thought that it was indeed the case. He put the shopping bag in his hand on the table and said, "Well, as long as you''re alright. The nurse will be here soon to take another blood sample. Right, Ms. Luca, I bought a coat for you. You should put it on; it''s better than going around in your pajamas." Chapter 1278 Chapter 1278 Luca Seemed to Know Luke Very Well "Thank you." Luca did not refuse Johann''s gist and took the bag. After all, she was in a public ce, and even though her pajamas were not revealing, it was not very appropriate for her to wear that. She went into the bathroom and closed the door. When she opened the bag, she realized that not only had Johann prepared a coat for her, he had also given her three sets of toiletries. Luca opened a set and brushed her teeth. She put the coat on and left the bathroom. The coat reached her ankles. It was long enough to cover her pajamas. After Luca came out of the bathroom, Tommy ran over and hugged her legs. "I want to brush my teeth too, Ms. Luca." "Alright." Luca nced toward the bed and saw the nurse taking Luke''s blood sample. She brought Tommy to the bathroom and opened another set of toiletries for him. When Tommy was done brushing his teeth and they stepped out of the bathroom, The nurse had already taken the blood sample and was walking out of the door. Tommy went to the bedside and touched Luke''s hand." Daddy, does it hurt?" "Not at all." Luke''s heart warmed when he saw that his son cared for him so much. "Are you sure?" Tommy''s face was fraught with worry as he recalled scenes from the night before. "You seem like you were in a lot of pain yesterday night." Tommy continued, "Great-Grandpa said that big boys don''t cry. Don''t worry, I won''t tell Great-Grandpa that you were crying in painst night." Luke fell silent again. He remembered that he was in a lot of pain before he passed out. Now that Tommy mentioned it, he thought it was quite humiliating. Luca rubbed her nose. She knew that Luke was a very self- conscious person, and he must have been embarrassed by what Tommy said of him. She pretended to look elsewhere and ignored what Tommy said. Johann found what Tommy said very funny. He turned around so that Luke did not see himugh. However, his trembling shoulders betrayed him. Luke cleared his throat and prepared to step off the bed. His foot had only just touched the floor when he felt his head spin, and he had no choice but to sit back down. "Daddy!" Tommy was the first to react because he was the closest to Luke. Luca and Johann turned and looked toward the bed. Luke supported himself by cing one hand on the bed and the other on the bedside cab. His brows were tightly furrowed, and he seemed to be in pain. "You can''t get off the bed just yet," Johann shook his head and said. "Why not?" Luke felt the dizziness go away after sitting down for a while. "The venom isn''tpletely out of your system yet. You''re lucky that dizziness is the only thing you feel. Be a good boy and stay in bed," Johann said as he helped Luke settle down. Luke frowned as he reclined against the headboard, as though he was very unhappy with the situation. Johann said, "What''s up with the long face? You''ll be okay in two days. What do you want to do now?" "Brush my teeth," Luke said coldly. Brushing his teeth the first thing in the morning was a daily habit, and he was already at the limit of his tolerance. Tommy looked at Luke and said sweetly, "Let me help you, Daddy." Then, he ran toward the bathroom. Luca followed him. The bathroom fixtures were built ording to the height of an adult, and there was not even a stool inside. If she did not help him, Tommy would not be able to reach the toiletries. Johann watched as Luca and Tommy went into the bathroom. "Dr. Craw looks really reliable. I won''t be worried if she''s here to help you," he said. Luke looked toward the bathroom and said nothing. Soon, Luca came out with a basin of water, while Tommy was holding a new set of toiletries. She ced the basin on a chair next to the bed while Tommy unwrapped the toiletries and handed the toothbrush to Luke. "Here, hold this, Daddy." Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Luke took the toothbrush. Tommy uncapped the toothpaste and handed it over. "Here, Daddy." At the same time, Luca filled a cup with water for Luke to wash his mouth. Luke brushed his teeth with the two people helping him. After that, Luca handed Luke a hand towel that she had wrung dry. "There''s no facial cleanser in the hospital, so I hope this''ll do for now." Luke nodded, took the towel, and wiped his face. Johann seemed to catch on to something and smiled. "Dr. Craw, how do you know that Luke uses facial cleanser to wash his face?" Luca narrowed her eyes so that Johann could not sense her unease. She replied, "A lot of people use facial cleansers to wash their faces. Don''t you, Dr. Park?" Luke had used a deep-cleansing facial cleanser when they lived together. She believed that it was still the case three yearster. "I do, but as far as I know, the average male doesn¡¯t like to use facial cleansers to wash their faces. Perhaps Mr. Crawford and I are the exceptions," Johann said while rubbing his chin. He thought that Luca was very familiar with Luke''s habits. Her understanding toward Luke was not only skin deep. Even the impostor Bianca could not be as familiar with Luke as Luca did... Luke listened to their conversation without saying a word. After he wiped his face, he handed the towel to Luca. Luca took the towel, ced it in the basin, and brought it back to the bathroom. Johann shrugged. "Dr. Craw seems to be really familiar with your habits." Luke also realized that without Johann telling him. He was wondering if it were only a coincidence, or did Luca really know that much about him. Seeing that Luke was deep in thought, Johann continued," You''d better rest in bed for now. I''ll go and check if your medical report is ready." Luke nodded. Luca hung the hand towel to dry and stepped out of the bathroom. She saw Luke checking something on his phone. Jason came into the ward while carrying a few bags. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Luke was already conscious and sitting on the bed. "How are you feeling, Mr. Crawford?" He asked. Luke put his phone away and asked, "Are the two students still in the police station?" "They are. I''ve already contacted Mr. Neilsen to press charges. We''ve gotten the medical report from the hospital, and we''ve also requested the forensics department to run an analysis on the weapon. After we receive the report, Mr. Neilsen can request that the two students be denied bail," Jason reported. After he received Luca''s call the night before, Jason saw that the students''wyer had also arrived at the police station to bail them out. He did not want the two students to get away so easily, so he asked Mr. Neilsen, a renownedwyer, to come over in the middle of the night. Mr. Nielsen argued on behalf of Luke, which caused the students to be unable to be bailed. They would have to wait for the forensics report on the weapon. "Is there anything peculiar about their backgrounds?" Luke asked. Luca''s ears pricked up when she heard that question. She was worried that Abel was the mastermind behind it. Chapter 1279 Chapter 1279 Johann Was Worried That Luca Might Catch A Cold What happened to Luke might seem like an unfortunate coincidence, but if Luca thought carefully about it, she could not help but shake off the feeling that Abel was somehow involved with providing the snake venom. Jason shook his head. "After preliminary investigations, there isn''t anything suspicious about the two students'' backgrounds." Luca frowned. ''There''s nothing suspicious about them?'' Luke noticed Luca''s reaction to what Jason said, but he chose not to say anything about it. Jason continued to speak to Luke, "William, the student who harmed you, is a student in his junior year in university, and his father is a sessful local entrepreneur. Right, his business has rtions with the New York branch of T Corporation. As far as I can tell, they are wholly legitimate and don''t have any shady dealings. "The other student''s name is Paul. His background is much more normal than William''s. His parents are typical whitecor workers, and they don''t have any dealings with the criminal underworld either." Luca thought that it was very strange. If the two students had normal backgrounds, how did they get their hands on snake venom? Moreover, all William wanted was her phone number. How did he end up injuring Luke with a knife? Luca remembered that the Swiss army knife belonged to Paul. That also meant that Paul was the one who coated the knife with snake venom. If he were only a student with a normal background, where did he get that snake venom? Also, was the snake venom meant to injure someone else? The more Luca thought about it, the more questions she had, but she could not answer those questions just by thinking alone. She decided that she had to find the chance to ask Paul about it. A normal student like Paul would break quickly when interrogated. It should not take too much effort before Luca got the answer she wanted. Luke sat there silently observing Luca''s expression. Jason continued, "That''s all I can find about them, Mr. Crawford. William''s father contacted me this morning. After finding out that your son has injured you, he wants to meet you face-to-face." i Luke could guess that William''s father was worried that his son''s actions might affect the rtionship between thepanies. Luke gazed at Jason coldly. "I can''t get out of bed yet." Jason knew Luke''s decision from what he said. "Alright, Mr. Crawford. Let me handle it." In fact, he already knew Luke''s decision before asking him, but he would have to ask Luke for the sake of formality. Jason lifted the bag in his hand. "I bought some breakfast at a restaurant nearby. Please eat something, Mr. Crawford, Little Mr. Crawford, Dr. Craw." Tommy rubbed his stomach and pouted. "Alright. I''m already hungry." Jason smiled and took out several boxes from the bag. The food was simple yet appealing, yet Luca did not have the appetite. She remained silent. Tommy asked Luke, "Daddy, what do you want to eat?" "Whatever." Luke looked at the breakfast options and was not too interested either. The food was not as good as what they served at the hotel, and hotel food was not as good as Luca''s cooking. Tommy picked out a sandwich for his father. While choosing a beverage, he turned his head and asked Luca," Ms. Luca, can Daddy drink coffee?" "He should drink milk now," Luca said. Tommy nodded and brought a sandwich and a ss of milk to the bedside. "Daddy, should I feed you?" "It''s fine." Luke took the food from Tommy¡¯s hands. He might not be able to get out of bed, but it did not mean that he was entirely incapacitated. Tommy grinned and nodded. He turned his head to look at Luca, who was sitting on the couch, and asked her, "Why aren''t you eating yet, Ms. Luca?" "I''ll eat now." Luca found the breakfast options unappetizing. She ate half a vegetable sandwich and washed it down with a cup of coffee. "I can take care of Mr. Crawford during the day. You should attend your training," Jason said. Luca nodded. She was not worried if Jason was there to take care of Luke. She finished the rest of the sandwich and left the ward. While waiting for the elevator, Luca bumped into Johann. Luca asked, "Dr. Park, is Mr. Crawford''s toxicology report ready?" "It is. The concentration of venom in his body has been greatly reduced, and it won''t negatively affect his body. In two days, after his body''s immune systempletely neutralizes the venom, he will be able to get out of bed and walk," Johann said. He was good friends with the hospital director, so he received his results quickly. Luca was relieved to hear that. "Where are you going now, Dr. Craw?" Johann asked. "I''ll be going to my training. Mr. Doyle is taking care of Mr. Crawford now," Luca said. Johann nodded. "Are you going to the conference?" "Yes." Luca remembered that a full-day conference upied her schedule today. "What a coincidence, I''m attending the conference too. Shall I send you there?" Johann had noticed her in the auditorium the day before, but he was surrounded by people, and he could not greet her. Luca did not want to trouble him. "It''s fine. I still have to go back to the hotel to change, and I''ll most likely bete." "It''s fine to be a littlete. Let me send you to the hotel," Johann insisted. He sent a message to Luke to give his advice, then stepped into the elevator with Luca. Seeing that Johann was so hospitable, she did not have the heart to refuse his offer. She sent a message to Dr. Albus telling him that she would bete, and he did not have to wait for her. In the ward, Luke read Johann''s message. He deliberately asked, "What''s their schedule like today?" Jason was halfway eating his breakfast. He pondered for a few seconds before finding the answer. "Do you mean Dr. Craw and the rest? They''re attending a conference today." Luke''s gaze narrowed and replied to Johann¡¯s message. [ Are you attending the conference?] [Yes, that''s right. Dr. Craw is attending the conference too, so we''re going together.] Luke received Johann''s reply in no time. Luke''s expression darkened after reading the reply. He closed the messaging app. Jason noticed a men''s coat draped over the couch. Judging from the design and color, the coat did not seem to belong to Luke. He asked, "Does that coat belong to Dr. Park?" Tommy nodded and replied, "Yesterday, Uncle Johann gave Ms. Luca his coat because he was worried that she might catch a cold." "Throw it away," Luke said as he looked at the white coat. He remembered that Luca was still wearing that coat when he woke up. Jason looked at the coat. He could tell that it was custom- made in Italy, which meant that its price was not any lesser than the coats that Luke wore. "That''s not very appropriate, don''t you think? What if Dr. Park asks for it..." This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "He''s not going to miss one coat," Luke said. Jason had no reply to that. Indeed, that was not the only coat in Johann''s possession, but he could not bear to throw that expensive coat away. Chapter 1280 Chapter 1280 Are You Alright, Dr. Craw? After breakfast, Jason asked the nurse for a bag to keep Johann''s coat. Then, he began to pack up. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. He noticed that Luke had barely eaten his food and asked," Is that going to be enough for you, Mr. Crawford?" "Take it away." Luke did not feel hungry at all. Tommy was sitting on the couch drinking milk. When he heard that, he said, "Daddy is a picky eater. He only likes to eat food that Ms. Luca cooks for him." Luke shot a nce at his son. Then, he used the remote control to lower the bed. Jason cleared his throat and said, "I can get you something else to eat if you don''t want sandwiches." Luke shook his head and said, "Go to thepany and get me my documents." Jason was quite surprised. Why would Luke want to work when he could not even get out of bed? Luke noticed that Jason was still standing there. He nced at him coldly, "Didn''t you hear what I said?" "I did, but the condition of your body..." Jason said hesitantly. "Shall I repeat myself?" Luke said. Jason felt a chill course down his spine. He could tell that his boss was not in a good mood. He shook his head and said, ¡®Til go to thepany right now. Shall I hire a caretaker for you?" "There''s no need," Luke said. He nced at Tommy, who was ying on his phone while sitting on the couch, and said, "Bring over the books from yesterday too." "Yes." Jason did not insist when Luke said that he did not want a caretaker. In any case, thepany was not too far away from the hospital, so there should not be any major idents while he was gone. While he walked to the door, Luke told him again, "Throw the coat away." Jason went to pick up the bag that contained the coat before leaving the ward. It seemed that Luke would not rest easy unless Johann''s coat was gone. Luke should have been used to Johann joking with him, but today... Jason remembered what Tommy said earlier. ''Is Mr. Crawford behaving like this because of Luca?'' He could not help but think. He looked at the bag in his hand and sank into deep thought. A whileter, he went toward the nurses'' station. Jason kept the coat at the nurses'' station instead of throwing it away. After all, Johann was popr at the hospital. Indeed, when Jason mentioned Johann''s name, several nurses volunteered to take the coat under their care. Meanwhile, Johann sent Luca back to the hotel, where she hurriedly changed her clothes. By the time the two people went to the venue, the conference had already started. With Johann leading the way, Luca was ushered into the auditorium before she presented her invitation letter. She could not help but be impressed by Johann''s poprity as she watched him surrounded by groups of people. Luca did not mind being ignored. She looked around, noticed Dr. Albus and the other people, and walked over. When Dr. Albus saw Lucae over, he asked, "Are you alright, Dr. Craw?" Luca shook her head. "I¡¯m fine." Dr. Albus discreetly sized her up. She wore some light makeup for yesterday''s conference, but she did not wear any makeup at all today, as though she did not respect the conference at all. "I''m d that you''re fine. I thought you''rete because you''re caught up in some ident," Dr. Albus said. Luca was slightly appalled by how Dr. Albus presented himself. She did not tell him about what happened to Luke in case he suspected something. Dr. Albus might not say anything to her, but she could tell that he would be thinking of something inappropriate. Luca did not pay attention throughout the conference thatsted the entire day. At the end of the conference, Luca did not leave with Dr. Albus and the others. Instead, she took a cab and left herself. Dr. Albus''s assistant noticed that Luca was acting differently today. He asked Rhett, "What''s up with Dr. Craw?" "I don''t know." Rhett seemed worried as he watched her leave. "Aren''t you her assistant? Why don''t you know? She seems like she''s in a hurry. Don''t tell me that she''s going on a date with someone?" Dr. Albus''s assistant said. Rhett ignored him and continued walking. Luca took the cab to the police station. She thought that it would be difficult for her to request a meeting with Paul, but when she mentioned Luke''s name, a female police officer brought her to the questioning room. Soon, Paul was brought there too. The two people sat opposite each other. Luca shot a nce at Paul''s handcuffs and asked, "How did you get the snake venom?" "I don''t know what you''re talking about." Paul was slightly surprised but managed to keep his cool. He had been waiting to hear the good news since the night before. Eventually, he found out that the man was poisoned, just as he expected. However, instead of begging him for help, the man''s assistant stopped them from being bailed out. Seeing that the young man was not going to say anything, Luca spoke candidly, "You were the one who handed the Swiss army knife to William. You should know that the knife was coated with snake venom, right?" Paul remained silent. Luca could tell that Paul was not going to tell her anything useful if she followed that line of questioning. "Let me guess. The snake venom was meant to injure someone else," Luca said. Paul''s eyes instinctively blinked. "I don''t really care who you want to harm, and there''s no point in feigning ignorance about the snake venom because the forensics department has analyzed it. All I want to know is where you got the snake venom." Luca mmed on the table and asked him aggressively. Sensing the woman''s imposing demeanor, Paul realized that it was a bad idea to use the woman to kill William. His body shuddered involuntarily. Luca could tell that Paul was afraid, so she continued her questioning. "Tell me, where did you get the venom?" "I got it from someone on the ck market," Paul eventually divulged the truth. He could tell that Luca was only interested in the source of the venom, and she did not really care about who he intended to harm. If he could tell her what she wanted to know, she should not ask him about other things. "I want to know how to contact him," Luca tapped the table with her fingers. "I don''t know how," Paul said. "Let me give you another chance, Paul. I''m not the only person who''s investigating this incident, though I can consider helping you if you can provide me with useful information," Luca said. She could tell that Luke''s subordinates were on the case as well. She would rather not conduct the investigation herself. After all, her time in New York was limited, and that would increase her workload greatly. Paul pressed his lips and weighed the pros and cons. Eventually, he made up his mind. "Give me a pen and paper." Luca handed over a piece of notepaper and a pen from her handbag. Paul wrote down a name and an address. "This is as far as I know. You can go to this address, and if you''re lucky, you might meet him." Chapter 1281 Chapter 1281 Luke Could Read Luca¡¯s Personality Luca stashed the notepaper in her pocket after giving it a brief nce. Then, she stood up and said, "That knife, you were preparing to use it on William, right?" Paul''s heart skipped a beat, and his eyes opened wide as he watched Luca leave the room. He had put on a convincing disguise so that other people thought that he and William were best pals despite their differences in family backgrounds. Many people thought that Paul was willing to be William''sckey so that he could gain some benefits from him. However, no one, including the people on the same football team, knew that he hated William to the bone. How did the woman in front of him guess it so easily? Paul clenched his fists tightly as he watched her leave. If William found out that Paul had meant to cut him with the knife, Paul would no longer have a future. After Luca left the police station, she caught a cab and returned to the hotel. Meanwhile, Jason was informed that Luca had appeared at the police station and had met with Paul. He immediately reported that to Luke. "Things are just like you expected, Mr. Crawford."Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Jason did not mention Luca''s name because Tommy was within earshot, and he did not want Tommy to know because children could not be trusted to keep secrets. Luke lowered his gaze. He picked up his pen, signed his initials at the end of the document, and handed it to Jason. Noted." "The people from the police station also said that Paul gave her a piece of notepaper. She only asked him about where he obtained the snake venom and mentioned nothing about the shing incident," Jason continued his report. Luke had already arranged the meeting between Luca and Paul because he knew that she would go to the police station. Much to Jason''s surprise, Luca indeed went to the police station. He could not help but be impressed by how well his boss read Luca''s personality. "Mm," Luke replied while opening another document. He was not too surprised because he had predicted it. Tommy was confused as he listened to their conversation because they did not mention the name of the woman they were talking about. He hopped off the couch and went to the bedside. "I''m hungry, Daddy." Luke shot a nce at Jason. Jason immediately understood what he meant. "Little Mr. Crawford, let me go downstairs and buy dinner for you." Tommy immediately shook his head. "I don''t want to eat hospital food, Uncle Jason. Daddy, I want to eat Ms. Luca''s cooking." He had lunch at the hospital cafeteria earlier during lunch, and the food only made him miss Luca''s cooking even more. He was not going to eat in the hospital again. Jason scratched the back of his head. Tommy was a picky eater, just like his father. He knew that the food in the hospital cafeteria was not ptable, but there was nothing much that he could do about the situation. Luke also did not eat much for his past two meals. He asked Jason, "Do you know if the hotel allows the guests to use the kitchen?" Jason was taken aback by the question. ''TH have to ask them." Luke nodded. Jason gave a call to the hotel front desk and received a reply. "Mr. Crawford, the hotel said that they are willing to amodate any requests from the guests that want to use the kitchen." "Mm." Luke took out his phone and handed it to Tommy. "Do you want to eat? Here, take the phone." Tommy immediately understood what his father meant. He unlocked the phone with the passcode and gave Luca a call. The call went through, and Tommy immediately began to fake a cry. "Ms. Luca, I''m starving..." Luca had only just returned to the hotel and put her handbag down. She could tell that Tommy was faking his cries, so she said calmly, "Why would you be starving? Isn''t Mr. Doyle at the hospital with you and Daddy? You can ask him to buy food for you." Tommy nced at Jason and continued fake-crying. "The food at the hospital is terrible, Ms. Luca. Daddy hasn''t been eating well for two meals, and he''s starving too. The doctor said that Daddy needs to eat his meals so that he can recover quickly, and I''ll also need to eat so that I can grow tall and strong. Please save us, Ms. Luca." Jason was impressed as he watched Tommy "cry" into the phone without a single tear in his eyes. If the Oscars had an award for Best Child Actor, Tommy would definitely win it. Luca sighed. It was not too surprising that Luke and Tommy were not used to eating hospital food because they were used to eating good food. "What do you want to eat then? I''ll go and buy it for you." "I want to eat your cooking, Ms. Luca." Now that Luca had said that, Tommy was all too eager to make his request. "But I can''t cook for you now, Tommy. We''re not in A City now." Luca would not mind cooking for Tommy if they were back in A City, but she could not satisfy Tommy''s request now because she had no ess to a kitchen. "Ms. Luca, the hotel said that you can use their kitchen. Please have some pity on me. My stomach is already growling," Tommy said as he rubbed his stomach. He knew that Luca was easily convinced, so he continued to act pitiable. Even though Luca could tell that Tommy was faking his crying, she knew that he was truly hungry. "Alright, I''ll go and ask the front desk. If I can really use their kitchen, I''ll cook something and send it over soon." "Thank you, Ms. Luca. I love you so much!" Tommy made some kissing sounds to the phone and ended the call. When he handed the phone back to Luke, he said smugly, "Let''s wait for food, Daddy." Jason could not help but ask, "Is Dr. Craw''s cooking really that amazing? "Ms. Luca is a very good cook," Tommy said, overjoyed even though he had not tasted the food. He returned to the couch and continued to read his book. After ending the call with Tommy, Luca made a call to the front desk. Just like what Tommy said, the hotel had a guest kitchen, and the guests can use every ingredient and utensil inside. She went downstairs and into the guest kitchen. There was no one else inside. After all, someone who could afford to stay in the hotel would not need to cook food for themselves. She brought some food ingredients to the checkout counter and began to cook. An hourter, she divided the food into three portions. Then, she made some spaghetti for herself. She quickly finished her dinner, packed up the food, went upstairs to take a shower, and changed her clothes before she rushed over to the hospital. The moment she opened the door to the ward, she could hear Tommy grumbling, "Daddy, why isn''t Ms. Luca here yet? I''m so hungry. Are you hungry?" Luke did not reply to his question. He was reading a document. Luca said, "Dinner¡¯s here." Tommy jumped up happily when he heard Luca''s voice. "You''re finally here to save me, Ms. Luca! Boo hoo hoo, I''m so hungry." Luca smiled gently. She put the boxes of food on the coffee table, picked up the smallest one, and handed it to Tommy. "This one''s for you." Chapter 1282 Chapter 1282 Luke Suspected Her Tommy could not wait to open his food box. The aroma of the food assailed his nostrils. Jason nced at Tommy''s dinner. There was a variety of food in the box, and it seemed very delicious... He could not help but gulp down a mouthful of saliva. He was not as picky about food as Luke or Tommy, but the food at the hospital was not appetizing at all. Jason hoped that he could have a taste... Luca handed him a box. "This one''s for you, Mr. Doyle." "I get to eat too?" Jason was quite surprised. He noticed that Luca had brought three boxes of food and thought that there was none for him. "Mm, this one''s yours," Luca said as she picked up thest box of food. "If you gave me this box, what about you?" Jason asked. "I''ve already eaten." Luca brought the box of food to the bed, then raised the table. "Dinner is served, Mr. Crawford." Luke nodded and put the documents aside. Luca noticed that there was a stack of documents on the bedside cab. Even though he had been seriously ill the night before, he was already working again in less than a day. ''He''s working so hard. Doesn''t he care about his health at all?'' Luca frowned when she thought of that. Luke noticed the slight change in Luca''s expression. Was she not satisfied with something, or was it something else? Jason and Tommy were already happily eating their dinner. Luke nced at them and said, "Bring me a ss of water." "Alright." Luca nodded and poured a ss of warm water for him. Luke drank a sip to wet his throat. Then, he picked up the cutlery and began to eat slowly. Luca watched as Luke elegantly ate his dinner as though he was not hungry at all. It was as though the person who was violently ill the night before was only a hallucination. She sat on the couch. After Tommy finished eating, he licked his lips and said, "Your cooking is really amazing, Ms. Luca." Jason also praised her. "I didn''t expect that you''re such a good cook, Dr. Craw." "It''s nothing." Luca shook her head. She took the box from Tommy¡¯s hands, then wiped his mouth with a paper napkin. Tommy was happy after his stomach was full. He leaned onto Luca''s side and said, "You''re the best, Ms. Luca. Thank you." Luca smiled and patted Tommy''s head. Luke finished his dinner slowly. After that, he told Jason, "Bring these documents back to the office." "Yes." Jason nodded and began to pack up the empty boxes. He noticed that all three of them had wiped the food clean. Luca''s dishes tasted homemade, but Luke and Tommy loved them. After cleaning up, Jason picked up the stack of documents. Before he left the ward, he looked at Luca, who was sitting on the couch, and said, "Dr. Craw, can you stay here for a little longer? I''ll be back soon." Luca nodded and said, "Alright, no problem." Jason smiled gratefully at Luca and left the ce. Tommy handed her one of his books. "Ms. Luca, if you''re feeling bored, you can read a book." Luca took the book from Tommy. If not for the book, it would have been quite awkward if Luca continued to stare at Luke finishing the remainder of his work. She opened the book, and even though it was a children''s book, it was still very interesting. Luke had been keeping an eye on the people on the couch. He had a sudden feeling of peace and tranquility when he saw Luca reading together with Tommy, the silence being asionally broken by the flipping of pages. He took his phone and sent a message to Jason. Soon, the nurse came into the ward and smiled. "Your medical report is ready, Mr. Crawford." Luke nodded and turned his gaze on Luca. Luca stood up, went forward, took the report from the nurse, and handed it to Luke. "I don''t understand it." Luke did not take it from his hands. In other words, he wanted her to look at it. Luca nodded. The reports were too technical for someone with no experience in medicine, so it was not surprising that Luke did not understand. She was quite happy after flipping through the pages. She could tell that the concentration of venom in Luke''s body was a lot lower than before." ording to the report, the toxins have almost been purged from your body. If this rate goes on, you should be able to get out of bed by tomorrow. Even though Luca did not smile, Luke could sense the happiness in her. "That''s earlier than what Johann had predicted,¡± He said. "Your body can detoxify itself quickly because you have a strong constitution," Luca said. Tommy was listening to the conversation. He added, "It might be because of Ms. Luca''s medicine too, Daddy. Ms. Luca saved you." Luca was taken aback. Tommy had reminded her that Luke had taken her medicine. Her medicine might also be the reason why the poison was neutralized so quickly. "Did you bring the medicine?" Luke asked. Luca shook her head. Did he want to send the medicine for analysis because he suspected that the medicine was poison? She was not very happy when she thought that Luke was suspecting her." There is no problem with my medicine," she said. Luke raised an eyebrow when he heard the slight aggression in Luca''s tone. He knew that she had mistaken what he meant. "I want to recover more quickly," he exined. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Luca was taken aback again after realizing that she had misinterpreted Luke''s words. Her fingers discreetly clenched the medical report. "You should be able to get out of bed by tomorrow." Luke did not ask for the medicine anymore when he heard that. Instead, he paused for a while and said, "I want to take a shower." He had thrown up on himself the night before, and he had not taken a shower for the entire day. He was already at his limit of tolerance. Luca ced the medical report in the drawer and said awkwardly, "Let''s wait for Mr. Doyle to return." Immediately after she had finished speaking, her phone began to ring. Luca nced at the screen and saw that the call was from Jason. She answered the call and said, "Hello, Mr. Doyle." Jason said, "Dr. Craw, I might have to trouble you with something." "Please say it." Luca had a bad premonition when she heard that Jason sounded apologetic. "Some urgent business came up at thepany, and I don''t think I can go over to the hospital tonight. Can you take care of Mr. Crawford for me? I can''t leave thepany now, and Mr. Crawford doesn''t like caretakers," Jason lied to her. He would rather not tell the lie, but his boss had sent him a message telling him what to do, and he could not refuse the order. Luca was speechless. Jason continued, "Do you have something else tonight, Dr. Craw?" "I don''t have anything in my schedule tonight, Mr. Doyle," Luca said helplessly. "That''s great. I''ll leave Mr. Crawford under your care," Jason said. He felt uneasy about telling the lie, so he immediately hung up. Luca was stunned for a while. She listened to the busy tone for a few seconds before turning to look at the man on the bed. "Mr. Coyle can''te over tonight," she said. Chapter 1283 Chapter 1283 Take Care Of Luke "Mm." Luke turned a page, then put the paper aside, saying, "Stay here tonight." Luca was not sure how to react. "Do you have something else to do?" Luke asked. Luca initially nned to go to the address Paul gave her to see if she could find that person. However, she could not say no to Luke since he had asked. She rubbed her hands and said, "I''m afraid I won''t be able to take care of you on my own. Should I hire a male nurse for you?" "No, it''s nothing serious. You wouldn¡¯t have to do much," Luke said. Luca understood what he meant and knew that she could not leave. He made it clear that he wanted her with him. She had no choice but to agree. "I understand, Mr. Crawford." "Bring me a wheelchair." Luke immediately started ordering her around. Luca nodded, walked out of the ward, and asked the nurse for a wheelchair. She then pushed it into the ward. Upon seeing this, Luke continued to give her orders. "Help me into the wheelchair." Luca nodded. After being told so, she silently pushed the wheelchair to the bedside. Luke''s legs were already off the bed but they did not touch the floor. He needed her help. Luca stretched out her hand, supported his arm, and said, "Move slowly. If anything goes wrong, lean against me immediately." "Keep it steady." Luke felt dizzy the moment his foot touched the floor. The snake venom was intense. Even after most of it had been cleared, it still had a significant effect on him. He could not help but lean on Luca. Luca felt that his footsteps were unstable and immediately supported his waist, allowing him to make use of her strength to move in small steps. When he reached the wheelchair, she said, "Mr. Crawford, sit down." Hearing this, Luke bent his legs and sat in the wheelchair. Luca breathed a sigh of relief. After training for a few years, she had gained strength. She would not feel a thing even if she had to carry Luke on her back. However, she did not want to show her full ability in front of him. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. It would be strange for a woman to carry a man who was 180cm tall on her back. Luca looked at Luke, who was in the wheelchair, and asked in a soft voice," How do you feel?" He felt dizzy the moment he sat down. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes and said, "I¡¯m fine. Bring me to the bathroom." Luca carefully buckled the protective belt for him and pushed the wheelchair toward the bathroom. Tommy asked, "Dad, what are you doing?" "I''m going to take a shower," Luke said. "Stay here obediently and don¡¯t run around." "Okay, Dad." Tommy nodded, indicating that he would not run around. "I''ll be here obediently. I won''t go anywhere." Luke nodded and looked up at Luca. He did not feel weird looking up at her from this angle. The media often praised celebrities for having no bad angles. Luke thought that Luca had no bad angles too. Luca noticed his gaze and her hands trembled slightly. She pretended not to care and pushed him into the bathroom. She did not think too much about staying the night to take care of Luke. However, her nightmare came true. She had to bathe Luke and assist him to the toilet... "Mr. Crawford, can you do it yourself?" she asked while looking in the mirror. "I can''t even stand, do you think I can do it myself?" Luke asked her. Luca sighed in her heart. She had no choice but to help him bathe... If she were still Bianca, it would not be a problem to do so. After all, it was normal between husband and wife. However, she was no longer Bianca. She was Luca. It was inappropriate for her to bathe him. Luca acted calm and said, "You can''t take a bath with your current situation. You can only wipe your body." "Okay, please wipe my body," Luke said. Luca nodded and noticed that there were already a few towels around and some pails in the corner. Luca thought that Jason must have prepared them earlier. Luke was obsessed with cleanliness. The towels for washing his face could not be the same as the towels he used for bathing, and the towel used to wipe his feet could not be the same as the other two towels. It was the same with the pails as well. She asked, "Which towel is used for your body?" Luke nced at her and said, "The one in blue." Luca picked up the towel and consciously picked up the blue water basin. She then tested the water temperature before filling the pail with water. Luke watched her movements and raised his eyebrows slightly. She only asked about the towel, but not about the pail. ''How did she know that the blue pail was for the body too?¡± He had a habit. Since he had a towel for each part of his body, the color of the pails must be the same as the color of the towels so that there was no confusion. After Luca filled the water, she looked at Luke again and found that he was looking at her. Suddenly, she realized that she should have waited a while before taking the pail. She did not even ask him... "Mr. Crawford, why are you looking at me like this? Is it the wrong pail?" Luca hid her panic and asked. Luke shook his head. She did not make a mistake. She chose the right pail. "You seem to know me well," he said. "Of course not..." Luca hung up the shower head, then put the pail beside him. "If you don¡¯t know me well, why did you go with the blue pail?" Luke said. Not many people knew about his personal habits. ''Did she just happen to pick it up? How can there be so many coincidences? "I thought that the color of your towel would be the same as the color of the pail, so I picked up the blue pail. It¡¯s not sufficient evidence to say that I understand you well," Luca exined. Even if he knew that there was no evidence to support him, Luke asked, "Is that so?" "Of course. I just happened to go with what you were thinking about. Even if I had the intention to find out more about you, how could I find out about details as such? How can this be used as evidence of me knowing you well?" Luca looked down and sighed silently, thinking that she was being careless. Luke nodded. Seeing that he did not continue to pursue the matter, Luca asked, "Mr. Crawford, do you want me to put on a pair of gloves?" It was inconvenient for him to wring the towel, but since Luke was obsessed with cleanliness, she had to be more cautious. Luke looked at her fingers. He found that she did not leave her nails long and kept them clean. He shook his head and said, "You don''t need to wear gloves." "Okay.¡± Luca nodded. She had already nned to put on gloves but did not expect Luke to turn her down. She knelt down, soaked the towel in the water, and wrung it dry. She looked at Luke and was stunned. Chapter 1284 Chapter 1284 I Won''t Allow You To Bully Ms. Luca When she wrung the towel, Luke had already undressed from his patient gown and revealed his strong upper body. Luca looked away slightly and stopped looking him in the eye. Luke had a wonderful physique. She had always wondered how a man who was busy with work could maintain such a physique. ''I don''t think he has the time to exercise...¡¯ Unexpectedly, three yearster, his physique was still great. Luca did not understand how he managed it. At a nce, she remembered the feeling of their bodiesing into contact for the very first time. It was as if there was an electric current gliding through every inch of her skin, making her body weak. Luke put his clothes aside, took the towel she handed over, and started wiping his body. Luca breathed a sigh of relief. She was d that he did not ask her to help him with that. Luke raised his gaze and noticed the blush on her face. ''Is she shy?'' He lowered his head and nced at his body. As a man, he had always been confident about his body. After a few seconds, Luca still refused to look at him so Luke said, "When are you nning to stop turning your face to the side?"" "Um..." Luca''s face flushed even more and her hands trembled. She felt as though he was deliberately teasing her. Luke handed the towel to her and said, "Wash it, please." Luca took it, squatted, and washed the towel. She then wrung it dry and handed it to him, still not looking at him. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. As Luke wiped his body, he said, "You went to the police station today. What did you find out?" Luca was startled. ''Did he send someone to keep watch at the police station?¡¯ If they were in A City, she believed that he was capable of doing so but was surprised to find out that he had forces abroad as well... "You sent someone to follow me?" Luca asked. Her voice was neither sad nor happy. She hid all the fluctuations she felt in her heart. "When you got to the police station, mywyer happened to be there," Luke said while rubbing the same inch of skin back and forth several times. Luca listened to his exnation and uncovered his lie calmly. "Yourwyer doesn''t know me." "He has been following up on Paul and William. He¡¯s well-known in the local area. As long as he asks around, it''ll take him less than seconds to find out who you are." Luke''s reply was foolproof. He was prepared with excuses to handle all her questions. Luca listened to him. Although she was suspicious, there was no way to refute. Luke handed the towel to her and asked, "You saw Paul alone. What did you find out?" "I asked him where he bought the snake venom." Luca looked down and handed him the wrung towel. "What are you going to do with it?" Luke continued to wipe his body. "I was just curious. That snake venom is very rare. I want to buy some and use it for my detox pill," Luca replied. He had an excuse, and she happened to have one too. Luke nodded and kept quiet as he handed her the towel. They went back and forth like that for a while. After he cleaned his upper body, Luca had changed two pails of water and wrung the towel several times. She knew what he was going to do next. She silently poured the dirty water away but did not continue to fill the pail. "White pail," Luke said. Luca nodded, took the white pail and the white towel before filling the pail with warm water. Before she could say anything, Luke said, "Get out, please." Luca breathed a sigh of relief when she heard his words. She wanted to leave but was worried that he would get dizzy when standing... When she thought of that, she hesitated and asked, "Mr. Crawford, can you do it alone?" "Do you want to help me?" Luke''s cold gaze showed a trace of yfulness. Luca''s face turned redder like the sunset glow in the sky when the bright red sun was setting. She shook her head quickly and said, "I''ll go outside and wait. When you''re done, just call out to me." After she said that, she hurried out of the bathroom and closed the door. Tommy was sitting on the sofa. He saw that her face was bright red and asked curiously, "Ms. Luca, are you feeling okay? Why are you blushing?" Luca touched her cheek with the back of her hand and found that it was a little warm. She shook her head and said, "It''s nothing." Tommy jumped off the sofa and walked to her side. "Ms. Luca, are you okay? Do you want to see a doctor? You look like you have a fever." "I''m fine. Thank you, Tommy." Luca shook her head. "It¡¯s just a little stuffy inside." "Ah..." Tommy nced at the closed door and asked, "Why is Daddy still inside?" "He''s still taking a shower," Luca said while subconsciously listening to the movements inside. She was not worried as she did not hear any loud soundsing from the bathroom. Ten minutester, Luke said, "Come in." Luca opened the door and walked in. She found that he had changed into a new set of patient clothes. He looked neat. She walked in, walked out with him in the wheelchair, and then helped him onto the bed. After he was lying on the bed again, Luca walked into the bathroom and cleaned everything up. She then left the ward with the wheelchair, intending to return it to the nurse''s station. Tommy was standing by the hospital bed, looking at Luke eagerly. "Is there something on my face?" Luke asked with his eyebrows raised as he looked at his son''s gaze. "Daddy, how did it feel to have Ms. Luca help you shower?" Tommy asked with a grin. "I feel so happy for you. I want Ms. Luca to help me too." "Happy?" Luke raised his eyebrows and thought of what had happened. She had blushed like a rose when she saw his upper body... Luke suddenly thought of Bianca. When she was shy, she would blush like that too... "Yeah, are you happy?" Tommy blinked. He loved Luca from the bottom of his heart. Luke looked at the joy in the child''s eyes. If there was no fake Bianca, Tommy might have gotten him involved with Luca... Luke''s heart skipped a beat when he thought about the simrities between Bianca and Luca. When he was in the bathroom earlier, he teased her. He used to asionally tease Bianca like that. He treated everyone else sternly. He felt a sense of aplishment seeing her blush because of his teasing. When Luke did not answer, Tommy climbed onto the bed and looked at him face to face. "Daddy, I won''t allow you to bully Ms. Luca." Luke raised an eyebrow. ''Bully Luca? I never thought about it. All I want is to... tease her.¡¯ Luca returned to the ward and saw them sitting face to face. She asked in confusion, "What''s the matter?" "Ms. Luca, Daddy is ignoring me." Tommy crossed his hands in front of his chest and looked like a small adult. He got out of bed after staring at Luke for a few more seconds. Luca looked at them suspiciously, then heard Luke say, "I want some water. Chapter 1285 Chapter 1285 What Are You nning To Do With The One In A City? "Okay," Luca nodded, filled a ss of warm water, and handed it to him. Luke held the stic cup and sipped mouthfuls. Luca watched him drink the water and sighed in her heart. With such a in cup and such a simple action, he made the ordinary action elegant. Tommy tugged at the corner of her clothes and said, "Ms. Luca, I want to drink water too." "Okay." Luca was not impatient. She turned around to pour him a ss of water, handed it over, and said gently, "Be careful." Tommy nodded and nced at his Daddy triumphantly. He was happy that she cared more about him because she talked to him after passing him the water. After he finished drinking water, Luca put the cup away and sat on the sofa to read children''s books. Luke also picked up the file and dealt with work. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Seeing that they had stopped talking, Tommy quietly sat down on the sofa to continue reading. It was already eight at night when Johann appeared in the hospital. He was a little surprised to see Luca there. "Dr. Craw, I¡¯m surprised to see you here. Luca nodded and greeted him, "Dr. Park, hello." "Just call me Johann, don''t be a stranger," Johann said with a grin. He came to see how Luke was doing and did not expect to bump into Luca. Luca nodded without a second thought. She felt like he was just being polite. Luke thought that the two seemed to know each other and remembered that Johann personally sent her to the seminar that day. His mood turned dark. After what had happened earlier, the two seemed to have gotten closer. Johann''s gaze fell on the person on the bed again as he asked, "How do you feel?" "I''m okay." Luke''s voice was deep. Johann raised his eyebrows and thought that Luke looked unhappy. However, he did not think that he was the reason for his sullen mood since he just got to the hospital. "What''s the matter with you? Is the result of the report not good?" Luke did not make a sound as he turned the page. Johann said, "You¡¯re a workaholic. You''re in bed but you¡¯re still looking at documents. Where¡¯s your report? I want to have a look." Luke''s gaze fell on Luca. She stood up, took out the report from the drawer, and said, "Dr. Park, this is the report." Johann looked at it and raised his eyebrows. He said, "Not bad. The toxins in the blood are all cleared up. You''ll be able to get out of bed tomorrow. I don''t understand... How could it be so fast? It can¡¯t be that you have an evolved immune system?" Tommy said, "It''s Ms. Luca''s medicine." Johann suddenly realized that Luca''s medicine might be working. He smiled and said, "Dr. Craw, your medicine is so powerful. Can you show me the form?" "I¡¯m notfortable with that." Luca refused without a second thought. The medicines she researched were all based on Shanks'' prescriptions, not hers. She was unwilling to share it lest others have doubts. "I won''t make it public, and of course, I won''t develop it," Johann said. Luca shook her head and said, "This medicine is wed. The snake venom works poorly for cases where the toxin umtes, like Mrs. Norman''s case. I n to put more time into the research. We can talk about it when the study is a sess." Seeing that she was insistent on her refusal, Johann did not continue to ask for it. Instead, he looked at Luke, who still had a stern face. He said, "Have you taken a bath? Do you want me to help you?" "No.¡± Luke turned him down immediately. Tommy said, "Ms. Luca has showered Daddy. Uncle Park, you¡¯re toote." Luca listened to what Tommy said and closed her eyes. ''Why did he say that...¡¯ "I¡¯m d that someone was able to help you. I was worried that you would get out of bed and fall if you insisted on taking a shower yourself." Johann smiled and nced at Luca. He then looked at Luke, his witty gaze full of suggestions. He knew that the Bianca in A City was a fake. After so many years, he was unsure if the real Bianca was alive or dead. Sooner orter, Luke would kick the fake Bianca out. It was not a bad thing for him to have another woman by his side after that. Luca was great. She was beautiful, knowledgeable, and had a good temperament. The important thing was that Luke''s children seemed to like her very much. Tommy listened to them and tugged on Luca''s sleeve again. He said, "Ms. Luca, I want to take a bath too." Luca nodded. Just as she was thinking of helping him adjust the water temperature, she remembered that Tommy did not have a change of clothes. "Did Mr. Doyle bring you some clothes?" Tommy shook his head. "Then, what are you going to change into..." Luca felt helpless. Tommy''s habits were like Luke''s. He prioritized cleanliness as well. Johann immediately gave her an idea. "Dr. Craw, there¡¯s a mall next to the hospital. They sell children¡¯s clothes." Luca nodded and looked at Luke. ''Will it be okay for me to leave him by himself in this state?'' Johann noticed her concern and said, "Don''t worry, I¡¯ll stay here for a while. You can take Tommy to buy clothes." "Okay." Luca took Tommy''s hand and was about to leave when Luke said," Wait a minute." She looked at the man on the hospital bed. Luke said, "Open the drawer." Luca walked over and opened the drawer. "I have a credit card in my wallet. You don¡¯t need a pin. Take it." Luca understood and nodded. She found his wallet, opened it, and was stunned. In his wallet, there was a wedding photo of her and Luke... Luca lowered her gaze to conceal her awkwardness. She immediately took out the credit card, put the wallet back in the drawer, and asked, "Mr. Crawford, do you want any fruit?" "No," Luke said. Luca nodded, took Tommy''s hand, and left the ward. Her steps were a little hurried as if she was running away. Johann noticed it and looked at the man on the hospital bed, asking, "What''s in your wallet? Why does Dr. Craw look so weird?" "Photo," Luke said. "Photo? What photo?" Johann was curious. "My wedding photo with Bea," Luke replied. Johann snapped his fingers and said with a smile, "Well, that makes sense. No wonder Dr. Craw looked weird." Luke continued to look at his documents and ignored him. Johann continued, "It''s your photo that made her feel ufortable." Luke kept quiet. Johann was not deterred by the awkwardness. He muttered, "What are you nning to do with the one in A City?" Chapter 1286 Chapter 1286 He Did Not Know Where His Bianca Was Luke''s mood turned sour when the fake Bianca was mentioned. He thought about the past three years when the fake Bianca was nted next to him. Apart from feeling off, he did not have any doubts and even ignored Aunt Wanda''s doubts. He did not have a single doubt... However, he did not know where his Bianca was... Johann sat on the sofa and touched his chin, saying, "This is a tricky situation. Apart from this fake Bianca, the biggest problem now is how to find the real one..." He stopped speaking. So many things could happen in three years. Even if Luke could control the fake Bianca, it was hard to say whether the real Bianca was still alive. Moreover, after the appearance of this fake, whoever was behind the scenes must have a firm grasp of the whole situation. Even if he knew the truth, Luke was stuck in a passive stance. After all, after the fake Bianca appeared, the kidnapping was said to be done by human traffickers and there was no further investigation. It would be difficult for them to investigate what had happened three years ago. Luke closed the file. His eyes filled with densely packed waves of light that could burst out at any time. His hands were tightly clenched into tight fists. "I''ll find her." When Johann saw this, he nodded and said, "I''ve managed the hospital for you. She won''t notice anything." Luke nodded, paused for a few seconds, and opened the file again. Johann continued talking, "One more thing. Whatever the fake Bianca is suffering from is nothing I¡¯ve seen. The doctor sent me the reports and there are no issues with her. My suggestion is to stop the meds and do another inspection. What do you think?" He was asking Luke for advice. The fake Bianca could not die yet. Luca had prescribed her an effective medicine. There was no recurrence of high fever. She would asionally have a low fever but it was not a big problem. However, it was not normal for her to be hospitalized for so long. Johann believed that something was wrong with her body. Otherwise, her body temperature would not be this abnormal. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. However, if she continued taking medicine, it might cover up her real condition so he wondered whether to have Bianca stop taking the medicine to do aprehensive examination. The examination had certain risks, so he wanted to get Luke''s opinion. "Her illness is strange, but the medicine Luca gave is also strange," Luke said. Johann was stunned and said, "I''ve gotten someone to check the dregs of the medicine. The medicine is to improve blood cirction. There¡¯s nothing abnormal about it." Luke signed his name at the end of the document. When the nanny was preparing the medicine before this, he got someone to check the medicine dregs. There were no issues with the prescription but it helped control Bianca''s condition almost instantly. This was what Luke thought was odd. "Luca said Bianca should take it for a month. We''ll see how she''s doing after waiting for another month," Luke closed the processed document and took out another document. Johann nodded. He did not say anything thinking that the fake Bianca was in a somewhat stable condition. Luca took Tommy to the mall next door and bought some clothes. She then bought him some fruits and snacks. They carried the bags and walked to the hospital. Tommy took her hand and felt satisfied because they bought the snacks he wanted. He shook his head and said, "Ms. Luca, if Daddy bullies you in the future, you must tell me. I''ll help you." Seeing Tommy clenching his fist and trying to stand up for her, Luca shook his hand and asked, "How will you help me?" Tommy tilted his head and thought about it. "Although Daddy looks cold, he loves me the most. If I ignore him, he''ll regret his actions." "He loves you the most?" Luca asked while they waited in front of the elevator. "Yes, although he also loves Lanie and Rainie, it''s me he loves the most because I''m his youngest son. Lanie and Rainie also love me, so I''m the most favored in the family," Tommy said proudly with his arms on his waist. Luca smiled softly. She thought about the past. Luke was missing when he was born, so she had devoted the most attention to Tommy, who meant a lot to her. Unexpectedly, it was the same for Luke. When the two returned to the ward, Johann stood up and said to her, "I just talked to the attending doctor. Luke can get out of bed tomorrow and be discharged after a simple check-up." "Okay," Luca nodded, put the things she bought on the coffee table next to the sofa, and silently put his credit card back in his wallet. She mentally prepared herself and did not show any expression when she saw their wedding photo again. After she put the credit card back in his wallet, she calmly put it back in the drawer. Johann looked at her, deep in thought. The conversation with Luke made him even more curious about her. ''Luca... What kind of person is she?'' When everyone was struggling with the fake Bianca''s illness, Luca easily stabilized her condition. He was impressed with her acupuncture skills. Luca noticed that Johann kept looking at her and asked curiously, "Dr. Park, is there anything on my face?" Luke heard the words and looked at him. Johann smiled awkwardly and retracted his gaze. He said, "No, I have to trouble you to take care of him tonight. I have something to do, bye." With that, he left the ward. Luca nced at Luke, who was also looking at her. "I passed by a fruit shop and the fruits looked fresh. I bought some, Mr. Crawford. Would you like to have them?" she asked, lifting her bag with her gaze down. "No," Luke said. "Ms. Luca, I want to eat an apple,¡± Tommy pouted. Luca took an apple from the bag, walked into the bathroom, and washed the apple for him. She walked out and handed it to Tommy. "There''s no knife here, you have to eat it with the skin on." Tommy did not make a fuss. After he took it, he sat on the sofa obediently and nibbled on the apple. Luca sat on the sofa beside him. She took out her phone and sent Jason a text to see if he coulde over. After a while, Jason replied to her. He had to work overtime at the office and could not go over. The implication was that she had to be in the hospital to apany Luke. She put down the phone and felt Luke''s gaze on her from time to time. She pretended to be calm, picked up the children''s book that she had not finished, and continued reading. After Tommy finished eating the apple, he picked up a storybook and sat close to her while reading. Chapter 1287 Chapter 1287 He Felt Warm And Nostalgic Luke watched them sitting there quietly reading their books and suddenly had a thought. ¡®Peace is a blessing.¡¯ They were not blood-rted but they could be as affectionate as a mother and child. He felt warm and nostalgic. At ten o''clock, Tommy yawned loudly. Luca nced at the time and smiled softly. Tommy''s yawn was always punctual. She lowered her head and looked at the child tenderly, then asked in a soft voice, "Sleepy?" Tommy nodded to indicate that he was sleepy. "Go, take a shower before you sleep," Luca said as she picked up the newly bought clothes and held his hand again. Tommy obediently walked into the bathroom with her. After Luke watched Luca close the bathroom door, he pressed the bell. "Sir, are you alright?" the nurse walked in and asked politely. Johann specially told her that he must take good care of him, so the nurse was especially concerned. "Please get me a nket," Luke said. "Okay. Is the air conditioner too cold?" the nurse asked. "It''s for my child," Luke replied. "Okay, I''ll get it for you now." The nurse immediately walked out of the ward and brought him a nket. "Should I ce it on the sofa?" "Yeah." Luke nodded. "I assume that your wife and child will apany you tonight? Is this sofa big enough forthem? If necessary, we can add a chair," the nurse said. "Okay." Luke remembered that when he woke up this morning, Luca was curled up on the sofa. If she moved a little, she would have fallen to the floor. Even so, she still gave Tommy enough space to sleep. The nurse moved quickly and arranged for someone to put an apanying chair in the ward. She also grabbed another nket. After Luca helped Tommy bathe, she saw an apanying chair and two nkets in the ward. "This..." She nced at Luke and asked, "This is what you ordered the nurse to prepare?" "The nurse knew that someone would be staying the night and arranged for it." Luke looked at her. His deep-set eyes did not reveal much emotion. He concealed the fact that he was the one who asked the nurse to prepare these things. He felt ufortable seeing Luca curled up on the sofa this morning. Besides being ufortable, he felt an inexplicable surge of warmth in his heart. She listened and nodded. She was d that the nurse was kind enough to do so. She then returned to the bathroom with a bag. Luca packed the clothes that Tommy had changed out of and nned to take them back to the hotel to have them cleaned. She then walked out with the bag. Tommy was beside her and he yawned again. "Ms. Luca, I''m sleepy." Luca put the bag away, touched his head, and asked, "Then, do you want to sleep in the chair or the sofa?" Tommy nced at the sofa, then at the chair. He pointed to the sofa and said, "I''m young, I''ll sleep on the sofa. Ms. Luca, it¡¯s ufortable for you to curl up on the sofa." The corners of Luca''s lips rose a little when she heard how considerate Tommy was. The sofa in the ward was small and only suitable for sitting. She had to curl her legs when shey down, which was very ufortable. She unfolded the nket. After Tommy took off his shoes andy down, she helped tuck him in. She then pushed the coffee table over. "What are you doing?" Luke was puzzled when he saw her. Luca exined, "It''s not safe to let him sleep on the sofa. If he wakes up in the middle of the night, he can easily fall off the sofa.¡± As she spoke, she pushed the small coffee table aside, then moved the escort chair to the side of the sofa. She unfolded and ttened the handle near the sofa. Luke watched her and was happy that this arrangement meant that Tommy would not fall off the sofa even if he woke up at night. It was good to have Luca by his side. She was very thoughtful. Tommyy on the sofa, smiling as he said, "Ms. Luca, good night. Daddy, good night." "Good night." "Good night."This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. The two said in unison. Luca sat in the escort chair and was taken aback. They always did the same when they coaxed Tommy to sleep before she went missing. She looked at the hospital bed and noticed that Luke was still focused on dealing with his documents. It was almost 11 o''clock and the corridors of the hospital became quiet. Luca thought for a while and said, "Mr. Crawford, you should resume your work tomorrow. What you need now is rest." Luke nced at the time and nodded without saying anything. He lowered the hospital bed, put down the files, and slowlyy down. Seeing this, Luca got out of the escort chair barefoot and walked to the light switch. She turned the lights off. When Luke saw her feet, his body became inexplicably warm. With a click, the lights were switched off. The room was instantly dark, and there was nothing to see. In the dark, Luca did not feel ufortable as she quickly walked to the side of the chair. The surrounding darkness seemed to not affect her vision. Shey down slowly, turned her back to the hospital bed, and gently ced one hand on the sofa. She remembered that Tommy would feel insecure when sleeping in an unfamiliar environment, so she did this to help him sleep more peacefully. Last night, Luca did not get any sleep. Luca gradually closed her eyes listening to the sounds of Luke and Tommy¡¯s breathing. She could still smell the disinfectant but it was mixed with Tommy''s scent. It made her feel more at ease. After a while, she fell deeply asleep. In the middle of the night, a small sound surprised Luca. She opened her eyes subconsciously and sat up, only to find that the light was turned on. She looked at the bed and found that Luke had turned on the bedsidemp. His legs were hanging off the bed as if he was about to get up. "Lu..." Luca was stunned when she opened her mouth. She closed her mouth abruptly after only uttering a word. She was confused and almost called him Luke. Luke heard her and looked calm, waiting for her to speak. Luca''s heart beat faster. Her subconsciousness made her seem off. After clearing her throat, she said, "Mr. Crawford, what''s wrong?" "I want to go to the toilet," Luke said. He had an urge to go and wanted to slowly get out of bed. He tried his best not to disturb her, but unexpectedly, she woke up after only a small sound. She was a light sleeper, just like him. Luca immediately stood up and said softly, "I''ll get a wheelchair." "No, I want to walk," Luke said. He had gotten many hours of rest and thought that his condition would have improvedpared to the day before. Luca nced at the time and thought that he should be able to get out of bed by now. However, she felt uneasy so she said, "I¡¯ll help you." Luke did not refuse her help and just nodded. Chapter 1288 Chapter 1288 An Intimate Distance Luca walked over to the bed and bent over slightly. Luke extended his arm and put it around her shoulder while his other arm held onto the cab beside the bed. He managed to get down from the bed. They were so close to each other right now. Luca did not dare to look at the expression on his face. Instead, she looked down at the floor and asked, "How are you feeling?" "I''m fine," replied Luke. He felt a little dizzy when his feet touched the floor but he felt fine when he managed to stabilize himself. Everything felt fine except for the fact that his feet were still a little weak. "Let¡¯s try walking a few steps. Don''t force yourself, though." Luca felt his warm breath on her scalp when he spoke to her. She could not stop her face from turning red. Luke replied with an, "Mm." He then tried taking his first steps. Luca tried to keep up with him while paying close attention to his breathing. At that moment, she could hear that his breathing was peaceful, so she said nothing and helped him to the bathroom. After setting him down on the toilet seat, she said to him, "Sit here." Luke nodded in response. Luca helped him sit down and then said, "I''ll be waiting for you outside. Just call me when you''re done." After that, she quickly left the bathroom and closed the door. Luca leaned her back against the wall and took a deep breath. It was just a short journey to the bathroom but she was sweating all over her back and her heart pounded uncontrobly. When she was helping him walk, she could feel that he was looking downward. His warm breath was sprayed over her scalp. She could not be sure if he was doing that on purpose or not. The distance between them was intimately close earlier, and she almost could not handle that feeling. Everything that she experienced just now felt deliberate when in reality, it was not. Luca leaned against the wall as she looked up at the ceiling, fanning her face with one hand. She hoped that it might disperse the heat a little quicker. After a while, she heard flushing noises from the bathroom. Just as she hesitated to go in, the door opened from the inside. Luke held the door with one hand while supporting himself on the wall with the other as he walked out. Luca quickly grabbed his arm. "Are you alright, Mr. Crawford?" She did not expect him to walk out just like that. "I''m fine," he replied. He let her help him back to bed. Luca helped him up onto the bed before she breathed a sigh of relief. Luke looked at her and asked, "Were you calling my name when you woke up?" Luca was stunned. She had dreamed of something when she was sleeping earlier. Something about the past. When she woke up, she could not tell if she was still dreaming or not. That was why she did that. She shook her head and replied, "I don¡¯t think so. You must have misheard me, Mr. Crawford." Luke was sure that he heard it right, but since she did not want to address the issue, he would not press her further either. He was only taking a gander. He said, "It¡¯s gettingte, let¡¯s get some sleep." "Mm," replied Luca as she turned and walked back to her chair. Even with her back turned toward him, she could feel his gaze on her back. She pretended as if nothing was going on and pulled the covers on Tommy before lying down, her back still turned toward the patient on the bed. She then heard a slight rustle on the other bed. She knew that Luke had already gone back to bed. Luca closed her eyes and touched her face. She had gotten red-faced one too many times today... Could Luke see what was happening to her face with thatmp on... Jason was still in his office. He set an rm to remind himself to give Sue a video call. After the call went through, Kari and Teri¡¯s faces showed up on the screen. Jason smiled as he spoke to the sisters for a while before Sue appeared. Sue looked at the background behind him and asked, "Are you still in the office?" "Mm." Jason looked at her lovingly through the screen, but he still missed her. Sue retorted, "How long are you working overtime for? Luke is so cruel making you work like this. Don''t tell me you''re the only one working overtime?¡± "No, I just worked until ten o''clock today. But I feel a little lazy to go back to the hotel, so I''m spending the night in the office," Jason exined. "Are you stupid or what? You have a hotel to stay in but you want to sleep in the office? Is the office table morefortable to sleep on?" Sue rolled her eyes at him as she chided him in disdain, but Jason knew that she was simply concerned about him. "The office is closer to the hospital, so it¡¯ll be easier for me to go there tomorrow," Jason exined. Luke mentioned that he should be able to get discharged by tomorrow, so he might as well sleep in the office since he was working until ten o''clock that night. Besides, he would not be in a rush when he went over to the hospital tomorrow. "Hospital? Are you not feeling well?" Sue immediately wanted to take a good look at him, so she brought her face closer to the screen. "Not me but my boss." Jason then told her everything about Luke getting bit by a snake. 3 Sue was relieved after she heard his story. She did not have the mood to care about what had happened to Luke as long as Jason was fine. She then said, "That''s really unfortunate for Luke, but since you''re in the office, surely someone is taking care of him in the hospital?" "Dr. Craw is taking care of him," Jason told her the truth. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Dr. Craw? The one who showed up in the news with Luke?" Sue¡¯s voice was raised a few pitches higher. Jason nodded. Sue continued, "You''re a fool, Jason. How could you let them be together all alone? This is a scandal on a timer. You''re so careless. If anything happens between them, what about Bianca?" Sue did not know Bianca all that well, but she still defended her. "The boss man wanted it himself, Sue. I''m just following orders." Jason could understand why Sue was so nervous. After all, she had a good rtionship with Bianca before she lost her memory. "You¡¯re just following orders. That woman is so pretty, I don¡¯t believe she doesn''t have other intentions in mind..." Sue muttered. Jason thought about it for a moment. If anyone were to have those kinds of intentions, then it would be Luke. After all, Luca always seemed to avoid Luke every time Jason saw her around. On the other hand, Luke had no intentions to avoid her. Instead, he wanted to get close to her... Otherwise, he would not have made this arrangement. Sue noticed Jason''s silence and then told him, "You still have a week before youe home, right? You have to keep an eye on her. Don''t give her any chances. Understand?" Chapter 1289 Chapter 1289 Like A Mother Looking At Their Own Child. Jason wanted to speak up for Luke, but Sue might think he had sold his soul to Luke. Hence, he had no other choice but to nod and reiterate, "I got it. I''ll keep an eye on him. By the way, don''t tell anyone else about this. I don''t think he wants the Crawford family to know just yet." "Alright. Even though I feel bad for Bianca, I won''t tell anyone since you said so," replied Sue. She then looked at the time and urged Jason to sleep. "It''s gettingte, you should get some rest. Goodbye." "Alright, wait for me," Jason said as she looked at her affectionately. Sue knew if she did not hang up there and then, he would not either. Hence, she did. She then looked over to the sisters who were attentively drawing at the other side of the room. She mused for a moment and decided to give Bianca a call. They drifted further and further apart from each other after Bianca lost her memory. Sue understood why Bianca did not want to interact with her, so that was why she avoided disturbing her and asking her how she was. However, she could not help herself any longer now. She held her breath, and after a few seconds, the call went through. "Hello." Bianca''s voice came through the speaker. Sue said to her, "Bea, it¡¯s me, Sue." Bianca was stunned when she heard Sue¡¯s voice from the other end of the call. After she pretended to lose her memory, she deliberately distanced herself from Sue and never contacted her. She did not expect a phone call from her. She asked, "Is anything the matter?" Sue noticed the coldness in Bianca''s voice and felt ufortable. She reminisced about the times when the three of them did business together, but now they felt likeplete strangers. Bianca did not even say hello, and that made her sad. Bianca heard nothing from the other side of the line, so she looked at her phone and asked again, "Is anything the matter?" "Oh, it''s nothing. Jason said that you''re sick and you''re in the hospital right now, so I called to ask how you''re doing. How are you feeling?" Sue snapped back to her senses. Her voice was neutral but courteous. "I''m fine," Bianca replied, feeling quite baffled by the sudden question. Did Sue call just so she could curry favor with her? Jason was Sue''s boyfriend, and he was Luke''s subordinate, so it would be quite natural for her to do so. However, that seemed a little toote, right? Sue then replied, ''That''s good, then. By the way, Mr. Crawford brought Jason on a business trip, so I wanted to ask if he has contacted you?" Bianca knew for a fact that Jason and Sue had some issues. They had daughters together but were not married. It was natural for her not to contact Jason but look for Bianca instead. "No, I think Luke¡¯s really busy, so he didn''t call." "Oh, I see. That¡¯s all, then." Sue heard the coldness in Bianca¡¯s voice and decided not to tell her anything. She felt bad for her, but she felt very uneasy about Bianca''s arrogant attitude. Sue then hung up the call. After Bianca heard the beeping tone, she suddenly remembered that Luke had not bothered to give her a call these couple of days. He did not even ask her how she was doing. He did not notify her after arriving at his destination either. Bianca had not called him as well because she was feeling unwell... Maybe he was too busy, that was why he forgot... Bianca looked at the time in America and thought of giving him a call when it was daytime over there. After all, she had to keep on pretending. After that night. Luke woke up and noticed that Luca was already awake. She had her back turned toward him as she was looking at Tommy. He felt that she really liked Tommy. There was some sort of motherly love in her eyes whenever she looked at Tommy. It was like a mother looking at their own child. Something moved Luke''s heartstrings. He sat up. Luca noticed some movements behind her and looked back, "Mr. Crawford, you''re awake." The way she addressed him reminded him ofst night. Even if she did not admit it, he was sure that she had called him by his name... It seemed very natural when she did that as if they were not strangers at all. He nodded and replied, "Mm.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Luca stood up, folded the nket and the chair, then looked at the patient on the bed. "Do you want to try standing up?¡± He was able to walkst night, so he should be able to stand up on his own today. Luke nodded, pulled the covers away, and swung his legs to the side of the bed. Luca held her breath as she watched him. She did not step forward. Luke slowly got down from the bed, straightened his body, and walked a couple of steps. He felt much better thanst night. He was not dizzy anymore and his legs had some strength in them. "How are you feeling?¡± A look of concern shed across Luca¡¯s eyes. "I''m feeling better now," said Luke. Luca''s lips curled upward slightly when she heard that. ''That¡¯s good." Tommy sat up and looked at them with sleepy eyes. He was delighted when he saw his father get down from the bed. "Daddy, you can get up already." Luke nodded. Tommy pulled off the covers and jumped off the sofa. "Are you feeling unwell anywhere else? Don''t try to hide it from me." "No, I feel good," replied Luke as he caressed his child. Even though Tommy had not cried these couple of days, Luke knew that he was worried about him. ''That''s great! Daddy''s fine, Ms. Luca. Daddy''s healthy again!" Tommy pped in excitement when he saw his father standing on his own two feet. Luca smiled and caressed his head. He seemed to be the happiest about Luke being healthy again. She was envious of Tommy. When Luke was injured and when he was recovering, Tommy could at least show his concern, sadness, and happiness. Unlike her, she could only keep those feelings to herself. She could not let others notice anything amiss about her, let alone show her true feelings. That was because she was Luke''s subordinate right now. She would be crossing the line if she did anything more than what was appropriate. The nurse walked in, saying that she wanted to take a blood sample and check on Luke''s condition again. Luca then brought Tommy to the bathroom to wash up. After they were done, the nurse had already left the room with the blood sample. Tommy walked toward his father and stared at him. "Daddy, I dreamt of you recoveringst night and it came true today. That''s just great!" Luke caressed his hair. The kid was overjoyed, and Luke''s heart warmed at the sight of him. He stood up and said, "I¡¯ll go and wash up." Chapter 1290 Chapter 1290 When Did Boss Be This Negotiable Luca nodded and then asked, "Mr. Crawford, what do you want to have for breakfast?¡± "Anything will do. Bring Tommy along with you too. Buy something he actually likes to eat," replied Luke. Luca nodded in response and brought Tommy out of the ward. After Luke walked into the bathroom to wash up, his phone rang. He looked at the screen and saw that it was Bianca calling. After he knew that the Bianca in A City was a fake, he decided to remove everything that he had customized for her-including ringtones and wallpapers. He had no reason to do all that for a fake woman. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Luke answered the call and spoke coldly, "It''ste. You''re still not asleep?" His words were showing concern for her, yet they were spoken in a cold tone. That surprised her, but she still replied, "I''m about to sleep, but I miss you, so I decided to give you a call. Luke, I hope I''m not disturbing you?" "Not at all." Luke''s tone remained ice-cold. He left the bathroom, sat on the sofa, and waited for her reply. ''That''s good, then. You didn¡¯t even call me when you arrived in America, so I guessed you might be really busy. That''s why I didn¡¯t want to bother you. By the way, when are youing back? I really miss you," Bianca replied with such affection despite being given the cold shoulder. She was used to his coldness, but he might be a little more affectionate if she acted coy with him. A sinister look shed across Luke''s eyes as he listened to her words. This woman must be hooked on the act that she had been putting on, right? Luke replied, ''Tile back when I''m done with my work here.¡± Bianca shuddered. She thought he might show a little more love for her if she acted coy, but it did not seem to be working. Instead, he acted even more indifferently. She continued, "I see, alright then. By the way, is Tommy there? I miss him too.¡± "He''s having breakfast with Jason in the restaurant downstairs." Luke did not tell her anything about him being hospitalized, nor did he tell her about Tommy apanying Luca. "Oh." Bianca had thought out an entire script before she called him, thinking that she might be able to give their rtionship a boost. Now, Luke''s coldness stopped her in her tracks. "It''s my body''s fault. Wouldn¡¯t it be great if I had gone to America with you? But don''t worry about me. I¡¯m fine now. I feel better these past couple of days. The doctor said I can be discharged once my condition stabilizes." "Mm." Luke¡¯s voice was still as cold as ever. Bianca took a deep, cold breath as her heart chilled. "Alright, I¡¯ll leave you alone now. Come back home once you''re done with your work, okay? I miss you,¡± Bianca said. "Mm," Luke replied emotionlessly and then hung up the phone. Bianca felt that something was wrong. Luke''s attitude toward her was even colder than before. Why... Bianca thought about it for a moment. She did not remember doing anything to make him act like this. It was probably because of work that he was so moody. That was the only exnation she had in her head. After all, he always acted like that, being the workaholic he was. When he was focused on work, he would neither eat nor sleep until he got everything done. As a result, he did not interact with his children all that much. Bianca was relieved after she thought of that. Luca brought Tommy to the restaurant downstairs and let him pick the food he liked. Tommy looked at the variety of food, pouted, and asked, "Ms. Luca, American people eat these for breakfast?" "Mm, that''s right." Luca ordered two sandwiches, a cup of coffee, and a cup of milk. One of the sandwiches was meant for Luke while the other was hers. The cup of coffee was for her, while the milk was for him. "How do American kids grow up if they eat this for breakfast?" Tommyined. In the end, he ordered a sandwich and a ss of orange juice. After getting their food, Luca brought Tommy back upstairs. When they walked into the ward, they noticed Jason and Johann already in the ward. "Good morning, Mr. Doyle, Dr. Park," Luca greeted them. "Good morning Uncle Jason and Uncle Park." Tommy followed suit. Both of them nodded in response. Johann said, "Your report is out. There¡¯s no more poison in your blood. You can be discharged." "Mm." Luke sat on the sofa. Ever since he could walk, he was unwilling to sit on the bed. The thought of a simple de hospitalizing him for a couple of days hurt his dignity. Thus, he did not want to even get close to the bed. He acted as if he had nothing to do with this ward that he stayed in. He looked at the breakfast in Luca''s hand and asked, "Is that for me?" "Yes," Luca replied as she set the food down in front of him. "Why did you get me milk?¡± Luke stared at the milk with a frown on his face. "With your current condition, it''s better if you avoid coffee right now," said Luca. She knew that Luke did not necessarily need coffee anyway. On usual days, he would stay upte working, so he needed coffee to keep him up. However, since he rested well yesterday, he would not need coffee even if he jumped straight back into work after getting discharged. Luke raised his brow in silence and sipped on the ss of milk. Jason gaped in surprise as he watched that happen. When did his boss be so negotiable? If it were him, he would have had to endure his boss'' terrifying re and then make him a cup of coffee. However, one sentence from Luca and things turned out differently... Johann looked at them, amused. He smiled and said to Jason, ''The police need the doctors'' papers. I''ll ask them to prepare the documents while you make arrangements for Luke to be discharged." "Alright." Jason nodded as he regained hisposure and left the ward with Johann. Tommy sat on the sofa and opened his breakfast. Luca sat on the foldable chair and took out her breakfast as well. Luke noticed the pack of juice in Tommy¡¯s breakfast, so he took a sip of his milk and said, "I like juice better than milk." Of course, Luca knew that he tolerated juice better than milk. Luca wanted to tell him that this was processed juice, so drinking a ss or two would be fine. However, since he had just recovered, the juice would not be nutritious enough for him. She thought about it but did not say anything in the end. Instead, she nodded, took a bite of her sandwich, and muttered, "Understood." Luke said nothing more and finished the breakfast she brought him. Chapter 1291 Chapter 1291 Fascinated With Your Activities After breakfast, Johann walked in with a medical report in hand and announced, ''The report is out, and Jason will bring in the receipt in a short while. Arrangements for your discharge areplete, Mr. Crawford." Luke stood up and said, "Let¡¯s go, then." Johann looked at Luca who stood at one side and asked her, "Dr. Craw, I suppose you''re still taking part in the off-site training today?¡± Luca nodded. She woke up early today, so she might be able to rush there. "I have nothing nned for today. Why don''t I give you a ride?" said Johann with a smile. Before Luca could reply, Luke interjected, "Is the car downstairs?" "Yes, Boss." Jason nodded. "We''ll send Dr. Craw over to the training site," said Luke. He then looked over at Johann and continued, ''You don''t need to entertain Dr. Park." Johann shrugged as he listened to the avaricious words and said, "Alright then. By the way, I asked forensics yesterday and they said the report on the de should be out by today." Jason could not help but exim, "Dr. Park, you have contacts with the forensics department too?" "We¡¯re all doctors, anyway. Of course, we know each other." Johann smiled as he left the ward with them. His smile was so heart-warming that many nurses often fell for his charm. After they arrived at the parking lot, Johann left first. Luke watched Luca who remained silent and said, "Get in." Luca did not feelfortable with that. She had texted Rhett saying that she would not be going with them, so they did not have to wait for her. If she let Luke drive her to the training site, they might bump into Dr. Albus and the rest. If they saw her coming out of his car, a bunch of rumors would spread around. "Mr. Craw, I think I''d better take a cab there," said Luca. "Get in." Luke gave her no chance. The driver opened the door for them as he tilted his chin in that direction, indicating that she must get in the car. Luca was left with no choice. She climbed in and let him send her to the training site. Thankfully, she did not run into Dr. Albus and the others. Luca walked into the venue and noticed that Dr. Albus and the rest had arrived. She strode over and greeted them. Dr. Albus noticed Luca did not have any makeup on and said to her with a smile, "Did you oversleep, Dr. Craw? Your shirt isn''t ironed and you don¡¯t have any makeup on." Luca tugged on her shirt. She slept with these clothes onst night, so there were some wrinkles. She nodded and replied, "Yeah, I did. I was almostte, so I didn¡¯t want to make you guys wait." Dr. Albusughed as he looked into her eyes as if trying to see through her. However, she was very calm andposed. He disdainfullyughed at her on the inside. What a harlot she was. She could even tell an outright lie so naturally. Rhett reminded her, "Dr. Craw, you have to get a set of documents yourself because they only give it out based on invitations, so I didn''t manage to get it for you." Luca nodded. When they arrived, Luke had given them one invitation letter each. That letter was their pass for the two-week-long off-site training. That was why Luca always carried it on her. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. As Luca walked over to the information hub, Dr. Albus smiled and said, " Looks like Dr. Craw''s nocturnal activities are very interesting. Do you have any idea where she wentst night, Mr. Link?" Rhett could not help but feel a sense of disgust for Dr. Albus when he said those words, but since Dr. Albus had a higher position than himself, he could only put on a solemn expression while replying, "Wasn''t Dr. Craw in the hotelst night, Dr. Albus?" Dr. Albus replied, ''Tsk tsk, Dr. Craw wasn''t in her room even at 11 o''clock. Maybe she wasn''t even in her room at all." "Dr. Albus, please watch your words." Rhett could not help but retort. "I¡¯m not lying. Last night at around 11,1 wanted to borrow some documents from Dr. Craw but no one opened the door even though I kept knocking on the door. So you tell me, was she in the room or not?" Dr. Albus smiled. He deliberately went to look for Lucast night. The part about borrowing documents was a lie, but checking if she was around was true, though. In the end, she was not around. If Luca was not in her hotel room at night, it should be clear where she was. Everyone knew it. Dr. Albus¡¯ assistant could not help but ask, "Really? If Dr. Craw wasn¡¯t in her room even at that time, where was she?" Rhett shook his head. "It could be that Dr. Craw was sleeping so soundly that she didn''t hear you knocking on the door." When he saw Luca walk toward them, Dr. Albus nodded and dismissed Rhett''s ims. "Probably." When she arrived, Dr. Albus then asked her, "By the way, Dr. Craw, where were youst night?" Luca replied calmly, "I was in the hotel." "Is that so? I wanted to borrow some documents from youst night but no one opened the door when I knocked on it... Did I remember the wrong room number?" said Dr. Albus. He simply wanted this drama to unfold itself. Luca sensed his bad intentions, but she was not a fool either. She replied calmly, "I have trouble sleeping, so I usually take some sleeping pills to help me sleep. I might have slept earlyst night, and I must have slept quite soundly. I didn''t hear you knocking on the door." Dr. Albus listened to her and smiled. "Oh, I see." Luca went through the documents. Dr. Albus continued, "By the way, Dr. Craw, we haven''t seen Mr. Crawford these past couple of days. Have you?" "No," Luca continued lying. Since Luke did not announce the fact that he was poisoned, she would not tell anyone about it either. Dr. Albus raised his brow and went on, "It''s a little strange. Mr. Crawford usually has his breakfast in the cafeteria like us, but I didn''t see him for the past two days." Luca simply listened to him and remained silent. Dr. Albus noticed theck of repliesing from her, so he became disinterested. He knew she could hear him, but she did not bother to exin anything or defend Luke at all. Boring. Luca heard the announcement made through the speakers that the meeting was about to begin, so she gathered her documents and said," Let''s go inside, Dr. Albus." "Alright." Dr. Albus tidied his documents and walked into the venue. Rhett walked beside Luca, and both of them distanced themselves from Dr. Albus and his assistant. Rhett stared at Luca, thought about it for a moment, and then asked, "Dr. Craw, looks like Dr. Albus is very fascinated with your activities." Chapter 1292 Chapter 1292 I Was The One Who Stopped You From Coming Back Luca did not need him to remind her about it. She looked in Dr. Albus'' direction and nodded. Since she did not say anything, Rhett chose not to either. After all, he just wanted to remind her, but she seemed calmer than he was. Not even a veteran like Dr. Albus could have a temper like hers. After Luke dropped Luca off at her destination, he went back to the office with his kid. After arriving at the office, Jason frantically pushed open Luke¡¯s door before he could even get to work. "Boss, Miss Norman is waiting for you in the lobby. She said she has something important she wants to talk to you about." "Which one?" Luke replied coldly, not bothering to raise his head. Jason replied, "Leia Norman, Mrs. Crawford''s younger sister." When Luke heard her name, he suddenly remembered that she was here as well. He rejected outright without even thinking about it. "I have no time for her." Jason knew he would say that, so he passed on Leia''s message. "Boss, Miss Norman said she has something important about Mrs. Crawford she has to tell you about. She wants to see you no matter what." About Bianca- Luke looked up with an icy expression in his eyes, "Let her in." ''Yes." Jason nodded. Just when he was about to inform the reception to invite Leia upstairs, his boss then continued, "Bring Tommy outside.¡± Tommy was reading a book when he raised his head and asked, "Daddy, why do I have to go out?" Luke considered the possibility that Leia might bring up the past, so he did not want to involve the kid in this. That was why he made that arrangement. He said to Tommy, "When adults are talking-" "Kids should not listen, I got it." Tommy hopped off the sofa as he followed behind Jason with his reading material in hand. After a while, the receptionist brought Leia upstairs. "Miss Norman is here." "Mm." Luke red at Leia coldly. She had been living overseas these past couple of years. Since that fiasco with Jack Norman, her intention ofing back to the country was rejected time and again. She did not look like she was living a good life now. The office door closed behind her, and it was only the two of them left in the office. As Leia stared at the man in front of her, her face could not help but show some sentiment for him. However, when he stared at her with those ice-cold eyes, she shuddered for a moment. There was nothing but fear in her heart. "Mr... Mr. Crawford." Leia stood there as she tried to ovee the angst inside of her. Even though she had a favor to ask of him, she could not bring herself to call him her brother-inw. She had been waiting here ever since Queenietold her Luke had arrived in America. However, the receptionist told her that he had not been in the office the past couple of days, so she did not get to see him until today. "So you''re finally willing to tell me about the kidnapping that year?" Luke nced at her before looking away. After all, one second spent looking at her was one second wasted. His cold words struck Leia as she stood there awkwardly. She was ready to bargain with him, but he did not seem interested at all. "I know certain things about what had happened that year, but if I tell you, you''ll have to promise me one thing," said Leia as she clenched her fist. She was having money problems here in America. She could not take it anymore. She knew what was going on in her hometown, but even if her reputation was ruined, she could still live avish life as long as Jack was around. "You have no chance of going home," Luke said. He knew what she had in mind before she could even say it. He knew about every single thing she did in the past couple of years. The mastermind behind all this sent a fake Bianca to fool everyone into thinking that she hade back home but he had not given up on his investigation. As for Leia, she was one of the people who knew what had happened that day. She said nothing about it, but that did not mean she knew nothing. That was why he arranged for someone to keep an eye on her after she was sent overseas. Jack Norman, on the other hand, was very unhappy with what Leia did behind his back. After he sent her off to America, he gave her just enough money for her basic needs but did not tell Queenie anything about it. Luke had been waiting for her toe clean when she finally could not take it anymore. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. However, he did not expect her to cross the line. She was short of money, so she tried using her body to get some. In the first year, she managed to get close to some of the local businessmen. After that, Brody took his revenge on her and exposed her for everything that she did,pletely destroying any reputation she had. All the rich people did not want to see her anymore, and her days of livingvishly were numbered. Feeling desperate, Leia found a new boyfriend and came back to the country using marriage as an excuse. However, that option was once again cut off by Luke Crawford. Leia clenched her fist after he rejected her. She red at him as she said, Don''t you want to know what happened that day?" Luke continued typing, ignoring herpletely. "Luke Crawford, if you convince my dad, I''ll tell you everything I know," Leia continued. Even though she was not directly involved in the matter, she knew more than he did. 1 Luke stopped typing, looked up, and stared at her. Leia felt a glimmer of hope as her fists trembled. "Didn''t you sense anything wrong about Bianca who went missing and then came back just a few months after? Don¡¯t you suspect anything at all?" "What do you know?" Luke raised his brow, thinking about the possibility that Leia might know about the fake Bianca in A City. Leia thought she had the upper hand when he asked her that question. "As long as you help me go back home, I''ll tell you everything I know." She did not know much. The information she had was not enough to bargain her way back into the country. With her living conditions right now, going back home was the safest thing she could do. To get what she wanted, she had no choice but to try tricking Luke. "Who do you think is the one stopping you from going back?" Luke said as he nced at his documents. If he looked at Leia, he would remember every evil thing she ever did to hurt Bianca. The more he looked at Leia, the more disgusted he was with her. Leia was surprised by his words. Was it not Jack who forbade her from going back? "I''m the one who''s been stopping you from going back." Luke had finished testing her. With the evidence he gathered through years of investigation and that conversation he had with her just now, he was sure that Leia did not have much information to give. Even if she told him everything she knew, there was not much evidence that he could use anyway. Luke picked up the phone and dialed the extension to Jason¡¯s office." Come in and send her out." Chapter 1293 Chapter 1293 Enjoy Her Cooking Forever Leia was stunned. Just as she was trying to figure out his words, Jason pushed the door open. "Please leave, Miss Norman." Leia left just like that and was dissatisfied. She suddenly realized something. Queenie had mentioned before that she coulde back as long as Luke gave the word. It turned out this was what she meant by that. Apart from Jack, even the man in front of her was stopping her from going back! She ignored Jason as she raised her pitch. "Why are you doing this to me? I want to go back!" Jason frowned when she raised her voice. He knew that this was not going to be easy to handle, so he walked out and spoke to the secretary, "Tell security toe up here, please." Leia knew she was going to be dragged downstairs. She shuddered and fell to her knees, "Brother-in- law, I beg you. I just want to go back home." She had never wanted to call him her brother-inw, but now, she had no choice but to give in. Luke red at her coldly. Her cries for help sounded like insults to him. " Isn''t it a little toote to treat Bea as your sister?" Leia shook her head as she sobbed. She did not want to continue living like this. "It''s not like that. We''ve always been family. Please don''t be this cruel to me." The guards quickly arrived at the scene, and Jason gave the order, "Bring her downstairs." Leia stared at the security guards but she was still shaking her head and begging for mercy. The guards grabbed her arms and dragged her away, " We''re family, you can¡¯t do this to me!" i Luke said nothing, and the guards did not stop dragging her outside either. The noise gradually softened but Jason could not help but cover his ears. He asked, "Boss, why doesn''t she want to stay overseas?" After all, she was the adopted daughter of the Norman family, so her life over here would not be too bad, right? Why did she insist on going back, then? Jason could not imagine how an ex-superstar suddenly became like this. Luke knew, though. Leia wanted to save up on rent so that she could have more money for herself, so she found herself a decent white-cor boyfriend and lived with him. Despite his mboyant appearance, he was doing dark and dirty jobs. Due to that, Leia was also involved. Since she wanted to save herself, she had to go back home. That was why she was willing to do anything out of desperation, even lying to Queenie and promising her boyfriend her hand in marriage in an attempt to go back home to get out of the rut she was in now. "Get back to work," Lukemanded. He had no sympathy for Leia''s predicament at all. After all, she did that to herself. It was because she was the Norman family¡¯s adopted daughter and the fact that Bianca was Jack and Queenie¡¯s daughter as well that Luke did not pursue the matter further. If Leia knew how to discipline herself and appreciate what she had, she would not have ended up like this. "Yes." Jason nodded. He knew Luke had arranged for someone to keep an eye on Leia, but they only reported directly to Luke. Hence, he had no idea what was going on with Leia. Tommy walked in with the book in his embrace. He frowned and said," Daddy, was Aunt Leia crying just now?" All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Luke replied as he fixed his gaze on theputer screen. "You don''t have an aunt." Leia was not worthy to be Bianca''s sister. Tommy nodded and replied, "Okay." He said nothing after that. Leia was not wee among them, after all. "What do you want for lunch?" Luke asked all of a sudden. Tommy gave an instinctive reply, "I want Ms. Luca to cook for me!¡± "She''s busy right now," Luke replied. He was not surprised by his kid¡¯s answer, Luca''s cooking was mediocre, but somehow, it bewitched both of them. It was as if she added some secret sauce that made theme back for more everytime. As Luke mused over it, he suddenly thought of Bianca. Her food was amazing, and he would never get tired of it. He wanted to enjoy her cooking forever. Tommy shrugged when he heard that. "Anything will do, then.¡± "Mm," Luke replied. Then, he shifted his focus to the work at hand. After the training, Luca did not leave alone. Instead, she followed Dr. Albus and the others back to the hotel. After they arrived, they ate a meal before returning to their own rooms. After a while, someone came knocking on her door. Luca opened the door and realized that it was Jason and Tommy. The kid clung to her immediately. "Ms. Luca, I miss you so much. Did you miss me?" Luca did not know how to respond, so she caressed the child''s head. Jason brought the kid and came knocking on her bedroom door, which was all too familiar to her. "Have you had dinner, Dr. Craw?" Jason smiled as he asked courteously. Luca nodded. "I have. Is anything the matter, Mr. Doyle?¡± Before Jason could respond, Tommy said, "Ms. Luca, Daddy is busy, so he asked you to take care of me for a while." Jason looked on as the kid was eager to enter the room. He smiled and continued, "Yes, Dr. Craw. My boss has an important discussion to attend to. Can you look after the kid for a while?" "But I''ll be visiting a friendter on." Luca rejected. It was not like she did not want to, but she simply wanted to check out the address Paul gave her. "You can bring Tommy with you. He''s such a good boy, he won''t bother you," Jason replied immediately. Tommy nodded in approval. "Ms. Luca, I''m a good boy, and I have good manners. I¡¯ll not give you trouble." Luca watched the kid stare at her. She almost wanted to agree, but the ce she wanted to go was too dangerous. Taking care of him was one thing, but scarring him for life was another. "But..." Before she could finish, Jason interrupted, "It''s just a few hours, please. I still have to get changed and apany my boss to the discussion. Tommy, you be good, alright? Don''t be a troublemaker now." After that, he left Tommy there and walked to his room. Tommy stared at her, giving her one of those puppy eyes. Luca sighed, opened the door, and said, "Come on in, then." She intended to depart a littleter because nightlife in America had not begun just yet. However, she kind of regretted not departing sooner. Tommy heard the tone in her voice and asked anxiously as he walked into the room, "Ms. Luca, don¡¯t you like me anymore?" Luca shook her head as she looked at the child¡¯s pitiful expression. "Of course not. Why would I not like you anymore?" Chapter 1294 Chapter 1294 Her Darling Tommy stared nkly at her with tears in his eyes as if he would bawl his eyes out if she said she did not like him. Luca was mad at herself. She thought she had hurt his feelings with the tone of her voice. "Ms. Luca, I won''t bother you. Please don''t dislike me." Tommy rubbed his eyes as he tried to contain his tears. Just the sight of him would melt anyone''s heart. "No, I don''t dislike you. Stop overthinking." Luca grabbed his hand and said, "I just went to the supermarket. Guess what I bought?" Tommy still had tears in his eyes as he looked up at her. At least he was somewhat distracted now. "What?" "Your favorite snack," replied Luca as she opened the drawer. She was going to be here for two weeks and would meet Tommy anytime, so she prepared them. She picked up a bag of chips that kids liked and handed it to him. "Here you go. Treat this as an apology from me. Don''t be sad, okay?" "You didn''t do anything wrong." Tommy was very happy when he saw the bag of snacks that he liked. His eyes were sparkling with delight, and the tears that were welled up in them before were all gone. He knew Luca pampered him when he saw the drawer full of snacks. From that moment onward, he had no reason to be sad anymore. Luca watched as he tore open the bag of snacks. She brought him over to the sofa and said to him, ''Tommy can I tell you something?" "Is it about going to your friend''s house?" asked Tommy as he bit into a piece. He knew what was on her mind even if she did not say it. Luca nodded. Tommy asked again, "Ms. Luca, can I follow you?" ''This is a very important matter, I can''t bring you with me. Besides, it might be a little dangerous," replied Luca as she caressed his face. "Dangerous?" Tommy tilted his head as he thought about what she just said. After a while, he asked her, "Are you going to do something good? Like that time you saved me?" "I guess so... I can''t bring you along with me. If I put you in any danger, I¡¯ll feel very guilty," said Luca. She had no intention of fooling him. After all, he was a smart kid. If she tried to fool him, he might realize it. Even though she was confident in protecting him, she did not want him to experience too many things like this. After all, her darling had to grow up in a warm and safe environment. Tommy suddenly understood what she meant. He replied, "I understand, Ms. Luca. I''ll wait for you here." "I''m worried about leaving you alone here, so I''ll send you back.¡± Leaving a kid in the room alone was not the safest option. "But Daddy should be out by now..." Tommy took another bite of the snack as he tilted his head. He was sent here because his father would be going out for a discussion, after all. ''Then...¡± She suddenly thought of another person, so she said to him, "I''ll send you over to Rhett''s ce and I''lle to pick you up when I''m done, okay?" She did not want to ask Dr. Albus and the others. These people were a bunch of gossips, so she could not be bothered. Rhett was the only one she could trust. "Alright, Ms. Luca." Tommy nodded. Luca breathed a sigh of relief when he agreed with her. She then said to him, "Let''s go over there right now. I¡¯ll leave after I drop you off. By the way, don''t tell anyone else what I''m about to do.¡± "Not even Daddy?" Tommy asked. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Luca thought about it for a moment and then nodded. She extended her hand for a pinky promise. "It''s better not to tell him. I don''t want too many people to know. This is our secret, okay?" Tommy extended his hand and hooked his pinky with hers. After that, Luca brought him to Rhett¡¯s room. After leaving the child to him, she went back to her room, changed into a set of clothes, and left the hotel. Luca hailed a cab and gave the driver the address that Paul gave her. The moment she left the hotel, Luke immediately caught wind of it. He then asked the person on the other end of the call, "Did she bring Tommy along?" "Boss, Dr. Craw didn''t bring Tommy with her. She left him at Rhett Link''s ce," said the person on the line. Luke responded, "Mm.¡± After two seconds, he then instructed, "Continue following her." "Yes, Boss.¡± After Luke knew that Luca went to the police station, he arranged for some people to follow her. They had undergone professional training. If they did not expose themselves, it would be very hard for Luca to suspect anything. Jason sat beside the driver''s seat as he listened to Luke''s instructions. He thought to himself, ''It seems that Luca does have some motives of her own. Boss was right.'' They could bring Tommy to the ce that they wanted to go, but they deliberately left him with Luca. However, she still managed to find a solution to Luke''s challenge. Interesting... Jason turned around and looked at the man in the back seat. The sky was getting dark, and his face was hidden in the shadows. As the street lights shed past, his arrogant and dignified aura was magnified infinitely by the light. "Boss, what is Dr. Craw going to do?" Jason asked. He was getting more and more curious about Luca. Luke replied coldly, "We''ll know when she gets to her destination." Jason smiled. Dr. Craw was about to make his boss go on a chase... Luke had done many things before, but Luca was still a mystery to him. However, she did not seem malicious at all. Jason was patiently anticipating the day his boss would expose Luca''s true identity. Luca sat inside the cab and nced at the car following her. It seemed that the car had been following her ever since she got out of the hotel. Was she mistaken? Luca noticed the distance between them and smiled. She was unsure if Luke sent people to follow her or if it was Abel. She looked at the driver and said to him, "Excuse me, I''m in a little bit of a rush. Can you drive a little faster?" The cab driver was a straightforward man. The moment she gave her instructions, he gave her the ''oka/ sign and stepped on the gas pedal. The cab was now twice as fast as before. Luca looked back once more. The car behind them had picked up the pace as well. At that moment, she was sure that the car behind her was not tailing them by coincidence. The driver had motives. Luca looked at her phone and checked the location of her destination. She then decided to get off two streets away from the ce. When the driver took the money, he said to her, "This area is a little shady. You¡¯ll have to be careful out here." "I got it," said Luca as she took the change from the driver. She got out of the cab and saw the other car waiting in the distance. She grinned. Chapter 1295 Chapter 1295 Testing The Venom The car remained where it was. When she got out of the cab, she noticed that it was an ordinary car. As it was an ordinary car, she could not tell if the car belonged to Luke or Abel''s men. She did not walk over. Instead, she walked into an alley. The moment she went in, she heard the sound of car doors opening. She then quickly turned the corner. Since she was quite familiar with the ce, she managed to avoid them. The spies looked at each other helplessly. She must have realized their presence... As a result, they failed their mission... After Luca was sure she lost them, she walked over to her destination. She then knocked calmly on the metal door. After a while, an enormous man walked over and opened the door. "Who are you looking for?" Luca did not panic as the man nced at her from top to bottom. She replied, "I''m looking for Solomon." "What business do you have with him?" The man let his guard down as he looked at the frail-looking woman in front of him. He lit a cigarette while leaning on the door. Luca replied, "I want to buy some snake venom from him." "You must be mistaken. Who told you that Solomon sells snake venom? You must havee to the wrong ce. Please leave now. This isn''t the ce that you should being to," said the man. Luca did not leave. She was not fooled by his words either. "My boyfriend is a bad man. I want to buy some snake venom and use it against him. I heard that this is the only ce that sells a type of rare snake venom. If this is not the ce, where else can I get it?" After that, Luca pulled out a stack of dor bills. The man looked at the stack of money in her hand, thought for a moment, and moved aside. "Let''s talk inside." Since he invited her in, Luca walked in without hesitation. The man took a puff from his cigarette and looked at her graceful figure. Suddenly, a sinister idea shed across his eyes. "Aren''t you afraid ofing in here alone?" "I''m your guest. Would you harm your guests?" Luca smiled and looked at the floor as a malicious glint shed across her eyes. She had no intention to be violent, but if the people here did not know their limits, then she would have no choice. The manughed at her in disdain. This woman must be obsessed with wanting her boyfriend dead since she dared toe to this ce. She saw herself as a guest, but she did not know she had be their prey from the moment she walked in. They wanted both the woman and the money. As for her request, that would have to depend on her performance. Luca noticed that the man was still standing there, so she turned around and said to him, "Lead the way. I can''t wait to get my hands on that stuff." "Very well." The man closed the door and locked it. Luca noticed the lock was as thick as a baby''s arm. Without a key, opening the lock would take quite some time. However, she was not worried. The man walked forward and led her inside. Luca followed him and asked, "Are you sure your snake venom is the real deal?¡¯ "You can try it yourself if you want." "Alright. I''ll try it out myself," Luca said. The manughed at her mockingly. Did she just say she wanted to test the venom? Did she not fear death? If she was not crazy, then she must be really desperate. "Who introduced you to this ce?" asked the man. "Paul, the university student. He said your products are of the best quality, even the police won¡¯t be able to find out. Even if they do find out, I can still tell the perfect lie and prevent any suspicion," Luca exined as she looked at her surroundings. Besides the security camera at the door, there were no other surveince devices in the area. It seemed like this was not Abel''s base of operations. Abel had always been a careful person. Just like in A City, there were other cameras and security devices inside the house apart from the one outside the door. This ce seemed like a normal house where ck market transactions urred, so there was nothing to be worried about. The man led Luca deeper into the house. "Boss, herees business." There were three other men in the house. One of them was tied to a chair with his back turned toward her. That silhouette looked familiar. The man whom the henchman called ''Boss'' looked at Luca and his eyes lit up. "What a prettydy. A rare sight, indeed. Tell me, what do you need? I can give you a discount." Luca sensed the malice in his voice and threw him the piece of paper Paul gave her. "You must be Solomon, right? I want this." Solomon looked at the parchment and frowned. "Paul gave you this? What are you going to do with this?" "Kill someone. Is that reason enough?" Luca grinned as she nced at the man tied to the chair. "Alright, you''re cruel. I¡¯ll give you that. You''re really the femme fatale. We only have this much venom left. Tell me, how much do you want?" asked Solomon as he set the bottle of venom on the table. "You only have this much?" Luca frowned as she eyed the tiny bottle. "Don¡¯t underestimate it. It''s enough to kill a bunch of men. If you think it''s too little, you can buy it all. If you can wait, we can give you another bottle in two days. However, it¡¯s a little expensive," replied Solomon. "How much?" she asked. ''This much!" Solomon said as he put up his fingers. He then looked at her pervertedly and said, "Also, I want you to sleep with us for one night." ''The price is no problem for me, but I want to try it out first. What if you''re trying to use fake liquid to trick me?" Luca looked down. Any man who angered her would not end well. Solomon was stunned when he heard that. "Of course, I don''t sell fake products. Forget it. How are you going to try out the venom?" "Boss, she¡¯s going to try it on herself, of course," mocked the man who brought her in. Luca said nothing, and Solomon agreed. "Alright then. If you want all of it, feel free to test it out. I have a blood thinner with me, after all. I can even give you a discount." After that, another man gave her a syringe. Luca took the syringe, drew some of the venom, and looked at it. The others were staring at her. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Solomon noticed she was hesitating. "What''s the matter? Are you scared now? I do have someone here who can help you test the venom, free of charge. But you¡¯ll have to sleep with us for another night. How about that?" Luca nodded and walked over. While they were still looking at her, she quickly plunged the syringe into Solomon''s neck. "Why don''t you help me test if this thing is real?¡± "Boss!" The two other men were utterly shocked. Before they could react, Luca had already injected the entire content of the syringe into Solomon''s neck. Chapter 1296 Chapter 1296 Running Into Amur Luca pulled the needle away and circled her arm around Solomon¡¯s neck. There was a vicious expression on her face which sent a wave of terror across the two other men. "What... What are you... doing..." Solomon had some trouble speaking with his neck being choked like that. "Just testing the drug." Luka nced at the man''s face. The venom would take some time to work. It seemed that she had to stay for a while longer. "Why don''t we wait and see if the venom works before we talk?" Solomon shuddered for a moment. The force applied to his neck was so strong he could not break free. He knew what would happen if he did not administer the antidote in time, so he begged. "Please don¡¯t. Let¡¯s... Let¡¯s talk about it." As he said those words, he signaled hisckeys with his eyes. Luca noticed the slight changes in her opponent''s movements, so she tightened her grip. "If you dare do anything funny, you might just endanger someone''s life." Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Solomon shuddered once more. She was just a frail Eastern woman, but the force on his neck was so strong that he could not move at all. Feeling the pressure, he had no choice but to surrender. "Alright, alright, I won''t do anything. What do you want? We can negotiate." Luca tilted her chin toward the man who had his back turned toward them and said, "Tell your men to let go of that person." Solomon frowned as a vicious look shed across his eyes. "You came here to save him?" "Just cut the crap. Do you want to die?" Luca showed the side of her that no one had ever seen before- violent and sinister. It was theplete opposite of the gentle and tender woman she was. Solomon hinted at his henchmen with his eyes. His life was way more important despite how unwilling he was. He said to them, "Let him go." "Boss!" The man who brought Luca inside was very unwilling to do so. "We wasted so much effort just to get this man under control. It¡¯ll all be for nothing if we let him go." "Just cut the crap and let him go!" Solomon barked. If his life was not in Luca''s hands right now, he would have given him a tight p on the face. The henchman had no choice but to cut their hostage loose. He wanted to get an opportunity to save Solomon, but Luca was staring at him, so he had no chance at all. The moment the man was free from his bonds, he removed the cloth from his mouth and stared at Luca in bewilderment. "Why are you here?¡± "I should be asking you that, Amur." Luca was familiar with his silhouette, but she did not expect it to really be him. Since he was in America and not on the Ind of Despair, was he on duty? If he was on duty, he would have used his phone and seen the message she left him. Why did he not reply to her? Amur''s blue eyes showed confusion. He was here so that he could stay by her side and protect her in the future. To do that, he had to finish the mission Abel gave him. However, he did not expect that he would run into her. If they escaped from this ce, how was he going to exin himself? He did not want to lie to her. Luca then said to him, "Grab that bottle." "Mm." Amur walked forward and grabbed the bottle she pointed at. Those three men were no match for him. If it were not for their dirty tricks, he would not have ended up here. Luca watched as he put the bottle in his pocket and said to him, "Did youe here to take something too?" "Yes." Amur nodded. He nced at the two other men. Their boss was being held in a chokehold, so they dared not act brashly. Luca then said, "Grab your stuff and follow me." Now that they had met each other, Amur knew he could not run away from her. Hence, he did as she told him to. He walked to the corner of the room and took a medicine bottle. Luca narrowed her eyes as she looked at Solomon. "Looks like you sell more than just snake venom. What is that?" Solomon bit his lip. The injected venom was acting faster than it would through a de wound. The color on the corners of his lips was beginning to darken. "It''s alright if you don''t tell me. I¡¯m just thinking, you guys wouldn''t dare call the police, right?" Luca noticed that the house was full of illegal paraphernalia, so they would not be stupid enough to report to the police. "I¡¯m done," said Amur. Luca gave him a light kick and said, "Since you''re taller, can you hold him for me?" Amur nodded and circled his arm around Solomon''s neck right away. "Solomon Snake,e with us if you want to live." Solomon was in despair. He might have a chance if he was up against the woman alone, but with Amur alongside her, he had no choice but to surrender. "Let''s go." Luca looked at the two other men with a sharp look in her eyes. "You had better prepare the antidote if you don''t want him to die. Don''t try to follow us, or we''ll bring him further away." "Boss...¡± The men looked at him worriedly. "Don''t follow. Prepare the antidote and wait for me." Solomon held his breath as he gave the order. Luca walked away with Amur and Solomon behind her. They walked through two alleyways when Solomon could not help himself but say, "Guys, I think this is far enough. I don''t think I can go back if we go any further." He could feel his strength slowly seeping away from him. If they walked through another alley, he might not be able to go back to administer the antidote in time. If the venom started to act before he could administer the antidote, he would have to rest for a few days to regain his strength. "Alright. I''m going to give you a chance, but yourckeys had better not follow us, or you''ll regret it." Luca looked at Amur, signaling to let Solomon go. Solomon gasped for air. He dared not fight back even after he was free. He looked at Luca and Amur with a frazzled look on his face. He then turned around to walk away. He dared not quicken his pace because that would worsen the venom''s effects. He took one step at a time. They were slow and comical steps. Luca then said, "Let¡¯s go." "Mm." Amur looked at Luca and followed her. He was utterly confused as to how they ran into each other at this ce. Luca walked through a few more alleys to make sure that Solomon was not following them. She stopped and looked up at Amur. They had not seen each other for some time. His face was skinnier than before. "Can you tell me why you''re here now?" Amur went silent for a moment and then said, "Where''s your ce? I¡¯ll send you home." "Amur..." Luca''s voice sank as she pressed him. "Are you on a mission?" Chapter 1297 Chapter 1297 Protecting Luca Amur nodded but he did not mention what mission it was. "So you were carrying out your mission at that ce?" Luca asked again. "Yes," Amur replied and nodded Solomon was a well-known ck market dealer, but he was different from others. His products were popr, but he had a terrible character. There was a kind of drug that Abel sought after. However, Solomon was not the original seller, so it was quite difficult to get the goods. After a few trials and tribtions, Abel managed to get information that Solomon had a customer who wanted the same drug, hence he ordered a batch of them. That was an opportunity for him, so sess would have to depend on whether their n worked out or not. Luca smiled as she listened to Amur''s exnation. There was no reason for him to lie. In that case, Luke''s poisoning had nothing to do with Abel. She breathed a sigh of relief. Then, she could not help but tease Amur, "Amur, you should not have been tied up like that." Even though the three men were huge, they were still no match for Amur even after banding up. "I was careless." Amur went silent. He had the same ideas as Luca, that was why he was caught and subdued. Luca walked to the side of the road and waited for a cab. "Don¡¯t let your guard down no matter what, you understand?" she said. "Yes." Amur nodded. If he knew this was how he would run into Luca, he would have been more careful. "Where''s your ce?" Luca asked. Amur replied with the name of a certain hotel. Luca remembered seeing that name from a map. She frowned. It was a hotel, but the facilities were not good." Why don''t youe over to my hotel?" "But..." Amur wanted to say no. ''That''s decided, then. Since you were caught, you must have some wounds on you, right?" Luca nced at him from top to bottom. Amur wore a ck long-sleeved shirt and pants, so she could not see any wounds on him. After all, ck was the best color to hide injuries. Who knew how many scars and injuries he had under that shirt. Luca was genuinely worried about his wounds. Besides, she could exin herself better if she brought Amur along with her. "Alright." Amur saw the serious expression on her face andpromised. He never had the heart to reject Luca''s decisions. A taxi came from the distance and Luca hailed it. Both of them got into the cab and headed to his hotel. After that, Amur checked out of the hotel and they rushed over to her hotel. Luca extended her hand and Amur handed her his documents. She helped him check into a room. They then stepped into the elevator. Amur¡¯s room was on the same floor as Luca''s. She said to him, "Get a change of clothes and I''lle over in a bit to apply some medicine on you." ''Thank you." Amur felt a surge of warmth in his heart when she said those words to him. After they arrived at their floor, Luca went back to her room, took some medicine and bandages that she had brought with her, and rushed over to Amur¡¯s room. She knocked on the door and Amur invited her inside. At the same time, Dr. Albus walked out from the room next door and saw her silhouette. He did not greet her. Instead, he frowned and thought to himself, ''Whose room is this?¡¯ Luca checked Amur all over and asked him, "Did they give you any sedatives? ''They didn''t manage to," replied Amur. They wanted to give him a shot of sedatives to keep him under control but did not do so because she showed up at the right time. It seemed like Luca saved him once again. Luca opened the bottle of medicine and said, "Take your shirt off. Let me have a look." Amur did not hesitate and took his shirt off for her. He had plenty of wounds, but most were just flesh wounds while the rest were bruises and internal hemorrhages. She pursed her lips and applied the medicine on him. As she did that, Amur did not make the slightest sound. Luca was quick in treating him. After she was done, she said to him, "You''d better get some rest in the next few days. I''ll leave the medicine here. I can help you if you need me to." "Mm, thank you." Amur looked at the bandages that were wrapped all over his body before wearing his shirt. Luca then asked, "By the way, where¡¯s my stuff?" Amur took the bottle from his pocket and handed it to her." This is snake venom?" This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "Mm." Luca shook the half-full bottle. It was enough for her experiment. "What do you want this for? Also, why are you in America?" asked Amur. "For research. My antidote is not perfect just yet, so I need some ingredients to make itplete. The company sent me to do this. Alright then, rest well. I¡¯ll be going back to my own room," said Luca. "Alright." Amur did not think much of it. After she left, he took out his phone and sent a text to the people on the Ind of Despair, telling them he hadpleted his mission. He said nothing about running into Luca. He looked at his inbox and noticed that he had not replied to Luca''s message. He came to America after leaving A City. He then kept a low profile and waited to get his hands on that bottle of medicine. He put in a lot of effort just to obtain it. Amur held his head in frustration after he thought about Luca saving him once more. He wanted to protect her, but things always happened the other way around. He felt like a failure. Luca packed her things after she returned to her room. She was relieved after she knew that Luke had no connection with Abel. After she hid the venom where Tommy could not find it, she then walked over to Rhett''s room to get Tommy back. She saw Tommy''s sad face the moment she opened the door. He looked at her and said, "Ms. Luca, what took you so long?" Luca smiled. The hotel was located in a busy area while the address Paul gave her was on the outskirts. Hence, going back and forth took quite some time. "I¡¯m sorry about that. To make it up to you, I''ll give you all of the snacks in the drawer, okay?¡± She squatted and pinched the kid''s face. Tommy massaged his cheek and replied, "Ms. Luca, those were meant for me anyway." Luca smiled. "But they¡¯re still with me." After that, she stood up and said to Rhett, "Sorry for troubling you." "Not at all. Tommy is a cute, good boy. He didn''t give me much trouble." Rhett scratched his head in embarrassment after Luca praised him like that. Luca was typically a serious and cool person, so he was surprised when he noticed her gentle and kind side when she coaxed the child. "Say thank you to Uncle Rhett." Luca raised Tommy''s arm. "Thank you, Uncle Rhett. See you!" Tommy nodded as he waved at Rhett. Chapter 1298 Chapter 1298 She Was No Longer the Bianca From Before Luca brought Tommy back to the hotel room. The child started to yawn the moment Luca closed the door. She turned around and saw the sleepiness in his eyes. "When is your Daddying back?" She patted his head and asked him. Tommy shook his head, indicating that he did not know. Luca did not want to keep Tommy up when he was already so tired. She decided to let Tommy sleep first while informing Jason about it. "If that''s the case, let''s go to bed," she said. Then, she went to the bed and pulled the nket back. Tommy grinned happily and mbered onto the bed. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. After Luca tucked him in, she said, "You can sleep first. I''ll go and take a shower before sleeping. Is that alright?" "Yes, Ms. Luca." Tommy closed his eyes obediently. Luca dimmed the lights and went into the bathroom with a new set of pajamas and her phone. She sent a message to Jason, telling him that Tommy was resting in her room, then took a quick shower. After taking a shower and changing her clothes, she stepped out of the bathroom. Tommy did not move, and Luca guessed that he had already fallen asleep. Luca got on the other side of the bed. After shey down, Tommy moved closer to her. She lowered her head slightly and looked at the pair of big eyes. Those innocent eyes looked very much like Luke''s eyes, and Luca could imagine that they would be incredibly soulful after Tommy grew up. She was reminded of her daughter N. Her eyes were like that too. "Why aren''t you asleep yet?" Luca asked as she stroked Tommy''s back. "I''m waiting for you toe and sleep with me." Tommy clung to her arm. Luca chuckled softly. "Alright, let''s sleep then." "Ms. Luca, did you beat all the baddies?" Tommy nuzzled against the pillow. His eyes were transfixed on her. Luca stopped stroking his back. When she looked into those round and big eyes, she could help herself but pinch his cheek. "Yes, the baddies have all run away. You don''t have to be afraid anymore." "I''m not afraid if you''re with me, Ms. Luca," Tommy smiled and said. "You''re very brave, Tommy," Luca said as she patted his head. She was happy that Luke had done a good job in educating the child in the past three years. Three yearster, the boy was still as innocent as ever, but he was not spoiled. "You''re amazing, Ms. Luca, but why can''t you tell anyone that you''re a hero tonight?" Tommy asked. Luca nodded. "No, you can''t tell anyone." "Why not?" Tommy asked curiously. Before Luca could reply, he continued, "Oh, I know, if other people know that you''re a hero, they''lle and disturb you, but you don''t want to be disturbed. Just like that time with Grandma..." Luca was pleased that Tommy was understanding. "That''s right, so I''m relying on you to keep it a secret for me. It''s alreadyte. You should sleep." Tommy hugged Luca''s arm tightly and closed his eyes." Good night, Ms. Luca." "Good night." Luca lowered her head and kissed Tommy on the forehead. Meanwhile, after Jason received Luca''s message, he informed Luke about it. "Is she already back at the hotel?" Luke asked. There were several people in the private room, though he was the noblest and most attractive of them all. "She''s already back," Jason said. Luke nced at his phone and found that Luca did not inform him about it, as though she was trying to avoid him. In fact, she told Jason that Tommy was in her room instead of telling him directly. He also received two more messages from his subordinates. One of the messages was a photo. Luke zoomed into the photo. He narrowed his gaze when he looked at it carefully. After his two subordinates lost Luca''s trail, Luke asked them to stake out for Luca at the hotel. It was unexpected that Luca came back to the hotel with another man. Even though the screen was small, Luke could tell that the man was Luca''s younger brother. "What did she say when you asked her to babysit Tommy?" Luke asked. Jason replied, "Dr. Craw said that she had to go to meet a friend, and it''s not convenient for her to bring Tommy along." Luke put the phone away and took a sip of whisky. Was Amur the "friend" she mentioned? The exnation seemed usible, but Luke thought that there was something fishy about it. The next morning, Luca woke up when the rm rang. With Tommy sleeping next to her, her sleep quality improved by a lot. Perhaps she felt safe with him around... After Luca helped Tommy wash up in the bathroom, she prepared to bring him downstairs for breakfast. When she opened the door, she found Amur standing outside. "Why are you awake so early, Amur?" She asked doubtfully. "I didn''t sleep well, so I might as well stay up," Amur replied with a smile. He nced at Tommy and could tell that Tommy was her youngest child. Indeed, the boy looked a lot like his father. Tommy looked at the man in front of him and asked, "Who is this, Ms. Luca?" "His name is Amur. He''s my younger brother," Luca said." Amur, this is Tommy, my boss''s son." Amur did not have a good impression of Luke, but he could not bring himself to hate the cute child. He smiled and greeted him, "Nice to meet you." "Nice to meet you, Uncle Amur," Tommy said, though he continued to ask, "Ms. Luca, why doesn''t Uncle Amur look like you? He doesn''t look like your younger brother." Tommy noticed that Amur''s ethnic features did not look like Luca''s face. Luca smiled. Luke asked the same question when he first met Amur. Luca patted Tommy''s head and said, "His parents aren''t the same as mine, but we are indeed brother and sister. Isn''t that so, Amur?" "Yes." Amur nodded. Even though he did not want to be introduced as Luca''s younger brother, he knew that he was only a younger brother to her, and there was nothing he could do to change that. "Since you''re already up, let''s go and have breakfast," Luca said. "Alright." Amur nodded. The three people took the elevator to the restaurant. It was quite early and most of the hotel guests were still asleep, so the restaurant was quite empty. They took their food from the buffet line and sat at the same table. Amur drank his coffee and asked, "What are you doingter? "I''m here for off-site training, so I''ll be attending a conferenceter. Have you forgotten?" Luca replied while putting a straw in Tommy''s ss of milk. Amur nodded and looked at the child. "Are you going to bring him along?" "Mr. Crawford wille and take him after he''s awake," Luca exined. She knew that Amur would have further questions, so she said, "I was babysitting Tommy yesterday night because Mr. Crawford had to attend a business dinner, n Amur nodded, wondering if the babysitting included having him sleep over in his room. Even though Tommy was indeed Luca''s child, Luca was no longer the Bianca from before. Chapter 1299 Chapter 1299 Keep an Eye on Her Halfway through breakfast, Dr. Albus and the others also arrived at the restaurant. Dr. Albus was surprised to see someone else sitting at Luca''s table. He went over and greeted her, "You''re up early today, Dr. Craw." "Mm. It''s a good habit to sleep and wake up early, Dr. Albus," Luca replied. She could tell that Dr. Albus was going to pry into her personal matters again. Dr. Albus smiled. He looked at Tommy, then at Amur. Rhett had told him in the elevator that Luca was babysitting Tommy because Luke was away for a business dinner the night before. He was not surprised that Tommy was together with Luca, but he was curious about the presence of the other man at the table. He looked at Amur a little more closely and thought that Amur was quite handsome. "And this is?" He asked. "This is my younger brother. My parents adopted him," Luca borated because she knew that he was going to ask that question. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Oh, so he''s your younger brother. He''s quite handsome," Dr. Albus said with a smile. "Dr. Craw, aren''t you from Russia? Why would your younger brother be in New York?" Tommy did not like Dr. Albus. He replied, "That''s because he''s traveling, just like us, Grandpa Albus." ''Grandpa? Am I that old?'' Dr. Albus was shocked. Tommy had never greeted him before. Dr. Albus was angry, but he dared not say anything about it. He smiled and said, "That makes sense, Little Mr. Crawford. I won''t disturb you anymore. I''ll go and have breakfast." Luca nodded. She picked up a paper napkin and wiped some sauce from Tommy''s mouth, i She thought that the boy had been impertinent, but she did not think that he did the wrong thing. It was quite ridiculous that Dr. Albus was such a gossip. Tommy took a sip of milk and frowned. "I don''t like that person at all, Ms. Luca. Why did hee to New York with us?" "Because he''s very smart," Luca said with a smile. Tommy poured. Amur''s phone vibrated. He nced at it and said, "I''ll have to go. I have some other business elsewhere." "Go then. Take care." Without looking at Amur''s phone, Luca could guess who was looking for him. Only someone from the Ind of Despair could make Amur''s expression turn grim... Amur nodded, picked up his phone, and left. Luca continued to eat her breakfast. She noticed that Tommy''s ce was still half full and guessed that Tommy did not have the appetite. "It''s not good to waste food, Tommy," she said, 1 "I want to eat your cooking, Ms. Luca," Tommy said. After eating Luca''s food, everything else seemed tasteless byparison. "I can''t cook now because I¡¯m rushing for time. If you eat some more, I''ll promise that I''ll cook for you when I''m free," Luca said. "Alright!" Tommy happily agreed. Luca smiled and continued to eat. After breakfast, there was still some time before she had to leave. She nned to deliver Tommy back to Luke. Right when she stood up, she noticed Luke and Jason enter the restaurant. "Alright, you should go," Luca said. This time, Tommy did not cling to Luca. He walked over to Luke''s side and said, "Good morning, Daddy!" Luke nodded. He looked at Luca and walked toward her. Luca was uneasy when she saw the man walk toward her. Did he want to speak to her? Dr. Albus and the others were around... However, she could not make up an excuse and leave the scene. That would be too suspicious. Luca tried to remain calm as she looked at the man in front of him. His familiar masculine scent made every cell in her body tremble. "Good morning, Mr. Crawford." She had no choice but to greet him. "Good morning." Luke nodded and stared at her for a few seconds. "ept my friend request." Luca was speechless. She thought that Luke had forgotten about it. After all, he did not mention it at the hospital. "Why?" Luke continued asking, seeing that she did not speak. "Is it inconvenient?" "No," Luca said and shook her head, "The request expired." When Luke heard that, he took out his personal phone, unlocked it, and tapped a few buttons. "Alright, you can ept it now. If you need to let me know something about my son, you can tell me directly." In other words, he did not want her to contact Jason... Luca took out her phone. She stole a nce at Jason and noticed that he was also looking at her without any intention to help. With no other choice, Luca could only ept Luke''s friend request. "When you went outst night, were you going to meet with your younger brother?" Luke asked. Luca nodded. "Yes." After finding out that Solomon was not rted to Abel, she guessed that the two people who tailed her were Luke''s subordinates. Luke nodded, took Tommy''s arm, and left. Tommy turned around and winked at Luca. "Remember our promise, Ms. Luca..." Luca breathed a sigh of relief and nodded as she watched Luke leave. After Dr. Albus and the others finished their breakfast, the chartered car brought them to the conference venue. In the car, Dr. Albus continued to try to pry information from Luca, but Luca only gave him perfunctory replies. Seeing that he could not gain anything useful from Luca, Dr. Albus could only give up. Meanwhile, Amur arrived at the appointed location to hand in the medicine he obtained from Solomon. Surprisingly, Abel was there to personally take the goods from him. "Boss." Amur immediately lowered his head when he saw Abel. Abel narrowed his gaze and shed a sinister smirk. "I''ve heard that you''ve obtained the thing I want. Where is it?" Amur handed the bottle to him. Abel took the bottle and gently shook it. "I didn''t expect that you''d risk your life just to stay by Ivana''s side." Amur did not reply. Abel continued, "You''re also very lucky to be able toplete the mission." "It was only a coincidence," Amur said. "It can''t be a coincidence. It''ll be very difficult for us to obtain it if he managed to sell it, and not any normal person could buy it. You''re not only very lucky to get your hands on this medicine, but you''re also very capable. Have you met Ivana yet?" Abel said with a smile. Amur nodded and lowered his head again. Abel kept the bottle away and said, "I''m a man of my word. You can stay by Ivana''s side, but remember, I''m letting you stay by her side not to protect her, but to keep an eye on her. Report to me if you see anything." Chapter 1300 Chapter 1300 She Had to Be Wary Amur''s eyelids drooped. He nodded and asked, "Boss, did you deliberately ask her toe to New York?" Abel narrowed his gaze. He put a cigar into his mouth and lit it. Amur¡¯s head remained lowered, even though the cigar smoke stung his nose. He wanted to know what Abel was truly thinking. Abel shot a sideways nce at Amur and suddenly brought the glowing end of the cigar a fraction of an inch away from Amur''s face. If Abel moved his hand slightly, the cigar would leave a scorch mark on Amur''s skin. Time seemed to freeze at that instant. Amur did not move or flinch even though he could smell something burning. Abel maintained that pose for a full half a minute. He pulled his hand away when some ash dropped on the floor. "All you have to do is follow my orders and not ask any questions," he said coldly. Amur''s hands clenched into fists. He hated himself for being not strong enough to protect Luca. If only he were stronger and not under Abel''s control! "Why are you still standing there?" Abel asked coldly at him. He found it amusing that Amur felt aggrieved. It seemed that Luca had done a good job in converting the siblings to her side over the past three years. Abel would eventually show Amur how foolish he was to be loyal to Luca. When Amur heard that, he turned around and left. After the full-day conference, Luca and the others prepared to return to the hotel. While they were leaving, a man stopped them. "Hello. My boss would like to invite all of you for dinner," the man said with a smile. Luca frowned. She was about to say that they were not interested when Dr. Albus said, "May I know who your boss is?" "He is Mr. Abel, the president of the Pharmaceutical Association. May we have the pleasure of your company tonight?" The man replied truthfully. Dr. Albus was interested to meet the president of the Pharmaceutical Association. He was resentful because he was not invited to the dinner party, and he was happy to have the opportunity now." "Of course. It''s our honor to attend the dinner with the president of your association," he said. Luca''s expression sank when she heard Abel''s name. She could guess that Abel''s motive behind the invitation was Luke or herself. "You should go. I''m not feeling too well, so I want to go back to the hotel," she said. The man said, "Dr. Craw, Mr. Abel is very interested in your research, so he really would like to meet you. Also, the dinner would only be upstairs, so you don''t have to travel too far." This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. The man was implying that Luca had to be in attendance. If that were the case, Abel would be unhappy if Luca did not attend the dinner. When Abel was unhappy, he would make himself happy again by tormenting other people. When Dr. Albus heard that, he could tell that Abel wanted to meet Luca more than him. If Luca did not go, he was afraid that he would not be able to meet that influential person. Dr. Albus also tried to convince her. "If the dinner is only upstairs, then there''s no reason for you to decline, Dr. Craw. It''s an honor to meet the president of the Pharmaceutical Association. If he likes what you''re doing, it''s another way to obtain funding. Isn''t that good?" Luca gave him the side-eye. ''Getting funding from Abel? Are you joking? ''Don''t you know that Abel has a pharmaceuticalpany in A City?'' Shanks had been leading the research department of thatpany, which was why thepany had enjoyed record profits in the three years of its existence. Knowing that Abel wanted to meet her, Luca could only nod and agree to the invitation. She would have to be waryter. The people went upstairs together, and the man brought them to a private room. He knocked on the door, and Abel''s voice could be heard from within. "Come in." The man opened the door and waited outside. "This way, please," he said. Dr. Albus was very happy about the treatment he received. He smiled and went into the room first. Luca followed behind him. Her gaze wavered when she saw Abel sitting at the dining table. "Good evening, Mr. Abel,¡± she greeted him. Abel looked at Luca. He smiled and nodded. "Long time no see, Dr. Craw. I''ve heard that you''re here in New York for the conference, and I''ve been wanting to invite you for a drink. I''m very happy that you''ve epted my invitation." Luca''s expression remained impassive. She nodded and said, "It''s an honor to meet you again, Mr. Abel." Dr. Albus did not want to be left out. He said, "That''s right, Mr. Abel. It''s an honor to meet you." "It''s my pleasure too. Have a seat and make yourselves at home." Abel stood up and gestured at the seats. The people sat around the dining table. Luca sat across Abel and casually swept her gaze across the room. The room wasvishly furnished, and she did not spot anything off. Next to Abel were two open bottles of red wine, and from what Abel usually did, Luca guessed that they might have been drugged. She shot a nce at her handbag and realized that she had brought a different one today. While transferring her belongings from her previous handbag to this one, she was distracted by Tommy and had forgotten to pack her medicine. In other words, her usual stash of medicine was currently not with her. Luca was quite frustrated. Ever since she returned to A City, she would always bring her stash of medicine wherever she went to prepare herself for any idents. She had forgotten to bring it at the most critical juncture... "Dr. Craw, are you looking for something?" Abel asked when he saw her rummaging her handbag. Luca remained calm. She sped her handbag and shook her head. "Nothing." Abel raised his eyebrows but said nothing. He turned to the waiter at his side and said, "Please serve the wine." "Yes, Boss." The waiter nodded, picked up a bottle of wine, and filled up their sses. Abel smiled. "This bottle is from my private collection, and I''ve never had the chance to enjoy it. After all, it''s no fun drinking wine alone. I''m happy that all of you are here to enjoy it with me." Chapter 1301 Chapter 1301 How Luke Treated Her Dr. Albus was quite excited when he heard that. If the president of the Pharmaceutical Association served him wine from his personal collection, that would be something worth bragging about to his friends back in A City! He lifted his ss and said, "Thank you for your invitation, Mr. Abel. It''s an honor to have a drink with you." Abel smiledzily to cover up the viciousness in his eyes. He lifted his ss and said, "A toast to you, Dr. Albus." The people around the dining table lifted their sses. Luca knew that it would be strange if she did not follow what the rest were doing, but if she drank from the ss, she was afraid that she might fall into Abel''s trap. While she hesitated for a few seconds, the other people turned their hands and looked at her. With no other choice, she lifted her ss and clinked it with the other sses. The other people began drinking the precious red wine from Abel''s personal collection. Luca brought the ss next to her mouth but did not drink it. Instead, she closed her mouth and let the red liquid wet her lips. When Abel saw that, he smiled and said, "Why aren''t you drinking, Dr. Craw?" Luca calmly put the ss down and said, "I''m not feeling very well today, so I don''t think I should be drinking red wine, n Abel narrowed his gaze and nodded. "I see. Indeed, you shouldn''t drink red wine when you''re feeling unwell. Waiter, bring Dr. Craw some fruit juice and water." "Yes." The waiter nodded and left the room. Soon, he returned with a ss of orange juice and a ss of warm water. Abel smiled and asked Luca, "Fruit juice and water shouldn''t be a problem, right?" Luca looked at the three sses of liquid in front of her. She dared not drink anything that Abel offered her. However, it would be very suspicious if she continued to decline Abel''s offer. Luca smiled gently and said, "They''re no problem. Thank you. "You''re wee. Here, let''s continue drinking," Abel said. Luca clinked sses with Abel with the ss of warm water. She sniffed it and did not smell anything suspicious. Naturally, she was not at ease yet. After all, it was within Shanks''s ability to invent a sedative with no color or smell. Luca took a small sip. It was not much, but the liquid was in her body now. Dr. Albus tried to maintain a conversation with Abel while sipping red wine. Other than talking about his academic research, he also tried to curry favor with Abel. Luca said nothing as she listened to their conversation. While talking to Dr. Albus, Abel stole nces at Luca, though he did not try to bring her into the conversation. The people finished the two bottles of wine after an hour. They were visibly drunk. Luca frowned slightly. She did not know Dr. Albus''s alcohol tolerance, but Abel should not have been intoxicated so easily. Was he faking it? Abel looked at Luca and smiled. "This wine is quite strong, and I think I''m at my limit. Dr. Albus..." Before he could finish the sentence, he slumped on the table. Dr. Albus and his assistant exchanged nces. The assistant said, "How are you feeling, Dr. Albus? I''m a little dizzy..." Dr. Albus smiled. His face was already red from the alcohol. He lifted three fingers, but he could not keep his arm straight. "You''re already drunk. Look here, how many fingers is this?" "I don¡¯t get drunk so easily, it''s..." Before he could finish his sentence, the assistant also slumped on the table. Dr. Albus shook his head. "That''s because you don''t drink fine wine. This wine..." As he spoke, he also slumped on the table. Rhett had already passed out some time ago. Luca was the only one who was sober. She nced at the ss of water in front of her. After several toasts, she had already drunk half of the ss. A whileter, Abel lifted his head and looked at her. Luca turned her head to meet his gaze. "Aren¡¯t you surprised?" Abel sat up straight. The smile on his face gradually morphed into something savage and sinister. "I can tell from your breathing that you¡¯re not drunk," Luca said. The sound of Abel''s breathing would be different if he were knocked out. She could tell that Abel was deliberately breathing evenly, which meant that he was not drunk at all. "What do you want?" Luca asked. She did not want to beat around the bush when talking to him. "I didn''t expect that you¡¯de, even if you know that I''ve nned something for you," Abel said. He wondered if her thoughts were as calm as her expression. "Even if I don¡¯t want toe, you won''t give me the chance to decline," Luca said while crossing her arms in front of her. She was not yet capable enough to defy Abel''s orders. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Abel nced at the three other people at the table. "They''re all drunk." Luca raised her eyebrows. "So?" Abel did not reply. Instead, he took out a box, in which contained a cigar. "What do you want with them?" Luca asked. "Nothing. I just want them to take a nap." Abel lit the cigar but did not drag from it. Luca picked up the ss of red wine in front of her and sniffed it. The wine was pungent, and she could not discern the presence of any drugs inside. "Don''t worry. They''ll wake up in a few hours." Abel put the cigar on the ashtray. Luca put the ss down and waited for Abel to continue. "You''re going to take a nap too," Abel said casually while looking at her. "You drugged the water." Luca made a statement instead of asking a question. Abel nodded and did not deny it. "Yes. The dosage in your water is much stronger than that in the wine." "What do you want?" Luca could feel her head starting to spin when she inhaled the cigar smoke. By now, she knew what drug it was. It was a drug that would make her sleep, but it was not lethal. Combined with the cigar smoke, it would knock her unconscious for a long time. "You''ll see." Abel could see that Luca''s body was swaying and knew that the drug was taking effect. He took a drag from the cigarette and blew a smoke ring. "I find New York boring, so you shall provide some entertainment for me. I''d also like to see what Luke Crawford thinks about you." He had gotten someone to keep an eye on Luca, so he knew that Luke was hospitalized and Luca had been taking care of him. Abel was curious to know if Luke''s impression of her changed after the incident. Chapter 1302 Chapter 1302 Will Luke Come? Luca''s eyes opened wide when she heard him mention Luke. She was not afraid that Abel would do something to her, but she did not want him to harm Luke. She was willing to sacrifice herself to save the man she loved, and she would not want to give Abel another opportunity. "Tsk tsk tsk. I can see the worry on your face," Abel said. Luca slowly clenched her hands into fists. "They''re with me. If something happens to me, they''ll definitely suspect something." "They wouldn''t suspect me," Abel shook his head and said, "I passed out before them.¡± Luca stood up abruptly, but she felt her head spin, and she was forced to sit down again. "Sleep. Fighting against the drug is futile. You should know that there isn''t any antidote that can work against Shanks''s drugs. You might as well rx." Abel''s eyes gradually became bloodshot as he watched Luca struggle. Luca was struggling because of Luke. What was so good about that man? Why did she continue to love him even though he had caused her so much pain? It was like that with Luca as well as Kassy... Abel mmed the table when he thought of Kassy. The three people slumped on the table shook a little, but they remained asleep because of the potency of the sedative. Luca slowly lost consciousness and passed out. "Come in," Abel shouted. Instantly, two men came in through the door. One of them was the waiter who had served Luca the drinks, and the other was the man who brought them upstairs. "Bring her over," Abel said and stood up. The two men nodded and lifted the unconscious Luca. They walked up a flight of stairs and went into a room they had prepared. The men tossed Luca on the couch, then turned around and looked at Abel. "It''s done, boss." Abel nodded. "Get the equipment ready." "Yes." The two men quickly set up a camera and a tripod. Then, they pointed the camera at Luca. Abel continued to give his orders. "Loosen her clothes a little." One of the men went over and undid the top two buttons of Luca''s shirt, which caused the lingerie underneath to be visible. "Is this okay, Boss?" He asked. "Okay." Abel felt nothing as he looked at Luca''s curvaceous body. Kassy was the only woman that he cared for, and every other woman was nothing more than dirt. He continued, "Start the live stream as scheduled and put up an announcement. Anyone who can find the correct address can im the woman as their own. Don''t forget to hack into Luke''sputer and give him the link to the stream." "Yes!" The two men immediately started the live stream. They also executed aplicated piece of code to send the link to Luke in ten minutes. A sinister smile appeared on Abel''s face as he watched his subordinates busy at work. He would like to see if Luke woulde and look for her. If Luke came to look for her, he had something nned for him. If he did not and another man found her, she would be the one who would suffer. If he told her about it, would she hate Luke for being so heartless? "I''d love to see what the man you love would choose, Bianca Rayne," Abel muttered to himself as he looked at the unconscious woman. "It''s ready, Boss." The men said after setting up the equipment. "How many people are watching the stream now?" Abel asked. "Not many, but we''ve boosted the stream, and more people will being soon. We''ve also scattered some hints in the chat room," one of the men said. Abel nodded. "Alright, then let''s sit back and watch the drama unfold." Meanwhile, Luke was working on hisputer. Suddenly, his cursor began to move on its own and opened a mysterious link. It was a live stream. He narrowed his gaze. He was about to tell Jason to inform the technician when he saw the woman in the stream. It was Luca... Her eyes were closed, and her cheeks were red as though she was drunk. The top two buttons of her shirt were undone, and the ambiguity of the situation would arouse any straight man... Luke looked at the description of the stream. It said that the first man to find the woman couldy im on her. The chatroom was filled with activity as everyone guessed where the woman might be. His hands slowly clenched into fists as he watched the hints sh in the chatroom. Then, he immediately gave Luca a call. On the stream, Luca''s phone began to ring, but she gave no response. The men in the chatroom were even more excited when they heard the phone ring. Many of them offered guesses about her location. Luke called Jason to his office through the internal line. Jason arrived in his office very soon. "How can I help you, Mr. Crawford?" "Go and find out where Luca is," Luke said. Jason nced at the time and guessed, "By now, the conference should have been over, and Dr. Craw should have been back at the hotel. Are you looking for her?" "She''s not in the hotel," Luke said confidently. From the stream, he could tell that Luca was in a hotel room, but it was not the one where she stayed. The room in the stream looked at most like a five-star hotel. "She''s not there? How do you know?" Jason took out his phone and prepared to dial Luca''s number. "Come here and see," Luke said. Jason walked over curiously and was shocked when he saw the screen. "Isn''t that..." He read the description carefully, then gave Luca a call. Luca''s ringtone could be heard from Luke''s computer speakers. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "What happened to Dr. Craw?" Jason immediately ended the call, and the ringing stopped. He confirmed that the stream was indeed live and not prerecorded. "Go and find out where she has been," Luke said. "Yes." Jason caught a glimpse of the conversation in the chatroom. The men were talking as though the woman was already theirs. Luca was unconscious and could not answer the call. Jason tried to call Rhett, Dr. Albus, and his assistant. None of them answered. "Do you know where the conference is today?" Luke asked. "I know. The hotel isn''t too far away from where we are," Jason said. "Get the car ready. We''ll go there now." Luke stood up and put on his coat. Jason could see that Luke was serious. He had not seen that expression on his boss''s face for a long time, and he could tell that Luke was very concerned about Luca. Chapter 1303 Chapter 1303 Luke Did Not Disappoint Him Jason immediately contacted the driver and got him to wait downstairs. Tommy saw that the adults were in a hurry. He put down his storybook and asked, "What happened, Daddy?" Luke looked at his son. He was not sure how to exin the contents of the stream to him, so he picked the boy up and walked outside. "It''s nothing.¡± Tommy was not so easily convinced. Luke was taking big strides, so all Tommy could do was cling onto his neck. " Daddy, did something happen to Ms. Luca?" "She''ll be fine," Luke said and hastened his footsteps. He turned his head and spoke to Jason, "Get someone more people toe along." "Yes." Jason took out his phone and made arrangements. Luke knew how depraved people could be. Those people watching the stream would definitely want to im Luca, who was lying defenseless in a room, as their own. Even though the hints were limited, someone would eventually find her. The mastermind behind this incident must have some other motive, and Luke could not tell if they would eventually announce Luca''s location. He had to find her as fast as he could. When Luke imagined how Luca would suffer under the hands of another man, his heart began to wrench. After Jason made a call, he said, "Mr. Crawford, I asked the chartered driver earlier, and he said that Dr. Craw, Dr. Albus, and the rest did not leave the venue after the conference ended. The driver hasMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org. been waiting for them outside the hotel because he received a call from Dr. Albus, saying that they had another meeting." "Mm," Luke replied. From what the driver said, he was sure that Luca was in the hotel where the conference was held. The three people got into the car, and the driver floored the gas pedal. Luke continued, "Continue watching the stream. Report to me if there are any changes." "Yes," Jason replied and turned on the live stream. Even though the adults did not tell him anything, Tommy could guess that something serious had happened from their serious and worried expressions. He could guess that something must have happened to Luca. He was silent, though he prayed in his heart, ''Please be okay, Ms. Luca.'' It was the evening rush hour, and the roads were congested. It took them an extra half an hour to reach their destination. Luke pulled some strings and found out where Dr. Albus and the rest were. The group of people rushed to the private room. "Excuse me, Sir." The waiter at the door stopped Luke when he saw him trying to barge through the door. "I want to meet the people inside," Luke said coldly. "The people inside are passed out after drinking. Please don''t disturb them," the waiter said. "Step aside," Luke said impatiently. Meanwhile, the hotel manager rushed over, reprimanded the waiter, and opened the door for Luke. Inside, Luke could see Dr. Albus, his assistant, Rhett, and Abel slumped on the table. They were indeed drunk. Luke frowned when he saw Abel. ''It''s him...'' The private room was quite small, and Luke did not see Luca inside. He turned to one of the bodyguards and ordered him, "Search for any secret doors." The bodyguard nodded and stepped into the room. He swiftly searched the walls and said, "No secret doors here, Mr. Crawford." Abel listened to the sounds they made and thought, ''You didn''t disappoint me, Luke Crawford.'' Even though his eyes were closed, he could discern the anxiety in Luke''s tone. He could tell that Luca was more than an employee to him. If Luca were only a regr employee, Luke would not have been so anxious, and he would not search for her personally. Even though her face was totally different, Luke still had affection for her. Abel could tell that Luke did not only love Bianca''s face but her soul. Luke frowned when he heard that. He said, "Check the security feed." The hotel manager replied, "I''m sorry, Mr. Crawford. This is the VIP floor, and there are no surveince cameras here so that we can guarantee privacy to our guests." "Without the security feed, how should we know where they brought her?" Jason said with a frown. Abel smiled discreetly as he slumped on the table. That was the reason why he chose this hotel to carry out his n. Things were much easier for them without surveince cameras. Luke took Jason''s phone and handed it to the manager. "Is this one of your rooms?" The manager took the phone. He was visibly surprised when he looked at the stream. "Yes," he replied. "Do you know which room it is?" Luke continued to ask. "Judging from the furnishings, it should be one of the rooms upstairs." The manager nodded, surprised that something like that could happen in his hotel. Not setting up surveince cameras in the VIP floors was his idea. He knew that certain influential people would use his hotel for illicit dealings, and it was a popr decision. However, if something serious happened, it would spell bad news for the hotel, and if word got out, the hotel''s reputation would be ruined, and he might lose his job. The manager dared not hide anything from them. He brought the people upstairs, hoping that they could resolve the issue as soon as possible. Luke followed the manager closely, while Tommy followed along and remained silent. He knew that he should not trouble the adults when things were serious. The elevator stopped on that floor. "Search for an ess card in front of a room." One of the hints given in the stream was that there was an ess card in front of the door. With it, one could enter the room. The bodyguards scattered and searched for the room with an ess card. In a short while, a bodyguard raised his hand and shouted," Over here, Mr. Crawford." Luke walked over with a grim expression on his face. He took the ess card from the bodyguard''s hand and tapped it on the lock. The door immediately opened. "Wait outside," he told the others while going through the door. Jason nodded and took Tommy''s hand. The moment Luke went in through the door, he saw Luca lying on the couch. A camera on a tripod was pointed at her, and there was aptop on the coffee table. She was unconscious, and her face was red as though she had drunk a lot of alcohol. Luke walked over while staying away from the camera. He pulled the plug, and the stream was immediately terminated. Chapter 1304 Chapter 1304 It Was Part of a n Luke went over to the couch and gently tapped Luca''s face." Wake up." Luca gave no reaction, as though she did not know that her life was in danger. If he had not discovered the live stream in time, or if he had chosen to ignore it, she would definitely have been vited. The manager could discern which floor the room was. If the manager or one of the waiters had seen the live stream, Luca would not have been so lucky. Luca''s face was flushed, but her body temperature was normal. He looked at her for a while before he reached out, buttoned her shirt, and picked her up in a bridal carry. Luca was not heavy, so it did not take Luke much effort to carry her out of the room. Tommy breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his fathere out with Luca. "Daddy, is Ms. Luca okay?" "She''s okay. She''s just drunk," Luke said. Tommy nodded, though he remained worried. Luke carried Luca toward the elevator. Jason remembered that the three other people were still knocked out downstairs, so he asked, "Mr. Crawford, what about Dr. Albus and the others?" "We''ll talk after they wake up," Luke said. He had many suspicions, the biggest of which was the fact that his cursor clicked on the link to the stream by itself. It was as though someone deliberately wanted him to know what happened to Luca. If someone had nned this, including hacking into hisputer, what was their motive? Did that person n to make Dr. Albus and the others drunk too? Did the mastermind n Abel''s sudden appearance, or could it be that Abel was one of the masterminds? Luke remembered that Luca was also drugged during the party back in A City. Abel was absent during that event because he had to attend to another emergency, but the onlymon factor behind both incidents was Abel. When the elevator arrived, Luke walked inside while ordering Jason, "Get the technicians to strengthen thepany''swork security, especially myputer." Jason nodded. He had been wondering why Luke would be watching a stream while at work, and it was specifically Luca''s stream. Now that he knew that someone had hacked into thepanywork, he took out his phone, gave a call to the IT department manager, and told them to get to the bottom of it. Downstairs, Luke got into the car and returned to the hotel. Back at the hotel, Luke did not bring Luca back to her room. Instead, he carried her to his suite. Tommy followed behind him quietly. It was only after Luke gently ced Luca on the bed that he asked his father softly, "Daddy, did Ms. Luca pass out because she was drunk?" "Mm." Luke nodded as he ced the back of his hand on Luca''s forehead. The temperature remained normal. Tommy continued, "If she''s drunk, why would she be so calm?" Tommy had seen his uncle Louis being drunk before. Louis usually caused amotion when he was drunk. He had also seen his father drunk. Even though Luke was a lot moreposed than Louis, he was nevertheless restless. To him, Luca was not drunk. Instead, she had probably fainted. Luke tucked Luca in and said, "Don''t worry. She''ll be fine." The entire incident was deliberately nned, but the mastermind did not intend to harm Luca. Otherwise, they would not inform Luke or leave only ambiguous hints in the stream. If the mastermind truly wanted Luca to be vited, they could have announced her exact location. That was why Luke guessed that Luca would eventually wake up, and the drug would not have any longsting effects. Luke could see the worry in his son''s eyes. He patted his head and said, "Are you hungry? If you are, I''ll order room service." Tommy nodded. He did not have the appetite to eat, but he was nheless hungry. "Ms. Luca said that she would cook dinner for us if she''s free." Luke had picked up the phone receiver when he heard that. He paused for two seconds, took a deep breath, and ordered two steaks through the phone. The steaks were soon brought to the room, and Tommy ate one. After that, he walked over to Luke''s room. Luca was still passed out on the bed, and Luke was sitting next to the bed and looking at her. "You should eat too, Daddy. The steak won''t be delicious when it''s cold," Tommy said. Luke felt Luca''s forehead again, and the temperature remained normal, though her face was still as red as ever. She continued to sleep and gave no response. Tommy thought that Luke did not hear him. He repeated," Daddy..." "Mm." Luke stood up so that Tommy did not have to worry about him. He went to the table and ate the steak that was quite tasteless, given his current mood. After dinner, Tommy returned to the bedroom andy down next to Luca, waiting for her to wake up. Luke did not say anything when he saw that. He sat on the couch and started a teleconference with the staff of the IT department. The technicians found that all theputers in thepany were infected by a virus, and there was a risk thatpany secrets might be leaked. They were still investigating the source of the virus and how it infected theputers. Luke listened to the report with a sullen expression on his face. He said, "After you remove the virus, I want a report on the origin of the virus and how you would strengthen the defenses of thepany network, and I want it by tomorrow." The manager immediately passed on Luke''s orders to the rest of the department. Luke''s expression remained sullen after the teleconference ended. He had paid a lot of money to recruit the best talent for the IT department, and he did not expect that the proprietary firewall of thepanywork was so easily breached. If Luke''sputer were not hacked today, the staff in the IT department would remain oblivious to the fact that all theputers were infected by a virus. It seemed that the subsidiarypany in New York was too far away from A City, and that made the staffzy... Luke turned off hisptop. He nced at the time and saw that it was already eleven o''clock. Tommy was still in the bedroom watching over Luca. It meant that Luca had not woken up. Luke went into the bedroom and saw Tommy resting his head on his hands and looking at the woman on the bed." It''s eleven o''clock, Tommy," He softly reminded the child. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Tommy was already feeling sleepy, but he did not want to sleep when he could not confirm that Luca was safe. ¡¯ Daddy, why is Ms. Luca still sleeping?" He asked. "She probably drank a lot," Luke said, though he knew that her unconsciousness was not because of alcohol. He did not smell any alcohol in her breath. Tommy pouted when he heard that. "Daddy, should we get Uncle Johann to check on her?" Chapter 1305 Chapter 1305 Luca Did Not Drink the Wine "Let her rest for a little longer. If she hasn''t woken up by tomorrow, I''ll know what to do. You should go to bed," Luke said to Tommy. Tommy nodded, though he could not be at ease when he saw that Luca was still unconscious. "Can I sleep beside Ms. Luca?" He asked. "You can''t," Luke refused without any hesitation. "Why not?" Tommy protested. "I''m worried about Ms. Luca, and I hope that I¡¯ll be the first person she sees when she wakes up." "That won''t be good for you. If you don''t listen to me, I''ll bring her downstairs," Luke said coldly. He knew that Tommy was worried about Luca, and the boy would not sleep if hey by her side. That was why he insisted on Tommy sleeping in his room. When he heard that Luke was going to bring Luca downstairs, Tommy knew better than to challenge his father''s authority. "Please don''t. I''ll go and sleep in my room. I hope you can get well soon, Ms. Luca." Then, he turned around and left. Luke saw that Tommy kept on turning his head back to look at the bed, though he did not take pity on the boy. After Tommy left, Luke tucked her in. Then, he went to take hisptop from the coffee table and sat on the couch in the room. He continued to work while waiting for Luca to wake up. Soon, he received a phone call from Jason. When the call went through, Jason said, "Mr. Crawford, Dr. Albus and the others have woken up." "They have? How about Abel?" Luke asked. "I''ve heard that he woke up too," Jason replied. "Is Dr. Albus with you now?" Luke asked again. "He is. Should I hand the phone to him?" Jason looked at Dr. Albus and the others. After they woke up, they did not know what happened, and they did not see Luca in the room. They tried calling her to no avail, so they returned to the hotel. "Hand him the phone," Luke said while changing a pose, though he knew that the woman on the bed would not wake up no matter how loudly he spoke. Jason handed the phone to Dr. Albus. "Mr. Crawford wants to talk to you." Dr. Albus did not know why Luke wanted to talk to him. He took the phone and said courteously, "Good evening, Mr. Crawford." "Why did you drink with Abel?" Luke asked. "After the conference, Mr. Abel sent someone to invite us upstairs for a drink. We didn''t have any good reason to refuse, so we epted the invitation," Dr. Albus exined, wondering if Luke was angry. "Did everyone go together?" Luke asked. "Yes," Dr. Albus replied. He looked at Jason uneasily, but Jason did not react. "What happened after that?" Luke continued to ask. "We drank quite a bit, and we passed out. We only woke up half an hour ago. What happened, Mr. Crawford?" Dr. Albus was not used to Luke''s interrogation, and he wanted to know what had happened. "You only woke up half an hour ago?" Luke repeated Dr. Albus''s statement. Luca was still unconscious even though the others had woken up. "Yes." Dr. Albus was thoroughly confused. He could only answer what he was asked. "Did all of you wake up together?" Luke asked. "Yes. All of us drank about the same amount of wine, so we woke up at the same time..." Dr. Albus realized that there was something wrong with his answer. He was a pharmaceutical researcher, so he knew about the effects of alcohol on one''s body. Despite drinking almost the same amount of alcohol, the people should have woken up at different times because of how their bodies metabolized alcohol differently. Why did they pass out and wake up at the same time? "Did something happen, Mr. Crawford?" Dr. Albus asked after realizing that something was amiss. "Hand the phone back to Mr. Doyle," Luke said coldly. Dr. Albus did what he was told. Jason took the phone and ced it next to his ear. "Any further instructions, Mr. Crawford?" "Contact Johann to take their blood samples. I want to know if there''s some other reason that caused them to pass out and wake up at the same time," Luke said. Jason understood what Luke meant. He nodded and said," I''ll go and make arrangements." Luke ended the call, nced at the unconscious woman on the bed, and continued to work on his laptop. Meanwhile, Dr. Albus was feeling quite uneasy. He asked Jason, "Mr. Doyle, were we drugged? Otherwise, how could we pass out and wake up at the same time?" Jason was looking for Johann''s number in the address book when he heard that question. He chuckled and said, "How would I know? You''re the biology expert. You should know better than me." Dr. Albus had no retort to that. If they were truly drugged, it would have been a humiliating episode. After the call went through, Jason briefly exined the situation to Johann, to which Johann replied that he would make arrangements immediately at the hospital. After Jason ended the call, Rhett asked him, "Mr. Doyle, do you know where Dr. Craw is? Did she return to the hotel before us?" They expected that Luca had returned to the hotel because she did not drink any alcohol. That was also why they were not worried when they did not see her after they woke up. Now that they realized that they might have been drugged, they began to worry for Luca''s safety. Out of the three people, only Rhett was worried about Luca. Jason said, "Dr. Craw is fine, of course." He did not tell them about the live stream. The fewer people who knew about it, the less drama there would be. Rhett nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. "That''s good to know." Dr. Albus said huffily, "Of course she''s fine. She didn''t drink any alcohol." Jason frowned when he heard that. "Dr. Albus, are you saying that Dr. Craw didn''t drink alcohol along with the rest?" Dr. Albus nodded. "Dr. Craw said that she wasn''t feeling well, so she didn''t drink the wine. What''s wrong?" This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "It''s nothing. I''ve already informed the driver to wait for you downstairs. Please go to the hospital and have your blood samples taken," Jason said while typing a message. He told Luke that Luca did not drink any alcohol. Luke frowned slightly when he read the message. Luca did not drink alcohol, but she seemed drunk. He could only conclude that Luca was indeed drugged. Luca had always been wary and had always brought a stash of medicine with her. That was already unusual enough, and to find that she was drugged... Luke finished his work at one o''clock, but Luca remained unconscious. He put hisptop away and sat on the chair next to the bed. Tommy had brought the chair from the dining hall into the bedroom so that he could stay next to Luca. The redness of Luca''s face had faded a little. Chapter 1306 Chapter 1306 She Would Have to Bear With It for Now Luke seemed pensive. Judging from her current condition, she would only wake up the next morning. Since Luca was not waking up anytime soon, Luke leaned back on the chair and closed his eyes. The next morning, when Luca opened her eyes and saw the ceiling above her, she was quite surprised. Furrowing her brows, she tried to jog her memory about what happened the night before. Hotel, Luke, Abel... Before she could organize her thoughts, she heard Luke''s voice next to him. "You''re awake." His voice waszy yet charming. Luca turned her head and saw the man sitting on the chair. The sunlight shone from the window andnded on her back, and the re made her unable to discern his expression. "I''m..." She sat up and looked at her clothes. She was still wearing the clothes from the night before, though they were slightly wrinkled. "Do you remember what happenedst night?" Luke asked. Jason had brought Dr. Albus and the others to have their blood samples taken at the hospital, and they would receive the results soon. Luca frowned. Before she passed out, she heard Abel say that he had nned all that for Luke. Abel would like to see how much Luke liked her... Luca looked around her and immediately realized where she was. Luke must have saved her the night before. Abel, on the other hand, must have enjoyed some entertainment. "Why aren''t you speaking?" Luke stood up and towered over her. Luca came to her senses. She could not tell Luke about Abel''s n. The cogs in her brain whirred, trying toe up with a usible excuse. A few secondster, she lifted her head and looked at the man in front of her. "I forgot," she said nkly. "You were invited to have a drink," Luke narrowed her gaze and reminded her. Luca blinked and nodded. "I remember that." "And then?" Luke asked. "Dr. Albus and the others drank some wine with Abel. I wasn''t feeling well, so I drank some warm water instead. I don''t remember anything after that..." Luca did not lie that she was drunk from the alcohol. She did not want to risk Luke calling out her lie. 1 Luke must have guessed that she did not drink any wine because her breath did not smell of alcohol. If he found out that she had lied to him, he would not believe anything else she would say. Luke stared at her. Luca rubbed her forehead and asked, "What happened to me?" "You were drugged," Luke said, sure of his conclusion even though Johann did not take her blood sample. "Don''t you always carry some medicine with you? How did you get drugged this time?" Luke''s tone was slightly usatory, which made Luca feel uneasy. She lowered her head and said, "I didn''t expect that to happen at the event. Also, I forgot to bring the medicine with me..." To make her words more believable, she said, "Do you know who was the person who drugged me? What did they do to me?" "I don''t know, and they did nothing to you." Luke felt an inexplicable sense of anger. It was rare that Luca was so careless, and the mastermind seemed to be targeting him. "Oh," Luca replied. The bedroom door opened, and Tommy scampered inside. He grinned when he saw that Luca was awake and in good spirits. "You''re awake, Ms. Luca!" Luca could not help but smile when she saw the boy. "Mm." Tommy propped himself up at the edge of the bed, and his eyes carefully examined Luca. He did not sleep well because he was worried about Luca, and he was woken up several times by unpleasant dreams. "I''m so happy that you''re okay, Ms. Luca. I was so worried about you. I dreamed that something bad happened to you, and I even woke up crying once. Please don''t make me worry about you anymore, alright?" Luca patted the boy''s head. She could feel a twinge in her nose. To him, she was only Ms. Luca" and not his mother, but she did not expect that he was so concerned about her. Luca thought that she should not have let the child worry. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Tm d that they don''t know that the Bianca in A City is only an impostor and I''m the real one. Tommy would be devastated to find out about that...'' "Why aren''t you talking, Ms. Luca? Are you still feeling ufortable?" Tommy asked while sniffling. After waking up crying, he wanted toe over to look for Luke and Luca, but he thought about it and decided not to disturb them. "No," Luca shook her head and said. ''Tm sorry." "Why are you saying sorry, Ms. Luca?" Tommy felt at ease when he finally heard her speak. "You did nothing wrong. It''s all the baddies'' fault." Baddies?'' Luca was confused. She instinctively turned her head to look at Luke, but he said nothing, which made her even more curious. "Luckily, Daddy managed to find you. You shouldn''t say Tm sorry.'' Instead, you should say ''Thank you.'' to Daddy." Luca thought what Tommy said made sense, though she was still curious about what happened to her the night before. Mr. Crawford, what happened to mest night?" Luke could tell that she really wanted to know, so he told her everything that happened. Luca lowered her head as she listened to Luke''s recollection of events. If Luke had note to her rescue, some other person would have found her in the hotel room... Knowing how depraved those people were, she could guess that they would vite her... How cruel Abel was to test Luke''s feelings for her! Luca''s gaze sharpened when she was reminded of Abel''s face. One day, she would take her revenge, but she had to bear with it now. '' The room was silent. After a while, she said, "Thank you." "You''re wee," Luke said as he walked toward the bedroom door. "You shouldn''t go to the conference today if you''re not feeling well." "Mm," Luca replied and got out of bed. Her body teetered when she tried to stand up, and Tommy looked at her worriedly. "''Are you okay, Ms. Luca?" "I''m fine. I think I should rest a bit more." Luca shook her head and smiled, trying to calm the boy down. Tommy nodded and said, "Then you should lie down again. Don''t stand up." "I need to go back to my room. I still have some work to do." Luca shook her head. She noticed her handbag on the couch, and she inched steadily toward there, even though her entire body felt lethargic. Tommy followed behind her worriedly. Chapter 1307 Chapter 1307 Employees¡¯ Benefits Even though Luca said that she was fine, Tommy was worried because he could tell that Luca''s condition was not back to normal yet. He followed behind her out of the bedroom and to the exit." I think you should continue resting here, Ms. Luca. If you don''t want to sleep in Daddy''s bedroom, you can sleep in mine," Tommy said. "I''m fine. I just need to go back to my room and take some medicine. Don''t worry," Luca said as she pushed herself out of the suite. She knew the type of drug that Abel had used on her. Even though the initial effect was gone, it took the body some time to fully rid itself of the drug. Luca did not want to wait, so she would rather take the antidote. With the antidote, her body will recover quickly. As Tommy watched Luca leave, he went over to his father''s side and tugged his shirt sleeve. "Daddy, is Ms. Luca really okay?" "She''ll be fine." Luke remained impassive as he watched her leave. He saw her teeter when she first stepped out of the bed, and he was reluctant to let her leave. He managed to control his urges well, so he did not let his feelings affect his expression. After all, he was known for remainingposed. "You didn''t think sost night," Tommy pouted and said. He remembered how anxious his father was when he was searching for Luca. It was very different from his expression today.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Luke could tell that his son was being precocious for guessing what he was thinking. He tousled Tommy''s unkempt hair and said, "Go and wash your face." "I know!" Tommy said. "Wash your face, brush your teeth, and eat your breakfast. Right?" Luke did not reply. He went back to his bedroom. Even though Luca had left, her scent lingered in the air. She had stayed there for an entire night... For some inexplicable reason, he thought that she smelled nice. His expression sank as soon as that thought appeared, and he went into the bathroom. It took Luca quite some effort to return to her room. She sent Rhett a message, telling him that she was not feeling well, so she would not be attending the conference today. Then, she found her stash of medicine and ate a pill. She was quite exhausted after doing all that, so she reclined on the bed and half-closed her eyes. After a while, her phone began to ring. Luca nced at her phone screen and saw a long string of numbers. She closed her eyes again, answered the call, but said nothing. i Abel, on the other end of the call, did not care that Luca did not speak. "How do you feel now, Bianca Rayne?" Luca did not reply. As she listened to Abel speak with the hint of a smile, his detestable face appeared in her mind. "Tsk tsk," Abel eximed, "Why, are you angry? This is only the appetizer, and things will only get worse from now on. If you''re already angry from this, you''re not going tost very long." "Stop talking nonsense and bring it," Luca said with a harsh tone. She was not going to beg for mercy. "Heh heh, I won''t hold back then. By the way, what happened yesterday was really exciting. I didn''t expect Luke Crawford to be so worried about you. Are you sure that nothing happened in his room?" Abel said. Luca gripped her phone tightly. Abel had nned the incident yesterday to find out what Luke thought of her. If Luke had note, she would have been vited by another man. Even if he dide, things were not any better. "Hey, say something. Do you think that I won''t do anything just because you keep quiet? What happened yesterday proves that Luke isn''t as loyal to his wife as everyone says. There might not have been any scandals in the three years he''s with the impostor Bianca I''ve arranged for him, but after you appeared, he can''t seem to hold back his urges anymore. Why do you think this is the case: Is it because you''re a really charming woman, or has he always been a yboy?" Abel did not stop talking. Luca thought that Abel was very annoying. She did not answer Abel''s question. Instead, she said, "Is there anything else? If not, I want to rest." Abel was not angry at the disrespect Luca showed her. In the entire Ind of Despair, only Luca and Shanks dared to use that tone against him. It was a refreshing change from the ttery he usually received. Also, he found Luca really interesting. "That''s all I have to say, but I hope that you can remind Luke Crawford that he''ll have to watch his back from now on." Abel ended the call after saying that. Luca''s hands drooped weakly. What did Abel want with her? The doorbell rang. Luca frowned, though she pushed herself off the bed and went to answer the door. It was a hotel attendant with a meal cart. "Good morning, Miss. This is room service. Here''s your breakfast." "I didn''t order any breakfast..." Luca said. "Mr. Crawford ordered it for you. Let me bring it inside," the attendant said as he pushed the cart into her room. "You can push the cart back into the corridor once you''re done with your meal. We''ll get someone to clean it up. Enjoy your breakfast." The attendant left and closed the door behind him. Luca did not feel very hungry. The food on the cart was not very appetizing. She continued to lie on the bed. After pondering for a moment, she sent a message to Luke. [Thanks.] Soon, she received a reply from Luke. [You haven''t eaten sincest night, so I ordered some breakfast for you. Consider it as employees'' benefits.] When she saw the word "employee," she put the phone away, not realizing that the smile on her face had disappeared. Meanwhile, after breakfast, Luke brought Tommy to thepany. Once he was in his office, Johann knocked on the door and came in. "Did you rest well yesterday?" Johann looked at Tommy and Luke. The former had eye bags, while the latter had a cup of espresso in his hand. "Why are you here?" Luke said calmly and sipped his coffee. Johann sat down on the chair opposite him and waved the envelope in his hand. "I''m here to deliver the report." "The results must be very interesting for you toe here yourself." Luke knew Johann''s personality well. If Johann could tell him something over the phone, he would not bothering over. "See it for yourself," Johann said as he handed the envelope over. Luke did not open it. He pressed the power button on hisputer and said, "I wouldn''t understand it." "Whatever. Just say that you''re toozy to read it," Johann said as he opened the envelope. "ording to the report, there is an unknown substance in all three blood samples. We don''t know what it does, or if it''s the substance that knocked them out.¡± Chapter 1308 Chapter 1308 Luke''s Domineering Personality "When can you find that out?" Luke asked. "It¡¯ll take at least two days," Johann said as he closed the folder. He was quite interested in what they found. A mysterious substance was found in all three blood samples, and it had knocked out the three people at the same time. Then, the three people woke up at the same time. As far as he knew, no known sedative could achieve that. "That¡¯s too slow." Luke was not satisfied. Johann shrugged. He knew that Luke wanted both speed and precision, but between the two, he could only choose thetter. "There¡¯s nothing we can do about it. That is a rare substance, and if someone had created it in theb, I have to say that I¡¯m really impressed." Luke shot a nce at Johann, which caused him to shudder. "Don¡¯t look at me like that. We doctors have to be rigorous in our research. You¡¯ll just have to wait. Right, I heard that Dr. Craw was there too. Is she alright?" Johann asked out of concern. Jason had told him briefly what happened the night before. "She¡¯s fine." Luke felt a twinge in his heart when he heard his friend being so concerned about Luca, but he did not think too much about it. "I¡¯m d to hear that she¡¯s fine," Johann said with a smile, then continued, "Right, should I take a blood sample from her?" ¡¯¡¯Aren¡¯t three samples enough?" Luke said nonchntly while he flipped through some documents. Johann rubbed his chin and said, "It¡¯s enough, but I heard from Jason that Dr. Craw did not wake up even after the other three people woke up. If someone had drugged Dr. Albus and the others, they must have drugged Dr. Craw too, and the drug might be different from the other three people." Luke thought what Johann said made sense, but it would be toote to take a blood sample from her. He knew that Luca would not be so careless anymore. She must have already taken the antidote. "Hey, say something," Johann said. "You won¡¯t find anything on her," Luke said. "Why not?" Johann thought that Luke did not want Luca to go through the pain of having needles inserted in her. He knew that the thought was a little exaggerated, but he believed that it might be the case. He could tell that Luke had some feelings for Luca, though Luke was not at liberty to express it because of the impostor Bianca. "She took the antidote," Luke said. "Antidote? What antidote?" Johann was confused. Tommy was sitting on the couch reading a book, and he exined on behalf of his father, "Ms. Luca said that she was going to take the antidote after she woke up." "Where did she get the antidote?" Johann thought for a while and asked, "Don¡¯t tell me that she invented it herself?" "Mm." Luke nodded. Johann remembered Luca''s herbal concoction and believed what Luke said. He gave up on the idea of taking a blood sample from her. "I guess I can''t do anything about that. Can you tell me Dr. Craw''s room number?" "What do you want?" Luke stopped flipping the document and looked at him. "I want to pay her a visit. At the same time, I hope that I can study her antidote." Johann was curious about Luca''s research. Luke said that she made her concoctions without usingpany resources, so the pills and powders were considered her private property, and Luke did not know anything about them. Johann had always been curious about Luca''s personality. She concocted so many different types of medicines not found in the market, yet she had no interest in selling them. "Uncle Johann," Tommy opened his mouth before Luke could say anything, "Ms. Luca needs to rest. Don''t disturb her." Johann wanted to say, "I''m not going to disturb her." The man behind the desk continued to read the documents as though he did not hear what Johann said. Johann thought for a while and realized that what Tommy said made sense. Luca needed the rest now, and it was not appropriate for him to look for her. "Alright then. I''ll let you know when I get the results." Luke pressed a button on the internal phone and said, "See the guest off." Soon, a secretary came into the office and said to Johann," This way, please." Johann nced at Luke, muttered under his breath about Luke''s domineering personality, and left. Meanwhile, Luca felt a lot better after taking a pill. When she opened her eyes again, an hour and a half had passed. She looked at herself. She had not washed up since the night before, and she could even smell herself now. She got off the bed and went to take a shower. When she came out of the bathroom, she was slightly surprised to see the meal cart. Then, she remembered that Luke had ordered breakfast for her, saying that it was part of "employees'' benefits"... This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Luca could not smile at all. She pushed the cart next to the couch and sat down. There was a sumptuous spread, but the food had already gone cold, and it was not appetizing at all. Luca did not want to waste the food. She took a few bites and could not eat anymore, so she covered the tes again. The doorbell rang. Luca went to open the door. Amur was standing outside. "How do you know that I''m here?" She asked. Amur wagged the phone in his hand. "I found your signal." There was a tracker in every phone issued by the Ind of Despair. Two phones could sense each other in close proximity. Amur had already detected Luca''s signal. He had been waiting for her to leave the room since early in the morning. After waiting for a long time, he decided to ring the doorbell. "I see. Come in," Luca said and opened the door wide. Amur walked inside and noticed the meal cart. "Why are you only eating breakfast now?" Luca took her phone and put it in the bathroom. When Amur saw that, he also put his phone in the bathroom, turned on the shower, and closed the door. Luca sat on the couch. She felt a lot better after taking the antidote, but her legs still felt weak, especially after walking for a bit. "Abel did something to me." Luca paused for a while and said, "Or rather, he did something to him." "What happened?" Amur''s eyes widened all of a sudden. After meeting Abel the day before, he went away to tie up some loose ends. Luca told Amur what happened the night before. Amur''s hands clenched into fists, and he flew into a rage." How dare he do that! How despicable!" He originally thought that Luca was only a tool to defeat Luke, and Abel would not harm her. Chapter 1309 Chapter 1309 Aren¡¯t You Going to Let Us In? He realized that Abel would not hesitate to harm Luca if it meant that he got his revenge against Luke. If Luke had ignored the stream, someone else would have found Luca. Amur dared not imagine what would happen to her if that were the case. Luca¡¯s eyelids drooped. Even though she was fully unconscious throughout the entire ordeal, thinking about it now made her feel afraid. A few years on the Ind of Despair had hardened Luca''s heart, but even so, she could not help but feel afraid of what Abel had done to her. If taking revenge on Luke involved harming her, she would have to be more careful in the future. "Amur, you should return to the ind after you''vepleted your mission," she said. She had a feeling that Amur would be harmed if he continued to stay by her side. She might be implicated as well. "I''m not going back," Amur shook his head and said. Now that Abel had done something like that to Luca, he was not going to leave her alone in A City. "No. I don''t know what Abel is nning next, but I know that if you continue to stay here, you''ll be involved as well. Go back and help me take care of N," Luca said. Other than the siblings, she was also very worried about N. "My mission now is to protect you by your side," Amur told her the truth. "The drug that I stole from Solomon is developed by a criminal organization in New York, and Abel wants the recipe so that Shanks could make an even better drug to sell." Luca did not say anything. She nodded, indicating for Amur to continue. "Abel knew that I wanted to stay by your side, so he gave me the mission. Once Iplete it, I can stay by your side without having to rush back to the ind." Luca was conflicted after hearing what he said. Even so, she raised her doubts. "That drug should have been very difficult to obtain. How did Solomon get his hands on it? n "Solomon has a regr buyer, and he''s only the middleman between the buyer and the organization. I managed to find out about that, so I tried to obtain it from Solomon," Amur said. He knew how headstrong Luca could be. If he did not tell her the truth, she would insist that he return to the ind. Luca sighed when she heard that. Even though Solomon was only a minor character in the illicit dealing, Amur probably could not afford to offend the criminal organization behind Solomon. Abel was lucky to obtain what he wanted from Solomon, but would he be lucky enough to escape from the organization? With him by his side, she had to be wary of Abel as well as the organization. "You''ve offended Solomon and stole the drug from him. The criminal organization won''t let you off that easily. Solomon and his gang have seen your face... No, you''ll have to return to the ind. It''s safer for you there," Luca said. Even though Amur was a proficient fighter, he could not possibly fight against an entire organization. Abel was not stupid. He would rather sacrifice Amur than go against the organization. Amur knew Luca''s worries. He shook his head and said, "I''ve already dealt with it yesterday. You don''t have to worry." When Luca heard that, she turned on herptop and searched for Solomon''s name in the browser. There was a news report saying that Solomon and two other men were found dead in an alley. The local police knew Solomon''s background, and they attributed his death to a gang conflict. Luca knew that Amur would not leave a trace, so the police would not be able to track him down. "Dead men can''t speak," Amur said. Luca frowned. "But you only killed him yesterday." "Mm." Amur nodded. "I''m still worried that he told the organization about it after you let him go the day before yesterday. What would you do? " Luca did not know that the drug was so highly sought after. If she did, she would have killed Solomon right there and then. "He won''t tell anyone," Amur said confidently. "The organization trusts Solomon to keep the existence of the drug a secret. That''s why they tried to search for me after I stole the drug instead of informing the organization." Luca breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that. Now that the only people who knew that Amur had stolen the drug had died, she had nothing else to worry about. In any case, she had no sympathy for Solomon. Solomon must have lived a life of crime. It was perhaps a good thing that he was dead. Amur said, "Now that I''vepleted my mission, I can stay by your side. You''ll also have an extra helping hand." "Alright then." Luca knew that Amur was a stubborn one. She stopped convincing him to leave. Moreover, she realized that she really needed the help. Her strength alone was not enough to guard against Abel''s plot and protect Luke at the same time. Now that Luca had agreed to it, Amur went to the bathroom and retrieved his phone. "You still look tired. You should rest. "Alright." Luca was indeed feeling tired after the conversation. She saw him out, theny on the bed, took a sleeping pill, and fell asleep. When she opened her eyes again, she did not know what time it was. The doorbell was ringing. Luca sat up slowly. She looked outside the window and saw that it was already dark. The sleeping pill put her in a deep sleep. She had a dream that she was together with Luke and her four children. In the dream, they were living together happily. The doorbell rang again. Luca came to her senses. The wistful feeling that she got from the dream was gone. She stepped off the bed and opened the door. Luke and Tommy were standing outside. When Tommy saw her, he waved at her and greeted her," Good evening, Ms. Luca." "Good evening." Luca scratched the back of her head when she saw the two people. She felt a little underdressed. Luke nodded. He saw that Luca had only opened the door slightly, and one of her hands was on the doorknob. "Ms. Luca, aren''t you going to let us go in?" Tommy asked. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Luca was quite reluctant to do that, but she could not bear to let the child stand there. She opened the door wide, stepped aside, and said, "Pleasee in." Chapter 1310 Chapter 1310 Intangible Hostility Luke held Tommy¡¯s hand, and the two people went into the room and sat on the couch. The room was quite spacious, but once Luke stepped inside, Luca felt the space shrink. Even though it was quite cramped, she thought that it was inexplicably homely. Now that the father and son had staked out the couch, Luca could only sit on the swivel chair and look at them. Tommy was the first to break the silence. "Ms. Luca, have you had dinner?" "I was about to," Luca shook her head and said. She might still be sleeping if she had not been woken up by the doorbell. After taking the antidote, she had to sleep for long periods to recover. Tommy looked at the time, and his expression suddenly became stern. "You shouldn''t eat dinner so late, Ms. Luca. That''s not good for your health." Luke nced at the meal cart in the room. He noticed that there was still some breakfast on it. It must have been the room service he had ordered for her, and she did not eat much. "Have you been sleeping the entire day?" He asked. When Luca opened the door earlier, her hair was in a mess as though she had just woken up. "I took a sleeping pill," Luca exined. Luke nodded. Tommy tugged his shirt sleeve and whispered to him, "Daddy, you should order some food for Ms. Luca." When Luca heard that, she quickly said, "It''s fine. I''ll go downstairs and find a restaurant." "The restaurants are all closed by now," Luke said. He stood up and walked over to the bed. Luca had only just woken up and had not made the bed yet. A corner of the nket was untucked, and there was a slight depression on the mattress. He thought that if he ced his hand on the bed, he could feel the warmth of her body. He looked away. Then, he picked up the phone receiver and ordered a steak for Luca. Luca sat on the chair while kneading her hands. After she saw him put the phone receiver down, she said, "I don''t need any special employees'' benefits, Mr. Crawford." Luke turned around and looked at her. "Who told you that these are employees'' benefits?" Luca was at a loss for words. He was the one who told her in the message that those were employees'' benefits. If they were not, what are they then? She wondered what Luke was thinking right now. Seeing that she was silent, Luke returned to the couch and sat next to Tommy. Ever since he first met her, he thought that she seemed familiar, especially when she spoke. However, she did not speak on most asions. Most of the time, she was silent. At least, that was how she behaved in front of him. Luke broke the silence and said, "After Dr. Albus and the others returned to the hotelst night, Mr. Doyle arranged for them to go to the hospital and have their blood samples taken." "What about it?" Luca''s heart skipped a beat when she heard that. She knew that Luke would want to get to the bottom of the matter. He probably was not going to do it for thepany, even though the He looked like he was doing it for her... Luca stared at his impassive face. Was it a hallucination? Luke felt an odd sense of familiarity when their eyes met. Heposed himself and said, "There''s a mysterious substance in their blood." Luca nodded. She knew that even though Shanks was a genius in inventing drugs, he could not invent a drug that would leave no trace in the human body. The drug would have to be slowly ejected from the body after it had taken effect. "Did Dr. Park say what it is?" She asked, pretending that she was oblivious. "They''re still analyzing it," Luke said as he looked at Luca''s calm face. Anyone would have feared for their lives if they encountered such a harrowing incident, but Luca seemed unfazed. She was angry after he told her what happened, but that was the extent of her reaction. The doorbell rang once more. Luca thought that it was the room service, so she stood up and went to open the door. Luke noticed that she was walking normally. She had probably recovered by now. Luca opened the door and was slightly shocked when she saw the person standing outside. "Amur, is there anything?" "I''m here to visit you." Amur was a head taller than Bianca, and he could see what was in the room. He frowned when he saw Luke and Tommy sitting on the couch. "You have guests." Luca nodded. Thinking that it would be suspicious if she asked Amur to leave now, she said, "Come in." Amur walked into the room and nodded at Luke and Tommy. "Good evening, Mr. Crawford," he said somewhat courteously. "Good evening." Luke returned the greeting. He was not too surprised because he knew that Amur was also staying in the hotel. When the two men exchanged gazes, Luca could sense the intangible hostility between them. She knew that Amur had never liked Luke. He thought that Luke''s failure to protect her had caused her to be abducted to the Ind of Despair. For the past three years, Luke had never found her or even suspected that Luca was Bianca. To Amur, that was a sign of weakness. No matter how much Luca had tried to convince Amur, his impression of Luke had never changed. "You can sit on the chair," Luca said to Amur while pointing at the swivel chair. Amur was not interested in sitting on the same couch as Luke. He did what Luca told him to. With the couch and chair upied, Luca could only sit on the bed. Tommy hopped off the bed and sat next to Luca. ¡±Ms. Luca, can I sleep over tonight?" ¡¯ Luca patted Tommy''s head. Before she could answer, Luke spoke first," No." Tommy wanted to argue for himself, but his father''s stern gaze made him change his mind. ''Ms. Luca isn¡¯t feeling well, so I shouldn''t disturb her,'' he thought. Luke nced at Amur, then at Luca. ording to his subordinates, they had lost Luca''s trail near the address given by Paul. Then, there was the piece of news from yesterday... "Dr. Craw, have you read the news?" Luke said slowly. "I haven''t had the time to read the news. What''s wrong?" Luca could guess what he wanted to say. "The police interrogated the two students yesterday, and one of them gave the police some information about the supplier of the venom. Yesterday, the supplier was found dead in an alley. The police thought that it was only a conflict between rival gangs, but what do you think about it? " Luke asked. He was very curious about what she did the night before yesterday. Even though she had said that she went away to meet her younger brother, Luke thought that there was something more to it. Chapter 1311 Chapter 1311 She''ll Be My Mommy Luca was at the conference at Solomon''s time of death, so she could not have been his killer. Even so, Luke could not help but have the feeling that was something more to the incident. Luca could tell that Luke was trying to find out something, but she remained calm because there was no direct link between her and Solomon''s death. She shook her head and said, "It''s not surprising even if a fellow gang member did him in." Amur was silent as he listened to Luke''s probing questions. The police had concluded that Solomon died in a gang conflict, so Amur did not have to say anything. In any case, the police would not track him down, and they would not disturb Luca either. "Mm." Luke nodded. He had been observing Amur from the corner of his eye. Even though Luca had told him that they were not biological siblings, he could not help but think that they were not siblings at all. When Amur came in, he caught a scent of drugs on his body. Luke continued asking, "Mr. Amur, why did youe to New York this time?" "I had some business," Amur said. Luca nced at Luke, then at Amur. She could sense that the hostility between the two men was growing, so she tried to distract them. "Mr. Crawford, what are the police going to do with the two students?" "Thew will deal with them," Luke said. He did not show them any sympathy at all. Luca had expected him to say that. Luke would show no sympathy to anyone other than his family, especially toward those who tried to harm him. Amur also had a rough idea of what happened. When he heard Luke''s words, he said, "They''re only university students." Luke raised his eyebrows. Amur sounded like a parent who tried to harbor their children''s faults, though he was a little more than a child himself. Amur continued, "But I can''t forgive them if they try to harm my elder sister. We shouldn''t let them get away with it so easily." Luke nodded. "Of course." Luca was not sure how to feel about the conversation. It was the first time Luke and Amur agreed on something. The doorbell rang once more. "That should be the room service," Luca said. At the same time, Luke stood up. '' Mm. I should head back." When Tommy heard that, he also stood up, though he was feeling a little frustrated about why they had to leave so soon. His father would definitely not allow him to stay, so he did not ask in the first ce. Luca opened the door. Just as expected, the attendant pushed the meal cart in and took away the breakfast cart. After the attendant left, Luke said at the door, "Finish your food." "Yes." Luca nodded, though her heart began to beat faster when Luke said that. Amur did not know what to feel when he saw the change in her expression. She might not have noticed it, but that single-word reply was filled with affection. It was as though she was a young girl speaking to her crush. Luca turned around and met Amur''s gaze. She smoothed her hair and said, "Have you had your dinner? If not, we can share the food." "I''ve had dinner," Amur said. He could not hold it back anymore. "If you want to protect Luke Crawford, it''s best that you keep your distance from him." Luca''s expression stiffened. She knew about that fact without him saying it. All of this would not have happened if she had not be Luke Crawford''s wife. If she did not want Luke and the children to get hurt, the best way was to stay away from him. However, it was easier said than done... Before Luca returned to A City, she had thought of staying as far away from Luke as possible, but she failed to do so. Even though there was a barrier between them, she could feel that they were getting closer and closer. "I know..." She said. Amur could sense the sorrow in Luca''s eyes when she said that. He knew that she loved the man, and she was willing to sacrifice everything for him. After his experiences on the Ind of Despair, he thought that Luca was ying with fire. "You can sacrifice yourself for that man, but you have to remember that N needs you. She''s still young, and she needs a mother," Amur reminded her. N was the only reason why Luca remained alive... Luca nodded. She clenched her hands into fists when Amur mentioned her youngest daughter. No matter what, she would have to bring N away from the horrific ind. Amur sighed. Luca had saved his life, and he could not bear to see her suffer because of that man. He did not want to see her die... He stood up and said, "You should eat your dinner. I''ll be returning to my room." "Alright." Luca nodded. After Amur left, she looked at the food on the meal cart, but she had no appetite at all. Tommy was led into the elevator by his father. He looked at Luke and asked, "Daddy, how could you let Ms. Luca be alone in the same room with that man?" "They''re brother and sister." Luke tapped his ess card on the sensor, and the elevator began to move upward. Tommy nodded and said, "But they don''t look alike at all, and I think that man has a crush on Ms. Luca." Luke did not know how to respond to that. Seeing that Luke did not speak, Tommy wagged his hand and said, "What are you thinking, Daddy?" "Nothing," Luke replied. "If you don''t seize the opportunity, someone else might snatch Ms. Luca away," Tommy mumbled. "Why do you say that?" Tommy''s voice might be soft, but Luke could hear those words clearly in the cramped elevator. Tommy looked at Luke. "I like Ms. Luca. I want to live with her." ''Live with her?'' Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Luke suddenly understood what Tommy meant. "You still have a Mommy." Tommy frowned. "I know. I didn''t dare to say that at first because I have a Mommy." "Would you have said that if you didn¡¯t have a Mommy?" Luke said jokingly. The elevator arrived at their floor, and Luke led Tommy out. "Of course I would. If I don''t have a Mommy, I''d want you to marry Ms. Luca so that she can be my Mommy. Also..." Tommy paused. Luke tapped his ess card at the suite entrance. "Also what?" "Also, you don''t like Mommy at all, not ever since she lost her memories." Tommy was young, but he was quite observant. Chapter 1312 Chapter 1312 Where Are You, Bianca? As Luke opened the door, he raised his eyebrows. Tommy went into the suite and looked at him. "I''m right, aren''t I?" Luke did not answer his question. Ever since he was reunited with that impostor Bianca, he could not bring himself to love the woman with Bianca''s face. Even so, he tried his best to fulfill her demands. They did not behave like husband and wife in the bedroom, but they had appeared in public many times. To the rest of A City, they were still the model couple. He did not expect Tommy to see through the disguise. Luke did not answer his question. Instead, he asked, "Why do you like Ms. Luca so much?" Sensing his opportunity to voice his thoughts, Tommy did not hold back. "I like Ms. Luca because she''s very gentle, just like what Mommy used to be." To the boy, Bianca felt only like a mother in name, and he was not close to her. On the other hand, he had somehow sensed a liking for Luca since the first time they met. Luke patted his son''s head, d that Tommy was willing to be honest with him. His fingertips sank into Tommy''s soft and delicate hair, and he thought that his son needed a haircut soon. "How about Lanie and Rainie? Do they like her too?" Luke asked. Tommy shook his head. "I don''t know. Lanie and Rainie don''t talk to me because they think that I''m still a little kid, but I know that they don''t like Mommy at all." In other words, all three children did not like Bianca. Luke already knew about it. Seeing that it was already quitete, he said, "Brush your teeth and go to bed." Tommy nodded. He was about to go into his room to get his pajamas when he suddenly turned around and said, "Daddy, will you divorce Mommy one day?" He was still young, but he knew many things that happened between adults. Several of his ssmates had divorced parents. Sometimes, they would fret over whether they should go with their father or their mother. Tommy had already made up his mind. If Luke and Bianca would eventually divorce, he would definitely go with his father. "No," Luke said. He had no rtion to the impostor Bianca back in A City. If they were not considered married, how could they divorce? Tommy was quite disappointed to hear that. If Luke had said that he would divorce Bianca, there was a possibility that Luca would be their mother. Too bad his father did not think that way... Tommy returned to his bedroom to take his pajamas, then went into the bathroom. Luke filled up the bathtub for Tommy, then stepped out of the bathroom and sat on the couch. Tommy seemed to have a natural affinity with Luca. It did not seem like Luca had groomed him. Why did Luca seem so familiar? Could she be the real Bianca? If an impostor could wear Bianca''s face, then the real Bianca could have worn a different face. However, if Luca were the real Bianca, why did she not say so? If there was something stopping her from doing so, she could have dropped some hints. Luca did not do anything. She had nomon features with Bianca other than her voice. ¡¯ If Luca were the real Bianca, she would not have abandoned her children or allowed an impostor to be by his side. Upon reaching that conclusion, Luke rejected his initial hypothesis. After taking a bath, Tommy stepped out of the bathroom. He saw Luke sitting on the couch, and he walked over curiously. "What are you thinking, Daddy?" Luke came to his senses. Earlier, he was lost in thought thinking about Luca. Seeing that Tommy''s hair was still dripping, he led him back to the bathroom and blew his hair dry with a hairdryer. "Daddy, won''t you consider marrying Ms. Luca?" Tommy looked at Luke''s reflection in the mirror. "Do you really want me to divorce your Mommy?" Luke put the hairdryer away andbed Tommy''s hair with his fingers. He did not n to tell his children that their mother was an impostor, so he had to keep telling that lie. The impostor might have Bianca''s face, but she could not replicate the real Bianca''s affection toward the children. It was not surprising that the children could sense that something was amiss. "I like Ms. Luca. If only you''d given birth to me earlier, Daddy, then I could have married Ms. Luca myself. I wouldn''t want to see her fall into another man''s hands," Tommy said. Luke flicked Tommy''s forehead. "Go to bed." Tommy stuck his tongue out, walked out of the bathroom, andy down on the bed. Luke tucked him in. When he was about to turn the lights off, he heard Tommy say, "Daddy, even if you don''t want to marry Ms. Luca, I wish that you can be happy. You''re not happy with Mommy now. Sometimes I even wonder if she''s faking her amnesia and if she''s our real mother..." "Don''t think too much about it. You should sleep.¡± It was the first time that Luke''s children had told him that they did not like Bianca. Usually, they would keep it to themselves and not give him any trouble. He was nevertheless perturbed by what Tommy told him. If he had to act against the impostor Bianca one day, he would not have to worry about how his children would think of that woman who had the same face as their mother. He would eventually expose the impostor''s lies and find the children''s real mother. Luke turned off the lights but left the nightlight on. He walked out of the bedroom and went to the floor- to-ceiling window to look at New York''s skyline in the night while reminiscing the moments with Bianca. It had been three years... ''Where are you, Bianca?'' The next few days were uneventful. Luca eventually recovered and joined in the rest of the training with Dr. Albus and the others. Despite promising Luke results in two days, it took Johann almost a week to discern the nature of the mysterious substance. Luca read the report that Johann had given her. ording to the report, the substance was extracted from a small creature that lived in the sea. It had sedative properties, but they exist in nature in very small amounts. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The person who had created the drug must have increased the concentration of the drug by many, many times. That was why the drug was able to knock out four men for a few hours. The substance was not something new. What was amazing was the techniques used in refining the drug. None of the avable methods in modern medical technology allowed them to refine the substance to such a high concentration. Luca put away the report after reading it. Dr. Albus picked it up'', read it, and eximed, "You mean we were actually drugged? We weren''t drunk at all?" Chapter 1313 Chapter 1313 They Found No Leads Johann nodded. ¡°That seems to be the case." Dr. Albus read the report again, this time more carefully, and said, "That''s strange. I know that the excretions from this creature have very minor sedative properties, and even hundreds of them would not even have too much effect on the human body. How did the person who refined the drug do it?" Johann took the report and said, "You''ll probably have to ask the person who refined the drug. There isn''t a technique in modern medical technology that can do it. If the substance truly knocked all of you out, I can only say that there''s a lot we don''t know." "Just imagine what I can do with this technique!" Dr. Albus eximed. Luca was silent. She knew about the drug that they ingested. Shanks had devised the technique of refining it. No one else outside the Ind of Despair knew about the technique. If Shanks published his research findings, many people around the world would benefit from it. However, Shanks had no such ns, and he did not teach Luca the technique either. Johann discreetly observed Luca. She was silent as though the matter did not concern her, despite the fact that she was the biggest victim. "What do you think, Dr. Craw?" He asked. "If such a technique exists in the world, why didn''t its inventor publish it?" Luca said nonchntly. She said what everyone had been thinking without giving too much away. Dr. Albus nodded. "That''s true. Imagine that person patented the technique. He''d be swimming in cash!" Johann looked at Dr. Albus with contempt. ''Is money the only thing he thinks about?'' Luca was also not interested in discussing that topic. She said to Johann, "Dr. Park, are you here to deliver the report to Mr. Crawford?" "Yes." Johann was here to deliver the report to Luke. Even though Luke said that he would not understand it, Johann had to inform him about several things. He went to thepany but was told that Luke had already left. That was why he had gone to the hotel, and he happened to bump into Luca and the others, who had just returned from the day''s conference. That resulted in the aforementioned conversation. Luca nodded. "I won''t disturb you then." Johann was curious about why Luca could remain so unperturbed. If whatever happened to her happened to anyone else, they would want to get to the bottom of it. Luca and Luke were the biggest victims in the incident, yet the former behaved as though it did not concern her. Johann had obtained a visitor''s ess card from the front desk. He saw that the elevator had arrived, so he quickly rushed toward the lobby. The people stepped into the elevator. Luca stepped out of the elevator after it arrived at her floor. Johann said, "Dr. Craw, won''t you want to come along with us and discuss it with Mr. Crawford?" "I''ve read the report, but I have no knowledge of the technique. I don''t think I''ll be of any help. As for what happened that day, I was unconscious throughout the entire incident, so I won''t be able to help you either. I should return to my room and not give you or Mr. Crawford any more trouble." Luca refused Johann''s invitation. She already knew what she needed to know about the incident, and she was not interested in anything else. Listening to their discussion would only bring her more trouble. Moreover, she did not want to meet Luke so often, in case she could not stop herself from indulging in her affection. It was best to keep away from Luke whenever possible. Johann rubbed his chin as the elevator doors closed slowly. "That''s weird," he said. When he arrived at Luke''s floor, Johann tapped the ess card on the door and went in without knocking. "You''re here, Uncle Johann!" Tommy greeted Johann with a smile. Johann patted Tommy''s head and took out a packet of chocte cookies from his pocket. "Good boy. Here''s your reward," he said. "Thank you, Uncle Johann." Tommy opened the packaging and began stuffing his mouth. Luke nodded to acknowledge Johann''s presence. Johann sat on the couch and said, "Would you like to read the report this time?" "Summarize it," Luke said. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Johann told Luke about the substance and how difficult it was to refine it. Then, he said, "I can only say that things are much moreplicated than we expected. No researcher in Watson could refine the substance to such a high concentration." "Mm," Luke replied and suddenly thought of Luca. ''Can''t she do it?'' He knew that Luca carried with her a stash of medicine of her own creation, and he wondered if Luca knew the technique to do it. He was sure that Luca was not the mastermind behind the incident. After all, she was also a victim. "There''s no point in figuring out the identity of the mysterious substance," Johann said, sounding slightly frustrated. "How''s the investigation on your side?" He was referring to the hacking of thepanywork. Under immense pressure, the IT department worked overtime for a week straight before tracing the origin of the virus to a small diner in New York. The owners of the small diner were an elderly couple, and there was nothing suspicious about their backgrounds. The restaurant did not have surveince cameras either. They could not find any clues beyond that. The enemy must be a master hacker to cause such damage to thepanywork. Moreover, several of their top-secret documents had been leaked, which added to the losses suffered by thepany. Luke nned to return to A City the next day, but he had to stay back to deal with the crisis. The drug and the virus told him that his enemy was far more powerful than he originally thought. "We couldn''t find any leads," Luke said. Johann ced the report on the coffee table and said," Looks like we''re in a lot of trouble." Luke nodded. Tommy could see the frustration in Luke and Johann''s eyes. "Daddy, Uncle Johann, aren''t you very amazing? You''ll definitely defeat the baddies." Johann chuckled and patted Tommy''s head. "Who do you think is more amazing, your Daddy or me?" "Of course it''s my Daddy!" Even though Tommy was eating the cookies that Johann had given him, he was not so easily bribed. "Sigh, I''m so sad to hear that." Johann pretended to put on a sad face. Then, he turned to Luke. "Does thepany still need you here? Are you going back to A City tomorrow?" Luca and the others would finish their training tomorrow, and Luke had expected that he would be able to finish up his business there. "I can''t." Luke shook his head. Johann looked at Tommy and frowned. "If you have to stay here, what about Tommy?" Chapter 1314 Chapter 1314 Bianca Never Cared About the Children It was not good for Tommy to skip school for an extended period of time. Tommy volunteered to answer. "Daddy will ask Ms. Luca to bring me back to A City." "Dr. Craw?" Johann asked the father and son, thinking that it was a good idea. "Mm." Luke nodded. The incident had blown up beyond his expectations. He hadpleted all the work that was scheduled for this trip, but now, he had to stay back and hold the fort. The top-secret documents were critical to thepany¡¯s operations. The news that thepany network had been breached had not been publicized, but if it were, it would greatly affect the company''s development. Luke nned to stay behind and restructure thepany''s growth ns. He would not want to let his enemies have a grip on him. Johann said, "This is really uncanny. I believe that the same people are behind both incidents, and they''re targeting you. Dr. Craw only became a victim because she was caught in the crossfire.¡± Luke did not say anything, nor did he deny it. It made sense that whoever harmed Luca wanted to target him, but he could not understand why those people would want to involve Luca. She was only an employee of Watson Biopharmaceuticals, and there was nothing remarkable about her status. Even though they were implicated in a scandal, the scandal died quickly. To the public, the two people were not considered close. Moreover, they were not in A City, but across the country in New York... "Are you going to investigate it?" Johann asked. He could not help with the investigations, so he could only ask. He had so many questions, including how someone managed to refine the drug to such a high concentration. The sea creature was rarely used in pharmacology. Generally, researchers did not use the creature''s excretions because it was too much of a hassle to extract the sedative ingredient. That was also why it took so long to identify the substance. "Of course I am," Luke said. He had a feeling that the impostor Bianca should also be involved in what was going on. After dealing with the crisis in the New York subsidiarypany, he would return to A City and continue the investigation there. "About the matter in A City..." Johann did not want to mention Bianca''s name in front of Tommy. He also thought that Luke was a very busy man. "I''ll deal with it together," Luke said. Johann nodded, thinking that Jason would be getting very busy too. He considered himself lucky because he was only a doctor and had no investigative skills outside of diagnosing patients, so Luke should not be looking for him for help. Just when he was thinking about that, Luke said, "You''re in charge of getting me the security footage from the hospital three years ago." Johann''s smile vanished instantly. "That''s so troublesome! Why do you need the security footage?" Luke nced at him. "The DNA test results from three years ago are the opposite of what we find now. Don''t you think that it''s very suspicious?" ording to the DNA test three years ago, the conclusion was that the DNA sample matched Bianca''s DNA. Now that they had found out that Bianca was an impostor, it could only mean that there was a problem with the DNA test. Johann had collected the DNA sample himself. The sample was probably swapped. To start the investigation, they would have to go back to three years ago. Johann nodded. Everything started with the DNA test three years ago. If the sample had not been swapped, the impostor Bianca would not have stayed by Luke''s side for so long. Moreover, it would be very difficult to track down the real Bianca after three years. In any case, the hospital was considered culpable. Investigating something from three years ago was already difficult enough. Luke had to investigate in secret so that the impostor Bianca would not be alerted, which added to the difficulty. Johann could feel a headache creeping in. He was only a doctor, but he had to do something so troublesome. "I can only go back after a week. Once I''m back, I''ll get to it," Johann said. It was not going to be easy, but he agreed to it anyway. The next day, Luca did not protest when she was told to bring Tommy back to A City. The two people boarded the ne. Tommy remained docile throughout the flight, and he did not make a fuss. When the airnended at A City International Airport, Luca carried the luggage, caught a cab, and wanted to send Tommy back to Crawford Manor. When Tommy heard Luca give the driver the address, he knew that she wanted to send him home. "Ms. Luca, can''t I stay with you? I don''t want to go home yet," he said. "Why don''t you want to go home?" Luca asked while patting his head. She wanted to stay with the child for another day, but Luke had told her to bring Tommy back to Crawford Manor, and she had promised him that she would do so. "Daddy isn''t home yet. I don''t want to stay with Great- ''i'' Grandpa. Please bring me over to your apartment. I promise that I won''t give you any trouble." Tommy looked at her with puppy eyes, hoping that she would take pity on him and bring him to her apartment. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. "No, you can''t. You''ll have to go home," Luca said. "You have school tomorrow, and I need to go to work, so I can''t fetch you around. Be a good boy. Even if Daddy isn''t at home, the caretakers will take care of you." Tommy realized that he could not change Luca''s mind, so he gave up on asking. He did not want to give Luca the impression that he was rude. After all, he would like to see her more often in the future. "Alright then," Tommy said. Luca sighed when she saw that the child was disappointed. Back in New York, when Luke entrusted the child to her care, Tommy had grinned brilliantly. He was not sad that he had to be separated from his father. The cab arrived at the front gate of Crawford Manor. After paying the driver, she got out of the car, took Tommy''s suitcase out of the trunk, and ced it on the ground. Tommy grabbed the handle and began to drag it into the house. Luca closed the trunk and took the suitcase from Tommy''s hands. "Let me do it," she said. Just when she was about to ring the doorbell, a car slowed down in front of Crawford Manor. Bianca was sitting in the car. When she saw Luca and Tommy standing outside, she told the driver to stop immediately, stepped out of the car, and grabbed Tommy''s hand. "Where are you bringing Tommy?" She asked. Luca could tell that Bianca was treating her as a viin. If she did not know Bianca''s character, she would have thought that Bianca was very concerned about Tommy''s safety. However, she knew that Bianca was behaving like that because Bianca treated her as the enemy. The impostor Bianca had never cared for the children. Chapter 1315 Chapter 1315 Where''s Luke? Luca put Tommy''s suitcase aside and said, "Mr. Crawford has tasked me to bring Tommy back from New York. Now that you''re here, I shall leave the child in your hands." It had been exactly one month since Bianca took the pill and fell ill. She had just been discharged from the hospital. She could not help but be angry when she looked at Luca. It was because of her that she decided to take the pill. She thought that taking the pill could make Luke pay attention to her, but Bianca had shown up abruptly with a herbal concoction. Taking the concoction daily had suppressed the effects of the pill, which made her feel a lot better. However, it also meant that her n had failed, not to mention that she had to suffer in vain for a few days. After her condition stabilized, Luke stopped caring about her and went on a business trip... Bianca red at the seeminglyposed Luca. "You went on the business trip too?" "I was there for a conference," Luca exined. Her reason for going to New York was different from Luke''s purpose, and she hoped that Bianca would not misunderstand. She could already sense that Bianca had feelings for Luke. That was not supposed to happen when Abel had tasked her with a mission. If Abel knew about it, she would be punished. Luca was not going to remind Bianca about that. After all, it was her choice. "Were you together with Luke every day?" Bianca could not help but be jealous. No wonder Luke did not seem too enthusiastic whenever she had a video call with him. Two weeks was not very long, but it was long enough to develop mutual affection! Bianca sized up Luca, trying to see if she could glean something from her demeanor. She wanted to know if anything had happened between them. Luca maintained herposure very well. Even her tone when speaking was t... Bianca stomped her foot angrily. Luca turned around and prepared to leave, knowing that Bianca would not harm Tommy when the driver was around. "Where are you going?" Bianca asked. "Mr. Crawford tasked me with bringing Tommy home. Now that the child is safely in your hands, my task isplete. I''m going home," Luca said as she opened the door of the cab. Bianca felt uneasy whenever Luca said "Mr. Crawford." She asked, "Where''s Luke then?" Luca''s movement paused abruptly. She turned her head and looked at Bianca. Bianca was angry when Luca looked at her like that. "Are you deaf or dumb? I''m asking you where''s Luke? Is he in thepany?" "Aren''t you Mr. Crawford''s wife? Why do you have to ask me where your husband is?" Luca did not want to argue with that woman when Tommy was watching, but she could not stop that woman from picking a fight with her. That impostor had reced her position by Luke''s side for three years. Luca did not wish to talk to her. Bianca was taken aback by the question. She clenched her hands into fists. Feeling the grip around his hand be tighter, Tommy frowned and pulled his hand away. "Daddy still has some work in New York." Bianca was surprised to hear that. She looked at Tommy massaging his hand and realized that she had nearly lost her temper earlier. She was supposed to be Luke''s wife, but she did not know that he was still in New York. Her face burned with embarrassment when the other people stared at her. Luca turned around and stepped into the cab. "Let''s go," she told the driver. When the driver heard that, he started the car and left. Bianca stood there as the cab puffed a cloud of smoke on her. Trying to find a way out of the embarrassing episode, she roared at the driver, "Why are you still standing there? Come and take Tommy''s suitcase." The driver picked up Tommy''s suitcase and ced it on the back seat. Bianca did not get back into the car. She opened the gate and said, "Let''s go home, darling." Tommy looked at the warm smile on Bianca''s face and could not help but think that she was faking it. He walked away without looking at her. Bianca''s outreached hand froze in mid-air. Her eyelids drooped and her gaze shed with a hint of viciousness as she watched the child walk away from her. She knew that Luca was the viin in her story. Tommy seemed to have grown even more distant from her after he was with Luca. She could not bear to watch Luca snatch away everything that belonged to her. Luke was supposed to be hers. The children were hers, and the Crawford family too. It did not matter if she liked it or not. They were all hers. She watched Tommy continue to walk away. The child had never been clingy to her, but she could sense that he was bing even more cold and distant. Bianca med it all on Luca. She would have to think up a n to stop Luca! She quickly walked up to Tommy and asked him gently," How was New York?" "It''s no fun at all. I had to follow Daddy all day," Tommy said. "You had to follow Daddy? Didn''t he bring you to y?" Bianca did not believe what he said. "Daddy is there for business, not to y." Tommy lifted his head and looked at Bianca with contempt. His mother used to be gentle, empathic, and intelligent. Now, he could not bring himself to like that woman. Bianca continued to ask, "If that''s the case, is Daddy always in his office or the hotel?" "Mm." Tommy nodded and quickly walked into the living room. He did not want to answer her questions. Bianca wanted to ask if Luke had met up with Luca while in New York. Before she could ask the question, the child had already stepped into the house. She could not continue with her questioning, so she also went into the house.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Tommy greeted everyone cheerfully after entering the living room. Bianca also greeted the people there. The people in the living room seemed to be more excited about Tommy''s return from New York than Bianca''s discharge from the hospital. Bianca could not help but feel frustrated when she saw Old Master Crawford holding Tommy''s hands and asking him questions. Old Master Crawford asked Tommy the same questions as she did, but Tommy answered them in far greater detail. Tommy''s attitude toward his great-grandfather was totally different from that toward her. Does he even think that I''m his mother?'' She thought. Bianca coughed deliberately to announce her presence. Old Master Crawford turned his head to look at her. "Are you feeling unwell, Bea? Why don''t you stay at the hospital for a few more days? There are children in the house. You''d better not spread your germs to them." Chapter 1316 Chapter 1316 Was He Concerned About Her Health? Old Master Crawford sounded like he was concerned about Bianca''s health, but Bianca could tell that he did not want her to be in the house. He was more concerned about the children than her, and he would rather have her in the hospital... Bianca smiled to hide her dissatisfaction. She exined," I''m fine now, Grandpa. The doctor gave me a thorough examination before I was discharged, and he said that I¡¯ve fully recovered. My throat is a little dry, so I''ll go and drink some water." "Mm." Old Master Crawford turned his head away from her and looked at his great-grandson. He gently pinched Tommy''s cheek and said, "Look at you, you''ve lost weight. Haven''t you been eating your meals? I told you that you won''t like it there, but you won¡¯t listen." Tommy grinned and said, "I don''t like hotel food, but Ms. Luca''s cooking is amazing." "Ms. Luca? Who''s that again?" Old Master Crawford was confused. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "That''s the pretty Miss who saved me when I ran away from home. I love her cooking, Great-Grandpa. Lanie, Rainie, and Daddy love it too," Tommy said. "Oh? She was in New York too?" Old Master Crawford asked. "Yes! Ms. Luca was there for a conference. Iined to her that the hotel food was horrible, so Ms. Luca cooked for Daddy and me. It''s really delicious! I''ll bring you to Ms. Luca''s house next time so that you can taste it for yourself," Tommy said. Bianca took those words the wrong way. She turned around and walked up the stairs, clenching her hands into fists as she did so. Whatever Luca''s motives were in the trip to New York, she seemed to have seeded. Tommy and Luke were on her side now. She wondered what Luca would do next. Would she try to convince Luke to divorce her and take over her position in the Crawford household? No, she could not allow that to happen! Bianca hastened her footsteps. She did not want to hear what Tommy was telling Old Master Crawford. She returned to her bedroom and locked the door. She took out her phone, thought for a while, and gave Abel a call. The call was picked up after five rings. Bianca shuddered when she heard that chilling voice, but she braced herself and told Abel what Luca had done. After that, she said, "I''ve been trying my best to fulfill the mission you''ve given me, Boss, but Ivana has been deliberately throwing a wrench in my ns. I hope that you can step in and stop her from disrupting me." As Abel listened to that, he wanted to reprimand Bianca for being incapable. However, he thought of something else, so he said, "Can you tell me why I should help you?" Bianca was taken aback by the question. In her fit of anger, she had only thought aboutining and not a solution. Abel was her superior, and she was supposed to do the job for him. To the people from the Ind of Despair, anyone who did notplete their mission was considered useless. Afterining so much to him, she was afraid that he would think that she was useless, and the Ind of Despair did not have room for uselessness. Bianca began to regret what she told him. She tried to think about what she should say next. Abel continued, "If you don''t want Luca standing in your way, then you should deal with her yourself." "But she''s also from the ind..." Bianca said. She did not want to act against one of their own in case Abel had something to say about it. "So what if she is? Aren''t you from the ind too? If you think that she''s disrupting your ns, then find some way to make life difficult for her. She''s making life difficult for you, isn''t it?" Abel hinted. Originally, he wanted to tell Bianca to stop ming others for her incapability. After all, he had given her three years. As he listened to Bianca''sints, an idea suddenly came to his mind. Luca seemed to be enjoying afortable life in A City, other than that time when he set her up. It would be fun to see what would happen if she and Luke had more obstacles in their way. After three years, he had given up hope that the impostor Bianca would make Luke fall in love with her. Now, Abel was curious about how Luke would react to Luca if he was still married to Bianca. No matter his choice, Abel would make him regret it for the rest of his life. Bianca was quite surprised by Abel''s change of mind. Abel had only med her for not being able to seduce Luke, but now... was he giving his consent for her to do those things? "Am I allowed to do whatever I want toplete my mission?" Bianca asked. "If you''re even willing to make yourself ill to gain Luke Crawford''s attention, I don''t see anything wrong about it. You can do whatever you want as long as Ivana doesn''t die," Abel said. He sounded quite excited about it. Bianca was relieved when she heard him say that. She said," Alright, Boss, I know what to do next." "Don''t disappoint me. I''ve given you enough time. You should know what happens to people who fail their mission," Abel warned her. In order to live a better life, everyone on the Ind of Despair, including the impostor Bianca, had to strive toplete their missions. It was a society where the mighty ruled over the weak. "Don''t worry, Boss. I won''t disappoint you," Bianca said. Her voice shuddered when she heard the threat in Abel''s tone. "Very well." Abel ended the call after saying that. Bianca grinned as she held the phone in her hand. She had thought that Abel would not help her, but she did not expect that he had given her free rein to do whatever she wanted. She used to be the sole survivor among many casualties. This time, she would do her best to survive too. Bianca made another call on her phone and initiated her n. Meanwhile, after Luca left Crawford Manor, she did not return to the apartment. Instead, she went to the secluded ce. She knocked on the door, and a man gave her the antidote she needed to take once a month. The man watched her as she poured the antidote into her mouth. The man was very interested in her body, but after what happened thest time, he dared noty a finger on her. He watched her finish the antidote and leave. Chapter 1317 Chapter 1317 He Should Be Capable After Luca left the ce and turned a corner, she collected her saliva in a vial. Last month, she did not collect enough of the antidote to run an analysis. She hoped that it would be enough this time. After capping the vial, she put it in her handbag. She caught a cab. Shortly after she sat inside, she received Amur''s message that he had checked into his flight and was about to return to A City. He originally wanted to return to A City on the same flight as Luca, but he had to tie up some loose ends. That was why he had to take ater flight. [Safe journey.] Bianca replied. She thought for a while and sent a message to Luke, telling him that Tommy was already back in Crawford Manor. Meanwhile, Luke was lying on the bed when he received Luca''s message. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. It was nighttime in New York. Luke had just finished his work, and he was feeling quite tired. When he closed his eyes, Luca''s face appeared in his mind. He immediately opened his eyes again and could feel aplicated mess of emotions in his heart. ''Luca...'' He went to look at Luca''s social media profile. Her timeline was empty. ''She seems to be a clean freak...'' Luke put the phone away and slowly closed his eyes. Suddenly, his phone began to ring. The call was from the manager of the IT department, who had many things to report. Luke''s expression hardened as he listened to what he was told. He sat up and said, "I''ll go over now." Luca woke up early the next day. She opened the door of the other bedroom and saw Amur lying on the bed. Thinking that he must have reached home in the middle of the night, she decided not to disturb him. She made breakfast, ate half of it, and went to work. The people who went to the conference had to report on their trip. When Luca arrived at thepany on time, Mo told her to go to the conference room. When Luca arrived at the conference room, most of the people from the Technical Department were already there, and the meeting started shortly after that. Luca and Dr. Albus presented their respective reports. At the end of the presentation, Cole said, "It looks like the two of you have learned a lot in your trip. Congrattions." Luca could hear the jealousy in his voice, though she epted his congrattions magnanimously. "Thank you," she said. Cole suddenly felt that there was something stuck in his throat. He did not know how to react to Luca''s composure. He felt inexplicably frustrated. Luca''s poprity in thepany was rising; she was selected for the conference, and she was going to apply for her ownboratory and research team. She would be enlisting several researchers to help her, and when that happened, she would be leading the department in research progress again... Who could say if she would rece Cole as the manager one day? After the meeting ended, Rhett followed Luca out of the conference room. He considered himself lucky to go under such a capable researcher, but she seemed to be oblivious about what other people thought of her. He could tell that Cole''s face was ashen throughout the entire meeting... "Ms. Luca, did you purposely do that?" He asked softly. "Purposely do what?" Luca said while walking toward her office. "Didn''t you see Dr. Kidman''s earlier? He doesn''t seem too happy..." Rhett said, wondering if she did not care for all that because she was devoted to her research. "I''m a researcher, not his therapist. Why do I need to care about what he feels?" Luca said. She could tell that Rhett had the impression that she was oblivious, so she might as well act the part. That would save her a lot of trouble in the future. Rhett did not have a retort to that, though he thought what Luca said made sense. "But he''s still our superior at work, and we have to respect him..." He said. "Didn''t I respect him?" Luca retorted. In the past three years, "respect" carried a different meaning to her. She knew very well who deserved her respect and who did not. Rhett opened and closed his mouth several times. He did not know what to say. Indeed, Luca had not done anything out of line. If only Cole were not so jealous... Even after the trip was over, Cole still thought that he should have been the one to go to the conference. Luca took Cole''s sarcastic remarks literally. She was not afraid of offending him. Rhett suddenly had an admiration for her courage. Luca was a true researcher, and she would not waste her time on office politics... "Our job now is to form a research team. Dr. Kidman''s research is also progressing steadily, and he should be working on his research himself instead of joining us. We don''t have to interact that often with him, so you shouldn''t waste your time in appeasing him," Luca said. "Yes." Rhett nodded. It seemed that Luca was not oblivious after all. ''But Dr. Kidman is still the department manager...'' "Let''s get ready for the next step in our project. Find out which researchers thepany is most likely to cut funding, andpile a list of their names. Give me whatever information you can find on them." "Yes." Rhett nodded. He could not help butpare Dr. Albus to Luca. While the former was still bragging about how he had interacted with big shots in the pharmaceutical industry during the trip, the latter was already ready to focus on her project. Luca did not brag to anyone about her experiences in New York. It was as though she had never left A City in the first ce. As he looked at her back, Rhett''s admiration for Luca grew. Back at her office, Luca reviewed her documents. After two weeks in New York, she had nearly forgotten where she was in her research. She had to pick up the ck and get back to her research. Even though she did not know what Abel was going to do next, she knew that her power was limited. She put her phone away and suddenly thought of Luke. She propped her forehead against her hand, looked at the phone for a long time, and sighed. Jason had told her why Luke had to dy his return. There was a crisis in the New York subsidiarypany. A mysterious organization had hacked into the company Luca knew that the Ind of Despair was behind the incident. There was no shortage of hackers on the Ind of Despair, but Luca was confident that Luke could handle the crisis. Chapter 1318 Chapter 1318 Bumped Into Sue However, Luke was exposed under the light while Abel was hiding in the dark. It would be hard for Luke to defend against Abel... Luca thought of Luke''s current situation and lost the mood to work. She picked up her phone and said to Rhett, "I¡¯m heading out. Please ask Dr. Cole for a leave of absence on my behalf." She decided to use ignorance to deal with Dr. Cole. She did not want to have any contact with him so she asked Rhett to go just to be safe. Rhett heard her and replied, "Dr. Craw, do you want to take leave for you in the morning or afternoon?" "Morning and afternoon," Luca said. She probably would not have time for anything else. "Okay," Rhett said. Luca cleaned up and left the office. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Instead of going home directly, she chose to go to the mall in the city center and nned to stroll around to buy some clothes in preparation for the change of season. The clothes she bought after leaving the ind were not suitable for the uing season... Luca booked a taxi and went to the city center. She quickly picked out a few pieces of clothing. She had nothing much going on in her life, so she bought far fewer clothes than before. All she needed was some work clothes. After shopping, she nned to have a meal in the restaurant and then have a good rest at home. Unexpectedly, she ran into arge crowd. Luca did not want to be nosy but when she heard a cry for help from a somewhat familiar voice, she could not hold herself back and walked toward the crowd. After squeezing through the crowd, she saw Sue holding a little girl about the height of Tommy in her arms. She was surrounded by people. Luca nced at the other little girl standing next to her and knew that they were both Sue''s daughters. It had been some time since she had seen them. She could not tell which was Kari and which was Teri. Sue looked at the crowd of onlookers and asked hysterically, "Is there a doctor here? Please save my daughter!" Luca stepped forward and squatted, wanting to check the girl¡¯s pulse. Sue held Luca''s hand tightly as though an angel was in front of her. She said, "Are you a doctor? Please save my daughter!" Luca withdrew her hand. She was a little sad to see Sue so worried and said, "Let me check her pulse." Sue immediately let go and held Kari so that Luca could examine her. Luca¡¯s hand rested on her veins and she found that Kari''s pulse was weak. She then checked her breathing, frowned, and said, "She suddenly fainted? She''scking oxygen. Did she eat anything that she''s allergic to before she fainted? Was she doing any strenuous exercise?" "I... I don''t think so. It¡¯s been more than an hour since we ate anything. I was just bringing them around to shop. All we did was walk around, we didn''t do any strenuous exercise..." Sue was at a loss, her eyes filled with tears. A kind-hearted onlooker had called for an ambnce but it would take some time for it to arrive. Teri suddenly said, "Mom, Kari ate something." Sue looked at her little daughter and asked, "When did she eat it?" "When you went to try on clothes, the clerk gave her some candy and she ate it. I haven''t eaten mine yet. Here it is." Teri took out the candy from her pocket and handed it to them. Luca took the candy and nced at it. It was peanut candy. She looked at Sue and asked, "Is your daughter allergic to peanuts?" Sue shook her head and said, "I don''t know. She never liked peanuts, so I don''t know if she¡¯s allergic to it." Luca immediately rolled up Kari''s thin sleeves and looked at the red rashes on her skin. She said, "It''s an allergy. Her allergy to peanuts will lead to hypoxia. She needs oxygen. Has anyone called for an ambnce?" As soon as Luca said that, she heard someone shouting," The ambnce is here!" A few people in medical uniforms walked in with a stretcher. As she watched Kari being put on the stretcher, Luca said, "I believe that the peanut candy triggered her allergy, causing hypoxia and fainting. She needs oxygen. Send her to the hospital as soon as possible. When you arrive at the hospital, go for the anti-allergy treatment and test for all her allergens." "I see. Can her family memberse with me?" the paramedics nodded and said. Sue picked Teri up and when she was about to walk off, she suddenly turned around with tears in her eyes as she thanked Luca. "Thank you." Luca looked at her and suddenly remembered how Sue took care of her when she first joined T Corporation. When she started a business of her own, Sue relentlessly helped her build thepany. However, at that moment, she was a fragile mother without the astuteness of the past. All that was left was helplessness and endless worries. Jason Doyle was still abroad and could not help her with the kids. Kari fainted due to allergies and Sue still had Teri to take care of. Luca grabbed her bag and said, "I''ll go to the hospital with you." Sue was a little surprised but she was not displeased with Luca offering to apany her. On the contrary, she felt a little relieved. She nodded and agreed to Lucaing along. They got in the ambnce together. Luca looked at the doctor, who immediately treated Kari. She checked Kari¡¯s pulse and found that as oxygen filled her lungs, Kari''s pulse became more stable. Luca watched as Sue cried silently and wiped away her tears from time to time. She could understand how Sue was feeling. Sue must be ming herself for failing to take good care of Kari, causing her to suffer. Lucaforted her. "It''s normal for a child to disy an allergic reaction to something that they don''t usually eat. If you''re worried, you can go to the hospital to do an allergy check for both of your daughters. In the future, you''ll be well aware of all that they can and cannot eat." Sue listened to her every word. Although she was providing an exnation and suggestions on what to do, she also feltforted by her words. She nodded and said, "Thank you. Kari and Teri have never eaten peanuts since they were young and I haven''t paid much attention to it. You mentioned that Kari is probably allergic to peanuts. Will Teri..." "The physiques of twins are simr but not exact duplicates. You should have Teri go for a check-up as well," Luca suggested. Teri listened to their conversation, then took out the candy in her pocket and coaxed Sue, Mom, don''t be upset. I won''t eat candy anymore." Sue silently held the candy Teri handed over, tears filling her eyes. At that moment, she needed Jason but he was abroad. She was lucky to have bumped into Luca. Otherwise, she would have been at a loss. Chapter 1319 Chapter 1319 Ask Johann For Help The medical staff noticed that Luca was well-versed with first-aid and thought of what she mentioned. He could not help but ask, "Madam, are you also a doctor?" "I''m not. I¡¯m just familiar with research on medicine," Luca shook her head. The ambnce quickly sent them to the hospital. After a simple examination, the doctor determined that Kari had an allergic reaction and he performed anti-allergy treatment. Sue sat with Teri in her arms. She looked at Kari, who was sleeping, and wiped her tears. Teri gently wiped away her tears and said, "Mom, don¡¯t cry. We were lucky to have this kinddy¡¯s help. Kari will be fine." Sue looked at Luca, who was sitting on the side. Kari had been admitted to the hospital but Luca hung around as if she was deliberately keeping herpany. She then realized that she did not even know the other party''s name, so she asked, "I still don''t know your name after talking for so long." "I''m Luca." Luca told Sue her name and shared her identity after thinking about it for a little. "Actually, I¡¯ve met you before." "You¡¯ve met me?" Sue wondered. "I work at Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Thatpany belongs to T Corporation, so I know Mr. Doyle. I was nearby and overheard Mr. Doyle talking about his partner. I¡¯ve seen your photo as well, so I recognized you at a nce," Luca said. Sue nodded and suddenly remembered that herst name was Craw. ¡¯Could she be the Dr. Craw that Jason mentioned? She asked, "Did you juste back from New York?" "Yes, I just came back from training." Luca was slightly surprised. She did not expect Jason to tell Sue everything, including their business trip. After listening to what Sue shared, Jason seemed to have even told her the full name list... Fortunately, neither Jason nor Sue were bad guys. Even if they knew about it, there would be no trouble for Luke. "You¡¯re Dr. Craw!" Sue''s expression was slightlyplicated. She did not have a good impression of Luca when Jason mentioned her previously. She thought that she had ill intentions. However, after the recent incident, she could not hate Luca even if she tried. Sue even thought that Luca felt very familiar... "Dr. Craw, thank you." Sue thanked her. Luca shook her head and said, "It''s nothing, just call me Luca. Dr. Craw sounds so distant..." "Okay, Luca. I''m Sue. Kari, my eldest daughter, is on the hospital bed. Teri is my younger daughter. They''re twins." Sue introduced the twins and was not distant from Luca. She even wondered if she could meet Luca more. Luca smiled and replied, "Your two daughters are very beautiful. They look just like you." "Thank you, Ms. Luca." Teri immediately thanked her when she heard Luca praise her. She said, "Ms. Luca, you''re also very beautiful." Luca smiled happily and missed the days when she used to y with Kari and Teri. At that time, she had the twins and was surprised that Sue gave birth to twins as well. Luca thought that if Sue''s twins were a boy and a girl, they could set them up with Lanie and Rainie. Luca said, "By the way, Mr. Doyle can''te back yet, right?" "Yes, he told me yesterday that something happened at work so he has to stay in New York," Sue nodded and answered. Since Kari and Teri were born, except for Jason¡¯s ex-wife deliberately making things difficult, they went through life safe and sound. It was the first time that such a thing happened, so she was at a loss. At that moment, she hated Jason for being in New York. She felt helpless... Fortunately, Luca showed up... This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "If you need my help, don''t be shy. This is my phone number. " Luca handed Sue her name card. Sue took the name card and her expression turned even moreplicated. Before she got to know Luca, she was on Bianca''s side and spoke horribly about Luca behind her back... However, after what happened, she felt that she should not have done that because it seemed that Luca was not a bad person after interacting with her. Suddenly, a sharp voice said, "Oh, I thought something was wrong with my eyes. It turns out it¡¯s really you, b*tch." Luca and Sue unanimously looked at the door. The person standing at the door of the ward was Bailey, Jason''s ex-wife. When Sue heard her words, her expression turned dark an instant. She hugged Teri tightly and said, "Ms. Bailey, you''re not wee here, please leave." Bailey crossed her hands in front chest and raised her brows as she said, "This is not your home. You have no power here." Sue took a deep breath, and when she was about to flip out, Luca said, "This is a hospital. Do you think that it¡¯s appropriate for you to cause a scene in public?" Bailey nced at Luca contemptuously, then sneered. "Who are you? This is between me and her, why do you care? This is a hospital and it''s indeed a public ce, but if she can be here, why can''t I be here too? Why can''t I talk?" Bailey hated Sue and always thought that she and Jason could not remarry because she was in the way. Bailey looked at Kari, who was on the hospital bed, and said, "What''s wrong with this little bastard? Is she half-dead? Oh, is she dying soon? That¡¯s wonderful, bastards like her shouldn''t be in this world." Sue covered Teri''s ears. She did not want her to hear these horrifying insults. "This is my daughter¡¯s ward, please get out!" She took deep breaths and was trying her best to hold her temper. Sue kept telling herself that Jason was still in New York and she could not fight Bailey. The kids would have nowhere to go if something happened to her. Therefore, she could only swallow her anger. Bailey raised her eyebrows and said, "It won''t be soon enough." After she said that, she made a phone call. Luca was irritated when she heard the contents of her call. At the same time, she dialed Johann''s number. Bailey was looking for the dean while she was looking for Johann. Although Johann was just a doctor, the dean did not dare to offend him. If he left the hospital, it would be a major loss to the hospital. Therefore, although Johann¡¯s rank was lower than the dean''s, his status was many times higher. It was early morning in New York so Luca was not confident that he would pick up. Even so, she decided to take a chance instead of letting Bailey humiliate Sue without doing anything. She was hoping that Johann would not turn off his phone when he was sleeping. Sure enough, when Bailey was talking to the dean, Johann picked up the phone. Chapter 1320 Chapter 1320 Traumatized The Kids For Life Luca nced at Bailey, who was acting hubristic, and exined the situation to Johann. Johann agreed to help after he understood the situation. Luca put away her phone. Bailey informed Dean Winchester of the situation and had some connections in the hospital. She believed Dean Winchester would be on her side. Sue covered Teri¡¯s ears and felt raging hatred in her heart. For so many years, Bailey had continued to pester Jason and even went as far as to hurt her and their kids. She was also a mother. Why would she be so cruel to other people''s children? Over the years, Sue had been trying to protect the kids but Bailey was like a mosquito, sneaking a bite whenever she saw an opportunity. She had traumatized the kids for life. Bailey crossed her hands in front of her chest and looked at the person in front of her contemptuously as she said, "I¡¯ve already contacted Dean Winchester. It¡¯s a matter of seconds before you''ll be kicked out of the hospital!" Sue''s body was shivering with anger. She held Teri in her arms. If not for the fact that Bailey was the mother of Jason''s son, she would not be so polite and would have called the police immediately. Bailey had repeatedly hurt her and her family throughout the years, and for various reasons, Sue endured it. For three years, everyone could see Jason loved Sue and only Sue. She did not want to endure it anymore. "This is the hospital. You don''t have the right to do this!" she yelled. Kari was still being treated and could not afford to be kicked out. Bailey chuckled softly and replied, "People with power can do anything they want. Sue, do you think that you can have a life-free worry after snatching Jason? Let me tell you, even if he chooses you, you''re still nothing but a b*tch who seduces other people''s husbands!" She cursed loudly and attracted the attention of many people. There were already many people standing in the corridor. The crowd thought that Sue was a mistress and gossiped about her. Luca could no longer listen. She held her phone in front of Bailey and said coldly, "Madam, I''ve recorded what you said. Ms. Carter has the right to sue you for nder." Bailey''s eyes widened. "You dare?" "Why wouldn''t I?" Luca said, "What you just said vites the truth. Mr. Doyle had already divorced you when Ms. Carter and he got together. You''re no longer involved in his life so how is Ms. Carter the third party who destroyed your marriage?" Bailey''s eyes widened angrily. She was being directly targeted now. She felt that she was pushed to the cusp of the storm and her arrogance would not allow that to happen. She said grimly, "You''re talking nonsense! It was because of this woman that my rtionship with Jason broke down!" "Where''s the evidence?" Luca asked. Although she missed out on many things after three years, she knew exactly how and when Sue and Jason got together. Bailey looked at the unfamiliar face in front of her. Luca was unlike the person who sided with Sue before. Bailey thought that she was a new friend of Sue who knew nothing of their past. She said, "Her two daughters are evidence." Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "When Ms. Carter was pregnant with the twins, you and Mr. Doyle were already divorced for a long time, right? If you continue to make a scene, everything that you say will be evidence!" Luca stood between her and Sue lest this woman got mad and hurt Teri. She still remembered the crazy things she once did to Sue to own Jason. Bailey looked at Luca and said angrily, "You''re talking nonsense!" Luca calmly saved the recording and said, "This is evidence. If Ms. Carter sues you, you''ll never hear the end of it." The crowd outside the door was talking about Bailey now. She heard them and looked at Sue coldly as she uttered, "B* tch, do you think you have nothing to worry about just because someone is here to stand up for you? Just you wait! If After a while, Dean Winchester walked in and said, "Ms. Bailey, what''s wrong?" When Bailey saw Dean Winchester walk in, she reacted as though she had seen a savior and said, "Dean Winchester, shoo this woman out. She and her two daughters can''t be treated here!" Sue did not expect that Bailey would dare to do that. Just as she was about to stand up, she saw Luca gently shake her head at her. She was taken back, suppressed her anger, and sat down. Dean Winchester pushed his sses, nced at Sue and the others, then apologized, "Ms. Bailey, there''s a sick child here. We can''t kick them out." "Why can''t you? Dean Winchester, I''m sure that you''re aware of the forces behind me." Bailey reminded him in a soft voice. Dean Winchester was well aware of the forces backing Bailey and knew that they were rich. However, even though the people behind Sue were capable, their hospital did not need a wealthy patient but lacked a well-known and capable doctor. Dean Winchester was more afraid of losing Johann than losing a wealthy patient. If this matter was not handled properly, Johann would leave the hospital. The hospital would lose a doctor and a bunch of patients who believed in his medical skills. Among these people, there was no shortage of patients withplicated cases and wealthy backgrounds. Dean Winchester insisted, "The hospital was built for patients. The kid is still sick, I can''t do that." "If you can''t do that, what are you doing here?" Bailey did not expect his firm reaction and was deep in thought about who Luca had called. She did not expect her to be so powerful. "I heard you''re here and wanted to invite you to my office for a cup of tea." Dean Winchester gave her an out. Bailey was a public figure, and he could not have security kick her out. Even if the dean gave her an out, Bailey did not want to lose her dignity here. However, everyone was siding with Sue and she knew better than to piss off the woman in front of her. She thought that Dean Winchester, who had promised to help her solve the problem, would fulfill his promise but did not expect him to change sides. No matter how furious she was, she could not do anything about it. "Hmph!" She turned around and left. Dean Winchester smiled apologetically at Luca and Sue before saying, "Everything is fine now." Luca nodded and said, "Dean Winchester, thank you for the trouble." "No trouble. Dr. Park''s friend is my friend. Dr. Craw, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll get back to work," Dean Winchester said politely. Chapter 1321 Chapter 1321 Had A Good Impression Of Luca "Okay, Dean Winchester, take care," Luca smiled and said. After Dean Winchester left the ward, Luca closed the door to block off the curious nces from outside. Sue put Teri on the floor and smiled gratefully at her. "Dr. Craw, thank you so much." "No worries. Mr. Doyle helped me a lot when I needed it, so I want to return the favor. After all, he''s in New York now and there''s no way for him to be back here, so that woman is taking advantage of that. She''s arrogant and annoying," Luca said. In her heart, she knew that Sue would not react as such in the past. If it were not for the twins, she would not have backed down. It was not easy being a mother. Luca looked at Sue and thought of the situation that she was in. Although she was still being drugged, it was not why she went with Abel''s every wish. If N were not in his hands, she would not have given in and chosen to obey him. She would not be restrained by his orders either. Mothers were mighty but a lot of things were out of their hands. Luca felt even sadder when she thought of that. If Lanie knew the things she had done, would he be able to forgive her? After Sue thanked Luca, she could not hold back the curiosity in her heart and asked, "Dr. Craw, you seem to be familiar with what happened between me and Jason?" Luca exined, "I see Mr. Doyle at work and heard him mention a few things about your rtionship. Don''t worry about what she said just now. I know Mr. Doyle. I believe that he would never cheat. I said what I said because I believe that you didn''t do anything hical or immoral when the two of you got together." She knew that Sue was sensitive and would have doubts if she did not give a reasonable exnation. She did not want Sue to suspect how she learned of such things or think that she was somehow involved with Jason, so she provided a reasonable exnation. Sue nodded when she heard Luca¡¯s reply. It was a reasonable reply but it seemed a little too reasonable... Luca walked to the bed and nced at Kari. The red rashes on Karis body had slowly gone down. She said, "Kari should be awake in a while. After the allergen test, you have to be more careful moving forward." Sue learned her lesson. She did not expect that Kari, who never liked peanuts, would ept peanut candy from a stranger and eat it. Inevitably, she felt guilty knowing that Kari had suffered. She nodded and said, "I''ll pay more attention to it in the future." Luca touched Teri''s head and said, "Since Kari is allergic to peanuts, Teri might be too. Teri, in the future, you have to look out for your sister and make sure that she doesn''t have any food that she shouldn''t be having." Teri nodded obediently and said, "Ms. Luca, don''t worry. I¡¯ll look after my sister." Seeing that Sue and the kids were fine, Luca did not n to stay any longer. She said goodbye and turned around to leave. Sue looked at her as she walked away. She could not shake off how familiar Luca felt. She took out the card that Luca handed her and added her as a friend on social media. When Luca got to the elevator entrance, she received a friend request from Sue. She smiled and approved it. She could never forget how Sue used to take care of her. Although they could not be too close, their friendship has always existed so she did not hesitate when she added her as a friend. She took the elevator to the first floor and suddenly felt a little thirsty so she walked to the vending machine. When she was about to buy a bottle of water, she heard Bailey''s voice. The vending machine was in a remote ce and there were not many people at that time, so she could hear Bailey¡¯s every word clearly. After a moment, she heard Bailey''s still frustrated voice say, "I don''t care! No matter what, you have to teach that b*tch a lesson!" Luca frowned. ''Bailey wanted to take action on Sue?* Bailey''s background wasplicated. If she hired some good-for-nothings to take revenge on Sue, Sue may not have the ability to fight back and Jason was still abroad... Luca did not leave and continued to listen to the conversation. "That woman made me suffer a big loss today, I can''t let it go. Make sure you do something about it. By the way, it¡¯s best if you can also find out the woman who sided with her and screw her over too!" Bailey said. Luca unscrewed the bottle cap and sighed silently. ''No wonder Jason is so determined not to remarry her. With such an ex-wife, I would avoid her like a gue too...'' Bailey continued talking, "Don''t think about dragging this out so I would calm down and let it go. Listen to me, Jason is in New York now so it¡¯s the best time for you to take action! There are consequences if you don¡¯t do what I say. Need I remind you of this?" Luca shook her head and turned around to leave. ''Bailey thinks that she can hurt Sue? I''ll never let her get her way. Since Jason is not around, I''ll protect Sue in the dark...'' Luca walked into the elevator and headed for the ward. She was worried that Bailey''s men would be eager and act immediately. Kari should be able to leave the hospital after she was done with the drip. Before that could happen, Sue was alone with the two children so it was the best timing for them to take action against her... Luca thought that she had no choice but to be involved in this matter. When she arrived at the ward, Sue was surprised to see her walk in. "Dr. Craw, why are you-" "I don¡¯t have much to do today. Why don¡¯t I apany you for a while? Kari will probably be able to leave the hospital soon if all goes well. Let''s have a meal together?" Luca said. Sue was taken back but agreed although she was not sure why Luca would invite her out for a meal. "That sounds good, thank you." Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Luca smiled and sat back in the chair. Seeing her, Sue remembered what Jason had said and could not help but ask, "Dr. Craw, I heard Jason mentioned that you seem to be close with Mr. Crawford?" "He''s my boss and I, his subordinate. There''s nothing more that''s going on. I believe that Mr. Doyle might have misunderstood the situation," Luca said. She knew why Sue asked her that. Jason and Sue had no secrets between them. He would have told her about Luke and Luca''s rtionship. Sue and Bianca were good friends. Although they were not as involved in each other''s life, Luca knew that Sue would not hesitate siding with the fake Bianca. That was why Luca felt the need to rify her and Luke''s rtionship in front of Sue. Sue listened to her and nodded as if lost in thought. Although she thought that Luca and Luke were close, in her heart, she still had a good impression of Luca. Chapter 1322 Chapter 1322 Why Was She So Insistent After Kari''s rashes faded, she woke up in a blur and was in stable condition. Kari apologized to Sue after she found out that she got sick because she gluttonously ate the peanut candy given by a stranger. "I''m sorry, Mom. I won''t do it anymore." Considering all that she went through, Sue did not want to me her for what happened. She said, "You should thank Ms. Luca. We were lucky that she was nearby.¡¯¡¯ Kari looked at Luca, smiled sweetly, and said, "Thank you, Ms. Luca." Luca smiled and was a little envious to see the kids cling to Sue''s side. She said, "You''re wee." Seeing that Kari was okay, Sue temporarily entrusted Kari and Teri to Luca and ran to the hospital counter to settle the bill. Luca pinched Kari''s cheek and then Teri''s. Luca thought that Sue must trust her a lot to leave them with her. After Sue paid the bill, she returned to the ward and looked at Luca. "Dr. Craw, thank you for helping Kari. Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll treat you to dinner." Luca did not turn her down. She nodded and said, "Okay." Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. With that, they left the hospital. Luca stopped a taxi. It was not too packed for the two adults and two children to sit in the back. She asked, "Did you tell Mr. Doyle what happened today?" "I only told him about Kari so that he won¡¯t identally feed her peanuts in the future," Sue said. What happened had shocked her deeply. Luca paused and reminded her. "I think you should tell him what happened with Bailey as well." Bailey made it clear that she would not let Sue and the kids off easily. If Jason knew about it, he could do something. Although she said she could protect them, she could not be there for them all the time. Jason was Sue¡¯s partner and the father of their children. These things were what he should do. "Let¡¯s forget about Bailey." Sue knew that if she told Jason about it, he would go after Bailey and be overly protective whenever they went out. He was upied with work, and she did not want him to have another thing to worry about. Luca knew what she was thinking about. If it were her, she would not want Luke to worry as well. However, if she had asked Luke to apany her or gone with his initial arrangements, maybe things would not be the way it was. Abel had always wanted to take revenge on Luke. Since he failed on the day when Leia tried on the wedding dress, he would have found other opportunities. She knew that Luke would have protected her. If she had listened to his advice, she might not have been abducted to the Ind of Despair. "I don''t think that woman will give up so easily. She lost her dignity in front of so many people and couldn''t get her way even after involving Dean Winchester. I don''t know what she¡¯ll do next. Mr. Doyle is their father, he has the right to know this." Luca persuaded Sue earnestly. Sue thought to herself and it seemed what Luca said made sense. Bailey seemed normal but would cross the line for Jason. Sometimes, she acted so mad that she did not seem normal. Sue had a sad smile on her face. If she had the choice, she would not want to be involved with a madwoman as such." I''ll talk to Jason about it when hees back." Luca nodded and did not say anything else. There was still some time before Jason''s return. During this period, she told herself that she would protect the three of them secretly. Although she had her work to attend to, Amur had returned and could assist her in this matter. After the meal, Luca insisted on sending the three of them home. Sue wondered why she was so insistent since their house was out of her way. Luca exined with a smile on her face, "It''s gettingte and I''m worried about your safety, so please let me send you home." "Isn''t it unsafe for you to go home aler?" Sue thought that Luca was weak and was worried for her safety if she had to take a taxi back homete at night. "I learned a little bit of self-defense. Didn''t Mr. Doyle tell you? I saved Mr. Crawford''s youngest son from a group of gangsters. I took him in for a few days when he refused to go home." Luca told Sue about what had happened to reassure her. Sue nodded when she heard what Luca said. She remembered when Luke asked Jason to send people to search for Tommy day and night. Although she thought Luca was overly cautious, Sue allowed her to send them home. After she sent them home, Luca sat in the taxi and watched them walk in before asking the driver to drive off. The taxi drove away slowly before the man standing in the corner walked out. He was wearing a cap, so his face was hidden. The man took out his phone and said to the person on the other end of the phone, "The mission failed. Someone escorted them back. I didn''t want to act rashly and alert them." Bailey cursed at him, "You''re a good-for-nothing! What were you afraid of? Was it a woman who escorted her home? It¡¯s just another woman, what are you afraid of?" The man frowned as he listened to her insults. He was confident about taking on Sue and the kids even if there were one more child. However, an adult would make much more noisepared to a child. Even if the task was sessful, it might alert the others. If the task was unsessful, he would have alerted the enemy. "It would be best if I could catch the four of them. I''m afraid that if one of them gets away, the situation will be difficult to handle," the man exined. Bailey wanted to mess with Sue but did not consider the point that the man raised. "What''s so difficult about it? You''re in the mafia, this is peanuts to you. She''s just a sl*t who has no influence. I paid you so much and if you can''t do this well, you''ll never hear the end of it!" With that, she hung up the man''s call. The man put away his phone, his expression ugly. He spat on the ground and said, "What a b*tch. This is easier said than done. I was paid so little but asked to do so much and even got screamed at. Some day, I''ll get you." Luca took the taxi back to the apartment. The living room was brightly lit. She pushed the door, walked in, and saw Amur. "Amur, have you had dinner?" She changed her shoes and hung all the clothes she bought on hangers. She nned to clean the ce upter. "I went downstairs and had a light dinner," Amur replied and knew why she was back sote after seeing the shopping bags. He asked, "Did you go shopping today?" Chapter 1323 Chapter 1323 Now Is The Best Time Luca nodded and sat on the sofa. "Yes, I bought some clothes to prepare for the change in season. By the way, you should go buy some when you have the time. The weather here is not like that of the ind. The change in season is drastic." Amur nodded and saw her take out her purse from her bag. When she was about to hand him her credit card, he said, "I have money." After hearing this, Luca still shoved the card in his hand and said, "I know you have money, but you should save it for a rainy day. You''re in A City to help me, so I should pay for all your expenses." Seeing that she took it so seriously, Amur felt a little helpless. "What would I need money for?" "To start a family," Luca said with a smile. One day, she would escape the Ind of Despair with them. When that happened, Amur and Eler would need money to start their new lives. Amur smiled stiffly when he heard what she said. Starting a family felt like something that would only happen in the far future. He knew that Luca always had a n to leave the ind with them but Amur did not n as far ahead as she did. All he wanted was to be by her side to protect her. Luca noticed that he did not speak and his smile was not as bright as before. She thought he was shy and said with a smile, "Amur, I need a favor from you." "Tell me," Amur immediately responded when he heard her change the subject. He did not put any thoughts into starting a family. His only goal was to stay by her side and do his best for her. Luca said, "I have a friend, someone who was close to me in the past. She has encountered some trouble recently and there might be someone plotting against her. If it''s not too much trouble, I¡¯d appreciate it if you could protect her and her children..." "Your friend?" Amur frowned. He did not expect that she was still stuck in the past. Luke, her three kids, and now her friend... "Yes, I happened to bump into her when I was shopping earlier and found out about the situation that she''s in. She was kind to me before so I can''t stay out of it knowing that she might be in danger. You wouldn''t have to protect her for too long, only until her partner returns to A City," Luca exined. Amur thought that she was exining so much for fear that he would not agree to her request... He nodded and said, "Give me that person''s details and I''ll protect her." Luca immediately picked up her phone after Amur agreed and sent him all of Sue''s details, including her photos and address. "She lives a simple life. All she does is go to work and send her children to and fro from school. Her life is not thatplicated." Amur nodded and looked at the information she had sent over. He knew that she had prepared it in advance. If he did not agree to her request, she would protect Sue on her own. Luca was always like this. Even though she went through a lot on the Ind of Despair in the past three years, she still kept to her true self. She would not hesitate to give back to those who were kind to her. It was a pity that a kind person like her had to suffer such horrifying experiences... Amur always felt that no matter how much blood was on Luca¡¯s hands, she was still different from the others. She seemed toe from heaven while others came from the abyss of hell. Seeing that he agreed readily, Luca informed him of Sue and Jason''s rtionship. After hearing this, Amur asked with a weird expression on his face, "You want to protect her because she was kind to you before, or is it because of Luke?" "Of course, it''s because she was kind to me. Look at thepany she¡¯s in. It was founded by me. However, the fake Bianca didn¡¯t do anything so thepany fell into Luke''s hands." Luca''s heart felt heavy when the past was mentioned. Amur nodded and took the matter up. Luca picked up herptop and found T Corporation''s website. She did not bother to hide it. Amur saw it and could not help but ask, "What are you looking at?" Luca told him all about what had happened in New York and shared her suspicions. "The security system on New York''s side was easily cracked by Abel and his men. They nted a virus. I''m worried that the same will happen in A City." Amur watched her try to write code and remembered that of all the training she received on the Ind of Despair, coding was the most difficult for her. Abel had to give in and made her quit. Then, she was tasked to devote her time to the study of medicine. "What program are you nning to write?" Amur asked. Luca frowned and replied, "I want to write an intrusion program but I don¡¯t want to look at any secret information. I want to check for the loopholes in T Corporation''s security system to see if there are any traces of the intrusion." Amur noticed that everything she did was rted to Luke. His heart felt tight. She tried her best to maintain a rtionship with him but even when he was not around, she still did the same... ''When will Luca prioritize herself?'' ¡¯ Amur said, "T Corporation''s security system is not so easy to hack into." "That''s the case for me, but not for you," Luca said as she stared straight at him. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Amur sighed as he knew she wanted him to help. Even if he did not want to, there were no other options... Amur could not bear to watch her stay up all night just to create a program, so he moved theputer in her hand to hisp and took the matter off her hands. "I''ll help you." Luca looked right at him. Amur''s fingers tapped on the keyboard quickly as he typed sentences that she could not understand. Luca knew about his talent inputer programming. She did it on purpose. Luca wanted him to take a look at T Corporation''s security system. She did not want Luke to find out about the ws after Abel took action. He was capable but he was exposed under the light while Abel was hiding in the dark. If anything happened, the situation would be unfavorable to Luke. "Amur, thank you," Luca said. Amur knew what she was doing. He did not look up as he said, "I¡¯m helping Luke. He¡¯s the one who should be thanking me." Luca smiled, stood up, and walked to the kitchen. "I''m going to wash some fruits." Amur moved quickly and after a while, he finished a long paragraph. Luca ced the fruits on the coffee table. When she saw the code that was being typed out, she said, "This matter isn''t urgent. You should eat something first. Abel''s men are busy causing chaos in New York. I don''t think he¡¯ll do anything here in the meantime." ¡¯ "If he wants to cause chaos for Luke, now is the best time," Amur reminded her. Chapter 1324 Chapter 1324 Now Is Not The Right Time Luca''s smile froze. Of course, she knew that this was the best time for Abel to hurt Luke. While he was busy dealing with the mess in the New Yorkpany, he would not be able to manage the situation if anything happened in A City. Louis'' studio was going wonderfully, and Luke was supporting the entire T Corporation. Luca said, "For Abel, now is not the right time. I believe he won¡¯t act for the time being." Amur never stopped typing on the keyboard. After listening to what she said, he sped up. After half an hour, the program was done. Amur cracked the neighbor''swork and officially started to invade T Corporation¡¯swork. "This security system is very tight, it¡¯ll take some time,¡± Amur said as he put theputer on the coffee table and plugged it in. Luca yawned when she saw the program being run automatically. She nced at the time and it was late. She said, "It''ste. Let''s rest. We can discuss further tomorrow." Amur nodded and said, "It may not be done by tomorrow but this program can run automatically so we don''t need to put too much effort into it." Luca nodded. It was a lot easier for her if the program could run automatically. Theputer was ced in the living room, and the two went back to their respective bedrooms. After she washed up, Lucay on the bed and looked at her phone. Tommy had sent her a message but her phone was muted just now so she did not notice that her phone rang. She had yet to read the message. After listening to Tommy''s voice note, Luca thought that he would be asleep by now so she replied with a long voice note exining that her phone was not with her just now and that she was not deliberately ignoring him. After that, she put down the phone and took some sleeping pills. Before the lights were turned off, she nced at her phone again to look at Luke''s private ount. As usual, he had not posted anything. Luca put her phone aside and thought about him. ''He should be working now...'' The next day, Crawford Manor. Old Master Crawford was sitting on the sofa sipping tea. When he saw the servanting downstairs with a suitcase in her hands, he frowned and asked, "Whose suitcase is that? n "It''s Madam Bianca''s suitcase," the servant replied. Old Master Crawford saw Bianca following behind the maid. He asked, "Where are you going with your suitcase?" "Grandpa, I''m going to New York. Luke is working so hard in New York and I want to help him," Bianca smiled and exined. She did not realize that the others did not believe her words. ''Help Luke? How can she help him when she can''t even manage herpany well?¡¯ Old Master Crawford thought she was being silly and snarled at her. "Luke is very busy in New York. You''d be causing him more trouble if you go over." Bianca thought that Old Master Crawford would not stop her and might even think that she was a sensible wife. However, she was stunned when he scolded her. "Grandpa, I¡¯m not going to cause him any trouble. He''s working so hard and I''m going there to take care of him-" "How are you going to take care of him? Do you understand any of the documents or are you nning to cook and wash clothes for him? Are you going there to massage him?" Old Master Crawford did not bother being polite just because the servant was still there. He used to love Bianca as Luke''s wife, which was why he did not say anything even after she lost her memory and went through the traumatizing event. However, after she got amnesia, her temperament changed drastically and what he used to like about her was no longer there. Her shorings, which were the only thing that was left, made him shake his head and sigh. Old Master Crawford believed that even if a person remembered nothing and forgot how to do anything, they could learn as long as they wanted to. However, Bianca''s amnesia was so serious that nothing about her was the same except for the looks. The more time they spent together, the less he liked her. He even felt that Luke should not waste time on her. Bianca, who knew nothing, would add to the chaos if she went to New York to take care of Luke. Susan watched as the situation unfold. She could not help but say sarcastically, "Before her memory loss, she could barely get by, but now, her amnesia has changed everything. Dad, don''t embarrass her. It¡¯s fine that she doesn''t understand a lot of things. Some people will never learn." Bianca''s expression turned sour listening to one of them reprimanding her without holding back while the other mocked her. She clenched her fist and stood there without humming a word for a long time. Old Master Crawford thought that what Susan said was harsh but it was not without reason. Susan was part of the Crawford family. No matter how pampered Susan was, she could step up when the family needed her to. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Yuri was the same. Although she often quarreled with Louis, she was capable and could help Louis. Bianca was like a decorative item in the Crawford family. She knew nothing and was of no use. i Aside from her appearance, everything else wascking... Old Master Crawford looked at her with a cold expression on his face and said, "Put her suitcase back where it was." The implication was that Bianca was not allowed to go to New York to cause Luke any trouble. The servant noticed that Old Master Crawford''s expression was stern and then turned to look at Bianca, who was pale. She was clear about who held the power in the household and went up with the suitcase. Bianca lowered her head to conceal the fury in her eyes. She was nobody in this family. Even the servant did not listen to her... Seeing her pitiful appearance, Old Master Crawford did not have any pity. He said in a gruff tone, "What are you still doing here? Do what you should do and don''t think about disturbing Luke." "Yes, Grandpa." Bianca turned around and headed upstairs while holding her phone in her hand. She received a text reminding her of the precautions to take note of before going to the airport. She opened the ticket booking application and canceled the ticket she bookedst night. A sh of sarcasm appeared in Susan''s eyes when she saw Bianca go upstairs obediently. Although she used to pick on Bianca, she still admired her from the bottom of her heart. At that time when Luke disappeared, Bianca withstood the pressure of public opinion and managed T Corporation while being pregnant so that Old Master Crawford did not have to worry too much about thepany. However, after losing her memory, Bianca was nothing more than a good-for-nothing. If Luke had not run a DNA test before, she would have thought that this Bianca was a fake. "Dad, don''t be angry. If Luke is too busy, Louis can help," Susan said deliberately. Old Master Crawford red at her and said, "If Louis had the intention to run thepany, would he have started a studio?" Chapter 1325 Chapter 1325 Bianca''s n Susan did not know how to react to what Old Master Crawford said. She felt resentful. She said, "If there''s such a need, Louis would know his priorities. After all, we don''t expect Bianca to help with T Corporation." Old Master Crawford did not answer and drank his tea in silence. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Bianca stood at the corner near the stairs and heard Susan''s every word. She silently clenched her fist. Not only did Old Master Crawford see her as a good-for-nothing but Susan and the others too... They may look down on her now but she swore that she would get her revenge in the future. Bianca walked upstairs with her head held high when she thought about what she was going to do. Since they did not allow her to go to Luke, she would be more than happy to create some chaos for the Crawford family. On the other side, Luca was at work and received a call from Amur. "Amur, what''s the matter?" Luca nced at the time. At this hour, Sue would have already sent Kari and Teri to school before going to work. "As you said, someone has a bone to pick with Ms. Carter," Amur said while looking at the man he had subdued on the ground. The man wanted to take action on Sue when she got out of the car but he was not aware that he was exposed. Before he could get close to Sue, Amur subdued him to the ground. "Did you catch that person?" Luca asked but already knew the answer. No one had ever escaped from Amur. "He''s on the ground." Amur stepped on the man''s wrist and he screamed in pain. The man knew that he was in the wrong and instantly stopped screaming. "Did you catch him in the act?" Luca asked. She heard the man''s screams. "No, I pressed him to the ground before he had time to act." Amur did not like to catch others in the act. For one, he did not want to let Sue know that he was protecting her. Secondly, if he caught the perpetrator in the act, there were a lot of follow-ups to do. Luca replied to him and thought about it for a while. If he did not catch the man in the act, they could not send him to the police station. She said, "Threaten him and teach him a lesson before you let him go." After Amur agreed, she ended the call. When Luca put her phone aside and was about to conduct her research, Rhett knocked on her door. "Come in." She stood up, watched the door open, and Rhett walked in with a man. "Dr. Craw, he''s from the Security Department and mentioned that he received an order from Mr. Crawford to upgrade theputer''s security system," Rhett said. Luca nodded, moved out of her seat, and asked, "How long will it take?" "The program is ready so it won''t take too much of your time, " the man said as he walked to the computer and plugged in the USB. Luca stood by and waited because there was a lot of important information on theputer. Even if she did not care, she still had to stand here and pretend to care. As the man installed the program, she asked, "By the way, why did Mr. Crawford suddenly think of upgrading the system?" "I don''t know. I got a message from my manager this morning. Our role is to execute, we don''t question anything." The man watched as the program was installed little by little. After it was done, he unplugged the USB and said, "Dr. Craw, this new system is a little different from the previous ones. If you''re not used to it or don¡¯t understand anything, you can call anyone in our department at any time and we''ll help you with it." "Okay, thank you." Luca nodded. After the man left, she picked up the documents again and said to Rhett, "Get the materials ready. We''ll head to theboratory to conduct some research." "Okay," Rhett turned around and walked out. When Luca left her office, she received a text from Amur saying that he had warned the man and let him go. She quickly replied to him: [That woman won''t give up so easily. She might resort to worse methods since she failed this time. Please pay more attention to Sue and the kids.] Amur quickly replied to her: [Okay.] Luca put her thoughts about Luke and Sue away to focus on her research. In the evening, Zander, the driver of the Crawford family, sent the kids back to the manor. Bianca was sitting in the living room on the second floor. When she saw Rainie and the other kids walking upstairs with their school bags, she said, "You''re back!" Lanie and Rainie exchanged nces, then nodded at Bianca. They felt nothing toward her enthusiasm. In the past, they would have gotten excited that their mother was not being indifferent to them. However, since they found out the person in front of them was not their mother, they felt weird and became more vignt about her sudden enthusiasm. Bianca endured the difort she felt when she saw how indifferent they were acting. She stepped forward and took their school bags before saying, "Do you have a lot of homework today? What about letting me help you?" Lanie shook his head and said, "We don''t have much homework today so we can do it ourselves." With that, he took back his and Rainie''s school bags before walking to the bedroom. Bianca was stunned and looked at Tommy, who was the only one left. She smiled and asked, "Tommy, how about you? Do you need help with your homework?" "Even if I need help, I don¡¯t think that you can help. Lanie and Rainie will teach me, don''t worry." Although Tommy said a lot, none of it was what she wanted. After he finished speaking, he walked to Lanie''s bedroom. Bianca stood at the top of the stairs and stared in the direction the kids went. Her expression was gloomy. They did not care about her at all! Bianca tightened her fist silently and tried to suppress her anger. She still had to endure it because there was still a n to implement. She walked to the bedroom, took out her biggest bag, and stuffed something in it as well as the cash she had previously saved. After Bianca was done packing, she walked into Lanie''s bedroom. As expected, the kids were sitting at the desk doing their homework. Rainie turned around when she heard the sound of footsteps. After she saw Bianca, she continued doing her homework. Bianca approached them and asked, "Do you have a lot of homework today?" Lanie and Tommy said nothing while Rainie responded, "It''s alright." "In that case, Rainie, after you finish your homework, can you go somewhere with me?" Bianca asked. Lanie looked at her warily and asked, "Why only Rainie?" "My friend invited me to dinner and I can''t bring the three of you so I n to bring Rainie since my friend likes her," Bianca exined with a smile on her face. Chapter 1326 Chapter 1326 She Meant Nothing To The Crawford Family "Who''s your friend?¡± Lanie was on high alert. Bianca had never been so enthusiastic toward them and had never taken any one of them out alone, so Lanie thought that she was acting particrly strange. Bianca''s eyes shed with impatience when faced with his endless questions. She did not put too much thought into it and continued to coax them. "You don''t know her, she''s a new friend. Her daughter wants to learn ballet and she heard that Rainie is great at it. My friend wants to treat us to a meal so Rainie can give her daughter some tips on ballet." Lanie was still suspicious and was not fooled by her words. When he was thinking about stepping in to help Rainie turn her down, Rainie said, "Okay, but I have to finish my homework first. Can you get out and give me some time?" Bianca smiled brightly when Rainie agreed to her request. She stopped disturbing them so they could leave earlier." Okay, do your homework." After Bianca left, Lanie closed the bedroom door, looked at Rainie, and asked, "Why did you agree? I feel¡ª" He stopped halfway because Tommy was still there. Rainie knew what he was worried about. She smiled and said, "I know, Lanie, but if I follow her, maybe I''ll find out something. We can''t do nothing and keep waiting." Lanie¡¯s brows furrowed deeply when he heard her reply. Rainie was timid and would cry if something happened. However, their fake mother did not intend to bring him along. He kept Bianca''s words close to his heart. He had to protect his younger siblings. "No, I can''t let you go alone." "Lanie, if something happens, you can stay here and tell Great-grandpa. Maybe she''s just taking me to dinner. Don''t be nervous." Rainie smiled and calmed him down. She had always been the little princess protected by the family, but since she found out that their mother had nevere back and was instead reced by an identical-looking woman, she wanted to do something to get their mother back. However, she had not found a chance to tell Luke about it. "Lanie, Rainie, what are you talking about? Why don''t I understand you?" Tommy stopped working on his homework and looked at both of them suspiciously. "Nothing," Lanie and Rainie said unanimously. Rainie picked up her pen and continued to work on her homework. She stood up after she was done. Lanie took her hand and ced the phone that Luke had prepared for them. "If anything happens, call me." "I will," Rainie smiled, held the phone, and went back to her bedroom. She changed into a dress, carried her little backpack, and walked to the master bedroom to look for Bianca. "Mom, I''m ready." When Bianca heard what Rainie said, she reached out and held her hand. "That¡¯s great. I''ve already told my friend. Let''s go." Rainie thought that her hand was very cold. She nodded and silently withdrew her hand. Bianca looked at her and asked, "What''s wrong?" "Mom, your hand is too cold," Rainie said as she walked out of the master bedroom. The expression on Bianca''s face was frozen. ''My hand is too cold? Isn''t the hand of their biological mother cold too?¡¯ She wanted to get to know the real Bianca but things were strict on the Ind of Despair. She had no connections or ways to find out who she was. Rainie sensed that Bianca was not following her and just as she turned around, the fury on Bianca''s face disappeared. Rainie acted kind and said, "Mom, are youing?" "I¡¯ming." Bianca stepped forward and went downstairs with her. Dinner was almost ready in Crawford Manor. Old Master Crawford saw Bianca and Rainieing downstairs. They were dressed up as though they were going out. He asked," Rainie, dinner is almost ready. Where are you going?" Rainie replied obediently, "Mom told me that her friend wants to ask me about ballet so she''s bringing me out." When Old Master Crawford heard Rainie¡¯s reply, he thought that it was not a big deal. Since they were about to have dinner and he did not want Rainie to starve, he said, "Go after dinner. I don''t want you to be hungry." Bianca put her hand on Rainie''s shoulder and exined with a smile, "Grandpa, we¡¯re going to have dinner with my friend. It won¡¯t take too long for us to get there. Rainie won''t be hungry." Old Master Crawford nced at her and said, "Why didn''t you set an earlier time? Dr. Cairn mentioned that Rainie''s stomach is sensitive and she should never starve. Otherwise, it would be easy for her to get stomach problems. Don¡¯t you think that you¡¯ve failed as her mother?" Anger surged through Bianca when she heard Old Master Crawford''s usations. She wanted to leave early but Rainie was doing homework. The three children were smart. Lanie might not react well if she forcibly took Rainie away. Lanie arrived downstairs, took a look at the time, and said," Rainie''s stomach is indeed sensitive. Why not have some food before going or meet your friend another day?" He really did not want Rainie to go out with Bianca alone. Bianca grabbed two packets of biscuits from the table and stuffed them into Rainie''s hand. "You won''t feel hungry if you have some biscuits. I¡¯ve already confirmed with my friend that we¡¯re going. It won¡¯t be appropriate if we cancel at thest minute." "What''s the big deal? You can starve and go by yourself. Rainie, go to the dining room for dinner." Old Master Crawford thought Bianca was messing around. On top of that, he had not met any of her friends. Since Bianca got amnesia, her female friends that the family knew about had beenpletely alienated by her. Old Master Crawford did not care that she was out every day to meet her new friends. Rainie nced at Lanie, then at Old Master Crawford. She said, "Great-grandpa, I won''t starve if I eat some biscuits. Since Mom has confirmed our attendance, I¡¯ll go just this once." Old Master Crawford shook his head helplessly when he heard what Rainie said. He felt even more dissatisfied with Bianca. He had watched them grow up since they were small kids and knew their personalities well. Rainie did not like to meet with strangers. He thought that Rainie was acting sensibly because she did not want Bianca to feel embarrassed. "This can never happen again." Old Master Crawford stepped forward, touched her nose with his index finger, and said, "Take more biscuits with you. Don''t starve." "Okay, Great-grandpa." Rainie picked up more biscuits. After Bianca and Rainie left the living room, Bianca could no longer hold her temper. In just a day, Old Master Crawford had embarrassed her twice! To Old Master Crawford, she meant nothing to the Crawford family and was not even allowed to go out with Rainie without being questioned!Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1327 Chapter 1327 A Fake Bianca endured the strong dissatisfaction in her heart. She wanted revenge more than anything. After the car left the parking lot, she nced at Rainie who was sitting in the passenger seat and eating biscuits. Bianca stepped on the elerator and left Crawford Manor. Rainie ate the biscuits quietly. She did not seem too happy and did not speak. Bianca noticed that she made almost no sound eating the biscuits and remembered what Old Master Crawford was always nagging about. She suppressed her temper and asked, "Rainie, has your Great- grandpa always been like this? rr Rainie swallowed the biscuits before she replied, "What''s wrong with Great-grandpa?" "Does he dislike me?" Bianca asked. Although it was not the best idea to share that with a kid, she was not bothered as it was not her child. Rainie shook her head and said, "No, don''t think too much about it." Bianca was still angry and continued to ask, "Was he also like this before? Has he always been so stern with me?" "Although Great-grandpa seems harsh, he has always treated us well. Mom, don''t you like Great- grandpa? You used to treat Great-grandpa with the utmost respect. Once, you made a mistake and Great-grandpa med you. Lanie and I felt bad for you but you told us that Great-grandpa didn''t have any bad intentions. He cares a lot about the family, so you told us not to me him." Rainie deliberately mentioned what had happened in the past. When Bianca heard it, she felt some disdain in her heart and did not think that the real Bianca taught her children well. ''It''s obvious that she''s weak, ipetent, and can''t get rid of Old Master Crawford''s control so she said those kind things so as to not feel ufortable when she''s picked on in the future.¡¯ "I don''t remember anything, I''m sorry," she apologized deliberately. "Mom, it''s okay. It''s not your fault that you have amnesia. Great-grandpa is nice. Don''t take what happened today to heart." Although Rainie knew that she was a fake, she still defended Old Master Crawford, who had always pampered her. "Of course, I don''t have a bone to pick with him. I''m just curious whether he treated me the same way before this," Bianca said. She minded that she was not treated with respect. However, she believed that she did not need to rely on others to regain her honor. Since Luke left Crawford Manor, she felt that the servants in Crawford Manor were not as kind to her as they were in the beginning. She had to do something to make them understand fear. She would not allow herself to be as weak and ipetent as the real Bianca, who allowed others to bully her and even spoke up for the other party after. "I''m happy to hear that you''re not taking it to heart." Rainie smiled and continued to eat the biscuits. Bianca drove to a restaurant, led her in, and sat down. Rainie asked curiously, "Mom, didn''t you say that your friend and her daughter areing? Why aren''t they here yet?" Bianca opened the menu and replied casually, "Oh, I just received a text from my friend saying that she suddenly had something to do and can¡¯t make it. Since we''re already out, let''s eat here and go back when we''re done." Rainie nodded and did not say anything. However, she had been paying attention to Bianca in the car and knew that Bianca had not looked at her phone during the ride. ''How does she know that her friend can''t make it if she hasn''t even looked at her phone?'' Rainie took note of that. She listened as Bianca ordered all her favorite dishes. She did not order any of Rainie''s favorites. Bianca said to the waiter, ''That''s it for the time being." Rainie''s heart suddenly felt a little bitter. She thought of the times when she and the real Bianca had dinner together. Bianca would always order all of her and Lanie''s favorites. At that time, she thought that they shared the same taste. It was not until some timeter that she found out that the real Bianca had her own favorite dishes. She would always order their favorites instead of her own to get the children to eat more. They could barely finish their favorite dishes, so she never ordered her favorites. After Rainie found out, she thought that her mother was the best in the world. The person in front of her was a fake. Apart from only ordering what she liked, the fake Bianca did not even bother to ask for her opinion. After all, she was not their biological mother, so it was no wonder they did not like to get close to her when she returned. Rainie thought of that and was reminded of her biological mother. She unconsciously started tearing up. Bianca was sitting across from her and noticed that. She frowned and asked, "Rainie, why are your eyes red? Are you feeling ufortable?" "No, Mom." Rainie shook her head and knew that she could not share what she was thinking about. She asked, "Since your friend can''te, Mom, why don''t we go home for dinner?" When she heard that Rainie wanted to go back, Bianca''s expression changed. She shook her head and said, "I''ve ordered, so let''s eat here. By the time we get home, they might be done with dinner and there won¡¯t be any leftovers for us. If you starve, Old Master Crawford will scold me again." Rainie nodded. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Bianca said, "The service here is fairly fast. Don''t worry, well go back after we finish eating, okay? I don''t want to watch you starve." "Okay." Rainiepromised. The dishes were served quickly and Bianca had a full meal. Although the Crawford family had a great cook and most of the ingredients were delicacies from all around the world, the food was not her cup of tea. Even after three years, she still felt that the dishes were a little too nd. However, the Crawford family was used to it so she could not say anything. She would go out to eat whenever she had a chance. Bianca noticed that Rainie was not eating much and asked," Rainie, is the food not good? Why are you eating so little?" Rainie thought that the dishes were decent but they were a little too vourful and she was not used to it. "Mom, I ate a lot of biscuits so I''m not too hungry." "How could that be? Eat more, or you''ll be hungryter." Bianca frowned. She did not want Rainie to make a fusster. She stared at Rainie, and out of desperation, Rainie had no choice but to finish everything on her te. Bianca was satisfied that Rainie did as she asked. They left after she got the bill. Rainie sat back in the passenger seat and asked, "Mom, are we going back now?" "Rainie, it¡¯s rare for us toe out together. How can we go back so quickly? Seeing that the season is about to change, I¡¯ll buy you some new clothes. I have no memory of the past and don''t know what kind of clothes you like. I don¡¯t see you wearing the clothes that I bought you often. I''ll take you to a mall and you can choose, okay?" Bianca said. Chapter 1328 Chapter 1328 Not Considered Kidnapping Bianca noticed that Rainie had never worn the clothes she bought for her. She guessed that Rainie did not like the clothes that she picked for her, and that was why she had used that excuse against Rainie. Rainie only wanted to go home. She shook her head and said, "I have many clothes at home, Mommy." Bianca took Rainie''s hand and led her to the shopping mall across the street as though she did not hear what the little girl said. "It''s rare that the two of us can go shopping without anyone else following us, Rainie. Let''s have a lot of fun today." Rainie wanted to take out her phone to tell Lanie about where they were going, but before she could do that, Bianca dragged her into the shopping mall, and they went to the children''s section. Bianca picked a few dresses that matched Rainie''s usual clothing style. She smiled and asked her, "Don''t you think that these dresses look pretty? Why don''t you try them on? If they fit you, I''ll buy them for you." Rainie nced at the exquisite dresses unhappily and said," Mommy, I still have many dresses in my closet that I''ve never worn before." "It''s fine for girls to own a few more dresses. You''re a pretty girl, Rainie. The dresses will definitely look good on you." Bianca kept on trying to convince Rainie so that the girl wouldply with her. She did not pack any clothes for Rainie, so she had to buy some clothes for her. The sales clerk did not want to let go of the chance to earn a fatmission, so she also tried to convince Rainie. "The dresses are new designs for the next season, and they''re exclusively avable at this store for this month. You''ll definitely look good in them, little girl. Why don''t you go and try them on?" Rainie was helpless against the two adults. Without any other choice, she could only go into the fitting room with the dresses. Bianca was carrying Rainie''s little backpack. After she watched Rainie go into the fitting room and close the door, she thought for a while, took out Rainie''s phone, and turned it off. Rainie changed into one of the dresses and stepped out of the fitting room. The adults praised her when they saw her. Bianca did not let her try on the other dresses. Instead, she got the sales clerk to pack up all the selected dresses and paid for them with Luke''s supplementary credit card. Seeing that Bianca had done all the shopping, Rainie thought that she could go home. "I''m tired, Mommy. Let''s go home." "Alright, I''ll bring you home now," Bianca said with a smile and led her out of the shopping mall. After they got into the car, she handed a bottle of drinking water to Rainie. "Here, have some water." Rainie took the bottle and drank a few mouthfuls to wash away the lingering taste of dinner. Soon, she felt a wave of lethargy and fell asleep. A smile appeared on Bianca''s face as she looked at the unconscious little girl. She did not hide the sinister expression on her face. "You can''t me me for this. Your Great-Grandpa is too detestable." She carefully fastened Rainie''s seatbelt and chuckled softly. If Old Master Crawford had treated her slightly better and given her the due respect she deserved, she would not have resorted to this. Bianca wanted them to panic for a little while so that they would treat her better in the future. She was not afraid of breaking thew. After all, Rainie was her "child" in certain interpretations of the word. If she brought her child around, that would not be considered kidnapping. At ten o''clock at night, Old Master Crawford walked down the stairs and noticed that Lanie was sitting on the couch in the living room. Usually, the boy would be in his bedroom by now. He asked him, "Why are you still sitting here, Lanie? Aren''t you sleepy?" Lanie stood up and helped Old Master Crawford to the couch. "Great-Grandpa, I''m worried. Rainie isn''t home yet." Old Master Crawford nced at the clock on the wall." They''re not home yet? Have you tried to call Rainie?" "I tried to call Rainie earlier, but her phone was switched off. " Lanie was afraid that something might happen to Rainie, but he did not know how to tell it to the adults. That was why he was waiting for her in the living room. He knew that Bianca was an impostor and not actually their mother, but the adults did not know that. If they did not know, they would not suspect that Bianca might harm Rainie. Moreover, the impostor Bianca had not done anything that would harm them for the past three years. Old Master Crawford frowned, thinking that Bianca was being inconsiderate. Did she forget that the child had to go to school tomorrow? He told the butler, "Give a call to Bianca and ask her what''s going on." "Yes." The butler nodded, picked up the phone, and dialed Bianca''s number. No one answered the call until he heard the busy tone. The butler disconnected the call and said," Old Master Crawford, Madam didn''t answer the call." "What is she doing? Why isn''t she picking up?" Old Master Crawford frowned even harder. His disgust for her grew even stronger. Lanie suddenly felt nervous. He tried calling Rainie''s number again, but he could not get through to her. "Rainie''s phone is switched off." "This is getting ridiculous!" Old Master Crawford said angrily. Lanie stood up and went over to hold the old man''s arm." Great-Grandpa, should we go out and look for Rainie?" "Your Mommy is probably having too much fun with Rainie and forgot the time. They should be back home soon. It''s gettingte, and you should go to bed." Old Master Crawford could see that Lanie was worried. He gently stroked the boy''s hair. Lanie shook his head. "I''m worried that Rainie isn''t back home yet. This has never happened before." He hoped that his great-grandfather would call the police, but he did not know how to exin it to him. More than that, he wished to know Rainie''s current situation. "Don''t worry, Master Lanie. I''ll wait for Madam and Miss Rainie here. You have to go to school tomorrow, so you should go to bed,¡± the butler said patiently. Lanie shook his head. Old Master Crawford''s expression became stern. "It''s already sote. What if you can''t wake up for school tomorrow?" Lanie could see that his great-grandfather was getting angry, so he could onlyply. "I''ll go upstairs then. GreatGrandpa, if Rainie isn''t back by eleven o''clock, you must go and look for her." Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "Don''t worry, Master Lanie. I''ll wait here for Miss Rainie''s return," the butler repeated. With no other choice, Lanie went up the stairs. Old Master Crawford held his walking stick with both hands and said sternly, "Is it appropriate to bring a child out sote? H The butler knew that he was talking about Bianca, though he did not want to add fuel to the fire. "Maybe Madam had an ident or something," he said. Old Master Crawford thought that it was possible, and he was quite worried that they might have met with an ident. He urged, "Continue calling them until she picks up." The butler nodded and continued to call Bianca''s number, but no one answered the call. At eleven o''clock, Bianca''s phone was switched off. "Old Master Crawford, Madam''s phone is switched off." Old Master Crawford nced at the clock and knocked his walking stick on the floor. He was also starting to get worried. "What is Bianca doing? Get someone to look for her, " he ordered.ab Chapter 1329 Chapter 1329 Did Something Happen? The butler immediately made arrangements. Meanwhile, Bianca drove the car to the outskirts of A City. By the time she parked the car in front of the pre-arranged house, it was already past midnight. She had taken all the precautions. In order to avoid being tracked down by the people sent by Old Master Crawford, she made many detours on roads without surveince cameras. It would have been difficult for someone else to do that, but she was from the Ind of Despair, and it was very easy for her to do so. Bianca smirked when she nced at her phone that was already out of battery because it had been vibrating nonstop. She brought her handbag and Rainie''s backpack into the house. When she returned and sat back in the car, Rainie had already woken up. Rainie was still groggy because she was still under the lingering effects of the drug. She took some time to focus and realized that she was still in the car. She looked at the woman in front of her and asked, "Where am I?" "You''ve woken up already. Let''s go into the house to rest." Bianca was quite relieved that Rainie had woken up; that saved her the trouble of carrying the girl inside. She opened the car door and stepped out. Rainie sat in the car and did not move. She looked outside the car window and realized that she did not recognize the surroundings. Bianca knocked on the window when she saw that Rainie had no intention of stepping out. ¡¯ Hey, get out of the car," she urged. Rainie was scared to be in an unfamiliar ce. She shuddered when she looked at the woman standing outside the door. "Where are we, Mommy?" "This is my house. Get out of the car now," Bianca said impatiently. Rainie remained seated in the car. She had no intention of getting out. When she turned around to look for her backpack, she saw that it was no longer in the backseat. Seeing that she did not get out of the car, Bianca opened the car door for Rainie and unfastened her seatbelt. "We''ll spend the night here today, and we''ll go home tomorrow." Then, she carried Rainie out of the car. Rainie looked at the dpidated house and asked, "Why are we spending the night here, Mommy?" "Because I''ve lost my way, and there''s no other option other than spending the night here." Bianca did not care about the usibility of her excuse. She closed the car door, ced Rainie on the ground, held her hand, and led her inside. Rainie was very reluctant to follow that woman, but she was only a child, and she could not overpower an adult woman. She did not struggle when Bianca dragged her into the house. Fortunately, the dpidated house was rtively clean. Bianca put the bags into a closet and locked it. Then, she turned around to speak to the little girl standing in a corner." Which bed do you want, darling?" Rainie pointed at one of the beds and spoke weakly, "That one..." "Alright, you can sleep there then," Bianca said as she sat down on the other bed. Rainie became more afraid when she saw that Bianca was rtively calm. She wanted to take her phone, but her phone was in the backpack that was locked in the closet. She gulped and said softly, '' Mommy, I want to take a bath." Bianca frowned. "It''s already sote, and the water is too cold. Can you take the bath tomorrow?" She dared not check in to a hotel because she did not want the people from the Crawford family to find them. That was why she chose to stay in a dpidated house without hot water. Even though Bianca had lived the high life as Luke Crawford''s wife for the past three years, she was nheless from the Ind of Despair, and she had lived in much worse conditions. The conditions of the dpidated house were nothing to her at all. Rainie looked at the filthy mattress on the wooden bed. She struggled internally for half a minute until she was too tired to stand up. Eventually, she sat down on the bed. Bianca did not feel any sympathy for Rainie, nor did she think that what she did was wrong. In fact, she thought that it was the right thing to do. Luke''s three children were too soft, and she was helping him to toughen them up. "It''s already sote. You should sleep soon. You won''t feel afraid after you''re asleep." Bianca noticed that Rainie''s body was trembling slightly. After she said that, shey down on the bed and fell asleep. Rainie was crying silent tears. Even though Bianca did not physically harm her, she was very afraid in that unfamiliar environment. Looking at Bianca, who had already fallen asleep, she carefullyy on the bed and sped her hands together to pray. ''Daddy, Mommy, Lanie... where are you?'' Tears continued to fall as Rainie thought of her family. She had a feeling that Bianca was deliberately keeping her there. Even though Bianca had promised her that they would go home tomorrow, she had a feeling that she would not be going home... She regretted not listening to her brother. When Lanie woke up the next morning, he immediately ran over to Rainie''s bedroom and knocked on the door. No one answered, and after he opened the door, he saw that no one was inside. He began to have an ominous premonition. He ran to the living room and saw Old Master Crawford sitting on the couch. He went over and said, "Great-Grandpa, did Rainiee homest night?" Old Master Crawford looked at him and shook his head. He had stayed up all night because he could not contact Rainie. Despite the butler''s exhortations, he remained seated on the couch. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. There was not much his men could do at night, so he had to wait until the morning. Lanie felt nervous suddenly. He said, "She must have taken Rainie away." "Who are you talking about. Master Lanie?" The butler asked. He thought that Lanie had been overly worried about Rainie sincest night. As far as he knew, Rainie had gone out of the house with her mother. Even though they did note home, he should not have worried so much. "Th..." Lanie immediately stopped himself from calling Bianca "that woman." "I mean, Mommy. Mommy must have taken Rainie away," Lanie said. Old Master Crawford nodded. All of them saw Bianca bring Rainie out of the house. He was afraid that might have met with an ident. "We all know that, Master Lanie," the butler said. Lanie was beginning to be anxious, but he did not know how to exin it. "Great-Grandpa, have you managed to find Rainie yet?" "It''s easier to look for her during the day. You don''t have to worry," Old Master Crawford patted Lanie''s head andforted him. Lanie knew that there was more to the incident. They thought that he did not know anything because he was still young, but he knew far more than they did. After he found out that their mother was an impostor, he knew that there was more to the incident. If not that someone was conspiring something major, why would someone change her face and pretend to be their mother? "Great-Grandpa, should we call the police?" Lanie wanted Rainie to get home as soon as possible, but at the same time, he regretted not convincing Rainie to stay instead of going out alone with that impostor. Tommy happened toe down the stairs when he heard that. "What''s wrong, Lanie?" He asked. Chapter 1330 Chapter 1330 She Wanted to Harm Rainie Lanie could see that Tommy was confused, but he thought it was better that his younger brother did not know what was going on, so he shook his head. Old Master Crawford said, "Alright, I know what needs to be done. Bring your younger brother to the dining table, eat your breakfast, then go to school. Also, don''t run around after school is out. Wait for Uncle Sean toe and pick you up." Old Master Crawford did not know about Bianca, so he thought that Bianca and Rainie''s disappearance was caused by some other reason. He guessed that someone might have abducted Bianca and Rainie and was holding them ransom. Lanie knew that he had to keep the secret to himself. He nodded, took Tommy''s hand, and led him to the dining hall. After they had their breakfast, the driver took them to school. "Lanie, where''s Rainie? Why isn''t she with us today?" Tommy asked. Lanie did not want him to worry, so he said, "Rainie isn''t feeling well today, so she''s staying in bed." Tommy nodded, though he was thinking that things were not that simple. The other people must be hiding something from him. Sean sent Lanie to his school. After watching him enter the gate, he drove the car to Tommy''s kindergarten. Tommy leaned on the driver''s seat and said, "Uncle Sean, can I borrow your phone for a while?" Sean did not know what Tommy wanted to do. He passed him his phone and asked, "What do you want to do, Master Tommy?" Tommy took the phone. He knew the passcode to the phone because he had borrowed it several times. When he heard the question, he said, "You all aren''t saying it, but I know that you all are hiding something from me. Has Rainie gone missing?" Sean was shocked. He did not expect Tommy to guess the truth. Every adult in Crawford Manor knew that Bianca and Rainie had not returned since they went out the night before. Old Master Crawford told them not to tell Tommy in case he threw a tantrum. Three years ago, Tommy was affected the most when Bianca was abducted. Old Master Crawford did not want to see Tommy being sad over his mother again. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Why aren''t you saying anything, Uncle Sean?" Tommy looked at the driver with the demeanor of a little adult. AS Sean steered the car, he smiled awkwardly and said," You''re overthinking, Tommy. There''s no such thing." "I could see that Lanie isn''t himself earlier, and I know that something is amiss. Also, when I went to take my backpack from my room, I went to check Rainie''s bedroom and Mommy''s bedroom. They¡¯re not inside." While Tommy said that, he dialed Luca''s phone number. He was also worried that Rainie was gone, and his first thought was to go and find Luca for help. Sean nced at the rearview mirror and saw that Tommy was messing with something on the phone. He was relieved that Tommy was not crying. "I don''t really know what happened. I''m only an employee after all," Sean said. He insisted that he did not know that Rainie and Bianca were missing. Tommy did not reply. Instead, he brought the phone to his ear. Soon, Luca answered the call. When Tommy heard that the call went through, he did not beat around the bush." Please help me, Ms. Luca," he said. Luca was still groggily brushing her teeth, having just woken up, but her eyes opened wide when she heard the boy''s voice. Judging from Tommy¡¯s anxious tone, she instinctively knew that something bad had happened. "What''s wrong?" She asked. "Mommy brought Rainie outst night, and they haven''t returned. I''m afraid that something might have happened to Rainie. You''re so powerful, Ms. Luca. Can you help me find my sister?" Tommy said. He asked Luca to help him find Rainie but said nothing about finding Bianca. "What did you say?" Luca''s toothbrush in her hand fell into the basin. "Mommy brought Rainie somewhere, and no one in the family can contact them. We''re all very worried..." Tommy said. "Great-Grandpa doesn''t look like he wants to involve the police. Ms. Luca, can you help me?" Luca asked Tommy once more to confirm the facts. Indeed, Bianca had brought Rainie somewhere the night before, and they had not returned home since. "Alright, I''ll go and look for her. You don''t have to worry or be afraid. Also, are you on your way to school?" She said. "Yes." Tommy wiped a tear from his eye. He did not cry out loud, but he was nheless affected by the incident. Luca was not certain what happened to Rainie, so she remained vignt. She asked, "Is your family driver sending you to school?" "Yes," Tommy replied. "Alright. You should go to school and not worry about it. Don''t run around after school, and stay next to your teacher before your driveres to pick you up." Luca knew the driver''s route. After leaving Crawford Manor, Sean would go to Lanie¡¯s school first because it was closer to home. "Alright, Ms. Luca. Will you help me bring Rainie back?" Tommy did not know why he trusted Luca more than he trusted those people in the Crawford family. "I''ll definitely bring Rainie home. Be a good boy and don''t cry. I''ll be hanging up now, and I''ll go and look for her." Judging from her slightly shaky voice, Luca could tell that Tommy was starting to cry. Tommy was still very young. It was natural that he would cry when he was worried. "Mm," Tommy replied and ended the call. After hearing that the call ended, Luca ced the phone in her pocket, picked up the toothbrush, and quickly brushed her teeth. She nned to take the day off work to go and look for Rainie. The impostor Bianca had brought Rainie out of the house. Even though Luca did not know the exact details of what happened, her instincts told her that the impostor Bianca was plotting something. The impostor Bianca was from the Ind of Despair. She would not have been abducted by someone else that easily. However, Luca could not figure out the impostor Bianca''s motives for taking Rainie out of the house. Did Abelmand her to do that? The more Luca thought about it, the more afraid she became. She was afraid that Abel had ordered Bianca to take Rainie away and harm her... After brushing her teeth and washing her face, Luca rushed into the bedroom and took out another laptop. Amur noticed that Luca was anxious. He asked, "What''s wrong, Luca?¡± Luca told him what happened. Amur frowned when he saw her execute a special program on her phone. "You should just let the police handle this instead of worrying. If that woman took your daughter away, she wouldn''t dare to harm her because it''d be disadvantageous to her. Also, you shouldn''t underestimate what the Crawford family can do. It''ll be very easy for them to find a missing child." Luca turned her head to look at Amur. Her eyes were already filled with tears. "What if she nned to harm Rainie, and she had already thought up an excuse?" Amur was silent. If it was indeed that man''s n, the little girl might not be there anymore by the time the Crawford family''s men found Bianca. It might be hard for Bianca to exin it, but she could possibly find a way to deceive them. Chapter 1331 Chapter 1331 Exposing Her Weaknesses "In any case, I''ll have to find Rainie as soon as I can. I don''t want the little girl to be in that woman''s hands." After her stint on the Ind of Despair, Luca knew what those people could do. Kind-hearted people like Eler and Amur were exceedingly rare. Sometimes, the people on the ind would harm their family for a warm meal. Everyone on the ind only looked out forthemselves. Even though the impostor Bianca had lived together with Rainie for three years, Luca could not say that the woman would be kind toward the little girl. Moreover, Luca did not know Bianca''s motives for taking the little girl away. When Amur saw Luca execute the program, he immediately began to search for the signal. The program was developed by the people on the Ind of Despair. It could be used to search for other people from the Ind of Despair within a certain range. The signal emitter was embedded in their phones, and it could continue to give off a signal even after the phone was switched off. When Amur saw Luca''s search query, he reminded her, "All you''re doing is exposing your weak points in front of your enemy, including Abel." Luca''s gaze remained transfixed on the screen. She looked at the search query again, bit her lip, and said determinedly," She is my daughter. I can''t sit back and do nothing when I know that she might be in grave danger." Amur could see the determination in her eyes. She was such a frail woman, but she had to be strong to protect her children and the man she loved. The memories of his parents shed in his mind. They had stood in front of Eler and Amur to shield them from the bullets of the mercenaries. The love from a parent to their child was the greatest love of all, and it was also absent on the Ind of Despair. If the people from the Ind of Despair had experienced that kind of love, perhaps they would not be so merciless and violent, and they would not ally themselves with someone like Abel. A whileter, Luca''s phone beeped, indicating that the search was done. The search returned two results. She knew the location of the first one; it was the ce where they had to go monthly to take the antidote. As for the other signal... Luca put the phone away, changed out of her pajamas, wore her shoes, and prepared to leave. Amur quickly followed behind her. Luca gave Rhett a call to inform him that she would not be going to work today. Then, she immediately rushed to the location indicated by the signal. When Rainie woke up, she realized that she was alone in the room, and she became afraid again. She searched the house but did not find Bianca. Looking at the front door, she realized that it was the perfect chance to run away. At the moment her hand touched the doorknob, someone outside pushed the door inward. Rainie was pushed backward and fell on the floor. Her eyes opened wide as she saw Biancae in. "What happened?" Bianca said with a frown as she looked at the little girl on the floor. She had no intention of helping her up but instead questioned her, "Why did you stand behind the door? Don''t you know that it''s very dangerous?" She did not expect Rainie to wake up so early, which was why she did not lock the room before she left. She felt that she was lucky to havee back in time. If she came back five minutester, Rainie would have managed to escape. Rainie shuddered as she watched Bianca step through the door. Bianca closed the door behind her, then reached out to help Rainie. "Were you thinking of going out?" Rainie did not touch her hand. Instead, she pushed herself off the floor and said softly, "I didn''t see you after I woke up, and I was scared..." "I went to buy breakfast for you. You must be hungry, aren''t you? Go and wash your hands before you eat." Bianca ced the breakfast on the table, ignoring the fear in Rainie''s eyes. Rainie nodded and went into the simple and crude bathroom. She turned on the tap, and yellowish water flowed out. She shuddered again, disgusted by the filthiness. After washing her hands, she returned to the dining table and sat on a chair. Bianca was already eating. Rainie did not touch her breakfast, but instead, she asked, "Mommy, when are we going home?" "Eat. Well talk after breakfast," Bianca said. The breakfast was nothing fancy, but she was not picky. "I haven''t brushed my teeth yet," Rainie reminded her. Bianca paused. She had only packed her own toiletries, and she had forgotten to do the same for Rainie... "It''s okay to skip it once in a while. After breakfast, I''ll bring you to the grocery store to buy your toothbrush," Bianca said. "Mommy, aren''t we going home after breakfast?" Rainie stared at her, and her eyes were filled with fear. Bianca was halfway tearing a piece of white bread with her hands. She thought for a bit and answered, "Well talk about going home after we finish breakfast, alright?" "Mommy, don''t you want to go home?" Rainie braced herself and asked the incisive question. "If you don''t want to go home, where are you bringing me?" Bianca lowered her head and rolled her eyes. ''You always behave like a spoiled princess and don''t speak much. Why do you have so many questions now? Can''t you just shut up and stuff your mouth with food?'' Rainie felt even more afraid when she saw that Bianca was not answering her questions. She began to shudder even more violently. Bianca put the slice of bread down, thinking that she should spend some effort persuading her to keep it down. If Rainie started crying, someone outside the house might hear her, and that would be very troublesome. "Rainie, I was thinking of flying over to look for your Daddy yesterday, but your Great-Grandpa scolded me for doing so. You can understand how horrible I feel, can''t you?" She said while cing a hand on Rainie''s shoulder. Rainie did not know about that, though she nodded in an attempt to appease Bianca. "I miss your Daddy so, so much, and I hope that I can go over to share his burdens, but your Great- Grandpa keeps standing in my way and even dressed me down in front of the caretaker. I felt so aggrieved, so I thought I''d bring you for a walk to make myself feel better. Let''s not go home today. I''ll bring you somewhere else to y. I''ll bring you home after I feel better," Bianca said. Rainie shook her head. "I want to go home. I don''t want to stay here." From N?velDrama.Org. "You brat, why can¡¯t you understand how I feel?" Bianca was beginning to run out of patience. "I just want to stay away from home for a few days. Well go home after your Daddyes back." Rainie inched away. She did not want Bianca to touch her." Why did you bring me along then?" "Because your Great-Grandpa cares about you, Rainie. Ever since I''ve lost my memories, the people from the Crawford family have treated me differently. I''m your Daddy''s wife and your mother, but I don¡¯t get the respect I deserve. If not for the marriage certificate, I might think that I''m only a servant in the house," Bianca exined. Chapter 1332 Chapter 1332 A Few Hours of Peace "You know that your Great-Grandpa doesn''t care about me. If I leave alone, I don''t think I''d be able to go back anymore." Bianca pretended to look frustrated to gain the child''s sympathy. "That''s why I brought you along, and it''ll be easier for me to go home. Do you understand now?" "But we don''t know when Daddy will be back home," Rainie shuddered and said. She could not shake off the fear whenever she heard Bianca speak, though she now understood why she was brought along. That way, Old Master Crawford would have no choice but to let Bianca in. ''Great-Grandpa cares for me more than he cares for that woman... From N?velDrama.Org. ''She''s pretending to be my mother, but she can''t stand GreatGrandpa and wants to leave. She''s bringing me along so that she can go back... ''It means that she had never intended to leave in the first ce...'' The more Rainie thought about it, the more afraid she was. What was the woman''s motive for staying in the Crawford household? "It doesn''t matter if hees backter. I''ll go home after I feel better. It won''t take long, so you dont have to worry." Bianca was getting impatient as she saw the fear in Rainie''s eyes. She would rather not pick Rainie, but Lanie was too smart for his own good, and Tommy would make a lot of noise. Rainie was too timid... "If you want to go somewhere and y, why would you want toe here? This ce is so scary, and I''m scared..." Rainie turned her head to look around her. When she woke up earlier, she noticed that the ceiling above her head was covered in spider webs... Bianca had lost all her patience. She stuffed the remaining half a piece of bread into her mouth and exined slowly, "I think that you''re too pampered in Crawford Manor. That''s why I brought you here to experience a different lifestyle. Isn''t that good?" Rainie shook her head. "I don''t want to experience a different lifestyle, Mommy. If you don''t want to go back, I can go back on my own. I know the address. Just give me my backpack, and I can catch a cab home." Bianca''s expression sank when Rainie insisted on going home. "No! No matter what happens, you''ll have to stay here for the next few days!" "No, I don''t wanna stay here. It''s so scary and dirty, boo hoo hoo hoo..." Bianca''s threatening tone made Rainie instantly burst into tears. Bianca immediately covered her mouth and said, "Don''t cry. I''m your Mommy, not a bad person. Why are you so afraid?" Rainie could not make a sound because her mouth was covered. She could only let her tears flow in silence. Bianca did not sympathize with the sobbing little girl at all." In any case, I''ve already made up my mind. We''ll stay here for the next few days. Don''t worry, I won''t let you starve, but if you don''t listen to me, I''ll ditch you here and leave myself. We''re in the slums, and the people around here don''t have money. They''ll see that you¡¯re a pretty little girl, and they''ll sell you to some bad guy for money!" Her threats made Rainie shudder even harder. She did not want to stay there, nor did she want to be sold for money. All she wanted was to go home! Seeing that Rainie was sobbing even harder, Bianca frowned and warned her, " Don''t cry. If you keep on crying, I''ll leave you here. You might be treated like a princess at home, but don¡¯t forget that you''re not the only Crawford girl. There''s also Thea, and your Great-Grandpa loves her very much." Bianca did not mince her words when she was angry, and she did not care if her words would traumatize the little girl. In any case, her threats achieved the intended effect. Rainie knew that being abandoned at this ce was the worst possible oue, and if she kept quiet, she might be able to survive the ordeal. She wiped her tears away and tried her best not to cry even though she was deathly afraid. Bianca grunted and slowly let go of her hand. "Good girl," she said. Rainie said nothing. Bianca handed her the breakfast. "Eat up. I don''t want you to starve." Rainie looked at the white bread. She did not have the appetite to eat. When she opened her mouth, all the sobbing earlier caused her to hup. When Bianca heard that, she handed her a bottle of water." It doesn''t feel good, right? You wouldn''t have to go through all this if you just had been a good girl. You''re my precious little princess, Rainie. I''ll still love you even if no one else loves you, but you should know that my personality isn''t the same as before because I''ve lost my memories. I don''t like children who don''t behave, but among the three, you''re the only one who knows how to behave. That''s why I love you the most. I won''t hurt you if you could just be a good girl. Here, have a drink." Rainie looked at the bottle of water that Bianca handed her. She remembered that she was knocked out after she drank the water that Bianca had handed her the night before. If she had not been knocked out, she would not have been brought to this ce. Rainie began to feel afraid again. Bianca raised her eyebrows and looked at her. "You''ve cried a lot earlier. If you don''t drink some water to replenish your fluids, you''ll be dehydrated. Quick, drink some water." Rainie struggled internally. She was extremely thirsty, and she had no other choice but to take the water and drink it. Bianca smiled in satisfaction when she saw Rainie do that. She handed Rainie a slice of bread. "Here, eat something. Don''t me me if you get hungry. How about if we spent the next few days as though we''re in boot camp? I''ll make you familiarize yourself with the environment first, and I''ll prepare a military-style daily schedule for you." Rainie did not understand what Bianca meant. She shook her head and said, "Mommy, I''m not hungry." Seeing that Rainie did not want to eat, Bianca thought that she was a picky eater. She scarfed down the slice of bread in two bites. She would take the opportunity to teach Luke''s daughter some discipline. If Rainie said that she was not hungry now, she would regret itter. There would be no more food left for her, and she would remember the lesson. Rainie was very afraid when she saw how Bianca finished eating all the bread without keeping any for her. She began to regret it. She was thinking of running awayter, so she wanted to save the bread forter. Obviously, her n had failed. Rainie wanted to say something. When she opened her mouth, she let out a yawn. Bianca smiled and said, ¡¯"Why, are you sleepy again?" Rainie nodded. She did not know why she was so sleepy... "If you''re sleepy, you should lie down on the bed and rest a bit. Today''s the only exception where you get to rest a little more," Bianca said as she rested her chin on her hand. She felt quite pleased with herself as she looked at the sleepy little girl. She had given Rainie drugced water because she did not want Rainie to throw a tantrum. The drug was not very potent, but it was enough to keep someone asleep for the next few hours. Bianca watched Rainie lie down on the bed without a word ofint. A few secondster, Rainie closed her eyes and fell asleep. Bianca smiled. She had just earned herself several hours of peace and quiet. Chapter 1333 Chapter 1333 She Could Not Show Her Weakness Just when Bianca thought that she could rx for a while, the door was kicked open from the outside. Bianca narrowed her gaze as she watched Lucae in through the door. "What do you think you''re doing?" Luca''s heart ached when she saw the figure of a little girl lying on the bed. She was some distance away, and she could not see what her condition was. "I''m here to look for you," Luca said. Bianca smirked. "You''re here to look for me? There''s nothing left to say between us. You must be here to look for that stupid little girl, right?" From N?velDrama.Org. Luca was from the Ind of Despair, and she knew that Bianca was an impostor. Bianca was not going to pretend in front of Luca that she cared for the girl. "Yes. I''m here to look for Rainie. I''m bringing her back home, " Luca said as she stepped forward. She noticed that Rainie did not stir even while they were talking, and she wanted to check on her condition. "Bring her home? Don''t even think about it! Who do you think you are?" Bianca stepped in front of Luca, blocking her way. She remembered Abel''s words very well: If Luca wanted to fight her, she could fight back without any reservation. Abel''s permission was like an all-ess pass that allowed Bianca to do whatever she wanted. "Don''t you know who I am?" Luca narrowed her gaze. If Bianca insisted on standing in her way, she would not hesitate to get physical. She wondered who would win: The woman who had left the Ind of Despair three years ago and had lived a pampered life since, or the one who had recently left the Ind of Despair after three years? "The role that you y now is the mother of the three children and the wife of Luke Crawford. If Boss knows that you brought the child here and treated her this way, are you going to bear the consequences? Or are you telling me that Boss has nned for all this?" Luca name-dropped Abel to threaten Bianca because she was anxious to check on Rainie''s condition. "Heh. I''m doing this on my own ord, but Boss told me that I can do anything I want as long as I complete my mission. Do you think you can threaten me? Boss has given me free rein to do whatever I want. In any case, Boss would want to kill this stupid girl eventually anyway, so I''m not ruining his ns. In fact, Boss might thank me for helping him get rid of an obstacle," Bianca said smugly. She knew that Luca would not be able to threaten her. Hearing that, Luca clenched her fists, and her tone became dangerously low. "What do you hope to achieve?" "I just want the Crawfords to give me my due respect." Bianca was not worried that Luca might disrupt her ns. After all, she couldin about her to Abel, who would be the final arbiter of right and wrong. "She''s only a little girl. Why must you bring her along with you? If you only want to gain the Crawfords'' respect, you shouldn''t have let an innocent child suffer with you!" Luca tried very hard to suppress the urge to punch that woman''s face. "Tsk tsk, if only you can look at your face now! Do you care about that stupid girl so much?" Bianca crossed her arms in front of her. Usually, she would be the one to lose her temper first. It felt good that the tables were turned. "What are you thinking, Luca Craw? Do you expect that Luke would be grateful to you if you bring that stupid girl home? Is that how you n to win Luke''s affection?" Bianca teased. Then, she continued, "You might have a pretty face, but it''s Luke Crawford we''re talking about. He''s known for his loyalty if nothing else, and to him, I''m the only person who deserves to be called his wife. No one will be able to rece him, so no matter how hard you try, you won''t be able to win. Do you think that I''d fail my mission? Dream on!" Luca''s heart wrenched when she heard those words. She knew Luke''s character very well. If only he had been less tolerant of Bianca''s ws, he would have to be manipted by the impostor! "You are nothing but an impostor! The person Luke truly loves is his wife!" Luca roared. "So what if I''m an impostor? My face is exactly the same as the woman he loves!" Bianca said smugly. She had never felt so good when speaking to Luca. Luca suddenly smiled. She took out the phone from her pocket and tapped on the screen. Bianca frowned and asked, "What are you doing?" "I''ve just recorded what you said earlier. Would you care to listen to it?" Luca pointed the screen at Bianca. Bianca looked closely. Instinctively, she wanted to snatch the phone. However, Luca was faster. She stashed the phone back in her handbag, and Bianca grabbed nothing. "Earlier, you''ve admitted that you''re only an impostor, and I have a clear recording of it. If you don''t let me take the child away, I''ll publicize this clip." "How dare you! Abel will punish you for disrupting my mission!" Bianca reminded Luca of the rules of the ind. "Who knows that I''ll be able toplete the mission on your behalf? I don''t think Boss will punish me. Oh, don''t try to intimidate me with the rules of the ind. I''m more aware of them than you are. If I am more capable than you and I can finish the mission before you do, don''t you think that Boss would care who finished it?" Luca said nonchntly, though deep inside her, she was worried about Luca. Bianca knew what Luca was saying. She stomped her foot out of anger. "Can I go and check on the child now?" Luca crossed her arms in front of her and looked hatefully at the face in front of her that had contorted out of anger. She did not express that hatred outwardly. Hatred was a sign of weakness, and she knew that she should not wear her weakness on her face. If other people knew about her weakness, they would dly exploit it for their own gain. Bianca stepped aside. Luca walked up next to the bed and looked at the unconscious child. She ced a hand on her forehead, felt that the temperature was normal, then gently shook her body and called out softly, "Rainie? Rainie?" Bianca grunted coldly and ced her arms in front of her." Save your breath. She drank drugced water earlier, and she wont wake up anytime soon. Luca turned her head and red at her. Then, she said nothing and picked up the little girl from the bed. When she was close to the door, she said, "You''d better follow me if you want an excuse to go home." Bianca bit her lip. If she allowed Luca to bring the child away, it would be very hard to convince Old Master Crawford to let her back in. She had no choice but to follow Luca... She went to the closet to take out the bags and Rainie''s backpack, then hurriedly ran back to Luca. Luca nced at the car parked at the side of the road and raised an eyebrow. "Is this car yours?" She asked. Bianca nodded. "If you wanted to use the child to make the Crawfords worry about you, you ought to park your car somewhere else instead of in front of the house. They''re influential enough to find a car parked out in the open. I can''t believe that you don''t know about that, so how are you going to hide a child?" Bianca rolled her eyes. She knew about that, but she had banked on the fact that their current location was secluded enough to avoid detection for the next two days. When the Crawford family men came for her, she would have already prepared an excuse. Chapter 1334 Chapter 1334 You¡¯re Not Capable Enough "Why do you talk so much?" Bianca raised an eyebrow when she saw Luca hug Rainie tightly in her arms. "I don''t know why you''re so anxious. Someone else would have thought that you''re that girl''s real mother.¡± Luca red at Bianca with a chilling gaze for a few seconds. Bianca felt a chill course down her spine. She pressed her lips together. Luca turned to speak to Amur. "You drive, Amur." "Yes." Amur went over to Bianca and stretched out a hand." Give me the keys." Bianca rolled her eyes. She took out the car keys from her handbag and tossed them over. "Why are you so loyal to her? Are you like her pet dog or something?" Any other person would have flown into a rage when they heard that. Amur grabbed the car keys, went to the car, and opened the door. Luca carried Rainie and sat in the back seat. Bianca grunted coldly and went to the car. She sat in the side passenger seat. Amur sat in the driver''s seat. Luca told him the address of Crawford Manor, then ced Rainie on the seat next to her and fastened the seatbelt. Bianca grunted coldly when she heard Luca give the address. "Wow, you even remember the address so well. Is it because you have feelings for Luke? Too bad, Boss picked me to be Bianca and not you. It just means that I¡¯m more capable than you." Luca ignored what she said. Bianca had made stic surgery sound like a morous thing. As Luca covered Rainie with a nket, she noticed that there was dirt on the little girl''s face. Luca''s resentment against Bianca grew. She had tried her best to protect the little girl, but Bianca had used Rainie as a tool to gain Old Master Crawford''s respect. When she thought of that, she wished that she could tear the woman in the side passenger seat into a million pieces. However, she could not do that yet. Luca took out a paper napkin from her pocket and carefully wiped away the dirt on Rainie''s face. Bianca smirked when she saw how protective Luca was to Rainie. She was not very happy that Luca had ruined her n. She thought that by doing so, Old Master Crawford would pay some more attention to her. Now that someone else was sending them home, Old Master Crawford would definitely reprimand her. She did not seed in what she hoped to achieve. Bianca began to be a little worried. She wondered how she would get Rainie not to tattle on her. If Rainie told Old Master Crawford about what Bianca told her, Bianca would not know how to exin it to the old man. "Stop!" Bianca suddenly shouted. Amur shot her a suspicious nce. He did not stop driving. "I''m telling you to stop!" Bianca red at him. She would have tried to snatch the steering wheel from him if not for that she did not want to risk her life. "Stop the car, Amur." Luca frowned slightly when she heard how anxious Bianca was. When Amur heard that, he moved the car to the side of the road and parked it there. The two people looked at Bianca. Bianca wanted to get out of the car, but Amur was faster. He locked all the doors. Now that her escape n was thwarted, Bianca sat in the side passenger seat and red at Amur. Then, she turned to look at Luca. "Tell your pet dog to open the door," she huffed. "What do you want?" Luca fought the urge to punch her face. She had no patience to talk to someone who called her younger brother a dog. "I can''t go back," Bianca said angrily. "If I go back now and the stupid little girl is still knocked out, how am I going to exin it?" She could exin why she took Rainie away, but she could Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. not exin why she had the drugs to make Rainie sleep. Old Master Crawford would not be that easily deceived. "You''re the one who drugged her. How long will the effectsst?" Luca understood what she meant. No mother could bear to drug their own daughter, and she would rather not have Old Master Crawford suspect that Bianca had abducted her own daughter. "She should wake up around noon." Bianca briefly estimated the time. "We''ll wait with you." Luca nced at the time. Bianca had fed the child a decent dose of the sedative, and Rainie would not be able to wake up prematurely. Bianca stopped making a fuss after that. Things would be a lot easier if the child was awake. Rainie slowly woke up when it was almost noon, and the first person she saw was Luca. She blinked and said, "Ms. Luca?" Even though she had only met Luca once, she thought that face was familiar and gentle, so she remembered how Luca looked. Luca smiled. Seeing that Rainie was in good health, she asked out of concern, "Mm. How do you feel now?" "I''m a little dizzy..." Rainie blinked twice."... and a little sleepy." Luca guessed that it was the after-effects of the sedative, so she coaxed her, "It''ll be fine. Just close your eyes and rest for a bit. We''ll be home in no time." "Home?" Rainie remembered that the impostor Bianca had taken her out of the house. After what that woman told her, she did not expect to be able to return home that soon... "Yes, Rainie, we''re going home," Bianca said while putting on a kind face. Rainie shuddered uncontrobly when she heard Bianca''s slightly hoarse voice.'' Luca knew that she was afraid. She patted Rainie''s head and said, "Don''t worry. Let''s go, Amur." "Yes." Amur started the car when he heard that. Bianca did not stop Amur from driving, now that Rainie had already regained consciousness. She turned around and said to Rainie, "I''m sorry, darling. I shouldn''t have done that. Are you afraid?" Rainie''s eyes widened in fear when she heard that. She shuddered and said, "It''s alright, Mommy." "I wasn''t thinking straight when I said that earlier. Don''t pay any attention to it. If Great-Grandpa asks you where you''ve been, tell him that we lost our way, and a kind Samaritan brought us back home, alright?" Bianca did not care if her lie made sense. Right now, her priority was to appease the child. "Mm." Even though Rainie was not willing to lie to Old Master Crawford, it was not yet the time to divulge the truth. She thought of telling Luke when he returned from New York, believing that her father would believe her. Bianca breathed a sigh of relief when she obtained Rainie''s promise. She did not mind Rainie saying anything, as long as the little girl did not tattle on her... Rainie turned her head and looked at Luca sitting beside her. She had felt an odd sense of familiarity ever since she first met that woman, but she could not understand why Luca would be able to find her. How did Luca manage to convince the impostor Bianca to go home? With the suspicions in mind, Rainie asked, "Ms. Luca, are you friends with Mommy?" Before Luca could answer the question, Bianca said first," Of course. We''re very good friends." Chapter 1335 Chapter 1335 Luca Is Not Bianca¡¯s Friend As Amur drove the car, he thought that Bianca was truly shameless. Luca did not argue that point. She stroked the little girl''s hair. Usually, Rainie was not fond of strangers, but she somehow felt a sense of familiarity with Luca. She wanted to get closer with Luca, but she looked at her dirty clothes and decided to keep some distance instead. Amur drove the car to Crawford Manor. After Amur parked the car, he and Luca stepped out and left. After all, Bianca was not going to run away, so they decided that their intervention stopped there. Bianca''s gaze turned sinister as she watched them leave. She opened the car door and nned to move over to the driver''s seat so that she could drive the car inside the house. Rainie saw Bianca step out of the car, so she opened the car door and went into the house by herself. Bianca did not stop her. She sat on the driver''s seat and drove the car into the house. The situation in Crawford Manor was chaotic because of Rainie''s disappearance. When the butler stepped into the house while holding Rainie''s hand, everyone stopped doing what they were doing. Old Master Crawford walked in front of the little girl with the help of his walking stick. "Where have you been, Rainie? Why are your clothes so dirty?" Luca had cleaned Rainie''s face, but her clothes remained dirty. She did not change her clothes in the car. Bianca let the driver drive the car into the garage while she walked into the house carrying two shopping bags. She heard Old Master Crawford''s question, and she did not give Rainie the chance to speak. "I''m sorry, Grandpa. I brought Rainie out for dinnerst night, then we went to the mall. We got lost on our way home, my phone ran out of battery, and the navigation system in the car had broken down. We''d still be lost if not that I met an old friend." Old Master Crawford frowned. "You got lost?" Bianca nodded. She did not feel guilty despite the old man''s stern questioning. "Yes, we were lost, and it was already veryte. We spent the night somewhere. In the morning, we wanted to go and borrow a phone from someone, but we met my friend, and we managed to get home." "You''re already a grown adult, yet you got lost!" Old Master Crawford narrowed his gaze. If it were two years ago, when they first found her and she had lost all her memories, it was usible for her to be lost. Nowadays, Bianca went out shopping almost every other day, and she should be very familiar with downtown A City. "I don''t know what happened. My mind was nk when I was driving, and I didn''t recognize any of the streets, and the navigation system in the car was broken..." Bianca attributed what happened the night before to mysterious phenomena. She had deliberately destroyed the navigation system so that the people from the Crawford family would not be able to track her down. It was a reasonable exnation. While Bianca exined to Old Master Crawford what happened the night before, he noticed that Rainie was only standing there. He could see that the little girl was exhausted, and she must have been traumatized by the ordeal. "This has been happening quite often recently. I always feel something sh across my brain, but after that, I won''t remember anything. I don''t know what''s going on with me..." To make her story sound more usible, Bianca said that it was not the first time it had happened. Old Master Crawford''s brows were furrowed tightly. Eventually, he said, "You should go to the hospital to get that checked. If that has been happening, you''d better not drive yourself. I''ll get the butler to arrange a driver for you." "Alright. Thank you, Grandpa." Bianca was relieved when she saw that the old man did not me her. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Even though she still resented him, she was not going to let the issue linger. After all, there were many more opportunities to get back at him. She turned her head and smiled at Rainie, who was very cooperative and did not expose her lies. "Let''s go upstairs, Rainie. Look, you''re filthy. Go take a shower and change into something clean." Rainie was afraid when Bianca stretched out a hand toward her. She did not take Bianca''s hand, but instead, she went up the stairs herself. Bianca''s smile froze. She noticed that Old Master Crawford was still looking at herself, so she sighed and said, "The poor child, she must have been traumatized by what happened yesterday." "Right, who''s that friend you mentioned?" Old Master Crawford asked. Bianca hesitated for a split second but eventually decided to name-drop Luca. "She''s a medical researcher working in Luke''s pharmaceuticalpany. Her name is Luca. When I went to thepany thest time, we resolved the conflict between us and became good friends." "I see." Old Master Crawford nodded, then turned to speak to the butler. "Now that they''vee home, call off the search." Seeing that Old Master Crawford did not suspect her exnation, she decided to say nothing further and go upstairs. Just like Rainie, she had not taken a bath since the night before. All she wanted was to take a nice bath and change into a clean set of clothes. When Lanie and Tommy came home from school, they found out that Rainie had returned, so they rushed over to her bedroom. Lanie heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Rainie in her bedroom. He closed the door. Tommy stood next to Rainie and took her hand. "Where have you been, Rainie? I was so worried." Rainie smiled. She did not say anything but instead patted Tommy''s head. She would keep the secret between Lanie and her. Tommy was too young to worry. Seeing that Rainie did not speak, Tommy continued, "Did Ms. Luca bring you home?" "How did you know?" Rainie looked at him suspiciously. Tommy nodded. "I was so worried when I found out this morning that you didn''te home. I know that Ms. Luca is very amazing, so I borrowed Uncle Sean''s phone and gave her a call. I told her that you had gone missing and asked her for help, and you''re already back!" Rainie widened her eyes slightly. "You were the one who informed Ms. Luca?" "Yes! Is she really the one who brought you home?" Tommy nodded excitedly. He could tell that Luca was involved in bringing his sister home. "Yes." Rainie nodded. She began to wonder if Luca was really Bianca''s friend when Tommy told her that he was the one who asked Luca for help. "It''s really her! I have to thank her properly. I''ll be back in my room to give her a video call!" Tommy said excitedly. He happily opened the bedroom door and left. Lanie closed the door and locked it. Then, he turned to look at his twin sister. "How are you feeling now?" "I''m fine, Lanie.¡± Rainie shook her head. She knew that he was worried about her, so she tried to show him that she was fine. "What happenedst night, and how did you manage to get home today?" Lanie asked. Even though Rainie had safely returned home, he knew that the incident was far from over. Rainie told him everything that had happened since the night before. She also told him everything that Bianca said to her. Chapter 1336 Chapter 1336 Why Are You Following Me? Lanie sank into deep thought for a while after he heard Rainie''s ount. It was rtively peaceful when he got home from school, which meant that Old Master Crawford was not angry at Bianca. It seemed that the woman had managed to appease him. "Let''s not tell Great-Grandpa for now," he said. Rainie nodded in agreement. "I cooperated with her and didn''t call out her lies or say anything that I''m not supposed to. I want to wait until Daddyes back." Lanie and Rainie believed that Luke was the only person in the family that would be able to help them solve the problem. When Lanie heard that, he took out his phone and sent a message to his father, asking when he would return to A City. After Rainie watched Lanie type the message and send it, she continued asking, "Daddy doesn''t know about what happened yesterday, right?" "No, Daddy doesn¡¯t know. Great-Grandpa was the one who ordered the search for you." Lanie patted Rainie''s head and said endearingly, "I''m sorry that this happened to you. I didn''t manage to protect you." Rainie shook her head. Lanie had always behaved like her elder brother, even though he was older than her by only a few minutes. He was still a child. "You don¡¯t have to worry about me, Lanie. I''ll be stronger so that I can protect myself," she said. As Lanie stared intently at the phone screen waiting for his father''s reply, he thought that Rainie was lucky to have Luca around. Without Luca, that woman would not bring Rainie back home so quickly. Half a minuteter, Lanie''s phone made a sound. Lanie saw that Luke had replied to his message, saying that he needed three more days to settle the business in New York, after which he would return immediately. Rainie also saw the message and sighed. "Daddy is working really hard. Should we still tell him about it?" If Luke knew that their mother was an impostor, he would definitely want to search for the whereabouts of the real Bianca. Lanie and Rainie did not want their father to overwork himself juggling between company business and searching for their mother... "That woman must have a reason to show up at our house. After what happened yesterday, I don''t think we should keep it a secret." Lanie seemed determined. Even though they knew that Bianca was an impostor, they were only children and could not do anything about it. If that woman had the intention to harm Rainie, they would be powerless to stop that. The only way to stop the threat was to tell the truth to their father. When Rainie heard Lanie''s reasoning, she nodded in agreement. The next day, while Luca was at work, she received a phone call from Amur. "Luca, are you free to come over here for a bit?" Luca could hear from Amur''s tone that he was in trouble. She put the test tube away, walked out of the laboratory, and asked, "What happened?"Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "Ms. Carter spotted me, and she is stopping me from leaving. I need you toe over here and clear up the misunderstanding." While Amur said that, he nced warily at Sue and the two security guards next to her. Amur was protecting Sue as usual because Jason had not returned from New York. Sue had been wary and had caught Amur snooping, and she had thought that Amur was someone up to no good. He was not going to fight Sue and the security guards. With no other choice, he decided to call Luca to help him clear the misunderstanding. "Where are you now? I''ll go to you." When Luca heard that, she went over to her office. "I''m at Brilliant Architecture," Amur said. "Alright, I''ll go over right now." Luca ended the call. She had thought of sending Sue a voice message to exin what was going on, but after pondering for a while, she decided that she should exin it in person. She took off herb coat, picked up her handbag, and walked out. Sue was a wary person. Even though Luca had saved Kari before, she guessed that it would be hard to convince Sue over the phone. That was why she decided to go and meet her. Luca caught a cab downstairs and went to Brilliant Architecture. On the way, she found out from Amur that they were at the basement parking lot. She was very familiar with theyout of the office building. After reaching there, she instantly found Exit B. "Amur." Luca hastened her footsteps when she noticed the people standing there. Sue did not let her guard down when she saw Lucaing over. Instead, she asked, "Dr. Craw, do you know this man?" "He''s my younger brother," Luca said while she searched for a file on her phone. "Why is your younger brother following me?" Sue''s gaze shifted between Luca and Amur. The incident the day before made her very cautious today. That was how she had discovered that Amur was following her in secret. Before she arrived at her office, she had already informed the security guards to wait there. As expected, Amur followed her into the parking lot. The security guards instantly came over and surrounded Amur. "I asked him to follow you so that he can protect you," Luca said as she pressed the y button for the recording. She had recorded Bailey''s conversation when she saw her at the vending machine, and she did not expect that it woulde into use so quickly. Sue calmed down after she listened to the recording. She looked at Luca with an inexplicable expression on her face." Did you ask your younger brother to protect me because you know that Bailey wants to harm me?" "Yes. Mr. Doyle is still busy with his work in New York, and I don''t think you''d want to bother him. My younger brother happened to be free, so I asked him to protect you until Mr. Doyle is back. I n to give this recording to him without letting you know." Luca did not hide the truth from her. She knew that hiding the truth from Sue would only make her more suspicious. After Sue heard that, she told the security guards, "I''m sorry. This has all been a misunderstanding." "It''s okay," one of the security guards said. "Ms. Carter, if that person intends to harm you, you can make a police report with the recording as evidence." "Alright, I know." Sue thought that it was quite embarrassing to have caused such a huge misunderstanding. She exined it to Amur and Luca, "Someone was ringing our doorbell nonstopte at night, and I guessed that it was done by one of Bailey¡¯sckeys. That''s why I was extra cautious today. I didn''t expect that you''d send someone to protect me..." "My younger brother is a proficient brawler. I can trust him if he''s around." Luca patted Amur''s shoulder and continued asking, "I can give you a copy of the recording if you need it." "Yes, please. Thank you!" Sue was beginning to be angry after knowing that Bailey was still intending to harm her after all these years. She wanted the recording so that she could take legal action whenever necessary. At first, she forgave Bailey because she thought that Bailey was stuck with Jason''s son. Now that she knew that Bailey would not back off, she realized that she would have to fight back. Chapter 1337 Chapter 1337 Abducting Luca Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Luca sent Sue a copy of the recording. "Actually, Bailey''sckeys have been trying to get you since that day," Amur said. Sue was shocked when she heard that. "How is that possible? Have you been helping me?" Amur nodded but said nothing. Luca exined, "On that day, Bailey found some people to ambush you after you stepped out of the hospital, but he managed to teach those people a lesson. You didn''t seem like you''d want to blow up the issue, so we didn''t inform the police. I didn''t expect that they woulde back to cause trouble on the next day." Sue also did not expect that. Even though Bailey''sckeys had been taught a lesson, they continued to harass Sue and her daughters. They were perhaps so brazen because Jason was not in A City at the moment. Sue was grateful to find out that the young man had protected her. She said to Luca, "Thank you so much. Right, Jason will be back in A City in another two days. May we invite you for dinner?" Luca agreed to it, thinking that dinner with Sue and Jason would not cause too much trouble. Looking at the time, she said, "It''s about time that you go to work. You don''t have to worry. Amur will be protecting you from the shadows." Sue nced at the time. She was caught in a standoff with Amur earlier, and she did not realize that she was alreadyte for work. "Alright, I''ll be going off them. We''ll decide on a time to meetter!" After Sue left hurriedly, Luca looked at Amur and said, "Let''s go. She should be safe in thepany." "Mm." Amur nodded. He would have already left if Sue had not stopped him. Luca and Amur left the basement parking lot. They did not notice that a ck minivan was parked in a corner. As the driver watched them leave, he gave a call to Bailey. "Mission failed, Ma''am," the driver said. Immediately, the person on the other end of the call hurled a string of curses. "All of you are useless! Why does it take so long for you to abduct a woman? It''s already been three days, but you haven''t achieved what I wanted. Is it because I don''t give you enough money?" Bailey said shrilly. The man moved the phone away from his ear. After she had finished venting, he exined, "That man is protecting that woman again today. At first, the woman had a misunderstanding with that man, and I thought that I''ve found my chance. Later, another woman appeared. It''s the woman in the other photo that you gave us. She cleared up the misunderstanding, and the target went into her office. It''s not convenient for us to act now." They did not expect that they would fail their mission for three days in a row. Yesterday night, they had run Sue''s doorbell repeatedly to lure her out of the house. Unfortunately for them, Sue was smart enough not to step out of the door no matter how hard they rang the doorbell. Eventually, the neighborhood security guard was alerted, and they had to consider the mission a failure. Looking at the situation in the basement parking lot earlier, they dared not make a move too. Bailey guessed that the woman he mentioned must be Luca. That woman had thwarted her ns of abducting Sue again and again. She was very anxious to make her move because she knew that Jason would be back soon. With Jason protecting Sue, Bailey knew that it would be much more difficult to approach her. After all, Jason knew some of her secrets. Jason''s persistent threat meant that Bailey could only make a move on Sue when Jason was not in A City. If Jason returned, she would have lost the opportunity... "I don''t care what you do. If you don''t get your hands on Sue Carter, I''ll send the incriminating evidence to the police!" Bailey threatened them. "You can''t do that to us, Ma''am. Someone is protecting that woman now..." The man frowned, which caused the scar on his face to wrinkle menacingly. "Who''s the one protecting her? Can''t you deal with them first?" Bailey said. The man was silent for a while. Earlier, he saw that the man who was protecting Sue seemed to have a close rtionship with Luca. If they could abduct Luca first, that man would definitely go and try to save Luca. If that happened, they would have an opportunity... "I know what to do, Ma''am," the man said to Bailey. Luca got off work in the evening. She sent a message to Amur and was relieved to know that he was protecting Sue. After that, she nned to go to the supermarket to buy some food for dinner. Ever since she returned from New York, she had been busy with work, and dinner was usually delivered food. She felt slightly guilty for asking Amur to help her, so she decided to cook something for him. Luca got out of the cab at the supermarket next to the neighborhood. It was the evening rush hour, so it took her quite a lot of time to pick what she wanted and queue at the cashier counter. After she paid for the food, she left the supermarket with two full shopping bags. Looking at the time, she guessed that Sue must have already left her office, gone to pick up her daughters, and gone back home. She thought that she should be able to cook something decent for Amur by the time he returned. With that thought in mind, Luca walked into a narrow alley. It was a shortcut to return to the apartment. Not many people used the narrow alleys in the daytime. They were even more deserted when it was almost night. The alley was silent, as though someone with malign intentions might be lurking within. Luca walked along the narrow alleys without any fear. The dense buildings filtered most of the traffic sounds from the main road, so she would be able to hear any movement in her surroundings. When she heard the footsteps behind her, she stopped walking and turned around calmly. She was face-to-face with the two men who were following her. "Are you here to abduct me?" Luca asked. There was no hint of panic in her voice. She was very sure about that because when she stopped walking, the two men also stopped. When she turned around, she noticed that the men exchanged nces. Those were the hints that the men were there for her. "Did Bailey send you?" Luca continued to ask questions. The two men came to their senses and realized that they had been found. Luca stepped toward them and said, "Aren''t you supposed to abduct Sue Carter? Have you changed your target, or is Bailey mistaken?" The man with the scar said viciously, "We don''t know who Bailey is." "Oh? Are you sure that whoever employed you isn''t mistaken?" Luca continued to ask. The man with the scar did not say anything. He made a gesture to hispanions, and they pounced on Luca. If they could abduct Luca, the man who protected Sue woulde and save her, and they would be able toplete their mission! Chapter 1338 Chapter 1338 Bailey Has Gone Too Far As she watched the men charge toward her, Luca ced the shopping bags on the ground. Luca had a smaller build than the two men, and they did not think that she posed a threat to them. They raised their fists, thinking that they could settle this through brute force. Soon, sounds of people trading blows could be heard in the narrow alley. A few secondster, the sounds stopped, following which were the sounds of men panting and groaning. Luca picked up her shopping bags and looked at the two people. The alley was only illuminated by a street light near the exit, and the lighting was extremely dim. Even so, she could tell that the two men were in great agony. One of the men felt great pain in his chest cavity, as though his ribs were broken. He could only make grunting noises, and he did not have the strength to get to his feet. "I''m not as gentle as my younger brother. I''d expect that you''ve learned your lesson when you tried to abduct my friend, but it doesn''t mean that you can shift your sights to me instead." The man groaned in agony. Even though he could still walk after Amur had beaten him thest time, it did not mean that he did not learn his lesson. He did not expect that the woman to be a better fighter than Amur. "Go and tell your employer to think twice before making a move on me," Luca said and left the alley. The man who was sprawled on the ground tried to push himself up, but the pain in his chest was too intense, and he had to give up on the idea. "What do we do now, Chief?" The other man said as he watched Luca go away. He could not stand up, let alone subdue her. "I''m calling the ambnce!" The leader of the two men searched the vicinity for his phone that had fallen to the ground, then dialed for emergency services. He had only received a few punches, but he could not stand up after that. He even wondered if his ribs were broken... As Luca walked out of the alley, she heard that the man was calling the ambnce. She smirked and paid him no heed. She did not hold back, but she did not break their bones either. She knew where their weak points were, and that was why it hurt more than usual. They would feel much better after half an hour. The ambnce was not necessary. Luca had never intended to injure them, but those people were obviously trying to hurt her, and she had to teach them a lesson somehow. At the same time, it would serve as a warning to Bailey. Bailey had tried to harm Sue. Luca was not going to allow that to happen. Back at her apartment, Luca put some of the ingredients in the fridge and used the rest to prepare dinner. When dinner was almost done, Amur came in through the front door. He smiled sheepishly when he heard the sounds in the kitchen, then went to sit down on the couch and took out hisptop. Theptop had been continuously switched on for the past two days. It was running a hacking program that would discover the ws in T Corporation''spanywork. The screen lit up, and he saw that the program had been executed sessfully. His fingers danced on the keyboard as he prepared to write a program to protect thepanywork. As expected, there were traces of attacks at various ces. ording to the log, the attacks were done some time ago. The hackers must have tried to breach the security but failed and gave up. Luca''s worries hade true. Amur quickly erased the traces of those attacks as well as the traces that he had been there. Luca came out of the kitchen with two tes. When she saw Amur sitting on the couch typing something, she asked, "Have you injected your program?" "Mm. I sessfully hacked into thework this afternoon, and I also noticed the traces of several other IP addresses trying to breach the firewall. They happened quite recently, but none of them seeded. I also erased their traces," Amur said and put theptop aside. The moment he sniffed the fragrance of Luca''s cooking, his stomach began to protest loudly. Luca ced the tes on the table and said, "Come, let''s eat." Amur sat down at the dining table and helped himself with the food. "Why did you cook today?" "I got off work early, and I didn''t feel like eating delivery food today," Luca said. Then, she asked, "Your program could hack into thepanywork. Does that mean that Abel could get one of his minions to hack into thepanywork too?" Amur nodded. The program that he wrote was not veryplicated, even though it was still far more advanced than what a normal person could write. In any case, the program managed to breach the companywork in a rtively short amount of time. "He can do that, as long as he has the time," Amur replied." T Corporation''s firewall is one of the best ones in the market, but all systems will have their ws. It''s only a matter of finding and exploiting them." Luca knew about that fact. It was unfortunate for T Corporation that Amur managed to find the ws in thework. "Can you find all the ws of theirwork?" She asked. If thepanywork was hacked again, it would bring Luke a lot of trouble. This is from N?velDrama.Org. "Of course, but it''ll take time." Amur knew why Luca was so concerned. This time, he did not remind her to keep her distance from Luke. That was because he knew that it was no use reminding her. Luca was devoted to Luke. Even though they could not be together physically, she would find some other way to protect him. Attempting to convince Luca otherwise would only be a waste of his breath. "Don''t worry. I can find the ws, but I can''t do anything to fix them after discovering them," Amur said. "Why?" Luca''s te of food remained untouched. Her mind was upied by thepanywork''s security ws. "I''ll have to gain ess to their internalwork to fix the problems. I don''t think I can ask them for their wifi password, can I?" Amur smiled drily and exined. Luca understood what he meant. Indeed, that was impossible. Amur could see that she was trying hard toe up with a solution, and he did not want to see her skip her meals because of the problem. He said, "I can try attacking theirwork so that they are aware of the ws." Luca smiled and nodded when she heard that. "That''s a good idea. Would they realize that you''re the one who''s attacking them though?" "They won''t do that. Don''t worry, I''ll let them realize the existence of the ws, but they won''t find out that it''s me," Amur smiled and said. "I''m almost done eating. You should eat too." Luca came to her senses and gave him half of her pork chop. "You can have some of my food if you like it so much." Amur felt blissful as he looked at his te. It would be so good if he could always eat her dinner. Chapter 1339 Chapter 1339 He Would Not Let Her Off Two dayster, Luke and Jason departed from New York after having resolved the issues that gued the subsidiarypany. Lanie and Rainie knew that their father wasing home today, and they locked themselves in the bedroom for a long time. They even ignored Tommy knocking on the door and making a fuss about wanting to go inside. Aftering to a conclusion that they should hand the DNA test report to Luke, they opened the bedroom door. Tommy''s ruckus had alerted Bianca earlier. When Lanie and Rainie opened the door, they saw Bianca outside, preparing to knock. nWhat are you two kids doing inside? Didn''t you hear that your younger brother is outside the door? I''m just about to get the butler to fetch the keys," Bianca smiled and said as she looked at the twins. Ever since the previous incident, Rainie had tried to avoid Bianca whenever possible. Bianca was very frustrated that the three children were not close to her at all. From N?velDrama.Org. "We were reading," Lanie replied. Bianca showed an expression of understanding. She looked into the bedroom, then at the twins, and did not discover anything out of the ordinary. "I''ve made some dessert. Do you want some?" "No, thanks. We''re going to do our homework," Lanie said. He did not give Bianca the chance to speak to Rainie. Bianca nodded, then turned to look at Rainie. She was about to say something when Lanie said to Tommy, "Come here and do your homework with us, Tommy. Daddy will being home soon." Tommy nodded excitedly when he heard that. He went into the bedroom with his backpack. Before Bianca could say anything, Lanie closed the bedroom door in her face. Bianca could only re at the closed door. The three children were getting on her nerves, but Old Master Crawford had been keeping a close eye on her. She could not beat or scold them, and she had to pretend that she was a caring mother to them. The three children were unrted to her, and she could not bring herself to love or care for them. Thinking that Luke would being home soon, she decided to put the matter to rest. She was sick in the hospital when Luke had left for New York. Now, she would have to primp herself so that Luke would have a good impression of her. Luke had not touched her in three years. She could not let that continue. Bianca clenched her fists tightly. She would have to do something so that Luke would sleep with her. Ideally, she would bear a child for Luke so that they would be together forever. Soon, it was midnight. Crawford Manor was silent. Luke''s flight was dyed, so he reached home a few hourster than expected. It was already half-past twelve when Luke''s car drove into the manor grounds. Lanie and Rainie did not sleep. Instead, they waited in their respective bedrooms for their father to return. When Rainie heard the footsteps along the corridor, she opened her bedroom door and saw that her father had indeed returned. Tears welled up in her eyes as she ran to him. "Daddy! You''re back!" Luke patted Rainie''s head and said, "It''s already sote. Why aren''t you in bed yet? Were you waiting for me?" "Mm!" Rainie nodded, lifted her head, and looked at him. "I miss you, Daddy." Luke''s heart softened when he looked at the little girl''s face that looked so simr to Bianca. He crouched down and gently wiped her cheeks. "I miss you too. It''s already veryte. You should go to bed now, and we can talk tomorrow morning, alright?" "Daddy, Lanie is still awake too." Rainie turned around and took his hand. "Can we go to Lanie''s bedroom?" Luke put his suitcase away and allowed Rainie to lead him into Lanie''s bedroom. "You''re home, Daddy!" When Lanie heard the door open, he took off his headphones and hopped off the chair. He had been listening to a science podcast because he was worried that he might fall asleep. That was why he did not hear the footsteps in the corridor, but when Luke came in through the door, Lanie knew that his father hade home. "Mm." Luke frowned when he saw that his son had just gotten off a podcast. "Why aren''t you two in bed yet?" "Rainie and I are waiting for you toe home. There''s something that we want to tell you," Lanie said. He nced at the bedroom door, then went over and closed it. Luke sat on the bed and watched the children with grim expressions on their faces. "What''s wrong?" Lanie handed a brown paper envelope to Luke. "Daddy, you won''t believe it if we tell you, so you should see for yourself. Rainie and I obtained this. Take a look." Curiously, Luke took out the document from the envelope. He immediately understood what they were trying to tell him. Inside the envelope was a DNA test report. "This is a DNA test involving Rainie and Mommy. Daddy, that woman isn''t our real mother," Lanie said. "Why did you go and order the DNA test?" Luke looked at the date of the report. It had been some time ago. It seemed like the twins had realized that the woman was not their real mother. Moreover, they had realized that before he did... "Because we think that she doesn''t behave like our mother," Rainie said softly. Then, she told him what Bianca did to her a few days ago. As Luke listened to Rainie''s ount of her ordeal, his grip on the document became tighter and tighter. "Daddy, if she''s really our mother, she wouldn''t have done that even if she had really lost her memories," Lanie said. Rainie nodded, "rm lucky that Ms. Luca saved me. Otherwise, I might not be able to see you again." Luke frowned when Rainie mentioned Luca''s name. "Luca? What did the incident have to do with her?" Rainie told him about how Tommy had given Luca a phone call to ask her for help. Luke furrowed his brows tightly. The incident had something to do with Luca again... "The report is genuine, Daddy. We asked the Holston family driver to help us at the hospital. If you don''t believe us, you can go and ask him. This isn''t a prank," Lanie said as he tugged Luke''s shirt sleeve. Luke could tell that the children were worried that he might not believe them. He patted their heads and said, "I know. I trust you." Lanie was surprised. "Daddy, did you already know..." "I don''t think children can forge a DNA test report." Luke did not tell them how he found out that Bianca was an impostor. It was something that he should have known, but instead, he let the children worry. Even more than that, they had been keeping it secret for so long because they were afraid that he might not believe them. The more Luke thought about it, the guiltier he felt toward the real Bianca. If she knew about her children''s situation, she would feel incredibly sorry for them. "I know what to do. She''s not going to get away with treating Rainie like that." Luke gave his promise to the children. Chapter 1340 Chapter 1340 He Wanted Them to Return After Luke promised them what he would do, the twins exchanged relieved nces. Luke had always carried through his promises. Lanie and Rainie knew that Luke had always loved the real Bianca. The impostor Bianca, who had lived in their house for three years, had never received his love. Rainie yawned and rubbed her eyes. Luke stroked her hair and said gently. "You should go to bed if you''re tired." "Alright. Good night, Daddy." Rainie nodded and walked toward the door. Before she left the room, she turned around and said, "Good night, Lanie." "Good night." Luke looked at the two children. It must have been hard for them to keep their discovery a secret. However, he could not expose the impostor''s lies before the real Bianca was found, and he was worried that the children might not be able to keep the secret anymore. "I''ll handle this. You have to pretend that you don''t know anything." Lanie and Rainie understood what he meant, so they nodded. After Rainie left, Luke stood up and turned off Lanie''s tablet. "It''s veryte, and you have to go to school tomorrow. Go to bed now." "Yes, Daddy, but tomorrow is the weekend, and we don''t need to go to school." Lanie nodded and handed him the brown paper envelope. Luke chuckled to himself. He had been so busy in New York that he had forgotten the day of the week. He put the report back in the envelope, left the bedroom, and brought the suitcase back to the study. He sat on the executive chair and perused the test report. Many times over the past three years, he had suspected the true identity of his supposed wife, but he had always chosen to trust in the test report. Now that the truth was staring at him in his face, he realized that his suspicions had always been correct. She was an impostor. Luke picked up his phone and sent a message to Gale. He wanted them to return to A City so that they could investigate what happened back then. The next day, Luca received a message from Sue, saying that Jason had already returned from New York. Sue had also told Jason what happened in the past few days, and they had agreed to host Luca and Amur for dinner at their house. Thinking that Luke would not show up at Jason''s house for dinner, she readily epted Sue''s invitation. Luca told Amur about Sue''s invitation while they were having breakfast. Amur frowned when he heard that. He said nothing. "What''s wrong?" Luca asked out of concern. "I have something elseter at night. I can''t go," Amur said. He had received a mission around midnight, and he would have to be elsewhereter at night. Luca nodded and said, "I shouldn''t stop you then. I''ll exin it to them." "Mm." Amur picked up a croissant and took a bite. Luca continued to ask him, "Is it a mission from Abel?" "Yes." Amur did not hide it from her, but he also did not tell her the details. Luca understood the rules. She said, "Take care when you''re on your mission. Don''t get hurt." "I won''t. The mission is very simple this time, and there shouldn''t be too much fighting." Amur said while gulping down some soy milk. After living in A City for a while, he began to enjoy the taste of soy milk. Luca could tell from Amur''s expression that he was not lying to her, and she could not help but wonder what mission it was. After breakfast, Amur changed his clothes and left the apartment. Luca noticed that Amur was dressed in casual clothes, as though he was going shopping instead of going on a mission. That made her even more curious than ever. After Amur left, Luca tidied up the apartment. Usually, Amur would tidy up the ce whenever he was free, so Luca only spent half an hour cleaning up. After that, she took out some medicine samples and researched them. Many unforeseen incidents had happened ever since she returned from New York, and she had a lot of research to catch up on at work. She barely had enough free time to do her own research. She took out the bottle of liquid that she obtained from Solomon, then shook a test tube containing the antidote. She nned to extract the activeponents of the antidote and see if she could replicate it. If she could manage to replicate the antidote, she would not have to rely on the monthly dose to survive. It would also be a lot easier to free Eler and Amur from the clutches of the Ind of Despair. Luca began to do her research. She packed up her apparatus in the afternoon so that Amur would not discover what she was doing. Before she seeded, she would not tell Amur about what she was doing. She did not want Eler and Amur to celebrate prematurely in case her n failed. Seeing that it was almost time for dinner, Luca changed into a dress, put on some light makeup, and left the apartment. She bought some gifts at a nearby department store, caught a cab, and went to Jason''s house. She rang the doorbell, and the caretaker quickly came over and opened the door. After she walked into the house, Kari came over and greeted her, "Good afternoon, Ms. Luca." Luca smiled when she saw the cute little girl. "Good afternoon." Kari knew that Luca was the person who saved her. She went up to Luca eagerly and said, "Ms. Luca, are you thirsty? I''ll get you a ss of water." Luca shook her head, though the girl''s hospitality made her feel wee. She took out two dolls from the shopping bag and handed them to her. "I bought two dolls. One is for you, and the other is for your sister." This is from N?velDrama.Org. Sue happened to step out of the kitchen and saw that scene. She quickly said, "Dr. Craw! You shouldn''t have!" Luca replied, "I saw the dolls when I was at the department store earlier, and I thought that Kari and Teri would like them. Here, take them, Kari." Kari wanted the dolls very much, though she looked at her mother for approval. Sue shook her head. "You''re too kind, Dr. Craw. Kari and Teri have a lot of toys. You shouldn''t have bought them more." Luca put the doll in Kari''s hands and said, "Alright, I won¡¯t bring them any more toys next time then. I''d like to give these to Kari and Teri though, I can''t return them because I threw the receipt away." Sue understood that Luca could not return the dolls. She could only say, Kari, thank Ms. Luca." "Thank you, Ms. Luca. I love them very, very much.¡± Kari smiled sweetly after her mother gave her the permission to ept the dolls. Luca smiled and patted her head. If N were here, she would be very good friends with Kari and Teri. Kari ran back to the bedroom to share the dolls with her sister, and Luca handed a shopping bag to Sue. "I won''t bring you gifts next time, but I''ve brought you some this time, and you''ll have to ept them. I can''t return them." Sue felt quite awkward when she saw the shopping bag full of gifts. Chapter 1341 Chapter 1341 Dr. Craw Is Not Bad Sue and Jason wanted to invite Luca for dinner to thank her. They did not want to make it too restrictive, which was why they had nned for a home-cooked dinner. Now that Luca hade to their house bearing gifts, it felt too formal. It would be rude for Sue not to ept the gifts, so she took the bulging shopping bag from Luca''s hands. "Thanks, but you shouldn''t have. We should be the ones to thank you." "You''re wee," Luca smiled and said. She saw Jasone out of the kitchen wearing an apron. She smiled and said, "So this is how you look when you''re out of a suit, Mr. Doyle." Jason smiled. "Don¡¯t tease me, Dr. Craw. Sue, what do you n to do with the fish?" "How about roasting it with herb stuffing?" Sue said, then turned to ask Luca, "Dr. Craw, do you like roast fish? Let me know if you''d rather eat something else. We''ve prepared a lot of ingredients today." "I''m not picky. I''d be d to eat whatever you serve," Luca said. "If that''s the case, I''ll make you all my favorite dishes!" Sue said. She handed the shopping bag to the caretaker, then rolled up her sleeves and went into the kitchen as though she was ready to showcase her skills. Jason could not help but smile when he saw Sue''s expression. He knew the level of Sue''s culinary skills. She would rather stay away from the kitchen, but she had to learn how to cook so that her children could eat healthily. Jason had tasted Luca''s cooking while in New York, and he could tell that Luca was a far better cook than Sue. "Sue, Dr. Craw is a very good cook. I tried her cooking once in New York. It tastes better than many of the popr restaurants you can find here," Jason said. ''Really? I''d like to try." Sue widened her eyes in excitement when she heard that. She was a huge food lover. "But Sue..." Jason cleared his throat, reminding her that they were the hosts tonight, and Luca was the guest. It would be inappropriate to ask their guest to cook for them... "I''d love to taste your cooking some other day, Dr. Craw. You''ll have to taste mine today," Sue said with a wide grin on her face. "Of course," Luca replied with a smile. She was happy to see this other side of Sue''s personality. It meant that Sue treated her as a friend. Sue went into the kitchen and said to the caretaker, "Make a cup of tea for Dr. Craw. Dr. Craw, please make yourself at home. Dinner will be served soon." "Alright." Luca nodded and sat down on the couch in the living room. She wanted to help, but her current identity was not that close to Sue yet, so she gave up on the idea. The caretaker served her a small pot of tea. "Please have some tea, Dr. Craw." "Thank you." Luca poured herself a cup of tea and took a sip. Kari and Teri came over with their dolls and a dollhouse. "Ms. Luca, can you y with us?" Kari said. Luca nodded and said, ¡¯¡¯Alright." Sue and Jason were busy in the kitchen. "You say that Dr. Craw is a good cook?" Sue suddenly asked. "Yes." After Jason gave his reply, he was afraid that Sue might overthink, so he added, "Little Mr. Crawford wanted to eat Dr. Craw''s cooking while we were taking care of Mr. Crawford in the hospital, so I was lucky to taste it." Sue did not misunderstand him. After all, she trusted him. She nodded and said, "Did any of you tell Bianca about how Luke ended up in the hospital over there?" Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "I don''t think anyone did. We were very busy in New York, and we barely returned to our hotels. Most of the time was spent in the office," Jason said. During that period, he rarely saw Luke do anything else outside of work, so Luke probably did not tell Bianca. "So does that mean Bianca doesn''t know?" Sue remembered how she had tried to hint about it to Bianca, but Bianca had given her an impatient reply. Subconsciously, she applied more strength to her knife. "Are you still thinking of telling her?" Jason shook his head and took the knife from her hands in case she hurt herself because she could not control her emotions. "No." Sue went to wash the vegetables instead. She replied," I think that Dr. Craw is a nice person. She also saved Kari''s life, and she''s considered your colleague. I don''t think it''s right for me to speak ill of her." "It''s good that you understand," Jason said with a smile. His impression of Luca had changed over time. He thought that Luca was not the type of woman who wanted to get close to Luke because of his wealth. In fact, he could tell that Luca would asionally deliberately distance herself from Luke. "Right, can you check with your boss to see if he''s reallying?" Sue said. She was not the one who invited Luke. Of course, Jason did not invite him either. Luke happened to be nearby when Jason was discussing with Sue over the phone about inviting Luca over for dinner. When he heard that, he asked if he coulde too. As his subordinate, Jason could not refuse. "I''ve asked him earlier. He said that he¡¯ll be here soon," Jason said. Sue put the washed vegetables aside. She could hear the children ying happily in the living room. asionally, she could also hear them calling out "Ms. Luca." She guessed that Luca and the girls were having fun together. "I don''t know why your boss wants toe. I bet Dr. Craw would be so surprised when she sees him later." Jason shook his head and ced the fish on the baking tray. Suddenly, he said, "Don''t you find Dr. Craw familiar somehow?" "No," Sue shook her head and said. "I haven''t been acquainted with her for very long, so I don''t find her familiar." "Sometimes, Dr. Craw gives me this feeling that I''ve known her for many years. I must have been mistaken though. She''s from Russia, and I don''t think that I''ve met her before," Jason said. Sue frowned slightly. Now that she thought about it, she realized that Luca seemed too friendly at times. They had only met once, but she had tasked her younger brother to protect her and the children from the shadows. "Right, have you met Dr. Craw''s younger brother? Dr. Craw has Caucasian features, but her younger brother has ethnic features. How did that happen?" Sue tried to find some more information from Jason. Jason handed the tray to her and said, "Dr. Craw said that their family adopted the boy when he was young, and that''s why they don''t look alike. I''ve cleaned the fish, and the rest is up to you.¡± Chapter 1342 Chapter 1342 You¡¯re Amazing, Uncle Luke! Sue took the tray and started stuffing the fish with herbs and vegetables. She remembered Luke''s character and asked Jason, "Mr. Crawford is a picky eater. Is he going toment on my cooking?" Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "I don''t think so," Jason said after giving the question some thought. He added, "He probably won''t touch it.¡± "That''ll be so awkward. I don''t even know why he wants toe," Sue mumbled. Jason shook his head and continued to help Sue in the kitchen. In the living room, Kari and Teri were holding their dolls in their hands while Luca helped them dress up the dolls and braid their hair. She found the tasks easy because she had yed with dolls with Rainie before. Kari smiled sweetly when Luca was done with her doll. "You made the doll look pretty, Ms. Luca," she said. "Yes! That''s better than what Mommy can do," Teri said. Luca smiled sheepishly. Sue would not be happy if she heard her daughters say that. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. The caretaker, who had been sitting in the living room, stood up and said, "The other guest should be here. I''ll go and open the door." Luca was quite surprised to hear that. Another guest? Who else did they invite?'' When Kari heard that, she put her doll away and said," Hooray! Uncle Luke is here!" Luca''s eyes slightly widened as she looked toward the front door. Jason''s house was a small-sized mansion. Two minutester, Luca saw Lukee in through the door. Luca was stunned. She did not expect Luke to be a surprise guest at Jason''s house. Jason came out of the kitchen and greeted him. "You''re here, Mr. Crawford. Make yourself at home. Dinner will be served soon." Luke nodded slightly and said calmly, "Don''t worry about me. Jason nodded and told the caretaker, "Please pour a cup of tea for Mr. Crawford." "Yes." The caretaker brought Luke a cup and filled it with the fresh tea from the teapot. Luke took the cup and sat down on the couch. He nced at the dollhouse and the essories for the dolls on the coffee table, then looked at Luca. Luca was currently holding a doll''s dress in her hands. She tried to remainposed as she put the dress away." What a coincidence, Mr. Crawford," she said. "Mm." Luke nodded, brought the cup to his lips, and took a sip. He did not tell her that he had overheard Jason''s n and insisted oning. He did not know why he wanted to go there, but he really wanted to meet Luca. Gale and Rain had investigated her background. Luke had read the document over and over, but he still thought that Luca''s identity was a mystery. Luca looked away. She was about to continue to y with the girls when she realized that they were sitting next to Luke. "Come and y with us, Uncle Luke," they said with smiles on their faces. Luca raised an eyebrow when she heard that. ¡¯Why would the girls invite Luke to y with them? Luke had never yed with dolls, not even with Rainie.'' Luca did not say anything. She wanted to see how Luke would react. Luke looked at the dolls in the girls'' hands. From the corner of his eye, he noticed that Luca was observing him with great interest, so he dly took the dolls. Kari said, "Ms. Luca had just changed the doll''s clothes. Can you help me braid her hair?" "Mm." Luke found the toyb on the coffee table and began to braid a ponytail for the dolls. Luca was surprised to see that his fingers were quite nimble. He deftly straightened the doll''s hair with ab, split it into three parts, and began to braid them together. ''Since when did Luke y with girls'' toys?'' Luca thought, still in disbelief by what she saw. Sue was done cooking dinner, and she came out of the kitchen. She chuckled when she saw Luke braiding the doll''s hair, not thinking that it was out of the ordinary. "Mr. Crawford, I suppose you have enough practice at home braiding Rainie''s hair every day. Are you applying what you''ve learned on the dolls now?" Luca was even more surprised when she heard that. She could not believe that Luke was the one who braided Rainie''s hair. When she was Bianca, she was the one who braided Rainie''s hair every day. She thought that after she was abducted, the impostor Bianca would be the one to braid Rainie''s hair... Luke finished braiding thest bit and tied up the hair with a rubber band. He was not angry that Sue was teasing him." Rainie has been braiding her own hair now," he said calmly. "She''s a big girl now, and her standards have be higher. If you don''t practice your braiding daily, she won''t like what you do. Right, I don''t think she''d like old-fashioned braids too. I just bought a book on braids. Do you want to see it?" Sue said teasingly while patting Teri''s head. Luke was Jason''s boss, but he was not her boss. That was why Sue did not hold back when talking to him. "It''s fine," Luke said as he handed the doll to Kari. "She looks beautiful. You''re amazing, Uncle Luke!" Kari said happily. She lifted the doll and showed it to Luca. "What do you think, Ms. Luca?" Luca nodded. "It looks good." She was still thinking about how Luke had braided Rainie''s hair. She did not expect that he would do that. It seemed that the impostor Bianca did not treat the children well. However, that allowed Luke to shower his love and care toward them. Luca was beginning to feel emotional. Sue chuckled when she heard Kari''s praise for Luke. "My dear, that''s as much as your darling Uncle Luke can do." Jason happened to hear what Sue said to Luke as he came out of the kitchen. His heart skipped a beat. Sue and Luke frequently butted heads over the management and development of Brilliant Architecture. However, Luke had thest word, and Sue would usually have toply. Even though Luke had never made a wrong decision for thepany over the past three years, Sue would never miss a chance to get even with him. Luke would not argue with Sue, but he would sometimes me Jason for it. Now that Sue was openly teasing Luke, Jason figured that he would be the unlucky one. Jason sighed discreetly, then said, "Dinner is ready." Sue smiled and looked at Luca. "This way, please, Dr. Craw." Luca turned her head away from Luke, stood up, and went to the dining hall with Sue. Jason also said, "Dinner is ready, Mr. Crawford." Luke nodded and stood up. Kari put the doll away and followed him to the dining hall. The dining table was rectangr. After the hosts and the children sat down, Luca found her seat. Meanwhile, Luke was sitting opposite her. Chapter 1343 Chapter 1343 She Wanted to Run Away Luca lifted her head, and the two pairs of eyes met, which caused her to shudder involuntarily. Sue took out a bottle of red wine from the cab. She smiled and said, "I''m in the mood today. Shall we all have a drink? I know it''s weird to pair red wine with fish, but we''re all friends here, and we don''t really mind that, do we?" Luca''s alcohol capacity was quite high now, and she did not have to drive herself hometer, so she had no problems with drinking during dinner. She nodded and said, "Alright." Luke did not voice his opinion. Jason said, "Let''s not, Sue. Ms. Crawford drove here. If he drank wine, how is he going to drive home later?" "If he can''t drive home, he can spend the night here," Sue said matter-of-factly. "Mr. Crawford, if you don''t want to spend the night here, I''ll get some freshly-squeezed orange juice for you. That''s what the children are drinking too." Luke nced at the bottle of red wine in her hands. He knew that Jason had bought some bottles while on a business trip in France a few years ago, and Jason had nned to save them for a special asion. "Red wine is fine." Luke made his decision. He did not want to be drinking orange juice together with the children. Sue nodded and asked the caretaker to bring four wine sses. "That''s more like it. It''s a special asion today, and we ought to drink some wine to celebrate it. If you can''t drive, I''ll get a cab for you." Jason massaged his temples when he heard what Sue said. The caretaker brought four wine sses to the table. Sue uncorked the wine and poured it into the sses. "We don''t have time to decant the wine, so let''s just drink it straight from the bottle. This wine has a great texture, and it''s quite good even if you don''t decant it." "Thank you," Luca said with a smile as she took the wine ss from Sue''s hand. "Don''t be a stranger, Dr. Craw," Sue said magnanimously." Right, calling you ''Dr. Craw'' sounds too formal. Is it okay if I call you by your name?" Luca nodded and said, "Of course." "Luca sounds better anyway," Sue said while pouring the wine into Luke''s ss. "Have a taste, Mr. Crawford. Jason bought the wine while he was on a business trip to France, and I heard that you bought a case too. Have you finished it? tv Jason shook his head again. Sue had not touched a drop of alcohol yet, but she spoke as though she were already drunk. ''Doesn''t she know who she¡¯s speaking to?'' He thought. "Not yet." Luke took the ss and shook it gently. Sue said, "Fine wine is meant for drinking. You should drink yours soon. It might taste richer the longer you store it, but it won''t taste as unique." Jason stood up and took the bottle from Sue''s hands. "Let me do it." Sue did not try to snatch the bottle back from Jason. She sat down, smiled, and looked at Luca as Luca took a sip of wine. "What do you think of the wine, Luca?" She asked. "I don''t drink wine often, but I like the taste and texture. This should be suitable for women," Luca said after rolling the wine in her mouth for a while. "That''s right, Dr. Craw. This wine is suitable for women." Jason poured a ss of wine for Sue, then poured himself a ss. Luke turned his gaze toward Luca and said, "I didn''t expect that you know quite a bit about wine, Dr. Craw." "My parents like to drink wine," Luca said and took another sip. Luke raised his eyebrows. "I thought that Russians like to drink vodka. What about you, Dr. Craw?" "As long as it''s good quality," Luca said with a smile. Kari gently tugged Sue''s shirt sleeve, then stared at Sue with her big, round eyes as though she wanted to tell her something. Sue immediately understood, and she began to distribute the food to the people around the table. "Mr. Crawford, Luca, you can save the wine for after you''ve tasted my cooking. Here, have a taste of the herb-stuffed roast fish I''ve made." Luca took a bite and nodded approvingly. "The fish is fresh and tender. This is tasty." "You don''t know how d I am to hear that. I''ve heard from Jason that you''re an excellent cook, and I was worried that you might not like my cooking," Sue said while putting some fish on her daughters'' tes. Naturally, she did not bother serving Luke. Jason said, "Please eat, Mr. Crawford." Luke picked up a piece of fish with his fork, put it in his mouth, and carefully chewed it. The fish was quite fresh, but the taste was not very remarkable. It could notpare to Luca''s cooking. "He''s exaggerating. I''m not as skilled as he says,¡± Luca said humbly. As she ate, she carefully observed Luke''s actions. Luke stopped eating after a bite. It seemed that the food was not to his tastes. Luca knew that Crawford Manor had a skilled cook. Why did he insist on having dinner here? Did he have something to discuss with Jason? Luca quickly dismissed that thought. Jason was Luke''s subordinate, and if Luke wanted to discuss something with Jason, Jason should have been the one to go and look for Luke... "You''re too humble," Sue said. If even Jason praised Luca''s cooking, Sue could tell that she was an excellent cook. Suddenly, she remembered that Bianca was also a good cook until she lost her memories. Bianca had taught her how to make the herb-stuffed roast fish. Unfortunately, Sue did not manage to get the recipe for the herb stuffing from her before she lost her memories. Sue thought that it was a pity. After finishing the bottle of wine, Sue uncorked another two bottles. After the caretaker brought the twin girls to their bedrooms, the adults sat down in the living room, drinking and chatting. Luke was the one who drank the least. Sue nced at the clock and saw that it was almost eleven o''clock. She said, "You shouldn''t go home today, Luca. It''s already sote, and it''ll be hard for you to catch a cab." "I don''t think I should impose on you. It might bete, but I know that I can get cabs easily in this area." Luca shook her head. She took out her phone and prepared to book a cab. When Luke saw that, he said, "I''ll send you home. It''s along the way." Luca frowned slightly when she looked at the wine ss in his hand. "You drank quite a lot of wine, Mr. Crawford. I don''t think you should drive." "My driver is already waiting for us outside," Luke said. He knew that he was going to drink wine, so he had already sent a message to Sean. Currently, Sean was waiting outside the mansion for the dinner to end. Now that someone was sending Luca home, Sue did not intend to keep her there. Even though she did not like Luke, she trusted his character. After finishing thest of the wine, they said goodbye to each other. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Luca took her handbag and left the living room. Luke was walking next to her. They walked out of the small mansion with only two parking lots. Luke''s car was waiting for them across the road, and they had to step out of the gate. Jason was walking in front of them, leading the way. Luca stole a nce at the man next to her. His well-built body should have given her a sense of safety, but at that moment, Luca wanted nothing more than to run away. Chapter 1344 Chapter 1344 The Distance Between Them Jason saw them off at the front gate. They were about a hundred meters away from where Luke''s car was parked. While they were walking toward Luke''s car, Luca took the opportunity to say, "It''s fine, Mr. Crawford, I can go back on my own." "Are you afraid of me?" Luke suddenly stopped walking, turned around, and looked into her eyes. Luca was taken aback by the question. Was she afraid of him? She could not say so, but she hoped that she could avoid any interactions with him. If she eventually failed to escape from Abel''s clutches, or if she was toote and he had already found someone else, she would not have to be so sad. By reducing her interactions with him, she hoped that she would be able to ept the eventuality that she might not meet him again. "I''m not afraid of you. It''s just that it''s already sote, and our houses are in separate directions. If you send me home, it''ll be veryte by the time you get back to your house. Mrs. Crawford should be waiting for you at home, right?" Luca also stopped walking. "She never waits for me," Luke said as he stared at her. The street light cast a dreamy aura around Luca''s figure. That woman back at home was an impostor, and she could not be the real Bianca no matter how hard she tried. The only woman that would wait for him was Bianca. No other woman could rece her position in his heart. Seeing that Luca did not speak, Luke continued, "If you don''t want to get into my car, it''ll be eventer by the time I get home." Luca was speechless. If she did not get into his car, the both of them would be standing there for a very long time. Eventually, she said,"... Thank you, Mr. Crawford." Luke continued walking after he heard that. Luca walked next to him. After the two people got into the car, Luke told Sean to send Luca back to her apartment first. Then, Luke leaned back on the seat and closed his eyes. Luca looked at him with the corner of her eye. Her hands are sped tightly together. Whenever she was with him, she dared not move a muscle. From N?velDrama.Org. Carefully, she leaned back on her seat. Even though it was said that one would not get drunk easily on red wine, she had drunk quite a bit, and she felt a little dizzy. After leaning backward, she slowly closed her eyes. "Sir, Ms. Craw, we have arrived." That was the next thing she heard. Luca slowly opened her eyes. She had been feeling dizzy because of the alcohol, and it was a smooth ride. She must have fallen asleep earlier. She nced outside the window. Indeed, they were in front of her apartment. Luca sat up straight. Before she could open the door, she heard Luke say, "I have something I want to talk to you about." Her hand froze in mid-air. "Sean, would you mind stepping outside for a bit?" Luke said. "Not at all, Sir." Sean quickly stepped out of the car. Only Luca and Luke were left in the car. She saw the man slowly sit up straight. Subconsciously, she also straightened her back. The two people looked at each other. "What do you want to talk about, Mr. Crawford?" "Why are you so afraid of me?" Luke asked. Luca bit her lower lip. She did not want to answer the question. She used to be afraid of him. The man was powerful, domineering, and possessive. Whenever she was with him, she felt so restricted that she struggled to breathe. She was afraid to fall helplessly for him, just like so many other women did. However, she was not afraid of Luke now. "Why aren''t you saying anything?" Luke could see that Luca was deep in thought. If she continued to bite her lip, she might bruise it. Luca slowly opened her mouth. "I''m not afraid of you, so I don''t know what to say." "You say that you''re not afraid of me, but you always want to avoid me. People who avoid me tend to be afraid of me," Luke said. He could not understand what she was thinking, but he wanted to find out more. "I¡¯m not like them. To me, you''re my superior at work, and I''m only an employee. I think there ought to be some distance between us so that people would not misunderstand. There''s nothing more I hate than being misunderstood, and I hope that you won''t trouble me this way," Luca said, hoping that Luke would understand her predicament and not worsen the situation. "I agree with what you say, that there ought to be some distance between a boss and their employee. However, I only like employees with clean backgrounds. What are you hiding from me?" Luke gradually inched closer to Luca. Luca could sense that Luke was getting closer and closer. She wanted to open the door and leave, but she realized that the driver had locked the door from the outside... "I''m sure that you have investigated my background, Mr. Crawford. What else can I tell you? Also, I believe that we''ve talked about it thest time." Luke gazed at her intently. Indeed, they had talked about her background thest time, but he thought that there was still something missing. Luca had so many secrets. It made him want to find out more... "I''m tired, Mr. Crawford. I want to go home and rest." Luca saw that Luke was looking at her. His gaze was like a whirlpool that threatened to pull her in if she was not careful. All she wanted was some peace and quiet. "If you want to rest, you have to tell me who you really are." Luke remembered the odd sense of familiarity that he found in her when they first met. It was as though she had been by his side for many years. He used to dismiss that feeling as mere fantasy, but after discovering that Bianca was an impostor, he realized that there might be some truth to what he felt. "I..." Luca was at a loss for words as she watched him inch closer and closer to her until there was less than a foot of space between them. She bit her lip angrily and said, "I''m Ivana Luca Craw from Russia. What else do you want to know?" "So many things. I want to know what you''re thinking and what you''re hiding from me," Luke said. There was only a handspan between them. The masculine hormones from his body took her breath away. Before she lost control of herself, she shoved the man away with both of her hands. "Mr. Crawford, please think of Mrs. Crawford." After Luke was shoved backward, he leaned against the car door and raised his eyebrows. Luca took a deep breath to calm down. Her face was beet- red. If she had not shoved him away, their lips might have touched... "Let me tell you once and for all, Mr. Crawford, what you see is the real me. I am only your employee, and I''ve never thought that I''d be anything else. Please respect my boundaries and do not do this again. I will not tell anyone else about what happened earlier," she said. Luke could tell that she was hoping to distance herself from him. With a pensive expression on his face, he took out his phone and gave the driver a call. "Open the door." Sean immediately came over and opened the car door for Luca. Immediately after the door was opened, Luca instantly felt the cool night breeze hit her face. She got out of the car and ran away as though she was escaping from something scary. Chapter 1345 Chapter 1345 Would He Have Kissed You? After Luca left, Sean returned to the driver''s seat and asked Luke, "Shall we go back to Crawford Manor now, Sir?" "Let''s go." After watching Luca''s figure disappear into the night, he turned his head away and said. After Sean heard that, he started the car. Luke continued, "Don¡¯t tell anyone about what happened earlier." "I saw nothing, Sir," Sean replied. He understood what Luke meant. Luke said nothing. He leaned back on his seat and closed his eyes. The odd sense of familiarity became more intense when he went closer to her earlier. When she said the words "Mrs. Crawford,¡± that had made him inexplicably angry. It was as though those words should not have been spoken by her mouth. He could not describe the feeling he had earlier. He knew that he had never lost control like that for a long time. When he was at the closest point, his full attention was focused on her lips. If she did not stop her, would he have kissed her? 1 Luke was suddenly reminded of the impostor Bianca and thought that it was time to act. He did not have the patience to condone her presence in his family anymore. Luca briskly walked away. She entered her apartment unit and closed the door. She turned on the lights and looked at the empty living room. Suddenly, she felt dejected. She should not have been living alone. i She used to have a happy and blissful family. Earlier, she had been given the perfect opportunity to tell him the truth. However, she could not help but wonder if Luke would believe her if she told him everything. Luca closed her eyes. He would not believe it. After all, there was a woman wearing her face in his house. Abel''s stic surgery skills were impable. He had turned a stranger into her while also turning her into a stranger. If she told Luke about it, he would not have believed it... ¡¯ Tears began to well up in Luca''s eyes. If she had told him about it, not only would he not believe her, but she might also put N''s life in danger... She considered herself lucky for not telling him. Tears began to fall from Luca''s face when she arrived at that thought. The term "lucky" was so ironic. Amur came out of the bedroom when he heard the sounds from outside. He saw Luca crouching in front of the door and sobbing, so he went forward and asked her, "What happened?" Luca shook her head and said nothing. Amur frowned and said determinedly, "Something must have happened. You don''t have to hide anything from me. Did Sue Carter bully you?" Luca lifted her head and looked at him with teary eyes." Amur, you used to live in a small vige without any worries. Do you miss your past?" Amur instantly knew that she was thinking about her past. He could only sigh. When he was about to say someforting words to Bianca, she stood up, sniffled, and said, "I''m fine, and nothing happened. I was a bit emotional after drinking some wine." Tm not three years old...'' Amur clenched his fists tightly as he looked at her. He wanted to be the one to wipe her tears away. Luca sniffled and said, "Really, I''m fine. When I saw Sue with her husband and two children, I was reminded of my peaceful past, and I wish I could go back to that time." Amur''s heart wrenched when he heard that. 2 She was correct. Amur and Eler wanted nothing more than to live a peaceful life. On the Ind of Despair, that was nothing more than an impossible luxury. Since it was impossible, it had been a long time since Amur thought about it. For him, being able to stay by Luca''s side and asionally carry out Abel''s orders was considered peaceful. He dared not wish for anything else. When Luca returned to her bedroom, she felt the phone in her pocket vibrate. She took it out and saw that someone had sent her a photo. When she opened the photo, she could not help but shudder. Luke''s car was prominently featured in the photo. The two people in the car could also be clearly seen... The two people were none other than Luke and her. There was only a handspan between them, and it was so easy to misunderstand what they were doing... Luca saw that the photo was sent from an unknown number. She gripped her phone tightly. Half a minuteter, she received a call from a string of numbers. Luca tried topose herself as she answered the call. Abel''s exaggerated and brazenughter was heard from the other end of the call. "I didn''t expect that you''re so capable, Luca. You changed your face, but you managed to seduce Luke once more." "It''s not like what you think. He''s suspecting my identity now, " Luca tried to maintain a calm tone. She tried hard not to recall the details of that scene. She did not expect that one of Abel''s minions would capture that scene, but who could it be? It was almost midnight, and there were not many pedestrians on the street. Her attention had been focused on Luke, and she did not notice who was around her that could have taken the photo. 1 "I''ve already gotten someone to make up a background profile for you. He shouldn''t have suspected anything. Don''t tell me that you''re still trying to protect him, Ivana." Abel did not believe what she said. He had always thought that his n was perfect. "It doesn''t matter if you believe it or not. In any case, Luke didn''t fall for me," she said determinedly. "He didn''t? My contact told me that he would have kissed you if you hadn''t shoved him away. No, it might be more than just a kiss..." Abel said rakishly. A hint of savagery appeared in Luca''s gaze. She wished that Abel was in front of her now so that she could tear him into pieces. Abel could hearthat Luca''s breathing became heavier. He could tell that she was losing control of her emotions. "You don''t have to exin anything to me, Ivana. I can''t tell what will happen next, but if Luke tries to make a move on you again, I order you not to refuse his advances or run away." "What do you actually intend to achieve?" Luca''s voice was hoarse when she said that. "I want to see what that man, supposedly renowned for his loyalty, would do when faced with temptations. Will he choose you or that Bianca?" Abel grinned. He was not afraid of telling Luca his ns. After all, N was his trump card. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. He considered himself lucky to have abducted Bianca when she was pregnant. Otherwise, he would not have been able to keep her under his control. "He will not choose me!" Luca said. She clenched her fists tightly. "We shall see about that. I''ll leave the choice to him, but you have no choice to refuse. Do not disappoint me, Ivana," Abel said and hung up. Chapter 1346 Chapter 1346 He Wanted to Go Too Luca¡¯s hatred toward Abel grew as she listened to the busy tone on the phone. She had tried to stay away from Luke and carry out Abel''s orders, yet Abel was toying with her feelings. Tears of agony flowed down Luca''s cheeks. What could she do to free herself from this mess? She knew Luke too well. Luke was not one who would want to seek a rtionship with other people. Even though she had been constantly lying to him, he kept on trying to approach her. It only meant that she was somehow special to him... Luca threw the phone on the bed and covered her face. She could not stop her tears from falling. Amur stood outside her room and listened to the sounds from inside. Luca had lost control of her emotions and had spoken a little too loudly, and he had overheard her conversation... Abel...'' Amur clenched his fists hatefully. He wished that he could im that man''s life. Meanwhile, after Luke returned to Crawford Manor, he was surprised to see that Bianca was still awake. Usually, she would have already been in bed by now, and even if she had not, she would be in her bedroom instead of the living room. This was the first time it had happened... Luke was not touched by Bianca''s gesture. After all, he clearly knew that the woman in front of him was only an impostor and not the woman he loved. Bianca stood up and went eagerly toward Luke when she saw him. "You''re back, Luke..." "Mm." Luke deftly stepped aside when Bianca came close and took off his coat. Bianca was quite surprised to see Luke step away so nimbly. When she got close to him earlier, she caught a whiff of a different fragrance on him. The strong stench of alcohol overpowered the fragrance, but she could clearly tell that it was there. She knew that he did not go to a business dinner. Instead, he went to Jason''s house for dinner. "Do I smell women''s perfume on you, Luke? Is it Sue''s perfume? It smells quite nice,¡± Bianca asked as she watched Luke ce the coat over the couch. Luke was taken aback by the question. He did not realize that Luca wore perfume. "I don''t know," he said. Bianca nodded and tried to keep up her enthusiasm despite the fact that Luke was treating her coldly. Her heart began to beat faster when she saw Luke unbutton the top two buttons of his shirt. "It''s been a long time since we talked to each other, Luke. Can you sleep in our room tonight? I hope that you can apany me." Luke took his briefcase and went up the stairs. "I have a lot of work tonight. You should go and rest," he said coldly. Bianca followed behind him. Her eyes were brimming with resentment. "It''s been three years, Luke. Why can''t you ept me for who I am? Whatever happened in the past is already the past. If you really can''t ept me, then I think we should divorce." Bianca gave her ultimatum, not knowing that Luke already knew who she was. Luke turned around and looked at her. Bianca pretended to look aggrieved. "I love you very much, Luke, but I''m only human. You''re always so cold to me, and I don''t know how to react to that. If you really don''t love me, you can let me know. I won''t bind you to this marriage if you''re not happy with me." She only said that because she was very sure that Luke would not divorce her. If he wanted to divorce her, he would have done so a long time ago. He would not have waited until today. "I''m very busy with work today, but I''ll bring you somewhere tomorrow. You should go and rest first," Luke said. Bianca frowned when she heard that. "Where are we going tomorrow? We''re not going to the city courthouse, right?" "It''s the weekend tomorrow, and the city courthouse isn''t open. You said that I''ve neglected you, isn''t it? I admit that I''ve been very busy for the past few years, and I''ve forgotten to take care of you. I''ll bring you somewhere fun tomorrow," Luke said. There was no hint of affection in his eyes. Bianca was happy when she heard that. "Are you telling me that we''re going out on a date? Are we bringing the kids along too?" "No, it''ll be just me and you," Luke said. Then, he turned around and went into the study. Bianca stood frozen on the spot, though she could not help but grin. She returned to the bedroom, locked the door, and took out a bottle of pills from the drawer. If they were going out on a date tomorrow, she would not want to miss the opportunity... What a coincidence! Luck was on her side! Bianca was in a good mood. She performed her nightly facial routine, then went to bed. Luke sat on the executive chair in the study, reading the message that Gale sent him. Gale and Rain had returned to A City, and they were staying in the residence that Luke had arranged forthem. He sent his reply: [Tomorrow, wait for my orders.] Gale soon replied: [Yes, Boss.] Luke deleted the conversation. Tomorrow will be the day the impostor Bianca would regret deceiving him for the past three years. She would have to pay the price for what she did! The next morning, before Luke came downstairs, Bianca was already waiting in the living room. She was dressed to the nines. Old Master Crawford saw the silly grin on her face. He asked her, "What happened?" Bianca replied, "Grandpa, I''m going out on a date with Luke." Tommy was sitting near her. When he heard that, he stood up and said, "Mommy, where are you going with Daddy? I want to go too." Bianca frowned when she heard that. She could not let Tommy go along with them. She had ns to make out with Luke, so it was inconvenient for a child to go along. Also, she had made sure that she was in her fertile period. If she could make out with Luke today, she would be able to bear Luke''s child. After that, Luke would be hers! "Tommy, Daddy and Mommy want to go on a date only by ourselves. You should stay at home, alright?" Bianca tried to convince the child. "We''ll buy some snacks for you when we return." "I don''t wanna!" Tommy sulked. He did not want Luke to be alone with Bianca. "I want to be with Daddy. Why can''t you bring me along? I always see other kids go out with their parents. Maybe you''ll feel more romantic if I''m there.¡± From N?velDrama.Org. Bianca was taken aback. Tommy used to be cold toward her. Why was he so persistent today? She turned to look at Old Master Crawford, hoping that he could help her, but the old man did not seem to understand. "Be a good boy, Tommy," Bianca said. "I''ll bring you along next time, okay?" Tommy shook his head. He looked like he was ready to throw a tantrum. Old Master Crawford said, "The child isn''t a stranger. If he wants to go, you should bring him along. He''s a good boy. He won¡¯t disturb the two of you." When Bianca heard that, she could not help but think that Old Master Crawford did not want her to be alone with Luke. That was whv the old man wanted her to brina Tommv alona Chapter 1347 Chapter 1347 He Must Have Something Important to Do Bianca pretended to look awkward. "But Grandpa, it''s been a long time since I went out with Luke alone..." Old Master Crawford nced at her. Before he could say anything, Lanie, who had been quiet all this while, said,'' Tommy, let''s not disturb Daddy and Mommy''s date. Let''s go and y some video games, alright?" Lanie knew that Luke must have something important to do, and that was why he wanted to bring Bianca and no one else. The reason most likely had to do with the fact that the woman was an impostor. Tommy turned to look at Lanie, then at Bianca. Bianca took the chance to say, "That''s right, Tommy. Lanie has a big collection of video games. Don''t you want to y with him?" Tommy hesitated. Rainie chimed in too. "Tommy, how about we go to Ms. Luca''s house after ying video games?" She suggested that because she knew that Tommy adored Luca. As expected, Tommy chose Luca over Bianca. He nodded and said, "Really? Can we really go to Ms. Luca''s house?" "Of course. Daddy and Mommy will be on their date, and they won''t have time to apany us. Why don''t we go to Ms. Luca''s house? We haven''t thanked her for bringing me home thest time," Rainie said while looking at Old Master Crawford. She knew that Old Master Crawford would not object to her suggestion. Tommy pped his hands happily. "Yay! Let''s go to Ms. Luca''s house!" ¡®That Luca again!'' Bianca thought unhappily. If it were some other time, she would stop the children from visiting Luca. Today was different because she was about to go on a date with Luke, and she would do anything so that the children did not go along with them. She said, "Indeed, you''ll have to thank her. If not for her, I''d probably still be lost. Right, Rainie, I''ll get the caretaker to prepare some gifts for her. Can you bring them along when you go thereter?" "Of course." Rainie nodded. She was thinking of the same thing as Lanie. Their father would not go out with Bianca unless he had nned to take drastic action. All the children could do was not get in the way of his ns. Soon, they saw Lukee down the stairs. He saw Old Master Crawford and the children sitting on the couch, so he said, "Grandpa, I''m bringing Bea out today. We won''t being back for lunch." Old Master Crawford nodded and said, "You two will be on a date, the children will be away, and even Louis and his family won''t be in. Looks like I should take the opportunity to catch up with my friends." Luke turned to look at the three children. "Where are you going?" "We''re going to Ms. Luca''s house!" Tommy said excitedly. Rainie added, "Ms. Luca brought us home when we got lost. I''d like to visit her to thank her personally ." Even though Luca hid many secrets from Luke, he could tell that she was genuinely kind to the children and would not harm them. He nodded and said, "You''d better behave when you''re in her house. Don''t give her unnecessary trouble." "We know, Daddy," Tommy said and stuck out his tongue. Bianca stood up and carefully brought a stray curly strand of hair behind her ear. "Shall we go now?" "There''s no rush. Let me have my breakfast first." Luke could see that she was very anxious. He turned around and went to the dining hall. For the past three years, Bianca had hinted to Luke that she wanted to make out with him, but he had never agreed to it. Somehow, a mental obstacle had always stood in his way. He even wondered if he had be physically deficient, or if his orientation had changed. It was only until he dreamed of Luca that he realized that nothing had changed. However, he still could not exin why he had no interest in Bianca. He wondered if it was because he could not forgive Bianca for what happened to her, even though he said that he did not mind it. Now, he finally found his answer. He had no interest in that woman because she was not the real Bianca. Bianca watched obsessively as Luke went away into the dining hall. He was dressed in casual clothes today. He did not look as stern as forbidding as when he was in a suit, but he was nevertheless charming and handsome. She had always thought that she was unlucky to be a part of the Ind of Despair. Then, Luke appeared in her life, and she did not feel that way anymore. She had to grab every opportunity to win his heart! She would do whatever it takes! After Luke ate his breakfast, he and Bianca left the house. After the three children had their breakfast, the driver brought them to Luca''s apartment. Bianca sat in the side passenger seat and gazed obsessively at Luke. "Where are we going today, Luke?" Luke did not say anything. Instead, he rolled down the window to let in some fresh air. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Bianca''s perfume was too pungent. He felt that he could not breathe. "Luke?" Bianca winked at him. Her perfectly lined eyes were sending him a special signal. "You''ll know when we get there." Luke gave her an indirect answer. Bianca was overjoyed that the man had prepared a surprise for her. She subconsciously clutched her handbag more tightly. Perhaps she might not even need the drugs... Luke drove to the outskirts of A City and stopped in front of a mansion. Bianca looked at the building in front of her and asked," Where are we, Luke? Is this your friend''s house?" "No. I bought this mansion some time ago as a vacation home. The scenery here is beautiful, and the air is fresh," Luke exined. He fished out the keys and pressed a button, and the front gate opened. Bianca could not hide the grin on her face as she watched the doors open slowly. They would be alone in the mansion. Luke''s intention was obvious... She would not have to use the drugs in her handbag. She believed that she would be able to win Luke''s heart with her body alone! After the gate openedpletely, Luke drove the car inside. After the car went inside, he pressed a button to close the gate. "Will we be here the whole day, Luke?" Bianca asked softly. She would have leaned over and hugged Luke if she was not restrained to her seat by the seatbelt. "Mm," Luke said. He parked the car in the garage. ''It''s not just the whole day, you impostor. You''ll be here for a very longtime.'' "But I don''t know how to cook..." Bianca said. It would be great to spend some time together with Luke, but if there were no caretakers, what should they do if they were hungry? "Don''t worry. I won''t let you starve," Luke said as he unfastened his seatbelt. Bianca felt a tingling sensation as she watched Luke unfasten his seatbelt. She reached out, grabbed Luke''s shirt sleeve, and said, "Help me unfasten my seatbelt, Luke." Luke tried to suppress his disgust toward her. He reached over and unfastened her seatbelt. Chapter 1348 Chapter 1348 Who Is Behind You? After they got out of the car, Bianca took the initiative to hold Luke¡¯s hand as they walked into the vi. She disyed her full affection and wanted nothing more but to be as close to Luke as possible. She was too engrossed that she did not notice the gloomy look on Luke''s face. Bianca turned her head to look at his handsome face. Her heartbeat sped up inexplicably when she thought about how there were only two of them in the vi. She had to make the best out of this opportunity. Luke keyed in the code on the digital lock. With a click, the door opened. Luke stood aside and looked at Bianca, who had no doubts. He said, "Go in." Bianca thought of what was going to happen in a while and her face turned red. She nodded shyly and walked into the vi. Themps lit up the ce in an instant. When she saw a man and woman inside, she turned around and looked at Luke, confused. At that moment, he walked in and the door behind him was closed. "Luke, this is..." Bianca looked at the two people in front of her. They looked somewhat familiar but she had not seen much of them, so she did not have a deep impression of them. ''They are... Luke''s subordinates, right?'' However, they did not act like his subordinates. There was no look of respect on their faces and there was even some wariness in their eyes as they looked at her. Bianca held onto her bag tightly and stood there, trying her best not to back away due to fear. Although she was trained on the Ind of Despair, she had not had proper training for three years so she was not as agile as she used to be. "They''re Gale and Rain." Luke stepped forward, forming a triangle with the two of them and enclosing Bianca in the middle. "Are they your subordinates? Why do they look so familiar? Why are they here?" Bianca tucked her hair back. "They''re here to take care of you." Luke gave Gale and Rain a look. The two slowly moved closer to Bianca. Bianca was not stupid. She knew there was more to the situation. ''Since when did caretakers look so threatening?'' She was vignt when the two of them approached her and could not stop herself from retreating. As soon as she turned around, she fell into Luke''s arms and felt a sharp pain in her forehead. "Luke..." Bianca felt dizzy and immediately covered the part of her forehead that ached. In an instant, Rain and Gale grabbed her left and right arms respectively and pressed them down to the floor fiercely. Bianca was in pain and turned her head to look at them." What are you doing? I''m Luke''s wife!" "Are you really my wife?" Luke took a step back and kept a distance from her while watching her suffer indifferently. Even though the person in front of him looked exactly the same as the woman he loved most, she was not Bianca. No matter how miserable she was or how hard she cried, she was not able to evoke any sympathy from him. He loved Bianca''s heart and soul, not just her looks. When Bianca heard his reply, she was in shock and turned her head to look at Luke. Gale and Rain held her arms so tightly that she could not get out of their hold even though she had undergone some training. They were not ordinary thugs. She was well aware of the danger that she was in. "Luke, what are you talking about? Of course, I''m your wife. Isn''t that what you said?" Bianca blinked. She could not hold back her tears because of the pain. Luke took out a report from the inside pocket of his suit and ced it in front of her. "Our kids should have your blood type, so how do you exin this?" Bianca looked at the report and her head went nk for a moment. Previously, she was so resistant to the blood test because of her blood type. She breathed a sigh of relief when they did not find anything after the blood test. However, she did not expect that Luke was already suspicious and was just putting his ns on pause. She immediately exined, "This must be a mistake. How could it be..." Luke''s gaze turned gloomy as he said to Gale, "Tie her up." "Yes," Gale and Rain put her on a chair and took the rope they had prepared to tie her up firmly. Bianca wiggled and found that there was no way she could break free. Her only hope was Luke. She exined, "There must be some misunderstanding. Luke, believe me, I''m Bianca-" "The kids went behind your back and did a test. The result is the same as this report. You''re not rted to them," Luke interrupted her impatiently. Bianca was startled. All she could think about was how to escape from here. If she was the real Bianca, Luke would show her the utmost care. However, she was not. If she admitted that she had been lying to him for so many years, her life would be worse than death. Bianca bit her lower lip and insisted on not admitting to anything. "I don¡¯t know what''s going on. You told me that I''m Bianca and I''m your wife. I believed you for so many years and didn''t think about leaving but now you''re saying that I''m not Bianca? Even so, you don¡¯t have to go so far as to have me tied up. I don¡¯t know anything, I''m suffering from amnesia!" Her exnation was perfect, but for Luke, there was a major w. ''If she doesn''t know anything and I misunderstood the situation, then why did the results match during the first test?'' "Who''s behind you?" Luke was not easily fooled by her. "I don''t know what you''re talking about! All I know is that after I got amnesia, I''ve been by your side. If I''m not your wife, you can¡¯t me me because I never said I''m your wife! " Bianca nned to never admit to anything. "If you insist on not telling the truth, they have a million ways to get you talking. Are you from the Ind of Despair? They used to be too. Although they¡¯ve been away from that ce for a long time, they¡¯re familiar with the torture techniques. If you refuse to talk, have fun with them." Luke turned to leave as soon as he finished speaking. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. When Gale and Rain came back, he told them what needed to be done. They would be able to carry out their tasks smoothly even if he was not here. "Luke, you can''t give me to them. Even if I''m not your wife, I have stayed with you for so long and helped you take care of our family. How could you be so merciless toward me?" Bianca shouted immediately when she saw that he was about to leave. She was scared of the torture techniques from the Ind of Despair. When Luke said their names, she knew who the two were. Even though Abel had rebuilt the Ind of Despair and almost all the people who were there before were gone, these two were still well known. She had heard that their methods were extremely cruel... Luke listened to her bleak and frightened voice but showed no sympathy. The love of his life was missing and she had something to do with it. Chapter 1349 Chapter 1349 Came To Visit Luke left without looking back, leaving Biancapletely hopeless. Bianca was in tears. Rain looked at her pitiful and seemingly innocent face. It reminded her of the evil people from the Ind of Despair. When she thought of them, all her pity for Bianca was no longer there. If the real Bianca were still alive, it was highly likely that she was forced to go through a lot of suffering. Gale looked at the fake Bianca cry and felt no pity for her. Instead, he said to Rain, "I''ll carry her into the room." "Go ahead." Rain nodded. She felt nothing but annoyed listening to Bianca''s wails. Luke told her that he wanted the truth no matter what methods they used. He had a reason for keeping her in this vi. This was a private property of his located in the outskirts. The nearby vis belonged to the local tycoons of A City. They bought the vis for vacation, so there were not many people around on a normal day. No one would notice no matter how loud Bianca yelled. Gale carried her into the basement. The basement had only one vent and one door, everything else was tightly sealed off. "Do you see this row of items?" He turned on the light and showed Bianca what was on the shelf. Bianca squinted, looked at the yellowmp above her head, and shuddered. Her gaze fell on the shelf Gale was referring to. There was a range of torture tools on it. ''Is Luke nning to torture me to death?'' "That''s enough fooling around." Bianca was trembling with fear. These tools were a hundred times more terrifying than the whipping she received previously. "Rain has been improving her medicine skills in the past few years and now has a clear grasp of human anatomy. She knows which position to hit that''s the most painful but not fatal. If you want to suffer less, tell us everything," Gale said. Bianca looked at the tools on the shelf, bit her lower lip, and insisted. "I have amnesia, I don''t know anything." She was not sure how long she couldst but she knew better than to reveal anything at that moment. If Abel knew that she was going to betray the Ind of Despair, she would be eternally doomed. The people in front of her would force a confession out of her but would not go as far as to kill her. She believed that Abel would do his best to save her when he found out that she had been caught. This is from N?velDrama.Org. That was because he did not want to let Luke know about the secrets of the Ind of Despair. He would save her to protect the Ind of Despair. Rain came in with a medical kit and said, "These medications have been prepared for you. Don''t worry, I won''t take your life for the time being. However, our boss, Luke, has a bad temper and not much patience. I can''t guarantee when he''ll kill you." "This is A City. Do you think that you can kill as you please?" Bianca trembled uncontrobly when she heard that this might be the end for her. "Why can''t we? I''ll kill you and nt evidence to make it seem like you were robbed. I can even throw your body into the sea and then report you as missing. It''s easy to make you vanish." Rain opened the medical box and took out the things inside one by one. Bianca''s body was shaking more severely. Rain took a small knife and said, "Are you ready to talk?" "I have amnesia and don''t know anything." Bianca trembled as she looked at the sharp and glinting knife. Rain exchanged nces with Gale, and the two put on gloves at the same time. After Luke left the vi, he drove to Crawford Manor, but on his way there, he thought of something and made a U-turn at the intersection in front of him. Half an hourter, his car stopped in front of Luca''s apartment. He sat in the car for half an hour and eventually got out. The security of the apartment where Luca stayed was not strict. Strangers like him could just walk in without being questioned. He looked at the security guard who did not bother to stop him and walked inside. A few minutester, he was standing in front of Luca''s house. Luke heard some movements inside through the door. Based on the time, the kids should already be in her house. The movements inside should be from his three children. Luke rang the doorbell. Luca was kneading the dough. When she heard the doorbell, she wiped her hands on the apron and told the kids, "I''ll go open the door. Don''t spill any flour on the floor." "We know, Ms. Luca. We promise we won''t make a mess," Tommy said with a grin as he tried to follow the steps to knead the dough. Lanie and Rainie were also kneading dough. There was a difference in the size of their dough. Luca¡¯s was thergest and Tommy''s one was the smallest. Earlier when she saw the kids standing at her door, she was stunned but did not turn Zander away. She let the kids in. Then, there was this scene in front of her. She nned to make some croissants forthem and the kids mored to participate when they saw that she had her hands full. Since they were willing to do it, Luca was more than happy to let them participate. After all, she also liked for the children to be more hands-on. Luca walked to the door, nced through the peephole, and saw that the person standing at the door was Luke. She was stunned. When Tommy came in, he told her that Luke had gone on a date with Bianca and abandoned the three of them, so they came to her ce to seekfort. Luca was upset to hear that their rtionship seemed to be getting better. However, Luke was at her ce alone. What could have happened? When she was hesitant on whether to open the door for him, Luke rang the doorbell again. He seemed to be a little impatient from waiting. With no other choice, Luca opened the door and looked at the man outside. She asked, "Mr. Crawford, why are you here?" "Lanie and the others are with you, aren''t they?" Luke asked. He heard Tommy''sughter almost instantly. "Yes, are you here to take them home?" Luca asked as she looked at the kids. ''If Luke insists on bringing them home now, I''m sure that Tommy will make a fuss...'' Luke nced inside. He was not able to see where the children were since Luca only opened a small gap. "What are they doing?" "Making croissants." Luca made space for Luke. Luke walked in, saw the kids kneading dough around the table, and raised his eyebrows. Tommy turned around, looked at Luke, then smiled and asked, ''Dad, why are you here?" "I came to visit." Luke walked over and saw that Tommy''s nose was smeared with some flour. He reached out his hands and wiped his nose for him. Luca heard him say that he came to visit, not to take them home. Chapter 1350 Chapter 1350 Not Even Qualified To Say It Out Loud Tommy smiled, raised the almost ready dough in his hands, and said, "Look, Daddy. Ms. Luca is teaching us how to make croissants." There was flour everywhere on the table. The kids must have caused this mess. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The kids never had to do any housework in Crawford Manor. Although the house was in a mess, Luke felt a strange feeling when he saw how the kids were helping Luca. ''This is how a home should feel like.'' He saw the children''s joyous appearance and felt like he was missing out on it. Luke touched Tommy''s head and asked, "Why aren¡¯t you using a bread machine to knead the dough?" Luca stood there and looked at him for a while. She then walked to the table, continued to knead the dough, and said, "Manual kneading makes better breadpared to using a bread machine." Rainie listened and had a sudden realization. "No wonder the croissant made by the chef at home is not as delicious as Mommy''s." Luca paused. ''She said ''Mommy''... Is she referring to me or the fake Bianca?'' She unconsciously nced at Luke. The kids mentioned that he was on a date with Bianca but he showed up at her ce, so she wondered what happened to Bianca... As soon as Rainie''s voice fell, Lanie said, "Yeah, I remember that Mommy used to knead the dough with her hands whenever she made us croissants." They remembered certain memories of the past but Tommy did not. He pursed his lips and said, "Why do you remember all of these? I don''t remember anything." Rainie exined with a smile on her face, "You were still young. Mommy loved you the most." Rainie''s words sted Luca into the past. She had taken special care of Tommy because of what had happened to Luke. Even after he came back, she had always paid extra attention to Tommy, wanting to make up for the regret of missing out on the five years of Lanie and Rainie''s childhood with Tommy. Tommy kneaded the dough, nodded, and then said, "I know Mommy loves me the most, but that''s in the past. Now she''s changed. She''s not like our mommy anymore." His words silenced all of them. In the room, everyone except Tommy knew that Bianca was not the real Bianca. When Tommy saw that everyone had fallen silent, he thought that they were deep in thought. He then looked at Luke and asked, "Daddy, why isn''t Mommy here? Weren''t you going on a date with her today?" Luke''s expression remained the same as he replied, "She went on a holiday." Lanie exchanged nces with Rainie and then put the kneaded dough in front of Luca. "Ms. Luca, do you think the dough is good to go?" Luca kneaded the dough and thought that it was close. She nodded and said, "You did it, Lanie. You did a wonderful job." Lanie''s face flushed after hearing her praise. Rainie and Tommy passed their dough to her as well. Luca put all the dough in the oven to proof and then she prepared some fruits for the children. She did not know they woulde so she did not prepare any snacks. All she had were fruits. Luke saw how busy she was. It was as if she was their mother. The kids sat in a row on the sofa. They behaved well and ate the fruits she prepared. Luca felt happy looking at them. When she looked up, she found that Luke was looking at her. She felt awkward, rubbed her hands, and asked, "Mr. Crawford, do you want some fruits?" "No." Luke shook his head and asked, "Where¡¯s your brother? n "He¡¯s busy," Luca replied. In thest two days, Amur would leave early in the morning to execute the task assigned by Abel but she was not aware of any details. However, he came back fairly early every day with no trace of injury or struggle. As such, Luca was not too worried. Luke nodded. Luca turned on the TV and put the remote control in Rainie''s hands. "Rainie, watch some cartoons while I prepare the croissant stuffing." Luke had not mentioned anything about making a move. She knew that he did not n to take the kids home so soon and was likely staying for lunch. She continued to prepare for lunch. "Okay, Ms. Luca. Do you need help?" Rainie asked in a sweet tone. "No." Luca shook her head. "Daddy can help if you need a hand," Rainie continued talking while taking a look at Luke, who was sitting on the single-seater sofa. Luca also nced at him. His tall figure upied most of the sofa. She thought of when they used to cook together and felt sad about it. Luke''s cooking skills were okay but they were not the best. However, he felt bad that Bianca had to cook as soon as she got home from work, so he would always help in the kitchen whenever time allowed. When she thought about all of that, along with the various practical reasons and their current gap in status, Luca felt sad. She loved Luke but that did not matter because she was not allowed to express it. She was not even qualified to say it out loud. "Don¡¯t worry about it, my kitchen is small. I can do it on my own." After she said that, Luca turned back and walked into the kitchen. She was familiar with the kids'' likes and dislikes. After making some almond filing, she also did some chocte filling as well as fresh fruit and cream filling. These were all their favorites. It took a lot of time to make one filling. Making three different fillings meant it took three times longer. However, Luca did not feel tired when she thought about the joy on Luke and the kids¡¯ faces. In the living room. Lanie stood up and said to Luke, "Daddy, I have something to tell you." He could not wait to find out more about the situation with the woman who was pretending to be their mommy. Luke nodded, stood up, and walked to the balcony. He said," The sound of the TV in the living room is loud. Let''s go to the balcony." The father and son walked to the balcony one after the other. Luke stood there with one hand resting on the railing of the balcony. His eyes were on the sandbags and gloves hanging on the side. It seemed that Luca practiced her boxing skills on the balcony. "Daddy, any updates on the matter? Do you know where Mommy is?" Lanie asked. Luke calmed his restless mind and said, "Gale and Rain are interrogating her. They''ll soon figure out the whole situation and find out where your Mommy is." Lanie nodded when he heard Luke''s reply. "Uncle Gale and Aunt Rain can definitely find out more after interrogating her. However, Great-grandpa might have doubts if she suddenly goes missing..." "I''ll tell others that she went on a trip. No one will doubt my words," Luke said. It was helpful to their situation that the fake Bianca had severed all rtionships except those with the Crawford family. It could help them avoid suspicion. Chapter 1351 Chapter 1351 She Liked And Took The Kids Seriously The fake Bianca was not involved in any messy rtionships, so Luke could manage the Crawford and Norman families with ease. "Dad, Rainie and I will keep this a secret, don''t worry," Lanie said. The three of them were not close to Bianca at all so it was not too much trouble to fool Tommy. After the two had a chat, they returned to the living room. Tommy waved to them happily and said, "Lanie,e! The show is about to begin." Lanie nodded and sat on the sofa. Luke walked to the kitchen and stood at the entrance. He did not enter and just stood there. The kitchen was indeed very small. If he walked in, it would be more crowded so he just stood there and watched from a distance. Luca''s perception was sensitive. She turned her head and saw Luke standing there as expected. "Mr. Crawford, are you alright?" She stopped cutting the chocte in her hand. "I¡¯m fine." Luke deliberately nced around the kitchen and said, "Your kitchen is too small. I assume you like to cook? Don''t you find the ce stuffy?" "The kitchen is big in proportions to the house. It is what it is. " Luca frowned unconsciously when she heard himmenting on her kitchen. "Thepany provides all senior employees with a dormitory. It has one bedroom and one living room. It¡¯s also close to thepany. You can consider applying for it," Luke said. Luca did not think twice before she refused him. "My apartment is great. Thepany''s dormitories are limited. They should go to those who need it. Mr. Crawford, if you don''t need anything from the kitchen, you should leave since it¡¯s oily here." Luke frowned when he heard her drive him away. He then turned around to leave. He thought it was inconvenient for Luca to live here since it was quite a distance away from the company. Besides, the security measures here were not the best. That was why he deliberately mentioned thepany''s benefits but did not expect her to turn him down without thinking twice. ''Is it because it only has one room and one living room and she wants to live with her non-blood-rted brother?'' Luke thought of Amur and his expression turned sullen. Although they were siblings, he noticed the possessiveness and wariness in Amur''s eyes. ''What is there about me that he needs to be vignt about? I¡¯m not a bad guy...¡¯ Luke sat back on the sofa, looked at the fruits that Luca prepared, picked up a piece, and ate it. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. The kids watched cartoons happily. Luke sat there with nothing to do but he did not feel bored. After Luca made the fillings, the dough was done proofing. She took out the proofed dough and the croissant fillings, then put them on the table. The children said that they wanted to make it themselves. Since they were willing to participate, Luca was happy for them to be a part of it. When the kids saw her bring the things out, they all stepped forward and looked at Luca. "Put on the gloves." Luca began to teach them how to make croissants. The kids took the gloves and put them on. Tommy nced at Luke who was still on the sofa and urged him, "Dad,e and make croissants with us." When Luke heard Tommy''s words, he stood up and walked over but did not put on his gloves. Tommy thought he was unwilling to participate so he said solemnly, "My teacher said that if you want something, you have to do it yourself. Daddy, if you want to eat croissants, you have to make it yourself." Luke raised his brows and nced at Luca. She kneaded the dough with her head slightly lowered but the corners of her mouth seemed to rise into a small smile. Eventually, Luke grabbed the gloves and put them on. In his life, he had only assisted Bianca in the kitchen. Luca was the second person he was voluntarily helping. Since Tommy said so, he could only go along. Luca divided the proofed dough into smaller portions and showed the kids how to shape the croissants. The kids were quick learners. They knew how to do it after seeing her shape a few and followed along. Luca nced at Luke. He was more skillful than the kids as she had taught him how to shape croissants before. He started making them without paying much attention to what she was doing. Tommy was finally done with one of them. He looked at the croissants that Luca, Lanie, and Rainie prepared. They were all better-looking than his. He was unhappy and nced at the croissant in Luke''s hands. It was also better than his. He could not help but mutter, "Dad, howe yours looks better than mine? I thought that you don¡¯t know how to make croissants?" "Have I ever told you that?" Luke said calmly as he shaped another croissant. Luca nced at the croissant that Luke made and thought that it was indeed well made. Luke''s croissant-making skills had not regressed over the years. Rainieughed out loud. "Tommy, Daddy knows how to make croissants. Mommy taught him. The croissants that Mommy makes look great, just like..." Her gaze fell on the croissant made by Luca. "They''re exactly the same as the ones Ms. Luca makes. They''re beautiful, just like the croissants sold in a restaurant." Luca paused what she was doing and smiled. She was a skilled chef, so making croissants was not difficult for her. She thought of the first time she made croissants with Luke. At that time, she did not imagine that his slender hands were so clumsy. Luke had no talent in the kitchen. The first time he made a croissant, the fillings were leaking and they were not shaped right. They looked like an abomination. At that time, shemented that no one was perfect. Luke may seem omnipotent from the outside but there were still a lot of things that he did not understand, such as kitchen work. He was not as good as her on matters as such. However, discovering his shorings did not affect her feelings for him. She fell harder and harder seeing his earnest efforts. After a few practices, the croissants he made looked better and better. When he heard what Rainie said, Tommy pouted. "I''m still young. I''ll practice a few more times and my croissants will soon look the same as yours." Luca smiled and made a special croissant for Tommy. She handed it to him to coax him. "Tommy, you''ll have this croissantter, okay?" Tommy immediately turned his frown upside down and ced her special croissant on his palm. "Ms. Luca, this croissant is so beautiful. I can''t bear to eat it." Luca smiled and shook her head. "I believe you¡¯ll eat this croissant first." With that said, she made Lanie and Rainie a special croissant each. Luke saw how she treated them fairly. It was clear that she liked and took the kids seriously. The kids were not resistant toward her. He stared into Luca''s eyes. After they worked together to make the croissants, Luca prepared for the second round of proofing before putting them in the oven. Chapter 1352 Chapter 1352 He Never Served Food To Other Women After an hour, the smell of croissants overflowed the kitchen. Tommy was sitting on the sofa, holding a fruit bowl in his hand. When he smelled the croissants, he greedily sniffed it all in and said, "The croissants smell so good. Can we have lunch soon?" Rainie turned around and said with a smile, "Ms. Luca is still in the kitchen. I''m guessing it''ll take some time." Luke nced at the kitchen, and Tommy immediately said," Daddy, Ms. Luca is so busy. Why don¡¯t you go over and help? n "The kitchen is too small, she won¡¯t let me in." Luke did not have any intentions to move. Tommy muttered, "Daddy, you''re justzy." Luke raised his eyebrows and did not speak. The kitchen was indeed small, but it was also true that Luca did not want to have too much contact with him. Luca was deliberately staying in the kitchen just to avoid interacting with him too much. After the croissants were baked, she ced the croissants on the te one by one and then took the te out. Tommy kept looking toward the kitchen, and when Luca walked out with the croissants, he jumped off the sofa and walked to the dining table. He looked at the croissants and swallowed his saliva. "Ms. Luca, the croissants smell so good." He looked at the croissants greedily and was about to take one with his hands. Luca gently stopped him and reminded him, "Go wash your hands first." "Okay!" The kids were obedient. They walked into the bathroom to wash their hands and then returned. Luca had already brought out the oats that she cooked. Luke took the initiative to pick up the cutleries, nning to fill the bowls with oats. She did not say anything about his proactiveness. She put the cooked oats in front of him and watched quietly. Luke filled five bowls of oats one by one and put them on the table. After she saw the kidsing out of the bathroom, Luca beckoned toward them and said, "After you¡¯re done washing your hands, hurry over and eat." The kids sat on the chairs one after another and looked at the croissants with longing in their eyes. Luca put the special croissant she made on the tes, then gave one to each of them before giving them their bowl of oats as well. After the kids thanked her, they ate the croissants and oats. Luca sat down. When she saw that Luke was still standing there, she raised her brows and said, "Mr. Crawford,e join us." Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Luke nodded and sat down next to her. The dining table in the apartment was small. There were a total of six seats, three of which were taken by the kids. Luke sat next to her. Luca lowered her head and ate some oats, feeling ufortable. Her mind was all over the man next to her. There was another seat next to him which was closer to Lanie but Luke chose to sit beside her. The distance between the two of them was close. They sat side by side just like before. Luca suppressed theplex emotions in her heart, reached out, and wanted to grab a croissant. However, her fingers happened toe into contact with Luke''s hand. As though an electric shock ran through her, she immediately retracted her hand and looked at Luke sideways. Luke was also looking at her. Luca raised the corner of her mouth and said, "Mr. Crawford, you first." Luke picked up a croissant, put it on her te, and said, "Eat. Luca stared at the croissant in front of her. He never served food to other women. This was... Seeing that she did not move, Luke casually picked one for himself and said, "Eat, my utensils are clean." Luca was not thinking about that. She knew that except for Bianca and the kids, Luke never served anyone else food. She looked at the croissant, picked it up, and took a bite. The croissant was delicious but her mind was somece else. The three children ate the croissants with joy, especially Tommy, whose mouth was filled with croissants. In contrast, Rainie and Luke were the most elegant while eating. After they were done eating, Luca cleaned the table. Tommy touched his full belly and said, "Ms. Luca, your croissants are so delicious." "You guys took part in making them too." Luca was not sure whether tough or cry looking at how Tommy was overeating. Tommy shook his head and said, "The fillings were made by you, Ms. Luca. I want to eat your croissants every morning. I¡¯ll be overjoyed." Luca listened to his wish but was not able to agree to it. Luke took a sip of tea, stood up, and said to the kids, "Let''s go home." Tommy did not want to go back. He walked to Luca''s side and said, "Daddy, I''ll go backter, okay?" It was clear that Tommy wanted to be with Luca. Luke cleared his throat and said, "I''ll take you fishing this afternoon. Don''t you want to go?" Tommy was a little tempted when he heard that Luke was bringing him fishing. However, he was also hooked on Luca''s cooking. He looked at Luke and then at her. Luca knew he wanted to go fishing. She touched his head and said, "I¡¯ll pack the remaining croissants for you to bring home. If you are hungry at night, you can eat it." When Tommy heard that, he smiled and watched her take out a takeout box from the side. He invited her, saying, "Ms. Luca, would you like toe with us? It''s fun to go fishing with more people." Luca turned him down without thinking. "I don''t enjoy outdoor activities so I don''t want to go. You guys have fun." Her refusal was expected. Luke watched her put the packed croissants in Tommy''s hand and said, Let''s go." When Tommy heard that she was not a fan of outdoor activities, he wondered whether he should stay with her. However, Luca waved at him and said to Luke, "Mr. Crawford, please close the door when you leave." "Mm.¡± Luke took the kids'' hands and walked to the door. Luca walked to the kitchen with the dishes and utensils. After a while, she heard the sound of the door closing. She sighed in relief and leaned on the table. She wanted to spend more time with the kids but as Amur said, the more time she spent with them, the more reluctant she would be when she had to leave. Luca looked down and washed the dishes and utensils. Then, she took the rag and cleaned up the table. As she wiped the table, Amur opened the door of the apartment. When she saw him, Luca asked, "Amur, have you had lunch? I made croissants today and I saved some for you. Would you like to have them now?" Amur nodded. He was hungry as he did not have time to eat after his mission, so he said, "Okay." "After I clean the table, I''ll go get it for you," Luca wiped the table with the rag. Amur walked to the kitchen and said, "No worries, I''ll get it myself." "Okay, it''s in the microwave. It should still be hot," Luca said. Amur walked into the kitchen, opened the microwave, and took out the croissants and oats she had prepared for him. When he prepared a small tray to bring the food out, he noticed the dishes and utensils she had ced on the counter to dry. Chapter 1353 Chapter 1353 Gale And Rain Were Back Luca ate alone and would not use so many dishes. Amur counted the tes and knew what had happened. He walked out with his tray and asked, "We had some visitors?" Luca paused what she was doing and did not intend to hide anything from him. "Mm, yes." "Is it Luke and the kids?" Amur continued to ask. Luca nodded. After wiping the table, she folded the rag and exined, "No one was free to take care of the kids so they came over, and then two hourster, he came too." Amur put the tray on the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down. "Crawford Manor is so big. How could it be that the kids were left unattended?" Luca knew that the kids wanted to be closer to her but she could not turn them down. "Amur, they''re my children. I can''t say no to them. Everything I do now is for N. I do all this without comint because she''s my little daughter, but at the same time, I can''t only love my little daughter," she said. Amur finished the oats and looked at her, saying, "I know, but I just want to remind you to keep a safe distance from Luke." "Why?" Luca frowned slightly. ''Does he know something?¡¯ "Luke told Gale and Rain toe back. The boss thinks he''ll do something. Maybe it¡¯ll involve you. If you still want to go back to N, be careful," Amur said. His mission for the past two days was to follow Gale and Rain. From N?velDrama.Org. He followed them from the airport to the outskirts of A City. He only left after he learned where they were staying. He went back to confirm that they were staying there and then reported the incident to Abel. "Gale and Rain are back?" Luca was surprised. Before she came back, Abel had given her some information about all the decisions and arrangements that Luke had made over the years. Luca knew that Gale and Rain were sent abroad by Luke to establish intelligence stations in various countries to facilitate T Corporation''s business expansion. It was not an exaggeration to say that Luke''s intelligencework was present in various countries, and they were controlled and operated by Gale and Rain. ''Is Luke nning something considering their sudden return to A City?'' Luca had a bad premonition. If Luke was going to do something, Abel would make a move too and it would ultimately involve her. She was just Abel''s chess piece... Amur looked at her worried expression and said, "I''ll continue to monitor Gale and Rain. Don''t worry.¡± Luca nodded, then asked, "Is this his order?" "He didn''t give this order. My guess is that he wants to see what Luke is going to do before he makes a move." Amur stuffed his face with the croissants, and after a while, he finished all the croissants Luca had left him. Luca nodded. She knew that he would always be on her side and she felt relieved that he was monitoring Gale and Rain. "If they do anything, don''t notify him yet," she said. Amur nodded. He knew what to do. The other side. Rain looked at Bianca with her head down. She frowned and said, "Is she still reluctant to talk?" "Yes, she is," Gale said and then pointed to her back." However, I found something." "What did you find?" Rain raised her eyebrows and walked around Bianca. Her clothes had been torn by Gale''s whip. She raised her brows and said, "What do you want me to see?" "Look at what this is," Gale said as he pointed to her waist. To tie up the fake Bianca, the chairs they used were supported by strips of wood on the back so that they could tie her up more tightly. Rain squatted down, took a look, then said with a frown, "It looks like a tattoo but it''s covered by something. Bring the alcohol." When Bianca heard what Rain said, she twisted her body around in a panic. Rain looked at her bloody back andughed. "Why are you so scared? Is there something about this tattoo?" Bianca looked up, watched Gale walk around with the alcohol, and suddenly calmed down. Her tattoo was the mark of the Ind of Despair. She had used a powder that Shanks created and mixed it with water to cover it up in preparation to sleep with Luke. She was in a rush to cover it so a small part of it was exposed. However, it was impossible to remove it with ordinary alcohol or makeup remover. Rain took the alcohol that Gale handed over and started wiping. Bianca groaned painfully as the alcohol stung the wounds on her body. Rain had no pity and kept wiping but realized that she could not wipe it off. She frowned and said, "It seems that some special materials were used to cover up this tattoo." "What should we do?" Gale asked. Rain suddenly thought of something, stood up, and said, "Do you remember how we sometimes had missions and needed to put on a disguise? If a tattoo is too conspicuous, we would use a special powder that we mix with water to cover it up." "Yes, but she...¡¯ Gale frowned and looked at the trembling fake Bianca. "If she''s using a powder like that, does it mean she''s from the Ind of Despair?" "The boss leveled the Ind of Despair. Although the important figures are locked up, it¡¯s inevitable that a few fishes would have slipped through the. We haven''t been on the Ind of Despair for so long and may not be able to recognize everyone. If she''s indeed using that powder, she must be from the Ind of Despair or the new Ind of Despair," Rain said. "We don¡¯t have the material to wash it off right now," Gale said. They could confirm that she was from the Ind of Despair if the powder was the kind they used previously and saw the tattoo on her body. ''If it involves the Ind of Despair...¡¯ Gale did not dare to think further. If Bianca was in their hands, it was likely that she had already... The horror of the Ind of Despair was indescribable. "I don¡¯t have enough materials on hand to make the cleaning potion. Go out and buy it, and then I''ll make it," Rain said. "No, Boss said that we should avoid going out so as not to be noticed by other people. I''ll call someone and ask them to send it over." Gale said cautiously. Rain nodded. Although she could not wait to find out if the fake Bianca was from the Ind of Despair, they should proceed cautiously. She turned to look at Bianca and said, "If you want to confess, I can give you a chance. Don''t you want to suffer less?" Bianca turned her face to the side. She did not expect that she was so careless and was discovered so quickly. It would have been great if she had been cautious before going out, maybe she could still be able to get Abel to find someone to rescue her. Chapter 1354 Chapter 1354 Their Boss Was A Fan Of Sweet Voices After Bianca turned her face sideways, Rain did not bother trying to interrogate her any further as she knew that Bianca would not talk. She left with Gale. Gale reported the incident to Luke and notified the others to get them the necessary materials. When Luke saw Gale''s text, his expression turned gloomy.'' The Ind of Despair again...¡¯ When Bianca was kidnapped, he had thought that things may not be as simple as they seemed. The ind was in ruins and had nothing on it. Even though he had doubts, he could not prove anything no matter how many methods he tried. Tommy was fishing with a small fishing rod that was specially prepared for him by Luke. He yawned, looked at him with his chin on his hands, and asked, "Daddy, why did your mood change all of a sudden?¡± "Nothing to worry about," Luke replied Gale, then put the phone back in his pocket. His fishing rod moved a bit and he slowly raised it. Tommy saw him catch a big grass carp and said enviously," Daddy, you¡¯re so amazing! You and Lanie have caught fish but I haven''t caught anything." Luke put the grass carp in the bucket and said, "Be patient." Over the years, if he had time, he would bring the kids to fish in order to help them learn to be more patient. Lanie had a calm temper and also liked to fish. He could fish for the whole afternoon. Many said that Lanie''s temperament was like his but he did not think it was a good thing. Before the age of five, Bianca was not by Lanie and Rainie''s sides. Although everyone in the Crawford family spoiled them, without maternal love in life, their temperament became much more mature. When Bianca came back and was reunited with the kids, he could see the change in them. Unexpectedly, another incident happened so Lanie became more mature than his peers. However, Tommy was different. He had been spoiled by Bianca since he was a child so he was not as mature. Luke brought him fishing to train him to be more mature. Tommy pouted and replied, "Okay, I don¡¯t think the fish like me." As soon as he said that, his little fishing rod moved. He reacted quickly and immediately reeled it in. Luke stepped forward to help when he saw his hasty actions. "You''re making it easy for the fish to break free." Tommy followed his movements and sessfully reeled in his pole. A bright smile appeared on his face when he saw the three fishes in the bucket. "Awesome! Daddy, let''s send the fishes to Ms. Luca''s house." Luke shook his head and said, ''Til take you home first." When Tommy heard that he was about to go home, he felt a little unhappy. He pouted and asked, "Daddy, it''s still early. Why do you want to go back so quickly?" "I have some work to deal with," Luke said as he packed his gear. When Tommy heard that, he did not say anything. He was satisfied that he got to see Luca and go fishing. Luke packed up all the fishing gear, took Lanie and Tommy along with him, and called Rainie, who was sitting quietly by the side, to get in the car and go home. After he sent the kids home, Luke drove away. Tommy looked at the fishing gear. ''Daddy didn''t even have time to put them away, he just put them down and drove away...¡¯ Lanie bent over to pick up the bucket and a folding chair. He then said, "Let''s carry the things in." "Okay," Tommy picked up some of the gear and Rainie got the rest. The kids moved the gear in together. Old Master Crawford was sitting on the sofa and sipping tea. When he saw the three of them walk in with fishing tools in their hands, he asked, "Did you go fishing? Weren¡¯t you at Luca''s house?" "We had lunch together and Daddy took us to go fishing," Lanie said. He handed the bucket to the butler and said, "We caught them." The butler took the bucket with a smile on his face, and then took all the tools in their hands. Old Master Crawford was puzzled when he heard what Lanie said. ''Didn''t Luke go on a date with Bianca? Why did he suddenly go to pick up the kids?'' From N?velDrama.Org. He nced at them again and did not see Luke. "Where are your parents?" Lanie replied, "Mom went on a trip and Daddy is busy with work." Old Master Crawford found it strange that Bianca and Luke went out on a date but Bianca suddenly went on a trip and Luke went to thepany to work. "Did he say where your mother is going?" Lanie listened to Old Master Crawford''s question, shook his head to indicate that he did not know anything, and then said nicely, "Grandpa, why don''t you ask Daddy?" Old Master Crawford nodded and found the situation odd. ''Bianca didn''t pack her suitcase when she left today and now she¡¯s on a holiday?¡¯ The other side. Luke drove to the vi. Gale and Rain were not surprised when they saw him. After all, he wanted to know as soon as possible whether the fake Bianca hade from the Ind of Despair. "Did the powder arrive?" he asked. After spending such a long time on the Ind of Despair, he knew what material was needed to wash off the tattoo. "It¡¯s on the way," Rain replied. "Where is she?" Luke walked inside. "She''s in the basement." Luke walked inside as soon as Rain finished speaking. She hurriedly followed and curiously asked, "Boss, it''s been three years. Didn''t you notice her tattoo?" No one could be error-free. Luke did not find out for three years. ''Had fake Bianca always been so cautious but identally let it slip this time?'' Luke stopped and turned around. His gaze was a little cold when he looked at her, and after a second, he continued to walk forward. Rain touched her chin and looked at Gale curiously. ''What''s with his reaction? Did I say something wrong?¡¯ Gale said softly, "The boss hasn''t touched her for many years." Rain suddenly realized that what Gale said was true. It was no wonder why he never found out... After learning about this, she was a little surprised that Luke had never touched the fake Bianca. Everything about the fake Bianca, except her voice, was exactly the same as the real Bianca. Rain looked at Luke''s figure and was deep in thought. She could not help but wonder whether Luke''s favorite thing about Bianca was her voice. She thought about her previous contact with Bianca. Her sweet voice was indeed pleasant to hear. "No wonder..." Rain sighed softly. Gale looked at her. "What are you sighing about?" It turned out that their boss was a fan of sweet voices. It was no wonder he did not touch the fake Bianca. After all, her vocal cords were damaged and even herughter was quite unpleasant. Rain shook her head and did not share what she was thinking. She considered that Luke would not want others to know about this secret. Chapter 1355 Chapter 1355 Tattoo From The Ind Of Despair Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. After he entered the basement that was not well ventted, a strong smell of blood overwhelmed his nose. Luke frowned and walked in. He was obsessed with cleanliness. He was not a fan of situations as such in the past, but now, he could not wait to confirm his suspicions. The closer Luke got to Bianca, the heavier the bloody smell was. It was clear that Gale had not held back. The sound of his footsteps rmed the woman tied to the chair. The fake Bianca immediately raised her head, thinking it was Gale who was back to torture her again. When she saw Luke, she saw some hope. "Luke, you believe me, right? I don''t know anything." Luke looked at her face, which was exactly the same as the love of his life. It was dirty. His gaze became darker. "Where''s the tattoo?" His tone was cold with no trace of sympathy. When she heard that, Bianca closed her eyes to hide her despair. Rain walked behind her and pointed to the spot. "Here." Luke walked behind her and felt no pity when he saw her bloody back. He looked down and saw a colored tattoo. It was just a small corner and it was still unclear what kind of tattoo it was. ''"When will the materials be avable?" Luke asked. "I''ll check in with them." Just as Gale took out his phone, it rang. He said, "The materials are ready. I''ll go up and get them." Rain said to Luke, "Boss, I''ll prepare the potion." "Mm," Luke stared at the tattoo on the corner. Gale and Rain left the basement one after another. Bianca wanted to look at Luke, but the injuries on her back made it difficult for her to turn around. There were tears in the corners of her eyes as she said," Luke, why don''t you believe me? I got that tattoo at random." "At random? Why did you want to cover it, then?" The bloody smell irritated him a lot. "I don''t think you would like it, that''s why..." Bianca replied," Luke, I''m ufortable. Will you loosen the knot? I want to apply ointment on my injuries." Luke listened to her beg for mercy but was unmoved. Bianca bit her lower lip and said, "I''m feeling sick. I don''t know what happened, but Luke, I really love you. You have to believe me. If I had wanted to hurt you, would I have waited for three years? If I didn''t love you, I wouldn''t have stayed by your side for so long." Luke kept quiet. If she did not know that there was only one door in this room, Bianca would have thought that he had left. She wailed when she did not receive any sympathy from Luke. Luke listened to her cry and did not move. All he did was stare at the tattoo. Five minutester, Rain walked in with the potion. Luke reached out his hand and said, "Give it to me." Rain did not pass the potion to him but walked behind Bianca and said, "Boss, I know you like to stay clean. Let me do this for you." She picked up the medical cotton, put it on the potion and wet it, then wiped the tattoo. The potion had a high concentration of alcohol. Rain''s actions were not gentle. The potion came into contact with Bianca''s wounds, making her cry out in pain. "This sound is really unpleasant," Rain muttered as she wiped hard. The tattoo appeared little by little after she wiped it. Eventually, the entire tattoo was revealed. Rain stared at it, and after several seconds, she turned around to look at Luke. Luke was staring at the tattoo as well. The tattoo on her body was simr to the previous logo of the Ind of Despair, except that the details had been changed slightly. "This is really the Ind of Despair..." Rain put the bowl aside and told Gale who had just walked in. Gale quickly walked behind Bianca and frowned when he saw the tattoo on her body. "The details are different," he said. Rain nodded and reminded him. "Don''t forget, Robert is dead. The rule on the Ind of Despair is to change the logo once the leader has been changed. This is very close to the prototype. She''s from the Ind of Despair, right?" Luke was almost certain when he saw the tattoo. He quickly walked past Bianca and when he arrived outside the door, he ordered, "Make her tell the truth no matter the means." "Boss, don''t worry, I''ll take turns with Rain. She won''t get it easy. We''ll find out more about the real Bianca soon." Gale agreed to his orders. Even the people from the Ind of Despair were not without their weaknesses. Luke trusted them to interrogate Bianca. He nodded and left the basement. Rain took a picture of the tattoo with her phone. "What are you doing?" Gale wondered after seeing what she was doing. "If the Ind of Despair still exists, they must not have been quiet in thest few years. I want to go online to see if anything has happened over the years. Maybe it can give me some clues," Rain exined. Gale nodded and looked at Bianca, who was close to dying.'' It''s only the first day. Is she that weak?¡¯ If it were not for this tattoo, he had doubts whether the other party was from the Ind of Despair considering her terrible stamina. "Deal with her wounds. I¡¯m afraid she won''tst for the next few days," Gale said. Rain put the phone in her pocket, walked to Bianca, raised her chin, and said, "Look at this. She just cried." Gale shook his head. Rain let go of her hand and said, "Aren¡¯t the people on the Ind of Despair stubborn? What''s happening? Forget it, I''ll help her treat her wounds. You go upstairs and get a change of clothes. I''ll bandage her up and let her rest afterward." Gale nodded and went out to fetch clothes for Bianca. Rain looked at Bianca, who was looking up at her. She chuckled, took the iodophor and gauze, walked behind her, and started to apply the medicine. "Surely, you think that death may be better than what you''re facing now?" she asked. Bianca gritted her teeth tightly. ''What nonsense is this?!¡¯ She wanted to notify Abel but had no means to at that moment. The other party did not give her a chance at all... "If I were you, I would quickly share all the information I had. Otherwise, it''ll be more painful for you in the future. This is just the beginning.¡± Rain treated the injuries from the whish, then put on the medicine and gauze. Gale walked in with a shirt and handed it to her. "Can you handle it alone?" "Of course. She can''t do anything to me now." Rain took the shirt. She had been exercising since she left the Ind of Despair. Not many could take her on. Chapter 1356 Chapter 1356 The System Was Hacked Rain swiftly helped Bianca change. Gale had hit her hard. Bianca could not even struggle and could only lie on the bed feebly. After Rain helped her change her clothes, she thought about it and stuffed another pill into her mouth. Bianca grabbed the bed nk with her hand and stared at her. "What did you feed me?" "It''s just a pill that makes you weak. It''s okay, you won''t die." Rain patted her face and stood up. She decided to be more cautious after she thought it through. Making sure that Bianca had no strength to do other things could ensure that she would stay in the room obediently. When Bianca heard what she said, her gaze turned fierce and her strength was gradually drained. She could only watch Rain close the door and leave. Thest sound she could hear was the sound of the door locking. They were giving her time to rest, but it was to torment her moreter on. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Bianca was lying on the bed and thought that her bones were aching from the wooden nks. Her hands hung by her sides weakly. At night, the bustle of A City gradually quieted down. Luca was sitting in the living room, holding a pot of hot tea. Sitting next to her was Amur. Their eyes were fixed on theputer screen. Amur was writing programs to attack T Corporation''s system to make them vignt. The reason why they chose to proceed at this time was that Luca felt that Abel would make a move in a little while. She asked Amur to take action when she knew that Luke had juste back and had a lot of work to attend to in the office. The crisis could only be minimized by fixing the loopholes. Amur typed on the keyboard and after a while, he removed the pen drive and manually turned off the network. When she saw his series of actions, Luca asked, "Already done?" "Yeah, theirpany''sputer system has been attacked. I disconnected thework within three seconds so they won''t be able to track my IP address," Amur took a sip of hot tea. Luca trusted his work. Seeing that theputer had been turned off, she said, "Thank you for your hard work. Do you want to have a midnight snack?" Amur nced at the clock on the wall, then shook his head and said, "It''s gettingte. You still need to go to work tomorrow. You should get some rest." He persuaded Luca to take a rest earlier but she insisted on waiting for him to finish the work at hand. "It''s already sote. You should get some rest as well." Luca nced at the time. Indeed, she had to get up early for work the next day. Since he did not want any snacks, she stood up and walked to the bedroom. Amur watched her walk into the bedroom, his gaze long and far-reaching. What he did was not to help Luke but to help her. Even if he did not agree with Luca being involved with Luke, he would help her no matter what she wanted to do. The other side. Luke was lying on the bed but was awakened by the ringing of the phone. He picked up the phone and nced at it. It was a call from thepany. He knew that something must have happened for them to call him sote. Luke pressed the answer button. After the other party reported on the matter, he sat up, put on his jacket, and walked out of the study. Even if the fake Bianca was now under his control, he did not choose to return to the master bedroom to rest. One was to not arouse any suspicion. Secondly, he was obsessed with cleanliness and would not move in if the room had yet to be thoroughly cleaned. After all, in the eyes of outsiders, he and Bianca had been sleeping in separate beds for so long. The sudden changes would not be easy to exin. Luke quickly walked downstairs. It waste, so he did not rm Zander and the others but chose to drive to thepany on his own. The lights in T Corporation were brightly lit. When Luke returned to the office to take charge of the situation, all the staff in the Information Technology Department were already there. Several of them were sitting in front ofputers, dealing with the problems. "What¡¯s going on?" His mood was gloomy when he saw how busy they were. He did not get the full picture via the phone conversation. All he knew was that T Corporations'' system had been hacked. This scenario was the same as that of the US branch. The department manager of the Information Technology Department wiped the sweat from his forehead. Even though the air-conditioning in thepany was adequate, he was still very nervous facing his boss. Their department had always been fine. When the security system was attacked, he knew that the matter was beyond his hands so he immediately notified Luke. "Boss, thepany''s system was attacked by an unknown IP address. Now, there are huge loopholes in the system. Our staff is working hard to fix them," the department manager said. Luke watched the garbled codes on theputers. He frowned and asked, "Did you trace the other party''s IP address?" "No, the other party is cunning. After he identally triggered our security system, he cut off the network in just ten seconds. We have no way to track it," the department manager said. He thought that the other party had triggered the security system, but he did not know that it was Amur who nned it and deliberately revealed the ws to notify them. "You made a promise to me that this security system was stable and safe at the beginning of the year, but it was so easily breached now. I need a detailed exnation on this." Luke looked at the manager who lowered his head. Thest thing he needed was a useless employee. If the manager could not provide a reasonable exnation, he could pack his things. The department manager had been mentally prepared. He knew that Luke would not let go of this matter easily. There was more sweat on his forehead. He nodded and promised, "Boss, don''t worry. I''ll give you a detailed report after this matter is dealt with." "That person attacked the system. Make sure you check whether the other party went through the company''s confidential documents. This is rted to thepany''s development, so you must investigate it clearly." After Luke finished speaking, he turned and left the office of the Information Technology Department. At that time, Jason also rushed to T Corporation to meet him. Luke looked at his crooked tie and knew that he came in a rush. He ordered Jason, "Keep watch of them and make sure they give me aplete report.¡± "Yes," Jason nodded and walked into the Information Technology Department. Luke nced at the time. It was already three o''clock in the morning. There was no point going home, so he walked into his office. When he walked to the elevator, he recalled that thepany''s system had been damaged and the computer responsible for controlling his elevator was also dead. Luke took the stairs without saying anything. He climbed ten flights of stairs without a change in expression. He sat on the office chair with a somber expression and no other emotions. Chapter 1357 Chapter 1357 Who Did You Offend? Luke had a gut feeling that the incidents in A City and New York were not as simple as they seemed. When they were in the New York branch, the employees there were not able to do much other than upgrade and repair thepany''s system because they had no way to track the other party''s IP address. This time, he assumed that they could not track the hacker as well. Luke picked up his phone and called Percy Mallory. After the phone rang five times, he heard Percy''szy voice. It was obvious that he was still half- asleep. "Why are you calling sote?" Luke did not feel sorry for waking him up and asked, "Did you recently get to know someone well- versed withputers?" Percy held his forehead and nced at the woman resting on his right. She had taken some sleeping pills, so the vibrations from his phone earlier did not seem to have disturbed her. He carefully pulled out his hand, got up, and walked to the balcony. "He works in ourpany now. What''s the matter?" "Mypany''s system was hacked. I need some help to track the IP address," Luke said. He disturbed Percy in the middle of the night because he thought that Percy would know someone who could deal with this matter. The more he thought about the two incidents, the more he felt that something was wrong, so he asked Percy to help. Percy enjoyed the night breeze and looked back at the bedroom. Nina was still asleep. "It''s early in the morning. I cant call him now. I''ll give him a call tomorrow and have him go to your company." Percy agreed. After all, they were good friends who would take care of each other when they were facing problems. Luke let out a soft hum. Percy was almost fully awake now. He was aware of what had happened in the New York branch so he joked. "Who did you offend recently? Why are yourpany''s systems frequently getting hacked?" "The most important thing now is to track the IP address. When the person arrives, have him mention your name and the front desk will know what to do." Luke did not answer his ridiculous question before he ended the call. Percy was slightly displeased by the busy tone on the other end of the call. However, he ignored it because they had been close friends for 20 years. Percy walked back to the bedroom holding his phone. He closed the balcony door, turned around, and found that Nina was sitting up. From N?velDrama.Org. He frowned and asked in a soft voice, "Did I wake you up?" Nina shook her head. She was awakened suddenly, not because of him. She looked at him and saw that he had his phone in his hand. She asked, "What happened?" "It''s nothing. Luke asked me for help." Percy put his phone on the bedside table. When he was talking on the phone just now, he noticed that the battery level of the phone was at 50 percent. After he plugged in the charger, he returned to the bed. Nina nodded when she heard his reply andy down again." It''s not a big deal, right?" "I don''t like you talking about other men," Percyy down and hugged her waist domineeringly. "..." Nina looked at the ceiling for a while. Her face was warm from his breath. She was talking about his close friend, not random men. Ever since Bianca lost her memory and their friendship drifted apart, she had stayed away from Luke''s affairs. She just casually asked to try to divert the panic from abruptly waking up from her dream. Since losing Bianca as a friend, she had fewer and fewer people to open her heart to. For three years, Percy had been asking her to be with him but she had not felt happy. There was less and less to talk about. Sometimes when she was listening to him talk, she wondered if she was alive. Percy watched her open her eyes to look at the ceiling, then raised his hand to cover her eyes. She obediently closed her eyes, and Percy''s voice sounded by her ear. "Go to sleep, there are still a few hours before dawn." Nina gave a soft hum and did not speak anymore. A few hourster, it was dawn. Nina felt the man next to her sit up. Instead of opening her eyes, she continued to pretend to sleep. Over the years, there were multiple asions when she would wake up from a dream in the middle of the night. She was never able to go back to sleep for the whole night. When she could not fall asleep, Percy would notice it and order her to continue sleeping. Practice made perfect. She was getting better and better at pretending to be asleep. Even her breathing could be controlled as evenly as when she was asleep. Naturally, he did not notice it anymore. After Percy left the bedroom, Nina slowly opened her eyes, got up, and washed up. She sat in front of the dressing table, covered her dark circles with concealer, changed her clothes, and went downstairs. The maid in the vi had already prepared breakfast. Percy was sitting there eating. Nina walked over and looked at the energetic man. She took a sip of milk and asked, "Are you going back to the office today?" "I''ll be heading to T Corporation first." Percy changed his itinerary and nned to go to T Corporation to see what was going on. The Crawford and Mallory families were both well-known families in A City. What was happening to T Corporation made Percy alert. It happened to T Corporation and might happen to hispany soon. Nina nodded when she heard his reply. She took a sandwich and ate it in small bites. Percy finished his breakfast quickly, nted a good morning kiss on Nina''s forehead, and left the vi. Ninaughed at herself and touched the ce where he had kissed. She did not know if Percy realized she had put on a thickyer of foundation. After many years of not sleeping well, she had be thinner and thinner. To make herself look more energetic, she could only use makeup to improve herplexion. After Percy left, Nina put down the sandwich in her hand. The maid looked at her and asked, "Miss, aren''t you eating anymore?" "I can¡¯t eat anymore." Nina shook her head, took the milk, and finished drinking it. Then, she wiped the corners of her mouth. The maid sighed and repeated Percy''s words, "Sir ordered me to stare at you until you finish eating these two sandwiches." "I''m not hungry. How about this? Put it in a takeaway bag and I''ll bring it to thepany to eat." Nina heard Percy''s order for the maid and felt a little helpless. Even if he left the vi, he still got someone to keep watch of her. "Miss, if you do this, Sir will me me. He said that if you don¡¯t eat the sandwiches, it means that my cooking skills are not satisfactory and he''ll fire me. My husband is jobless and my kids are still in school. Miss, please, I can''t live without this job." The maid begged her. Nina nced at the security camera in the dining room and sighed helplessly. She picked up the sandwich and took a bite. Others installed security cameras in ces like the living room and garden, while Percy specially hired someone to install a camera in the kitchen to monitor her. Chapter 1358 Chapter 1358 She Was the Exception There was no reason other than making sure that Nina ate her meals. He had noticed that she would barely eat her breakfast after he left the house. The maid breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Nina continue eating. "Miss, Sir really cares for you. He saw that you''re losing weight, and he asked your mother for the recipes of your favorite dishes. Please eat more. You need to put on some weight." Nina chuckled dryly when she heard that. If Percy truly loved her, why would he want to control every aspect of her life? Percy could not give her what she wanted. She could not feel Percy''s love when that was the life he gave her. After Nina ate the two sandwiches, she stood up and said," I''m done." The maid nodded and said, "Will you being home for dinner tonight, Miss? Sir asked me to make pork chops for you tonight. He said that it''s your favorite." Nina paused. ''Pork chops...'' Indeed, her favorite dish used to be the pork chops that her mother made for her. Come to think of it, it had been many years since she ate that. However, she could not bring up any feelings of nostalgia when she reminisced about the past. She had forced herself to eat two sandwiches, and her stomach was ufortably bloated. She wanted nothing more than to throw up in the toilet. "What''s wrong, Miss? Don''t you want to eat pork chops? Shall I make grilled fish fillets instead?" The maid noticed the change in Nina''s expression and thought that she was in the mood to eat something else. "No, pork chops are fine. I''ll be very busy at work in thepany today, and I don''t know if I''ming home for dinner," Nina said. "Alright, I''ll make pork chops for you then. If you can''t make it for dinner, I''ll keep them in the fridge, and you can heat it in the microwave," the maid said. Nina nodded, left the dining hall, and went upstairs. She wanted to throw up, but she could not do it downstairs. If the maid found out about it, she would tell Percy. Nina went into the bathroom and hurled into the toilet. After she threw up everything she had eaten earlier, she felt a little better. Percy had always ordered her to eat all sorts of nutritious food, but he did not know that Nina did not want to eat that at all. Forcing her to eat would only cause her stomach difort, and she would eventually throw up all the food that she ate. Perhaps that was why she had been constantly losing weight. Nina washed her mouth and looked at her emaciated figure in the mirror. All that was left of her was a skeleton in a sack of skin. She did not know what charms she had such that Percy would not tire of her. She chuckled self-deprecatingly. She did not think that any man would fall in love with her, let alone Percy, who used to date supermodels and celebrities. Somehow, she was an exception. She imagined what Percy must have gone through just to take revenge on her. Nina reapplied the makeup on her face and slowly walked down the stairs to get ready to go to work. She was surprised to see the man sitting in the living room. "Why are you here?" Jean was not in a good mood. He said, "Mom asked me toe and check on you, Nina. Do you know when was thest time you were home?" Nina looked at Jean, who spoke and acted like a hooligan, with genuine disgust. Everytime she went home, her mother would ask for money from her and talk about nothing else. She was willing to take care of her mother, who was gued with poor health. Unfortunately, she had to pay for Jean''s expenses as well. Back then, Anna needed a liver transnt, and Nina''s blood type was not a match. The family ced their hopes on Jean. Nina pulled some strings so that Jean could be released a few months early from prison, and he donated a part of his liver to Anna. Nina had thought that her life would be better after Jean was out of prison; at least her mother would not be always abusing her. She realized that she had been too naive. The stint in prison did not change Jean''s attitude for the better. He was still aszy as ever. Nina managed to find him a job, but he quit after two days. Nina hoped that Anna would discipline him, but instead, Anna indulged and pampered him, saying that he was the only son, and he had saved her life by donating a part of his liver. Whenever Jean wanted money, Anna was more than happy to give it to him. Jean''s parents were retired, and their pensions were not enough to cover Jean''s voracious appetite for money. That was why the three other people in Nina''s family treated her as an ATM. Nina had given them money repeatedly, and she realized that she could not escape that fate. Jean would only ask for more and more money to gratify himself. A few days ago, an escort had scammed a huge sum of money from him. Anna and Jean did not tell her about that, but she was very aware of what was going on. Jean and Anna should have run out of money but now, which was why Jean came to look for her. He said that he was concerned about her, but she could tell that they only wanted her to go home so that they could ask for more money. Nina looked at his brother, slumped on the couch, and huffed, "I''m very busytely. I''ll go home and visit Mom when I''m free." Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Jean looked at his sister. She was dressed cleanly and modestly, as though she was of a different social ss than him. If she had not conspired with outsiders to put him in prison, he should have been in her position! "What''s there to be busy about? You''re only a manager in some small-time designpany. You don''t earn much, and it''s too much work. You should have quit your job and served Mr. Mallory instead. He might give you more money if you do that," Jean said, not knowing how much his words hurt. Nina was used to hearing those words from Jean, but those words still hurt her like a knife across her heart. Her family members knew about her rtionship with Jean. If Anna and Jean were someone else, they would have been embarrassed by their daughter and younger sister''s status. However, they coveted Percy¡¯s wealth, and they thought that Nina was able to get Percy to give her more money. They encouraged her to serve her sugar daddy well. They did not consider Nina''s situation, and they did not care that Nina was wasting her body and her youth. All they cared about was money. "I''ll visit Mom when I''m free. I''ll have to ask you to leave now. I''m going to work,¡¯ Nina said sternly. Chapter 1359 Chapter 1359 Good Morning, Mrs. Mallory Jean remained seated there with his legs crossed. He had no intention of standing up. He raised his eyebrows in the face of Nina''s fury. "What''s the matter with you? I''m only telling you the hard facts. The sry you get from thatpany is less than what you get from Mr. Mallory in one night. You''ve been doing this for three years. Why are you still acting like you''re offended?" Nina was trembling with rage. If she had a knife in her hands now, she would not hesitate to plunge it into his heart. There was no familial love to speak of. If she had not realized that by now, she would have lived her life in vain. Jean remained nonchnt even though Nina was furious." Don''t be angry. Everyone in A City now knows that you''re Percy''s mistress. It might not be a morous thing, but no one can deny your ability to stay by his side for so long. Listen to my advice and quit that stupidpany. Thepany belongs to that b*tch Bianca, right? Have you forgotten what she did to me? It''s ridiculous that you¡¯re still working for her!" Clearly, Jean had not learned his lesson. Nina red at him coldly. All he knew was that he was sent to prison because of Bianca, but he had forgotten about what he did to Bianca. Nina was disappointed that the years he spent in prison did not teach him a lesson. He had not repented, and he only med other people for what happened to him. He was sent to prison because of what he did, and Nina thought that he fully deserved it! Nina wanted to crack open his skull to see if maggots had eaten his brain. Otherwise, she could not exin why he could not discern right from wrong. "I don''t have money for you. Get lost right now!" She said angrily as she pointed at the door. Jean felt humiliated by Nina''s treatment of him. He stood up and said, "I''m your elder brother, Nina!" "My elder brother isn''t like this!" Nina said as she took a step back. She was disgusted by how he acted and the clothes he wore. "You!" Jean clenched his fists. He wanted to p her, but he remembered that she was Percy''s woman. He could not get physical on her because he relied on her for money. Otherwise, if Nina tattled on him to Percy, he would have to suffer. "It doesn''t matter what you think. I''m still your elder brother. You used to love me and respect me when I was in my prime, but I''m sure that you find me an embarrassment now because I went to prison, don¡¯t you? How cold-hearted you are, Nina!" Jean said derisively. "When were you in your prime? Was it when you returned to A City? Jean Langdon, if you''re a man, then stop ming other people for your faults. Our family wouldn''t end up like this if only you could reflect upon yourself. Look at you now. What else can you do other than eat, sleep, and go to nightclubs? A woman had cheated you of your money once, and history has now repeated itself because you never learn. Why can you man up and take responsibility for yourself?" Nina roared at him when her arms crossed in front of her. She did not hope that Jean would listen to her. "That''s utter nonsense!" Jean blurted, feeling humiliated by those words. "First, it was Marie Rayne, and now there''s that woman. How many times has it been? You should know very well! When are you going to learn your lesson? You''ve been cheated of all your money, yet you still want to pretend to be rich. I''m also human, Jean, and I''m not your personal ATM. Stop asking me for money when you don''t have money!" Nina said mockingly. If she had her way, she would have disowned her elder brother. Even if she had distanced herself from the family, Anna and Jean would still find her and ask for money. Jean had enough of it. He punched the air with his fist, but he dared not touch Nina. Percy had told him that he could not hurt Nina if he wanted money. "That''s utter nonsense, you stupid girl! When have I asked you for money?" "Isn''t that the reason you''re here today? You''re here to tell me that the family needs money, aren''t you?" Nina was not afraid of Jean''s physical threats. In fact, she even hoped that Jean''s fists would land on her. How she wished that those fists would end her life. She had enough of being everyone''s punching bag! Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "When have I said that?" Jean said while shooting a nce at the maid, who was hiding in the dining hall watching the drama. "Fine, you''ve never said that. I''ve already transferred this month''s living expenses to Mom''s bank ount, and I''m sure that the money is enough for the two of you. I''m very busy. Leave now," Nina retorted. Jean nearly popped a vein when he heard that. He would rather not talk to his younger sister, but there was no more money in the household, and his mother had forced him to beg for money from Nina. He thought it unfair that Nina got to live in a luxurious mansion, while his living conditions were a lot worse. If Percy were not living together with Nina, he would have moved into the mansion with his parents and lived on Nina''s dime. He pointed an usatory finger at Nina. "Very well, you damned girl. One day, you''ll pay for your disrespect!" After that, he left the house in a huff. Nina breathed a sigh of relief and fell sitting on the couch. Fortunately, Percy left the house early in the morning. She was d that he did not need to see the embarrassing scene. However, if Percy were in the house, Jean would not have been so rude to her. Nina sat on the couch and caught her breath before standing up again. She looked at the maid, who was still hiding in the dining hall, and said, "Don''t tell Sir about what happened just now.¡± "Sir will know anyway. He''ll check the security feed," the maid reminded her. Nina was taken aback. Indeed, the living room was equipped with the most high-tech surveince cameras that could capture high-definition videos and sounds. However, she knew that Percy rarely checked the footage." Just don''t tell him," she said. "Alright, I know, Miss," the maid replied, not wishing to court trouble. Even though Percy was her employer, she would rather not offend Nina. After all, Percy loved Nina. If Ninained to Percy about her, she would most likely lose her job. In the worstcase scenario, she might be unemployable. Nina nodded, took her handbag, and left. Her phone began to ring when she arrived at the garage. Nina took out her phone and nced at it. The number was not in her address book. Even so, she could recognize the number. Nina took a deep breath and answered the call. "Good morning, Mrs. Mallory." Chapter 1360 Chapter 1360 They Would Be at a Disadvantage "Where are you now?" The tone on the other end of the call was not friendly. Nina was nervous when she heard that. The other person was Percy¡¯s mother and the matriarch of the Mallory family. It was not the first time that she had called Nina on the phone, but there must be a reason why she was calling Nina today. "I''m on my way to work, Mrs. Mallory. Is there anything?" Nina answered as she opened the car door. "That''s ''Madam'' for you, Nina. I want to talk to you about something. When are you free?" Nina smirked self-deprecatingly. Should she feel honored that Mrs. Mallory wanted to meet her at her convenience? That was such a respectful gesture! Nina knew very well why Mrs. Mallory wanted to meet her." How about noon today? I have some free time during lunch. Mrs. Mallory replied, "Alright, noon it is. We''ll meet at the restaurant under your office." "Yes, Madam." After Nina gave her reply, the other party ended the call. She chuckled dryly as she listened to the busy tone on the phone. Jean, Mrs. Mallory... everyone was looking for trouble with her. Nina started the car and drove out of the mansion. She did not n to tell Percy that his mother wanted to meet her. Secretly, she hoped that Mrs. Mallory would intervene and end the rtionship between Percy and her. Percy brought a man named Adrian Daley to T Corporation. Before they could identify themselves, the receptionist brought them to the guest lounge. Luke came into the lounge, and Jason followed behind him, carrying aptop in each of his hands. Percy stood up and introduced the man next to him. "Adrian, this is Mr. Luke Crawford. Mr. Crawford, this is Adrian Daley. He''s a genius atputers." "Nice to meet you." Luke shook hands with Adrian. Adrian adjusted his sses slightly and said, "Mr. Mallory has told me what happened. You want to track down the attacker''s IP address, right?" "Yes. My IT department said that there''s no way of tracking them down, so I''d like to trouble you to do that for me," Luke said. He waved his hand, and Jason ced theptops in front of Adrian. "If the attacker terminated the connection immediately after the rm was raised, then it''ll be very difficult to track them down. I can still give it a try, but if I can''t track them down, I don''t think anyone else in the world would be able to," Adrian said. He turned on theptops and found that they were already connected to T Corporation''s internalwork. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "Thank you," Luke said. The IT department had identified several ws in thework security system after the attack, and they were busy repairing them. Luke did not hope that they would be able to identify the attacker. "Don''t mention it," Adrian said as he went to work. Tina knocked on the door and came in carrying a tray with a few cups of coffee on it. She smiled gently and ced the cups on the table. As Adrian typed deftly on the keyboard, Percy stood up and said, "Adrian doesn''t like any distractions whenever he''s at work. Let''s go somewhere else. I also have something to discuss with you." Luke nodded, and the three people left the guest lounge. Percy went into the CEO''s office, sat down on the couch, and crossed his legs. "Yourpanywork has been attacked for two consecutive weeks. Why are you so unlucky?" He said teasingly. Luke did not reply to the question. He was deep in thought. Cleaning up the mess left at the subsidiarypany in New York was rtively easy. However, the head office was the one under attack this time. If the attackers had gained ess to their top-secret documents, dealing with the fallout of the attack would make Luke very busy for a while. "Why aren''t you saying anything? Why do you think they''re attacking you? Is it for financial gain?" Percy said. "I don''t know," Luke shook his head and said. That was the truth because he had no idea who was attacking him. The attack on the New York subsidiarypany had taken them by surprise, but they managed to correct the mistakes in time. The attackers would have no use for the stolen information because Luke changed thepany directives after he realized that the documents were leaked. The top- secret documents in the attacker''s hands were nothing more than trash. This time, the attacker had alerted the IT department to the attack. Even if they managed to gain some top-secret information, they would not be able to capitalize on it. No hacker would be so stupid as to peddle useless information. Percy frowned, thinking that whatever was happening to T Corporation was a cause for worry. T Corporation had grown steadily over the past few years, and no otherpany dared to offend them. Now that T Corporation was under attack, it signified the fact that someone might be nning to make a move on the other corporations. Percy could not afford to keep his guard down. "There''s something that I have to tell you," Luke said as he stared at Percy. "What is it?" Percy said as he reclined on the couch. "Bianca is an impostor." Luke did not beat around the bush. "What? What do you mean?" Percy did not understand." She''s an impostor?" "Exactly. Someone has impersonated her," Luke said and took a sip of coffee. "Didn''t they perform a DNA test on her?" Percy could only find it unbelievable. "Someone swapped the test samples. A while ago, Lanie and Rainie performed another DNA test behind my back. Also, when Bianca was hospitalized earlier, she took a blood test, and the blood types did not match," Luke exined. Percy''s eyes widened. "Who could have done it? They gave you a fake wife!" Luke nced at him coldly and continued, "It''s the Ind of Despair. We found a tattoo on the impostor Bianca''s body. That''s the proof." "Didn''t we wipe out the Ind of Despair a few years back? Why would..." Percy thought that there was more to the incident. "Also, haven''t you been keeping an eye on things for the past few years? How could they..." Luke sent a photo of the tattoo on Bianca''s back to Percy." The tattoo is slightly different from the original one, but the shape is roughly the same. It shows that someone has rebuilt the Ind of Despair. Judging from the simrity to the original symbol, it also shows that the person is very close to Robert." Percy looked at the photo on his phone and sank deep in thought... "If the Ind of Despair still exists, where could their base of operations be? Could they be behind the two attacks too?" "We''ll only know after we identify the IP addresses," Luke said grimly. Percy could understand why Luke was feeling that way. If the attacks were indeed conducted by the Ind of Despair, it meant that they had been operating in secret. Luke and Percy did not know what they were nning and would be at a disadvantage. Things were not looking great... Chapter 1361 Chapter 1361 What Did She Do to Deserve This? "Gale and Rain are back in A City, and they''re interrogating the impostor. We should find out the truth behind her disguise soon," Luke said. Percy nodded. To think that the woman by Luke''s side for the past three years was an impostor, and the whereabouts of the real Bianca Rayne was still unknown! "Now that we know that the Ind of Despair isn''t wiped out, we shouldn''t wait for them to attack. We''ve coborated with the Russian government to wipe them out, and I''m sure that they''re waiting to take their revenge on us. We should make arrangements to search for their base of operations now. We can''t let them have the advantage over us." Luke nodded. The Mallory family was also involved in the previous attack on the Ind of Despair. If the new leader of the Ind of Despair wanted to take revenge on those who had wronged him, the Mallory family would definitely be implicated too. Luke knew that they had to cooperate to fight against them. "I''ll make arrangements on my side. In any case, you shouldn''t let anyone else know about it." "Don''t worry. I know what to do." Percy nodded. Luke was right; they could not afford to alert the enemy. At noon, Nina left the office and bumped into Sue. "Are you going downstairs to have lunch, Nina? Shall we go together?" Sue smiled and said to Nina. Nina shook her head. "I can''t go to lunch with you. I have something else to do." "Don''t you n to have lunch? Look at you now. You''re all skin and bones. You ought to eat your meals." Sue thought that Nina was thinking of skipping lunch, so she wanted to force her to go and eat with her. Nina was d that Sue was concerned for her. She exined, "It''s not like that, Sue. You''ve misunderstood. I have a date with someone else today, so I can''t have lunch with you." Sue nodded and gestured an "OK" sign. "I see, then it''s fine. I won''t disturb the two of you then. You ought to eat more today. You look better when you have some more muscle on your bones." "Yes, yes. You don''t have to worry about me. I won''t make myself suffer," Nina said with a smile. The two of them went into the elevator and went downstairs. They parted ways at the lobby. Nina went into the restaurant. Usually, restaurants of that type would not have private rooms. However, this restaurant had private rooms for the convenience of the managers working in the office building. Ruth O''Connor, Percy''s mother, had reserved a private room. The waitress led Nina to the private room, then closed the door behind her. Nina could not help but keep her guard up when she saw the elegant woman in front of her. It was not her first time meeting Ruth, and she knew of her noble status. She sat down on a chair in front of Ruth and said carefully, "Good afternoon, Madam. How can I help you today?" Ruth put the teacup in her hands away and nced at Nina contemptuously. People of Ruth''s social ss hated women like Nina. Nina understood that Ruth hated her, but she did not think that she did anything wrong. After all, Percy was the one who insisted that she stay by his side. She looked at Ruth, unperturbed. "I still have the same question for you, but it''s not exactly the same this time. I''m arranging a marriage for Percy. The youngdy is from the Johnston family, and she has just returned to A City after having graduated from an overseas university. She is beautiful, intelligent, and is from a prominent family, so she is the perfect match for Percy. Do you think that he''ll like her?" Ruth said. Nina shook her head. "I don''t know. I''m not Percy." "It doesn''t matter if you know it, but we all know that you''re not suitable for Percy. I know why you''ve been clinging to him, so here''s a check for you. You should know what to do next, don''t you?" Ruth said and took out a check from her handbag. Nina''s eyes widened slightly when she saw the figure on the check. She was aware of the Mallory family''s wealth, but she was shocked by how much Ruth was willing to give her. "Indeed, I''m not suitable for Percy, but I can''t take your check either." She put the check on the table and pushed it over. She was not enticed by the figure. It was not the first time that Ruth had given her a check. Every time, Nina had refused to ept it. This is from N?velDrama.Org. It was also the same this time. Ruth''s expression changed when Nina refused to ept the check. "What''s the meaning of this? Do you think that you can stay by Percy''s side just because you refuse to ept my offer? Let me tell you, you¡¯d better stop dreaming. He only likes you now because you''re young. Do you think that you can still be by his side in a few years?" "I''ve never wanted to be by his side," Nina said candidly. She felt horrible for being humiliated twice in a single day. "What do you want then? Do you want to be the matriarch of the Mallory family after I die? Let me tell you, stop dreaming. Percy wouldn''t want to marry you, and even if he would, his father and I wouldn''t allow it," Ruth said. "Madam, I''ve told you since the first time we met that I don''t care about your money, and I''m powerless to leave Percy. What you can do is convince Percy to leave me. I''ve met Ms. Johnston before, and she''s indeed an outstanding young woman. I have no doubt that she is the perfect match for Percy, and I hope that you can arrange the marriage so that Percy will leave me alone," Nina said earnestly. It was not that she did not want to leave Percy, but Percy had never wanted her to leave him. She had never thought of making money from the deal, and she did not want to be by Percy''s side for the rest of her life. All she wanted was to leave... Ruth became even more displeased when she heard that. Nina said that Percy did not want her to leave. To Ruth''s ears, Nina''s words were like a brazen taunt. She thought that Nina was saying that she was irreceable, and Percy''s parents were helpless about it... That made Ruth furious. She picked up the teacup and flung it toward Nina. "I''ve given you so many chances, yet you don''t appreciate them. Alright then, you can''t me me for what I''ll do to you!" Instinctively, Nina raised her arm to block the iing teacup. With a ng, the teacup struck her arm and fell on the floor. The teacup was filled with boiling milk tea, and Ruth had only taken two sips out of it. Nina could feel that her arm was stinging with pain. The tea must have scalded her... "Very well. If you don''t know what''s good for you, I''ll take the check back, and it won''t be too long before Percy kicks you out of the mansion!" Ruth took the check, tore it into pieces, and left the room huffily. The door mmed behind Nina. She let out a dryugh as she looked at her forearm, which had turned red. In a day, her elder brother and Percy''s mother had humiliated her. She began to wonder why she deserved to be treated that way. Was it mere bad luck, or was it karma? Chapter 1362 Chapter 1362 She Changed Her Opinion About Luca Nina looked at her forearm and began to smile. It was red and hurt a lot, but she did not cry. The pain on her arm was nothingpared to the agony and depression that she had stored in her heart for the past few years. In fact, it made her feel alive. The waitress opened the door to the private room and noticed that Nina was still sitting there. She asked, "Excuse me, Miss, may I take your order?" Nina did not stand up. She spoke to the waitress without turning around. "Yes. Please give me the lunch set." "Alright,ing right up," the waitress replied and closed the door. The noble woman had left earlier and paid the bill. She thought that the other woman would leave too, but instead, the woman ordered something to eat. Nina remained motionless while sitting on the chair. When the waitress came into the room again with her food, she pointed at the mess on the floor. "I identally dropped this earlier. Please clean it up. If the cup is broken, add it to my bill, and I''ll pay for itter." The waitress looked at the mess on the floor and noticed that Nina''s arm was red. She thought that it was not an ident. In her mind, she had already made up a fantastical story. The young woman sitting in front of her must be the mistress of the noble woman''s husband. That made the waitress look at Nina with contempt. However, the waitress did not say anything because she was still on the job. Instead, she nodded and said, "Alright, I''ll clean it upter. Enjoy your meal, Miss." Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The waitress left the room and closed the door after that. Nina looked at the food in front of her and picked up a fork. She ate the food in big bites, seemingly unperturbed by the pain in her arm. Even though she did not feel hungry at all, she finished half of the te. Then, she took the napkin and elegantly cleaned her mouth. While she ate, the waitress did note into the room to disturb her. Nina stood up and looked at the teacup on the floor. It was chipped, like her heart. She left the room and went to pay at the counter. The cashier noticed that Nina''s arm was scalded and said," Miss, you ought to put some ointment on your arm. Otherwise, it might leave a scar." "I''m fine." Nina left the restaurant after paying her bill. She sighed to herself. Even though the restaurant staff did not say anything, she could notice that their reactions toward her were different from before. ''Looks like I can''t eat here anymore,'' she thought. ''It''s a pity though. The food here is quite nice.'' Back at thepany, Nina tried to cover the injury on her arm, but Sue happened to notice it. She grabbed Nina''s arm and asked her, "Didn''t you say that you went on a date? What happened to your arm? It''s so red. Were you scalded?" "Mm, it was an ident," Nina pulled her arm away and said softly. She did not feel happy that her friend was concerned about her, but instead, she felt as though nothing could change her mood, and she was nothing but a lingering phantom. She knew that Sue thought that she went on a date with Percy, and she did not offer to exin herself. "You''re too careless... Was it you or Percy?" Sue felt sorry for Nina. The injury looked painful. "It''s my fault," Nina said. Sue shook her head. "You''re so bad at lying, Nina. You can''t possibly hurt yourself on this part of your body. Was Percy violent to you?" Sue hated men who deliberately injured women. Thinking that Percy might be the one who caused Nina''s injury, Sue wanted to get even with him. Nina could see that Sue was about to and hunt down Percy. She shook her head and said, "It''s the waitress. She identally spilled the milk tea when she was bringing it over.¡± "Really?" Sue asked, still feeling suspicious. She thought that Nina was covering up for Percy. "I''m telling you the truth. I haven''t washed my arm yet, and you can smell the tea if youe close," Nina said as she lifted her arm. "Nah, it''s fine. You didn''t have to cover up for the waitress though," Sue said as she took a close look at Nina''s arm. It was very red, and it would definitely leave a scar. She needed to get Nina some high- quality ointment. "I''m worried that you''d pick a fight with the waitress," Nina said with a sigh. "It''s not too serious, and I don''t want any trouble." "You''re too kind, Nina. You can''t just let it go when the injury looks so serious," Sue said. "You''ll have to find some ointment for your arm. See, blisters are forming already." Nina did not seem to mind the blisters. "It''s fine. If it''s too painful, I''ll wash it with cold water." "That won''t do. It''ll be a pity if you have scars on your forearm, and you won''t be able to hide them in warm weather. Right, I know a medical researcher, and she might have something for you. Let me ask her." Sue suddenly remembered Luca. Jason had told her that Luca was a genius medicine maker. She was able to produce her own herbal concoctions that could not be found in the market. "You don''t have to trouble anyone," Nina said. She was not concerned about her arm. "I''ll go and contact her," Sue said insistently while sending a message to Luca. Her opinion of Luca had changedpletely since the dinner. She did not hesitate to ask her for help. At the moment, Luca was resting in her office. When she read Sue''s message, she immediately replied: [I have something for scalds. I''ll give it to you after work.] Sue received Luca''s message. In her reply, she invited Luca for dinner. Then, she said to Nina, "Come to my house for dinner tonight, Nina. My friend has just created an ointment that''s good for treating scalds. She''ll being over after work." Nina wanted to refuse, but after thinking that she would be home alone with Percy, she changed her mind. "Alright, thank you," she said. Sue grinned brilliantly. "Don''t be a stranger, aren''t we friends? n Nina felt a pang of envy when she saw Sue''s smile. Ever since Sue decided that she would marry Jason, she had never stopped smiling. After Luca went off work, she first went to her apartment to take the ointment that she had concocted, then caught a cab and went to Jason''s house. She could not refuse Sue''s invitation. At Jason''s house, Sue opened the door and saw Luca standing outside. She smiled and said, "You''re here, Luca. Pleasee in." Luca smiled; Sue''s smile was contagious. She walked in and said, "I was in a hurry, so I didn''t prepare any gifts for you." "Don''t be a stranger, Luca. You don''t have to bring anything," Sue said enthusiastically as she took Luca''s arm and led her into the living room. Chapter 1363 Chapter 1363 She Was Not Happy Luca was happy that Sue was so hospitable toward her. She took out the ointment from her handbag and asked, "Who''s the one who needs medical attention?" "She''s a friend of mine. She''s sitting inside," Sue said. They went into the living room and saw Nina sitting on the couch. "This is Nina Langdon, my friend and my colleague at work. Nina, this is Dr. Luca Craw." Luca looked at Nina and, for a moment, did not know how to react. She had checked on Nina''s condition ever since she returned. At first, she was relieved to find out that Nina was still together with Percy. After all, Percy could protect her. Now that she looked carefully at Nina, she could tell that Nina was not happy. Nina had lost a lot of weight, and she was nothing more than skin and bones. Tears welled up in Luca''s eyes as she looked at Nina. "Nice to meet you, Dr. Craw." Nina smiled weakly when she looked at the unfamiliar face. Earlier, Sue had told her briefly about Luca, and she could tell that Sue admired the woman. She roughly knew who Luca was, and she had heard about Luca''s scandal with Luke. At first, Nina did not have a good impression of Luca. "Nice to meet you," Luca said and nodded slightly. She noticed that Nina''s exposed forearm was red, and several blisters had formed on it. She quickly handed the ointment to Nina. "This ointment is an antiseptic and a painkiller. You should use it." Nina took the white, ubeled tube and looked at it. "I''ve heard from Sue that you made this yourself." Luca could tell that Nina was wary. She exined, "Mm, I made this myself. It''s entirely made of herbs, and even people with sensitive skin can use it without any side effects." Sue smiled and said, "You can''t find it anywhere else." Nina nodded and said, "Thank you." "You''re wee." Luca¡¯s heart wrenched when she heard Nina''s distant reply. Even though Nina sounded calm, she could sense the mncholy in her heart. It seemed that Nina''s condition had not be better over the past three years. Sue said, "Quickly use the ointment, Nina. It''s not going to be any better if you only use the ice pack. Alright, I''ll go and cook dinner. The caretaker had to leave earlier, so it''ll take a little longer. There are drinks and snacks in the fridge, so you can help yourselves with that. Make yourself at home, Luca." Luca noticed that the caretaker and Jason were not in the house. She could guess why Jason was not home yet. Amur had deliberatelyunched an attack on T Corporation''spanywork, and they must still be busy fixing it. Even though she knew the reason, Luca asked, "Where''s Mr. Doyle?" "Don''t you know? He has to work overtime today because something happened in thepany," Sue said. She thought that Luca would have heard about it. Luca shook his head. "I don''t know. Watson isn''t in the same building as T Corporation." "That''s true. I guess that''s why it didn''t affect you." Sue nodded. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Luca saw that Nina was applying the ointment on her arm. She stood up and said, "You''re going to cook dinner soon, right? Why don''t I help you?" "Huh?" Sue was surprised. "You''re a guest. I can''t possibly ask you for help." "Don''t worry about it. You said that you wanted to taste my cooking, right? This is a good opportunity," Luca said as she walked toward the kitchen. Sue considered that she would be making a mess in the kitchen because Jason and the caretaker were not around. She walked into the kitchen and said, "How about I help you then?" "Alright," Luca nodded and said. Nina slowly applied the ointment to her arm as she watched the two women walk into the kitchen. She sank deep in thought. For some reason, she thought that Luca''s silhouette looked familiar. Jason had not returned after the three women finished their dinner. Luca was curious to find out whether they could solve the problem. She knew that Luke was capable, but his employees in T Corporation... She wondered if she had given him too much trouble. She was about to leave when Nina said that she wanted to leave too. "Dr. Craw, you didn''t drive here, did you? May I send you home?" Luca was surprised. She said, "Our houses are in opposite directions, aren''t they? I can catch a cab." Nina shook her head and said insistently, "It''s fine. It''s already sote anyway, so it won¡¯t take too long to travel in opposite directions. I have to thank you for your ointment. My arm doesn''t hurt anymore." She gently rubbed her arm, surprised that the swelling had gone down so quickly. Other than thanking her, Nina wanted to send Luca back because she did not want to go home so soon. She would rather not face Percy... Sue said, "That''s a good idea. If Nina wants to send you home, you shouldn''t refuse. After all, we''re all friends now." Luca thought that it would be rude if she continued to refuse, so she sat in Nina''s car. After giving her address to Nina, Nina inputted it into her navigation app and started driving. Luca caught a whiff of the air freshener in Nina''s car. Her tastes were quite simr to Nina''s, and they had used the same brand of air freshener three years ago. "The air freshener smells quite nice," Luca said. She remembered that she and Nina used to be close friends, and she could clearly remember the times they spent together. "Do you like it? I still have two more bottles at home. I''ll give you one," Nina said. Luca shook her head. "I don''t have a car." "I love this brand of air freshener the most. Right, I used to have a friend who loves it too. I''ve heard that the manufacturer was going out of business soon, so I got someone to buy a few more bottles from overseas. The dinner you made earlier was excellent. My friend used to be a good cook too, and your cooking tastes quite simr to hers. I can''t really remember though, it was a long time ago," Nina babbled on. Luca could not help but feel dejected after hearing that. She knew that Nina was talking about her... Before she could say anything, Nina''s phone began to ring. Nina paused for a while when she saw her phone screen. The call was from Percy, and she had to answer it. She put on her Bluetooth headset. Percy''s voice was immediately heard. "The maid said that you didn''te home for dinner." "Sue invited me for dinner," Nina said. From what Percy said to her, she knew that he had not gone home yet. Luca could tell that Percy was checking in on Nina. She knew that Percy was an incredibly domineering person. From Nina''s expression, she could tell that Nina was not happy together with him. Chapter 1364 Chapter 1364 They Hadn¡¯t Been in Contact With Each Other Percy did not seem satisfied with Nina''s answer. "You didn''t tell me that." "I forgot," Nina said impatiently. She did not forget, but she did not want to report everything to him. That made her look as though she were his pet. She was human, not Percy Mallory''s pet. Percy spoke nothing for the next three seconds. He thought that she was behaving erratically because she had something on her mind, so he said, "Alright, it''s good to hear that you''re eating your meals. I''ll be backte because I have some work to do. Remember to go to bed early. If you can''t sleep, take your sleeping pills." Nina was not sure how to feel after hearing his words of concern. "Mm," she replied and ended the call. Luca watched Nina take off her Bluetooth headset. She asked, "Was that your boyfriend?" ''Boyfriend?'' Nina was taken aback, then she chuckled self- deprecatingly. Many people thought that Percy was her boyfriend, but he was actually not. What bound them together was a shameful transaction. "No," Nina said, thinking that it would not be too long before Percy would be out of her life forever. Once Percy was officially engaged to Ms. Johnston, Nina would automatically leave. Even though she had been his illicit lover for many years and her heart had already gone numb, she still had her principles. She did not mind that she was unhappy, but she was not going to linger around and bring unhappiness to other women. Percy was never going to find happiness if she clung to him. From that reply, Luca was even more sure that she did not enjoy a healthy rtionship with Percy. Perhaps that was the main cause of her depression. Nina arrived at the destination and looked around her. "Is this the ce?" "Yes." Luca nodded, unfastened her seatbelt, and took out her phone. "Can I add you as a friend on Facebook?" Nina was quite surprised by the question. She did not expect Luca to ask that after their first meeting, though she did not oppose the idea. "Sure," she nodded and said. After adding each other to their contacts, Luca opened the car door. Before she stepped out, she said, "Drive safe on your way back. Send me a message when you reach home. It''s gettingte." Nina was caught in a daze as she watched Luca close the door. Bianca used to say the same thing. She suddenly had the urge to talk to Bianca. It had been a long time since they contacted each other... With that thought, Nina dialed Bianca''s number. The phone rang for a long time, but no one picked it up. Two dayster, the IT department of T Corporation finally managed to fix all the ws in thework security system. At the same time, they also upgraded the servers'' operating system. The department manager gave Luke a detailed report in the CEO''s office. While fixing the ws, they also found traces of attacks from other IP addresses in thework logs. The department manager dared not keep it a secret from Luke, so he reported that to him as well. Luke''s expression darkened when he heard that. "Are you telling me that none of you discovered all those attacks on ourwork?" The manager kneaded his hands together nervously and tried to exin, "The attacks didn''t activate the rms. In any case, they didn''t seed." "Won''t it be toote if they seeded?" Luke retorted, unhappy that the manager was trying to find excuses. The attacks might not have caused any harm to thepany because they did not manage to ess the top-secret information, but they exposed significant ws in thepany''s security system. The security system was supposed to be perfect, but those attacks managed to sneak past it undetected. One could imagine the number of ws in that system. "You''re exactly right. Our staff has already upgraded the system and fixed its ws. Next time, the system will automatically trigger an rm once it detects an unknown IP address." The manager could tell that Luke was unhappy, so he tried to appease him. T Corporation paid him a high sry. He did not want to lose the job. Moreover, if T Corporation fired him, he would not be able to get a job elsewhere. He needed to make sure that Luke was appeased. "I''ll give you one day to raise the security rating of the system by two," Luke said. He was not in the mood to negotiate. The manager frowned when he heard that. "I''m afraid that one day won¡¯t be enough, Mr. Crawford." "I''ll personally test the system tomorrow. If there''s no improvement to the security, I expect your resignation letter on my desk the day after." Luke gave his ultimatum. "Yes!" Seeing that there was no wiggle room in Luke''s orders, he had to agree to it. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Immediately after that, Jason brought Adrian into the office. "Mr. Crawford, Mr. Daley wants to talk to you about something." Luke nodded and said to the manager, "You may leave." "Yes." The manager left with his head drooped and a frown on his face. If he could not get the job done by today, his future would be quite bleak. He cursed the unknown hackers under his breath. Adrian went over and sat down in front of Luke before Luke said anything. He was a guest and not an employee, so he was not too bothered by formalities. "I''ve found a few things after two days, but it might not be much, and I''m not sure if the information will help," Adrian spoke before Luke or Jason said anything. "What did you find?" Luke asked. Adrian might be a genius, but there was not much he could do, given the circumstances. The IT department did not find anything. Any findings from Adrian were already a bonus. The artist cut off the connection too soon, and I can tell that they''re quite skilled, so I can only track them down to a certain extent. After two days, I managed to locate their general area, but I can''t find their exact location," Adrian said. Luke nodded and waited for Adrian to continue speaking. Adrian continued, "It''s in the west of A City. Let me send you a map." As soon as he said that, Luke received a photo. On the photo was a map of A City with a big red circle drawn on the target area. It was not a big area, but it was not small either. It would be very difficult to find the hacker''s exact location. "Huh," Jason eximed after hearing that the hacker was in the west area of A City. Luke turned his gaze toward him. "Mr. Crawford, Dr. Craw lives in the west," Jason exined. Chapter 1365 Chapter 1365 Luca''s Neighborhood Was Included Luke looked at the photo on his phone. Luca''s neighborhood was included in the circle. This is from N?velDrama.Org. "Of course, it might only be a coincidence," Jason said. Luke nodded. He would think of that problemter. Instead, he looked at Adrian and said, "Thank you for your hard work." "Don''t mention it. You want to upgrade your system, right?" Adrian asked. Luke nodded. "I can help you," Adrian said, offering his services. Luke was Percy''s friend andmanded a considerable influence in A City. It would be a good idea if Luke would owe him a favor. Luke could tell what Adrian was thinking. He asked him," What do you want?" "I don''t know what I want yet, but it won''t be something major. You don''t have to worry about owing me a favor," Adrian gave his promise. Luke thought for a while. Then, he stood up and extended his hand, "Deal." "Thank you," Adrian stood up and shook hands with Luke." I''ll need ess to yourpany''s mainframe." "Mr. Doyle will bring you there," Luke said. "Sorry to trouble you, Mr. Doyle," Adrian turned around and spoke to Jason. Jason nodded and led him to the IT department. Luke leaned back on his executive chair. He looked at the photo on his phone and sank into deep thought. After Jason brought Adrian to the IT department, Luke summoned him back to the CEO''s office. He knocked on the door and went inside. "How may I help you, Mr. Crawford?" "I want to go to Watson," Luke said. The hacking incident in New York was rted to Luca. Now, Adrian had narrowed down the area where the attack on T Corporation originated to include Luca''s neighborhood. Luke could not help but suspect that the attack was also rted to Luca. It seemed too suspicious to be only a coincidence. Jason reminded him, "Mr. Crawford, you have an important international teleconference in twenty minutes. You''ll have to be present to discuss the contract with the other party." In other words, Jason did not want him to go to Watson now. With no other choice, Luke had to cancel his n of going there. Luke returned to Crawford Manor at night. He had not been home for the past two days because of what happened to T Corporation, and the children were very excited to see him. "Daddy! Daddy!" They called out to Luke, which made his stress and lethargy vanish into thin air. Old Master Crawford was sitting on the couch. He asked him, "I suppose you''ve dealt with everything that happened in thepany?" "It''s dealt with,¡± Luke said. He knew that Old Master Crawford had several confidants working in the company, so he could not hide anything from his grandfather. Old Master Crawford did not intervene because he was confident that Luke was capable of handling it. "That''s good to know." Old Master Crawford nodded in satisfaction. There were no negative reports of the incident, and the share prices were not affected. It seemed that Luke had perfectly ovee the challenge. "Tch," Susan muttered disapprovingly. She thought, ''What''s so hard about that? It''s just repairing computers, isn''t it? Any intern could have done that. Louis would have been able to solve the problem too.'' Old Master Crawford heard that. He red at Susan and said, "Don''t think that it''s easy to fix the problem. If it were you, you wouldn''t be able to solve it." Susan put her teacup down and said, "Of course I can''t do it. I''ll have to leave it to the young people to handle things like these. Louis would be able to solve it though." Old Master Crawford knew that Susan wasining that he did not give Louis the chance to prove himself, though he knew that Louis had insisted on leaving T Corporation and starting his own studio. "What are you talking about? I offered Louis the opportunity to work in T Corporation, but he didn''t want to stay." Susan had no retort to that. She could only re at Luke as the resentment in her heart grew. Old Master Crawford turned to Luke and asked him, "Where did Bianca travel to, Luke? Is she so engrossed that she can''t even call home? Does she still care about the children or treat this ce as her home?" Luke remained unperturbed when his grandfather mentioned Bianca''s name. Gale and Rain had been interrogating Bianca non-stop for the past few days, but Bianca''s mouth remained shut. Of course, that was expected for anyone from the Ind of Despair, which showed no mercy to traitors. "Bea called me earlier today. She said that she''s having a lot of fun, and she would be extending her vacation for a few more days," Luke lied. "What''s wrong with her? Her children are still young, and she''s neglecting them!" Old Master Crawford''s expression darkened. Luke had not returned home for the past two days because he was busy with the work at T Corporation, but Bianca had taken the opportunity to go and travel! "As long as she''s happy," Luke said. "You''ve spoiled her, Luke. That''s ridiculous!" Old Master Crawford said. Rainie could sense that the atmosphere was getting awkward. She tugged Tommy''s shirt sleeve and said," Tommy, don''t you have something to tell Daddy?" Tommy remembered what he wanted to say. He went in front of Luke and said, "Let''s go upstairs, Daddy. I have to show you my trophy." "What trophy?" Luke asked. "Our school had a chess tournament today, and I won first ce. The teacher gave me a trophy as a prize!" Tommy said smugly. "Yes, the teacher said that Tommy is very bright," Old Master Crawford said. Luke leaned over and picked Tommy up with his arms." Alright, let''s go upstairs and take a look." Lanie and Rainie followed behind them. Susan watched the family of four resentfully. She thought that she would have to send Thea to a few more sses so that the three children would not hog the limelight. Later at night, Luke was working in the study. When he suddenly thought of Luca, he paused abruptly. The caretaker rushed hurriedly into the study and said, "Mr. Crawford, you should go and take a look at Master Tommy. He has a fever." "What''s going on?" Luke stood up and walked toward Tommy¡¯s bedroom. ''Master Tommy had been coughing irregrly for the past two days. We gave him some cough syrup, and he got better. Just now, he suddenly had a fever," the caretaker exined. Luke went into Tommy''s bedroom and saw him lying on the bed. Another caretaker pulled out a body thermometer from his armpit and nced at it. "His temperature is 102 degrees, Mr. Crawford. Shall we get Dr. Cairn toe?" Chapter 1366 Chapter 1366 Tommy Has a High Fever "Get Sean to prepare the car. I''m sending Tommy to the hospital." Luke immediately made a decision. The caretaker nodded hurriedly, turned around, and went to inform the driver. Luke picked Tommy up and went downstairs. Tommy opened his eyes groggily when he realized that he was in Luke''s arms. "I feel horrible, Daddy," he said with much difficulty. Luke gently stroked his head and said, "I''m bringing you to the hospital." Tommy nodded and closed his eyes again. Luke brought Tommy into the car and gave Johann a call. After Sean parked the car at the hospital, Tommy was immediately wheeled into the ward, and several doctors and nurses immediately set to work. Tommy¡¯s temperature had already reached 104 degrees. The doctors discussed and agreed to Tommy''s medication, then took a blood sample for analysis. Johann watched the nurses hook Tommy up to an IV drip and take a blood sample. He asked Luke, "Why did Tommy have a fever suddenly? Did he catch a cold?" "No," the caretaker who came along said. "Master Tommy had a slight cough two days ago, but we gave him some cough syrup, and he was fine. He suddenly had a fever earlier tonight." Johann nodded and said, "Sis went through a lot when she was pregnant with him, so he naturally has a weaker constitution than other kids. It''s normal that he''ll asionally catch a fever. He''ll be fine after some rest." Luke thought that there must be something behind it. Otherwise, the other doctors would not have gotten Johann to personally attend to Tommy. "Do you remember the time when Bianca was hospitalized?" He suddenly said. Johann nced at him, then at the child on the bed. "Are you suspecting that Bianca is involved somehow, and that''s why you brought the kid to the hospital?" Whenever Luke''s children were ill, Luke would usually call Johann to go over to Crawford Manor. Johann thought that Luke was overreacting to Tommy''s illness, but after Luke asked that question, he thought that Luke''s worries were justified. Luke nodded. After knowing that the impostor Bianca was a minion of the Ind of Despair, he tried to recall what she had done, including the time when she was hospitalized for a month. Everything seemed to point to a bigger, more nefarious n. "We''ll talk after the blood test results are out. There isn''t anything going on tonight, and I''ll urge theb technicians to get it done as soon as possible." Johann could empathize with him. Luke nodded. Tommy¡¯s blood test results were out some time after midnight. The report showed that everything was normal, and Tommy''s fever had subsided after taking some medication. "It might be only a regr fever," Johann tried tofort Luke. It was already veryte at night, and the caretaker and the driver had already gone back to Crawford Manor. Luke sat on the chair next to Tommy''s bed and touched the child''s forehead with his hand. "How is the investigation in the hospital?" After returning from New York, Luke had been upied with the hacking incident in T Corporation, and he did not have time to follow up with Johann about the faulty DNA test from three years ago. He took this opportunity to ask Johann about it. Johann shook his head and sighed. "I''ve asked the hospital director about it, and he told me that the security footage from three years ago had been erased. It''ll be very difficult to investigate an incident from so long ago, and all we have are the test records. We can''t find anything useful from there." The hospital management did not expect that the DNA test samples were swapped. After all, not everyone could go into theboratory. Even the hospital staff needed the appropriate ess card to go inside. "What about theb technicians who were on shift that night?" Luke asked. "We haven''t found the shift records of that night. You shouldn''t put too much hope into that. Some of theb technicians have left over the years, and even if they knew who was on shift that night, they probably won''t remember what happened." Luke knew that investigating the incident was practically impossible, but at least he knew that the Ind of Despair was behind it, and the real Bianca was still in their hands. His phone began to ring, and he answered it immediately. Gale was on the other end of the call. "Boss, the woman wants to meet you." The impostor Bianca had kept her mouth shut over the past few days of interrogation. Finally, she said that she wanted to meet Luke, and Gale and Rain were relieved to hearthat. Tommy was still in the hospital, and Luke could not leave right now. He said, "I''ll go over first thing in the morning." "Okay," Gale replied and ended the call. Johann could guess that the urgent call sote at night must be rted to the impostor Bianca. He asked, "Are there any developments?" Luke put his phone away. "She wants to meet me." Johann wanted to say something but stopped himself. He patted Luke''s shoulder and said, "TH be in my office tonight. You cane and find me if you need someone to talk to." Luke nodded and sat back down on the chair to look after Tommy. The next morning, he got a caretaker from Crawford Manor toe over and take care of Tommy while he drove the car to the mansion in the outskirts. Gale and Rain had been waiting for him. "You''re here, Boss," Rain said with a smile on her face. Thinking that the impostor Bianca was willing to speak to Luke, they would be able to find out more information about the Ind of Despair and rescue the real Bianca. "Why did she suddenly change her mind?" Luke asked as he walked toward the living room. "I don''t know. Gale was interrogating her when she suddenly said that she wanted to meet you," Rain replied. Luke went down the stairs and into the basement. When he opened the door, he was greeted by the pungent stench of blood. "Turn on the venttion," Luke frowned and said. "It''s already on, Boss. It stinks a little here, but there''s nothing we can do about it. You''ll just have to get used to it," Rain said as she turned on the light. Luke saw the impostor Bianca lying on the bed, half- dead. Luke felt revolted by the stench in the room, but he went inside anyway. Bianca opened her eyes weakly. Her eyes shed with hatred when she saw the man. Even though she was an impostor, he should not have treated her like that. After all, she was his wife for three years! She wanted to escape, but she could not. There was no way for her to die either. "What do you want to tell me?" Luke said. He remained six feet away from her, and he showed no sympathy toward the wounds on her body. "If you''ve been keeping quiet all this while, you might as well remain quiet. The tattoo on your back has told us everything we need to know. You''d better speak up if you don''t want to suffer," Rain warned her. Gale tugged Rain''s hand, indicating that she should keep quiet. Rain pouted. She hated the way that woman wasted everyone''s time.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1367 Chapter 1367 The Impostor¡¯s n Bianca''s eyelids fluttered, and she said, "Even if I tell you that I don''t know anything, you wouldn''t believe me, right?" Luke was furious when he heard that, and he could feel the fires of anger burning in his chest. The woman had deceived him for three years and made him miss so many opportunities to find the woman he loved. "You have your ns, Luke, and I do too. I thought I loved you, but I didn''t expect that you''re so cruel to me!¡± Biancained as shey helplessly on the bed. "Give me the whip," Luke said. Bianca shuddered when she heard that Luke was going to use the whip on her. She could withstand normal whipping, but Rain had treated the whip with a particr drug that would cause her veins to hurt and itch. She wanted to scratch her wounds, but she did not have the strength. "Here is it, Boss," Rain said as she handed Luke the whip. Bianca shuddered. She knew that the man in front of her showed no mercy toward her, so she did not try to evoke his pity. Instead, she said, "If this is how you''re going to treat me, then you can''t me me for what I''ve done to you." Luke narrowed his gaze. Killing intent shed in his eyes. Bianca wanted to push herself up, but she was still under the drug''s effects, so she had to continue lying on the bed." Your youngest son must be ill now, isn''t he?" Gale and Rain exchanged nces. They did not know what Bianca was talking about. "What did you say?" Luke''s eyes widened slightly. Did Tommy¡¯s fever really have something to do with Bianca? "I''ve been feeding your son a special type of cookie, Luke. I made them myself. Your twins didn''t want to touch them, but your greedy little boy ate a lot of them. He should be having a fever by now." After Bianca''s initial n of keeping Rainie away from home failed, she began to carry out her second n. If Old Master Crawford did not like her, she would pretend to be a caring mother so that the old man would stop making her life difficult. It was not easy to be a caring mother because the children did not cooperate with her. That was why she obtained some drugs from her contact. If one ingested the drug over a period of time, they would be down with a high fever, just like what happened to her after she took the pill. As long as the children were ill, she could take care of them, and Old Master Crawford¡¯s opinion of her would change. However, Lanie and Rainie did not want to eat the cookies she baked, and Tommy ate them all. She was happy that at least one of the three children was willing to eat her cookies. It was much easier to take care of one child than three, and Bianca continued to feed those cookies to Tommy. Things were going ording to n until Luke brought her to the mansion. In any case, she was d that she had carried out the n because that gave her a bargaining chip. "What do you want?" Luke said. "Let me go, and your son will be okay. Otherwise, his fever won''t subside until his brain turns into goo! Heh heh..." Bianca said hatefully. A lump of clotted blood choked Bianca, and she coughed violently a few times. "You depraved woman!" Rain pointed at her and cursed. Biancaughed coldly. "Aren''t we all? We''re all from the Ind of Despair, right? You''re just as depraved as I am. Whatever you''re doing to me now, I''ll make sure that I''ll return the favor someday!" Rain was livid when she heard what Bianca said. She wanted to snatch the whip from Luke''s hand and use it on Bianca. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She had watched Tommy grow up, and she adored the little boy. She felt sorry for Tommy for being exploited by the impostor Bianca''s nefarious ns. Gale knew what Rain was thinking. He grabbed her arm and shook his head. Luke threw the whip on the floor and said, "Take good care of her. Make sure that she suffers." As Bianca watched him leave, she said, "No one outside of the Ind of Despair can save your son, Luke. No one knows theponents of the drug! Heh heh heh, if you don¡¯t let me go, your son will eventually turn into a vegetable! n Luke hastened his footsteps. He got into the car and drove toward the hospital. His car had only left the mansion when he received a call from the caretaker, saying that Tommy''s temperature had risen again, and the doctor asked him to go over as soon as possible. Upon hearing that, Luke floored the gas pedal. Amur was hiding in the bushes. He watched Luke''s car leave and wondered if Luke was plotting something with Gale and Rain. Otherwise, Luke would not have appeared at the mansion. He considered sneaking into the mansion to investigate, but he knew that Gale and Rain were formidable opponents. It was not a wise choice to alert them of his presence. When Luke arrived at the hospital, Tommy was already hooked up to an IV drip. He was not asleep, and his eyes were bloodshot as though he had just finished crying. "I feel horrible, Daddy," Tommy said as he curled up on the bed. He felt that his body was on fire, and he did not know how to describe how he was feeling except for "horrible." "Good boy. You''ll be okay soon." Luke''s heart wrenched when he saw his son''s condition. When he first returned from the Ind of Despair, Louis had told him what Bianca endured to give birth to the boy. She had to deliver the baby while single-handedly keeping T Corporation running. Bianca had suffered a lot, but she believed that Luke would return, and she had brought the child safely to the world. Luke felt helpless as he watched his youngest son suffer, and he did not know where Bianca was. He stroked Tommy''s head and said, "Til go and look for Uncle Johann. Be a good boy and stay here. I''ll be back soon." "Mm." Tommy nodded, and a tear appeared in the corner of his eye. Luke went to Johann''s office. Johann was reading Tommy''s test report. When Johann saw Lukee in, he said, "I don''t know what''s going on. I''ve already ordered a new round of tests." "I know what''s going on," Luke said. Johann looked at him suspiciously. "When I went to meet the impostor Bianca, she confessed that it was her n. She gave Tommy some cookies baked with a special drug from the Ind of Despair which will induce high fever. Tommy is suffering from the effects of the drug now," Luke said. His hands were already clenched into fists. Tommy would not have to suffer if only Luke had acted sooner and taken the impostor out of the house! Johann seemed to have thought of something, so he said," Do you think that her fever earlier was also caused by the drug?" Luke nodded. "That''s possible." "It probably means that Dr. Craw has a solution. In any case, our priority is to lower the kid''s temperature," Johann suggested. Chapter 1368 Chapter 1368 Can You Hug Me? Johann could not yet tell the severity of the child''s fever. However, Luke seemed to think that it was a very serious matter. Luke nodded, though he had his doubts. If the impostor Bianca''s fever was caused by a special drug from the Ind of Despair, and only the Ind of Despair had the cure for the drug, how did Luca manage to alleviate the effects of the drug when Bianca was in the hospital? Could Luca be also from the Ind of Despair? Luke remembered how she had given Bianca a herbal concoction to suppress the effects of the drug, and he also considered the fact that the hacker''s location was near Luca''s neighborhood. Whatever Luke was thinking, Johann had also thought about it. However, he was more concerned about Tommy''s condition, so he searched the database on hisputer for Luca¡¯s prescription. Luca had given them two prescriptions, and he had recorded them in his database for future research. He looked at the prescription and rubbed his chin. "This is the prescription that Dr. Craw gave Bianca last time. The ingredients are entirely natural, but I can¡¯t guarantee that it''ll achieve the same effect if we don''t know the drug that Bianca used on Tommy." In other words, Luke had to call Luca over. Luke thought that he could not afford to waste anytime. He took out the phone and gave Luca a call. At that moment, Luca had just clocked in at her office. She was about to don herb coat and go into theboratory to continue her research when her phone began to ring. She furrowed her brows when she saw that the call was from Luke. Rhett knocked on the door to her office. The door was ajar, so he popped in and told her, "Dr. Craw, the report from yesterday''s tissue culture experiment is ready." "Mm, I''ll go over in a while," Luca nodded and said. She hesitated for a while before deciding that she should answer the call. After all, Luke would not call her unless it was something urgent. "Good morning, Mr. Crawford," she said stiffly. Luke did not beat around the bush. "Tommy is in the hospital now, and his condition is quite peculiar. Can youe to the hospital for a bit?" Luca''s heart skipped a beat when she heard Tommy was in the hospital. However, she reminded herself of her identity now, and sheposed herself before saying, "What happened? What did the doctors say?" "He has a high fever. The blood test shows that everything was normal, but the fever keepsing back. The symptoms are very simr to Bianca''s feverst month," Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Luke said. Luca noticed that he said the name "Bianca" as though he was saying the name of a stranger. She became anxious when she heard that Tommy was suffering. Remembering that Bianca had tried to abduct Rainie so that she could gain some respect from Old Master Crawford, Luca wondered if this was also Bianca''s ploy. Luca could not sit still anymore. She said, "I''ll go over to the hospital now, Mr. Crawford. Let me know where I can meet you. Also, I''ll need all of Tommy''s test reports. Dr. Park should be at the hospital, right? Please ask him to send the reports to me as soon as possible." "Mm. Let me know what reports you need, and I''ll get him to prepare them for you," Luke handed the phone to Johann. Johann took the phone. Before he could say anything, Luca rattled off a list of tests. Other than the usual blood test, the hospital had not performed the others. After Luca finished telling him the list, Johann replied," Alright, we''ll go and make arrangements." Then, Luca ended the call. Sitting in front of hisputer, Johann began to order the tests in the hospital system and used his authority to assign them the highest priority. If what Luke said was true, Tommy was poisoned, and it was considered an emergency. Luke looked at his phone and looked at the words "Call Ended" for a few seconds. He sent a message to inform Luca about Tommy''s room number, then put his phone back in his pocket. After ordering the tests, Johann snapped his fingers. "It''s done," he said. "Are they all regr tests?" Luke asked. "No. Some of them are toxicology tests. I''ve put the tests on high priority, and the nurse will attend to Tommy soon. Do you want to apany him?" Johann said. Usually, the hospital would not perform toxicology tests during a regr examination. If the regr tests could not provide any useful results, toxicology tests needed to be done. "Mm. I''ll return to the room for now," Luke said as he stood up. He knew that Tommy was very ill and needed him the most. Shortly after Luke returned to Tommy''s room, the nurse came in and prepared to take a blood sample. After that, she wanted to bring Tommy to another room to perform some tests. Tommy squirmed ufortably and protested. Luke picked him up and carried him, while the caretaker followed behind with the drip bottle. Johann had given high priority to Tommy, so the tests were done in no time. After Luke returned to the room, Luca came in through the door. She saw Luke carefully ce Tommy on the bed, so she asked, "Has he done the tests?" "Mm, but the report will take a while.¡± After Luke tucked Tommy in, he turned around and looked at Luca. Luca looked obviously tired. She probably did not sleep well. "Mm, let''s wait." She watched the caretaker hang the drip bottle on the rack, then looked at the little boy on the bed. The nurse measured Tommy''s temperature with a thermometer. Luca asked, "What''s his temperature?" "His condition is improving after receiving some medication. It''s 99.5 degrees now," the nurse replied. Tommy was notpletely asleep. When he heard Luca''s voice, he opened his eyes and said, "Ms. Luca? Is she here?" Luke nodded. Luca went up to the side of the bed, and her heart wrenched when she saw that Tommy''s face was pale. "Yes, Tommy, I''m here." "I feel horrible, Ms. Luca." Tommy flipped to his back and looked at her. He had cried earlier when the nurse took his blood sample. His eyes were bloodshot. When Luca saw that, she wanted to hug him. Tommy continued, "Ms. Luca, can you give me a hug? When I was sick, my Mommy used to hug me to sleep." Luke wanted to say something when he heard Luca say," Alright." She sat down on the bed, leaned on the headboard, and brought Tommy into her arms. Tommy shifted a little so that he wasfortable, then closed his eyes. Luke could not help but feel emotional when he saw Tommy sleeping peacefully in Luca''s embrace. It looked as though Luca and Tommy were mother and son. In Crawford Manor, the caretaker was the closest adult female to Tommy. Even she could not calm Tommy down when the nurse took Tommy''s blood sample. Tommy was not naughty, but he would throw tantrums whenever he was angry. Bianca was like that too... Luke looked at Luca and thought about his missing wife. Could Luca be from the Ind of Despair too? Chapter 1369 Chapter 1369 Was She nning to Rece Her? Luca continued to hold Tommy in her arms until the drip bottle was dry. She did not let go even after the nurse removed the needle. Tommy was quiet in her arms. Under the effect of the sedative, he eventually fell asleep. The caretaker gently reminded Luca, "Ms. Craw, it''ll be quite tiring to carry Master Tommy like that. Shall I do it instead?" "I''m fine." Luca felt that her arms were slightly numb, but she insisted on carrying the child. She freed one of her hands to cover him with the nket. Old Master Crawford rushed to the hospital after he knew that Tommy was sick. He got the driver to fetch him there, and he was surprised to see the scene when he went into the room. "She is..." He had only seen Luca in photos, and he did not immediately recognize her. "Grandfather, this is Dr. Craw," Luke said. "Nice to meet you. Dr. Craw." Old Master Crawford knew that Luca had helped Bianca and Queenie before, and the three children adored her. He was not going to look down on someone so capable, but he could not understand why Tommy was sleeping in her arms. Did she coax Tommy to sleep? That was supposed to be the job of his father. Why would she be the one to do that? Old Master Crawford might not like Bianca after she lost her memories, but he respected Luke''s choice did not force him to divorce her. He wondered if Luca was trying to gain the children''s favor so that she could rece Bianca in the Crawford family. He had that suspicion because so many women had tried to do the same thing over the years. As far as Old Master Crawford was concerned, marrying Bianca was Luke''s choice, and Luke ought to take responsibility for his decisions. "Nice to meet you, Sir." Luca thought that she should be more respectful toward the old man, but she could not stand up because she was carrying the child in her arms. She was relieved to see that Old Master Crawford was still in good health. Even though there had been some misunderstandings between them, she was grateful toward Old Master Crawford. Without Old Master Crawford in the house, her three children would probably be bullied by the other people in the family. Luke was busy at work, and he could not be constantly looking after the children. "Mm. What''s wrong with Tommy?" Old Master Crawford asked. Luca looked at the child in her arms. He was sleeping soundly, and one of his hands was gripping Luca''s arm as though he was worried that she might go away. That was all she could do in the daytime. At night, she would not hesitate to lie down beside him. The caretaker exined, "Master Tommy was throwing a tantrum earlier, and Ms. Craw managed to calm him down." Old Master Crawford knew that Tommy adored Luca, but he could not understand why Luca was here at the hospital. "Mm, thank you, Ms. Craw. How is Tommy¡¯s condition?" Old Master Crawford asked out of concern.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Luke replied, "Tommy''s fever has subsided, but his condition is unstable, and his fever might return. That''s why I asked Dr. Craw toe over to check on Tommy." "How did he be like that? I know that Tommy was coughing a few days ago, but how did it be so serious? " Old Master Crawford asked, confused. "We don''t know yet," Luke said. Old Master Crawford walked over to the bedside with the help of his walking stick. His heart wrenched when he saw Tommy''s face. "Did Dr. Park say anything?" "They had just performed a series of tests on Tommy, Grandfather. Let''s not rush them. They can only diagnose Tommy''s condition after the test results are out," Luke said. Old Master Crawford knew that there was no point in rushing them. He went to sit down on the couch and waited for the test results. He looked at Luca, who was hugging Tommy as though she were his mother. Then, he was reminded of Bianca, who was traveling and having fun somewhere. "How about Bianca? When is sheing home?" He asked. "She won''t being home any time soon," Luke said. Old Master Crawford was unhappy to hear that. He thought that Bianca was prioritizing her own gratification over the children''s health. "That''s no way to be a mother! When a child is sick, they need their mother the most, yet she''s still having fun somewhere!" Luke could not tell Old Master Crawford that Bianca was an impostor. Before he got to the bottom of the matter, it was best to keep it a secret. After all, he could not afford to let the enemy know what he knew. "Bianca has been taking care of the children for the past three years. I thought she deserved to have some time off," he said. Luca''s heart skipped a beat when she heard that. "It doesn''t mean that she can neglect her children! How can she have the mood to travel when her son is sick?" Old Master Crawford said unhappily. "I didn''t tell her," Luke said calmly. Old Master Crawford frowned hard, thinking if Luke had pampered Bianca too much. Otherwise, there was no reason to let her continue her trip without telling her about what happened to Tommy. Luca was quiet as she listened to the conversation between Old Master Crawford and Luke. She knew that Bianca was traveling. Even if Bianca did not care about the children, she should at least pretend that she cared. However, Luke said that he did not inform her. If the impostor Bianca had nned for Tommy to fall sick, she would not have been traveling during this period. The impostor Bianca had no medical skills, but she should know when the drug would take effect. Last time, she had abducted Rainie so that she could gain some respect from Old Master Crawford. It was the perfect opportunity for her to pretend to be a caring mother, so why was she not around to take care of Tommy? As capricious as she might be, she would not disobey Abel''s orders. The more Luca thought about it, the more suspicious she became. Suddenly, she was not jealous of the attention Luke gave to the impostor Bianca. "Bianca is your wife, Luke. I know you pamper her, but you shouldn''t let her do that," Old Master Crawford said sternly. Luke nodded. "Grandfather, you don''t have to worry about our rtionship." Luca¡¯s suspicion continued to grow as she listened to their conversation. She stole a nce at Luke''s side profile and wondered if he was hiding something from his grandfather. Did he find out that Bianca was an impostor? Luca immediately dismissed that thought. The impostor Bianca''s excuse had always been that she had lost her memories. How could Luke see past her lies? The more Luca thought about it, the more she realized that she had to find out the truth. She decided that she would ask Amur to investigate. Amur was good at hacking. She could ask him to check the immigration records to see if the impostor Bianca had traveled overseas like what Luke imed. Old Master Crawford could tell that Luke had no intention of asking Bianca toe home. He shook his head and said nothing more about the matter. Chapter 1370 Chapter 1370 She Had No Rtion to the Family Two hourster, Tommy''s full test report was ready. Johann came into the room with a stack of paper. Luca asked, "Is that the test report?" "Yes, Dr. Craw. Indeed, there are abnormalities in some of the tests. Take a look," Johann said while handing the stack of paper to Luca. It was only then that Luca let go of Tommy. Tommy had already fallen asleep in her arms. She gently ced the little boy on the bed without waking him up. Old Master Crawford observed her careful actions. Compared to Bianca, Luca looked more like the child''s mother. The child was willing to get close to her, and she was willing to take care of the child. However, no one could deny the truth. Bianca was the birth mother of the three children. It did not matter how Luca treated them. Old Master Crawford stole a nce at Luke. He was also observing Luca''s actions. After Luca tucked Tommy in, she took the document from Johann''s hands and briefly browsed through it. "We''ll have to do a bacteria culture test. I suspect that Tommy ate something wrong, and he''s down with a bacteria infection." Luke frowned slightly when he heard that. He knew that Tommy''s fever was caused by the impostor Bianca''s cookies. This is from N?velDrama.Org. "Everything that Tommy ate in the past few days was prepared by the household cook, exceptst Sunday, when they went over to your house. What could have possibly caused the bacterial infection?" Old Master Crawford raised his doubts. Even though he pampered the children, he was quite strict when it came to matters concerning their health. He did not allow the children to eat junk food even if they begged him for it, and the caretakers and driver knew better than to disobey his orders. Luca could sense that Old Master Crawford was suspecting her. She said, "It''s true that I made some croissants for the children that day, but the ingredients were freshly bought from the supermarket. If there''s something wrong with the food, then all three children and..." She paused for a while and looked at Luke. "All three children and Mr. Crawford ate the croissants. Tommy shouldn''t be the only one affected." Luke already knew the cause of Tommy''s sickness. After Luca finished exining herself, he added, "There''s nothing wrong with the foodst Sunday. Tommy might have sneakily bought and eaten some unhealthy food when no one was looking. The most important thing now is to diagnose the infection so that the doctors can treat it." Old Master Crawford frowned. He did not look very happy. Johann tried to ease the tension in the room. "That''s right, Luke. I''ll get a nurse to collect a sample so that we can perform the bacteria culture test. It''ll take a day before we get results. In the meantime, the nurse will take Tommy''s temperature every half an hour. Don''t worry." Luca watched Johann leave, then turned her head to look at the child on the bed. She would only know what caused Tommy''s fever the next day... She wanted to stay behind to take care of Tommy, but Luke and Old Master Crawford were in the room. She was only an outsider, and she had no reason to stay. Even though Old Master Crawford did not say it, she could tell that he was not pleased with her presence. To him, Luca had no rtion to the family. If she was too eager, he might think that she had an ulterior motive. There was no choice but to leave... "Mr. Crawford, if the test results are only ready by tomorrow, I should return to thepany and continue my work," Luca said, trying hard not to show that she was worried. Luke stared at her. "Aren''t you going to give Tommy a prescription?" "I''m not taking the risk; the child''s body is weak. I can only do that after the bacteria culture test report is out," Luca said, taking into consideration Tommy''s condition. Tommy was her son, and she knew his physical condition very well. Luke thought what Luca said made sense; it was better to err on the side of caution when the cause of Tommy¡¯s fever was yet known. He nodded and said, "Thank you." "Don''t mention it. Tommy is a good boy." Luca turned around and looked at Tommy again. His body temperature had returned to normal, and his face was a healthy color. His lips were dry and slightly cracked, so she said, "The fever might return again. When he''s awake, you should feed him warm water. If he''s sleeping, you can dab his lips with a moist cotton swab." "Yes, Ms. Craw. I''ll do that for him," the caretaker said. Luca nodded at Luke, bowed slightly to Old Master Crawford, and left the room. Old Master Crawford stood up and walked to the side of the bed with his walking stick. He sighed as he gazed at the sleeping child. "I want to drink coffee. Go and buy some coffee for me," the old man said to the caretaker. The caretaker put away the ss of water in her hand and left the room. After the caretaker left, only Old Master Crawford and Luke remained in the room. Old Master Crawford did not beat around the bush. ''Luke, are you hiding something from me?" Luke could tell that he would not be able to hide the truth from his grandfather for much longer. He nodded but did not say anything. "What is it?" Old Master Crawford asked. "I can''t tell you yet," Luke said. Old Master Crawford knew that Luke had a reason for doing so. He nodded and stopped asking him questions. After leaving the office in the evening, Luca met Amur in front of her apartment. She knew that Amur had been keeping a close eye on Gale and Rain. After they went into the house and she stored the food from the supermarket in the fridge, she asked, "What are your findings today?" Amur told her truthfully, "Gale and Rain never left the mansion. Luke was at the mansion, but he only stayed there for half an hour." "Luke was there? When?" Luca asked. "He entered the mansion at eight o''clock and left at eightthirty," Amur said. Luca remembered what Luke said. He said that Bianca had gone traveling overseas. She thought that it was not the truth. She was also quite confident that Bianca had caused Tommy''s fever. ''Amur, can you investigate if Bianca has left the country?" Luca asked. Amur nodded. "Alright, no problem. Why do you want to know that though?" "Luke..." She paused for a while before she continued, "Mr. Crawford said that Bianca is currently traveling overseas, but I don''t think that''s the case. She might be held captive somewhere." Chapter 1371 Chapter 1371 Tommy Is Luca''s Child Amur immediately replied, "Do you think that Luke''s subordinates are holding Bianca captive somewhere?" Luca nodded. That was exactly what she was thinking. When Luke returned from the Ind of Despair, he had already given Gale and Rain legal identification documents in the country. The two people did not have to hide from the authorities, so why were they staying in the mansion and noting out? The only exnation was that they were carrying Luke''s mission, and she could only imagine that it must have something to do with Bianca. She even thought that Luke had already found out that Bianca was an impostor. "I''ll go and check on that," Amur said. It was all too easy to ess the immigration records. Luca nodded. "I''ll send you her passport number so that you don''t have tob through every entry." "Mm." Amur nodded. The matter concerned the Ind of Despair, so if he managed to get to the bottom of it, he would be able to protect Luca and him. If Luke had really found out that the Ind of Despair was still existent, Amur would have to make preparations for that too. After Luke and Percy destroyed the Ind of Despair, Abel had learned his lesson and kept a low profile. He forbade his minions from using that name when they were out on missions, and the only identifying mark was the tattoo on their bodies. Everyone from the Ind of Despair, other than Luca, had that tattoo. It was a symbol of their identity, and they had a choice of where they wanted it on their bodies. It was obvious why Abel did not put the tattoo on Luca''s body. It would be much easier for him to carry out his n. Amur sat on the couch and turned on hisptop while Luca prepared to cook dinner. By the time Luca finished cooking, Amur had already written the program to hack into the immigration records. In a moment, he would obtain the list of people who left the countryst Sunday. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. They were halfway eating when Luca''s phone began to ring. It was an unknown number. She showed the phone screen to Amur and said, "I wonder who this might be." "It''s a local number. It''s okay to pick it up," Amur said after noticing the area code. Luca nodded and answered the call. "Hello, who is this?" The person on the other end of the call sounded nervous." Hello, Ms. Craw. I''m the caretaker of the Crawford family. We met at the hospital earlier today. Do you remember me?" Luca immediately became nervous when the other party introduced herself. She wondered if something happened to Tommy. "I remember you. How can I help you?" She replied nervously. Amur stopped eating and looked at her. The caretaker said, "Ms. Craw, are you free toe to the hospital now? Master Tommy woke up earlier, and he began to throw a tantrum when he noticed that you were not around... At first, Sir managed to calm him down, but now that he''s gone out to buy some groceries, Master Tommy can''t stop crying and says that he wants you there. I... I don''t know what to do." ? Luca could faintly hear Tommy wailing in the background. Her heart wrenched. She knew that Tommy was especially sensitive when he was sick. "When will Mr. Crawford return?" She asked. "I don''t know. Before Mr. Crawford left, he told me to take care of Master Tommy." The caretaker turned her head and looked at Tommy helplessly. He was beginning to hup from all that crying. The caretaker gave Luca a call instead of Luke because Tommy kept calling out Luca''s name. "I see... Alright. Tommy hasn''t eaten his dinner yet, has he?" Luca said while standing up and walking toward the kitchen. "He hasn''t. He''s been crying since earlier, and he doesn''t want to eat." The caretaker sighed. She was on the verge of giving up. "I''ll make some chicken soup for him. Tell him to be a good boy and not cry. I''ll be there in an hour and a half," Luca said. When she heard that the child needed her, she immediately sprang into action, not caring what other people might think of her. The caretaker turned her head to look at the crying child." Please, thank you," she said. After the call ended, Luca took out a chicken drumstick from the fridge. She was going to make some chicken soup for the child. Amur stood at the kitchen door and watched Luca work busily. "What''s wrong?" He asked. "Tommy is sick," Luca said with a sigh. "I suspect that Bianca poisoned him." Amur frowned in confusion. He could not understand what happened. "Did Luke Crawford ask you to go to the hospital to take care of his child?" "No. The caretaker called me and told me that Tommy wants me there," Luca exined. When Amur heard that, he wanted to tell Luca not to go. However, the child in the hospital was Luca''s son. On what grounds could Amur stop her from going? While Luca heated a pot of water, she noticed that Amur was standing at the door. "What are you doing here? Go and finish your dinner. The food wont be as nice when it''s cold." Amur nodded woodenly. He did not know what to feel about it. While the pot was boiling on the stove, Luca took a quick shower. Then, she filled up a sk with the soup. Before she left, she said, "I mighte homete tonight, Amur. If you find anything, you can send me a message." Amur did not say anything. Luca sounded like she was going on a date even though she was only going to visit Tommy. "Okay," Amur replied. She went downstairs and prepared to catch a cab when she noticed Luke''s car parked at the side of the road. Luca was surprised. The car started and moved toward her. It stopped next to her, and the window rolled down. "Get in the car," Luke said. Luca hesitated for a while when she heard his voice, though she eventually stepped into the car. "Why are you here, Mr. Crawford?" Luca asked. "The caretaker called me," Luke said. After the caretaker called Luca, she called Luke to tell him that Luca would be heading to the hospital. After shopping for groceries, Luke went to Luca''s apartment and waited there. He knew that Luca would cook for Tommy when she heard that the child did not eat his dinner. He did not say anything when he saw the sk in her hands. Luca nodded. Of course, the caretaker would have informed Luke too. Luke sped toward the hospital, and the two people did not speak during the drive. Traffic was clear because it was already past the evening rush hour, and they arrived at the hospital in half an hour. Luca unfastened her seatbelt and stepped out of the car. Chapter 1372 Chapter 1372 I Thought You Were a Family Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. When Luca turned away, her hair gently swayed in the direction of her movement. Luke caught a whiff of her shampoo. His heart skipped a beat as he took in the slight fragrance. As far as he remembered, Bianca did not use perfume, and the smell of her shampoo blended naturally with the fragrance of her body. Luca stepped out of the car and turned around to look at Luke, who was still sitting in the car. "Mr. Crawford?" She called out gently. Luke came to his senses and stepped out of the car. They went into Tommy''s room one after another. Tommy had stopped crying when he knew that Luca wasing, but his eyes remained puffy and bloodshot. "Daddy, Ms. Luca..." His voice was soft and shrill, as though he had a lot of grievances. Luca could empathize with Tommy. A fever was an ufortable experience, and it was normal for Tommy to be unhappy about it. "Tommy, are you hungry?" Luca went to the bedside and asked. Old Master Crawford had already gone home, so she did not feel restricted. She smiled gently, hoping that the child would see her smile and feel better after that. Tommy shook his head and said cloyingly, "I''m not hungry, Ms. Luca." "You haven''t had dinner. You should be hungry by now," Luca said as she ced the sk on the bedside cab. Tommy pouted. "I have a fever, Ms. Luca, and I have no appetite now. I only want you to apany me." Luca knew that Tommy was not lying. Usually, children would not have the appetite to eat whenever they fell ill, but they had to eat so that they could recover quicker. She removed the lid from the sk to let the fragrance of the chicken soup fill the room. "Are you sure you''re not hungry? That''s a pity, I thought I''d make some chicken soup for you." Tommy''s eyes widened slightly when he smelled the chicken sup. Luca continued to coax him, "I made this before I came here. Won''t you eat some? I can feed you if you like." > The fragrance of the chicken soup was bing more and more intense, and Tommy nodded eagerly. Luca filled up a bowl with chicken soup and used a spoon to feed him. The caretaker was not nning on bothering Luca, but she had no other choice. Tommy''s voice had gone hoarse from crying, and the caretaker was afraid that Luke would reprimand her. After all, it was her job to take care of Tommy. The caretaker cleaned her hands with a wet towel. "Allow me to do it, Ms. Luca. I can''t possibly let you do it." Luca shook her head, and she brought another spoonful of soup close to Tommy''s mouth. "It''s okay. I can do it." She could see that Tommy was willing to eat not only because the soup smelled good, but also because she was the one feeding him. It was normal for children to cling to their mothers whenever they were sick. Even though Luca''s face waspletely different now, there was still a special bond between them that could not be replicated by anyone else. The caretaker was surprised to see that Tommy was willing to eat. Tommy was fond of eating snacks, and he was very picky about his meals. If she made chicken soup for dinner, Tommy would usually only eat a bowl. This time, Tommy ate two bowls of Luca''s chicken soup. Moreover, Tommy was supposed to have no appetite when he was sick... The caretaker cleaned up after Tommy was done eating. The chicken soup in the sk had already cooled down, but she could still smell the fragrance. She could not help but ask, "Ms. Craw, did you use any special ingredients in the chicken soup? It smells so nice, and Master Tommy loves it." "No, I only use the usual ingredients," Luca said truthfully. She did not use anything out of the ordinary, but she had used extra care when cooking. The caretaker was even more surprised to hear that. She kneaded her hands and said, "Can I get the recipe from you? Master Tommy doesn''t like eating chicken soup at home. I hope to use your recipe so that he''ll eat more." "Of course." Luca generously shared the chicken soup recipe with the caretaker. She also wished that Tommy would eat more and grow up healthily. Luke was sitting on the couch, observing Luca give her chicken soup recipe while the caretaker recorded it down. It was as though Luca was the matriarch of the household... Luca did not immediately leave after she managed to coax Tommy to take his medicine. She knew that Tommy would want to be with her, and she nned to leave after Tommy fell asleep. Luke remained seated on the couch. With Luca around, Tommy did not ask for him, so he had nothing to do. Tommy patted the space next to him with his hand and said, "Come and sit here, Ms. Luca. Let''s watch some cartoons together." Luca looked at the time and realized that Tommy''s favorite cartoon was airing soon. On other days, Tommy would usually watch the cartoon, make a video call with her, then go to bed. She nodded and sat down next to him. The caretaker turned on the television and switched to the children''s channel. The cartoon had just started. Tommy grinned happily. He noticed that Luke was sitting on the couch quietly. Suddenly, he felt sorry for his father. Luca was apanying Tommy, but Luke was sitting alone on the couch. He patted the space on the other side and said, "Come over here, Daddy. Let''s watch the cartoon together!" Usually, Luke would find the cartoon boring. However, he understood that Tommy wanted thepany, so he sat down next to Tommy. Tommy looked at him and grinned. The three people watched the cartoon together. It was a harmonious and heart-warming scene. Johann was slightly shocked when he came into the room and saw that scene. He nearly thought that they were a family. He could not help but tease them, "You all are sitting there like that. Anyone could have mistaken that you three are a family." Luke remained unperturbed. "Yes?" He said calmly. "I''m not on duty tonight, so I''m here to check on Tommy''s condition before I leave," Johann said as he studied the temperature records. Luke frowned. "What if Tommy''s temperature goes up again after you''ve gone home?" "I''ve already told Dr. ke about Tommy, and he''ll be on duty tonight. Don''t worry. Tommy is in good hands." Johann saw some slight fluctuations in Tommy¡¯s body temperature, but they were not too serious, i "He?" Luke frowned harder after knowing that the head physician of internal medicine would be attending to Tommy. From the earlier incident, he thought that Dr. ke was useless. Chapter 1373 Chapter 1373 Where Could Her Tattoo Be? From Luke''s expression, Johann could tell what he was thinking. He rubbed his chin and tried to speak up for Dr. ke. "Don''t be like that. Any head physician in our hospital has to be a skilled doctor. You can''t me him for what happened to Sis; none of us knew what happened, including me. It''s only thanks to Dr. Craw that her condition improved, so you shouldn''t think that Dr. ke is incapable. Also, your tantrum has scared all the people in the internal medicine department. It took me a lot of effort to convince Dr. ke to stay on duty tonight." Head physicians need not take the night shift, but Johann could not trust the other doctors to take care of Tommy. That was why he went to convince Dr. ke to stay back. Luke did not say anything. He did not want other doctors to take care of Tommy. Tommy was Bianca''s favorite child. If the real Bianca eventually returned, she would be sad if she found out that Tommy was ill. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Johann took Luke''s silence as consent. He turned his head to look at Luca and asked her, "By the way, Dr. Craw, I''ve been wondering what happened to Sisst time. What was the problem? I thought that the herbal concoction was more of a health supplement, but I didn''t expect it to cure her." "Mrs. Crawford''s fever was caused by a hormonal imbnce. She just needs some nourishment," Luca randomly made up an excuse. Her concoction might look only like a supplement, but everyponent served to counter the pill''s effects. "I see. I''m not very well-versed in naturopathy, but it looks like I have a lot to learn. Sometimes, naturopathic treatments can be more effective than modern medicine,¡± Johann said and nodded with an ambiguous smile on his face. He looked at the other people in the room; Tommy was focused on watching his cartoon, while the other people seemed to be concentrated in thought. He did not want to disturb them, so he said goodbye and left the room. After the cartoon ended, Tommy hugged Luca''s arm and said cloyingly, "Ms. Luca, can you stay the night with me?" "Stay the night with you?" Luca said awkwardly. There were only two other beds for visitors in the room. One was for Luke, and the other was for the caretaker. Tommy nodded and shifted away slightly on his butt. "My bed is big enough for the two of us. Daddy is too tall to sleep here, and I''d be scared if I''m sleeping alone." Luca''s conviction wavered when she heard that. She genuinely wanted to stay the night and take care of Tommy in case his fever returned in the middle of the night. However, Luke was also in the same room... At that moment, the nurse came in and said, "It''s time to take your temperature, Tommy." Tommy turned his head to look at the nurse and nodded. The nurse took Tommy''s temperature and frowned when she read the results. "99.5 degrees. It''s still a little high." When Luca heard that, she touched Tommy''s forehead with her hand. It was indeed a little warm. "I''lle back in ten minutes to take his temperature again. Please ring the bell if his temperature increases suddenly," the nurse said. Luca became more anxious about Tommy''s condition when she heard that. She looked at Tommy and nodded. "Alright, I''ll stay here with you tonight. Please get well soon, okay?" "Yes, Ms. Luca. With you here with me, I''ll be well again in no time!" Tommy grinned happily as though he was unconcerned about the rise in body temperature. Luca helped Tommy lie down on the bed, then looked at Luke, who had already retreated to the couch. She pressed her lips but eventually decided to lie down on the bed. She gently patted Tommy''s back. Suddenly, her phone vibrated. Luca saw that it was a message from Amur, so she immediately read it. Amur said that he had gone through the immigration records of A City International Airport. Luca did not leave the country, i In other words, Luke had lied about Bianca going on an overseastrip. Luca replied: [OK. Got it. I''ll talk to you when Ie home tomorrow.] Soon, she received a reply from Amur: [Aren''t youing home tonight?] Luca exined: [I''m noting home. Tommy''s condition is unpredictable, so I''d like to stay the night with him. I''ll go home after I receive the bacteria culture test tomorrow.] Amur quickly replied: [Alright. Take care at the hospital.] Luca put the phone away and continued to gently pat Tommy''s back. Ten minutester, the nurse returned to take Tommy''s temperature. Tommy was falling asleep by then. The nurse looked at the thermometer and said softly, "99.7 degrees. We''ll have to keep a close eye on him." The doctor would not prescribe any medicine for a mild fever like that. Too much medicine was not good for a young child. Luca nodded and continued to pat Tommy''s back. She knew that the child was very sensitive, and he wouldin at the slightest bit of illness. Even though Tommy was having a mild fever now, he huddled in Luca''s arms quietly. Luke, sitting on the couch, was thinking about something as he looked at Luca''s back. Everyone from the Ind of Despair had a tattoo somewhere on their body. For example, the impostor Bianca''s tattoo was on her back. It would not be easily discovered if she had her clothes on. Could Luca be from the Ind of Despair too? Luke could not figure that out. If Luca were really from the Ind of Despair, where could her tattoo be? He thought hard about how to verify Luca''s identity. It would be hard to attempt to find a tattoo on her body. He was not going to tell her to take off her clothes! Luke remembered the incident at the wee party. That could have been the perfect opportunity, but at the most crucial moment, he thought of Bianca. He began to regret why he had held back. If he had followed his instincts, he would definitely have been able to find the tattoo on her body... Luca could sense that the man behind her was looking at her. She did not turn around or do anything. Instead, she sat there and allowed Tommy to cuddle her. Soon, Tommy¡¯s breathing became even. He had fallen asleep. Luca wanted to pull her hand away so that she couldy Tommy on the bed. Luke staring at her made her feel uneasy. She had only pulled her hand free when Tommy grabbed her arm again, as though he did not want her to leave. Chapter 1374 Chapter 1374 She Could Not Tell Him Luca stopped moving when she sensed Tommy¡¯s reaction. She continued to pat Tommy''s back. The caretaker yawned and went to take her position on the other bed. Luke turned off the lights. The only source of illumination in the room was a small tablemp next to the couch. Luca slowly dozed off as she listened to the child''s even breathing. She let her guard down, even though Luke was still observing her. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. A whileter, she sensed that the child''s body temperature was beginning to rise. She ced Tommy on the bed and sat up straight. The tablemp near the couch cast a long shadow from behind her, and she could not see Tommy clearly, so she turned on the bedsidemp. Tommy''s face was a much redder color. His fever had returned. Luke noticed her movements and asked her, "What''s wrong?" "Tommy''s fever is back." Luca rang the bell. Dr. ke and the nurse quickly came into the room. "Is Tommy having a fever again?" Dr. ke asked and inserted a thermometer in the child¡¯s armpit. Luca nodded. Her hair was slightly frizzy because she was lying down earlier. "It only happened a short while ago. I rang the bell when I felt the heat on my hand." The nurse nced at the temperature records and nodded." Two minutes ago, the nurse came to check the child''s temperature. His temperature was 99.9 degrees, and it was not high enough for the doctor to prescribe medicine." Luca breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, she discovered it in time. A high fever might be potentially lethal to a young child... Dr. ke read the thermometer and said anxiously, "102.2 degrees. Get the dispensary to deliver some antipyretic medication and a saline drip bottle here. Prepare to lower his temperature physically." The nurse immediately went out of the room to make preparations. Luca stepped away from the bed to make space, but Tommy instinctively grabbed onto her hand. She had no other choice but to sit down again and gently pat his back. Dr. ke saw that and said, "The child likes you a lot." He knew that Luca was not Luke''s wife, and he was curious why the child would want to cling to someone unrted to him. The child was present when Luca was treating Bianca in the hospital, and Dr. ke knew that the child was friendly toward Luca. However, the child was grabbing onto Luca''s arm as though she was the only one who could save his life. Luca felt sorry for the young child as she tried tofort him. The nurse returned to the room with ice packs, a cooling strip, and rubbing alcohol. Luca said, "Give me the ice packs. She put an ice pack under each of Tommy''s armpits. That would help lower his temperature. The nurse applied the cooling strip to Tommy''s forehead, opened the bottle of rubbing alcohol, and said to the caretaker, "Pleasee over and help me apply the alcohol to the child''s arms, legs, and stomach." The caretaker immediately went over. She and the nurse rubbed the alcohol on Tommy''s body. Tommy''s hand was hugging Luca tightly. It was hard for the nurse and the caretaker to do their job. "Hand me a cotton pad. I''ll rub his arm," Luca said. The nurse handed Luca a cotton pad dipped in rubbing alcohol. Luca began to rub Tommy''s arm. The three people did not stop working until the items from the dispensary were delivered to the room. Dr. ke hooked Tommy upto the saline drip. Her heart wrenched when she saw that Tommy''s hand with the needle had swollen a little, so she continued to rub Tommy''s arm. They had to do everything within their capability to lower Tommy''s temperature. They were busy for the next hour, and Tommy''s temperature gradually decreased. Eventually, his temperature went below 100 degrees. Dr. ke breathed a sigh of relief. "I hope that the fever doesn''te back again. If it does, all we can do is lower his temperature with rubbing alcohol. Take his temperature every half an hour. If it goes above 100 degrees, take it once every ten minutes instead." "Yes, Dr. ke," the nurse said. She had just finished speaking when Tommy began to mumble, "Ms. Luca, won''t you give me a hug?" Luca shook his head and smiled when she heard Tommy''s words. The little boy did not know how anxious she was earlier. She was afraid that Tommy''s temperature would not go down. She guessed that Tommy''s fever was caused by a bacterial infection, and the bacteria was attacking Tommy''s immune system, which caused his temperature to rise and fall erratically. She would only be able to prescribe the correct cure after she knew what bacteria it was. After Dr. ke and the nurse left, Lucay down by Tommy''s side once more. Tommy seemed to have sensed her warmth and leaned closer to her. She hugged the child tightly, even though the stench of alcohol stung her nostrils. Halfway through the night, Tommy''s temperature rose again, but other than that, it was rtively peaceful. In the morning, Luca helped Tommy wash his face, then fed him breakfast. The cook had brought breakfast from Crawford Manor, but Tommy only took a few bites before he said he did not want to eat anymore. Luca could tell that he was a picky eater, but she could not cook for him now. "Be a good boy and finish your food, Tommy. I''ll cook something delicious for you next time," she said. Tommy''s eyes sparkled when he heard that. He asked, "Can I ask you to cook anything for me?" "Yes! As long as you finish this bowl of oatmeal and that ss of soy milk, I''ll cook up a feast for you when you''re well again!" Luca said. Tommy happily ate the rest of the oatmeal and quickly finished the ss of soy milk. Tommy let out a burp, and Luca smiled. She felt calmer this morning because the test results would be out soon. Luke had been observing all that. "You can somehow make him listen to you," he said. Luca turned her head in shock and stared at the man for a few seconds. She was Tommy''s mother. Naturally, she knew his temper and how to make him happy. However, she could not tell Luke that. Luca said, "I know that the boy loved my cooking, so that''s why I can negotiate with him. Am I right, Tommy?" "Mm! I love Ms. Luca''s cooking!" Tommy nodded. Luca smiled and patted his head. She picked up another bowl of oatmeal and ate it. The caretaker had informed the cook to prepare extra food for her. Chapter 1375 Chapter 1375 How Dare She Harm the Child! After breakfast, the hospital corridors began to fill up with people. Luca guessed that the results of the bacteria culture test should be out by any time now. As expected, Johann came to the room half an hourter with the report in his hands. "I''ve read the report. Indeed, Tommy''s fever is caused by a bacterial infection," he said. Luke frowned when he heard that. That must be Bianca''s going. The child did not have any external injuries, and he only ate the food from Crawford Manor. There was no other way he could have gotten a bacterial infection. Thinking of what Bianca told him earlier, he realized that it was not a lie for him to free her. He had always believed what Bianca said. That was why he had asked Johann to treat Tommy''s illness to be something more than a regr fever. There was no other reason why Bianca could so urately predict Tommy''s fever even though she was confined in the mansion... "I have to say that this is a rare bacteria in this region because the warm climate here isn''t suitable for its cultivation. If it''s exposed in the air, it''ll die within five to ten minutes," Johann said. Luke asked, "What can be done?" "Don''t worry, I''ve already prescribed some antibiotics for Tommy, and the nurse wille over with the injection soon. Well do another bacteria culture test in two days, and if we don''t detect any bacteria in his system, he should be fine," Johann said. He need not rely on Luca for this. However, Luca was the one who suggested that they perform a bacteria culture test on Tommy. If not for her suggestion, Tommy would still have to suffer for quite some time. Luke nodded when he heard that. He was d that the child was going to be fine. "I''ll have to thank you, Dr. Craw. We only managed to find the cause of Tommy''s fever because of you. Right, Tommy''s constitution is quite weak. Can you concoct something so that he bes healthier?" Johann said. "Don''t mention it. I didn''t do much to help. As for a concoction, I can try toe up with something, but I''m afraid that Tommy wouldn''t like it," Luca said as she sat on the bed. She did not look at the report because she knew that Johann would not deceive her. Without looking at the report, she knew the type of bacteria that Johann was talking about. There were not many types of bacteria that could not withstand warm temperatures. The Ind of Despair cultivated one of those types, and Luca had seen it in theboratory. The Ind of Despair was located at a hightitude, and the climate there was suitable for the cultivation of the bacteria. To increase the chances of the bacteria''s survival, Abel had built Shanks a refrigerated chamber. Bianca must have obtained the bacteria from Abel. Luca wondered if Abel would notice that Luke was keeping Bianca captive. While she was deep in thought, she did not notice that the two men exchanged nces. Tommy smiled and said, "HI eat whatever you make for me, Ms. Luca. Even medicine." Luca smiled and stroked Tommy''s head. She could tell that the little boy fully trusted her. Johann said, "Luke, are you free now? Come to my office for a bit." "Mm." Luke nodded, knowing that Johann had something to tell him. He said to the caretaker, "Take care of Tommy." "Yes," the caretaker replied. She was d to know that Tommy was fine. Tommy was friendly and always made the servants happy. He made them feel as though they were part of the Crawford family and not only employees. Johann and Luke went to the office. Johann closed the door, sat down on his chair, and wagged the mouse. Theputer screen instantly lit up. "The bacteria found in Tommy''s blood can only thrive in very stringent conditions. Take a look. The information''s all here, " he said. He stood up and let Luke sit down on his chair. Luke began to read the information that Johann showed him. After reading, he said, "The bacteria should be from the Ind of Despair. Judging from what we know, their current base of operations isn''t far away from the previous one. It might even be the same one." "There are many small inds in the region, but I have a hunch that they''ve always been there. I''m sure that they''re already making their move, so you can''t afford to be careless. You should begin investigating so that you won''t be at a disadvantage," Johann said. Luke nodded. He understood what Johann meant. Now that he had more information, he could begin his investigations. Judging from the bacteria''s survival conditions, it would not survive for too long in A City even if Bianca kept it in the freezer. She must have been in frequent contact with the people from the Ind of Despair. He could not waste any time getting to the bottom of it. Otherwise, the people from the Ind of Despair would know that something happened to the impostor Bianca. Once they discovered that, Luke did not know what they would do next. Luca left only after Tommy was hooked to the saline drip. Tommy did not beg for her to stay because he knew that she had to go to work. However, he kept on reminding her about the promise. When Luke returned to the room, Luca had already left. He was less worried about Tommy after finding out the cause for his fever. He gave a call to Jason, asking him to bring to the hospital any urgent documents in need of his attention. Luca left the hospital and caught a cab back to her apartment. Amur was at home today. He did not stake out at the mansion in the outskirts because he was waiting for Luca''s orders. When he saw Luca return, he said, "Is Tommy alright? "He''s fine. Just as expected, the cause of his fever is a bacterial infection," Luca washed the sk in the kitchen beforeing back to the living room. Amur frowned when he heard that. Luca continued, "I didn''t read the bacteria culture test report, but the doctor said that bacteria can only survive in extremely cold conditions. In A City, it''ll die under ten minutes of exposure. The bacteria is from the Ind of Despair, Amur. Bianca had fed tainted food to the child." She clenched her fists tightly when she thought of that. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Abel did not order Bianca to act against the children, but Bianca had harmed the child to gain respect from Old Master Crawford. If the doctor did not find out the cause, or if the child was weaker, she did not want to imagine what might happen! Chapter 1376 Chapter 1376 The Experimental Data Was Destroyed "How could she do that..." Amur said while clenching his fists. Even though he did not want Luca interacting with the children too often, he could not help but be angry at what Bianca had done to Tommy. That reminded him of what Abel did many years ago. To quickly expand his influence, Abel attacked several nearby viges and abducted their inhabitants. Anyone who was not fit enough to be a mercenary would be an experimental subject, and no one cared if they lived or died. Abel was physically weak, and he nearly became one of those experimental subjects. Fortunately, he was still very young, and the mercenaries in charge of training them thought he still had room to grow. That was why he was spared of that fate. After he met Luca, he trained hard so that he could be stronger. Luca was angrier than he was, but she managed to control her fury. She analyzed the situation for Amur, "I''m guessing that the impostor Bianca is now held captive in Luke''s mansion, and Gale and Rain are watching over her. I''m quite sure that Luke already knows." Amur nodded in agreement. After all, Gale and Rain had not left the mansion for several days. They even had food delivered to the mansion. He was sure that they were acting on a mission, and seeing how things were going, the mission was probably to keep Bianca detained. "Abel will eventually find out about this, but I don''t want him to know about it yet," Luca said. She knew that she would be in danger if Luke found out about the Ind of Despair. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. However, she wanted to help him. As long as Abel did not find out that Luke had detained Bianca, Luke would be able to gather more information for his advantage. If Luke eventually discovered that Luca was from the Ind of Despair, she would not reveal her true identity to him. N was still held hostage on the Ind of Despair, and Luca did not want to risk her life just to save herself. 1 Luca became dejected when she thought of her youngest daughter. Eler should be able to take good care of the little girl, but the conditions on the ind were not conducive to the child''s growth at all. "Are you sure this is what you want to do? None of us can tell how the situation will develop," Amur stared at her seriously. He could tell that Luca wanted to help Luke. She would be the one to suffer the consequences. As much as they could try to dy the inevitable, Abel would eventually discover that Bianca had gone missing, and he would eventually find out that Luke was behind it. Abel would then move to the next phase of his n, and Luca would be his trump card. "I am sure. This is the best we can do for now. Continue to stake out at the mansion but don''t act rashly. At the same time, take good care so that you''re not discovered by Gale, Rain, or Abel''s minions," Luca reminded him. As long as Amur did not act against Abel''s minions, Abel would not me it on him. After all, Amur had alreadypleted Abel''s mission for him, and his next mission was to protect Luca. "Mm." Amur nodded and agreed. He would agree to whatever Luca requested of him. Bianca might expose their identities, which might cause Luke to act against them, but Amur was ready to protect Luca. ¡¯ Ever since Luca saved him, he had decided that he would use his life to protect Luca. "I will do everything just as you say. I''ll go and change my clothes, then I''ll continue to keep an eye on the mansion," Amur said and went into his bedroom. Luca breathed a sigh of relief when she obtained Amur''s assurance. It was a selfish thing to ask Amur to do all that for her. She also did not expect that Amur would help her. She said nothing as she watched Amur go into the bedroom and close the door. Then, she went back to her bedroom, changed her clothes, and went to work. She was slightlyte when she reached her office. After clocking in, but before she could put on herb coat, Rhett came over hurriedly and said, "Bad news, Dr. Craw." Luca turned around and looked at him. "What happened?" Rhett took a deep breath and said, "When I went to theb earlier, I noticed that things were in a mess. Some of our experimental data has been destroyed." When Luca heard that, she quickly put on herb coat and went into theboratory. In theboratory, the assistant researchers were already in their positions, but they were standing there instead of sitting down. When they saw Lucae in, they greeted her, "Good morning, Dr. Craw." Luca did not reply. She looked at the mess on the tables and guessed that someone must have deliberately done that. "Check the security footage and see what happened," she said. "Dr. Craw, the security camera in theb broke down two days ago. The people from the logistics department said that they were going to rece it today," one of the researchers said. Luca looked at the security camera in disbelief. The coincidence was incredible! "How about the security camera in the corridor?" Luca asked. She had gone off work on time the day before, and there were several other researchers at work when she left. "I''ve already given a call to the security department," Rhett said. "They''ll be sending me a copy of the security footage soon." Luca nodded. Things would be much easier if she had the security footage, but she remained uneasy. "Assess the situation. What else did we lose other than the experimental data?" Luca asked. The experiment was salvageable if they lost only a small portion of the data. However, if the losses were too great, they would have to start over. Luke had already announced the date of the press conference, so they had a deadline to meet. Luca could not keep calm when she thought about that. She took in several deep breaths while she watched the researchers tidy up their workstations. Rhett came over and said softly, "Dr. Craw, the cultures we prepared two days ago have been destroyed." Luca went over to see the mess. A few secondster, one of the researchers said, "Dr. Craw, the security department called and said that there was a problem with the security camera in the corridor. They''re in the middle of fixing it, and they''re trying to restore yesterday''s footage." "Noted," Luca said grimly. She would not be able to hide the incident from her superiors. "Rhett,e with me to Dr. Kidman''s office," Luca said as she turned around and left theboratory. Rhett followed behind her closely and said, "Dr. Craw, Dr. Kidman might not be in his office now..." "We''ll check there first," Luca said. She needed to escte the incident to her higher-ups. Chapter 1377 Chapter 1377 Cole¡¯s Ploy All the researchers were in their respectiveboratories performing their research to secure the next stage of funding. That was why Rhett thought that Cole would be in hisboratory rather than in his office. Seeing that Luca was so insistent, he did not say anything. Luca walked in front of the manager¡¯s office and knocked on the door. "Come in." A voice was heard from within, which made Rhett surprised. Luca opened the door and went inside, and Rhett quickly followed behind. Cole was sitting on his chair, dressed in his whiteb coat. He smiled and greeted the woman in front of him, pretending that he was oblivious to what happened in Luca''sboratory. "It''s you, Dr. Craw. How can I help you? Are you taking the day off again?" Luca shook her head and told him about the situation in herboratory. Cole acted as though he was shocked after hearing what Luca had to say. "How is that possible? I hope that you''re not joking, Dr. Craw. Your research is far aheadpared to anyone else in the department. I was nning to use your research as an example when I submit my monthly departmental progress report to Mr. Crawford." Luca had an idea of what happened when she observed his expression. "I believe someone in our company must have done it. Moreover, that person has a managerial position." All the doors in thepany were equipped with the most advanced security system. One could not gain ess to a room without the proper ess card. The list of people who had ess to Luca''sboratory was very short. "That might not be the case," Cole said when he heard that Luca was suspecting someone inside the company. "Dr. Kidman, there aren''t many people who can gain ess to myboratory. Usually, regr employees won''t have the proper credentials to enter. Moreover, there were no signs of tampering on the maic lock," Luca said. When Luke set up thepany, he had taken many precautions to enhance thepany''s security. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Cole rubbed his chin as though he was thinking of what she said. Luca could tell that he was only pretending. His gaze was unfocused, which would not happen if he were really thinking seriously. A whileter, Cole nodded and said, "If that''s the case, we should get to the bottom of it. I''ll have to report this incident to Mr. Crawford though. You should know that thepany has ced a lot of hope on your research because it''ll be the first product to go into the market. Now that this has happened, theter stages of your research and the clinical tests would definitely be dyed. I''d rather not be responsible for that, if you know what I mean." "Yes, I do," Luca nodded and said. Cole raised his eyebrows when he saw that Luca remained calm instead of begging him to keep it a secret. "If Mr. Crawford intends to point the finger at someone..." "Whoever is responsible shall take responsibility," Luca said. She was not so stupid as to im all the responsibility. Cole was surprised to hear that Luca''s answer was different from what he expected. He chuckled awkwardly and said," Yes, yes, we''ll have to get to the bottom of it, but before that happens and Mr. Crawford wants to assign responsibility, I''m afraid I''ll have to be honest to him. I hope that you won''t mind that, Dr. Craw." Luca smiled. If Cole wanted to y politics, she would dly oblige. "Dr. Kidman, I believe that you underestimate Mr. Crawford. He is a just and fair person. No single individual in the department should im responsibility for the ident, and even if a single individual takes the me, I don''t think the rest of the department would be spared." Cole nced at her coldly and sized her up. Why won''t she im responsibility? She''d be more likable if she''s smarter.'' He did not like Luca because he thought that she wascking in interpersonal skills. "I''ll return to myb, Dr. Kidman. They should havee up with a list of damages by now," she said. Cole nodded and watched Luca and Rhett leave. He grunted coldly and dialed a number on the internal line. "Come to my office for a while." "Yes," Talia replied. Cole ended the call, took out his phone, and found Jason''s number in the address book. He rubbed his chin as he considered the extent of his responsibility if he were to make the call. He had intended for Luca to take all the me, but not only had she said that she would not im responsibility, her responses had also angered him. Someone would have to im responsibility. If Luca was not willing to do so, the responsibility might fall on him. Talia entered the office and closed the door. She noticed that Cole was frowning, so she asked, "What happened, Dr. Kidman?" "That thing I told you to do. Are you sure that you didn''t leave any evidence behind?" Cole asked sternly. Cole had tasked Talia to mess up Luca''sboratory. The reason was simple - he could not stand Luca''s arrogance. If Luca''s "mistake" affected thepany''s profits, her career would be over. It did not matter if she was Luke¡¯s woman like the rumors said. Cole knew that Luke was not someone who would be so easily charmed by women. To Luke, the company''s profits were more important than anything else. "I swear that I didn''t." Talia smiled knowingly when she saw how anxious he seemed. She leaned over and whispered into his ear, "You have nothing to worry about, Dr. Kidman. How could I have left any evidence that I was there? Even if they knew I was there, isn''t it normal because I''m your assistant?" She knew that the security camera in Luca''sboratory had broken down, and she had tampered with the security camera in the corridor. Of course, Talia was only willing to do that because she bore a grudge against Luca. If Luca had been willing to help her, she would not have traded her body for the assistant position. She thought that her career would be smooth-sailing once she had be Cole''s assistant, but just when she had the chance to go to New York to pad her resume, Luca had snatched the chance away. Words could not express the hatred and jealousy Talia felt for Luca. When she saw that Cole was looking for some way to get rid of Luca, she had suggested that idea to him. Cole envied Luca because she had more funding and manpower. When he heard Talia''s suggestion, he immediately agreed to it. Cole nodded when Talia said that. He had specifically told Talia to destroy the cultures in theboratory. "We''ll have to inform Mr. Crawford about this incident. There''s no turning back now." Talia nodded. "Don''t worry, Dr. Kidman. No one will suspect us." Chapter 1378 Chapter 1378 Taking Sides Dr. Cole waved his hand and asked Talia to leave after he heard her repeated assurance. After Talia left his office, he picked up his phone and called Jason to report on the situation. He took the opportunity to wash the problem off his hands as well. Jason did notment after he listened to what Dr. Cole had to say. All he did was acknowledge the situation. After Dr. Cole put down the call, he touched his chin and thought about it. He could not sense anything from Jason''s tone and wondered whether Luke would take Luca''s side once again. He was not entirely confident. After Luca left Dr. Cole''s office, she went straight to theboratory. The staff had already cleaned up the mess, including the broken experiment instruments. "Is everything sorted out?" she asked. One of the researchers handed her a few sheets of paper and said, "Dr. Craw, we just checked and these are the data that have been wiped clean. Theputer archive has beenpletely deleted as well and we don¡¯t know if it can be repaired." "Get ready, we¡¯ll have a meeting in ten minutes." Luca did not have to read the contents on the paper to know that a lot of data was lost. It was pointless to say anything. The next step was to have a meeting to see if they should redo the research or find a way to make up for the lost data. "Yes." Several people responded to her. They took theirptops and walked to the meeting room. Luca nced at the papers and then said, "Mr. Link, inform Dr. Cole that there''ll be a meetingter." "Okay," Rhett nodded, turned around, and walked out. After Rhett left, Luca went back to her office to grab herptop. She asked Rhett to inform Dr. Cole as part of the preparation. Luke had the final say on how to solve this issue. Judging from the missing data that was sorted out, her research would most definitely be dyed. Luca walked to the meeting room. Dr. Cole had arrived earlier and was sitting in the chairperson seat. She did not say anything and just handed him the information on the data they lost. "Dr. Cole, this is the data lost in this incident. Please preside over the situation." Dr. Cole flipped through the pages one by one and silently praised Talia for her good work when he saw that arge portion of the important data was missing. Since the key data was gone, Luca¡¯s previous research was done in vain. "Dr. Craw, so much data is lost. Do you have a backup?" Dr. Cole put the papers aside. The more he looked at them, the happier he was. However, he could not show his true feelings in front of so many people. This is from N?velDrama.Org. "No. If there was a backup, everyone wouldn''t be so worried. " Luca nced at the other researchers. When a new drug wasunched, thepany stated that all members participating in the research would receive arge share of the profits. Now that the data was lost, the research done was all for nothing. If they wanted to redo the research, the time spent on it previously would all go to waste. Everyone wanted to get their hands on the bonus as soon as possible... When Dr. Cole heard her reply, his heart bloomed with joy as he secretly praised Talia once again. He cleared his throat and said, "On this matter... your only choice is to start your research again from scratch." "If we redo the research, we need more funds. The research funds given by thepany are limited. We won¡¯t have sufficient funds to redo the research. Dr. Cole, I have to trouble you on this matter. Also, please conduct a thorough investigation and find out who did this." "Okay, I''m well aware of what you just mentioned. I can''t give you an answer on the matter of funding at this moment as all thepany''s research funds for this year have been allocated. Dr. Craw, although you''re far ahead in your research, I have no clearance to allocate other professors¡¯ research funds to you. How about this? I believe you''re close with Mr. Crawford. Why not mention this to him? Maybe he¡¯ll agree to your request," Dr. Cole said. Luca looked down. She frowned listening to how he was asking her to talk to Luke in front of so many people and even insinuated that they were close. It was fine if he did not mention any of it. However, after he said so, she was fully prepared for what wasing. The researchers heard Dr. Cole and looked at each other. If there was no funding, they would not be able to go ahead with their project. Dr. Cole made it clear that he did not want to be involved in this matter, nor would he step up to fight for them. Their only hope was Luca... No one wanted their efforts to go to waste, and they were the same. Luca nodded and said, "I see. There are still some research funds left. I''ll re-do the research. At the same time, I''ll find someone to investigate who''s behind this incident." "Of course!" Dr. Cole felt a little anxious when he heard her calm tone and saw her murderous look. Soon enough, he calmed himself down. ''Luca is just a woman, there is nothing to be afraid of. She''s capable of doing research, but to investigate the truth? I doubt she has the ability to.'' They were almost done with the discussion. Just as Dr. Cole was about to say that the meeting was over, Talia knocked on the door and walked in. Dr. Cole looked at her impatiently and said, "What''s the matter?" "Dr. Cole, Mr. Crawford is here," Talia said helplessly as she stepped aside and pushed the door wider. Luke walked in. Luca was stunned. She looked up and met his gaze. ''Why is he here? Even if Dr. Cole had told him about it, how did he appear so quickly?'' Luke nced at Luca, who had a surprised expression on her face. He then retracted his gaze and sat down next to her. Initially, when Luca saw Dr. Cole sitting in the chairperson seat, she did not want to get too close to him because she thought it was disgusting that he had a family but was cheating with Talia. Hence, she sat a distance away from him. Dr. Cole saw where Luke sat and immediately stood up to give up the chairperson seat. He respectfully said, "Mr. Crawford, do you want to sit here?" Luke shook his head and kept his words concise. "It''s alright, n Dr. Cole looked a little embarrassed after Luke turned him down. Luke was rumored to be obsessed with cleanliness. ''Is Luke disgusted that I sat in the seat? Do I disgust him?¡¯ "Uh..." Dr. Cole felt embarrassed standing but he did not dare to sit down again. He did not dare to upy the chairperson seat in front of his boss. "Tell me what happened." Luke looked at Luca. He was not bothered to relieve Dr. Cole''s embarrassment and did not say much. Luca was still wondering how he appeared so quickly. When she heard the man, she nodded, stood up, walked around him, and took the papers Dr. Cole had put on the table. She then passed them to Luke and exined the situation. Luke looked at the missing data and listened to Luca''s report. After he left the hospital, he thought of Bianca and Luca, so he thought about going to the office and that was why he could appear in the office so quickly. Chapter 1379 Chapter 1379 Feel Things Out "Are you sure that theputer''s backup data can''t be repaired?" Luke asked. His tone was still calm after such a serious incident. The research progress of the new drug was disrupted, and the expected profits would be affected as well. However, he seemed to be indifferent. "I''m not certain. We have to wait until the relevant technicians check on it to know for sure," Luca said. She returned to her seat and quietly moved her chair farther away. She thought that it was best she kept a distance from Luke. The farther, the better. "Thepany is going to go through aprehensive upgrade of the system and the team will have their hands full with that. If you know some talents who are skilled withputers, feel free to make a rmendation." Luke flipped through the data, his expression still t. Luca smiled upon hearing his words, and she replied, "Mr. Crawford, I don''t know anyone like that. Maybe you can ask the other staff and Dr. Cole." Luke was turning the page and paused. ''She doesn¡¯t know anyone skilled inputers?'' He put down the papers and folded his hands. Eventhough he was not sitting in the chairperson seat, he was full of vigor and appeared more powerful than Dr. Cole. "I have a general understanding of what has happened. I''m certain this was done by internal personnel. I¡¯ll get Mr. Doyle to investigate. I''m not familiar with the research process. Dr. Craw, do what you believe is best. All I want is to see a product that can be circted in the market as soon as possible." When Dr. Cole heard that Luke did not me Luca, he was taken aback. He rubbed his hands and thought that everything he did was for nothing. Luca nced at Dr. Cole''s reaction and said, "Mr. Crawford, the budget I applied for before for the project was just right, but now that the research needs to be redone, I need more funds." "Give me a detailed funding application report." Luke did not turn her down. When several of the employees heard this, they breathed a sigh of relief. They could continue with their study if they had the funds. Their time was wasted but the profits were still in sight, which was good enough for them. "Okay, after the application form ispleted, I''ll hand it to Mr. Doyle," Luca said. He arranged for Jason to investigate the incident, so it was not an issue to pass him the funding application form. "What else?" Luke asked. "That¡¯s it." When Dr. Cole heard that not only did Luke not me Luca but even agreed to allocate additional funds for the project, he was bewildered. He had managed the situation before he arrived for fear that Luca would say something that would put him in a bad spot. Luca kept quiet. She looked at theptop in front of her. She was surprised that Luke did not put any me on her on this matter. Luke nodded, stood up, and said to Luca, "Dr. Craw,e to my office." Luca was startled. While she was thinking about what Luke was going to do, she stood up and was about to leave with Luke. Just then, she heard him say, "Dr. Cole, cooperate with Mr. Doyle in his investigation. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be responsible for the ident." When Dr. Cole heard it, he was gobsmacked! What he understood from what Luke said was that if the real culprit was not found, he would lose his job... With his resume, it was not a problem for him to work at other pharmaceuticalpanies or even to teach at a university. However, if Luke used this as a reason to dismiss him, he was afraid that it would be very difficult for him to find a good job in the future... He knew that the senior executives who were fired by Luke either moved to another city or went to work in smallpanies. Dr. Cole did not answer. Luke turned around, looked at him, and asked, "Dr. Cole, is there a problem?" "No... No. Mr. Crawford, although this incident was caused by someone within thepany, there are a lot of people with ess to theb. It won''t be easy to find out who did this..." He shivered. Luke''s gaze was cold as he replied, ''Mr. Doyle will investigate this matter, you just need to cooperate with him." Dr. Cole understood what he meant. He could only nod weakly in response. Although he was reluctant, there was no other way... He felt hopeless. He was not nning to be involved but it seemed that he could not avoid it. Luke walked out of the meeting room. Luca knew that she had to go with him so she handed herptop to Rhett, asked him to help take it back to her office, and then followed behind Luke. The others also stood up and left the meeting room when they saw that their boss was gone. In the meeting room, Dr. Cole was the only one left. He was holding his forehead and having a headache. ''What should I do about this?¡¯ Talia did all the dirty work but it was based on his instructions. It would not be easy to have Talia take the me. She got close to him to gain ess to more work resources and make her life easier. If she was asked to take the me, he would also be dragged through the mud... Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. The more Dr. Cole thought about it, the worse his headache got. His only hope was that Jason would not find out about this... On the other side, Luca followed Luke back to his office and watched as he sat down in his chair. She was standing far away by the doorway, in a daze. "Sit." Luke pointed to the seat opposite him. When she heard that, Luca had to bite the bullet and sit opposite him. She asked directly, "Mr. Crawford, what do you need me for?" "Thank you for taking care of Tommy," Luke said. Luca was taken back. His thank you was too rusty but it also fit his current status. She felt quite ufortable, but she nodded and said," You''re wee." "Do you like Tommy?" Luke asked again. "Tommy is adorable. Who wouldn''t like a kid like him?" Luca replied. She chose not to answer his question head-on. "Tommy''s biological mother doesn''t like him," Luke continued talking, his deep-set eyes observing her every expression. ''Biological mother?'' Luca found his word choice a little strange. "Do you mean Mrs. Crawford? Tommy is so cute, why would she not like him?" "Do you think Bianca is his biological mother?" Luke asked. Luca''s heart was trembling. She was not sure how to answer. She nodded and then pretended to be puzzled. Fortunately, she had already learned acting and was no longer the woman who would panic whenever she was close to Luke. "You mean, Mrs. Crawford is not Tommy¡¯s biological mother? Who is his biological mother?" "Tommy''s biological mother is Bianca," Luke said. Luca looked down and did not say anything. She thought that there was some hidden meaning behind his words. ''Does Luke already know that the Bianca by his side is a fake? Is he suspicious of me and wants to feel things out?'' Chapter 1380 Chapter 1380 Agree To His Request Luca''s expression was calm. She moved her lips in response. Her heart was beating like a drum and she was overthinking. ''What does he mean?'' Knock, knock. When his shut office door was knocked on, Luke looked away from her face and said, "Come in." Mo came in holding a cup of coffee. She delivered the coffee following Dr. Cole''s orders. The moment she opened the door, she saw Luca. She froze but quickly returned to normal. She brought the coffee to Luke, put it down, and said, "Mr. Crawford, this is your coffee." Luke nced at the coffee and nodded. "Close the door when you leave." Mo nodded and slipped out of the office. She closed the door on her way out. The thick wooden door acted as a barrier, so she could no longer see what was happening inside. Mo fiddled with her hair in annoyance. She did not expect Luca to be in Luke''s office. Dr. Cole had set her up. After Mo left, Luca changed the subject and said, "Mr. Crawford, is there anything else that you¡¯d like to discuss?" "What do you think about what happened?" Luke asked. "My research was sabotaged and I trust that the matter will be investigated." Luca''s hands were tightly intertwined and ced on her thighs. She was highly cautious as she was well aware of his shrewdness. Luke noticed how calm she was. He raised his eyebrows and asked, "It seems like you already know who did it?" "No. I have a long name list but I''d need to trouble Mr. Doyle to investigate further on who exactly did it," Luca said. When Luke announced that Jason would lead the investigation, she knew that he took this matter seriously. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. To her surprise, he did not hold her ountable but rather admonished Dr. Cole instead. He did not have a separate conversation with anyone before setting his target on Dr. Cole. Luca was not sure if he did it on purpose. "Mr. Doyle will find out who did this. Also, I want to ask you for a favor." Luke''s gaze darkened a little. "Mr. Crawford, what can I help you with?" Luca did not agree just yet. She wanted to see what was the favor he wanted from her. Luke said, "Dr. Park gave Tommy a physical examination and advised us to pay more attention to his health. You seem to be an expert in this aspect. I want to ask for your help to improve Tommy''s health." A child going through a serious illness would not cause their immune system to weaken, but Tommy was different. He was sick due to a bacterial infection. After antibiotics, his body would be weaker than before. Luca wanted to agree. She felt more at ease if she could take care of him. However, it was troublesome for her to take care of Tommy considering that she did not live with Luke... Seeing that Luca had yet to agree, Luke said, "Every afternoon, after Tommy is back from school, I''ll have Zander send him to your apartment. When he''s done with dinner, Zander will take him home. I want you to improve his health by focusing on providing him with a nutritious dinner. Would that be okay?" Luke asked for a favor humbly. Luca could tell that he was being sincere from his tone of voice. There was no hidden meaning in his words. Luca thought about it for a while. It was not an issue for her to make use of the opportunity to cook nutritious food for Tommy for dinner. In this way, she did not have to go in and out of Crawford Manor in the name of improving Tommy''s health. Luca nodded and said, "Mr. Crawford, if you trust me enough to leave your child with me, I''m happy to have him over for dinner every day." Luke nodded when he heard that she agreed. His phone happened to ring at that moment. He nced at the caller and said, "That¡¯s about it. When Tommy is discharged from the hospital, I will make arrangements as per what we''ve discussed. As for the charges for your troubles, you''ll be paid once a week." Luca stood up when she heard his reply. She nodded and said, "No problem, Mr. Crawford. I''ll leave you to it." After she said that, she left his office. After she left, Luke answered the call. The person on the other end of the call was Jason, "Boss, I''m already at Watson Biopharmaceuticals." "Go straight to the top floor," Luke said. He had already nned to meet Luca, so he made an appearance not long after the incident happened. That was why he was able to make it when they had a meeting. As for Jason, he arranged for him toe over after the incident so he arrivedte. "Yes, Boss." Jason ended the call after he heard Luke''s words. Luke stood up and swayed his coffee cup. The coffee had cooled down and was not as fragrant as before. He had always been picky with coffee so he simply put the coffee cup down and left it there. The other side. As soon as Mo returned to the office, she was summoned by Dr. Cole. After she walked in, Dr. Cole immediately asked, "Was the coffee delivered to Mr. Crawford?" "Dr. Cole, it has been delivered." Mo felt a little dissatisfied. Everyone in their department thought that Luca and Luke had something going on. Dr. Cole nned for her to barge in when they were both in the office together. It felt like Dr. Cole wanted her to collect some intel for gossip. She felt lucky that Luke did not me her. Otherwise, she would be jobless. "Good to hear." Dr. Cole rubbed his hands and asked, "Do you know what Mr. Crawford and Dr. Craw were talking about?" "Dr. Cole, the soundproofing in Mr. Crawford''s office is great. How would I know?" Mo was still smiling on the surface. ''It seems that he did send me to listen in on their conversation. All I did was send Mr. Crawford a cup of coffee. How could I have heard anything? Did Dr. Cole do something wrong? Why is he acting so panicky? How could he think of such things and even send me to do his dirty work...¡¯ Dr. Cole was stunned. The soundproofing measures on the top floor were the best in the entire building. He asked, "When you went in, didn''t you see anything?" "I only saw Mr. Crawford and Dr. Craw sitting face to face across the table. They seemed to be talking about something," Mo replied. Dr. Cole was a little disappointed. It seemed that there was no new information he could obtain from Mo. He nodded and waved at her. "Okay, got it. You can head off now." "Yes." Although Mo was dissatisfied, Dr. Cole was still her boss. She could only swallow her dissatisfaction. She had just walked out of the office when she heard him say, "By the way, get Talia toe to my office." "Okay." Mo walked out and closed the door on her way out. As the chief assistant of the entire department, she knew about what was going on between Dr. Cole and Talia. She was not sure how many people knew that Talia relied on her body to get her position, but she was as clear as day about it. She was smart enough to pretend to know nothing about it. Chapter 1381 Chapter 1381 Talia To Take The me After Mo returned to the office, she notified Talia that Dr. Cole was looking for her. When she heard that, Talia walked out of her office immediately. She knew that Luca had organized a meeting but the only people who participated in the meeting were those in Luca¡¯s research group and Dr. Cole. However, Dr. Cole did not reach out to her even after the meeting ended. Talia was very anxious and worried about what would happen, so she had been waiting for his call. She quickened her pace and ran into Luca at the elevator entrance. She was startled and greeted her with her eyes cast down. "Dr. Craw, good morning." "Good morning." Luca looked at Talia and could not help wondering if she was involved in the incident. Talia listened to her calm tone as if she was not at all anxious about what had happened. Her emotions were a little unbnced. She asked, "Dr. Craw, I heard about what happened. If you need help, just let me know and I''ll do all that I can to help you." "Thank you for your kindness." Luca did not ept or refuse. She continued walking after thanking her. Talia turned around and nced at her. The worries in her heart grew. The calmer Luca was, the more restless she felt. She walked quickly into Dr. Cole''s office. "Close the door." Dr. Cole reminded her when he saw Talia walk in. Talia closed the door, walked to his side, and asked, "Dr. Cole, what''s Dr. Craw''s n to deal with this situation?" ''Mr. Crawford is here. Did you know that?" Dr. Cole did not answer her question. Talia nodded. As soon as Luke appeared at thepany, the employee group chat went off. Upon receiving the notification, everyone pretended to be working hard so as not to be caught by the boss. "He made it to the meeting and told me something." Dr. Cole looked at Talia''s face and shook his head. He was regretting being seduced by her. She was not particrly beautiful but her young body was what he was obsessed with. "What did he say to you?" Talia had a bad feeling when she saw that there was not a trace of a smile on Dr. Cole''s face. Dr. Cole said, "He asked Mr. Doyle to investigate this matter. If there¡¯s no clear conclusion on this matter, he told me that I have to take the me." "How is it possible? This incident did not happen in our research team. Luca should be the one to take the me!" Talia''s eyes widened in disbelief. Dr. Cole replied with a sharp tone, "He made it clear that I would have to take all of the responsibility and Luca would get to stay out of it. Talia, if Mr. Doyle doesn''t find anything, I''ll have to send someone from our team to take the me.'' Talia understood what he meant. She clenched his fists with both hands. "Dr. Cole, I did this but you can''t expose me." "I don''t want to, Talia. Trust me, I¡¯ll protect you." Dr. Cole could only coax her for the time being. However, Talia was not a three-year-old child who could be coaxed so easily. She said, "Dr. Cole, how are you nning to protect me? Whether Mr. Doyle finds out or you expose me, no one can protect me. I¡¯m not the only one involved in this matter, you''re involved as well. In the end, it doesn''t matter if Mr. Doyle finds out. You have to take responsibility alongside me!" She knew how it would end for her if others found out what she did. Such a sacrifice meant that her career would be ruined in the second half of her life. ''Dr. Cole wants me to take all the me to save himself? Don''t even think about it!¡¯ When Dr. Cole heard that she wanted to drag him through the mud with her, he said with a sullen expression on his face, "Talia, I''m helping you. You were the one who did it!" Talia''s emotions were agitated at that moment. However, she suppressed her emotions as she was still in the office. She looked at him with red eyes and said, "Dr. Cole, I did it but it was as per your instructions. If I¡¯m fired from Watson Biopharmaceuticals, you won''t be safe as well. I have a recording!" When Dr. Cole heard that, he stood up with his hands on the tabletop. He was agitated and yelled, "What recording do you have?" "I have a lot of recordings. The recordings of us in bed and the recordings of the things you asked me to do. If I post these recordings, you''ll lose Watson Biopharmaceuticals, your wife, and your social status. I''m not threatening you. I just had to protect myself when I got together with you," Talia said with a hideous expression on her face. Since she had decided to make use of her body to get a good job, she covered her grounds to prevent being betrayed by him in the future. Talia knew that these recordings woulde in handy sooner orter but did not expect they would come in handy so soon. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "You!" Dr. Cole did not expect that he would be plotted against by a young woman. His original n was to have Talia take the me for it. He was extremely angry but could only go along with her." Okay, don''t worry. Jason may not be able to find out about anything. Let''s go with the flow." "What if he finds out?" The answer Talia needed was not to go with the flow. She wanted his guarantee. "Did you leave any evidence?" Dr. Cole was a little nervous. "Of course, I didn''t leave any evidence. But if anyone finds out, don''t think about getting away scot- free," Talia said. She wanted toy it all out. She knew that an old fox like him who had been in the corporate world for many years was not easy to deal with. Dr. Cole was beyond furious. If he knew that there would be so much trouble, he would not have agreed to her request back then. He was backed into a corner now. "Okay, you didn''t leave any evidence so he definitely won¡¯t find anything out." Dr. Cole had no choice but to say that. He had to put some thought into how to get away from it without being dragged through the mud. Talia wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, hating herself for choosing the wrong person. Not only did she not get the chance to go to New York but she also faced the risk of being abandoned and fired at any time. Dr. Cole took all the benefits while leaving everything else for her to deal with. The more she thought about it, the more disappointed she was. "Okay, don''t cry. Others might think that I bullied you when you go back to your officeter." Dr. Cole grabbed some tissues and handed them to her. Talia wiped away her tears in silence. On the other side, Luca walked into theboratory and found that the logistics department was already there. They were ready to clean the scene. Luca stopped them. "Don''t start cleaning yet." Several of them looked at her with confused expressions. One of the researchers said, "Dr. Craw, we can''t work without cleaning up first." "Wait a moment. Mr. Doyle has already arrived. He¡¯lle over to take a look at the scene. Maintain everything just as it is. It¡¯ll not be toote to clean up after he finishes his observation," Luca said. When she was in Luke''s office, she noticed that it was Jason who called Luke. Chapter 1382 Chapter 1382 I''m Not A Picky Eater When the others heard what she said, they stopped cleaning up- After a while, Jason walked in. He swiped with a temporary maic card and the door opened automatically. He nced at the door and said, "It¡¯s pretty smart. The lock has no trace of damage." To protect the research results from being stolen, thepany used the most advanced security system. Compared to T Corporation, Watson Biopharmaceuticals'' system was more advanced. "Mr. Doyle, good morning." Luca greeted him when she saw him walk in. "Dr. Craw, good morning, I''ll have a look at what''s going on." Jason smiled, appearing friendly and approachable. In contrast, Luca''s expression was stern. She nodded and replied, "Okay." Jason noticed that everyone in theboratory had a serious expression. He still had a smile on his face. He was rxed and said, "Don''t worry, I''ll investigate this matter. Dr. Craw, do you have a list of the data lost?" Luca handed him the paper. Jason nced through the report, then put it down and said, "Go ahead with the clean-up. I''ll go to the security department downstairs to check it out." When he was about to walk out, he turned around and said to Luca, "Dr. Craw, I also need a list of staff who have the maic card to open this door." "Okay, Ms. Stone will send the list to you in a while," Luca replied as Mo was responsible for such things. After Jason left, Luca turned around and gave some orders to Rhett, then returned to her office. After she asked Mo to send Jason the list, she turned on herputer and checked the files inside. It did not seem like anyone did anything to them. As such, she was sure that someone from Watson Biopharmaceuticals did it. Luca held her chin and thought about it for a while. Luke had asked Jason to investigate this matter. She believed in Jason''s ability, so she was not too worried. When she thought of that, she continued to focus on work. At lunch, Luca only went downstairs when the people in the cafeteria were almost done eating. The moment the elevator door opened, she raised her gaze and saw Luke standing in front of the elevator. Luca was a little surprised. ''Why is he still here?'' "Hello, Mr. Crawford!" Her tone was a little rushed. Luke looked at Luca, who was standing still outside the elevator door and did not seem like she was nning to step in. He took a small step back and said, "Step in." After Luca heard that, she knew she could not turn him down, she could only bite the bullet and walk in. After pressing the button for the first floor, she hid in the corner of the elevator and stood a little far away from Luke. Luke saw the floor she was heading to and asked, "You''re going to the cafeteria?" "Yes." Luca nodded and looked at the declining numbers. Most people were in the cafeteria or upstairs. The elevator did not stop at any floor but she felt as though the elevator was descending at a slower pace than usual. "Isn''t it toote to go now?" Luke put his hands in his pockets and looked straight at the elevator door, but he was looking at her from the corners of his eyes. "It''s the perfect timing," Luca said. There were not many people in the cafeteria at this hour. She liked that it was quiet. Although the nicer dishes may all be sold out, she was not picky with her food. She looked at the two illuminated buttons in the elevator, one of which was to the cafeteria and the other to the underground garage. ''It seems that Luke is leaving?¡¯ She was surprised that he was only leaving now. She thought he would leave right after dealing with the incident. She did not expect him to still be around... ''Has he eaten yet?¡¯ Luca looked at the numbers and could not help overthinking. Luke always ate at irregr timing when he was busy. ''However, his stomach is a little sensitive...'' While she was still deep in thought, the elevator reached the first floor. Luca snapped out of it and walked to the front of the elevator door. The door slowly opened. She saw people standing outside the door. They were all employees who were returning to the office after lunch. When they saw her, they made space and greeted her, "Dr. Craw, are you going to eat now?" "Yeah." Luca nodded and walked out of the elevator. Luke followed behind her out of the elevator. The people outside the elevator greeted him as well, "Mr. Crawford, good afternoon." "Good afternoon, Mr. Crawford." Luca was stunned. She turned around and saw that Luke had stepped out of the elevator and was only a few steps away from her. Those waiting for the elevator walked in one after another when they saw that the elevator was empty even though the elevator was going to the next floor down. Luca saw Luke following behind her. She immediately turned around and walked toward the cafeteria. She had received some professional training and could hear Luke''s footsteps following her the entire way. ''He''s going to the cafeteria too?¡¯ Luca stopped and turned around to look at Luke. "Mr. Crawford, you''re heading to the cafeteria as well?" "I haven''t eaten lunch yet," Luke replied. Luca was startled and could not help but remind him. "The only dishes left in the cafeteria are unptable. If you want to have something to eat, it''s better to eat outside." "I''m not a picky eater.¡± Luke did not ept her gentle reminder. Luca kept quiet. Having been with Luke for so long, she knew if he was a picky eater or not. He was a picky eater who would never touch food that was not delicious, and it was the same for drinks. However, he was now saying that he was not a picky eater... Luca turned around and continued to walk toward the cafeteria. It was halfway through the lunch break and there were not many people in thepany cafeteria, so Luca walked to the window where they served food. As expected, a lot of the nicer dishes were already sold out. She nced at the man next to her. ''Can he get used to these leftover dishes?'' The cafeteriady said cheerfully when she saw Luca. "Dr. Craw, you''rete again today. We''ve run out of many dishes." "It''s okay, please give me whatever you have," Luca said while swiping her meal card. "Okay, wait a minute." Thedy was jolly and prepared some food for Luca. She gave her a little of everything. "Dr. Craw, do you think this is enough for you?" Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "That''s enough, thank you." Luca picked up some utensils and prepared to find a corner to eat. The cafeteriady saw Luke standing there and asked enthusiastically, "Young man, what do you want?" When Luca saw thatdy did not know who Luke was, she was hesitating whether to drop her a reminder. Luke said," I¡¯ll have what she''s having." "Okay, swipe your meal card and I''ll serve you." The cafeteriady nodded. ''Meal card?'' Luke raised his eyebrows. He had no meal card, so he looked at Luca. Luca met his gaze. He was the boss and did not need to swipe his meal card but it did not seem like he wanted to reveal his identity. As such, she handed over her meal card and said, "Would you like to use mine first?" Luke nodded and swiped the machine with the meal card. When the cafeteriady saw that, she said while serving him the food, "Young man, you don''t have a meal card yet? Are you a neer?" Chapter 1383 Chapter 1383 He Wanted to Have Lunch With Her Luca listened to the conversation from the side and broke out in a cold sweat for the cafeteriady. Luke was an extremely serious person. She was not sure if he disliked being referred to as a young man. "Mm." Luke handed the meal card to Luca and said, "Thank you." "You''re wee." Luca took the meal card. She did not expect him to react so calmly. Seeing that he was not furious at the cafeteriady, she took her food and found a corner to sit down. The cafeteriady gave him a te full of dishes seeing that he was a man. She handed it to him and said, "Young man, if you want to have better dishes, doe early. If youe at this hour, these would be all that¡¯s left." "Mm." Luke had no intention of sharing his true identity with her. He held the tray, nced around, and decided to sit opposite Luca. Luca stopped eating and looked at the man in front of her. * He wants to have lunch with me?¡¯ Luke sat down and ate slowly. Luca swallowed the food in her mouth and nced around again. There were many seats avable but he chose to sit opposite her. No one would believe that it was not intentional. "Mr. Crawford, there are many seats around us." She pretended to remind him but was subtly hinting that she did not want to sit with him. Although there were not many people in the cafeteria, everyone knew that he was the boss except for the cafeteriady. "Are you afraid of me?" Luke put down his spoon and grabbed some sd with his fork. Luca always felt that he liked to ask this question. She was not afraid of him, she just wanted to keep a safe distance. "No," she replied. Luke ate his sd and said in a calm tone, "I''m just curious as to why Tommy likes you so much." ¡¯ Luca was not sure how to react. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ''He¡¯s curious, so he wants to get close to me?'' Tommy was her son, so it was normal for him to be dependent on her. They were connected by blood, and their connection was something that science could not exin. However, she could not tell him that. "It''s not just Tommy. Lanie and Rainie seem to have epted you as well." Luke put down his utensils and looked at Luca, who was eating silently. "Luca, they¡¯re not even close to their mother. Why do they like you so much?" i Luca''s hands shivered at the mention of the fake Bianca. In front of outsiders, the fake Bianca was still his wife. Even if he knew that the fake Bianca was a fake, he had no intention of making that information public. He was an insidious man... "Maybe kids just like me," Luca said as she continued to eat. Luke saw her act as though nothing was going on. ''Kids just like her?¡¯ She appeared as someone cold, which was opposite to what Bianca was like, but his three children loved her... Luke thought of the fake Bianca and looked at the woman in front of him. He was curious and wondered if she had the same tattoo on her body. It seemed that he had to find a way to figure it out. Luca felt ufortable eating while being watched by him. After she took a few bites in a hurry, she stood up holding the tray. "Mr. Crawford, I''m full. Take your time." Luke watched her go to the tray collection area to put down the tray and then hurriedly left. She evaded him as fast as ever... In the afternoon, Jason wandered to Luca''s office and knocked on the door. Luca said, "Come in." Jason opened the door and walked in. He saw Luca sitting behind theputer desk, typing on the keyboard. Jason was slightly surprised listening to the sound of the keyboard. The speed of her typing was comparable to Luke''s. Luca stopped what she was doing, raised her head, and asked him, Mr. Doyle, have a seat." Jason sat on the sofa. Before he spoke, he heard her ask, "Is there something wrong?" "Indeed. I¡¯ve seen the surveince footage. The surveince camera in yourboratory has been broken for three days and no one has repaired it, so when the incident happened, the surveince camera didn''t capture anything. Do you know about this?¡± Jason asked. "I do. Ms. Stone notified the logistics department on the day the camera was broken but they said that the camera was customized abroad and they would ce an order for a recement. They told us that they woulde and install it today," Luca said. "It''s not a secret. Everyone in the technical department knows about it." Jason nodded and continued talking, "I¡¯ve checked the cameras in the corridor too, but nothing stood out." Luca did not check the cameras there because he had taken over the matter. She listened and asked curiously, "The cameras in the corridor didn''t capture anything weird?¡¯¡¯ "I don''t think there was anything that stood out. People who went in and out of the area were all normal. After work, no one was in or out of theboratory after thest researcher left the office. However, Dr. Craw, didn''t you go to the hospital to apany Tommy yesterday? Tommy said that the oats you made were delicious. How were you working overtime yet still had time to cook oats for him? Was it made in advance?" Jason asked. "Work overtime? I didn''t work overtime yesterday." Luca frowned. The day before, she got off work at normal time and went home to cook for Tommy. "You didn''t work overtime? I saw on the monitor that you left half an hour after the official working hours." Jason deliberately took note of the time each employee left. He took out his notepad and handed it over. "This is the timing I saw on the surveince. You were thest one to leave in the entire department." Luca looked at the time he recorded and said firmly, "Did you watch the surveince footage of the previous day? I didn''t work overtime yesterday, I left earlier than the researchers in theboratory and went home to cook..." Jason touched his chin, suddenly thinking of something. He said, "I¡¯m sure that I was looking at the footage from yesterday, unless..." "Unless what?" Luca asked with a frown. "I''ll check it out first. If I''m sure of my thoughts, I''ll tell you." Jason retrieved his notebook and turned around to leave. Even if he did not say it, Luca knew what he was thinking. She once saw in a news report that a staff member used old surveince footage to defraud the police on the day of the incident to steal the cash that thepany''s boss had in the safe. If it were not for the police in charge who checked the surveince footage from several days ago and found that the surveince footage was exactly the same, they would never have found the real thief. She was almost certain that the footage of the corridor was also switched. Luca touched her chin. Originally, she thought this was done by an insider from the technical department but now it seemed that the security department was also involved. After all, people in the technical department did not have the ability to do such things. They were great at doing research but they could not do technical work like swapping surveince footage. Chapter 1384 Chapter 1384 Lover, Child... Luca bit her lip when she thought about that. If Jason dug deeper into the matter, he might uncover a series of misaligned interests. Watson Biopharmaceuticals was established not too long ago. Whoever was involved dared to do it because Luke was based in T Corporation. The department manager usually had the final say in Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Of course, they would cross boundaries for their own interest... However, just because Luke was not based in Watson Biopharmaceuticals, it did not mean that he did not care about thepany. What happened this time may serve as a lesson for those who wanted to take advantage of thepany. Toward the end of office hours, Jason came to Luca''s office again. His smile became wider, as though things were progressing. "Mr. Doyle, did you find out more?¡± Luca tidied some documents. She had just sorted out the budget fund application form. "There is some progress. The security footage of the corridor was altered. The footage from yesterday is the same as the day before," Jason said. Luca smiled and handed him the funding application form." This is the funding application form. Mr. Crawford said to just give it to you." Jason took it. He noticed that she was not at all surprised, as if she had guessed it a long time ago. He secretly admired her calmness and wisdom. He said, "Dr. Craw, are you not curious who switched the footage?" "Only a few people in the security department can do this. I''m not curious. If you find anything, I''m sure you''ll announce it when you¡¯re ready," Luca said. She was not being polite. She was just not curious. She was indifferent to most of thepany''s internal affairs. She was focused on her research and was not sure of who was involved with whom. Hence, she would not be of much help to the investigation. If she was curious about all these, she would not have gotten Rhett as her research assistant. Mo or the other assistants knew more about thepany¡¯s happenings. The reason she chose Rhett was not just because of his serious attitude toward work but it was also because he was not a gossipy person. At the same time, she did not like to be the center of gossip. She much preferred if those around her did not like to gossip as well. Jason praised her in his heart. Not everyone had such a calm temperament. Even though her interests were damaged, she was still calm and collected as if she had gone through a lot. It was admirable. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Jason checked the research funding application form, rolled it up, and said, "Okay, if I find anything, I''ll keep you posted at once. Now, I have to go back to the head office and submit this funding application form to Mr. Crawford. Dr. Craw, goodbye." "Goodbye.¡± Luca nodded, her expression still calm. After Jason left, she took a look at the time. There was not much time left to conduct any research. The laboratory had yet been equipped with the relevant equipment. Luca opened herptop to take a look at thetest news. After reading for a while, Amur called. Luca pressed to answer and put the phone to her ear. She asked, "Amur, did you find anything?" "No, there¡¯s no movement in the vi," Amur said. Luca blinked and thought that the light on theputer screen was a little dazzling. "Mm, okay. I''ll get off work on time today. What do you want to eat? I''ll go to the supermarket ande back to make dinner for you." i "I''ve returned to the apartment but you don''t need to worry about me. I received a mission and have to go to S City," Amur said. He had no choice when Abel assigned him a mission. If he got his hands on the medicine, he could stay with Luca afterpleting the task. However, before that could happen, he could not take on other tasks. Therefore, even if Amur was reluctant, he had to turn Luca down. "S City? Is the mission dangerous?" Luca did not ask what the mission was but asked about the risk. He was in A City, and her home was his home. She saw him as her younger brother and did not want him to take on tasks that were too dangerous. "All missions are risky, but this mission is not difficult for me. Don''t worry," Amur said. "Mm, pay attention to safety. S City is too far away, I can''t back you up from here. Amur, you must be careful," Luca said. The two of them were not rted by blood but they had been on the Ind of Despair for three years. She had already regarded him as her brother. "I¡¯ll be fine. Be careful in A City. I¡¯ll be away for longer this time and can¡¯t be by your side to protect you. If Luke is suspicious of you, don''t be indecisive. The most important thing is to protect yourself. N can''t live without her mother," Amur said. He did not feel assured. Luca had feelings for Luke, but because N was still on the ind, she could not tell him her true identity. ¡¯ When the time came and if Luke wanted to hurt Luca, her reluctance coupled with her gentleness would cause her to be hurt. "Mm, I know. Don''t worry, I¡¯ll take care of myself." Luca felt like tearing a little. She stood up and looked at the sky outside the window. When it came to Luke and N, she felt wronged by the situation. ''Why should I suffer like this?* Lover, child... She was extremely unwilling to hurt Luke but she was also unwilling to let N suffer. If she had the choice, she wanted N to live carefreely with Lanie and the others. She could see the sun and the sea instead of being locked up all the time, living in a basement where she could never see the light of day. 2 Knowing that she was listening, Amur took his luggage, took a deep breath, and said, "Okay, I''m going to catch the train." "Train? Isn''t it faster to take a ne to S City?" Luca remembered that A City had a direct flight to S City. The identity that Abel arranged for them was legal. They had ess to every mode of travel. "I''m going to a remote ce in S City and there¡¯s a direct train there. I have to go. I¡¯ll talk to youter," Amur exined. Luca hummed in response and ended the call. It happened to be six o''clock. She packed her briefcase and walked to theboratory. "Have the equipment been set up yet?" Most of the experimental instruments were made of ss so they were almost destroyed. They had to use new equipment if they needed to do experiments. "Dr. Craw, it''s almost done," one of the researchers said. Luca nodded and replied, "Thanks for your hard work. Go back and have an early rest when you''re done. We will start a new round of research tomorrow." "Okay." "Got it." Several of the researchers replied unanimously. Seeing that theboratory was almost clean, Luca turned around and left. Chapter 1385 Chapter 1385 He Wants To Listen To Reason On the way home, Luca bought some vegetables and fish. Amur was not a fan of fish so she never thought of cooking fish when he was around, but considering she was eating alone, she thought to have a change of food. After she picked up the vegetables and fish, Luca thought of Tommy, who was still in the hospital. She then bought some peanut butter. It was still early, so she nned to make some peanut butter oats for Tommy and send them to the hospital after she was done with dinner. After she ate, Luca brought the sk and arrived at the ward. Before she even walked in, she heard the nanny coaxing Tommy to eat. "Little Young Master, you only took two bites. Have a few more bites?" The nanny''s voice was full of helplessness. It was obviously because Tommy was unwilling to eat. "I don¡¯t want to eat. My mouth tastes bitter, I want to eat sweets." Tommy''s voice sounded. He sounded quite energetic. Luca walked in with the sk. Tommy saw her at a nce and said with joy, "Ms. Luca, you''re here!" Luca looked at the sumptuous dinner on the table that Tommy did not want to eat. She smiled helplessly and said," Yes, I brought you some peanut butter oats. Would you like to have some?" Tommy''s eyes were filled with excitement as he asked, "Did you make it yourself?" "Yes," Luca sat on the sofa, her heart feeling more settled when she saw how energetic he was. "I want to have some!" Tommy said immediately. When the nanny heard that he wanted to eat, she immediately stood up and said, "I''m going to prepare a bowl! If Luca nodded. After the nanny washed the bowl, she opened the sk and poured a bowl of oats. "Do you want me to feed you?" "Ms. Luca, I''ll do it myself." Tommy did not let her feed him. He took the insted bowl by himself and ate the oats with a spoon. The nanny was relieved when she saw him eating. "Ms. Luca, thankfully you came. Otherwise, Little Young Master would be hungry tonight." "I doubt he¡¯ll be hungry. Dr. Park would have prescribed a nutrition injection," Luca said. However, she knew that the nutrition injection would never be as good as the nutrients absorbed by food, so if Tommy was willing to eat, it was better to let him eat some food. The nanny nodded when she heard what Luca said. She replied, "Little Young Master keeps comining that his mouth tastes bitter. Ms. Luca, you''re more experienced than me in this aspect. Is there a way to solve this?" "He won''t taste the bitterness anymore after eating." Luca smiled. Tommy took small bites because the oats were still hot, but he did not say anything about not wanting to eat. He was enjoying the food. She felt relieved seeing him like this. "By the way, did a nurse take his temperature today? Is there a record?" Luca asked. "Yes, it was recorded. Little Young Master is doing well today. His body temperature came up normal every time he was tested," the nanny said. Luca guessed that the antibiotics worked. That kind of bacteria was resistant to many antibiotics, and penicillin was the exception. When infection first urred, the first thing doctors thought of was to use cephalosporin for treatment. If there was no special situation, they would not use penicillin. In Tommy''s case, if there was no cultivation check, they would prioritize cephalosporins as their first choice for antibiotics. Tommy looked up at Luca, pouted his mouth, and asked," Ms. Luca, when can I leave the hospital?" "If all goes well, you should be able to leave the day after tomorrow." Luca touched his head. He had to take another shot of penicillin and go through another blood test. If there were no bacteria, he could be discharged the day after tomorrow. Tommy was considered lucky because the bacteria was discovered quickly so there was no damage to his body. When Tommy heard that there was another day until he could be discharged, he was upset and puffed his cheeks." The hospital is so boring. I want to go home and y with Lanie and Rainie." "Tommy, you have bacteria in your body so you can''t run around. You must be cured before you can leave." Luca coaxed him patiently. "Bacteria? Is it contagious?" Tommy put down the insted bowl after he finished the bowl of oats. Luca nodded. This is from N?velDrama.Org. When he heard that, he said immediately, "Then, I don''t want to leave the hospital. I must be cured before I leave the hospital. I don''t want to spread the bacteria to Lanie and Rainie. Dad said that Rainie is weak and it¡¯s easy for her to get sick." Luca listened to his sensible words and felt like tearing. Luke educated children with reason. The children did not grow up excessively spoiled, so they did not need too much coaxing. They would understand and listen to reason. Tommy was a child but because of her reasoning, he no longer demanded to be discharged from the hospital and obediently stayed in the hospital. When the nanny heard it, she could not help but say, "Ms. Luca, the way you approach children is the same as Young Master Luke. You''re full of ideas. If I was the one who said it, Young Master Tommy may not listen." "It''s not that he doesn''t know how to listen but he wants to listen to reason, not the words that are said to coax him." Luca touched Tommy''s head. "Young Master Tommy is well educated. He understands reason and won¡¯t cause trouble unreasonably." Tommy listened to her as if she wasplimenting him. He rubbed his head proudly in the palm of her hand. Luca felt his movement. She smiled and asked, "Would you like to eat more?" "Okay, Ms. Luca, I want to have another bowl. The oats you made are so delicious. If I can eat the oats you make every day, life would be great!" Tommy said with joy. Luca smiled. The nanny had watched Tommy since he was a child and had be closer to him. She could not help but jokingly say, "Young Master Tommy, you¡¯ll be bored if you eat oats every day." "The oats cooked by Ms. Luca are so delicious. I''ll never get tired of it." Tommy took the insted bowl. The oats had cooled a bit so he gulped it all down. When Luke walked in, Tommy happened to finish thest bite. He looked at Luca who was sitting next to Tommy and did not feel surprised as if he knew she woulde over. When he saw his father walk in, Tommy yelled enthusiastically, "Dad, Ms. Luca made some delicious oats. Would you like to have some?" Luke nced at the sk on the coffee table and noticed that there were many dishes beside it. The sk belonged to Luca, while these dishes must have been sent by the Crawford family''s cook. "Okay." Luke nodded and sat on the single-seater sofa. Upon hearing this, the nanny immediately took out a set of tableware from the cab, ran to the bathroom to wash the tableware, and handed it over. "Young Master Luke, there¡¯s no spoon and only a fork," she said. Chapter 1386 ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Luke took the tableware, picked up the sk, and poured the oats into the bowl. He asked, ¡°Why are you free today?¡± ¡°Nothing much is going on in thepany so I got off work on time and brought some oats for Tommy,¡± Luca rubbed her hands and replied. Luke responded, picked up the bowl, ate a mouthful, then took another bite of the dishes that the Crawford family¡¯s cook prepared. Tommy sat with his legs crossed and watched Luke slowly eating the oats. He smiled and asked, ¡°Dad, aren¡¯t the oats made by Ms. Luca delicious?¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± Luke finished his bowl of oats and poured the remaining oats into the bowl. Luca was a little speechless when she watched him eat slowly. She did not expect Luke would eat the oats she made. If she knew that he would, she would have prepared more. She nced at the sk and noted that the sk could not hold that much food either. Luca stood up, took the empty sk, and nned to clean it. If it was not cleaned in time, it would be difficult to clean it when she got hometer due to the sticky oats. Upon seeing this, the nanny said quickly, ¡°Ms. Luca, let me do it.¡± Luca shook her head and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can do it.¡± She cleaned the sk, and Luke finished thest bite of oats. When she walked out, the nanny asked, ¡°Young Master Luke, are you full? Would you like to eat a little more?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had enough.¡± Luke put down the tableware. He did not eat much in Watson Biopharmaceuticals¡¯ cafeteria during lunch. He was a little hungry and felt better after he had something to eat. After listening to what he said, the nanny nodded and silently cleaned up the dishes. Luca walked out while carrying a sk. She said, ¡°I¡¯m going to head home now.¡± ¡°Ms. Luca, you¡¯re leaving so soon?¡± Tommy jumped off the sofa. He did not have a fever, so he felt much better. ¡°Mm, I still have some work to do.¡± Luca wanted to stay and spend more time with Tommy but Luke was around. She thought about it and chose to leave. Tommy was reluctant to see her leave. He shook her arm and said, ¡°Ms. Luca, will youe tomorrow? I want to eat your cooking.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Luca felt cornered. It was not that she did not want to, but she would have to re-do the research the next day. It was likely that she would have to work overtime. ¡°I would likely be busy with work tomorrow.¡± If she worked overtime and cooked him oats, he would be starving when she arrived at the hospital. ¡°In that case¡­¡± Instantly, Tommy put on a bummed-out expression. Luke noticed how sad he looked. He looked at Luca and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell him?¡± Luca was taken aback and replied, ¡°Tell him what?¡± Seeing her reaction, Luke knew that she had not told Tommy. He said, ¡°After you¡¯re discharged from the hospital, you can eat her cooking every night.¡± Tommy widened his eyes and said in disbelief, ¡°Dad, is that true?¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Luca has already agreed.¡± Luke looked at Luca. Tommy looked up at Luca. His chubby face instantly became thinner because of his actions. true? Will I be able to eat at your house in the future?¡± ¡°Mm, yes.¡± Luca nodded. ¡®So this was what he was talking about.¡¯ ¡°Wow, great!¡± Tommy pped his hands happily. ¡°Ms. Luca, I¡¯ll get better soon.¡± Luca smiled upon seeing how energetic he was. She could not help but squeeze his little cheek. She did not use any force and did it affectionately. ¡°Okay, get better soon. I¡¯ll go home now.¡± ¡°Goodbye, Ms. Luca!¡± Tommy waved his hand happily knowing that he would be able to eat dinner cooked by her and see her every day. Luca turned around to leave. Luke noticed her actions and had a yful expression on. His index finger subconsciously tapped the arm of the sofa as he watched her leave. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Tommy ran up to him, smiled, and said, ¡°Dad, I love you so much!¡± Luke raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you love me before?¡± ¡°I loved you before but I love you more now. Dad, I¡¯m so happy that you¡¯ve arranged so that I can eat Ms. Luca¡¯s food every day!¡± Tommy said. Lukeughed out loud when he saw how excited Tommy was. He was also happy because it meant he could also see Luca every day. He seemed to have killed two birds with one stone. He made this arrangement for a purpose. He wanted more opportunities to get close to Luca. After all, he was very suspicious of her current identity, but he did not expect Tommy to be so happy about it too. Luke shook his head. He felt warm from Tommy¡¯s happiness, and the corners of his mouth could not help but turn into a smile. At that moment, a pair of mother and daughter appeared at the door of the ward. The little girl pointed to Tommy and said, ¡°Mom, this is it.¡± The nanny did not know who they were so she immediately stepped forward and asked, ¡°May I ask you who you are?¡± ¡°Hello, we heard that Tommy is sick so we came here to visit.¡± The woman smiled gracefully and said while she lifted the sk and fruit basket in her hand. ¡°You are¡­¡± The nanny wondered. ¡°My daughter and Tommy are ssmates.¡± Wendy Jennings exined. The nanny nodded in response and when she turned around, Tommy had already walked over. He looked at the little girl and asked, ¡°Lydia, why are you in the hospital?¡± ¡°I came to visit you,¡± Lydia replied without much joy in her expression. Children hated hospitals. Wendy looked at Tommy and was overjoyed when she saw the man sitting inside. She took Lydia¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Tommy, I heard the teacher mention that you¡¯re sick, so we came to visit. I even made some chicken soup for you. It¡¯s good for your health. Would you like to drink some?¡± Tommy shook his head. He had Luca¡¯s oats and was not interested in the chicken soup at all. ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯m full.¡± Wendy saw that her kind gesture was rejected, so she took the fruit basket and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You can just have some fruits, then. Tommy and Mr. Crawford, do you want to have some?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, thank you.¡± Although Tommy did not like the two people in front of him, he was still polite. Lydia had offended him in school and he was not happy to see her. Wendy felt embarrassed when Tommy did not ept the food she prepared for him. She nced at the man sitting on the sofa. They were talking so loudly but he did not even look up once. She paused and said, ¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll put the fruit basket and chicken soup aside. Whenever you want to eat them, you can just take them out.¡± With that, she took her daughter¡¯s hand and walked in. Luke looked away from the phone screen and frowned as he looked at the woman who walked in. Chapter 1387 ¡®Who is she?¡¯ Luke had some doubts in his heart. Before he could ask, Wendy introduced herself. ¡°Mr. Crawford, what a coincidence. I didn¡¯t expect that a busy person like you would have the time to take care of your children in the hospital.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± He only gave a short reply when faced with the other party¡¯s enthusiasm. Wendy felt a little embarrassed. She went to pick up Lydia from school and overheard the teacher discussing Tommy¡¯s situation. She found out that he was sick and hospitalized when she asked for more details. When she saw Luke at the school event previously, she fell in love with him at first sight. However, she did not manage to bump into him whenever she sent her child to school and picked her up. That was why when she learned that Tommy was sick and hospitalized, she felt that her opportunity had arrived. After she picked up Lydia, she rushed to the supermarket to buy some ingredients to make chicken soup for Tommy. She then bought a fruit basket and brought everything to the hospital. She just wanted to try her luck and was pleasantly surprised to bump into Luke. However, his reaction was not promising¡­ Wendy asked enthusiastically, ¡°Mr. Crawford, would you like some chicken soup? I made it myself. It¡¯s good for both adults and children.¡± Lydia, who was at the side, also chimed in, ¡°Yes, my mother¡¯s soup is delicious.¡± ¡°No, thank you.¡± Luke did not even look at the sk. Speaking of chicken soup, he had yet to try Luca¡¯s chicken soup. He wondered if it was as delicious as her oats. Wendy¡¯s smile froze. Neither father nor son epted her kind gesture as if she was superfluous. She nced around the ward and saw no one else there. The woman who stopped them at the door did not seem to be Luke¡¯s wife either. She asked curiously, ¡°By the way, what about Mrs. Crawford? Why isn¡¯t she around?¡± She knew that Luke had a wife. For an amazing man like him, even if she could not be his wife, she was more than happy to be his kept lover. That was why Wendy came here. Of course, it would be better if she could be Mrs. Crawford. ¡°She¡¯s abroad,¡± Luke said. When Wendy heard that, she felt that the opportunity hade. After all, Tommy was sick and hospitalized but his mother was not by his side. She was in a foreign country. It seemed that she did not care about her children¡­ She said, ¡°In that case, aren¡¯t you tired from having to take care of your children by yourself while having to go to work? If you don¡¯t mind, I can¡ª¡± ¡°The children are taken care of by a nanny, so don¡¯t you worry.¡± Luke interrupted her mercilessly before she could finish her sentence. It was not that he did not understand what she meant. He just did not care for this kind of woman. Wendy was a little embarrassed that she was interrupted. ¡®It¡¯s impossible that a man as smart as him isn¡¯t aware of my intentions. Is there no chance for me?¡¯ She spent so much money to send Lydia to such an expensive school just to get a chance. It took her some time to find someone like Luke. She did not want to let it go without a fight. ¡°Yes, it¡¯ll save a lot of trouble to have a nanny to take care of the kids, but it¡¯s better to take care of the children ourselves. In fact, I wanted to let you know that I have a lot of free time, so if you want¡ª¡± Before Wendy finished speaking, she was interrupted by the nanny. ¡°Hello, Ms. Wendy, I¡¯m the one who usually takes care of Young Master Tommy. I know all of Young Master Tommy¡¯s likes and dislikes. I can take good care of him.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Tommy replied, ¡°Aunt takes care of me very well. My father is usually very busy, so she¡¯s the one who takes care of me. Thanks to her, I grew up safe and healthy.¡± They could all tell that Wendy was interested in Luke and knew where Luke stood on this matter. As such, they were not afraid that they would offend Luke when they said this. After all, the nanny had seen a lot of women like this, while Tommy had met even more. It was all wishful thinking if these women thought being nice to his kids would get Luke to take another look at them. The nanny did not have a good impression of Wendy. If they were to choose a new wife for Luke, Luca would still be the most suitable choice. After all, she had never offended anyone or insinuated that she was not taking good care of the kids. Some would think Wendy was praising her but others would think that she was telling Luke that the nanny was not doing a good job. Wendy was speechless when she heard their replies. What else could she say? Although she felt embarrassed, she still got useful intel, which was that Mrs. Crawford did not take care of the family and children well. As long as she made use of her strengths, she still had a chance¡­ After all, all men liked virtuous women¡­ Lydia was young but she knew a lot. Seeing her mother so embarrassed, she said, ¡°Uncle, can Ie and y with Tommy? We¡¯re close ssmates. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s bored in the hospital, so I want toe and y with him. Is it okay?¡± Lydia hated Tommy. She always felt that he was too rich and ipatible with her. However, Wendy had instilled certain ideas in her since she was a child. She knew that she still needed to do this if she wanted to live a better life in the future. Before Luke could answer, Tommy said, ¡°No need for that. I¡¯ll be discharged from the hospital the day after tomorrow, and the hospital isn¡¯t boring at all. I have Ms. Luca with me and I have cartoons to keep me entertained.¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Wendy was stunned and wondered how such a cute kid could be so difficult. However, she did not ask who Ms. Luca was. She just thought that Ms. Luca was one of his nannies. Before she came, she had found out all that she could about the Crawford family. She knew exactly how many children Luke had. Wendy lowered her head and exchanged nces with her daughter, feeling that their trip here was pointless. When she was about to say something, Luke¡¯s phone vibrated. He clicked on his phone, looked at the text sent by Gale, and stood up. Wendy looked at him and kept thinking about topics of conversation. Before she could speak, Luke said, ¡°I¡¯ll be heading off. If there¡¯s nothing else, the two of you should leave.¡± ¡°Ah, okay¡­¡± When Wendy heard that he was leaving, she knew that it was pointless for her to stay. She nodded and when she was about to leave, Luke said, ¡°Take the fruits and sk with you.¡± Wendy said, ¡°Children like fruits, and chicken soup is good for your health.¡± ¡°Our family has a cook, so the kids don¡¯tck either of these. There are already a lot of fruits in the ward. You should take them home with you,¡± Luke said as he walked out of the ward. As soon as Wendy heard it, she knew it was pointless to insist any further so she picked up the sk and fruit basket awkwardly. Chapter 1388 After Luke left the room, Wendy picked up the sk and fruit basket, took Lydia¡¯s hand, and left the room. In the room, the caretaker looked at Tommy and asked, ¡°Master Tommy, do you think Sir will me me for what I said?¡± Tommy shook his head. ¡°Definitely not. Daddy hates people like her. You did a good job, and I think Daddy should give you a pay raise!¡± Tommy had seen simr scenes frequently y out in the past. He was not surprised by what happened earlier. He had to admit that his father was very handsome, and many women were attracted to him. That was why he knew how to deal with situations like that. Even if Luke eventually divorced Bianca, Tommy would not want Lydia¡¯s mother to be their mother! Tommy rubbed his chin. Indeed, Luca was still the prime candidate. Meanwhile, Luke arrived at the elevator lobby. While waiting for the elevator, Wendy and her daughter arrived there too. She deliberately stood near him, which caused her to blush. ¡®He smells so nice¡­¡¯ Lydia wagged her hand as though she was trying to hint at something. Wendy came to her senses. She smiled and asked Luke, ¡°Where are you going, Mr. Crawford?¡± ¡°I have some business back in thepany,¡± Luke said. Actually, Gale had told him that there was something urgent. ¡°Company business¡­ are you in a hurry? If you¡¯re not, can Lydia and I ride along with you? It¡¯s only ten minutes away. It¡¯s a little hard to catch a cab at this hour, and I wouldn¡¯t want to im¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s very urgent,¡± Luke interrupted her before she could finish her sentence. Wendy¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment after the repeated rejections. She thought that she was quite attractive, but that man did not seem to be interested at all. Subconsciously, her grip on Lydia¡¯s hand became harder. ¡°Mommy,¡± she called out softly because she could not take it anymore. Wendy came to her senses and smiled. ¡°I see, then I shouldn¡¯t take up any more of your time. Lydia and I can catch a cab home.¡± Wendy tried to make herself sound as pitiful as possible, but Luke remained impassive. The woman next to her was no more than a stranger. He only talked to her because her daughter was Tommy¡¯s ssmate. Otherwise, he would not even have bothered. The elevator doors opened, and Luke went inside. Wendy wanted to stand next to him, but the other people in the elevator pushed her to a corner. She had no choice but to stand in a corner with her daughter on the ride down. She stepped out of the elevator at the first-floor lobby. Before she left, she turned her head and looked longingly at Luke. Luke exited the elevator at the basement level, went to his car, and sped toward the mansion in the outskirts. Gale was already waiting for him at the door. ¡°You¡¯re here, Boss,¡± he said. Luke stepped out of the car and went into the house. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°That woman suddenly had a seizure. Rain is treating her now, and we still don¡¯t know what happened.¡± Earlier, Gale had informed Luke immediately after Bianca went into a seizure. After all, the impostor Bianca had the information they wanted on the Ind of Despair. ¡°Let me see.¡± Luke walked down the stairs toward the basement. A pungent stench assailed their nostrils when the basement door opened. Gale exined, ¡°We¡¯ve been cleaning up every day, but that woman is making a mess on purpose. Sorry that we can¡¯t do anything about the smell.¡± Luke frowned and walked inside. He saw Rain injecting Bianca with something, so he asked her, ¡°What¡¯s her condition?¡± ¡°From what I observe, she¡¯s exhibiting withdrawal symptoms,¡± Rain exined. After injecting the liquid into Bianca¡¯s veins, she pulled out the needle and carefully put the drop of blood stuck to it into a beaker. This is from N?velDrama.Org. She would use it for researchter. ¡°Withdrawal symptoms? From what?¡± Luke asked. In the three years the impostor Bianca lived in Crawford Manor, Luke had never seen her take any drugs. ¡°Boss, do you remember the drug that Kassy used to give you to brainwash you? It¡¯s a vial of blue liquid,¡± Rain said. Luke nodded. The horrible stench in the air caused him to frown hard. ¡°There¡¯s a doctor on the Ind of Despair that invents new types of drugs. When we were there, this drug was still under development, and they only experimented with it on the captives. It¡¯s like a poison, but its effects can be suppressed by taking the antidote at regr intervals. It¡¯s been a few years, so I guess that the drug must be ready for widespread usage by now. The people on the Ind of Despair must have taken the drug before they leave, and their movements are controlled by issuing them the drug periodically,¡± Rain guessed. Luke¡¯s expression darkened when he heard that. ¡°What are you giving her now?¡± ¡°A sedative,¡± Rain said. ¡°Her seizures were quite serious. If I don¡¯t give her a sedative, I don¡¯t know if she¡¯d be able tost through the night. That¡¯s all I can do for now. I¡¯ll analyze the blood sample to see if my guess is true, but even if it is, don¡¯t put too much hope on it. I can¡¯t create an antidote so quickly. You should be mentally prepared, Boss¡­¡± What Rain meant was that Luke should be prepared that Bianca¡¯s life might be in danger because they did not have the antidote. Luke¡¯s expression darkened even more. He went up to the impostor Bianca, grabbed her cor even though it was filthy, and asked her, ¡°Where is my wife?¡± The impostor Bianca was still conscious. Sheughed contemptuously and said weakly, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Even if I do, I won¡¯t tell you.¡± Luke¡¯s grip on her neck became tighter. The impostor Bianca struggled to breathe. She slowly closed her eyes and tried hard not to beg. Over the past few days, she had experienced the man¡¯s heartlessness. He would not yield no matter how she begged him. She did not want to die just like that. She had been hoping that he would beg her to save Tommy, but he did not have any intention of doing that¡­ ¡®Could it be¡­¡¯ Feeling the grip around her neck bing tighter and tighter, she said, ¡°I¡¯d rather die¡­ than tell you¡­ where the real Bianca is¡­ Also¡­ if I die¡­ your son won¡¯t live too¡­ only I can save him!¡± A hint of viciousness shed in Luke¡¯s eyes. He lifted the impostor Bianca up high, then let go of her. Bang! She fell heavily on the bed. The pain already in the impostor Bianca¡¯s body made her unable to feel any more external pain. She laughed savagely and said, ¡°Hahahaha! Are you willing to let your son die just so that you can find your wife?¡± Chapter 1389 Luke clenched his fists as he looked at the impostor¡¯s contorted face. She was in so much pain, yet she did not give up the chance to mock him. ¡°My son is fine,¡± he said coldly. The impostor abruptly stoppedughing when she heard that, and she stared at Luke in disbelief. ¡®His son is fine? That can¡¯t be!¡¯ She struggled to get a closer look at the man in front of him. His expression did not seem like that of a liar. ¡®If Tommy is fine¡­ did someone save him?¡¯ She could only think of one person that could save Tommy, and that person was Luca. Luca was also from the Ind of Despair, and she was very concerned about the three children¡¯s well- being. The impostor wondered if Luca had thought about her when she saved Tommy. Luca must have found out that the impostor was the one who poisoned Tommy with the bacteria, and she would definitely want to confront her. If Luca tried to detect her location, she would definitely find out where she was. The impostor began to feel nervous. Did Luca already know about her predicament but was not nning to save her? The impostor wanted to sit up so that she could look at Luke eye to eye, but the sedative was already taking effect. Her consciousness slipped away, and she slowly closed her eyes. Luke continued to re at the woman, even though she had already fallen asleep. He did not unclench his fists for a very long time. Rain was worried that the impostor Bianca would notst for long without the antidote. It would be much more difficult to find the real Bianca. ¡°Boss¡­¡± she spoke, but Gale stopped her. Rain turned to look at Gale. Gale shook his head and said, ¡°Go. Take a blood sample.¡± Rain nodded, took out a clean syringe, and drew half a tube of blood. ¡°When can you get results?¡± Luke asked. He was not worried about the impostor, though he did not want her to die so quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll need at least three hours. The equipment I have isn¡¯t very advanced,¡± Rain said as she held a tray and looked at Luke. ¡°Boss, Tommy is still in the hospital, and you should go and apany him. When I get the results, I¡¯ll let you know immediately.¡± ¡°The caretaker is at the hospital, so there¡¯s no need to worry. I¡¯ll wait here,¡± Luke said and walked out of the basement. Rain told Gale, ¡°Keep a close eye on her. I¡¯ll be at theb analyzing the blood sample.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Gale nodded. Rain took the tube of blood and quickly went to the makeshiftboratory she had set up for herself. Luke sat on the couch in the living room. His thoughts wandered from the impostor Bianca to the real Bianca. When his thoughts went to Luca, he began to feel inexplicably flustered. He had always thought that he had a firm grip on things. This three-year-long ordeal, however, was the only thing that he felt unconfident about. The more he thought about it, the more troubled he got. He went to the wine cer, took out a bottle of red wine, and began to drink from it while waiting for the test results. Rain came out of herb around midnight. She had a grim expression on her face. ¡°How is it?¡± Luke asked. Rain handed the report to Luke. ¡°ording to the analysis, the concentration of poison in her body is indeed very high, but it¡¯ll take some time to discern what type of poison it is. Worse yet¡­¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°What?¡± Luke took a swig of wine when he heard that the impostor Bianca was poisoned. ¡°Even if I know what type of poison it is, I still don¡¯t know its source yet. I can spend some time trying to find its source, but I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯ll take, not to mention finding out theponents of the antidote¡­¡± Rain said grimly. ¡°Only the creator of the poison knows how to cure it. You can find the best toxicologist in the world, and they won¡¯t be able to tell you how long they¡¯ll take to make the antidote. I don¡¯t think the impostor Bianca can wait that long.¡± Luke could understand the implications of Rain¡¯s words. The best researchers in the field that he knew were Johann and Luca. Even if they worked together, they could not guarantee that they could save the impostor¡¯s life. Rain could see that Luke was displeased. She said, ¡°Boss, knowing how the Ind of Despair operates, they must have a base of operations in A City so that the impostor Bianca can take her monthly antidote. Now that it¡¯s time for her to take her antidote and she doesn¡¯t show up, the people from the Ind of Despair will definitely suspect something. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll take them long to find our whereabouts.¡± What Rain said was most likely true, but her words also reminded Luke of something else. The impostor Bianca would have to go to a specific ce every month to take the antidote. If they could find its location using the car¡¯s dashcam, they would be able to find more people from the Ind of Despair. Luke took out his phone and gave a call to Jason, ignoring the fact that it was past midnight. ¡°Yes, Mr. Crawford?¡± Jason said. ¡°Go to Crawford Manor, find Bianca¡¯s car, and remove the dashcam,¡± Luke said. ¡°Yes,¡± Jason replied. After Luke ended the call, Rain raised her suspicions. ¡°Boss, the impostor Bianca probably only goes to the base of operations once every month. If the dashcam is always on, would the previous records be overwritten?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if we can find it, but the memory card in the dashcam is the biggest one on the market.¡± Luke had bought the car for the impostor Bianca because she wanted one. He was worried that something might happen to her because she had lost her memories, so he had installed a dashcam on her car and equipped it with the biggest memory card. He had never essed the memory card before, so he did not know if the dashcam would overwrite any old records when the memory was full. In any case, that was the only clue they had. ¡°I hope that the dashcam can help us,¡± Rain said grimly. She had just finished speaking when Gale came to them and said anxiously, ¡°She woke up and started twitching again.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go and check on her.¡± Rain dashed into the basement immediately. The impostor Biancay on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Her entire body, including her eyes, was twitching. She looked like an entirely different person. Rain deftly inserted another dose of sedative into the syringe. She tried to find a vein, but the twitching made her unable to do so. She removed her clothes and said to Gale, ¡°Come and help me hold her down. I want to give her an intracardiac injection.¡± Chapter 1390 Gale immediately stepped up and held the impostor Bianca¡¯s shoulders firmly so that she did not twitch as much. Rain found the right opportunity, plunged the syringe into her chest, and injected the sedative into her heart. The sedative worked almost immediately. Before the impostor Bianca could say anything to Luke, she calmed down and slowly closed her eyes. Rain wiped away some sweat on her forehead, then turned around and spoke to Luke, ¡°She¡¯s not going tost for much longer, Boss. What should we do?¡± Luke looked at the impostor¡¯s pale face. That face was exactly the same as Bianca¡¯s face, but they were two different people. He had been deceived so badly¡­ His face was ashen with anger. ¡°If she dies, deal with the body appropriately. Also, the other side must have already been alerted because she didn¡¯t go to take the antidote. They might have already started acting against us, so you should be careful. I¡¯ll send more bodyguards to guard the mansionter in the day so you can focus on your task.¡± Gale nodded. He nced at the impostor Bianca, but there was no hint of sympathy in his eyes. Rain voiced her concerns. ¡°It¡¯s not hard for us to deal with the body, but how are you going to exin it to the kids? Even though Lanie and Rainie know that she¡¯s an impostor, what about Tommy?¡± She was concerned that Tommy was still young and not as mature as his elder siblings. It would be very troublesome if Tommy wanted his mother. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t make a fuss.¡± Luke nced resentfully at the woman on the bed. Then, he turned around and left the basement. He suspected Luca had something to do with this, so he nned to use Tommy to find out more. It was a good thing that Tommy liked Luca more than the impostor Bianca, so Tommy would not throw a tantrum over his mother¡¯s disappearance. As Rain watched Luke leave, she bumped Gale with her elbow and asked him, ¡°What does Boss mean?¡± Gale shook his head. He did not know either. Two hourster, Jason arrived at the mansion with the item that Luke wanted. It was the first time he was there because he had not been part of Luke¡¯s n so far. ¡°Here¡¯s the dashcam, Mr. Crawford,¡± Jason said as he took out the dashcam. Luke nodded and looked at Gale. Gale picked up the dashcam, took out the memory card, and inserted it into theputer. ¡°When is the earliest record?¡± Luke asked. Gale browsed through the files. A whileter, a smile appeared on his face. ¡°Good news, Boss. The earliest record is from one and a half months ago.¡± Luke reclined on the couch. He seemed more rxed. He gave Gale two dates. The first was thirty days ago, and the other was the day when the impostor Bianca took Rainie away. The impostor Bianca did not have too many interactions with Luca. Luke could only guess that the two women met on those two dates. Gale nodded and began to sift through the files. Luke turned to speak to Jason, ¡°It¡¯s veryte. You should go home.¡± Jason replied, ¡°Mr. Crawford, I think I should wait¡­¡± Luke picked up his wine ss and said, ¡°Come back in the morning. I need you for something else.¡± Seeing that Luke was so insistent that he leave, Jason nodded and walked away. He was not going to refuse rest. By the time he got back, he would be able to cuddle with Sue for another two hours. ¡­ Luca woke up suddenly in the middle of the night. When she opened her eyes, she realized that the ringing of her phone had interrupted her nightmare. The phone was still ringing. Groggily, Luca picked up the phone, and her eyes widened when she saw a long string of numbers on the screen. Two secondster, she answered the call. ¡°What are you doing now?¡± Abel said. His voice was as sinister and chilling as the dark night. ¡°I¡¯m sleeping in my apartment,¡± Luca said woodenly as she stared at the ceiling. She tried to recall the nightmare she had earlier. She could not remember the details, but she knew that it was very scary. ¡°Have you met Bianca recently?¡± Abel asked. His contact in A City had told him that Bianca had not gone to take her antidote, and it was already two days past the appointed date. ¡°No.¡± Luca slowly closed her eyes. She did not expect that Abel would call her to ask her about it. It should not have been surprising that Abel would find out about Bianca¡¯s disappearance. Not only control his minions, but it also ensured that his minions did not run away. ¡°That was a fast answer. Do you know something that I don¡¯t?¡± Abel asked suspiciously. He was not used to getting snappy answers from her. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy at work. I haven¡¯t seen that woman recently,¡± Luca repeated her answer. She knew that Abel was an oversensitive person and would ask the same question in different ways, so she would answer his questions the same way with the same tone of voice. ¡°It¡¯s time that Bianca took the antidote, but she hasn¡¯t shown up. I have a new mission for you. Go and find out where she is.¡± Abel did not ask her any more questions. If she did not want to admit it, he knew that it was useless to dwell on the same question. Luca knew that Luke did not have much time to get to the bottom of the issue. There was only so much that he could do in a month. ¡°Why do I have to search for her? Don¡¯t you have other minions in A City?¡± Luca sounded reluctant to pick up the mission. Her purpose in A City was different from the others, so she had never needed to pick up those missions. Her only mission was to be Abel¡¯s weapon against Luke. ¡°They¡¯re also looking for her, but I need you to do it too. I suspect that Luke Crawford is keeping Bianca captive. Try to find out where she is. You¡¯re the only one who can do it,¡± Abel said. He was not going to let Luca refuse. Luca paused and did not say anything. Abel seemed to have realized something. He narrowed his gaze and asked her, ¡°Do you know something that I don¡¯t?¡± ¡°I only know as much as you do,¡± Luca said. ¡°It¡¯ll be too risky for me to investigate Luke. I¡¯d be easily exposed.¡± Now that Luke was holding the impostor Bianca captive, Luca would be implicated if she obeyed Abel¡¯s orders. ¡°You just have to do what I tell you to, Ivana. You have no right to refuse. I want to know if Luke Crawford is holding Bianca captive and how much he knows. Go and get to the bottom of it, then report your findings to me,¡± Abel said coldly. The iciness in his tone caused her to shudder. Then, he continued, ¡°Don¡¯t even think of doing anything stupid. Your precious daughter is still in my hands. All you can do is do what I say so that she doesn¡¯t suffer.¡± Chapter 1391 Luca slowly clenched her fists when she heard that Abel was using N to threaten her. Indeed, with N in his hands, she had no choice but to obey what he said. However, she wanted to try to give Luke more time. ¡°I understand,¡± Luca said. The next second, Abel ended the call. In the conversation earlier, Abel had spoken a lot more than he usually did. Luca could tell that he was getting nervous because of the impostor¡¯s disappearance. Luca knew why he was so nervous. A few years ago, Luke had brought down everything Robert had built for decades. Even though Luke did not know who the leader of the current Ind of Despair was, he was well- equipped to fight against Abel when it came to it. Luca put her phone away and closed her eyes. It was already two days since the impostor Bianca was supposed to take the antidote. Without the antidote, she would soon meet her end unless Luke suddenly changed his mind. Gale and Rain would not be able to devise a cure for the poison. Even she herself could not. Luca flipped over and closed her eyes, though she could not stop thinking. To Abel, the impostor Bianca was nothing more than a pawn, and Abel never had any sympathy for his pawns. Abel did not care whether the impostor Bianca lived or died, but he did not want her to divulge too much information about the Ind of Despair. It was probably a good thing that the impostor Bianca died. That way, no one would harm Luca¡¯s three children. Luca opened her eyes and stared into the darkness. Since when had she be that uncaring? She did not care whether anyone else lived or died¡­ The only people that she cared for were Luke and her four children. ¡­ The next day, when Luca arrived at the Watson office, she saw Mo putting up a notice at the notice board. Luca had never cared for those notices. When she walked past Mo, Mo said, ¡°You¡¯re here, Dr. Craw.¡± ¡°Mm. Good morning.¡± Luca nodded. Seeing that Luca was ignoring the notice board, Mo reminded her, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to take a look at the notice? It concerns you.¡± ¡®It concerns me?¡¯ Luca stopped walking and turned around to look at the notice on the notice board. The notice was very long, but the gist was that the T Corporation building had vacated two floors to be an extension of Watson¡¯s researchboratory. Only some of the researchers from the Technical Department were moving over. Luca read the notice carefully. Only her team of researchers were moving over. ¡°Why are we moving?¡± Luca mumbled to herself. She did not know what was going on. She thought that Luke was singling her out. Of course, that was only a hunch. ¡°Dr. Craw, I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s because of what happened to yourb yesterday. Mr. Crawford doesn¡¯t trust the security system here, and he doesn¡¯t want the progress of your research to bepromised. Your team will be the first to move there. When other research teams reach the clinical trials phase, they would be moving over too,¡± Mo exined. In the entirepany, only Luca¡¯s team was in the clinical trial phase. ¡°Won¡¯t that be very troublesome?¡± Luca frowned and said. It would be a hassle to move theputers andboratory equipment between the two buildings. That would incur a huge cost to thepany. Luca knew that Luke prioritized efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Would he do that just because of what happened yesterday? ¡°It¡¯s not troublesome at all. The headquarters has already made all the arrangements. There¡¯ll be an administrative assistant handling the move, and you¡¯ll be the department manager when you¡¯re there. Also, Mr. Doyle has arranged for a mover. When your team has finished packing up, the truck will bring the items over to T Corporation,¡± Mo said with a smile. She noticed that Luca did not seem happy at all, so she said, ¡°Dr. Craw, you might not enjoy as much freedom in T Corporation, but you¡¯ll be in the city center, and it¡¯ll be much safer there. It¡¯s not a bad trade-off.¡± Luca did not think it was a good thing to move there. Luke might be concerned about the security of her research team, but she did not want to be working in the same building as Luke, especially not when Abel had given her a new mission the night before. She would have to keep her guard at all times when she was there. Luca massaged her forehead, not paying attention to what Mo was telling her. She made up an excuse and went into herboratory. The members of her research team had already read the notice and were busy packing up their equipment. They had only cleaned up yesterday¡¯s mess, and they had to pack the equipment in boxes again. The people greeted Luca when they saw her enter theboratory. Luca nodded and went back to her office. Rhett came to her office with several empty cardboard boxes. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared some boxes for you, Dr. Craw.¡± Luca nodded and said, ¡°ce them next to the door. I¡¯ll pack up in a while.¡± Rhett ced the boxes next to the door and reminded her, ¡°Dr. Craw, you should keep the most important documents securely, and you should bring them there yourself. You can leave the rest to the movers. Just make sure that youbel the boxes with your name.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Luca nodded. After Rhett left, Cole came into Luca¡¯s office. He saw that Luca was not busy packing her belongings and said jealously, ¡°Hey, Dr. Craw, why aren¡¯t you packing up yet?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no rush.¡± Luca frowned when she heard the jealousy in Cole¡¯s tone. Was Cole looking for trouble with her? ¡°Congrattions, Dr. Craw. Your teams are the first ones to move to the headquarters.¡± From N?velDrama.Org. Cole was displeased when he thought that Luca would not be under his management anymore. He did not expect that his ploy did not threaten her position in thepany. Instead, it had helped her! It was a great honor to be able to work in T Corporation! Now, Luca alone enjoyed the honor, and she was made the department manager. Also, much to his dismay, Talia was not willing to take the fall alone. Cole was incredibly frustrated. Luca replied calmly, ¡°You¡¯ll have a chance too, Dr. Kidman. You can move there once your research is in the clinical trial phase.¡± That was what was written on the notice, but Cole knew that being the first had its advantages. By the time he was qualified to move to T Corporation, he might be Luca¡¯s subordinate instead. ¡®How pretentious!¡¯ Cole thought when he looked at Luca¡¯s face. He congratted her again and left the office. Luca shook her head. Even though she did not want to move over to T Corporation, the choice was not hers to make. She closed the door and began to pack up the documents. Chapter 1392 In the afternoon, all the research data and equipment were carried onto the moving truck and brought to T Corporation. Luca did not have a car, so she sat in the car of one of the researchers. During the ride, the two other researchers in the car expressed their excitement about moving to T Corporation. Their houses were closer downtown, and Watson was rtively far for them. Luca turned her head to look at the receding scenery outside the window while passively listening to their conversation. She did not want to think about it, but she could not help guessing Luke¡¯s motives for the move. ¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± the driver suddenly said, which brought Luca back to her senses. She suddenly felt a sense of mncholy as the car slowly drove into the basement parking lot. She could not help but feel that fate had brought her back to T Corporation. After the car came to a stop, she opened the door and stepped out. Jason had already tasked someone to wait for them at the elevator lobby. After exchanging some pleasantries, the person brought Luca and the others to the twelfth floor. Luca tried to recall the name of the department that used to upy the twelfth floor. It did not take too long for her to find the answer. The entire building belonged to T Corporation, so it was not hard for Luke to shift departments around. The entire eleventh and twelfth floor belonged to Luca¡¯s department. Rhett had reached the building a little earlier than Luca. He had already surveyed the location, so he went up to Luca and told her, ¡°Dr. Craw, your office is at the end of the corridor. It¡¯s very quiet.¡± Luca nodded. Even though Rhett had not been working under Luca for a long time, he already knew her habits. Her office was secluded, but it also meant that she would not be disturbed. That was exactly what she wanted. The elevator arrived on the twelfth floor. Rhett told her, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you around, Dr. Craw.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Luca wanted to tell him that she was familiar with every floor of T Corporation, but her current identity did not allow her to do that without raising suspicion. Instead, she did not say anything and followed behind him. Rhett opened the door to her office and led her inside. Luca looked around the spacious and brightly-lit office. She wondered if Luke had installed security cameras to spy on her. ¡®I¡¯m sure he moved me here to keep a close eye on me¡­¡± Seeing that Luca did not say anything, Rhett asked, ¡°Dr. Craw, if you have any specific requirements, you can tell them to the administrative assistant that Mr. Crawford had assigned to our department. You can let her know anything you want, and she¡¯ll make the appropriate arrangements.¡± The office was already well-equipped, and Luca did not think that she wascking anything. She shook her head and said, ¡°I have everything I need for now. Tell the movers to bring my two boxes to my office first. I want to organize them so that I can resume my research tomorrow.¡± Rhett could understand Luca¡¯s worry. The research data had beenpromised, and the progress was seriously dyed. Even though Luke did not me them, they would still need to meet the deadline. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll inform them.¡± Rhett nodded and left the office. Luca ced a small cardboard box on the table and began to unpack the documents. She had been carrying that box with her while the others were in the moving truck. She did not close the door because the movers would be arriving soon. Jason came in through the door with a smile on his face. ¡°Good afternoon, Dr. Craw. Have you gotten used to the new environment yet?¡± Luca turned around and smiled at him. ¡°It¡¯s my first time here. I can¡¯t say whether I¡¯m used to this ce yet.¡± Jason thought that she would try to appease him and say that she had gotten used to the ce or that the office was very nice. He did not expect her to give him a candid answer. ¡°Haha, the conditions here are much better than Watson. I think that you¡¯ll like it a lot better here,¡± Jasonughed drily. Luca wondered why Jason was so free to chat up with her. She asked him, ¡°Mr. Doyle, have you found the culprit who made a mess of myb?¡± ¡°I found the security guard on duty that night. He was the only one on duty, so he can¡¯t make up any excuses. Things are looking to be quite easy, so I got someone else to continue with the investigation,¡± Jason answered. The new mission that Luke tasked him with was much more urgent than the incident at Watson. That was why Jason delegated the investigation to another trusted assistant. Luca nodded and did not ask any more questions. Jason rubbed his chin and asked, ¡°Dr. Craw, aren¡¯t you curious about why I¡¯m not investigating that incident?¡± ¡°Mr. Doyle, I¡¯m not your boss, and I¡¯m not a manager. There¡¯s no reason for me to know,¡± Luca replied. She could tell that he was trying to probe her thoughts. Did Luke tell him to do that? She guessed that Luke had tasked Jason to investigate the impostor Bianca. She knew that there was nothing more important to Luke than reuniting with her. Too bad for Luke, Bianca was given a new identity. Even if Luca was constantly by Luke¡¯s side, she could not tell him that she was the real Bianca. Jason sank into deep thought. Bianca was not nosy like other people, and she seemed to be interested only in her research. Could she be rted somehow to the impostor Bianca? He also knew that some people were natural-born actors. Luke was one of those people. His expression would never change no matter who or what he faced. ¡°Haha, that makes sense. Please ept my apology. Sue always wants to know what I¡¯m doing, and I¡¯m used to being asked questions. I thought it was quite awkward when you¡¯re not asking me any questions¡­¡± Jason exined. ¡°Would Sue ask you questions about your work?¡± Luca asked. Jason¡¯s expression stiffened slightly. He realized that he was inadvertently talking bad about Sue. He knew that Luca did not have any ulterior motives behind asking that question, but he thought that it was inappropriate for him to let Luca know that he had been divulgingpany secrets to Sue. Even if he did not, it would give Luca the impression that Sue was a nosy person. Jason¡¯s gaze darted to his left and right before he said, ¡°It¡¯s not that. Sue would sometimes ask me questions about work. I guess she¡¯s naturally curious.¡± Luca noticed the change in Jason¡¯s expression. She smiled and continued to unpack. Jason was about to leave when the two movers came into the office. One of them was carrying two boxes, while the other wheeled in a big crate with Luca¡¯sputer. ¡°These are your belongings, Ma¡¯am. Where should we put them?¡± One of the movers asked. Luca pointed at the coffee table. ¡°You can leave them over there.¡± Chapter 1393 ¡°Alright,¡± the mover replied and put the two boxes on the coffee table. The mover with the crate asked, ¡°Ma¡¯am, theputer is quite heavy. Shall I help you move it to the office table and assemble it for you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You can leave it there. Thank you,¡± Luca said politely. It was not hard for her to assemble aputer. After the movers put the boxes down, they left the office. Luca took out the important documents and ced them on the table. She turned to look at the door and realized that Jason was still standing there. ¡°Is there anything else, Mr. Doyle?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all. I heard that you¡¯ve arrived, so I wanted to wee you. Feel free to tell me if you need anything, Dr. Craw,¡± Jason said. Luca smiled politely and said, ¡°Alright.¡± Jason left the room after that. Luca went to close the door. When she turned around, she discreetly nced at one corner of the office, then continued to unpack her belongings. From Jason¡¯s actions earlier, she could tell that there was a surveince camera in the office. However, she could not let them know that she knew about it. She continued to unpack as though she was oblivious about the surveince camera. After putting the most important documents in the safe, she set up a new passcode and began to assemble theputer. She was very busy at work in the office and soon forgot about the surveince camera. It was as though she was already used to being spied on¡­ Luke stared unblinkingly at theputer screen. On the screen, Luca was unpacking her documents. After that, she began to assemble theputer. It did not take too long for her to set it up, as though she was very familiar withputers. Jason knocked on the office door. ¡°Come in,¡± Luke said. Jason opened the door and came in. ¡°Mr. Crawford, Dr. Craw doesn¡¯t seem interested in what I told her.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Luke replied. He had overheard their conversation earlier. He had tasked Jason to investigate her, and he did not expect that Luca¡¯s expression and words did not expose anything. However, that only made him even more suspicious of her. Could Luca have some rtion with the Ind of Despair? Jason said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, I think that there¡¯s something suspicious about Dr. Craw.¡± ¡°Say it,¡± Luke said as he drummed the table with his fingers, as though he was thinking of something. ¡°She¡¯s tooposed. She doesn¡¯t show any emotion on her face, and her breathing is even. It¡¯s as though she¡¯s doing that deliberately. Anyone who¡¯s doing that must be hiding something.¡± Luke¡¯s phone vibrated, and he read the message that he had just received. He stood up and said, ¡°Prepare the car. I¡¯m going to the mansion.¡± Jason nodded and immediately did what he was told. He knew which mansion Luke was referring to. He went to the basement parking lot to get the car, then drove it to the main entrance and waited for Luke. Five minutester, Luke came to the main entrance and stepped into the car. The two people went to the mansion on the outskirts. An hourter, the car drove into the mansion and parked in the garage. Luke stepped into the living room. Gale was sitting on the couch typing something. ¡°I found something, Boss,¡± he said. ¡°Show it to me,¡± Luke said. Gale opened a clipping of the dashcam footage. The footage was captured the day after the impostor Bianca took Rainie away. Gale had been trying to ess the footage of those two days, but there was a problem with the memory card, and it took him some time to fix it. ¡°I¡¯ve managed to restore the footage, but I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much to be gained. Take a look,¡± Gale said and clicked on the y button. On theputer screen, Luke saw Luca and Amur walk to the entrance of the house. Before they went in, Luca turned around and looked in the direction of the car, as though she wanted to confirm that it was from Crawford Manor. Some timeter, Luca came out of the house carrying Rainie in her arms. Walking next to her was Amur and the impostor Bianca. Amur asked for the car keys from the impostor Bianca, and they all got into the car. The footage stopped ying immediately after that.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That¡¯s all we have. Someone must have forced the dashcam to shut down, and the data was corrupted,¡± Gale said. Thanks to the forced shutdown, he had spent a lot of effort to restore the interrupted footage. Luke asked, ¡°When was the next time the dashcam was turned on?¡± ¡°That¡¯s two dayster. I¡¯ve searched through all the locations captured in the dashcam. The impostor visited some ces multiple times, and other ces only once. I think the most likely location is this one.¡± Gale opened another video file. Jason opened the map application on his phone and recorded the locations shown on the dashcam footage. He would analyze each of those locationster. ¡­ Meanwhile, Luca finished unpacking her belongings and saw that it was almost time to go off work. She remembered that Tommy was discharged from the hospital earlier today, and ording to what she had agreed to Luke, the driver would be sending Tommy over to her apartment. She did not linger in the office for too long because she did not want Tommy to wait for her, so she took her personal belongings and left. The T Corporation building was located downtown, so traffic around the area was quite heavy. It took Luca some time to find a vacant cab. After she got into the cab, she sent a message to Abel telling him about the current situation. She guessed that the surveince camera in her office would be able to capture voices, so she told him that she would not be able to answer her call if he called her during office hours. After that, she flipped through her stored notes on her phone. She had prepared several recipes for Tommy. She was willing to do that for Luke. After all, Tommy was her son. Every recipe was carefully designed. She got out of the cab at the supermarket near her apartment. After paying for the food, her phone began to ring. Luca answered the call, and Tommy¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Ms. Luca, I¡¯m in front of your apartment now. When will you be home?¡± She could not help but grin when she heard his childish voice. He was so irresistibly endearing even though he was already five years old. She said, ¡°I just got out of the supermarket. I¡¯ll be there in ten minutes.¡± ¡°Yay! I¡¯ll be waiting for you!¡± Tommy said happily and ended the call. Luca briskly walked toward her apartment while carrying two shopping bags. She saw Tommy standing at the entrance to the apartment, so she quickly walked up to him and asked, ¡°Why are you standing here?¡± ¡°I want to see you as soon as I can, Ms. Luca!¡± Tommy said as he stretched out his arms. ¡°I¡¯m a strong boy now, Ms. Luca. Let me help you with the bags!¡± Chapter 1394 Luca¡¯s heart warmed up when Tommy¡¯s hand grabbed one of the shopping bags. Sean, who had been waiting next to Tommy, also smiled. The full shopping bag was quite heavy, and Luca did not want to trouble the child. She shook her head and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can carry it myself. You don¡¯t have to wait for me at the entrance. Just sit in the car next time.¡± Tommy grinned childishly and said, ¡°I want to see you as soon as possible, Ms. Luca.¡± Sean said, ¡°Master Tommy really likes you. We went upstairs earlier but saw that you¡¯re not home yet, so he insisted on waiting for you at the entrance. I can¡¯t park the car at the entrance, so I parked at the side of the road, and we waited for you.¡± Luca nodded. The weather was cooling down, but it was not too cold yet, so the child could wait there without suffering any ill effects other than slightly sore legs. However, it would be winter soon, and she did not want the child to wait for her in the cold. She considered giving him a set of spare keys for the apartment, but she remembered that Luke was keeping a close eye on her. If Tommy had her house keys, Luke would be able to go inside whenever he liked. She had nothing to hide from Luke, but Luke was a cautious man, and she was worried that he might find something. After arriving at that thought, she rejected the idea. She moved both shopping bags to her left hand and held Tommy¡¯s hand with her right. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go upstairs.¡± Tommy held Luca¡¯s hand happily. Sean said, ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving Master Tommy to your care, Dr. Craw. I¡¯ll come backter to pick him up.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Luca replied and led Tommy into the apartment. Back at her house, Luca first prepared some cut fruit for Tommy as usual. She saw Tommy taking out several workbooks from his backpack, so she asked him, ¡°Do you have a lot of homework today?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a lot, but I don¡¯t know how to answer some of the questions,¡± Tommy said with a smile. He actually knew how to do them, but he wanted Luca to guide her. ¡°Alright, if that¡¯s the case, you can do your homework while I cook dinner. Leave those questions nk, and I¡¯lle and guide you after I¡¯m done cooking.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Tommy took his pencil and began to do his homework, and Luca patted his head lovingly. Lanie and Rainie were already five years old and were in school by the time she married Luke. They inherited Luke¡¯s smart genes, so she did not need to worry about their studies. Sometimes, she would sit next to them and observe them do their homework, but she did not need to guide them. She thought that it would be quite fun to guide her children with their homework, and she hoped that she could do it to Tommy. Before he went to school, she was abducted by Abel. She did not expect that she would get the chance to guide Tommy with his homework. Luca went into the kitchen, washed her hands, and prepared to cook dinner. Tommy sat in the living room. Munching on the sliced fruit that Luca prepared for him, he began to do his homework. asionally, Luca would stick her head out and sneak a peek at the child in the living room. She wondered if she should prepare a study desk for Tommy in case Luke continued sending Tommy over to her house. After cooking dinner, she went to the living room and guided Tommy with her homework. After he completed his homework, she briefly checked each of his workbooks. Tommy handed a pen to her. ¡°Ms. Luca, now that you¡¯ve watched meplete my homework, you can sign your name at the end of my workbooks.¡± Luca took the pen but was immediately taken aback. She shook her head and said, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t your parents sign your workbooks?¡± Tommy was also taken aback. What Luca said was correct. Usually, when he finished his homework, either Luke or Old Master Crawford would sign his workbooks. ¡°But you¡¯re the one who guided me, Ms. Luca.¡± ¡°How about this? You can put your workbooks away now, and when you get home, you can ask your Great-Grandpa to sign them.¡± Luca thought that it was not appropriate for her to sign the workbooks. The teachers at Tommy¡¯s school knew who Luke, Bianca, and Old Master Crawford were. If they saw another name on the workbooks, how was Tommy going to exin it to them? He could not say that his elder sister guided him. After all, Luca was much too old to be Tommy¡¯s elder sister. To save the trouble of exining it to the teacher, she would rather have Old Master Crawford sign the workbooks instead. Tommy did not argue with her. He put the workbooks in his backpack. Luca gently pinched his cheeks. ¡°Alright. Are you hungry? Shall we have dinner?¡± Tommy nodded and stood up. Luca pointed at the bathroom. ¡°Go and wash your hands first. I¡¯ll set the table.¡± Tommy nodded and went to the bathroom while humming a tune. Luca smiled when she heard the tune. She had often sung that tune to him while he was a baby. She did not expect him to still remember the tune after three years and would inadvertently hum it. She went into the kitchen, took the dishes out, and spread them on the dining table. She had prepared an insted te for Tommy. Tommy washed his hands and sat at the dining table. He looked at the pasta on his te and asked, ¡°Ms. Luca, why does the color of the pasta look different this time?¡± ¡°It¡¯s made of organic millet instead of wheat. It¡¯s better for your health,¡± Luca answered as she handed Tommy his cutlery. She knew that Tommy was a picky eater, and he needed the nourishment so that he could recover from his illness more quickly. She tried to improve Tommy¡¯s health through food. Even the fruits that she had prepared for Tommy earlier were different. ¡°You¡¯re so kind, Ms. Luca.¡± Tommy ate a bite and did not seem to reject it. The cook at Crawford Manor had also tried to use different grains when preparing the children¡¯s meals, but they did not like it. After that, Old Master Crawford forbade her from using different grains while cooking. That was why Tommy did not know about other types of grains. After dinner was cartoon time. Earlier, Luca had only prepared half of the fruit for Tommy. She washed and sliced the rest of the fruit and served them on a te. ¡°Time for some more fruit, Tommy,¡± Luca said. Tommy pped his hands excitedly, sat on the couch, and picked up a piece of fruit. Luca nced at the clock. ¡°Did Uncle Sean say when he¡¯lle over to pick you up?¡± Tommy nodded and said, ¡°Uncle Sean said that he¡¯ll pick me up at nine o¡¯clock.¡± Luca nodded. It was already half-past eight. The child would have to leave in another half an hour. From N?velDrama.Org. She noticed that every time Tommy came to her house, he would be very reluctant to leave. Luca tried topose herself, but she was actually very reluctant too. However, she was only ¡°Ms. Luca¡± and not his mother. What right did she have to im the child as her own? Chapter 1395 Luca sighed when she thought that Tommy would have to go home soon. She sat down next to him and watched the cartoon with him. ¡°Tommy, has your Daddy been very busy recently?¡± She tried to find out something from Tommy while they watched the cartoon together. ¡°Daddy is always very busy,¡± Tommy answered, though his eyes were transfixed on the television. He did not suspect anything. Luca hugged a pillow in her arms and continued to ask, ¡°What about your Mommy? Does she know that you¡¯re here to have dinner every day?¡± ¡°Mommy?¡± Tommy thought about his mother and shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell her. Daddy said that she¡¯s traveling overseas and told us not to disturb her while she¡¯s having fun.¡± Luca knew that Luke had deceived the children, but they did not seem to miss her. She could tell that the impostor Bianca did not love or care for the children. If the impostor Bianca had shown them the least bit of care, things would not have turned out this way. Tommy turned his head and asked Luca, ¡°Ms. Luca, do you think that I should tell Mommy about this?¡± Luca shook her head. ¡°No. I was only curious. You ought to listen to your Daddy. I¡¯m just wondering if you and your elder siblings miss your Mommy because she¡¯s gone for so long.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t miss her at all,¡± Tommy answered without thinking. ¡°Mommy doesn¡¯t like any of us, and she won¡¯t take care of us, unlike the Mommies of other kids.¡± Luca¡¯s heart wrenched when she heard Tommy answer the question so readily. A child as young as him should have been cared for and protected by his parents. Abel¡¯s n had robbed the three children of the motherly love they deserve. Luke would not be able to make up for it no matter how hard he tried! Luca stroked the child¡¯s head. ¡°Maybe your Mommy has her reasons.¡± Tommy looked at her doubtfully. The adults had never exined anything to them, and he did not know what those reasons were. ¡°Ms. Luca, you¡¯re so much nicer to me than my Mommy is. She always neglects us, and she would often throw scary tantrums. Daddy is the only person she cares for. If Daddy isn¡¯t home, she won¡¯t be home either. It wasn¡¯t like this before. Mommy used to treat us like how you¡¯re treating me now. Whenever Lanie and Rainie came home from school, she would prepare a te of fruit for them so that they could eat some fruit when they finished their homework. But Daddy said that Mommy got very sick one day, and she didn¡¯t behave like how she used to. I don¡¯t like my Mommy now. I wish that she¡¯d return to what she was before.¡± Luca¡¯s heart wrenched when she heard the little boy¡¯sints toward the impostor Bianca, but there was nothing she could do. The child was old enough to have a mind of his own, and he would remember how his mother had treated him. Luca hoped that his experiences with his mother would not affect his self-esteem in the future. She wanted to say some words offort to the child, but she could not make the wordse out of her mouth. Before she knew it, tears welled up in her eyes, and she felt a twinge in her nose. The doorbell rang. Luca nced at the clock. It was already nine o¡¯clock. That was so fast¡­ She put on her slippers and went to answer the door. The person standing outside the door was not Sean but Luke, which surprised Luca. If he was truly holding the impostor Bianca captive, she must be suffering from the effects of the poison by now. How would he have time toe and pick the child up? ¡°Good evening, Mr. Crawford,¡± Luca sniffled and said cautiously. Luke noticed her bloodshot eyes. ¡°Have you been crying?¡± He asked. ¡°No. Some dust got into my eyes just now. Are you here to pick Tommy up?¡± She opened the door fully to let the man in. ¡°Mm.¡± Luke had just returned from the mansion in the outskirts. He noticed that it was almost time, so he told Sean that he would pick up the child instead. Tommy heard his father, so he hopped off the couch and picked up his backpack. ¡°Why are you here instead of Uncle Sean, Daddy?¡± ¡°I was working overtime in my office earlier, and I thought Ms. Luca¡¯s house was along the way,¡± Luke said. He took Tommy¡¯s hand and led him out of the house. Luke did not speak much today, but that did not make Luca relieved. Instead, she had an ominous premonition exactly because he did not speak much. She could guess that the impostor Bianca was about to meet her end. Luca did not have any sympathy for that woman. After all, she did not deserve any sympathy for what she did to the children. While Tommy was being led away, he turned around and waved to Luca. ¡°Bye-bye, Ms. Luca.¡± ¡°Bye-bye.¡± Luca waved to him. Luke abruptly stopped walking and turned around to speak to her, ¡°I¡¯ll pay you Tommy¡¯s expenses at the end of every month. Does this arrangement work for you?¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Luca could tell that he was nning to send Tommy over to have dinner every evening. Even if it were not every evening, it wouldst for at least a month. She shook her head. After all, she did not intend to collect any money for cooking for the child. ¡°Tommy doesn¡¯t eat much.¡± Luke nced at his son. He knew how much his son ate. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you at the end of the month. Just send me a message with the total amount,¡± he said insistently. Luca nodded but said nothing. If he insisted on giving her something, she had no chance of refusing it. Tommy did not pout or sulk when he left Luca¡¯s apartment. He knew that he would being back every day. Luca closed the door only after Luke and Tommy entered the elevator. She was happy that she got to cook dinner for her son every evening, but it also meant that her interactions with Luke would be more frequent¡­ Luca did not know what she should feel about that. She loved Luke. Every time she met him, it felt as though she was sinking deeper. She could not show that she loved him, and she always had to put up an act. Luca covered her face. Abel¡¯s minions were monitoring her at all times, and he would eventually know about it. The more interactions she had with Luke, the greater the chances Abel would order her to act against Luke. She would rather not meet Luke at all. It was hard to mask her feelings for him. It took her a great deal of effort to pretend that she did not care for him whenever they met. Her heart would begin to beat faster whenever Luke was near. She had to use her willpower to compose herself. No one could understand the agony she felt. Luca sighed. The next moment, her phone began to ring. She walked over to the couch to pick up her phone. When she saw the string of numbers, she could tell that Abel was not letting her off that easily. Luca answered the call. Abel¡¯s voice was immediately heard. ¡°Ivana, you¡¯d better exin your message earlier.¡± Chapter 1396 From the tone of his voice, Luca could tell that Abel was up to some mischief. Calmly, she told Abel about how she had moved to T Corporation, and Luke had installed a surveince camera in her office to monitor her. Abelughed brazenly when he heard that. Luca did not say anything. Luke was already wary of the influence of the Ind of Despair on his life, yet Abel did not seem worried at all. Abel finally stoppedughing half a minuteter. ¡°It seems that Luke is more and more interested in you.¡± His tone was shilling. Luca¡¯s heart skipped a beat as though Abel¡¯s words were a stark reminder of her situation. Luke had never stopped suspecting her identity ever since she returned to A City. Histest act of installing a surveince camera in her office showed that he was suspicious of Luca¡¯s involvement in the incident of the impostor Bianca. Luca wanted to keep a low profile to avoid suspicion, but she could not bear to see Queenie suffer. What she did to save Queenie probably made Luke suspect her even more. Everything that Luca did after that probably increased Luke¡¯s suspicion toward her. Eventually, it led to him ordering her to move to T Corporation and installing a surveince camera in her office. She could not tell if what Abel said were true, but she knew that Luke was both caring for her and suspecting her. Luca did not say anything, though Abel could tell that Luca was in agony. Knowing that those were her feelings and that the person Luke had been searching for was right in front of him, Abel found some relief to his anxiety. His n was so close to sess. He would be able to avenge his beloved Kassy. ¡°Ivana, I want you to continue to investigate Bianca¡¯s whereabouts. Also, cooperate with Luke and give him everything he wants. It would be best if you could make him fall in love with you,¡± Abel said. He was eager to see what would happen when Luke fell in love with her. He ended the call right after that. The following scenes had yed out in his mind. Luca gripped the phone tightly with a vacant expression on her face. She thought that Abel would use her to stealpany secrets and bring down T Corporation. She did not expect Abel¡¯s n to turn out to be like that. Luke would fall in love with her, but he would not be able to obtain her. In fact, he would not be able to obtain either woman¡­ Luca closed her eyes in despair. She did not feel relieved even though she knew Abel¡¯s endgame. Instead, she realized that she had been walking along an irredeemable path. Would she and Luke be able to escape from this abyss? ¡­ Luke and Tommy returned to Crawford Manor. Shortly after Luke parked his car, he received a call from Gale. ¡°She¡¯s not going to make it, Boss. Rain is trying her best to resuscitate her.¡± Rain was helpless against the effects of the poison. With the sedatives, she might be able to let her live for a few more days. Even so, the sedative could not stop the impostor¡¯s seizures. ¡°I¡¯ll go over now.¡± Luke used one hand to unfasten Tommy¡¯s seatbelt and opened the door. He put the phone away and said, ¡°Tommy, I have some urgent business at thepany. You can go into the house yourself.¡± Tommy nodded and hopped off the car. He asked, ¡°Daddy, will youe home tonight?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see about that,¡± Luke said. After Tommy closed the car door, he reversed the car and left the house. Tommy walked into the living room and saw that no one was there. He ran up the stairs and saw that Lanie and Rainie were reading storybooks in themon area. He smiled and went over, ¡°Good evening, Lanie and Rainie.¡± Rainie knew where her younger brother had been. She could not help but pinch her face when she saw the grin on Tommy¡¯s face. ¡°How was dinner tonight?¡± Tommy¡¯s eyes sparkled when Rainie mentioned dinner. ¡°I ate so much today!¡± He said. Rainie was quite envious of her younger brother. The three children loved Luca¡¯s cooking, but only Tommy had the chance to eat it every day. ¡°What did Ms. Luca cook for you today?¡± ¡°So much delicious food! The best dish was the basil pork chops. It¡¯s so delicious!¡± Tommy began to salivate when he thought of the food he had eaten earlier. The pork chop almost melted in his mouth as soon as he bit into it. Even the cook in Crawford Manor could not cook like that. Rainie smiled knowingly. She put her book away and looked toward the staircase but did not see their father. ¡°Tommy, where¡¯s Daddy? Didn¡¯t you say that he brought you home?¡± She asked. Earlier, when she was in the living room downstairs, she had overheard the driver answering Luke¡¯s call, which was why she knew that Luke would be the one to fetch Tommy home. Tommy tilted his head. ¡°Daddy left again after he answered a call.¡± When Lanie heard that, he put his book down and exchanged a knowing nce with Rainie. ¡°Do you know who called him?¡± Tommy said, ¡°Daddy said that it was from thepany. It seemed very urgent.¡± The twins guessed that their father was somewhere else instead. They stood up, and each of them took one of Tommy¡¯s hands. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m sure that it¡¯s very important. Let¡¯s brush our teeth and prepare to go to bed.¡± ¡°Mm!¡± Tommy nodded excitedly, then looked at Lanie. ¡°Lanie, can I sleep with you tonight?¡± Lanie raised his eyebrows like how Luke would. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m feeling happy today, so I want to sleep with you,¡± Tommy said. It was not a surprising thing since the two boys would asionally sleep together. Tommy nodded and said, ¡°Alright. You should go and take a shower first.¡± Tommy nodded and went back to his bedroom. After he took his shower, he would go to Lanie¡¯s bedroom. Seeing that their younger brother was so happy, Rainie had a sudden thought. She wondered if Tommy would always be happy if Luca became their mother. ¡°Lanie, do you think that Daddy might have gone to¡­¡± She stopped mid-sentence in case someone else overheard her. At the moment, only Luke and the twins knew that Bianca was an impostor. Lanie nodded. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You should go to bed.¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°Alright, you should rest too,¡± Rainie said and returned to her bedroom. She could not stop worrying if their father could eventually find their real mother. If their real mother was gone forever, would their father continue to be like that? Rainie closed the bedroom door and sat on her bed. If that were the case, she would be willing to ept another woman as their mother. Tommy was very happy after he had dinner at Luca¡¯s apartment. When she thought of that, she realized that she liked Luca too. Chapter 1397

Chapter 1397 Luke Is A Cruel Man

Traffic was light at night. Luke floored the gas pedal and arrived at the mansion in about half an hour. There was no one in the living room. Luke guessed that Gale and Rain were both in the basement, so he went down the stairs. As expected, Gale and Rain were there.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. "Boss," Gale greeted Luke as soon as he saw him. "What''s the situation?" Luke nced at the impostor Bianca lying on the bed. Her skin was wrinkled and waxy, and she had lost all her vigor. "Our drugs won''t be able to keep her alive for much longer,¡± Rain said as she stepped aside. Earlier, she had given the impostor Bianca a dose of sedative and a dose of painkillers. Since two hours ago, the impostor Bianca had been screaming in pain whenever she was conscious. She even tried to ram her head against the wall, and Rain had no other choice but to give her a double dose of drugs. A normal person could not withstand the double dose, but if Rain had not done that, the impostor Bianca might have been dead by now. "Luke Crawford." The impostor Bianca was panting heavily as thest shreds of her lucidity slipped away under the effects of the sedative. Luke looked at her. "What else do you have to say?" The impostor Bianca grimaced when she saw that Luke did not show her the slightest hint of sympathy. As the painkillers took effect and the pain vanished, she began to grin brazenly. Rain took a step back when she saw the unnerving grin on the impostor''s face. She could not help but think that the mysterious doctor on the Ind of Despair was extremely cruel to invent such a poison. Shortly after one stopped taking the antidote, they would rapidly wither like a dried corpse... Not only that, they would be in abject agony... Even though Rain had not experienced the agony herself, she could tell that it was extremely painful. The impostor Bianca grunted and red hatefully at Luke. "Aren''t you always looking for your wife? Let me tell you, you won''t be able to find her. Once she falls into that man¡¯s hands, she''s as good as dead." Luke clenched his fists tightly. "Do you know her?" Tears began to flow down the impostor Bianca''s cheeks as she stared at the ceiling. "I don''t know her, but it''ll be impossible for you to find her. Even if she''s still alive, she''ll hate you for taking so long to find her. Just... give up. If I can''t find true love, you won''t be able to either. She''ll hate you... for the rest of her life..." She did not beg because her condition had gone past the point of no return. Abel would not believe that she did not betray him anyway. Her voice became weaker and weaker until she fell into unconsciousness. Luke looked at the woman on the bed. In only two days, she seemed to have aged twenty years. "Boss, shall I wake her up?" Rain asked. "There''s no need. She''s not going tost for long.¡± Even though Luke was not proficient in medicine, he could tell that the impostor was one foot in the grave. Rain nodded. Gale said, "Even if she wakes up, she''ll only be screaming in pain. We won''t be able to obtain any useful information from her." They did not have to torture her. The poison from the Ind of Despair was torturous enough. Luke nced at her coldly. Those words rang in his ears. He had to admit that he had fallen into a trap. Otherwise, he would not have stopped searching for the real Bianca. Even if the real Bianca were still alive, she would hate him to the bone... Luke could not imagine how much Bianca had suffered over the past three years. Rain could guess what Luke was thinking. She said softly, "I''ll look after her, Boss. You should go home. Gale will get the job done when it''s time for her to go.¡± "Make sure that no one can recognize her," Luke said. If the real Bianca was still alive, there was no need for the impostor to keep her disguise as his beloved wife. "Understood," Rain said. If Luke were not worried about exining to his children about their mother''s sudden disappearance, they would be willing to carry out his orders. Luke did not linger at the mansion. He left the basement and drove away. Those words continued to ring in his ears. He could not shake them off... The mansion was not far away from the coast. Luke drove the car to the coast, parked there, and lit a cigarette. Three years ago, Bianca''s trail had abruptly disappeared at the port. No one could find her until some timeter when she was discovered in another city... If he had thought carefully about it back then, he would realize that Bianca would not have appeared in an ind city if she had disappeared at the port. That way, he would not be deceived by the impostor Bianca. Luke smoked a cigarette after another. The car was filled with the stench of cigarette smoke. He would instinctively take out a cigarette whenever he thought of Bianca, as though the nicotine could both stimte and soothe his nerves. However, he did not feel the effect of the chemicals at all. At midnight, Luke received a message from Gale. The message said that the impostor Bianca was deteriorating rapidly. She had regained consciousness half an hour after Luke left, and no drug was able to alleviate her suffering. Moreover, her internal organs began to fail, and Rain could not do anything about it. Luke''s expression turned cold after reading Gale''s report. Even though the woman had been by her side for three years, he did not feel any sympathy toward her. He began topose the reply. [End her.] After sending the message, Luke stubbed out the cigarette and drove back to Crawford Manor. He would not forgive anyone who harmed Bianca, including the impostor who had reced her. Before he could carry out his revenge, the poison had killed her. Luke thought that she had had it easy... Two dayster, the discovery of a female corpse near the A City port shocked the entire city. The corpse was badly disfigured, and the police could not discern her identity. All they could do was try to find a match in the missing persons list. Luca was eating a simple breakfast at the dining table while listening to the news report on the television. ''A female corpse with unrecognizable features..." She shook her head, guessing that it was the impostor Bianca. She remembered that someone had said before that Luke was a cruel man. However, she knew that he was not cruel to everyone. Instead, he was kind and loyal toward the real Bianca, the children, and Old Master Crawford. As for other people, he would not waste too much of his time on them. Chapter 1398

Chapter 1398 The Manager in the Announcement

After the local news section was the financial news. Luca came to her senses and watched the news report on the stock market. T Corporation''s prospects were looking bright. She turned off the television with the remote control, finished her breakfast, picked up her handbag, and left the house. Theboratory at T Corporation was almostpletely furnished. Luca would be restarting her research today. Rhett had told her that the different research teams in Watson were working much harder than before because of this new policy. They wanted to be the next team to move to T Corporation. Luca did not understand the appeal of working in T Corporation. She was even willing to let them take over her position in T Corporation. It was not only because she was constantly under surveince, but she also did not want to work at the same building as the CEO. Luca caught a cab and went to T Corporation. After she clocked in, she stashed her personal belongings in her office, then went to theboratory. The researchers in her team should have been working at their stations, but now, they were huddled together and discussing something. Luca went over and asked them, "What are you talking about?" "Good morning, Dr. Craw," the researchers greeted her. They were not very close to her because Luca was not very social. Usually, they would inform Rhett if they needed anything, and Rhett would tell Luca about it. One of the researchers said, "Dr. Craw, have you seen the announcement on thepany website?" "Company website? What about it?" Luca asked. "They caught the person who messed up our research,¡± the researcher said excitedly. All of them were happy that the culprit was caught. "To be exact, they only caught one of the people in the security department. In the announcement, that person had admitted that he tampered with the surveince cameras,¡± another researcher said. "That''s about the same. If many people were involved and they caught one of them, it wouldn''t take too long to catch the others," the previous researcher said. Luca asked, "I don''t have my phone with me, but did the announcement say who the security guard was?" "The article mentioned that he''s a rtive of a certain manager in Watson. I didn''t know that you need connections to join the security department!¡± The researcher eximed. "Heh, don''t you know that security guards get paid more in T Corporation and its subsidiaries? If I were a security guard, I''d want to work in T Corporation too." From what the researchers told her, Luca could guess the contents of the announcement. The announcement did not specify which manager it was, but Luca could roughly guess it. Luca addressed the researchers, "Alright, we should get to work soon. I''d like to hold a brief meeting before we start on the research again. Let''s meet in the conference room in ten minutes.¡± "Yes, Dr. Craw," the researchers replied. Luca nced at the time, then took her tabletputer and went into the conference room. Five minutester, the administrative assistant in charge of their department came into the conference room with cups of coffee and ced them in front of each of the seats. Her name was Zoey Davis. "Dr. Craw, shall I take the meeting minutes for you?" She asked. Even though Luca knew that Luke had installed a surveince camera in her office, she did not know if he had asked Zoey to spy on her too. She thought for a while and nodded. "Alright, please help me take the meeting minutester.¡± "Yes, Dr. Craw. I''ll go and make preparations.¡± Zoey nodded and left the conference room with the empty tray. Ten minutester, all the researchers were seated in the conference room. Luca briefed them about the research direction. From the previous stage of their research, Luca realized that they had to prioritize certain things, and other steps could be omitted. She was going to implement those changes when they came to the next stage of their research, but seeing that they had to start over, she might as well make those changes now. Her speechsted for fifteen minutes. After she had spoken what she wanted to say, she looked at the researchers in the conference room and asked them, "Does anyone have anything else to add?" The researchers shook their heads. Luca nodded, stood up, and picked up her tabletputer. "If that''s the case, the meeting is dismissed. Let''s all work hard so that we can bring the product to the market.¡± "Yes," the other researchers replied. Zoey finalized the meeting minutes and watched Luca walk out of the conference room. She took out her phone and sent a message to Jason. [Mr. Doyle, Dr. Craw has just finished her meeting with her team.] Jason had tasked her to spy on Luca''s movements in addition to being her administrative assistant. Luca returned to her office. She did not have time to rest. Instead, she put on herb coat and went to theboratory. She was not surprised when she opened the office door and saw Jason standing outside. "Can I help you?" Luca asked "Yes. Sue wants to host a dinner at home this Sunday. She knows that you''re working in T Corporation now, so she''s asking me to hand you the invitation,¡± Jason said as he handed Luca an invitation card. Luca took the card. The handwriting on the card indeed looked like Sue''s handwriting, but she could not help but wonder why it was so formal. "Sunday? I don''t know if I''m free on Sunday,¡± Luca said. She did not immediately ept the invitation. Jason nodded and said, "It''s fine. You don''t have to give me your answer now. Right, are you heading to theb?" "Mm, yes. The incident has seriously dyed our progress, and I have to get back to the research as soon as possible,¡± Luca said. Seeing that Jason did not leave, she guessed that he had something else to say. Jason nodded and continued, "You can ask Ms. Davis if you need anything. Right, have you read the announcement on thepany website?" "I''ve heard the other researchers talking about it. Has the security guard told you about his aplices?" Luca asked.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. "They''re still interrogating him, and I don''t think he''ll be able to keep his secrets for much longer,¡± Jason said with a smile. Luca thought that Jason''s expression reminded him of Luke. Perhaps Jason was influenced by Luke somehow. Even though Jason was smiling, Luca could not shake off the impression that he was as sly as a fox. Luca nodded. Seeing that Luca did not ask any further questions, Jason asked, "Dr. Craw, aren''t you curious about the identity of the manager in the announcement?" Chapter 1399 ¡°There will be another announcement at the conclusion of the investigation, right?¡± Luca did not say that she knew who was behind it. Instead, she only said that she was not curious. She knew that curiosity killed the cat. Jason smiled as he listened to her exnation. He came to her office to find out what she knew, but it seemed that he did not find anything interesting. ¡°You¡¯re right. We¡¯ll definitely publish the findings once the investigation isplete,¡± he said. Luca nodded. ¡°Mm. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t need to make any baseless guesses now.¡± Jason smiled. He felt his phone vibrate, so he took it out and nced at the screen. ¡°Alright, Dr. Craw, I won¡¯t take up any more of your time.¡± ¡°Take care.¡± As Luca watched Jason leave, the smile on her face slowly disappeared. He must have been testing her¡­ Luca closed the office door behind her and went to theboratory to continue her research. ¡­ Back at Watson Biopharmaceuticals, Cole was exasperated when he read the announcement. The security guard that was caught was his cousin¡¯s son. He did not expect that the security guard would break so easily under interrogation. Even though the security guard did not implicate him in the incident, he had a feeling that Jason would be knocking on his door very soon. After all, they already knew that the security guard was his rtive. Cole kneaded his hands together worriedly. He thought of contacting the security guard, but the security guard was currently detained in the police station. Even if he were to visit him there, they would not have the chance to talk in private. ¡°How unlucky!¡± He cursed under his breath. He thought he could get rid of Luca, but instead, Luca had benefited from his ploy while he had to be kept on tenterhooks. Cole waited for Talia to appear in his office, but she did note. He dialed Talia¡¯s number on the internal line, but Mo picked up the call instead. He frowned and asked sternly, ¡°Ms. Stone, where is Talia Sullivan?¡± ¡°Ms. Sullivan said that she has an upset stomach, so she¡¯s in the washroom now. Are you looking for her? Should I go to the bathroom and let her know?¡± Mo sounded calm, as though she was concentrating on digging some new gossip. Cole had rarely gone to theboratory in the past two days. Instead, he had been brooding in his office. Talia did not go to theboratory too, and she had often gone into Cole¡¯s office. ¡°It¡¯s fine. When she returns, tell her toe to my office,¡± Cole said. The entire Technical Department was busy at work, so that they could be the next one to move into T Corporation. Only Cole¡¯s team did not make any progress. ¡°Alright,¡± Mo replied. After she hung up, she sat on her chair and waited. Five minutester, Talia came into the office with a pale face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Talia? You don¡¯t look too good,¡± Mo asked out of concern. Talia took a few deep breaths while gently grasping her chest. ¡°I threw up in the toilet. I think it¡¯s because I ate something wrong this morning.¡± ¡°You threw up?¡± Mo suddenly thought of something. She shot a nce at Talia¡¯s t stomach. ¡°We can¡¯t really say if it¡¯s serious, but you¡¯ve not been feeling well for the past two days. Why don¡¯t you take the rest of the day off and pay a visit to the doctor?¡± Talia shook her head. She could not afford to be away from the office at this critical juncture. She was afraid that Cole might backstab her when she was not around¡­ ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve always had stomach problems. I¡¯ll just need to rest for a bit,¡± Talia said as she sat down on her chair. ¡°Everyone in the department seems to be so busytely. I don¡¯t think I can bring myself to tell Dr. Kidman that I want to take the day off.¡± When Mo heard that, she said, ¡°Right, Dr. Kidman was looking for you earlier, and it seems to be something urgent. You should go to his office now. He didn¡¯t sound very patient either.¡± She deliberately told Talia more in an attempt to befriend Talia. Talia knew why Cole was in a bad mood. The security guard that had helped them was arrested, and the two of them were in a precarious position. Even so, she smiled gratefully at Mo. ¡°Thanks for your reminder. I should go now.¡± Mo waved her hand. ¡°Take care.¡± After Talia left, Mo was left alone in the office. She leaned back on her chair and narrowed her gaze. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Things were getting interesting. Did Cole and Talia n the incident? Mo changed a sitting pose and nodded to herself. She had a strong feeling that her guess was correct. She knew that Cole was a chauvinistic man, and he could not bear to see Luca outperform him. On the other hand, Talia seemed to be quite friendly to Luca at first. However, Mo heard the rumor that Talia had approached Luca to be her assistant, but Luca had rejected her. Perhaps that was why Talia hated Luca. If the two people shared the same goal, it was not too hard toe up with a n¡­ Mo smiled and shook her head. She had always kept a low profile in the office, but she knew more about office politics than anyone else. Rather than coborators, Talia seemed to be more like Cole¡¯s pawn in his n. As for Talia¡¯s stomach¡­ Mo could tell that Talia was showing symptoms of pregnancy. She also knew about the illicit interactions between Talia and Cole. She heard that Cole had been married to his wife for many years, but his wife had poor health, and they never had any children. Cole was already enjoying a sessful career. Mo was sure that he wanted a child very much. Would Talia¡¯s child be able to save Talia? Mo twirled a loose strand of hair with her finger. She smiled in anticipation of what was toe. Talia quickly walked to Cole¡¯s office. She knew that Cole¡¯s tolerance toward her was getting lower and lower, and she dared to make him wait. When she arrived at the door, she could feel that her heart was beating very fast, and her head was spinning. Talia took a deep breath and knocked on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± Cole said. Talia opened the door and went inside. ¡°Dr. Kidman,¡± Talia said while taking deep breaths. Cole was smoking in his office, and the stench of tobo made her choke. She dared notin when she saw Cole¡¯s face. ¡°Close the door and sit down.¡± Cole was not sympathetic to her even though her face was pale. He thought that she was pretending. Talia took another deep breath, closed the door, and sat opposite him. ¡°I know you have something to tell me, Dr. Kidman. Just say it.¡± Chapter 1400 At this point in time, Cole was not going to be threatened by the photographs in Talia¡¯s hands. ¡°Talia, this incident has already grown beyond our control. Mr. Doyle isn¡¯t stupid, and if we keep this up, both of us will end up in trouble. Let me get straight to the point. What do you want me to do so that you¡¯ll take the fall?¡± He asked. Talia clenched her fists tightly. The man sounded as though he did not wish to be implicated at all. If she did not take the fall, it would soon be over for the both of them. Talia said, ¡°I can¡¯t be the only one to im responsibility in this incident, Dr. Kidman. You¡¯re already a veteran in this industry, and you have strong backing from your family. Even if you were exposed, you still have other options. I¡¯m only a nameless rookie, and my future would be ruined if I have to take the fall!¡± Cole nced at her coldly. He did not like it when she spoke to him like that. ¡°Take the fall, and I¡¯ll give you money.¡± ¡°Money? You can give me a million dors, but that¡¯s not going tost me for the rest of my life. What I need is career stability. I¡¯ve already told you that before I slept with you, and the only reason I¡¯m doing this is so that you can give me what I want. Now that the cat is out of the bag, you¡¯re not going to sacrifice me to save your skin, right?¡± Talia was bing emotional when she saw that the man was so heartless. She was born in a small town, and she did not graduate from a remarkable university. It was not easy for her to gain a foothold in A City. Even though Cole had helped her, those promises amounted to nothing in the face of the crisis. If she were found guilty, she would have to go to jail. Even if Cole hired the bestwyers for her, the record could not be erased, and she would be ruined for the rest of her life. She was not going to be stupid to take the fall herself. Cole narrowed his gaze. When he remembered the photos in her hands, he clenched his fists and pounded heavily on the table. ¡°What do you want, Talia? Don¡¯t make me regret sleeping with you.¡± From Cole¡¯s reaction, Talia knew that either of them would have to take the fall. She would be willing to take the fall If Cole could guarantee that he would provide for her for the rest of her life. Thinking that she would be the only victim in the entire incident, she took a deep breath and said, ¡°Enough talk. You want me to take the fall alone, right? I can do that, but you have to promise me one thing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Cole saw a ray of hope. He was willing to agree to whatever she said as long as she took the fall and did not publicize those photos. ¡°I want you to sign a contract with me. In the contract, you will promise to divorce your current wife, and when I get out of jail, you will marry me and never divorce me. If you want to divorce me, you will have to concede all your property to me,¡± Talia said. She had to find a way out for herself. If she could live her lifefortably in the future, she would be willing to take the fall for him. Cole¡¯s expression sank when he heard that. ¡°No. I can¡¯t agree to that.¡± Even though he was disappointed with his wife because she was infertile, he did not n to divorce her. She came from a wealthy and influential family, and Cole wanted to be a part of it. If he divorced his current wife, he might lose everything he had, and Cole did not want that to happen. Talia chuckled coldly as she red at him. She had been willing to give him a chance, but it seemed that the man only wanted her youthful body and had no affection for her. ¡°Let¡¯s get arrested together then. If you want to sacrifice me, don¡¯t think that you can get away scot-free.¡± ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Cole¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°To me, you¡¯re nothing more than an ant. I can crush you easily.¡± Talia knew what he said was true, but she was not afraid because she had the photos and recordings. ¡°I know that you can crush me easily, but don¡¯t think that your troubles are over if you get rid of me.¡± Cole knew very well what she meant, and he managed to douse the sudden urge to strangle her. He kneaded his hands and tried to negotiate with her, ¡°We can still talk about this, Talia. If you can agree to what I say, I promise I¡¯ll take care of you for the rest of your life after you get out of jail.¡± Talia might be convinced if he had not said that earlier. Now that he did, she was sure that he was willing to lie to her so that he got off the hook. ¡°I¡¯m done talking. It¡¯s either you divorce your wife and marry me, or we can go to jail together,¡± Talia said. Cole stood up abruptly and clenched his fists. He wanted to punch Talia¡¯s face. He managed to stop himself as his fist swung through the air. If Talia was injured in his office, there was no way he could exin it¡­ ¡°Alright then, Talia. You¡¯ve forced my hand. No one will care if you suddenly find yourself dead in a ditch tonight!¡± Cole said. Talia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. That was a barefaced threat. She considered if she should publicize the photos and recordings in case she met an untimely end. She stood up and red into Cole¡¯s eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so heartless, Cole Kidman!¡± Upon finishing the sentence, she felt a sudden bout of dizziness, and she immediately gripped the table. Cole did not have any sympathy for her, even though her face was deathly pale. He had nothing but disgust for her. ¡°Get out of my office!¡± He roared sternly. Even though their rtionship was purely one born out of mutual benefit and not of true affection, she had expected the man who slept with her to show the least bit of sympathy to her instead of wanting to kill her or asking her to leave. Her heart wrenched, though she did not want to show any weakness to the man. She bit her lip and prepared to walk out. She had just turned around when her head started to spin again. She fell down limply and lost consciousness. Cole quickly reached out and grabbed the woman. Talia fell on his body and did not make a sound. ¡°Stop pretending, Talia Sullivan!¡± Cole said while tapping her cheek. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Talia did not give any response. Cole tapped her cheek again. He remembered Mo telling him that Talia was not feeling well today. ¡°What a bother!¡± He cursed under his breath. Then, he carried her over to the couch,id her down, and dialed for an ambnce. Chapter 1401 Even though Luca¡¯s research team had moved to T Corporation, they soon knew what happened at Watson. A researcher told Luca that Talia had passed out and was sent to the hospital by an ambnce. She stopped working and turned her head to look at the researcher. ¡°Talia Sullivan? Is that Dr. Kidman¡¯s assistant?¡± ¡°Yes. The people in thepany chat group are all talking about it. They said that she passed out in Dr. Kidman¡¯s office. Before that, they seemed to be arguing about something,¡± the researcher said. Luca raised her eyebrows. She was not interested inpany gossip, and she had left her phone in the office. She turned around and continued her research. ¡°Dr. Craw, do you know why they were arguing?¡± The researcher asked. ¡°How would I know?¡± Luca said, though she guessed that they must have had a disagreement. She swirled the test tube in her hand and said, ¡°How would the people there know that they were arguing? Dr. Kidman¡¯s office should be soundproofed.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± The researcher chuckled. If Cole and Talia had not been arguing especially loudly, no one would have known what they were doing in the office. Luca continued with her experiment. She was not curious about why they were arguing, but she was curious about why Talia would suddenly pass out and require hospitalization. Half an hourter, another researcher said, ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t expect Ms. Sullivan to be pregnant! No wonder she passed out in Dr. Kidman¡¯s office.¡± Luca paused for a while. ¡®Talia¡­ is pregnant?¡¯ ¡°Really?¡± Another researcher said. ¡°Yeah. Ms. Stone apanied Ms. Sullivan to the hospital. When the doctor announced the news, Ms. Stone was there to hear it,¡± another researcher said. He had been following the gossip intently on his phone. ¡°That¡¯s weird. I remember Ms. Sullivan said that she¡¯s single. How would she be pregnant?¡± Another researcher asked. ¡°And you call yourself a researcher? If a woman makes out with a man, she¡¯ll be pregnant. It¡¯s not too far-fetched to imagine a single woman sleeping with another man, isn¡¯t it?¡± The researchers nodded in agreement. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Luca overheard their conversation while checking research data. She could guess what had happened. The child in Talia¡¯s womb was most likely Cole¡¯s¡­ Even though she did not express her interest inpany gossip, she had investigated the backgrounds of the researchers in thepany. Cole was married to his wife for twenty years, but his wife had poor health and was never pregnant. Luca guessed that Cole really wanted a child, but he wanted to leech off his wife¡¯s wealth and influence, so he gave up on the idea of bing a father. Now that Talia was pregnant, what would Cole do? Would he proceed with his n and let Talia take the fall for him, or would he save her because of her baby? Suddenly, Luca found herself curious about how the drama would end. After work, she returned to her office and prepared to leave. While packing up, she remembered the conversation among the researchers, so she took out her phone, opened thepany chat group, and scrolled upward to read the conversation from earlier. The news that Talia suddenly passed out and was found pregnant had shocked everyone in Watson. After all, everyone knew that she was single, and her sudden pregnancy became a scandal. Many people were discussing her. Luca rubbed her chin. Did they forget that Talia was in the chat group too? She continued to read the conversation as she walked toward the elevator lobby, her eyes transfixed on the phone screen the whole time. When she heard the bell indicating the elevator had arrived, she put her phone away and prepared to walk inside, but she saw Luke standing there. It was then that Luca realized that she had identally pressed the button for the CEO¡¯s personal elevator¡­ Luca instinctively took a step back and bowed apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Crawford. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± ¡°Come in,¡± Luke said. Luca blinked. She pretended not to understand what Luke was saying. In a few seconds, the elevator doors would automatically close. Luke did not let her get away so easily. He pressed the button to hold the doors open and said, ¡°Come in.¡± Luca heard the voices of other researchers around the corner. They were also getting off work. She was afraid that they might see her standing in front of Luke. Who could guess what they might think? She had always thought that researchers would be more focused on their research than on gossip, but she realized that she was wrong. Those researchers were fond of rumors and stories. If they saw her together with Luke, they would come up with a variety of theories, and the people at Watson would soon hear of it. Luca did not hesitate. She walked into the elevator and said apologetically, ¡°Pardon me, Mr. Crawford.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Luke pressed a button and the doors closed. Two researchers turned the corner and arrived at the elevator lobby. From the corner of their eyes, they could see the CEO¡¯s personal elevator doors closing. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Mr. Crawford¡¯s personal elevator? Why did it stop here?¡± One of the researchers said curiously. They did not see their boss on the way to the elevator lobby¡­ Did someone use the CEO¡¯s personal elevator? They thought that the person was very daring. Luke was a clean freak, and if he found out that someone else had used his elevator, he would have it fumigated. ¡°Someone must have pressed the button by mistake¡­ No one would dare to step into Mr. Crawford¡¯s elevator,¡± the other researcher said. In the elevator, Luca was about to press the button for the first floor when Luke said, ¡°Do you want the other people to see you stepping out of the CEO¡¯s elevator?¡± Luca¡¯s finger froze in mid-air when she heard that. All the employees who did not own a car would leave the building by the first floor. If Luca stepped out on the first floor, many people would be surprised. Luca pulled her hand back. She nced at the bottom-most button on the elevator panel, then at the decreasing numbers on the digital disy above her. ¡°You¡¯ll sit in my car today,¡± Luke said. ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t have to, Mr. Crawford. I can catch a cab,¡± Luca said. She knew that Crawford Manor and her apartment were in opposite directions. ¡°Lanie and Rainie are staying back at school for some activities today, and they¡¯ll go hometer. I¡¯ve already gotten the driver to pick them up. I¡¯ll only be picking Tommy up from his school because it¡¯s along the way,¡± Luke exined. Luca could not find a reason to refuse. To think that she would be sitting in Luke¡¯s car again¡­ She could not help but think about the impostor Bianca. The unidentified corpse in the news should be her¡­ If Luke eventually found out that she was from the Ind of Despair but did not know her true identity, would she end up like the impostor Bianca? Chapter 1402 Luke looked at Luca, who was deep in thought. He did not know what she was thinking. Ding! The elevator arrived at the basement parking lot. Luca came to her senses. She wanted to refuse Luke¡¯s offer, but Luke had already walked away. She had no other choice but to walk behind him. She could not treat Luke like how she treated other men. Those tricks did not work on Luke. Luca eventually caught up to Luke, and they walked to Luke¡¯s car together. She was about to open one of the doors at the back and sit inside when Luke said, ¡°I¡¯m not your driver. Come and sit next to me.¡± Luke had interrupted her before she could open the door. She felt a little dejected, but this was not the time for her to hesitate. She did not want anyone else to see her, so she lowered her head, went to the side passenger seat, and sat down. She had just fastened her seatbelt when Luke started the car and drove away. It was the evening rush hour. If they were unlucky, their car would have to stop every few feet. She mouthed a silent prayer for smooth traffic. ¡°Are you feeling nervous?¡± Luke noticed that she had been deliberately keeping her breathing even. He, Percy, Gale, and Rain knew how to do that. It was a technique they had learned in their physical training to alleviate their minds from too much stress. He did not think that Luca would have undergone the same physical training that he did, but she controlled her breathing so naturally. Luke entertained the idea of sparring with her to see how good of a fighter she was. His words brought her back to reality. She shook her head and said, ¡°I¡¯m not nervous.¡± Luke took a detour when he reached the intersection ahead because he knew that the road in front would be congested. ¡°Tommy said that you¡¯re a good fighter.¡± Luca was taken aback. ¡°I¡¯m a single woman living alone. I learned some self-defense techniques to protect myself.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see for myself.¡± Luke drove the car into a narrow alley that was only slightly wider than his car. He continued to drive straight as though he was not bothered. Luca turned her head away. Did Luke say that he wanted to fight her? She knew that Luke would rather not get physical whenever possible. Why would he want to fight her? Things were not looking good for her. ¡°You saw me fight in New York, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯m not very good at fighting,¡± Luca said, feeling a little nervous even though she knew that Luke was a skilled driver. Luke nodded. ¡°I think that you¡¯re better than that, just like how I think that you¡¯re more than meets the eye.¡± Luca¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she did not express her anxiety on her face. She said, ¡°What do you mean, Mr. Crawford? Do you think that I¡¯m hiding something from you? For example, could I have hidden my true face?¡± Luke could tell that she was deliberately twisting the meaning of his words. The impostor Bianca had hidden her true face and managed to deceive him. Could someone have changed his beloved Bianca¡¯s face and put her next to him? Luke thought that the idea wasughable. If the real Bianca was indeed by his side, why would she not tell him so? He knew that Bianca loved him. If the scenario he thought had really happened, the only exnation was that Bianca hated him. ¡°Have you?¡± Luke asked, deciding to go straight to the point. Luca looked straight ahead, and her hands slowly clenched into fists. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s any of your concern, Mr. Crawford. My appearance does not affect my work performance.¡± Luke suddenly smiled. ¡°Indeed,¡± he said. Luca did not know what to feel when she saw Luke¡¯s reaction. She realized that she should not have mentioned changing her face, and she began to regret her choice. That must have reminded Luke about the impostor Bianca¡­ Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. The car drove smoothly across the narrow alley, went through two intersections, and arrived at Tommy¡¯s school. Luke parked the car at the roadside and unfastened his seatbelt. ¡°I¡¯ll go pick Tommy up. Wait in the car.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Luca nodded and said. Luke opened the car door and walked toward the front gate of the school. Luca watched as he walked away. She could sense the man¡¯s charm even when his back was facing her. Even the people walking on the street could not help but turn their heads to look at him. If Luke had be a movie star instead of a CEO, he would be famous worldwide. Luca shook her head and cleared her thoughts. What was she thinking? Why did she fantasize about Luke bing a movie star? She covered her face in embarrassment. Indeed, Luke was beginning to take over her thoughts¡­ Five minutester, Luke walked down the street while holding Tommy¡¯s hand. He opened the car door, and Tommy stepped inside. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. He grinned when he realized that Luca was in the car. ¡°You¡¯re here too, Ms. Luca! I didn¡¯t believe it when Daddy told me about it earlier.¡± ¡°Mm. Your Daddy happens to be driving in the same direction.¡± Luca turned her head and smiled gently at the little boy. Tommy nodded and said, ¡°You should let Daddy drive you home every day, Ms. Luca. Cabs can be stinky sometimes. Daddy¡¯s car is much morefortable.¡± ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t mind taking a cab though,¡± Luca said. She noticed that Luke was fastening his seatbelt, so she turned her head around and looked straight to the front. Tommy grinned. ¡°But Daddy¡¯s driving in the same direction, isn¡¯t it?¡± Luca kneaded her hands and pretended not to hear what the boy said. Tommy continued, ¡°Daddy, do you want to have dinner with Ms. Luca and me tonight?¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Luke replied as he started driving. He drove very carefully because he was still within the school zone. Tommy pped his hands and said, ¡°That¡¯s great! I¡¯m d that you get to taste Ms. Luca¡¯s cooking again, Daddy. Too bad Lanie and Rainie need to stay back in school today. They say that they miss Ms. Luca¡¯s cooking too.¡± Luca was willing to cook dinner for Lanie and Rainie, but if Luke did not say anything, she did not think it was appropriate to suggest it. Other people might think that she was using the children to gain Luke¡¯s affection, and she did not want Luke to get that impression. However, she still had to reply to Tommy¡¯s statement. ¡°Really? Do Lanie and Rainie miss my cooking?¡± Tommy nodded. ¡°Every night when I get home, Rainie would ask me what I ate at your house, and Lanie would be listening attentively.¡± Luca sighed discreetly. ¡°I see. I¡¯d love to cook for them if I have the chance,¡± she said. Chapter 1403

Chapter 1403 He Weed the Idea

Tommy was too young to tell that Luca was only giving him a non-answer. He pped his hands happily and said, "Really? Rainie will be happy to hear that!" Luca felt a little guilty for making Tommy so happy. ''I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to keep your hopes up. I want to tell you that I''m your real mother and shower all my love on you, but I''m not strong enough to do that.¡¯ Luke drove to Luca''s neighborhood and stopped near the supermarket. Luca unfastened her seatbelt and said, "You can wait for me in the car, Mr. Crawford. I''ll be back soon.¡± She did not expect that Luke would being for dinner, so there was not enough food in the fridge. Luke nodded. Tommy wanted to go to the supermarket with Luca, but Luke stopped him from doing so. He could only sit and wait in the car. In the car, Luke and Tommy stared at each other. "Daddy, why am I the only one who gets to eat dinner at Ms. Luca''s house? Lanie and Rainie want toe too," Tommy said. Luke looked at his youngest son. He did not know what the other two children were thinking, but he knew that Tommy was willing to visit Luca at her house. There was a reason why he did not want Lanie and Rainie to get close to Luca. The fewer people knew about his n, the better... Luke suspected Luca''s identity, so he wanted to use Tommy as a reason to get close to her. If Lanie and Rainie came along, his options were restricted if things got serious. It was much easier to deal with one child rather than three. Even though he believed that Luca would not harm the child, he still had to take some precautions. "Because you''re a picky eater," Luke made up an excuse to appease the child. Tommy was not satisfied by that answer. "I''m not a picky eater, at least not at Ms. Luca''s house!" "You fell ill because you''re a picky eater. Ms. Luca created those recipes specifically to help you be stronger, so they won''t be suitable for Lanie and Rainie," Luke exined. Tommy might be young, but he understood what his father told him. He pouted and said, "I didn''t expect that being a picky eater can sometimes be a good thing.¡± "..." Luke did not know how to respond to that. Tommy had always been a picky eater, and Luke had always been trying to correct his bad habit. He was the pickiest during the period Bianca was missing. Luca had somehow managed to correct Tommy''s bad habit. Luke wondered if Luca''s cooking was really that amazing or if she had some sort of personal charm. Luke looked at the supermarket entrance and waited for her to return. In the supermarket, Luca thought hard about what she wanted to cook for Luke. She had to cook something other than the nned recipes, but she had no idea what to cook. She pushed the shopping cart around the supermarket and hoped to find some inspiration. Suddenly, her phone began to ring. Luca looked at the phone screen and saw that the call was from Sue. She answered the call and said, "Hello, Sue.¡± "Luca, did Jason hand you the invitation card?" Sue asked. "Mm, he did, but I can''t promise that I''ll be free this Sunday," Luca replied. "No problem. I''m d that you''ve received the card. It''s Kari and Teri''s birthday this Sunday. If you''re free, I hope you cane and celebrate their birthday with them. My two daughters miss you very much,¡± Sue said. Luca finally understood why Sue gave her a formal invitation card. It was her daughters¡¯ birthday party. She smiled and said, "Alright, I''ll try to make it." "That''s good to hear,¡± Sue said. She was very fond of Luca, so she wanted to invite her to Kari and Teri''s birthday party. Luca nced at the aisles of products and asked, "Right, Sue, what are you cooking for dinner tonight?" "Spaghetti with creamed corn and grilled sea bass fillets. Why did you ask me that?" Sue did not know why Luca asked her that question, but she answered it anyway. Luca smiled and said, "I don''t know what to cook for dinner, so I thought I''d gain some inspiration from you. Thanks for the ideas, bye." "Alright, I hope to see you on Sunday," Sue said. After the call ended, Luca picked up some sea bass fillets, a few ears of corn, and a pack of shredded cheese, then went to the checkout counter. She came out of the supermarket with a shopping bag in her hand. Before she got near the car, she saw Luke step out and open the trunk. Luca did not say anything. She put the shopping bag in the trunk, then sat down at the side passenger seat. Luke closed the trunk and returned to the driver''s seat. He parked the car at the parking lot near the apartment, and the three people stepped out of the car. Luca wanted to go to the trunk to pick up the shopping bag, but Luke was faster than she was. "Mind the child,¡± he said. Luca was taken aback. She nodded, took Tommy''s hand, and led him to the elevator. Luke walked up next to Tommy. The boy lifted his head, looked at the two adults walking next to him, and grinned happily. He thought that they were like a happy family of three. In fact, he weed the idea that Luca would be his mother. Tommy began to think: If their father did not like their current mother anymore, would Lanie and Rainie like it if their father married Ms. Luca? He would be very happy if that happened. Tommy grinned giddily as they stepped into the elevator. Back at the apartment, Luca took the shopping bag from Luke''s hand and went directly into the kitchen. Tommy sat down on the couch and took out his workbooks from his backpack. He saw that Luke was still standing at the door, so he said, "Come over here, Daddy. I need help with my homework.¡± Luke nced in the direction of the kitchen, then went in and sat down next to Tommy. Tommy began to do his homework.This is from N?velDrama.Org. Luke, on the other hand, browsed the news on his phone for any updates about the unidentified female corpse. A crime of that severity rarely happened in A City. The police had not made any announcements of their findings, so any news that was spreading on the Inte was a mixture of fact and spection. That only increased the general public''s interest in the incident. Luke did not order Jason to suppress the news. He could not afford to let anyone know that he was rted to the incident. The further he scrolled, the more ridiculous the spection. He put his phone away. Chapter 1404 While Luca prepared the dining table, she noticed that Luke was checking Tommy¡¯s homework. Instinctively, she took care not to make too much excessive noise. Tommy was sprawled on Luke¡¯s back, looking at his father going through his homework. Luke found a small mistake on thest page, and he got Tommy to correct it. After Tommy did so, he signed on thest page of the workbook. He looked up and noticed Luca was looking at them. He wondered if she had been watching them. The gaze in her eyes was gentle and elegant. Luca felt the atmosphere be tense when their gazes met. She quickly turned away, ced the dishes on the dining table, cleared her throat, and said, ¡°Dinner is ready.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best, Ms. Luca! I¡¯m so hungry!¡± Tommy cheered and pped his hands excitedly. He stood up and went to wash his hands. Luca watched the boy enter the bathroom, then turned to look at Luke. Luke was still looking at her. ¡°Mr. Crawford, would you like to have some soup before dinner?¡± Luca asked while cing the cutlery. ¡°Soup sounds good,¡± Luke said as he walked toward the dining table. ¡°Mm, I¡¯ll get you a bowl,¡± Luca hurriedly walked into the kitchen. Luke narrowed her gaze when he noticed her hasty steps and thought that she was avoiding him. Half a minuteter, she came out of the kitchen with a pot of soup. She had alreadyposed herself. Luca ced the pot on the dining table, then filled up two bowls of soup for Luke and Tommy. Tommy came out of the bathroom and sat in front of the dining table with a toothy grin on his face. When Luca handed him his bowl, he said, ¡°Thank you, Ms. Luca. I love your soup.¡± Luca smiled and put the other bowl in front of the seat next to Tommy. Tommy turned his head and saw that Luke was still standing there. He patted the surface of the table and said, ¡°Why are you standing there, Daddy? Come over here and take a seat. Ms. Luca said that you should eat your food while it¡¯s hot.¡± Luke raised his eyebrows. Tommy seemed to befortable in Luca¡¯s home aftering over for several consecutive days. He was beginning to treat the ce as his own home. He sat down and ate a spoonful of soup. It was refreshing, light, and indeed very delicious. After finishing the bowl of soup, Luke helped himself with the te of spaghetti that Luca prepared for him. He asked, ¡°Where is your younger brother?¡± Luca¡¯s hands paused for a split second when Luke mentioned Amur. She continued to put a sea bass fillet on Tommy¡¯s te as though nothing happened. ¡°He¡¯s traveling now,¡± she said. ¡°What does he do?¡± Luke asked. Luca put some spaghetti on her te and exined calmly, ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a fixed job yet, but I¡¯ve heard that he wants to find work at a gym.¡± ¡°A gym?¡± Luke¡¯s tone became curious. As far as he remembered, Amur had a good physique but did not look like a fitness instructor at all. ¡°That¡¯s what he wants to do,¡± Luca nodded and said. She ced a sea bass fillet on her te and began to eat. ¡°I¡¯m willing to help him if he needs it,¡± Luke said. Luca knew that Luke had an extensive socialwork. If Luke was willing to help Amur, Amur could obtain any job he wanted. However, Amur was not looking for a job at all. She tried to calm herself down and said, ¡°We¡¯ll see what happens. He might not remain in A City.¡± Luke wanted to say something when Tommy tugged his shirt sleeve. He turned around to look at the child. Tommy pointed at the te of pork chops on the opposite side of the table. ¡°Daddy, I want that.¡± Luke put a pork chop on his te. He shook his head and said, ¡°That¡¯s not enough, Daddy. I¡¯m very hungry today.¡± Luke patiently put another pork chop on his te. Eventually, he did not ask the question he wanted to ask Luca. After dinner, before the adults could say anything, Tommy rubbed his stomach and said, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so full. Ms. Luca is an amazing cook as always. Can we go home a littleter, Daddy? I want to rest for a bit.¡± Luca smiled as she cleaned the table. ¡°Mm,¡± Luke nodded and replied when he saw the smile on Luca¡¯s face. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Luca had expected that he would agree to the request, so she was not too surprised. After stacking the tes and cutlery, she said, ¡°I¡¯ve made some cupcakes for Lanie and Rainie. I¡¯ll pack them in a box, and you can bring them back, Mr. Crawford.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Luke was quite surprised that she would do that for the other children. Tommy sniffed the air and said, ¡°No wonder I smelled something sweet baking earlier. I thought my nose was ying tricks on me. Lanie and Rainie would be delighted!¡± A while ago, the cook at Crawford Manor baked some cupcakes using Luca¡¯s recipe. Rainie thought that they were missing something, and they were not as nice as how Luca made them. Luca put the tes in the dishwasher, then carefully packed the cupcakes in a box. She could not stop smiling when she imagined how Rainie¡¯s face would light up upon seeing the cupcakes. When Luca walked out of the kitchen with the box of cupcakes, she heard the news about the unidentified female corpse on the television. Luke was watching the news intently while covering Tommy¡¯s eyes. ¡°Daddy, I wanna see!¡± Tommy tried to pry away Luke¡¯s fingers. He did not know what was going on. ¡°It¡¯s not good for children,¡± Luke said coldly as he watched the news report. The report was the same asst time. There were no new developments. Even though his back was facing Luca, Luca could imagine what his expression was like. He must be watching the news without any expression on his face. The fact that the corpse was the impostor Bianca did not bother him the slightest bit. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. After the report ended, Luke pulled his hand away. ¡°I¡¯m not a child anymore, Daddy,¡± Tommy said unhappily. ¡°You¡¯re still small,¡± Luke said. ¡°You need to eat more.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯d love to eat Ms. Luca¡¯s food. I¡¯m so happy that I get to eat here every day!¡± Tommy said with a grin. He turned around and noticed that Luca was standing behind him. ¡°Ms. Luca!¡± Lucaposed herself and handed Tommy the box. ¡°Here are the cupcakes.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Tommy realized that he had been cheering a lot today. He carefully ced the box on the coffee table in case he got too excited and identally messed up the cupcakes. Luke looked at the box. The typical household would not have such delicate boxes for cupcakes. Luca must have specifically bought them. Chapter 1405

Chapter 1405 She Did That for Rainie

Luca did not have any children, but she prepared those cupcake boxes... It was as though she was doing that for Rainie. Luke did not voice his thoughts. Looking at the clock, he stood up. Before he said anything, Luca picked up Tommy''s backpack. "Ms. Luca?" Tommy did not understand what Luca was doing. At the same time, Luke also looked at her. Luca felt a little awkward being stared at like that. She handed the backpack to Luke and cleared her throat. "It''s gettingte, Mr. Crawford. Tommy needs to go home.¡± "But I want to watch the cartoon before I go, Ms. Luca,¡± Tommy said as he looked at the clock on the wall. It was only eight o''clock, which was one hour earlier than the usual time. Luca thought for a while and said, "The cupcakes won''t be as nice if you eat themter.¡± Tommy thought that it made sense. He knew that Lanie and Rainie wanted to taste Luca''s cooking again, but only he had the chance to do so. He nodded, took the backpack, and waved his hand reluctantly. "Alright then, we should go.¡± Luke did not object to it. He picked up the box of cupcakes and the briefcase from the coffee table. Tommy grabbed his shirt sleeve obediently. Luca noticed that Luke''s coat was hanging on the rack, so she went over, picked it up, and handed it to him. "Your coat, Mr. Crawford." Luke took the coat and nodded. "Thank you."Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Luca smiled. Their fingers touched when Luca handed the coat to him, and it brought back sweet memories from the past. She could feel a warm current coursing through her body. Luca gently rubbed her fingers and tried hard not to look emotional. After Tommy stepped out of the apartment, he turned around and waved at Luca. "Goodbye, Ms. Luca.¡± "Bye." Luca came to her senses and waved her hand. As usual, she watched the father and son enter the elevator before closing the door. She was alone in the living room, but the television was on. Tommy''s favorite cartoon had started airing. Tears welled up in Luca''s eyes as she listened to the voices in the cartoon. That was Tommy''s favorite cartoon since three years ago. Back then, if Luke did not have to work overtime in the office, the family of five would have dinner together, and Luke and she would sit together with Tommy to watch the cartoon. She missed those times... Luca picked up the remote control and turned off the television. It was still early. Luca went into Amur''s bedroom and continued the research on the antidote. Even though the police did not divulge too much information, Luca could tell that the impostor was not murdered. Instead, she died because she did not take the antidote in time. She knew that as much as Luke cared for her, he would not take another person''s life so easily. It was the same for Gale and Rain. In their training on the Ind of Despair, they would have learned how to torture someone without causing anysting damage. Creating the antidote was an arduous process. Luca patiently analyzed theponents Meanwhile, Tommy and Luke left the apartmentplex. After they got into the car, he said sternly to his father, "Daddy, can you smile a little more?" "Why?" Luke raised his eyebrows as he started the car and drove toward Crawford Manor. "I think that you look too serious. The other kids are afraid of you. Even Ms. Luca is afraid of you. Whenever you''re around, the other kids don''t dare to approach me, and I don''t have any friends," Tommyined. "You have many friends.¡± Luke was not so easily deceived. Even though he was too busy most of the time to pick up his son from school, he knew very well about Tommy''s situation in school. Tommy was outgoing and friendly, and he was beloved by many teachers and ssmates. "You''ve been asking my teacher about me, haven''t you?" Tommy said and wagged his legs. "Yes, I have a lot of friends at school, but Daddy, haven''t you noticed that Ms. Luca is awkward whenever you''re around? She would usually fill my dinner te, but she didn''t do that today. Your stern face must have scared her off." Tommy was capable of taking food for himself, but he preferred to let Luca do it for him. That way, he would feel that he was Luca''s favorite child. Tommy could sense that Luca''s behavior was different today. He realized that it was because of his father. He guessed that Luca was intimidated by his father''s stern expression. Tommy rested his chin on his hands and nced at Luke. He had rarely seen his father smile. Did Luke not know how to smile? That was not the case either... "Why do you think that I''m scaring her off?" Luke did not immediately answer Tommy''s request. Luca had been serious and meticulous in front of him. Sometimes, he could tell that her expressions and actions were unnatural, as though she was afraid of him. The dinner should have been a casual affair, but to him, it was more important to find out more about Luca''s background. He could not let his guard down, and he behaved how he usually did. "You''re so moody, Daddy, and Ms. Luca is so kind and gentle. She''d definitely be scared of you,¡± Tommy spoke up for Luca. "If what you say is true, should I apologize to her?" Luke continued the conversation while driving. Tommy nodded without thinking too much about it. "It''d be great if you could apologize to her, but I''ve never seen you apologize to anyone.¡± Luke was at a loss for a reply. He did not expect his son to take his answer so seriously. Indeed, he would not easily apologize. In his life, he had only apologized to two people. The first was Old Master Crawford, and the second was Bianca. He used to make Bianca cry because he did not know how to express his love for her. Whenever that happened, he would apologize to her. He thought for a while and realized that no one else could make him apologize to them. Seeing that his father did not say anything, Tommy nced at him and said seriously, "How are you going to apologize to her then?" "We''ll see about that,¡± Luke replied. He was thinking about Bianca, and ripples of emotion appeared in his previous still mind. Tommy turned his head and looked outside of the window. "Your apology has to be genuine. Otherwise, Ms. Luca won''t ept it." Eventually, he arrived at Crawford Manor. Old Master Crawford was enjoying some tea in the living room, and the light fragrance of the tea filled the living room. Chapter 1406

Chapter 1406 Is Bianca Never Coming Back?

"Great-Grandpa! I''m back!" Tommy greeted the old man first and skipped up next to him. Old Master Crawford smiled at his great-grandson. He was not happy that Luke had arranged for Tommy to go to Luca''s house to have dinner every night. After all, they had apetent cook at home, and he did not understand why Tommy needed to have dinner at an unrted woman''s house. Moreover, that woman used to be Luke''s rumored mistress... He was impressed with Luca''s work capabilities, but he was not happy with Luke''s arrangement. It felt as though Luke was trying to get close to her. Old Master Crawford looked at the grin on Tommy''s face. Every time Tommy came back from Luca''s house, he would always be so happy. Other people might even think that Luca was Tommy''s mother. "How was dinner today?" Even though Old Master Crawford was not happy about the situation, he cared for Tommy''s well-being. Tommy grinned and nodded. "Ms. Luca cooked so many amazing dishes today. I''m so full!" "Ms. Luca? She should be Mdm. Craw for you," Old Master Crawford corrected him Tommy scratched his head. "But Ms. Luca isn''t married yet. Why do I have to call her ''Madam?? Old Master Crawford was taken aback. He did not know how to answer that question. Luke handed the box of cupcakes to Tommy and said, ¡°Tommy, you can go upstairs and give this to Lanie and Rainie.¡± "Yes, Daddy.¡± Tommy took the box and ran up the stairs. After the child went upstairs, Old Master Crawford picked up his teacup, nced at Luke, and pointed at the seat next to him. "Come over here and sit down, Luke. I have something to ask you.¡± Luke could tell that his grandfather had been waiting for him in the living room. He nodded and sat down on the couch. The butler asked, "Would you like some tea, Sir?" "Mm." Luke nodded. His demeanor was simr to that of his grandfather. The butler poured a cup of tea and carefully ced it in front of Luke. "I''ll call you when I need you,¡± Old Master Crawford said. The butler nodded and went away. Luke took a sip of the tea. He was not thirsty because he had drunk some water at Luca''s apartment. He put the teacup away and asked, "What do you want to ask me, Grandfather?" "You''ve seen the news yesterday, right?" Old Master Crawford asked after taking a sip of tea. Luke focused his gaze. He nodded and said, "I saw it." "What do you think about it? Or do you have something to tell me?" Old Master Crawford said. Luke looked at the calm expression on his grandfather''s face. He stood up and said, "Grandfather, are you sure you want to talk about it here?"Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Old Master Crawford''s expression instantly became grim. He stood up and said, "Let''s go to the study.¡± Luke went up to support him, and they went to the study. "Close the door, Luke," Old Master Crawford said. From what Luke said earlier, Old Master Crawford knew that the matter was serious. Luke closed the door. Then, they sat opposite each other on the couch as though they were in a negotiation. Old Master Crawford did not beat around the bush. He said, "Tell me honestly, Luke, is Bianca nevering back?" "No," Luke said determinedly and shook his head. "Bea wille back." "So you''re telling me that the unidentified female corpse has nothing to do with Bianca?" Old Master Crawford asked. He had ess to the police investigation files, and he knew that there were no simrities between the female corpse and Bianca. He could not say for sure that the corpse was Bianca. "It''s rted, but that woman is not Bianca. She is a woman who wears Bianca''s face, possibly through stic surgery,¡± Luke said Old Master Crawford was shocked. "She''s an impostor?¡± "Mm," Luke nodded and replied. "How did you find out?" Luke told him about how Lanie and Rainie had taken the impostor''s hair to conduct a DNA test without the adults¡¯ knowledge. Old Master Crawford was silent for a full minute after he heard that. "You should have told me earlier. I know some people, and I can help you deal with it," he said. Even though he was old, he was willing to pull some strings to help Luke. "I didn''t kill her,¡± Luke said. He knew what his grandfather meant. Old Master Crawford frowned. "So how did she die?" "She didn''t take the antidote in time," Luke said coldly, as though the person who died was no more important than an insect. Old Master Crawford nodded solemnly and looked at his grandson. Over the past three years, Luke had expended a lot of effort in finding Bianca and restoring her memories. It was shocking to find out that the woman was not the real Bianca. He was worried that Luke might be in denial, but he was relieved to see that Luke remainedposed. "Are you sure that you''ve handled the incident well?" Old Master Crawford asked out of concern. Now that he knew that the woman was from the Ind of Despair, he no longer had any sympathy for her. "I left no trace. No one in the country will cause me trouble,¡± Luke said. Of course, someone from outside the country, namely, the Ind of Despair, would cause him trouble. He was already prepared that the Ind of Despair would move into action once they found out that the impostor Bianca had died. On the other hand, Luke knew that the people from the Ind of Despair would have known about the impostor''s disappearance because she did not take the antidote, and it was quite suspicious that they had not acted yet. "If the Ind of Despair is still operational, you''ll have to protect the three children this time. I''m already old, Luke, and I don''t want to lose any more people before I die," Old Master Crawford said. He knew that the people from the Ind of Despair were merciless assassins that operated internationally. No matter how influential Luke might be, the Ind of Despair probably had a way of getting him. Luke had to be alert at all times. "I''ve already made arrangements,¡± Luke nodded and said. He had assigned bodyguards to patrol the mansion around the clock. When the three children were outside, there were also bodyguards following them from a distance. He did not tell the children about that because he did not want them to worry. Tommy was the most heavily guarded because those bodyguards could spy on Luca as well. Luke told Old Master Crawford about his arrangements, but he did not mention Luca. He knew that Old Master Crawford was not fond of Luca, and he did not want his grandfather to make any assumptions. Chapter 1407 Old Master Crawford nodded, satisfied with how Luke handled the matter. He knew that Luke was loyal to the real Bianca. Now that Luke found out that the woman was an impostor, he would be looking for the real Bianca once more. It would be very difficult to seed in that task, now that three years had passed. Moreover, no one knew where the base of operations of the Ind of Despair was. That added to the difficulty of the task. ¡°Luke, there are some things that I believe you know without me spelling it out. If you can¡¯t Bianca anymore, I hope that you can find your happiness elsewhere. Some things just can¡¯t be forced. Do you understand what I mean?¡± Old Master Crawford said. Naturally, Luke understood. ¡°I won¡¯t give up on finding Bea, Grandfather.¡± Old Master Crawford sighed. He did not know why his grandson was so loyal and determined. If only Luke¡¯s father were also like that. That would have prevented a lot of family drama. Even though Allison was already put in prison, the problems she caused still gued the Crawford family, and that had troubled Old Master Crawford greatly. The old man wanted to sip some tea to soothe his feelings, but he realized that he left his teacup in the living room. He rubbed the palms of his hands and said, ¡°It¡¯s been three years. Three years is enough topletely change someone¡¯s personality, and it¡¯s also enough to change someone¡¯s appearance. Luke, I¡¯m saying what if, and it¡¯s a very big if, Bianca isn¡¯t around anymore? Are you going to continue to wait for her while the children need a mother? Lanie and Rainie know that their mother was an impostor, but what about Tommy? Even though he¡¯s not very close to the impostor, you can¡¯t keep on deceiving him. He¡¯s still a child who needs his mother.¡± Luke was silent as he listened to his grandfather¡¯s lecture. Old Master Crawford had made his intentions very clear. The rest was up to Luke to connect the dots. He stood up with the help of the walking stick and said, ¡°A mother ys an important role in a child¡¯s development. Lanie and Rainie didn¡¯t have a mother for the first five years of their lives, and they¡¯re used to it by now. Tommy is different. Bianca has pampered him since he was a baby. If Bianca isn¡¯t coming back anymore, I hope that you can find a good woman so that Tommy can grow up happily.¡± He walked toward the door. When he put his hand on the doorknob, he turned around and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think you know about this, Luke. The Crawfords might be influential, and people respect us wherever we go, but when Lanie and Rainie were young, they¡¯ve been bullied by their friends because they don¡¯t have a mother.¡± Luke frowned. ¡°When was that?¡± He had no idea that it happened. ¡°When they were in kindergarten. You were very busy, and the kids didn¡¯t tell you, but they were crying andining to me. They asked me where their mother was, and I didn¡¯t know how to answer.¡± Old Master Crawford sighed deeply and continued, ¡°They¡¯re good kids, and they¡¯re sensible enough not to trouble you or throw tantrums, but they¡¯re kids after all. ¡°You can¡¯t imagine how easily kids can learn and adapt. It¡¯s a good thing that Tommy isn¡¯t close to the impostor. You can tell him the truth, and I¡¯m sure that he¡¯ll understand,¡± Old Master Crawford said. If no one knew when the real Bianca was going to return, there was no need to keep hiding the truth from the child. To maintain a lie, one would need to tell ten more lies. The impostor Bianca was dead, and the real Bianca was not yet found. If Tommy asked where his mother was, it was not good to keep on lying to him. Luke thought that his grandfather made sense. He would put that under serious consideration. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it, Grandfather,¡± he said. Old Master Crawford nodded, then left the room. Luke also stood up and left the room. He went to themon area on the second floor, but the children were no longer there. He opened up the children¡¯s room and realized that Lanie and Rainie were in the same room, eating the cupcakes that Luca had baked for them. ¡°Daddy!¡± The twins smiled and nodded at him. Luke nodded. ¡°Where¡¯s Tommy?¡± He asked. ¡°Tommy is taking a shower in his room,¡± Rainie answered. She was very happy that she got to eat those cupcakes. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Luke nodded and told them, ¡°You should brush your teeth and go to bed after you finish those cupcakes. Don¡¯t stay up toote.¡± ¡°Yes, Daddy,¡± the twins replied in one voice. After leaving their room and closing the door, Luke went to Tommy¡¯s bedroom. Upon opening the door, he heard the sounds of running watering from the bathroom. He sat down on the chair next to the study table and waited for Tommy toe out from the bathroom. Old Master Crawford¡¯s words had changed his mind. He decided that he should not hide the truth from Tommy anymore. He needed to tell him that the real Bianca had not been found, and the impostor Bianca was dead. After Tommy finished his shower, he came out of the bathroom and saw Luke. He grinned and greeted him, ¡°Daddy!¡± Luke saw that Tommy¡¯s hair was still wet. He patted his thigh and said, ¡°Why did youe out of the bathroom before you dry your hair? Come here and let me dry it for you.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Tommy nodded, went over, and sat on Luke¡¯sp. Luke took a towel and carefully dried Tommy¡¯s soft and fine hair. Soon, all the water droplets were gone. He put the towel away and carried the child into the bathroom. Taking the hairdryer, he blew dry the child¡¯s hair. After his hair was dry, Tommy looked up at his father¡¯s reflection in the mirror. ¡°Are you free tonight? I thought you¡¯d be doing your work in the study by now,¡± he said. ¡°I have something to tell you,¡± Luke said and stroked Tommy¡¯s head. Tommy looked at him in confusion. They walked out of the bathroom; Luke went to sit on the couch while Tommy sat on his bed. ¡°What do you want to tell me, Daddy?¡± Tommy asked. ¡°Tommy, do you like your Mommy now?¡± Luke asked. Tommy shook his head without thinking about it. ¡°I don¡¯t like my Mommy now, Daddy. She¡¯s not nice to me, Lanie, or Rainie. It¡¯s as though she¡¯s not our mother at all.¡± ¡°If I say that she was never your Mommy in the first ce, will you be sad?¡± Luke continued. Tommy¡¯s eyes widened, and he stared at Luke. ¡°What do you mean, Daddy?¡± ¡°Do you remember that your Mommy was abducted?¡± Luke said. Tommy nodded. His hands were gripping tightly on the side of the bed in anticipation. Luke continued, ¡°Your real Mommy hasn¡¯te home. The woman that has been living in our house for the past three years isn¡¯t your real Mommy.¡± Chapter 1408 Tommy understood what Luke meant when he said that she was not their mother. Tears welled up in his eyes as he jumped out of bed and walked to Luke¡¯s side. He held Luke¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°Daddy, that¡¯s not our Mommy. Is Mommy in the hands of the bad guys?¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± Luke did not provide him with 100 percent certainty. He would give his all to look for Bianca. However, he could not promise the kids whether he could find her and how long it would take. ¡°Daddy, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find Mommy.¡± Tommy held Luke¡¯s hand tightly with his tiny hands as though he wasforting Luke. ¡°Do you miss her?¡± Luke tried his best to hold back the tears in the corners of his eyes when he saw how sensible Tommy was being. He knew that Tommy did not want him to worry. Tommy was the youngest in the family. He loved to fool around but when he showed his sensible side, he was no different from Lanie and Rainie. ¡°Yes, I miss her but Mommy has been gone for so many years. Tommy knows better than to make you promise that you¡¯ll find her,¡± Tommy said. Luke sighed and held his hand when he saw how well-behaved Tommy was. ¡°I¡¯ll find her as soon as possible.¡± Tommy nodded and thought of Lanie and Rainie. He lowered his voice and said, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t tell Lanie and Rainie about this. If they know that Mommy isn¡¯t back yet, they¡¯ll be very sad. I don¡¯t want to see them upset.¡± Luke stared at him. Compared to Tommy, Lanie and Rainie only met Bianca when they were five years old. They did not have as many childhood memories of Bianca aspared to Tommy. Even so, after Tommy found out about the news, he did not make a fuss but insteadforted Luke and requested that Lanie and Rainie be kept in the dark. He did not want them to be sad¡­ ¡°Daddy, what¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Tommy noticed that Luke was keeping quiet. He was worried that he would tell the news to Lanie and Rainie, so he said, ¡°I want Lanie and Rainie to be happy.¡± The bedroom door opened, and Lanie and Rainie walked in. They looked at their brother and father, then walked up to them together. ¡°Lanie, Rainie¡­¡± Tommy looked at them. Rainie touched her brother¡¯s cheek and said, ¡°We all know, Tommy. Don¡¯t be sad.¡± Tommy was relieved when he found out that they both knew about it. He was d that there was no need for him to hide it from them. Lanie looked at Luke and said firmly, ¡°I believe that Daddy will bring Mommy home.¡± Luke looked at the three children, nodded, and touched their heads with his big palms. He said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Go get some rest. All of you have ss tomorrow.¡± After he finished speaking, Lanie and Rainie left, while Tommy climbed into bed obediently. After Luke tucked Tommy in, he turned off the lights. He then walked out of the bedroom and closed the door on his way out. It was gettingte. The entire Crawford Manor fell into silence. Luke watched the dim lights in the corridor and thought about the past. Before going to bed, Bianca would always open the door of the kids¡¯ bedrooms to see if they had fallen asleep. If she saw that they had yet to sleep, she would whisper andfort them until they did. Since the fake Bianca joined their family, she had not onceforted the children. The kids only managed to fall asleep because of the routines that Bianca helped them build in the past. They no longer needed anyone to coax them to sleep. The children were growing up. They were so sensible that it was distressing. Since Old Master Crawford knew about the fake Bianca, he no longer had to pretend that all was well. He went back to the master bedroom to rest. He had not slept in the master bedroom for three years. In the past three years, to help Bianca gain familiarity with the environment, he went with Tia¡¯s suggestion and did not redecorate the master bedroom. The master bedroom remained the same as before Bianca was kidnapped. Luke did not lie on the bed. He would not lie on a bed slept by a counterfeit, so he took a new set of bedding and pillows from the cab. Hey down on the sofa instead. With one hand resting behind his head, Luke looked at the ceiling, missing Bianca even more. ¡­ The next day. Luca returned to work at T Corporation. She did not rest all nightst night, so there were two dark eye circles around her eyes. While she was clocking in, Luca happened to run into Zoey Davis, the assistant. Seeing her eye bags, Zoey asked, ¡°Dr. Craw, did you not sleep well yesterday?¡± ¡°I have insomnia,¡± Luca said. She used to take medicine the instant she could not sleep. It was just that she still woke up from a dream in the middle ofst night after taking medicine. She dreamt about Luke again. Zoey noticed how exhausted she looked and asked, ¡°Dr. Craw, would you like a cup of coffee?¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay, please send it to theboratoryter,¡± Luca said. She nned to go directly to theboratory for some research after putting her briefcase in her office. If she could, she did not want to stay in the office as she knew that a surveince camera was installed there. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. ¡°Okay.¡± After Zoey finished pressing her thumb against the device for verification, walked directly to the pantry. Luca returned to the office, put her briefcase and phone in the safe, put on theb coat, and left. When she arrived at theboratory, she saw several researchers sitting together discussing something. Luca shook her head. If it was when they used to work at Watson Biopharmaceuticals, they would bury themselves in their research. Since they came to T Corporation, they seemed to chat more and had more opportunities to get together. ¡°Good morning,¡± Luca took the initiative to greet them. ¡°Dr. Craw, good morning.¡± The researchers saw her walk in but did not disperse. Luca asked curiously upon seeing their reaction, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± One of the researchers replied, ¡°Dr. Craw, didn¡¯t you hear?¡± ¡°Hear about what?¡± Luca always found out about news muchter than the others. ¡°T Corporation is about to organize an employee trip,¡± a researcher said, ¡°But it¡¯s yet to be decided where we¡¯re going.¡± Luca knew that T Corporation organized employee trips every year, but they were from Watson Biopharmaceuticals. They were not employees of T Corporation. Generally speaking, anything to do with T Corporation did not involve the other subsidiaries. ¡°This has nothing to do with us,¡± Luca said. Generally speaking, the trip organized for the headquarters¡¯ employees was much better than for employees of branches and subsidiaries. T Corporation¡¯s affairs did not involve Watson Biopharmaceuticals at all, so their discussion was pointless. ¡°Dr. Craw, a notice came out saying that since our department is now in T Corporation¡¯s office, we¡¯ll also be going on the employee trip. We¡¯re now voting on which tourist attractions to visit,¡± a researcher said while holding her phone. Chapter 1409

Chapter 1409 Employee Trip

Luca''s expression turned dull for two seconds when she heard their reply. She did not expect that they would also be going on the employee trip... "In that case, when is it?" Luca asked. She was not too keen on going when she thought of how she had to travel with all the other employees. It was not because of Luke. She simply did not want to join in the excitement. Jason would rarely make an appearance inpany events as such, let alone Luke. It was usually led by managers of other departments. "It hasn''t been decided yet. I heard that they''ll decide on the location first, and then the time,¡± a researcher said. Luca nodded, walked to her seat, and sat down. Since they were so interested in the employee trip, she was happy to let them discuss it. She started with her research. Zoey walked in with a cup of coffee and saw several researchers gathered together. After she heard about what they were discussing, she smiled and did not say anything. She ced the coffee on Luca''s seat and said, "Dr. Craw, your coffee." "Thank you,¡± Luca was a little sleepy. She picked up the coffee, swayed it a little, and took a sip. When one of the researchers saw Zoey, he asked curiously, "Miss Zoey, where do you think we should vote for?" Zoey smiled and said, "Just vote ording to your preferences.¡± "We want to go to every ce, so we want to get your opinion. After all, you''ve been working in T Corporation for so many years. We want a rough idea of where other people are voting for,¡± the researcher said with a smile. The budget for T Corporation''s employee trips was huge and the ces chosen were ces where employees usually did not have the financial means to visit. Zoey heard what they said, thought about it, and replied, "I think Vi Almira of B City may have more votes." When she heard B City being mentioned, Luca put down the coffee cup and asked, "Why B City?" Amur happened to be carrying out a mission there. Although B City wasrge and it was unlikely they would bump into each other during the employee trip, her heart still felt uneasy. "We''ve visited the other ces in past employee trips. Although the scenic spots are different, they''re essentially still the same locations. B City is a newly added location this year. The scenery and facilities of Vi Almira are great. It''s close to neighboring countries too, so my guess is that everyone will choose to go there,¡± Zoey said. After listening to her analysis, Luca asked, "Why did thepany add B City as one of the travel options this year? I''m just curious. After all, with so many going on the trip, I doubt we''d travel via ne? If we take the high-speed rail, it''ll take almost a day to arrive.¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. If all of the employees of T Corporation went on the trip to B City, the cost of the high-speed rail tickets alone would be high. "It''s part of thepany''s welfare. As for why the boss is so generous, you have to ask him about this," Zoey said with a smile. When several researchers heard her reply, they all said, "Sounds good! Shall we all vote for B City, then?" "Yeah!" "Let''s do it." Several of them agreed. "If you''re done with voting, let''s start with the research.¡± Luca reminded them, then turned around and walked to the cultivation room. "Got it!" the researchers replied. Seeing their ecstatic reaction, Zoey said, "lI won''t bother you with your research. If you need anything, just use the office phone to reach the assistant''s office.¡± "Okay, thank you, Ms. Zoey." Rhett was the first to respond Zoey returned to the assistant''s office and reported to Jason about Luca''s reaction when she learned that the employee trip would likely be to B City. After Jason learned about it, he reported the incident to Luke. Long before this, Luke already got to know that Luca''s younger brother, Amur, was on a business trip in B City. He wanted to take the opportunity to test whether Luca was from the Ind of Despair, so he arranged for such a trip through the employee trip. Luca had been saying that Amur was her younger brother after her mother remarried. However, Luke was on guard as Amur was of pure Russian descent, and the former Ind of Despair was in Russia. "Mm, keep an eye on the voting and have them choose B City," Luke said. Jason nodded and sighed silently in his heart. His boss was willing to go all out to test Luca. The cost of having all the employees take the high-speed rail was ridiculously high. After running experiments all morning, Luca finally cultivated several types of bacteria by the time she got to her lunch break. Her next step was to cultivate these bacteria to test the efficacy of the medicine. When she walked out of the cultivation room, many researchers had already left theboratory for lunch. When Rhett saw her leave, he stood up and asked, "Dr. Craw, I''m going downstairs to buy lunch. Should I bring you anything?" Luca thought about it for a while. She felt a little tired so she nodded and said, "Okay, please bring me lunch.¡± T Corporation did not have a cafeteria for its employees, so the employees either brought their own meals or they ate outside. "Okay, what do you feel like having?" Rhett asked. "I''m okay with anything. Just get a takeaway of whatever you''re having. By the way, please send it to the door of my office and don''t knock.¡± Luca wanted to make use of lunchtime to catch up on sleep. She would eat when she woke up. "Okay," Rhett nodded. It was not the first time that she made such a request so he did not question it. Luca left theb with him, but one of them walked toward the office while the other toward the elevator. Rhett met Zoey in front of the elevator. Before he could speak, Zoey greeted him, "Mr. Link, what a coincidence. Good afternoon.¡± "Ms. Zoey, good afternoon." Rhett''s face could not help but flush when he was faced with the beautiful female assistant in front of him. "Are you going downstairs to eat?" Zoey asked. "Yes, you too?" Rhett did not expect that she would have lunch sote. He went for lunchte because he had been busy recording thest bit of experimental data. "Yes, I just sorted out the department''s personnel information so I''m a littlete today. I didn''t expect to bump into you." Zoey brushed her hair and asked, "I heard that Watson Biopharmaceuticals is equipped with a cafeteria. Is it weird for you that T Corporation doesn''t have a cafeteria?¡± Rhett shook his head to indicate that he was okay with it. He said, "Watson Biopharmaceuticals has a cafeteria because thepany is in a remote location and there are no restaurants around. There are a lot of restaurants nearby T Corporation. It''s very convenient.¡± Zoey pursed his mouth and grinned, then echoed along, "Yes, the food in restaurants is better than the food in cafeterias. Mr. Link, where are you going for lunch?" Chapter 1410 Rhett replied, ¡°I n to pick a random restaurant and go for a set meal. Do you have any rmendations?¡± ¡°I know a restaurant nearby that serves great food. Shall we?¡± Zoey invited him for lunch. Rhett nodded and agreed to her invitation. The two arrived at a nearby restaurant. While eating, Zoey kept asking Rhett about Luca, covering her hobbies and everything else in between. Rhett did not think too much of it. He thought that she was just curious about the preferences of his boss to ease her work in the future, so he told her everything he knew. Zoey made mental notes. On the other side, Luca went back to her office and sat on the chair. She was able to remain calm even when she knew that there was a camera behind her. Sleepiness struck her. She stretched and sat on the sofa. She picked up the phone, set an rm so that she would not oversleep, and theny down with her head facing the camera. Luca knew that Luke installed the security camera to see if she acted abnormally and had no other intentions. As such, she feltfortable resting in her office. After Lucay down, she put on herb gown because she was worried about catching a cold. Luke sat in the office watching her actions, his gaze gradually darkening. Someone knocked on his door so he minimized the window. He said, ¡°Come in.¡± When he heard Luke¡¯s voice, Jason walked in with a take-out box. ¡°Mr. Crawford, your lunch is here.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Luke nced at the time. It was 12:15 and lunchtime had just started. Luca was skipping lunch and sleeping in her office instead. ¡®Is she tired?¡¯ Luke¡¯s index finger tapped his desk as he thought about it. Jason put Luke¡¯s lunch on the side. He noticed his actions and knew that his boss was deep in thought. He did not dare to make any noises and turned around to leave. Luke clicked on the window when the door was closed. Lucay t on the sofa as though she was asleep. She did not move. Luke suddenly thought of Bianca. Bianca did not like to lie on her back. She alwaysy on her side, which waspletely different from what Luca was doing. He was taken back when he thought of that. He did not understand why he thought about Bianca when he looked at Luca¡­ He had dreamed of Bianca more than once, and her face would gradually turn into Luca¡¯s. Luke was a little stunned. He minimized the window and picked up the take-out box on the side. After he opened it, the aroma of the food wafted in the air. He looked at the mouth-watering food but unconsciously thought of the woman who had fallen asleep in her office. ¡®I assume she didn¡¯t have anything to eat before she fell asleep¡­¡¯ Luke put the take-out box aside and was just about to click on the surveince footage again when there was another knock on the door. He said calmly, ¡°Come in.¡± Jason opened the door and walked in. He saw that Luke had not eaten yet so he said, ¡°Boss, the New York branch has something important to ask you and requested for a meeting. Are you free now?¡± ¡°Yes, go for it.¡± Luke looked at hisputer screen. The mouse happened to hover over the window but it was still minimized. He held the mouse, moved to the video call application, and clicked on it. He entered the ount details and password to log in to prepare for the international conference. Upon seeing this, Jason closed the door and returned to his office to prepare the agenda for the meeting. The agenda for the meeting was slightly boring. The supposed important meeting was just some trivial matters of Party A. The executives had a disagreement, so they were trying to share their ideas with Luke to get his buy-in. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Luke listened to them go on and on about their proposal. The two sides opposed each other¡¯s ns and almost got into a quarrel. The proposal involved their interests, so they were particrly on edge. Jason listened to their constant arguing and felt like he was suffocating. He wondered if he should calm them down but he was just an assistant, so he sent a private message to Luke to ask for his opinion. Luke replied with two words. [No need.] When Jason received the text, he stopped talking. Since his boss did not say anything, it was not his ce to chime in. Hence, he waited for the result of their ¡®discussion¡¯. Luke listened to their conversation while silently flipping through and reviewing some documents. It was not until two hourster that they realized it was midnight in New York but the executives had yet come to a conclusion. Jason looked at Luke again. Luke was sitting there, looking through the file. The president of the branch office realized that they had been arguing for two hours and wiped away his sweat. He was used to making decisions on this kind of thing but because he did not handle the situation well thest time, both sides refused to ept his proposed solution. As such, they asked Luke to make the decision. ¡°Boss.¡± Yorkson, the president of the branch, called out to Luke cautiously, and the two parties stopped arguing. Luke looked up at the camera, still not making a sound. ¡°Boss, we have finished the presentation. Do you have any thoughts?¡± Yorkson asked. It was just two proposals but they lost track of time and went on for more than two hours. It was a waste of time. Luke closed the file and looked at each of their expressions through the camera. The group of self-proimed elite New Yorkers dared not breathe too loud. They were all waiting for him to make a decision. Luke said, ¡°Send the first proposal to Party A.¡± With a few words, he already decided which proposal to use. Jason sighed at theputer. ¡®He made that decision long ago, didn¡¯t he? He waited for these people to finish arguing before he said that. I¡¯m sure he has something else to say.¡¯ Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. When Yorkson heard this, he nodded quickly and said, ¡°Okay, Boss. We¡¯ll send the first proposal to Party Ater.¡± Luke continued talking, ¡°You spent two hours arguing over two proposals. If Party A is waiting for a decision, how would you do it?¡± The executives present were speechless. Yorkson hoped that they would respond to Luke with the same intensity as when they were fighting just now but all of them kept quiet as though they were mute. He clenched his fists, furious. Luke looked at them through theputer screen with a cold expression. Even though they were far away from Luke, they still felt an invisible pressure. ¡°In the future, the final decision is in the hands of Yorkson. Yorkson, if you think you can¡¯t make a decision, you can hand in your resignation. Many people can hold your position.¡± Yorkson nodded quickly and promised, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Boss. I¡¯ll make the right decisions for the company.¡± Luke exited the call. Yorkson was capable but since thepany¡¯s system was hacked, he was slightly traumatized and was extra cautious with every step. Chapter 1411 After he exited the call, Luke subconsciously opened the window that disyed the surveince footage. Luca was no longer in her office. It was likely that she was off doing research. There was nothing to look at in the empty office. Luke turned off the surveince and picked up the cold take-out box on the side. After he took a few bites, he stopped eating. The delicious lunch was no longer so after it had cooled. He was always picky about food so he did not continue eating it. Luke threw the take-out box into the trash can, took a sip of the cold coffee, and continued to work. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. After half an hour. Jason appeared at the door of theboratory. Instead of walking in, he stood there and said to the people inside, ¡°Hello, can you please call for Dr. Craw?¡± One of the researchers heard him and said to Rhett, ¡°Mr. Link, Mr. Doyle is looking for Dr. Craw.¡± Rhett looked up from the microscope, saw Jason at the door, and immediately stood up. ¡°Dr. Craw is in the cultivation room. Mr. Doyle, wait a moment, I¡¯ll go get her now.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jason nodded and stayed outside of theboratory. Rhett walked into the cultivation room and informed Luca that Jason was looking for her. She walked out without a second¡¯s thought and saw Jason standing at the entrance of theboratory. She took off her protective clothing, walked over, and asked, ¡°Mr. Doyle, what can I help you with?¡± ¡°Dr. Craw, can we step aside to speak?¡± Jason did not immediately exin why he was there. Luca nodded and looked at the researchers in theboratory. They were pretending to be busy with their research but she knew that each of them had their ears pricked up so that they could find out why Jason was looking for Luca. When they saw her turn around, they turned their focus back to their work as if they had received a warning signal. ¡°Let¡¯s talk in my office?¡± Luca said. Although her office was being monitored, she was certain that Jason had Luke¡¯s permission to look for her. Jason nodded and the two of them walked to Luca¡¯s office. Before they got there, he tugged on her sleeve. Luca was puzzled by his sudden action. ¡°Dr. Craw, we don¡¯t need to go back to your office. Juste with me.¡± With that, Jason turned around and walked toward the elevator. Luca could hear the anxiety in his tone. She asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find outter.¡± Jason did not share any information. Although Luca was confused, she kept up with him. She could not help but ask, ¡°Can you at least tell me where you¡¯re taking me?¡± ¡°The CEO¡¯s office,¡± Jason said as he pressed the elevator button. Luca stopped dead in her tracks. It was because they had reached the elevator¡¯s entrance and also because of what he said. ¡®Why are we going to Luke¡¯s office?¡¯ When the elevator arrived on their floor, the elevator doors opened. Jason walked in and turned around. He saw that Luca had no intention ofing in and even had doubts on her face. He said, ¡°Dr. Craw, the boss needs you.¡± He did not share what had happened to Luke and just said that he needed her. Luca had no choice but to walk into the elevator and watched as Jason pressed the button. It was indeed the floor where Luke¡¯s office was located. Luca looked at her reflection on the metal elevator doors. She was worried and had doubts. ¡®The worry in Jason¡¯s eyes is real. What happened to Luke? Why does he need me?¡¯ As she was still thinking about it, the elevator reached Luke¡¯s floor and the doors slowly opened. There was no one outside the elevator. When Luca walked out, she thought Luke would be there but she and Jason were the only ones in the corridor. She nced back at Jason. Jason exined, ¡°Dr. Craw, the boss is in his office now.¡± Luca knew where Luke¡¯s office was but this was her ¡®first time¡¯ on the floor. She could not seem like she knew her way around. She looked at Jason and said, ¡°Please lead the way.¡± Jason nodded, walked out of the elevator, and led the way. When he arrived at Luke¡¯s office, he knocked on the door, then opened it. He walked in. Luca followed him and walked into the office. She subconsciously looked at Luke¡¯s desk but did not see Luke there. Her eyes fell on the sofa and she saw Luke lying there. ¡°What happened to Mr. Crawford?¡± she asked. Luke heard her voice, opened his eyes slightly, and then closed them again. He knew that Jason would exin the whole situation to her. Jason exined, ¡°The boss has a stomach problem. Dr. Craw, you¡¯re skilled in the medical field. Can you help him?¡± When Luca heard that Luke was sick, her heartstrings were tugged. She wanted to check on him but she stopped abruptly. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. ¡®If I step forward now, will it seem like I care for him too much?¡¯ Luca suppressed her instinct to immediately go over to Luke and asked, ¡°Did Mr. Crawford have anything for lunch?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Jason shook his head. He brought him take-out but he guessed that Luke did not eat it. They were in a meeting and he did not see him eat. It was embarrassing for him to say that his boss had a stomachache because he did not eat lunch. Luca did not hear Luke¡¯s answer and had a rough idea of what was going on. She asked, ¡°Do you have any medicine for gastric?¡± ¡°The boss took medicine half an hour ago but it seems that it has no effect on the pain. Dr. Craw, please help him relieve the pain. If it doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll have to send him to the hospital.¡± Jason saw that her reaction was calm and quickly stepped in. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to the hospital,¡± Luke said immediately when he heard that Jason wanted to send him to the hospital. Luca heard how stubborn he was. ¡®The pain is overwhelming yet he refuses to go to the hospital for the sake of his image.¡¯ She sighed in her heart, leaned slightly, and put her hand on his pulse. Luke felt a sense of warmth and opened his eyes slightly. He happened to see her beautiful face as she took his pulse intently. He closed his eyes again. Luca stood up straight and said, ¡°If the pain can¡¯t be relieved even after taking the medicine, the other option is to change the medicine. However, it¡¯s not the best option to change to another medicine so quickly. How about this? Mr. Doyle, please go to the pharmacy and get some needles.¡± ¡°Needles?¡± Jason was stunned. Luca nodded and answered, ¡°The needles for dry needling are avable in the pharmacy. Buy the ones from Seirin.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jason nodded and immediately walked out of the office. There was a pharmacy nearby and it would only take him ten minutes to and fro. ¡°Mr. Crawford, did you not eat today?¡± Luca stood up straight and sat on the single-seater sofa on the other side. Luke did not open his eyes, he just said, ¡°Mm.¡± Luca asked, ¡°In addition to not eating, did you drink coffee?¡± Coffee was necessary to maintain Luke¡¯s stamina. She knew about it and just wanted confirmation. ¡°Yeah,¡± Luke¡¯s voice remained low. Chapter 1412

Chapter 1412 He Felt A Sense Of Warmth From The Touch Of Their Fingers

Luca watched him lying there. Although he was suffering from gastric, he still maintained a calm expression. It was not obvious that he was in pain. She suddenly stood up and asked him, "Mr. Crawford, is there milk in the pantry?"Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. "I don''t know," Luke said. He did not touch any drinks except for coffee. Luca remembered that Tina was responsible for replenishing the drinks in the pantry. Although Luke did not drink them, many guests came to visit. They might not all drink coffee, so there were always a variety of drinks prepared for the guests. She said, "I''ll go check it out.¡± Luke did not make a sound. Luca walked out of the office and toward the pantry. When she walked into the pantry, she happened to bump into Tina, who was putting milk in the refrigerator. She asked, "Hello, is this milk?" Tina turned her head to look at her, nodded, and handed her the milk in her hand. "Would you like some?" "Yes, thank you." Luca took the milk and looked for a cup for Luke from the sterilizer. Seeing this, Tina asked, "Are you a guest?" She did not recall meeting Luca. Luca shook her head and pointed her finger down. "I''m a new employee. Um, do you have a new cup?¡± Cups used by guests would always be sterilized but Luke was obsessed with cleanliness. He would not use the cups that others had used before even if they were sterilized. Hence, she was looking for new cups Tina felt weird when she heard her reply. After all, their floor was where Luke''s assistants and secretary work but she was not aware of any new colleagues joining the secretary department. She would be aware if there were new executives in thepany and also knew that ordinary employees would not foolishly appear on this floor. She was confused but pointed to the cup on the top shelf, saying, "These are all new.¡± "Thank you,¡± Luca nodded and thanked her. She then took one of the cups, poured the milk in, and heated it in the microwave. Tina put the drinks in the refrigerator while talking to her, "Are you new here? Which department are you in?" "I''m not an employee of T Corporation. To be precise, I transferred here from Watson Biopharmaceuticals.¡± Luca always had a good impression of Tina so she was willing to share a little more. Tina immediately understood her and replied, "Ah! You''re Dr. Craw!" She had long heard that a group of researchers was transferred over from Watson Biopharmaceuticals, including Dr. Craw, who was rumored to have improper rtions with their boss. However, gossip was not the most important point. She was sure that the person in front of her was Luca simply because she was beautiful. Tina had heard of Luca''s beauty a long time ago. No one could believe that she was engaged in medical research. "Mm, hello.¡± Luca smiled and greeted her. Tina was the secretary working closely with Luke, so Luca was not surprised that she knew about her. "Hello, hello.¡± Tina put thest drink in the refrigerator and then recorded the time in her notebook. Drinks with a short shelf life needed to be reced regrly. She was responsible for such tasks. Luca secretly praised her for her attentiveness. The microwave let out a ding and she took out the milk. Tina spoke, "You like warm milk?" "No, this is for Mr. Crawford." Luca feared that Tina might misunderstand after she spoke, so she exined, "Mr. Crawford is suffering from gastric pain. Mr. Doyle knows that I have little medical knowledge, so he asked me to take a look at Mr. Crawford. He didn¡¯t have lunch, so I wanted to get some milk¡ª" Tina made an action to indicate that she understood. She smiled and said, "Dr. Craw, don''t be nervous. I won''t talk about these things for gossip. I''ll head back to the office to attend to some work." "Mm." Luca left after her while holding a cup of milk. She returned to the CEO''s office and found Luke still lying there. Luca walked over with the milk and said, "Mr. Crawford, have some milk first." Luke opened his eyes and looked at her from the bottom up. He did not think she had a bad angle. He discovered this when he was hospitalized in New York. Luca was so exquisite as though she went through stic surgery. She looked beautiful no matter the angle one looked at her from. Luca was a little embarrassed by his staring. She said, "Milk is good for your stomach. If you haven''t eaten, milk can fill your stomach.¡± Luke sat up and took the cup of milk but had no intention of drinking it. He felt a sense of warmth from the touch of their fingers. Luca thought he was worried about the cup, so she exined, "I bumped into your secretary in the pantry. She told me that this cup is new and no one else has used it." "Is the milk warm?" Luke could feel the warmth of the milk through the cup. "Mm, I warmed it up in the microwave. It''s good for your stomach.¡± Luca nodded Luke was holding the ss and sipped it slowly as if tasting a fine wine. The temperature of the warmed milk was just right. It was not too hot. It was warm and somewhatfortable to drink. He was not sure if it was an illusion but he felt his symptoms getting a little better. Luca sat there, waiting for Jason toe back with the needles. 15 minutester, Jason walked in. He was panting a little while holding a bag in his hand. "Dr. Craw, I bought the needles but the pharmacy doesn''t have the brand you requested. I bought them all, so see if there are any suitable ones.¡± Luca took the bag and saw several brands of needles. The corner of her mouth lifted as she said, "This is too many." "I don''t know which ones are suitable, so I bought a little more..." Jason said, "There are also some disinfectant pads.¡± "Mm, in fact, you could have just chosen any." Luca took out one of the needles and some alcohol swabs. She fixed her eyes on Luke and said, "Mr. Crawford, if you still feel ufortable, dry needling can relieve the pain and help the medicine kick in faster.¡± "How long will it take?" Luke asked. He looked at the thin needles in her hand without any expression on his face. "You''ll feel better in about half an hour," Luca replied. She was confident in her skills and that it would stop the pain in less than half an hour. "Let''s get started,¡± Luke finished thest sip of milk, theny t on the sofa. Luca watched him bend his legs while on the sofa because of his long stature. If he wanted to lie down t, his legs may have to rest on the sofa arm. Luke noticed that she was keeping quiet so he raised his head slightly and looked at her. "What''s the matter?¡± "Mr. Crawford, do you have a lounge here? You need to lie down t without bending or lifting your legs for dry needling." Luca knew that there was a lounge in his office but she could not make it obvious. Chapter 1413 ¡°Yes.¡± After Luke sat up, he stood up. Jason wanted to step forward to help him but Luke red at him. ¡°I¡¯m not disabled yet.¡± Jason immediately let go and stood there. He knew that Luke was in so much pain that even his brows were tightly knitted together, but after Luca arrived at the office, the expression on his face returned to normal. Jason stroked his chin and wondered. ¡®Would he rather suffer in silence to save his dignity?¡¯ Luke stood up and walked to the lounge. Luca brought the dry needling tools and followed behind him. Jason was going to follow along but received a call from Tina. He had no choice but to say, ¡°Boss, I¡¯ll answer the call first.¡± ¡°No need to follow me in,¡± Luke said as he walked into the lounge. Luca followed him in. Jason watched as the two of them walked into the lounge. He could not help but wonder. ¡®Doesn¡¯t he suspect that Luca is from the Ind of Despair? Isn¡¯t he worried that she¡¯ll hurt him if I¡¯m not around?¡¯ He thought about it for a while and shook his head. Luca was not a fool. It was not the best choice to make a move on Luke in the office. Thinking of this, he felt relieved and walked out of the office. Luca walked into the lounge and closed the door. The moment she turned around, she met Luke¡¯s gaze. She nced at the door behind her and exined, ¡°You have to take off your clothes for the treatment. You may be seen by others if anyone opens the door¡­¡± Luke nodded, took off his jacket, and asked, ¡°Should I take it all off?¡± Luca shook her head quickly and said, ¡°No need for that. Only your chest needs to be bare.¡± After she said that, her face felt a little warm. It was something normal but she could not help but feel shy. Dry needling required the patient to undress. It was a normal procedure¡­ However, her patient was Luke. Luca instantly felt that there could be an alternate meaning to what she said¡­ When she was struggling about how to feel, Luke¡¯s hands quickly undid the buttons of his shirt. Every time he unbuttoned one, his firm muscles were unveiled. Luca seemed to be dumbfounded. Her eyes moved with his movements until he unbuttoned thest button. His entire chest, as well as his abdominal muscles, werepletely exposed. She swallowed the flood of saliva. Luke¡¯s figure was as good as ever. Even though he was busy with work and did not have much time to work out, he was still not out of shape. Three years had passed but his chest and abdominal muscles were still apparent. Many men would get out of shape due to work stress and various family factors, but the person in front of her¡­ Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Luca was sure that Luke was favored by God. From the moment she fell for him, she thought that God had put extra work into him, making him the perfect man that he was. Luke saw her standing one meter away from him with a dumbfounded expression. He raised the corner of his mouth and asked, ¡°Dr. Craw, you¡¯re standing so far away. How are you nning to do the dry needling?¡± Luca came back to her senses. She regretted agreeing to do dry needling for him to relieve his pain. Worst-case scenario, he could just go to the hospital and the doctors would have many ways to help him alleviate the pain. However, it was toote for her to leave. She could only bite the bullet. ¡°Mr. Crawford, please lie down.¡± Lukey t. Even when he was lying down, she still felt tempted. Luca felt absurd thinking of the days and nights that they had spent together. It has been so long but she still remembered everything¡­ Luca adjusted her emotions before opening a pack of needles and cotton swabs. She kept telling herself that those things were in the past. She was treating Luke now, so there was no romance involved. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. It was something normal and she could not afford to overthink, lest Luke noticed that something was wrong with her¡­ When she thought about that, she looked into Luke¡¯s eyes and said with a serious expression, ¡°Mr. Crawford, I¡¯m about to start.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Luke looked at the suspicious blush on her face and did not say anything. He knew that he had a good physique and many women could not get enough of it. However, he hated it when these women looked at him and would not allow them any chance to misunderstand. Luca, just like those women, blushed when she saw his body. The difference was that Luke did not feel disgusted but instead was happy to let her watch if she wanted to. There was a tingling pain in his lower abdomen. When he reacted, Luca had already started the treatment. Luke looked at her. Her face was still blushing red but she was sharp with her movements. He only felt the slight sting of the needle and then there was no pain anymore. Luca quickly put in the remaining needles then breathed a sigh of relief. She stood up and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, you¡¯ll feel morefortable after half an hour.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Lukey t, motionless. When she was doing the treatment, her hand touched his muscles but he did not feel offended at all. Luca¡¯s actions did not cross any boundaries and it was clear that her intentions were just to help him with the dry needling treatment. He knew that she was skilled in dry needling but did not expect to be her patient one day. ¡°If you feel ufortable, do tell me,¡± Luca mentioned. Luke looked at her and replied, ¡°Did you do it at the wrong spot? Why would I be ufortable?¡± From the first insertion to thest, he did not feel any intense pain. ¡°No, but everyone is different and their response to acupoint stimtion varies,¡± Luca said. Her treatment was meant to help him relieve his pain, not as a long-term treatment. Luke¡¯s gastric issues were not new problems and not as easy to cure. He, like Tommy, must go through long-term physical conditioning to get better. Luca knew how he first got gastric. Many would think that he had gastric because he was busy with work and often forgot to eat. However, it was because he was abandoned in an orphanage by Allison Tanner when he was a child. He had to fight toe and nail to fill his stomach. Luke was young then. He would lose the fight for food and frequently go hungry. After that went on for a while, his stomach became weak. Luca was upset when she thought about it. Who would have thought from looking at Luke, who was on the top of the food chain now, that he had such an unbearable and embarrassing past? Luca nced at the sofa in the lounge and sat on it. She intended to stay with Luke for half an hour in case he reacted badly and she was not around. After the dry needling session, Luke turned his head to look at the woman sitting on the sofa. His calm expression hid the unrest in his eyes. Chapter 1414 Luca sat on the sofa and felt as though the air around her solidified slightly. Luke was lying there, unable to do anything. Furthermore, his chest was bare. If someone came in at that moment and did not see the needles on his acupuncture points, they might misunderstand. Luca wanted to find something to do to distract herself but she did not have her phone with her. Her gaze fell on the bookshelf on the side. It was not a bad idea to spend half an hour reading a book. Luca pointed to the bookshelf and asked, ¡°Mr. Crawford, can I read the books on the shelf?¡± ¡°Go for it,¡± Luke said. There were various types of books on the shelf. They were not for disy as he had read them all. Luca stood up and picked an architectural design book on the shelf. When she was sitting down, she heard him ask, ¡°You¡¯re interested in architectural design?¡± She was startled. If there were a pile of books up for choosing, her first choice would be books rted to architecture. After all, her previous dream was to be an architect. If she was not kidnapped, she would not have be who she was today. Luca felt a little mncholy. She wanted to admit it but decided to shake her head and say, ¡°I don¡¯t have much interest in it. I took it at random.¡± Luke¡¯s gaze was deep as he said, ¡°My wife loves to read such books.¡± Luca felt her heartbeat speed up suddenly, and the next second, she heard him say, ¡°These books were all prepared for her.¡± She subconsciously nced at the books on the shelf. Although there were other types of books, there were indeed many books on architectural design. In the beginning, she did not think too much of it. After all, T Corporation started as an architectural design firm and gradually developed into other areas. However, after she heard what he said, Luca¡¯s mood was a little sour. She put on a fake smile as though nothing happened and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Mrs. Crawford to be so interested in architectural design.¡± Luke heard her reply and did not continue the conversation. Since he did not want to talk, Luca would not make herself unwee. She opened the book and started reading, but all that she thought about was how the fake Bianca would not be interested in these books. After all, there were not many women who were interested in architectural design. However, he told her that these were for his wife. Luke must have only recently discovered that she was a fake. ¡®What does it mean when he said that he had prepared these books?¡¯ Luca could not figure it out. She shook her head and shifted her focus on the book. Although Luke was lying on the bed, he noticed her bodynguage but chose to keep quiet. Luca was very sensitive with time. About half an hourter, she stood up and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, the time is up. I¡¯ll remove the needles for you.¡± Luke picked up his phone and nced at it. It was exactly half an hourter. She had not checked the time before nor after the treatment but had an impressive sense of time. Only a few people could do that. ¡°Mm,¡± he replied in a low voice. His doubts toward her grew further. Luca put down the book and walked over. She was much calmer than before when seeing his muscles again. She was already mentally prepared so when she saw the sight again, she did not blush like before. She quickly pulled out the needles and then asked him, ¡°Do you still feel pain now?¡± Luke sat up and frowned. Luca was worried and asked, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± ¡°No,¡± Luke shook his head. His attention was on her just now so he did not pay too much attention to the pain. Thinking back, it seemed that the pain was relieved not long after Luca started the treatment. He did not feel any more pain. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Luca breathed a sigh of relief. She held all the needles and threw them into the trash can. ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that it no longer hurts. Mr. Crawford, your stomach is weak. It¡¯s best if you eat on time and drink less coffee in the future.¡± Luke remembered that Bianca used to tell him to drink less alcohol and coffee too. However, since she was kidnapped, no one had cared for him or controlled him like that anymore. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Luke was not annoyed with Luca¡¯s nagging. On the contrary, he had a familiar feeling. Maybe because her voice was simr to Bianca¡¯s¡­ Luca felt him looking at her and turned around. She realized that she had said too much. She covered her mouth and said, ¡°If all is well, I¡¯ll leave now.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Luke nodded and began to button his shirt. Luca fled the lounge. To reach the elevator¡¯s entrance, she had to pass the reception room. Jason bumped into her when she passed by. He quickly called out to her and asked, ¡°Dr. Craw, are you done?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Luca nodded and said. She gazed inside and saw a woman sitting there. It seemed like she came for Luke¡­ ¡°The boss¡­¡± Jason checked in on Luke¡¯s condition. ¡°It¡¯s best that you ask Mr. Crawford. I still have some work to attend to. I¡¯ll return to my post,¡± Luca said and left hurriedly. It took a lot for her to escape Luke¡¯s good looks. Whenever she saw Luke¡¯s sturdy figure, she could not help but think of the past. ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Jason was a little puzzled looking at Luca¡¯s hurried pace. Tia stood up. She saw Luca and her gut feeling kicked in. She asked, ¡°Mr. Doyle, who was that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Dr. Craw,¡± Jason replied. Tia came to look for Luke but was stopped just now. They told her that Luke was undergoing treatment. She had no choice but to wait in the reception room. She thought that Johann was doing the treatment, but unexpectedly, it was a woman. ¡®This woman looks weak, what can she do?¡¯ Tia did not believe it, she asked, ¡°Was she treating Mr. Crawford?¡± ¡°Yeah. Dr. Craw is a well-known professor of pharmacy and is knowledgeable in medicine. The boss wasn¡¯t willing to go to the hospital so we could only ask Dr. Craw toe up and take a look at him. Ms. Tia, please wait here. I¡¯ll go and notify the boss,¡± Jason said. Tia nodded. Although she was still suspicious of what he said, she did not say anything. Jason left the reception room and walked to Luke¡¯s office. He saw that the office door was not closed and knocked on it. Luke walked out of the lounge with a calm expression and said, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Boss, Ms. Tia is here and said that she needs to talk to you. She has been waiting for you in the reception room for half an hour,¡± Jason reported. ¡®Tia¡­¡¯ Luke thought about it for a few seconds before he remembered that she was fake Bianca¡¯s therapist. She made the fake Bianca mentally better but at the same time, she made her lose her memories as well. Chapter 1415 Previously, Tia said that she treated the fake Bianca with hypnosis, but since Luke found out about the truth, he thought that things were not that simple. Perhaps Tia could be an entry point for investigating the Ind of Despair. Otherwise, how could everything be so coincidental? Luke believed that the fake Bianca faked her madness. Otherwise, there was no good exnation as to why she appeared out of the blue and did not remember anything from the past. As long as she acted crazy enough, no one would ask her about the past. After Tia appeared, she used hypnosis to soothe her emotions. Around the same time, the fake Bianca happened to lose all memories of the past. Luke was skeptical and thought that someone had conceived a wellid-out n and was plotting against him. Since the fake Bianca was nted there by someone from the Ind of Despair, Tia could be involved as well¡­ Luke sat in the executive chair, squinting his eyes while he thought about it all. Jason thought he did not want to meet Tia, so he said, ¡°Boss, if you don¡¯t want to meet her, I¡¯ll send her on her way.¡± Many came to T Corporation every day and wanted to see Luke. He was well versed at shooing away unwanted guests. If Tia was not involved with the fake Bianca, he would have sent her away on the excuse of not making an appointment. ¡°No, let her in,¡± Luke said. ¡®It¡¯s time to investigate Tia.¡¯ ¡°Got it!¡± Jason said. Luke said, ¡°By the way, have Tina bring in two cups of coffee¡­¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Luca¡¯s instructions sounded in his ears. He changed his mind. ¡°No, get me a cup of coffee and a cup of warm water.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jason attended to his request immediately. When Tia heard that she was about to see Luke, she stood up happily, smoothed out her skirt, smiled, and followed Jason to Luke¡¯s office. ¡°Mr. Crawford, long time no see.¡± Her attitude was friendly. Luke did not react even when he noticed the effort she put into her appearance. Except for Bianca, other women were the same in his eyes. There was no difference between them¡­ He pointed to the seat opposite him and said, ¡°Ms. Tia, please have a seat.¡± Tia smiled and nodded, then sat across from him. As soon as she sat down, Tina came in with the coffee. When she thought of putting the coffee in front of Luke, he said, ¡°The coffee is for our guest.¡± Tina nodded and wondered when did Luke prefer warm water over coffee. However, she did not say anything and politely put the coffee in front of Tia. She then ced the warm water in front of Luke.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. After Tia thanked her, her gaze fell on Luke again. She smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯ve interrupted your work bying unannounced.¡± ¡°No worries.¡± Luke¡¯s voice was t without any fluctuations. Tia was used to it. After all, the person in front of her was Luke and not anyone else¡­ She checked in on him and said, ¡°I heard Mr. Doyle mention that you¡¯re not feeling well. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an ongoing issue, nothing to worry about,¡± Luke said, ¡°Ms. Tia, is there anything I can help you with?¡± Tia wanted to go on with the conversation about Luke to show him that she cared deeply for him but felt that he seemed reluctant to talk about his health. As such, she had no choice but to go straight to the subject. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to contact Mrs. Crawford for a while now so I wanted to check in with you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Bea¡¯s emotions are very stable now but she¡¯s not in the country. That¡¯s why she has been uncontactable,¡± Luke said. He did not expect that someone outside the Crawford family would ask about Bianca. However, he had prepared an irond excuse. Whenever someone asked about the fake Bianca, he would use this reason and no one had doubted him thus far. ¡°She¡¯s not in the country¡­ No wonder it always goes to voicemail when I call her.¡± Tia suddenly realized that it was strange to look for Bianca at Luke¡¯s office. She was worried that he might overthink and exined, ¡°Previously, I noticed that Mrs. Crawford¡¯s mood wasn¡¯t stable so I thought to check in with her regrly to help her manage her anxiety. It¡¯s time for the next round of treatment but she didn¡¯t show up and I haven¡¯t been able to contact her, so I was worried if something had happened to her¡­¡± Luke listened to her exnation, nodded, and said, ¡°Thanks for taking care of her.¡± Although he said that, Tia¡¯s remarks undoubtedly escted the suspicion in his heart. Since the fake Bianca¡¯s disappearance, no outsider hade knocking. Tia was the first person to do so. If she was worried about the fake Bianca¡¯s situation, she could call him directly when the fake Bianca could not be reached. There was no need for her toe to thepany. However, she came in person¡­ In some cases, face-to-face conversations would allow him to obtain more information than phone conversations. He thought that it was likely that Tia was involved with the Ind of Despair. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. ¡°I¡¯m Mrs. Crawford¡¯s therapist, so it¡¯s my responsibility. I would like to ask when will Mrs. Crawford return to A City?¡± Tia continued to ask, wanting to hang around Luke as much as she could. Luke said, ¡°Bea is studying abroad and she¡¯s very happy now. She has no ns to return to A City for the time being. If she returns and feels the need to see you, I¡¯ll be in contact with you.¡± Tia felt a little lost when she heard his reply. If Bianca did note back in the short term, it meant that she had fewer chances to see Luke. She did not expect that the uncultured woman would suddenly go study abroad. However, in this situation, Tia had no choice but to nod her head and say, ¡°Okay.¡± Even though she felt down, she knew where to stop. Seeing that she had nothing else to say for her to hang around, she stood up and said, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll leave now and not disturb your work.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Luke nodded, picked up the phone, and was about to let Jason see her off when he suddenly thought of something. He hung up the phone and said, ¡°Ms. Tia, thank you for treating Bea with all your heart and soul over the years.¡± Tia was ecstatic at what he said. She had always felt that Bianca was not worthy of Luke. The woman next to him should be career-oriented. After she tucked her hair behind her ears, she smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, you¡¯re too polite. It¡¯s my job to help Mrs. Crawford and you¡¯re paying me for it. I have to do my best for Mrs. Crawford.¡± Luke continued talking, ¡°You¡¯re very dedicated and I want to thank you. How about this? Are you free tonight?¡± Tia was slightly surprised. ¡®He wants to thank me? Is he asking me out?¡¯ Tia nodded slightly and replied, ¡°I¡¯m free.¡± Chapter 1416 ¡°Recently, a French restaurant opened near the International Center. I heard great things about it. Why don¡¯t we go and try the food tonight?¡± Luke said. Although he was inviting Tia, he still had no expression on his face. Tia immediately became excited when she heard his invitation. In the past three years, she had frequently appeared in front of Luke because she liked him. Tia has always felt that only she could be worthy of a good man like Luke. This time, he had finally asked her out alone. Although she thought that women should be reserved, at that moment, she threw that notion out of the window. Maybe Bianca going abroad to study was a good thing. ¡®Look, as soon as she¡¯s gone, Luke noticed me and even asked me out. This is the moment many women dream of!¡¯ ¡°Sounds good.¡± Tia nodded. She had a wide smile on her face. She was unable to hide the joy in her heart. Luke nced at the time. It was almost time to get off work, and he said, ¡°I still have some work to attend to. Why don¡¯t you go to the reception room and wait for me? When I finish the work on hand, we¡¯ll head over. ¡° Tia wanted to go back and dress up before going for dinner. However,pared to leaving T Corporation with Luke and going to dinner together, she preferred thetter. What was more, she had already dressed up for Luke and her current outfit was suitable to dine in a high-end restaurant. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go out. I won¡¯t disturb your work.¡± Tia nodded, the smile on the corners of her mouth still there. After she left, Luke sent Tina a text to ask her to book a private room in a French restaurant. Although he had no interest in Tia, he did not want others to watch while he was dining. Tina was quick. After five minutes, she sent Luke the news that the reservation was sessful. When he got off work, Luke put on his jacket and left with Tia. When they passed the secretary¡¯s office, the secretaries in the room noticed the two. As one of Luke¡¯s secretaries, Nana immediately started gossiping. ¡°Did you see that? The boss just left with a woman.¡± ¡°I saw! Who is that woman?¡± Zoey came upstairs to submit a document and happened to see this scene, so she asked curiously. ¡°I recall that she¡¯s a well-known therapist. She¡¯s on the cover of this season¡¯s Urban Woman. If I remember correctly, her name is Tia.¡± Nana¡¯s gossiping ability was equivalent to her working capability. She stuck her head outside the corridor and saw that Luke and Tia were already far away. She turned her head around to look at Tina, then continued gossiping. ¡°Tina, I seem to have heard you mention to the boss that you¡¯ve booked a private room. The boss asked you to book a private room?¡± Tina nodded. She did not consider this as gossip because when she updated Luke, everyone in the secretary room could hear her. ¡°Yes, the boss asked me to book a private room in that newly opened French restaurant.¡± ¡°Oh my God! The boss is having dinner with Tia!¡± Nana eximed while covering her mouth. They had always thought of their boss as an ice cube. He usually treated other women coldly. If he had a business meeting with a female client, he would always bring Jason along. However, he asked Tina to book a private room this time. The private room only had two seats, which made it clear as day that Luke was going to eat alone with Tia. No Jason and no other business partners. Nana realized that and said, ¡°Mrs. Crawford is still abroad now and the boss is doing this¡ª¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Tina interrupted her and said, ¡°Perhaps the boss has something to talk to her about. If I remember correctly, Tia is Mrs. Crawford¡¯s therapist.¡± Nana realized that she had said too much. It was taboo to gossip about the boss in the workce. She got so excited that she said too much. She really should not have. She nodded and said, ¡°Yeah, I would¡¯ve forgotten if you hadn¡¯t mentioned it. Okay, let¡¯s pack up and get ready to get off work.¡± Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Zoey listened to their discussion and could not help thinking about other things in her heart. Luke arranged for her to work as an assistant downstairs and keep watch of Luca¡¯s every move. At first, she thought that her boss was having an affair with Luca. Eventually, the news reports rified the incident and made it clear that the two were just colleagues. However, with his recent arrangement, she felt that the rtionship between the two was not as simple as a normal boss-subordinate rtionship. She always thought that her boss was interested in Luca so she followed Luke¡¯s instructions and monitored Luca while maintaining a good rtionship with her. However¡­ She had been working in T Corporation for so many years and been through a range of situations. Luke was the kind of person who did not want to be close to any woman. However, he booked a private room to have dinner with Tia¡­ Zoey thought of this, smiled, and put the file on Nana¡¯s desk. ¡°Nana, please give this file to Mr. Doyle tomorrow. I¡¯ll go down first.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Nana took the file and put it aside. Zoey hurried downstairs and returned to theboratory floor. She packed up and clocked out. She happened to bump into Luca. Knowing that she came down from the CEO¡¯s office not too long ago, she could not help but ask, ¡°Dr. Craw, you just came down from the CEO¡¯s office. Did you see anything? ¡° Luca pressed her fingerprint on the device, and when she heard the machine notifying her that she had sessfully clocked out, she asked, ¡°What should I have seen?¡± ¡°Did you not see anything?¡± Zoey walked toward the elevator with her. ¡°I just got down and saw the boss leaving with a woman. I heard that the woman is called Tia or something. I also heard that the boss asked Tina to book a private room for two. It seems like the two of them are going to dinner.¡± She deliberately avoided the word ¡®date¡¯ to avoid getting caught. Luca listened to what she said with a calm expression but the peace in her heart had already shattered. How could she be calm? Luke rarely interacted with women alone. If necessary, he would always take Jason with him. However, at that moment, she found out that he had gotten Tina to book a private room and left with the woman. ¡®Tia¡­ is the woman I saw in the reception room¡­ She¡¯s quite beautiful¡­ Now that the fake Bianca is dead and he can¡¯t find the real Bianca, has he given up? Has he given up searching for me and decided to start a new life?¡¯ Luca¡¯s rational side told her that it was a good thing. Luke was tortured by this incident for three years and now that he found out about the fake Bianca, he should start a new life. However, the emotional side of her made her ufortable. She thought that things should not be as such. Chapter 1417 Luca looked at the numbers on the elevator and kept thinking in her heart about whether Luke had truly moved on. Although she knew that it was hard for him to take care of their three children while managing T Corporation, when she thought about a woman appearing next to him to rece her former position, she still felt very sour. However, Luca knew that even if she was sour about it, it was pointless. After all, she was no longer Bianca and she could not tell him that she was once Bianca. Zoey saw that Luca kept silent and her expression was calm with no waves of jealousy. She thought a woman with an indifferent temper like her was not interested in these gossips, so she said, ¡°Dr. Craw, do you know Tia?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know her.¡± Luca¡¯s reply was short and simple. There were no fluctuations in her tone as well. Zoey was sure that she had no interest in Luke¡¯s affairs, so she said, ¡°I heard that Tia is Mrs. Crawford¡¯s therapist. Maybe the boss is treating her to a meal to thank her. You joined us a littleter, so you don¡¯t know this but back then, Mrs. Crawford harmed herself. It was Tia who cured her.¡± Luca kept listening to Zoey going on and on. She learned Tia¡¯s identity and was not interested in other things. When the elevator arrived at their floor, the doors slowly opened and other T Corporation employees were standing inside. Zoey shut her mouth immediately and walked into the elevator with Luca. Zoey didn¡¯t say much because there were so many other people in the elevator. After Luca left T Corporation, she stopped a taxi and returned to her apartment. The other side. Luke arrived at the French restaurant. He handed the car key to the jockey and asked them to help park the car. He then walked into the restaurant with Tia. They were not too intimate nor close, even when they were in the car. Tia kept looking for topics while Luke replied with few words, but to her, it was good enough that he responded. This little bit of proximity made Tia feel sweet. Looking at Luke¡¯s arm, she even had the urge to grab it. She wanted to make the people in the restaurant think that she and he were lovers. However, Tia did not do it because she still had to maintain her pride. The waiter led the two of them into the private room. Luke handed Tia the menu and asked her to order. Tia was familiar with what Luke liked to eat. She ordered what Luke might like. After ordering, she asked, ¡°Mr. Crawford, have a look and see what else you would like to have?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Luke said. Tia was ecstatic. He did not order anything else, which meant that everything she ordered was right. Maybe Luke would think that they shared the same taste. The waiter brought a bottle of red wine over and poured them a ss each. Tia raised her ss. She behaved elegantly and leaned forward slightly. ¡°Mr. Crawford, shall we have a drink?¡± Luke raised his ss and clinked with her. Throughout the night, Tia was looking for topics. She covered everything from world news, economics, to her hobbies. She was hoping that Luke would share a little more about himself. Luke was also cooperating with her but he was not probing any further even though he was suspicious. What he had to do was slowly gain Tia¡¯s trust so that he could obtain informationter on. Tia was not the same as the fake Bianca. Aside from upying the position of Mrs. Crawford, the fake Bianca was rtively weak in other respects. Few media outlets paid attention to her. No one would question it if he said that she was studying abroad. However, Tia was different. She had a certain social status and was also an excellent therapist. Her every word and action would attract the attention of the media. He could not forge a behavioral record for Tia, so he could not use the same method of how he used to deal with the fake Bianca on Tia to get a confession. Luke cooperated with her non-stop conversations and drove her home after dinner. Tia nced out of the car window. They arrived at the gate of her own home, and Luke had no intentions of getting out of the car. She was a little disappointed as she was hoping that something else could happen tonight. However, if it was so easy, it would not be like Luke¡­ Tia smiled and opened the car door, then nced at Luke before she said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, thank you for yourpany tonight. I haven¡¯t had dinner with anyone in a long time.¡± In addition to expressing gratitude, her words also indicated that she was single. She was hinting at him. Luke nodded and said, ¡°You¡¯re wee. Thank you for this. Let¡¯s have dinner again some other time.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Tia exalted when she heard him say that. Luke was not an ordinary man who would casually extend an invitation. However, what he just said meant that there was a chance for her. He was different from others. He was very busy and would not entertain others. Tia happily got out of the car. After what he said, even if their rtionship did not progress further tonight, she had no regrets in her heart. On the other side. Luca cooked for Tommy. After the meal, she watched cartoons with him for a while. At nine o¡¯clock sharp, the doorbell rang. She went to open the door and found that the person standing outside was not Luke but Zander. She would not think too much of it if it were a normal day. Luke would pick up Tommy only when he was free and Zander would pick him up when he was not free. However¡­ What Zoey said rang in her mind. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ms. Luca, I¡¯m here to pick up Young Master Tommy,¡± Zander said. Luca snapped out of it, smiled, turned around to look at Tommy, and said, ¡°Tommy, it¡¯s time to go home.¡± Tommy nodded, grabbed his school bag, and saw that Zander was picking him up today. He could not help but ask, ¡°Zander, why are you here today? Where¡¯s Daddy?¡± ¡°Oh, Young Master Luke said he¡¯s working overtime at thepany and he might runte, so he asked me to pick you up.¡± Zander took Tommy¡¯s hand. The conversation was in but Luca became sensitive. ¡®Luke isn¡¯t working overtime. He went for dinner with Tia¡­¡¯ He was having dinner with Tia but hid it from the Crawford family and the kids¡­ ¡®Is he interested in Tia but doesn¡¯t want to let the family and children know so quickly so as not to affect their rtionship? Is that why he¡¯s deliberately concealing it?¡¯ Luca knew that Old Master Crawford was very strict in choosing his granddaughter-inw. At that time, Old Master Crawford approved of her only because she gave Luke the two lovely children, Lanie and Rainie. However, it was not the same for Tia. To obtain the consent of Old Master Crawford, one must have a certain status. Luca looked at the numbers on the elevator and kept thinking in her heart about whether Luke had truly moved on. Although she knew that it was hard for him to take care of their three children while managing T Corporation, when she thought about a woman appearing next to him to rece her former position, she still felt very sour. However, Luca knew that even if she was sour about it, it was pointless. After all, she was no longer Bianca and she could not tell him that she was once Bianca. Zoey saw that Luca kept silent and her expression was calm with no waves of jealousy. She thought a woman with an indifferent temper like her was not interested in these gossips, so she said, ¡°Dr. Craw, do you know Tia?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know her.¡± Luca¡¯s reply was short and simple. There were no fluctuations in her tone as well. Zoey was sure that she had no interest in Luke¡¯s affairs, so she said, ¡°I heard that Tia is Mrs. Crawford¡¯s therapist. Maybe the boss is treating her to a meal to thank her. You joined us a littleter, so you don¡¯t know this but back then, Mrs. Crawford harmed herself. It was Tia who cured her.¡± Luca kept listening to Zoey going on and on. She learned Tia¡¯s identity and was not interested in other things. When the elevator arrived at their floor, the doors slowly opened and other T Corporation employees were standing inside. Zoey shut her mouth immediately and walked into the elevator with Luca. Zoey didn¡¯t say much because there were so many other people in the elevator. After Luca left T Corporation, she stopped a taxi and returned to her apartment. The other side. Luke arrived at the French restaurant. He handed the car key to the jockey and asked them to help park the car. He then walked into the restaurant with Tia. They were not too intimate nor close, even when they were in the car. Tia kept looking for topics while Luke replied with few words, but to her, it was good enough that he responded. This little bit of proximity made Tia feel sweet. Looking at Luke¡¯s arm, she even had the urge to grab it. She wanted to make the people in the restaurant think that she and he were lovers. However, Tia did not do it because she still had to maintain her pride. The waiter led the two of them into the private room. Luke handed Tia the menu and asked her to order. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Tia was familiar with what Luke liked to eat. She ordered what Luke might like. After ordering, she asked, ¡°Mr. Crawford, have a look and see what else you would like to have?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Luke said. Tia was ecstatic. He did not order anything else, which meant that everything she ordered was right. Maybe Luke would think that they shared the same taste. The waiter brought a bottle of red wine over and poured them a ss each. Tia raised her ss. She behaved elegantly and leaned forward slightly. ¡°Mr. Crawford, shall we have a drink?¡± Luke raised his ss and clinked with her. Throughout the night, Tia was looking for topics. She covered everything from world news, economics, to her hobbies. She was hoping that Luke would share a little more about himself. Luke was also cooperating with her but he was not probing any further even though he was suspicious. What he had to do was slowly gain Tia¡¯s trust so that he could obtain informationter on. Tia was not the same as the fake Bianca. Aside from upying the position of Mrs. Crawford, the fake Bianca was rtively weak in other respects. Few media outlets paid attention to her. No one would question it if he said that she was studying abroad. However, Tia was different. She had a certain social status and was also an excellent therapist. Her every word and action would attract the attention of the media. He could not forge a behavioral record for Tia, so he could not use the same method of how he used to deal with the fake Bianca on Tia to get a confession. Luke cooperated with her non-stop conversations and drove her home after dinner. Tia nced out of the car window. They arrived at the gate of her own home, and Luke had no intentions of getting out of the car. She was a little disappointed as she was hoping that something else could happen tonight. However, if it was so easy, it would not be like Luke¡­ Tia smiled and opened the car door, then nced at Luke before she said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, thank you for yourpany tonight. I haven¡¯t had dinner with anyone in a long time.¡± In addition to expressing gratitude, her words also indicated that she was single. She was hinting at him. Luke nodded and said, ¡°You¡¯re wee. Thank you for this. Let¡¯s have dinner again some other time.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Tia exalted when she heard him say that. Luke was not an ordinary man who would casually extend an invitation. However, what he just said meant that there was a chance for her. He was different from others. He was very busy and would not entertain others. Tia happily got out of the car. After what he said, even if their rtionship did not progress further tonight, she had no regrets in her heart. On the other side. Luca cooked for Tommy. After the meal, she watched cartoons with him for a while. At nine o¡¯clock sharp, the doorbell rang. She went to open the door and found that the person standing outside was not Luke but Zander. She would not think too much of it if it were a normal day. Luke would pick up Tommy only when he was free and Zander would pick him up when he was not free. However¡­ What Zoey said rang in her mind. ¡°Ms. Luca, I¡¯m here to pick up Young Master Tommy,¡± Zander said. Luca snapped out of it, smiled, turned around to look at Tommy, and said, ¡°Tommy, it¡¯s time to go home.¡± Tommy nodded, grabbed his school bag, and saw that Zander was picking him up today. He could not help but ask, ¡°Zander, why are you here today? Where¡¯s Daddy?¡± ¡°Oh, Young Master Luke said he¡¯s working overtime at thepany and he might runte, so he asked me to pick you up.¡± Zander took Tommy¡¯s hand. The conversation was in but Luca became sensitive. ¡®Luke isn¡¯t working overtime. He went for dinner with Tia¡­¡¯ He was having dinner with Tia but hid it from the Crawford family and the kids¡­ ¡®Is he interested in Tia but doesn¡¯t want to let the family and children know so quickly so as not to affect their rtionship? Is that why he¡¯s deliberately concealing it?¡¯ Luca knew that Old Master Crawford was very strict in choosing his granddaughter-inw. At that time, Old Master Crawford approved of her only because she gave Luke the two lovely children, Lanie and Rainie. However, it was not the same for Tia. To obtain the consent of Old Master Crawford, one must have a certain status. Chapter 1418 Luca could guess why Luke did not tell the people from the Crawford household. He should want to protect Tia¡¯s reputation¡­ She heard the elevator doors open and watched Sean and Tommy go inside. Before the doors closed, Tommy peeked out of the elevator, waved at Luca, and said, ¡°Bye-bye, Ms. Luca!¡± Luca forced a smile and waved back at him. After the elevator doors closed, she closed the door of her apartment. She could not stop herself from thinking that Luke was currently at dinner with Tia while the people in his family knew nothing about it. She sat down on the couch. Amercial was ying on the television. She was irritated by the noise, and she switched off the television with the remote control. Before Luca returned to A City, she was already mentally prepared that Luke would have had an intimate rtionship with the impostor. She even guessed that they might have had another child. She did not feel sad. After all, Luke was also a victim of Abel¡¯s deception and could not be med. However, she found out that Luke did not even touch that impostor Bianca. He had kept a wary distance from her. She was quite happy when she found out about it. Even though Luke did not know the truth behind the impostor¡¯s identity, he could sense that something was amiss. That way, she remained the sole recipient of Luke¡¯s love. Now that Tia suddenly appeared, and what Luke was doing to her¡­ Luca would be lying to herself if she said that she was not jealous or sad. She even imagined the eventuality where Luke and Tia¡¯s rtionship would improve, and they might even get married¡­ Her heart wrenched in agony when she imagined another woman in Luke¡¯s embrace. She picked up her phone and searched the Inte for information about Tia. She managed to find an article about Tia on Wikipedia. Even though someone else might have the same name as her, Luca could tell that the woman in the article was the same one she had seen earlier. Luca scrolled down and carefully read every detail. When she was done reading, she concluded that Tia was an outstanding individual. If Luca had not been abducted by Abel and had continued to advance her career in A City, she might not even be as popr as Tia. Back when she first started thepany, the people there called her ¡°Mrs. Crawford¡± and not ¡°Mdm. Rayne¡±¡­ Luca put her phone away. She knew that she was very capable, but she realized that Tia was more suitable for Luke. If Luke decided to marry Tia one day, Luca guessed that Old Master Crawford would not object to it¡­ Luca smiled, though the smile was not happy at all. The next morning, Luca got out of bed and looked at herself in the mirror. It was the second night in a row that she did not sleep well. She picked up the concealer and began to apply it to her face. She spent the entire night thinking, and she finally epted the fact that it might be a good thing if Luke decided to marry Tia. That way, he would stop giving attention to her, and Abel¡¯s n would fail. Luke would eventually stop looking for her, and no one would be disappointed or sad. It was a good choice if Luke chose Tia over her. Luca looked at her eye bags in the mirror and covered them with concealer. After she was done, she thought that her face was still missing something. She forced a smile on her face, but that smile was filled with sadness. Luca sighed. She might have epted the fact, but she could not stop herself from being sad. After putting on makeup, she went into the kitchen and prepared a simple breakfast for herself. She did not turn on the television because she was not in the mood, so she missed out on a news report about Luke. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. In Crawford Manor, Old Master Crawford was reading the newspaper. The headline of the gossip section was about Luke again. Last time, Luke was in the headlines because of a certain Dr. Craw, and Old Master Crawford did not know who it was. This time, the subject of the scandal was someone he knew. ¡°Is Luke up yet?¡± Old Master Crawford asked the butler. ¡°He should be up by now,¡± the butler replied. Old Master Crawford stood up with the help of the walking stick and picked up the newspaper. ¡°Get the driver to send the kids to school today. Tell Luke toe to my study after he¡¯s done with breakfast.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes,¡± the butler replied. When Luke came down the stairs, he did not see Old Master Crawford at the dining table. He knew that his grandfather woke up earlier than he did, and his grandfather would sit at the dining table and read the newspaper. It was rare that he was not there today. He asked the butler, ¡°Where¡¯s Grandfather?¡± ¡°Old Master Crawford is in his study, Sir. He requests that you meet him there after you finish breakfast,¡± the butler ryed the information to Luke. Luke nodded. After breakfast, he went to the study. He knocked on the door and, after receiving consent, walked in. ¡°Is there anything, Grandfather?¡± After Luke sat down, Old Master Crawford said, ¡°You said that you were working overtime yesterday night, but I see this in the newspaper today. What¡¯s going on?¡± Usually, if Luke had to work overtime or have a business dinner elsewhere, he would phone home to tell them not to wait for him. Yesterday, he said very clearly that he was working overtime and not attending a dinner. Old Master Crawford began to make up stories. Luke nced at the newspaper. In the report was a photograph of him and Tia going into a French restaurant. Other than the waiter, there was no one else with them. He did not expect that the incident would make the headlines of the gossip section. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, that woman is Bianca¡¯s psychologist, right?¡± Old Master Crawford asked. Luke nodded and put the newspaper away. Old Master Crawford continued to ask, ¡°Are you interested in her?¡± As Luke¡¯s grandfather, Old Master Crawford knew that he would not have dinner alone with another woman. That was why Old Master Crawford suspected something. Luke shook his head and said, ¡°I am indeed interested in her.¡± ¡°Why did you shake your head then?¡± Old Master Crawford asked. Ever since he knew that Bianca was an impostor, he did not object to Luke looking for another woman¡¯s affection. However, no one else knew that Luke¡¯s wife was an impostor, and they thought that she was traveling overseas. Now that the paparazzi had caught Luke having dinner with another woman, it would certainly affect his reputation! Chapter 1419 Old Master Crawford thought that Luke had been careless. Even if he had feelings for that woman, he should have waited until he divorced the impostor Bianca. Luke carried T Corporation¡¯s public image. Now that the scandal had broken out, he might be known as a disloyal person. ¡°I¡¯m indeed interested in her, Grandfather, but it¡¯s not like what you think,¡± Luke said. He exined that he had invited Tia for dinner because he suspected she had connections with the Ind of Despair. Old Master Crawford was not relieved even after hearing that. His concern was not that Luke was not interested in Tia, but that Luke was still searching for the Ind of Despair. In other words, Luke had not given up on looking for Bianca. It had been three years, but Luke¡¯s affection toward Bianca had not decreased. That was not normal. Old Master Crawford began to worry. If Luke could not find Bianca, was he going to stay single for the rest of his life? Luke was at the prime of his life. That should not be the case. ¡°Never mind, I can¡¯t stop you if you want to continue to look for Bianca, but how are you going to handle this incident? If you don¡¯t take care of your reputation, it might affect T Corporation¡¯s share prices. There are several directors nning something behind your back, and they might take the opportunity to dethrone you.¡± Even though Old Master Crawford was retired, he was very aware of what was happening in thepany. Luke knew the directors Old Master Crawford was talking about and what they were nning. They had been looking for the perfect opportunity to rece Luke with Louis. Even though Louis had expressed no interest in taking over T Corporation, Susan had always hoped that he could do so. Those directors were loyal to Susan. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it. As for those directors, I know what they¡¯re nning,¡± Luke said. Old Master Crawford was relieved to find out that he did not neglect his work at T Corporation even when he was looking for Bianca. He nodded and said, ¡°It¡¯s about time for you to go to work. I¡¯ve already asked Sean to send the kids to school.¡± Luke nodded. He stood up and left. On the way to the garage, he gave a call to Jason, asking him to settle the matter. After Jason received the call, he knew what to do. First, he gave a call to Tia. Tia was an early riser. She was very excited to find out that she was in the headline of the gossip section. Even though she was not very happy that she was called Luke¡¯s mistress, she was pleased to appear in the public eye with Luke. It would be even better if Bianca saw the news. She hoped that Bianca would fight with Luke, and Luke would see Bianca¡¯s true colors. Unfortunately for her, Bianca was traveling overseas, and she did not reply to any of Tia¡¯s messages. While Tia drank her morning coffee, she waited for Luke¡¯s call to discuss the matter. She knew that Luke would want to suppress the issue. After all, the scandal might negatively affect T Corporation¡¯s reputation. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. While Tia fantasized about the possibilities, she replied to some messages from her friends. She said that Luke was nothing more than a friend, and the dinner was purely for business, but she was ecstatic on the inside. Her phone began to ring, but the phone call was from Jason instead of Luke. She felt a little disappointed. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. She wanted Luke to call her to discuss how to solve the problem, but now¡­ Her disappointmentsted for only one second. After all, Luke was so busy with work, and it was not surprising that he asked Jason to handle it. Arriving at that thought, she answered the call. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Doyle,¡± Tia said with a gentle voice. Jason returned the greeting, ¡°Good morning, Ms. Tia. Have you read the news?¡± ¡°I read it just now, and I was thinking of giving Mr. Crawford a call to see if he has another solution. After all, there was nothing between us, and I don¡¯t want other people to misunderstand us, especially Mrs. Crawford. I¡¯m sure that she¡¯ll be emotionally agitated if she reads the news article,¡± Tia said. She did not mean to create a scandal with Luke. ¡°I¡¯m d that you¡¯re willing to cooperate with me, Ms. Tia,¡± Jason said. ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll get the PR department to prepare two statements. I¡¯ll send you one of them, and you can post it on your Twitter ount. Is that okay?¡± That was the solution to the problem, and Tia agreed to it. Even though she hoped that everyone would think of her as Luke¡¯s secret lover, it was not the time yet. She could not let Luke be known as a disloyal husband. After the call ended, Jason immediately informed the PR department to prepare two statements. Sue was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat. She was driving because Jason had to work. They would usually go to work together. First, they would send Kari and Teri to school. Then, Jason would drive Sue to herpany, and finally, Jason would drive the car to T Corporation. Jason was talking to Tia on the speaker. Sue had overheard everything earlier. ¡°So that woman was Tia?¡± She sounded displeased. Jason could hear that Sue did not have a good impression of Tia. He noticed that Sue was not impressed with any woman who appeared in a scandal with Luke, except for Bianca. ¡°Mm, she¡¯s the woman in the papers today,¡± Jason said. Sue grimaced and did not show any sympathy to her. ¡°She¡¯s speaking to you in a coquettish voice. I bet she¡¯s even more flirtatious to Mr. Crawford. She says that she wants to clear up the issue. Who¡¯d believe that?¡± Jason did not know how to reply to that. Sue sounded like a fangirl who wanted to protect her idol. She did not want anyone to get near to Luke. ¡°Ms. Tia is only friends with Mr. Crawford,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s true, but she wants to be more than that,¡± Sue shot a nce at Jason, wondering if all men were as obtuse as him. Chapter 1420 Earlier, Tia had tried to give the impression that the situation was not like what everyone else thought. However, Sue could tell that she hoped that Jason would misunderstand her. Tia had also mentioned that she was worried about Bianca being emotionally agitated after reading the news. However, she hoped that Bianca could read the report and lose her temper with Luke. Sue knew exactly what Tia was thinking. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Jason could only stare at Sue, at a loss for a reply. After arriving at Brilliant Architecture, Sue stepped out of the car. Before she left, she said, ¡°You¡¯d better not let Bianca know about this. She won¡¯t be able to ept the news!¡± Jason nodded. He did not tell Sue that the woman that was thought to be Luke¡¯s wife for the past three years was an impostor. Sue still thought that Bianca was traveling overseas. ¡°Come home early today so that we can go to the supermarket. We need to buy supplies for our daughters¡¯ birthday party the day after tomorrow,¡± Sue said. ¡°Yes, my dearest wife,¡± Jason said and yfully saluted her. The people in the PR department worked very efficiently. They soon prepared two statements. Jason first sent a statement to Tia and told her to immediately post it on her personal Twitter ount. As for Luke¡¯s side of the story, Jason scheduled the post to go up in an hour. Luke was not interested in social media. The statement would be posted on T Corporation¡¯s official Twitter ount. ¡­ After Luca clocked in at her office, she prepared to go to theb. This time, she would bring her phone along with her. When she took out her phone from her handbag, she habitually opened the messaging app to see if Amur had sent her a message. She did not get any messages from Amur. However, she saw that thepany chat group was very lively. The people were talking about the scandal involving Luke and Tia. It was from the chat group that Luca knew about the newspaper headline. A reporter had seen Luke and Tia enter the restaurant, and he had taken a photo of them. Even though Luca had already made peace with the fact that Luke might be interested in Tia, she was not too happy to see the article. She was about to lock her phone and put it in her pocket when she saw a new message pop up in the chat group. [Have you seen Ms. Tia¡¯s Twitter ount? She has posted a statement saying that the dinner yesterday was only between friends. It¡¯s not like what the reporter described.] Another person added: [I told you so. Mr. Crawford won¡¯t be interested in her. She¡¯s been Mrs. Crawford¡¯s psychologist for many years, and if Mr. Crawford has feelings for her, he would have asked her out sooner. It won¡¯t take three years for the scandal to break out.] [She¡¯s already released her statement. Why hasn¡¯t Mr. Crawford said anything yet?] Someone still did not believe it. Another employee replied: [Don¡¯t you know? A gentleman would let the woman release her statement first before he releases his. That way, he can protect the woman¡¯s dignity. They only had dinner and nothing more.] [Why would they have dinner without anyone else? Usually, Mr. Crawford would bring Mr. Doyle along to business dinners. Moreover, this happened when Mrs. Crawford was traveling overseas. I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s something more to it.] As they continued discussing the issue, one of the managers voiced out: [Don¡¯t you all have work to do?] Instantly, the activity in the chat group died down. Luca closed the messaging app and searched for Tia¡¯s ount on Twitter. She saw the statement that Tia posted five minutes ago. The statement provided a concise ount of what happened the day before and emphasized that it was only a normal dinner between friends. Tia and Luke had been acquainted with each other for several years, and nothing was going on between them. The entire statement sounded very formal. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Luca guessed that Luke must have gotten the PR department to write the statement and sent it to Tia to publish it¡­ She could understand why Luke wanted to draw a clear boundary with Tia. Even if they had something going on between them, it was not the time for the rtionship to be public. Not only would the reputation of T Corporation be affected, but Tia would also be known as Luke¡¯s illicit mistress. Naturally, Luke did not want Tia to take on that title¡­ The more Luca thought about it, the more her heart wrenched. She looked at the ceiling and continuously blinked. She did not want her tears to fall down. Three minutester, she felt a lot better. She put the phone in the pocket of herb coat and left the office. She forgot that Luke was observing her actions. ¡®How strange¡­¡¯ Luke thought as he looked at Luca on theputer screen. What was she doing? He suddenly remembered that Bianca would tilt her head upward whenever she wanted to cry. He asked her why, and she had said that it was because she did not want her tears to fall. Did Luca want to cry? Why would she want to cry? After Luca entered theboratory, she focused her attention on the experiment. The other researchers were discussing the scandal, but she did not participate in it. When she heard them talking about things that she did not want to hear, she removed herself from the laboratory and went to the cultivation room. When it was time to go off work, she came out of the cultivation room and clocked out. She did not see Luke today. Sean was the one who picked up Tommy at night. Before Sean left, Luca abruptly said, ¡°Right, Mr. Zander, is it alright if I take a day off tomorrow?¡± Sean looked at her, slightly confused. It was Saturday tomorrow. If Luca could cook for Tommy even on weekdays, why would she not be able to do so on a Saturday? ¡°Are you busy?¡± He asked. He had no say in the matter, and he needed a reason from Luca so that he could tell Luke about it. ¡°I have a friend in the hospital. I¡¯d like to visit her tomorrow,¡± Luca said. Sean nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let Sir know.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Luca felt her heart wrench again. It was as though her chest was wrapped up so tightly that she could not breathe. ¡°Bye-bye, Ms. Luca.¡± Tommy was disappointed that he would not be eating Luca¡¯s cooking tomorrow, but he did not throw a tantrum. Luca waved her hand and said, ¡°Bye, Tommy.¡± After she watched them enter the elevator, she closed the door. She sat on the couch again, opened the Twitter app on her phone, and searched for Tia¡¯s ount. Other than the statement, Tia had not posted any new updates or liked any replies. Chapter 1421 Luca read thements on the statement. Most of thementers said that they did not believe it. Even though both parties had already issued their statements, they still believed that something was going on between Luke and Tia, and the statements did not reflect the full picture. A public figure like Luke Crawford would definitely attract a lot of attention, especially when he was rumored to have done something that defied social norms. Naturally, the people did not wish for the incident to end just like that. It seemed that the scandal would continue to brew for some time. Thementers either said that Tia was shameless to seduce a married man, or they stood on Tia¡¯s side and said that she was a good match for Luke. Luca put her phone away and sighed. She did not know why she sighed. She could not clear her thoughts. ¡­ The next day, Luca stayed in bed. When she woke up and looked at the clock, it was already noon. She had a long and turbulent dream about Luke and Tia. Even though the dream troubled her, she managed to get some sleep, and she felt a lot better after waking up. She slowly got out of bed and made some lunch for herself. After eating, she cleaned herself and went to the hospital. Talia had miscarried, and her body was still weak. Luca nned to visit her. When she arrived at the hospital, she did not know which room Talia was in. She had to ask for that information at the nurses¡¯ station. The nurse became noticeably wary after hearing that Luca wanted to visit Talia. She asked, ¡°Are you a family member of the patient?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m her superior at work. I¡¯m here to visit her because I¡¯ve heard that she was ill,¡± Luca exined. ¡°Are you really her superior at work? I haven¡¯t seen you before,¡± the nurse said doubtfully, continuing to withhold information about Talia¡¯s room from Luca. ¡°Today is Saturday, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ve been busy at work for the past few days. I¡¯ve finally managed to make time to visit her. I¡¯m really her superior at work. See, I brought her gifts too,¡± Luca said. The nurse thought that Luca did not look like a bad person. ¡°She¡¯s at Room 1421,¡± she said. Luca nodded, though she asked curiously, ¡°Excuse me, Miss, may I ask you a question?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Why did you look so wary when I mentioned Talia Sullivan¡¯s name? Did something happen over the past few days?¡± Luca asked. The nurse sighed and said, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be telling anyone else about the patient¡¯s personal matters, but if you said that you¡¯re her superior at work, then you should know what happened. The father of the miscarried child is her manager in the office. It¡¯s not umon for a woman with a weak constitution to miscarry, but the father of the child is already married to another woman. When the father¡¯s legally married wife knew about it, she hired people to cause trouble here every day. They have seriously affected the doctors and nurses at the hospital, not to mention it¡¯s causing a lot of distress to the patient. Two days ago, those troublemakers even roughed up another pregnant woman and caused her to go intobor prematurely. In any case, we can¡¯t discharge Ms. Sullivan because she has a weak constitution. We moved her to another room yesterday, and the director ordered us not to give out her new room number so easily.¡± Luca nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not here to cause trouble.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look like a troublemaker. However, the patient has been depressed for the past few days. If she listens to you, you should tell her to leave that man. She¡¯s still young, and she¡¯ll be able to bear children again,¡± the nurse said. Luca smiled, nodded, and went toward the elevator. In front of Room 1421, she knocked on the door and went inside. There was only a single patient in the room. When Luca went inside, a middle-aged woman stood up and asked Luca, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Luca Craw, Talia¡¯s colleague,¡± Luca said as she looked at Talia on the bed. Talia was taken aback when she saw Luca. ¡°Why did youe here, Dr. Craw?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re hospitalized, so I¡¯m here to visit you. I¡¯ve been busy with my research for the past two days, and I only managed to find some time today because it¡¯s the weekend,¡± Luca said and put the bag of health supplements on the table. ¡°You need more nutrition now. Here, all these are for you.¡± The middle-aged woman looked at the bag of supplements on the table and realized that Luca was not one of the troublemakers that harassed them for the past two days. She let her guard down and said eagerly, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have, Ms. Craw. We can¡¯t ept that.¡± ¡°The supplements are suitable for Talia¡¯s current condition, and I think she should take them. Are you Talia¡¯s mother?¡± Luca asked. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Even though Talia¡¯s mother was a housewife, she could tell that Luca was more than a colleague when she heard Talia call her ¡°Dr. Craw.¡± Many people hade to visit Talia ever since she was hospitalized, but they all came in and cursed at Talia. Some of them even tried to drag her out of bed, which caused her to lose a lot of blood. Since then, every visitor came to use Talia of being a seductress. None of them cared for her condition, including the child¡¯s father, who had deliberately avoided her after bringing her to the hospital. The mother and daughter had been bullied by the hooligans hired by the man¡¯s wife. Talia¡¯s mother wondered if Luca¡¯s rank in thepany was higher than that man¡¯s rank and if Luca could stand up for Talia. ¡°Nice to meet you, Mrs. Sullivan,¡± Luca greeted Talia¡¯s mother, then turned to look at Talia. The gossip in thepany group chat had not stopped talking about her ever since she was hospitalized. It caused a sensation when someone found out that her child¡¯s father was Dr. Cole Kidman. Luca could guess from the expression on Talia¡¯s mother¡¯s face that none of the people from T Corporation or Watson hade to visit Talia, perhaps because they did not want to offend Cole. Tears welled up in the woman¡¯s eyes, and she seemed to be overwhelmed with emotion. ¡°You have to help Talia, Ms. Craw. I understand that she¡¯s notpletely innocent, but she¡¯s also a victim.¡± Luca¡¯s expression remained impassive. Talia was slightly embarrassed when she heard her mother bed Luca. After all, she had deliberately harmed Luca.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Chapter 1422 Luca¡¯s expression remained impassive as Mrs. Sullivan continued to beg her. Talia and her mother exchanged nces. Even though she felt guilty for asking Luca for help, she realized that she really needed Luca¡¯s help to get her out of that mess. She tried to evoke Luca¡¯s pity. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that, Mom. It¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯m the silly one.¡± Streams of tears gushed from Mrs. Sullivan¡¯s eyes. She had suffered multiple shocks over the past two days. When those hooligans came to threaten Talia¡¯s life, Cole did not show up at all. She resented her daughter for sleeping with that man. Mrs. Sullivan wiped her tears away and sobbed. ¡°I can¡¯t me you, Talia. That man must have tricked you to get in bed with him, but now¡­ now¡­ how heartless can he be? Tell me, Ms. Craw, does that man deserve to be a department manager?¡± Luca did not think that Cole was qualified to be a department manager, but she had no say in the hiring process. ¡°You¡¯reining to the wrong person, Mrs. Sullivan. It¡¯s Mr. Crawford¡¯s decision.¡± Luca realized that Talia and her mother wanted her to help them get back at Cole. They thought that they could rely on someone of the same rank as Cole in the department so that Cole¡¯s position would be in peril. However, Talia had told her mother that Cole was the one who tricked her¡­ Luca could not stop Talia from telling lies, but she thought that she was lucky for not epting Talia as her research assistant. Since that incident, Luca had realized that Talia was someone who would not hesitate to lie to gain whatever she wanted. What she heard earlier proved her right once again. Mrs. Sullivan nodded hurriedly. ¡°Yes, yes, of course, the decision is in the big boss¡¯s hands, but you¡¯re also a department manager, aren¡¯t you? The big boss will definitely consider your opinion. Ms. Craw, my Talia has always been a good girl. She works hard to make money for the family because she knows that I¡¯m unwell, but¡­¡± Luca could not tell if Mrs. Sullivan did not know Talia¡¯s true personality or if she was alsoplicit in Talia¡¯s ploy. Unfortunately, Luca had no sympathy for Talia. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Luca looked at the mother and daughter and smiled. The two people did not know what she was thinking. Talia¡¯s gaze had never looked away from Luca. She wondered what the smile meant. ¡°Dr. Craw¡­¡± She said with the most pitiful voice she could muster. Luca was probably the only person who could help her. The other researchers in the Technical Department were all Cole¡¯s friends. She even knew that Cole and the others would go to the nightclub together. Talia never hoped that those people would betray Cole and help her. She hoped that Luca would take pity on her because Luca was also a woman who might empathize with her. Even though Talia did not finish her sentence, Luca could guess what she wanted to say. ¡°I¡¯d like to talk to you in private,¡± she said. Talia was taken aback, and she felt vaguely uneasy. However, she considered that Luca might be convinced to help her. She turned to her mother and said, ¡°Mom, why don¡¯t you get yourself some lunch downstairs?¡± Mrs. Sullivan nodded, thinking that Luca was not going to harm her daughter. She put on sunsses and a cap, took an empty lunch box, and left the room. After her mother left the room, Talia immediately burst into tears. Luca stood in front of him, and she could tell that those tears were genuine. She slowly handed her a paper napkin. ¡°Thanks.¡± Talia took it and wiped her tears. She felt very sad thinking about her experiences in the past few days. She did not realize she was pregnant until she lost her child, and she was not sure if she would be able to keep her job¡­ Luca could only say helplessly, ¡°I can¡¯t talk to you if you keep on crying.¡± Talia tried to stop her tears. She could not change what happened, but she would try her best to avoid a bad ending. Luca pulled a chair over and sat opposite Talia. Talia could see that Luca¡¯s expression remained impassive as ever. In fact, her expression seemed harsher than earlier. She felt extremely uneasy, and she hoped that she was mistaken about Luca¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Dr. Craw, can you help me?¡± She said sheepishly. ¡°How do you want me to help you?¡± Luca asked. There was no emotion in her voice. Talia was slightly excited when she heard that. If Luca was willing to ask her that, she might also be willing to help her. ¡°I¡¯m an innocent victim in this incident. If you can help me, I promise to expose everything I know about Dr. Kidman, including the things he had done that actively harmed thepany!¡± Talia said. She only wanted to save her own skin. ¡°Talia, if you do that, you know that you¡¯ll end up the same as Dr. Kidman, right? If you already know what he did, but you only choose to expose it now because you don¡¯t want to get in trouble, what do you think Mr. Crawford would think?¡± Luca said with a smirk. Talia was taken aback. She did not have much work experience, and she realized that what Luca said was true. Even if she wanted to get back at Cole, she would be implicated as well. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that, Dr. Craw¡­¡± Talia tried to exin herself. Luca was not in the mood to listen to excuses. She asked, ¡°You said that you have a lot of evidence of Dr. Kidman¡¯s misdeeds, right? Does one of the incidents involve me?¡± Talia blinked. She did not expect Luca to ask that. ¡°I¡¯m talking about the incident in myb. You were also involved in it, right? Now that Mr. Doyle is getting closer and closer to the bottom of the incident, I don¡¯t think you can worm your way out of it. Talia, my purpose in visiting you today is to give you some health supplements and nothing else. You made the wrong decision when you chose to sleep with Dr. Kidman, but what was worse was that you decided to involve me. I¡¯m not going to forgive you for messing up my research. Take this opportunity to rest well because you still have a lot to deal with at work. You¡¯re still young, and if you can own up to your involvement before Mr. Doyle realizes it, things might not be as bad as you think,¡± Luca said while staring straight into Talia¡¯s eyes. She could see that the miscarriage had taken a huge toll on Talia¡¯s health. In two days, the young woman seemed to have aged by twenty years. Luca might have taken pity on her if not that she had done those things to her. Chapter 1423 Talia¡¯s despair grew as Luca said those words. She only felt regret as she looked at Luca¡¯s frigid expression. She regretted what she did just so that she could cate her envy and satisfy Cole¡¯s ambition. ¡°I can exin, Dr. Craw,¡± Talia still tried to get on Luca¡¯s good side. Luca took a step back and stared at Talia coldly. ¡°There¡¯s no need for exnation, Talia.¡± Talia opened her mouth but said nothing. Seeing that Luca had no intention of helping her, her despair slowly turned into resentment. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No matter what your decision might be, you¡¯re not going to get out of this scot-free. In any case, it¡¯s better to own up before the other people find out what you did. Your body is weak now, and you need nutrition. I can only wish you good luck in your future.¡± After Luca said that, she turned around and left the room. In the corridor, she met Mrs. Sullivan, who had returned from the cafeteria with some food. ¡°Are you leaving already, Ms. Craw?¡± Mrs. Sullivan said eagerly, thinking that she was her daughter¡¯s savior. After all, Luca was the only person who visited Talia without causing trouble. Moreover, she had brought gifts. Luca nodded and said, ¡°Yes.¡± Mrs. Sullivan did not know what happened in the room. She tried to ask Luca to stay. ¡°Why are you going away so soon? I¡¯ve bought some extra food for you. I hope that you can stay and have a meal with us. Talia has been through a lot in the past few days, and we¡¯re d that you¡¯re here for us.¡± Luca guessed that Mrs. Sullivan would not treat her like that if she found out what Luca said to Talia in the room. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have somewhere else to go,¡± Luca said and went toward the elevator lobby. Mrs. Sullivan tried to ask her again to stay so that Luca would have a good impression of them, but when she turned her head to look toward the elevator lobby, she saw several people walking in her direction. She quickly turned around, covered her face, and briskly walked back into the room. After hastily going into the room and shutting the door, she tried to look outside through the peephole. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mom?¡± Talia was nervous when she saw her mother¡¯s behavior. She forgot to wipe away the tears in her eyes. ¡°Shh, keep quiet. I saw those people outside,¡± Mrs. Sullivan said while putting a finger in front of her lips. She rushed to the window and drew the curtains. Talia was immediately nervous. ¡°They didn¡¯t see you, right?¡± She whispered. ¡°No, no. I¡¯m smart enough to evade their attention,¡± Mrs. Sullivan shook her head and said. She put the lunch boxes on the bedside cab and noticed that Talia¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. ¡°What happened? Did you cry again? The doctor said that you have to control your emotions. If you cry too much, that¡¯ll affect your eyesight.¡± Talia dared not bawl out loud, so she could only let out stifled sobs while tears continued to flow. Talia¡¯s mother handed her a lunch box and asked her, ¡°How was the talk with Ms. Craw earlier?¡± When Luca¡¯s name was mentioned, Talia clenched her fists hatefully. Mrs. Sullivan noticed the change in her daughter¡¯s expression. She asked her, ¡°What happened? Did you identally offend her?¡± Talia gritted her teeth. ¡°She¡¯s not a good person, Mom. She never wanted to help me in the first ce, and she¡¯s only here tough at me. I¡¯ve already admitted my fault, but she doesn¡¯t want to help me. I don¡¯t think anyone else can help me.¡± ¡°How is that possible? Didn¡¯t she say that she¡¯ll help you? Did you say something wrong?¡± Mrs. Sullivan could not believe it. Talia did not want her mother to think that Luca was a good person. She growled, ¡°Don¡¯t be so na?ve, Mom. She¡¯s sleeping with the big boss, and she¡¯s not going to help me. She even thinks that I¡¯m standing in her way. She doesn¡¯t believe that Cole Kidman had nned everything.¡± Mrs. Sullivan stood there, stunned. She did not know what Talia had done at Watson. ¡°What¡­ what should we do now? We can¡¯t stay here¡­¡± She was totally clueless. Talia¡¯s resentment only grew as she watched her mother running in circles like a headless chicken. Did Luca get away with it because she had been sleeping with Mr. Crawford? No one med Luca for anything, while she¡­ ¡°I¡¯m not going to let Cole Kidman get away with this, even if it means that I have to die!¡± Talia said agitatedly as she made a call on her phone to Jason. She wanted Cole to suffer with her. As for Luca, she would not forgive her either. ¡­ After Luca left the hospital, she remembered about Jason¡¯s invitation. It would be Kari and Teri¡¯s birthday party tomorrow. Before she was abducted, the two girls were only toddlers learning to speak. Now, they were already kind and considerate young women. Luca thought for a while and decided that she should attend the birthday party. With that thought in mind, she went to a toy store near the hospital. The store had a wide array of toys because the hospital had a pediatrics ward, and Luca was spoiled for choice. The sales clerk rmended some present choices, and Luca decided on two dollhouses in different styles and a set of storybooks suitable for little girls. When Luca arrived at her apartment with the two big present boxes, she received a call from Jason. Jason told her that the investigation of the incident at herboratory had concluded. The masterminds behind the sabotage were Cole Kidman and Talia Sullivan. Talia had called Jason and owned up to what she did. She also exposed many of Cole¡¯s misdeeds. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the rest to you and Mr. Crawford then,¡± Luca said and ended the call. She knew that Jason and his subordinates were very efficient at their job. They had already found the culprit but kept it under wraps because Talia was in the hospital, and they did not want to exacerbate her condition. Jason was impartial, but he was considerate. Luca did not say anything much to him because she knew that she could trust him. She also guessed that Talia would own up to her deeds because she had nowhere else to run. Of course, she would take Cole down with her too. She was a vengeful person like that. Luca could tell that something major would happen in Watsone next Monday. She was not nosy, but she was angry that Cole had sabotaged her research. She would be d to see what would happen to Cole, if not that she and her research team had moved to T Corporation. She thought that it was a pity. Luca put the presents away, sat down on the couch, and took out her phone. The news app on her phone rmended a story about Luke and Tia. Even though the two people had issued their statements, the general public did not believe them. Luca did not believe them either. Chapter 1424 Luca skimmed through the news articles. Some of them were criticizing Tia, while others did a thorough analysis of the two people. There were many reports, and all of them contributed to the poprity of the scandal. Luca smiled bitterly and shook her head. ¡­ The next morning, shortly after Luca woke up, she received a message from Sue, asking if she would attend the birthday party today. Luca sent Sue her reply and began to freshen up. It was a children¡¯s birthday party, so there was no need to be too formal. Luca changed into a in- colored long dress, wore a pair of ts, picked up the presents, and left the apartment. When she arrived at Jason¡¯s mansion, she rang the doorbell. The young caretaker jogged over and opened the door. She was wearing a headband with the words ¡°HAPPY BIRTHDAY¡± on it. ¡°Wee, Dr. Craw,¡± the caretaker said with a smile. She addressed Luca like how Jason did. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s a cute headband,¡± Luca said as she walked through the gate with the presents. The caretaker touched the headband and said, ¡°Ms. Carter prepared this for us. Kari and Teri like the headbands. Oh, Dr. Craw, you brought them presents too!¡± ¡°Mm. I can¡¯t possiblye to a birthday party empty-handed,¡± Luca said. ¡°Kari and Teri will be ecstatic!¡± The caretaker said as she and Luca entered the living room. Sue had hired a professional team to decorate the house. Luca thought that she had stepped into a fantasy castle. ¡°You¡¯re here, Luca,¡± Sue said when she saw Luca. She put away the balloons in her hands. ¡°Mm. Do you need my help?¡± Luca said and nodded. She could tell that Sue and Jason loved their daughters very much. Suddenly, she thought of her daughter N. It was almost N¡¯s birthday, but she had never organized a birthday party for her. She was not there for Lanie and Rainie when they were young, but she knew that Luke had never mistreated them. N, on the other hand¡­ ¡°All the decorations are done. Jason hired some people to do all this. They¡¯re providing the catering as well, so that saves us a lot of trouble,¡± Sue said with a grin. She was in an excellent mood because it was her daughters¡¯ birthday. Luca came to her senses and nodded. She handed the boxes in her hands to Sue. ¡°Here are the presents for Kari and Teri.¡± It was normal to give presents at a birthday party, so Sue did not say anything. She epted the presents happily and got the caretaker to take them upstairs. ¡°Where are the girls?¡± Luca asked. ¡°They¡¯re still styling up upstairs. Jason wanted them to be at their best today, so he hired two stylists for them. He wanted the girls to look like princesses in a fairy tale, and I can¡¯t do that for them,¡± Sue exined. Then, she continued, ¡°Make yourself at home, Luca. We didn¡¯t invite too many people today, and we¡¯ll start the party when everyone¡¯s here.¡± They invited some of Kari and Teri¡¯s best friends at school as well as some of Jason¡¯s friends. Luca nodded. She sat on the couch and waited for the party to start. After all, she was only an invited guest. All she had to do was not cause the hosts any trouble. The guests arrived one after another. Most of them were adults who brought their children, and Luca was the only one who came by herself. However, the adults left after sending their children there, so Luca and the young caretaker were the only adults in the living room. The children were well-behaved, and the caretaker could handle all of them herself. Luca smiled gently as she watched several children ying together. Even after the three-year ordeal in the Ind of Despair had made her bitter, she still loved children. Children were pure and innocent, and their smiles healed Luca¡¯s cold heart. A little girl ran up to Luca and smiled at her. ¡°You¡¯re so pretty, Ma¡¯am. Have some candy!¡± Luca¡¯s heart warmed as she looked at the piece of chocte wrapped up in pink wrapping paper. She shook her head gently and said, ¡°Thank you, but I don¡¯t eat sweets. You should eat it yourself.¡± ¡°My Mommy says that I should share nice things, and I think that a prettydy like you deserves something nice!¡± The little girl said and ced the piece of chocte on Luca¡¯s palm. Luca felt the warmth of the little girl on the piece of chocte. She remembered that N¡¯s favorite candy was chocte. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Chocte was rare on the Ind of Despair. Whenever Amur came back from his missions, he would bring some for her and N. Chapter 1425 Bailey did not care if her actions scared the children at the scene. After all, those children were not hers. She looked around and did not see Sue, so she asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Sue?¡± The caretaker knew who Bailey was. Bailey woulde to Jason¡¯s mansion and cause a ruckus once in a while. She did not check the security camera before answering the door because she thought another guest had arrived. She only realized that it was Bailey after she opened the door, but it was toote to close it. Bailey was stronger than the caretaker, and the caretaker could not close the door. After Bailey pushed the door open, she barged into the house. The caretaker followed behind her in case she did something rash. Luca frowned when she saw Bailey¡¯s brazen expression. She could tell that Bailey deliberately came to cause trouble during the girls¡¯ birthday party. Bailey also spotted Luca in the living room. From what the hooligans she hired told her, she knew Luca was a good fighter. Bailey could not fight, so she did not n to engage Luca. Her only target today was Sue. Sue had snatched Bailey¡¯s man from her. Bailey wanted to raise a ruckus now so that Kari and Teri¡¯s friends knew that their mother was a sinner. Bailey red at the caretaker. ¡°Get Sue Carter here now!¡± The caretaker shuddered and ran up the stairs. The little girl who had given Luca candy burst into tears. Luca walked over, which caused Bailey to take a step back. Bailey was afraid that Luca might punch her. If she had known that Luca was invited to the party, she would have brought a few hooligans along. ¡°What do you want, Luca Craw?¡± Bailey said. Luca nced at her, hugged the crying girl, then red at Bailey. ¡°I should ask you the same thing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for that b*tch Sue Carter. It¡¯s none of your business,¡± Bailey said, standing with her arms akimbo like a shrew. Luca chuckled and said, ¡°What you want to do with Sue is indeed none of my business, but you¡¯re scaring all these children, and I can¡¯t allow that to happen.¡± After she said that, the children huddled up behind her and looked at her for protection. The little girl in her arms stopped crying. ¡°Stop meddling!¡± Bailey felt only contempt for Luca. If she had brought two hooligans with her, Luca would not be able to protect all the children. While the two women were caught in a standoff, Luke and Tommy came to the mansion entrance. Luke stopped walking when he heard themotion inside. ¡°Daddy?¡± Tommy looked at him. Luke ced his finger on his lips, then turned to the child and shook his head.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. He could hear Bailey and Luca¡¯s voicesing from inside the house. Instead of going through the door, he took Tommy¡¯s hand and went to the side garden. From the side garden, Luke could see the living room behind the floor-to-ceiling window. One of the windows was open, and Luke could hear everything inside clearly. Tommy saw that Luca was carrying a little girl. He said dejectedly, ¡°Daddy, who¡¯s that little girl in Ms. Luca¡¯s arms?¡± Luke shook his head. He did not know who she was. Tommy said, ¡°Oh no, don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s Ms. Luca¡¯s daughter! Looks like you have no hope, Daddy.¡± Luke had no response to Tommy¡¯sment. The boy sounded as though he hoped that his father would have some affection toward Luca. ¡°Say something, Daddy!¡± Tommy wagged his father¡¯s hand. ¡°She¡¯s single,¡± Luke said. Tommy was relieved to hear that. Ever since he knew that their mother was an impostor, he hoped that Luke would find Luca so that she would be their new mother. Tommy did not make any more noise and looked through the window with his father. At that moment, Luca did not know that she was being watched. She remainedposed in the face of Bailey¡¯s sarcasm. ¡°I have to meddle because I can¡¯t allow you to continue causing trouble here.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Bailey would have started screeching if not for Luca getting physical. She turned her head to look at the children and said, ¡°Hey, kids, are you all friends of the two little b*tches?¡± The children looked at each other. They did not know what she was talking about. Luca frowned in disgust. She hated what Bailey was doing because Bailey¡¯s words would mislead the children, or worse, taint their innocence. Unfortunately, she did not have enough hands to cover all their ears. A daring boy asked, ¡°Ma¡¯am, what¡¯s a little b*tch?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about your friends! The two birthday girls? They¡¯re both little b*tches!¡± Bailey spat out those words like venom. Tommy frowned when he heard that. He realized that he and his father were snooping, so he whispered, ¡°Daddy, I don¡¯t like the way she¡¯s talking.¡± Kari and Teri were his good friends. Tommy did not appreciate Bailey calling them that. Luke patted his son¡¯s head but said nothing. He was interested in what Luca would do next, though he was slightly disappointed with Jason that Bailey remained a menace. The boy said, ¡°Ma¡¯am, Kari and Teri are not little b*tches.¡± Bailey chuckled coldly. ¡°The big b*tch gave birth to them, so they¡¯re little b*tches! When they grow up, they¡¯ll also be big b*tches that seduce married men!¡± Luca frowned harder. ¡°Watch your words!¡± Bailey grunted coldly. Thinking that Luca would not get physical in front of all those children, she became even more brazen. Meanwhile, the caretaker went upstairs and informed Sue and Jason. Sue asked the caretaker to look after Kari and Teri, while she and Jason quickly hurried downstairs. Jason had nothing but disgust toward the foul-mouthed Bailey. When he came back from New York, he found out that Bailey had hired some hooligans to abduct Sue. He had gone to Bailey¡¯s house to reason with her. He could not bring himself to be merciless toward Bailey because she was his son¡¯s mother, and he left the house after giving her a warning. He did not expect that Bailey had not heeded his warning, but worse yet, came to look for trouble at their daughters¡¯ birthday party! Chapter 1426 When Sue heard Bailey¡¯s derogatorynguage, she wanted to rush up to her, but Jason grabbed her wrist. She red at the man angrily, but her gaze was also full of grievances. Jason realized that his tolerance toward Bailey had caused Sue and the two girls much suffering. He said, ¡°Let me handle this.¡± Sue looked at him and nodded. She would not be so bothered by Bailey¡¯s antics if it were any other day, but it was Kari and Teri¡¯s birthday party, and Bailey had said such filth in front of the other children. Jason took her hand, and they walked down thest step of the flight of stairs. Bailey was livid when she saw that. ¡°I see that you have the guts toe downstairs, Sue Carter!¡± Bailey wanted to pry their hands apart. Sue was angry when she heard those words. The house was hers, and she could go wherever she wanted. It did not belong to that woman! She wanted to step forward, but Jason tried tofort her. ¡°Sue, you should bring the children upstairs.¡± ¡°No,¡± Sue said insistently. She could guess that Jason would send that woman away, and that would be the end of it. The woman would not have learned her lesson. She wanted to stay there to see what Jason would do. Luca thought for a while and understood what Jason and Sue were thinking. She turned and spoke softly to the children, ¡°Hey, children, why don¡¯t we go upstairs? Mr. and Mrs. Doyle have prepared a lot of delicious food and fun games for all of you.¡± The children were convinced by what Luca said. The girl in her arms was the first to reply, ¡°Alright, Ma¡¯am.¡± Luca put the girl on the floor, and the children excitedly ran up the stairs. Now that the children were gone, the adults could talk. Jason shot a grateful nce at Luca. Then, he said impatiently to Bailey, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this, Jason Doyle? Don¡¯t you know that you belong to me?¡± Bailey felt hurt. She had wanted to win his heart again, but he had always rejected her. ¡°Let me tell you for thest time: we¡¯ve already divorced! There¡¯s nothing between us now,¡± Jason said sternly. She had agreed to the divorce back then, but now that he was with another woman, she did not stop attacking Sue. It was as though she was jealous. The two people had already agreed to part ways. What was the point of all that? ¡°What do you mean, there¡¯s nothing between us? You¡¯re the father of our son! Half of his genes are from you!¡± Bailey was not going to admit that they were unrted now. She pointed a finger at Sue. ¡°That woman snatched you away from me, yet you¡¯re still protecting her! Are you blind, Jason Doyle? Haven¡¯t you seen her true colors after all these years?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Sue was tired of Bailey¡¯s repeated usations that she was the one who broke up Jason¡¯s marriage. At first, she had suspected that it was the case. She had even thought of leaving the city with the girls. Later, Jason showed her concrete evidence that he and Bailey had divorced even before he met Sue. He was single for some time before making out with her. Sue was relieved to find out that she had not destroyed a marriage¡­ Jason stole a nce at Sue. Her expression was still normal. He took Sue¡¯s wrist and pulled her into his arms. ¡°No one snatched me away from you. It¡¯s my daughters¡¯ birthday party today, and you¡¯re not wee. Please leave.¡± Jason was on the verge of losing his temper, but he tried to hold it back and asked her to leave. Bailey was livid when she heard him talk about his daughters. ¡°What about our son then? Have you shown any concern to him?¡± Jason was growing impatient toward her usations. She had always thought that he had neglected their son. However, the truth was that Jason had frequently visited their son in the hospital, but only when she was not around because he did not want to meet her. He had to deal with many troublesome tasks in his work, but none of thatpared to the trouble that Bailey brought him. ¡°I¡¯m taking care of our son every day while you¡¯re here hosting a birthday party for your so-called daughters! You¡¯re an animal, Jason. I¡¯ve done so much for you, but you won¡¯t even look me in the eye. You¡¯re deliberately taking revenge on me, aren¡¯t you?¡± Luca listened to Bailey¡¯sints without saying a word. She did not know what happened between them over the past three years, but Jason did not seem as cruel as Bailey said he was. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to take care of Shane anymore, you can relinquish his custody to me, but if you¡¯re not going to leave now, I¡¯m calling the police,¡± Jason warned her. Bailey had used him of being heartless so many times that he was tired of listening to it. ¡°How dare you!¡± Bailey roared. ¡°If you dare to call the police, Jason Doyle, I¡¯ll make sure that you and that b*tch will appear in the headlines tomorrow!¡± She had tried to get Sue in the tabloids before, and she had even written defamatory articles about Sue in the local forums using an anonymous username. Putting both of them in the papers was something she had never done before. ¡°Do whatever you want,¡± Jason said as he pulled out his phone. Sue did not stop him this time. Bailey was beyond reason. The two had tolerated her, but she did not appreciate it. Bailey was furious when she heard Jason talking to the police on the phone. She pointed a trembling finger at the two people but could not say anything. When Jason was about to give his house address to the police, she roared angrily, ¡°Just you wait, the two of you. This isn¡¯t the end of it.¡± Then, she turned around and left. She decided to leave herself instead of getting driven away by the police. She would get her revenge one day, and the two people will appear in the tabloids tomorrow. Sue was still angry even after Bailey left. Jason¡¯s decision to call the police made his stand clear, but she was unhappy that Bailey hade to ruin her daughters¡¯ birthday party. After Jason ended the phone call with the police, Sue let go of him and said, ¡°It¡¯s about time. I¡¯ll get the children toe down.¡± Jason could tell that she was unhappy. When he tried to exin himself, Sue shook her head and went up the stairs. Chapter 1427 Now that the drama was over, Luca breathed a sigh of relief. She was about to sit on the couch when she noticed Luke and Tommy standing in the side garden. She was shocked. Why were they standing there? As they looked at each other, Luke took Tommy¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go inside.¡± Luca watched the father and son walk away, then appear at the front door. She wondered if they were standing in the garden to watch the drama. She did not know when they had appeared there, or how much they had heard. After they came into the living room, Tommy pulled away from Luke¡¯s hand and ran toward Luca. ¡°I miss you so much, Ms. Luca. Why are you here too?¡± ¡°I was invited,¡± Luca smiled and took Tommy¡¯s hand. She lifted her head and nced at Luke, then turned her head away. Because of her, Tommy had been close to Kari and Teri since they were babies. It was normal for Sue to invite Tommy to the girls¡¯ birthday party, but Luca did not expect Luke to be the one sending him over. ¡®Shouldn¡¯t he be very busy now? After all, the scandal is still brewing¡­¡¯ ¡°You were invited too? Wow, this must be fate!¡± Tommy said happily. He waved at his father and said, ¡°Come over here too, Daddy.¡± Luke stood there. He had no intention of going over. ¡°Daddy¡­¡± Tommy said cloyingly. He wanted his father to stand closer to Luca. Luca did not know what Tommy was thinking, but Luke did. The boy liked Luca, so he wanted Luke to interact more with her. Luke was quite surprised that his son would think like that. Tommy was very close to Bianca, but ever since Luca appeared in his life, he had shifted all his affection to her. He could ept that Bianca had not returned yet, and he even tried to bring Luke closer to Luca¡­ What had Luca done to Tommy? Luke did not know, and he did not go over to stand next to Luca. He looked at Jason and said, ¡°I have something to discuss with you.¡± Jason nodded and said, ¡°Alright, Mr. Crawford. Shall we go to the study?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Luke knew that Luca would take care of Tommy, so he and Jason went to the study. Luca looked at Tommy¡¯s chubby face and asked, ¡°Tommy, have you and your Daddy been standing in the garden for a long time?¡± ¡°Yeah. That woman was throwing a tantrum, so Daddy brought me to the garden. You were so cool earlier when you protected those children. If I¡¯m in danger one day, will you protect me as well?¡± Tommy raised his head and looked at her. Luca gently pinched his cheeks. She would protect him without any hesitation. She was willing to give up her life to protect her children. ¡°Of course I will. Right, where are your elder siblings?¡± Luca asked. Tommy smiled happily and answered, ¡°Lanie has extra sses in school, and Rainie has ballet sses. They¡¯ve prepared presents for Kari and Teri. I have too, but Daddy forgot to bring them out of the car.¡± Luca nodded. She guessed that Luke and Tommy must havee in because the caretaker left the front gate open in a hurry. She turned her head and saw the caretaker and Sue lead the children down the stairs, so she reminded them, ¡°Sue, I think the front gate is still open.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The caretaker eximed and said, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I was in a hurry to rush in earlier, and I forgot¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Go and close it,¡± Sue said. She generally did not have to worry about the security in that area. She turned around and said to the children, ¡°Let¡¯s get the party started, kids!¡± The children cheered happily. They would not ask too many questions if they had food to eat and games to y. Sue turned on the stereo system in the living room and said to the children, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s wee the stars of the day!¡± The children cheered again. Sue yed a birthday song on the stereo system, and Kari and Teri came down the stairs, wearing puffy princess dresses. Luca smiled when she looked at the two children. The stylists had done an excellent job with their looks today. She believed that N would be happy if she had the chance to wear a dress like that. The clothes on the Ind of Despair were either ck or gray, and Luca had made baby clothes for N using used clothes. No matter how nice she made them, they could not be princess dresses without the proper colors and trimmings. Kari and Teri had sweet smiles on their faces as Sue led them to the birthday cake. It was a five-tier cake with two princess figurines at the top. They looked like they were modeled after the girls. ¡°Kari, Teri, it¡¯s your birthday today. I hope that you can grow up healthily and happily. Shall we blow out the candles?¡± Sue said while cing the candles on the cake. ¡°How about Daddy? I want Mommy and Daddy to blow out the candles with us,¡± Teri said because she did not see Jason around. Sue looked around and did not see Jason either. She was going to take out her phone to call him when Jason and Luke came down the stairs. ¡°Let¡¯s blow out the candles together, Daddy!¡± Kari said. ¡°Alright.¡± Jason and Luke had finished discussing some serious business. He smiled and walked toward his daughters. Luke was not going to just stand there. He walked over toward Luca. Luca was nervous when Luke got near her, but she realized that she was overreacting. Luke was not a man-eating monster, so why was she so afraid of him? Moreover, he would not do anything in front of so many children. ¡°Daddy!¡± Tommy called out to him happily. Luke nodded, went up to his side, and took his left hand.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Tommy¡¯s left hand was in Luke¡¯s hand, and his right hand was in Luca¡¯s hand. He looked at his father on his left, then at Luca on his right. It was not his birthday, but he was grinning more happily than the two birthday girls. Luca noticed what Luke did. At the moment, she felt as though they were Tommy¡¯s parents¡­ She was indeed Tommy¡¯s mother, but her current identity was not¡­ Jason and Sue put the candles on the cake together and lit them up. They carried the girls in their arms and sang a birthday song with the other children. The twin siblings closed their eyes, made a wish, and blew out the candles at the same time. ¡°I wish my Daddy and Mommy would be together for my birthday party,¡± Tommy said. Chapter 1428 Luke¡¯s eyelids drooped when he heard that. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Luca looked at the eagerness on the child¡¯s face. The impostor Bianca was already dead, and Luke would probably never find the real Bianca¡­ On Tommy¡¯s next birthday, the woman who would blow out Tommy¡¯s candles with Tommy would be Tia¡­ Luca felt uneasy as she held the child¡¯s hand in her hand. The more she thought about Tia, the more awkward she felt standing next to Tommy and Luke. She could understand why Luke would be deceived by the impostor Bianca. After all, he did not know that Bianca was an impostor. Now that the impostor Bianca was out of the picture, he was involved in a scandal with Tia. She thought that the man she loved had changed¡­ However, the change was not entirely unexpected. The real Bianca had been missing for three years, so what right did she have to demand Luke to be loyal to her? Luca saw that Sue was cutting the cake. She let go of Tommy¡¯s hand and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go and help her.¡± Tommy nodded. Luca went to the cake and offered to help. Sue said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Luca. Let me do it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can help you,¡± Luca said. She did not want to hold Tommy¡¯s hand. That would make her feel as though she still had a bond with Luke. While they were putting the slices of cake onto paper tes, the caretaker came into the living room with Nina following behind her. ¡°What took you so long, Nina?¡± Sue smiled when she noticed Nina. Nina exined, ¡°Something happened in the family, so I was dyed. Here are the presents for the girls.¡± The caretaker took the presents from Nina¡¯s hands and gave them to Kari and Teri. Luca smiled and nodded at Nina. She could see the haggardness on Nina¡¯s face even though Nina wore thick make-up to cover it. Nina smiled at her, then went over to Sue. ¡°Do you need any help?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You just got here, so make yourself at home and have some cake,¡± Sue said as she distributed the paper tes to the children. Tommy pulled his hand away from Luke and ran over to Nina¡¯s side. ¡°I miss you so much, Godmother. Why haven¡¯t you been visiting me?¡± Nina patted the child¡¯s head and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have been very busytely. I¡¯ll bring you to the theme park when I¡¯m free, alright?¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Tommy cheered happily. He could understand that Nina was busy with her work. Luca was d to see that Tommy still had a good rtionship with Nina. She handed a paper te to Tommy and said, ¡°Have some cake, Tommy.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ms. Luca!¡± Tommy smiled and took the te. Luke said nothing as he watched the interaction, though he seemed pensive. Jason went over to him and asked, ¡°Mr. Crawford, shall we continue our conversation from earlier?¡± They had not finished their discussion in the study. Luke called for a timeout because he knew that Kari and Teri would want Jason to be there when they blew out the candles on their birthday cake. Luke nodded, and the two men went upstairs. Tommy was in safe hands, so Luke had nothing to worry about. Nina shook her head and smiled. ¡°Tommy calls me ¡®Godmother¡¯ but calls you ¡®Ms. Luca.¡¯ Why does it sound like I¡¯m older than you?¡± Luca smiled. Sue smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s that good? It shows that Tommy respects you more.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but I¡¯d like to be young forever,¡± Nina said while touching her cheek. Looking at the children happily eating their cake, she was reminded of the daughter that she never had. Even though it had been so long, she could not help but feel guilty and sad whenever she thought of that child. The biggest regret in her life was that she could not bring that child to this world. ¡°What do you have to worry about? Doesn¡¯t Mr. Mallory dote upon you?¡± Sue handed the cake knife to the caretaker and asked her to cut up the rest of the cake. If the children wanted seconds, they could help themselves with the slices. Nina¡¯s face froze when she heard Percy¡¯s name mentioned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sue realized that something was amiss when Nina did not reply to her. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Maintaining my looks has nothing to do with men. I¡¯ll have to spend my own money on beauty care products,¡± Nina said. She was unwilling to talk about Percy. She had the man to me for her current state. However, even without Percy, her life was not going to get any better¡­ Luca did not say anything. She discreetly observed Nina¡¯s expression. She had been friends with Nina for many years, and she could tell what Nina was thinking even when Nina was silent. Naturally, she sensed Nina¡¯s unease over the topic. However, it would be presumptuous of her to show Nina concern if Nina did not voice her worries. ¡°That¡¯s true. To be frank, though, I think I¡¯d have fewer wrinkles on my face if Jason can stop making me angry about him,¡± Sue said while dusting her hands. She was smiling even though she was comining. ¡°What did Mr. Doyle do to you this time? You rarelyin about him,¡± Nina said while munching on a piece of cake. She thought that the cake looked delicious. ¡°What else? It¡¯s all because of his annoying ex-wife. You would¡¯ve seen the drama if you hade a little earlier. She¡¯s purposely doing this on my daughters¡¯ birthday,¡± Sue said while handing Luca a paper te. Luca took the te and slowly ate the cake. ¡°She hasn¡¯t given up yet?¡± Nina said while frowning. She knew that Bailey came from an influential family, which was why Bailey was so brazen in her actions. ¡°Yeah. She ran away when she heard Jason calling the police though,¡± Sue said and took a bite of the cake. ¡°Of course, she wouldn¡¯t want the police to drag her away. That would only embarrass herself and her family,¡± Nina said. She also disapproved of what Bailey did. Sue sighed. ¡°She also said that my name will appear in the headlines tomorrow.¡± ¡°No one would bother reading it,¡± Nina said while eating another piece of cake. ¡°She can make up any story she wants, but it won¡¯t be as scandalous as what¡¯s going on between Luke Crawford and Tia.¡± Nina was Bianca¡¯s best friend, even though they had not remained in contact for a long time. She was furious after reading the news, but she also believed that Luke was not someone who would do that. She did not speak up for Bianca or do anything for her. Sue also remembered reading that article. ¡°That¡¯s true. I¡¯m not going to be worried as long as Mr. Crawford upies everyone¡¯s attention. I¡¯m wondering if there¡¯s really anything between them though. I tried to ask Jason about it, but Jason isn¡¯t giving me straight answers,¡± she said. ¡°They must be nning something, I guess¡­¡± Nina said. Chapter 1429 Sue shook her head and said, ¡°Which of their ns would involve a psychologist?¡± Nina shook her head to show that she did not know. Percy was on an overseas business trip, and she did not know what was going on. Sue looked at Luca, who had been keeping silent. ¡°Luca, aren¡¯t you working at the T Corporation building? Have you heard any stories?¡± ¡°If Mr. Crawford and Mr. Doyle were really nning something, they would have done so in secret. I¡¯m only a researcher, so what could I possibly know? I hear many other employees gossiping about the news, and that¡¯s about it,¡± Luca said with a smile. She ate thest bite of the cake and felt full. She did not want to hear her friends talk about the issue. The taste of the cake seemed to have changed, and the cream clung to her throat and made it hard to breathe. Luca was uneasy for the rest of the party. Until the party ended, Luke and Jason remained upstairs discussing something. The other parents came and brought their children away. Only Kari, Teri, and Tommy were left in the living room. They were tired from the party games and were sitting on the couch watching cartoons on the television. Luca and Nina helped Sue clean up the mess in the living room. Even though the children were well-behaved, messing up the living room was inevitable because there were so many of them. Sue sighed with relief and said, ¡°Thanks to you two for helping me. If it were left up to me and the caretaker, we don¡¯t know how long it¡¯ll take us. Now, I finally understand why Jason suggested hosting the birthday party at an event venue. It¡¯s so much of a hassle to clean up.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that party venues are more convenient, but I¡¯m sure that the children would appreciate it better when you host their birthday party at home,¡± Nina smiled and said. After they tidied up the ce, Luca saw that it was getting quitete. She told Sue that she wanted to go home. Nina said, ¡°Are you going home? I can send you back.¡± Luca thought that it was a good idea, so she agreed to it. After they got into Nina¡¯s car, Nina drove the car toward Luca¡¯s apartment. None of them said anything until Luca broke the silence and asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t been sleeping well recently, have you?¡± Nina was surprised. She asked, ¡°Did my makeup wear off?¡± ¡°No, your makeup is perfect, but I can see that,¡± Luca said as she pointed at her eyes. ¡°I can tell that your eyes are quite puffy under the makeup.¡± Nina smiled when she heard that. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to see through the fa?ade. Indeed, I haven¡¯t been sleeping welltely.¡± ¡°People in modern times face a lot of stress, and that might be the cause of poor sleep quality. You don¡¯t have to worry though, you can alleviate the symptoms through medication,¡± Luca said. She did not know the exact source of Nina¡¯s stress, but she could guess that it had something to do with her family and Percy. If Nina could have a good night¡¯s sleep, she would be able to think more clearly. Things would not get any better for Nina if she did not sleep well, and the stress would only umte. She did not want to imagine what would happen to Nina if this went on. ¡°I regrly take sleeping pills, but so many things have been happeningtely, and the pills don¡¯t really have any effect on me anymore,¡± Nina said. She did not know why she told Luca more personal things. She was only acquainted with Luca a while ago, but it felt as though she had known Luca for a long time. ¡°Have you consulted a psychologist? In any case, you might be able to find some relief if you change a different type of medication or if you can find a friend to talk to about your problems. A good night¡¯s sleep is more important than anything else,¡± Luca said. The Nina she knew was cheerful and outgoing, but the Nina sitting next to her now was like a different person. Luca did not want to see her that way. Nina smiled. She was about to reply when her phone started to ring. She was unwilling to answer the call, but she put on the Bluetooth headset and answered it anyway. ¡°What?¡± The call was from Jean. Nothing good could possiblye out from him. Jean¡¯s voice was loud and uncouth. ¡°Where are you now?¡± He yelled. ¡°I¡¯m driving. Why?¡± Nina said brusquely. She did not lose her temper because Luca was sitting next to her. She waste for the birthday party because of Jean. He had tried to get her to go home so that he could ask for more money from her. She went back home but did not give him any money. After yelling at each other for a while, Nina mmed the door and left the house. ¡°Mom is in the hospital now because of you, and the doctor is trying to resuscitate her! Do you think you can neglect your mother just because you have money now?¡± Jean said brazenly. Nina was shocked when she heard that her mother was in the hospital again, but she knew that Jean might be lying to her. ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡± She said. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to lie now. I¡¯m at the payment counter. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can hear the noises behind me. The doctor wants me to pay the bill now, and I don¡¯t have any money. If you don¡¯t come soon, the doctor will send Mom home!¡± Jean said and lifted the phone into the air. Nina heard the usual hospital sounds over the phone, and her expression changed drastically. She knew that Jean would lie to her to get money from her, but he would not deliberately run to the hospital to do so. She considered the possibility that her mother and her brother might conspire to scam her money, so she said, ¡°Which hospital is it? I¡¯ll go over now.¡± When Luca heard that, she turned her head and looked at Nina. Jean told her the name of the hospital, cursed for a bit, and hung up. Nina took off the Bluetooth headset and stopped the car at the side of the road. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about this, but I can¡¯t send you home. There¡¯s a cab stand nearby. Shall I drop you there?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Luca asked out of concern instead of getting out of the car. ¡°My mom is in the hospital now. I want to go over and see what¡¯s going on,¡± Nina said. Luca nodded, but she remained in the car and said, ¡°I have some medical skills. How about you bring me to the hospital? I¡¯d like to see if I can help.¡± Nina had heard from Sue about Luca¡¯s medical skills. She did not hesitate for too long before agreeing, ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I don¡¯t know if I can be of any help,¡± Luca said. Nina started the car again, made a U-turn, and drove toward the hospital. At the hospital, she found Jean and tugged his shirt sleeve. ¡°Where¡¯s Mom?¡± Jean pulled his arm away annoyedly and said, ¡°What took you so long? The doctors and nurses are checking up on her inside.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. When Nina heard that, she felt her head spin. Chapter 1430 Luca looked at the LCD screen. Indeed, Anna¡¯s name was on the screen, and she was undergoing an examination. Jean stashed a stack of bills in Nina¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. Go pay up. I managed to convince the doctor to conduct the examination first.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you paid?¡± Nina¡¯s hand trembled in anger as she looked at bills in her hand. ¡°I told you that I don¡¯t have money! That¡¯s enough talk. Go and pay up. Other than the charges for the examination, there¡¯s also the resuscitation fee,¡± Jean said heartlessly. ¡°I just gave Mom this month¡¯s living expenses. How can you not have money?¡± Nina was about to pass out from anger. It was her responsibility to take care of her parents, but she was not responsible for Jean. She had only given the month¡¯s living expenses to her mother when she visited her earlier. It was impossible that they did not have money! ¡°Why are you asking so many questions? I said that we don¡¯t have money. You can¡¯t wait for Mom to die, right?¡± Jean said impatiently. He did not want to tell Nina where the money had gone. ¡°You¡­¡± Nina was at a loss for words. Jean continued his merciless tirade. ¡°What about it? Go and pay up now. Don¡¯t think that I don¡¯t know Percy gives you a ton of money when you¡¯re with him. Is money more important than your mother? Nina, oh, Nina, if that¡¯s who you really are, I feel sad for Mom!¡± Nina trembled with anger. Indeed, Percy had been generous with her, but that did not mean she epted Percy¡¯s money. Other than living in his mansion and using his pocket money as living expenses, she had not touched the money in the bank ount that Percy had given her. She knew that she would eventually split up with Percy, and she tried to save up for that eventuality. As for the bank ount, she wanted to return the bank card to Percy the day they split up. ¡°When I left the house earlier, I only brought the money for Mom. I don¡¯t even have my debit card with me now. How am I supposed to pay?¡± She said. She noticed that Jean was holding Anna¡¯s handbag, so she said, ¡°That¡¯s Mom¡¯s handbag, right? Give it to me. I want to see if there¡¯s money inside. I¡¯ll use that to pay the bills first.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± Jean held the handbag tightly. Anna had just put the money in her handbag when she suddenly fell ill. Jean dialed emergency services in a hurry. Only when they were in the ambnce, Jean realized that he had brought Anna¡¯s handbag along with him. That was why he was currently holding onto his mother¡¯s handbag. Nina could tell that the money was inside the handbag. ¡°Give me the handbag. Saving Mom¡¯s life is the most important thing now.¡± Jean shook his head. ¡°Go and pay up then. Why do you want the handbag? The handbag belongs to Mom, and neither of us has the right to open it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re afraid that I¡¯ll use the money in it, right?¡± Nina red at him, feeling thoroughly defeated that she was not able to take the money away from Jean. Jean was willing to neglect his mother¡¯s life because he wanted the money in the handbag. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°Hmph, what nonsense!¡± Jean said. He was nning to use the money to go to the nightclubter. If he gave the money to Nina, he would have to stay at home. ¡°Give it to me!¡± Nina rushed up to him and tried to snatch the handbag. Jean was taller and stronger than her. He lifted the handbag high and shoved Nina away. He did not hold back. Nina stumbled a step backward. Luca quickly went up and supported her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She whispered. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Nina shook her head and stood up straight. Jean¡¯s gaze fell on Luca. It was then that he realized the woman was Nina¡¯s friend. A sinister thought appeared in Jean¡¯s head when he saw Luca¡¯s beautiful face. While he hugged the handbag tightly, his gaze swept up and down Luca¡¯s body. Luca felt uneasy when she saw Jean ogling her. She felt a chill down her spine. Jean might look like a decent person, but looks were deceiving. There was not a single shred of good in his personality now. Luca fought the urge to p him when he shoved Nina away. She used to feel guilty for what happened to him, thinking that it was her fault that caused his decline. She finally realized that Jean¡¯s personality had always been like that. He happened to be very good at pretending. The door to the CT scan room opened, and the nurse wheeled Anna out on a gurney. She nced at Jean and asked him, ¡°Have you paid the bills?¡± ¡°I told you that I didn¡¯t bring my debit card. Give me the money first, and I¡¯ll reimburse youter. That¡¯ll do, right?¡± Ninapromised. She really did not bring her debit card with her. The debit card was linked to the bank ount containing the money that Percy gave her. She did not install the banking app on the phone because she was worried that Jean might steal her phone and gain ess to the money. Without the debit card with her, she could not ess the money. Jean did not believe her. He was about to say something when the nurse said, ¡°I hope that you have the money to pay the bills with you. If you don¡¯t, we can¡¯t continue with the rest of the tests. You should go and pay up at the counter now and hand me the receipts, then I can get the doctor to run the tests.¡± Nina saw that her mother was lying unconscious on the bed. She said, ¡°I have money, Miss, but I didn¡¯t bring it with me. How about this? I¡¯ll go and get the money now while you can start running the test on my mother. I promise I¡¯ll be back soon!¡± The nurse looked at the two people in front of her. Jean was behaving like a hooligan, while Nina was dressed in expensive clothes. She hesitated for a while but eventually shook her head. ¡°That man said that you¡¯ll being with the money, and that¡¯s why we did the CT scan before the bill is paid. That¡¯s already against hospital protocol. Now that you say that you don¡¯t have any money with you, we can¡¯t proceed with the rest of the tests. I¡¯m sorry that we have to do things like this, but too many people have bailed on us without paying. Our director has given the order that we can¡¯t do this except for dire circumstances. We¡¯re already running the risk of disciplinary action by doing the CT scan before payment, and if you run away, we¡¯ll have to bear the costs!¡± Nina knew that the nurse was only doing her job. She turned around and prepared to snatch the handbag from Jean¡¯s hands again. When Luca saw that, she held Nina¡¯s hand and said, ¡°I have some money with me, Nina. I can lend it to you first.¡± She knew that Nina was a prideful person. Nina would not easily receive help from other people no matter the situation, which was why Luca said that she would lend the money instead of giving it to her. Chapter 1431 Nina knew that she had no other choice. Jean would not give her their mother¡¯s handbag, and the nurse would not run the tests if she had to go home to bring the debit card. She could not tell if Anna¡¯s condition was critical, and she could not afford to take the risk. She nodded and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll borrow some money from you. When I get hometer, I¡¯ll transfer the money to your bank ount.¡± ¡°Give me the bills. I¡¯ll go and pay,¡± Luca said. Nina handed the bills to Luca, and Luca went to the payment counter. Nina turned to speak to the nurse, ¡°My friend is paying the bills now, Miss. Can you schedule the tests for my mother?¡± The nurse thought that Nina seemed trustworthy. She nodded and said, ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll bring your mother to the next test then.¡± Jean watched Luca as she walked away. Instead of worrying about his mother, he smiled perversely and asked Nina, ¡°Hey, Nina, is that chick your friend?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care if you want to flirt with other girls, Jean, but you¡¯d better not touch her!¡± Nina warned him. She knew what he was thinking. Jean ignored her warning. To him, there were only two categories of women: those who caught his interest and those who did not. Luca happened to belong to the former category. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you have such a high-quality friend? Her figure is not bad, and even though she dresses modestly, those clothes aren¡¯t cheap. Mind introducing her to me?¡± Jean said. Nina rolled her eyes at him. ¡°She¡¯s way out of your league.¡± Jean was furious when he heard the contempt in her voice. ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m only like this thanks to your good friend Bianca!¡± He med his current condition on Bianca. Nina realized that she could not make Jean change his mind. He had been living in his own world for far too long, and he had an overinted opinion of himself. In truth, he was nothing but a total loser. ¡°Stop ming Bianca. You should know what you did to her. Let me warn you seriously, she¡¯s way out of your league, and you can¡¯t afford to offend her.¡± Nina wanted to make it sound serious so that Jean would stay away from Luca. ¡°Heh, you underestimate me! I¡¯ll charm that friend of yours, Nina, and she¡¯ll be your sister-inw!¡± Jean was not going to shy away from a challenge. After all, if Luca were as outstanding as Nina said, he would not have to worry about money for the rest of his life. Nina rolled her eyes and looked away. Luca met Johann at the payment counter. After Johann spoke to a patient¡¯s family members, he went toward Luca and said, ¡°Fancy meeting you here, Dr. Craw. Are you feeling unwell?¡± Luca shook her head and said, ¡°No. My friend¡¯s mother is in the hospital, and I came along with my friend to see if I can be of any help.¡± Johann immediately understood that Luca was paying the bill on behalf of her friend. ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that you¡¯re fine. I have to rush to another operation. Bye,¡± he said and waved his hand. Luca waved back at him. Her number was called, and she handed the counter the bills and paid for them. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. After Johann left, he took out his phone and sent a message to Luke, telling him that he had met Luca at the hospital. Luca did not know that Johann was such a nosy person. After paying, she left with the receipt. Nina was still waiting at the same ce. When she saw Lucaing over, she went toward her and asked, ¡°How much is it?¡± ¡°Not much. Here¡¯s the receipt,¡± Luca said and handed the receipt and Anna¡¯s documents to her. The costs included the resuscitation fee and the fees for the tests. Nina had a rough idea of how much it should cost. She looked at the receipt and saw that the figure was not too far away, so she was sure that Luca did not hide any receipts from her. She smiled and said, ¡°Thank you, Luca. I¡¯ll transfer the amount to you when I get home.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no rush,¡± Luca said, though she did not stop Nina from paying her back. Jean was eavesdropping on their conversation. He went up to Luca and said, ¡°So your name¡¯s Luca.¡± Luca nced at Jean. She realized that she was once deceived by his fake personality, and he had finally revealed his true colors. She felt sorry for Nina that her brother was like that. Nina knew what she was thinking. She pulled Luca behind her and said, ¡°Why are you still standing here like an idiot, Jean? Go and check on Mom!¡± Jean pretended not to hear her. He stared at Luca and said, ¡°Hey, my name¡¯s Jean, and I¡¯m Nina¡¯s elder brother. I wanted to ask Nina for your name, but she wouldn¡¯t tell me. Can you give me your phone number? I¡¯ll contact you to pay you back for the bills.¡± Nina bit her lower lip. She knew that Jean was not going to pay Luca back. Luca also knew that. She tried to keep her disgust down and refused politely, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Nina will pay me back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m her elder brother, and I¡¯d like to shoulder some of her responsibility too.¡± Jean did not give up. Luca might believe him if she had not seen how he treated Nina earlier. She was not an idiot. She was not going to let Jean harass her, so she said, ¡°If you want to share your younger sister¡¯s responsibility, then you can transfer the money to her, and I¡¯ll get it from her. I don¡¯t give my contact number to strangers.¡± ¡®You fool!¡¯ Jean thought. He was quite frustrated after being rejected twice. However, he maintained his smile to give a good impression to the beautiful woman. ¡°I can¡¯t trust Nina though. What if she doesn¡¯t give my money to you?¡± Nina rolled her eyes again. How dare Jean throw her under the bus just to flirt with Luca? How shameless! Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Nina wished that a hole would appear under her feet and swallow her up so that she would have to deal with that embarrassment of a brother ever again. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say earlier that you don¡¯t have any money? Where are you getting your money from?¡± Luca said. She had run out of patience with him. For some reason, Jean felt his temper rise suddenly. The woman¡¯s words and demeanor made him think of Bianca¡­ He clenched his fists tightly. Luca noticed that, and she immediately became wary. ¡°Are Anna O¡¯Reilly¡¯s family members here?¡± Just when the situation was bing tense, they heard a nurse shouting. Chapter 1432 ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Nina said hurriedly. The nurse came over while wheeling Anna¡¯s gurney. ¡°We¡¯vepleted all the tests on the patients, and we¡¯ll move her back to the emergency ward for now. The results will be ready in half an hour, and the doctor will discuss the treatment n with you after that.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Nina walked over to the gurney and helped the nurse wheel Anna into the emergency ward. Luca walked next to Nina and held her handbag. Jean, on the other hand, followed behind them. His gaze turned perverse and sinister as he ogled Luca¡¯s body. He could tell that Luca was in a different league than Nina. Nina relied on Percy for money. Luca seemed independent. Otherwise, she would not have dressed so modestly. If he could get her to be his girlfriend, he would not have to worry about money for the rest of his life. Luca¡¯s fists slowly clenched up as she sensed the gaze behind her. However, she had to remain composed when she was with Nina. She was not the meek little girl from before. Jean had always found ways to hurt her, but he would not be able to do so now. If he dared to do anything, Luca would not hesitate to take away his masculinity! Nina went into the emergency ward with Anna. While they waited for the test results, Anna woke up. She looked at Nina and said nothing, then she looked around the ward for Jean. When she saw Jean, she asked, ¡°Where¡¯s my handbag?¡± Jean knew that she was concerned about the money inside. He pointed at the handbag and said, ¡°Your handbag is with me, Mom. Don¡¯t worry. No one touched the contents inside.¡± Anna was relieved to hear that. Nina was both angry and humiliated when she heard their conversation. To them, was money more important than a person¡¯s life? ¡°You can¡¯t use that money,¡± Anna nodded and said weakly. She stopped speaking after that. Then, she closed her eyes and fell asleep. She was relieved as long as no one touched her money. Nina turned her head away and sniffled. She had always wanted to solve her family¡¯s problems, but she was helpless against situations like these. Luca knew that she was feeling down. She handed the handbag to Nina and smiled empathically. Nina wasforted by Luca¡¯s warm smile. Sometimes, an empathic smile was better than a thousand words. Luca had seen the situation in Nina¡¯s family, yet she did not pass judgment or try tofort her with empty titudes. Nina was familiar with that feeling. It was as though Bianca was standing next to her. Half an hourter, the doctor came to the ward with Anna¡¯s test reports. Nina¡¯s expression gradually dropped as she listened to the doctor. Anna¡¯s condition was deteriorating. The liver transnt three years ago had been a sess, but it was starting to give her problems again. In the worst-case scenario, she would require a second transnt. When Luca heard that, she asked, ¡°Is a transnt the only solution? Aren¡¯t there any less intrusive methods?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll treat the patient with non-intrusive methods for now. If her condition doesn¡¯t improve, we might have to consider another transnt,¡± the doctor said. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Nina remained worried even though the doctor said that a transnt might not be necessary. After everything that had happened to her in the past three years, her optimism was nowhere to be seen. What was left was endless pessimism. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, Doctor,¡± Luca said. ¡°I¡¯ll prescribe her some medication for now. If the medication works, she¡¯ll be taking that for the long term. If her condition continues to decline, we can still arrange for a transnt. I¡¯ll leave the decision up to you,¡± the doctor said. Luca sneaked a nce at Nina. Her expression remained wooden, as though she could not ept the fact. Anna had relentlessly bullied Nina over the years, and the only reason why Nina cared for Anna was their blood ties. Now, Anna needed her help again. ¡°We¡¯ll follow what you say,¡± Nina said. ¡°Alright. You can go and apply the inpatient procedure with the patient¡¯s documents. Then, hand the receipt to the nurses¡¯ station, and someone wille and bring her to her room,¡± the doctor said and handed Nina the admission form. If Anna had to be hospitalized, it meant that Nina needed toe up with more money. Luca took the form and said, ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡± ¡°Sorry to trouble you,¡± Nina said and nodded. She had not a single cent on her now. Luca went to the payment counter and settled the payment. Then, she gave the receipt to Nina. Everything after that was none of her business. She did not want to be a nuisance to them, so she told Nina that she would be leaving. When Jean heard that, he went to her eagerly and said, ¡°I¡¯ll send you back, Ms. Craw.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. If you have time, you should spend it on your mother,¡± Luca said as she nced at Anna on the bed. She could tell that herplexion was terrible. Any liver problems would be reflected in one¡¯splexion. Luca was quite perplexed. A liver transnt patient would have to return to the hospital regrly for check-ups, and the doctor would diagnose any problems and treat them as soon as possible. However, Anna¡¯s condition seemed quite serious. The decline of her condition was easily seen on her face, so how could they be so careless? Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Luca thought for a while and understood. If Anna only cared about money and Jean cared about bullying his younger sister, no wonder Anna¡¯s condition was allowed to decline. Nina rarely went home because she did not want to face her mother or brother, and there was no use relying on Jean to take care of Anna. Jean did not give up. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Ms. Craw. You¡¯ve helped us a great deal today. At least let me return the favor.¡± The next moment, Luca¡¯s expression turned frigid. ¡°Save it. You¡¯re going to send me back in a cab anyway. I might as well catch a cab on my own.¡± Jean felt humiliated by Luca¡¯s words. His gaze instantly became distant. Luca did not care. She hoped that he would give up. ¡°It¡¯s not safe to take a cab alone¡­¡± Jean remained insistent. Nina could not bear watching the cringeworthy scene. She said, ¡°I¡¯ll send Dr. Craw home. You stay here and take care of Mom.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jean was unwilling. ¡°I have to go hometer to bring Mom¡¯s toiletries. I can¡¯t expect you to have brought them, or are you nning to buy them here? If you can give me the money to buy the toiletries, I¡¯ll stay here and take care of Mom,¡± Nina said. Chapter 1433 Jean could only relent. He did not want to spend his own money, but Nina did not have any money with her either. Seeing that Jean had nothing else to say, she took Luca¡¯s hand and led her out of the ward. The two women went to the basement parking lot without saying a word. After they got into Nina¡¯s car, Nina broke the silence. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you had to see that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Luca said as she fastened her seatbelt. ¡°Every family has its own problems. I can understand that.¡± Nina sighed as she stepped on the gas pedal. She said, ¡°That brother of mine isn¡¯t anyone decent. I think he has his eye on you, so you ought to be careful. Let me know if he starts harassing you. I¡¯ll give him an earful.¡± ¡°He can¡¯t harass me,¡± Luca said. She was not going to hold back. She thought that Nina had nothing to apologize for. After all, her brother was irredeemable¡­ If she had not appeared at the hospital today, Jean would not have set his sights on her. ¡°In any case, you¡¯ll have to be careful. He¡¯s been a different person ever since he got out of prison. Even I have to be wary of him,¡± Nina said. If she did not, Jean might have looted the mansion clean. Luca smiled. ¡°Maybe he needs a job.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve rmended him to a few ces, but he¡¯s greedy andzy. He can¡¯t do anything well, so I eventually gave up,¡± Nina said with a sigh. The car arrived at Luca¡¯s apartment. Luca said thanks to Nina, then stepped out. After watching Nina¡¯s car leave, she slowly returned to the apartment. She remembered the days when she and Jean were studying overseas. Jean back then was sensible and respectful, and she did not remember if he had any bad habits. Things were so different now¡­ Jean¡¯s personality had totally changed. She would not have recognized him if not that his face was unforgettable. Was she the catalyst that caused his change? Luca did not think she had to be sorry for what happened to Jean. However, she thought that she owed Nina so much. Jean would not have revealed his true colors if that incident had not happened, and Nina would not have to suffer so much. Luca sighed¡­ N?velDrama.Org owns this text. After leaving Luca¡¯s neighborhood, Nina went back to the mansion. She hesitated for a long time before linking the bank ount with Percy¡¯s money to her banking app, then transferred the money she owed Luca. She was very unwilling to ess the bank ount¡­ She tried to save up to repay Percy the money he spent on her. Unfortunately, Anna¡¯s illness would eat up arge portion of her savings. Nina looked at the debit card in her hand dejectedly. It seemed that she would not be able to leave Percy for now. Earlier, she was quite at ease. Once she had enough money, she would be able to break up with Percy, but now¡­ She could not be relieved when she thought that she would have to stay by that man¡¯s side. Even so, she could not neglect Anna at the hospital. She knew that she could not rely on Jean. She transferred some of the money to another bank ount, then kept the debit card at a safe ce before going to Anna¡¯s house. Nina packed Anna¡¯s toiletries and some of her other personal belongings, then went to the hospital. She asked for Anna¡¯s room at the front desk, then went to the room carrying two bags of Anna¡¯s belongings. She had only opened the door when she heard Anna yelling, ¡°Can¡¯t I stay in a private ward? I want to stay in a private ward.¡± ¡°Mom, the nurse said that the deposit is only enough for a three-bedder,¡± Jean said gruffly, which exacerbated Anna¡¯s irritation. When he saw Ninae into the ward, he stood up and said, ¡°What took you so long?¡± ¡°It takes time to pack up,¡± Nina said impassively and ced the bags on the floor. Anna nced at her and ordered imperiously, ¡°You¡¯vee at the right time. Go and pay up. Let the doctor know that I want to stay in a private ward. I¡¯m not going to stay in this dirty three-bedder with other people.¡± A private ward cost more than double the three-bedder Anna was in now. Nina was not going to let Anna have her way this time. ¡°Jean¡¯s house is a hundred times dirtier than this, and I haven¡¯t heard you comin about it. You even help him clean up.¡± Anna could tell that Nina was not going to obey her. She yelled more loudly, ¡°That¡¯s not the same! We¡¯re family, and a little bit of dirt won¡¯t hurt. I¡¯m in the hospital now, and it¡¯s full of germs. I won¡¯t want to get sick with something else.¡± ¡°If you get sick with something else, the doctors can cure you. You¡¯re lucky to have a bed here, so don¡¯t be so picky. In any case, I can only afford a normal ward,¡± Nina said. Earlier, Percy had paid for Anna¡¯s private ward. Since then, Anna thought that she deserved better. Anna grunted coldly. ¡°I know you have money. Mr. Mallory must be giving you a lot of pocket money every month. You know what you are? You¡¯re a cheapskate. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m asking a lot from you. To think that I¡¯ve suffered so much raising you!¡± Anna changed her attitude toward Nina after knowing that she was not going to get to stay in a private ward. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a cheapskate. This cheapskate paid for your consultation and stay in the hospital. Have I ever mistreated you? I¡¯ve just given you your monthly living expenses. It¡¯s still in your handbag, right? I had to borrow money from my friend to pay the deposit. If I¡¯m a cheapskate, what about Jean? Jean is older than me, and he¡¯s only been a bum ever since he¡¯s released from prison. He¡¯s never given you a single cent, and he¡¯s not paying for your hospital stay this time either. If I¡¯m a cheapskate, what is he then? Is he saving up for something more important? I¡¯m doing my best to sustain your lifestyle, but you¡¯re treating him like some deity that needs constant offerings. Can you be a little more reasonable, Mom?¡± Nina said. Jean was getting hot in the face by Nina¡¯s tirade. He pointed a finger at her and said, ¡°Shut up! Mom only wants a better room, but youin so much. If you don¡¯t want to pay for the room, just keep your mouth shut!¡± Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. ¡°I¡¯m only telling it as it is. Why, are you feeling embarrassed? Are you afraid that other people might hear about the loser you really are?¡± Nina said mockingly. Other than Anna, there were two other patients with their families in the ward. A total of ten people heard what Nina said. Naturally, Jean felt extremely humiliated. Anna was at a loss for a reply for a moment, though she eventually huffed, ¡°I only want to change my ward. You don¡¯t have to talk so much. Fine then, I want to get out now. Go ahead and let me die.¡± ¡°Alright, then. Here are your documents. You can let the doctor know that you want to be discharged.¡± Nina took out a bunch of things from her handbag and threw it at Anna. Chapter 1434 Usually, Nina would eventually relent. Now that Nina had thrown the documents and bills at her, Anna realized that Nina was not going to yield. Even though she was not willing to stay in a ward with other patients, she did not want to die either. She began to gulp mouthfuls of air and pretended that she was in agony. ¡°Nina¡­ you ingrate!¡± She said as she pointed a finger at Nina. Nina remained impassive as she looked at her mother. ¡°It¡¯s either you stay in this ward, or you can leave the hospital!¡± She said insistently. Jean could hear the determination in her voice. He shoved her away and said, ¡°Get lost! Do you want to see your mother die of anger?¡± Nina stumbled backward, though she managed to regain her footing. Jean took the opportunity to ring the bell at the front of the bed. The nurse quickly came in. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked. ¡°Get the doctor. My mom isn¡¯t feeling well!¡± Jean said. The nurse immediately stepped out of the ward and called for Anna¡¯s doctor. The doctor came in and saw that Anna¡¯s face was pale. He got the nurse to help Anna lie t, then drew the curtains for an examination. Nina stood calmly outside the curtains. She was not worried at all. Jean was also standing there, looking at her. He could not help but curse when he saw her that way, ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you if anything happens to Mom.¡± ¡°All she wants is to stay in a private ward. There¡¯s nothing wrong with her,¡± Nina said, feeling a little defeated. None of her family members cared about her situation. Her father had moved to another city under the excuse of a job because he could not stand Anna and Jean. He lived a frugal life with minimal wages, and he did not care what happened to Nina. Anna and Nina were like leeches. They mercilessly exploited her, but Nina could not get rid of them. Jean clenched his fists, preparing to teach his younger sister a lesson. Before he could say anything, the curtains opened. ¡°How¡¯s my mom, Doc?¡± Jean asked. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. The doctor put his stethoscope away and said, ¡°She¡¯s fine. Her blood pressure was slightly high because she was emotionally agitated. Now that she¡¯s calm again, her blood pressure will return to normal in no time. You¡¯ll have to make sure that she doesn¡¯t get agitated again.¡± Anna pretended to sound weak. ¡°Doctor, I don¡¯t think the air in the ward is good for my health. Can I be moved to a private ward?¡± The doctor nced at Nina and Jean. He was roughly aware of the patient¡¯s condition, and the patient had thrown a tantrum when the nurse brought her to the normal ward. ¡°There is a shortage of private wards now. If the patient¡¯s condition isn¡¯t critical, we rmend that they stay in a normal ward,¡± the doctor said. ¡°Isn¡¯t my condition critical enough?¡± Anna asked. She thought that she deserved special treatment. ¡°Your condition is stable. Let¡¯s leave the limited resources to those who really need it,¡± the doctor said. To ensure that she had no other excuse, he said, ¡°If you need anything, you can ring the bell.¡± Anna looked at the other two patients in the ward, feeling quite humiliated that the doctor was not on her side. Nina saw that her mother had almost calmed down. She went over and picked up the documents from the bed. Anna did not say anything. After Nina packed up, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll hire a care worker for you.¡± Jean grabbed her shoulders when he heard that. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to take care of Mom yourself? A care worker won¡¯t do!¡± ¡°I need to go to work so that I can earn money. If you think that a care worker can¡¯t do a good job, why don¡¯t you take care of Mom yourself? It¡¯s not like you have anything else to do at home,¡± Nina said while giving him the side-eye. He did not contribute anything, yet he was so demanding. Jean seemed taken aback when he heard Nina¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Do I look like I have the time?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have money, and you don¡¯t have time. Why don¡¯t you keep your mouth shut?¡± Nina could not be bothered to be civil toward her brother. She turned around and left the ward. Jean felt thoroughly humiliated, and he had nowhere to release his anger. He turned to look at Anna on the bed and said, ¡°Mom! Can¡¯t you teach her some manners?¡± ¡°Not when I¡¯m like this, Jean. I wish I don¡¯t have to worry about the two of you,¡± Anna said weakly. Her blood pressure was still high. Jean tried to absolve himself from any me. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me, Mom.¡± ¡°Jean, you¡¯re already an adult, but you still can¡¯t bring a decent girlfriend home. I wonder if I¡¯ll still be alive on your wedding day,¡± Anna said with a sigh. She could not bear to scold her son, but she was worried about his future. Anna did not like the fact that Jean was a jobless bum. The women he brought home had unsavory characters too. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. You¡¯ll soon have a decent daughter-inw!¡± Jean said. ¡°You¡¯re only saying that just to make me happy, right? Those women only want our money. You¡¯d better not have any rtion with them,¡± Anna said patiently. Jean nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in those women anymore, Mom. I have a new target now. I¡¯ve heard that she¡¯s a doctor. Not bad, right?¡± Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. ¡®Doctor?¡¯ Anna¡¯s eyes widened with delight. ¡°Really? When are you bringing her home? Does she work in this hospital?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know her that well yet. She¡¯s Nina¡¯s friend, and I heard Nina calling her ¡®Doctor,¡¯ so I think that she¡¯s a doctor. You like knowledgeable girls, right? You¡¯ll have to help me persuade Nina so that she¡¯ll give me that woman¡¯s phone number. Once I can contact her, she¡¯ll soon be your daughter-inw!¡± Jean said. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll ask her for it, but this isn¡¯t the time. Your sister is still angry. Once you have her number, you can marry her, and I¡¯ll have a plump little grandson,¡± Anna said, not considering if the woman would like Jean. The other two patients in the ward overheard their conversation and could not help but be amazed by how oblivious they were. It was as though that woman would marry her if he had her number. That hooligan was not going to get a doctor as his girlfriend! In fact, they did not even think that the well-dressed young woman who came into the wardter was that hooligan¡¯s younger sister. A short whileter, Nina came back to the ward with a care worker. Anna instantly pulled a long face and pretended that she was angry. Nina did not care. She told the care worker what the doctor told her, then took her handbag and left. Chapter 1435 The next morning, when Luca prepared to go to work, she saw Nina¡¯s car parked in front of her apartment. She was sensitive with numbers, so she remembered Nina¡¯s license te. She walked up to the car and knocked on the window. Nina rolled the window down. When she saw that it was Luca, she unlocked the car doors. ¡°Good morning, Dr. Craw. I¡¯m going to T Corporation to give my quarterly report, so I¡¯m wondering if you want to hitch a ride.¡± Luca did not reject the offer. She nodded, went to the other side of the car, and sat inside. After Luca fastened her seatbelt, Nina started the car and drove toward T Corporation. ¡°Are you worried about something?¡± Luca asked. Nina brushed her hair and said awkwardly, ¡°You noticed it?¡± ¡°I can see that you were thinking about something. If I hadn¡¯t recognized your license te, you probably wouldn¡¯t have realized that I left the apartment,¡± Luca said. She knew that Nina was waiting for her, but Nina did not realize Luca was outside. That was why Luca thought that Nina¡¯s mind was upied with something. Nina sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯m worried about you. That useless brother of mine seems to have set his sights on you. I didn¡¯t lie to you when I said that I have to go to T Corporation to hand in my quarterly report, but I¡¯m also worried that he might stalk you. That¡¯s why I waited for you here, and I can give you a ride too.¡± Yesterday, she had received a call from the care worker. After Nina left, Anna and Jean discussed how to trick Nina so that they could obtain Luca¡¯s phone number and address. The care worker was employed by Nina, so she had the obligation to tell her employer what was going on. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Luca said. She knew that Nina was concerned about her. ¡°Sigh, you probably don¡¯t know that my brother isn¡¯t an honest person. He has friends who can find out where you live if they want. If he hasn¡¯t changed, I¡¯m genuinely worried about you,¡± Nina said worriedly. None of that would have happened if she had not offered to send Luca home. It would be very troublesome for Luca if Jean set his sights on her. Jean was generally useless, but he had friends who were gangsters. Most of his money was spent on those people, and Jean had always said that he was ¡°exploring career opportunities.¡± Those people were up to no good. If Jean asked for their help to find out where Luca lived, they would definitely seed, and Luca would suffer. ¡°Thanks for telling me. I¡¯ll keep an eye on things.¡± Luca could tell that Nina was concerned about her safety. Nina continued, ¡°Also, if he managed to harass you, you must let me know. I¡¯ll help you wherever I can.¡± Luca smiled and nodded. ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep wellst night, right?¡± She asked. Nina was taken aback, though she admitted it. ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t sleep well. I can¡¯t stop thinking that my mom needs another liver transnt.¡± ¡°Why? Who was her donor the first time?¡± Luca knew the answer to the question, but she had to pretend that she did not know. ¡°My brother was the donor. Back then, my mom didn¡¯t agree to the donation, and she said that she wanted to find a liver on the ck market. Eventually, my brother managed to persuade her to ept the donation, and that was how they could proceed with the operation so quickly,¡± Nina said. Luca nodded. Nina continued, ¡°To be frank, my brother didn¡¯t donate the liver because he wanted to save our mother. Instead, he could have his sentence reduced if he agreed to the operation. My brother was sent to prison because of a crime hemitted, and he¡¯d rather lose half of his liver just so that he could get out early. You must find my family very ridiculous.¡± When Luca heard that, she had the urge to give Nina a hug. Luca shook her head and tried to say some words offort, but Nina continued, ¡°It¡¯s been so many years, and I¡¯m already used to it.¡± Luca could see the sorrow on her face. Was she really used to it? If she had already gotten numb from how her family treated her, she would not look so sorrowful¡­ Nina parked the car at the T Corporation basement parking lot. When she was about to get out of the car, she noticed the car parked opposite hers. ¡°That car¡­¡± She frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Luca looked in the direction of Nina¡¯s gaze. ¡°It belongs to Tia¡­¡± Nina remembered the car clearly. She had visited Bianca when Bianca had just been discharged from the hospital. Nina remembered seeing Tiae out of that car. The car was a limited edition car that Nina had read about in a magazine. After knowing that Tia owned one of those cars, Nina had wondered why a psychologist could afford that luxury car, and she had gossiped with Sue about it. Tia had not changed her car since then. Luca raised her eyebrows as she looked at the car. ¡°Did you read the tabloids two days ago? Tia is the rumored mistress of Mr. Crawford,¡± Nina exined. She thought that Luca did not know who Tia was. Luca nodded. Nina rubbed her chin and mumbled to herself, ¡°Why would she be at T Corporation so early? Isn¡¯t Bea traveling overseas now? There shouldn¡¯t be any need for her services.¡± Luca hugged her handbag. She felt uneasy when she heard Nina¡¯s words. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Even though she was mentally prepared that Luke might eventually fall in love with another woman, she could not help but be disappointed when that thought became a reality. ¡°Nina, I¡¯m going upstairs to clock in,¡± she said. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mm. Let¡¯s go together. I need to go to look for Mr. Crawford.¡± Nina turned her gaze away from the car and went to the elevator lobby with Luca. Luca exited the elevator on the twelfth floor while Nina continued to ride upward to the CEO¡¯s office. Just as usual, she met Jason and told him that she was at T Corporation to deliver the quarterly report. Jason led her to the CEO¡¯s office. When Nina heard that Jason was going to bring her to the CEO¡¯s office, she was quite surprised. ¡°Isn¡¯t there another guest in Mr. Crawford¡¯s office now?¡± Jason turned around and looked at her. ¡°How do you know, Ms. Langdon?¡± ¡°I saw Ms. Tia¡¯s car in the parking lot. She should be in Mr. Crawford¡¯s office now, right?¡± Nina asked. ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s nothing important, Ms. Langdon. Mr. Crawford told me to bring you to his office once you arrive,¡± Jason said. Nina was not used to Jason calling her ¡°Ms. Langdon.¡± She waved her hand and said, ¡°There¡¯s no one else here. You can just call me Nina. ¡®Ms. Langdon¡¯ is so awkward.¡± Jason smiled but said nothing. Nina could not help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s going on between him and Tia?¡± Chapter 1436 Jason remained smiling. ¡°It¡¯s nothing more than a dinner between friends.¡± ¡°And I nearly fell for it.¡± Nina stopped walking. ¡°Your boss must be nning something, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°How would I know what Mr. Crawford is doing?¡± Jason did not confirm it or deny it. He tried to shift the topic. From Jason¡¯s response, Nina was even more sure that Luke was nning something. Otherwise, the scandal would not have broken out so abruptly. After all, if he were really interested in Tia, he would have made his move a long time ago. Nina was present during several of Tia¡¯s consultation sessions with Bianca. Luke was there too. That woman could not keep her eyes away from Luke. If Tia said she had no feelings for Luke, Nina would not believe it. When they were about to reach the CEO¡¯s office, Nina asked again, ¡°Ms. Tia must be in Mr. Crawford¡¯s office now, right? Are you sure that it¡¯s okay for us to barge in?¡± ¡°Mr. Crawford said that it¡¯s okay,¡± Jason said with a smile. When Nina heard that, she took a few steps forward. The door was ajar. Nina knocked on the door and said to the man inside the office, ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver the quarterly report, Mr. Crawford.¡± Luke, sitting in the office, nodded and pointed at the seat opposite him. ¡°Come in.¡± Nina walked inside. She nced at Tia and sat down next to her. Two chairs were ced opposite Luke¡¯s work desk. Tia was sitting on one, and Nina was sitting on the other. Tia could not help but feel nervous when she saw Nina walk in. She knew that Nina was good friends with Bianca. If Nina was nosy enough to tell Bianca that she had a private dinner with Luke, Bianca might take the next flight back to confront her. After all, she only had the chance when Bianca was not around. ¡°Good morning, Ms. Langdon,¡± she said. ¡°Good morning,¡± Nina nodded politely, then turned to look at Luke. ¡°Mr. Crawford, is it a good time for me to present my report now?¡± ¡°You may,¡± Luke said. He was the behind-the-scenes boss of Brilliant Architecture. Brilliant Architecture was not a subsidiary of T Corporation, and Nina would deliver the quarterly sales report to him every three months. Nina took out a document from a folder, looked at the woman sitting next to her, and reminded her tactfully, ¡°Ms. Tia, I¡¯m about to discusspany secrets with Mr. Crawford.¡± Tia blushed when she heard that. Her mind was upied with Luke, so she was not paying attention to details. Now that Nina had to remind her to leave, she felt quite embarrassed. She hurriedly stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, excuse me.¡± Luke and Nina did not say anything, though thetter smiled at her politely. Tia could not tell if the smile was genuine. Tia picked up her handbag and walked briskly toward the door. Then, she turned around, looked at Luke, and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, I hope that you can attend the conference.¡± After that, she left the office, and Jason closed the door. ¡®Conference?¡¯ Nina became curious, so she asked, ¡°Mr. Crawford, if you don¡¯t mind my asking, what conference is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a psychology conference.¡± Luke was willing to give her the long answer this time. ¡°In two days, there will be a psychology conference and exhibition in A City. Renowned psychologists from all over the world will be gathered here.¡± Nina nodded in understanding. Despite moving to A City, Tia¡¯s international reputation did not decrease. She must have been invited to the conference. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Nina could guess why Tia wanted to invite Luke to the conference¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t think T Corporation is nning to venture into this industry, right? Why did she invite you? Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯ve be interested in psychology?¡± Nina asked a barrage of questions. Thanks to Percy, she was not afraid of Luke anymore. ¡°She said that the conference will be helpful to Bianca¡¯s condition,¡± Luke said. Tia had always used that excuse to get closer to him, but he did not call her out on it. ¡°Bianca¡¯s condition¡­¡± Nina realized that Luke did not sound as intimate whenever he referred to Bianca. She continued, ¡°Bea has lost her memories for so long. I think it¡¯s a good thing if she can regain her memories. Right, how has Bea been recently? I haven¡¯t seen her update her timeline.¡± Luke tapped on the keyboard and reminded her, ¡°Ms. Langdon, aren¡¯t you here to present the quarterly report?¡± That question reminded Nina of her objective at T Corporation. She began to present the quarterly report without wondering why Luke had suddenly changed the topic. When she was done, she left Luke¡¯s office. She could not stop thinking about how Tia had invited Luke to the conference. Was there really something going on between them while Bianca was away? Judging from Luke¡¯s attitude toward Tia earlier, that did not seem to be the case¡­ Now that she knew about the conference, she was quite interested in attending it. Her mental state had been decliningtely, and she might find something at the conference or the exhibition that would help her. She gave a call to Sue to ask if Sue would apany her to the conference. Sue said that she had some work to do, so she could not apany her. Nina thought that it would be boring if she went alone. When she stepped into the elevator, she pressed the button for Luca¡¯s floor. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. When the elevator arrived on the twelfth floor, Nina stepped out and followed the signs to the assistant¡¯s office. Nina knocked on the door and spoke to Zoey, who was copying some documents. ¡°Good morning. I¡¯m looking for Dr. Luca Craw.¡± ¡°Dr. Craw is in herb now. You are¡­?¡± Zoey thought that Nina looked familiar. ¡°I¡¯m her friend. I¡¯m also from Brilliant Architecture. I¡¯ll need an ess card to go into theb, right?¡± Nina said. ¡°I see. Why don¡¯t you have a seat here while I go over and inform Luca about you? May I know your name?¡± Zoey put the documents on the table in a stack. ¡°I¡¯m Nina Langdon,¡± Nina said with a gentle smile. Zoey nodded and dialed Luca¡¯s number using the internal line. Soon, Luca appeared in the assistant¡¯s office wearing ab coat. ¡°Nina? Are you done with your quarterly report?¡± Chapter 1437 ¡°Mm, I¡¯m done. I want to ask you something, and I hope I¡¯m not disturbing you,¡± Nina said as she looked at Luca. Luca looked so different in her work clothes. She even had a feeling that any man could be charmed by someone like Luca¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Should we go to my office?¡± Luca shook her head and said. Nina smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing important. There¡¯s a psychology conference and exhibition in A City this week. I¡¯d like to go, and I¡¯m wondering if you¡¯re interested.¡± ¡®Psychology conference and exhibition?¡¯ Luca was worried about Nina¡¯s mental health. It would be a good idea if she went there. She nodded and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, but wouldn¡¯t it be hard to gain ess to the conference if you¡¯re not a psychologist? If I recall correctly, the conference is held once every two years, and it¡¯s not easy to get an invitation. We¡¯d probably be visiting the exhibition instead.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have a way to get an invitation,¡± Nina said. ¡°Alright, I¡¯d love to go if you can get us an invitation,¡± Luca said and nodded. Nina was happy that Luca agreed to go with her. ¡°See you then!¡± She said and left. Zoey had been eavesdropping on their conversation. After Nina left, she said, ¡°Dr. Craw, is that young woman Mr. Percy Mallory¡¯s¡­ friend?¡± She wanted to say ¡°illicit lover,¡± but she realized that Luca seemed to be very close to that woman, which was why she changed her words at thest moment. Luca nced at her. ¡°You seem to be interested in gossip.¡± ¡°Heh heh. I¡¯ve read about their rtionship in the tabloids, and I happen to remember it. Mr. Mallory is an outstanding man, and he rarely appeared in the papers. That¡¯s why I remember it very well,¡± Zoey exined, seeing that Luca was getting displeased. ¡°Mm.¡± Luca turned around and left without answering the question. Zoey rubbed her chin as she watched Luca leave. She wondered if she had misspoken. Luca was engrossed in a discussion with the other researchers. By the time she finished the discussion, it was already fifteen minutes past office hours. She remembered that Tommy was waiting for her for dinner, so she asked Rhett to tidy up the documents before clocking out and leaving hurriedly. While she waited in the elevator lobby, she sensed that the doors of the CEO¡¯s personal elevator behind her slowly opened. Luca turned around and saw Luke standing there. ¡°Mr. Crawford?¡± Luca was surprised. The CEO¡¯s personal elevator was running on a different system from the other elevators, so the elevator should not have stopped there even if Luca pressed the button to go down. The only exnation was that Luke had deliberately wanted to stop at that floor. ¡°Are you going home?¡± Luke asked. ¡°Mm.¡± Luca maintained some distance between them. ¡°You¡¯re a littlete today,¡± Luke said. When he was about to go off work, he looked at the security feed and realized that Luca was still in her office. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was in a discussion with the other researchers earlier¡­¡± Luca thought he was unhappy that Tommy had to wait at her apartment. ¡°I¡¯ll send you home,¡± Luke said without any hint of usation in his voice. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can catch a cab,¡± Luca said insistently. She did not want to have too many interactions with him. He suspected that she was an agent of the Ind of Despair, and he had a budding rtionship with another woman. It was inappropriate for her to be so close to him now. Seeing that the elevator doors were about to close, Luke held the door open and stared straight into her eyes. ¡°Prepare some extra food.¡± Luca understood what he meant. He wanted to have dinner in her house again¡­ ¡°Alright,¡± Luca said. Seeing that Luca had no intention of going into the elevator, he said, ¡°I¡¯m picking up Tommy, so it¡¯s along the way.¡± ¡°You should pick up Tommy first while I go to the supermarket. It¡¯ll be faster if we go separate ways,¡± Luca said. The elevator doors behind her opened, and she walked inside without turning back. When Luke saw that, he pulled his hand away, and the elevator doors closed. Luca seemed to be very busy today. She was not in her office during lunch break¡­ Luke watched the numbers on the digital disy tick down until it reached the basement parking lot, where From the conversation earlier, he could sense that Luca was trying even harder to avoid him. If she were from the Ind of Despair, she would have known what happened to the impostor Bianca, and it was understandable that she wanted to avoid him. At the same time, if she were from the Ind of Despair, her reason for applying for a job at Watson must be to get closer to him. It would not make sense that she was avoiding him now. Luke found his car and drove away. After knowing that Luca was working overtime, he told Sean to pick up Lanie and Rainie, while he would pick up Tommy himself. His original n was to bring Luca along and see if he could find out something from her, but she had avoided him as usual¡­ Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Luke arrived at Tommy¡¯s school. Most of the children had already gone home. He stepped out of the car and saw Tommy sitting on a stool, so he waved at him. Tommy hopped off the stool when he saw Luke, and he said to the teacher, ¡°Ms. Hand, my Daddy¡¯s here.¡± ¡°Mm. See you tomorrow, Tommy.¡± The teacher nced at Luke, and her heart started to beat faster. ¡°Bye, Ms. Hand!¡± Tommy rushed up to Luke and held his hand. As they walked toward his father¡¯s car, he said, ¡°Daddy, if you¡¯re busy, you should have gotten Uncle Sean to pick me up.¡± ¡°Uncle Sean is busy today,¡± Luke said. ¡°Also, he¡¯s picking up Lanie and Rainie, so it¡¯s inconvenient for him.¡± ¡°You mean, it¡¯s inconvenient for you to pick them up, thene back and send me to Ms. Luca¡¯s house, right?¡± Tommy said. ¡°You should ask Ms. Luca to prepare dinner for Lanie and Rainie. I believe they love Ms. Luca¡¯s cooking. It¡¯s too delicious, and Rainie said that the food reminds her of what Mommy used to cook.¡± Luke paused. The child¡¯s words reminded him of something. If Luca was from the Ind of Despair, could she have learned how to cook from Bianca? After all, her cooking tasted so simr to Bianca¡¯s cooking¡­ Luke looked at Tommy. Tommy turned his head to look at his father and said helplessly, ¡°Open the door, Daddy.¡± Chapter 1438 Luke snapped out of it and opened the car door. Tommy got in the car and voluntarily closed the door. After Luke got in the driver¡¯s seat, he suggested, ¡°Daddy, what do you think of equipping Ms. Luca with a car?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Luke asked. ¡°You¡¯re so busy with work. If Ms. Luca is equipped with a car, she can pick me up so you don¡¯t have to!¡± Tommy said with a grin. Luke knew what was in his son¡¯s mind. He exposed Tommy and said, ¡°You know what? Why don¡¯t we give her an apartment near your school? That¡¯ll also be convenient.¡± ¡°Yes! I want to live with Ms. Luca! It¡¯ll be convenient to go to school!¡± Tommy started making ns to live with Luca. Luke nced at his son from the rearview mirror. Tommy often spoke from the bottom of his heart, which meant he really wanted to live with Luca. ¡°In the future, not only will I be able to eat Ms. Luca¡¯s cooking for dinner but Ms. Luca can also make breakfast for me. That sounds like heaven!¡± Tommy did not realize anything and continued talking about his n. Luke reluctantly reminded him. ¡°She won¡¯t agree, nor will Great-grandpa.¡± Tommy stopped chattering and asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not our maid,¡± Luke said. He did not realize that among those who he said would disagree with the n, he did not include himself. ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ It¡¯d be great if I were Ms. Luca¡¯s child.¡± Tommy covered his cheek with his hands and looked distressed. Luke knew that Tommy liked Luca but it was not a good thing that he relied on Luca so much. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. If Luca was from the Ind of Despair, they would be on opposite sides. The more Tommy liked her, the more Tommy would not understand what he would have to do in the future. Luke began to wonder whether it was a good thing or a bad thing that he was letting Tommy keep in contact with her for him to get close to Luca and investigate the matter. Tommy still felt sorry for not being able to live with Luca, while Luke¡¯s head was filled with Luca. He did not have the headspace tofort the child. On the other side. After Luca bought the groceries for dinner, she returned to the apartment. She thought that she had some time before Luke would arrive with Tommy so she nned to clean the apartment a little then prepare for dinner. She held the vacuum cleaner and was about to start cleaning from the guest bedroom. She was taken back when she reached for the doorknob. The guest bedroom was prepared for Amur. To ensure that it was well-ventted, she would never close the doorpletely and always left a gap. At that moment, the door of the guest bedroom was closed. Someone had quietlye in¡­ Luca knew it was not Amur. If it was him, he would have let her know when he came back. She put down the vacuum cleaner, went to the center of the living room, picked up the fruit knife there, and walked to the guest bedroom. Instead of rushing to open the door, she shouted to whoever was inside, ¡°I know you¡¯re inside,e out.¡± She held her breath and stared at the door. There must be someone inside¡­ Luca heard a very soft sound after she spoke. It was the sound of shoes touching the floor. Although the person inside tried not to make a sound, she still heard it. The door opened slowly¡­ Abel, who was wearing a hat, came out from the room. Although she was familiar with him, Luca did not let her guard down. She stared at him and did not ask stupid questions like how he came in. In the Ind of Despair, everyone was trained to pick locks. The door lock of this apartment would take Abel only two seconds to open the door without damaging the lock. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Luca asked. Even when she was face-to-face with him, she did not show any respect. Abel smiled wickedly. He was not irritated by her attitude. She was Luca, a woman with thorns. He would be surprised if she showed him some respect. He opened the door behind him and said, ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a wonderful gift for you!¡± Luca smelled blood the moment the door opened. She frowned instantly and said, ¡°You killed someone in my house?¡± ¡°Smart!¡± Abel grinned. Based on the smell of blood alone, she could tell that the person inside was dead. She knew Abel well. ¡°What on earth are you doing?!¡± Luca was impatient. ¡®He killed a man?!¡¯ It would be okay if he let her handle it but if Luke came over, the bloody smell in the entire room could not be concealed. All she could tell was that Abel killed someone here because she did not smell any blood before she entered the house. However, as soon as the door of the guest room opened, the smell of blood wafted around. Luca was overwhelmed with the thought about Luke¡¯s arrival and how Abel was deliberately pushing her into a corner. ¡®What does he want from me?!¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re too slow, I¡¯m not satisfied.¡± Abel nced at the body behind him and said as he was leaning against the wall. ¡°So, I¡¯m here to speed things up.¡± Luca noticed that the body was wearing the uniform of a security guard and presumed that he was one of the apartment¡¯s security guards. He picked a person at random and killed him in her house. He could have done it without leaving a drop of blood but he made more than a dozen wounds on the victim¡¯s body, letting the blood flow all over the ce. The air smelled of blood. ¡°You¡¯re causing me a lot of trouble,¡± Luca said while clenching her fist tightly. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. ¡°No, no, no, I¡¯m helping you. Whether you¡¯re doing it on purpose or you¡¯re incapable, you¡¯re not close to Luke now. Therefore, I¡¯ll help you. For a single woman like you, your apartment is not safe. Why don¡¯t you let Luke take pity on you and have him move you out of here?¡± Abel spread his hands and raised his eyebrows, acting innocent. Luca stared right at him. ¡®Why didn¡¯t he think things through?!¡¯ He just murdered someone in cold blood but he was able to pretend like everything was normal. He even told her that he was helping her. He wanted her to make use of the image of a weak woman and get closer to Luke¡­ ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to disappoint you. Luke is interested in another woman. Whatever I do is in vain.¡± Luca clenched her fist. Abel could sacrifice an innocent person¡¯s life for his own gain. ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, don¡¯t underestimate your charm. Even if there are thousands of beauties around him, as long as you want, he¡¯ll still fall into your arms obediently because you¡¯re Bianca¡­¡± Abel smiled wickedly, his blue pupils glowing under the dim light. He had full confidence in her because she was Bianca. Luca tightened her fist. The arrow was on the string, she had no other choice. Luke was arriving soon¡­ ¡°Okay, get ready.¡± Abel casually picked up the vase on the shelf. Chapter 1439 ¡°What do you want?¡± Luca stared at him. Abel shook the vase in his hand, raised his eyebrows, and said casually, ¡°Are you nning to greet Luke while conscious?¡± Fainting was the best exnation for the mess in front of her. Luca knew that only if she fainted could she hide everything. She agreed to Abel¡¯s n because she had no other choice. ¡°Let¡¯s do it by the door,¡± she said as she returned the fruit knife to its original position, then walked to the door. Abel smiled and walked over with the vase. He smiled innocently even though he had just murdered someone. Luca suddenly became angry. She stretched out her hand and said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± ¡°Luke is very smart. If you do it, it might make him notice some clues. I¡¯ll do it,¡± Abel said. Luca stood there firmly and watched as Abel raised the vase, preparing to smash it on her. ¡°By the way, your research is interesting. Tell me next time about the kind of drugs you¡¯re researching.¡± After he said that, the vase in his hand fell on Luca¡¯s head. Before Luca had time to tremble at his words, he smashed the vase on her head, which made a loud sound. She lost consciousness after that. Abel looked at Luca who fell on the floor and smiled wantonly. Luca, Bianca¡­ He threw the vase and left swaggeringly without cleaning the scene of the crime. When Luke arrived at Luca¡¯s apartment with Tommy, he smelled blood the moment he stepped out of the elevator. ¡°Dad, why is there a strange smell?¡± Tommy also smelled it but because of his young age, he could not tell what it was. Luke noticed that Luca¡¯s apartment door was open. He stopped and nced at the doors of the other two houses. They were all closed tightly. The smell of blood was likelying from Luca¡¯s apartment. If the window inside the house was not open, the smell of blood could only waft from the door. Luca¡­ Luke¡¯s heartbeat quickened. He stopped in his tracks and told Tommy, ¡°Stand here, don¡¯t move.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Tommy noticed his serious expression and stood still obediently. Luke quickly walked to the front of the apartment and saw Luca knocked out in the hallway. She had lost consciousness. A strong smell of blood drifted over. He lowered his head to look at Luca and it seemed that her forehead was hurt. Thankfully, the bleeding was not much. The smell of blood was not from her. Luke squatted down and put his hand underneath Luca¡¯s nose. Fortunately, her breathing was normal. ¡®It¡¯s likely that she was attacked and then fainted.¡¯ Luke could not ignore the strong smell of blood. He went past Luca and walked into the room. He followed the direction where the smell of blood was wafting out, which was the door of the guest bedroom. The open bedroom door allowed him to see the scene inside clearly. Luke took out his phone, called the ambnce, then called the police. There was a police station near Luca¡¯s apartment. The police arrived sooner than the ambnce. After seeing the situation inside the house, a young policeman could not help but vomit on the spot. Not long after, the ambnce also arrived. The apanying ambnce staff confirmed that the person wearing the security uniform in the guest bedroom was dead and carried Luca into the ambnce. Luke handed his business card to the police and said, ¡°If you have any questions, give this number a call and you¡¯ll be able to reach me.¡± The police knew who the man in front of him was and did not dare to intercept him. He said, ¡°Okay, Mr. Crawford. We¡¯ll handle it, but we may need you to go to the police station to make a statement. I¡¯m sorry to trouble you.¡± ¡°Okay, just let me know when.¡± Luke finished speaking and walked out. Tommy stood by the elevator obediently, looking at Luca who was being carried out on a stretcher. ¡°Ms. Luca, Ms. Luca, what happened to you?¡± His voice was choked. Luca did not react at all. ¡°Doctor, what¡¯s wrong with my Ms. Luca?¡± Tommy raised his head and looked at the medical staff beside him with tears in his big, round eyes. ¡°Hey buddy, the patient is in aa now. We¡¯re going to take her to the hospital for an examination.¡± The medical staff looked at the child who looked as though he was about to break into tears and felt pity toward him. Luke walked over and stooped to pick up the child. The medical staff recognized the person in front of them and asked, ¡°Mr. Crawford, are you going to the hospital with us?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll follow behind you,¡± Luke said. ¡°Okay.¡± When the elevator arrived, the medical staff moved the stretcher into the elevator. Luke carried Tommy and they went downstairs together. At that moment, Tommy could see Luca more clearly. His tears fell like a waterfall when he saw the wound on her forehead. ¡°Dad, Ms. Luca must be in pain!¡± Luke did not say a word and hugged him tighter. After the elevator reached the first floor, the medical staff took Luca into the ambnce while Luke drove behind the ambnce and followed them to the hospital. He notified Johann in advance. After Luca arrived at the hospital, Johann did a basic inspection and then arranged a series of check- ups. Luke watched as the nurse pushed Luca to go for a check-up and asked calmly, ¡°When will she wake up?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll take a while. The wound isn¡¯t too deep but we¡¯re afraid that there is congestion or concussion, so we have to first check to see if there¡¯s internal bleeding. If there isn¡¯t, she should be able to wake up tonight,¡± Johann said. Luke nodded. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Tommy, who was on the side, could not understand them. He asked tremblingly, ¡°Uncle Park, is Ms. Luca seriously injured? Will she be okay?¡± Seeing the child acting anxiously as if he was the one injured, Johann touched his head and said, ¡°She¡¯ll be fine, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Dad, is Uncle Park telling the truth?¡± Tommy asked the person he trusted the most. Luke looked down at Tommy and said in a low voice, ¡°The doctor said she¡¯ll be fine. Are you hungry? Would you like to eat something?¡± ¡°I want to wait for Ms. Luca to wake up. We¡¯ll eat together.¡± Tommy had no appetite. Luke looked at his son, who reacted simrly when Bianca was kidnapped. ¡®Between Bianca and Luca, who is more important to him?¡¯ ¡°She can¡¯t eat for the time being. Tommy, you don¡¯t need to wait for her. Go eat something first. I have some oats in my office. It¡¯s your favorite peanut butter oats. Would you like to have some?¡± Johann touched his head. Tommy shook his head, his expression full of worry for Luca. ¡°She¡¯ll feel bad if you go hungry.¡± Luke looked at his son and used Luca as an excuse. When Tommy heard that, he hesitated for a few seconds before saying, ¡°I don¡¯t want Ms. Luca to worry about me. I¡¯ll have some oats.¡± Johann took Tommy over from Luke, looked at Luke, and said, ¡°Come to my office for some oats. The nurse will take her to the ward on my floor after the check-up.¡± Chapter 1440 Luke knew that waiting here would not make the resultse out any sooner. He carried Tommy and went upstairs with Johann. They waited for the results in his office. ¡°I happened to be on duty today and asked the nurse to buy some peanut butter oats. Both of you should have some. One is young and the other has gastric, it¡¯s not good for both of you to starve,¡± Johann said while taking out the reheated peanut butter oats from the microwave. ¡°Thank you, Uncle Park,¡± Tommy took the bowl of oats and thanked him. Johann put another bowl in front of Luke. He could not help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t you mention that Dr. Craw was trained in self-defense?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Luke took a mouthful of oats and shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ll find out more after she wakes up.¡± Johann noticed that Tommy stopped after taking two mouthfuls of oats. He was concerned and asked, ¡°Tommy, why did you stop eating?¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried about Ms. Luca.¡± Tommy¡¯s tiny face was filled with mncholy. Luke put down the bowl and touched his head. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine.¡± Tommy pursed his lips and said, ¡°The oats don¡¯t taste good.¡± When Johann heard what he said, he asked patiently, ¡°What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll have someone go buy it?¡± Tommy shook his head and replied, ¡°I want to eat Ms. Luca¡¯s cooking¡­ Dad, Uncle Park, what should we do if Ms. Luca can¡¯t wake up?¡± Johann muttered in his heart. He originally thought that Tommy had an unusual attachment toward Luca, but now it seemed that it was all because of Luca¡¯s wonderful cooking. ¡°Tommy, she¡¯s okay. Trust me. Be a good boy and finish this bowl of oats.¡± Heforted the boy. Tommy looked at him with a serious expression. ¡°Uncle Park, will you do your best to save Ms. Luca if I finish the oats?¡± Johann was speechless. It was his job to save lives. Whether Tommy finished the oats or not, he was going to save her. On top of that, Luca¡¯s wound did not look serious. It would not be life-threatening. Even if there were risks that he had just mentioned to Luke, he would still save her. It was not Tommy¡¯s ce to negotiate with him. However, considering that Tommy was doing it because he was worried about Luca¡¯s situation, Johann nodded and agreed. ¡°As long as you finish the oats, I guarantee that Dr. Craw will be fine.¡± When Tommy heard his reply, he picked up the bowl and gobbled up the oats. Johann exchanged nces with Luke, and they both ate their bowl of oats. After seeing the three of them having oats in Johann¡¯s office, the nurse was worried that they would not have enough to eat. She took the initiative to send over some snacks from the lounge. As soon as they finished eating, Luca was done with all the check-ups and sent to the ward because of Johann¡¯s involvement. She was still in aa when they sent her to the ward. Johann instructed the nurse to clean Luca¡¯s wound while he went through the reports. He breathed a sigh of relief and said, ¡°No blood spots were found in her head. Her situation is not too serious. She¡¯ll recover soon enough if the wound is treated properly and doesn¡¯te into contact with water for two days.¡± ¡°Why hasn¡¯t she woken up?¡± Luke asked. ¡°It may be because of a concussion. My suggestion is for her to stay in the hospital for observation for one night and have another CT scan the next day. If all goes well, she can be discharged by tomorrow,¡± Johann said while thoroughly checking the report once again. There would not be any major problems if there were no blood spots found. ¡°Uncle Park, does this mean that Ms. Luca is not in a life-threatening situation?¡± Tommy asked. He did not understand the CT scan reports. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine. Maybe she¡¯ll wake up in the middle of the night.¡± Johann gave a rough estimation. Patients who fainted from idents wake up at different times. Some could wake up in a short time, but some may have to sleep for one night before they woke up. Tommy said immediately, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for Ms. Luca to wake up before I leave.¡± ¡°No.¡± Luke refused immediately. Tommy looked at Luke with his eyes widened. ¡°Why not? Dad, Ms. Luca is in the hospital alone. She¡¯s sad and helpless. How can you be so cruel?!¡± Luke listened to the child¡¯s cries and replied in a cold tone, ¡°You have ss tomorrow. I have notified Zander and he¡¯ll bring you hometer.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m going to wait here until Ms. Luca wakes up.¡± Tommy insisted. Johann sat there and watched the two of them staring at each other. He thought about it for a while and thought that it was pointless for them to keep arguing like this, so he said, ¡°How about this? If you¡¯re worried that no one will know when Dr. Craw wakes up, your daddy will stay with her and you¡¯ll go home with Zander obediently, okay?¡± Tommy held his breath, his displeasure toward the situation was disyed on his face. Luke nced at Johann but said nothing. At that moment, Zander happened to walk in and respectfully said, ¡°Young Master Luke, I¡¯m here to pick up Little Young Master Tommy.¡± ¡°Daddy, I don¡¯t want to go back.¡± Tommy went with a gentler approach when he realized that his previous approach was not working. ¡°I¡¯ll be here with her, you have nothing to worry about. She¡¯ll be discharged tomorrow.¡± Luke¡¯s heart softened when he saw how insistent Tommy was to stay with Luca. ¡°Okay. Can I see Ms. Luca before I leave, then?¡± Tommy had no choice but topromise when he saw that Luke would not budge. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. He was just a kid¡­ ¡°Yes, you can. Zander, take him to visit her then send him back to Crawford Manor,¡± Luke replied. Zander nodded quickly and then asked, ¡°Young Master Luke, what about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay here tonight, don¡¯t worry about me. Tomorrow, you¡¯ll be responsible for sending the kids to school,¡± Luke said. Johann curled his lips when he heard it. Zander nodded and took Tommy out of Johann¡¯s office. Johann put away all the reports and said, ¡°It seems that Tommy likes Dr. Craw very much. Outsiders might think they¡¯re mother and child.¡± Luke did not respond and sat on the sofa. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Johann continued gossiping, ¡°I think Dr. Craw is a good person. Maybe you don¡¯t have to be so stubborn. It¡¯s easy for the kids to ept someone they like. Sometimes, don¡¯t just think about yourself. You should also think about the kids.¡± ¡°Have you been to my house recently?¡± Luke asked suddenly. Johann was slightly confused and replied, ¡°No, why are you asking?¡± ¡°You sound more and more like Old Master Crawford,¡± Luke said. Johann was overjoyed. ¡°It turns out that Old Master Crawford has also said the same thing to you. Since Old Master Crawford shares the same thoughts, just find someone who looks good, has the conditions to match, and if the children can ept her, just go with it.¡± ¡°Stop being nosy.¡± Luke snapped at him and avoided the topic. He had not thought about marrying Luca. ¡°When will she wake up?¡± ¡°Should be sometime around midnight but I can¡¯t make any promises. After all, I¡¯m not God,¡± Johann replied. Chapter 1441 Luke said nothing more to continue the conversation. He stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to the ward.¡± Johann hurriedly asked, ¡°Are you really going to spend the night here?¡± Luke nodded. Johann was slightly surprised. Luke seemed uninterested in Luca, yet he took the initiative to apany her for the night. Although it was pitiful for Luca to stay in the hospital alone while she was unconscious, Luke was not short of money. He could easily hire a caretaker for her. He did not do that but instead opted to apany her for the night¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll have the nurse bring you a new apanying bed.¡± Johann did noty it all out. He knew better than to say anything. He then picked up the phone and called for the nurse. Luke walked into the ward and bumped into the nurse. After she was done setting up the IV drip, the nurse looked at Luke and asked politely, ¡°Mr. Crawford, have you hired a caretaker?¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°No.¡± Luke shook his head. When the nurse heard his reply, she looked awkward and said, ¡°That might be a problem. The patient is unconscious and needs a caretaker to monitor her for the night. Otherwise, the blood might flow back after the IV drip bag is empty.¡± It was the night shift and there were not many nurses on duty. She was afraid that she might be overwhelmed and forget to check in if she got too busy. ¡°I¡¯ll keep watch of her,¡± Luke said. The nurse nodded, slowed down the speed of the drip, and then said, ¡°Okay, just ring the bell after the drip is finished.¡± Luke nodded and sat on the sofa. After the nurse left, there were two people left in the ward. Luke sat there, looking at the woman on the bed. He eventually stood up and moved closer to the head of the bed. The nurse had treated Luca¡¯s wound and wrapped it with gauze. He could not see how deep the wound was. However, since there was no need for Johann to stitch the wound, it should not be deep. Seeing her paleplexion, Luke suddenly thought about how Bianca had gotten hurt in the same ce. However, she was more unfortunate and the incident left a shallow scar. Luke looked at her lifeless appearance. If it were not for the equipment that was monitoring her vitals, she was as quiet as a dead person. ¡®Who on earth attacked her?¡¯ Luca was skilled in the art of self-defense but she was still attacked. The attacker must be extraordinary¡­ Luke took out his phone, told Gale all about it, and asked him to investigate the matter. Although the police had already surveyed the scene, it was a murder case, after all. Luca¡¯s apartment was the scene of the crime and the evidence in it must be well preserved. He felt more assured to have Gale and Rain investigate it. He was not doing it just for Luca. It was because he had a vague feeling that the Ind of Despair was involved. The door was pushed open and it was the nurse who had just helped with the drip. She saw Luke standing by the bedside and quickly asked, ¡°Mr. Crawford, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°All¡¯s well.¡± Luke shook his head. ¡°The speed of the drip is a little slow.¡± ¡°This speed is fine as it is. The patient is now in aa. If it¡¯s too fast, it might cause some difort and she wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything. It¡¯s better to go slow. This is your apanying bed and nkets, they¡¯re all new. I¡¯ll put them aside. You can use them when you need to.¡± The nurse put the unopened apanying bed and nket on the side and then exited the ward. When the door was closed, Luke¡¯s gaze fell on Luca again. After taking a look at the drip that was not halfway done, he sat on the sofa again and looked at his emails on his phone. He used this time to deal with work. On the other side. After Zander sent Tommy back to Crawford Manor, Old Master Crawford found that only the child had returned and did not see Luke. Hence, he asked, ¡°Tommy, where¡¯s your daddy?¡± ¡°Daddy is in the hospital,¡± Tommy straightforwardly replied to him. ¡°He¡¯s in the hospital? What¡¯s wrong with Brother?¡± Louis, who was drinking tea with Old Master Crawford, asked quickly. ¡°Ms. Luca was injured. The hospital needs someone to apany her, so Daddy stayed.¡± Tommy finished speaking and looked at the butler. He said, ¡°I¡¯m so hungry. Is there anything for me to eat?¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master. I¡¯ll heat something for you,¡± the butler replied quickly. After Old Master Crawford heard Tommy¡¯s words, he had a tight frown on his face. Louis asked, ¡°Ms. Luca? Is she the one who¡¯s rumored to be involved with Brother?¡± Old Master Crawford nodded and answered, ¡°It¡¯s her.¡± ¡°How interesting! Seems like cupid is on Brother¡¯s side recently. First, it was Luca, and now, there¡¯s Tia.¡± Louis joked. He had always been interested in gossip about Luke. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?!¡± Old Master Crawford red at him. Within the Crawford family, apart from himself, the children, and Luke who knew that Bianca was a fake, no one else knew. ¡®What kind of nonsense is Louis joking about so happily without knowing the full picture?¡¯ ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m just joking, but really, it¡¯s been a long time since Brother cared so much about anyone. You know, no matter how urgent the situation is, there are doctors and nurses in the hospital. If a caretaker is needed, he could have just hired one. Why would he want to stay in the hospital by himself? Something is up.¡± Louis analyzed. His analysis was reasonable. Luke had asked the maid to apany the fake Bianca when she was hospitalized. He would never stay in the hospital. This time, he was staying the night when something happened to Luca. It was beyond belief. He would not be surprised if someone told him that Luke was interested in Luca. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Old Master Crawford raised his hand and smacked Louis. ¡°What is in that head of yours? Where are your morals? You can¡¯t talk about this to others so casually. Your brother still has a wife.¡± ¡°Ouch, Grandpa, don¡¯t hit me. I¡¯m just joking. Everyone knows that the woman Brother loves most is Sister-inw,¡± Louis lied through his teeth. ¡®It was true that Luke used to love Bianca the most but after Bianca was rescued, she lost her memory. After this incident, it¡¯s a lie to say that the love of Luke¡¯s life is still Bianca.¡¯ Although Luke¡¯s favorite person was not Bianca, at least the only woman around him was Bianca. However, things had changed. Luke first had an affair with Luca and was then involved with Tia. If his sister-inw knew about this, she would fly back from the foreign country angrily¡­ ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to joke around about this. This is rted to the reputation of the Crawford family. You, stop being a yboy and live the rest of your life with Yuri in peace.¡± Old Master Crawford took the opportunity to lecture him, ¡°While you¡¯re still young, learn from your brother and have another child so that Thea can have somepany!¡± ¡°Grandpa, I think I¡¯m a dedicated man. Why should I have so many children? Brother can afford it but I can¡¯t.¡± Louis took the opportunity to make it clear that he did not want to have another child. Chapter 1442 ¡°Nonsense! If you can¡¯t afford another child, I¡¯ll support you!¡± Old Master Crawford saw through him and put him in a corner. ¡°No, no, I don¡¯t want to live off you. Grandpa, it¡¯ste. I¡¯m going upstairs. You should rest early as well.¡± Louis slipped away for fear of being lectured further. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Old Master Crawford watched his grandson head upstairs and shook his head helplessly. He wanted Louis to have another child in hopes of managing Thea¡¯spetitiveness. After all, Thea was Susan¡¯s only granddaughter and had been spoiled rotten. Unfortunately, Louis had no intentions as such and he could not do anything about it. Old Master Crawford picked up his phone and made a call. After the call was connected, he said to the person on the other end of the call, ¡°Help me investigate a person. Her name is Luca and she works at T Corporation. I want everything there is to know about her.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll send it to you the day after tomorrow,¡± the person on the other end of the call replied. When Old Master Crawford heard that, he hung up the phone. Tommy walked out holding some bread, and he asked, ¡°Great-grandpa, did you just say you want to investigate Ms. Luca?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sure you heard wrong,¡± Old Master Crawford looked at his grandson who was holding a piece of bread in each hand and said with distress, ¡°Poor thing. Are you starving?¡± ¡°No, I had some oats in the hospital, but the oats that Uncle Park gave me tasted terrible. I had a bowl of it but I¡¯m not full. Great-grandpa, I¡¯m not starving.¡± Tommy took a bite of the bread and said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Ms. Luca¡¯s ident, I would never go hungry.¡± ¡°Okay, go upstairs after eating. Don¡¯t think so much and get some rest. You have ss tomorrow.¡± Old Master Crawford did not like hearing him talking about Luca, so he interrupted Tommy. Tommy was not bothered. After all, he did not understand the drama between the adults. He just nodded happily and said, ¡°Okay, Great-grandpa, good night.¡± ¡°Good night.¡± Old Master Crawford returned to his room after Tommy. ¡­ Luca woke up in the middle of the night. She looked at the white ceiling as a faint smell of disinfectant wafted into her nose. She did not need to ask to know that she was in the hospital. Luke found her knocked out on the floor and brought her to the hospital¡­ Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Luca blinked, turned her head slowly, and felt dizzy. She immediately closed her eyes and after a while, she opened her eyes and saw her environment clearly. She was in a private room in the hospital. She knew Luke had something to do with it¡­ Luca knew what was going on. She likely had a concussion after being knocked on her head. What she had to do now was to minimize her physical activities and allow her body some time to adapt. The ward was silent. It was in the middle of the night, so there was no sound of people moving in the corridor. She suddenly felt that she was trapped in a huge void. The emptiness was overwhelming and depressing¡­ Luca closed her eyes tightly, feeling as though there was a huge on the ceiling covering her, about to wrap her up with no room to breathe. She was not usually a sanctimonious person but she was very sad. Her procrastination and unwillingness led to a security guard losing his life. If she had taken the initiative to get closer to Luke, the security guard might not have died. He was middle-aged. She thought that he would have a family. How would his family get by following his death? Luca resented Abel¡¯s cruelty. ¡®If he¡¯s dissatisfied with me, he cane for me. Why did he murder a security guard in cold blood?¡¯ Abel wanted to take revenge against Luke but he hurt many people along the way. He was avenging Kassy in the name of love. The door of the ward was pushed open. Luca guessed that Luke had arranged a caregiver for her. After all, she was unconscious and he would not have left her alone. Chapter 1443 She opened her eyes and turned her face in the direction of the door. She was stunned when she saw Luke walk in. She expected a caregiver, but he appeared instead¡­ ¡®He¡¯s been guarding by my side?¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re up?¡± Luke stepped forward and asked in a neutral tone when he saw that her eyes were open. ¡°Yeah,¡± Luca replied. She was not sure how to feel. The reason why Abel murdered the security guard was to bring her closer to Luke. Now, he got what he wanted¡­ Luke cared about her but she did not feel happy about it. That was because she knew that as the rtionship between the two got closer, it was time for Abel¡¯s n toe to an end. How could she be happy knowing what she knew? ¡°Are you feeling ufortable?¡± Luke asked as he pressed the bell beside the bed. ¡°I feel dizzy,¡± Luca said. ¡°Mm,¡± Luke replied. The nurse opened the door and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°The patient is awake,¡± Luke turned his head and said to the nurse. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll have Dr. Parke over and check up on her now,¡± the nurse replied quickly after hearing what Luke said. Even if Johann did not say anything to her, the nurse knew that such treatment meant that the patient in front of her was not someone to be reckoned with. Luca looked at Luke and could not help but ask, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Luke did not answer as if he had not heard her. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Luca knew that he heard her but did not want to answer this question, so she did not probe further. She had many exnations as to why he showed up, but in the end, she did not want to overthink. She felt a little dizzy and decided to not think about it anymore. Johann opened the door of the ward and walked in. He was relieved when he saw that Luca was awake. He said, ¡°Dr. Craw, you are awake.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Luca nodded. Johann stepped forward and asked, ¡°Do you feel ufortable anywhere?¡± ¡°I¡¯m feeling normal except for a little dizziness,¡± Luca knew that her forehead was injured, so she did not include the pain from the wound on her forehead. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. ¡°You have a concussion, so dizziness is normal. Get some rest. You¡¯ll wake up feeling a lot better tomorrow. I¡¯ll do a check-up now. Please cooperate with me,¡± Johann said and began to give her a neurological examination. It was three o¡¯clock in the morning and Johann was still awake. It was not because the hospital was busy. On the contrary, his department had not admitted a single patient. The reason why he could not sleep was because of Luke. He would walk to Johann¡¯s office once an hour, and the reason why was simple. He suspected that Johann¡¯s diagnosis was wrong because Luca had not woken up yet. Although Johann exined to him that it was normal for her to not wake up immediately, Luke still refused to ept it. Luke¡¯s expression was cold without a care in the world every time he went to find Johann. However, Johann was not stupid. He knew that Luke came to talk to him frequently because he was worried about Luca. Chapter 1444 The nurse also realized it and asked softly, ¡°Ms. Luca, how do you feel?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Luca said. Her acting skills were decent. As long as she lied a little, she could get rid of any suspicion on her. After all, she fainted on the floor. She did not need to exin much about what had happened. The nurse nodded and pushed her over. Sure enough, as soon as they got close, a policeman said politely, ¡°Hello, Ms. Luca. I¡¯m the police officer in charge of this case. Are you free to make a statement now? If you¡¯re unwell, we can wait until you feel better before we take your statement.¡± Their boss had warned them repeatedly not to offend Luke and the people around him, which was why they were being so polite. ¡°I can make a statement now, but I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s very little I can help with,¡± Luca said. ¡°It¡¯s okay. All you need to do is to tell us what you experienced,¡± the police officer said gratefully seeing that she was willing to cooperate with them. Before they came to take their statements, they were worried that Luca and Luke would not cooperate with them. ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside,¡± Luca said. The nurse pushed her into the ward while Luke and the police followed behind. Luca looked at the two police officers and asked, ¡°Did a murder happen in my apartment? Is that person okay?¡± ¡°When we arrived at the scene, the man had died and could not be rescued. Ms. Luca, tell me what happened,¡± the middle-aged policeman asked while holding a recording pen in his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t know. When I got home from work, I smelled a strong smell of blood. When I realized that something was wrong, a figure suddenly came out with a vase in his hand and it hit me in the head. I lost consciousness. When I woke up, I was already in the hospital,¡± Luca said. ¡°Someone attacked you and you fainted. You¡¯re not aware of anything that happened after?¡± a policeman asked. ¡°Yes, from what I can remember, there was a strong smell of blood. I don¡¯t remember anything else.¡± Luca knew that the more she said, the higher the chance of getting it wrong. Hence, she did not say anything else, lest Luke and the police figured out that something was off. She pretended that she did not know anything. She did not have to exin much. After all, it was her home. It was normal to have her fingerprints and shoe prints at home. Upon hearing her statement, the policeman asked, ¡°You said that a man attacked you. Did you see his face?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see his face.¡± Luca pretended to ponder for a few seconds, frowned, and then said, ¡°All I remember is that he¡¯s about 1.85 meters tall. In terms of his looks¡­ He wore a mask and a hat, so I didn¡¯t see what he looked like.¡± Upon hearing this, the police nodded and looked at each other. It seemed that they could not get any valuable information. There were too many men around 1.85 meters tall. Luke arrived at the scene after the incident, so the information and evidence he could provide were limited as well. Luca asked, ¡°Sir, is my home under lockdown?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯ll take some time for us to release it because your home is the scene of the crime,¡± the policeman replied. Luca was understanding of their work but when she thought of her research materials in the apartment, she said, ¡°I can understand that, but I¡¯m a pharmaceutical researcher who¡¯s involved in a lot of medical research. Some of them are private. I hope you don¡¯t touch my research while you¡¯re looking for evidence. Is that alright?¡± The policemen understood her concerns. Coupled with her rtionship with Luke, they agreed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we only collect useful evidence. As long as the objects are not rted to the case, we¡¯ll not touch them.¡± Luca secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, she kept a sample every time she finished a study. The samples were well preserved and should not be contaminated by the environment at the scene. As such, the police and forensic department would not take her research away. In addition, with her undercover identity, they would not have doubts. After the police took a statement, they told them, ¡°Mr. Crawford, Ms. Luca, if you think of anything, please contact us.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± Luca nced at Luke, who was also looking at her. In an instant, she lowered her head. After the police left, Johann walked in with her brain CT scan report and said with a smile, ¡°Dr. Craw, your examination report hase out. There are no shadows or blood spots on the brain CT. You can be discharged today.¡± ¡°Mm, thank you,¡± Luca gave him a grateful smile. Johann put the report away. He nced at her, then at Luke. He was thinking about whether to assist them in developing their rtionship further. After all, Bianca was a fake and had been dealt with by Luke. The real Bianca might nevere back. If he assisted in their rtionship, maybe the two of them would thank him in the future. He acted as soon as he had the thought. Johann said, ¡°Dr. Craw, you can¡¯t go home after you¡¯re discharged from the hospital. Do you have any other rtives in A City? Should I help you contact them to pick you up?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any rtives here. I¡¯ll just stay in a hotel,¡± Luca said. ¡°Stay in a hotel? The hotel is inconvenient and you can¡¯t cook there. What you need most in your current situation is proper nutrition. Although everything is normal on your brain CT report, your blood test report yesterday showed that you have anemia. You need to pay more attention to your nutrition now that you¡¯re injured,¡± Johann said. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Luca knew that she had anemia, which was a problem that appeared after she gave birth to N. However, it was not a big deal to her. Although she was knocked on the head yesterday, the amount of bleeding was not much¡­ It was not as serious as he made it seem. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it myself,¡± Luca said, still grateful for his reminder. ¡°That¡¯s not good enough. If you don¡¯t have a ce to live, you can live in your boss¡¯ house temporarily.¡± Johann smiled and nced at Luke. Luca was stunned. She never expected Johann to make this suggestion in the name of caring about her. ¡®This idea sucks. However, this is what Abel wants to achieve¡­¡¯ Luca did not want to be manipted by the sinister and vicious man. She said quickly, ¡°It¡¯s not very convenient.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel that way. Mr. Crawford has many houses in this city and some houses are equipped with long-term maids who stay there. You¡¯re now in need of someone to take care of you, so don¡¯t worry about Mr. Crawford. If you get better quickly, you¡¯ll be able to generate more profits for T Corporation,¡± Johann said with a cheeky smile on his face. Chapter 1445 ¡°The hotel covers a wide range of services. It¡¯s humanized. I don¡¯t want to trouble Mr. Crawford.¡± Step by step, Luca felt like she was falling into Abel¡¯s n. What made her want to cry was that Abel and Johann were both contributing to it. Johann¡¯s intentions were kind but they were bad news for her¡­ Johann saw that she was unwilling to budge, and Luke did not speak. Hence, he continued talking, ¡°Where¡¯s the trouble? Right, Mr. Crawford?¡± Luke stared at him coldly and asked, ¡°Can she be discharged?¡± Johann cursed at Luke in his heart for ignoring his goodwill when Luke did not answer his question and asked about something else instead. Johann smiled and said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll issue a receipt and she can leave after settling the bill.¡± After he said that, he turned around and left. At this point, the two sides were unwilling to make a move and he could not do much as a bystander. Luca heard that she had to make a payment. She looked up at Luke and asked, ¡°Mr. Crawford, have you seen my bag?¡± Luke remembered that the ambnce had sent Luca to the hospital without her bag. When she was hospitalized, he asked Jason to retrieve her personal information from thepany¡¯s database for the admission procedures. All of this was against the rules, but with Johann involved, it did not be an issue. He shook his head and said, ¡°I was in a rush when I brought you to the hospital. I didn¡¯t bring your bag.¡± When Luca heard that, she said, ¡°I have no money to pay the bill¡­ My credit card and phone are all in my bag.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sort out the bill,¡± Luke said as he walked out of the ward. Luca wanted to leave the hospital as soon as possible so she had no choice but to get Luke¡¯s help to pay first. After she was discharged from the hospital and felt better, she would transfer the money back to him. Luke walked into Johann¡¯s office. He was preparing Luca¡¯s receipt. When Johann saw Lukeing in, he could not help but say, ¡°I gave you an opening but you didn¡¯t cherish it. A fool can¡¯t be taught.¡± ¡°What were you giving me an opening for?¡± Luke stood there and watched him condescendingly as he prepared the receipt. ¡°I¡­¡± Johann raised his head and saw the man¡¯s indifference. He immediately shut up and thought that it was pointless to say anything more as Luke may have his ns. ¡°Give me ten minutes. She can be discharged after I finish the report,¡± he said. Luke did not rush him. He stood there watching Johann writing the report. Ten minutester, the printer sounded. Johann picked up the printed report and the discharge slip that he had approved. He handed them to Luke and said, ¡°Dr. Craw is not doing too well. It¡¯s risky to have her stay alone.¡± Luke did not say a word. He took the documents and walked away. Johann shrugged his shoulders and muttered, ¡°If you can get a woman like this, I¡¯ll be damned!¡± Luke turned around and red at him. Johann shivered and quickly exined, ¡°I¡¯m just talking nonsense. Mr. short of women around you.¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Luke¡¯s gaze grew colder as he continued to re at Johann. Johann hurriedly stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to do my rounds. I haven¡¯t slept all night. After the rounds, I¡¯ll get off work.¡± Luke did not say anything and left. After he was done with the discharge procedures, Luke walked in with the documents and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, the discharge procedures arepleted.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Luca has changed her clothes with the help of the nurse. She was wearing the same clothes she was wearing when she was admitted. The spot that Abel hit did not have much blood flow, so her clothes were clean. Luke walked behind and helped push the wheelchair for her. Luca felt him approaching and smelled the faint tobo scent on his body. Her heartbeat elerated as she diverted her attention by talking about something else. ¡°Mr. Crawford, can you give me the receipt? I¡¯ll transfer the money to you.¡± ¡°Thepany buys insurance for all employees. I¡¯ll give the receipt to Mr. Doyle and he¡¯ll make a im,¡± Luke said while pushing the wheelchair. He did not n to pass her the receipt. Luca thought to herself that it was too much to involve Jason in a menial task as such. After they arrived at the underground parking, Luke found his car and opened the passenger seat door. Luca was thinking about propping herself up and getting in but Luke stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± She stopped moving immediately and could only stare at the man with a nk expression. Luke bent over, princess-carried her, and said, ¡°You know your situation.¡± Luca leaned in his arms and did not struggle hard because she knew that she would feel ufortable if she insisted on keeping her distance after being carried by him. Luke picked her up and kicked the wheelchair to the side, then ced Luca in the car. She sat there, and when she saw that Luke was about to buckle her seat belt, she quickly said, ¡°I can do it myself.¡± Luke drove a sports car that had limited space. He had leaned half of his body in. They were too close to each other. After he heard what she said, Luke nced at her and let her do it on her own. He got out of the car and closed the passenger¡¯s door. He then walked around the front of the car to the driver¡¯s seat, opened the door, and got in. After he put on the seat belt, Luca said softly, ¡°Mr. Crawford, you can just send me to the hotel near my apartment.¡± Luke did not say anything and started the car. Seeing that he did not answer, Luca thought he had agreed. After they were some distance away, she realized that Luke was not driving toward the apartment but in the opposite direction. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. ¡°Mr. Crawford?¡± Before she could continue, Luke knew what she was going to say and asked directly, ¡°Do you have your ID card?¡± ¡°¡­¡± She did not¡­ ¡°How can you check into a hotel without your ID?¡± Luke continued to ask. Luca thought about his words. It seemed like he wanted to arrange a ce for her. After all, her documents were all in the apartment. Her apartment was under lockdown, so she could not go in even if she was the owner¡­ Without an ID card, nothing could be done. Luca suddenly thought of something and asked, ¡°I don¡¯t have an ID card, so how did I get hospitalized?¡± ¡°Johann got you in through the back door and we went through the admission procedures with the company¡¯s copy of your documents,¡± Luke exined. Luca understood the situation. She could go through the back door because Luke had a contact in the hospital. With Johann as a guarantee and her passport number, she went through the admission procedures with ease. However, in the hotel, there was no back door for her to walk through. Luca was a little desperate as she did not have any friends in A City. All she could think of was Nina and Sue. However, she could not bother either of them. One had a child and was overwhelmed with work, while the other was dating Percy Mallory. She did not want to be a third wheel. Chapter 1446 Luca wondered if she could go to a smaller hotel and check in with Luke¡¯s ID. After all, the management of small hotels was not as strict. She could get a room even if she did not have her ID card. Luca lowered her head and wanted to find a small hotel nearby but suddenly felt dizzy. Her concussion symptoms were notpletely gone. Luke noticed her actions and said in a breezy tone, ¡°Stop moving around.¡± The feeling of dizziness made her ufortable, so Luca did not dare to move. She obediently leaned on the passenger¡¯s seat and looked ahead. She was afraid that she might faint in the car so she did not even dare to look out of the car window. Luke drove the car to amunity near T Corporation. Luca knew that thismunity was developed by T Corporation and Luke had an apartment there. She had no choice but to go along with Luke¡¯s arrangement. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. The car entered the apartment building and Luke drove to the parking lot downstairs. After he parked the car, he took out the wheelchair from the trunk. Luca got into the wheelchair with his help. Despite the unwillingness in her heart, she was brought upstairs by Luke. She saw him press the code on the lock and the door to the apartment was opened. Luca lowered her gaze and asked softly, ¡°Mr. Crawford, is this too troublesome for you?¡± ¡°No trouble at all.¡± Luke walked in with the wheelchair and nced at the living room. The long-term maid who was responsible for cleaning the ce was not there. He said, ¡°There¡¯s a long-term maid here. She must have gone out to buy groceries. You can stay here for a few days and have her take care of you.¡± A maid was tasked to take care of her, not him¡­ Luca was d. She could not imagine if he was to take care of her¡­ When she had this idea, sheughed at herself. ¡®He already has someone he¡¯s romantically interested in. Why would he take care of me?¡¯ ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± Luca said. With Luke pressuring them, the police should wrap things up very quickly and her would be released soon. She only needed to stay at his ce for two days. Luke nced at the master bedroom. It was a bachelor¡¯s apartment that had one master bedroom and a maid¡¯s room. The maid room was upied by the maid, so only the master bedroom was avable. If he workedte and did not have an extra set of clothes in the office, he woulde to stay for one night and change into a set of clean clothes. He did not visit often but the master bedroom had all of his belongings. Luke was a territorial man. At that moment, he thought about how Luca would upy his ce and rest on his bed. The space would be full of her but he did not feel disgusted at all. He pushed Luca to the center of the living room, touched his chin, and said, ¡°You can stay in the master bedroom. List down the personal items you need. The maid will get them for you when she comes back.¡± There were no women¡¯s items in his apartment. Luca would have to buy everything she needed for her stay. ¡°Okay.¡± Luca agreed but remembered that she had no money on her. Her wallet was still in the apartment. ¡®Where can I find the money to buy daily necessities? I don¡¯t even have enough for a set of clothes¡­¡¯ When Luca was thinking about that, the living room door opened and the maid walked in with some grocery bags. She was stunned when she saw Luke and Luca. ¡°Sir, you¡¯re here.¡± The maid greeted him immediately after she snapped out of it. Luke rarely showed up during the day. He was usually here early in the morning. This time, he even arrived with a woman. The maid could not help but have suspicions. Luke nodded and introduced Luca, ¡°This is Ms. Luca. She¡¯ll be staying here for a couple of days. Do take care of her.¡± The maid looked at the woman in the wheelchair and thought that she was beautiful. However, she was not sure why Luca was sitting in a wheelchair and obeyed the orders given by the boss. She nodded and said, ¡°Okay, Boss. Hello, Ms. Luca.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± Luca nodded as a greeting. Luke¡¯s phone rang, he nced at it, picked it up in front of her, and said, ¡°Wait for me in the office.¡± His tone was not warm but Luca thought of Tia. Tia¡¯s car was in the underground parking lot the day prior. She went to visit Luke. ¡®Is this call also from Tia?¡¯ Luca felt stuffy as if there was no window open in the room. She was sad but she could not express any sadness or possessiveness toward Luke. Emotions that could not be expressed could only be suppressed. The suppression made her feel extremely ufortable. Luca lowered her gaze, trying to keep calm. After Luke put his phone away. He nced at the maid, took out a credit card from his wallet, and handed it to her. ¡°She doesn¡¯t have any daily necessities. Go to the mallter to pick up some things for her, including clothing.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± The maid took the card quickly. Luke looked at Luca, whose head was lowered. All he could see from this angle was the top of her head. He was not sure why but he felt her grievance. ¡®Is it because she can¡¯t go home?¡¯ Luke¡¯s tone was slightly lighter as he said, ¡°If you have preferred brands, just tell the maid.¡± ¡°Mm, thank you, Mr. Crawford.¡± Luca¡¯s tone was exceptionally cold and polite. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Luke listened and felt a sense of sullenness in his chest. His warmth was not returned in kindness but he did not pay attention to it. He said, ¡°I¡¯ll go back to the office now. If there¡¯s anything you need, call me.¡± ¡°Okay, Mr. Crawford.¡± Luca¡¯s choice of words made it clear that she did not want to get close to him. The maid felt weird about their conversation but knew that it was not her ce to ask what was going on. After all, her boss¡¯ privacy was not something that she, as a maid, could probe. After Luke left, the maid closed the door and took out a small notepad. She respectfully asked, ¡°Ms. Luca, what daily necessities do you need?¡± After Luca listed them down, she shared her measurements and asked the maid to buy a few sets of clothes. The maid sighed after noting it down. ¡°Ms. Luca, your figure is admirable.¡± Luca smiled. Women like to be praised and she was no exception. However, her sadness was so overwhelming that her emotions still appeared rtively calm on the surface. The maid realized that she had said too much. She cleared her throat and asked, ¡°Ms. Luca, what are your requirements in terms of clothes selection?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no requirement as long as the fabric isfortable. It doesn¡¯t need to be too expensive. Remember to ask for a receipt so that I can keep track of how much I owe Mr. Crawford,¡± Luca said. She would not spend extravagantly using Luke¡¯s card. The maid was stunned. ¡®Keeping track of the expenses? Does this mean that she would return every single cent of Luke¡¯s money spent?¡¯ It was the first time the maid saw a woman keeping track while spending a man¡¯s money. Initially, she thought they might be in an improper rtionship. However, she soon thought otherwise. Chapter 1447 Luke was never short of money but Luca was being so serious about keeping track of everything he spent on her. The maid knew that the rtionship they had was anything but romantic. She agreed to Luca¡¯s request. ¡°Okay, Ms. Luca. Is there anything else you want me to buy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it, thank you,¡± Luca replied politely without any tone of ordering the maid around. The maid feltfortable to be treated as such. There were many things to buy and she thought of helping Luca settle in, so she asked, ¡°Ms. Luca, do you want to go to the mall together?¡± ¡°No, I want to rest.¡± Luca turned her down. The maid said, ¡°Okay, is there anything I can help with now? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s very convenient for you to move around¡­¡± She saw that Luca had no other wounds except for the gauze on her forehead, so she thought that Luca was paralyzed¡­ ¡°It¡¯s okay, I have a concussion and can¡¯t move around too much. I¡¯ll just sit in the wheelchair,¡± Luca said. Upon hearing it was a concussion, the maid nodded and said, ¡°I understand now. It¡¯s best if you can get some rest. Give me a second, I¡¯ll go in and change a set of bedsheets for you. You can rest in the room after.¡± It was better to lie down than to sit down. Luca did not turn her down and replied with a soft hum. The maid walked into the master bedroom, changed the bedsheet, then pushed Luca into the bedroom before helping her get on the bed. After helping her to adjust the temperature of the air conditioner and tucking her in, the maid said, ¡°Ms. Luca, I¡¯ll go shopping now.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± Luca thanked her. The maid walked out of the bedroom, took the list, and left the apartment. Lucay quietly on the bed. The newly changed sheets and bedding had a faint lemon fragrance. The scent was mainly from the cleaning liquid. She used to like to use this cleaning liquid. She did not expect that three yearster, Luke was still using this cleaning fluid. Luca¡¯s heart began to feel ufortable when she thought about how her previous life habits were still influencing him. ¡®In the future, if it¡¯s Tia by his side, I¡¯m sure his life habits will change, right?¡¯ Tia waspletely different from her previous self. It was said that one could understand a person through their car. Luca understood more about Tia She was a woman who pursued a high-quality lifestyle. She deserved to be the woman standing next to Luke. She was not worthy before, and now that her hands were covered with blood, she was even more unworthy. Luca gave a sad smile and closed her eyes. ¡­ After Luke returned to the office, Jason informed him that Gale was waiting in the reception room. After he put the files in his office, he walked directly to the reception room. Gale saw him, stood up, and greeted him, ¡°Boss.¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°Sit.¡± Luke waved his hand and sat down on the sofa. Gale also sat down. Luke took out a cigarette but did not smoke it. He had it between his index finger and middle finger. He looked at Gale and asked, ¡°Do you want a cigarette?¡± ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve quit smoking.¡± Gale shook his head. Luke raised his eyebrows and did not say anything. He asked directly, ¡°Were there any findings from your investigation yesterday?¡± The night before, he asked Gale to sneak into Luca¡¯s apartment. They were acting without the police knowing, so many people did not know about it. ¡°Yes,¡± Gale nodded. Luke did not answer, indicating Gale to continue reporting. Gale said, ¡°I sneaked into the apartment with Rainst night and found something suspicious. You said that Dr. Craw was found at the entrance of the apartment but she seemed to have bought groceries and they were all ced on the table. I went to the police station today. Using your name, I took a look at the photos of the scene taken by the police and found that Dr. Craw¡¯s briefcase was on the sofa.¡± Luke frowned slowly as he listened on. ¡®She fainted at the entrance, so how could the groceries she bought end up on the table while her briefcase was on the sofa?¡¯ This was indeed suspicious, but Luke thought that it made sense if Luca had put aside things and went to the hallway to change her shoes. ¡°This can be exined,¡± he said. Gale nodded as he had already thought of the possibilities. There could be a possible exnation for this, but he continued talking, ¡°Boss, it can be exined but it doesn¡¯t conform tomon sense. There¡¯s a cab at the entrance of Dr. Craw¡¯s apartment. I believe that she would usually put her things in the cab and then change her shoes before going into the house. Shouldn¡¯t she put the things away after changing her shoes?¡± The normal order was to change one¡¯s shoes and then walk into the house. Luke listened to his words, and he understood the logic behind them. After he analyzed the scene, Luca¡¯s behavior was indeed a little weird. Gale opened his mouth slightly but was not sure if he could continue talking. Luke noticed it and said, ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°Boss, Dr. Craw is staying with you now, right?¡± He was fast in getting news. He knew that Luca had been discharged from the hospital and Luke helped with the discharge procedures. ¡®A person who has no other ce to stay and no ID card must not be able to check into a hotel. The only thing that I can think of is that Luke took her in.¡¯ ¡°Yeah,¡± Luke nodded. Gale boldly said, ¡°There¡¯s no way to exin what happened to Dr. Craw. I¡¯ve gone through the statement that Dr. Craw made. She said that she was knocked out when she entered the house. The assant would not be so kind as to bring her groceries in and put them where they should be. My guess is that Dr. Craw¡¯s attack was nned. In other words, she¡¯s probably from the Ind of Despair. Even if she¡¯s not from the Ind of Despair, she has ulterior motives. As for this ulterior motive, I think it¡¯s aimed toward you¡­¡± Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. A murder happened in Luca¡¯s apartment. Coupled with her injuries, she could get closer to Luke faster. Gale¡¯s analysis was based on his understanding of the Ind of Despair. Sometimes, they could harm the interests of many people and even their lives to achieve their goals. Now, Luca was in close contact with Luke. Luke had thought about whatever Gale mentioned. Luca seemed reluctant, and all of this seemed to be against her will. The murder in the apartment may have been nned by Luca and the people behind her. Luke¡¯s gaze deepened when he thought about how she might be a cold-blooded woman who would do anything to get close to him. ¡°Have the police noticed this?¡± Luke asked. ¡°They haven¡¯t noticed it yet. The police only took Dr. Craw¡¯s briefcase. Maybe they were thinking of taking the fingerprints on it to see if they could find anything, but they didn¡¯t take the bag of groceries,¡± Gale said. After all, there may be valuable things in the briefcase and the police would naturally pay more attention to it. The grocery bag was full of food, so the police naturally felt that there was no value in investigating it. That was why Gale felt like something was wrong, and there was a receipt in the bag of groceries. Chapter 1448 That was an important discovery. The shopping bags on the table were solid proof that Luca¡¯s statement did not reflect the reality of the situation. Gale was concerned about Luke¡¯s safety. He asked, ¡°Should I continue to investigate this, Boss?¡± They had been investigating Luca for a long time. However, they had shifted their focus onto Tia recently, and they had not been paying much attention to Luca. Now that something so serious had happened, Gale considered shifting his focus back to Luca because he could not shake off his suspicion toward Luca. ¡°Yes. Split up with Rain. Let her continue to investigate Tia,¡± Luke said. After this incident, Luke could sense that Luca was nning something. More importantly, it was a n to get closer to him. Gale nodded and said, ¡°We don¡¯t know Luca¡¯s n yet, Boss. Why don¡¯t you stay away from her for now?¡± He made the suggestion because he was worried about Luke¡¯s safety. However, Luke said, ¡°No. I¡¯ll have to y into her n.¡± ¡°But if the Ind of Despair is behind her¡­¡± Gale hesitated. He disagreed with what Luke said. ¡°I¡¯m only doing this because the Ind of Despair might be behind her. I can only know what she wants to do by getting close to her,¡± Luke said insistently, seemingly not perturbed that he would be putting himself in mortal danger. That was the only way that could lead him to Bianca. That was why he had to be close to Tia and Luca. It may seem as though he was walking into their trap, but actually, he was leading them into his trap. Gale could tell that nothing could convince Luke otherwise. He could only nod and say, ¡°Take care of yourself, Boss.¡± ¡°Things have been unpredictable recently. Get more people to protect Lanie and the other children,¡± Luke said. If Luca were really from the Ind of Despair, and she had gotten someone to kill an innocent person to get close to him, she was truly a cold-blooded person. What secrets did Luca hide from him? ¡°Yes,¡± Gale nodded and said. ¡°If the Ind of Despair might be behind her, then we shouldn¡¯t let Tommy be so close to her.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯ll be too obvious. I¡¯ll try to keep a close eye on her, and I¡¯ll protect Tommy,¡± Luke said. The child was very fond of Luca, and he would definitely throw a tantrum if Luke told him that he could not meet Luca anymore. Worse yet, Luca might suspect something. Gale thought of saying something but decided not to. What he wanted to say was, ¡°I know that you¡¯re a good fighter, Boss, but Tommy is only a child. my fair share of missions under you and the Ind of Despair, and children are the hardest to protect.¡± Children are weak yet unpredictable. It was very easy for bad guys to harm them, no matter how skilled their guardians might be. Undoubtedly, Luke was ying with fire with such an arrangement. One could even say that he was burning himself. ¡°Alright then.¡± Gale disagreed with Luke¡¯s decision, but he could only follow orders. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, but you¡¯ll just have to do what I say,¡± Luke said. He knew that Gale was loyal to him, but sometimes, he had to put himself in danger to achieve what he wanted. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll leave the nning up to you,¡± Gale nodded and said. ¡°Don¡¯t alert the police. They¡¯re not going to find anything. Give me the details of the security guard though. I¡¯ll n something,¡± Luke said. Luca did not seem like a bad person, but the people from the Ind of Despair were very good with disguises. He wanted to see how cold-blooded Luca could be. ¡°Yes,¡± Gale replied. It was easy to hack into the police station database to find personal information about the security guard. Half a minuteter, Luke received an email from Gale containing the information he wanted. He replied to Gale with a voice message, ¡°Investigate her, but don¡¯t alert her.¡± He believed that they could not find any dirt on Luca because she was alerted of their presence. Luca¡¯s background was clean, and it seemed as though she had nothing to hide. However, that only made her more suspicious. It was as though she had been able to perfectly cover her tracks, and every step of her plot was carefully nned. Luke could not help but think that she was hiding something. Luke turned around and left the lounge. Jason was waiting outside. When he saw Luke, he reminded him, ¡°You have a meeting in ten minutes, Mr. Crawford.¡± ¡°Mm. I¡¯ll go and make preparations,¡± Luke nodded and said. He was not going to change his schedule. Back at his office, he browsed through the security guard¡¯s personal information, then forwarded it to Jason. After that, Jason would contact a journalist to publish a detailed article about the security guard on the Inte so that everyone could read it. Jason contacted a journalist he could trust and told him Luke¡¯s request. Even though the news of the murder had been publicized some time ago, the police did not release any information about the victim, and the journalists were desperate for any information. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. The journalist was very grateful that Jason provided him with first-hand information, and he promised Jason that he would get it done before noon. ¡­ At noon, the maid helped Luca sit in front of the dining table. Luke¡¯s apartment was borately furnished. As Luca sat on the chair, the fragrance of the food made her hungry. ¡°Ms. Craw, you have a wound on your forehead, and I made you some light-tasting food so that it won¡¯t leave a scar. I made a garden sd and some sandwiches. I can make you something else if this doesn¡¯t suit your tastes,¡± the maid said. Luca picked up a sandwich and took a bite. ¡°I¡¯m not picky. Anyway, your food is delicious.¡± The maid was relieved to hear that. After lunch, Luca did not return to the bedroom. Instead, she sat on the couch in the living room. She felt a lot better after resting for the entire morning. As long as she did not move too abruptly, she would not feel dizzy. The maid handed her a ss of warm water. Luca took it and swallowed her medicine. ¡°Dr. Craw, do you want to watch some TV?¡± The maid asked. Luca nodded. She was feeling quite bored sitting on the couch, so it was a good idea to watch some television. The maid turned on the television and handed her the remote control. Luca switched to the news channel. The news anchor was reporting about the murder incident at her apartment. The maid gasped in shock when she listened to the news. ¡°It looks like no one is safe now,¡± she said.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Chapter 1449 Luca smirked as a response to the maid. After the news report ended, the maid said, ¡°What has the worlde to? I don¡¯t think the security guard expected to lose his life while doing his job. I think the owner of the apartment is unlucky too. Now, no one would want to stay there.¡± Luca felt uneasy as she listened to the maid¡¯s words. It was not because she was currently living in that apartment, but because she felt guilty about what happened to the security guard. She was not the one who killed the security guard, but he died because of her. Luca tried to stand up from the couch. The maid immediately went over to support her. ¡°Ms. Craw, do you want to return to your room?¡± ¡°Mm. I¡¯m feeling a little tired. I want to take a rest,¡± Luca said. The maid brought her back to the bedroom. As Lucay on the bed, the news report earlier reyed in her head. The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. She picked up her phone and searched for any news regarding the murder. As expected, she found an article on a news website. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Luca felt even more uneasy as she read the article. The news report on television had withheld some information about the security guard, but the article bared it all. The security guard¡¯s wife was a paraplegic, and they had two children, the elder of which was still in high school. Also, three of their parents were living together with them¡­ Luca felt a twinge in her nose. Life must have been difficult for them. The murder would only make their life even more difficult. By the end of the article, her tears were already silently flowing. She thought that her ordeal on the Ind of Despair would make her cold-hearted, and such tragedies would not faze her anymore. It seemed that was not the case. She still felt guilty about the security guard¡¯s death, and she was thinking of how to help the victim¡¯s family. She heard the doorbell ring and guessed that it was Luke. After all, no one else knew that she was there. She quickly put her phone away and turned around so that her back faced the door. Luke walked into the apartment and looked around but did not see Luca. ¡°Where¡¯s Ms. Craw?¡± He asked. The apartment was not far away from the T Corporation building, so he took the opportunity to check up on her during his lunch break. ¡°Ms. Craw is resting in the bedroom,¡± the maid answered politely. ¡°Has she taken her lunch and her medicine?¡± Luke asked. ¡°Yes, she has. After taking her lunch and medicine, she sat on the couch for a while before moving to the bedroom,¡± the maid answered in detail, fearing that Luke would me her for not being a meticulous caretaker. ¡°Did she say that she was feeling unwell?¡± He asked. The maid shook her head and said, ¡°No, she said that she was tired. She hasn¡¯tined about feeling unwell since the morning.¡± Luke nodded and walked toward the bedroom. ¡°Sir, Ms. Craw might be asleep by now,¡± the maid carefully reminded him. ¡°I won¡¯t wake her up,¡± Luke said and pushed open the bedroom door. He saw that Luca was sleeping with her back facing him. He walked inside. The maid rubbed her nose when she saw that, thinking she should not be ying the third wheel between them. She could sense that there was something between Luke and Luca, but she thought she could be mistaken. Now that Luke was here, the maid could once again sense that there was something between them. The maid knew that Luke was married, but wealthy and influential people rarely yed by the rules. She had learned that in her years of being a maid. Thinking that her presence in the living room would affect them, the maid retired to her bedroom and pretended that she did not see anything. Luke stood at the entrance of the master bedroom and looked at her. Even though Luca¡¯s eyes were closed and she was facing the other way, she could tell from the sounds that Luke was standing at the door. He did not move forward or backward. ¡®He must be thinking of something¡­ ¡®Luke is so smart. Could he have guessed something?¡¯ Luca thought. She imagined that Luke would have his suspicions, but he had no way of verifying them. After all, Abel¡¯s n was supposed to be perfect¡­ While Luca tried to think what Luke was thinking, she tried her best to control her breathing so she sounded as though she were really asleep. She hoped that Luke could figure out what was going on and be on alert against the Ind of Despair, but at the same time, she hoped that he would not find out anything. If Abel¡¯s n seeded, he would not give up so easily. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. He had said that he would let Luke experience the pain and agony he felt, so he might tell Luke that Luca was the real Bianca. That way, Luke would regret what he did. However, if Luke knew that Luca was the real Bianca, she would not want him to know that she had blood on her hands. She would rather have Luke think that she was Luca and not Bianca. She did not even mind if Luke knew that she had blood on her hands. She did not want to ruin his fantasy. However, she was only one of Abel¡¯s pawns, and Abel would not let Luke get away with it. Luke stood there and looked at Luca¡¯s back for five minutes. Now that the news had been publicized, Luca must have seen the news report. If she had indeed nned the murder, what would she be feeling now, and what would she do next? Luke was curious to find out if Luca had any conscience. If she were really from the Ind of Despair, where would her tattoo be? He had sent Luca to the hospital in a rush, so he did not manage to check her body. He asked the nurse who helped Luca change her clothes, but the nurse said that she did not remember seeing a tattoo. She did not remember, but she was not sure¡­ Moreover, Luca might have hidden the tattoo with concealer, just like what the impostor Bianca did¡­ The only way to confirm whether Luca was from the Ind of Despair was to do it himself. Lunch hour was almost up. Luke left the room and gently closed the door. Luca breathed a sigh of relief as she heard the door close and Luke¡¯s footsteps move away from her. She flipped over to her back and blinked. The movement made her feel dizzy. She had been lying on her side for too long. Luca nced at the door. Luke left the door slightly ajar so that the maid could hear her. Even though he was suspecting her, he still cared for her. Chapter 1450 Luca sighed, picked up her phone, and unlocked it. She felt a tightness in her chest when she saw that news article again. When Luca woke up the next day, she gently wagged her head and found that she did not feel dizzy anymore. Even though Abel had knocked her out, he did not leave her with an internal injury, and she was able to recover quickly. She faced the mirror and began to remove the bandages around her head. The bandages were quite a bother, so she only put a band-aid over the wound. ¡°You¡¯re awake, Ms. Craw!¡± The maid was about to call Luca for breakfast, but when she went into the bedroom, she found that Luca was already awake. Luca nodded as she ced the band-aid on the cotton gauze. ¡°Are you dressing your wound? Do you need any help?¡± The maid asked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already changed it,¡± Luca carefully ensured that the band-aid was stuck firmly to her forehead. She looked at her face in the mirror and realized that herplexion was terrible. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± The maid was relieved to find that Luca did not me her. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Luca said. After a full day of rest, she thought that she could even go to work. ¡°That¡¯s good to know. Breakfast is served. Would you like to eat something?¡± The maid asked with a smile. Luca nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be out soon.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± the maid replied and left the bedroom. Luca picked up her phone. Abel had not contacted her since the incident, and she did not report anything to Abel. Even though she knew that Abel¡¯s minions were keeping a close eye on her, she felt that she should tell him something. Luca told Abel about her current situation, including that Luke was already suspecting that she was rted to the Ind of Despair and would soon discover his ns. Two minutester, she received a message from Abel containing only one word: [Continue.] Abel wanted Luca to continue carrying out his n. She should try to stay by Luke¡¯s side. Luca blinked. The reply was within her expectations, but she wanted to offer some resistance. Her phone vibrated again as another message from Abel came in: [If you don¡¯t want more people to get hurt because of you, then you should y your role. I want you to be Luke¡¯s woman as soon as possible.] Luca read the message twice. ¡®To be Luke¡¯s woman¡­¡¯ She could not fight back and had to listen to what Abel said. By making Luke fall in love with her, she would be setting him up for her inevitable betrayal¡­ Luca could tell what Abel would do next. She did not want to obey, but she had no choice. She could only take it one step at a time. ¡°Breakfast is served, Ms. Craw.¡± Luca heard the voice from outside the bedroom. Luca came to her senses. ¡°Coming,¡± she replied while she deleted the message. Luke was already suspecting her. She had to be extra careful. Luca put the phone in her pocket and walked out of the bedroom. After breakfast, she said to the maid, ¡°I¡¯d like to go out for a bit today.¡± The maid replied, ¡°Where do you want to go? I¡¯lle along with you.¡± Luca felt like she was a pet, and the maid was one of Luke¡¯s tools to keep her in captivity. ¡°I want to go to the police station. I¡¯ll be fine by myself,¡± she said. The maid looked troubled. ¡°Ms. Craw, Sir said that I have to escort you at all times if you want to leave the house. He¡¯s worried that no one will take care of you if something happens to you while you¡¯re out.¡± Luca realized that the maid was only doing her job, and she did not want to make her life difficult, so she let the maid apany her. The maid smiled and cleaned up the dining table. ¡°Just wait for a moment. I¡¯ll order a cab for us.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°There¡¯s no rush.¡± Luca stood up, went to the balcony, and looked at the sky. She thought that once she was back in A City, she would be free from the prison that was the Ind of Despair. She did not expect that A City was just another prison. She was under constant surveince, both by Abel¡¯s minions and Luke¡¯s subordinates. She was trapped in the middle, tortured by love and pain. After the maid finished cleaning up, she ordered a cab using her phone. When they got into the cab, the driver asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°The police station,¡± Luca said. The maid was quite surprised to hear that. ¡°Why are you going to the police station, Ms. Craw?¡± ¡°My identification documents are still there. I want to retrieve them,¡± she said. After thinking for some time, she concluded that her identification documents should be with the police and not in her apartment. If she retrieved her identification documents, she would be able to leave Luke¡¯s apartment, and he would not have any excuse to keep her there. As long as she got her identification documents back, what she would do next would be contrary to Abel¡¯s wishes. She also had to find an excuse to deceive Abel. Her brain was muddled at the moment, and she could not think of any excuse. Luca sighed as she looked at the scenery outside the window. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. The maid heard that, so she asked her out of concern, ¡°Are you alright, Ms. Craw? Are you feeling unwell?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Luca shook her head and said. Her head did not feel dizzy anymore. The maid could see that Luca was not lying, and she felt relieved. At the police station, Luca registered her name and waited for a while before a police officer came over and asked her, ¡°Good morning, are you Ms. Luca Craw?¡± ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Luca said and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve viewed your request. You want to retrieve your identification documents collected from the crime scene, right? I went to the forensics department, and they¡¯re still analyzing the objects. We can¡¯t return the items to you yet,¡± the police officer said. Luca could understand that the police officer had a standard operating procedure to follow, and it would be hard to retrieve her items after only one day. She said, ¡°My briefcase should be here too, right? I only want to get my ID back. Can you at least return that to me? It¡¯s not very convenient for me without my ID.¡± ¡°Your ID? Please wait for a moment. I¡¯ll go and ask if that¡¯s possible,¡± the police officer nodded and said. ¡°Thank you.¡± Luca watched the police officer and took a sip of hot tea from her sk. The maid was taken aback when she heard that. She picked up her phone and sent Luke a message. After sending the message, she asked, ¡°Why are you in such a hurry, Dr. Craw? The police will contact you when they¡¯re done with the investigation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more convenient with my ID,¡± Luca said. ¡°What¡¯s so convenient?¡± The maid asked. ¡°It¡¯s not very convenient for me to stay at Mr. Crawford¡¯s house. After I get my ID, I can check into a hotel,¡± Luca told the maid, knowing that the maid had just sent Luke a message. Chapter 1451 ¡°Why do you want to stay in a hotel? Isn¡¯t it better to stay in the apartment? Mr. Crawford has specially made arrangements for you. I can also take care of you while you¡¯re recuperating,¡± the maid said after hearing that Luca wanted to move to a hotel. Luke had told the maid to prepare Luca¡¯s daily supplements with the ingredients in the kitchen cab. Luca smiled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s very appropriate. I¡¯m feeling a lot better now, and I don¡¯t need anyone to take care of me.¡± The maid smiled and said nothing. If Luca stayed there, the maid would be slightly busier. If she did not, Luke would not me the maid either. After all, Luke did not have time to care for petty matters. A whileter, the police officer came back and said, ¡°Pardon me. Your briefcase has been sent to the forensics department, and the investigation is still ongoing, so I can¡¯t return the documents to you yet. We¡¯ll call you in two days so that you can pick up the documents.¡± Luca felt a little troubled upon hearing that. If she could not retrieve her identification documents, it meant that she could not move to a hotel yet. ¡°Can¡¯t you do me a favor? I really need the documents,¡± Luca said. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Miss. I have to follow the rules,¡± the police officer said. Luca was not going to throw a tantrum there, so she left with the maid. After the police officer watched her leave, he went to the superintendent¡¯s office, knocked on the door, and went inside. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve already detained her identification documents, just as you ordered.¡± Actually, the forensics department had alreadypleted the investigation on Luca¡¯s briefcase the day before. They had to prioritize valuable items first, though they did not find anything valuable in Luca¡¯s briefcase. After the investigation, they returned the briefcase to the police station so that its owner coulde and retrieve it. However, the superintendent had received orders from Luke to detain the briefcase. ¡°Mm, very well. Don¡¯t tell anyone about this. You may leave. Also, close the door behind you.¡± The superintendent was satisfied with what the police officer did. ¡°Yes.¡± The police officer nodded and left, closing the door behind him. After the police officer left, the superintendent gave Luke a call and told him everything that had happened. Luke knew that Luca would go to the police station to retrieve her identification documents, so he had called the superintendent earlier. He guessed that Luca wanted the identification documents to check into a hotel. She was supposed to get closer to him, but it was curious that she was trying to distance herself from him. Without her identification documents, Luca could not check into a hotel and had to stay in Luke¡¯s apartment. Back at the apartment, Luca thought of taking a bath. She opened the closet and was stunned. The maid had bought several sets of clothing for her and had ced them in the closet. When Luca opened the closet, she saw that it was filled with Luke¡¯s clothes. Luke rarely stayed in the apartment, so the closet was quite small. There were quite a number of suits inside, and there was not much space for anything else. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Luca could see that the maid had stacked up Luke¡¯s clothes to make space for her clothes. Luke¡¯s and Luca¡¯s clothes were ced together, as though they were living together. Three years ago, it was the same situation in their closet at Crawford Manow. Half of the closet was filled with Luke¡¯s clothes, and the other half was her clothes. That was the proof that they lived together. ¡°Ms. Craw, I¡¯ve prepared your bathwater,¡± the maid said as she stepped out of the bathroom. Luca came to her senses. She hurriedly took out a set of clothes from the closet and closed the door, as though she was afraid that someone might notice her. The maid noticed Luca¡¯s odd behavior and wondered if there was something scary in the closet. Why did Luca seem so flustered and distracted? In the evening, Luca noticed that the maidid three sets of cutlery on the dining table. ¡°Do we have a guest today? Why is there another set of cutlery?¡± She asked. ¡°Yes, Sir has requested it,¡± the maid said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll have to go hometer tonight, and I¡¯ll only be back tomorrow morning. There¡¯s enough food in the fridge. If you don¡¯t want to cook, I can prepare tomorrow¡¯s breakfast for you, so you only have to heat it in the microwave.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can do it myself.¡± Luca did not think that she was so pampered. Now that she was feeling better, she did not want to trouble the maid if she could do it herself. ¡°Alright, Dr. Craw,¡± the maid replied and went into the kitchen. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Luca looked at the three sets of cutlery and knew what was going on. Half an hourter, Luke came into the apartment while holding Tommy¡¯s hand. Tommy saw Luca sitting on the couch, so he scampered over and hugged her arm. ¡°I miss you so much, Ms. Luca!¡± Luca smiled when she saw the child¡¯s face. ¡°I miss you too. Why did youe here?¡± ¡°I asked Daddy to bring me here because I miss you,¡± Tommy said and turned around to look at his father. Then, he turned back to face Luca andined to her, ¡°I wanted to go to the hospital to apany you, but Daddy didn¡¯t let me and asked Uncle Sean to send me home. He didn¡¯t let me visit you yesterday either!¡± Luca smiled and stroked his head. Tommy remained concerned about Luca¡¯s condition. He asked her, ¡°Ms. Luca, Daddy said that you¡¯re already feeling better. Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m feeling a lot better now,¡± Luca said while stroking his head. Luke was staring at her, which made her feel uneasy, but the child managed to calm her down. Every cell in her body was on alert, as though the man might discern something if she let her guard down. Tommy nodded and continued saying, ¡°I¡¯m d that you¡¯re better now. Your apartment is so dangerous, Ms. Luca. Daddy said it¡¯s not safe there. Why don¡¯t you stay here from now on? It¡¯s near to your workce and my school. Also, Daddy¡¯spany developed this neighborhood, so it¡¯s perfectly safe. What do you think?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ an ident. No one wants it to happen,¡± Luca said, though she could not help but wonder if Luke had taught him to say that. Chapter 1452 Tommy shook his head and said insistently, ¡°You should stay here, Ms. Luca. Daddy said that you can stay here for as long as you want. It¡¯s okay.¡± Luke owned many properties, and many people could stay there for as long as they wanted, but she did not want to stay there. Luca could only try to appease the child for now. ¡°By the way, you must be hungry, right? Let¡¯s have dinner.¡± Tommy¡¯s eyes sparkled when Luca mentioned food, and he forgot that he was halfway convincing Luca. He rubbed his stomach and said, ¡°Yes, Ms. Luca, I¡¯m hungry. What¡¯s for dinner tonight?¡± Luke stood some distance away and watched the exchange between Luca and Tommy. He was a little disappointed that Tommy had forgotten about the important matter. It seemed that Luca knew exactly what Tommy liked. The boy would forget about everything else once someone mentioned food. However, Luke did not reprimand the boy. After all, he was still only a child. Luca was secretly d that she managed to shift the conversation topic. She was Tommy¡¯s birth mother, so it was natural that she knew what Tommy liked. Even though she was gone for three years, she realized that she still understood the child quite well. Luca took Tommy¡¯s hand, stood up, and led him to the dining table. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The maid cooked dinner tonight, but I¡¯m sure that it¡¯ll be delicious.¡± Tommy was slightly disappointed that Luca did not cook dinner tonight, though he understood that it was because she was injured. He smiled, nodded, and said, ¡°I¡¯m sure that Mdm. Gardner¡¯s cooking is very delicious too!¡± The maid came out of the kitchen with a tray of food. She smiled when she heard Tommy¡¯s praises. ¡°Have a taste, Master Tommy.¡± Usually, only Luke would stay in that apartment, and he would not eat his meals there. It was the first time the maid cooked for Luke and his family. ¡°If Ms. Luca says that it¡¯s delicious, I¡¯m sure that it¡¯s delicious!¡± Tommy said. ¡°Ms. Luca, Master Tommy is very fond of you,¡± the maid said. Luca smiled and pulled a chair. ¡°Let¡¯s sit down.¡± Tommy sat on the chair and waited for the food to be served. Luca sat next to him. Luke went over and sat down on the chair opposite Luca. The rectangr dining table was not as big as the table in Crawford Manor. They were sitting quite close together. After the maid served all the dishes, she said, ¡°Sir, Ms. Luca, Master Tommy, please enjoy dinner. I¡¯ve also made some custard pudding, and it¡¯s cooling down in the fridge. It should be ready for eating after you¡¯ve finished dinner.¡± ¡°Mm. You may leave,¡± Luke said. He remembered that the maid was taking the rest of the day off. The maid nodded, went back to her room, picked up her handbag, and left. It was Tommy¡¯s first time eating the maid¡¯s cooking, but he seemed to enjoy it very much. asionally, he would fill up Luca¡¯s te with more food, as though he was taking care of her. Luca was d to see that the boy was so caring. She said, ¡°I can do it myself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a big boy, Ms. Luca. I should take care of you when you¡¯re injured,¡± Tommy said insistently. Luca wanted to say something but stopped herself, feeling d that the boy was so mature. Before she went missing, the adults at the dining table had to help him eat. He used to be a picky eater who loved snacks more than proper meals. Tommy had changed so much in those three years. He was behaving like a little adult now. ¡°Let him do it,¡± Luke said impassively. He thought that it was a good thing that the child cared for others. Luca paused. Tommy put another piece of fish on her te. ¡°You should eat more fish, Ms. Luca. That way, your wound will heal faster.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± Luca said with a smile. She had to hold back the urge to kiss Tommy¡¯s cheek. Luke watched Luca eat slowly and elegantly. He asked her a question, ¡°Did you go to the police station earlier today?¡± Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. ¡°Mm, yes,¡± Luca said while nibbling the fish delicately. She was already mentally prepared for Luke¡¯s questioning, and she had to pretend that she was unperturbed even though her mind was on high alert. ¡°The police said that they need my documents for a few more days,¡± she added. Even though she disagreed with what the police were doing, she was helpless if the police decided not to give her the documents. What could she do, throw a tantrum at the police station? She was not going to do something that would embarrass herself. Luke exined, ¡°This isn¡¯t Russia. The police do things differently here.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Luca said, though she began to wonder if Luke had a hand in the investigation. Could he have told the police to detain her documents? What was the reason for him to do that? He was already suspecting her, but it seemed that he wanted her to be close to him¡­ Was he hoping that she might identally divulge something? Luca felt a chill course down her spine. Abel was a formidable adversary, and Luke was even more so. She had to be extra careful if she were to do anything. She did not want Luke to find out the truth behind her identity. Even though Luca did not wish for Luke to be hurt, she did not want to die like how the impostor Bianca did either. N was still waiting for her on the ind, and the little girl¡¯s future would be ruined if she did not return. On the Ind of Despair, women were worth less than men. She would have been groomed to be a ything if not for that she had some use for Abel. Luca did not want N to live in that environment. Luke stopped asking questions when he saw that Luca seemed distracted while eating. After dinner, Luca stood up and prepared to clear the table. Tommy grabbed her hand and said sternly, ¡°You should sit down, Ms. Luca. You¡¯re injured, and you should rest.¡± Luca looked at the dirty tes and bowls. ¡°It¡¯ll be hard to clean them by the next day,¡± she said. ¡°Daddy should clean it,¡± Tommy suggested. Luca looked at Luke. Tommy also turned his head to look at him. ¡°Daddy, Ms. Luca is injured, and she shouldn¡¯t do any chores now. I¡¯m still a child. Can we leave the chores to you?¡± Luke was not angry when he heard the child¡¯s request. He stood up and began to pick up the cutlery. Luca pressed her lips together when she saw Luke stack up the dirty tes. He had never done any household chores before, but he was clearing the table for her. She could not help but imagine the incongruous scene of him standing in front of the kitchen sink doing the dishes. She reminded him, ¡°You don¡¯t have to wash them. Just throw the bones in the trash can, pour the gravy into the sink, and ce the cutlery and dishes in the dishwasher.¡± Chapter 1453 ¡°Mm.¡± Luke shot a nce at her, picked up the stack of tes and cutlery, and went into the kitchen. Luca turned her head to look at Tommy. He was looking at her with a grin on his face. ¡°Ms. Luca, from now on, you can let Daddy do all that,¡± Tommy said. ¡®From now on?¡¯ Luca blinked. Luca hoped that she would have nothing more to do with Luke¡­ ¡°Your Daddy shouldn¡¯t be doing household chores,¡± Luca said while patting the child¡¯s head. Luke should be sitting in his office, leading hispany to greater heights, and stimting the economy of the entire A City. Tommy shook his head. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t he? He¡¯s also a normal person. Everyone should know how to do household chores.¡± Luca had no reply to the little boy¡¯s statement. He was correct: Luke was only a normal person, and doing household chores should not be beneath him. However, she did not wish to see his hands stained with grease. Luke was her crush in her younger days, the father of her children, and was once her husband¡­ He should not be doing the housework, even though he was doing it for her. ¡°Luca Craw.¡± Luke¡¯s voice was heard from the kitchen. ¡°Huh?¡± Luca came to her senses and replied. ¡°Come here for a while,¡± Luke said. Luca quickly got up and went into the kitchen. She noticed him standing in front of the dishwasher and studying it intently. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mr. Crawford?¡± She asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to operate this,¡± Luke said as he turned around and looked at her. The dishwasher was a new model, and he had not studied its functions yet. Luca was surprised that a mere dishwasher managed to stump him¡­ She walked over and exined, ¡°This dishwasher is a new model. The controls are so that the grease and smoke in the kitchen won¡¯t get to them. Let me do it.¡± Luke stepped aside, and Luca stepped in front of the dishwasher. She had observed the maid operate the dishwasher, so she knew where the controls were. She pressed some buttons, and the dishwasher hummed to life. ¡®Oh, so that¡¯s where the controls are,¡¯ Luke thought. ¡°The dishwasher also sterilizes the tes. You can leave them inside after it¡¯s done,¡± Luca said and turned her head around, meeting Luke¡¯s gaze. It was then that she realized that the man was standing so close to her¡­ All she had to do was slightly lift her head to take in those masculine features¡­ Luca could feel her cheeks heating up. If she continued to stand there, she would soon be uneasy¡­ Luke¡¯s scent was so sharp and fragrant. It was such a familiar scent¡­ She would be lying if she said that she did not miss him. How she wished that she could hug him and find safety in his embrace. However, she could not do that. ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s not surprising that you don¡¯t know how to use a dishwasher. After all, you always have someone else to do your dishes,¡± Luca said as she turned around and walked two steps away. That was perhaps a safe distance. Luke could see that she was flustered. Her cheeks were flushed as though she had drunk two sses of wine. ¡°You seem embarrassed, Dr. Craw,¡± he said with certainty. Luca instinctively touched her face and said, ¡°No. The venttion fan isn¡¯t on, and it¡¯s quite warm in here.¡± Luke did not pursue the topic. He said, ¡°The kitchen alone is more spacious than your apartment. I won¡¯t usuallye here. You can continue to stay here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave after I get my ID,¡± Luca said insistently. Luke could tell that she was trying to keep a distance from him. Would she behave like that if she nned to get close to him? Luca felt awkward being stared at like that. She exined, ¡°This is your house. If I stay here for too long, other people might suspect something. I¡¯ll leave after I get my documents back.¡± Luke did not understand what she was doing. Was she ying hard to get? Tia was also trying to get close to him, but Luca was doing the exact opposite. What was Luca¡¯s n? ¡°If you don¡¯t feelfortable with the arrangement, I can convert this apartment into an employees¡¯ dormitory, and you¡¯ll be the sole upant,¡± Luke said as he walked around her and left the kitchen. Luca stood there in a daze. His movement stirred up a breeze that carried his scent. Employees¡¯ dormitory? The high-end apartment developed by T Corporation was toovish to be an employees¡¯ dormitory. It was close to the city center, and it was near to the workce, shopping malls, and other entertainment facilities¡­ The dishwasher made some slight noises. It was not loud, but it made Luca return to her senses. She quickly walked out of the kitchen and noticed that Luke and Tommy were standing at the door. Tommy waved at her. ¡°Ms. Luca, Daddy said that you need more rest. We won¡¯t take up any more of your time.¡± Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Luca nodded and replied, ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Bye-bye, Ms. Luca.¡± Tommy waved again and left the apartment with his father. Luca walked toward Luke. He was looking into her eyes, and she could not tell what he was thinking. ¡°Mr. Crawford, this apartment is too luxurious to be an employees¡¯ dormitory,¡± she said insistently. Tommy looked at the two adults and did not say anything. ¡°Once your research is sessful, the product will bring massive profits to thepany. T Corporation has never pinched pennies on anyone who can contribute to thepany. It¡¯s within reason to let you stay here,¡± Luke said. ¡°But¡­¡± Luca was still trying to refuse. ¡°You can ask the other managers of T Corporation. They all have an apartment like this one under their names,¡± Luke said, then took Tommy¡¯s hand and left the apartment. Luca wanted to say something, but it was toote. She felt flustered and helpless as she watched the father and son enter the elevator. From moving to T Corporation, to giving her the apartment, Luke wanted to keep her close to him for some reason. Perhaps he wanted to be able to keep a close eye on her. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Luca sighed. How was she going to refuse? She closed the door and sat on the couch. Her phone began to ring. The call was from Sue. ¡°I¡¯ve heard what happened, Luca. Are you alright?¡± Sue asked out of concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Luca replied. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have known something so serious happened to you if Jason didn¡¯t tell me. I heard that you were knocked out too. Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Evidently, Sue was very worried. Even though they had not known each other for too long, Sue found a peculiar sense of familiarity with Luca. That was why she was so concerned about Luca. ¡°It¡¯s just a minor injury. The signs of concussion are gone, too.¡± Luca¡¯s heart warmed when she heard how concerned Sue was to her. Chapter 1454 Sue became anxious when she heard that Luca had signs of concussion. She said, ¡°The symptoms might be gone, but you can¡¯t be too careless. No, you need to rest more. Where are you staying now? I¡¯lle to visit and bring you some supplements.¡± Luca hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s nothing too serious. I¡¯ll be back to normal once the wound on my forehead heals. You don¡¯t have to waste money on me. Right, Sue, I need to ask you a favor.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Sue asked. ¡°There¡¯s a cordon around my apartment, and the police have detained all my identification documents. I don¡¯t have a single penny with me now, so, um¡­ can you lend me some money?¡± Luca said. ¡°Money? How much? I¡¯ll transfer it to you now,¡± Sue replied without any hesitation. Luca hurriedly exined, ¡°I need cash. I don¡¯t have my debit card with me, so I can¡¯t take out any money from my ount. How about this, I can transfer money to you through my banking app. Can you withdraw the cash for me?¡± ¡°How much cash do you need?¡± Sue said, still confused. Mobile payments were bing more and moremon. She did not understand why Luca would rather bring cash with her. ¡°I need twenty thousand dors. I¡¯ll transfer it to you. Can you help me with that?¡± Luca said. She need not have done that if she had her debit card with her. ¡°I can help you, but why do you need so much money in cash?¡± Sue asked. Twenty thousand dors was arge sum, and people would not usually walk around with that much money. ¡°I need it for an emergency. It¡¯s quite urgent. I¡¯ll transfer the amount to you now, and you can withdraw it at the bank¡­¡± Luca would rather not trouble Sue to go to the bank. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I happen to have some cash with me, and I can hand it to you now. Where are you staying?¡± Sue thought that she could use the chance to pay her a visit and give her some supplements. ¡°I don¡¯t have my ID with me, so I¡¯m staying at Mr. Crawford¡¯s apartment near Century International. I don¡¯t know the block and unit number, so I¡¯ll find that out and get back to you,¡± Luca said. She wanted to give the money to the security guard¡¯s family. After all, the security guard died because of her, and she felt immensely guilty about causing the family to lose their sole breadwinner. Twenty thousand dors was not a lot for a white-cor worker like her, but it was arge sum for the security guard¡¯s family. ¡°The apartment near Century International? Don¡¯t worry about it. I know where it is. I¡¯ll leave now, and I should be there in thirty minutes.¡± Sue knew which apartment unit it was. She was quite surprised that Luke would let Luca stay in that apartment. Luke owned many apartment properties in A City, but that particr one was his private space. He usually did not bring anyone there. ¡°Alright.¡± Luca did not stop her froming over immediately. After all, she wanted the money as soon as possible so that she could give it to the security guard¡¯s family. Half an hourter, Sue and Nina appeared at the apartment at the same time. ¡°This is the ce, right?¡± Nina asked as she looked at the address te. She did not know that Luca was injured, and she would not know about it if Sue had not told her. ¡°Yes, it is,¡± Sue said confidently. She was involved in the interior design of the apartment, so she was very sure about it. Nina rang the doorbell. Luca heard the bell ring and saw Sue and Nina through the security camera. She opened the door and said, ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± She was not surprised that Nina was there. Back then, she was best friends with Nina and Sue. Even though the impostor Bianca was not close to them, Sue and Nina remained very good friends. ¡°What happened to you?¡± Nina asked worriedly as she stepped through the door. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry,¡± Luca said with a smile. She noticed that both of them were carrying shopping bags in their hands. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to bring anything? I can¡¯t finish all that.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t have a band-aid on your head if you¡¯re fine. I¡¯ve heard it all from Jason. Dr. Park said that you¡¯re slightly anemic, and I¡¯ve gotten you some iron supplements. You don¡¯t have to finish everything in one day. Just take it whenever you¡¯re free. There¡¯s also something for your skin. You¡¯re already very beautiful, but it¡¯s good to take some supplements for your face and figure. Please take these.¡± Sue ignored Luca¡¯s refusal and ced the two shopping bags on the coffee table. Nina also put the shopping bags on the coffee table and said, ¡°You don¡¯t tell us anything. I wouldn¡¯t have known anything if Sue didn¡¯t tell me. I was looking forward to you joining me at the exhibition tomorrow too. If you go to the exhibition with that injury on your head, I don¡¯t want to be responsible for what would happen to you.¡± Luca remembered her promise to Nina and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s only a minor injury. It¡¯s not going to be too much trouble. I¡¯m still interested in the exhibition tomorrow. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Nina nced at Luca¡¯s forehead and shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been sleeping welltely, and the sleeping pills don¡¯t really work. If there¡¯s a conference about improving one¡¯s sleep quality, I¡¯d love to join it.¡± Luca guessed that Nina would not go if she did not go. However, Luca knew that Nina would benefit greatly if she joined the international conference and exhibition. That was why she wanted to go with Nina. ¡°Have you been suffering from insomnia too?¡± Nina could see that Luca was in good spirits, unlike her. ¡°It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t sleep every night, but my sleep quality can be horrible sometimes. I¡¯d like to see if I can find a solution,¡± Luca said and twirled around. ¡°See, I¡¯m fine.¡± Nina looked at her, still feeling worried. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Also, I¡¯d like to go somewhere after we visit the exhibition. Can you drive me there?¡± Luca asked. ¡°Alright then.¡± Nina agreed after she saw that Luca insisted on going. Luca smiled. Sue took out a stack of twenty thousand dors from her handbag and handed it to Luca. ¡°Does that ce have something to do with this money?¡± ¡°You guessed it,¡± Luca said with a smile. She did not verify the amount because she trusted Sue. ¡°I¡¯m also guessing that you want to visit the security guard¡¯s family tomorrow,¡± Sue said. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t me yourself for that. It has nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°The police¡¯s official guess is that the security guard entered my apartment unit because he suspected that there was a break-in, which caused him to suffer that unfortunate fate. In any case, he died in my apartment, and I¡¯d like to help them however I can,¡± Luca said. Chapter 1455 Nina could not help but discreetly praise Luca¡¯s kindness. She said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go to the conference first. Then, we¡¯ll hand the money to the security guard¡¯s family.¡± Luca smiled at her and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± It was about time to leave. Sue and Nina said goodbye to Luca so that she may rest. Luca looked at the supplements on the coffee table, thought for a while, and picked out those that were suitable for middle-aged and old women. She kept away the rest ording to their storage instructions. Tomorrow, she would bring the supplements along with the cash to the security guard¡¯s house. The next day, Nina arrived at the apartment in her car. When she saw the shopping bag in Luca¡¯s hand, she smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re so kind, Dr. Craw.¡± ¡°You gave me too many supplements yesterday. I can¡¯t finish everything,¡± Luca exined. Nina did not mind it. She was d that their supplements could help some other people. After putting the bag in the trunk, they got into the car and drove toward the conference venue. After driving some distance, Nina began to frown. ¡°Luca, did you notice that the vehicle behind us is following us?¡± Luca nced at the rearview mirror. She had not noticed it earlier. ¡°Continue driving. Keep a constant speed.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Nina nodded and continued driving. Luca observed the vehicle behind them and concluded that it was indeed following them. She told Nina to drive faster. Nina did what Luca told her to do, and the vehicle behind them also drove faster, though it maintained a constant distance from them. ¡°Who¡¯s that? Are they nning to abduct us?¡± Nina frowned. The vehicle behind them was an old, beat-up truck. ¡°Keep calm, pay attention to their speed, and take the major roads. If they don¡¯t overtake us, they probably won¡¯t have any chance to do anything to us,¡± Luca said. Nina was quite nervous. It was the first time she had encountered this situation. She tried to keep calm as she continued driving forward. In the truck behind Nina¡¯s car, Jean was sitting in the backseat. The driver said, ¡°Bro, I think your sister noticed us.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Keep following them,¡± Jean said with a nonchnt grin. He had gone to Nina¡¯s mansion the day before, and the maid told him that Nina was not in. Jean chatted with the maid and found out that Nina was going to some conference today. He knew that Nina did not have many friends in A City, so he took a gamble that his sister was going to the conference with Dr. Craw. He did not expect that it was indeed Luca. By tailing Nina, Jean also found out where Luca lived. He continued to tail Nina because he wanted to see where they were going, and he hoped that he could strike up a conversation with Luca. ¡°Why are we still following them after you¡¯ve found out where that chick lives? Let¡¯s go and have a drink,¡± the driver said. Jean pped the side of the driver¡¯s head. ¡°Why are you talking so much? Shut up and drive. Once I sleep with that woman, all of you won¡¯t have to worry about money anymore.¡± ¡°You said that she¡¯s a doctor, right? Is she really that rich?¡± The hooligan sitting in the side passenger seat asked. ¡°What do you know? Doctors nowadays are rolling in money. She¡¯s probably a popr one who gets invited to other hospitals too. Don¡¯t you know that they get a fat paycheck just by sitting there for a couple of hours? Right, they might be on retainer for some major corporation too. There are so many ways for them to make money,¡± Jean narrowed his gaze and said. He saw Lucaing out of a luxury apartment while dressed in branded clothes, and he guessed that Luca was not a mere wage earner. ¡°That makes a lot of sense, Bro,¡± the hooligan in the side passenger seat said. He began to fantasize, just like what Jean was doing. Their leader would strike it rich if he managed to get Luca to be his girlfriend. Hisckeys would reap the benefits too. Luca kept a close eye on the truck behind them. It kept a distance from them and had no intention of overtaking. ¡°When did that truck start to follow us, Nina?¡± She asked. Nina shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I happened to notice it after we went past several intersections.¡± Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll just keep driving to the venue. Park in the open-air parking lot instead of the basement. They won¡¯t do anything to us if we¡¯re at a crowded ce.¡± Luca suggested because she did not know what the people in the truck behind them wanted. ¡°Alright, no problem.¡± Nina nodded. They arrived at the venue ten minutester. The sun was high up in the sky, and most drivers parked their cars in the basement. There were many spots in the open-air parking lot. Nina parked their car in a spot near the road. There were more people there. Luca noticed that the truck followed them into the parking lot. Nina was preparing to get out of the car when Luca ced a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Wait a second. We¡¯ll see if those people are getting out of their vehicle.¡± ¡°Dr. Craw, should we call the police?¡± Nina was getting nervous. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Luca looked closely at the truck parked not far away from them. She could see that someone was also sitting in the side passenger seat. She could not see if any people were sitting in the back seat, so she could not tell how many people in total there were. There were at least two people, but they might be four or five people. They waited for a while and saw that the people in that truck had no intention of getting out. Luca unfastened her seatbelt and said, ¡°If anything happenster, run into the crowd and don¡¯t look back.¡± Nina could tell that Luca was prepared for danger. She nodded and took out a can of pepper spray from her handbag. The two women stepped out of the car. Luca had been keeping an eye on the truck. After they closed the car doors, no one came out of the truck. They briskly walked to the entrance of the conference hall and handed their invitations. After stepping into the hall, they breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be able to follow us?¡± Nina asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think so too,¡± Luca said. Even a trained assassin from the Ind of Despair would not make a move in a crowded ce. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Nina rxed a little. She nced at the schedule and said, ¡°There¡¯s a lecture about sleep quality and psychologying up soon. Shall we attend it?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Luca nodded. Nina did not sleep well at night. The lecture should be helpful to her. After making up their minds, they went toward the lecture hall. Luca read the introduction. The speaker was Dr. Thomason, a famous sleep therapist. She knew who Dr. Thomason was. His treatment methods were very direct: He would start from understanding the patient¡¯s psychological state, then prescribe some medication to solve the patient¡¯s problems. Nina took Luca¡¯s hand and went into the hall. They sat down at some seats closer to the front. Chapter 1456 After they sat down, more and more people filled up the lecture hall. Luca saw that the event staff on the stage were still making preparations for the lecture. She lowered her head and read the pamphlet in her hands. The conference covered many aspects of the study of psychology. It would benefit her greatly if she could attend all the lectures. A whileter, Nina gently bumped Luca with her elbow. ¡°It¡¯s Tia.¡± Luca lifted her head and looked in the direction where Nina was looking. She saw an impably dressed woman entering the hall while surrounded by several men in suits. One must be a distinguished figure in the field if they could enter the hall while being escorted. ¡°Mm,¡± she replied softly. ¡°This is strange. Where¡¯s Luke Crawford?¡± Nina asked. ¡°Mr. Crawford? Is he supposed toe?¡± Luca was surprised. It would not have been surprising if Luke attended an economics conference, but they were at a psychology conference. ¡°I don¡¯t know if he¡¯sing, but I know that Tia invited him,¡± Nina said, knowing what Tia¡¯s motives were. Luca did not say anything as she looked at Tia, thinking she was a good match for Luke. ¡°Looks like Mr. Crawford didn¡¯t fall into her trap,¡± Nina continued. ¡°What trap?¡± Luca said. She could tell that Nina was gloating. ¡°Bianca, I mean, Mrs. Crawford is traveling now, isn¡¯t she? Tia must be trying to use this opportunity to flirt with Mr. Crawford. I¡¯m guessing that she was the one who hired a journalist to start the scandal. It couldn¡¯t have been such a coincidence,¡± Nina said. Among the socialites of A City, Luke rarely got himself involved in scandals. Usually, the paparazzi would not stake out on him. To them, it was better to hound some celebrities with more entertainment value. Rather than being a coincidence, someone must have hired a journalist to stake out at the restaurant, and that person must be Tia. Luca remembered the previous scandal with him. No one had hired the journalist, but they were caught on camera anyway. Even if Tia did not hire a journalist, Luca thought many people paid attention to Luke, especially women. She remembered reading a public survey. Women with office jobs were asked their ideal husband. Luke Crawford was in the first ce. It was not out of the ordinary if Tia liked him¡­ While Luca was lost in thought, the lecture started. The lecture started with the basic factors and symptoms of insomnia. When Dr. Thomason talked about psychological factors, he took some time to borate on using hypnotherapy to alleviate sleeping problems. In fact, he had devised a set of hypnosis techniques that worked better in alleviating anxiety than other techniques. Someone in the audience raised their hand and asked for a live demonstration. Dr. Thomason thought for a bit and agreed to it. ¡°Alright. I happen to bring my equipment with me as well. I need a volunteer to help me with the demonstration. Ideally, they will have to be suffering from sleeping problems or anxiety. Is anyone willing?¡± Many people in the audience raised their hands. Dr. Thomason was one of the leading figures in the field of psychology, and his hypnotherapy techniques were well-known. It was hard to schedule an appointment, and many people wanted to take the opportunity to try it. Dr. Thomason was caught in a dilemma. He did not know who to pick. He discussed briefly with his assistant and decided to pick a lucky audience member through drawing lots. The numbers were already prepared for ater event. Dr. Thomason took out a slip of paper from a cardboard box, unfolded it, and read the number written on it. ¡°Number thirty-six!¡± Everyone turned around to look at their seat number, hoping that they would be the lucky one. Nina looked at her seat number, then at Luca¡¯s seat. ¡°It¡¯s you, Dr. Craw!¡± She said excitedly. ¡°Huh?¡± Luca turned around and looked at the back of her seat. Indeed, she was sitting on number thirty-six. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. She did not know why she was so lucky. There were hundreds of seats in the hall, but she was the chosen one. The people around her were looking at her. Luca could only stand up. She felt awkward being stared at by hundreds of people. ¡°Congrattions, Miss! Pleasee up to the stage,¡± Dr. Thomason said. Luca did not move. She requested a microphone and said, ¡°Good morning, Dr. Thomason. I¡¯m not suffering from anxiety. You can pick another person.¡± Dr. Thomason continued to extend his invitation. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Miss. You can try my techniques even if you don¡¯t have anxiety. My hypnotherapy techniques are very effective in alleviating stress. Why not give it a try since you¡¯re the lucky one?¡± Nina remembered Luca saying that her sleep quality was not good. She said excitedly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you sometimes have trouble falling asleep? Why not try it? It might be effective.¡± Luca looked at her and smiled helplessly. Indeed, she sometimes suffered from sleeping problems, but she knew the reasons, and she did not want to tell them to anyone. Now that Dr. Thomason had extended his invitation twice, and everyone was looking at her, it would be rude for her to continue to refuse. With no other choice, Luca went up the stage. Tia¡¯s assistant looked at the woman walking up the stage and whispered to Tia, ¡°Ms. Tia, that¡¯s Luca Craw.¡± ¡°Luca who?¡± Tia said nonchntly. She was not in the mood because Luke was not there. She believed that only an outstanding career woman deserved to stand next to Luke, and she was prepared to unt her reputation in the field of psychology. Unfortunately for her, Luke did not ept the invitation. That was why Tia had no mood or anything. The assistant reminded Tia that Luca was also caught in a scandal with Luke. When Tia heard that, she turned her head, and her gaze fell on Luca. The rivalry in her eyes was palpable. Luca walked up the stage, and Dr. Thomason led her to sit down on a chair. He asked her for her name, then began to use his equipment to hypnotize her. Luca thought that she could resist the hypnosis with her sheer willpower, but as her gaze followed the osciting bronze medallion, she gradually lost consciousness. It took Dr. Thomason about five minutes to do that. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Dr. Thomason breathed a sigh of relief when Luca finally gave in. Usually, he would only need a minute and a half to hypnotize someone. Chapter 1457 ¡°Ms. Craw, what color do you see in front of you?¡± Dr. Thomason kept the bronze medallion away and asked. ¡°Red¡­¡± Luca replied softly. Her eyes were closed. ¡°What is this red thing then? Is it a wall, or¡­¡± Dr. Thomason continued to ask guiding questions. ¡°Blood¡­ so much blood¡­¡± Luca replied. She was unconscious. Some members of the audience eximed in surprise. Dr. Thomason remainedposed. He continued asking, ¡°Imagine stepping past this curtain of blood. What else do you see?¡± Luca was silent for the next half a minute as though mentally traveling beyond the curtain of blood. She spoke slowly, ¡°I see¡­ a man¡­ and four children.¡± Dr. Thomason continued, ¡°That¡¯s the main cause of your stress in your daily life. Can you see the man¡¯s face clearly?¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Luca replied uneasily. Her hands slowly clenched into fists. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°And that man is¡­¡± Dr. Thomason asked. Luca paused for a while and replied, ¡°He is the man I love¡­¡± ¡°And the children?¡± Dr. Thomason could tell that Luca was unwilling to talk about the man, so he shifted the topic. ¡°They¡¯re¡­ the people I love¡­¡± Luca said. ¡°What are they doing?¡± Dr. Thomason continued asking. ¡°They¡­ look very sad. I¡¯m¡­ also very sad. One of them is a little girl wrapped in iron chains. I want to save her¡­¡± Luca said haltingly. Dr. Thomason exchanged nces with his assistant, then continued asking, ¡°Is the man your husband? Who else is he? And those children, whose children are they?¡± This time, Luca did not answer. She jolted awake as though she had suffered a huge fright. Dr. Thomason did not expect that Luca would regain control of her consciousness from that question. In any case, he did not want the live demonstration to drag on for too long. After Luca stood up, he began his analysis. ¡°Luca saw a wall of blood, which means that she is subconsciously afraid of blood. The people she saw must be somehow rted to her as well.¡± A man in the audience raised his hand and asked, ¡°Usually, what kind of rtionship would it be?¡± ¡°Usually, they¡¯ll have an intimate rtionship with the patient. In the demonstration earlier, Ms. Craw said that the people she saw were those whom she loved. I¡¯m guessing that they must have done something to cause Ms. Craw agony, but of course, that¡¯s a preliminary guess. You may return to your seat, Ms. Craw,¡± Dr. Thomason said. Luca¡¯s face was still pale. The scenes from the hypnosis session were still fresh in her mind. She nodded, stepped off the stage, and returned to her seat. If she had not snapped herself out of the hypnosis in time, she might have divulged that the man was Luke Crawford. She realized that she was ced in a perilous situation earlier. Even though Dr. Thomason was wrong in his analysis, she did not correct him. After Dr. Thomason watched Luca return to her seat, he continued his lecture. The hypnotherapy session had failed earlier, and he had to find an exnation for it. ¡°Everyone here knows that my hypnotherapy sessions guide the patient to face their fears directly because that¡¯s the most effective way of treatment. In the session earlier, I¡¯ve shown Ms. Craw the source of her stress. Next, I shall continue with my boration.¡± Nina saw that Luca¡¯s face was pale. She asked out of concern, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Luca said and nodded. Nina reached out, held her hands, and said nothing. What they did not know was that Luke was sitting in thest row of the hall. He had seen Luca¡¯s reactions throughout the hypnotherapy session. He hade to the conference, but not together with Tia. Luke wanted to spy on Tia and see the people she interacted with. He did not expect to see Luca being hypnotized on stage. He guessed that the wall of blood referred to the murder case in her apartment¡­ Why would the murder case cause her fear and stress? He and Jason had guessed that Luca had a hand in plotting the murder case. Why would an aplice of a murder case be afraid of it? Was he mistaken? Luke sank deep in thought as he looked in Luca¡¯s direction. She also mentioned seeing a man and four children¡­ In the information Luke had on her, she was not married, and she did not bear any children. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Who could the man and the four children be? Luke believed that Luca would not lie when her subconsciousness took over. She must be telling the truth. What secrets did Luca have? Luca continued to pique Luke¡¯s curiosity. Somehow, he was not very happy when he knew that she had a man she loved. He could not understand why he felt that way. It should have been normal for Luca, a single woman, to love a man. Luca came to her senses at the end of the lecture. Seeing that the crowd was shuffling out of the hall, she prepared to stand up when she heard a female voice call out, ¡°Mr. Crawford?¡± Instinctively, she turned around and looked toward the source of the voice. It was Tia. Tia was rushing up the stairs. Luca looked toward where she was heading and saw Luke sitting in the last row. She was surprised to see Luke. ¡®Did he see the part where I was hypnotized?¡¯ She thought. Luca tried to recall what Dr. Thomason said earlier. She breathed a sigh of relief when she realized she did not say anything inappropriate. Nina turned her head. She eximed when she saw Luke. ¡°He¡¯s here! I guess there must be some truth to the reports¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Luca came to her senses. She did not know what Nina was saying. ¡°Mr. Crawford! I didn¡¯t expect him toe here. Didn¡¯t the tabloids specte there¡¯s something illicit between them? It looks like there¡¯s indeed something between them, even if it¡¯s not illicit,¡± Nina said. Luca looked at Luke. She wondered if she was mistaken, but it seemed that Luke was keeping an eye on her. Tia smiled and walked toward Luke. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you toe here, Mr. Crawford.¡± ¡°Mm, I¡¯m just taking a look,¡± Luke turned away from Luca and said. Tia could not hide her excitement. She said, ¡°That¡¯s great! My lecture ising up next. It¡¯ll be about recalling the memories of an amnesiac patient. You must attend it.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t miss it,¡± Luke said. He noticed that Luca and Nina had left. ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that! Aren¡¯t you a little too far from the stage? How about I reserve a front-row seat for you?¡± Tia said enthusiastically. She hoped that he could see her face clearly when presenting her lecture. In an earlier interview, Luke had said that he loved it when his wife was focused on her work. She would want to show Luke her performance at work. Chapter 1458 Luke remained impassive despite Tia¡¯s eager hospitality. ¡°When does your lecture start?¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°In about half an hour,¡± Tia stayed as her gaze remained glued on Luke. She wished that he would look at her as well. ¡°I¡¯ll go around and have a look at the exhibition. I¡¯ll be backter,¡± Luke said, turned around, and headed toward the exit. Tia quickly followed behind him. ¡°Let me give you a tour. I know this ce very well.¡± Luke stopped walking and turned around to look at the stage. ¡°Your lecture ising up soon. Shouldn¡¯t you stay behind and make preparations?¡± Just as he finished speaking, Tia¡¯s assistant came up to her and said, ¡°Ms. Tia, I¡¯ve already downloaded your presentation into theputer, but there seems to be some problem with theyout. Did you make any changes?¡± Tia was angry and flustered, but she could not reprimand her assistant in front of Luke. She maintained herposure and said to the assistant, ¡°I¡¯ll go and take a look. Right, reserve a front- row seat for Mr. Crawford.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The assistant nodded at Luke, then left with Tia. Without Tia bugging him, Luke quickly left the hall. From afar, he noticed Luca and Nina strolling around the exhibition, and he walked toward them. Luca did not look like she was in the mood for strolling. Nina noticed Luke first. She tugged Luca¡¯s sleeve, then they went up to Luke. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here, Mr. Crawford.¡± Luke remained impassive, even though Nina looked like she wanted to interrogate him. ¡°Just walking around.¡± ¡°Walking around? You¡¯re here on a date, right? What would Bea think of this?¡± Nina frowned and reminded him about Bianca. Even though Bianca was traveling overseas, Nina was helping her keep an eye on Luke. In fact, Nina was suspecting that Bianca did not want to travel overseas. Perhaps Luke had gotten tired of her and sent her away. His reputation would be affected if he divorced Bianca. Sending her away was the perfect excuse for him to do whatever he wanted. Seeing that Nina was speaking up for Bianca, Luke casually ced his hands in his pockets. Nina continued, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Are you feeling guilty?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything that betrays Bea¡¯s trust,¡± Luke said calmly. He looked as though he was not guilty at all. Luca looked at Nina and gently tugged her sleeve. The man was the center of attention wherever he went, and people were beginning to crowd around them. Nina grunted coldly and softened her tone. ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean that you won¡¯t do anything to betray her trust in the future. Let me tell you, I have my eyes on you. I¡¯ll tell Bea the moment I catch you doing anything silly!¡± Luke raised his eyebrows. He knew that Nina could not manage her rtionship problems, yet she wanted to meddle in other people¡¯s rtionships. He shot a nce at Luca. Color had returned to her face, and she looked a lot better than when she was on the stage. Luke said to Nina, ¡°Nina Langdon, instead of worrying about what I¡¯m doing, why don¡¯t you worry about Percy?¡± ¡®Percy?¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Percy?¡± Nina blurted without any hesitation. ¡°Don¡¯t you know he¡¯s with another woman now?¡± Luke said. Nina¡¯s body teetered, and she took a step back. Luca immediately supported her by holding her arm. Seeing Luke say that to her best friend, she said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate for you to air their personal matters in public.¡± ¡°Ms. Langdon doesn¡¯t wish to see Bea bullied, so she¡¯s keeping a close eye on my personal life. I¡¯m only giving her a reminder,¡± Luke said as he looked at the two women. Luca had always been cold toward the people in thepany, but her rtionship with Nina seemed different. Bianca used to be Nina¡¯s best friend. She would stand up for Nina without hesitation whenever Nina needed help. He seemed to have caught a hint of Bianca¡¯s personality in Luca when he saw how Luca said and acted. A public announcement was heard. Tia¡¯s lecture was going to start soon. Nina took several deep breaths and grinned. ¡°Mr. Crawford, Tia¡¯s lecture is starting soon. I¡¯m afraid that she won¡¯t be in the mood to give her lecture if she doesn¡¯t see you there.¡± ¡°Thanks for the reminder,¡± Luke said. He was not a nosy person, but from how Nina had been so protective of Bianca, he thought that she should know what was going on with Percy too. Percy had his way of dealing with the woman his mother was trying to match him with, but Luke thought that he should let Nina know about it. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. This way, he helped both Nina and Percy. After watching Luke leave, Luca looked at Nina worriedly, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Nina took a deep breath. Ever since she met Percy¡¯s mother, she knew that this day would come. Even though she had been by Percy¡¯s side for a long time, she knew her ce very well. The difference in their backgrounds meant that their rtionship would notst. Now that someone with a matching background had appeared in Percy¡¯s life, it was time for her, the illicit lover, to leave. Nina had always dreamed of leaving Percy. She had also thought of the multiple ways she could leave. Perhaps one day she would save enough money to pay Percy back. Perhaps Percy would eventually tire of her and dump her. Perhaps, he might find true love¡­ In any case, their rtionship was doomed to fail. Even though Nina had been thinking about it, she realized that her reaction was different when faced with the truth. Somehow, she felt a tightness in her chest, and all her strength had been sapped away. She tried to take several deep breaths to get rid of that feeling, but there was no effect at all¡­ Luca could tell that Nina was not in the mood to enjoy the exhibition anymore. In any case, she was thinking of leaving too. She said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we leave?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Nina replied, and they left the exhibition hall. In the open-air parking lot, Luca looked around to see if the truck was still there. She could only see sedans. She breathed a sigh of relief. When they arrived at Nina¡¯s car, Luca saw that Nina seemed distracted. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me drive?¡± She said. Nina nodded, thinking that it was the safer option. She handed Luca the keys. Luca sat in the driver¡¯s seat and waited for Nina to sit in the side passenger seat. ¡°I¡¯ll send you home,¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Didn¡¯t you want to go to the security guard¡¯s house? I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Nina shook her head and said. She was not in the condition to return to the mansion now. Chapter 1459 The mansion belonged to Percy, and she was only an outsider. Once their illicit rtionship was over, what right did she have to remain there? Moreover, she was emotionally unstable now. She was afraid that she might confront Percy if she went back, and she would only be humiliating herself. Luca knew the reasons why Nina was unwilling to go back. She nodded and said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go together. I don¡¯t think I have the courage to face that family myself.¡± Nina looked at her, feeling slightly confused. ¡°It¡¯s not like you wanted it to happen. To be fair to you, you didn¡¯t kill the security guard. You have nothing to be guilty about.¡± Lucaughed dryly. There were so many things that Nina did not know¡­ ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t kill the security guard, but the thief wouldn¡¯t have gotten into my apartment if I had better locks,¡± she said while inputting the address into the navigation app. ¡°Nobody wanted that to happen,¡± Nina said. Luca nodded, started the car, and drove toward the security guard¡¯s house. It had been a few years since shest took the wheel, so she drove very slowly. Nina did not rush her. Their minds were upied with different things, so neither said anything throughout the drive. Half an hourter, Luca parked the car at the side of the road. ording to the navigation app, the security guard¡¯s house was at the end of the narrow alley. ¡°Are we here?¡± Nina asked. ¡°This should be the ce.¡± Luca looked out of the window and did not see any road signs. Nina nodded, unfastened her seatbelt, and stepped out of the car. Luca also stepped out of the car. She handed the car keys to Nina, took out the bag of supplements from the trunk, and wore her backpack. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Nina said. Luca did not stop her. She thought that Nina needed something to distract her. The two women walked down the alley and found the house. There was no wake because the security guard¡¯s body was still with the forensics police. Luca knocked on the wooden door. ¡°Is anyone home?¡± A whileter, a middle-aged woman came to open the door. Her eyes were bloodshot. ¡°How can I help you?¡± She said. ¡°Um, can we talk after we go in?¡± Luca said while lifting the bag in her hand. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. The middle-aged woman could see that the two women were not bad people. She nodded and opened the door fully. ¡°Come in.¡± Luca and Nina went inside. After the middle-aged woman closed the door, Luca said, ¡°I¡¯m Luca Craw. I¡¯m the owner of the apartment where your husband used to work. I¡¯m paying a visit to you today to check if you¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The middle-aged woman did not understand. Luca did not exin herself. She handed the bag of supplements to her, then took out a thick stack of banknotes from her backpack and stuffed it in the middle-aged woman¡¯s hands. ¡°This is a little something from me. I hope that you can ept it.¡± The middle-aged woman had never seen so much money before. She was quite flustered. ¡°No, I can¡¯t take your money.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Treat it aspensation for your husband.¡± Luca had already expected that the woman would not take the money, so she already knew what to say. The middle-aged woman blushed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to lie to me and tell me that it¡¯spensation. We¡¯ve contacted the managementpany, and they said that my husband broke standard protocol in handling the matter. He should have called the police and informed the owner instead of going into the apartment unit without permission. They said that they would notpensate for any losses, and they even said that we might be held responsible if the owner decides to press charges. I don¡¯t believe that you¡¯re the owner or that you¡¯repensating us. Ah, I know, you must be here because of that news report. I know that you¡¯re a good person, but I can¡¯t ept your money. It¡¯s my husband¡¯s fault that he died.¡± The middle-aged woman began to sob. She tried to shove the things in her hands to Luca. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. Tears welled up in Luca¡¯s eyes. She said, ¡°Please take the money. You still have your parents and children to take care of. I hope the money will make your life easier. Your children still have to go to school. You don¡¯t wish for them to drop out, right?¡± The middle-aged woman was stunned, after which she cried even more loudly. Nina also chimed in. ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am, crying won¡¯t change your current situation. You have to take the money. Please stay strong for your parents and children.¡± The middle-aged woman agreed to what Nina said. She wiped her tears away. She hesitated for a few seconds before asking, ¡°Can you tell me who you are?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the owner of the apartment your husband met with the ident. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t pursue this matter. Also, I have to thank your husband for sacrificing his life to protect my property. I¡¯ll also tell the management that. Please take the money for now,¡± Luca said. The middle-aged woman became even more reluctant to take the money when she heard that Luca was the apartment owner. She shook her head and said, ¡°No, it¡¯s all my husband¡¯s fault. If he had been more careful, he wouldn¡¯t have dirtied your apartment. Even if you don¡¯t mind it, I still can¡¯t take your money.¡± Luca sighed and said, ¡°I have medical research data worth millions in my apartment, and your husband sacrificed his life to protect my research. The money here is but a fraction of what he saved me. Please take it.¡± ¡°Please do. The money will help your family. Even if you don¡¯t take the money now, we¡¯ll still find some way to make sure that the money goes to you,¡± Nina said. Finally, the middle-aged woman was persuaded to take the money. Luca breathed a sigh of relief when she ced the money in the middle-aged woman¡¯s hands. They left after that, not intending to linger there. She felt a little better after leaving the house. Even though there was only so much she could do, she was satisfied that she was able to help them a little. Before she would go back to the Ind of Despair, she would be keeping an eye on the family¡¯s situation. ¡°Thank you for helping me. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to convince her so easily otherwise,¡± Luca said. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. The money is yours, and all I did was only say a few words. I feel so sorry for them though, the furniture inside is already peeling¡­¡± Nina sighed. ¡°I haven¡¯t been in such ces for a long time. If not for today, I wouldn¡¯t have expected that slums still exist in A City.¡± She had been pampered by Percy for so long, she forgot that some people were still struggling to survive. Nina imagined the future where she would have to support her family without Percy¡¯s help. That made her be afraid. Chapter 1460 Even though Nina was not willing to be together with Percy, she had to admit that he took very good care of her. She had a stable job, but the sry could never satisfy her mother and elder brother¡¯s voracious appetite for money. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Many people are suffering. We usually don¡¯t see the suffering around us because we¡¯re too focused on our lives,¡± Luca said, feeling quite emotional. ¡°Mm.¡± Nina agreed with Luca, though she was not in the mood. Seeing that Nina was quite dejected, Luca guessed that what happened in the security guard¡¯s house triggered some unhappy memory in Nina¡¯s mind. She felt sorry for her best friend, and she held back the urge to give her a hug. When she was Bianca, they hugged each other quite often, no matter if they were happy or sad. However, she was not Bianca now¡­ Luca drove the car back to Luke¡¯s apartment, parked the car by the side of the road, and ordered a designated driver from the app on her phone. Nina came to her senses after the car stopped. She nced out of the window and said, ¡°Oh, we¡¯re already here. You should go back.¡± ¡°In a while. I¡¯ve ordered a designated driver for you. She¡¯ll be here in a few minutes,¡± Luca said. ¡°I¡¯m not drunk. I don¡¯t need one,¡± Nina said while rubbing her forehead. She was only distracted because she was thinking of something, and she did not need someone to drive her car for her. ¡°You¡¯re not in the condition to drive now,¡± Luca said disapprovingly. Nina sighed. In any case, the designated driver was almost there, so they sat there and waited. The driver arrived three minutester. As Luca stepped out of the car, she looked at Nina and said, ¡°If you¡¯re harboring any questions in your mind, you can just ask them. Don¡¯t keep it all to yourself.¡± Nina smiled and waved her hand. ¡°Alright, I know.¡± ¡°Give me a call when you reach home,¡± Luca said, still feeling worried about her. ¡°Alright. You should go home.¡± Nina stepped out of the car, waved goodbye to Luca, then sat in the backseat. Luca stood at the entrance. She watched Nina leave before going back to her apartment. The maid saw her and said, ¡°Wee back, Ms. Craw. Did you have fun today?¡± ¡°Not bad,¡± Luca said impassively. She did not show any emotion toward the maid¡¯s prying questions. She guessed that the maid was only showing concern because Luke asked her to¡­ The maid nodded, seeing that Luca was quite calm. She continued asking, ¡°Do you want a drink?¡± ¡°Give me a ss of warm water. I haven¡¯t taken my medicine for today,¡± Luca said. The maid went into the kitchen and poured a ss of water for Luca. Then, she took out her phone and sent Luke a message: [Ms. Craw looks normal. I can¡¯t tell what she¡¯s thinking.] After sending the message, she returned to the living room with the ss. Luca took the ss, poured several pills from the medicine bottle, then swallowed it. ¡°How do you feel today, Ms. Craw?¡± The maid asked out of concern. ¡°The wound doesn¡¯t hurt as much anymore,¡± Luca said as she put the ss on the table. She stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to rest. I feel a little tired.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll wake you up when it¡¯s time for dinner,¡± the maid said with a smile. Luca went into the bedroom, closed the door behind her, and sat on the bed. She felt that she was being spied on when she was living in Luke¡¯s apartment. Even though the maid seemed like a normal person, Luca guessed that she was one of Luke¡¯s spies. Luke had many capable people under him. Despite being Luke¡¯s wife, she had never met them all. Luca did not know if the maid had been taking care of the apartment, or if Luke had tasked her to spy on Luca. She also did not know what the maid¡¯s real capabilities were. Abel wanted her to get close to Luke as soon as possible, but he did not consider her situation. Now, she had no one to turn to. Luca remembered that she would have to go and take the antidote in two days. She had to find an excuse to leave the apartment. She was already an adult, but she still had toe up with excuses to leave the house, and at the same time not let the maid follow her¡­ Luca sighed andy on the bed. The medicine caused her to fall asleep. Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates.. She was woken up by Nina¡¯s message. The message had caused the phone in her hand to vibrate. Nina said that she had arrived safely at home and told Luca not to worry. After Luca read it, she continued to sleep. Meanwhile, after Nina sent the message, she nned to rest for a while. However, she could not forget what Luca told her earlier, so she gave a phone call to Percy. The call was picked up after five rings. Nina felt dizzy when she heard Percy¡¯s voice. ¡°Where are you now?¡± She said while clenching her fists to control her emotions. Percy was quite happy to answer Nina¡¯s call. After all, it was rare that she called him. ¡°I¡¯m still on a business trip overseas, and I¡¯ll only be back in two days. Did something happen?¡± He had gotten someone to keep an eye on Nina, and he knew that an emergency happened in Nina¡¯s family. Percy wanted Nina to ask him for help, so he did not tell her that he already knew what happened. He did not expect that she would call him either. ¡°Yes, something happened. I know that you¡¯re still in the country. Let¡¯s meet up,¡± Nina said. ¡°I¡¯m not in the country.¡± Percy frowned. She sounded very sure, and he wondered how she found out that he was still in the country. He knew that Nina¡¯s daily life alternated between work and the mansion, and she would never meet him. How did she find out? ¡°You don¡¯t have to lie to me. It must be quite troublesome to pretend that you¡¯re overseas. I¡¯m at the mansion, so you cane back whenever you¡¯re free. I have something important to tell you,¡± Nina said insistently. She realized that she had been kept in captivity for far too long, and she had lost the courage to leave. That was why she wanted to tell him everything she wanted to say, then leave these horrible days behind her. She wanted to do so even if she did not have the money to leave. After all, that money was mere pocket change to Percy. Moreover, she had spent many years beside him, so the money would make up for the time she had wasted on Percy. Percy frowned when he heard the calmness in her voice. She was not throwing a tantrum. ¡°We can talk over the phone if there¡¯s anything,¡± he said, not willing to admit that he was still in the country. Chapter 1461 Nina was bing irritated when Percy insisted on noting back to the mansion. Is he staying away from her because he had found another woman? ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you. Juste back when you¡¯re done with your business.¡± After that, she ended the call. Percy was a little confused. He knew that everyone had their limits, though Nina had never spoken to him so aggressively before. It made him wonder if that was Nina¡¯s true personality. It was the first time that she was impatient toward him. Percy put his phone away. Who could have told her that he was still in the country? He had deceived Nina for the past few days because he was busy dealing with his business, not to mention that Ms. Johnston, the young woman that his mother was trying to match him with, was pestering him twenty-four seven. He had to keep himself away from the mansion so that Nina would not be caught in the crossfire, and he only nned to go back after he dealt with the matters at hand. He was about to seed in his n when Nina called him. Now that she had already found out, he could not keep himself away from her any longer. The internal telephone began to ring. Percy picked up the receiver and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± His assistant was taken aback. Percy sounded as though he was not in a good mood. ¡°Mr. Mallory, Ms. Johnston is in the lobby now. She said that she wants to meet you.¡± ¡°Tell her that I¡¯m not in,¡± Percy said. He was not going to let that woman pester him anymore. If she knew that he was in thepany, she would cling to him and not let go. He would have thrown her into the Pacific Ocean and let her sleep with the fishes, if not that the Johnstons were quite influential. ¡°But¡­¡± His assistant wanted to remind him that Ms. Johnston was his fiancee. If the Mallory and Johnston families were joined by marriage, the resulting conglomeration might be the biggest in A City or even the country. Even though Percy and Luke were good friends, they were nevertheless businesspetitors. That was why Percy¡¯s mother had arranged the marriage. ¡°Have I not made myself clear?¡± Percy said. On other days, he might entertain Ms. Johnston for a while, but today, he had to finish his work so that he could go back to talk to Nina. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll send someone downstairs to stop her froming up,¡± the assistant said. Percy continued to work busily. He finished his work by half-past eleven. He left thepany and drove back to the mansion. Nina said that she would wait for him. The lights in the mansion were on by the time Percy stepped out of the car. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Percy thought she would want to discuss her mother¡¯s hospitalization with him. From the look of things, he had a feeling that she wanted to talk to him about something else. If Nina knew that he was still in the country, she might have also found out about Ms. Johnston. Percy could not help but smile when he thought of that possibility. If Nina was angry because of Ms. Johnston, it meant that she was jealous and she cared for him. That was why Percy was happy. He went through the door and into the living room. Nina was sitting on the couch. The television was on and filled the cavernous living room with noise. The ce did not feel as deste as it used to. ¡°I¡¯m home,¡± Percy said. Nina was lost in thought, and she did not hear the door open over the noise from the television. That was why she did not notice Percying into the mansion. She came to her senses. She nced at the man, then at the clock hanging on the wall. It was already midnight. She guessed that Percy must have settled that woman in bed beforeing home. After all, that was what he did to him at the start of their rtionship. After making out in bed, he would leave the mansion around midnight. Nina did not know if she should feel happy. Her insistence had made him leave that woman and return to the mansion. She thought that it was quite ridiculous for her to behave that way. She was supposed to be the illicit mistress, but she was behaving as though she was his legally married wife. The truth, however, was that Percy was going to marry someone else. It was not going to be her. ¡°The maid made some pudding earlier. I thought you might like it,¡± Nina said. Percy raised his eyebrows, quite surprised that Nina did not get to the topic. He was not in a hurry anyway, so he nodded and went into the kitchen. Soon, he came out with a portion of the pudding. Nina knew that Percy liked sweets, so she had asked the maid to make some pudding for him. That was all that she could do for him. Percy sat down on the couch next to her. Nina took a deep breath. She did not smell the perfume of another woman. Over the years, she had gotten familiar with Percy¡¯s unique masculine scent. Nina wondered if Percy had taken a shower before leaving that woman so that she would not suspect anything. She was not in a rush to talk. After Percy finished the pudding, she took out a debit card from her pocket and handed it to Percy. Percy frowned. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°There¡¯s some money inside. It¡¯s not enough to pay back the money you spent on me over the years, but it¡¯s quite a bit. If you don¡¯t think that it¡¯s enough, give me some time and I¡¯ll pay you back in full,¡± Nina said. The hand that was holding the debit card was shaking slightly. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Even though Nina did not say it, Percy could tell that she was trying to cut all ties with him. Was it because of that Johnston woman? Percy did not know, so he tried to ask for more information. ¡°I know that your mother has arranged a marriage for you. Now that you have a proper fiancee, it¡¯s time for this illicit lover of yours to leave. I believe that the time spent with you over all these years should be enough to repay my debt of gratitude to you, so let¡¯s just call it even. Treat your future wife well, and let me start a new life,¡± Nina said. She did not expect that she would feel horrible when saying those words. In any case, she had already said what she wanted to say. She did not feel any better. Instead, her heart wrenched. It seemed as though she was reluctant to leave him after all. ¡®How low have I gotten?¡¯ she thought. ¡®Why would I still want to be someone¡¯s illicit lover?¡¯ With a wave of his hand, Percy smacked the debit card away, and it fell on the floor. ¡°Do you think you can get rid of me so easily, Nina Langdon? Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not as good as you think, Percy. Why would you want to do this? Moreover, you can¡¯t be so selfish. Please let me have my dignity!¡± Percy¡¯s refusal made Nina sink into despair. Chapter 1462 In the face of Nina¡¯s desperate cries, Percy¡¯s expression remained cold. Nina¡¯s insistence on leaving stoked the fires of anger in Percy¡¯s heart. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you from the start that only I get to end this rtionship. Don¡¯t even think that you can get rid of me that easily!¡± Percy said while gripping Nina¡¯s lower jaw. He did not offer to exin what he had been doing. Nina pushed his hand away and stood up. ¡°You still don¡¯t know how to respect me, Percy Mallory. I¡¯m not your ve, and we¡¯ve never signed any contract. If I want to end this rtionship, you have no reason to refuse!¡± She had not consented to start the rtionship. Now that she wanted to end it, he did not allow it either. What was she to him? Did he want to keep her by his side until she was old and useless? Nina did not understand. She did nothing wrong, yet Percy wanted to treat her that way. ¡°I don¡¯t agree with it. If you insist on leaving, you¡¯ll eventually return to me crawling on your knees.¡± Percy¡¯s gaze had been warm when he first returned to the mansion, but now, it was ice-cold. From Percy¡¯s harsh words, Nina could guess that he must have known what happened to her family. Jean and Anna had gotten into a lot of trouble over the years. Percy had been the one to bail them out when she had no solution to their problems. ¡°I won¡¯t. Tonight will be thest time you¡¯ll see me. You might not want me to leave, but you can¡¯t hold me back either. Please, Percy, just let me go. It¡¯ll be easier for the both of us if you just let go.¡± Nina closed her eyes, feeling exhausted by the conversation. Percy became angrier when he heard again that Nina wanted to leave. He abruptly stood up. He was a head taller than Nina. Nina took a step back. There was no expression on Percy¡¯s face, not even anger. That made it even more unnerving. ¡°What do you want?¡± Nina asked, a little afraid. She knew that Percy had a lot of blood on his hands. Was he going to kill her? She knew that if Percy could not obtain something, he would rather destroy it. Thinking that her life was about to end, Nina did not feel sad. Perhaps death would be a better option than to be his ything for the rest of her life. Percy frowned when he saw the calm smile on Nina¡¯s face. What was she thinking? The next moment, Percy picked Nina off her feet. ¡°What do you want?¡± Nina was slung over Percy¡¯s shoulder, and her vision was upside down. She could not see Percy¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to leave me? I¡¯ll make sure that you can never leave,¡± Percy said coldly as he carried Nina up the stairs. Blood was rushing into Nina¡¯s head. Before she could process what Percy meant, she was thrown on the bed. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Nina groaned in agony. Before she could catch her breath, Percy was already onto her. Nina closed her eyes in despair. She finally understood what the man meant¡­ ¡°This is thest time, Percy Mallory.¡± She did not struggle. Her eyes remained closed no matter what the man did. Percy grunted when he saw that Nina did not resist or cooperate. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it, Nina Langdon. You belong to me, and you won¡¯t ever get to escape!¡± Nina closed her eyes in despair. There was only a singr thought in her mind: No matter what he did to her, she was going to leave! Moreover, she would never return, no matter what might happen to her! An hourter, Percy put on his clothes and coldly nced at Nina lying on the bed. ¡°I¡¯ll earlier. If you mention that to me again, I¡¯ll make sure that you regret it.¡± Nina stared at the ceiling with a hollow gaze. Percy was not gentle at all. He thought that Nina would not leave if he exhausted her. However, she would leave the mansion if it meant that she had to crawl. Percy did not hear her reply, and he thought that she was in one of her moods. When he leaned closed to check on her, he noticed that her face was stained with tears. He did not expect to be so violent earlier. Indeed, he let his anger get the better of him, and he might have injured her. He felt a little sorry for Nina, so he said, ¡°Just stay here. I¡¯ll deal with the Johnstons.¡± Nina did not say anything. She did not say a word even until he left the mansion. ¡®The Johnstons? ¡®The Johnston family in A City?¡¯ She did not expect that Percy¡¯s fiancee was from such an influential family. If Percy married the Johnston daughter, the Mallory family would be pushed to greater heights. That would be nice¡­ It was nice that Percy got to marry the Johnston daughter, and it was nice for her to choose to leave. Nina pushed herself up. Even though she was sapped of her strength, she could still move. She cleaned herself up in the bathroom, then opened the closet and took out a suitcase. If Percy had opened the closet, he would have found out that Nina had already packed her suitcase. She did not take any of the branded clothing that Percy gave her. The clothes in her suitcase were those that she bought with her own money. Those were the clothes that suited her status. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Too bad for Percy, he left in a hurry and did not open the closet. Nina smiled and left with the suitcase in tow. It was already past midnight. She did not drive Percy¡¯s car. Instead, she left the mansion in the Volkswagen she bought herself. Fortunately, she had a budget car. That saved her from leaving the mansion on her two feet. She did not have the strength to walk anymore. Nina drove the car with no destination in mind. She had always thought of leaving, but Percy had pampered her, and she never put the idea into practice. After all, it was not so easy to leave. She would not have left if Luke had not reminded her. That was why she had no ce to go. Nina drove to a hotel near Brilliant Architecture and checked in there. After entering the room, she fell on the bed and did not want to move a muscle. She should be sleeping, but she could not fall asleep. She could only stare at the ceiling. She wanted to talk to someone. She thought for a while, picked up her phone, and sent a message to Luca. [Are you asleep?] Nina tapped the Send button. She dared not call her in case Luca was already asleep. She hoped that Luca had set her phone to silent mode. If Luca had fallen asleep, the message would not wake her up. Chapter 1463

Chapter 1463 Is She Suspecting You?

Luca held her phone in her hand while she slept, in case someone took her phone away and read the messages inside. Any sound or vibration her phone made would wake her up. She clenched her phone tightly when she felt the vibration, and she woke up to find that it was a message from Nina. Something must have happened to her if she sent a message sote in the night. Luca immediately replied: [I''m not asleep yet. Why aren''t you sleeping?] Soon, she received a reply from Nina: [I can''t sleep, and I want to find someone to chat with. Are you free now?] Luca immediately sat up. After what happened at the exhibition, she was sure that Nina was unable to sleep because of Percy.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Knowing Nina''s personality, she might have even talked about it with Percy. Luca guessed that the conversation did not go well. Luca sent a reply: [Where are you now? Let''s talk face to face] Nina''s heart warmed when she saw how quickly Luca replied to her messages. She would rather not trouble her, but she really needed a shoulder to lean on now. She sent Luca the location of her hotel. After receiving the location, Luca replied: [I''ll go over now. Can you do me a favor?] [Alright, I''ll order a cab for you.] Nina knew that Luca did not have a car. She opened the app and ordered Luca a cab. She would drive to pick Luca up from her apartment, if not that she had no strength in her legs. Luca replied: [OK]. Then got out of bed and changed her clothes. She opened the bedroom door. The maid had left a nightlight on for her. Luca thought it was a good opportunity to test whether the maid was one of Luke''s subordinates. Luca walked out normally. She did not mask her footsteps. Any one of Luke''s subordinates would be very sensitive to sounds. They would know that Luca was awake. Luca deliberately went around the living room twice, then headed toward the exit. She had just ced her hand on the doorknob when she heard the maid behind her. "Are you going somewhere, Ms. Craw?" Luca turned around, looked at the maid, and nodded. "Yes." "It''s sote at night. Where are you going?" The maid continued asking. She woke up when she heard the sounds in the living room earlier, and she had been keeping an eye on Luca. Luca did not seem to be doing anything major, so she came out of her room to see. "My friend is staying in a hotel alone now, and I''m worried about her. I''d like to apany her,¡± Luca said. "It''s already sote. Why don''t you go tomorrow morning?" The maid frowned and suggested. It was not safe for Luca to go out sote at night. Moreover, there was the possibility that Luca was going out to carry out her master''s orders. If the maid let Luca leave now, Luke might reprimand her for it. "My friend is emotionally unstable. I have to go now," Luca said as she opened the door. Seeing that Luca insisted on going out, the maid said, "It''s not safe to go out sote at night. Why don''t you wait for me for a while? I''ll get changed and apany you." Luca looked at the maid with an ambiguous smile. "Are you worried about my safety, or are you worried about someone else''s safety?" The maid was taken aback. "I don''t understand, Ms. Craw." "Mr. Crawford knows who my friend is. If he mes you for anything or suspects anything, tell him to ask that friend of mine. I''m still on sick leave for the next two days, so I''ll be staying in the hotel with her. That shouldn''t be a problem, right?" Luca said. The maid did not expect that Luca would suspect her. In order not to blow her cover, she could only say, "Of course, there''s no problem with that. I''ll tell Mr. Crawford tomorrow morning. If you want to stay at the hotel, how about I pack up your clothes for you?" "I''ve already packed up," Luca said while pointing at the bulging backpack on her back. Her phone rang. She looked at it and said, "That''s all I have to say for now. The cab is already waiting for me downstairs. You should go and rest. If you don''t want to report this to Mr. Crawford, I can let him know about it tomorrow morning. He won''t me you." "Ah, alright..." the maid nodded. Luca walked out of the apartment, closed the door, and calmly headed to the elevator. From the exchange earlier, she could tell that the maid was one of Luke''s subordinates. After the maid watched her leave, she immediately gave a call to Luke, not caring that her call in the middle of the night would disturb his sleep. After all, the matter concerned Luca. Luke would be angry if the maid reported itte to him. Luke listened to what the maid had to say. Then, he said, "Has she discovered your identity?" The maid hesitated. "I don''t think so..." "Continue with what you''re doing. Report to me when she returns,¡± Luke said and ended the call. Even though the maid did not think so, Luke was sure that Luca had discovered the maid''s real identity. Luca was a smart person. Meanwhile, Luca reached Nina''s hotel. She felt sorry for her when she saw her sitting in the lobby waiting for her. Luca immediately stepped up to her. "Are you alright?" "I''m fine,¡± Nina smiled weakly and said. She wanted to stand up, but she found it hard to move her legs. "Can you help me a little?" "What happened?" Luca frowned but reached out anyway. Nina grabbed her hand and stood up. She walked toward the elevator with wobbly steps. "I''m drained," she said softly. Luca could understand the implications of those words. She frowned and cursed Percy under her breath. "Do you want to ride piggyback?" Luca asked. "Nah, it''s not that I can''t walk. I''m only feeling a little weak. Just support me by my shoulder,¡± Nina smiled and pressed the button for the elevator. "If you can''t walk well, you should just let the front desk know that I''ming. You don''t have toe all the way down to pick me up.¡± Luca did not want to see her like that. "At this hour, they''d rather be catching forty winks. I don''t want to disturb them. I still have to stay here for the next few days anyway," Nina said. She was not going to be able to find a rental property that quickly, and she did not want to move in with her mother. Luca helped her walk into the elevator. Nina swiped the ess card, pressed the button for her floor, then leaned limply against the elevator wall. Luca, on the other hand, propped her up. When the elevator doors opened again, she helped her walk out. In front of the room, Nina swiped the ess card to unlock the door. Luca helped her walk to the bed, then put her backpack down. "I brought some clothes over. Would you mind having a roommate for the next couple of days?" Chapter 1464 Tears welled up in Nina¡¯s eyes when she saw that Luca came prepared. She thought that Luca was worried about her, and that was why Luca wanted to stay over for a few days¡­ Luca thought that Nina was reluctant to let her stay there. She said, ¡°If it¡¯s not convenient for you, I can book the room next door. I don¡¯t have my ID with me now, so I might have to borrow your ID to book a room.¡± Her concern for Nina was genuine, but she was also using Nina for her convenience. She would have to go and take the antidote in two days. It would not be very convenient if Luke¡¯s subordinates tailed her. Nina said, ¡°I¡¯m happy that you¡¯re willing to apany me. Thank you so much, Luca.¡± She was genuinely touched by Luca¡¯s gesture, and she called her ¡°Luca¡± instead of ¡°Dr. Craw.¡± Luca smiled and put her backpack away. ¡°What would it be? Can you still sleep?¡± Nina shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can sleep.¡± Luca could see the sorrow in her eyes. Even though she had missed out on what happened between Nina and Percy for thest three years, she could guess that Nina was not used to the sudden breakup. ¡°I have an idea. How about we drink some wine?¡± Luca suggested with a smile. It was easier to release one¡¯s feelings after taking a ss or two, and it would be easier to fall asleep as well. However, alcohol was bad for health. If it were not the case, Luca would rather drink wine to help her sleep rather than take sleeping pills. Nina nodded in agreement, though she nced at Luca¡¯s forehead and shook her head. ¡°You still have a wound on your forehead. You shouldn¡¯t drink wine.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to drink?¡± Luca asked. ¡°I want to, but the wine isn¡¯t going to be good for your wound,¡± Nina said. She wondered if Luke would me her if something happened to Luca. She immediately stopped herself after arriving at that thought. ¡®Why would Luke and Luca¡­ ¡®That¡¯s impossible¡­¡¯ Nina quickly discarded that thought. Even if Luke was a scumbag, Luca was not that kind of woman. ¡°You can drink wine. I¡¯ll just drink grape juice,¡± Luca suggested. Grape juice looked simr to red wine, and it did not have alcohol. That would not ruin the mood. Nina agreed. She could not seem to clear her thoughts, so it might be a good thing to numb herself using alcohol. Seeing that Nina agreed to it, Luca called for room service. The hotel they were staying in was quite high-ss, so room service was avable around the clock. Ten minutester, an attendant brought the drinks to their room. Luca decanted the red wine and let it stand for ten minutes, then handed a ss to Nina. ¡°Here, this is for you. You don¡¯t have to worry about getting drunk. I can take care of you.¡± Nina took the bottle and ss, poured herself a ssful of wine, and clinked sses with Luca. ¡°A toast to you, Luca. This is to celebrate us bing friends!¡± ¡°Cheers!¡± Luca smiled and clinked her ss of grape juice with Nina¡¯s ss. She remembered the times back in school when she had just be friends with Nina. During their lunch break, they would go to the cafeteria, get themselves a cup of fruit slushy each, then chat about teen girl problems. So many years had passed in the blink of an eye. They led different lives which carried a different set of problems. Nina downed the wine ss after ss. She only wanted to intoxicate herself. Her alcohol tolerance had improved ever since she became Percy¡¯s lover. It took her two bottles before she felt slightly dizzy. ¡°Luca¡­ I think¡­ my head is spinning,¡± Nina said as she put the ss away. Her gaze was unfocused, and her face was bright red. ¡°You¡¯re drunk, Nina,¡± Luca said. ¡°Drunk? Am I?¡± Her hand was unsteady as she ced the ss on the table. She looked hazily at Luca and said, ¡°I think I¡¯m ready to go to sleep.¡± ¡°Let me help you to the bed,¡± Luca said as she propped her up. There were two single beds in Nina¡¯s room. Luca helped her sit down on one of the beds, and before she could do anything else, Nina¡¯s head had already found the pillow, and she was fast asleep. Luca shook her head helplessly. Fortunately, Nina did not throw tantrums after drinking. She only wanted to sleep. After tucking Nina in, she said, ¡°Alright, sleep tight.¡± Nina mumbled something as though replying to her. She flipped over and stopped making any noise. Luca went to the other bed,y down, and turned off the lights. The rest of the night passed without any incident. The next day, it was already eleven o¡¯clock when they woke up. After all, they slept veryte. Luca was surprised when she looked at the time. Usually, she would be able to wake up at around seven o¡¯clock no matter howte she slept. However, she slept soundly, as though she was also under the influence of alcohol. Luca sat up and prepared to get out of bed. She heard Nina groan, ¡°Uggh.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. She turned her head to look at Nina. Nina happened to open her eyes and look at her. ¡°Good morning, Luca,¡± Nina said. Even though she was drunk, she still remembered what happened the night before. ¡°Good morning,¡± Luca replied to the greeting with a smile. She felt as though they were friends on a trip. Nina¡¯s body ached all over because of what happened the night before. The alcohol only made it worse. She felt horrible as she tried to sit up. ¡°What time is it?¡± She had drawn the curtains after checking in. From the rays of sunlight that shone through, she knew that it was already daytime. ¡°It¡¯s almost eleven o¡¯clock,¡± Luca said. She got out of the bed and went to her backpack to unpack her toiletries. ¡°It¡¯s already sote! I still need to go to work!¡± Nina¡¯s eyes widened when she heard that. She barely stood up when she fell sitting on the bed again. ¡°Argh, my head hurts.¡± ¡°You must be suffering from a hangover. You shouldn¡¯t go to work today. Sitting in the office will only make it worse,¡± Luca put the toiletries away and went to the phone. ¡°I¡¯ll get lunch for the both of us. What do you want to eat?¡± ¡°Beef stroganoff, I guess.¡± Nina knocked her head with her knuckles, trying to make herself feel better. ¡°Alright.¡± Luca dialed for room service and ordered two bowls of beef stroganoff and a ss of honey water. After she hung up, she said, ¡°Just sit down and rx. Don¡¯t rush yourself. I¡¯ll go and brush my teeth. After that, I¡¯ll give you a massage.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Nina nodded. After Luca brushed her teeth and washed her face, she came over and massaged Nina¡¯s head. Her slender fingers seemed to be magical. Nina felt a lot better after a quick massage. Chapter 1465 Nina moanedfortably. ¡°Where did you learn this technique, Luca?¡± ¡°I devised it myself. How does it feel?¡± Luca looked at Nina¡¯s face and nned how she could make her life morefortable. If what Nina said were true, Percy would not let her go that easily, and he might be able to find her by today. ¡°This is great. You¡¯re so amazing, Luca. You¡¯re well-educated, gentle, and caring, not to mention you¡¯re a great cook. You even know how to give great massages too! Any man would be very lucky to marry you,¡± Nina praised. At the same time, she thought of Bianca. Luca¡¯s personality reminded her of Bianca before she lost her memories. It was understandable that Luke was interested in Luca. Women like her deserved to be loved and pampered. Any man would want their wife to be like that. Luca smiled but said nothing. She continued pressing certain spots on Nina¡¯s temples to make her feel better. She was not as amazing as Nina said. She imagined that Nina would hate her if Nina knew that her hands were stained in the blood of the innocent. The Bianca from before could withstand all external pressure and remain by Luke¡¯s side. That was because she believed that one day, she would be as outstanding as Luke. The Bianca now could only use those external qualities to cover the darkness inside. That alone took almost all her strength. How was she going to be more outstanding? Ten minutester, the doorbell rang. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Luca stood up and said, ¡°That should be the room service. You should go and wash up.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Nina stood upzily. The massage had improved her headache. Her muscles were still slightly sore, but that was the extent of her difort. She went into the bathroom and closed the door. Luca went to answer the door, thinking that it was the room service. She opened the door without looking through the peephole, and she was surprised when she saw the person standing outside. The person standing outside the door was none other than Percy. Percy was also surprised to see that Nina was not the person who opened the door. He nced at the room number again to make sure he was not at the wrong room, then asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Nina?¡± ¡°Nina? I don¡¯t know her. You must be at the wrong room.¡± Luca knew that Nina was not willing to talk to the man. She wanted to close the door, but Percy held it open forcefully. ¡°Nina checked into this room with her ID. She must be inside,¡± Percy said coldly. He did not expect that Nina was staying with another person. Fortunately for Luca, she was a woman. If she were a man, Percy would not hesitate to off her. ¡°Who are you? Why should I let you in?¡± Luca tried to stall him. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Nina. You¡¯d better get lost if you don¡¯t want any trouble,¡± Percy said impatiently. When the maid woke up earlier that morning, she found that Nina was not in her bedroom. The maid searched the room and noticed that a suitcase was missing, and most of Nina¡¯s daily clothes were gone. She guessed that Nina must have run away and contacted Percy. Percy tasked his subordinates to search the hotels and homestays throughout A City and eventually found the hotel Nina was in. When he received the information, he immediately rushed over to the hotel. ¡°Nina and I have our rights. What can you do to us? Also, Nina didn¡¯t sign any contract with you, so what right do you have to take her away? Oh, right, I remember that you have a fianc¨¦e, right? Don¡¯t think that you can take advantage of Nina. She¡¯s not that kind of person. Be a gentleman and leave.¡± Luca did not feel threatened by Percy¡¯s presence. She only hoped that Nina would note out of the bathroom before she drove that man away. She did not understand why Percy would not let go of Nina when he was going to marry another woman. Did he not know that Nina was not going to be forever young? ¡°I¡¯d rather not get violent on you,¡± Percy slowly clenched his hands in fists. He would have already thrown a punch if not that the woman might be Nina¡¯s friend. Luca raised her eyebrows. Was he nning to fight her? If it were three years ago, Bianca would not have been able to beat anyone in a fight. Things were different now, and she was no longer a pushover. Not many people on the Ind of Despair could beat her in a fight, and she thought that she was evenly matched with Percy. ¡°Are you sure you want to fight? If you manage to defeat me, I¡¯ll let you do whatever you want,¡± Luca said. She had just finished speaking when Nina stepped out of the bathroom. Nina had already heard Percy¡¯s voice. She did not n to step out of the bathroom until she heard that Luca was going to fight Percy. ¡°Stop it, Percy Mallory,¡± Nina said. Percy turned his head to look at her. ¡°Come home with me.¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯ve left, I¡¯m never going back,¡± Nina said while standing in front of Luca. She knew that Percy would not hesitate to beat up a woman if she offended him. However, she was sure that Percy would never hit her. He did not be violent the night before, even though he was furious. That was why Nina thought that she could protect Luca. ¡°You don¡¯t have to protect me, Luca. He¡¯s not going to take me away,¡± she said. Percy became even angrier when he heard that Nina did not want to go back. He wanted to reach out and grab Nina, but Luca blocked his advance. ¡°If Nina doesn¡¯t want to go with you, don¡¯t even think of taking her away,¡± Luca said insistently. Percy gazed at Luca gloomily, thinking that the woman was being a pest. Nina was worried for Luca, knowing that Percy had a vengeful character. If Luca offended him now, he would eventually get back at her. Nina did not want to trouble other people. ¡°I can talk to him, Luca,¡± Nina said. Luca looked behind her in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯ve already said what you wanted to say, Nina.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already said it, but I think that he doesn¡¯t get it yet. I¡¯d like to repeat myself,¡± Nina said and took a deep breath. She was trying to control her emotions. Luca wanted to say something, but she heard Luke¡¯s voice. ¡°Don¡¯t meddle in their personal affairs.¡± Luca looked down the corridor when she heard the low and resonant voice. Indeed, it was Luke. Luke was also looking at her. ¡°Come out here. I want to talk to you.¡± Luca looked at him, then at Nina behind her, then at Percy. If Nina wanted to try to talk to him, she had no right to stop her. She pulled her hands away and warned Percy, ¡°I¡¯ll be right outside. Don¡¯t even think ofying a finger on Nina. I¡¯ll call the police.¡± ¡°The police can¡¯t touch me,¡± Percy said viciously. He walked into the room and closed the door. Chapter 1466 ¡°What are we betting on?¡± Luca frowned. She was not used to Luke¡¯s attitude. ¡°I bet that Nina would not be able to leave Percy,¡± Luke said. ¡°What¡¯s at stake?¡± Luca continued to ask. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet, but the loser would have to obey whatever the winner says. What do you think, Dr. Craw?¡± Luke asked. Luca¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she looked at Luke. She could not tell what Luke was thinking. Luke seemed very different today. On other days, he would not pay attention to other people¡¯s affairs, but today, he wanted to make a bet with her. Furthermore, the stakes were excitingly high¡­ Luke had never obeyed anyone. If he lost the bet, he would have to obey her. Luca could tell that he was quite confident of winning. ¡°Are you too chicken?¡± Luke chuckled. Luca felt her knees grow weak when she heard that chuckle. On an impulse, she agreed to the bet. ¡°Who¡¯s chicken? I¡¯ll take you on the bet. You¡¯d better not regret it, Mr. Crawford!¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. She immediately regretted it as soon as the words left her mouth. She had been too impulsive¡­ Luke¡¯s chuckle seemed to have charmed her into agreeing to the bet. It was toote for her to go back on her word. Dr. Luca Craw would not have done that. Luca hoped that Nina would not return to Percy, but she knew that Percy was an influential figure and might use some sinister ploy to keep Nina captive. When she thought of that, she said, ¡°I¡¯d like to add a caveat.¡± ¡°Say it,¡± Luke said as he looked at her. ¡°If Percy tried to hold Nina captive through some sinister or dastardly trick, that wouldn¡¯t count,¡± Luca said. Luke nodded. ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t have treated her as your friend so quickly.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Luca did not understand. Luke shook his head and said, ¡°You¡¯ll understand it after you lose the bet.¡± As an outsider, he could clearly tell that Nina had feelings for Percy. She was not the type of person who would do anything for money, so he could tell that Nina stayed by Percy¡¯s side for three years for a reason other than money. That reason must be love. She would change her mind once she knew that Percy was doing all that to stay with her. Chapter 1467 Luke loved Bianca not only because of her looks but also because of her personality. That was why the impostor Bianca did not manage to reignite Luke¡¯s love or interest, even though she looked exactly like the real Bianca. This time, Luca¡¯s personality was very simr to Bianca¡¯s. Percy was worried that Luke might fall for her. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Luke said. No one could rece Bianca. That was true even if Luke had no idea where Bianca was. ¡°That¡¯s good to know,¡± Percy said. He looked indignantly at the hotel entrance. ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to protect Nina at the hotel. Should I keep an eye on your woman too?¡± In the conversation with Nina earlier, Percy guessed that his family might have contacted her. However, she did not say it, so he was not sure. ¡°I¡¯ll send my own people,¡± Luke said. Percy¡¯s subordinates were enough to protect Nina, but Luke needed someone more powerful to keep an eye on Luca. He had to send someone specific. ¡°Alright,¡± Percy said and drove away. In the hotel room, Nina cried for a full ten minutes until she was out of breath. Luca sighed as she looked at Nina¡¯s puffy eyes. She thought that she had managed to cheer Nina up, but Percy seemed to have undone all her work. In fact, Nina¡¯s condition was worse than before¡­ She could not tell Nina to drown her sorrows in alcohol again, right? Nina sniffled. She noticed the wet patch on Luca¡¯s shirt and said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I dirtied your shirt.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can change it. I¡¯m more worried about you though. Go and wash your face, then we¡¯ll go shopping.¡± Luca patted her head in an attempt tofort her just like before. Nina pointed at her eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t go out with my eyes like this. Other people might think that I was punched in the face.¡± Luca wiggled her fingers and said, ¡°What are you worried about? I¡¯m here for you. I¡¯ll massage your eyester, and the puffiness will go down quickly. Also, you can wear sunsses. We¡¯re not going to spend the entire day in the hotel, right?¡± Nina nodded and said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go shopping then. I haven¡¯t gone shopping for a long time.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go then,¡± Luca gently pushed her. Nina nodded, stood up, and went into the bathroom. Chapter 1468 Not long after Nina had just entered the bathroom, the doorbell rang. Luca went to answer the door. This time, she cautiously looked through the peephole to check on the situation outside. She only opened the door after making sure that Percy had not returned and it was the waiter who came to deliver food. After the dining cart was pushed in, she requested the waiter to send two ice packs over. She wanted to reduce the swelling in Nina¡¯s eyes. ¡°Miss, the ice packs are in the inteyer of the dining cart.¡± The waiter smiled and replied. Luca raised her eyebrows, opened the inteyer drawer, and nced at it. There were indeed two ice packs inside. She did not request the waiter for them before this, but they were already prepared in advance. No matter how silly she was, she knew what was going on. Percy knew Nina would cry after he left, so he asked the waiter to prepare these. This man knew Nina well. Usually, a man would only be attentive to the woman he loved. Could it be that he was serious about Nina? However, if he was serious about Nina, why would he ept the marriage arrangements of his family? Luca had always thought that Percy and Luke were the same types of people. Although they were aloof and focused on authority, they were never the kind of people who would makepromises when it came to their rtionship. Even if the match arranged for them by their family was perfect and the women were able to help them achieve great progress in their career, they would not agree to marry a woman they were not in love with. Otherwise, Luke and she would not have experienced those days back then. Hence, if Percy had fallen in love with Nina, he would not have epted the Warner family¡¯s daughter. There must be some misunderstanding here. Percy must be hiding something from them. Luca was deep in thought. The waiter saw her staring at the ice packs without saying anything. He asked in a respectful tone, ¡°Miss, is there anything else you need?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s all. Thank you.¡± Luca took a bill out of her pocket as the tip. The waiter epted it happily. ¡°Miss, enjoy your meal.¡± Luca pushed the dining cart into the living room. Nina happened to walk out and asked, ¡°Lunch is already here?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s here. Come and eat.¡± Luca smiled and beckoned to her. Nina came forward. After all that crying, she was feeling slightly calmer now. She picked up her lunch and ate silently. Luca followed and ate too. While she ate, she said, ¡°When you finish your lunchter, put the ice packs on your eyes for ten minutes. Then I¡¯ll massage them for you. It can reduce 80% of the swelling.¡± ¡°That¡¯s incredible!¡± Nina looked at her in admiration. ¡°Luca, just in case you don¡¯t feel like working at Watson one day, do tell me. Let¡¯s partner up and open a beauty salon. You have such amazing massage techniques, so there¡¯ll definitely be a long queue of rich wives in our beauty salon!¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Lucaughed yfully and replied, ¡°When the timees, I¡¯ll be in charge of receiving the customers and you¡¯ll handle the money, alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good at that!¡± Nina smiled as she spoke. All of a sudden, Bianca shed in her mind. Back then, they had made a simr promise with each other. Bianca was good at cooking, so she joked that if she wanted to change careers in the future, they would partner up and open a homestyle restaurant. Bianca was a fantastic cook, so she was pretty sure that it would be a popr business. After lunch, Luca took the ice packs out from the inteyer drawer of the dining cart. Nina was surprised. ¡°You even prepared these in advance!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t me.¡± Luca hesitated for three seconds, but she still decided to tell her about it. After all, it was Percy¡¯s kind thoughts. Even though Luca thought that Nina was out of Percy¡¯s league, Nina needed to know about a man who was so attentive in doing things. After Nina heard about it, an inexplicable look of sadness shed across her eyes. Just when Luca was thinking that it would have been better if she did not tell her about it, Nina had alreadyid down. She said, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get the swelling reduced quickly so we can go out earlier.¡± Luca handed the ice packs to her. Nina did not care about how cold they were. She ced them on her eyes right away. After half an hour, the swelling around Nina¡¯s eyes was almost reduced. After that, both of them tidied themselves up a little before going out. There was a shopping district near the hotel. Both of them discussed for a moment and decided to take a stroll there. After Nina¡¯s suggestion, both of them came to a beauty salon and were nning to get a facial. After getting some rmendations from the beautician, they entered a two-person room, purchased a beauty package, and got their facials. Nina had her eyes closed and felt satisfied as the steam opened the pores on her face. She sighed and said, ¡°One of the happiest moments of being a woman would be this particr moment, right?¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s sofortable.¡± Luca closed her eyes as she enjoyed it. As if getting a facial could make one leave all their troubles behind, it seemed like Nina was not thinking about Percy¡¯s misbehaviors anymore. Luca seemed to have forgotten about Luke and Abel¡¯s matter as well. While both of them were enjoying their time, a voice came from the next room. ¡°Miss Tia, we¡¯ve prepared a deluxe twin room for you. This way, please.¡± A beautician¡¯s voice sounded. Luca opened her eyes, and so did Nina. They listened to the voicesing from next door. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get two luxury beauty packages today. Do it right. If I think it¡¯s done nicely, I¡¯ll get an annual pass here,¡± Tia said. ¡°Sure, sure. We¡¯ll certainly provide you with the best service.¡± There came the beautician¡¯s voice again. Luca and Nina exchanged nces with each other. Tia was the one who got involved in a scandal with Luke, right? They thought this woman¡¯s voice was simr to hers as they listened. Then, there came noises from next door again. ¡°Sophia, I brought you here today to experience this luxury beauty package. Don¡¯t say I¡¯m not treating you well next time.¡± There was a sense of pride in Tia¡¯s voice. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Tia. It¡¯s my first time getting such a luxurious facial.¡± Sophia was Tia¡¯s assistant, and she had just shot a nce at the price of the facial. She was excited. It was her first time getting such an expensive facial. She felt like her living standard had just leveled up. ¡°Then enjoy it.¡± Tia sounded arrogant. Nina waved her hand at her beautician. The beautician understood what she meant and came forward. ¡°Miss Langdon, is there anything I can help you with?¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°Is Miss Tia a regr customer of your beauty salon?¡± Nina asked. The beautician nodded her head. ¡°Miss Tia has beening here for facial treatments these days.¡± ¡°Is she the one who¡¯s very famous in the psychology field?¡± Nina only wanted to confirm that. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that, but I heard that she¡¯s an outstanding and sessful woman. And she was on the news a few days ago,¡± the beautician replied. ¡°The scandal with Luke Crawford?¡± Nina was trying to keep her voice down, and the beautician had also lowered her voice. Hence, the conversation between them could only be heard by Luca and her beautician. The others would not be able to hear it. ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s her. Our manager even told us that only such a beautiful woman is worthy of standing beside Mr. Crawford.¡± The beautician nodded her head hurriedly. Chapter 1469 After Nina heard it, she nodded her head. It was indeed Tia. Was Tia the only beautiful woman? As a woman, looking from an aesthetic perspective, Tia was not that pretty. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. She was only good at dressing up herself and covering all of her ws. She was cautious even when she was walking normally, controlling her tendency to out-toe. It was only because Tia was rich, which made her look morous in the eyes of others. Who knew if she was good-looking after her makeup was removed? The beautician saw her keeping silent and asked curiously in a soft voice, ¡°Miss Langdon, do you know her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s famous, everyone knows her.¡± Nina and Luca exchanged nces and went back to closing their eyes without nning to say anything much. The beautician was someone who knew how to judge situations. When she realized the other party refused to talk about it, she did not continue to ask. Nina and Luca did not continue their conversation, while the chattering next door went on and on. After Tia had chosen the beauty products, shey down to enjoy the massage service provided by the beautician. Sophia did the same. She moanedfortably as the beautician massaged her. Tia chuckled. She thought Sophia was just a country girl who had not seen the world, so she said, ¡°Sophia, it¡¯s been a while since you came out to work. You just don¡¯t understand that you should treat yourself better. Women must take good care of their skin so that we can attract a few more minutes of attention from those men.¡± ¡°Ms. Tia, I understand, but I can¡¯t afford such high expenses with my pay,¡± replied Sophia. Tia knew how much was her pay, so she did not have to pretend to be rich in front of her. TIa shot a nce at her and said with frustration, ¡°If you¡¯d like to live a better life in the future, you must be willing to spend on yourself. As a woman, being beautiful is an advantage. Once you be beautiful, a good man will have his eyes on you. You can then hold a morous wedding. Are you still afraid that you¡¯ll be broke in the future?¡± Sophia agreed with her, but deep down in her heart, she was wondering what kind of logic that was. If everyone was able to have such spending power like Tia, of course, they would not need to worry about anything else¡ªnot to mention a man¡¯s wealth. Would it not be better to live in style alone? Tia was already rich enough, yet she still wanted to throw herself at Luke Crawford even when he was brushing her off. Were all the facials that she had done for nothing? Of course, Sophia would only dare to say these to herself. She dared not to say them out loud. ¡°Sophia, women will need to find good husbands eventually. Even though these words sound irritating, it¡¯s the honest truth for people like you. Take good care of yourself, then you¡¯ll be given the right to choose instead of waiting for others to choose you in the future. Tell me, do my words make sense to you?¡± ¡°Yes, Miss Tia, you¡¯ve got a point. It¡¯s no surprise that Mr. Crawford likes you so much.¡± Sophia appeared to seemingly agree with her. Sophia was Tia¡¯s assistant, so she knew what her boss wanted to hear most. Speaking of Luke Crawford, Tia put on a smile. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be ridiculous. Luke and I are just close friends.¡± ¡°Mr. Crawford isn¡¯t interested in psychology stuff but he still found time toe to your seminar. Ms. Tia, I think the feelings Mr. Crawford have for you aren¡¯t just as simple as the feelings between friends,¡± Sophia continued to say. Although Luke had left the seminar after listening for only five minutes, Tia was still talking about it endlessly. She thought that it must be the privilege Luke had given to her. The only reason he merely managed to listen for five minutes was that something urgent came up in thepany and he had to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll be angry if you continue this nonsense. What if others misunderstand us again?¡± Tia smiled as she denied it. She had no intention of getting mad at Sophia. ¡°Let me simplify this for you. We women must take good care of ourselves so that we can live a better life in the future. Sophia, do you understand?¡± Nina, who was at the next door, could not help but smile after she heard that. She said, ¡°Nonsense. If women have to depend on men, our lives will be ruined.¡± Luca smiled when she heard Nina say that. These days, women still had to be independent. It was more reliable than just depending on a man. She understood that well, so even when Luke appeared to be so in love with her back then, she still adhered to improving herself. She attendedw courses and took qualification exams just to strengthen her capabilities. Only when a woman was capable would she have the confidence to stand in front of a man. Nina and Luca were also doing the luxury package. All of them started their facials at about the same time. When they were checking out, it was difficult to avoid running into Tia. Tia recognized Nina and Luca. She was wondering when both of them became good friends. She knew Nina well. Back then when she was defending Bianca¡¯s interests, she looked like she was looking for trouble with every woman who showed up beside Luke. Previously, Tia had tried to please her to get closer to Luke, but she refused to ept her. Now, when Bianca was studying abroad, Nina was showing up around Luca as if she was monitoring Luke on behalf of Bianca. Hence, Tia did not like Nina. As for Luca, the woman who had a scandal with Luke previously, Tia hated her even more. Tia looked at the both of them, greeting them in a smarmy manner. ¡°What a coincidence. Did both of youe to get facials too?¡± Nina was wearing her sunsses, and she rolled her eyes. It was obvious that they had just finished their facials but Tia had put on her foundation and makeup again. It seemed like she did that just because her bare face did not look great at all. Nina smiled and replied, ¡°Yes. After all, we women have to constantly improve our looks to attract a man¡¯s attention. For the sake of a better life in the future and to be a young mistress easily, I came over to get a facial treatment. I have to take care of my skin when I have the time.¡± Tia felt like those words sounded so familiar. It seemed like that was what she had said just now. She pulled a long face instantly. They were right next to them just now? Both of them had heard everything she told Sophia? Nina added, ¡°As expected of an expert psychologist. I¡¯m impressed with your professional life lessons.¡± Tia smiled and took her bank card out. ¡°I was just talking off the top of my head. The others certainly have different opinions on this.¡± ¡°But I agree with what you said.¡± Nina epted the receipt handed by the cashier and left arm in arm with Luca. After they left the beauty salon, Nina said, ¡°She looks exactly like someone who thinks about someone else¡¯s husband. How shameless it was of her to say such things. How can people like that be considered an expert psychologist? I think the people in the psychology field are blind.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not care about her. Let¡¯s hang around here. I saw a bubble tea shop nearby. It¡¯s been a long time since I had bubble tea. Care to join me?¡± Luca was not interested in Tia¡¯s affair. It was no longer a secret that Tia was interested in Luke, and now that Luke happened to be interested in her too, Luca did not want to think about it anymore. Chapter 1470 Speaking about bubble tea caught Nina¡¯s interest. She nodded her head as she walked in the direction of the bubble tea shop arm in arm with Luca. In the beauty salon, Sophia shot a nce at Tia. The look on her face was terrifying. ¡°Ms. Tia¡­¡± She reminded her in a soft voice. ¡°The people in the beauty salon are looking at us.¡± As Tia watched Nina and Luca leave arm in arm, she turned around and asked the staff working in the beauty salon. ¡°They were in the room next to us all along?¡± ¡°Yes, Miss.¡± The beauty salon manager nodded her head and replied. She did not expect something like this to happen and wondered if she should renovate the beauty salon to improve the soundproofing. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Tia took a deep breath, suppressing the emotions that were about to explode within her. ¡°When did they start their facial session?¡± ¡°Probably ten minutes earlier than yours,¡± the beauty salon manager replied in a soft voice. Tia staggered. Then it mean they had heard everything she told Sophia. She knew Nina had it in for her because of Luke, but at least she did not have the dirt on her back then. That was why Nina could not do anything to her. However, Tia had just personally handed her the advantage. When she was doing her facial just now, even though she denied having thoughts about Luke, she still talked a lot about Luke with Sophia. The tone of her voice was also filled with admiration. Tia red at Sophia and handed the credit card. ¡°The bill, please.¡± ¡°Sure, please wait for a while, Miss.¡± The beauty salon manager epted the card hurriedly and swiped the card for payment. After Tia signed her name on the bill and took her credit card back, she hurriedly walked out of the salon in her heels. The beautician who was nearby saw this and let out a sigh. ¡°Manager, the woman said she wanted to get an annual pass but now¡­¡± Beauticians could get amission when a customer applied for an annual card. The manager knew why she was behaving that way. She patted her shoulder andforted her. ¡°Based on the situation now, I don¡¯t think she¡¯sing back here anymore, much less apply for an annual pass.¡± ¡°I thought I could get another regr customer.¡± The beautician was still sighing. Just because Tia had said that she was going to apply for an annual pass, she was extraordinarily careful when she was giving Tia her facial treatment. The manager paused for a moment and asked in a soft voice, ¡°By the way, what did she say in the room earlier?¡± The beautician showed some doubts and replied, ¡°Manager, aren¡¯t we not allowed to talk about the customer¡¯s private matters?¡± ¡°Given the situation, do you think she¡¯sing back here? I think it¡¯s time to improve the soundproofing of the rooms.¡± The manager reminded herself. The beautician nodded and replied, ¡°She was talking about Luke Crawford, the big boss of T Corporation in A City.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, I remember. She¡¯s the woman who got involved in the scandal with Luke Crawford.¡± The manager suddenly realized it, but based on Tia¡¯s temperament and style, she was not even close to what the papers had been describing her¡ªan elite who was warm and generous. Someone like her managed to hook up with Luke Crawford? Competition between women had always existed. Even if the manager was not interested in Luke Crawford, she would still think that Tia was unworthy of him. ¡­ The next day. Luca was still on leave. Due to the affair, Luke had approved her a week of sick leave. She woke up early and identally woke Nina up too. Nina saw her packing her stuff. She yawned and asked curiously, ¡°Luca, you¡¯re going out?¡± ¡°Yes, something came up and I have to go out. It¡¯s still early, get some sleep,¡± Luca said as she carried her bag and wore her shoes. ¡°Where are you going? How about letting me send you there?¡± It was hard for Nina to fall asleep again once she woke up, so she thought of apanying Luca. Luca was going to get the antidote today. Of course, she could not let Ninae along with her. ¡°There¡¯s no need. I¡¯ll be back soon. By the way, I got you breakfast. If you don¡¯t feel like sleeping anymore, just inform the hotel reception ad they¡¯ll deliver it.¡± ¡°Oh, Luca. That¡¯s sweet of you. How great would it be if you were a man? I¡¯d definitely marry you!¡± Nina acted like a spoiled child. With Luca¡¯spany, the trauma that Percy caused her had faded by a lot. Maybe it had not gone away, but since there was someone to distract her, she was feeling much better now. ¡°If I were a man, I wouldn¡¯t be leaving a beauty in the hotel room alone to go out. Alright, see youter.¡± Luca tidied herself and smiled. She was bing like how she used to be in front of her ex-best friend. ¡°Alright, see you soon.¡± Nina waved at her. Luca went into the elevator and reached the ground floor. She noticed a few people sitting in the hotel lobby. These people were different from the ones sitting here yesterday, but after she came down, their attention was all on her. Although they were skilled, they tried to look at her by doing various actions. Still, Luca was able to notice that they were professionals. Even so, she was not too bad either. As she was being watched by so many people, Luca walked out of the hotel as if nothing had happened. She picked her phone up and got a driver using a ride-hailing app. While she was waiting, Luca already noticed that two people who were sitting in the lobby had gone missing. They probably knew that she was going out, so they went to get the car and were ready to tail her. Luca started walking forward. She continued to walk until she reached a big supermarket. She went in. It was early in the morning, so it was considerably crowded in the supermarket. Most of them were elders who came for grocery shopping after their morning exercise. Luca guessed that those people were probably following her. She walked past the elders one by one nimbly. The people who were following her dared not act quicker, afraid that they would knock into the elders and cause trouble. They tried to weave their way through the crowd, but because of their bulky figures, they were unable to move nimbly like Luca. It did not take long before they lost her. Luca nced behind her and realized that they did not manage to catch up. Hence, she bypassed the noisy fresh produce section and left the supermarket. Then, she put on the cap and jacket that she had prepared earlier after taking them out of her bag. After she disguised herself, she did not have to hide anymore. She arrived at the location where she had set when arranging a cab. The driver was already waiting there. Luca had purposely hailed a ride and made the driver wait for her here. She refused to let Luke¡¯s men know the car te number of the car she was riding in. Once they knew it, even if she managed to get rid of them, they would be able to find out her destination through the car te. Luca was toozy to change rides back and forth. It was too troublesome, so she purposely escaped from them. Due to the fake Bianca, Luke had already found the base of Ind of Despair in A City. Although he did not find anyone there in the end, Abel had truly pissed him off. After the location was changed, she was asked to be more cautious. When Luca reached her destination, she got out of the car and strolled down two streets. Then, she pulled another car over. She got out of the car two streets before the new base and trotted down. When she reached the location, she observed her surroundings. There was no one else. Then, she knocked on the door ording to the given signal. Chapter 1471 Luca walked in after the door was opened. She was surprised to see Abel sitting on the chair. He was actually in A City¡­ Back then when she was on the Ind of Despair, she often saw Abel in A City. The errands were always run by someone else. Ever since she got out of the ind, the chances of him being in A City were higher. Sometimes, Luca thought that he did not rebuild the Ind of Despair for the sake of money. It was to deal with Luke Crawford. Luke Crawford was a thorn in his heart. He wanted to get rid of it, and she was his tool. ¡°Why are you sote?¡± Abelined and nced at the time. She was half an hourte for the appointment. ¡°Your reckless way of doing things has caused me to be followed closely by his men now. I needed some time to get rid of them,¡± Luca exined with many grievances in her tone. Abel listened to her and chuckled. Then, he made eye contact with his men. His subordinate received his signal and handed the vial to Luca. Luca shook the vial and stared at the color of the antidote which was the same as the previous ones. Thinking that Abel dared not do anything now, she opened it and drank the antidote in front of everyone. There was not even a drop left. Abel looked at her actions and said, ¡°I did everything I could to get you close to Luke Crawford, yet you tried so hard to escape. Luca, you¡¯ve double-crossed me, so don¡¯tin anything more.¡± Luca knew he was referring to her staying together with Nina at the hotel. She replied coldly, ¡°I did that for the sake of getting the antidote. I¡¯m being watched by the caretaker in the apartment every day. How was I supposed to get out?¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Abel listened to her disingenuous exnation, but whatever. He would not believe it either. ¡°Luca, you can get rid of those bodyguards and the caretaker. Return after two days and stay there. Follow Luke¡¯s arrangement and just do everything he wants you to do. I want you to clear up his doubts within a month.¡± Abel gave her the final order. It was obvious that he was extremely dissatisfied with Luca¡¯s progress. After Luca listened to his ultimatum, she sneered, turned around, and left. Abel¡¯s subordinate watched her as she closed the door and left. He asked in a deep voice, ¡°Boss, I think she¡¯s not being honest recently. Do we need to send a few more men to follow her?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need. It¡¯ll naturally be done by someone else,¡± Abel answered. After Luca left, she went to buy two sets of lunch boxes and some fruits. Then, she returned to the hotel. There were still two people there in the lobby. Those people who went out to follow her had note back. She reckoned that they realized they had lost her and were apologizing to Luke now. Those people saw Luca carrying two bags and walking into the elevator. They looked at one another in astonishment. Before the elevator door closed, Luca saw one of them taking his phone out to make a call. It seemed like he was going to inform those who were still looking for her. It looked like Luke Crawford was deeply skeptical about her¡­ Luca felt slightly mncholic, and she recalled Abel¡¯s ultimatum. He was not joking about that. If she failed in the task, he would interfere with the matterter. When the time came, she could not tell what he would do either. After all, ever since the day Kassy was imprisoned because of Luke, this man had gone insane. Luca was notcent over the fact that she got away from those people who were sent to tail her. There was a feeling of mncholy in her heart that was difficult to calm every time she met Abel. How was she supposed to let Luke¡¯s guard down against her? Even if she seeded, what would she be facingter? The elevator had reached the floor. Luca¡¯s phone vibrated once she stepped out of it. It was a text message from Abel. She tapped on the message, then she saw a few photos in it. They were photos of little N. During all these months after she left, the child seemed to have lost some weight. Although she still looked energetic, Luca could sense the threat behind the photos. If she did not follow what Abel had asked her to do, the one who would have to suffer was not only her but little N too. Luca held her phone tightly¡­ If Luke knew about this in the future and that all these things that she was doing now were for the sake of their child, would he forgive her? Luca smiled mockingly at the thought of this. What made her think that Luke would forgive her? There was no turning back for her now. All the exnations would soundme, and no one could understand her¡­ Luca returned to her room with a heavy heart. Nina put down her spoon as soon as she saw that Luca was back. She said, ¡°Luca, you¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Yes, I bought some snacks and fruits. Do you want some?¡± Luca smiled and replied. ¡°Yes!¡± Nina nodded. She did not expect that Luca would still think of her when she was out running errands. She even brought so much food back. It came at the right time as she needed food to distract her now. Luca opened the bag and shared the food inside with Nina. After eating, Nina got up and switched on herptop. She wanted to look for houses that were avable to rent nearby. Luca helped her too. In the end, both of them chose a few apartments that were closer to Brilliant. After lunch, both of them went to survey the houses together. When they got out of the elevator, Luca noticed that the people who were sitting in the lobby had changed shifts. She had no idea what Luke had in mind. If he was a little more attentive, he probably could have realized that she already knew he had sent people to follow her. Nina noticed that she was distracted, so she asked with concern, ¡°Luca, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing. Let¡¯s go.¡± Luca snapped back to her senses and walked out with her. Although the ces they picked were nearby, they were scattered around. Hence, Nina chose to drive. After they reached the property agency, the agent brought them to a few ces. Atst, Nina confirmed that she wanted to rent a single-room apartment and returned to the agency to sign a rental agreement. When Luca watched her ce her signature on the agreement, she felt confused and puzzled. Nina¡¯s final decision was the apartment located in the city center. It was convenient no matter if she was going to Brilliant or T Corporation. It was even close to the city center if she wanted to shop. However, the rental was much cheaper than the rest of the apartments they surveyed. Luca was being careful. She had the feeling that there was no such thing as a free lunch, so she shot a nce at the rental agreement. There was no information about thendlord. ¡°Hello, may I know if it¡¯s unnecessary to include thendlord¡¯s information in the agreement?¡± she asked. The agent smiled and said, ¡°Miss, thendlord left it for us to manage, so ourpany is signing the agreement with Miss Langdon directly. It has nothing to do with thendlord.¡± ¡°Then can you provide some information about thendlord?¡± Luca continued to question. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Thendlord doesn¡¯t want to be disturbed, so he asked thepany to keep all his information confidential.¡± The agent did not just give her thendlord¡¯s information right away because of her request. After Nina finished signing it, she handed the agreement to her and asked, ¡°Is there any problem?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to know about thendlord. You¡¯re a single woman living alone there. After all, it¡¯d be better to pay more attention,¡± Luca replied. Chapter 1472 As the agent listened to her concerns, she smiled and exined, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. The apartment is located in a high-end residential area. Thendlords who can afford the apartment units there are certainly are people with good personal qualities. And the apartment uses an electronic door lock. The password can be reset. Others won¡¯t know the password except for the tenant herself.¡± Luca nodded her head and did not say anything more. It was a steal for Nina to be able to rent an apartment at that price. The agent had exined to them that thendlord was nning to immigrate and thought that it was a pity to leave the house empty, so he wanted to rent it out as soon as possible. That was why the rental was so cheap. It was a reasonable exnation, but Luca had this weird feeling from the beginning. Nina signed the agreement and agreed with the agent that she would be moving in tomorrow. She had been excusing herself from work because of all sorts of matters in the past two days, so she wanted to move in earlier, clean up everything, and go back to work. Even though something had happened in her life, still she could not allow herself to break down because of this. After both of them left the agency, Luca sat in the passenger seat and leaned on the car window with her forehead against it. Nina saw her and asked with concern, ¡°Are you tired? You look awful.¡± ¡°Probably. I¡¯ll be fine after going back and resting for a while.¡± Luca knew it was because she had the antidote, so she was not feeling too well now. Previously whenever she took the antidote, she would encounter such situations where her body suffered from physical lethargy. However, it was never that serious. It was just that it was much more serious this time. She reckoned that it was because of her weak body. ¡°Then let¡¯s go back.¡± Nina felt slightly guilty when she saw Luca in such an ufortable state. If she had not asked her to apany her to look at the houses, she would be resting now. Luca nodded her head. After Nina drove back to the hotel, both of them went into the elevator together. Although Nina knew nothing, when she saw a few people sitting in the lobby, she said in a soft voice, ¡°Why do I feel like there are always people sitting in the lobby in the past two days?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure either.¡± Luca looked at the look of confusion on Nina¡¯s face. She did not n to tell her about it. Firstly, she had no idea how to exin to Nina that these people were sent by Luke to keep an eye on her. Secondly, one or two of them were sent by Percy. They wanted to ensure Nina¡¯s safety, so Luca did not intend to tell her. ¡°That¡¯s weird. They don¡¯t look like guests, and the hotel staff aren¡¯t sending them away either. It¡¯s kind of scary for a few men to be sitting there,¡± Nina mumbled. She had her arm hooked around Luca¡¯s. She could feel Luca¡¯s body warmth and looked at her. She saw Luca¡¯s face turn much paler as well. ¡°Luca, it seems like your body is burning. Are you having a fever?¡± Luca touched her forehead when she heard that. It seemed like it was hot, but it was still fine. She replied, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I think my body temperature is still fine.¡± ¡°You look more awful than just now.¡± Nina stroked her hand worriedly. ¡°I¡¯m just tired. I¡¯ll be fine after getting some sleep.¡± Luca smiled andforted her. Nina thought that since Luca knew some medical knowledge, she would probably be fine after getting some sleep. Nina walked into the guest room and pulled the curtains. Then, she said, ¡°Alright, get some sleep. I¡¯m getting some rest too. I won¡¯t disturb you.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Luca nodded her head andy on the bed. She was having a slight fever, so she fell into a deep sleep. Even when noises wereing from Nina¡¯s side, they did not wake her up. Luca slept through the afternoon. Nina was afraid that she would wake Luca up, so shey beside her. When she was unable toy still on the bed, she sat up and looked at the other side of the bed. Luca had not moved. If not for the slight movement of the nket, she would think that Luca was not breathing. ¡°Luca¡­¡± Nina called out in a gentle voice. It was almost six o¡¯clock in the evening, but Luca had not woken up even once. She did not even go to the bathroom. Nina called out, but there was no response from Luca. ¡°Could she be sick?¡± Nina was worried. She got out of the bed and walked toward Luca¡¯s side. ¡°Luca? Dr. Craw?¡± She called out twice, but there was no response again. Nina switched on the lights, and Luca finally seemed to react. She frowned, but she did not open her eyes. Nina saw this and reached out to touch her forehead. It was burning, and it was not merely a slight fever anymore. Nina felt guilty as she looked at Luca¡¯s pale face and the redness on her cheek. She had no idea Luca had fallen ill. Given the circumstances, Luca had to be sent to the hospital now. ¡°Luca, Luca, can you hear me?¡± Nina shook Luca¡¯s body. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Luca was in a daze and did not open her eyes. She only grunted as a response. Nina was distraught when she saw this. Although Luca was not heavy, Nina was very thin and weak. She was certain that she was unable to carry Luca, but Luca had to go to the hospital¡­ Should Nina call the ambnce? Nina hurriedly picked up her phone that was on the bed at the thought of this. When she was about to dial the emergency number, Luke Crawford came across her mind. She hesitated for a few seconds and eventually gave Luke a call. She briefly told him about Luca feeling sick but Luke did not say anything. He only told her to wait for him and hung up the phone. Nina listened to the busy tone on the other side of the phone and pondered. There was a hint of anxiety in Luke¡¯s words. She seemed to have never seen Luke feeling anxious for another woman other than Bianca¡­ Nina looked at Luca who was lying on the bed. Was Luke falling for her? Once a man began to take a woman seriously, it would be difficult for her to reject his kindness, especially men like Luke Crawford. Would Luca have an ulterior motive for Luke because of this? Nina was slightly struggling with this question. Although it had been a long time since Bianca contacted her, she still thought of her as her best friend. After all, their friendship was genuine for so many years. It was just that Luca had been helping her so much now. From the moral point of view, if there was really something happening between Luca and Luke, then it was definitely Luca¡¯s fault. Nina being a woman herself, she should be criticizing such a thing. However, she had yed such a role before. Hence, what made her think that she had the right to criticize Luca? Nina snapped back to her senses and realized that she was overthinking. Since Luca had nothing to do with Luke now, why should she think so much about it? However, if such things happened in the future, what was she going to do then? Should she side with Bianca or Luca? Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Nina stared at Luca, who was asleep, and said softly, ¡°Luca, don¡¯t be such a person.¡± The doorbell rang after half an hour. Nina went to open the door and saw Luke standing in front of her. She made way for him and said, ¡°Hurry up and bring Luca to the hospital.¡± Chapter 1473 Luke walked into the guest room, and Luca was right there lying on the bed. He went closer and reached out to put his hands on Luca¡¯s forehead. Her body temperature was burning¡­ ¡°How long has she been having a fever?¡± Luke asked. ¡°She was having a slight fever when it was noon, but I have no idea when her fever got worse,¡± Nina answered helplessly. She believed that Luca must have gotten worse during her sleep. Luca did not even mention it when she was feeling ufortable. Luke shot Nina a nce when he heard that and remained silent. Just a nce and Nina knew he was ming her for being careless. She then said, ¡°I thought she was just tired. I didn¡¯t think much about it. And I dared not to wake her up in the afternoon¡­¡± Luke threw off Luca¡¯s sheets and carried her in his arms right away. ¡°Are you sending her to the hospital now?¡± Nina watched him carry her away and asked. ¡°I¡¯ve informed Johann. He¡¯s waiting at the apartment,¡± Luke replied and carried Luca out of the guest room. It was probably because Luca did not have an identification document, so staying in the hospital would be troublesome, which was why he informed Johann. Nina watched as he left. She hurriedly grabbed her phone and room key before following behind. She got into Luke¡¯s car and took care of Luca in the back seat. Luke drove quickly to the apartment. Nina put her hand on Luca¡¯s forehead to check on her temperature from time to time while eximing how fast the car was moving. It was supposed to be a 20-minutes drive but they arrived in only 13 minutes. After Luke parked the car and opened the car door to get Luca from the back seat, he carried her in his arms out of the seat. Before Nina had the chance to say something, the other side of the car door was closed. She pushed open the car door on her side and got out, following Luke upstairs. ¡°Let me stay here tonight to take care of Luca.¡± Nina thought Luca was exhausted because of her. ¡°Save yourself the trouble. There¡¯s a caretaker in the apartment. She¡¯ll look after her,¡± Luke replied as he walked into the elevator. Nina pressed the elevator button for the floor hurriedly. Luke shot her a nce. She exined, ¡°Back then when we found out Luca was hurt, Sue and I came to visit her before, so I know what floor it is.¡± Luke nodded his head and did not say anything more. It had only been a short while since Luca came here yet she had already gotten so close with Nina and Sue. She was somehow simr to Bianca in some ways. They were almost simr in terms of making friends. Bianca did not have many friends in the past. Nina and Sue were her best friends. Luca did not have many friends around here either. There was only Sue and Nina. Luke nced at the woman in his arms. It was as if she was feeling especially safe in his arms. Half of her face was buried in his chest. When the elevator reached the floor, Luke carried Luca in his arms and walked out of the elevator. The door of the apartment was open. He headed there and carried her right in. ¡°Mr. Crawford, Dr. Park is already here.¡± The caretaker saw hime in and spoke respectfully. Luke nodded his head and nced at the man sitting on the sofa. He gave him a slight nod and carried Luca into the bedroom. Johann stood up and saw the scene in front of his eyes. He let out a sigh in his heart. He would say it was truly a lie if Luke said he did not care about Luca. There were a few times when he noticed that there was a subtle change in Luke¡¯s expression because of Luca. He may seem cold, but in fact, he was hiding the concern in his heart. Luke kept saying that he was suspicious of Luca, but he actually cared about her. It looked like women were not the only creatures who would not mean what they said in this world. Men were the same too. Johann carried his medical kit and followed Luke into the bedroom. After he took Luca¡¯s temperature, he gave her an antipyretic injection. Luke watched him perform his skilled injection technique and asked, ¡°Why is she having a fever?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell. It could be a cold, or it¡¯s just her body warming up. But ultimately, it¡¯s because of her weak body. I¡¯ve said it previously, Dr. Craw needs to work on her health.¡± As Johann spoke, he nced at Nina who was beside him. ¡°You were together with Dr. Craw for the past two days?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nina nodded her head. ¡°Did she mention that she was feeling ufortable?¡± Johann asked again. ¡°No, she just looked especially tired today. She was fine the rest of the time,¡± Nina answered. Johann nodded his head. ¡°She¡¯s been given an antipyretic injection. Let¡¯s see if the apply treatment measures for her if it¡¯s not working.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Luke nodded his head. Nina recalled that Luca had not eaten anything and reminded Johann. ¡°Dr. Park, she¡¯s been sleeping since this afternoon and hasn¡¯t eaten anything yet. Can you please give her a nutrient injection? She must be starving.¡± Johann thought for a moment, then he turned around and told the caretaker, ¡°Go to the kitchen to prepare some oats. If the fever goes away, she¡¯ll wake up soon. There¡¯s no need to give her a nutrient injection.¡± ¡°Are oats with bananas fine?¡± The caretaker heard him and asked immediately. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll prepare it now.¡± The caretaker turned around and left the bedroom. She entered the kitchen to prepare some oats for Luca. Johann looked at the man who had been standing beside the bed and reminded Luke. ¡°Dr. Craw has just gotten an injection. The fever won¡¯t reduce that quickly. Let¡¯s wait outside.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Luke replied, but he was still standing at the bedside. Johann cleared his throat, reminding him that Nina, who knew nothing about the matter, was still here. Other than a few people in the Crawford family, Percy, Johann, and Jason were the only ones who knew that Bianca was the fake Bianca. The others had no idea about it. Without the others knowing it, they would certainly be confused when Luke was showing concern for a woman Luke looked at Johann, while Johann nced at Nina. He knew what he meant. Nina stood there, looking at them both. Luke left the room first. Johann and Nina followed behind. While the caretaker was cooking the oats, she prepared some fruits and refreshments for them. As Nina ate, she was thinking. Everything seemed strange. Luke cared too much about Luca. The three of them did not speak in that half an hour. Other than the noises of the caretaker chopping in the kitchen, it was quiet. They were afraid that they would disturb Luca¡¯s sleep, so even the television in the living room was switched off. Nina looked at the two men sitting on separate sofas with their phones in their hands. There was not much talking, which almost made her think that they were facing each other butmunicating through the phone. They were indeedmunicating through the phone. Johann teased Luke to control himself in front of others, and Luke indifferently replied to him with a question mark. Johann smiled and remained silent. He did not point it out. Luke probably did not realize how much he cared about Luca. However, as a bystander, Johann had already noticed everything. However, he was keeping it to himself. As for Luke, he would notice it sooner orter that his concern for Luca was not ordinary at all. Chapter 1474 After half an hour, Johann walked into the bedroom to take Luca¡¯s temperature. Given the effects of the antipyretic injection, Luca¡¯s body temperature was getting back to normal. Johann let out a sigh of relief. After he left some antipyretics for backup, just in case Luca¡¯s fever returned in the middle of the night, he left Luke¡¯s apartment. When he left, he brought Nina along with him. Since Nina did not drive here, when Johann offered to send her back to the hotel, she epted his offer happily. Both of them left the building and got into the car. Nina could no longer suppress the confusion in her heart. ¡°Dr. Park, you¡¯ve known Mr. Crawford for such a long time. Do you get the feeling that something is wrong with him recently?¡± ¡°Something is wrong with him? I don¡¯t think so.¡± Johann knew what she was going to ask. He denied it with a smile. Nina saw his smile that was as sly as a fox and pouted, ¡°I know both of you are best friends. And men will certainly cover it up for each other. But even if you don¡¯t tell me, I can see that Mr. Crawford is giving Luca special treatment. And he seems way too concerned about her.¡± ¡°No way! You probably got the wrong impression.¡± Johann denied it and pretended to act like he was surprised. ¡°It¡¯s my instinct.¡± Nina reckoned he would refuse to tell her anything and continued, ¡°All these years of knowing Luke, I¡¯ve never seen him care for other women except for Bianca. And you¡¯re telling me I got the wrong impression? How is that possible?¡± ¡°Have you ever thought that there might be some other reason that he cares about another woman?¡± Johann was hinting at her. After hearing that Nina was close to Luca, he could not let her ruin Luke¡¯s n. ¡°Nonsense. There¡¯s obviously a motive when a man shows his concern for a woman. He can¡¯t be giving it away for free, right?¡± Nina rolled her eyes. Johann smiled as he shook his head. Sure enough, the woman that Percy had fallen for, no matter how gentle and quiet she was in front of others, was still meticulous and bright. At least Nina was being straightforward now. Johann found an excuse to help Luke. ¡°You¡¯re really imagining it. Mr. Crawford is just cherishing his talent. The progress of Dr. Craw¡¯s research project is the fastest in thepany. If everything goes smoothly, the research will be sessfully done in a few months. Then, they¡¯ll apply for patents and launch the product in the market. Dr. Craw is an indispensable talent to T Corporation. When her medicineunches in the market in the future, it¡¯ll generate huge profits for thepany. The share price will naturally double up. Everything that Mr. Crawford does is to keep this incredible talent.¡± Nina listened to his exnation, and it was indeed reasonable. However, the boss had done so much just to keep his employee. It was still strange. when Johann saw her pondering and keeping silent, he smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford knows what he¡¯s doing. Things aren¡¯t as what you think.¡± ¡°What do I think?¡± Nina questioned him back. Johann smiled and parked the car in front of the hotel¡¯s entrance. Some things were better left unsaid. He did not answer her and reminded her instead. ¡°We¡¯ve reached.¡± Nina shot a nce at him. She did not continue to ask insensibly. After she thanked him, she unfastened the seat belt, pushed the door open, and got out of the car. When the man sitting in the lobby saw her getting out of a man¡¯s car, he informed Percy immediately. Nina walked into the hotel and noticed that three people sitting in the lobby were missing. The two men remaining there seemed to be the same people who had been sitting there since noon. She could not help but wonder if they did not have to work or eat. They had been sitting here for the whole day as if their jobs were to guard the hotel. Nina¡¯s expression changed as something crossed her mind. She looked at those two men again. They had noticed that she was looking at them, so they avoided her gaze. With that, she was able to confirm that the two men in front of her were probably Percy¡¯s men! He still refused to let her go and even sent people to follow her¡­ Nina clenched her fists at the thought of this. This man had a blissful life, yet he still wished to continue to torture her. She had been trying so hard to get rid of the trauma that Percy gave her. She wanted to start a new life, but this man was constantly reminding her that even though she had left and they were no longer in a rtionship, he was still there! ¡­ On the other hand, Luca woke up not long after her fever went down. She looked at the familiar ceiling and knew where she had been sent back to. She was feeling ufortable earlier but did not tell Nina about it. She had only refused toe back here temporarily but never expected to be sent back here so soon. Luca turned around and looked. There was no one at the bedside. She looked again, and there was no one in the bedroom. She sat up on the bed and unconsciously reached her hand out to her forehead to check her body temperature. The fever had gone down. Luca walked out of the bedroom and saw the caretaker sitting on the sofa. She asked, ¡°What time is it now?¡± The caretaker stood up when she saw that Luca was awake. ¡°Ms. Craw, it¡¯s eight in the evening. You were having a fever and didn¡¯t wake up till now.¡± Luca nodded her head. She did not ask how she got here. It must be Luke who sent her back. It was because when she was in a feverish daze, she seemed to have heard his voice. She also felt someone carrying her. Although she did not open her eyes, she could sense that familiar feeling. In the past when Luke carried her in his arms, that feeling had always been kept deep inside her heart. She was still able to remember it clearly now. The feeling made her heart race. The caretaker saw her standing there without saying anything. She asked, ¡°Ms. Craw, I made some oats with bananas. Do you want to have some now?¡± ¡°No thanks. I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Luca replied. After the fever, her mouth felt nd and she had no appetite. ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Crawford?¡± ¡°Mr. Crawford has left. He probably went home,¡± the caretaker answered. Luca nodded her head and sat on the sofa. Although the fever had gone down, her body was so weak. She was doubting if Abel had added something else to her antidote. Otherwise, why would she have such a reaction? The apartment¡¯s door was pushed open. When Luca heard the noises, she turned around and took a look. It was Luke. He was carrying a bag in his hands. It was the bag she had brought to the hotel back then¡­ ¡°I got it back for you.¡± Luke saw her awake and sitting on the sofa. There were no changes in his expression. He was behaving so indifferently as if he was looking at a stranger. Luca knew what it meant. It meant that she shoulde back. Nina would be checking out of the hotel tomorrow while she was brought back here. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Crawford.¡± Luca thanked him politely. Luke put the bag down beside her and said, ¡°Nina mentioned it just now. And your phone has been ringing for a few times.¡± Luca was a little jumpy when she heard that. Her phone would not just ring for no reason. Other than for work matters, no one else would call her.N?velDrama.Org content rights. Chapter 1475 Of course, there was another kind of situation, which was Abel was trying to contact her. The numbers they had been using to call each other were a bunch of messy codes. If Nina and Luke saw such a thing, they would definitely suspect what kind of phone call it was. At the same time, there was no need to unlock the screen to answer a call. What if they answered it¡­ When Luke saw her knowing that someone had been calling her but she was not in a hurry to check her phone, he started to suspect something. When a person knew they had missed calls, they would immediately check their phone to see who had called. However, Luca did not do so. Her expression was slightly unnatural as well. Was she sick and confused, or was she afraid of something? ¡°Are you not taking a look at your phone?¡± Luke asked as he stared at her. Luca snapped back to her senses and took her phone out of the bag. As she unlocked the screen, then there were indeed a few missed calls. She was slightly relieved. This indicated that Luke and Nina had not answered her calls. She tapped on the call log. All the calls shown were unanswered, and they were normal numbers. Luca did not call them back. She reckoned these were cold calls. It was just that the moment she saw there were no messy codes, she felt relieved. Luke did not point it out when he noticed that she was clearly relieved. It seemed like there were many secrets hidden in Luca¡¯s phone. He intended to take a look at her phone when he got her bag, but considering that he did not know her phone¡¯s passcode, he gave up checking her phone. Now with just one small expression, he was able to confirm that Luca was hiding something from him. ¡°Have you eaten dinner?¡± Luke asked. ¡°No.¡± Luca shook her head. She deleted the missed calls one by one. It was a habit of hers that no matter who gave her a call, she would delete the call log after it, not leaving a trace behind. It seemed like it was something that would be done by someone with obsessivepulsive disorder. It was just her habit not to leave traces behind. ¡°Serve the oats,¡± Luke ordered the caretaker. The caretaker nodded her head when she heard him. She hurriedly went to the kitchen to serve the oats. ¡°I¡¯ve lost my appetite.¡± Luca could not only taste the ndness in her mouth now but there was also a hint of bitterness. Luke replied, ¡°Eat some even if you¡¯re losing your appetite. The reason you got sick this time is because your body is too weak. Continue to take a few days of rest here. You may go to work next Monday.¡± Luca touched the gauze on her forehead. At first, she was supposed to go back to work this Friday. Now, it was postponed again¡­ The whole project had already been developed once before, so things could go on normally even without her. Hence, Luke granted her leave as the progress would not be affected. Luca thought that she had gotten enough rest. Besides, she was in this apartment now¡­ Luca epted the oats that the nanny handed to her, and she took a sip of it. She thought for a moment and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, you have some personal connections in the police station. Do you mind helping me ask when I can get my identification card back?¡± Luke shot her a nce. He did not answer her question and instead, he said, ¡°This apartment is now your employee residence. You can stay as long as you want to. I¡¯ll send someone to move my things away.¡± Luca felt uncertain when she heard that. It looked like he had decided to retain her here. Staying anywhere was not a problem. After all, since it was part of Luke¡¯s n, even if she moved back to her apartment, her apartment would probably be installed with surveince cameras when the time came. It was the caretaker were to keep an eye on her for the whole day, it would be more frustrating than having surveince cameras. She said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, I appreciate the benefits that you¡¯ve given me. I can ept this apartment, but I have a condition.¡± Luke looked at her and shook his head. ¡°What¡¯s the condition?¡± ¡°I¡¯m feeling much better now, so I don¡¯t need a caretaker to take care of me. If you¡¯re really nning to make this apartment my employee amodation, I hope you can bring this caretaker somewhere else,¡± Luca replied. The caretaker asked immediately when she heard her, ¡°Ms. Craw, why? Am Icking in any areas?¡± Luca listened to her anxious tone. She could not be bothered being polite and interrupted Luca. She was worried that she would get med by Luke because of her ipetence. He had always been a fairly strict person. If Luca suddenly said that she did not need a caretaker, the caretaker would be punished. ¡°You¡¯re good, but I¡¯m used to being alone. I don¡¯t need someone to look after me,¡± Luca answered. The caretaker did not say anything more. She was too anxious just now, so she said something hastily. Even so, it was not considered impolite. Luke nodded his head when he heard that and said, ¡°Sure.¡± When Luca saw him not saying anything else, she could not bear it and added, ¡°It has nothing to do with the caretaker. I¡¯m just used to living alone.¡± Luke found it interesting when she emphasized that again. Clearly, she had noticed that the caretaker was here to keep an eye on her, but now, she was defending her. She wanted to get rid of the caretaker but was also speaking up for her. Was Luca not afraid that Luke would let the caretaker continue taking care of her? This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. If the death of the security guard was her n of getting close to him, then why did she send some condolence money to the security guard¡¯s family after that? Was she feeling guilty? Luca was sort of interesting¡­ ¡°Alright, pack up tomorrow and head to the suburban vi. You¡¯ll be responsible for cleaning and looking after the vi together with Isabel.¡± Luke arranged another job for the caretaker in front of them. Luca let out a sigh of relief when she heard that. That was nice of him for not ming the caretaker. ¡°Yes, Mr. Crawford.¡± The caretaker nodded her head hurriedly. Since Luke arranged another job for her in front of Luca, it indicated that he did not me her for this. Luca must have noticed that she came to keep an eye on her under the cloak of taking care of her, so she requested Luke to assign her away. After all, a normal person would be overwhelmed with joy if there was a caretaker to take care of their daily life for free. How would they request to assign the caretaker somewhere else? Luca finished the bowl of oats silently. Luke picked up the bowl that she had finished eating and refilled it with oats. Luca frowned when she saw it. ¡°I can¡¯t eat anymore.¡± ¡°Have one more bowl. There¡¯s too much, don¡¯t waste it.¡± Luke handed the bowl to her. Luca had no choice but to ept it, forcing herself to eat slowly. Fortunately, it was just oats. After picking out the bananas, she was able to eat the oats. ¡°Why are you not having the bananas?¡± Luke noticed she had left out all the bananas. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like having it,¡± Luca replied. ¡°In terms of being picky with food, you¡¯re kind of simr to Tommy.¡± Luke did not force her to finish all the bananas. After all, it was normal for someone to lose their appetite after they had just recovered from an illness. ¡°Pack your things up,¡± he said to the caretaker. The caretaker, who had been watching them interacting with each other, snapped back to her senses. She nodded her head instantly and said, ¡°Yes, Mr. Crawford.¡± Chapter 1476 His words sent Luca¡¯s heart stirring with waves after it had started to slowly calm down. With those unintentional words, she could not help but suspect. Was Luke already suspecting her identity? If he did, would he do anything behind her back? The caretaker kept the bowl and cutleries away. Luke stood up and said, ¡°The caretaker will leave tomorrow. If there¡¯s anything you need, you can ask her to buy them for you.¡± ¡°Alright. Thank you, Mr. Crawford.¡± Luca was feeling uneasy, but her tone was still polite. Her reply was always distant and calm. Luke stared at her and wondered when would her emotions be affected. Probably when she was in fear. Luke did not say anything more. He picked up his briefcase, turned around, and left. He did not let her see him off. He walked to the entrance, opened the door, and closed it. He left the ce with his lingering aura. Luca was feeling a little mncholic. The caretaker walked out after she had finished cleaning the dishes. She asked, ¡°Ms. Craw, I¡¯ll be heading to the vi tomorrow. Do you have anything that you need to buy or anything to clean up? I can help you do it before I head there.¡± Luca thought for a moment and answered, ¡°Then can you please get me a set of new bedding?¡± ¡°Bedding? Are you nning to change it? There are clean ones in the closet. Do you need me to change it for you now?¡± the caretaker asked. Luca shook her head. ¡°Those belong to Mr. Crawford. I¡¯d like a new one.¡± The caretaker understood what she meant. She nodded her head and said, ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll get you a new one in the supermarket tomorrow.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Luca replied and stood up. Carrying her bag, she entered the bedroom. The moment she walked into the bedroom, her phone began to vibrate. She nced at it. The caller ID was a bunch of messy codes. Luca tapped on the phone to answer. ¡°Ivana, I¡¯ve made it a lot easier for you to move back into your residence. From now onward, don¡¯t try to set me up or y tricks with me. Just get Luke Crawford to trust you as soon as possible.¡± Abel¡¯s voice came from the other side of the phone. Luca looked down and put her bag on the bed. ¡°It¡¯s too risky.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be difficult for you. Ivana, use your brain. Even heroes fall in the face of beauty. Luke¡¯s heart has always been held captive by you. Even though your appearance has changed, you¡¯re still the same old you. You know what to do. If you can¡¯t seed, don¡¯t me me for helping you out.¡± Abel knew her unwillingness to do so. He reminded her again with a deep voice. Luca bit her lip and lowered her voice. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to remind me. I know what I should do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Abel sneered and hung up the phone. As Luca listened to the busy tone on the other side of the phone, she was slightly having an emotional breakdown. ording to what he said just now, she was able to capture the important information in his message¡ªAbel wanted her to y the badger game with Luke. The caretaker knocked on the door. ¡°Ms. Craw, can Ie in?¡± Luca put away her emotions. Then, she turned around and sat on the bed, trying her best to speak in a calm tone. ¡°Come in.¡± The caretaker pushed the door open and walked in carrying her clothes in her hands. She said, ¡°These are clean and dry clothes. Let me hang them up in the wardrobe for you.¡± ¡°Yeah, alright.¡± Luca watched as the caretaker hung the clothes one by one in the wardrobe without saying anything. After the caretaker finished hanging the clothes, she was about to close the wardrobe door. Luca said, ¡°Wait a minute.¡± ¡°Ms. Craw, what¡¯s the matter?¡± The caretaker turned her head around and looked at her with a smile on her face. ¡°Isn¡¯t Mr. Crawford sending someone here to pack his stuff? Can you please tidy up the things in the wardrobe first so that it¡¯d be convenient for them to take his things away?¡± Luca answered. Every time she saw her clothes hanging together with Luke¡¯s clothes, she had the illusion that everything that had happened in the past three years was not real. She had the illusion that she was actually having a dream. In reality, she had never separated from Luke. Whenever the thought came into Luca¡¯s mind, she would pinch her hand, reminding herself that three years had passed. This time, there was no future between her and Luke. Just like now, she was pinching her hand so hard. The caretaker heard her, smiled, and said, ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. I¡¯ll tidy it up tomorrow when Mr. Crawford sends people over.¡± After that, she noticed Luca¡¯s action and reminded her in a soft voice. ¡°Ms. Craw, what¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you pinching your hand?¡± Luca let go of her hand immediately when she heard her. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Why did you pinch it until it¡¯s so red? Do you need me to rub it for you?¡± the caretaker asked in concern. Luca shook her head. Her reaction to pain was a few times slower than ordinary people¡¯s reaction because she had been taking medication for a long time. To remind herself, she would have to pinch her hand with great force. Her skin was fair, so it would redden even if a slight force was applied to it. Hence, with such great force, her skin would naturally turn red. ¡°I¡¯m fine. The redness will go awayter.¡± Luca smiled. She did not let the caretaker rub her hand for her. ¡°Are you really alright?¡± The caretaker was worried as it was her first time seeing someone pinch themselves so hard. Luca smiled and shook her smile, indicating that she was fine. ¡°It¡¯ste. Get some rest.¡± The caretaker gave her a response and left the bedroom. Luca took her unworn clothes out from the bag. After she went into the bathroom and bathed, she fell asleep on the bed. The next day. The caretaker bought a set of new bedding at the supermarket. When Luca woke up, she saw her putting the bedding into the washing machine. ¡°You¡¯re early¡­¡± Luca greeted her. ¡°It¡¯s not that early. It¡¯s just that you¡¯re waking upter than you used to because of the medicine.¡± The caretaker smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll dry the bedding for youter. You can take it in after it¡¯s dry in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Alright. Thank you.¡± Luca was still talking politely. After the caretaker adjusted the washing machine¡¯s cycle, she came in and said, ¡°Ms. Craw, since you¡¯re awake now, can I enter the bedroom to tidy up Mr. Crawford¡¯s belongings?¡± There was nothing personal in the bedroom, so Luca nodded her head, telling her she was allowed to enter. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. After a while, the caretaker carried Luke¡¯s suits out of the bedroom. The hangers were still on them. Luca thought she would put them in a suitcase, but she saw her carrying the suits into the maid¡¯s quarters. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t these be nicely packed?¡± she asked with confusion. Did Luke not say that he would send people over to take his things away? ¡°Mr. Crawford informed me that since the maid¡¯s room will be empty, he told me to put his clothes and things into the maid¡¯s room temporarily,¡± the caretaker exined. She had already kept her belongings, so she was hanging Luke¡¯s suits in the wardrobe. Luca did not say anything after she heard that. Well, Luke¡¯s arrangement was not unreasonable. It was just that instead of moving his things away, he was leaving them here. If she inadvertently saw them, he would sh past her mind. Chapter 1477 However, thinking from a different perspective, there was not much of her stuff here. It was unnecessary for her to use the maid¡¯s room, so naturally, she would not go in that often. Even though Luke¡¯s belongings were left here, it was not a big deal. At the thought of this, Luca walked to the table and pretended to ask inadvertently, ¡°So, does that mean the people that Mr. Crawford sent won¡¯t being today?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be moving out after I tidy up all these. By the way, Ms. Craw, I bought some groceries for you when I went to the supermarket to get the bedding. They¡¯re in the fridge. I¡¯ve also put the receipts you requested in the stic bag,¡± said the caretaker. ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Although Luca was not having a fever anymore, her body was still weak and she was fatigued. She was probably still going through the effects of the antidote. After all, it was the antidote that Abel had mixed something else in. Her body needed more time to recover. Now that the caretaker had bought groceries for her, which saved her the trouble of going grocery shopping, she was thankful for that. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± The caretaker smiled. After she tidied everything, she closed the door to the maid¡¯s room. Then, she left the apartment. Luca was left alone in the apartment. Although it was a single apartment, it was more spacious than the two-bedroom apartment she was staying in back then. Luca suddenly felt a little not used to it. She looked at the huge apartment that was kept clean and tidy by the caretaker. As she stood up, it looked exactly like a show house. Other than the clothes hanging there, there was not even a sign of life. It was just like her. Even though she was alive in this world, her real identity had already been beaten to the ground. She tried to find a trace of Luke¡¯s belongings in the living room, but after looking around for a few rounds, she was still unable to find anything. The ce was truly clean¡­ Luca raised the corner of her lips and smiled bitterly with a hint of depression. She had no intention to check if there were surveince cameras in the living room. It was because she knew that even if there were surveince cameras installed in the house, the bedroom would be the safest ce. Luke could not be that nasty to install surveince cameras in the bedroom. Her phone vibrated, and the ringtone was ringing happily. Luca took her phone out and nced at it. It was Nina calling. ¡°Nina, have you moved in?¡± She recalled that Nina would be moving today. ¡°I¡¯ve already moved in. Luca, are you feeling better?¡± Nina¡¯s tone sounded cheerful. It seemed that she was in a good mood. Well, she was able to start her life again, so of course, she should be cheerful. ¡°I¡¯m feeling better now,¡± Luca replied, ¡°Is there anything you need help with?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need any help. I don¡¯t have that many things. All I had to do was carry my luggage and move in.¡± Nina recalled that when she moved into Percy¡¯s vi back then, she had also carried just a piece of luggage. There were not many things inside and just a few sets of clothes. She did not expect the rtionship tost long, so she did not bring many personal belongings with her, which included those precious decorations. They were all left at Anna¡¯s house. Now that she had moved, she still only brought the essentials with her. She had just tidied up the stuff in her luggage. She was reminded that in the past three years, other than some necessities and consumables, she had not put anything else in Percy¡¯s vi. It was as if she was already prepared for her departure. Now, the apartment would be her new home. Although it was already nicely furnished, Nina wanted to decorate it to make it look more like her own house. One day, she would buy another apartment with her effort and that would be her forever home. Luca did not know what she was thinking about. She was rxed after she knew Nina had settled down. ¡°I was supposed to keep youpany.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as you¡¯re supposed to do this or that. I know how weak your body is. Luca, you must take good care of your health, do you understand?¡± Nina advised her. Last night, when Johann was diagnosing her, Nina had listened to everything clearly. She realized that Luca was not as healthy as she seemed. Humans were fragile, even Luca. She was too. ¡°Alright.¡± A warm feeling flowed into Luca¡¯s heart. If she could, she would love to stay with Nina so that both of them could look after each other. However, it was inconvenient for her to have a roommate now. She dared not to get too close with someone else as well. Nina said a few more words, telling Luca to take good care of herself. After that, she hung up the phone. Luca sat on the sofa and pondered. She briefly summarized everything that had happened in these few days in a text message and sent it to Amur. She waited for a while, but there was no reply from Amur. After Amur went to B City, she had still been receiving messages from him until a few days ago. He told her that he would be busy for some time, then she never heard from him again. B City was located near South Asia. The environment of those neighboring countries wasplicated. Although Amur did not tell her what mission he had there, there was some uneasiness deep down in her heart. Luca held the phone for a while but there was no news from Amur. She sent another message. [Tell me if you¡¯re facing any difficulties. And tell me before youe back. Send me a reply. I¡¯m worried about you.] The message was sent, then Luca deleted the message. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. It was about noon, and Luca stood up to walk into the kitchen. She took some vegetables that were bought by the caretaker out from the fridge. There was indeed a receipt in the stic bag. Luca nced at the numbers on the paper and nned to keep the receipt. All of a sudden, something came into her mind. The stic bag in her hands fell to the floor. She remembered¡­ On the day of the incident, she had put the briefcase and groceries down first. It was because she always had this habit of keeping receipts, so she would not throw the receipts away. Instead, she would put them in the stic bag. The stic bag was on the dining table. When she was giving her statement, she mentioned that she was attacked as soon as she reached home. She said she had no idea what was going on. However, she remembered that she had left the stic bag on the table. It was the biggest and most careless mistake¡­ Luca held the receipt tightly in her hand. When she realized her careless mistake, she could not stop herself from breaking out in a cold sweat. As for the police¡¯s side, they must have not noticed it. Otherwise, they would have summoned her to ask what had happened by now. She was not afraid of the police noticing it. What she was afraid of was that Luke would notice it¡­ If he found out about this andpared it to the statement that she gave, would he discover something else? Luca had a lot of messy thoughts in her mind. She squatted down to pick up the stic bag, and the receipt in her hand was being held so tightly between her fingers. No way! She must get a chance to return to the apartment to take a look at things. She needed to see if Luke had found out about her careless mistake. After Luca made the decision, she calmed herself down. Chapter 1478 After making a simple lunch, Luca called the police station and asked if she was allowed to return to the apartment to pack her daily necessities. The policeman told her that he could only give her an answer after enquiring about it with his superior. Luca was aware the superior that they were talking about was probably Luke Crawford¡­ Although the murderer had not been found, it was impossible that the apartment was shut off for such a long time. ¡­ The president¡¯s office of T Corporation. Jason knocked on the door and entered the office before reporting, ¡°Mr. Crawford, the police station just called. Dr. Craw called the police station and asked about wanting to go to the apartment.¡± Luke stopped typing on the keyboard and raised his eyebrows. ¡°She wants to go to the apartment?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jason nodded his head. ¡°The police are asking for your opinion.¡± It was because Luke had a certain influence in City A, and he was considered as an involved party in Luca¡¯s case. Hence, the police had to ask for his opinion. ¡°If she wants to go back, then just let her do so. Let¡¯s see what she¡¯ll take,¡± Luke replied. ¡°Yes.¡± Jason nodded. He would just ry Luke¡¯s exact words to the policeter. ¡°Wait.¡± Luke thought of something, and said, ¡°Send a policeman to keep herpany. Watch every move she makes.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Jason noted it down and left the office with his phone in his hand. N?velDrama.Org content rights. He told the policeman exactly what Luke had said to him and informed the policeman to keep an eye on Luca¡¯s moves when she got to the apartment. After the policeman received the reply, he contacted Luca. Luca heard that a policeman would have to be with her at the apartment, iming that it was to protect the crime scene. Luca agreed without hesitation and scheduled with the policeman to meet at the apartment around two o¡¯clock in the afternoon. When it was almost time, she arrived at the apartment. After the incident, the security system of the apartment was clearly reinforced. Residents were required to swipe their ess cards to enter the building, while guests were to inform the residents¡¯ names whom they were visiting. Only after getting the resident¡¯s permission would they be allowed to enter. Luca¡¯s residential ess card was still at the police station. It had been a habit for her to always keep her ess card and identity documents in her bag and bring them along with her for convenience. She could not enter, so she could only ask for the security guard¡¯s help. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m a resident here but I forgot to bring my ess card with me. Can you please let me enter?¡± The security guard shot her a nce and saidzily, ¡°Do you think that simply iming to be a resident means you really are one? We do things with ess cards now. You can ask your family toe down and get you, or you can make a call at the guard post. Only then can you enter.¡± ¡°I live alone¡­¡± Luca did not expect it to be so troublesome. ¡°Let me have a look at your ID card, then.¡± The security guard provided her another way when he heard that. ¡°¡­¡± Luca was speechless. She did not even have her ID card with her to prove her identity now. ¡°I didn¡¯t bring that too¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you bring your ID card along with you when you¡¯re going out? Then I¡¯m sorry, ording to the rules, I can¡¯t let you in.¡± The security guard said it was because of the incident that they had imposed new rules to ensure the residents¡¯ safety. The police med their management, while the management med them. Now, the security guards¡¯ pay was deducted by a few hundred dors, so they were not being very nice to the residents. ¡°My ID card is at¡­¡± Luca was about to exin when another security guard came forward and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The security guard who previously talked to Luca lifted his chin. ¡°This person ims that she¡¯s one of the residents here. But she doesn¡¯t have an ess card or an ID. She also lives alone. How can I just let her in?¡± The security guard who just came recognized Luca at a nce and said, ¡°She¡¯s indeed a resident here.¡± ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± ¡°She¡¯s the resident of unit 502. Let her in,¡± the guard replied. The look on the other security guard¡¯s face became more awful when he heard that. After all, everything was because of the incident at Unit 502. If such a thing had not happened, their pay would not have been cut and their workload would not have increased. ¡°Get in,¡± he said petntly. Luca found their attitudes to be bad, but she did not say anything. Her mind was on the apartment. She had no idea if Luke and his men had noticed the groceries that she left on the table on the day of the incident. She had not gone far when the security guard startedining, ¡°So that¡¯s her, and that¡¯s how she looks. That exins why those evil people were lured into her ce.¡± Another guard snapped at him in a lowered voice. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Didn¡¯t that man break into the house to rob the ce? You can¡¯t me others for that, right?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I me her for that? Dolling herself up when she¡¯s already so good-looking¡­ That robber must have had his eyes on her because she¡¯s defenseless and staying alone. If it wasn¡¯t for Old Wade who sacrificed himself, I¡¯m afraid she¡¯d have suffered tremendously.¡± The guard kept talking. ¡°Enough, enough. I know you¡¯re close with Old Wade, but no one wanted Old Wade to get into trouble. Besides, we can¡¯t me her for the pay cut. What happened to her at her house was nothing more than an unfortunate incident.¡± As Luca walked farther and farther away, she could no longer hear their conversation. They had a reason to me her. After all, who was willing to take the responsibility for such a matter? The biggest responsibility was actually on her. Luca got into the elevator and saw the policeman who promised to meet her at the entrance of the apartment. ¡°Hello.¡± She nodded her head as she greeted him. ¡°It took a while for me to get in as I didn¡¯t have my ess card when I was downstairs. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. Should we go in now?¡± The policeman took her house key out. Luca nodded. ¡°The blood in there has been cleaned up. And it¡¯s been ventted for a few days. There¡¯s no smell in it anymore, but try your best not to touch the things in there. It¡¯s a crime scene, after all. Try to keep everything the way it was.¡± The policeman pushed the door open as he spoke. ¡°I understand,¡± Luca replied and walked in. Sure enough, everything had been cleaned up and the strong bloody smell had almost gone away. Luca unconsciously looked in the direction of the table and noticed that the bag was gone. It was either taken away by the policeman or Luke¡¯s men had taken it away. She believed that Luke¡¯s men definitely came in here before when the police were not noticing. Luca walked into the master bedroom and packed her clothes into a duffel bag. She recalled that the research papers were in the second bedroom, but as the policeman was with her and this was a crime scene, she stopped herself from going there. After she left the master bedroom, she walked around the living room twice. ¡°What else are you looking for?¡± the policeman asked when he saw her looking for something else. ¡°I remember I bought groceries that day and before I managed to put them down properly, I was already on the floor. Did the police take them away forboratory tests?¡± Luca asked. The policeman thought for a moment and shook his head. ¡°They weren¡¯t on the test list. The cleaner who came to clean up the scene back then probably saw the groceries here and took them away. After all, they¡¯d get stinky if they were left here.¡± When Luca noticed that he did not ce much emphasis on the bag of groceries, she deliberately asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t take the bag of groceries to the police station? I remember I was carrying it. The murderer might have left some fingerprints on it.¡± Chapter 1479 When the policeman heard it and realized that they might have missed out on a piece of important evidence, he took his phone out and looked for the photos of the scene. However, he was unable to find the grocery bag on the spot where Luca had fallen. He swiped backward, and finally, he found the grocery bag on the table. He handed it to Luca and said, ¡°Is this the bag you¡¯ve been talking about?¡± ¡°Yes, but obviously I was the one who carried it back home. How did it end up on the table?¡± Luca wanted to mislead the policeman and make him think that it was not her who ced the grocery bag on the table but the murderer. ¡°We¡¯ll find out about this.¡± Cold sweat was running down the policeman¡¯s back. Based on what she said, the grocery bag must have been brought away by the murderer. Although it was strange for him to take the grocery bag and leave it on the table, it was still a bag that the murderer picked up. They seemed to have destroyed the evidence. It was just because the meat and vegetables would rot if they were left here for a few days. They were just helping clean the mess up. When Luca saw the policeman¡¯s expression, she knew she had sessfully misled him. However, misleading the police did not mean she could seed in misleading Luke too¡­ Luca was still a little worried and hoped that the police could lend her a hand by removing all of Luke¡¯s suspicion. ¡°Can I take a look at the kitchen? There¡¯s some milk left that¡¯s about to expire. Let me throw it away as well since I¡¯m here,¡± she said. The policeman nodded, indicating that she was allowed to do so. Luca took all the food that had expired or would expire soon out of the fridge, putting them in a trash bag. Then, she carried the duffel bag with her left hand while carrying the trash bag with her right hand when leaving the apartment. The policeman saw her and took her duffle bag while saying, ¡°Let me help you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Luca let him carry it. Apart from her clothes that were in the duffle bag, there were two laptops in it. One was for her work while the other was for her secret missions. After leaving the apartment, the policeman drove her to Luke¡¯s apartment. When he knew that she was still staying alone, he advised her warm-heartedly that she should lock her door and windows regrly. If anything happened, she could call the police immediately for help. Luca smiled and thanked him. When she carried her duffle bag and was about to get out of the car, she asked, ¡°Mr. Policeman, I¡¯d like to know where my identification documents are and when they¡¯ll be returned to me?¡± The policeman paused for a moment. Her ID had already been tested, and it was of no use to them. However, it was not up to him to decide if those things could be returned to her. ¡°The decision has to be made by the superior. Let me go back and I¡¯ll ask about it.¡± ¡°Sure. Thank you.¡± Luca pushed the door open and got out of the car. After she waited for the police car to leave, she turned around and walked into the district. Although the policeman did not give her an exact answer, she reckoned her ID would soon be returned to her. Previously, the purpose of Luke requesting the police to retain her ID was to make her stay in this apartment as it would be convenient for him to keep an eye on her. She had moved in now and she would not be able to do anything without her ID, so her ID would soon be returned to her. Luca pushed the apartment door open, and a piece of paper fell on the floor. She picked it up silently. It was the piece of paper that she had ced before she went out earlier. If someone hade in, the paper would fall to the floor. She was surrounded by enemies now. She had to be extra careful. ¡­ On the other side. Luke had just finished listening to the policeman¡¯s report where he specifically mentioned the grocery bag. He did not say anything about it and only asked, ¡°Apart from her clothes andptop, did she take anything else?¡± ¡°No, Mr. Crawford. Can we return Ms. Craw¡¯s ID to her now?¡± the policeman asked. ¡°Just follow the police¡¯s standard procedure.¡± Luke did not give a direct answer. The policeman understood immediately. When it was about to get dark, Luca received a call from the police informing her that the test for her ID had beenpleted and would be returned today. They would send someone to return it to her so she did not have to go back and forth to the police station¡­ Luca thanked them when she heard that. Before this, she needed her ID because she was in a hurry to move out. There was nothing she could do without her ID. After that, she found a reason to escape. However, Abel added drugs to her antidote. She ended up being carried back here without the strength to struggle. Even though she would have her ID back, she did not have to move out anymore. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Otherwise, if Abel knew about it, he would get her back here by all means. Hence, Luca was toozy to do something futile. After half an hour, the doorbell rang. Luca walked there to open the door. The person standing outside the door was not the police. It was a guard. ¡°Ms. Craw, there are two parcels for you. Can you please sign for the delivery?¡± The guard handed two parcels to her. ¡°Two?¡± Luca furrowed her brows. Should there not only be one parcel that was from the police? Why was there another parcel? Even so, she signed it. After she closed the door, she opened the parcel. One of them was her bag with her ID and work permit in it, while the other parcel¡­ Luca noticed that the other parcel was sent from another province but she had not bought anything online. After she opened it, her expression changed when she saw what was inside. There were a few sets of clothes. She picked one up to take a look, and her expression changed. These clothes were not meant for daily use. They were clothes with a slight sexy touch. Luca saw the note inside. She took her phone and dashed into the bathroom. She opened the tap to prevent her voice from being recorded by the surveince equipment outside. Then, she made the call. Soon, Abel picked up. ¡°What do you mean by sending these clothes to me?¡± Luca questioned him directly. It was Abel who sent her these clothes. She recognized his crooked handwriting with just a nce. ¡°I opened your wardrobest time. Your clothes are kind of boring.¡± Abel pinched the woman¡¯s face who was beside him and said in azy tone. ¡°You¡­¡± It ticked Luca off when she heard that. Even though he was the one who bought the apartment, randomly rummaging through her belongings made her feel she was being disrespected. ¡°Your clothes are way too simple and even conservative. Men don¡¯t like women who are dressed like that,¡± Abel smiled as he spoke, ¡°So I bought you some new clothes. Wear them when you know Luke is coming next time. He¡¯ll soon surrender his heart to you.¡± Luca reviled, ¡°Bastard!¡± She hung up the phone right after she said that. What Abel meant was simple. He wanted her to wear those sexy clothes and seduce Luke. However, she would never do that! Luca turned the tap and shower head off. She then walked out of the bathroom and threw everything in the box into the trash can. ¡­ Hera, who was sitting next to Abel, was listening to him talk on the phone. She shifted her eyes and asked sweetly, ¡°Abel, you were talking about Luke Crawford?¡± Chapter 1480 Abel¡¯s hand was exploring her body restlessly as he lifted the corners of his lips. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you still in love with that man?¡± Hera chuckled and yfully pushed him gently. ¡°¡®m just curious. You¡¯re still dealing with Luke after so many years. Is there some sort of resentment between the both of you?¡± ¡°My hatred for him is higher than the sky and deeper than the sea. Do you want to know about it?¡± Abel asked softly as he leaned over to her neck like a dangerous serpent. Hera shivered for a moment, but she could not suppress her curiosity. ¡°Tell me about it, will you?¡± Abel drew his hand away and stood up with extreme hatred and coldness on his face. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡± He resented Luke Crawford for taking his loved ones away, for his father¡¯s death, and for destroying his family. After all those things that had happened between Luke and him, one of them was bound to die. However, he wanted Luke to have a taste of bitter anguish before he sent him to his death. Otherwise, the hatred in his heart could not be resolved! Hera realized she had asked something that she was not supposed to. She stood up hurriedly, smiled, and said, ¡°Alright, alright. I shouldn¡¯t have asked. You hardly have the time to keep mepany, so we shouldn¡¯t be wasting our time on that bastard.¡± Abel was cated by what she said. After he let out an evilugh, Abel put his arms around her while they walked toward the bedroom. The reason why he had maintained such a rtionship with Hera was because her voice was so simr to Kassy¡¯s. When he closed his eyes and listened to her talk, it felt as if Kassy had never left and she was always by his side.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡­ The following day. Luca received Rhett¡¯s call, informing her that there was a problem with the research. They needed her to manage things. Luca was thinking of going back to handle things, but Rhett told her to get some rest and she could handle things by holding a video conference. She thought that it was a good idea, so she used the application to connect with the researchers in the laboratory. After listening to their reports, Luca learned where they were currently stuck in the research progress and discussed the issue with them. After discussing and obtaining a new line of research, they ended their video conference. Luca could tell that they did not want to hold up her resting time. After a few of the researchers went offline, Rhett said with concern, ¡°Dr. Craw, how¡¯s your head?¡± Luca touched the bandage on her forehead. She would be able to have the bandages removed, so it meant that the injury was not a big deal. She smiled and replied, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s almost healed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Rhett was rxed. He had thought of visiting Luca but who would have known that after rushing to the hospital after he got off work the day after the incident, he was told by the nurse that Luca had already been discharged from the hospital. Meanwhile, Jason had gone to their department and informed them that Luca would be taking off for a week. They were told not to disturb her if there were no big problems. Hence, the people in the research department had yet to visit her. Moreover, Rhett had no idea where Luca was staying right now, so it was difficult for him to pay a visit even if he wanted to. ¡°Rhett?¡± Luca called out. Although she was clueless as to why he was spacing out, this was not the appropriate time to do this. ¡°Oh, yes. Dr. Craw, thepany has decided to organize a vacation in B City. Mr. Crawford said that everyone must join if there are no special circumstances. And thepany even bought insurance for the trip this time. We¡¯ve already filled in the forms. I¡¯m sending your form now. Can you please fill it online?¡± After Rhett came back to his senses, he continued to report about other matters. A trip to B City¡­ Luca did not feel like going there. Was this trip not a little forced? She had her doubts because usually, it was up to the employees if they would like to join the trips organized by thepany. Thepany would certainly not force them to join if they were unwilling to. Even though she did not want to go at first, when the thought of Amur being in B City shed through her mind, she decided to grab the opportunity to check on him and see if he had gotten himself into trouble. After all, he had not replied to any of the messages she sent yesterday. Amur was not such a person. ¡°Alright. Send it to me. I¡¯ll fill it in now,¡± said Luca. Rhett sent the document to her immediately. After Luca received it, she began to fill in the form. She just needed to jot down her basic information as it was required for the purchase of insurance. Soon, she was done filling it and she sent it back to Rhett. After Rhett received it and made sure that there was no problem, he said, ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all. Dr. Craw, rest well. We¡¯ll be waiting for you to return on Monday to manage things.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Luca nodded and exited the video chat application. She spent the next two days peacefully. In these two days, she did not do much as she was busy figuring out a way to contact Amur. Even so, he was out of reach. Luca mustered the courage to make a call, but she was informed that the recipient¡¯s phone had been switched off. Amur was missing now. At least, he was missing outside of the ind. As for whether Abel kept track of Amur¡¯s whereabouts or not, she had no idea about it. Even if she asked, he would not tell her either. He would even mock her for showing concern. Hence, Luca did not ask him. If the Ind Of Despair lost contact with their people who were sent outside, there were certain people who were responsible for getting back in touch with them. However, she had no idea who those people were in B City, and there was no way for her to begin tracking them down. The only thing Luca could do was to pray and hope that Amur was fine. ¡­ When it was Monday, Luca showed up at T Corporation on time. She returned to her office and checked in. When she was getting ready to put on herb coat and start doing experiments, Zoey knocked on the office door. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Luca asked. Zoey smiled as she asked out of concern, ¡°Dr. Craw, are you feeling better already?¡± ¡°Much better.¡± Luca picked up the experiment data that was on the table. These were all left by Rhett on her table. They were the experiment data collected during the days she was not around. ¡°We were nning to visit you after we got off work the other day, but when we reached the hospital, they told us you were already discharged from the hospital. Then, we sent an Instagram message to you but you didn¡¯t reply. We didn¡¯t know where you¡¯re staying, so we didn¡¯t get to visit you.¡± Zoey exined to her the reason why they did not visit her after Luca got into an ident. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I don¡¯t look at my phone that often, so I didn¡¯t notice I had received an Instagram message.¡± Luca had no intention of ming them. Not visiting her was actually their greatest help to her. She was an unsociable person. If there wer any important matters rted to work, they would call her. When unfamiliar people messaged her on Instagram, she would block them all. When the Instagram notifications rang, it would always make her heart skip a beat inexplicably. Hence, Luca did not like to hear the notification tone. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Luca turned a few pages of the data. Rhett had arranged it well. After taking a good look at itter, she would know how much progress was done. Chapter 1481 Luca reminded her of something, and Zoey said immediately, ¡°Oh, previously, Mr. Doyle sent a message saying that when you came back to work, you should go to the president¡¯s office. Mr. Crawford would want to see you.¡± Luke was looking for her¡­ Luca nodded and put down the data that she was carrying. She took off herb coat. ¡°I¡¯ll go now.¡± ¡°Alright. Dr. Craw. Allow me to get you a cup of coffee?¡± Zoey asked enthusiastically. After all, her boss was still recovering. They, as subordinates, did not even pay her a visit after she got injured. Although Luca looked like she did not mind, Zoey would still want to fawn over her a little. ¡°There¡¯s no need. I can¡¯t drink coffee now,¡± Luca said as she walked out and closed the office door in passing. Even though her wounds had healed, there were still some scabs. Drinking coffee would cause skin pigmentation. Realizing how careless she was, Zoey apologized hurriedly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dr. Craw. I failed to think about that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. Off you go,¡± replied Luca. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Zoey gave her a response and dared not continue fawning. She turned around and left. Luca rode the elevator up to the floor where the president¡¯s office was on. She walked out of the elevator and saw that Jason was already waiting for her at the elevator door. ¡°Mr. Doyle, I heard Mr. Crawford is looking for me, right?¡± she asked politely, unlike the others who talked in a ttering manner. ¡°Yes, Dr. Craw. Please.¡± It was Luke who asked to see Luca, so Jason did not hold her up to have small talk with her this time. Instead, he guided the way in front immediately. Luca nodded and followed behind. Jason led her to Luke¡¯s office entrance. He knocked on the door and said, ¡°Boss, Dr. Craw is here.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Luke¡¯s voice came from inside. Jason heard him and opened the door. When Luca stepped into his office, she saw that other than Luke who was sitting in the office, there was another woman. Tia¡­ Tia had even shown up here. It was not her finding an excuse to chat with Luke. This time, he was the one who invited her over. She frowned when she saw Lucaing in. Luke asked her toe over saying that he needed to talk to her. Could it be that the matter was about Luca? The moment Luca saw Tia, she was confused too. Luke was alone in the office with Tia, yet he asked her toe over. Why was that? To show her how lovey-dovey they were? Luca felt ufortable, to the extent that she wanted to run away. However, there was no excuse for her to escape. Hence, she could only bite the bullet and walk into the office while looking calm on the outside. ¡°Take a seat.¡± Luke pointed to the seat beside Tia. Luca nodded and sat down. She stared at the sandalwood table expressionlessly. Tia could no longer stand it. She knew Luca and Luke had gotten into a scandal before, and she also knew Luca was working at Luke¡¯s subsidiarypany. However, she was even showing up at T Corporation now. Could it be that Luke had transferred her to T Corporation? Even so, was she not a pharmaceutical scientist? There were no suitable jobs for her in T Corporation. Thinking that it was probably Luke¡¯s arrangement, Tia felt jealous. Although the scandal between the two of them had been cleared in front of the media now, thinking that Luca would be able to work here and run into Luke anytime, Tia felt like she did not have as many chances as Luca. She was already seeing Luca as her rival¡­ Luca could naturally sense Tia¡¯s unstable emotions that she was trying so hard to hide but somehow still failed. She seemed to be jealous¡­ Was there anything about her that was worth being jealous about¡­ After Luca sat down, she asked, ¡°Mr. Crawford, is there any job you¡¯d like to assign me?¡± Luke nced at her calm face and said calmly, ¡°There¡¯s no job.¡± No job? Luca was confused. If there was no job assignment for her, then did he ask her toe up to watch them disy their affection for one another? Luke then introduced them. ¡°This is Tia. She¡¯s a famous psychology professor in our country.¡± ¡°Ms. Tia, nice to meet you,¡± Luca greeted her calmly. Tia was slightly surprised. After all, when everyone greeted her, they would be incredibly passionate. The people who were being introduced to her would have faces full of admiration, and they would give a lengthy speech. It was rare to meet someone as calm as Luca¡­ Tia recalled the first time she met Luke. Even when he was asking her for help that time, his expression was calm as usual just like how Luca was behaving now¡­ ¡°Hello,¡± she replied before looking at Luke affectionately. She was in the psychology research field, so she naturally knew what kind of gaze would attract men the most. She was looking at him affectionately with some traces of admiration. Such a gaze could evoke a man¡¯s desire to conquer her. Luke looked like he was unable to sense the deliberate intention in her eyes, and he went straight to the point. ¡°Dr. Craw, I know what happened at the apartment had somehow affected you, so I think you need a therapist.¡± Once he finished talking, Luca and Tia then understood what was his purpose for inviting them both here. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Crawford. I¡¯m perfectly fine now. There¡¯s no need to bother Ms. Tia.¡± Luca thanked him politely while turning him down. Back then, she had run into Tia at the beauty salon. She knew Tia had a crush on Luke, so they were bound to hate each other. Of course, she would refuse to have anything to do with the person she hated. What had happened at the beauty salon came into Tia¡¯s mind. She thought that since Luca and Luke were so close to each other, Luca could tell him what she had said back at the beauty salon at any time. Hence, she was unwilling to treat Luca. She was the first to reject, and that was for the best. After all, Tia did not want to treat Luca. Tia gave a gentle smile and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, since Ms. Craw thinks that it¡¯s unnecessary, I guess it¡¯s better not to force her. After all,munication is important. If one refuses tomunicate, I won¡¯t be able to do my job either.¡± She pinned everything on Luca being unwilling. Luca did not say anything. She was generously going along with Tia. Luke looked at Luca and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need it?¡± ¡°I think I can handle this myself, so there¡¯s no need to waste Ms. Tia¡¯s precious time.¡± She insisted. Tia was mumbling to herself secretly. That would be great as she was reluctant to treat this woman. Although the symptoms that she previously showed during Dr. Thomason¡¯s seminar showed that she had a serious mental problem, it would be best if a woman like her could go mad and stay away from her man. Luke frowned. ¡°Why?¡± Luca saw him disagreeing and knew he had already made up his mind to put her together with Tia. Why did he want to do that? Could it be that he was suspecting her, so he sent Tia to investigate her? ¡°I think that my abilities to manage my emotions are quite good, and I¡¯ve seen quite many such events overseas. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m traumatized, so I don¡¯t need a therapist to help me.¡± It was rare for Luca to say such a lengthy sentence, but again, it was to turn him down. Chapter 1482 Luca knew Tia¡¯s abilities were true. They were not just a bluff. If she epted Tia¡¯s therapy, what if she used something like hypnosis? Luca would probably tell her everything she knew. She dared not to do that. Previously, the experience of being hypnotized at the venue was still vivid. If it had not been for the noisy environment, she probably would not have been able to wake up that quickly. If she had continued to talk, she would have been on the verge of exposing herself! Therefore, Luca was unwilling to take the risk. When Tia heard that Luca was strongly opposed to the idea, her previous feelings of unwillingness to help Luca turned into an ufortable sensation. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. What Luca meant was that she was good at emotional management, so she did not need anyone¡¯s help? Tia thought in her heart, ¡®Knowing the enemy will help me win every battle.¡¯ After anyone encountered a traumatic event, they would develop post-traumatic stress disorder. It was only a matter of time before the symptoms would start showing. As for how it was triggered, it was different for everyone. Tia had seen the live scene of Dr. Thomason hypnotizing her. She was a hundred percent sure that Luca had post-traumatic stress disorder. She was merely suppressing it well and it had not erupted. Normally, people with post-traumatic stress disorder would rely on a specific someone after realizing that they had developed a disorder. Some of them depended on their parents or spouse, while some relied on their psychologists. It depended on who was keeping thempany the most. After they began relying on someone, they would pour their hearts out and confide in that person unconditionally. When the time came, the person who was being relied on would be able to know everything about them. In the past three years, Bianca¡¯s mental condition had deteriorated. It was also because she would purposely mislead the psychologist during the progress of her therapy that it caused her to have mood swings. She became unruly and wilful,pletely different from the Bianca she used to be. Thepletely different Bianca could not get Luke to be interested in her. Otherwise, how was it possible for her to study abroad without the slightest response from Luke? Once the thought crossed Tia¡¯s mind, she immediately changed her attitude of being unwilling to help Luca. Before Luke spoke, she said enthusiastically, ¡°Ms. Craw, did something happen to you back then?¡± ¡°No, I just witnessed a crime scene,¡± Luca replied frankly, acutely noticing Tia¡¯s changes. Was she not unwilling to grant Luke¡¯s request before? Why did her attitude change now? Luca looked at Luke. Then, she turned to look at Tia the next second. What the hell was this woman doing? Tia¡¯s actions and expressions were not those that one who heard the mention of a crime scene would show. Instead, she nodded as if she understood. ¡°Actually, among my patients, some of them have witnessed a crime scene while some were the victims themselves. A few were just bystanders, but there¡¯s no exception as they all developed post-traumatic stress disorder. And based on the relevant data analysis, the onset of the disorder is different for each of these people who witnessed the scene of an ident. 95 percent of them were traumatized, which is also known as post-traumatic stress disorder in psychology. I remember that you attended a psychology seminar before and you were invited by Dr. Thomason on stage for hypnosis treatment. From what you said when you were being hypnotized, I could tell that you have suffered from psychological trauma.¡± Luca did not say anything. She knew she had a mental illness all along. It began ever since she got caught and was sent to the Ind of Despair. Tia saw that she was not reacting and continued, ¡°Of course, just like how one¡¯s body can get sick, the mind can also suffer from various kinds of problems. The most important thing is that we can face all of these. It just so happens that I think I can help you.¡± Luca was not moved by her words even after listening to Tia, even if Tia kept on telling her that she would help her. Tia was in love with Luke, and Luca happened to be involved in a scandal with Luke, so Tia would never help her sincerely. Even if Luca was breaking down and needed someone¡¯s help, she did not need Tia¡¯s help right at this moment. It was because her instinct was telling her that Tia was up to no good. Luca shook her head. ¡°My affairs are just minor things. There¡¯s no need to trouble you and waste your time. If the dayes, I¡¯ll pay a visit.¡± Tia¡¯s smile faded away. Luca rejected her. Very few people would turn her down¡­ Tia was unconvinced. She looked at Luke, saying, ¡°Mr. Crawford, if she¡¯s unwilling, I can¡¯t do anything either.¡± Luke watched with a cold expression as they talked to each other. Tia must have had something in mind when she changed her mind about helping Luca. Luca had always been unwilling to do things. The reason for her unwillingness must be intriguing¡­ ¡°I invited both of you here today. The most important thing is to let the both of you get to know each other,¡± said Luke. Tia understood what he meant, so she continued what he was going to say. ¡°I know what Mr. Crawford is saying. How about this, Ms. Craw? We can add each other on Instagram. It¡¯s not for the treatment. Let¡¯s just be friends. We can share interesting stories when we¡¯re free, or maybe our thoughts. There¡¯s no harm.¡± Luca knew that even if she rejected Tia¡¯s help, she would not be able to run away from her request to be friends. Even if it was not in front of Luke, one could not be so impolite in the adult world. Luca could only agree to add Tia as a friend on Instagram. After both of them had approved the friend request, Luca stood up and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, thank you for your concern. Since there are no other matters, I¡¯m going downstairs to work.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Luke did not make her stay this time. Luca smiled at both of them. Her smile did not reach her eyes. She turned around and walked out. There was so much bitterness in her heart. Luke looked like he cared about her on the outside, but in fact, he was testing her through Tia. He was suspecting if she had anything to do with the Ind of Despair, and that was why he was sounding her out this way. When he was suspecting her, he needed someone to help him with his investigation. He chose Tia without hesitation. The fact that he did it without hesitation was a sign of trust. Luca had this sour feeling in her heart because of the trust he had for Tia. She wanted to be trusted by Luke too¡­ After Luca left the office, she smiled bitterly. What was she thinking about? Who she was right now? She did not deserve to be trusted by anyone. It was nice that Luke was living life optimistically. At least, he would not worry about where she was. He still had a long life ahead of him. Finding another woman and spending the rest of his life with her was indeed a good choice. Luca could only think about it this way. Jason was sitting in the office. After he saw Luca leave, he followed Luke¡¯s order that was given earlier and stood up to walk to Luke¡¯s office. While in the office, Tia still wanted to keep talking to Luke but she was interrupted by Jason knocking on the door. ¡°Mr. Crawford, the meeting will start in five minutes.¡± Chapter 1483 Tia¡¯s words were stuck in her throat. Luke would have to attend a meeting in five minutes, which meant if she wanted to appear as an understanding person, she had to take the initiative to leave. ¡°Sure,¡± replied Luke. Tia rose as well and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, since you have things to do, then I¡¯ll leave first.¡± ¡°Oh, sorry to be troubling you with Dr. Craw¡¯s affair,¡± Luke mentioned Luca again, and he seemed to be very considerate toward her. Tia was inwardly upset. He invited her over today yet every word that came out of his mouth was about Luca. She was just someone who came to help. It made her feel like an outsider. She was in love with Luke, and needless to say, this sort of situation would naturally upset her. ¡°It¡¯s not too much trouble. From what I see, Dr. Craw¡¯s situation seems to be quite serious. I¡¯d love to help if possible. Then I can write in it my lesson n,¡± said Tia. She was a part-time psychology professor at A University. ¡°Sure.¡± Luke did not say anything more. He arranged the documents on his table as if he was in a hurry to attend the meeting. Tia knew she should not continue to disturb him, so she left his office. After Jason watched Tia going farther away, he walked into Luke¡¯s office, closed the door, and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, they¡¯ve left.¡± Luke stopped arranging his things. There was no meeting to attendter. It was just that after the matter was done, he refused to talk to Tia anymore. That was why he arranged for Jason toe in and say that. Jason asked, ¡°Boss, are you suspecting that Dr. Craw and Ms. Tia are people from the Ind of Despair? What¡¯s the purpose of this arrangement?¡± If one of them was sent from the Ind of Despair, then that would still be fine. However, if both of them were from the Ind of Despair, was the other party not afraid of tipping them off? ¡°There are ws in their way of doing things, but I can¡¯t just point straight at them and im that they¡¯re people from the Ind of Despair. And their hostility for each other isn¡¯t fake, so I¡¯d like to wait for them to confront each other so I can reap the benefits. Perhaps, their conversation will give the show away,¡± replied Luke. He did this all on purpose. After he saw Luca¡¯s reaction at the venuest time, this thought came into his mind. When she was being hypnotized, who was the man and the children she mentioned? He was curious about it. Luke even thought that he was the man she mentioned, but the number of children did not match up. The number she mentioned was four¡­ Bianca and he had only three kids together¡­ Jason was secretly cursing in his heart, saying that women¡¯s hostility originated from men. It was obvious that Tia was hostile toward Luca because of Luke, but he was uncertain if Luca¡¯s hostility toward Tia was because of Luke. It was because when the other women were busy throwing themselves at Luke, Luca wished to distance herself away from Luke. Hence, Jason dared not to be certain of it. He was slightly doubting whether Luke¡¯s n was going to work or not¡­ After Luca left Luke¡¯s office and went back to her office, she did not say anything. She put on herb coat right away and brought the data along with her into theboratory. The researchers in theb greeted her. What happened just now had been suffocating her heart. She was unable to pull herself together, so she simply responded in a muffled voice. After she sat down, she looked at the data. She was feeling a little irritated. Her efficiency of reading the data slowed down too. Rhett noticed her behaving unusually and came over to ask out of concern. ¡°Dr. Craw, are you alright? Are you feeling ufortable?¡± ¡°No.¡± Luca shook her head and gave him an assuring look. ¡°I¡¯ve checked this data over and over again. If you¡¯re worried, I can check it again. Perhaps you can go back to your office and take a rest?¡± Rhett thought she was forcing herself to be in the office, so he thought of taking the initiative to handle matters and let her rest. Luca pulled herself together and said, ¡°I¡¯m just lost in my thoughts. I¡¯m fine. Off you go.¡± Rhett saw her perseverance. He kept his eyes open and went back to his seat, where he continued with his experiment. Their research had reached an important stage. Once they passed this stage, they could call for volunteers to perform clinical trials. Luca forced herself to focus and finally finished reading the data. There was indeed no problem with it. Then, she started to lead the team to continue with the research. Just then, her phone rang. She finally snapped back and nced around her before she realized it was her phone. A few researchers were looking at her because of the phone¡¯s ringtone. Luca smiled apologetically. As her mind was preupied, she did not even notice it was her phone ringing. She did not even notice it was her phone¡¯s ringtone. She took it out and nced at it. It was Nina calling. Luca held her phone as she walked out of theb. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. A researcher saw this and gossiped with Rhett. ¡°Mr. Link, did you notice Dr. Craw hasn¡¯t been herself today?¡± Rhett nodded and exined. ¡°She probably hasn¡¯t rested well. After all, such a serious thing happened to her. Any normal person would be traumatized.¡± ¡°Right, I saw the news on the papers. That scene was so bloody that even the reporters were afraid that their drafts would get rejected, so they pixted the photos right away. And the photo was still red. I heard that the victim¡¯s blood even flowed out to the living room¡¯s corridor. How much blood can a person lose? There was so much blood at the crime scene. The guard probably hardly had any blood left in him.¡± The researcher gossiped. Rhett reminded them, ¡°It¡¯s working hours now. Don¡¯t mention this in front of Dr. Craw.¡± ¡°Rx, we¡¯re not dumb. We know what to do,¡± said one of the researchers. After Luca left theb, she answered Nina¡¯s call. ¡°Hey Nina, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Nina¡¯s voice came from the other side of the phone. ¡°Luca, where are you now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in the office. What¡¯s wrong? Why do you sound panicked?¡± Luca asked. Nina heard that Luca was working and was reluctant to bother her. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re working. Then just go ahead. I¡¯m just bored and wanted to find someone to go shopping with me.¡± ¡°Nina, tell me the truth.¡± Luca did not fall for what she said as her voice sounded panicked. Something must have happened. Nina listened to her and felt an inexplicable sense of relief. She paused for a moment and said, ¡°Pierre is at the door.¡± ¡°Pierre?¡± Luca repeated his name, then she remembered. Perrie Mallory was Percy¡¯s younger brother, the bastard who hurt Nina at that time! ¡°He¡¯s Percy¡¯s younger brother. And it seems like he¡¯s after me. I¡¯m scared¡­¡± There was helplessness and despair in Nina¡¯s voice. Chapter 1484 There was fear in Nina¡¯s voice. Luca could not just sit idly by. She nced at theboratory and made a decision at that moment. She walked toward the office. ¡°Don¡¯t open the door first and block it with the cab. Wait for me.¡± When Nina knew Luca wasing, she felt calmer. However, Perrie was no angel. A thought came into her mind and she said worriedly, ¡°No, don¡¯te over. I¡¯ll barricade the door with the cab first. If he can¡¯t get in, he¡¯ll probably stop after a while.¡± Perrie Mallory was the second young master of the Mallory family. Only a few in A City were able to deal with him, so she dared not to call the police either. It was because she knew that when the police heard it was Perrie, they would certainly leave him alone. They might even think of a way to open the door for him and wee Perrie in. Luca would probably fight with Perrie if she came here. Nina did not want her best friend to get into trouble because of her, so she stopped Luca after she thought about it for a few seconds. She was so frightened that she did not know who she should look for help from. She called Luca when she came into her mind. Nina was unwilling to drag Luca into this. Luca knew what she was worried about. Perrie was famous for being ruthless. Although he was not as cruel as Percy, he only appeared that way. Many were still scared of him. He was a vindictive man as well¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s nothing Perrie can do to me,¡± said Luca. If it was about fighting and martial arts, she was sure she was pretty good at them. Even though she had never fought with Perrie, she had faith in herself. When Nina heard that Luca wasing, she got anxious. She truly did not want Luca to mess with a man like Perrie. ¡°Luca, if you muste, bring Mr. Crawford along with you.¡± Luca walked back into the office, as she was taking off herb coat, she switched on the phone¡¯s speaker and put it on the table. She paused for a moment when she heard that. Nina realized she was not talking, and she said in a hurried tone, ¡°Luca, please don¡¯te here alone. Please ask Mr. Crawford toe with you.¡± If only a few people in A City were able to stop Perrie¡¯s crazy behavior, then other than Percy, the other person would certainly be Luke Crawford. Should she ask Luke toe along? Luca was hesitating. Luke was probably together with Tia upstairs¡­ ¡°Luca, did you hear me?¡± Nina realized Luca was still not talking, so she asked anxiously. ¡°I heard you. But I think Mr. Crawford is busy now, and I¡¯m too embarrassed to ask him. I¡¯ll go alone. Remember to protect yourself, and don¡¯t open the door for him until you hear me.¡± Luca told her as she did not n to ask Luke toe along. Besides, he was dating Tia now. Even if they were not, she was in no position to ask for his help. Nina replied immediately when she heard what Luca said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to ask him. I will, and both of you wille together. Let me call Mr. Crawford.¡± Before Luca could say anything, Nina hung up the phone. She thought that if Luke was willing to help, that would be best. After all, Perrie would have to show some respect to him. However, if she were to ask Luke toe along herself, then she would rather fight with Perrie. Luca stopped thinking about this. After she took off the white-coloredb coat, she asked Rhett to ask for leave on behalf of her. The reason was that she was not feeling well. After what had happened at the apartment, this would be the best reason to ask for a leave. Luke would not know about it either. After Luca was informed that her leave was approved, she left the company immediately. She took the elevator and came to the ground floor. When she was about to hail a taxi, a Bentley stopped in front of her. She recognized this car. It was Luke¡¯s. When Luca thought if she should just turn around and leave, Luke pushed the car door open and got out of the car. He stood up straight and was staring at Luca. ¡°Dr. Craw, where are you going?¡± Luke asked. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well. I¡¯d like to go to the hospital. I¡¯ve already taken leave,¡± Luca said, but she was secretly wondering. Was he not talking to Tia upstairs? Why was he down here at this time and even driving his car? Could it be Nina? Before she hung up earlier, she told her that she would inform Luke. If he was truly going to Nina¡¯s apartment, then Luca had just shot herself in the foot by telling him that lie just now. ¡°Get in the car,¡± said Luke. Luca stood there. She had just lied, and her eyes were shifty. She was quietly ming herself for responding too quickly. She was always unable to calm herself down whenever she ran into Luke. When Luca was feeling frustrated, she heard him speak again, ¡°You¡¯re bringing Nina to the hospital, right? Let me send you over.¡± Luca nodded her head once he finished talking. She confirmed that she was going to Nina¡¯s ce. She got into the car without dy. ¡°Give me the location,¡± said Luke. He did not think much after he received Nina¡¯s phone call. However, what surprised him was Nina telling him that she had informed Luca as well. Nina and Luca only got to know each other not long ago. Even so, both of them got along like sisters, just like Bianca and Nina back then. Their close rtionship astonished him. Luca was fastening her seat belt and telling him the address of the neighborhood where Nina was staying. ¡°There?¡± Luke raised his eyebrows. Luca gave him a confused look. There were many districts in A City. The neighborhood that Nina was staying in was considered high-end, but it was nothingpared to the districts and locations of Luke¡¯s properties. ¡°Is there anything wrong with that neighborhood?¡± Luca asked, but she already had an answer in her heart. They might be thinking the same thing. ¡°Nothing. Let¡¯s go.¡± Luke did not tell her Perrie had a property in that area. When Perrie first bought that apartment, Luke had even asked him why he chose that apartment. After all, he was not short of cash and there was no need for him to rent the apartment to earn a living. Moreover, Perrie would never stay in that apartment. The facilities of the neighborhood were not considered the finest. At the time, Perrie only smiled mysteriously and said, ¡°I¡¯m saving it forter. It might y a role.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. It seemed like this was the reason why. It was working hours now. There was barely any traffic on the roads in A City. Luke stepped on the elerator and sped up. Soon, they were reaching the entrance of the neighborhood. Nina had informed the guard earlier, so the guard let them in immediately. Luca had apanied Nina to survey the area before. She had a good memory, so she was able to point out the building Nina was staying at sessfully. Luke had just stopped the car when Luca already unfastened her seatbelt and pushed the car door open in one go. She was worried about Nina, so she did not care about what Luke would think of her. Luke watched her run off in a hurry as if she was worried about Nina¡¯s situation. At the same time, it looked like she wanted to fight with Perrie. He had listened to every word of their conversation through the surveince camera when she was talking to Nina on the phone earlier. Chapter 1485 It was because he had heard her conversation with Nina and found out about the whole matter that when Nina called him for help, Luke did not have to spend much time trying to figure out what had happened. He agreed immediately. Luca only remembered about Luke after she took two steps forward. When she turned around, he was already out of the car and closing the car door. She said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, let¡¯s go up now?¡± Looking at her being truly worried about Nina¡¯s situation, Luke nodded his head and entered the apartment with her. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Luca walked into the elevator and pressed the button instantly. As she watched the number on the elevator screen slowly going up, she could not stop herself from thinking about Nina. They were told that the security measures in this district were pretty good, so Luca had no idea how Perrie managed to get in. Could it be that he entered in Percy¡¯s name? Judging from how much Percy cared about Nina, if he knew Perrie did such a thing, he would skin him off. While Luca was thinking about this, the elevator had reached the floor. The moment the elevator door opened, she heard the sounds of knocking. ¡°Nina, I know you¡¯re in there. Get the hell out!¡± Perrie yelled without caring if he would disturb the neighbors. He knocked on the door but there was no response. He even kicked the door. Luca shot a nce at Luke. There was no expression on his face. It was uncertain what he was thinking about. She dashed out of the elevator and pushed the man who kept knocking on the door away. Perrie did not expect he would be pushed away by a woman. After he regained his footing, he narrowed his eyes as he looked at the woman who was much shorter than him. From his gaze, he looked like he wanted to pick a fight. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Nina¡¯s friend. Please don¡¯t disturb her. Otherwise, I¡¯m going to kick your *ss!¡± Luca said while staring into his gloomy eyes. She was fearless. ¡°Friend?¡± Perrieughed scornfully. Her? Kick his *ss? That was hrious. ¡°I¡¯d advise you to know your ce. Get lost!¡± Perrie came here looking for Nina today. Although the woman in front of him had already got on his nerves, it was not up to the point that he wouldy his hands on her. ¡°I¡¯m calling the police if you¡¯re not leaving.¡± Luca took her phone out of her pocket. Although that sounded stupid, Luke was still behind her. She had better not do anything with him here. Hence, she could only threaten Perrie. Perrie had never been afraid of the police. He stopped knocking on the door and said, ¡°Oh? I didn¡¯t know that the police also dealt with matters like this. I¡¯m just pursuing Nina. Tell me, what can the police do to me?¡± Luca was stunned. ¡°Pursuing her?¡± ¡°My brother doesn¡¯t want her anymore and I can¡¯t put up with how pitiful she is, so I¡¯m here to pursue her. I¡¯m showing mercy on her. Why? Does this have anything to do with you? Or are you just jealous and that¡¯s why you came to mess things up?¡± There was a malicious smile on Perrie¡¯s face. After he knew Nina had moved out from Percy¡¯s vi, he could not wait to take action. He had given her a chance to escape back then. This time, no matter what Percy was doing, Perrie refused to miss the opportunity. Hence, he wanted to pursue Nina. It was just that this woman was way too difficult. She rejected him and even refused to see him. Perrie had never been rejected this way. ¡°Well, you¡¯re just imagining things. My friend doesn¡¯t want to see you. Please leave immediately and don¡¯t ever disturb my friend again!¡± Luca looked at the cheeky smile on his face as she pulled a long face and warned him. Perrieughed, taking her seriousness lightly. He thought that she was just pretending. ¡°You¡¯re just jealous, right? Never mind, it¡¯s not like I can only be with one woman. If you¡¯re willing to, we can¡ª¡± Luca could not help but lift her hand and p Perrie right on his face. Perrie was stunned after getting pped in his face. He widened his eyes in disbelief, staring at the person in front of him. ¡°Who are you?¡± He had never been pped by a woman before. It was three years ago since thest time a woman dared to do anything to him. That person took advantage of the fact that she was Luke¡¯s woman and did that to him daringly. How dare this woman¡­ ¡°Once isn¡¯t enough, huh? If you wanna mess around, then get out of here. Go mess around in another woman¡¯s house. Don¡¯t disturb my friend here.¡± Luca stood up straight as she faced Perrie¡¯s gloomy expression fearlessly. If he dared to throw a punch at her, then he would be the first to start it. She would be defending herself if she fought with him. She was utterly furious, so she could not be bothered about the fact that Luke was still standing in the elevator and had yet toe over. Although he did not make his way over, Luke could still hear their conversation and the sound of that p. Luca pped Perrie in his face. Did shee here not knowing who Perrie Mallory was? He was famous for being vindictive. Only a few people could run away from getting into trouble with him. However, Luca had just simply pped him. Luke was unsure if he should tell her about it, but he was impressed with Luca¡¯s bravery. ¡°You idiot b*tch!¡± Perrie changed his mind after he got pped in the face. He did not want to force Nina toe out now. He only wanted to p the woman in front of him. The woman did not spare him when she hit him. There was still a burning pain on his face now. Luca slightly lifted her head and looked up. She noticed that he was already clenching his fists. A man like him would certainly take revenge for getting pped in public. Perrie lifted his hand. Right as he lifted his hand and nned to repay the p that she had given him, Luke¡¯s voice sounded. ¡°Stop.¡± Perrie looked at Luke in surprise as he watched him walk out of the elevator. ¡°Luke?¡± His voice was filled with confusion. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Luke asked him with a calm voice, but there was a terrifying touch in it. ¡°I¡¯m just pursuing a woman,¡± Perrie replied in disdain, ¡°Are you going to deal with this matter too? The woman in there is the woman my brother dumped. It¡¯s up to me how I wanna pursue her. Luke, it¡¯s none of your business, right?¡± ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Luke questioned him back. Perrie knew Nina must be hiding behind the door listening to them. He purposely said it out loud, ¡°My brother is getting engaged to the Johnston family¡¯s daughter. How is it possible for him to be fooling around with her? If he still wanted to hang out with her, he wouldn¡¯t have asked her to move out, right? To be blunt, my brother would never want the women he¡¯s gotten tired of back. Of course, he doesn¡¯t care about what I¡¯m doing.¡± What he said was mean and hurtful. Luca wanted to rip his mouth off when she listened to him. At least Percy was a normal man. How could he have such a sh*tty younger brother? She clenched her fists, and the veins on the back of her hand popped out. If Luke were not here, Luca would kick Perrie¡¯s *ss and teach him how to behave! Luke listened to every word Perrie said. If Percy knew about this, he would definitely beat Perrie up. What a pity he did not manage to record it in time. Chapter 1486 ¡°Did Percy ever tell you about his ns?¡± asked Luke. Perrie¡¯s expression changed to dismay. Indeed, he was merely just someone who followed the orders given to him in the Mallory family. Perrie had a wild personality, and he did not care about handling the affairs of the Mallory family. Basically, he was not involved in the family¡¯s ns. He only followed what Percy said. He had no idea what he was nning this time. Although many of the ns were executed by Perrie, it was still Percy who took the credit. He did not care about it at first, but he held some resentment after Luke said that. He looked at Luke¡¯s calm expression as if he knew what Percy¡¯s n was. Could it be that there was something he did not know about and Percy had another n? ¡°Luke, you¡¯ve been minding your business in the past. Are you doing this today for the woman in there or the woman out here?¡± Perrie was suppressing the anger in him because he could not seem to figure out if Percy really had another n. He dared not to act recklessly now. His gaze fell on Luca as he stared at her from head to toe. After looking at her carefully, this woman was totally different from Bianca. Although Luke had freed himself from misery, he was not even that attentive to Bianca. It looked like the rtionship between these two was not what he thought it was. Regardless, the woman in front of him was his cup of tea. Perrie suddenly had a terrible idea in mind. Since the woman in front of him dared to p him in his face, then he would let her have a taste of regret. No one was ever left unharmed after putting their hands on Perrie! Luca felt as if Perrie was looking at her as though she was his prey. Even if he did not say anything, she knew that he was up to good with that stare. She had pped Perrie, and this man would make her pay for it sooner orter. However, she was not afraid of him. Luke was standing there, looking at Perrie closely. With Luke around, it naturally made Perrie not dare to put his hands on Luca. Luke listened to Perrie but did not answer him. Instead, he asked calmly, ¡°Are you still going to stick around?¡± Perrie sneered, and he touched his face where Luca had pped him. It seemed to have swollen up. This woman was much stronger than other women, but she was wild enough. He liked it. ¡°Just wait.¡± He leaned slightly closer to Luca and warned her. She hadpletely offended him this time. Nina heard that as well from behind the door. Even though everything was taking ce outside the door, she did not have to take a look to know that Perrie must have said that to Luca. He would not dare to say that to Luke. Luca did not mind his words. She waited until he left before she knocked on the door and said, ¡°Nina, he¡¯s gone. You cane out now.¡± ¡°Alright. Let me move the cab away first,¡± Nina replied. Right after she said that, there were noises of furniture being moved away. After a while, the door opened. When Luca watched Nina walk out of her apartment, she asked caringly, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright. I¡¯m perfectly fine.¡± Nina shook her head, indicating that she was fine. She nced at Luke, then looked at Luca again. She thanked them both. ¡°Thanks for everything today. If it wasn¡¯t for the both of you, I don¡¯t know when Perrie would stop messing around here and leave.¡± Luca let out a sigh. Luke was the one she should be thanking today. If she had scared Perrie away herself, he would probablye looking for Nina again in the future. However, it was different since Luke showed up. Perrie did not have the guts to do anything more, and what he said just now was intriguing as well. Did he know about Percy¡¯s n? ¡°The one you should be thanking the most is Mr. Crawford,¡± said Luca. She was just being honest. She had nothing else in mind. Luke did not care whether others thanked him out of sincerity or not. He would not feel much about it. However, when he heard what Luca said, it was inevitable that some sort of feeling shed across his heart. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. It was light and quick. It was gone before he was able to know what it was. Nina nodded at Luke. The conversation between him and Perrie had made her even more puzzled. However, every time she thought of Percy, there was a surge of pain in her heart, so she might as well not think about him anymore. She would not feel upset as long as she did not think about it. With that thought in mind, Nina did not question more about it. Instead, she said, ¡°Thank you for your help, Mr. Crawford.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Luke kept his hands in his pocket. It was time to go back after settling the matter. His gaze fell on Luca. Luca knew what he meant when he looked at her. She looked at Nina and said, ¡°Nina, if there¡¯s nothing else, I have to go first.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t youing in for a cup of tea?¡± Nina invited them when she saw them leaving. After all, be uneptable if she did not at least serve them a cup of tea. Luca shook her head. ¡°No, I have to go back to do my research.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got work,¡± Luke added right after Luca said so. Nina could only nod and say, ¡°Alright.¡± When Luca was about to leave, Nina came forward and held her hand. ¡°Luca, you just pped Perrie. Please be extra careful these days.¡± Nina was worried that if anything happened to Luca, she would die of sheer guilt. After all, if it had not been for her, Luca would not have offended that man. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Luca patted her hand instead. Luke watched as they interacted. Nina was this close with Bianca too back then. Although Luca and Bianca hadpletely different appearances, Luke found the scene of Nina being best friends with Luca simr to when she was best friends with Bianca. It was as if it was Bianca who was interacting with Nina. Luca let go of Nina¡¯s hands. She turned around and shot Luke a nce. Luke did not say a word and just nodded his head before leaving together with her. Nina watched as they left. The uneasiness in her eyes was getting stronger. She was more worried that Perrie would seek revenge on Luca now. It was her who dragged her into this¡­ The phone that Nina was holding in her hands rang. It surprised Nina, and she lifted the phone. It was Jean calling her. She rolled her eyes and answered the call. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°You damned girl. How long has it been since you came to visit me in the hospital?¡± Jean said. Nina asked irritatingly, ¡°Say it. How much do you need for your medical bills this time?¡± Anna O¡¯Reilly was now seeking a new medical treatment. If the new medicine could get the disease under control, then there was no need for her to undergo the operation. There were new advantages for taking the new medicine. Taking medicines was better than undergoing an operation. However, the new medicine was expensive, so Nina had to visit the hospital from time to time to pay the bills. She was pretty upiedtely, so she did not have time to go to the hospital. Jean must have called her to ask for money. Chapter 1487 Jean thought since she was being straightforward, he would not beat about the bush either. He said directly, ¡°Transfer 20,000 dors to me now to pay for Mom¡¯s medical bills.¡± ¡°20,000 dors?¡± Nina raised her eyebrows. ¡°You know how expensive the new medicine is. 20,000 dors is cheap enough. Including the cost of the nursing expenses as well as the food expenses, we need money to pay for all of that,¡± Jean said without feeling an ounce of guilt for demanding such a huge amount of money. Nina had already known that her brother was hopeless. Fortunately, she had been keeping her eyes on him. ¡°I¡¯ll transfer 5,000 dorster. That¡¯s all,¡± said Nina. Jean replied with a higher pitch, ¡°5,000? How is that enough?¡± 5,000 dors was just enough for Anna¡¯s medical bills. It was not nearly enough to cover the food expenses and his living expenses. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not enough. I¡¯ll transfer the money for Mom¡¯s food expenses and nursing expenses to Aunt Susan. If Mom wants to have anything, Aunt Susan will get it for her,¡± said Nina. Jean bit his lip. Anna mentioned that Nina seldom went to the hospital, so she did not know much about what had happened. ¡°5,000 isn¡¯t enough to pay the medical bills. The medicine is expensive,¡± he said. He had no money left, so he could only take some money from Nina. After all, money was not a problem for her. ¡°I¡¯ve asked how much Mom¡¯s treatment costs. 5,000 dors is enough. As for the extra 15,000, I¡¯m not going to give it to you. If you¡¯d like to watch Mom die, then you can take the 5,000 for yourself,¡± Nina said heartlessly. Although Jean had turned into a bad person, he still cared about Anna. It was because he knew that if he wanted money from Nina, he would need Anna to do that. If Anna was gone, Jean could not get money from Nina anymore. Hence, he would not dare to take the 5,000 for himself. As for the nursing expenses, Nina dared not give the money to Jean. After all, he was not like he used to be. He was unscrupulous. Nina had to transfer the money separately. When his intention was exposed, Jean swore, ¡°B*tch!¡± Nina heard it, and she paused for a moment when she was transferring the money. How hrious it was. Her biological brother was scolding her with such words. B*tch¡­ Hah. Nina¡¯s heart was almost numb. She eventually transferred the money. ¡°I¡¯ve transferred the money to you. Mom¡¯s life is in your hands, so it¡¯s your choice to make. And times have changed. I¡¯m broke, and I can¡¯t afford to pay for your extravagant spending habits. Jean, get a job.¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°Hmph.¡± Jean hung up the phone angrily. He refused to listen to Nina¡¯s advice. Broke? He would not believe that unless the Mallory family went bankrupt. Only then would Nina be broke. Nina listened to the busy tone of the call, smiled bitterly, and put down the phone. After she transferred the 5,000 dors, she transferred another amount of money to the care worker, Aunt Susan, for the nursing expenses and Anna¡¯s food expenses. Even though it was tough for Nina, she did not let Anna suffer. She was paying for the most expensive set meal in the hospital¡¯s canteen for Anna. ¡­ On the other hand. Luke and Luca got into the car after they left the apartment. While Luke was driving, he did not mention anything about Luca¡¯s silly lie. Luca was reassured when she did not hear him asking her if she wanted to go to the hospital. However, for Nina¡¯s sake, she could not help but ask, ¡°Mr. Crawford, regarding what you said just now about Mr. Mallory¡¯s n¡­ Is it about Mr. Mallory and Nina¡¯s future ns?¡± Luca was not one who gossiped, but for Nina, she could not stop herself from gossiping about it. After all, it was an open question for Nina whether she would still be alive or dead in the future. Hence, Luca wanted to take the opportunity to know more about it. She could then probably advise Nina too. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Luke knew she was curious, but he did not tell her. Only a few knew about Percy¡¯s n, so Perrie did not know about it either. Luca knew he refused to talk about it, so she took the hint and did not ask again. ¡°How long have you known Nina?¡± Luke suddenly asked. As far as he could tell, Luca met Nina through Sue Carter. Both of them only knew each other not long ago, but their friendship was developing a little too fast. It was so fast that Luke even thought for a moment that the two of them had known each other for years. ¡°It wasn¡¯t long ago.¡± Luca looked down. She had been expressing too much concern for Nina in front of him. Ordinary people would not have doubted that, but Luke was not an ordinary person. His doubts were notpletely unreasonable. After all, she was his suspect now. ¡°You care about her a lot.¡± Luke did not show that he was doubting her words. ¡°Nina¡¯s a good person. I like talking to her.¡± Luca tried to use some other reason to exin why she was so close to Nina. ¡°Aren¡¯t you up to something?¡± Luke continued to ask. Luca paused for a moment and shook her head. ¡°Is there anything Nina has to make me do that?¡± Luke was speechless. What she said was indeed true. Nina was just an ordinary woman. What purpose could she serve Luca? Could it be that Luca wanted to get closer to Nina to obtain the trade secrets of Brilliant? Luca did not have to. Brilliant was just a smallpany. Even if one of their employees was awarded the International Design Award and they became the hottestpany, it was unlikely for Luca to want to steal any secrets from them. Besides, there was no way Nina could obtain the trade secrets of T Corporation. She was not even interested in Mallory Corporation¡¯s secrets. Although it seemed strange for Luca and Nina¡¯s friendship to develop that quickly, there seemed to be no conspiracy theories behind it. Perhaps it was really only because the two women hit it off. Luca got out of the car at the entrance of T Corporation. A few employees in the hall saw her and whispered to each other. It was because they recognized the car. It was Mr. Crawford¡¯s car. Luca was a little frustrated. She was nning to get out of the car at the previous junction and walk back to the office. It was to avoid her from being seen going in and out with Luke. However, Luke did not do that and even parked the car beside the road. If it was the basement parking lot, that would be eptable for her. Moreover, it was not after working hours now, so no one would be in the basement. If she did not take the same elevator with him, no one would even realize that they returned to thepany at the same time. However, he said he was going to park the car in the parking lot beside the road as he would be going outter. That was why he stopped the car at thepany¡¯s entrance and dropped her off there. The car stopped. Luca had no choice but to push the car door open and shot a nce at the receptionist inside the building. She knew that the matter about her getting out of Luke¡¯s car would be spread throughout thepany soon. She scurried her way to the elevator without considering whether Luke had already parked the car or if he was following behind her. There was no need for Luca to turn around as she knew everyone was looking at her right now. She let out a sigh. The rumor that she had been avoiding would probably be spread around again. Chapter 1488 Luca¡¯s guess was correct. The rumors were already spreading by the time she reached theboratory. While working on their research, the researchers in theboratory were talking about how she had left the building and returned with Luke. They were still talking when Luca entered, and they were embarrassed because they did not manage to stop themselves. She heard thest part of their conversation, though she walked back to her position without showing any expression on her face. All the researchers in her team were male; several female researchers had applied for an interview, but Luca rejected them all. She thought that men were less prone to gossip, but it seemed that her preconception was wrong. Most men were not like Luke, who showed no interest in gossip. ¡°You can continue talking,¡± Luca sat in her seat and put on goggles. The researchers looked at each other. None of them dared to say anything. Rhett came out of the cultivation room and saw that Luca was already back. He said, ¡°You¡¯re back, Dr. Craw. Why don¡¯t you rest for a little longer?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Mr. Crawford brought me to the hospital, and they gave me some medication. I feel a lot better now,¡± Luca said. The researchers knew that Luca was directing those words at them. They lowered their heads in embarrassment. Rhett saw that she did not look unwell, so he did not ask any more questions. She focused on her work until it was lunchtime. Luca knew that she would be at the center of attention if she went to the cafeteria. To avoid trouble, she asked Rhett to take away some food for her. Rhett agreed to it immediately. Luca returned to her office and studied the data collected over the past few days. She did not care that the surveince camera was capturing her every movement. Luke was sitting in his office. He frowned as he looked at theputer screen. Luca was in the frame. She was studying some documents, and she looked like she was going to skip lunch again. ¡®No wonder she¡¯s so thin. She doesn¡¯t eat her meals regrly.¡¯ Luke was taken aback when he realized that he had that thought in his head. He did not understand why he thought of that. Luca¡¯s mealtimes should not be any of his concern¡­ A knock on the door was heard. Luke minimized the security feed and said, ¡°Come in.¡± Jason came in through the door with a lunch box in his hand. He handed it to Luke and said, ¡°Your lunch, Mr. Crawford.¡± ¡°Just put it on the table,¡± Luke nodded and said. Jason put the lunch box on the table. ¡°Mr. Crawford, the entirepany is talking about how you and Dr. Craw had returned in the same car,¡± he said. ¡°Mm,¡± Luke replied impassively. He had already expected that to happen. Moreover, he did that on purpose. ¡°Now, should we let Ms. Tia know about it?¡± Jason asked. ¡°She has eyes in thepany. She¡¯ll know about it,¡± Luke said. Letting Tia know about it was part of his n. Jason wondered if he should praise Luke for his shrewdness¡­ The n was sure to put Luca in a tough spot. Anyone could see that Tia had a crush on Luke. Luke¡¯s n involved letting Lucae into contact with Tia and letting Tia know that Luke and Luca shared some sort of rtionship. Tia would definitely misinterpret something, and she would confront Luca about it. The tales from earlier that morning were still circting in thepany. If Tia knew about it, she would definitely treat Luca as a rival. ¡°Enjoy your lunch, Mr. Crawford. I¡¯ll be downstairs.¡± Even though Jason felt sorry for Luca, he was not going to say anything. Luca might have saved his daughter¡¯s life, but her identity remained mysterious, and he dared not take her side. He did not want to disrupt Luke¡¯s ns and miss out on the opportunity to save Bianca. After all, Bianca was Luke¡¯s true love. ¡°Wait.¡± Luke suddenly remembered that Luca was still in her office and had not eaten lunch. Jason looked at him. ¡°Is there anything else, Mr. Crawford?¡± Luke stared at the lunch box for several seconds. Eventually, he shook his head. Jason nodded and left the office. Luke had nearly asked Jason to buy a lunch box for Luca. He wondered why he had that thought; he could not bear to see her working through lunchtime without eating. After all, she should not sacrifice her health for thepany. However, the words stopped at the tip of his tongue. There were other reasons why he helped Nina, and he had deliberately stopped at the building entrance. Those were part of his n, but sending Luca a lunch box was not part of his n. That was why Luke stopped himself. Tia quickly found out about Luke and Luca traveling in one car. In order to confirm her suspicions, she also asked her informant about the time it happened. Luke should have been in a meeting at that time, so why did he travel somewhere else with Luca? Unless¡­ The fires of jealousy raged in Tia¡¯s heart. She guessed that Jason and Luke were in cahoots to deceive her, and that was why Jason had told her that Luke had a meeting, when instead Luke had wanted to go out with Luca. Tia clutched her chest. The burning sensation in her chest made her feel ufortable. Was Luke actually not interested in her? Why would he do so?Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. He had asked her to help Luca, then dismissed her with a made-up excuse. Did he not have any feelings for her? ¡®That can¡¯t be the case¡­¡¯ Tia could sense Luke¡¯s affection toward her. What was going on? She wanted to find the answer, but she could not seem to find it no matter what questions she asked herself. Eventually, she arrived at one possibility. Luca must be taking the opportunity to try to seduce Luke too. Luca pretended to be distant and aloof, but she was secretly trying to win Luke¡¯s heart. What was worse was that Luke seemed to be falling for it. Otherwise, he would not have asked Tia to give her psychological treatments or dismiss Tia from thepany with a made-up excuse, then leave with her privately. ¡°This is ridiculous!¡± Tia mmed the table angrily and stood up. ¡°I won¡¯t let you get what you want, Luca Craw. I can deal with Bianca Rayne, and I can deal with you too! I¡¯ll dig out the deepest secrets in your mind and expose them to Luke Crawford! We¡¯ll see if he¡¯d still be interested in you!¡± In Tia¡¯s experience, she could tell that the elements of fear one faced during hypnosis were usually not recent incidents. That applied to the wall of blood Luca saw! Chapter 1489 Tia assumed that something must have happened in Luca¡¯s past for her to be so afraid of blood, and the murder incident at her apartment only deepened that fear. Anyone who had a fear of blood must be hiding a dark past. Tia thought of dredging that dark past and telling Luke. Luke would definitely stay away from Luca after that. Arriving at that thought, she clenched her fists and picked up her phone. Sophia knocked on her office door. ¡°Ms. Tia, your next client is waiting for you in the consultation room. She has an appointment with you.¡± Tia stopped typing on her phone. ¡®I know,¡± she said impatiently. ¡°Are you going over now?¡± Sophia asked. Usually, patients would not mind waiting for their doctor, but Tia¡¯s next client was someone they could not afford to offend. That was why Sophie was so nervous. ¡°I¡¯ll go over in a bit,¡± Tia said impatiently. She was typing a message to invite Luca out for lunch. ¡°Ms. Tia, I don¡¯t think you should let the client wait for too long?¡± Sophia said. She dared not open the door without Tia¡¯s permission. That was one of Tia¡¯s hard-and-fast rules. Losing her patience, Tia opened the door and said, ¡°The client doesn¡¯t have to wait if she can¡¯t wait. We have so many consultants here. Can¡¯t you arrange another one for her? I¡¯m busy now.¡± Sophia tucked her head into her shoulders and said, ¡°But Ms. Tia, the client is the wife of the mayor.¡± They could not afford to offend the wife of the mayor. If they did so, they would probably find it hard to survive in A City. Tia was taken aback. Her mind had been upied by fantasizing the illicit rtions between Luke and Luca, and she had forgotten about such an important meeting. She realized that she had to attend to the client immediately and personally. ¡°Pour her a cup of coffee. I¡¯ll pack up a bit and go over.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Sophia nodded and said. She turned around and went to the pantry. In a hurry, Tia quickly finished the message and sent it to Luca. She put her phone on the table, picked up her briefcase, and left the office. It was half an hourter when Luca saw Tia¡¯s message. She declined the invitation without giving it a second thought. She knew that Tia had a crush on Luke, and there must be some ulterior motive for inviting her to dinner. Maybe she wanted to find out more about Luca¡¯s thoughts, or maybe she wanted to dere dominance. In either case, Luca did not want to be there. Luca replied: [I¡¯ve been quite busy recently. Maybe another time. Thanks for the invitation though.] After putting the phone away, she saw Zoeye in with a stack of documents. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Luca asked. ¡°These are insurance policy documents, Dr. Craw. Thepany bought travel insurance policies for everyone for the trip to B City, and we just received the policies today. This one¡¯s yours.¡± Zoey handed the topmost document to Luca. Luca took the document and looked at it. B City was quite far away from where they were. Not only did Luke bring all the employees there, but he also purchased travel insurance for anyone. He was quite generous indeed. ¡°Mm, thanks.¡± Luca put the document in her drawer. Zoey smiled, then went away to distribute the documents to the other researchers. Luca stayed for a little longer after office hours to finish the experiment on hand. When she was about to leave, she received a call from Tia. She answered it and said, ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Hi, Dr. Craw. I¡¯m Tia.¡± Tia¡¯s voice was heard. Luca was taken aback. She thought she had declined the invitation, but it looked like Tia was not going to give up so easily. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Hello. Is there anything?¡± Luca sounded cold and distant, a stark contrast from Tia¡¯s enthusiasm. Tia had just sent off the mayor¡¯s wife. When she returned to the office and saw Luca¡¯s reply, she was not quite happy about it, so she gave Luca a call to invite her for dinner. Luca was a mature adult. She should know Tia¡¯s implications behind the invitation for dinner. ¡°I invited you for dinner earlier this afternoon, and I saw your reply. I was wondering if you¡¯d agree if I asked you over the phone,¡± Tia said. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. A friend¡¯s younger sister was thinking of venturing into pharmaceutical and health sciences in college, but I¡¯m not too familiar with that industry. That¡¯s why I wanted your professional opinion about it.¡± She did not say anything about Luke or psychological counseling so that Luca would agree to meet. Luca understood that it was only an excuse. She replied, ¡°I got my degree overseas, so I don¡¯t know anything about the colleges here. Moreover, I graduated so many years ago, and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be of any help. I can hook your friend¡¯s sister up with my assistant if you want. He graduated this year, and he should know more than I do.¡± Tia did not expect Luca to find another excuse to decline the invitation. ¡°Oh, is that so? But my friend¡¯s sister is thinking of studying overseas, Dr. Craw. How about¡­¡± Before Tia could finish her sentence, Luca said, ¡°Excuse me, I have a calling in. Please wait for a moment.¡± ¡°Ah, okay.¡± Tia was not very happy that she was interrupted, but she could not reprimand Luca either. To her, Luca was only a stranger. Tia could not do anything to her. Luca immediately ended the call after that. While Tia listened to the busy tone, she realized that something was amiss. She looked at the screen and realized that the call had ended. She gripped her phone tightly and waited. Luca did not call her, so she called back. She received the automated message that Luca¡¯s phone was switched off. Tia immediately turned red with anger. She hurled the phone onto the couch. Meanwhile, Luca had made up an excuse to end the call, then immediately turned off the phone. She could not be bothered to deal with Tia. Many women wanted to gain Luke¡¯s affection. Come to think of it, none of those women ever got what they wanted. That included herself. Even though she was walking freely in this city, she was actually trapped in a cage she could not escape from. Luca tidied up her desk, then clocked out of work. When she opened the door at Luke¡¯s apartment, she noticed that the slip of paper she slit through the door had fallen onto the floor. Chapter 1490 rm bells rang in Luca¡¯s head. Her hand on the doorknob was shaking slightly. If the slip of paper was on the ground, it could only mean that someone had been there. Even though the security measures at the apartment were much better than her previous apartment, Abel would definitely have a way to sneak in. There were very few things in the world that could stop Abel. Luca took a deep breath. What should she do if the person inside was Abel? She would not mind it if it were her apartment, but she was in Luke¡¯s apartment¡­ N?velDrama.Org content rights. Luke had probably installed surveince cameras in the apartment. If Abel was inside, would Luke be able to see him through the security feed and therefore find out his ns? If he could, she would be free. Luca did not know what to make of the situation. Eventually, she took a deep breath, braced herself, and opened the door. She was mentally prepared to see Abel behind the door. The moment she opened the door, she heard sounds from the television. Instantly, her mind went nk. It sounded as though someone was watching a cartoon. Luca rushed into the living room. When she saw Tommy sitting on the couch, her wildly beating heart gradually calmed down. ¡®Thank goodness it¡¯s not Abel. Luke won¡¯t discover anything just yet¡­¡¯ Luca was immediately taken aback. Why would she be d about that? When Tommy heard the footsteps, he turned over with a grin on his face. He leaned on the couch and said, ¡°You¡¯re back, Ms. Luca!¡± Luca nodded. She looked around the living room and saw no one other than the boy. ¡°Why are you here, Tommy?¡± Luca put her briefcase near the couch. She thought Luke was careless to leave the child alone in the apartment. ¡°Daddy brought me here, Ms. Luca,¡± Tommy said with a grin. ¡°When we got here earlier, we couldn¡¯t get you on the phone, so Daddy and I came in by ourselves.¡± Luca nodded after hearing the exnation. The apartment was locked by a passcode, and she did not change it. That was why Luke was able to enter. However, she thought it was wrong to keep the child there by himself. ¡°Did your Daddy leave after that?¡± Luca said while patting the child¡¯s head. She did not expect that Tommy woulde, and there were no snacks or fruits in the apartment. ¡°No,¡± Tommy replied and pointed toward the bathroom. ¡°Daddy is taking a shower inside. When he went to pick me up from school, ady deliberately bumped into him and smudged some lipstick on his suit.¡± Luca felt relieved when she heard that Luke did not abandon the child here. However, she could not help but chuckle imagining Luke¡¯s reaction when the woman bumped into him. She was used to such antics from other women who tried to get close to him. She knew that Luke was a clean freak. He would change his clothes and take a shower whenever another person left a mark on his clothes or body, as though those people would spread a contagious virus to him. ¡°Ms. Luca, are you angry?¡± Tommy asked worriedly when he saw that she was not saying anything. Luca shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not angry.¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯re angry when you didn¡¯t reply. Daddy said that he let you stay in the apartment, and we shouldn¡¯t havee in without your permission.¡± Tommy leaned closer to Luca and grinned. ¡°Daddy couldn¡¯t wait any longer though. He really wanted to take a shower.¡± He knew that Luca adored him, so he hoped that his smile would make Luca forgive their transgression. Luca smiled and stroked the boy¡¯s head. It was only after Tommy¡¯s reminder that she realized Luke had given her the apartment, and they should not havee in without her permission. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Luca said. The apartment was much closer to Tommy¡¯s school, and Luke still had some clothes there. It was not surprising that they would visit her. ¡°I¡¯m d that you¡¯re not angry,¡± Tommy said with a grin. Immediately after that, his stomach began to growl. It was not very loud, but Luca heard it anyway. She raised her eyebrows and looked at the child. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± ¡°A little, but don¡¯t mind me. Daddy will be taking me home for dinner soon,¡± Tommy said. He missed Luca¡¯s Luke told him that Luca was still recovering from the injury and was not in the condition to cook. Tommy did not throw a tantrum and remembered what his father said. ¡°I don¡¯t have any ingredients here either,¡± Luca said. Even though Rhett had bought lunch for her, she left it in the office and only ate it at about four o¡¯clock, when she began to get hungry. She was still full after work, so she did not go to the supermarket to buy food. Also, she had finished the food the maid had left her. Tommy stared at Luca with his innocent eyes. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to have dinner, Ms. Luca? Why don¡¯t youe with us?¡± Luca thought that it was not appropriate to ept their invitation. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t think I should go along.¡± Luke should be bringing Tommy back to Crawford Manor to have dinner. She had no reason to go along. ¡°Why?¡± Tommy asked while clinging to her arm. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Luca said. She heard the bathroom door open. Luke walked out. He did not take his shower in the bathroom that was attached to the bedroom because Luca was staying there. Instead, he used themon bathroom. Luca noticed that the set of clothes he had changed into was from the maid¡¯s bedroom. She did not expect that Luke was so considerate about her privacy. ¡°Mr. Crawford.¡± She stood up and greeted Luke. Tommy was still clinging onto her, and he said, ¡°You¡¯re done showering, Daddy.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Luke said impassively. He looked at Luca and said, ¡°There¡¯s no shower cream in themon bathroom, so I took the bottle from the attached bathroom. I hope you don¡¯t mind it.¡± ¡®Shower cream¡­¡¯ Luca suddenly felt the tips of her ears grow hot. Fortunately, her long hair covered them. ¡®Only people who live together would share a bottle of shower cream¡­¡¯ Luca pretended to brush her hair to check that her ear was indeed scarily hot. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she said. Tommy looked at the two adults and said, ¡°Daddy, let¡¯s not go home and eat dinner tonight. Why don¡¯t we go to a restaurant?¡± Luke turned his head to look at his son. He did not say anything because he knew the boy was not done talking yet. ¡°You¡¯ve used Ms. Luca¡¯s shower cream today, and we should thank her in some way. Ms. Luca hasn¡¯t had dinner yet, so why don¡¯t we take her out to a restaurant?¡± Tommy said using his most adorable voice, in case his father did not agree. ¡°Alright,¡± Luke agreed without waiting for Luca to reply. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Mr. Crawford. It¡¯s nothing major,¡± Luca tried to refuse. No matter how expensive the shower cream might be, it was not going to be worth as much as a meal.¡± She did not want to go so that she did not have too many interactions with Luke. Chapter 1491 ¡°Let¡¯s go, Ms. Luca, let¡¯s go,¡± Tommy said coyly. ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten dinner with you for a long time, Ms. Luca, and I don¡¯t have an appetite when I¡¯m not eating with you. See? I¡¯ve already lost weight.¡± While he said that, he pinched his cheeks to show that they were not as bouncy as they used to be. Luca thought that his face was indeed slimmer. It did not seem as chubby as before. Tommy was still a child. There should have not been any restrictions to his diet as long as it did not negatively affect his health. As Tommy¡¯s mother, Luca felt sorry for him but could not say it. Tommy was a good reader of character. He noticed that he had managed to evoke pity in Luca, and he continued to work his charm. ¡°You won¡¯t want me to lose more weight, right? Please, can we have dinner together just this once?¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Luca¡¯s heart softened from Tommy¡¯s repeated pleadings and agreed to it. ¡°Yay! What do you want to eat, Ms. Luca?¡± Tommy continued asking questions after seeing that Luca agreed to his invitation. He even let Luca decide what to eat while Luke was neglected to the sidelines. Luca had not thought about that question. In any case, she did not have the appetite to eat. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± She let the child make the decision. Tommy looked at Luca and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll eat anything you want to eat!¡± Luca turned to look at Luke. ¡°How about you, Mr. Crawford? What do you want to eat?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a vegan restaurant nearby that just opened recently. Let¡¯s go there,¡± Luke said decisively. He was not surprised that Tommy gave Luca the prerogative to decide, but he was surprised that Luca asked himself to decide instead. Luca seemed not to care about anything, even what she ate. Was her real personality like that though? Luke began to wonder what would be something that she cared about. He led the two other people out of the apartment. On their way out, Luca bent over, picked up the slip of paper on the floor, and clutched it in her hand. Luke noticed Luca doing that. If she had not done that, he would not have realized Luca slit a slip of paper between the door and the frame. It seemed that she had be a lot more cautious after that incident in her apartment. The restaurant was not far away from the neighborhood. However, it was the evening rush hour, and the streets were congested. Luke decided not to drive. Instead, the three people walked there. Tommy was holding Luca¡¯s hand. He turned his head to look at Luke next to him, thought for a bit, and took his father¡¯s hand with his other hand. Luke lowered his head to look at Tommy. He noticed that his son was holding Luca¡¯s hand with his other hand. Tommy exined, ¡°Ms. Lina told us that there are many bad people on the hand. What if a kidnapper grabs me from the other side? It¡¯s much safer to hold the hands of both adults.¡± Luca turned her head to look at the other side. The three people were walking side by side as though they were a family of three. Luca clenched Tommy¡¯s hand tightly. She was not afraid that someone would kidnap Tommy, but she wanted to treasure the rare opportunity. Her only wish was to live a peaceful life with Luke. It did not matter if he were not the CEO of T Corporation. She would want to live with him even if he did not have a penny to his name. However, that dream was an unattainable luxury to her. Now that she had the chance to pretend that they were a family, Luca would treat it as a dream. She did not know when the next chance would present itself. Luke did not pull away. He allowed his son to take his hand. The two adults brought Tommy to the restaurant. A waitress smiled at them and greeted them, ¡°Wee, Sir, Madam.¡± When Luca heard that, she wanted to exin that she was not the man¡¯s wife. She was satisfied enough that she got to walk with Luke and Tommy as a family. She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, Luke said, ¡°Do you have a secluded table?¡± It was rare that such an attractive family went to dine there, so the waitress was exceptionally eager to please them. ¡°If you wish for some privacy, we have private rooms avable at an additional charge. Fortunately, they¡¯re not reserved at the moment. Would you like a room?¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Luke said and nodded. The waitress grinned and led the way. The three people went into the private room. It was a new restaurant, and the furnishings were new. Tommy was delighted by the interior that looked like a cottage. ¡°Look, Daddy! Tortoises!¡± He cheered. There was a pool with a fountain in the room in which were two tortoises. ¡°Are you satisfied with this room, Sir?¡± The waitress asked. ¡°This is good,¡± Luke said. The waitress hurried off to prepare the cutlery. Luke and Luca sat on opposite sides of the table. He handed a menu to her. ¡°See if there¡¯s anything you want to eat.¡± Luca did not take the menu. ¡°I don¡¯t mind anything. I¡¯ll let you and Tommy decide.¡± Luke looked at her for a few seconds. Even though they were sitting at the same table, Luca remained so distant. He ordered something for everyone. After that, the waitress said, ¡°Sir, Madam, our dessert of the day is homemade vegan truffle ice cream. Would you like to try some?¡± ¡°One for her, please,¡± Luke said. Luca was shocked when she heard that. The waitress had addressed the two of them in the same sentence as though they were a married couple, and Luke did not correct her. Did he not care, or was it deliberate? Luca dared not look at Luke, though she could not stop guessing. ¡®Just what does he know?¡¯ After Luke made the order, the waitress walked out of the room with the menu. Tommy happily went over to the edge of the pool and looked at the two tortoises swimmingzily in the water. ¡°What tortoises are those, Daddy?¡± He asked. ¡°Brazilian tortoises,¡± Luke replied. Tommy nodded. He spoke to the tortoises, ¡°Nice to meet you, tortoises! My name is Tommy. What about yours?¡± Luca did not pay attention to Tommy. Instead, she could not stop thinking about that detail from earlier. Did Luke already know? A minuteter, the waitress returned with a tray of fruit juice. ¡°Sir, Madam, have someplimentary fresh-pressed orange juice.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Luca looked at the waitress and took a ss. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. The waitress put another ss in front of Luke. Chapter 1492 Looking at the waitress, Luca wondered if she should tell her that Luke was not fond of fruit juices, no matter how fresh it was. The moment the ss was put in front of Luke, he took it and put it in front of Luca. The waitress was surprised, but she smiled. ¡°You¡¯re so considerate to your wife, Sir. Fresh orange juice has Vitamin C, which is good for women¡¯s skin. I¡¯ll bring you another ss.¡± When Luca heard that, she said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. He doesn¡¯t like fruit juice.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Luke turned his head to look at her. How did she know that he did not like fruit juice? Luke had never told anyone else that he did not like fruit juice. He did not say that when he was in the hospital. The waitress nodded and said, ¡°I see. You¡¯re so considerate, Madam. Sir, should I get you another drink?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Luke sipped the ss of tap water next to him. He did not point out the waitress¡¯s mistake again. Luca felt even more awkward as the waitress mentioned her in the same sentence as Luke. She wanted to exin, but seeing that Luke did not say anything, she did not want to make the situation awkward. The waitress nodded and ced the ss of orange juice at Tommy¡¯s seat. ¡°Have some orange juice, my young guest!¡± When Tommy heard that, he turned his head and asked, ¡°Ma¡¯am, what are the names of the two tortoises?¡± ¡°They¡¯re Madrid and Manchester,¡± the waitress answered with a smile. After distributing the orange juice, she set the cutlery on the table. Luca smiled slightly when she heard that. It seemed that the restaurant owner was a ser fan, which was why they named the pet tortoises using famous ser club names. Luke noticed the smile on Luca¡¯s face. Was she smiling because of the names of the tortoises? ¡°Nice to meet you, Madrid and Manchester!¡± Tommy greeted the two tortoises with a grin, then returned to his seat. The waitress had ced the ss closer to the center of the table in case the boy knocked it off the edge. Luca noticed that Tommy was reaching out to the ss. She took the ss and ced it in his hand. Tommy grinned brilliantly at her and quietly drank his orange juice. Luca wondered why he did not say ¡°Thank you¡± like he always did. He only grinned at her as though he was deliberately doing so. Was it because of what the waitress called her? Luke did not exin it to the waitress, and Tommy seemed to have epted it. The waitress left the room after setting up the cutlery. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. The situation did not be any less awkward even though the waitress had left. Luca noticed that Tommy had finished half of his ss. Thinking that he liked the juice, she ced the ss that Luke had handed to her in front of him. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Luca,¡± Tommy said. Luca smiled to make herself feel less awkward. She thought that the father and son were deliberately giving the waitress the wrong impression. She averted their gaze and began to drink her juice. ¡°How do you know that I don¡¯t like fruit juice?¡± Luke asked while gazing profoundly at her. He was trying to probe for something. Tommy did not sense the gravity of the situation. He also asked, ¡°That¡¯s right, Ms. Luca. Daddy doesn¡¯t like milk and fruit juice. How did you know?¡± Luca grinned to mask her anxiety. She tried her best to speak casually, ¡°I noticed that you didn¡¯t seem to drink any milk or juice while we were in New York, so I guessed that you don¡¯t drink anything other than in water and ck coffee.¡± ¡®Is that really the case?¡¯ Luke noticed Luca¡¯s unnatural reaction. He did not believe her, though he did not ask any more questions. He knew that he was not going to get any useful information from her if she was making up stories. Even so, he could not help but think that Luca knew him very well. She even knew about his drink preferences. Many women vied for his attention, but none of them knew him as well as Luca did. Other than Jason and his family members, no one knew about his drink preferences. That included the impostor Bianca. The impostor Bianca had tried to show she cared for him by bringing him a ss of warm milk to the study on most nights. She told him that he should drink milk instead of coffee, and he should rest more. Luke would finish the milk as he looked at her face, but he had never told her how much he hated drinking milk. He thought that the people from the Ind of Despair did not know that about him. Otherwise, they would not have made such a mistake. If Luca was from the Ind of Despair, how would she know so much about his daily habits? Luke did not understand the woman in front of him. The more mysterious Luca was, the more interested Luke became. Soon, the waitress brought them their food. After eating, the three people walked toward the neighborhood. The sky was already darkening, and the cold wind began to blow. As Luca nced at the lingering glow at the horizon, she realized that it was going to be winter soon. It had been three years since shest saw snow. She remembered spending her first New Year¡¯s Day with Luke. It felt as though the fireworks disy had only happened yesterday. She closed her eyes. The exploding fireworks seemed to echo in her ears. ¡°We¡¯re here, Ms. Luca!¡± Tommy wagged her hand and reminded her. Luca came to her senses. A gust of cold wind blew into her face and woke her up. She let go of the child¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Thank you for the dinner today, Mr. Crawford. You should go home soon.¡± ¡°Ms. Luca, Daddy and I will send you off first,¡± Tommy spoke like a young gentleman. Luca smiled. She knew that they would not leave if they did not see her enter the elevator. She turned around and went into the apartment. As Tommy watched Luca leave, he mumbled, ¡°Daddy, Ms. Luca doesn¡¯t seem sentimental at all.¡± ¡°Sentimental?¡± Luke frowned and looked at him. Where did he learn that word? ¡°Yeah, isn¡¯t that how it is on TV soap operas? When the guy sends the girl home, the girl will turn back to look at the guy as she walks away. Ms. Luca didn¡¯t turn her head at all. It seems that you¡¯re not charming enough, Daddy,¡± Tommy said derisively. Chapter 1493 Tommy sounded as though Luke should have put more effort to win Luca¡¯s heart. Luke¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°Who let you watch those soap operas?¡± ¡°I watch them whenever Grandma Susan watches them in the living room. What¡¯s wrong with soap operas, Daddy? Why would Grandma Susan watch them if there¡¯s something wrong with them?¡± Tommy asked several questions at one go. Ever since Allison went to prison, Susan acted like the matriarch of the household. Whenever Old Master Crawford was not at home, Susan would sit on the living room couch and watch meaningless soap operas with convoluted family plots. She did not care if what she watched would negatively affect the children¡¯s development. Luke had never heard his son use that word before. He wondered if he should talk to Susan. She had a television in her bedroom, so it was probably better to watch it there than in the living room. ¡°Because they¡¯re boring,¡± he said. Tommy nodded. ¡°Oh? If that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t watch them next time. I¡¯ll find something less boring to do. Luke patted the child¡¯s head, took his hand, and walked toward the spot where he parked his car. ¡°You need to work harder, Daddy. Ms. Luca is a good person. Some other man might seduce her if you don¡¯t work harder,¡± Tommy said. He knew more about adult rtionships thanks to the soap operas he watched. Luke¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Why do I have to work harder?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you trying to make her your girlfriend?¡± Tommy analyzed like a little adult. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to make her your girlfriend, why did you treat her to dinner?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just repaying the favor,¡± Luke said, not caring if his son knew the nuance behind it. ¡°Nonsense, Daddy,¡± Tommy said derisively. Luke raised his eyebrow. ¡°Have you ever treated me like your Daddy before?¡± ¡°Of course I have. I won¡¯t bother telling you all this if you¡¯re not my Daddy. If you¡¯re not trying to make her your girlfriend, why would you deliberately go to the apartment to change clothes? Aren¡¯t you trying to find an opportunity?¡± Tommy said. Without looking at him, any person would have thought that a mature adult had said that. ¡°Also, When the waitress treated Ms. Luca as your wife, you didn¡¯t deny it or exin anything.¡± Luke frowned. Why was Tommy so talkative today? Indeed, he was doing all those deliberately. He had to be closer to Luca to test her. He knew that Luca was harder to read than Tia. If he did not give it his all, he would not find out the secrets Luca was hiding. ¡°I see, so you¡¯re doing it deliberately too,¡± Luke said, ignoring what Tommy had said. Tommy blinked in confusion. ¡°What was I doing deliberately, Daddy?¡± ¡°You deliberately didn¡¯t call her ¡®Ms. Luca¡¯ when other people were around,¡± Luke said while gently pinching Tommy¡¯s cheek. He realized that the child was bing more and more precocious, though he did not call his son out in front of the waitress. Now that Tommy was calling Luke out on his behavior, he was not going to hold back either. ¡°Do I have any other choice? You didn¡¯t deny it, and I can¡¯t call Ms. Luca Mommy. I think she¡¯d be shocked if I did,¡± Tommy said with a sigh, as though he was disappointed with his father. Luke realized that Tommy¡¯s character was very much unlike his elder brother. ¡°Alright. Get in the car.¡± Luke said while opening the car door. Tommy pulled his hand away. As he stepped into the car, he said, ¡°Sigh, I don¡¯t know when I can spend the night with Ms. Luca again.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± Luke closed the door after Tommy settled down. Tommy shook his head and said, ¡°I was hoping that I could live together with Ms. Luca in the future.¡± Luke sat on the driver¡¯s seat. He said nothing when he heard Tommy¡¯s words. Living together with Luca? He had thought about it before. After all, Luca might be the key to saving Bianca. Tommy liked Luca very much, but Luke knew that Tommy would shift his attention to Bianca if she came back. No one could be his wife other than Bianca Rayne. Luke started the car and drove away. Luca came out of a dark corner. She came out of the apartment¡¯s side door and followed Luke and Tommy from a distance. Seeing the car drive away, Luca turned around and headed back to the apartment. She could not help but be envious when she saw Luke walking away while holding Tommy¡¯s hand. She envied Luke for being able to y the role of the child¡¯s parent, and also for the fact that they had no secrets between them. Back at the apartment, Luca closed the door and remembered Kevin Rayne, her adoptive father. He had been gone for several years. Luca remembered that she had not paid her respects ever since she came back. She wondered if she should visit her father¡¯s grave on theing weekend. After making up her mind, she went to themon bathroom to take the bottle of shower cream so that she could take a shower. In the bathroom, she noticed that Luke had thrown his shirt into the trash can. She thought for a while but eventually picked the shirt up. She noticed a red lipstick stain on the chest. Luke must have thrown the shirt away because he was disgusted by the lipstick stain. However, the shirt was quite new. It was a pity to throw away a shirt that had been worn less than ten times. Luca brought the shirt to the balcony and tossed it into the washing machine. She went to the bathroom to take a shower. Then, she did theundry with the rest of her clothes. After theundry was done, she hung them on the clothesline. The sky was alreadypletely dark by then. She turned on the balcony light and looked at the white shirt in a daze.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. She had worn Luke¡¯s clothes before. They had a light lemony fragrance because of the detergent he used. After wearing it once, she fell in love with that scent. That was why she had always used the same brand of detergent. Luca watched his shirt swaying gently in the breeze, together with her clothes on the clothesline. It looked as though they lived together. Luca returned to the living room. She sat on the couch and looked at the clothesline for quite some time. Meanwhile, Luke returned to Crawford Manor. Old Master Crawford was waiting for him in the living room. ¡°Come here and sit with me, Luke.¡± ¡°Is there anything, Grandfather?¡± Luke asked. His grandfather must have something to discuss with him. ¡°Thewyer called today. If you¡¯re free tomorrow, you should go to the prison to visit your mother,¡± Old Master Crawford said. Chapter 1494 Luke frowned when his mother was mentioned. ¡°Did thewyer say anything?¡± He asked. Ever since Allison was sent to prison for stealing the antiques, Luke had always wanted to visit her, but she had always refused to meet him. He had never gotten to meet his mother for the past three years. He stopped trying and hired awyer to take care of her. Old Master Crawford wanted to say something but stopped himself. Eventually, he said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to tell you. Thewyer has arranged everything. You should go there and see what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°Mm, I know,¡± Luke said. ¡°I¡¯ll go tomorrow.¡± When Tommy heard that, he said, ¡°Daddy, I want to visit Grandma too.¡± Luke could tell from his grandfather¡¯s expression that the meeting with Allison tomorrow was most likely not going to end well. He said, ¡°No, you have to go to school tomorrow.¡± ¡°But I miss Grandma. Please let me go with you, Daddy,¡± Tommy said coyly. Even though Bianca was his favorite person, Allison had pampered him too. That was why Tommy liked Allison. ¡°No, children shouldn¡¯t go to those ces.¡± Luke found an excuse to refuse. ¡°Alright then¡­¡± Tommy said disappointedly. When Luke saw that, he said, ¡°You¡¯ll be able to meet Grandma again in a few months.¡± Usually, a person convicted of theft would receive a prison sentence of fewer than three years. Allison¡¯s case involved an extraordinarilyrge sum of money, so she received a sentence of more than three years with the possibility of parole. Three years passed in the blink of an eye, and Allison was about to be released soon. If she only wanted to meet now, Luke could tell that she was up to no good. Thewyer had told him before that Allison¡¯s behavior in prison was poor. That was why she was not paroled. ¡°Alright, alright. You don¡¯t have to be so disappointed. You¡¯ll get to see her soon. Go and shower, then go to bed,¡± Old Master Crawford said. He stood up and dered, ¡°I¡¯m going to bed too.¡± When the butler heard that, he immediately went over to support him. Luke sank deep in thought as he watched his grandfather leave the scene. Why would his mother suddenly want to meet him after three years? Tommy stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯m going upstairs, Daddy.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Luke replied but did not move. He contacted thewyer and told him that he would go to the prison to visit Allison. Thewyer replied, ¡°Alright, Mr. Crawford. I¡¯ve made all the necessary arrangements. I¡¯ll wait for you at the prison entrance tomorrow.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Luke replied. He paused for a while, then continued, ¡°Did she say why she wants to meet me?¡± Thewyer hesitated for a while before replying, ¡°Mdm. Tanner said that she would tell you when she meets you tomorrow. I¡¯m not too sure of the reason either.¡± ¡®He¡¯s not sure?¡¯ Luke thought it was not the case. Allison must have told him not to tell Luke the reason. Prison conditions were poor, though she had awyer to take care of her, so her life was still bearable. Allison must have some other special reason to meet him. ¡°Mm, see you tomorrow.¡± Luke did not ask any more questions if thewyer was not willing to tell him. He ended the call. The next day, Luke asked the driver to send the children to school while he went to the prison. The prison was on the outskirts of A City. It was the morning rush hour, so it took Luke two and a half hours to reach there. Thewyer had been waiting for him for a long time. He seemed visibly relieved when he saw Luke¡¯s car. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Crawford,¡± thewyer went up to greet him. ¡°Good morning,¡± Luke said as he walked toward the gates. ¡°Have you made all the necessary arrangements?¡± ¡°Yes, permission has been granted. We can immediately meet Mdm. Tanner once we¡¯re inside,¡± the lawyer nodded and said. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Luke hastened his footsteps when he heard that. In the prison, Allison was brought to the visiting room. Her eyes shed with resentment when she saw Luke. She did not want to meet Luke over the past three years because she could not make herself forgive him. Luke was to me for what happened to her! If he had given her enough spending money, she would not have to steal Old Master Crawford¡¯s antiques, and she would not have to end up being sent to prison by her own son. Not only she had to rot in prison for three years, but she was also a shadow of her former self. Luke was to me, and Bianca too! Allison hated Bianca more than she hated Luke. She would rather not meet the two of them, believing that Luke would get someone to take care of her needs while in prison. She only told thewyer she wanted to meet Luke because she was about to be released soon. She knew that Luke could not give her a pampered life while in prison, but things would be different once she was free. She needed Luke to provide her with that. That was why she wanted to meet Luke. Luke watched the prison warden bring Allison into the room. Allison had maintained her figure before she was sent to prison, and it seemed like she had lost a lot of weight. ¡°Mother,¡± he called out. Allison sat down opposite him. When she lifted her head, she brushed away the hair that was covering her face. Luke was no stranger to horrific scenes, but he was stunned when he saw Allison¡¯s face. Her skin was no longer smooth. Instead, deep trench-like scars criss crossed her face. They were not wrinkles caused by age. Instead, it seemed as though someone had shed her face repeatedly with a knife. Other than that, her face was covered with minor wrinkles and cracked skin. She looked as though she was an actor in a haunted house attraction or a wicked witch in a fairy tale. Luke could see the resentment in her eyes. Allison was resenting him¡­ Heposed himself and asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Allisonughed brazenly and touched her face. Over the past three years, the condition of her skin had worsened, and the wrinkles only became deeper and deeper. At first, she could not ept what had happened to her. She dared not look into the mirror or any reflective surface. None of the other inmates dared to talk to her because of her face. They did not want to be infected by whatever disease she had. ¡°What happened? What do you think, my good son?¡± Allison did not know what had happened to her face. The prison wardens had brought her to the hospital, but the doctors could not find anything wrong. Chapter 1495 However, the problems were only limited to Allison¡¯s face and neck. She did not feel unwell at all. The doctor concluded that the wrinkles posed no threat to her health. However, she could not stop new wrinkles and cracks from appearing on her face. The doctor wanted to refer her to a stic surgeon, but prison inmates were not permitted to undergo stic surgery procedures, not even if her son had a lot of money to hire the best stic surgeon. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Since the wrinkles and cracks were not life-threatening, Allison eventually gave up on trying to fix them. Luke frowned and looked at thewyer. Thewyer exined, ¡°The doctors said that there¡¯s nothing wrong with Mdm. Tanner¡¯s health, and they can¡¯t find a rational exnation for what happened to her face. That¡¯s why it¡¯s been left untreated.¡± Luke turned his head toward Allison. He could not bear to look straight at her even though he had seen his fair share of bloody scenes. ¡°Why, my son? Are you scared?¡± Allison smiled ominously. She was her own horror movie. Luke frowned. He was not scared, but he was not used to his mother¡¯s face being like that. He remembered that she looked morous before she was sent to prison. He was mentally prepared to see Allison in a sorry state, but the truth was beyond his expectations. ¡°I¡¯ll find a doctor to cure you once you¡¯re released,¡± Luke said. ¡°Cure? This isn¡¯t a disease. It¡¯s all your fault!¡± Allison roared as she red at Luke¡¯s handsome face. He had inherited half of his genes from her. However, she had be¡­ Allison continued to stare daggers at Luke while touching her face. ¡°Why did I even give birth to you, Luke Crawford? You¡¯ve ruined my face!: Luke frowned even harder when he heard that. Did she want to meet him after three years so that she could yell at him? Thewyer wiped the sweat off his forehead. He had seen the gradual changes happening on Allison¡¯s face for the past three years. He had even asked Allison if she wanted Luke to hire a dermatologist for her. However, Allison had refused every request. Now that she finally met Luke after three years, that was how she treated her. Should she be afraid that Luke would abandon her? He did not expect Luke to do that, though he had once sent his own mother to prison. ¡°The visiting time is limited, Mdm. Tanner. Do you have something important to tell Mr. Crawford?¡± The lawyer reminded her. Even though Allison still had a lot more to say, she had to hold her tongue for now. She would be released from prison soon, and she would return to a life of luxury, but her face¡­ She dared not even look into the mirror. How was she going to face other people? Allison red at Luke resentfully and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be out soon. Get a doctor for me as soon as possible and fix this.¡± Luke looked at her face and said nothing. He wondered how proficient a stic surgeon must be to save Allison¡¯s face. The wrinkles had already affected the subcutaneousyer of her skin. Only a chronic disease could have caused that. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡± Seeing that Luke was silent, Allison thought he was unwilling to help her. She pointed a finger at him and yelled shrilly, ¡°You¡¯re the one who caused all this. If you won¡¯t find me a doctor, I¡¯d rather die!¡± Luke thought that Allison¡¯s reaction was understandable. After all, she was a vain woman. ¡°I¡¯ll find a doctor for you,¡± he said. Allison calmed down a little after hearing that, though she was worried that he was only paying lip service. ¡°Don¡¯t even think of deceiving me. I won¡¯t leave this ce with this face. If you lie to me, I¡¯ll let the whole world know that you¡¯re an ingrate.¡± Luke hated being threatened. His gaze instantly turned cold. ¡°I can only bring a doctor here for a consultation. The treatment can only begin after you¡¯re released.¡± At first, Allison did not want to agree to that. However, she thought for a while and realized that there were many things she could not do while in prison, so she had to agree to it. ¡°Heh heh, fine. I want the best stic surgeon and dermatologist,¡± she chuckled coldly and said. In the first year, the condition of her skin had deteriorated quickly. The second and third years were about the same. The nerves on her face were numb to the repeated cracks that appeared. Even if new cracks appeared, she would not feel any pain. Luke did not reply to her. He stood up and walked toward the door. He knew that Allison had achieved what she wanted, so there was no reason for him to linger there. Thewyer also stood up when he saw that. Allison reminded him, ¡°If he hasn¡¯t arranged a doctor for me in two days, you have to call him and remind him! I need the doctor to fix my face!¡± Thewyer agreed while wiping the sweat off his forehead, though he was unwilling. He was not paid enough to do that. If Luke did not want to find a doctor for Allison, there was nothing thewyer could do. After all, that person was Luke Crawford. Luke was the one who paid his sry. How was he going to offend him? After Luke and thewyer left the visiting room, Luke asked, ¡°When did her skin be like this?¡± ¡°I heard that it happened about ten days after she was brought in. When her skin began to crack, the prison officials brought her to the doctor, but the doctors could not do anything. The cracks didn¡¯t affect her health, and they couldn¡¯t stop the situation from worsening,¡± thewyer answered. Back then, Allison harbored a lot of hate for Luke, and she had told thewyer not to tell him. ¡°It¡¯s not that I wanted to hide it from you, Mr. Crawford, but as her legal representative, I have to respect her wishes.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Luke replied. He did not have any intention to me thewyer. He guessed that Allison¡¯s skin condition was caused by an unknown poison. The same thing had happened to Queenie. Ever since that incident, Luke believed that certain diseases were caused by external drugs rather than ailing health. He guessed that Allison¡¯s current condition was not caused by her stint in prison. Instead, it had something to do with her previous lifestyle. He remembered seeing fresh cracks on her skin. A stic surgeon would be no use ¨C Luke would have to ask for Johann¡¯s help. Chapter 1496 After Luke left the prison, he gave a call to Johann. He found out that Johann was performing consultations at the outpatient department and had no operations scheduled, so he made an appointment with him and went over to the hospital. Johann had already informed the nurse at the registration counter that Luke wasing, so Luke went straight to his room. ¡°Let me deal with this patient first!¡± When Luke walked in, Johann was telling the patient to turn around and take a deep breath. Luke leaned on the wall. ¡°No rush.¡± After checking the patient¡¯s vitals, Johann scheduled an X-ray for him. After the patient left, Johann closed the door and grinned, ¡°You don¡¯t look like you¡¯re not in a rush.¡± If Luke had nothing urgent, he would usually find Johann after work. After all, Johann was one of the most popr doctors in A City. Luke had to have something incredibly important to take up Johann¡¯s precious consultation time. Luke looked at Johann for a short while and said, ¡°I need your help with something.¡± ¡°You rarely sound so polite,¡± Johann raised his eyebrows and said as he returned to his seat. Usually, Luke would directly tell him his request and not be so tactful. ¡°It¡¯s about my mother. After she was sent to prison, her skin began to crack. Now, her face is full of scars,¡± Luke said. Johann frowned. ¡°Do you have a photo?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s from three years ago. Things have gotten even more serious since then,¡± Luke said while showing Johann a photo on his phone. Thewyer had taken the photo three years ago, but Allison told him that she did not want Luke to know. Johann looked at the photo closely and rubbed his chin. ¡°That¡¯s very serious. Didn¡¯t she see a doctor?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t want to meet me. Also, the doctors didn¡¯t find anything wrong with her health. None of the common treatment methods worked.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t solve this problem withmon treatment methods. It¡¯s just that it has gotten so serious, yet it doesn¡¯t affect her health. This isn¡¯t some ordinary skin disease. I¡¯ll have to perform a thorough examination,¡± Johann said. He was not an expert in dermatology, but he could see that it was not an ordinary skin disease. ¡°Mm. She finally decided to meet me because she wanted to have it fixed. Come with me to meet her tomorrow if you¡¯re free,¡± Luke said. ¡°Sure. I can also bring some equipment to take a blood sample. I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m confident in treating her though, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen something like this. Why don¡¯t you get another person toe along too?¡± Johann said. He had a hunch that Allison¡¯s symptoms were caused by a drug or a poison. He would need some help performing the examination or even running the analysis. He was an expert in diagnosing diseases from symptoms exhibited by the body. If the patient¡¯s symptoms were caused by something external, he would need an expert in that area. ¡°Luca?¡± Luke did not take long to guess the person Johann had in mind. He had also thought of asking Luca for help too. ¡°Yes!¡± Johann nodded and said. ¡°Luca is a better expert than me in medicine.¡± Johann rarely admitted his admiration for another person¡¯s skills. Luca was such an individual. Luke gazed at him grimly. Johann rubbed his cheek and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there something on my face?¡± ¡°Do you have feelings for Luca?¡± Luke asked. Somehow, he was not very happy when he that Johann might have a crush on Luca, as though Luca was someone very dear to him. He did not quite understand that feeling though. Bianca should have been the person dearest to him. He was not going to change his affection for Luca just because Bianca was missing. ¡°No, no! Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± Johann quickly denied it when he sensed the hostility in Luke¡¯s gaze. ¡°All I have for Dr. Craw is genuine admiration for her professional work. I believe she will be able to help your mother.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Even though Johann denied it, Luke did not change what he thought. He could still feel that Johann had some other feelings for Luca. Johann was peerless in his field of expertise. He did not get any other doctor to be his assistant, and he would never use another doctor¡¯s opinion in his diagnoses. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Even so, he had never made a mistake. Many fresh medical graduates wanted to be his assistant, but he rejected all of them. Despite being a loner, he was quite popr in the hospital. Everyone genuinely admired his skills. ¡°I¡¯ll let her know. You¡¯ll just have to go to the prison tomorrow. I¡¯ll get thewyer to make arrangements,¡± Luke said. ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll adjust my schedule now,¡± Johann said. Seeing that Johann had agreed to it, Luke left. It was already lunchtime by the time he returned to T Corporation. Luke did not immediately return to his office. Instead, he went to the twelfth floor, where theboratory was. He knew from daily observation that Luca usually stayed in her office during lunchtime while Rhett would get lunch for her. He guessed that Luca was in her office, just as usual. Luke nced down the corridor. Everyone else was in the cafeteria, so there was not a sound. He walked in front of Luca¡¯s office. He hesitated for a few seconds before knocking on the door. Johann was right; without Luca¡¯s help, there might be no way to help Allison. ¡°Come in,¡± Luca¡¯s voice was heard from inside. Luke opened the door and saw Luca sitting in front of her desk browsing some documents. ¡°Are you free now?¡± He asked. Luca raised her head in shock when she heard Luke¡¯s voice. She did not expect it was him. ¡°How may I help you, Mr. Crawford?¡± She said as she put away the document in her hands. ¡°Are you free tomorrow?¡± Luke asked but did not tell her what it was. Luca thought that he was asking her out on a date. Was he going to do that just to test her? Those thoughts shed in her mind for a brief second, but she soon dismissed them all. ¡°If it¡¯s a work-rted matter, I can make time for it,¡± Luca said, emphasizing ¡°work.¡± Luke noticed the nuance in her words. He thought about what he said earlier and realized that it was indeed quite misleading. If he had said that to other women, though, they would be ecstatic. Luca emphasized on work instead. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s work-rted. You don¡¯t have toe to thepany tomorrow morning. I¡¯ll pick you up at your apartment at half-past seven,¡± Luke said coolly as he inserted his hands into his pockets. Chapter 1497 Luca tried to read Luke¡¯s expression, but he did not express any emotion on his face. ¡°Should I prepare anything?¡± She knew that she could not refuse, so she asked him more questions, hoping to find out what he wanted from her. ¡°No,¡± Luke said and left her office. He did not give her any chance to ask any more questions. Luca was speechless as she watched the door close. Judging from Luke¡¯s attitude, he did not seem like he wanted to ask her out on a date. If that were the case, why else would Luke ask her out? She could not think of a reason¡­ However, she was quite relieved that Luke did not ask too much of her. The next day, Luca went downstairs at half-past seven in the morning. True to his word, Luke¡¯s car was parked next to the neighborhood entrance, and he was already waiting for her. As she approached the car, Luke got out of the driver¡¯s seat and opened the door on the other side for her. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Crawford,¡± she greeted him. ¡°Good morning. Let¡¯s go,¡± Luke said tersely. Luca bent over slightly and stepped into the car. When she wanted to close the door, she found that Luke had already closed the door. Silently, she fastened her seatbelt while watching Luke walk around the car. Luke returned to his seat, fastened the seatbelt, and started driving. Luca noticed that he did not turn on the navigation app, which meant that he was quite familiar with the destination. After a while, she could not hold back her curiosity anymore and asked, ¡°Mr. Crawford, where are we going?¡± ¡°The prison,¡± Luke said truthfully. ¡°Prison?¡± Luca was discreetly shocked when she heard that. She tried to guess the reason Luke wanted to bring her to visit a prison. She knew that he was not going to detain her ¨C After all, if he really wanted to do so, he would not have sent her to prison. She was afraid that she might see someone she knew in the prison, for example, Amur¡­ She had tried to contact Amur again for the past few days, but Amur remained uncontactable. That only made her more anxious than ever. ¡°Mm. I need your help,¡± Luke said. Even though he had told her where they were going, he did not tell her the reason why. Luca felt a little relieved when she heard that he wanted her to help, instead of bringing her to meet someone she knew. Perhaps Luke had a friend who was injured in prison and needed medical attention. After helping Queenie and the impostor Bianca, it was not surprising that Luke and Johann trusted in her abilities. ¡°Alright,¡± Luca said. He did not tell her any more details, and she did not ask for them either. In any case, she would find out about it when she was there. Even though Luca was born and raised in A City, she had never gone to visit the prison other than visiting Marie once. The world outside those prison walls was a free and democratic one. Things were the opposite within those walls. The prison inmates were bound by strict rules. Only criminals would be sent there. Ever since she was abducted to the Ind of Despair, Luca had lost contact with Marie. However, it would be several more years before Marie would be released. In any case, she was not very close to Marie anyway. After Luca returned, she did not bother catching up with her. Luca walked next to Luke. They met up with thewyer, and Luca realized that Johann was there too. ¡°Good morning, Dr. Park,¡± she greeted him. Johann waved at her. ¡°Good morning, Dr. Craw. Have you had breakfast?¡± ¡°I have,¡± Luca replied with a smile. She enjoyed Johann¡¯s presence; his jovial attitude could light up any room. ¡°How about you, Dr. Park?¡± She asked. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°Of course I have. We have a major task on our hands today,¡± Johann said. He noticed that only Luke¡¯s car was parked by the roadside, so he asked, ¡°Did youe here in his car?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Luca said and nodded. ¡°Sigh, that man is ying favorites. He asked me toe, but he didn¡¯t want to give me a ride. It took me two and a half hours to get here. How tiring!¡± Johann grumbled though he maintained the smile on his face. ¡°When are you going to treat me equally, Mr. Crawford? You could¡¯ve brought me along. Your car can definitely fit another passenger, right?¡± Luke shot a cold nce at him. ¡°I know you love driving, and I don¡¯t think you¡¯d be happy sitting in the backseat.¡± Johann shrugged. He had bought a new car recently, and he was quite fond of driving it. He only said what he said earlier to make fun of Luke. He continued, ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true. I¡¯d be happy to sit at the back if there¡¯s a beautifuldy in the car. I won¡¯t give you any trouble.¡± Luke was inexplicably unhappy when Johann mentioned Luca, but he did not show it on his face. Thewyer said, ¡°I¡¯ve made the necessary arrangements, Mr. Crawford. You can go in after you sign here.¡± Luke nodded and signed on the form. Luca saw that it was the standard form for visitors. She and Johann signed their names on their respective forms. After that, thewyer brought them to the visiting room. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that I would get to make a day trip to the prison again,¡± Johann said. Luke did not say anything. Luca did not say anything either. She guessed that Luke should know more than her, but she was not going to ask anything when Luke was around. Thewyer stopped in front of the entrance of the visiting block and spoke to Luke, ¡°Mr. Crawford, Mdm. Tanner doesn¡¯t want to meet you. She only wants to meet the doctors.¡± When Luca heard ¡°Mdm. Tanner,¡± she knew that she was going to meet Allison. She turned her head to look at Luke. Luke was looking at thewyer with a frown. Thewyer felt a chill coursing down his spine. He said, ¡°That is Mdm. Tanner¡¯s request.¡± ¡°You two go in. I¡¯ll wait here,¡± Luke said that and nothing else. Luca and Johann nodded. They followed thewyer inside. Now that Luke was not around, Luca dared to ask Johann for more information. She whispered, ¡°What¡¯s the situation, Dr. Park?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Just be mentally prepared.¡± That was all Johann said. Seeing that Johann was not willing to say much, Luca could only nod. Johann asked, ¡°We¡¯ll be meeting Luke¡¯s mother. Have you seen her before?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Luca replied without thinking. She soon realized that Luke¡¯s mother was sent to prison three years ago, and Luca should not have seen her. She immediately exined, ¡°I¡¯ve checked Mr. Crawford¡¯s information on the Inte. There were photos of him with his mother.¡± Chapter 1498 Johann nodded and said casually, ¡°It seems that you¡¯ve been paying attention to Mr. Crawford.¡± Johann had no particr intention when he said it but Luca read into it. She lowered her gaze to look at the cyan floor tiles and replied softly, ¡°I noticed it by ident.¡± Johann did not notice the change in her tone. All he was thinking about was Allison¡¯s situation. The prison guard took them to the visitation room. Luca did not prepare anything and walked in empty-handed, but Johann brought a bunch of equipment that was packed in a medical kit. The guard asked him to open the box so that he could check the equipment inside. Johann cooperated and opened the box for him to inspect. After the inspection, no contraband was found so the prison guard walked Allison out. Luca looked at the other door where a frail-looking woman was led out by the guards. The woman had her head lowered, so they could not see her face. Luca noticed her thin arms and noted that the woman seemed malnourished. Her skin looked sallow and pitted. In the past, Allison lived an exquisite lifestyle, so it made sense that she was not used to being in prison. However, Luca did not expect her to look so hard-pressed. Allison looked like someone who was sick all year round and could not absorb any nourishment no matter what she ate. Luca frowned with confusion. ¡®Why does she look so terrible?¡¯ Luke was not the kind of person who would ignore things like this. He would have done something if he saw his mother in this state. Moreover, although the food in prison was not as good as the outside world, it was not terrible enough to make someone malnourished. ¡°Sit down.¡± The guard gave Allison a light push, causing her body to sway a little. She almost fell. Allison stared at the guard viciously. The guard roared. ¡°Why are you looking at me?! Hurry up. You have work after this.¡± Allison retracted her gaze, turned her head slowly, and looked at the three people sitting across from her. Luca was startled when she saw Allison¡¯s face. However, after seeing many horrifying things in her life, she was still fairly calm on the surface. Johann was shocked at his core. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. The photo Luke showed him was a photo from two years ago. At that time, although Allison¡¯s face had lesions, those injuries were far less seriouspared to what she looked like at this moment. Allison looked like an old wicked witch. The wrinkles on her face were better described as ravines rather than wrinkles. There were too many wrinkles that they looked like rolling hills. It was hard to see and describe¡­ ¡°Why are you here?¡± Allison said in a dissatisfied tone when she recognized that it was Johann who hade to visit her. She knew that Johann had top-notch medical skills but he was just a surgeon, not a dermatologist or an aesthetician. Allison was dissatisfied with Luke for asking Johann to treat her, so she looked to the other side. Allison was even more dissatisfied when she saw that the woman in front of her was young and looked nothing like a senior doctor. ¡°Luke brought both of you here to make a fool of me?¡± Johann shook his head and answered, ¡°Ms. Tanner, Luke brought us here to treat you.¡± ¡°You two?¡± Allison looked at them with disdain. ¡°One of you is a surgeon and the other one looks like she just graduated from university. How can any of you help with my stic surgery?¡± ¡®stic surgery?!¡¯ Luca raised her eyebrows. Even if Allison insisted on going for surgery, she would not be able to look like she used to. ¡°Ms. Tanner, your face can¡¯t be saved with stic surgery,¡± Johann said helplessly. It seemed that prison had not changed Allison¡¯s bad temper. She was more difficult to deal with than before. Allison¡¯s eyes widened as she yelled, ¡°What nonsense are you spewing?!¡± She touched her face and firmly believed that stic surgery could return her to her former glory. When the doctor at the prison said there was no way to solve her symptoms, she did not ask to see Luke because she nned to find a stic surgeon to fix her face after she got out of prison. Allison was scared when she heard Johann say that stic surgery would not solve her problems. She would never allow herself to leave prison with a wrecked face! ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? You¡¯re a surgeon, so you know nothing about stic surgery!¡± Allison continued to deceive herself by denying his professionalism. Johann stretched out his hands helplessly and said, ¡°Your skin isparable to that of an 80-year-old. It¡¯s experiencing a constant loss of moisture and there¡¯s peeling on the skin¡¯s surface. Even if you go for the medical route to help you replenish moisture and fill in fat, it¡¯ll not keep up with the rate of loss. To be in the situation that you¡¯re in, there¡¯s something wrong with your body¡¯s function. Luke asked us toe over and do a check-up for you. Ms. Tanner, please cooperate with us so that we can find the root of the problem. After we find a solution, your body will eventually recover and you¡¯ll be fine.¡± Allison listened to him and did not believe him whole-heartedly. However, she had hope when she heard that she would be okay. She cleared her throat and was just as arrogant as before when she said, ¡°Go ahead, do what you need to do.¡± Johann took out a tool to draw blood and said, ¡°First, I¡¯ll draw a tube of blood and take it to the hospital for examination.¡± ¡°The doctors here did a blood test and they haven¡¯t found any problems. They even said that I¡¯m in great health. What do you think you can find?¡± Allison continued to pick on Johann verbally but she still reached out her hand and motioned for him to draw her blood. Johann smiled elegantly. He did not react with anger when faced with her provocation. Luca kept silent and watched as Johann drew her blood skillfully. ¡°If they couldn¡¯t find anything before, it doesn¡¯t mean that we can¡¯t find anything now. Moreover, there is more equipment in the hospital and there are more tests that we can run. You¡¯ll know if we can find something then,¡± he said. Allison snorted and watched him draw two tubes of blood. He then held the cotton swab against the needle. Johann drained the two tubes of blood and looked at Luca. ¡°Dr. Craw, do you have anything you want to check with Ms. Turner?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Luca looked at Allison. After a few more looks, she got used to Allison¡¯s face and did not think she looked scary. ¡°Ms. Tanner, can you give me your hand?¡± she asked. Allison crossed her arms and did not want to give her hand to Luca. ¡°Who are you? A nurse who just graduated?¡± ¡°Dr. Craw is a biopharmaceutical expert. Luke invited her over to treat you,¡± Johann spoke on Luca¡¯s behalf. ¡°You? An expert?¡± Allison did not believe it. She had never seen such a young expert. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything worse to happen to me.¡± ¡°Dr. Craw just looks rtively young. Ms. Tanner, are you sure you won¡¯t let her check you? She¡¯ll just be checking your pulse,¡± Johann spoke ahead of Luca once again. Allison was a little convinced by what he said. She considered her situation, then reached out her hand to Luca. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything else besides checking my pulse. I don¡¯t trust you,¡± she said. ¡°Ms. Tanner, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t simply rmend a treatment n if I¡¯m not sure.¡± Luca put her hand on Allison¡¯s. She nced at Allison¡¯s face, then at her hand. She noticed some interesting details. Chapter 1499 Allison¡¯s pulse was steady, and there seemed to be nothing wrong with it. Luca stared at the peeling skin on Allison¡¯s face and asked, ¡°Have you taken any special medication or used any umon products before you arrived at the prison?¡± Allison smiled contemptuously and said, ¡°I only take big-brand health supplements. Are these considered special medications?¡± ¡°Can you tell me what you consumed?¡± Luca guessed that her condition had something to do with her lifestyle before she went to jail. ¡°There¡¯s no problem when others take it, so why would it be a problem when I take it? All of the skincare products and cosmetics that I use are branded. You can¡¯t afford them.¡± Allison did not forget to show off as she spoke. Luca reacted neither haughtily nor humbly. She did not humor Allison but instead asked, ¡°Can you tell me the brands that you use? Also, does this only affect your face?¡± Allison frowned and replied, ¡°Yes, it only affects my face. It was three years ago, so I don¡¯t remember the details. I don¡¯t remember anything. I¡¯m not allowed to use those things here. I think my skin is used to the good stuff so when I came to prison, my skin didn¡¯t adapt to my surroundings. Maybe that¡¯s why it became like this.¡± One¡¯s skin would get worse if it did not get the nutrients it deserved, but it would not deteriorate to the state that Allison was in. Luca noticed that she was extremely uncooperative. She exchanged a look with Johann and said, ¡°I found nothing.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Johann nodded in response. Since Allison was on the topic, she asked, ¡°By the way, if my skin turned into this because I was not allowed to use skincare products, can I sue the prison?¡± Thewyer was dumbfounded when he heard what she said. ¡®Sue the prison? Because the prison didn¡¯t allow her to use skincare products?¡¯ This was the first time he had heard of something so ridiculous. ¡°Ms. Tanner, calm down. Aren¡¯t the doctors treating you now?¡± Thewyer answered her with a smile on his face. ¡°Hmph, if my skin became the way it is now because of this, I¡¯ll take these people to court!¡± Allison would not back down. She was not worried that she would offend the prison guards by saying such things. When Johann saw that they had done everything they were supposed to do, he whispered in the lawyer¡¯s ear. Thewyer nodded, looked at Allison, and asked, ¡°Ms. Tanner, that¡¯s it for today. You still have a few minutes left. Do you want to see Mr. Crawford?¡± ¡°No, my rtionship with him was done the moment he sent me to jail!¡± Allison said in a vicious tone. Luca listened to her ruthless words. Although Luke had done something to hurt her, he was in the right. For three years, Allison had refused to forgive Luke. Luca felt sorry for the man waiting outside. Allison had been in jail for three years without realizing that she had done something wrong¡­ Thewyer listened to her and could not help but sigh in his heart. Luke¡¯s mother thought of herself as something. She was being punished byw for her wrongdoing yet she shifted all the me on Luke using the excuse of him being unfilial. Even so, she was still shameless enough to ask Luke to get a doctor to treat her¡­ After they were done talking, Allison was taken back to her cell by the guards. Luca and Johann walked out together. Luke stood outside the door and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I drew her blood. We¡¯ll know more after the blood test. I want to make it clear that the blood test is only one of the steps. If we¡¯re lucky, we¡¯ll find something, but if we¡¯re not, we may not find anything,¡± Johann said. Luca reminded him, ¡°Remember to do the toxicology test. However, I think this may not have to do with poison.¡± ¡°Tell me more?¡± Johann looked at her. ¡°If she was poisoned, it would¡¯ve affected her whole body and not just her face. Ms. Tanner is fine everywhere else except for her face. Her skin is rough and sallow but she¡¯s not sick,¡± Luca exined her thoughts. ¡°Yes, it doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s poisoning. If it was because of drugs, the affected areas would be more than just the face.¡± Johann agreed with her. Luca looked at Luke and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, did Ms. Tanner live with you before this?¡± ¡°No, she had her own vi.¡± Luke shook his head. ¡°Has her items been cleared from her vi?¡± Luca asked. ¡°No, there are servants who clean the ce regrly, but I told them to keep everything,¡± Luke said. Although Allison previously stayed in a vi that was not under his name and it was currently unupied, he still kept the vi squeaky clean. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°I want to go take a look and see if I can find anything,¡± Luca said. If her belongings had not been cleaned up and if Luca was lucky, she might be able to find the skincare products that Allison used before. ¡°I¡¯ll take you there now.¡± Luke agreed. Johann carried the box and said, ¡°Okay, go ahead. I¡¯ll take the blood sample and go run some tests.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± They walked out of the prison together and then got into their respective cars. Luke drove back to the city center, bringing Luca to the vi where Allison lived. Luca sighed in her heart when she looked at the vi in front of her. When Luke disappeared, Allison was afraid that she would be left out of the will, so she cut ties with the family and took a sum of money from Luke¡¯s ount. She then bought the vi and enjoyed her life here alone. Unexpectedly, she plotted against Old Master Crawford to maintain her luxurious lifestyle. Luca did not expect her to be so bold. After Luke parked the car, he opened the code-locked door and pushed it open to let Luca in. Luca walked in. There was no dust because there were people who woulde to clean the ce even after Allison was sent to jail. After Luca looked at the furniture that was covered with ayer of cloth, she looked at Luke and asked, ¡°Can I go upstairs and have a look?¡± ¡°Do as you please,¡± Luke said. After Allison bought the vi, Luca had visited the ce. She knew that Allison made one of the rooms into a beauty salon, and that room was on the second floor. There were various beauty tools, skincare products, and cosmetic products in the beauty room. She wanted to check it out to see if she could find something. When he saw her go upstairs, Luke followed along. Luca arrived at the second floor, looked at the furniture that was still covered with white cloth, and walked to the beauty room. Luke followed behind her, watching closely. Luca walked into the corridor. Instead of walking into the master bedroom, she pushed open the door of the room opposite the master bedroom. It was Allison¡¯s private beauty salon. Luke frowned. ¡®She didn¡¯t walk into the master bedroom because she already knows that those beauty products are not in the master bedroom?¡¯ Chapter 1500 He had only been in Allison this vi once or twice, and he did not pay too much attention to the furnishings. However, Luca seemed to be familiar with Allison¡¯s vi. She knew what was there without Luke having to tell her. Luke said nothing and continued to observe Luca. After she walked into the beauty room, she stood there and took a few nces. The skincare products on the shelf were not dusty because of the regr cleaning. However, she thought that the products were likely expired. ¡°Mr. Crawford, can I take these?¡± Luca pointed to the bottles and jars on the shelf. There were several well-known international brands that she was familiar with. As for the others, although the packaging looked premium, she was unsure what brands they were. ¡°Do you suspect that these caused my mother¡¯s skin to deteriorate to such an extent?¡± Luke asked. Luca nodded. To be cautious, she said, ¡°I have such suspicions, but I¡¯ll know more after I analyze the ingredients.¡± ¡°You can take all of these,¡± Luke said. These skincare products had expired, so Allison would not be able to use them even after she was released from prison. With his consent, Luca found a bag in the beauty room and put all the products in the bag. ¡°Anything else you need?¡± Luke asked. Luca thought about it for a while. She reckoned that she would not be able to find what Allison ate before this. On top of that, the food would not likely be the real culprit of why her skin was aging so rapidly. She shook her head and said, ¡°These are all used on the face. We¡¯ll find out more after the test.¡± Luke nodded. After Luca grabbed the skincare products, they left together. Luca sat in his car and noticed that he was headed to T Corporation, so she did not say a word. Luke asked, ¡°Do you want to study these in the office?¡± Luca suddenly remembered that all her research equipment was in her apartment and that the police had not released the crime scene. She looked at Luke and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, can you help me get all the equipment from my apartment?¡± The equipment was ordered by Abel on the inte in advance. If she had to ce another order, she was afraid that it would not be delivered so quickly. However, considering Allison¡¯s situation, the earlier she could diagnose her, the earlier she could prescribe the right medicine to treat her. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Luke could easily help get the equipment out of her apartment but he did not say too much in front of her. Luca nodded and reminded him, ¡°If you can take it from my apartment, can you help send it to your apartment?¡± There was a lot of equipment. It would be difficult for her to move all of them to Luke¡¯s apartment by herself. ¡°Yeah.¡± Luke felt as if she knew that he had a way to get her everything that she needed. He did not exin anything and agreed without saying anything else. After they arrived at the office, Luca took the elevator from the underground parking lot to the ground floor instead of going in through thepany¡¯s main entrance. No one saw her getting out of the car with Luke. After Luca returned to the floor where the researchbs were, she ced Allison¡¯s skincare products in the office cab and called Rhett. She thought of asking him to help fill in a request for leave. Rhett touched the back of his head and said with confusion, ¡°Dr. Craw, weren¡¯t you working off-site today? Why do you need to prepare a leave application form?¡± ¡°Off-site?¡± Luca raised her brows. ¡°Who told you that?¡± ¡°Mr. Doyle. He specifically ran to our floor and told me that you¡¯d be working off-site in the first half of the day and you¡¯d return to the officeter,¡± Rhett told her everything even though he was puzzled. Considering Luca¡¯s reaction, it seemed that she did not work off-site. They were doing research, so they did not work off-site often. ¡®What¡¯s more, if Luca was working off-site, she could have just let me know. Why did she get Jason to ry the message?¡¯ Jason was Luke¡¯s subordinate, so he thought that Luke had something to do with it. Rhett thought of the gossip circting in thepany. At first, he chose not to believe it but he gradually wondered if Luca and Luke had something going on. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Luca snapped out of it. She sighed helplessly in her heart when she saw Rhett¡¯s expression. It seemed that Luke had left orders for Jason and got him to inform the department of her whereabouts. Rhett came back to his senses and asked cautiously, ¡°Dr. Craw, do you still need me to apply for leave on your behalf?¡± ¡°No. Please let the others know that we¡¯ll have a meeting in ten minutes,¡± Luca said. ¡°Will do,¡± Rhett nodded and left her office. Luca tidied up the documents on her table and left her office carrying her tablet. The floor of the CEO¡¯s office. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Jason walked into the CEO¡¯s office with a cup of coffee and ced it carefully on Luke¡¯s desk. ¡°Mr. Crawford, how is Madam doing?¡± he asked. ¡°They haven¡¯t found anything yet and will be running the research soon.¡± Luke took a sip of the coffee and thought of Luca¡¯s request. He said to Jason, ¡°Luca¡¯s apartment can be released.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll inform them now.¡± Jason understood what he meant and nodded quickly. ¡°Also, after the apartment is released following the relevant processes, move all of her equipment to my apartment.¡± Luke felt that he might have not made it clear enough so he said, ¡°Act fast.¡± ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll attend to it now,¡± Jason said. After he left Luke¡¯s office, he quickly attended to Luke¡¯s orders. When Luca returned to the apartment after she got off work, she saw two men in security guard uniforms standing at the door of her apartment. When they saw her walk in, they smiled and greeted her, ¡°Ms. Luca, good evening.¡± ¡°Good evening, you are¡­¡± Luca looked at them suspiciously. ¡°Oh, Mr. Crawford ordered us to deliver these to your door. We just moved them here but you weren¡¯t home yet, so we waited here,¡± one of the security guards exined. Luca looked at therge boxes on the floor and thought that these were likely her research equipment. ¡°Ah, yes, I¡¯m aware.¡± She nodded. ¡°Thanks for your hard work.¡± ¡°These boxes are very heavy. We were worried that you wouldn¡¯t be able to move them alone, so we stayed here and waited. Ms. Luca, please open the door and we¡¯ll help you move them in,¡± the security guard said. Luca would not refuse if they wanted to help her. She walked to the door and pressed on the code lock. Both security guards were street smart. When she was keying in her passcode, they turned around. Luca opened the door and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± The security guard stooped to lift the boxes and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Mr. Crawford specifically said that we can get a bonus if weplete the task.¡± The two of them worked together to move all therge boxes into her house. Luke was thoughtful and that made Luca feelplicated, but she pretended to be calm and instructed them to put everything in the maid¡¯s room. She lived in a single apartment. The maid¡¯s room could be considered as a second bedroom. Luca thought of putting all the equipment in it and doing research there so that it would not affect the decoration of the apartment¡¯s living room. Chapter 1501 After the security guards left, Luca opened the box and took out all the equipment. She started the instation process. She was familiar with the equipment, and it did not take much time for her to assemble everything. After she was done, Luca took out the skincare products she brought back from Allison¡¯s vi and checked the brands one by one. There were only two of them that were from brands she did not know. She decided to start with these two products. Luca casually ate some bread that she bought on her way back and started analyzing theponents. It was not a difficult task but it would take some time. She worked until midnight and finally got the component analysis report of the two products. One of the serums included bleach, an alcohol mixture, and an unknown chemical. Luca frowned. Except for the unknown chemical, the other ingredients were very cheap. ¡®Why would Allison use a product like this?¡¯ She looked at the ingredient list and instantly understood that although the serum was harmful to the skin, it was the kind that could show amazing effects with one use. What Allison did not know was that the effect could be achieved only because the irritating chemicals were causing damage to the surface of the skin. Luca knew that Allison would not take her skincare lightly. She might not have known the ingredients in it and was tricked by its effects. She looked at the other chemical substance, then at the time. It was already three o¡¯clock in the morning. After she thought about it, she continued to extract the chemical substance to see if she could find something. She still could not find out what kind of chemical substance it was although she worked until the first break of dawn. Luca wrote down thebination of chemical substances and recorded it. She then yawned and headed for the office. Rhett bumped into her at the elevator and noticed how tired she looked. He was concerned and wanted to check on her. ¡°Dr. Craw, did you not sleep wellst night?¡± Luca touched her face and replied, ¡°Is it obvious?¡± ¡°You look dreadful. Um, and you have dark circles.¡± Rhett reminded her. Luca smiled helplessly. When she realized that it was time to work, she had no time to put on makeup and just hurriedly washed up before she left the apartment. She even ate breakfast on the road. Maybe it was because this matter involved Luke¡¯s mother, so she went all out and stayed up all night just to analyze these ingredients. Luke was the only one she was willing to go to the ends of the earth for. Luca looked at Rhett and asked, ¡°By the way, I¡¯ll show you a report. Have a look and see if you recognize this chemical substance.¡± She grabbed a piece of paper from the briefcase and handed it to Rhett. Rhett took it. The elevator reached their floor and Luca saw that Rhett did not realize they were supposed to get off the elevator, so she tugged on his sleeve and reminded him. ¡°We¡¯re here, let¡¯s get off the elevator.¡± Rhett came back to his senses and said quickly, ¡°Oh, okay.¡± The two stepped out of the elevator without noticing that someone in the corner was taking a photo of them with a phone. Luca looked at Rhett and asked, ¡°Do you know this chemicalbination?¡± ¡°It looks familiar. It looks like a research project my professor is doing, which involves a simr combination of elements.¡± Rhett frowned as he recalled what he remembered. Luca asked, ¡°Do you still remember whether the research on this type of substance shows that it¡¯s good or bad?¡± ¡°I remember that it¡¯s bad. It has a certain effect on the human body, so it was advised to have minimal contact with it. However, I¡¯m not 100% sure. Dr. Craw, where did you find out about this kind of substance?¡± Rhett asked. Those in pharmaceuticals generally did note into contact with these chemicals, so it was normal for them not to know about this. ¡°A skincare product. I want to find out more about what¡¯s going on. Can you help me?¡± Luca asked. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll go ask my professor now.¡± Rhett agreed without hesitation and used his phone to take a picture of the information on the paper. Luca nodded. She went to her office, put her things away, and then gave Jason a call on the internal line. ¡°Mr. Doyle, is Mr. Crawford in the office now?¡± ¡°He¡¯s around. Dr. Craw, do you want to see Mr. Crawford?¡± Jason asked. ¡°Yes, I have something to report to him. It¡¯s about Ms. Tanner,¡± Luca said. ¡°Wait a minute, I¡¯ll check with him,¡± Jason replied, put his phone aside, and left the special assistants¡¯ office. Luca listened to the sound of his footsteps that got farther and farther. She waited patiently. After a while, Jason came back, picked up the phone, and said to Luca, who was on the other end of the phone, ¡°Dr. Craw, Mr. Crawford wants you toe up now.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go up right away,¡± Luca said while she picked up the documents and went to the top floor. When she passed by Jason¡¯s office, she asked, ¡°Mr. Doyle, do you need to inform Mr. Crawford that I¡¯m here?¡± ¡°No, the boss is waiting for you inside. You can just knock on the door and go in,¡± Jason said with a smile on his face. Luca nodded, walked to the entrance of Luke¡¯s office, and knocked on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± A low voice came from inside. Luca pushed open the door of the office and saw Luke sitting on the executive chair. He was working on the documents. His focused appearance made her feel bad for interrupting him. Many years ago, Luke would always bring work home so that he could apany her as much as possible at night. At that time, when she saw how hard he worked, she could never bear to interrupt him. ¡°Mr. Crawford, I have something to report to you.¡± The moment Luke looked up and met her gaze, Luca immediately snapped out of it and looked at him. ¡°Come in.¡± Luke pointed to the seat opposite him. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Luca walked in without closing the door. After all, Jason was there and not anyone coulde in. Keeping the door open was one way to prove their innocence. Luca sat on the chair opposite him, took out all the files, and ced them in front of Luke. ¡°I screened the skincare products yesterday and found two suspicious brands. After aparative analysis of the ingredients, one of them has problems,¡± she said. Luke did not say a word and picked up the documents she handed over to look at them. Although he did not understand the content, he knew what was going on when he saw alcohol and bleach in theposition analysis. ¡°This ingredientes from a bottle of serum that I can¡¯t find. The ingredients in it are very irritating to the skin but at the same time, it can show quick results. However, this is the effect of bleach. There¡¯s no real or longsting effect,¡± Luca exined. ¡°She used something with such a harmful ingredient?¡± Luke knew how obsessed his mother was with beauty. The serum should be very irritating to use on the skin. It was unlikely that she would use it at random. ¡°Yes, but there¡¯s an unknown chemical substance in it. I¡¯m not too familiar with it so I¡¯ve asked someone to check it. Maybe it¡¯s this substance that prevented the skin from being irritated by other chemicalponents so that the consumers wouldn¡¯t feel any difort when using it,¡± Luca exined. Chapter 1502 Luke listened to her exnation and asked the question that Allison was most concerned about, ¡°Can her skin be cured?¡± Luca stayed silent for a while and told him the worst-case scenario, ¡°Even if we find out what the chemical substance is, the condition of her face may not be reversed. It¡¯s been too long. All I can do is guarantee that the skin on her face will no longer deteriorate. It would be very difficult for it to return to its original appearance.¡± Luke nodded and understood the logic behind her statement. If Allison had not been stubborn and insisted on standing against Luke, her situation would not have progressed to where it was now. ¡°Mr. Crawford, the other skincare products used by Ms. Tanner are all well-known brands except for this serum¡­ I think someone deliberately harmed your mother,¡± Luca said. Luke nodded. During that time, his attention was on Bianca and T Corporation. He did not know much about Allison¡¯s situation, but if someone had deliberately plotted against her, he would be able to investigate it even though three years had passed. Luca was puzzled seeing him nodding without saying anything else. She wanted to remind Luke about the two sisters who had served Allison before. However, she was Luca, not Bianca. Hence, it was not her ce to say anything. Luke noticed that she seemed hesitant to speak and asked, ¡°Do you have anything else to add?¡± ¡°No, Mr. Crawford. I¡¯ll report to you when I find out more about the chemical substance. I¡¯m going to head back to my office now.¡± Luca picked up the documents and stood up. Luke did not say anything. After he reacted with a hum, he continued to look at his documents. When Luca walked to the entrance of the office, she heard him say, ¡°This is not that urgent, so don¡¯t stay upte because of it.¡± She did not look back but touched her face. After pulling an all-nighter, her skin condition must be very bad, not to mention the dark circles under her eyes. ¡®Would Luke think that I rushed this to please him?¡¯ Luca did not dare to think too much and hurriedly left with the files. She ran into Jason in the corridor. ¡°Dr. Craw, are you done?¡± he asked with a smile. Luca nodded and replied, ¡°It was a simple update with Mr. Crawford on the analysis done yesterday.¡± ¡°Simple?¡± Jason looked at the dark circles under her eyes and said, ¡°Dr. Craw, the dark circles under your eyes from staying up all night is obvious. If the task is urgent, Mr. Crawford will tell you. If he didn¡¯t say anything, you don¡¯t have to work overtime for it. ¡° Luca smiled and replied, ¡°I know.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°Madam¡¯s situation¡­¡± Jason checked in on Allison. Considering that she was about to be released from prison, if her condition did not get better, Luke may never hear the end of it. ¡°Terrible.¡± Luca was honest. When Jason heard her reply, he sighed and shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s it, the Crawford family will never have peace.¡± Luca knew what he meant. As the mistress of Luke¡¯s father, Allison had always lived the life of a socialite. Her favorite pastime was competing with Susan Armstrong. Now that her face had be as such, she would be ridiculed and the two would get into a catfight upon her return to Crawford Manor. In that situation, Luke would be caught in the middle. ¡°Mr. Doyle, I¡¯m going downstairs first,¡± Luca said. Jason nodded. He realized that he should not have discussed Luke¡¯s family affairs in front of her, so he said, ¡°Dr. Craw, don¡¯t take what I said just now to heart.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Luca knew what he meant. In the afternoon, Rhett went to Luca with some updates. Luca looked at the chemicalposition report and frowned. The materials used to synthesize the chemical substance were very cheap. It was nothing close to being high-ss. However, such an inexpensive chemical substance could neutralize the alcohol, bleach, and fluorescent agent in the serum. That was why when consumers used the product on their faces, they would not feel ufortable and the effect was immediate. Moreover, this chemical substance wasparable to a drug. It was just as addictive as many psychotropic drugs. To be precise, the skin would be dependent on this chemical substance. Once the consumer stopped using it, the skin would be dehydrated, the fatyer and the epidermisyer would separate, and there would be a strong reaction. Eventually, the consumer¡¯s skin would end up like Allison¡¯s skin. The point was that it was irreversible. Even if consumers used the serum again, the fatyer would no longer plump up and be able to support the skin. ¡°Sure enough, it¡¯s irreversible.¡± Luca sighed helplessly after she read the report. ¡°Dr. Craw, there are not many chemical factories using this chemical substance. Cosmetics manufacturers would not dare to use it because once it¡¯s detected, they would be fined. What beauty product did you find this substance in?¡± Rhett asked. ¡°It¡¯s a product that has no name, no address, and no production and sanitation license code,¡± Luca said. Proper cosmetics research and developmentpanies would not dare use such things but there were always unscrupulous businesses that used the substance to obtain huge profits. They would put it into production but products as such were not generally marketed and sold in the market. Looking at the exquisite packaging, their target market should be socialites. The two girls who served Allison before were probably one of the sales personnel. Luca did not know how many people were using this unregistered skincare product. She filed a report and sent it to Luke¡¯s mailbox. She then sent another copy to Johann. After a while, Johann called her. ¡°Dr. Craw, I didn¡¯t expect you to find out about the matter so quickly. The blood analysis report just came out.¡± Luca listened to his words and asked in a neutral tone, ¡°I¡¯m guessing there weren¡¯t any problems highlighted in your report, right?¡± It was difficult for that chemical substance to prate the blood vessels, but if the product was used for a long time, it would still affect the blood to some extent. Although Allison¡¯s face was in a terrible condition, the skin on her body was still normal. Hence, Luca assumed that she had not used the serum for a long time, which was why it only affected her face. The substance had yet to enter Allison¡¯s bloodstream, so it did not affect other parts of her body. ¡°How did you know? That¡¯s amazing.¡± Johann praised her. The woman on the other end of the phone was indeed different from other women. He had previously envied Luke for having a good wife like Bianca, and now he envied Luke for having such a smart and capable subordinate. ¡°The skin on Ms. Tanner¡¯s body isn¡¯t affected, nor is her body function, so my guess is that she didn¡¯t use the serum for a long time. It has not caused systemic damage,¡± Luca exined her thought process. ¡°It¡¯s a pity. There¡¯s no systemic damage but the damage on the face is irreparable.¡± Johann sighed. He was familiar with this substance. Once used, the skin would be like an addicted individual who could never give up on the chemical substance. Luca lowered her gaze. She was sure that Allison would cause trouble. Whenever she made a fuss, Luke would never be at peace¡­ If Allison were not Luke¡¯s mother, she would not stay up all night running analysis. It was unfortunate that the results of this analysis would not help Allison¡¯s condition. Chapter 1503 ¡°Dr. Craw, are you free now? If possible, I¡¯ll go to yourpany. Let¡¯s discuss Ms. Tanner¡¯s treatment n,¡± Johann said. Allison¡¯s current state was not something that could be solved by cosmetic surgery. She needed medication. ¡°Mm, I¡¯m free now. I¡¯ll see you at Cafe Perfecto below T Corporation in 20 minutes.¡± Luca thought that this matter should be attended to sooner rather thanter. If she found a treatment n for Allison earlier, Allison might be saved from another day of suffering. After they agreed on the time, Luca let Rhett know and went downstairs. She sat in the corner of Cafe Perfecto and ordered an americano. Johann walked toward her as soon as he stepped into Cafe Perfecto. He noticed how haggard she looked and reminded her. ¡°Dr. Craw, you don¡¯t have to go all out like this next time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Luca took a sip of coffee. This was her first cup of coffee that day. It was effective at helping her stay alert and awake. ¡°Look at the dark circles on your face. On top of that, you¡¯re drinking coffee to stay awake.¡± Johannid it all out and said, ¡°You should know that overconsumption of coffee will affect the body.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t usually drink coffee.¡± Luca smiled. She felt warm knowing that someone cared about her. ¡°Yesterday, I was thinking of trying my luck and didn¡¯t expect to spot the serum. When I saw the composition analysis, I knew it was not quite right and continued to study it. It was dawn before I knew it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m envious of Luke for having an employee as great as you.¡± Johann deliberately mentioned his jealousy to liven up the atmosphere. As soon as he finished speaking, Luke¡¯s voice sounded. ¡°If you¡¯re envious, you can alsoe work for T Corporation so that you can also have such an excellent colleague.¡± The two looked in the direction of the voice together. They did not notice before this that Luke had walked into Cafe Perfecto. He had overheard the conversation between the two. Johann smiled awkwardly and replied, ¡°Are you kidding me? I¡¯m a doctor. I can¡¯t do anything except for surgery. What position would I hold in T Corporation?¡± ¡°I can buy you a hospital,¡± Luke sat in the other chair with Johann on his left and Luca on his right. Johann apuded and replied, ¡°Sure enough, you have deep pockets and can easily afford a hospital. Are you nning to make me the director?¡± ¡°If you want to, that position is yours,¡± Luke said with a nk expression. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Johann picked up the menu on the side and ordered a ss of lemonade. Luke ordered an americano. Johann said cheekily, ¡°Can you not? The both of you even ordered the same drink.¡± Luke nced at the cup of americano that Luca was holding in her hand. He was not the biggest fan of americano but when he saw Luca drinking it, he suddenly had the urge to try the iced americano from Cafe Perfecto. Luca was also looking at him. She was well aware that Luke hated drinking americano. He had even mentioned it before. However, this time¡­ She nced at her cup. ¡®Is it because I¡¯m drinking it?¡¯ In an instant, she denied her thoughts and kept persuading herself not to overthink. ¡°Cough, cough. Okay, I¡¯m done joking around.¡± Luke looked at Johann coldly and that made Johann feel as though the pores all over his body were shrinking from the coldness of his gaze. He immediately changed the subject. ¡°Dr. Craw, let¡¯s discuss the treatment n?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Luca nodded and handed him theposition analysis report. ¡°These are all the ingredients, among which the fluorescent agent and the bleach have the highest percentage. I believe it¡¯s also why she continued to use this serum.¡± Fluorescent agents and bleaching agents could instantly improve the skin¡¯s fairness, which was why Allison kept using the serum. ¡°This¡­¡± Johann looked at the ingredient analysis report and was a little speechless. ¡°The person who created this serum is nning to rob and kill the consumers?¡± If the human body absorbed too much of this substance, it might easily cause cells to mutate. All of them were carcinogens. Luca nodded and took out a prescription. ¡°These are some herbs that I prescribed. Although they won¡¯t help much in terms of repairing the skin, grinding it into powder and then adding water to make a mud mask can prevent her skin from deteriorating. I¡¯m not a medication expert, so Dr. Park, I¡¯ll leave that to you.¡± Johann looked at the list and was not sure where to start. He said, ¡°Give me a night to think about it.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Luca nodded and looked at Luke. ¡°Mr. Crawford, I have something else to say.¡± ¡°What?¡± Luke replied. ¡°I said earlier that it would be of little significance to perform surgery, but I still want you to find a specialist in cosmetics surgery to perform surgery on Ms. Tanner,¡± Luca said. Judging from Allison¡¯s personality, if she was told that she could not have surgery to solve her skin problems, she would make a big fuss and me Luke for it. She may even think that he was unwilling to treat her and the resentment in her heart would continue to grow. However, if he found a cosmetic surgery specialist to perform surgery and treatment on her, even if it did not work, she would not continue toin about Luke. ¡°Hm, Dr. Craw¡¯s proposal is a good one. With Allison¡¯s current skin condition, it¡¯s meaningless and ineffective. However, she won¡¯t give up on it. Having a cosmetics surgery specialist treat her will help her understand that these treatments are pointless and she¡¯ll stop bothering you.¡± Johann agreed with Luca¡¯s suggestion. Although he did not have much contact with Allison, he knew how she was. Luca nodded. ¡®Johann knows Allison but why does Luca seem to know her well too?¡¯ Luke looked at the two of them and nodded. ¡°Any rmendations for the doctor?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Johann was an expert when it came to doctors. He thought about it for a while and said, ¡°I¡¯d rmend Dr. Cooper. He¡¯s known as the best dermatologist and he¡¯s well-known in cosmetic surgery. Ms. Tanner should have nothing to say if we get him involved.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Luke said and took a sip of his iced americano.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. It tasted mediocre, nothing outstanding. He looked at Luca¡¯s cup and saw that she had finished her cup. ¡®Is hers particrly delicious?¡¯ Luke took another sip, but it was still the same nd taste. He put down the cup, pulled out three hundred-dor bills, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have Jason get in touch with Dr. Cooper. Thank you for the trouble.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll focus on the medicine while Dr. Craw works on the herbs. I¡¯m sure something will help,¡± Johann said, ¡°By the way, Dr. Cooper is busy. Please mention my name when you ask Mr. Doyle to contact him. He¡¯ll agree to help.¡± If it were normal circumstances, Dr. Cooper would think that Allison did not require an operation and would turn it down immediately. If his name was mentioned, the other party would help. Chapter 1504 Luke nodded. With their help, there was no need to worry too much about Allison. Johann touched his chin and smiled cheekily. ¡°Luke, you¡¯re being too polite today, I¡¯m not used to it.¡± Luke gave him a cold stare but did not answer. ¡°Get the bill.¡± The waiter hurried over to take the banknotes in his hand when he heard Luke. ¡°Keep the change,¡± Luke said. Luca drank thest sip of her coffee and lowered her eyes. Luke¡¯s obsession with cleanliness remained unchanged. He never asked for change because he felt that the banknotes that others touched were dirty. Since there was no need for change, that was the tip for the waiter. He happily thanked Luke, ¡°Thank you, Sir.¡± Luke stood up and looked at Luca. ¡°Let¡¯s go up.¡± Luca nodded. Since the boss had given an order, she could not continue toze around in the cafe so she stood up. Johann saw that they were leaving and found it pointless to stay there alone, so he stood up as well. Suddenly, he remembered something and asked, ¡°Luke, T Corporation is organizing an employee trip?¡± Luke nced at him and said, ¡°Mm¡±. Johann followed behind him and asked curiously, ¡°Where are you traveling to this time?¡± Luke did not answer and just walked out. Johann turned his head and asked Luca, ¡°Dr. Craw, are you going on the trip?¡± ¡°Mm, yes, we¡¯re going to B City.¡± Luca nodded. She felt a little disconste when she thought of Amur, who was still in B City. She was not sure if she could get in contact with Amur after arriving in B City. ¡°B City? It¡¯s a wonderful ce. Why don¡¯t I go with all of you? I¡¯ll pay for my own expenses, of course,¡± Johann said, ¡°I haven¡¯t traveled for a long time. Dr. Craw, would you mind?¡± Before Luca could answer, Luke asked, ¡°What are you going there for?¡± ¡°Go on a vacation. What else would I be there for? It¡¯s fun to hang out with friends,¡± Johann said with a smile. ¡®Friend?¡¯ Luke frowned, his gaze sharpened. ¡®The friend he¡¯s referring to is Luca?¡¯ ¡°This is a team-building activity for T Corporation. Are you sure anyone has the time to spend with you?¡± he asked, isting the other party with his words. ¡°Although it¡¯s T Corporation¡¯s employee trip, if I¡¯m on the same high-speed train with all of you, I can travel with Dr. Craw, right?¡± Johann looked at Luca with a smile. ¡°There are two acquaintances with me and that¡¯s always better than traveling alone.¡± ¡°Thepany is nning to book out the entire high-speed train,¡± Luke said as he stepped out of the cafe and walked toward the entrance of T Corporation. ¡°The entire train?¡± Johann opened his mouth, startled. Even if T Corporation had deep pockets, there was no such need to book out the entire high-speed train. ¡®There are so many seats on the high-speed train. Does he have that many employees in T Corporation? Maybe he does not want others to disturb him¡­ For example, people like myself¡­¡¯ ¡°Dr. Park, I¡¯m going to work.¡± Luca looked at him being dumbfounded and could not help but feel a little sympathetic. She could tell that Johann did not really want to go on a trip with them. She thought that he was just trying to tease Luke. ¡®Is there any point in using me to tease Luke?¡¯ Luca felt that it was unnecessary but she did not want to say anything. After she bade farewell to Johann, she nned to head back. When he heard that, Johann smiled and said, ¡°Okay, Dr. Craw. Make sure you get some rest. Let¡¯s have coffee together when you have the time.¡± Luke was not too far off, so he raised his brows when he heard what Johann said. ¡®Johann is interested in Luca?¡¯ Just as Luke stepped into T Corporation, Luca walked in behind him. She noticed that no one in the lobby dared to look at them this time. Luca guessed that Luke must have given some orders. After all, there were a lot of rumors flying the last time she got out of Luke¡¯s car. Luke pressed on the button for the exclusive elevator while she walked to the side and waited for the staff elevator. The two elevators reached the ground floor at the same time. Luca stepped into the staff elevator and immediately pressed the button for the door to close as if she was worried that Luke would step in. The doors of Luke¡¯s elevator also slowly closed. After the elevator doors on both sides closed, the two receptionists looked at each other. ¡°Did the boss juste back with Dr. Craw?¡± ¡°It seemed so, right?¡± The other front deskdy said, ¡°Not much time passed between their return. They seemed to have returned together.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Do you think that the boss is involved with Dr. Craw?¡± The woman at the front desk muttered. She got more suspicious as she thought about the behavior of the two over thest few months. ¡°I think so. Dr. Craw is beautiful, smart, and a good match for the boss. On top of that, she was originally a researcher in the branch but something happened and the boss vacated one whole floor and transferred her entire team to work in T Corporation. This has never happened before. Doesn¡¯t it mean that there¡¯s something more between them?¡± ¡°Yes, Dr. Craw is much better than our boss¡¯ wife.¡± The woman at the front deskined. The ladies were both good-looking, considering that those who worked at the front desk were supposed to appear weing. Every time Bianca showed up, they thought of her as a rival in love. They were speechless but they did not dare to say anything. After all, Bianca was their boss¡¯ wife. After they had someone else topare Bianca to, they found that Luca¡¯s attitude was much better than Bianca¡¯s. ¡°Yes, I like Dr. Craw. She looks so cold but she¡¯s gentle and polite to everyone.¡± The woman at the front desk took the initiative to stand on Luca¡¯s side. ¡°It¡¯s working hours. What are you talking about?¡± Jason walked in through the side door and scolded them after listening to their discussions. There was no one in the lobby, so they did not lower their voices. Jason heard every word of what they said. ¡°Mr. Doyle.¡± The two receptionists were startled and immediately stood up straight, looking like they were ready to be scolded. Jason did not criticize them harshly and just said, ¡°This sort of discussion about the boss is not allowed in thepany.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The two receptionists quickly agreed. Jason did not say much and took the elevator upstairs. ¡°He scared me to death! How did Mr. Doyle suddenly appear?¡± One of the women at the front desk let out a sigh of relief. She was frightened by Jason¡¯s appearance and was worried for a moment there that she would get fired. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about such things in the future. The boss has ears everywhere in thepany. It¡¯s not a good idea for them to hear us talking about the boss¡¯ private life,¡± the other receptionist said. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡­ Two dayster. It was the day when they were departing for T Corporation¡¯s employee trip. Thepany had rented a bus to send all the employees to the high-speed train station, so Luca did not go alone but instead dragged her luggage to the entrance of thepany. When Jason saw hering, he walked over to her, handed her a sign, and said, ¡°Dr. Craw, you¡¯ll be taking this buster.¡± Chapter 1505 Luca nced at the number written on it and asked, ¡°There¡¯s an allocation for the bus?¡± ¡°Yes, all the people on bus No. 1 are management employees,¡± Jason said. When he saw another management employee arriving at the scene, he smiled and said, ¡°Dr. Craw, I have to get to work.¡± Luca wanted to ask him why she, someone who was not in the management team, got this treatment but she did not bother when she saw that he was busy. There was a tour guide at the scene who was tasked to maintain order. After Luca heard that she could board the bus, she walked to the parking lot where the bus was parked. Rhett went over and asked, ¡°Dr. Craw, which bus do you want to take? Shall we go together?¡± Zoey, who was beside him, pulled him aside and said, ¡°Dr. Craw is part of the management team. She¡¯ll take bus No. 1. There¡¯s no room for us there.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Rhett looked at her and replied, ¡°How did you know that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget, I used to be the secretary of the assistant¡¯s office,¡± Zoey reminded him. Luca was indeed taking the No. 1 bus. After she nodded at Rhett, she walked toward the No. 1 bus. Bus No. 1 was indeed much more luxurious than the other buses. After Luca put her suitcases away, she got on the bus. There were already many people on the bus, some of whom she knew¡ªincluding some management employees she got to know three years ago. There was also a handful of whom did not look familiar. They were probably hired or promoted in the past three years. Most of them were middle-aged people. Luca was not good at casual conversation and did not want to have too much contact with these people. After she got on the bus, she walked straight to the back of the bus and sat down when she reached thest row of seats. After she was seated, the others got on the bus one after another. The seats in front were gradually filled. There were also two female executives sitting in front of Luca who happened to be talking about Luke. ¡°Do you think the boss wille on the trip this time?¡± one of them asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. The boss has yet to show up and he didn¡¯t participate in the previous employee trips.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°The boss won¡¯te on the bus with us nor will he take the high-speed train even if he¡¯sing on the trip. To be honest, it¡¯s a pity that the boss won¡¯t being.¡± The woman who started the conversation sighed. ¡°What? Those executives love to go crazy for the boss. You have a husband and children, why are you infatuated?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I¡¯m not infatuated. Today, the girl in my department asked if the boss wasing for the trip. When I told her I didn¡¯t know, she looked disappointed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s understandable. Our boss is a heartthrob. T Corporation is apany that many people want to join. In addition to the high pay and good benefits, our boss is handsome.¡± Luca listened to their gossip, and the corners of her mouth twitched slightly. When she heard them talking about Luke, it reminded her of the time she worked hard to join T Corporation. However, she joined thepany not for Luke but because thepany¡¯s reputation in the industry was ranked first. It was a dream ce for new rookies like her who just entered the workforce. It would be wonderful if she could go back to that time. Although she was worried about adulting, her adoptive father was in good health at that time. Everyone was fine, and there was not much prejudice and arrogance. She did not suffer as much. ¡°Is anyone sitting here?¡± A woman¡¯s voice interrupted Luca¡¯s shback. She looked at a middle-aged woman whom she did not know, shook her head, and said, ¡°The seat is yours.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± The middle-aged woman sat down when she heard Luca¡¯s response. Luca looked out the bus window. Through the reflection on the window, she noticed that the woman was looking at her. ¡°Which department are you in?¡± Before she spoke, the other party started a conversation with her. ¡°I¡¯m in the R&D department,¡± Luca said. ¡°R&D department? This is the bus for the management team. Ordinary employees can¡¯t be here.¡± The woman remembered that the R&D department did not have employees in the management team. Although there were many employees in T Corporation, there were only so many in the management team. Even if it was a neer, everyone would be familiar with them after a few meetings. ¡°I know. I¡¯m not in the R&D department of T Corporation. I¡¯m from Watson Biopharmaceuticals.¡± Luca went into the details when she saw the other party being so serious. ¡°Watson Biopharmaceuticals? Oh, I see, you¡¯re Dr. Craw, right? I heard about you a long time ago but I didn¡¯t expect you to be so young.¡± The middle-aged woman looked at her with disdain in her eyes. There had been rumors about Luke and Luca¡¯s affairs in the office long ago. Although this middle-aged woman had heard about it, she never had the chance to meet Luca. She did not expect to meet her at a time like this. Luca smiled. She did not respond to the sarcasm in her words. The woman asked again, ¡°How long have you been working?¡± ¡°More than five years,¡± Luca replied. ¡°Just over five years? It¡¯s impressive that you¡¯re leading a team to do research and development after working for more than five years. In the current department management, you wouldn¡¯t be hired if you didn¡¯t have over ten years of experience.¡± The woman¡¯s tone was a little sour. She was triggered when she heard that Luca had only been working for five years. ¡®All she has is her coquettish looks to get her into the management team. She hasn¡¯t worked even half as long as me.¡¯ When she thought of that, the woman was even more convinced that Luca got into thepany through the back door. Luca curled the corners of her mouth but did not say anything. The woman wondered if Luca did not understand her sarcasm considering that she did not respond. However, considering Luca and Luke¡¯s rtionship, she did not dare toy everything on the table. To put it bluntly, she got into the management team from her years of service. She had no background and no connections. If she offended Luke¡¯s woman and the other party went after her, she would never hear the end of it. That was why the woman did not dare to go any further. After all the employees got on the bus, Jason also got on the No. 1 bus. Since there were no more empty seats at the front, he went to the back row. The executives all greeted him along the way. After all, he was a hotshot who worked closely with Luke. They could not afford to offend him. Jason smiled and walked to thest row. He sat on the other side by the window and greeted Luca. ¡°Dr. Craw, why are you sitting all the way back here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quiet in the back,¡± Luca replied politely. The woman who sat next to Luca listened to the conversation between the two. Jason greeted Luca like a friend, which made her firmly believe that Luca joined thepany by relying on her appearance and using her body to get a management role. She nced at Luca. ¡®Isn¡¯t she involved with Luke? Why does she need to take the bus? Could it be that Luke won¡¯t be here today?¡¯ She asked Jason, ¡°Mr. Doyle, why hasn¡¯t Mr. Crawford shown up? Is he noting for the trip?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if the boss will show up. Even if he participates, he¡¯ll drive to the high-speed train station by himself.¡± Chapter 1506 The woman nodded when she heard Jason¡¯s reply. She looked at Luca, who was next to her, and sighed. ¡°Big bosses like Mr. Crawford are not on the same ying field as people like us.¡± Luca knew that it was meant for her. She curled her lips indifferently. She took out her earphones and put them on so that she could not hear anything the woman said. Jason realized that the middle-aged woman was targeting Luca but Luca did not react to it. She was calm as if she did not hear the words. He did not feel like it was his ce to say anything when he saw Luca sitting there blocking out the noise with her earphones. After all, it would be best for him not to get involved in matters between women. Even if Sue regarded Luca as a good friend, if he spoke up on her behalf, there would be some rumors. To give Sue a sense of security, he tried to stay away from these things as much as possible and kept a safe distance from his colleagues in thepany. The bus drove for more than an hour before arriving at the high-speed train station in A City. Thepany bought them high-speed train tickets in advance, so they just walked into the station with their ID cards. Since Luca was holding a foreign identity card, she left the group, walked to the ticket counter, and queued up to collect her ticket. After she picked up her ticket, she lined up to go through the security check and followed the prompts to find the high-speed train that she would be taking. Luca looked at people who were not her colleagues waiting in line to enter the station. She was stunned when she realized that Luke had lied to Johann when he said that he would book the entire high-speed train. Luke simply did not want Johann toe along. After Luca realized that, she shook her head helplessly and walked forward. She was in cabin No. 1. She assumed that thepany had booked her a first-ss ticket. Jason waved at her when he saw her walking toward him. ¡°Dr. Craw, here.¡± Luca walked over. The people around her were all from the management team who were on the No. 1 bus just now. She guessed right. ¡°Dr. Craw, what took you so long?¡± Jason asked. ¡°I had to print my ticket at the counter to get in.¡± Luca showed him her ticket. Jason realized that and replied, ¡°I almost forgot that you¡¯re a foreigner. I was being negligent and will pay attention to such things in the future.¡± The female executive who sat next to Luca in the bus nced at her ticket and said coldly, ¡°Sigh, I don¡¯t understand young people nowadays. They¡¯ll do anything to go abroad. What¡¯s so great about it? They still have to return to their country after they fail to secure a job abroad.¡± Luca still did not respond and put her ticket in her carry-on backpack. Jason heard her and could not help but stand up for Luca. ¡°Ms. Reid, not everyone is as per what you think.¡± ¡°Mr. Doyle, I didn¡¯t say anything. I just mentioned amon phenomenon,¡± Ms. Reid said disdainfully. ¡®What¡¯s so good about Luca? Why is Jason speaking on her behalf? I can¡¯t believe it! All she has is her looks. I¡¯m sure Jason is speaking up for her to please Luke.¡¯ Luca still did not say anything. She nced around but did not see the outstanding man. The sign indicated that the high-speed train would arrive at the station in five minutes. With that in consideration, she was almost certain that Luke would not participate in the trip. Luca¡¯s heart felt a little empty knowing that he would not show up but at the same time, she also felt a little relieved. If he did not show up, it meant that fewer people would be staring at her, which would make it easier for her to find Amur when she arrived at B City. Since she met Luke, she had not felt calm for a single day. She often felt like she was stuck in an endless loop of struggle and anxiety. While she was deep in her thoughts thinking about everything and anything, the high-speed train arrived at the station. A group of people lined up and entered the high-speed train one after another. Luca found her seat based on the details on the ticket. It was a window seat, which she was happy with. After she put her luggage away, she sat down. The people in the queue came in one after another. They found their corresponding seat and sat down. There were a lot of people who were not seated with their friends because of the seat assignment, so they negotiated with each other to swap seats. The seat left empty was the one next to Luca. She nced at it but did not think too much of it. She stared out the car window with a nk expression. After a while, when the high-speed train indicated that the doors were about to close, not look at him but could feel the man picking up his luggage to put it away. He must be the person sitting next to her. After the man put away his luggage, he sat down. Luca instantly smelled a familiar scent. She turned her head and found that the person sitting next to her was indeed Luke¡­ ¡°Mr. Crawford?¡± she eximed, her voice slightly trembling. ¡°Mm.¡± Luke looked at her stunned expression and acted cool. ¡°How did you¡­¡± She nced around. The surrounding seats were already full because they had first- ss tickets. ¡°What about me?¡± Luke asked while raising his eyebrows. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯ting on the trip?¡± Luca asked with a soft voice. ¡°When did I say that?¡± Luke raised an eyebrow. ¡°¡­¡± Luca was speechless. Indeed, Luke had never said that he would note on the trip. She did not see him before this, so she subconsciously thought that he would not show. ¡°You didn¡¯t,¡± she said awkwardly. ¡°Mm,¡± Luke said nothing more. The high-speed train slowly moved forward, and Luke¡¯s smell kept drifting into her nose as if on purpose. It reminded her that the man sitting beside her was Luke. Luca blinked. After she struggled internally for a while, she finally gave up the idea of changing seats with someone else. Not many would have the courage to sit beside the big boss. Luke¡¯s aura was too strong, so the other women would not be willing to¡­ Luca held her head, looking stressed. Jason came over with a rucksack and said with a smile, ¡°Boss, the documents you want are here. Do you want to have a look at them now?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Luke said. Luca heard his reply, looked at Jason, and saw that he had taken out stacks of documents from his rucksack. He put them all on the table. ¡®What a workaholic¡­¡¯ There was only one thought in Luca¡¯s head. ¡®He doesn¡¯t even allow himself to rx during the few hours on the high-speed train and takes this time to review the documents.¡¯ After Jason put all the documents on the table, he took out a thermos and said, ¡°Boss, your coffee has been brewed. It¡¯s being kept warm in the thermos.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Luke nodded and picked up the files in the ck folder to look through them.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Luca knew that was the least important file. Jason nced at the table, then put the thermos on the spot in front of Luca. ¡°Dr. Craw, can I put some stuff here?¡± ¡°Do as you please.¡± Luca did not expect Luke to ask Jason to make coffee for him to drink on the high- speed train¡­ Chapter 1507 Luca guessed that it was because Luke thought that the coffee on the high-speed train was bad¡­ He was such a picky man. After Jason put down the items that Luke requested, he walked to the seat behind and sat down. Luca thought about it for a while, then picked up her phone and sent Jason a text. [Mr. Doyle, can I switch ces with you?] The signal on the high-speed train was slow, so it took a while for Luca¡¯s text to get through. After a while, Jason replied: [Dr. Craw, your seat is great. It¡¯s by the window and you get to see the nice view outside.] Luca nced at the scenery outside and thought that it was nice, but she could not rx if the man beside her was Luke. He was not a cat, and she was not a mouse. However, whenever she was with Luke, she was like a mouse hiding from a cat. She wanted nothing more than to be hidden in front of him. He loved her so much but she was destined to hurt him in the future¡­ Luca looked at the receding scenery outside the train window and was deep in thought. ¡®Will he be sad if he finds out that the former Bianca is no longer around? Yeah, he likely will¡­¡¯ Luca thought that if nothing had changed, she would be snuggling up to Luke as he looked at his files. Meanwhile, she would enjoy the scenery outside the window. Life was peaceful back then. Everything was wonderful with him by her side. Luke shut a document he had reviewed and picked up the thermos next to him. Luca was taken aback by his sudden movement. She turned her face sideways, and her eyes met his. Luke noticed the sadness in her eyes. ¡®Is she sad? What is she feeling sad about?¡¯ Luke asked, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°Nothing, I just feel like the train is a little stuffy¡­¡± Luca made up a random excuse. She felt out of sorts when she thought about the past. There was no way she could hide her physical reflexes. Luke must have noticed her red eyes¡­ ¡®Stuffy?¡¯ Luke thought that she was just not used to the high-speed train. ¡°You¡¯ll feel better in a while.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Luca lowered her gaze and replied to Jason¡¯s text. [You can help Mr. Crawford with his work if you¡¯re seated here. It¡¯s great because you don¡¯t have to walk around.] Luca continued to persuade him when she saw that Jason was unwilling to change seats with her. Jason merely replied: [Dr. Craw, these seats are fixed.] When Luca was about to reply that they were allowed to change seats in the high-speed train, she stopped typing halfway through. ¡®When he said that it¡¯s fixed, does he mean that Luke was the one who arranged to sit here?¡¯ Luca put her phone back on the table and thought about the possibilities¡­ All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡®Why would Luke do this? Is he intending to monitor me even on such a short journey?¡¯ Luca¡¯s phone vibrated. She picked it up and saw that it was a string of garbled characters. This was their special password. She quickly tranted it and understood that they already knew she was going to leave A City. They reminded her that even if she left A City, she was still within their surveince range. She should not mess around. Chapter 1508 Luca deleted the text after reading it. Then, she leaned back in her chair with her phone in her hand. She closed her eyes. She did not want Luke to know that she was ufortable, so pretending to be asleep was the best way out. She thought about it for a while, then took out the earphones from her pocket and put them on. They would be on the high-speed for more than seven hours. Luca nned to y dead for the entire journey so that Luke could not do anything with her. She wanted to pretend to be asleep, but Luca really fell asleep. She leaned her body against the window. Even when she was sleeping, she did not forget to stay away from him. Luke looked at her asionally nodding and wondered if he was that scary to her. She could have opted for a morefortable position to sleep in. At noon, the dining cart pushed past the first-ss seats. Luke looked at the lunch box on the dining cart, frowned, and chose the meatloaf. After the high-speed train staff handed the meatloaf to him, he asked, ¡°Sir, what does your wife want to eat?¡± ¡®Wife?¡¯ Luke nced at Luca, who was still sleeping. She was deeply asleep. She did not even wake up when it was time for lunch. ¡°She¡¯ll have what I have,¡± he said. The staff took another meatloaf and handed it over when he heard his reply. Luke scanned the QR code to pay, nced at Luca, and then nced at the meatloaf in front of him. Bianca¡¯s least favorite dish was meatloaf. Even though she was not usually a picky eater, she was not a fan of meatloaf at all. He could not say he liked it butpared to the other choices, the meatloaf looked best. Luke opened the box and took a few bites. N?velDrama.Org content rights. The people around them also ordered their food because it was mealtime. They started to eat. Luca smelled the aroma of the food in her dream. She slowly opened her eyes. Before she could see the scene in front of her, she heard Luke¡¯s voice. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± She realized that she was still on the high-speed train. She slowly sat up straight, nodded, and said, ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat,¡± Luke said. ¡°Eat?¡± Luca blinked. ¡®Is it time for lunch? I slept for so long?¡¯ For some reason, as long as Luke or the kids were around, she could sleep soundly without using drugs to numb herself. They were her best hypnotics¡­ ¡°You were still sleeping when the food cart came over, so I ordered something for you,¡± Luke exined. Luca looked at the table, and sure enough, there was a lunch box beside his thermos. She opened it and realized that it was meatloaf. Luca took another look at Luke¡¯s lunch box and found that he had ordered meatloaf too. This was the dish she hated most¡­ ¡°What?¡± Luke noticed that she was looking at the lunch box. It seemed like she did not intend to eat it. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m not hungry, so I¡¯ll just leave it for now.¡± Luca did not like this dish, so she lost her appetite when she saw it. She had breakfast this morning, so she reckoned that it would not matter if she did not eat lunch since they would reach B City before dark. She could just eat whatever she wanted after getting off the high-speed train and arriving at the hotel. ¡°Not a fan of meatloaf?¡± Luke asked suddenly. Luca blinked and shook her head quickly. ¡°No, I¡¯m just not hungry.¡± ¡°This was the most appealing option out of all the food on the dining cart just now. I didn¡¯t know that you also don¡¯t like eating meatloaf,¡± Luke ate a mouthful of vegetables and said in a neutral tone. Luca¡¯s heartbeat a few beats faster. ¡®He said¡­ also?¡¯ It meant that he still remembered that she did not like eating meatloaf. However, she was Luca, not Bianca, which exined his choice of words. ¡°No, I¡¯m not a picky eater. The high-speed train meal just doesn¡¯t look appetizing¡­¡± Luca opened the lunch box, grabbed the utensils, and took a bite. Chapter 1509 After Luca found her room, she pushed the door and walked in right away. When she was in A City, she would check carefully whenever she arrived at a new environment. She was afraid that she would fall into Abel¡¯s trap. However, she was now in B City. She did not check anything because she had not told Abel about the trip in advance. Even if he knew, he could not have reached before her. After Luca closed the door, she opened her luggage and took herptop out. She hade to travel this time, but her main motive was to search for Amur. Hence, she brought the laptop that was installed with special programs along with her. She turned it on, then connected it to the hotel¡¯s publicwork. She detected the strongholds of the Ind of Despair in B City. Soon, she found a corresponding stronghold. B City was located near the border of the country and was adjacent to a few poor neighboring countries. Hence, many engaged in the underworld. The underworld happened to strike Amur¡¯s fancy in B City, so he built many strongholds here. Luca just had to get to the stronghold to ask about Amur¡¯s whereabouts. After all, he needed to drink the antidote every month, just like her. After Luca found the strongholds, she memorized the address quietly and disconnected thework before switching off herptop. A buffet dinner was provided. Luca went downstairs after she got Jason¡¯s notice and came to the hotel¡¯s restaurant. T Corporation had reserved the entire mountain vi. There were no outsiders. The people walking in the restaurant were all thepany¡¯s employees. Luca felt a little dizzy when she saw the situation here. Zoey came forward and took her arm affectionately. ¡°Dr. Craw, did you juste down too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Luca was not used to being so close with other people. She withdrew her hand when Zoey was not noticing. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect so many people to be here.¡± ¡°Yes. Everyone working in thepany is here. The development of T Corporation is getting better day by day under Mr. Crawford¡¯s guidance. More and more people are getting employed every day. I¡¯m guessing today is the busiest day for Vi Almira!¡± Zoey smiled and said, ¡°Dr. Craw, let¡¯s go in. The food will be finished if we¡¯re anyter.¡± Luca smiled and walked in. The hotel they were staying in belonged to Vi Almira. The weather was cool and pleasant where the mountain vi was located. It was popr, but many hesitated toe because of the expensive ticket price and costly expenses. The employees of T Corporation were all gathered here today. It was indeed the busiest day for the mountain vi. Luca was brought into the restaurant by Zoey. They grabbed some delicious food. Luca did not eat much during lunch, so she took some mains and some grilled chicken after Zoey encouraged her to take some. They had dinner together with Tina. Zoey took a bite of the grilled chicken and said with satisfaction, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the grilled chicken in a buffet to taste so good.¡± Luca took a bite. Indeed, it tasted better than the ones out there. There was a reason why it was so expensive. ¡°Watch your image when you¡¯re in front of your superior.¡± Tina smiled and reminded her as she looked at Zoey letting herself go just because of a mouthful of grilled chicken. ¡°We¡¯re on equal terms with Dr. Craw today. We¡¯re having grilled chicken and drinking beer together. It¡¯d be a buzzkill if we¡¯re stressing about workce etiquette here, right, Dr. Craw?¡± Zoey said. After observing Luca for some time, she noticed that even though Luca took her work seriously and she always had a cold expression on her face, she was a friendly person. Even though she was not very close with the others, she was polite and never put on airs. It was because of this that Zoey dared to talk to Luca in such a manner. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Don¡¯t stress about those things since we¡¯re here to have fun,¡± Luca said, and she grabbed another piece of grilled chicken. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Tina smiled and shook her head. Zoey took a piece of grilled chicken and ced it in front of her. ¡°Tina, you¡¯re always telling me that you¡¯re on a diet and you have to stay away from food like this. You¡¯ve got to enjoy yourself as much as you can since we¡¯re on a vacation now. It¡¯d be a loss for you if you don¡¯t try this delicious grilled chicken.¡± Tina looked at the grilled chicken on the te. It was still sizzling with smoke curling up in the air. It looked scrumptious. ¡°It¡¯s good. Try some.¡± Luca knew her concerns, and she encouraged her. Ever since she met Tina, she knew she was someone who focused on self-discipline a lot. However, since they were on a trip now, Tina should learn to enjoy herself. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s good. If you¡¯re worried that you might get fat after having this, we can go to the hot spring and burn away all those calories,¡± said Zoey. Tina finally took a bite of the grilled chicken after she said that. When she had a taste of it, she eximed satisfyingly, ¡°It¡¯s been months since I had grilled chicken. This is so good.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good, right? Have some more.¡± Zoey grabbed another piece for her, looked at Luca, and invited her. ¡°Dr. Craw, let¡¯s go to the hot springs after this. I heard that the hot springs here are natural. They¡¯re good for our bodies. And we can sleep well at night after enjoying the hot springs.¡± Luca shook her head and rejected the invitation. ¡°I¡¯m a little tired after riding the high-speed rail. Let¡¯s talk about it tomorrow.¡± She was nning to go out at night, so she did not agree to go to the hot springs with them. ¡°Sure.¡± Zoey did not say anything. Tina, who was sitting beside, asked in a gossipy manner, ¡°Oh, Dr. Craw, Boss sat beside you today, right?¡± Zoey heard that and widened her eyes. ¡°Dr. Craw, is that true?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true¡­ It¡¯s just a coincidence¡­¡± Luca looked at them. She tried to exin but she could not. Atst, she could only im that it was just a coincidence. ¡°Previously, when Mr. Crawford wanted to take the high-speed rail for a business trip, he would certainly use Mrs. Crawford¡¯s ID card to purchase the seat beside his. If Mrs. Crawford wasn¡¯t going with him, he wouldn¡¯t want to sit with others.¡± Tina deliberately mentioned the past. There were enough premier ss and first-ss seats this time, but Luke did not use his previous methods. Instead, he got Luca to sit beside him. What was the purpose of her boss doing so? As a subordinate, they were not allowed to take a wild guess. However, that did not mean the party involved could not know about it. ¡°Is that right? I got sleepy once I got onto the high-speed rail, so I was asleep for the most part. Didn¡¯t Mr. Crawford start working the moment he got on?¡± Luca replied as she turned the topic around to Luke instead of making it about Luke and her. ¡°Yes. Boss is certainly a workaholic. The day before we departed, I heard him telling Mr. Doyle to bring the documents and a sk of coffee along¡­ Our boss is pretty good at handling the details of his career and his life.¡± Tina grabbed another piece of grilled chicken when she realized she was almost done eating the one on her te. Ms. Reid came forward and saw the three of them enjoying the grilled chicken. She said in disdain, ¡°Dr. Craw, a young woman like you should keep your body slim and fit. Having greasy food will make you grow fat.¡± Chapter 1510 Tina furrowed her brows and refuted, ¡°Yes, the grilled chicken is a little greasy. But it¡¯s not a big deal for us since we¡¯re still young. Our bodily functions and digestion are still working well. We won¡¯t put on weight if we exercise. We won¡¯t dare to eat this when we get older, so we¡¯ll maintain our body shape.¡± Ms. Reid nned to mock them for not taking care of their diet. It suddenly got on her nerves when she was being insulted like this. She intended to insult Luca. After all, she had nothing to do with her, so Luca could noty a hand on her. Hence, nothing would happen even if they insulted each other. However, she did not expect Tina to speak on behalf of Luca. Other than Mr. Doyle, Tina was another secretary of Mr. Crawford¡¯s whom he highly valued. Many years had passed and a few secretaries came and left but Tina never got fired. Even so, there was nothing going on between Tina and Mr. Crawford. Those people who loved to gossip could not get anything on her, and they were not sure where to start even if they wanted to defame her. Ms. Reid dared not to say anything more, considering Tina was a popr employee who worked right beside Mr. Crawford in thepany. She replied awkwardly, ¡°Tina, that¡¯s reasonable of you to say. Unlike me, I¡¯m getting older. Well, enjoy your dinner.¡± After Ms. Reid left, Zoey burst intoughter and said in a soft voice, ¡°Ms. Reid isn¡¯t usually that angry, right? Why is she so angry today? She¡¯s criticizing everyone she meets.¡± Tina shook her head helplessly as she looked at how insensible Zoey was. Was Zoey bing a little slow after having some beer? What Ms. Reid said just now was obviously against Luca. Tina was fed up with her behavior, so she spoke on behalf of Luca. As for the reason why Ms. Reid was against Luca, it was simple. It was because of Luke. It was not because Ms. Reid had a crush on Luke. After all, she was already a mother, so she dared not pull such tricks. Ms. Reid had once thought of rmending her niece to be Luke¡¯s secretary, but she was rejected. She intended her niece to be Luke¡¯s mistress rather than to be his secretary. However, she did not expect Luke to be so stubborn. He was not even the slightest bit interested in Ms. Reid¡¯s daughter. At first, she was the secretary¡¯s assistant, but she was dismissed after she tried to seduce Luke. Now that rumors of Luca and Luke¡¯s scandal were flying all around T Corporation, iming that she was Luke¡¯s secret lover, Ms. Reid was naturally unable to ept it when she knew about it. Her niece got rejected when she wanted to be Luke¡¯s secret lover, and she almost lost her job because of it. It seemed that Luca took the leading position so easily. Of course, she was frustrated. It was something that happened a long time ago. Luca did not ask about it, and Tina did not mention it either. It was before they thought it might give each other an impression that they were a nosy person. ¡°Something probably changed recently, and that¡¯s why Ms. Reid is so quick-tempered,¡± Tina smiled and said. After dinner, Luca was about to leave and return to her room. Luke entered at this time with Jason following beside him. ¡°Boss is here.¡± Many of them were shouting after someone called out first, though it was uncertain who it was. ¡°Boss, Boss!¡± Luke was treated like the president of a country. The only difference was he did not wave, and the expression on his face was cold. One of the employees said, ¡°Boss, say something?¡± ¡°Yes, Boss. Say something!¡± Some of them became more daring after drinking some beer. They encouraged Luke to go up the stage and give a speech. Luke said something to Jason who was beside him. Jason nodded after he listened to him and left. It seemed like he went to get ready. Tina took a sip of the lemonade to get rid of the greasy feeling in her stomach. She said, ¡°Looks like our boss is in a good mood today. He¡¯s being kind to the employees, and he¡¯s getting ready to give a speech.¡± Luca looked at Luke, puzzled. Would he give a speech? After a while, a waiter brought a microphone in and walked over to Luke. He handed the microphone to Luke. Luke took it and stood on a small round stage like a champion looking at his subordinates. He lifted the microphone and moved it closer to his lips, saying, ¡°Good evening to the employees of T Corporation.¡± His voice was husky and deep. It sounded like the sonorous music notes yed on the strings of a cello. The employees beneath the stage went along with him. ¡°Good evening, Boss.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°T Corporation couldn¡¯t be what it is today without everyone¡¯s effort. I hope all of you enjoy your trip. After the trip ends, I hope you¡¯ll put your heart into your work. I¡¯ll strive to bring everyone on a trip to Europe next year.¡± Some of the employees jumped for joy after they heard about the trip to Europe. Thepany¡¯s performance had to do with the travel destination. Somepanies would organize a trip to a foreign country, but that was only a perk for the management team. Ordinary employees would never get the chance. However, Luke had promised them, which meant that there was a great chance that they would be able to travel abroad next year. ¡°Hail to the boss!¡± one of them cheered. Then, more and more people cheered together. Luca looked at Luke, who was being surrounded by the crowd. There was a flicker of light in his eyes. He was a god. A god who led the way for these ordinary people¡­ Although it was a little much to say so, sure enough, T Corporation, which was led by Luke, had helped many people make a living. The older employees were not dismissed because of their age despite their work performance falling. Luke would always make sure that they were given proper arrangements. He ensured thepany had steady and sustained growth while being able to provide a stable life for every employee. The employees would always ept Luke¡¯s transfer arrangements with an open heart. It was because they knew those arrangements were the best for them. Luca knew everything about it. There was rarely a business owner who could achieve everything he had. It was because of this many people were willing to try anything andpete to get a job in T Corporation. Luke¡¯s speech was simple as usual. After he gave the speech, he sessfully lightened up the atmosphere. He did not say anything more and passed the microphone to the waiter beside him. He got off the little round stage. He was going to leave. When he was about to leave, Luca could feel that he seemed to have shot a nce in her direction. She had no idea if it was just an illusion¡­ Luca slowly stood up as she watched Luke disappear. ¡°Dr. Craw, have you had enough to eat?¡± Zoey had a bright smile on her face. She was clearly happy about what Luke had said just now. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m full. I¡¯m a little tired after being on the high-speed rail for the whole day. I¡¯m going back to my room to rest,¡± Luca nodded and said. ¡°Sure.¡± Zoey nodded her head. Zoey stopped smiling after Luca left. She looked at Tina and asked, ¡°Tina, is there any inside information that you haven¡¯t told me yet?¡± ¡°If you want to keep your job and get promoted, then don¡¯t keep thinking of gossiping. There are things that I can¡¯t tell you about.¡± Tina tapped the table with her index finger, sort of hinting at her. Chapter 1511 After Luca returned to her room, she tossed and turned on the bed. She could not fall asleep. She nned to leave in the middle of the night. Hence, she decided to take a nap first. However, she did not expect herself to sleep for so long on the high-speed rail, so she could not fall asleep now. Luca sat up and touched her forehead. Then, she looked at the time. There were still two hours till midnight. It would be too early for her to leave now. However, she was afraid that she could not wake upter if she took some medicine to sleep. She had to look for Amur before it was toote. Luca could only spend time watching videos on her phone helplessly. Luke bringing all the employees for a trip to B City had be hot news in A City. Luca identally saw a news report about it when she was scrolling through some videos. She nced at thements below the video in passing. Some people left theirments under the video, expressing their thoughts about how rich he was. Meanwhile, some of them said that they were envious and they would love to have a work trip to B City too. Luca could not help but smile when she saw thepliments. She was happy that so many people were praising Luke. Luke was an influential figure in A City. Although there were barely any scandals about him, he showed up a lot on business and economics-rted news. Luca watched reports about every business decision that he had made previously and how he had been developing the economy of A City. She was getting even prouder of him. He was her man before this¡­ She would feel a sense of pride when it came to Luke. She would feel happy for him if he achieved something, and she would also feel sorry for him if he was facing difficulties. The more Luca looked at the news reports, the stronger the emotions in her heart grew. She was enchanted. Suddenly, her rm went off. With a look, she saw that it was already midnight. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. It was time to go out. Luca stopped watching the videos. She left her room after changing her clothes. She nced at the hallway. There was no one there. Everyone had probably gone back to rest. Perhaps they were still partying at the mountain vi¡¯s bar. Luca could not be bothered about that. She took the elevator and came to the ground floor immediately. The hotel was located in the inner part of the mountain vi, and the area covered was bigger. Fortunately, the hotel provided a 24-hour sightseeing car service. She left the hotel and got into a car. Then, she asked the driver to send her to the mountain vi¡¯s entrance. Since the driver had epted her money, he would follow her instructions. After she sat tight, the driver drove in the direction of the entrance. While he was driving, he asked, ¡°Miss, is there something important you must do that you¡¯re leaving the mountain vi at thiste hour?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s something important,¡± said Luca. ¡°Our mountain vi is located in a remote area in B City. It¡¯ll be hard to hail a taxi at this hour. But sometimes, ck taxis will be waiting at the entrance to get some business. I¡¯d advise you not to get into one of those cars, though. Those drivers are scoundrels. You better be careful with that pretty face of yours.¡± The driver reminded her. Luca nodded, ¡°Got it. I hailed a taxi using a ride-hailing app. The driver is already waiting for me at the entrance.¡± ¡°Alright. Still, you¡¯ve got to be careful. The facilities in the mountain vi are open for 24 hours if you¡¯d like to have fun,¡± the driver babbled. Luca smiled without saying anything. After she reached the entrance of the mountain vi, she got out of the car. There, she found the taxi that she had hailed. She gave the driver the address of her destination after she got into the car. She did not give the exact stronghold location right away, which was ording to the rules. She simply chose an address and nned to switch to another car after she reached. The address she had chosen was a local bar. It was to prevent herself from drawing any attention. The only reason to go out at this hour was to enjoy the nightlife, right? After Luca reached the bar, nobody at the clubs there stopped her. She walked to the curbside pick-up point and hailed a taxi. Then, she headed to the stronghold. She got out of the car when she was near the stronghold. After she paid the fee, she looked at her surroundings. It was a residential area, and it was not as bustling as it was at the club. It was quiet and empty. Luca trotted to the stronghold. She looked at the door and pressed the doorbell. Soon, someone opened the door. Luca looked at the heavily built man inside, and she said with a fearless expression on her face, ¡°I¡¯m looking for somebody.¡± ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± The man¡¯s eyes brightened up the moment he saw her. Luca lifted her hand and knocked on the door in a rhythmic pattern. It was their secret code. The man opened the door immediately after knowing that she was one of them. He said, ¡°Come in.¡± Luca entered, then she looked at the man and said, ¡°I¡¯m looking for Amur. He came to B City a month ago to carry out his mission.¡± The man stared at her up and down, remaining silent. ¡°Why? He¡¯s not here?¡± asked Luca. ¡°You¡¯re lucky. He just came back today,¡± the man replied and led the way for Luca. Luca let out a sigh of relief when she heard that Amur was here. At least he was here, and he was still alive. ¡°He¡¯s in there,¡± the man pointed at the door and said. Luca was not afraid that he would lie to her. After all, they would be dead if something happened to her. It was because she was an important pawn of Abel¡¯s. The moment Luca pushed the door open, she could smell a strong, bloody smell in the air. Amur was hurt¡­ The thought crossed her mind before she even saw him. She hurriedly pushed the door open to take a look inside. Sure enough, Amur was sitting there with a roll of gauze in his hand while his other hand was covered with blood. ¡°Amur, what happened?¡± Luca rushed forward and looked at the blood that was streaming down on his arm. She felt sorry for him. She treated him like her brother. It was natural for her to feel sorry for her brother. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Amur saw her and blinked his eyes unbelievably. ¡°Stop talking. Let me check your wounds.¡± Luca could not be bothered to exin first. She was busy thinking about helping him to stop the bleeding on his wound. Judging from how much he was bleeding, he would start feeling weak after a while. Amur pursed his lips. He never nned on telling her that he was injured. However, he did not expect to see her show up here. Amur looked at her. He was touched by her concern. Luca was checking his wound. It was deep, and she could see his bone inside. She took a deep breath while suppressing her emotions. She said, ¡°It¡¯s a nasty wound. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll be hard to stop the bleeding if we don¡¯t stitch the wound.¡± ¡°Does it need stitching?¡± The man who was standing at the door looked at the gauze covered with blood on the floor. It was the gauze that Amur used to stop the bleeding just now. ¡°Yes. You should have the equipment here, right?¡± Luca asked. Their people often got injured, so the stronghold would usually have the medical supplies ready. ¡°We do, but we ran out of anesthetic. The organization hasn¡¯t sent more over yet,¡± the man replied. Chapter 1512 There was no anesthetic left¡­ Luca looked at the wound that was deep enough to see the bones. The wound needed multyer mattress stitches, and the pain would be double of usual. Amur knew she was worried if he would be able to stand the pain. He pursed his lips and looked at her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I want you to close the wound.¡± Luca looked at him for a few seconds. The wound had to be closed, and they could not wait any longer. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°Where are the supplies?¡± she asked after having decided to close the wound for Amur. ¡°They¡¯re in the drawer.¡± The man pointed at the cab beside and said. Luca opened the cab. The supplies were prettyplete except for the anesthetic. She poured some Povidone-iodine on some cotton and quickly cleaned his wound. Then, she began to close the wound. The needle poked into his flesh. Amur did not yell or scream. He lowered his head and stared at Luca, who was focused on stitching his wound. The wound on his arm was rather nasty, but she was not afraid when she saw it. Her hands did not even shake. Amur recalled when Luca had just started to learn to stitch back then. She could not stop herself from throwing up when she was ordered to stitch the wounds of the people who were badly injured after being tortured by Abel. Her whole body could not stop trembling. She said she had never seen such nasty and scary wounds. Later, she got more and more proficient. She never threw up again when she was facing these bloody wounds. Now, Amur had mixed feelings when he looked at her. Luca sutured the wound very carefully, but that did not affect her speed. She had already mastered the suture technique when she was on the Ind of Despair. She was able to stitch wounds quickly without any expression on her face no matter how bloody they were. After stitching, Luca looked at the wound that was oozing with a little blood. She took a bottle of powder out of the drawer, moved it closer to her nose, and smelled it. Then, she asked, ¡°Is this used to stop the bleeding?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the man replied. He was impressed with her stitching technique. He even had an evil thought a moment ago. He wanted to have some fun with Luca for a while. After all, the rtionships on the Ind of Despair wereplicated. However, when he saw her stitching the wound, he dared not to do that anymore. He came out of the indte, so he knew something. The people of the Ind of Despair had all learned to stitch wounds, but most of them only went through simple training. The only people who were skilled at stitching wounds were Shanks and a pawn that Abel valued a lot. The stitching technique that the woman in front of her disyed was not on the same level as them. Hence, she must be Abel¡¯s most important pawn. Of course, he dared not to do anything to the person treasured by his boss. Luca lifted Amur¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Let me sprinkle some powder on it. Then I¡¯ll cover it with a bandage. Be careful during these few days. Don¡¯t let water get in contact with the wound. Otherwise, you¡¯ll lose your hand.¡± A deep wound could be easily infected at any time. Hence, the wound could note into contact with water. ¡°Alright.¡± Amur looked at her as she carefully sprinkled the powder on the closed wound. She then covered it up with bandages. He withdrew his hand and unconsciously felt like touching the bandage. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it.¡± Luca saw his small gesture and reminded him. ¡°Be careful when you¡¯re sleeping. Don¡¯t press on it.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Amur acted submissively as he listened to her. Luca took out a box of liquid vials and shot a nce at them. She said, ¡°Come on. Turn over.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Amur nced at the box curiously as he saw her opening the liquid vial and taking a new syringe out. Tetanus shot¡­ ¡°It¡¯s easy to get infected and catch a fever since the wound is deep. It¡¯d be troublesome to treat it only after it happens,¡± Luca exined and nimbly sucked all the liquid vial into the syringe in a second. ¡°There¡¯s no need. I¡¯m not that weak. I don¡¯t need the tetanus shot.¡± Amur was so embarrassed that his face was burning red when he thought of Luca injecting him. ¡°No, you must get it.¡± As if Luca noticed something, she handed the syringe to the man standing at the door. He asked, ¡°Do you know how to give an injection?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the man nodded and replied. ¡°Give him the injection. I¡¯ll be waiting outside.¡± Luca put the syringe in the man¡¯s hand and stood up. She shot Amur a nce. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you out there.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± Amur knew she wanted to tell him something, and it was most probably to reproach him. Before this, Luca had told him that she treated him like her brother. Although he was unwilling to be her brother, she already had someone in her heart. He could only be cared for like her brother. Amur turned over with a cold expression on his face after he watched her leave the room. He said, ¡°Come on.¡± The man grinned andughed. ¡°Even a grown man will feel embarrassed too, huh? She¡¯s just a woman. It¡¯d be a shame for us men if you act like that.¡± ¡°Stop talking.¡± Amur clenched his fists, and the movement pulled on the wound. He cried out in pain for a moment. The man knew Amur was angry. He stopped talking and gave Amur the tetanus shot. Then, both of them went out of the room. Luca sat on a ragged chair and looked at them both. Her gaze eventually fell on Amur. ¡°Are you on another dangerous mission?¡± He would never have injured himself so badly if it was not dangerous. Amur shook his head and said, ¡°No, it¡¯s not dangerous.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, Amur. You¡¯re getting injured more often than the people on the ind. Are you still not going to tell me the truth?¡± Luca looked at him as she tried to get an answer out of him. Amur was injured not because of his incapability. It was because the mission that Abel assigned him was extremely difficult. Everyone on the Ind of Despair could only obey and not reject. Every mission assigned was dangerous, but the risk was proportional to the difficulty level. When someone was assigned a difficult mission, the next few missions would be easier. However, Amur had been assigned such difficult missions in just a few months. That was why he ended up like this today¡­ Amur remained silent when she pointed everything out so frankly. Even if she was right, what could she do? The Ind of Despair belonged to Abel. Even if that man had promised something before, every promise he made would turn out to be fake if he was in a bad mood or if he was targeting someone else. He had toply unconditionally with every mission assigned to him to keep Luca close to him. ¡°What¡¯s your mission this time?¡± Luca asked when she saw him not saying anything. She wanted to know about his mission. Only then could she see if she could help him. Amur did not say anything. The man beside said, ¡°You have no right to know the mission assigned by the boss if you¡¯re not the operator.¡± Luca looked at him and clenched her fists. ¡°What if I join the mission?¡± The man replied with a serious expression on his face, ¡°Based on the mission content, you¡¯re not allowed to.¡± Chapter 1513 Luca clenched her teeth and red at the man. He was here listening to her conversation with Amur, which was inconvenient for her. Amur knew she wanted to do what was best for him. She thought they could have each other¡¯s back. However, he would be worried if she joined the mission. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± He could not say much about it. He could onlyfort her with a simple few words. Luca stood up and looked at him seriously. ¡°How is it alright? You¡¯re injured. Be careful next time, do you hear me?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Amur nodded. It was part of his n to get injured this time. The mission given to him was to gain someone¡¯s trust, so he deliberately took the stab for that person. However, he did not expect to be stabbed so badly. ¡°And don¡¯t ignore my messages. Haven¡¯t you seen how many messages I¡¯ve sent you? You didn¡¯t even reply. Even if you¡¯re busy with your mission, don¡¯t you have the time to reply to my messages?¡± Luca pulled a long face as she continued lecturing him. Eler was still on the Ind of Despair, so she was Amur¡¯s sister here. Amur nodded continuously while listening to her reprimands. He told her that he would be careful. It was not his intention to ignore the messages she sent him. He left his phone here to do the mission, so his phone was not with him. There was no way Luca could contact him. Amur felt sorry when he saw her worried about him, but he felt warm at the same time. After she finished lecturing him, he asked, ¡°Did you speciallye to B City to look for me?¡± ¡°I wanted toe here a little while ago, but I couldn¡¯t leave. You know as well that someone is watching me.¡± Luca shrugged her arms helplessly. Even if she could ask for leave from Mr. Crawford, Abel would never allow her to leave A City randomly. ¡°Then how did you¡­¡± Amur was worried that she had disobeyed Abel¡¯s orders. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I came here on apany trip.¡± Luca knew what he was worried about. She looked at the time. She left at midnight, it was almost three o¡¯clock in the morning now. ¡°I have to go back,¡± said Luca. Amur was reluctant to let her leave, but it would not be easy for her to exin things if she did not return now. Even though she did not tell him, he knew Luke was keeping an eye on her. Luca said, ¡°Something happened in A City, and I¡¯ve texted you everything about it. Read the messages when you¡¯re free. Be careful ande back safely, do you understand?¡± Even though he did not tell her about the mission, she knew that it would take some time for him to complete it. Hence, the only thing she could do was to advise him to be careful. Amur nodded. He knew she was leaving. He stepped forward and said, ¡°I¡¯ll walk you.¡± ¡°No, get some rest. I¡¯ll get a taxi to go back. You must make sure your hand fully recovers. Don¡¯t risk any after-effects.¡± Luca nced at his wound. There was not much blood oozing out on the bandage. The bleeding had probably stopped. Amur nodded but insisted on walking her to the door. He closed the door after Luca left. The man who was standing aside lit up a cigarette. They had been carrying out the mission together all this time. They were finally getting familiar with each other. He reminded Amur when he saw him like this. ¡°Just a reminder, there¡¯s no emotional attachment on the Ind of Despair. You¡¯d better give up as soon as possible.¡± Amur listened to what he said and shot him a cold nce. Then, he headed back to the room. He was losing too much blood, and he was trying to hang on when Luca was here just now. His body was already in a state of extreme weakness. Hey down on the bed and fell asleep. ¡­ Luca got into two cars during her journey back to the mountain vi. It was crowded at night as it was a tourist area, so it was convenient for her to hail a taxi here. After she returned to the mountain vi, she got into the sightseeing car and returned to the hotel. When she reached the hotel, she identally ran into some people working in T Corporation who were coming back from the bar. They saw Luca and greeted her with a smile. ¡°Dr. Craw, did youe here to get some drinks because you couldn¡¯t sleep? The bar is closed.¡± ¡°Then I guess I¡¯ll have to go up.¡± Luca did not exin when they misunderstood her reason for being downstairs. She went upstairs with them. The room she was staying in was on a higher floor. After they got out of the elevator, she stood in front, lifted her head, and nced at the surveince camera. Then, she stepped out of the elevator as if nothing happened. She was back in her room but she knew she would not be able to fall asleep. Hence, she took a bath, then adjusted the number of sleeping pills. She swallowed them andy down on her bed. On the other side. Luke¡¯s room was still brightly lit. He had not slept until now. Jason received a call, and he reported to Luke after hanging up. ¡°Boss, our men in the hotel said Dr. Craw has returned.¡± ¡°Returned?¡± Luke nced at the time. It was already four o¡¯clock in the morning. He knew she had gone out just now, but B City was not his territory. He did not have much manpower here. This time, he did not send someone to follow Luca. She was so smart. No one would be able to track her down¡­ N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Hence, Luke did not waste his manpower. ¡°Yes,¡± Jason replied. He turned around and yawned. He was sleepy and tired. However, his boss wanted him to work overtime. He had no choice but to work overtime. Luke noticed his small gestures. ¡°Go get some rest.¡± ¡°Thank you, Boss.¡± Jason trotted out of the room after he was released. Luke looked at theptop. After Luca had her dinner at the restaurant, she did not join Tina and the others. Instead, she chose to return to her room. She left her room at 12.05 a.m. Where did she go from 12:00 to 4:00 in the morning? Did she look for her brother with whom she had no blood rtions? Luke recalled Amur¡¯s appearance. He was indeed in B City too, but he did not manage to find out Amur¡¯s exact coordinates when he sent someone to gather information about Amur. He disappeared right after he got on the train and reached B City. He had no purchase records or travel records. It seemed like Luca and Amur were hiding a big secret. It was just that there was no way his men were able to get any information about it. However, Luke believed that Luca¡¯s secrets would eventually be revealed if he continued to dig them up. His fingers would unconsciously tap on the table when he was thinking. He was nning something in his mind. He would need to check if there was a mark on her body to see if Luca had anything to do with the Ind of Despair. Rain had worked out a type of potion after the incident with the fake Bianca. If one¡¯s skin came into contact with the water and potion mixture, the cream would lose its effects and the tattoo would be exposed. Everything would be a lot easier with that potion. Chapter 1514 The next day. It was still early in the morning. Luca was still in bed when the doorbell rang. She rubbed her eyes. It took her a few seconds to realize that she was in the hotel and someone was knocking on her door. Luca sat up and quickly got out of bed. She walked to the door and looked through the peephole. It was Tina who was standing outside. She picked up the cup on the door, then unlocked the door. Tina smiled and greeted her when the door opened, ¡°Good morning, Dr. Craw.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Good morning.¡± Luca¡¯s eyes were a little itchy. She could not help but rub her eyes. Tina apologized when she saw Luca bleary-eyed. She looked like she had not woken up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have woken you up, Dr. Craw.¡± Luca shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Besides, it¡¯s gettingte. I was the one who woke upte. What¡¯s the matter?¡± She could not me Tina for waking her up. After all, she had only slept at four in the morning. She thought that she would take some pills since she had no ns today and she would be able to sleep well. She only slept until this hour because of the pills. ¡°Oh yes, Mr. Crawford has organized a team-building activity. It¡¯spulsory for everyone in the company to join, so I came to inform you.¡± Tina remembered why she was here and informed Luca immediately. ¡°Team-building activity?¡± Luca frowned. Luke did not seem like someone would do this. Aside from going on guided tours, he should be giving his employees time to enjoy their vacation, right? Why did he suddenly¡­ She could feel that this sudden team-building activity had something to do with her. ¡°Yes, then I¡¯ll meet you at the swimming pool on the second floor around 10:30.¡± Tina reminded her. ¡°Wait, can you tell me what kind of team-building activity is it?¡± asked Luca. ¡°It seems like it¡¯s something to do with swimming. Dr. Craw, remember to put on your swimwear. If you didn¡¯t bring it, you can buy it at the shopping mall downstairs. I still have to inform the others. I¡¯ll see you at 10:30.¡± After that, Tina waved her hand and continued to knock on the other executives¡¯ doors to inform them. Luca sat on the sofa after she closed the door. Swimming? She did not have any swimwear with her. She had to attend it since it was apulsory team-building activity. She had no choice, so she took her phone and room key before heading to the mall downstairs. The mountain vi provided everything for their guests. When Luca walked into the clothing department in the mall, she ran into a few employees of T Corporation. They came here to get their swimwear as well after knowing about the team-building activity. Zoey was there too. She waved when she saw Lucaing in. ¡°Dr. Craw, over here.¡± Luca came over and saw her carrying a few swimsuits in her hands. She nodded and said, ¡°You came to buy swimwear too?¡± ¡°No, I came here with Ms. Lynn. I brought mine when I found out there¡¯s a swimming pool and hot springs here,¡± Zoey smiled and replied. She pointed at the woman beside her. Although she called her Ms. Lynn, she did not look old. Luca thought Jenni was probably only one or two years older than Zoey. They were perhaps rted since both of them had the same family name. ¡°Hello, Dr. Craw.¡± Ms. Lynn smiled and greeted. ¡°Hello,¡± Luca greeted her indifferently, perfectly maintaining the distance between them. ¡°Dr. Craw, you came to buy swimwear, right? The designs that Zoe is carrying are pretty. Do you want to take a look at them?¡± Jenni was enthusiastic despite Luca¡¯s cold shoulder. Luca looked at the swimwear that Zoey was carrying in her hands. They were all bikinis. They looked great but they were too skimpy for her. She did not like them¡­ ¡°Let me get something different.¡± Luca did not take a closer look at the swimwear and eliminated them immediately. Zoey knew what she meant. ¡°Dr. Craw, you have a nice figure. You¡¯ll look hot wearing something like this. Are you really not going to try them on?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not used to wearing these.¡± Luca shook her head and strolled to the other shelves to take a look. Jenni picked one of the bikinis up. She thought she would look good if she wore this. Then, she nced at Luca who was choosing her swimwear. She said, ¡°This looks nice too. It¡¯ll look great on someone with a nice figure.¡± Zoey noticed that Luca was not interested, so she rmended it to Jenni instead. ¡°Ms. Lynn, do you want to try this ck piece? Men won¡¯t be able to get their eyes off you with that fair skin of yours.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a sweet talker. Dr. Craw is still here. Aren¡¯t you afraid that she mightugh at me?¡± Jenni smiled as she shook her head. Even so, she still picked up the ck bikini and said to the shop assistant beside, ¡°Do you have a bigger size for this piece?¡± ¡°Yes, Miss. Hold on.¡± The shop assistant nced at it and asked her to wait politely. Zoey widened her eyes and spoke enviously, ¡°Wow, Ms. Lynn, you¡¯re in such good shape.¡± ¡°No. My figure is just ordinary.¡± Jenni shot a nce at Luca. She was indeed picking a conservative- looking swimsuit. Jenni could not help but wonder if there were any ws on Luca¡¯s body, which was why she was choosing something conservative. The gossip about this woman and their boss had spread all over. Jenni was wondering if Luca was some divine beauty. A hint of disdain shed across Jenni¡¯s eyes, and she said to herself, ¡°There¡¯s not much to her at all.¡± The shop assistant brought over the size she wanted. After Jenni paid for it, she left with Zoey. Luca looked around for a while. Even the most conservative swimwear the shop had still looked skimpy to her. The swimwear was a one-piece, but it revealed so much of her back. There was not much cloth on the waistline either. The strips of fabric that were used for aesthetics could not cover her up. ¡°Are these the only options for one-piece swimwear?¡± Luca asked the shop assistant embarrassedly. The shop assistant nodded and replied, ¡°It¡¯s not summer now. Fewer women are into one-piece swimwear, so that¡¯s all we have now.¡± It was toote for her to get swimwear elsewhere. Luca bit her lip when she heard that. Atst, she chose a ck one-piece swimwear. ¡°Can you please wrap it up for me?¡± ¡°Sure, Miss.¡± The shop assistant nodded and brought the swimwear she wanted to the cashier and wrapped it up. Luca chose another UV-protection garment so that she could wear the swimwear and walk around. She still could not get used to it. After scanning the QR code to make payment, she brought her swimwear back to her room. She looked at the time, and it was already ten o¡¯clock in the morning. There was half an hour till the team-building activity started. She called Amur. Amur answered her call this time. ¡°Amur, how¡¯s your wound doing now?¡± Luca asked with concern. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Amur felt a surge of warmth in his heart when he listened to her thoughtful voice. ¡°Have you cleaned your wound today? You can ask for help if it¡¯s inconvenient for you. You must clean your wound and keep an eye out to see if there¡¯s any inmmation.¡± Luca advised. She nned to visit Amur, but it was the morning now. Moreover, she could not leave because of the team-building activity that Luke had organized. Chapter 1515 Luca kept yammering. The more Amur listened to her, the more touched he felt. How wonderful would it be cared for by her forever? She had seen him when he was at the weakest moment in his life. She encouraged him to be brave and grow up. He had also seen her when she was at the lowest point in her life. He had silently kept herpany. They had been through so much together but she had never fallen for him. Was he not good enough? He was indeed not good enoughpared to the one in her heart. Luca asked again when she did not hear any reply from him, ¡°Amur, are you listening?¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening. My wound is fine. I¡¯ve changed the dressing. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Amur snapped back to his senses and replied to her. Luca was relieved when she heard him. The doorbell rang. She wondered if it was Tina at the door. She said to Amur, ¡°That¡¯s great. Stay safe. I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡± Amur wanted to ask her what she was busy with since she came here for a trip. However, she hung up the phone before he could ask anything. He was a little disoriented as he listened to the busy tone on the other side of the phone. He felt as if he had lost something. After Luca hung up the phone, she came to the door and took a nce. Sure enough, it was Tina. She opened the door. Tina said enthusiastically, ¡°Dr. Craw, I came to meet you to head downstairs together. Oh, why haven¡¯t you changed yet?¡± ¡°Give me a moment, I¡¯m going to change now,¡± replied Luca. ¡°Alright. Then I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± Tina smiled. She liked being with Luca. Luca treated everyone the same with that cold attitude of hers. She needed no ttering or fawning. It wasfortable to hang out with someone like that. Luca took her new swimwear out. She went into the bathroom and got changed. Then, she put on her UV-protection wear and buttoned it up. She looked at herself in the mirror and thought it was a little ugly. Hence, she unbuttoned the two buttons at the top to look more casual but without exposing too much. Luca went out of the bathroom. Tina saw the UV-protection clothing that Luca was wearing. She smiled and said, ¡°Dr. Craw, do you realize we¡¯re wearing the same UV-protective clothing? But yours is the midi one, and I¡¯m wearing the short one.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same,¡± Luca smiled and replied. She kept her phone and room key in a small bag. She closed the door and left with Tina. Tina pressed the button in the elevator and looked at how Luca had dressed up. She was wearing something more conservativepared to the others. ¡°Dr. Craw, a good figure is meant to be shown to others,¡± said Tina. ¡°I don¡¯t have a good figure.¡± Luca tucked her hair behind her ears and went into the elevator. Tina realized that Luca was reluctant to show off her figure. She became even fonder of Luca. The swimmingpetition today was a sudden decision made by Luke. After the employees knew about it, they imed that they were going to dress up sexily. They always had to wear formal attire to go to the office and were not allowed to dress sexily. Now that they were given a rare opportunity, of course, they would love to show off. Luca was kind of special compared to the others. Both of them got into the elevator and reached the second floor. The moment they walked out of the elevator, they could see a spacious outdoor swimming pool. Jason was surrounded by a few people. He was jotting down their names on the list. Just then, he saw Luca and Tina heading toward them. He stepped over, smiled, and asked, ¡°Dr. Craw, Tina, I¡¯ll let you choose your opponents yourself.¡± ¡°We can choose our opponents?¡± Tina nced at the name list. Most of the employees¡¯ names were written down on the list. ¡°Yes, Mr. Crawford came up with this at thest minute. There wasn¡¯t enough time to prepare to draw lots, so we¡¯re letting you guys choose your opponents. There¡¯ll be knockouts in every round. It¡¯s a team-building activity, so this is just for entertainment and rtionship-building purposes,¡± Jason smiled as he exined. He had no idea why his boss suddenly organized an event like this. However, it was his boss¡¯ orders. He had to carry it out. ¡°Is this apetition?¡± It took Luca a second to understand what was going on. ¡°Yes. Tina didn¡¯t tell you about it?¡± Jason looked at Luca, then he turned to look at Tina. Did he not ask her to inform everyone? ¡°No, I was the one who didn¡¯t understand it clearly.¡± Luca thought that she would just wear a swimsuit and show up so that she could be considered to have participated in the event. She did not expect Luke to hold apetition too. Some people were willing to participate in this kind ofpetition, but a few others were not. Even so, when Luca saw the names on the list, 80 percent of T Corporation¡¯s employees had gathered here. Why were there so many people willing to participate in thepetition? Tina randomly chose a team, then she handed the pen to Luca. ¡°Dr. Craw, choose a team for yourself. I heard that there¡¯s a prize if we win. The prize must be expensive since our boss is so generous.¡± Luca understood immediately. Luke had arranged for a prize to make everyone participate. It was normal to have a prize when apetition was held. She did not even bother to look at the names and filled her name in the space under the women¡¯s team. Jason continued to ask the other employees to join after both of them had registered. Tina pulled Luca to the corner of the swimming pool and said, ¡°Dr. Craw, let¡¯s warm up now so that we can swimter.¡± Luca did not intend to win the prize. She knew how to swim, but it had been years since she swam¡­ When Tina wanted to do warm-up exercises, she casually did a few. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. After all, she would do poorly in the first round of thepetitionter. Then, she would not have to go into the water anymore. Tina looked at the others standing next to the pool after she did her warm-up exercises. Some of them could not wait any longer and were already starting to swim. She said, ¡°Come to think of it, what a beautiful scene this is.¡± Luca chuckled. She did not expect to see this other side of Tina, who was always elegant and smart. Luca looked around and saw the different physiques of the male employees of T Corporation. Some of them were out of shape, but some of them had well-built bodies. Tina heard her chuckle and noticed what she wasughing at. She asked immediately, ¡°Dr. Craw, did you misunderstand me?¡± ¡°What? No, I didn¡¯t.¡± Luca shook her head and tried to hide her smile. ¡°I¡¯m just admiring the sexy figures of our female colleagues. As for the male colleagues, after you meet a perfect man, the other guys won¡¯t be as good no matter how great their figures are,¡± said Tina. She was truly admiring the alluring figures of her female colleagues. Luca agreed to what she said in thetter part of her sentence. After meeting so many people, she still thought that Luke was the best. Even if he was born naturally apathetic and he behaved coldly to everyone as if he was out of everyone¡¯s league, which was certainly not a strength, she still thought that Luke was the best. There was no such thing as a perfect human being. His bad temper would be enough to overshadow his mor. Luke had yet to show up even after everyone in T Corporation had reached the swimming pool. When it was time, Jason asked them to team up based on the order he recited. First, it was thepetition between the male employees. The first round of thepetition began amidst the cheers and ps. The rules were simple. They only had to swim from one side of the swimming pool to the other side, then return to the starting point. Chapter 1516 The swimming pool was 50-meter long. Twops would be a hundred meters. Luca stood far away and watched thempete with ack of interest. ¡°Dr. Craw, it might be boring now. But it¡¯s going to get exciting when ites to the women¡¯s team,¡± Tina blinked yfully. ¡°Oh?¡± Luca looked at her. ¡°Most of the employees in thepany are young. Look at how sexy and pretty they are. They¡¯ll do their best to win thepetition,¡± said Tina. To be fair, there would be a champion for the men¡¯s and women¡¯s teams respectively. Luca understood what she meant. She was trying to say that thepetition between women was always fiercer than men. Luke only appeared when thepetition for the men¡¯s team was about to end. He was wearing his sunsses and was casually dressed. He looked peculiar as everyone surrounding him was in their swimwear. His appearance heightened the atmosphere at the swimming pool. The female employee beside Tina could not help but murmur in a soft voice. ¡°Why is Mr. Crawford dressed so casually? I was hoping to see him in his swimwear.¡± ¡°Yes. Although Mr. Crawford looks good in casual attire, I really wanted to see him in his swim shorts. Mr. Crawford has such a good figure. He probably has eight packs, right?¡± Luca lifted her head when she heard them. Tina, who was beside her, reminded her. ¡°Dr. Craw, Mr. Crawford is heading over here.¡± There was no expression on Luca¡¯s face as she watched the man walk over. She did not even say anything. ¡°Mr. Crawford, you¡¯ve arrived.¡± Jason tried to let Luke take control of everything. Luke shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± Jason nodded and continued to make arrangements for thepetition. Luke looked around him and found Luca and Tina at the corner. Jason had just sent him a message telling him that she was participating in thepetition too. Everything was going as he nned. The potion had been added to the swimming pool water. If there was a concealed tattoo on her body, it would reveal itself once she got into the pool. Luke was wearing his sunsses. No one knew where he was looking, so they could only try their best to strike a beautiful pose to attract his attention. After all, Luke¡¯s reputation in their hearts was not as good as it was before. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. He was no longer the man who would keep his distance from women. His scandals were slowly revealed. However, that did not stop the female employees from admiring him. He was Luke Crawford, after all. The bigger womanizer he was, the higher their chances of seducing him, right? It was now time for the women¡¯s team after thepetition for the men¡¯s team ended. The time had come for everyone to get really excited. Men were visual creatures. Some women were open-minded enough to take off their UV-protection clothing. The sun was not out now. However, some of them were still wearing their UV-protection clothing. They would have to take off their UV-protection jacket for thepetition, though. Luca listened to Jason as he read out the names one by one. She was inexplicably irritated in her heart. She thought Luke was not going to show up, so she had been calm all this time. However, the man who was sitting there while wearing his sunsses was like a king who was watching what was happening around the swimming pool. Luca did not want to get into the water. She even wanted to hide in the corner if she could. Although she knew how to swim, she had never been a good swimmer. Her swimming posture was not even proper. She would probably dog paddle when the others swam the freestyle stroke Luke had taught her the correct form when swimming the freestyle stroke before. However, she chose to give up after practicing for half an hour. Luke did not force her when she refused to do the freestyle stroke. He let her continue to swim the dog paddle way. Luca looked at Luke, who was a distance away. Thepetition for the women¡¯s team was in full swing, but she could feel that his mind was elsewhere. What was the purpose of Luke organizing this event? It was Tina¡¯s turn to swim. She took off her UV-protection jacket and handed it to Luca. ¡°Dr. Craw, can you hold it for me for a while?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Luca took it from her and hung the jacket on her arms casually. She could not see where Luke was looking with his sunsses on, so she might as well not look at him. Her gaze fell on Tina, who was standing beside the pool, getting ready for thepetition. She took this time to do some warm-up exercises while waiting. A few people jumped into the swimming pool at the same time after Jason started thepetition with a shout. Luca thought Tina¡¯s swimming posture was beautiful. While she was envious of her, Luke came into her mind. Would Luke recall something when he saw her swimming postureter? She was hoping that it would remind him of her, but at the same time, she was hoping it would not. Tina exercised regrly, so her stamina was better than the others. She won thepetition easily. Luca handed her a new towel. Tina thanked her and took it from her. Then, she wiped the water droplets that were on her body. ¡°Dr. Craw, two more teams and it¡¯s your turn, right?¡± Tina reminded her. She was looking at her when Luca filled her name in, and she memorized it. Luca smiled awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m not a good swimmer¡­¡± ¡°Do you mean you can¡¯t swim?¡± asked Tina. ¡°No, I know how to swim, but I can¡¯t swim well.¡± Luca did not try to hide the fact that she was not a good swimmer. She was hoping that Luke could hear her and spare her. Tina nodded. ¡°I see. You don¡¯t have to participate if you don¡¯t really know how to swim. But it¡¯s alright. The point is you¡¯re participating. Since you know how to swim, then good luck to you! You don¡¯t have to win, just take part and exercise a little. You¡¯ll feel great after it.¡± Luca thought Tina was going to help her out of trouble when she listened to her first sentence. She did not expect she still had to participate in thepetition. Luca wanted to turn around and see what Luke was doing, but she thought that he might be staring at her, so she suppressed the urge to turn around. She took off her UV-protection jacket. Several men were watching the moment Luca took off her jacket. Even though she was wearing the most conservative type of swimsuits, their eyes were all on her. She had a good figure. Her body was evenly proportioned, and she had fair skin. Tina took her jacket and eximed, ¡°Dr. Craw, you have such a good figure and such fair skin. I¡¯d be asking you out on a date if I were a man!¡± A few male employees were whispering to each other. They were most likely talking about Luca¡¯s figure. Luca was not used to being watched by so many people. She was wondering if she should cover herself with the UV-protection jacket, but the others on the same team as her were already standing beside the pool. ¡°Dr. Craw, go get ready.¡± Jason reminded her. He dared not to put his eyes on her. Although he had been working for Luke for years, he still could not figure out what Luke thought about Luca. He imed that he wanted to investigate her secrets, but sometimes, his actions did not seem like he was trying to investigate something¡­ Considering that his boss was a possessive person, Jason would naturally not stare at Luca unscrupulously like what the other male employees were doing. Luke sat there. His heart skipped a beat when he nced at Luca¡¯s gorgeous figure. Chapter 1517 Luca stood beside the pool and casually did some stretching. Jason saw that they were almost done warming up and said, ¡°Ready, set, go!¡± The few of them jumped into the water. Luca was no exception. She did the right posture and jumped right into the water. Everyone on the team was trying their best to swim as fast as they could to win the prize and leave a good impression in front of Luke. Luca wanted to rx, but the thought of Luke watching her came across her mind. She pursed her lips and held her breath to keep swimming. Jason was watching the situation in the swimming pool. Everyone was fiercelypetitive except for Luca¡­ Her swimming posture was way too special. It was indescribable, and she was far behind from the others. When Luca was swimming forward, she could hear loud cheers and ps at the same time. Some of them were cheering for her. However, she was unable to chase after the rest. She felt like she had been swimming for a decade although it was only 50 meters. Finally, she reached the other end. She was thinking of making a tumble turn with her legs so that she could flip over. However, her leg cramped the moment she exerted her strength. She realized her leg was cramping. She got nervous and pped on the water¡¯s surface. The people above the pool were indifferent as they thought that it was because of her improper swimming posture. Tina was the only one who noticed something was wrong. ¡°Mr. Doyle, is Dr. Craw drowning?¡± Jason looked up. ¡°It does seem like it¡­¡± The moment he finished talking, Luke, who was behind him, quickly ran past him and jumped into the water. ¡°Boss¡­¡± Jason watched as Luke swam in Luca¡¯s direction. Looking at how nervous he was, it seemed like Luca meant a lot to him in his heart. Tina picked up the sunsses that had fallen on the floor. Luke swam so quickly that he strong arm and carried her from behind. Half of her body was above the water. Luca could not be bothered about the identity of the person rescuing her. The moment her body broke past the water¡¯s surface, her throat felt so ufortable. She opened her mouth to breathe but ended up coughing. Luke carried Luca and swam to the side of the pool. When Jason and Tina snapped back to their senses, they ran to the opposite end of the pool. When Luke lifted Luca, both of them worked together to help her out of the pool. Then, Luke got out of the pool too. Luca kept choking on a few mouthfuls of water. Her face was pale white when she got out of the pool. Shey down on the ground, and her leg was still twitching. ¡°It¡¯s a cramp.¡± Tina noticed that and put down the things that she was holding to massage Luca¡¯s leg. Some employees who came to watch surrounded them. Luke pulled a long face and took the UV- protection clothing to cover Luca¡¯s body. ¡°Disperse,¡± he ordered with a cold voice. The people who wanted to watch the scene backed away when they heard his cold word. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Luca¡¯s leg was fine after Tina helped her massage it. However, her face was so pale that it made her worried. She looked at Luke and asked, ¡°Boss, why don¡¯t we send Dr. Craw to the hospital?¡± They were in the suburban area of B City, which was quite a distance from the city center. It might take a while to send her to the hospital¡­ However, seeing Luca like this ¡­ Before Luke made the decision, someone shouted, ¡°The doctor is here.¡± The mountain vi had a doctor on 24-hour duty since it was located far away from the hospital. While they flustered amidst the chaos, the staff in the mountain vi had already informed the doctor to come here. The doctor hurried over and shouted, ¡°Who¡¯s the patient?¡± ¡°Here!¡± Jason waved hurriedly. The doctor came over and did a check-up on Luca. ¡°How is she doing?¡± Luke asked, not bothered about how drenched he was. His clothes were sticking to his body. ¡°She just choked. There¡¯s nothing wrong with her. She¡¯ll be fine after taking a day¡¯s rest. There¡¯s no need to send her to the hospital,¡± the doctor replied after he checked on her. Luke shot a nce at Luca. She had already closed her eyes and was ignoring everyone who was talking to her. She did not struggle in the water for too long. She was rescued at once, so she should be fine. ¡°Doc, look at her leg. It seemed to be cramping just now,¡± said Tina. The doctor did a further check on Luca but everything seemed fine. He then looked around and saw that everyone was in swimwear. He kindly reminded them. ¡°Remember to do some warm-up exercises before swimming. Don¡¯t just jump into the water.¡± Even though Luca had her eyes closed, she heard the doctor¡¯s advice. She was just reluctant to speak. She did not know why her leg started cramping all of a sudden, leading to such an awkward situation. ¡°Got it,¡± a few of them answered. Luca was still lying on the ground after the doctor left. Tina nced at her and wondered carry Luca back. The next second, Luke was already carrying her in his arms. ¡°Boss¡­¡± Even though Tina had seen such scenes before, she could not help but cry out in surprise this time. Luke did not look back. He left the swimming pool with Luca in his arms. Although Jason was surprised to see such a scene, his reaction was much better than Tina¡¯s. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to follow?¡± Luca was soaking wet, and she would need to change her clothester. Tina did not get it till just this second. She quickly left the swimming pool as well. Zoey watched their boss leave as she stood by the pool. She could not help but exim, ¡°How manly our boss is! Look at how he lifted Dr. Craw so easily.¡± There was a burning fire of jealousy in her heart. Luke actually carried Luca in his arms in front of everyone¡­ She had no idea how Luca got to be so lucky to be able to hook up with Luke Crawford. She would have pretended to drown if she knew Luke would carry her in his arms. After all, it had looked fake when Luca was drowning. Otherwise, how could they not have noticed it first? ¡°Such dirty tricks!¡± Jenni was unconvinced. Zoey was puzzled when she heard her. ¡°Ms. Lynn, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just wondering if Dr. Craw was really drowning just now. It didn¡¯t seem like it to me¡­¡± Jenni quickly concealed her jealousy for Luca. Zoey recalled what had happened back then. She shook her head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. But Dr. Craw¡¯s face was pale white when she was being rescued. It seemed like she was really drowning.¡± Jenni shot her a nce and sighed. ¡°Never mind, you¡¯re still too young for that.¡± After Tina caught up with Luke, she dared not speak when she looked at his gloomy side profile. She followed him into the elevator. Even if Luca did not open her eyes, she knew Luke was carrying her in his arms. It was bumpy all the way there. She felt ufortable, and her stomach was churning. She might as well close her eyes without saying anything and just let him carry her. She could feel her leg aching a little after the cramp. She felt that something was very wrong with her. Luca swore that if she knew there was a chance she might drown, she would never have gotten into the water¡­ Luke carried her in when they reached her room. Tina stopped him when he was about toy her down on the bed. ¡°Boss, it¡¯d be better if you leave her in the bathtub. Dr. Craw is soaking wet now. I¡¯ll help her get changed and dry her hair. You cany her down on the bed after that.¡± Chapter 1518 Luke thought that Tina¡¯s suggestion made sense. He picked Luca up, went to the bathroom, and ced Luca in the bathtub. ¡°I¡¯ll help Dr. Craw clean up, Mr. Crawford. You should step outside for a while,¡± Tina said. ¡°Mm.¡± Luke shot a nce at Luca. Her arms were propped to the sides of the bathtub so that she did not slide. Her eyes remained closed, but she was conscious. Luke stepped out of the bathroom. Tina went inside and closed the door. ¡°Pardon me,¡± she muttered under her breath before walking over to the bathtub. ¡°Let me help you clean up, Dr. Craw. The water in the pool isn¡¯t clean.¡± Luca did not open her eyes or give any reaction. Tina treated her silence as acknowledgment. She turned on the taps and started cleaning Luca. They were both women, so Tina did not feel embarrassed. She deftly cleaned Luca¡¯s body while carrying out the task Luke had tasked her. She had been wondering how she would aplish the mission. Fortunately for her, Luca¡¯s ident at the pool gave her the opportunity. After bathing Luca, she drained the water from the bathtub, then used the hairdryer to dry Luca¡¯s hair. Tina helped Luca put on a bathrobe after drying her hair. She checked Luca¡¯s body again and did not find a tattoo. When all was done, she opened the bathroom door. Luke was sitting on the couch outside. ¡°It¡¯s done, Mr. Crawford,¡± Tina said, though she was shocked that her boss cared for Luca so much. Every gesture showed care for Luca, other than the part where he asked Tina to find the tattoo on her body. Luke stood up and went to the bathroom. He picked up Luca, who had already changed into a dry bathrobe, in a bridal carry. Luca¡¯s head leaned onto his chest. To nearly drown was a horrible sensation. She felt that her throat was swollen and sore, though it was pure bliss to lie in Luke¡¯s arms. Luke walked out of the bathroom and ced her on the bed. Luca felt the soft bed beneath her. Luke pulled his arms away. She hoped that she could feel that warmth again¡­ ¡°Mr. Crawford, allow me to take care of Dr. Craw. You should have some other matters to attend to,¡± Tina volunteered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. You should join the others at the pool.¡± Luke sat down on the couch and looked toward the bed. Seeing that Luke wanted to take care of Luca, Tina did not say anything. She knew that she should keep her mouth shut instead of specting about their rtionship. She nodded and left the room. After she closed the door, she sent a message to Luke: [I¡¯ve checked, Mr. Crawford. Dr. Craw doesn¡¯t have a tattoo on her body.] After that, she went downstairs. In the room, Luke received Tina¡¯s message. He did not say anything, but he sank into deep thought as he looked at the woman on the bed. If Luca¡¯s body did not bear the tattoo, did it mean she was not from the Ind of Despair? ¡®No, not necessarily,¡¯ Luke thought for a while and rejected that thought. Even though she did not have any tattoos on her body, her movements were suspicious, and her background was too perfect. It was as though someone behind the scenes was sculpting the perfect character¡­ Luke recalled the scene at the pool. Luca tried her best to swim freestyle, but she could only manage a crawl. That reminded him of Bianca. She was like that too¡­ No matter how hard she practiced swimming, she could not do it properly. Seeing the simrities between Bianca and Luca, Luke could not help but suspect Luca shared some sort of rtionship with Luca. Perhaps, they might even be the same person¡­ ¡®That can¡¯t be. If Luca is really Bianca, she wouldn¡¯t have kept it hidden from me,¡¯ Luke thought. He knew that Bianca loved him very much. Even when the rest of the world thought he was dead, Bianca never gave up on him. That was why he thought Bianca would not hide any truths from him¡­ Luke gazed at Luca on the bed and thought, ¡®Just who is she? What does she want from me?¡¯ On the bed, Luca was not asleep. She felt horrible, so she closed her eyes and pretended she was oblivious to her surroundings. She knew that Luke did not leave. She also knew that Luke wanted to stay and asked Tina to leave., She did not know the reason for him doing so, but she thought that it was the right choice to pretend to be unconscious. If she opened her eyes, she did not know what Luke might ask her. ¡­ Tina returned to the second-floor open-air swimming pool. Several researchers from Luca¡¯s department crowded around her to ask her about Luca¡¯s condition. Tina replied, ¡°She¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to know. Right, Tina, if you¡¯re here, who¡¯s taking care of Dr. Craw?¡± Zoey asked. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Tina opened her mouth but managed to stop herself from saying ¡°Mr. Crawford is.¡± She smiled and said, ¡°Dr. Craw said that her condition isn¡¯t that awful, and she said that she wants to rest for a while. That¡¯s why I came downstairs. How¡¯s thepetitioning along?¡± Jason heard what Tina said. He guessed with absolute confidence that Luke was taking care of Luca in the room. It was right for Tina not to say it. If she did, everyone would start to make up stories about how Luke and Luca were alone in a hotel room. He knew that Luke was not that kind of person. He believed that Luke was truly taking care of Luca in the room. From what happened earlier, he could tell that Luke had no interest in thepetition. He could not understand what Luke¡¯s motive was behind organizing it. ¡°It¡¯s almost the finals. You came back just in time,¡± Jason answered, shifting the conversation topic. However, Zoey persisted, ¡°Huh? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s very safe to leave Luca in the room alone, right? I¡¯ve heard of cases where a drowning victim was saved, but their lungs were filled with water, so they were suffering the effects of drowning even an hourter. I¡¯m not in the finals. I should go upstairs and take care of her¡­¡± Tina quickly grabbed Zoey¡¯s wrist. Knowing that Luke was still in the room, there was no reason for Zoey to be there. She shook her head and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Dr. Craw. She¡¯s fine. Why don¡¯t you watch me win the first prize?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Zoey was still worried about Luca¡¯s condition. After all, Luca was her superior at work. She froze in her footsteps when she remembered what Tina said to her. There must be a reason why Tina stopped her from going to Luca¡¯s room. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¯ Zoey nced around the swimming pool and did not notice Luke. She immediately understood. Their boss must be taking care of Luca in the room. That was why Tina got toe down to the swimming pool. Chapter 1519 Which was more important ¨C Thepetition or taking care of Luca? The answer was, of course, the latter. However, if Tina did not worry about Luca¡¯s condition, Zoey thought that she should stay out of it as well. Zoey smiled and cheered for Tina, ¡°All the best, Tina!¡± Tina smiled, seeing that Zoey did not insist on going to Luca¡¯s room. She said to Jason, ¡°Let¡¯s continue, Mr. Doyle. It¡¯s almost lunchtime. We can all go and have lunch once thepetition ends.¡± ¡°Alright, all the contestants in the finals, let¡¯s get prepared, and we¡¯ll start the finals in ten minutes,¡± Jason announced. Everyone performed their warm-up exercises seriously because they did not want to end up like Luca. In the end, Tina won first ce. After thepetition, they took a shower and went to the restaurant. Tina walked together with Jason. She asked him softly, ¡°Mr. Doyle, should we pack some lunch for Mr. Crawford and Dr. Craw?¡± Jason thought for a bit and shook his head. ¡°If Mr. Crawford didn¡¯t give his orders, we shouldn¡¯t assume that he wants it. Also, if Mr. Crawford is hungry, he would order lunch from room service.¡± ¡°You have a point,¡± Tina said. ¡­ In the room, Lucay on the bed without sleeping. Her spine was getting stiff, so she shifted slightly. Even though she tried to make it as inconspicuous as possible, Luke still saw it. ¡°Are you awake?¡± Luke¡¯s voice sounded slightly hoarse. Luca felt that she would blush if Luke were slightly close to her. His voice was so pleasant. Now that her cover was blown, she sat up and looked at the man. ¡°Thank you for saving me, Mr. Crawford.¡± Luke looked at her. His gaze flickered. When Luca sat up, she did not realize that the bathrobe had slid down her shoulder. It was hanging loosely from her arm. Her long hair was scattered over her fair shoulder. His eyes gradually turned bloodshot as he looked at the stark contrast between ck and white. His eyes were not the only body part that was reacting¡­ Other than Bianca, no other woman had elicited that response in him¡­ Luke crossed his legs impatiently. He could not stop looking at the scene in front of him, and he could only think of two words to describe the scene ¨C ¡°Morning after.¡± It looked as though he shared an intimate night with Luca¡­ He averted his gaze and said, ¡°Your bathrobe.¡± Luca lowered her head and realized that she was exposing too much skin. She must have not paid attention when the belt came loose earlier. Hastily, she tidied herself. Luke could see her frantic movements from the corner of his eye. He coughed deliberately, trying to force some moisture into his parched throat. ¡°Do you feel unwell?¡± ¡°I feel fine. I¡¯ve been resting for the whole morning.¡± Luca blushed when she remembered that Luke must have seen her body. It was not her first time that Luke had carried her in a bridal carry, but it was her first time as Luca that he did so. Moreover, she was only wearing so little. Their intimacy was greater than before. After tidying up her bathrobe, she tried to get out of bed. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Luke asked while looking at her. ¡°I want to use the toilet¡­¡± Luca said while putting on the hotel slippers and walking toward the bathroom. Luke turned his gaze onto her fair and smooth legs¡­ Ever since Bianca was abducted, he had never felt that passion in his heart, not to any other woman around him¡­ He stood up to ease the tension in his lower body. If Luca did not exhibit anyplications for the past few hours, he guessed that she was fine. Once she got out of the bathroom, he would leave. Luca dawdled around for a bit in the bathroom. Her cheeks were boiling hot when she thought of Luke¡¯s gaze earlier. She did not want to face him again¡­ However, that was not up to her to decide. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Luke¡¯s voice was heard from outside. He was worried that something might happen to her because she was in the bathroom for too long. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Luca said while sshing cold water onto her face. After seeing the redness go down slightly, she reluctantly opened the door. She was still thinking about how to reply to Luke¡¯s questions when Luke said, ¡°Take a good rest. I¡¯ve asked room service to deliver a meal to you. After eating, you should nap for a little longer. If you feel unwell, you should go and look for the doctor.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Alright. Thank you, Mr. Crawford,¡± Luca said politely. She was obligated to thank him, but only verbally. There was nothing else that she could do. In the grand scheme of things, her character was destined for revenge. It was ironic that she was thanking him now. Luke left the room. Luca sat on the couch, where Luke had sat earlier. He had been sitting there and watching Luca on the bed. ¡®Was Luke looking at me while I pretended to be sleeping?¡¯ Luca felt her face blush even harder¡­ When she was sick, Luke would take care of her around the clock. He would even want to personally pour her a ss of water. Back then, he did not sit on the couch, but rather on the bed next to her. While shey on the bed, he would put his work documents on the bedside cab and lean on the headboard while reading. Sometimes, she caught the flu. She was worried that she might infect him with her germs, so she asked him to keep a distance. Every time, he refused to do so and took care of her next to her. Now, he was sitting on the couch and watching her from a distance¡­ Putting that intoparison, she felt much lonelier than before. She had ten thousand ways of proving that she was really Bianca Rayne, but she could now¡­ If she could not prove that she was Bianca Rayne, Luke¡¯s affection was of no use to her¡­ Luca sighed. The doorbell rang. She went over to open the door. It was room service delivering a meal that Luke had ordered for her. The attendant pushed the cart into the room and said with a smile, ¡°Enjoy your food, Miss.¡± After that, he left the room. Luca closed the door. She did not care for lunch. Instead, she sat there and tried to recall the scene earlier at the swimming pool. She was suffering from a leg cramp. She waved her arms to let the people around the pool know that she was in danger, but no one cared for her, as though she were transparent. A few secondster, she thought of giving up struggling. After all, the world was so cruel to her, and fate must have given her that cramp to present her with an opportunity. Just when she gave up struggling, Luke swam over and picked her up. She had wanted to sink into the pool, but Luke had helped her¡­ Once again, he saved her life. How many more times was he going to save her though? Would he save her in the final showdown? Luca covered her face and shook her head helplessly. She realized that she could not give up loving yet. N was still on the Ind of Despair¡­ Chapter 1520 In the afternoon, Tina bought some fruits from the supermarket downstairs and came to Luca¡¯s room. After Luca opened the door, Tina nced at her and asked, ¡°Is Mr. Crawford still inside?¡± ¡°He left quite some time ago,¡± Luca exined hastily in case Tina misunderstood something. Seeing that Luca was quite nervous, Tina waved her hand and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I didn¡¯t tell anyone what happened earlier this morning. I know Mr. Crawford¡¯s character, and I don¡¯t think he¡¯d do anything out of line.¡± Tina walked in, and Luca closed the door. Tina ced the bag of fruits on the coffee table and said, ¡°I was at the supermarket buying some fruits earlier, and I identally bought some extra. Here, have some.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Luca did not refuse. She knew that Tina had specifically bought the fruits for her. ¡°Right, do you feel better now? I was so afraid earlier. If I had known that you can¡¯t swim, I wouldn¡¯t have goaded you intopeting.¡± Tina felt guilty even though she was not to me for what happened to Luca. If Luca had not stepped into the pool, she would not have nearly drowned. ¡°I don¡¯t me you. I didn¡¯t do my warm-up exercises.¡± Luca did not expect her leg would cramp either. After all, she only wanted to participate and was not interested in winning. That was why she did not make adequate preparations before stepping into the pool. ¡°I¡¯m d that you¡¯re fine. Right, do you want to go hiking tomorrow?¡± Tina asked. ¡°Hiking?¡± Luca frowned. She would rather stay in the hotel. If she wanted to visit some attractions near the hotel, she would rather do so herself. ¡°Yup, Mount Jadeite near here is a famous attraction. I¡¯ve heard that the scenery there is breathtaking this time of the year. Do you want to go?¡± Tina asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯d want to go. I don¡¯t like crowded ces,¡± Luca said while shaking her head. She would not want to join unless it was mandatory. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. There won¡¯t be that many people this time. I¡¯d love to go there, but the other people find it too tiring, so I haven¡¯t found anyone else to go with me. There are cable car stations along the mountain. If you¡¯re tired of walking, we can take the cable car to the top. Why don¡¯t youe with me, Dr. Craw?¡± When Tina cleaned Luca earlier in the morning, she noticed that Luca had a good physique resulting from working out. She guessed that Luca must love sports and the outdoors. The other female colleagues are not fond of tiring activities, and she did not want to invite any male colleagues. That was why Tina wanted to invite Luca; it was better than going alone. ¡°I think I¡¯ll make my decision when I see my condition tomorrow,¡± Luca said. She was quite tempted by the invitation. However, her leg had just suffered a cramp, and she did not know if it would still be painful by tomorrow morning. It was then that Tina remembered Luca had suffered a leg cramp earlier. ¡°Right! I¡¯m so sorry, Dr. Craw. I forgot.¡± ¡°If my leg is fine by tomorrow, I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Luca said. She could not make the promise just yet. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. If her leg was still hurting, she would not torture herself by hiking. In any case, she would love to go. She had been under a lot of pressuretely, and viewing some beautiful scenery might ease her mood a little. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You don¡¯t have to push yourself if you can¡¯t make it. Please rest well, Dr. Craw. Right, I¡¯ve also bought some ointment for you. I¡¯ll put it next to the fruits. You should massage your calf after taking a showerter tonight. You¡¯ll feel better,¡± Tina said. Luca thanked her and wanted to pay her for it. Tina smiled and waved her hand. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It didn¡¯t cost me money anyways.¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡± Luca was taken aback. How did Tina buy something from the supermarket without using money? Tina could see the confusion on Luca¡¯s face. She said, ¡°To be exact, it didn¡¯t cost me any of my money. If you insist on paying for it, you shouldn¡¯t give the money to me. Alright, I won¡¯t take up any more of your time.¡± After that, Tina left the room. Luca looked at the shopping bag on the table. There were some fruits and a tube of ointment. She recognized the brand from the packaging. It was a well-known brand from Japan. Three years ago, when she had first started Brilliant Design, she had overworked herself and, because of herck of physical training, would usually be sore all over. She tried to keep it a secret from Luke, but Luke noticed it anyway. Whenever she felt sore, Luke would use that brand of ointment and massage her calves, waist, and shoulders¡­ Of course, there were other activities after the massage¡­ Naturally, her muscles did not feel any better the next day. In fact, they hurt more than before. Luca blushed when she thought of that. ¡®¡­ Just what am I thinking? ¡®It¡¯s just a tube of ointment. Why would I be thinking of that?¡¯ Whatever happened earlier seemed to have dredged up some intimate memories from the past. Luca shook her head. She uncapped the ointment, squeezed some white cream out of the tube, smeared it over her calf, and gently massaged it. The ointment still smelled as herbal as before. As she massaged herself, she could not help but recall the times when he massaged her. That warm and gentle palm, applying an appropriate amount of pressure¡­ When Luca woke up the next day, she pinched her calf muscles. She had massaged herself twice the day before because she wanted her leg to heal. She got out of bed, took two steps, and realized that her leg was no longer sore. The massage worked. Luke had always bought high-quality products. Even the ointment that he bought was extremely effective¡­ She looked at the ointment that she had ced on the bedside cab. Then, she remembered Tina¡¯s invitation, so she went to brush her teeth. When she came out of the bathroom, she noticed that Tina had sent her a message asking if she could make it to the hiking trip. Luca replied: [My leg is fine. Why don¡¯t we go hiking together?] She thought that it would be okay if it were only Tina and her. She received Tina¡¯s reply not long after: [Alright. I¡¯ll pack up and look for you. Let¡¯s have some breakfast before the hike.] Luca replied: [Alright.] She searched on the Inte for any information on Mount Jadeite. It was a popr tourist attraction that boasted beautiful scenery. There was also a maple forest. In the fall, the wind would blow past the trees and cause maple leaves to fall onto the ground. It was exceptionally poetic. Luca thought that Mount Jadeite was not a very big ce, so she would only have to pack lightly. She took out a tracksuit and a small backpack from her suitcase. She put her purse and phone into the backpack, changed into the tracksuit and hiking shoes, then waited for Tina to arrive. Ten minutester, Tina knocked on her door. The two people went to the hotel restaurant to have their breakfast. Zoey and Jenni happened to be at the restaurant at the same time. They had just stepped away from the buffet line when they saw Tina and Luca approach them while dressed in sportswear. ¡°Good morning, Tina. Are you going hiking with Dr. Craw?¡± Chapter 1521 Tina nodded and said, ¡°I wanted to invite you, but you said that you¡¯re not into exercise. That¡¯s why I invited Dr. Craw to go along with me.¡± Zoey ced her te on the table. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d rather not spend my vacation time on tiring activities like hiking. There are many more fun things to do here. I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s a theme park and a karaoke center nearby, so I¡¯d rather go to those ces than hiking. Isn¡¯t that so, Ms. Lynn?¡± Jenni sat down on another seat at the table. She looked at Luca, wondering how she could be up and about when she nearly drowned the day before. She thought that Luca had faked the drowning to evoke Luke¡¯s pity. ¡°It¡¯s up to the individual how they want to enjoy their vacation, Zoey. I¡¯m quite surprised, though, from Dr. Craw¡¯s behavior in the pool yesterday, I thought that she¡¯s not very active. Why are you going hiking today, Dr. Craw?¡± Jenni asked. Luca could hear the sarcasm in her voice. Luca was deathly pale after she was fished out of the pool the day before. Jenni could not believe that she would be up and about today. ¡°Everyone has their strengths. Dr. Craw looked great in her swimsuit yesterday. She must work out regrly. Isn¡¯t that true, Dr. Craw?¡± Tina spoke up for Luca. Luca smiled. She did not answer the question but instead said, ¡°It¡¯s true that I¡¯m not good at swimming.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not good at swimming, then you shouldn¡¯t have stepped into the pool. You¡¯re lucky that Mr. Crawford was alert enough to save you, but no one can surely say the next time. Please don¡¯t misunderstand. I¡¯m not wishing you ill will.¡± Jenni¡¯s words were tinged with jealousy. Luca was not her superior at work, so Jenni was not afraid to offend her. Luca only smiled and said, ¡°Thanks for your concern. I¡¯ll be careful from now on.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Tina smirked and began to eat. She and Luca did not stuff herself with food because they would be hikingter. They packed some drinking water and buns before leaving the hotel. They did not walk to their destination because they wanted to conserve energy for the hike. Instead, they took the tour car so that they could appreciate the view of the mountain vi too. ¡°Don¡¯t mind what Ms. Lynn said earlier, Dr. Craw.¡± Tina had been working in thepany for a long time. Even though she did not know everyone too well, she could guess what Jenni was thinking earlier. It was quite obvious that Jenni had a crush on Luke¡­ ¡°I didn¡¯t mind what she said. I feel sorry for her though. She probably has a wild imagination or something,¡± Luca said nonchntly while looking out of the window. It was sunny, yet the wind was cooling. That was the perfect weather to go hiking. Tina understood what she meant. She nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, we ought to leave her to her fantasies.¡± Luca smiled when she heard Tina¡¯s words. Tina looked at Luca and said, ¡°You look so charming when you smile, Dr. Craw. You ought to smile more. Don¡¯t be an ice queen. There¡¯s already an ice king in ourpany.¡± Tina did not mind taking a dig at Luke when he was not around. ¡°Do I usually look so cold?¡± Luca chuckled. Tina¡¯s words usually made her smile, no matter if she was Bianca or Luca. Tina was Luke¡¯s best secretary. She treated everyone the same. She did not join any cliques, and she maintained the same distance from everyone. That was why Luke trusted her. ¡°I can¡¯t say that you¡¯re cold, but you look very good when you smile. In fact, you remind me of¡­ uh, the morning sun. It¡¯s bright and gentle, but not too warm¡­¡± Tina said, deliberately hiding something. She did not say that Luca looked like a certain person when she smiled. That person was Bianca Rayne, the wife of the CEO¡­ She remembered that she had not seen Bianca for a long time. ording to Luke, Bianca was still traveling overseas. Even though Tina suspected that it was not the case, she was somewhat d that Bianca was not around. Usually, Bianca woulde to thepany once or twice every week to throw tantrums. Bianca had been very paranoid ever since she lost her memories. She was afraid that he would have an affair with the female employees in thepany. Despite Tina being an employee of Luke and nothing more, Bianca nevertheless harassed her relentlessly. ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating¡­¡± Luca felt a twinge of bitterness in her heart. She would smile if she could. She imagined that Luke liked her because she was pure and gentle. When she returned, she decided she would be cold and distant toward everyone. That way, Luke would definitely not fall in love with her, and Abel¡¯s n would fail. The tour car eventually arrived at the foot of Mount Jadeite. T Corporation had booked the entire ce, and most of the employees were not interested in hiking. The ce was almost totally deserted. ¡°There¡¯s not many people here,¡± Luca said. ¡°Of course. Didn¡¯t you notice that there weren¡¯t many people at the restaurant when we had our breakfast earlier?¡± Tina said while tipping the tour car. ¡°Last night, they were enjoying the nightlife here, and they only went to bed at three or four o¡¯clock in the morning. They¡¯re not going to wake up so early to go hiking!¡± Luca went to a roadside stall and bought a map of the area. ¡°Miss, do you want some drinks or something else?¡± The man at the stall asked. Luca noticed that there were some trekking poles for sale. She considered that hiking up Mount Jadeite can be a considerable challenge, so she bought two of them and handed one to Tina. ¡°Hold on, let me get a map,¡± Tina picked up a copy of the map and prepared to pay. ¡°I¡¯ve already bought one,¡± Luca said. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that we might wander off the trail and get lost. Each of us should have a copy,¡± Tina said. Luca nodded in agreement. After buying the items, they prepared to hike up the mountain. Suddenly, Luca heard Jason¡¯s voice coming from behind. ¡°Dr. Craw? Tina? You¡¯re here to hike up Mount Jadeite too?¡± Luca turned around. Not only was Jason there, but Luke was there too¡­ ¡®What a coincidence¡­¡¯ Did Tina tell Luke that they were hiking? Did Lukee here just so that he could keep an eye on her? It was only hiking. She was not going to do anything unmentionable¡­ ¡°Huh? Mr. Crawford and Mr. Doyle? Are you here to hike too?¡± Tina turned around, feeling quite surprised. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jason looked at the map and the trekking pole in the women¡¯s hands.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Chapter 1522 Tina could see that the two men were here to hike up Mount Jadeite. She shot a nce at Luca. Luca did not enjoy crowded ces, but two more people did not crowd up the ce at all¡­ ¡°Why don¡¯t we go together?¡± Tina asked. Luca did not say anything. She knew that Luke would definitely be joining them the moment she saw him. Even if Tina did not invite them, they would be hiking up the same trail anyway. It did not really matter if Tina invited them. That was why Luca kept quiet. ¡°Mr. Crawford? What do you think?¡± Jason turned his head to look at Luke. They did not mean to follow Luca. Luke was tired of working during vacation time, so he suggested they hike up Mount Jadeite. Naturally, as his assistant, Jason had to go too. Fortunately, Jason enjoyed hiking. ¡°We¡¯ll go together,¡± Luke said. He went to the stall to buy a map and two trekking poles, then handed a trekking pole to Jason. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Crawford,¡± Jason said as he took it. Luca spread the map open and studied it while the two men talked. There was nothing much to study anyway; it was only one way up. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go!¡± Tina said cheerfully. She was not nervous even though her boss was there. She knew Luke¡¯s personality very well after working for him for so long. He might be serious when it came to working, but he was quite amiable otherwise, despite maintaining a cold demeanor. Luca folded the map, stuffed it in the pocket of her tracksuit, and walked up the mountain with Tina. The scenery on the mountain was beautiful. The four people make frequent stops along the trail to admire the view. No oneined that they were tired, nor did anyone make any disheartening remarks. It was quite a rxing trip. Luca said nothing as she watched Tina take photos with a miniature camera. Many people would record everything they saw during their journeys. She used to be like that too. Whenever she traveled somewhere with Luke, she would look for someone to take a couple of photos of them together. Once home, she would print those photos andbel them with the date and ce. She imagined that when she was older, she would be able to share those memories with him and their children. After all that had happened to her, Luca did not want to take any more photos. Tina took several photos of the scenery and asked Luca, ¡°Dr. Craw, can you help me take a photo?¡± Luca nodded, took her camera, and stood up from her resting spot. The two men were resting, and Tina was the only one going around taking photos. Rest stations were avable at regr intervals along the trail. They were quite well-maintained. After Tina struck a pose, Luca took several continuous shots of her. Happily, Tina took the camera from Luca and browsed through the photos Luca had taken of her. ¡°It¡¯s so nice to be hiking with someone else. That saves me the trouble of bringing a tripod or a selfie stick. These photos are amazing, Dr. Craw!¡± Luca smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t put too much effort into it.¡± ¡°The angle, lighting, and timing are perfect! And you said you didn¡¯t put much effort into them? I don¡¯t even need to edit these photos. You¡¯re amazing, Dr. Craw. Why don¡¯t I take some photos of you? I¡¯ll send you the photos after we get back,¡± Tina said. Luca shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t have a habit of taking photos.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°What do you mean? You don¡¯t need a habit to take photos. Alright, you go and stand over there. It¡¯s a nice view. My photography skills might not be as good as yours, but you¡¯re beautiful anyway so it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± Tina was quite excited to take Luca¡¯s photos. Luca nced at Luke and Jason. They were both looking at her. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t really want to.¡± She was even more reluctant to have her photos taken when the two men were looking at her. ¡°Come on, Dr. Craw.¡± Tina saw that Luca continued to sit there. She went over and took her hand. Luca had to stand up, and Tina brought her to the gazebo. She was standing right in front of a cliff, so the view was great. Tina said, ¡°Alright, stand there and don¡¯t move. If you¡¯re not used to looking at the camera, you can look somewhere else, as long as you don¡¯t move.¡± With no other choice, Luca turned her head to look to the side. She felt awkward looking at the camera because Luke was sitting behind the camera. She stood there while Tina took a few photos in a row before letting her go. ¡°What do you think, Dr. Craw? Not bad, right? It would be better if I brought my DSLR camera along, but it¡¯s too troublesome to bring it here,¡± Tina said. Luca thought that Tina¡¯s photos were not bad, but she could see her awkwardness in those photos. It was not that she did not like her photos taken, but she felt awkward because Luke was staring at her. Even though she was looking elsewhere, she could still feel his gaze on her body. ¡°Not bad,¡± Luca said. Tina thought that Luca¡¯s praise was not enough. She handed her camera to Luke and said, ¡°Take a look, Mr. Crawford. My photography skills aren¡¯t any worse than Dr. Craw¡¯s, right?¡± Luke looked at the camera. In the photo, Luca was standing there awkwardly, but the scene was a fine sight. He could feel his heart skip a beat. He only felt like that when he looked at Bianca¡¯s photos. However, looking at Luca¡¯s photos gave him the same sensation. Perhaps things had begun to change after what happened yesterday¡­ He remembered that he would often dream of Bianca whenever he slept. In theter part of the dream, Bianca¡¯s face would morph into Luca¡¯s. He did not know why he felt that way. He stood up and said, ¡°Has everyone rested enough? Let¡¯s continue.¡± Tina wondered if she had been too forward or if Luke was not as amiable as she thought. She put the camera away and continued walking along the trail with Luca. At the maple forest, they took some more photos. Luca was happy to take Tina¡¯s photos, but when Tina offered to take Luca¡¯s photos, Luca woulde up with excuses to decline. However, Tina managed to convince her to take some photos. They continued hiking up the mountain. Eventually, they reached a crossroads. Tina studied the map and said, ¡°Both paths lead to the summit, but the scenery is different. Which one should we go to?¡± Luke said nothing. Jason smiled and said, ¡°We¡¯ll leave the decision to thedies.¡± ¡°I want to go here, but the other path¡­¡± Tina thought for a while and had an idea. Chapter 1523

Chapter 1523 Make Mr. Crawford Happy

"How about this? There''s four of us, and we can split into two teams. One team will take one path, and the other team will take the other path. We''ll race to see who can reach the summit first. The two paths are about equally long,¡± Tina suggested. Luca nced at Luke, then at Jason. Neither of them said anything. She said, "Sounds fun. Let me team up with you, Tina."N?velDrama.Org content rights. If she could team up with Tina, Jason and Luke would be on the other team. She would feel better if she did not have to walk along with Luke. Tina looked at the men, who said nothing about her suggestion. She said, "No, Dr. Craw, it''s better if we team up one man and one woman." Luca looked at her, at a loss of a reply. "Alright, I''ll team up with Mr. Doyle. We''ve been colleagues for many years, and I can get along with him. You and Mr. Crawford can take the other path.¡± Tina arranged the teams by herself. She did not really have a basis for teaming up a man and a woman, neither did she want to team up with Luke. She did not want Luke to misunderstand if she suggested teaming up with him. Before Luca could voice her objection, Jason said, "That settles it, Mr. Crawford. Tina and I shall take the left path, and you and Dr. Craw can take the right path. See you at the summit.¡± He quickly agreed to the decision so that Luca had no chance to object. Tina nodded. She and Jason began walking down the left path. Luca remained standing on the spot. She looked at Luke, who was also standing there. Their eyes met, and they did not say anything. A whileter, Luke said, "Let''s go." "Mr. Crawford, are you sure you want to race with them?" Luca asked. "You didn''t say anything earlier. The race has already begun,¡± Luke said while walking forward. After taking a few steps, he turned around and saw that she was still standing there. "I don''t like losing. Let''s go," he urged By then, Jason and Tina had already turned a corner and were nowhere to be seen. With no other choice, Luca began walking to catch up with Luke. Meanwhile, on the other path, Jason praised Tina, "I didn''t know that you''re so good at this.¡± "What do you mean?" Tina pretended to be oblivious. "You''re giving Mr. Crawford the chance to be alone with Dr. Craw," Jason said without beating around the bush. "I didn''t do it deliberately, but the opportunity presented itself, so I went along with it. Did you think that I didn''t notice that? Along the way up, Mr. Crawford was either looking at his feet when he walked up the stone steps, or at Dr. Craw. I hope Mr. Crawford will appreciate what I''m doing for him and give me a pay raise!" Tina said with a cheeky grin on her face. Jason knew Tina was thinking about that. He said, "Have you ever wondered why Mr. Crawford can''t keep his eyes away from Dr. Craw?" "I''ve thought about it before, but I don''t know if my reason is correct, but if I think about it further, Mr. Crawford doesn¡¯t seem like that kind of man..." Tina said. She nced at Jason and grinned mischievously, "We''re not in the office now, so do you think you can tell me what''s in Mr. Crawford''s mind? Can you?" Jason shook his head. "You''d better not have any sneaky ideas. If Mr. Crawford doesn''t like your arrangements, who knows if he''ll dock your pay?" "Huh? That can''t be, right?" Tina was surprised by what Jason said. "I don''t have any malicious intentions.¡± "Pray that Mr. Crawford is happy with your arrangement then," Jason teased her. "I hope so," Tina said worriedly, believing what Jason said was true. She had been so confident earlier, but now, she was worried that Luke might be angry with her arrangement. Meanwhile, Luke and Luca walked along the other path. Other than the asional water break, the two people did not have any interaction with each other. She thought that the silence was quite awkward, but she had no intention of breaking it. After all, Luke was not a talker. Halfway through their hike, they stopped walking. There was a pile of rocks blocking the path. "That''s..." Luca frowned when she saw the obstacle in their way. Luke was also frowning. There should not be any obstacles along the manmade path. "Mr. Crawford, should we turn around?" Luca asked, leaving the decision to him. Luke looked beyond the obstacle and noticed that the path continued beyond the rocks. "I guess they must be in the middle of doing some maintenance work, and they haven''t cleared the rocks yet. We can continue the hike if we go around these rocks.¡± He did not expect anything to be blocking the path. Someone should have at least told them about it before they started the hike. They were already more than halfway up the path, and going down would require more effort than continuing toward the summit. That was how Luke arrived at his decision. Luca nodded and said, "Alright." With the help of the trekking pole, Luke walked up the unpaved path and reached out to Luca. "Careful." Luca was surprised, though she did not take Luke''s hand. Instead, she stepped onto the unpaved ground and said, "I can handle myself, Mr. Crawford. You should be careful too." Seeing that Luca did not want to take his hand, Luke did not insist. He continued walking forward. They walked next to the stone path. Soon, they encountered some more rocks. They walked around them again, but they were getting farther and farther away from the stone path. Luca did not say anything. She followed behind him without saying a word. The sky began to darken. Luke lifted his head and looked at the sky through the dense canopy. If it started raining now, the uphill journey would be quite difficult. "Let''s walk back to the stone path. We need to be quicker," he said while leading the way. "Alright." Luca caught up to him, though she did not want his help. She held the trekking pole in one hand and supported herself with the tree trunk with the other. The two people continued to walk uphill. Suddenly, Luca lost her footing. She yelped and fell to the ground. When Luke turned his head around, Luca was already rolling downhill. He tried to catch up with her, but she was rolling faster than he was running. Eventually, her body hit a tree, and she cried in pain. Luke quickly arrived in front of her. Luca looked at him with tearful eyes. She noticed that he nearly stumbled while rushing toward her. "Are you okay?" Luke crouched down in front of her and looked at her. Chapter 1524 Luca could feel dull pain spread from her waist to the rest of her body. She had injured herself. The pain caused tears to fall from the corner of her eyes. Suddenly, Luke felt a twinge of pity for her. ¡°Can you stand up?¡± He asked. Luca nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Luke looked at the tree behind Luca. The vegetation was quite dense at this part of the mountain, and the trees were quite old with thick trunks. She had mmed into the tree in full force, and it must be very painful. If she were unfortunate, she might even suffer a hairline fracture. However, she was lucky to be stopped by the tree. Otherwise, who knew where she might end up? The forest was natural. Even though the owners of the area had taken every precaution to ensure the visitors¡¯ safety, there was only so much they could do to alter the naturalndscape. If the tree had not broken Luca¡¯s fall, she would have suffered a greater injury, or worse, rolled off a cliff. Seeing that Luca was struggling to get up, Luke reached out. ¡°You need help.¡± Luca pressed her lips together and grabbed his hand. With the trekking pole in her other hand, she pushed herself into a sitting position, then spent the next half a minute trying to catch her breath. Luke did not rush her. He waited patiently for her to catch her breath. In the meantime, the sky became darker, and thunder could be heard in the distance. It was going to rain soon. Luca looked up at the sky, thinking they should not linger there. Not only would the path be slippery, but it would also be dangerous to be under a tree if the rain turned out to be a lightning storm¡­ She gritted her teeth and tried to stand up, but the pain on her waist caused her to fall forward andnd on Luke¡¯s chest. The familiar masculine scent, intensified by the sweat from the hike, assailed Luca¡¯s nostrils. Luca could feel the warmth of Luke¡¯s body on her cheek. They were so close together¡­ Before Luca coulde to her senses, she felt someone hand her a trekking pole, which she instinctively grasped tightly. The next moment, Luke picked her up in a bridal carry. ¡°Ah!¡± When Luca realized what was going on, her feet were off the ground. One of her arms instinctively went around the back of Luke¡¯s neck, while her other hand held two trekking poles. Luke ignored her cries of surprise as he walked toward the stone path. Even though Luca did not weigh much and Luke had no trouble carrying her, Luca could to squirm away. ¡°I can walk by myself, Mr. Crawford. This¡¯ll be very tiring for you.¡± She wanted to keep some distance away from him, so she tried to straighten her back, even though it was tiring for her to do so. The pain on her waist tried to make her loosen her back muscles, but she could not loosen up no matter how hard she tried. Luca wondered if she had been cursed. She had met with an ident for two consecutive days, and Luke had carried her like that for both times. If she were not cursed, why would she suffer a leg cramp in the pool, and why would she roll down a mountain? ¡°You¡¯re hurt, and you won¡¯t be able to walk fast. If we don¡¯t reach the gazebo in time, we¡¯ll be caught in the rain,¡± Luke exined while keeping his gaze on the path in front of him. Luca bit her lip, feeling that she had be his burden once more. She wanted to keep a distance from him so that she did not be a burden. She did not expect that she had not changed even after three years. She was a burden before, and she remained a burden¡­ Luca curled up a little when she arrived at that thought. She felt horrible. Luke noticed her movements. When he lowered his head to look at her, he was surprised to see that her eyes were full of sorrow and grievances. They looked like Bianca¡¯s eyes whenever she was sad¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t move¡­¡± Luke was worried that she might distract him. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling veryfortable like this. Why don¡¯t I ride piggyback?¡± Luca suggested, thinking that if she needed Luke to carry her, she would rather ride piggyback. She could not stand looking into Luke¡¯s eyes. Those eyes did not have warm love like before. How she wished that she could tell him that she was Bianca! Luke looked around and noticed arge boulder nearby. He ced her on top of it, then turned around and crouched down. He was telling her to get on¡­ Luca hesitated as she looked at him. A roar of thunder could be heard. If they lingered, they would soon be caught in the rain. She slumped onto Luke¡¯s back. Feeling the weight behind him, Luke said, ¡°Hold tight. I don¡¯t want you to fall.¡± Luke felt uneasy. Either way, she could not avoid physical intimacy. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± She did not put her arms around him. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Luke did not force her. He stood up, and the inertia caused Luca to lean backward. Instinctively, she reached around Luke¡¯s neck. Luke continued walking forward. Luca¡¯s actions did not slow him down. Luca realized that her actions had brought the two of them physically closer. Blushing, she rested her body on his back and said nothing. They had to take a detour to go around the rocks. It started raining before they could reach the gazebo. It was a drizzle at first, but it soon became heavier. ¡°The rain is too heavy, Mr. Crawford. Why don¡¯t you put me down? I can walk,¡± Luca said while tightly hugging his neck. She hoped that she could make things easier for him. When the rain fell on the ground, it made the hard soil wet and slippery. Even though Luke was wearing hiking boots, the risk of falling was ever-present. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Luke pressed his lips together. He continued walking forward without putting her down, though he was walking at a much slower pace than before. Luca thought for a while and put one of her hands above him, hoping to block some of the raindrops that were sshing on his face. The rain became heavier and blurred her vision. Luca kept her hand up to block the rain for him. There was only so much she could block, but it at least kept his vision clear. Boom! Luca heard the sound of thunder. She lifted her head and saw lightning sh across the sky. The situation had be more dangerous. They could risk staying within the woods. Luke walked faster when he noticed that. Ten minutester, they were out of the woods. Luke followed the stone path and eventually reached the gazebo. There, he carefully put Luca down on the stone bench. After Luke¡¯s hands were free, he sat on another stone bench. Chapter 1525 Luca put the trekking poles away. She saw that Luke¡¯s hair was dripping with water. She thought of taking the paper towels from her backpack to dry his hair, but her backpack was not waterproof, and the paper towels had already turned into a pile of mush. There was nothing she could do about that, and she closed her backpack. Luke had always kept an impable appearance, so Luca was quite surprised to see that unkempt side of his. In any case, her appearance was in the same sorry state. ¡°What do we do now, Mr. Crawford?¡± Luca asked for his opinion. Luke took out his phone. His clothes were soaked, and his phone could not be turned on. ¡°Can you use your phone?¡± Luca took out her phone from her backpack. Her phone had been enhanced by the people on the Ind of Despair, so it was waterproof. Even so, it had already turned itself off. She looked at Luke and said, ¡°I can only turn it on after it¡¯s dry.¡± Without a usable phone, they could not call Jason or inform the vi staff about their predicament. ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait for the rain to stop,¡± Luke said decisively. That was all that they could do. Luca nodded. Her waist still hurt, and it would be too risky for them to walk down the mountain in the rain. Meanwhile, Jason and Tina managed to reach the summit right before the rain started. Jason looked down the other path and waited for Luke and Luca to arrive at any time. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Mr. Crawford and Dr. Craw here yet?¡± Tina wondered. She had studied the map, and the two paths were almost the same distance. Moreover, Luke and Luca were in good health, so they should not have been so much slower than Jason and Tina. Could something have happened while on their way up? Jason looked at the sky. He was not in the mood to appreciate the scenery. It would be raining soon. A staff member saw that Jason and Tina had no intention of leaving. He went up to them and reminded them, ¡°Are you going to stay here for long? It¡¯s going to rain, and it won¡¯t be letting up any time soon. Why don¡¯t you go down the mountain by cable car?¡± ¡°We¡¯re still waiting for our friends. They promised to meet us here,¡± Tina said. She looked at the dark, roiling clouds and guessed that a storm wasing. She had checked the weather forecast earlier that morning, and it had said that the skies would be clear. That was why she had proceeded with the hiking n. Tina was quite frustrated. A storm on the mountain was much more dangerous than a storm on level ground. ¡°Mr. Doyle, why don¡¯t you give Mr. Crawford a call?¡± Tina said. She dared not call Luke. She was the one who suggested the race, and she was afraid that Luke might me her. Jason nodded. The rain started to fall the moment he took out his phone. Lightning shed in the sky. ¡°Oh no, Mr. Crawford and Dr. Craw are not here yet,¡± Tina said worriedly. While she looked at Jason trying to reach Luke, sheforted herself by thinking that Luke and Luca were probably taking shelter from the rain somewhere. ¡°Mr. Crawford isn¡¯t picking up,¡± Jason said after making several attempts. Luke did not pick up the call even until it cut off naturally. ¡°I¡¯ll try to call Dr. Craw.¡± Tina took out her phone and called Luca. No one answered. ¡°How is it?¡± Jason looked at her grimly. Tina shook her head. The staff member walked over and asked, ¡°Are your friends not here yet? The rain is getting heavier. If you don¡¯t go now, you might be stuck here for a while.¡± ¡°What should we do¡­¡± Tina was clueless as she stared down the other path. She asked, ¡°Our friends areing up from this path, and I can¡¯t reach them on their phones. Can you help us search for them?¡± The staff members looked at each other and said, ¡°The rain is so heavy now, Miss. We can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Yes. You don¡¯t have to worry too much about it. They¡¯re probably seeking shelter somewhere. We have staff members around the clock. You should go down the mountain first, and if they show up, we¡¯ll take care of them and send them down if the situation permits,¡± another staff member said. Jason was silent for a while. Eventually, he said, ¡°I think we should stay here. If the rain lightens up, we¡¯ll try our luck by going down the other path.¡± The staff member did not agree with Jason¡¯s decision. Once it started raining, it was hard to tell when it would stop. He said, ¡°Maybe your friends have already left when they saw the sky darken. How about this? I¡¯ll give you my number, and you can go down the mountain now. If you don¡¯t find your friends at the foot of the mountain, you can contact us, and we¡¯ll search for them once the rain lightens. What do you think?¡± Jason could tell that the rain was only going to be heavier. He thought that Luke might have already gone down. Seeing that Tina¡¯s hair was scattered in the strong wind, he epted the staff member¡¯s suggestion, and they took the cable car down. ¡­ At the gazebo, Luca felt her waist ache. She pressed her lips and tried to change various positions. She alternated between propping her chin and half-reclining, trying to make her waistfortable. Luke noticed what she was doing. He asked, ¡°Does your waist still hurt?¡± ¡°A little.¡­ Luca told him the truth; she could not deceive him anyway. The rain became heavier and heavier. Luke noticed that the stone benches in the gazebo were already wet. Luca could not sit on them. He said, ¡°Try resting your feet on the bench.¡± Luca did what Luke suggested, but that did not alleviate the pain at all. In fact, it hurt even more. She was frowning, and Luke could tell that she was in pain. Luke looked at the stone table in the center of the gazebo. He wanted to make Luca feel better, and it was not the time to consider etiquette. ¡°Why don¡¯t you lie on the table?¡± He said. Luca lifted her head in shock and looked at the table. The table was for tourists to put their items, not for lying¡­ ¡°You¡¯ll feel better if you lie on top.¡± Luke knew what she was thinking. Luca knew that she would be ufortable if she stood or sat. Only lying down could take some of the pain away. She epted Luke¡¯s suggestion. She stood up, sat on the stone table, then slowly reclined. The table was quite big, and it managed to fit her entire body if she curled up a little. Luca was pleased to find that it was quitefortable. Luke turned his head away. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Luca thought that the situation was quite awkward. She looked out of the gazebo. The rain continued to fall heavily and showed no signs of stopping. She considered themselves lucky because the gazebo was big enough. ¡°Mr. Crawford, how long do you think the rain willst?¡± She asked the question she had been thinking about. Luke looked outside and said, ¡°Who knows? It mightst through the night.¡± Chapter 1526 It was the first time that Luca had to lie outdoors with no regard to her image. She wondered if she would have to spend the night with Luke here. If the rain continued, it would not be very convenient for Jason and the others to find them¡­ After lying for some time, Luca thought that the hard stone surface was quite ufortable. She slowly flipped to the other side and happened to meet Luke¡¯s gaze. She was surprised. When did he start looking at her? ¡°Are you ufortable?¡± Luke noticed that she was not lying still. Perhaps it was caused by the injury on her waist. ¡°No, it¡¯s just that the surface is quite tiring to lie on. I just wanted to change sides,¡± Luca half-closed her eyes to avert his gaze. Lying on the other side was a little easier on her back, but her clothes were wet, so it was not very comfortable. She did not mind the wet clothes too much, but she knew that Luke was a clean freak. Even though Luke was sitting there calmly, Luca could guess that he was seconds away from freaking out. ¡°Mr. Crawford,¡± Luca called out softly. ¡°Mm,¡± Luke replied. He was not in the mood to talk. ¡°Why did youe to Mount Jadeite today?¡± Luca asked. She thought that it was quite awkward if they did not say anything. She also wanted to know if he had instructed Tina to invite her. If that were the case, what did he want from her? ¡°Exercise,¡± Luke said. As busy as he might be at work, he would find some time to exercise. He did not want to lose out in any aspect of his character. He looked at Luca and saw that her eyes were still half-closed. Was she suspecting that he had deliberately arranged the hiking trip? However, he had not arranged for them to meet up. He did not know that Tina was going to Mount Jadeite too. The only event he arranged was the swimmingpetition the day before. He did not expect that Luca would recover so quickly from the ident. Usually, someone who had suffered a leg cramp and nearly drowned would be out ofmission for one or two days. He was surprised that Luca was already fit enough to go hiking the next day. Luca thought for a bit and realized that it might have been a mere coincidence. She shifted a little to find a better position but realized that Luke was still looking at her. Immediately, she stopped moving. The rain became heavier. Gusts of wind battered the gazebo, and Luca shivered. Her clothes and hair were still wet. If this went on, she thought that she would freeze. The wind in the fall was not asfortable as that in summer. Luca discreetly reached behind her and tried to massage her back. It was not asfortable as someone else doing it, but it did bring some relief to the difort on her spine. Luke noticed what she was doing. He stood up. Luca watched him walk around the table and stop behind her. Thinking that he wanted to leave, she immediately stood up. ¡°Where are you going, Mr. Crawford?¡± Luke sat down on the stone bench next to her and said as though issuing amand, ¡°Lie down.¡± Luca looked at her, hesitated for a few seconds, and finallyy down. Her back was still facing him¡­ Her clothes were dark-colored. Even though they were soaked through, they did not show the skin underneath. In any case, she had already given birth to four children for Luke, so he had already seen whatever there was to see¡­ Luca tried to keep that thought in mind so that she did not feel so awkward. The next moment, she felt Luke¡¯s warm palms wrap around her waist. Instinctively, she tried to dodge. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Luke said softly and continued to wrap his palms around her waist. Luca dared not move. All the muscles in her body were tautly stretched, and her attention was focused on the pair of palms around her waist. Even though her clothes were wet and cold, she could still feel the warmth from his palms. Luke was massaging her back. He was not doing anything else. ¡°Is this the part where you hurt yourself?¡± He asked. The voice that came from her back made the tips of her ears grow hot. His fingers were exactly on the spot she had bumped into the tree. The massaging made her a lot morefortable. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°Mm,¡± Luca replied very softly. Her voice was slightly shaking. After knowing that he had found the right spot, Luke lessened the strength on his fingers. He did not know the extent of the injury, so he was not going to press too hard. He continued to massage Luca without saying a word. Luca guessed that it would be another half an hour before her phone was dry enough to be turned on. Luke¡¯s hands did not stop for the next half an hour, and Luca was bing more and more embarrassed. The moment Luke¡¯s hands stopped, she immediately sat up. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it hurt anymore?¡± Luke noticed the deftness in her movement. He would have thought Luca was faking her injury if he had not seen her crash into the tree with his own eyes. ¡°It feels a lot better¡­¡± Luca realized that she had moved a little too quickly and wondered if Luke thought she was pretending. Luca sat down on the stone bench. After stretching her back muscles too abruptly, they began to hurt again. Luke did not say anything. The sky began to darken. Luca looked at her phone and tried to turn it on to no avail. Perhaps it had been soaked in the rain for too long, and the internal parts were still wet. She did not know what time it was. She nced at Luke and noticed that he was wearing a wristwatch like he always did. ¡°What time is it, Mr. Crawford?¡± She asked. Luke nced at his watch and replied, ¡°Three o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already three o¡¯clock¡­¡± Luca mumbled. Her training made her able to withstand hunger, but Luke¡­ ¡®He has gastric problems¡­¡¯ If the rain continued through the night, would Luke be able to bear with the hunger? ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Luke asked. Luca shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Of course, she was lying. She did not eat a lot at breakfast, and she had been hiking for half of the day. The food in her stomach had long been digested. However, she could bear it. Luke did not say anything. He took out the bottle of water that he had bought at the stall and drank a mouthful. Luca remembered that she had a bottle of water too. She took it out from her backpack but hesitated. At the stall, she had also bought two sachets of glucose powder. She dissolved one of them in her bottle and handed the other to Tina. Chapter 1527 Luca had drunk from the bottle earlier¡­ Luca saw that Luke had gulped down more than half of the water in his bottle. She could tell that he was thirsty and tired. She thought for a while and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, I mixed some glucose in my bottle. Do you want to drink from this?¡± Luke looked at her and said nothing. ¡°But I already drank from it. It¡¯s okay if you mind it¡­¡± Luca thought he did not want to drink from the same bottle as her. When she was about to keep it in her backpack, Luke opened his mouth. ¡°You should save it for yourself,¡± he said. He thought that Luca needed more nourishment than him because she was hurt. They only had two bottles of drinkable water between them, and looking at the heavy rain outside, they might have to spend the night there. That was why Luke did not want to take the bottle from her. ¡°Alright then¡­¡± Luca thought that he was disgusted by the offer. She did not say anything and put the bottle back into her backpack. The strong wind continued to blow. Luca felt that her tracksuit was already dry, but the undershirt¡­ The undershirt was not going to dry. The contrast between dry and wet made it more ufortable than ever. Luca had the urge to remove her undershirt, but they were outdoors, and Luke was watching¡­ She had to bear with it. The sky continued to darken. The light in the gazebo and along the mountain path gradually lit up. Luca felt forlorn when she looked at the lights. Fog began to rise, and visibility was low. The lights in the distance were but a dim blur. She could only hear the sounds of wind and rain. Luke did not say anything. She did not say anything either. Luca wondered how people in ancient times passed their time. The people who knew how to read could read some books, but what about themon folk? Did they turn off the lights and go to bed once the sky grew dark? She looked at Luke. There was nothing in the gazebo to entertain them, and she could not find any conversation topic. It was as though they were in two different dimensions. They were so close to each other, yet so far¡­ Luke could sense Luca looking at her. He turned his head to look at her. Luca was surprised. She quickly turned away. However, it was toote. Luke could tell that she had been looking at him. Earlier in the afternoon, they stopped talking to each other after Luke refused Luca¡¯s offer of a drink. He wondered if she misunderstood her. Suddenly, he remembered that he would not drink from a bottle that someone else had drunk from. Bianca was the only exception. When Luca offered him her drink, he refused the offer not because he was disgusted by her germs, but because he thought she needed it more than he did. Luke sensed that he did not really mind sharing the same bottle with Luca. ¡®Why is it like this¡­¡¯ He realized that, given another set of circumstances, he would take the bottle from Luca and drink from it without any resistance¡­ Luke was quite surprised by that thought. It had only been a few months since he started interacting with Luca, but he had fully epted her presence in his life! He could not believe it¡­ Luke gazed at Luca intently, thinking and pondering what she had done to make him ept her so readily. Was it because her eyes were like Bianca¡¯s, or was it her voice? He immediately rejected that thought. If that were the case, the impostor Bianca looked exactly alike. However, he had never once cared for the impostor in three years. Was it because her cooking tasted like Bianca¡¯s, and that had made him ept her? Luke could not find the answer. Suddenly, he asked, ¡°Can you sing?¡± Luca was taken aback. ¡®Wait, is he talking to me? Did he just ask me if I can sing?¡¯ She turned around to look at the man. From the dim light cast on Luke¡¯s face, she could see that he was focusing on something. Had he been looking at her with that gaze? What could he be thinking when he gazed at her? ¡°Can you sing?¡± Luke asked again. He remembered that Bianca had a gentle and clear voice, and he loved her singing. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± This time, Luca heard the question clearly. She did not hallucinate. ¡°Sing something for me,¡± Luke said, as though he did not hear her reply. ¡°¡­¡± Luca was speechless. Luke continued to stare at her. ¡°You grew up in Russia. You should know some Russian folk songs, right?¡± Luca nodded. Eler had sung songs often while they were in captivity. Other than training, eating, and sleeping, there was nothing else to do on the Ind of Despair. Eler loved to sing songs from her hometown. After listening to them a few times, Luca could pick up the melody. Eler praised her voice and taught her all the folk songs she knew. That was why Luca knew. She looked at Luke. He seemed determined to get a song out of her tonight. With no other choice, she began singing one of the songs that Eler taught her. She even made sure that she pronounced the words correctly. The songsted for about three minutes. As Luke listened to her sing, he felt like a child being coaxed to sleep by his mother¡¯s luby¡­ Luca¡¯s voice was gentle, like Bianca¡¯s. The way she carried the tune was also very reminiscent of Bianca¡­ Was she deliberately copying Bianca? Bianca rarely sang in front of other people. If Luca were from the Ind of Despair, it must mean that she interacted with Bianca often. There was no other exnation¡­ Soon, there was only Luca¡¯s voice ringing in his ears. He could not hear the violent wind and rain outside. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. After she finished the song, she looked at Luke, who had not said a word. That made her feel uneasy. ¡°Mr. Crawford?¡± Luke came to his senses. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°You don¡¯t sound like you can¡¯t sing.¡± ¡°I was only using my usual voice,¡± Luca said as she looked at the lights in the distance. It was a dreamy scene. ¡°That folk song was beautiful,¡± Luke said. He sounded as though he was praising the song, but he was actually praising Luca¡¯s singing. ¡°I like that song too,¡± Luca said. Whenever N threw a tantrum, she and Eler would sing songs for her to calm her down. ¡°Did you learn it from someone?¡± Luke asked. Luca did not expect that he would strike up a conversation, though she answered, ¡°There used to be a girl next door who would sing every day. I tried to emte her. When she heard me singing, she offered to teach me.¡± Chapter 1528 Luke listened to her earnest exnation. It was as if she was trying to cover up something. However, he was not able to verify what she said, so he did not say anything. It was getting darker. Luke nced at the time on his watch and found that it was already 11 o¡¯clock. Luca¡¯s stomach started to gurgle. He immediately looked at her when he heard the sound. Luca touched her stomach, embarrassed. The sound came from her stomach. She never thought that after a few months of living afortable life, her stomach would be so sensitive. ¡°You¡¯re hungry?¡± Luke stood up, wanting to see if he could find anything to eat nearby. There was a lot to eat in the mountains. Before it rained, he did not expect to be trapped here for so long. ¡°No, Mr. Crawford. Where are you going?¡± Luca saw him walk to the pavilion and stood up as well. ¡°I¡¯ll head out to have a look. When we walked past the area today, I seemed to see a fruit forest,¡± Luke said. Luca also remembered that there was a fruit forest with seasonal fruits hanging on the trees. However, it was not on the side of the mountain road but deep in the mountain. The rain was not as heavy now but the mountains at night were full of unknown dangers, especially on such a rainy and foggy day. One had to be careful when walking on the mountain road. ¡°Mr. Crawford, it¡¯s dangerous to go in like this, especially when we don¡¯t have a shlight. It¡¯s not a good idea to go look for food now.¡± She tried to persuade him to change his mind. Luke frowned. If he left the mountain road, there would be no lights. It was indeed dangerous, but considering that she was hungry¡­ When he thought about how she was hungry, his subconscious reaction was to find something for her to eat. He had always been omnipotent. In a situation like this, all he could think about was to take immediate action to find food for her. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Luke said. Luca took out a water bottle that she had not drunk from all afternoon from her rucksack. ¡°Mr. Crawford, I still have glucose water. Don¡¯t go, the mountain is quite scary at night.¡± She thought that to dissuade Luke from going to look for food, she could only show her weakness. His clothes were finally dry. If he went out and got under the rain again, she was afraid that his clothes would be wet the entire night. After all, the fog on this mountain was so thick that the wind was moist. When he heard that she was scared, Luke could not bear to leave her here alone while he went to the mountains to find something to eat. In desperation, he gave up the idea of going to the mountain to find food for her. Luca opened the bottle cap, thought about it, and then summoned up the courage to ask, ¡°Would you like to drink some? If you¡¯re hungry, you¡¯re likely tock sugar. Having some sugar will keep the body warm.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Luke watched her hand over the water bottle again, and this time, he did not say no. He took the bottle, then raised his head and poured some into his mouth. He did not drink much, just a mouthful. Luca watched his movements and breathed a sigh of relief. Even though he did not touch the mouth of the bottle, at least he epted it. When he handed the water bottle back, she also took a sip. When she thought about how the night was long, she did not dare to drink more. Seeing this, Luke frowned and asked, ¡°Is this enough?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s enough.¡± Luca tightened the lid and put it back into her rucksack. ¡°I used to go for training, so starving ismon¡­¡± ¡°Training?¡± Luke frowned. He thought that she was good at fighting, which was where her agility came from. Now, it seemed that her agility was not all from practicing martial arts. Luca realized that she had said too much and quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m interested in such things so when I have time, I¡¯ll participate in training camps. Mr. Crawford, I¡¯m sleepy. I¡¯m going to bed now.¡± She avoided the topic with the excuse of being sleepy. She knew she had said too much. Luke looked at Luca lying on one of the benches. She did not say a word and it seemed like she was asleep¡­ The long stone bench was by the edge of the pavilion. It was just enough for one person to lie down on. The rain was not so heavy that it would ssh in, so it was alright. Lucay down on the bench and kept an eye on Luke¡¯s movements. After lying down for half an hour, she opened her eyes and nced around. Her gaze finally settled on Luke. He was leaning against the railing and had his eyes closed. On nights like this, there was nothing else to do but sleep. Luca felt safe seeing that he was still here. She went back to closing her eyes to see if she could nap for a while. It was midnight, and the temperature on the mountain gradually dropped. Luca woke up from the cold. She could not stand it, so she sat up and curled up into a ball. She hugged her shoulders to try to warm her body. The sportswear that she wore for mountain climbing was not too thick. The cold weather on the mountain was making her shiver. ¡°Cold?¡± Luke¡¯s voice suddenly entered her ears. Luca looked over. The man who had been leaning against the railing had opened his eyes. ¡®Is it because of my movements? Or did he wake up from the cold too?¡¯ ¡°A little¡­¡± Luca said softly as she stroked her arm. ¡°Come here.¡± Luke saw that she seemed to be very cold while sitting there alone. He felt bad. He told himself that it was only tonight that such an exception would be made. Luca looked at him, a little confused. ¡®What is Luke going to do? Is he going to hold me?¡¯ In the past, whenever she told him that she was cold, he would scold her for not paying attention to what she was wearing. At the same time, he would take off his coat and put it on her. However, at this moment, Luke was also wearing sportswear and did not have a jacket on¡­ Luca thought about it and walked over. The rain was not as heavy as before they fell asleep. It should stop raining when tomorrow came. Moreover, her phone was almost dry. In the morning, she could notify Jason and the others toe and help. Luca walked over to him and sat down. Luke pulled her into his arms. Luca was shocked by his action and only spoke after a long time, ¡°Mr. Crawford¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just for tonight. You can¡¯t tell anyone.¡± Luke¡¯s tone was still cold. He would not have embraced her if she were not shivering. Although he was hugging her, his tone was distant. When she heard what he said, she knew that she did not have a reason to lie to herself. ¡°Thank you.¡± Her heart was sore, but she could only thank him. She thanked him for his concern, and at the same time, for his estrangement that let her know that this was not a dream. It was reality. The reality was that even if she could receive the warmth of his body, it did not mean anything. The warmth in his heart belonged only to her former self. Luca leaned into Luke while supported by his strong hands. She could still feel his warmth through their clothes. Her body was warming up bit by bit. Luca turned her head to the side, looked at the hand on her shoulder, and nced at the time. In two hours, it would be dawn¡­ Chapter 1529 Luca leaned against Luke and silently endured the pain she felt in her heart. The scene was what she had dreamed and hoped for countless nights. Now that she was able to curl up beside him, those dreams hade true. However, she was still unhappy. What Luca wanted was not his indifferent attitude. Even though the temperature of his body could warm her body, she was not close to getting the warmth and love from his heart. She initially thought that Luke¡¯s concern toward her was real. However, it seemed that it was all fake. His attitude was cold, and she knew she had no grounds to ask him to treat her warmly. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Get some sleep. It¡¯s going to be dawn soon,¡± Luke said with his eyes closed. Luca did not know how he knew she was not asleep. She leaned against him and closed her eyes. At dawn, the rain stopped. When the rain stopped, the birds in the forest flew out. Luca opened her eyes. When she heard the birds chirping, she knew that the weather was clear. Luca raised her gaze. She wanted to take a look at Luke¡¯s side profile before silently leaving his embrace. After all, she had received his warmth for about two hours. It was enough for her to remember it for a long time. The moment she looked up, she met Luke¡¯s eyes. He had woken up and had been looking at her. ¡°Mr. Crawford, you¡¯re awake¡­¡± Luca stood up immediately but she moved too fast and the pain in her waist shocked her. She frowned and held her waist. Luke noticed her actions and reminded her. ¡°Be careful.¡± After he said that, he took out his phone and tried to turn it on but the phone did not respond. He looked at Luca and asked, ¡°My phone is dead. Can you turn yours on?¡± Luca nodded and looked at the rucksack that she had casually put aside yesterday. She picked it up, opened it, and took out her phone. After she pressed the power button, her phone lit up. ¡°My phone can be used. I¡¯ll notify Mr. Doyle.¡± ¡°Get him to inform the staff and take the cable car up the mountain. Have them clear the rocks,¡± Luke instructed. The staff could only go up the mountain after clearing the rocks in the way. Luca was not in the best situation to go down the mountain. If he carried her down the mountain, it would be fine at first but after a while, it would be too much for his body to bear. The best way was to find someone to clear the rocks on the mountain road. Then, he would carry her up the mountain and they would take the cable car down. Luca nodded. The moment her phone was turned on, she called Jason. The phone rang for a second and was immediately answered. Luca guessed that Jason and Tina were probably going crazy from not being able to get in touch with Luke for one night. ¡°Dr. Craw, is that you?¡± Before she could speak, Jason, who was on the other end of the phone, asked anxiously. ¡°It¡¯s me. Mr. Crawford and I are fine.¡± Luca let them know they were okay to reassure them and then ryed Luke¡¯s words. After Jason heard her, he immediately said, ¡°Okay, stay where you are and don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll make the arrangements right away. Dr. Craw, if your phone has enough battery, can you share your live location?¡± Luca nced at her phone battery and felt bad. ¡°That won¡¯t work. My phone only has 50 percent of battery left. Anyway, we¡¯re not far from the mountain but we don¡¯t know how many rocks there are on the mountain road. Please have the vi¡¯s person in charge bring more workers to clear them up.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll arrange it right away,¡± Jason said and gave Tina a gesture to indicate that the two were fine. Luke took Luca¡¯s phone and said to Jason, ¡°Get a doctor on standby as well.¡± ¡°Doctor? Boss, are you and Dr. Craw injured?¡± Jason was immediately concerned. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Arrange it right away.¡± Luke finished speaking and ended the call. He nced at Luca¡¯s phone and found that her phone seemed a little different from the phones in the market. It was a phone with two front cameras¡­ Luca took her phone and put it in her bag. ¡°Where did you buy this phone? It seems to be of good quality,¡± Luke said. His phone was also drenched in water but her phone could be turned on after a night while his phone was not at all responsive. ¡°A friend helped me make some tweaks to it,¡± Luca held the phone and exined casually. Luke did not say anything. The other side. When he heard the busy tone, Jason quickly hung up and contacted Vi Almira¡¯s person in charge. The person in charge was very frightened when he heard that his big client was stuck on the mountain because of rocks blocking the way and that someone was injured. Although Vi Almira was luxurious, as long as Luke gave an order, it was easy for Vi Almira to be inspected by the relevant departments or even go bankrupt. He immediately arranged for porters and called an ambnce. Half an hourter, the group reached the top of the mountain. Jason pointed them to the right way and said, ¡°It should be this road since it¡¯s covered with rocks. Go down and see what¡¯s going on.¡± He believed that Luke would not fumble around. If he said that there were rocks, there would definitely be rocks and they must be in the way, causing them to not be able to walk on the normal mountain paths. It would exin the current situation¡­ The group went down in a mighty manner, and after they walked for about 200 meters, they began to find some gravel on the steps. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The person in charge looked at the gravel, then turned a corner and saw several rocks blocking the mountain road. The rocks were about half the height of a person, and the other rocks were not small either. ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you to check the area regrly? Why are there so many rocks?¡± The person in charge asked the staff member who was in charge of the scenic spot. ¡°Sir, the rocks may have slipped down from the mountain when it rainedst night.¡± The staff member knew that he was going to be in trouble and quickly exined. Jason knew that this was their negligence. After all, mountain roads as such would usually be checked every two days. The staff probably did not expect this, so they cked off. ¡°These rocks blocked our boss¡¯ way yesterday. How could it have happenedst night¡­¡± Jason uncovered the staff member¡¯s lie. The staff member choked and replied, ¡°It¡¯s been raining these past few days. I don¡¯t know¡ª¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?! I told you to check this area frequently. You must¡¯ve beenzy, so you took joy rides on the cable car instead. That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t notice these rocks. Go and clean them up. Time is of the essence!¡± The person in charge knew that Luke was someone they could not afford to offend, while Jason was not someone who could be fooled by just a few words. Hence, he yelled loudly. When the workers heard him, they immediately began to work. Some were moving the rocks while some were shoveling the rocks to the side. Jason looked at them and sneered, ¡°Sir, it seems that the railings in your scenic spot are quite strong. If there were no railings, the rocks that slid down the mountain would all have gone to the cliff, right?¡± There were railings in the way and the sliding force of the stone steps was not enough, so the rocks landed where they did. Chapter 1530 This incident was the staff member¡¯s fault, and the manager knew that they were in the wrong. He said with a smile, ¡°Vi Almira takes protective measures as such seriously. These stones are an ident. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already got someone to go down with food and water. They¡¯ll look for Mr. Crawford and the others starting from the fork in the road.¡± Jason showed no reaction toward the arrangement, and the manager was stumped. The manager could only urge the porters to move faster when he saw Jason¡¯s temperamental reaction. An hourter, the stones on the mountain road were cleared. Jason looked at the figures in the distance and hurriedly ran down. ¡°Boss.¡± When he got closer, he realized that Luke was carrying Luca. ¡°Dr. Craw, are you alright?¡± Jason asked with concern. He knew that the situation was bad and Tina was in big trouble. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Luca said. She would not have to be carried by Luke if he had not realized that her waist was still hurting. Jason did not know when Luke had started carrying Luca on his back, but he knew that it was tiring to carry someone up the hill. He quickly said, ¡°Boss, why don¡¯t you let me take over? I¡¯ll carry Dr. Craw on my back.¡± He had no other intentions than to ease Luke¡¯s burden. Luke nced at him and replied coldly, ¡°No need.¡± With that said, Luke kept going. When they got to the top of the mountain, Tina saw them and knew that the idea she proposed had caused this trouble. She immediately apologized. ¡°Boss, Dr. Craw, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know things would turn out like this¡­¡± Luca noticed the guilt in Tina¡¯s face. Indeed, if she had not suggested taking two separate paths, she might not have gotten hurt and she would not have been stuck on the mountain for a night. However, the decision to divert from the original mountain path was not made by Luke alone. She had agreed to it as well¡­ Even though she got injured and was shivering cold and starvingst night, it had given her the chance to feel Luke¡¯s body temperature again. Although he was not too warm, his body temperature was enough for her. Luca shook her head to indicate that she was fine. Tina still felt guilty and med herself. After she saw Luke put Luca down, she immediately stepped forward to help. ¡°Take the cable car down the mountain and send her to the hospital for a check-up,¡± Luke immediately ordered them. The manager did not dare to dy for another second. After all, Luca had an ident in Vi Almira. If Luke wanted to make a big fuss, Vi Almira would be the party to suffer. He agreed immediately and arranged for them to go down the mountain by cable car. Under the manager¡¯s arrangement, the ambnce had already arrived and was waiting at the foot of the mountain. Just as Luca stepped out of the cable car, she was carried into an ambnce. Tina looked at Luke and said, ¡°Boss, I want to tag along with the ambnce and take care of Dr. Craw.¡± She was the one who came up with the idea, so she would take full responsibility for what had happened. Luke nodded and Tina left with the ambnce. Several of T Corporation¡¯s employees started gossiping when they saw this. Luke nced at the employees and left on a sightseeing car. Instead of following Luca to the hospital, he chose to return to the hotel. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Even so, it still led to a mountain of gossip. After all, Luca and Luke had spent the night together in the mountains. Jenni listened to the gossip and felt furious. She immediately took out her phone and texted Tia. She told her everything that had happened in the past two days. She had gotten closer to Tia but she did not consider her a friend. After all, the other party did not regard her as a friend either and just wanted to use her to find out more about Luke. Tia and Jenni both liked Luke, so Jenni shared the information that she deemed fit. She did not want to tell Tia everything that had happened yesterday as she did not want to be harassed by Tia and have her ruin her vacation. However, she could not hold back the jealousy she felt in her heart when she thought of how the two had spent a night in the deep mountains. She even heard from the staff that Luke had carried Luca up the mountain. She ended up telling Tia everything. She worked for T Corporation but she was not Luca¡¯s boss, so there was nothing she could do. She left it to Tia to deal with Luca. ¡°Ms. Lynn, what¡¯s the matter with you? Why do you look so mad?¡± Zoey was a little slow and did not know about Jenni¡¯s intense feelings for Luke. She knew that Jenni was interested in Luke but what she did not expect was that her feelings for him were so strong. Jenni snapped out of it and subconsciously held her phone tighter. She did not want Zoey to see her texts to Tia. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just envy Dr. Craw for being able to get the boss¡¯ attention,¡± she smiled and said. Zoey felt weird when she heard Jenni¡¯s reply. Then, she thought about it. Many people in thepany adored Luke, but Jenni did not seem that keen on the surface. She thought that Jenni probably envied Luca for having the opportunity to be alone with Luke. ¡®Them spending a night alone doesn¡¯t mean anything, right?¡¯ The entire T Corporation and A City knew that their boss had a soft spot for Bianca. Although time could change certain things, at least until now, she had never seen Luke so eager toward anyone. ¡°Dr. Craw is injured. The boss is just making sure that his employees are taken care of.¡± Zoey comforted her. Zoey knew that Jenni was jealous but she still had to say something to appease her no matter what she thought of the situation. Jenni snorted coldly and walked toward the hotel. On the other hand. Luca was taken to the hospital by ambnce. After taking a CT scan and DR, the doctor confirmed that there was no bone fracture. Her muscles were injured but they would heal after a few days of rest. As soon as Tina heard that Luca had no major issues, her uneasy mood finally rxed a little. She left and returned with the medicine. She helped Luca walk out of the hospital. ¡°Dr. Craw, I¡¯m d that you¡¯re alright. Otherwise, I¡¯d have died of guilt.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault,¡± Luca said. Tina knew that Luca was just being nice. She was relieved that Luca was not pursuing the matter further. She hurriedly stopped a taxi and they went back to the hotel together. After they got in the car, Tina updated Jason about Luca¡¯s condition. After Jason received Tina¡¯s text, he immediately reported the situation to Luke and told him that Luca¡¯s injury was not that serious. Luke sat there and looked at hisptop screen. He kept silent. Jason thought he was distracted and did not hear him, so he called out to Luke again, ¡°Boss?¡± ¡°I heard you.¡± Luke¡¯s eyes still did not shift from theputer screen. Jason nced at theputer screen. It was an old photo of Bianca. Considering Luke¡¯s reaction, he knew that Luke was thinking of her again¡­ He shook his head and walked out quietly. He knew that it was best to give Luke some space. He counted and it had been three years since Bianca was kidnapped and she disappeared. He was not confident that they could find her. Even if they did, she might have been tortured and lost her sense of self¡­ Chapter 1531 Luke knew that Jason was gone but he maintained the same position. He sat there and stared at the laptop screen. His mind was full of memories fromst night and what had happened in the past. They were different things but the memories were ovepping with each other. It was messy. Everyone sang with different vocalization patterns. Differentnguages would lead to different vocalizations as well. He thought of the tone of the song Luca sangst night. The more he thought about it, the more the tone sounded like Bianca¡¯s vocals. Luke raised his hand to cover his forehead. He was overthinking, and his thoughts were everywhere¡­ If a person deliberately tried to imitate another person, they would try to sound simr to their target. He was confused because with Luca, there were some differences in the simrities. ¡°Luca, who the hell are you¡­¡± Luke muttered to himself. On the other hand. Luca took a taxi back to the hotel. Tina was still being cautious around her. She was not willing to leave until she helped Luca back to the hotel room. After the door was closed, Luca breathed a sigh of relief. Tina was tense and treated Luca like she was a pregnant woman. She was told to be careful with every step she took. There was no fracture in her lumbar spine, which meant that things were not too bad. Luca walked into the bathroom with a change of clothes, took a shower, and then walked out of the bathroom. She applied the medicine prescribed by the doctor and theny down on the bed. She picked up her phone and connected it to the charging cable. When she turned it on earlier that morning, she did not check her missed calls because she knew that the missed calls were from Tina and Jason, who were anxious to find her and Luke. She finally had the time to look through her notifications now. She unlocked her phone and took a look. Among the missed calls from Tina and Jason, Amur had also been calling. Luca hurriedly called him back. The phone rang four or five times before it was answered. If Amur answered, it meant that all was well. Luca breathed a sigh of relief and asked, ¡°Amur, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Why did you turn off your phonest night?¡± Amur did not talk about himself but asked about her instead. When he called for the first timest night, he was informed that her phone was switched off. Amur continued to call for half an hour but Luca never answered the phone, so he eventually fell asleep. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°I was trapped in a scenic spot yesterday while it was raining. My phone got wet and couldn¡¯t be turned on,¡± Luca said. Amur sighed and replied, ¡°What happened?¡± He was worried all night and thought that something was wrong. After all, Luca was not safe by Luke¡¯s side. Luca exined briefly, ¡°Yesterday, I was thinking about going for a hike but I didn¡¯t expect it to rain when I was on the way up. I spent a night halfway up the mountain. I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry. What happened to you?¡± She subconsciously skipped past what had happened with Luke and did not tell him that she was injured. She thought of Amur as family, so she did not want him to worry about her. ¡°No, I just wanted to tell you that I¡¯m going back tonight. Don¡¯te looking for me. If I have a chance, I¡¯ll call you to let you know that I¡¯m safe,¡± Amur said. When Luca heard that, her heart clenched into a ball. ¡°You haven¡¯t healed from your injury yet but you have to head off so soon?¡± The fact that he was injured so badly meant that the mission was difficult. He had yet to recover but he needed to continue with the mission. She was worried that he would get hurt again. ¡°You stitched me up well and it has started to scab. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Amur did not want to tell her about this but he was worried that she would not be able to find him when she needed him. He told her so that she would not look for him blindly. Luca knew that she could not be of help to him for this matter, so she said, ¡°You have to take care of yourself, pay attention to your safety, and don¡¯t bite off more than what you can chew¡­¡± ¡°Will do.¡± Amur nced at hispanion, who gestured to him to indicate that they were ready to go. He nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯m about to leave. Don¡¯t get involved in this. When your trip is over, go back to A City and wait for me toe back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Luca agreed. After she put down the phone, she opened herptop. Although Amur had told her not to get involved in the matter, she still wanted to know where he was heading. She found Amur¡¯s phone signal through the software and watched the signal move little by little. The speed changed from slow to fast. She guessed that he was on the road. Luca continued to track the signal. The tracking program could not be interrupted because once it was interrupted, it would be difficult to continue tracking. There were so many signals, so it was easy to get confused. Luca remembered the address and knew that Amur had not set off, which was why she could track him. There was a knock on the door. Luca nced at theptop screen, casually ced theptop on the bed, and walked to the door. Tina was standing outside the door. Tina held two bags in her hand and said with a smile, ¡°Dr. Craw, I thought that you might not want to go down to eat so I got some takeaway for you. Let¡¯s eat together?¡± Luca nced at theptop screen that had its back facing the door and nodded. After all, Tina was taking the initiative to have a meal with her. Luca did not want to turn her down, so she let her into her room. Tina was not Luke. Rtively speaking, she was easier to control and manage. Tina walked in with the bags and saw Luca¡¯sptop on the bed. She asked curiously, ¡°Dr. Craw, you brought yourptop with you on the trip?¡± ¡°Sometimes some dataes to mind, so it¡¯s easier for me to keep track of them,¡± Luca exined as she sat on the sofa. Her actions subconsciously guided Tina to sit on the sofa and open the bag. ¡°You¡¯re working too hard. It¡¯s quite heavy to travel with aptop.¡± Tina opened the takeaway boxes one by one. ¡°It¡¯s not too bad. I put it in my suitcase, so I don¡¯t need to carry it,¡± Luca said as she helped Tina open the takeaway boxes. Tina did not know what Luca liked to eat, so she bought everything she could think of. Anyway, all of the meals were paid for by thepany, so the hotel would prepare whatever she wanted. Luca ate with her. After the meal, Tina said, ¡°Dr. Craw, where¡¯s the medicine prescribed to you by the hospital? I¡¯ll apply it for you.¡± ¡°No worries, I just applied it after I took a shower.¡± Seeing that Tina did not intend to leave, Luca yawned for fear that Tina would stay by her side all afternoon. Tina was concerned and asked, ¡°Are you sleepy?¡± ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t sleep well on the mountainst night. I¡¯m a little sleepy.¡± Luca rubbed her eyes and pretended to be sleepy. She got sufficient sleep the night before except for the hour or so that she woke up from the cold. When she was in Luke¡¯s arms, she fell asleep peacefully again. She was only pretending to be sleepy to make Tina leave. Sure enough, when Tina heard her saying she was sleepy, she immediately packed up the things on the table and stood up. She said, ¡°I won¡¯t disturb your rest, then. I¡¯ll bring you food again tonight.¡± Chapter 1532 Hearing that, Luca immediately said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll head down for dinner tonight.¡± Tina nodded and repeated the doctor¡¯s words. ¡°Alright then, Dr. Craw. Don¡¯t do strenuous exercise and rest more so that you don¡¯t burden the muscles in your waist.¡± ¡°Mm, got it.¡± Luca nodded. After Tina left, shey on the bed, put theptop aside, and watched the tracking program run. She noticed that Amur was headed toward the border. The mission that Abel gave him was probably rted to the border trade. Luca thought of the drugs that Abel had instructed Amur to snatch on the ck market in New York and how Amur was currently heading toward the border. She knew that there was something illegal going on¡­ She clenched her fists at the thought of Abel putting Amur in danger¡­ If Amur¡¯s n failed, he would be one of the world¡¯s most wanted criminals. Luca yawned as she looked at the moving red dots. Amur would not arrive at his destination so quickly, so she could still get some sleep. She sat up, took the oral medicine prescribed by the doctor, and then fell asleep. When she woke up again, theputer made a faint warning sound, which was the prompt that the tracking signal was no longer moving around too much. Luca opened her eyes and immediately sat up to check it after she realized that Amur might have reached his destination. She looked at the coordinates disyed on theputer screen, picked up her phone, and opened the map to check. Surely enough, he was at the border. Moreover, the location was full of trees and the altitude was not high. The woods were the best ce to carry out illegal trade. Luca sighed. If this continued, she would not be able to protect Amur¡¯s life. When they were on the Ind of Despair, she had some value to Abel and she could use it to ensure the safety of Eler and Amur. Since she had left the Ind of Despair, she was merely a chess piece and Abel still had something on her¡­ At night, Luca noticed that Amur¡¯s coordinates remained the same. She silently jotted down the coordinates, exited the software, and deleted the history. She just wanted to know where Amur was. She did not intend to put him in harm¡¯s way. After Luca got everything done, she changed and went downstairs for dinner. The ointment and painkillers prescribed by the doctor were very effective. She could walk briskly to the restaurant. She deliberately arrived at the restaurant half an hourte when there were not many people around. Luca ordered some spaghetti, found a corner seat, and sat down. She enjoyed her food in peace. After a while, a person sat down opposite her. Luca looked up and saw Jenni. She smiled at the other party, nodded, and considered that as a greeting. Jenni did not think so. She snorted coldly in her heart when she saw Luca¡¯s reaction. ¡®All she did is hook up with Luke to get to the position that she¡¯s in. Who is she to act so coldly toward me?¡¯ ¡°Dr. Craw, are you feeling better?¡± Jenni asked, hiding the dissatisfaction in her heart. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°I¡¯m feeling much better now. Thank you for checking in.¡± Luca was aware of the contempt in Jenni¡¯s heart but she was more than happy to go along with the pretense since the other party was pretending to care. ¡°I¡¯m happy to hear. The boss was so worried about you.¡± Jenni probed as she put her phone with the recording function turned on on the table. She wanted to lure Luca into confessing her rtionship with Luke. ¡°Oh, is that so? Thank you for your concern.¡± Luca¡¯s reply did not seem to be thanking Luke but Jenni. Jenni also realized that. She pursed her lips and did not believe that she could not get Luca to spill the beans. ¡°By the way, did you go up the mountain with the boss yesterday? I saw you getting cramps when you swam and thought you didn¡¯t like sports. I didn¡¯t expect you to go hiking.¡± Luca understood what she was trying to imply. ¡®She must think that I look like I don¡¯t like sports and the sole reason I went hiking was because of Luke.¡¯ ¡°I like sports, except for swimming. Tina asked me to go along for the hike. I thought it¡¯d be a waste if I didn¡¯t get to enjoy the beauty of nature during this wonderful time. By the way, the scenery on the mountain is very beautiful. You can take advantage of the trip and check it out. The climb is not too difficult,¡± Luca said. The hike was nothing for her. Things would have been great if it were not for the rocks blocking the road on their way up, her fall, and the rain that followed. Jenni¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®She likes sports? Didn¡¯t she go all out just to bump into Luke?¡¯ ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s the case. You and Tina nned to climb the mountain together? How did you end up with the boss? We all thought you went up the mountain with the boss,¡± Jenni said deliberately. ¡°We bumped into the boss and Mr. Doyle at the foot of the mountain, so we went hiking together. Later, I proposed to have apetition. The boss and Dr. Craw teamed up and the two of them got stuck on the mountain after that. This is what happened. Do you have any other questions?¡± Tina sat down and answered on behalf of Luca. Jenni was taken back. She smiled and said, ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s what happened. I was curious as to why Dr. Craw went on a hike with you and ended up being trapped on the mountain with the boss. Tina, why weren¡¯t you on the same team as Dr. Craw? You chose to go with Mr. Doyle. Do you¡­¡± Tina¡¯s expression was stern when she heard what Jenni was implying. ¡°How dare you say such a thing?¡± Jenni looked at her darkened expression and was slightly offended. She said what she said out of anger and did not expect Tina to take it so seriously. Except for those who were a little older, the female employees in T Corporation were all interested in Luke. Jenni knew about all of them, and Tina was the only exception. She suspected that Tina was not interested in Luke but was interested in Jason as they had been working together for a while. However, everyone knew that Jason had a wife and children, so it was likely that Tina had been keeping it a secret. ¡°No, I¡¯m just joking. Don¡¯t take it seriously.¡± Jenni was afraid that Tina would go after her, so she responded quickly. It would be Tina¡¯s problem if she was still angry. ¡°Jenni, be mindful of what you say. If I hear gossip in thepany, you know what I¡¯ll do.¡± Tina was Luke¡¯s subordinate, so other department managers could not touch her. She was not afraid of Jenni, and neither did she think much of Jenni. ¡°I¡¯m just joking, Tina. Don¡¯t be angry.¡± Jenni saw how serious Tina was. No matter how upset she was, she did not dare to say another word. She stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯m full. Enjoy your meal. ¡° Seeing Jenni leave, Tina said disdainfully, ¡°Ugh, those with dirty thoughts can make anything dirty.¡± Chapter 1533 Luca kept quiet. She noticed Jenni¡¯s admiration for Luke. Jealousy arose in her heart because of the admiration, so she spoke without thinking upon being triggered. Luca did not make anyment and continued eating her pasta with her head down. Seeing her act as if nothing had happened, Tina sighed in her heart. Jenni¡¯s words were triggering but Luca was still calm. Tina was impressed¡­ She was impressed by her good temper¡­ Luca took a sip of the juice and wiped her mouth. ¡°Tina, don¡¯t be angry. She won¡¯t dare to talk nonsense again after this time.¡± Luca was aware of human nature. Jenni acted out of jealousy but would never dare to gossip about Tina. As for Tina and Jason, she believed that they were innocent. Jason was a wonderful husband who could give Sue a stable and safe life¡­ Of course, the premise of that stable life was that Bailey Quarrington was not present. Luca took a few more bites and felt that she was almost full. Tina saw this and said enviously, ¡°Dr. Craw, you have such a small appetite. You won¡¯t gain weight no matter what you eat, right?¡± ¡°I usually eat quite a lot. I just don¡¯t have an appetite today,¡± Luca exined. Tina was nervous when she heard that Luca had no appetite. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there something wrong with your body? Do you want to ask the doctor toe and have a look at you?¡± Seeing how nervous she was, Luca shook her head and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m just not used to the food here. I¡¯ll head off now.¡± Tina wanted to have a chat with Luca but she thought that she needed rest and did not ask her to stay. Luca put the dinner te in the recycling area and left the restaurant. When she walked to the elevator, she happened to bump into Luke. ¡°Mr. Crawford, good evening.¡± She could not pretend to not see him since they had bumped into each other, so she took the initiative to say hello. ¡°Mm.¡± Luke nodded and noticed that she came from the restaurant. He asked casually, ¡°You had your dinner?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Luca nodded, and the elevator reached their floor. She took a look at the other elevators. None of them had reached, so she had no choice but to step in with Luke. As the elevator doors slowly closed, Luca swiped the room card and pressed the elevator button. Luke also swiped his room card and pressed for his floor. Luca noticed that Luke¡¯s suite was on the floor above hers. The decoration of the hotel was gorgeous, even inside the elevator. The elevator was spacious. He stood in the center of the elevator while she automatically stood in the corner of the elevator. She had to remind herself the entire time that what had happened that night on the mountain was just a coincidence. She and Luke would not have a bright future together, nor would they get their fairy tale ending.N?velDrama.Org content rights. Luca took a peek at Luke¡¯s side profile. She was grateful that she had the chance to be with him in the past. ¡°Is your brother still in B City?¡± Luke suddenly asked. Luca came back to her senses and nodded. Even though Luke was not looking at her, he could still see her movements through the elevator mirror. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s still in City B.¡± She guessed that if Luke had gotten someone to monitor her, he must have also found someone to monitor Amur. Although Luke¡¯s men may not be able to track Amur, he should be aware if Amur had left B City. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, why don¡¯t you go meet him?¡± Luke asked. Luca was speechless. Except for the first night when she secretly went to see Amur, she had no other time to see him. Firstly, it was because she nearly drowned. Secondly, she was being watched by him. Thirdly, she was trapped on a mountain for a night. Luke thought of something and said, ¡°Yes, you didn¡¯t have a chance before but we¡¯ll be going back in a few days. You should hang out with him. Siblings should care for each other.¡± ¡°Mm, I will. Thank you for your concern.¡± Luca was at a loss. ¡®What does Luke mean by saying this? ¡®Could it be that his men found out what Amur is doing?¡¯ When the elevator reached her floor, Luca hurried past Luke and walked out. Luke frowned at Luca¡¯s hurried pace. ¡®Is she walking so fast because she¡¯s afraid that I¡¯ll follow her?¡¯ That night on the mountain, she leaned against him when she felt cold but her attitude was not as cold¡­ He still remembered her reliance on him and the warmth he felt with her in his arms¡­ Luke watched as the elevator doors slowly closed. Luca had already turned a corner and disappeared before his eyes. His gaze was distant. Late at night. Luke sat on the sofa in the guest room and processed some documents. Out of the blue, he received a call from thewyer who was helping Allison. He answered the call. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± he asked. ¡°Mr. Crawford, where are you now? Ms. Tanner wants to see you tomorrow.¡± Thewyer conveyed Allison¡¯s message. Luke frowned and said, ¡°I¡¯m not in A City right now. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ When are youing back?¡± Thewyer asked without answering his question. ¡°Give it to me straight.¡± Luke¡¯s attitude was not the best as he was dissatisfied with thewyer¡¯s hesitant attitude. Thewyer was afraid that Luke would not talk to him if he knew that the call was about Allison, so he went around in circles. He noticed that Luke hated it so he said, ¡°Ms. Tanner expressed dissatisfaction toward the stic surgeon that you arranged for her. She¡¯s saying that the drugs are not working well and asked to see you.¡± Luke could not help but get impatient when he heard how Allison was making a big fuss because of her face. She had no one but herself to me for what had happened to her face but she was causing trouble for everyone around her¡­ ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll let you know when I get back,¡± Luke said. ¡°Mr. Crawford, it¡¯s best if you can finish your trip sooner¡­¡± Seeing that Luke did not give any timeline, thewyer said hesitantly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Luke asked. ¡°Ms. Tanner said that if you don¡¯t see her soon, she¡¯ll kill herself in prison.¡± Thewyer told him about Allison¡¯s threat. Although one was not allowed to bring dangerous items into prison, there would always be a way for the prisoners tomit suicide if they wanted to. ¡°I don¡¯t think Ms. Tanner is joking. The doctor at the prison gave her a psychological evaluation and commented that her current psychological condition is very poor,¡± thewyer said. He thought that Luke would not let her be no matter how rough their rtionship was, considering that she was his biological mother. ¡°Got it,¡± Luke said. Listening to his indifferent tone, thewyer did not know what to say and ended the call silently. Not long after he hung up the call, Johann also called Luke. The moment Luke answered the call, he comined, ¡°Luke, your mother is a lunatic!¡± Chapter 1534 Luke listened to his usation and it sounded like Johann was wronged. He raised his brows and asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Johann heard his indifferent tone and picked his nails. He was extremely doubtful about Luke being Allison¡¯s biological son. One was strange while the other was indifferent. They were like old enemies, nothing at all like how a mother-son pair would be like with one another. Johann even wondered if Luke was abused by Allison when he was a child, which caused his personality to be the way it was now. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you everything over the phone. End your trip ande back as soon as you can. I can¡¯t take it anymore.¡± Johann sounded a little grumpy on the other end of the phone. It was highly likely due to Allison. Luke leaned on the sofa and said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯lle back tomorrow.¡± When Johann heard his reply, he urged Luke. ¡°Bring Dr. Craw back with you. She needs Dr. Craw¡¯s help in this situation.¡± Luke asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t inform her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t dare to contact Dr. Craw privately seeing how easily you get jealous,¡± Johann blurted out his words without thinking much about them. After he said that, he wondered if he was being too straightforward and if Luke would refute him. Just as he was thinking about that, the other party spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll book our tickets ande back with her.¡± Johann whistled and replied, ¡°Okay,e back as early as you can tomorrow. The airport is rtively close to the prison, so you can arrange it with thewyer and see her tomorrow. I¡¯m fed up with her.¡± Luke did not press on about what had happened when he heard Johann¡¯sints. Allison was good at torturing others, including himself. If he asked, he would never hear the end of it from Johann. That was why he did not continue talking and hung up when the time was right. Luke called Jason. ¡°I¡¯m going back to A City with Dr. Craw ahead of everyone. Please book our tickets,¡± he said. Jason heard his words and asked, ¡°Okay, Mr. Crawford. What time do you prefer?¡± ¡°The sooner the better.¡± Luke hung up the phone as soon as he finished speaking. He knew that Jason would handle it. He picked up the phone and called Luca after that. The phone rang several times before Luca answered. ¡°Mr. Crawford.¡± The voice on the other end of the phone was cold. Luke heard it and lowered his gaze. He could not figure her out. ¡°Pack up ande back to A City with me tomorrow.¡± ¡®Back to A City?¡¯ Luca was stunned. If she remembered correctly, there were still a few days left to their trip¡­ ¡°Mr. Crawford, is something wrong?¡± she asked softly and tried to figure out what was going on. Luke did not answer her question directly because he was also not too sure about what was going on with Allison. He replied, ¡°I need your help with something.¡± ¡°Okay, what time are we departing?¡± Luca did not continue to ask. It did not matter to her whether she was in B City or A City. She was just happy to know that Amur was safe. ¡°Mr. Doyle will let you know when he has booked the tickets,¡± Luke said. ¡°Okay.¡± Luca hung up the call. Regardless of Luke¡¯s intentions, she put her phone aside and started packing. He asked her to head back to help, so she guessed that it was probably rted to Allison. The condition of Allison¡¯s face was so bad. It was a tricky job for anyone involved. Luca did not have much luggage. It took her 15 minutes to pack everything. She nced at the tracking signal on theptop screen, picked up her phone, and updated Amur about the situation. She put her laptop away, ate some medication to help her sleep, andy in bed. After a while, Jason called her. He had booked a seven o¡¯clock flight for the next morning. It would take an hour or so to get to the airport, so she had to get up at four o¡¯clock in the morning. After she was informed of the departure time, Luca set the rm clock, put the phone aside to charge, and fell asleep. She did not sleep well. Even though she had taken the medication, she still woke up several times throughout the night because of the pain from her lower back. At half-past three, the rm clock went off on time. Luca sat up and looked like she did not get enough sleep. However, when she thought about how she would have to catch a flight shortly, she immediately got up, changed, and packed up. She then pushed her luggage downstairs. Luke and Jason were already waiting downstairs. There was only one suitcase. She guessed that Jason would have to stay here to preside over the trip. Luca quickly walked over. She apologized when she saw that the two were waiting for her. ¡°Sorry, I got upte.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Luke said and walked out. Luca followed behind with her luggage. After she woke up, she applied the medicine to her injury. She was on an empty stomach and did not take painkillers, so her waist was still aching. However, the pain was bearable. The three got into the car. Jason was in the driver¡¯s seat while Luke was in the backseat with her. After more than an hour¡¯s journey, Luca was already exhausted from sitting but she just held on and did not speak. After Jason parked the car, he helped the two of them with their luggage. After he passed Luke the flight tickets. He said, ¡°Boss, Dr. Craw, these are your flight tickets. I¡¯ll head back first.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Luke took both tickets and held them in his hands. Luca was a little embarrassed, so she reached her hand out but eventually retracted it silently. ¡®Does Luke not realize that he¡¯s holding onto my ticket?¡¯ Luca was a little upset. She pushed the suitcase and went to check in with Luke. ¡°Mr. Crawford, my ticket¡­¡± There were quite a few people boarding their flight. She asked him when they should go wait in line. Luke nced at the ticket that he was holding onto and then nced at Luca. ¡°I¡¯ll hold onto it for you¡­¡± Luca was speechless. He said it as though he thought she was careless¡­ She looked at the two flight tickets he was holding in his hand and thought that Luke seemed like he was worried that she would run away with the ticket¡­ All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Luca was not sure why she thought that. All she knew was that Luke was indeed acting a little differently from how he did in the past. She held the suitcase with one hand and held her waist with the other. When they got to the front of the line, Luke checked in his luggage, stood aside, and handed the other ticket to Luca. Under his watch, Luca checked in her luggage. After they checked in, the two of them walked together. Before they checked in their luggage, Luca had ced her rucksack on top of her suitcase. Now, she could only carry her rucksack on her back. Carrying her rucksack was a burden on her lower back. She secretly dealt with the pain and walked forward. Luke noticed her actions and carried her rucksack for her without saying a word. Chapter 1535 ¡°Mr. Crawford?¡± Luca was taken aback. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hurt? I¡¯ll help you.¡± Luke lifted the shoulder straps of the rucksack. He motioned for her to put it down and let him carry it. Luca felt a little embarrassed that a man who was more than a head taller than her was going to carry her rucksack for her. She looked like an elementary school student who was being bullied. She could not walk properly if she had to carry her rucksack, so she gave up fighting back and put down her rucksack. Luke carried her rucksack and walked off. Luca followed beside him. He held his briefcase in his left hand and her rucksack in his right. Even so, it did not affect his mighty aura. Everyone at the airport was looking at him. Luke carried the rucksack in his hand for a moment before carrying it on his back. He was wearing a suit with a women¡¯s rucksack hanging on his shoulders. It looked out of ce¡­ Luca was thinking about carrying it herself. However, considering Luke¡¯s temperament, she would not be able to go against him if he insisted on carrying it. She gave up. Jason had booked them first-ss tickets. After waiting in the VIP area for a while, they were informed that they could board the ne. Their seats on the ticket were side by side. Luca had already known about it, so she was not surprised. After all, the tickets were booked at the same time and it was in the first-ss cabin so it made sense that their seats were next to each other. When she found her seat and sat down, she watched Luke help her put her rucksack away. Luca sighed silently in her heart. At that moment, they looked like a couple who were going on a trip together¡­ It was just that¡­ they were not a couple¡­ After Luke sat in his seat, he told Luca, ¡°It¡¯ll take two hours for us to arrive. Adjust your seat and get some sleep.¡± Luca nodded. Sleeping could ease all of her emotions and even reduce the need formunication. What was more, with Luke around, she could fall asleep easily¡­ Luca adjusted the seat to afortable angle and closed her eyes. After a while, she fell asleep. When the ne took off, the flight attendant brought them their meals. Luke nced at the sleeping woman beside him. After he ordered breakfast for her, he also asked the flight attendant for a clean nket. When the flight attendant heard that, she immediately brought him a nket. Luke took the nket and ced it gently on Luca. His movements were light, and he did not wake Luca. ¡°Sir, would you and your wife like something to drink?¡± The flight attendant was envious when she saw him being so attentive and considerate toward Luca. She had been working as a flight attendant for a long while and had seen all kinds of passengers. It was rare that someone as handsome as Luke would treat his femalepanion so gently. The flight attendant was envious. She would quit her job if she could find a man like him. ¡®It¡¯s a dream to be taken care of for my entire life by such a man.¡¯ ¡°One cup of milk and one cup of coffee,¡± Luke said. He did not get much sleep as well and needed a cup of coffee to wake himself up. As for Luca, she was injured and should not drink coffee. ¡°Okay.¡± The flight attendant immediately poured them some coffee and milk. Luke took the cups and put the milk on Luca¡¯s side. Seeing how cautious Luke was, the flight attendant looked at him a few more times with envy in her eyes. She finally left after other passengers asked for her. Luca was asleep and dreaming. In her dream, she saw Luke standing on the mountain. Behind him was the abyss¡­ Luca looked at the man¡¯s sad expression in her dream and felt his desperation. She shook her head and wanted to persuade the man toe back but Luke did not speak. Half of his foot was already hanging on the edge of the cliff. He did not speak, and his eyes were filled with questions. It was as if he was questioning her on why she lied to him¡­ The dream felt real. Luca cried out and shouted sadly at the man on the edge of the cliff, ¡°I don¡¯t want this either¡­ Luke, don¡¯t do this,e back. We¡¯ll be fine¡­¡± Luke listened to her words with a disappointed look on his face, then he turned around and jumped¡­ Luca wailed, ¡°Luke¡­¡± Luke heard Luca¡¯s call and turned his head to look at her. Her eyes were still tightly closed and she was still sleeping¡­ N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. At that moment, Luca continued to babble, ¡°Luke, don¡¯t¡­ Luke¡­¡± Her voice was soft but Luke was close enough to hear her. She was calling out to him¡­ It felt as though Luke suffered a blow to his heart when he heard her. Three yearster, he had not heard any news about Bianca. However, Bianca¡¯s frowns and smiles filled his mind. They left a deep impression that he could never forget. The woman in front of him who was babbling in her dream sounded the same as when Bianca babbled while dreaming. The difference was that most of Bianca¡¯s rambles previously were ravings of happiness, while Luca sounded terribly sad¡­ ¡®Is she dreaming of something sad?¡¯ When a person talked in their sleep, they were in their most undisguised state. Luke listened to her calling out to him and a familiar feeling arose in his heart. If Luca was deliberately imitating Bianca¡¯s behavior to get close to him¡­ There was no way she could sound so simr when she was dreaming¡­ Luke looked at her sleeping face. Luca had a slight frown as if she was going through a lot of pain. When he looked closely, he could see that tears had fallen from the corners of her eyes¡­ Luke could not bear to not take action seeing how sad she was. He nced at the time and found that there was still about half an hour before the ne wouldnd at the airport in A City. It was the perfect time to wake her up. ¡°Dr. Craw.¡± Luke nudged her slightly. Luca was a light sleeper who woke up after a gentle push. She looked at Luke with a dazed look in her eyes. ¡°Mr. Crawford?¡± She had not snapped out of the grief from her dream. Luke nodded and said, ¡°There¡¯s still half an hour until we arrive at A City. This is the breakfast provided by the airline. Have some food.¡± Luca looked at the breakfast on the table and nodded. She tore a piece of bread and silently recalled the details of the dream from just now. In the dream, Luke was extremely disappointed with her and jumped off a cliff. No matter how she called out to him and tried to exin the situation, the man still disappeared in front of her forever¡­ She was left alone on the edge of the cliff, crying while calling his name¡­ Luca knew it was a dream and wanted to manipte the contents of the dream. She even thought of making Luke appear again. Although she knew it was a dream, she had no control over it. Even right before Luca woke up, she still did not see Luke return from the cliff¡­ She wiped the corners of her eyes and found that they were a little wet¡­ She was crying¡­ ¡®Did I say anything when I was dreaming?¡¯ Chapter 1536 Luca took a bite of the bread and nced at the man beside her. His face was expressionless and cold. There seemed to be no fluctuations in his mood¡­ She suddenly regretted going to sleep¡­ Luca knew that she had the habit of talking in her sleep. She was afraid that he had heard her say something just now¡­ It was not the best idea to ask him whether he heard anything. Since Luke did not say anything, she would just pretend that she did not know anything¡­ Half an hourter, the nended safely at A City Airport. When the two dragged their luggage out of the airport, they saw Zander waiting at the gate. Jason had arranged for this and Luca knew about it. As Luke¡¯s special assistant, Jason had everything nned out. Zander saw theming out. He respectfully walked over and said, ¡°Young Master Luke, Ms. Luca, good morning.¡± ¡°Good morning, Zander.¡± Luca had a good impression of the Crawford family¡¯s driver and greeted him with a small smile. Zander returned the smile and put their suitcases in the car. Luke and Luca got into the car. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Zander asked, ¡°Young Master Luke, are you going back to the office, Crawford Manor, or somewhere else?¡± ¡°We¡¯re heading to the prison,¡± Luke said. Zander responded and started the car. He knew that they were going to the prison to visit Allison. Jason had not notified Zander of the reason prior to this. He wondered why Luke came back so early and he now understood that it was because of Allison¡­ Luke, who had a sessful career, was in an unimaginable situation for having a mother like Allison. Zander drove them to the prison. With Jason¡¯s driving skills, Johann and thewyer did not have to wait for too long. Johann whistled when he saw Luca and Luke get out of the car. ¡°You¡¯re finally here! Dr. Craw, good morning. Sorry to have you run around so early in the morning.¡± Luca smiled and shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for someone¡¯s mother being too difficult to deal with, I would never take up your vacation time. How was B City? Was it fun?¡± Johann asked. Allison had made him feel helpless for thest couple of days. When he talked about the matter, he could not help but be a little enigmatic. ¡°Not bad.¡± Luca noticed the wound on Johann¡¯s face and asked, ¡°Dr. Park, what happened to your face?¡± ¡°Ms. Tanner scratched me with her fingernails.¡± Johann touched his face. The day prior, Allison was extremely dissatisfied with his treatment n and harmed him physically. He was caught off guard. Even though Allison was eventually held down by the prison guard, his face was still scratched. Fortunately, the wound was not deep and would not leave scars on his handsome face. However, he was very annoyed to be in this situation. His medical skills and reputation were top-notch. No patient had ever dared to treat him like this¡­ Luca nced at the wound on his face. It was not too deep and would heal in two days. She asked, ¡°What¡¯s the deal with Ms. Tanner?¡± Johann rolled his eyes at Luke. He felt that it was not fair that he had to treat Allison while Luke went on vacation. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? She can¡¯t ept the reality that her face can¡¯t be restored to its original state,¡± he said and nced at thewyer. ¡°You remember how I rmended a doctor to her? The doctor told her the truth during a face-to-face consultation about how her face can¡¯t be repaired. She wouldn¡¯t ept it and yelled at the doctor. The doctor refused to grant me this favor, so¡­¡± Johann touched his face. ¡®So¡­ the bad luck came to me.¡¯ Luke frowned as he listened to Johann¡¯s words. ¡°That doctor won¡¯t operate on her?¡± ¡°Yeah, he told her frankly that no matter the method, it won¡¯t work. It¡¯s too difficult. Oh yes, the doctor also said that this kind of damage is permanent and can¡¯t be repaired. He asked her to ept the reality of things.¡± Johann told Luke everything that the doctor said to him. Luke did not expect that the doctor would be unwilling to cooperate. All he had to do was give Allison a sleeping pill, send her to the operating table, and wait for some time to pass. ¡°Yeah, it makes sense for him to say that. It¡¯s irreversible damage. There¡¯s no point deceiving her and giving her false hope. It¡¯s better to tell her the truth earlier so that she won¡¯t expect things to get back to normal. The best option for her is to take her medicine on time and prevent her skin from getting worse,¡± Johann said. Luca nced at Luke, who was frowning as if he was troubled by what Johann had said. The stic surgeon they found was a first-ss doctor in the industry. There was nothing they could do if even he was not willing to fool Allison. Allison was not a fool either. She certainly would not trust other doctors to cure her face. Based on the current situation, Allison would not agree to meet any doctor if they were not famous¡­ That meant that Luke could not just find any doctor to fool Allison. She definitely would not be fooled after what had happened. Thewyer chimed in, ¡°Mr. Crawford, you have to think of a way now. Those psychiatrists said that Ms. Tanner¡¯s mental state is terrible and she¡¯s showing some symptoms of depression. She will be released soon. It¡¯s best if nothing bad happens before that.¡± Luke nodded and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go in and see what¡¯s going on.¡± Johann shuddered a little and told Luca, ¡°Dr. Craw, you must stay away from her. Ms. Tanner hasn¡¯t cut her nails. They¡¯re very sharp.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Luca knew he was worried that she would be attacked by Allison. Thewyer guided them through the visitation procedures. They then sat in chairs and waited for Allison. Allison was brought out by prison guards. Luca looked at Allison under the bright lights. The condition of her face was horrible. He could not tell if it had worsened. Allison looked at the three of them with a grim expression. ¡°Why did you bring them here? I want a stic surgeon. I want the best stic surgeon in the world to give me a face-to-face consultation!¡± The stic surgeon they found before said that her condition was irreversible but she refused to believe it. ¡°Ms. Tanner, don¡¯t be angry. How about we let the doctor do a check-up first, okay?¡± Thewyer was frightened when he saw Allison stare at him so fiercely. ¡®Why is she yelling at me when her son is right in front of her?!¡¯ Allison¡¯s gaze swept past Johann and Luca before finallynding on Luke. ¡°You earn so much in a year but hired such useless people to help with my face! Tell it to me straight. Do you just want me to die? I shouldn¡¯t have taken you back. I should¡¯ve left you there and made you an orphan for the rest of your life! You¡¯re a good-for-nothing. You¡¯ll never amount to anything!¡± Chapter 1537 Luke did not respond to her words, and Luca felt ufortable. After she learned about Luke¡¯s life experience, she felt that he did not have an easy life. Everyone¡¯s childhood should be filled with happy memories. Even though Allison stole her, married Kevin Rayne, and eventually abandoned her, Kevin Rayne and her grandfather treated her well and gave her good childhood memories. However, Luke was taken to the orphanage. If it were not for Susan Armstrong¡¯s failure to conceive, Luke would not have been brought back to the Crawford Manor to be the young master of the Crawford family. Allison only had Luke and had always regarded him as a tool to stable her position in the Crawford family. Even after he returned to Crawford Manor, Luke¡¯s childhood was not the best¡­ When Luca found out about all this, she felt distressed and promised to love Luke and give him a complete home¡ªa home for a lifetime¡­ However, Allison carried no guilt about what she did in the past and even mentioned it to hurt Luke¡­ Luca¡¯s hands that were ced under the table clenched into fists. The veins on the back of her hands were exposed and looked hideous. Allison was not at all fit to be Luke¡¯s mother¡­ ¡®Why is she still alive? All she does is embarrass Luke and ruin his life.¡¯ In response to Allison¡¯s nasty remarks, Luke said, ¡°Have the doctor do a check-up first.¡± ¡°What else is there to check? Didn¡¯t they say that my body is fine? That¡¯s why I asked you to find a well-known cosmetic surgeon from overseas. Yes, go to Korea. The cosmetic surgeons in Korea are great! I believe they can make my face the same as it was. It¡¯s definitely possible!¡± Allison held her face and stared at them fiercely. ¡°You don¡¯t have to show up anymore.¡± After that, she looked at Luke and yelled, ¡°And you! If you don¡¯t find me a doctor, I¡¯ll tell the reporters about your ruthlessness after I get out of prison!¡± Luca was agitated when it seemed that Allison was not nning on letting Luke off. If she were not Luke¡¯s mother, she might not see the sun on the day she got out of prison. On the Ind of Despair, Luca¡¯s personality and how she perceived right and wrong had changed significantly. She felt that people like Allison who would only drag Luke down should not exist. It was unfortunate that she was his mother¡­ She could not make a move on Allison¡­ Seeing that the three of them were not speaking, Allison stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be out of prison in a while. Do your job. If you can¡¯t find someone to treat me so that I can get out looking as I did, you¡¯ll never hear the end of it from me.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. After she said that, she asked the prison guard to take her back to her cell. Johann leaned on the chair and sighed. ¡°Is this woman really your mother?¡± Luke did not speak. Thewyer sighed and said, ¡°Prison is a ce that can change a person¡¯s character. It can make an arrogant person better but it can also turn a nice person into a terrorist¡­ ¡° Luca listened to them. ¡®Allison is no different from a terrorist¡­¡¯ However, terrorists did not care about right and wrong. They targeted social groups while Allison only targeted Luke. It was her fault for using second-ss serums and now that she was facing the consequences, she was still trying to push the me to Luke and burden him¡­ Allison¡¯s face was doomed¡­ Johann let out a sigh of relief and said, ¡°That makes sense. Let¡¯s try to find a stic surgeon from abroad who will cooperate. I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll be bothered to talk to local surgeons¡­¡± After the doctor he rmended told her the truth, he was yelled at by Allison. She insisted that there were no good stic surgeons in A City and demanded Luke hire someone from overseas. Thewyer looked at Luke and reminded him, ¡°Mr. Crawford, Ms. Tanner¡¯s condition is poor. If possible, you should arrange for a therapist to counsel her. After all, the psychiatrist in this prison is not the best. Maybe she¡¯ll change her mind after some sessions.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Luke nodded. Thewyer¡¯s proposal was good, but he knew that Allison would not change because of therapy. He had been aware of that since he was brought back to the Crawford family. However, he had someone in mind for Allison¡¯s therapy¡­ Johann stood up first and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll take the medicine we prescribed and apply it to her face. I doubt Dr. Craw and I can contribute any further.¡± Thewyer immediately said, ¡°That¡¯s not true. I don¡¯t know if she took the medicine you prescribed but she has been using the herbal ointment prescribed by Dr. Craw. I heard that after she used it, her skin wasn¡¯t falling off as much. Since it¡¯s effective, I think she¡¯ll keep using it.¡± ¡°Even if she keeps using it, it can¡¯t repair the skin. It¡¯ll only improve her skin condition a little. I¡¯ve tried my best.¡± Luca looked at Luke. There was nothing she could do in this situation. Some injuries, once caused, could not be repaired by even the most advanced medical technology. It was like Luke¡¯s heart. He was abandoned when he was a child, which was why he was cold and independent¡­ ¡°Mm, I know.¡± Luke met her gaze. The warmth in it made him want to dive in for a while. ¡°Okay, there¡¯s nothing more I can do. I guess she doesn¡¯t want to take the medicine I prescribed her. Let¡¯s go.¡± Johann walked out. The group left together and arrived at the gate of the prison. Thewyer left, followed by Johann. Luke opened the car door and said to Luca, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you home.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Luca leaned down and got into the car. He drove toward the apartment. On the way, the two of them did not talk much. They were rtively silent. When they were about to reach her apartment, Luke put away his phone and said to Zander, ¡°Zander, take a taxi backter.¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master Luke,¡± Zander answered without asking where he was going with the car. Luca looked at his side profile and wondered in her heart. He just came back. Where was he going? After the car arrived at her apartment, she got out of the car, picked up her luggage, and watched the car drive away. Luca looked at Zander, who was just standing there looking at the carpooling app on his phone as the car was driven away by Luke. ¡°Zander, do you want to go upstairs for a cup of tea?¡± She invited him. Zander shook his head and replied, ¡°No need, Ms. Luca. Get some rest. I won¡¯t bother you.¡± Chapter 1538 Luca did not force him when he refused toe in. She dragged her luggage along and entered the apartment. The apartment was still clean even after she had been away for a few days. High-end residences were quite different from the others. There was a big area of greenery, so there was not much pollution. The dust would not go into the house either. Luca left her luggage aside. She took out her phone andy down on the couch carefreely. She was exhausted after traveling all the way here. She only wanted to sink into the couch¡­ She was reluctant to show how tired she was when Luke was there just now. Her waist was already protesting silently after enduring the pain throughout the journey. Luca spent some time lying down, then she sat up. She took the painkillers out from her bag, filled up a ss, and drank it with the medicine. She did not even have the energy to boil some water. Although the injury on her waist was nothing serious, the dull pain that kepting back to her was the deadliest. Luca let out a sigh. If it was not bad to consume medicine with an empty stomach, she would have taken the medicine at the hotel before she got onto the ne. She looked at her phone after taking some rest. Amur had sent her a messagest night. She was already fast asleep at that time. She did not get the chance to look at her phone when she woke up this morning. Luca smiled when she saw his words of reminder. After she replied to him that she had already reached A City safely, she closed all the tabs. She then remembered Nina. She sent a message to Nina when she crossed her mind, asking how she had been doing recently. Nina replied to her message quickly. She only wrote two simple words. [Pretty good¡­] Pretty good? ¡­ Luca thought it was not Nina¡¯s style to answer like this. If she was truly doing fine, she would have added a few more words, then ended with a greeting at the end of the sentence. Atst, Luca looked at those words and asked: [Did something happen?] Nina called after a while. Luca answered the call. Her heart sank when she listened to Nina¡¯s exhausted voice. She knew something must have happened to Nina. ¡°Luca, have youe back from the trip? I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be that fast.¡± Even though she said it calmly, Luca could sense the istion and fatigue in her words. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m back. What happened to you?¡± Luca asked with concern. Nina let out a sigh and answered, ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m fine. Why did youe back so soon? Did the company end the trip earlier?¡± ¡°No. I have something to do here, so I followed Mr. Crawford back. What the hell happened to you? You sound tired. Did something bad happen?¡± Luca asked. She insisted on finding out the reason why Nina sounded so upset. Nina paused for a moment. She felt a lump in her throat when she saw how much Luca cared about her. She had been going through a tough time these few days. People would point at her and call her names whenever she went out of the apartment, iming that she was the mistress who ruined other people¡¯s rtionships. The rtionship that they were referring to was the rtionship between Percy and the daughter of the Johnston family. Nina was extremely depressed. How did she ruin their rtionship? She took the initiative to leave once she knew Percy was getting married to the daughter of the Johnston family. She never contacted that man again. However, a bunch of people was now mocking her. What was the meaning of all this? Everything should be determined by the order of arrival. She got together with Percy before the daughter of the Johnston family. Although she kept her identity hidden, she was the one who appeared first. Why was she being med for ruining their rtionship now? Whose rtionship was she ruining? Sh*t happened every time. Apart from the matter with Percy, there was Anna¡¯s affair, her loser brother, and Jean¡¯s matter. Nina only wanted to end her life when all these things befell her. She refused to face them. Nina was so quiet on the other side of the phone, and Luca knew something bad must have happened. She asked her in a soft voice, ¡°Nina? Do you want toe out and grab a drink?¡± Nina refused to talk on the phone, so Luca could only ask her out. Although she was feeling unwell, she felt much better after taking the painkillers. The person on the other side of the phone gave a dyed response after a while. ¡°Sure. Pick a location. Oh, the ce has to have private rooms. I¡¯d like a private room.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Luca chose a coffee shop that was not far away from Nina¡¯s apartment, which also had private rooms. She called to reserve a private room there. Then, she changed her clothes, went out, and hailed a ride. Nina got there faster than her. She was already waiting for Luca in the private room when Luca reached the coffee shop. Luca entered and sat down. She was startled for a moment when she saw the haggard look on Nina¡¯s face. She knew something must have happened to her¡­ Luca was not allowed to have coffee now, so she ordered a ss of juice. She asked after the waiter left, ¡°Alright. Tell me. What happened?¡± Nina smiled bitterly. She did not feel like telling Luca about it on the phone, but now when she was looking at Luca, she felt a sense of intimacy. She had the urge to tell her everything that was in her heart. ¡°Is there anything you want to know?¡± Since she was willing to talk to Luca about it now, then she would not hesitate or refuse to say anything. Luca replied, ¡°Everything.¡± Nina smiled bitterly while she was stirring the coffee in front of her. She sighed and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know where to begin.¡± Luca looked at how distressed Nina was and she knew she must have gone through a lot in the past few days. Luca was a little frustrated. If she had not gone on the trip, she probably would have been able to keep Ninapany. However, too many things had happened during the trip. She could not even manage to take good care of herself, not to mention find the time to care about Nina. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°Then you may start from the biggest trouble in your heart.¡± The biggest trouble? Nina thought for a while. What was her biggest trouble? Was it Anna¡¯s condition? Was it Jean¡¯s stubbornness? Was it the annoying Percy and the daughter of the Johnston family? Nina thought for a while and said slowly, ¡°People have been calling me a mistress recently.¡± ¡°Percy?¡± Luca frowned. She did not ask the details but she knew that this had something to do with Percy. Nina was together with him for such a long time. He was the only man who would get her dragged into such a situation. Nina nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know how the daughter of the Johnston family knows about our past. Now, everyone is calling me a mistress and ming me for ruining their rtionship. I didn¡¯t do anything. I even took the initiative to return him to her. Everything I¡¯ve done was to make sure I can live with no regrets for the rest of my life. But I¡¯m being scolded like a person hated by everyone. I feel so ufortable. Even if I was Percy¡¯s lover back then, he didn¡¯t have a girlfriend or fiancee when I was together with him. How did I be the mistress?¡± Chapter 1539 Luca stared at Nina. She looked upset when she was talking about this, and she even grabbed her hair. These small actions of hers fully disyed how confused and upset she was. Luca held her hand and said, ¡°You¡¯re not a mistress. You never were. Someone is doing this to you on purpose.¡± Nina gripped her hand and said, ¡°Luca, do you know who that wicked person is? After I¡¯ve decided to draw a line between Percy and me, he hasn¡¯te looking for me and I¡¯ve always refused to meet him. Firstly, I¡¯m not in a rtionship with him. Secondly, I didn¡¯t sleep with him. How did I be an hical woman like what they said¡­ They just keep spreading the rumors around. Do they want me dead?¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Lucaforted Nina as she listened to her slightly agitated tone. ¡°Nina, you¡¯ve told me before that you must stay strong when others are trying to make you fall. You can only win when you¡¯re unbeatable. Don¡¯t let them get away with it. You didn¡¯t do anything. It¡¯s not your fault. So, you don¡¯t have to question yourself. It¡¯s up to them how they¡¯re going to spread the rumors. You¡¯re still you, right?¡± Nina looked at her. She had said something like this before, but she had never said it to Luca¡­ However, she did not overthink it at this moment. ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t die. I shouldn¡¯t let them get away with it. Those people will be gloating over my death if I died. Then the rumors of me being a mistress will spark even more. I can¡¯t die. I mustn¡¯t die.¡± Luca was surprised when she heard Nina saying so. What she unconsciously said had somehow revealed that Nina had thought of dying because of this¡­ Luca sped Nina¡¯s hand tightly and said, ¡°Yes, you can¡¯t let them get away with this. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you to find out who started such a ridiculous rumor!¡± ¡°Luca, please help me. You¡¯re the only person who¡¯s helping me¡­¡± Nina felt her heart break for a second. Although she did not feel better after pouring her heart out, when she heard someone was willing to help her without hesitation, she realized she was not alone. She had someone who could help her! Luca grabbed a tissue for Nina when she saw her tearse streaming down. She wiped her face gently. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll help you. And I believe you¡¯re not such a person.¡± Nina sniffed and took a sip of coffee to calm herself down. Luca could see how badly she was affected, and she wondered if this had anything to do with Percy. Although Percy refused to let go of Nina, he was probably dissatisfied that Nina had left. However, he was not a silly man. He would not involve the woman he cared about in such big trouble like this. After all the years they spent together, he must know that Nina was a vulnerable person. How would he let her get into such a situation and make her break down? Moreover, even though Percy did not say anything, she could tell from the way he spoke to Luke that he must be nning something for the future. Hence, the person who was spreading this fake news was probably someone else. This person must be someone who knew about what had happened between Percy and Nina in the past. The only person Luca could think of was Pierre. This man had been trying to win her over after knowing Nina had broken up with Percy. She asked, ¡°Did they harass you at your door?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nina nodded. ¡°They¡¯de to harass me when I¡¯m going to work or when I just get back from work. But the district¡¯s security is good. They¡¯re only able to harass me for a while at the district¡¯s entrance. It¡¯s not affecting my life too badly but with them messing around like that, the people in the district will know that a mistress is staying there.¡± She was a very sensitive person. Many people would have a prejudice against her because of that falsebel. Luca pounded on the table and said angrily, ¡°That¡¯s too much. Nina, do you want to move to my apartment first?¡± Nina was grateful that Luca invited her over, but she could not ept the offer. Although Luca was doing it for her own good, the apartment was Luke¡¯s, after all. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ve gotten used to it.¡± Nina sniffed. She had tossed out some negativity. With Luca being here to listen to her, she felt much better now. Luca caressed Nina¡¯s hand as she felt sorry for her. Nina looked like she had lost some weight after Luca did not see her for a couple of days. Her fingers were scrawny, and they were no longer beautiful. She thought Nina would be living a wonderful life after she left Percy. She did not expect her to fall into the abyss. No one would be able to hear you no matter how hard you screamed in the abyss. Nina should not be in a state like this¡­ She was supposed to live a wonderful life¡­ Luca vowed that she would hunt down the person who was spreading the rumors indiscriminately. ¡°Is there something else?¡± she asked. ¡°My mother¡¯s condition deteriorated. The doctor said the imported medicine isn¡¯t working on her. They¡¯ll need to perform another liver transnt. The liver donor will probably be my brother again.¡± Nina was calmer when she talked about this. ¡°She¡¯ll be alright. Medical technology is so advanced nowadays.¡± Lucaforted her, thinking that she was probably worried about Anna¡¯s condition. Nina shook her head and said, ¡°Do you know why my mother had a rpse? I just found out about it a few days ago. Come to think of it, it¡¯s ridiculous.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Luca looked at the bitter smile on Nina¡¯s face. She could sense that there must be something wrong. ¡°My mom gave all the money that¡¯s meant to buy the medicine to my brother. She hasn¡¯t even been taking medicine these few years, and that¡¯s why her body is rejecting the transnt. I just got to know that¡¯s the reason why she¡¯s sick this time. It¡¯s all because of that! Luca, isn¡¯t this ridiculous?¡± Luca fell silent when she listened to Nina. Anna had always been patriarchal, and Luca knew exactly how much she had done for Jean. However, not even taking the transnt medications because of Jean¡­ Now, she was sick again¡­ Luca felt sorry for Nina. Why was she born into such a family¡­ ¡°Other than providing for her monthly living expenses, I even gave her the money for the medications. But she didn¡¯t even take them because of Jean. Luca, do you know how much hatred I harbor within me? I¡¯ve been thinking that everything will be over if the operation fails, then I¡¯ll feel much more relieved too. But I feel guilty whenever I think so. No matter what, she¡¯s my mother. How can I want her dead?¡± Nina smiled as she spoke, but her voice was trembling. ¡°But I was really hoping that all these endless problems will be solved that way. I don¡¯t have to be responsible for her after she¡¯s dead. And I don¡¯t have to take up the responsibility of having to take care of that immature brother of mine either¡­¡± Chapter 1540 When Nina told her about all these troubles, Luca realized that if no one was there to help her out, she would certainly end up at a dead-end. ¡°Nina, stop thinking that way.¡± Luca held her hand tightly. She was heartbroken for what had happened to Nina. Nina was a strong and positive-minded woman back then. Her life changed drastically ever since she met Xavier. It was all her fault¡­ Xavier did that to Nina all because of her. Lucaforted her, saying, ¡°Listen to me. The most important thing is to cure your mother¡¯s sickness now. Stop overthinking.¡± Although what Nina said was true about the burden that she was carrying bing lighter if Anna refused to receive treatment or if she passed away during the operation¡­ However, she was still her mother, after all. She would be upset for the rest of her life if that really happened. Even if Anna had done so many things that upset Nina, Nina should not forget that she was raised by her mother. Nina sniffed and suppressed the sarcasm that was overflowing in her. ¡°Alright. I know.¡± She looked at Luca. She was grateful to have someone willing to listen to her even if there was nothing they could do to help her. With all these troubles, she was in a situation that others could not help. Luca felt a little relieved when she saw Nina slowly calming down. ¡°Drink some coffee.¡± Nina nodded, picked up the cup of coffee, and drank a mouthful. The caffeine was helping her emotions to calm down slowly. Luca sat there and kept herpany for a while. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± Nina¡¯s mood was much better after she finished drinking the cup of coffee. She turned to look at Luca and asked, ¡°I feel much better. Well, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. Oh, did anything fun happen during your trip?¡± Luca recalled what had happened in the past few days. It would be a long story if she were to tell it. Nina asked again when Luca did not answer her, ¡°What happened? Was the trip to the mountain vi not fun at all? But I¡¯ve seen the reviews on the inte saying that it¡¯s quite fun. Some even nned to visit there during the new year.¡± ¡°The mountain vi has a nice view. It has all the facilities you need too. You should go there for a visit,¡± said Luca. Everything at the mountain vi was good. It was just that too many things had happened to her there. Nina listened and asked, ¡°Then what¡¯s with that expression of yours¡­¡± ¡°It was fine. But I don¡¯t have much of an interest in traveling.¡± Luca tucked her hair behind her ear. She did not tell Nina what had happened. ¡°I love traveling,¡± said Nina. She suddenly thought of Percy after she said that. She had so many hobbies and interests, but she gave them up after she got together with Percy. Her only wish was to travel around. She had never told Percy that before, but he always brought her out to travel. They had been to several ces all the years they spent together. Nina remembered her past wish, which was to travel around the world with the one she loved. She had been to so many ces in the world, but the one beside her was not the one who was meant for her. Luca smiled. Of course, she knew Nina loved traveling. She was just like a bird longing for the sky. She wanted to travel around and have fun, but reality was cruel. It held her captive on the spot. Nina invited Luca for a facial after she finished her coffee. Her skin had be so bad after dealing with so much stress. Luca agreed to go with her. After all, all she had to do was toy down when she was getting a facial treatment. That would not be tiring for her. Both of them walked out of the private room. The door of the private room opposite happened to be open, and the waiter was delivering the drinks and dessert in there. Nina was sharp enough to notice the person inside, and she cried out in surprise. ¡°Luke Crawford?¡± Luca unconsciously looked at the private room when she heard the name. It was indeed Luke, and the person sitting in front of him was Tia¡­ It turned out he was in a hurry to leave just now to meet Tia. He did not even need Uncle Zander to drive him. Luca understood immediately. Uncle Zander was the Crawford family¡¯s driver but he was not Luke¡¯s personal chauffeur. The Crawford family took Luke¡¯s rtionships very seriously, so that was why he did not let Uncle Zander drive him. He did not want Uncle Zander to know that he was going to meet Tia¡­ If he drove the car himself, it would be convenient for him to pick Tia up or send her back. It would be easier for them to spend time together¡­ Nina¡¯s voice was so loud that even Luke, who was sitting in the private room, heard her. He turned around and saw both of them. Then, he stood up. Nina held Luca¡¯s hand as she watched the man walk out. Then, she nced at the woman inside. She could not help but mock him. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Mr. Crawford toe back earlier to go on a date with a beautiful woman.¡± Luke frowned when he heard her talking in such an enigmatic manner. Nina must have misunderstood, and she was speaking on behalf of Bianca. She was still being kept in the dark. Hence, Luke would not make a fuss about it with her no matter what she said. ¡°Why are you here?¡± He looked at Luca and asked. Nina grabbed Luca¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Why? You¡¯re allowed to end the trip earlier toe back to keep your womanpany but Luca isn¡¯t allowed to end the trip earlier ande back to apany me?¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Luke did not mind what Nina said to him. He came looking for Tia only because of Allison Tanner. Thewyer said Allison needed a psychiatrist, and Tia came across his mind. He was still unsure whether there was someone powerful behind her. Now that Bianca was missing, if he wanted to get closer to her, he could only give her an excuse to approach him. He saw Allison as a good tool to him. ¡°The doctor asked you to get some rest. You shouldn¡¯t move around during this period,¡± said Luke. ¡°Doctor? Rest?¡± Nina followed Luke¡¯s gaze and looked at Luca. ¡°Luca, are you sick?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a minor injury. It¡¯s not a big deal. Mr. Crawford, thank you for reminding me.¡± Luca nced at Tia who was sitting inside and the victorious look on her face. ¡°Nina, let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s not hold Mr. Crawford up with his business.¡± ¡°Yes, we shouldn¡¯t be dying him. But Mr. Crawford, I hope you still remember that you have a wife,¡± Nina deliberately said in a higher pitch. Then, she held Luca¡¯s hand and left. Luke¡¯s brows slowly furrowed as he looked in the direction Luca was leaving. This woman was making things difficult for him¡­ She injured her waist, yet she was still running around. The waiter dared not to say anything when he ran into such a scene. He politely said to him, ¡°Sir, your orders have all arrived. Enjoy your meal.¡± Luke withdrew his gaze, walked back into the private room, and closed the door. Tia gently put her hand on her chin while sitting gracefully. She frowned and said in a worried tone, ¡°Mr. Crawford, do you need me to exin this? I think they¡¯ve misunderstood us. Things might get out of hand if Mrs. Crawford misunderstands us.¡± She was sensitive enough to notice that Luke seldom talked about Bianca, so she was wondering if that woman had fallen out of his favor. A man like Luke Crawford would have hated to deal with the woman he did not love for being unreasonable and distorting the truth. Hence, her intention of saying that was to make Luke dislike Bianca and Nina. Chapter 1541 There was no expression on Luke¡¯s face as he listened to Tia trying to provoke him. He knew exactly what she was up to. He would never talk to such a woman in the past. Luke took a sip of coffee and changed the topic of the conversation. ¡°Let me continue exining my mother¡¯s condition.¡± Tia had already expected he would not say anything. After all, a man like him would never say it out even if he was dissatisfied. She was looking forward to how he was going to deal with Nina. She deliberately gave him a gentle smile and said, ¡°Sure. Tell me more about your mother¡¯s situation, including events of the past. I can only treat her better if I understand more about her.¡± Luke looked up. He was calm as usual despite the tenderness that she showed to him. He continued to talk about Allison. ¡­ Luca and Nina left the coffee shop after paying their bill. Nina was holding Luca¡¯s hand, and she asked worriedly, ¡°Luca, how are you feeling? Are you injured?¡± ¡°I hurt my waist during the trip.¡± Since Nina already learned about it from Luke, Luca did not intend to hide it anymore. ¡°Oh my, why are you so careless? How did you hurt it? Why aren¡¯t you getting some rest? You¡¯re still running around after getting hurt. How dare you!¡± Nina blocked her. Although Luca did not look like she was feeling ufortable, anyone could pretend and act. Just like her. Although she was feeling extremely upset, she had to pretend nothing had happened to her in front of others. Luca smiled and said after she listened to Nina babbling with concern, ¡°I¡¯m alright. It¡¯s just a minor injury. The doctor gave me ointment and medicine. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°It takes a long time for our bones and muscles to heal. No way, let me send you home.¡± Nina could not be bothered about anything else anymore, even giving up the thought of asking Luca to go for a facial treatment. She held Luca¡¯s hand and they walked toward the parking lot. Luca did not resist, and she followed Nina submissively while being dragged along by her. Nina said, ¡°Oh, you mentioned that you came back from the trip early. Did youe back together with Luke?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s something rted to Mr. Crawford,¡± said Luca. She considered that Allison¡¯s condition would be exposed to the public after she got out of jail, so she would not try to hide it. Moreover, Nina was not a gossipy person. Even if she was curious, she would only be curious about the people she was familiar with. ¡°His matter? Why did he drag you along, then? Did he not know that you¡¯re hurt?¡± Nina muttered as she recalled him being on a date with Tia in that private room. She was defending Bianca in her heart. ¡°You¡¯re helping him to do things while he¡¯s busy dating.¡± Luca felt ufortable when she saw Luke and Tia were together in a private room. However, looking at it from a different perspective, they were probably not on a date at all. Luke went looking for Tia most likely because of Allison. Thewyer had told him about Allison¡¯s mental condition. Indeed, she needed a psychologist. Sometimes, treating psychological trauma was much more difficult than treating physical wounds. ¡°Mr. Crawford is probably busy.¡± Luca defended him. Both of them entered the parking lot. Nina found her car, opened the car door, and got in. ¡°Forget it. He has nothing to be busy with. Oh, what did he ask you for help with?¡± Luca told her about Allison¡¯s matter. Nina was surprised. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that she would end up like that¡­¡± Luca secretly agreed to what she said. It was true. Allison had always valued her face, but now, half of her face was disfigured. ¡°As humans, we should never do evil things. Look at her, karma is getting her back now,¡± said Nina. She recalled how vain and extravagant Allison was back then. She kept exploiting Luke and shut Bianca out for her own interests. As a bystander, she felt disgusted just looking at Allison¡¯s face. Luca let out a sigh and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know whether it¡¯s karma or not. But I know she can never get her face back.¡± Nina started the car engine and drove in the apartment¡¯s direction. ¡°ording to what you said, if getting stic surgery can¡¯t help her, what else can she do? Oh, don¡¯t put too much effort into Allison¡¯s matter. She¡¯ll never thank you for helping her.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Luca knew she Nina only said that because she was afraid she might end up getting the short end of the stick. She thought that Luca had no idea what kind of person Allison was. However, it had been so many years. Luca knew very well what kind of person Allison was. She replied, ¡°Alright. I got it.¡± Nina dropped her off when they reached the apartment. She said, ¡°You¡¯re hurt, so stop messing about. Hurry up and go home to get some rest.¡± ¡°Alright. Drive safe.¡± Luca smiled at her, then she turned around and returned to the apartment. She answered Queenie¡¯s call when she was in the elevator. ¡°Luca, how are you doing these days?¡± Queenie¡¯s voice was still gentle as usual. She sounded more energetic at the same time. Her body had almost recovered after taking the medicine she gave her. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Aunt Queenie. Are you feeling better already?¡± Luca listened to her gentle voice and thought of how much she missed her. Queenie had been taking the medicine she gave to recuperate her body. There were not many changes to the medicine, so she would ask Queenie to just get the medicine at the pharmacy based on her prescription. She did not visit her that often. Queenie was her biological mother. If it were not for her current identity, which made it inappropriate for her to visit her, she would have certainly visited her more often. ¡°Thanks to you, my body is feeling much better now with the prescription you gave me. I went to the hospital for a blood test and the results were out. The health indicators all reached a normal level. Luca, you¡¯re my savior!¡± Queenie eximed. Not only did Luca save her life but she also saved Jack¡¯s career. She was their family¡¯s lucky star. That¡¯s great, I¡¯m so happy to hear that. Aunt Queenie, is there anything you¡¯d like to tell me?¡± Luca asked. Queenie was not the kind of person who woulde looking for her just to ask for something. She would send her messages on Instagram out of concern and care for her. However, she seldom called her as she knew Luca was busy with her work. ¡°Yes. The thing is, I have a friend who¡¯s not feeling well, so I was thinking of asking you for help. I want you to see if there¡¯s any way to recover her health¡­¡± Queenie said gently. ¡°A friend?¡± Luca walked out of the elevator when it had reached the floor. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s a good friend of mine. But my friend¡¯s health is in a terrible state. Can you take a look at her?¡± Queenie had no choice left, so she thought of Luca. Jack had disagreed. It was because Luca had always refused to let others know that she treated her. She did not want to get into trouble. However, Queenie was left with no other choice this time. ¡°Alright. Can I go over tomorrow if you¡¯re not in a hurry? I¡¯m feeling a little tired today,¡± Luca replied. Although she had taken painkillers, her waist still ached a little. Chapter 1542 Although Queenie¡¯s matter was urgent, it was not that urgent to the extent that it must be done tonight. When she heard Luca promise to help, she replied immediately, ¡°Alright. Then I¡¯ll ask my driver to pick you up tomorrow.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I can go myself. Aunt Queenie, I have something to do. I¡¯ve got to go.¡± She needed help, so of course, Luca would go to her house. Luca did not want her to go back and forth, so she nned to go by herself. ¡°Sure, off you go.¡± Queenie was relieved. After Luca hung up the phone, she pressed the password lock and entered the house. She saw the luggage that had not been packed away. She got down and opened it before bringing out theptop. She carried theptop and curled up on the couch. Then, she opened a software. It was the hacker software installed by Amur. This made it easy for her to intrude into systems. Luca connected it to the inte and hacked into A City¡¯s immigration system. The reason she did that was to check whether the person Queenie wanted her to help was Leia. Although Luke had banned Leia from returning to the country, he was too busy to care about this these days. Leia had probably returned to the country. There was nothing after she did the initial search on the system. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Luca thought Leia dared not to return. She thought for a while and searched Leia¡¯s family name. There were a few names that appeared on the system after a while. She clicked on each of them, and the second one was Leia¡¯s details. She had been staying in New York for a while. She took the opportunity to get a new identity there. This time, she used her new identity toe back here. That was why Luke did not notice her. The person Queenie told her about was Leia¡­ Luca already knew, so she did not have to wait until tomorrow to confirm it. What problems could Leia have? Luca frowned as she could not figure it out, so she decided not to think about it anymore. Luca walked into the bedroom andy down on the bed. She fell asleep as her thoughts ran wild in her mind. Night fell quickly in A City as it was about to be winter. It was dark outside when Luca opened her eyes again. She heard the doorbell ringing, then she sat up and nced at the window. She had been asleep for quite some time. The doorbell was still ringing. She got out of the bed and trotted quickly to the door. She peeped through the peephole to check the situation outside. It was Luke who was standing outside the door. Why was he here? Luca was confused as she pushed the door open. ¡°Mr. Crawford, why are you here?¡± Luke did not intend to step forward. He stood at the door¡¯s entrance and handed the bag he was carrying to her. ¡°I bought you dinner. Why did it take so long for you to open the door?¡± Luca looked at the bag he was carrying in his hands. She recognized that it was the packaging of the restaurant near her apartment. She took it from him and exined, ¡°I fell asleep just now. Thank you, Mr. Crawford.¡± Luke looked at her slightly messy hair. He suddenly thought of the day she nearly drowned in the mountain vi. He found the air a little dry and hot all of a sudden. He kept his hands in his pockets and started breathing to regte his difort. He said, ¡°Don¡¯t cook in the next few days. Enjoy your meal. I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Mr. Crawford, have you eaten?¡± Luca blurted out her concern for him. She immediately lowered her head with regret after saying that. She should not have expressed her concern¡­ Luke was no fool. He could even read a woman¡¯s mind. He knew exactly who had a crush on him and who had different thoughts about him in their minds. However, he would choose to ignore most of them¡­ Except Tia¡­ Tia¡¯s admiration for him had already reached the extent that she was no longer concealing her feelings for him, but Luke did not ignore her. Instead¡­ Luca recalled the scene of him being together with Tia in the coffee shop. She felt sick in her heart. It was just that, she had no right to feel sick about it¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve eaten.¡± Luke shot her a nce. The way she was looking down was like she had just done something shameful. He remembered what had happened during noontime today. He was thinking if he should say something about it. Atst, he reminded her, ¡°Don¡¯t wander about. You¡¯re injured.¡± After a reminder from him, her heart could no longer calm down. ¡°Alright. I got it. Thank you, Mr. Crawford.¡± Luca thought it might be unwise to ask about what had happened today. She let out a sigh of relief as she watched Luke turn around and left. Then, she closed the door. Luca opened the takeaway container and looked at the dishes inside. They were all the ones she had eaten with Luke and Tommy. They were the ones she thought were good. She did not order anything that time. It was Luke who ordered the food, but there were a few good ones among them. Hence, she ate extra mouthfuls of them. She did not expect Luke to notice that and ordered food for her this time ording to that time. Was it a coincidence? Luca ate a mouthful of white bread. She wondered if she should tell Luke that Leia had returned¡­ She pondered for a while and decided not to tell him about it. It would be difficult for her to exin if she told him. No matter how good Leia was at hiding, Luke would know about it eventually. Luca ate her dinner after she decided that. She then took the medicine and cleaned herself up. Lastly, she applied the ointment andy down on the bed. She put her phone down and fell asleep after sending Amur a text message. The next day. She woke up early. There were some eggs left in the fridge before she went on the trip. She fried two eggs for breakfast. After having breakfast, she went downstairs, hailed a taxi, and headed to the Norman family¡¯s house. It was still early when she reached. Luca ran into Jack, who was ready to go to work when she got out of the car. When he saw Luca, he came over and said, ¡°Dr. Craw, why are you so early? Thank you foring here.¡± He knew Queenie had called Luca toe here. Before this, he was in disagreement with her ns. If Queenie had not gone on a hunger strike to protest, he would never have agreed with it. The husband and wife did not expect Leia toe back all of a sudden. She was a troublemaker. Jack was thinking of sending her back to New York, but N imed that she was sick and pointed to her pale face. He onlypromised after Queenie cried. After all, he could not bear to see her like that. He let N stay with them temporarily and was keeping it a secret. He did not let Luke know about it. Even so, Luke would eventually find out about it even if he did not know now. Leia would be sent back by him the moment he found out. They would only have to silently ept it when the time came. It was not because Jack was heartless but it was for Queenie¡¯s sake. Leia was the one who made her suffer all these years. However, once she restored her health, she would forget about everything. As for the daughter who drugged her foster mother, no matter how close they were as father and daughter, Jack could never ept it. Luca shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Aunt Queenie can have peace of mind if Ie earlier to treat the patient.¡± Indeed, Queenie was worried about Leia. If it were not because she was asking a favor from Luca, she would have asked Luca toe here immediately. She had tossed and turned in bed but she could not even sleep. Jack looked at Luca in admiration. How could two people who were the same age be so different? One was sensible and thoughtful, while the other was such a ridiculous person. If he had the chance to choose between them, he would wish that Luca was their daughter instead. Chapter 1543 ¡°Sir, it¡¯s time to leave.¡± The Norman family¡¯s chauffeur reminded him. He did not mean to interrupt their conversation, but Jack had to attend an important meeting today. He would bete if they did not leave now. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m leaving for work now.¡± Jack nodded. Luca smiled. She let out a sigh of relief after watching Jack leave. As Queenie¡¯s body was getting better day by day, Jack¡¯s suspicion toward her was getting lesser too. He was more friendly to her now. Luca felt her heart warm from the kindness he showed her. She rang Norman Residence¡¯s doorbell. Soon, the maid came running out to open the door for her. ¡°Ms. Craw, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Yes, is Mrs. Norman here?¡± Luca asked. ¡°Yes, Mrs. Norman and Ms. Norman are here,¡± the maid blurted out without noticing that she had spilled the beans. ¡°Miss?¡± Luca walked in and asked intentionally. ¡°Isn¡¯t Ms. Norman studying abroad? She¡¯s back?¡± The one she was talking about was Bianca, whom Luke had told her about. The maid covered her mouth and realized she had said too much. Although Luca did not know much about the Norman family, she was Luke¡¯s subordinate, so she should not mention that Leia was back. Hence, Queenie had told her not to let Luca know about Leia¡¯s identity. After all, Leia hade back from overseas. Leia was a superstar back then, so Luca would know her. However, now that she had spilled the beans, it seemed like it was difficult to cover it up¡­ ¡°She¡¯s the other daughter. Uhm, Ms. Craw, it¡¯s my fault for slipping up. Please don¡¯t ask anymore.¡± The maid requested. Luca looked gentle and kind. The maid thought that it might be easy to get along with this kind woman. Luca nodded, and after she said yes, they walked past the garden and entered the vi. Queenie stood up from the couch once she saw hering in. She came forward enthusiastically. ¡°Luca, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Good morning, Aunt Queenie.¡± Luca looked at Queenie¡¯splexion, and she knew her body was doing much better than before. After regting her body functions with medicine, the toxins in her body were neutralized. ¡°Good morning. I didn¡¯t expect you to be so early. Have you had breakfast?¡± Queenie said caringly. It was uncertain whether it was because Luca had saved her before or if it was because she found Luca familiar as though she was someone dear to her. That made her unable to resist herself from caring about her. ¡°I¡¯ve eaten. Oh, may I know where that friend of yours is?¡± Luca looked around and realized there were no other people in the living room. ¡°She¡¯s still upstairs.¡± Queenie nodded and ordered the maid, ¡°Wake Leia up and ask her toe downstairs.¡± The maid hesitated and said, ¡°Mrs. Norman, Ms. Norman is still asleep.¡± Queenie knew howzy Leia was. She understood that she could not change that. She used to pamper her so much in the past, but things were different now. ¡°If she¡¯s still asleep, then wake her up. We can¡¯t let Luca wait for her here, right? Hurry up.¡± She urged. Luca came here to help Leia, but she was still in bed. That was ridiculous. The maid heard her and went upstairs. Leia had not learned anything all the years she was abroad. She was grumpy as ever. The maid had already seen how grumpy she could be, especially when someone woke her up. While the maid went to wake Leia up, Queenie smiled and waved to Luca. ¡°Luca,e over here and sit with me.¡± Luca nodded and sat beside Queenie. Queenie poured her a cup of scented tea. ¡°Try some. I just made it.¡± Luca picked up the cup. The aromatic scent of the tea filled the air. The scent was not affected by the strong aroma of the tea leaves. It had a pleasant smell. ¡°It smells nice.¡± Luca took a sip. The tea did not only smell nice but the taste was good too. ¡°I love studying scented tea. But other than my elder daughter and I who know how to appreciate it, the others in the family aren¡¯t interested in it. Ever since she went to study abroad, I have no one to drink tea with anymore.¡± Queenie sighed. Luca secretly apologized to Queenie in her heart as she listened to her. She believed that even if the fake Bianca were here, she would not apany Queenie to drink tea. Queenie was a magnanimous person. She would not remember the bad things, and she would only remember the good things others had done. Otherwise, how could she let Leiae back here? Leia washed up and went downstairs unhappily after being woken up by the maid. She felt resentful all of a sudden when she saw Queenie holding Luca¡¯s hand so eagerly. ¡°Good morning, Mom.¡± Leia walked toward her. If squeezing between Luca and Queenie was not a childish act, she would have done that. ¡°It¡¯ste. The doctor who¡¯s here to treat you is already here. Shame on you for staying in bed. You¡¯re not afraid that she mightugh at you, huh?¡± Queenie was secretly ming her for being insensible. Leia looked at the woman in front of her. This was the woman? Such a young doctor? She even treated Queenie and ruined her n? She was the one who almost had her caught by Jack¡¯s men? Leia instantly disliked her even more. She showed a gentle expression and said, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s hard to get rid of the jetg. That¡¯s why I overslept. I¡¯m sorry. Please don¡¯t be mad at me. I¡¯ll try my best to get over it.¡± Queenie no longer med her when she saw Leia¡¯s pale face. She looked like she was about to faint anytime. After all, Queenie could not me her for the jetg. ¡°Alright, I didn¡¯t mean to me you. But it¡¯s not good to let Luca wait for too long. Come and sit down,¡± said Queenie, letting it pass. Luca? How intimate¡­ Leia was secretly mocking Luca. It was only because she did not have the chance now. She would teach the person who ruined her ns a lesson if she had the chance to. She sat on the other couch. Queenie nced at Luca. Luca understood and asked, ¡°Ms. Norman, what seems to be the trouble?¡± ¡°Leia¡ª¡± Leia interrupted Queenie when she was about to talk. ¡°I heard Mom telling me that you have good medical skills, especially in naturopathy? Naturopathy focuses on the body¡¯s capacity to heal itself. Won¡¯t you know if you take my pulse?¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. Queenie shook her head as she listened to Leia¡¯s harsh tone. ¡°Leia, stop being impolite.¡± Luca looked at Leia¡¯s snobbish expression. After all these years of staying abroad, she had yet to learn her lesson. She thought she was superior to others when she returned to the Norman family? Queenie was the only one left in the family who would defend her. However, she even dared to poison Queenie back then¡­ Luca had no idea what Leia was thinking. Luca replied, ¡°It¡¯s alright. What Ms. Norman said is true. In naturopathy, taking the patient¡¯s pulse can help in diagnosing the diseases and condition of the body.¡± Queenie agreed and nodded. ¡°Indeed, Luca was able to diagnose what was wrong with me by checking my pulse.¡± Leia thought she purposely mentioned it as she listened to her. Did Queenie not say that it was in the past? Why was she mentioning it again? Did she want her to feel guilty about it? Chapter 1544 Queenie had no idea her words had gotten on Leia¡¯s nerves. She smiled and looked at Luca. ¡°Luca, can you take her pulse, then? Leia¡¯s been feeling ufortabletely. I¡¯m worried.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Luca nodded and looked at Leia. She did not ask Leia to reach out to let her check her pulse. Instead, she was observing her to figure out her condition. ¡°Ms. Norman has sallow skin, and her eyes are swollen. These are caused by staying upte for an extended period of time,¡± said Luca. There was a hint of incisiveness in her words as she pointed out the condition of Leia¡¯s body. Leia touched her face unconsciously. Was Luca prying into her life now? Why did she sound so certain about that when she had not even checked her pulse? However, Leia thought for a moment. Staying upte was amon problem for most people now. It was no surprise that Luca would say so. ¡°Ah? Then what should we do?¡± Queenie asked hurriedly. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°Staying upte will only lead to various problems in your body. There¡¯s nothing to worry about. It¡¯s not a big deal if she changes her routine.¡± Luca looked at Leia¡¯s slightly cloudy eyes. There was something wrong with her body, and it was not because of staying upte. Even if she slept early, she would not be able to solve the problem either. ¡°Leia, are you listening? You must sleep earlier next time.¡± Queenie turned to remind Leia. She was listening to every word that Luca said. ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t really stay upte unless I¡¯m busy with my studies¡­ I just can¡¯t get over my jetg now,¡± Leia said as she ced her hand on the coffee table. ¡°Young people nowadays often stay upte. It¡¯s not a big deal. Since you¡¯re so impressive, then check my pulse to see if there¡¯s anything wrong with my body.¡± Luca raised her eyebrows when Leia said that in such a provocative tone. Did Leia think that she could not find out what her health problem was? ¡°Your eyes are cloudy. There might be something wrong with the vitreous humor. Please head to the hospital for a check-up if possible.¡± After Luca said that, she slowly ced her fingers on Leia¡¯s wrist. As Leia looked at Luca, Leia could not help but touch her eyes with her other hand. Indeed, her eyes were feeling ufortable these days. She dared not to wear contact lenses anymore. Luca asked her to switch to another arm after a minute. Luca ced her fingers on her wrist. After a while, she said, ¡°Ms. Norman, I¡¯d advise you to go to the hospital for a medical check-up. Conduct a check-up for your liver and kidneys. The gynecological issues in your body require treatment too.¡± ¡°Liver and kidneys? Stop pretending you know everything. I¡¯m fine!¡± Leia scolded with a cold face. Luca was right. She indeed had gynecological issues, and it was a serious disease. The doctor told her if she did not take good care of herself, it would be hard for her to get pregnant. Queenie knew about it too. That was why she let her stay and promised to look for someone to treat Leia. Luca did not only find out about her health issues that were already there but she even stated many other new issues. Luca answered firmly while she listened to her doubts. ¡°There¡¯s a problem with your liver and kidneys. But it¡¯s not serious now, so there are no symptoms yet. I suggest you head to the hospital to get yourself checked.¡± She did not mention what kind of issue it was. It seemed like it was already quite serious since she was able to detect it by just checking Leia¡¯s pulse. ¡°How can that be? Leia is still young¡­¡± Queenie became worried when she heard that. Luca knew what she was thinking about, but a young body did not mean a healthy body. She said firmly, ¡°An unhealthy lifestyle will increase the burden of the body. One won¡¯t be able to run away from illnesses just because one is still young. My advice is to go for a full body check-up.¡± ¡°Enough with all these check-ups. You¡¯re just saying that only because you don¡¯t know what the problems are, right?¡± Leia refused to believe Luca. She did not feel that ufortable, so she refused to believe what Luca said. Luca remained silent despite being doubted. She smiled and shook her head. ¡°What are you smiling at?¡± Leia felt offended when she saw Luca curling up the corners of her lips. Luca looked up and said, ¡°Are you having abdominal paintely? And do you feel like going to the washroom sometimes but you realize that it¡¯s nothing after you enter the washroom?¡± Leia kept silent. ¡°These symptoms aren¡¯t just because of your uterus issues. You might have uterine fibroid in your uterus. And you probably had an abortion or some other operation before, which is causing blood clots in your uterus. You¡¯d suffer every time you¡¯re on your period, and it just gets more terrible each time. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve gone to the hospital for a check-up before and the doctor told you that you¡¯re having gynecological issues, so you think that all these symptoms are caused by that. Not all of them, though. Ms. Norman, that¡¯s all I have to say. It¡¯d be best for you to have a check-up,¡± Luca said patiently. She did not care whether Leia listened to her or not. She had already reminded her. Queenie knew these were all Leia¡¯s symptoms. She asked worriedly, ¡°Yes, yes. Leia is facing these situations now. What are we supposed to do now?¡± ¡°Do a check-up first.¡± Queenie was anxious, so she kept asking what they should do. Luca did not lose her patience. Instead, she exined it to Queenie patiently. Leia nodded. ¡°I understand. Luca, about her gynecological issues¡­¡± She was going to say something but she hesitated. Luca knew she wanted her to prescribe some medicine to recuperate her body. ¡°The doctor probably gave Ms. Norman some Western medicine, right? The effects of Western medicine are good too, but Ms. Norman doesn¡¯t only have issues with her uterus. She has some other health issues. I suggest she head to the hospital to do a full body check-up and get the right medicine for her for recuperation and treatment.¡± Luca did not refuse to treat her just because she was Leia. It was because Queenie would be crying every day if anything happened to Leia. Queenie would be the one who was affected. She did not want to see Queenie suffer. Leia threw Luca a stubborn look. ¡°Why should I go to the hospital? Aren¡¯t you the one who¡¯s iming that I¡¯m having health issues? Just write a prescription, then.¡± Luca looked at her. She seemed to be trying to escape from going to the hospital as if she had something to hide. She replied, ¡°Since you don¡¯t trust me, then it¡¯d be better for you to go for a check- up. Aunt Queenie, that¡¯s my advice. I need to leave now.¡± ¡°Ah, Luca¡­¡± Queenie wanted to ask her to stay when she saw her leaving. ¡°Luca, Leia didn¡¯t mean that. Why don¡¯t you join us for lunch since you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°I still have some experiments to do. Thank you for your invitation.¡± Luca rejected her and insisted on leaving. ¡°Alright, let me send you off.¡± Queenie stood up too. Leia sat on the couch as she watched Queenie send Luca off with anger in her eyes. The maid came over and ced the dessert on the coffee table. ¡°Who the hell is that woman?¡± Leia asked in a low voice. There was irrepressible fury in her voice. Chapter 1545 The maid widened her eyes and said, ¡°Do you mean Dr. Craw? I only know that she¡¯s a research professor in a pharmaceuticalpany. I¡¯m not sure about anything else¡­¡± Leia pounded on the couch when she listened to the maid¡¯s worthless words. ¡°Useless piece of sh*t.¡± After Queenie sent Luca off, she paced back to the living room without saying anything. She then ordered the maid, ¡°Go to my bedroom and bring my bag out. Oh yes, and Leia¡¯s bag too.¡± ¡°Mom, where are we going?¡± Leia saw her in a hurry and was confused. ¡°To the hospital. I¡¯m bringing you to the hospital for a check-up now,¡± Queenie said. Previously, Leia was pregnant with Brody¡¯s child and her body was already in terrible condition then. When she was in New York, she got pregnant with her boyfriend¡¯s child. However, they ended up aborting the child. Her body¡¯s condition had deteriorated after undergoing an abortion twice. Queenie did not expect Leia to have liver and kidney problems other than gynecological issues. She did not know about it back then, but she believed Luca, so she was going to bring Leia for a check- up at the hospital. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t listen to her nonsense. She would have written me a prescription if she¡¯s that impressive. I know my body well. You don¡¯t have to bring me there.¡± Leia was strongly against going for a check-up at the hospital. Queenie¡¯s eyes turned red when she looked at how disobedient she was. ¡°Leia, I¡¯m going to be angry if you refuse to listen to me.¡± Leia looked at her kind mother, stepped forward, and held her hand. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m still young. Don¡¯t listen to what she said.¡± Queenie had first-hand experience with Luca¡¯s medical skills, which was why she trusted her so much. Luca was not someone who would talk nonsense¡­ ¡°Leia, have you forgotten what you¡¯ve promised me?¡± Queenie had no choice but to remind her. The day Leia secretly came back, she knelt in front of the vi for a long time. Jack did not allow her to enter the house. In the end, it was Queenie who convinced him. She made Leia swear that she would listen to Queenie in front of Jack. It was only then she was allowed to enter the house. Leia recalled it after she reminded her. She did not expect Queenie to take it seriously when she had just casually made a promise. Was she going to have to listen to her for the rest of her life? Of course, the answer was no. However, Leia was left with no choice now. She could only say, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± ¡°Alright. Go get your ID. I¡¯ll make an appointment with the doctor now.¡± Queenie could not be bothered that much. She was being straightforward. After all, her children¡¯s health was the most important thing to her. However, Leia did not think so in her heart. Queenie was such a hassle. ¡­ On the other hand. Gale was standing beside Luke, reporting to him the progress of his work. After Luke finished listening to him, he said, ¡°We can¡¯t stop keeping an eye on her. Luca¡¯s brother is still in B City. There¡¯s still no news on him. Find someone to investigate what her brother is doing there.¡± Gale replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll send someone to find out about this. But Boss, there would be information about him if he¡¯s a normal person. His movements and expenses would have left a record. If they¡¯re hiding his tracks, he¡¯s most likely involved in something illegal¡­¡± Luke knew that. ¡°I need you to find out what illegal activities he¡¯s involved in.¡± ¡°I know what to do,¡± Gale replied. His boss had never stopped investigating Luca and Tia. For some reason, between these two people, one of them had a perfect background. They even knew what award she had won at different ages. On the contrary, there was a gap in the other person¡¯s background information. No matter how they had investigated, they could not seem to find the missing gap. ¡°And, Boss, I¡¯d like to report something,¡± said Gale. ¡°What is it?¡± Luke stood on the balcony and stared at the sky. The security system was the best in this suburban vi. They had even blocked the signals by installing a jammer. The rm would be triggered if there was any foreign equipment used to eavesdrop on their conversation. ¡°Leia has secretly returned. She has US citizenship now and used her family name when she came back here. Our men didn¡¯t notice it at first,¡± Gale said. It was their mistake, or it could be said that Leia was too cunning. If it had not been Rain who checked the data recently and found Leia¡¯s ID photo, they probably would have never known about it. ¡°She¡¯s back?¡± Luke raised his brows. He did not expect her to have the guts toe back here. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. He made her suffer when she was abroad, so she had always been thinking of a way to escape and come back here. It was out of his expectation that she would use her family name toe back. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s back. We tracked her down and found out that she¡¯s now in the Norman family¡¯s residence,¡± Gale replied. After he knew Leia came back, they began to track her down immediately. ¡°And Mr. Norman didn¡¯t say anything about it?¡± Luke asked. Jack had agreed to everything he did, but he kept silent this time¡­ It looked like Leia had found a way to stay here. ¡°Boss, what should we do now?¡± asked Gale. If the boss agreed, they could forge fake evidence of her entering the country illegally and she would be sent back. ¡°Let¡¯s see what¡¯s going on with the Norman family.¡± Luke did not take action on Leia instantly. Although Jack already knew how evil Leia was, he still let her stay this time. It indicated that he was not a heartless person, after all. However, Luke understood why he did that. After all, he had spent many years raising his daughter, Leia. Moreover, there was another person involved too¡ªQueenie. She was the soft-hearted one. ¡°Alright. Got it.¡± Gale nodded. His phone vibrated for a while. After he took it out and nced at it, he said, ¡°Boss, the person who¡¯s watching the Norman family just sent a message telling me that he saw Dr. Craw leaving the Norman family¡¯s house. Mrs. Norman is bringing Leia somewhere. Our men are following them now.¡± ¡°Have them follow them. Let¡¯s see where they¡¯re heading.¡± Luke lifted his arm and nced at the time. It seemed like it was time to bring his children to visit the Norman family. Leia thought no one would realize her return. If that was the case, he should let her have a taste of fear. ¡°Yes,¡± Gale answered. He gave the orders hurriedly and asked their men to continue following them. After Luke left the vi, he picked up his phone and called Queenie. Queenie was sitting in the car. She was startled for a moment when she saw him calling her. Even though Bianca was not in the country now, Luke still performed his filial duties to Jack and her. He would make a call to greet them on every festive asion, and he would buy them supplements too. Chapter 1546 Luke would never call if there was nothing. Queenie signaled Leia, who was sitting beside her, to be quiet. She told her not to speak. Then, she answered the call. ¡°Luke, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Leia, who was sitting beside her, was already feeling uneasy. She got even more restless when she heard Luke¡¯s name. Why was this man calling at this time?! Could it be that he had already found out she had sneaked back here¡­ Leia was listening to the call whileforting herself at the same time. She had found an agency to help her. The agency¡¯s people had been forging her traces to show that she was still in New York. Hence, Luke should not have noticed anything amiss. He was so busy. How could he keep an eye on her? While Leia wasforting herself, Qunnie was worried too. On the other end of the phone, Luke said, ¡°Mother, Tommy told me he¡¯s missing his grandmother. I¡¯m nning to bring the kids over for dinner with you and Father. Is that alright?¡± Queenie nced at Leia when she heard that. ¡°Today?¡± ¡°Yes, the kids have a school holiday tomorrow. They can stay a little longer,¡± Luke said. He looked like he was asking for their opinion but he had already decided to head to the Norman family¡¯s house. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll ask the maids to make preparations.¡± Queenie had no reason to reject him. After the call ended, Leia said unhappily, ¡°Mom, how could you agree? Isn¡¯t he going to find out that I¡¯m here if he brings the kids over?¡± Queenie¡¯s expression wasplicated. She had obviously thought about that too. ¡°You only have to hide in your room and not make any noises. Everything will be fine.¡± ¡°His kids are annoying. They keep running around. What if they run into my bedroom? You shouldn¡¯t have agreed to let hime over,¡± Leia muttered. Previously, she was in love with Luke and thought he was perfect. However, fear and hatred were all she had for him now. If it had not been for Luke and Bianca, she would not have ended up like this today. The point was, Queenie obviously sided with them¡­ ¡°You can lock your bedroom from inside. Now that they¡¯ve grown up, they¡¯re sweet and nice. They won¡¯t find out if you don¡¯te out.¡± Queenie felt ufortable after listening to herints. Among her three grandchildren, her favorite was Lanie. She could not reject Luke when he said he was going to bring the kids over. Queenie wasforting Leia, who was worried, and was sending a message to the maid at the same time. Queenie asked her to head to the market to get some groceries. Then, she informed Jack about it. They were already old. Although Jack had not officially retired, he was the same as her. They wanted to indulge in family love and joy. Hence, the husband and wife would definitely be happy when they heard the kids wereing for dinner. Leia was unhappy, but other than that, she felt resentful when she saw how delighted Queenie was. She did not say anything more. The doctor Queenie had made an appointment with quickly made arrangements when they arrived at the hospital. He took a few tubes of Leia¡¯s blood and gave her a CT scan. As the blood test result would not be out so soon, he asked them toe again on the following day. On the other hand. Luke received a message from Johann. He told him that Leia had arrived at their hospital and was doing a blood test. Johann was looking at several check-up test reports, and he raised his eyebrows. It was rted to liver and kidneys, even gynecological. Luca went to the Norman family¡¯s house today. It seemed like it was Queenie who invited her over. Come to think of it, it must be because of Leia¡¯s health issues. Queenie only wanted to help Leia. Luke opened his contacts and called Luca. Luca had just arrived at the apartment at this moment. She hesitated for a few seconds when she saw that it was Luke calling her. She ultimately decided to answer. ¡°Hello, Mr. Crawford.¡± She still sounded careful. ¡°Are you free tonight?¡± Luke asked right away. Luca was standing in the hallway and opening the shoe cab when she heard his question. She paused for a moment when she was about to change her shoes. Was the man who just asked her to get a good rest and not simply wander off now nning to take her somewhere? ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± She did not answer him right away. She could choose not to answer her boss¡¯ questions as it was not working hours now¡­ ¡°I¡¯d like you to apany me to a ce tonight,¡± Luke said. Knowing that she might reject him, he added again, ¡°Lanie will be there too. He told me he misses you.¡± Lanie missed her¡­ Luca let out a sigh. Her heart always softened when it came to the children. ¡°Alright.¡± She agreed. Luke told her the time and she agreed. ¡°I¡¯lle pick you up at five-thirty in the evening.¡± The next thing Luca heard was the busy tone from the other end of the call. Luke was always quick to end the conversation when he was on the phone. She was a little dazzled. She even doubted that the phone call was just an illusion. If it were him alone, she could stand her ground and reject him. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. However, she realized that she could not reject him if he brought up the children. After all, they were her own flesh and blood¡­ Only after a person had be a mother would she realize that her will and determination were much stronger than she thought. It was like when she realized she was pregnant on the Ind of Despair. She was able to stay strong until now only because of N¡­ Luca put her phone back in her pocket and changed into her slippers. She sat on the couch and stared into space for a while. She arrived at the residence¡¯s entrance on time when it was five-thirty in the evening. Luke¡¯s car drove slowly toward her and stopped beside her. Luca opened the car door of the back passenger seat and realized the three kids were already sitting in the backseat. They greeted her when they saw her. ¡°Good evening, Ms. Luca.¡± ¡°Good evening.¡± Luca felt a sense of warmth flowing into her heart when she looked at how sweet the three of them were. Since they had taken the back seat, she could only sit in the passenger seat. Luca closed the door, pulled the passenger door open, and got in. Luke did not ask Uncle Zander to drive this time. Instead, he chose to drive himself. He started the car after waiting for her to fasten the seat belt. Tommy got excited the moment he saw Luca. It had been a long time since he met Luca. The reason was simple. Their father told them that Luca had gone traveling, so he asked them not to disturb her. Tommy had no choice but to endure his yearning to message her on Instagram. Now that he had seen her, Tommy began to be talkative again. ¡°Ms. Luca, did you juste back from your travels?¡± ¡°Yes, I just came back from my trip.¡± Luca leaned on the car seat and looked at the kids through the rearview mirror. If it were not because the three of them were sitting at the back, she would definitely sit at the back and take a good look at her sons and daughter. Rainie asked, ¡°Ms. Luca, was it fun there? Daddy told us that he¡¯d bring us there, but he still hasn¡¯t fulfilled his promise. He brought Ms. Luca there instead.¡± Chapter 1547 Luca listened to the kidsining about how Luke had forgotten his promise and brought her there instead. She was a little embarrassed. After all, it was not like she traveled with Luke to have fun with him. ¡°You can still go there. Your whole family can go there during the holidays,¡± said Luca. Tommy asked, ¡°Can you travel with us when the timees, Ms. Luca?¡± Luca did not expect the child to take the initiative to invite her. She was startled for a moment. She nced at the kids and said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about thister.¡± ¡°I want to go with Ms. Luca, and I want to go with Sis too. It¡¯d be much more interestingpared to traveling with Daddy,¡± Tommy said while blinking his eyes. Luke was given the cold shoulder, but he did not say anything. He continued to drive as if the person his child was embarrassing was not him. Luca was speechless. She did not expect the kids to embarrass him in front of him. Rainie said, ¡°Daddy is busy with work every day. He would even bring his documents along with him when we travel. We can only wait for Daddy to finish settling all his documents if we want to travel with him. It¡¯s no fun when we have to spend most of the time in the hotel.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. It¡¯d be great if Ms. Luca can join us and bring us to have fun,¡± Tommy continued. Luca thought it would be bad to turn the kids down. She could only brush them off. ¡°Perhaps if we get the chance.¡± ¡°Ms. Luca, does that mean you agree?¡± Tommy asked excitedly with his sparkling eyes. Luca knew she had not promised them but she could not turn the kids down in front of them either. She could only say, ¡°If there¡¯s a chance¡ª¡± ¡°There definitely will be. We¡¯ll wait till the winter holidays and you can travel with us. I don¡¯t want to travel with my workaholic daddy.¡± There was a hint of contempt in Tommy¡¯s words. Luca smiled. nche, who was beside him, reminded him. ¡°Won¡¯t you go to calligraphy sses during the winter holidays?¡± Tommy had been asking to attend hobby sses recently. When Old Master Crawford realized he was not as steady as Lanie, he decided to send him to calligraphy sses during the winter holidays. Tommy had agreed with it too. He was stunned for a moment after he was reminded about that. He still wanted to travel with Luca, so he said, ¡°I won¡¯t be going to calligraphy ss every day. I only want to travel with Ms. Luca.¡± Luca smiled when she listened to Tommy acting like a spoiled child. Lanie looked at her gentle face and was lost in thought. He always had a familiar feeling whenever she smiled¡­ Luke did not say anything. He parked the car in front of the gate of the Norman family¡¯s residence. Luca noticed that, and she turned to look at him. ¡°Mr. Crawford, are we¡­¡± ¡°My mother-inw¡¯s health has improved a lot. But I¡¯m still a little worried. I happen to be bringing the kids here for dinner today, so I was thinking of asking you to check her pulse to see if there¡¯s any problem,¡± Luke exined. He pushed the car door open and pressed the doorbell of the Norman family¡¯s vi. Luca had juste this morning and Queenie¡¯splexion was fine. There was no problem at all. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. They watched the maid open the gate to let them drive into the vi. Luca was wondering how she was going to exin why she came together with Luke. Luke got back into the car and drove the car in. Then, he parked his car in the parking lot in front of the front yard. ¡°You can get out now,¡± he said. Tommy cheered, and he was the first to push the door open. He jumped out of the car. Luca could only bite the bullet and get out of the car too. The Norman family¡¯s maid could not help but be confused when she saw Luca getting out of the car. She just came this morning, right? Why was she here again, and she even took Luke¡¯s car here. ¡°Ms. Luca?¡± ¡°Hello,¡± Luca greeted her politely. The maid was still confused, but she did not ask anything. She led them into the house. Queenie was delighted when she saw Luke and the kids walking into the house. She was startled for a moment when she saw Luca. Then, she went back to normal immediately. She asked, ¡°Luke, you¡¯re here. Luca came too?¡± ¡°Yes. Mr. Crawford is worried about your health, so he brought me here to take your pulse and check on your health condition,¡± Luca said without mentioning what had happened in the morning. Queenie smiled gently. ¡°I feel much better. Save the trouble next time. Stay with us for dinner since you¡¯re here.¡± Luca wanted to leave after taking her pulse. When she was about to reject her, Luke said, ¡°Take her pulse first.¡± Queenie shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no need to. Don¡¯t bother about it. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Grandma, Daddy is just worried about your health. Let Ms. Luca take your pulse,¡± Rainie said in a caring voice. Queenie nodded her head and sat down. Then, she ced her arm on the coffee table. Luca sat down beside her and began to take her pulse. Queenie¡¯s pulse was much more stable, and the major health problem was gone. She said, ¡°Aunt Queenie, you¡¯re very healthy. But you have low blood pressure, right? Remember to take more supplements to nourish your body. Stop eating food that can decrease your blood pressure.¡± ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Queenie felt a warmth in her heart while listening to her reminders. ¡°I told you I¡¯m fine. Save the trouble next time.¡± Luke looked at Queenie¡¯s kind face. Half of Bianca¡¯s personality was from her. She was gentle and kind. However, Bianca had a clear mindpared to Queenie. She would never get soft-hearted with the person who had hurt her, but Queenie¡­ Luke looked in the direction of the stairs. Leia must be hiding upstairs¡­ ¡°I asked Dr. Craw to take your pulse just to make sure that you¡¯re fine. It¡¯ll give us peace of mind too. Dr. Craw is still on holiday, so it won¡¯t be a bother to her,¡± Luke said. When Although Queenie said that she could not bear to trouble Luca, she still asked her to head to her house to help treat Leia¡¯s health issues. Bianca would never have said something so hypocritical. It was because Queenie was getting old. A gentle person would be even more tolerating when they got older. ¡°Where¡¯s Father?¡± he asked. Tommy, who was beside, asked too, ¡°Yes, Grandma. Where¡¯s Grandpa? I¡¯ve already figured out the answer to the question he gave mest time.¡± ¡°He has an important meeting today, so he¡¯s going to bete. But he just called. He¡¯ll be back within half an hour. He¡¯s happy that you¡¯ve brought the kids here for dinner.¡± Queenie stroked the faces of the three kids. They had grown taller after not seeing them for a while. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll sit on the couch and wait for him.¡± Lanie sat down sensibly. Tommy asked, ¡°Grandma, can I go upstairs to y?¡± Queenie loved her grandchildren so much that she built a toy room for them upstairs. The room was full of toys. It was for them to y whenever they came here. However, the toy room was right beside Leia¡¯s bedroom. Chapter 1548 Even though Leia had locked herself in her room, she might not be able to staypletely silent. Moreover, Tommy was a curious child. If he realized that something was amiss, he would tell Luke about it. When Queenie thought about that, she smiled gently to mask the unease in her heart. ¡°The yroom was sterilized earlier this morning, and the smell of disinfectant is still quite strong. I don¡¯t think you should go in there. What do you want to y? I¡¯ll go and get it for you.¡± Tommy shook his head when he heard that. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Grandma. I¡¯ll watch cartoons instead.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll turn the TV on for you.¡± Queenie breathed a sigh of relief. The child was well-behaved. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Luke looked at her, then at the stairs. He guessed that Leia was hiding upstairs. Otherwise, Queenie would not stop Tommy from going up. Luca also knew what was going on, and she did not say anything, including the fact that she had been to the Norman household earlier in the day. Queenie turned on the television. The three children sat on the couch and bothered no one. She breathed a sigh of relief again, stood up, and said, ¡±I¡¯ll go and get some dessert for you.¡± At the same time, Luke stood up and said, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve heard from Dad that he acquired an antique inkwelltely. Is it in the study?¡± Queenie stopped walking. The study was upstairs. ¡°I think so? I¡¯ve heard him mention it, but I¡¯m not too familiar with antiques. Why don¡¯t you wait for him before going upstairs?¡± She suggested, trying to stall Luke for as long as possible. ¡°Alright.¡± Luke was not nning on entering Jack¡¯s study without his permission anyway. There might be top-secret documents inside. However, Luke did not sit down, which made Queenie worried. She asked, ¡°Luke, do you want to go anywhere?¡± Luke looked at her. ¡°The bathroom.¡± Queenie nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± After Luke went into the bathroom, Queenie looked at Luca, who was apanying the children on the couch. ¡°Luca, can you help me with the fruits in the kitchen?¡± It was not very polite to ask a guest to help out, but Queenie had more pressing things to be concerned about. She could not tell Luca about Leia¡¯s matters in front of the children. That was why she asked her to go to the kitchen. Luca knew what Queenie wanted to tell her. She nodded, stood up, and went to the kitchen with Queenie. The maid was cutting the fruits. Queenie did not ask her to go out. After all, the maid knew about the fact that Leia was back. ¡°Luca, I need to ask for your help with something,¡± she said. Luca could hear the helplessness in her tone. ¡°I¡¯ll help wherever I can, Mrs. Norman,¡± she said. Even though Leia was not rted to Queenie by blood, she had been Queenie¡¯s adoptive daughter for more than twenty years, and there was a shared bond between them. Luca could not fault Queenie for trying to help Leia. ¡°Can you not tell Luke about what happened earlier in the day?¡± Queenie pleaded. ¡°Did something happen earlier?¡± Luca asked. Even though she did not agree with what Queenie did, she had to ce herself as an outsider with no say in the matter. Queenie was taken aback. When she realized what Luca meant, she smiled and said gratefully, ¡°Thank you.¡± The maid arranged the cut fruits on a te. Luca took the te and said, ¡°I¡¯ll bring it outside.¡± Queenie nodded. She took out the children¡¯s favorite cookies from the cab, ced them on another te, and brought the te outside. When Luke came out of the bathroom, he saw the two womene out of the kitchen together. He guessed that they had talked about something in the kitchen. Luca thought of leaving after bringing the fruit te out. However, Queenie and Tommy asked her to stay, so she decided to have dinner with them. Half an hourter, Jack came home from work. A warm smile appeared on his stern face when he saw the children. ¡°My dear grandchildren! How are you?¡± He put the briefcase down and picked up Tommy. ¡°Grandpa! Lanie found an answer to your riddle!¡± Tommy said excitedly. Earlier, Jack had promised the children that each of them would receive a set of toys if any of them could answer his riddle correctly. Jack looked surprised. ¡°Really? Then tell me the answer, Lanie!¡± Lanie told him the answer. Jack gestured a thumbs-up at the children. ¡°That¡¯s correct! As expected of my grandchildren! I¡¯ll bring you all to the mall to buy toys this weekend.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best, Grandpa!¡± Tommy was the one who cheered first. Jack looked at Luca. Queenie had sent him a message telling him about what happened earlier in the day, so Jack was not too surprised to see Luca there. He nodded at her and greeted her, ¡°Luca, you¡¯re here too.¡± ¡°Yes, I was taking Mrs. Norman¡¯s pulse earlier. Her pulse is stable, and she is healthy,¡± Luca said. She did not mention what else happened in the morning. Jack did not mention it too. Luke observed the conversation. Suddenly, he said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve acquired an antique inkwelltely.¡± ¡°Yes. Are you interested in seeing it? It¡¯s in my study,¡± Jack said candidly. He realized immediately after that Leia was upstairs. Queenie¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°I¡¯d like to take a look. My grandfather¡¯s birthday is next month. He¡¯s an avid collector of antique inkwells, and I¡¯m interested in getting him one,¡± Luke said. Jack put Tommy on the floor and nced at Queenie. Queenie was smiling, but Jack could see the unease in her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go and take a look. I got it from a collector. If you like it, the collector has better inkwells,¡± Jack said as he brought Luke upstairs. He knew that Queenie had informed Leia that there were visitors in the house, so he was not too worried about bringing Luke upstairs. If Leia made some noise and was discovered, she could not me other people. Luke followed behind Jack, and they went up the stairs. Queenie picked up her phone, thinking of sending a message to Leia, telling her to keep quiet, but she was worried that Leia¡¯s phone was not on silent mode. She put the phone down again. ¡°Why are you sweating, Grandma?¡± Rainie was very observant. She noticed that Queenie was acting strangely. Queenie came to her senses and wiped away the sweat on her forehead. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. The room is quite stuffy. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Rainie nodded. She could sense that her grandmother was worried about something. Luca became pensive as she watched Luke go up the stairs. Indeed, Old Master Crawford¡¯s birthday wasing in a month. Luke¡¯s excuse to view the antique inkwell was perfect, but Luca felt he somehow knew that Leia was back. He might have even found out that Luca visited them earlier in the day¡­ If that were the case, why did Luke not expose Leia? Luca thought that Luke hated her. What was Luke nning? Chapter 1549 The sky was darkening. Luca looked at the time and saw that it was half-past six. She could smell the fragrance of the food wafting out of the kitchen. The maid was almost done cooking dinner. However, the sky¡­ Tommy noticed that Luca was looking out of the window. He leaned over and asked curiously, ¡°What are you looking at, Ms. Luca?¡± ¡°It looks like it¡¯s going to rain.¡± The sky was much darker than it should be at that hour. A storm should being. ¡°Oh, it really does look like it¡¯s going to rain. I¡¯ll go and take theundry in.¡± Queenie nced out of the window and immediately stood up. ¡°Let me help you, Mrs. Norman.¡± Luca also wanted to go upstairs. On the second floor, Luca nced at the room to their left. That was Jack¡¯s study. The door was ajar. Luke and Jack were inside talking about something. Luca tried to tune in to the conversation. The two men were talking about antiques. After that, she went to the balcony to help Queenie take theundry in. The clothes on the balcony belonged to Jack, Queenie, and Leia. Luca reminded Queenie, ¡°Mrs. Norman, those clothes¡­¡± Queenie immediately understood. She turned around warily to see if Luke was watching her. Then, she put Leia¡¯s clothes at the bottom of theundry basket, then covered them with her clothes and Jack¡¯s clothes. The wind was bing stronger, and it scattered Queenie¡¯s hair. She looked at Luca and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go in, Luca. It looks like there¡¯ll be a storm tonight.¡± Luca looked at the sky. The clouds were low. If it started raining, no one knew when it would stop. After they went inside, Luke and Jack happened to step out of the study. ¡°What happened to your hair?¡± Jack asked when he saw that the two women¡¯s hair was scattered. ¡°There¡¯s a gale on the balcony. It¡¯s going to rain soon,¡± Queenie exined as she shut the door to the balcony. When she looked at the two men, she became nervous again and clutched the clothes basket tightly. ¡°I was taking theundry in earlier. I¡¯ll go and put it in the room. You should go downstairs. Dinner will be ready soon.¡± She spoke slightly louder so that Leia could hear her. Jack nodded and said to Luke, ¡°Let¡¯s go downstairs, Luke.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Luke replied and nodded. He looked at Luca and noticed that her hair was messy too. ¡°Let¡¯s go downstairs together.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Luca nodded and went downstairs with the two men. Queenie stood at the top of the staircase. After the other three people went downstairs, she quickly went into her bedroom, took out her phone, and sent another message to Leia, telling her not to make a sound. Leia was lying on her bed. After she read the message, she rolled her eyes. ¡®I¡¯ve been doing nothing except for lying on the bed since earlier. Why is Mom so long-winded? Is she afraid that Luke might discover me, or is she worried that Luke will me her?¡¯ The caretaker served dinner and summoned everyone to the dining table. The long table was crowded, and the atmosphere was jovial. Tomemorate the asion, Jack opened a bottle of red wine. He poured the wine into a ss while asking, ¡°Luke, are you nning a grand celebration for Old Master Crawford¡¯s birthday?¡± ¡°Yes, it will be grand. We¡¯ve already booked a ballroom at the hotel,¡± Luke said. The people in the Crawford family ced a lot of importance on Old Master Crawford¡¯s birthday. Luke and Louis had insisted on holding a grand celebration for their grandfather despite Old Master Crawford telling them not to. After all, it concerned the image of the Crawford family. ¡°I see. That should be the case. Right, will Bea be attending?¡± Jack asked. Compared to Leia, he favored Bianca more. Luca¡¯s hand froze for a split second when she heard that question, but she soon regained her composure. Bianca was definitely noting back. However, it would be very strange if she did not attend her grandfather-inw¡¯s birthday celebration. How was Luke going to exin it? ¡°Bea is busy attending college overseas. She might not be able toe back,¡± Luke said. ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I was hoping to meet her on that day. Why did she enroll in a college all of a sudden? She abandoned her husband and children at home just like that. I wonder if she¡¯s okay by herself,¡± Queenie said wistfully. She had not talked to Bianca for a long time. Even though Bianca had always replied to her messages, she would not do so on time, as though she were very busy with something else. ¡°Bea is achieving her dreams, and I support her,¡± Luke said calmly. ¡°That¡¯s right, Grandma. It¡¯s a good thing that Mommy is studying what she wants. My teacher said that it¡¯s good to pursue one¡¯s pash¡­ fashion?¡± Tommy interjected, but he forgot what his teacher said. ¡°You mean, ¡®passion¡¯,¡± Lanie corrected him. ¡°Lanie is right. I think Mommy is a good role model to us,¡± Tommy nodded and said before stuffing his mouth with mashed potatoes. Queenie smiled gently. ¡°That¡¯s right, but she shouldn¡¯t forget about her family. I wish I could¡¯ve educated her better, Luke.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. As long as Bea is with me, I¡¯ll let her do whatever she wants,¡± Luke said and took a sip of warm water. He did not drink alcohol because he was going to drive hometer. Luca¡¯s hand shuddered. Luke had told her the same thing before, but there was a caveat to it. Luke would allow Bianca to do whatever she wanted, as long as she did not leave him. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. She could not help but feel emotional when she thought of that. She tried topose herself while she ate. ¡°Ms. Luca, can you pick a pork chop for me?¡± Tommy tugged her sleeve. Luca came to her senses and filled Tommy¡¯s te with a pork chop. Luke nced briefly at her, then looked away. ¡°Bea is so lucky to have you as her husband.¡± Queenie thought that something was amiss, but she could not exin what it was. Bianca should not have neglected her family and children to study overseas. However, she had lost her memories, and perhaps that was why she was not too close to the children. It was not too surprising for her to do so. Queenie continued asking, ¡°Right, will she being home for Thanksgiving?¡± ¡°No,¡± Luke answered. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Queenie seemed dejected. After all, Bianca was her daughter. It did not matter to Queenie if Bianca had lost her memories. Luca noticed the change in Queenie¡¯s expression and silently mouthed a word of apology. Queenie¡¯s daughter was right in front of them, but she could not expose her identity for many reasons. She could only say that she was Luca Craw. The storm had been brewing outside, and it finally rained when they were about to finish dinner. The maid brought them a fruit te. ¡°Sir, Madam, I read from the weather forecast that the rain willst through the night. Can I stay in the mansion tonight?¡± Ever since Queenie recovered, the full-time maid usually went home after work. Chapter 1550 The maid would stay the night in the Norman residence when it was inconvenient to go home. Queenie looked at the rain outside the window and said, ¡°It¡¯s not very convenient for you to go home. You should stay.¡± ¡°Yes. The weather service has also issued a yellow alert earlier,¡± the maid said. ¡°It¡¯s that serious?¡± Queenie did not expect that. She looked at Luke and said, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t leave just yet, Luke. It¡¯s not safe to drive home when it¡¯s raining so heavily.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Luke said. He did not expect that Queenie would ask him to stay. The rain was not going to stop any time soon. How long would Leia be able to hide? He knew that she was not a patient person¡­ After dessert, Luca sat on the couch and watched the news. The yellow alert had been escted to an orange alert. She looked out of the window and saw that the rain did not lessen. The storm was much more severe than any summer storm. ¡°It¡¯s orange now,¡± Queenie said. She was also watching the news. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Jack stood next to Queenie and said, ¡°It¡¯s been dry for so long. It¡¯s normal to rain.¡± Queenie was worried about something else. Luke and his children were there. There was Luca too¡­ She was worried that the storm wouldst through the night, and they would have to stay over. The Norman residence was a small-sized mansion, and there were not many guest rooms. Ever since Bianca reunited with the Normans, they had converted the guest room into Bianca¡¯s room. If Leia were not around, there would be enough rooms for Luke and his children as well as Luca. Now that Leia was in her room, there was only one spare room left in the mansion¡­ Luke and the children could stay in Bianca¡¯s room, but what about Luca? Queenie did not voice out her worries. By ten o¡¯clock, Tommy was already yawning. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy, Daddy,¡± heined. Luke looked out of the window. The rain was as heavy as ever. It was not impossible to drive home, but it was not very safe. Luke received a call from Old Master Crawford. ¡°Yes, Grandfather?¡± He said. ¡°Are you still at the Norman residence?¡± Old Master Crawford asked. ¡°Mm. The rain is too heavy. It¡¯s not safe to drive.¡± Luke nced at Queenie and Jack. One of them was calm, while the other was visibly worried. Perhaps she was worried that Leia was getting impatient. Luke brought the children to visit their grandparents. At the same time, he wanted to give Leia a warning. He did not expect to be caught in a storm. ¡°Griffin said that it¡¯s an orange-level storm. You shouldn¡¯t drive home. Why don¡¯t you stay the night over there?¡± Old Master Crawford said. ¡°I¡¯ll see how it goes.¡± Luke did not immediately agree to it, but he could tell that it was most likely the case. They needed two rooms, and the entire Norman residence only had one spare room. He looked at Luca. ¡°You don¡¯t have to see how it goes. The storm is no joking matter. That settles it,¡± Old Master Crawford said and ended the call. Jack said, ¡°What did Old Master Crawford say?¡± ¡°He said that it¡¯s not safe to drive home with the children tonight, and he¡¯s telling me to stay over,¡± Luke said. Jack looked out of the window and agreed. ¡°The sky is already dark, and the storm is so heavy. It¡¯s not safe to drive. There are still clothes for you and the children in Bea¡¯s room.¡± Queenie had prepared clothes for the children in Bianca¡¯s room in case they wanted to stay over. Naturally, there were some of Luke¡¯s clothes in the closet too. It would not be a problem if they wanted to stay over. ¡°But we don¡¯t have enough room¡­¡± Queenie whispered and bumped Jack¡¯s arm with her elbow. It was then Jack realized that there was only one spare room in the entire house¡­ He looked at Luke. Luke asked, ¡°Can¡¯t Dr. Craw stay in Leia¡¯s room?¡± Jack reacted quickly and replied, ¡°That room was recently renovated. The smell of paint is still quite strong, so it won¡¯t befortable to stay in.¡± Luke knew that Jack was lying. He continued asking, ¡°Huh? Why did you suddenly renovate Leia¡¯s room? Is sheing home soon?¡± ¡°No, of course not. Why would she being back? She¡¯s enjoying herself overseas. Queenie and I noticed that the wallpaper was peeling, so we got a handyman to rece the wallpaper with a fresh coat of paint,¡± Jack said. Queenie added, ¡°That¡¯s right. Leia¡¯s room is the only room in the house with wallpaper. It hasn¡¯t been upied for three years, and I thought it smelled moldy. That¡¯s why we¡¯ve changed it.¡± Luke nodded. Luca sat there, feeling embarrassed that her parents had to lie for Leia. They were usually honest people. It must be hard for them to keep a straight face while lying. ¡°What should we do?¡± Queenie said worriedly. There were no hotels near the residential area. Of course, Luca could not stay in the same room with Luke and the children. Moreover, Leia was still in the house. They could not ask Luke to sleep in the living room. When everyone was wondering what to do, Tommy said, ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, isn¡¯t there a sofa bed in the yroom? Daddy can sleep there. Ms. Luca can sleep with me, Lanie, and Rainie in Mommy¡¯s room.¡± ¡°The sofa bed is too small,¡± Queenie shook her head and said. Luke was more than six feet tall. He was not going to fit in the sofa bed. ¡°Why don¡¯t I sleep on the sofa bed?¡± Luca said, trying to find a solution for them. ¡°It¡¯s not veryfortable though¡­¡± Queenie said hesitantly. It would be rude to ask a guest to sleep on the sofa bed, let alone someone who had saved her life. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s only one night,¡± Luca said. Jack said, ¡°That settles it then. Luca looks about the same size as Bea. You can let her wear Bea¡¯s clothes.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go and get it from upstairs,¡± Queenie said. She breathed a sigh of relief. The yroom was next to Leia¡¯s room. It would be safe if Luca stayed there. Luke would not notice Leia¡¯s presence even if she made some noise. From their exchange in the kitchen earlier, Queenie trusted Luca not to tell Luke the secret. Queenie thought that Luca was quite amiable. Luca had helped her unconditionally, and she did not ask why. ¡®How considerate¡­ she¡¯s like Bianca before she lost her memories.¡¯ Chapter 1551

Chapter 1551 She Felt Sorry for Queenie

At eleven o''clock, Luca sat on the sofa bed in the yroom. From the variety of toys found inside, Luca could tell that Jack and Queenie adored the children a lot. She considered herself lucky to have such gentle and caring parents who would share their love unconditionally with her children. Queenie knocked on the door. Luca lifted her head, stood up, and said, "Mrs. Norman.¡± "May Ie in?" Queenie asked while standing at the door. "Of course," Luca said. Queenie came into the room with a set of clothes in hand. She put it on the sofa bed and said, "I didn''t find any new clothes in Bea''s room, so I went through my clothes, and I found this silk gown that I had tailor-made when I was young. I haven''t worn it before, so why don''t you wear it to sleep tonight?" Not only was Luca a guest, but she had helped the Normans so many times. Queenie did not want to ask her to wear Bianca''s old clothes, so she searched through her own wardrobe and found the silk gown that she had not worn before. The silk gown was pure white and embroidered with pink gardenias. Luca could tell that the dress was made entirely by hand, and it must cost a lot of money. "This gown looks very precious, Mrs. Norman. You should keep it for yourself. I can wear anything you give me," Luca said. She did not mind wearing old clothes, especially when those clothes were hers. Queenie shook her head. ¡°It''s just a gown. How precious can it be? Also, I can''t fit in it anyway. I think that you''ll look nice in this gown. It''s gettingte. Go take and shower and get changed. I''ve already ced your towel and toiletries in themon bathroom.¡± There was no bathroom attached to the yroom. Luca would have to use themon bathroom if she wanted to take a bath. If she were still Bianca, she would assume the role of Leia¡¯s older sister and reprimand her for her disrespect toward their mother. Sometimes, she even wondered if Leia had any gratitude for Queenie. Jack and Queenie had done so much for Leia, but Leia remained ungrateful... Luca sighed and flipped to her side. It was not veryfortable, so shey on her back once more. The sofa bed was indeed small and narrow. At the same time, Queenie followed Leia down the stairs while frequently ncing behind her. Leia smirked when she saw her mother like that. "They''re already asleep, Mom. You don''t have to be so worried." "You shouldn''t be so careless, Leia. You know that they''re here, but you insist on going downstairs," Queenie said while taking out food ingredients from the freezer.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. "You can''t me me. If you had said no when he wanted toe for dinner, I wouldn''t have to hide in the bedroom. I was almost bored to death,¡± Leia grumbled. Queenie shook her head when she heard that. On other days, Leia would usually be nestled in her room anyway. Why was she not bored then? Everyone in the household was worried for her, but she did not seem to care. Leia continued, "Also, I''ve been starving the entire night. I wouldn''t have to starve if you hadn''t let them stay the night. I''m so hungry.¡± While filling up a saucepan with water, Queenie said, "Fine. I know that you''re hungry. I''ll cook some macaroni soup for you. Isn''t it raining so heavily now? How can I let Luke drive home in such bad weather?" "Why do you worry about him? He can pilot a ne. This bit of rain is nothing to him. I think you deliberately want me to starve, Mom," Leia said while rubbing her stomach Queenie was angry when she heard that, but she did not show it on her face. She thought that Leia had a lot of grievances for being cooped up. Ever since she returned, she had been confined within the mansion. Her parents did not let her go to the mall. Today''s hospital trip was her first time stepping out of the mansion gates. Naturally, she would not be very happy about that. While Leia watched her mother cook supper for her, she asked, "Right, what''s up with that woman?" Chapter 1552 ¡°She¡¯s not ¡®that woman,¡¯ she¡¯s Luca. If you¡¯re notfortable calling her Luca, you can call her Dr. Craw,¡± Queenie said, frowning because of Leia¡¯sck of manners. Leia did not notice the change in Queenie¡¯s expression. She continued, ¡°Didn¡¯t shee over during the day? Why is she here for dinner? Did shee over to steal the things from our house?¡± Queenie was bing irritated by what Leia said. Steal their things? Luca was not like that. That was what she thought in her mind, but she did not say that. Seeing her mother not saying anything, Leia hugged Queenie¡¯s hand and said eagerly, ¡°Don¡¯t me me for being concerned, Mom. Sometimes, you have to assume the worst when dealing with outsiders like her. Dad¡¯s a very sessful politician, and our home has many precious items. Also, you only have two daughters¡­¡± Queenie pulled her hand away and said, ¡°Alright. The macaroni¡¯s almost done. Go and wash your hands. You should go to bed after you eat.¡± Leia could tell that Queenie was not interested in that topic. She continued, ¡°Mom, you haven¡¯t told me why she¡¯s here.¡± Queenie exined, ¡°Luke brought her here. He said he wanted her to take my pulse and check on my condition.¡± ¡°Take your pulse? When she came over earlier, she didn¡¯t take your pulse. Now that Luke invited her again and she¡¯s here, can¡¯t you tell that she must have an ulterior motive?¡± Leia said while washing her hands. Queenie poured the macaroni into a bowl. ¡°Supper¡¯s ready.¡± ¡°You have to listen to me, Mom. Luke¡¯s a charming man, and so many women wish that they could take over Bianca¡¯s position. I¡¯m sure that woman is either eyeing Luke¡¯s riches or the things in our home¡­ Didn¡¯t you notice? She¡¯s a hit with Luke¡¯s children. They call her ¡®Ms. Luca.¡¯ Who knows if she tells them to call her ¡®Mommy¡¯ when no one¡¯s around?¡± Leia said, not perturbed by the hot macaroni in her mouth. When she was in her room earlier, she had heard the children call Luca ¡°Ms. Luca¡± in such a friendly manner. She guessed that Luca was about the same age as her, but she had to be ¡°Aunt Leia¡± instead. Those words left a mark on Queenie¡¯s mind. She thought of what happened earlier and realized that Luca was indeed quite close to Luke¡¯s children. Not only did they call her ¡°Ms. Luca,¡± but Tommy had also asked her to fill his te. She knew that the three children usually kept a polite distance from strangers. However, they seemed to be too close to Luca. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. She could not help but overthink. Was it because Luca and the children had interacted many times? Otherwise, the children would have behaved differently. Also, Queenie thought that Luca was a little too patient toward the children. If she had not kept a distance from Luke, other people might suspect that they were married, and she was the mother of the three children¡­ ¡®No¡­ Luke is Bianca¡¯s husband, and Lanie, Rainie, and Tommy are Bianca¡¯s children. I¡¯ll have to warn Luke regardless of Luca¡¯s intentions. ¡®She did save my life, but that doesn¡¯t mean she can rece my daughter¡­ ¡®These two matters are separate.¡¯ Leia was observing her mother quietly while she slurped her supper. She was quite happy that her words seemed to have stirred something in Queenie¡¯s mind¡­ ¡®Does that Luca think she can get close to Mom? No chance!¡¯ If she could make Queenie suspect something, she could ensure Luca would never step into the Norman residence again. Leia smirked, but she remembered seeing Luca dressed in that gown. Back when she was still an actress, she wanted a silk gown for red carpet events. She had her eye on Queenie¡¯s silk gown. It was white with embroidered pink gardenias, and it was perfect for her pure image¡­ She had asked Queenie to lend her the gown, but Queenie had refused to lend it to her. The reason was simple: Queenie¡¯s mother had hired a renowned tailor to hand-sew the gown for her. Queenie had never worn it because of its sentimental value. Leia had to hire another tailor to rush another gown for the event. Queenie did not wear the gown, and she did not want to lend it to Leia, yet she had given it to Luca so readily¡­ It was not about the gown anymore. Leia believed that Queenie was ying favorites again¡­ After supper, before the food had settled in her stomach, Queenie urged Leia to go upstairs again. While Leia walked past the yroom, she leaned close to the door, but she heard nothing. She pouted, went back to her room, and closed the door. Luca opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. ¡®The person earlier should be Leia¡­¡¯ She shook her head and closed her eyes again. Queenie did the dishes and went upstairs to the master bedroom. Jack had just settled down on the bed when he saw his wifee in. ¡°Did Leia throw a tantrum again?¡± ¡°No. She¡¯s just hungry. I cooked some supper for her.¡± Queenie knew that Jack was not too fond of Leia, so she did not say much. ¡°She¡¯s still like that. Didn¡¯t you prepare some rations in the room for her?¡± Jack shook his head. When Queenie knew that Luke wasing for dinner, she had prepared a loaf of bread and other snacks for Leia. ¡°She¡¯s not used to eating that. Also, it¡¯s raining heavily now. I can understand if she wants to eat something hot.¡± Queenie sat in front of the vanity and applied moisturizer to her face. Leia¡¯s words continued to ring in her mind. Jack yawned and prepared to lie down. Queenie continued, ¡°Jack, don¡¯t you think that Luke¡¯s children are a little too close to Luca?¡± Jack thought for a while and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true. Luca is quite good-looking. She might seem quite aloof, but she has a good character. It¡¯s normal that the kids are friendly toward her.¡± Luke¡¯s three children were quite intelligent. They could read a person¡¯s character well. For example, they were not close to Leia, but they were close to Luca. One could easily tell who between the two had the better character. Queenie turned around and looked at Jack. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s a good girl, but I¡¯m worried that she has some ulterior motive¡­¡± ¡°What ulterior motive could she have?¡± Jack chuckled. He thought that his wife was overthinking. Queenie stared at him intently. How could he not know? Jack chuckled for a while and realized that his wife was serious. Soon, he understood what she meant¡­ Chapter 1553 Jack shook his head and said, ¡°No, that can¡¯t be. Luca isn¡¯t like that.¡± After all his years as a politician, he was a good judge of character. He did not believe that Luca was someone who would befriend the three children just to get close to Luke. Moreover, she did not seem intimate with Luke. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking about this carefully enough¡­¡± After so many years married, Queenie knew what Jack was thinking without him saying it. ¡°Do you think that Luca and Luke are innocent just because they¡¯re not physically intimate with each other? There are some things that adults can hide but children can¡¯t, Jack. Look at our three grandchildren. They don¡¯t show any resistance toward Luca at all. It means that they¡¯re very familiar with Luca. I know what your worries are. Even though there¡¯s nothing between Luca and Luke now, who can tell what will happen in the future? Bea is still overseas, and I think we should keep an eye on Luke for her¡­¡± ¡°Well, I still trust Luca. Even if I don¡¯t trust her, I trust Luke. He¡¯s not that kind of man who would shift loyalties,¡± Jack said. Queenie also trusted Luke¡¯s character. Even though he might be involved in scandals from time to time, he had always refrained frommenting on any of them, believing that his innocence will be proven by his silence. Every time, he would turn out to be right; the supermodels and actresses were the ones to have ulterior motives. However, Bianca was not in the country now, and no one was keeping an eye on Luke. Any man would have been restless by now¡­ She trusted Luke, but she was worried that Luca might use the children to get close to him¡­ Once a man made a mistake, he would continue making that mistake many more times¡­ Their daughter would be the one to suffer. ¡°Regardless of Luca¡¯s character, I hope you can find a chance to talk to Luke tomorrow, alright?¡± Queenie asked. Jack thought that Queenie should not worry, but it was alreadyte, and they needed to rest. He nodded and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll talk to Luke tomorrow.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Queenie nodded. She finished applying her moisturizer, got on the bed, and hugged Jack to sleep. Meanwhile, Lucay on the sofa bed and flipped around. She could not sleep at all. A short whileter, the door to the yroom opened. Luca immediately sat up and turned on the table light. She noticed Tommy tiptoeing into the room and asked, ¡°Tommy? It¡¯s already sote. Why aren¡¯t you sleeping yet?¡± Tommy grinned when he saw that Luca was not asleep yet. ¡°You¡¯re not sleeping either, Ms. Luca.¡± Luca beckoned at Tommy and asked him to go over. Tommy went over and stood next to her. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you fallen asleep, Ms. Luca? Is the bed too small?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m not used to sleeping in unfamiliar environments. How about you? I know that you don¡¯t have to go to school tomorrow, but it¡¯s not healthy to stay up sote,¡± Luca said as she gently touched the tip of Tommy¡¯s nose. ¡°I was worried that you can¡¯t sleep, so I¡¯m here to exchange bed with you. I¡¯m small, so I don¡¯t mind sleeping on this sofa bed. You¡¯re different though. You should go and sleep in the bedroom¡­¡± Tommy said while pointing at the door. Luca smiled and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You should go to bed. You shouldn¡¯t be sleeping sote anyway.¡± ¡°No. You should go and sleep in the bedroom, Ms. Luca. You¡¯ll be much morefortable on the big bed,¡± Tommy said. He was a considerate boy. Luca was grateful for the offer, but she knew that she should not go. ¡°I can¡¯t do that. Your elder siblings and your Daddy are all there. I can¡¯t sleep there.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Tommy looked at her and asked curiously. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Of course not. Your Daddy and I are both adults. He¡¯s a man, and I¡¯m a woman. Only a man and a woman who are married can sleep together,¡± Luca exined to him, not worrying that Tommy might be too young to understand it. He would have to know about it sooner orter anyway, and it was a good opportunity to educate him. ¡°Oh, if it¡¯s like that¡­¡± Tommy nodded and continued asking, ¡°What about an adult and children then? Can they sleep together?¡± ¡°Of course they can. You¡¯ve slept in my bed before, right?¡± Luca said while pinching his plump cheeks. If Tommy would grow up the same way as Lanie, his round face would eventually be sharper. She wanted to pinch his face while it was still round. ¡°That settles it then. You shoulde over and sleep with us. Daddy can sleep on the floor.¡± Tommy held her hand and wanted to lead her out of the room. ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± Luca remained seated on the sofa bed. Tommy turned around and looked at Luca with puppy eyes. ¡°Can¡¯t you apany me, Ms. Luca?¡± Luca knew that Tommy was only faking it, but she asked anyway, ¡°Isn¡¯t your Daddy there to apany you? Also, you¡¯re a big boy now. Do you still need your parents to sleep with you?¡± ¡°Ms. Luca, that¡¯s my Mommy¡¯s room. I haven¡¯t seen her for a long time, and I can¡¯t sleep because I miss her. You remind me a lot of my Mommy, so I thought of asking you,¡± Tommy said. He blinked hard, which caused tears to appear in his eyes. ¡°But your Daddy¡­¡± Luca remained hesitant. ¡°Daddy said that he¡¯ll sleep on the floor if you agree to go over,¡± Tommy said. Luca raised her eyebrows. She did not expect that Luke was still awake and had been discussing it with the children. It meant that he probably heard Leia too¡­ However, Luke did note out of the room and catch her in the act. The only exnation was that he had other ns. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll bring you there.¡± Luca could not bear to see the child cry. When Tommy said that he missed his mother, she felt quite emotional¡­ Tommy led Luca into Bianca¡¯s bedroom. From the nightlight, Luca saw Luke sitting on the couch instead of sleeping on the bed. ¡°Mr. Crawford? Why aren¡¯t you resting yet¡­¡± Luca asked. Luke nced at Tommy, then at Luca. The nightlight outlined a beautiful silhouette on her face. ¡°The children said they miss their Mommy. I can¡¯t sleep,¡± he said. Just as he finished speaking, Rainie, who was sitting on the bed, said, ¡°Ms. Luca, I miss my Mommy too.¡± Luca looked at the children. Even Lanie was sitting on the bed. She thought that all of them had fallen asleep¡­ ¡°What are you going to do?¡± She asked. Luke remained seated. ¡°The children aren¡¯t usually like this. They¡¯re emotional because this is their mother¡¯s bedroom. Why don¡¯t you apany them to sleep today? The bed is spacious enough to fit four people.¡± Chapter 1554 ¡®Four people? Me and the children?¡¯ Luca looked at Luke, wondering if he would sleep on the couch or the floor. She nced at the couch. The room was spacious enough to amodate a bigger couch, but the bed was big, so the couch had to be smaller. It was not going to fit Luke. That meant that he would have to sleep on the floor. Luca asked, ¡°Where will you be sleeping then, Mr. Crawford?¡± There was an ambiguous grin on Luke¡¯s face. Through the dim light, Luca could not tell if he was smiling. Before Luke answered the question, Tommy rubbed his eyes and said, ¡°Daddy can sleep on the floor. Ms. Luca, can you read me a bedtime story?¡± Luca could not bear to see the child so sleepy. She went over to the bed and patted the spot next to her. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep.¡± Tommyy down on the bed. Lanie and Rainie soon followed suit. Luca nced at Luke again. He was looking in the direction of the bed. She was dressed in the silk gown, which entuated the curves of her body. As the nightlight shone on her scattered long hair, her figure seemed to have captivated his soul. Luke swallowed, trying to keep the lump in his throat down. He watched Luca lie on the bed and, with her gentle voice, tell the children a bedtime story. Rainie was a girl who enjoyed fairy tale stories about princes and princesses. Lanie did not have the habit of listening to bedtime stories, but he preferred to read science fiction stories. Tommy was about the same because of Lanie¡¯s influence. The three children on the bed had different preferences, but Luca somehow managed to tell a story that all three of them enjoyed. They were listening to her story with great interest, and they did not make a sound. The window muffled the sounds of the heavy rain outside. Luca¡¯s voice was gentle as she tried to coax the children to sleep. As Luke listened to her story, he could feel his eyelids be heavier and heavier. A nket was spread out on the floor, and a pillow was ced on top. Luca¡¯s attention had been upied by the children since she entered the room, and she did not notice those things on the floor. Luke¡¯s movements were very soft. Before Luca realized it, he was already lying on the floor. Luca¡¯s voice became softer and softer. She lifted her head slightly and saw that the three children were already asleep. Tommy slept to her right, and Lanie slept next to Tommy. Rainie slept to her left. The soft nightlight illuminated the children¡¯s faces. Rainie even seemed to be smiling, as though she was in a pleasant dream. Luca was satisfied when she saw that. Suddenly, she thought of Luke. She carefully sat up and noticed that he was not on the couch. Where did he go? Luca was wondering about that. She saw an arm raise from the end of the bed, then it went down again. It seemed Luke knew she was looking for him¡­ Luca wanted to leave the bedroom. It would be hard to exin if Queenie found her sleeping together with the children. However, Tommy was hugging her hand tightly. If she moved, the child might wake up. Luca sighed andy back down again. She decided that she would wake up early tomorrow and sneak back to the yroom before Queenie woke up. The decision made her feel slightly more relieved. Luca was satisfied when she heard the slow and even breathinging from the children around her. Even though Luke was in the same room, she did not feel as uneasy as before. She found it easy to sleep when Luke and the children were nearby. She closed her eyes and soon fell asleep. The next day, Luca opened her eyes when she heard some sounds around her. She looked around and remembered that she was still in the Norman residence. She had designed the interior of the room. Even though she had not lived there for a very long time, she was very familiar with it. There was a knock on the door. Then, Queenie¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Luke? Kids? Are you awake?¡± Luca sat up. She nned to return to the yroom before Queenie woke up, but she had overslept¡­ Queenie was knocking on the door now. The knocking woke up the other people in the room. Tommy sat up and rubbed his eyes. There was still a drop of drool on the corner of his mouth. He looked half-asleep. Lanie and Rainie were not any better either. Luca felt a wave of tenderness in her heart when she looked at the children¡¯s faces. However, Queenie¡¯s voice made her uneasy. What should she do? Luke sat up and replied, ¡°We¡¯re up.¡± ¡®He¡¯s been sleeping on the floor the whole night¡­¡¯ Luca thought. Queenie said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, brush your teeth ande downstairs for breakfast. Right, have you seen Luca?¡± Queenie noticed that the yroom door was ajar, but Luca was not inside. Luke nced at the woman on the bed, then went to open the door. ¡°She¡¯s inside.¡± Queenie was taken aback when she heard that. ¡®Luca is in the room? They spent the night in the same room?¡¯ Luca hurriedly got off the bed. Her hair was in a mess, and the gown was slightly creased¡­ ¡°I¡¯m here, Mrs. Norman¡­¡± ¡°You, you two¡­¡± In her shock, she could notplete the sentence. She had already assumed the worst-case scenario: Luke and Luca had done something in bed¡­ ¡°The children couldn¡¯t sleepst night, so I asked Dr. Craw to coax them to sleep.¡± Luke could tell that Queenie had misunderstood the situation. He took a step aside and showed his mother-inw that he had slept on the floor. Rainie added, ¡°Yes, Grandma. We weren¡¯t used to sleeping here, so Daddy asked Ms. Luca toe over and tell us a bedtime story.¡± Queenie saw that the nket on the floor was crumpled. Evidently, someone had been sleeping there. Even though Luke had slept on the floor and Luca on the bed, Queenie could not eliminate the possibility that they had done something on the floor¡­ She was still worried that there might be some illicit affair going on between them¡­ However, she could not voice out her worries. She had to trust them and pretend that nothing happened. ¡°I see, so that¡¯s how it is,¡± she nodded and said. ¡°I guess the kids miss their Mommy. Luke, you should tell Bea to call the kids whenever she¡¯s free.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Luke nodded. He was not going to tell them the truth behind Bianca just yet. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Queenie nced at the people in the room and said, ¡°Go and brush your teeth. Breakfast is ready.¡± It had already stopped raining. Queenie hoped that they could leave so that Leia coulde out of her bedroom. ¡°Mm.¡± Luke bent over and picked up the nket from the floor. Tommy reached out toward Luca and said coyly, ¡°I wanna hug!¡± Luca bent over and picked up the little boy. Chapter 1555 Queenie felt very ufortable when she looked at the harmonious scene presented in front of her eyes. She went back to the master bedroom. Jack was facing the dressing mirror putting on his tie. He noticed Queenieing in and asked her, ¡°Are Luke and the others awake?¡± ¡°They¡¯re awake,¡± Queenie said. Seeing howposed Jack was, she stopped herself from saying more. Jack noticed the expression on her face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He asked out of concern. ¡°Jack, I think you should speak to Luke whenever you have the time. When I went over to wake them up, I found Luca in their room¡­¡± Queenie said worriedly. Luca was an outstanding woman, and she was a good match for Luke. However, Luke was already their son-inw. Even if Bianca had lost her memories, her love for Luke did not lessen. She would not ept it if Luke were together with another woman. Jack stopped what he was doing and frowned. ¡°Did they sleep together?¡± ¡°No. Luke was sleeping on the floor. He said that the children could not sleep because they missed their mother, so he asked Luca toe over and tell them a bedtime story. They might not be sleeping on the same bed, but that¡¯s because the bed isn¡¯t big enough. If the bed were big enough, who knows if they might be sleeping together?¡± Queenie voiced her concerns. Even though they were not sleeping on the same bed, Jack thought that it was very inappropriate. He fastened his tie and said, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Luke.¡± ¡°Mm. You have to. Bea might be overseas now, but that doesn¡¯t mean Luke can do whatever he wants. There¡¯s no reason for them to sleep in the same room,¡± Queenie said. She thought that Luke should have carried out his responsibility as the children¡¯s father instead of asking Luca to take over. Moreover, it was even more concerning that Luca managed to coax the children to sleep. It proved that Luca was very important to the children, as though she could rece Bianca¡¯s position¡­ Jack nodded. He put on his coat and left the bedroom. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Queenie did not follow behind him. She did not want to join in the conversation between men. Jack went to Bianca¡¯s bedroom. Luke had already cleaned up. Luca was in the attached bathroom helping the children wash their faces. ¡°Luke, are you free? Can we have a chat?¡± Jack said. He was not going to speak to Luke about that matter in front of the children. ¡°Mm.¡± Luke nodded. He knew what Jack was going to tell him. They went to the balcony. Jack nced behind him to ensure Luca and the children were not behind them. ¡°I¡¯ll get to the point. Do you have any special feelings for Luca?¡± Jack asked. ¡°No.¡± Luke immediately refuted it. He remained calm in the face of the question. Jack frowned. He could not tell if Luke was telling the truth. After taking a deep breath, he continued, ¡°That¡¯s good to know. Bea is still overseas. I hope that she still has a husband when shees back.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Luke ced his hands into the pockets of his pants. He understood Jack¡¯s concerns. Even though Luke had given his affirmation, Jack did not feel relieved at all. He did not want Luke to think he was unconditionally siding his daughter. However, he had promised Queenie to talk to Luke. He said, ¡°Bea is overseas now, and she doesn¡¯t reply to our messages. Your mother-inw misses her. If it¡¯s possible, ask her toe back for the New Year. Her mother would like to spend the asion with her. Also, tell her to phone home when she¡¯s free. You know, Bea sometimes doesn¡¯t listen to us, but she¡¯ll listen to whatever you say. I hope you don¡¯t mind it, but we really miss her.¡± Luke could tell that Jack¡¯s main point was to ask Bianca to keep in touch with them. ¡°Alright, I understand,¡± he said. The impostor Bianca¡¯s voice was slightly hoarse because her vocal cords were damaged. Luke might not be able to find someone who could impersonate the real Bianca¡¯s voice, but it was rtively easier to find someone with a voice simr to the impostor Bianca. He decided to find someone to act as the impostor Bianca and give Jack and Queenie a call. Jack grinned happily when Luke gave his promise. Things would be fine as long as Bianca was willing to talk to them. He thought that it would be better for them to tell Bianca to keep an eye on Luke. Bianca cared for Luke. She would not let that happen. After the conversation, Luke and Jack went downstairs. Luca and the children were already sitting on the couch in the living room. Queenie smiled at the two men. ¡°Breakfast is ready. Let¡¯s eat.¡± The people sat around the dining table and ate their breakfast. After that, Luke, Luca, and the children left the Norman residence. Luca sat on the side passenger seat. As she gazed at the scenery outside the window, she thought of how Luke and Jack hade downstairs at the same time. While in the bathroom, she had heard Jack calling Luke for a talk. ¡°Um, did Mr. Norman talk to you earlier?¡± Luca asked. ¡°Mm,¡± Luke replied while keeping his focus on the road ahead. ¡°Is it because of me? I shouldn¡¯t have slept in that bedroom. I hope he didn¡¯t misunderstand the situation,¡± Luca said. Even though she could not reveal her true identity now, she did not wish to tarnish their impression of Luca. She might have changed her face, but no one could deny that she was Luke¡¯s wife. ¡°They didn¡¯t misunderstand. We were talking about Bea,¡± Luke said. ¡®They were talking about Bianca¡­¡¯ Luca nodded. Luke did not go into the apartmentplex. Instead, he parked the car by the side of the road and said, ¡°I¡¯m not going in today. Can you walk back on your own?¡± Luca nodded. The children were making some noise behind, but she felt uneasy. She unfastened the seatbelt, stepped out, and closed the door. Luke left immediately. Luca felt a little hollow inside as she watched the car leave. Was Luke trying to keep a distance from her? Usually, Luke would drive the car into the apartmentplex¡­ In any case, Luca thought that it was a good thing. If Luke kept his distance, she would have fewer opportunities to interact with him¡­ However, that thought did not make her happy. In fact, that was a horrible feeling¡­ Luca sighed and walked away. In the car, Rainie leaned back on the seat and watched Luca walk into her apartment. She sat up and said with a smile, ¡°Daddy, I slept really wellst night.¡± Chapter 1556 ¡°Mm,¡± Luke replied. He did not know why his daughter suddenly said that. Rainie continued, ¡°I dreamed of Mommyst night. She told us to be good and listen to you. She also said that she¡¯s always by our side.¡± Luke¡¯s grip on the steering wheel tightened subconsciously. When Rainie mentioned her Mommy, he inadvertently thought of Luca. By now, the Normans must be suspecting Luca. Luke had deliberately nned that. When the children asked him to invite Luca to tell them a bedtime story, he did not object. He wanted the Normans to see the scene in the bedroom. Luca¡¯s true identity was still under suspicion. Luke hoped to protect the Normans. After all, Jack and Queenie were Bianca¡¯s birth parents. Even though Luca had cured Queenie¡¯s illness, he could not help but think that Luca had deliberately approached them. That was why Luke came up with that n. ¡°That¡¯s not fair, Rainie. I didn¡¯t dream of Mommy.¡± Tommy did not sound too happy. Rainie smiled and patted Tommy¡¯s head. ¡°Mommy told me to take good care of you.¡± ¡°I wish I could dream of Mommy too.¡± Tommy crossed his arms in front of him like a little adult. However, he soon grinned when he remembered that Luca had hugged him to sleep the night before. ¡°Ms. Luca hugged me to sleepst night. I slept very well too.¡± Rainie smiled and gently pinched Tommy¡¯s cheeks. She could sense that among the three of them, Tommy was the most fond of Luca. Perhaps it was because he was the first to know Luca. Moreover, Luca had saved him before. As for Lanie and herself¡­ Rainie stole a nce at her twin brother. Lanie was sitting there coolly, unwilling to join in the conversation. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Even though Lanie did not say anything, Rainie could tell that he did not hate Luca. It was just that he did not know how to express it. For the past three years, the woman who had impersonated their mother did not give them enough motherly love, and that had made Lanie¡¯s personality even more aloof than ever. Tommy leaned onto the driver¡¯s seat and said, ¡°Daddy, when are you bringing us to go on a vacation? You should bring Ms. Luca along too.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Luke did not give a direct answer. ¡°Go back to your seat. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Tommy pouted. He was not too happy that Luke did not agree with him. ¡®Sigh, I want to go on a vacation with Ms. Luca¡­¡¯ Rainie could sense that Tommy was unhappy. She took out a piece of candy from her pocket. Queenie had given it to her before they left. ¡°Here, have some candy,¡± she said as she handed it to Tommy. Tommy immediately smiled when he took it. ¡°You¡¯re the best, Rainie.¡± Luke nced at the three children in the rear-view mirror. He swore to protect them, for they were the children of his most beloved Bianca. Back at Crawford Manor, Tommy excitedly told Old Master Crawford about what happened at the Norman residence. The old man was entertained by Tommy¡¯s stories. Luke went upstairs to settle somepany matters. Even though all the T Corporation employees were still on vacation, thepany¡¯s operations did not stop. He had to deal with the business emails he received in his mailbox, as well as the reports from the different subsidiarypanies. Without Jason¡¯s help, Luke would have to spend more time than usual dealing with them. While he was hard at work, Old Master Crawford came into the study. ¡°Luke, are you free for a chat?¡± Luke stopped working and nodded. ¡°Please have a seat, Grandfather.¡± Old Master Crawford sat on the chair in front of the other desk. Bianca used to sit in that chair. Luke had bought the desk and chair for Bianca when she first started herpany. He wanted them to be able to work together in the same room. ¡°I¡¯ve heard from Tommy what happenedst night. Did Luca sleep in the same room as you?¡± Old Master Crawford asked. Tommy had told him everything, including the part where Luca told them a bedtime story and coaxed them to sleep. Old Master Crawford felt obligated to speak to his grandson about it. ¡°We didn¡¯t sleep on the same bed,¡± Luke said. ¡°So, do you have feelings for her?¡± Old Master Crawford asked out of concern. Now that he knew Bianca was an impostor and the real person was nowhere to be found, he wished for Luke to find another wife to take care of the children. However, Luke had to handle the matter with the utmost care. Old Master Crawford did not want to see Luke¡¯s reputation ruined. Worse yet, T Corporation might be affected too. ¡°I don¡¯t have any feelings for her, Grandfather.¡± Luke immediately denied it. He could tell what the old man was thinking. ¡°Sleeping in Bianca¡¯s bedroom made the children miss their mother. I only asked to help the children sleep.¡± Old Master Crawford frowned. He did not believe what his grandson said. Seeing that Luke remained impassive, Old Master Crawford sighed and stood up. ¡°In the family, only you and I know what happened to that impostor. I¡¯m not against you looking for a new mother for the children, and I¡¯m happy that the children seem to ept her. She¡¯s a good candidate, but you¡¯ll have to make sure you don¡¯t let anyone get any dirt on you. Also, the Normans don¡¯t know about Bianca, right?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t.¡± Luke could sense a ripple of emotion in his heart when his grandfather mentioned Luca. Luke suddenly had an idea. ¡®Maybe I can find out more if I apply some pressure on Luca.¡¯ Outside the door, Susan had been eavesdropping on their conversation. She was utterly dumbfounded by what she heard. ¡®Bianca is an impostor? The Bianca that¡¯s supposed to be studying overseas is an impostor? Where¡¯s the real Bianca then? Has she nevere home at all? ¡®How interesting¡­ ¡®No wonder that impostor Bianca left the household without any announcement. Luke said that she¡¯s studying overseas, but he¡¯s probably keeping her captive somewhere. Who knows, she might not even be alive anymore¡­¡¯ Luke was Louis¡¯s elder brother and was more capable. Because of him, Susan and Louis had a lowly status in the household. ¡®It¡¯s time¡­¡¯ She thought of using the information about the impostor Bianca to overthrow Luke. If Luke left T Corporation, the board of directors would definitely rmend Louis to take over¡­ Susan smirked as she plotted her next move. She was very confident after knowing that Bianca was an impostor. If the Normans knew that Luke had feelings for another woman and did not intend to search for the real Bianca, Jack would be furious. He might impose sanctions on T Corporation. When the directors knew what happened, they would not stand on Luke¡¯s side. Chapter 1557 Old Master Crawford was not too worried, even if Luke did not tell him much. He had already reminded his grandson what to do, and he trusted him to do it well. After Old Master Crawford left the study, Luke stared at theputer screen for some time before deciding that he should deal with the important matters first. He gave Percy a call and asked him to find someone for him. Luke needed a person who could impersonate voices. That person would use the impostor Bianca¡¯s voice to call Jack and Queenie. After Luke received a reply from Percy, he gave the person an audio recording of the impostor Bianca¡¯s voice and her detailed information. He sent the mail and continued to work. There was a reason why he had an audio recording of the impostor Bianca. When they first found her, he had recorded her voice and contacted a voiceprint expert to verify that the woman was indeed Bianca Rayne. The expert could not find anything out. The reason was simple: The impostor Bianca¡¯s vocal cords had been damaged, and her voice might as well belong to another person. There was nothing the expert could do with the samples. Luke gave up after that, though he kept the recording on hisputer. He did not expect that it would come into use again. After the expert impersonator received the information, she sent a message to Luke, telling him that she would study the information and carry out her mission in two days. Luke was not too worried. After all, that person was Percy¡¯s rmendation. Meanwhile, Luca returned to the apartment, showered, washed the gown by hand, and hung it on the clothesline to dry. She changed into somethingfortable, stuck a medicated ster on her back, sat on the couch, and looked at the gown on the clothesline. She did not know if she should return the gown to Queenie. After what happened earlier in the morning, she was reluctant to face Queenie. Even though nothing had happened between Luke and her, she could tell that Queenie had misunderstood the situation. Queenie might be a meek person, but she was very protective of her daughters. She must believe that Bianca was still overseas, so she was still on her side¡­ Luca sighed. She returned to A City to carry out Abel¡¯s n, but the n did not involve Queenie. The only reason she approached Queenie was that she could not bear to watch Queenie suffer. After treating Queenie, she thought she would stay away from the Normans. However, she realized that it was not so easy to stay away from someone rted by blood¡­ Luca could not help but be concerned about Queenie¡¯s condition. She felt horrible for being stuck in such a predicament. If she had a choice, she would rather return to the Ind of Despair and live her life in suffering. The ind might be brutal and merciless, but she had to worry about fewer things there. While she was still deep in thought, her phone vibrated. The message was a long string of numbers. She picked up a pen and paper and began to decipher the code. Shepleted the task about fifteen minutester. In summary, the coded message was a mission, instructing her to steal T Corporation¡¯s tender for Stillwater International¡¯s project¡­ Luca frowned. She used the phone to search for information about Stillwater International. ording to the official website, Stillwater International had a development project in the Maldives. T Corporation was hoping to coborate with them¡­ If the coboration was sessful, T Corporation¡¯s international presence would grow greatly. Luca thought for a while and replied to the message in code, asking who was the person who gave her the mission. She suspected that it was not from Abel. As far as she knew, her mission only involved pharmaceutical research and not property development. If Abel wanted to bring Luke down, he should have sabotaged T Corporation¡¯s pharmaceutical arm. Soon, Luca received a short message. After deciphering, the message only said, ¡°Boss.¡± Luca gave Abel a call. No one answered. She knew that Abel was deliberately ignoring her. Even though the sender of the message did not say who the ¡°Boss¡± was, Luca knew that Abel was behind it. Did he change his mind and want to topple T Corporation as soon as possible? Luca¡¯s mind raced. There could be another possibility. One of T Corporation¡¯s rivals might have paid a lot of money to steal theirpany secrets. While lost in thought, she received another message. The other party urged her to ept the mission. Luca knew that she had no other choice but to ept it. After sending the message, she continued to research the project using herptop. She wondered if she could somehow help Luke. Whoever gave her the mission was deliberately making her life difficult. Luke was distancing himself from her, and she had no way of essing his top-secret documents. If she could not finish the mission¡­ What could Abel possibly do to her? If he summoned her back to the ind, she would have to abort her main mission. Luca hoped that the mission failed. Even if what awaited her back at the Ind of Despair was endless torture, it was better than harming Luke with her own hands. ¡­ After Luke left with Luca and the children, Queenie received a phone call from the hospital, saying that Leia¡¯s medical report was ready. Queenie brought Leia to the hospital. At the hospital, Leia wanted to step out of the car without wearing a mask. Queenie quickly reminded her, ¡°Be careful, Leia. Wear your mask.¡± Leia rolled her eyes. The mask was stuffy. She was not happy that she had to conceal her identity even though she was no longer an actress. However, she relented. She could not risk bumping into someone she knew. If someone found out about it, Luke would eventually know, and she would be sent away again. Queenie was relieved that Leia was obedient. She brought her to the doctor. At the doctor¡¯s office, after the doctor closed the door, he took out Leia¡¯s medical report. ¡°Here¡¯s the medical report, Mrs. Norman. It doesn¡¯t look too good,¡± the doctor said frankly. ¡°Not good? Is there a problem with Leia¡¯s health?¡± Queenie was shocked. She quickly flipped past the medical jargon and looked at the conclusion. There were problems with her liver and kidneys¡­ N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this¡­¡± Queenie asked. ¡°Ms. Norman¡¯s liver and kidneys are slowly failing. Her condition might worsen if she doesn¡¯t seek treatment. I would rmend Ms. Norman to be warded so that we can run aprehensive test and find the root cause,¡± the doctor suggested. Chapter 1558 ¡°Hospitalized? It¡¯s that serious?¡± Queenie realized the seriousness of the matter when she heard that Leia had to be hospitalized. The doctor nodded and replied, ¡°Mrs. Norman, you don¡¯t have to worry. The situation can be controlled once we find out what caused it ande up with a treatment n.¡± Leia picked up the report on the table and looked at the results of the diagnosis at the end of the report. Her expression was glum as she said, ¡°Did you make a mistake? I¡¯m as healthy as can be. How could I have gotten infected with this disease?¡± The doctor pushed his sses up the bridge of his nose. He had encountered simr situations prior. Patients were sometimes unable to ept the harsh truth when they find out about their condition. Everyone wanted to be healthy and free from illness, so it was normal for them to need some time to process the news. ¡°Ms. Norman, please calm down. We can find out more after you¡¯re admitted and go through some examinations. The matter should be treated sooner rather thanter. You¡¯re lucky that you found out about it before there were symptoms.¡± There were many who were unable to detect the chronic failure of their organs in time. By the time the symptoms appeared, it was already toote. Queenie looked at Leia with tears welled up in her eyes. Treating Leia was not an issue, but she was unable to ept that Leia was suffering from this disease at such a young age. Leia could not ept it either. She was so young and was not ready for a life where she had to take medicine long-term ¡°You must be mistaken. I¡¯ll not be hospitalized.¡± She refused them directly. ¡°Leia, please be good and be admitted to the hospital. We can find out more after you get checked.¡± Queenie was sad but did her best to persuade Leia. Leia was reluctant to be hospitalized. On top of that, Luke would find out that she had returned to A City. She could not afford to be admitted and thought of Luca. If it were not for Luca¡¯sment, Queenie would not have brought Leia to the hospital. Leia grabbed Queenie¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Mom, isn¡¯t Luca a doctor of some sort? What if we got her to prescribe medicine for me?¡± Queenie had thought of Luca too, but she was hesitant. When she realized that Luca and Luke might be somehow romantically involved and overthought it, she no longer trusted Luca. She persuaded Leia, saying, ¡°Even if Luca prescribes herbs for you to condition your body, we still have to find out what¡¯s going on. My dear, let¡¯s get you admitted. I¡¯ll ask the doctor to get you a VIP ward. We can get Luca¡¯s help after we find out more about the root cause.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Although the mother and daughter did not say anything, the doctor knew what was going on. After all, Queenie had made a request when she made the appointment. They did not want too many medical staff to participate in the examination. The doctor knew that Leia was a star and presumed that she was unwilling to be hospitalized and receive treatment because she did not want the reporters to find out about it. However, she was no longer popr and had a lot of negative news surrounding her. The reporters would not be bothered to report about her. Although he was not entirely sure, the doctor shared his advice. ¡°Ms. Norman, we take the confidentiality of our VIP patients very seriously. All our medical staff is highly trained and they keep their work confidential. No one will know that you¡¯re in this hospital, don¡¯t worry.¡± Leia was still resistant. She nced at the checklist and confirmed with the doctor. ¡°Can you make sure that except for the medical staff members who are responsible for treating me, no one else in this hospital will know that I¡¯m here?¡± The doctor was stunned. The request she made was a little difficult. After all, she was not in the best condition. It was likely that doctors from other departments would contribute to the treatment n. What was more, nurses were all on shift duty. In certain situations, nurses would also be transferred between different departments to help out¡­ Queenie knew that it was not an easy request. However, it was urgent to get Leia hospitalized as soon as possible. She wanted the doctor to lie. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s what you get as a VIP patient.¡± The doctor saw Queenie¡¯s look and had no choice but to nod. ¡°Yes. If there¡¯s no problem, I¡¯ll go get the paperwork done for you in person. Don¡¯t worry. No one except for me knows that you¡¯re going to be hospitalized.¡± ¡°Okay, keep it a secret,¡± Leia said nervously. The doctor nodded, turned around, and walked out of the consultation room to admit her. Half an hourter, Leia was admitted to the VIP ward. At the same time, Luke received a call from Johann. ¡°Leia is back. Do you know about that?¡± Johann said. Just a while ago, he saw an admission form that had Leia¡¯s name on it when he was discussing something with a doctor. When he asked about it, the doctor hesitated and finally admitted that it was Jack Norman¡¯s daughter, Leia Norman. He asked Johann to keep it a secret. He would most definitely keep it a secret from other people but not from Luke. Although Leia¡¯s incident did not affect him at the time, he did not have a good impression of Leia after hearing about the incidents involving her. ¡°I know,¡± Luke replied and asked, ¡°How did you find out?¡± ¡°She was admitted to the hospital. I took a look at her report. Her liver and kidneys are in chronic condition. The cause of the failure has not yet been found. Something is seriously wrong with her. I looked at theprehensive report. She has gynecopathy issues. Her temperament most definitely matches the issues she has.¡± Johann was vicious with his words as he criticized Leia. What Leia had done before, like her current condition, had sickness written all over it. Luke listened to his words and raised his brows. It seemed that Queenie invited Luca over the day before because of Leia¡¯s health condition. ¡°Keep observing them,¡± he said. ¡°Of course. Do I need to report to you on it?¡± Johann asked triumphantly. ¡°Yes.¡± Luke was a man of few words. Johann protested, saying, ¡°I¡¯m not your subordinate. Can you be a little more sincere since you¡¯re asking me to do things for you? I don¡¯t need much. All I need is for you to say ¡®please¡¯ and ¡®thank you¡¯. Is it that hard?¡± ¡°Have I ever said those words?¡± Luke asked. He had not used those words with anyone other than for matters involving Bianca. Johann was at a loss for words. That was true. Luke had never used ¡®please¡¯ and ¡®thank you¡¯ with him. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll keep watch on your behalf. I¡¯m a good person, after all.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Luke ended the call. Johann stared at the screen with his eyes wide open. ¡®He hung up the phone on me? Does he see me as a tool?¡¯ Johann shook his head helplessly. He picked up his phone and sent a text to Leia¡¯s attending doctor. He told him that if he needed help, he was more than happy to offer because he used to be a fan of Leia¡¯s. It was his honor to treat his idol. Soon, Leia¡¯s attending doctor replied saying that he was nning various examinations for Leia to find out the cause. He invited him to participate in the treatment nning. Chapter 1559 ¡°I¡¯m free today, let¡¯s have a look,¡± Johann said as he stood up and left his office. The next day. Leia¡¯s test results were out. Her liver and kidney functions were chronically failing but the doctor could not find the root cause yet. Leia widened her eyes when the doctor told her about her situation. She asked, ¡°You mean that I had to go through all those examinations but you still haven¡¯t figured out what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll arrange an expert to consult on your situation and see if there are any examinations that we might¡¯ve missed.¡± The attending doctor apologized helplessly. Generally, the root cause of organ failure would be found after a detailed examination. There were very few cases like Leia who went through a round of examinations but the doctors failed to find anything. It was not to say that it was impossible. There was a one in 10,000 chance that the situation would ur. To find out the root cause, they had to do more in-depth examinations, and these required face- to-face and ongoing consultations with experts. ¡°Consultation with an expert? Does that mean that more people will be involved?¡± Leia asked with a frown on her face. Yesterday, she had more than 20 tubes of blood drawn. She thought she would find out the reason the next day but she was disappointed. The conclusion they arrived at was the same as before. ¡°There are only a few experts in our hospital. If necessary, we will contact experts from overseas,¡± the doctor replied. ¡°Are you sure that you¡¯re a qualified doctor? This is such a big hospital but you still have to ask foreign doctors for help? I just came back from overseas. Before I came back, I did a check-up but they didn¡¯t find anything wrong with me. However, when I came to you, you told me that there¡¯s a problem with me. Even so, you didn¡¯t find anything after drawing more than 20 tubes of blood from me? What can I expect you to find?¡± Leia was furious. She did not think there was anything wrong with her body. However, the examination reports in front of her made her believe that there was no way someone would fake the reports just to trick her. The doctor felt helpless after being bombarded by her series of questions. It was the first time he had encountered a situation like Leia¡¯s in his many years of medical practice. He was speechless, but at the same time, he also found the case challenging. He tried to stabilize her mood. ¡°Ms. Norman, please trust us. We¡¯ll find out the cause and make sure that you get the necessary treatment.¡± ¡°By the time you find out the cause, my liver and kidneys will be ruined! There¡¯s no need to continue this conversation. Discharge me from the hospital right now. I don¡¯t need quack doctors like you to treat me,¡± Leia said. She did not trust that these people would be able to cure her, and there was the risk of being discovered by Luke. She wanted to get Luca¡¯s help. ¡°Uh¡­¡± The doctor was a little angry after being called a quack doctor but he still maintained his composure. ¡°Ms. Norman, please believe us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust you. Get me discharged from the hospital now!¡± Leia said arrogantly. The doctor took a deep breath. He wanted to treat her but there was no point for him to insist and persuade her since the other party was unwilling. ¡°Okay, since you insist on being discharged from the hospital, I¡¯ll prepare some disimers and agreements for you to sign before your discharge. You can leave after you sign them.¡± ¡°Give them to me.¡± Leia rolled her eyes and thought it was a waste of time for her to be here. She felt as though she was in prison in the Norman Residence because she was not allowed to go out at all. However,pared to the Norman Residence, the hospital made her feel unhappy and joyless like a real prison. Queenie walked in and heard Leia shouting about wanting to be discharged from the hospital. She quickly asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why do you suddenly want to be discharged from the hospital?¡± Leia wanted to leave the hospital and head straight to the Norman Residence so Queenie could not say anything about it but she did not expect her toe over to the hospital so early. She stepped forward, grabbed Queenie¡¯s hand, and said in a spoiled manner, ¡°Mom, I had more than 20 tubes of blood drawn from me yesterday but they still couldn¡¯t find anything. It¡¯s so frustrating! This is a big hospital but the doctors here aren¡¯t very good. Please bring me home.¡± ¡°They found nothing? Doctor, what does that mean?¡± Queenie asked, her tone was soft and worried. The doctor shook his head helplessly. ¡®There¡¯s such a stark difference between those who are blood- rted and those who are not.¡¯ Leia could not even learn half of Queenie¡¯s gentleness. The difference was so big that others could not help but sigh. ¡°After the test results came out, we still couldn¡¯t find out what is causing Ms. Norman¡¯s organ failure. We have to conduct more in-depth examinations but Ms. Norman doesn¡¯t believe in us and demands to be discharged, so I¡¯m going to prepare the documents now. As soon as Ms. Norman signs the papers, she can be discharged,¡± the doctor said. With such a difficult patient, he would rather discharge her as well. ¡°Wait a minute, don¡¯t prepare the documents yet. Will you be able to find out the root cause if we continue to do other tests?¡± Queenie disagreed with Leia¡¯s decision to be discharged from the hospital. She thought of it as Leia throwing a tantrum. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee that. After all, the probability of this situation is one in 10,000. For many patients, we¡¯re able to find out the cause after conducting these basic examinations, but for some, it¡¯s a little moreplicated. One or two examinations may not help us find out more. We need to screen for various diseases,¡± the doctor said. Queenie nced at Leia. She was stubborn and insisted on leaving the hospital. ¡°Doctor, is the report out yet?¡± she asked. The doctor picked up the report on the coffee table and said, ¡°These are the reports.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you. Leia won¡¯t be getting discharged from the hospital for now. I¡¯d like to get another opinion. Would that be alright with you?¡± Queenie asked. With these test results, Luca should be able to advise on how to help Leia. ¡°Of course, you can,¡± the doctor said. ¡°In that case, I won¡¯t prepare the documents for the time being. If anything happens, just ring the bell.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± Queenie thanked him. After the doctor left, she picked up the reports and nced at them. Leia said impatiently, ¡°The reports show that everything is normal. What are you looking at them for? Mom, just help me get out of the hospital.¡± ¡°How can you be discharged from the hospital in the condition that you¡¯re in? The reports say that your liver and kidneys are still functioning for now. You have to take advantage of this time to find out the cause.¡± Queenie persuaded her. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°What are you afraid of? When my liver and kidneys stop working, I¡¯ll just get new ones. It¡¯s not like the Norman family is short of money,¡± Leia said nonchntly. ¡°My dear, do you want to know how long it takes to get a liver and kidneys?¡± Queenie could not help but feel disappointed when she learned that Leia had this idea in mind. Leia pursed her lips. ¡®Of course, I know that. I never said that I¡¯m going to wait for my new organs from regr channels. We have money, it¡¯s easy to buy these on the ck market.¡¯ Queenie was not aware that Leia had turned her attention to the ck market. She picked up her phone and called Luca. Luca had just woken up. She slepttest night so she woke upte. When she saw that Queenie was calling her, she answered the call without hesitation. Chapter 1560 ¡°Aunt Queenie, good morning.¡± Luca looked at the experimental equipment not far away from her. She was tired from doing experimentsst night and fell asleep on the bed in the maid¡¯s room. ¡°Luca, did I wake you up?¡± Queenie felt a little bad when she heard Luca¡¯s hoarse voice. As it was almost in the afternoon, Queenie did not expect that Luca had not woken up yet. Queenie had always been reluctant to disturb others, so she was a little embarrassed to have disturbed Luca¡¯s rest. ¡°No, I¡¯m already up,¡± Luca said. She stood up and walked to the experiment table, then put the experimental specimens away. She was researching the drug from the Ind of Despair. However, without the specific drug and only a diluted version on hand, it was a little difficult for her to analyze the ingredients and content. After she was assigned the additional task, she knew that she had to hurry up and finish her research. Even if she could not get out of the grasps of the Ind of Despair, she hoped that Eler and Amur could. Luca researched the drug not for herself but it was because N was still on the Ind of Despair. She could not be so cruel as to ignore her child just for her happiness. If she could do that, she would not be the person Luke fell in love with in the first ce. ¡°Mmm.¡± Queenie nced at Leia and felt strange. Although there was a distance between them, a familiar feeling arose in her heart every time she heard Luca¡¯s voice. Luca¡¯s voice was soft and gentle. It was simr to Bianca¡¯s voice before she lost her memories¡­ Luca knew that Queenie called her because something had happened, so she took the initiative to ask, ¡°Aunt Queenie, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Leia¡­¡± Queenie took a deep breath. She had to get Luca¡¯s help on the matter so she jumped straight into the topic. ¡°Her examination reports are out. Do you have time now? I¡¯ll send them over to you. I¡¯d appreciate it if you can help take a look.¡± Luca knew that after her reminder, Queenie would take Leia to the hospital for a check-up. Coupled with the status of the Norman family, the hospital would have provided the test results quickly. She was well aware of Leia¡¯s condition even though she had not seen the reports. ¡°Aunt Queenie, it¡¯s better for me toe over to the hospital. Let me know the ward that you¡¯re in,¡± Luca said. She could not bring herself to ignore Queenie¡¯s request. Queenie told her Leia¡¯s ward number. Luca replied, ¡°I¡¯m going over now.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Leia watched as Queenie ended the call and asked, ¡°What did she say? Is sheing?¡± Although she did not want to admit that Luca was capable, Luca found out about her condition just from taking her pulse, so Leia could only pin her hopes on Luca. That was because the hospital had yet been able to determine the cause. ¡°She agreed toe. Leia, be mindful of your attitude toward her when sheester.¡± Queenie urged her. After all, she had begged Luca to help. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my attitude? Mom, aren¡¯t you also suspecting that she¡¯s having an improper rtionship with Luke? My attitude is to protect Bianca,¡± Leia said disdainfully. ¡°How do you know that?¡± Queenie frowned. ¡°I heard what you said to Dad and saw that he went to have a chat with Luke. Ugh, Bianca has a big heart. She left her husband and went abroad to study abroad, giving other women the opportunity to enter his life. Moreover, she knows that you¡¯re not in good health but she still refuses toe back to apany you. Unlike me, who tried every means toe back just to be by your side as soon as I heard that you¡¯re not in good health,¡± Leia ranted about everyone. Queenie felt helpless when she heard what Leia said. She knew what Leia came back for. However, with Bianca¡­ She felt helpless about Bianca¡¯s current situation. Queenie did not know what to say when she thought about how Bianca had yet to reply to her text that was sent in the morning. ¡°Okay, stop with this nonsense. It won¡¯t be good if others hear you,¡± Queenie reprimanded her with a slightly stern expression. Her tone was not serious, but from Leia¡¯s point of view, it was clear that Queenie was defending Luca. Leia felt disdainful toward Luca in her heart. All she did was give Queenie a few packs of medicine and it was enough for Queenie to defend Luca and abandon her, Queenie¡¯s own daughter¡­ Ugh¡­ An hourter, Luca arrived at the hospital. Leia had gotten impatient from waiting for her¡­ When Luca pushed the door and walked in, Leia lowered her gaze and muttered in her heart. ¡®She¡¯s moving like a turtle! Ugh, she looks like she¡¯s unwilling to be here¡­¡¯ It seemed that if Queenie had not asked her, Luca would not havee¡­ When Queenie saw Luca walk in, she stepped forward to greet her. ¡°Luca, have you had breakfast?¡± Luca¡¯s heart felt sour when she saw how eager Queenie was. She assumed that she was doing it because of Leia¡­ Queenie might be unwilling to see her if Leia was not in poor health. ¡°I¡¯ve eaten. Where are the examination reports?¡± Luca asked. Queenie handed her a thick stack of examination reports. These were all the reports from the examinations that Leia did yesterday. They drew more than 20 tubes of blood, all of which were used for various tests. However, the cause was not mentioned in the stack of reports. Luca took the reports, and Queenie dragged her to the sofa. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t stand. Sit,¡± Queenie said. Luca sat down and quickly flipped through the reports. Leia looked at her reading speed and wondered. The speed of the doctor reading the reports earlier was not as fast as Luca¡¯s reading speed. Luca quickly read the entire stack of reports, nced at Leia, and then at Queenie. ¡°What do you think?¡± Queenie was not sure what to do. After all, Leia had gone through a range of tests but the doctors found nothing. Luca went straight to the point and asked directly, ¡°Ms. Norman, do you want to talk to me alone, or with Mrs. Norman present?¡± Leia looked at her disdainfully and replied, ¡°Why would I want to talk to you alone? If you¡¯re worried about letting others know that you¡¯re ipetent, I can talk to you alone.¡± Luca wanted to spare her some dignity but Leia seemed like she did not care. Luca said, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll get straight to the point. You were overseas before this, right?¡± Leia nodded. ¡°Why? Does my illness have something to do with being here and being overseas? It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of something like this.¡± Luca was not bothered by her arrogant attitude. She exposed Leia and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t, but it has something to do with your lifestyle. Did you have some bad habits when you were abroad?¡± Luca knew that the supervision of certain items was very rxed overseas. Young men and women had the means to ess such items when they wanted to have fun. Leia¡¯s expression changed. ¡°What do you mean¡­ What bad habits?¡± ¡°Do you want me toy it all out?¡± Luca nced at Queenie. Her expression was nk as if she did not understand what they were talking about. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Even the doctor couldn¡¯t find anything, so why should I trust you? It seems to me that you don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on so you¡¯re just spewing nonsense!¡± Leia stubbornly said. Chapter 1561 Queenie became anxious as she listened to the conversation between the two. "What the hell is going on here?" Luca noticed that Leia was avoiding the topic, so she said, "Did you abuse drugs? Abusing drugs can be very harmful to the liver and kidneys." "I didn''t." Luca was being vague, and Leia denied it without a second thought. Luca saw through the expression on her face. "Your liver and kidney failure is caused by substance abuse in the past. As for what the substance is, I can''t determine it. After all, there are so many types. Although you''ve quit, it has caused an impact on your body. Your body is already weakened because of gynecological problems, so the other issues came out all at once following the substance abuse." Leia listened to her and clenched her hands into fists as she gripped the sheets tightly. Luca was right. She did depend on painkillers for several years in the United States. As for why this happened, it was entirely due to the physical pain caused by her ex-boyfriend. When there was no pain, she still wanted to take painkillers to numb her body and mind. After that, she knew she could not continue this habit if she wanted to go back to A City. If Jack found out, she would be cut off and she would no longer be able to call him her father. That was why she found an organization that helped her quit her reliance on drugs. She only returned to A City after she quit the painkillers. ''All of the indicators are normal, so how did Luca find out?'' If what Luca said was true, that her chronic liver and kidney failure was caused by this, was it the end for her? Leia originally hoped that there was a problem somewhere in her body and that after she was cured, she would be able to live a good life and not be troubled by this disease anymore. However, after hearing what Luca said, she suddenly felt angry and hopeless. "Mm, what should we do?" Queenie was getting more and more worried. She understood the gist of what they were talking about. Leia abused drugs in the United States, which caused her body to deteriorate. She got this disease purely caused by her previous lifestyle. ''If so, can Leia be cured?'' Queenie looked at Luca helplessly. As a mother, it was her responsibility to educate her children well. Queenie could not bear to watch Leia live the rest of her life as a patient. Her reputation in A City was bad, but with the Norman family backing her, it was not difficult for her to find a good man from a well-off family to marry. However, if she was sick, the situation would be a little moreplicated. Luca did not speak. Queenie followed up and asked, "Luca, you''re able to help Leia, right?" Luca''s hands were tied. Leia''s organs had already shown symptoms of failure. There was no way to restore them to their original condition. All she could do was dy the symptoms. "I have no way to cure it. Ms. Norman can only be treated with medicine to dy the organ failure," she said. Leia had no other choice than to take medicine. In the end, she had to get into the queue for an organ transnt. However, thousands of people were on the list. It was unsure when it would be Leia''s turn. In this case, rtives could opt to donate their organs to her. However, she was adopted, so even if Queenie and Jack were willing to, it may not be possible. "In that case, we''ll opt to take medicine, then. Luca, thanks for your trouble." Queenie immediately decided on Leia''s behalf. She could not bear to watch Leia''s condition get worse. If Luca''s medicine worked, she was more than happy to use them to condition Leia''s body. Luca nodded, stood up, and looked at the woman with red eyes sitting on the hospital bed. She did not have the slightest pity for Leia. After all, she brought this upon herself. "Ms. Norman, get some rest. If you had confessed to everything you did in the past, it would''ve saved you a lot of time and money. You wouldn''t have had to do so many tests as well," she said. Queenie turned her head away. She was sad. She was not sure what went wrong with Leia. She had been taking care of Leia since she was a child yet Leia turned into someone whose health deteriorated because she was messing around and consuming drugs that she should not have... Luca nced at Queenie. Her heart went out for Queenie but she could not express it. She had nothing to say, so she left the ward. Luca bumped into Johann on her way out of the hospital. Johann walked toward her with a smile on his face. He noticed that her eyes were red so he asked out of concern, "Dr. Craw, are you okay?" "I''m fine." Luca pretended to be normal. She did not expect to bump into him. "Why are your eyes red?" Johann nodded while smiling at her. Luca exined, "Sand identally got into my eyes, so I rubbed them. Dr. Park, why are you here? Don''t you need to do surgery?" "I have no surgery scheduled today. It''s a rare asion, so I''m just walking around. Why are you here?" Johann nced at the corridor behind her and noted that the wards in the area were all VIP wards. Luca hade to see Leia... Johann knew but did not say anything. "I''m here to visit a patient. I''ll head off now," Luca said. She knew that there was nothing about the hospital that she could hide from Johann. He must also know about Leia''s hospitalization. He knew, and that meant Luke knew too. "I happen to have to go downstairs too. Let''s walk together." Johann walked to the elevator with her. Before the elevator arrived, Leia''s attending doctor hurried over while holding the examination results in his hand. "Dr. Park, it''s great that you''re here. Please help me look at this case and see if there are any other tests that we can run." Johann took the report and nced at it. There was no major problem, so he asked, "The cause has yet to be found?" "Yeah, all the routine examinations have been done but the cause hasn''t been found. The patient is in a bad mood and is making a fuss to be discharged from the hospital. I can''t stand it anymore," the doctor said with a sullen expression. Luca took a nce and recognized that it was Leia''s report. She cleared her throat. The doctor was not bothered and continued to ask, "Dr. Park, I n to continue to have her undergo examinations to rule out various causes of failure. Can you help me with it? The workload is a little too heavy for me." Help was always wee. After all, the examination process was troublesome, and the screening process was even more so. "Okay. Dr. Craw, what do you think?" Johann knew that Luca had visited Leia, so maybe she knew something that they did not. "You''re the expert, I don''t have much to contribute. Sometimes, it''s important to understand the patient''s past and present lifestyle instead of focusing solely on the tests. Maybe that might help you," Luca said. Johann nodded in agreement and looked at the doctor. "Have you asked her about her lifestyle?" N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. "No, I didn''t think too much about it. After all, it was only meant to be a physical examination..." the doctor said. Johann reminded him, saying, "You should ask her as soon as time allows. You might find out about the cause of her organ failure." The doctor nodded and immediately walked to the ward. Chapter 1562 Johann watched the doctor leave and sighed. After the past few incidents, he discovered that what made Luca unique was not just her wealth of medical knowledge but she was also meticulous in her observation. "Dr. Craw, if the hospital wants to hire you as a medical consultant, what annual sry would you be expecting?" "Dr. Park, stop fooling around. How can I be a medical consultant at my level? " Luca shook her head and thought that Johann was just joking. After she left the hospital, Luca got a call from Tommy. "Ms. Luca, what are you doing now?" Tommy''s voice was sweet and childlike. Even if she could not see him, her heart melted when she heard his voice. "Nothing. What''s the matter?" Luca''s voice softened. Tommy smiled and said, "Ms. Luca, I want to invite you over to my house." "Visit your house?" Luca looked at the carsing and going on the road. She thought about it and walked to the taxi stand. "Yes, Great-grandpa said that you saved me and have helped me a lot, so he asked me to invite you to come over. Ms. Luca, do you know where my home is? If you don''t, I''ll send you the address," Tommy said while looking at Old Master Crawford. It was Old Master Crawford''s idea to invite Luca over as a guest. Tommy also enjoyed Luca''spany, so right after Old Master Crawford told him that, he took the initiative to call her. When Luca heard him, her instinct was to turn him down. However, she did not want to be a wet nket to his enthusiasm. Also, she had a mission... "Today?" Luca asked, not expecting to have such an opportunity to be a guest of the Crawford family. "Yes, Ms. Luca. Come over soon. Dad bought me the storybook I told you aboutst time. Shall we read it together?" Tommy was a child who loved to share, especially with Luca. "I''lle now." Luca took a deep breath. After he heard her answer, Tommyughed happily on the other end of the phone while she lowered her gaze. She was happy to be able to spend time with the kids, but... "Okay, Ms. Luca, I''ll wait for you at home," Tommy said to Luca and then ended the call. Luca listened to the busy tone on the other end of the phone. She shook her head and put down her phone. If Tommy knew that she was only going to find information on T Corporation, he would be very disappointed... Luca was familiar with Luke''s habits after being married to him for so many years. Important documents were either in thepany''s safe or in the safe in Crawford Manor. Most of the time, he kept the items in the manor''s safe. There were a lot of peopleing and going in thepany, while the manor had fewer idlers. Usually, if Luke was not around, the maids were not allowed to enter his study. Luca waited in line for a taxi. There were many people in line because it was a hospital. It took 20 minutes for her to get a taxi. After she got into the taxi, she told the driver the address of Crawford Manor. Half an hourter, Luca got out of the car at Crawford Manor. She was slightly dazed as she looked at the familiar building in front of her. Nothing had changed. Even the green belt outside was still the same. Luca did not stand for long because there were surveince cameras all around Crawford Manor. It would be strange if she kept standing there. She walked toward the door and rang the bell. After a click sound, the door opened. Luca pushed the door and walked in. The butler of the Crawford family quickly walked over from the garden path. "Ms. Craw, hello. This way please." Luca nodded and walked past the butler. The butler did not take her down the garden path this time but went straight across the front yard to the main house. "Ms. Craw, did youe here by taxi?" the butler asked. "Mm, yes." Luca looked at the scenery that surrounded her. After so many years, even as the flowers bloomed and fell, nothing had changed here. She wondered if the osmanthus tree next to Luke''s bedroom window was still there. Luca remembered that when she used to stand not far from the window, she could smell the fragrance of osmanthus. At that time, the fragrance was sultry and it was wonderful. "In that case, we''ll have Zander send you back after this. I''m sure you''ve met Zander?" The butler thought that Luca would know Zander seeing that she was in charge of preparing Tommy''s dinner and Zander had been driving Tommy around. Luca shook her head to indicate that she did not want to trouble them. "I''ll just take a taxi when the time comes." The butler reminded her. "Ms. Craw, please don''t turn us down. It''s not easy to get a taxi here." Luca was taken back. Indeed, it was not easy to get a taxi in the area. Although the area was not remote, it was a high-ie area. Those who lived here drove, and those who came to visit also came by car. There were indeed very few people here who would take a taxi and on top of that... If she was lucky, she could get a taxi within half an hour. If she was unlucky, she may not hail one even after half a day. Even if she booked a taxi on an app, she might have to wait for a long time. Even so, Luca insisted. "No, I''ll just take a taxi by myself. It''s quite convenient to book a taxi in advance now." Seeing that she insisted, the butler did not say anything and took her into the manor. "Ms. Luca!" Tommy ran toward her and threw himself into her arms the moment he saw Luca. Luca bent over, picked up the little kid who pounced on her, and held him in her arms. Old Master Crawford noticed her actions. Tommy was growing and was no longer the baby he used to be. Except for Luke who asionally carried him, no one else could pick him up so easily. However, Luca did not show any difficulty when she carried Tommy. She even looked rxed... Luca saw some cookie crumbs on Tommy''s face. Luca freed up a hand to help wipe them off. Tommy grinned and rubbed against her face. "Ms. Luca, I missed you. Did you miss me?" Tommy asked innocently. "Yes, of course, I missed you." After she scratched his nose, Luca looked at the sofa where Old Master Crawford was. She was focused on interacting with the child that she had yet to greet Old Master Crawford... "Hello, Old Master Crawford," Luca said. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. "Hello, Dr. Craw." Old Master Crawford could not help feeling overwhelmed when he saw his grandson''s love for Luca. If he were to look for a new mother for the kids, Luca was indeed a good choice. The children loved her. Their love for her was different from other people. Tommy was dependent on her. Old Master Crawford remembered many of the previousments made by others, including some remarks about Luca pleasing the children to marry into the Crawford family. Coupled with the previous scandals, Old Master Crawford never had a good impression of her. However, seeing her at Crawford Manor, it seemed that Luca was not here just to please the children. She seemed that she really liked and cared about them. He had lived such a long life. He would know if someone was acting in front of him. Old Master Crawford looked at Luca, then at Tommy. If the kids liked her so much, he would approve of her as their new mother. Chapter 1563 "Ms. Craw, sit. Don''t stand." Old Master Crawford greeted her. "Okay, thanks." Luca nodded and sat on the single-seater sofa. She was a little nervous when faced with Old Master Crawford. Tommy got down from her arms and sat beside her. "Ms. Luca, have some fruit." He greeted her like he was a little adult. "Thank you, but I don''t want to have any. You can eat it," Luca said and took another nce around. Old Master Crawford, the butler, and Tommy were the only ones in the living room. Seeing that she did not want to have any fruit, Tommy was worried that his Great-grandpa''s seriousness had scared her. Tommy thought about it and looked at Old Master Crawford. "Great-grandpa, can I take Ms. Luca upstairs? Lanie and Rainie are waiting for Ms. Luca to continue telling the story." When he heard what Tommy said, Old Master Crawford knew that Tommy was worried that he was scaring Luca. He saw through everything but he did not say anything. "Go. I have someone over for chess. Don''t go too crazy, okay?" "Got it, Great-grandpa." Tommy smiled and stood up while holding Luca''s hand. "Ms. Luca, let''s go." Luca stood up, nodded at Old Master Crawford, and took the child''s hand to go upstairs with him. Although she felt that it was inappropriate, she felt pressured when faced with Old Master Crawford. She would rather head upstairs with Tommy. Old Master Crawford looked at the two figures heading upstairs and asked the butler, "Do you think she looks familiar?" The butler thought about it for a while and replied, "I think Ms. Craw''s temperament is simr to Mrs. Crawford''s before she lost her memory. They''re both gentle and elegant. Their tone of voice and pronunciation of certain words sound the same as well, but nothing else feels familiar..." Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. "Hmm." Old Master Crawford thought the same. "Is Young Master Luke upstairs?" Old Master Crawford asked. The butler replied, "Young Master Luke went out this morning and hasn''te back yet. Old Master, do you want me to call Young Master Luke?" "No, get the cook to buy more groceries today. Since we have a guest, have her prepare more delicious dishes. We have to maintain the image of the Crawford family. Also, after half an hour, send some snacks and fruits upstairs. Go see what she''s doing with the kids." Old Master Crawford walked to the bedroom using his cane. "Got it," the butler replied. Luca followed Tommy up the stairs. She was marveling as they walked. Nothing had changed in the last three years. However, she could tell that the ce has been renovated. She guessed that Old Master Crawford had ordered for it to be renovated, but the furniture was maintained. Luca walked up to the second floor and nced at the living room and the hallway. Tommy shook her hand when he saw her stay put. "Ms. Luca, what are you thinking about?" "Not much. I just think that the decorations here are beautiful." Luca came back to her senses. She remembered the days when she lived in the manor with Luke when she looked at the familiar furnishings. They used to live here but they moved out after that. She wondered if their old home still looked the same. "Is that so? It''s alright, I still like where we used to live." Tommy took her hand and guided her into Rainie''s bedroom. "Where you used to live?" Luca asked deliberately. She knew what he was talking about. She, Luke, and the kids had lived there after they moved out of Crawford Manor. "Yeah, that''s where Daddy and Mommy lived. After that, Mommy wasn''t feeling well so Daddy moved us back to make it easier to take care of us. Daddy said that this is Great-grandpa''s house, not ours," Tommy said. Luca nodded and walked into Rainie''s room with him. "Ms. Luca, you''re here." When Rainie saw them walk in, she put down the storybook in her hand, stood up, and greeted them with a smile. She acted like a littledy. Luca smiled and nodded. Tommy pulled her over to the sofa, pointed to the storybook on it, and said, "Ms. Luca, Daddy bought this for us." "There are so many." Luca looked at the stack of storybooks and wondered when the kids would finish reading them. "Tommy has been asking Daddy to finish the story that you told us the night before but Daddy didn''t have the time, so he bought us these storybooks," Rainie exined as she put the one in her hand on the stack. "There are ten in total." Luca was speechless. She did not expect this to be the reason why Luke bought so many storybooks... "Ms. Luca, I''ve read two of these storybooks but the stories in them are not as exciting as the one you told us. Why don''t we continue with that?" Tommy held her hand and begged her. "I want to hear it too." Rainie raised her hand to indicate that she also wanted to hear the story. Luca smiled and nodded. She did not see Lanie, so she asked, "Where''s Lanie?" "Lanie doesn''t like reading storybooks, so let''s ignore him," Tommy said. He excluded Lanie without a second thought. Rainie heard Tommy''s reply and stood up with a smile on her face. "Lanie doesn''t like reading these storybooks but he likes the stories that you tell, Ms. Luca. I''ll go get him." Luca nodded and sat cross-legged on the rug. She picked up the storybooks one by one to have a look at them. There were books that little boys and girls would enjoy reading. After seeing how casual she was, Tommy also sat on the rug, spread his feet, and looked happy. After a while, Lanie walked in with Rainie. Lanie saw Luca sitting on the carpet without paying too much attention to her image. He acted cool, and his face was expressionless when he greeted her, "Ms. Luca, good morning." "Good morning, Lanie." Luca looked at the appearance of her eldest son and could not help but sigh in her heart. He was looking more and more like Luke as he grew up... Luke was cool to everyone, and Lanie appeared to be a mini version of Luke. Luke was great but Luca was not too happy that Lanie was like him. She thought that children should grow up to be carefree, innocent, and cute. Lanie was still growing up. There was no need for him to act so maturely... Luca remembered the first time she met the child. She wished that Lanie was the same as before. "Sit down. Where did we stop thest time?" Luca remembered but she was asking the kids on purpose just to interact more with them. Tommy raised his hand and repeated what she mentionedst time. Luca nodded and praised him. "That''s great. Then I''ll continue from there." Tommy pped and nodded, looking at her expectantly. Luca continued to tell the story. It was a story she thought of when she was on the Ind of Despair. At that time, she made up a story to entertain N. When she told the story, she thought of Little N''s siblings, so she made it suitable for both boys and girls. Chapter 1564 Luca''s story was rather long. She would not be able to finish it even if she stayed all day. The kids listened carefully and sat around her on the carpet like she was a kindergarten teacher ying games with children. When the butler walked in with some juice and snacks, a look of disbelief shed across his face. Tommy, who was always the most active, was sitting there quietly. He did not cry nor make a fuss. He looked obedient and even...focused. The only thing that he could focus on was cartoons but he was so focused on listening to Luca telling a story at that moment. The butler admired her in his heart. Luca noticed the butler walk in with something in his hands so she stopped telling the story and smiled at him. Tommy was fascinated with the story and was curious when she stopped all of a sudden. "Ms. Luca, what happened next?" "Ms. Craw, Young Masters and Young Lady, the chef prepared some juice and snacks. Come and have some." The butler walked over to them with a tray in his hands. Tommy had his back to the door the whole time so he just only noticed the butler walking in. After he put the tray on the coffee table in front of the sofa, Tommy stood up, picked up a ss of juice, and handed it to Luca. "Ms. Luca, have some juice." "Thank you," Luca took it and had a sip. Afterward, the three children also took a cup each. The butler looked at them and felt as though he had interrupted the harmonious scene in front of him. He said, "If you need anything, let me know. I''ll be downstairs." Luca nodded. After the butler left, Tommy asked, "Ms. Luca, what happened next?" Luca looked at how eager Tommy seemed to finish the story, then nced at the other two pairs of eyes that were looking at her. She drank the juice and continued the story. On the other hand. The butler returned to the tea room after he delivered the fruit juice and snacks. Old Master Crawford was drinking tea. He had invited someone over to y chess with him but the other party could not come because he had something to do, so the old master could only sit in the tea room and drink tea. "Old Master Crawford, I just delivered the fruit juice and snacks," the butler reported. "Oh? What are they doing?" Old Master Crawford asked. "Ms. Craw is telling the children a story. They''re all sitting together listening to her,¡± the butler said. He only heard two sentences of Luca''s story, so he did not know what story she was telling. When Lanie and Rainie were young, they did not have a mother to take care of them and Luke did not have too much time to spend with the children. asionally, the butler would tell the children bedtime stories. Hence, he had read a lot of their storybooks. However, he had not read the story that Luca was telling. "Telling stories? Lanie went to listen too?" Old Master Crawford asked. Lanie was the most mature out of the three. He was not usually interested in this sort of stuff. "Yes, Young Master Lanie is there," the butler replied. Old Master Crawford was surprised and paused when he picked up the teacup. He put it down and pointed to the opposite seat. "Have some tea with me." "Okay." The butler nodded and sat across from him. He skillfully brewed tea and poured Old Master Crawford a new cup of tea. He asked tentatively when he saw that Old Master Crawford was slowly and silently sipping his tea, "Old Master Crawford, do you have something on your mind?" "Indeed, my poor grandson has had a hard life." Old Master Crawford sighed. Luke was sent to the orphanage as soon as he was born. When the Crawford family finally found him, his father passed away. Allison was not a good mother. She only fought for power and did not care about Luke. However, his talent, as well as his intelligence, was discovered from the moment he returned to the Crawford family. His father passed away and Old Master Crawford trained him to be the heir. He was very strict with him and was a lot more rxed with Louis. From an early age, while Louis was ying games, Luke was learning. Susan thought that Old Master Crawford was biased. He only cared about training Luke as his sessor while he ignored Louis. However, Old Master Crawford could tell that Luke envied Louis. Luke was used to the conflicts in the orphanage when he was a child, so he did not know how tomunicate with others. He would silently complete the tasks assigned to him by the adults. Therefore, Old Master Crawford appreciated his calm temperament and continued to cultivate him as the heir. Louis had a much happier childhoodpared to Luke. "The young master''s life was a little tough but things got better after he returned to the Crawford family." The butler continued the conversation. After all, after Luke returned to the Crawford family, he lived a life without worry. "Do you think that children would be happier ying or learning?¡± Old Master Crawford asked. The butler had served the Crawford family for so many years, and he had witnessed how Luke grew up. The butler was stunned. He suddenly understood what Old Master Crawford meant when he said that Luke had lived a hard life. Even after returning to the Crawford family, he would study endlessly and participate in various sses all day long. He had no time for entertainment such as cartoons. He could not maintain rtionships with his ssmates either. Even though he lived a life without worries, his tiny body still carried a heavy responsibility on his shoulder. He was crowned an heir since he was a child. He never had an easy day. The butler saw Old Master Crawford finish the tea in his cup and poured him another cup. "Young Master Luke has the ability. He''s the best candidate." Luke''s father passed away just as Old Master Crawford was about to hand T Corporation to him.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. That was why Old Master Crawford was eager to train a new heir. He nned to hand T Corporation to Luke right after he graduated and then retire. As such, Luke was forced to go through high-intensity lessons every day. When he was young, in addition to studying textbooks, there were also various training sses and interest sses that he had to attend. When he was growing up, in addition to studying, he also became an intern at T Corporation. He started from the bottom and slowly learned how to manage and operate apany. "If his father hadn''t passed, things might be different now." Old Master Crawford thought of the past and present. Luke finally fell in love with a woman but it was unfortunate that they were not sure if she was still alive. Luke had not given up even after there was no news for many years. Old Master Crawford sometimes thought that his grandson was amazing. Even more amazing than he, who was self-made. However, he lived a tough life. "Old Master Crawford, they''re destined to live their lives. You don''t have to worry so much. The doctor said that you should keep a rxed state of mind so that your body can get better.¡± The butler reminded him. Old Master Crawford nodded and asked, "Has the Young Master returned?" "Not yet." "Call him and get him toe back. Tell him that Ms. Craw is here." Old Master Crawford ordered. "Okay." The butler nodded, stood up, and walked out. Chapter 1565 When Luke''s phone rang, he was looking at a man who was talking while pinching his throat. The phone vibrated. He stood up and walked to the balcony to answer it. "Hello." "Young Master Luke, when will you be back?" The butler''s voice entered his ears. Luke nced at the situation in the living room and said, "Don''t wait for me to have lunch. I have something to do today." "Is that so? Ms. Craw is here. Are you sure you can''te back?" the butler asked. "Luca?" Luke frowned and lowered his voice. "Why is she in Crawford Manor?" Based on what he knew about Luca''s temperament, she would not visit at random. "Old Master Crawford invited her. He thinks that Ms. Craw has helped a lot, so he specially invited her to be a guest," the butler replied. Even though he was not with Luke in person, judging from the change in his voice and tone, he seemed very unhappy that Luca was visiting the Crawford family. "I can''t go back until this afternoon. Please help me entertain her while I¡¯m gone," Luke said. He could not leave at that moment. The voice imitator that Percy Mallory hired on his behalf was already familiar with the fake Bianca''s voice, so he asked him toe over and give it a listen. He heard it, and the other party, Jax, did a wonderful job of imitating her voice. It was not only the same voice but also in the same tone. Jax was now talking to Queenie. Queenie had not heard the fake Bianca''s voice for a long time, so she naturally wanted to talk to ''her'' for a while longer. "Okay." The butler realized that Luke had something important to deal with so he did not say anything more. After Luke hung up, he returned to the living room. Meanwhile, Jax was still talking to Queenie. After Luke gestured to him to stop, Jax nced at his phone, made an excuse, and hung up on Queenie. Percy apuded him. "I didn''t expect you to be able to imitate any sound. You did it so quickly too. That''s amazing!" "Fortunately, her voice is hoarse enough. Otherwise, it would''ve been difficult to imitate," Jax said. Queenie talked about a lot of random daily life topics with him. For the most part, she asked ''her'' to take care of herself. They did not talk much about what had happened in the past, so he could deal with it easily. "I found someone amazing for this, right?" Percy raised his chin toward Luke. He had an interest in meeting useful people like Jax. "Amazing." Luke was not stingy with his praise, and Jax was indeed of great assistance. After Jax said he could imitate Bianca''s voice, Luke went over and usedputer software to create a virtual transoceanic number for Jax to chat with Queenie. "By the way, your mother-inw told me to pay more attention to you and try to get back to A City for the new year," Jax said. He did not put the call on loudspeaker as he wanted to ensure that his words would get through. Luke understood why Queenie said that and nodded. "I said that I''ve been checking up on you regrly and I have to see if I cane back for the new year," Jax said. "Mm, just tell her that you can''te back," Luke said. He did not have a fake Bianca to work with him, so he told Jax to turn her down on the next call. Percy held and swayed the ss of red wine in his hand. After he heard what Jax said, he could not help but tease Luke. "Have you been cheating? Were you found out by someone?" Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "No." Luke sat on the sofa and held up his ss. He was going to have dinner with the two of them later. He could not turn them down because they had done him a favor. "Then why would your mother-inw ask her daughter to pay more attention to you? Isn''t that an obvious reminder?" Percy grinned and continued to tease him. Luke''s expression did not change in the slightest. He said indifferently, "She doesn''t know anything." "Yeah, so what does she know?" Percy did not intend to be brushed off like this. Luke nced at his friend and reminded him. "You have so much energy to check in on me but have you dealt with Nina? And that Johnston girl. Oh yes, and your brother. He seems to be very interested in Nina." "Luke, you''re doing it on purpose, aren''t you? Stop picking the kettle that''s not boiling." Percy''s mood turned sour at the mention of Nina. The matter with the Johnston family was about to be resolved but Nina never gave him a chance to exin and refused to see him. It was obvious that the apartment she was living in belonged to him but he did not even have the chance to meet her. The tenderness she had toward him before was ruthlessly abandoned. He was angry whenever the matter was brought up. Jax looked at the two of them and touched his nose. "Uhm, should I head off?" "No need." "No need." The two who were still taking jabs at each other just now said in unison. Luke took out a note from his pocket and handed it to Jax. "This is my wife''s ount. You don''t have to check the texts every day because I log in fairly frequently. You can check every few days. If you receive a text from Queenie, just send her a voice note so that she can feel at ease. Pay attention to the time difference when you reply to her. Make sure that you keep up with a call once a month." "Got it." Jax was an expert in this. It was easy for him to imitate others. Seeing that everything was settled, Percy stood up and said, "Let''s go downstairs. The maid should have gotten lunch ready. Let''s have a good meal and a couple of drinks. Since you don''t have to go to work today, help me taste andment on the new wine I got." Luke wanted to turn him down and head back to the manor. However, when he realized that he wanted to do that because of Luca, he dismissed the idea and went downstairs with Percy. When it was time for lunch, Luca ate with Old Master Crawford and the others. She then went back upstairs with the children. Susan had not been downstairs all morning so she was not aware of who the woman in front of her was. After Luca left, she asked, "Who is that woman?" "It''s Ms. Craw. She''s the one who saved Young Master Tommy. Old Master Crawford wanted to thank her so he invited her over," the butler replied. As soon as Susan heard it, she understood what was going on. The woman who saved Tommy was the woman who was having an affair with Luke. ''She''s pretty, but why does everything in this family have to do with Luke?'' She could not help but say bitterly, "So what if she saved the child''s life? She was rude by going upstairs with the kids right after lunch. Does she think she owns the ce? What''s more, Luke still has a wife. Isn''t it appropriate for her to take the children upstairs? People who don''t know might think she''s rushing to be the kids'' stepmother." Chapter 1566 The butler heard her acerbic choice of words and thought that it was not how someone from the Crawford family should act. He sighed in his heart when he thought of thete Zachary Crawford. The two most important women in his life seemed noble and dignified, but in fact, the two did not have the best characters. Their guest was still around. Although she had already gone upstairs, Susan should not have said these words. The butler spoke up for Luca, "Ma''am, you can''t say that. She and the children are fated, and Ms. Craw was invited by Old Master Crawford, so please don''t say such things." Susan picked up a piece of watermelon with a fork and gave the butler a disdainful look. "Why can''t I say that? What''s wrong with telling the truth? She can''t hear me anyway. Tell me what I said that was wrong. Correct me if you can." The butler did not dare to say anything. He quietly tidied the things on the table. If Old Master Crawford had heard what she said, she would have been scolded. However, after Old Master Crawford ate, he suddenly had something to deal with so he went upstairs. There was nothing wrong with Luca leaving the dining table. After all, the host had already left the dining table, so there was nothing wrong with her leaving as well. She was not a maid who had to wait until everyone had finished eating before clearing the table and leaving. Seeing that the butler did not respond, Susan snorted coldly. If it was not for him being close to Old Master Crawford, she would have fired him long ago. ¡®How dare he talk back to me?'' Luca was not too far away. After she brought the kids to the second floor, she went downstairs and nned to get a ss of water but she unexpectedly heard their conversation. Even after three years, Susan was still so unforgiving. Luca shook her head, turned around, and returned to the second floor. She resumed telling the story to the kids for a while. Seeing that it was almost time, she reminded them, "It''s nap time now. Why don''t you guys get some rest first?" She knew that the kids took naps after lunch. Tommy nodded and asked, "Ms. Luca, will you continue telling us the storyter?" Luca wanted to wait for them to fall asleep before leaving but it seemed like they would not let her leave until she finished the story... "Do you still want to hear it?" She did not expect them to like the story so much. The three of them nodded and said, "Yes, please." Rainie said, "Ms. Luca, after we wake up, can you continue to tell us the story?" Luca had no choice but to nod. The employees of T Corporation would be back in two days and her experiment had reached the next stage, so she would not have time to see them after this. While she still had time, she agreed to their request. "Okay, when you wake up, I''ll continue with the story. It''s one o''clock in the afternoon. Go to bed." Rainie stood up and invited her. "Ms. Luca, do you want to take a nap with me?" Luca was taken back. It seemed like she had no choice but to hang around the kids. Tommy was unhappy. He grabbed Luca''s arm and said, "Ms. Luca is going to take a nap with me." The beds at home were all about the same size. The bed in their bedroom was not that big. It could fit two children and one adult. Luca could only sleep with one of them... Rainie looked at Luca with hope in her eyes, "Tommy, let Ms. Luca sleep with me. We''re girls, and there are things that girls need to chat about." "But..." Tommy was still reluctant. "Tommy, let Rainie sleep with Ms. Luca. Just this once." Lanie, the eldest brother, spoke up. When he heard that, Tommy had no choice but to nod. "Only this one time. Next time, Ms. Luca will sleep with me!" "Okay." Seeing that her brother hadpromised, Rainie held Luca''s hand happily. "Ms. Luca, I have a new set of pillowcases in my cupboard. I need your help to get them. The maid put them too high up." Luca nodded and took out a change of pillowcases from the top of the closet. Lanie and Tommy left. Rainie closed the bedroom door, then got into bed. She looked at Luca with a smile and said, "Ms. Luca,e lie down." Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Luca nodded, put the pillow on the bed, and got on the other side of the bed. The twoy down. Rainie took the initiative to curl up into her arms. She sniffed the scent on her body and whispered, "Ms. Luca, the scent on your body is very simr to my mommy''s." Luca swept her back gently like a mother soothing a child to sleep. "Even this motion you''re doing is very simr," Rainie added. "Really?" Luca pursed her lips slightly and replied, "Probably because all adultsfort their children in the same way to get them to sleep." "Daddy doesn''t do this. The stories he asionally tells me aren''t as good as the ones you tell. Ms. Luca, do you know why I want to take a nap with you?" Rainie lifted her chin and looked at her. Luca did not know. In the past, Tommy was the one who liked to be close to her. Moreover, Rainie, as Tommy''s older sister, would give him everything that Tommy wanted. She rarely fought with him. "Why?" "It is because whenever I sleep with you, I''ll dream of Mommy. Thest time we were at my grandmother''s house, I also dreamt of Mommy. She told me that she''s by our side now and not to worry. She asked me to be good and listen to Daddy." Rainie hugged Luca''s arm. Whenever she was beside Luca, she felt an inexplicable sense of security. Luca could not help but feel shocked and sad when she heard what Rainie said. ''Does she know about the fake Bianca?'' Considering Luke''s temperament, he would not let the children know about it. Even so, regardless of whether they knew or not, they must be feeling quite lonely. She med herself a little because the children were growing up yet she could not be by their side. After they were reunited, she swore that she would be by the children''s side to protect them and watch them grow. "Do you miss your mommy a lot?" Luca stroked Rainie''s head. "Of course, but I know she didn''t leave us on purpose. Ms. Luca, do you think I can dream of Mommy later?" Rainie asked. "I don''t know, but you''ll have a good sleep," Luca said. Rainie smiled and closed her eyes. "By the way, Rainie, where''s your Daddy?" Luca asked. "Daddy said that he has something to deal with today. He went out early in the morning. I''m not sure where he went," Rainie replied, her eyes still closed. "Mm, go to sleep. I''ll be here." Luca took the child into her arms. Rainie curled up in her arms and held her hands. Her actions showed her reliance on Luca. Luca looked at Rainie as the guilt and sadness in her heart continued to grow. ''I''m sorry...'' She apologized to the kids in her heart. Chapter 1567 Luca coaxed Rainie to sleep, and after a while, she noticed that Rainie''s breathing had be even. Rainie had fallen asleep. Luca moved back slightly, and Rainie did not react. Seeing this, she got out of bed. She had lived in the manor, so she knew about the daily schedule. Luke was not at home and she knew that Old Master Crawford had the habit of taking naps too. It was the children''s time to nap so the butler and maids would note upstairs as they did not want to disturb them. It was the best time for her to explore Luke''s study. Luca gently opened the bedroom door. She looked back the moment she opened the door and found that Rainie was still asleep. Luke''s study was in front. As long as she walked in without being noticed, her n would seed because she knew the password to the safe. She did not need to waste a lot of time deciphering it. Luca gently closed Rainie''s bedroom door and walked toward Luke''s study. "Ms. Craw?" When she arrived at the door of the study, she heard Susan''s voice. Luca turned around and saw Susan, who was standing by the stairs. She did not expect that Susan had not gone back to her room after lunch. Susan was secretly d that she had not gone up earlier. "What are you doing?" Susan nced at Luke''s tightly closed study door, then at Luca. "I''m a little thirsty, so I want to head downstairs to get some water," Luca said softly, not wanting to disturb the kids. She was thankful that she had not opened the door. If she had walked faster and acted quicker, Susan would not have seen her approaching Luke''s study but her opening the study door. "The dish that the maid made today was indeed a bit salty." Susan approached her. She looked at Luca''s face and was slightly surprised. Although she was not a fan of the person in front of her, she had to admit that Luca was beautiful. Few women could be so beautiful without makeup... Susan squinted, looked at Luca, and said, "I know you came to the Crawford family for a reason. Let''s have a chat?" Luca frowned. ''She knows what I''m here for? That''s impossible...'' The Ind of Despair would not reveal the identities of the members at will. If their identities were discovered, some special members would bring those who had been discovered back to the ind. If the person has contributed to the organization, they would be given a new identity and face. Those who had not contributed much would be killed off. The Ind of Despair was cruel, so for a long time, their identities and tasks were all well-kept among the members. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. "I don''t know what you''re talking about." Luca knew Susan''s capabilities and did not take her seriously. Susan snorted coldly, turned around, and walked to the balcony. "Come with me. You''ll know what I''m talking about then." Although Luca did not take her seriously, she also wanted to know what other tricks Susan had in her efforts to deal with Luke. She knew that Susan had always had that in mind. Luke was well-protected by Old Master Crawford since he was a child, so Susan never dared to make a move on him. When Luke grew up, he was more promising than Louis so she dared not do anything to him as well. However, just because she did not dare to make a move, it did not mean that she did not have something plotted against Luke. She knew that Susan had been waiting for the opportunity. She had failed to do anything to Luke in the previous times. Luca followed her to the balcony. Although it was almost winter, the sun was still a little hot at noon. With the sun above their heads, Luca said, "Mrs. Crawford, if you have something to say, just say it. It''s quite hot out here." Susan looked at Luca''s attractive face and went straight to the point, "I know you like Luke." "I don''t understand what you''re talking about." Luca denied it. She had progressed to a certain level and was unwilling to reveal her weak points. "It doesn''t matter if you deny it but your behavior has revealed everything. You like Luke. Otherwise, why would you try to get close to him? Also, why would you put so much effort into building a rtionship with his children?" Susan said as though she had seen through everything and spoke to her with an attitude. "Is this what you wanted to tell me?" Luca knew it was no use denying Susan since her mind was set. Susan snorted coldly and said, "Okay, let''s see how stubborn you can be. I can help you." "I don''t think it''s necessary, thank you." Luca did not know what Susan was plotting and decided to deny everything she said. Her only worry was that if she said too much, Susan might record her. "Let me tell you this. If you don''t have someone to help you, even if Luke and the children ept you, you''ll only be a mistress. Do you know how a mistress will end up? How many mistresses get a happy ending?¡± Susan said in a loud voice. She was angry when she saw that Luca seemed like she was not bothered. Luca was a little impatient. "Mrs. Crawford, I find no use for what you have to say. I have no other intentions, I just like children. I heard that you have a granddaughter. Rainie and the others think my storytelling is very exciting, so I think that your granddaughter will like the stories I tell too. Maybe you can ask her to join us in the afternoon?" Susan red at her and replied, "Don''t be self-righteous. I''m giving you a chance to be Luke''s wife. As long as you cooperate with me, I can make you Luke''s wife. Don''t you want the title of Mrs. Crawford?" "Mr. Crawford has a wife. I''m not interested," Luca said. "Stop spewing nonsense. You can fool the others, but I know that Luke''s wife has died long ago. Outsiders think that she''s abroad studying, which is funny to me. How could a woman have such a big heart and leave her husband and children alone back home to go abroad to study by herself?" Susan snorted coldly and continued talking, "Let me be honest, if you''re willing to cooperate with me, then I''ll help you. As long as you get Luke''s heart and we disclose the death of his wife, you''ll be the next Mrs. Crawford." "Why should I believe in what you''re saying?" Luca raised an eyebrow. She was surprised that Susan knew about the death of the fake Bianca. ''How did she find out?'' "You have to trust me to get everything you want," Susan said. "Mrs. Crawford, I think you have misunderstood the situation. Firstly, what I want is not what you think. Secondly, even if I want what you think, you''ll benefit from helping me. At that time, no one can guarantee that what I''ll get is what I wanted in the first ce, so don''t waste your time. The sun is shining, and you''ll get tanned easily if you''re under the sun too much.¡± Luca finished speaking and went into the room. Chapter 1568 "You!" Susan widened her eyes as she looked at her from behind. She refused to believe that Luca was still unwilling to cooperate with her even after what she had said to her. She did not admit her intention when she was trying to trick Luca into talking to her throughout the conversation. Susan gnashed her teeth angrily as she looked at how invulnerable Luca was. She even told Luca that Bianca was dead only to make her willing to cooperate with her... Luca had no idea what was good for her! A thought came across Susan''s mind as she watched Luca walk into Rainie''s bedroom. She should take advantage of her if she could not make Luca an ally. She had a n in her mind at once. Luca had no idea what Susan was up to. She walked into the bedroom carefully, afraid of waking Rainie up. Shey down on the bed. Rainie huddled up and clung to her tightly when she felt Luca''s warm body. Luca put her arms around the child and fell deep asleep. On the other hand. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Mr. Griffin reported to Old Master Crawford about Susan meeting up with Luca at the balcony. Old Master Crawford had asked him to keep an eye on Luca, so Mr. Griffin had been watching over her without missing anything out. However, he did not know what both of them were talking about. The security cameras in the house had no audio features. It was to protect the family''s privacy. However, Mr. Griffin had noticed Susan''s facial expression and assumed they did not have a pleasant conversation. While Old Master Crawford was listening to Mr. Griffin''s report, he could not help but make a guess. "They don''t even know each other. What can they talk about?" The butler shook his head. Old Master Crawford said, "Didn''t she want nothing to do with Luca, yet she''s talking to her now. What does she want from Luca?" The butler remained silent. It was true that Susan hated Luca. Old Master Crawford was thinking about how Allison was going to be released from prison soon. She would certainly return to Crawford Manor judging from her health condition now. There would be no peace in the Crawford family with Susan and Allison in the house. Susan must be up to something now. ¡°Keep an eye on her. Don''t let her cause any trouble in the family." Old Master Crawford was talking about Susan. The two women his son had found were both troublemakers. If it were not because they had contributed to the Crawford family, he would have kicked both of them out of the Crawford family. "Yes, I got it," Mr. Griffin replied. He was thinking that if Susan was really bent on causing trouble, he would not be able to stop her. When Luca woke up, she realized that three pairs of eyes were staring at her. The kids were awake, and they were standing beside the bed looking at her silently. She sat up, slightly confused. Did they not say they wanted to take a nap? Why were they all looking at her? "Ms. Luca, you''re finally awake." Tommy hopped on the bed and wrapped his arms around her waist. "What happened? Was I asleep for too long?" Luca stroked Tommy''s head. She nned to close her eyes and apany Rainie for a while. She did not expect to fall asleep. "Ms. Luca, you slept for a very long time. It''s almost three o''clock now," said Tommy. They walked to the bedside eagerly after they woke up. Then, they realized Luca was still asleep. They stood at the bedside and stared at her when they saw her sleeping so soundly. They made no noise so she could continue sleeping. Tommy even got downstairs to inform the butler not to disturb her. He asked him not to send their afternoon tea upstairs. They did not know when Luca would wake up. They just did not want to wake her up. "It''s almost three? I''ve been sleeping for that long?" Luca cried out in surprise. She picked her phone up and nced at the time. It was indeed almost three o''clock. "Ms. Luca, you sleep a lot." Tommy sounded a little intive. Luca knew why. It was because she had promised the kids that she would continue to tell them the story after they woke up. She did not expect she would sleep that long. "I''m sorry. You could''ve woken me up," Luca reminded them. She wanted the kids to know that she was not a person who was hard to get along with. Tommy shook his head and said, "We won''t wake Ms. Luca up. You''re the same as Daddy. You don''t get enough sleep. So, we wanted to let you sleep more. The same goes for Daddy. It''s rare for him to find time to sleep, so we won''t wake him up because getting more sleep is good for his health." "Your daddy?" Luca thought of Luke. He was indeed a workaholic. Many times, he would stay up all night to work. He must be tired, carrying the responsibilities of managing such a bigpany on his shoulders. Luca could not help share his load, and she even had to do such things... She clenched her fists tightly. A helpless feeling came flooding into her heart. "Ms. Luca, continue to tell us the story." Tommy noticed that she seemed to be in a bad mood, so he changed the subject. "Sure." Luca got out of the bed and tidied her hair with her fingers. Tommy got out of the bed too. The four of them sat in a circle on the rug. Someone knocked on the bedroom door when Luca was about to start her story. She turned around and saw Luke pushing the door open. "Daddy!" The three kids called out unanimously when they saw him walking in. Luke looked at the bedroom. Luca was sitting there, surrounded by the kids. It looked harmonious as if they were a family. "What are you all doing here?" He walked in while staring nkly at them. Luca noticed that although Luke had juste back, he was wearing casual clothes. He must have been dealing with some personal matters instead of work. "Daddy, Ms. Luca is telling us a story. It''s the story that she didn''t get to finishst time!" Tommy said with a smile. He stood up, walked toward him, and held his hand. "Do you want to join us?" Luke nced at Luca. It took only a few seconds for the woman who was looking at him to avert her gaze. She seemed reluctant to look him in the eye. She even wanted to avoid him... Luke shook his head and stroked the kid''s head, saying, "I still have work to do. Enjoy yourself." "Alright, Daddy." Tommy returned to his seat beside Luca after Luke left, and he startedining. "Ms. Luca, look at Daddy. He''s a workaholic. He''s so busy that he doesn''t have the time for us." "He''s taking care of you all too." Luca stroked the kid''s head like how Luke stroked Tommy''s head the same way just now. Luke worked so hard. He did it all for the Crawford family and the kids. Although she did not support such ways to take care of the kids as the kids needed hispany and love as well, she understood Luke. After all, T Corporation was in his hands. The management and development of thepany could only move forward. Luke could only put in more effort and time to surpass the Old Master Crawford''s performance to pull an impressive act and make those people who were covetously eyeing his position learn their ce. Luke had to do it for the family and the children. When she was still Bianca, she would insist on spending time with the kids every week even though she was busy with work. That would allow Luke to have more energy to handle his work. Chapter 1569 These were the only things that she could help him with and do for him. Rainie stared at her for a while before she slowly said, ¡°Ms. Luca, Mommy told us the same thing you just told us." "Yes, I remember Mommy saying that before." Tommy nodded and turned to look at Luca. He liked her so much because she was simr to their mother in many ways. She was gentle and virtuous. Sometimes, even what she said was exactly like what Bianca had previously said to them. Luca was startled for a moment. She did not expect the kids to remember what she had said to them before. Luca still remembered why she said that back then. Everyone in T Corporation was fullymitted to carrying out the new project at that time. As the boss, Luke had to guide the wholepany''s progress. Sometimes, he would have to work overtime until three or four in the morning when he was busy. However, he would always get off work on time as to not worry her and the kids. He would walk straight into the study after he got home. Sometimes, he would be so busy to the extent that he would even have his dinner in the study. The kids wouldin about it, and that was how sheforted them. There was something else she had said too. Not only was he their daddy but he was also responsible for the parents of many other children. He worked hard so that the other children could be well taken care of. The kids would stopining after listening to her. Luca thought that they did not understand her back then. She did not expect Rainie and Tommy to remember what she said until now. Lanie, who had been quiet, suddenly spoke. "Mommy even told us that the reason Daddy works so hard is to let many other children be well taken care of. We keep every word she said to us in mind." Luca felt a pang in her heart. They remembered everything she had said to them. They were just normal words that were notforting or inspirational, yet the children kept them dearly in their minds. Luca needed some time to get over what the kids said to her. At this moment, Mr. Griffin knocked on the door, walked into the room, and said, "Young Master nche, Young Master Tommy, and Young Miss Rainie, afternoon tea is ready." The kids shot a nce at the butler, then they continued to stare at Luca. Luca stood up and held their hands. Then, they stood up too. "Ms. Luca?" ¡°Why don''t we have some tea first?¡± She suggested. "After you finish your afternoon tea, I''ll continue the story." "Alright!" The three of them agreed as they bounced and hopped out of the bedroom. Mr. Griffin stood at the bedroom door. After Luca walked out of the bedroom, he passed Luke''s message to her. "Ms. Craw, Young Master Luke is waiting for you in the study." "Mr. Crawford wants to see me? What''s the matter?" Luca looked in the direction of the study. Why did he not tell her when he came in just now? "I''m not sure about that. Please go over," said the butler. Luca nodded. She watched the kids head in the direction of the stairs. She walked forward and stopped at the study''s entrance. She knocked on the door. Luke''s voice came from inside. "Come in." Luca pushed the door and walked in. The butler was still standing at the bedroom''s entrance. He was confused when he saw how Luca was able to find the study without any guidance. Was this not the first time she came to Crawford Manor? The study''s door was closed before Luke went in. The door of the study and the bedrooms were the same. How was she able to find the door to the study so precisely? Could it be that it was Young Master Tommy who had brought her for a house tour? The butler no longer doubted it when he thought of that possibility. He followed the kids downstairs. Luca looked around the room''s furnishings after she entered the study. The office table that belonged to her was still there. After the fake Bianca was sent to keep Lukepany, she was never involved in thepany''s management, so no one was using the office table. She did not expect that Luke still kept it, and the decorations were still there too. Luca looked at the frame on the table and wondered if the photo in it was still the same. "Take a seat." Luke pointed at the seat opposite him when she said nothing. Luca nced at the sofa. She ended up choosing to sit on the chair. It would only make him confounded if she deliberately avoided him. "Mr. Crawford, are you looking for me?" She could not wait any longer to know why he was looking for him after she sat down. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Luca did not expect she would have the chance to step into the study again, but... She could not do anything with him here. She pretended as if her gaze was unintentionally sweeping across the safe in the corner. The furnishings here had not changed even after three years. ¡°Did Grandpa give you a hard time?" Luke asked. That was what he wanted to know the most. That was what he wanted to know at first when he heard that the old man had suddenly invited her over. The old master had made things clear that he would not interfere with his social life as long as it did not affect thepany''s development. However, he also made it clear that his ultimate goal for everything he did was to find Bianca. Hence, Luke was worried that Old Master Crawford would intentionally make things difficult for Luca or promise her something. "Old Master Crawford didn''t say anything. He only thanked me for taking care of Tommy," replied Luca. He was acting a little strange. Was he worried about her being bullied by the old master? However, if the old master was going to bully her, why would he invite her to Crawford Manor? Although Old Master Crawford did not treat her enthusiastically, he was kind to her. She knew him pretty well after the years spent with him. Old Master Crawford would pull a straight face in front of someone he did not like, and his seriousness would give that person the chills. It was not like that now. "Nothing else?" Luke raised his eyebrows. It was not the old master''s way of doing things. "No." Luca shook her head. "Alright. That''s all," said Luke. Luca stood up when she heard him say that. She bade him goodbye and said, "Mr. Crawford, I''ll be going back since there are no other matters." "Didn''t you promise the kids to tell them a story?" Luke did not look up at her. He was looking at the computer screen. He had just received a document from Stillwater International. Luca was at a loss for words. How did he know about that? "Have you finished telling the story?" Luke asked. "No, there''s still a part left," Luca answered honestly. She did not think she should lie to him about something that could be exposed at any time. It would be more embarrassing if she was exposed. "Just finish telling them the story since you''re here. Otherwise, they''ll talk about it again and again, asking me to tell them that story." Luke lifted his head and nced at Luca after he clicked open the document. His deep eyes were like the whirlpools in the ocean. They would pull her into it to enjoy the peace in there. Luca nodded and replied stiffly, "Alright." "What''s your story about?" Luke asked again. He had listened to her when she was telling the story to the kids that night. He still remembered the storyline and the name of the characters that he heard. Chapter 1570 When the kids insisted on listening to that story, he went online to search on it but he could not find any information about the story she told them. Left with no other choice, Luke went to buy different kinds of storybooks to let the kids read them themselves. "I came up with the story," Luca answered. As the children''s mother, she knew what kind of story the kids would love to hear even though three years had passed. That was why they loved her story very much. ¡°You came up with the story?¡± Luke looked at her. Luca had immensely surprised him at this moment. The kids liked to cling to her. Her culinary skills were as good as Bianca''s, and she was even good at making up stories of her own. Luke thought of Bianca, and it set his nerves on edge. "Well..." Luca nodded. She stood up and said, "Mr. Crawford, I''d like to leave first if there''s nothing else." Susan leaned against the wall outside the study while listening to the noises inside. Still, she did not hear anything. Susan hurriedly trotted back to her bedroom when she heard Luca say that she was leaving. Susan closed the door when she returned to her room and called Queenie. She would send them falling into the abyss since Luca refused to cooperate with her. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Queenie answered the call. "Good afternoon, Madam Crawford." Luke was not Susan''s son. Hence, she would not address her as her inw when she talked to Susan. She would only politely call her ''Madam Crawford''. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Norman. Are you free recently? I''d love to ask you out for tea." Susan stood beside the windowsill with her fingers tapping on the ss. She lowered her voice. "I''ve been busy. What''s the matter?" Queenie shot a nce at Leia, who was lying on the ward bed. She could not leave Leia be with her current condition. "Oh, you''ve been busy? Did something happen? Is there anything I can help with?" Susan pretended to be warm-hearted. Previously, she was not close with Queenie at all. It was because she was jealous of Allison for having such inws with good family backgrounds. She only started to build her rtionship with Queenie to implement the n she had in mind now. Of course, Queenie would never tell her about Leia''s matter. She found an excuse to brush her off. "It''s not a big deal. Don''t trouble yourself, Madam Crawford. Thank you for your invitation, but let''s talk about itter when I''ve finished dealing with my matters." Susan rolled her eyes when Queenie refused her invitation and her kind thought of helping her. She picked her nails and replied, "Mrs. Norman, I won''t bother you any longer since you''re busy. But I just wanted to remind you that you should be paying more attention to Bianca''s happiness. Even though she''s Mrs. Crawford now, that doesn''t mean she''ll be sitting in that position for the rest of her life." "What do you mean? What''s going on?" Queenie asked immediately when she heard what Susan said. Her voice sounded a few pitches higher. "Luca came to Crawford Manor today. She''s still in the study. I''m not sure what they''re talking about there. Why are they in the study for so long if they merely share a normal superior-subordinate rtionship?" Queenie''s heart skipped a beat. She should trust Luke, but many things were unexinable. "They''re both in the study? Then what about the kids?" The three of them, especially Tommy, loved to stick with Luca. They were probably with her. "The kids were sent away earlier. And I can see the three of them are very fond of Luca. I''m just worried. Sigh, never mind. I shouldn''t be telling you more about this. Although I''m not Luke''s biological mother, his mother is still in prison. As a mother myself, I should be keeping an eye on them. Bianca is such a good woman, but I''m afraid she has no idea what''s happening here." Susan deliberately sounded like she was very worried while putting on a satisfied expression on her face. She knew Luca was a capable woman even though she was just an ordinary person with an ordinary family background. She refused to cooperate with her, which indicated that she was still siding with Luke. It would be even more difficult to get rid of Luke if she was helping him. Hence, getting rid of Luca was one of Susan''s ns. While Queenie was listening to Susan, she was already imagining the scene of Bianca being dumped by Luke. "Alright. Thank you for reminding me." She took a deep breath and reminded herself to be polite. Although she was worried about Bianca, she was busy taking care of Leia''s health now. "Oh, have you been keeping in touch with Biancately? If you are, then you should remind her about it. And you should tell her through a voice message. You can''t just type a message and send it to her. You must always pay attention to her emotions." Susan intentionally mentioned Bianca. She wanted Queenie to contact Bianca. Queenie would be worried if she could not get in contact with Bianca. Then, once she investigated it, she would probably find out that Bianca did not even travel abroad back then. "I''ve been keeping in touch with Bea. She''s doing fine now. I''ll tell her about it. Thank you," Queenie replied. Then, she saw the doctore in. She spoke before Susan could reply to her, "Madam Crawford, I''ve got things to do. I''m hanging up now." She hung up the phone before Susan had the chance to say anything. She put down the phone gloomily as she listened to the busy tone. "She''s been keeping in touch with Bianca? How is that possible..." How could it be possible for Queenie to call Bianca on the phone? Susan was sure she had heard the conversation between Old Master Crawford and Luke. The only exnation was that it was not Bianca who talked to Queenie on the phone. It must be... Susan curled her lips. She did not expect Luke to be so cunning. It was nighttime. Luca sat down at the dining table in Crawford Manor. She stared at the sumptuous dinner. As she ate, something was on her mind. The various dishes with delicate garnishings and the atmosphere at the dining table made her think of finishing the dinner quickly and leaving this ce. Luke was sitting right opposite her. He could see how restless she was. Mrs. Nancy was carrying a tray and heading toward the table. She ced a bowl of stew in front of everyone. Old Master Crawford smelled the aroma in the air and asked, ¡°What stew is this?" ¡°Old Master Crawford, this is ginger, turmeric, and carrot stew," replied Mrs. Nancy. "We don''t usually have this stew before this. Why did you prepare this today?" Susan frowned and asked. She hated the smell of ginger, and Mrs. Nancy knew that. "It was Young Master Luke''s order. He said Ms. Luca is suffering from back pain, so he asked me to make some stew for her to nourish her body," Mrs. Nancy replied while she ced another bowl of stew in front of Susan. "Madam, I know you hate ginger, so I made mushroom soup for you. Enjoy." Susan looked at the soup in front of her. She lost her appetite when she smelled the ginger stew earlier. "It smells awful." She said with disgust, but she was secretly rejoicing in her heart. Look at that! Luke cared for Luca so much to the extent that he ordered Mrs. Nancy to prepare some stew to nourish her body. "Enough. Didn''t she prepare mushroom soup for you? Just have it and stop talking nonsense." Old Master Crawford pulled a long face and snapped at her. They had a guest in the house, yet she had no table manners. How embarrassing! Chapter 1571 Susan dared not speak after being scolded. Luca was looking down. Her heart was in a mess with roiling waves when she heard Mrs. Nancy say Luke had specifically ordered her to prepare this. It was just a minor injury... Old Master Crawford went along with what Mrs. Nancy said and said caringly, "Ms. Craw, why didn''t you tell us that you''re injured? I''m sorry to have troubled you toe back and forth. You had to take care of the children too.¡± ¡°It''s just a minor injury. It''s not a big deal.¡± Luca shook her head gently and took a sip of the stew. She savored the rich taste of the stew. There was more than just ginger and turmeric in the stew. There were also herbs that were good for health. Luca scooped a spoonful and smelled it. She was sure that tonic had been added to the stew. Young people like her were fine with drinking such nutritious stew. Elderly folk like Old Master Crawford should only take tonics at appropriate times to nourish their bodies. Taking tonics too often would be too much for their bodies to handle. Luke was watching that small gesture of Luca''s. It caught his attention. Luca did not notice that Luke was watching her. She thought that Mrs. Nancy had been working for the Crawford family for years, so she would never think of harming Old Master Crawford. However, even if Mrs. Nancy had many years of working experience, there were some things that she might not know. Tommy, who was sitting beside Luca, took a sip of the stew. His brows furrowed at once. He tugged on her sleeves andined, "Ms. Luca, it tastes bad. Why are you drinking this?" Luca replied to him in her heart, ''I don''t want to drink this. It''s Luke who''s making me drink it.'' Did he have anything to do with the herbs added into the stew? Luca soon dispelled her doubts. Even though Luke looked indifferent, he loved and cared about Old Master Crawford. He was the one who raised Luke. Hence, he would never do something like that. "The stew is nutritious. Although it tastes awful, it''s good for young people. Hurry up and drink it," Luca deliberately emphasized that. Whoever added the herbs into the stew would feel guilty once that person heard her say that. Susan felt guilty at once when she heard Luca. Luca mentioned young people and herbs just now. What else did she know? She shot a nce at Luca while she was feeding Tommy the stew. She was feeding him patiently spoonful after spoonful. Susan let out a sigh of relief. It was probably a coincidence that she said something like that. After Luca finished feeding Tommy the stew, she drank her bowl of stew and ate her dinner. She did not say anything throughout the dinner. She was struggling with whether she should tell Luke about it. The reason why she was in a dilemma was simple. If the tonic was added once in a while, it would not affect Old Master Crawford''s health much. However, it would probably affect him if he had it every day. She was not sure if the tonic was usually added to the stew. Luca was nning to leave after dinner. Old Master Crawford spoke up when Mr. Griffin asked Uncle Zander to send Luca home, "Zander is having a cold. Let him rest. Luke, please send Ms. Craw home." Was he asking Luke to send her home? When Luca was about to reject his offer, Luke said, "Alright." He stood up at once. Luca looked at him. She had no choice but to follow him. Tommy followed Luca''s pace and walked out of the living room with her while holding her hand. He said, ¡°Ms. Luca, can''t you stay here tonight? There''s room for you on my bed. We have many guest rooms here too if you think it''s too much of a squeeze.¡± Luca smiled when she heard the kid trying to make her stay. She stroked his head. ¡°I''ve disturbed all of you for the whole day now. I''m not staying anymore. Be good. I''lle and see you again." Tommy listened to her as he watched Luke slowly drive the car toward them. He replied, "Alright. Ms. Luca, you''ll have to remember to tell us the rest of the story." Luca had not finished telling them the story yet. She promised the kids that she would record the story down with a voice recording pen and hand it to them. ¡°Sure." Luca pinched the kid''s chubby face as she nced at the car that had stopped in front. She headed to the passenger seat, opened the door, and got into the car. Luke drove and left Crawford Manor. Susan stood beside the French window as she watched Luke drive the car away. She sighed. "Dad, Uncle Zander didn''t catch a cold. Why are you doing this?" Old Master Crawford shot her a nasty look and sneered. "Why do you care?" "Can''t I be curious?" Susan was a little aggrieved after he told her off so harshly. "Mind your business. I heard that Louis is moving hispany recently. If you have nothing better to do, you might want to consider helping him." Old Master Crawford was fed up with her gossipy behavior. Susan sneered when he mentioned Louis''pany. "I don''t want to. It''s such a smallpany. He can manage it himself." Old Master Crawford shook his head helplessly at her attitude. She was unhappy that Louis left T Corporation and started his own business. She had even advised him many times to return to work for T Corporation. It was just that Louis'' studio was getting better and better. He refused to listen to her, so the mother and son''s rtionship remained taut to this day. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Old Master Crawford chose to ignore her. In the car. Luke was driving the car. He nced sideways at the woman who was sitting in the passenger seat. She said nothing and remained quiet since getting into the car. He broke the silence first. ¡°Did you find out anything during the dinner?" Luca was startled. Did he notice that small gesture of hers? "It''s nothing important," she replied. Although he threw her such a question, she was still hesitating whether she should tell him or not. "Tell me." Luke already knew that she had discovered something. Even the subtlest changes in Luca''s expressions and gestures could not fool him. "I noticed there were other herbs added into the stew. The herbs won''t affect young people much. But for the elders, it''ll burden their bodies in the long term. Their bodies can''t handle that much nutrition," said Luca. "I don''t know if the tonic is frequently added into the stew, so I was wondering if I should say it out loud." "What tonic is it?" Luke grabbed the steering wheel tightly. "Blood tonic. It''s consumed to produce more blood cells in the body," Luca answered. "Alright. Thank you." Luke thanked her after listening to her. Luca''s heart fluttered a little when she heard him thanking her. She picked up her phone and searched for a picture of the blood tonic online. Then, she sent it to his Facebook and said, "I''ve sent the photo of the tonic to you. You may investigate it first to confirm whether it''s frequently added to the stew or not. It''s alright if it''s not." "Sure," Luke replied and did not say anything more. He did not know much about medicine. Mrs. Nancy had been the one preparing all the stews for more than ten years, and there had never been a problem with it. Hence, he was not too worried about it. However, if Mrs. Nancy had been adding blood tonic into the stews all this while, she must have something personal against Old Master Crawford. Chapter 1572 Luke drove back to Crawford Manor right after sending Luca home. He parked the car and walked into the house. He saw Mr. Griffin in the living room and said, ¡°Follow me." "Yes, Young Master Luke." Mr. Griffin nodded and followed Luke into the kitchen. "Where do they usually keep the dried foods and supplements?" Luke asked. Mr. Griffin opened one of the cabs and said, "All the dried foods and supplements are kept in here." Luke squatted down and took out the dried foods that were packed in bags. Mr. Griffin was puzzled when he saw him doing that, so he asked, "Young Master Luke, may I know what you''re doing?" "Open them all," Luke said nothing else and ordered Mr. Griffin. Mr. Griffin nodded and opened all the bags one by one. Mrs. Nancy saw them when she walked in and asked immediately, "Young Master Luke, Mr. Griffin, what''s the matter?" Luke took out thest bag and stood up. He looked at Mrs. Nancy. "The dried foods and supplements are all kept in here?" "No, I keep some of them in the cab beside that one too. But they''re mostly supplements and tonics. Young Master nche, Young Master Tommy, and Young Miss Rainie usually like to eat snacks, so I always prepare some iced tea for them to cool down their bodies," said Mrs. Nancy as she opened another cab. Luke squatted down again and took everything out. "Young Master Luke, what are you looking for?" Mrs. Nancy asked hurriedly when she saw him acting strangely. Luke did not say anything. He opened every bag that he took out. Atst, he saw a bag of blood tonic and looked at Mrs. Nancy. "What''s this?" "It''s blood tonic." Mrs. Nancy looked at it to make sure. "Do you normally add this in the stew?" Luke asked. He nced at the blood tonic and looked at the photo that Luca sent him. "Yes. This helps to boost blood levels. It''s good for adults and children. Young Master Luke, is there anything wrong with the tonic? Madam Crawford bought these back and asked me to add some in every time I made stews. She said it''s to nourish the body." Mrs. Nancy looked at Luke''s gloomy face and thought she was probably in trouble, so she told him everything. Indeed, blood tonic had such effects. She made sure the blood tonic had such effects before she added in. Hence, Mrs. Nancy could not understand why Luke was behaving this way. "Don''t add this in the food anymore." Luke took some blood tonic pills and held them in his palm. Then, he walked out of the kitchen. "Young Master Luke, why? Did I do something wrong?" Mrs. Nancy did not know pharmacology. However, she had done some research online when Susan gave the blood tonic to her. The effects of the tonic were exactly like what Susan had told her. Susan would also drink the stews. That was why she added the tonic in without worrying much about it. "It''s not suitable for the elderly to have this every day. Leave the tonic here. Don''t throw it away, and don''t tell Madam Crawford," Luke ordered. Mrs. Nancy nodded hurriedly. It was not suitable for the elderly? Old Master Crawford had been taking it for some time... Mrs. Nancy was so shocked that she broke into a cold sweat. Fortunately, the old master''s health was in good condition. It dawned on Mr. Griffin as he listened to Luke. He remembered that Old Master Crawford had been comining about not being able to sleep well at night. He did not feel sleepy when it was time to go to bed. He even nned to ask for some sleeping pills from Dr. Cairn. Luke went to the tea room to look for Old Master Crawford after he left the kitchen. The old man was brewing tea. He walked into the room and smelled the strong fragrance of floral tea. He felt rxed at once. Old Master Crawford took a sip of tea. When he saw Lukeing in, he asked, "Did you send Ms. Luca home?" "Yes." Luke sat opposite him. "The tea you''re drinking today is different from usual." Old Master Crawford nodded and took another sip. "I''m not used to drinking this tea. But Mr. Cairn said drinking more of this tea will help me sleep. He wants to see if it''s effective, then he''ll decide whether to give me sleeping pills or not." "You haven''t been sleeping well these days?" Luke had heard him mention it before. Indeed, he had been busy. He could not even handle the kids, not to mention the old master. "Yes. I haven''t been able to fall asleep recently, and I don''t know why. But Mr. Cairn said it''s normal for old people to have poor sleep quality," said Old Master Crawford. Luke handed him the blood tonic pills he was holding in his hand. "It''s because of these." "What are these?" Old Master Crawford had no idea about it. "Blood tonic. They''re for blood nourishment. Mrs. Nancy said that it was Mother who asked her to add some in every time she made stews, so Mrs. Nancy followed her instructions. The tonic is good for young people. But it''s too much for the elderly to handle if the tonic is taken frequently, and it can cause health problems." Luke assumed that the blood tonic was what caused the old master to lose sleep. Old Master Crawford took one of the pills and frowned. "She asked Mrs. Nancy to add this?" ¡°Yes. Mrs. Nancy doesn''t know much about pharmacology. She thought it was good for your health," replied Luke. Mrs. Nancy had been serving the Crawford family for more than ten years. They had been kind to her. Hence, she would not have waited until now toe up with such a wicked idea to go against the old master. He believed in Mrs. Nancy. "Hah, it looks like someone in the house can''t stand me anymore." Old Master Crawford narrowed his eyes. There was a hint of astute in his cloudy eyes. The tonic was not considered a poisonous drug. However, based on what Luke said, his health would not improve but deteriorate if he took it frequently. When the time came, his body would be too weak and she could take control of the family. Old Master Crawford knew what Susan had in mind. She did not like him because she was under his control. However, he did not expect her to make such a move. She was not brave enough to feed him poison, so she fed him this blood tonic instead. ¡°Grandpa, I''ll leave this to you to deal with." Luke did not n to deal with this matter. The old man was not muddle-headed, and he had a mind of his own. Moreover, Susan was the madam of the household. He should at least show some respect to her. "Sure. Just pretend you don''t know any of this. And about Mrs. Nancy..." "I''ve told her about it. Don''t worry." Luke took a sip of the flower tea. It was indeed refreshing. He was feeling a little sleepy now. "Blood tonic was added to the stew today. You should be able to slowly improve your sleep after tomorrow." The old master loved having stews, so it would be served for dinner every day. Old Master Crawford should be able to get back to his sleeping routine after stopping the tonic intake. "It was Ms. Craw who told you, right?" Old Master Crawford asked. "She noticed it when she had the stew." Luke helped the old master refill his cup of tea. It was fortunate that they had found out about it earlier and that Old Master Crawford''s health was not yet affected by the tonic. "It looks like it was the right choice to invite her here. She''s amazing. Also, she treats the children sincerely. She''s beautiful and gentle too. Luke, you might want to consider her. I like her more compared to Tia." Luca had left quite a good impression on Old Master Crawford.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Chapter 1573 If it were not for Luca, he did not know how much longer he would have continued to drink that tonic. "Grandpa..." Luke was speechless. No matter if it was Luca or Tia, he approached them only because he suspected that both of them had something to do with the Ind of Despair. His suspicion toward Luca had lessened for now. Although she was simr to Bianca in some ways, there was no tattoo on her body. Even though the Ind of Despair was involved in illegal business deals, the members were disciplined and organized. Hence, there was a specific tattoo on everyone''s body. Luca did not have any. Luca showed up before the fake Bianca was discovered. If the people of the Ind of Despair needed to train someone to approach him, they would need some time for that. She would have that tattoo on her if she was one of them. After all, the fake Bianca previously lurked beside him for three years. She had a tattoo on her body too. They would not have been able to do things so meticulously and find a member without the tattoo to approach him. Before this, she still had to imitate Bianca''s behavior and gestures. On the other hand, Tia seemed to be more suspicious. ¡°It''s hard to tell if Bianca is still alive in this world. Luke, I know you love her very much, but you have to be responsible for your children. I can tell the kids like Luca very much. Why don''t you try to approach her more often? It''s a good thing. The kids were so delighted to see her when she came.¡± Old Master Crawford recalled the children''s smiling faces. They were the kind of smiles that never appeared even when he bought them the toys they wanted most. Luke stood up. He was not going to listen to the old master''s suggestion. ¡°Grandpa, I''m leaving for work first.¡± "Go ahead.¡± Old Master Crawford knew Luke was stubborn. He did not continue talking about it. However, he could see the changes in Luke. He asked Mrs. Nancy to prepare a stew that would be beneficial for Luca when he knew she was injured. Apart from Bianca and the kids, would he pay such close attention to anyone else? It was only because Bianca had filled up most of the space in his heart, so he did not realize another woman slowly creeping into his heart. The following day. Old Master Crawford ordered the butler to prepare some gifts. Susan asked curiously when she came downstairs and saw the scene before her. "Are you going to visit someone today? You''ve prepared so many gifts." She nced at the gifts and picked the expensive ones. Those were the things she normally used, so she thought it was exceedingly generous to be gifting them out to others. She felt ufortable about this. Mr. Griffin smiled and replied, "Yes, Old Master Crawford is going to visit Ms. Crawter. That''s why he prepared all these." "He''s going to the woman''s house?" Susan raised her eyebrows. "Why did he prepare so much? Aren''t all these things worth a few months of her sry?" Mr. Griffin replied, "Isn''t this about thanking Ms. Craw?" "What did she do? Why is Old Master Crawford thanking her?" Susan started her gossipy behavior. She saw how Old Master Crawford had treated Luca indifferentlyst night but he was now so passionate all of a sudden. Luke and Luca would get together sooner orter if even the old master agreed to them being in a rtionship. If that was the case, her n would most likely fail too! No way. She had to find out what the hell was going on. Mr. Griffin felt some contempt for her in his heart as he knew that she had been secretly harming Old Master Crawford. However, he still answered, "Old Master Crawford wants to thank her for taking care of the kids." Susan frowned. "She only took care of the kids for one day and she''s receiving such expensive gifts. What good benefits." Mr. Griffin felt unhappy when he heard what she said. He despised her after he knew what sort of dirty tricks she was using to deal with Old Master Crawford. If Old Master Crawford had not told him to act normally and not expose Susan, he could never have let it go like that. Old Master Crawford saved his life. He had been loyal to Old Master Crawford all this while. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. "It''s up to Old Master Crawford to determine whether it''s worthy or not." Mr. Griffin smiled. "After all, the old master adores his great-grandchildren. That''s why he''s giving Ms. Craw all of these. It''s understandable." "I don''t understand him. He can give me some of these things if he thinks he has too much money. I can cotton up to those rich wives. It''ll be beneficial to T Corporation too. It''s so much better than giving all these to a witless young woman," Susan said and walked toward the dining room. Mr. Griffin shook his head as he watched her from behind. How someone behaved when they were younger was how they behaved when they were older. She used to behave like this in the past, and she had not changed even a little to this day. When he remembered that Luke''s mother, Allison, was about to be released from prison, he knew that the family would not be able to have peace of mind. Old Master Crawford came forward with his walking cane and asked, "Has everything been prepared?" Mr. Griffin nodded and replied, "Old Master Crawford, everything has been prepared as per your orders. Do you want to take a look at the things?" "There''s no need to. I''m sure you did it well. Find someone to get those things into the car and get ready to depart," said Old Master Crawford. "Yes," Mr. Griffin asked the maid to carry the things and put them in the car. Old Master Crawford got into Uncle Zander''s car and asked him to head to Luca''s ce. Luke did not see the old master when he came downstairs for breakfast. He entered the dining room and did not see him either. He asked the butler, "Where''s Grandpa?" "Old Master Crawford went out this morning. He said he''s going to visit Ms. Craw to thank her personally," Mr. Griffin replied. He wanted to follow him there, but the old master did not let him. He told him that he would be fine with Uncle Zander''spany. Luke was speechless when he heard that. He believed that the old master truly wanted to thank Luca, but at the same time, he might have another purpose. The old master had already departed, so Luke could not do anything about it but let him go. The employees of T Corporation would officially go back to work tomorrow. The old man was unlikely to come up with any other ns for now. "She just took care of a few kids for a short while. Is it necessary to visit and thank her personally? Luke, your grandpa has nothing else better to do." Susan could not help interrupt when she heard their conversation while she was having her breakfast. Luke shot her a nce and said expressionlessly, "If there''s anything grandpa wants to do, just let him do it. He''s still healthy enough to go wherever he wants to. It won''t be a problem." Susan found it strange after listening to what he said. However, she did not feel like continuing the conversation with that cold voice of his. On the other hand... Luca thought about how this was herst day of holiday after she woke up. She decided to take a rest even though she had a lot on her mind. A good day started with breakfast. She headed to the kitchen. After she came backst night, she used the errand service to have someone get her fresh ingredients from the grocery store. She was nning to make herself a sumptuous breakfast. Since she was able to run away from those missions now, then she would continue to avoid them for a while longer. Luca walked into the kitchen and took the ingredients out. She was getting ready to make her breakfast. Just then, the doorbell rang. She was wondering who would be here at this hour. The doorbell rang again. She could only head to the door while tying the apron. Chapter 1574 Luca opened the door, only to see Old Master Crawford and Uncle Zander standing outside the door. She asked with surprise, ¡°Old Master Crawford, you''re here?" Old Master Crawford smiled and entered the house. He looked like he was familiar with the ce as he immediately walked to the couch and sat down. He looked around at the furnishings in the house. "What a nice ce you have here, Luca." Luca stroked the back of her head. She was a little confused about what was going on now. "Uh, it''s Mr. Crawford''s house." "It was Luke who made it the employee residence for you, right?" Old Master Crawford pointed at the coffee table in front of him, signaling Uncle Zander to put the things here. "Yes," replied Luca as she watched Uncle Zander move bags of stuff to the coffee table. What was going on? Old Master Crawford said, "Since Luke let you stay in here, then it''s considered your house. Oh,e over and sit here. Take a look at what I got you." Luca sat down. She was a little ufortable with the old master treating her so enthusiastically. "Uh, Old Master Crawford, you could''ve just visited without bringing so many things..." "These are for you. They''re not much. Luke has already looked into what you told him yesterday, so I''m here today to send you some gifts. I owe you a favor, after all." Old Master Crawford took some imported fruits and other supplements out from the bags. "I noticed Louis'' mother usually takes these to nourish her body. You can have some too." Old Master Crawford was enthusiastic. He took everything out and put them on the table. Luca smiled awkwardly when she saw the supplements all over the table. Old Master Crawford asked when he saw her wearing an apron. "Are you making breakfast?" "Yes. Have you eaten?" After being reminded, Luca remembered that she was supposed to make a sumptuous breakfast to reward herself. Old Master Crawford had breakfast before he came here, but he recalled Tommy mentioning that Luca was pretty good at cooking. "I came out too early and haven''t had breakfast. Why don''t you make a portion for me too?" he smiled and asked. Uncle Zander was standing there trying hard to notugh out loud. It had been a long time since Old Master Crawford behaved like this. Previously, he always put on a serious expression on his face to call the shots in the Crawford family. He made everyone afraid to speak another word. It seemed like he was more rxed when he was talking with Luca. Luca did not expect the old master to make himself at home here. Although it had been three years, she remembered that Old Master Crawford always woke up early. Hence, the cook in Crawford Manor would always prepare breakfast for him quite early in the morning. He should have already eaten breakfast at this hour. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. However, since the old master said so, Luca stood up and smiled gently. ¡°Sure. Please sit here with Uncle Zander for a while. I''ll prepare breakfast." "Ms. Craw..." When Uncle Zander heard that she was going to make breakfast for him too, he was about to tell her not to. However, Old Master Crawford interrupted him and said, "Alright, alright." After Luca walked into the kitchen, Uncle Zander lowered his voice and said, "Old Master Crawford, I''ve had breakfast." "I know." Old Master Crawford picked up the remote control on the coffee table and switched on the television. "I heard this woman has impressive culinary skills. Let''s have a taste of her cooking together." "Alright, Old Master Crawford." Uncle Zander let out a sigh in his heart. He realized for the first time that Old Master Crawford was such a gluttonous person. Luca stood in the kitchen and looked at the ingredients in the fridge. She had to make breakfast for another two people. The ingredients that she took out just now were certainly not enough. Fortunately, she had bought more ingredients since she used the errand servicest night. Hence, the fridge was filled with ingredients. Luca took some of the ingredients out. She knew Old Master Crawford''s preferences. She made him a Western-style breakfast and some sandwiches for herself. She was craving sandwiches today. She served breakfast on the table and called out, "Old Master Crawford, Uncle Zander, breakfast is ready." Old Master Crawford stood up and came to the dining table. He looked at the sumptuous breakfast and gave her a thumbs up. "It looks great. I didn''t expect you to be so good at cooking at such a young age. That exins why Tommy loves your cooking." Luca served a bowl of oatmeal for the old master, then she gave Uncle Zander a bowl too. "I added some fruits to the oatmeal. Try some and tell me what you think," she exined. The oatmeal she made was different from the ones outside. Normally, only cow''s milk or yogurt would be added to the oatmeal, but she added some almond milk. It would make the oatmeal taste better. She took into consideration that the old master might have weak teeth, so she intentionally cooked it for a longer time so that it would be softer and easier to chew. Old Master Crawford took a mouthful of it. The texture of the oatmeal was good when paired with the fruits. He did not need to chew much and the oatmeal would just melt in his mouth. "It''s good. It has a good texture too. It''s different from how the others cook it. Very good. Even someone like me who can''t chew a lot can have this too." He gave his review. At first, he thought it would be inconvenient for him to eat this when he saw Luca making this, but it was surprisingly suitable for him. "You can have more if you like. There''s some left in the saucepan. Oh, here are some fried eggs. And there are some pancakes too. Enjoy your breakfast." Luca ced the pancakes in front of the old master. Old Master Crawford looked at the yummy-looking pancakes. If he had not noticed the flour on her hair, he would have thought that she bought them at the grocery store or some breakfast restaurant and reheated them. ¡°Impressive. What a virtuous woman you are!¡± Old Master Crawford eximed. He cut off a small bite of the pancake and put it in his mouth. His eyes brightened up at once. "Yummy!" "Have some more if you like it. Why don''t I make some more pancakes so that you can bring them back?" Luca thought the kids would love them too if even the old master approved of her culinary skills. She knew how to make pancakes and waffles. However, she had little time to spend with the kids. She did not have as many chances to make pancakes and waffles for them. "It''s alright. These are enough." Old Master Crawford slightly regretted having taken his breakfast beforeing here. Even though the breakfast she made was good, he could only eat that much. He could still eat, but he could not eat much. Luca smiled. She sat opposite them and took a sip of milk. Old Master Crawford asked, "Why don''t you have some oatmeal too?" "I''ve been making oatmeal for the past few days. I wanted to have some sandwiches today. Old Master Crawford, do you want some of my sandwiches?" asked Luca. Old Master Crawford shook his head. He preferred having pancakes. The old master thought even higher of Luca when he saw how capable she was. It would be great if Luca and Luke could get together. At least, she could help him take care of his kids and family. However, how much longer did Luke need to realize that? Chapter 1575 After Old Master Crawford had his breakfast, he left the gifts there and left with Uncle Zander. He refused to bring the gifts back no matter what Luca said to him. Luca looked at the supplements on the table. She would not normally take these. Moreover, she had a strong and healthy body. Luca thought of returning them. Hence, she called Luke. Luca took a deep breath after the call was answered. Then, she told him why she called. "Mr. Crawford, Old Master Crawford gave me a few boxes of supplements. Can I return them to you?" Was she going to return the supplements that were given to her? Luke raised his eyebrows. Others would have given the supplements to their family or friends if they did not take them. Some would have sold them back to the outlet. It was rare to see someone like her who would return the supplements. Luca realized he was not saying anything, so she added, "I can''t ept such expensive gifts from the old master. And I''m strong and healthy. I don''t need to take supplements." ¡°You should ept the gifts. Don''t return them. The old master gave them to you as a token of appreciation,¡± replied Luke. Old Master Crawford sent so many things to her to thank her. Luca felt that she was being inappropriate after listening to what he said. After all, it was the old master''s thought that counted. "I''m sorry. I was being careless." Luca apologized. "No worries. How is your waist now? Does it still hurt?" Luke asked. Luca could feel a touch of concern for her in his calm voice. Her heart skipped a beat and she said, "It''s not hurting anymore. I can go to work on time tomorrow." "You know how to speak Russian, right?" Luke questioned. "Yes." Luca had been on the Ind of Despair for years. She was somewhat fluent in thenguage now. "A partner from Russia will being to talk business tomorrow. You shoulde and be the interpreter," Luke ordered. "Huh?" Luca was surprised that she had to be an interpreter... "Mr. Crawford, don''t you know how to speak Russian too?" she blurted out. He was smart, and he knew how to speak a few foreignnguages. Luke raised his eyebrows and stared out the window of the study. The oak tree was swaying slightly in the wind. It was Bianca''s favorite tree. ¡°How did you know about that?" Luke asked. ¡°It''s written on your personal information. It can be found online." Luca hurriedly covered up her mistake ingeniously. She was still wondering why he would ask her to be the interpreter if he knew how to speak thenguage. ¡°I can''t possibly entertain them throughout the whole process. Eventually, I still need an interpreter. There''s no one else except you who knows how to speak Russian in thepany. Can you please help me entertain them?" Indeed, Luke was aware that his personal information was published online. It was stated there that he knew how to speak several foreignnguages. However, he was not sure whether Russian was mentioned or not. "Alright. I''ll do it." Luca took a breath. He would not be there all the time. It was reasonable for him to need an interpreter. Luca remembered that T Corporation had never cooperated with anypanies in Russia before. Was this the first time? She suddenly remembered the tender document that she was assigned to steal. Although the company''s headquarters was in New York, they had a branch in Russia. This time, the project was mainly focused on Europe. Could it be that the branchpany in Russia would be responsible for the project? Then... Luca had been feeling upset as she did not know how she should find the chance to steal it. However, the opportunity came knocking on her door. Even so, she was not happy about any of this. Luke ended the phone call after she agreed. After the call ended, Luca picked up two bags of supplements and thought of giving them to Nina. Some of them were suitable for Nina''s mother to consume. Meanwhile, Nina could take the rest of them to nourish her body. She was too skinny, so she would need to take some supplements to replenish her health. Luca contacted Nina, and after knowing that she was on her way to the hospital, Luca carried the bags and immediately went out without saying a word. After she reached the hospital, she found out where Anna''s ward was by asking the receptionist. It was an ordinary ward. It seemed like Nina had made up her mind not to appease Anna anymore. Luca walked to the door of the ward. She was pleased to see that there were three people in the ward. However, their conversation did not sound pleasant. "You''ll have to undergo the surgery. I told you that I''ll pay for the medical expenses. Is there anything else that you''re not satisfied with?" Nina''s voice traveled into Luca''s ears. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°I told you that the amount of money you gave isn''t enough to cover the medical expenses. You''ll have to give me more." Anna''s voice was high-pitched, but she sounded weak too. It looked like the sickness could not be dyed any longer. "I''ve asked the doctor." Nina''s voice sounded a little grumpy. ¡°I won''t transfer the money into your ount. I''ll apany you to the hospital for consultation every month. You''ll take the medicine and I''ll pay for them. You won''t have anything to say about that, right?" Anna hurriedly grabbed Jean''s arm when she heard that she was not going to receive any money from Nina. ¡°I have to take care of your brother. Give me more and I''ll go for the surgery as you wish." Luca rolled her eyes while she stood at the door. If it was Jean who was taking care of Anna, she had no idea if Anna would be able to see the sun the next day. She walked in. Jean looked Luca straight in the eye the moment he saw hering in. After finding out where Luca was staying, he had wanted to visit her. However, he was stopped by the security guard at the entrance. They told him that no one was allowed to enter without the tenant''s permission. He had been busy with Anna''s affair these days. Hence, he had temporarily stopped looking for her. Jean felt like he was given a chance when he saw the woman he had longed to see appear in front of him. ¡°Luca, why are you here?" Nina did not expect to see her here. She unconsciously shot a nce at Jean. Darn, this man was certainly going to pester her. ¡°I''m here to visit Aunt Anna. And I got you something." Luca could feel their gazes on her as she came forward. Anna looked at Luca as if she was looking at her daughter-inw. Jean stared at Luca while harboring some malicious thoughts in his mind. Nina was the only one who was worried about her. Luca handed the two bags to Nina. "These are for you. They''re to strengthen your body. And these are for Aunt Anna who''ll be going for surgery. It''ll be good for the body after the surgery." Nina''s expression wasplicated when she epted the things from Luca. She had not solved the problem here. Anna refused to undergo surgery, and with Luca showing up here now, Jean now had the chance to get away with it. ¡°Ah, are you Ms. Luca? You''re a beauty," Anna smiled and said. Luca looked at Anna and her sallow appearance. Based on her condition now, her health would be in danger if she dyed surgery. She did not expect Anna to be so hard on herself. She did not take her health seriously for the sake of money. She refused to undergo surgery if Nina did not give her enough money. She was willing to do anything for that prodigal son of hers, Jean. Chapter 1576 Jean rubbed his hands and wanted to take a step forward. "Ms. Luca, how sweet of you. Let me help you carry those." Nina blocked his way and gave him a stern look. ¡°There''s no need to. How shameless of you!¡± Jean was embarrassed. Nina was not helping him even though he was his sister. She even wanted to stop him. If he won Luca''s heart, would he still need to depend on her? Nina turned around and handed the things back to her. "Luca, I can''t ept these.¡± "I''ve already brought them here. Take them. These are good for Aunt Anna." Luca looked at Anna and decided to lend Nina a hand. "Aunt Anna, I remember you''ve been staying in the hospital for quite some time. Why aren''t you having the surgery?" Anna looked at Luca. She was plotting something in her heart. She wanted Luca to help her and matchmake Luca with her son. "Sigh, I won''t recover even if I go for the surgery. I''d still have to take medications. I can''t afford to pay the medical expenses. I don''t think I''ll go for the surgery. I''d rather die." She cried while trying to take advantage of Luca''s sympathy. Nina inwardly used her of being conscienceless after listening to what she said. "How''s that possible? Don''t you have your son and daughter with you? Each of them can pay half of your medical expenses. That won''t be too stressful for them," Luca replied. She could see Anna was trying to gain her sympathy. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. If Anna wanted her to convince Nina, then Anna could not me her for dragging Jean into this. Was he going to be responsible for half of the medical expenses? It was not what they had nned in the first ce! He was even nning to ask for more living expenses from Nina. However, he did not expect that he now had to pay for half of the medical expenses. He wanted to say that he did not have any money on him, but he was too embarrassed to say that in front of Luca. He still had to take care of his image in front of her. Jean could only bite the bullet and said, "Yes, Mom. Don''t you have both of us? Trust me. Don''t worry and just get the surgery." There was a slight curve at the corners of Luca''s lips. She nced at Nina and said, "Aunt Anna, I know a little about medicine. Why don''t I check your pulse for you?" She knew Anna did not mean the things she said. She only wanted to keep Nina beside her. Anna was surprised to hear that. Her sickness was not that serious. It was just that Nina refused to give her more money. She reached out her hand when she heard that Luca had some medical knowledge. ¡°Do you really know medicine? Please check for me." Luca ced her fingers on her wrist. There was a gleam in Jean''s eyes when he heard that. Doctors made a lot of money. He did not expect she would know medicine. He thought he had hit the jackpot. Luca took her hand back after a while. She intentionally put on a stern expression on her face. "Aunt Anna, there''s not much time left. Your liver will be a heavy burden to your other organs if you keep dying treatment. If the surgery is der rather than sooner, it''ll probably cause permanent damage to the other organs. It''ll only do more harm than good," Luca said. Anna''s expression changed when she heard that. She unconsciously doubted what Luca said. "You''re not fooling me, right?" "What I said is the truth. The problem with your liver is that it can''t maintain your body''s basic operational requirements any longer. Eventually, your other organs will take a toll as well from having to share the burden," Luca earnestly exined to her. She was not fooling Anna. She was telling the truth. Anna was deeply shocked that she could not react. She looked at Jean. "Son, what should we do now?" Although Jean was using Anna to ask for more money from Nina, he had never thought of putting Anna at risk. After all, Nina would not give him his living expenses if Anna passed away. He immediately replied, "I''ll contact the doctor now. We''ll arrange to have you go for the surgery tomorrow." Jean walked out of the room after he said so. Nina let out a sigh of relief and looked at Luca gratefully when she heard that. Fortunately, she had managed to hold on. She did not give up because of Anna''s health condition. Moreover, she did not ask for them to improve their characters and be better people. She only hoped that the situation would not get worse. She would not be able to afford it if Anna and Jean demanded more money. Nina signed the consent form for surgery as Anna''s daughter and Jean''s sister under the doctor''s assistance after Anna agreed to undergo surgery. The surgery would be done the next day. Nina let out a sigh of relief after she helped admit Jean into the hospital and signed all the documents. Luca told Nina that she had to leave after watching Nina handle all of it. Jean wanted to send her off, but Luca did not give him a chance to. She pretended to be understanding and convinced him by saying, "You still have to donate your liver to Aunt Anna tomorrow. Get some rest." She left arm in arm with Nina after that. Nina let out a sigh of relief when she left the ward. She held Luca''s hand and thanked her. "Luca, thank you for everything today. I''m d that you were here." "I didn''t help much. I was only telling the truth. Your mother won''t be able to hang in there any longer if she doesn''t go for the surgery." Luca smiled and shook her head, indicating that she did not help much. Nina smiled bitterly. ¡°If you weren''t the one who told her about it, they''d still think that I''m colluding with the doctor to put on a show. She''s risking her health for money." Luca felt bad for Nina. She reached out and stroked her head. "Everything is going to be alright." "Yes." Nina nodded. She need not worry since Anna was willing to undergo surgery now. There were still obstacles ahead of her, but at least she had ovee one of them now. "You took a cab here, right? Let me send you home." Luca nodded. She did not reject her. She thought it might be nice if she could keep Ninapany for a little longer. Anna asked Nina to return to the hospital after she drove Luca back to her apartment. Nina hit the elerator and drove back to the hospital quickly. Nina felt helpless when she saw Anna and Jean watching television and eating fruits upon walking into the ward. "Mom, why did you ask me toe back here? What''s the matter?" Nina sounded tired. She was burnt out froming to the hospital every day. Anna did not seem to care about how tired Nina was. She signaled to Nina arrogantly and said, "Pour a ss of water for me." Nina pursed her lips, poured Anna a ss of water, and reminded her. "The doctor said not to eat anything after ten o''clock for the surgery tomorrow." "Shut up." Anna rolled her eyes, while Jean cleared his throat. Nina knew why Anna asked her to return her even if she did not say anything. It was about Jean. "Mom, let''s talk about it after the surgery," said Nina. "It''s the same if I say it now orter. I''ll just be straightforward. Your brother has a crush on Luca. Why don''t you try setting her up with your brother since you''re her best friend?" Anna spoke as soon as she received her son''s hint. Chapter 1577 Setting Jean Up With Luca? Nina was not insane. She would never lead her friend into danger, and she wanted to immediately reject them. However, when she thought how Anna was going for surgery the next day, she might mess everything up if she rejected them right away. She thought about it for a moment and said, "You have surgery tomorrow. We''ll talk about it after this." Jean narrowed his eyes and pondered when he heard her say so. It was much better than her rejecting him from the get-go. He had his ways to see Luca even if Nina rejected him after the surgery. He had seen Luca with Nina a few times. She seemed to hang out around Nina a lot. Hence, he only had to keep Nina by his side, then he would certainly get to see Luca. She would probably agree to whatever he asked her to do. ¡°No, you have to promise me now, not after the surgery. Look at your brother. He''s old enough. When will I get to see my grandchildren if you refuse to help your brother?!¡± Anna did not have as many considerations as Jean. She forced Nina to promise her. ¡°Mom, Luca is busy right now. How can I just give him her contact details? What about this? I''ll talk to Luca after your surgery ends tomorrow. I can''t just give someone else her contact details without getting her permission, right?¡± Nina felt irritated. She was the youngest in the family, but she was the one who had to bear most of the responsibility. Anna thought what she said was reasonable too. She took a bite of the apple and sneered. "Alright. I''ll leave this to you to handle tomorrow. Ask Luca toe over and take care of your brother tomorrow." Nina rolled her eyes right away. How could Anna say something like that? ¡°I''ve already found a caretaker for him. Luca has work to do. Don''t trouble her," replied Nina. She had talked to Luca while she was sending her home. She knew Luca was going to be busy after this. ¡°Yes, Mom. Don''t trouble your future daughter-inw with such petty things. I''m fine having just a caretaker." Jean had his ego too. He was not going to let Luca see him lying on the ward bed like that if he was going to pursue her. The patient on the ward bed beside them could not help but roll their eyes and sneer mockingly when they heard their conversation. How hrious this pair of mother and son were. How did an outsider just suddenly be her daughter-inw and his girlfriend? Nina was mentally exhausted after it was over. She walked out of the ward and went to the restaurant, thinking of getting herself a cup of coffee. However, she ran into the daughter of the Johnston family in the restaurant. She was startled for a moment as she looked at the morous woman in front of her. She felt ufortable when she saw her. She reminded her of Percy Mallory. Nina turned around and left. The daughter of the Johnston family recognized her after what had happened previously. Although Nina had nothing to do with Percy now, it would be better for the both of them not to see each other. It was because they had recognized her as the mistress. Nina thought she was strong enough to deal with this. However, she was still overwhelmed by the rumors. The following day. Luca put on something more formal than usual as she was going to meet foreign guests today. She contacted Jason, and after knowing that the guests would be arriving around noontime, she knew she still had time to do her job. Everyone in the department was cking off a little after traveling for a few days. Luca held a meeting and rearranged their tasks. Rhett came to her after the meeting ended and asked caringly, ¡°Dr. Craw, are you feeling better already?" "I''m fine. Oh, I might be busy these few days. Help me follow up with the research data. Send me a message if there''s anything wrong." Luca tidied up the meeting materials. The drug research and development had reached the critical stage, yet she had to assist with some other matters. Hence, she could only ask Rhett to help her. "Alright. I got it." Although Rhett had no idea what she was busy with, it was his superior''s order. He would only have to follow her instructions and carry them out. Luca looked at the time. Knowing that it was about time to get ready and head to the airport, she returned to her office and took off herb coat. She put on her suit coat and headed to the building''s first floor. She was in charge of fetching the guests at the airport with Jason. Both of them had agreed to meet up on the first floor. Luca got into the car when she saw Jason driving Luke''s car heading toward her. There was only Jason and her in the car. Luke did note along. Luke would not usually show up on such asions, and Luca knew that. She asked, "Mr. Doyle, how many of them areing? Is there enough room for everyone?" "Don''t worry. One more of our cars is on the way to the airport. Dr. Craw, fasten your seat belt. We''re heading out now," Jason said gently. Luca nodded. Jason would always arrange everything meticulously when it came to such things. She fastened her seat belt, and they headed to the airport. Both of them managed to sessfully pick up the Russian guests at the airport. There were four people on the team. There were three men and a woman. They looked arrogant. Luca did her job as an interpreter after greeting everyone. Jason had goodnguage proficiency. However, when it came to the Russiannguage, he could only understand a little. He did not know how to speak Russian. Luca guided them into the car after some small talk. Then, they headed to the hotel. ¡°Mr. Doyle, will Mr. Crawford beingter?" Luca asked. "Boss has to attend another international meetingter around noon. He probably won''t turn up. However, we''ll be officially weing the guests tonight. I guess he''ll show up tonight." Jason thought so since Luke had already let him be in charge of everything for the first half of the day. "Alright." Luca nodded. Those guests did not look friendly. She could feel that two of the men were up to no good when she shook hands with them. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. She was not a fresh graduate who had just graduated from the university. She understood what they were hinting at. Although she was disgusted with it, they were the T Corporation''s guests, after all. She had a mission to carry out as well. Hence, she could only put up with it. Luca and Jason invited them for lunch after sending them to the hotel. The Russians were heavy drinkers. Jason opened a few bottles of red wine for them. They drank as much as they liked since they had nothing to do in the afternoon. They made Luca drink a lot as well. Jason had encountered countless scenes in the business world. He was able to hold his liquor, but he still could not drink as much as they could. Luca had been tolerating it. Jason and she let out a sigh of relief when those men could no longer drink as much. Jason turned to look at her as he watched them stagger into the elevator. "Dr. Craw, are you alright?" Chapter 1578 Luca shook her head. She felt even dizzier now. She was not a light drinker, and she was given medicine when she was on the Ind of Despair. Drinking should not be a problem for her. Even so, signs of getting drunk would still appear. She replied, "I''m fine. Mr. Doyle, are we going back to the office?" Jason took a few deep breaths. He could even smell the alcohol in the air when he was breathing. He answered, "I think we should just go back to the office. Boss is still waiting for me to report to him. I''ve called the designated driver. He''ll be here soon." "Let''s wait at the parking lot," said Luca. She noticed that Jason''s condition was not any better than hers. Being the gentleman he was, he had even taken a few drinks on her behalf. He had probably reached his limit. "Alright." Jason burped. After the both of them got into another elevator, he said slowly, "Dr. Craw, I''m sorry for what happened just now." He noticed that some of them were harassing Luca. He had tried his best to stop them from touching her. Even so, she was still taken advantage of. "It''s nothing. There are always such people at business events." Luca recalled when she had just started her own business. Many of them dared not touch her out of respect for Luke. However, a few of them would still try their luck. In the end, Luke taught them a lesson, and they ended up getting themselves in big trouble. Jason could not help but sigh when he listened to her generous words. Then, he said, "I heard what you were talking to them about just now. You seem to know about architecture design?" Luca was surprised. She sobered up a little all of a sudden despite all that drinking. "Uh, do you understand Russian?" "I can only understand a little. But I can''t speak thenguage." Jason felt ufortable standing up. He leaned on the elevator wall. He was risking his life to talk about business with these Russians at the drinking table. He would have to drink again tonight, and he had to drink on Luke''s behalf... Jason felt like vomiting at the thought of drinking again. "Yes. I know a little about architecture. I used to be interested in it back then," said Luca. She walked out of the elevator once it reached the parking basement. The designated driver called. Jason was looking for Luke''s car and telling the designated driver his location at the same time. After a while, both of them got into the car and asked the designated driver to send them back. Luca returned to her office. She had rested for a while in the car just now, but it did not make her feel any better. She felt even more light-headed. How careless of her. She did not expect those people to drink that much at noon. Luca closed her eyes and took off her coat. She could not be bothered about the surveince cameras anymore. She unbuttoned the top two buttons of her shirt. Then, shey down on the couch. She could not be bothered even if Luke could see her graceless acts now. She only wanted to take a nap. She would feel morefortable after the alcohol smell went away. The top floor. Jason endured the uneasiness in his stomach and walked into Luke''s office. ¡°Why are you like this?" Luke frowned and asked. There was a strong alcohol smell in the air when Jason entered. "Boss, can I sit down and talk? I can''t stand up anymore." Jason pointed at the chair and asked. "Sit down." It must be those Russians who made him drink that much. Russians enjoyed drinking. However, Luke did not expect that they would start drinking in the daytime... "Thank you for understanding, Boss." Jason let out a burp. Although he wanted to take care of his image, he could not be bothered now. He was feeling ufortable. He sat down and took a few deep breaths. Then, he reported everything that had happened at noon. The Russians were cunning, and they were unwilling to cooperate. They were only thinking about how many benefits they could get. Hence, T Corporation would have to pay more attention if they wanted to work together with them. Luke nodded as he listened to his report. "Look at how drunk you are. What about Luca?" "Dr. Craw drank a lot too. She got harassed. Boss, those Russian men are bastards. They were thinking of taking advantage of Dr. Craw. Maybe you should consider finding a male interpreter instead?" Jason asked. Luca was working in their pharmaceuticalpany. She was not supposed to deal with these. It was only because she knew how to speak Russian that she was asked to help them. "She was harassed?" Luke frowned. His voice was even colder than before. Jason nodded. "Two out of the three guys are perverts. I can''t handle both of them. It''s unfair to Dr. Craw." "Alright," replied Luke. Then, he opened the surveince software. The image appeared on the screen after a few seconds. Luca was shamelessly lying on the couch. She had not even taken off her shoes. One of her legs was on the couch, while the other one was hanging in the air. She was drunk. "Boss, do you need me to find a Russian university lecturer to help?" Jason asked. All he had in his mind was to rest now, but he could not take a rest before he finished handling everything. ¡°Do they know about architecture?" Luke questioned. "I''m not sure about that..." Jason''s mind was working slowly because of the alcohol. He replied slowly, "Boss, did you know that Dr. Craw studied architecture? How did you know that?" ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Luke did not say anything. It would be too careless of him if he had not noticed that there were books and magazines about architecture design in Luca''s house after being there so many times. Luca knew how to speak Russian, and she knew a little about architecture design. That was why Luke assigned her the task. "Alright. You don''t have to work this afternoon. Take a good rest. Let''s continue tonight," Luke said without answering his question. Jason replied to him and walked out of the office. Luke picked up the phone and dialed the internal number. He informed Tina to prepare two sses of honey water for Jason and Luca to get rid of their hangover. Tina was fast. She quickly made two sses of honey water. She handed one of them to Jason, then she held another ss and headed to Luca''s office. She knocked on the door. Luca was lying down on the couch with her eyes closed. She heard the knock but she did not want to open the door. Tina knocked on the door again, and she asked, "Dr. Craw, I made you a ss of honey water. Can I come in?" Luca sat up on the couch with her brows furrowed. She had locked the door from inside to prevent herself from being disturbed. She did not expect Tina to send her honey water. She felt dizzy when she stood up, and she had to hold onto the couch for a while. Then, she walked toward the door and opened it. "Tina, how did you.." Luca frowned and looked at the person at the door. Tina could instantly smell the strong alcohol in the air. She said, "Boss knows you had too much to drink so he asked me to get you some honey water to get rid of your hangover. Dr. Craw, are you alright?" "I''m fine." Luca shook her head and took the ss of honey water. "Thank you." Chapter 1579 Tina looked at Luca''s face that had turned red because of the alcohol, but her skin seemed pallid at the same time. Tina asked in concern, ¡°Dr. Craw, are you alright?" "I''m fine." Luca''s stomach was full of alcohol now. Although she did not feel like drinking the ss of honey water, she knew it would be beneficial for her. She furrowed her brows as she finished the ss of honey water. Tina took the ss from Luca after seeing her finish the honey water. Tina said, "Go home and rest if you''re not feeling well. I can help you ask for leave." "No thanks. I''ll be fine after taking a rest." Luca knew she had to attend another business dinner tonight. It was because the matters that Luke and those Russians were about to discuss tonight would be the highlight. Tina looked at how determined she was. She nodded and excused herself so that she would not be disturbing Luca''s rest any longer. Lucay back down on the couch after Tina left. She nced at the surveince camera and wondered if Luke was watching her. Probably not... He could not be that bored. While Luca was thinking about it, she grabbed the coat that was on the floor and covered herself. She had to get some rest now in preparation for tonight. She rested until four in the afternoon. The effects of the alcohol had gone, and she felt much better. She sat up on the couch and nced at the time. She still had time. Her clothes reeked of alcohol. It could not be covered up even after she sprayed some perfume on herself. It would be inappropriate for her to follow Luke to the business dinner tonight like this. Luca thought about it for a moment. Then, she took her phone and purse before leaving the office. She hailed a ride and came to a shopping mall nearby. She found a shop that was selling office attire. The shop assistant weed her passionately. She took a set of conservative office attire and told her what size she was wearing when she was about to rmend some clothes to her. The shop assistant nodded her head and found the right size for her immediately. Luca headed to the fitting room and got changed. The clothes suited her and were not exposing. She paid for everything and left with the clothes on her. Luke called her when she was on her way back to the office. ¡°Where are you?" Luke asked. ¡°Mr. Crawford, my clothes had a strong smell of alcohol on them. I came out to get some new clothes, and I''m on my way back now," said Luca. She nced at the clothes in the bag. She never thought that she would have to attend a business dinner one day. Otherwise, she would have prepared another set of clothes in her office. Luke asked after listening to her, ¡°Where are you now? Let me pick you up." Luca replied instantly when she heard he wasing to get her. ¡°It''s alright. I''m almost there." ¡°Come to the parking lot when you reach the office. I''ll be waiting for you there." Luke hung up the phone after ordering her to do so. Luca put down the phone after she heard the busy tone on the other line. She let out a sigh. Did he not feel even the slightest tenderness for her? It seemed like he took pity on her from those heart-warming gestures of his. However, he sounded particrly cold to her when he talked to her. Luca got out of the car after she reached T Corporation. She went to the basement parking and found Luke''s car. Luke was sitting in the back seat of the car. Jason was in the car too, and he was sitting in the passenger seat. There was a young man in the driver''s seat. Luca thought he might be the designated driver they hired. ¡°Dr. Craw, get in the car. They''re waiting for us at the hotel." Jason felt much better after resting in the afternoon. He smiled and greeted Luca. Luca looked in the car. There was only one seat left in the car, and it was beside Luke. She bit the bullet and got into the car. Luke smelled something sweet and nice, so he asked, ¡°Are you wearing perfume?" ¡°Yes. The smell of alcohol is on my hair too, so I sprayed some." Luca unconsciously ran her fingers through her hair. She did not have enough time to wash her hair and get back here. She bought a perfume with a lemon and tangerine scent earlier and sprayed some on her hair. Luke smelled the scent on her. It was not strong, but it was nice to smell and it covered up the alcohol smell perfectly. He did not like women who wore perfume. However, he was not disgusted by the scent that Luca was wearing. He even thought that it was a pleasant smell... Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong. Luke noticed his unusual thoughts and turned around to look out the window. Then, he ordered. ¡°Let''s go." ¡°Yes, Sir." The designated driver started the car engine once he heard him. Luca let out a sigh after noticing the slight change in Luke. She opened her bag and took a small bottle out. Then, she handed it to Luke. ¡°Mr. Crawford, do you want some?" she asked. Luke turned his head and asked, ¡°What''s this?" "It''s a hangover cure," said Luca. She made it herself. The effects were better than the ones on the market. Although the Russians imed that they had drunk too much at noon, they were still conscious and thinking clearly. Luke would have to get them drunk and stay clear-headed to talk business with them. The hangover cure would probably help him. Although it could not dissipate all the alcohol in the body, it was still effective.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She had a hunch that they would be drinking much more tonightpared to when they drank together at noon. Luke asked, "How many pills should I take?" "One is enough," replied Luca. Jason, who was sitting in the passenger seat, heard her and turned around. He asked, "Dr. Craw, you had such goods, so why didn''t you take this out just now?" "I didn''t know we''d drink that much at noon. And you have to take this hangover cure half an hour before drinking for it to work," Luca exined helplessly. She was trying to tell him that it would not work even if she took the hangover cure out in the middle of the drinking session earlier. "Can I have one?" Jason asked. He did not want to get drunk again. "Of course." Luca handed the medicine bottle to Jason after she watched Luke take a pill out and swallow it without drinking any water. Jason took one out and swallowed it without drinking any water too. Luca took the bottle back and took a pill. She tried to swallow it down like how they did. However, she did not expect the pill to get stuck in her throat. "Cough, cough, cough..." She started coughing. She tried hard to swallow it. Luke handed her a bottle of drinking water. Luca took it, opened the bottle cap, and mindlessly drank a mouthful of water. Then, she was able to swallow the pill that was stuck in her throat. She took a deep breath after she swallowed it. She looked at the water in the bottle. She realized she had finished half of the bottle. Did she drink that much just now. That could only mean Luke had drunk from this bottle before. "Mr. Crawford, I''m sorry, I.." Luca was wondering how she should exin that she did not mean to share a drink with him. "It''s alright." Luke had no idea why she was apologizing to him all of a sudden. It was merely the same bottle of water. Did they not share a bottle of water when they were stuck on the mountain? "Thank you.." Luca thanked him stiffly when she realized that it did not matter to him. Chapter 1580 The atmosphere was a little awkward in the car. Jason changed the subject when he realized that. ¡°Oh, Dr. Craw, are your hangover pills effective?" "It can neutralize half of the alcohol in the body," Luca said, but she did not have the exact numerical value. She made this for herself to make it convenient for her to attend certain asions. She was able to stay sober after drinking. "That''s awesome! Dr. Craw, you can earn quite a huge amount in patent fees for providing the form of the medicine you carry with you," said Jason. He knew about a few of the miraculous medicines that Luca had made. The effects were better than the ones on the market. Luca shook her head. "That''s too troublesome." "Why would it be troublesome? Aren''t your medicines finished products? It''s just that they''re not FDA- approved to be sold on the market. You''d only have to go through the procedures to produce them," Jason said. He was excited about Luca''s medicine. How lucky his boss was to have such talent working for him. "I studied and made these medicines myself. They haven''t gone through clinical trials. I made them for myself only because I thought they would help. Hence, it''d be troublesome to produce them," said Luca. She did not tell him that the medicines she had been making were not based on the forms that were used in the market. The others in the industry had probably never heard of some of the ingredients she used. "No clinical trials? Then how do you know that they''re effective?" Jason smacked his tongue. "It worked on me after I took them," answered Luca. Although the medicines had not gone through clinical trials or anthropometric data, she noted down the form when she thought the medicine was effective after she took it. "Uh..." Jason muttered to himself in his heart about how Luca had carelessly made these medicines... Luca could tell what he was thinking, so she said, "Don''t worry. A few friends of mine have taken this hangover cure before. It worked on them, and there are no side effects." "Dr. Craw, can you kindly spare me one bottle of your medicine when you''re free to make some more? Mr. Crawford and I will need it whenever we''re attending business meetings." Jason was no longer worried after she gave him her assurance. Luca shot a nce at Luke, who was sitting beside her. He sat there without a word, but his aura was still strong. She was impressed with Jason''s courage to ask her for something right in front of his boss. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. "Alright. But it''ll take some time." Luca thought no one would dare to ask Luke to drink, so Jason would be the unlucky one who had to drink. It would be nice if she could make a bottle for him. Luke spoke when he heard her agreeing, "Make one a bottle for me too." Luca smacked her tongue. She had just thought that no one would dare to get Luke drunk, yet he was now asking her for a bottle of the hangover cure medicine? "Mr. Crawford, do you need it too..." "I have to attend business meetings too," Luke spoke with his hands crossed in front of his chest. There was nothing wrong with his expression. Why could he not ask for it when Jason could? Luca nodded her head and replied, "Sure." Jason sat in the passenger seat. He dared not to talk anymore. He noticed something was wrong the moment Luke asked for the hangover cure. Did his boss get angry because he had asked for something from Luca? He made a mistake. He should not have asked for it in front of Luke. Would it not have been better to ask her personally? Jason knew he should not talk about it anymore. There was silence in the car again. The car stopped in front of the hotel. Luke gave orders to the young designated driver. "I''ve already booked the rest of your time through the tform. Wait in the car until I''m done dealing with my affairs." "Alright, Sir." The designated driver smiled and replied. Of course, he would be willing to sit in the luxurious car without going anywhere while making money doing it. Luca and Jason got out of the car together. Then, Luke got out of the car too. A woman called out when the three of them were about to enter the hotel. "Luke?" Luke turned around and saw the woman who called out to him. It was Tia. Tia trotted forward when she saw it was him. She lifted her head and smiled, "Luke, it''s you. Why are you here?" They were at a hotel. Showing up here only indicated that they were attending a dinner or a business meeting¡ªor staying in the hotel. Tia pulled a long face when she saw Luca standing beside Luke. However, she let it slide when she saw Jason there as well. She reckoned that they were here to attend a business meeting. Luke was certainly not going on a date with Luca. After all, he would not bring his assistant along if he was going on a date. "I have some work to do," replied Luke. Tia nodded. "Yes, you''re probably here for a business meeting. I thought you came here for dinner. I was thinking of going with you. Too bad.." It would be shameless for her to follow Luke if he was attending a business dinner. She intended to give it a go by saying that. She wanted to know whether Luke would bring her along with him. After all, he was bringing Luca along with him. How could he not bring her along with him? Luke nodded. He stopped and looked at Tia when he was about to enter the hotel. ¡°Luke, what''s the matter?" Tia was delighted to see him looking at her. ¡°Do you know how to speak Russian?" Luke asked. It was written on Tia''s personal information that she knew how to speak several foreignnguages, but he did not know if she knew how to speak Russian. "Yes, I''ve learned Russian." Tia needed to master differentnguages in this industry. She had learned many different kinds ofnguage tomunicate with her patients from different nationalities. One of thenguages she knew was Russian. "Come attend the business dinner with me," said Luke. "Really? But I don''t really know how to..." Tia pretended to be shy for a moment. "It''s alright as long as you can speak Russian," Luke replied. He took his phone out and sent a message to Jason, asking him to prepare some things. Jason cleared his throat after he received the message on Facebook. He said, "Boss, I''ll go prepare the things first. I''ll be right behind you." ¡°Sure." Luke nodded and looked at Tia. "I need a woman who can understand Russian to apany me to the business dinner." "Sure!" Tia agreed at once as she was afraid that he might take his offer back. She stood beside him triumphantly. Luca was upset when she saw this. Luke took the initiative to invite Tia to apany him to the business dinner. If that was the case, what was she doing here? She could probably leave. However, she dared not to mention it. She was on a mission. Luca followed behind them as she watched Tia and Luke walking together. She was not Tia. She had no right to stand beside him. Luca let out a sigh in her heart. She did not say a word even though she felt ufortable with this arrangement. She knew it was wrong, and it was not like she had a choice either. Jason booked three rooms at the hotel''s reception. Then, he quickly kept up with their pace. Chapter 1581 Luke and Tia were walking in front of her. Luca and Jason were following behind them. Jason looked at Luke from behind and whispered to himself that he had no idea what his boss was doing. After all, he seemed to have no interest in this woman. He simply wanted to investigate her. He suspected she was from the Ind of Despair, but now he was taking the initiative to invite her to apany him to a business dinner? Could it be... It dawned on Jason when he shot a nce at Luca, who was beside him. Luke reminded Tia while walking, "They''re good drinkers. Don''t act tough if you can''t drink much." ¡°Rx, I can hold my liquor well. Thank you for bringing me to such an event. It''s my first time apanying someone to a business dinner. Do remind me if I do anything wrongter." Tia was trying to say that she seldom became someone''s femalepanion, and she hoped to leave a better impression of herself on Luke. Luke nodded to tell her that he would. The four Russians were already waiting in the private room. They were smiling when they saw them walking in. "Hello, my Chinese friends." Luke greeted the four of them with fluent Russian with Jason''s assistance. Tia followed what he did and greeted them. Luca knew she was merely acting as a foil now. All she had to do was to smile. She watched them greet each other and noticed that the Russian woman''s eyes lit up when she saw Luke. The gleam in her eyes was as though she had found a prey she was interested in. This woman had a thing for Luke. In other words, this woman was attracted by Luke''s appearance. Luca remained silent. She knew Tia was a psychologist, so she was more observant than her. She must have noticed it too. Indeed, Tia noticed the abnormality in the Russian woman. She leaned closer to Luke, trying to show the Russian woman how close and intimate they were. There were no changes in the Russian woman''s expression when she greeted them. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Luca was observing everything. Indeed, they were wily old foxes in the business world except for Tia. She probably had to pay the price for those small gestures of herster. Eight of them sat down after greeting each other. Jason chose to sit beside Luca after experiencing what had happened today at noon. He was protecting her from being harassed by these Russian men. Luke was sitting beside Luca, and Tia was sitting beside Luke. Tia knew the Russian woman had a thing for Luke, so she had intentionally picked that seat. She acted as a barrier between them. The Russian woman saw this and chose to sit opposite Luke instead. A Russian man was sitting next to Tia. That Russian man was one of those who had taken advantage of Luca at noon. Luca thought it did not matter to a man which woman it was when he was horny. Moreover, Tia was pretty attractive too. She might be taken advantage ofter. She was suddenly grateful that Luke had asked Tia toe along. Men loved to talk business over drinks, especially when they were drinking with women. Tia''s personality could make her gain poprity. She could help to drink on her behalf... Could it be that Luke asked Tia toe along because of her? She could drink less if Tia was here, and she would not be harassed by those men. Luca was pondering in her heart as she stared at that Russian man. He was looking at Tia lustfully. The drinks were served before dinner. The three Russian men began to drink with Luke. Luca took tiny sips of her drink to make sure she would not drink too much. Tia knew T Corporation wanted the project when she heard them talking about it. She thought Luke would probably think better of her if she was able to get him the project. Hence, she worked extra hard to drink with those three men. Their attention was soon on Tia. They were continuously toasting with her and talking about business cooperation. Tia did not reject them. She was continuously drinking and enduring the man groping her body pervertedly. She could not get angry as she could not ruin Luke''s project. She must help him get this cooperation! Tia made up her mind and continued to drink with them. The Russian woman who was sitting opposite Luke was elegant. She was different from Tia. She smiled and talked about the cooperation with Luke. They drank with each other. Tia was jealous while looking at them, but she thought it would be enough as long as she performed well. She wanted to prove that she was someone who could stand beside Luke and be his better half! At this moment, the door was pushed open. The waitress pushed the dinner cart into the room. Then, while waiting for the dishes to be served, the Russian men were busy drinking like fish. Luca was invited to drink a few sses with them. After all, Tia alone was not enough for them. The alcohol smell that had not gone away since noon came burning up again after she downed a few sses. Fortunately, Luca had taken the hangover cure just now. Hence, she did not feel that ufortable. On the contrary, Tia''s face was red after all the drinking. Luca sat at the side and watched everything quietly. Luke was still elegant. It seemed like only Tia and the three Russian men were drinking crazily. Tia was drunk after drinking with them for two hours. A man was harassing and groping her body under the table. She was still conscious, but she could not shed a tear and she dared not to tell Luke about it. She wanted him to protect her. However, it seemed like he did not take the hint even after she tried to hint at him. Luca had drunk a lot too, but she was in much better conditionpared to Tia. Jason looked at Tia, who was sitting opposite. He understood the situation at once. That was why his boss had asked Tia toe along with them to the business dinner. Indeed, Tia was bold and open-minded. Those Russian men would not put their attention on Luca anymore. The Russian woman sent a flying kiss to Luke under the influence of alcohol after dinner. She told him that she would be waiting for him in her room. Then, she sent her colleagues back to their rooms with a few waiters helping her. Lucaid her head and arms on the table after they left. She had gone for two drinking sessions today. It was too much for her. Jason was the one who drank the least among them. He thought of ordering the waiter to send Tia to one of the rooms. Then, he looked at Luca and Luke with some embarrassment. He had only booked three rooms for them. He did not expect Tia, who had the highest alcohol tolerance, to get drunk and lose consciousness. Although he had drunk the least among them, he still drank a lot. He wanted to rest in the hotel. Hence, he asked one of the waiters, "Are there any rooms left?" ¡°Please give me a moment. Let me ask the reception," the waiter smiled and answered him. Then, he asked the front desk through the walkie-talkie. He received an answer after a while. There were no rooms left in the hotel. Chapter 1582 ¡°No rooms left? Why are there so few rooms here?" Jason shook his head. He still felt light-headed. The alcohol that he drank at noon was still in his system. Then, he had to drink again at night. He felt as if the alcohol could flow out of his body from his ears once he shook his head. "Sir, we''re a five-star hotel. Our rooms are usually fully booked in the afternoon. The three rooms that you booked at the front desk earlier were thest ones left." The waiter smiled apologetically. Sometimes, there would be such coincidences. The three rooms would have probably been taken if Jason had tried to book them half an hourter. Jason was in a dilemma. He looked at Luke and Luca who were lying on the table. There were three of them. How were they supposed to share two rooms? Unless he slept on the floor in Luke''s room. The waiter then reminded him, "Sir, one of the rooms that you booked is a deluxe suite. There are two bedrooms in it. Two of you can share that suite." Jason remembered it once he was reminded. He nced at Luca and Luke. Both of them remained quiet. They did not look drunk, but they seemed to be sleepy and were resting here. It looked like Luca''s cure did work, after all. Jason did not feel like vomiting and only felt dizzy. He said, "Then can you please send both of them to the deluxe suite? I''ll take the other room." He had no idea why he arranged it this way. He just felt that it was right to do so. The waiter heard him. A few of them held Luca and Luke up, bringing them to the suite. Jason paid for the dinner and drinks after making sure that the waiters had sent them back to the suite. Then, he went to thest room that was left for him. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . He fell deeply asleep after he informed Sue about it. Morning. Luca woke up and realized it was dark around her. She could not see clearly. She moved a little and felt that someone was beside her. She was shocked. She could not see anything clearly in the dark. Luca sat up on the bed. She unconsciously tried to reach the bedside, where she found the switch for the deskmp. She switched it open without hesitating. She was startled when she realized it was Luke sleeping beside her. She only remembered that she had been drinking with those Russians. Then, she got drunk after drinking a lot. However, she did not feel sick and just felt sleepy instead. It was probably because she took the hangover cure. However, why is she lying on the same bed with Luke now? Luca looked around her using the light of the deskmp. She looked at the unfamiliar furnishings. They were in the hotel. Jason did book rooms in the hotel, but he had only booked three of them. Why was she here... Luca was hesitating if she should get out of the bed. After all, it was inappropriate to be sleeping with Luke on the same bed, especially since she reeked of alcohol. Luke tossed and turned around. He ced his strong arm over her right away. Luca was startled. She nced at him. The man was still asleep. It seemed like he did it unconsciously. She held her breath for almost half a minute. When she thought of moving his arm away and getting out of bed, she heard him mumble, "Don''t move, let me hug you.." Luca ced her hand on his arm. There was aplicated expression on her face. Luke was deeply asleep. These were his unconscious gestures, and she heard him mumble in a soft voice. She did not have the heart to move away anymore. He sounded like a pitiful child asking for some warmth. Luke was supporting his family and T Corporation all by himself. He must be tired. Luca looked at the man who was sleeping soundly with the light of the deskmp. What the kids had said to her was resonating in her ears now. They told her that Luke slept very little due to his work. It was normal for him to stay up all night working overtime. He would not be this tired if Louis was willing to help him. Unfortunately, Louis had his own ambitions to pursue. He was reluctant to return to T Corporation. Luke did not say anything either. He took the responsibility of managing thepany himself, letting his brother start his own business and pursue his dreams. He did it for Louis'' sake. However, it looked like he was struggling for power without giving Louis a chance toe back to T Corporation. That was what Susan and the others thought. Luca felt sorry for him that he had to carry such a burden and was even being wrongfully used. Her fingers unconsciously ran across his hair. The hair that he usually kept tidy was a little messy now. He looked peaceful, unlike how he usually was¡ªcold and stern. This was his truest side. Luca let out a sigh, and she gentlyy on the bed. As though Luke could sense her gestures, he wrapped her in his arms the moment shey down on the bed. Luca could feel the warmth of his skin. She sighed andplied. She reached out and groped for themp, switching it off. Luke held her tightly when she put her hands back under the nket. "Mm?.¡± Luca was leaning on his chest. If it were not for the smell of the alcohol, she would have thought he was doing it on purpose. She knew Luke did not mean to do this to her. He was drunk. "Bea, I miss you so much." She heard him utter a few words in his sleep. Luca trembled and sighed. She held Luke with one of her arms. ¡°I miss you too.¡± Luke could feel her warmth in his dreams. He closed his eyes and moved his hand downward, putting his hand around her waist. Luca felt a tingling burning sensation, and she had goosebumps all over her body. When she was about to push the man away, he sealed her lips with his. "Mm?." She could not help but put her hands against his waist, pushing him away. However, Luke would not let go of the warmth he had just touched. He could not help putting his arms around her while continuing to kiss her. Luca could feel that there was something wrong with her. It was as if she had melted after just a kiss from him. Shey down on the bed weakly. It was a long and passionate kiss. She was gasping for air and felt paralyzed when it ended. Their kiss was sweet and desperate. They kept getting closer to each other and did not wish to be apart. Luke held her tightly with his eyes closed. "Bea, please don''t leave me^" He groaned like an innocent child. It was fragile and sorrowful. Luca''s heart was breaking, but her rationale was telling her that she should push the man away. It did not matter if she slept on the couch or the floor. Both of them should never have such intimate contact with each other. However, she was reluctant to part with him. Luke''s hand was still on her. It made her feel a little more miserable every time he touched her. Luca held his hand and spoke softly in his ears, "No, I''m tired. Can we rest?" Luke''s hand stopped moving, and he hugged her tightly as if he was afraid that she might run away. Luca let out a sigh. She leaned on his chest and closed her eyes. Chapter 1583 Luca fell asleep in Luke¡¯s arms. Luke opened his eyes when his breathing was stable. He could not see much in the dark, but he could feel the warmth of the woman in his arms. He was sleeping but woke up when Luca woke up too. He did not know why they were on the same bed. He had called out Bianca¡¯s name on a whim, but he did expect Luca to reply to him instead of pushing him away. He heard her voice while he had his eyes closed. It was as if Bianca was whispering in his ears. Could it be that she was... With his eyes closed, Luke thought the person in front of him was Bianca. Apart from the smell of alcohol and something else on her, the way she talked was exactly like Bianca. Luke listened to her breathing and wondered if Luca could be Bianca. It was not possible. After all, the fake Bianca looked the same as the real Bianca after getting stic surgery. Hence, how could the real Bianca have changed her face? Even so, their eyes looked simr. She did not push him away either andplied with his request. If she was the real Bianca, then why did she not admit it right away? Luke thought if Luca was the real Bianca, then she probably had her reasons given the current situation. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. No matter what, the first thing he needed to do was to figure out if she was the real Bianca. Luca was asleep. She did not know Luke had opened his eyes and was deep in thought after she fell deeply asleep. Luca woke up at five in the morning. It was a little brighter outside the window now. They did not draw the curtains when they went to sleep. She lifted her head and Luke¡¯s face came into sight. There was stubble on his smooth chin. Luca lifted her hand and wanted to unconsciously touch it, but she stopped herself. She could not do this. Luca recalled previously whenever she was sleeping on the same bed with Luke, he would always rub his stubble on her face. The tingling sensation that was also a little ticklish could always wake her up instantly, and she would not be able to stop smiling. She was so happy back then. Luca could not help but smile as she recalled the past. She could feel him move a little. He turned around, and the arm that he put around her naturally moved away. She realized Luke had been holding her in his arms sincest night... The night had passed now. Luca sat up on the bed and looked around her. There was a couch near the window. She got out of the bed, tip-toed to the couch, andy down on it. She still felt that something was wrong, so she sat up again. She nced at the man on the bed. Luke was still sleeping. Luca let out a sigh of relief. When she was about toy down again, she thought Jason would not have been so silly to arrange Luke and her to sleep in the same room. Hence, she tiptoed out of the room. It was then she realized it was a suite with two bedrooms. That exined why Jason sent her here. However, she had no idea why she was sleeping on the same bed as Luke. Luca trotted to the other room. She closed the door andy down on the bed, wanting to rest for a while more. She had another hour till dawn. Luke opened his eyes when he heard Luca''s footsteps leaving the room. He sat up on the bed and looked at the strands of long hair left behind on the pillow. These were Luca''s. He picked up the suit coat that he had taken off casually. He drew a tissue from the bedside table and ced Luca''s hair on the tissue before wrapping it securely. Then, he put it in his suit pocket. He had to investigate it since he was suspecting her of something. Everything would change if she was the real Bianca. Luke believed in his instincts. He was cast into doubt after what had happenedst night. He was probably right about it. Luca was still lying on the bed at seven in the morning. She was not asleep, and she listened to the signs of activity next door. It was either the hotel had good soundproofing or Luke was still sleeping. She could not hear anything. Luca had no choice but to wake up. She walked into the toilet and washed herself up. Most of the makeup on her face had smeared off afterst night. It was smeared on the bed and nket, as well as on Luke''s shirt. Luca looked at her blotchy makeup. She should just remove the remaining makeup on her face with the facial cleanser that the hotel provided. She left the room after cleaning herself. She did not expect to run into Luke leaving his room the moment she walked out. Both of them looked each other in the eyes. Luca bit the bullet and greeted him, ¡°Hello, Mr. Crawford. Good morning." "Good morning." Luke''s expression was calm as if he knew nothing about what had happenedst night. She was not taken advantage of even though they were physically intimatest night. Instead, it was a precious memory to her. Luca exined, ¡°I don''t know why I''m sleeping in this suite. I''m sorry..." "It''s alright," said Luke. He walked to the door and pushed it open. He saw Tia at the door. "Why are you here?" Tia was happy to see Luke, and she said joyfully, "Luke, I was waiting for you. I was worried that you hadn''t woken up, so I didn''t knock on the door. Shall we have breakfast together?" The way she called out his name became even more affectionate after what had happenedst night. Luke furrowed his brows and remembered that Luca was behind him. He turned around and asked, "Dr. Craw, shall we?" Luca stood there. She was startled after being named. Just earlier, she had hesitated, wondering if she should hide and leave the room after Luke and Tia left. However, Luke called out her name at this moment. It was pointless for her to hide. "Luca''s here?" Tia widened her eyes with disbelief and nced behind Luke. Indeed, she saw Luca there. Why was she in Luke''s room? It had taken her some time to get Luke''s room number this morning. She had been waiting for him here. She wanted to give him a surprise. She did not expect to be surprised by him instead. Luca noticed the jealousy in Tia''s eyes, and she exined, "Ms. Tia, Mr. Doyle only booked three roomsst night. I''m guessing the hotel didn''t have any extra rooms, and Mr. Crawford''s suite happened to be a two-bedroom suite. That''s why I slept here. We didn''t sleep in the same room. It''s a misunderstanding." They did not sleep in the same room? Luke listened to what Luca said. Was she lying to Tia or fooling herself? He would probably believe what she said if he had fallen deep asleepst night. However. Luke turned around and looked at Luca. Would she feel guilty when she was lying? Chapter 1584 Luca met Luke¡¯s eyes. She caught a glimpse of mischief in his eyes. Her face reddened at once. He was not awake when she woke up. Could it be that he had woken up in the middle of the night or perhaps he was only pretending to be asleep the whole time? Did he know she slept with him on the same bedst night? Did he know she had just lied? When Luca wanted to know what that hint of mischief meant, Luke had already turned his face away. Tia listened to Luca¡¯s exnation and forced a smile. She thought her status in Luke¡¯s heart had changed when Luke invited her to join him for the business dinner. She forced herself to drink on behalf of him and was harassed the whole night. She had only thought of sharing his burden. She knew nothing about business, but she did everything she could for him. Yet, she woke up realizing that she was sleeping alone in the room. She was devastated when she saw Luca in Luke¡¯s room. Tia shot a nce inside the suite. Indeed, there were two bedrooms. They had probably slept in their roomsst night. She secretly med Jason for arranging for Luke and Luca to sleep in the same suite. Still, she wore a smile on her face and invited Luca, saying, "So that''s the case. But this five-star hotel is indeed popr. Sometimes, you won¡¯t be able to book another room when it''ste. It''s my fault. If I hadn¡¯t drunk too much, I wouldn''t have taken up Dr. Craw''s room." Tia was busy expressing how helpless she was and reminding Luke that she had been a great help to him. Luke looked at her without any expression on his face. There was not even a hint of gratitude. He said thoughtfully, ¡°You know a lot.¡± Tia thought he was praising her. She was delighted for a while, then she became humble at once. It took her a moment to think that it might not be apliment. She hurriedly exined, "This hotel is not far away from my consultation office. My patients would usually stay here when they travel from different countries to see me. Sometimes, if they don¡¯t reserve a room in advance, they''d have to find another hotel. That''s why I know this." Luke listened to her exnation, but he did not put on the expression she longed to see. Instead, he walked out. Tia kept up with him immediately. She walked beside him and asked with concern, ¡°Luke, where are you going now?¡± "To the office," replied Luke. He reckoned those Russians were still asleep. He would need to send someone else to entertain them at noon. Although the Russians imed that they were here to talk business, they were more focused on touring around. As for the cooperation, he would have to wait for their confirmation before he began the tender andpeted with otherpanies. Hence, Luke was not nning to waste too much energy on these people. All he had to do was find someone else to bring them around. It was all about beer and skittles to them. As for the prequalified tendering, he was not worried about it. They were not going to reject another opportunity to choose if everything went well. Tia stayed close to him once she heard him. She tried to convince him, saying, ¡°Why don''t we have breakfast together before you return to the office? I remember that you have a weak stomach..." Luca felt ufortable when she heard their conversation from behind. Many women were interested in Luke. They knew a lot about him because they admired him. It was normal. However, those words hade out from Tia. Both of them were involved in a scandal not long ago. She looked at both of them. Tia had even said something like that. It seemed like they were in an ambiguous romantic rtionship. Luca recalled their kissst night. Even though Luke was drunk and asleep, he knew nothing about it. Did she and that kiss they shared even matter to him? Luke''s brows were slightly furrowed as he listened to Tia pestering him. He rejected her suggestion right away. "I still have work to do at the office. I''m going back first. Oh, are you free to help me with something this afternoon?" Tia did not feel upset when he rejected her. After all, his willingness to exin meant she had made improvements. She would never reject his request. "Sure. I happen to be avable. Tell me." Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Luke did not hesitate to ask for help when he saw her willingness. "Those Russians will be taking a tour around A City''s attractions this afternoon. Are you free to be the interpreter?" "Interpreter?" Tia''s expression changed when she heard that he was asking her to guide those Russians around. It was not because she was unwilling to help Luke but those Russians were lecherous. If it were not because she was afraid she might ruin Luke''s cooperation, she would have taught those lustful bastards a lessonst night. "Mr. Doyle will be keeping youpany all throughout, but he can''t really understand Russian," said Luke as he walked into the elevator. Tia followed him into the elevator too. Luca knew it would be awkward and strange if she waited for the next elevator, so she entered quietly. Tia recalled that Luca was able to speak fluent Russian during the dinnerst night. She even spoke it better than her. She said, "Dr. Craw knows how to speak Russian too, right? And she''s an employee of T Corporation." She refused to apany those people anymore. It felt awful to be taken advantage of, and she could not even stand up for herself. Luke nced at Luca. The things that happenedst night shed across his mind. He might look calm on the outside, but he was in a hurry to do something else. He wanted to take Luca''s hair for a DNA test. If she truly was Bianca, he would treat her kindly no matter what reason she had to hide her identity while staying beside him. ¡°Dr. Craw has something to do. Ourpany''s research for the new drug is ready for clinical trials. She has to be there to call the shots. I''ll ask Jason to find a university student from an international studies course to work part-time, then." Luke did not force Tia, and he promptly took his phone out. Tia could see he was not forcing her to do it. However, he now had to look for a university student to work part-time. She hesitated for a moment. Then, she said grudgingly, "Well, let me do it. After all, university students are inexperienced. It won''t be good if they offend those people. When is it? Let me do it." Luke kept his phone and smiled at her. "Mr. Doyle will pick you when the timees." "Sure." Tia stared at his smiling face. She was a little obsessed with it. Luca was confused when she listened to their conversation. Why did she feel like Luke was using Tia? It was true that the drug research that she was leading was entering the clinical trial stage now, but she was not that busy till she did not have time for this. Luke invited Tia to apany him to the business dinnerst night, then he asked her to be the interpreter today. It seemed like it was none of her business anymore. However, it would put Tia at a disadvantage. Those Russians were going to take advantage of her... Luke did not seem to care about her. She refused to believe that a meticulous man like him did not notice how Russians had their eyes on Tia. Chapter 1585 Luca thought it was because Luke did not want her to be taken advantage of, so he sent Tia instead... She was surprised by her own thoughts. She remained silent. After Tia promised to help him, she was no longer interested in inviting Luke for breakfast. She was in a terrible state after drinking the whole night. She needed to go home and clean herself up. The three of them parted at the hotel''s entrance. Luca and Luke headed to the hotel''s parking lot. Jason had already asked the designated driver to leave, and he was waiting for them in the driver''s seat. ¡°Good morning, Boss, Dr. Craw." He smiled and greeted them both. The alcohol was already flushed out of his system after resting for a night. He did not feel sick anymore. "Good morning." Luca got into the backseat. She wanted to ask Jason why he made her sleep with Luke in the same suite. However, she did not ask that question. Luca told herself to pretend that nothing had happenedst night. Luke shot a nce at the woman beside him. She was very quiet, and she did not say anything else after exining herself to Tia. "Send Dr. Craw back to her apartment first," Luke ordered. Luca had drunk twice yesterday; once in the afternoon and once at night. She must be feeling sick now. It would be good for her to take a rest. Luca was startled. She turned to look at Luke. She was nning to go back to the office to work. Luke knew exactly what she had in mind. He spoke at once, "Go back home and rest in the morning. You can go back to work in the afternoon." "Alright." Luca had no choice but to listen to him. Jason heard him and sent Luca back to the apartment. Jason looked at his boss through the rearview mirror after Luca got out of the car. He had been turning his face sideways and looking out the window. He was not looking opposite the road but was looking at the apartment''s entrance. "Boss, did you rest wellst night?" Jason asked with a smile on his face. He knew there was a risk of getting scolded for arranging for them to be in the same room without their permission. "Yes," Luke replied with a calm expression. He became anxious again when Jason brought upst night. "Head to Tommy''s school now." "Alright." Jason nced at the time. Tommy would have reached his school by now. Why was Luke going there? However, it was the boss'' order. He had no choice but to follow his instructions. Luke got out of the car after they arrived at Tommy''s school by car. He called the child''s teacher. After a while, the teacher brought Tommy along with her. Tommy happily ran toward Luke when he saw his fathere to pick him up. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . However, Luke simply pulled a strand of Tommy''s hair. "Daddy, what are you doing? Ouch!" Tommy unconsciously covered his head with his hands and looked at his father with confusion. "Nothing. Go back to ss." Luke did not give the child a full exnation. After all, he felt that his suspicions were ridiculous. He decided not to tell the child about it first. He would decide how to proceed after the test results came out. Tommy looked at the person who came and left all of a sudden. He was puzzled. Luke got back into the car and took a tissue out of his pocket. Then, he wrapped Tommy''s hair in it too. "Boss, what are you doing?" Jason looked at his actions in bewilderment. "To the hospital," Luke continued to order Jason. Jason drove to the hospital right away when Luke refused to answer the question. Luke had contacted Johann before this. Once he walked into the hospital''s lobby, a nurse came to guide him to the relevant department. He handed the two strands of hair to the medical staff who was responsible for conducting the test. Then, he filled out the form given to him. Luke left the hospital and got back into the car after hepleted everything. Jason had been waiting in the car. He figured out something when he saw Luke go to Tommy''s school just to take a strand of Tommy''s hair beforeing to the hospital. He asked Luke, who was sitting in the backseat, "Boss, are you going back to the office now?" "Don''t tell anyone what I did today," Luke ordered. "Yes, I won''t," replied Jason. "To the office." Luke looked down and nced at the bill in his hands. Then, he stuck it in his pocket. Jason started the car engine and headed toward the office. Luke did not get out of the car when they reached the office. Instead, he said, "You may rest this morning. Bring those Russians around for a tour with Tiater this afternoon." "Boss, what about Dr. Craw?" Jason asked. "There''s no need to ask her to go along." Luke pushed the car door open and got out of the car. Those Russians were not good people. He did not want Luca to be harassed by them. At this point, he finally knew what the old master meant. He was right. Even though Luca was not Binaca, he still cared about her in his heart. Luca returned to the office at noon. She went straight back to her department as she no longer had to attend to the Russians. She guided a few researchers to solve the current problem together. She was busy the whole afternoon. Despite being busy with the tasks at hand, she still got distracted a few times. It was all because of what had happenedst night. That was her most intimate moment with Luke uponing back... Luca did not intend to leave theboratory when it was time to get off work. She thought of working overtime to use up all her energy before going back home. That way, she would not overthink. Her phone rang when she was preparing for the next stage of the experiment. Luca picked up her phone and nced at it. It was Luke calling her. She hesitated for two seconds. Still, she answered the call. The researchers in theboratory had gone home. She did not need to hide. ¡°Mr. Crawford, what''s the matter?" ¡°I have to work overtime tonight. Can you please help me to take care of Tommy?" Luke''s voice sounded in her ears. Luca thought she was imagining things. It was because she could feel the tenderness in his voice. Apart fromst night when he called her ''Bea'' with a gentle voice, he usually sounded cold at other times. "Take care of Tommy? Sure." Luca agreed. "Can you please take care of him tonight if I don''t have the time to pick him up? Tommy''s clothes are in the apartment. They''re kept in the maid''s room," said Luke. Luca could not understand why he only asked him to take care of Tommy. What about Lanie and Rainie? After all, the three of them were her biological children. She asked, "Sure, Mr. Crawford. What about Lanie and Rainie? Do I have to pick them up?" "No. Uncle Zander will send them home." Luke hung up the phone as soon as he finished talking. Luca was a little dazed. Someone was picking up Lanie and Rainie, but no one was picking Tommy up? She doubted that, but she had to agree anyway since she had promised Luke. Luca was no longer in the mood to work overtime. She tidied up, went downstairs, and hailed a taxi to head to Tommy''s school. Chapter 1586 There were two children at the kindergarten who had not left. One of them was Tommy. Luca walked toward him. The kindergarten teacher looked at Luca and asked, "Are you Tommy''s guardian?" The teacher hesitated for a moment. She wondered if she was his nanny. However, Luca''s temperament and how she was dressed were nothing like a nanny. "Hello, I''m Mr. Crawford''s subordinate. He''s busy today, so he asked me to pick up the child," Luca exined and reached her hand out to the child. Tommy held her hand right away. "Is that so?" the teacher asked the child. "Yes, Teacher. I''m close with Ms. Luca. You can call Daddy to confirm that." Tommy knew the kindergarten would not allow strangers to pick up the children. The teacher called Luke to confirm with him for the sake of the child''s safety. Then, she allowed Luca to bring the child back. Tommy lifted his head and looked at Luca with a smile on his face. "Ms. Luca, why are you the one who came to pick me up today?" "Mr. Crawford said he''s busy with work, and Uncle Zander has something to do. So, I''m here to pick you up. Why? Are you not happy that I came to pick you?" Luca held his hand tightly and stood at the roadside waiting for the taxi. "I''m happy. Of course, I''m happy. Ms. Luca, are you bringing me back to your house or my house?" Tommy asked. He was hoping that he was going back to her house. It was because he loved Luca''s cooking. "My house. I''ll make dinner for you. What do you want to have for dinner?" Luca looked at the child. He was her biological son, so how could she not know what he was thinking of? "I want to have spaghetti with pork chop, and..." Tommy paused for a moment and lifted his head to look at her. "Ms. Luca, aren''t you hurt? You don''t have to cook dinner." "I''ve recovered. Look at me, I even went to work today. I''m fine. Is there anything you''d like to eat other than spaghetti and pork chop?" Luca asked. She twisted her waist to show him she had recovered. It was just a minor waist injury. Even so, she was a little sick in the past few days. She could not sit down, and she realized that lying down was the mostfortable position. She felt better after taking the medicine and applying the ointment. "And prawns." Tommy''s eyes lit up. He knew he was in luck when Luca told him that she had recovered. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Luca nodded and promised him to cook those things for him. She brought the child to the supermarket nearby and bought some ingredients. Then, they went back to her apartment. Tommy was a good boy. He did not cry or cause any trouble. He took his homework out and finished it carefully. He skipped the questions he could not understand and waited for Luca to teach him how to answer them. She smiled with satisfaction when she looked at the sweet child. How wonderful it would be if she could live a peaceful life like this in the future. "Tommy, finish your homework first. I''ll go make dinner now. We can have dinnerter," Luca told him. "Alright, Ms. Luca." Tommy lifted his head and smiled at her. Then, he continued to do his homework. Luca walked into the kitchen and began to cook for the child. The dishes that Tommy ordered requiredplicated cooking techniques, but she prepared them diligently without being careless. She knew the reason why the child loved her cooking so much. It was not just because they were delicious but it was also because it reminded him of his mother''s homemade dishes. Luca and Tommy had dinner together after that. The dishes tasted good, and they enjoyed the meal. There was no news from Luke even when it was already eight o''clock at night. Luca remembered what Tommy said just now. She picked up Tommy''s exercise books and went through them for him. There was still no news from Luke when it was nine. Tommy sat on the couch. He asked Luca after he finished watching cartoons, "Ms. Luca, is my daddy not picking me up today?" Luca looked at the time. It waste, but Luke had yet to call her. She picked up her phone and walked into the maid''s room. Then, she opened the wardrobe. There were two boxes in it. She remembered that there were Luke''s clothes in them. He had said that Tommy''s clothes were inside too. She opened the box and searched for Tommy''s clothes. Then, she found them in the other box. Luca took the clothes out and nced at them. They were indeed Tommy''s clothes. She took the change of clothes and walked toward him. She said, "Tommy, why don''t you shower first?" Tommy nodded his head and epted her suggestion. He carried the clothes and walked into the bathroom. Luca wanted to help him turn on the water but he stopped her outside the bathroom. "Ms. Luca, I can do this myself." She was slightly dazed looking at how sensible he was. Yes, three years had gone by and the child had grown up. Tommy was no longer the child who needed her help to shower. Although he loved to cling to her, the way he addressed her had changed. Everything had changed. Luca watched Tommy close the door. She thought of Luke. She had no idea what he was busy with. Tommy''s hair was wet after he finished showering. Luca hurriedly took the hairdryer to dry his hair. Then, she put Tommy''s clothes into the washing machine. She had no idea if Luke would be picking him up tonight. If he was not and she did not wash his clothes now, the child would have no uniform to wear to school tomorrow. Tommy looked at Luca who was busy taking care of him and blurted out, ¡°Ms. Luca, you''re like my Mommy." Luca was stunned for a moment while she was pouring theundry liquid. She turned around and smiled at the child. "What nonsense are you talking about?" "My mommy was always busy taking care of my brother and sister. Even though there was a nanny at home, she would always do everything herself when it came to us. She''s amiable." Tommy recalled the past. "Back then, I wanted to quickly grow up. That way, I could go to school and watch Mommy prepare my school bag and books for me." Luca listened to what the child said. Indeed, she used to do these for the children. After she adjusted the mode and switched on the washing machine, she held Tommy''s hand and sat down on the couch. The child would get sleepy soon. She asked, "Do you want to hear a story?" Tommy nodded excitedly. "Yes! But Brother and Sister would want to hear it too. I''d like to hear the story together with them." "Well, I haven''t recorded the story. Let me tell you the story and record it at the same time. After I finish the recording, you can give it to your brother and sister. Then, they''ll be able to hear it, alright?" Luca replied. "Yes, please." Tommy nodded and pped his hands. He had been longing to hear Luca''s story in the past two days. Finally, he was able to hear it. Luca held his hand and walked into the bedroom. She took out the small pillow from the maid''s room and let Tommy sleep on it. Then, she started to tell the story. Tommy fell asleep half an hour after she started telling the story. Luca nced at the time. It was almost ten o''clock, but there was still no news from Luke. Did he go drinking with those Russians? Chapter 1587 If he was attending to those Russians, then would Tia be there too? Even though Luca noticed that what had happened between them was a thing of the past, she felt ufortable when she thought of another woman entering his life. It felt like the man that she loved had been stolen by someone else. Luke was not a toy. He was a man. However, it felt terrible knowing that someone could steal him from her. Luca let out a sigh. She took Tommy''s uniform out of the washing machine and hung them on the balcony. She walked into the bathroom and took a shower. She felt her heart warm up when she looked at Tommy who was sleeping soundly on the bed. She reckoned Luke would not be picking up the child tonight. She hugged the child and slept with him. The apartment''s doorbell rang when it was in the middle of the night. Luca did not take sleeping pills. Hence, she did not fall into a deep sleep. She opened her eyes once she heard the bell. Luca trotted out of the bedroom when the doorbell was still ringing. She nced outside through the peephole. It was Luke. Did hee to pick up the child? Luca opened the door and gave way to the man who was standing outside. She sniffed the air without knowing it herself. He did not stink of alcohol, which indicated that he did not attend the business dinner. She was secretly rejoicing when she realized that. "Mr. Crawford, you''re here." Luke looked at her sleepy eyes. She had probably just woken up. He nodded and walked into the house. He could not find the child in the living room. He reckoned she had already brought the child inside the room to sleep. "I''m here to pick Tommy up." Luca nced at the clock on the wall. It was already one o''clock in the morning. She did not expect him to pick the child up at this hour. She calcted the distance of the journey. If he sent the child home now, it would take almost an hour to arrive home. Even though there were no cars on the road in the middle of the night, it was still going to take half an hour... Luca said, ¡°Tommy is asleep. Why don''t you let him sleep here tonight?¡± Luke pushed the bedroom door open. The child was sleeping soundly in the bedroom. Tommy was the kind of child who was very sensitive to unfamiliar environments and outsiders, but he was fine with Luca. ¡°Did he sleep at ten o''clock?" Luke asked. Luca nodded. "Yes. He got sleepy around ten. Then, he fell asleep." Luke looked at her. "Then let him sleep here tonight." Luca nodded, but she was struggling in her heart. Her intention of letting Tommy sleep here was to make him stay here tonight as well. That way, he would be able to have another hour of sleep. However, how was she going to tell him that? "I''m sleeping here tonight. Do you mind if I sleep on the couch?" Luke asked. He came here to pick his child up, but Luca said the child could stay. Since that was the case, he would just go along with her and stay here too. Luca was startled for a moment. She did not expect him to voice out his intention to spend the night here first. She replied, "Why don''t you sleep with Tommy? I''ll sleep in the maid''s room tonight." Luke furrowed his brows. She tried to exin when she saw him frowning, "I have a nket for the bed in the maid''s room. Don''t worry about it. You should go rest. Oh, do you want to shower first?" "I took a bath at the office," replied Luke. He had been busy with the tender until now. He must win the tender this time. Luca nodded. She could feel he was staring at her. She rubbed her hands and said, "I''m going back to sleep first. Goodnight, Mr. Crawford." She entered the maid''s room and closed the door after that. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Luke looked at the door that was closed with his deep eyes. Could it be that she was Bianca? The DNA test would prove everything. He would know the truth eventually... Luke walked into the master bedroom. He looked at the child who was fast asleep. He took off his coat andy down on the bed. There was Luca''s scent on the pillow and the nket. He closed his eyes and caught a whiff of her scent. He was at peace. On the other hand, Luca was lying down on the maid''s bed. She could not fall asleep. It was not because the maid''s bed was ufortable. She just felt uneasy whenever she thought of Luke being in the bedroom next to her. She did not know if it was her who was imagining things. She could feel that Luke''s gaze would always fall on her now and then after what had happenedst night. Was he truly drunk and asleep that time? If he was, why was he acting like this now? Luca was having a hard time figuring it out. She just needed to know if he was aware of everything that had happened that night. She could exin it to him if he knew about it, but what if he did it without knowing it? Would it not be awkward for her if she told him about it? Luke would probably misunderstand her for being up to something. Luke was a defensive person. She had tried so hard to make him lower his guard against her. She must not do such things to arouse his suspicion again. Luca let out a sigh. She tossed and turned on the bed, trying to fall asleep. The next day. Tommy woke up and realized the person beside him was Luke and not Luca. He shook him. "Daddy." Luke did not respond to him as he was deeply asleep. Tommy pinched his face and spoke louder, "Daddy!" Luke slowly opened his eyes and looked at his son, who was already awake. He grabbed his hand away from his face. "What..." "Daddy, are you a sleepyhead? You''d always wake up the moment I call you. But I couldn''t wake you up this time.." Tommy asked him with a smile on his face. Luke was a light sleeper back then. He would always wake up immediately whenever he heard noises, but he was able to fall deeply asleep on Luca''s bed this time. He sat up on the bed. He looked at his son and asked, "Did you get enough sleep?" Tommy nodded his head. "I woke up earlier than Daddy today. Oh, it was Ms. Luca who apanied me to sleepst night. Why is it you.." The child looked around him and saw no sign of Luca. He asked seriously, "Daddy, you didn''t kick her out to sleep here, right?" "Am I that kind of person?" Luke gave him a sulky look and carried him down the bed. "You''re awake now. Hurry up and get changed. Have your breakfast and get ready for school." "Daddy, why are you here?" Tommy asked while he was wearing his slippers. "I came to pick you upst night, but you were asleep," Luke exined. He lowered his head and nced at the crumpled shirt he had worn to sleep. He could not wear this anymore. Fortunately, his clothes were still here. "Well, then where did Ms. Luca sleep?" Tommy asked again. "In the maid''s room." Luke got out of bed. He unbuttoned two buttons of his shirt, exposing his strong chest. "Daddy, how could you let Ms. Luca sleep in the maid''s room? You should be sleeping there." Tommy kept on muttering. He was obviously unhappy with such an arrangement. Luke put on a sulky expression. He grabbed his suit coat and pushed the door open. Was Tommy really his biological son? Tommy walked out of the room and saw Luca in the living room. He ran toward her happily. "Ms. Luca, I''m awake!" Chapter 1588 Luca was still holding Tommy''s school uniform, which she had just retrieved from the balcony, when she saw Tommy running over with Luke standing behind him. She wanted to squat down and hug Tommy but it did not feel right. It did not seem appropriate for her to hold Tommy in front of Luke. Tommy ran to her side, and Luca handed him the school uniform in her hand. "Your school uniform is dry. Take it and go change into it. After that, wash up so we can have breakfast together." Tommy took the school uniform, which waspletely dry after it was left to dry all night. It had a faint lemon scent on it. He took a deep whiff and said with a smile, "Ms. Luca, the clothes that you washed smell so good." Luca touched his head and noticed that Luke''s shirt had gotten all wrinkled in his sleep. She hesitated for a few seconds and then said, "Mr. Crawford, your shirt is wrinkled. Do you want a change of clothes?" "Mm." Luke paid great attention to his appearance and cleanliness. She knew that he was unwilling to go out in public in a wrinkled shirt. Luca walked into the maid''s room and thought of the coat Luke worest night. She then took out one of the button-ups that she felt would go with the coat he wore. Luke''s gaze flickered when he saw here out with a shirt. "Mr. Crawford, is this alright with you?" Luca chose it based on her intuition. After so many years, she wondered if what she chose was still in line with his aesthetic. "That''s perfect." Luke picked up the shirt in her hand. The color of the shirt matched his coat. It was perfect. Luca''s memory seemed to be very good. She could remember the style and color of his coat after just a few ncesst night... Luke and Tommy walked into the bedroom with their clothes. The father and son then closed the door to change into their clothes. As he put on his school uniform, Tommy said, "Daddy, did you leave me with Ms. Luca on purpose?" He said that cheekily and realized that he did not want Luca to overhear him, so he lowered his voice. Luke took off his shirt and put on the shirt that Luca chose for him. As he put it on, he said calmly, "Stop it with your nonsense." "I''m not talking nonsense. You just want to spend more time with Ms. Luca. Great-grandpa said that Ms. Luca will be a good wife and a good mother, so he asked us to support you," Tommy said. The kids liked Luca, so Luke would have their full support if the new mommy he found for them was Luca. Although it was unfair to their biological mommy, they wanted their daddy to be happy too. After all, their biological mommy had been missing for so many years. Tommy''s memory of Bianca was getting a little fuzzy. Although he loved to spend time with her when he was a child, as he grew up, his childhood memories had be blurry. Sometimes, losing certain memories was unavoidable. Luke thought about how Luca might be Bianca and touched Tommy''s head. He wanted to tell him that he would do everything in his power to bring their biological mother home. If Luca was Bianca, there was no need to look for her anymore. She was already by their sides. There was a serious problem with the DNA test they did three years ago because the DNA sample was stolen, so Luke was taking the DNA test this time very seriously. With Johann''s urging, the results would be avable the day after. Luke and Tommy got dressed, washed up, and walked out of the bedroom. Luca brought the breakfast she prepared to the table. She could not fall asleep until the early hours of the morning, so she just had a short nap and got up early to make breakfast. She had plenty of time, so she was able to prepare more for breakfast. "Wow, breakfast!" Tommy''s eyes lit up when he saw the breakfast on the table. He hopped to the dining table. Luca prepared some dishes that were different from those that Mrs. Nancy would usually prepare for breakfast. "Yeah,e and eat." She called out to Tommy and, indirectly, to Luke. The father and son walked to the dining table and sat down. Their appetites grew when they saw the sumptuous breakfast. "Ms. Luca, did you make these croissants?" Tommy asked as he pointed at the croissants. "Yeah." Luca said, "I made two fillings. One is chocte and the other is fresh fruit and cream. Which one would you like to eat?" As she spoke, she handed them a bowl of oatmeal each. Tommy took a spoonful of oatmeal, then tore a small piece off a chocte croissant. He stared at the rich chocte filling in the croissant and shoved it into his mouth. His tiny mouth was soon stuffed with the chocte croissant. Luke saw how eager Tommy was. He slowly picked up a fresh fruit and cream croissant and tore it open. He looked at the appealing fresh fruit and cream filling before taking a bite. ''It''s delicious, much better than Mrs. Nancy''s cooking. It''s been three years and her cooking skills have not regressed.'' Luke was stunned. He believed that the person in front of him was Bianca even before he received any confirmation. He had no choice but to think that. After all, Luca''s habits were highly simr to Bianca''s. Luca watched the father and son eat. Tommy gobbled the food and said that he liked these croissants very much, while Luke ate slowly. Although he did notment on anything, she knew that he liked the food too. Luke would not express his likes and dislikes in words. Instead, there would be subtle changes in his expression. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . She felt that Luke liked the fresh fruit and cream croissant. Luca picked up a chocte croissant, tore it open, and ate it. When he saw that, Tommy said, "Ms. Luca, the fresh fruit and cream croissants are delicious. Do you want some?" "If you like them, have some more," Luca smiled when she saw the cream on the corners of Tommy''s mouth. She handed him some tissues and said, "I don''t like to eat that much chocte in the morning." The fresh fruits in the refrigerator were limited, so she could not make many fresh fruit and cream croissants. Seeing that Luke and Tommy both loved that filling, she wanted to leave more for them. Moreover, the chocte croissant was decent as well. After breakfast, Luca did not rush to clean up but rather picked up Tommy''s homework and handed it to Luke. "Mr. Crawford, this is Tommy''s homework. I checked it yesterday and there are no issues. A parent needs to sign off on it. " She did not expect Luke to pick up Tommy sote yesterday so when they needed a signature, she had told Tommy to leave it to Luke. By the time he came, it was already past midnight, so she forgot about it. She only thought of it when she saw the homework while she was cleaning the living room in the morning. Luke nodded, took Tommy''s pencil, and signed his name on it. Luca looked at the signature with mixed feelings in her heart. After Luke signed off on Tommy''s homework, Luca helped to put the exercise books into Tommy''s school bag. Tommy smiled cheekily and then picked up his school bag. It was time for school. Luke said, "Come with us. I''ll send Tommy to school first and then we''ll go to the office together." Chapter 1589 ''Go to the office together?'' Luca thought of the gossip that she caused when she first joined thepany and immediately shook her head to turn him down. "Mr. Crawford, I''ll go to work by myself." Luke did not say anything and left with Tommy when he saw that she insisted on going to work by herself. Luca breathed a sigh of relief. For some reason, she had the illusion that Luke''s gaze when he looked at her had be warm. She thought of how he had always been stern and domineering but he did not insist that she tag along this time. She was a little unustomed to it. Luca looked at the time and slowly walked out the door after she thought that Luke had already left. She woke up early and had breakfast earlier than she usually would, so she was not worried about beingte. She took her time and walked slowly. Luca walked out of the front gate and saw a Hummer parked on the side of the road. It was very ostentatious. There were many rich and famous people in A City, so it did not surprise her. When everyone was paying attention to the modified Hummer, she continued to walk. After a hundred meters, she arrived at a taxi stand where many taxis were waiting for passengers. When he saw Lucae out from the entrance, the door of the Hummer opened and a man walked down from it. "Luca!" An arrogant male voice called out. Luca frowned, turned around, and saw Pierre Mallory standing next to the Hummer. He was waving to her and saying, "Where are you going? I''ll drive you." Many passersby sighed when they saw this scene. ''Sigh, he''s taken too.'' Such handsome and rich men were often taken. Luca frowned, looked at the ostentatious man, and continued walking with disgust in her heart. Seeing that she did not respond, Pierre told the driver to drive the car forward while he closed the door and strode to her side. "Are you deaf?" Luca remained silent. "Hey, you have quite a temper, don''t you? Why aren''t you saying anything? Is there something wrong with your throat?" Pierre continued to provoke her. Luca still chose to keep quiet. The more attention she gave to a person like him, the more arrogant he would be. Ignoring him was the best option. Pierre touched his chin when he saw that. ''She has quite a personality. It''s a pity. If I want to have fun, this kind of woman would have my attention for a while but my goal is still Nina. Luca is just meant to entertain me for the meantime.'' "What? Don''t think you can get away by not talking. I haven''t returned the p you gave mest time." Pierre wanted to grab her but just as he touched her hand, she pped his hand away. His hand was pped away under the gazes of so many people. Pierre felt that he had been humiliated, so he walked to her side and threatened her in a low voice, "If you continue to show your temper, I''ll go and pick on Nina." Luca rolled her eyes at him. Although she did not want to pay him any attention, when the man mentioned that he wanted to harass Nina, she could not help but say, "Although Nina has broken up with your brother, your brother doesn''t seem to have any intention of letting go." "What did you say?" Pierre was very upset when he heard her bring up Percy. ''Does everyone think that they can use Percy to ckmail me?'' "Did I stutter? Did you find out more about what Luke told youst time? What is Percy nning? Has he really let go of Nina?" Luca continued to ask. She did not dig deeper into what was happening between Nina and Percy because she did not even have enough time to manage her tasks at hand. She had no time to mind other people''s affairs. It would be great if Pierre could find out more about it and tell her. Pierre had a stern expression. His temper was not good. He wanted to pick on Luca but she turned the situation around and pissed him off. "Luca, stay in yourne." Luca listened to his warning and did not panic. "Stay in myne? You were the one who mentioned Nina and I''m just curious. What''s wrong with that? Could it be that you haven''t found out anything even after so long? He''s your brother but you don''t know anything? Are you really brothers?" She knew how to target one''s sore points, and after thest time, she knew exactly what Pierre''s sore point was. It was Percy... N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Percy was responsible for taking the lead and making decisions while Pierre was the executioner. The brothers were both from the Mallory family. Although there was nothing wrong with their way of working, the person who had to obey and execute would feel somewhat wronged after a period of time. Pierre was in that position. Luca only needed to provoke him slightly to stir up this sense of imbnce in him. She was not afraid of what Pierre would do to Percy when he was triggered. Rather, she hoped that he would take action. Percy had bullied Nina for so long. He deserved to suffer a little. Luca walked over to the taxi stand and stood in line. It was still early today and there were not many people waiting in line. It would not take too long for her to get a taxi and get rid of Pierre, the annoying scum. Pierre''s mood sank, and he clenched his fists when he heard her provocation. "Of course, I know what my brother is doing." "You do? Do you really? Then tell me, is he going to marry the daughter of the Johnston family? Oh no, if he''s going to marry her, why do you think Mr. Crawford said what he said?" Pierre listened to her question and was speechless. The people lining up in front of Luca got into the taxis one after another. Soon, Luca was first in line. Looking at the empty taxiing over from the distance, Luca smiled and reminded him, "You''d better check it out yourself and stop thinking about how to get Nina. There are some things, people, and even statuses that you can''t get just because you want them, Mr. Mallory. Also, if you continue to cause trouble for me, you''ll never hear the end of it. I''m not one of those weak women. With me, you''ll only suffer. if you don''t believe me, juste at me." Her conceit came from her confidence in her skills. Pierre snorted coldly when he saw her bend over and get into the taxi. The thorn in his heart was picked on again. He was pissed. He angrily walked toward the Hummer parked on the side of the road. As soon as he got in the car, he received a call from Percy. "Where are you? Meet me at the office." Pierre said impatiently to the person on the other end of the phone, "Okay, I''ll head there now." Percy frowned when he heard the impatient voice. After he hung up, he made another call. As soon as the call was connected, he asked, "How is Nina doing?" "Ms. Langdon just went out. Looking at the route she''s taking, I believe that she''s going to the hospital. By the way, the surgeon told me yesterday that the surgery was a sess, but they still have to keep a close eye on whether she can survive this critical condition," the person on the other end of the phone said. Percy loosened up when he heard that Anna O''Reilly''s operation went well. "Continue to keep an eye on her." Chapter 1590 "Got it," the person on the other end of the phone replied. He noticed that Nina was making a turn at the next exit and quickly changednes to keep up. Nina noticed that the car behind her had been following her. When she turned the corner, he followed her and changednes. There was no doubt that the car was following her. Nina panicked when she thought that it might be people sent by Pierre or the Johnston family. Either party did not have good intentions. She had no choice but to call Luca to ask her for help. "Nina, what''s the matter?" At this moment, Luca was in a taxi on the way to the office. "Luca, I''m being followed. I don''t know who it is. What should I do?" Nina felt that Luca had experience in dealing with this situation, so she subconsciously asked her for advice. "You¡¯re being followed?" Luca frowned when she heard Nina¡¯s anxious tone. In her heart, she thought that the people following Nina were probably people hired by Percy. They would not put her in harm¡¯s way. "Yeah, I don''t know if they were sent by the madman Pierre or the daughter of the Johnston family." Nina was helpless. She nced at the rearview mirror and saw that the car was still following her. ¡®Why doesn''t she suspect that it¡¯s Percy?¡¯ Luca wondered in her heart. She was not as worried as she was certain that it was not Pierre¡¯s doing. "Is the car close to you?" "It¡¯s not too far away. It¡¯s keeping a distance from me," Nina said. She felt that the other party was following her after she observed their car for a while. "Are you going to the hospital now?" Luca asked. Anna and Jean both had surgery the day before, so she guessed that Nina was heading to the hospital to visit them. "Yes." "Okay, keep going along the main road and don''t try to get rid of them by taking the side roads. Your driving skills are not better than theirs, so keep taking the main road. As long as there are people, they won¡¯t dare to do anything.¡± Luca urged her. Those people were just following behind her car and not taking over, which meant that there was only one car following Nina. Even if they were not Percy''s men but other people with bad intentions, there was only one car. Luca was certain that they would not dare act rashly in a crowded ce. "Okay, okay." Nina listened to her words, gave up the idea of taking the side road to get rid of these people, and continued to drive on the main road. The car followed her all the way to the hospital. Nina was relieved that the car did not try to speed past her and stop her. She remembered Luca''s words and did not park the car in the underground parking lot but chose the open-air parking lot. After she got out of the car, she did not dare to look back for fear that those people would know that she had noticed them. She quickly walked into the hospital. Luca called her after a while. "Nina, have you arrived at the hospital?" she asked with concern. "Yes, I''m already here," Nina replied as she walked into the elevator. At the same time, Luca had also arrived at T Corporation. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that Nina had arrived at the hospital safely. "I don''t think that those people will hurt you. How about you go check on your mom first?" "Okay," Nina felt a lot more at ease when she heard Luca''s voice. She looked at the number in the elevator as it slowly increased and knew that she could not disturb Luca any longer, so she hung up the call. After Nina arrived on the floor, she first went to Anna''s attending doctor and wanted to ask him if Anna could be transferred to the general ward. The doctor nced at Anna''s various examination reports and came to a conclusion. "This operation is considered sessful but the patient''s condition is not the best. Her recovery time will be longer than normal and she can no longer afford to be stubborn. She needs to take medicine every day ande back regrly for tests.¡± "Mm, I see." Nina took a deep breath. The doctor had informed her about these possible post-operative issues before the operation. That was because Anna''s body was in horrible condition. However, Nina could not bear to see Anna waiting to die, so she agreed to the operation. After all, there was still a chance for her after the operation. "If there''s no problem, the patient can leave the ICU before noon. Why don''t you go to the previous ward and wait there? The nurse will notify you when she''s ready to be transferred," the doctor suggested. Nina shook her head and nned to wait in the restaurant downstairs. The atmosphere in the ward was too oppressive, and she was ufortable sitting there for too long. ¡°Please have the nurse call me directly when that happens. I''ll wait in the restaurant downstairs." "That works too." The doctor nodded. Nina went to the restaurant downstairs and bumped into Queenie. When she saw that Queenie was carrying a bag, she walked over and asked, "Aunt Queenie, why are you here? Are you alright?" Queenie did not expect to bump into Nina when she went downstairs to buy some water. She was stunned. A momentter, she shook her head and said, "Nothing, I''m fine. I came here to visit someone." Nina noticed that the bags that Queenie was carrying contained a brand of mineral water. They cost dozens of dors a bottle. They were expensive. It was not surprising that she bought this brand of mineral water, considering the ability of the Norman family. However, Nina thought it was strange that Queenie came to visit a patient with so much mineral water. Queenie was not such an ignorant person, so it was strange. "Is that so? I won''t bother you, then. Oh right, this is very heavy, isn''t it? Do you want me to carry this for you?" Nina thought of helping her. The person in front of her was Bianca''s mother. Queenie was soft and weak, so Nina thought that it might be too heavy for her. "No, no, it''s not heavy." Queenie immediately turned her down. Leia was moring to drink this brand of water because she thought that the water provided by the hospital was not clean and she refused to drink it. That was why she asked Queenie to go downstairs to buy these bottles of water. The bag filled with water bottles was heavy, but Queenie did not ask Leia for help for fear that she would find out about Leia''s return. "Isn''t it heavy? It looks quite heavy. Aunt Queenie, why isn''t your maid here to help?" Nina wanted to help Queenie but was rejected. There was nothing she could do. "She''s busy. I have to make a move now." Queenie smiled. After Leia fell ill, she was the only one who could only take care of her because the maids had to take care of Jack at home. In addition, Leia could still walk around so Queenie did not hire a nurse for her. After all, one less person being involved meant that there was less risk of this matter being exposed. Queenie was running to and fro from the hospital and home every day. She was exhausted but could not talk to anyone about it. Nina frowned as she watched Queenie struggle to carry the bag upstairs. However, she could not do anything. She bought a cup of coffee and sat in the corner of the restaurant, waiting for the nurse to call. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. It was not until noon that the nurse called and said that Anna had been transferred to the general ward. Nina headed to the ward immediately, wanting to see how Anna was doing. After Anna was transferred to the general ward, her face was still sallow. Her lips were pale and she looked weak. Chapter 1591 Nina knew that this was normal after an operation, but when she saw that Anna did not even have the strength to speak, she still felt ufortable as if the scalpel had cut her body. "The patient can eat normally now but we still need to pay more attention to her diet in the early stage. She can consume mainly liquid food. Are you nning to cook meals for her or order meals from the hospital?" the nurse on the side asked. She had seen many such scenes, so her voice was calm and emotionless. "We''ll get meals from the hospital." Nina controlled her emotions. Her work at Brilliant Architectural Design LLC was overwhelming. She had no time to prepare Anna''s meals. Although the food in the hospital was unptable, it was nutritionally bnced and beneficial to Anna. Nina remembered that when Anna had her first surgery, she did not need to worry so much because back then, there was a man who took care of all these things for her. All she needed to do at that time was asionally visit Anna. She could still attend to her own affairs. Percy provided the best in terms of what Anna ate and used in the hospital. He treated her as though she was his mother. "Okay, she''ll have the meals prepared by the hospital. Take this ticket to the cashier to pay the fee and then hand it to the person at the nurse station. In the future, the patient will have three meals a day delivered to her." The nurse gave her a ticket. Nina came back to her senses, took the ticket, and looked at Anna''s distressed appearance. She thought that it was ridiculous that she had unconsciously thought of that man. Anna nced at Nina and was about to say something but she opened her mouth and closed it just as quickly. She had no strength to speak. Nina was not in the mood to find out what Anna wanted to say to her. She knew that Anna wanted to rant about the difort she was feeling and money matters. There was nothing else. On the other hand. Luca returned to the office and did some experiments. At this moment, she was told by Jason to go upstairs. She had no choice but to obey the boss'' orders. She had to pause her experiment and ask Rhett to take over while she went upstairs. "Mr. Doyle, good morning," Luca greeted Jason. Jason yawned and did not look like he got enough sleep. He stood up and said, "Dr. Craw, you''re here. The boss is looking for you. Come with me." Luca did not make a move immediately. She asked, "Why do you look like this? You didn''t get enough rest?" "Ugh, I drank with those Russians the whole night yesterday. They sure can drink. Without your medicine, I couldn''t stand it and got drunk." Jason shook his head, trying to wake himself up a little. ''They went to socialize against night...'' Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. However, when Luke arrived at her homest night, he did not stink of alcohol. "You guys were entertaining clients against night. It''s hard work." "It wasn''t us; It was just me and Ms. Tia. Mr. Crawford was working overtime in the office yesterday. The Russians were very dissatisfied at first but they were alright because Ms. Tia coaxed them into obedience. They''re leaving at noon today," Jason said with a distressed look on his face. He was secretly d that they were leaving. Otherwise, his body would not be able to take it. Luca heard that, nodded, and said nothing else. She walked to Luke''s office and knocked on the door. "Come in." A familiar voice came from inside. Luca pushed the door and saw Luke, who was busy with his head down. She went in anyway. "Mr. Crawford, what can I help you with?" She felt that she was up here too often. "Trante this document for me." Luke handed her a ck folder. Luca picked it up and saw that it was all in Russian. "Uh..." She was troubled and wondered if she had to do this full-time. However, she knew that Luke understood Russian. Why did he need her to trante it? "This document will be used in the meeting tomorrow. Can you get it done today?" Luke asked. It turned out that the document was needed for an uing meeting. It was no wonder she had to trante it. This kind of work took a lot of time, and he had to deal with other tasks in thepany. Naturally, he had no time to do this. "Okay..." Luca could only agree since he had ordered her to. She flipped through the documents. There were a total of ten pages. Her trantion speed was not particrly fast, but she could still trante this ten-page document in one day. "Go. This is an important document. To ensure that there won''t be any information leak, the document can only be tranted on this floor. There''s a desk in Mr. Doyle''s office. You can work there." Luke arranged a temporary workce for her. Jason''s office was much quieter than the secretary''s room. She would not be disturbed if she worked there. "Okay." Luca walked out with the folder and returned to Jason''s office. "Mr. Doyle." She stood at the door with the document. "Dr. Craw? What did the boss ask you to do?" Jason propped his forehead in one hand. He was obviously suffering from a headache. "He asked me to trante this document here." Luca pointed to the seat next to him and said. "Oh, alright. Sit down, don''t be shy," Jason said while he helped her to turn on theptop. "You probably didn''t bring your workptop. You can use mine." "Thank you," Luca thanked him and sat in the chair. Jason smiled and replied, "You''re wee, Dr. Craw." "By the way, doesn''t thepany have a Russian trantor?" Luca asked. She wondered why Luke would ask her to trante such an important document. It was an important document and the trantor could not even leave this floor. ¡®Does that mean he trusts me?'' Luca did not know how Luke''s doubts toward her turned into trust so quickly. It was obvious that she had not brought any huge profits to thepany and he was still suspicious of her a month ago. "Thepany used to have a Russian trantor but she''s now on maternity leave. Since thepany doesn''t have much business in Russia, we didn''t find someone else to rece her. In another month, the trantor will be back to work. Maybe the boss didn''t expect there to be such a big deal taking ce now, so he had to trouble you to help trante,¡± Jason exined. Luca nodded and saw the copier beside her. She asked, "Can I use it?" "Do as you please," Jason said indifferently and started to work on his tasks. Luca picked up the document and started to make copies one by one. She did that so that she could trante better. That was because she knew that Luke did not like messy documents. When doing trantion work, it was unavoidable to scribble and draw on the papers, so she decided to make copies. Jason showed a meaningful smile when he saw what she did. "Dr. Craw, I didn''t expect you to have such good habits." Chapter 1592 "What?" Luca was thinking about Luke. She did not react immediately to what Jason had blurted out. "I said that your habits when ites to trantion work are very good. When tranting, you will inevitably have to scribble and draw on the document. It¡¯s good that you''ve made a copy so that you won''t ruin the original document," Jason said. Luca''s way of working aligned well with Luke''s habits. He thought of the trantor who was fired from T Corporation because she waszy. The trantor did not make a copy of the document but instead directly made notes on the original document. When Luke saw it, he immediately fired her. Luca''s actions would ensure that she would not step on Luke''s tail. Luca understood what he meant, nodded, and stapled the copied documents together. She sat down in a chair and got to work. She read through the document, which was about the project that T Corporation would bid for. Luca sighed. She was not sure if it was a coincidence. After she received the additional task from the Ind of Despair, she began to be involved in this project. She used to be the person who attended to the Russian guests and now, she was involved with tranting the document rted to the project... Jason heard her sigh and asked with concern, "How is it? Is it difficult to trante?" "It''s not too bad. It''s just that some of the professional terms are moreplicated. I''d need to check them before I can trante them,¡± Luca said as she opened the trantion application. Luca could understand most of the terms but she was not a professional, after all. There were still some professional terms that she did not understand. She needed to use the trantion application for the terms that she did not understand. Jason nodded and said nothing. While she was tranting, Luca made notes on the copied documents. She was so upied with work that it left her no time to overthink. She was halfway through the document when it was time for her lunch break. Jason was about to go downstairs for lunch. He kindly reminded Luca when he noticed that she had yet to realize it was lunchtime. "Dr. Craw, it''s lunchtime. Let''s grab something to eat and you can continue after lunch?" Luca snapped out of it. After she finished typing out a tranted sentence on theptop, she nced at the time and found that it was noon. "Ah, I''m not hungry. I want to continue tranting. I''ll eatter," Luca said with a smile. Jason said disapprovingly, "You have to eat even if you''re not hungry. You can continue working after you''ve eaten and rested. You''re tranting pretty fast. I''m sure you can finish it in the afternoon. The medicine you gave mest time was wonderful. Let''s go, I''ll treat you to lunch as thanks." Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. What he said was heard by Luke, who was walking to the door. His gaze sank. ¡®Are they going for lunch together?'' It seemed that the two got along quite happily after drinking together one time. Luke was upset. He asked her to sit there to do trantion work, not to build a good rtionship with Jason. He walked to the door and squinted at the two of them. Jason was by Luke''s side all year round. With just one look, he could tell that the boss was upset. He stood up straight and said, "Boss, good afternoon. Are you going for lunch?" "Bring me a set meal," Luke said. He wanted to go downstairs for lunch and bring Luca with him but when he heard Jason invite Luca to lunch, he was no longer in the mood to do so. "Okay, what set meal do you want?" Jason felt that this little bit of calm was the peace before the storm. He wondered if he had done anything to piss Luke off. After he thought about it, all he had done was ask Luca to lunch, which Luke overheard. ¡®Could it be that the boss got upset when he heard me inviting Luca to lunch?'' It seemed that he was not imagining things before this. Luke''s attention and feelings toward Luca were out of the ordinary. "Whatever." Luke looked at Luca, who was still sitting in the chair but had stopped working. ¡®Will she go for lunch with him?'' Luke thought to himself. Jason nced at the two of them. One was looking down at the document in front of her while the other was looking at her. He stood there like a third wheel and felt awkward. He tactfully found a way out for himself and said, "Dr. Craw, if you don''t want to eat, I''ll get something for you. Do you want the same thing as Mr. Crawford?" "Okay, thank you." Luca chose to stay there and continue working. Luke''s eyes flickered when he heard her reply. He was happy that she did not agree to go out with other men. Although the DNA report was not out yet, he had already thought of her as Bianca. After all, no one could imitate another person to that degree. When he heard that, Jason immediately walked out with his phone in hand. His head was still a little sore from the hangover but after being triggered by Luke, he felt as though all was well. He left as though the soles of his feet were oiled. Luca lowered her head and continued to work. Luke looked at Luca, who acted as if everything had nothing to do with her, and ordered her, "Bring the laptop and documents to my office." Luca was stunned and stopped typing. When Luke was about to leave, she stood up and asked, "Mr. Crawford, is there anything else?" "Jason talks too much. It''ll affect your progress." Luke finished speaking and left without looking back. Luca nced at the work that was halfway done. She knew she had no choice, so she picked up the laptop and document before walking to Luke''s office. Jason talked too much and she was now forced to work in Luke''s office. Luca was reluctant. Although Jason asionally talked a lot, most of the time, he was upied with his work. He did not affect her work at all. However, if she went to work in Luke''s office, it would be different. It would feel like she was being watched by him all the time. It was as though her disguise was about to be exposed. Luca felt ufortable. Since Luke told her so, she had no choice but to go. Luca walked into the office. Luke pointed to the sofa next to him and then pointed to the seat opposite him. "You can choose any seat." She took a look and decided to work on the sofa. The sofa was morefortable. However, it was not conducive to work if she put theputer on the coffee table. She knew that it was better to sit opposite him. However, sitting across from him meant that he was in sight no matter where she looked. Luca thought about it and decided that the sofa was the better option. Luke watched her walk to the sofa with theptop and sat down. Theptop was on herp while the document was beside her. ''Won''t she get tired from working like this?'' Luke did not say anything. He wanted to see how long Luca couldst. She sat on the sofa and asionally felt Luke''s eyes on her. She never once looked up and ordered herself to continue to focus on the work in front of her. Chapter 1593 Luca felt helpless while she was tranting the documents. Her back was aching after she worked on the sofa for a while. She could not work in peace being stared at by Luke like this... Her efficiency was even worse than when she was in Jason''s office... Luca did not dare to say anything. She resisted the urge to look his way even though she knew that Luke asionally gazed at her. After half an hour, her efficiency was greatly reduced. There was a knock on the door and Luke said, "Come in." Jason opened the door and walked in with two takeaway boxes in his hand. He did not see Luca when he returned to the office and noticed that theptop and document were missing, so he guessed that Luca must have gone to Luke''s office. That was why he walked in with the takeaway boxes. Sure enough, she was there. "Boss, Dr. Craw, your meals are here." Jason had bought them the same set meal. He handed one of them to Luke and left the other on the coffee table. He did not say anything and just backed out of the office before closing the door. He was thinking whether he should inform Tina to not go to the CEO''s office even if she had something to talk to Luke about. Luke opened the takeaway box and looked at the woman working on the sofa. She did not seem like she wanted to eat. "Let''s eat," he said. Luca stopped typing on the keyboard, nodded, and put theptop aside. She picked up the takeaway box that Jason got her and opened it. Jason had ordered a set meal for her and it included meatloaf. Luke did not dislike meatloaf, and Jason was not aware that Luca disliked it. Luke looked at Luca the moment he saw the meatloaf. She was also looking at him. "There''s meatloaf in here," he said. Luca nodded and nced at the takeaway box. Fortunately, there was not too much of it, so she nned to just put it aside. After all, there were other dishes that she could eat. "If you don''t want to eat it, give it to me," Luke said. Luca raised her eyebrows and hesitated for two seconds before standing up and walking in front of him. "Mr. Crawford, is this not enough for you?" "No, it''s just that I don''t like it when food is wasted." Luke cleared his throat. He had not started eating his food yet. He stretched out his hand and moved the meatloaf from Luca''s takeaway box into his own. Luca watched as he did it and did not stop him. She did not know that Luke liked meatloaf. However, seeing him ce the meatloaf into his takeaway box, she could not help but wonder if he liked eating meatloaf or he picked it out because he knew she did not like it. If it was thetter, then he had be thoughtful. She almost could not recognize him. Luke would not treat outsiders like this... Luca was suspicious. When she saw the man''s next move, she was sure that it was likely because of thetter. That was because after Luke ced all the meatloaf into his takeaway box, he moved a few pieces of chicken into her takeaway box. "Mr. Crawford, this..." Luca''s voice was hoarse as she was shocked by his actions. "I don''t like it," Luke said. Luca watched his movements silently. How could she not know what was on his mind after being his wife for so many years? It was not that Luke did not like chicken chop but he did so because he wanted to swap dishes with her. The reason was simple. It was because she did not like meatloaf. Luca looked at the takeaway box that he pushed over. She was about to take it to the sofa to eat when he said, "Eat here. Don''t dirty the sofa." Luca wanted to tell him that she was not a child and she would not dirty the sofa. However, she had to go along with what the boss wanted. While they were eating, Luca could feel that Luke would look at her intermittently. She did not know when this change started because there were not many interactions like this prior. She quickly finished her meal and just wanted to go back to the sofa. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. After she ate, Luca packed the takeaway box. She knew that Luke was a clean freak and made sure she did not drop anything on the table. She took the box outside and nned to throw it into the trash can outside. The takeaway box had a strong smell. She remembered that Luke would never throw takeaway boxes in his office''s trash can. Luke watched her walk out with the takeaway box. ''How could someone who''s eating here for the first time know to do this?'' Most people would see the trash can in the corner of his office and choose to throw their trash there. This was the first time Luca ate in his office but she chose to throw the box outside. ''No one would believe it if she''s not Bianca.'' Luke was a little excited when he thought of that. Even though the DNA test results were not out yet, he had proved once again that the Luca in front of him was Bianca. Luca came out with the bag and bumped into Jason. "Dr. Craw, are you full?" Jason had a cup of coffee in his hand. He nced behind her and made sure Luke was not there before he dared to chat with her. "Mm." Luca nodded. "How''s the set meal? It''s my first time ordering from them," Jason asked with a smile. Luca thought about it for a while and decided against telling him that she did not enjoy eating meatloaf. After all, there were not many such opportunities where he would have to order food on her behalf. "It''s delicious. The dishes are rich, the taste is good, and the texture is decent as well," she commented. "I''m d that you like it. All the best for the work that you have left on hand," Jason said with a smile and returned to his office with his coffee. Luca sighed. She needed the cheering up for the work she had left... She could not work efficiently being stared at by Luke, coupled with working on the sofa. Luca nced at the assistant''s office. She, too, wanted to get back to her work... After a while, Luke also came out with his takeaway box. He saw Luca looking wistfully at the door of the assistant''s office with a big frown on her face. ¡®Why is her expression like that?'' "Cough, cough." Luke cleared his throat. Luca snapped out of it, nodded at him, and said, "Mr. Crawford, I''m going back to work." "Mm." Luke nodded and had a slight smile on the corner of his mouth as he watched her hurriedly walk back to the CEO''s office. Although he was not satisfied with her performance, he was willing to ept this tiny w. Luca returned to the sofa, thinking that he would notment on it. Sure enough, Luke walked in after he threw away the takeaway box and did not say anything when he saw her sitting on the sofa working. Luca put theptop on the coffee table. She tranted a sentence in her head and then typed a sentence on theputer. Her efficiency was slow. Chapter 1594 After a while, Luca adjusted her posture. This time, she put theptop on herp and lowered her head to trante the document. She felt a slight pain in her neck after working like this for a while. Luca wondered how Luke did it. He always sat on the sofa to go through the documents on hisptop in an upright posture and never seemed tired. However, now that she was doing it, she was very tired. Luca could not take it any longer and patted herself on the back. She looked up at Luke, who was concentrating on reviewing documents. She pursed her lips and thought about it for a while before cing theptop on the coffee table. She then squatted on the floor. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. She felt much morefortable like this. She was feeling much morefortable working at this heightpared to when she was sitting on the sofa... Luca had just squatted for a few seconds when she heard Luke say, "Get up." She raised her head and met his gaze. He was looking at her while speaking... Luca exined herself, "Mr. Crawford, I''ll just squat for a short while..." "What will others think if theye in and see you like this?" Luke''s tone was cold without any warmth. It was a stark differencepared to how he had acted in the afternoon. Luca thought to herself that it was not the best image to present. However, those who went into Luke''s office would knock on the door. If someone knocked on the door, she would just get up and it would not affect anyone at all. However, she knew that he would never ept this exnation. Luca had no choice but to stand up and sit on the sofa. She only squatted for a while, so her feet were not numb. However, she felt a little tired. "If it''s ufortable to work there. You can sit and work here." Luke pointed to the seat opposite him and gave her one more chance to choose. Luca was no longer stubborn after seeing her work efficiency decrease. She put the document on the laptop''s keyboard, walked to the opposite side of him, and sat down. If she continued working on the sofa, her efficiency would be poor and she would have to work overtime. Luca did not want to work overtime. She just wanted to quickly trante the rest of the document and then get off work. Luke watched her sit across from him. He flipped through another page of the document he was holding and continued to scan through it. After Luca set everything up, she continued to work. It was lunch break but neither of them had the intention to take a break. They worked silently and did not speak to each other until Luca''sptop notified her that the battery was low. She stopped her trantion work and nced at Luke. She had apanyptop and all of the employees used the same model, so she assumed that Luke would have a charger with him. "Mr. Crawford, do you have aptop charger?" Luca broke the silence. Luke nced at herptop. His workptop was different from the brand used by thepany''s employees. He shook his head, picked up the phone, and instructed Jason, "Bring me aptop charger." After a while, Jason walked in with a charger. "Boss, here''s the charger you asked for." He put the charger on the table. Luke nodded. Seeing that Luke had no further instructions, Jason left the office. Luca plugged in the charger and wanted to connect it to the power socket but she had a problem. There were no power sockets on her side. The sockets were all on Luke''s side. "Mr. Crawford, can I trouble you to help me?" Luca picked up the end that was going to be connected to the socket and handed it to him. Luke took it and helped her plug it in. The screen of herptop suddenly lit up. Luca saw it and resumed her trantion work. At three o''clock in the afternoon, Jason called Luke through the internal line. "Boss, the front desk called and said that Ms. Tia is in the lobby. Do you want to meet her?" The volume was a little loud and Luca could hear everything. ''Tia. Is she here to ask Luke for credit?'' Luca remembered that Jason mentioned she had drunk with the Russians the night before. It was likely that they had taken advantage of her. "No, tell her that I''m busy." Luke turned the request down without a second thought. Jason was taken back. ''How could the boss reject Ms. Tia after asking her for help? He refused to meet her without even thinking about it... How ruthless...'' He replied, "Okay, I know what to do." As soon as Luke hung up the call, Jason immediately replied to the front desk, "The boss has something to do now. ou can send her away." After the front desk receptionist received the instructions from Jason, she said politely to Tia, "Ms. Tia, our boss is in a meeting now and has no time to see you today. Would you like to make an appointment for another day?" When Tia heard that, her expression changed. The man who was in contact with her yesterday was unavable today? Was he telling her that she meant nothing to him after she helped him entertain the Russians? Tia could not believe it. She was unwilling to believe that Luke took advantage of her. She told herself that he was probably busy with work. ''So what if he''s busy? I have no clients today anyway. I have the time to wait.'' Tia had given up many clients who wanted to consult with her to allow more opportunities and time for her to be in contact with Luke. She wanted to make him be more attentive to herself. Therefore, Tia was not willing to give up. "He''s in a meeting? That''s okay, I can wait," she said, not intending to leave. The front desk receptionist was not sure how to proceed. Jason meant for her to shoo Tia away but even after she used the excuse that Luke was in a meeting, she could not send Tia on her merry way. She looked at Tia with a smile on her face. Women like her who pestered their boss were annoying. They seemed to think that they would get special treatment after meeting him once or twice. The front desk receptionist said, "Ms. Tia, please wait here. Once the boss'' meeting is over, I''ll inform him again." "Wait here? I''m a friend of your boss. I helped him deal with some business partners previously. If I have to wait, I should wait in the reception room upstairs." Tia immediatelyunched an attack. The people waiting here were people who wanted to work with Luke. They were people who were waiting for business opportunities. ''I''m nothing like these peasants.'' These people just wanted to get a piece of the pie from Luke, while she had done everything in her ability to help Luke. "Uh, give me a moment." The front desk receptionist could not do anything but did not dare to let Tia up either. She called Jason. After he heard what the front desk receptionist said, Jason sighed upon realizing they were being cornered. Their boss wanted to quietly kick thedder but the dder'' was unrelenting and difficult to deal with. In desperation, Jason replied, "Ask her to wait in the reception room on the third floor. Also, tell her that you''ll only know if the boss is free after he''s done with his meeting." Chapter 1595 "Okay, I understand." The front desk receptionist nodded, picked up an elevator pass, and waved it on the sensor. With this restricted card, Tia could use the elevator to get to the third floor only. The front desk receptionist respectfully handed the card as she said, "Ms. Tia, please go to the reception room on the third floor and wait there. We¡¯ll keep you informed if the boss has the time to meet you after he¡¯s done with his meeting." "The third floor?" Tia''s eyes grew wide at the news that they were only allowing her into the reception room on the third floor. Previously when she went to the reception rooms, she always went to the ones on the tenth floor or above. Never once had she gone to a reception room on a floor lower than the tenth floor. "Yes, this is what Mr. Doyle said. The reception room on the CEO''s floor needs to be disinfected. Oh no, what I mean is that except for the reception room on the third floor, which was disinfected yesterday, all other reception rooms are being disinfected today. He told me to not let any guests go to the other reception rooms." The front desk receptionist tactfully thought of an excuse. Even if Tia was suspicious of the reason the front desk receptionist gave, there was no way for her to verify it. Tia thought that the option she was given was still better than waiting in the lobby, so she took the card and walked to the elevator. After Jason got a call from the front desk receptionist saying that Tia had settled down, he called Luke on the internal line and told him exactly what the front desk receptionist said. When Luca heard Jason saying that Tia would not leave and was waiting in the reception room on the third floor, she was secretly overjoyed. The reason for her reaction was simple. She saw how Luke kicked down thedder. He did not give Tia any special treatment just because she helped him. Although it was ungrateful of him to do this, it seemed that Luke was not interested in Tia. It seemed that he had only approached Tia for a specific reason and those scandals were fake. Luca secretly rejoiced in her heart, and her work efficiency improved after that. Before she got off work, she tranted the entire document and even checked it twice. She found no trantion or grammatical errors, so she sent the tranted document to Luke''s work mailbox. "Mr. Crawford, the document has been tranted," Luca said while she handed both the original and copied document to Luke. Luke opened his mailbox and went through it. After five minutes, he said, "Mm, not bad. You can head off now." "Okay. Thank you, Mr. Crawford." Luca stood up and put away theptop, intending to return it to Jason. Luke looked up at her and said, "I mean, you can leave work earlier today." N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Luca was stunned. She nced at the time and it was almost time to get off work. After she went downstairs to check on the progress of the experiment, it would almost be time to get off work anyway. She looked at the documents piled up on Luke''s desk. Although he had been working very efficiently the whole afternoon, the unprocessed documents came more quickly. It seemed that he had to work overtime again. Luca asked, "Okay, I see. Mr. Crawford, do you need me to pick Tommy up from school today?" "No need." Luke thought about it for a few seconds and said, "Zander has time today to pick him up from school." "Okay." Luca wanted to spend some time with Tommy because she was not sure when this peace would be broken but since Luke said that she did not need to, she would not insist on picking Tommy up. She left slightly disappointed. After Luca left, Luke picked up the inte and called Jason. "Is Tia still in the reception room?" he asked. He had made her wait all afternoon and wondered if she was still there. "Yes, Boss. Ms. Tia is still waiting for you in the reception room on the third floor. Are you going to see her now?" Jason had asked the front desk receptionist to keep an eye on Tia and inform him if she got impatient and left. However, up until they were about to pack up, the front desk receptionist had yet to call him. He could only assume that Tia was still waiting downstairs. It was obvious that Tia had wonderful perseverance. After an entire afternoon, she was still waiting for Luke. If it were someone else, they would have left long ago. When Luca returned theptop, she happened to overhear what Jason said. She quietly put theptop on the table but did not leave. On the one hand, she nned to thank Jason in person for lending her hisputer. On the other hand, she wanted to know what Luke intended when he asked if Tia was still around right after she left. ¡®Is he going to see Tia? If he wants to see Tia, there''s no need to go behind my back to do it...'' When Luca thought that he might be going to see Tia behind her back and he only put it off because she was in his office before this, she could not help but feel sour. Luke replied, "No, tell her that I have an urgent matter and have left the office." Luca heard the voice on the other end of the phone. Luke still did not want to see Tia. The corners of her mouth could not help but raise as the sourness in her heart was swept away. She felt wonderful. Although she was no longer Luke''s dearest, she felt content that no other woman was as well. "Okay, I understand," Jason said and hung up the call. Luca cleared her throat and said, "Mr. Doyle, thank you for today." "Dr. Craw, you''re wee. If it weren''t for your help, I wouldn''t know where to find a Russian trantor to help trante such a lengthy document," Jason said. "What about Ms. Tia?" Luca pointed downstairs and gestured. "Ms. Tia''s proficiency in Russian is good but she''s not well-versed in the corporate world. It''s fine for her to entertain the Russians but it might be better to find a university student to trante the document than to let her do it. Dr. Craw, it doesn''t seem like you felt any pressure to trante the document. You have a certain understanding of business, right?" Jason asked curiously. Luca nodded and replied, "I took a simr course in university." "You have some knowledge in architecture too, yeah? Otherwise, it wouldn''t have been this easy for you to finish the trantion," Jason said. In addition to the rtively professional business terms, the rest involved a level ofmand in architectural design. However, Luca went through the entire process without aint. The trantion process went pretty smoothly. "I learned a little about it when I was in university too. I''ll go down first." Luca was afraid that he would continue to ask and she would have to exin everything, so she left in a hurry. Jason looked at Luca as she left. He smiled, called the front desk, and ryed Luke''s message. Tia waited all afternoon for nothing. When Luca returned to her office, theb''s researchers had already gotten off work. Rhett gave her a summary of the experiment. Luca wondered if she should leave work earlier. Ultimately, she took the experiment summary home to read. After she clocked out, Luca took the elevator to the first floor and bumped into Tia, who seemed furious. Chapter 1596 Luca knew why she was in such a foul mood. Tia waited the entire afternoon to see Luke only to be informed that he had left thepany. Of course, she was angry. When she saw Tia lose her temper at the front desk receptionist, Luca did not want to provoke her and left directly. Tia saw Luca leave casually and threw the card back to the front desk receptionist. She quickly walked to Luca and said, "Dr. Craw, are you off work?" Luca looked at her provocative appearance and stopped walking. "Yes, it''s time to get off work." When that was mentioned, Tia was massively annoyed as she thought that Luca mentioned it on purpose. She waited in the reception room for the whole afternoon but was not able to see Luke. At that moment, she could not help but throw her temper at Luca. "I didn''t expect you to be so free that you can get off work on time." "Ipleted what I needed to do for the day. It shouldn''t be a problem for me to get off work on time. Ms. Tia, are you here because you have an appointment with Mr. Crawford?" Luca was a little impatient and did not want to pay attention to her but since Tia wanted to have a go at her, she deliberately said something to trigger her. When Luke was mentioned, Tia''s expression turned even more sour as she nced around. Due to her deliberately provocative behavior, many people were looking at her. "Yeah, I wanted to talk to Luke about something but I didn''t expect him to be so busy. He''s such a workaholic to the point that he has no time to take care of his personal affairs." Tia deliberately acted like she knew Luke very well to save her dignity. If it were not for what she had just seen in the office before this, Luca might have felt a little sad. However, she just thought that Tia was making a fool of herself now. Tia did all these to get Luke. She understood that. That was why she felt a little helpless, but she was not too upset about the situation. Tia went all out just so she could be Luke''s woman. However, Luke... Luca initially thought he had different intentions toward Tia, but after today, she knew that she had misunderstood him. In that case, his focus was still on her, or to be specific, on Bianca. On the one hand, Luca hoped that Luke could forget the past, start over, and live a good life with the children. On the other hand, she did not want him to forget her just like that. She looked at Tia, who was in front of her. She was a poor lovesick woman. Luca was not sure how far she would go for Luke. Luca had met a lot of people who were willing to give their all for Luke. They would not give up even if they hit a wall. "I''ll be leaving now." Luca did not uncover her lie and chose to walk out. Tia looked at Luca with jealousy in her eyes. Although Luca acted innocent with Luke, her instincts as a woman told her that Luca was a powerful opponent. Luca was even more powerful than Bianca, who was having a jolly time abroad. Luca knew that Tia was watching her but she did not look back and walked right out of T Corporation''s building. While she was waiting for her ride, she received a call from Queenie. "Luca, are you off work?" Queenie''s voice sounded tired and a little apprehensive. Luca guessed that Queenie was tired from taking care of Leia. After all, Leia was her adopted child for more than 20 years. Now that Leia was sick, Queenie could never bring herself to abandon Leia. Her apprehension could be because she felt bad for troubling Luca. "Mm, I just got off work. Aunt Queenie, are you okay? You sound a little tired," Luca asked, concerned. "It''s nothing, I''m just a little tired from standing." Queenie turned around and nced at the entrance of the ward. Leia was still tossing around in the ward, making a fuss and demanding to be discharged. However, it was not the best idea for her to be discharged due to her current condition... "By the way, Luca, you said that Leia''s condition can be treated with herbal medicine, right?" Luca stopped a taxi, got in the car, and replied, "Yes, it''s true that she can take herbal medicine to recover, but she would need to drink it every day and the concoction is quite bitter. It''s good for her body and can slow down the deterioration of her vital organs. I''ve alreadye up with the form. If Ms. Leia agrees to the treatment n, then I''ll send you the form tonight." When Queenie heard that the form could slow down the failure of Leia''s organs, she immediately agreed. "Nothing else matters as long as it''s good for her. Luca, thank you." "Aunt Queenie, don''t worry about it. How about this? I''ll send you the form when I get home. In the future, you can follow my form and prepare the concoction that Ms. Leia will have to take once a day. If she consistently takes it, she''ll see the effects soon enough," Luca said. She had an idea of the herbs that she could use when she first took Leia''s pulse. However, she had to be careful with the dosage, so that was why she had yet to send the form. However, if Leia''s situation could not be improved, it was not only her who would suffer but also Queenie. Luca was reluctant to let Queenie suffer. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. "Okay. Thank you, Luca. If she drinks that form, can Leia be discharged from the hospital?" Queenie asked. Leia, who was stuck in the ward, made a fuss about wanting to be discharged from the hospital every day. Her fragile nerves were close to a breakdown. "Yes. You can also show the form to the doctor to see if it needs to bebined with the medicine that she''s currently taking. If he thinks it needs to bebined, then she can take both. Apart from that, please help me keep this form secret," Luca said. Queenie knew that Luca liked keeping a low profile and hurriedly agreed. After Luca returned to her apartment, she bought some herbs at a nearby store and began to formte Leia''s medicine. She had read the examination report but it was not very helpful. When Luca was formting the concoction, she based it purely on her medical knowledge and intuition. Although Shanks was from the Ind of Despair, she had him to thank for the medical skills that she had. Luca looked at the concoction and hoped that the recipe Shanks had given her before would work. Queenie was soft-hearted and could not bear to see Leia suffer. Queenie''s life would get better only if Leia got better. After Luca sent the form to Queenie, she received a call from Luke. "Where are you?" The voice on the other end of the phone was hoarse and low. It seemed to carry a touch of tenderness as well. Luca listened and felt her heart beat faster. When she put the phone close to her ear and listened to this voice, she felt as if Luke was in her ear, talking to her softly. Luca replied subconsciously, "I''m in the apartment." Luke noticed that she referred to it as an apartment, not a home. In her mind, she had not considered that house a home. ¡®If that''s not her home, where is it?'' The DNA test results were not out but Luke already had a feeling that he could look forward to seeing them. "I sent a document to your mailbox. Please help me trante it. I need it by tomorrow morning,¡± Luke snapped out of it and said. "Ah, okay." Luca listened to hismanding tone and felt as though the gentleness just now was just a hallucination. Chapter 1597 Luca breathed a sigh of relief. Although she craved Luke''s tenderness, she was also afraid of it. She was worried that she would be sucked into it and could not help but throw all caution to the wind. After Luke heard her reply, he hung up the call. When she heard the busy tone, Luca came back to her senses, went into the bedroom to pick up herptop, and then went to the living room to connect it to the inte. Sure enough, she had received a document from Luke in her mailbox. She opened it and found that the document was all in Russian. After a brief readthrough, it seemed to be rted to the architectural design project. Luca frowned. It was not that thest-minute task made her a little annoyed and unhappy. She was just a little perplexed as to why Luke sent her another document rting to the project considering that it was a secret to the entire T Corporation. Even the previously tranted document waspleted under his supervision. After she looked through it, there was not much to trante. She estimated that she couldplete the trantion in an hour or so. Luca nced at the time. It was gettingte, so she downloaded the file and started tranting. On the other hand. Luke looked at theputer screen and asked, "Is it done?" "Mm, she has already downloaded the file and the program has been installed into herptop. You can view the messages that she receives at any time." Adrian Daley handed theptop to Luke. Luke had asked him to design a program that would be automatically installed on the other party''s laptop as soon as the file with the program was downloaded. With that, he could ess all of the other party''s documents. Luke took theptop and nced at it. As long as the program was turned on, all the data from Luca''s laptop would be downloaded to hisptop. That way, he would know all of her secrets. Percy, who was on the side, swayed his ss of red wine and shook his head as he said, "I didn''t expect that there would be a day when you''d monitor other people''sptops in person. What a surprise." Luke rolled his eyes at him and said nothing. Percy asked, "What? Are you sure that she''s your wife who has been missing for three years?" "No." Luke turned off theptop. He did not need to spy on Luca''s privacy yet. He nned to wait until the DNA report came out tomorrow. "Why did you install the program and are monitoring it yourself if you''re not sure? If the DNA test shows that she''s not your wife, what are you going to do? Will you uninstall the program?" Percy asked deliberately. "No," Luke answered without a second thought. He put theptop aside and raised his ss. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. "Tsk tsk, you still want to peep at her privacy even if she''s not your wife? She''s not amercial spy. It''s not good for you to do this." Percy mocked him. He was having fun looking at how duplicitous Luke was acting. Luke nced at him sideways. If Luca was not Bianca, he would not uninstall the program because her habits were so simr to Bianca''s. He wanted to find out the secret that she was hiding. Percy shook his head and took another sip of red wine. "Pierre has been on the move recently." Luke reminded him. "What he does is within my control." Percy was calm. Most of the time, he was not bothered with his younger brother. Regardless, they were brothers. If Pierre got himself into trouble, Percy would help solve it. Luke said, "He''s interested in Nina. If you don''t deal with it soon, your wife may run away." "Don''t curse me." Percy became nervous when Nina was mentioned. He did not want Luke to notice it, so he said, "It''s useless for you to drag me through the mud. You''d better pay attention to your Dr. Craw." Percy did not want others to mention Nina. "You do you, I do me." Luke meant that as long as Percy did not get involved with Luca, he would not mention Nina. "Right." Percy nodded. Even though they were friends, he did not want anyone to interfere in his rtionship with Nina. "Also, thank you for the program. I''m heading off now." Luke stood up since the task had been completed. Percy teased him. "You''re just going to head off? Adrian helped you so much but you''re not going to buy him a meal? He worked overnight to rush this program for you." Luke nced at him and said coldly, "It''ll be Old Master Crawford''s birthday in two weeks. I have to go back and prepare for it. Order whatever you want to and send me the bill." He nned to throw a big celebration for Old Master Crawford''s birthday. However, the butler could not do it alone and Susan was unreliable. As Old Master Crawford''s grandson, he nned to handle it himself. "Okay, go." Percy waved his hand. He was just teasing Luke. Luke left with theptop. When he returned to Crawford Manor, the children gathered around him with their homework in their hands. "Dad, the butler has already checked our homework. You just need to sign off on it," Tommy said with a smile. Luke put down theptop, picked up a pen, and signed his name on the children''s exercise books. Old Master Crawford, who was sitting on the side, watched this scene and sighed. "Have you been busy with work?" "I''m alright." Luke put away the pen after he signed Rainie''s workbook. "Your work is keeping you upied and you don''t have much time to take care of the children. Luke, it''s time for you to think about it and find someone to help you share the burden." Old Master Crawford reminded him. Luke looked at Old Master Crawford and suddenly regretted telling him about the fake Bianca. He only told him the truth to avoid being interrogated. Luke did not expect that Old Master Crawford would keep urging him to find a new wife after he knew about it. Luke was hesitating on whether to tell Old Master Crawford of his suspicions but decided against it for the time being. Old Master Crawford seemed to like Luca a little more. If he knew that there was such a possibility, he would make a move. It would not be the best thing if Luca noticed it. If Luca was Bianca, there must be a reason why she was lurking by his side with that identity. "Grandpa, have you chosen a hotel for your birthday banquet?" Luke asked. Old Master Crawford felt a headache when the words ¡®birthday banquet'' were mentioned. Several hotels wanted to be the venue for the event so they had been taking turns to please him for thest two days. The gifts and discounts kept oning. Old Master Crawford did not enjoy dealing with these things. He waved his hand and said, "The hotels are all good. I''ll leave it to you to decide. If you don''t know which to choose, just draw lots." Luke raised his eyebrows and replied, "Okay." "That''s it, right?" Although Old Master Crawford enjoyed a crowd, it was only limited to his family members. He felt that it was troublesome to hold such arge birthday banquet. Chapter 1598 "I''ll let you draw the lots to decide which hotel we''ll be going to," said Luke as he took a piece of paper out of his briefcase and tore it into four equal squares. He had specifically picked the hotels and nned to let the old master decide which one he would prefer to celebrate his birthday party at. Hence, he knew all the hotel names. He folded the papers after writing down the hotel names on them, then he ced them on the coffee table. What Luke did had caught the children''s attention. They stood beside the coffee table and looked at Old Master Crawford. It was a pretty good idea to solve the problem. Old Master Crawford drew one of the papers casually. "This will be it." "Alright." Luke opened it and looked at it. "Daddy, what hotel is it?" Rainie was curious. "Hotel Viking," answered Luke. Rainie immediately replied, "Didn''t Mommy participate in the design of that hotel?" There was a deafening silence in the living room after she said that. Rainie realized that she might have said something wrong, so she quickly added, "I''m going upstairs to sleep. Goodnight, Daddy. Goodnight, Great-grandpa." "Come on,e on. It''s time for bed." Old Master Crawford shot a nce at Luke. Back then, he could notice the subtle changes in Luke''s expression whenever someone mentioned Bianca. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . However, Luke looked unusually calm at this moment. Something was wrong... Old Master Crawford was eager to know if he had found out anything, but Luke stood up and headed upstairs before he managed to say anything. Old Master Crawford nced at the butler beside him. "Do you know what happened to him?" Mr. Griffin shook his head. "Young Master Luke wouldn''t tell me anything even if something did happen." "Keep a close eye on him," Old Master Crawford ordered. He would send someone to find out since Luke refused to tell him about it. "Yes," answered Mr. Griffin. How was he supposed to find out if Luke intended to keep the matter to himself? He helped the old master when he saw him standing up. The following day. Luke drove to the hospital after he sent the children to school. He came too early. Johann had yet to put on his white coat when he entered his office. He nced at the time when he saw Luke walking in, and he said in a teasing manner, "You''re so early. You couldn''t wait to know the results, huh?" Luke rolled his eyes at him. Johann surrendered at once. "Alright. I''m not going to make fun of you. And it''s early, so they''re probably still doing the report. You might have to wait for another half an hour." "Sure," replied Luke. He could wait for half an hour. There were some things he would have to wait for. Johann put on his white coat and looked at the time. He said, "I''m going for my ward round first. I''ll get the report for you after that." The DNA test this time was extremely important. He did not feel assured to leave the matter to someone else to handle after the incident with Bianca''s impostor. Hence, he decided to take the matter into his own hands. The people who helped with the test were those he personally knew well. "Alright," Luke replied. He picked up his phone and opened his mailbox. There was a flicker in his eyes when he saw the trantion text that Luca sent himst night. Johann knew Luke was feeling anxious, but the results could not be rushed. He left the office and went for his ward round. He headed to the diagnostics center only after he finished the ward round and solved the minor issues the patients were having. He was carrying the freshly printed report in his hands. Without dy, Johann handed the report to Luke. "This is the DNA test report. I haven''t read it. Here you go." Luke picked up the report. It was only a report consisting of a few sheets of paper, but it was surprisingly heavy when he held it in his hands. Once he turned the page, the truth would be revealed. What would he do if Luca was not Bianca? The moment Luke began to wonder if Luca was Bianca, he already noticed that he had different feelings toward Luca. However, Bianca was the only one who had ever made him feel that way for a woman. He would not be able to handle it if he found out Luca was not Bianca. Johann got anxious when he saw that Luke was not opening the report. "What are you doing? Open it now." What Johann said made him no longer hesitate. He opened the report right away, skipping the glossary of gic terms and turning to thest page. The probability of Tommy and Luca being mother and son was 99.9%... "What is it?" Johann looked at Luke staring at the report while frozen in ce. He was dying to snatch that report from Luke and look at it himself. He reckoned he would have done that if he were not afraid of Luke''s death stare. "She''s Bianca," replied Luke. He was shocked and a little bewildered at the same time. "Really?" Johann grabbed the report from him, and he saw the end of the report. He felt happy for Luke. ¡°Congrattions! She''s fine, and she came back to you." He had witnessed for himself how deeply in love Luke was with her. Now that Bianca had returned, he was naturally happy for them as Luke''s friend. Johann thought of telling Percy about it, but when he saw the expression on Luke''s face, it seemed that the man was not excited at all. Apart from astonishment, there was only confusion on his face. He patted Luke''s shoulder. ¡°What''s wrong with you? Are you alright?" "Luca is Bianca," Luke repeated as if he was reminding himself about it. ¡°Yes, she''s Bianca. It''s been three years. I didn''t expect her to be so capable now. Your wife is really something else!" Johann eximed. Previously, Bianca was clueless about medicine. However, she came back as an expert in the medical profession. ¡°She''s Bianca. But why did shee back with a different face? Why did she approach me with another identity?" Luke asked. Johann did not consider that much, but his smile was frozen after Luke posed such questions. Yes, Luca was Bianca. However, everything that she was doing now was very suspicious. She loved Luke so much. Even though something might have happened which caused her looks to change, it was suspicious that she did not acknowledge Luke and her children upon her return. She was different from the Bianca she used to be. Johann only thought of this after he felt happy for Luke. Even so, no matter how hard they tried to find the answer, Bianca was the only one who could answer their questions. He asked, ¡°Are you nning to expose her?" ¡°Shred the report," Luke nced at the report and said. Johann furrowed his brows, but he still put the report into the shredder. Listening to the shredding sound of the machine, they knew the report was in shreds now. It was because Luke had emphasized to not leave any traces behind in the hospital. It indicated that they would have to do the test again if they wanted to get another report. Luke did that only because he did not want anyone else to know about it, and at the same time, he did not n to expose Luca. Luke stood up after he watched the machine shred the report into pieces. ¡°I''m not going to expose Luca. She must have her own reasons, and it must be rted to the mastermind behind her." There must be a reason why she returned with a new face and a new identity after being kidnapped. Chapter 1599 "Alright, I got it. I''ll keep this a secret," Johann nodded and said. Luke left the hospital and returned to T Corporation. Jason served him a cup of coffee not long after he entered the office. "Boss, do you need me to postpone the meeting until afternoon?" he asked. Luke did not inform him in advance today and camete to the office. Hence, he took the liberty of postponing the meeting. He needed to ask for his opinion now. Luke nced at the time and asked, "Did Dr. Crawe to the office?" "Yes. Looking at the time, she should be doing experiments downstairs." Jason reckoned. Luke took off his coat and ordered, "Don''t postpone it to the afternoon. Get ready for the meeting now. Ask Dr. Craw to take the minutes." Jason had been nodding his head, but he was startled when he heard that Luca would be taking the meeting minutes. Had Luca''s job changed? Why would she take the meeting minutes? However, Jason had no choice but to follow his boss'' orders. He answered, "Yes, Boss. But what if Dr. Craw is busy?" After all, she sometimes could not be interrupted when she was experimenting. As he did not inform Luca about it in advance, there was a possibility that Luca would not be able to take time off from doing her experiments. Luke shot him a cold nce. Jason shivered for a moment. He must have talked too much. Luca had to attend the meeting no matter whether she was free or not. It was for no other reason but just because T Corporation belonged to Luke Crawford. He added, "I''ll inform Dr. Craw and the other executives to get ready for the meeting." Jason left the office after that. Luke was a little stunned when she was notified by Jason. Did he just ask her to take the minutes? They were having such a confidential meeting, yet he actually asked her to take the meeting minutes. This was... Luca recalled the mission she was assigned. Every action that Luke made had indicated that he wanted her to be involved in the project. If that was the case, the information about the tendering that she had to steal would be an easy task for her. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Jason listened to the silence from the other side of the phone. He was secretly praying that she would not reject him. Otherwise, he was the one who had to suffer. ¡°Dr. Craw, are you avable?" "I''m avable. But I''m not familiar with the task..." Luca felt a little awkward. "It''s alright as long as you''re able to understand what they''re talking about and take the minutes. The project they''ll be discussing during the meeting this time revolves around the tranted text you did. I''m guessing you''ve gotten a rough idea on the topic after going through the document?" Jason tried to not pressure her too much. Luca was speechless. Indeed, she understood what it was about, and she was knowledgeable in architecture design too. Taking minutes for this meeting would be easy for her. "I got it. Is the meeting taking ce ten minutester?" She agreed to take on the task. "Yes." Jason let out a sigh of relief. He had butterflies in his stomach when Luke asked Luca to attend the meeting and take the minutes. He even wondered if he should be the one taking the minutes instead to make things easier for Luca. She was a researcher, after all, not a wordsmith. Tina walked in after Jason hung up the phone. She asked, "Mr. Doyle, are we having a meetingter? Which secretary do we need to assign to take the minutes?" Tina had always been responsible for this. Jason shook his head and replied, "There''s no need to arrange that. Our boss has already made the arrangements." "The arrangements have been made? But we weren''t informed about that. I don''t see the other secretaries doing anything yet, so who did he ask to take the minutes?" Tina was confused. The person who was assigned to take the minutes would always have to get ready in advance. "Dr. Craw." Jason put the recording pen in his pocket. "What? Did I just hear that right?" Tina thought she was hearing things. Was Luca not doing her experiments downstairs? Why was she being transferred upstairs to take the minutes? "Yes, you did. The boss asked Dr. Craw to do it. So, all of you can take a rest. Oh, please take these printed documents to the meeting roomter and get the coffee ready. That''s all." Jason picked up his laptop. "Why was Dr. Craw asked to attend the meeting? That''s not right. Did you get it wrong." Tina walked toward him and took the documents into her arms. "I didn''t. He even emphasized it. It''s probably because Dr. Craw is the only one who can speak Russian. No one among the secretaries knows how to speak Russian, so we have to trouble Dr. Craw to do it." Jason thought of an excuse to brush Tina off. However, Tina was not a fool. Although Luca knew how to speak Russian, the people who were attending the meeting were from theirpany. It did not matter whether one knew how to speak Russian or not. Even so, she did not expose him despite understanding what was going on. She nodded and said, "We''ll have to thank Dr. Craw. The trantor will be back in a few weeks. After that, there''ll be no need to trouble Dr. Craw anymore." "Yeah," Jason replied and carried hisptop to the meeting room downstairs. Luca brought herptop along with her when it was almost time for the meeting. She slowly made her way upstairs. She had left everything in theboratory to Rhett. Hence, she was not worried about the experiments. What she had to do now was to focus on taking the meeting minutes. Luca saw Jenni when she entered the meeting room. Was she part of the meeting too? Luca thought she was only a manager in thepany. She did not expect Jenni to y such an important role in T Corporation that she was even eligible to attend this meeting... Jenni saw Luca too. She was a little startled. ¡°Dr. Craw? Did youe to the wrong ce?" "No, she didn''t. Dr. Craw, please sit here." Jason greeted her and pointed at the right seat next to the CEO''s seat. Luca nodded and sat down on the seat assigned to her. Jenni asked, "Mr. Doyle, what is the meaning of this? Shouldn''t Dr. Craw be working in theboratory downstairs?" Jason understood what she meant, and he answered, "It''s the boss'' arrangements. The meeting document was tranted by Dr. Craw this time, so he asked Dr. Craw to take the meeting minutes. Why? Is there something wrong with the arrangement?" Jenni heard what he said and could not help butin, "Is that appropriate? Asking Dr. Craw who works in ab to do the paperwork? Is this a joke?" "Why not? Dr. Craw can speak fluent Russian. That''s why she helped with the tranting, and our boss has gone through the tranted document too. There''s nothing wrong with it. Why can''t Dr. Craw rece the trantor when you cane to the meeting on behalf of your division manager?" Jason was a little fed up with her annoying behavior. She was just here on behalf of her division manager. What made her think that she was better than the others? Luca immediately understood when she heard that. Jenni did not have a high position in T Corporation at all. Jenni''s face was flushed red out of embarrassment after what he said to her. She exined, "I didn''t mean to attend the meeting on behalf of my division manager. I came here only because she was feeling unwell and she went to the hospital." "You''re not the only one who can be here on behalf of someone else. The others can do that too. Dr. Craw is capable enough." Jason no longer looked at her. He stood up, nning to distribute the documents. Chapter 1600 Jason had spoken on behalf of Luca. Jenni pouted and did not continue to speak. She was unconvinced. Luca was merely a researcher, yet she was still able to participate in such a big project meeting. If the project seeded, it would be thergest architectural design project of the year for T Corporation... People who took part in the project would receive a bonus reward andmission when the time came. The most important thing was that one could gain Luke''s recognition. Luca listened to the conversation between Jason and Jenni. She was not bothered by it. What she had in mind was why Luke asked her to attend the meeting. Attending the meeting was equivalent to her being partly involved in the project. Luca switched on herptop. It had been a long time since she took minutes. She thought for a few seconds, then she opened a folder. Jason ced the recording pen beside her hand and said, ¡°Dr. Craw, you can use the recording pen if you don''t have one." Luca indeed did not have one. She took it and thanked him with a smile on her face. "Thank you." Jenni, who was sitting there, sneered when she saw this scene. Luca was using her good looks to hook up with Jason and Luke. How shameless. Jason distributed all the documents to everyone in the meeting room. Luke entered the meeting room right after he finished distributing them. Those people in the meeting room who were busy talking about thepany''s matter fell silent all of a sudden. They turned to look at the man with the strong aura sitting down on the CEO''s seat. They said in unison, "Good morning, Boss." "Get ready for the meeting." Luke sat down and opened the document andptop in front of him. Luca looked down. The distance between both of them was very close as the seats were side by side. She could feel the man''s breath. Her hands trembled slightly as she switched on the recording pen. Jason handed Luke the data, and the meeting officially began. Luke was chairing the whole meeting. He talked about every detail in the tender nning that should be dealt with and asked every department to be prepared for it. Luca was taking the meeting minutes while listening to their discussion. It had been a long time since she did this. It was a little difficult for her to do it now. She could barely catch up with their discussion. The meetingsted for three hours. It seemed like it would end after their lunch break. When the meeting finally ended and everything had been discussed thoroughly, the employees started to leave. As Jenni watched the rest leave, she was thinking of showing off in front of Luke. Hence, she mustered her courage and came up to Luke. ¡°Boss, I have some personal thoughts about the project this time. I''d like to have a moment to share them with you." Luke stood up and nced at Jenni. Then, he continued to tidy up the meeting documents. "Who''s this?" Jenni was startled and felt embarrassed at the same time. However, she knew that she would not always be given a chance to disy her skills in front of Luke. Besides, T Corporation had so many employees, so it was normal for him to not remember her. Jason almost burst outughing, but he forced himself to hold back hisughter because of his professionalism. He said, "Boss, this is Jenni from the nning department. The manager of the nning department isn''t feeling well today, so she took a sick leave. Jenni came to attend the meeting on her behalf." Luke nodded as his gaze fell on Luca. Her fingers were still hitting the keyboard rapidly. It seemed like she waspleting thest part of the minutes. He knocked on the table in front of her. Luca was stunned for a moment. She lifted her head and looked at him. "Mr. Crawford?" "Come to my officeter," Luke ordered. "Ah, alright." Luca had no idea what he was thinking about but she had no choice but to say yes. Jenni would have thought that he was saying that to her if he had not knocked on the table. However, she knew she was beingpletely ignored at this moment. It was Luca again. She could attract Luke''s attention by just sitting there! She was indeed a seductress... Jenni stared at her resentfully, and her hands were clenched into fists. She had a good idea and refused to give up the chance to get Luke''s attention. "Boss, I." Luke ignored her, and he left without looking back. Jenni stood there, dumbfounded. Even if he refused to listen to her, he should have at least given her a response. What the hell was that? Jason shook his head and reminded her, "Boss doesn''t like people overstepping their authority. You have a superior. If you have any good suggestions, you should report them to your superior. If your superior decides to implement them, then she''ll report to our boss." Jenni was unconvinced. "My superior is in the hospital." "She''s not going to be in the hospital for the rest of her life. You''ll only make others feel like you can''t wait to overstep your superior''s authority if you''re in such a hurry to do these things." Jason tidied up and gave her another reminder. "All you have to do is do your part well." Luca stood up and left with Jason without saying anything. Jenni was stomping furiously as she watched them leave. At first, she thought she could get Luke''s attention, but based on what Jason had told her, Luke had probably given her a bad review in his heart. No way! She had to do something. After Luca left the meeting room, she got into the same elevator that was heading upstairs together with Jason. She carried herptop in her arms and thought of Luke''s order just now. She was feeling slightly nervous. She could only ask Jason if he knew something. He had always been beside Luke, so he must know something about it. ¡°Mr. Doyle, why do I feel like Mr. Crawford wants me to participate in the project this time?" Jason grinned as he nodded, then he said, "It seems like it. But if you''re asking me why the boss wants you involved, I truly don''t know." "But my research has reached the most important stage. Tell me, can I..." Luca hesitated. She did not want to participate in the project this time, but she would not be able to get the tendering document if she withdrew herself. However, if she participated in this, she would be forced to do something to put Luke at a disadvantage. "I''m not sure about this. Why don''t you try to talk to the boss? He might have some other arrangements," replied Jason. Luca nodded as she watched the elevator reach the top floor. She walked out of the elevator and headed to Luke''s office. Before this, she never thought that she would be going in and out of here regrly again. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. The office''s door was left open as if it was waiting for her. Luke stood beside the window. He heard noises, so he turned around and looked at Luca. "Mr. Crawford, I might need some time to arrange the meeting minutes," said Luca. They were communicating in English without using any foreignnguages throughout the entire meeting just now. "Don''t worry about it. Move to the office next to Jason''s from tomorrow onward," Luke ordered. "Ah, do you mean you want me to participate in this project?" Luca was struggling as she asked the question she had been keeping in her mind. Chapter 1601 "Yes." Luke put his hands in his pocket, maintaining a certain distance from Luca. He looked at her beautiful face. He could not imagine what she had gone through for the past three years. Why did she change her looks and return here? She did not acknowledge him when she came back. She still loved her children, but she was willing to treat the kids like how a stranger would. Why did she be like this... Luke wanted to question her so badly, but it was not the time yet. He could only keep her close and figure out who was the mastermind behind her. Even though three years had passed and things were no longer how they used to be, he still believed that the woman in front of him had never changed. She must have a reason for bing like this. "But my research has reached a critical stage now. I can''t leave." Luca declined. She had to aplish the mission, but she could never deceive Luke. Although she had been lying to him all this while, she could not bear to do this to him as it was rted to the whole corporation. It was especially so when she found out how beneficial the project would be for T Corporation to achieve its yearly target during the meeting just now. "I can get you another two assistants if you need help. You''d only have to assign them their tasks. As for the research, you may leave it to the others toplete. It won''t dy theunch of the new drug," replied Luke. The more she tried to run away from him, the more he would try to stop her from escaping. Luca was startled. Did he just say he was going to hire an assistant to take over her job? He left her with no choice. Luke added, "The project has started. I''ll need someone who knows how to speak Russian to follow me around to do some diplomatic interpretation or trantion jobs. Do you have any problems with this arrangement?" "..." Luca remained silent. Everything he said was reasonable and made sense. Even though Luke could find a temporary trantor or interpreter out there, the problem was that the person he hired could not be exposed to the confidential information. Come to think of it, she was indeed the most suitable candidate. After all, she had tranted the document, so she might as well just finish the job. It was a matter of course. ¡°Is there anything wrong?" Luke asked. "No." Luca shook her head. She had no choice but to ept his arrangements. "And someone will be heading to your apartment to clean it up. Did you change the passcode to the door lock?" Luke asked again. "No." Luca remained stiff but her brain was quickly churning. Why was he sending someone to tidy up the apartment? Luke spoke again before she managed to ask the question, "Alright, that should do it. Change the passcode after they finish cleaning up. Tell me the passcode after that." "Why?" Luca finally asked. "It''s an important project. I might stay in the apartment temporarily," Luke exined. He was looking for an excuse to approach Luca. "Don''t worry. I''ll stay in the maid''s room. You can still sleep in the master bedroom." Luca was shocked. He was going to stay in the maid''s room? "Mr. Crawford, I can make room for you and move back to my apartment. My apartment has been tidied up." She politely declined. Although the culprit behind the security guard''s murder was still atrge, they had lifted the ban on the site. She had sent someone to clean the apartment so that she could move back in. It was just that she did not move back as it was more convenient for her to stay in Luke''s apartment. She should return the ce to him now since he wanted to stay there. After all, it was not her apartment. "That''s unnecessary." Luke noticed she was refusing to get closer to him. He frowned as he felt unhappy about it. Could it be that she had someone else in her mind? It did not seem like it. He guessed that Luca was controlling her emotions, and she still cared about him after everything that had happened in the past. "There''s no need to. I told you I''ve given the apartment to you, so it''s yours. I''ll be busy, and you''ll be busy with your things too. It''ll be easier for you to stay in that apartment when you work overtime." Luca was at a loss for words. He was making her stay in that apartment only because it was convenient when she had to work overtime? It also seemed like they did not interact with each other except when it came to work. Luca was convinced. She thought that Luke would take care of the kids no matter how busy he was. He would probably only sleep over at the apartment asionally, and that was why he was willing to sleep in the maid''s room. It was unlikely that he would bear to separate from the kids for days. "Alright," Luca replied, "Mr. Crawford, I''m going back to work if there''s nothing else." "Sure. Your office downstairs will still be there. You''d still have to return to your office after the project ends. I''ve sent Mr. Doyle to decorate the new office for you. Tell him if you need anything." Luke had already done so many things for her that would vite the articles of association. The research project that Luca was in charge of would be able to generate a huge amount of profit for T Corporation after it wasunched. However,pared to the design project, the profit gained from her research was far from enough. Hence, although what he did was unreasonable, he had his reason to keep everyone quiet. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. "Alright." Luca realized she had no other better words to say. Luke looked at how reserved she was. He reckoned that she would never have thought he would arrange things this way. He opened his mouth a little as the words were at the tip of his tongue. Eventually, he held back the doubts in his heart and said in a cold voice, "Go back to work if there''s nothing else." "Yes." Luca looked down. She could feel a subtle change in her emotions when she thought about running into Luke in the apartment in the future. She was hoping to see Luke more often. She was satisfied even if she had to look at him from a distance. However, now it seemed like they were getting closer and closer to each other. They were even about to stay under the same roof... Luca turned around and heard Luke''s voice from behind. "And try to get the minutes done as soon as possible. You can pass the document to Mr. Doyle once you''re done." "Yes, Mr. Crawford." When she trotted out of the office and walked toward Jason''s office, she saw a cleaner already cleaning the other empty office. Jason was standing near the door, arranging something. "Mr. Doyle." Luca walked toward him. "Dr. Craw, here you are. Oh, Boss said that this will be your office in the future. Tell me if you have any special requests for the decorations. I''ll get someone to prepare the things," Jason smiled as he said. Luca shook her head. "Just keep it simple." "The project is not going to end that soon. We should get your office ready and nicely decorated so that you can workfortably." Jason reminded her. Luca looked at him and asked, "Mr. Doyle, did you know about Mr. Crawford''s arrangements before this?" "Ah? I didn''t." Jason picked up his phone and said, "I only knew when I returned to my office after the meeting. That was when I knew that the office had already been arranged for you. As for the cleaning, Boss ordered me to handle it before he came to the office." Chapter 1602 Luca did not expose Jason when she listened to his exnation. It would be difficult to change anything once Luke had made his decision. ¡°Mr. Doyle, I''m going downstairs," said Luca. The office was still in the midst of being cleaned. She had no choice but to head to the office downstairs to organize the meeting minutes. "Alright. They''ll finish cleaning the office today. Dr. Craw, you maye upstairs to work tomorrow morning." Jason smiled politely. Although he had no idea why Luke made this arrangement, nothing would ever go wrong if he listened to his boss. "Sure." Luca nodded. She went back to her office downstairs. She received an email from thepany after a while. It was her transfer letter. Rhett knocked on the door and entered. He had seen the transfer letter as well and wanted to ask what had happened. "Dr. Craw, are you busy?" Rhett was wondering if he would be disturbing her when he saw her with her earphones on and her fingers continuously typing on the keyboard. Luca stopped what she was doing and pressed the pause button on the recording pen. Then, she looked at him. "What''s the matter?" "Well, I saw the transfer letter. I''d like to know what''s going on," answered Rhett. Who would be leading their research if Luca was transferred upstairs? Luca was the one who guided the research team. It would be unfair to Luca if someone took over her job. "Have all of you seen the transfer letter already?" Luca took off her earphones. "Yes, everyone is confused. That''s why they wanted me to ask you." Rhett was not a gossipy person, but he had to find out what had happened this time. It was unfair to Luca if someone took over her job, and was the project going to be put on hold if no one was taking over? Of course, they would not want the project to be put on hold after all the hard work they had put in. Moreover, their research on the new drug boasted the fastest progress in thepany. "Don''t worry. The project will go on as usual, and I''ll still be guiding the research. But I''ll have to manage both sides. Oh, I''d like to promote you to assistant manager. Mr. Crawford will be sending a few assistants here in a couple of days. You''ll be managing things here most of the time. And you can head upstairs to look for me if there''s any major problem," said Luca. The new assistants would be here to take up some of her work responsibilities. She would not have to worry about passing her job to Rhett and letting him lead the whole team either. ¡°Me? Dr. Craw, I can''t do that." Rhett shook his head immediately, thinking that he would not be capable enough for this. After all, even though it did not take him long to achieve such a good performance in this industry, it was all because Luca had been guiding him. "You can. You''re capable. And it''s not like I''m leaving. I''m busy with the current project that the company is currently handling, so I''ll need your help to watch over the team for me. If anything happens, I''ll handle it." Luca tried to convince him. She had done such projects before, so she knew that this tender project would keep her busy. She thought that Rhett would not have to manage the research team for too long. She would be able to leave the job to the Russian trantor after she came back. Rhett had no choice but to agree. Luca put on her earphones again and switched on the recording pen after he left. She continued to listen to the recording and transcribe the meeting minutes. She checked the document thoroughly for any spelling mistakes after organizing the minutes. Then, she sent the document to Jason''s email. Luca let out a sigh of relief and put away the recording pen. She looked at her current office. Luke had prepared this office for her with a security camera installed. Would he install another security camera when she moved into the other office? Luca''s phone notification rang. She nced at it and saw a string of numbers. She tranted the message, and it was asking her how things were going now. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Luca replied to the message with the number code as well. She told them that everything was going smoothly. Then, she received another string of numbers. They were warning her not to y tricks with them. She would be punished if she could not get the tender document. After she saw the threat, Luca leaned on the office chair and was lost in thoughts. She was not afraid of being punished. Instead, she was afraid that she might disappoint Luke... Luca had a n in mind when she thought of this. Jason called her to inform her that the office was ready when it was about time to get off work. He asked her toe upstairs to take a look if she needed anything more. Luca was going to say there was no need to. She was fine with anything, but she could not take Jason''s persuasion. Hence, she could only head upstairs and look at the office. She ran into Zoey when she walked out of her office. Zoey was carrying a form in her hands and walking toward her. "Dr. Craw, here''s a document I need you to sign." "What document is that?" Luca asked. "It''s for the expenses of the office supplies in the office. It''s not a big deal. All you have to do is sign it," Zoey smiled as she said. "Won''t you be working upstairs from tomorrow onward? That''s why I advanced funds for the office supplies expenses in the next quarter. You can just sign it." Luca nced at it. It was indeed the document for advancing office supplies expenses. She briefly looked at it and checked if there was anything wrong with it. Then, she signed her name on the paper and handed the document back to Zoey. Zoey took it from her. It looked like she had something to say but she did not know how to start. "What''s the matter?" Luca knew she had something to tell her, so she took the initiative to ask. "Dr. Craw, everyone in the office knows about your transfer letter now." Zoey hesitated for a moment but eventually still chose to tell her. After all, Luca was a good superior. Although she was not close to her, there was no harm in telling Luca about this. "Yes," Luca replied. She knew that the transfer letter had been sent to everyone. Since she received it, everyone in the office would have as well. "Although it''s hard to tell whether this is a promotion or not, it''s good to be working directly under the boss. However, many people may find it hard to ept. It''s best if you keep a low profile for the next few days." Zoey reminded Luca. "Alright. I got it. Thank you for reminding me. Off you go now. I have to go upstairs." Luca knew the transfer was going to arouse a lot of suspicion and confusion. However, she had always been keeping things low. The matter would not have attracted so much attention if it had not been for Luke. Zoey had no idea if Luca would really keep what she said in mind. After everything she had told her, Luca would listen to her if she understood what she meant. If Luca did not get her meaning, then she could not do anything about it either. Luca took the elevator and went upstairs. She walked toward the office and saw a cleaner carrying something that looked like a sleeping bag into the office. A sleeping bag? Luca came forward and saw Jason instructing those people where things should be ced. The decorations were chic and unique at first nce. It did not seem like a temporary office to her. It looked like it was an office for long-term use. Chapter 1603 "Dr. Craw,e over and take a look. The office table is ced here, and theputer is here. Is that fine?" Jason asked when he saw here in. "I''m fine with anything. The sleeping bag..." Luca pointed at the sleeping bag on the couch. It was her first time seeing a sleeping bag in the office. ¡°Oh, about this, you might need to work overtime. You may have to stay in the office when it gets busy. A sleeping bag is a lot morefortable than sleeping on the couch,¡± said Jason. He was a detail- oriented person. Luca nodded. She would indeed be busy. However, she would always just rest her head and arms on the desk whenever work got too busy. It was nothing like this. There was even a sleeping bag in her office now. The cleaner left after cleaning up the office. Jason said, ¡°Take a look around. Tell Tina if you need anything else." "It''s well-prepared. Thank you, Mr. Doyle." Luca nced at the office desk. Nothing was missing. "Don''t mention it. It was the boss'' orders." Jason brought up Luke, then he added, "Oh, I''ll need to get the rest of my work done if there''s nothing else. I''ll be right beside your office if you need anything." "Alright." Luca nodded. She was enthralled looking at the office. It was different from the one downstairs. The office downstairs was safely secured because of the confidential research data. There was a safe to keep the data in her office. However, it was different here. There was only a filing cab here, but it felt more like an office. She looked around the office with her naked eyes. She did not spot any surveince cameras. However, that did not mean there was none installed. Luke probably hid the surveince camera in a corner somewhere. "Are you satisfied with the office?" Luke''s voice came from behind. Luca was startled. She snapped back to her senses and saw the man standing at the door. His footsteps were so quiet that she did not even hear them. "Mr. Crawford.." She looked at the man with zed eyes. How long had he been standing here? "Are you satisfied with the furnishings and decorations?" Luke asked again. "It''s good enough for a temporary office." It took Luca a second to reply as she looked down. She could feel butterflies in her stomach. Was he starting to care if she was happy with things? Luke raised his eyebrows. Temporary? Indeed, he had told her that this arrangement wouldst until the project was over. However, it would take a year or so to finish the project. Furthermore, he would never let her go even after the project was over. She would be in the office downstairs if she left, and he felt that she would be too far away from him. He had to keep her close to him. Luke nced at the time. It was time to get off work. He said, "You should clock out. After you do that, do me a favor." ¡°Huh? What favor?¡± Luca lifted her head and looked at him with a puzzled look on her face. ¡°You''ll know about itter. I''ll be waiting for you at the parking lot downstairs.¡± Luke left right after he said that. Luca looked at him from behind. She was stunned for a moment. What kind of favor would it be? She did not want to keep Luke waiting. She carried her briefcase and left after clocking out. Many employees were driving out of the building when she reached the basement parking lot. They would be busier with their work soon. Hence, they were not working overtime today. The parking lot seemed to be congested at this time. Luca stood there for some time. The transfer letter was just sent out. She might get into trouble if other employees saw her getting into Luke''s car. After ten minutes when most of the cars had left, Luca slowly walked toward the parking lot that was reserved for Luke. He got out of the car and walked across the front of the car when he saw hering. He opened the door to the passenger seat for her. Luca was surprised by his gentlemanly act. She looked around her to make sure no one saw her. Then, she trotted toward his car and got in. The moment she sat in the passenger seat, she lifted her head and thanked the man outside the door. ¡°Thank you.¡± Luke raised his eyebrows when he looked at her acting like a thief, afraid of being seen by someone else. Indeed, it would get her in trouble if someone saw her. It was because she was not Bianca now. She was Luca... Luke replied to her stiffly, ¡°You''re wee.¡± Then, he closed the car door. Luca frowned. He had closed the car door a little too hard just now. Was he angry? She did not do anything wrong, though. It seemed like he did not cherish the car much. Luke got back into the driver''s seat. He drove the car and left right away after fastening his seat belt. Luca watched him drive the car down the street after he went out of the parking lot. Luke did not mention where they were going or what kind of favor he needed from her. She had no choice but to ask, ¡°Mr. Crawford, where are we going?¡± Luke remained silent. He switched on the radio instead. Luca rubbed her nose. She felt embarrassed being like this, but she insisted on asking, ¡°Then, can you at least tell me how I can help you?" Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "Are you always this impatient?" Luke did not answer her question. Instead, he nced sideways at her. The radio and Luke''s voice ovepped in Luca''s ears. She almost thought she misheard him. Impatient? Why did she feel like something was hidden behind those words? However, she had not done anything recently... "No..." Luca let out a sigh. She had no idea what she did to piss him off. She could sense his impatience. Luke kept silent. Luca listened to the financial news being broadcasted on the radio. The announcer mentioned there would be a stable bullish trend in the share prices of T Corporation. She knew Luke had already spread the news that he would be participating in the project. However, the others would have known about it even if he did not spread the news. Luca shot a nce at Luke as she listened to the radio. He had an amazing side profile. Even though he barely had time to sleep and was busy with work every day for the past three years, he had not aged even a little. It seemed like it was his blessing. Luca''s hand slowly clenched into fists, and she put them on her knees. She looked at Luke with mixed feelings in her heart. Luke knew she was looking at him, but he did not expose her. She quickly moved her gaze away when he nced sideways at her. They had been driving on the road for 20 minutes, and they finally reached Hotel Viking. Luca looked at the hotel in front of her and turned to the man with a look of surprise. "Mr. Crawford, what are we doing here?" "Don''t get the wrong idea. I only need you to help me try out the dishes here." Luke parked the car and unfastened his seat belt. Luca was startled and followed what he did unconsciously. She unfastened her seat belt too. Why did he bring her to try out the dishes here? While Luca was figuring out the answer, it crossed her mind that Old Master Crawford''s birthday was just around the corner. Luke had mentioned it when he visited the Norman family. He told them that he would hold a birthday banquet for Old Master Crawford on his birthday. He was nning to hold it at Hotel Viking. Was that why they were here to try the dishes. Chapter 1604 Luca pushed the car door open. She was still confused as to why he would bring her here to try the dishes. Would it not be better if he brought the old master or his children here? They were a family, after all. They would know what each other''s preferences were. Luke got out of the car and closed the car door. He walked toward her side. He stood tall beside her. It made her feel like she was protected standing next to him. She would be happy if it were in the past, but now she felt stressed standing beside him. She probably felt guilty for lying to him... Luca tried to behave naturally, but she still felt stressed. The man''s aura was too strong. She might just tell him everything right now if he questioned her. Luke shot her a nce and sensed her anxiety. She was probably wondering why he chose to bring her here, right? Before this, she was responsible for organizing Old Master Crawford''s birthday every year. The old master loved everything she arranged for him, be it the venue or the meal. Old Master Crawford even told him that no one in the family could do it better than Bianca. Hence, when Luke found out that Luca''s real identity was Bianca, he brought her here without any hesitation. ¡°The old master has tried your cooking before, and he told me that it suits his taste. He likes the food you cook, so I brought you here to try out the dishes. He''ll probably like what you choose," Luke exined. Old Master Crawford had held his birthday at Hotel Viking before. However, the hotel''s chef was a different person now. He could not cook the dishes that the previous chef made. With Luca here, she would be able to pick the dishes that Old Master Crawford would like. "So that''s how it is." Luca was relieved after she knew the reason. She could set her mind at ease after he exined it to her. Both of them walked into the hotel''s lobby. The hotel''s manager came up to wee them. "Wee, Mr. Crawford!" There was no expression on Luke''s face when the manager and the female receptionists greeted him passionately. Luke nced at Luca before saying, "Are the dishes ready?" "Don''t worry. The kitchen has finished preparing the dishes. We were just waiting for you to try the dishes and make your selection," the manager replied enthusiastically. They could gain a significant amount of profit if the Crawford family decided to hold their celebration at their hotel. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Luke nodded and said to Luca, "Let''s go." Luca nodded as well. The hotel manager shot a nce at Luca. She did not look like Mrs. Crawford, whom he had seen in the magazine. Who was this? However, it would be impolite if he asked. He could only smile and lead them to the private room. "Mr. Crawford, Miss, we''re here." Luke and Luca walked into the private room. The private room was spacious, while the decorations were resplendent and magnificent. There was a big dining table in the middle of the room and a rotating top table on top. The two of them would not need such a big private room. They were only here to try the dishes. The hotel would serve them their specialties and let them pick. Luke sat down, and Luca sat opposite him. Luke frowned when he noticed the distance between them. He stood up and walked toward her. He pulled out the chair beside her and sat down. "Mr. Crawford..." Luca looked at him, puzzled. Even though it was considered a normal distance, they seemed to be too close to each other in such a spacious private room. Luke took a sip of the tea, and he said in a soft voice, "It''s more convenient for us tomunicate this way." Luca was at a loss for words. What did he mean by that? It would be convenient tomunicate with each other even if he sat opposite her. After all, the private room was a fixed space regardless of how big it was. It was not a hall, so how could it be difficult for him tomunicate with her if he sat opposite her. Luca thought that in her heart, but she dared not say it out. The manager who stood beside them asked respectfully, "Mr. Crawford, shall we serve the dishes now?" "Sure." Luke took another sip of tea and shot a nce at the woman beside him. It seemed like she was unwilling to sit beside him. That was not how she used to be. Three years had gone by and she seemed like she was afraid of him. Luke could not help but feel depressed. He had always been kind to her. How did things turn out like this? Luca took a sip of tea too. The hotel had specifically prepared the tea for them. It was for them to cleanse their pte. They were about to try out a variety of dishes, so they needed a pte cleanser. The manager bowed and said, "Alright. Please give us a minute." He started to give instructions to the waiters in the kitchen through the walkie-talkie. After a while, a few waiters carried tes of dishes over and stood in a circle. They served the dishes on the rotating table top on the dining table. Luca looked at the colorful, aromatic, and tasty dishes on the table. She realized she did not know where to begin. She naturally turned to look at Luke. Luke was looking at her too. The moment their eyes met, he asked, "What''s wrong?" Luca shook her head, telling him that there was nothing wrong. "Mr. Crawford, which one should we start with?" "Let''s start with the appetizer," replied Luke after thinking for a moment. An appetizer certainly had to be the first course of the meal, and Hotel Viking provided a variety of appetizers. Luca watched the waiter fill the te with different appetizers before serving it to them. She picked up the spoon and tried all the appetizers. Luke tried them out too. They had to choose the appetizer first. The manager asked politely, "May I know which one you prefer?" "Sweet potato sd." "Sweet potato sd." The two of them said it at the same time. Luca''s heart skipped a beat when she heard that Luke had chosen the dish as her. She liked the dressing of the sweet potato sd, and he liked it too... Although there was nothing odd about it, she felt guilty and as though they should not be doing this. She exined to Luke, "The dressing of the sweet potato sd tastes better. And it''s almost autumn now. It suits the autumn season." Luke nodded. "Then sweet potato sd it is." The manager was happy to hear them give the same answer. It meant that they did not have to take too long to decide. "Alright, so the appetizer will be the sweet potato sd?" He jotted it down on his notes as he asked. They continued to try out the other dishes after picking the appetizer. Luca only took a bite of each dish because of the variety of dishes. She would take another two bites to taste the dish again if she tasted something good. Luke secretly remembered all these small gestures of hers. She used to be like that, and he did not expect she would still keep this habit of hers. She would then tell him about the dishes that she had taken a few bites of. They were finally done trying out all the dishes that the hotel served after an hour. Luca handed Luke a piece of paper, saying, "Mr. Crawford, these are the ones I rmend. I find them suitable to serve at a birthday banquet." Chapter 1605 Luke picked up the piece of paper with the course meal written on it and nced at it. He handed it to the manager without making any changes to it. "We''ll pick these for the banquet." Luca was startled. Had he made his decision? Was Luke not going to consider it again? The manager did not expect Luke to make his decision so quickly. He confirmed with him after ncing at the piece of paper. "Mr. Crawford, are you sure you want this course meal and there are no further changes?" "Yes." Luke ordered, "Leave the dishes we selected her and take the others away." The manager replied to him and hurriedly asked the waiters to take the other dishes away. After three minutes, only the dishes that Luca picked were left on the table. This was the first time the manager saw someone picking the dishes so quickly. He said happily, "Enjoy your dinner." He left the private room with the other waiters. Luca and Luke were left alone in the private room. Luca stopped and looked at the man. "If there''s anything you''d like to say, just say it." Luke sliced a piece of steak. The meat had a light cherry appearance. It looked juicy and tender. Luca shook her head and remained silent. She was almost full after trying out all the dishes. She put down her spoon after taking two bites. "You don''t eat much?" Luke frowned. That exined why she was so skinny. Three years had gone by, and Bianca finally showed up again. However, she came back with a different identity this time. Something had changed in her, but somehow, she was still the same. "I have a poor appetite." Luca picked up the tissue and wiped her mouth. She did not put on makeup, hence it saved her the trouble of touching up her makeup after dinner. She thought it would be rude if she urged Luke to quickly finish his meal while she looked at him. "Do you want desserts?" he suddenly asked. Desserts were not listed in the course meal for the banquet. Hence, they did not try any desserts earlier. Luca shook her head and said, "Never mind. Thank you, Mr. Crawford." "You don''t like desserts?" Luke asked intentionally. Luca furrowed her brows with embarrassment. It was not because she did not like desserts but she only wanted to end the dinner. Although he imed that he brought her here to try out the dishes, there were only two of them in the private room now. It looked like they came here on a date instead of trying out the dishes. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°No, it''s not that I don''t like it. I''m trying to lose weight these days," replied Luca. ¡°You''re skinny. You don''t have to lose weight." Luke picked up the spoon and thought of refilling her te. Then, he realized that her identity had changed. Even so, he picked up the serving spoon and refilled her te. ¡°Have some more." Luca could sense he had been giving her special treatment. She forced herself to suppress the uneasiness in her heart and lowered her head to finish everything on her te. Luke was satisfied. He picked up the napkin on the table and wiped her mouth with it when he saw the stain at the corner of her lips. Luca was startled. She widened her eyes and looked at him with her mouth slightly opened. Why on earth did Luke do that? Luke noticed that she was dumbfounded. He put the napkin aside and exined, ¡°You had something on the corner of your lips." "T-Thank you." Luca picked up the napkin and hurriedly wiped her mouth. She looked down and wondered what his gestures meant just now. Luke would never do that to a stranger. Even though she was not a stranger to him, he had no reason to do that to her. Luca''s mind was all over the ce now. After she finished eating, she took out her phone and casually scrolled on it to distract herself from the chaos in her mind. They left the hotel after dinner. Luke stood at the hotel''s entrance and nced at the dark sky. Before Luca said anything, he made the decision and said, ¡°Let''s go. Let me send you home." ¡°Mr. Crawford, you don''t have to. I''ll take a cab back home. You can go home earlier." Luca wanted to be alone after experiencing the strange feeling in her heart just now. Luke stared at her and recalled what he had done today. Luca had returned with a hidden identity on purpose. What he just did was not something he would usually do. She must be panicking now. He was being too impulsive. Luke nodded and replied, ¡°Sure. Off you go. Go to the new office for work tomorrow." He walked toward the parking lot after that. He was impatient just now. After knowing that Luca was Bianca, he even had the urge to bring along the DNA test report to question her why she was concealing everything from him and the children. What was the reason behind her actions? Luca watched him from behind. There was sadness in her eyes. ''I''m sorry...'' Luca apologized to Luke in her heart. She had let him down, but she could not tell him about it. She turned around and left in the other direction. While Luca was waiting for the taxi at the roadside, her mind was full of how unusual Luke''s behavior today was. He did not say anything, but everything he did told her that he was trying to get closer to her. Luca was lost in thought. She did not notice that a small van was approaching her. It quickly stopped in front of her, and someone pushed the car door open. When she noticed that she might be in danger, two masked men had alreadye out and covered her head with a gunny sack. "Ah!" Luca shouted as she was dragged into the car by the two men. The people around took a step back when they saw what was happening. The two men pushed Luca to the back of the car. One of them grabbed a knife and warned the others who were waiting for their rides. Then, he closed the door and drove away. Some of them quickly realized that it was a kidnapping. They wanted to call the police, but they realized the van did not have a car te number when they looked at it. Luca''s head had identally knocked on the seat when she was dragged into the car. She felt the world spinning. A momentter, she could feel the car engine start. She was pushed and forced to sit on the car seat while her hands were held by someone else. "Who are you?" Luca tried to calm herself down. She did not have a conflict with anyone. She had no idea why someone would kidnap her. The two men exchanged nces and remained silent as they continued to restrain Luca''s hands. Luca could feel that her hands were tied with a piece of cloth. She turned her face away. She could not see anything with the gunny sack covering her head. Hence, she could only figure things out with her ears. "Do you think you''re going to be fine by not talking? You''ll regret kidnapping me." She warned them. She would threaten them no matter if they had gotten the wrong person or not. It would be best if she could frighten them, then she would be able to make them talkter. After all, she had not offended anyone other than Pierre Mallory... Still, did Pierre have to take things so far and kidnap her. A man sneered and patted Luca''s face. He warned her in a husky voice, "You''d better be good and stay still. Otherwise, the knife will be stabbed into your chest." He gently slit the gunny sack with the knife. Luca could feel how sharp the knife was even though there was a coarse cloth in between. Chapter 1606 If she were some other woman who got kidnapped and was threatened with a knife, she would have been so frightened till she started begging for mercy or she would just pass out. However, Luca was unusually calm. She did not cry or ask for forgiveness even when someone was holding a knife in her face, which was covered by a gunny bag. She was different from the others. The man who held the knife was slightly surprised. He sneered and kept the knife away. Luca could sense that the knife was kept away. She said, "I can''t breathe with the gunny bag over my head." ¡°Cut the nonsense. Believe it or not, my brother and I will kill you right now!¡± Another man was feeling uneasy because of her unusually calm demeanor. He was trying to frighten Luca with his loud voice. "I know both of you don''t want me to see you, that''s why you covered my head with a gunny bag. I''m guessing you''re also wearing masks right now. How are you going to exin to the mastermind behind you if I run out of breath?" Luca was not afraid of his loud voice. "You!" The man was pissed off after she got on his nerves. "Enough. Take the gunny bag off of her," another man said with a deep voice. They had put on masks before they took action to prevent people from seeing their faces. The gunny bag was meant to make the woman lose her sense of direction. There was another simple reason behind their action. It was because the mastermind told them that the woman in front of them was good at kicking. She was not an easy target. The man heard him and took the gunny bag off Luca''s head while cursing. Luca looked down, only to see that her hands and legs were tied together. Even though she was pretty good at kicking, she would not be able to break herself free anytime soon. "Were you sent by Pierre?" She tried to sound them out. One of the men sneered while another stuck a piece of cloth into her mouth. "I didn''t take the gunny bag off your head to listen to your bullsh*t. Shut up." Luca did not struggle when the man shoved the cloth into her mouth. It was useless for her to struggle now. She turned to look at the windows. The man noticed her gesture and hurriedly pulled the curtains. Luca turned around and shot him a cold nce with a menacing look in her eyes. The man shivered for a moment when he saw the look in her eyes. The woman''s gaze was terrifying, and there was a hint of menace in it. It seemed like she was not a woman who could be messed with. The man felt a little regretful, but he came back to his senses all of a sudden. It was merely a nce, and there was nothing to be afraid of. Why should he regret doing this? The mastermind behind them was a rich man. They would receive a reward with a huge amount of money if they handled this well. Luca noticed the van was still new and clean. Why were they using such a good van to kidnap her? Even if it was not Pierre, it looked like the mastermind who was behind this was a wealthy person. Otherwise, they would not have been able to use such a good van. However, if Pierre was not the one behind this, who was? Why did they kidnap her? She was just an ordinary person in A City. Luca could not figure it out. On the other hand. Luke drove back to Crawford Manor. Tommy came to him the moment he stepped into the house. ¡°Daddy, what did you do today?" ¡°I tried out some dishes," replied Luke. He took his coat off, which the maid took from him. Luke looked at his youngest son as he pestered him. He knew the child would throw a tantrum if he did not exin to him. "Why didn''t you bring me along to try the dishes? I want to eat something delicious too." Tommy looked upward with a greedy look on his face while wondering why his father did not bring him along. Luke stroked the back of his head and thought of the DNA test result. "Where''s Lanie and Rainie?" "They''re reading upstairs," Tommy answered honestly. However, he felt unhappy and pouted his mouth. "Ask them to head to your bedroom. I have something to tell all of you," said Luke. Tommy nodded as he broke into a run and headed upstairs. Old Master Crawford, who was sitting in the living room, asked curiously, "What are you going to tell the kids? Can I join too?" "Grandpa, it''s about them." Luke decided not to tell him. The old master had always wanted him to have a normal family. He would do something if he knew that Luca was Bianca. Bianca was still hiding her identity now. Hence, it would be inappropriate to tell the old master the truth. "Alright. You should care more about your children. Lanie and Rainie''s ss teacher came to visit today. She told me about how the kids are doing at school. Rainie is obedient and behaves herself at school. She enjoys having fun with the other kids. But the teacher told me Lanie seems to be an asocial person." Old Master Crawford told him what the children''s ss teacher had told him. Luke raised his brows. Lanie''s personality was simr to his. He was cold and quiet, but notpletely unsociable. Lainie just thought that the things taught in school were too simple for him, and his ssmates were too childish. It was not a big deal. He was the child''s father, so he naturally knew about it. If it were not because Rainie was studying in the same ss as him, he would have let Lanie skip a grade. Although Rainie was good in her studies, she was not as smart as Lanie. She would not be able to catch up if she followed her brother and skipped a grade. Luke chose not to let Lanie skip grades so that both of them could be together. The children understood why he did so too. "Alright. I''ll talk to him," said Luke. Old Master Crawford shook his head as he knew it would be useless. It was because Luke had behaved like that too when he was young. Like father, like son. Lanie resembled his father in some ways. Furthermore, Luke raised Lanie all by himself since the child was young. It was normal for him to resemble his father. Luke went upstairs and entered Tommy''s bedroom. The three of them were sitting on the rug, waiting for him. "Daddy, Tommy said you have something to tell us. What are you going to tell us?" Rainie''s voice was sweet and lovely. She gave him a smile and showed her little teeth. Luke looked at his daughter. He noticed that she resembled Bianca a lot. She was a mini Bianca. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. However, Bianca''s looks had changed now. If he told them Luca''s real identity, would they be able to ept that? Would they be able to ept that their mother hade back with a different appearance and approached them with a different identity? Could they ept the fact that she lied to them? Luke hesitated for a moment. Tommy sat there and looked at his Daddy. Then, he said, "Daddy, did you take my hair for a DNA test that day?" Luke looked at his youngest son. He was usually so innocent, but he was always smart when it mattered most. Lanie and Rainie looked at him. "Daddy?" Tommy had never mentioned it, so they did not know about it. They got even more curious after finding it out. Who did their father do the DNA test on using Tommy''s hair? Luke closed the bedroom door. Then, he sat on the rug for the first time. Usually, he would not sit on the rug when he was spending time with the kids. He would choose to sit on the chair. It was because he thought that such sitting posture was bad for him. Chapter 1607 The three of them sat on the rug while staring at Luke. They did not say a word. ¡°I took Tommy''s hair for a DNA test." Luke nodded and admitted that he took the child''s hair for a DNA test. The three of them suddenly got excited. Lanie asked, "Daddy, did you find out where Mommy was?" "Yes." Luke''s gaze fell upon the three of them as he looked at their faces one by one. Be it Lanie, Rainie, or Tommy, Bianca had spent a period of time away from their lives. Lanie and Rainie were still fine with it. He raised them all by himself since they were young. Hence, they were only upset after Bianca was kidnapped. It was not hard for them to get used to it. However, Tommy was raised with Bianca around him. He cried so much and it took a lot of time for him to get used to her absence. Luke spent so much time keeping himpany to cheer him up. "Is Mommy back?" Tommy looked at him with a look of disbelief. "Your Mommy has always been around you. It''s just that her looks have changed, and she didn''t choose to reunite with us. But I believe that it''s not her intention. She must have her reason for doing that. Can you understand?" Tommy had someone in his mind once he said that. He looked at his father straight in the eyes and asked, "Daddy, is Ms. Luca our mommy?" Luke nodded his head. "Yes. She has alreadye back to us." Tommy stood up in dismay, refusing to believe what he heard. "Daddy, you''re telling us that Ms. Luca is our mother?" "Her looks and her identity might have changed, but not her DNA." Luke looked at his son. Although he was still young, he should have understood what he said. All of them must have understood. Tommy was shocked. He sat there and recalled the first time he met Ms. Luca. He found her familiar and instinctively wanted to approach her. Even though she was a stranger, his instincts told him that she was not a bad person. Tommy recalled the smell on her body and the taste of her dishes. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. He could still remember that it was their mother''s smell although it had been a few years. He thought he was willing to approach Luca because of these things, but he did not expect that she was actually their mother. ¡°Daddy, why is mommy doing this to us..." Rainie was upset. Why did their mothere back but did not reunite with them? Was it because they had misbehaved? They had been behaving themselves, though. They had not done anything wrong, but why was their mother doing this. Why did Luca hide her identity and refuse to reunite with them? Luke knew her daughter was upset. He stroked her head and spoke on behalf of Luca, "She probably has her own reason that''s forcing her to do this. Even though she''s hiding her identity, she still loves all of you. She treats you all kindly, doesn''t she?" Tommy nodded his head, agreeing with what Luke said. Luca was kind to the three of them. Although she did note clean to them and tell them that she was their mother, she still adored them very much. She protected them well when they were outside too. Rainie asked again, "Daddy, what reason could Mommy have to act like this?" Luke thought for a moment. Then, he shook his head and said, "I don''t know yet. But no matter what, your mommy has returned. I won''t let her leave us this time." Tommy clenched his fists. "Mommy can''t leave us anymore." Lanie looked at his younger brother, then he turned to look at Luke. "Daddy, can we acknowledge her as our mommy now?" This was what mattered the most. The mother and her children were not allowed to reunite. Luke looked at his children and let out a sigh. "She doesn''t know that we''ve found out about this. I need to figure out why she''s doing what she is. So, you''re not allowed to reunite with her for now." Tommy put on a disappointed expression once he heard that. "But I want to live with Mommy every day." Luke knew how much they wanted to be with her. He wanted her to be back as much as they did. However, Luca could not reunite with them for the time being. "Tommy, Mommy returned with a different appearance, and she has yet to reunite with us. She must have her reasons. Spare Daddy some time. Let him investigate it." As the eldest son, Lanie helped to advise Tommy too. Rainie nodded and said, "We should be happy that Mommy came back alive and she still loves us like how she used to. We shouldn''t be in a hurry. Let Daddy handle this." Luke turned to look at Tommy while listening to what they said. Tommy hesitated for some time, but he decided to listen to what his elder brother and sister said. He nodded and said, "Alright. I''ll listen to Daddy." Luke smiled after convincing the three of them. Luca probably thought that she could hide it well from them. She had no idea that they had already found out the truth. "Act like how you always have when you run into her next time. Don''t be kick up a fuss, and don''t throw a temper tantrum. Do you understand?" He reminded them. Tommy nodded and asked, "Daddy, can I call Mommy like how I used to?" "She''s still Ms. Luca for now." Lanie corrected him, afraid that Tommy would make it a habit and give it away in front of Luca. "Yes." Luke stroked his head. ¡°You have to pretend you don''t know anything about it. That''ll help me figure things out regarding why she''s doing this." Tommy nodded and exchanged a quick smile with his brother and sister. Although they could not reunite with their mother now, they were happy to know that their mother had returned safely. Their mother hade back to them safely, and she was still kind to them like how she used to be back then. Luke asked the children to keep it a secret and not tell the other members of the Crawford family. The three of them nodded their heads to show that they knew what to do. After the short meeting ended, Tommy picked up his small tablet. The first thing he wanted to do was to talk to Luca. He sent Luca a video call request. Luca was still in the vehicle as it was peak traffic hour at night. The van stopped from time to time. It was obvious that they were stuck in traffic. Luca''s phone was in her bag when it rang. One of the men picked up her bag and took the phone out. He nced at it. Then, he handed it to Luca and let her see it. After that, he rejected the video call request. Luca felt helpless when she saw that Tommy was sending her a video call request. The man mumbled in a low voice, ¡°How troublesome." Then, he switched off her phone. After that, he threw it back into her bag. Tommy frowned when his request was rejected. "What''s Mom. Ms. Luca doing..." He waited for a while to see if Luca would call back. Then, he sent her another video call request again. Chapter 1608 Tommy got even more depressed when she did not pick up the call. It was nothing likest time. There was not even a loading page this time. He sent Luca an audio message. ¡°Ms. Luca, are you busy? I miss you. Please send me a message after you''re done with your matters." Tommy put down the tablet after the message showed that it was sessfully sent. He walked out of the bedroom looking depressed. The excitement when he knew Luca was his mother a few minutes ago had disappeared all of a sudden after she rejected his video call request. Mr. Griffin saw Tommy and came to him. He asked with concern, "Young Master Tommy, what happened? Did someone bully you?" Tommy lifted his head and looked at the butler,ining, "Mr. Griffin, Ms. Luca isn''t picking up my calls!" "Ms. Luca?" Mr. Griffin was wondering who Ms. Luca was. Was it Dr. Craw? "Yes. I sent her a video call request just now. She didn''t pick it up. Sob, sob, sob. Does that mean she doesn''t like me anymore?" Tommy rubbed his reddened eyes. Although he was not crying, he looked like he could burst into tears anytime with that pitiful look. The butler immediatelyforted him. "How could she not like you? Young Master Tommy, you''re everyone''s favorite. You''re handsome and cute. She''s probably busy with something important and that''s why she rejected your video call request. It''s alright. She''ll call you back when she''s free." Tommy blinked his eyes and looked at him. "Is that true?" "Of course. I never lie." Mr. Griffin cheered him up. Tommy thought so too. Luca usually cared for him so much. She would never ignore his calls. She must be busy with something else, and that was why she could not ept his video call request. She would call him back when she saw his missed call. "Then I''ll wait for Ms. Luca." Tommy was happy again. He nodded with an innocent look on his face. The butler nodded his head. He remembered why he came upstairs after cheering up the child. "Oh, Ms. Nancy made some desserts. Hurry up and get some for yourself, Young Master Tommy." Tommy cheered and ran downstairs immediately once he heard there was something for him to eat. On the other hand. Luca watched them take her phone away and rummage through her bag. They said disdainfully, "What? You wear such morous clothes but there''s nothing valuable in your bag. Are you trying to deceive others?" Another manughed mockingly and threw Luca''s bag to the back of the van. ¡°We''ll have money once we finish this. Do we still need to take money out of her bag?¡± "That''s true. This woman will be our cash cow." The two men gave each other a fist bump andughed hysterically. They thought it would be hard to kidnap Luca, but they did not expect it to be so easy. A woman who knew how to fight was so easily taken into the car. It was clear that she was pretty unaware of the danger around her. Luca nced at them coldly and watched them cheer before they even seeded. If it was not because she was busy thinking about what had happened in the hotel, they would not have had the chance to catch her so easily. The van stopped after driving for some time. Luca could hear the vehicle''s engine switch off. She knew they had reached their destination. One of them lifted the curtains to check if they had reached their destination. Then, he took out a dirty- looking blindfold and wrapped it over Luca''s head. "Don''t let her see the building." Luca only caught a few glimpses of the scene outside the window the moment he lifted the curtains. The ce was clean, and the nts on the roadside were nicely trimmed. It looked like a fancy ce. The van that was used to kidnap her was luxurious too. The ce where she would be kept captive was fancy too. It seemed like the mastermind behind them was not a simple person. She had yet to figure out why they wanted to kidnap her. Luca was held by two men on both sides. One was on her right and one on her left. She was blindfolded when she got out of the van. She could not see anything, but her ears and nose had be more sensitive. She could smell the fragrance of lilies in the air. Lilies were nted around this ce, and they had already bloomed. She even heard footsteps that did not belong to the two men. It must be the driver. Luca walked for quite some time. She did not struggle. She knew she would be the one to suffer if she thought of struggling now. The man who was on her left sneered and said, "Looks like you know what''s good for you since you''re not struggling or trying to escape." Luca could not say anything as a piece of cloth was still stuffed inside her mouth. The man on her right chimed in, "This is my first time kidnapping such a cooperative woman." The man on her left made an evil grin. "And she''s a beauty too. Do you think we can have some fun with her for a while?" "Don''t even think about it." A stranger''s voice came from behind Luca. She reckoned that it was the driver''s voice. "Boss has told you that you won''t receive any money if you dare to touch this woman. You might even lose your lives." That voice continued to warn them. Of course, the man on Luca''s right knew the consequences of touching her. He sneered and replied, "We can''t be bothered to touch this kind of woman either. She has the looks but she''s not our cup of tea. Is there any woman we can''t get once we have money?" ¡°Yes, we won''t do that. We''re just talking big.¡± The man on the left instantly went along with him. Luca was brought into a house. She was sure that she had walked into a house. It was because she could feel the difference in the floor. Moreover, it was already dark outside. She could not sense any light with the blindfold on her when she was outside. However, she could catch some streaks of light after walking into the house. It seemed like the house was brightly lit. ¡°Leave her here in the house. Untie the rope on her legs, but not the one on her hands. Keep an eye on her 24/7. Don''t even think about getting the money if anything happens. Boss will make sure you pay for it.¡± The man behind her spoke again. Luca could feel that she was being pushed onto a bed. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. She was unable to sit steadily as she was blindfolded. After she sat down properly, she felt someone untying the rope on her legs. The other man grabbed something cold and put it on her legs. They were cuffs! Luca could feel them... The moment the rope was untied, her legs were cuffed. "What are you doing?¡± the man who ordered them asked. "Didn''t you tell us that the woman is good at kicking? Of course, we can''t be that careless. She can walk around in the room with the leg cuffs on, but she won''t be able to kick. She won''t be able to escape either." The man pointed at the iron balls chained to the leg cuffs. She could manage to walk with the iron balls chained to the leg cuffs. However, she could not lift her leg and kick to attack someone. Chapter 1609 Luca was secretly upset when she heard what he said. She thought she might have a chance to escape once her legs were untied, but although she was able to walk freely now, she could not get out of here. The blindfold was taken off as well. Luca looked at her legs. Indeed, there were two big iron balls chained to her feet. She was always cuffed with two big iron balls when she underwent physical training on the Ind of Despair back then. Hence, such weight was nothing to her. However, her hands were tied up. There was little chance for her to escape. Luca did not look around. She stared directly at the three masked men in front of her. She knew they would not simply touch her after listening to their conversation. She was still safe for now. She had been behaving herself to let their guard down. Indeed, the three men left the room when she did not say anything or struggle. They kept a light on for her even though they had left the room. Luca looked around the room and noticed that there were no splendid decorations here. However, based on the paint job, the house must be beautiful and majestic. She did not continue to look at the decorations. Instead, she began searching for tools that could cut the rope on her hands. Atst, her gaze fell on the edges of the bed. It seemed like this was the only thing that could grind and cut the rope around her hands. She would need some time to grind and cut the rope. She did not know when those men woulde in again, so she had to wait till the middle of the night. Luca sat down on the floor and leaned beside the bed to take a rest after she made her decision. The reason why she did not sit on the bed was simple. How was she supposed to carry her legs up onto the bed with two iron balls chained to her feet? She would alert the two men if she lifted her legs onto the bed andy down. Luca had not figured out what was the purpose of them kidnapping her. Hence, she had to be careful in everything she did. The two men sat in the living room. No noises wereing from the room. After a while, they felt uneasy and pushed the door open to check on her. They saw Luca was sitting on the floor and taking a rest. The man sneered and mocked her in a low voice, saying, ¡°She''s taking it very well." He returned to his seat and said to his boss, "She''s asleep." ¡°She''s still able to fall asleep?" The other man raised his brows and asked. "Yes, but her legs are cuffed. She''s sleeping on the floor. I wonder what''s with that woman. She''s taking it so well. She''s not even crying or yelling. She even fell asleep like a normal person. Doesn''t she realize that she''s been kidnapped?" The man scoffed. "It''s good that she''s not shouting. That saves us the trouble. Come get some supper." On the other hand. Nina had just walked out of Anna''s ward. She headed straight to the supermarket after she got off work to prepare some soup for Anna and Jean. Anna criticized her unhappily after she sent the food to the hospital. It was because she could not deliver her three meals a day. Anna could not get used to the meals in the hospital, and sheined they tasted awful. Nina exined to her that she had to go to work, so there was no way she could prepare three meals a day for Anna. She got scolded after that. Hence, she left the ward right away without bringing the thermos bottle along with her. Anna was in poor health. Nina did not want to quarrel with her, but she also refused to listen to her comints. She came to the hospital''s outdoor car park. She no longer dared to park her car in the basement parking lot after she got stalked. She was worried that no one would be around to help her if she was kidnapped. She was all alone now. She had to learn how to protect herself. However, she ran into thest person she wanted to see on earth at the parking lot. It was Pierre Mallory. Pierre was leaning on her car, waiting for her. He put on a bright yet mischievous smile on his face when he saw Nina walk toward him. Nina met his eyes under the light. She felt that something was wrong... ¡°This is my car. Please step aside. Otherwise, don''t me me for being aggressive." Nina showed a cold face. She was already in a bad mood, and now she had run into Pierre, this *sshole. It made her feel even worse. Was this world going against her? Why did the person she did not want to see the most show up in front of her? All the things that she did not want to happen were happening to her! ¡°Why are you talking like that? Don''t you want to see me?" Pierre grinned. The more she behaved like that, the more he wanted her. Nina rolled her eyes. ¡°Why did you even show up when you know you''re not wee here? Get lost! I don''t want to see anyone from the Mallory family!" Pierre stroked his chin. He was not frightened by what she said. He frowned and replied, ¡°Why? Is it because my brother dumped you? You can''t me me for that." Nina sneered. Neither of the Mallory brothers was a good person. If she were not living in a society of rules andws, she would have hit the elerator after she got into the car. She would have crushed Pierre''s body with the tires by going back and forth a few times. She walked to the driver''s seat and prepared to pull the door open. Pierre grabbed her hands instead. ¡°I came here for you today. Don''t be ungrateful." Nina was startled by what he did. She shook his hand off, trying to stay away from him as though he was an infectious person. "We''re at the hospital. I''ll scream and tell them that you molested me if you dare to do anything to me. You''ll be on the front page of the newspapers tomorrow." She warned him viciously. Their previous encounter took ce at the apartment where no one else was around, so she could not use this method to warn Pierre. It was different now. They were in the parking lot of the hospital. People were walking to and fro around them. If she screamed, she could definitely attract their attention. Pierre belonged to the Mallory family. He could not risk humiliating himself. He would get scolded so badly if he was on the front page of the newspapers. What she said made Pierre behave himself a little. He nced at his hand that she pushed away and warned her, "You''ll regret it for getting rid of me now." "Then make me regret if you''re capable of doing so. I''ve got nothing to lose. You''re the one who''s always driving me crazy. I''ll die with you. It''d be great if you can be my scapegoat before I die." There was a look of insanity in Nina''s eyes as she spoke. She had be like this today all because of Pierre. Pierre gave her a thumbs up when he looked at the hints of insanity from the depths of her eyes. "Sure. Very well, you''vepletely offended me now. You want to make things difficult for me, right? Then I won''t make things any easier for you. Wait for it. I''ll kill everyone around you even if I can''t screw you over." ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . "Then go ahead. They''re in the ward. They won''t be able to fight back either. Go ahead and do it. I''ll have to thank you for that!" Nina thought he was talking about Anna and Jean. She pointed at the hospital building and said, "If you dare to do that, I''ll visit you every day!" Pierre saw her madness, and he sneered. He patted off the dust on his sleeves and left. "You''ll regret it!" Chapter 1610 Nina did not stop worrying even as she watched Pierre leave. She leaned beside the car door helplessly, watching the man''s back. Although she could not see his face, it seemed like she was still able to imagine how ruthless his expression was at this moment. This was insane... Nina felt uneasy. As she recalled the vivid images in her head of him threatening her, he must have done something. Still, what had he done? A worried expression appeared on Nina''s face when she thought of his treacherous means. She was not afraid if Pierre were to do something to her. However, she was afraid that Pierre would hurt the people around her. It was because he was a vindictive man. Nina suddenly thought of Luca. The only person around her who had offended Pierre before was Luca. She would be the one to suffer if Pierre wanted to do anything. Nina took her phone out of her bag at the thought of this. She dialed Luca''s phone number, nning to tell her to watch out for herself. When she called her, however, she was informed that Luca''s phone had been switched off. ¡°Did her phone run out of battery?" Nina muttered to herself. After all, Pierre had just warned her. It was unlikely that he had taken action that quickly. Therefore, she left a message for her on Instagram, asking Luca to call her after she charged her phone. Late at night. Luca opened her eyes. There was only a dimmp in the room where she was being kept. One of the men came in and switched off the other lights an hour ago. Even though Luca had been resting with her eyes closed, she had been alert the whole time. She was aware of all the noises going on outside. Hence, she could tell when they wereing in. She continued to listen to the noises outside. It took a while before everything became silent. She slowly sat up straight. She dared not make any big moves with the two big iron balls chained to her feet. The iron balls would roll, and that would alert the two men outside the room if she moved even a little. Luca knew that there could be a chance for her to escape if she behaved herself. She was alone in A City. No one woulde looking for her even if she went missing. She had to keep calm when facing this kind of situation. Luca slowly moved after ncing at the bed. Atst, she crouched beside the bed and ced her hands on the edge of the bed. Then, she slowly started to grind away at the rope on her hands. She could not turn to look at her back, so she could only follow her instincts. The edge of the bed was not sharp enough, but she made up her mind and strengthened her resolve. Hence, she would feel bouts of sharp pain sometimes when she identally grazed her hands. Luca endured it as she continued to move her hands. At the same time, she was focusing on the situation outside the door. She got up and immediately sat on the bed. She looked in the direction of the door when she heard noisesing from outside. The door was being pushed open. A masked man walked into the room and saw that Luca''s gesture had changed from lying on the floor to sitting on the bed. He lowered his voice and asked, ¡°What are you doing?" Luca replied frankly, "I didn''t feelfortable sitting on the floor, so I''m sitting on the bed. Am I not allowed to do so?" The man thought that the bed was ced here to let her sleep. There was nothing wrong with what she was doing. He checked around and found nothing odd. He was about to turn around and leave. Luca said, "Can you take off the iron balls on my feet at night?" "No." The man rejected her without hesitation. When a person wanted to escape, there was no differentiating day and night. Furthermore, the mastermind behind them had told them to be careful of the woman. "I want toy down on the bed to sleep. But the iron balls are getting in the way," said Luca. The iron balls rolled whenever she moved her feet. The man stared at the iron balls on the floor that were hanging on her slim ankles. She indeed looked pitiful. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. However, when he had to choose between beauty and money, he would surely choose the second option. He replied in a cold voice, "Go to sleep. Stop talking nonsense." "I don''t want you to hear noises ande in every time." Luca looked down and moved her legs graciously. The iron balls rolled a little. "I can''t lift them. They''re so heavy." "Don''t pretend to be weak. You''re clearly capable, so don''t try to y tricks here." The man left right after he gave her a warning. Luca watched him close the door. The kidnapper was very cautious. He did not forget to wear his mask beforeing in. It seemed like they were not nning to hurt her. That also indicated that she had a chance to escape. It depended on what the mastermind had in his mind and his mood. Luca listened to the noises outside. There was dead silence after the man went out. She went back to her crouching posture and continued to grind the rope. Suddenly, the door was pushed open. The man standing at the door saw what she was doing. He was startled when he saw her grinding the rope. He came over and lifted her hands to look at the rope. Indeed, the rope had worn off a little. The man got furious. He lifted his hand and pped her in the face. ¡°I was wondering why you were behaving so well! Are you trying to escape? Not a chance!" Luca''s head tilted aside and knocked on the columns of the bed. A sharp pain spread across her forehead. She could feel something wet streaming down her head. The man did not manage to control his strength and hit her head hard. Luca lifted her head to look at the man. She could not see his face clearly with that hideous mask on his face. She only heard him calling his partner. Another man walked in and saw what had happened. He asked with surprise, "What happened?" "This b*tch was trying to escape. Grab a few more ropes here. Let''s see how she''s going to escape after this." The man did not care when he saw blood on Luca''s forehead. He ordered his partner to do as he instructed right away. The other man immediately grabbed a few more ropes from another room. The man cruelly tied the ropes around her hands. "Let''s see how you''ll escape after I tie you up like this. You''re thinking of cutting the ropes? Alright, then spend the rest of your life cutting them!" The blood on her forehead slowly streamed down her eyes. Luca could only close her eyes to prevent blood from getting into them. After the man tied the ropes, he said, "Go get some tissue and help her stop the bleeding. We won''t be able to exin it if something happens to her." "How troublesome. You can hit her if you wanted to, but why did you injure her? What if our boss kidnapped her for some other purpose? He''ll me us for leaving her with a scar." The man who came in after that drew some tissues out of the tissue box and pressed harshly on Luca''s forehead. He was holding pressure on it andining at the same time. "How am I supposed to know that she''d knock her head?" The man who got criticized sounded impatient. Luca listened to their conversation, and a thought crossed her mind. Would she be able to find a way to escape if she was injured or about to die? However, it would be better not to hurt herself... Luca was not afraid of death. She was only afraid that she would not be able to see her children and Luke anymore after she died. Therefore, she must stay alive. She would only use that method as ast resort. The man had been applying pressure on her forehead for half an hour to stop the bleeding. He looked at the pile of blood-stained tissues on the floor. He was worried. "Is it okay for her to lose so much blood? Do we need to get a doctor to take a look at her?" "Don''t be silly. Won''t we be exposing ourselves if we call the doctor now? Well, the bleeding has stopped now. She should be alright. Go to the pharmacy to get some Merbromin for her at the crack of dawn." Chapter 1611 That was the only way left. Luca closed her eyes andy down on the bed as she listened to the footsteps of the two men leaving. She did not see how many ropes he carried in his hands. However, she knew there were at least six ropes tied around her hands just from looking at the man''s gestures earlier. It had be even more difficult for her to break free now. Luca thought she would not be able to save herself anymore. It was too difficult for her, and she did not have much energy left. She could only rest up and wait for another chance. The next day. Jason realized Luca did not check in at her new office. Thus, he went downstairs to look for her. It was then he found out that Luca was not in the office downstairs either. She did note to the office at all. Jason knew she was not someone who would not skip work without giving notice. Hence, he called her and noticed that he could not get through to her phone. He immediately informed Luke about this. Luke frowned and kept silent when he heard what Jason told him. This morning, Tommy was whining to him that Luca did not call him back after she rejected his video call requestst night. She did not reply to his messages either. Hence, the child thought she did not like him anymore andined to him about it. Luke took no notice as he thought Luca must be in the middle of something and that was why she did not reply to the child''s messages. However, she did not ask for leave nor inform anyone that she was noting to the office today. Luca was fine when she leftst night. Could it be that something had happened to her when she was on her way back home? Luke rose immediately when he thought of the possibility. He said, ¡°Call the police." Jason was startled. "Call the police? Boss, even though I can''t get through to Luca''s phone, the police won''t make a case out of this even if we call them. Maybe she overslept and is at home?" What he said made sense too, but Luke was certain that Luca was not that kind of person. He grabbed his coat and walked out. Jason instantly followed behind him. "Boss, where are you going?" "I''m heading to the apartment," said Luke. ¡°You have to attend an important meetingter." Jason thought his boss must have fallen for her since he was so worried about Luca. Otherwise, why would he do that for apany employee? Luke left without looking back. ¡°Postpone it." ¡°Alright." Jason sighed. He had no choice but to follow his boss'' instructions. He picked up his phone immediately and ordered them to postpone the meeting. Luke drove to the apartment. He ran into a few workers who were carrying things. They were moving things into the unit, and they knew the passcode to the door. Luke asked, ¡°Is there anyone in there?" A worker looked at Luke, puzzled, ¡°Sir, there''s no one inside." Luke opened the door and walked into the apartment. He headed to the bedroom, which was clean and tidy. Then, he nced at the bathroom. It was neat too. He walked around the ce and saw no sign of Luca. ¡°Sir, what''s wrong?" A worker looked at him with confusion. Luke replied, ¡°Did you see her when you were moving things here?" ¡°No. No one was here when we came in." The worker shook his head. Something was wrong... There was a thought in Luke''s mind. He trotted out of the apartment and nced at the surveince camera at the entrance of the apartment. Then, he headed to the property''s office. The employees in the office were informed that he would being before he arrived. All of them gathered together and waited for him in the office. Luke entered the property''s office. They had already retrieved the surveince video of the entrance of the apartment. The manager asked respectfully, "Mr. Crawford, we''ve pulled up the surveince footage. What date and time do you wish to check the footage of?" Luke only wanted to see if Luca hade backst night. She cared about hygiene a lot, so she always kept the house clean and tidy after getting influenced by him. Since the house was too tidy, that meant she had note back at all. He had to watch the surveince footage to be assured. ¡°Last night around seven o''clock until this morning. y it at double the normal speed." Luke stood there with his eyes on theputer screen. Double the normal speed? The manager was startled. Luke would not be able to see anything if he yed it at double the normal speed. However, he followed Luke''s instructions. Luke stared at theputer screen without blinking. He only wanted to make sure if Luca hade home the night before. However, there was no sign of Luca after he finished watching the footage. Luke nodded and walked out of the office right away. The employees exchanged nces with each other. ¡°What just happened?" After Luke left, he came to the apartment where Luca used to stay in before. He realized he was unable to walk into the neighborhood when he wanted to get in. They had tightened the security measures after what had happenedst time. Strangers were not allowed to enter without the tenant''s permission. Luke could only park his car at the roadside. He stood at the entrance and called the chief of police. The chief of police immediately sent two policemen after Luke asked for his help. Luke got immediately into the neighborhood with the police''s assistance. He took the elevator and went upstairs. Then, he knocked on the door when he reached the door. There was no answer. Luke knocked on the door again. "Luca, are you in there?" The policeman recognized that it was the unit where the ident took ce. He asked Luke, "Mr. Crawford, do you need our help?" "Open the door." Luke nodded and took a step back. After he gave them the order, the two policemen tried to unlock the door aggressively. They would not be held responsible if something happened. It was because it was a unit where a murder case had urred. All they had to do was shift the responsibility to the murderer. Luke pushed the door open. He looked around the apartment covered with dust covers. He was deep in thought. The two policemen looked around. There was no sign of anyone living here. "My subordinate is missing," Luke turned around and said to the two policemen. "A missing person? Do you know that person''s ID number? How long has that person been missing?" The policemen heard him and became serious. Luke replied, "I have a copy of her ID card in the office. As for the time, she went missingst night." "Last night... It''s not time to file a case yet. Are you sure that she''s missing and she''s not taking a leave of absence? Or did she leave because yourpany''s human resources wouldn''t allow her to resign?" The policeman hesitated and suggested a wide range of possibilities. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Luke listened to the possibilities he mentioned. He got anxious. He knew Luca was not that kind of person and she had no intention of leaving. "She''s missing." Chapter 1612 The policeman heard him repeating the same words. When he was about to exin to him what the conditions were to ssify someone as having gone missing, the other policeman grabbed his arm. ¡°Mr. Crawford, please give us the information about the missingdy. We''ll try our best to look for her." Luke picked up his phone and called Jason. He answered the phone call after two beeps. Luke then ordered the person on the other end of the call, "Send Luca''s details to my phone." "Yes," Jason replied immediately. He was able to sense how nervous Luke was just by listening to his voice. Luke received the message with Luca''s details after a minute. He handed his phone to the policeman. "She left after having dinner with mest night. She didn''t go home. Please help find out where she is as soon as possible." "Yes." The policeman noted down Luca''s details on his phone and left. The policeman who was grabbed by the arm looked at his colleague and asked with confusion, "We can''t take this as a missing person case. How could you agree to help him? We''re going to get scolded by the chief if he finds out about it." The policeman rolled his eyes at him. "You''re new here, right? You know nothing. He''s on good terms with our chief. If he says someone''s missing, no matter whether it''s true or not, we still have to investigate it." The policeman understood immediately. "Then let''s trace her down first." "Alright." The other policeman nodded and agreed. Luke did not leave with the two policemen. Instead, he went into the apartment and looked at the white space while recalling what had happened here. The murder case had happened here, and Luca was attacked back then as well. Now, she was missing. He felt as if there was a huge mystery that was leading him to explore it deeper and deeper. Who was manipting Luca? What method was that party using to manipte her? Was it someone from the Ind of Despair? However, Luca had no tattoo on her. Ate had checked Luca''s body when her leg muscles cramped in the pool that time. There was no tattoo on her body that was simr to the tattoo that Bianca''s impostor had. Luke pondered over it. He could not figure out why Luca was being manipted. The policemen began their investigation after they returned to the station. They started to investigate her whereabouts based on the details that Luke had provided them earlier. Then, they realized she did not purchase any tickets with her passport. That meant she did not take any transport to leave A City. However, they could not exclude the possibility that she might have hailed a cab to leave the city. When they were clueless about where to start, a policeman remembered that he received a callst night iming that a young woman was abducted into a van while waiting for a taxi at the roadside. There happened to be a surveince camera along the road, so they pulled up the footage immediately. The rity of the surveince video was not the best, but they did see a woman being abducted into the van. The van drove away before the passersby managed to react. They could not see the car te number or the men''s faces. ¡°How are we going to confirm if this is the woman Mr. Crawford is looking for?" one of the policemen asked. "Wasn''t Mr. Crawford having dinner with herst night? Send this photo to him and ask if she''s wearing the same clothes. If it''s a match, then the missing person didn''t leave on her own but was kidnapped," said another policeman. The method should be able to work, so they sent the surveince video to Luke. Luke was in the middle of a meeting. After he received the video and watched it, he was sure that the woman who was kidnapped was Luca without needing to look at it for the second time. The woman in the video was dressed in the same clothes as the ones Luca was wearingst night. Furthermore, the briefcase... Luke stood up. One of the division managers who was reporting their job performance saw him standing up all of a sudden. He thought Luke was dissatisfied with his report, so he could not help but stammer, "Boss, is. Is there anything wrong?" "Postpone the meeting," Luke said as he walked out. Jason and the other division managers exchanged nces with each other after he left. "Mr. Doyle, what''s wrong with Boss?" the division manager who spoke earlier asked. They were supposed to hold the meeting earlier today, but then they were told that the meeting would be postponed. Now that they had started the meeting, it was postponed again. Why was it so difficult to have a meeting? Jason shook his head and stood up. "I''m not sure either. It''s time for lunch now. Please have your lunch first. I''ll inform everyone of the meeting time again. Kindly check your group chat when the time comes." He left the meeting room after that. Based on the situation now, Jason reckoned Luke was behaving unusually all because of Luca. Could it be that something had happened to Luca? Probably not. Although Luca would always run into something, she was good at self-defense. Nothing bad could have happened to her. Jason was pondering while keeping up with Luke''s pace. He was calling someone. "I''m pretty sure the woman who was abducted into the car is my missing employee, Luca," Luke confirmed with the policeman through the phone. Jason was shocked when he heard that. Luca was abducted? After the policeman confirmed her identity, he replied immediately, "Alright. We''ll investigate the direction where the car was heading based on the surveince cameras. Don''t worry, We''ll find Ms. Craw." Luke hung up the phone and nced at Jason, who was following behind him. ¡°Tell Percy toe to my office.¡± "Yes." Jason was not surprised this time. It was because he had seen for himself how much his boss cared about Luca. Hence, he was not surprised he would ask for Percy''s help to look for Luca. Percy hurried to Luke''s office after he received Jason''s call. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. "How''s it? Where was she abducted?" He knew that Luca was Bianca. Hence, he did not make fun of Luke about it. Luke had always been madly in love with Bianca. It was a matter of fact that he would feel anxious and worried now that she was kidnapped. "Near the hotel. I''ll send the surveince footage to your phone now. It was an expensive van, but there''s no car te number on it," said Luke. Percy sat on the couch and opened the video Luke had sent him. He saw the van stop at the roadside. Then, two men covered Luca''s head with a gunny bag right after the door opened. Their methods were skillful, and they knew their target well as if they had been following Luca for a long while. "Both of you had dinner together before that?" Percy asked. "Yes." Luke was a little regretful now for not insisting to send Luca back home. He wanted to give her some time to be alone. After all, he was nning to slowly approach her to make her ept him again. That was why he thought he should not push her too much to prevent himself from being exposed. She would not have gotten kidnapped by those people if he had insisted on sending her home. It would be difficult to trace the location of the van without a car te number even if they managed to pull up surveince footage. Chapter 1613 ¡°You should''ve noticed something when you were driving, right? Their intention is obvious. It seems to me they''ve been following your woman for a long time. You must have missed them when you were driving." Percy rubbed his chin as he analyzed the situation. Luke was good at counter-reconnaissance. He would have noticed a van following him from the office to the hotel. Luke kept silent for a moment. He was trying to recall what had happenedst night. He was silent when he was driving, and he did not talk much to Luca. He would have noticed something if there was anything unusual. However, he was unaware of the things around himst night. There were only two possibilities based on the given situation. First, the kidnappers began to follow Luca at the hotel. Still, that was unlikely to happen. After all, the kidnappers would not have known Luca''s whereabouts. The second possibility was that the driver was good at reconnaissance, so they seeded in going unnoticed by Luke. Luke got even more anxious at the thought it may be the second possibility. If Luca was kidnapped by someone so good at reconnaissance, she must be suffering a lot right now. Moreover, she had been missing for the whole night. He did not receive any calls, and no one knew Luca''s real identity other than him. They still could not figure out the other party''s purpose in kidnapping her. Percy knew Luke did not notice anything amissst night when he remained silent. Otherwise, he would have said something. Percy said, "Although the van is slightly more expensive than normal vans, they''re stillmonly seen on the road. It''ll be a little difficult to find out who bought the van." Luke clenched his fists. "I have to find Luca as soon as possible." "Don''t worry. I''ll help you." Percy knew how much Luca meant to him. A woman who was missing for three years and whose life and death was unknown had suddenlye back to him. Before Luke could even immerse himself in the happiness of gaining something precious back, she was kidnapped. It must be tough for him. Percy stood up and said, "I''ll send my men to investigate it. Don''t rush. I''m sure we can find her." Finding her would not be a problem, but it was unknown what state Luca would be in when they found her. Luke had no idea how much she had suffered during those three years. He was thinking of finding out the mastermind behind her and giving her a better life. However, she was kidnapped by someone before he managed to find out anything. "Oh, aren''t you suspecting that there''s someone behind her manipting things?" Percy suddenly thought of it. "I''m guessing that person isn''t someone simple. Why don''t you take the opportunity to dig up something this time?" Luke understood what Percy meant. He wanted him to spread the news that Luca had been kidnapped. It was to inform the organization behind her that she had been kidnapped. They would investigate the matter after knowing that she was kidnapped since they had put in so much effort to ce her beside him. Moreover, the organization behind Luca was powerful and influential. Otherwise, they could not have done so much. It was not a bad idea to find Luca while borrowing the power of others. Luke would be able to secretly observe when the other party started their investigation. He could probably dig up something. ¡°I''ll leave this to the police,¡± said Luke. The news must be released from the officials to convince the organization behind Luca. He acted fast by asking the police to write a press release and announce the news that Luca had been kidnapped. Then, he asked the police to inform the public that they were looking for the people who were at the scene yesterday to provide testimonies. Luke sat opposite Percy. They were facing each other after Luke was done doing everything. They were waiting for the police to make the announcement. ¡°Look at how troubled you are. Do you want to go for a drink tonight?¡± Percy invited. ¡°Is it me or you who''s troubled?" Luke went straight to the point. Percy was at a loss for words after Luke questioned him like that. He was indeed worried about his ns not going well. Now, there were more things to do and he had to wait longer. He could wait, but he was afraid Nina could not wait any longer. Percy refused to force Nina to stay beside him, so he nned to wait until the problems here were solved until he contacted Nina. However, as time went by, he was even more afraid of losing her. ¡°Since I''m helping you investigate this, you won''t mind drinking with me, right? You can just sit there if you don''t want to drink," said Percy. ¡°Sure." Luke agreed. Although Luca''s matter was important, they were without clues now. All they could do was to wait. The police released the news through their official channels half an hourter. Sue saw the news in the evening. After confirming with Jason that Luca was really kidnapped and did note to the office for work, she told Nina about it. After Nina heard what Sue told her, what Pierre said to her came across her mind. He told her that he wouldy his hands on the people around her. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Anna and Jean were still recovering in the hospital. They were fine. The nurses did not inform her about anything else either. Could it be that the person he was talking about was Luca? Nina immediately searched online after she hung up the call with Sue. She watched the video of Luca getting abducted into a van. It caught her off guard, so Luca could not put up a fight. She was not able to defend herself when it happened so suddenly. It did not matter how good she was at self-defense. Nina saw the news released by the police calling for people who were at the scene to help in their investigation and to head to the police station to make a statement. She called Pierre right away without hesitation. She was able to get through to him, but he did not answer the call. Nina clenched her teeth. In her mind, Pierre did it intentionally. She made another call to ask Pierre about it. She wanted to know whether he had anything to do with it. This time, her call was hung up in a second. Nina knew he was doing it on purpose. There was an 80 percent chance that he had something to do with Luca''s kidnapping. She wanted to call the police and tell them her spection. However, it was merely a guess, and Pierre was not beside her now. The police would not believe what she said even if she told them. Not to mention she did not record what Pierre told her when he came looking for trouble with her yesterday. The police would not believe anything she said. They would not dare to investigate someone like Pierre Mallory either. Nina took a deep breath. She was worried about Luca, so eventually, she decided to ask for Luke''s help. Luke and Percy were the only people left who could help Luca. However, she refused to ask for Percy''s help. Nina dialed Luke''s phone number. The call was answered after it rang a few times, and she spoke at once, "Mr. Crawford, I''ve got something to tell you. It''s about Luca." Luca? Luke nced at Percy, who was drinking to drown his sorrows. It seemed like he was depressed because of his family affairs and Nina. He replied, "I''m at Bibbler''s Tale. Come over and tell them my name. Someone will lead you into the private room here." Chapter 1614 Bibbler¡¯s Tale? A bar? Nina frowned after she hung up the phone. Luca was kidnapped, yet Luke was drinking at a bar? Although it was normal to drink at the bar, he had to attend to his business partners, after all. However, should he not be prioritizing finding Luca at a time like this? Nina suddenly thought that something was wrong when she thought so. Luca was not Binaca, and there was no need for Luke to be responsible for her, not to mention look for her. Nina found her keys, shook her head, and closed the door. She thought of what crossed her mind just now, and she thought it was because Luca was simr to Bianca, so she had such thoughts. Bibbler''s Tale. Percy drank a mouthful of liquor and watched Luke put his phone back in his pocket. Then, he asked, "Any news on Luca?" ¡°Do you think I could sit here calmly if it was about her?" Percy nodded. "That''s true." Luke did not stop him as he looked at the man who seemed to want to get drunk. After all, someone was on her way here to convince him. As he watched Percy down more and more drinks, he thought he might speak his thoughtster. Percy touched his face when he noticed Luke staring at him. He asked, "Is there something on my face?" "No." Luke shook his head. "Stop watching me. Come on, drink a little. You''re pathetic too. Your wife was kidnapped again right after you found out that she came back. Sigh, I feel sorry for you." Percy had drunk too much, so he started babbling. His words touched a raw nerve of Luke''s. Even so, he did not mind what Percy said. After all, he could not talk reasonably with an almost drunk person. He reminded him calmly, "Don''t tell others that Luca''s real identity is Bea." Percy nodded, and he made a gesture of pulling a zip across his mouth. It meant that he would keep it a secret, and he would not tell anyone about it. Half an hourter, someone pushed the private room''s door open. Nina came in and saw Percy sitting there. She unconsciously stepped out. Thest person she wanted to see now was Percy Mallory. "Nina," Luke called out to stop her. "Didn''t you say you have something to tell me?" Nina snapped back to her senses and looked at Luke helplessly. She refused to throw another nce at Percy. She did have something to tell Luke, but she did not n to tell Percy about it... She would have chosen to tell Luke about it on the phone instead ofing here if he had told her that Percy was here too. ¡°Do you minding out? I''ll tell you about it.¡± Nina made a concession. Percy was drunk, and his eyes were blurry. He looked at her quietly without doing anything. He was heartbroken to see how much she wanted to avoid him. "It''s crowded out there. Are you sure you want to talk about it there?¡± Luke asked, and he turned around to nce at his friend who had been drinking so much because of Nina. He would try his best to help him. After all, Percy had helped him and Bianca a lot too. Nina bit her lip and hesitated for some time. She walked in and closed the private room''s door after considering that Luca''s matter was much more important. "You can sit there." He pointed at the seat that was the farthest away from Percy. Percy nced in the direction where he pointed and red at him. Luke was helping Nina avoid him! Nina nced at the seat. Indeed, it was the farthest away from Percy. There were two empty bottles in front of him. It looked like he had drunk a lot. Sitting far away from him could make sure she was safe. Percy secretly sneered when he saw her sitting down obediently. She had never been so well-behaved with him. Luke looked at Nina. "Do you want a drink?" "I quit drinking," replied Nina. She was addicted to drinking when she was together with Percy back then. It was because alcohol could numb her feelings, so she often numbed herself with alcohol. However, she did not need that anymore. Nina was a free woman now. She was no longer living life without being given a title. She was bound to no man. Luke nodded and waited for her to talk. Percy remained silent as he continued to drink. Nina took a deep breath. She breathed in the air and could smell the alcohol. It was familiar to her, yet it disgusted her so much now. She said, "I saw the news, and I know Luca has been kidnapped. I think it has something to do with Pierre." Pierre? Luke unconsciously looked at Percy when he heard the name. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. He did not say anything. He furrowed his brows unconsciously when he heard her mention his brother''s name. "Pierre? Did he kidnap Luca?" Luke asked slowly. If Pierre was the one who did it, Percy would not let him get away with it even if Pierre was his brother. Bianca was the one Luke cherished most in his life. No matter who wanted toy their hands on her, they would have to pay for what they did. However, things were not clear enough yet. ¡°I suspect it. Pierre came looking for mest night. He told me he wouldy his hands on the people around me if I didn''t listen to him." Nina recalled what he told her that night. Her body shivered unconsciously at the thought of it. Luke remained silent, and Percy sat up straight. He did not expect his brother to do something like this. He knew Nina was his ex-lover. How dare he have such thoughts?! Nina added, "My mother and brother are still in the hospital. They''re fine. But Luca went missing that same night. Besides that, she had also previously offended him to protect me, so I thought..." Luke understood what she meant. Pierre was a vindictive man. However, when Luca was defending Nina, he was there to defend Luca too. He did not expect Pierre to have the guts toy his hands on someone under his protection. "I''ll figure it out," replied Luke. After all, he was a member of the Mallory family. He could not go looking for trouble just based on what Nina had told him. He had to investigate the matter first. Nina begged him. "Mr. Crawford, please look into it as soon as possible. Pierre''s methods are terrifying. I''m afraid he''ll make Luca suffer if she''s really in his hands." Luke was worried too. He knew what a yer Pierre was. What if he forced Luca. He could no longer sit still. He looked at Percy. "I''m going to investigate your brother." "Go ahead. I''ll help you." Percy picked up his phone and began to order his subordinates to do the job. He was not someone who would defend and side with his family. He would not cover up for his brother if Pierre was really the culprit. Luke got his permission, so he stood up and said, "I''m leaving. I''ve got things to do." "I''m leaving too." Nina refused to be alone with Percy in the same room when she saw Luke leaving. She wanted to leave too. Luke shot a nce at his friend and asked thoughtfully, "Can you do me a favor?" "Yes?" Nina answered unwittingly. "Percy has had a lot to drink. Stay here and look after him for me. Don''t let him do anything crazy in the private room," Luke said. Chapter 1615 "I don''t want to be around him." Nina shook her head as she looked at the slightly drunk man. Although he had never pestered her during this period, a drunk man could do anything. She was unwilling to keep himpany. Luke frowned. ¡°His driver is not here yet. It''s not appropriate for him to drive after drinking so much. And he''s helping to look for Luca too. You know that. If Pierre is the one who did this, then Percy will be the quickest one to find out about it. Otherwise, we won''t be able to get any news on Lucater. What if it''s really Pierre who''s behind this? He has the whole night to transfer Luca somewhere else.¡± What Luke said was reasonable. Nina hesitated for a moment. She was not worried about what Percy would do to her after he got drunk. She was more worried about Luca. She was partly responsible for it if Luca was really kidnapped by Pierre. After all, if it had not been for her, Luca would not have gone against Pierre. "Fine..." Nina sounded helpless. Percy, who was narrowing his eyes, looked like he was drunk. However, he was just a little tipsy. He was notpletely drunk. At least, he could understand what they were talking about. He said to himself, ''Luke Crawford is a true brother.'' He knew Percy was still in love with Nina. Hence, he made this arrangement. "Then I''ll leave him to you. Ask the manager to put it on my bill when you''re about to leave." Luke left the private room after that. Nina stood still for a while. There was an awkward silence in the air. Then, she turned to look at Percy. "Are you done drinking?" "Aren''t you tired standing here?" Percy answered her with another question. It was rare to see him curling the corners of his lips into a smile. There was a wave of burning anger in Nina''s heart, but she did not know why she could not release it. She had no idea how and where that anger came from. It was tiring to stand for so long. However, she was able to think more when she was tired. "When are you going back?" she asked. Percy smiled and pointed at the remaining half a bottle of wine on the table. "I''ll go back when I finish this." Nina was stunned. She clenched her fists. He still wanted to drink. ¡°Drinking too much will keep you from getting down to business!" "Business? Do you mean finding Luca? I have nothing to do with this. And I''m just offering my help as a friend. Nina, how long have you known Luca? Yet you''re so concerned about her? You''ve known me for so long. Why don''t you care about me?" Percy made fun of her. It seemed like he was jealous of Luca, but he was not that childish to really be jealous of her. "Enough." Nina rolled her eyes and turned around. "Finish your drink quickly. I''ll drive you home." Percy replied to her with a hum, sounding a littlezy. "Why don''t you finish it for me? Then I can go back." "I don''t drink." Nina clenched her fists. She turned around without noticing the gleam that shed across the man''s eyes. He was not drunk at all. When Nina standing with her back to him, he was toozy to pretend that he was drunk. "I remember you used to love having a few sses of wine. Why did you change?" Percy suddenly panicked. It had only been a few months, yet her habits had already changed. Would everything change if he kept her waiting for a little longer? No way! He had to hurry up and settle the matter. Nina felt a lump in her throat when she heard him ask this. She still had her back against him. "Percy, don''t you know that I didn''t like to drink back then and I drank only because I had to?" Percy frowned. She had to drink? "Previously, I was in pain when I was with you. I suffered every day. Even though I took pills, they still couldn''t relieve my pain. Hence, I had to numb myself with alcohol. That''s why you think I loved to drink. Well, I''m free now. Why should I drink again? Just because it tastes good? I''ve been drinking for years, and I feel obligated to tell you that I don''t think alcohol tastes any good. It''s just that sometimes, alcohol is a good thing. At least, it made me forget my identity, my situation, and my pain back then." Nina took a deep breath and spilled everything out. She did not have the chance to say these things until after they separated. Today, he had given her a chance to pour it out. Percy felt a sudden feeling of annoyance when he listened to what she said. Was it that painful for her to be with him? He gave her whatever he could give her¡ªhis love and tenderness. All that wascking was a presentable title. Did she not see his efforts? How could she say she used to numb herself with alcohol? Percy was annoyed, but he could not get angry now. Nina had been avoiding him as much as she could. What if he got mad and did something irrational to hurt her again? It would be even harder for him to pursue her in the future. Nina did not hear him say anything. She turned around and saw him picking up the bottle to drink it. Gulp, gulp, gulp. Soon, he downed the remaining contents in the bottle. Percy put the bottle down, stood up expressionlessly, and said, "Let''s go." Nina thought he was going to y dumb, but she did not expect him to act so quickly... Could it be that what she said had upset him and it made him decide to be a good man who would never torture her again? ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . That was impossible... Percy had always been egocentric. He would never care about how she felt. Nina watched him leave and followed behind him helplessly. Percy had drunk three bottles of wine and was slightly staggering. However, he did not ask Nina to help him. Instead, he walked out of the bar all by himself. Nina quickly kept up with him when she saw that he was about to fall. She had promised herself that she would never get close to Percy again after she left him. Now, she could onlyfort herself and say that she approached him again because she was forced to. Percy walked out of the private room, and a sharp-eyed waiter helped him up. ¡°Mr. Mallory, are you leaving?" Percy was only pretending to stumble while walking so that Nina could help support him. However, he did not expect the waiter to act quicker than her. He did not scold him. Instead, he said, "Help me to the counter." "Yes," the waiter replied, but in his mind, he was thinking that they could have just called out to the staff if they wanted to pay the bill. Why would he head to the counter himself to pay the bill? However, the waiter did not say anything else. He helped Percy to the payment counter. He swiped his card, and Nina felt ufortable when she heard how much he had spent. The amount that Percy spent on those three bottles of wine was equivalent to a few days of Anna''s medical expenses. There was indeed a huge gap between the two of them. The waiter helped Percy walk out of the bar. "Mr. Mallory, where did you park your car?" the waiter asked. Percy turned around, and the waiter almost lost his grip. He hurriedly held on to him. "Where''s your car?" Percy asked. "Why do you want to get into my car?" Nina frowned. He was reeking of alcohol, and the smell was so strong that it disgusted her. Chapter 1616 Percy stood there, looking disheveled. "Send me back. It''ll be inconvenient to drive mine." Nina thought for a moment. Indeed, she had to use her car tomorrow. She would have to hail a ride and drive her car back if she drove Percy home with his car. Although she was disgusted by the strong alcohol smell on him, she wanted to rest early today. Hence, she pulled out her keys and pressed the button. The car that was parked on the roadside beeped at once. Nina said, ¡°Come on, get him into the car.¡± The waiter chose not to say anything and helped him get into Nina''s car since Percy was one of the bar''s VIPs. She took a deep breath and looked at the man in the passenger seat. Then, she got into the car. She forgot to remind the waiter, who immediately ced Percy in the front passenger seat. She had no choice but to give up on the idea. She would save herself the trouble of moving him to the backseat. The air in the car was filled with a strong alcohol smell when she closed the door. It was so strong that Nina was worried the traffic police would think that she was drunk driving if she breathed in a few more puffs. She opened all the car windows. "It''s nighttime. I''m cold." Percy mumbled as he lifted his hand, trying to close the window. Nina rolled her eyes. Back then, he was never this talkative after drinking. He was so talkative today, and it annoyed her. "You stink of alcohol. I''m just trying to get some fresh air." Percy listened to what she said and fell silent for a moment. When Nina thought he would finally stop talking, he spoke again, "You never used to think that I wasn''t good enough." "You used to..." Nina paused for a moment. Indeed, she never used to think that he was not good enough. It was because she thought she was not good enough. Sheughed at herself and said, "Do you know why? Because you were my financial support at that time. Who was I to think that you weren''t good enough? But things are different now. I''m free, and I have the right to think so." Percy was unhappy to hear that, but he could not be bothered to talk that much. He might as well just close his eyes. Nina did not hear any reply from him. She wondered if she had gone too far with her words, but did it even matter if she was mean to him? Percy was not short of women who admired him, and she never knew how to please him. There were still many women out there who were willing to tter him withpliments to please him. He could ask her to stop the car anytime he wanted if he was unhappy with her. Moreover, this would be theirst time seeing each other if nothing unexpected happened again. All was fine as long as he never showed up in front of her again. There was dead silence in the car. Nina was breathing the air that carried his smell, and she told herself to focus on driving. Percy''s phone rang. Nina knew that it was the Instagram message notification. Percyzily pulled his phone out of his pocket and nced at it. Then, he typed a few words and put it back into his pocket without saying a word. Nina could not hold herself back any longer and asked, "Any news on Luca?" "No," Percy spoke calmly, "They said Pierre never left the house today." "What do you mean? Him not leaving the house doesn''t mean that he''s not a suspect. If he''s the mastermind behind this, there''s no need for him to leave the house. Besides, he didn''t leave the house today but he was running aroundst night. It''s probably because he''s the mastermind and no one can find out what he didst night." "I know how to do this. You don''t have to worry about it." Percy felt a pain in his head when he listened to her words. Nina was suddenly so talkative when she used to be quiet back then. Percy was having mixed feelings. This was her true nature... She was talkative, and she talked about something over and over again. She waspletely different from the good and quiet Nina who used to be with him. Was he wrong for keeping her beside him? Percy was feeling a little upset for taking so much time to realize this. Things would have been different between him and Nina if he were able to realize some things as early as Luke did. She was destined to be his woman no matter how many times she tried to escape from him. "Don''t defend him just because he''s Pierre." Nina hit the brake and stopped in front of the red light. She shot a nce at the man beside her. Percy had been upset all this while. He got even more depressed when he heard her say that. He replied, "Nina, is that what you think of me?" Nina fell silent when she heard the anger in his voice. He had done a lot of things before, and she knew about all of it. She had heard from others about what he had done, but she had no idea if that was the truth. Therefore, she had never judged him for being the kind of person he was. However, she had always been prejudiced against Pierre when it was about him. Percy had never mentioned all those things Pierre previously did to her. He would only take the me on behalf of his brother even after he bullied her in the public. Nina had enough of it as it often happened. She never thought about asking him to seek justice for her either. Therefore, she still believed that Percy would always take Pierre''s side. Percy stared at her side profile, feeling disappointed. It turned out that this was her impression of him. He thought that he had done enough, but it seemed like she still had many misunderstandings about him. It seemed like he had to do better in the future. Percy noticed Nina was very concerned about Luca after talking with her. Things would probably be easier for him if he started with Luca. "I''ll look into Luca''s kidnapping case. I won''t let Pierre get away with it if he''s the one behind this." He promised her at once. Never mind him, but Luke definitely would not let Pierre get the chance to escape unscathed. "Where are you staying now?" Nina changed the subject of conversation. The traffic light had turned green. Up ahead was the vi they had stayed in before, while Percy''s private vi was on the left. "To the left," Percy answered. He moved back to his private vi when Nina insisted on leaving him. He would miss her a lot if he stayed in the vi where they had stayed together before. He thought he might as well move back to his private vi since it was too torturing for him. Nina was startled for a moment. It was normal for him to move back to his vi. She did know why she felt a little disappointed. She hit the elerator and turned to the left when the car behind them honked. Percy picked up this phone. He ced his phone in his arms after sending a message to Pierre. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Nina parked her car at the entrance of his private vi 15 minutester. She reminded without looking at the person sitting in the passenger seat, saying, "We''re here." "I''m drunk." Percy closed his eyes and sat there without moving. "Does that mean you can''t walk on your own?" Nina mocked him. "I knew you couldn''t hold your liquor well. Don''t drink so much again if you can''t even walk when you''re drunk." Percy remained silent. He did not unfasten his seat belt, and he did not intend to get out of the car either. Nina patiently helped him to unfasten his seat belt. Then, she pushed the car door open. Percy thought she was going to help him get out of the car, but he saw her walking toward the gate and ringing the doorbell. Chapter 1617 The maid hurriedly came to open the door after a while. Percy held his phone and tried to ask the maid not to open the door. The door was still opened in the end. He sat in the car and put his phone back into his pocket. Maybe he should have told her that he was still staying in the vi they used to stay in. He dismissed the servants at the vi after she insisted on leaving. There was only one maid left there who was responsible for asionally cleaning the house. Percy sat in the car and listened to the conversation between Nina and his maid. ¡°Hello, your young master is in the car. He''s drunk, and his legs are not working now. Pleasee over and help him into the house." Nina did not forget to taunt him when she was talking to the maid. Percy wanted to show her that he could walk, but she had a soft rather than hard temperament. It was better for him to pretend to be weak now. The maid shot a nce at the person in the car. It was indeed her young master. She walked over and hurriedly pushed the door open. "Young Master, are you alright?" The maid thought he was drunk and he fell, that was why he could not walk. She touched his legs. Percy gnashed his teeth and said, "I''m fine." "Uh..." The maid watched him get out of the car unhappily. He stood there. Apart from his hand that was ced on the car door to support him, his legs were working fine. "He''ll fall after taking two steps. You''d better help him. Otherwise, the news of the young master of the Mallory family getting drunk and breaking his leg on the street will be on the front page of the newspapers tomorrow." Nina took a few steps back as she said that. Percy red at her. Would she still say something like that if he really broke his leg? The maid immediately held onto Percy once she heard that. She dared not to let go as she was afraid that he might fall if she did not pay attention. She might lose her job too. Nina chuckled as she watched the maid follow Percy closely step by step. She closed the door of the passenger seat and got into the driver''s seat. Then, she hit the elerator and drove away. She dashed off without staying for even another second. Percy stopped and turned to look in the direction that she left. The maid stopped walking too and was puzzled. "Young Master?" Percy shook her hands off him right away. "Don''t hold onto me." The maid could smell the alcohol on him, but he did not look like he was drunk based on the situation now. "Oh, alright." She moved her hands away stiffly. Then, she consciously maintained a certain distance from him. Percy watched as Nina''s car disappeared from his sight. He turned around and ordered the maid, "Tell Pierre toe here tomorrow." "Second Young Master? Alright." The maid was wondering why Percy could not inform his brother himself and ordered her to do it instead. However, it would be unwise to ask about it. She would just follow her boss'' instructions. The following day. Luca opened her eyes and sat up straight. Then, she nced out the window. It was morning. She could feel her head spinning. She must have bled too muchst night. Hence, she was a little weak now. Luca let out a sigh and looked at the iron balls chained to her feet. It became even more difficult for her to escape after what had happenedst night. The room''s door was pushed open. Luca saw the two mene into the room one after another with masks on their faces. Each of them was carrying a bag in their hands. She saw that one of the bags was from a pharmacy. A gleam shed across her eyes. That should be the merbromin that they bought for her. They were going to dress her wound after hitting herst night. She reckoned that she was quite valuable to the person who was behind this judging from how carefully they had been treating her. Still, she had yet to figure out what that person wanted from her. The man threw the bag filled with the medicine on the bed. Luca lowered her head. She was able to see clearly which pharmacy it was from where she was. There were not many outlets of this pharmacy in A City. Although she did not memorize A City''s map, she would be able to narrow down the scope if she could inform someone that this pharmacy was nearby. The man took povidone and some cotton swabs out of the bag. He rolled his sleeves and said, "I''m going to sterilize your wound. Don''t shout if you don''t want to die." Luca remained silent as she watched the man pour some povidone onto the cotton swab and apply it to her forehead. He was not gentle at all. He deliberately made it even more painful when the wound was still hurting. Luca frowned. Another man saw this and said, "Be gentle. That person probably has his eyes on this woman''s appearance. You''ll leave a scar if you''re careless." The man tried to be more gentle as he muttered, "How troublesome." "You won''t feel that way when you get the money," the other man said. After the man sterilized her wound, he poured some merbromin on another cotton swab and helped her to dress her wound. Luca did not even make a sound. After dressing her wound, the other man took some food out of another bag. "There''s only bread and milk. You can starve if you refuse to eat." ¡°I¡¯ll have it.¡± Luca was not that stupid to starve herself to protest against them. She needed to fill up her stomach now. That way, she would be able to think of a way to save herself. The man divided the bread and handed it to her. Luca leaned forward and took a bite. The bread was dry, and it tasted awful. She forced herself to take a few more bites, then she said, "It''s too dry. I need water.¡± The man opened the milk and handed it to her. "Isn''t it troublesome for you to feed me like this? You can release me and let me finish my meal first. Then you can tie me up again," said Luca. "Stop talking. Eat." The man did not listen to her suggestion. "There''s two of you while I''m alone. What are you afraid of? I have iron balls chained to my feet. I won''t be able to take down both of you." Luca continued to say. Feeding her was something that would test their patience. They would not have the patience to do that. The man shot a nce at his partner and said, "Well, untie her, then. We''ll tie her up again when she finishes eating." The other man nodded and took a knife out of his pocket. It took him only a few seconds to cut off the rope. Luca did not move around. It was because the man was being cautious and ced the knife on her stomach after he cut the ropes. The knife would stab into her stomach if she dared to move even a little. "Give me the bread," said Luca. The man handed Luca the bread. Luca took the bread from him and took one bite after another. The bread tasted awful but given the situation now, she had no choice but to finish the bread. She finished drinking the milk after she finished the bread. The man quickly grabbed her hand after she put down the carton of milk. Then, he tied up her hands with a new batch of ropes. "I drink a lot of water every day. Give me a ss of water after every hour." Luca did not struggle, and she was secretly counting how many ropes the man was using to tie her hands. There were a total of five ropes. They were indeed meticulous. "How can you be so troublesome?!" The man frowned impatiently. Did they have to serve her after kidnapping her?Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Chapter 1618 "This is what I need." Luca was calm. She knew that pissing off the kidnappers would not do her any good. Nheless, she wanted to fight for more opportunities to see if she could find out more information from them. The man rolled his eyes and mocked her. "You''re being kidnapped, you''re not on vacation." "I know. You can let me die of thirst and tell your boss that I died because I was too weak to withstand your beatings." Luca looked at the hideous mask on his face without any fear. "Will you die if you drink two fewer sses of water? Do you think I''m a three-year-old child?" The man pinched her chin. If he was not afraid of hurting her again, he would have already taken action. "I was beaten until my forehead bled yesterday and I''m very weak now. You can refuse to meet my demands. However, when the person behind you asks you for a handover, you need to figure out how you''re going to exin it to him." Luca still appeared tough even though her chin was being gripped by the kidnapper. The man listened to her threats. His eyes could be seen through the mask. His gaze was gloomy and terrifying. "What I hate most in my life is being threatened, especially by women." When the other man heard him, he patted him on the shoulder and said, "Forget about it. Money is more important." "I''ve kidnapped so many people and it''s the first time I''ve met someone with so many demands. How are you okay with it?" The man turned around to look at hispanion. He was a kidnapper, not a butler. "I''ve kidnapped many and it''s not the first time I''ve seen a woman act so calm. If you don''t want to do it, I''ll do it," another man said angrily as he was toozy to talk to Luca. Luca listened to their conversation and thought to herself that these two men were habitual offenders. Once she escaped, she was determined to remember all of their details so that she could assist the police and stop them from harming others. The men ignored Luca and walked out. She looked at the closed door and kept track of the time in her heart. Since they had to keep guard of her, she was not going to make things easy for them. After a while, Luca estimated that 15 minutes had passed. She stood up and walked to the bathroom attached to the bedroom. It took a lot of effort for every step she took. As soon as she took a step, the iron balls would roll, be dragged against the floor, and make a loud sound. After a few seconds, the door of the room was pushed open and a man walked in. "What are you doing?" Luca did not turn around. She walked toward the direction of the bathroom and said, "I want to go to the bathroom." The man squinted and watched her walk step by step with difficulty. He did not pity her. "Don''t you dare try anything," "I''m tied up. I can''t even go to the toilet? What, do you want me to relieve myself on the bed? Will you clean me up, then?" Luca knew that these men only cared about money and did not want any trouble, which was why she said what she said. The man was a little impatient as he listened to the sound of the iron balls grinding against the floor. He stood by the door, watched her walk into the bathroom, and warned her. "Don''t close the door." "If I don''t close the door, won''t you see everything? It''s just a bathroom. What can I do? Moreover, I have these two iron balls on my feet." Luca pretended to struggle as she dragged the iron balls into the bathroom. The man saw that she needed to put in some work to move the iron balls and wondered if she was really as agile as others said she was. ¡®Looking at how she''s acting now, it doesn''t look like it...'' Luca closed the bathroom door after she dragged the two balls in. She did not stay in the bathroom for long. A minuteter, there was the sound of flushing from the bathroom and she dragged the iron balls out again. The man squinted and stepped forward to check the rope behind her. He found that there was no loosening or signs of wear. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . "Don''t try anything." He warned her again. "How could I try anything in my current situation?" Luca slowly walked back to the bed and sat down on it. Her calm appearance was as though she was there as a guest. She did not make any noise except for these disturbances. The other times, she was not particrly bad. ¡®Is she not at all worried about the situation she''s in?'' "You''re so calm. Aren''t you worried?" the man could not help but ask. Luca smiled and said, "I have nothing to worry about, but you guys. You''re the ones who should worry." "What do you mean?" The man''s heart skipped a beat when he heard what she said. He had a bad feeling but he could not show it to her. "You''ll find out eventually. I heard that you''ve kidnapped a lot of people. Since you''re safe and sound now, all of the jobs you did before this were sessful, right? The police never bothered you?" Luca leaned on the bedside leisurely. She was still a little dizzy after she bled the day before. "Nonsense. We''re professionals, and the police are useless. They can''t do anything to us," the man said rudely while he expressed his contempt for the police. Luca smiled and said, "Yes, the police can''t do anything to you. However, you kidnapped me. Now, other people besides the police are after you." "Who?" the man answered her subconsciously. "I''m a friend of the Crawford and Mallory families. Mm, there''s also an organization behind me. When they find out that I''m missing, they''ll search for me. No matter where you hide me, they''ll find me in the end. By then, misfortune won''t be upon me but you." Luca calmly mentioned all the people who could help her. She was not sure about the Crawford and Mallory families. Her only hope was that Luke would help find her because as long as he was involved, Percy Mallory would certainly help out too. Even if they did not help, the people from the Ind of Despair would soon find out that she was kidnapped. She hoped that the people in the stronghold had their eye on the news. Else, it might take a couple of days for them to find out that she had disappeared and she would have to suffer for a few more days. "Oh, go ahead and blow your own trumpet. The Crawford and the Mallory families? Why don''t you say that you''re the president''s best friend, then?" When the man heard her mention the Mallory family, he immediately thought that she was bragging. After all, the person who hired them to kidnap her was closely associated with the Mallory family. "Are you sure that I''m bragging? Could it be that the person who wanted you to kidnap me has something to do with either of these families?" Luca stated the obvious. She could not see the man''s expression, so she could only guess from his tone. He expressed his disbelief without any hesitation. As such, Luca guessed that the person behind her kidnapping was Pierre. Since her return to A City, the only people she had offended were the research professors at work. However, they were all nerds and would never dare to do such things. Pierre was the obvious answer. The man''s expression softened. He did not expect that she was trying to get information from him. He said sternly, "Do you think that a woman like you can be rted to the Crawford and Mallory families? Are you imagining things?" Chapter 1619 Luca was certain after she saw him evade her question. It was Pierre! "Didn''t you find out more before you kidnapped me? I was rumored to be romantically involved with Luke Crawford. Also, I work in T Corporation. If I don''t show up to work, they''ll know that I''m missing and call the police." Luca reminded him in a casual tone. The man knew that Luca''s kidnapping had been announced on the news. The kidnappers thought that even if a passerby who was around when they kidnapped her called the police to report it, it would take a long time for the mindless police officers to find out Luca''s identity. They never expected that on the second day of the kidnapping, the police already knew who Luca was and issued a notice. ¡®Could it be... that what she said is true?'' They had been involved in multiple kidnappings of prominent figures but they had never dared to provoke the Crawford and Mallory families. Everyone in their line of work knew that the businesses those two families were involved in were clean but their connections were not only from thew enforcement. The families also had connections with criminal organizations. Therefore, the kidnappers were not that stupid. Before they kidnapped Luca, they knew that she was working in T Corporation but they did not put too much thought into it. After all, apany as big as T Corporation must have many employees. If something happened to an employee, Luke would not be bothered to handle it himself. That was why the kidnappers did not further their investigation. They did not expect to kidnap a woman who was involved with Luke... Luca looked at him in silence, thinking that the kidnapper must be very nervous after he heard what she said. She was going to try harder to scare him. "It''s fine if you''re not afraid of the Crawford and Mallory families, but what about the organization behind me? Are you really not afraid?" She threatened him. The man asked subconsciously, "What''s the organization behind you?" Luca smiled and acted indifferent as she said, "The organization behind me is something you wouldn''t dare to provoke. But I won''t tell you. Just you wait." The man panicked after he heard what she said. However, he thought about it for a while. ''She''s just an ordinary woman. How could she have a powerful organization backing her? Does she think that we''re in a movie?'' "Stop messing with my head. You''re just a woman who knows nothing. You said you have an organization behind you? Pfft! I''m not afraid of you," the man straightened his posture and said. Luca raised her eyebrows and responded, "If I were you, I would quickly get the person who wants me kidnapped toe and pick me up so that I can get the money. Then, I''ll leave A City as soon as possible. Else, I won''t let you go after I''m freed." The man was frightened by her words but was unwilling to admit it. He braved himself and said loudly, "Stop trying to lie to me. Let me tell you this, if you continue to talk sh*t, you''ll get what''sing for you. You''re a pretty woman, and I''m sure you''re not a virgin. Even if my partner and I force ourselves on you, no one will know. If you don''t want to suffer, shut up and be obedient." Luca shook her head and did not say anything else. She just wanted to know who wanted to have her kidnapped. The man walked out in anger. After he closed the door, another man looked at him and asked, "What happened, Eric? Did that woman mess with you?" "What are you talking about? How could she have messed with me when her hands and feet are tied?!" The man named Eric took a swig of beer to boost his courage. He was taken aback by what Luca said. "Why are you so mad, then? I told you that this woman is troublesome yet you still went out of your way to fulfill her demands. Tsk tsk, you asked for it," another man said with a smile on his face. "Derek, we might be in trouble," Eric said as he looked at Derek. Derek frowned and responded, "What trouble?" Eric told him everything Luca said. "Are you sure this woman isn''t bluffing? Maybe she just wants to escape, so she''s threatening us. How can a foreign woman have so much power and be involved with the Crawford and Mallory families?" Derek expressed his disbelief. Eric took his phone, opened the browser, and searched for the keywords ''Luke Crawford and Luca Craw''. The results instantly came out. "Sh*t, this woman is rumored to be involved with Luke Crawford," he said. "No way. Let me have a look." Derek immediately picked up his phone and read the news from this year. They usually never paid any attention to gossip news. When they read thements on the news report, it seemed that it was a big deal back then. Eric panicked and said, "We''ve never dared to provoke the Crawford family. What if Luke Crawford finds us?" Derek was also a little scared. "Bah, what are you afraid of? I don''t believe that Luke Crawford would have the time to care for this one woman considering that he has plenty more women surrounding him." Eric was still worried. "Why don''t we call that person to deal with the woman? The police are so efficient this time around. It must have been because the Crawford family is putting pressure on them. If we hand over the woman to him, we can get the money and leave A City to avoid the limelight." Derek hesitated. "We might get a lot less money that way." "What''s more important, money or our lives? If we end up getting locked up, we won''t be able to enjoy our money." Eric picked up the phone and decided to call Pierre. Derek acquiesced. After all, their lives were more important. Pierre sat on the sofa, nced at the iing call, and hung up. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Percy walked over to him with two sses of red wine and handed Pierre a ss. Pierre looked at the wine in front of him, raised his brows, and said, "Brother, it''s not good to drink during the day, no?" "It''s just one drink. Do you have other work to attend to today?" Percy sat across from him and took a sip of wine. "Since you haven''t arranged any work for me, what tasks would I have to attend to?" Pierre took the ss, swayed it, put it close to his nose, and sniffed it. He said, "Brother, you have the best wine here." Percy invited him, saying, "If you''re free, you cane and taste my wine every day. I have a wine cer here. It''s not like you don''t know that." "Thank you for the offer." Pierre raised his ss as a thank you. Luke looked at him and asked, "You''ve been quite free, right? Since you''re getting married soon, I have a wedding gift for you." Pierre had a fiancee but the wedding date had yet to be set. The Mallory family wanted to bring him and the Johnston girl together. They nned to hold Pierre''s wedding after Percy''s was done. Pierre readily agreed to that. What Percy did not expect was that Pierre had a fiancee but was still eyeing his woman. Percy would be lying if he said that he was not furious about that. "What wedding gift? Brother, you can''t give me the same wedding gift as others. It''ll make you look lame." Pierre joked. Chapter 1620 "Of course, your wedding gift will be different from other people''s. Let''s put it this way. You can have whichever of Mallory Corporation''s subsidiaries you fancy. We''ll go through the transfer procedures. You can build your career and won''t have to work for me anymore," Percy said. "Subsidiary? I don''t want any of them, Brother. I''m happy with how things are now. I get to take the company''s dividends and asionally do what you tell me to do. My life is leisurely." Pierre turned Percy down when he heard that he wanted to give him a subsidiarypany. Even though Percy was his brother, he would never hand over Mallory Corporation to him. What he wanted most was Mallory Corporation, not any of its subsidiaries. Nevertheless, he was not stupid. He knew that if he said something, he would be turned down. Maybe he would even reveal something, so he chose to keep it to himself. Percy listened to Pierre, who positioned himself as a hands-off shopkeeper. If he had not investigated him and found out something a few days ago, he would have believed him. However, after knowing what he knew, he did not believe that Pierre''s ambitions stopped there. That was why he trusted Nina when she said that the person who kidnapped Luca was probably Pierre. "What''s the matter?" Pierre asked with a smile on his face when he saw that Percy was not speaking. Just as he finished asking the question, his phone rang again. Pierre nced at the caller ID and hung up the call once again. "Nothing. Are you alright? Your phone keeps ringing." Percy nced at his phone and asked as though he had something in mind. Pierre exined with a smile, "It''s nothing. My friends are asking me out to go drinking." "It''s fine to drink wine during the day. If you want to go all out, you should leave it until the evening," Percy said. Pierre acted obediently in front of him. "Brother, you''re right." "You really don''t want any of the subsidiaries? Aren''t you afraid that your father-inw will criticize you forzing around?" Percy asked. "I was like this before he agreed to marry his daughter to me. I''m sure he won''t have anyints. It''s not that I have nothing to do. His daughter can live a good life with my current ie, so I might as well spend more time with her," Pierre said. Percy took a sip of wine and shook his head. Pierre added, "Brother, you can give me something else. I don''t want any of the subsidiaries. My fiancee is different from the Johnston girl. She''s clingy and needs someone to apany her all the time. She''s not as considerate as the Johnston girl, who understands that you''re sometimes iprehensible and allows you to focus on your career." When the Johnston girl was mentioned, Percy acted distressed and said, "Sigh, I''m so busy with work yet you''re unwilling to share some of the burdens. I get a headache whenever I think about what''s happening at home." Pierre suddenly thought of what Luke had mentioned prior. Since they were on the topic, he asked, "What''s the matter? Brother, are you not satisfied with the daughter of the Johnston family? She''s goodlooking and is a perfect match for you. What are you thinking? Why do you look so reluctant..." Percy smiled and said nothing. Pierre continued talking, "Could it be that you still have that woman in your heart?" "Who?" Percy asked rhetorically. Pierrey it all down. "You know who I''m talking about, Brother. You don''t have many women to begin with." Percy did not have any women at all. Nina was the one who had stayed by his side the longest. "She? She''s not a good match. Although she''s beautiful, she''s not worthy. She can''t ept that I have a fiancee, so she broke up with me. What''s the matter? What did you mention her for?" Percy acted indifferently. Pierre pressed on his phone and put it in his pocket. "Before, the old man was worried that you wouldn''t be able to let go of that woman and wouldn''t ept his arrangement. Brother, it''s great that you have such thoughts now." Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "What? It seems like you look happier than the old man about me having such thoughts." Percy looked at the uncontroble smile on Pierre''s face. It seemed that it was true that Pierre wanted to make Nina his woman. Nina used to be his woman. Pierre was his younger brother, so he should never have such thoughts. If outsiders did not know about what had happened, Percy would be the embarrassed one. If Pierre got together with his ex, would that not be indirect cheating? It seemed that the things that happened over the years had made Pierre and Percy''s rtionship weaker and weaker. "I just think that she isn''t worthy of you. I''m d you can think that way now." Pierre cheered. It seemed that what Luke said was not entirely right. If Nina refused to date him because of Percy, what Percy just said was enough to make her give up. If she gave up on Percy, he would have a chance. As Pierre was deep in thought, his phone, which he had just put in his pocket, rang once again. Percy watched as Pierre took out his phone and then ended the call. He had received three calls and did not pick up any in front of him. It was indeed suspicious. "I''ll ask you onest time. You really don''t want any of the subsidiaries? If you think one is not enough, I can give you two," Percy said. "No need, Brother. I''m serious, I''m happy enough working by your side." Pierre looked serious when he said that. If Percy did not know what he knew, he would have believed him. "Okay. You''re getting so many calls. I know you''re very busy so I won''t keep you here. Go home. I have to go back to thepany after I pack up as well." Percy politely asked Pierre to leave. "Okay, I''ll head off, then." Pierre wanted to call that person back but he did not want to do it in front of Percy. Since Percy let him leave, he stopped being polite and stood up to go. After Pierre left the living room, Percy sent Luke a text: [He''s already left my house. He didn''t answer a few calls when he was here. It seems suspicious. I''ll have my men follow him. Make sure your men are ready to go.] Two secondster, Luke replied: [Okay.] After Pierre left the vi, he called Eric. "If I hang up on your call once, it means I have something to do. What''s with the constant calling?" Eric was stunned when he heard Pierre''s angry voice. He panicked, and that was why he kept calling. After all, what could be that important when it was still broad daylight out? "Boss, that woman may have guessed your identity so I called you in a hurry," Eric exined. "Guess my identity? What did you tell her?" Pierre frowned when he heard what Eric said. He knew that Luca''s skills were good and she was smart, so he made sure to tell them not to speak in front of Luca if they could. Chapter 1621 "No, we didn''t say anything. She was the one who asked us if someone from the Mallory family was involved." Eric did not dare to mention that she guessed it because of what he said for fear of being scolded. Pierre did not expect Luca to be so smart. He yelled into the phone, "Good-for-nothings! How did she act after she asked that?" "Nothing. She''s very calm," Eric replied as he made a helpless look at hispanion. "Stay away from her. I''m going to find a way to divert her suspicions," Pierre said. He then hung up the phone and drove to the vi. Percy''s men followed behind him, but Pierre did not notice because they were skilled. When Pierre was halfway there, Luke''s men met up with Percy''s. They talked and changed positions so Pierre would not notice that something was wrong. He drove to the vi. Luke''s men arrived and knew that this was not Pierre''s usual address, so they sent the location to Luke. At the same time, Percy was also updated on their location. He sent Luke a voice message. "This vi was aing-of-age gift from the old man to Pierre. He doesn''t stay there because it''s in a remote location." Luke nodded. ¡®Since he doesn''t stay there, why is he there now?'' There was only one usible reason. Percy was hiding Luca there. Percy called him and Luke immediately answered. Percy asked, "Are you going to get Luca out now?" "Yeah," Luke replied without any hesitation. Percy said, "Aren''t you curious why Pierre kidnapped Luca? Although he quarreled with Luca, he could''ve just found someone to beat her up if he was pissed. Why did he need to kidnap her?" "Your brother is a pervert." Luke did not hold back. Percy was Pierre''s brother, so he should take a little responsibility for not educating his scoundrel of a brother well. "Don''t say that. You said that he''s interested in Nina. If it''s to coerce Nina to obey him, he wouldn''t have to resort to kidnapping. Although Luca had stood up against him for her, he wouldn''t have taken things so far. There are many ways to get a woman that doesn''t involve kidnapping her. I think he has other ns." Percy analyzed the situation. "What do you want to do?" Luke understood what he meant. However, Luca was Bianca. It was inevitable that he would get impatient. "Since he''s going to see Luca, we''ll find out more soon. You and my men should surround the area and prevent him from changing his position. At the same time, we''ll be patient and see what he''s going to do." Percy suggested. They had to be more thorough if they wanted to take action. ¡®If you don''t want to wait, how can you find anything?'' "That''s Bianca..." Luke reminded him. Although what Percy said made sense and his n could achieve the desired effect, Luca was suffering in Pierre''s hands. He could not bear to watch his woman suffer. Not even for a moment! Percy rolled his eyes. He knew what Luke was thinking. Luke loved his wife more than life, so he was unwilling to let Luca suffer. "We have to sacrifice a little to trap the wolf. Luke, he kidnapped your woman. My intuition tells me that he''s targeting you. Think about it. If we know what his objective is, we have one less obstacle." Percy continued to persuade him. This was all spection, but if Pierre was targeting Luke, he and Pierre would have one less obstacle to ovee after this. "Trust me, we''ve been good friends for so many years. I''ll tell you what. Since he''s gone over now, he must be impatient. His next step is likely to ckmail you using Luca. Give it two days. If he doesn''t make a move after two days, I''ll personally go save Luca." Percy gave him a time frame, hoping that Luke could look at the bigger picture. Luke wanted to be impulsive and save Luca at that exact moment but he thought about it and recalled that Percy had indeed helped him a lot over the years. They were now aware that Pierre was plotting against Luke behind their back. Luke wanted to save Luca but he could not bring himself to ignore his brotherhood with Percy. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. After he hesitated for a while, he finally agreed. "My men and yours have to keep watch 24/7. Counting from this exact moment, if he still doesn''t act after 48 hours, don''t me me for taking action." "I won''t me you. Trust me, he kidnapped Luca partly because of you." Percy was relieved that Luke had agreed to his n. Luke hung up the phone and sent a message to his subordinates. He told them to take shifts and keep their eyes on the vi at all times. If there was a vehicleing in or going out, they had to make sure that Luca was not in it. His biggest worry was that Pierre would notice something and move her somewhere else. After Luke gave his men orders, he put away the phone and looked out the window. ¡®Bea, don''t me me. You must protect yourself...'' On the other hand. Luca was lying on the bed when she heard hurried footsteps approaching. She changed her position and put her feet down. Along with her movements, the iron balls fell. The loud sound startled Pierre, who was outside the door. He turned around and asked Eric, "What''s going on inside?" "Boss, to prevent this woman from escaping, the two of us cuffed iron balls to her feet. The sound is probably from the iron balls hitting the floor," Eric replied. Pierre sneered. ¡®Is she protesting?'' No matter how hard she smashed the floor, she would never be able to smash a hole through the floor to escape. Pierre put on a mask and ced a microphone on his cor. This was so that he could change his voice. He pushed the door and walked in. He looked at Luca, who was lying on the bed, and sneered. "It seems like you''re enjoying yourself here?" Luca looked at the man who was in a different outfit. Even though the other party had changed his voice, judging from his figure, she was certain that the man was Pierre. Even though Pierre''s figure wasmon, she was even more certain it was Pierre after looking at the figure of the person in front of her. She curled the corners of her mouthzily and asked in a cold tone, "You''re finally here." Pierre noticed that Luca did not disy a trace of fear. ''What a difficult woman.'' "Aren''t you afraid?" he asked in a dreary voice. The altered voice was disembodied and unpleasant to hear. Luca frowned and replied, "Ooh, I''m so afraid. The voice from your voice changer is so unpleasant that I thought I''m watching a horror movie. You sound like that ghost. It''s so unpleasant!" Chapter 1622 Pierre clenched his fists when he heard her mock him. ''Is she really not afraid or is she putting on an act? She''s still making fun of me in the situation she''s in now?'' Pierre felt that he had to teach her a lesson so that she would not think she was on vacation. When he thought of that, he raised his hand and pped Luca in the face. Luca knew that he was going to p her so she prepared herself. She could not let herself bang her head on the bed like the night before. Even though she was mentally prepared, Pierre did not hold back and gave her a tight p across the face. Her neck was twisted to the side. She was in pain. ''Does Pierre want to kill me?'' Blood spilled from the corners of Luca''s mouth. She turned her head and stared at Pierre. "What do you want from me?" Pierre noticed the wound on her forehead and asked Eric, "You did this?" "It was an ident. We didn''t mean to do it," Eric exined. Pierre did not condemn them. He looked at the blood spilling from the corner of her mouth, stretched out his hand, and ced it on her forehead with force. Luca yelled out in pain. He pressed on her wound so hard that the wound that had already stopped bleeding started to bleed out again. Pierre looked at his masterpiece with satisfaction. ''This looks more like it.'' Although it was an old wound, there was still a lot of blood. Looking at the gurgling blood, Pierre ordered Derek, "Bring the tools here." Hearing that, Derek immediately brought the camera equipment that they had prepared earlier. Pierre adjusted the camera and pointed it at Luca. He then directed Eric, "You, go. When I say start, start pping her in the face." "Boss, is that a good idea?" It was not that Eric was sympathetic but he feared what Luca had said to him earlier. If there was an organization behind her and they rescued her, he would be in trouble. "Do you pity her? You don''t want your money anymore?" Pierre threatened him. "Go ahead and p her as hard as you want. If something happens, I won''t me you." "Okay..." Eric bit the bullet and agreed. After all, money was more important. As soon as he got the money, he would just leave A City to avoid the repercussions. They had never exposed their faces in front of Luca, so even if she was rescued, she would not be able to find out who they were within a short time. Eric walked over to Luca''s side. Luca looked at the burly man, then at Pierre. She said coldly, "If you want to kill or hurt me, go for it. Enough with the theatrics." Pierre shook his head and said, "You don''t understand. Why would I kidnap you for no reason? You''re valuable. I won''t kill you immediately because I still need you to do something." After he said that, he stood up straight, put his hand on the record button, and ordered, "p her." Eric saw that the camera''s recording function was turned on. He raised his hand and gave Luca a hard p on the face. Luca''s face was instantly swept to the side by the strong force. She felt dizzy. Before she could recover, another pnded on the other side of her face. The smacking sounds never stopped. The pain in her cheek slowly numbed but she suddenly felt a sharp pain. She did not cry out because she did not want to make herself seem weak. She knew that Pierre was taking a video of her for a reason. The more pain she expressed, the more vulnerable she would seem to the person who would receive the video. Eric pped her face hard without stopping. A p wouldnd on her face every two or three seconds. A minuteter, Luca''s face was very swollen. Pierre raised his hand and shouted for Eric to stop. When he first started pping her, it was quite pleasant, but after a long time, his hand began to hurt. Pierre continued talking using the voice changer, "Did you see that? Your woman is now in my hands. If you don''t want her to continue to suffer, stop the project in Russia and issue a press release to announce that you''ll never participate in this project. Otherwise, she''ll die a tragic death.¡± Luca listened to what he said and understood his intentions. He was going to use her to ckmail Luke. She wanted to tell them that she had nothing to do with Luke but her face hurt when she tried to open her mouth. She could not say anything. Luca thought to herself that she must look terrible now with her badly swollen cheeks... Pierre instructed Derek, who was beside him, "It''s your turn. p her with everything you got!" Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Derek was even more ruthless than Eric. After he received Pierre''s instructions, he stepped forward and continued to p Luca. He pped her for another minute. Luca closed her eyes. The blood on her forehead had already flowed into her eyes. At the same time, she felt dizzy. It might have been because she was being repeatedly pped, or maybe it was because of the loss of blood. A minuteter, Pierre saved the recording with a wide smile on his face. He was delighted after he watched Luca being pped so many times, especially when he thought of how he was embarrassed by her in front of Nina before this. He thought of editing the clip of Luca getting pped and sending it to Nina. He wanted to let her know that if she rejected him, she and the people around her would suffer. After the pping stopped, Luca could not stand it anymore and fainted on the spot. "Boss, uh..." Eric looked at Luca, whoy lifelessly on the bed. Pierre did not have a care in the world and just said, "See if she''s still breathing." Eric reached out his hand to check and found that she was still breathing. "Boss, she''s alive." "All is well if she''s still alive. If she dies, I have to deal with it. Continue to watch her and wait for my next instruction," Pierre said. Eric followed him out. After he closed the door of the room, he asked, "Boss, don''t you want to deal with this as soon as possible? This woman may have found out who you are." "She''d never be able to guess now," Pierre said. He made the video to threaten Luke to stop the project he was working on. That was because he secretly founded apany that was in directpetition with T Corporation. If Luke gave up, he had one less strong opponent! On the surface, the Mallory and Crawford families had always been in the business field. There was no competition between the two corporations. He believed Luca knew that, which was why he recorded a video in front of her. He threatened Luke to give up the project in front of her so that no matter how much Luca suspected him, she would change her target because of this threat. She would now suspect that the person who kidnapped her was one of Luke''s rivals. Pierre did not want to torture Luca so soon. He wanted to let her feel the fear of being kidnapped before he started, but unexpectedly, she started to suspect him. In desperation, he had to move his n forward. Chapter 1623 As soon as Eric heard that, he immediately praised Pierre, "That''s smart! When will this matter end?" Based on the industry standards, they had toplete everything before they could receive any money. Pierre red at him. "If Luke cares about this woman, he''ll act soon. Why are you in such a hurry?" Eric was speechless when he heard that Luke Crawford was involved. He was not afraid because Luke was involved. There were not many people who could get Luke''s attention. If hepromised because of a threat, he would have topromise a lot. What worried him was if Luke treasured the woman in the room. The two seemed to be romantically linked... If he and Derek were not able to escape in time, both of them would be sent to jail! "What? Are you feeling dissatisfied? Do you think I''m not paying you enough?" Pierre asked when he saw Eric keeping quiet. Eric wailed in his heart. If he had known that this woman was involved with Luke, he would never have kidnapped her no matter how much money Pierre offered. Nevertheless, there were rules. They had already started the task, so they had to obey the contract. He quickly shook his head and said, "No, Boss. Don''t worry, we''ll keep a good watch over this woman." Pierre reminded him, saying, "Don''t reveal anything else. This woman is very smart. Don''t worry, she didn''t see your faces so all of the threats are empty. When this is over, I''ll pay you immediately. You can take the money and make a run to other cities." Eric nodded and replied, "Yes, Boss." Pierre was pleased and left. He was in a wonderful mood when he looked at the recorded video of Luca being pped. He nned to edit it and leave a copy for himself. After he sent Pierre off, Eric went back to the house and saw Derek sitting there while drinking. He asked, "Did you stop the bleeding for her?" "Why should we do so when the boss didn''t me us?" Derek said indifferently. Eric panicked when he heard that. "You fool! She''s Luke''s woman! The two of us will be doomed if something happens to her. On top of that, the boss isn''t nning to kill her. If you don''t help her stop the bleeding and she dies, how are we going to exin it to him? If Lukees after us, the nature of our crime will change." Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Kidnapping and murder were different crimes. Derek thought that what Eric said made sense, so he stood up immediately. "Damn, if I had known that I could p her as much as I wanted today, I wouldn''t have done it yesterday. At least there''d be no trauma and it won''t be as troublesome." He knew that she would not die from getting pped but she might die if her forehead wound kept bleeding. It took a lot from them the night before to help Luca stop the bleeding. Now that Pierre had tortured her, they were afraid there would be more blood. Derek walked into the room with Eric. They saw that Luca was still lying on the bed, unresponsive. She was still bleeding from the wound on her forehead. The blood from the wound ran down her temples and dripped onto the bed. Eric quickly picked up some tissues nearby and pressed on her wound. The tissues were quickly soaked with blood, and he got more. He went back and forth like this. He pressed on her wound for more than ten minutes before the bleeding stopped. Derek looked at the pile of blood-stained tissues on the floor and said, "How annoying! Why is this woman so weak?" He had never met someone who could bleed so much. Eric looked at Luca''s swollen and pale lips. He kept silent and picked up the iodophor on the side to disinfect her wound. "I hope the boss won''t torture this woman tomorrow. Otherwise, she won''t have enough blood left," he said. Derek looked at Eric, who was carefully disinfecting Luca''s wound with iodophor. He sneered, "If you weren''t so timid and told the boss about it, he wouldn''t have gotten anxious ande over." "You know what the boss is thinking?" Eric was surprised. "Of course. Don''t tell me that you have no idea?" Derek scoffed. Eric was silent. After he disinfected Luca''s wound, he applied some merbromin. They knew that it was helpful for healing wounds but nothing else. After they were done, Eric asked, "Do you think she can eat dinnerter in the condition that she''s in?" Derek looked at Luca''s face which was badly swollen and snorted coldly. "I doubt she can eat in this condition. She won''t die if she misses a meal. Let her go hungry." After he said that, he left. Eric followed suit. When Luca woke up, she looked at the lit room and knew that it should be dark outside. She did not struggle to get up because she knew that she must have lost too much blood. If she struggled to sit up, she might fall forward. She was already injured. She could not let herself get hurt even more. Otherwise, she might not be able to see the sun tomorrow. Luca thought that she saw Luke when she was out cold. She thought that he hade to rescue her. After she woke up, she realized that she was still in bed in the same room. Sure enough, she had imagined things. Lucaughed at herself. She was in a lot of pain when she tried to move the corner of her mouth. She felt like each nerve in her face was being tormented. She had no other feeling except pain... It felt extremely ufortable. Luca looked at the ceiling and thought that Luke would probably not give up on the project for her. She was part of that project and knew how important the project was to him and T Corporation. In Luke''s eyes, she was just Luca, not Bianca. He would never give up this project for her. If he was not going to save her, she had to wait for the people from the Ind of Despair to do so. However, someone with a temperament like Pierre did not have much patience. She acted rashly by expressing her doubts to the kidnappers and inevitably forced him to show up. She was in a bad condition after only two days. When Pierre sent Luke the video to ckmail him and he did not make a move, she might have to suffer another round of torture. She was afraid of that. Luca felt tired, and her whole face was in pain. In this state, could shest until the people from the Ind of Despair came to save her? Although dying was not the worst option, N was still on the Ind of Despair. If she died, N would be useless to Abel. Since her father did not know of her existence, she would be used by the people of the Ind of Despair forever. When she came of age, she would be sent to train. If she was lucky enough to be a good talent, she would be allowed to grow up. She would then be forced to carry out those bloody and cruel missions day after day. Luca could not bear to imagine a fate as such for her little girl. It was not time for her to die yet... If dying was not an option, how could she save herself? Chapter 1624 Luca stared at the ceiling and could not think of any ideas. Her only option was to obediently go with their arrangement lest she suffered again. A woman against two men was not a fair fight to begin with. On top of that, her hands and feet were bound. Eric opened the door and walked in. When he saw how desperate Luca looked, he thought about the connections she had. He felt uneasy, so he opened the door and walked in with some medicine. "Does it hurt?" He looked at Luca''s swollen face. He did not hold back when he pped her earlier. After all, he did not dare to disobey Pierre''s orders in front of him. Luca nced at him and said nothing. It hurt for her to open her mouth, let alone speak. Eric was not bothered that she did not respond. He took out the medicine in his pocket. When he went to purchase merbromin and iodophor, the pharmacist rmended it after she learned about the patient''s wound. She told him that if he was unsure of the depth of the wound, it was best if he bought some painkillers. Eric was impatient with her questions so he just bought a box of it. Unexpectedly, it came in handy. "I have some painkillers here. Have some." Eric handed her the painkillers. He was worried that she would not take the pills, so he brought her the packaging to show her. Luca looked away. "Don''t be so stubborn. You can''t escape from this. If you want to suffer less, stay in yourne and take the pills." Eric opened the package, took out a pill, and forcefully turned Luca''s head. She was forced to look at him as he was gripping her jaw. Luca watched as Eric put the pill into her mouth. He then forcefully poured water into her mouth from the mineral water bottle on the side. Most of the water flowed down the corners of her mouth because she refused to open wide. Luca choked and coughed a few times. Her face was swollen and in pain as if it was being torn apart. She could not control the tears from falling from the corners of her eyes. Eric looked at her with a numb expression. "Did you swallow it?" Luca sniffed and felt ufortable but she was unwilling to show cowardice in front of the man nor beg for mercy. After Eric confirmed that she had swallowed the pill, he murmured, "How annoying." He left the room after saying that. Derek stood outside with his hands crossed in front of his chest. He looked at Eric with a half-smile. "You''re so kind to this woman. Have you been seduced by her?" "Enough with the nonsense." Eric had a stern expression. He had no patience for women. If it were not because he was worried that Luke would go all out against him, he would not be bothered to feed Luca medicine. "That''s not it? That can only mean you''re afraid of Luke, then." Derek said it casually. Although he was afraid of Luke to a certain extent, he was not as afraid as Eric. Eric rolled his eyes and asked coldly, "Aren''t you afraid?" "I''m scared, but if you think about it, there must be something special with Luke''s woman. Don''t you want to try her?" Derek smiled slyly. He had met many women who would take initiative as soon as they found out that he was rich. However, he had not touched a woman that belonged to a big shot like Luke. He wanted to give it a try. "Don''t even think about it. If you put your hands on this woman, never mind what the boss will do if he finds out about it. What if this woman gets out alive and Luke learns what happened? That''ll be the end of us both.¡± Eric tugged on Derek''s cor as a warning. He did not want to be stalked by Luke''s men for touching his woman and be sent to prison. Derek raised his hand and moved Eric''s hand away, "What are you nervous about? I''m just talking about it. It''s not a big deal even if I can''t touch her. I don''tck women around me.¡± Eric reminded him, saying, "Those women of yours are willing to do anything for money. This woman is different." From the moment they kidnapped her, he knew she was different. Others would always yell when they were kidnapped and would even think they were mistakenly kidnapped, but Luca did not make any noise after getting in the van. She was calm whenever she talked to them, never disying a trace of fear. "Okay, you''re protecting her like she''s one of your own. I''m getting bored talking to you. You can feed that woman lunch when it''s time." Derek sat on the chair and lit up a cigarette casually. Luca heard some noises from outside. She guessed that the two of them had a disagreement and were quarreling. When she wanted to continue to listen to what they were saying, the painkillers kicked in. She did not rest well all night. After the pain from her face subsided, she fell into a deep sleep. ... The other side. Luke received a call from his subordinates and found out that Pierre had left the vi. He had confirmed it with Percy and was 90 percent sure that Luca was held captive in the vi. If Luca was locked up, Percy must have taken action. If he was the target, he was expecting to receive some news sooner orter. Luke was waiting to see if Pierre would send him something. An afternoon had passed but he still did not receive any anonymous emails. Percy did not hear from Luke, so he called to ask, "What''s going on? Did you receive any anonymous calls or emails?" Luke nced at his mailbox. There were no unread emails. It was empty and quiet. "No," he replied. Percy became suspicious and could not help but ask, "Could it be that we guessed wrongly? Maybe it wasn''t Pierre who kidnapped Luca?" "He''s very suspicious. Give it a minute. If I still don''t receive anything, I want to send my men to go into the vi to investigate," Luke said. When he thought of how Luca might be locked up in the vi by Pierre, even if it was spection, he could not stop himself from wanting to take action. If it was not Pierre who kidnapped Luca, he would concentrate all his manpower into redirecting the investigation. "If it''s him, what you''re doing now will startle the snake." Percy knew that Luke was having difficulty restraining himself and immediately calmed him. Just as Luke was going to say that he could not wait, hisputer beeped and he received a new email. When he saw the unfamiliar email address, Luke quickly sent it to Jason and asked him to check the IP address. Percy heard him typing on the keyboard and asked, "Did you get an email?" Luke hummed in reply. His hand that was holding the mouse trembled a little. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . He carefully opened the email. He saw a video file attached and clicked on it. The video was loading, so it was blurry before it yed. Nevertheless, Luke knew that Luca was in the video. "What does it say?" Percy asked. "It''s a video attachment," Luke said. He was nervous as he watched it load to 90 percent. "Turn on the camera and let me see," Percy said after he heard Luke''s response. Chapter 1625 Luke turned on the camera, and at the same time, the video was done loading. He moved the mouse to the button for it to start ying, and his hands were shaking a little. "Luke, calm down." Percy saw the cursor trembling slightly on theputer screen and knew that he was nervous. Luke acted calm but he could never calm himself down whenever the matter involved Bianca. Bianca was his other half. She was his sun and moon. After all these years, she finally came back to him but was forced to go through these hardships all over again. When he thought of that, Luke could not calm down. "Click on it," Percy said. Luke clicked on the video. The video had been edited. What they saw was Luca being pped in the face by a man wearing a mask. After a few ps, her face swelled at a speed visible to the naked eye. The loud sounds of pping came from the stereo, which showed that this video was not faked. Luke could not help but clench his fists when he saw Luca being tortured. He asked, "Is this how Pierre''s vi looks like?" Percy looked at the background, shook his head, and said, "It''s hard to say. The interior looks ordinary. I''ve only been there once, which was when the house was handed to him and it had yet to undergo renovation. I can''t be sure." Luke listened as he forced himself to keep watching. He was unwilling to miss out on any information. Luca was being hit. He kept hearing the pping sounds but he did not hear her cry or beg for mercy. She was stubborn. Even though she was getting pped, she did not beg the kidnappers for mercy. Luke was heartbroken. If he could, he would rather suffer on her behalf. Bianca, who used to be weak and soft, had to go through such pain. Even Percy could not bear to see her suffer like this. He knew he could not persuade Luke to calm down any longer. After all, if it were Nina who was suffering, he would bring a knife over and avenge her. Luke clenched his fists when he watched as the first man got tired and another man stepped in to continue pping Luca. He counted the ps and thought about how he would make the kidnappers pay for what Luca had suffered twofold! After the pping, he heard a voice treated with a voice changer listing the conditions for Luca''s release. Luke learned that the other party kidnapped Luca to prevent him from bidding on the project. T Corporation had publicly stated that it would participate in the bidding of this project, and some experts in the industry predicted that this project would likely fall in the hands of T Corporation because theirpany''s strength was beyond the reach of many other foreignpanies. Therefore, manypanies regarded T Corporation as a strongpetitor. ''What does this have to do with Pierre?''N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. After they finished watching the video, Percy stayed silent for a few seconds before he said, "Luke, send me the video. I''ll find someone to analyze it and see if we can extract that person''s voice." Luke turned off the video, turned on the speaker on his phone, put it aside, and said, "I''ll send it to you now." "Okay." Percy opened the chat application and started reaching out to his contacts. He nned to ask them to restore the audio. "Even if it can''t be recovered, Pierre definitely has something to do with this," Luke said. After he saw that the email was sessfully sent, he informed Percy, "I''m going to save her." Percy did not stop him because Luke''s tone was more so of an announcement. He was not asking for his opinion. Since he knew the location and the initiator, Luke was going to save her. He loved Bianca with everything he had. He could not bear to see her suffer another second. Percy reminded him, saying, "Go ahead. I''ll find out why Pierre is doing this, but Luke, if you do it now, it''s impossible to find out who''s behind Luca." The reason why they were waiting was not only to find out what Pierre wanted but also to see who was controlling Luca from behind the scenes. After all, her kidnapping and disappearance were widely publicized. The forces behind her would soon know about her being kidnapped. Luke was stunned, but he then said, "I don''t care. If Nina was the one who was kidnapped, you would do the same." Percy agreed with what he said. He nodded and said, "Okay. I don''t know how many people are in the vi. You can bring my men with you." "Mm." Luke hung up the phone, put on his coat, and headed out. Jason walked toward Luke with a document in his hand. When he saw Luke, he asked, "Boss, are you going out now?" "Yes," Luke said as he walked toward the elevator. "The meeting..." Jason followed up. "Reschedule," Luke said. He turned around and nced at Jason. "Come with me." "Okay, I''ll put the file away." Jason heard him and immediately returned to his office. After he put the file away, he trotted back to Luke''s side. The two took the exclusive elevator down. Jason looked at the numbers that kept going down, then at Luke who was typing on his phone. He was typing non-stop and looked busy. He braved himself and asked, "Boss, where are we going now?" "We''re going to save someone," Luke said. When the elevator reached the underground parking lot, he handed the car keys to Jason and said, "You drive." "Okay," Jason did not waste any time. He quickly ran to Luke''s exclusive parking lot. As soon as Luke said that they were going to save someone, he knew that it was going to be Luca. Luke continued to manage his contacts on the phone. He set up the scene and then contacted Johann. In the video, Luca was pped so many times that her cheeks were swollen. It was likely that she had to go to the hospital for treatment, so he needed Johann to make arrangements. At the same time, he also notified the police. He could save her, but the police were still needed to punish those who kidnapped her. Otherwise, if someone were to cause problems, they would use him of lynching. Jason pulled the car up in front of him. Luke opened the car door and sat in the backseat. "Boss, where are we going?" Jason asked. "I''ve sent the address to you via text. Hurry up," Luke said. Jason nced and saw that it was a vi in the suburbs. ''Where''s Luca?'' It seemed that whoever was behind her kidnapping was not someone ordinary. Not many could keep someone hostage in a vi. Jason did not dare to say anything. He immediately turned on the navigation, chose the fastest route, and left T Corporation. After more than half an hour, Luke''s car arrived at the address. Jason nced around. It was quiet, and he did not see anyone around. Usually, vis in the suburbs were bought by rich people as vacation homes or for the elderly at home so there would be fewer people in the area. It was normal that it was quiet. However, something seemed off... Jason looked at Luke and confirmed with him. "Boss, is this the ce?" Chapter 1626 Luke nced out the window and said in a confident tone, "It''s here." Jason was about to pull over to the side of the road when he heard Luke say, "Go a little farther." "Yes." Jason followed his instructions and drove past two vis before he stopped the car. Luke sat in the car and had no intentions of getting out. He directed the men who were already lurking in the area. He was feeling extra confident since Percy had lent him his men as well. Jason sat in the driver''s seat without moving, silently waiting for the nextmand. Once everything was nned out, Luke opened the car door. When Jason saw that he was about to get out of the car, he quickly asked, "Boss, do you want me to follow you?" "Wait here," Luke instructed him with a nk expression. He got out of the car, walked to Pierre''s vi, and nced at the surveince camera at the door. He did not bother to sneak around because he was not afraid that the people inside would find out that he was here and run away. The area around the vi had already been surrounded by his men. He got someone to use a machine to double-check. There were only three people in the vi. One was Luca while the other two were her kidnappers. Luke motioned to his subordinate, and in an instant, the subordinate took out a small bomb from his backpack and fixed it on the doorknob. The door of the vi was made of extremely hard metal material. It would be troublesome to break in using manpower. Luke did not get out of the car earlier as he was waiting for his subordinates to get this bomb that was just powerful enough that it could st the door. Eric, who was in the vi, was about to go into the room with some chicken soup to feed Luca. After all, her cheeks were swollen and she could not eat anything else. Suddenly, he heard Derek eximing, "Sh*t!" He looked back at hispanion and asked, "What''s wrong?" "There''s someone at the door, and they''re... nting a bomb!" Derek had identally nced at the surveince camera and when he saw that someone was at the door, he became vignt. Eric no longer had the headspace to feed Luca. He rushed to the front of the surveince camera and watched as the person at the door nted a bomb on the door handle. He shouted, ¡°Damn it, they found us! They''re nning to st the door open. Hurry up, let''s go!" "Come on, bring that woman," Derek said. Eric nced at the sight of Luke, who was within the surveince camera''s range. He said, "Let''s not bring this woman. It''s more important that we escape. If we take this woman, we won''t be able to escape." "If we don''t bring her, we won''t be able to escape. I don''t believe that Luke will dare do anything to us if we have this woman in our hands." Derek did not have the time to think about it. Even though no suspicious activity was detected from the other surveince cameras, years of experience told him that the vi must already be surrounded by Luke''s men. Their only hope to get out clean was to bring along the woman in the room. Derek burst into the room and grabbed Luca. He grabbed her hair so hard that she was forced to stand up. She stumbled a bit. If he was not holding onto her hair, she might have fallen. Derek looked at her messy appearance and said to Eric, who was freaking out by the door. "The key! Unlock the iron balls by her feet. Otherwise, it''ll be difficult for us to escape." Eric did not want to hold Luca hostage but he went with Derek''smands seeing how serious he seemed. He found the key on the messy table. He held the key, crouched down, and unlocked the iron balls that were chained to Luca''s feet. Just as he unchained her, they heard an explosion from outside. They did not need to look to know that the door had been sted open. Eric stood up and told his aplice, "Be careful. Her shackles are off now." "Enough with the nonsense. I don''t believe that we can''t escape with this woman in our hands," Derek said grimly. It was not the first time they had been found. Previously when they were caught, they always managed to escape. Even if they did not get the ransom, they could get away and end up safe. He thought that this time with Luca was no exception. Eric took a deep breath, picked up the knife on the table, and put it on Luca''s neck. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Luca lowered her eyes, nced at the sharp de, and followed behind Derek, who was rushing. Her hands were still tied. There was a knife on her neck and another pressed against her stomach. Her feet were free, so she had a chance to make a run for it. Luca fought back the pain and was pushed to the door by Derek. She saw Luke quickly walking in with someone. At that moment, she almost cried. Unexpectedly, he was here to rescue her. Luca had thought about a lot in the past two days. She hoped that the person who would rescue her was Luke but it was just a thought. She was just a subordinate to him. Although she proved to be valuable to thepany, she was still just a subordinate. She was not Bianca. Even if Luke received a threat as such, she thought that he would note to save her. ''How could he give up the project for me?'' Therefore, she longed for it in her heart but reality told her that it was very likely that someone from the Ind of Despair would rescue her in the end. However, she did not expect that her dreams would be a reality! Luca looked at Luke who came over. She wanted to shake her head but she did not dare to move because the knife was held against her neck. Luke''s heart nearly stopped beating when he looked at Luca who was being threatened with two knives. If she took a step forward, one of the knives would cut her throat. Luca looked terrible. Her swollen face, blood-stained forehead, and bare feet made it clear that she had suffered terrible abuse. Derek looked at the people who rushed in and knew that there would be more people waiting for them outside. He shook the sharp knife in his hand and put it on Luca''s neck again. "Get out of the way." "Let her go," Luke said coldly, negotiating with the person on the opposite side. "Let her go? Do you think we''re fools?" Derek did not buy it. "We were hired by someone. Since we won''t be getting the money anyway, this woman will be fine if you let us go. But if you don''t, don''t me us for being rude." "You kidnapped one of my people and you think you can get away with it?" Luke gave Luca a look. Since she was Bianca, she would have understood his wink. Luca got the message and knew that she needed to calm down. She could not burden Luke. However, she was so tired... Luca tried her best to open her eyes. She had lost too much blood, and her injuries included the one on her forehead and her swollen cheeks. She was forced to move forward by the man behind her. She was very tired. However, she knew that she could not copse at that moment. Luca blinked, indicating that she got his signal. A few policemen rushed in through the door, and all of them were holding firearms and weapons. They raised their weapons and aimed them at the two kidnappers. Derek started raging when he saw that the police had their guns pointed at them. Chapter 1627 He switched positions with Eric, and his knife was on Luca''s neck. "Come on, shoot me. I promise that this woman will die if we die. It''s not too bad having a woman with us on the road to hell. Mr. Crawford, what do you say?" Luke''s heart tightened when he saw Luca''s pale face and how she was being held against her will by the knife on her neck. She seemed ufortable and had some difficulty breathing. When Eric saw the muzzles of the guns aimed at him, he threw caution to the wind. The most important thing now was to escape. The woman in front of them was their only bargaining chip. "Yeah, if you dare to shoot us, I''ll stab this knife into her body.¡± Luca heard their threats, and she winked at Luke. She could not speak, so she could only hint at him. It was time to turn passive into active... Derek said, "Now, get out of the way and get a car ready for us at the door..." Luca twisted her bound hands while Derek was talking and hit the acupuncture points of the person behind her. Derek was interrupted due to the pain. The knife moved from her neck down to her waist. "Ah!" Derek cried out in pain, causing Eric to shudder. He subconsciously thrusted the knife into Luca''s waist. She expected Eric''s action, so when she turned her hand to avoid the knife, a bullet passed by her with a bang and hit Eric''s neck. Before Eric could stab the knife into Luca''s body, he fell to the ground. Luca heard another shot and Derek fell to the ground as well. She was safe... Luca turned around and looked at Derek and Eric, who were on the ground. Fortunately, Luke had called the police... As her world was spinning, her body fell weakly to the ground. Even when he saw that she was safe, Luke could not breathe a sigh of relief yet. He quickly ran forward and held her in his arms. "It''s alright, you''re alright." Luca wanted tough when she heard what he said. However, her face was in a lot of pain. She just leaned weakly on him. He had always been a man of few words. He would mention the same thing twice only when he was extremely concerned. ''He cares about me? I''m so tired...I''ll pass out soon...'' Luca slowly closed her eyes. Luke felt distressed when he saw her swollen face. He whispered, "Go to sleep. I''ll take you to the hospital." Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. The police came over and confirmed that the two kidnappers were still breathing. "Hurry up and send the two of them to the hospital. We still need to ask them questions." Luke hugged Luca and nced coldly at the police officer who took the shot. "The next time you''re about to shoot, think twice." If the bullet had strayed just a little, it would have hit Luca''s forehead. The police officer had taken a great risk. He wiped the cold sweat from his hands and said, "Mm." Luke walked out of the vi with Luca in his arms. Jason heard the gunshots from a distance and knew that something had happened. When he saw Lukeing out while carrying someone, he took a closer look. It seemed that he was carrying Luca. He asked nervously, "Boss, is Dr. Craw okay?" "She''s okay. She wasn''t the one who was shot. Open the door," Luke ordered Jason as he walked to the door. He was holding Luca in both hands, so he could not open the door. Jason quickly opened the door to the backseat. Luke bent over. Even when he got into the car, he continued to hold onto Luca and did not want to let go. Jason saw Luca''s swollen face, and his heart was aching. Luca must have suffered a lot in thest few days. She was unlucky. It had not been long since Luca came to A City but she had been visiting the hospital frequently. It might be bad luck. Jason did not dare to waste any time. He quickly got into the driver''s seat and thought that Luke must have made prior arrangements with the hospital. It was a smart choice to send Luca to the hospital now. When they were about to drive off, a policeman came over and said, "Mr. Crawford, are you taking Ms. Craw to the hospital?" "Yes." Luke did not look at the policeman outside the car window. He kept his eyes on Luca. "Our colleagues will clear the way for you," the officer said. Although Luca was not seriously injured, they might encounter traffic jams on the way. It was great that the police were assisting. "Okay." Luke did not refuse. Jason was in charge of driving, while the policemen were in charge of clearing the way. They stomped on the elerator all the way to the hospital. Luke looked at Luca, and her swollen face hid her beauty. When he watched the video earlier, his heart had clenched so tightly. Now that he was face to face with her, he felt even more distressed. "Um..." Luca let out a painful grunt despite being knocked out as the painkiller''s effects had worn off. The pain was slowlying back. She could feel the pain despite being knocked out. "We''ll be at the hospital soon. You can do this." Luke coaxed her. His tone was soft like he was coaxing a child. Jason, who was in the driver''s seat, was slightly surprised when he saw this scene. This was the first time he had seen the boss act like this. He was showing such a tender side to Luca. It seemed that he was interested in her. ¡®He''s interested in Luca, but what if the real Biancaes back?'' The car sped all the way and soon reached the hospital. Johann came in person to meet them. He looked at Luca, who was on the bed. He shook his head and said, "I''m going to give her a detailed examination to see if there are any internal injuries other than the surface wounds." "Make sure you''re thorough," Luke said. "Trust me. By the way, she was pped, right? How many times was she pped, or for how many minutes?" Johann asked. "I don''t know how many ps but it went on for more than a minute," Luke said. He did not rule out that Pierre might have edited the video before the video was sent to him. "Okay, leave it to me. Please go through the formalities with Dr. Craw''s ID." Johann pushed the bed and escorted Luca to the examination room with the nurse. Luke looked at Jason and said, "Go and register her now." "Got it." Jason nodded and hurriedly called Tina. They did not have Luca''s identification details on hand, so he had to ask Tina for help. After receiving Jason''s call, Tina quickly retrieved Luca''s information from the personnel file and took it to the hospital. After she met Jason, she asked, "Mr. Doyle, how is Dr. Craw now?" "The doctor is checking on her. Where are the documents? I''m going to help her register in the hospital." Jason asked Tina for the documents. Tina handed him the documents. She sighed as she said, "Dr. Craw is so unlucky. She hasn''t been here for long but has been admitted to the hospital time and again. People might think that the hospital is her home." Chapter 1628 Jason shot her a nce. His boss must never find out what they were talking about. He would probably fly into a rage judging by how much he cared for Luca. He reminded Tina in a soft voice, "Don''t ever let Boss hear this. Otherwise, you and I will get into trouble." Tina was enlightened after he reminded her. She covered her mouth and looked around her. Fortunately, Luke was not around. Jason headed to the payment counter and said, "Go back to the office first. Handle any tasks in the office, and if you can''t deal with any, leave it for the boss when hees back." Luke would not be able to work under such conditions now. It would be better to wait until Luca''s condition had stabilized. "Alright. I know what to do." Tina nodded. After Tina left, Jason brought Luca''s information with him and registered her admission to the hospital on her behalf. Then, he returned to look for Luke. Luca was still undergoing various medical check-ups. "Boss, I''ve registered Dr. Craw," Jason reported. "Alright." Luke was watching the examination room closely with a cold expression on his face. Luca''s name was shown above the room as she was undergoing a medical examination there. After a while, Johann and the nurse pushed Luca, who was on the hospital bed, out of the room. "How''s the result?" Luke came over and asked. He was so anxious as it would take some time for the medical report to be out. "It''ll take some time for the medical report to be processed. Let''s bring Dr. Craw to the inpatient department first." Johann looked at Luca, who was looking miserable and in pain. He felt sorry for her. It seemed like the hardships and trials borne by her were much more than others after she got closer to Luke. Regardless if it were in the past or the present. Perhaps the woman who was able to stand beside Luke could not be an ordinary woman. She had to go through more than the others to be recognized. After all, not every woman would be able to stand beside Luke. Luke stared at Luca who was asleep. He nodded his head and asked worriedly, "When is she going to wake up? "She woke up once just now, but she was crying out in pain. I couldn''t bear to see her like that, so I gave her some painkillers. She fell asleep after she took the medicine. It''ll allow her to rest a little more. It''s better for her," replied Johann. After he knew Luca got kidnapped, he pulled some strings and arranged a VIP ward for her in the hospital. They pushed the hospital bed and sent Luca to the ward. Johann began to dress the wound on Luca''s forehead. He grabbed the gauze and poured some povidone on it. Then, he dressed her wound gently. At the same time, he said, "The nurse checked her when she was helping her put on the hospital gown. There are no other wounds on her except for the ones on her head and face. She wasn''t sexually assaulted." Luke nodded his head. He did not feel particrly happy, though. He would never abandon Luca no matter what happened to her. It was because she was Bianca, the most important person in his life. Johann continued to dress the wound on Luca''s face. He clicked his tongue twice and said, ¡°The wound doesn''t look deep, but she''s bleeding so much. That''s weird. Check the patient''s blood count later and find out what''s wrong.¡± He was speaking to the nurse in thetter half. ¡°Noted. I''ll draw the patient''s bloodter,¡± the nurse nodded and answered. Luke saw Johann bandaging Luca''s wound with the gauze without suturing the wound. He asked, "She doesn''t need to get stitches?¡± ¡°There''s no need. The wound isn''t deep. But looking at how much blood she''s losing, I''m guessing it''s probably because her body''s weak right now,¡± Johann answered. He noticed that Luca''s blood kept oozing out of the wound on her forehead when Luke sent him the video. He thought it was a deep wound at first, but when he checked, that was not the case. "Alright. Let me see if the report is out,¡± said Johann. He needed to refer to the medical report to decide what to treat next. He would need to implement some other treatment methods if Luca had any internal injury. Luke nodded. He took care of Luca in the ward and waited for her medical test results. The nurse brought the phlebotomy equipment into the ward to get Luca''s blood sample. As Luke watched her insert the needle into Luca''s arm, he opened his mouth as he wanted to ask the nurse to be more gentle. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he did not say anything in the end. After the nurse drew two tubes of blood, she carried the tubes along with her and left the ward, leaving some nursing aids there. Jason stood in the ward, staring at Luca''s swollen face. He could barely recognize her, and he thought it would take some time for her face to recover even though she had no internal injuries. He touched his face, and he could not help but shiver. The wounds seemed painful just looking at them. Luke noticed his small gestures and frowned. "Go back to the office first.¡± Jason drew his hand away and nodded. "Yes, Boss.¡± Luke said again, "You''ll chair the meetingter. Summarize a detailed report for me.¡± "Yes," replied Jason. He shot another nce at Luca and left the ward. Johann was back in his office. Luca''s medical report had already been sent to him. He read through the report and found out that Luca had no internal injuries. He walked to the ward happily to tell Luke about the good news. ¡°Dr. Craw has no internal injuries. Don''t worry, the open wounds will heal quickly." ¡°What about the wounds in her heart?" Luke suddenly asked. "Ah?" Johann was startled for a moment as he could not understand why he suddenly said that. Luke recalled how Luca was held hostage. She had walked out with a reddened face and pale white lips. He could see the despair in her eyes, and a hint of surprise as well. She never expected that he would be the one to save her in the end... Percy told him before that it was a good opportunity to hunt down the mysterious force behind Luca that was manipting her. However, he hesitated the moment he saw her injured. He could not wait any longer. He should never have let anyone hurt her. Luke was thinking that she would not have to suffer as much if he had asked his men to dash into the house from the very first moment. She was already suffering from mental health issues. There was no doubt that it would leave an excruciating pain in her heart after what had happened this time. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Johann thought deeply of his words and patted his shoulder. "She''s not that fragile of a person. She''s stronger than you think she is." After all, Luca had been through a lot. She abandoned her original appearance and got stic surgery. She now looked vastly different. She made it through such a painful andplicated surgery, as well as survived the recovery process. The pain that she had to suffer this time would not be worse than that. Luke knew she would be able to pull through. She had a strong will although her body was weak. Still, he wanted to protect her. He would rather bear everything that she had been through himself than let her embrace it alone. Johann nced at the time. It was already lunchtime after a busy morning. Chapter 1629 He looked at the badly injured Luca. She would not be able to eat anything, not even porridge. With her condition now, she needed someone to feed her little by little. Johann suggested, "I''ll give Dr. Craw an IV drip so she won''t feel hungry. But she''s lost a lot of blood. She needs to restore her nutrition. You can get someone to prepare some oatmeal for her. You''ll have to find a way to make her get used to eating it, or maybe feed her when she''s awake. She must eat something." "Alright." Luke picked up his phone and ordered Mrs. Nancy to prepare some oatmeal to send to the hospital. Crawford Manor. Mrs. Nancy told Mr. Griffin that Luca was injured right after she received Luke''s order. Previously, Old Master Crawford and Mr. Griffin had already known that Luca was kidnapped. The old master was worried sick, and he even sent his men to look for her. Mr. Griffin told Old Master Crawford about the news immediately after he was informed. Old Master Crawford could barely sit still when he heard Luca had been rescued and she was in the hospital now. He stood up instantly. "Hurry up. Ask Ol'' Zander to get the car ready and bring me to the hospital." The butler reminded him when he saw how anxious the old master was. "Old Master Crawford, Young Master Luke is taking care of her in the hospital. Would you like to wait for a while?'' "Why should I wait? I''m worried about her too." Old Master Crawford was treating Luca like his second granddaughter-inw. After all, he thought Bianca would probably nevere back again. "Mrs. Nancy is preparing some oatmeal for Ms. Craw now. Why don''t you wait until she''s done preparing the oatmeal and you can bring it to the hospital with you?" Mr. Griffin suggested. If the old master brought the oatmeal with him, it would seem less odd. Old Master Crawford thought that there was no need to rush too. He nodded and suddenly remembered that Luca was kidnapped, so he added again, "Did Luke mention who kidnapped her?" "Young Master Luke didn''t say anything about that on the phone. And I guess he wouldn''t have told us that either. Why don''t you ask himter if you''d like to know?" Mr. Griffin answered. Old Master Crawford nodded. He looked like he was going to stand up for Luca. "Of course, I''m going to figure it out. I''d like to see whoid their hands on her. I''m not letting them get away with it." The butler nodded, agreeing with what he said. Although the old master had not made his approval for Luca known to the public, he could feel his admiration for Luca in his words. He truly desired to have such an outstanding granddaughter-inw. Even though it was unfair to the first wife, a woman who lost her memories and became incapable did not deserve to stand beside Luke. Mr. Griffin felt troubled when he recalled everything that Bianca had done in the past. He let out a sigh. It was true that someone would undergo great changes after losing their memories. Previously, even though Bianca was not capable enough, she was humble, willing to learn, kind, and gentle to everyone. It was enough for her to stand beside Luke. However, after Bianca lost her memories, her temper and attitude were indeed terrible. Hence, he could understand why the old master liked Luca so much. After Mrs. Nancy finished preparing the oatmeal, Old Master Crawford carried the thermos sk, got into Zander''s car, and went to the hospital. Luke was slightly startled when he realized his grandfather was the one delivering the oatmeal. "Grandpa, why are you here?" "Didn''t you say Luca is in the hospital? I came to visit and bring the oatmeal here." Old Master Crawford put down the thermos sk filled with oatmeal and walked to the bedside. He was furious when he saw Luca''s swollen face and her bandaged forehead. He hit the floor with his walking cane and said angrily, "Who kidnapped her and made her like this?! I''m going to skin them alive!" When Luke saw how furious the old master was, he thought it might be best if he let Old Master Crawford stand up for her. Although he was pretty sure that Pierre was behind this, he needed evidence for that. The police were searching for evidence now. Pierre would be caught eventually. However, he could only leave this task to the police. The elders of the Mallory family would probably be mad at him if he personally took action. Living in an era based on evidence, the seniority in families still yed an important role. Therefore, it could be a good idea if Old Master Crawford, someone with higher seniority, sought justice on behalf of Luca. Thus, Luke said, ¡°It was Pierre Mallory.¡± ¡°Pierre Mallory, that bastard, did this?¡± Old Master Crawford did not expect Pierre to have the guts to lay his hands on Luca. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Luke nodded. "We found Luca in Pierre''s vi. And I received a short video of him holding Luca hostage. He threatened me to give up the project in Russia." Old Master Crawford was outraged once he heard that. "We''ve been maintaining a mutually beneficial partnership with the Mallory family. They would gain something too if you got the project. Does he even know what he''s doing? Does he have a death wish?" The partnership between the Crawford and Mallory families hadsted for three generations. He never thought that Pierre would cause such big trouble. Were they thinking of ending the partnership? He would end the partnership even if Pierre dared to bear the consequences. ¡°This has nothing to do with the Mallory family. Pierre must have established apany of his own out there, and the Mallory family probably knows nothing of it," Luke continued to say. Percy did not make the matter known to the public because Pierre was his brother, and he would not do anything that would put the Mallory family at a disadvantage. The other family members of the Mallory family were kept in the dark. Old Master Crawford frowned and asked, "Is there any evidence?" "Yes." Luke nodded. Percy had given him a copy of the information when he found out something. Pierre''spany was involved in a broader range of businesses. Not only was he in the same business as the Mallory family, but he even ventured into the same business as T Corporation. His ambitions were wild and obvious. "Give me the evidence. How dare that bastard do these things behind our backs? He''s asking for it." Old Master Crawford was furious. That was exactly what Luke wanted to hear. He picked up his phone and made a call to give some orders. "Jason will print it out and give the document to you after half an hour," he said. The evidence that Percy gave him was in a digital file, so they had to print it out. Old Master Crawford sneered and nodded his head. Then, his gaze fell on Luca again, who was on the bed. "When is she going to wake up? The oatmeal won''t taste as good if it goes cold. People often lose their appetite when they''re injured. And her body is very weak now, so she must eat more." Luke exined, "They''ve given her an IV drip. She''s asleep now. Johann said it''s better to let her rest more." "What if she gets hungry?" Old Master Crawford was worried about her condition. "Don''t worry. She has the IV drip." Luke looked at the IV nutrition pack that was slowly being injected into Luca''s veins. Chapter 1630 Old Master Crawford frowned, and he said worriedly, "The IV drip won''t supply as many nutrients as food does. She should take the oatmeal while it''s still warm." Luca was still asleep, and Luke could not bear to wake her up. He nced at the thermos sk on the coffee table and reminded the old master that the oatmeal would not get cold that easily. "The oatmeal is in the thermos sk." Old Master Crawford cleared his throat. He was so worried about Luca that he forgot Mrs. Nancy had kept it in a thermos sk that could keep the food inside warm for six to seven hours. After a while, Jason entered Luca''s ward along with the printed document. Then, he handed it to the old master respectfully. Old Master Crawford took it from him and read the information that they had found out. Indeed, Pierre had established apany of his own. He had raised quite a huge amount of funds, and hispany was even listed on the market in New York. "Good gracious. I thought he was a good-for-nothing who only knew how to have fun. I didn''t expect him to have such wild ambitions. Too bad he''s resorting to dirty tricks. It''s no use even if he has ambition. Is there any more evidence? Give them all to me. I''m going to ask for an exnation from the Mallory family. Don''t even try to escape this time, you sneaky boy." Old Master Crawford snarled. Forget about Pierre trying to steal the Mallory family''s business. After all, that was their family''s matter. However, he even nned to use such a dirty trick to steal T Corporation''s project. Old Master Crawford could not take this lying down no matter what. Luke shot a nce at Jason to hint at him. Jason picked up his phone immediately and opened his gallery. Then, he sent the video to the old master''s phone. ¡°Old Master Crawford, this is the footage that was taken in the car. It''s of Boss saving Luca.¡± Soon, Old Master Crawford''s phone rang with a notification. He watched the video that Jason sent to him. Although he said that this was the footage of Luke saving Luca, it was more like a video of him carrying Luca in his arms getting out of the vi. Old Master Crawford nodded his head with satisfaction after he saw Luke carrying Luca in his arms. There was no reason for the Mallory family to cover up for Pierre with all this evidence. It was never easy to go against the rules established by the older generation! Even Luke dared not to vite the rules as he pleased. How dare Pierre break the rules?! Old Master Crawford looked at Luca who was still deeply asleep and reminded Luke. "Tell Luca I came to visit her when she''s awake. Also, tell her to take good care of herself and not to think too much. I''ll seek justice for her." Luke lifted his head and nced at Luca. He did not expect Old Master Crawford to be willing to stand up for Luca. Luke turned to look at Luca and recalled how quickly the Crawford family had epted Bianca. She always had some kind of magic that allowed people to ept her and be fond of her. She was such a lovely person, but she had suffered so much. Luke looked at her with his deep eyes, and he stepped forward to tuck Luca into the nket. As Jason watched Old Master Crawford leave the ward angrily with the evidence, he nced at his boss who had that gentle and tender look on his face. He was taking care of Luca. He opened his mouth but he did not know if he should break the silence. ¡°Go back to work.¡± Luke''s words filled the awkward silence in the air. "Yes," Jason replied, turned around, and left the ward. He headed to T Corporation to continue his work. Old Master Crawford asked Zander to bring him to the Mallory family''s house after he left the hospital. He did not call in advance to inform them that he would be paying a visit. Hence, Old Master Mallory was startled when the butler informed him about that. "Why did hee? And why didn''t he give us a notice?" Old Master Mallory stood up. The two families had been maintaining a great business partnership with each other, and they were friends for many years. Hence, they would frequently invite each other to drink some tea and y chess together. However, they were businessmen, after all. They would notify each other in advance whenever they came to visit. It was rare for Old Master Crawford toe to their house unannounced. "I''m not sure about that. But Old Master Crawford doesn''t look very happy. It seems like something has happened. He probably wanted to discuss it with you." The butler informed him in advance. Old Master Mallory was not concerned. He just thought Old Master Crawford was in a bad mood because of the nonsense that was happening in the Crawford family. He had nothing to do with those affairs. "Alright. Make some tea. Remember to use the ck tea leaves that I just bought yesterday. He told me that my tea leaves tasted awfulst time, and it''s time to shut him up." Old Master Mallory rubbed his palms as he could not wait to show off the new tea leaves that he had bought. "Yes," the butler replied. Old Master Mallory added, "Oh, bring the antique chess set that I boughtst week as well. I''m sure I can defeat him this time." "Yes." The butler heard him and walked into the kitchen, nning to make some tea for them first. Old Master Crawford came in with his walking cane and looked at Old Master Mallory. He sat down on the couch angrily. Old Master Mallory saw how angry he was. He clicked his tongue and teased him, asking, "What''s wrong? Who offended you?" "Your good grandson!" Old Master Crawford tossed the document onto the coffee table. The butler had just finished making the ck tea and was about to ce it on the table. He almost spilled the tea because of Old Master Crawford''s gestures. ¡°What did my good grandsons do? They couldn''t have possibly offended you, right?" Old Master Mallory muttered. "Percy is always busy with his work. He couldn''t possibly have had the time to mess with you. As for Pierre, that''s even more impossible." "Pierre Mallory. It''s him. It''s all here. Take a look at this." Old Master Crawford pointed at the documents on the table. Old Master Mallory picked up the documents and touched his neck habitually. He then realized his sses were not with him. He ordered, "Bring my sses here." "Yes." The butler quickly opened the drawer and handed the sses to him. Old Master Mallory slowly put on his sses. Pierre had caused a lot of trouble throughout the years. He had gotten used to it when people came toin about him. He often got drunk and caused trouble in the establishments. He would injure people as well, and there were many more of such instances. The Mallory family could afford topensate them all. After all, Pierre was the youngest grandson in the Mallory family. Old Master Mallory would only say a couple of words about it before pretending as though it had never happened. It was the reason why he put all his attention on Percy and trained him to be the Mallory family''s heir. At this moment, Old Master Mallory realized Pierre had set up apany of his ownpany that covered a wide range of businesses, including those of the Crawford family and the Mallory family. He frowned, but he did not take it seriously. "The child probably set up apany just for fun. Why are you comining about this to me? Did he steal T Corporation''s business? I''m guessing not. He doesn''t have the guts." "Not yet, but he''s starting to." Old Master Crawford drank a mouthful of ck tea without worrying if it was still hot as if it could put out the fire in him. "Mallory, you should be worried about that grandson of yours. Ask him toe back here. Let me see what he''s really up to."T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1631 ¡°What do you mean? He just wants to run a business of his own. What can he do with such a small amount of money? Just get over it. There''s no need to ask him toe back." Old Master Mallory refused to believe that Pierre had his eyes on T Corporation. Therefore, he had no intention of asking Pierre toe back. After all, he was surprised to know that Pierre had started his career now. "Hah, I''ve seen a lot in the business world after all these years. I wouldn''t be mad at Pierre if he goes after T Corporation and tries to steal my business if he were truly capable. That could only mean that Luke isn''t capable enough. And I don''t mind him destroying our business partnership that hassted for years, but Pierre is ying dirty to force Luke to give up the project in Europe. Tell me, does that make any sense? Not only is he ruining the rtionship between our families but he''s not even taking other people''s lives seriously. I''m not going to let him get away with this." Old Master Mallory''s expression grew more serious as he listened to what Old Master Crawford said. ¡°Crawford, are you jealous of my grandson for being capable and being able to set up a sessful business?" Old Master Crawford sneered as he listened to him covering up for Pierre. He handed his phone to him. "Take a look at this. This is the video that Luke received today." Old Master Mallory pushed his sses up his nose and watched the video until the end. He saw the woman in the video get beat up so badly. He could not help but ask, "Who''s this? Isn''t your granddaughter-inw overseas? Why did this person hold someone else hostage to threaten your grandson to give up the project?" Old Master Crawford stood up, walked to his side, and swiped the phone screen. "This is the ce. Can you recognize it now?" he said. Old Master Mallory saw Luke walking out of the vi carrying a woman in his arms. Although the video was not very clear, he was able to notice that the woman Luke was carrying in his arms was wearing the same clothes as the woman who was beaten up in the previous video. ¡°Can this prove anything?" Old Master Mallory still could not get it. The video could only mean that there was something going on between Luke and that woman. The butler who was standing beside noticed something and said to him in a low voice, "Old Master Mallory, this is Young Master Pierre''s vi. He just bought it." Old Master Mallory was startled for a moment after he was reminded. He looked at the video again. There was the house number in the video. It was indeed Pierre''s vi. ¡°How did this person kidnap the woman and bring her to Pierre''s vi?" Old Master Mallory still refused to believe that Pierre would do something like this. It was not that he refused to believe that Pierre would kidnap someone but he never thought that he would have the guts to get someone to threaten Luke and ask him to give up thepetition. He had always taught them that they had to be just and honest when doing business. Even though they sometimes had to y tricks topete for a project, he reminded them not to use dirty tricks that would cause people to hold grudges against them. Old Master Crawford replied, "Do you need an answer for that? Who would be able to enter the house if it''s not Pierre himself behind all this? With the evidence of hispany information and the video, are you still going to cover up for your grandson?" "Ask Pierre, that bastard, toe home right now!" Old Master Mallory would not lose his conscience no matter how much he loved his grandson. Furthermore, the evidence in front of him was enough to prove everything... "Yes." Realizing how serious the matter was, the butler picked up his phone and called Pierre. However, no one was answering the call. "Old Master Mallory, I can''t reach him," replied the butler. "What''s wrong? Hand me my phone." Old Master Mallory had to bring Pierre home and question him about everything that happened. Old Master Crawford looked at all this coldly. It was true that he was friends with Old Master Mallory, but he still had to take care of this matter. Old Master Mallory called Pierre, but he still did not pick up the call. He had no choice, so he said, "Call Percy. Ask him to bring Pierre, that bastard, back home. This is ridiculous." "Yes." The butler heard him and excused himself to make the phone call. "I''m afraid you won''t be able to reach any of them," Old Master Crawford said. "What do you mean." Old Master Mallory blinked his eyes. All his confidence was gone as he had been proven to be wrong. Old Master Crawford said, "The woman your grandson kidnapped is Luca Craw. The police have already made the announcement. The police were there too when they went to rescue her today. The two kidnappers Pierre hired were subdued by the police, and they''re currently in the hospital. Tell me, will Pierre sit still and wait for the police to find him?" Those policemen took this case seriously. They would know that the vi belonged to Pierre if they did a simple check on him. Even if Pierre told them a different story, it would be difficult for him to run away from his responsibility. Moreover, they would eventually figure things out once they dug deeper into it. Old Master Mallory fell silent. After a while, the butler came over and said, "Old Master Mallory, Young Master Percy told me that he can''t reach Young Master Pierre either. He has already sent his men to look for him, but it seems like the police have started to suspect Young Master Pierre. Do you think he''s." The butler did not finish his sentence as everyone present would be able to understand what he was talking about. Old Master Crawford stood up and nced sideways at the evidence on the table. ¡°Mallory, sometimes, a kid will turn bad if you spoil him too much. Here''s the point. This has nothing to do with the Mallory family. I''m only going against Pierre Mallory, and I hope you understand. But if you''re covering up for him, don''t me me for making things hard for you." It was them who started it. Old Master Mallory could not say anything about it. Old Master Crawford did note to have some tea. He turned around and left after telling Old Master Mallory the important and terrible things that he had to say. Old Master Mallory looked at the file in front of him. He let out a sigh and ordered, "Send out men to look for that bastard." "Old Master Mallory, Young Master Pierre is probably hiding somewhere. If we insist on bringing him back here, he might get arrested by the police before he manages to step into the house..." the butler said. "Then just let it be. Hemitted a crime, and there''s nothing wrong with the police arresting him. Look at what he''s done. He''s getting fearless now. How dare he set his eyes on the Crawford family? Find out the identity of the woman who was kidnapped and if she''s seriously injured. It can''t be that serious if they didn''t call the ambnce. Then, find a goodwyer to handle the case. It won''t take long to get him out of this." Kidnapping was a serious case, but he could probably settle it if it were someone else. However, it turned out they had offended the Crawford family. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Luke seemed to care a lot about her. Did he not have a wife already? "Yes." The butler dared not to dy any longer and went to carry out orders right away. At the hospital. Luke sat on the couch and stared at the IV bag that dripped little by little into Luca''s veins. There was a deathly silence in the air. "Ow." Chapter 1632 Luke could hear sounds from the ward bed, which made him stand up unconsciously before heading over. When he saw Luca slowly opening her eyes, there was a piercing pain in his heart as if someone was hitting it with a wooden stick. The woman he cherished a lot had encountered such misfortune... Luca opened her eyes and saw the man who was staring at her. She could not stop her eyes from being filled with tears. Luke saw her reddened eyes and he thought her face was hurting. He asked, ¡°Do you want the nurse to give you another injection to relieve your pain?" Luca shook her head. She was able to endure the pain. She looked around her and realized she was in the hospital. Luke had rescued her out of Pierre''s vi and sent her to the hospital. She was safe now. Luca did not expect him to be able to find her so quickly. He even went there personally to save her. Could this mean that she was important to him? She felt a hint of sweetness at the thought of this even though she was in pain. "Don''t force yourself." Luke looked at her bright eyes. Her appearance hadpletely changed after three years, yet the only thing that did not change was that pair of bright eyes. Luca met his eyes, and she parted her lips. "I didn''t." She wanted to speak, but she could barely move her mouth. She could not pronounce the words as she wished. She sounded especially weird. She felt that something was not right after uttering two words, so she said nothing more. Luke was waiting for her to continue to speak. Luca shook her head, telling him that she did not need the injection. Luke understood what she meant. However, it broke his heart when he looked at her swollen face. "Are you hungry? The doctor said you can have some oatmeal, and I also got Mrs. Nancy to prepare some for you," Luke said. Luca did not feel hungry after getting the IV drip. Hence, she shook her head again. "Eat some even if you''re not hungry, alright?" Luke tried to convince her. He was gentle to her. As Luca listened to him, for a moment, she thought that she was still Bianca. She thought she could still enjoy his tenderness and pampering. However, she was not Bianca now. She reckoned that Luke was staying here only because of the video. Somehow, Luke had something to do with all those things that happened to her. It was probably because he was guilty, and that was why he was doing this. Luca nodded, indicating that she would eat a little. Luke adjusted and raised the head of the bed. Luca started feeling dizzy as the bed slowly rose. She closed her eyes and quietly endured the effects of her low blood pressure. She did not tell Luke that it was unsuitable for her to be sitting up right now. Johann walked and saw them. He said immediately, "Don''t raise the bed too high." Luke was startled for a moment, then he unconsciously lowered the bed. When Luca was at a half-lying position, Johann said, "This is fine." Luke stood up straight and looked at Johann. "Why?" "What?" Johann asked unconsciously, and it took him a second before he realized that Luke was asking him why Luca could not sit up straight. Therefore, he exined it to him, "Dr. Craw lost a lot of blood because of the wound on her forehead. Her body is weak now, and she''s probably having low blood pressure. It might cause symptoms of hypotension if she sits up straight now. She''ll feel dizzy, and she might vomit. So, let hery down on the bed for the first two days. She can get off the bed and walk around after that." After Luke knew about this, he looked at Luca. She was closing her eyes, probably suffering from symptoms of hypotension and feeling unwell. Still, she chose to keep silent and endure it quietly. Luke med himself for negligence. He should have been more attentive. He was always able to handle everything well when it was about work, but he would clumsily mess up everything when it was rted to Bianca. He kept on letting her get hurt. He was a failure of a husband... "I got it," Luke replied. Johann reckoned he was probably feeling guilty and did not say anything more. He walked toward the ward bed and checked on Luca''s mental state. Apart from her lips being pale, she looked fine. "Dr. Craw, where''s your phone?" he asked. Luca turned her head around and nced at the bedside table. Her phone was not there. Luke walked to the bedside table and pulled out the drawer. "Why do you need her phone?" "Dr. Craw can''t talk now, so it''ll be easier for her to type it out andmunicate with us," Johann exined. Luke took Luca''s phone out of the drawer. The police found it in the vehicle that was used to abduct Luca while they were searching an hour ago. They gave it back to them as there was no evidence on it. He switched on the phone and handed it to Luca. Johann asked, "Dr. Craw, does your head still hurt?" Luca typed something in her phone''s notepad. [It doesn''t hurt that much anymore.] ¡°What about your face?" Johann looked at her swollen face. He dared not to touch it. He had only touched her face when she was unconscious before to examine her injuries. [It''s the same.] Luca had trained on the Ind of Despair for more than two years. Her endurance for pain was higher than others. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Johann nodded and reported her condition to them, "The blood test result is out. Dr. Craw has a low telet count, which means she''s likely to lose a lot of blood when injured. This exins why she bled so much even though the wound isn''t deep. Also, her body is very weak now, and her hemoglobin is low. She needs to eat some supplements to increase her red blood cells and food to restore her nutrients. She needs to improve her RBC index. I suggest a blood transfusion if it''s still the same after a week. Are there any questions?" Luca shook her head. She knew her body well. She had a low RBC index was because of the drugs she took from the Ind of Despair. She just had to rest for some time. "Try to eat more if you can. Don''t rely on just the IV drips. I''m going for a ward round if there''s no other problem," Johann said as he walked toward the door. He suddenly stopped and turned around to look at Luke. "I suggest you look for a care worker if you don''t know how to take care of her. It''ll be better that way. You won''t feel tired, and Dr. Craw won''t have to suffer either." Luke pulled a long face. What Johann meant was that Luke could not take care of Luca well. Luca felt awkward listening to what he said. Even if Luke took care of her, he would not stay here for long either. It would be inconvenient for her if he took care of her. It was because it had almost been a month now... Luca would have to take the antidote again. However, she was under special circumstances right now. She would not be able to head to the stronghold in A City to take the antidote. However, they would be able to deliver it to her and watch her take it during special circumstances like this. Hence, it would be inconvenient for her to do so if Luke were here. Moreover, he was a man, and he was a stranger to her now. It would be hard for Luke to take care of her especially when she could not even get down from the bed on her own. Chapter 1633 After Johann left, Luke opened the thermos sk and poured the oatmeal into a bowl. The oatmeal was still warm as it was cooked not long ago. He ced the bowl on the table to let it cool down for a few minutes. Then, he grabbed a spoon and walked to the bedside. ¡°Have some oatmeal, okay?" Luca nodded. She was well aware of her current condition, so she knew that she could not behave unreasonably. She should eat more if she could. Luke picked up the spoon, sat down on the chair beside the bed, and fed her with the spoon. Luca tried to open her mouth. She could only manage to open it slightly wider. Her cheek muscles seemed to burn. It was as if they were protesting against her trying to open her mouth. Luke could not bear to see her in pain when he realized she could not open her mouth. He picked up the spoon and said, "Do you want to try using a straw?" Luca nodded. It would be easier for her. Luke picked up a clean straw and put it in the oatmeal, then he moved it closer to Luca''s mouth. She slowly sucked on it. However, Mrs. Nancy was unaware of her condition now. She cooked the oatmeal with some milk to make the oatmeal more creamy and fill up her stomach. The oatmeal was too creamy for her to suck it through a straw. The nurse came in as she was supposed to give Luca another injection. She frowned when she saw her trying to drink the creamy oatmeal with the straw. "The oatmeal is too creamy." "She can''t take creamy oatmeals?" Luke was startled when the nurse said so. The nurse shook her head. "It''s not that she can''t take it but the patient still can''t eat with a spoon. She can only use a straw to take food. If the oatmeal is too creamy, she won''t be able to suck it through a straw." Luca stared into space as she let go of the straw. Indeed, she only managed to drink a little after sucking it for so long. Luke was stunned. He thought that it was because she refused to eat the oatmeal and she was trying to brush him off, which was why it took so long for her to eat it. He did not notice all these minor details. After all these years had passed, he was no longer able to take care of someone as well as he was able to in the past. He did not even notice these details. Luke could not help but me himself. The nurse looked at the creamy oatmeal and asked, ¡°Did you cook it with milk to make it that creamy?" "I thought oatmeal was supposed to be cooked with milk," Luke exined. The nurse shook her head. "There''s no way she can drink it like that. Why don''t you get someone to cook another serving and send it here? It''s difficult for her to take such creamy oatmeal in her current condition." Luke nodded and put the bowl aside. Luca felt upset for some unknown reason when she shot a nce at the oatmeal that she had not eaten even half of. The nurse hung the nutrition bag, checked Luca''s name, and said, "I''m going to give you an antiinmmatory injection now." Luca nodded her head. She picked up her phone and typed. [Will I be taking the injection once every three days?] The nurse nced at the words, nodded, and said, "Yes, you''re getting the shot in the afternoon because you were admitted into the hospitalte. The IV drip for today will be dyed tillter this evening until it finishes." Luca nodded to show she understood. The nurse adjusted the IV drip to a suitable speed after she gave Luca the injection. Then, she said, "Press the bell if you feel ufortable." Luca nodded her head. Then, the nurse said, "The canteen downstairs is selling some oatmeal if you want some. You can ask the canteen staff to get you some gruel as well." She left the ward after that. Luke heard what she said and asked Luca, "Do you want some gruel?" [No, thank you. I''m not hungry.] Luca picked up her phone and typed to reply to him. Luke fell silent for a moment. He wondered if he should exin to her that he was bad at taking care of people. After all, it had been three years since he took care of someone. He did not take care of Bianca''s impostor during those three years. Most of the time, it was the maid who took care of her. His ability to take care of someone had naturally be rusty as time went by. He did not even notice the details. Luke thought he would be able to take care of Luca and protect her. He was frustrated when all those things happened to her one after another. In the end, he could not do the job well, unlike how he thought. "I''ll ask Mrs. Nancy to make some gruel for you tomorrow. Is there anything else you''d like to eat?" Luke asked. As Luca listened to him asking for her opinion, she realized that he did not sound as inexperienced as before. She thought for a moment and replied: [Gruel will be just fine.] "Alright," Luke said and made a mental note of it. Luca yawned as she watched the IV drip slowly drip into the tube that was injected into her veins. "Are you sleepy?" He noticed her gestures and asked. Luca typed something on her phone. [A little.] "Then get some sleep." Luke lowered the head of the bed for her. Luca continued to type on her phone. [Mr. Crawford, I think it''d be better if you can find a caretaker for me. It''s inconvenient for you to take care of me.] Luke remained silent for a while staring at her phone screen before eventually nodding. "I''ll get a caretaker for youter." ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . She was Bianca, and he had no difficulties in taking care of her himself. However, she had scruples in her heart now. Hence, he did what she wanted him to do. Luca nodded and closed her eyes. Sue told Nina that Luke had saved Luca. Nina felt guilty when she thought about how Luca only encountered all this because of her. She skipped work and headed to the hospital immediately. She came to Luca''s ward after asking the nurse. Nina was startled for a moment when she saw Luke in the ward. "Mr. Crawford?" Luke was sitting on the couch looking at the documents that he had to handle on the phone. He stood up once he heard Nina''s voice. "You''re here." Nina noticed that he was speaking in a lower voice, so she shot a nce at the bed. Indeed, she saw Luca sleeping. She asked, "Can youe out for a while? I have something to ask you." Luke nodded and left the ward with her. The two of them stood in the corridor. Nina watched him close the door carefully and quietly as if he was worried that the noise would disturb Luca. She could not help but exim inwardly that it had been so long since Luke was so attentive to someone else. "Was Pierre the one who kidnapped Luca?" Nina asked instantly. Luke nodded. "It''s all thanks to you. If you hadn''t provided the clue, we wouldn''t have been able to save Luca that quickly." "Was it Pierre who made her face like that?" Nina asked again. "Who else?" Luke questioned her back. How dare Pierre do such cruel things to someone he had defended in front of him before? LUke would make sure he paid for this. "He''s a beast." Nina stomped her feet. Luca was targeted by Pierre all because of her. Therefore, she must take the responsibility of taking care of Luca no matter what. She said, "Let me take care of Luca in the next few days." "Never mind. Let me do it." Luke turned Nina down. ¡°You..." Nina was looking at Luke and sizing him up. Her suspicion was aroused after they ended the topic about Pierre. She felt weird when she saw Luke in Luca''s ward looking after her. Something was wrong. How could a busy person like Luke give up his working hours to look after Luca in the hospital? Chapter 1634 When Luke noticed that Nina was not speaking for a while, he spoke again, ¡°Is there anything you want to say?" "Aren''t you too concerned about Luca?" Nina narrowed her eyes and asked. She admired Luca very much and treated her as a friend. However, Bianca was her friend too. Therefore, she could not ept that something was going on between Luca and Luke. Luke raised his brows and asked, "Why do you ask?" "You''re a married man. Although Bianca is abroad now, you can''t do such terrible things to her because of that. Do you understand?" Nina warned him. As Luke listened to her defending Bianca, he wondered what her reaction would be if she knew that Luca and Bianca were the same person. However, he could not tell her about this now. Luke replied, "Mind your own business." "I don''t mean to mind your business, but Luca is a good person. I don''t want you to approach her too closely and get med for it." Nina clenched her fists. She was worried about Luke''s mischievous attitude. He did not say that he would not be loyal to Bianca, nor did he admit his feelings for Luca. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. He was the second man whom she could not read the mind of. "Are you behaving like this because you''re concerned about Luca, or is it because you''re protecting Bea?" When Luke saw her defending the same person, he agreed that Bianca had not made friends with the wrong person. That was why Percy was madly in love with Nina. Percy always had women around him since he was young, especially those pretty ones. He had millions of women around him who were like Nina. However, Luke had never seen him be so loyal to one person. He was even putting all his effort into making such big arrangements just to be together with Nina. "Both. I''ll tell Bianca about it if I notice that you have feelings for Luca or if the two of you are having an affair." Nina clenched her fists tightly. Luke listened to her warning and ignored it. Even if Nina was going toin to Bianca about this, he was the one who was in charge of Bianca''s ount, not to mention that Luca''s real identity was Bianca. Luke put his hands in his pockets. ¡°It''s notpletely your fault that Pierre kidnapped Luca this time." Nina''s attention was distracted by what he said. "Are there any other reasons?" "Yes. He wanted to fight for the project that T Corporation is preparing to bid for. That''s why he kidnapped Luca to threaten me," answered Luke. Nina frowned when she heard that. "Pierre Mallory is crazy, and he''s going against you. But why did he kidnap Luca? Don''t tell me it''s because of the two of you..." "Nothing is going on between me and Luca," Luke said. He was not lying. They never had intimate contact with each other except for that night. Nina nodded. "Did you ask the police to arrest that crazy man?" "Every policeman in A City is looking for him, and the Mallory family is looking for him too." Luke was informed that Old Master Mallory and Percy had already sent their men to look for Pierre. "I''m not going to forgive him this time!" There was hatred and resentment for Pierre in Nina''s voice. "He can''t escape this time. But you have to be careful," Luke said, "Pierre might put up a final struggle if he finds you. Are you sure you still want to stay here and take care of Luca?" Nina was slightly hesitant when he said that. However, it was her responsibility to take care of Luca. Although Pierre kidnapped Luca to threaten Luke, he would not have targeted Luca if she had protected her back then. "He won''t know that I''ll be in the hospital even if he wants to look for me. She''s staying in the VIP ward too, and there''s even a security guard here watching over us. I''ll be fine taking care of Luca." Atst, Nina decided to stay and take care of Luca. Firstly, she would be able to keep an eye on Luke and stop him from doing anything with Luca. Secondly, Luca had always looked out for her in everything she did. She would like to take this opportunity to repay her kindness. Luke did not stop her after looking at how determined she was. Both of them had finallye to an agreement. Luke asked again, "Were you the one who sent Percy back that night?" "How do you know about that?" Nina was almost unwilling to mention Percy. "Just a guess." Luke''s phone vibrated for a while. He nced at it and said, "Percy isn''t as terrible as you think he is. He was left with no choice for many things." Nina frowned. He was left with no choice? What did Luke mean by that? Nina clenched her fists tightly. She was annoyed that Luke''s words were messing her mind up. She was good at running away from anything. However, she still felt ufortable when Luke mentioned the person she wanted to escape from the most. "Enough. Let''s stop talking about him. I don''t want to mention him anymore. I''ll stay in the hospital to take care of Luca tonight. You can go home if there''s nothing else." Nina quickly chased him away after he mentioned Percy. Luke pushed the door to the ward open and looked at Luca, who was still deeply asleep. Nina added, ¡°What are you looking at? Don''t worry. She''s my friend. I''ll take good care of her." Luke walked into the ward, headed to the side of the coffee table, and picked up the thermos sk. "I came in to get the thermos sk." Nina was startled and remained silent. Luke left with the thermos sk in his hands. Nina watched him from behind, then she turned around and nced at Luca. She let out a sigh. She could sense that Luca seemed to have feelings for Luke as well, but they were not allowed to be together. Nina would still choose to side with Bianca when the time came. Nina picked up her phone as Bianca crossed her mind. She sent a message to Bianca. [How are you these days?] After she sent the message, she nced at the previous messages she had sent to Bianca. Thest one and a half months ago, and it was a message she sent to check in with her. However, Bianca did not reply to her message. Maybe it was true that people who lost their memories would change a lot... Nina thought of the possible reasons why Bianca did not reply to her. Maybe she meant nothing to Binaca. She looked at Luca who was asleep and pondered. Bianca was like a stranger to her after she lost her memories, while Luca, who appeared out of nowhere, gave her a sense of familiarity as if they had known each other for a very long time. Nina nced at the anti-inmmatory drip bag that was half done and sat on the couch. Then, she noticed there was an unread message on her phone. It was a message from Anna. She was asking Nina to send her some homemade soup. Nina had no time to prepare the soup for her as she had to look after Luca. She replied to her immediately: [I''m busy today. I don''t have time to make soup for you. Ask the caretaker to buy some for you at the hospital''s canteen.] Anna sent a long audio message to her after a while. Nina did not listen to it because she knew it was an audio message of Anna scolding her. She would always scold Nina and say terrible things to her if she refused to do whatever Anna ordered. Chapter 1635 Nina put her phone back in her bag. She took the initiative to take care of Luca because she saw that Luke was here and she wanted them to keep a distance from each other. After she decided to stay here and look after Luca, she realized that she had not prepared anything. Nina thought for a moment and took her phone out again. She thought of asking Sue to bring her necessities over when she got off work. That way, she could visit Luca at the hospital as well. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. She saw a friend request when she opened her Instagram. Nina was startled for a while. It was a friend request from Percy. She deleted him when she ended her toxic rtionship with him back then. She did not block him as she thought he would not be shameless enough to pester her. However, he had sent her a friend request now. Did he have anything to tell her? Nina looked at the friend request. She thought it was probably nothing important since there was nothing written in the message box. She did not approve or reject it as she thought it would be invalid after a couple of days. She would only be focused on taking care of Luca in the next three days. Nina calmed herself down and put aside the thoughts in her mind. Then, she sent a message to Sue. She put her phone back into her bag when she saw Sue agreeing to help her. She could not keep on holding her phone. She would not be able to stop herself from looking at Percy''s friend request if she continued to hold it. On the other hand. After everything had happened, Pierre found a ce for himself to hide. He knew a lot of people, so there was someone willing to take him in even though he was in big trouble now. He sat on a shabby sofa in the residential building with a look of despise on his face. How did he end up like this? He would not be hiding in a ce like this if not for those people who were looking for him everywhere. He had many wealthy friends, but it was not safe for him to hide in any of their houses. After all, the Mallory family knew his friends too. They would look for them first if they were looking for him. Hence, Pierre contacted a street gangster and hid in his house. Percy held his phone and nced at his current situation. He cursed in a low voice, ¡°Damn it. It''s all that b*tch''s fault." Liam, the one who took him in, nced at him and shook his head. He said, "Mr. Mallory, I have no idea why you''re hiding. You''ve only kidnapped a woman, and she''s not even dead. You can just ask the two brothers to take the me for you and give them more money when the timees." Percy nced at him. "Indeed, nothing can happen to me even if I kidnapped a woman. The problem now is that Luke Crawford isn''t going to let me go so easily. Besides, the police and the Mallory family are looking for me as well. The Crawford family is after me too. What can the police and the Mallory family do to me? I''m only running away from the Crawfords." "I don''t get it. She''s just a random woman. How did you offend the Crawford family?" Liam was confused. He poured a pint of beer for him. Pierre picked it up and drank a mouthful of beer. Then, he spat it on the ground. "What kind of beer is this? It tastes awful." Liam smiled and exined, "Of course, my beer is iparable for the ones you usually drank. It''s the end of the month and I''m short on cash. I can only afford this beer." "It tastes like sh*t. Don''t drink it anymore. Throw this away. I''ll bring you out and show you what good beer tastes like after everything is over." Pierre was still thinking positively even though he was being hunted down now. He was waiting for his men to get in touch with the two brothers, Eric and Derek. He would ask them to take the me for him. Who was taking the me for him did not matter to him either. Luca was fine except for the wounds on her face. "Sure thing." Liam also believed that nothing would happen to Pierre, so he treated him well as though he was God. Then, he added, "It''s a surprise how capable that woman is to be able to make Luke Crawford save her in person." Pierre narrowed his eyes and took his box of cigarettes out of his pocket. He handed Liam a cigarette and lit up another for himself too. "I did think of it, but it surprised me that Luke seems to care a lot for her." Men could understand each other. Thus, Pierre knew how much Luke cared for Luca. However, the incident this time made him realize that Luke was far more concerned about Luca than he had expected. Pierre added, "Previously, the only person who could affect Luke that much was his wife." Something crossed Liam''s mind. He touched his chin and replied, "How can a normal man be together with only one woman? I''m guessing something is going on between them, and that''s why Luke got so nervous. But you better be careful after they drop the case. Even though someone will take the me for you, there''ll be a feud between you and Luke Crawford." Pierre sneered. "He''s just Luke Crawford. The people in A City are afraid of him, but I''m not." Liam gave him a thumbs up and continued to butter him up. "Bravo, Mr. Mallory." Pierre''s phone rang when he received notifications. He had a wicked grin on his face when he nced at his phone. After Derek and Eric were subdued by the police, they were immediately sent to the hospital. Derek was not seriously injured, and Pierre''s men had already talked to him after impersonating as doctors. Money could settle this. Derek promised that he would take responsibility after everything that happened. Liam saw the smile on his face and asked, ¡°Mr. Mallory, has it been settled?" "Money is a good thing, indeed. I promised to give more money to the two brothers and they agreed to take the me for the case." Pierre was not surprised that they were willing to make the deal. It did not matter if they were the culprits or an aplice. They could not escape from going to prison after getting caught by the police. This case was not serious either. Even if they were made out to be the culprits, they would just have to stay a few years longer in prison. They would be able to enjoy themselves with the money given to them after they got out. "That''s great. Congrattions!" Liam was busy licking his boots. The reason why he listened to Pierre so much was that many of his businesses depended on Pierre. He would lose most of his businesses if Pierre had a hard time. Not only did Liam take Pierre in but he also fawned over him for the sake of his interests. "Let''s see what Luke can do to me when someone''s taking the me for me!" There was a malicious look in Pierre''s eyes, which revealed his hatred for Luke. He did not expect the n that he carefully plotted to be exposed that quickly. Hence, he lost the chance to participate in the tender. His n was ruined, and he even got himself in big trouble because of this. He would never forget this. It was nothing more than just the Crawford family. He would seek revenge sooner orter. ¡°You''re so capable. What can he do to you? Mr. Mallory, now that those two people will be covering up for you, you can go home anytime you wish. They don''t have any evidence, so they can''t do anything to you," said Liam. What he said was right, but the ce where they found Luca was indeed his vi. Pierre knew it would be hard to fool his family. Chapter 1636 Besides, although Percy was his biological elder brother, he was obviously closer to Luke. Hence, Pierre was not counting on Percy to help him. ¡°I have to stay here for another night. Clean your room. I''m not used to staying in a messy room," Pierre ordered Liam like a boss. Liam responded and stood up to clean up the master bedroom for Pierre. It was all for the sake of his business. Pierre snubbed out the cigarette and took his time to make a call to Old Master Mallory. The call was answered, and the old master immediately snapped at him from the other end of the call. "Pierre Mallory, where the hell have you been?" "Grandpa, I''m drinking at a friend''s house. Why? Did someone piss you off?" Pierre pretended to sound like he was tipsy and askedzily. The old master listened to him and spoke in a serious tone, "Who''s that friend? You''re hiding from the police now, aren''t you? Come home now!" "What did I do that I should hide from the police? I can''t go back after drinking. I''m in the suburbs. I''m going to continue drinking, and I''ll go home tomorrow. See you." Pierre hung up the phone after that. Go back home now? Impossible! He wanted to stay here for another night and go back home tomorrow. Old Master Mallory listened to the busy tone on the other end of the call and sneered. "All you know is to run away. You''re in big trouble this time. Let''s see how much longer you can hide!" Percy, who was sitting opposite him, frowned. "When is Pierreing back home?" "He told me he''s drinking at a friend''s house and he''ll onlye back home tomorrow. What nonsense is that? He''s probably thinking of how to escape!" Even though Old Master Mallory wanted to cover up for Pierre, there was sufficient evidence to prove that he was involved. There was no way Old Master Mallory could help him. He only wanted to get Pierre back home now. After that, he would find a way. However, Pierre refused toe back no matter what! Property ? N?velDrama.Org. "He said he''sing home tomorrow?" Percy understood at once. "Grandpa, you don''t have to do anything." "What do you mean?" Old Master Mallory looked at him, confused. ¡°If Pierre said he''sing home tomorrow, he''ll definitelye back. There are people at every exit in A City keeping an eye out for him. He can''t leave A City, so he can onlye back here. If he''s so sure that he''sing back home tomorrow, I''m afraid he has already figured out a way out for himself. He doesn''t need your help at all," replied Percy. The old master had asked Percy toe back home after Old Master Crawford came by. Percy had been sitting on the couch the whole day, watching Old Master Mallory call the chief of police and arrangewyers for Pierre. He was trying to make arrangements for Pierre. However, after thewyer and chief of police knew about everything that happened, they told him it was hard for them to help him. The old master was worried sick because of this. He had been trying to find a way to help Pierre with all his connections. Old Master Mallory listened to Percy''s words and sneered, "He only knows how to cause trouble. And you''re telling me he found himself a way out? You''ve got to be kidding me." "He wouldn''t dare to call you if he hadn''t figured out a way." Percy reminded him, saying, "Grandpa, don''t forget that he set up apany of his own behind our backs." Percy sent someone to investigate Pierre''spany when he knew about it earlier. The establishment and the rules and regtions of thepany had gone through all the legal procedures. Pierre set up his ownpany without any help from the Mallory family. He was no longer the sloppy man who only knew how to carry out the tasks assigned to him. Percy had yet to find out the power behind Pierre, how much capital he had, and how many connections he had. Old Master Mallory fell silent. Indeed, his grandson who had always been cking off had suddenly set up his ownpany. He even did it without anyone in the Mallory family knowing about it. No one had ever mentioned this either. It seemed like Pierre was not as useless as they thought he was... Percy stood up and nced at his phone. There were no notifications. Nina had not approved his friend request. He recalled the message that Luke sent him. Since Pierre had found a way to save himself, there was nothing else he could do here either. Thus, he rose. Old Master Mallory looked at him and asked, "Where are you going?" "Pierre has already solved the problem himself. I still have things to do at the office. I''ll have to go back," answered Percy. Old Master Mallory nodded and remembered what the daughter of the Johnston family hadined to him about. He reminded Percy. "It''s nice to see you focusing on your career, but you have to spend some time with your fiancee too. Although she understands that you''re busy with your work, you''re a man. Remember that you have a family too." "I care for my family a lot," Percy said seriously. It was true. That was why he was nning something behind their backs. He wanted a partner whom he chose for himself and who was recognized by him instead of someone arranged by the Mallory family. Old Master Mallory could sense this and said, "Just wait until Pierre''s problem is solved. As an elder brother, you should take the lead. Get married first, then Pierre will marry his fiancee too." "Alright," Percy replied and walked out immediately. It was already nighttime when he left. Percy drove his car and headed to the hospital. Luke told him that Nina would be taking care of Luca tonight. Hence, he would definitely see her when he went to visit Luca. He could still force himself to focus on his ns when he could not meet her back then. After all, once the n seeded, he would be able to see Nina every day. However, since thest time he saw her at Bibbler''s Tale, his feelings that were initially able to be suppressed began to overflow uncontrobly. He yearned for a glimpse of her. Percy hit the elerator and rushed to the hospital. Luca had already woken up at this time. Nina was feeding her the cherry juice that Sue had brought. Sue had brought Nina''s daily necessities over as well as some food for her. They chatted for a while before Sue went back to take care of Kari and Teri, who were at home. There was only Luca and Nina in the ward now. Luca finished drinking the cherry juice with the straw. Then, she typed out on her phone: [Nina, I can take care of myself. You should go home.] Nina shook her head with a stern look on her face. "Although Pierre kidnapped you to threaten Mr. Crawford, I''m to be med too. Pierre wouldn''t have targeted you if it weren''t for me. So, please let me stay and look after you. I''ll feel better that way." [But you can''t sleep and eat well in the hospital. And you still have to go to work the next day. How are you going to handle it?¡± Luca looked at Nina''s face. It seemed like she had gotten skinnier after not seeing her for a few days. Nina smiled after she read the message on Luca''s phone. "Don''t worry. I''m not working at the moment. Thepany is busy with the designs now, and I have nothing to do with them. I don''t have to go to the office. Maybe I''ll head there and spend some time handling the documents but that''s all. It won''t take up too much time and effort." Chapter 1637 Luca listened to her and thought of the time when Sue and she were starting their business together back then. Although it was hard for them, they enjoyed being productive. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. When theirpany''s development was getting better and better, as thepany''s founders, they were allowed to take some time off to handle their matters. Luca wanted to turn back time so badly. She wanted to go back to the time when they worked hard together for theirpany. [Alright, then you can apany me tonight. I''ll hire a caretaker to look after me tomorrow morning.] Luca was tapping on the keyboard of her phone screen. Nina shook her head when she saw that. Luca was the same as her. They were the kind of people who did not like to trouble others. Still, Luca was much stronger and more independent than she was. "Alright. I''ll look for a caretaker for you tomorrow. After all, I know who are the best caretakers in this hospital. I''ll stay here tonight, so stop thinking of sending me away," Nina blinked her eyes and said yfully. Luca nodded. "Do you still want juice?" Nina asked again. Luca shook her head and typed. [The juice that Sue made is good. You can have some too. I see that you''ve lost some weight.] "I lost weight again? Hehe, really? Don''t make fun of me. I think I''m gaining weight these days." Nina pinched her face intentionally and pretended as if it was nothing serious. She knew she had lost weight. She was skin and bones now. It was pointless to lose more weight. [Drink some.] Luca listened to her and knew that she was merely mocking herself. She just did not want others to know that she had gotten skinnier. Nina nodded. "Fine. After all, you won''t be able to finish all the juice that Sue made for you. The juice will taste bad once it has oxidized. I''ll have some of it. But to be honest, that''s how attentive a mother is. She knew it''d be inconvenient for you to eat now, so she made juice for you. She''s so nice." Luca nodded. If meeting Luke was the best thing that ever happened to her in her whole life, then having Nina as her best friend was the second best thing that happened to her. Although she was staying beside Nina with a different identity now, she had never forgotten how it felt like to be her friend. Nina opened the bottle of juice and poured it out into a ss. Someone knocked on the ward''s door when she was about to take a sip of it. Luca and Nina looked in the direction of the door at the same time. The door was pushed open and Percy came in. Nina pulled a long face when she saw that it was Percy. ¡°Why are you here?" Percy replied helplessly when he noticed that Nina seemed to be unhappy to see him as if he was not wee here. "I came to visit Dr. Craw." "Oh? Visit Dr. Craw? Are you that shameless?" Nina was like a porcupine on alert as she red at Percy. She looked like she would roll over to him and prick him to death at any moment. Percy asked helplessly, "Why would I feel ashamed?" "You should be ashamed because your brother did this. Not only is he pestering me but Luca also ended up like this all because of him. He''s a bastard. And what makes you think that you can show up here shamelessly?" Nina questioned him back. "It was Pierre who did that, not me. Besides, he''s my younger brother. If what he did is considered my fault too, then I''ll apologize to Dr. Craw now. Do you have a problem with that too?" There was nothing Percy could do about this. He was even willing to take the me for what Pierre did just to get a glimpse of Nina. He went as far as taking the me on behalf of Pierre just to see her. "Why don''t you look for your good brother rather than trying to apologize here? It would be better if you could hand him to the police. We don''t need your insincere apology!" Nina was speaking in an aggressive tone as if the person who kidnapped Luca was in front of her right now. Percy looked helpless. It was Pierre''s fault, but he was the one getting med. He was willing to take the me as well, but this woman still treated him so aggressively. He should be apologizing to Luca, but why was he apologizing to Nina? Besides, why did he want her to ept her apology? Well, it was because he loved her! Luca felt like she was a side character when she listened to their conversation. She tugged on Nina''s sleeve helplessly and shook her head. Knowing that Luca was asking her to forget about it, Nina was unable to ept it. "Luca, these rich guys are always like this. They''ll repeat the same mistakes if you forgive them so easily. And they''ll continue to mess with you. That''s why you can''t let them get away with these things." Nina put her hands on her hips and released her anger on Percy. "Percy Mallory, if you really want to apologize to Luca, go look for your brother. Send him to the police and put him in jail!" Percy shrugged. "I can''t find him anywhere." Nina thought he was covering up for Pierre, so she raised her voice angrily. "Don''te here if you can''t find him. What kind of sh*tty apology is that? Is this how you apologize?" Her words were getting on Percy''s nerves. Percy replied, "I came to look for Luca yet you''re the one who''s been talking here. Are you Luca?" Nina was startled. How dare he question her instead? She stuttered a little when she recalled how she had been speaking on behalf of Luca. "That''s none of your business. You can''t represent the criminal. So, what did youe here for?" "I came to see you." Percy looked at her straight in the eyes and poured his heart out. "You unfollowed me on Instagram." "Is there a point in remaining friends with someone who has nothing to do with me?" Nina rolled her eyes when he mentioned something that she did on purpose. There was a pang of guilt in her heart, though the cause of it was unknown. "Nina, are you afraid of me? You unfollowed me and didn''t even approve my friend request. How dare you?" Percy noticed that she was avoiding eye contact with him, so he purposely asked that. Triggering Nina had always worked, but whether it would be a positive oue or not was a different matter. Nina raised her voice after listening to what he said. "What nonsense are you talking about? I''ve never been afraid of you. What''s so frightening about an insufferably arrogant person like you? I should be afraid of your devious and cunning younger brother instead." Percy did not feel anything when she mentioned Pierre. Instead, he continued to trigger her. "Fine. Approve it if you''re not afraid of me." "Why should I approve it? Do I know you?" Nina''s pitch went higher and higher. Their voices grew louder and louder. Luca, who was half-lying on the bed, was watching them. She wondered if she should advise them. However, she could not talk now, and they would probably ignore her if she typed on her phone. She should just let them be... Nina had so many negative emotions suppressed in her. It would be good for her if she took this opportunity to let them out. Luca thought so and left them to fight with each other. However, they were so loud that they alerted the nurse at the nurse''s station. The nurse pushed the door, came in, and asked, "What''s the matter? Why are you yelling so loudly?" "Nurse, there''s a man who came in to disturb the patient. Get him out of here," Nina seized the chance and said immediately. Percy lifted the gift he was holding in his hand. "I''m here to visit the patient. You''re the one who wants to kick me out. I''m not the one disturbing others." Chapter 1638 ¡°Stop crying crocodile tears if you''re here to visit the patient. Your younger brother is the one who made Luca''s face like this. Nurse, this man is up to no good. Get him out of here," Nina said with a sharp voice. The nurse helplessly looked at the two people who seemed to hate each other. She then turned to look at Luca. "What''s wrong with them?" Luca shook her head, telling her that she had no way to deal with them either. She would be able to convince them if she could talk. However, she could not talk now, and they were not reading the messages she typed on her phone. The nurse stepped forward and stood in between them right away. "You''re in the ward now. Go outside and you can argue as much as you like. The patient needs some quiet to rest." Nina rolled her eyes with her arms crossed. She looked like she was disregarding what the nurse said. "Who wants to argue with him? I''m here to look after the patient. He''s not wee here. Who''s to me for that?" "I came to visit Ms. Craw." Percy felt what he did earlier was childish. He now tried to reason with Nina in front of Luca. He had never done that before. He felt embarrassed when the nurse stared at him. He put the fruit basket and supplements on the floor, turned to look at Luca, and said, "Ms. Craw, rest well." Luca nodded her head. Nina gave him a look that seemed to mean that she refused to talk to him anymore. Percy knew she would not approve his friend request no matter how much he said. He could only wait for the next opportunity... After Percy talked to Luca, he said to Nina, "You''ll approve my friend request next time." He left the ward after that. The nurse left the ward too after Percy left. Nina nced at the door when she heard it close, then she said, "Pfft, I''ll be an idiot if I approve your friend request." Luca knocked on the bedside table. Nina stood up and came beside her. "What''s the matter? Are you thirsty? Do you want to eat something?" Luca shook her head and typed a sentence on her phone. [Don''t be so sure about that. You might just eat your own words.] Nina was startled for a moment, then she retorted immediately, ¡°Luca, why are you telling me this too? I''m not talking big. I''m just confident. And I have nothing to do with him anymore." [But I can see that you''re concerned about Mr. Mallory. Why are you fighting with him if you care about him?] Luca questioned her back. "I hate him. When you run into someone you hate, you won''t only argue with them but you''ll fight with them too. If it isn''t because I can''t win him in a fight, I would''ve punched him in the face just now." Nina tapped and held the delete button on the phone screen, deleting what Luca typed just now. "You''re the patient here. You don''t have to be concerned about so many things. Take a good rest. Forget about Percy." [No, I can''t stand seeing you lying to yourself while deceiving others.] Luca typed another line of text. She was destined to live an unhappy life, but she hoped that Nina could live happily. Percy had a strong family background. Eventually, he would find a way to protect her if he truly loved her. Nina looked at what Luca had typed and muttered, "You weren''t bribed by his fruit basket, were you? You''re even backing him up now. Well, let me get you a ss of water. I''ll give you a sponge bath after that, alright?" Luca nodded. Nina turned around and walked into the bathroom. She picked up a washtub and filled it with water. She was thinking about what had happened just now. Did Percy reallye to visit Luca? Why did he ask her about his friend request if he really came to visit Luca? Could it be that he knew she was here, so he used Luca as an excuse to see her? As Nina listened to the sound of water running, she suddenly had the urge to know the answer. She picked up her phone, nning to look at the friend request she received on Instagram again. Suddenly, a news notification popped out. ''Master Percy of the Mallory family is getting married to the daughter of the Johnston family soon. ording to insider news, the two families will unite through marriage.'' Nina felt the blood in her body begin to flow backward when she saw it. She tapped on the news notification numbly and confirmed that the headline was not clickbait created by the website to simply garner traffic. The content was relevant to the headline, and the news article also stated that the insider was someone rted to the Mallory family. Nina''s hand was slightly shivering, and she smiled mockingly. How ridiculous. Just a few moments ago, she thought Percy came here to ask for peace, and she even thought that he still had feelings for her. She did not expect... "Percy Mallory, you''re a bastard!" Nina swore as she opened her Instagram and tapped on the reject request button. N?velDrama.Org owns this. She lifted her head and looked in the mirror. Her eyes were red, and she looked like she was about to burst into tears. The news crushed her, and she waspletely breaking down at this moment. She thought she was not in love with Percy and that he did not love her either. However, after seeing him twice, she got the wrong impression that Percy was actually in love with her. She thought he probably had his own reason for agreeing to marry the daughter of the Johnston family. Right now... How funny was it. How could a man be in love with her if he was going to marry someone else? Nina looked at herself in the mirror, and she could see why she was breaking down. It was all because of Percy. It was because she was in love with Percy. How could she still be in love with Percy? He was mean, and he was a yer. He had so many ws. In her previous rtionship, she was coerced, imprisoned, and trapped. How did she fall in love with a man like that? Nina covered her face with her hands when she realized she was still in love with Percy. She thought she had left the rtionship dashingly, but after her true feelings were suddenly exposed, she started to feel lost. She was unable to face it. Percy was getting married to the daughter of the Johnston family. What was she supposed to do. It was not easy for her to fall in love with a man. Now, everything was telling her that the man she loved was not in love with her. Nina''s tears streamed down her face. The washtub was overflowing with water. The water had spilled onto the floor, and her feet were wet. Nina moved her hands and looked at the washtub full of water. She suddenly had the urge to stick her face into the washtub full of water. However, she could not do that. Luca was still waiting for her out there. She was the one who caused Luca to experience such a traumatic incident. There was Anna and Jean as well, who were like vampires sucking every penny out of her. Nina tried to calm down, and she looked at herself in the mirror. Although her eyes were red, she still looked somewhat normal. She put her phone back into her pocket. Then, she poured some water out of the washtub. She picked up the washtub and walked out of the bathroom. Luca was holding her phone. She had seen the news too. Then, she watched Nina walk in and noticed that her eyes were red. She quietly let out a sigh. Chapter 1639 Nina noticed the changes in Luca''s gaze. She looked like she wanted tofort her. Nina ced the washtub on a chair and wet the towel. "Luca, Percy is getting married to the daughter of the Johnston family," Nina said sentimentally. Luca nodded her head, telling her that she knew about it. Nina spoke again, "I wonder why he came to the hospital to mess with me if he''s going to marry the daughter of the Johnston family?" She probably would not have seen the truth if she had not met him this time and Luca was not here to enlighten her. Luca lifted her hand and stroked her head. Nina was startled. This gesture... When she was still close with Bianca back then, they would stroke each other''s heads tofort each other if one of them was feeling sad. It was to show that they still had each other. [Maybe there are some things that Mr. Mallory hasn''t told you.] Luca hinted at her. Nina looked at the words on the phone screen and smiled. ¡°Yes, he didn''t tell me he was going to marry the daughter of the Johnston family.¡± Luca was stunned. That was not what she meant. She looked at Nina, but it seemed like she did not notice it. Luca was struggling in her heart whether she should tell Nina that Percy might have his reasons and ns.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. However, she could not tell her right away. It was because Nina was impulsive. She had finally realized that her feelings for Percy were not as simple as she thought they were. Once she told her that Percy probably had his own ns, Nina would dash out of the hospital to ask him about it. Percy had not told anyone about his n. That only indicated that the n was meant to be kept a secret. That was why he did not tell Nina about it either. When she thought of this, Luca allowed Nina to misunderstand what she meant. After all, Percy would certainly pursue Nina once he was done with his n. However, it would be harder for him to get Nina back in the future after everything that he did to upset Nina. Percy was a good man with an indomitable will. He would still pursue Nina even if it was hard. Nina sniffed and saw that Luca was not typing anymore. She picked up the towel, wrung it, and said, "Alright. Let''s not talk about him. He''s just an *sshole. He''s just getting married, isn''t he?" Come on, let me wipe your body." Luca shook her head and pointed at the door. It dawned on Nina that she had not closed the door. "Oh, I haven''t closed the door. Look at me. How silly of me^" She hurriedly went to close the door and pulled the curtains. Then, she began to wipe Luca''s body. On the other hand. Percy had just reached the parking lot when he felt his phone vibrate for a while. He nced at it, and it was a notification from Instagram. He could not help but smile. Could it be that Nina had approved his request? He opened his Instagram application and looked at it. The smile on his face disappeared. It was indeed a notification from Nina, but she did not approve his friend request. She rejected it instead. At most, Percy thought Nina would not approve it. He did not expect her to reject him. He was angry. Then, he sent another request to her. This time, Instagram notified him that he had been blocked, so he was unable to send any more requests to her. "What a heartless woman!" Percy was pissed off. Not only did she reject him but she had even blocked him now? He desperately wanted to head back there and reason with her, but when he thought about how he had just made her angry, he shook his head helplessly. Never mind, he would ask her to unblock him next time. After all, he had been together with Nina for so many years. He already knew what kind of person she was. She would understand it if he exined to her after everything was settled. Percy got back into his car and switched on the news broadcast. He frowned when he heard the contents. They were reporting about his marriage to the daughter of the Johnston family... Percy picked up his phone immediately and opened a website. He saw the news headline on top of the website. Sure enough, his engagement to the daughter of the Johnston family was no longer a secret from the media. However, they had never told the public that their marriage would be regarded as a union between the families of the bride and groom. Where did the newse from? The only person who came into Percy''s mind was Old Master Mallory. He made a call to Old Master Mallory. "Were you the one who spread the news?" Percy sounded a little harsh. "Yes, I was the one who asked them to spread the news. The Johnston family agreed to it as well," Old Master Mallory replied to him slowly. "Your younger brother''s case is too big now. Although the police haven''t concluded their investigation, they already see Pierre as the mastermind. I''m spreading the news about you and the daughter of the Johnston family to divert the public''s attention. It''ll be easier for Pierre this way." Percy listened to how the old master had made him the hot topic for Pierre''s sake. He frowned and said in a serious tone, ¡°Even if Pierre can handle this well and escape from his legal responsibilities, do you think the Crawford family is going to let him get away with it?¡± ¡°Since he has escaped from his legal responsibilities, that''ll prove Pierre had nothing to do with the case. The reports will only show that he established apany all by himself and he didn''t do anything to steal others'' businesses. Old Master Crawford said that it''s all about one''s capabilities when ites to business. Even if Pierre wanted to steal T Corporation''s business, what''s wrong with it? He has his own way of doing things.¡± Although Old Master Mallory said he would never let Pierre get away with it, Pierre was still his grandson, after all. He truly loved him. ¡°Grandpa, you''re spoiling Pierre. I hope you won''t regret it if he takes things too far the next time.¡± Percy was disappointed in the old master. The old master had been training him to be his heir all along, and he was strict to him. He was more lenient with Pierre. Although what Pierre did this time was wrong, the old master got to know what he had been doing behind his back and thought Pierre was capable of managing apany. Hence, that was why the old master changed his mind. He even asked the Johnston family to cooperate with him to divert the public''s attention. Percy mmed the steering wheel hard after he hung up the call. It was not because he was worried about the old master releasing the news to the public. After all, his marriage to the daughter of the Johnston family would never work out. It did not matter whether it was disclosed to the public or not. Eventually, everyone would know that they had broken up. What annoyed him was that Nina had probably seen the news too and that was why she blocked him. Percy made a call with a gloomy expression on his face. The call was answered, and he gave his orders, ¡°Analyze the original voice of the audio no matter what it takes.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the person on the other end of the call answered. Percy sent a message to Luke after he hung up the phone. [The old master isn''t nning to hold Pierre ountable for what he''s done. And it seems like Pierre has found a way to clear his name. I can''t intervene in this matter anymore. You''ll need to work on your own. I''ll send the audio to you once the original voice is separated." Chapter 1640 Luke looked at the message Percy sent him. He had a profound look in his eyes. He had expected it. Pierre was unlike other people. He was difficult to deal with. After all, he was Old Master Mallory¡¯s grandson, and he was simr to the old master. Luke sunk into his executive chair and pondered what his next move would be. This time, he had finally fallen out with Pierre. He would turn against him openly if he got away with it this time. He was not afraid that Pierre would retaliate. It was just that he was afraid Pierre would go after Luca. During the incident this time, Luke lost his self-control and showed too much concern for Luca. Once a person showed their weakness, the enemy would seize it and never give them a chance to breathe again. The study¡¯s door was pushed open. Thud, thud, thud. Tommy ran in with his short legs and walked to Luke''s side. He lifted his head and looked at him. "Daddy." "Yes?" Luke¡¯s thoughts were interrupted. He put down his phone, looked at his son, and gave him a faint smile. No matter how difficult things were for him, he would always show his children the tender side of him. He had to protect his children well regardless of how chaotic the outside world was. This was what Bianca had told him back then. Tommy wanted to crawl up onto Luke¡¯sp, but it dawned on him that he had already grown up and was not a kid anymore. He had be heavier. Hence, he changed his mind and asked right away, "Daddy, Great-grandpa asked how Mom... Ms. Luca is now?" Luke¡¯s expression turned serious when he noticed that his son made a mistake. He reminded his son, saying, "She¡¯s still in the hospital now. The doctor says there¡¯s no big problem with her other than the injuries on her face. Don¡¯t worry. And be careful when you¡¯re talking next time. You mustn''t let anyone know about this." Tommy nodded. He was missing Luca so much, which was why he identally said it out loud. Then, he spoke again, "I know, Daddy. Can you bring me to see her tomorrow?" "No." Luke rejected him immediately without hesitation. Tommy was unhappy to hear that. "Why can¡¯t I?" "Because she needs a good rest. She can''t be disturbed." Luke used this trick to deal with the child. ¡°Daddy, I won''t disturb Ms. Luca. Please bring me along with you. I''ll be good, and I''ll stand still. I won''t move or say anything." Tommy put on a bitter expression on his face. He was trying to convince his dad to bring him along. Luke still shook his head firmly, disagreeing with what Tommy said. Tommy knew there was nothing else he could do here. Hence, he muttered, "She''s injured, and we''re worried about her too. Daddy, you don''t understand how anxious we are. Never mind, I''ll ask Greatgrandpa to bring me there if you won''t bring me. Great-grandpa likes me, and he likes Ms. Luca too. He''ll definitely say yes." T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. He ran out of the room after he said that. He would really plead with anyone just to see Luca. Luke shook his head helplessly while he watched his child from behind. Luca''s phone rang when it was ten o''clock at night. She nced at it. It was a video call request from Tommy. She hesitated for a few seconds and tapped on the reject button. "Why? Did someone call you?" Nina noticed and asked. Luca was typing on the keyboard on her phone. [Tommy requested a video call.] "Why didn''t you pick up the call?" Nina asked again. She knew Luca was close to Tommy, and it was because of that that she was even more worried that Bianca would lose her status when she came back. After all, Luke and the children were getting closer to Luca. Bianca, who was suffering from memory loss, would then be kicked out of the family. [I look awful now. I''m afraid I''ll scare the kid.] Luca exined. Her face was shockingly swollen, and she was reluctant to meet the children like this. "What''s wrong with that? They''re sensible, and they''d love to get close to you. You''re not going to scare them away just because of your current appearance," Nina replied. Luca shook her head and insisted. Nina thought it would be better if she chose to keep quiet. She thought about how different Luca''s feelings for the children were. Moreover, the children seemed like be fond of Luca more than Bianca, who was overseas... She could keep an eye on Luke to make sure that he did not do anything to upset Bianca. However, she could not control the kids. It was because their love was much more simple than adults. Luca looked at Nina, who was lost in her thoughts. Then, she nced at the time and typed a message: [It''ste. How about getting some rest?] Nina shot a nce at the time. It was earlier than a person''s usual sleeping time. However, Luca was a patient now. She stood up and said, "Alright, then let me switch off the lights and TV for you." Luca nodded. When Nina picked up the remote and was about to switch off the TV, she saw the news broadcast talking about Percy''s marriage to the daughter of the Johnston family. Her face darkened, then she switched off the TV while secretly calling him a loser. Luca was sensitive enough to notice the changes in Nina''s emotions, but she did not say anything. Percy started it, so he would handle the matter himself. There was dead silence in the ward in the middle of the night. Luca opened her eyes when she heard some noises. She could hear that there was another noise apart from Nina''s breathing. Luca was lying t down. She did not sit up straight when she heard the noise. Atst, she was able to confirm that the noise did note from inside the ward. It came from the corridor outside the ward. Someone was standing there. She listened to the person''s breathing rate. It did not sound like the nurses were walking around for a ward round. Someone was standing still at the ward''s door as if he was inspecting something. Fortunately, she was able to see where the door was from her view. Luca stared at the door and held her breath. That person was breathing heavily. It did not seem to be a woman. It should be a man. Was it someone whom Percy sent? If it turned out to be one of Percy''s men, she would not be afraid of them. However, she was physically weak now. Moreover, Nina was here too... Luca lifted her hand and ced her finger on the patient safety rm. She could inform the nurse on duty immediately if something was wrong. The door was pushed open. Although it was the VIP ward, the door was not locked as the doctors and nurses would do ward rounds at night. Luca could see a figure walking into the ward in the dark. Her heart was racing. When she was about to press the rm, she heard that person asking her, ¡°Is this Ivana?" Luca withdrew her finger from the rm button. It was someone from the Ind of Despair. It was almost time for her to take the antidote, but she was in the hospital. The news that she was kidnapped was all around the city. The people at the stronghold here would have known about it too. Luca was nning to inform the people from the Ind of Despair to send the antidote to her after she hired a caretaker. She did not expect them toe here before she could inform them. The man had already stepped into the ward. Even though he was in a dark environment, he was still able to see everything clearly. He nced at Nina who was deeply asleep and walked toward the ward bed. "This is the antidote for this month." The man lowered his voice to prevent Nina from waking up. Luca took it from him. It was inconvenient for her to drink it from the vial. The man frowned when she did not do anything. He asked in an impatient voice, "Why aren''t you drinking it? Chapter 1641 Luca pointed at her face helplessly to show him that it was inconvenient for her to drink it like this. The man realized it and asked in a low voice, ¡°Do you have a straw? Where is it?" Luca pointed to the bedside cab. The man opened the drawer and took a straw out. Then, he ced it in the vial, brought it to her mouth, and muttered in a low voice, "How troublesome." Luca ignored the man who scorned her and slowly took the antidote using the straw. Previously, she would always finish the antidote in one gulp. No matter how bad it tasted, she was always able to finish it in one gulp. However, she could only suck it with a straw now. The bitterness of the antidote quickly spread out in her mouth. The man shook the vial to check if it was emptied. After that, he kept the vial away. "Boss asked me to pass you a message," the man said. Luca met his eyes in the dark. She remained silent and waited for him to continue his words. "Your progress is too slow. He''s very unhappy about it. You know deep down in your heart what the consequences are if you continue to be like this." The man walked out of the ward after that. He ran into a nurse who came for a ward round when he pushed the door open. The nurse was startled when she saw the man. She questioned, "Who are you? It''s past visiting hours now. How did you get in here?" The man''s face turned gloomy. He looked at the nurse and thought of killing her. However, when he thought that his actions would cause trouble to the woman inside the ward, he pushed the nurse away and dashed out of the ward. The nurse fell to the floor and assumed that the man was a thief. After all, this was a VIP ward. The hospital''s reputation would be affected if a thief broke in and stole something. She got up and ran to the nurse''s station before she could check what had happened in the ward. She informed security that a thief had broken in. Luca kept silent while shey down on the bed and listened to the situation outside. She was worried about what was happening out there, but she could not get up now. It would be best for her to pretend that she did not know anything about it. Nina heard the noises outside and sat up. She looked at Luca unconsciously. "Is there a thief?" Luca pretended as if she had just opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling nkly. Nina was worried something might have happened to Luca. She walked to her bedside. ¡°Luca, are you alright?" [What happened?] Luca rubbed her eyes, showing her that she had just woken up. "I don''t know. I heard the nurse iming that a thief broke in. Let me see what''s going on." Nina was assured when she saw that Luca was fine. When she heard a thief had broken in, the first thought that came into her mind was that Percy had sent someone to hurt Luca. She walked out of the ward. The whole floor was in chaos. The caretakers of the other wards came out one after another to see what was going on. The nurse hurriedly walked to her because the man hade out of this ward. She asked with concern, "Is everything alright in there?" "We''re fine." Nina was in a daze. Could it be that the thief had broken into their ward? "A man with a cap walked out of this ward. Didn''t you hear any noises?" the nurse asked again. Nina shook her head. She had already decided to apany Luca in the hospital but it was difficult for her to fall asleep here when she already had trouble sleeping, so she got Sue to bring her some sleeping pills. Not long after she took the pills andy down on the bed, she fell into a deep sleep. She did not hear any noises. "d to hear that. Please go back in the ward to check if you''ve lost anything." The nurse let out a sigh of relief. She knew that Luca was an exceptional case. That was why she was worried that the person was not a thief but a man whom someone sent here to kidnap or murder Luca. Nina nodded her head. She pushed the door open and walked in. "Luca, is your phone still with you?" Luca nced at the bedside cab and signaled to her that her phone was in the cab. Nina opened it and looked at it. Her phone was still in there, safe and sound. Then she asked again, "Do you have any valuable things here?" Luca shook her head. Nina touched her pockets. Her phone and her car keys were still there. She turned around and said to the nurse, "We didn''t lose anything." The nurse nced at Luca''s condition and realized there was nothing wrong with her. She let out a sigh of relief and said, "Everything''s okay, then. Get some rest. We''ll look into this." The nurse walked out of the ward. Nina was relieved. She said to Luca, "That scared me. I thought Pierre sent someone to deal with you." Luca shook her head and made a sleeping gesture. Nina thought she would have trouble sleeping after getting a scare like this, but she did not want Luca to worry about her. She nodded and said, "Alright. I''ll go back to sleep too. Let''s not switch off the lights this time. Why don''t we turn on the lights in the bathroom? Then we can get a clearer view if anything happens." Luca nodded. The following day. In Crawford Manor. Old Master Crawford sat down at the dining table and saw no sign of Luke. He asked, "Where''s Young Master Luke?" Mr. Griffin answered him respectfully, "Old Master Crawford, Young Master Luke went to the hospital early in the morning. He heard that someone broke into Ms. Craw''s wardst night. The hospital dared not to hide the truth, so they informed Young Master Luke first thing in the morning. Young Master Luke is probably handling the matter at the hospital now." Susan, who was sitting beside, heard this and chuckled. Now, the whole family and even other people were getting involved with Luke''s new girlfriend. She could not help but say sarcastically, "Someone broke in? I''m guessing it must be a man. She''s an unknown woman, after all. It must have been someone she knew who knew she was injured and went there specially to visit her. There''s nothing to be nervous about." Old Master Crawford gave her a rude stare. "Even breakfast can''t shut your mouth up." Susan was startled, and she thought of retorting. However, he was the old master of the Crawford family. She did not have the guts to do that. She took a sip of milk and endured the dissatisfaction in her heart. Old Master Crawford then asked in a caring manner, "Did the hospital say anything else?" "No. The nurse said it was probably a thief, but he didn''t manage to steal anything. To be safe, Young Luke Master went to the hospital himself to understand what''s going on," Mr. Grffin answered. Old Master Crawford sneered. "I''m worried that it wasn''t a thief but someone Pierre sent." "Yes. I reckon Young Master Luke was thinking the same too. That''s why he went straight to the hospital without taking his breakfast." "Alright. Let him deal with this himself. After all, Luca was hurt because of T Corporation. Tell Zander to send the kids to schoolter," said Old Master Crawford. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Susan replied immediately, "No way. Zander has to send Thea to thepetition." "It''s not like Thea will be heading to thepetition that early. He can send them togetherter. It won''t take up much time for him to send the three kids to school. Besides, thepetition venue is near their school. What are you yelling for?" Susan was unconvinced. "That wasn''t the deal. Zander is supposed to be Thea''s private chauffeur today. And now he has another job to do. He''d better not dy Thea. Otherwise, I''m not going to let him get away with it." Chapter 1642 Old Master Crawford red at her while listening to herints. He was not in the mood to argue with her. He gave his orders to the butler, ¡°Drive Thea to herpetition venue and don''t dy her." ¡°Yes, Old Master Crawford." Mr. Griffin nodded and gave him his promise. Susan stoppedining when she heard that. On the other hand. Luke hurried to the hospital. Johann had received the footage that night through his connections. He pressed on the y button when he saw Lukee in. Luke''s face turned gloomy when he watched the video of the incident from the beginning till the end. ¡°Was he caught?" "No. He''s good. The security guards upstairs informed the guards downstairs to catch him if they saw him. Still, they didn''t manage to grab him and he escaped. This man was wearing a mask and a cap. We can''t get a good look at him," said Johann as he shook his head. ¡°He''s not one of Percy''s men." Luke looked at how nimble the man was in the video. He avoided the guards'' pursuit and escaped from the hospital swiftly. Then, that was the end of it. "Are you sure?"Johann raised his eyebrows. "He''s too good. Percy doesn''t have anyone like that." Luke was sure about it. "I''m afraid this man is one of the members of the organization that''s manipting Luca behind the scenes. Johann suddenly understood and asked, ¡°Hasn''t Dr. Craw already been rescued? Why did someone from the organization show up here?" Luke fell silent. He had no idea about that either. They made Luca change her appearance and return here. They hid her true identity and made arrangements for her to get into hispany. They were up to something. Therefore, their n must have something to do with him. The first thing that came into Luke''s mind was the Ind of Despair. However, there was no tattoo on Luca''s body. He was not 100 percent sure about it. He stood up and headed outside. Johann asked, ¡°Where are you going?" ¡°To the ward." Luke left without looking back. He came to the ward and stood there for half a minute. Then, he pushed the door open slowly. Nina was helping Luca brush her teeth and wash her face. She was being utmost careful because Luca''s face was still swollen. ¡°Grab my hand if it hurts," Nina said in a soft voice. Luca closed her eyes and allowed Nina to help. When she heard someone pushing the ward''s door open, she opened her eyes and saw Luke walking into the ward. Nina turned around and looked at the door too. She paused what she was doing when she saw him. There was a hint of mockery in her words as she said, "Mr. Crawford, you''re here way too early." The expression on Luke''s face was gloomy as he looked at the enigmatic Nina. He could not be bothered to deal with her since she did not know the truth. He went straight to Luca''s bedside and asked caringly, "Are you feeling better?" Luca nodded her head. She could sense there was a hint of tension between Luke and Nina. She reckoned that it was because of her. She typed a sentence on her phone: [Mr. Crawford, what brought you here?] Luke''s face turned even darker looking at how awkward she was being. He exined, "A man came into your wardst night. I came to find out what happened." Nina wrung the towel dry and asked, "You came to find out what happened? Are you a cop?" Luke gave Nina a dirty look. It was clear she was in a bad mood now and that was why she was intentionally picking on him. N?velDrama.Org owns this. She was down in the dumps and it was because of Percy. He refused to be the target of Nina''s temper, so he said, "Luca is my employee, and she''s in this situation because of thepany''s matter. Is there anything wrong with me being concerned about her condition?" Nina rolled her eyes. "Let the police officers handle the investigation. Save yourself the trouble. Oh, you said Luca is in this situation because of yourpany''s matters. If that''s the case, why didn''t you get someone to stay here to protect her? How could you let her experience such a terrifying thing?" Luke was speechless at Nina''s retort. He indeed thought that it was not the right choice to let her stay here alone. Luca listened to them arguing with each other, yet she could not stop their conversation at all. She could only take the face towel that Nina had wrung dry and clean her face quietly. Even though she could not look at herself, she managed to avoid the wound on her face. Her gestures caught their attention. "Let me help you," said Luke. "Let me do it," said Nina at the same time. Luca shook her head, telling them she would do it herself. She wiped her face gently before putting the face towel back in Nina''s hands. Johann pushed the door open and came in at this time. He had no idea what was going on here, so he looked at Luca happily and asked, "Dr. Craw, are you feeling ufortable anywhere?" Luca shook her head, indicating that she did not feel ufortable. "That''s great. You can try lying down halfway today but just to be safe, don''t get out of bed yet." Johann spoke before noticing the expressions of the other two people. The expression on Luke''s face was considered fine, but Nina looked like she could tear someone into pieces. Johann made eye contact with Luke to ask what was going on. Luke only gave him a cold stare. Johann cleared his throat and said, ¡°Oh, the police sent someone here to look into the incidentst night. And Percy will being here too. He said he''s here to see if the man who came into the ward is his younger brother''s subordinate." Nina''s expression changed once she heard Percy''s name. At first, she wanted to stay here and continue to take care of Luca. However, she immediately found an excuse. "Luca, I have something to do. I''lle back again tonight. Gotta go. Bye." Luca was speechless as she watched Nina grab her bag hurriedly and leave. She picked up her phone and asked: [Was the man who came into the ward caught?] "No, he was too fast. He was so fast that a dozen guards couldn''t even keep up with his pace. Oh, didn''t you realize when he came into the ward?" Johann asked. She would certainly know it if that person came here to look for her. Luca looked down and typed on the keyboard of her phone screen calmly: [I took medicinest night and was feeling sleepy. I was deep asleep, that''s why I didn''t realize anything. Is he one of Percy''s men?] "Not sure. He could be, or he could not. There''s another possibility too, which is he came in to steal." Johann was talking a lot. He turned to look at Luke. "Leave this to the police." Luke picked up the face towel in the washtub, wrung it dry, and handed it to Luca. "Wipe yourself again." This was her habit. She would wash her face twice every time. Luca took it and wiped her face quietly. Luke picked up the medicine on the bedside cab after she finished wiping her face. "Is this the one?" The wound on Luca''s forehead and the bruises on her face would need to be redressed. Johann raised his brows and asked, "Are you going to dress the wound for Dr. Craw yourself?" "Can she do it herself, then?" Luke shot a nce at the woman lying on the bed. It was a difficult task for him to try and hold back the tenderness in his eyes. He wanted to find out who was manipting Luca. That was why he was not allowed to reveal the true emotions in his heart. Chapter 1643 Johann looked at Luca, who was lying on the bed. Indeed, she could not do it herself. However, the medicine ced here was not for the patient to dress her wound herself. It was for the nurse to dress her wound when she came in for a ward roundter. To avoid Luke from carelessly dressing Luca''s wound and leaving a scar on her, Johann cleared his throat and reminded the man who loved his wife excessively. "The medicine is ced here so that the professional nurses whoe inter can dress her wound for her.¡± Luke stopped opening the medicine bottle at once. He stared at Johann with a trace of me. ¡°You should''ve told me earlier.¡± "Did I really need to say it aloud? The nurse didn''t ask you to dress her wound for her when she ced the medicine here yesterday." Johann gave him an innocent look. Although Luke wanted to help Luca, he was not a professional. It would be bad if he hurt Luca and left a scar on her. Hence, Luke could not be bothered about his image and chose to put the medicine back. Johann then asked in a gossipy manner, ¡°What''s wrong with Nina today?¡± "It''s because of Percy,¡± Luke replied, "Last night, Old Master Mallory released the news that Percy and the daughter of the Johnston family are getting married.¡± "Oh, so that''s it. I thought..." Johann shot a nce at his friend and turned to look at Luca. Then, he said in a shifty manner, "Even Percy is getting married soon. Is it appropriate to let your wife wander out there?" Luke gave him a dirty look. Why did he have to mention this? ¡°Don''t you have anything better to do?¡± ¡°No, no. I''ve got things to do. Am I not doing a ward round now? Dr. Craw, since you''re not feeling unwell, I''m off to continue my ward round.¡± Johann only wanted to fool around for a while. He did not want to get on Luke''s nerves. He slipped away and left the ward immediately. Luca fell into deep thought as she watched Johann leaving the ward. She knew that her imposter was already dead. However, she did not expect Luke to conceal it from Johann and the others. How much longer was he going to hide it. Luke looked at Luca, who seemed to be deep in thought. He assumed that Johann''s words must have made her ponder. "Are you hungry?" He broke the silence. Luca shook her head and typed on the phone: [I''m not hungry yet.] "You''ll have to eat something even if you''re not feeling hungry. I''ve asked someone to deliver your breakfast here. It''s oatmeal again, but it''s not as creamy as yesterday. It''ll taste better than the ones sold in the hospital''s canteen," said Luke. Luca could feel his attentiveness for her. It would be nice if she was Bianca now. [Thank you.] She did not know what to say, so all she could do was to type that on her phone. After all, Luke was kind to her now simply because she was hurt and he had something to do with it. Luke''s face darkened when he looked at her polite yet distant words of appreciation. He did not say anything more. The wooden door was pushed open again. The nurse carried some tools that were used to dress the wound into the ward. "Ms. Craw, it''s time to change your dressing." Luke took the initiative to make way for her at the bedside. The nurse ced the tray on the chair beside. Then, she picked up the scissors and cut the bandage on Luca''s forehead. Her wound was cleaned and bandaged in the emergency room before she was sent up here. Luke had yet to see how deep her wound was. He only calmed down after Johann told him that the wound was not deep. However, when he saw the nurse undo the bandage and the wound that had just begun to recover, his heart tangled inevitably. The nurse was surprised to see the scab on her wound. "Huh, the wound is already scabbing? You must have a strong healing ability. This is my first time seeing a wound healing so quickly." Luca knew it was because of the antidote from the Ind of Despair. As long as the wound did not worsen, she would heal much quicker than ordinary people. After all, that kind of medicine could control people, and it could heal people too. The nurse picked up the povidone and asked her while she was dressing her wound, "Ms. Craw, is it because of your physique?" Luca typed: [I''m not sure about that.] The povidone was to clean the wound. It felt cool yet it stung a little, but she could bear with it. "Then did your wounds heal faster back then too?" the nurse continued to ask. Luca continued to type: [I never paid much attention to that.] She could feel that Luke''s gaze had never moved away from her. She was a little nervous. Would he discover her abnormality? They must have done some research on the imposter''s blood when they caught her back then. If they had discovered that the bloodposition in the fake Bianca''s body had healing abilities, would Luke be suspicious because of what the nurse is saying now? Luca was feeling guilty. The ward door was pushed open once more, and Johann stuck his head out of the door. He had run into the police officers when he was doing his ward round. He heard that they wanted to inform Luke of something, so he told them he knew where Luke was. He specially came here to tell him. "Luke, the police officers are here. They''re looking for you." Luke turned around and nced at him. When did Johann be a messenger? Luca blinked her eyes in acknowledgment. The wound on her forehead was still being dressed. After Luke left the ward, the nurse quickly applied the medicine on Luca''s wound and wrapped the bandage nicely. She nced at the door. Luke had not returned. She asked in a low voice, ¡°Were you worried just now?" Luca was rmed when she heard the nurse lower her voice intentionally. She turned to look at the nurse. "You were worried that Luke would link you to the Ind of Despair, right?" the nurse curled the corners of her lips, smiled, and said. Luca did not answer her. She did not type on the phone to ask her anything either. It was because she already knew the nurse was Abel''s subordinate.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. "Boss said your progress is too slow. I intentionally said those things to warn you that if you continue to be sloppy, Boss will change his n. He''ll let Luke know that you''re someone from the Ind of Despair. What do you think will happen to you when the timees?" the nurse continued to talk. Luca remained silent. If Luke knew that she was from the Ind of Despair and he did not know that she was Bianca, she knew what would happen to her. There was no need to remind her about that. She might end up suffering the same fate as her impostor. She would be forced to confess and die... What Abel meant was, it was either she killed Luke herself or she would get killed by Luke. There was no way she could have the best of both worlds. The nurse packed her things slowly. "Don''t try to find another way. There''s no other way. Boss has sent lots of people to stay close to you. They''re good at hiding, and you won''t be able to notice them. If you refuse to die like this and leave your precious daughter alone on the Ind of Despair, be good and listen to what he says. Speed up your progress. You know as well that Boss has little patience." Chapter 1644 Luca listened to the nurse''s warning. Abel was taking a lot of effort to give her reminders. He even arranged a nurse. After all, there was no way the nurses responsible for the VIP wards could work here if they did not at least have a few years of working experience. Luca''s heart could not help but tremble at the thought of Abel arranging a nurse here. His plot was as big as a mesh, densely wrapping her in it. He was plotting something so big just to take revenge on Luke Crawford. This man was insane. The nurse finished telling her what she needed to. She packed her things and left. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Luca looked at her from behind. The helpless feeling in her heart was getting stronger and stronger. What should she do to make sure that she would not hurt Luke? At the same time, she needed to save her daughter out from that ce. On the other hand. After Luke left the ward, he met the police officers who came to handle the case. The police officers were still watching the surveince video. When they saw Lukee in, they greeted respectfully, ¡°Mr. Crawford." ¡°Found anything?" Luke nced at the surveince video and questioned. The leader of the police officers felt pressured while facing Luke''s cold demeanor. He shook his head helplessly and said, "No, we''re still looking into it." "Any news on Pierre?" Luke continued to question. Based on what Percy had told him, Pierre would make a move today. "We haven''t found anything either," the police officer replied awkwardly. It was not that they did not want to arrest him. It was just that Pierre was way too cunning and it was difficult for them to find him. Luke''s eyes darkened. The police officer thought he was going to me them for their inefficiency, so he quickly exined, "Our colleagues are looking into it. We have people stationed at the airport, bus stations, and ports. We''ll inform you immediately once there''s any news." Luke remained silent. Johann, who was beside him, smiled and shook his head. "He wouldn''t be Pierre Mallory if we could find him that easily." After he said that, a police officer came in hurriedly and said, ¡°The suspects of the kidnapping case are willing to cooperate and make their statements." The leader of the police team stood up instantly. "Why the sudden change of minds?" "Yes, they took the initiative and told us they''d like to exin everything," replied the police officer. After they were rescued yesterday, they were reluctant to say anything at first. Today, they were suddenly willing to give their statements. How surprising, indeed. "Alright. Mr. Crawford, we''ll take the statements from the suspects first," the leader of the police team said. They needed the two suspects to cooperate with them to take care of this matter as soon as possible. Luke asked, "Can I listen to their statements?" "I''m afraid it''ll be inconvenient for you to do so. Please understand that we have to follow the standard procedures of our jobs," the leader of the police team answered awkwardly. Luke did not make things hard for them. He watched the police officers leave and returned to Luca''s ward. The nurse had already packed and left the ward. Luca was alone in the ward. Luca, who was lying on the ward bed, was startled by the sound of the door opening when Luke pushed the door open. She nced at the door and realized it was Luke. She felt much calmer after that. "Did I startle you?" Luke noticed her small gestures. Luca shook her head, telling him that she was fine. Luke showed up when she was thinking about Abel''s warning. An endless stream of sorrow and a feeling of weakness filled up her heart. She wanted him to hug her. However, with their rtionship now, she had no right to ask for a hug. Luca picked up her phone and typed: [Did the police find anything?] "No, but the two kidnappers want to meet with the police officers. They im that they want to exin everything," replied Luke. Luca kept silent. It was likely that they suddenly wanted to rify things because they had received Pierre''s order. No matter what, they were already charged with the offense. Regardless of what they admitted to, they would still be sent to jail all the same. If they covered up for Pierre, they would only be in jail for an extra two years. Luca knew it would be difficult for the police officers to hold Pierre ountable. In the end, it was the Mallory family who helped him. They had their ways to cover up for him, and she did not want to put Luke on the spot. Luca typed on her phone: [I heard those two say that they''vemitted other crimes before, but they always managed to escape without getting tracked by the police. You should tell the police this.] "They''lle over to take your statement after they''re done dealing with the suspects. You can mention this to them then." Luke looked at her as shey on the ward bed. He was heartbroken to see her unable to speak. Pierre Mallory... He wished to tear him into pieces, but it was not the time yet. Luke had gone against many people for Bianca''s sake, which included the Tanner family and some other wealthy families in A City. He did not give a damn about them and got rid of them at once. The only one left now was Pierre. He would formte a n to deal with him. [Alright.] Luca looked at the man who was deep in his thoughts. She reckoned that he would hold a grudge against Pierre for this. Half an hourter, the police officers came in and told them that they would like to take Luca''s statement. Lucamunicated with the police officers using her phone while Luke watched over her. She told them everything she knew and finished giving her statement. The police officers were deep in thought for a few seconds after she was done giving her statement. One of them said, "Mr. Crawford, the suspects im that they''re the ones behind this. They borrowed the vi from their friend, and they had no idea that it''s Pierre''s vi. They took the video only after they were given money to do so. They didn''t know they would be using such means to force you to give up the project." Luke had already expected the police officers to say that. ¡°This has nothing to do with Pierre Mallory, right?¡± ¡°This is only our spection. But so far, the evidence has proved that this has nothing to do with Pierre Mallory,¡± the police officer replied awkwardly. Although the vi belonged to Pierre, those kidnappers imed that they borrowed it from another person. As long as proper arrangements were done, Pierre would not get dragged into this mess. Luke''s face turned gloomy. He did not say a word. The police officer rubbed his nose and said, "Ms. Craw, if there''s nothing else you''d like to add, we''ll be heading back to arrange the statements now." Luca typed on her phone. [Alright.] Then, the police officer said again, ¡°Mr. Crawford, we''re going back to handle the case." Luke did not say anything. After the police officers left, Luke felt defeated. He stared at Luca and expressed the guilt in his heart. ¡°I''m sorry.¡± From just this simple sentence, Luca could hear the helplessness in his voice. She did not me him. If she was Bianca, he would risk everything to find Pierre to take care of this. However, she was a stranger to him now. Even though the pain she suffered this time was because of him, a simple apology from him was enough for her. Chapter 1645 [Don''t me yourself. I''m responsible for this too. I was too impulsive back then.] Luca recalled how she had defended Nina in front of Pierre and argued with him. Otherwise, Pierre would not have targeted her. Luke felt even more ufortable when Luca did not me him. Previously, she would think about him if anything happened to her, but now, it seemed like she was enduring everything quietly. He did not even know why she was willing to be manipted by others. Did they have something on Luca? Otherwise, how could she be willing to do so? Luke stared at her deeply. Luca felt uneasy being stared at by him like this. What was he thinking? Her eyes met his deep eyes. There was no schemes nor coldness in that pair of eyes. It seemed like there was only guilt and sorrow in them. Luca thought she had seen it wrongly. She blinked her eyes. When she wanted to take another good look, Luke had already turned around. His phone rang. Luca watched him as he answered the call. He only said a few simple words, ¡°Deliver it up here." After a while, Mrs. Nancy carried a few thermos sks and food containers into the ward. She was slightly surprised to see Luca''s swollen face. Luca was gorgeous, but she became like this after getting tortured by the kidnappers. Mrs. Nancy felt ufortable looking at her. "Ms. Craw, good morning." Mrs. Nancy took the initiative to greet her. It was because Luca had generously shared her recipe with her before. Hence, Mrs. Nancy had a good impression of her. Luke spoke on behalf of her before Luca could type on the phone. "She can''t talk now. Pour a bowl of oatmeal for her." Mrs. Nancy replied to him and ced the containers and thermos sks on the coffee table. Then, she picked up the bowl on the table and entered the bathroom to wash it. Luke opened a thermos sk and nced at the oatmeal in it. He said, "It''s oatmeal. Are you okay with it?" Luca made a sign, telling him she was fine with it. After Mrs. Nancy cleaned the bowl, she walked out of the bathroom and poured Luca a bowl of oatmeal. When she was about to walk toward her to feed her, Luke said, ¡°Let me do it." Mrs. Nancy handed the bowl of oatmeal to him. Luke took it from her, picked up a new straw, and ced it in the oatmeal. "It''s better this time. Continue to prepare oatmeal for her in the next few days." "Yes." Mrs. Nancy watched him carry the bowl of oats and head to Luca''s bedside. He sat on the chair and brought the bowl to her mouth habitually. Mrs. Nancy secretly sighed. It had been so long since she saw Young Master Luke being this attentive. Thest time she saw this side of him was before Mrs. Crawford was kidnapped and lost her memories. Back then, every time Bianca fell sick, Luke would abandon his work to stay beside Bianca. He would take care of her attentively no matter what the others said. He spoiled Bianca as if she was a princess. After Bianca lost her memories, though, none of them had never seen Luke being so attentive anymore. Now, he was cing his attentiveness on another woman. Mrs. Nancy shook her head. It seemed like Mrs. Crawford would be losing her status soon. As she watched Luke feed Luca, she said, ¡°Young Master Luke, I''ve prepared some fresh milk. You didn''t eat breakfast before you went out today, so I brought your portion here. Remember to eat your breakfast on time." Luca stopped eating the oatmeal when she heard that Luke had not eaten his breakfast. She typed on her phone: [I can eat this myself. Go ahead and have some oatmeal.] "Johann said you can''t sit up straight yet. Eat it." Luke did not listen to her and continued to bring the straw to her mouth. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Luca had no choice but to eat the oats helplessly. As Luke watched her eat the oats, he spoke to Mrs. Nancy, "Go back first. Deliver some more oats here when it''s noontime. Make some soup too. Let her have something different for a change of taste." "Alright, Young Master Luke," replied Mrs. Nancy. She left the ward after that. There was only her and Luke in the ward now. After Luca finished drinking a bowl of oats, Luke asked her in a low voice, "Do you want some more?" Luca typed on her phone: [No, thank you.] Luke did not force her to continue eating. He put the bowl aside and said, "I''ll find you a caretakerter. Take your medicine first." He would be worried if someone else fed Luca her medicine. After all, she could not open her mouth wide now. She needed to be treated gently and attentively. Usually, she would have to take her medicine within half an hour after her meals. Luca had no idea why he was urging her to take her medicine now, but she still agreed. [Alright.] After she typed on her phone, she watched Luke take out the medicine and sort it out ording to the doctor''s prescription. Then, he got her a ss of warm water and ced a straw in the ss. He was attentive... Luca was moved. She had been having dreams in the past countless nights. She dreamed of Luke being attentive to her. After Luke sorted out the pills, he picked up one of them and brought it to Luca''s mouth. She slightly opened her mouth, trying hard not to move her muscles. However, it still hurt once she opened her mouth. She endured the pain and swallowed the pills one by one. As her face was injured, she could not drink some water before taking the pills. Hence, she could taste the bitterness in her mouth. Luke seemed to have thought of something and said, ¡°There are no sweets here. I''ll get some for you later downstairs. You''ll feel better when you take the pills next time if you have something sweet to suck onter." [There''s no need to, Mr. Crawford. I can take the bitterness.] Luca typed immediately when she heard that. Luke frowned. Bianca hated bitter taste the most, but now, she was telling him that she could tolerate such bitterness. He wondered how much she had suffered in the three years after she was kidnapped to be able to be so calm today... Luke suddenly stood up. Luca was startled by his movement and looked at him with a puzzled look. Luke felt terrible, and that was why he did that. When he realized his abruptness, he said, "I''ll find you a caretaker." "Mmm." Luke made a sound with her mouth closed. Luke shot her a nce and left without looking back. Luca watched Luke leave the ward. She could feel his gentle and thoughtful behavior toward her, but she could also sense that something was wrong with him. The guilt and uneasiness in her heart were growing stronger and stronger. If it had not been for Abel, they would be living a happy life now. After a while, a middle-aged woman came in and introduced herself happily, "Hello, Ms. Craw. I''m the caretaker Mr. Crawford hired to take care of you. You may call me May." Luca typed on her phone. [Hello! I can''t talk now. I can only talk to you through my phone.] May replied immediately after she read it, "Mr. Crawford has exined your condition to me in detail. Don''t worry, I''ll take good care of you." Luca did not say anything more. May looked at the food containers on the coffee table and the bowl on the bedside cab. She immediately got busy tidying up. Chapter 1646

Chapter 1646 The Crawford Family And The Mallory Family

As Luca watched May tidy up the ward, she slowly closed her eyes. After May cleaned up the bowls, she saw that Luca had fallen asleep. She picked up her phone and sent a message to Luke: [Boss, Ms. Craw is asleep.] Luke was quick to reply to her message: [Okay. Take good care of her] May kept her phone and looked at Luca. Her face was swollen now, so she could not see her beauty. She shook her head and continued to tidy the ward. On the other hand. The police had been waiting outside the Mallory family¡¯s house so that they could catch Pierre in time. The moment Pierre got out of the car, the police officers came forward. A police officer spoke politely, considering Pierre''s special status, "Hello, Mr. Mallory. We need your cooperation in our investigation regarding a kidnapping case. Please follow us to the police station.¡± Pierre raised his eyebrows and said carefreely, "I''m aw-abiding citizen who''s willing to cooperate with the police officers. Mind if I get changed before following you to the station?" The police officer thought for a moment before letting Pierre enter the house. Pierre drove his car into the vi. He snapped his fingers when he was passing by them and said to a police officer, ¡°Tell them I''ve shown up.¡± "Great. It''ll make us look bad if the police officers are forced to stand outside our house for the whole day. Deal with this issue and don''t bring trouble to the family.¡± Old Master Mallory took a sip of tea and nced at the surveince camera beside him. Two police officers were still standing at the door waiting for Pierre to go back to the police station with them so he could make his statement. "Alright, Grandpa. Wait for me toe back. I''ll bring you out for tea today.¡± Pierre grinned as he said that. Pierre left the Mallory family''s house and followed the police back to the police station to record his statement. The police did not have any evidence to prove that he was rted to Luca''s kidnapping. At the same time, Pierre handed them a vi rental agreement as evidence to prove that he was currently renting out the vi. He was not sure about what those people did at his house either. There was no way the police could convict him of being involved in the kidnapping. They had no choice but to release him after they took his statement. Pierre whistled as he left the police station. He saw Luke''s car at the entrance of the police station. Then, he curled the corners of his lips and walked toward him. He knocked on the car window. Luke pushed the car door open and got out of the car. He leaned beside the car and looked Pierre in the eyes.N?velDrama.Org owns this. Pierre was still as carefree as usual. "Mr. Crawford, did youe here to pick me up at the police station?¡± "Do you need someone to pick you up?" Luke looked at the cynical man and remembered what he did to Luca. His hands that were in his pockets were clenched tightly. ¡°No. I wouldn''t dare to trouble you to pick me up even if I needed it.¡± Pierre was joyfully satisfied. Although he lost a huge amount of money this time without aplishing his goal, he still felt happy. It was because he knew how important Luca was to Luke. Moreover, he had shown Old Master Mallory how capable he was. Previously, he was always in distress about how he was going to tell the old master that he had set up apany of his own out there. "How was the taste of the tea in the police station?¡± Luke questioned him as he listened to his mockery. Pierre shook his head. ¡°Pretty good. Well, it''s not as good as the tea at home. Oh, Mr. Crawford, you have some nice tea in your office too, right? Aren''t you busy today? Is there nothing to do in the office? I heard that you''re preparing to join the tender for the project in Europe. Don''t you have to go back to keep an eye on it?" ¡°Yourpany is joining too, but aren¡°t you free as well? Everyone in the city was looking for youst night but you were hiding. Don''t you need to head back to yourpany to call the shots?¡± Luke used the same way to mock Pierre. "Sigh, mypany is just a smallpany with a few employees. But since I''ve set up apany, I''ll have to be responsible for my employees. Enough with the talking. I''m going back to the office to handle some documents. If everything goes smoothly, the next time we see each other will be at the tender conference. Mr. Crawford, please be kind to me then.¡± Pierre blinked his eyes and strode off. Luke watched him from behind, clenching his fists. One day, he would make Pierre pay for everything that he did. His phone vibrated, and Luke looked at it. Mrs. Nancy was asking him what she should prepare for Luca for lunch. Luke thought for a moment. Then, he asked Mrs. Nancy to prepare some tomato soup and cherry juice. Chapter 1647 Mrs. Nancy looked at Luke''s reply and muttered to herself, ¡°Tomato soup? Mrs. Crawford used to love tomato soup." She put her phone down and began to prepare. Mr. Griffin came in and heard Mrs. Nancy muttered to herself by ident. He warned her in a low voice, saying, "You can''t say anything like that here." Mrs. Nancy was startled. She thought of the reason why she was not allowed to do so. However, she was just a staff, after all. If her superior told her not to do something, she had no right to ask why either. She nodded hurriedly. "Okay. I understand, Mr. Griffin." Pierre headed to the hospital after he left the police station. He bought a fruit basket and was downstairs at the hospital. He asked where Luca''s ward was. Then, he pushed the door open and walked in. May stood up and looked at the man who was dressed like a thug. Even so, she was holding a fruit basket. She was on alert and asked, "Who are you?" "I came to visit Luca." Pierre did not give a damn about May. He thought there would be a few guards guarding the ward judging from how much Luke was concerned about Luca. He was surprised to see that there was not even a security guard here. There was no one else in the ward either, just a harmless caretaker. "Oh, you''re Ms. Craw''s friend, right?" May looked at Luca, who was still asleep. She went closer to wake her up. "Ms. Craw, Ms. Craw." Luca felt groggy. It was probably because of the medicine. She could barely stay awake. After she was called out by May, she forced herself to wake up. She picked up her phone and typed a message: [What''s the matter?] "A man came to see you. He ims to be your friend and he''s here to visit you," replied May. Luca looked in the direction where May was looking. Her eyes darkened when she saw Pierre. How dare this man show up here... However, it was true that he had nothing to be afraid of. After all, the two suspects had shouldered all responsibility for him. He would not have to bear any responsibilities if everything went smoothly. "Luca, are you alright?" Pierre looked at her swollen face and grinned. This was his masterpiece, and of course, he had to take a good look at it. May was exining beside her. ¡°Ms. Craw can''t talk now. She can onlymunicate through the phone." Pierre nodded and said, "I understand. She''s seriously injured, and she has to focus on recovering her injuries. Otherwise, her face will be disfigured and it''ll be difficult for her to hook up with someone else." Luca knew what he meant when she listened to his words that carried a trace of mockery. He must think that something was going on between her and Luke. That was why he said that intentionally. She replied to him on her phone: [It''s not a big deal. Thank you for your concern.] Pierre leaned closer to look at her. It was not a big deal? How stubborn. Then, he said, "The police officer told me that the kidnapper held you captive in my vi. I was renting out my vi and I didn''t ask them what they were using it for. I''m sorry that this happened to you." [Mr. Mallory, why are you apologizing to me? It can''t be that you''re involved too, right?] Luca provoked him. His apology sounded insincere, and of course, she would not take it seriously. Pierre shook his head and replied, "If I were involved in this, would the police have released me? If that was true, I''d never be able to get out of there. Although I''m not involved in this, I''m still partly responsible. After all, it was my vi. That''s why I came here to apologize to you. And I''m setting up a subsidiarypany. It''s a pharmaceuticalpany too. If you intend to leave Luke, mypany will always wee you. After all, I''m different from Luke. I don''t have so many enemies in A City." Luca listened to Pierre offering her an olive branch in passing. Her expression turned gloomy as she rejected him right away. [I''m not nning to move to anotherpany.] Pierre looked at the sentence she typed on her phone, shook his head helplessly, and said, "Don''t be so sure about that. You''ve suffered so much because of Luke''s project. There are many more who are going to target you next time. I''m different. I love peace. You should really think about it." [I''m not considering it. May, show him the door.] Luca showed Pierre her phone screen, then she showed it to May. May looked at her order to send him out. She could not be bothered to be polite to Pierre anymore. "Sir, Ms. Craw wants to rest." Luca had always given Pierre the cold shoulder. He put on a gloomy expression, and there was a hint of viciousness in his eyes. "Luca, you''ll suffer if you continue to be such an unsophisticated person." Luca looked down and remained silent. After Pierre left, May asked, "Ms. Craw, who''s that man? The way he speaks is annoying." Luca typed on her phone. [A nuisance.] May smiled as she agreed with what she said. She nodded. Luca felt thirsty, so she typed on the phone: [May, I''d like to drink some water.] "Alright. Let me get you a ss of water." May poured a ss of warm water for her, ced the straw inside, and let her suck on it. After Luca finished drinking the entire ss of water, she typed a line on her phone: [May, I''m sleepy. I''m going back to sleep.] "Alright, Ms. Craw. I''ll be here. Sleep well." May nodded and put the ss aside. N?velDrama.Org owns this. On the other hand. Pierre was angry. After he left Luca''s ward, he suddenly remembered that Nina''s mother and brother were in this hospital too. An idea came into his mind at the thought of this. Nina would rather die than give in, right? Since her mother and brother valued money so much, if heid his hands on them, would she not give in? He asked his men to find out which wards Nina''s mother and brother were in. He got the answer soon enough. Anna was a foolish woman who listened to everything her son said. Pierre thought for a while and decided to start with Jean. He headed to Jean''s ward. It was a three-person ward, and it was noisy there. Pierre frowned in disdain and walked into the ward. He nced at the name at the top of the bed and asked the man who was sitting on the bed, "Are you Jean?" Jean looked at the man dressed in branded clothes. His eyes brightened up as he answered immediately, "Yes, I''m Jean. May I know who you are..." Pierre looked at the foolish expression on his face and thought he might be useful to him. He did not know how Nina could be so stubborn when she had a brother who was only smart enough to be a lackey. He introduced himself, "I''m Pierre Mallory." ¡°Mallory.¡± Jean made a guess. "Are you from the Mallory family?" ¡°Percy Mallory is my elder brother." Pierre was a little unhappy that he did not know who he was. He arrogantly told Jean who he was. Jean said immediately, "I see, you''re Mr. Mallory. Hello, nice to meet you." In A City, ordinary people like Jean only knew about Percy. They had no idea who Pierre was. However, since Pierre was from the Mallory family, they were more or less the same. Jean thought of ttering Pierre to gain his favor. Chapter 1648 "Do you know me?" Pierre asked. Jean buttered up to him. "I know who you are. Who wouldn''t? You''re Young Master Pierre of the Mallory family. How could I not know you?" Pierre snorted and reacted coldly to his ttery. "I don''t know you at all." Jean was a little confused by what he said. ''He doesn''t know me? Why did hee to visit, then?'' Pierre continued talking, "If it isn''t for Nina, I wouldn''t havee to see you." "Yes, yes." Jean continued to butter up to him. Pierre said, "I''m interested in your sister. I heard that you were hospitalized, so I came here to visit you. Are you feeling better?" Jean muttered in his heart as he thought about how Pierre acted. ''He didn''t even bother to bring anything. How is he a member of the rich and powerful Mallory family?'' However, since the other party had revealed his identity, Jean did not think too much of it. He said, "I''m doing much better now. Mr. Mallory, you mentioned that you''re interested in my sister?¡± "Yeah, any concerns?" Pierre sat on a chair with his legs crossed. He looked arrogant as if his presence brought honor to the other party. "All is well, all is well." Jean did not expect that Nina had such charm. Percy was previously involved with her, and now, Pierre was also interested in her. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. ''Does Pierre not know that Nina was involved with Percy before this? He wants to date his brother''s ex... That''s so weird.'' However, Jean did not put too much thought into it. After all, everyone had their preferences, and he was no exception. He nodded and said, "She used up all her luck when she got you to be interested in her. What can I do to help you?" His ttery was useful on Pierre, who leaned forward slightly and asked, "There''s a lot that you can help me with. Tell me about what Nina likes." Since the aggressive approach did not work, Pierre intended to go with a gentler approach with Nina. He had been paying attention to Nina all these years but he never noticed what Nina liked. He was confident in himself. He believed that if he knew what Nina liked, it would be a matter of time before he would win over her heart. Jean was stunned. ''Why is he jumping through hoops to get Nina? Percy didn''t have to say a word for Nina to get together with him. Pierre is making this interesting...'' When the other party asked, Jean told him about everything that Nina liked. After all, they used to be close, so he knew some things. Pierre listened and kept everything in mind. After Jean finished speaking, he asked boldly, "Mr. Mallory, are you nning to pursue my sister?" He heard that Pierre had a fiancee, so he was surprised that Pierre was putting in so much effort for Nina. Pierre took the checkbook from his pocket, wrote him a random amount, and signed his name. He tore it and handed it over as he said, "You don''t have to worry about me. Just answer whatever I ask you." Jean took the check, and his eyes lit up when he saw that he got a five-figure check by briefly talking about Nina''s previous hobbies. "Yes, it is her blessing that you''re interested in her." "She''s not responding kindly, though." Pierre''s words snapped Jean out of it. Jean frowned. ''Is he saying that. Nina didn''t ept him?'' She left an excellent man like Percy without second thoughts. It was normal for her not to ept Pierre. "That''s because her thinking is abnormal. She''s just confused. I''ll help you persuade her. She''lle pouncing on you as soon as I talk to her," Jean said. Pierre nodded and replied, "I don''t need you to say much. When I need you to talk to her, I''ll let you know. When I don''t need your help, just keep your mouth shut." "Yes, okay," Jean agreed immediately. He was overjoyed that he would get paid just to say a few words. "Also, don''t tell Nina about today. I have work to deal with. I''m going to leave now," Pierre stood up. "I''ll send you off," Jean said as he was about to get out of bed. Pierre noticed that there was still an IV hooked to him, so he said coldly, "No need." After that, he left the ward. The other patients in the ward had eavesdropped on the conversation between the two. After Pierre left, one of them slowly said, "I remember that Mr. Mallory has a fiancee and he seems to be getting married soon. Why did you still..¡± They could not ept that Jean would betray his sister for money. Jean looked at the check happily and rolled his eyes at them. "What do you know? It''s obvious that Mr. Mallory is interested in my sister. Besides, he''s not married yet." That was a fact, but the others were still shocked. "It seems that your sister isn''t interested in him. Otherwise, this man wouldn''t havee here to ask you about her. Aren''t you afraid that she''ll get angry at you for sharing so much of her personal information with him?" "She won''t know anything if all of you keep your mouths shut. Besides, Mr. Mallory is a wonderful man. How could my sister not like him? She''s just ying hard to get so that she''ll get more of what she wants." Jean believed that what he said was the truth. He said as he held the check, "Besides, who doesn''t like money?" The other patients shook their heads helplessly. They did not understand how he could do such a thing. Jean said confidently, "Even if I don''t tell him about what my sister likes, Mr. Mallory can find out if he wants to. I''m just saving him some trouble. If my sister doesn''t like him, she''ll never say yes no matter how hard Mr. Mallory tries to win her over. What are you worrying about?" The other patients were speechless. They saw how excited Jean was at the opportunity. They finally understood why his sister never came to visit after his operation. She merely hired a nurse to take care of him. Jean ignored their opinions and texted Anna O''Reilly. [Mom, we''re going to be rich.] The next day. The police released a public announcement about the kidnapping case. Luca watched the news without showing any surprise in her expression. She knew that Pierre would get off without a hitch. That was because they had no strong evidence to prove that Pierre was the mastermind behind the kidnapping. Luca did not react much to it. After all, in this world, money could settle many things. Rules did not apply to people like Pierre, who bought off the two kidnappers and got them to admit that the whole case was nned and executed by them. However, money was not everything. Chapter 1649 Luke, who was so rich, was not able to solve her real problems. "Ms. Craw, do you want to take your medicine now?" May asked. The swelling on Luca''s face had reduced. After two days of treatment and medication, her health indicators had improved. She could even sit up and get out of bed now. She nodded and sat up. May organized the medicines ording to the doctor''s orders and put one in her hand. Luca put the pill in her mouth and swallowed it with water. There were not many medicines to take, so she finished taking them fairly quickly. After she was done, May immediately handed a piece of candy to Luca. Luke had bought it for her after he got off work yesterday. Luca looked at the candy and shook her head. The swelling had reduced so she could open her mouth slightly to say, "May, I''m not a child anymore." May chuckled happily and replied, "Mr. Crawford prepared this for you. He said you don''t like bitter foods.¡± When Luke arrived at the hospital after he got off work yesterday, Luca was still sleeping. He did not want to disturb her, so he sat on the sofa for a while before leaving the bag of candy with May. He told her to give Luca the candy after she took her medicines. Luca remembered how she used to be extremely averse to anything that tasted bitter. However, her repulsion was no longer as strong. Nevertheless, she opened the bag of candy and stuffed one into her mouth. The candy that Luke bought was notrge as if he had carefully selected it so that she could eat it without opening her mouth too wide. Luca enjoyed the sweet candy as she watched the news on TV. However, her mind was filled with Luke. After a while, the loud and clear voice of a child snapped her out of it. "Ms. Luca!" Luca looked toward the door. It was Tommy. ''Why is he here?'' Luca subconsciously covered her face. She was worried that her appearance would traumatize Tommy. Tommy ran over to her and said, "Ms. Luca, you don''t have to cover your face. To Tommy, no matter what you turn into, you''re the best looking!" May heard Tommy''s kind words and thought that he was sweeter than candy. She could not help but say, "What a sweet boy. Ms. Craw, don''t cover your face. He''s not afraid." When Luca heard that, she slowly put down her hands and looked at Tommy with a helpless expression. "Why are you here?" Tommy put on a big smile when he saw that Luca was ready to face him. "I missed you, Ms. Luca, so I pretended to be sick and came to the hospital." When Luca heard that, she immediately flicked his forehead. "Didn''t you promise me not to act sick?" "It''s just this time! I found out that you''re injured but you''ve been refusing to answer my video calls. Daddy won''t bring me to see you either. That''s why I thought of pretending to be sick." Tommy stuck out his tongue and acted like a baby. He was trying to win Luca''s heart so she would not be angry at him. Luca knew that his intentions were good, so she sighed and did not get angry at him. She had already been rejecting Tommy''s video call requests for two days in a row now. She knew that he missed her but she did not expect that Tommy would lie to visit her. She touched the child''s head and asked, "Who brought you to the hospital?" "Uncle Zander." Tommy looked back and found that Zander did not follow him. "My teacher notified Daddy but Daddy was busy, so I asked Uncle Zander to take me to the hospital." "After you got to the hospital, you told him that you were pretending and asked him to take you to my ward, didn''t you?" Luca pinched Tommy''s face. Although she felt that he was in the wrong, she did not exert any force when she did that. Tommy nodded and replied, "Yeah. Ms. Luca, you''re so smart! Uncle Zander knew I missed you, so he didn''t say anything. He just brought me here!" Luca looked at Tommy''s bright smile and her bad mood from knowing that Pierre Mallory had escaped thew was all gone. Her kids were the ultimate cure for her. "Such a cheeky child." May usually talked a lot. When she heard what Tommy said, shemented with a squinting smile. Luca nodded, not knowing who Tommy learned this from. Luke''s temperament was calm while hers was straightforward. Tommy''s cheekiness was not like the two of them but a bit like Louis Crawford''s. "I missed Ms. Luca too much." Tommy looked at her swollen face that made her face appear twice its normal size. He raised his hand and wanted to touch her but was worried that his actions would hurt her, so he put his hand back down again. He asked with concern, "Ms. Luca, does your face still hurt?" "It doesn''t hurt anymore," Luca said softly. She was overwhelmed when she saw the concern in Tommy''s eyes. As a mother, her biggest regret was that she could not apany him, watch him grow, and take care of him. This time, Tommy was even the one who had to worry about her now. He lied to the teacher and Luke to see her. "It hurts to look at you, Ms. Luca. If only I can grow up faster... Then I can protect you from being bullied by bad people!" Tommy was young, but he knew a lot. "Everyone wants to grow up slowly so there''ll be more happy times. Why do you want to grow up faster?" Luca whispered. If it was possible, she hoped for the child to grow up slowly and not have to be involved with adult matters as such. Tommy retorted, "No! I want to grow up quickly so that I can protect the people I want to protect. Ms. Luca, you''re someone I want to protect." Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. His daddy told him that Luca had a skeleton in the closet. She never admitted to being their mommy to protect them, which was why she was using another identity. Tommy thought that if he was strong enough to not need protection, his mommy would not be so tired either. Luca listened to Tommy and thought that while his voice was kiddish, his words were mature. Her heart was overflowing with emotions, and she was touched. She looked at May and asked, "May, are there any grapes in the fruit basket?" "Yes, Ms. Craw," May responded quickly. "Please wash some for Tommy," Luca said. "Okay." May picked out a bunch ofrge, round grapes and walked into the bathroom with them. Tommy snuggled up beside her. "Ms. Luca, can I stay here for a little longer?" Luca sighed, shook her head, and said, "No, you''re not sick. You have to go back to ss." "I want to be with Ms. Luca..." Tommy said. Every time he was sick, he wanted his parents to be by his side. He believed that Luca was the same. Since she was not feeling well, she would want them to all be by her side. Luca watched as the child tried his best to stay by her side. Although she wanted to, she knew that she could not... "How about this? If you go back after you finish the grapes, I''ll ept your video call requests every night." She negotiated with him. She refused to pick up the calls before because she was worried that her appearance would scare him. Chapter 1650 However, Luca was no longer afraid since Tommy had already seen her like this. Seeing that she agreed to have video calls with him, Tommy obediently agreed, especially when he thought of how Luke might give him a hard time for what he did and maybe even spank him. He thought about it for a while, then asked, "Ms. Luca, can you do me a favor?" "What can I do for you?" Luca asked. "If Daddy gets angry at me, help me out," Tommy said. His daddy loved his mommy the most. If Luca was willing to help him, he would not be spanked! Luca raised her eyebrows and asked, "You want me to say something nice on your behalf?" Tommy nodded hard. "Yeah. If you''re willing to help me, Daddy will not me me. He refused to bring me here because he was worried that I would affect your rest. Please help me..." Luca wanted tough when she saw how scared Tommy was of Luke''s scolding. She pinched the child''s face again and said, "I can help you this time but there won''t be another time. It''s not good to lie, especially if the lie involves your health." "Got it, I won''t do it anymore," Tommy promised her. May walked out of the bathroom with the washed grapes and said, "Tommy,e and have some grapes." Tommy cheered and ate the grapes. After he was done eating, he reluctantly left the ward and asked Zander to bring him back to school. May shook her head with a smile on her face as she watched him leave. "He''s so cute. I didn''t expect his son to be so cheeky considering Mr. Crawford''s calm temperament." Luca sighed and said, "Yeah, Mr. Crawford has three children. Tommy is the naughtiest of the bunch." Tommy grew up by her side. He was unlike Rainie and Lanie who spent most of their childhood with Luke. As such, Rainie and Lanie''s temperaments were simr to Luke''s. They were calm. Tommy was spoiled rotten by her. Even though she had been unable to take care of him in those three years, his temperament remained as it had been that way since childhood. "It''s cute when they''re a little naughty.¡± May sighed. She liked Tommy very much. Luca''s phone rang. She picked it up and saw that Nina had texted her. Nina was checking in on her. Luca replied: [The swelling on my face has reduced, I can open my mouth a little more and I can talk now.] For the past two days, Nina has been chatting with her via text. She did not go to the hospital because she did not want to risk bumping into Percy in the hospital. Nina smiled when she received a reply from Luca. She was d that she was doing better. There was a knock on the door. Nina said, "Come in." Her assistant walked in. "Yes?" Nina asked while she put down her phone. "Ms. Langdon, someone came by and mentioned that he has a project to discuss with you," the assistant replied. Nina was in charge of thepany''s sales. Those who wanted to work with thepany would talk to Nina before discussing with Sue and the other designers about the design of the building. "Take him to the reception room. I''ll be there in a while," Nina said. She did not find it strange that a business partner hade to look for her. After all, thepany''s reputation had grown over the years and manypanies wanted to hire them for projects. "Okay." The assistant nodded and left. Nina briefly packed up, took her tablet, and left the office. As she arrived at the entrance of the reception room, she pushed the door open and saw the man sitting inside. Her brows furrowed instantly. She said in an annoyed tone, "Why are you here?" "I''m here to discuss business with you," Pierre said with a smile. Nina was even more displeased when she saw his malicious smile. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. She did not like a single thing about Pierre. His smile was as though he thought of himself as the king of the world. The assistant looked at the two with a surprised look. Nina knew that Pierre had secretly set up apany. Their products and services ovepped with those from T Corporation and Mallory Corporation. She said, "Doesn''t yourpany have a professional design team? Why do you still need a small company like us to help?" "Mypany has just been established. Although those in the design team are all excellent, their experience is still not as good as yours, so I want to hire an agency. What''s wrong with that?" Pierre said in a serious tone. He wanted Nina in his arms. If he could not win her by force, he was going to use a softer approach. He just wanted her. Pierre did not understand why he was obsessed with Nina. All this while, he had been silently waiting in the dark for her rtionship with Percy to end. Maybe it was the sight of her stabbing herself in the stomach with a knife that shocked him... Nina was the first woman he met who was so cruel to herself. "Even if you''re looking for an agency, ourpany is not the one for you. There are many good companies out there. Good luck." Nina turned him down without a second thought. She did not want to have anything to do with a sinister and cunning man like him! Moreover, she had heard some gossip about Pierre''spany. "You don''t want my business?" Pierre asked with his eyebrows raised. Nina sneered and replied, "Luke is our boss, and T Corporation is preparing to bid for the project in Europe. Ourpany''s designers will be on standby to work on this project. Yourpany seems to bepeting for the same project. If we get into partnership with you, it''s not inpliance with the rules, so, good day.¡± Even though Pierre had cleared his suspicions, Nina still believed that he was the mastermind behind the kidnapping. After all, hispany has issued a statement that they would participate in the tender for this project. Therefore, she did not believe that Pierre was innocent. "Don''t be so decisive. I know that the boss of yourpany is not Luke but Bianca. Bianca hasn''t shown up for so long. Are you sure you want to help Luke?" Pierre asked. "Bianca''s husband is Luke and thepany is Bianca''s, which means that it''s Luke''s. Ourpany will never take on a case that might cause a dispute with T Corporation, so please leave." Nina rolled her eyes and cursed at Pierre in her heart. ¡®Is he stupid? Can''t he understand what I''m saying?'' She did not want to see this man for another second. Every time she met Pierre, she would get an ufortable and creepy feeling. Pierre listened to her ruthless words, stood up, and said, "I didn''t expect that you would be Luke''s b*tch. Do you think that Bianca will thank you for managing thispany? Let me tell you this. Right now, it''s uncertain whether Bianca is even still in this world." Chapter 1651 Nina rolled her eyes and did not take his words to heart. She nced at her assistant, who was still standing by the side with a dumbfounded expression. "Why are you still standing here? If he doesn''t want to leave, please call for security." "Ah, yes." The assistant heard her and immediately left the reception room. She intended to call the security guards over. Pierre snorted coldly and said, "You don''t know what''s good for you. Do you think Luke is loyal to Bianca? His mind is all filled with Luca now. Oh yes, Bianca hasn''t appeared in public for a long time. Do you think that Luke did something to Bianca to be with Luca?" Nina sneered and replied, "Mr. Mallory, you shouldn''t have started apany; you should''ve be a novelist instead. Since you have such a great imagination, your work will sell well. If you n to quit yourpany, you can consider changing careers.¡± Pierre thought that Nina did know chalk from cheese. He was pissed and said sternly, "Nina, this is a gentle reminder. If something happens in the future, don''t me me for not giving you a heads up that your best friend''s husband is being snatched by some random woman." He left after he finished his sentence. Nina watched as Pierre left thepany swaggeringly. She leaned against the wall weakly. His aura was powerful and terrifying. Dealing with him was more difficult than dealing with prurient clients. She felt that this conversation had exhausted all her strength. However, Pierre''s words made her uneasy. Although she and Bianca had grown apart after she lost her memory, Bianca would still asionally reply to Nina when she was in a good mood. Back then, Bianca made frequent public appearances. However, she had not heard from nor seen Bianca for a long time. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. ¡®Luke told the world that she''s studying abroad, but is she really?'' ... T Corporation. Jason walked into Luke''s office and reported to him, "Boss, Pierre went to Brilliant Architectural Design LLC. He wanted to work with Brilliant Architectural Design LLC but Ms. Langdon turned him down." It was within his expectation that Nina would refuse to work with Pierre but Luke was surprised that Pierre would want to work with the firm in the first ce. ''Is he trying to get close to Nina through a corporate partnership? It''s not impossible. After all, he seems to be very interested in Nina.'' "Anything else?" Luke asked. He had a vague feeling that there should be something else. Jason continued to report, "At the same time, Pierre also questioned Ms. Langdon about whether Mrs. Crawford is still around considering she has not appeared in public for so long. His words are hinting that you''ve done something unpleasant to Mrs. Crawford..." Luke snorted coldly, his expression gloomy. "He''s trying to drive a wedge between me and Nina?" Jason nodded. He also knew that Pierre wanted to get close to Nina but he did not expect that he would hurt Luke to get to her. How interesting... Luke replied, "Got it." Jason finished his report, then turned around and left. Luke took out another phone and opened Facebook. The phone was logged into the ount that Bianca was using before. He looked at the texts sent by Nina and then made a call. "After two days, send a voice message to Nina using Bianca''s voice. Wait, no, just call her straight and tell her that you''re living a good life abroad." "Okay," the man on the other end of the call replied. ''Pierre is going after Percy''s women and is even trying to cause conflict by involving me?'' Luke looked vexed and called Percy to let him know. At night. Nina walked into Luca''s ward with the soup she made. She was relieved to see that Luke was not in the ward. She came at ater time on purpose. She wanted to see if Luke woulde to Luca''s ward after he got off work. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Luke was not there. In the past when Bianca was injured, Luke would put work aside and watch over her day and night. Even if there was work that had to be dealt with, he would get back to Bianca as soon as he finished the task. She felt more at ease that Luke was not doing the same for Luca. "Why are you here?" Luca was a little surprised when she saw Nina. Nina carried the thermos and said, "I made some soup for you." "Thank you, but you should keep the soup for your mom," Luca said. When Johann came for his rounds, she asked about Anna''s situation. Although the operation was performed, Anna''s postoperative condition was not the best. It was mainly because of previous negligence. "I passed all of them some soup before I came here. This soup is nourishing. I''ll pour you a bowl?" Nina said with a smile. She was in a good mood. That was because when she brought the soup to Anna, Anna did not bring up those same topics like she usually did. She even treated Nina kindly. Nina was not sure why Anna had undergone such a change but thought that it was for the best. "Okay," Luca nodded. Nina poured her a bowl of soup and handed it over. Luca took the spoon, slowly took a sip, and praised, "It''s delicious." "I''m d that you like it. I don''t usually cook. If my mother wasn''t sick, I wouldn''t have learned how to make this soup either." Nina sighed and looked at her face carefully. "The swelling has gone down. That''s wonderful! Did the doctor say when you can be discharged from the hospital?" "Dr. Park will do a check-up for me tomorrow. If there are no issues, I can be discharged by tomorrow," Luca said. In the past two days, her previously low hemoglobin levels had increased rapidly and returned to normal. Johann mentioned that the rapid rise was a little odd. Nevertheless, Luca did not find it strange. Her body had be like this after she started taking the antidote from the Ind of Despair. Whenever it got to the end of the month, their bodies would be weaker and their hemoglobin levels would be lower than that of ordinary people. Since her body had fewer telets, it would take longer for her wounds to heal if she bled. However, as soon as she drank the antidote, her hemoglobin levels would increase and her body would be stronger. Therefore, her health would only get better as the days passed. "That''s great! Should we go to a church one of these days to thank God for your safe return?" Nina suggested. Luca took a sip of the soup and smiled. "When did you be so religious?" "I''m asionally religious. Okay, I''m joking! By the way, Pierre came to mypany earlier today." Nina told Luca about her day. As soon as Luca heard Pierre''s name, her heart sank. "What was he there for?" She owned part of thepany. The tone that she used made it clear that she did not wee Pierre. Chapter 1652 Nina sat in the chair and chatted with her. "Nothing good happens whenever he''s around. He said he wanted to work with Brilliant Architectural Design LLC." "Work with yourpany?" Luca frowned slightly and identally tugged on the wound. She raised her hand to touch it subconsciously and moaned in pain. Nina panicked, asking, "What''s wrong? Does the wound hurt?" Luca shifted her attention from the pain and shook her head. "It''s okay. It doesn''t hurt." Nina saw that Luca''s bandage was still snow-white and there was no blood oozing out. She said, "You must be careful. Restrain your expressions before the wound heals, or it might leave a scar." Luca felt a surge of warmth from her nagging. She continued the topic that they were on just now. "Why did he propose a partnership?" "He said that hispany has just been established and the capabilities of his design department are stillcking, so he wants to hire an agency. I think he''s deliberately picking a fight. Why would he want to engage with Brilliant Architectural Design LLC? Thepany was set up by Mr. Crawford''s wife. She''s not actively involved now and everything is managed by Mr. Crawford. Don''t you think that Pierre is making a scene so that his presence is felt?" Nina replied. She was filled with disgust whenever she talked about Pierre. She thought of what Pierre had done. He was just a socialite who liked to y tricks but did not have many capabilities. After this incident, all of his cards were revealed. Luca did not know if Luke and Percy knew about it earlier on, but when she found out, she was quite shocked. She would be lying if she said that she was not the least bit terrified. She held Nina''s hand and warned her. "Pierre can''t be taken lightly. You have to protect yourself, promise?" Nina listened to her words and nodded in response. "I will, and you too..." T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. The two chatted for a while longer before Nina left. Luca talked to her for quite some time and felt a little thirsty. She wanted to pour herself a ss of water. May immediately stepped forward when she saw this. "Ms. Craw, let me help you." Luca watched as May poured water for her. She thought of how May had been taking care of her and how she was not afraid of Pierre when he was around. Luca suspected that she was not an ordinary nurse. "May, you''re not a nurse in this hospital, are you?" She posed it as a question, but her tone seemed like she was sure. May was stunned as she put down the water bottle. When she handed the cup of water to Luca, she had calmed down. She said with a smile, "Ms. Craw, if I''m not a nurse, why would Mr. Crawford have me take care of you?" "You''re Mr. Crawford''s subordinate, so he sent you to take care of me." Luca took the cup of water, put a straw in it, and drank some. "I''m indeed his subordinate. After all, it was Mr. Crawford who hired me." May opted to be a little vague. After hearing her say that, Luca was even more certain that May was Luke''s subordinate. It did not matter if she did not admit it. After all, she already knew the truth. May was a little nervous when Luca did not respond. She was not sure what went wrong. ''Why is she suspecting me out of the blue?'' Seeing that it was almost time, May picked up the medicines on the table and asked, "Ms. Craw, do you want to take your medicine now?" Luca nced at the time. When she was in the hospital, time felt like it passed slowly. All she did was eat and sleep. Even though she could get out of bed and walk around, she had nowhere to go. The clothing she had on made it even more inconvenient. Luca thought that it was not a bad idea for her to take her medicine now and rest earlier. After Luca nodded, May divided the medicines. After Luca took them, shey down on the bed. Just then, her phone vibrated. She picked it up and saw that it was a text from Jason. He was checking in to see how she was doing. Lucay down and briefly updated him about her situation. After a while, Jason sent a text asking her for help. He had a document in Russian that he could not trante, so he asked her if she had the time to help. Luca thought that Jason would not go to her to ask for help if he had other options. She agreed immediately and asked Jason to send the digital version of the document to her. Luca promised to help him trante it as soon as possible. Jason was relieved to learn that she was willing to help him. He told her that he would send theptop and documents overter. Luca looked at the text and quickly replied. [Okay.] 15 minutester, Jason arrived at the ward. Luca looked at the man with aptop in one hand and a document in the other. She asked, "Mr. Doyle, were you at the hospital''s entrance before this?" The documents in Jason''s hands were urgent. If the documents were handed to others to be tranted, the information might be leaked. Since Luke trusted Luca, Jason believed that it should not be a problem if he handed the documents to her to trante. He did not want to disturb her rest but had no other options. Jason was a little embarrassed. He smiled and put down the things in his hands. "Yes. I had no choice. I don''t feel secure handing these documents to outsiders to trante." "I understand." Luca nodded, took the documents in his hand, nced at them, and said, "There''s not much that needs to be tranted. You can head home to apany Sue and the kids. Just drop by tomorrow to collect the finished work." "Thank you for the trouble, Dr. Craw." Jason felt at ease now that Luca had agreed to help. After Jason left, May said, "Ms. Craw, you''re still recovering from your injuries. Why did you agree to the task?" Luca knew that May was just concerned about her health, so she exined, "He wouldn''t have asked me for help if he had other options." Luca turned on theptop and opened the documents. May knew that it was not her ce to stop Luca. Luca picked up the documents and nced at them. She then said to May, "It may take a while for me to do this. You can go to bed first. I''ll turn on the light by the bedside. It''ll be bright enough for me to work." "It''s not enough. Doing that will hurt your eyes. Let''s leave the lights in the ward on. It won''t affect me anyway," May said as she set up the escort bed. Luca said nothing and started to trante the documents. The work was not difficult. On top of that, she had looked up many of the professional terms before, so everything went smoothly. Unfortunately, she had taken medicine just moments ago. Luca tranted two pages before she felt sleepy. She could not stop yawning. Her face was still swollen, so she could not yawn too hard. She had to control her movements but was still yawning non-stop. She looked at the time and found that it was already half-past 11 at night. She was only done with two pages. There were still five pages that needed to be tranted. Luca sighed. If she knew she would be doing some trantion work, she would not have taken the medicine. She nced at May, who was sleeping on the bed. She could hear May''s soft snoring when she stayed still. Luca wondered why Luke asked May to take care of her. After all,pared to the previous caretakers and maids, May''s alertness seemed a little low. Luca yawned again. She thought that she would be able to trante the remaining five pages quicker if she had the energy, so she set an rm on her phone. She nned to get some rest and then get up to finish the work. Chapter 1653 After half an hour, the door of the ward was pushed open. Although Luca had fallen asleep, she still woke up vigntly when she heard the sound of the door opening. She opened her eyes and saw Luke standing at the head of the bed. "Mr. Crawford..." Luca''s voice was blurry and confused. She wondered why Luke was there at this hour. Luke looked at the notebook she put on the bedside table. The folder next to it had T Corporation''s logo on it. He picked it up to have a look. "What''s this?¡± "Document to be tranted," Luca answered honestly. She looked at the man and kept wondering why he was there. Even if he had not slept, he should be busy working in Crawford Manor. Crawford Manor was a long way from the hospital. Luke nced at the content and knew that this was the task he gave Jason. Thepany''s Russian trantor was still on vacation, so Jason was the only one who could take on the task. After all, he had some basic skills. Luke did not expect that he would pass the work to Luca. Luke was silent as he held onto the document. Luca watched him and sat up. "What are you doing?" he asked. As soon as Luke arrived, Luca could not fall back asleep even if she was sleepy. She exined, "I''ll get up and trante it..." Luke''s gaze deepened. He looked at her and said in amanding tone, "Lie down." "Huh?" Luca leaned back halfway. She was not sure whether to move up or down. She felt awkward. Luke picked up the remaining documents andptop. He said, "You don''t have to do this. Go back to sleep." Luca kept silent when she saw that he seemed to want to take over the task. His Russian was much better than hers, so it would not take him much time to trante these pages. However, since the usual trantor was on vacation, he entrusted the matter to his subordinates instead of doing it himself. That meant that he had a lot of work at hand and could not spare any time to handle this task. With the documents in his hands, Luke sat on the sofa and opened theptop. He noticed that Luca did not turn it off and the tranted text happened to be on disy. He continued to work on it. Luca saw him sitting on the sofa working without saying a word. She slowlyy down. There was some distance between the sofa and the bed but she could see Luke clearly. Luke was doing his work attentively, and she could not take her eyes off him. Luke did not look up but he knew that Luca was looking at him. His slender fingers were tapping on the keyboard as he said, "Go to sleep." As his voice graced her ears, Luca closed her eyes subconsciously. The medicine kicked in and she felt sleepy again. However, she could not fall asleep while the man was still in the ward. Luca thought to herself that even if she closed her eyes, she would not be able to sleep until he left. However, the sound of Luke tapping on the keyboard was like a series of rhythmic notes. She listened to it and slowly fell asleep. When he heard Luca''s even breathing, Luke stopped typing on the keyboard and stood up while holding theptop. At that time, May had woken up long ago and saw Luke walking toward the door of the ward. She was not sure why, so she followed after him to take a look. Luke sat on the bench by the door of the ward and continued to type on the keyboard. May watched and suddenly realized that Luke was worried that the sound of typing would disturb Luca, so he went to work outside. She nced at Luca who was asleep and slowly closed the door. She switched off the lights in the ward. She left a small night light at the door, then walked back to the bed andy down. An hourter, Luke had all the documents tranted. He knew that Luca was a light sleeper, so he made sure to walk lightly. May sat up. Luke put his index finger to his mouth to motion her not to speak. He did not want anyone to disturb the woman resting on the bed. May nodded. Luke put the documents andptop by the bedside table. He then stood there and looked at Luca. In any case, he would find out about the forces that were controlling her. He swore that he would get all those who had hurt her. Luke stood there and stared at Luca for three minutes before he turned around and left. The door to the ward was closed again. Luca opened her eyes and looked at the dimly lit ceiling. She knew exactly when Luke came in. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. She did not open her eyes because she did not know how to face him. On this silent night, all emotions were hard to hide, including her love for him... She turned her head and looked at theptop and documents on the bedside table. He spent an hour tranting all the documents so she would not have to stay upte... Luca could not lie to herself any longer. She knew that Luke was doing all this because he was interested in her. The next day. Jason arrived at the hospital early in the morning when Luca was having breakfast in her ward. "Dr. Craw, good morning." Jason greeted her and rubbed his hands together when he saw theptop and folder on the bedside table. Luca put down her utensils and said, "Good morning, Mr. Doyle. The documents have been tranted." Jason was overjoyed. "Really? Thank you, Dr. Craw." "There''s one thing I want you to be aware of, though." Luca hesitated for a while and decided to inform Jason about Luke''s arrival yesterday as well as his involvement in tranting the documents. Jason picked up theptop and documents. He could not stop smiling. He initially thought that Luca''s physical condition might not allow her toplete this task. He would be happy if she couldplete even a part of it. However, he did not expect Luca to have tranted all the documents. "What''s the matter?" Jason was still full of smiles. Luca said, "Mr. Crawford came yesterday when I was halfway through tranting the documents." When Luke''s name was mentioned, the smile on Jason''s face disappeared instantly. He looked at her in surprise and muttered, "Mr. Crawford... was here?" "Yes, more than half of the documents were tranted by Mr. Crawford," Luca said. Jason panicked, and he continued to mutter, "That''s it for me." "I''m sure it''s not a big deal..." Luca saw his reaction andforted him. All that happened was that Luke tranted half of the documents. It was normal to be upied with work and pass some work to others. She was sure that Luke would not me him for it. Jason sighed and said, "The boss gave instructions that no one is allowed to disturb you while you''re recovering. But I brought work to you and asked for your help. I''m in big trouble." Luca did not know that Luke had specifically instructed the team. No wonder no one from theboratory had reached out to her in thest couple of days. They were worried about being scolded if Luke found out... "Sorry, I didn''t know..." Luca apologized. Jason sighed. He did not me her. "It''s not your fault, Dr. Craw, I''ll head back to the office now." Chapter 1654 After Jason left, Luca continued to eat breakfast. Before she was done eating, Johann walked in and said, "Dr. Craw, we found no issues during the physical examination you did yesterday. If you want, you can leave the hospital today." Luca wanted to be discharged from the hospital from the moment she was admitted. When she heard that she could leave, she was overjoyed. "I want to be discharged." "Okay, no problem. The nurse will change the bandage for youter. After you go through the discharge procedures, you can go back," Johann said. The blood loss from her forehead wound was a little more serious. Except for the skin injury, there was no problem with any other part of her body. If her hemoglobin index was not abnormal, he would not have kept her in the hospital until now. "Okay, thank you." Luca was in a much better mood after she found out she could be discharged from the hospital. She was not a fan of hospitals. If Johann had not forcibly kept her in the hospital, she would have gone back home since her injury was not serious. "You''re wee." Johann smiled brightly and left the ward. May was sincerely happy for Luca when she heard that she could be discharged from the hospital. She started packing and asked, "Ms. Craw, do you want to inform Mr. Crawford?" ¡®Notify Luke?¡¯ Luca did not think to inform him. She shook her head and said, "Let¡¯s not waste Mr. Crawford''s time on such a small matter. I¡¯ll appreciate it if you can help meter." It was not that big of a deal to be discharged from the hospital, but May thought that the rtionship between the two was a littleplicated. If Luca was discharged from the hospital without notifying Luke, it would not be good. She was sent by Luke to protect and take care of Luca. Seeing her reluctance, May nodded and said, "Okay, Ms. Craw. I''ll help you pack up first." Luca did not have many things on her when she was hospitalized. However, in the past few days, many sent over nutritional supplements for her. Hence, there were a lot of things to pack. "Mm. Take a look and see if there¡¯s anything you need. You can take whatever. I''ll pay your nursing sryter," Luca said. May immediately said, "You don''t need to pay for my fees. Mr. Crawford hired me, so he¡¯ll settle the payment." Luca nodded and did not say anything else. May was hired by Luke, so she would not ept her money. The nurse walked in and had some documents with her. "This is the discharge certificate issued by the doctor. Just take this slip and you may head over to pay your bills." "Okay, thank you." Luca took the documents and was about to pay the bills. Just then, the nurse said, "May can help you settle the bill. I''ll change your bandage for you." Hearing this, Luca had no choice but to hand over the bank card and slip to May. ¡°Sorry for the trouble." "This is what I should do." May took the documents and walked out of the ward to the payment office. She picked up her phone and told Luke that Luca was going to be discharged from the hospital today. Luca sat on the bed and watched as the nurse prepared to change her dressing. The nurse said, "You''d better lie down. It''ll be troublesome if the medicine flows into your eyester." "Okay." Lucay down. The nurse undid her gauze, saw that some scabs were about to fall off, and eximed, "You''re healing so fast! We don''t need to clean the wound." "Is that so?" Luca felt the gentle movements of the nurse, and the cooling medicine prated her skin. "Yeah, why did Dr. Park ask us to clean your wound? The scab will be gone in two days." The nurse was still surprised. This was the first time she had seen a wound that healed so quickly. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Maybe he wasn''t sure either," Luca said. Since the second day, Johann had not checked her wound. The nurse arranged by the Ind of Despair was the one who managed her bandages. "That could be true. Dr. Park only has two hands. It''s weird that the nurse who changed your dressing didn''t say anything about your wound healing so quickly," the nurse said while she applied the medicine. Luca also thought of the nurse. The nurse had been responsible for changing her dressing in thest few days. She was the nurse who appeared in front of her the most. "I don''t know," Luca said. She felt it when the nurse held the gauze over the wound on her forehead. "We''re done." The nurse secured the gauze with tape and said, "Your wound is almost healed, so I didn''t wrap it with too much gauze. The wound needs some room to breathe. It''ll feel morefortable as well." "Thank you," Luca sat up. She felt lighter without theyers of gauze around her forehead. The nurse from the Ind of Despair had wrapped lots ofyers around the wound on her forehead, so she felt stuffy all the time. "Also, the doctor prescribed some blood-replenishing medicine for you. It wasn''t delivered yet just now but I think the pharmacy would''ve delivered it by now. After May returns from paying the bill, you can take the bill and go to the nurse''s station to get the medicine. You''re free to leave after that." After she finished speaking, the nurse packed up and turned around to leave. Luca looked at her leaving and nced at the ward again. It was several times better than ordinary wards. The environment was good, and the smell of disinfectant was not as heavy as in other wards. However, she hoped that she would never have toe to the hospital again. Luca looked at everything that May had packed. She would have to take two or three bags of things. She looked at the pile of supplements and had a headache. Although she had told Nina not to send them over, Nina and Sue still sent her a lot of things. It would be a pity to throw away these supplements... After a while, the door of the ward was pushed open. Luca thought that May was back but when she stood up to leave, she heard Luke''s voice. "You''re getting discharged today?" Luca was stunned. She did not expect Luke to appear this early in the morning. "Mr. Crawford, why are you here?" She looked at the man at the door. He wore a well-cut suit that made him appear tall and slender. He was a natural model who looked good in anything. Especially when he wore a suit. "Johann said you can be discharged today," Luke said. Luca was speechless. She told May not to tell him but she did not expect that Johann would take the initiative to. However, Johann was Luke''s close friend. Of course, Johann would tell him. Luca nodded and said, "Yes, I can leave after May haspleted the discharge procedures." ¡°Mm." Luke stood in the doorway and did not move. Luca held back but still could not stop herself from asking, "Mr. Crawford, what are you doing here?" "I''m here to be your driver," Luke said frankly. Luca was a little taken back by his straightforwardness. She took a deep breath and tried to exin, "Mr. Crawford, I can take a taxi back. My apartment is not far from here." "It''s my fault that you had to suffer." Luke stared at her. "As such, I''ll be responsible for you." Chapter 1655 ''Responsible for me?'' Luca was frightened by his words. She was thankful that she was not drinking water at that moment. Otherwise, she would have choked. "Mr. Crawford, although this incident was deliberate and not an ident, I''m sure you didn''t want it to happen either. You don''t have to me yourself, and you don''t have to be responsible for me. I don''t me you." She immediately made her stance clear. She did not me him for anything. Luke stared at her as she exined herself. She was Bianca. Although she did not want to admit it, she was making sure to keep a distance from him all the time. ''What does this mean... Does she think of me like a snake or scorpion?'' Luke felt upset that the woman who used to be close to him suddenly became like this. Even so, he put up with it when he thought of the bigger picture. "I know you don''t me me. Let''s just pack up and go," Luke said. Luca shook her head. "You don''t want to go?" Luke misunderstood her. She did not want toe to the hospital in the first ce. She wanted to leave more than anything. Luca exined, "I have to wait for May toe back because I have to collect some medicine at the nurse''s station. She has to take the payment slip to get the medicine." Luke nodded to indicate that he understood. He then walked over to the sofa and sat down. He seemed like he was insistent on sending her home. Luca sat on the bed and yed with her phone while waiting for May toe back. After a while, May returned upstairs with the bank card and receipt. "Ms. Craw, payment has been settled. Here''s the receipt. Please check it." Luca nced at the cost and was not bothered. She did not have medical insurance in A City and had to pay for all her expenses herself. Fortunately, she had worked for several months, so she had some funds. "How much is it?" Luke asked. He knew that she was not short of money. He just wanted to help her. "It''s not expensive." Luca knew why he asked, but she did not want to owe Luke anything. Since she did not n to tell him, he did not press on it. Even if she did not tell him, Johann would be able to find out. He would just have Jason transfer the money into her payroll ount. Whether Luca wanted to ept it or not, it was not up to her to decide. At least, it was the case with him. "I''ll go get the medicine," Luca said as she walked out with the receipt. May said, "Mr. Crawford, the cost of Ms. Craw''s hospitalization is..." "You don''t need to tell me that. Pack up and put her things in my car." Luke looked at the bags, his expression unchanged. "Okay." May got busy and picked up the bags she had packed. Luca got the medicine prescribed by Johann at the nurse''s station and looked at the list of medicines. Most of them were supplements that focused on blood health while the rest were medicines for cleaning her wound. Luca put the medicine in her backpack, ready to return to the ward. Luke noticed that she was not headed toward the elevator. He asked, "Where are you going?" Luca exined, "I''m going back to the ward to get something." "May has already helped you move that pile of things to my car. Let''s go, I''ll take you home," Luke said coolly with his hands in his pockets. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Hearing this, Luca had no choice but to follow him. The two walked into the elevator one after the other. The VIP ward was on the top floor of the hospital. Generally speaking, there would not be many people in the elevator once it reached the top floor. Luca stepped into the elevator and tried to stay as far away from Luke as possible. To her, Luke was like drugged honey that made others greedy for his charm. At the same time, he also made people lose themselves. Therefore, it was best to keep a safe distance from him. Luca looked at the numbers on the elevator that kept going down. The lower the floor, the more people came into the elevator. In the beginning, there were only a few people in the elevator. However, considering it was arge elevator, it was not too bad. Even with more people getting inside, Luca was still able to keep a safe distance from Luke. The further down the elevator went, the more people came in. Luca stepped back to make room for the people who were about toe in. Gradually, she was pushed into the corner of the elevator. Suddenly, a tall man came over and stood in front of her. The man was a little inattentive and leaned back. Luca subconsciously covered her forehead. Luke noticed her situation and watched her cover her forehead without reminding the person in front of her, which made him feel distressed for her. Luca was just like that. Even if she was inconvenienced, she would not say anything. He walked toward her between the cracks. The people in front were slightly nudged and voiced their dissatisfaction, but Luke was not bothered as he moved to Luca''s front. Luca looked up at the person in front of her. His tall stature was notparable to that of a few men in the elevator. At that moment, he was carrying a few bags in one hand while the other hand was supporting the elevator wall. He was protecting her in his arms. She lowered her head. Her face was red, and her heart was beating faster. Luke looked down at the top of her head. He was not bothered by theck of space or the crowd behind him. He was wondering if Luca was shy. The elevator, which was usually fast, seemed to be descending very slowly at that moment. She could not even see the descending floors because Luke was blocking her. The crowd slowly dispersed after they arrived on the first floor. Most of the crowd left the elevator and there was a lot more room, but Luke''s hand remained where it was. "Mr. Crawford, where''s your car?" Luca felt a little awkward. As she swept her hair to the side, she touched her cheek. Sure enough, it was hot. "Underground parking lot." Luke slowly withdrew his hand while still facing her. Luca nodded, praying that the elevator would reach the underground parking lot sooner. The elevator door closed and opened again. They had reached the parking lot. Luca could not wait to get out of the elevator. Luke looked at her rushed pace and followed behind slowly. He watched as she walked ahead and asked, "Do you know where my car is?" Luca stopped. ''I don''t...'' Luke stepped forward and walked side by side with her. The distance between the two was very close. They looked like a couple walking on the road. Luke''s car was parked near the entrance of the parking lot. The two were rtively silent as they walked to the car. Luca''s heart was uneasy. ''Luke said he''ll be responsible for me? Does he intend to take care of me? Just how long will thisst?'' She remembered the warning the man had given her before. The people on the Ind of Despair and Abel were extremely dissatisfied with her progress and efficiency... "What are you thinking?" Luke asked, breaking the silence. Luca came back to her senses, shook her head, and said, "It''s nothing." "Get in the car." Luke took out his keys and carried the bags of nutritional supplements to the back of the car. Only then did Luca notice that they were already in front of his car. She opened the door of the passenger seat and got in. She was absent-minded as she thought about the Ind of Despair and the man''s warning. Chapter 1656 After Luke put her things in the boot, he got into the car. He nced at Luca. She was silent as if deep in thought about something. Luke wondered if what he said before had scared her. However, Luca did not seem like the kind of person who would be scared easily. He asked, "What are you thinking about? You look worried." Luca shook her head, indicating that she was fine. Luke knew that she was full of worries but he had no way of knowing since she refused to share with him. Luke drove back to the apartment and did not stop the car even when he arrived at the gate of the community. He swiped his card and drove in. Luca looked at him but did not say anything about him sending her to her home. No one could stop Luke from doing what he wanted to do, including her former self. She had been long ustomed to his forcefulness. She watched him drive all the way there and park in the parking space. Luca thought about saying something. "Mr. Crawford, thanks for driving me back. I''ll go up by myself." "There''s a lot of stuff. I''ll bring them up for you." Luke did not give her a chance to turn him down and got out of the car immediately. Luca held the seat belt in both hands and turned around to look at the man walking toward the boot. Sure enough, she had no say once he had his mind set on something. She had no choice but to unbuckle her seat belt and go upstairs with him. There were not a lot of things. Luca looked at the bags that Luke was carrying and thought about helping. However, since he did not say anything, she knew that it was likely he would turn her down even if she asked. When the elevator reached her floor, she stepped out of the elevator and noticed that the door to the apartment was open. "Uh..." She nced back at the elevator door, and the floor disyed was correct. ¡®Who opened the apartment door?'' "Let''s go." Luke walked through the door. Luca followed behind him. When she walked inside, she realized that the person standing at the door was Mrs. Nancy, the chef of Crawford Manor. ''Why is she here?'' When Mrs. Nancy saw Luca, she said, "Ms. Craw, congrattions on your discharge." "Thank you," Luca noticed that there was a pot next to the door. She looked at Luke with a puzzled expression and wondered what was going on. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Luke was not puzzled by what was in front of him. He just nodded and said, "Come on." Mrs. Nancy heard him and took out some sage from the bag behind her. "This is..." Before Luca finished speaking, Mrs. Nancy put the sage into a flower pot, took out the lighter, and lit it. She smiled and said, "Ms. Craw, step over the pot and your future will be smooth sailing. Come on now." Luca looked at Luke, and he was looking right back at her. It seemed that he knew about this. She was surprised that a free-thinker like him would ask Mrs. Nancy to prepare these... "This is too much. I''m just being discharged from hospital," Luca said. She remembered that she did not go through all these even when she was still Bianca. "Grandpa nned this," Luke exined. After Old Master Crawford heard that Luca was going to be discharged from the hospital, he asked Mrs. Nancy to bring these things over to smoke the bad luck on Luca away. Luca was stunned. ''Old Master Crawford...'' Mrs. Nancy urged her, saying, "Ms. Craw, snap out of it and step over the pot. You''ll be safe and everything will be smooth sailing in the future." Luca looked at the burning sage and knew that she was unable to refuse Old Master Crawford''s kindness, so she stepped over. Mrs. Nancy then picked up a grapefruit leaf, dipped it in water, and patted the leaf on her body. She did not do it too hard, so it was not painful. Luca looked at Mrs. Nancy''s efforts and thought of Old Master Crawford again. She was surprised that he kept her in mind when all she did was remind him that one of the ingredients in the stew was not good for his health. Luca felt sad the more she thought of it. After all the steps werepleted, Mrs. Nancy said with a smile on her face, "Okay, okay, all the bad luck has been driven away now. Ms. Craw, wee home." "Thank you." Luca thanked her. Luke also walked in. He put the bags in his hand on the coffee table. Luca did not stop him froming in. Although he gave the house to her, the name on the property deed was still his. It was his house, so she did not have the right to stop him. Mrs. Nancy said, "Young Master Luke, Ms. Craw, I made some soup in the kitchen. Do you want to have some now?" Luke nced at the time. It was already noon. "Have you cooked lunch?" he asked. "I did. Not only did I make spaghetti and vegetables, but I also made chicken noodle soup. I thought that Ms. Craw might not be able to do much chewing, so I made her some chicken soup." Mrs. Nancy replied. "Let''s eat," Luke said and looked at Luca. Luca also looked at him. At this moment, he was standing in the middle of the living room like the head of the family. She wanted to run away but there was nowhere to run. Mrs. Nancy set the table for lunch. Luca was speechless as she looked at the dishes on the table. "Luca, let''s eat," Luke said as he looked at Luca who was standing not far away. Luca snapped out of it, walked over slowly, and sat across from him. Mrs. Nancy served Luke some spaghetti and then a bowl of chicken soup for Luca. She said, "Ms. Craw, the dishes I made today are soft and delicious. Eat more of them. You can swallow them without chewing.¡± Luca looked at the food on the table. The food served was indeed soft and delicious. It seemed that it was specially prepared for patients like her who could not chew much. Mrs. Nancy left after lunch was served. Only Luke and Luca were left in the apartment. Luca took a sip of chicken soup and heard Luke say, "I''m going to hire a maid for you." "No." She did not even think about it before turning him down. ¡®Hire a maid? It took so much for me to shoo away the previous one.'' "You''re injured." Luke''s tone was a little stern as if she was not allowed to refuse him. Luca shook her head and said, "I hurt my face, not my hands. And it''s not serious. I can take care of myself." Luke frowned seeing that she was being stubborn. If she was Luca, he would not be so insistent. Now that he knew she was Bianca, though, he did not want to let her suffer. "The most important thing for you right now is to rest." He insisted. Luca said, "Mr. Crawford, even if you get me a maid, I won''t be able to rest well. Please let me take care of myself. I''m not used to having someone around to take care of me. On top of that, the maid''s room is filled with things you haven''t moved from thest time. If a maides, where would she stay?" Luke was silent. Indeed, if he hired a maid, he had to remove his things out of the maid''s room. If that happened, there would be no excuse for him to stay the night. In desperation, he had no choice but to say, "Then I''ll hire a part-time worker to clean regrly." "Okay." Luca knew that he was insistent. Seeing that he had alreadypromised, she agreed readily. Chapter 1657 Luca agreed, and the topic ended. There was another round of silence at the dining table. Luca raised her gaze and sneaked a nce at Luke, who was holding a piece of meat that was soft and shredded after being cooked for a while. He was not frowning. In the past, he disliked soft foods as such. It was impossible that Mrs. Nancy did not know his preferences. It was likely that he ordered Mrs. Nancy to cook the food like this so that it was easy for her to chew. Luca looked at the soft dishes on the table and asked, "Mr. Crawford, I assume these meals are not to your taste..." Luke looked up, his eyes carrying an emotion that she could not understand. "You know my taste?" Luca was startled and quickly said, "These foods are too soft. I think your teeth are so good that you probably don''t like soft foods. Shall I cook a dish for you?" Luke listened to her concern. It was obvious that she paid a lot of attention to him but she deliberately kept a distance and even thought about how to escape from him. "No, I like it soft. I don''t like it hard." His words had a special meaning behind them. Luca was taken aback. ''He likes it soft and doesn''t like it hard... He''s someone who can''t be swayed.'' Luca continued to eat. After she was done, she habitually stood up to clear the dishes. When she reached out to pick up the te, she saw Luke get up and take the te from her hand. "I''ll do it." He cleared the table. Luca watched him tidy everything up. Her hands were not injured but he treated her as if she was missing some limbs. Luca sighed. Luke heard her sigh and looked up. "Don''t think too much about it. I''ll take you to meet someone tomorrow morning." "Who?" Luca asked. She thought that it was someone who had nothing to do with work. She was in front of him and was not even allowed to do any housework, so how could it be rted to work? "Someone who needs your help," Luke said. He picked up all the dishes and headed to the kitchen. Luca looked at his back and thought, ''Can he do the dishes? Will he dry the dishes before putting them in the cupboard after washing them?'' She was still worried. When she walked to the kitchen door, Luke seemed to sense her even though he did not turn around. "Don''t worry, I won''t mess up your kitchen." "I just want a ss of water..." Luca said. She did not expect that he would know about her worries. "The kitchen is small. Don''te in. I''ll pour a ss for youter," Luke said. In the past, others would pour water for him but now he offered to pour water for her. No matter how she thought of it, she felt like it was all an illusion. Luca sat on the sofa and listened to his movements in the kitchen. Luke was just cleaning and it was not like he had broken any dishes, so she did not hear much. Ten minutester, Luke walked out of the kitchen with a ss of warm water and handed it to her. "The water is warm. You can drink it now." Luca took it but did not drink it immediately. She ced it on the coffee table instead. She picked up the medicines Johann had prescribed her and divided them ording to the doctor''s order. Luke looked at the pills in her palm and asked, "Why so many pills?" Luca nced at the medicines, which were all nourishing medicines. It seemed that her hemoglobin was low before, which caused Johann to worry. "These are medicines for nourishing blood. I assume Dr. Park was worried about my poor physical indicators, so he prescribed these medicines," she exined. Although it was only because the previous physical indicators were affected by the drug from the Ind of Despair, these medicines were good for the body, so she did not mind taking them. Luke nodded. Bianca used to look weak but she was in great health. He was sure that she had suffered through hell seeing her current condition. ''If she did not suffer, how could her health have be so bad?'' Luca did not frown at the bitterness of the pills. She just swallowed them and finished the ss of water. Luke watched her. After a few days of recuperation, her health was indeed much better now. When she was first hospitalized, he was so distressed that he could hardly breathe upon seeing how she was having problems drinking water. Luca finished drinking the water and stood up, wanting to put the ss away. Luke said, "I''ll do it for you." Luca was stunned. She handed him the ss of water and said, "Thank you." It was a harmonious situation as though the two were husband and wife. At this moment, the husband was taking care of his sick wife. Luke put the ss back in the kitchen. He looked at Luca''s sterilizer and his eyes flickered when he saw that there were still a few bottles in it. Thepany made all the researchers sign an agreement. Drugs that were part of thepany''s research were not allowed to leave thepany. These bottles must have nothing to do with the research she did in thepany. ''What are these? What has she experienced in the past three years?'' Luca saw Luke walk into the kitchen. When it was still dead quiet after a while, she got up and walked to the kitchen. She stood at the door and saw him holding a mobile phone as if he was on a call. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Upon seeing this, Luca did not say anything. Luke saw her too. After he heard the reply on the phone, he said, "I''ll be right back." With that, he left the kitchen. "In the afternoon, a part-time worker wille to help with cleaning and grocery shopping. I''ll let Jason send you the part-time worker''s contactter. You can tell her what you want to eat via text. She''ll take care of you." Luke urged while putting on his coat. "Okay." Luca could feel his meticulous care for her but she had to remind herself not to be moved by his actions. Luke added, "I''lle to pick you up tomorrow morning. Rest early tonight." "Mm." Luca did not know where they were going but she would not turn him down as he mentioned it was to help someone. After Luke finished speaking, he opened the door of the apartment and left. Luca looked at the closed door as a feeling of mncholy slowly rose from her heart. ¡®He''s so busy but he''s wasting time on me... Is it true that he''s interested in me?'' When Luca thought about it, she immediately shook her head. Although she was Bianca, her identity was Luca. If Luke fell in love with her... She could not imagine that. She felt horrible but she did not know how to understand this hypothetical situation to make herself feel better. After a while, the phone rang. Luca picked it up and saw that it was Jason. He had sent the hourly worker''s contact to her. The hourly worker was hired by Jason, so it was not arranged by Luke himself. The hourly worker would likely not be sent to monitor her. As she thought about that, she added the contact. She then asked Jason: [Uh, did Mr. Crawford give you a hard time?] Jason replied immediately: [Not yet, but the boss wasn''t in thepany this morning. I don''t know if he''ll me him when hees backter.] [He won''t. Don''t worry.] Luca could feel Jason''s apprehension through the screen andforted him. Chapter 1658 Luca remembered her work in theboratory after she sent a friend request to the cleaningdy. So far, she had not received any messages from Rhett. She presumed that it must be Luke''s orders. Luca took the initiative to send a message to Rhett to ask him about the situation in theboratory. Rhett responded quickly to her message. He told her that the experiments going on in theboratory were going on as scheduled. They were ready to apply for a clinical trial now. Luca looked at Rhett''s simple response. It was as though he was afraid of disturbing her if he typed a few more words. She shook her head, and the phone screen turned dim. She looked at her reflection on the screen. It was blurry, but she could see that her face was swollen. She let out a sigh. She still could not go back to work even though she thought she was fine now. She would at least have to wait for the swelling and pain on her face to subsidepletely. Only then would Luke allow her to return to the office and work. Luca sat on the couch. She could not get used to not having anything to do these days. She picked up the remote and switched on the television. The news happened to be reporting about her kidnapping case, stating that it had nothing to do with Pierre Mallory. The vicious and deceitful man came across her mind. Luca knew that Luke wouldy his hands on him later even if she did not do anything. It was not merely because of her but those who had malicious intent against him were bound to end up badly. However, Luca could no longer bear it. She took out her phone and sent a message to Abel: [The man you sent told me that you''re dissatisfied with my work progress.] After a while, Abel responded to her message right away: [I''m indeed not satisfied. You''re still not that close to Luke Crawford. Don''t think that I don''t know what you''re thinking about. Get it done for me. Otherwise, you''ll regret it.] Luca sent another message to him: [I''m already involved in T Corporation''s project, but someone threw a monkey wrench into my ns. I have no choice but to rest at home now. And I don''t even know whether I''ll still have the chance to participate in the project or not. How am I supposed to get the tender document if I''m not involved in the project?] Abel knew she was kidnapped by Pierre, so he replied to her message and asked her: [What do you want me to do, then?] Luca replied: [I''m a vindictive person. I need you to deal with Pierre Mallory. Make him suffer.] Soon, Abel replied to her message again: [Vindictive? Does that mean you''re going to take revenge on me if you have a grudge against me?] Luca fell silent for a moment after she read the message. She wanted to get rid of Abel too, but would she be able to do that? She could not afford to hire mercenaries, so how could she have the capability to deal with Abel? She could not even deal with Pierre Mallory because of her situation. The phone she was holding in her hands vibrated again. Luca looked at it. It was another message from Abel. [I can help you deal with Pierre Mallory, but you have to speed up your progress in approaching Luke. And you have to get the tender document no matter what. To get rid of Luke, we have to begin from the tender document.] It suddenly dawned on Luca why Abel had asked her to put herself at risk of being discovered to steal the tender document. It turned out she was assigned to this mission because this was the mission that could deal a blow to Luke and T Corporation. Abel wanted to let her carry out the mission herself to make Luke suffer heavy losses. That was Abel''s guilty pleasure. Luca shook her head and replied: [Okay.] Abel responded to her message again: [You get the chance to choose how you''re going to deal with Pierre Mallory since I''m helping you take revenge.] How to deal with Pierre Mallory? Pierre set up apany behind everyone''s back. All those things that he did to her and how he had been pestering Nina... A malicious thought came into Luca''s mind. She was thinking of making Pierre disappear from this world. However, he was a member of the Mallory family, after all. She thought for a moment and replied to Abel: [I want hispany to shut down.] [That''s all?] Abel''s message came in again. Luca did not even need to imagine to know that he had a contemptuous smile on his face. [That''s all for now.] The doorbell rang right after Luca sent that. She nced at the time and reckoned that it was the cleaningdy. She stood up and went to open the door. A kind-looking middle-aged woman was standing at the door. She smiled and greeted Luca when she met her. "Hello, Ms. Craw. I''m the cleaningdy Mr. Doyle arranged." ¡°Hello. Come on in.¡± Luca was indifferent to her greeting and asked the cleaningdy toe in. She did not like strangers disturbing her, but there was no way she could negotiate with Luke. He was kind enough to take a step back by agreeing to look for a cleaningdy for her. It was better than a 24-hour caretaker looking after her. "Thank you. May I know where you would like me to clean?¡± the cleaningdy asked. "I''m not sure either. You can just do whatever you see fit. This ce hasn''t been cleaned for days. Oh, you don''t have to clean the maid''s room. I''ll be inside. Please don''t disturb me," said Luca. "Alright," the cleaningdy smiled and answered. When Luca was about to walk into the maid''s room, the cleaningdy asked again, "Oh yes, Ms. Craw. What would you like to have for dinner? Mr. Doyle told me that I''ll have to get groceries for you. If you need me to, I''ll make dinner for you too." Luca had not thought about what to eat for dinner. She always ate whatever she wanted when she was eating alone. Then, she remembered that there were some leftovers from lunch today, so she said, "There''s no need to. I have some leftovers from lunch. You don''t have to buy groceries." The cleaningdy disagreed and said, "Leftovers are bad for your health. What you need most now is rest. You need to eat freshly prepared food." Luca did not expect her to say that. She had no choice but to say, "Then please get me some fresh ms." Property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Anything else?" the cleaningdy asked responsibly. Luca did not know what fruits she should buy, so she just said, "Something that I can have with chowder." "Alright, Ms. Craw," replied the cleaningdy. Luca saw that there was nothing else, so she grabbed her bag and walked into the maid''s room. Then, she took a straw out of it. It was the straw that she used to drink the antidote given by the man from the Ind of Despair that night. She had wrapped it with tissue paper but wondered if it was contaminated. If it was uncontaminated, then it would be the highest concentration sample that she had been able to get. Luca was nning to separate the substance from the straw. If she was lucky enough, she would soon be able to figure out theposition of the antidote with the undiluted sample. She would have to rely on this antidote to save her life if she wanted to escape from the Ind of Despair in the future. She could save Eler and Amur too. She sat down on the chair and began her work. This whole time, she was focused on doing her research that she did not notice the time until the cleaningdy knocked on the door of the maid''s room. Luca snapped out of her work and nced at the time, only to realize that it was already five-thirty in the evening. She had been working continuously for more than two hours. Luca put the separated sample back into the ss tube carefully, then stood up and went to open the door. "What''s the matter?" Chapter 1659 The cleaningdy was wearing gloves and an apron. With a smile, she said, ¡°Ms. Craw, I''ve finished cleaning up the apartment. And I''ve already put the fruits in the fridge. Is there anything I need to do?" "No, you can leave now," Luca replied coldly. She nced at the living room. It had indeed been cleaned and tidied up. "Alright. Then, I''ll leave first." The cleaningdy took off her gloves and apron after she finished her work. She turned around and left after putting them back in ce. Luca picked up the sample and put it into an imprable sealed bag. Then, she put it in the disinfection cab. She did not have as many equipments as in theboratory. Hence, she could only use these home appliances to do her research. After all, she could not bring these to theboratory. After Luca handled everything, she went to take the ms that the cleaningdy had cleaned out of the fridge. She took some out, nning to make a pot of m chowder as a side dish to have with the leftovers from lunch. She wanted to make an easy dinner. An hourter, she had finished preparing the creamy and thick m chowder. The doorbell rang while Luca was putting her meal on the dining table. She had a feeling that the person outside the door was Luke. Even if she did not open the door, he knew the passcode and would be able toe in. Luca thought it was unnecessary to say these things to him, so she went to open the door. The man outside the door was him, indeed. "Mr. Crawford, what brings you here?" She looked at the man, and a helpless glint shed across her eyes. The more she wanted to stay away from him, the more often they met each other. Usually, the chances of running into him at work were lesser as they were not working on the same floor. She thought that it was normal. Now, when she was resting at home, they had been seeing more of each other. She felt that something was wrong here. Luke really seemed like he was taking responsibility of her... He picked her up from the hospital and hired a cleaningdy to take care of her. Noticing the helplessness in her eyes, Luke remained unchanged and asked intentionally, "Am I not wee here?" "No. Pleasee in." Luca shook her head and made way to let him in. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Luke came in, unbuttoned his suit coat with one hand, and hung it on the clothes rack behind the door. His gestures were smooth as though he was in his own home. He could smell food, so he asked, ¡°You made dinner?" "Yes." Luca nodded and looked at the dining table. Considering that he came at this hour, he must not have had his dinner yet... It was only courteous for her to invite him to have dinner with her, and it was something that she should do. However, the dishes on the table were all leftovers from lunch except for the m chowder. In Crawford Manor, Mrs. Nancy would usually get rid of the leftovers from each meal so that they would not be left overnight. They would not even have leftovers for dinner. Hence, Luke was very demanding when it came to the freshness of his meals. How could she invite him to join her when the food on the table were leftovers from lunch? "Aren''t you going to invite me for dinner?" Luke asked. Luca felt helpless. She kept an arm''s length of distance from him and felt safe with this distance between them. She replied, "The food on the table are leftovers. Only the m chowder was freshly made. I suppose you''re not used to having leftovers, right?" "Who made the m chowder?" Luke asked as he walked to the dining table. Indeed, they were all leftovers. "I made it," Luca answered honestly. She watched his gestures and it seemed like he was going to take a seat. Luke noticed that there was only a set of cutleries on the table. He was about to sit down but suddenly stood up straight. He walked toward the kitchen. Luca knew he was certainly going to get a spoon and a fork. He previously took the initiative to do the dishes, so he knew where the cutleries were in the kitchen. After a while, Luke carried a bowl and cutleries out of the kitchen. The way Luke made himself sofortable here almost made Luca think that she had prepared the meal for him. Luca said slowly as she watched him sit down on the chair, "I don''t have bread here, only chowder. Is that fine?" Luke looked at her and said, "Sure. I''m not a picky eater." Luca knew he was not a picky eater per se, but he was still very particr about his food. She picked up the spoon, thinking of filling up a bowl of oats for him. However, Luke said, "I''d like to have some chowder first." Luca heard him and put down the spoon. Then, she pointed at the big bowl covered with a lid that was opposite him. She said, "That''s the m chowder." Luke opened the lid and looked at the creamy white m chowder inside. A savory smell greeted him. He filled up a big bowl of it, then took a sip. She had indeed made it. He loved the chowder that she made. Luke usually did not like eating leftovers, but there was one dish on the table that Bianca had prepared herself. That was why he decided to sit down for a meal. Luca saw the satisfied expression on his face and asked curiously, ¡°Mr. Crawford, you''re having dinner here, so what about the kids?" "Zander will pick them up," Luke exined, "I''ll have to go back to the office again to work after dinner." "Isn''t it troublesome for you toe back and forth?" Luca asked unconsciously. Although the office was not far away from here, it was pretty time-consuming if he came back and forth. ¡°I didn''t feel like having takeouts." Luke took a sip of the warm chowder. The warmth and hearty feeling flowed through his throat to his stomach. He looked at Luca with his deep eyes. "I have a weak stomach. It''s bad for me if I eat takeout food often." Luca agreed with what he said. He did have a weak stomach. At the thought of that, it seemed reasonable for him to have dinner here. However, she was not Bianca now. Luca lowered her head and drank the chowder as she remained silent. Luke began to eat some oats after he finished the bowl of m chowder. The texture of the oats was not as good as they were leftovers from lunch. He wanted more chowder, but Luca did not prepare much of it because she did not expect him toe over. He had no choice but to force himself to finish the oats. He was eating one mouthful of oats with one mouthful of the sides. Although the food tasted bad, he felt happy with Luca beside him keeping himpany. Luca took a thermos bottle out of the kitchen after they finished dinner and said, "Mr. Crawford, you can bring the m chowder to the office to have it since you''ll be workingte today." "Why do you have more?" Luke asked. Did they not finish the chowder in that big bowl just now? Luca answered, "I can''t cook m chowder with just that many ms. I wanted to save it for tomorrow, but it won''t be as good if I leave it overnight. You can have it." He had to workte at the office today. He no longer stood on ceremony when he heard Luca''s offer. He took the thermos bottle from her and said, "Thank you." When Luca heard him thanking her, it reminded her of how he used to say ''Thank you, darling'' to her. It sounded less warm-hearted now without the term of endearment at the back. After dinner, Luke had to go back to the office to work. He put on his coat, carried the thermos bottle with him, and opened the door. He turned around and shot a nce at Luca as if he could sense something. She was looking at him too. Their eyes met. Luca was a little surprised and asked, "Is there anything else?" "The chowder you made tasted good. It tasted just like how my wife used to make it back then." Luke closed the door after that. Luca''s heart sank at once. Of course, it tasted the same. She did not expect Luke toe for dinner when she was making the chowder. That was why she did not change the recipe of the m chowder. Chapter 1660 After Luke left, it did not take long before Luca pulled herself together. She had something more important to do. She could only fix her passive stance in this situation if she could develop the antidote. It felt ufortable to be under someone else''s control. The Ind of Despair was powerful in both manpower and financial resources. It was because the members were under the drug''s control. If there was an antidote, the Ind of Despair would break apart once the members were given the antidote. Luca became even more determined to study and develop the antidote at the thought of this. She took the sample out of the disinfection cab. The sample that she took from the straw did not disappoint her. The concentration was high enough. The next thing she needed to do was analyze the composition of it. Then, she would be able to develop the antidote. Luca sat on theb table and did her research quietly. She stopped her research and talked to Tommy for a while when Tommy sent her a video call request before he slept. A while into the call, Tommy got sleepy. Luca put her son to bed and hung up the video call. Her children could always touch her heart... She looked at her unfinished research and recalled the words that Tommy had told her. He asked her to rest earlier and not to stay up toote. ''Yes, it''s better to not stay up toote.'' Luca put everything away and went to sleep after washing up. It was midnight. The door was pushed open, and Luke dragged his tired body into the house. He looked at the dark living room and did not make any loud noises. Luca should be asleep now. However, judging from her vignt personality, he reckoned that she had already woken up when he opened the door. Luke did not intend to disturb her, but he wanted to reassure her that it was not some bad guy who came in. He thought for a while and called out her name softly, "Luca." There was no response from the dark living room, and she did not respond to him either. Luke knew that she heard him even though she did not respond. He entered the maid''s room and switched on the lights. He looked at the bed that could only amodate one person and noticed that it had been neatly made with a nket on top. He did not think anything of it. It was because it was not Luca who made the bed. He was the one who asked the cleaningdy to make the bed when she came to cook for her. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Luke nced at theb table that was slightly messy and thought that Luca probably did some experiments today. She could never stay put, but what kind of experiments was she doing here? Luke looked at the bottles on theb table. He could read the words but he had no idea what they were for. Bianca had always been eager to learn back then, but she had to learn and master these skills in three years. He could not imagine how much effort she put in during those three years to be Luca today. Luke took off his suit coat andy down on the bed. The bed was more suited for the average woman as it was not very long. When he stretched his legs, they could reach the edge of the bed. He had to sleep here and tolerate everything to get closer to Luca. It was convenient for him to go to work from here too. That was why he put up with it. In the master bedroom beside. Luca was lying on the bed, holding her breath as she listened to the noises out there. She had heard the sound of the door opening and closing, then the footsteps, andstly, Luke''s voice. She knew it was Luke who came in, and he called out to her. It waste, but he came here instead. He came in and out as he wished like he was the owner of the house. Luca did not know how to face Luke, but she was assured after knowing that it was him. Then, there was the sound of a door opening and closing again. She reckoned that Luke had already gone to the maid''s room to sleep. Then, she remembered the small and narrow bed in the maid''s room. Would he be able to sleep well there? Luca rolled over on the bed and listened to the noises outside. She could not hear anything this time. She reckoned that Luke must be sleeping. Luca touched the mattress and wondered if it was alright for Luke to sleep on that small bed? Although she felt bad, there was nothing she could do now. Luca slowly fell asleep as she pondered. It was already the next morning when she woke up. She shot a nce at her phone. Winter wasing, and the sky was still gray at six in the morning. Then, she remembered Luke, who was sleeping in the maid''s room. He was probably still asleep now. He had clothes in the maid''s room, but he did not have any toiletries with him. Luca got out of the bed and took a new set of toiletries out of the drawer. She was nning to give these to Amur before this. Luca thought that after Amur returned, she would clean up the maid''s room and change the bed. That would be his temporary bedroom. It was because he was not picky at all. However, she did not expect that it would be Luke who would use both the room and toiletries instead. After Luca put the toiletries in themon bathroom, she went to the living room and saw the thermos bottle Luke had left on the coffee table. She went to pick it up, realizing that he had finished drinking the chowder. Luke had always loved to drink her soups and chowders. It was normal that he finished drinking the chowder. Luca carried the thermos bottle and walked into the kitchen. It was still early, but when she remembered that Luke told her he was going to bring her somewhere, she got up early to prepare breakfast. There were still some ingredients in the kitchen. She picked a few of them and made a simple Western breakfast. Luke had already gotten up when she was serving breakfast. ¡°Good morning." The man took the initiative to greet her. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Crawford." Luca was not surprised. Instead, she served the breakfast on the dining table calmly. "There''s a new set of toiletries in the bathroom. You can use them. And I made breakfast for you too." Luke saw her unsurprised expression on her face. He could not figure out whether she was surprised or not. Maybe he was rightst night. Luca was awake when the door was pushed open. That was why she was not surprised to see him here. She always fell into a deep sleep previously, but she had be a light sleeper now. It was as if she was watching out for something. "Alright." Luke looked at the breakfast that she had prepared for him. He felt happy but unpleasant at the same time. He turned around and walked into the bathroom. Then, he saw the set of new toiletries that Luca had put there for him. She was probably worried that he would be put off, so they were left unopened. She knew every little habit of his. However, she refused to recognize him. After Luke washed himself up, Luca was already sitting at the dining table waiting for him. When he sat down to have breakfast, she asked, "Mr. Crawford, you''re bringing me somewhere, right?" ¡°Yes," Luke simply answered. Luca did not ask where they were going. It was because if he was willing to tell her, he would have told her earlier. There would be no need for her to ask him. Instead, she asked, "You''re not going to the office today?" "I workedtest night and I''ve finished most of the work for today." Luke picked up a fried egg and ced it on his te. Then, he looked at her. "It was tootest night, that''s why I didn''t go back home and came here to rest. Did I wake you up?" Chapter 1661 ¡°I was deep asleepst night. I didn''t know you were here." It was after that Luca realized how contradicting her words were. Then, she said, "I saw the thermos bottle on the coffee table this morning. That''s why I know you were here." Luke did not expose her and continued to eat his breakfast. After breakfast, Luca still had no idea where he was bringing her to. Hence, she changed into an elegant dress that was not too casual. She put on light makeup before leaving together with him. Luke was driving while Luca was listening carefully to the morning news broadcast. Her expression darkened when she heard the news about Pierre. Obviously, she would not have a pleasant expression on her face when she heard about Pierre. After all, she could not forgive someone who had hurt her before. Luke was listening too. The news broadcast was introducing Pierre''spany, and some of the experts even predicted that Pierre''spany would have great prospects. It even had better development trends than T Corporation. He could not be bothered listening to the news. There was no need to care about the nonsense these experts were talking about. Luca felt ufortable listening to it. These so-called experts must have taken Pierre''s money to have the guts to say something like this. With this broadcast, it meant that Pierre was going to start a war with Luke. Luca turned to look at Luke. He looked like he was not listening to the news broadcast at all with that indifferent look on his face. Did that mean he did not care about Pierre at all? She knew Luke was capable, and he could choose not to give a damn about Pierre. N?velDrama.Org owns this. However, no one knew what kind of dirty tricks Pierre would use to force Luke to give up that project. Luca thought she could only wait for Abel to help her take revenge on Pierre. Luke remained silent while he drove all the way. Luca watched as the familiar road eventually became unfamiliar. She could not help but ask, "Mr. Crawford, where are you bringing me?" "I''m not going to hurt you. Don''t worry," replied Luke. Luca looked at the man''s side profile helplessly. She was not afraid that he would hurt her, but being on this unknown road made her feel a little lost and confused. It was a terrible feeling. Half an hourter, they ended up stopping at a detached vi. Luca nced at the vi and turned to look at Luke. ¡°This is..." ¡°The home of my wife''s family," Luke answered. He parked the car and unfastened his seatbelt. "The Norman family?" Luca asked. She had no idea that the Norman family had a vi. It was because Jack had always cared a lot about his image and behavior. He only had one property under his name, and he would never purchase real estate for investment purposes even though he had money. That was to prevent people from doubting his integrity. "It''s not the Norman family. It''s the Rayne family," answered Luke. When Bianca''s impostor was ced beside him, he confirmed her identity through a DNA test that turned out to be fake. However, Wanda had never believed that the crazy woman was Bianca. Although the impostor regained her consciousness after that, Wanda still could not ept the fact and firmly believed that she was not Bianca. At that time, Luke believed in the DNA test result without a second thought and had tried persuading Wanda. However, Wanda just refused to believe it. She refused to see Bianca too. In turn, Old Man Rayne also refused to see Bianca. That was how the rtionship between the two families became distant. Luke bought a vi in this quiet district to let them stay herefortably. Subsequently, Wanda had never contacted him anymore. She even tried to hire a private detective to look for the real Bianca, but the investigation yielded no results. Therefore, she left the country with the old man a year ago and settled in Japan. "The Rayne family?" Luca was surprised. A look of great sorrow shed across her heart at the thought of her grandfather who loved her so much. After she was arranged to return to A City, she had gone to look for Old Man Rayne and Wanda. After knowing that Wanda had brought Old Man Rayne to Japan, she did not continue her investigation. It was because she had to inform Abel of every ce she went to. If she did not have a reason to head to Japan, he would definitely find out about it. N was already in his hands and was her Achilles'' heel. Luca refused to let him know about any more of her weaknesses. Since the old man had gone to Japan to spend the rest of his days there, she would not disturb him as she knew Wanda would take good care of him. Luca turned to look at Luke. Old Man Rayne and Wanda were not in the country. Why did he bring her here? She could not ask questions. Once she voiced out, Luke would know she was aware of Old Man Rayne and Wanda''s whereabouts. "Yes, my wife''s aunt brought the old man back here some time ago. She told me that the old man wasn''t used to life in Japan. His biggest wish was toe back and spend the rest of his days here. That''s why they came back here. The reason I brought you here today is to ask you to help give the old man a health check and see if there''s anything he needs to pay attention to," answered Luke. Since Luca could not wait to meet the Norman family after she returned, he reckoned that she was missing the old man who raised her too. Although he could not expose her identity now, it would be good to bring her to see her loved ones this way. Luca was excited to know that Old Man Rayne and Wanda had returned. However, she dared not to express it because once she did, Luke would find out... "Alright. No problem." Luca sounded rxed. When she was about to get out of the car, she touched her face. Luke asked, "What''s the matter?" "Will I startle the old man with the way I look now?" The swelling on her face was still a little serious. It was her first time seeing her grandfather after three years. She wanted to meet him in her best state even though he did not know she was Bianca. "No, your face is much better than it was a couple of days before," said Luke. Luca healed faster than the average person. Others would think that she was just a little plump or she was suffering from edema instead of having been pped on the face. Luca looked at the small vi outside the car window. She pondered for a moment before getting out of the car. Luke brought her here to let her check the old man''s health condition. She did not know whether or not she would have another chance to enter the house if she missed the opportunity this time. Hence, she had to seize the opportunity. Luke saw that she was willing to get out of the car, and he followed her. He pushed the car door open and got out of the car. Both of them stood at the vi''s entrance. Then, he pressed the doorbell. After a while, the door was opened. Luca looked at the door anxiously as it opened slowly. She saw an unfamiliar middle-aged woman. Luke exined, "This is the maid. And this is Ms. Craw. She''s here to see the Old Man Rayne." He thought it would be tiring for Wanda to take care of the old man alone, so he hired a maid for them. Although they had no blood ties with Bianca, they were the ones who raised her. He was grateful that they loved her and raised her, so he took care of them like they were his family. Luca nodded her head. The maid smiled and said, "Hello, Mr. Crawford and Ms. Luca. Come in." Chapter 1662 Luca shot a nce at Luke. He made an inviting gesture. She turned her head and walked into the vi. The vi was not big, but it was furnished delicately. It was enough for the two of them to live here. Luca looked at the front yard that was nted with the flowers that Wanda loved. She could also see some fruits and vegetables nted in the backyard. She turned her head and nced at Luke. She was grateful for what he had done for the Rayne family. Wanda could never afford to buy such a small vi. It must be Luke who bought the small vi for them. She was no longer around, but he still treated her family kindly. Both of them walked into the living room together. Luke had informed Wanda yesterday that he would be bringing someone here to check on the old man''s health. Hence, she started preparing delicacies from early in the morning. Wanda smiled while looking at them, but she was startled for a moment she saw Luca. She thought Luke would bring an old expert here. She never expected the person he bought to be such a young, fine woman. Wanda found her familiar when their eyes met. Wanda was not the kind of person who would judge a book by its cover. She knew Luke had his reason for bringing her here. This woman must be capable. She smiled and said, " Luke, why don''t you introduce her?" "Aunt, meet Dr. Craw. She''s a research professor working in thepany, and she has certain attainments in herbal medicine," Luke introduced. Wanda reached out and took the initiative to greet her. "Ms. Craw, nice to meet you. I''m Wanda Rayne." Luca reached out and held her hand. Her eyes were slightly red, but she suppressed the tremor in her heart and tried to sound as calm as possible. "Hello, Ms. Rayne." Wanda nced at her hand. It felt so familiar to her that it gave her the feeling as though this woman was her family. Luca let go of her hand and nced around the living room. There was no sign of her grandfather. She asked, "Where''s the patient?" Wanda was startled for a while when she heard how eager she was to meet Old Man Rayne. She then said, "He''s still in his room. It''s still early. Have you eaten breakfast? I''ve prepared some food. Would you like to have some?" Luke knew Luca was anxious when he heard her voice. It was because Old Man Rayne''s health had always been in a poor state. That was why she was so anxious. However, it was strange to see someone so eager to see the patient when it was her first time here. He quickly answered, "We''ve eaten breakfast. Aunt, why don''t you bring us to check on Grandpa''s health condition?" The way he addressed them was the same as how Bianca used to call them. Since Luke had mentioned it, Wanda slightly nodded and said, ¡°Sure. He was thrilled after knowing that you''ll being today. He said he''ll have a good chat with you. He''d love to y a chess game with you too. It''s been too long since youst came here. He misses you." Wanda and Old Man Rayne refused to believe that the Bianca who lost her memories was the Bianca they were looking for, but they could not find the true Bianca no matter what. Hence, the only person they were willing to see was Luke. All these years, Old Man Rayne had always treated Luke as if he was his biological grandson. "I''ve been busy with work. I''lle and visit him often when I''m free." Luke promised. "Really? After all, Dad is always delighted to see you. He''ll be very happy if you cane over to keep himpany, y chess, and have some tea with him," Wanda said as she entered Old Man Rayne''s room together with them. "Dad, Luke''s here. He brought an expert along with him to help you to recover your health," Wanda said. When Old Man Rayne heard Luke had arrived, he slowly sat up straight and leaned on the headboard. He put on his custom-made reading sses and saw that Luke had indeed arrived. He was grinning from ear to ear. "Oh, it''s really Luke. Luke,e over and sit here." Luke walked to the bedside and sat down. He held Old Man Rayne''s hands. "Grandpa, how have you been feeling recently?" "Same old, same old. Don''t worry. It''s normal when you get old. Wanda, get the chess set for me. I''d love to y a game with Luke. It''s been a while since someone yed chess with me," said Old Man Rayne. He wanted to seize the moment to spend some time with him. Wanda reminded him, saying, "Dad, have you forgotten? Luke brought an expert professor today here to check on your health. You can''t just think about ying chess with him and ignore her." After Old Man Rayne was reminded about it, he lifted his head and looked in the direction of the door. Someone was standing there. He could see clearly with his reading sses on. When he saw her, he found her familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time. He asked, "Luke, is she the expert you told me about?" "Yes, her name is Luca Craw," Luke introduced. Luca looked at Old Man Rayne, and the emotions in her heart started surging. After all these years, Old Man Rayne had gotten so much older... There were more wrinkles on his face, and his eyes had be dull because of the sickness that tortured him. His body looked a lot weaker. Luca clenched her fists, swallowing the lump in her throat. She suppressed the urge to cry and came over to greet him, ¡°Hello, Old Man Rayne." ¡°Hello, nice to meet you. Your family name is Craw, right? You seem familiar to me. Wanda, do we have any rtives with the family name Craw?" Old Man Rayne stared at Luca, his eyes fixed on her. He felt like he had seen her before. Wanda also found Luca familiar, but sure enough, they did not have any distant rtives with the family name Craw. They had not seen Luca before either. ¡°No, we don''t. She''s an expert. It''s the first time we''re meeting," she replied. Luke looked at both the grandfather and granddaughter. Although the rtionship between biological rtives was the hardest to overlook, Luca had spent more than 20 years with them. They had no blood rtions but were familiar with each other. Luke said, ¡°Yes, this is Dr. Craw who came back from overseas. Grandpa, are you feeling ufortabletely? Let her check your pulse for you and give you a prescription to recover your health. You''ll feel much better then." Old Man Rayne reached out his hand, saying in a teasing manner, ¡°How will I ever recover? I''ve been like this for so many years. Sigh, it''s endless." ¡°Please don''t say that." Luca was on the verge of crying when she heard that. ¡°You have to admit such things when you''re old. Come on, youngdy. I didn''t expect you to be an expert when you''re still so young. What a great achievement." Old Man Rayne did not look down on Luca just because she was young. Wanda carried a chair over and put it beside the bed. Luca sat down and ced her slightly shaking hands on Old Man Rayne''s pulse. After a minute, she signaled him to switch to another hand. Then, she continued to check his pulse. After checking his pulse, she observed Old Man Rayne''s face. She confirmed the old man''s health condition with Wanda and made a clinical diagnosis. "They''re all illnesses that aremon in the elderly. It''s mainly because he didn''t take good care of his health when he was young. Take some herbal medicine to recover your health. You''ll only have to take a course of treatment. You''ll be physically stronger after that. Coupled with massages, you''ll feel less pain at night."N?velDrama.Org owns this. Chapter 1663 Wanda blinked her eyes. She refused to believe what Luca said. Could taking some herbal medicine help recover Old Man Rayne''s health. This was way too iffy for her... She asked, ¡°Will my dad be physically stronger after taking the herbal medicine? But we''ve visited several doctors throughout the years, and we even went to see the specialists in Japan. All of them told us that he''s suffering from a chronic illness, and there''s no cure for this. He can only take some medicine to alleviate the symptoms. It can''t be healed." "Indeed, his illness can''t be healed, but my prescription will make Old Man Rayne feel much better," replied Luca. She did not me Wanda for doubting her. The medical knowledge that Shanks taught her was abundant, and most of it could not be found or learned in the medical schools out there. Some of the prescriptions could not be obtained from the market today, so many had no idea how good the effects were. Moreover, many people swindled money from patients in the name of naturopathy these days. "Does such an effective prescription really exist? Previously, I brought him to a naturopathic doctor but the prescription he gave didn''t work either." Wanda was still questioning Luca. Every medicine had its side effects. She hoped that Old Man Rayne could take fewer medicines if possible. "Aunt, just believe in Luca," Luke said. She was someone they could trust, and she had no reason to harm her grandfather. Wanda did not say anything, and Luca said determinedly, "Please believe in me. You''ll start to see the effects after taking two packets of the concoction ording to the prescription. The effects will be better if he continues taking it. The illness can''t be cured but Old Man Rayne will feel much better. At least, he''ll be able to sleep well at night. Besides, the medicine doesn''t have many side effects." Old Man Rayne listened to Luca''s confident tone and said, "Wanda, let''s give it a try. Luke wouldn''t have brought her here if she wasn''t capable enough." "Alright. I''ll leave it to you, Dr. Craw." Wanda chose topromise. Luca nodded and shot Luke a nce to express her gratitude. She would not have said anything if it were someone else who refused to believe her or who did not want to take the medicine she prescribed. She would not even feel anxious for them. It was their health, after all. She did her part, and if they refused to believe her, it would be none of her business anymore. Some things could not be forced. However, it was different with Old Man Rayne. He was her grandfather, and Luca only wanted him to get better. That way, he could live his life happily in the future. Luke met her gaze, and he could sense the camaraderie in her gaze. He nodded. Luca stood up and asked, ¡°Do you have a pen and a piece of paper?" ¡°Yes, let me get them for you," said Wanda as she walked out of the bedroom. Old Man Rayne spoke again, "Dr. Craw, can you y chess?" "I''m not really good at it..." Luca smiled and said. Her chess strategies and tactics were simple, and she had not yed for years. She was afraid that Old Man Rayne would see through her at a nce if she yed chess with him. Hence, she dared not to. Old Man Rayne did not force her. He looked at Luke and said, "Luke, let''s y chesster. Stay here for lunch with Dr. Craw today. We can enjoy our game." "Sure," Luke promised at once. Luca was grateful that Luke was willing to bring her here even though he was busy. He even sacrificed his working hours to y chess with Old Man Rayne just to make him happy. She got married to the right person. Even though she suffered a lot after marrying him, there was a lot of sweetness too. Luca found life a lot sweeter when she saw everything he had done for her family. In this selfish society, only a few were willing to do as much as Luke had done. Besides, the Rayne family did not have any assets that Luke could take from them. Luca thought to herself that if she were given the chance, she wanted to properly thank him using Bianca''s identity. After a while, Wanda brought the pen and paper to her. Luca picked up the pen and paper and wrote a prescription. She wrote down the quantity of each ingredient needed, ways to prepare the concoction, and how to drink it. Then, she turned to the back of the paper and wrote another prescription. When she handed the prescription to Wanda, Wanda asked with some surprise, "Why are there two prescriptions?" "The one on the first page is to be taken, whereas the prescription on the other page is for the foot bath after Old Man Rayne gets his massage. If you can dip the towel into the concoction, then give his legs a warmpress, that''ll work better," Luca exined. Wanda nodded. She was still a little concerned about the oral medication. Also, she was worried that the prescription would not be good enough and might harm Old Man Rayne. However, she was not worried about the medicine for external application. Hence, she turned the page and read the prescription carefully. She had been studying naturopathic medicine all these years because of Old Man Rayne''s illness. When she was reading the ingredients Luca wrote on the paper, she realized that the ingredients used were not extraordinary ones. Besides, she had seen some of the ingredients on other prescriptions before, but the quantity used was different. Wanda was still doubting it. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Old Man Rayne interrupted her, saying, ¡°Wanda, please bring the chess set here. I''m going to y chess with Luke. Also, ask the maid to prepare more food for lunch today. They''ll be staying for lunch." "Okay, Dad." Wanda went to get his chess set after that. Luca stood beside them and watched them y a game of chess. She realized Luke was deliberately goofing around to make her grandfather happy, but it was not obvious as Old Man Rayne did not notice it. "Luke, I suppose you''ve been busy with work and you don''t have the time to y chess. Your skills aren''t as good as before," Old Man Rayne smiled and said. Luke replied humbly, "Grandpa, it''s because you''ve improved a lot." Old Man Rayne nodded and said proudly, "Of course. I always ask the maid to bring me out for a walk around the neighborhood on days I feel better. I meet many elders there, and they love to y chess too. I would y two games with them if I''m allowed to, and guess what?" Luke continued, "They can''t win against you." "Yes, their skills aren''t that great. Come on, let''s move on to the next round," Old Man Rayne said. Luca looked at Old Man Rayne and felt a lump in her throat. She turned away and blinked her eyes. Then, she said, "Mr. Crawford, can I take a look around? The garden of this vi looks exquisite." "Yes, go ahead," replied Luke. He knew Luca was looking for a ce to release her emotions, so he did not stop her. Luca left the bedroom after that. She was only able to slowly calm down when she no longer saw Old Man Rayne. It had been three years. She had been separated from her family, loved ones, and her children for three years. However, time did not let all these feelings fade away. Instead, when she saw them in person, she could not help but get emotional. The emotions fluctuated strongly in her. Luca stood in the garden in the front yard. Her heart was aching. She pressed on her chest, taking one deep breath after another to try and soothe her emotions. Chapter 1664 The maid walked to the backyard and saw Luca pressing on her chest as though she was feeling ufortable. She asked, "Ms. Craw, are you alright? Are you feeling unwell?" "I''m fine," Luca replied. She looked at the maid and smiled, then noticed that she was carrying a basket. There were some fresh tomatoes as well as other fruits and vegetables that were currently in season. She asked, "Are these nted in the backyard?" "Yes. Ms. Rayne is usually free, so she''d nt some flowers in the front yard and fruits and vegetables in the backyard. Look at how fresh the vegetables are. These were all nted by her. No pesticides were added. They''re safe and healthy to eat," replied the maid while showing the fruits and vegetables in the basket to Luca. Luca asked, "Can I take a look at the backyard?" "You''re the guest. Make yourself at home. But there''s a pond in the backyard, so do be careful. Don''t fall in," the maid reminded her. Luca nodded and headed to the backyard. There were all sorts of fruits and vegetables nted in the backyard. The vi looked small on the outside, but she realized it was not that small after she walked around the ce. Besides, Wanda had made good use of the corners of the yard. Luca looked at the sweet corn and tomatoes that were growing. She took a deep breath. It was the smell of nature. She recalled that when she was staying in the vige years ago, Wanda was not married yet and would return home to help out at the farm after she got off work. She would nt all sorts of nts in the yard. Everything was nicely done, and the ce looked like a little farm. However, this did notst long. After that, Wanda got married and her father married another woman. No one was there to take care of the small yard, so the fruits and vegetables nted were shoveled out and the ce was abandoned. Luca continued to tour around. Just then, she heard the doorbell ring in the vi. She wondered who would be here at this hour. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca headed to the front yard and ran into the maid who was in a hurry to open the door. The maid identally stepped on Luca''s foot, and she stopped immediately to apologize. "I''m sorry. I''m so sorry, Ms. Craw. I didn''t mean to." "Don''t worry. It doesn''t hurt," replied Luca. The doorbell in the vi rang again this time. The maid let out a sigh and said, "It''s her again." ¡°Who?" Luca asked unconsciously. The maid answered, "An unwee guest. Shees every day. Well, let me get the door. Otherwise, I''m going to get scolded againter." Luca watched as the maid hurriedly went to open the door. She wondered who the unwee guest could be. She followed the maid and headed over. ¡°Ms. Craw, are you leaving?" The maid asked when she saw her following behind. Luca shook her head. ¡°I just want to see who''s outside." The maid found it strange. After all, it was Luca''s first time here. Why did she want to know who was here? She sounded like she was curious about everything here. However, as a guest, she should not be asking so many questions. She spared the matter no further thought, though. It was because if she did not open the door soon, the person at the door would continue to press on the doorbell. Wanda hated it when the doorbell kept ringing. Hence, even if the person was unwee, she had to open the door and send her away. The maid headed to the door and opened it. Luca nced at the person outside the door. Even though her looks had changed a lot, she could still recognize her. The woman standing out there was Marie Rayne. Before Luca was kidnapped, Marie was still in prison serving her sentence. Why was she released? Luca looked at Marie without saying a word. ¡°Ms. Marie, why are you here again?" The maid held the door with her hand to prevent her from going in. Marie answered with that arrogant look on her face, ¡°This is my grandpa''s house, which means it''s also my house. Why am I not allowed to go in? Step aside. I''m going in this time no matter what!" Luca could not help but frown when she heard Marie sounding like she intended to take over this ce. Had she been harassing them like this? However, Luca could understand why. After Marie got out of prison, she must have been penniless. Even though her grandfather used to look down on her, her grandpa and aunt were staying in a vi now. Marie would never let go of her second chance in life. "Ms. Marie, Ms. Rayne has told you before that although your family name is Rayne, you have nothing to do with them. You''re not even rted to them. Don''te in. Otherwise, I''ll call the police." The maid threatened her. After years of working as a maid in rich families, she had never met someone so difficult to deal with. "Call the police? What makes you think that you can call the police?!" Marie widened her eyes. "Even though I''m not rted to them, we''re still a family. Bianca isn''t rted to them either but didn''t they ept Luke Crawford''s kindness? Why are they saying that there are no blood ties between us now?" The maid had no idea what Marie was talking about. She was merely a worker. She replied, "Ms. Marie, it was Ms. Rayne who said that. No one wants you here. Please stop harassing us." ¡°That''s what she said? Why? Why is she so supercilious when she''s just riding on Luke''s coattail? My mother is still her younger brother''swfully wedded wife. She just doesn''t want to admit that she has a niece like me, right? No way! Let me in. Get out of my way. Otherwise, don''t me me for this!¡± Marie was behaving arrogantly. She hade prepared this time. The maid insisted on not letting her in. Usually, they would not even install the doorbell as it was because Marie would always press it. However, Luke was bringing someone over today, so they had no choice but to install the doorbell for today. They did not expect Marie toe today too. The maid was a little stressed out when she saw Marie trying to barge into the house. Wanda was a frail woman. There was no way she was strong enough to handle Marie. Not to mention Old Man Rayne. The maid could not help but shiver at the thought of how she had scratched her hands back then. Marie had wanted to barge in too. In the end, she worked together with a security guard from the neighborhood to send her away. That was how it ended. Although Wanda had paid for her medical bills, no one wanted to get hurt... "Ms. Marie, I''m just doing my job. Please don''t put me in a tough spot." The maid knew that being firm was not going to work, so she could only use a gentler approach. "Hah, I''m gonna stay in the Rayne family''s house today no matter what!" Marie sounded even more furious. Luca was fed up with her behavior and spoke coldly, "You''re Ms. Marie, right?" Marie nced at her. A hint of disdain shed across her eyes. "Who are you? The new maid?" "She''s our guest," the maid replied immediately before shooting a worried nce at Luca. Marie was not someone one could mess with. She heard that Marie had been to prison, and she was more or less the same after she got out. Also, she was willing to do anything for money. She even knew a bunch of people from all walks of life. That was why Wanda looked down on her even more. She never thought of letting her move in to prevent her from causing chaos. "Oh? A guest. Someone not from the Rayne family can step into the house, so why can''t I? Step aside. Otherwise, I''ll get someone to teach you a lesson!" Marie threatened. Chapter 1665 Luca looked at Marie and suddenly thought of Jean. A leopard never changed its spots. They really suited each other. They behaved this way before they landed themselves in prison and were still the same after they got out. They took everything for granted. They refused to put in the effort to make a living and med others for their misfortune. She remembered that she still addressed a person like Marie as her sister back then. Now, she felt disgusted at the thought of it... "I''m their guest, that''s why I cane in. But you''re not, so what makes you think that you cane in here? The owner of the vi doesn''t want you here. You shouldn''t be messing around here. You''re going to end up getting kicked out even if you do manage toe in. Do you find this fun?" Marie was startled by the bunch of words that Luca said. She did not expect a guest to be so good at lecturing someone else. "You!" Marie clenched her fists. Luca said, "Ms. Marie, it''s just a coincidence that you have the same family name as the two owners in this house. There''s really nothing between you and the family." "I''m going to tear your mouth apart! Wait for it!" Marie flew into a rage. The maid was blocking the way and she could not get in. She was so angry that she picked up her phone and was about to call someone. Luca reckoned that she must be calling her lowlife friends. After taking a close look at Marie, Luca did not have to ask any questions to know the kind of life Marie had been living after getting out of prison. She was skinny and had a sallowplexion without makeup on. At a nce, Luca knew she did not eat her meals on time and was not resting well or taking care of he health. There was even a patch of yellow between her index finger and her middle finger. Those were the signs of someone who smoked. It was not just ordinary smoking either. Only a heavy smoker would have these signs. Luca remembered that Marie had a miscarriage before she went into prison. She reckoned that there was no way she could take care of herself in the prison, and that was why she chose to let herself go wild. "I''d advise you not to get your friends toe here and make a scene," said Luca. Marie gave her a vicious look. The two of them had never met before, and there was nothing between them. She had no idea why she disliked the woman so much when this was her first time meeting her. She even hated her... "Are you ordering me around? If you tell me not to scream, I''ll insist on screaming. You came here as a guest, but you''re not respecting me as the host. Just wait for it!" Marie said maliciously. Luca looked at how stubborn she was. She shook her head helplessly and said, "Mr. Crawford is also here today. Are you sure you want to cause trouble?" She thought Marie would be afraid of Luke and the reason why she dared toe here to cause trouble was that Wanda had never told Luke about it for fear of disturbing him. That was why Marie had the guts to constantlye here and cause trouble. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca thought of using Luke''s name to psych Marie out. When Marie heard Luke''s name, she put her phone back in her pocket and looked at Luca with confusion. "Luke is here?" "The car parked at the entrance is Mr. Crawford''s car," replied Luca. A look of excitement shed across Marie''s eyes. "That''s great. Luke would never let his sister-inw be down and out in this state. Let go of me. I''m going in to meet Luke." Luca was speechless when she saw Marie targeting Luke for the sake of gaining a better life. Was she mad? She probably went crazy when she was in prison. Had she forgotten who sent her there? Would Luke help her? How was that possible. The maid tried hard to block her and said, "Ms. Marie, I''m really going to call the police if you keep doing this!" Luca looked at how insane Marie was acting just because she heard Luke''s name. She had no choice. She picked up her phone and asked Luke toe over. That was the only way to let Marie know who she should fear. "Let me go. I''m Luke Crawford''s sister-inw! The old man in there is my grandpa. I''ve been calling him ''Grandpa'' for years. Let me in. They''ll never abandon me." The madness in Marie''s eyes was frightening. The maid struggled to block her. Luca sent a message to Luke immediately. He would not miss any messages. She kept it short and told him that there was an unexpected situation at the door, so she needed him to come down to settle it. Luke replied to her message right after the message was sent. [I''m going down now.] Luca saw that the maid could no longer hold Marie back. She stepped forward and pushed Marie away. Marie did not expect Luca to be so strong. She was unprepared and so startled that she took a few steps backward. There was a fire burning in her eyes when she looked at Luca. She said, "How dare you push me? Don''t you know who I am? Are you tired of living?" "I don''t know who you are, but I''m pretty sure that you have nothing to do with Mr. Crawford and the Rayne family. Since you''re causing trouble here, then I can push you away," Luca said determinedly. Marie sneered. "I''m the granddaughter of the Rayne family and Luke''s sister-inw. You''ll regret pushing me away." ¡°You im to be rted to them, then why didn''t you ask Mr. Crawford toe down?" Luca asked. She usually would not even bother saying something like that, but what Marie did really made her feel likeughing. Luca had not gotten even with Marie for all those things that she did to her and all the damage that was caused just for the sake of her interests. How dare Marie bring up the names of the Rayne family and Luke now? She was no longer the Bianca she used to be. After what she had been through on the Ind of Despair, she showed no mercy to those who were unnecessary. Marie should feel lucky. At least, Luca had never thought of taking revenge on her for what she did to her back then. Marie narrowed her eyes as Luca''s words had hit a raw nerve in her. She felt helpless too. The first person who came into her mind after she got out of jail was Luke Crawford. He could change her life. Therefore, she had been dropping Luke''s name around to get free meals. After that, when she wanted to contact him, she could not get through to his phone. Then, she tried to contact his business number but she was still blocked. She contacted his assistant Jason and got blocked too. Atst, she tried using another number to call them and she still could not get through. Marie had no choice. She could not get in touch with Luke, and those strong security guards of T Corporation would not let her in. She was deep in debt after getting so many free meals, so she could only trade her body to pay off her debts. However, youth was fleeting. She saw hope when she found out that Wanda had brought Old Man Rayne back and Luke had bought them a small vi. The reason why she had beening here every day to mess around was to move in here and livefortably. However, she would hit a wall every time she came. Previously, Wanda woulde out to deal with her, but now, she refused to see herpletely. Marie was left with no choice. However, her life was at stake here. She had to continue to pester them to move in. Chapter 1666 Luca looked at Marie, who seemed to have lost her mind and was desperate to get in. It was as if she could stay here forever once she got here. People like her were the most pathetic. Luca felt sorry for everything that Marie had gone through alone, but that was no excuse to be merciful. She had no intention of letting Marie stay here either. Marie had not changed even a little after being in prison for years. If she stayed here, she would definitely disturb Old Man Rayne''s peace. She heard footsteps behind her. Luca turned around and looked at Luke. When he walked out of the door, he had already heard Marie''s voice from afar. Jason had mentioned to him before that Marie was often seen wandering around the ground floor of T Corporation. She was looking for a chance to get into the building. The reason why she wanted to get in was simple. It was the same reason she showed up at the vi''s entrance. Marie''s eyes brightened when she saw Luke as if she had seen her savior. She reached out to him. "Luke, help me. They won''t let me in." Luca nced at Luke. He hated Marie. He would never let her in. However, the way he rejected her surprised her. Luke shot her a nce and asked coldly, ¡°Who are you?¡± Marie was startled for a moment, then she responded, ¡°I''m Marie Rayne, Bianca''s elder sister.¡± Luke turned to look at Luca when she mentioned Bianca. ¡°Do you know her?" Luca was stunned. What was he doing? Why was he asking her instead? Of course, she knew who Marie was. However, she was not Bianca at the moment, so she said, ¡°This woman ims that she''s your sister-inw. I don''t know her." The corner of Luke''s lips curled as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. ¡°Since you have no idea who she is, then I wouldn''t know her either." Luca listened to what he said and questioned his logic. She did not know her, so he did not know her either? Luke looked at the bewildered expression on Luca''s face and remained silent. He was only testing the waters just now. Indeed, he could not be bothered about Marie Rayne. All those things that she did to Bianca back then had broken her heart. At the very least, though, they had addressed each other as sisters before. That was why Luke wanted to see how Luca would react. If Luca showed mercy on Marie, then he would consider helping Marie this one time. However, it seemed like she had no intention of being merciful to Marie. What a drastic change in her character after she was gone for three years... Marie looked at the two of them, who were looking at each other. She got furious. She felt like she was being ignored. Hence, she said with a hideous look on her face, ¡°Luke Crawford, if Bianca knows that you''re ignoring her sister, she''ll definitely be angry." Luke''s smile disappeared when she threatened him. Luca knew Luke was getting serious. "As far as I know, Bea only has one adopted younger sister with whom she has no blood ties. Who are you, then?" Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca shook her head helplessly as she listened to him. If he knew that the true Bianca could never return, would he feel sad and heartbroken? While Marie stared at the two of them looking at each other lovingly whilepletely excluding her, she stomped her feet and said, "You''re both doing this on purpose, right? Luke, I thought you were a good man. Bullsh*t! I''ll tell Bianca about this and let her see your true colors." Luca frowned and looked at her. "Stop talking nonsense. Mr. Crawford and I¡ª" Luke pulled a long face and ordered, "Throw her out." The maid turned around and shot him a nce. If she had the strength to do so, would she have waited until now? "Mr. Crawford, I can''t do this alone." "I''ve called the guards." After Luke said that, two security guards trotted their way here. One of them did not even get to catch his breath before he said, "Mr. Crawford, we''re here." Luke lifted his head. "Get this woman out of here. And never let her into the neighborhood. Do you understand that?" "Yes." The two security guards nodded. One of them stood on the left side, while the other on the right. They both lifted Marie. Marie''s legs were off the ground. She kicked wildly but did not manage to escape. Luke looked at Marie, who was panicking. Perhaps she thought that he would never do this to her. "And ask your manager to give me a call," he spoke again. "Yes, Mr. Crawford." The two men carried Marie out. It was not difficult for them at all. After the security guards replied to him, they left while carrying Marie with them. When they lifted her, they had never thought of doing it nicely. They did it in the most convenient way for them. Luca looked at the mess Marie had gotten herself in as she watched her get forcefully carried away. She was trying hard to break free, but she failed. Luca did not feel sorry for her and even felt like laughing. The maid let out a sigh of relief when they finally left. Luke had caused a big scene by asking two guards to get the troublesome woman out of here. ¡°Close the door," Luke ordered. ¡°Okay, Mr. Crawford." The maid closed the door. Marie had been carried away by the two guards. She was nowhere to be seen now, and the noises she made when she was struggling could no longer be heard. Luca pulled her gaze away. She felt like someone had been staring at her all this while. She met that person''s gaze and it was indeed Luke. Their eyes met, and he did not intend to shift his gaze away. Luca hurriedly thought of making conversation. "Mr. Crawford, aren''t you worried that she''llin to your wife for treating her like this?" Luke''s eyes gleamed. Did she not know what had happened to Bianca''s impostor? Did she think that the impostor was still alive? "If she wants to do that, she has to get into contact with my wife first. Besides, my wife trusts me." Luca listened to him talking confidently. She indeed had faith in him. "Let''s go back into the house," said Luke. Luca shook her head and said, "I wanted to continue my walk in the garden.'' Luke did not stop her. After all, the reason he brought her here today, apart from asking her to recover Old Man Rayne''s health, was that he also wanted to give her the chance to meet her family. It had been three years since they met each other, and Old Man Rayne''s health had deteriorated. She must be upset about it. "Alright." Luke did not force her to go into the house with him. He entered the house first. Wanda had been in the house the whole time and knew Marie was causing trouble at the door. She did not go out because she did not want Marie to think that she had a chance. After all, she remembered how Marie and her unreliable mother used to treat them back then... When she saw Lukee in, she stood up and asked, "Is Marie gone?" "She''s been taken away by the guards. Don''t worry, she can nevere into the neighborhood to disturb you again," replied Luke. Wanda let out a sigh of relief when she heard that. Marie was always kicking up a fuss, and sure enough, she was still as nasty. "It''s not her first timeing here to kick up a fuss. Aunt, why didn''t you tell me earlier?" Luke asked. Wanda smiled and exined, "The more often shees here to kick up a fuss, the more she''ll realize that she doesn''t have a chance. I didn''t want to bother you with such small things." Chapter 1667 "She''s the kind of person who doesn''t give up easily. Don''t worry. Leave the rest to me. I''ll arrange it," Luke said. He would deal with this matter. Wanda looked at him as her eyes gleamed. She nodded and thought of Bianca. Poor Bianca. No one knew her whereabouts now. Moreover, her identity had been stolen by some impostor. Wanda felt a little wistful. The maid came in and she snapped back into reality. She said, ¡°Let''s start preparing lunch.¡± "Alright." The maid nodded and headed into the kitchen. Wanda no longer thought about Bianca. Two more people were joining them for lunch today. She nned to help in the kitchen, so she said, "Luke, I''ll be helping out in the kitchen. Tea is ready. You and Ms. Craw can just make yourselves at home." "Sure. I''ll go upstairs and continue the chess game with Grandpa," said Luke as he headed to the stairs. Luca was hanging around in the garden. She still could not calm herself down after seeing her grandfather and aunt again. They were her family. Queenie gave her life, and they managed to acknowledge each other in the end. However, her bond with Queenie was not even close to the one she had with the Rayne family. After all, it was the Rayne family who raised her. She wandered around for a while until the doorbell rang again. Luca looked in the direction of the front door and wondered whether it was Marie again. However, she had just been taken away by the guards not long ago. How was it possible that she came back again so soon? Wanda came out to answer the door and saw Luca standing there. She asked, "Ms. Craw, why don''t you go inside and take a seat?" "I think the garden is nice. That''s why I''d like to take a walk here," Luca smiled and exined. Wanda nodded and did not say anything more. She went to open the door. There was a middle-aged man in a suit standing at the door. When he saw Wanda, he put a smile on his face and said, "Hello, Madam. I''m the estate manager here. May I know if Mr. Crawford is inside?" Wanda reckoned that this was how Luke had decided to deal with the matter. She let him in and said, "Yes, he''s inside. Pleasee in." Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. The estate manager smiled and walked into the vi. After knowing that the owner of the vi had some sort of rtionship with Luke, he tried to tter her. ¡°Oh, I can see that you''ve been staying here for quite some time. May I know if you have any opinions regarding the environment and vi constructions here?" Wanda was not very particr about the living requirements here, and she had no demands for the house either. She shook her head and replied, "No. They''re just fine." The estate manager let out a sigh of relief when he heard that she was satisfied. "I''m d you''re happy with things here. If there''s anything we''re not doing well, or if there are any facilities around here that need to be improved, please don''t hesitate to tell us. We value the opinions of the owners of the estate very much." Wanda listened to the estate manager who kept talking to her. She thought that it must have something to do with Luke, so she simply brushed him off and said, "Alright. I got it. Come on in." The estate manager followed her into the house. Luca saw them, and out of curiosity, she went into the house too. After Wanda told the estate manager to sit down and make himselffortable, she went upstairs to inform Luke. Luke came down after he knew the estate manager had arrived. When the estate manager saw that it was really Luke, he stood up immediately to show his respect. "Hello, Mr. Crawford. It''s nice to meet you." "Hello. Please, take a seat." Luke sat on the armchair opposite the estate manager. Luca was sitting on another couch not far away. She looked at the two of them and nned to listen to what they were talking about. The estate manager sat down. He looked nervous, and it was mainly because Luke was expressionless, which gave him a bad feeling. "Mr. Crawford, did you invite me here to discuss your dissatisfaction with our estate?" Luke listened to the manager''s tentative question. He nodded right away and said, "Yes, I did." "Ah, have we done something wrong?" The estate manager became nervous all of a sudden. Luke took out his phone and opened his gallery. Then, he handed Marie''s photo to him to see. "This woman oftenes here to harass the owners of this vi. Previously, the maid has informed your security guards about this and they sent her away together one time. However, this person was still able to get into themunity. Letting strangers enter and leave the vi district as they wish... How could you let this happen?" The estate manager broke into a cold sweat while listening to every word he said. The guard who informed him just now had exined to him that security measures were usually stricter at night. During the daytime, the guards would usually allow people to enter if they were properly dressed and behaved normally. Also, they would have to name the residents'' house numbers and family names. The point was, although they had chased this person away before, the resident didn''t cklist her. Hence, the security guards did not handle it ording to the standard procedures. "I''m sorry, Mr. Crawford. It''s our fault." The manager apologized. Even though it was partly the fault of the resident, the manager had no choice but to bear all responsibility. Luke did not me him too much. He knew that Wanda was responsible for this situation too. He said, "I''ll let this pass, but this woman has to be cklisted. If there''s anyone who would like to visit this house, you must get Ms. Rayne''s permission before you let them in." Wanda did not have any friends. She would spend her time at home taking care of Old Man Rayne. Hence, she did not have much social interaction with others. There was barely anyone who would frequentlye to visit them. Hence, they did not have many visitors. At the same time, they could prevent Marie from taking revenge by sending others into the vi district to harass Wanda. The estate manager nodded and promised immediately. "Alright. That won''t be a problem. I''ll give the orderster, and I can guarantee that no one will ever disturb Ms. Rayne''s life anymore. "Also, Ms. Craw will probably being here more often in the future. Just let her in. There''s no need to report about this," Luke added. The estate manager nodded and agreed. He took a photo of Luca after getting her permission so that every guard could remember her appearance. After dealing with the matter, Luke nodded and sent the estate manager away. When Luca saw this, there was only one sentence in her mind that lingered¡ªthis was probably Luke Crawford''s way of intimidating others. However, his arrangements were good, indeed. Still, why did he make her a special case? Luca thought for a moment and asked, "Mr. Crawford, I have a question." Luke knew what she wanted to ask, so he replied immediately, "You''ll have to regrlye over to check Old Man Rayne''s pulse and provide follow-up treatment. This is for your convenience." Luca nodded her head stiffly. Well, that exined it. That was very thoughtful of him. Wanda was satisfied with Luke''s arrangement. The maid had already finished preparing the dishes, and she called out to them for lunch. Wanda said, "Lunch is ready. Come on, let''s head to the dining room to have lunch." Luca and Luke stood up together at the same time. They were both in sync with each other. Wanda nced at them with a thoughtful look in her eyes. Then, she went upstairs to bring Old Man Rayne down to have lunch together. Chapter 1668 After Old Man Rayne went downstairs, the four of them sat together at the dining table. Old Man Rayne was smiling the entire time because of Luke''s arrival and Luca giving him hope. While they were eating, he talked about his experience living in Japan. Luca did not say much and just listened carefully. She had missed out on time with them, so when Old Man Rayne talked about the past, she listened carefully and remembered everything. After dinner, Luke sat with Luca for a while before deciding to leave. Luca did not say anything and left with him. After Wanda sent them off, she got back into the house. Old Man Rayne was drinking teafortably. "Have you seen them off?" Old Man Rayne asked. "Yeah." Wanda looked solemn. She sat on the sofa and refilled Old Man Rayne''s cup of tea. "Dad, I have something to say." Old Man Rayne noticed her serious expression and asked, "Do you want to talk about Ms. Craw?" Although Old Man Rayne was in poor health, he was still smart and could immediately tell what she was thinking. Wanda nodded and said, "Although Luke said that Ms. Craw''s medical skills are wonderful, I still think that thisrge amount of medication will affect your body. Maybe we should get the opinion of other doctors?" Old Man Rayne shook his head and said, "The other doctors were also rmended by Luke, and this doctor who''s helping me now is also rmended by Luke. Do you not trust Luke? Or rather, is it Ms. Craw you don''t trust?" Wanda stopped talking. She did not trust Luca. Although she felt like Luca was familiar at first nce, she still did not trust her. Old Man Rayne added, "Is it because she''s young? Wanda, you left for Japan with that man a long time ago and have gained a lot of experience. You must know that a person''s skill is not necessarily proportional to age." Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "I know, Dad. I''m just worried about your health," Wanda exined helplessly. "I believe in Luke, and I also believe in Ms. Craw. The first time I saw her, I got a familiar feeling as though I''d bumped into a rtive I hadn''t seen for a long time. Otherwise, why do you think I''m in such a good mood today? "Old Man Rayne winked at Wanda yfully. Despite his poor health, he was indeed in a good mood today. "Dad, uh..." Wanda was stunned. Luca did not talk to Old Man Rayne much but had already won him over. She knew it was not simply because of Luke. "I''m just an old man with half my foot in the coffin. There''s no way Ms. Craw would trick me," Old Man Rayne continued talking. Wanda had no other choice and said, "I don''t think Ms. Craw''s rtionship with Luke is normal. If she continues to treat you, they might get closer. Bea hasn''te back yet. I don''t want her to lose her husband when shees back." Old Man Rayne kept silent for a moment when Bianca was mentioned. Even if he was not biologically rted to Bianca, their rtionship of more than 20 years would not change because of that. "We should trust Luke," Old Man Rayne said. Wanda sighed. She had experience in such situations, so she could sense something even if it was minor. Just now when Luca and Luke were still here, Luke often looked at Luca. She had a bad premonition. "Don''t sigh. Even if there''s something between them, are we in a ce to stop them? Although we all hope that Bea is still alive, there has been no news for so many years. We should just let it be." Old Man Rayneforted her instead. "I know, Dad." Wanda could not take it easy, but she knew that there was nothing she could do. After all, Bianca had been missing for so long and Luke had a fake Bianca by his side. Although she heard that their rtionship was not the best, she and Old Man Rayne were not in the position to say anything. Wanda thought that Old Man Rayne seemed to really like Luca. She sighed, stood up, and said, "Dad, do you want to go upstairs?" Old Man Rayne put down the teacup, nodded, and said, "By the way, if you''re freeter, go to the pharmacy and buy those herbs back. I want to drink it as soon as possible and see how it goes.¡± "Okay." Wanda had no choice but to agree. ... On the other hand. Luca sat in the passenger seat and looked at the receding scenery outside the car window. She thought about it for a while and then thanked him. "Thank you." "What are you thanking me for?" Luke asked knowingly. Luca was at a loss for words. She was not sure how to reply. Should she say she was thanking him for bringing her to visit her grandfather? However, she was not Bianca. She was Luca, and the Rayne family were strangers to her. She made a random excuse to prevaricate. "Old Man Rayne''s health is not good and this disease is difficult to treat. I''m only 80 percent sure that I can treat this disease but with him bing my patient, I feel confident about treating this disease in the future. So, thank you." Luke listened to her prevarication. Instead of uncovering her lie, he said, "I''ve given you another case study?" Luca felt weird, nodded, and said, "Yes... I guess." She felt that something was wrong. Luke added, "You should be thanking me, then." "..." Luca did not expect that he would respond to ame reason as such and even be sarcastic about it. Seeing that she stopped talking, Luke said, "Actually, I should thank you. Old Man Rayne has been troubled by this disease for a long time. Sometimes, Johann would do home visits to check on him but his condition has not improved even with medication. At most, they just dy the effects of his disease. I believe his health will get better with you treating him." Luca replied with a hum. Just then, her phone rang. She nced and saw that Queenie was calling. She hesitated for a few seconds and eventually answered, "Hello, Mrs. Norman." Luke knew it was Queenie on the other end of the phone when he heard her. He slowed down the car. Luca sensed that the speed of the car was slowing down and looked at him on purpose. Luke continued to drive without saying anything. Queenie, who was on the other end of the phone, said anxiously, "Luca, where are you now?" "I''m out. What''s wrong?" Luca asked. "Can youe over to Norman Residence now? I have a situation." Queenie was crying. Luca nced at Luke. Leia was probably the only one who could make Queenie so anxious. She was afraid that Leia had done something wrong, damaged her body, and regretted it, which was why Queenie was so eager to look for her. Luke was still with her... ¡®Should I get off halfway and take a taxi to Norman Residence?'' Luca looked at Luke again and asked Queenie, "Take a deep breath and tell me what happened." Queenie looked at the half-dead Leia lying on the bed and could not hold back her tears. Chapter 1669 Luca heard Queenie''s cries, causing her heart to ache. She said softly, "Don''t cry. What''s the matter?" "It''s Leia. Leia''s illness has gotten worse." Queenie sniffled and said, "She didn''t follow your orders to take your medicine. She''s been secretly flushing your medicine down the toilet, choosing to take the medicine prescribed by another doctor instead. The other doctor''s medicine didn''t have the same effect and she ended up in bed, feeling ufortable. The family doctor came just now. He said that if things get worse, she''ll have to go to the hospital for extensive treatment so I''m hoping that you could do something to help.¡± The medicine that Luca previously prescribed to Leia was effective. Previously, the doctor sighed in front of them and said that the medicine was amazing. He then immediately discharged Leia from the hospital. After being discharged from the hospital, Jack Norman heard that it was Luca''s medicine that helped Leia, so he praised Luca and Leia got angry. She then secretly threw out the medicine but still pretended to have taken it. In the end, she became severely ill. When Luca heard that, she knew that the matter could be serious. If Leia''s condition got worse and she was not rescued in time, it might be life-threatening. She said, "I''m not free now. Can you take her to the hospital first?" When Queenie heard that Luca was not free, she wanted to plead with her. However, after she thought about it, Luca was her savior¡ªnot a rtive. On top of that, Leia had such a bad attitude toward Luca previously so it was natural that Luca would not help. "Luca, I know I''m pushing it," Queenie said. Luca wanted to exin that she was not turning Queenie down because she was being pushy. It was just that Luke was by her side right now and she was unsure of how to get rid of him. Moreover, for her to treat Leia, it would not just involve medicine. Needles were potentially needed as well. "No, Mrs. Norman. Send her to the hospital first and I''ll be thereter," Luca said. As soon as Queenie heard that Luca was willing toe, she quickly agreed and hung up the phone. She immediately made the necessary arrangements. Luca put the phone down. Luke asked, "The Norman family called?" "Um..." Luca did not choose to hide from him and just nodded helplessly. "The hospital? Who''s sick?" Luke asked. Luca was not sure what to say at that moment. She did not pay much attention earlier and casually named the other party so Luke knew who called the moment she answered the phone. Since she also mentioned the hospital, who should she say was sick? Jack? If Luke knew Jack was sick, he would most definitely follow her to the hospital to visit him... Should she be honest and mention Leia? The Norman family was still hiding the fact that she was back from Luke... Luca felt a headacheing on and knew that there was no right answer. "Just a friend." "A friend of the Norman family?" Luke asked. "Mm," Luca continued to lie. She had already told him a lot of lies anyway. "You don''t have to lie to me." Luke exposed her. It was ufortable to watch her deceive him for Leia. Bianca was horrible at lying. Luca blinked and was about to say something when she heard him say, "I know that Leia has returned to A City and you''ve been treating her." Luca was speechless. She did not expect him to be so direct. She said embarrassedly, "I''m sorry." "I sent Leia out of the country and I said that I would never let her return to A City. I know that she secretly came back. Do you know why I didn''t stop her and didn''t insist that she leave?" Luke asked while he was driving. Luca shook his head and said, "I don''t." "I didn''t send Leia back because my wife hasn''t been with Jack and Queenie for a long time. Although they haven''t said anything, I knew they were lonely, so I didn''t send Leia off," Luke said. "She''s going to be brought to the hospital now?" "Yes," Luca nodded. "You''re going to help her?" Luke continued to ask. "Yes. Mrs. Norman seems to be worried, so I''ll go take a look," Luca said. If it were not for Queenie, she would not be bothered with Leia at all. Leia had hurt her no less than Marie but Marie did not have anyone she cared about to speak up for her. Hence, she could choose to be heartless but Leia was different. She did not want to see Queenie worried about Leia. "I''ll take you there." Luke knew she was doing it for Queenie''s sake and did not say anything. "I have to go back to the apartment first. My tools are still there," Luca said. She did not turn him down. After all, he knew the truth and made it clear to her that he did. There was no point in lying to him. Moreover, with his help, she could reach the hospital faster. Luke nodded and drove her to her apartment. Luca grabbed her tools and went downstairs. Luke then drove her to the hospital. They arrived at the hospital parking lot. He did not seem to have any intention of getting out of the car. Luca looked at him and asked, "Mr. Crawford, aren''t you going to get out of the car?" "They don''t want to see me," Luke said. If he showed up in front of Queenie, it would only cause her to panic and worry about how to cover up, so he did not n to get out of the car. "Don''t let them know that I know Leia is back. She''s vicious. If Queenie and Jack still think that I don''t know about it, they''ll trap her at home and keep her from going out. But if they learn that I already know about Leia, Leia would have no reason to stay at home. She''ll cause a lot of drama. " "Okay." Luca thought that what he said made sense. Based on what she knew about Leia''s temperament, it was best for her to be locked up at home. After all, Jack''s status was higher than before. The higher the tree, the stronger the wind. If Leia went out in public, something might happen and Jack would be implicated. "In that case, you can go back now. I''ll take a taxi hometer," Luca said. "It''s okay, I''ll wait for you here." Luke did not intend to leave. "It may take some time..." Luca was not sure what was going on inside nor if Leia''s condition was serious. "It''s okay. Go. She probably won''tst long," Luke said. Johann had just sent him a text saying that Leia was in the hospital again and she was in bad condition. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Luca nodded, got out of the car, and headed upstairs. She asked Queenie which ward she was in. Queenie said that Leia was still in the emergency room. She was familiar with the hospital''syout, so she walked directly to the emergency room. When she arrived at the emergency room, she saw Queenie sitting on a chair and wiping tears silently. "Mrs. Norman." Luca''s heart throbbed. She could not bear to see her rtives sad. It had happened twice today and she was exhausted. When Queenie saw Luca, it was as if she had seen her only ray of hope. She went over to her and grabbed her hand. "Luca, everything is our fault. Please save Leia." Luca''s heart throbbed even more as she listened to Queenie ming Leia''s illness on herself. Perhaps it was because of her kindness that Leia grew up and became like this. Queenie was responsible, but the me was not entirely on her. Chapter 1670 Luca nced at the sign that was still lit up in the emergency room. She asked, "Is Ms. Norman in there?" "Yes. After she was sent to the hospital, the doctor sent her here and asked us to wait. They haven''t come out since and no doctor has told me what''s happening inside. Luca, please save her..." Not many were allowed to enter the hospital''s emergency room, including Luca. Queenie said what she said out of panic. Luca reassured her, saying, "Mrs. Norman, you have to trust the doctors. They''re saving Ms. Norman''s life now. If I go in, it may disrupt their work. Let''s wait until the doctores out to find out what''s happening." Her voice had the ability to calm Queenie, who wiped her tears and nodded. "Okay, okay. I''ll wait here." Luca sat with her on the bench in the hallway and waited. Queenie was still worried. She sped her hands together and recited the Bible in a soft voice to pray for Leia. Luca noticed it but she was helpless in this situation. 15 minutester, the doctor came out and the nurse asked, "Who''s Leia Norman''s family?" Queenie stood up immediately and said, "I''m Leia''s mother. Doctor, how is my daughter doing?" The doctor took off their mask and said with a serious expression, "The patient is not doing well. She needs to be admitted to the hospital for treatment." Queenie staggered when she heard that. Luca was attentive and immediately gave her a hand. "Mrs. Norman, be careful." Queenie shook her head and continued to ask the doctor, "Doctor, what do you mean by that Is my daughter''s life in danger?" "Based on the records you''ve provided, she has been on medication but those medicines had no effect on her. This resulted in the aggravation of her organ failure, so now, she needs to be hospitalized and be on 24-hour monitoring. If the situation takes a turn for the worse, we''ll make a judgment call. If necessary, we''ll highlight her situation to the management and put her in the queue for an organ transnt," the doctor said. Queenie understood that an organ transnt could help Leia but the legal route might take a long time. Some waited until the end of their lives but still could not obtain the organs they needed. Considering Jack''s status, even if they had the money, they could not get these organs through other channels. The doctor''s words were undoubtedly a death sentence for Leia. Queenie held Luca''s hand tightly and said, "Doctor, let Luca take a look. Maybe she can help my daughter." Luca wanted to say that she could not help with much. At most, she could use dry needling to relieve Leia''s pain. However, Queenie saw Luca as Leia''s savior. The doctor looked at Luca and asked, "Are you also a doctor? Which hospital or clinic are you from?" Luca shook her head. She did not have a medical license, so she did not consider herself a doctor. She exined helplessly, "I''m not a doctor." Property ? N?velDrama.Org. "If you''re not a doctor, aren''t you making a fool of yourself by saying that you want to save her?" The doctor scolded Luca, thinking that Luca was a conwoman. He had seen too many of such cases in the hospital. When the surgery, or other medical methods, were no effective, patients would panic and go to anyone who imed that they could help. Scammers as such would only dy the patient''s treatment. Luca exined, "I''m not a conwoman. Can I go in and visit the patient?" "You can''t enter the emergency room as you please. The family members have to go through the admission procedures, then we''ll send the patient to the ward. You''re not allowed to fool around even after she''s in the ward. If something happens, the hospital will not be responsible,¡± the doctor warned her. Luca shot Queenie a helpless look, but she only looked back at Luca with pleading eyes. "If something happens, we''ll take responsibility." Luca could not resist the pleading in her eyes, so she gritted her teeth and said directly. Although she was not 100% sure that she could help much, at least she would not worsen Leia''s condition. The doctor said disdainfully when he heard Luca''s response, "Can you guarantee it? You''re not a doctor. If you insist on doing things your way, I''ll prepare a document for you to sign off on and the family will bring the patient home. As long as you''re not in the hospital, you can do what you want. However, if you''re in the hospital, it''s still my responsibility if something goes wrong even if you''ve given your guarantee prior. I''m unwilling to bear that responsibility." What he said was true. There were many medical disputes, so doctors had to do what they needed to. Luca said, "Please give me a moment." The doctor looked at her and frowned. ''This woman doesn''t look like a conwoman. How can she still do such a deceitful thing?'' Luca did not have the time to take into ount the doctor''s sharp gaze. She said, "We can''t continue to hide the truth." Queenie was stunned, not knowing what she meant. "Luca, what do you mean by that?" "We need a doctor here for me to help Leia but I only know Dr. Park," Luca said. "Dr. Park..." Queenie knew Johann but she was reluctant. That was because Johann was Luke''s best friend. If he knew Leia was back, he would tell Luke. Seeing that she hesitated, Luca persuaded her. "I can only enter if Dr. Parkes. Don''t think about anything else right now. We have to save her." Queenie was persuaded by her. Indeed, saving Leia was the most important thing at that moment. She was not willing to continue lying and hide Leia''s whereabouts, which would only make her suffer. "Okay, get in touch with him and have him deal with it." She agreed to Luca''s proposal. Luca immediately contacted Johann. She exined the matter clearly in a few sentences. The ER doctor was dumbfounded. ''This conwoman knows the renowned Dr. Park in our hospital? It couldn''t be?'' After a while, Johann arrived at the emergency room. He had just finished an operation and came before taking off the surgical gown. "Dr. Craw, what''s going on?" he asked. Luca said, "Leia is in the emergency room. I want to go in and treat her with dry needling but the doctor is afraid of taking responsibility, so I want to ask you for help." Johann nced at the ER doctor next to him, nodded to greet him, and said, "Dr. Craw''s skills are amazing. Let her go in to see the patient''s condition. Maybe she can help the patient." "But she''s not a doctor. It''s against the rules to do this, Dr. Park." The ER doctor was stunned but still did not dare to agree with their request. Johann was speaking up on their behalf but if something happened, the unlucky person who would be responsible was him. "If something goes wrong with the patient because of Dr. Craw''s treatment, I''ll take the responsibility for it." Johann had seen Luca''s capabilities a few times prior, so he believed in her skills. Seeing this, the ER doctor nodded and agreed. Luca appreciated Johann''s approval of her. She nodded and said, "Thank you." Chapter 1671 "Enough with the chit-chat. Go in quickly. Time is of the essence." Johann already knew that Leia was back. He was, however, surprised that she was brought to the hospital again. Previously, her attending doctor told her that her condition was much better after she took Luca and his medicine together. However... Johann believed that this matter had nothing to do with Luca. Maybe Leia did something that led to the current situation. After all, this woman was something else when it came to causing trouble to others. Johann had seen a lot of dry needling treatments but he noticed that they could not make the patient better at once. After all, it was more of a long-term treatment. Even so, Luca''s dry needling skills seemed to be more miraculous than others. Her treatments seemed to work just fine. As she walked in, Johann said, "Dr. Craw, can I go in and watch as you perform dry needling?" Luca was stunned but nodded and responded, "Not an issue." Johann followed behind her. Queenie watched the two walk in but still felt very anxious. She also wanted to go in to check on Leia, but she was afraid that she would cause trouble by doing so. Luca walked in and saw Leia lying on the bed. She seemed to have lost consciousness. She did not open her eyes even when others came in and out. At the same time, her body was full of tubes. The machine was ticking to show her current physical condition. She could tell that the doctor and nurses had given Leia first aid in a race against time. Luca exchanged nces with Johann and pushed a cart over. She cleared the medical equipment on it and took out a set of dry needling tools from her backpack. Johann looked at her tools and thought that they looked a little different from the dry needling tools on the market. He could tell that her tools were not for one-time use. He did not say anything because he trusted Luca, so he just observed her next move. Luca meticulously sterilized the needles one by one as she exined, "I''ll sterilize these needles before they''re used. They''re clean." "Mm," Johann nodded and replied, "I know some experienced practitioners would have a set of spare needles with them. When they see ordinary patients, they''ll use those disposable needles that can be found in the market for treatment but in some special cases, they''ll use their own set of needles." "To skilled practitioners, needles have souls," Luca said. In ancient times, needles were a tool to save people. Back then, everything was monotonous and could not bepared to how much dry needling had since advanced. Although this treatment was monotonous, it was useful. Luca spoke as she finished sterilizing all the needles. When a needle was about to be pricked into Leia''s flesh, the ER doctor standing outside the door came in and looked at the situation inside. he stuttered, "Uh, can Ie in to observe?" "Yes but you''re not allowed to speak," Johann replied on Luca''s behalf. Luca nodded, looked at the two of them, and said, "Doctors don''t see gender, right?" "No, it''s all the same." Johann knew what she meant. Luca first checked Leia''s pulse, then took a look at her facial features. Finally, she undressed her. She pressed on the important weak points and carefully observed Leia''s expression. When she pressed on some of the weak points, Leia''s expression would change slightly. Her brows would wrinkle. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca would tell what was happening from these slight changes in her expression. Johann was not well versed in dry needling but he had a basic understanding of the weak points on the body. He looked at the ces where Luca pressed and thought that a few were not the weak points he knew... Nevertheless, her movements made Leia react. ¡®Could it be that these are special spots?'' After Luca thought about it, she started treating Leia. When the long needle was inserted into Leia''s body, the experienced Johann could not help but feel a little pain. The needle was so long... Luca inserted the needles one by one. Leia did not cry out, possibly because she was in aa. Johann watched her prick the needles into Leia''s head after she pricked the needles at a few important weak points on Leia''s body. The ER doctor could not sit still. It was important to know that there were many weak points on the head. If the needle was positioned wrongly, it would endanger the patient. He took a step forward and intended to remind Luca but Johann shot a nce at him. He shook his head, signaling him not to fool around. The ER doctor had to hold back the thought. Luca inserted the needles carefully. She knew that if she made a mistake, the damage might be irreparable. Hence, she was extra careful when doing this. Finally, after three needles were pricked into the top of Leia''s head, she then inserted needles into Leia''s lower body. The whole process took 20 minutes. Luca breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I assume you drew some blood for a test when she was admitted? When will the report be ready?" "Her situation is urgent so the process has been expedited. We''ll likely get the results in a while," the ER doctor said. Luca nodded, "We''ll wait, then." Johann touched his chin. After Luca finished the treatment, he was able to ask the question in his heart. "Uh, Dr. Craw, what weak point does this needle correspond to? I don''t seem to have seen this weak point before?" "There are so many weak points in the human body. After so many years, some omissions are normal. What do you think, Dr. Park?" Luca did not give a straight answer. As she learned it from Shanks, others would not be able to acquire this knowledge anywhere else. Johann realized that Luca was unwilling to share, so he nodded and said, "That''s a fair point. I see that the patient''s heart rate has also increased. Your treatment is having good effects on the patient.¡± Luca took a look at the machine and found that Leia''s indicators were indeed much better than before. "Yeah but it also could be because of the medicine that was used when they were rescuing her," she said, unwilling to take all the credit to herself. Johann smiled. After a while, Leia''s blood test report was sent over. The ER doctor hurriedly pulled the blood test results from the day Leia was discharged from the hospital on the tablet. Hepared the two reports and frowned. "Her indicators have dropped a lot but because it was discovered early, her condition has not yet reached the point where it''s possible to put her in the queue for an organ transnt." Luca nced at Leia. She understood that it meant that her body had gotten worse, but it was not the worst that it could be. "This... shouldn''t be. Wasn''t she recuperating well after she took Luca and the other doctor''s medicine?" Johann said. Luca exined in a neutral tone, "Mrs. Norman said that after she returned home, she had been secretly dumping my medicine down the drain. She had only been taking the other doctor''s medicine." Johann understood the situation. "No wonder. She had a chance to get better but s. She asked for it." Luca sighed and said, "By the way, Dr. Park, when Mrs. Norman talks to youter, can you agree to her requests?" Chapter 1672 Johann nced at Luca, understood the situation, and said, "Don''t worry. As doctors, we''ll protect the privacy of patients. The privacy measures requested by the patient''s family will be adhered to strictly." Luca listened to his serious tone but knew that what he just said could not be trusted. After all, he reported everything to Luke. However, Johann''s medical skills and ethics could still be trusted. Luca nced at the time and felt that it was almost time. She pulled the needles from Leia''s body, then carefully sterilized them and put them back into her kit. When she was done, she helped Leia button up her clothes so that she would not be embarrassed when she woke up. "When will she wake up?" Johann asked. The ER doctor thought she was asking him, so he quickly replied, "Her situation is a little serious, so it''s hard to say. The earliest will be around half a day." Luca shook her head and said, "It won''t take that long. She''ll wake up within half an hour." The ER doctor was shocked and responded, "Are you sure?" Luca saw the disinfectant hanging on the wall, walked over, and squeezed out some. She washed her hands and said, "I''m sure. Her indicators have stabilized now and her situation is not too critical. After dry needling, she''ll wake up soon." The ER doctor nodded. Indeed, the equipment showed that Leia was getting better. After Luca washed her hands, she nced at the instrument and said, "If it''s possible, she should be hospitalized now so that her condition can stabilize. After that, you can approve her discharge from the hospital." Seeing that Leia''s condition had improved, the ER doctor nodded and went out to arrange for her to be hospitalized. Johann sighed and said, "Dr. Craw, you''ve surprised me once again. You made her feel better just by using a few needles." "Unfortunately, I can''t cure her." There was some frustration in Luca''s tone. She was not upset because she could not cure Leia but because Queenie was the one who was affected when Leia''s health was poor. Luca wanted to protect Queenie but she could not heal Leia... "At the current stage, there''s no way to cure her. Even if she goes for an organ transnt in the future, she would still have to take anti-rejection drugs for life. It''s good enough that she can stay alive," Johann said. Luca nodded. That was true. She considered it a win that Leia was alive. She rpsed and her condition got worse but it was not the worst it could get... "She still needs to take my concoction to condition her body. It may be because she took too much of the other doctor''s medicine, so her body became desensitized to the ingredients,¡± Luca said. "I agree," Johann nodded. Luca picked up the phone, wrote a prescription, and sent it to Johann via text. "I remember that the hospital has a decoction service, right? Get someone to prepare this prescription. When she wakes up, she can drink it." "I''ll do it now." The hospital had more than enough herbs. On top of that, the herbs that Luca listed were not hard to find, so he made the necessary arrangements immediately. Luca nced at the time. Almost two hours had passed since she arrived, waited for Leia''s first aid to end, and then treated her. She thought of Luke. Two hours had passed. Was he still waiting for her in the parking lot? Luca could not bear to keep him waiting for too long, so she said, "Dr. Park, Leia''s situation should be stable now. If all is well, I think..." "You want to leave, don''t you?" Johann responded. "Go ahead. Luke''s still waiting for you in the underground parking lot. Don''t make him wait too long. You know that he doesn''t have much patience." Luca was stunned that Johann knew that Luke was in the underground parking lot. Luke did not have much patience when it came to waiting for others, other than when he waited for her former self... "Don''t look at me like that. After you called me, I told Luke about it. You know that I''ll tell him anything about the Norman family," Johann exined. Luca understood what he meant. She nodded and nced at Leia. Fortunately, she had not woken up yet. If she woke up and found out that Luke had learned of her return to A City, she would be terrified. If Leia received a scare in her current state, she would most definitely fall into aa. "I''ll leave her to you. I''ll head off now," Luca said. "Mm." Johann frowned after he nced at Leia, who was on the hospital bed. As a doctor, it was his duty to save patients but he was a little unwilling to take care of such an annoying patient. After all, she made such a fuss and refused to take her medicine. All the efforts of the medical staff, as well as the medical equipment they used when examining and treating her, were wasted. He touched his chin and wondered in his heart how one could be so troublesome. Just as Luca walked out of the emergency room, Queenie immediately stood up and stepped forward. She looked nervous as she asked, "Luca, the doctor came out just now and said he was going to hospitalize Leia. What happened?" Luca immediately reassured her, saying, "Ms. Norman''s condition is much better now but she has to be hospitalized because of the onset of the illness. She''ll be able to leave the hospital after the drug has taken effect and all her indicators have reached normal levels." When Queenie heard that Leia was doing much better, she breathed a sigh of relief and followed after her. "I''m d to hear that." "Aunt Queenie, she''s okay for the time being but you still have to take good care of her. I''ve written another prescription based on her current condition. She can''t be stubborn and stop taking the medicine anymore." Luca reminded her. Although she did not like Leia, as a health care personnel, she did not want her efforts to be wasted. The set of needles in her hand was custom-made for her by Shanks. It was designed ording to her fingers so that when she worked with the needles, she would have the best hand feel. "Don''t worry. I''ll watch her take her medicine this time!" Queenie assured her.N?velDrama.Org owns this. Luca nodded and replied, "I''ve already handed the prescription to Dr. Park. I still have something to do, so I have to leave first. If anything happens, just call me." "Luca..." Queenie looked at her face. Luca nodded. "Anything else?" "Is your face feeling better?" Queenie asked. She knew that Luca was injured. After all, the police''s announcement and the news of the incident had caused a bit of a stir. How could she not know? However, she did not choose to visit her because she thought of Bianca. The police stated that the reason why the kidnappers targeted Luca was to threaten Luke to give up the project, which meant that she was very important to Luke. Everything was different from what Luke had promised. Luca being by his side made her a lot more suspicious. Chapter 1673 When Queenie thought about how Luca might take Bianca''s ce and that her darling daughter might lose the man she loved, Queenie strongly suppressed the idea of visiting Luca even though she took pity on her after learning Luca was injured and hospitalized. She did not visit her for all the reasons mentioned. N?velDrama.Org owns this. "I''m fine." Luca listened to her concern and remembered that when she was hospitalized, she had hoped that Queenie woulde to visit her. However, who was she to ask Queenie to visit her? Everything was in her head. A warm current rushed through her heart now that Queenie expressed her care for her. She was caring for her... "You''re fine? Your face still looks a little swollen. Are you sure you''re okay?" Queenie looked into Luca''s eyes, which she had always found familiar. Luca was doing her best to help Leia but she thought about Luca as the enemy before this and did not even go to visit her when she was hospitalized. Queenie felt guilty. She should not have done that. Luca did not want these things to happen either. Maybe she had nothing to do with Luke and the kidnappers just made a random decision to kidnap her. "I''m fine. The swelling will bepletely gone in two days," Luca said. Queenie nodded. The ER doctor approached, so they stopped talking. Luca listened to their conversation for a while before turning around to leave. After the ER doctor exined everything, he looked at Luca''s back and sighed. "Where did you find such a talent? She seems very skilled." Queenie looked at Luca and said, "She''s very capable and treated me as well. She just appeared out of thin air and saved my life. Without her, I might be lying in bed waiting to die. " The ER doctor looked at Queenie. ¡®Waiting to die?'' She looked healthy and did not seem like someone who was seriously ill before this. Luca took the elevator to the underground parking lot. She found Luke''s car from memory. As expected, he had not left and was leaning on the car door, smoking a cigarette. Whenever he smoked, it was mostly because he was troubled. Luca wondered what was bothering him. She walked over and said, "Mr. Crawford." When Luke saw her, he put out the cigarette with his fingers and threw it into the trash can next to him. When she saw that, Luca frowned slightly and reminded him. "You can hurt yourself easily by doing that." "It''s okay," Luke said. He looked at her and asked, "Are you done with what you came here to do?" "Yes." Luca nced at his finger. It seemed to be a momentary thing, and the lit cigarette did not hurt him. It seemed that everything was indeed okay. The Luke she remembered did not snuff out cigarettes this way. How savage... "Let''s go, then." Luke walked around the front of the car and went to open the passenger door for Luca. She leaned over and noticed that Luke''s hand was covering the roof as though he was afraid that her head might hit it. He was not a gentleman to everyone. Luca realized more and more that he was treating her differently. Could it be that Luke was really interested in her? Luca''s mood was mixed. She buckled her seat belt as if nothing had happened. Luke closed the car door, went around the front of the car, and got into the driver''s seat. He fastened his seat belt and asked, "How is Leia?" "There''s no major problem after we rescued her," Luca replied. "Does she need an organ transnt?" Luke asked. When Johann mentioned Leia''s condition to him, he had mentioned something. Otherwise, he would not know so much. "Dr. Park didn''t tell you?" Luca looked at him. Luke was not bothered that he was exposed. His expression did not change one bit as he said, "He doesn''t tell me everything. He tells me some things when he thinks I need to know about them.¡± Luca responded and nodded before falling deep in thought. She knew that Luke had his intelligencework in A City and the personnel involved in these intelligenceworks were from all walks of life. Johann was one of them. The only difference was that his rtionship with Johann was more of a friendshippared to his rtionship with the other intelligence personnel. Luca added, "Her condition has gotten much worse but she has yet reached the point of needing an organ transnt. There''s a shortage of organs, so doctors won''t put her on the list just yet." "Will she feel much better after getting an organ transnt?" Luke asked as he drove out of the hospital. "Yeah. Even if she''ll have to take medicine for a long time, it''ll be much better than the current situation. However, there are more who desperately need an organ transnt." Luca sighed. Luke thought of the ck market. It seemed necessary to have his men keep watch so that Leia would not have the opportunity to make a wrong move. She was a selfish person and cared for no one but herself. She might obtain the organs she needed by disgraceful means without regard for Jack Norman''s future. As such, he had to keep a close eye. Luca noticed Luke''s frown and asked, "You seem to be thinking about something..." "I was thinking about Leia." Luke did not hide it. After all, there was nothing to hide. "When a person is ill and desperate, will she do something she knows is illegal just to feel better?¡± Luca looked out the window and was silent for half a minute. "Are you talking about Leia?" "Yeah. Now that she''s so severely sick, she may reach out to the ck market. It''s okay if she doesn''t get caught, but if the public finds out, it''s her father who''ll be in trouble," Luke said. Instead of going through the proper and legal channels, many of the rich would opt to buy organs from the ck market when they fell ill. As long as one had the money, they would have ess to any organs they wanted. Although it was expensive, it was much faster than being on the organ transnt list. They would do the transnt in private clinics and no one would ever find out. However, Leia was different. Everyone in A City knew her and considering that Jack was in a high position in the government, many eyes were on them. Therefore, if Leia did something, it was very likely that others would find out about it and it was Jack who would be implicated. Luke thought to herself that he would not allow Leia to make a wrong move. Such a thing could not happen. "Yeah, the Norman family is being watched by countless people," Luca said. Jack was clean. Logically speaking, he should have no enemies. However, the situation was slightly different. The more honest people were, the more they might offend others. Many people were waiting for him to fail. If Jack fell, it was not as simple as him losing his job. He was likely to face prison time. At the same time, T Corporation and the Crawford family would also be affected. Jack''s future could not afford to be ruined by Leia. "I''ll talk to them when I''m free," Luke said. He was not worried about Jack, but rather, he was worried that Queenie would condone Leia illegally buying organs for a transnt because she did not want to see her daughter suffer. Chapter 1674 Luca nodded. She was relieved that Luke was going to have a chat with Jack and Queenie. After all, Leia did not have the money to buy the organs she needed from the ck market. She was only worried that Queenie would not want to see Leia suffer and give her the money to do so. If she did that, Jack would be impacted badly. After Luke drove Luca back to the apartment, he received a call from Jason and hurried back to the company to deal with work. Luca returned to the apartment and turned on the TV. The economic segment happened to be ying. She opened the refrigerator and heard the news that Pierre''spany was in the final stages of signing a contract to coborate with a well-known foreignpany. Economists pointed out that if this partnership was sessful, Pierre''spany would be one of the top tenpanies in A City at record speed that many young entrepreneurs could not even hope of achieving. Luca frowned when she heard what the economists said. She picked up the phone and searched for the overseaspany that Pierre was going to partner with. She found it odd after she read about it. It was not a well-knownpany but its capital was surprisingly strong. She read further, and the corners of her mouth twitched when she saw the corporate legal person shown on the webpage. Abel was making a move. Based on the current situation, Abel had already roped in Pierre. If the partnership was sessful, Pierre''spany would go close to bankruptcy. When she thought about how Pierre treated her prior, she swore to herself that she would not let him off easy! Luca thought that to herself and switched off the TV. In the hospital. Leia opened her eyes slowly, not knowing what was going on. When Queenie saw Leia wake up, she immediately rushed forward and asked with concern, "Leia, how are you feeling now?" Leia looked at her mother and remembered that she had fainted. She asked weakly, "I''m in the hospital?" "Yeah, you fainted at home from pain, so I sent you to the hospital. I''m d you''ve woken up. You scared me..." Queenie wiped her tears as she spoke. She only had one daughter by her side now, so Leia was especially precious to her. Leia nced around and saw that she was indeed in a hospital. There was monitoring equipment by the bedside. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Her tone was furious as she shouted, "Why did you send me to the hospital? Didn''t you ask Luca to come over?" "You had already passed out. I was worried, so I sent you to the hospital. Luca couldn''t rush over in time. She suggested that I send you to the hospital and I went with her suggestion," Queenie exined. She did not mind Leia''s aggressive tone after considering the difort she was in. "I don''t want to stay in the hospital. Ask her toe over to our ce. After all, I won''t die from this illness right now." Leia knew that she fell ill because she did not take Bianca''s medicine. Even if she was not a big fan of Luca, she had to admit that she was indeed capable. Therefore, she thought that as long as Luca was willing to save her, she would be fine. "Luca came to the hospital and treated you with dry needling. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have woken up so soon." Queenie knew Leia had misunderstood Luca. Luca helped her time and again, so she could not bear to see Leia continue to use her. Leia snorted coldly and said, "Do you believe in everything she says? If she had really treated me, I wouldn''t have to stay in this horrible hospital." Johann walked in from outside the ward and said, "Ms. Norman, if you''re not satisfied with our hospital, you can go through the discharge procedures any time. But in your current situation, if you remove the instrument and needles, you may not even be able to make it to the elevator.¡± Leia opened her mouth in surprise when she saw Johann. She looked at Queenie and uttered, "How did he get in?" "Leia, your primary doctor is Dr. Park. He''s an expert in this area. Enough with the nonsense." If she were not worried that Johann would tip off Luke, she also hoped that he would treat Leia. After all, Johann was famous in A City and even in the whole country. Many wealthy businessmen from other cities sought him for surgery and medical treatment. They had to book him months in advance even if they were loaded. "Mom, he''s..." Leia thought of Luke and did not continue talking. He was Luke''s friend. Now that he saw her, did it mean that Luke knew that she was back in A City? In that case, she would have to be sent back to New York. Leia did not want to leave. The panic and worry in her eyes grew. Queenie knew what she was afraid of, so she immediately reassured Leia. "Don''t worry, I''ve signed a doctor-patient confidentiality agreement with Dr. Park. He won''t say anything." Leia was still frightened and said, "Even if you''ve signed an agreement with him, he''ll still tell him. When that happens, he will definitely send me back to New York! Mom, I don''t want to go back to New York. I want to stay by your side. When I feel better, I can take good care of you and Dad." Johann heard her and restrained his smile, pretending to be serious as he said, "Ms. Norman, although I don''t know who you''re talking about, do put your trust in me. I''m a doctor with ethics. Once the patient has signed an agreement, I''ll oblige by it. I will never disclose your condition to those who are irrelevant." Hearing this, Leia looked at him suspiciously. Johann reassured her. "I''m a man of integrity. Plus, I''ve signed an agreement." He would not have to tell Luke anything because he already knew about Leia''s situation. There was not much for him to say. Leia heard him and reluctantly chose to believe him. Although Johann was Luke''s friend, his medical skills were out of this world. Seeing that she no longer questioned him, Johann went straight into the topic. "Ms. Norman, the results of your blood test and other tests havee out. Afterparing your current indicators with your test results from yourst visit, we found that your condition is much worse. I heard that you stopped taking the herbal concoction without authorization and only took the medicine, right? It seems that the medicine isn''t very effective in managing your condition. I would still rmend that you take the herbal concoction." "Herbal concoction?" Leia remembered the concoction that Luca had prescribed to her before. After she took it, her condition was indeed much more stable, but at that time, she was arrogant and thought it was because of the medicine. She felt a little regretful. She should not have stopped taking the herbal concoction just because she was angry. If she had taken it, she might not have ended up in the hospital again. Leia said weakly, "Did you prescribe the concoction?" "No, it''s the prescription prepared by Dr. Craw," Johann said. "The hospital has prepared the concoction based on the prescription. When it''s ready, we''ll send it over to your ward. You should drink it while it''s hot." When Leia heard that Luca had prescribed the concoction, she did notment on it. She asked again, "My health is much worse now, isn''t it?" "Yes," Johann nodded. "The nurse will put all the reports in your medical record in a moment and send them over." Chapter 1675 Leia did not care about her body¡¯s indicators because she did not understand the reports. All she could think about was whether she could go for a transnt. After she found out that she was ill, she started her research and found a lot of information. Many data showed that those who were like her in theter stage of the disease would usually choose to go for a transnt operation to save their lives. In modern science, such transnt operations had been done many times. Most patients could survive. As such, Leia nned to go forward with this n. After Johann finished exining, she asked, "Dr. Park, I''m in such poor health now. Can I join the queue for an organ transnt?" Johann was startled. ¡®She wants to wait for an organ transnt?¡¯ "Yes, Dr. Park. I know that many patients can lead normal lives again after going for a transnt. Leia is still so young, and it¡¯s sad that this disease will trouble her for the rest of her life. Can you put her in line for an organ transnt? That¡¯ll give her a chance of having a morefortable life," Queenie chimed in. Johann refused, saying, "Our country''s medical system has certain evaluation standards for patients waiting for organ transnts. Based on Ms. Norman''s current situation, although her indicators are not the best, as long as she takes her medicine and recuperates, the symptoms can still be managed. She doesn¡¯t meet the requirements." Leia was disappointed when she heard that. If she could not go for an organ transnt, she had to take medicine for the rest of her life. She had to take such a bitter concoction every day and would not be allowed to go anywhere. She could not drink nor travel... An idea popped up in her mind when she heard Johann say that she did not qualify to wait for a transnt in her current situation. Queenie asked, "Is there no other way?" "Actually, a transnt is used as ast resort when there¡¯s no other way. Although the operation is common in the domestic medical field, there are still plenty of various situations that can ur. As long as the treatment is followed through, Ms. Norman can still live like a normal person. Don''t overthink it. I''ll do my best to help you," Johann said. He saw Leia''s wandering eyes as though she was thinking about something. He was suspicious about what she was thinking about at this moment since Luke had reminded him about it prior. However, he did not expect her to want to go for a transnt. After Johann left, Leia sat up and looked at the machine on the bedside, then at the needle on the back of her hand. She made a decision that she could not live like this for the rest of her life! She took Queenie''s hand and burst into tears. Queenie was overwhelmed by her cries. She held her in her arms as her heart ached. Sheforted Leia in a soft voice, saying, "Okay, don''t cry. Everything will be fine. If you keep crying like this, I''ll be sad too." Leia''s voice was hoarse, and she said with tears in her eyes, "Mom, why is fate so unfair to me? The man I like doesn''t like me and bad things keep happening to me. In the end, I was exiled abroad. Others think that I lived a morous life abroad, but that wasn''t the case at all. The living expenses Dad gave me weren¡¯t enough for me in New York so I had to work part-time day and night. My body was ruined because of that. The doctor said that I can¡¯t be cured. I''m a good-for-nothing. What''s the point, then? It''s better for me to die!" Property ? N?velDrama.Org. When Queenie heard that, she immediately reassured her. "Leia, don''t say that. I¡¯ll help you find a way. I won''t let you live like this for the rest of your life. Don''t worry, I¡¯ll definitely find the best doctor to treat you." "Mom, do you really want me to recover?" Leia raised her gaze and looked at Queenie with tears in her eyes. She was an actress. Even though she had retired for many years, she could still act. At that moment, she wanted Queenie to promise to help find her a suitable organ. Hence, she pretended to be miserable. "Yeah, as your mother, how can I let you suffer? You¡¯re my precious daughter. Don''t worry. Even if I have to travel all over the country, I¡¯ll find a way to cure you." Queenie took out a tissue and slowly wiped her tears. Seeing that Queenie was distressed, Leia felt a little bad. Since she had achieved her goal, she said, "I have a friend who said that human organs are sold on the ck market and can be bought as long as you have the money. I was in New York for the past few years. All the money I earned there was used to support my day to day and I have no extra money to buy organs for my surgery. I have to get better soon and work to earn money so that I can afford the organs I need.¡± Queenie listened to her n with a shocked expression. ''She wants to buy organs on the ck market for a transnt?¡¯ Although she was not familiar with thew, she knew that ck market transactions were not allowed in the country. However, the profits were tempting, so even if there were various crackdowns and bans, there were still people who were willing to take risks to make a profit. "Leia, it''s illegal." Queenie reminded her. Tears fell from Leia''s eyes again as she uttered, "I know, but I have no other choice." "Your father will suffer if you go through with this n." Queenie thought of Jack, who had always been law-abiding and honest. If others found out that Leia illegally bought organs on the ck market, he would definitely suffer the consequences. "I know, Mom. You don''t have to worry about this. I don''t n to use Dad''s money, so even if someone finds out, Dad won''t be implicated. I need to take care of my body and then go back to work to earn money. Don''t worry, I¡¯ll be strong." Leia changed her tactics and tried to confuse Queenie into thinking that she did not want to drag the Norman family or Jack down. Although she had wronged Queenie and the Norman family before, Queenie still loved her all the same. Naturally, she did not want to see Leia suffer. Queenie sighed. ''How can I let Leia suffer?'' Disregarding the part where she could drag their family down, Leia would face difficulties in finding a job in her current situation. Furthermore, there was also Luke to take into consideration...'' "Don''t overthink this. I''ll help you find a way," Queenie said. Seeing that Queenie had been sucked into her ploy, Leia lowered her gaze and shed a smug look... "No need, Mom. This is my body. I''m grateful enough that you raised me for thest 20 plus years. Now that I''m all grown up, I should be responsible for my actions. You don''t have to help me; I''ll help myself." Leia still objected as she knew that the more she objected, the more Queenie would be reluctant to see her be in pain. Queenie shook her head and patted Leia''s head. Although they were not rted by blood, she still loved her very much. "Let''s not talk about this for now. The most important thing now is to improve your indicators so you can go home to recuperate." She soothed Leia with worried eyes. Although she felt that it was wrong to buy organs from the ck market, she was struggling internally with the matter. If they were careful, perhaps it would not be impossible. The Norman family was not short of money. Leia was sick, and the most important thing was to find a cure for her. Chapter 1676 On the other hand. Luke got two calls when he was dealing with urgentpany matters. One of the calls was from Johann, who told him that Leia had the idea of illegally buying organs from the ck market. The other call was from Allison''swyer. He received a notice confirming that Allison would be released from prison next Monday. Theing Monday was four days from then. Four dayster, Allison would be released from prison. In her current situation, she would definitely cause trouble when she returned to Crawford Manor. Luke hung up after he told thewyer that he would arrange for someone to pick her up from prison. He called Johann after and asked, "Do you have any good stic surgeons to rmend?" Johann knew who he was asking for and immediately said, "The best has already said that your mother''s face can''t be fixed with surgery. There¡¯s no way to cure her even if we can get a good doctor. If someone says she can be cured, he or she must be a swashbuckling liar." Luke was silent. Allison had been using Luca¡¯s concoction. Thewyer conveyed her words and told Luke that the herbal medicine did help her face but it could not smooth the wrinkles. Even though there were no new creases, Allison was still not satisfied. They all knew that Allison''s face could not be saved, so she was stirring things up because she refused to ept the fact... Luke hung up the phone and wondered what kind of arrangement he should make for Allison so that she would not cause any more trouble when she got out of prison. That was more difficult than finishing the current project. Deep into the night... While Luca was working on the antidote, the main door was pushed open. She paused for a moment and hurriedly put away the things. The person who came in was probably Luke. She did not want him to see too much. Just as she finished packing, Luke arrived at the maid''s room. Luca did not close the door so when he came over, he happened to see Luca holding a ss tube in her hand. Luke asked, "What is this?" Luca nced at the tube in her hand and said, "This is a private research of mine." Luke did not say anything and just stared at her deeply. Luca thought that he might have misunderstood. Perhaps he thought she had taken thepany''s research outside the office, so she exined, "This research has nothing to do with thepany''s research. It''s purely a topic I''d like to understand more on." "I know you didn''t bring thepany''s research out from the office. Don''t be nervous," Luke said. Luca nodded, held the tube, and wanted to walk out the door. However, Luke was blocking her so she could not go out. She said, "Uh, Mr. Crawford, can you let me go out?" Luke turned sideways. Luca walked past him and smelled alcohol on him. She blinked. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. He was not a casual drinker because he would not be able to handle his work efficiently if he drank. ¡®Did he have to socialize?'' Luca thought to herself, then looked at him. "Mr. Crawford, have you been drinking?" "I was a little upset so I drank some wine," Luke said. He would not share his emotions with people he did not care about. However, Luca was not an insignificant person. Luca blinked again. ''He didn''t drink at a social event but drank by himself... Is there something on his mind?'' She did not continue to ask. She put the potion in the disinfection cab, stood in the kitchen, and thought about it. She then picked up a cup. Luke sat on the sofa when he noticed that Luca had note out of the kitchen despite having gone in for so long. After a while, Luca walked over with a ss of honey water. She put the ss in front of him and said, "Alcohol hurts your stomach. If you don''t mind, you can drink some honey water." Luke stared at the honey water in front of him for half a minute, then he grinned. Seeing his smile, Luca wondered, ''Isn''t he in a bad mood? Why is he smiling for'' The smile on Luke''s face was not a sad smile. "Mr. Crawford, are you okay?" Luca looked at his expression and did not understand why he reacted as such. "Before my wife got amnesia, she would prepare a ss of honey water whenever I came back from drinking. She would also use this kind of transparent ss to let me drink it. She would say that alcohol hurts my stomach, so I must drink honey to neutralize the effects. No one has made honey water for me for many years. Thinking of the past, I couldn''t help but feel nostalgic." Luke looked at her deeply. He wondered how long it would take to understand what had happened to Luca in the past few years. How long would it take for the couple to be truly reunited... Luca heard what he said and thought of the past. Every time Luke came home after socializing, no matter how much he drank, she would make him drink a ss of honey water. He did not like the taste of honey water, so sometimes, she had to coax him to drink it. At that time, their lives were just like honey water¡ªin and light, but sweet and heartwarming. However, the good times were all left behind in the past. Luca snapped out of it. She could not afford to indulge in the beauty of the past because her current life was in crisis. She smiled and said, "I heard that you and your wife are affectionate toward each other. It seems true." "Russians also like to use honey water to cure a hangover?" Luke asked as he held up the ss. Luca shook her head and said, "There are thousands of ways to cure a hangover, but my family prefers using honey water." Luke nodded and did not uncover her lie. He took a sip from the ss. The sweet taste was just right. He did not feel icky from drinking it. It was just like before. He did not enjoy it but the sweetness was eptable. Luca watched Luke finish drinking the entire ss of honey water. She knew his preference, so she prepared the honey water ordingly. After Luke finished drinking the honey water, he put the ss on the coffee table and slumped on the sofa. His undignified posture was nothing like his previous posture. At that moment, he felt at home. Luca wanted to understand Luke''s troubles so she tried to ask, "Mr. Crawford, do you have anything troubling you?" "I can''t drink if I don''t have any problems?" Luke stared at her. Luca shook her head and said, "It''s not that you can''t drink without any problems but you''re a workaholic. If you have the time, you''d be more willing to spend your time at work rather than drinking. Alcohol can numb a person''s brain. Someone like you must be facing some troubles if you''ve chosen to drink to rx..." Luke listened to her words without uncovering anything. Luca understood him but she forcefully analyzed the situation and phrased it in such a way to hide the fact that she knew him well. It was difficult for her to live a life as such. "I''m vexed." Luke retracted his gaze and admitted. Chapter 1677 Luca blinked. She thought that it would take a lot of work to get Luke to share his worries with her. She did not expect to achieve her goal so easily. Her few words made him admit that he was facing some troubles. "What happened?" Luca continued to ask cautiously. She was worried that Luke would be unhappy and stop sharing. It was not that she wanted to spy on the secrets in his heart but she could not bear seeing Luke drinking to ease his worries. Luke stared at Luca for a while. Luca felt awkward. She almost thought that there was something on her face, or that he was confused from drinking and the alcohol got to his head, so he stopped talking. Before she could speak, Luke said, "My mother... You''ve met her." "Yes." When Allison was mentioned, Luca had a rough idea of what happened. She had heard that Allison was going to be released from prison but she did not ask in detail about when. She knew that Allison should be getting out of prison soon seeing Luke''s current state. "The damage on her face is permanent and can''t be fixed. If she were to spend a lifetime in prison, she may be able to ept the fact. But she''s going to be released next Monday. Thewyer called me to arrange for her release from prison." Luke sighed helplessly. Luca nodded. She was not in the ce toment on this matter. It was the first time she had seen Luke so depressed since she returned to A City. Luke could not ignore Allison because he still saw her as his mother. However, it was also because of this affection that it made his life difficult. Someone like Allison, who cared about her image, would never ept that the wrinkles on her face could not be fixed. "She''ll move back to Crawford Manor. Once she moves back, Crawford Manor will have no peace. On my side..." Luke was helpless. On the one hand, was his affection for his mother, and on the other, were Allison''s unreasonable demands. It would be great if spending money could revert her appearance to before. Luca listened to Luke''s helpless tone and wanted to hug him... However, she could not. At that moment, she was no one to him... "Is it certain that your mother will move back to Crawford Manor?" Luca asked. If she moved back, it would result in a big fight between Allison and Susan that even Old Master Crawford could not quell. She did not want to see that happen. The fight between the two people would affect the living environment of their children. What she hoped was that their three children could grow up in an environment full of family affection and kindness instead of cheating and lying. That would not set the best example. "Yes." Luke confirmed. The reason Allison moved out before was that she had taken his money. Later, she relied on thepany''s shares and the pocket money he gave her to maintain her good life. However, after she went to jail, everything changed. The shares in her hands were still there and the dividends went into her bank ount every year. However, considering hervish lifestyle, it would not take long for her to squander the money. Therefore, she would opt to go back to Crawford Manor so that she would not have to pay for the vi''s expensive water and electricity bills while also being able to get everything she wanted when she asked for it. Although Susan was around, it was better than living a poor life outside. With the current condition of her face, she would not dare to go out. Thus, she would naturally be more comfortable in Crawford Manor. However, herfort would bring the war to Crawford Manor. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Luke sighed again. As he sat in front of the woman he loved the most, he did not want to pretend to be strong. That side of him was only for outsiders to see. Luca could see the fragility he asionally showed. Hearing his sigh, Luca shook her head helplessly and said, "South Korea''s stic surgery technology is better than A City''s. If you can''t find a doctor here, you can ask Ms. Tanner to try seeking treatment in South Korea." She knew that this was just a way to temporarily disengage Allison. After all, her face had to undergo a lot of surgeries. If she went proceeded with that suggestion, it would take a lot of time. It could also bring some temporary peace to Crawford Manor. "I''ll think about it. I''m not going back tonight. I''ll sleep here," Luke said. He missed her more than ever after a night of drinking. Luca opened her mouth and wanted to say something when she heard him say, "I''ve had too much to drink. I''m surprised that I was able to drive here." She was startled. ''Luke drove over by himself?'' She thought someone else had sent him here. She did not expect... She broke into a cold sweat when she thought of him driving the car on the road alone after drinking. People who drank were slow to respond, and at the same time, they would pursue a sense of thrill. Luca did not want to let him leave after she knew about that. She nced at the time and said, "You can sleep in the master bedroom tonight..." Luke looked at her with blurry eyes. "What about you? Do you want to sleep beside me?" There was some teasing in his deep voice. Luca''s face turned red. She did not know why Luke said such a thing, but he had been drinking, so she could not tell the truth from the fake. "Mr. Crawford, don''t joke around. It''s morefortable for you to sleep in the master bedroom after drinking. I''ll just sleep in the maid''s room," she said. Luke took advantage of being drunk to make fun of her. Even though he was initially depressed, his bad mood was slowly dissipating upon seeing her. "I''m not joking. How could the guest sleep in the master bedroom and shoo the tenant to the maid''s room to sleep? The bed in the master bedroom is big enough.'' Although he knew that Luca would not agree, he continued to tease her. Luca stood up immediately. After being teased by him, she felt like she had a fever. Her face and ears were red. "This apartment belongs to you, so the master bedroom is yours. It''s gettingte. I''ll get you a fresh set of clothes. You can wash up and go to bed,¡± she said. She was about to go to the maid''s room. "Luca, since I drank, it''s not convenient for me to take a bath like this. Can you¡ª" Before Luke could continue, Luca turned her back to him and interrupted him, "If it''s not convenient for you to take a shower, you can just lie on the bed in the clothes you''re wearing now." "I''ll dirty your sheets." Luke''s eyes shed with amusement. "It''s alright. The hourly worker wille to clean up tomorrow. It won''t be any trouble. Mr. Crawford, good night." Luca walked directly to the maid''s room and closed the door. He stared at the closed door of the room and put away his teasing expression. He was a little disappointed. He longed for Luca and wanted more intimacy but she pushed him away. ¡®Isn''t her mission to get close to me?'' He had given her a chance just now. If she agreed, she would have gotten closer to him. Chapter 1678 Despite that, Luca did not do as he said nor make use of the opportunity. ''What''s her intention?'' Luke stood up and walked steadily. Although he had been drinking, he paid attention to the amount he drank. Compared with the usual amount of alcohol that he usually consumed, he was only slightly drunk. It was not an issue. He only acted drunk to put on a show for Luca. However, Luca did not respond to his flirting even after he said so much. He was unsure of what she was nning. Luke could not wait to find out Luca''s n so that he could work out corresponding responses to keep her by his side. In any case, he found nothing even after he looked into it. Even so, he told his men to keep investigating. They had not even found out the organization that was controlling Luca behind the scenes. Luke was getting more frustrated. He walked into the master bedroom. There was a faint and elegant scent in the room. It belonged to Luca. With her scent and after drinking some wine, he knew he would get a good sleep that night. Luca stood at the entrance of the maid''s room to eavesdrop. She was relieved to hear Luke open and close the door to the master bedroom. Luke''s obvious hint had shaken her to the core. The instruction given by Abel was to approach Luke and be his woman to obtain corporate secrets. If she had agreed to his request, the two might already be in bed, going all the way. However, she chose to flee. Luke was not sober. Although he flirted with her, she was certain that all he was thinking about was her former self... She did not want to do that. She was unwilling to blindly carry out Abel''s mission, so she ran away. On the other hand. Things were not peaceful in Crawford Manor that night. Old Master Crawford was sitting on the sofa while Susan Armstrong was sitting opposite him. Louis Crawford and Yuri Dunn were sitting on the sofa at the side. Their expressions were serious. "Okay, you''ve gathered everyone now. What do you want to talk about?" Old Master Crawford had a rough idea but he still asked her. Susan nced at her son and daughter-inw before going straight to the topic. "Dad, I''m sure you''ve received the news. That good-for-nothing woman who stole your things is going to be released from prison." "Don''t call her that. It''s rude," Old Master Crawford scolded Susan with a grim expression. He knew that Allison was going to be released from prison, and he was prepared for Susan to have a chat with him about this. However, he did not expect her to involve Louis and Yuri. "No matter what she did, she''s still Luke''s mother and the grandmother of the three children." Susan frowned, snorted coldly, and said, "Yes, she''s rted to them, but that has nothing to do with me. I can''t be bothered to y nice with her. That damn woman is so greedy that she stole from her own home! She even told the thief to hurt my precious granddaughter. Sparing her life is the furthest I''ll go!" Yuri remembered that incident. She was horrified that night, thinking she was going to lose Thea. She nodded in agreement. Old Master Crawford snorted coldly. He knew that Allison was not worth defending after what she did. He said impatiently, "Okay, if you have anything to say, just say it." "I''ll get straight to the point, then. I heard that the woman will live with us after she''s released from prison. I don''t agree with that, and neither does Yuri." Susan crossed her hands in front of her chest and firmly opposed. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. After Allison was imprisoned, she was finally able to enjoy the feeling of being the onlydy in the house. She would never allow Allison to return and take her ce. "She''s Luke''s mother. She''ll be a part of the Crawford family even after a hundred years have passed. Why can''t she live here?" Old Master Crawford frowned. He hated dealing with drama involving women the most. He enjoyed peace for a few years but it was broken following the news of Allison''s release. Although he did not enjoy dealing with such things, Allison was still Luke''s mother. As the head of the family, he still had to redress the bnce. "She can only be part of the Crawford family after she''s dead!" Susan''s words were unfiltered and mean. Louis, who was listening to the ordeal on the side, frowned in disgust. "Mom, stop talking," he said. Susan was fuming. Louis was not helping her case and was even trying to calm her down. She gave him a stern look and shouted, "Shut up if you don''t know anything!" Louis opened his mouth and hesitated to say another word. Although he had something to say, he could not bring himself to fight with her. He had no choice but to obediently shut his mouth. Susan added, "Dad, I''m not discriminating against her. Many studies have shown that those who committed a crime and went to prison rarely reform. I''m worried about the kids. I don''t want her toe back, lest one day she goes crazy and hurts Thea." Old Master Crawford snorted coldly and said, "Are you done?" Seeing that he was not taking a stance nor had he given her a firm answer, Susan said, "I''m not done yet. You have to take this matter seriously. Thea is not the only kid living in our home. Lanie and the others live here as well. What if Allisones back and hurts them when she loses it?" "Mom..." Louis called out to her helplessly. "Shut up!" Susan yelled at him and continued, "Dad, although you haven''t said anything, I learned that Allison became disfigured in prison. Her face is wrinkled and she has abscesses. I don''t know if her condition is contagious. If it''s transmitted to the children after shees back, who will be responsible for it?" Old Master Crawford red at her. He was unsure where she got the news from but he was annoyed at her unrelenting jabs just to prevent Allison from moving back to Crawford Manor. After what had happened, he was not a big fan of Allison but still took into consideration that she was Luke''s mother. Even if he did not like her, he still chose to ept her... "If it''s contagious, we''ll know about it before shees back. The prison has already quarantined her. What are you worried about? Besides, Luke is also looking for a doctor for her. She''ll be cured." There was disgust and loathing in Old Master Crawford''s tone. He did not want to continue the conversation. Susan continued with her rant, saying, "Even if it''s not contagious, her terrifying appearance will frighten the kids. Thea and Rainie are timid. They might be scared to death upon seeing Allison''s face. For the sake of the children, I don''t agree with her moving back here." "Are you done? Even if Allison has be ugly, she''s the kids'' grandmother. They''ll get used to it sooner orter. If you''re that worried, you''re free to move out. That''s all I''ll say on the matter. If you''re dissatisfied, I can transfer a vi under my name to you and you can move there!" Old Master Crawford was angry. He absolutely hated it when there was incessant drama at home. Chapter 1679 Susan was stunned. ''Give me the ownership of a vi? How tempting...'' Nevertheless, no matter how luxurious the vi was, it would never be as ptial as Crawford Manor. If she and Louis moved out, although they would hire servants, they would not have as many servants as in Crawford Manor. Moreover, if she moved out and let Allison move back in, she would undoubtedly be handing the throne to Allison with both hands. She was not that stupid. Although the free vi was indeed tempting, Susan held back. Although Old Master Crawford''s health was going strong, she believed that he would not have many more years left to live. If she moved out and gave Allison a chance to please Old Master Crawford, it would not be worth the loss. Therefore, she chose to stay in Crawford Manor. "Forget it. I''m just raising my concerns but since you don''t care, forget about it. I hope Allison''s face isn''t too ugly. Otherwise, my Thea will be miserable and have nightmares every night," Susan said. Old Master Crawford snorted coldly, stood up, and left with his cane. After Susan saw him leave, she red at Louis and his wife. "It''s all your fault! You''ve failed me." Louis replied helplessly, "Mom, what''s wrong?" "Look at your grandfather! He doesn''t care about Thea''s quality of life. He only cares when ites to Luke and his family. If you''re willing to have more children, Old Master Crawford will pay more attention to you too! That''ll bring me honor as well!" Susan had been urging Louis and Yuri to have a second child throughout the years, but Louis had not once reacted positively. He would give her various excuses over and over again. Susan had heard all the versions multiple times. She was not sure what was in Louis'' head. If he had more children, they would get more attention from Old Master Crawford. After his death, they would also benefit from getting arger portion of the will. Nheless, Louis did not share the same thoughts. "Actually, Grandpa is right. The Crawford family is being held together by Luke. We have to be considerate and agree to Allison moving back in. There are servants at home to take care of her so Luke can devote more energy to his work. As such, the Crawford family and T Corporation can grow bigger and get better." Louis was understanding. "Allison? Why are you so affectionate with her? After you see her face, I don''t know if you''ll still want to acknowledge her as your stepmother. You''ve disappointed me. If others didn''t know, they''d think that you''re Allison''s son!" Susan red at him with a look of disappointment. Louis thought that she was being unreasonable but he did not say anything. After all, it was not his first time witnessing a fight between these two women. After a few years of calm, it seemed that Crawford Manor was going to be a battlefield once more. Yuri asked, "Mom, you said that Allison''s face has be scary?" She remembered that in the past, Allison had fair skin and always dressed so well that she did not appear to be 50 years old at all. Even after she was imprisoned, Yuri thought that herplexion may be a little duller. She never thought that Allison would be described as scary. "Yeah, it''s terrifying. I heard it through the grapevine. It''s hard to describe it. She just has a terribly wrinkled face now. It''s even more wrinkled than the face of a 90-year-old old man. Anyway, when the timees, you should keep a close eye on Thea. Don''t let her be scared by the woman''s terrifying appearance," Susan warned Yuri. "I see. I''ll keep a close eye on her." Yuri nodded. She wanted to help Susan so that Allison could not move back into Crawford Manor but they did not expect Old Master Crawford to be so determined. From what they knew of him, Old Master Crawford should be furious that someone stole from his home. It did not make sense that he would so easily forgive Allison. The conversation they had earlier did not end up how they expected it to. Rainie stood at the stairway and overheard their conversation. She seemed confused. ''They mentioned that... Grandma''s face has be scary?'' Rainie suddenly remembered the witch she saw in storybooks and was a little scared. ''Did Grandma turn into that?'' Lanie told her that everything in storybooks were fake, including how witches would eat people. However, if her grandmother looked like a witch, would she eat them? When she thought of that, Rainie immediately went upstairs and opened the door to Tommy''s bedroom. Tommy was reading a book when he heard the door open. He looked at his sister with a confused expression and asked, "Rainie, what''s the matter with you?" "Brother, do you have Mom. Ms. Luca''s contact number?" Rainie asked. "Yes, but Daddy said that Ms. Luca is recovering from an injury and I''m not allowed to disturb her," Tommy said. If Luke had not warned him, he would have called her long ago. Rainie said, "Can you lend me your tablet?" "Rainie, don''t you have one as well?" Tommy wondered. Luke had given each of them a kid''s tablet. "Mine is out of power and I need it urgently now. Can you lend me yours?" Rainie wanted to contact Luca through Tommy''s ount because Luke was away, so no one else could answer her question. She was their mom, so she wanted to talk to her. Tommy nodded, gave her the tablet generously, and said, "Here you go, Rainie." "Thank you." Rainie took the tablet and brought it to her bedroom. She closed the door, turned on the tablet, and logged into Tommy''s Facebook. Tommy did not have many friends on Facebook, so she easily found Luca''s profile. She thought about it for a second and called her. Whenever Luca did research, she would use a tablet to record the data for convenience. When Luke came, she did not put the tablet back in the master bedroom. Hence, when the video call request sounded, she heard it. At this hour, the only person who would video call her was Tommy. Luca sat up, turned on the bedside light, and picked up the tablet. She nced at it and found that it was indeed a video call request from Tommy''s ount. She pressed the ept button. However, it was not Tommy who was looking for her but Rainie. Luca was slightly surprised. "Ms. Luca, am I disturbing your rest?" Rainie asked cautiously. Luca shook her head. She noticed the anxiousness on Rainie''s face and asked with concern, "No, I''m not asleep yet. Rainie, are you okay?" Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "Ms. Luca, can you chat with me?" Rainie asked again, still in a cautious tone. She was worried that she was disturbing Luca. "Of course. What do you want to talk about? Why do you look like that? What happened?" Luca cared about her. Tears welled up in her eyes when Rainie saw how much Luca cared about her. "Ms. Luca, I heard that Grandma is going to be released from prison." Luca was stunned. She did not expect Rainie to know about this. To be fair, the Crawford family was high profile and had a lot of members. It was normal for someone to identally spill the beans. Chapter 1680 "You know about prison?" Luca looked at Rainie''s expression with a gentle gaze. With consideration that Luke was still sleeping in the master bedroom, she spoke to her in a soft voice. "Yes. Daddy said that those who did something wrong will go to prison to reform themselves. Grandma did something wrong and was put in prison so we haven''t been able to see her for the time being." Rainie''s voice was soft. She seemed to be familiar with the concept. Luca was stunned. She did not expect a child to know so much. That was understandable. She was not around when they were young, so the role of a grandmother upied a certain position and weight with the twins. Even if Allison took no notice of them after they grew up, they still remembered her as a grandmother who loved them. Luke would surely give them an exnation following her sudden disappearance after she went to prison. However, Luca did not expect that he would be entirely honest and not make up any excuses for Allison. "Yeah, your grandma has rehabilitated, so she''s going home to reunite with you." Luca smiled slightly as she soothed Rainie''s emotions. She guessed that Rainie had not seen Allison for too long and was anxious when she found out that she was returning home. After all, when they were in Crawford Manor, there were a lot of wars caused by Allison. "But Ms. Luca, Grandma Susan said that Grandma Allison has be very scary now. I''m scared." Rainie''s memories of Allison had already be blurry. Besides, after Allison moved out of the manor, the two had little contact. That was why she got scared when she heard Susan talking about Allison. When she heard what Rainie shared, Luca understood that the child was afraid and that was why she was emotional. She thought of Allison''s face and knew that the kids would be afraid when they saw her. Rainie was a girl, so she would be even more afraid. She coaxed her and said, "Don''t be afraid. Her appearance has changed a little but no matter how she changes, she''s still your grandmother. Isn''t that so?¡± "Yes... Ms. Luca, why did Grandma''s face be scary? Is it because she did a lot of wrong things?" Rainie asked. She once read a fairy tale in which the witch looked terrible because she did a lot of bad things. Luca looked at the child''s frightened expression and sighed. Even though she was preparing Rainie, it would take a long time for Rainie to get used to Allison''s face after she returned. "No. Your grandmother is sick, and that''s why she became like that. Rainie, you don''t have to be afraid. No matter what your grandmother bes, she''s still your most respected grandma. No matter what happens, she still loves you the most, okay?" She coaxed Rainie. Rainie nodded. She understood what Luca said. No matter what her grandmother became or looked like, she would never hurt her¡ªjust like their Mommy. Even though Luca had changed her appearance, she was still staying by their side to protect them. Therefore, their Grandma loved them just like their Mommy. Luca saw Rainie nodding, and the anxiety in her eyes dissipated a little. She nced at the time and found that it was gettingte. Rainie should be in bed by now. She said, "Rainie, don''t worry. I''m here. Whatever happens in the future, I''ll do my best to protect you." "Thank you, Ms. Luca." Rainie smiled sweetly. She felt safe when her mommy said that she would protect her... "Don''t worry about it. It''ste. Little Princess Rainie should go to rest." Luca coaxed her again. Rainie nodded and asked, "Ms. Luca, can I add you on Facebook? I used Tommy''s tablet to call you this time." "Of course, you can," Luca said. She knew that Luke had registered Facebook ounts for the children. It was convenient, and they could reach out to him through Facebook if something happened. "I''ll add you. " "Okay, Ms. Luca." Rainie picked up her tablet, and when she saw Luca''s friend request, she cautiously epted it. When she saw that they were officially friends on Facebook, her smile was broad and sweet. She asked, "Ms. Luca, is Dad with you..." Luca was stunned at how she knew about it. "No..." Before shepletely denied it, Rainie said, "Ms. Luca, you don''t have to deny it. We all know that Dad is with you now." "How do you know?" Luca asked helplessly. Luke was not the kind of person who reported to the children wherever he went and what he did. After she was kidnapped, he took the kids back to Crawford Manor because there were many adults there¡ªincluding many maids and butlers who could take care of the kids. The arrangement made him feel more at ease while he was at work. "Daddy said that he''s going to be busy recently. To save time, he may note home sometimes. Tommy was worried that Daddy would not rest well and Daddy told him that he would rest at Ms. Luca''s house. Ms. Luca, is Daddy asleep?" Rainie exined. "Your daddy drank a little today so he''s already in bed," Luca said helplessly. She was surprised that he exined all that to the kids. Was he not afraid that they would misunderstand the situation? Although she had not spent much time with the children, she could feel how much they missed their mother. They missed their mother so much, so how could they ept their father spending time with other women? Luca carefully observed Rainie''s expression. She was just smiling, and nothing seemed off about her. Although she was their mother, she was almost certain that they had no idea. ''Does it mean that they don''t object to Luke spending more time with me?'' Luca could not figure it out... Rainie nodded when she heard Luca''s reply. Her father was resting, so she did not continue with the topic. Instead, she said, "Ms. Luca, can you sing?" "I don''t sing well..." Luca said. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Rainie looked at her face and wondered in her heart. Their mommy was great at singing, and her voice was beautiful. When her mother used to sing nursery rhymes to her, she would have a sweet dream whenever she fell asleep. "Ms. Luca, I want to hear you sing nursery rhymes. Can you sing me to sleep?" She made a request. Luca was a little embarrassed but thought of Rainie''s terrified expression. Rainie was timid. If no one coaxed her to sleep, Luca was afraid that it would be difficult for her to fall asleep. Even if Rainie managed to fall asleep, her fear would manifest into a nightmare. "Okay, I''m not skilled and my singing is mediocre. Don''t mind me," Luca blinked and said to Rainie. "Ms. Luca, your voice is so gentle. I''m sure you''re great at singing." Rainie did not agree with her words and said with a smile. Luca shook her head helplessly. "Okay. Go to bed and put the tablet by the head of the bed. Tuck yourself in and I''ll sing to you." Rainiey on the bed and covered herself with the nket as Luca instructed. "Rainie, put the tablet beside your face or I wouldn''t know if you''ve fallen asleep." Luca urged her. Chapter 1681 "Okay." Rainieplied and pointed the tablet''s camera at her face. When Luca saw that Rainie hadid down, she began to softly hum a nursery rhyme. The sound of Luca singing came from the tablet. Rainie closed her eyes and felt like she was back in the past when their Mommy would sit by their beds, either to tell them stories or sing to put them to sleep. She had sweet dreams every night that her mother was by their side. Rainie closed her eyes and smiled slightly. She believed that she would have a sweet dream tonight. Luca hummed softly. She sang another song as soon as she was finished with the first. She chose some Russian nursery rhymes to avoid Rainie suspecting anything. Rainie did not say anything about it and gradually fell asleep to Luca''s singing. Luca continued to sing softly before gradually softening her voice and stopping. Rainie did not wake up. She was already asleep. Luca sighed and whispered, "Good night, baby." After that, she hung up the call. Luke was lying on the bed in the master bedroom. He did not close the door so he could hear Luca''s humming. As he listened to Luca''s singing, he thought of the happy times when they used to live together. At that time, Luca was responsible for taking care of the family, which allowed him to have more time to deal with work. As he though about the past with Luca''s soft singing in his ears, Luke gradually closed his eyes. He could smell Luca''s faint scent as well. He knew that he would surely get a good night''s sleep. The next day. When Luca woke up, she noticed that the door to the master bedroom was open and was taken aback. N?velDrama.Org owns this. High-end apartments as such had great sound instion. However, that was under the premise that the doors were shut. That was why she feltfortable humming to Rainiest night. However, the bedroom door was wide open... Did that mean that Luke heard her singingst night? It was not that he had never heard her sing but it was the first time he heard Luca sing. Her face was flushed when she thought about that. She felt a little embarrassed. She was unsure if he really did overhear her singingst night or if he just happened to wake up earlier, so his door was open. With that thought, Luca walked into the master bedroom, wanting to see if Luke was up. As soon as she walked in, she saw Luke standing by the bed, wearing only a pair of trousers. His sturdy upper body waspletely exposed... Luca looked down, turned around quickly, and said while blushing. "Sorry, Mr. Crawford. I saw that the door was open and thought you had left." Luke looked at her casually and said, "No. I felt a little warm when I went to bedst night so I opened the door." The door was openedst night, so there was a good chance he heard her singing. Seeing that she was quiet, Luke said, "If you don''t need anything from me, can you go out? I need to change." When Luca heard that, she froze. She blushed not only because she had seen Luke''s sturdy upper body but also the fact that he was about to unbutton his pants. He was about to change... She suddenly realized that she had been reckless. She quickly said, "I''ll get out now." Luke looked at her flee and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. ¡®Luca is shy... She looks adorable when she''s shy.'' The two of them had gone all the way prior but at that moment, she was acting like a woman with no experience. She blushed just from seeing him change. Luke did not do it on purpose. He just did not expect her to barge in like that. It seemed that not closing the door had an advantage. At least he knew that Luca would be shy when she faced him. Luke was in a good mood. What happened the night before and this morning made it seem like everything was as how it was in the past. He was more and more confident that he could solve all their problems and be with Luca again. Luke picked up the clothes he had changed out of. The clothes he was wearing now were collected from the balcony. The clothes he had changed out of during the day were washed by the part-time worker, which was why he had a set of clean clothes and did not have to step into the maid''s room. Luke came out with the clothes and put them in the basin by the balcony. Luca was making breakfast in the kitchen. Luke listened to the sound and movement from the kitchen as the feeling of happiness and tranquility rose from his heart. He liked that feeling. He once thought that his whole life would be career-centered but after he met her, he realized that his career could be secondary. She was the most important person in his life. He had always enjoyed family life with Bianca. It was unfortunate that the good times did notst long. However, luck was on his side once again now that Bianca was back. He promised himself that he would seize the opportunity to find out everything and keep her by his side. Luke sat on the sofa and picked up the remote control to turn on the TV. Luca was standing in the kitchen preparing breakfast. She was stunned when she heard the morning news. ''Luke is watching TV.'' It seemed that he intended to stay for breakfast. Thinking of what Rainie said yesterday, Luca suspected that Luke would be here for days toe. ''Is he doing it on purpose?'' After all, the old Luke would choose to go home to apany his children no matter how busy he was at work. Now... As she thought about it, Luca grabbed up some eggs and prepared breakfast for Luke. Two portions of breakfast were served while they were still hot. When she was about to tell Luke that breakfast was ready, he already stood up and walked over. "What''s for breakfast?" Luke asked. "There aren''t many ingredients in the refrigerator, so I made eggs on toast," Luca said. "Sounds good." Luke sat down, picked up the utensils, and started eating. His expression did not change. Luca could not tell whether he liked the food or not. Looking at the way he was eating, Luca thought to herself that maybe he liked what she had cooked for him... Her portion was small, so she ate slowly. When she was done, Luke had just finished thest bite of his toast. Luca stood up and was about to clear the table. Luke said, "I''ll do it." Luca nced at the time. If he left for the office now, the timing would be just right. He would not be late. However, he would likely bete if he did the dishes. Althought Luke was the boss and no one cared if he waste, he was someone punctual. If there were no special circumstances, he would be on time and even earlier than the employees. She reminded him, saying, ¡°Mr. Crawford, it''s gettingte. Let me do the dishes." Luke looked at the time. Indeed, if he left anyter or if he ran into a traffic jam, he would bete. He said, "Don''t worry about it. Leave it for the hourly workers to clean when theye over. Prepare more ingredients in the fridge in the future. I''ll be staying over when I get too busy with work." Luca listened to his tone as though he was reminding her to be prepared to make meals for him when he came over. She was full of helplessness. She was staying in this house but he seemed to think of it as his home as well. He woulde and go as he pleased and have dinner with her... She felt that she was no longer living alone in the house. Chapter 1682 Luke was like the head of the household,ing and going at will. He kept barging into her life. Luca looked at the closed door with mixed feelings. It was not that she did not wee him. It was that she felt unworthy of standing by his side. If Luke wanted to get close to her, there was no way she could refuse him. In the end, it was them who would be hurt while Abel was the biggest beneficiary. Thinking of this, Luca felt like she was about to break down. She took a deep breath and cleaned the dining table. She had to find something to do to distract herself from the negative emotions. After she was done with the dishes, Luca walked to the balcony and saw the clothes Luke had changed out of. She sighed, sorted the clothes, and put them in the washing machine. She also washed the clothes he changed out of the night before. After Luca put the clothes in the washing machine, she stared at the machine and spaced out for a moment before she walked into the maid''s room. The swelling on her face had almost subsided. When she fully recovered, she would go back to work at T Corporation. At that time, she would lead the team from theboratory to do the final stage of research on the drug and also participate in T Corporation''s projects. She would be busy, and it would be much more difficult to find time for her personal research. N?velDrama.Org owns this. After she experimented for a while, her phone rang. Luca nced at it and found that the call was from a local number in A City. She did not hesitate and picked up the call. "Hello." "Hello, is this Ms. Craw?" Wanda Rayne said. Luca was nervous when she heard Wanda''s voice. She was worried that something had happened to Old Man Rayne. She quickly said, "I am. What''s the matter?" "Hello, Ms. Craw. I''m Wanda Rayne. You came to my house to prescribe a herbal concoction for my father. I wonder if you remember me?" Wanda asked cautiously. She had gotten Luca''s number from Luke. Luca felt at peace when she heard Wanda''s tone. From her unhurried and gentle voice, it did not seem like there was a major incident. "I remember you, Ms. Rayne. Did something happen?" "Nothing to worry about. You don''t have to be nervous. I just want to invite you to have a meal here. Do you have the time?" Wanda asked. Luca was stunned that Wanda would invite her for a meal. She assumed that it was because her grandfather had gotten better after he took her prescription. She wanted to confirm, so she asked, "This is quite sudden, no?" Wandaughed embarrassedly and exined, "I followed your prescription and prepared the concoction for my dad. He slept all night without any pain and we didn''t even give him a massage yesterday! Old Man Rayne got up early this morning and said that he had a good night''s sleep. It''s all thanks to your concoction." She did not expect Luca''s concoction to be so effective. Old Man Rayne only drank it once and could already see the effects. She felt bad when she thought of her previous doubts about Luca, so she thought of inviting her to the house for a meal as a thank you. Luca smiled when she heard that the concoction was effective for Old Man Rayne. She was confident in her prescriptions. She was happy after hearing that Old Man Rayne was feeling better. His good health was her greatest wish. "I''m d that the prescription worked for Old Man Rayne. He needs to continue to take this medicine. Coupled with the massages, he''ll definitely sleepfortably every day," Luca said. "Yes, yes, we''ll be mindful of that. Latest night, Old Man Rayne said that he wanted to go to sleep after he drank the medicine. I wanted to use the prescription mixed with warm water for him to soak his feet in but he fell asleep before the water even boiled, " Wanda replied. Before Old Man Rayne took Luca''s concoction, he had to consume a lot of painkillers and sleeping pills to get a good night''s sleep. In the beginning, these medicines were effective but after taking them for some time, his body grew resistant to the drugs. These medicines no longer had much of an effect on his body. Even after he took sleeping pills, his sleeping hours would just be shorter and shorter. She was worried that Luca''s prescription would also have these pain-relieving and sleeping aid properties, so when she went to the pharmacy to pick up some things the day before, she specifically asked the pharmacist to take a look at the ingredients of Luca''s prescription. All of them were found to be nourishing and health-preserving herbs. There was no ingredient that supposedly helped with sleep or relieving pain. Nevertheless, it worked well for Old Man Rayne after he took it, which indicated that the prescription was real and had an effect on Old Man Rayne''s body. "Mm, I''m happy to hear that." Luca''s tone was t. She was suppressing the joy she felt in her heart. Since the prescription worked for Old Man Rayne, he would suffer less in the future. Wanda noticed that Luca was not showing much interest in her invitation, so she asked again, "Ms. Craw, if you''re free today,e over for a visit. Both Old Man Rayne and I want you here." Luca thought of her grandfather''s kind face and agreed. "Okay, I''ll be thereter. I''ll check on Old Man Rayne''s pulse as well." "That''s great! Where do you stay? Why don''t I get a ride for you?" Wanda suggested. After all, she was the one inviting her over. She did not want Luca to have to run around. Luca politely declined. "No need. I''ll go over by myself." Seeing that she insisted, Wanda knew it was not her ce to say anything. She said, "Okay, see you later." "See youter..." Luca almost called her ''Aunt'' but fortunately, she held herself back in time. After she put down the call, she felt mncholic. She could see her family but was not able to reunite with them. She had to force herself away from that familiar feeling, which felt terrible. ''If I had a choice, why would I do this?'' Luca gave a wry smile, touched her face, and stood up. She nned to leave the house once she tidied up the apartment. After she changed her clothes, she picked up her phone and saw a message from Luke asking if she was going to the Rayne family''s home. Luca frowned. ''How does he know I''m going to the Rayne family''s home?'' [Yes, Mr. Crawford.] Her answer was straight to the point. After the message was sent, she waited but Luke did not reply to her. Luca put the phone in her pocket, closed the door, and left. Before she headed to the Rayne family''s home, she picked out some gifts. Thest time she went, Luke had brought her there. She did not know they were going to the Rayne family''s home so she arrived empty-handed. This time, she decided to buy something. She was now aware of Old Man Rayne''s health, so she nned to buy some supplements suitable for him. As for Wanda, Luca chose some skincare products with no irritating ingredients as well as some beauty supplements. She carried tworge bags as she got into the taxi that headed to the Rayne family''s home. After she arrived, Luca paid the fare and get out of the taxi. She nned to walk inside. Having been here once, she remembered the way. When she approached the entrance, she frowned upon seeing Marie Rayne. Marie was standing at the entrance, arguing with the security guard there. She had several men next to her, and they all looked strong with tattoos on their arms. They looked like they belonged in a gang. Chapter 1683 Marie was standing there looking like she was about to bulldoze her way in. Luca stood not far away. She hesitated whether or not to enter through this entrance. After all, Marie knew her and the two of them already had a conflict. It was not that she was afraid of Marie and the people around her. Luca just did not want issues to arise. Unfortunately, the truth was that even if she did not want to cause trouble, trouble woulde knocking on her door. Marie had already seen Luca when she turned around. She ignored the security guard and roared at Luca, "Stop!" Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca did not have to turn around to know that she was yelling at her. She turned around helplessly and saw that Marie was walking toward her. The men behind her also walked over. The four of them were enough to surround her. Luca nced at them and asked with a nk expression, "Yes?" Marie lowered her gaze and nced at the bags she was holding in her hands. She recognized that the brands inside were expensive, so she asked, "Are you going to the Rayne family''s home?" "What about it?" Luca asked. "Just nice. I''m going to the Rayne family''s home too. Lead the way." Marie knew that the security guard refused to let her in because Wanda had reminded the property management not to let her in. Regardless, she was determined to go in. She asked these men to help her move back into the Rayne family''s home. A helpless and soft woman like Wanda wouldpromise when she saw these men. Marie had nned everything, but unexpectedly, she was stopped by security. "The security won''t let you in, so how can I bring you in?" Luca felt ufortable. Among the men surrounding her, two of them were looking at her with malicious eyes. She hated being looked at like that. "It''ll be fine as long as you tell them that I''m your friend. Why are you asking so many questions?" Marie asked impatiently. Luca smiled mockingly and nced at the three men. "So, I''ll bring you in and you''ll bring them in?" "These are my friends. Aunt Wanda told me that she''s changed her mind and decided to ept me." Marie hurriedly made up a lie. It was a lie that Luca did not believe. Luca knew that Marie was not liked by Wanda, so she said, "Aunt Wanda? Ms. Rayne doesn''t admit that you''re her niece. If you bring these friends of yours into the building, it''ll scare the other residents. Ms. Rayne, stop making a fool of yourself. You''re not allowed to enter this building." "What do you know?" Marie stared at her. One of the men said, "What?! Your aunt doesn''t want you? Why did you bring us here, then?!" Marie nced at the man. He was there as her support but he was now sabotaging her. She said, "Don''t listen to this woman''s nonsense." "Yes, don''t listen to my nonsense because I don''t know her at all. If you''re done, please get out of the way." Luca did not want to get into a row with Marie in front of the building. Marie blocked her way with her hands. "You''re going to the Rayne family''s home, right? Then everything you have here is for the Rayne family?" Luca nced at the things in her hands. She felt a little helpless because she knew that Marie was now eyeing the things she bought after epting the fact that she could not step into the building. "Get out of the way." Luca''s tone was cold. She was disappointed by Marie''s greed. She thought that Marie would have reformed in prison but now it seemed that the years she spent inside were all in vain. If Marie was willing to turn over a new leaf after being released from prison, she would be able to find a good job. Unfortunately... "I brought these friends over, and I can''t leave empty-handed. Since you prepared these for the Rayne family and I''m a member of the family as well, you can give these to me. I won''t make a fuss and insist on going in, lest I disturb you from having a st." Marie acted like riff-raff as she gave herpanions a look. Luca''s gifts were all expensive items. Although they could not make use of most of them, they could get some money after they returned the items or resold them. "If you dare to take these gifts from my hands, I''m afraid that all of you will have to go to the police station," Luca warned them. The three menughed and did not care about what Luca said. Luca smiled indifferently seeing that they were not threatened by her at all. She knew she did not have to do anything to get rid of this group of people. The security guard at the security booth noticed that Luca was surrounded by them. This was the person the manager had specially told him about. He heard that she had a rtionship with Luke. When he saw this scene, he immediately used the walkie-talkie to tell the other security guards about the situation. After a while, a few security guards walked up to Luca''s side and asked, "Ms. Craw, are these people bothering you?" Luca gave the men with Marie a cold look and said, "They''re not harassing me, but they want to rob me." "Robbery? Do you need me to call the police?" one of the security guards asked. As soon as he finished speaking, one of the men on Marie''s side knew that something was wrong and said quickly, "This is all a misunderstanding. We saw that thisdy was having a hard time carrying these two bags by herself so we wanted to help. Isn''t that right?" "Yes, yes." The others quickly agreed. Marie, who was on the side, red at Luca viciously. She was jealous that Luca was being protected by these security guards despite not being a resident here. These security guards were usually snobbish! She looked at her so-called friends and felt like she had lost her dignity seeing Luca being protected by the security guards. ''They''re just security guards who aren''t professionally trained. Why are they so afraid? Bunch of good- for-nothings!'' As she continued to re at Luca, Marie suddenly thought of a person she had always envied¡ª Bianca. The way Luca was being protected by the security guards at this moment made her seem like an innocent bunny. It reminded her of Bianca... She thought of how Luca was protected by Luke and approved by those in the Rayne family. Marie shared the same surname but she was forced to live on the street. Her dissatisfaction slowly rose. Luca listened to the men''s words and did not react. She said, "I''ll leave this matter to you guys. I''ll be heading in now.¡± "Okay, have a good day," the security manager said. Luca left with the two bags still in her hands. After they watched her walk into the building, the security guards chased Marie away. "Leave! You''ve been cklisted by this building. If the Rayne family doesn''t give any instructions, you''ll not be allowed to enter.¡± "I''m friends with the other residents!" Marie did not believe that they would not let her in. "That won''t work either. You''re on the cklist. Even if other residents prove that you''re friends with them, you still won''t be allowed in. If you cause any trouble again, don''t me us for going to the police for this matter. Chapter 1684 The men with Marie instantly backed away when they heard the security guard mention the police. They were regrs at the police station. If they were locked up again, they would have to find someone to bail them out. It was not worth the trouble. A man put his arms around Marie''s shoulder and said, "Stop bickering. You won''t be able to get in today." Their presence disturbed the residents who came in and out of the building, so the security guard reminded them, "You won''t be able to enter in the future as well. Don''te back and harass our residents. Next time, you''ll be handed over to the police without a second thought." Marie spat at the security guard and snorted coldly when she realized that she would never be able to enter the building. "What a sh*tty ce! I won''te even if I''m invited!" After she shouted that, she left angrily. She was humiliated by strangers and denied entry. She felt like she had lost all her reputation. When the three men saw her leave, they also followed her. After they walked away from the building''s entrance, one of the men could not help but tease her. "Marie, you said this is your grandfather''s house but it seems that it''s not the case. If your grandfather really lives here, why can''t you go in?" Marie red at the man who was clearly picking a fight with her. "This is my grandfather''s house! He''s partial to my sister and refuses to acknowledge me as his granddaughter. What? Do you doubt my words?" "Whether you''re telling the truth or not has nothing to do with me. We apanied you here because you said that your grandfather lives here. Since you have no money, it''s fair that Old Man Rayne pays us the money you owe us. Since we can''t get in, then tell me. When will you pay us back the money you owe?" The man sneered as he forced her to pay them back. When money was mentioned, Marie''s face turned pale. Her confidentposure waspletely gone. She had no money, so she wanted to ask Old Man Rayne to pay back her debt on her behalf. However, she did not expect that she was not even allowed to walk through the entrance. "Enough! I''ll pay you back. I just need some time," Marie said. The man saw through her and said, "Do you think of me as a child? I''m not that easy to fool, and I don''t trust you. I want to see the money. I don''t care about anything else." Marie stomped her feet. She wanted to get some money too but it was not as easy. She suddenly thought of Luca and formed a n in her head. "You want money, right? I have a way. It just depends on whether you have the guts to do it." "We''re not interested in your sh*tty ns." The man turned her down before he heard what she said. Marie did not expect them to turn her down so quickly. She gritted her teeth and said, "If we get this done, I won''t ask for a single penny. If the amount is less than what I owe you, I''ll pay you back the remaining. If it''s more than that, I won''t take the extra. Does that sound good?" The men knew that she had no money to pay them back. She had been making money with her body but now that she was old and her reputation in the industry was ruined, no high-end clients were willing to hire her. It would take forever for her to pay them back using her aging body. The man said, "I''m certain that you won''t be able to pay us the money you owe us until you die. Tell me. What''s the n you have in mind?" Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Marie raised her lips maliciously, then moved closer to the man. "Do you remember the woman from just now? We can make some money out of her. Her clothes may look in but they''re all branded. They''re worth a lot.¡± The man listened to what she said and asked dubiously, "Are you serious? That woman doesn''t look rich." "That''s what you don''t understand. Her outfit is all from well-known international brands. Even if you aren''t familiar with women''s brands, you saw what was inside the bags she was carrying just now too, right? They''re all expensive supplements.¡± Marie was sure. The supplements must be for Old Man Rayne. She was jealous that the dying old man could take such good supplements while she still had to deal with these gangsters. The man thought about it for a while. He looked at Marie''s greedy face, then finally nodded in agreement. ... Luca walked to the entrance of the Rayne family''s home and looked back. No one was following her. She shook her head helplessly. She did not expect to bump into Marie. She rang the doorbell, and after a while, Wanda came to answer the door. "Ms. Craw, you''re here." Wanda saw Luca and a kind smile appeared on her face. "Sorry I''m a littlete. Something happened on my way here," Luca said. She did not mention anything about being stopped by Marie at the entrance. Wanda smiled and said, "You''re notte. Come in! I don''t know what you like to eat so I just prepared some home-cooked dishes." "I like A City''s home-cooked food," Luca said. ¡®Especially the meals I used to make with Grandpa...'' It was a pity that her Grandpa could no longer cook for her. Wanda thought Luca was just being polite, so she said, "I heard from Luke that you''re from Russia. You''re probably not used to A City''s home-cooked food, right?" Luca shook her head and said, "I was only in Russia for a while and still see my home as A City. I like the food here more than the food there. Home-cooked food is delicious. The dishes you madest time were amazing." Wanda was happy seeing Luca appreciating the food she made. The feeling of familiarity became stronger and stronger. "If you like my cooking,e over for a meal more often." Luca nodded and walked into the house with her. Before she sat down, she handed the bags she was holding to Wanda. "I bought these for you. And this bag is filled with supplements suitable for Old Man Rayne. It''ll be great for his health if he takes these." Wanda looked at the bags but did not take them. She quickly shook her head and said, "How can I ept your gifts?" Luca was a guest. It was normal for guests toe for a meal bearing gifts. Nheless, Wanda felt that she could not ept the gifts because the person in front of her had helped treat Old Man Rayne for free. Wanda did not see Luca as a guest but a savior. "Ms. Craw, you''ve been so kind to my father. I can''t ept these." "It''s nothing. If we''re talking about being kind, you..." Luca paused and smiled to cover up her odd reaction. She swallowed down the words she was about to say. She had wanted to say that they were even kinder to her. "I told Mr. Crawford that you''ve helped me out a lot as well. After all, Old Man Rayne''s case is rare. I''m thankful that he was willing to ept my prescription. If you want to thank me, the meals from yesterday and today are more than enough. Please ept these. Old Man Rayne needs them." Chapter 1685 When Luca said that Old Man Rayne needed them, Wanda was persuaded. After all, Luca knew better than her what nutrients Old Man Rayne needed. She took one of the bags and said, "Thank you, I''ll take these. You can take the rest back." Luca looked at Wanda''s slightly sallowplexion and remembered that in the past, she was always a graceful woman. After she got divorced, she spent a lot of energy taking care of Old Man Rayne. She had no time to take care of herself. That was why her current physical condition was not the best. She continued to persuade Wanda, saying, "Please take these too. I¡¯m sure you''ve been putting in a lot of effort taking care of Old Man Rayne. You need to take care of yourself too. These are for conditioning your body and external use. I promise, these are much better than the cosmetic products you see on TV¡± Wanda was touched by what she said. "In that case, I''ll ept your gifts and¡ª" Before she could finish speaking, Luca shoved the bag in her hand and said, "Just take it. I don''t need these things." "Okay, okay." Wanda was moved by what she said. She believed in Luca, so she epted both bags of gifts. Luca nced at the time. There was still some time before their meal. She said, "Mm, is Old Man Rayne upstairs?" "Yeah. He knows that I invited you over for a meal today and has been happily talking about it the entire day," Wanda said. Luca was the savior of the entire Rayne family. Luca smiled shyly. Even though she was not Bianca, she was overjoyed that Old Man Rayne still liked her. "Can I go up? I want to check Old Man Rayne''s pulse, and if possible, I''ll y a game of chess with him?" She knew that Old Man Rayne''s favorite pastime was ying chess. It was boring for him to y chess alone. He would only y when someone who knew how to y visited the house. "You know how to y chess? That''s great. Go up, then. My father likes to y chess with others. Unfortunately, no matter how hard I tried to learn it, I still can''t y well. Old Man Rayne doesn''t want to y chess with me," Wanda said. She ced the two bags on the coffee table for now, held Luca''s hand, and walked toward the stairs with her. Luca did not enjoy being in close contact with others but Wanda was her aunt, so she was not against it. The two went upstairs together and Wanda took her into Old Man Rayne''s room. "Dad, guess who''s here?" Old Man Rayne was basking in the sun with half-squinted eyes. When he heard Wanda''s voice, he opened his eyes. They lit up when he saw Luca. "Ms. Craw, you''re here." "Old Man Rayne and Ms. Rayne, call me Luca." Luca listened to how they addressed her and did not want to put a distance in the rtionship between them, so she told them to address her casually. "Okay, Luca. Come here and sit down." Old Man Rayne was sitting under the sun on a chair by the window. When he saw Luca, the wrinkled smile on his face grew like a blooming sunflower. Luca nodded and sat on the chair opposite him that he pointed to. Wanda felt a little embarrassed with what was happening. "Dad, Luca said she wants to check your pulse. Oh, by the way, she can y chess. Do you want to y a game with herter?" "Chess? That sounds wonderful! Wanda, go and get my chessboard. I didn''t expect that someone would y chess with me today." Old Man Raynepletely ignored the part where Wanda mentioned that Luca wanted to check his pulse. All he thought about was ying chess with Luca. "Okay, I''ll go get you your chessboard now." Wanda nodded, turned around, and walked out. Luca''s mood was influenced when she saw Old Man Rayne''s smiling face. "Old Man Rayne, can I check your pulse first?" "Okay." Old Man Rayne readily agreed and reached out his hand for her to take his pulse. Luca put her fingers on his pulse. When Wanda came in with a chessboard, Luca was done checking Old Man Rayne''s pulse. "Luca, how is my father doing?" she asked. "It''s still the same as thest time I checked. Old Man Rayne''s body needs to be conditioned for a long time. Do be mindful," Luca said. "Sure, sure. I''ll follow your prescription and take good care of him." Wanda put the chessboard on the table between the two and said, "Dad, Luca, have fun ying. I''ll go prepare our meal." Old Man Rayne set up the chessboard, waved his hand, and said, "Go ahead." Wanda looked at Old Man Rayne who was deeply immersed in the game of chess. She shook her head with a smile and left the room. On the other hand. Luke listened to his subordinates as they reported to him that Luca had bumped into Marie at the entrance of themunity where the Rayne family stayed. After they were done reporting, Luke''s gaze appeared deep. It seemed that Marie was exhausting all means to move into the Rayne family''s house. He said, "Keep watch of the situation and Marie." "Got it," the subordinate listened to hismand and responded. Luke put aside his work and texted Wanda: [Is Luca with you?] Wanda quickly replied to him: [She''s here. She''s ying chess with Old Man Rayne upstairs.] Luke replied: [Marie was making trouble at the entrance of themunity today and pestered Luca. Did she mention this to you?] After a while, Wanda called him and asked in a nk tone, "Luke, you said Marie came to cause trouble? She picked on Luca?" "Mm, Marie didn''te alone and brought some gangsters with her. She was stopped and made a big fuss. The security guards almost called the police," Luke said. He did not tell her that his subordinates saw the whole thing. Wanda was shocked. "Luca didn''t tell me. Sigh, Marie is... troublesome." Luke sighed. Sure enough, Luca did not say anything. It seemed that she did not want to worry Wanda. "Luke, Marie is not a good person. I''m afraid she''ll wait for Luca to leave our ce. When she leaves tonight, will youe and pick her up?" Wanda no longer cared about her previous suspicions. Instead, she just wanted Luca to be safe. Luke thought of picking up Luca as well but he had to work overtime tonight. He turned her down and said, "Aunt Wanda, I still have work to attend to. When she''s about to leave, text me and I''ll arrange for someone to pick her up." "Okay," Wanda said. His arrangement assured her. Luke said, "Act like you know nothing about what happened today. She didn''t tell you because she didn''t want you to worry." Wanda found it a little strange. ¡®Why does Luca not want us to worry? The way she does things seems like she''s being too considerate of us.'' "Okay. She''s so silly. I know what to do. Don''t worry, I''ll let you know after dinner," Wanda replied to him. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. After Luke responded to her, he hung up the phone and resumed work. Chapter 1686 When it was about time, Luke sent a car from thepany to pick up Luca. At the same time, he informed Wanda that the car was on its way to the vi. After she ate with Old Man Rayne, Luca nced at the time and saw that it was gettingte. She said, "Thank you for your hospitality but it''s gettingte. I have to head home." Wanda quickly said, "Luca, leave a littleter." "No, I have some things to attend to." Luca shook her head. She was satisfied being able to spend the entire day with her grandfather. She did not want to overstay her wee. Moreover, now that Old Man Rayne had finished eating, it was time for him to rest. Her presence would only affect Old Man Rayne''s rest. After Wanda heard that Luca had something to do, she knew that it was not her ce to ask her to stay. Hence, she said, "In that case, wait here for a little longer. Luke has arranged for a driver toe over. He should be here any moment now." "Mr. Crawford arranged a driver for me?" Luca was stunned. She did not expect Luke to arrange a driver for her. "Yeah. Don''t let the drivere for nothing. Don''t worry, just sit down and wait for a while. I''ll go to the kitchen to cut some fruits for us." Wanda persuaded Luca to stay for a while longer and walked to the kitchen. Old Man Rayne was sitting on the sofa in the living room. He looked at Luca with a smile on his face and said, "Luca, your chess skills are not bad. Although you''re still miles awaypared to me, it''s fun to y chess with you. Come over for dinner more often and y chess with an old man like me." She could not bring herself to turn down Old Man Rayne''s request. "Okay." Wanda brought out the cut fruits from the kitchen. Just as she ced it on the coffee table, her phone rang. She nced at it and said, "Luca, the car has already arrived at themunity''s entrance." Luca heard her and stood up. "Okay, I''ll head off now." "Why don''t you wait for the car toe in? I''ll just let the security guard at the entrance know," Wanda suggested. Luca turned her down. "Don''t worry about it. It''s just a few minutes away. I''ll walk over. The food you made tonight was so delicious and I had so much. It''s good for me to walk it off." Wanda reckoned that even if Luca left now, she would not bump into Marie and the others. She knew Marie well. Marie would not have the patience to wait at the entrance for the entire day. "Okay, I''ll walk you out," Wanda said. The two left the house together and when they reached the entrance of the vi, Luca stopped and said, "Ms. Rayne, this is good enough." "I''ll walk you to themunity''s entrance." Wanda continued to walk. Luca took her hand, shook her head, and said, "I''ll just walk there by myself. Old Man Rayne''s concoction should be ready soon. You''d better go back and watch it so as not to overcook it. Otherwise, the effects of the concoction will be affected." As soon as Wanda heard that, she gave up on sending Luca off because Old Man Rayne''s concoction was still simmering on the stove. "Okay. Be careful and pay more attention to your safety." Luca was in a trance. She felt as if she had gone back to the past when her family would tell her all kinds of caring words before she went to school. She left the vi, walked to the gate of themunity, and saw the ostentatious but low-key Mercedes- Benz. The Mercedes-Benz was low-key because the model wasmon in the area. There were always several such cars in thismunity. It was not the most luxurious car per se. However, the license te number was high-profile. Luca looked at the car te and guessed that it was the car that Luke sent. Before she walked over, the driver had already spotted her. He got out of the car and opened the door to the backseat for her. "Dr. Craw, I''m the driver Mr. Crawford sent to pick you up." "Thank you." Luca got into the car. The driver closed the door, returned to the driver''s seat, and drove away. Marie, who was standing on the opposite side of the road, saw Luca being picked up. She spat on the floor angrily. "Ugh! Someone picked her up at this time? Why is her life so easy?" The man who stood there with her looked in the direction the car was leaving. His eyes narrowed as he said, "This woman... Are you sure you want to provoke her?" "She''s so rich. If we don''t rob her, who else will we rob?" Marie''s eyes were full of resentment. ¡®How could a stranger enter the Rayne family''s house but I''m turned away?'' "The car she got into is a Mercedes-Benz," the man said to remind her. "What''s wrong with a Mercedes? She can afford the gifts, so she can surely afford to sit in a Mercedes. Didn''t you see that she took a taxi in the morning? Maybe this car is a rideshare." Marie said nonchntly. "That license te is special. It doesn''t look like she booked a ride. I''m afraid that you can''t afford to mess with her," the man said. "It''s just a woman. Are you afraid of her?" Marie provoked the man. Without the help of these men, she could not do anything to Luca. If she wanted to get money, she needed their help. "Since you insist on making a move on that woman, we''ll do it. Anyway, the whole thing is nned by you. We''re just here to collect the money. If there''s a problem, you''ll bear the responsibility." The man managed her expectations and made it clear that whatever happened next would have nothing to do with him and his friends. Marie was a little scared when she heard that they were washing their hands off the matter. However, she thought about her debts that she could not repay by herself and bit her lip. She agreed, saying, "Okay, I''ll take all responsibility. I don''t believe that she can make a fuss out of things." Luca was sitting in the car, looking at the scene that kept going backward outside the car window. She could not help but ask, "Do you know why Mr. Crawford sent you to pick me up?" "I don''t know. I''m just the driver," the driver replied. When Luca heard that, she fell silent. ''Yeah, why would a driver know what Luke is thinking?'' She asked because she was eager to know Luke''s intention for doing this. Luca shook her head, lowered it, andughed at herself. The car passed her apartmentplex without stopping. Luca was stunned. "Uh, why didn''t you stop?" "The boss'' order is to send you to the office. We''re not there yet," the driver replied. "Send me to the office?" Luca was stunned. She looked out the window. N?velDrama.Org owns this. The car was on the way to T Corporation. However, when she thought of all the possible oues, she still clenched her phone. If things went awry, she would be ready to call the police at any time. After a while, the car stopped in front of T Corporation. The driver opened the door and said, "Dr. Craw, we''re here." Luca looked at the entrance of T Corporation. It seemed that Luke had indeed ordered the driver to send her to the office. He had been prohibiting her toe to work due to her recent injury, so she was curious as to why he asked the driver to bring her to T Corporation. She asked the driver, "Am I supposed to go up?" "Yes." The driver nodded. Luca grabbed her things and got out of the car. Before she got in, the driver had already driven off. It was no longer office hours but T Corporation was still brightly lit as though many were working overtime. She looked at the building, took a deep breath, and walked in. Chapter 1687 The front desk receptionist of T Corporation had gone home. The security guard was the only one who was left. Luca did not bring her employee card but the security guard recognized her and swiped her in. Before she arrived at the elevator, Luke called. Luca answered, and his low voice said, "Come to my office." "Okay," Luca responded, put the phone back in her pocket, and took the elevator to his office floor. The lights on the floor were bright. When she walked out of the elevator and walked past Jason''s office, she saw that he was still working overtime. The entire T Corporation was working hard for the Europe project, while she was the only one who had nothing to do. Jason looked at her and smiled politely. "Dr. Craw, why are you here?" "Mr. Crawford asked me toe," Luca replied. She noticed that Jason''s desk was full of stacks of documents. As Luke''s assistant, he had to deal with many documents to begin with. She did not have to think much to know that there were going to be more documents on Luke''s desk. "Oh, in that case, the boss is in the office. You can head in," Jason said. Luca thanked him, and when she continued to walk forward, she heard him say, "By the way, the boss doesn''t seem to be in a good mood today. Do be mindful." ¡®Luke is in a bad mood? ¡®Did something go wrong at work? Otherwise, he wouldn''t be in a bad mood.'' "Okay, I won''t provoke him," Luca said. Even after many years, she still knew how to avoid the minefields around Luke. She walked to the office entrance and knocked. "Mr. Crawford, it''s me, Luca." T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. "Come in." Luke''s voice sounded. Luca took a deep breath, pushed the door, and walked in. He said, "Close the door." She obediently closed the office door. The moment the thick door was closed, the two of them were alone. The sound of him typing on the keyboard went on. Luca stood at the door and watched him type on the keyboard. She guessed that he was not dealing with documents but rather, discussing work with others. She did not make a sound and stood there like a wooden statue. Luke said, "Sit. Don''t stand there." Only then did Luca move. She sat in the seat opposite him. She looked at the man who was busy discussing with others and did not say a word. After a while, Luke closed the chat and looked at Luca after he finished assigning work to others. Luca was also looking at him. She lowered her gaze the moment their eyes met. Luke''s gaze was deep with a hint of indifference. After looking into his eyes for a while, it seemed as though he was able to see through her secrets. "Mr. Crawford, did you ask me toe here for work?" she asked. Luke stared at her for two seconds, took out two ck folders from the pile of documents, and handed them over. "Thepany''s trantor is facing some health issues and is still on leave. I need you to trante these two documents." It turned out that he needed her to help with trantion work... Luca breathed a sigh of relief. She picked up the folders, opened them, and nced at the contents of the documents. Both documents were in Russian. They were fairly thick with a lot of pages. "Mr. Crawford, when do you need these two documents?¡± "The sooner the better," Luke said. Luca nodded and held the document in her arms. "I''ll finish them as soon as possible. If there''s nothing else, I''ll go out and get on with the task." "I still have something to say," Luke said. Luca was stunned at how direct he was. Right after she stood up, she sat down again and waited for him to speak. "Aunt Wanda said the medicine you prescribed worked for Old Man Rayne?" Luke asked. "Yes. As long as he keeps taking it, Old Man Rayne will feel much better," Luca said. She felt a little regretful after learning about how Old Man Rayne had been suffering from this chronic disease for too long and even missed the best timing for treatment. Even if she treated him now, he may not be able to recover. She could only help him manage the symptoms. After all, Old Man Rayne was old. If he started treatment, it would be very risky and painful. Luca did not want to see Old Man Rayne having to suffer at his age. "That''s wonderful. Also, be careful of Marie in the next few days," Luke said. Luca suddenly looked at him. Luke noticed the surprise in her eyes and asked, "What''s wrong?" "Mr. Crawford, do you know something?" Luca asked cautiously. "Marie stopped you at themunity''s entrance today," Luke said. Luca''s expression changed. ¡®He''s still following me?'' She felt ufortable when she thought about how his previous concern and warmth toward her were all fake. He was still following her. She knew she had wronged Luke but she could not control her emotions the moment she heard that. "Mr. Crawford, if you don''t trust me, you don''t have to hire me." Luke noticed the disappointment in her eyes, as well as the faint trace of sadness. He exined nonchntly, "My men who are tasked to protect the Rayne family coincidentally saw you." Luca was stunned... He was not monitoring and tracking her but was protecting the Rayne family. The emotions in Luca''s heart turned into guilt and sadness after his exnation... In fact, it was only right for Luke to get his men to follow her. After all, she was Luca, not Bianca. On top of that, she approached him with bad intentions when she came to work at T Corporation... "Sorry, I thought that¡ª" Luca subconsciously apologized, thinking that she should not have thrown her temper at him. Luke interrupted her and said, "When my driver picked you up, they were standing nearby. Be careful. Even if you''re agile, you can''t guard against their schemes." "They were waiting for me?" Luca was shocked. She thought that Marie would have been chased away by the security guards. She did not expect her and her friends to be waiting nearby the entire time. ¡®Were they waiting for me?'' "They waited from morning to evening without leaving." Luke raised his gaze, hid his feelings for her, and asked, "Otherwise, why did you think I sent someone to pick you up?" Luca understood that he sent someone to pick her up because he learned that Marie and the others were waiting for her at the entrance. That was why he made such an arrangement... He was attentive and considerate but she... The more she thought about it, the guiltier she became. "Thank you, Mr. Crawford." She took a deep breath and thanked him. Luke opened a file and continued to work as if he did not hear what she said. Luca felt that the awkwardness in the air was spreading. She regretted saying what she said. Luke had always been a suspicious person. If he continued to get people to monitor and investigate her, she would definitely understand. Why did she feel that way just now? That was who he was. Chapter 1688 Luke paused his gesture while he was turning the pages of the document. Then, he continued to read the documents as if nothing had happened. ¡°We have to speed up the progress of the project. We''ll need a regr Russian trantor, and we can''t afford any unforeseen circumstances on your part anymore." Luca, who read between the lines, knew that he had only sent someone to pick her up because he wanted to ensure thepany''s project would go on as scheduled. After all, tranting was an essential job for overseas projects like this. Luca nodded. She stood up with the document in her arms and said, "I got it. I''ll try my best to trante these documents." "Okay." Luke did not lift his head to look at her. Luca was upset. The person in front of her was aloof. That was his true colors, but she could not help herself from being unreasonable. She was hoping that the man in front of her could spare a little warmth for her. However, given her identity and background now, she could not ask for it. There was an awkward silence again because of the few simple words he said. Luca carried the folders in her arms and grasped them tightly as she watched the man do his work. She took a deep breath and said, "Mr. Crawford, if there''s nothing else, I''ll go out to work first." "Alright." Luke did not make her stay. Luca left the office with the folders in her hands. She had just closed the door when she saw Jason walking toward her. He saw Luca and asked, "Dr. Craw, has the boss arranged a job for you?" "Yes, some tranting jobs," said Luca while she held the folders in her arms. Jason shot a nce at the folders. He recognized the two folders. "I was the one who arranged these two folders. They''re quite thick. It''s going to be tough for you." "It''s no big deal. Haven''t you eaten yet?" Luca noticed the lunchbox he was carrying in his hands. Jason nodded and answered, "Not yet. Everyone on this floor is working overtime. We haven''t eaten yet. But this one is for the boss. You''ve juste out from there. Is there anything unusual about him?" "Nothing unusual. He''s the same as always," replied Luca. His tone of voice did not change even when she was questioning him. "Alright, then I''ll send over the lunchbox first. Oh, the renovation work for your office has just been completed, and the tools you need have all been arranged. You can use the office anytime you want," Jason said. Luca nodded and headed to the office. Luca pushed the office door open and switched on the lights. She looked at the decorations inside. Clearly, it was just a temporary office, but Jason had decorated it like it was an office for long-term use. She entered the office, sat down, and switched on theptop on the table. After working for a while, Tina stood at the door and knocked on it. She looked at Luca with a smile on her face. ¡°Dr. Craw, may Ie in?" Luca lifted her head. She was focused on handling the documents and did not notice Tina''s arrival. Luca rose and asked, "It''s you. Of course, you maye in. What''s the matter?" Tina came in. She noticed that the office was lit up when she was passing by. She knew that it must be Luca who came back to work. Hence, she came here to take a look. Sure enough, it was her. "Nothing. I just happened to see youing here to work even though it''s alreadyte. It must be tough on you. Oh yes, I''m going to get some coffee. Do you want some?" she asked. Everyone in their department had to work overtime during this period, and most of them relied on coffee to keep themselves awake. Luca shook her head. "It''s alright. I''m not used to drinking coffee at night." "But you''ll have to workte. Are you sure you don''t need it?" Tina looked at the two folders on her table. Although there were only two, each folder was thick. "Can you please get me a ss of juice if that''s okay with you?" Luca said. It had been a long time since she drank coffee. She was already a light sleeper. If she continued to rely on the coffee to make her stay awake, her sleeping quality would be poorer. "Sure. Wait a minute." After knowing that Luca preferred juice over coffee, Tina turned around and walked out of the office. After a while, she brought her a ss of juice. She ced the ss of juice on the table and exined, "It''s toote at night now. There''s only grape juice left. Dr. Craw, you don''t mind, right?" "I''m fine with anything." Luca picked up the ss of juice and took a sip. The juice was prepared in the morning and it was already nighttime now, so the taste would naturally have changed. Still, it did not matter. It was just a drink to quench her thirst. Tina looked at the two folders and reminded her, saying, "Dr. Craw, you can actually bring these documents back to trante. After all, you''re still on sick leave. All you have to do isplete these folders in time. Boss wouldn''t say anything about where you do your work." Luca flipped the page of the document and said, "I''d better stay in the office to do the work. It''s rted to the project, after all. It''d be best if I don''t bring important information and documents out of the office." Tina thought what she said made sense too. She nced at the swelling on Luca''s face that had not recovered. She said in a caring manner, "Alright. Try not to get too tired, then. Your face hasn''t fully recovered yet." "I will." Luca touched her face unconsciously and smiled at her. Tina did not say anything more. She left there holding her cup of coffee in her hands. Luca continued to trante the documents. There were piles of documents, and the difficulty level was much higher than the previous documents that were given to her. Moreover, she had not been working for quite some time, so her progress was a little slow. When it was eleven o''clock at night, Jason and the others had already gotten off work, while she was still sitting there doing her work. When Luke got off work, he nced at her when he was passing by her office. Indeed, she was still busy at work. Bianca used to be serious and responsible when she was working. She was still the same. Luke knocked on the office''s door. Luca''s gaze moved away from theptop screen and fell on him. "Mr. Crawford?" "Time to get off work," Luke said. Given the time now, it would be almost 12 when they returned to the apartment. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca nced at the time on theputer screen. It was already sote... She nodded and stood up. Since her boss had already gotten off work, there was no need for her to work overtime anymore. She saved the tranted documents and switched off theptop. When she was about to keep the folders, Luke spoke. ¡°Bring the folders back home.¡± Luca was holding the folders and asked him in surprise, "Mr. Crawford, aren''t these confidential?¡± "Did I mention that these are confidential?" Luke questioned her back. Luca shook her head. He had indeed never mentioned that. However, she subconsciously thought that these documents were confidential. "These are just documents that need to be rushed. They''re not confidential. Bring them back. You don''t have toe to the office tomorrow. After youplete tranting them at home, just send the copy to my email," said Luke. Luca heard him and switched on theptop again. Since she did not bring her memory disc, she had to send the documents to her email. That way, she would be able to continue tranting the documents at home. After she hadpleted everything, she switched off theptop again. Then, she shot a nce at the door. Luke was already gone. He did not wait for her. A disappointing feeling slowly surged in her heart. Chapter 1689 Luca smiled as she shook her head. It seemed like she had been receiving too much special treatment from Luke. She was getting more and more discontented. It was not like she was rted to him. Why should he wait for her? Luca carried the two folders and switched off the lights when she walked out of the office. After she turned around and nced at the dark office, she closed the door and headed to the elevator. Luke was waiting for the elevator. Luca pondered over it. No one would use the executive elevator, so the elevator should be on this floor. Why was he not in the elevator yet? Luca looked at the man''s figure as her heart raced uncontrobly. She pulled her gaze away and headed to the elevator for employees. Luke saw hering over her and pressed the elevator button. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. The doors slowly opened. Luca, who had her back facing him, heard the sound too. She did not turn around. Luke walked into the elevator and looked at Luca, who was still waiting for the elevator. He spoke, ¡°Come in." Luca did not move. Luke repeated what he said, "Luca,e in." After her name was called, Luca then realized that the voice she heard just now was not her imagination. It was him calling her to get into the elevator. She nced at the elevator which was only on the tenth floor and thought if she insisted on waiting for the elevator, she would be pretentious. She turned around and walked carefully into Luke''s executive elevator. Sometimes, other than a few honored guests who asionally came to visit, Luke was the only one who used this elevator. Hence, when the cleaner was cleaning the elevator, she would usually spray his favorite scent in it. That was why there was his favorite scent in the elevator. Luca breathed in the familiar smell. The anxious feelings in her heart were slowly calming down. Luke pressed on the basement floor. Luca was about to remind him. "Mr. Crawford, I¡ª" "It''s difficult to hail a ride at this hour." Luke interrupted her. Luca shut her mouth silently. Did that mean he was going to send her back? Forget it. Let him send her home, then. It was not far away anyway. It would only take him around ten minutes. The elevator brought them down to the basement. Luke walked out of the elevator and walked in front of her. Luca followed behind him. Both of their paces were consistent all the way over. They kept a certain distance from each other too. Luca looked at the man''s tall figure, and it brought her back to her memories. The distance between them had never been so far away before. Back then, no matter how many things Luke had to carry, he would always hold her hand and give her enough sense of security. Luca was secretly missing the sense of security that he gave her back then. When she looked at his hand in his pocket, she even thought of taking the initiative to hold his hand. Her hand slightly stretched forward at the thought of this. Luca immediately withdrew it back when she realized what she was doing. She broke into a cold sweat. How could she have such thoughts?! If she did that, Luke would never understand why. Perhaps he would even reject her. Luca was secretly rejoicing. It was fortunate that she was quick enough toe back to her senses. Otherwise, she would have no idea how to exin itter. Luca held the folders with both arms and palms under her armpits. Winter was just around the corner. Her hands were freezing. Even though she was wearing multiple layers of jackets, she could still feel that her hands were unusually icy-cold. It was probably because she had freaked out just now... Luke, who was walking in front of Luca, had been relying on other ways to observe Luca. He could not turn his head around and hold the woman''s hand either. Hence, he could only rely on the other details to observe her. After a while, he suddenly turned around. Luca was startled by him that she trembled with fright for a second. "Mr. Crawford, what''s the matter?" Luke could clearly see how her body had trembled for a moment. He could not help but frown. "Why are you wearing so fewyers?" Luca listened to his tone which carried a hint of reproach and exined, "I didn''t expect that I''d still be outside at this hour." The temperature in A City during the day was still fine. It was mainly because the difference in the temperature between day and night wasrge. She did not expect that she would still be outside at this hour today. Luke did not say anything more. She was still outside at this hour because of him, and she was wearing such thin clothes too. "It''ll be warmer when you get into the carter," said Luke. He trotted to his car and opened the door of the passenger seat. Luca suppressed the tremor in her heart as she watched him open the car door for her. She bent her body and got into the car. Luke closed the car door and walked past the front of the car. He did not start the car immediately when he got into the driver''s seat. Instead, he switched on the heater in the car. As expected from the world''s top luxury car, it only took a while for the temperature inside the car to rise to the temperature that one''s body wasfortable with. Only after Luke felt it was sufficient did he start the car and drive off. After 15 minutes, the car reached the entrance of the neighborhood. Luca was about to get out of the car but Luke swiped the card right away and drove into the neighborhood. Luca thought, ''He''s not going to sleep here, right?'' She had the thought in mind, but she did not ask him. Luke asked, ¡°Did the cleaningdy get some groceries today?" "Yes." It was because he would oftene to the apartment and spend the night, so Luca got the cleaningdy to buy more ingredients. If Luke did note, then the ingredients would probably be wasted. Still, if he spent the night in the apartment, she would be able to put ingredients into use. ¡°Prepare another serving when you''re making breakfast tomorrow morning," said Luke. He parked the car at his exclusive parking spot. Luca nodded as she listened to him. She knew that he would be staying here tonight after what he told her. After he parked his car, Luca was about to get out when she saw him taking off his coat. He handed it to her. "Put this on." Luke ced the coat on her leg. Then, he pushed the door open without giving her the time to reject him. Luca had no choice but to pick up his coat and get out of the car helplessly. He was still looking at her. She could only put on his coat with some embarrassment. The tailored-made coat was perfect on Luke, but it looked oversized on her after she put it on. She felt like she had put on a mink coat. It was wide and long, but it kept her warm. Besides, this smell belonged to Luke. The smell kept flowing into her nose. Luca''s heart pounded faster beyond her control. Both of them silently entered the elevator together and went upstairs. It was Luca who pressed the door passcode. After she pressed the passcode, she pushed the door and walked into the house. Then, she groped for a while and found the switch. Luke followed her too, and he closed the door. Luca looked at the closed door behind him. They were like a couple who came homete. There was not much interaction between them but it was cozy. It was probably because of the coat on her. She felt warm and found everything to be natural. It almost made her think that she had returned to her old life. "Mr. Crawford, I think you should take the master bedroom tonight..." Luca took the initiative to let him sleep in the master bedroom. She slept in the maid''s roomst night. Although the bed was small, she was notrge-sized either. Hence, the bed in the maid''s room was perfect for her. Chapter 1690 ¡°It''s alright. Let me take the maid''s room," said Luke. He unbuttoned the two buttons on his shirt, pulled off his tie, and headed to the maid''s room. It seemed like he was looking for clothes to change into. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca felt helpless when he rejected her offer. She had no choice but to take off the coat. Something came into her mind, and she habitually reached her hand into the coat''s pocket to check if anything was in it. It was a habit of hers. Sometimes, Luke used to put little things in his coat. For example, a lighter or some other things. Hence, she made it a habit to check his pockets before she put them in the washing machine so that the things would not get ruined after soaking in water. Luke held another clean shirt and walked out of the room. He happened to see what she was doing. Their eyes met. Luca was afraid that he might misunderstand her, so she exined immediately, "Mr. Crawford, I just wanted to check if there was anything in your pocket. If there was nothing in it, I was going to leave it on the balcony. The cleaningdy will be here to wash it tomorrow." "Mm." Luke did not expose her little habitual action. It was what Bianca used to do back then. It had been three years. Everything else about her had not changed even a little when she was with him, except that she was disguising her identity. "I''ll go take a shower first," said Luke. Then, he walked into the shared bathroom. As Luca watched the bathroom door close, she helplessly put his clothes into theundry basket on the balcony. When she touched the coat just now, she noticed that the material was not suitable to be washed with the washing machine. Therefore, she thought of personally washing Luke''s clothes for him tomorrow. Luca brought in theundry that was thoroughly dry after she left the clothes in theundry basket. Then, she separated theundry. She hung Luke''s clothes back into the maid''s room, while she took her clothes back into her bedroom. She also brought the two folders into her bedroom. Luke was here. It would be inconvenient for her to do her work in the living room, so she had no choice but to do it in the bedroom. After she closed the door, she sat down in front of the dressing table. Luke got her the dressing table after she moved in. She thought it was of little use. After all, she preferred dressing up casually. The dressing table was like a decoration for her. However, she did not expect the dressing table to be her workstation for tonight. Luca switched on herptop and downloaded the documents she had sent to herself via email. When she was about to continue working on tranting the documents, someone knocked on the bedroom door. Luca tensed up and sat still without moving. She asked right away, ¡°Mr. Crawford, what''s the matter?" "It''ste. Stop working," Luke said. He saw that her bedroom was still lit and reckoned that Luca was still working. It was alreadyte at night. He could not bear to see her staying upte to work overtime. "Okay. I got it." Luca looked at the tranted documents and wondered, ''Can he see what I''m doing when the door is closed?'' She hesitated for half a minute, then switched off theptop. Since it did not seem to be too urgent, she would just resume work tomorrow, then. Besides, she had to wake up early to make breakfast for him tomorrow morning. She should not take the risk of waking up late. Luca quickly washed up and turned off the lights to get some rest. Throughout the entire time, Luke was standing at the bedroom door. When he saw the lights switching off in the bedroom, only then did he switch off the lights in the living room too. Then, he walked into the maid''s room. Someday, he would hold Bianca in his arms again. He surely would... The next day. Luca woke up and nced at the time. She immediately sat up, rushed into the bathroom, and washed up. Then, she headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Last night, she was worried she would not be able to wake up, so she deliberately did not take any sleeping pills. She did not expect that she would still wake up slightlyte today. Usually, if she did not take the pills, she would wake up on time even if she did not set an rm. Sometimes, she could even get up earlier than usual. It was an exceptional case today. It was probably because she slept well and that was why it happened. Luca did not think further as she knew the peace in the depths of her heart came from Luke. She opened the fridge and looked at the ingredients the cleaningdy bought. She quickly decided what to make for breakfast, then started preparing. After Luke woke up, he wanted to head to the bathroom. When he saw that the bedroom door was left open, he knew Luca had woken up. She was probably in the kitchen. He turned around and walked toward the kitchen. Before he reached, he heard noisesing from the kitchen. Luca was making breakfast. Indeed. Luke smiled when he saw her waking up early in the morning to prepare breakfast for him. This was the kind of daily life activity that he missed the most. It was also what he liked the most. He did not disturb the woman who was busy making breakfast. Instead, he turned around and walked into the bathroom. After Luca finished preparing breakfast, she carried the food out of the kitchen. Luke was already sitting on the couch watching the business news. It was his everyday routine. Luca looked at his figure. She was truly impressed with him. Although he was the owner of the apartment, he no longer stayed here anymore. Still, he could sit on the couch and watch the news comfortably. ¡°Mr. Crawford, breakfast is ready," she called out. Luke could smell the fragrance of the food earlier. He had been waiting for her to call out to him. He slowly rose and headed to the dining table when he heard her. It would be great if she could change the way she called him. Luca ced his serving of breakfast in front of him, then she ced the cutleries before him too. Luke sat down, picked up the cutleries, and was ready to eat. "Smells good." When Luca listened to hispliment, she said helplessly, "The ingredients the cleaningdy bought yesterday didn''t look fresh. It might not taste good." Luke shook his head and said, "It doesn''t matter, I''m not picky." Luca secretly let out a sigh when she heard him say that again. He was picky. He was much pickier than others, regardless of whether it was in terms of food or things he used. Luca picked up her cutleries and began to eat her breakfast. The morning financial news was still being broadcasted. Luca ate her breakfast while listening to it. The news happened to be reporting about the share prices of Johnston Corporation. It had dropped ten percent yesterday. She looked at Luke in surprise when she heard the news. The man''s expression remained calm. Noticing her gaze, Luke asked her as if nothing was going on, "What''s the matter?" "Mr. Crawford, what happened to the Johnston family?" Luca could not help but ask. She did not care about such things, but the Johnston family had something to do with Pierre. That would indicate that it was probably rted to Nina, which was why she was curious about it. "Didn''t you listen to the news?" Luke said. He knew the matter of Johnston Corporation''s share prices plunging since the first day. "No, I don''t really pay attention to these," replied Luca. She shot a nce at the TV and thought it was yesterday''s news. It had already lost its newsworthiness, and it was not time for the market to open yet. Hence, the news was glossed over in just a few words. "There are always many possibilities when ites to investing. The person in charge of Johnston Corporation suffered investment losses, so everything got out of control. As a result, it affected their share prices," exined Luke. Chapter 1691 Luca listened to Luke''s simple exnation, but she had a feeling that things were not as simple as they seemed. A ten percent drop in the stock price... The wealth of Johnston Corporation had disappeared into thin air after a second in the market. Percy must have something to do with this. After all, he was not an obedient person. However, he obeyed the Mallory family''s elders to be together with the daughter of the Johnston family. He must be up to something. Luca had a suspicion that Johnston Corporation''s share prices would not only drop by ten percent. They would probably continue to fall today and tomorrow. "What''s on your mind?" Luke looked at how serious Luca was and deliberately interrupted her by asking a question. Luca snapped back to her senses and said, ¡°If the Johnston family gets into trouble, will the Mallory family sever their ties with them immediately?¡± "The marriage of convenience between the Mallory and Johnston families is for the sake of their benefits. Besides, Percy isn''t married to that woman yet. If the Johnston family can''t survive through the crisis, the rtionship between the two families will certainlye to an end," answered Luke. This was Percy''s goal. "If they end the rtionship, won''t there be rumors flying all around?" Luca was not worried about Percy. Instead, she was worried about Nina. Once Percy got rid of the Johnston family, he would probably go back to pursue Nina. There were already bad rumors about Nina spreading around back then. If Percy really went to look for Nina after this, then many others would be prejudiced against Nina and even speak ill of her. "A marriage of convenience is always like that. The ones who are involved will understand, and they won''t talk too much about it," said Luke. He looked at the worried expression on Luca''s face and knew she was not worried about the Johnston family''s situation but her best friend, Nina. N?velDrama.Org owns this. "Is it? Maybe I don''t know much about a marriage of convenience.." Luca said disconstely. She did not want to know that much about it either. All she wanted was for Nina to be happy. However, Percy had used such means to get together with Nina. Would she be happy? Luca did not know, and she was not sure how the future was going to be. No one could predict the future, right? "Not everyone can interfere with the Johnston family''s matter," Luke said. He picked up the napkin and wiped his mouth. He was done eating his breakfast. Luca nodded. She knew well that not everyone could interfere with the Johnston family''s affairs. Besides, not everyone could bring down the Johnston family. After all, the Johnston family''s history went much further back than the Crawford and Mallory families in A City. She even heard that the ancestors of the Johnston family had their own business since the 1930s. They must be capable to have managed their family business until now. It was not easy for Percy to be able to trip the Johnston family up that quickly. Nina would certainly be happy if she got together with him. This man was good at what he did. After so long, she could also finally realize that this man was not a yer. Hence, Nina would be truly happy if she got together with him... Luke stood up and said, "I''m off to work." Luca nodded, "Alright." She did not intend to go to the office today. She chose to finish tranting the documents at home. Luke cleaned up his dishes, carried his briefcase, and left. Luca picked up her phone once the door was closed. She went to look up the Johnston family. The news of the share prices of the Johnston family''spany dropping ten percent was viral on the inte. Everyone wasing up with all sorts of reasons, but the Johnston family had yet to release an official response. They chose to keep quiet when they were facing theizens'' various suspicions. They gave no answer to all the guesses that were circting. The way they were handling it would only make more retail investors sell off the shares in their hands when the market openedter. Looking at the trend, Luca reckoned that when once the stock market opened, the share prices of the Johnston family''s business would probably fall another ten percent. They were not even trying to deceive the investors now. Luca thought they might have really gotten into trouble. Luca thought for a while, then sent a message to Nina: [Nina, are you aware of what''s happening to the share prices of Johnston Corporation?] [I don''t do any investments. Why should I pay attention to that?] Nina soon replied to her message. Luca shook her head helplessly. Without a face-to-face conversation with Nina, she could not tell if her best friend said it on purpose or she really did not give a sh*t about it. She was not concerned about the Johnston family, but she must care about Percy. Luca replied: [Johnston Corporation suffered a ten percent drop in their share prices. They''ll probably continue to drop today too. If this situation continues, the Mallory family will definitely do something about it.] After she sent it to her, she did not receive any replies from Nina for a long time. Luca put her phone aside, stood up, and cleaned up the table. After cleaning up the table, she washed Luke''s clothes by hand. Then, she took out the shirt that she brought inst night. She ironed it and put it back into the wardrobe. On the other hand. Luke had just arrived at the office. Jason said, "Boss, Mr. Mallory is waiting for you in the reception room. ¡°That early?¡± He frowned. He knew Percy woulde looking for him, but he did not expect him to be so early. "Yes," replied Jason, "I saw Mr. Mallory waiting for you on the first floor when I came to work today." "Ask him toe to my office," Luke ordered. Jason headed to the reception room to inform Percy. After a while, Percy came walking in carefreely. The cold expression that used to be on his face was no longer. He could not hide his smile. Luke teased him. "Your fiancee''s family business is facing a crisis now and you''re still able tough. It won''t be good if someone sees you." Percy seldom got carried away like this. However, all the things that the Johnston family did to unite with the Mallory family had pissed him off. At this very moment, he was toozy to pretend anymore. After all, he was secretly enjoying himself. He sat on the couch and said, "It''s not like you''re an outsider. I feel great now. What''s wrong with you catching me rejoicing? Don''t forget that yourpany will also benefit from the situation the Johnston family is in now." "You''re the biggest beneficiary." Luke reminded him. He yed a part in bringing down the Johnston family too, but not as much as Percy. The Johnston and Mallory families had been working together to force him to get together with the daughter of the Johnston family. Percy was already fed up with it. If it were not for the strong power that the Johnston family held, he would have done it earlier. He would not have waited until now. "Yes, yes, yes. I''m the biggest beneficiary but ourpanies are connected. Tell me, how much more does the Johnston family have to lose for them to fall?" Percy said. "It''s probably getting too much for them now. The market is about to open, and their share prices will likely drop another ten percent. After the drop today, they won''t be able to bear it anymore. Then, they''ll ask for help from the Mallory family." Luke analyzed. He was pretty confident. Percy raised his brows. It was earlier than he expected. "So soon?" Chapter 1692 "It''s hard to eliminate the Johnston family not because of their family business or deep pockets. It''s because of their family history and political background in A City. Besides, no matter how abundant their capital is, it''ll only lead to a downfall under the guidance of the person in charge now. Their company has low liquidity. A 20 percent drop means that they''ve lost quite arge amount of money. They won''t be able to take it for much longer." Luke analyzed. "Indeed." Percy nodded and changed to another sitting position. He leaned on the couchfortably. "Now, all we have to do is to wait for them to seek Old Master Mallory''s help. Judging from his character, I''ll be able to take action soon." "It''s easy for you to get rid of the Johnston family due to the current situation. But getting Nina back will be hard." Luke reminded him. Everything that Percy did was never for the sake of the Mallory family; it was for him and Nina. However, he chose not to tell anyone and did everything in silence. That was why Nina could not understand him. He was approaching victory, but Nina was still running away from him. Luke saw it all and broke it to him. Percy''s smile slightly faded when Luke mentioned Nina. "I''m fantasizing about my future now. It upsets me when you say that." "You have to be clear about the present to embrace the future." Luke switched on hisputer. The stock market would open soon. Percy did the same thing too. He picked up his phone and opened the trading app. "You don''t have to lecture me. You haven''t even dealt with your matters. Why did Biancae back with a different appearance and refuse to acknowledge you? Have you found out the reason?" His words hit a nerve in him. Luke entered Johnston Corporation''s stock code proficiently and said, "Would I still be like this if it was that easy to find out?" "Things are never easy for both of us." Percy refreshed the page, and the stock market had opened. People were constantly selling off Johnston Corporation''s shares, and the price kept dropping. He said, "Tsk, tsk. Tell me, how long before the price stops falling?" Luke analyzed the current trends in the stock market and made a guess. "It''ll hit a limit down in less than an hour." Percy nodded. "Then I''ll sit here in your office for the rest of the day." "What do you want to do?" Luke frowned. He did not like the thought of Percy staying here and disturbing him when he was working. ¡°When their share prices hit a limit yesterday, that woman started looking for me. I can''t get away from her. She keeps telling me to help her elder brother. Tell me, can I still go back to my office under these circumstances?" Percy wanted them to take the initiative to look for Old Master Mallory instead of him. If he was at the office, they would only think of him. "Nina is working in Brilliant today. You can go and look for her." Luke gave him another suggestion on where he should go. "The matter with the Johnston family isn''t settled yet. I''m not going to disturb her. She''ll be irritated." Percy went straight to the point. He had always been bold when doing things, but because of Nina, he would be extra careful whenever something was rted to her. Luke shook his head. "Then try your best not to talk." "I know, I know. You''re working on an important project. Don''t worry. I''m not going to disturb you." Percy was in a good mood today, and he became more talkative too. He took hisptop out of the briefcase and thought of working here. After a while, his phone rang. He nced at it. It was the daughter of the Johnston family calling him. Percy did not answer the call. After he left it to ring until the call was automatically cut off, he picked up his phone and sent a message to his assistant. He turned off his phone after telling his assistant to contact another number of his if there was anything about work that needed his attention. He liked to have two strings to his bow. Hence, when he was preparing toy his hands on the Johnston family, he had already registered for another phone number. Percy put the phone that was switched off in his pocket and began to work. Half an hourter, the Johnston family''s share price had hit the limit down. Percy whistled and said, "I didn''t expect it to be so fast." "You may make your next move now." Luke reminded him. Percy nodded and gave a call to his subordinate. He ordered, "You can send out the draft that was written earlier. Get the keyboard warriors tounch the publicity stunt at full steam." "Yes, Boss," answered the person on the other side of the phone. Half an hourter, there were simr posts showing up on all economic forums in A City. The contents were about the reason behind the plummeting of Johnston Corporation''s share prices. The reason stated was that the person in charge of the corporation was deceived, which led him to make a lot of bad investments. It resulted in a loss of a few million dors. Hence, thepany was not liquid right now. They even started nning to sell the assets under the corporation to survive the crisis this time. The news caused an uproar once it was released. Some investors regretted holding their shares and sought proof to know whether the news on the forums was true. After that, Percy''s subordinate provided them with the evidence. The truth of Johnston Corporation''s investment failure was verified with the evidence provided. Moreover, the Johnston family had gone into hiding. They refused to give the investors a reasonable exnation and hid the truth. Some of the investors imed that no matter how low the share price was, they were going to sell off the shares in their hands tomorrow when the market opened. It only took two hours for the Johnston family to copse. The news quickly went around the country. Apart from A City, somepanies that cooperated with Johnston Corporation, as well as investors, had also made their move. The Johnston family fell into the abyss of suffering at once. Notifications were popping out continuously on Luke''s phone. He looked at the man sitting on the couch and sighed. "The Johnston family shouldn''t have messed with you." ¡°I told them before, but they refused to believe it. They insisted on messing with me, so now, I''ll leave them with a huge mess that''s waiting to be cleaned up.¡± Percy smiledzily. He was satisfied that he had reached his goal. Luke shook his head. If the Johnston family knew it was Percy who did this, they would regret trying so hard to make him marry their daughter. Percy was the kind of person who would not mess with others if they did not mess with him. However, his n only seeded because the Johnston family had existed for a long time. It had been so long that he only had to push them gently and they would fall. Luke thought that since the Johnston family could not get in touch with Percy now, they were probably looking for Old Master Mallory. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. He had left the business to Percy, although he was the one responsible for everything this time. Old Master Mallory no longer had to manage any businesses and was d that he did not have to do anything. However, he had something to be worried about now. The doorbell of the Mallory manor rang. The butler, Mr. Be, nced at the person at the door. He dared not open it. Instead, he trotted to Old Master Mallory''s side and reported, "Old Master Mallory, the Johnston family is here." "Why are they here?" Old Master Mallory knew about the matter too. He frowned when he heard that they hade looking for him. Chapter 1693 Mr. Be made a guess. "They probably can''t reach Master Percy, so that''s why they came here." Old Master Mallory frowned and said, ¡°What troubles are they bringing here? How am I supposed to help them solve the problem? What can I do for them? Well, I guess Percy must have slipped away.¡± Old Master Mallory did not stand up for them when the Johnston family first got into trouble. It was because he thought the Johnston family would be capable enough to survive the crisis this time, but he did not expect that they woulde looking for him the next day. It seemed like what Percy said about the Johnston family was true. They were not as powerful as they expected. Mr. Be saw that the old master was getting impatient and asked, "Old Master Mallory, should we let them in?" "They''re already at the entrance. How can I not let them in? Just let them in," said Old Master Mallory. Mr. Be went to open the door and led the Johnston family to the garden. The people who came today were the father of the person in charge of Johnston Corporation, Nick Johnston, as well as the daughter of the Johnston family who was engaged to Percy, Madison Johnston. Mr. Be came over and weed them when he saw them get out of the car. He said, "Old Master Johnston, Ms. Madison, wee." Nick nodded his head with an arrogant expression on his face and asked, "Is Master Percy at home?" "Master Percy? He went to the office early this morning. He''s not at home," answered Mr. Be. They had indeede to look for Percy. He reckoned that they went to Percy''s office before this. Madison said hurriedly, "We went to Mallory Corporation, but they said he didn''te to the office today." Mr. Be understood at once and answered, "Perhaps Master Percy had something else to do. Mr. Johnston and Ms. Madison, you probably know that Master Percy runs thepany alone now. He often has some tasks that he needs to personally handle, so he had to move here and there. Hence, it''s normal for him not to be in the office at times." Nick knew the reason deep in his heart, but he chose not to expose the butler. Even though Percy was not at home, Old Master Mallory should be here. Then, he asked again, "Yes, that''s true. After all, it''s not easy for him to run a bigpany like Mallory Corporation. It''ll be much easier for him after Madison marries him. She can help him to manage thepany." Mr. Be looked down, lowered his head, and replied immediately, "Yes, indeed." Although he agreed with him, he could not make the decision. Nick could not be bothered about that and asked, ¡°Then, is Old Master Mallory at home today? I''d like to discuss something with him." ¡°Yes, Old Master Mallory is here. Pleasee in." Mr. Be led them into the house. Old Master Mallory had already asked the maid to make some tea. There was a sweet smell of tea in the air when the two of them entered. Madison''s eyes brightened, and she sat down opposite Old Master Mallory with her father, Nick. Nick was the younger generation when he was in front of Old Master Mallory, so he took the initiative and greeted, "Old Master Mallory, it''s been a while. How are you feelingtely?" "Thank you. I''m old but I''m still doing great." When Old Master Mallory saw how calm Nick was, he did not point out their motive foring here. He cracked a joke with him. Then, Madison said, ¡°We''re d to know that you''re healthy and strong. Is this chamomile tea? I didn''t expect you to like chamomile tea. Oh, my friends gave some to me. I''ll bring it over tomorrow so you can try some of it." Old Master Mallory enjoyed drinking tea, but he refused to ept any gifts from the Johnston family now. "Save the trouble. They''re for people who know how to appreciate tea. If your friend gave you chamomile tea, that only means that you enjoy drinking tea too. So, save it for yourself. I have enough here. I won''t be able to finish it if you give it to me. Come on, try my chamomile tea. Be, pour the tea." Mr. Be heard him and nodded his head. Then, he poured tea for them. Nick noticed that Old Master Mallory had yet to mention the Johnston family''s matters. He was a little anxious. He thought that the old master would take the initiative to ask about it. However, it looked like he was the naive one. Nevertheless, he still had a way not to take the initiative to mention the trouble that the Johnston family was in now and have the Mallory family help them. Mr. Be served him a cup of tea, which interrupted him when he was about to say something. Nick smiled, took it from him, and took a sip of tea. It was a good tea, but he was not in the mood to enjoy it. The tea was swallowed into his stomach without being tasted. Nick took the opportunity to say, ¡°Old Master Mallory, I came here today to discuss something with you." ¡°Oh? What''s the matter?" Old Master Mallory still did not speak about it. Nick could only go for his second n. ¡°Well, Percy and Madison have been engaged for quite some time now. I''m wondering if it''s time for them to get married and spend their days together happily?" Old Master Mallory was a little startled. Nick was not asking for help from the Mallory family but proposed such a suggestion instead. In the end, no matter if it was asking for help or asking Percy to marry Madison, his purpose was to help the Johnston family survive the crisis this time. There was no doubt that Nick wanted to use Madison''s marriage to Percy to tell everyone that the Mallory family was siding with the Johnston family. If anything happened to the Johnston family, the Mallory family would back them up and support them. Old Master Mallory smiled. He did not expect Nick to be so cunning. He did not beg for his help but came up with this trick instead. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Nick noticed that the old master was not saying anything. He considered that he was not someone who could be easily fooled either. He said, "I''ve gotten a professional to select a wedding date for them. I''ve also given him the two''s birth dates. He told me they''re a match made in heaven. As for the wedding date, the fifth of next month is the most auspicious, making it the perfect day to get married. Previously, we''ve already announced their engagement to the media. I suppose we should strike while the iron is still hot and shorten the distance between them by letting them get married right away. That way, Percy''s life will beplete once he settles down and starts his family." Old Master Mallory only thought ofughing when he listened to Nick. He looked at Madison and asked, ¡°Madison, what do you think about this?¡± "Grandpa, I like Percy a lot. And I''m willing to listen to my father,¡± Madison said bashfully. Marrying Percy was always something she wanted to do. Also, it was to help the Johnston family to get over the crisis. It was killing two birds with one stone. Now, the Johnston family had no choice but to get a loan from the bank if they wanted to ovee the crisis. However, the fact that they had made bad investments had been exposed to the public. Only a few banks were willing to loan money to them. Hence, they would need the Mallory family to back them up so that their ns could work. They were not counting on the Mallory family to solve the crisis for them with money. It would be enough if they could just use the Mallory family''s reputation. Old Master Mallory replied, "It''s their matter, so we should leave them to make the decision. I can''t decide on behalf of Percy. Besides, getting married on the fifth of next month? What''s the rush? Johnston Corporation is facing so many crises now. How can you possibly have the time to prepare for a wedding? I think we can discuss the weddingter after you''ve finished dealing with yourpany''s affair." "But, the fifth day of next month is an auspicious date for marriage. The professional mentioned that the couple will enjoy a lifetime of abundant wealth if they get married on that day. It''s hard to get such an auspicious date again," Nick replied hurriedly when the old master rejected him. Elders were superstitious. He was going to seize the opportunity to make the old master agree to his n. Chapter 1694 Old Master Mallory could not help butugh when he looked at how desperate they were to use the Mallory family''s name to solve their current crisis. He took a sip of the tea and let out a sigh. He remained silent for a long time. Madison and her father exchanged looks at each other. She then said in a sweet voice, "Grandpa, I really like Percy very much. So, I''m asking for your permission to let us get married earlier. After the wedding, I''ll try my best to be a good wife for Percy. I''ll help Mallory Corporation prate the global market.¡± Old Master Mallory ced his teacup back on the saucer. He understood how desperate they were. If it were the Johnston family in the old days, then he would certainly agree to it on behalf of Percy, but things were different now. He put on a serious expression and looked at the father and daughter. He said, "I don''t think it''s the right time now. It''d be better if the Johnston family can focus on solving the problem at hand. After that, we can discuss the wedding matters." Nick got anxious when he heard that. He exined, ¡°Old Master Mallory, you must be thinking that the Johnston family is hoping to ovee the crisis through this marriage, right? I''m sorry but you''ve got it wrong. We''re confident that we can solve the crisis ourselves. It''s just that my daughter can''t wait to get married, so that''s why I came to discuss it with you. If you''re notfortable with it, then I can guarantee that the Johnston family will never ask for a penny from the Mallory family to ovee this crisis after the two''s wedding.¡± All he wanted was the Mallory family to back them up to assure the banks. Old Master Mallory shook his head. He had already figured out the ways of survival in the business world. The Johnston family did not need the Mallory family to invest their money in them to get through the crisis this time. They wanted the Mallory family to back them up so that it would be convenient for them to borrow money from banks. However, the Mallory family could not take the risk. Mallory Corporation was doing quite well now, but no one knew what would happen in the future. Should anything untoward happen and they needed to take out loans from the bank, what should they do if their reputation was ruined by the Johnston family failing to ovee their crisis? In the beginning, Old Master Mallory was only thinking about the future. That was why he forced Percy to marry the daughter of the Johnston family. Now that the Johnston family was in trouble, he was sure that he could no longer cooperate with them. When Nick was about to say something, Madison tugged at his sleeve. She was afraid that the old master would break off their engagement if her father kept talking. The Johnston family was in a passive situation right now, but the Mallory family was doing nothing. They were kind enough not to kick them when they were down by breaking off the engagement. Madison dared not to ask for more. Everyone in A City knew that she was Percy''s fiancee now. Perhaps having the title of his fiancee could still be of use to their family. Hence, she stopped her father from saying anything more. Nick understood what she meant. He had no choice but to hold back what he was about to say. Madison picked up the kettle and refilled the old master''s cup of tea. She said gently, ¡°Grandpa, since you think it''s not the right time for us to get married, I''ll listen to you. We won''t get married now." "Those so-called auspicious dates are all fake if it isn''t the right time for the couple. It takes the right time, the right ce, and the right person. That''s how you get a true auspicious wedding date. Madison, what do you think?" What Old Master Mallory said carried deep meaning. Madison nodded to tell him that she understood what the old master meant. After they left Mallory Manor, Nick was pissed off. He hit the steering wheel with his fists. "This is outrageous. Old Master Mallory has gone too far!" Madison looked at her father''s actions. She understood how mad he was, but she was angry too. She thought the reason for this marriage of convenience was because Old Master Mallory admired her and was fond of her. However, everything was telling her that the so-called ''admiration'' was built on the interests of the Mallory family. Madison was tearing up, and she said with an aggrieved look on her face, "Dad, let''s find a way to settle the matter ourselves." Nick was annoyed. "Is there any other way? Those who used to rely on the Johnston family refuse to pick up our calls now. It''s the same with the Mallory family. Everything will end up the same way even if we ask the others to help us." Madison knew that, so she was not very positive about things either. She pulled a long face and said, "Maybe I should look for Percy." "Do you really believe that he''s not in the office? Madison, you''re only embarrassing yourself if you go look for Percy now!" said Nick. Then, heined about his son again. "Look at what your brother did. Why would he do this when the business was running just fine?" Tears streamed down from Madison''s eyes. She drew out a tissue and wiped her tears silently. "Dad, stopining. It''s useless. Brother wouldn''t have wanted this to happen. We should focus on dealing with the crisis now." "If only it''s that easy." Nick looked at his daughter. The reason why Percy agreed to the marriage was not because of how beautiful Madison was. It was Old Master Mallory who forced him to. Now that the Johnston family was in trouble, Percy must be delighted. However, he could only pin his hopes on Percy now. "Madison, find someone to track Percy down. Go ahead and fight for it. You have to make him yours in any case. Do you understand?" Nick considered the fact that his daughter was still a virgin. If Percy touched her body, he would have to take responsibility. Madison knew what her father meant. Seeing as she was in love with Percy, she promised. "Alright, Dad. I know what to do." On the other hand. When Luca was tranting the documents in her bedroom, the cleaningdy came to tidy the house. As usual, after the cleaningdy tidied up the room, she knocked on the door of the maid''s room. Luca opened the door, looked at the cleaningdy, and asked, "What''s the matter?" ¡°Ms. Craw, I''m ready to head to the supermarket. What ingredients do I need to buy today?¡± the cleaningdy asked. Luca remembered that the ingredients this morning were not fresh. She thought of getting some fresh ingredients herself so that Luke would not have to force himself to eat the food. Hence, she said, "I''ll go with you this time." The cleaningdy was paid to help Luca handle these things. When she heard Luca say so, the cleaningdy replied quickly, "It''s cold outside. It''d be better for you to stay at home." "It doesn''t matter. It''s been a long time since I went to the supermarket. Let''s go together. Give me a minute, let me get my coat." Luca said. She put on the coat that was hung on the hanging rack. The coat kept her warm. Luca touched the material and thought that it would keep her warm outside. She took her phone and the ess card before saying to the cleaningdy who was waiting for her, "I''m done. Let''s go." The cleaningdy nodded and left together with Luca. They did not go to the supermarkets that were farther away. They chose to get the groceries at the supermarket near the neighborhood. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. After they entered the supermarket, the cleaningdy was responsible for pushing the trolley while Luca walked beside her. The cleaningdy could not help but ask curiously, "Ms. Craw, what are you nning to buy?" "I''d like to make hotpot, so I''m getting more ingredients than usual." Luca did not want her to think too much, so she made up an excuse on purpose. She did not mention that the ingredients the cleaningdy boughtst time were bad. There were times when the workers in the supermarket behaved cunningly. They would sell spoiled vegetables and deceive customers by spraying water on the vegetables, making them look fresh. Chapter 1695 Luca did not think that the cleaningdy had any intention of buying spoiled ingredients to deceive her. The cleaningdy nodded while she listened to her. She could not help but secretly exim how considerate Luca was. After all, she would have to buy many ingredients to make hotpot. If she came here to buy the ingredients alone, it would be a problem for her to carry everything back to the apartment although it was not far away from here. The cleaningdy pushed the trolley and asked, ¡°Ms. Craw, how many people are you inviting over to have hotpot?" "It''s just me," said Luca. "Huh?" The cleaningdy thought she heard it wrongly. Luca knew why she was surprised, so she exined, "I''m suddenly craving for it, but I don''t like the commercial vor of hotpot sold outside. So, I n to cook it at home." "Okay." The cleaningdy nodded. She had no idea what the young people today had in their minds. Luca walked in front while the cleaningdy pushed the trolley behind her. After a while, she had already picked up a lot of ingredients. The cleaningdy looked at the ingredients in the trolley and thought that Luca would probably not be able to finish everything if she was really making hotpot for herself. She looked at Luca''s skinny figure. It would take days for her to finish all these ingredients. After Luca finished choosing the ingredients, she received a call from Nina. "Luca, where are you?" Nina sounded like she was in a rush. At the same time, Luca noticed that it was noisy on the other end as though Nina was beside the road. "I''m in a supermarket. What''s the matter?" Luca asked. "Can I go over to your ce?" Nina said. She was avoiding Percy. Sue had just told her that Percy would be heading to Brilliant. Before she found out why, she clocked out and left immediately. She did not even want to go back to her apartment at the thought that the man might be looking for her. Nina had no choice but to look for Luca, who was still on leave. After all, she could not stay in the company or return to her apartment. "Alright. I''m almost done with grocery shopping. You cane over first. I''ll be back soon." Luca hung up after she said that. She took a few boxes of sliced beef out of the freezer in the supermarket after learning that Nina would being over. Nina enjoyed eating beef slices when she was having hotpot. The cleaningdy reminded her when she saw Luca grabbing a few more boxes. ¡°Ms. Craw, the beef slices won''t taste as good if you leave them in the freezer for too long.¡± "A friend will be joining me for lunch,¡± said Luca. Then, she grabbed some other hotpot side dishes. After checking out at the cashier counter, they both carried a big bag and left the supermarket. The cleaningdy thought of carrying the two bags herself, but Luca refused to. She thought would be able to share the load with her if both of them carried one each. Nina reached her apartment not long after they returned to the apartment. She pressed on the doorbell hastily. Luca went to open the door. She saw Nina standing at the door with an anxious look on her face. The weather was not even hot out there. Still, there were beads of sweat on her forehead, causing her makeup to smudge a little. She asked, "Nina, what happened to you?" "Will you believe me if I tell you that I got chased by a ghost?" Nina took a breath. She nced behind her as if she was afraid someone was following her. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw no one behind her, then she walked into the apartment. "No," Luca shook her head and replied honestly. Nina sighed helplessly. "Luca, youck a sense of humor. But seriously, the person who''s following me is scarier than a ghost." Luca knew what was going on once she said that. She closed the door and did not continue to ask any questions. "I''m nning to make hotpot for lunch today. Care to join me?" "Hotpot? It''s my favorite. But don''t you still have wounds on your body? You should be taking light meals. Otherwise, you''ll regret it when you''re left with scars on your body." Nina reminded her. "The wounds are long gone. I don''t have to worry about scarring. I figured you''d enjoy eating hotpot, so I bought a lot of ingredients. Oh yes, I bought a few boxes of sliced beef too," said Luca. She walked toward the dining table. The ingredients she bought just now were not kept yet. "Sure. They''re my favorites. After you reminded me about it, I just remembered that it''s been a long time since I had a hotpot. It''s time to break my vegetarian diet." Nina looked around the living room, then her gaze fell on the balcony. There was a man''s garment hanging there. Even though she was seeing it from afar, Nina could still recognize the quality of the garment. It was not any usual men''s clothing. She became alert at once. "Luca, are you staying together with someone else?" "No," Luca said, "I''m staying alone. When did I start staying with someone else?" "Then the garment hanging out on the balcony..." Nina pointed at the men''s clothing on the balcony. Luca understood at once. She paused her gestures for a moment and exined, "It''s because it''s dangerous now. That''s why I hang man''s clothing there. Perhaps it can help prevent something bad from happening. Oh, you should do that too. It''s safer that way." Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Nina still doubted it, but Luca''s exnation made sense. She believed what she said for the time being. "Sure, it''s a good idea. I''m going to get somethingter to hang it at home." Luca smiled when she heard that Nina seemed to believe in what she said. Then, she put the ingredients in the fridge. She deliberated for a moment, not knowing whether or not Luke would being today. She then sent a message to him: [Nina came over today.] She intended to inform Luke about it and ask him not toe to the apartment today. It was to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings. Luke did not reply. The cleaningdy was cleaning up the kitchen. Luca realized there was nothing she could do here and said, "Nina, I still have some work to do. Can I leave you here? Just make yourself at home." "Alright. Don''t worry. I won''t disturb you when you''re working. Go ahead, I''ll leave you to it. I''m fine here." Nina made the okay hand gesture, and sat down on the couch, scrolling her phone. Sue was reporting the situation to her through Instagram. She told her that Percy''s assistant called not long after she left the office, iming that Percy had an urgent meeting to attend and he could not make it today. Hence, the business discussion was canceled. Nina recalled the car that followed her when she was on her way here. She suspected that Percy was in that car. He had probably followed her here. "Doesn''t he have anything else to do?" Nina muttered. Luca walked out of the kitchen with a ss of warm water in her hand. She happened to hear what Nina said and asked, "Why? Who is it?" "Ah, it''s nothing. Hurry up and get back to work. We''ll have a hotpot together when you''re done with your work." Nina snapped back to her senses and answered her with a smile on her face. "Alright." Luca smiled and nodded her head. She walked into the bedroom and continued to trante the documents. Nina was distraught. She replied to Sue: [I got it. I''m with Luca now. Find me on Instagram if there''s anything else. Leave the unimportant jobs. I''ll go back and deal with them tomorrow.] It did not take long for Sue to reply to her message: [If he''s really looking for you, you may be able to avoid him today, but can you run away from him forever? I think you should deal with it head-on if there''s any misunderstanding between both of you. Otherwise, not only are you dying your work but you''re ruining your life too.] Nina read her message and let out a sigh. What she said made sense, but Percy was not a man who could be reasoned with! Chapter 1696

Chapter 1696 Like Host And Hostess

It was noontime. Luca finally finished tranting the contents of one of the folders. She nced at the time. It was almost time to prepare the hotpot. She walked out of the bedroom. Nina was sitting on the couch watching TV. She was afraid that she would disturb Luca, so she had turned the TV volume down to the point where she could barely hear anything. ¡°Are you done?¡± Nina smiled when she saw Luca walk out of the room ¡°I''ve just finished part of my work. I''m going to prepare the hotpot now,¡± replied Luca. Then, she headed to the kitchen. Making a hotpot was not asplicated as making proper meals. She only had to season the soup base and clean the ingredients. That was all she had to do. Nina followed her into the kitchen. ¡°Let me help you.¡± ¡°It''s alright. Just wait for the food,¡± Luca said as she opened the fridge and took the ingredients out. ¡°You''re already treating me to hotpot. How could I just eat without helping? But I''m pretty bad at cooking too. Don''t expect me to help you to make the soup base. I can still manage if it''s just cleaning the vegetables.¡± Nina helped to take the ingredients from Luca when Luca was taking them out of the fridge. Luca smiled and shook her head when Nina insisted on doing so. She did not reject her offer. Nina looked at the hotpot ingredients in the bag and eximed, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to buy all my favorite food.¡± "Aren¡°t hotpot ingredients all the same?¡± Luca said. She knew Nina wasing, so she bought some of her favorite hotpot ingredients. ¡°There are so many hotpot ingredients, but everything here suits my taste.¡± Nina rummaged through the ingredients in the bag and eximed, ¡°There''s nothing I don''t like to eat here.¡± Luca smiled, and she took the hotpot seasoning out. She nned to make the hotpot soup base first. After all, the soup base was the essence of hotpot. Nina took the ingredients out one after another, saying, ¡°Luca, others would think that we''ve known each other for years. You know my preferences so well.¡± Luca opened the package of the hotpot seasoning and said thoughtfully, ¡°Perhaps we have known each other for a long time?¡± Nina was startled for a moment. She turned around and nced at Luca, who was busy making the soup base. She smiled and replied, ¡°Is that so? Then did I forget about you? If that''s the case, I should be feeling guilty as hell for forgetting about you.¡± Luca shook her head. She did not continue the subject of the conversation. ¡°Oh, please help me make some juiceter. I''m nning to add some spice to the soup base to make it a little spicier.¡± "It tastes good if it''s a little spicy.¡± Nina nodded and agreed to help her. "Leave the juice to me." Hence, both of them worked together and finished making the hotpot in a short time. Luca poured the soup into the pot on the induction cooker and turned it on. Nina pped her hands with a smile on her face. ¡°It''s been a long time since I looked forward to enjoying hotpot. Thank you, Luca.¡± Luca poured the juice into the ss, smiled at her, and said, "It''s just hotpot. You don''t have to thank me." "You have no clue. After my mother fell sick, I feel satisfied just being able to have a proper meal, not to mention hotpot.¡± Nina took the ss of juice Luca handed to her and took a sip of it. The juice was freshly squeezed by her. It tasted nice and sweet, so she took another sip of it. Luca felt sorry for Nina when she heard that. Previously, Percy was beside her to keep these matters away from her. However, Nina was bearing all the burden alone in silence now. Everyone would feel sorry for what she was going through. ¡°Then you shoulde over here often to apany me. It''s kind of boring to eat alone.¡± Luca extended an invitation to her. "Alright, but won''t you be too busy to entertain me next time? Your wounds are almost healed, right? I think you''re going to be busy soon. I heard that you''re helping T Corporation with the tender?¡± Nina asked. ¡°Yes, their trantor is still on leave and can''te back to work. I was asked to do some tranting work,¡± Luca exined. She did not expect Nina to know so much about it even though she was not working in T Corporation. It seemed like she had friends in T Corporation observing everything there. Was it all because of Bianca? As Luca was lost in thoughts, the soup started boiling. She came back to her senses, lifted the cover, and said, "Let''s start putting in the ingredients now.¡± Nina put her favorite meatballs and vegetables in hurriedly. Luca picked up a big slice of beef and put it into the pot. She said, ¡°Don''t forget about the beef slices.¡± "Yes, beef slices are my favorite,¡± Nina smiled and said. While the two of them were waiting for the meatball and vegetables to cook in the pot, the apartment''s door was suddenly pushed open. Both of them turned around and looked in the direction of the door at the same time. Luke came walking in. Luca was so startled that her jaw dropped a little. Why did hee here? Did she not send him a message telling him that Nina was here? Could it be that it was because of Percy? He knew Nina was here, so that was why he came here? Luca knew Luke was not that kind of person. Moreover, everyone in T Corporation was busy now. She nced behind him. After Luke came in, he closed the door and changed into slippers. Everything was done at one go. No one followed behind him and came into the house. Luca was speechless. He knew Nina was here now, yet he still came. He was even deliberately walking toward her. Nina came back to her senses and looked at the man who was heading toward them. She asked confusingly, ¡°Mr. Crawford?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Luke shot a nce at the hotpot. His eyes gleamed, and he sat down at once. Nina looked at his gestures and suddenly recalled that the apartment unit used a digital door lock. Even if Luke was letting Luca stay in this apartment, she must have changed the passcode. Could it be that she changed the passcode and informed Luke about it so that he coulde in and out as he wished?Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. However, no matter what kind of situation it was, it was a fact that Luke coulde in and out of this apartment as he liked. Nina looked at Luca. Although she looked surprised too, it seemed like there was something unusual going on between them. Then, she thought of the men¡¯s clothing on the balcony. It turned out that the expensive men¡¯s garment belonged to Luke. "Having hotpot for lunch today? Do you mind getting me a set of cutleries?¡± Luke sat down beside Luca and asked. Luca snapped back, not knowing why Luke would do this. Nothing was going on between them. Still, the outsiders would wonder how a man and a woman could live together if there was nothing going on between them. It was unlikely that they were sharing this bachelor apartment. ¡°Let me go to the kitchen and get the cutleries for you.¡± Luca stood up with aplicated expression on her face. She nced at Nina. There was no need for Luca to study Nina''s expression carefully. Luca knew Nina had a lot going on in her mind. Nina had probably already misunderstood... She did not know how to exin this. It was inconvenient for her to exin it in front of Luke. Luca walked into the kitchen and picked up a set of cutleries for Luke. She nned to talk about it after lunch. Luke took the cutleries from her and nced at the ingredients. He said, "It looks sumptuous.¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± Luca replied in a soft voice. It would be bad for her to move her seat all of a sudden since she was sitting here just now. Hence, she had no choice but to endure it and continue to sit beside Luke. It was as if they were the host and hostess as they were sitting together, while the guest was sitting opposite them. Chapter 1697 Nina looked at Luca, then she nced at Luke again. Her heart was filled with confusion. Even the hotpot could no longer attract her attention. The question she had in mind was, what would happen to Bianca if there was really something going on between Luca and Luke? Nina was struggling internally. The hotpot she had been looking forward to was not as tempting anymore. She finished eating while in a mentally confused state. Luca looked at the ingredients that were about to be finished and secretly let out a sigh. Fortunately, she had prepared extra servings. Otherwise, it would be awkward. She rose and took the initiative to clean up the dining table when T Corporation¡¯s lunch break was almost over. Nina sat there, looking at Luke. He did not help Luca. It seemed like he came to get a free meal, and that was not something a host would do. However, she could not be sure about that. Luke knew what Nina was thinking about. He nced at the time, stood up, and said, "It''s almost time. I''ll go back to work first." What he said sounded like a husband checking in with his wife. Luca found it weird, but she was sure that he said that to her. Thus, she nodded her head and brought the cutleries into the kitchen. Luke stood up, nning to leave. Nina stood up too and followed behind him. They left the apartment one after another. Nina closed the door gently without locking it just to make sure Luca would not hear their conversation. ¡°Luke, I have something to ask you.¡± This time, Nina no longer politely addressed him as Mr. Crawford. After all, she now saw Luke as a man who had betrayed her best friend. Luke stood there, turned around, and looked at Nina. "What''s the matter?" His cold tone of voice sounded like everything he did was normal to him. It was as if he had not realized what he did wrong. Nina sneered and said, "Why do you know the passcode to this apartment?" "It has always been this passcode," answered Luke. Knowing what Nina was curious about, Luke would answer every question she asked. Nina was startled. Did he just reply honestly? Then, she asked again, ¡°The garment hanging on the balcony is yours, right?" ¡°It''s mine," Luke continued to answer. Nina took a deep breath. Under what circumstances would a man''s clothing appear in a woman''s apartment? The answer was that they were already staying together. She clenched her fists and questioned him, ¡°Is this how you''re treating Bea? Does she have any idea what you''re doing now?" ¡°What can she do whether she knows or not?" Luke questioned her back. Nina was pretty sure now. Bianca did not volunteer to travel abroad. It was definitely because Luke got tired of her. That was why he sent her overseas. He would not get scolded by the public or found out by Bianca after doing that. Nina loved Bianca from the bottom of her heart. "Luke, you''re a beast. How could you do this to Bea? It''s not fair to her." ¡°Nina, you''re too naive." Luke looked at Nina, who was out of her mind and thinking of standing up for Bianca. He shook his head, saying, ¡°You know nothing. Don''t ever say something like that. And stop minding other people''s matters when you haven''t taken care of your own matters. Besides, are you here to say such things when you''re eating the hotpot that Luca prepared for you? Do you consider her as your friend?" Nina was started. Of course, she considered Luca as her friend. However, when she thought of Luca being together with Luke, she could not hold herself back anymore. She said, ¡°It doesn''t matter if I consider Luca as a friend or not. That doesn''t hide the fact that you''ve betrayed Bea. I never expected that she would choose a bastard like you." ¡°If you consider Luca as your friend, you shouldn''t say something like that. If you''re calling me a bastard, then what about Luca?" Luke pressed the elevator button. He did not intend to continue to talk to her about this. There was no point talking so much to a woman who could not even control her emotions. It would only cause chaos. Nina took a deep breath. She felt a little guilty. Yes, she treated Bianca as her friend, and naturally, she considered Luca as her friend too. However, the man in front of her made her doubt if she treated her friends sincerely. Could it be that her friendship with Luca was insincere? Did she get close with her only because she could be her shelter when she was alone and had no ce to go? Did she be friends with Luca only because she saw her as a tool? Nina was able to dispel the thought. Her friendship with Luca was sincere. However, Bianca... The elevator reached the floor. Luke pressed the button to stop the elevator from closing the doors. He said, ¡°Don''t judge others before you figure out who you consider as friends or before you learn the ins and outs of the matter. There are many things that you don''t know. Not only the things on my side but your own personal matters too. Nina, you can''t just keep running away. You shouldn''t be that foolish either." He walked into the elevator after that. Nina was pissed off. ¡°Who are you calling a fool? I''m smarter than you! Damn it!" The elevator doors still closed no matter how Nina yelled at him. She looked at the floor number that was descending and yelled in a low voice, "Argh!" Luca stood at the door listening to their conversation. She let out a sigh. Nina was still suspicious of them. No matter how much she tried to run away from the matter, or how hard she wanted to conceal it from her, everything was exposed with just one move of Luke''s. Nina walked in and saw Luca standing behind the door. She was startled for a moment and asked, "You heard our conversation just now?" "Yes, I heard it." Luca nodded. The door was not closed and left ajar, so their voices could still be heard from inside. Nina exined, "Don''t get it wrong. I just don''t want Bea to be upset." Luca shook her head. She knew what she meant. "You don''t have to exin. I understand. But it''s not what it looks like." "That garment on the balcony belongs to Luke Crawford," Nina said. Luca had Luke''s clothes hanging in her apartment. Was it not obvious enough? "There''s more to the story. Some of Mr. Crawford''s clothes are still in the wardrobe in the maid''s room." Luca sighed. She had to exin herself whether Nina believed her or not. "T Corporation is busy with the tender now. He''lle over when he works overtime. But he doesn''t sleep in the master bedroom. He uses the maid''s room instead. After all, it''ll take him almost an hour to return to the manor. If he uses that one hour to rest, he''ll feel more energetic the next day. So he''ll sometimese here to sleep. The cleaningdy also helps him do theundry, which is the garment you''re looking at now. He changed out of itst night. There''s a nket in the maid''s room too. It''s for him to rest. And there are some toiletries in the shared bathroom. They''re all his. Mine is in the master bedroom''s bathroom." N?velDrama.Org owns this. Nina listened to her exnation. She did not walk into the maid''s room to check. She just stepped forward and hugged Luca. Chapter 1698 "I''m sorry, Luca. I shouldn''t have doubted you," Nina said apologetically. If Bianca were not already in the picture, she thought it would be great if Luca and Luke got together. However, as a friend of Bianca''s, she could not stand watching Luke cheat on her. Luca patted her shoulder and said, "It''s alright. I understand." Nina let go of her and reminded her sincerely, "Bianca is alone out there now. I don''t know how she''s doing, so I''m always concerned with Luke''s private life." Luca listened to her concern and smiled bitterly. "I''m the one who didn''t try my best. If I had stayed away from Mr. Crawford from the very beginning, you wouldn''t have misunderstood us." "I''m just too sensitive. After all those things I''ve gone through, I rarely believe in men anymore. That''s why I doubted you." Nina let out a sigh and realized her problem. Even though Luke was powerful and influential, there was no way he could control what Bianca did. Luke sent her abroad, but she could have returned anytime if she wanted to. She would not have waited until now. Hence, that was probably what Luke meant by saying that there were many things she did not know about. Luca felt a little sorry for Nina when she saw Nina defending her without knowing it. She wanted to tell her everything too, but if she told Nina, that would mean she was dragging Nina into this. This was way tooplicated for her. Luca refused to see her best friend risk her life for her. "Alright. Enough of that. Would you like to have some fruits?" Luca asked. Nina shook her head. Even though Luke had suddenly shown up, it did not affect her appetite. After all, the soup base that Luca made tasted good, and the meatballs and vegetables were delicious. She ate a lot. "I''m full after eating the hotpot. I can''t eat anything now." She touched her belly. It was rare to see her stomach bloated. Luca smiled as she looked at Nina''s slightly bloated stomach. She said, "Is it really that good?'' "It''s so good. Thest time I ate such a good hotpot was made by Bea too. I didn''t expect you to be so good at making hotpot too. That''s great. I ate too much without knowing it." Nina recalled the taste of the hotpot she had just now. It tasted almost like the hotpot soup base that Bianca made. Unfortunately, it had been so long. She could only vaguely remember that it tasted almost the same, but she could not differentiate if there was a difference and what the difference was. Luca smiled. "You''ll grow fatter if I make you eat my cooking every day." Nina was too skinny, and she did not look healthy at all. She looked weak andcked nutrients. Luca still preferred the chubby version of her back then. "Then I shouldn''t be eating the meals that you prepare every day. It''s easy to get fat but it''s harder to slim down. Everyone wants to be slim nowadays. It''ll be hard for me to slim down if I get fat again." "You look better when you''re a little chubby." Luca looked at Nina''s thin face. Her face would be pale white if she had no makeup on. "Alright, alright. You haven''t done the dishes, right? Let me do them. Hurry up and get back to work." Nina listened to her. Bianca had said that to her before. She did not know why Bianca woulde into her mind whenever she was talking to Luca. Perhaps it was the way they talked, that was why she could not stop thinking about her. Nina took the job of washing the dishes and let Luca continue with her work. Luca looked at her heading to the kitchen from behind. She smiled and shook her head. Then, she entered the bedroom and continued to trante the remaining documents. The three documents remaining did not have as many pages as the previous one. It only took her three hours to finish tranting the rest of the documents. After shepleted her job, she checked through her work again to make sure there was no mistake. Then, she sent it to Luke. Not long after that, she received a reply email from Luke''s work email. He sent her an address right away. Luca looked at the address. It was the address of a shopping mall nearby. She did not know why Luke would send her the address. She sent a message to him to ask about it. Luke replied, "You have to go there on your own today." He did not mention what he wanted her to do. Luca was confused about what his ns were. She could only listen to his orders and follow them. She put on something that she could wear outside. She walked out of the bedroom and saw that Nina was lying on the couch, taking a nap. The TV was still switched on, and the volume was low. Luca shook her head as she looked at the woman who was fast asleep. It waste. If Nina continued to sleep, she probably would not be able to sleep tonight.N?velDrama.Org owns this. Therefore, Luca walked toward her and shook her. "Nina, Nina..." Nina opened her eyes slowly. She woke up and looked at Luca with her groggy eyes. "Luca, what''s the matter?" "It''ste. If you continue to sleep, you won''t be able to fall asleep tonight. Get up. Come with me," Luca said gently. She lowered her voice when she saw Nina in a daze after waking up. Nina nodded her head and sat up. She picked up her phone and nced at it. "I''ve been sleeping for so long?" "It''s normal to feel sleepy after filling your stomach," said Luca. She would take a nap too if she was allowed to. "I''m not sleepy. I''m messing up my sleeping schedule like this." Nina opened her Instagram and saw the message that Sue sent to her. After she replied to her, she turned to look at Luca. "Luca, are you asking me to go out with you?" "Yes. Mr. Crawford assigned me a task. He told me to head to the mall nearby. Let''s go together?" Luca said. She wanted Nina to hang out with her. "Sure," said Nina. She used her fingers as ab and ran her fingers through her hair to tidy up her messy long hair. Then, she asked with confusion, "By the way, do you have any idea why Luke asked you to go to the shopping mall?" "I''m not sure about that." Luca was changing her shoes. She wanted to get something out of him, but he refused to talk. Hence, she had no choice but to make a guess, "He probably booked something and is asking me to collect it." Nina frowned and said with some confusion, "He''s good at telling people what to do, huh? Previously, you were just a research professor working in ab. Now, you''re a part-time trantor. This time, he wants you to run errands for him?" "It''s just a guess. Let''s go and take a look." Luca finished changing her shoes, then she left arm in arm with Nina. They chose to walk because the shopping mall was just nearby. 15 minutester, Luca walked into the shop ording to the address she was given. It was a store selling luxury goods. Luca said to the shop assistant at the entrance, "Hello, I''m¡ª" Before she managed to finish her sentence, the shop assistant said passionately, "Hello, you must be Ms. Craw. Pleasee in." Luca was startled at once. She exchanged nces with Nina. Nina had no idea what was happening too. She held Luca''s hand and said, "Let''s go inside and take a look." Luca nodded and walked into the store together with her. A few shop assistants suddenly surrounded them. Chapter 1699 ¡°Wee, Ms. Craw." A few of them surrounded Luca and greeted her passionately. Luca got even more confused, and she quickly told them why she was here. "Hello, Mr. Crawford sent me here. Did he buy something here?" After the manager knew that Luca was here, she quickly came forward. "Hello, Ms. Craw. Mr. Crawford didn''t buy anything here, but he has given us his orders. Pleasee with me." Luca looked at Nina. What was Luke up to? Nina held her hand and followed behind the shop manager. She said in a low voice, "Based on the situation now, they''re nning to ask you to buy something." "Ah, there''s nothing I''d like to buy," Luca replied in a soft voice. Why did Luke ask her toe here, then? The manager walked in front of them and listened to their conversation. She turned sideways and exined, "Ms. Craw, Mr. Crawford told us that you''ll be attending a party the day after tomorrow. Hence, we''ll be creating a perfect look for you to attend the party." "Party?" Luca frowned. She had never epted any party invitation. Nina was able to figure it out at once. She said, "She''s probably talking about Old Master Crawford''s birthday party. I heard that they''ve been preparing the birthday party for a long time. It''s going to be a grand one." "But I didn''t receive any invitation. Why am I attending the party?" Luca said. If it had not been for Luke who asked her toe here, she would doubt that the shop assistants might have mistaken her for someone else. "You didn''t? Aren''t e-invitations quite popr now? Check if they sent it to your email. You might have missed out on the e-invitation," Nina said thoughtfully. Luke must have invited Luca to the party if he made such arrangements. Luca shook her head helplessly. She read every email in her mailbox. She would never have missed it. The shop assistant smiled and said, "Yes. Since Mr. Crawford has made such arrangements, you must have received the invitation but you probably missed it." Luca shook her head helplessly. Nina touched her with her elbow and suggested, "Just go along with it since Luke arranged it." "Alright." Luca decided to listen to her. The shop assistant brought the two of them into a fitting room. She picked up the measuring tape and took Luca''s measurements. Then, she exined, ¡°Ms. Craw, there''s not much time left, so we can''t customize a new gown for you. I''ll try my best to pick a gown and alter it to fit you. Is that fine?" "Yes." Luca had no opinion on this. She thought it would be fine as long as the clothes fit her. She may not attend Old Master Crawford''s birthday party even if Luke bought a gown for her. After all, she did not have the status. Nina nced around at the gowns, gave a tsk, and eximed, "As expected from the haute couture of a luxury brand. These gowns are beautiful." When Luca heard that she said, "Which do you like better? I''ll buy you one." "I can''t wear gowns to work. What''s the point of buying one for me?" Nina turned around and smiled. She blinked her eyes. She had worn these gowns before, but it was in the past. When she was together with Percy, even though she did not have a status, he would still bring her to various kinds of events. Getting luxurious gowns and pieces of jewelry was a must when she attended those events. Nina recalled the time when she lived the life people desired. Although she did not feel happy, she could live a splendid life because of that. Nina began to pick the gowns for her as the manager took Luca''s body measurements. After she took the measurements, she picked two gowns and put them in front of Luca. "These are the ones I picked for you. See if you like them." Luca looked at the simple but elegant gowns. They would match her if she were still the person she used to be. However, she had undergone stic surgery and looked more alluring now. She was afraid that she could not pull off such elegant gowns. "You look alluring, but you''re going to a birthday party, not a charity event. So, I think these two are more suitable for such asions among all these gowns," Nina exined. The shop manager agreed and nodded her head. She said, "The gowns don''t seem to suit Ms. Craw, but makeup can change a person''s aura. They''re good choices. Of course, the most important thing is to choose the gown you fancy, no matter what gown it is." Luca thought that she did not receive any invitation. Even though Luke had arranged this for her, she probably would not attend the party either. Hence, she just picked one of them. The manager nced at the size. She smiled and said, "The size of the gown is almost the same as Ms. Craw''s measurements. Please wait for a while. Let me alter it for you, then it''ll be perfect." When Luca saw that the manager was about to alter the gown, she immediately said, "You don''t have to..." Nina, who was standing beside her, disagreed with her. "This is not troublesome. A gown should fit your figure well. Just wait for a moment. We''re not in a rush anyway." Luca looked at her. She could not help but ask the question in her heart, "I thought you didn''t want to see me getting too close with Mr. Crawford?" "These things are unavoidable. Besides, it''s the old master''s birthday. It''s not Luke''s birthday, so it''s normal for him to invite you to the party," Nina exined. Then, she turned to look at the jewelry disy cases. She grabbed Luca''s hand and headed there. "Look, pick a set of jewelry. Match it with the gown so that you won''t look dull." Luca shook her head when she saw the prices of the jewelry. "Are you trying to save Luke''s money?" Nina teased her. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca denied it instantly. "How''s that possible..." The shop assistant beside them heard their conversation and said, "Ms. Craw, pick one. Mr. Crawford ordered us to get you a set of jewelry apart from the gown." "See, I told you. Luke must have already thought about it," said Nina. Luca let out a sigh and randomly pointed at a set of jewelry. "Then I''ll take this." "You have good taste, Ms. Craw. Do you want to try them on now?" The shop assistant looked at the pearl jewelry. They did not show the price, but that did not mean the set was cheap. On the contrary, this set of pearl jewelry was the representative piece of the collection in the store. "There''s no need to. Just wrap them up for me," replied Luca. After picking the jewelry, they were still altering the gown. Luca and Nina were invited by the shop assistant to take a seat in their lounge. Luca exined quickly when she thought Nina would overthink things. "There''s a reason why the old master wants to invite me." "What''s the reason?" Nina asked curiously. Luca told her about the time she dined in Crawford Manor and how she found out that there was an unsuitable ingredient in the stew. Nina touched her arm and shivered after she heard what Luca said. "Based on what you told me, it seems like the Crawford family isn''t that peaceful after all." "And Ms. Tanner is going to be released soon. Things will get even more restless," said Luca. The Crawford family had yet to announce to the public that Allison Tanner was getting out of the prison. However, it would be all over the news on the day she got out of prison. Chapter 1700 Nina held her arms and shook her head. The TV in the VIP room was turned on. The TV was broadcasting the news that the Johnston family had made bad investments and lost a lot of money. Whenever they mentioned the Johnston family, they would definitely mention the Mallory family too. Nina''s expression changed when she was watching the news about the union between the Johnston family and the Mallory family through marriage. She changed the TV channel without listening to what the news was broadcasting. Luca watched everything she did. She picked up the business magazine in front of her. It was today''s issue, and it reported about the Johnston family''s matter. It even analyzed the current situation of the Mallory family. She handed the magazine to Nina. Nina took it from her. She closed the magazine when she saw the words ''Mallory family.'' "What''s so great about it?" Luca looked at Nina, who ignored every piece of news that was rted to Percy. She asked curiously, ¡°Nina, you came out today to avoid Percy, right?¡± Nina put the magazine on the coffee table and looked at her helplessly. "You can''t avoid some people forever. I heard that the reason why the Johnston family made bad investments was that someone plotted against them behind their backs. Nina, who do you think set the Johnston family up?" Luca asked. She was smart, so she knew what Luca meant. Nina shook her head, pretending to be confused. "I''m just an ordinary person. How can I possibly know so much about this?" The shop assistant served two cups of coffee. After Luca took one and thanked her, she stirred her cup of coffee slowly. She did not continue to talk to Nina. The sudden silence made Nina feel uneasy. She stirred her coffee as well and waited for Luca''s reply. However, Luca never spoke. In the end, Nina could no longer stand it and asked, "Umm, what''s this all about?" "I''m also just an ordinary person," Luca repeated the same thing Nina said to her. She took a sip of the bitter-tasting coffee and looked at Nina. Nina felt ufortable and was struck dumb at Luca''s response. She tucked her loose hair behind her ears and blinked her eyes. "But you''re much better than me." Luca smiled and said, "No, I just listen more. If you''d like to know more about some matters, it''s best to ask the party involved. Give him a chance to make things clear. By doing so, you''re also giving yourself another chance. Nina, running away is not an option. Even though he''s giving you the chance to escape now, you can''t run away from him forever.¡± Nina fell silent listening to her words of advice. Running away from Percy was easier said than done. Luca was right. She could run away from him now because he had yet to back her into a corner. However, once he made his move, she would not even have the chance to escape. After a while, the manager brought the altered gown in. ¡°Ms. Craw, the gown has been altered. Do you want to try it on?" "There''s no need to. I''m in a rush. Wrap it up for me please," answered Luca. She did not intend to put it on. She did not n to go to the birthday party after all. Just like what Nina said, she was merely an ordinary person. Who was she to attend the birthday party? The manager was startled for a moment. Usually, the people who came to pick their gowns were very meticulous. They would try on the gowns after the gowns were altered. After all, they were only responsible for after-sales service once the customers brought the goods out of the store. They were not responsible for any refunds on goods. When the manager noticed that Luca could not even be bothered to try the gown, she did not think too much about it anymore as well. It was not like she would be getting paid extra for this. Hence, she went to pack the gown. After wrapping up the gown, the shop assistant also carried the jewelry that had been wrapped up over to them. "This is the jewelry set that Ms. Craw picked." The manager was slightly startled when she saw that the jewelry set was the representative piece of their collection. Luca, who looked reluctant just now, had chosen the most expensive jewelry. Luca was a tough customer. The manager did not notice it just now. She was in awe when she looked at Luca now. After everything was packed, the manager carried the things and ced them in front of Luca respectfully. Luca stood up and asked, "How much in total?" The manager was startled for a moment. She was the one paying? When she saw Luca taking her card out of her purse, she quickly said, "Mr. Crawford told us that these are for you. You only have to bring them home. We''ll settle the bill with Mr. Crawford." Of course, Luca knew Luke was giving them to her as a gift. However, she dared not to ept these things, especially when she was with Nina. "Let me pay for it." Luca handed her bank card to the manager. The manager smiled and shook her head. It was her first time encountering such a situation. "Ms. Craw, you only have to bring these home. You don''t have to do anything else." Nina grabbed the bank card Luca was holding in her hand and put it back into her purse. "Since Luke is giving these to you, you should just ept them." "That''s not good..." Luca frowned. When she was about to stand her ground, Nina carried the bags and said, "Let''s go. It''s gettingte. Time for dinner." Luca had no choice but to let Nina take her hand and leave. Both of them left the store and chose to dine in at a restaurant nearby. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. After they ced their order, Luca nced at the two wrapped boxes in the bags and let out a sigh. "Why are you sighing?" Nina asked. "I''ve done nothing to deserve these. The gown and jewelry are so expensive. I''d like to pay for them," Luca said. She was not short of money either. She was surprised by Luke''s arrangement. It would still make sense if she were Bianca, but she was using another identity now. It made her think a lot when Luke treated her this way. Did he have feelings for her? However, it did not seem like that to her when she thought of how he usually behaved. She felt exhausted to constantly guess what was on Luke''s mind. "He''s doing it on purpose. Stop putting the shop assistants in a difficult spot." Nina could see through everything clearly and said calmly. Luca nodded her head. The waiter served them two sses of juice and ced them in front of them. Nina took a sip of the juice. Her face suddenly turned pale white when she looked around. Luca was attentive enough to notice that something was wrong and asked in a low voice, "What''s wrong?" Nina came back to her senses and said, "Percy''s mother is looking at us." Luca turned around with some confusion. She saw a middle-aged woman who was well-dressed walking toward them. She took a closer look and noticed that Percy had eyes like hers. It was her first time seeing Percy''s mother. She had a noble aura. She was elegant and graceful, but she did not look friendly. "Should we leave?" Luca asked. "We can''t run away from this." Nina shook her head and took another sip of the juice. She still could not face Percy''s mother calmly. Even though she had nothing to do with that man anymore, she was like a mouse when she was facing his family. Meanwhile, they were the cats who wanted the mouse dead. Nina could not ept this. She did not do anything wrong but was treated in such a way. It felt. Horrible. Madam Mallory came forward and looked at them. She noticed the bags that Luca had put on the chair. A hint of disdain shed across her eyes. She had never seen Luca before. Hence, she knew that Luca was not a socialite in A City. Chapter 1701 She was not one of the socialites of A City, but she could afford to buy items from such an expensive brand. It was either she was a vain white-cor employee, or she had a sugar daddy. She looked at Luca''s exquisite face. This woman was hanging out with Nina. Madam Mallory simply categorized Luca as someone in thetter category. ¡°Ms. Nina, I didn''t expect to see you here." Madam Mallory pulled her gaze away and it fell on Nina. She curled the corners of her mouth. It looked like she was smiling, but her smile was insincere. "Such a coincidence, Madam Mallory." Nina forced herself to cover up the nervousness and helplessness in her. She pretended to face her calmly. "How have you beentely?" Madam Mallory continued to ask. She must be living a tough life without her son providing for her. Nevertheless, she still wanted to strike a nerve in her. This had nothing to do with her generosity. Sometimes, these women only dreamed of marrying a rich man so they could live their livesfortably. They would forget who they actually were. When she ran into Nina, the first thing that came into her mind was to walk toward her. She intended to remind her what kind of woman she was. After all, the marriage between the Mallory and Johnston families was about to be called off. However, even if Percy called off the engagement with Madison, she would never let the woman in front of her have the chance to get back together with Percy again. Madam Mallory thought of making Nina realize the gap between her and Percy so that Nina would stop thinking of seizing the opportunity to y up to Percy. "Not really, but I''m pretty sure that my life is better than before." Nina understood that Madam Mallory asked the question to put her down, but she was someone who would tolerate it. Even though things were not going well in all aspects of life, at least she was free. Madam Mallory''s expression changed when she heard that. Nina was obviously provoking her! "Nice to hear that. I was worried that you might not be living well after you left my son," said Madam Mallory. Then, she turned to look at Luca. "Who''s this?" "Hello, I''m Nina''s friend." Luca took the initiative to answer. Madam Mallory nodded with a look of despise in her eyes. She looked at the bag beside her. "This brand is pretty amazing, but their products are expensive. I must say that you have good taste." "Thank you." Luca thanked her without bothering whether thepliment was sincere or not. ¡°I didn''t expect Ms. Nina to have such a capable friend. Enjoy your meal. I shall leave." After Madam Mallory mocked them, she turned around and left. Nina shook her head. Luca asked caringly, "Are you alright?" "I''m fine. I''ve already gotten used to her looking for trouble with me back then. She''s just mocking me now. Well, that''s alright with me," said Nina. She recalled that part of her stress hade from the Mallory family back then. When she was still in a vague rtionship with Percy, the Mallory family had alwayse looking for trouble with her. However, they did not make a fuss out of it due to Percy''s reputation. Hence, Percy''s image in public was still good. The Mallory family deserved credit for helping present such a good image of him in public. "Does she always give you trouble? Does Mr. Mallory know about it?" Luca asked. She was surprised to know this. She only knew that Pierre always came to look for trouble with Nina. After all, that man was interested in Nina, but she did not expect Madam Mallory to mess with Nina often too. "I don''t know. Why should I tell him? He can''t stop what his mother wants to do either," Nina replied calmly. Luca nodded and recalled how Allison had embarrassed her in the past. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Madam Mallory must be like Allison, always making things difficult for Nina. Nina was not someone who would tolerate something like this, but she had been beside Percy throughout those years, getting bullied by them. It was indeed difficult for her. If Percy had not been kind to her, Luca would never have agreed to them being in a rtionship. The dishes were served. Nina lost her appetite once she saw the food. "At least have some of it. Let''s go back and take a rest after this," advised Luca. "Alright." Nina nodded, picked up her spoon, and ate. After dinner, both of them left the shopping mall. Luca headed to the apartment with the bags in her hand, while Nina walked to the taxi stand nearby. There were barely any empty cars now as it was time for people to get off work. She waited for a while. However, most of the taxis were taken by others. Nina felt a little depressed. She picked up her phone, nning to hail a ride with an app. Just then, a Mercedes pulled up in front of her. Nina looked at the car window that slowly rolled down. It was Madam Mallory. "Ms. Nina, are you waiting for a taxi? Let me give you a ride," said Madam Mallory. She did not say some things because Luca was present just now. After all, she still wanted to keep her sense of pride. She would feel ashamed if someone else knew her son was madly in love with a woman like Nina. Nina looked at her face. Although Madam Mallory was smiling, it gave her the chills. There was not even a hint of kindness on her face. Nina shook her head and said, "No, thank you. I''ve already booked a ride. It''ll be here soon." "You''ve just picked up your phone. How did you manage to book a ride? It''s after hours now. It''ll be difficult to book a ride. Get in the car. Let me send you home." Madam Mallory directly exposed her. Nina was startled. It turned out this was how Percy had learned to be cunning. He got it from his mother. ¡°I have something to tell you. If you''d like to listen to me speak to you on the street, you may continue standing here as well." Madam Mallory was running out of patience when Nina refused topromise. No one was allowed to reject her. Nina took a deep breath. If she did not get into the car today, she had a feeling that she would not live her life peacefully in the future. Therefore, she passed the back of the car and got into the car from the other side. Madam Mallory kept a distance away from her as if there was something dirty on her. Nina noticed that Madam Mallory was trying to keep her distance. She wondered why Madam Mallory wanted her to get into her car if she despised her so much. "Let''s go. Send Ms. Nina home," Madam Mallory ordered. "Yes, Madam," the driver replied and started the engine. Nina realized that the driver drove away without asking for her address. She knew that even though she had broken up with Percy, Madam Mallory was afraid that they were secretly keeping in touch with each other. That was why she had been keeping an eye on her silently. Otherwise, how would the driver know the address of the apartment she was renting? Madam Mallory looked at Nina''s side profile, which was not considered delicate. She wondered why Percy was enchanted by her. Why did it have to be her? Also, Madam Mallory knew exactly why the Johnston family ended up like this. However, she did not investigate further into it. Whatever happened to the Johnston family, the Mallory family would benefit from it at all. "Ms. Nina, do you know what has happened to the Johnston family?" Madam Mallory asked. Nina looked ahead and replied calmly, "It''d be too fake if I told you I didn''t know anything about it." Madam Mallory chuckled. Nina looked so calm as if she truly did not care about it. Nina listened to her chuckle. It was not kind. There was a hint of disdain and mockery in it. Then, she said, "Now that the Johnston family is in such a situation, will the Mallory family stand up and help them?" "As a woman, these matters are not under my control. Leave it to Percy, his father, and grandfather to make the decision." Madam Mallory stretched her handheld fan and gently waved it. It was a gust of wind that was outrageously light, but it sent a chill down Nina''s spine. Chapter 1702 Madam Mallory set aside the matter, iming that she would leave the decision to the men in the family. However, she knew the Mallory family had made their decision even if they had not announced it to the public. She had no idea what Percy had on his mind at that time, but it was a marriage of convenience. Now that the Johnston family was in trouble, Madison would be abandoned. The Mallory family was heartless, indeed. Although Nina was not born in a wealthy family, she knew pretty well how heartless these wealthy families were. If there was no Johnston family, would Percy have abandoned her so heartlessly when he became tired of her? ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Nina''s heart was in dismal at the thought of it. She did not know what happened to her. After all, she was not Madison. She had never gone through these. However, the sorrow in her heart was getting bigger endlessly. ¡°You seem to take it lightly. If the daughter of the Johnston family has feelings for Percy, are you still going to separate them?" Nina asked. Madam Mallory sneered with a faint smile on her face. "We can''t take into ount the feelings that Madison has for Percy. Percy is the one who''s deciding all of these now." Nina looked at her heartless expression. She had the sudden urge to ask if he had made such decisions back when they were still together? Was the engagement between the Mallory and Johnston family also Percy''s decision? If it was his decision, then why did he still mess with her at that time... Madam Mallory noticed the emotions in Nina''s eyes and mocked her, saying, "Why? Why do you look sad when I brought up Madison? Aren''t you hoping that they''re not on good terms? Now that the Johnston family is in trouble, their rtionship is about to end. You should be happy, right?" Nina could not help but frown when Madam Mallory thought Nina was the kind of person who would enjoy watching misfortune befall on others. She had never wished for anything all along. She did not hope that Percy and Madison could spend the rest of their lives happily together, nor did she hope that they would break up. Although Madam Mallory looked elegant and graceful, she was rotten inside. Nina said, ¡°You can''t read my mind. How do you know whether or not I wish that they''re not on good terms? Am I not allowed to wish that they can spend the rest of their lives happily together and never come out to hurt anyone again?" "You!" Madam Mallory was pissed off with what Nina said. She narrowed her eyes and looked at Nina. Was this woman really that carefree? "Well, I don''t care what you say. Today, I''m here to remind you this. Don''t think you''ll have a chance even after Percy calls off the engagement with Madison. I''m telling you, that''ll be impossible!" "I''ve never thought of the possibility of getting back together with him. If you came here just to remind me, there''s no need to do so. Let me tell you about my strength. I''ll never go back to the same ce. Someone like your son might be out of my league, but I have no intention of crossing the ss barriers either. If you have nothing else to say to me, please stop the car at the road junction in front there. Thank you." Nina refused to look at Madam Mallory''s face anymore. She had seen enough after all these years. She would run out of patience if she looked at her one more time. How pathetic it was for Percy to have a mother like this... Madam Mallory only thought that Nina did not know her ce when she heard her talking scornfully. However, their conversation had ended. Nina did not look like she still had Percy on her mind. Madam Mallory sneered and said to the driver, "Stop at the junction in front." "Yes, Madam." The driver followed her instructions and stopped the car at the junction. Once the car stopped, Nina could not wait to push the car door open and get out. She could not stand to stay in the same space with Madam Mallory for another minute. Once the car door was closed, the driver drove away without considering her safety. Nina took a step back unconsciously and looked at the car that drove away. She shook her head. If she refused to listen to Madam Mallory''s warning and approached Percy, the car would not be driving past her side. Instead, it would have immediately run over her body. Nina stroked her arms. She was getting goosebumps on her arms because of her fear of the Mallory family. On the other hand. Percy was working in T Corporation''s office the whole day. After knowing that Luke ran into Nina when he went to Luca''s apartment to enjoy hotpot, he regretted that he did not follow him there. After dealing with his work, he drove to the vi and saw Madison at the vi''s entrance. Madison had been waiting for Percy all this time. Since the Johnston family had gotten into trouble, he no longer showed up in front of her. Although they did not have the chance to see each other often, Madison could feel something was clearly wrong. She was still able to hold back herself from looking for Percy after Nick convinced her. However, after she heard the conversation between her father and her elder brother, she could no longer endure it. She was not allowed to go into Mallory Corporation without Percy''s permission, so she chose to wait for him here. Madison did not expect that she could finally see him. She looked at Percy, who was in his car. Madison walked to the front of his car. Keeping her good manners, she smiled at him. Percy frowned. He did not expect Madison toe here. It was the vi he stayed in together with Nina. After Nina left, he moved out too. He thought he was going to finally finish handling these problematic matters and get the chance to start over with Nina again, which was why he moved back here. He had only just moved back here, yet Madison hade looking for him. It looked like the Johnston family had constantly sent people to keep an eye on him too. Madison stood there and looked at Percy. She did not say anything, and Percy did not intend to get out of the car either. Madison took a deep breath. She could not do anything to this man. She eventually broke the silence. ¡°Percy, I''d like to talk to you." Percy looked around him. There was no sign of any reporters or outsiders here. He pushed the car door open and walked toward her, maintaining an arm-length distance. He tried to stay as far away from her as possible. "What''s the matter?" Madison''s expression was a little stiff when she realized that Percy was going to talk to her from a distance. After she tucked her hair that was blown messy by the wind behind her ears, she said, "Can''t we talk inside? It''s cold here." Percy narrowed his eyes and looked at her. It was windy in the evening, and it was indeed cold. However, did Madison''s feelings have anything to do with him? "It''s better to say it here to prevent unnecessary trouble," Percy said coldly. Madison looked down, and her eyes darkened. "Even though my family is in trouble now, I''m still your fiancee, right?" Her tone was filled with sadness. When Nick decided that she would marry Percy, she had already mentally prepared herself for everything that was happening today. Although she loved Percy, he did not love her. That was the sad reality. It was also because of this she could never have his love and tenderness as it was a marriage of convenience. Therefore, it pushed the Johnston family into a bottomless abyss of doom. Perhaps it was a mistake when she insisted on getting married to Percy. "The Johnston family is in trouble now. Do you think our rtionship canst any longer?" Percy took a pack of cigarettes out. There was a clinking sound, and the lighter was lit. Madison looked at the fire of the lighter swaying in the wind as though it would go out anytime. It was just like her rtionship with Percy. It was so fragile that it broke with just one touch. Chapter 1703 Percy breathed out a swirl of cigarette smoke and looked at the pitiful Madison. He did not feel any pity for her, though. The woman who could make his heart race and break his heart was not the woman in front of him. Madison listened to his heartless words and said broken-heartedly, ¡°I know you don''t like me. You''ve always been in love with Ms. Nina, right?" ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Percy did not answer her. Madison then said, "If you really want her so badly, why did you agree to our marriage back then? You gave me hope and now you''re taking it away. Percy, do you think it''s right of you to do that?" "There''s no such thing as to whether it''s right of me or not. It was someone else in the Mallory family who agreed to this marriage. It wasn''t me." Percy passed the buck and got away squeaky clean. "So it has always been someone else who made the decisions for you. You''ve been reluctant the entire time, right?" Madison was in despair. She could barely see hope when she listened to such irresponsible wordsing out from this man. She thought she could convince him to promise that he would help the Johnston family to ovee the crisis by ying the role of a delicate woman. Even if Old Master Mallory refused to help them, Percy was the one in charge of the Mallory Corporation now. As long as he was willing to help, all the difficulties would be resolved. If he could lend a hand, that would indicate that her father and elder brother had made the wrong guess. It was not Percy who deliberately set them up and let them fall into the trap. However, now... Madison felt even more hopeless. "Yes, indeed," Percy said generously. He had long ago nned to mess up the marriage. Now, he had only yet to make it public. He had no problem admitting it. When Madison heard him admitting it himself, her tears streamed down. "So that''s how it is. It seems like you''ve been trying hard to cut off our ties, and you even risked putting the Johnston family into hell!" Percy remained expressionless even when his n was exposed. He refused to make any exnation and just said, "If the Johnston family had managed their business well, I wouldn''t have seeded no matter what I did. Your brother fell for it only because he can''t manage the business well. He was desperate to hand over a perfect business report. Is that my fault?" Madison wiped her tears. She knew her elder brother messed up the family business when he took over it. It was an undeniable fact. However, if Percy had not set him up, their family business would not have faced such a crisis. ¡°You know he''s bad at running the business, and you set him up. We were still engaged then. How am I supposed to face the Johnston family after what you''ve done?" Madison asked hysterically. She could not be bothered with her image anymore. The cold wind made her feel dizzy, and Percy''s confession made her fall into despair. She was defeated. "That''s your business. There''s no such thing as family ties in the business world. Not to mention that we don''t even have feelings for each other. If it weren''t for your elder brother''s greed or his foolishness for not doing his research, he wouldn''t have lost so much money. You only have yourself to me for insisting to be together with me. I had warned you before. Did you forget about it?" Percy reminded her coldly. When Percy knew the Johnston family was willing to unite with the Mallory family through a marriage of convenience, Pierre already had a fiancee at that time. Hence, he knew it would be him. He found Madison after he knew about it. He told her that he was already in love with someone else and he would never marry Madison. However, Madison insisted on being together with him. She imed that Nina was not good enough for him. Percy persisted in rejecting her, but she was arrogant and domineering. She used her status as the daughter of the Johnston family to force him. He had no choice but to agree to the marriage. He had already warned her then. If she refused to listen to him and ignored his refusal, then she would have to bear the consequences. Madison took two steps backward and recalled the warning he gave her back then. How long had it been? Before she became his wife, she already had a taste of the consequences. She was unconvinced. Madison took a step forward. Once Percy pinched out his cigarette, she took the advantage to stand on her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. Percy did not expect she would suddenly do such a thing. Madison was decent and gentle all this while. She would never do such unrestrained moves. Hence, she caught him off guard. Percy pushed her away forcefully. Madison smiled bitterly. "Am I that disgusting to you? You still don''t want me even if I freely gave myself to you?" "I''m in love with someone else, and it has always been her. It has never changed." Percy gave her a cold stare. Madison''s scent was on the corner of his lips. He could not wait to rinse his mouth now. "But she''s just an ordinary woman. She''s not pretty, and she has an elder brother who''s a gangster. Also, she has a sick mother. You won''t get any benefits if you''re together with her. What''s the point of insisting on being together with her?!" Madison yelled and questioned him. The Johnston family and she had put in so much effort to make Nina avoid Percy as much as she could. However, it did not change his mind at all. It made her feel defeated and frustrated. "You were useful to me back then, but did I fall in love with you?" Percy questioned her. "I love her. It''s pure love without any rtionship of mutual benefits between us. So, it doesn''t matter who she is, I''ll still like her. Ms. Johnston, I''ll ask thepany''s PR to issue another press release. Prepare yourself." This time, the Mallory family had gained huge profits and benefits from the Johnston family''s matter. Hence, if he issued a press release to tell the public about his rtionship with Madison and their engagement, the Mallory family would not stop him either. The longstanding problems in the Johnston family had also yed a part in the matter of them making such bad investments. It would take more than just money to solve it. Thus, the Mallory family refused to have the Johnston family be a drag on the Mallory family. Percy got into the car after that. Madison was left shaking in the cold wind after failing to make Percy take pity on her. Madison watched Percy leave heartlessly. She clenched her fists. This was what it felt like to fall for a heartless man. She recalled the reminder her university senior gave her before. If she was really getting married to Percy, she must leave herself a way out. Otherwise, when she regretted it in the future, she would realize that she had no way out. Taking a step back did not work, and it was more unlikely to take a step forward. The miserable look in Madison''s eyes slowly turned into hatred. Percy.... Nina... She would either have it or destroy it. ¡°Percy Mallory, you''ll regret everything you''ve done today!¡± Madison said. She turned around and looked beyond the horizon. The next day. After Nina got out of bed, she turned on her phone habitually. She nced at the news notification that popped out that day. She smiled bitterly when she saw one of the news articles. [Percy and Madison kissing on the street. The couple is still deeply in love with each other without being affected by the crisis the Johnston family is facing now.] Nina looked at the photo on the news report. They were kissing each other on the lips with the cold wind blowing on Madison''s hair. The reporter who took the photo even added some effects on the photo, making it look amorous just like how it was in the movies. What Madam Mallory said to her was ringing in her ears. Nina grasped her phone tightly. It seemed like Percy was serious about Madison this time. Otherwise, why would he choose to kiss her on the street at this time? Chapter 1704 It looked like Madam Mallory''s n to break them up had failed... Nina felt a dull pain in her heart at the thought of this. Shey down on her bed and pondered why she felt this. Had she not stopped being in love with Percy? Why did she feel heartbroken when she saw him kissing another woman? Nina touched her chest, and tears ran down her face. Her heart ached so painfully that she could barely take it. Perhaps it was the after-effects of taking too much medicine, or maybe she was sick. The doorbell rang. Nina wiped her tears and sat up on the bed. It was still early. Who was it who came? She walked to the living room and looked through the peephole. No one was outside the door. It seemed like the person knew she would check the situation outside through the peephole, and that was why they hid on purpose. Usually, it would be someone unweed by her. ¡°Who is it?" Nina asked. There was no sound from outside the door. "I know you''re out there. I''m going to call the police if you don''t speak," Nina said in the direction of the door. "It''s me." Percy''s voice sounded. Nina was startled. Why was he here? She could not help but feel ufortable at the thought of the news article she read just now. She took a deep breath and leaned behind the door, trying to chase the man away. "You''re not weed here. Please leave." "Nina, let me in," said Percy. He knocked on the door, not afraid that he would be disturbing the neighbors in the early morning. Nina was a considerate person and afraid of troubling others. If the knocking on the door really disturbed the neighbors, it might be helpful to him. Nina leaned on the door, feeling the strength of his knocks. It seemed like he would not give up until he came in. She mustered her courage and chased him away. "Stop knocking on the door. If you keep knocking on it, I''ll call the estate manager and I''ll call the police too. Then, you''ll be the one who''s embarrassed!" Percy did not care about her threats. Instead, he said, "You can call the police, but this is my apartment. The police officers can''t chase me away even if theye." "What?" Nina was startled. When she rented the apartment, did the agent not tell her that the owner had been living abroad for quite a long time? That was why the owner was renting it at such a cheap price. "I''m the owner of this apartment. It was me who asked the agent to rent it to you. The police officers and security guards can''t do anything to me. I even brought the documents along with me. Nina, no one is going to stop me from getting inside." Percy leaned on the door. Even though he could not see the situation in the house, he could imagine Nina leaning behind the door. It was a habit of hers. She would lean against the door with her back when she met someone she refused to let into the house. It was as if she could hold the door with that skinny body of hers. Nina shut her eyes desperately. She had fallen into Percy''s trap again. Previously, when she first rented the house, she had her suspicions. She had wondered if it could be Percy''s arrangements. After all, the location was good and the rental was cheap. However, the agent managed to dispel her suspicions. She did not expect that she was still unable to outsmart him. Nina pressed her body against the door. Then, there was the knocking sound from the other side of the door again. "You''ve changed the passcode. I can''t get in. The estate manager will break the door lock when theye. Not only will you be disturbing the others this way, but you''ll be embarrassed too. Nina, open the door." Percy convinced her without doing anything violent. He did not want to scare the woman inside. She was a coward. However, she could stand up for her friends bravely. She would go the extra yard to help her friends, and she could tolerate everything for her family. A timid woman like her could always surprise him at crucial times. Perhaps, that was what made her shine. Nina listened to the sound of the knocks on the door. If he kept on knocking on the door, it would disturb the neighbors no matter how good the soundproofing was. If she called the police, the police officers could not do anything to him either... Percy was much scarier than the evil Pierre when he was stubborn. Nina opened her eyes hopelessly when she realized that. She opened the door, tried her best to suppress the hatred in her heart, and pretended to be calm. "Percy, what do you want from me?" "Let me in," said Percy. He lifted the bag in his hands. "I bought you breakfast." The door was opened. It was pointless if Nina continued to struggle. She turned around and walked into the house. Percy followed behind her. He noticed that it was a little messy as if it had been days since shest cleaned the house. His gaze fell on the coffee table. There were a few empty bottles on it. She had been drinking. There was a gleam in Percy''s eyes as if he was slightly dissatisfied. The doctor already warned her not to drink too much when Percy brought her to the hospital for a medical check-up. Her health would be easily affected if she continued to drink. He did not expect that she would still drink after they separated. She looked carefree on the outside and imed that she never touched alcohol anymore. However, she was actually drinking alcohol behind closed doors. "Didn''t you say that you''ve quit drinking?" Percy asked. He looked at those empty bottles. He could not tell whether Nina drank it on different days or she finished drinking them all at once. "I was a little shaken up yesterday morning. I couldn''t sleep at night, so I drank some alcohol. Why? Is it illegal to drink?" Nina tidied her crumpled pajamas. It had been a long time since she drank. If it had not been for her getting too much information about Percy, she would not have numbed herself with alcohol. After she left him, she had lived a carefree life. However, once she heard about him, she would suddenly feel lost and terrible... Hence, she could not control herselfst night and drank some alcohol. Percy put the breakfast on the dining table. "Do you have honey water at home?" "No. I seldom drink. Are you done here? Thank you for the breakfast. I''m going to get some sleep. Please leave if you have nothing else to do here." Nina could not wait to get him out of the house. It was hard for her to face Percy. She had to pretend as if nothing mattered to her and she did not care about his scandals when in truth, she was actually ufortable about them. However, at this moment, no matter how hard Nina tried to lie to herself, she clearly knew that she was still concerned about Percy the moment she saw him. She cared a lot about all those news articles about him. Nina recalled the days when she was together with Percy. It seemed like they had never done something so romantic before Kissing on the street? He was very particr about his image, so he would not have done something like that. N?velDrama.Org owns this. They were not a real couple, after all. It was normal for them not to have done those things with her. "I bought two sets of breakfasts. You can''t finish them all. Get washed up. I''ll send you to your office after you''ve taken your breakfast," said Percy. He picked up the empty bottles on the coffee table and nced at them. Then, he said, "Don''t drink too much next time. It''ll affect your health." "An employee like me can only afford these. I''m not having breakfast. Take the food with you." Nina was about to enter her bedroom after that. Percy grabbed her hand at once. "Have your breakfast. Then give me ten minutes to talk to you." Nina looked at his serious expression. She seldom saw such a serious expression on him back then. There was a slight tug at her heartstrings as she asked, "What do you want to talk about?" Chapter 1705 "I''d like to talk about us," said Percy. "Us? Aren''t we just strangers? Percy, can you please get out of my life? If you love her, you should just stay together with her. But you''re back to messing with me now. What are you up to?" "Her?" Percy frowned. He was eager to know what was on her mind. Nina sneered and said, "The daughter of the Johnston family, Madison. Didn''t you kiss her on the street last night?" "Who told you that?" When Percy heard her mentioning Madison, he could not stop himself from getting angry. People who knew him would know that his rtionship with Madison was something that was done against his will. Now that the Johnston family was in trouble, it was easy to know that he was going to break up with Madison sooner orter. Hence, was it true that Nina had never cared about him? Was she simply not using her brain? "The photo of you and Madison kissing on the street is all over the news now. Percy, I beg you. I''ve been your secret lover for years, and I''m sick of it. Let''s just end this since you''re not in love with me. I don''t have feelings for you either, so stop looking for me. I''m afraid I''ll kill you if youe again!" There was despair in Nina''s eyes, and her eyes welled up. She really could not stand Percy torturing her like this. What did she do wrong to suffer all these... Percy said in a cold voice, "I don''t know what you''re talking about. Nina, after everything I''ve done, do you still can''t see who I''m in love with? You said I''m not in love with you? Let me prove to you how much I love you!" Nina widened her eyes. Did he just say that he loved her? It was as if her brain had been glued. Percy lifted her before she managed to find out what he meant. She cried out in surprise and punched his back. "Percy, are you out of your mind?! Put me down!" "I''m not crazy. Since you have the guts to doubt my love for you, then I''ll show you how crazy I am over you!" Percy felt himself getting out of control. He got carried away when he heard what Nina said to reject him. He lifted Nina and walked into the bedroom. Then, he put her down on the bed. He was not gentle. Nina''s head fell on the mattress. She was stunned, and as she watched the man lean closer to her, she pushed against his chest with her hands. "Percy, what are you doing?" "I''m going to show you how much I love you!" Percy grabbed her hands and subdued them singlehandedly. He wanted to be gentle at first. He wanted her to feel how true his love for her was. However, the woman refused to listen to him and insisted on pushing him away. It annoyed him so much, so he decided to teach her a lesson! Nina turned her face away. They were grown-ups. She knew what the man wanted to do, and she was fighting against him. "Percy Mallory, you''d better stop it. Otherwise, you''ll regret it." "What are you going to do to me?" There was burning anger in Percy''s eyes. What a foolish woman she was! ¡°I''ll sue you for raping me!¡± said Nina. "You''ll agree to itter." Percy knew her well, and he knew every inch of her body. Besides, he would really hate to hurt her. Another hand of his caressed her face slowly. Nina felt a shudder running through her. The man knew her body well. She would not be able to handle it if this continued... ¡°Don''t touch me. I don''t want a man who has slept with another woman before!¡± She defied him. Percy paused for a moment as his eyes darkened. As someone who never bothered to exin himself to others, for the first time, he exined himself to her, "I''ve never touched any other woman other than you. And she was the one who forced a kiss on me. She''s also responsible for releasing the news. I''ve already let the PR department issue the press release. You''ll know what''s going on an hourter." Nina was startled. Did she force a kiss on him? Percy was kissed against his will? She refused to believe that, but the man''s gestures did not allow her to think more about it. Her body''s reaction was more honest than her words. She could not help falling into his trap. She still had feelings for Percy. An hourter, Nina looked at the news posted on Mallory Corporation''s official website. It was about Percy rifying the news regarding him and Madison kissing on the street. Then, it was news about him deciding to call off his engagement with Madison. He was fast. He dropped a bombshell when the reporters were busy reporting how lovey-dovey they were. Nina let out a sigh and looked at herself in the mirror. She would not be able to go out if she did not disguise herself. Percy left after he finished his business with her as he had something else to do. He came so suddenly and left so quickly. However, before he left, he told her that he would being again tonight. No way. She should not allow him to take advantage of her again. Nina gave Luca a call. When the call was answered, she asked, "Luca, can I go over to your ce to sleep tonight?¡± "But I don''t have any extra rooms left." Luca said. Although Luke did note here to spend the night last night, his personal belongings were all in the maid''s room. It would be inappropriate for Nina to sleep there. "I don''t have to sleep on the bed. As long as you agree to it, I can sleep on the couch or the floor. It was comfortable sleeping on your couch yesterday afternoon," said Nina. Percy would not be able to do anything to her if Luca was there. She was never his opponent on all counts. "You''re the guest. How can I let you sleep on the couch or the floor?" Luca frowned. She had no idea why Nina would make such a request. Was it because of Percy? She cared about Nina, and she had never missed any news rted to the Mallory family. Naturally, she saw the news of Percy announcing to the public that his wedding was called off. ¡°What about this? You cane to my ce. I have another bedroom here. Come here and keep me company for a few days. After all, you''re still recovering from your injuries. Even if you start going to work, my ce is nearer to T Corporation too. Is that alright?¡± Nina begged her. She did not have many friends after she got together with Percy. Besides, Bianca was abroad. Their friendship was not the same as how it used to be either, so she could not help her as well. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Sue was living her blissful family life together with Jason. It was not a good idea for Nina to be the third wheel and disturb their life. After much thought, Luca was the only one who could help her. Luca had no choice but to promise her when she heard her anxious tone. "Alright. Let me pack my stuff and go over to your ce." "Let me pick you up!" Nina was delighted that Luca had promised toe. "There''s no need to. I can hail a ride there." Luca walked into her bedroom and took her big bag pack out. "Let me pack my clothes. I''ll be there soo." "Alright." After Nina hung up the call, she sent a message to Sue to ask for leave. Sue replied to her message: [I didn''t receive any news that someone from Mallory Corporation will be coming today but you''re still asking for leave? Chapter 1706 [You''re not feeling well? What''s wrong?] Sue asked caringly. [It''s nothing. I just want to take a rest for a day or two. You don''t have to worry about it. If there''s any important work that needs my attention, I''ll head to the office to handle it.] Nina replied. She had always asked for leave too when she was together with Percy. However, she had never dyed her work at thepany because of her absence. Sue replied: [Alright. Take good care of yourself. You cane over to my ce if you''re struggling with anything. I can take care of you.] [Don''t worry. I''ve asked Luca toe here to keep mepany.] Nina replied. She had always been sick and weak in Sue''s impression. Still, she used to be healthy and was nothing like this now. Now, she had to take pills to make her sleep. She would often catch a cold if she was unlucky. The reason why she ended up like this today was that she met the two brothers of the Mallory family. Nina pondered and picked up the concealer to try and cover the hickeys on her neck. She thought of Percy, then Pierre came into her mind again. She wondered if she had done anything to offend the Mallory family in her past life, which was causing her to suffer so much in this life. Luca packed a few clothes and hailed a ride to Nina''s apartment. Nina had informed the guards at the entrance in advance, so everything went smoothly when Luca came in. When she reached the door, she knocked on the door and said, ¡°Nina, I''m here."N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Nina heard her voice. She quickly checked herself in the mirror a few times to make sure the hickeys that were left on her neck were concealed. Then, she went to open the door. "Luca,e in!" Nina invited her toe in. She thought that Percy would not do anything to her if Luca was here. Although she was not disgusted by him, Percy had taken advantage of her, after all. She refused to let this happen again. It was uncertain and confusing... Luca walked into the apartment and was surprised to see how messy it was. She was unable to recall that Nina was such a messy woman. "Why is it so messy?" "I''ve been busy and forgot to clean up. Let me clean up now." Nina looked at the mess. She was so busy concealing the hickeys that she forgot to clean the ce up. Nina felt embarrassed for showing Luca the messy side of her. Luca shook her head and said, ¡°Let me do it." ¡°No, no. You''re the guest. I''ll do it. Please wait for a while. I can clean up real fast." Nina endured her sore body and got ready to clean up. Luca grabbed her hand and said, ¡°Are you sure you have the stamina to clean up?" Nina blinked her eyes with a surprised expression on her face. ¡°What do you mean?" Luca pointed at her neck. ¡°Here. You didn''t blend it well. I saw it." Nina touched her neck unconsciously. How did that happen? She was pretty sure she had concealed them carefully. How could Luca find out with just a nce? ¡°It''s a mosquito bite. Don''t get me wrong!" "Alright. Let me clean up for you." Luca smiled and shook her head. She cleared the empty packets of snacks on the coffee table away and threw the bottles into the trash bin. As Nina watched Luca clean up for her, her legs could no longer support her. She sat on the couch. She felt very ufortable... After Luca finished cleaning up the trash, she carried the trash bag and put it in the dumpster in the corridor. Then, she picked up the vacuum cleaner and began to clean the floor. Nina said hurriedly when she saw her, ¡°Luca, you''re the guest. How can you do these for me?" "It''s been days since you cleaned the floor. I''m a little particr about cleanliness. If you''d like me to make myselffortable here, then just let me do it. Otherwise, I''m leaving." Luca could see how tired Nina was from her eyes, but she did not question what actually happened. It was not hard to figure out that Percy had begun his pursuit. It seemed like he had slept with Nina but it did not win her heart as he had hoped. Otherwise, Nina would not have asked her toe over to be her shield. Nina felt embarrassed when she looked at Luca who was helping her clean up the apartment. Indeed, she was not in the mood to do the chores these days. She was nning to hire a cleaningdy to clean the ce up for her a few dayster. She did not expect Luca to do it for her. After she finished cleaning up the apartment, Nina poured a ss of juice for her. ¡°You must be tired, right? Drink some juice." Luca took the ss of juice from her, knowing that it was freshly squeezed. She could not help but make fun of her. ¡°You didn''t leave the juice here to spoil, right?" ¡°No way. I bought this when I was on my way back home yesterday. It''s still fresh." Nina picked up another ss of juice and took a sip. ¡°Sweet and fresh!" Luca smiled and took another sip. When she was about to ask about Percy''s matter, her phone rang. She nced at her phone. It was Luke who was calling her. Was he calling her at this hour because of work? ¡°Why aren''t you picking up the call? Answer it!" Nina also saw the phone that was left on the coffee table. The caller ID disyed ''Mr. Crawford'' when the phone screen lit up. There was no term of endearment, it was merely a respectful remark¡ªMr. Crawford. Luca was really different from other women. ¡°Where are you? The cleaningdy told me that you''re not in the apartment," Luke asked her whereabouts right away without greeting her. "I''m at Nina''s apartment. Something came up and that''s why I''m here. I couldn''t wait for the cleaning lady to arrive." Luca was startled. Did he call her only because the cleaningdy could not find her? She had never exchanged phone numbers with the cleaningdy before. If the cleaningdy could not find her in the apartment, she should have called Jason instead. How did Luke know about it? "Alright. She wanted to know what ingredients she should buy today." Luke continued to ask. He was not worried about Luca going to Nina''s ce at all. He was worried just now because he was afraid that she would suddenly go missing again, and that was why he called and asked for her location anxiously. "I''ll be staying with Nina for a few days to keep herpany, so there''s no need to buy any ingredients," Luca exined. "Staying at Nina''s ce?" Luke frowned and wondered why she made that decision all of a sudden. The only exnation he could figure out was Percy. Percy announced that he had called off his wedding with Madison this morning. He must be excited to look for Nina. He had probably done something to her, and Nina asked Luca to stay with her to avoid Percy or to stop him from doing anything to her. Hence, Percy''s matter would still affect him and Luca. "Yes, Mr. Crawford. Please let me know if there''s anything you need me to do. I brought myptop along with me. I can work anytime," Luca pretended to ignore Luke''s unhappy tone and replied to him respectfully. Luke felt his chest tighten as if it was blocked. He sounded rather offended and said, "Fine." He hung up the call right away after that. Luca listened to the busy tone on the other end of the phone and pondered carefully. There was a trace of anger in Luke''s tone when he said that just now. Chapter 1707 ¡°What happened? What did Luke say?" Nina asked caringly. Ever since she had addressed him impolitely as Luke in front of Luca, she took it casually after that. "The cleaningdy couldn''t find me and she didn''t know what ingredients she should buy. That''s why she tried to reach me through him," Luca exined without mentioning that there was something wrong with his tone. Nina remembered that her fridge was empty and there were no ingredients. Naturally, there was also no cleaningdy who helped her to buy ingredients. She suddenly felt embarrassed. Nina stood up and said, "That reminds me of my empty fridge. Wait for me. Let me get some ingredients now." "Nina, there''s no need to. Let''s dine somewhere else." Luca grabbed her hand. She could feel Nina''s condition after having been medically trained for a long time. For example, she could feel that Nina''s legs could hardly walk now. Nina nodded when she said that. "Alright. If you''re toozy to go out, we can order takeaway. After all, there''s nothing much to do in the office these few days. Besides, you''re still on leave. Let''s experience the fun of being a homebody. " "Alright." Luca nodded. She could get along with Nina naturally when she was together with her. She liked this kind of stress-free friendship. Nina''s phone rang right after Luca said that. She picked it up and nced at it. Her expression suddenly changed. "What''s wrong?" Luca asked. "My brother is being discharged from the hospital." Nina handed the phone to Luca. "He''s getting discharged today." "Isn''t it great if he''s getting discharged from the hospital? You have one less person to take care of, and you have one less thing to be burdened with," said Luca. After all, when Jean and Anna were staying in the hospital at the same time, Nina had to pay double the amount for caretaker expenses. "I''d rather spend that amount of money rather than him getting discharged from the hospital." Nina was troubled. Once Jean was discharged from the hospital, he would definitely go around causing trouble. He requested to stay at her ce in the message he sent to her, iming that his body was still weak and he needed someone to take care of him. How could she not know about his tricks? Jean must have heard that she was renting a unit in a high-end apartment, and that was why he wanted to get a slice of the cake. He did not want to stay in that old house again. If he really stayed here, he would not have to pay for anything, and he would be spending Nina''s money. ¡°But he''s asking me to let him stay here." Nina''s fingers tapped on the screen quickly as she turned down Jean''s request. "Am I crazy? He shouldn''t even think of staying here." "Yeah." Luca nodded. It would only bring misfortune to Nina if Jean stayed here. She disagreed with it too. After Nina sent the message, Jean called her not long after that. He yelled at her, "Nina, do you have any conscience left in you, you b*tch? I donated my liver to our mother. I''m still very weak, and the doctor wants me to get discharged. Who''s going to take care of you if you''re not doing it?" Jean was loud. Even though Nina did not turn on the speaker, Luca, who was sitting beside her, could hear it clearly. Nina was annoyed. There was no need for her to be nice to him since he was rude to her. Besides, she was angry with what Percy had done to her this morning. She had yet to release her negative emotions. "Why are you yelling at me? You''re already an adult. Can''t you take care of yourself after you''ve recovered from surgery? Did youe to take care of me when I was admitted to the hospital last time? Am I not doing fine now? Oh, you need someone to take care of you, right? Then go ahead and look for those girlfriends of yours. Just have them spend our mother''s money to take care of you. I don''t have any extra rooms for you here. You''re still thinking of staying here? Not a chance!" She ended the call right after she said that. Nina was d that she listened to Lucast time. She chose an apartment that was more secure and safe. Now, even if Jean wanted toe in, he would have to ask for her permission. Otherwise, he would only be standing outside the entrance. It was useless. Jean would have already brought his stuff and moved in here if she were staying in a normal apartment. "Do you have to settle the medical expenses if he''s discharged from the hospital?" Luca asked again. Nina shook her head. "I''ve put enough money in his ount so they can just deduct the money from it. I''ve previously asked the doctor too about how long he''d have to stay in the hospital, so I put a certain amount in. After handling the discharge procedure, there won''t be much money left in the ount for him. I''m sick of going to the hospital to visit him. All we did was fight with each other once I got there. It''s annoying." Luca knew how screwed up Nina''s family was, so Nina made no secret of it and told Luca everything.N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Luca nodded her head. She was suddenly reminded of Marie when she thought of Jean. She asked, "Oh, I heard that your brother was in a rtionship with a woman named Marie before, right?" Nina looked at her, puzzled. "How did you know about that? Who told you?" "Previously, Mr. Crawford brought me to his father-inw''s ce, which is the Rayne family, to treat Old Man Rayne. There was a woman named Marie making a scene outside the vi. Mr. Crawford mentioned her to me, saying that Marie is his wife''s elder sister but they have no blood ties. I heard that she was together with your brother for quite some time," Luca exined. She only wanted to tell Nina that Marie had got out of prison. Marie was still the same even after she was sent to prison. Jean was the same too. She was afraid that both of them would get together again to hurt Nina. Nina listened to Luca. Although she was curious why Luke would tell Luca so much about Marie, she did not ask about the details. She nodded and said, "Yes, she was the one who made my brother like this. And there''s my mother too. She used to be avaricious, but she made money using just and ethical means. But Marie scammed her, stole an apartment unit from my mother, and aborted my brother''s child. Since then, my mother changed into a different person. She thought it was alright as long as she had money with her. Then, she slowly became like how she is now. She keeps asking for money from me and never stops spoiling my brother. Sometimes, I wonder if it weren''t for Marie, would my family be able to remain peaceful, even if it''s just on the outside? Marie was like a ticking bomb. She detonated everything in our family and made everyone show their true colors. Tell me, isn''t a family like that scary to you?" ¡°I''m sorry." Luca apologized. ¡°Why are you suddenly apologizing to me?" Nina was confused. She picked up the ss and took a sip of the juice. "You didn''t do anything wrong. It was Marie''s fault. She''s a liar." Luca smiled. Nina had no idea that if she had not brought Marie into Jean''s life, Jean would not have ended up like this today. Marie was a sinner, but Luca was the one who brought Marie into their lives. Nina realized it was going to be noontime. She picked up her phone and said, "I''m tired as well. Why don''t we order takeaway today?" ¡°Sure." Luca went along with her. "What would you like to eat?" Nina leaned closer to her. The two of them looked at Nina''s phone together. "I''m fine with anything. You can order first. I''ll pick what I wantter." Luca was not picky with food. Chapter 1708 Nina chose an Italian restaurant nearby, added some dishes to her cart, and showed it to Luca. Luca added another dish. Nina saw it and said, "How is this enough? I''m treating you to this meal, so please order a few more dishes." "I''ll leave the decision to you," Luca said. Nina ordered several dishes before she submitted the order. "I always eat alone. Now that you''re with me, I finally have the opportunity to eat more dishes." "You ordered so many. I doubt we can finish everything," Luca said. The dishes they ordered were enough for three or four adults. "What does that matter? I''m overjoyed that we''re sharing a meal," Nina said. Her phone rang and she pressed to answer. "Hello, who is it?" "Ms. Langdon, I''m calling from your property management. There''s a man at the door who ims to be your brother. We dare not let him go in without your consent. He has been wandering here. Can you kindly deal with it?" the man on the other end of the call said. "Don''t let him in." Nina''s mood turned sour as soon as she heard that Jean was loitering around her residence. "We didn''t let him in but he''s making a fuss at the gate. It''s not a pleasant sight. Are you his sister? Why don''t youe out here and deal with him?" the man suggested. He felt a headacheing when he saw how insistent Jean was on staying in the area. "He doesn''t want to leave, right? Give him an ultimatum. If he doesn''t leave, have the police take him away." Nina was ruthless. Although the property belonged to Percy, it was the only ce that made her feel safe. She was not nning to move just yet. She would never let Jean in to ruin her peace. "Isn''t he your brother? Would that be a good idea?" the man said. "If hees in, I''ll make aint. For the rest of the matters, you can decide for yourself." Nina finished speaking and hung up the phone. Luca stood by her side and touched Nina''s head tofort her. "I don''t want what''s left of my peace to be ruined by him. Luca, do you think that I''m ruthless?" Nina asked with her gaze lowered. "No, you did the right thing. It''s not like Jean doesn''t have anywhere to live," Luca said. She rubbed her head again and continued, "He''s an adult and can take care of himself." Nina nodded. She felt a little better with Luca''sfort. Since she was a child, she was told that Jean was the only boy in the family and as his sister, she should give in to her brother. Anna had never thought that Jean should ever give in to his sister. Therefore, when she rejected Jean, she inevitably felt a little guilty. Nina was d to have Luca''sfort. Her guilt minimized following her gentle words. "Yeah, I''ve taken care of him enough. Luca, thank you for reminding me of that." Nina''s eyes became filled with tears as she felt the warmth of Luca''s palm. Half an hourter, the delivery man called and said that the food had arrived. He was at the entrance and needed a pass to bring it in. Nina was toozy to go downstairs to pick up the food. Besides, her legs were sore, so she gave him the passcode. After a while, the doorbell rang. "It must be the delivery man. I''ll open the door." Nina stood up. Seeing how weak she was, Luca took her hand, stood up, and said, "I''ll go open the door. Why don''t you go wash your hands and get ready to eat?" "Okay." Nina nodded. Luca went to open the door. She presumed the delivery man was at the door, so she did not check on the situation outside through the peephole. She opened the door and was stunned when she saw two men outside. The one standing at the door was the delivery man while the other was Jean. "Dr. Craw, you''re here too!" Jean had bribed the delivery man and asked him to bring him up. He did not expect to bump into the woman he had been thinking of day and night. When he was hospitalized, he had asked Nina to bring Luca to visit him. However, she always responded by saying that she was not close to Luca. As such, he never saw Luca when he was hospitalized and his heart itched when he thought of the woman he liked. He did not expect to see her here. He thought that it was an unexpected and pleasant surprise. The delivery man breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I''m d you know each other." Jean said proudly, "Of course, we know each other! This is my sister''s house. Come, give me the takeout." The delivery man handed the food to Jean. He was merry when he thought about how he had made some extra cash from this order, so he said, "Miss, your takeaway has been delivered. Enjoy your meal." After that, the delivery man quickly left. Luca stood at the door and stared at Jean. She knew how he got in. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "Give me the takeaway. You should leave." Luca persuaded him. If Nina saw him, she would be in a bad mood. Nina has had a bad day. Luca wanted to make Jean leave. However, since Jean found a way to get in, he naturally would not leave so easily. He said sullenly, "Dr. Craw, I still have your takeout in my hands. How could you shoo me away like this? Is this how you treat your friend''s brother?" Luca looked at the takeaway and said with a nk expression, "If you''re hungry, you can take the takeaway with you." "Are you chasing me out?" No matter how stupid Jean was, he knew that he was not weed. If it were someone else, he would have pushed them and rushed in but the woman in front of him was his prey and target. Jean did not want to shed all pretenses of cordiality just yet. "Nina doesn''t want to see you," Luca said. "I''m her brother. Dr. Craw, I don''t want to hurt you. If you''re smart enough, get out of the way. Otherwise, don''t me me for being rude." Jean warned her coldly. "You know what I do, and I don''t have any patience." "You want to break in? You can try... but is your woundpletely healed?" Luca looked at where his liver was. Although she was not the chief surgeon of his operation, she knew the approximate location. Jean was nothing to her. Jean subconsciously touched the spot where he had been operated on. Although the doctor discharged him from the hospital and the wound on the surface had healed, the flesh inside would take some time to recover. "You! Don''t think that I won''t dare to touch you just because you''re a woman!" He warned as he held the takeaway in his hand. He did not make a move as he said, "This is my sister''s house. What right do you have to stop me?" Nina came out of the bathroom and heard Jean''s voice. Her heart fell as she walked quickly to the door. Sure enough, the person standing outside was Jean. "How did you get in?!" she yelled as she felt as though her only quiet space was going to be lost. Luca replied on behalf of Jean, "He bribed the delivery man and got into the building with him." Chapter 1709 Nina red at Jean. She did not expect him to use such a despicable method to sneak in. "Jean, you''re so shameless." "You brat! What are you talking about? I''m your brother!" Jean narrowed his eyes, his deep gaze focusing on the two of them who were guarding the door. He was thinking about how to get in. He would not get in if he could not figure something out. He decided to force his way in. As soon as he got in, she would not be able to drive him off! After Jean made up his mind, he insisted on barging inside. Nina knew what he was up to and warned loudly, saying, "Jean, if you dare to barge in, I''ll call the police!" "Why? This is my home!" Jean stopped. He was a regr at the police station and was a little afraid of the men in blue. "I didn''t buy this ce, I''m renting it. Also, you don''t have a lease contract so how can you say it''s your home?" Nina was worried that Jean would bump into Luca if he dashed in so she stood in front of Luca to protect her. Luca held Nina''s hand and told her that she could handle it. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Nevertheless, Nina insisted on protecting Luca. Jean squinted and replied, "What''s yours is mine! Get out of the way and let me in so we can have a good meal together. I''ll live here in celebration of my discharge. Otherwise, you''ll have to rent another apartment for me here!" "On what grounds? Why are you demanding me to pay rent for the ce you want to live in?!¡± Nina yelled at him out of dissatisfaction. Since all the neighbors had gone to work, she was not afraid of losing her reputation by arguing with him! "On the grounds that I''m your brother and everything you own is mine! This is what our mother said. Nina, if Mom knows how you''re treating me now, she''ll be pissed!" Jean was unwilling to return to the crappy apartment. The environment in that apartment was horrible. Every woman he brought back looked down on him for staying there. On top of that, Anna O''Reilly was not around, so no one cleaned the apartment at all. He did not want to go back. Nina lived in a spacious, bright, and high-end ce. If he brought someone back, they would definitely think highly of him. No matter what, he was going to make sure that he could stay. "Go tattle to Mom, then. There''s a house for you to live in but I''m guessing that you''re dissatisfied with how old the house is, right? You lost the new house, so who can you me? If you don''t leave, I''ll call the security guards and the police. Let''s see what you can do then!" Nina gripped the door frame tightly and said, "You''re trespassing and Mom is still in the hospital. Don''t expect me to go to bail you out from the police station!" Jean was raging when he heard that. He dumped the takeaway on the ground and was about to push Nina. "What are you doing?!" Percy''s voice sounded from the side. Jean stopped and looked at him, bewildered. "Mr. Mallory?" Percy looked at Jean''s raised hand, frowned, and repeated, "What are you doing?" Jean quickly withdrew his hand and exined, "Nothing, Mr. Mallory. Why are you here?" "This apartment is mine. Do I need to report to you every time I''m here?" Percy continued. He noticed that Nina''s eyes were red. He guessed that she was in an argument with Jean before he stepped in. She was always like this. Whenever she got into a disagreement with others, no matter if she could win the argument or not, she would always get teary-eyed out of distress. He felt pitiful toward her. Jean thought that the apartment was rented by Nina and that her rtionship with Percy hade to an end. However, since Percy had provided her with a ce to live, it seemed that something was going on between the two. He thought of Pierre Mallory... If Percy was still with Nina, what was the deal with Pierre? Did he want to fight with his brother for a woman? Jean figured that he could not afford to piss Percy off, so he quickly exined, "Mr. Mallory, I was discharged today and the house is messy since no one has cleaned it up in a while. That''s why I n to stay here for a few days. Once my mother recovers and is discharged from the hospital, I''ll move back there¡ª" "What nonsense! If you move in, you''ll never move out!" Nina ruthlessly exposed him. Everyone knew what kind of person Jean was, so there was no need to be polite. Jean red at Nina. He was pissed that she undermined him. "What nonsense are you talking about, I¡ª" Jean was interrupted by Percy. "This is my apartment. No one is wee if they''re not invited." Jean was stunned, but he eventually nodded shamefacedly. "Okay, I didn''t do it intentionally. I''m going to leave now. By the way, Mr. Mallory, I assume you haven''t eaten lunch yet? This is for you." After he said that, he put the takeaway in Percy''s hand and then bade Luca goodbye. "Dr. Craw, if you have time, let''s go for a movie. Bye-bye!" No matter how unwilling he was, he did not dare to cause trouble in front of Percy. After all, Percy was someone of status. If Nina could keep hold of him, Jean could enjoy a good life in years toe. Jean was happy when he thought of Percy''s announcement regarding the cancetion of his wedding with the Johnston family''s daughter as it meant that Nina stood a better chance. If Nina became the wife of one of the Mallory brothers, he would benefit from it as well. After she watched Jean leave, Nina looked at Percy and asked with a frown, "What are you doing here?" "I was worried you''d be hungry," Percy said. He noticed that Luca was behind Nina. He raised an eyebrow and wondered why she was there. Nina snatched the takeaway from Percy''s hand and said coldly, "I have hands and feet. I won''t starve to death. You can leave now." "I just shooed Jean away for you and that''s how you talk to me?" Percy looked at her takeaway and said, "The least you can do is to treat me to a meal. You ordered so much food. The two of you can''t finish them all." Nina did not give it a second thought before she turned him down. "This is the takeout I ordered. Why should I share the food with you? Also, I don''t like eating with strangers. Goodbye!" After she said that, she took a step back and shut the door. Percy did not choose to continue knocking on Nina''s door. After all, Luca was there. He had always maintained a cold and distant image in front of outsiders. He had no intention of making a fuss. He came because he found out that Nina was on leave again. He thought that she was too tired to go to work, so he made the trip to check in on her. Unexpectedly, he bumped into Jean and it turned out she had even invited Luca toe over. It seemed that she knew him and knew that he would not cause a scene in front of outsiders. How interesting... Percy smiled. Nina was the woman he loved. She understood him so well... However, Luca... Percy had a headache and called Luke. After Luke answered the call, heined, "Luke, can you take your woman away? She''s with Nina now. It''s very inconvenient for me to make a move." Luke listened to hisints, which was mainly about how dissatisfied he was that Luca was in Nina''s house. He bluntly criticized Percy, saying, "Hurry up and make a move. Your woman is causing me to miss out on home-cooked food tonight." Chapter 1710 Percy heard him and sighed. Both of them were pursuing the woman they loved but unfortunately, they could not make any moves because of their women. He said, "If you want to eat home-cooked food, take her away quickly." Percy could only be brazen-faced if Luca left Nina''s home. "What reason do I have to do that? What in the world did you do to make Nina run away again?" Luke said. He was upset that he could not see Luca as well. Even when she was Bianca, she was still equally concerned about Nina. Although Percy had a poker face that scared everyone, Bianca would somehow summon the courage to defend Nina. She would naturally act the same even though she was Luca now. "Okay, that''s enough. Ugh, you can''t take your woman with you?" Percy mocked him impatiently and hung up the phone. He did not intend to mock Luke. He was just a little upset. He was overjoyed in the morning but in a blink of an eye, Nina had closed herself off from him and asked Luca to apany her instead. Fortunately, Nina did not seem to have the intention of moving out. Percy took the elevator downstairs and found that Jean was still waiting at the entrance of the apartment. "What are you doing here?" He stepped forward and asked. ''Is he nning to harass Nina after I leave?'' When Jean saw him, he said in a toady tone, "Mr. Mallory, I was waiting for you." Percy''s expression darkened. ''Isn''t Nina''s attitude obvious enough? He''s sure he can''t back get in so he''s been waiting for me here?'' When he saw Percy''s sullen expression, Jean immediately exined himself, "Don''t get me wrong. I''m just waiting for you here because I have something to tell you." "Go ahead." Percy put his hands in his pockets with an indifferent attitude. Jean could not wait to curry favor with him. He told Percy about how Pierre had reached out to him. "Young Master Pierre came to the hospital to find me and he wanted me to help him pursue Nina. Now that I know you still have feelings for Nina, of course, I won''t help him. However, I don''t dare to offend Young Master Pierre. Can you do me a favor and exin the situation to me?" Percy listened to him and asked, "How much did Pierre give you?" Jean was startled. He did not expect Percy to be so straightforward. He did not bring up the topic of money. After all, the money he received was nothing to the rich. "Not much, just 20,000..." he said, embarrassed. He did not dare to hide anything from Percy. There was a saying in their circle. Whoever dared to hide things from the Mallory family was asking for trouble. Percy looked at Jean''s submissive appearance as he Jean was afraid that he would ask him to pay back the money. Percy''s eyes could not help but be filled with contempt. Sometimes, he could not help but wonder if the man in front of him was really Nina''s brother. ''Why is there such a big difference between the two?'' Seeing that Percy was just staring at him without saying a word, Jean could not figure out what he was thinking about. He made a guess and said, "Mr. Mallory, I know that it''s my fault I made a promise to Young Master Pierre earlier but Nina had already broken up with you then and you had a fiancee too. I only agreed because I thought that it was the end between the two of you. From the bottom of my heart, I prefer you much more." Percy listened to his words with an indifferent expression. What Jean said did not affect him in the slightest. After all, he was well aware of Percy''s ambitions. "Don''t harass Nina anymore," he said as he headed to where he parked, which was right next to Nina''s car. "Yes, I promise not to harass her again. I hope you''ll win her heart again soon and then the two of you will live a happy and sweet life together!" Jean replied. He hoped that they would reconcile as soon as possible so that he could use Percy''s name to exploit others. Jean left after he watched Percy drive away. The people who followed him also quietly left. Luca spent one night at Nina''s house. The next afternoon, Luca received a call from Luke. "Mr. Crawford, what''s the matter?" She could not help but answer seeing that it was Luke who called. "Open the door," Luke said. "Huh?" Luca was not sure how to react. "I''m outside. Open the door," Luke repeated himself. Luca hurriedly stood up and looked out of the peephole. He was indeed standing outside... She turned around and nced at Nina. Seeing that Luca was acting weird, Nina asked, "What''s wrong?" "Mr. Crawford is outside..." Luca replied. "How did hee in?" Nina asked, befuddled. Luca shook her head to indicate that she had no idea. "Open the door." Nina reminded her when she saw her standing there dumbfoundedly. Luca had no choice but to open the door. Outside, Luke was there standing with two bags in his hands. "Mr. Crawford, why are you here?" "I came to see you," Luke said. It was Old Master Crawford''s birthday banquet, so he came to see Luca. "Mr. Crawford, how did you get in?" Nina stood up and asked. Her building''s security was strict, and she did not receive any notice from the security before his arrival. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ''This building is unrted to Luke. How did he get in?'' "Percy gave me the door card," Luke exined as he looked at Luca again. "Today is Old Master Crawford''s birthday. Old Master Crawford invited you, so I brought you the gown and jewelry so you can get ready here." Luca looked at the bags and realized it was the gown that she previously bought. "Mr. Crawford, I didn''t receive the invitation," Luca said. "Tommy sent it to you. Didn''t you get it?" Luke said. "Is that so?" Luca picked up her phone and checked her text messages. Many would send electronic invitations for convenience but as far as she could remember, she did not receive any invitation. When she opened her chat with Tommy, she scrolled up and saw an electronic invitation card. After Tommy sent her that, he chatted with her about a few other topics. She happened to be in the hospital during that time, so she was groggy under the influence of drugs. She missed a lot of texts, so she did not notice the invitation. "I did receive it... There were too many texts from before, so I didn''t notice." Luca exined, embarrassed. The hand that Luke was carrying the bags with was raised a little higher. Nina chimed in, "Since you received an invitation, you have to attend. After all, Old Master Crawford wants you there." Luca nodded. Since she was invited, she had to go. She looked at the bags in Luke''s hand. When she bought the gown and jewelry, she thought that she would not be wearing them, hence she put them in her closet. Unexpectedly, Luke went to the apartment and brought them to Nina''s ce. She took the bags and said, "I didn''t bring any makeup with me." Nina said, "We have about the same skin tone. You can use mine. Come on, don''t disappoint Old Master Crawford. I''ll help you dress up." After that, Nina grabbed Luca and they headed into the bedroom. Luke was left hanging by the door. He was not bothered. He walked straight into the apartment and waited for Luca to get ready. Chapter 1711 Luca nned to do some light makeup and tie her hair casually, but Nina expressed her disapproval. She insisted on helping Luca get ready. Over the years, to maintain her appearance despite her deteriorating mental state, she had acquired a certain level of skill in makeup. After half an hour or so, Nina gave Luca a simple yet ssic look. Luca looked gentle and virtuous. The makeup look was subtle and paired well with the gown. "Nina, you''re amazing at this." Luca praised Nina as she looked at herself in the mirror. Nina proudly said, "That''s right! This makeup look makes your charming facial features softer and more elegant. It matches your gown well." Luca nodded in agreement. Nina took out Luca''s gown and urged her. "Come on, go and change." Luca took the gown and was pushed out of the bedroom by Nina. Her eyes met Luke''s while he was sitting on the sofa. She retracted her gaze and walked into the bathroom. Nina stood there and waited for her to change. Luke asked, "Did you do her makeup?" "Yeah, what do you think?" Nina was confident in her skills and asked him for his thoughts. "Not bad," Lukemented. Nina raised her brows. That was his style¡ªa simple evaluation without any added feedback. She knew that it would be difficult to get him to provide further feedback, so she did not push for it. Luca changed into a gown in the bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror. She was in a daze. The gown has been altered ording to her size. The store manager was responsible and took the task very seriously. Every inch of the alteration was done perfectly. She could not find any faults to pick on. The gown perfectlyplemented her beautiful figure. Luca was confident in her figure. She was not too shy to wear a gown like this. She would definitely be able to attract the attention of others. However, Luke was sitting outside... She felt a little nervous when she thought of walking out in this gown. Even though he had seen all of her long ago and they had been intimate, she was still shy. Nina, who was waiting in the living room, saw that Luca still had yet to leave the bathroom after some time. Hence, she knocked on the door and said, "Luca, what''s the matter? Did you eat too much today and can''t zip yourself up?" Luke raised his eyebrows. ¡®Ate too much?'' "No, I can put it on." Luca''s voice came from the bathroom. "Great that you fit into it. Come out when you''re done. If you need help, let me know and I''lle in." Nina thought that the gown might be difficult to put on, which was why Luca was dawdling. "Okay." Luca reluctantly opened the bathroom door. Nina''s eyes lit up. She took Luca''s hand and twirled her around. "Beautiful! You look great in this gown, just like a model." The gown was from the autumn collection. Luca subconsciously grabbed thece on the sleeve and looked at Luke. ¡®Does he think I look good too?'' It was not the first time that Luca had attended such a formal asion with Luke. However, she was still nervous. "Not bad." Luke met her gaze andmented. He looked cold on the surface but he was hot and turbulent on the inside. All he wanted was to hold Luca in his arms and cherish her. "It seems that I have good taste." Nina looked at Luca with a satisfied expression. The gown looked gorgeous on her. Nina took her hand and brought her to the bedroom. She said, "Give me another 20 minutes, I''ll get Luca''s hair done." Luca looked away and was taken to the bedroom by Nina. She sat on the chair. She looked at herself in the mirror and said helplessly, "Nina, I''m happy with how my hair looks now." "You still have to wear jewelry, no? It won''t look good if your hair is disheveled. We''ll do a simple hairstyle. I''m sure Old Master Crawford will be overjoyed when he sees you." Nina picked up theb and was prepared to style her hair. Luca had no choice and went with Nina''s wishes to get a hairdo. Nina looked at the woman in the mirror and snapped her fingers, looking utterly satisfied. "You look so beautiful. You''ll be the shining star for tonight." "Old Master Crawford is the main character tonight." Luca reminded her as she took out the pearl jewelry from the jewelry box. Nina took the jewelry and helped her put the pieces on one by one. "That''s true. A lot of socialites will be present at his birthday banquet tonight. Can you do me a favor?" "What''s up?" Luca asked. "Keep a close eye on Luke," Nina whispered in her ear. Luca was stunned. She did not understand why Nina made such a request, so she asked, "Why?" "Many now think that Bea has been sent abroad and is not favored, so they''re eyeing him. That''s why I''m asking you to help keep watch." Nina joked, deliberately teasing Luca. "Mr. Crawford is not someone I can keep watch on even if I want to," Luca exined helplessly. She noticed the look of yfulness that shed through Nina''s eyes. Nina helped her put on the bracelet and said with satisfaction, "We''re done. I didn''t expect that I''m so skilled. With an excellent model like you, I''ll be sure to make a lot of money if I started epting clients.¡± Luca looked at herself in the mirror. The makeup made her charming face look gentle and pure. It would not be an exaggeration to say that she looked a few years younger. "I look... beautiful." She muttered to herself. For a moment, she saw a shadow of her past. "Thank you for thepliment." Nina cheekily epted herpliment. As she looked at the person in the mirror, she was reminded of Bianca. After she covered up Luca''s alluring charm, it vaguely revealed a sense of her purity. ''How amazing..'' Luke walked to the door of the bedroom but did not go in out of respect for their privacy. He stood with his back to them and asked, "Are you ready?" "Yes," Nina replied. She picked up the lipstick and touched up Luca''s lips a little. She then put the lipstick and powder in a matching bag so that Luca could easily touch up her makeup when she was out. Luca took the bag and said, "Thank you." "It''s gettingte. You should make a move. By the way, I won''t be waiting for you tonight. When you leave, take the spare key and key card at the entrance," Nina said. Luca nodded, walked out of the bedroom, and looked at the man in front of her. "Mr. Crawford, we can leave now." Luke''s gaze fell on her. A sh of surprise appeared in his eyes. Luca was more refined than before. Thebination of jewelry and clothes was just right. It made her gentle temperament radiate incisively and vividly. "You look great," heplimented her in a deep voice. It was like a silent evening breeze that gently brushed her neck. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Luca could not help but shudder. She nodded immediately and replied, "Thank you." Luke noticed her actions. He turned around as a strange look shed in his eyes. The two left the apartment together. When they got to the entrance, Luca brought the spare key and key card with her. Seeing this, Luke wanted to remind her but in the end, he just smiled without saying anything. Nina watched them leave and could not help sighing in her heart about how great they looked together... Chapter 1712 Nina shook her head. She thought that they would make a cute couple but she was in a dilemma when she was reminded of Bianca, who was still abroad. Nina looked at the closed door, then sat on the sofa. Before long, the doorbell rang again. "Did you forget something?" She thought it was Luca, so she opened the door without looking into the peephole. When she saw that the person standing outside the door was Percy, Nina subconsciously wanted to m the door shut. However, Percy moved fast and pressed himself against the door. The strength between them was so disparate that Nina could not close the door. "What are you doing here?!" Nina stared at the person in front of her. Percy lifted the bag in his hand and said, "I bought you some fruits." "I don''t want them." Nina refused angrily. ''Isn''t Mallory Corporation about to go bankrupt? Why has he appeared in front of me three times in thest two days...'' Percy leaned against the door with a rxed expression as if it did not take much effort from him to do so. "I bought all of your favorite fruits." Nina was surprised. ''My favorite fruits? How does he know what I like to eat?'' She nced at the bag and saw that the fruits in the white bag were indeed all her favorites. However, how did Percy know? When they were together, he had never asked her what she liked to eat. Most of the time, he gave her what he thought was good. She never had to share her opinion nor express whether she liked it or not. All she could do was to ept it. That included everything she ate and used... Day after day, it was still the same. At that time, she almost thought that she was just one of his ythings, no, maybe not even a ything. She was like a puppet that just epted what he gave her. She thought Percy had never considered what she liked and disliked... That was why Nina was surprised that he came over with a bag of fruits she liked. ''Where did he learn about my preferences?'' There were a lot of fruits currently in season but the ones he bought were what she liked. Nina did not think it was a lucky coincidence. ¡°Can Ie in?" Percy saw her staring at the bag in a daze and negotiated with her. Nina came back to her senses and looked at him vigntly. "No way!" She had not recovered since thest time she let him in. Percy knew what she was afraid of, so he confessed, "I won''t do anything to hurt you, dear. Let me in." When Nina heard the word ''dear'', it felt as though Percy was coaxing her as if she was a child. The trick worked wonders on her... She gave in a little and thought that maybe Percy had something to tell her... However, she knew that Percy''s appearance was part of a n, so she red at the man in front of her and said, "Don''t think you cane in just because you colluded with Luke. You''re not allowed to come in today!" Seeing that she was so determined, Percy sighed helplessly and hung the bag of fruits on the doorknob. "Since you don''t want to talk today, I''lle back tomorrow. These are for you. Make sure you have your meals on time and have more fruits." Percy turned and left after he left her the fruits, which made her stunned. ''He left... just like that?'' He did not continue to pressure her like he used to and instead left quietly. What''s more, he had nned the timing carefully with Luke and chose to leave without getting what he came for? Nina did not believe it. It was not until Percy''s figure disappeared from the corner that she realized that he actually left... She looked at the bag of fruits left behind and felt inexplicably ufortable... Nina knew what Percy wanted to say but she did not want to hear it. They were not going to get their happy ending, so Nina was unsure as to why he was so insistent. ''I''m not that great. There''s no way he would be so attracted..'' Nina carried the heavy bag of fruits in her hands but felt her heart be heavier than that. On the other hand. Luca left in Luke''s car, which yed economic news the entire way. She listened to it but did not take the initiative to speak to him. After half an hour, they arrived at the hotel. There were not many guests because it was still early. Luca nced at the parking space that had many empty spaces and suddenly thought of Old Master Crawford''s previous birthday banquets. She arranged everything herself and every time the event was over, she would be so tired that she would fall asleep as soon as her head touched the bed. Nevertheless, she did it willingly. That was because she loved Luke and alongside that, his family. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . However, at that moment, she could only attend this birthday banquet as a guest. Luca could not help but sigh when she thought of that. "Let''s go." Luke looked at her and reminded her as he got out of the car. Luca snapped out of it, unbuckled the seat belt, and was about to open the car door when Luke had already opened it for her. He opened the car door with one hand and put the other hand on the top of the door as though he was afraid that she would hit her head. His gentlemanly actions made her heart warm. Luca leaned slightly to get out of the car, being careful not toe into too much physical contact with Luke. Luke''s eyes shed slightly when he noticed her actions. Luca got out of the car and straightened her body. She felt that someone was watching her. so her eyes looked in the direction but she only saw a dark figure. The other party seemed to have noticed her and quickly turned around to leave. Luca looked in that direction with a deep gaze. ¡®Is it one of Abel''s men or someone else?'' The other party left too quickly, so she could not see clearly. The only thing she was certain of was that the other party did not have good intentions. "What are you looking at?" Luke asked. "Nothing." Luca moved her lips and showed a shallow smile. It was not a good sign that she was being watched here. At least she knew that there was a person always paying attention to what she did. "Let''s go." Luke followed her gaze and saw nothing. However, when he got out of the car, he noticed that a person was standing there. He had not met the person prior, so he did not know what the situation was. Looking at Luca''s reaction, he guessed that the person had something to do with her... Luca nodded, took two steps, and then stopped again. She said with an embarrassed look on her face, "Uh... Mr. Crawford, there should be some time left before the banquet begins, right?" ¡°Mm." Luke nodded. "Why don''t you go in first? I n to go to a nearby shopping mall. It won''t look good if I go empty- handed." Luca watched someone walk in with a gift and realized that she had nothing prepared. It did not matter if she brought a gift or not. After all, it was Old Master Crawford''s birthday and not a child''s birthday. Old Master Crawford would not have high expectations for gifts, but she did not even prepare any birthday money. When Nina was doing her makeup, she had thought of it but it soon slipped her mind. She was embarrassed to walk in empty-handed. Chapter 1713 "A gift? I''ve prepared something on your behalf." Luke went to the trunk and took out a nicely packaged gift. The gift was handed to her but Luca did not take it. "Is there only one? If you give me yours, what are you going to give to Old Master Crawford?" "My gift has been passed to Grandpa. I prepared this for you. Take it," Luke said. He guessed that Luca might have forgotten to prepare a gift so he prepared one for her in advance. In the past, she was not as forgetful and was always the one who reminded him about things as such. He was somewhat not used to it now that the tables were turned. Luca took it. The gift was heavy and looked expensive. "Mr. Crawford, how much is this? I''ll pass you the money for itter." "We''ll talk about itter." Luke helped her prepare the gift but had no intention of asking her to pay him back. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Luca felt impotent. Luke then took out an envelope from the pocket inside his suit and handed it over. "I assume you didn''t prepare any birthday money for him. Here," Luke said. Luca shook her head. Her initial n was to buy a gift or get an envelope at a nearby shopping mall so she could put some cash into it. Unexpectedly, Luke had already prepared everything. However, she did not have any cash on her. "Mr. Crawford, I don''t have any cash. I''ll just give Old Master Crawford the present. Hopefully, he won''t mind." Luke shoved the envelope into her hand and said, "I got it all ready for you." Luca felt the thick envelope and realized that there was money in it. Luke had indeed gotten everything ready. With these, she would not be ashamed to walk into the hotel. "All good?" Luke asked. Luca nodded. The gift and birthday money were all prepared. Even if Susan made things difficult for her during the event, she would not be able to pick on Luca. The two entered the hotel together. Old Master Crawford was sitting and waiting for the guests to arrive. When he saw Luca walk in with Luke, he immediately smiled and stood up with the help of his cane. "Luca, you''re here." Old Master Crawford was full of vitality. Luca could hear his every word even from a distance. She quickly walked toward Old Master Crawford. "Old Master Crawford, I wish you a happy birthday, good health, and long life," Luca said. Old Master Crawford smiled happily. He thought that her wishes were thoughtful and exactly what he wanted in life. "Thank you, Luca. You''re too sweet." Luca smiled and handed him the gift along with the birthday money. "Old Master Crawford, these are for you." Old Master Crawford was delighted when he saw the gift and birthday money. It was not that he liked receiving gifts but that these showed Luca''s care for him. "I''m happy that you''re here. You didn''t have to prepare these." Since thest incident, Old Master Crawford has been more and more pleased with Luca. Luca exined, "This is what I should do. Please ept them." Old Master Crawford was satisfied. He nodded and gave the butler a wink. The butler, who was standing beside him, nodded and epted the birthday money and gift in Luca''s hands. Many wanted to s to Old Master Crawford but there were not many gifts that the butler would manage personally. Susan stood not far away. She kept watch and understood what their actions meant. Luca was important to Old Master Crawford. There were many rich and famous in A City. Many of them were as established as Old Master Crawford but few could get his attention. The birthday money and gifts presented were usually handled by the maid and the waiters from the hotel. The butler stood behind Old Master Crawford, and only those who were valued would have their gifts kept by him! Susan looked at Luca, who looked exquisite. She was fuming inside. She finally drove Bianca away but now, there was Luca. Based on the present development, even if Bianca died, sooner orter there would be another woman by Luke''s side. At present, the woman who was most likely to rece Bianca was Luca. Susan knew a lot about Luca. She was more difficult to deal with than Bianca... The most important thing was, she had talked to her before and found that Luca did not seem to n to stand on her side nor did she care about being Luke''s wife. It seemed that it was not that she did not care about being Luke''s wife but that she knew she had the chance to win, so she did not bother working with Susan. Susan thought that a woman as such was ambitious and scheming. If she seeded in marrying Luke, Susan and Louis'' status in the Crawford family would worsen day by day. She could not let this happen. When Susan thought of that, she walked over with a smile on her face and said, "Ms. Craw, you''re here. You even brought a gift and birthday money for Old Master Crawford. How nice." Luca nodded. She knew that Susan did not have the best of intentions but she could not do anything about it. "Mrs. Crawford, hello." Susan nced at the gift in the butler''s hand, pretended to be curious, and asked, "I''m a little curious, Ms. Craw. What did you prepare for Old Master Crawford? Tell us more." Luca was in trouble. After being the granddaughter-inw of the Crawford family for so many years, she knew that the gifts kept by the butler would have the sender''s name written down on them. Old Master Crawford would unwrap them after he returned home from the banquet. However, she did not prepare the gift herself. She did not expect Old Master Crawford to let the butler keep it, so she did not ask Luke what he had prepared in advance. After all, what he prepared would be something of Old Master Crawford''s taste. She was not worried that it would offend Old Master Crawford. "Why are you so quiet all of a sudden? Don''t worry, Old Master Crawford is not stern. Even if the gift is not valuable, it''s good enough that you have the thought. He doesn''t care whether the gift is valuable or not." Susan continued. She thought that Luca got something worthless seeing how embarrassed she appeared. Luca smiled, went along, and said, "It''s nothing much. It''s just a small gift. I hope Old Master Crawford will like it." "Of course, I''ll like what you gave me." Old Master Crawford was cheerful. He appreciated the thought. Susan felt unhappy when she saw Old Master Crawford react as such. She spent a lot of money to prepare his birthday gift but when Old Master Crawford saw it, he did not say anything. On the contrary, he was chatty when he received Luca''s gift. "Oh, I''m so curious now. Since there aren''t many people now, why don''t we open it and take a look?" Susan was dissatisfied. She already regarded Luca as an enemy, so she wanted topare her gift to Luca''s. Luca understood what she meant and felt helpless. Luke said, "Dr. Craw knows that Grandpa likes to collect antiques, so she bought him one." Susan keenly captured some information and asked sharply, "Antique? Luke, how do you know that? Could it be that Dr. Craw asked you to help her buy this gift?" What Old Master Crawford liked most was the sincerity of others. If this gift was bought by Luke on behalf of Luca, the sincerity would be greatly discounted. Chapter 1714 Susan asked on purpose with the intention of humiliating Luca. "Dr. Craw is not familiar with Antique Street in A City, so I took her there. She personally chose the gift for Grandpa." Luke knew what Susan had in mind and saved Luca from blushing out of embarrassment. Susan would feel threatened as long as the matter was rted to Luke. "Oh, no wonder! Luke, items from the antique street that you mentioned should be very expensive, right? Dr. Craw is just a researcher. Her position and sry are decent but those antiques are worth tens of millions. Dr. Craw, wouldn''t it be a burden for you to buy something so expensive?" Susan continued. Even if she could tell that Luke wanted to protect Luca, she was unwilling to let it go. Luca felt powerless. She could tell that Susan was not going to let her off easily. "It''s nothing expensive. I''m happy as long as Old Master Crawford likes it," she said. "It''s not expensive?" Susan smiled and looked at the gift box in the butler''s hand. "How can there be antiques that are not expensive? Could it be that you bought a fake and got scammed?" She deliberately mentioned that because she knew that Old Master Crawford hated it when others fooled him with fakes. Old Master Crawford absolutely hated counterfeiters, especially when it came to antiques. Luca knew the kind of person Susan was and felt a headacheing on. When she was about to exin herself, she heard Luke say, "Grandpa will know whether it''s genuine or not once he has a look at it," She was stunned, but she knew that it would be fine even if Old Master Crawford opened the gift in front of everyone. Luke would never buy fake things to fool his grandfather. Luke never bothered with Susan unless it came to people or things that he held dear. Luke looked at Susan with a cold expression and said indifferently, "Since you''re worried that Dr. Craw will be deceived by others, let''s open the gift while there are not many guests around. Grandpa can also check it so that if Dr. Craw bought a fake, she can hold the seller ountable." Old Master Crawford did not want to do that but Susan was belligerent. He knew that he would never hear the end of it if he did not do as Luke said. At the same time, a guest standing by the side said, "That''s a great idea! I heard that Old Master Crawford''s appraisal of antiques is first-ss. Why don''t we take this opportunity to learn something?" Luca was helpless as she listened to their conversation. Susan was making a fuss and the others followed suit. All they wanted was to have a goodugh at her. It was a pity that they would not have a chance to mock her. Although she knew nothing about antiques, she was confident that the antique in the butler''s hands would not be fake. Luke looked at Luca and asked, "Since the gift is from Dr. Craw, do you agree to open it now, Dr. Craw?" Luca met his gaze and saw the staunchness in his eyes. She nodded and said. "No problem. Let''s open it." When Old Master Crawford saw that Luca agreed, he got the butler to open the gift. The waiter brought scissors over, and the butler put the gift on the table before carefully opening the delicate wrapping. When a sandalwood frame was revealed, Old Master Crawford smiled. He knew what the gift was the moment he saw the frame. Luca was not sure what was the gift Luke had prepared for Old Master Crawford, so she watched silently while holding her breath. Susan saw her appearance and interpreted it another way. She thought that since Luca looked so serious and nervous, there must be something wrong with what was inside. "The frame looks good but the content inside is uncertain. Counterfeiters put a lot of effort into the packaging so that they can deceive others to buy these fake antiques," Susan said bitterly. Old Master Crawford nced at her and cursed at her in his heart for being ignorant. He could tell the age of the gift from the frame alone. The butler nced at Old Master Crawford. After he nodded in agreement, the butler unwrapped the giftpletely. It was an antique painting. The butler carefully picked up the antique painting and handed it to Old Master Crawford. Old Master Crawford held it, looked at it carefully, and concluded, "It''s real." "How could it be real? It would cost a fortune!" Susan could not believe it. She thought that Old Master Crawford said that on purpose to give Luca an out. Old Master Crawford snorted coldly and said, "This is an antique painting from the 1900s. It''s old, but back then, the quality of this antique painting was considered average and not high-quality. That is why it''s not expensive. You can get it cheap as long as you know how to choose.¡± Luca breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the antique painting. After all, antique paintings were expensive. However, after she heard Old Master Crawford''s exnation, she was relieved that Luke had picked a gift as such on her behalf. Old Master Crawford enjoyed collecting antiques, especially antique paintings. That was why he deliberately bought an antique painting but one that was not of the highest quality. As such, it would be believable even if she said she had personally chosen it. After all, she was an ordinary person and could not afford an expensive antique painting. When Susan heard that it was real but the price was not high, her heart eased a little. She sneered, "It''s a substandard product. Dr. Craw, how nice of you." "Old Master Crawford likes antique paintings, so I bought this for him. The boss knew I was going to give it to Old Master Crawford as a birthday present and gave me a discount so that I could afford it," Luca said. Since Susan wanted to pull her down, she also humiliated her. "This is within my abilities. I hope you''ll like it, Old Master Crawford." ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . "I like it, I like it so much," Old Master Crawford said quickly. He deliberately touched it a few times to show his love for this gift before he carefully put it back into the butler''s hands. "I have several simr antique paintings in my collection. When I put this one up, my shelf will be full. Butler, when we get home, please help me put it away. Be careful not to identally hit it on anything," Old Master Crawford said. The butler replied respectfully, "Yes, Old Master Crawford." Susan was fuming when she heard his words. She wanted to embarrass Luca and make her lose her dignity in front of Old Master Crawford, but Luca was saved by her words. Luke did not expect that Luca would say such a thing. In the past, she would often endure Susan''s temper even if she deliberately made things difficult for her. However, she now knew how to pretend to be good in front of Old Master Crawford so that he would not care about the quality of the antique painting. How interesting... It seemed that in the past three years, she had not only learned medical skills and martial arts but her temperament had also undergone some changes. More and more guests arrived, so Luke said, "Grandpa, there are more and more guests arriving. Why don''t you go and take a seat?" Old Master Crawford was getting old and could not stand for too long. It was tiring to greet guests, so Luke asked Old Master Crawford to go in and sit. Chapter 1715 "Okay, please greet the guests. Luca, apany me inside? Let''s have some tea?" Old Master Crawford invited her. "Okay." Luca nodded in agreement. Rather than standing here, it was a better option for her to apany Old Master Crawford in for tea. She did not have the right status to be standing here and greeting guests. "Come, give me a hand. I''m old and my legs are not working as well as they used to," Old Master Crawford said. He was in a wonderful mood. Luca obediently helped him, and the two walked in with the butler following closely behind. Luke nced at Luca''s back with a tender gaze. Susan was enraged by what happened and thought Luca must be proud of how things turned out. Getting the love and attention of Old Master Crawford meant that she had won over the entire Crawford family. If Luke was involved with her, she was unsure where she would stand in the future. She felt threatened once again. To her, Luca was a bigger threat than Bianca! Susan looked at Louis, who was standing at the side looking at his phone. He did not utter a word as things went down as though he was invisible. ''Even the guests yed along with me but my son didn''t say a word!'' Susan pinched his arm. Louis hissed in pain and looked at her. "Mom, what''s the matter?" "What''s the matter?! All you know is to y with your phone! Today is your grandfather''s birthday. Is it appropriate for you to stand here and y with your phone?" Susan stared at him. She was infuriated that he did not try to please Old Master Crawford on such an important day. She thought that he would lose his footing in the household if something happened to her. Louis'' mood turned inexplicable after being yelled at. He had no choice but to put down his work, look at her, and ask, "Why are you angry? Today is Grandpa''s birthday. If he sees you like this, he''ll be unhappy." "I''m not happy to see how useless you are. What are you still doing here? Go and greet the guests. The guests can''t think that there''s only one young master in the Crawford family, right?" Susan was hopping mad when she saw how non-reactive Louis was. She could not let Luke take all the limelight. Louis looked at the guests buttering up to Old Master Crawford. It was as if they were not here for the birthday banquet but just topliment the Crawford family. He felt disgusted. "It''s good that Luke is dealing with this. I''ll focus on my work and not cause any trouble." To Susan, his behavior showed that he was not up to par. She got even angrier and pushed him, yelling, "What are you doing?! You''re also the grandson of the Crawford family and one of the future heirs. Hurry up, go!" Louis stumbled and almost fell. He knew Susan''s jealousy had risen when he saw her expression. She was full of anger. Over the years, he had started his own business, which had grown bigger. It was not an issue for him to support a family of four but Susan still refused to admit his capabilities. She had been lobbying for him to go back to work in T Corporation. Louis felt helpless. He had no choice but to put away his phone, walk to Luke''s side, and greet the guests with him. "What did Mom say?" Luke asked softly. Louis said helplessly, "She asked me topete with you. Along with that note, make sure you protect Dr. Craw." "Why?" Luke asked. He greeted the guests with only a slight smile on his face. He was not too enthusiastic toward anyone, even on this asion. "I feel like Dr. Craw ticked her off today. Maybe she''ll try to do something againter." Louis knew his mother all too well, so he wanted to give Luke a heads-up. "She can handle it." Luke believed that Luca was no longer the Bianca he used to have to protect at all times. "You brought her here, so be sure to take good care of her. Otherwise, she''ll be afraid of our family and your n won''t seed." Louis knew about Luke''s intentions but did noty it all out. Instead, he chose to hint at it. Luke nced at his half-brother. Even though their mothers often got into fights, the rtionship between them was still solid. At least, in private. "Got it," Luke replied. On the other hand. Thanks to Old Master Crawford, Luca got to know some people of status. At the same time, these people were very curious about her. Old Master Crawford took the trouble to introduce Luca to those who were curious. After they were introduced to Luca, they were still curious. ''She''s just an employee of T Corporation. Why is she valued by Old Master Crawford?'' If Luke and Louis were not married, they would understand. After all, Old Master Crawford could be selecting his granddaughter-inw. However, both of them were married with children and no one had ever heard about their rtionships being unstable. What was the situation with this woman? The crowd spected. More than half an hourter, Zander walked into the hotel with Luke''s three children. Tommy knew that Luca wasing. After he quickly greeted Luke, he wanted to find Luca. Luke did not stop Tommy from being so eager to find his mother. He only asked Zander to watch the children. Zander walked into the banquet hall with the three kids. They quickly found Luca and stood in front of her in unison. "Good evening, Ms. Luca." Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "Good evening, Ms. Luca." "Good evening, Ms. Luca." Luca looked at them, her embarrassment from being constantly questioned reducing greatly. She touched their heads respectively and said, "Good evening." Old Master Crawford did not find it strange to see the kids so attached to Luca but was relieved. He wanted to tease them, so he cleared his throat and reminded the children, saying, "I''m the main character today!" The children looked at him in unison and said, "Happy birthday, Grandpa!" "I wish Grandpa great health and longevity!" "I wish Grandpa the happiest of birthdays. May you have today''s glory forever." Old Master Crawford was ted at how sweet the kids were. He could tell that Luca, who was surrounded by the crowd, was embarrassed. He said, "Luca, Luke is still outside greeting guests and has no time to take care of the children. Why don''t you go to the lounge with the kids and take care of them for Luke?" Luca nodded in agreement. She much preferred taking care of the children than having to deal with the curious eyes of the guests. She stood up and took Tommy and Rainie''s hands. She then said, "Old Master Crawford, I''ll take the kids to the lounge first." "Okay, go." Old Master Crawford waved his hand. Luca left with the children. As soon as she walked into the hotel lounge, she was surrounded by the three children. Rainie looked at Luca''s beautiful dress and said with envy, "Ms. Luca, you''re so beautiful. You look like a fairy princess!" Chapter 1716 Tommy was unwilling to be outdone and said, "Ms. Luca is more beautiful than a fairy princess! In my heart, Ms. Luca is the most beautiful woman in this universe! Brother, what do you think?" Lanie, who was named, nodded nonchntly. In his heart, his mother was indeed the most beautiful woman in this universe. The smile in Luca''s eyes deepened as she listened to thepliments from the children. She enjoyed being with her children more than anything. She touched the children''s heads and asked, "Are you hungry? There are refreshments here. I''ll have them send some over?" "Yay!" The children pped their hands. They were picked up by Zander from school and had not had anything to eat yet. Luca picked up thendline nearby, dialed the service desk, and told them to bring some refreshments. There was a knock on the door of the lounge as soon as she hung up the phone. Luca went to open the door and found that it was the maid from the Crawford family. When she saw Luca, the maid asked with a smile, "Ms. Craw, I heard from Zander that the kids are with you?" Luca nodded. "Yes, they''re all inside." The maid said respectfully, "That''s great. I brought their clothes. Can I take them in and have them change into them?" "Come in," Luca stepped aside. The maid walked in, saw the children sitting on the sofa, and said, "Young Master nche, Ms. Rainie, Young Master Tommy, I''ve brought the clothes you chose this morning. Hurry up and change into them." When the children heard her, they immediately stepped forward and took their respective bags. They were the children of the Crawford family, so they had to be well dressed for Old Master Crawford''s birthday banquet. The children took their clothes one by one, from big to small. Then, they went into the bathroom to get changed. Lanie came out with a mini bow tie in his hand. Seeing that, the maid thought he did not know how to tie it and hurried forward while saying, "Young Master nche, let me help you with that." Lanie took a step back and looked at Luca. He seemed a little shy as he said, "I want Ms. Luca to help me." Luca, who was named, was stunned. She did not expect Lanie to make such a request. Lanie was independent. He had already learned to tie a bow tie before she was kidnapped, but now, he seemed to want to get closer to her. Luca nodded as she stepped forward to help him tie his bow tie. Tommy was waiting for Rainie to get dressed. When he saw that, Tommy quickly said, "Ms. Luca, Ms. Luca, I want you to help me tie my bow tie too." Luca looked at him and nodded with a smile. "Okay, I''ll wait for you to change into your suit." The maid watched the scene unfold. Lanie, who had always been very capable, also approached Luca first. She could not help but sigh. "Ms. Craw, you''re a kid ma. They seem to like you very much." Luca nodded with a smile on her face but said nothing. ''How can my children not like me?'' Luca felt sorry for missing out on the period when they were growing up and not being able to openly admit that she was their mother when she saw how much they relied on her. She could only use the identity of Luca to apany them. She was unsure when she would disappear from their lives. Luca remembered the man watching her in the parking lot when she got out of Luke''s car and wondered if he was one of Abel''s men. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Come to think of it, she had not heard from Abel in a few days... While she was deep in thought, Rainie came out from the dressing room. She had changed into a long pinkce dress and looked like a princess who came out of a storybook. She walked to Luca''s side and snuggled up to her while calling out, "Ms. Luca." Luca snapped out of it, looked at her daughter, and patted her head with a smile. "What''s the matter, dear?" "Ms. Luca, you look so beautiful today. I like your hairstyle. Can you do my hair like that too?" Rainie asked. "The same hairstyle?" Luca felt a little ufortable with that request. After all, she was not Rainie''s mother right now. If she were still Bianca, she would have no problem with having the same hairstyle as her daughter. However, she was just a guest of the Crawford family. If she went out with the same hairstyle as Rainie, others might gossip... Rainie blinked her eyes and said innocently, "Ms. Luca, your hairstyle looks good. I want to wear this hairstyle too." Luca looked at Rainie''s big watery eyes and her heart softened. She nodded and said, "Okay, I''ll help you do your hair. Do you have any tools with you?" "Yes. Ms. Rainie asked me to pack them and take them with me before she left for school. Here! I''m just not sure if they''re enough, though." The maid hurriedly handed over another bag. Luca looked at the essories in the bag. Rainie had put all her favorite essories in it. She saw that there were several hair clips that she had given to Rainie before she was kidnapped. The hair clips were luxury goods, so they still looked new after a few years. "Ms. Luca, can you do it?" Rainie asked. "It should be possible. I''ll try my best. Someone else did my hair so I can only do a simr one. Is that okay?" Luca asked for Rainie''s opinion. "Okay! Ms. Luca." Rainie smiled sweetly, and the unease in her eyes dissipated after she got Luca''s affirmative answer. By the time Luca picked up the tools and was about to do Rainie''s hair, Tommy got dressed up and came out. Luca could not help butugh out loud. She asked him toe to her side when she saw her youngest son looking like a mini adult after he put on his suit. "Come here, Tommy. I''ll help you tie your bow tie." Tommy happily walked over to her. Luca picked up the bow tie and helped him tie it. Tommy looked at how carefully she was tying his bow tie and muttered in a low voice, "If only you could help me tie the bow tie every day..." Luca touched his head and said nothing. She also wanted to take care of them in person every day but reality did not allow for it. Luca inevitably felt mncholic when she thought of that. She picked up theb and started to brush Rainie''s hair. She divided Rainie''s hair into different areas and started to braid her hair like how Nina did previously. While she was upied, she secretly rejoiced that the hairdo that Nina did for her was not complicated. Otherwise, Rainie would be disappointed. Lanie watched as Luca carefully braided her sister''s hair. He picked up his phone, filmed the scene, and sent it to Luke. Luke was greeting the guests when his phone vibrated. He picked it up, opened the text, and saw Luca combing Rainie''s hair. His heart was warm. The scene was heart-warming and left a deep impression on his heart. Luke had an urge to let Louis be in charge of greeting the guests for the rest of the night so he could walk into the lounge and feel the peace at that moment. However, he knew that if he did that, Louis would protest. Luke shook his head. He had to suppress the urge and continue to greet the guests who had arrived. Chapter 1717 Luca was ingenious. She quickly helped Rainie to do her hair. It looked good but it was somewhat different from her own. Rainie looked in the mirror and boasted, saying, "Ms. Luca, you''re amazing. My hair looks great!" Luca smiled, looked at the smile on Rainie''s face, and said, "It''s still a little different from mine." "This looks good too! Ms. Rainie, do you want to put on a ne?" The maid, who was by the side, asked. Rainie nodded. The maid took out the ne Luke had prepared for Rainie and helped put it on her. Luca noticed that Rainie''s ne was also made of pearls. She was stunned, "Are Rainie''s essories also made of pearls?" "Yes, these are what Daddy bought for me yesterday. Ms. Luca, do I look good?" Rainie fiddled with her ne. Luca could tell that she liked it very much. ¡°Yes, you look wonderful." Luca wondered if Luke did it on purpose. Although Rainie''s ne was for children, it was simr to the ne on her neck. "It''s the same ne as yours, Ms. Luca. If we wear the same dress, will people think we''re mother and daughter?" Rainie said as she looked at Luca with a smile. Luca was d that Luke did not go as far as to buy an identical dress for Rainie. Otherwise, they would be mistaken for a mother and daughter if they walked out together... She smiled and straightened the ne around her neck. Sheplimented her, "Rainie, you''re so beautiful¡ªjust like a princess who came out of a fairy tale." When he heard that, Tommy deliberately asked, "Ms. Luca, do I look like a prince?" "Of course, you''re all little princesses and little princes." Luca looked at the three children, her heart feeling warm. When most of the guests were there, Luke finally left and walked to the lounge. He knocked on the door. "Come in." Luca''s voice came from inside and he pushed open the door. He saw the children sitting around Luca, eating refreshments brought by the waiter. They looked so happy. He was the only one missing. Luca saw that it was Luke who came in. She stood up shyly and said, "Mr. Crawford, you''re here..." "Yeah." Luke walked into the lounge, closed the door to cut off the noise outside, and looked at the three children. His gaze fell on Rainie as he said, "The hair you did for her looks great." "How did you know..." Luca was stunned. "Ms. Luca, I took a photo when you were doing Rainie''s hair just now. It looks lovely. Do you want to see it?" Lanie took the initiative to admit that it was his masterpiece before Luke said anything. Luca nced at him helplessly. She did not expect Lanie, who had always been clear-headed, to take a photo of her. "Okay, please send it to me," she said. When Rainie added her as a Facebook friend back then, Lanie also added her within a day. Lanie nodded and made an ''okay'' gesture. Rainie said, "Brother, send it to me too." "I''ll send it to youter." Lanie agreed. Luke looked at them. It was a cheerful and joyous atmosphere. He thought to himself that this was how his home should be... There was music outside, so he reminded them. "The banquet is about to start. Let''s go." The children stood up one after another. Although they liked being with Luca, they wanted to participate in the joyous event outside as well. Luca also stood up and suddenly thought that she had not been assigned a seat. If she went out, she probably would not have any seats and seemed to have only two choices. She could just find an empty seat to sit down but she felt awkward when she thought of how she would be surrounded by strangers. Her other option was to sit at the same table with Luke and the others, but that was an even more awkward choice. After all, she was not a member of the Crawford family. Luca would rather choose the former. Luke seemed to see through her troubles and said, "I''ve arranged a seat for you." "Ah? With whom?" Luca asked and prayed that it was not with the Crawford family. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "The Normans and Raynes," Luke said. He nned it on purpose. She was close with the Norman and Rayne families. Even if there were other people at the table, she would not feel awkward apanied by them. Moreover, the Normans were her biological parents and she grew up with the Rayne family. She would be happy to sit at the same table with them. Luca breathed a sigh of relief. She was alright sitting with Jack Norman and the others... They left the room together. Since Luca did not know where the Normans sat, she had no choice but to follow Luke. Rainie and Tommy held her hand as they walked. When outsiders saw this scene, they could not help sighing about how they looked like a family. Nevertheless, everyone knew that Luke had a wife, so those who did not know Luca''s identity were curious. Luca walked down the aisle and she felt pressured. Sure enough, not everyone could stand near Luke, not to mention, the two children were still holding her hands. Luca knew how they would talk about her, but she couldn''t bear to let go of the children''s hands. They were still young and sensitive. If she did that, they might think that she despised them. Luke took Luca to the table where the Norman and Rayne families were. He said, "You''ll be sitting here." "Okay, thank you." Luca nodded, then let go of the children''s hands and sat down. Tommy looked up at Luke and asked, "Daddy, can I sit here with Ms. Luca?" If it were a normal asion, Luke would not care, but this was not. He shook his head and said, "No, today is Grandpa''s birthday. All of us will be sitting with him." "Okay." Tommy reluctantly followed Luke. Luca breathed a sigh of relief and greeted the three at the table, "Mr. and Mrs. Norman, Ms. Rayne, good evening." "Good evening." They greeted her in session. Luca felt that everyone''s eyes were still on her. Some of the gazes were like spotlights, stabbing her whole body. She felt ufortable sitting here. Fortunately, the master of ceremonies on the stage soon began to speak so that everyone''s attention fell on him instead. Wanda, who sat on her right side, whispered, "Luca, you look amazing. Did you get ready by yourself?" "No, my friend helped me," Luca said. Wanda knew about Nina, so she kept it to herself, lest she got the feeling that she was stealing everything from Bianca. Wanda took another look at her outfit and thought that Luca looked gentle and decent. "Your friend is great at this. You look graceful." Chapter 1718 ¡°Yes, I said that too." Queenie was busy admiring Luca''s beauty. Luca had always dressed up casually, and she looked pretty even then. Now that she was all dolled up, she was even more stunning. She could not help butpliment Luca. "Thank you. You look great too." Luca felt embarrassed receivingpliments from them. She lowered her head a little and looked down. Wandaughed and took a sip of the red wine before saying, "Luca, let me tell you something. My father has been taking the medicine you prescribed and using the herbal concoction to soak his feet in. He feels a lot morefortable now. He can sleep early every night without waking up in the middle of the night all of a sudden. He''ll only wake up around six in the morning. You''re amazing." Luca nodded as she listened to Wanda''s feedback. She already knew that her prescription would have long-term effects on Old Master Rayne. That was why she was not surprised to hear that when Wanda told her about it. Queenie, who was listening, said in surprise, "Did Luca treat Old Master Rayne?" "Yes! It''s all thanks to Luke for bringing her over. After she checked his pulse, she gave him a prescription. The medicine works effectively. He''s been taking the medicine for quite some time now and is getting better. I seldom hear himining that he''s in pain anymore. It''s unlike those medicines that he used to take. After he took them for a while, they no longer had an effect on him. I must say, Luca, you''re very impressive." Wandaplimented Luca. Luca looked at Queenie and thought of Leia. Too many things had happened during this time and she forgot to ask about Leia''s situation. However, Queenie did not contact her either, so she reckoned that Leia''s situation should be under control. She asked, "Mrs. Norman, how''s the patient?" She intentionally used the word ''patient'' to refer to Leia as Wanda was here too. Queenie smiled gratefully and replied, "The prescription you gave me is good. Her condition is much more stable now. It''s a pity that this kind of illness is irreversible, so she can only take things one step at a time. We''ll see how things turn out." Jack, who was standing beside her, heard what his wife said. He recalled what Luke had mentioned to him before. After that, Queenie mentioned to him that she thought of giving money to Leia to buy an organ from the ck market. He was outraged. Leia''s condition was not that serious at first. She would have recovered if she was willing to take the medicine that Luca prescribed. Leia was the one who got herself into her current situation. Jack talked to Queenie after knowing what she had in mind. He regained control over the family''s finances. He did not give her a chance to be soft-hearted. At the same time, he warned the two elders in the house not to have a soft spot for Leia. The Norman family''s reputation would be ruined if they fell for it. Luca noticed that something was wrong with Jack''s expression and thought it might be because of Leia. She should not be asking, but she could not help herself and asked with concern, "Mr. Norman, what''s on your mind?" ¡°I guess everything was doomed to be this way. If she was willing to take the prescription you gave her from the beginning, things wouldn''t have turned out this bad, right, Luca?¡± Although Jack was furious with Leia, he was still kind to Luca. After all, after she saved Queenie, she had left a good impression on him. With time, it only got better and better. ¡°That''s right, but things havee this far. If she can recover her health after she''s discharged from the hospital, it wouldn''t be too difficult for her in the future,¡± Luca answered. Queenie let out a sigh. She had initially thought of getting a new organ for Leia, but it was impossible when she thought of it now. She was worried that she would put Jack in a difficult position because of her soft-heartedness, which was why she agreed to let him manage the family''s finances now. Her daughter was important to her. However, the man she had spent her whole life with was much more important to her. Luca took Queenie''s hands andforted her in a soft voice, "She''ll get better.¡± Queenie held her hands too. She felt warmth surging in her heart. She smiled and nodded her head. As Wanda listened to their conversation, she made a rough guess andforted Queenie too. "Things won''t keep getting worse. That''s the best thing about misfortune. Don''t worry, she''ll certainly get better with Luca''s help." ¡°Yes, Luca''s capable. She''ll get better.¡± Queenie eximed. She thought it must be fate that brought her and Luca together. Although they met each other because of Luke and she had mixed feelings for Luca, she knew that the familiar feeling she felt toward Luca was not fake. Luca looked down as she listened to the two closest people to her were talking about her. It left such a sour feeling in her.N?velDrama.Org owns all content. The only thing that she hoped now was that with her return this time, she would be able to bring them happiness and improve their health. She did not want to bring them disasters. After the master of ceremony finished making his speech on the stage, it was Old Master Mallory''s time to give a speech. The old master''s speech was formal, but he received warm apuse. Then, it was Luke''s turn to give a speech. All this while, Luca had not looked at the stage. However, she could not help but look over at this moment. Luke was standing in the middle of the stage, holding a microphone. He thanked everyone for their support and concern. He looked great and invincible. People would apud and cheer with every sentence he said. Luca looked at the man on the stage. As moments passed, she could only hear his voice in her ears. His hoarse yet powerful voice tempted people to follow such a leader. She could not resist the man''s charm since she was in high school. The apuse was getting deafening as he continued speaking as though these people were his fans. It was exaggerated. Luca only had eyes for Luke. When Luke was done reciting thest sentence of his speech that he had memorized, he looked at Luca''s table. The moment they met each other''s eyes, he smiled faintly. The photographer turned the camera and focused on him, projecting that smile of his on the big screen. Everyone was confused. Did Luke smile just now? However, the smile onlysted for a second as though they had imagined it. Even though he was a little far away, Luca could still see his smile. It seemed like he was looking at her table. Was he looking at her? She withdrew her gaze, no longer looking at the man on the stage. The banquet officially started after the speech. The hotel''s ballroom was bustling with noise and excitement. Luca''s mind was far away, so she could not enjoy the food and drinks. Wanda noticed that Luca was absent-minded and asked, ¡°What''s wrong? Luca, does the food not suit your taste?" "Ah, no. I''m just not that hungry." Luca found a random excuse to exin her behavior. Wanda added, "Eat some more even if you''re not hungry. You''re too skinny, just like our Bea. That''s no good. Come on, have some more." She helped Luca with a few dishes and ced them on her te. Luca recalled that Wanda had always thought that she was too skinny. The Rayne family was poor at that time. They did not have much money to buy food, so Wanda would always think of buying her food to make her eat more and grow fatter. Kevin and Old Master Rayne were the ones who raised her, but Wanda had also taken care of her. Chapter 1719 Luca went to the washroom when the banquet was halfway through. When she was in the cubicle, she coincidentally heard the two women outside talking about her. "Who''s the woman who walked into the hall with Luke while holding the two kids'' hands? I remember that his wife doesn''t look like that," one of the women asked. "So, is she not really his wife? I thought I remembered it wrongly. Then who''s that woman?" "Luke''s wife is still abroad. There''s no news of her returning here. Who knows who that woman is? After all, she looks well-behaved. Perhaps she''s that kind of woman." "What kind of woman?" "A mistress. Isn''t it normal for a man as outstanding as Luke to keep a mistress?" "That can''t be. How dare a mistress show up on such an asion? Even if she dares to, Luke wouldn''t dare to bring her here. Isn''t he afraid of pissing off the old master?" "I agree, but did you notice how close the kids are to that woman? I heard Susan mention that this woman''s identity is unknown and she refuses to say too much about it. She''s afraid that the old master will scold her if he finds out." "That''s not good. Let''s go. The Crawford family is reallyplicated. I thought Luke was a good man. I didn''t expect him to be someone like this." "Are there any men who never cheat on their woman? They just go undetected without getting caught by us. Come on, let''s go." Luca stood in the cubicle and listened to the two women discussing her. She shook her head helplessly. Susan was willing to go that far to ruin the Crawford family''s reputation and talk nonsense to others. She walked out of the cubicle. After she washed her hands, she left the washroom. When she returned to the ballroom, many people were still looking at her. Luca ignored them and returned to her seat. When Luca left her seat and went to the washroom just now, the people who were sitting at the same table with her asked Wanda and Queenie about Luca''s identity almost immediately. Hence, both of them knew what the others were thinking of Luca. Wanda held Luca''s hand and felt that her palm was icy-cold. She frowned and asked caringly, "Are you alright?" Luca shook her head, telling her that she was fine. Then, she picked up her spoon and continued to help herself with the food. After the dinner ended, Luca thought of hailing a ride to go home. However, Zander walked toward her and said in a low voice, ¡°Ms. Craw, Young Master Luke gave me his orders to ask you to stay here first. If you''re feeling tired or bored, you may head to the lounge to take a rest. He''ll send you home after he''s done sending off the guests." Luca was speechless. She thought of leaving secretly when Luke was not paying attention to her, but the man acted faster than her... She had no choice but to nod her head, indicating that she understood. Wanda heard their conversation, and a gleam shed across her eyes. However, she did not say anything. She patted Luca''s shoulder, smiled, and said, "Luca, I''m going home first. Let''s keep in touch. Feel free toe to my house to have dinner when you''re free." "Sure." Luca waved to her. Zander left after he passed Luke''s message to her. After a while, he brought along the three kids with him. Tommy leaned over on Luca''sp and asked, "Ms. Luca, you haven''t left yet? Why don''t you follow us back?" Luca shook her head and said, "It''s alright. I''m leaving after these people have left. It''ste. Hurry up and go home." Tommy could not bear to let her sit here alone, so he insisted, saying, "Ms. Luca, please follow us back home. Let Uncle Zander drive you home." Lanie looked at his younger brother who refused to leave their mother. He shook his head helplessly and said, "Someone will pick Ms. Luca up. Tommy, let''s go." Then, Lanie took Tommy''s hand and left. Tommy was reluctant to part with Luca. He kept turning around to look at Luca until he followed Zander to leave the hotel. He got into the car andined, "Brother, why didn''t you let Ms. Luca follow us?" "Silly little brother." Lanie looked at his younger brother as though he was hoping that Tommy could live up to his expectations. He reminded him. "There be must a reason why Ms. Luca is sitting there. Daddy must have given his orders. He probably wants Ms. Luca to wait for him there so that Daddy can send her back home after he''s done entertaining the guests." "Is that true?" Tommy refused to believe. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Lanie turned to look at Zander and said, "Uncle Zander, tell me. Is this Daddy''s arrangement?" He saw his father speak to Uncle Zander just now. Then after a while, Uncle Zander walked toward his mother. "Yes, Little Young Master nche. Your father is going to send Ms. Luca hometer. Don''t worry," answered Uncle Zander. Tommy replied, "Oh." He fell silent after knowing that someone would be picking Luca up. On the other hand. After Luke sent off some of the annoying guests, he came to Luca''s side. There were only waiters cleaning up the tables in the hall now. Luke looked at Luca, who was busy scrolling her phone, and said, "Sorry to keep you waiting. Some drunken guests were busy chattering. Let''s go. I''ll send you home." Luca nodded her head. After all, the people who were invited to the dinner were either rted to the Crawford family or his business partners. No matter what kind of rtionship it was, the chances of meeting Luke were slim. That was why they took the opportunity to talk with Luke. It was normal to do so. She stood up, followed Luke, and left together with him. A gust of cold breeze blew past them once they stepped out of the hotel. Luca, who was not prepared, could not help but shiver. Luke noticed this and took his coat off. He put it on her shoulder. Luca was about to reject and tell him that she was not feeling cold, but she heard him saying in a low voice, ¡°Put it on. Don''t catch a cold.¡± "I''m not that weak,¡± replied Luca. However, she still put the coat on her. There was Luke''s scent on the coat and the warmth that his body heat left behind. No matter how cold the wind was, she felt as if it was nothing to her now. "Keep yourself warm. You''re officially going back to T Corporation to work tomorrow. Thepany needs you to be in your best condition," Luke said as he headed to the parking lot. Luca listened to him. It seemed like his concern for her was always because of work. She always felt like something was wrong, but at the same time, it did not seem to be the case. The two of them walked side by side to the car. After Luca waited for him to unlock the car door, she opened the car door herself before Luke could open it for her. Then, she quickly got in. Luke noticed her gestures. It seemed she was bothered by his gentlemanly acts toward her. His eyes could not help getting dark. They were close with each other back then. However, it seemed like she could not wait to distance herself from him now. If it were not because he would never do anything unreasonable to her, Luke would have thought that he had identally hurt her feelings before, which made her distance herself from him as though he was a snake or a scorpion. As Luke watched the door to the passenger seat closing, he put on a serious expression. Then, he got into the driver''s seat and drove off without saying anything. Chapter 1720 The car was moving slowly and steadily. Luke did not turn on the radio this time. There was dead silence in the car. The coat was still on Luca''s shoulder. She turned around and looked at the man beside her. She pondered before lifting her hand to take off the coat. Luke spoke, "Put it on." "It''s warm enough in the car. It''s a little hot for me^" Luca exined. Luke turned on the heater once they got into the car as he was worried that she would catch a cold. ¡°It''ll be cold outside when you get outter,¡± Luke said, telling her to leave it on her. Luca had no choice but to leave the coat on her. She looked outside the window and realized they were not going to Nina''s apartment. "Mr. Crawford, are you going the wrong way?" she asked. He should have made a right turn just now if they were heading to Nina''s ce. The road they were driving on now would take them back to his apartment. She thought Luke had identally taken the wrong turn. Luke continued to drive forward without nning to turn back. "Percy wants to win Nina back.¡± Luca nodded her head. She knew that, and she knew Percy had never given up. The current situation was just because he could not detangle himself from the Johnston family. Then, Luke said, "It''s hard for Percy to make a move if you stay with Nina." Luca was startled. She had no idea that she was the third wheel. She knew Percy wanted to win Nina back, but Nina had asked her to apany her. There was no way she could reject her. Moreover, judging from Nina''s personality, she did not like to be disturbed. Percy must have freaked her out. Otherwise, she would not have requested her to apany her. "Nina needs me to keep herpany," said Luca. Besides, her belongings were still at Nina''s ce. "She only wants to avoid Percy. She doesn''t need someone to keep herpany." Luke insisted as he parked the car below the apartment. Luca realized they had already returned to the apartment, so she put on a helpless expression. "She''ll be worried if I don''t go back tonight." "Give me your phone." Luke held out his hand. Luca had no idea what he wanted to do, so she just handed her phone to him. She did not know if he did it on purpose but her fingers touched his palm. It was warm. She took her hand back. The warm touch was like an electrical current quickly enveloping her body. Luke nced at her. He picked her phone up and tapped on the screen, but the screen was locked. They had only gently touched each other just now, but Luca acted as though she had touched something she should not have touched. He changed his mind. Instead of asking her for the passcode, he held out his palm to her and grabbed her hand. Luca was stunned. She thought of withdrawing her hand away unconsciously. ¡°Mr. Crawford!" "Unlock it." Luke held her finger and pressed it down to unlock her phone. Luca realized what he was going to do. She bit the bullet and let him hold her hand without struggling to break free. After the phone was unlocked, Luca withdrew her hand quickly. Remnants of his warm still lingered on the spot where he held her hand. She twiddled with her fingers gently and kept silent. Luke noticed that something was wrong with her, but he did not expose her. He opened her contacts on her phone and found Nina''s number. At the same time, he noticed that the name Luca had saved his number with was ''Mr. Crawford''. How formal... Luke was slightly dissatisfied, but he sent a message to Nina: [Luca is drunk. I''ve brought her back to the apartment. You don''t have to wait for her tonight. Someone wille over to your apartment with the spare key and ess card tomorrow. They''ll bring Luca''s belongings back.] He returned the phone to Luca after he sent the message. Luca took it from him and read the message he sent to Nina. She was speechless. Luke was still as overbearing as usual. He would decide everything for her. He was also helping Percy by doing this. Luca did not say anything at the thought of their friendship She knew she should not stay at Nina''s ce. If she could have dodged it, she would not have stayed at Nina''s ce either. After all, there was a misunderstanding between Nina and Percy. If they wanted to clear the air between them, they would need to get along with each other. However, it was obvious that Nina refused to listen to anything Percy had to say now. If Luca stayed at her apartment, he would not have the chance to talk to her at all. ¡°Let''s get out of the car." Luke reminded her when he saw her remaining silent after taking back her phone. Luca snapped back to her senses and unfastened the seat belt. She asked carefully when she saw Luke not doing anything, "Mr. Crawford, are you going back to Crawford Manor tonight?" Luke looked at her. There was a hint of tease across the bottom of his eyes as he said in a deep voice, "Do you want me to stay?" It sounded like something was going on between them. Luca could sense the teasing in his words. The nerves in her body were trembling because of what he said. She replied hurriedly, "I prefer staying alone." Luke did not get angry when he heard her reply. Luca was still the person she used to be. She would always pretend that she could not pick up his subtle hints when she was avoiding him. He said, "I have to go back to handle some matters. Pass me the spare key and ess card. I''ll ask someone to send them over tomorrow and bring your belongings to the office." Luca handed her bag to Luke. ¡°It''s all in there. Oh, Nina usually wakes up around seven in the morning. You''ll disturb her if it''s too early.¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Luke was a little jealous when he heard her reminding him about it. All she had in mind was other people. She did not seem to think of him even one little bit. It seemed like he had to do something to stop Luca from avoiding him. Luke was tired of her keeping her distance from him. They were husband and wife, but they had be like this because of what had happened three years ago. He wanted to find out the truth, but she kept pushing him away. No way! It was not going to work! Luke took the bag from her and said, ¡°Don''t worry. I won''t disturb her." Luca noticed that he sounded a little provocative. She wondered if she had said or done anything wrong. "You can get out of the car now. Make sure you report for duty on time tomorrow," Luke said. Luca nodded and unfastened the seat belt. She got out of the car and remembered that she still had his coat on her. She took it off and ced it carefully on the passenger seat. "Thank you, Mr. Crawford. I''m heading upstairs now." After that, she closed the car door before Luke could say anything. Then, she turned around and left. Luke turned on the car''s headlights and watched Luca leave with a thoughtful look in his eyes. He looked at the coat on the passenger seat and picked it up. The light fragrance on the coat seeped into his heart. It was Luca''s scent. He loved the scent of her. After Bianca was kidnapped, the fake Bianca was arranged to stay beside him. He never smelled this scent on her when he hugged her. He thought it was because of the shower gel, so he bought her favorite shower gel that she always used previously. However, no matter how much the fake Bianca used it, she did not have that scent on her. Luke moved the coat closer to his nose and smelled it. Then, he put on the coat and pushed the car door open. Luke lifted his head and looked at the apartment, counting the floors. He stared at that particr floor until the windows lit up. Then, he went back into his car and drove off. Chapter 1721 After Luca returned to the apartment, she stood at the balcony and looked down. However, it was too high. She could not see when she looked down. The weather was getting cold. Luca, who was wearing a dress, felt a little cold. She walked back into the room and turned on the heater. She took off her dress and quickly washed up. After she changed into her pajamas, she let out a sigh of relief. She was intentionally provoked and gossiped by the others tonight, but it was finally over. Shey down on the bed. Her phone suddenly rang. Luca picked up her phone. She thought it was Nina who called, but she did not expect it to be a video call request from the Ind of Despair. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She quickly tapped on the screen to answer the call. Her youngest daughter, N, showed up on the screen. "Mommy!" N called out to her in a baby voice when she saw her mother. Her eyes reddened as she missed her mother so much. Luca was surprised to see her daughter. She sat up straight and looked at the phone screen. "N?" "Mommy, N misses you." When little N saw her, she told her how much she missed her. He tears trickled down her face. When she saw her daughter like this, Luca said, "Mommy misses you too. How did you manage to make this video call?" The Ind of Despair was always heavily guarded. They would usually limit the time she spent with her daughter when she was there back then. Now that she was away from the ind, it was almost impossible for her to make a video call to her daughter as Abel would stop her. However, N was allowed to sit in front of theputer and make a video call to her today. Was it Abel''s arrangement? Luca was worried about her daughter. Sheforted her in a soft voice, saying, "Alright, alright. Stop crying. Can you please tell Mommy why you''re able to make this call?" "It was Uncle Shanks who brought me here so I could go on a video call with Mommy." N shot a nce at the man beside her and turned to look at the screen again. "Mommy, when are youing back?" Luca listened to her baby voice. It reminded her of Lanie and the other kids. She enjoyed spending time with them tonight. Still, her youngest daughter was stuck on the Ind of Despair. If she did not do something about it, she could only choose between N and her other three children. No, that was not right. If she did not do anything about it and simply followed Abel''s instructions, she probably would not have the chance to choose either option. Luca wiped away the tears that streamed down from the corners of her eyes and said, ¡°Mommy is working now. I''ll be back to see you after I finish my job." N listened to her and pouted her mouth. "Mommy, can''t you finish it quickly? I saw that many of them have alreadypleted their jobs, but you haven''t. I''m still waiting for you toe back and keep mepany." It was heart-wrenching for Luca to hear that. She intentionally bought time so that she did not have to hurt Luke, but she was unaware that she was also hurting her youngest daughter who was waiting for her. N was still young, so she could not leave her side for a long time. Although Abel allowed Aler to take care of N when she left the Ind of Despair, she was still worried about her daughter. After all, Abel was a devious and cunning person. There were barely any good people on the Ind of Despair too. She was worried about N living in such an environment. "Alright, I''ll finish my job as soon as possible and go back to keep youpany," Luca promised. She felt guilty looking at her daughter''s tender face. She decided to keep the child, but she could not give her a good living environment. She looked at her daughter''s fair and pretty little face. She wished she could get her out of the Ind of Despair. However, she was still incapable of doing that... "Alright. Mommy, Uncle Shanks told me I can''t talk to you for too long. I''m very happy to have seen you today. Mommy, I''ll be good and wait for you toe back here," said N. She grew up on the Ind of Despair since she was young. Even if Luca tried her best to protect her, her personality would still be affected by the organizational discipline of the ind. For example, Shanks limited N''s time to talk to her in a video call. No matter how much she missed her mother, she would listen and obey Shanks'' instructions. She would take the initiative to end the video call when it was time. Luca watched her daughter jump down from the chair. Her tiny figure disappeared in front of the camera. She covered her mouth, stopping herself from making any noises. Shanks nced at Eler, who was beside, and said, "Bring her back." "Yes." Eler nodded, pulled back her gaze, and carried little N in her arms. After they left, Shanks sat down in front of the camera. Luca looked at the man who was sitting there. She took a deep breath and regted her emotions. Shanks watched her and asked coldly, "Do you miss your daughter?" Luca looked at the man. He had not changed even though it had been a long time since she saw him. Out of all the people on the Ind of Despair, Shanks was the one whose mind she could not read. He would save people, but he would also develop those deadly drugs for Abel that could manipte people. He could not be considered a good person or a bad person. Even so, he had saved many lives with his hands. ¡°What are you trying to tell me?" Luca asked, fluently speaking Russian. Shanks replied, "I''m just a messenger." Luca did not say anything. She waited for him to speak. "Abel is very unhappy with your progress now. If you''d like to see your daughter soon, or if you don''t want her to get hurt, then get the mission done as soon as possible. He doesn''t have that much patience to wait for the chance to take revenge," said Shanks. Luca could sense their intention to harm her daughter from these words. She suppressed the emotions in her heart and replied, "I''llplete the task as soon as possible, but don''t hurt my child." "That depends on you." Shanks reminded her expressionlessly. There was not even a trace of warmth in those crystal blue eyes. Luca was on the verge of a breakdown when she learned that Abel was impatient and would harm her child. She said, "I''llplete the mission assigned by the organization, but you must protect my child!" Shanks was the only one who could protect N among everyone else on the Ind of Despair. It was because no one was as capable as him, and Abel needed him, so he treated him as a friend. Luca had no choice but to plead with him to help her. There were no changes in Shank''s expression. He reminded her, "That''s your child." "You watched little N grow up too, and you''re the person she trusts the most. Please, help me to look after the child. I''llplete the mission as soon as possible!" Luca was worried that something would happen to the child and Shanks would not look after N. She was helpless, so she could only plead with him. Shanks was still expressionless. He just said, "You know what to do if you don''t want anything to happen to your child. I''m just a messenger." He ended the video call after that. As Luca watched the video end, she closed her eyes. The feeling of despair was surging in her heart. She could not allow herself to indulge in the warmth given to her and disregard her youngest daughter''s life... She could not do that. "N.." Luca muttered in a low voice, "Mommy won''t let anyone hurt you. Just wait. Hang in there." Chapter 1722 The next day, Luca opened her eyes as she woke up. She rubbed them. Indeed, there were tears in them. After the video callst night, she took some pills and fell asleep. She had nightmares all night. In her dreams, she was locked in a cage. When she looked out, she saw her youngest daughter, N, getting tortured by Abel. She screamed and yelled in her dream, calling Luke''s name and hoping that he could save their child. However, no matter how many times she called out, Luke never showed up in her dreams. There was only the sound of her miserable shouts and N''s cries. Luca clenched her fists and covered her chest with her hands. Her heart was still aching after a night of torture. "N..." she called out in a soft voice. Then, she opened her phone gallery and found her child''s photos. N was smiling innocently in the photos. Luca felt a sharp pain in her heart. Luca stared at the photos for a while before she kept her phone away. Today was her official first day back at work. She could not bete. After washing up, she made herself a simple breakfast. Then, she changed into her office wear and went downstairs. She walked out of the neighborhood, nning to head to the ce where she could hail a ride. However, she saw Jean walking carefreely toward her. Luca stopped walking. She looked at him, not intending to avoid him. She knew she could not run away from an ignorant man like Jean. Jean was secretly rejoicing when he saw her standing there waiting for him. He trotted toward her and asked caringly, "Dr. Craw, are you going to work today?" N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Luca looked at Jean and nced at a few gangsters who were standing not far away from them. She reckoned that they came with Jean. "Please get out of my way. I''ve got work to do," she replied coldly. "Didn''t you stop to wait for me just now? Why are you asking me to leave now?" Jean looked at her. Of course, he was not going to let her go easily. He had been thinking of talking to her when he saw her at Nina''s house a couple of days ago. He hung around here to keep an eye on her after he found out that she was staying here. He did not expect that she did not show up at all yesterday. However, Jean''s hard work paid off as he finally saw her today. He had always seen Luca in her casual clothes. When he saw her dressed in her office wear today, his heart itched even more as more wicked thoughts came into his mind. Luca looked at him coldly. She noticed that he was sizing her up with those eyes. She had the urge to gouge his eyes out. Jean saw her keeping quiet and thought that Luca was different from other women. He realized he had used the wrong technique, so he asked, "Hey, I''m just joking. Don''t be mad at me. You''re going to work, right? Well, you don''t have to hail a ride. I can give you a lift. Mind letting me send you to work?¡± Luca nced at the motorcycle at the side of the road and replied coldly, ¡°There''s no need to. I''m hailing a ride.¡± "That''s inconvenient. Riding on a motorcycle is much more convenient. Besides, it''s peak hours now. I can promise you it''ll be a smooth journey if you ride with me," said Jean. Luca could not be bothered to talk to him, so she immediately walked away. Jean followed behind her. "Dr. Craw,e on. I promise to send you to work on time, and my riding skills are pretty good." Luca did not say a word. She pretended that she did not hear anything. When Luca passed by the gangsters, they called out to her at the same time, "Good morning, Sister- iw." Luca paused. She had always hated such annoying harassment. She turned around and gave them a death stare. Then, she said, "Don''t me me for being harsh to you if you call me that again." After that, she trotted to the location where she could hail a ride. An unupied car happened to be there, so she got in right away. The gangsters exchanged nces with each other, and one of them said mockingly, "Boss, is it true you''ve won over that woman? She looks tough to me." They had seen a lot during their time on the streets. Was there any kind of woman they had never seen before? However, it was their first time seeing a woman with such a piercing re. When they called her their sister-inw, she looked like she was about to kill them. It gave them the chills like they were on the verge of death. Jean was given the cold shoulder too. He felt awkward, so he released his anger on them. "You know nothing. She''s just shy!" One of the gangsters said, "Boss, just be honest and tell us that you haven''t gotten her. We''re not going tough at you." "You don''t know anything. She''s like a rose with thorns. That''s the most attractive part about her. I''ll make her mine no matter what. When the timees, I''ll be living afortable life, and so will everyone here!" Jean spat on the ground and swore to himself secretly. One of the gangsters smiled wickedly and asked, "Boss, does that mean you''re sharing your wife with us?" "Are you mad?" Another gangster smashed his head in. "Boss cherishes this woman so much. How dare you have such thoughts in mind?" "How am I supposed to know that? Didn''t Boss share his women with us thest time?" the gangster said innocently after getting hit in his head. ¡°Not this one. I want to enjoy my life in the future. Don''t even think about it!" Jean warned them spitefully not to have any evil thoughts for Luca. Jean was only ying with those women back then. He would let them have some fun with his women after he got tired of them. However, Luca was different... Jean looked in the direction Luca had left and said in a low voice, "She''ll be mine one day, and she''s going to be your sister-inw when the timees. That''ll be her only identity. Just wait until I take care of her. Will you still be afraid that there will be no women beside you? Your sister-inw is a rich and capable woman!" "Got it. Boss, we were just kidding. We wouldn''t dare to have such thoughts about your wife." The gangster who said it by mistake apologized quickly. Jean shot him a cold nce and hopped on his motorcycle. "Boss, where are we going today?" one of the gangsters asked immediately. Jean rolled his eyes at him and said, "I''m going to the hospital to visit my mother. That''s all for today. I''ll call you if there''s anything else." Those people jeered for a while and went their separate ways. Jean rode on his motorcycle and headed to the hospital. He wanted to have some fun, but how was he going to enjoy himself without money? He had not won Luca''s heart, so he had no choice but to please Anna by pretending to be a good son. That way, he would have money to spend. It was peak hours now, and the traffic was heavy. Jean made a detour and took the alley. He mmed on the brakes the moment he came out of the alley. There was a Mercedes parked at the junction where the alley and the road were connected. The car door was left open. The man sitting inside the car was Pierre Mallory. Jean shuddered. One was Percy and another one was Pierre. He could not offend either of them. The words Percy told him before were ringing in his ears. Jean thought he would be fine as long as he hid well, but his path was blocked by Pierre now. He was doomed. Jean looked at the man in the car, got off his motorcycle obsequiously, put on a respectful smile, and asked, "Mr. Mallory, what a coincidence. Why are you here?" Chapter 1723 ¡°I was waiting for you." Pierre was smoking a cigarette and sitting in the car with one of his legs on the ground. He lookedzy. The smile on Jean''s smile disappeared. Pierre was waiting for him. Jean would take different paths every day. However, Pierre had easily found him and stopped him at the junction. It clearly showed that he was capable enough to find his whereabouts. Otherwise, he would not have blocked him at this junction. "Mr. Mallory, what''s the matter?" Jean moved his motorcycle beside. He dared not to run away. Even though it was an alley and he could just turn around and escape on his motorcycle, Pierre would be able to block him again if he had already done it once. There was no way for him to escape, so he had no choice but to face Pierre. Pierre gave Jean a malicious look. Jean was trembling with fear. "Are you shaking? Am I that scary?" "No. I just feel a little cold." Jean refused to admit that he was scared of him. "Cold?" Pierre sneered and invited him, saying, "Mind getting in the car and having a talk with me? My car has a heater." Jean shook his head immediately. He did not have the guts to get into Pierre''s car. "No, no. My shirt is dirty. I''m afraid that I''ll ruin your car. Mr. Mallory, what can I do for you?" When he asked the question again, Pierre did not beat about the bush and asked, "Did you forget what I asked you to do?" Jean shook his head immediately. He was shaking in front of him like a mouse surrounded by a cat. He was too afraid to move. "I didn''t. How dare I forget your orders?" "It''s been quite some time. Why hasn''t Ninae to me? Didn''t you promise me that you can do it?" Pierre leaned his body forward slightly. He hated double-dealers the most. Jean promised him but he did not fulfill his promise. That was why he purposely waited for him here. Even though Jean''s whereabouts were inconsistent, he could still figure out where he was and block his way. Jean shivered and said, "Mr. Mallory, to be honest, I was discharged from the hospital not long ago. I need some time to carry out what you''ve asked me to do." "It''s been two days. Are you still telling me that you''ve just gotten out of the hospital? Do you think I have no idea that you went looking for Nina on the day you were discharged? As a brother, why couldn''t you convince her? Is it because you think I''m not paying you enough? That''s why you didn''t try your best, huh? Or are you refusing to work for me after taking my money?" Jean was shaking all over. "No, no. How dare I not carry out the task you set for me?" Jean shook his head to deny it. "Mr. Mallory, I didn''t manage to get a hold of my sister, but don''t worry. I''ll talk to her today, and I''ll try to convince her." "Really?" Pierre looked at him suspiciously. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . "Yes, I swear!" Jean lifted his hand and swore. Then, Percy came into his mind. He was stuck in between, but Pierre, who was in front of him, looked scarier than Percy. At the thought of this, he had no choice but to say, "Mr. Mallory, I have something to tell you." "Say it." Pierre was impatient. The patience he spent on Nina was almost running out. "I decided to tell you only because I can see that you like my sister very much. I''m telling the truth, and I''m not lying to you!" Jean was worried that Pierre might think that he was lying to him intentionally, so he emphasized his sincerity again. "Say it!" Pierre shouted impatiently in a higher pitch. Jean talked about Percy''s matter as he shuddered, "I did go looking for Nina on the day I got discharged. But your brother, Percy, was there too. I couldn''t do anything. Besides, he''s very protective of Nina and he asked me not to disturb her anymore. Your brother is interested in my sister too. I''m put in a difficult position." Percy? A vicious gleam shed across Pierre''s eyes. They were brothers, but Percy was always better than him¡ª be it career or women. Why? Just because he was born a few years earlier than him? Pierre knew Percy was behind the Johnston family''s crisis. He also knew that Percy did that only because he wanted to call off the engagement with Madison. However, he did not expect Percy to look for Nina right after he announced to the public that their engagement was called off. He knew Pierre had feelings for Nina, but Percy still cut in. "Mr. Mallory? I''m not lying. It''s true. Please believe me," Jean said when Pierre did not respond. Pierre looked at him. He sneered and said, "I know. My brother has always been interested in Nina, but he''s my elder brother. He''ll have to humor his younger brother." Jean was startled. Percy did not seem like he was going to let Nina go... However, he dared not to say a word. Pierre asked, "Have you met him?" "Yes. He warned me and asked me not to disturb Nina," Jean said. "Did you tell him about me giving you money?" Pierre continued to ask. "No, I didn''t dare to. After all, Nina is lucky to have you be in love with her.." Jean truly thought that Nina was lucky to be loved by the two young masters of the Mallory family. However, now that there were two sides, it was hard to decide. Pierre said with a gloomy expression on his face, ¡°What do you think? Will she choose me or Percy?" Jean replied right away without a second thought, "Of course, it''d be better if she''s with you. Percy never gave my sister an official status after all those years they spent together. She suffered so much with him. I can''t bear to see her like that anymore." Pierre sneered. "Good. Then you have to help me. If this works, I''ll make it worth your while. But you''ll have to contribute. Are you going toplete the task I gave you?" "Yes, I''d love to!" Jean nodded. It did not matter who it was, the brothers of the Mallory family were the best among all. They were blessed and wealthy. If Nina could hook up with either one of them, he would still be able to live afortable life without Luca. Besides, the best choice was indeed Pierre. Percy would only give them money when their family was having financial problems, but Pierre was different. It seemed like Pierre was more generous. "Then, let''s get into the car." Pierre made a pinky promise gesture. Jean looked at him, and he felt like he could already see the moneying in. He got into the car right away without thinking. Pierre stood outside of the car and made a gesture, signaling to his subordinate. His subordinate got into the car immediately and closed the car door. Then, he beat Jean up. Jean never thought that Pierre asked for his help only to beat him up the next second. "Ah! Mr. Mallory, I''m sorry. Please ask him to stop. I''m sorry. I promise that I''ll help you." Jean clutched his head and pleaded painfully. Pierre picked his nails and said, "How is Nina going to feel sorry for you if I''m not harsh to you? Don''t worry. He''s trained. He won''t seriously injure you." Pierre''s subordinate stopped beating Jean after a while. The subordinate got out of the car and said respectfully, "Second Young Master, it''s done." Chapter 1724 "Good." Pierre nodded his head with satisfaction while Jean got out of the car with a depressed expression on his face. Jean was beaten up so badly that his face was all swollen up like a pig. "Mr. Mallory, your subordinate went too far." Jean covered half of his face with his hand and cried out, "Ouch!" Pierre looked at the state Jean was in now and nodded, feeling pleased. He said, "This is good. Show Nina your face and she won''t turn you away." Jean understood why Pierre did that. He was furious at getting beaten up, but he dared not say anything else. He had no choice but to go along with the arrangements. "Mr. Mallory, I understand what you mean now. It''s indeed a good idea." Pierre grinned while he looked at Jean''s swollen face. "You must be feeling wronged now. Give it to him." The subordinate heard him and threw an envelope to Jean. Jean took it and nced inside the envelope. Money! There was lots and lots of money. It was a fat stack of cash! "Mr. Mallory, thank you. Thank you so much!" The grievance in Jean''s heart was suddenly gone when he saw the money. He reckoned that there must be more than 10,000 dors inside. Pierre looked at Jean, whose eyes brightened up when he saw the money, and said disdainfully, "There''s 100,000 dors in it. Your bones and muscles are still fine after getting beaten up this time. You''ll only have to rest for a few days. The money ispensation for your medical bills. You''ll be rewarded if you do me the favor. I''ll give you plenty of money. You don''t have to think about earning money anymore. You''ll be able to live your lifefortably." "Yes, yes. Thank you, Mr. Mallory." Jean bowed and scraped, forgetting the pain on his face. Pierre got back into the car and reminded him again, saying, "I don''t have much patience. And I''ve already done my part in this matter. I''ll leave the rest to you, and you''ll have to speed up the progress. You know the consequences if I''m not satisfied with your progress." "I know," Jean nodded and said. Pierre closed the car door and the car drove off. Jean quickly kept the money in his motorcycle''s storagepartment. His lips widened as he grinned, and it was as though he could not feel the pain on his face. Judging from Pierre''s personality, it looked like although he was malicious and it was hard to figure out what he had in mind, he was indeed more generous. With Pierre giving him money, Jean decided to help him. Jean rode on his motorcycle and came to the hospital. He headed to Anna''s ward. Anna had just taken her medicine this morning, and she was lying on the bed attached to an IV drip. She was so nervous to the point that she almost got out of bed to check on Jean. Just then, she saw hime in with a swollen face. "W-What happened to you?" she asked. Jean nced at the caretaker Nina had hired to take care of Anna. She would report everything that happened to Nina. Hence, he was not in a hurry to talk about Pierre''s matter. Instead, he said, "Mom, I''m fine." "Your face is all swollen and you''re telling me you''re alright?" Anna sat up on the bed. She could not be bothered that the needle was still attached to her arm. She said, "Come, take a seat. Let me take a look at you. Are you hurt anywhere?" Jean said to the caretaker, "I''d like to have some fruits. Go downstairs and get me some." The caretaker did not move even when she heard him. Instead, she said, "It''s my duty to take care of Mrs. Anna. I''m not allowed to leave." "Just go and get the fruits. Here''s the money. Hurry up." Jean generously handed a hundred dors to her and said, "Go and buy some fruits. You can keep the rest of the money." Anna tensed up when she saw her son bing so generous. "What''s wrong with you? Do you have to spend so much on fruits?" Jean gave her a thumbs up and said, "Mom, rx. I have something to tell you." Anna wondered why her son had be so generous. She had no choice but to cooperate with him to send the caretaker away. "Alright. I''d like to have some fruits too. Go get some for me." The caretaker had no choice since Anna asked her to do it. She took the money and left the ward. Jean sat down on the chair beside the ward bed and said, "Mom, we''re getting rich this time." "Did you win the lottery?" Anna asked him when she saw him so excited. She could not think of any other way how Jean could get rich. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "No. It was Pierre who beat me up," Jean said excitedly. He thought the wounds on him did not matter anymore when he talked about money. "Why did he beat you up? You''re badly injured. Does it hurt? Why don''t you go see the doctor?" Anna was heartbroken to see her son get beat up so badly. Jean shook his head and said, "It doesn''t hurt at all. There''s no need to see the doctor. Besides, they didn''t hit me on the vital parts of my body. Let me tell you something. Pierre is in love with Nina, and I promised him that I''ll help him win Nina''s heart." Anna''s heart ached more when she knew that Jean had suffered because of Nina. "That''s his business. Why did he beat you up like this? No way, I''m going to look for him and reason with him!" Jean quickly held Anna''s hand and said, "Mom, please don''t. He did it to help me. When Nina sees me in this state, she won''t bear to see me like this. She''ll definitely fulfill his request. Besides, he beat me up but he gave me 50,000 dors and imed that it''s for my medical bills. These are just minor injuries, so the bills won''t even amount to 50,000 dors, but he gave it to me just like that. He told me that if Nina chooses to get together with him in the future, he''ll make it worth our while!" He was worried that Anna would ask for the money, so he told her half of the amount that Pierre gave him. "50,000?" Anna widened her eyes and stretched out five fingers. "Yes, Mom. 50,000 dors! We have 50,000 dors now. If Nina ends up together with him, there''ll be much moreing in. Do we still have to worry about money when the timees?" Jean said excitedly. "You''re not lying to me, right?" Anna refused to believe it. When Nina got together with Percy back then, Percy would only lend a hand when their family was in a difficult situation. He had never given them so much money at once. However, Pierre gave them so much money just to get Nina? "Why should I lie to you? I''ve already deposited the money in the bank, and it''s already in your bank ount. You can check it." Jean did not want to deposit the money in her bank ount, but he needed Anna''s help in this matter. He deposited 50,000 dors into her bank ount for the sake of his future benefits. After all, he could still ask Anna for money if he ran out of money next time. She loved him so much, so she would not hesitate to give it to him. Anna picked up her phone to check. Indeed, 50,000 dors was deposited into her bank ount half an hour ago. Jean asked, "You received it, right?" "Yes. I didn''t expect the second young master of the Mallory family to be much more generous than Master Percy." Anna could not help but exim. What she never expected was that two men were trying to win Nina''s heart. Great, their better days would being soon. "Right? Mom, you''ll have to cooperate with me to put on a show. Nina will certainly say yes when the timees," said Jean. He already had a n in mind, and he had told Pierre about it too. Chapter 1725 ¡°Okay, I''ll y along with you." Anna bucked up and agreed without a second thought. The woman beside their ward bed shook her head helplessly when she saw this. She had been in the hospital all this while and knew what their situation was. She thought the daughter of the patient beside was unfilial. After all, her daughter seldom came to the hospital to visit her mother. She finally knew the reason now. Anyone would have done the same thing. They would not want anything to do with this kind of mother and brother. Jean knew he had sessfully convinced his mother. A gleam shed across his eyes. He picked up his phone and began to put on a show. After Nina returned to her office, her phone rang. She nced at it and saw Jean calling her. She thought for a moment. Jean must be up to no good if he was calling her. Hence, she hung up the call without a second thought. After a while, Anna called. Nina was annoyed. After Jean, it was Anna now. They must be up to something, and it was probably because of amodation issues. She refused to answer the call and rejected it immediately. Then, she sent a message to her: [I''m in a meeting now. Just leave a message if there''s anything else you''d like to tell me." After a while, Anna sent a message: [I have a situation here. Get here as soon as possible.] Nina did not stand up immediately. After all, Anna had been using such methods to lure her to the hospital. She refused to fall for it again. She replied to her message: [Just say it here. I''m busy.] Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. [Nina, what an unfilial daughter you are. You''ll have to deal with my funeral affairs tomorrow if you don''t come today!] Anna had to use such means when Nina refused to answer her call ande over to the hospital. Nina shook her head helplessly. Sometimes, trouble woulde looking for her even if she did not go looking for it herself¡ªjust like what was happening now. Anna threatening Nina with her death left Nina with no choice but to reply to her message: [I''ll head to the hospital after I finish my work.] Anna reclined on the bed and saw Nina''s reply. She could not help but scold angrily, "Look at this b*tch. Does she even give a damn about her mother?" Jean did not care that much as long as Nina was willing toe here. He sat there and waited. Nina only showed up in the ward when it was noontime. She was not surprised to see Anna and Jean together in the ward. After all, it was Jean who looked for her first. Hence, Anna looking for her had to have something to do with Jean. Anna could not help throwing a tantrum at her when she saw Ninaing in. "You damned girl! Why are you sote?" Nina looked at Anna, who was perfectly fine. Then, she looked at Jean, who was beaten up so badly. She asked expressionlessly, "What''s the matter?" ¡°Of course, there''s a reason why we''re looking for you,¡± Jean said, ¡°Look at what you''ve done to me.¡± Nina looked at Jean''s face and asked, ¡°Who did you mess with this time?¡± ¡°Thanks to you, Pierre did this to me.¡± Jean made an angry expression and said, ¡°Pierre released his anger on me just because you''re ignoring him. Nina, well done. You''re the reason why I got beaten up. I''ll get you for this!¡± Nina looked straight at him when she heard it was Pierre who beat him up. "Why?" ¡°Well, none of this would have happened if you had talked to him. Mr. Mallory told me that he''ll kill me if you don''t go to see him tonight. You know the Mallory family well. It''s easy for them to kill someone. Nina, I''m your brother. Although we''re not always on good terms, I''m still your brother no matter what. You wouldn''t want to see me killed, right?¡± Jean pointed at his face, ming Nina for it. Nina fell silent. Indeed, Pierre might do such things just to see her. However, there was no need to kill Jean... Although there was no doubt that the Mallory family could easily make someone vanish in A City, it was a waste of effort to do such a thing to a nobody like Jean. Anna went along with Jean''s act. She wiped her tears and said, ¡°Nina, if you still have any conscience left in you, please have mercy on your brother. He went through this ordeal just because of you. How can you bear to put him in such danger?¡± Nina narrowed her eyes with confusion as she listened to their usations. ¡°You''re not lying to me, right?¡± "Do you think I''m lying to you? Nina, look at these. Do they look fake to you? I know you hate me, and I admit that I haven''t been taking good care of our mother. When I was on the way to the hospital, Pierre caught me, pulled me into this car, and beat me up. What could I have done?" Jean quickly covered his face with his hand when he identally tugged the wounds on his face while he was talking. Nina did not think they were putting on a show. Previously, Pierre had threatened her that he wouldy his hands on her family if she refused to listen to him. She did not expect that he would really do that. What an evil and despicable man! Nina clenched her fists. Just then, her phone rang and she received a message. ¡°Come to Bibbler''s Tale tonight if you don''t want anything to happen to your brother.¡± It was from Pierre... Nina pursed her lips quietly, while Jean said, "Pierre said that I''ll be in trouble if you don''t go tonight. Nina, please, I beg you. I don''t want to lose my hands and legs at such a young age. I still have to take care of our mother in the future. Please hurry up and settle this." Nina turned around with her back facing them. Anna thought she insisted on not going and scolded her, "Nina if you refuse to go and something happens to your brother because of it, you don''t have toe back anymore. I''ll no longer have a daughter like you." Nina''s heart was broken into pieces when she heard that. Then, she said, ¡°Mom, you only think about Jean. I never had a ce in your heart.¡± "You! I''ll die in front of you if you dare to do this!" Anna threatened her. Nina took a deep breath. These people were her mother and brother, but they only thought about how Jean would be in trouble if she did not appear in front of Pierre. They never stopped to think what would she have to face if she really met Pierre. Pathetic. That was all Nina could think of to describe herself. "I''ll meet him. I hope you can bring yourself to shed a tear when it''s time for you to collect my dead body." She walked out of the ward after that. Jean was secretly rejoicing when he heard that. He sent a message to Pierre right away: [Nina will meet you tonight.] Anna watched Nina leave the ward from behind. She felt anxious all of a sudden, and she asked, "Mr. Mallory won''t do anything to her, right?" "What can he do to her? It''s just what men do to women. Mom, don''t worry. Mr. Mallory won''t hurt Nina. He''ll only ask her to be his woman," said Jean. All Pierre ever wanted was Nina. He would never lay a finger on her. Anna nodded and said, "That''s a relief." Chapter 1726 Anna was worried that Nina would get killed if she refused to listen to Pierre. What would happen to them if she was gone? Anna only felt assured after Jean guaranteed that Pierre would not do anything to Nina. After Nina left the ward, she did not leave the hospital immediately. Instead, she sat in the hospital''s garden, looking depressed. When Johann passed by the garden after sending off a patient who just got discharged from the hospital, he happened to run into Nina who was sitting there. He walked toward her curiously and greeted her, ¡°Ms. Nina, what a coincidence. What brings you here?" "Oh, Dr. Park. What a coincidence," Nina greeted him gloomily. Johann noticed that something was wrong and asked, ¡°What''s wrong? Why do you look down?" "Nothing. Do I look down? It''s probably because I didn''t sleep wellst night," replied Nina as she touched her face. "It doesn''t look like you didn''t get enough rest. You seem preupied. Is it because of your mother''s illness..." Johann asked. He had been busy these days. He had yet to have time to check on Anna''s condition. Nina shook her head and said, "My mother is doing fine. Nothing happened." "Then." Johann continued to ask. Nina lifted her head, nced at the sky, and asked, "Dr. Park, aren''t you busy?" "I am. I have to perform another surgery in half an hour," Johann answered honestly. If he had not noticed her sitting alone here, he would have returned to his office. After all, he and Nina knew each other. That was why he came over to ask about her wellbeing, hoping that he could lend a hand. Nina smiled and said, "Hurry up and get ready, then." There was nothing that Johann could do since she refused to tell him. Heforted her, saying, "If something is troubling you, talk to a friend and you''ll feel better." Nina nodded and replied, "I will." Johann stood up and left. Nina looked at Johann from behind as he walked away. Suddenly, Luca came into her mind. The only person who would listen to her now was Luca, right? She called Luca. Luca was assigning tasks to the researchers in theb. She had spent an hour looking into the progress of the experiment that they had been working on. Then, she continued to guide the following experiments. Her phone rang. She nced at it and said, ¡°Give me a minute." The researchers nodded. Luca answered Nina''s call and asked in a low voice, "Nina, what''s the matter?" Nina noticed that there was something wrong with her tone and asked, "Luca, am I disturbing you?" "I just got back to work today. I''m not that busy though. What''s wrong?" Luca asked patiently. Nina smiled bitterly. Luca had just returned to work today. How could she possibly be free? She lowered her voice as she spoke, so Nina thought there were probably people around Luca. Even though she could not release the anguish in her heart, she said, "It''s nothing. I just wanted to ask you out for lunch, but I didn''t know you''d gone back to work. It''s alright, then. I''ll let you get back to work." Luca could sense that something was wrong with her tone. She said, "Why don''t we have dinner together tonight?" Nina wanted to say yes, but she had to meet Pierreter in the evening. She replied, "I''m busy tonight. Maybe some other time." "Alright." After Luca said that, Nina added, "Alright. I''ll let you go now. Bye." She hung up the phone after that. Luca shook her head helplessly as she listened to the busy tone on the other end of the line. She thought of giving Nina a call to check on her after she was done with her job here. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . After Luca finished assigning the tasks, she was summoned to go upstairs before she managed to catch a breath. Luca went upstairs hurriedly. Jason ced five folders in front of her. "Dr. Craw, we need these to be tranted. Thanks for your help." "Sure. When do you need them?" Luca asked. She looked at the five thick folders without any comints. "The sooner the better. The documents are piling up. I didn''t see these yesterday, so it''s a little urgent now," Jason said apologetically. Luca smiled and replied, "Alright. I''ll try my best to finish tranting them as soon as possible." "Oh yes, there''ll be a meeting in theb downstairs half an hourter. Remember to attend the meeting." Jason added. "Meeting? Do I have to attend the meeting too?" Luca asked with a zed look. "You''re part of the team now. Of course, you have to attend the meeting. Boss had it all arranged." Jason paraphrased what Luke had said before. Luca nodded. Half an hourter, she went downstairs with theptop in her arms. When she walked into the meeting room, she realized the people attending the meeting were the senior management who were in charge of the project. It seemed like she was the only one who was a nobody. The senior management team was not surprised to see Luca. Their expressions were normal, and they were busy talking about business. Tina walked with a cup of coffee in her hands. She saw Luca standing there, not seated yet. She reminded her in a soft voice, saying, ¡°Dr. Craw, your seat is on the right, beside the CEO''s seat." Luca snapped back to her senses and nodded. Then, she went over to her seat. Luke was not here yet. The senior management team was still discussing the project. The atmosphere was quite peaceful, but somehow, she could feel that something was wrong. It would be better for Luca to keep quiet and not join their discussion. She turned on herptop and waited for the meeting to start. Two minutester, Luke came into the meeting room. The senior management staff greeted him, "Good morning, Mr. Crawford." "Good morning, Mr. Crawford." Luke nodded and sat down in the CEO''s seat, while Jason sat on the other side. "Everyone is here. Let''s start the meeting. Dr. Craw, you''ll be in charge of taking the minutes," said Luke. Luca quickly nodded and said, "Noted." Although Jason did not inform her earlier about her job for the meeting this time, after the experience last time, she was fully prepared. She took the recording pen out and began to take the minutes. The whole meeting was about the tender project in Europe. Luca was taking the minutes and listening to their meeting. They had already begun to write the tender document, but Luke was dissatisfied with the contents. He listed out everything he was dissatisfied with and had the department managers follow up with the matter. He could find fault in the tasks that were assigned to every department. Luca was taking the minutes and ncing at the management team at the same time. They all looked depressed. She was not sure if it was because they would have to work overtime to fix the mistakes, or if it was because they had been criticized by Luke so badly as though their efforts were useless. The meeting was held for two hours. Luca never once stopped typing on the keyboard while taking the minutes. Chapter 1727 The meeting ended two hourster. Every senior manager walked out of the meeting room with a depressed look. They were keenly aware of the problems in their department after the meeting. They almost got fired because of it... Luca looked at them, feeling indifferent. Luke was serious about his work and the project. Many people intended to harm him during all these years. However, he would always pull through, and it was probably because of his serious attitude at work. "Are you tired?" Luke suddenly asked her after everyone in the meeting room had left. Luca snapped back to her senses. She quickly tidied up the recording pen and meeting papers, saying, "No." "You''ve been typing on the keyboard all this time. Aren''t your hands sore?" Luke asked. "No. I''m used to it." Luca finished packing everything and stood up. "Let''s go eat." Luke invited her. Luca was startled. Was he inviting her for lunch? Where? "Mr. Crawford, I''m sorry but I brought some light food with me today," said Luca. When she was on the way to the office today, she got out of the car when she almost reached the office. She noticed that someone was selling sandwiches near the office. Hence, she headed there and bought two sandwiches for herself as she thought of having them for lunch. After all, she ate a lot of good food during the banquetst night as Queenie and Wanda had kept taking food for her. It was a little too greasy for her. "Light food? Sandwiches?" Luke had seen her buying some sandwiches when he drove to the office this morning. Luca said embarrassingly, "Yes. You saw that?" "Yes, I saw you buying sandwiches. Why are you eating sandwiches?" Luke asked. "I ate too much greasy foodst night, and I feel like eating something simple today to soothe my stomach," Luca exined. She did not expect that he would catch her buying sandwiches this morning. "If you want to eat something light to soothe your stomach, it doesn''t have to be a sandwich. Get ready. I''m bringing you out for lunch," Luke said as he walked out of the meeting room. Luca looked at the man from behind. She felt helpless. Was he bringing her out for lunch? They would run into other people if they went in and out of the office together. The atmosphere in the meeting room was already strange enough today. She reckoned that it was because of her rtionship with Luke. If she went in and out of the office together with him, those people would probably make wild guesses. Luca shook her head helplessly as she watched Luke leave. She had no choice but to ept it. Then, she stood up and carried theptop in her arms. Luke had already gotten into his elevator to go upstairs. Luca took the employee''s lift to get upstairs. After she reached the floor, she ran into Tina when she passed by the pantry. She thought Tina might know something about it, so she walked into the pantry. ¡°Tina, what are you making?" Luca asked. Tina turned around and looked at Luca. She smiled and replied, "I''ve gained weight recently, so I''m making a meal recement milkshake to fill my stomach. Dr. Craw, why are you still here? Did you order takeaway?" "No, the meeting has just ended. I haven''t had the time to order anything," Luca said with a hesitant look on her face. Tina looked at her expression and thought that Luca might want to ask her something. She asked, "Dr. Craw, is there anything you''d like to say?" Luca nodded and let out a sigh. She said, "When I attended the meeting today, I noticed the senior managers were acting weird. Did something happen?" Tina took a sip of the meal recement milkshake. She chuckled and asked, "Don''t you know?" "Know about what?" Luca was startled. Sure enough, something did happen. Tina said, "You went to attend Old Master Crawford''s birthday banquet, right?" "Yes." Luca nodded. Now that Tina mentioned it. she finally understood why those people had weird expressions on their faces when they saw her. "Is it because of the birthday banquetst night?" "Yes. Although the employees of T Corporation weren''t invited to the birthday dinner, one of them who attended the dinner works in thepany. I heard he''s one of the Crawford family''s distant rtives. He took a photo of you entering the venue." Luca was speechless when she heard that. That turned out to be it. She had stayed close to Lukest night to catch up with his pace. She was also holding his children''s hands. That scene made her look like she was Luke''s wife. That was why they had misunderstood her. "So that photo is being spread around in the office, right?" Luca continued the sentence. "Yes. You looked stunning in that dressst night. You two made a beautiful couple when you stood together. Tsk, tsk, tsk. So beautiful." Tina recalled how amazed she was when she saw how well- matched they were in the photo. She could not help but exim. "Alright. Stop saying that. You know that there''s nothing going on between me and Mr. Crawford. Everyone has misunderstood us." Luca was incapable of exining it. "I know. But after looking at that photo, everyone can''t help themselves from overthinking. You were holding Mr. Crawford''s hands. From the photo''s angle, you were looking at him and there was a hint of gentleness in your eyes. Dr. Craw, so many women were jealous of you when the photo came out," said Tina. Luca got even more speechless. She knew she was going to be the topic of their discussion. However, everyone who attended the banquet was a guest invited by the Crawford family. She thought they would not leak anything to the reporters, so the people in the office would not know about it either. She never expected that the news was already all over the office. Tina looked at Luca, who looked troubled, and said, "Hey, you don''t have to put on that expression. Even though those people are envious of you, they can''t do anything to you. Mr. Crawford has given the orders that no one is allowed to talk about this anymore, and no one is allowed to tease you about it. Mr. Crawford knows you hate it, and he''s protecting you well." Luca felt her face burn when she heard that. Luke had even given out orders... ¡°No way.." She covered her forehead with her hands. ¡°That''s why they were looking at me that way.¡± Tina chuckled andforted her, saying, "It''s not a big deal. Don''t tell the others that I told you about it. Mr. Crawford told us not to say anything about it." "I got it," Luca said. She only wanted to know what the situation was. She never thought of taking action against anyone. Besides, the news was all over the office now. There was nothing she could do. Tina looked at her troubled face. She smiled and took a sip of the milkshake. "Dr. Craw, hurry up and go to eat. Otherwise, lunchtime will be over soon. I saw Mr. Doyle carrying a pile of folders into your office today. I''m guessing you''re going to be very busy." Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Luca recalled that Luke said he wanted to bring her out for lunch. She thought of rejecting his offer, but she was left with no choice. She nodded and went out of the pantry. Then, she happened to run into Luke. "Put your stuff away. I''ll wait for you at the elevator," he said. Luca nodded. She remembered that Tina was still in the pantry. She initially nned to sneak out with him so that no one would find out. Well, she was pretty sure they had been found out. Chapter 1728 Luca returned to the office and ced herptop down. As she was afraid of making Luke wait any longer, she hurried over to the elevator. Luke was standing there. Luca walked over and said, "I''m done, Mr. Crawford." "Alright," Luke said as he nodded and pressed the elevator button. The elevator had already arrived at that floor beforehand, so the doors immediately opened when he pressed the button. Luke walked in first, and Luca went in after him with her head lowered. When she noticed that Luke had been pressing on the door open button, she felt her heart flutter once more at how considerate he was. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. He only let go after she walked in. The elevator doors closed slowly, and Luca watched Luke press on the button for the first floor. She asked, "Mr. Crawford, don''t we need to go to the parking lot first?" "We''ll be eating at a ce nearby, so there''s no need to drive," Luke exined. Eating at a ce nearby... In that case, it meant that not did Tina know but the entirepany would learn about it too. Luca felt apprehensive about it, but there was nothing she could do as he had made the decision himself... When the elevator arrived on the first floor, Luke walked out first with his hands in his pockets while Luca walked behind him with her head lowered. A group of employees happened to be returning from their meal. When they saw their boss and Luca, they hurriedly made way for them and called out in greeting, "Hello, Boss. Hello, Dr. Craw." Luca felt like she was an attachment. It was because of Luke that not only did these people all know who she was now, but they also sounded like they were trying to curry favor with her when they said hi. Things felt like they were spiraling more and more out of control. She felt her head begin to swell. Luke nodded aloofly in reply before walking out of the building. Luca hurried after him. As the employees behind them watched, they could not help but discuss among themselves. "Hey, do you really think that the boss has gotten together with Dr. Craw?" "Have you forgotten? We can''t discuss that here," another employee answered. "If Mr. Doyle or anyone else hears you, you''ll lose your job." "Alright, got it. Let''s not talk about it anymore." Luca followed Luke to a cafe nearby. Once they entered, a waiter enthusiastically hurried over and led them to a private room. The waiter began bringing dishes to the table once they had settled down. Luca reckoned that these dishes were pre-ordered. She recalled how Luke had been using his phone for a while during the meeting and thought that he must have been cing his order then. There were not many dishes, but none of them seemed to be light foods. Luca was still staring at the dishes hesitantly when the waiter brought over a fruit and vegetable sd. "You can have this sd if you find these dishes too greasy for you," Luke said. Luca realized that he was referring to the fruit and vegetable sd when he was talking about light foods. Indeed, it was a light dish. "Thank you, Mr. Crawford," Luca said as she lowered her eyes and gazed at the sd in front of her. It was tastier and healthier than just bread. Thus, she picked up her fork and began eating quietly. When Luke noticed that she was not going to have even a bite of meat, he frowned and ced several pieces of meat on her te. "You won''t have enough energy by just eating that. Have some meat too. The afternoon is going to be a busy one." Luca nodded and looked at the meat on her te. They were all meats that she enjoyed. He knew her inside out... After finishing the meat on her te, Luca was just about to have some sd to soothe her stomach from the grease when several more pieces of meat appeared on her te. Luke said, "Have some more. You''ll have to work overtime tonight and might not have enough time for dinner." "Alright," Luca said as she continued eating the meat. After finishing that portion, she covered her te with her hands and said, "Mr. Crawford, that''s enough. Please don''t give me anymore." Luke did not force her to eat any more meat when he noticed how she genuinely seemed reluctant to have more. He nodded and began eating. After finishing their meal, the two returned to the office again. This time, when the receptionists noticed them walking in, they hurriedly called out to them in greeting as well. When Luca heard how respectfully they were speaking, she knew that this time, there would be nothing she could do to remove the sigma from her name. Luke walked into his private elevator, and when he noticed that Luca was not going toe in, said, "Hey,e on in." She wanted to remain steadfast, but there were other employees nearby. It would not be the best idea to be stubborn now, which was why she lowered her head and walked into his private elevator. The doors slid shut, and they began traveling upward. Luca said, "Mr. Crawford, misunderstandings are going to ur if you treat me this way." "What''s there for them to misunderstand?" Luke asked. "They''re going to misunderstand that we''re..." Luca spoke frankly, hoping that Luke would be more mindful when they were in public so that their reputations would not get affected. After all, Mrs. Crawford would get involved in this as well. Luke raised an eyebrow and asked, "Have you misunderstood something?" "No, I haven''t. And I am perfectly aware of what''s going on too. However, once gossip spreads, not only will it be very troubling for me, but it''ll also impact you negatively," Luca said as she lowered her eyes. He had done things that would cause misunderstandings again and again. It made her feel helpless. "Then just let it spread," Luke said nonchntly. Luca looked up at him with an incredulous expression on her face. Luke continued speaking, "I think it''s time you and I talked. I''ll talk to you in a few days after finishing everything there is to be done." He had already decided he wanted to get closer to Luca, which meant that it was imperative he had this conversation with her! Luca nodded resignedly. Although she had no idea what he wanted to say to her, she had no idea what else to do given their current situation now. Thus, it would be a good idea to set things straight. The elevator arrived at its destination. As usual, Luke walked out first, and Luca walked out after him. Their offices were in the same direction, which meant that he walked in front of her while she tagged along after him. Zoey happened to pass by while they were walking. Upon seeing them, she paused and said in greeting, "Hello, Mr. Crawford. Hello, Dr. Craw." "Hi," Luke answered in reply. Luca, on the other hand, nodded and walked away as Zoey stared at her. As Zoey gazed at their backs, she recalled the photo that was circting in thepany''s group chat previously. They sure were a good match and made an ideal couple. She happened to bump into Jenni when she took the elevator downstairs. "Were you upstairs just now?" Jenni asked as she walked in and pressed the button to close the doors. "Yes. I also bumped into the boss and Dr. Craw just now. I think they were walking out from the same elevator. They were standing quite close to each other," Zoey replied as she nodded. She was saying this on purpose so it would serve as a reminder to Jenni. Jenni had always thought she stood a chance because Luke''s wife was not staying with him now. However, now, it seemed that she no longer stood a chance. No matter how she looked at it, it seemed more probable that Luca and Luke would get together. After all, Jenni was merely a junior manager. What sort of authority could she have to approach Luke?" Zoey merely wanted to give her a wake-up call. When Jenni heard that, she gritted her teeth together and said, "I knew it. I heard from the receptionists downstairs that they went out for lunch at the same time and they also returned together. Who knows what kind of seduction methods Luca must have used to charm the boss? I''m so angry!" Chapter 1729 Zoey had no idea what to say in response when she heard that. Sure enough, jealous women were the scariest. In aforting tone, she said, "Alright, alright. You can''t just say things like that. If anyone hears you, you''ll be done for!" "Why should I be scared? Why would I be done for? Luca is a mistress but I can''t say that?! Disgusting!" Jenni was so ovee with jealousy. If it had not been for her job, she would have gone to Luca and mocked her a long time ago. Zoey had no idea what to say in response. If Luca was a mistress, did that not mean that Jenni was trying to be a mistress as well? There did not seem to be much of a difference between them. The elevator arrived at the floor where theboratories were. Zoey hurriedly left the elevator, terrified that Jenni would continue pestering her and someone else would catch them. She said, "I''ll be returning to my work now, Ms. Lynn." "Wait," Jenni said as she pressed on the button to keep the doors open. Zoey smiled ruefully as she asked, "Is there anything else I can help you with, Ms. Lynn?" "Did you save yesterday''s photo?" Jenni asked. The employee with connections to the Crawford family had deleted the photo soon after sending it. She did not have enough time to save it to her phone. "Yes. Ms. Lynn, what are you going to do?" Zoey asked in terror. She was not going to send that photo to the press, was she? Although doing that would cause trouble for Luca, she would get into trouble too if Luke were tounch an investigation into it. "Don''t worry, I won''t send it to the press. Give it to me, I need it," Jenni said. "No, Ms. Lynn, the public can''t see that photo," Zoey said as she shook her head, trying to persuade her to calm down. Jenni was so ovee with jealousy now that she could not calm down. She replied, "Just give it to me. Nothing''s going to happen. Besides, so many employees saw it. Even if the public sees that photo, who will know that you''re the one who saved it?" Zoey continued shaking her head. When Jenni saw that, she said threateningly, "So, you''re not going to give it to me? Zoey Davis, don''t forget who helped you get your job at T Corporation. You now rely on the sry you receive from this job to take care of your parents who are living in a rural part of the country. Did I ever ask you for anything in return? But look what''s happening now. All I ask from you is a photo, but you refuse to give it to me!" N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Now that Jenni was bringing up past favors she had done for her, Zoey sighed resignedly and said, "Alright, Ms. Lynn, fine. But don''t tell anyone you got it from me." ¡°Don''t worry, we''re friends. Do you think I''ll stab you in the back?" When Jenni noticed Zoey was relenting, she let go of the button and said, "Go do whatever you need to do. Remember to send me the photo." Zoey took her phone out and said, "I''ll send it to you now. I''ll delete the message after you''ve saved it." "Sure," Jenni said. When she saw that Zoey had sent her the photo, she hurriedly saved it and said, "Alright, you can delete the message now." Zoey ensured she had not taken any screenshots and heaved a sigh of relief before she hurriedly deleted the message. She then walked out of the elevator. A fierce glint appeared in Jenni''s eyes as she stared at the two people in the photo. What gave Luca the right to do this? They both liked Luke, but it was Luca who got all the luck. No, she would not allow anything like this to happen once more! Jenni sent the photo along with a follow-up message to Tia. [Ms. Tia, if you don''t hurry up, this woman is going to bag Mr. Crawford for herself!] After doing all that, Jenni grinned gleefully. "I''m not good-looking enough, which is why I can''t win against you. However, I''ve found someone even better-looking to win against you, Luca Craw. Don''t even think about getting what you want!" The sky gradually grew darker. Luca was still workingte when she thought of Nina. She texted her, asking if she had dinner. Nina soon replied: [I''ve eaten.] Thus, Luca did not send anything in reply and continued working. On the other end of the line. Nina stared at the blinking lights in front of her as she took a deep breath. She had already arrived at Bibbler''s Tale, and it was nearing the time she had agreed to meet Pierre. However, she did not feel like going in. When Nina recalled how swollen Jean''s face had be after getting beaten up by Pierre''s men, she sighed resignedly and said, "Don''t be afraid. Just head on inside. Pierre Mallory isn''t some monster..." She took one step forward, then another two steps backward. Pierre might not be a monster, but she knew perfectly well the sort of person he was. She still did not want to go in. Soonter, her phone rang. Nina stared at the unfamiliar number before she answered it and asked, "What do you want?" Pierre''s voice rang out. "Nina Langdon,e on in if you''ve already arrived. Unless you want your brother to die under my men''s hands?" "How did you know I''m here?" Nina gazed at her surroundings warily. Could he have nted spies here? Pierre scoffed at her ignorance. ¡°I can hear the background noise. Hurry inside. I don''t have much patience." He hung up the phone when he finished speaking. Nina shut her eyes as she listened to the busy signal. No matter what, she had to go in. Whether or not he would hurt her family, she had to go in. If Pierre could kill Jean, she might very well be the next person he killed. The only people who could protect her in A City were probably Luke and Percy. However, Luke would not pay any attention to her, and she did not want Percy to help her. Nina stared at the entrance in front of her and mustered up all her courage before walking in. She had to settle this matter between her and Pierre by herself. When the server saw her walk in, they immediately came up to her with a smile. "Wee, distinguished guest. This way, please." "I''m meeting someone here," Nina answered. If Pierre could tell where she was through listening to the background noise, it would mean that he was already here, drinking at Bibbler''s Tale. "I know. You''re Mr. Mallory''s guest. This way, please," the server replied. Percy had taken care of every last detail. When he first arrived, he had shown everyone Nina''s photo and told them to serve her the minute she entered. Nina followed the server as they walked past the bar, the dance floor, and countless tables. There were not too many people yet because it was still early, but music was already sting from the speakers. Nina forced herself to ignore how ufortable she was feeling and followed the server until they stopped in front of the door to a private room. The server said, "Madam, Mr. Mallory is waiting for you inside. You may enter." Nina took an instinctive step backward as she stared at the pitch-ck door. She did not want to face Pierre Mallory. She was always terrified whenever she met that creepy man. When the server noticed this, he said, "Madam, you''re already here, so you might as well head in. Mr. Mallory will be furious if he doesn''t get to see you. Also, he wanted me to convey a message. He wants you to think of what will happen to your family if you don''t go in. When they leave you one after the other, won''t you feel sad? Are you willing to see that happen?" When Nina heard the threatening words that came out from the server''s mouth, she shut her eyes tightly for two seconds before taking a deep breath and pushing the door open. Loud, deafening music was booming in the room. Nina plucked up her courage and walked in. Chapter 1730 Pierre was sitting on the couch with two scantily-dressed bargirls next to him. When he saw Ninaing in, he did not act appropriately and ask the bargirls to leave. Instead, he beckoned them to feed him more beer. As the mug came to his lips, he took a sip and raised an eyebrow as he stared at Nina. That woman was usually so haughty. However, she was now standing in front of him obediently? She imed to not care about her family, but in reality... How ridiculous... "You''re here?" Pierre said as he pushed aside the mug that kepting near his lips again. He ced his arms over the two bargirls'' curvaceous bodies. Nina felt her stomach turning queasy as she watched him. She felt disgusted. Pierre had so many women at his disposal, but he seemed to love holding on to her without letting go. Nina''s hands curled themselves into fists as she gazed at the dazed, drunken look on Pierre''s face. She felt no emotion and showed no expression on her face as she asked, "What do you want, Pierre Mallory?" The stubborn look on her face and her refusal to make anypromises, despite her current situation, interested Pierre. It was Nina''s stubbornness that had always attracted him to her. "Look at where you are now, yet you''re still unwilling to concede. Nina Langdon, does the word ''scared'' not exist in your dictionary?" Pierre might appreciate her stubbornness, but a woman who was too stubborn would not be cute anymore. Sometimes, she would do good to learn from the women surrounding him. One would only get benefits if one learned to get on a man''s good side. Nina straightened her back. It was not that she did not know what it meant to be scared, but that she could not show even the slightest bit of fear in front of him. Otherwise, the man would be overjoyed! "Pierre Mallory, my time is extremely precious. If you''re going to spout all this nonsense, I think it''ll be better if I leave," she said coolly while staring at him. Pierre''s flirtatious movements might not be directed at her, but they still made her feel disgusted and queasy. That scene from many years ago came back to haunt her. She felt her entire body go cold when she recalled that scene. She forced herself not to sumb to the urge to shudder. Pierre''s interest in toying with her vanished when he saw the cold look on Nina''s face. He initially nned for her toe here so she would understand that she was nothing more than a ything to him. He hoped she would drop her attitude when she saw that she was not someone irreceable. However, it seemed that Nina was not taking this type of warning seriously at all. Pierre was furious and let go of the two women''s bodies. He stared intently at Nina the way a predator stared at its prey. ¡°You''re going to leave? Aren''t you afraid that your mother and brother are going to fall and get hurt?" he asked with his eyes narrowed, trying to hint at something. Nina red at him as his threats rang in her ears. If looks could kill, she would have already murdered Pierre several million times. Pierre grinned when he saw the sharp look she gave him and began feeling gleeful now that she was getting angry. He felt oddly aplished whenever he could control Nina''s emotions this way. "Pour another mug of beer," Pierre ordered the bargirl sitting on his left. The bargirl gave Nina a quick, contemptuous gaze as she grinned and said, "Okay, Mr. Pierre." The woman moved seductively as she picked up the mug and poured out a mug of beer. Pierre stared at the mug and said unhappily, "Fill it to the brim." The woman continued filling the mug when she heard that. Nina stared at the beer that was about to flow out from the mug. Deep within herself, she knew that it was for her. The bargirl carefully picked up the mug that was filled to the brim and ced it in front of Pierre. "Mr. Pierre, the mug is full now." Pierre did not touch the mug. He had specially prepared the mug for Nina because he knew that the woman would be here tonight. "Why are you giving it to me? Give it to her," Pierre said coolly, sounding as if he were ming the bargirl for not reading the situation properly. The bargirl hurriedly handed the beer to Nina. "This drink is for you from Mr. Pierre." Nina nced at the mug briefly. Instead of epting it, she turned to look at Pierre and asked, "What is the meaning of this?" "Drink up," Pierre said immediately, not bothering to waste any words. Nina did not say anything in reply. To emphasize his point, Pierre said, "Don''t think you''ll be able to discuss anything tonight if you don''t drink this." In other words, he meant that if she wanted to continue talking to him, she would have to drink this mug of beer. Nina frowned. She did not want to drink this mug of beer, nor did she want to talk to Pierre. However, she had been forced to make an appearance here tonight. Ever since she stepped into this ce, she had put herself into a position of being coerced. She would not have the autonomy to make any choices here. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Both did not say anything as they stared at each other. Nina could tell from the look in his eyes that he did not feel even the slightest bit of fondness for her. She could not understand why he was threatening and pestering her in this way. She took a deep breath and picked up the mug that was filled to the brim with beer. Pierre reminded her. "Don''t spill a single drop, or you''ll have to drink another mug." ¡°Pierre Mallory, you''re inhumane!" Nina cursed as she picked the mug up and drank its contents. The golden-yellow liquid traveled downward and burned her stomach. She did not have anything to eat for the whole day, and after downing the mug of beer, her throat, esophagus, and stomach all felt terrible. Drinking voluntarily was an enjoyable thing, and drinking when feeling sad was to eliminate sorrows. In those contexts, alcohol was a good thing. However, alcohol was not a good thing in this scenario, where she was being forced to drink it. As Pierre watched Nina down the beer in one go, he purposefully apuded her and said, ¡°I didn''t expect you to be such a good drinker." When Nina finished drinking the beer in her mug, she seemed to be trying to provoke him as she turned the mug upside down and said, ¡°I''ve finished drinking it now. Tell me. What is it going to take for you to let me and them go?!" First, it was Luca. Then, it was Jean. She no longer wanted to watch Pierre break thew andmit crimes. ¡°It''s simple. If you agree to stay with me, I''ll let the people around you, including your family and friends, go. I can guarantee their safety," Pierre said as he curled his lips upward. Nina''s hands clenched into fists. She had known that this was what he wanted. If he did not do anything to them, then naturally, they would be alright. However, she could not bring herself to stay with Pierre. ¡°In your dreams!" Nina said angrily. She wanted to leave, but the minute she turned around, she felt her head begin to spin. She nearly lost her bnce. She hurriedly grabbed the wall for bnce. Pierre beganughing uproariously when he noticed this. ¡°Nina Langdon, are you trying to leave?" Nina felt her head growing heavier and realized that this was not because she was drunk. Instead, it was because something had been added to her drink. She turned and red at the man. ¡°Pierre Mallory, you spiked my drink!" Pierre shook his head as he picked up his mug. ¡°To be more specific, I drugged your mug with something that will make you pass out andply with my wishes. ¡°I already knew you wouldn''t agree, which is why I did this in advance. How are you feeling now? Do you feel very sleepy? Take a nap. The dosage isn''t too strong, but you won''t be able to do what you want anymore when you wake up." Chapter 1731 Nina felt her consciousness fading when she heard that. To remain conscious, she clenched her hands into tight fists so her nails would dig into the flesh of her palms. ¡°In your dreams! Pierre Mallory, why do you think I dared to appear here? It''s because it''s that time of the month for me. So you can continue dreaming about doing whatever your heart desires with me!" "What?" Pierre did not get the message and knotted his brows together as he asked. The bargirl sitting beside him got the memo and whispered to him, "Mr. Pierre, she means a woman''s time of the month." Pierre immediately understood everything. His brows were furrowed together. He wanted Nina, but not under these circumstances. Nina red at him. She seemed to want to say something else, but the drugs paralyzed her and rendered her unable to say even another word aloud. Finally, she lost consciousness and copsed to the floor. Pierre ordered, "Put her on the couch." When the two bargirls heard him, they stood up and walked toward Nina. Nina had a petite frame, which meant the two bargirls only needed to exert a little bit of strength to pick her up and ce her on the couch. As Pierre stared at the unconscious woman, there was no sign that he was going to do what he had just threatened to do to her previously. All the excitement he felt had vanished after hearing what she said just now. "You two, go check if what she said is true," he said. The two bargirls had astonished expressions on their faces as they said, "Mr. Pierre, is it necessary for us to check something like that?" "What? Are you saying that I should go instead so I can lose interestpletely?" As Pierre stood, he said, "I''m going to the washroom. You two conduct a check on her. This woman''s very calcting. There''s a 90 percent chance that she''s lying to me." As the two bargirls watched Pierre walk toward the washroom, they had no choice but to check if Nina was lying. Several momentster, Pierre returned from the washroom and asked, "So, what''s the oue?" "Mr. Pierre, she really is on her time of the month..." the bargirl replied. An ugly expression appeared on Pierre''s face. He had anticipated that Nina would turn him down and rather choose death than obey him, which was why he specially prepared a drug for her. He had thought that he had prepared for all possible scenarios, but he did not expect her to have onest trick up her sleeve. That was a miscalction... Pierre was furious. He gazed at the unconscious woman in front of him and ordered, ¡°Take her to my car." Awkward looks appeared on the bargirls'' faces. One of them said, "Mr. Pierre, why don''t you get the servers outside to do that? Both of us are girls. It''ll be a little difficult for us to carry her." Pierre had an ugly expression on his face as he took out a stack of dor bills from his wallet. He did not want any of the men outside to touch Nina''s body! He had already tolerated enough during the years Nina was together with Percy. He was no longer willing to see any men stand beside her ande into any form of physical contact with her. "If you two carry her to my car, all this cash will be yours," he said generously. A sparkle appeared in the bargirls'' eyes when they saw the stack of money. Without discussing it between themselves, they both said, "Alright, Mr. Pierre. We''ll make sure we carry her to your car." When Pierre heard that, he strode ahead of them and pushed the door open so he could leave. The two bargirls hurriedly pocketed the money and picked up Nina so they could leave. They would never be able to earn such arge tip even if they apanied customers to drink for the entire night. They both carried Nina and followed Pierre. They heaved a sigh of relief when they ced the unconscious woman in his car. Pierre gazed at the unconscious woman and fastened the seat belt for her so that she would not bump or scrape herself when still unconscious. Finally, he closed the car door and drove off into the night. As the two bargirls stood by the curb and watched the car leave, one of them asked, "Oh, right. Mr. Pierre had quite a bit to drink as well, didn''t he? Will he be alright driving in this state?" "Why are you so worried? It''s not like this is the first time he''s driving after drinking. Even if he gets caught, the police will avoid him when they realize who he is," the other bargirl replied. "You''re right. And we''ve already earned more than enough today. Come on, let''s go split the money between us," the bargirl stopped worrying about him and left with herpanion. When Percy finished working, he drove over to Nina''s apartment. He counted the number of floors in the apartment and noticed that the lights in Nina''s apartment were not switched on. "Is she asleep?" Percy asked in a low voice as he picked up his phone and tried sending Nina a text. The morning after the night he slept with her, he had secretly taken her phone, unlocked it, and unblocked his number. Then, he had deleted any traces of evidence he left behind so she would not find out. He knew Nina''s habits. If she were asleep, her phone would be on silent. Thus, even if she were asleep now and he sent a text, he would not have to worry about waking her up. Percy waited for five minutes and still did not receive a reply from Nina. "Looks like she really is asleep," he said as he gazed at his phone with a gentle look in his eyes. ¡°But I want to see you," Percy continued saying as he took out a copy of Nina''s keys from his pocket. Luke had used his connections to help him get this set of keys. Before this, he had not made sense of his feelings for Nina and did not think too much about them, chalking them up to feelings of possessiveness. However, he realized after that he was not being possessive. Nina had taken ownership of his heart and feelings. However, no one had told him what he should do if he was in love with someone. Thus, for a long time, he made a lot of mistakes and hurt Nina. Although she chose to stay with him, the damage had already been done and they still separated in the end. He had no idea how he should make things up to her. Even now, he still felt like he was in the wrong. The guiltier he felt, the more he wanted to treat Nina well. He had just been doing it the wrong way all this while. Percy sat and pondered for a long time before he finally decided to put the keys away. "Never mind. You must be tired too. I''ll let you rest well today." He drove off after he finished speaking. The next day. When Percy woke up, he realized that Nina had not replied to his text. He wondered to himself if he had been blocked again. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Thus, he tried sending her another text. No red exmation point appeared after sending the text, but Nina still did not reply to his text. Percy had a nagging feeling that something was not right, so he tried calling Nina. When his call was connected, he was informed that her phone had been switched off. Nina would put her phone on silent when she went to bed, but she would also charge her phone after putting it on silent. She would never turn it off. If it was turned off now, did that mean she was in trouble? He hurriedly got out of bed, washed up, and drove as quickly as he could toward Nina''s apartment. As for what was happening elsewhere. Luca had just finished making breakfast for herself when the door opened from the outside. Surprise did not show on her face as she watched Luke walk in, because he had told her he would be sleeping at the office after working overtimest night. He had also told her to prepare breakfast for him when she made hers this morning. Thus, she was not the slightest bit surprised to see Luke walking in. "Breakfast is ready, Mr. Crawford." Luca did not bother saying hi to him and merely told him that she had finished making breakfast. "Okay. Let me use your bathroom for a bit," Luke said as he nodded. Chapter 1732 ¡°Use anything you like. I haven''t touched any of the products before," Luca replied. After a few times, she hade to terms with the fact that Luke would abruptly appear at her apartment to have meals with her and stay with her... Luke took out a suit that had never been worn before from the maid''s bedroom and walked into the bathroom. Soon after, he finished washing up and walked out. Luca was sitting at the dining table. When she noticed that Luke''s tie was crooked, she said, "Mr. Crawford, your tie isn''t tied properly." Luke lowered his head and looked at his tie. He had done it on purpose. Walking over to her, he said in a low voice, "Help me." "I''m not good at tying ties. You should do it yourself," Luca said as she lowered her eyes, her hands clenching into fists unconsciously. There was a moment when she wanted to reach out and help him put on his tie properly. However, she immediately returned to her senses. She knew she could not do that. Luke nced at the breakfast spread on the table. She had prepared an English-style breakfast today, and there were plenty of different dishes. He grabbed a slice of bread and said, "My hands are greasy. Help me." A confused look appeared in Luca''s eyes. She had no idea what the man in front of her was trying to do. It seemed like he was acting so shamelessly just so she would help him fix his tie. The slice of bread he was holding had ayer of butter thered on top of it, and it was true that he would not be able to fasten his tie unless he washed his hands clean because the tie would get greasy. Luca raised her head resignedly. As their eyes met, she put on a reluctant expression on her face as she helped him fasten his tie. Even though she deliberately kept her distance from him, she could feel Luke''s body leaning forward slightly. It seemed like he was trying to close the distance she had ced between them. Luca wanted to get it done as quickly as possible, but it had been a while since shest helped anyone fix their ties. Moreover, longer ties like his were not as easy to tie as Tommy''s and Lanie''s shorter ties. The more she wanted to speed things up, the more she struggled with tying it properly. "Don''t panic," Luke said in a low,forting voice when he sensed her anxiety. Luca slowed down slightly. Soon, she managed to tie a beautiful Windsor knot. "All done," she said as she took a step backward, heaving a sigh of relief when she saw the beautiful knot. Luke took a look at the tie and nodded in satisfaction. "Well done." Luca was stunned, and she felt her face turning red because of what he had just said. She pulled a chair out and said, "Let''s have breakfast, Mr. Crawford." Luke sat down and noticed that Luca had chosen a seat far away from him. He did not say anything about that. The more she avoided him now, the more difficult it would be for her to escape in the future. Halfway through breakfast, Luca''s phone rang. She nced at the caller ID and noticed it was a number she did not know. However, she could tell from the numbers that the person calling was either rich or royalty. Luke might know who it was. When he noticed Luca was not answering the phone, Luke asked, "Why aren''t you answering the phone?" "Do you know whose number this is?" Luca asked as she extended her phone toward him. There was only one seat between them, which meant he could see her phone if she reached it out to him. Luke immediately recognized the number. "That''s Percy''s number." "Mr. Mallory? What is he calling me for?" Luca was initially worried that it was a call from Abel, but now that she knew it was from Percy, she answered the call and put him on loudspeaker. "Good morning, Mr. Mallory." Percy did not bother with greetings and immediately asked, "Is Nina with you?" "Nina? No, she''s not with me. What''s going on?" Luca had a confused look on her face as she exchanged looks with Luke. Deep down, she had a feeling that something was very wrong. "Nina is missing," Percy said, "She might have been missing sincest night." He recalled what had happened when he went over to Nina''s cest night. Nina was usually a night owl, so she would be awake whenever he dropped by. However,st night, the lights were switched off. If he had chosen to head upstairs and take a look then, perhaps he would have realized what was going on earlier. "I just spoke to Nina on the phone during the day yesterday, so she should have been fine during the day. Don''t worry, Mr. Mallory. Nina''s brother has been discharged from the hospital, so perhaps she''s gone to the apartment nearby," Luca said. She reckoned that Nina was just busy. After all, she had no enemies, and there wasn''t anyone who would want to hurt her intentionally. Unless... Luca thought of Pierre. "I''ll go check it out." After Luca''s reminder, Percy began wondering if Nina had returned to her mother''s apartment. Thus, he left Nina''s apartment and immediately began racing toward his next destination. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . When Luca heard the busy signal, she said worriedly, "Mr. Crawford, I think Nina is in trouble." "Why do you say that?" Luke asked. He did not have any rtionship with Nina, but she was friends with Luca and also in a rtionship with Percy, which meant he cared about her too. ¡°I received a call from Nina yesterday morning, and she sounded really dejected. But she didn''t say what was going on when I asked her about it. I didn''t continue asking questions because I was really busy and had to end the call quickly." Luca recalled. She would never be able to be at peace with herself for the rest of her life if anything happened to Nina. "If anything has happened to her, Pierre would definitely be the person behind it." Luke knew about how Pierre was constantly pestering Nina and instantly concluded. "Besides Pierre, I''m also worried about the rest of the Mallory family and the Johnston family." Luca voiced out her worries, "Mr. Mallory''s mother came to speak with Nina previously and spent the whole conversation hinting to Nina that she should stay away from Mr. Mallory. Mr. Mallory has been meeting Nina almost every daytely. If the Mallory family has been spying on Nina, they probably already know..." When Luke saw the worried look on her face, he saidfortingly, "If Nina really is missing, I''ll go look for her with Percy. Have some breakfast first." Luca nodded and continued eating her breakfast absent-mindedly. Luke picked up his phone and sent Percy two texts, telling him to ask for help immediately if he needed it. Then, he continued eating breakfast. Percy had no time to read his texts as he drove to Anna''s house. He rang the doorbell once but no one opened the door. Then, he rang it several more times, but still, no one opened the door. Taking a look at the time, he guessed that Jean would not have left the house so early. Hence, he began banging on the door. After several minutes of knocking, a voice rang out from behind the door. "Who is it? Who''s knocking like crazy this early in the morning? What sort of rush are you in?" Jean was stunned when he opened the door and saw Percy standing at the entrance. Immediately, the annoyed expression on his face vanished into thin air as if someone had put a spell on him. "Mr. Mallory, what are you doing here?" "Is Nina here?" Percy asked as he stared intently at Jean''s expression. If Nina was really missing, it was highly likely he had something to do with it. Jean felt his heart sink to his stomach. Nina was missing? He knew that if Nina was missing, then it was definitely Pierre behind it. After all, she was tricked into meeting Pierre to discuss a dealst night. However, he could not tell him that because he had taken money from Pierre. "Why would Nina be here? Mr. Mallory, don''t you think that you''vee looking in the wrong ce?" Chapter 1733 "Nina''s not here?" Percy squinted and looked behind the door to confirm whether Nina was really not here or if she was just avoiding him. He wondered if Nina had gotten Jean to lie on her behalf because she did not want to see him. He thought about it for a few seconds and felt that it was impossible. Jean was the kind of man who wanted to make a fortune off his sister. He would never help her to hide. If Nina was here, Jean would offer her to him with both hands. "She''s not here, Mr. Mallory. Nina has been living with you for the past few years and now looks down on our old house. How can she be here?" Jean said innocently. He spread out his hands to indicate that she was not there. He used these subtle movements to hide his panic. He thought that Pierre would just be having a chat with Nina. He did not expect him to be hiding her. A promiscuous woman came to the door and held Jean''s hand, "Darling, who is it?" Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "A friend," Jean exined cheerfully. He wanted to pull out his hand but the woman held it tightly. Percy nced at the provocative woman, frowned, and said, "If Ninaes back, call me." "Okay, Mr. Mallory." Jean was secretly relieved when he saw that Percy did not push further. Between the two Mallory brothers, one of their auras could make someone breathless without lifting a finger while the other was barbaric in his ways. It was best not to piss off either of them. As it happened, the two brothers were fighting for Nina. Jean could not do anything about it. The woman watched Percy leave, her face unable to contain her excitement. "Honey, is that the CEO of Mallory Corporation? I''ve seen him on the news. You know such a powerful person?" "Didn''t I tell you? It''s just that you didn''t believe me before this. I not only know Percy but Pierre as well. The two brothers are deeply in love with my sister. Do you believe me now?" Jean said cheerfully. He was pleased that he had won himself some brownie points in front of the woman. "I believe you, dear. You''re so high-toned." The woman looked at him adoringly. "It''s just... she has to choose one of the two. Why can''t my sister take both men into her arms?" Jean said. If the two agreed to share, he would not have such a headache. "I think Percy Mallory is a good choice. He''s the CEO of Mallory Corporation," the woman said to herself. "However, Mr. Pierre is more generous to me, his future brother-inw." Jean disagreed. He was happy to side with whoever gave him the most money. He closed the door with his arms around the woman. The matter of Nina''s disappearance was set aside. In Jean''s mind, Pierre loved Nina, so she would not be in danger. At most, she would just physically suffer a little if she did not obey him. If she went with Pierre''s everymand obediently, she would not suffer and would be the happiest woman in the world. At least, that was what Jean thought. He was not at all worried or guilty. Percy got back into the car and texted Luke: [She didn''t go back to Anna''s apartment. I''m going to look into Nina''s schedule yesterday.] After a while, Luke replied: [Arrange it immediately.] After Luca cleared the table, she heard Luke''s cell phone ring. "Did Mr. Mallory text you? Did he find Nina?" She tried to call Nina just now but her phone was switched off. "He hasn''t found her," Luke said and frowned slightly. He was instructing Rain and Gale to investigate Nina''s movements from the day prior. He asked them to find out both Nina and Pierre''s schedules. It was highly possible that Nina was under Pierre''s control now. Luca saw that he was busy on his phone and knew that he was upied trying to find Nina, so she did not make a sound. After Luke gave the orders, he put away his phone and said, "It''s gettingte. I''ll give you a ride to the office." "Okay," Luca nodded and agreed because she was worried about Nina. If there were any updates about Nina, she would find out as soon as possible with Luke by her side. Even if she did not go to work, she could not do anything about the current situation. If Nina was with Pierre, it may be fruitless even if she went to look for Pierre. After all, with what happened prior, Pierre had learned his lesson and would not be so stupid to let others find out where he was hiding Nina. Luca followed Luke''s car to work. His phone did not ring throughout the journey. She pursed her lips as she knew that it was not an easy matter to deal with. There would not be any updates any time soon, but she could not help but get worried since there was no news at all. When they arrived at thepany''s parking lot, there was still no news. Luca did not want to ask questions, so she got out of the car in an uneasy mood. Luke could sense her worries and mncholy, so he promised her. "If there''s any news, I''ll notify you as soon as possible." Luca was stunned. She did not expect him to make such a promise to her. She nodded and said gratefully, "Thank you, Mr. Crawford." "You''re wee." Luke''s gaze was deep. "Nina is your friend and also my wife''s friend." Luca was filled with emotions when she heard what he said. She kept quiet. On the other hand. Nina woke up and immediately noticed that she was lying on a big soft bed. For some reason, she felt sore all over her body. She was wary when she was reminded of Pierre. ''Could it be that Pierre has such a unique taste that he was willing to make a move on me even though I''m on my period?'' She dared to meet himst night because she was on her period and thought that Pierre would not be interested. When she thought that she might have been assaulted by Pierre, Nina sat up shaking and noticed that her clothes had been changed. A woman wearing maid clothes opened the door, walked in, and said with a smile on her face, "Good morning, Ms. Nina." "Who are you? Where am I?" Nina looked around. The interior was luxurious. She looked at the person in front of her. "This is Mr. Pierre''s house. I''m the maid and housekeeper here. Moving forward, I''ll be responsible for your day-to-day life here," the maid exined. When Nina heard that Pierre was trying to lock her up here, she frowned and asked, "Where''s Pierre? Ask him toe!" "Mr. Pierre left after he sent you here yesterday. This house is in the suburbs, so Mr. Pierre doesn''t usually stay here," the maid exined. She was not curious about Nina''s identity. After all, Pierre had brought many women here before. The women all came and went. This was where Pierre hid his women. Nina blinked when she heard what he said. "He left yesterday? My clothes..." "I changed them for you. Mr. Pierre said you faintedst night because you were sick. You happen to be your period, so he told me to change you into a set of clean clothes," the maid replied with a smile. Chapter 1734 Nina breathed a sigh of relief. Although she was imprisoned by Pierre, she was d that her clothes were changed by the maid in front of her. He did not stay, which meant that he did not touch her. Nina suddenly felt alive, and the despair in her heart disappeared. She grabbed the sheets and looked at the maid. "I want to leave." When the maid heard that she wanted to leave, her expression did not change. "Ms. Nina, breakfast is ready. Do you want to eat here or in the living room?" Nina frowned. Although Pierre did not hire a few burly men to keep guard of her, the maid in front of her was not easy to deal with as well. She repeated herself, "I said, I want to leave!" The maid looked at her with a frown. Many women wanted to be with Pierre for the rest of their lives and were willing to do so even if they would not be acknowledged in public. The woman in front of her was an exception. The maid remembered that she was carried in by Pierre yesterday and realized that she might be here against her will. Nevertheless, she said sternly, "Mr. Pierre said that you''ll be staying here for the foreseeable future. This is your home now. My only duty is to serve you well. I can''t make a decision on other things beyond that." Nina was fuming when she heard that. She got out of bed and found that her shoes were gone. The only thing that was around was a pair of new slippers beside the bed. She put on the new slippers and got out of bed. "Where''s my stuff?!" "What stuff?" The maid pretended not to understand when she saw that Nina wanted to pack up. "When you came yesterday, you didn''t have anything on you. We have everything you need in the vi. You can use them as you please." "Don''t take me as a fool. I didn''t choose toe here. You''re falsely imprisoning me. If you don''t let me leave, you''ll be sent to jail when my family and friends find me.¡± Nina warned her. She opened the drawer of the cab in the bedroom but did not see her bag. Pierre had probably hidden everything because he did not want her to leave... Nina did not continue to look for her things and nned to leave immediately. Although she did not know where she was, as long as she could escape, she could find her way back. "I don''t know if your friends will find you but trust me when I say that you won''t be able to leave," the maid told her patiently. Nina turned her head and looked at her. "What do you mean?" "In this vi, there''s no one else apart from me and you. However, outside the vi, there are people hired by Mr. Pierre stationed there. You can''t leave unless you get Second Young Master''s approval," the maid said. Percy did not nt any guards inside the house because he wanted Nina to be happy, but it was a different case outside. The outside of the vi was surrounded by skilled security guards from his securitypany. Others could not get in, and she could not get out. Nina''s eyes widened when she learned how determined Pierre was to trap her here for his entertainment. She got lucky because she was on her period, but that would onlyst for five days. If he was willing to drug her to force her into submission, he would surely drug her again to get his way with her. "Damn it!" She clenched her fists and shouted in anger. The maid was surprised that Nina did not wish to go along with Pierre''smands. Nevertheless, she did not have the slightest sympathy. After all, this was work. Personal emotions were not worth mentioning. On top of that, she did not know what had happened. She just thought that Nina was someone who did not know chalk from cheese. A woman who was chosen by Pierre did not have to worry about food and clothing. Even if they broke up, their lives after that would be smooth. The maid had no idea why Nina was resisting Pierre. The maid was not bothered that Nina was angry. She nodded and said, "Ms. Nina, it seems that you don''t want to go out for breakfast. I''ll bring breakfast to your room, then. Please wait." Nina stopped the maid. "Wait a minute. I can stay here but can you please return my things to me?" "You didn''t bring anything with you when you came in yesterday, so I don''t know where your things are. If you need anything, let me know and I''ll prepare it for you," the maid said. Pierre had instructed her as such. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "I want a phone," Nina said without a second thought. Even though she did not have her phone with her, she still remembered a few important phone numbers. She could ask them for help in critical moments as such. The maid shook her head and replied, "That''s not possible. Second Young Master said that we can give you everything except for a phone." "I want aputer, then!" Nina continued talking, "If you can''t give me that, you can get out!" "I can get you aputer, but I need to remind you that there''s no inte connection. If you want to watch any TV series or y any games, I can help you download them," the maid said. Pierre had it all nned out to ensure that Nina would be trapped here. "You..." Nina looked at the maid, who would not budge no matter what she said or did. She was speechless. She thought to herself that she had to escape no matter what. However, she did not have a phone or computer. There were people keeping guard outside too. It would be difficult for her to leave. Seeing that Nina had stopped talking, the maid smiled and said, "If it''s alright, I''ll go and bring you your breakfast." "No, unless you let me go, I''ll never touch any of the food here." Nina intended to protest with a hunger strike. If Pierre acted so cruelly and insisted on imprisoning her, she would rather be dead than give him what he wanted. The maid frowned and kindly reminded her, "Ms. Nina, you''re on your period now and your body is weak. Considering that you''re already so thin, if you go on a hunger strike, your body will give out." "So what? You''re illegally imprisoning me here. I''m not happy and it''s better for me to just die." Nina turned around. She knew that she would not be able tost long on a hunger strike but she still wanted to make a fuss. The maid shook her head helplessly and replied, "If you insist on going on a hunger strike, Second Young Master will have his ways to replenish the nutrients in your body. I''ll bring you breakfast. If you don''t want to eat it, you''ll be the one who suffers in the end. Do think about it." With that said, the maid left and shut the door. Nina turned around and looked around the bedroom. She scanned the entire bedroom and found that there was a camera shing in the corner. No wonder the maid walked in right after she woke up. After a while, the maid walked in with breakfast and put it on the coffee table beside her. "I don''t know what you like to eat for breakfast, so I made a little of everything. Have some if you''re hungry. The boss won''t restrict your movement around the vi. You can walk around freely, and I''ll bring you lunch as soon as it''s ready." Chapter 1735 Nina was so stubborn that she did not even bother to look at the breakfast on the coffee table. The maid did not say anything. She did not think that she needed to worry because Nina would certainly eat when she got extremely hungry. If Nina refused to eat, she would just report it to Pierre. After the maid left, Nina put on her shoes and opened the bedroom door. There was no one at the entrance. She walked to the end of the corridor and arrived at the stairs. She went down the stairs without a second thought. After she arrived at the living room on the first floor, she found that there was still no one around. Nina did not wander around. Her goal was clear, so she walked directly to the door. She walked out of the door and saw the garden. It was not big. Nina turned around and nced at the vi. She had been in the architectural design industry for so long, so she knew at a nce that she was in a small vi in the suburbs. It was not luxurious, but it was perfect as a vacation home. It was away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Others might not find out where she was being held hostage. As for the neighbors... This kind of suburban vi was mostly busy only during the holiday season. As such, Pierre allowed her to walk around the vi because he knew that no matter how much she tried to ask for help, no one would find her. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Nina was desperate. She saw someone when she arrived at the gate of the vi. When the security guard saw her approaching, he said with a straight face, "Ms. Nina, please go back in." "Who are you to imprison me? I want to leave! Open the door!" Nina tried to fool him with her tough tone. However, the other party was hired by Pierre, who had given him a set of instructions. "Ms. Nina, please don''t make things hard for us. Mr. Pierre has instructed that you''re not to leave the vi." Nina clenched her fists. Two security guards were standing at the gate. If she went rampant, she would not be able to get out and it would only alert Pierre. She thought that it was not worth it to do so. The most important thing for her was to escape, but she could not risk alerting Pierre. She was afraid that if the man got angry, she would not even have the right to walk around freely. "Bastard." Nina cursed softly and walked to the garden beside the gate. When he saw that, the security guard reminded her not to mess around. "Ms. Nina, we have men guarding the surroundings. Don''t bother trying. You can''t escape." Nina turned around and red at him. These security guards were as annoying as Pierre. She had thought about going over the wall but it was just a thought. She knew that she would not be able to do so without some equipment. After all, she was not nimble Nina walked around and could not find a way to escape. With no other options, she returned to the bedroom and locked herself in. At noon, the maid opened the door and came in with her lunch. Nina sat up when she saw her. "How did youe in?" "I have a set of keys so that the door can be opened in the event of an ident," the maid exined. Nina nced at the bunch of keys in the maid''s hand and suddenly felt hopeless. The maid put the te down, nced at the breakfast that was not touched, frowned, and persuaded her. "Ms. Nina, sooner orter, you''ll find out that the boss is doing this to show his love for you. I don''t want you to suffer, so please have a bite of something." "Get out!" Nina screamed. She would not usually treat others like this but her personality had undergone a 360 change because of Pierre. The maid knew she was angry and said nothing. She picked up the breakfast tray and left. Nina heard the sound of the bedroom door closing. Shey back down on the bed and did not even bother to look at what the maid had brought in for lunch. She just stared at the ceiling dumbly. After learning that Pierre had not touched her, she felt like she survived a disaster. That disgusting, hopeless feeling was instantly swept away. She suddenly thought of Percy. She did not feel the same way after he touched her. Her heart was full of helplessness... The huge psychological difference had Nina deep in thought. ... On the other hand. Luca was worried about Nina''s situation and worked absent-mindedly all morning. However, she still did not hear from Nina. Luke had promised that if there was news on Nina, he would notify her as soon as possible. However, she still had not gotten any updates. It seemed that Nina''s whereabouts had not been found... Luca was worried but could not ask Luke what was going on, so she had to endure the anxiousness she felt. When it was lunch break, Luke walked into her office. She anxiously stood up and asked, "Mr. Crawford, is there any news regarding Nina?" "Gale and Rain are still investigating," Luke said. Gale and Rain were his right-hand men who he brought back from the Ind of Despair. Luca knew that he was trying his best to track down Nina''s whereabouts, but he could not find her yet as the person hiding her was too cunning. As they spoke, Percy walked in. "Is there any news from your men?" he asked, his expression worried and his tone hurried. "No, I haven''t found her yet." Luke was quite surprised by his appearance. However, after he thought about it, he knew that Percy''s feelings for Nina were no different than his feelings for Bianca. "No news from my end either." Percy frowned. Luke analyzed the situation, saying, "If it''s Pierre who kidnapped her, after what happened thest time, he''ll probably be more cautious this time. If he''s hiding her, he''ll likely hide her in one of his properties. You can steer the investigation in this direction.¡± "He has secretly done a lot of things behind my back over the years. Our family doesn''t know much, including how many properties he has," Percy said. When he realized that Pierre was problematic, he also found that it was difficult for him to control Pierre now. Luke patted him on the shoulder reassuringly. "It''ll take some time but we''ll find her." Luca listened to their conversation and roughly understood the situation. If they found all the properties under Pierre''s name and checked ce by ce, they would find out if there was any abnormality. "He''s working at the office as if nothing has happened. I''m worried that Nina won''t be able to stand it," Percy said. He was worried that Nina was not in the best condition. "I think in addition to investigating Pierre, perhaps we can find out something from Jean too." Luca put forward her idea. "If Pierre wants to imprison Nina, he only has a handful of people he can threaten. Mr. Mallory, you went to Anna''s house today. Did you find anything?" "I only saw Jean with a hooker," Percy said. "Jean wasn''t acting abnormally?" Luca continued to ask. "His face was swollen and bruised as if he had been beaten up." Percy recalled. "I''m guessing that Pierre did that to threaten Nina. I think we can start from Jean," Luca said. Her intuition told her that this matter had something to do with Jean. Chapter 1736 Listening to Luca''s analysis, Percy frowned even more. Whenever Jean faced him, he was always submissive. It was the same when he saw him that day. If they did not employ special means, it was difficult to find out more. However, Jean was Nina''s brother. He did not want to use those special methods to extract a confession from Jean if it was not necessary. If he did so, it might alert Pierre. "Jean acted normal. There was nothing out of the usual," Percy said. Luca shook her head and replied, "You can''t get information from him through normal means. Why don''t I give it a try?" She was in a hurry to find Nina, so she offered to help. She had an organization behind her, but to be on the safe side, she could not make use of those resources. As such, she could only help through these means. "No." Luke objected without a second thought. He knew that Jean had bad intentions toward Luca. If she took the initiative to approach Jean to investigate this matter, she would be sending herself into the tiger''s mouth. Although Jean was a coward and Luke was confident that he could protect Luca, Luke was unhappy when he thought of how she may be taken advantage of by such a man. After what had happened, she still had not learned her lesson. She had been in danger several times because of Jean, yet she still dared to... Luca was surprised to hear Luke''s objection. She did not understand why he would object. "Mr. Crawford?" Luca called out to him. There were doubts in her eyes. Luke realized that his reaction was a little big. He unconsciously changed his posture and exined, "Jean is not a good person. It''s too dangerous for you to approach him." "I can protect myself. The most important thing right now is rescuing Nina. Mr. Crawford, don''t worry. I¡¯ll do what I can and not push it." Luca listened to his worries, her heart was touched and at a loss. ¡®Under what circumstances would a person like Luke, who isn¡¯t emotional, express his concern so strongly?¡¯ She did not dare to think further. Seeing that she insisted and considering that this matter had nothing much to do with him, he knew he could not stop her. Hence, he reminded her. "Jean is interested in you. Luca, if you insist on getting close to him to investigate this matter, it''ll be just like sending a sheep into a tiger''s mouth." "I''ve thought about this. I believe in my ability. Jean won''t get what he wants so easily. At the same time, since Jean is interested in me, I can get more out of him if I go, no?" Luca said. If she approached him, maybe she could tear down Jean''s walls and find out about Nina''s whereabouts. "Jean doesn''t necessarily know where Nina is." Luke reminded her. He thought that it was too big of a risk. If Jean was not fooled by her and told Pierre about it, he was worried that Pierre would work with Jean to deal with Luca. "We have to do something, no?" Luca had already made the decision. No matter what Luke said, she would not change her mind. Seeing this, Luke went silent. Percy knew what Luca meant to Luke. Even if he thought Luca''s proposal was feasible, he still left the decision in Luke''s hands. It was very difficult for him and Nina, but it was even more difficult for Luke and Bianca. They knew each other''s identities and had to continue to hide and pretend not to know. Nevertheless, they loved each other deeply. Luca looked at the two men who did not speak and came to a decision. "Mr. Crawford, Mr. Mallory, I''ve decided to approach Jean. I once heard Nina mention that after Jean was released from prison, he would go to a bar to drink every night. I''d like to ask you to help find out which bar Jean will be in." She nned to have a chance encounter with Jean. Since it was a chance encounter, she had to act a little so that the other party would not notice. That way, she could find out more from Jean. Percy nced at his friend, whose expression was as cold as ice. Nevertheless, Luke did not continue to object. He said, "I''ll find someone to find out which bar it is and tell you. There''ll be people around to protect you. If something goes awry, they''ll step in to help you." "Thank you." Luca wanted to tell him that she did not need protection since she would just be facing Jean. She was on the losing endst time because she was not as strong as him. However, things were different now. She could easily knock down two Jeans as long as she paid more attention during the mission. Percy nodded. Seeing that Luke still did not say anything, the n was set. He turned around, walked out of the office, and instructed his subordinates on the next steps. Luke and Luca were the only ones left in the office. She looked up at the man''s expression. He looked serious as if he was still dissatisfied with the decision she made. She was Luca, not Bianca. She took a deep breath and assured him, saying, "Mr. Crawford, don''t worry. I won''t put myself in any danger." "I''ll ask Rain to protect you." Luke''s voice was stiff. Since she insisted, that was the best he could do. Seeing that he gave in, Luca nodded in agreement and responded, "Okay." With Luke''s and Percy''s people protecting her, Jean would not be able to have things his way no matter how cunning he was. Luke was still mad because of the danger she opted to put herself in, so he said, "Let''s go. Let''s grab lunch." Luca noticed that it was already halfway through their lunch break. They did not notice how much time had passed as they were engulfed in the nning. She nodded. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. The two walked out of the office one after the other. Percy walked over after he had made the necessary ns. He saw them leaving the office and said, "I assume neither of you had lunch? Let''s go. It''s my treat." Luca had to follow them. They did not go very far. They chose to eat at a restaurant near T Corporation. When the food arrived, Luca noticed that Percy was drinking coffee by himself and had no intentions of eating. She understood why Percy did not have the appetite. After all, Nina was still missing. However, he should not starve, so she said, "Mr. Mallory, have a bite?" Percy looked at the dishes in front of him. His worries did not diminish the slightest. He said, "If Nina is kidnapped, she wouldn''t eat or drink." Nina was a tough cookie. When they had a difference in opinion and he pissed her off, she would refuse to eat or drink. She could starve for several meals. There was once when she fainted after not eating for a few days. When the family doctor came to give her a nutritional injection, he even scolded her. If Pierre kidnapped her, she would replicate this method to hurt herself and make himpromise so she could escape. Chapter 1737 However, he was well aware that Pierre would neverpromise because of her actions. Percy was worried that if Nina hurt herself like that, Pierre would double his efforts... "I''ll find out Nina''s whereabouts as soon as possible," Luca said. Her gaze was as firm as her tone. Percy looked at Luca and nodded. Into the night. Luca got off work, dressed up, and was on stand-by in the apartment. She was ready to head out as soon as she found out which bar Jean was in. After a while, Percy texted her a location. Luca nced at the bar and frowned. Although this bar operated with a license, it was also infamous in A City. Those who frequented this bar did not go there to drink. Everyone who went in had an ulterior motive as the bar had in-house hookers and pimps. The men were the ones who paid for the hookers, while the women who went in were voluntarily selling themselves. This bar was not a fancy one either. Luca frowned. She did not expect Jean to frequent this kind of bar. If she was incapable of protecting herself, she would be shredded to pieces as soon as she entered the bar. She guessed that Luke''s previous objection was because the bar that Jean went to was not a proper ce. Nevertheless, she thought that the most important thing at hand was to find Nina. She dressed up to go to the bar. It was a 360 from how she usually dressed. After Luca sent Rain the location, she went downstairs to get the taxi and headed straight to the bar. 45 minutester, the taxi stopped in front of the bar. Luca waited in the car and confirmed with Percy''s men that Jean had entered the bar. She handed the money to the driver and got out of the car. As soon as she got out, she caught the eyes of the men by the door. They were ready to approach her. The people who came here were mainly regrs. It was the first time they had seen such a beautiful woman at the bar. Luca noticed the excitement in the eyes of the men watching her. It was as if they woulde up to ask for her price as soon as she stepped into the bar. She could not help but feel disgusted in her heart. On the Ind of Despair, many men were obsessed with her but she was rtively lucky. Abel tortured her all the time but he gave strict orders not to let those men touch her. As such, she remained untouched. Luca did not go in straight. She stood at the side of the road, waiting for Rain. Several men were disappointed when they saw that she did not go in and wondered if they should approach her. After all, it was a rare opportunity for them to meet such a gorgeous woman. One of the men walked over confidently and said, "Hello, do you want to go in for a drink?" Luca did not even bother to look at him. The man touched his chin. He was unwilling to give up and said, "If you don''t want to drink, we can go straight to the hotel opposite to have a rest. For one night, I can pay you whatever you want." The man was so bold because the women who were in the area were not expensive. Luca red at him coldly and said, "Scram!" Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. The man clenched his fists. He was unwilling to give up. He wanted to say something but backed off when he met her gaze. He could not do anything but walk into the bar while feeling embarrassed. A BMW was parked opposite the bar. Luke was inside watching all this secretly. His unhappiness quickly spread to his entire chest. If he had not known what Nina meant to Luca, he would not have agreed to her n. After ten minutes, Rain arrived. She saw Luca and did not go over to say hello. She just nodded. Luca nodded as well as if to return the greeting. Then, the two walked into the bar together. The eyes of the men at the entrance who were still looking at Luca lit up when they saw them walk into the bar. They had never seen two high-quality women walk into the bar at the same time. When Luca walked into the bar, she noticed several men following behind her. She exchanged nces with Rain, and they sat in separate seats. Luca sat at the counter, the most conspicuous spot, while Rain chose the booth. The reason why was that she did not want Jean to see that someone was apanying Luca. Although he was interested in Luca, Rain''s presence would make him more vignt. That was why the n was for them to sit in separate seats. Luca put on the Bluetooth earphones so that they couldmunicate. "Dr. Craw, the target person is 45 degrees behind you. Do as you see fit," Percy''s men informed her. Luca replied with a hum and ordered a drink. 45 degrees... Jean would be sure to notice her as soon as she made a move. The bartender put the drink in front of her and whispered, "Miss, you don''t look like someone who woulde to this kind of bar." "Everyone has times when they''re forced to face reality, no?" Luca''s words caused amotion among the several men around her. ''Doesn''t that mean she needs money? If I can pay her, I can get this beautiful woman and spend a wonderful night with her.'' "This is not a high-ss ce," the bartender said honestly. He knew the rough pricing of the hookers in the bar. "Thank you for the reminder." Luca raised her ss and took a sip. Seeing that she did not intend to leave, several men gathered around her. The bar became very lively all of a sudden. Luca did not push these men away but also did not pay any attention to what they were saying. The men did not give up. They continued to try to chat with Luca. Jean noticed the situation on Luca''s side and asked curiously, "What''s happening?" The woman next to him rarely saw a scene as such. Sheughed and said, "There''s probably someone new who showed up and these good-for-nothings want her." "Someone new?" Jean raised an eyebrow. Things would not be like this even if there was someone new here. Unless that woman was hot. The voice of Percy''s subordinate sounded through Luca''s earphones. "Dr. Craw, the target has noticed what''s happening on your end." When she heard that, she stood up with her ss, finished it, and said coldly, "Please give me some space." When the men heard that, they had to make way. As Luca walked away from the group of men, Jean recognized her at a nce. "It''s her?" He blinked as he was afraid that he had seen it wrongly. Nevertheless, the person in front of him was indeed Luca. ''Luca is a hooker?'' He did not believe it. Even if Luca was going to sell her body, she would not choose this bar. Jean stood up. The woman beside him quickly grabbed him and asked, "Jean, what are you doing? Are you going over?" Jean watched the woman hold him as though she was his girlfriend. He frowned and shook her hand off him. Chapter 1738 The woman looked in the direction Jean was walking to and knew that he had been bewitched by Luca. She was jealous when she saw Luca. ''She''s beautiful, but who isn''t if they''re willing to spend a little money?!'' "B*tch!" The woman scolded as she knew that Jean would not return to her. The big fish she finally caught had gotten off the hook. The woman stood up, finished her drink, and turned around to leave. Luca was still paying attention to Jean even when she was surrounded by the men. She knew that he saw her when she saw him stand up. Jean came over with an eager gaze. He changed how he would usually greet her to get closer to Luca. "Luca, why are you here?" Luca acted surprised. She looked at Jean and said, "I have a lot of things stressing me out, so I just picked a bar at random to drink, but these people..." She looked helplessly at the men around her, acting like she did not know anything. Jean did not have much doubt and believed her. "Of course, you wouldn''t know since you just returned to A City but this bar is not just for drinking. You want to drink, right? I''ll take you to another bar." Luca went along with his wishes. After all, there were too many wolves eying her in this bar and it was not easy to have a conversation here. Rain told her through the earphones that sometimes, men fought for a woman in this kind of ce. She told her to be careful not to cause a scene. It was not a bad idea to head to another location. Luca nodded and pretended to look inadvertently at the other corner. She saw that Percy''s men and Rain had already stood up. They got the bill and were leaving. She knew that they would follow her, so she turned her head and walked over to the counter. Jean was worried that she was going back to her seat. After all, there were so many men around her and it was only a matter of time before they fought for her. He asked, "Luca, don''t you want to leave?" Luca smiled gently and replied, "I have a ss of wine that I need to pay for. I''ll go settle the bill first." A man heard that and said quickly, "Miss, I''ll settle the bill for you. Come with me. I''ll take you to a better bar to drink." Jean gave the man a vicious look and said rudely, "No, this is my friend. I''ll settle the bill for her." Seeing him say that, Luca did not fight to settle the bill and left it to Jean. Before that, she was not on the best of terms with Jean, so it would not be as easy to manipte him for information. Hence, she deliberately had him settle the bill for her so that they could get closer. Jean settled Luca''s and his bill before turning to Luca, saying, "It''s too messed up here. Shall we go somewhere else?" "Okay." Luca nodded in agreement, and the two left the bar together. As they walked out of the bar, Luca asked, "Why did you say this bar is messed up?" Jean looked at how innocent she seemed and gave an indirect reply, "Everyone who goes in this bar is into something dodgy." N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Luca showed a surprised expression and said, "Something dodgy? I didn''t know that..." "Why did youe here?" Jean asked. Luca had already prepared a reply as she anticipated that he would ask such a question. "I was walking around the neighborhood and when I saw a bar, I felt like drinking." "Why did you suddenly want to drink. Is there something on your mind?" After listening to her exnation, Jean''s doubts were almost gone. Initially, he was a little suspicious about why she appeared at the ce where he was. ¡®Could it be that her superficial beauty was obtained by selling her body?'' After he spoke to her, however, he believed that she did not know what the bar was infamous for. Jean took Luca to another nearby bar. Luke sat in the car and was stark raving mad when he saw Luca walking side by side with Jean. He immediately picked up his phone and instructed Rain to keep a close eye on Luca. After they walked into the bar, Luca found that it was a normal one. There were not as many people here as the bar they were at earlier. Luca guessed that Jean was eager to craft a good image in front of her, so he chose a bar like this. "By the way, why were you at that bar just now?" Luca asked intentionally after they sat down at one of the booths. Jean''s expression showed that he was stunned by her question. He could not tell her that he went to drink with the woman he hooked up with the night before. His mind was spinning quickly as he thought of an excuse. "My friend brought me there. The environment in that bar is not the best and I''m not a big fan of it. When I feel like drinking, I would usually go to bars like these. The bartenders in this bar are good. You should try their cocktails.¡± "Are you going to buy me a drink?" Luca blinked and pretended to be cheeky. "Of course. I invited you here, so it''s my treat," Jean said. The bar drinks were not cheap but he got some money from Pierre, so he was feeling generous. Luca picked up the menu and ordered a ss of the cheapest cocktail. Jean noticed that, so after the waiter left, he asked, "Luca, why didn''t you order a signature cocktail?" "I''m not familiar with cocktails. I''m okay with anything as long as it contains alcohol. I don''t need to order an expensive one. I just need it to relieve my worries," Luca exined, "Nina told me that you''ve just recovered and your mother is still in the hospital. It''s not easy for you to have to fork out so much money. To be honest, I''m happy enough that you''re willing to apany me for a drink.¡± Jean liked her more and more when he thought that she was being kind to his wallet. His feelings for her doubled. Although he did not understand why Luca had such a bad attitude toward him before, it seemed that her attitude toward him now was not the same as before. Maybe it was because of Nina. Jean attributed it to Nina. He thought that she spoke ill of him in front of Luca, so she was so cold toward him before this. However, something had changed. He thought that it must be because she had a few to drink and no one to rant to. He knew he had to seize this opportunity. Luca was no other ordinary woman. If he missed this opportunity, it would be difficult to get another chance. "Is something bothering you?" Jean asked, seizing the opportunity. Luca shook her head with a smile. She was not ready to talk because she knew that Jean would be suspicious. She did not have enough to drink yet. If he helped Pierre to kidnap Nina, Pierre must have given him something for it. In front of money and women, he needed the former more. She only had one chance. If she failed, Percy could only use traditional methods to track and investigate in order to find Nina. If they were lucky, they would find her in a while. If they were unlucky, it would cost them significant money and time. Every single day that passed where Nina was by Pierre''s side was dangerous for her. Even though Luca was disgusted by Jean, she resisted the urge to throw up and chatted with him to find out Nina''s whereabouts. Chapter 1739 Jean asked with concern seeing that she refused to share her troubles, "What''s the matter?" Luca shook her head, smiled slightly, and just said, "It''s nothing." Jean noticed that she had frowning eyes, and it was as though they contained endless sadness. Unfortunately, she refused to talk and instead looked at him without saying anything else. Two sses of cocktails arrived at the table. Luca took a sip and said, "This bartender is great at what he does. The cocktail is delicious." "If you like it, drink more. When you can''t express the sadness in your heart, you can be more free and easy after a few drinks," Jean said as he ordered Luca an extra drink without asking her. Luca did not stop him. Before she set off, she took a drug that would help keep her sober regardless of how much she drank. Seeing that he had ordered another drink for her, she raised her head and chugged the drink in her hand. Jean blinked, not expecting Luca to be so bold when it came to drinking. "Luca, it''s easy to get drunk if you drink like this." He pretended to advise her but was secretly hoping that Luca would get drunk. Luca put her elbows on the table to support her chin, blinked, and said, "I''m not very good at drinking, so it''s easy for me to get drunk. However, if I don''t get drunk, I can''t help but think about my problems." "What''s troubling you?" Jean asked. "It''s... No, you can''t help me even if I tell you about it." Luca stopped just as she was about to speak. Jean was ill at ease. He saw the waiter bring the cocktail over and pushed the ss in front of her. "Maybe you can tell me. I studied abroad and have quite a broad range of knowledge." Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Luca looked at him, shook her head, and said, "I''m worried about Nina. Aren''t you and her not on the best of terms? Forget about it. You can''t help me." Jean was wary when Nina was mentioned, but he still wanted to chat with Luca. Hence, he asked, "Did you get into a fight with Nina?" "No." Luca shook her head, raised her ss once again, and finished the second drink. Rain, who was sitting in the corner, saw that and quickly reported to Luke, "Boss, Dr. Craw has already had her third ss of cocktail. The drinks here are quite strong." After Luke heard what Rain said, he gritted his teeth and said, "Continue to keep a close eye on her. If Jean dares to cross the line, we''ll forget about the n." "Understood," Rain replied. Jean asked, "So... What happened?" "I don''t think that life has been easy for you or Nina, so how did the two of you end up in this situation?" Luca deliberately avoided his question and asked him another question instead. Jean took a sip of his cocktail when his rtionship with Nina was mentioned. "Will you believe me if I say that it''s not my fault?" Luca said, "It''s not a question of whether I believe you or not. I just met Nina but it feels like we''ve known each other for a long time, so I believe in what she says. However, after spending some time with you, you''re not too bad either. At least, you took me away from that messed-up bar and didn''t take advantage of me. That''s why I thought I should put away any misunderstanding I had of you before and get to know you once more. However, your rtionship with Nina..." "I''m her brother. I would never harm her even though she has always ignored my kind will and always stands on the other side when something happens. As it went on, the crack in our rtionship grew," Jeanined. Luca nodded and acted like she believed what he said. When she saw Jean finish his ss, she did the same. Jean ordered more drinks. The two drank a few more drinks. Luca said, "Sometimes, I also think that Nina is too stubborn. Two days ago, I turned her down and now I can''t contact her. I even paid a visit to her apartment today but it was useless. Jean, can you help me get in touch with Nina?" When he heard that she wanted him to contact Nina, Jean felt cornered. He could usually use Anna O''Reilly as an excuse to make Nina appear but considering that she was in Pierre''s hands, she could not escape even if he wanted to be in contact with her. Luca looked at him silently and seized the opportunity to ask, "What''s wrong? Did something happen to Nina?" "Nothing happened. She''s in a safe ce," Jean said as he shook his head. "Is that so? That means that she''s mad at me! Otherwise, why would she not respond to me when I reach out to her?" Luca acted sadly and continued talking, "She''s my only friend here, but she misunderstood me. I can''t believe that she''s not even going to give me a chance to exin myself." "What happened between the two of you?" Jean continued to ask. "Remember how I was therest time you went to Nina''s apartment?" Luca said. Jean nodded. "She asked me over to apany her to prevent Mr. Percy froming in. I stayed with her for two days but I had a banquet to go to one night. I drank a lot that night and felt very ufortable, so I went back to my apartment to rest. Next thing I knew, I couldn''t contact her anymore!" Jean was stupefied. Luca continued talking, "Maybe she thought that I didn''t apany her on purpose, but she doesn''t know that I was feeling extremely ufortable that night. That''s why I went back to my apartment to rest. I felt horrible. I went to knock on her door the next day and she didn''t respond. Jean, I regard Nina as my best friend. Why is she so cruel to me?" Jean was speechless. He knew that Nina was not angry with Luca for that reason. However, he did not know how to exin it. All he could do was tofort her. "Maybe she just has something to attend to. She''lle to you when she''s done with her work." He thought that Pierre would not keep Nina imprisoned for long. He would surely let her out after he tamed her. Luca took Jean''s hand and pressed him for more information like a drunkard. "Do you know where Nina is? Please tell me. I want to exin myself to her." Jean lost all rationality after he was held by her soft hand. He said, "She''s with a friend and will be back soon. I believe she''s not the kind of person that would hold on to such petty matters." When Luca heard that, she understood what was going on. Jean did know where Nina was. "I''m worried. You''re her brother, so you must know where she is. How about this? If it''s inconvenient for you, please help me send her a message," Luca said. "Okay." Jean was overwhelmed by her coquettish behavior and nodded quickly in agreement. Luca knew that her goal had been achieved but it was not enough. She asked, "You mentioned that Nina went to her friend''s ce. Is she still in A City, then?" Chapter 1740 Jean took a sip of his cocktail and was in a good mood because he finally had a chance to get closer to Luca. "Yeah, she''s still in A City." "I''m happy to hear that she''s fine." Luca acted relieved. The drinks were getting to his head. Jean looked at Luca with eyes full of fascination. Luca was beautiful. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. All the conditions at that moment were excellent, so he knew he had to grasp the opportunity. "Come, cheers!" Jean ordered another cocktail for her. Although his n was deplorable, he had to do it to win over Luca. If he had some ckmail material, someone like Luca would have to obey him. Luca took a sip of the cocktail. Jean was satisfied. He was surprised at how submissive she was. "Don''t stress about it. Nina is not a child. She''s fine. There''s nothing to worry about." Heforted her. Luca looked at Jean. He made it seem as though he knew everything about Nina. She felt confident and held her chin. The move was a signal for Rain to indicate that she was almost done and could retreat at any time. Rain whispered, "Got it." At that moment, Jean noticed that Luca had been wearing earphones, so he asked curiously, "Luca, why do you have earphones on?" "Oh, my earphones? I wore it at work and forgot to take it off," Luca exined with a smile but had no intention of taking it off. She raised her ss and changed the subject. "Thank you for telling me about Nina. I can''t get in touch with her right now, so I''ll need to trouble you to help me get in touch with her later." "No problem." Jean agreed. Even though he knew he could not get in touch with Nina, he needed to have a grasp over Luca. Luca continued to drink with him. No matter how well Jean could drink, he was no match for Luca, who had taken the special drug. After three rounds of drinking, he was already drunk. "Luca, you''re so beautiful." Luca listened to hispliment, smiled, and pretended to be drunk. "I can''t drink anymore. That''s it for me tonight." "I''m also there. I didn''t expect you to be so good at drinking. You''re not bad. You can even compete with me." Jean burped, called for the waiter, and then handed over his credit card to settle the bill. Luca looked at Jean''s bright red face and felt a lot of emotions in her heart. After all these years, his rotten roots had not been eradicated. He said that he liked her, but in the end, all he had in his mind were dirty thoughts... "I''ve been in Russia where it''s a norm to drink. That''s where I trained myself to drink," Luca exined as she took herst sip. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Jean smiled and raised his thumb in praise. "Impressive. You''re the only woman I know who can drink as much as me. You deserve to be admired by me." After he finished speaking, Luca fell on the table and pretended to pass out. She did not want to hear what Jean said nor did she want to respond to it. Jean shook her arm. "Luca? Are you drunk?" Luca closed her eyes, motionless. Jean muttered to himself, "Looks like she''s drunk. That''s good. I''ll get a room in the hotel above. If you don''t mind, I''ll bring you up." Luca kept quiet. Jean took her silence as consent. After all, that was what he wanted as well. The waiter returned with the bill and his credit card. After he settled the bill, Jean staggered over and tried to carry Luca. At that time, Rain pretended to walk past and took a look. "Dr. Craw?" she said. Jean looked at the woman next to him and asked, "Who are you?" Rain ignored him and stepped forward to pretend to confirm Luca''s identity. "It''s really you, Dr. Craw! Why are you so drunk? Dr. Craw, I''ll take you home." As soon as Jean heard that, he knew that his n to roll in the hay with Luca was about to be intercepted. He quickly blocked Luca from Rain and shouted, "Who are you? Does she know you? Why do you want to take her away?" "I''m her subordinate. Who are you?" Rain asked. She nced at the messy table and said, "You got Dr. Craw drunk, right? What''s your intention of getting her drunk?!" There were not many people in the bar and because Rain''s voice was very loud, many suddenly looked at them. Jean''s face was flushed after drinking. He felt like he was losing his reputation in front of the crowd. He exined, "I am also friends with Luca and we bumped into each other tonight. What''s wrong with two friends catching up over drinks?" "I don''t think your intentions tonight are just to drink with her. I heard that you want to take her to the hotel upstairs? Take a good look at yourself! You want to bag Dr. Craw?!" Rain replied. Although the bar was not high-ss, it was obvious that there was a certain difference in status between Jean and Luca. Jean was dumbfounded by her words. He was about to ask the waiter to help prove that Luca was drinking with him voluntarily when Rain picked up the drunk Luca. "What are you doing?" Jean asked quickly. "Dr. Craw is drunk, so, of course, I''m going to take her home. I can''t leave her here with a toad like you," Rain said. She then picked up Luca''s arm and intended to leave. Jean hurriedly positioned himself in front of her. "Luca was drinking with me. I should be the one sending her back." "Nice try. Do you think I don''t know what you want to do to her?" Rain said and left with Luca. Jean nced at Luca and got anxious. He threw all caution to the wind and made a move. Rain looked at his raised hand, blocked it, and held his hand with a backhand. Jean felt pain and shouted, "Ah, ah, let go of me!" "Good-for-nothing." Rain let go. She snorted coldly when she saw Jean''s hands swell up. "Someone of your caliber wants to take advantage of Dr. Craw? Get out of my way!" Jean had experienced her arm strength and dared not stop her anymore. Even if he wanted to do something to Luca, he did not dare to provoke the woman in front of him. Rain took Luca out of the bar without any hups. Luca wanted to stand up straight after they left the bar but Rain reminded her. "Dr. Craw, don''t move. That man is still watching from behind." Luca did not dare to move when she heard that. Rain helped Luca to cross the road, then opened the door to Luke''s car and put her in the passenger seat. Luca felt like something was wrong. She opened her eyes, saw Luke, and was stunned. "Mr. Crawford, why are you here?" Rain replied on his behalf, "Boss was worried about you facing that man wh*re alone, so he''s been waiting. He parked his car here and has been waiting for you since you went into the first bar." Luke listened to Rain exining the situation cheekily and said with a cold expression, "Enough with the tittle-tattle." "Sorry, Boss. I''ll make a move now. I have something to do." Rain closed the car door with a smile on her face. Even though Luke seemed bitter, she knew that his bad mood had nothing to do with her. Chapter 1741 Luke was disdainful because of Luca''s interaction with Jean. Rain saw everything clearly, and she reported to Luke without missing a single detail. That was why his expression was ugly. Luca sat up straight and put on her seatbelt. "You don''t have anything to say?" Luke asked. Luca wondered what was there to say. ¡®Am I supposed to tell him what I discovered?'' N?velDrama.Org owns all content. She nodded and said quickly, "After talking to Jean, I''m sure that Nina is in Pierre''s hands and she shouldn''t be in any danger now. We can focus on investigating Pierre. We can start with¡ª¡± Luke interrupted her and said coldly, "Rains is aware of all that you mentioned. She''s taking action now." Luca was astounded, nodded, and said in a neutral tone, "Oh." Luke was infuriated when he thought of how Jean took advantage of Luca. He stopped talking, stepped on the elerator, and drove off. Luca could tell that he was speeding and pursed her lips. Even if he did not say anything, she could tell that he was fuming. When Luke was angry, it was best not to say anything. What was more, she was not Bianca. She was just an employee of his. It did not seem right if she tried tofort him. The green light ahead turned red. Luke mmed on the brakes so hard that he almost rushed past the zebra crossing. Luca frowned. If he had not stepped on the brakes in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable... "Mr. Crawford, what''s the matter with you?" she asked. Luke''s expression was cold. ¡®She''s asking me what''s the matter?!'' She was Bianca, so, of course, she knew what was wrong with him. Luke wanted to uncover the truth and asked her if she had lost interest in him. However, his past experience told him that Luca''s estrangement was ast resort and she still had strong feelings toward him. "I''m fine." Luke turned his face away to look at the red light. "Can you drive slower? I drank a little too much and my stomach is not feeling the best," Luca said pitifully. Her stomach was churning as Luke was driving so fast. She had taken the drug so she would not get drunk. However, she felt sick since the liquor in her stomach had not been discharged. Nausea came in waves. Luke was stunned. He was trying to vent his unhappiness but forgot that she had been drinking. "Mm." His reply was stiff. Luca closed her eyes. He was driving very fast just now and the ride was a little bumpy. She did not want to talk anymore as she felt that the booze in her stomach woulde out as soon as she spoke. Luke felt pity at how distressed she looked, and his anger gradually decreased. The reason why she did all of that was because of Nina. She was a kind person, so she would do her best to help when Nina encountered a situation as such. Therefore, he should give her his full understanding and tolerance. The red light turned green. Luke did not drive as crazily as before. It was a smooth ride, and they arrived at the apartment safely. "We''re here." He reminded her softly as he looked at the woman resting on the chair with her eyes closed. Luca was sensitive toward his mood changes and knew that he was no longer fuming. She opened her eyes, unbuckled her seat belt, and said to him, "Mr. Crawford, thank you for sending me back." Luke nodded, unbuckled his seat belt, and said, "You''re wee. It''s on the way, anyway." Luca watched him open his car door, the implication being that he would sleep at her ce that night... She had no intentions of stopping him either. Luca opened the car door and the two walked into the apartment building together. When they reached their floor, she opened the door and turned on the lights. Luke walked straight to the maid''s room like it was his room. Luca retracted her gaze. She had too much to drink and her stomach was still feeling ufortable. She went into the kitchen and made herself a ss of honey water. The honey water was sweet and light. She sat on the sofa and tasted it slowly. Luke came out, saw her drinking, and asked, "What are you drinking?" "Honey water," Luca said, "Would you like to have some?" "No," Luke was not a fan of honey water. He sat on the sofa and looked at Luca. Luca felt a little awkward being stared at by him. She turned to look at him and asked, "Mr. Crawford, is there something on my face?" "How much did you drink?" Luke asked. "Not a lot..." Luca said. "Rain has been keeping an eye on you." Luke reminded her to tell the truth. Rain had counted exactly how many sses she drank. Luca was stunned and had to exin herself, "I forgot how much I drank. I just know that I drank a little too much. After all, Jean is such a cunning person, if he doesn''t drink enough, I can''t manipte him to tell me the truth..." Luke looked at how calm she was as she exined herself. He knew that Luca did not like to drink. If it were not for Nina, she would not have drank so much... "Mr. Crawford, the cocktails are nothing to me...I took the drug to help me," Luca exined, not wanting to worry him too much. "Your drug does work, but your stomach is hurting too," Luke said. Luca''s drug was able to keep one''s brain alert without being affected even after ingesting a lot of alcohol. However, the concentration of alcohol in the blood would not decrease because of the drug. The alcohol she drank still needed to be excreted through the metabolism of the human body. Luca finished the honey water and put down the ss. "I haven''t had a drink in a long time, so my stomach can''t take it. I''ll be fine after drinking something sweet." "If you''re not feeling well, don''t act like you are. I''ve made an appointment with Johann. I can take you to the hospital at any time for an IV drip." Luke had already made arrangements. Luca was surprised. She did not expect him to trouble Johann just because she drank a little too much. She touched her head, feeling embarrassed. She nodded and agreed. "Okay." Luke looked at her blushing face. He resisted the urge to pull her into his arms and stood up. He walked into the bathroom with a fresh set of clothes. Luca listened to the sound of the water in the bathroom and touched her hot face. ¡®It must be the alcohol. I''m not tempted...'' She stood up, put the cup back in the kitchen, and walked straight back to the bedroom. After she cleaned herself up quickly, Lucay on the bed but could not fall asleep... All she could think about was Luke. His concern for her was not fake; it was real. It made it difficult for her to fall asleep... ''Should I execute Abel''smand?'' If she wanted to go ahead with it, she was presented with a good opportunity. Even if she was reluctant to admit it, Luke''s concern for her was not fake. He only had eyes for her. However, she did not want to hurt him... Luca turned around, and her bedroom door was opened. She immediately turned on the bedsidemp and sat up. She looked at Luke, who was standing by the door, and said in surprise, "Mr. Crawford?" Luke looked at Luca, who did not look at all sleepy. He asked in a low voice, "You''re awake?¡± "I justid down and I''m ready for bed." Luca could not fall asleep but lied to him anyway. Chapter 1742 "Can you sleep?" Luke leaned against the door and stared at her. Luca rubbed her eyes, pretended to be sleepy, and said, "Mr. Crawford, I''m very tired now and want to go to bed." Luke did not expose her. Since she did not want to talk to him, he decided to be forceful. He walked into the bedroom and sat on the sofa. "Mr. Crawford?" Luca was shocked by his actions. ¡®Is he going to stay here tonight?'' Luke''s slender legs were crossed, and he found afortable position. Luca drank a lot of alcohol, so even after she washed up, he could still smell the faint alcohol smell in the air. It did not smell bad since it was blended with her body''s special scent... On the contrary, he was even a little tempted. "There''s something I want to talk to you about," Luke said. After he debated internally for half an hour, he decided that he could not let Luca escape from the truth any longer. The fact that she flirted with Jean had stimted his nerves. He could not stand it even though he knew she was acting. "Mr. Crawford, it''ste. Why don''t we talk about it tomorrow? I''m sleepy and want to go to bed." Luca looked at the seriousness on his face and had a bad premonition. She used sleeping as an excuse and thought that he would not insist. However, she was wrong. Luke insisted and said, "If you want to sleep, I can sit here and we''ll talk when you wake up." ''Sit here...?'' Luca was speechless. She could not sleep, and it would be even worse if Luke was here... "Mr. Crawford, what do you want to talk about?" She had no choice but topromise. Luke asked, "Do you like anyone else right now? I mean, someone other than me." Luca panicked and responded, "Mr. Crawford, what do you mean? I don''t understand..." "You look flustered." Luke''s expression remained t. He noticed all of her subtle expressions. "No..." Luca pulled her hair back, which was something she did whenever she was ufortable. Luke noticed and did not mention anything. "Do you mean no, you don''t have your eyes on anyone else or, no, you''re not flustered?" Luca did not know how to answer such an aggressive question. If her response was in reference to his first question, it meant that she admitted to liking him and no one else. However, she had been keeping her distance on purpose. She did not expect Luke to notice her feelings toward him. Luca was about to exin herself but Luke did not continue to embarrass her. He said directly, "Luca, I like you, so starting from tomorrow morning, I''ll pursue you." Since she could not admit that she was Bianca, he was willing to pursue her again. He believed that one day, he would find out who was controlling Luca. Then, their family would be reunited. "Mr. Crawford, you can''t do this!" Luca turned him down immediately. ''Luke wants to pursue me? He likes me?'' Her heart clenched as she looked at the man who seemed to shine under the dim light. "Why not? Give me a reason." Luke knew what she wanted to say but he guided her to say it. "You have a wife. I don''t want to be hated by thousands of people. Not to mention, we''re very different people. We''re not suitable for each other." Luca lowered her gaze and listed out the reasons for her rejection. She felt that the situation was ironic. She was Bianca but she could not admit it. Even so, Luke told her that he liked her. ''Does he like Bianca or Luca?'' Although no matter which one he liked, she was both Bianca and Luca. She had two identities. If she got together with Luke, would she not be cheating on herself? If others found out, they would never believe it. How ironic. Luke listened to her exnation, his eyes dimming. ''Life is hard for her. She has to pretend in this situation...'' "My wife has already passed away," he said. Luca was stunned. She raised her head and looked at him. She could not believe it as she uttered, "How is that possible..." "She suddenly fell ill in the vi a few months ago. We didn''t have time to rescue her, so she passed away. I haven''t announced it to the public." Luke looked at her and said slowly, "I''ve kept it hidden considering the poor health of my mother-inw. Old Master Rayne from her adoptive family is not in the best of health as well. Our children are still young, so..." Luca thought that it was a good excuse. He did not confess to her that Bianca was fake. He just said that she passed away, so in a sense, he was single... As such, he was able to pursue her. Luca had to admire Luke''s thoughtful thinking and was even a little worried that he had found out something. However, there was nothing unusual about the man... N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "Mr. Crawford, aren''t you sad that your wife passed away?" Luca asked. "Since she was kidnapped three years ago and reappeared, her temperament has undergone tremendous changes. Gradually, the rtionship between us has turned into nothing. When she was still around, I always felt that she wasn''t the Bianca I loved. Later, when she passed, I didn''t feel too sad." Luca kept silent. Even though she knew that some of Luke''s words were false, she could not help but get emotional. Seeing her silence, Luke said, "I''ve put it all on the table so you know how I feel about you. Luca, you should think about it. My feelings for you aren''t fake, and this isn''t a decision I made rashly. Have a good night''s sleep." Luca watched as he walked out of the bedroom, then stopped out of the blue. He said, "The weather is getting cold. Make sure you cover yourself up and don''t catch a cold." After that, he helped close the door on his way out. Luca looked at the tightly closed door and did not lie down for a long time. ''How can I sleep now?'' She could not sleep before, and now, her mind was upied by what Luke had said. She felt that her emotions were out of control. Luca grabbed some sleeping pills, sighed, and put them back down. She drank alcohol and could not take medicine now. Otherwise, she would suffer from terrible side effects... Luca, in desperation, turned off the bedsidemp andid down. Luke''s words seemed to be still ringing in her ears. She grabbed the nket and could not fall asleep for a long time. The next day. Luca got up early with dark eye circles under her eyes. She subconsciously walked more gently when she passed the maid''s room. It was still early, so she did not want to disturb Luke. On top of that, she could not face Luke after he told her that he was keen to woo her. Luca took out some ingredients from the refrigerator and made two simple breakfasts, one of which was packed in the bento box. She then went back to the bedroom to wash up, quickly put on light makeup to cover the dark circles under her eyes, and changed into a fresh set of clothes. She left with the bento box in her hands. She quietly closed the apartment door and left quickly. She was not sure how to react or deal with what Luke said the night before, so she opted to escape. She left the apartment early to avoid the embarrassment of the two meeting. Chapter 1743 After Luke talked to Luca, he fell asleep easily. After a dreamless night, he woke up to find that Luca had left the apartment. He raised his eyebrows when he saw the breakfast on the table. Luca did not usually make these dishes. Sometimes, when they were in a rush or if the prepared breakfast could not be eaten in time, she would make these dishes. Luke touched the toasted bread with his hand and found that it was cold. It seemed that it had been on the table for a while. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "What an ostrich." He looked at the breakfast prepared for him andmented in a soft voice. He felt relieved that he hadid it all out on the table. No matter how much Luca wanted to run away, she would not escape from his palm. No matter if she was Bianca or Luca, she was the love of his life. Luke nced at the time. He was not going back to the office that morning because today was the day Allison would get out of jail. Even though he had only visited her a handful of times in the past few years, he had to be present for such an important event. After Luke washed up, he sat at the dining table and ate breakfast while nning some tasks for Jason. Seeing that it was almost time, he drove off to the prison. Thewyer had already arrived and started on the paperwork to get Allison released. Luke stood at the door and waited. After a while, Allison came out. It was cold, so she put on a hat and a scarf that covered half of her face. No one could see what was going on with her face. The public knew of Allison''s release from prison, so there were many reporters around the prison gate. When she walked out of the prison, she noticed the reporters and quickly lowered her head. Some of the reporters immediately surrounded her. However, they were blocked by the prison guards. One of them scolded, "This is the prison. No one should mess around here." "Sir, we just want to interview her," a reporter exined. The prison guards'' superior had already briefed them, so they firmly stopped the reporters. "No, this is the rule." The reporters had no choice but to watch Allison, who waspletely covered up, get into Luke''s car. Luke looked at the reporters. The time of Allison''s release from prison was kept secret but seeing that there were so many reporters surrounding them, he was certain that someone had disclosed Allison''s release to the reporters. That person was probably Susan. Only Susan would want Allison to make a fool of herself in front of the reporters. Allison shut the car door and took off her scarf when she was certain that the reporters could not see her face. She watched Luke get in the car and asked, "Why are you the only one who came to get me? Where''s the doctor?" "Which one?" Luke started the car and left the prison. Thewyer would handle the rest. "The doctor who treated my skin with her herbal concoction. Why didn''t shee?" Allison was referring to Luca. Although her skin was not healed, there were no new scars and she was satisfied with the effects. "She''s working," Luke said. "What kind of work? Can''t you get her here? You can easily pay her any amount she wants," Allison said, dissatisfied. Since the herbal concoction worked, she wanted to see Luca again but thewyer was unable to help. Hence, she had no choice but to endure it. "She''s busy," Luke said. Allison snorted coldly and replied, "It seems that you''ve been getting worse and worse in recent years. You could still get people to do as you please a few years ago, but now, you can''t even get a doctor to come. Luke, I was in prison for a couple of years and couldn''t keep an eye on you. Have you gotten lazy? I told you, you can''t give Susan a chance!" Luke ignored what she said when he heard that she was thinking about fighting for power as soon as she got out of prison. Seeing that he did not respond to her, Allison said, "By the way, I''m moving back to Crawford Manor. Did thewyer tell you?" "Yeah," Luke replied. He knew all about it even if she did not say anything. Allison did not have much money. Her only fixed asset was the vi. If she lived in the vi, she would have no other funds. If she sold the vi, she would still have some money on hand. After all, her vi had appreciated over the years. However, if she sold the vi, she would have no ce to live. As such, whether the vi was sold or not, Allison would move back to Crawford Manor. "What''s the situation in Crawford Manor?" Allison continued to ask. Even with her face like this and the fact that she had stolen something from the manor, she did not feel any embarrassment or guilt. To her, Crawford Manor was her territory. "Same old," Luke replied. Allison took off her hat. She found a mirror from the belongings in her bag and nced at herself. She then put the mirror back in the bag, irritated. She med it all on the Crawford family. She swore that she would get back everything that belonged to her when she was back! Luke looked at her through the rearview mirror. With that look of resentment, he knew that when Allison returned to Crawford Manor, there would be a bloody storm. The tranquility of Crawford Manor was sure to be ruined. Luke thought about moving Luca into a bigger apartment, arranging for a maid, and taking the children to live with her. The children would certainly be happy and would not be involved in the dispute. Luke thought about it and was worried that Luca would not agree. Nevertheless, considering her concern for the kids, she would not be happy if she saw the children being involved in the drama between the adults. As such, he was confident that he could get Luca to agree. The kids were his secret weapon. Luke drove back to Crawford Manor. Before he could stop the car, the gate opened. Everyone at Crawford Manor knew that it was the day Allison got out of prison, so they got ready early. They cleaned her room and prepared some hearty food to wee her. Seeing that they had arrived at Crawford Manor, Allison said with dissatisfaction, "The decoration around the door has not changed after so many years. The old man''s taste is still the same. How boring." Luke did not say anything. Crawford Manor was renovated every year but it was based on the preferences of Old Master Crawford. The door had always been solemnly decorated and had not changed. "I''ll drive in," he said. Allison snorted coldly before putting on a hat and a scarf. She covered herself tightly so that the butler and maids would not see her face. Luke drove in and parked his car in the parking lot. Allison dawdled for a while before she opened the car door and got out. She tried to straighten her back to make herself look the same as before. The maids had already heard about the news that Allison''s face was ruined. Even if they were curious about how she looked, they did not look up so as not to anger her. "Wee home, Madam Allison," the butler and the maids greeted her in unison. Chapter 1744 Allison watched arrogantly as they weed her. She was discontented. The maids calling her ''Madam Allison'' reminded her that Susan was inside the manor, ready for a fight. Although the maids did not dare to look up at her face, she knew Susan must be waiting to make fun of her. Allison lowered the brim of her hat and said to Luke, "Come on. Walk in with me." Within the family, the only one she could rely on at that moment was Luke. Luke stayed silent when he saw that she did not dare to take a step forward. He made a gesture to the butler and walked in with her. The butler got the hint and dismissed the maids who were involved in the weing ceremony. Crawford Manor''s living room. Susan sat on the sofa. She held a cup of floral tea, drinking from it elegantly. She looked at the woman walking in, smiled, and said, "I was wondering why the butler brought all the maids together. It turns out that you''re released from prison today." Allison nced coldly in her direction, kept silent, and prepared to go upstairs. She knew that it was not a wise choice to argue with Susan now. She had to keep a low profile to prepare for the battle for what belonged to her. Seeing that Allison was avoiding arguing with her, Susan cleared her throat and said, "Is it appropriate for you to not even greet Old Master Crawford now that you''re back?¡± Allison stopped in her tracks. In all the years she was in prison, she had been holding a grudge against Luke and Old Master Crawford. Her son sent her into prison without a second thought while Old Master Crawford was constantly pursuing the matter. If they had given in and stopped the investigation, she would not have had to suffer so much. Luke nced at Old Master Crawford, who was sitting on the sofa with a gloomy expression. Old Master Crawford agreed to let her move back in because he did not want her to lose her reputation by living outside. This was a show of generosity. He would not hold her ountable for what she did in the past either. However, he was extremely dissatisfied with how Allison acted. Old Master Crawford firmly believed that manners maketh man. "Mother," Luke called out to Allison, hinting to her in a low voice. Even though he was already mentally prepared, he was not happy to see Allison be in a conflict with everyone at home on the first day she was released from prison. Allison knew what he meant. She turned around impatiently while cursing at Old Master Crawford and Susan in her heart. She greeted them, "Good morning, Old Master Crawford. I''m back. I''ll do my best in the future as your daughter-inw to honor you." "Mm." Old Master Crawford did not say much. He nodded while knowing that she was reluctant. Nevertheless, her greeting and reassurance meant she was taking into consideration his reputation. Susan listened to her words and sneered, her expression full of provocation. "It''s funny. In modern times, monogamy is the only legal form of marriage and I''m Zachary''s legal wife. Old Master Crawford only has one daughter-inw. Why do we have an extra one here?¡± Allison clenched her fists. She had been arguing with Susan about the issue for decades. She snorted coldly when it was brought up once more. "I''m Luke''s mother and Luke is the grandson of Old Master Crawford. As such, I''m Old Master Crawford''s daughter-inw. What? You''re unhappy about it? Even if you are, forget about it. Luke is the eldest grandson of the Crawford family and I''m Luke''s mother. This is the truth. Nothing can change it." With a bang, Susan mmed her cup on the coffee table and shouted, "So what if you''re Luke''s mother? If you think of this ce as your home, you wouldn''t have gotten someone to steal from here. You even left a scar on the forehead of my poor Thea! To be honest, I admire your shamelessness from the bottom of my heart. You even have the guts to return home after getting out of prison." She had disliked Allison for as long as she could remember. She took advantage of the opportunity to attack Allison from all angles. Old Master Crawford was sick of it when he heard the two of them beginning to attack each other within a few seconds of Allison''s return. He stood up and said, "That''s enough! It''s all in the past. Stop arguing!" "Dad, you''ve seen the wound on Thea''s forehead. If Yuri hadn''t taken her to South Korea for surgery, Thea''s face would have been disfigured. Why can''t I say anything about it? What I said is true, unlike her!" Susan looked at Allison resentfully. ''Why did she get released only after being locked up for a few years?'' Susan wanted Allison to be locked up for life! Old Master Crawford red at her and replied, "Will you be happy only when everyone knows about it?" The Crawford family was humiliated for having a thief daughter-inw like Allison. Fortunately, Luke''s high spirits pushed T Corporation to another summit over the years, which quelled this scandal and made people focus on T Corporation instead of the Crawford family. Susan snorted coldly and was even more discontent as she thought that Old Master Crawford was siding with Allison. She red at Allison. ''She''s nothing but a disfigured piece of trash. Why is he siding with her? All she did was give birth to a son who knows how to seize opportunities.'' Allison knew that Old Master Crawford wanted to calm the situation, so she did not say anything else. The Crawford family was not headed by Luke. It was still in the hands of Old Master Crawford. If she was going to live here, she would have to endure certain situations. Moreover, after the past events, she did not expect Luke to help her. The sons born by others were caring and stood by their mothers'' side. Meanwhile, Luke would always side with Bianca and logic. It seemed that she had some backing in the Crawford family, but in fact, she was isted and helpless. That was why she had to keep herself calm, at least when Old Master Crawford was impatient, and stop arguing with Allison. "I''m tired. If it''s alright, I''ll go upstairs first." Allison had a vicious look. After all, she had a hat covering her face, so no one could see her expression. "Go ahead. Your bedroom is still the same. The butler has already cleaned your room and prepared everything you need. Let him know if you need anything else." Old Master Crawford''s tone was not cold nor indifferent. Even though he was dissatisfied with Allison, she was still the woman involved with his dead son and Luke''s mother. He was willing to give her whatever she needed. Susan looked at Allison, who was going upstairs, and said in a dissatisfied tone, "I don''t know who she thinks she is. How is she so arrogant? She won''t even take off her hat, ugh." Old Master Crawford red at her. After he made sure that Allison had gone upstairs and was out of earshot, he said, "You know exactly why she''s wearing a hat! What this family needs now is some calm. Keep your mouth shut and stop causing unnecessary drama." After he said that, Old Master Crawford stood up and said to Luke, "Luke,e to my study." "Mm." Luke followed behind Old Master Crawford. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Susan sat on the sofa, picked up the cold flower tea, and put it down again. She muttered softly, "Who does she think she is?" Chapter 1745 In the study. Old Master Crawford watched Luke light the incense, then looked out the window. His eyes were cloudy. He seemed to have a lot on his mind. Luke closed the lid and said, "Grandpa, if you have something to say, just say it." "Is your mother''s face incurable?" Old Master Crawford knew that Luke had arranged for a doctor to go to prison to check on Allison but he never asked about it. After he saw Allison wrapping herself up like that, he knew that the treatment was not working as well as she hoped. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . "The wrinkles on her face are permanent and irreversible," Luke said. Old Master Crawford sighed. He knew that it was Allison''s fault and she had no one to me but herself. However, she would bring embarrassment to the Crawford family if she insisted on going out in public. He said, "This home is not peaceful, and it''s not good for the physical and mental health of the kids. If you want, you can move out with the kids and only bring them back to apany me during the holidays." "Grandpa, I know what to do." Luke nodded. He had already thought of this, but there were too many things happening recently. Hence, he had not made the necessary arrangements yet. "By the way, I gave Louis a sum of money and asked him to buy a house. I n to let him bring Thea there to live. If Susan wants to, she can also move there. I want to give you a heads up because his new house is near the house you bought recently. If you want to move out with the kids, you can choose to move there. Although the two of you aren''t from the same mother, you share the same father. I hope you can take care of each other," Old Master Crawford said. They were brothers, so their strength would be greater if they were united. He was old. He knew that the Crawford family would be handed over to Luke and Louis sooner orter. What he hoped was that the two could unite and not be estranged just because of their mothers. "Okay," Luke nodded. He also intended to move the kids away. He did not expect Louis to move into the neighborhood as well, but he was happy with it. At least they could still often meet and chat. Old Master Crawford waved his hand and said, "Okay, I don''t have anything else to talk to you about. I''m sure you''ve been busy with work, so I won''t take up any more of your time. You can get back to work." "Okay, Grandpa." Luke pushed the tea the butler brought in front of Old Master Crawford, then turned around to leave. If he did not have to pick up Allison, he would have been dealing with work at T Corporation. Luke walked to the ground floor from the study and found that Susan was still sitting there, eating some desserts prepared by the cook. When she saw himing down, she called out to him, "Luke, wait." Luke stopped and replied, "Mother, what can I do for you?" "Can I only call out to you if I have something that I need from you? I''m your mother. Can''t I stop you just to have a chat?" Susan deliberately picked a fight. "If all is well, I need to go to the office," Luke said nkly. When he was young, disputes between the adults would inevitably involve him. As he grew up, he started putting aside these family disputes. They hardly affected him now. Susan was dissatisfied when she saw him mentioning T Corporation every chance he had. ''Is he trying to show off that he''s capable? He''s just lucky. If it weren''t for him being a few years older than Louis, T Corporation would''ve never ended up in his hands.'' "I stopped you because I have something to talk to you about. Since your mother is disfigured now, I want to say that as her son, you should remind her not to wander around, especially at night. I don''t want her to scare the kids when they see her face. Otherwise, they''re going to have nightmares. If possible, she shouldn''te down during the day too. It''s petrifying." Susan deliberately made a scared expression and rubbed her arms. Luke said nkly as he knew that she wanted to pick a fight, "Don''t worry, she won''t walk around the house and scare anyone." Allison was a woman who cared a lot about her appearance. Now that she was back, she would not go out or downstairs unless she had to. Even if she wanted to roam around, she would wrap her face up tightly. Susan nodded with satisfaction and replied, "That''s good. I''m just afraid that if some ignorant maids see her face and they end up getting frightened, she''ll get pissed again. Some of the maids here might have connections with reporters. If her face is photographed, the Crawford family will be embarrassed." Luke listened to Susan''s words. She made it sound as though she was doing everything for the good of the Crawford family. He did not say anything and walked out of the living room. After he left, Susan snorted coldly and said, "How rude! I don''t know what Old Master Crawford sees in you. Why did he hand T Corporation to you?!" When the butler heard that, he brought her a te of melon seeds. Susan looked at him, puzzled. "I don''t want to eat melon seeds. Why did you bring me some?" "This is Old Master Crawford''s order. He wants you to eat more and talk less," the butler said softly. Susan was annoyed. She red at the butler and said, "Why can''t I say anything? Is there any freedom of speech in this household?" Seeing her reaction, the butler took the opportunity and said, "Old Master Crawford also said that if you''re not happy living here, you can move out with Young Master Louis. He has given Young Master Louis a sum of money to buy a vi outside. " "What did you say? Louis bought a vi? Why didn''t I know about this?!" Susan said in shock. She stood up immediately. "When did this happen?" "A few days ago. The vi is in the most luxurious area of the city and it has everything you need. The vi isvish. It''s in line with your temperament and identity," the butler said. Old Master Crawford had told him to put it that way when telling Susan. Old Master Crawford thought that it would be best if Susan moved out with Louis so that Crawford Manor would be much quieter when he and Allison were the only ones left. Susan frowned as Louis had not mentioned it to her. "Why don''t I know anything about this?!" "Maybe Young Master Louis wanted to give you a surprise. Do you want to move out?" the butler made a guess although he already knew why Louis did not say anything to her. Louis wanted to move out some time ago but Susan used her granddaughter as an excuse to reject. She felt that they would be giving Luke a chance if they moved out, so she kept asking Louis to live here with Thea. In that way, they stood a better chance of getting arger cut of the family fortune. However, Louis did not share the same thought. His hands were tied, but when he had the opportunity, he secretly made the arrangements. "Move out? Of course, I don''t want to. If I move out, that would just make things easier for that b*tch Allison!" Susan refused without a second thought. Although Old Master Crawford had privately given Louis money to buy a house, she was still reluctant to move out. She firmly believed that she would be able to get her hands on more resources if she continued to live there. Chapter 1746 The more Susan thought about it, the more she felt that something was wrong. She muttered, "No, I''m going to ask Louis about this. He''s so unsensible. What''s wrong with staying here? Why does he want to move out?" The butler watched her leave in a hurry and shook his head helplessly. Louis was the kind of person who did not fight for anything. It was normal for him to want to move out after being forced by her to fight for everything every day. ... After Luke arrived at the office, he immediately asked Jason to schedule a meeting. The entire management team was expected to be present, including Luca. After she received the news, Luca packed up the materials she needed for the meeting. As she carried herptop, she suddenly thought of what Luke had saidst night... This morning, she ran away and left like an ostrich. However, she knew that she would have to face him sooner orter... It was what it was. Although she had to deal with Luke because of work, she still felt ufortable... Tina knocked on her office door and walked in, "Dr. Craw? I saw that the lights were on in your office and guessed that you were still here. Don''t you have a meeting? Why are you still sitting here?" When she saw Tina''s smile, Luca immediately picked up the documents and materials she prepared for the meeting. "I was just thinking about something..." Tina suddenly came closer and stared at her face carefully. "Dr. Craw, you..." Luca touched her face and asked, "What''s wrong?" "Did you not rest wellst night? Your face is so dry." "You can tell even after I put on makeup?" Luca rubbed her face unconsciously. She was worried that Luke would wake up early, so she rushed her makeup and did not cover up the ws carefully. She did not expect that Tina would notice it at a nce. Tina nodded. "I have great eyesight, so I can see everything. Not only is your skin dry, but there are also dark circles under your eyes. It looks like you didn''t get a good night''s sleep and didn''t put on makeup carefully this morning. Look, some spots weren''t covered by foundation." Luca touched where Tina was pointing and said helplessly, "I went out in a hurry in the morning, I didn''t pay much attention to my makeup." "I assume you don''t have anything to touch up your makeup? I''ll lend you my makeup. You must look your best in front of everyone for the meetingter." Tina handed thepact foundation in her pocket to Luca. Luca took it, thanked her, then touched up her makeup. She looked at herself in the mirror and realized that her makeup was indeed not done properly. "Thank you." After she was done, she handed the foundation back to Tina. Tina took it, put it back in her pocket, and said with a smile, "I''m attending today''s meeting too. Shall we go together?" Luca nodded and left with Tina. Tina continued to gossip, "Dr. Craw, why didn''t you sleep wellst night?" "It''s nothing. It''s just insomnia," Luca said. She could not tell anyone about what Luke said to her the night before, including Nina. As such, she did not dare to say anything to Tina as well. Tina thought about it and said, "I think you''re losing sleep over love." "Don''t joke around. I''m not in love." Luca lowered her gaze and waited in front of the elevator. She could not admit it even if she was losing sleep over her romantic rtionship. "I''m not joking. Look at your face. Although your skin is in poor condition, it''s rosy. It looks like love is coming your way." Tina exposed her. Luca said helplessly, "I didn''t know that you were a fortune teller as well." "That''s right, I learned the craft from an olddy. Not only can I tell your fortune from your facial features, but I can also do palmistry. Dr. Craw, do you want me to take a look? I can do any type of readings, including romantic rtionships." Tina joked. "That''s impressive." Luca shook her head helplessly. After talking to Tina, she felt less anxious and much more energetic. The two took the elevator down and walked into the conference room together. Almost all of the heads of various departments were there. Tina quickly put down herptop, distributed the files in her hand to each executive, and said, " Good morning everyone. Do you want coffee?" "Yes, thank you," several of the executives responded. Tina went out to prepare some coffee. Luca sat on the right side of the CEO''s seat and felt more anxious than ever. When she saw Tina head out, she stood up and said, "Tina, I''ll help you." After Tina walked out of the conference room, she looked at Luca and said, "Dr. Craw, I can do it on my own. I''m good without your help." "Experiments are my forte. It''s not my forte to sit next to the CEO and take notes of the meeting. I''m not comfortable with how those executives are looking at me," Luca exined and helped Tina make coffee. Tina said cheekily, "It''s not the first time you''ve sat there, so why are you nervous?" "I don''t know either. Sitting there makes me feel like I''m being interviewed for university. It''s very ufortable. Maybe it''s because I''m not a professional in this and was pulled in at thest minute,¡± Luca exined. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . "Don''t put yourself down! Those in the management team of T Corporation are of high capability. You sitting next to them means that the boss recognizes your ability. Be confident in yourself." Tina comforted her. Luca shook his head. ''Luke acknowledged my capability?'' Before that, she thought that Luke got her involved because of ack of manpower. He could not trust strangers, so he chose her. Later, she thought these arrangements were made because Luke was used to her. However, what he said the night before made her realize that Luke''s arrangement might not be an endorsement of her ability but because he had ulterior motives. It was because he wanted to get close to her so that he could monitor her all the time. Even if it was not to monitor her, he definitely had other motives. As such, Luca felt out of ce when she sat there. She felt that she should not be sitting there. The confidence she had in the past was inexplicably disappearing little by little. In the conference room. An executive watched Luca go out with Tina and started to gossip with his colleagues. "This trantor looks young. The boss seems to pay a lot of attention to her. Have you heard anything about her?" "What could we possibly hear? She''s just a professor working in the research room downstairs who happened to have studied in Russia and has fair trantion skills. It just so happened that our Russian trantor is on maternity leave, so this task fell on her head." "I heard the same but don''t you think it''s strange? A young woman like her has that kind of ability?" the executive questioned. "She''s a research professor downstairs. I think it''s interesting that she''s here. I won''t believe it if someone says that she''s not somewhat involved with Mr. Crawford." "She does look young but I heard that this woman is actually about the same age as Mr. Crawford, maybe just a few years younger. I think she truly has the capability." Chapter 1747 They stopped talking as soon as Jason walked in. Jason nced at the seat next to the CEO''s and did not see Luca. He frowned and asked, "Where''s Dr. Craw? She''s not here yet?" "She''s helping Tina make coffee." The executive who led the conversation about Luca earlier replied. Jason nodded. It was not Luca''s job to make coffee but he did not say anything. He reminded them, "Get ready. The meeting is about to start. Mr. Crawford''s hands are full, so try to simplify things as much as possible when you presentter. Focus on key points so that you can save yours and other people''s time.¡± "Yes, Mr. Doyle." The executives knew how strict Luke was with work and agreed readily. Luca and Tina walked in with the coffee. When Jason saw them, he immediately stepped forward and picked up two cups of coffee. "Tina can handle this. Dr. Craw, you''d better take your seat." "Yeah, Dr. Craw," Tina said. The executives listened to what Jason said and sighed secretly in their hearts. From his attitude, they could tell that Luca was someone of special status. She was not just a trantor. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. They thought that maybe she was secretly involved with the boss. After all, someone had seen Luca attending Old Master Crawford''s birthday banquet, so it was believable for them to be in a hidden rtionship. Luca put the tray on the conference table and said, "It''s no trouble." Tina shook her head, put a cup of coffee in front of everyone, and then put one of the special brews where the CEO would sit. That cup of coffee was brewed by Luca. Tina knew that Luca was an expert in making coffee after seeing her skillful movements. As such, she poured the coffee she made into Luke''s special cup. Maybe their boss would like it considering Luca''s skilled coffee-making ability. Everything was ready, and Luke walked into the conference room. Luca saw the man who walked in and looked away immediately to look at theptop screen. She ced her fingers on the keyboard, ready to take meeting minutes. However, her mind unconsciously recalled what he saidst night. She remembered every word. Luca was a little annoyed with how good her memory was. She remembered everything that Luke said. Luke nced at Luca. She was sitting there stiffly but her posture was standard. At first nce, it was clear that she was avoiding him. All eyes were on him. She was the only exception. She made it obvious that she was trying to distance herself from him. Luke coughed twice, cleared his throat, and sat down in the chair. Luca noticed his coughing and could not help but worry if he had caught a cold. It was a little coldst night and he had waited for her in the car. ''Did he catch a cold because of it?'' That should not be the case, though. There was a heater in the car. Even if he had waited in the car, he should not be cold. After she was done drinking and Rain brought her to the car, she remembered that the heater in the car was turned on. Luca was thinking about whether Luke had caught a cold when she heard him cough slightly again. She was certain that he was sick and it was most likely from him waiting for her the night prior. She suddenly realized that Luke probably did not eat anything since he had waited outside the entire night. Of course, he would be sick. He was cold and hungry... Luca felt guilty all of a sudden. When they arrived home yesterday, she just avoided him and did not say anything. She did not consider that he might not have eaten anything after waiting all night... His stomach was not the best... When Luca was deep in thoughts, Luke said in a low voice, "Let''s start the meeting." Luca came back to her senses immediately, pressed the recorder, and started taking notes. The meeting was long because Luke was not satisfied with the updates from many of the executives. The meeting that was supposed to end in an hoursted two hours. They even missed their lunch break. Everyone was starving, but they made sure they carefully updated Luke about all the tasks on hand. Luke''s expression darkened. In the end, he said, "If I were the other party, I would have no intentions of working with us after seeing such a nonpetitive proposal. Work on the issues pointed out just now as soon as possible. I''ll give you a half-hour lunch break. After eating, start with the revision immediately. I want to see the revised proposal when we continue the meeting tomorrow morning." "Yes." "Got it." The executives knew they had to work overtime tonight but did not dare toin. After all, Luke was notorious for being picky about work. They dared not say anything. At the end of the meeting, the executives left immediately with the documents so that they had as much time as possible to work on the changes required. Tina packed everything up, stood up, and extended an invitation to Luca, "Dr. Craw, why don''t we go downstairs for a light meal?" Luke mentioned that they were allowed a half-hour lunch break. They had time to have a light meal. "Okay." Luca closed herptop and nced at Luke subconsciously. He had already stood up and left without looking back. He appeared cold and arrogant. ''Is he angry because he''s not satisfied with the executives'' progress? Or is he angry because I fled this morning?'' Luca looked at how Luke acted and unconsciously felt uneasy. She realized then that Luke was very important to her. His silence and cold expression were very different from the Luke she saw yesterday. Luca had a feeling that what she heard and saw yesterday was all a dream. However, the sleepless night made it clear that everything that happened was real. The greater the discrepancy in Luke''s actions, the more uneasy she was. Jason heard that they were going for a quick lunch and said, "Give me yourptops. I''ll help you bring them to your tables. It''ll save you a little time." When she heard that, Tina asked curiously, "Mr. Doyle, are you not having lunch?" "I knew that today''s meeting would run over time and we''d miss our lunch break, so I''ve already ordered something. My food can be delivered as soon as I notify the restaurant. Give me your things and quickly go eat," Jason said thoughtfully. Tina took his offer and gave him her things. "Thanks for the trouble, Mr. Doyle." Luca chimed in, "Mr. Doyle, thank you." Jason waved his hand and replied, "Go get a quick lunch. Although neither of you got criticized, they''ll have to change the proposal, which means that your workload will increase ordingly." Luca and Tina left the conference room. Jason looked at threeptops and a few folders, then called an intern to help bring them upstairs. Luca''s officeptop was carried by Jason because she had important trantion files on it. After he arrived upstairs, Jason noticed Luke had just stepped out of the elevator. "Boss," he greeted him. Chapter 1748 Luke noticed theptop in his hands and frowned. ¡°Is this Luca''sptop?" ¡°Yes, Boss. This is Dr. Craw''sptop. There''s only half an hour left ''til their lunch break ends, so I told them to go have their lunch first and I''ll bring theirptops back," Jason exined. Luke''s frown deepened. Would that make Luca think that he was an inconsiderate person while Jason was an understanding person? Jason looked at Luke''s expression. He could not help but wonder and asked, ¡°What''s the matter, Boss?" Luke said in a cold voice, ¡°Well, you sure know how to please others." He grabbed Luca''sptop from him. ¡°Is there anything else that belongs to her?" Jason quickly handed two folders to him and said, ¡°These belong to Dr. Craw..." Jason dared not to keep anything as he realized the extent of his boss'' possessiveness over Luca. Luke took them from him and asked, ¡°Where''s my lunch?" ¡°I''ve already ced the order this morning. It should be on the way here now," answered Jason. As Luke''s top assistant, he had already made arrangements for everything. ¡°Do women prefer men like you?" Luke asked. He was utterly depressed when he noticed that Luca did not even nce at him earlier. ¡°What?" Jason asked before realizing Luke''s tone when he asked the question. He quickly exined, ¡°No, Boss. Please don''t take it the wrong way. I''m just concerned about my colleagues. It has nothing to do with the romantic rtionship between a man and a woman. Don''t say that. I''ll be skinned alive if Sue finds out about this." Luke looked at him acting like a hen-pecked husband and thought Jason would never have the guts to harbor inappropriate thoughts about Luca no matter how bold he was. He was not only kind to Luca as he had gotten the intern to carry Tina''sptop too. "Put them away," said Luke. He carried Luca''sptop and folders in his hands as he walked into his office. Jason''s jaw dropped when he saw that. He wondered if he should remind Luke that those things he was carrying were Luca''s. The intern noticed that too and said in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Doyle, aren''t theptop and folders that Mr. Crawford is carrying Dr. Craw''s? Why is he bringing them into his office?" "Boss has his reasons for doing that. An intern like you should stop making wild guesses. Do your part and focus on your job. That''s how you''ll get a better future. Got it?" Jason snapped at him. The intern quickly nodded and replied, ¡°Yes, yes. You''re right, Mr. Doyle." ¡°I''m not lecturing you. I''m giving you work experience. Everything that the boss says or does is always right, no matter if it''s about work or some insignificant matter," Jason said while he headed to his office. It was easier for him to carry his things without Luca''sptop and folders. The intern followed behind him, and he grabbed the opportunity to ask, ¡°What if the supervisor or boss makes a mistake on some important matters?" ¡°Then you''ll have to mention it to them. But it has to be on the right asion and in the right tone. Don''t let your supervisor or your boss think that you intend to provoke them or doubt their capability and decisions," Jason continued to say. Then, the intern asked again, ¡°Have you ever pointed out to Boss about his mistake?" "No." Jason shook his head as he ced theptop on his table. Then, he looked at the intern with a straight face. "It''s not because I don''t dare to do so but that every decision our boss made has been the right one. That includes the copywriting that your department manager has to amendter. It''s the boss'' request to amend it. If you pay close attention to the work, you''ll realize the copywriting is dull. Boss isn''t going to give such copywriting quality a pass. So, it must be amended. Boss is very strict when it comes to work. He doesn''t make any mistakes." The intern ced Tina''s stuff on Jason''s table and gave him a thumbs up. "Our boss is pretty amazing." ¡°Yes. If you''re willing to work hard, you''ll be able to learn more in T Corporationpared to other companies. All the best,d." Jason patted on the intern''s shoulder. "Alright. That''s all for now. You may go downstairs first. Oh, don''t take the boss'' elevator." "Got it. Thank you, Mr. Doyle." The intern was very enthusiastic as though he was all fired up. Jason looked at the intern''s serious expression and shook his head. He recalled how he applied for a job to work in T Corporation after graduating from university. He became Luke''s assistant after working hard for some time. He had been working hard ever since. He learned many things while working with Luke. Many had told him that with his working experience and the connections he had built all these years, he would be able to seed if he started his own business. There was no need for him to remain working for Luke, and he would be able to advance his career. However, he did not listen to what those people said. It was fine for him to work for Luke, and it was not because he was resting on hisurels. He just thought he would benefit more if he worked for Luke. Moreover, although he was Luke''s subordinate, the rtionship they shared had long exceeded just that of a superior and subordinate after all these years. Luca and Tina had a simple and quick lunch downstairs. They had limited time for their lunch break, and they ran into a few senior managers who attended the meeting just now. They did not talk much to each other as there was not much time left. After lunch, Luca and Tina got into the elevator together and returned to their office. Both of them walked into Jason''s office as they thought Jason had their belongings. ¡°Have you taken your lunch?" Jason asked. "Yes." Tina saw herptop and folder ced on the side of the table. She left Jason''s office after she picked them up and thanked him. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Luca nced at his table and the coffee table near the sofa. She could not find herptop and folders, so she asked, "Mr. Doyle, where''s myptop and folders?" "They''re in the boss'' office. Please get them from him," Jason smiled and replied. Luca was startled. "Why are they in his office?" "Boss saw me carrying a lot of things and helped me carry some. Then, we realized your office door was closed, so he carried your things into his office. That''s why they''re in this office," Jason exined. Luca shrugged helplessly. That was quite a coincidence, huh? Luke left the meeting room before them. Besides, he took his private elevator. How did he manage to run into Jason? "Mr. Doyle, can you please go in and get them for me?" Luca asked. "Dr. Craw, I''m a little busy now. I''m sorry, I think you''ll have to take them yourself," said Jason. There was a reason why Luke brought her things into his office. Would he not be ignorant if he helped her take her things from Luke? As the boss'' assistant, he should help his boss to aplish anything he wanted. Chapter 1749 Luca was speechless. It seemed like Jason was not willing to help her. She would have to face Luke alone sooner orter. She pondered for a moment before walking out of the office. Rather than facing Luke alone at home, it was better to face him in the office. At least he would assess the situation and not do anything crazy to her. Luca thought for a moment and knocked on Luke''s office door. ¡°Come in." Luke''s voice came from the other side of the door. Luca pushed the door open and saw the man busy with his work. She took a deep breath and entered the office. "Mr. Crawford, I came to get myptop and folders." "They''re here." Luke pointed at the edge of his office desk without lifting his head. Luca nodded, picked up her things, and was ready to leave. "I need to talk to you," said Luke. Luca paused, then closed her eyes. She could not run away from him, so she had no choice but to listen. "Yes, Mr. Crawford?" "I''ll be busy for the time being and I''d like to take the apartment back. It''ll be more convenient for me to get to work and back," said Luke. Luca was stunned. Was he taking back the apartment? She did not think it mattered to her. She would just have to move back to her previous apartment. The journey to the office would be longer, but it was not a big deal. "Alright. I''ll go home and pack today. I''ll move out tomorrow," said Luca asplex emotions rose in her heart. Was Luke kicking her out of the apartment? Why would he do that? Was it because she did not give him a clear answerst night? Was that the reason he did not n to persist in pursuing her? If she moved back to her apartment now, Abel would know about it and he would think that she had failed her mission. She knew exactly what she would have to faceter. "I can''t get used to sleeping on the maid''s bed. That''s why I want the apartment back. I''ve prepared another ce for you. It''s not far away from the office." Luke continued to look at the screen. He was working and implementing his n at the same time. "Ah? Mr. Crawford, why don''t you move there, then?" Luca asked. It was troublesome for her to move here and there. Luke stopped working and lifted his head to look at her with his gloomy eyes. "My clothes and daily necessities are all in the apartment. I''m asking you to move out of the apartment so that I can save my time. As for your belongings, I''ll get a professional moving service to pack your things for you. You need not worry about it. Your things will be moved to the new ce." Luca listened to him. What he meant was that he refused to let her move back to the previous apartment and she had to move out of the current apartment too. She nodded and readily agreed to what he said. "Alright, Mr. Crawford." No matter what his arrangements were, he would not use ''working overtime'' as an excuse to stay with her in the future anymore. The distance between them would not grow too close either. Besides, the ce she was moving to belonged to Luke too. She could still lie to Abel so that he would not be in a rush to take any action. Luke said, "You may leave if there''s nothing else. I''ll send your new amodation''s address to you later." "Okay, Mr. Crawford." Luca only nodded her head and agreed to what he said. When she turned around carrying theptop and folders in her arms, she heard the man say, "I''m going back to Crawford Manor tonight. You don''t have to prepare my portion for tonight''s dinner and tomorrow''s breakfast." "Alright..." Luca left the office after that. She heard Luke coughing again when she closed the door. She thought of preparing some soup for him tonight to soothe his throat and lungs, but he was not going to the apartment tonight. Luca let out a sigh and shook her head. She carried theptop back to her office and forced herself to concentrate on her work. After Luke watched Luca leave, he stopped working and began to make arrangements for the move. He found a cleaningpany and asked them to clean the furniture and the vi. The vi would soon be his, Luca, the kids'' home. After that, Luke called the cleaningdy who had been cleaning Luca''s apartment. Once that was settled, he continued his work. In the evening, when everyone got off work. Luca returned to the apartment. She had mixed feelings when she saw that the cleaningdy had almost finished packing her stuff. Luke imed that he could not get used to sleeping in the maid''s room, but he had been sleeping there for a few nights continuously. How did he suddenly be not used to it? There was only one exnation. He had decided to give up on her as she did not agree to his request last night. Asking her to move out of the apartment was the best choice. He would not have to trouble the others to pack his things. After all, judging from his personality, he had always hated unrted people touching his personal belongings. His personal belongings would remain in the apartment. He would be able to move back to the master bedroom afterward. He handled the matter well by providing her with another amodation. Luca understood what was the purpose of him doing so. Their conversationst night had brought the two of them who used to be distant even farther away from each other. It seemed like she could no longer receive his special treatment. Luke would only treat rtionships like fast food now... "That''s great. I don''t have to follow Abel''s order to harm you. Even if I have to do something to hurt you in the future, you won''t fall into the trap just because you trust me so much." Luca looked at the luggage that was already packed. Then, she put the ingredients that she bought earlier in the kitchen. She took the ingredients out and realized that even though she knew Luke would not being over for dinner, she had identally bought the ingredients to make soup. With all these ingredients, she would be able to make a pot of soup that could cool the body and nourish the lungs. Luca shook her head helplessly. Since she had bought the ingredients, she would still have to make the soup. She recalled that Tina and Jason had been helping her during this period. She thought of putting the ingredients in the fridge first. She would wake up early to make the soup and bring it to the office to give it to them. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Luca ate something simple for dinner after nning it out. Then, she continued her work. She worked until 11 at night. She yawned, washed herself up, and went to sleep. She thought not being able to sleepst night would make her sleep well tonight, but when shey down on the bed, she tossed and turned. It was yet another restless night. She kept thinking about how Luke had asked her to move out. Luca slept on her side and touched the mattress gently. The bedsheets were new, but not the mattress. Luke must have slept on this mattress before she moved in here. Luca let out a deep sigh at the thought of moving to another ce without any traces of Luke having lived there before. She sat up on the bed and took some sleeping pills. Then, she reported to Abel and told him that Luke would arrange for her to move into a more luxurious apartment. She said that only because she did not want Abel to find out that Luke was distancing himself from her. She would continue to pretend that she had a chance to get together with Luke to make Abel believe in her. After shepleted everything, she put her phone aside. Soon, she felt sleepy under the influence of the drug. She fell deeply asleep. Chapter 1750 The following day. The people from the movingpany were already here when Luca woke up. She did not have a lot of things with her. There were only two suitcases of clothes and books, as well as some experiment instruments that were already packed. The people from the movingpany were busy for a while, then they started moving her belongings into the truck. One of them asked, ¡°Miss, would you like to follow us to the new address?" Luca thought Luke must have already made arrangements for her, so she shook her head and said, "I have to go to work. Send my things to the address and someone will meet you all there." "Alright." The worker from the movingpany turned around and left. Luca returned to the apartment. She took the antidote that had been separated from the fridge and put it in her briefcase. She did not trust the movingpany to move them there. After Luca brought the antidote with her, she distributed the soup into different sks and left the apartment with them. She turned around and nced at it the apartment before she closed the door. She recalled how reluctant she was when she first moved in here. She was finally leaving now, but her heart was full ofplicated emotions. She could find the words to describe how she was feeling now. Was she reluctant to leave? Luca looked down, mocking herself for having such feelings. Perhaps it was because she shared some memories here with Luke, so that was why she felt this way...ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . However, Luca moving out this time made her realize that Luke''s partner did not have to be her. His actions made his intentions clear. She did not agree to his request that time, and now, he was over her. It was better this way too. After Luca left the apartment, she hailed a ride and headed to the T Corporation. It was still early. Jason had yet to reach the office when she entered. Luca ced the thermos sks that were filled with soup on the table and began to trante the documents. There was a pile of documents that needed to be tranted. If she did not hurry up, she would not be able to trante all the documents in time. Jason would always pass by Luca''s office when he came to work. He popped his head around the door and curiously took a look when he saw that the lights were switched on. He saw Luca was already working. ¡°Good morning, Dr. Craw. Why are you so early?" Jason smiled and greeted her. ¡°I came earlier than usual today. Mr. Doyle, have you eaten your breakfast?" Luca smiled and asked. After she unconsciously bought the ingredients and made soup, she brought some to the office. She had prepared some for him too. ¡°Not yet. Sue has to apany the kids to the school to join the charity event today. She didn''t have time to look after me, so I bought breakfast when I was on my way here." Jason lifted the bag he was carrying in his hands. It was his breakfast. Luca took one of the thermos sks out and said, ¡°Mr. Doyle, I made some soup. It can nourish your body, especially your lungs. Here''s some for you." Jason was surprised to hear that. He had tried Luca''s cooking before and knew that the soup must taste good. ¡°Thank you, Dr. Craw. The weather has been cold, so I was thinking of drinking something hot." He came forward and took it from her. Then, he noticed there were two sks left. He asked, ¡°Are these for Boss?" "Uh..." Luca scratched her head. She thought of telling him that she did not prepare anything for Luke. There were two sks left. One was for herself, while the other was for Tina. Jason noticed that she was holding back her words and made a guess. ¡°You didn''t prepare some for Boss?" ¡°I don''t think Mr. Crawford needs it." said Luca. After all, if Luke wanted to eat something, he would not starve no matter where he went. Jason shook his head and looked at Luca''s face. He was wondering if she really had no idea or if she was doing it on purpose. ¡°Dr. Craw, I think it''d be better if you prepare another one for Mr. Crawford. Or should I give mine to him?" Jason said. If Luke knew Luca had prepared soup for Jason but not him, would he not be skinned alive? Luca listened to him and understood what he meant. Indeed, it was inappropriate if she prepared things for the others but not him. However, Luke had already made such arrangements. If she prepared his portion, would she not cause him to misunderstand? Luca pondered for a few seconds. She had no choice but topromise. She handed her sk to him. ¡°You can give Mr. Crawford this." ¡°Oh, so you already have his portion. Well, you prepared the soup. Of course, it''d be better if you gave it to him yourself. Thank you for your soup. I''m going back to my office to work first." Jason carried the thermos sk and left. Luca could not stop him even when she called out to him. She watched him leave, then she nced at the sk of soup. Was she really going to give it to Luke herself? She shook her head. She lowered her head and continued to trante the documents. Luke would always pass by Luca''s office when he went to his office. He saw Luca working with her head lowered when he passed by. He remained silent and walked past her office right away. Before Luca could lift her head, Luke had already walked past her office. She stood up unconsciously, but she wondered if it was impolite for her to stand here and call out to Luke. Hence, she sat down embarrassingly. When Luke passed by Jason''s office, he saw that Jason was drinking soup. He stopped and asked, ¡°What are you doing?" "Boss, I''m drinking soup." Jason noticed that Luke was not holding a thermos sk and wondered if Luca had given him the soup yet. ¡°Drinking soup early in the morning?" Luke raised his eyebrows. He could smell the fragrance of the soup from far away. Jason exined, "Dr. Craw gave it to me. It won''t taste as good when it''s no longer warm." Luca prepared soup for Jason? "Who gave it to you?" Luke asked again. "Dr. Craw." Jason intentionally pretended that he did not know about Luke''s feelings and repeated. Luke''s nce turned cold. Luca would rather make soup for a man who had nothing to do with her than to prepare some for him? Was he still in her heart? Jason looked at Luke''s gloomy face, held back hisughter, and pretended to put on a confused expression on his face. "Boss, do you have any orders?" Luke left without a word and walked back to his office. Jason quickly finished thest sip of soup. Luke''s expression was too exciting to watch just now. He believed Luke would have taken the soup from him right away if he had not drunk any of it. "Dr. Craw, hurry up and give him the soup. Otherwise, everyone in the office will be in trouble," he muttered to himself. He had taken the risk to make Luke upset. If Luca did not deliver the soup to Luketer, it was not just Jason but even the senior managers would also be in trouble when they attended the meetingter. Luca finished arranging the meeting minutes yesterday. She printed out the tranted documents and brought them to Jason''s office. "Mr. Doyle, these are the arranged documents and tranted data. Please take a look." Jason shot a nce at them before closing them. Then, he said, "I''ll keep the meeting minutes. You should hand the tranted documents to Boss." Luca heard him and said, "Shouldn''t you be handing them to him?" Chapter 1751 "Didn''t you prepare soup for Boss? You can pass it to him along with the documents." Jason dared not to enter Luke''s office as he might cross the line. He was just joking before, but he dared not do it anymore. Besides, if Luca did not go into Luke''s office, the rest of them would all be in troubleter. Jason urged Luca to do it. She did not tell him about her hesitation. Jason noticed that she was not taking any action, so he said, "Boss saw me drinking the soup just now. He looked mad." "Did you tell him that I gave you the soup?" Luca wanted to know if he did it on purpose. Jason did not have to piss Luke off. "Yes. Boss was wondering why I was drinking soup early in the morning. His expression changed when he knew it was you who gave it to me. Dr. Craw, we have to attend a meetingter. If Mr. Crawford isn''t in a good mood, we''ll all be screwed." Jason recalled the look on Luke''s face. It was as ck as ink. It would be hard to resolve this. Luca was probably the only one who could chase away the dark clouds above Luke''s head. Luca listened to what Jason said and could not help but doubt him. However, she had no choice but to bite the bullet when she saw him refusing to bring the documents in for her. "Alright." She picked up the tranted documents and walked back to her office. There was only one thermos sk left. Luca hesitated for a moment before picking it up. Then, she headed to Luke''s office. Knock, knock. Luca knocked on the door. She had been having thisplicated feeling since Luke asked her to move out of the apartment. Luke''s voice came from inside the office. "Come in." Luca pushed the door open and looked at the man behind the office desk. Indeed, his face was sulky like what Jason had told her. "Mr. Crawford, I''ve finished tranting the documents." She walked into the office and stopped after taking two steps forward. "Put them here." Luke did not lift his head. Luca walked to his office desk and ced the documents on it. Then, she put the thermos sk on his desk too. She took a deep breath and turned around, ready to leave. Luke called her. "Wait." Luca stopped walking, then she turned around and looked at him. ¡°Mr. Crawford, do you need anything else?" Luke pointed at the thermos sk and asked, "What''s this?" Luca thought, ''Doesn''t he know about it? Why would he ask when he already knows it?'' She did not know how to answer him. She had no choice but to answer honestly, "It''s soup. I made it this morning." "All of a sudden?" Luke stared at her. It was difficult to figure out what he had in mind with those dark eyes. "I bought the ingredients yesterday. I''m moving out soon, right? I can''t possibly move the ingredients there too, so I prepared some soup. This soup can help to clear the heat in one''s body and nourish your lungs. You''ll feel much better if you have it during this season," Luca exined, trying hard not to let him think too much into it. She bought the ingredients to make the soup only because she heard him coughing. Luke''s tone sounded a little cold as he listened to Luca''s exnation. "You made soup for everyone. Luca, you''re not thepany''s chef. You''re my trantor and the research professor downstairs." Luca could sense his dissatisfaction in his voice. She nodded. "Yes, Mr. Crawford. I''ll take note of it." Even though she did not prepare the soup during working hours, she admitted that she was wrong. She did not want the man to mention that particr topic to her again. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Luke saw her behavior and knew no matter what he said, it would not affect her. He would only end up feeling more dissatisfied. Then, Luca asked, "I can take it out if you don''t want the soup." "Put it there. Go out and get ready for the meetingter." Luke did not let her take it out with her. There was nothing he would like better than Luca bringing soup for him to drink. He had deliberately coughed in front of her yesterday just to see her reaction. He did not expect Luca to prepare some soup. He thought it was a good thing. However, he never thought that she would share the soup with Jason. He was unhappy about it. Luca listened to him, nodded her head, turned around, and left. Luke''s office door was closed again. He picked up the thermos sk and noticed the sk seemed to be slightly different from the one Jason was holding. It looked like it had arger capacity. She made it specially for him... Luke''s mood brightened up a little at the thought of this. His woman should not be treating other men kindly. She should only be treating him kindly. He opened the thermos sk and took a sip of the soup. The soup was freshly made in the morning. It had been kept warm until now. It tasted fresh and stimted his taste pte. Luke smiled satisfyingly. His unhappiness had disappeared into thin air after he found out Luca was giving him the special treatment. Pierre''s vi. Ninay down on the bed, feeling weak. It was her second day on hunger strike... She did not eat anything yesterday, nor did she drink anything. She was exhausted, and she was no longer able to walk. She had no choice but toy down on the bed to reduce her physical activities. She looked outside the window. The sky was bright again. It had been two nights, but no one came to save her. She could not even find a way to get herself out. Nina was able to feel the despair Luca had experienced when Pierre held her hostage back then. She was impressed with Luca''s courage too. After Luca went through something that was a hundred times worse than what she was going through now, Luca was still able to stay strong. If it had been her who went through all those things, she might have already copsed and broken down crying. The bedroom door was pushed open and the maid came in. She noticed that Nina did not even touch the dinner she brought to herst night. She shook her head. ¡°Ms. Nina, don''t me me for doing it the hard way if you insist on being so stubborn." Nina gave the maid who threatened her a haughty look and said in a cold voice, "What can you do to me? Force me to eat? I''m telling you, if you dare to do so, I''ll smash my head on the wall, or I''ll shove my fingers down my throat to throw up the food. I''m pretty good at inducing vomiting." The maid listened to Nina. She was still able to talk so much. Even though she was weak, at least her body condition was still good. She replied, "I know it''s impossible to force you to eat, but we have plenty of ways to do it. You''re weak and skinny. Others might be able to survive for a few days, but you''ll never make it past two days. So, don''t me me for being harsh to you if you still refuse to have breakfast." Nina turned away, ignoring every word she said. They could not do anything to her no matter how stubborn she was. Pierre would have ordered it. The maid was a little angry when Nina gave her the attitude. What an ungrateful woman. If it had not been Pierre who gave his orders, she would have already done it the hard way. She put the breakfast down, then turned around and left. Nina heard the sound of the bedroom door being closed. She could smell the fragrance of the food. She stared nkly at the ceiling. Perhaps, no one wasing to save her. Chapter 1752 Nina had been lying on the bed for the whole morning. The maid did note in to disturb her anymore. The bedroom was pushed open when it was noontime. The maid came and saw that the breakfast was left there, untouched. She could not help but mock Nina. "Ms. Nina, you sure know how to waste your food." Nina closed her eyes, refusing to talk to her. No matter what she said, she would not be able to get out of here. She figured that she would save some energy for herself. The maid nced at the person at the door and said, ¡°Since Ms. Nina refuses to eat, then please give her a nutrition injection.¡± "No!" Nina opened her eyes. She knew what a nutrition injection was and she refused to get that. She thought of showing defiance against Pierre by refusing to eat and asking him to let her go. If she was given the nutrition injection, it was useless for her to go on a hunger strike. Although nutrition injection was not as good as eating food, it could keep her alive and prevent anything from happening to her. The expression on the maid''s face was cold. She did not n to listen to Nina. After all, this was Pierre''s arrangement. "Ms. Nina, we gave you a chance, but you didn''t appreciate it." While she said that, two people in white robes who were standing at the door came into the room. Nina did not ask for help. It was because she knew the people who could enter the vi all worked for Pierre. They would not betray that man just to save her. "Even if you''re nning to give me the injection, I won''t cooperate!" Nina sat up and looked at the people in front of her defensively. The maid refused to listen to her. She watched the male doctor take a straitjacket that was used to restrict mental patients out of his medical kit. He exchanged nces with the female doctor. Both of them carried the straitjacket and headed toward the bed. Nina realized what they were nning to do. They were going to restrict her and give her the nutrition injection. "Go away! Don''t touch me!" She resisted. The maid did not listen to her and worked together with the female doctor to restrict Nina. Nina was on a hunger strike, so she was already physically weak. The two of them were working together to restrict her. There was nothing Nina could do. Her struggle was nothing to them. After the maid restricted her with the straitjacket, she looked at Nina and mocked her. ¡°Ms. Nina, if you had listened to me and taken your meals, things wouldn''t have be so troublesome. Look at you. Even two women can easily handle you now. What''s the point of making a fuss?" Nina closed her eyes desperately. It was pointless, indeed. It only took two people to stop her. What made her think that she could escape Pierre''s imprisonment when this was his arrangement for her? Luca had Luke and the others looking for her when she was kidnapped. Now, she was locked up by Pierre, but she was afraid that no one had noticed she was missing. Would someone evene looking for her? Percy came across Nina''s mind. She could not help but let the tears stream down from the corners of her eyes. She thought it was Percy who had caused her to suffer all these years, but after seriously thinking about it for two days, it seemed like Percy had nothing to do with it at all. If it had not been for him, her life would have been much tougher. She might not have been able to treat Anna either. The misfortune that happened to her could be said to be caused by Julian, or maybe Pierre. It was definitely not Percy. Percy was by her side during all these years. She took it for granted and med Percy for all the misfortune that happened to her. Percy was the innocent one. He was clearly the good guy, but she had been treating him like he was the viin. He put up with her temper when he did not have to... The male doctor finished mixing the form for the nutrition injection. He hung the bag and lifted Nina''s arm. Nina was restricted by the straitjacket and could not struggle. However, when her hand was lifted, she subconsciously clenched her fists. The doctor frowned. It was difficult for him to inject her she did that. The male doctor looked at Nina, who was being restricted yet still refused to give in. He reminded her, saying, "Ms. Nina, if you continue to behave this way, I have no choice but to give you a tranquilizer. Once you pass out, I''ll give you the nutrition injection. You''ll feel horrible when you wake up after getting a tranquilizer shot." Nina had experienced it before, so she could not help but shiver. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Perhaps the maid was right. No matter how hard she tried to struggle, it was useless. She had to receive the nutrition injection anyway. Maybe she should consider her ownfort now. Nina slowly unclenched her fists. When the male doctor knew that his threat was working on her, he nodded his head with content and began to give Nina the injection. The needle slowly pricked into her veins. Nina felt a slight pain, then she felt the tape sticking on the back of her palm. She opened her eyes. There was a dull look in them. The female doctor adjusted the intravenous rate of flow, then she said to the maid, "The therapy has begun. We''ll leave first. It''ll take about half an hour toplete the intravenous therapy." The maid replied worriedly, ¡°Will she do anything to hurt herself if we leave her alone here?" The male doctor chuckled and showed no mercy for Nina''s current situation. "It''ll be fine. With the straitjacket on her, it''ll be difficult for her to pull the needle off, not to mention hurting herself." The maid listened to him and nodded. The female doctor turned to look at Nina and saw there were tears at the corners of her eyes. She showed a littlepassion for Nina and said, "Don''t worry. You must feel ufortable after starving for a few days. You''ll feel better with the nutrition injection." The three of them left after that. Nina was lying on the bed, struggling to look up at the IV solution at the head of the bed. The solution was flowing into her body through her vein little by little, supporting her life. Even though she could stay alive with the nutrition injection, she knew her days were numbered. Pierre was an impatient man. He would be harsh on her when her menstruation cycle ended... Nina was thinking about Percy. She had no idea whether or not the man was shameless enough to continue to look for her at her apartment after she kicked him out. Perhaps not. He would have already gotten her out of here if he was really looking for her. Well, she had been mean to him. How could a privileged person like Percy endure her so much? He was such an outstanding man who would neverck women. Why should he hold onto a stubborn, ugly woman who had no status or good family background? Nina smiled bitterly. It had been days since shest went to Brilliant. She did not know if Sue had noticed that she was missing. However, she recalled that Percy would always bring her out of A City from time to time. She would often be absent from work for quite some time. Sue would not say a word about it. She would not look for her either. Sue probably had yet to find out about it. As Nina thought about it, her consciousness was slowly getting blurry. She fell deeply asleep. Half an hourter, the female doctor came in. She noticed that the intravenous therapy was almost done, so she stood beside the bed and waited for it to finish. She then pulled off the needle. The maid walked into the room worriedly. She did not hear anything, so she asked, "What''s wrong with her?" Chapter 1753 The female doctor replied, "She''s asleep. Don''t worry. We added a drug that puts her to sleep in the IV drip to prevent her from crying and causing us any trouble." The maid nodded. The female doctor looked at Nina''s face and sighed quietly. "She''s hardly considered a stunning beauty. Her figure is slim and looks good, but she''s way too skinny in some parts. She''s different from the other women Boss used to be with." The two doctors were private doctors whom Pierre had hired. That was why they knew most of Pierre''s ex-girlfriends. The maid said, "As ordinary as she looks, this woman seems to be Boss'' favorite. Now, stop talking nonsense. You''ll probably get into trouble in the future if she can hear you. Judging from her situation now, she''s going to submit to the boss sooner orter." "She''s asleep now. She can''t hear any of this. Rx," said the female doctor. The IV drip had just finished. She pulled off the needle, pressed on the injection spot for a while, and let go of it. After confirming that the wound on Nina''s hand was no longer bleeding, she brought the equipment with her and left the room. "Oh, if she refuses to eat again, we''ll have to give her another shot at noontime tomorrow. The nutrition injection can onlyst 24 hours." "Alright." The maid looked at Nina who was deeply asleep. Then, she walked out of the room and closed the door. She took her phone out and reported to Pierre about what had happened. It was already evening. After Lucapleted her work, she gave Percy a call. She felt upset after knowing that his men were still looking for Nina, but they did not have a clue where she was. She looked at her phone. The thought of using the resources from the Ind of Despair came into her mind. However, Abel was looking at her. If Abel knew that Nina was one of her weaknesses too, Nina would probably be in danger if anything happened in the future. She dispelled the thought when she thought of this. Knock, knock. Someone was knocking on her office door. Luca lifted her head and saw Jason standing at her door. She stood up and asked, "Mr. Doyle, what''s the matter?" Jason replied, "Dr. Craw, isn''t it time to get off work? Why are you still sitting here?" Luke was in a good mood today. He did not go too far when stating problems with the department managers'' work during the meeting. Besides, everything was on schedule. That was why they could get a rare chance to get off work on time. Luca nced at the time. Indeed, it was time to get off work. She smiled and said, "I''m leavingter." "Alright. Oh, I came to return your thermos sk," said Jason. He put down the thermos sk he was carrying in his hands. Luca replied immediately, "There''s no need to. You may take it. I won''t be using it either." Jason did not insist on returning the bottle. He smiled and left. Luca stood up to clean up her table. She recalled that she had already moved out when she was about to leave. Luke had yet to tell her the address... Luca hesitated for a moment. She sent a message to Luke as she did not want to be homeless: [Mr. Crawford, you haven''t sent me the address.] After a while, Luke sent her the location. Luca looked at it and frowned. This area was a vi district, right? Besides, it was a vi district located near the office. Luke asked her to move out of the apartment and into a vi district? Most of the vis there were upied by people with families. Was it not too luxurious for her to stay there alone? Moreover, it was inappropriate. Luca had a feeling that if outsiders were to learn about this, they would think that Luke was keeping her as his mistress. This vi would seem like the ce where he was hiding his mistress. [Mr. Crawford, did you send me the wrong location?] Even though she knew Luke was unlikely to have sent the wrong location to her, she confirmed with him once again. [No, I didn''t. The movingpany has moved your things into the house. The vi uses a digital door lock too. The passcode is the same as the one at the apartment.] Luke replied to her message soon after. Luca looked at Luke''s confirmation and shook her head. She punched out, hailed a cab, and headed to the new address. Luca found the location of the vi based on the address given by Luke. She looked around the vi and realized that the privacy of the vi was pretty good. There was some distance between the vi in front and behind it. There was another vi on the other side. Luca saw that the lights were lit in that vi, and there were noises of an electric drilling machine. Luca knew that the vi was under renovation. The door opened after she keyed in the passcode. Luca pushed the door open and walked into the vi. A spacious front yard came into sight. She looked at the design of the front yard. There was a pavilion, swing, and various kinds of vegetation that could withstand the cold. Even though the weather was getting cold, the vegetation was still green and alive. She also noticed that there was a huge rose flower wall in front of her. The front yard decorations suited her taste very much. Luca walked down the front yard and into the living room. She saw that her boxes were left there. She headed to the kitchen first, then ced the antidote into the fridge''s freezerpartment. Then, she opened the boxes one by one. She found the master bedroom and study room. Then, she sorted out her things. It was already dark outside when she finished settling down. Luca sat on the sofa, reluctant to move around. After a while, the doorbell rang. Was that Luke? As she wondered, she saw that the person standing outside the door through the surveince camera was not Luke. It was the delivery man. She went to open the door with some confusion. "Hello Miss, this is the food that you ordered. Enjoy your meal." The delivery man handed the food to her as soon as he saw Luca open the door. Luca was confused and asked, ¡°I didn''t order any food delivery. Did you send it to the wrong ce?¡± The delivery man nced at the house number and confirmed with her. "Yes, I didn''t send it to the wrong ce. The address given on the food delivery app stated that it''s here. May I know if you''re Ms. Luca?" "Yes." Luca nodded, but she emphasized again, "But I didn''t order any food delivery." "Sure enough, the food is yours. Perhaps it was your husband who ordered it for you? Besides, I needed the passcode toe in here. That''s why I''m pretty sure I''ve gotten it right," the delivery man said. Luca had no choice but to ept the takeout from him. Luke was the only one who knew she was staying here. She shot a nce at the information given on the receipt. The address given was indeed this house, and her name was on it. However, the phone number listed was Luke''s. "Yes, this is my takeout. Thank you." She thanked him. The delivery man smiled and said, "It''s alright. Enjoy your meal." Luca watched the delivery man leave. She turned around and walked in. Then, she closed the door. Luke happened to order food takeout for her at this time. What perfect timing. After she packed away everything, she no longer had the energy to prepare dinner for herself. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Luca could not help but wonder if he had installed surveince cameras in the house. Otherwise, how did he time it out perfectly? Chapter 1754 Luca ced the takeout on the dining table. This vi was big. It was much biggerpared to the bachelor''s apartment. She walked around the house, wondering if Luke had installed surveince cameras in the house. However, she did not find any. Even so, her not being able to find any did not mean that none were installed. Luca sat on the chair beside the dining table and looked at the takeout. She was lost in thoughts. Her phone rang. She nced at it and saw that there was a message from Luke. Luca tapped on the screen. His voice came into his ears. ¡°Have you received the takeout I ordered?" The man''s voice was deep and hoarse as though it was a ray of sunshine in the cold weather, slightly warming up her cold heart. Luca was startled. She picked up the phone and replied to him, "I got it. Thank you, Mr. Crawford." [You''re wee. Eat it while it''s warm.] Luke did not send an audio message this time. He replied with a text message instead. Luca looked at those six simple words. Then, she opened the lids of the food containers. Luke had ordered all her favorite food... She picked up the spoon and ate a mouthful. It tasted good. Luca thought of cleaning up after dinner. However, she realized the whole vi had already been cleaned up. Hence, she walked into the study. She was nning to continue her research since she was free tonight. An hourter, Luca received Amur''s call. "Amur, why are you calling me at this hour?" Luca asked. She knew Amur was busy with his mission, so she tried her best not to disturb him. Luca had no idea about how Amur''s mission was going. She was worried about him. Amur listened to Luca''s voice and took a deep breath. He sounded excited. "Luca, I''ve aplished my mission here." "You''ve aplished your mission?" Luca was surprised. She did not receive any news from him the entire time. What was his mission? "Yes. I can return to A City to protect you tomorrow onward." Amur could not hide the excitement in his voice. That was great. Finally, he was able to return here safely. Luca''s voice became excited too. ¡°What time will you be reaching A City tomorrow? Do you need me to pick you up?" "No. I can go back myself. It''ll bete. There''s just one more thing I need to take care of first." Amur hung up the phone after that. Luca had always seen Amur as her younger brother. He coulde back safely now. After worrying about him for so long, Luca could now set her mind at rest. She suddenly thought about whether Amur should stay in the apartment or the vi after he returned. This seemed to be difficult. Although the people on the Ind of Despair had killed people before, she refused to let Amur continue staying in the apartment. Besides, he might be against it too. However, the vi... This was Luke''s vi. If he could ask her to move in, then he would be able to ask her to move out too. Luca thought she would have to ask for Luke''s permission if she wanted Amur to move in here. She pondered for a moment and opened her contacts on her phone. She would not be able to exin it clearly through an audio message. She had no choice but to call Luke. After the call was answered, Luca spoke in a gentle voice. "Mr. Crawford, are you busy?" "Yes. It''ste. What''s the matter?" Luke was a little surprised that she would call him at this hour. It was because Luca could not wait to set boundaries between them. It was inappropriate for her to call him now. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "My younger brother ising back tomorrow. I want to ask you whether he''s allowed to stay in the vi with me." Luca asked. There were enough rooms in the vi. If Luke gave her permission, she would clean up a room after this. "Younger brother?" Luke frowned. "Yes. His name is Amur. We''re not biologically rted but I consider him my younger brother. You''ve met him before." Luca reminded him. Luke remembered. Amur was that tall Russian man. Amur was not Luca''s younger brother, and he knew that well. He reckoned that Amur was rted to the power that was manipting Luca behind her. However, if he was one of those who was manipting her, why would Luca care about Amur? Luke frowned at the thought of this. He felt ufortable when he recalled how much Luca cared about Amur and the fact that they had been staying in an apartment together for quite some time. "Mr. Crawford?" Luca called out to him when she did not hear any answer from him. Luke snapped back to his senses. He said without a second thought, "I don''t think it''s convenient to do so." "Ah." Luca did not expect Luke to disagree with it and use such an excuse too. "Alright." She had no choice but to agree with it. After all, it was Luke''s vi. It was no good for her to continue asking about it. "Anything else?" Luke sounded a little annoyed as jealousy filled his heart. Although Luca did not have romantic feelings for Amur, she actually asked him if she could stay with Amur. He was unhappy with it from the bottom of his heart. "There''s nothing else, Mr. Crawford. Sorry for disturbing you. I''m hanging up now." Even though Luca had considered the possibility of Luke rejecting her, she was still unable to understand why when she heard him saying no. Why did he turn her down? Luca nced at the time. It was already 11 o''clock at night. The vi had already been cleaned up. If Amur came to stay here tomorrow when he came back, there was no need for her toe back and forth. Besides, after everything that Amur had done for her, she felt the need to take care of him. However, Luke had refused her request. Luca kept the experiment instruments and went to her bedroom to change into casual clothes. Luca still had to go to work tomorrow. She would not have time to return to the apartment to clean it up tomorrow. Hence, she nned to hail a ride now and tidy up the apartment as she thought it was still early. It had been a long time since someone stayed in that apartment. Every piece of furniture in the apartment was covered with dust covers, but the ce still needed a good cleaning up. Amur was a casual person. It did not matter where he stayed. However, if she did not clean up the ce, judging from Amur''s personality, he would not clean it either. He would just settle down right away. Luca brought her phone and the apartment''s key with her before leaving the vi. She walked out of the vi district, hailed a cab sessfully, and headed to the apartment. It had been quite some time since Luca came here. The security who was on shift was still able to recognize her. He let her enter the apartment without asking too many questions. Luca frowned when she pushed the apartment door open. It was just like what she expected. The apartment was still a little dirty after it had been empty for quite some time. Luca took the dust covers off the furniture. Then, she took the cleaning tools out and started to clean. It was already 12:30 a.m. after she finished cleaning up. She nced at the lights outside the window. Most of the lights were turned off. She nned to stay here for the night. She would go to T Corporation immediately tomorrow. Chapter 1755 The next day. Luca opened her eyes. It was already a quarter past seven. As it was about time to go to work, she headed to the master bedroom and took a set of office wear out. She did not move out everything when she moved outst time, and she kept some of her things here. Although the clothes were thin as they were meant to wear during early autumn, she would still be able to make do. She checked the weather forecast, and it showed that it would not be too cold today. After Luca washed herself up, her phone rang when she was about to leave. She picked it up and nced at it. It was Luke. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Crawford." She answered the call, sounding cautious and serious. Luke was standing outside the vi. He pressed on the doorbell again. "Are you still in bed?" "No, I''m awake. I''m about to go out and head to the office. Is there anything you need?" Luca thought he called her early in the morning to give her work to do. Luke frowned. She was about to go out? Then why did no one answer the door when he had been ringing the doorbell for ten minutes? "I''m outside the vi," said Luke. Luca was stunned. She paused her gestures while she was changing her shoes. She nced at the time and said, "Uh, I''m not in the vi." "Where are you?" Luke asked. He had only asked her to move in yesterday but she was not here today? "I''m at the apartment, my own apartment. My brother ising back soon, so I came back here to clean it up," Luca exined. "You slept in the apartment after you finished cleaning up?" Luke''s brows furrowed together. It seemed that Luca was very concerned about this brother who had no blood ties with her. The concern she had for Amur was how a sister treated her younger brother. However, Amur''s feelings for Luca were not as simple. When they met each other thest time, his instinct told him that Amur had feelings for Luca. "Yes. It was toote, so I slept there. Don''t worry. I''m heading to the office now. I won''t bete." Luca promised him. She refused to think about the reason why Luke showed up in front of the vi. She was still running away like an ostrich from Luke and his feelings for her. Luca thought that he had made it clear by asking her to move out of the apartment. However, what he was doing now made her confused again. What was Luke doing? Why was he giving her the wrong impression that he cared about her? Luke looked at the breakfast he was holding in his hand. He was worried that Luca did not have any ingredients to make breakfast after she moved in here. That was why he brought breakfast here. However, he did not expect that she was not here at all. Fortunately, he had taken into ount the journey to the office and bought Western breakfast for her. It would not affect the taste even if the food went cold. ¡°I bought you breakfast. You don''t have to buy anything on the way to the office." Luke hung up the phone after he said that. He would not get angry if Luca cared so much about her younger brother who had blood ties with her. After all, her family was important to her. However, Amur was someone who had nothing to do with her. Besides, he was rted to the organization that was behind Luca. Still, she cared so much about him! Luke was unhappy. She was not even that straightforward with him. She had to give another man a share of soup when she prepared soup for him. He got back into his car. Then, he recalled what he did to verify whether or not it was Luca who personally made the soup for him yesterday. He even called the maid who took care of her and asked if she had bought any ingredients to prepare the soup. After the maid confirmed with him that Luca did not ask her to buy the ingredients to prepare the soup, he was sure that it was Luca who made the soup herself. What a difficult woman. She was straightforward to other men. Luke felt unhappy at once. It seemed like she was not busy enough in T Corporation. She still had the energy to clean up the apartment for another man. If that was the case, she should not me him for doing this to her... Luke was nning to bring the kids to the vi for them to stay together with Luca. Now, it seemed like he had to proceed with the n earlier than scheduled. That way, she would have to take care of the kids after work. There were three kids, so he would like to see if she had any extra energy to take care of another man! At the thought of this, Luke picked up his phone. He called Mr. Griffin and gave him orders. Then, he drove back to the T Corporation. The vi was nearer to T Corporation. Naturally, Luke reached the office earlier than Luca. He walked out of the elevator after he came to his floor. He was carrying the breakfast in his hands. Luke entered Luca''s office and ced the breakfast on Luca''s desk. He was afraid that she might not see it, so he ced it in the middle of the table. Then, he headed to the pantry and prepare coffee for her. Although she did not say anything about it, Luke knew that she must not have slept muchst night. Based on Luca''s habit, she would usually go to sleep around 12. However, she called him at about 11:30st night, asking whether her ''brother'' was allowed to move in. After he rejected her, she must have headed to the apartment to clean it up. Luke felt even more upset at the thought of Luca staying upte cleaning the apartment for some other man. After he put the thermos sk filled with coffee on her table, he turned around and left the office. Luca arrived at T Corporation. She walked into her office after she punched in. She saw the Western breakfast that Luke had bought for her. There was a thermos sk on the table too... She looked at the sk, and it seemed like the one she gave to him yesterday. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Luca blinked her eyes. She walked into the office and picked up the sk. It was heavy. She opened the sk and looked at it. There was coffee in it. The coffee was still warm. Luca sniffed it. She could smell the rich aroma of the coffee. She looked at the breakfast on the table and wondered why Luke made her coffee. Could it be that he knew she did not get enough sleep? Luca felt uneasy when she thought of how considerate he was to her. The more Luke treated her kindly, the more it proved that his feelings for her were different. When Luca thought of the possibility of them breaking up in the future and how he might feel betrayed by her, she looked down. Then, she lifted her head to take a sip of the coffee. It tasted bitter. Milk was added to the coffee, but Luca still thought it tasted bitter. It was not the coffee, though. The bitterness came from her heart. She closed the office door and sat on the chair. She opened the breakfast that Luke bought for her. With just a nce, she knew he had bought it outside. It seemed like he did not work overtime in the officest night and had returned to Crawford Manor instead. That was why he could bring Western breakfast for her. Allison had returned. There would be a storm in Crawford Manor. As for her the things happening on her side. Luca was heartbroken with what Luke had to face. Perhaps he had no idea that she came back with a purpose this time. The crisis that the Crawford family was facing was merely on the surface. The crisis that Luke had to faceter would have something to do with her. It was lurking in the corner without being detected. Luca wanted to remind Luke about it, but she realized that there was nothing she could do. She could not tell him anything. After breakfast, she gulped down thest of her coffee. The bitterness filled her mouth, but she dared not to shed a tear. Chapter 1756 After breakfast, Luca sat in the office chair and started to work. Tina came from time to time to hand her the documents to be tranted. She said, "Dr. Craw, the documents to be tranted are increasing. You have to pay attention to your time management. You can''t dy your work from theb or have any errors with your trantion work." Luca nodded. The drug research was about to end. If there were no issues during the final experiment, the product could beunched. Therefore, she often went downstairs to preside over the experimental research. However, the trantion work was also very important. She had to take care of both ends, and her workload was more than that of other T Corporation employees. "Thank you for your hard work. Do you want coffee?" Tina asked. "No, thank you." Luca took a sip from her coffee cup and continued to work. At noon, the phone rang. It was Amur who called. Luca quickly answered and asked, "Amur, are you back?" "Yes, I''m back. Are you at work now?" Amur asked. Toe back sooner, he chose to travel by ne instead of the high-speed rail. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . The few hours on the high-speed rail would make him a little bit impatient. "Yeah, I''m still at work. By the way, I''ve already cleaned up the apartment. You can just move back in." Luca paused tapping on the keyboard. She thought of keeping him from knowing that she had moved out for the time being. She was going to wait until they met for dinner at night. "I came back by ne and I''ve put my things in the apartment. It''s time for your lunch break. Can you come down for a meal?" Amur asked. Luca was shocked. "Are you downstairs?" "Mm. We haven''t had a meal together for some time now," Amur said. Luca nced at the time. Even though the wholepany was busy, there was still time for lunch. She saved the file she was working on and turned off theputer. "I''lle down now." "Okay." Amur waited on the ground floor of T Corporation and looked at the employees who came out for lunch. His tall figure and handsome face attracted the attention of many female employees. He was even approached by one of them. He was not interested in them. He kept looking in the direction of the entrance. He could not go in because he did not have an ess card, so he could only wait there for Luca toe out. Luca arrived downstairs and saw Amur standing at the entrance. She greeted him with a smile, "You''re finally back!" Amur stretched out his hand and saw that she just stood there without hugging him. He asked suspiciously, "Luca, I came back safely. Won''t you give me a hug?" Luca nced back at the entrance and shook her head. "We''re in A City now. It''s not the norm for siblings to hug here." She was worried that if she was overly enthusiastic, it would be seen by others and reach Luke''s ears. Luca was worried that he would misunderstand the situation. Disappointment shed in Amur''s eyes. In the past, when they were on the Ind of Despair, they loved each other like a family. Every time he returned from a mission, she would give him a big hug. Luca noticed his silence, walked over, and patted his shoulder. "Do as the locals do. Come, I''ll treat you to lunch." "Okay." Amur forced a smile. Even if she did not say anything, he knew why she would not hug him. In Luca''s heart, he was just one of her younger brothers and would never be more important than that man. Although he overcame all difficulties andpleted the mission quickly so that he could return to be by her side and protect her, all Luca could think about was that man. When Amur saw Luca was leaving, he followed behind. Tina walked toward them, and her eyes lit up when she saw Amur. She smiled and greeted them, "Dr. Craw, are you going for lunch?" "Yes." Luca nodded. Tina looked at Amur curiously and asked, "Who is this?" "Oh, this is my brother, Amur. Amur, this is my colleague, Tina." Luca introduced them. "Hello," Amur greeted Tina out of a gentleman''s instinct. "Hello, hello." Tina smiled, her eyes could not hide the admiration she had for him. After all, he was a handsome guy. Who would not be interested? "I didn''t expect you to have such a handsome brother, Dr. Craw. I won''t take more of your time. I''ll head off now." Although she admired Amur, she did not say anything. Luca watched Tina leave, turned her head, and said to Amur, "There''s a nice restaurant nearby. Why don''t we go there for lunch?" "I''m happy to go along with whatever you pick." Amur had no objection. He liked to eat whatever she liked to eat. Luca took Amur to a nearby restaurant and chose a corner spot. Since it was already halfway through the lunch break, there were not many people in the restaurant now. After they ced their order, she checked in on him. "Did the mission go well?" "It went well. Otherwise, I wouldn''t be able to return so quickly." Amur nodded. He could only restrain himself when facing her. Luca asked, "Are you injured?" "It''s inevitable to get injured during a mission. Isn''t it normal to have a few bruises here and there?" Amur exined with a smile. "Just a few bruises?" Luca''s expression was serious. "Amur, you know I''m asking about the scars on your body." Amur shook his head. He was unwilling to have her worry. "I''ve always been careful." Luca knew what was going on when she saw how he reacted. She chose to not uncover his lie. She said, "No matter what, I''m d that you''re back. I don''t know how many scars you have on your body, but at least you look normal. Amur, I''ve always thought of you as my younger brother. You have to make sure you take good care of your body, okay?" Amur nodded. He remembered everything Luca said to him. When the meal arrived, Luca said, "Let''s eat quickly. I''ve been quite busy now, so I don''t have much time to eat." "Am I disturbing you?" Amur asked suddenly. Luca paused, shook her head, and said, "I have to eat anyway. By the way, there''s something I want to tell you. I don''t live in the apartment anymore." "Where do you live, then?" Amur asked. When he went back to the apartment today, he had found it odd as well. The ce was empty and did not seem like anyone had lived there for a while. Luca said, "I''ve moved into a vi. It''s pretty great." "I''lle to apany you," Amur said without a second thought. Luca shook her head and said, "It''s inconvenient for you to do so." "Why?" Amur wondered. They used to live together, so why was it inconvenient now? "It''s Abel''s request. Also, the vi was arranged for me by Luke. He made it clear that he doesn''t want other people to move in." Luca confessed. She did not want to hide these things from Amur. Chapter 1757 "He''s living with you?" Amur frowned. He was uneasy at the thought of Luca and Luke being together again. Luca was put in such a situation because of this man. If she got back with Luke, the catastrophe that would bring her was unimaginable. "No, I''m living alone. I moved out of that ce because Abel killed a security guard there. The ce I''m living at now is great. It''s close to the office, so it''s convenient to travel to and fro from work." Luca was a little incoherent. She knew that he wanted to move in with her but she had to stop him. It was just because of what Luke said. Luca was relying on him and could not move out, so no matter what, she still had to listen to Luke. Amur understood that she did not want him to move in purely because of that man. He gripped his fork tightly and said, "If you want your journey to the office to be more convenient, I''ll rent an apartment near your office with you. Don''t worry about the rent. I''ve saved up over the years." Luca shook her head, took a sip of tea, and reminded him. "Amur, the one who asked me to approach Luke is Abel. You can''t refuse Abel''s orders..." Amur fell silent when he heard that. The matter did not just involve Luca and Luke. Abel was a factor as well. He would kill Luke and run away with Luca if he could, but he could not betray Abel. It was not that he was worried about facing death if he betrayed him and there was no antidote. He was thinking of his sister who was still on the Ind of Despair. He had three weaknesses¡ªEler, Luca, and little N. "It''s his order..." Amur repeated what she said. "It''s all Abel''s n. You know what that man means to me. I don''t want to hurt him if I can, but do I have a choice? I don''t, and neither do you... ¡° Luca lowered her gaze and reminded him of the mess that they were in. Their lives were not at the mercy of fate but were in Abel''s hands. This was the cruel truth. Amur was silent for a while. Eventually, he said in a muffled voice, "I see." None of them could get rid of Abel. "Amur, if you don''t want to stay here, go back to the Ind of Despair. Yourst mission was a tough one. I think Abel gave you such a difficult mission to make things difficult for you... ." Luca muttered. It was time for Amur to go. Amur shook his head, his gaze firm. "I can''t go back. I can''t leave you here alone. Don''t worry, I won''t cause you too much trouble. I''ll be of help to you." Luca sighed and suddenly thought of Nina. Maybe Amur could be of help... She stared at him, not knowing if he was injured from the mission. She was debating on whether it would be cruel to ask him to help her right after he finished a mission. Amur could tell that she had something to say, so he got straight to the point. "Luca, if you have something to say, just say it. Don''t keep it in your heart." Seeing that, Luca said, "My good friend, Nina, was kidnapped by a fop named Pierre. Many people are looking for her but there''s no news so far." "Your good friend? Luca, you made a good friend here?" Amur asked. He did not care about the life and death of others. The only thing he cared about was the person in front of him. "To be specific, she''s a former friend. But I''ve be good friends with her again. Amur, I know it''s not fair of me to ask you for help now, but the person who kidnapped Nina has also kidnapped me before. Saving Nina and confronting this man is the same thing," Luca said. Amur looked nervous. When he was on a mission in B City, he did not pay much attention to the situation in A City. He did not even know that Luca was kidnapped. "You were kidnapped?!" "That''s in the past. Luke rescued me. The person who kidnapped me was Pierre, but he paid off someone, so he has been atrge. I have to settle the score with him. Abel is also helping me on this but things have been a little slow on his side," Luca said. She found out from the news that Abel had made a move. She did not know if the progress had stalled because Pierre was too vignt or Abel was not satisfied with her progress. Amur''s expression darkened when he heard what she said. "If this kind of thing happens again, you must tell me as soon as possible. Send me the information of that person. I''ll help you find her." Whoever dared to touch the person he loved would have bad lucking their way! Luca nodded and sent him Pierre''s information and Nina''s photo via text. The way Percy and Luke were tracking down Nina was legal, but if Amur was involved, he would be able to get rid of the obstacles and find the ce where Pierre was hiding Nina in a short time. After they were done with the conversation, Amur nced at his phone and reminded her, saying, "It''s gettingte. Hurry up and eat. The food will be cold if you don''t eat now." Luca nodded. She was relieved that he had promised to help find Nina. On the other hand. Jason knocked on the door of Luca''s office with a takeaway box in his hand but there was no response. He knocked again and called out, "Dr. Craw?" Tina walked over, saw what Jason was doing, and told him, "Mr. Doyle, you don''t need to knock anymore. Dr. Craw is eating with her younger brother downstairs." "Her brother?" Jason''s expression was nk. He was unaware that Luca had a younger brother. "Yeah, she introduced her brother to me. He''s handsome," Tina said, "If you were nning to give this to Dr. Craw, you can have it for yourself. I think that it won''t be much longer until she returns to work." "Okay." Jason touched his nose and said nothing. He did not buy the takeaway for Luca. It was Luke who ordered it for Luca himself. However, Luke was embarrassed to give it to her himself and asked Jason to deliver it instead. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Jason walked to Luke''s office with the takeaway box and knocked on the door. "Come in." Luke''s voice came from inside. Jason opened the door, walked in, and put the lunch box on his desk. "Boss, Dr. Craw isn''t here." "She''s not here? She went out for lunch?" Luke frowned. He had heard from Jason that Luca was still working during the lunch break and did not go out to eat, so he deliberately ordered an extra set for her. He ordered her favorite. "Yes, Tina said that she bumped into Dr. Craw downstairs. Her brother came to have lunch with her," Jason continued talking. He was unaware of the full situation, so he told Luke everything he heard from Tina. Chapter 1758 "Brother?" Luke stopped working. "Yes, I heard that it''s a man with European features." Jason had not realized the problem and continued with his report. Luke''s mood sank. She told him the day before that Amur would be back and she ended up having a meal with him as soon as he returned... ''She''s that excited? Doesn''t she know that besides me, all other men are trash? How could she have dinner with that man...'' Jason noticed Luke''s gloomy expression and realized that he was in trouble. He hurriedly said, "Boss, if there''s nothing else, I''ll be heading off to attend to some tasks." "Wait a minute." Luke stopped Jason, who desperately wanted to leave. "Boss, what can I do for you?" Jason turned around with a serious expression. He looked like he was ready to make a noble sacrifice. "When Lucaes back, get her toe into my office," Luke ordered. "Will do." Jason breathed a sigh of relief. He felt fortunate that Luke did not pick on him even though he was in a bad mood. He hurriedly left Luke''s office seeing that all was well. When Luca returned to the office after lunch, she noticed that Jason was standing in front of her office. He was even working on a document so that he could be productive while waiting. "Mr. Doyle, why are you here?" She hurriedly stepped forward. She thought that it was likely Jason was waiting here for her because of work matters, hence she hurriedly opened the door. "Dr. Craw, I''m here for you." Jason''s words confirmed what she had in mind. "I was downstairs for lunch. You could''ve just dropped me a text. Why are you standing here waiting for me?" Luca walked into the office. In T Corporation, Luke was the only one who could order Jason around. As such, she was surprised to see him standing there just to wait for her. "I want to stand after sitting for so long. It''s nothing to worry about." Jason made up a random excuse. Luca nodded and thought that it was weird even after he exined himself. "What can I help you with?" "Yes, I almost forgot! The boss asked to see you. He said you should go to his office after you''re done with lunch." Jason ryed Luke''s words. Luca stayed silent for a few seconds. She thought of all the possibilities of why Luke would ask to see her and asked, "Uh, did Mr. Crawford tell you the reason?" "He didn''t tell me. Just a head''s up, the boss is in a bad mood. Dr. Craw, good luck to you." After Jason finished his sentence, he walked back to his office. Luke was in a bad mood, so he made Jason wait in front of her office so that he could notify Luca as soon as she came back. Luca nodded, took a deep breath, walked to the front of the door of Luke''s office, and knocked. "Who is it?" Luke''s voice came from inside. He did not allow her to enter directly. "Mr. Crawford, it''s Luca," Luca said. "Come in," Luke ordered.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Luca opened the door and walked in. She saw the man sitting behind the desk doing his work with piles of papers on the desk. He looked busy. "Mr. Crawford, I heard you''re looking for me?" She walked in and asked, standing one meter away from the desk. "Get off work on time today and go to the supermarket to get some groceries." Luke did not look up. He did not mention her meal with Amur either. Although he knew that Amur was not her half-brother, to outsiders, they were siblings. Even if he was discontented, it was not his ce to say anything. He could not let Luca know that he already knew about everything. "Okay." Luca subconsciously agreed. After she processed what he said, she asked awkwardly, "Mr. Crawford, what do you want me to do with the groceries?" "The kids heard that you''ve moved and want to celebrate your move. Get some groceries after you get off work and make a meal for them when you get home. Alternatively, you can call the cleaningdy to buy them as well. She''s helping out at the vi now," Luke said. He thought that she would need some help to cook for so many people. "Okay." Luca agreed. She could not say no when it came to the kids. Although she could not be there and take care of them all the time, she was willing to make their wishese true when it was still within her ability to do so. Luke was not surprised when he heard her response. After all, the kids were her everything. "That''s it. You can get back to work." Although he was still unhappy, he asked her to leave. ''Amur wants to take up all her time outside of work as soon as he''s back? No way!'' Every second of Luca''s time should belong to him and their kids. Luca heard him, left the office, and closed the door on her way out. Luke looked at the closed office door, picked up his phone, and asked the butler, "How''s the progress of what I told you to do?¡± After a while, the butler replied, "Young Master Luke, the maid has packed up some daily necessities. Zander will send them overter." Luke then put down his phone and went back to work. Luca returned to the office, frowning. ''Why did the children suddenly make such a request?'' She thought about it for a while and still could not figure out why. She sent a list of ingredients to the cleaningdy and asked her to help buy them. There were no ingredients in the vi as she had just moved in, not even basic seasonings. There would be a lot of things to prepare for the meal she would be cookingter today. After Luca sent the cleaningdy the list of items, she continued to work. When it was time to get off work, she did not want to work overtime and immediately packed up the documents to take them home. She nned to continue with work after the children left. The most important thing to her at that moment was to prepare dinner for the children. After Luca left the office, she went to the supermarket and bought some ingredients that were not on the list. She left with a full bag. At that time, the part-time cleaningdy and the maid of the Crawford family had already cleaned up everything in the vi. Luca walked in and saw the maid. She asked curiously, "Leane, why are you here?" The maid, Leane, saw that Luca still remembered her and replied with a smile on her face, "Young Master Luke asked me to help you prepare dinner tonight." Luca nodded. She thought that Luke was worried she would not be able to handle it on her own, so he let Leanee over... "Sorry to bother you." Leane took the bag from Luca''s hand and said with a smile, "No trouble at all. I''m happy that I can learn from you while assisting you. Ms. Craw, Young Master always praises you for your cooking skills. He talks about it every day. The cook wishes to learn from you as well." "Is that so? Maybe the dishes I make are more suitable to the children''s tastes. There''s nothing special about it." Luca smiled. ''Is it because of Tommy?'' "It''s almost time, Ms. Craw. Let''s cook?" Leane asked. "Okay, I''ll just go put my things down," Luca said and carried her briefcase up to the second floor. Chapter 1759 The master bedroom was near the stairs. Luca walked in, put down the briefcase, and came out again. She noticed that something was off and turned her head, looking at the guest bedrooms. Previously, she opened all the doors of the guest bedrooms for venttion. However, all of the doors were closed now... ''Could it be that the cleaningdy and maid closed them after they were done cleaning up?'' Luca did not think much about it and did not bother to open the doors. She walked downstairs. She had to prepare dinner for three children and two adults, so there was a lot to do. If she started immediately, she could have some desserts ready for the kids when they arrived. After she thought of that, she rolled up her sleeves and walked into the kitchen to prepare dinner with Leane. Half an hourter, Luca''s appetizers were ready and Zander arrived at the vi with the children. Tommy walked into the vi and went straight to the kitchen, shouting, "Ms. Luca!" Luca turned around and saw Tommy running toward her. She smiled, squatted down, and wrapped the child in her arms. "You''re back from school?" Tommy nodded, got close to her, and said, "Yeah, Ms. Luca. I missed you so much! Did you miss me?" "Of course, I did! You''re a handsome little boy. I think about you every day!" Luca touched Tommy''s head. After a few days of not seeing him, she felt that the child had grown taller again. Children nowadays grew up fast. A few days of not seeing them felt like years. In a blink of an eye, the children had grown taller. "Since Ms. Luca missed me so much, I''ll apany you and stay with you every day from now on!" Tommy said, his eyes bright and full of joy. Luca listened to the child''s innocent words. She smiled and said nothing. She also wanted to stay with the children every day. She would not feel tired no matter how long she had to take care of them. However, the reality was cruel. She could not admit that she was their mother. As such, she could not live with them. Luca stood up and said, "I made you some mini pre-dinner desserts. Do you want some?" "Okay! Ms. Luca, you''re the best!" Tommy pped his hands. Luca walked out with the mini desserts while Tommy followed her, pulling on her apron. Luca greeted Lanie and Rainie, who were sitting obediently on the sofa. "Lanie, Rainie,e over for dessert." When they heard her, Lanie and Rainie stood up together and walked toward the dining room. Rainie''s eyes lit up as soon as she saw the desserts on the table. Luca noticed it, smiled, and held up a mini dessert with the most cream. She handed it to Rainie, "Rainie, I know you like sweet foods. This one has the most cream. It''s for you." "Thank you, Ms. Luca. I do like sweet foods the most." Rainie took it, her eyes lighting up once more when she saw the delicate dessert. Luca took two more for Lanie and Tommy. "This is for you, and you. I''ll have to get back to the kitchen. By the way, you can run around but be careful so you won''t fall." She knew that the children were active, so she wanted to remind them. "Ms. Luca, can I take it and eat it on the sofa?" Lanie asked cautiously. Although she knew this was their daddy''s vi, their daddy now listened to their mommy, so he wanted to be sure. Moreover, their mommy had disappeared for three years. Although Luca was kind to them, he was still careful. He did not want to make her angry by doing something wrong. "Of course, you can. Just make sure you don''t run around after eating." Luca urged them. She patted Rainie''s head, thought about it, then touched Lanie''s head. After that, she walked into the kitchen. Lanie held the dessert in one hand and put his other hand on top of his head. Their Mommy''s hands were still so warm... Luca walked into the kitchen. Leane said cheekily, "Ms. Craw, do the kids like your desserts?" "It looks like they do. They each took one and are eating it now," Luca said. She walked to the preparation table and started to cut the meat. "Young Master Lanie is not usually a fan of desserts. If he''s eating it too, it means that they truly love the food you make. You have a special connection with them," Leane said. Whenever the cook in Crawford Manor prepared something sweet, Lanie would never eat it. Luca was stunned that Lanie did not like desserts. He thought of how he had so much of the cupcakes she made before. Before she came into the kitchen, she also noticed that Lanie had already taken a small bite of the dessert she prepared. She shook her head and continued cooking. With Leane''s help, after an hour, Luca turned all the ingredients into ordinary home-cooked dishes. Although they were home-cooked dishes, they were full of colors and vors. Luca sniffed it and was not sure when Luke would be back. Hence, she put all the dishes in the microwave. She nned to wait for Luke toe back before eating. After a while, she heard the sound of a car. Leane also heard it. "Young Master Luke is back." Luca was surprised by what she said. Leane said that Young Master Luke was back, not that Young Master Luke had arrived. It was as if Luke stayed here. "Leane, please help me bring these dishes out," Luca said. The dishes were best served warm and would not taste as good when they were reheated. She did not expect him to arrive at the perfect time. "Okay," Leane smiled and helped bring out the home-cooked dishes. The kids were waiting for their father at the door. When they saw Lukeing back, they surrounded him and said, "Daddy, you''re back!" Rainie said first. "Dad, Ms. Luca made a lot of delicious food and mini desserts. Let''s eat?" That was what the gluttonous Tommy said. "Dad, Tommy has been good. Ms. Luca''s delicious food filled his mouth so he wasn''t naughty at all." Lanie spoke too. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Luca listened to what the children said and frowned slightly. No matter who said what, it all sounded like they thought Luke stayed here... Luke looked toward the dining room and happened to meet her gaze. Luca quickly looked away and said, "The food is ready. Wash your hands and we can have dinner," "Yay! Ms. Luca is awesome! I can''t wait to eat her delicious food!" Tommy was the happiest whenever it involved food. He was tired of eating the food prepared by Crawford Manor''s cook and thought about eating Luca''s cooking every day. If Luke had not stopped him, he would have run over to Luca long ago. Luca watched as Luke brought the kids to wash their hands. He seemed to be familiar with theyout of the house. It was normal considering that this was his vi. She picked up the tes, ted everything, and asked Leane to stay for dinner. When she saw Luke come out with the children, she said, "Let''s eat." "Wow, how great this is!" Tommy''s eyes lit up when he smelled the aroma of the food. He ran to the table and climbed onto the chair. Luca handed him a bowl of soup and said, "It''s still a little hot. Drink it slowly." Chapter 1760 "Ms. Luca, you don''t have to worry about me. Daddy said I''m not a kid anymore, I''m a big boy, I can take care of myself." Tommy said while holding the spoon, he could not wait to take his first sip of the soup. Luca looked at Tommy''s greedy expression and shook her head helplessly. If she had not known that the Crawford family would never starve Tommy, she might have misunderstood the situation. She put the rest of the soup away. Rainie walked over to the dining table and wanted to take a seat next to Luca but Lanie pulled her away. She understood his actions instantly and chose another seat. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Lanie sat next to her. Leane sat between Lanie and Tommy so she could take care of the children during the meal. Luca looked at the remaining two seats. It was clear that they were left for her and Luke. No matter where she sat, she would be next to Luke. She had no choice but to choose a seat near Tommy. When Luke saw that, he sat beside her. Tommy''s round eyes were squinted from the wide smile on his face. The family looked so happy and comfortable. After dinner, Luca wanted to clean up the dishes but Leane took over all the cleaning work. Seeing that, she and the children went to watch TV. It was the weekend the next day, so the kids were not in a hurry to do their homework. They sat obediently on the sofa watching TV. Luke, who did not seem to have the intention of leaving soon, sat down with the children. Tommy sat next to Luca and waved to Luke, who was sitting on the single sofa. "Daddy, sit here." Luke nced at Luca and found that she was expressionless, hence he sat down next to Tommy. Rainie was next to Luca. A sofa for four was just right for them. Lanie was sitting coolly on the sofa arm, watching TV. She looked at the kids, then at Luke''s side profile. The atmosphere was just right. It warmed her heart. How she wished that she was with them as Bianca. She never thought that a peaceful and genial life would be such an ask... Luca sighed to herself. She could not help but feel sad. Leane put the cut fruit on the coffee table, looked at Luke, and said, "Young Master Luke, if all is well, I''ll head off now." ¡°Mm," Luke nodded. Leane left the vi soon after. At that moment, they were the only ones left in the house... Luca clenched her fists. ¡®When will they leave? Is he nning to wait until the kids are done with watching cartoons?'' She nced at the clock on the wall. There was still half an hour to nine o''clock. After nine o''clock, the episode would end and she assumed that Luke would leave with the kids. Luca knew that Luke had been upied with work, so he barely had any time to spend with the kids. As such, she did not want to say anything now that he was sitting here watching cartoons with them. After all, children also needed thepany of their fathers, especially if their mothers were ''absent''. Tommy silently held Luca''s hand and rested his head on hers. Luca held onto Tommy silently. Tommy thought of Luke''s advice. As he watched the cartoon, he closed his eyes after a while. He would not usually go to bed so early, but for the sake of staying with their Mommy, he had to fall asleep! Luca noticed that the child''s head was resting entirely on her. She looked down and said nothing. Rainie noticed her brother and also remembered her father''s advice. She followed suit and leaned on her brother while closing her eyes. After the episode was over, two of the three children had fallen asleep. Luke turned off the TV and looked at the kids. Luca also looked at them. She wondered why they fell asleep so early. On normal days, they would not go to bed until after ten o''clock. Lanie frowned and acted as though he was in pain. He said, "Daddy, my arm is numb from Rainie lying on me." Luke heard him, walked over, and carried Rainie. Luca also wanted to carry Tommy. Although she believed that she was strong enough to carry him even though he had grown up, she was afraid that she would not be gentle enough and would wake him. "Why did they fall asleep so early?" Luca asked. She noticed that Luke still had no intentions of leaving. He was just carrying Rainie as he sat on the single sofa. "They haven''t had a good rest for thest couple of days," Luke said. "My mother was released from prison and the Crawford family is at war once again. Rainie has nightmares every day after seeing my mother. She hasn''t been able to sleep well at night." Luca looked at Tommy in her arms and felt sorry for the kids. Rainie was easily frightened, while Tommy was still young. She looked at Lanie, and it seemed that he was affected too. Lanie''s heart softened when he saw that Luca was also looking at him. He was their big brother and could not show his vulnerable side, but there was no doubt that Allison''s face haunted him too. Luca said, "I see." Lanie added, "In thest week, Rainie often woke up in the middle of the night after getting frightened by her nightmares. She wouldn''t be able to fall back asleep. The teacher also said that she has been out of it in ss recently. Daddy, why don''t we sleep here tonight?" "Okay," Luke agreed readily. Luca was stunned that they made a decision just like that. Although the vi was owned by Luke, she stayed her now. There were no extra daily necessities, so it was inconvenient for them to spend the night here. Luke looked at her and said, "I''ll carry Rainie up first." "Carry her up? My room?" Luca asked in surprise. Yesterday, she had walked around the vi and knew that there were beds in the other bedrooms but there was no bedding. ¡®Is he expecting the kids to sleep on the hard mattresses?'' "No." Luke stood up easily and was about to walk up with Rainie in his arms when he said, "I got the cleaningdy to prepare a few rooms." Luca blinked but still did not grasp the situation. ¡®What does he mean by he got the cleaningdy to prepare a few rooms?'' Luke walked upstairs with Rainie, while Lanie followed. After a while, Luke returned downstairs, walked up to her, and picked Tommy up. Luca stood up and followed behind him. She was worried that the children were not sound asleep and she would wake them up, so she lowered her voice to ask, "Mr. Crawford, what does this mean?" "The kids and I may stay here more often moving forward," Luke told her as she would find out sooner orter. She would not make a fuss since they were around the kids. Luca stopped in surprise, watched him go upstairs, and quickly followed. She watched Luke carry Tommy into the second bedroom next to the master bedroom. The bedrooms were all closed before and she thought that the cleaningdy had closed the doors to prevent dust from getting in. However, now it seemed that they were closed on purpose. She did not do that to prevent dust from getting in but to keep her from finding out that the rooms had been set up. Chapter 1761 Luca stood by the door and watched as Luke carefully put Tommy on the bed. She nced around the bedroom and noticed that there was a kid¡¯s table, bedding, and thick carpet. It must have taken a lot of work to prepare all these. She was not angry about it, but the turbidity in her heart became stronger. Luke had confessed to her, and it turned out he had not given up even after not getting the answer he wanted. She was like a fish that unknowingly swam into the trap he set, foolishly thinking that he had given up on her. Luca took another look at the guest bedrooms. There was Lanie¡¯s room, Rainie¡¯s room, and the guest bedroom opposite the master bedroom... She opened the door and saw the ck, white, and gray interior as well as therge bed and the office desk. She immediately knew that this was the bedroom Luke had prepared for himself. It was just opposite her bedroom. They would bump into each other when they stepped out of their rooms. Luca shook her head. After Luke tucked Tommy in, he stepped out and closed the door. "Mr. Crawford, can we talk downstairs?" Luca said. Luke nodded. Luca went downstairs with him and stood in the middle of the living room. She was amused as she looked up at the dazzling crystal chandelier. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . She was tricked by Luke and she did not find out until it was toote. She really thought they were celebrating her moving in... "Mr. Crawford, if you want to move in with the kids, I can move back to the apartment. If it¡¯s inconvenient for me to live in thepany''s apartment, I have no problem going back to my own apartment," Luca said. She did not know how to describe her feelings after she knew that Luke had not given up on her. Luke noticed how serious she was and knew she was not joking. He knew that if he nodded, she would leave right away. "The kids like you. The troubles at Crawford Manor are piling up. It''s not good for the kids'' development, so I decided to move here. I knew you wouldn''t agree, so I decided to make a move and ask for permissionter." Luke confessed. "You still want me to stay here? Is that appropriate?" Luca clenched her fists. She was not angry. She just felt powerless. Luke nodded. "The kids like you. It''s appropriate." "I don''t think so. It''s not appropriate at all. Mr. Crawford, it''s best that I move out. If we get photographed by reporters, both of us will be embarrassed. We should keep a safe distance." Luca wanted to live with him too, but she knew that she could not hold onto that dream. She would have to leave sooner orter. If she dared to imagine a life of them being together, she was afraid that she would not be able to bring herself to leave when the time came. Luke frowned when he saw how determined and heartless she was. He said, "I can tell that you like them a lot. If you leave them so heartlessly, they''ll be very disappointed. What I told you before is not a joke, Luca. You shouldn''t run away. You should think about it carefully.¡± "The answer I gave you before is not a joke either. Although you think I haven''t thought about it carefully, it''s what I feel from the bottom of my heart." Luca calmed down and acted as though her decision was firm. Luke raised his eyebrows and responded, "Are you sure?" "I''m sure." Luca took a deep breath, endured the stabbing pain she felt in her heart. She deceived both herself and him. In fact, she wanted to hug Luke and stay by his side more than anything. "You''re lying. Your eyes tell me that you''re making this up. What a fool. I''ll give you a night to think about it. You can decide if you dislike me and the kids..." Luke looked at her tough attitude and was tempted to tell her the truth about how he already knew everything. However, he held back with consideration of her safety. Luca''s body trembled involuntarily. She knew that he was pushing it. She said, "Frankly, I do like the kids but I can''t stay by your side because of them. I can''t force myself to like you because of the kids." What she said was hurtful. It still hurt even though Luke knew it was not the truth. He was someone who dealt with his feelings with iparable coldness. Nevertheless, he had fallen for her time and time again. Luke was even tempted to tie her up until she was willing to admit the truth! "I''ll give you a night to think about it," Luke said, then walked upstairs. Lanie, who was standing at the corner of the stairs, heard their entire conversation. When he saw his father leave, he shook his head helplessly. Luke looked at his son''s expression, his mood was ashen. He had overestimated Luca''s soft heart. She would make all kinds of sacrifices for the kids but when it came to him, she would bury all her sensibility and force herself to be rational. Lanie made a gesture to tell Luke to leave the matter to him. Luke did not say anything and went upstairs. Lanie followed behind Luke. He had to pretend he did not hear the conversation between the grownups. Luca watched as the man''s figure left her sight and adjusted her breathing. When Luke said what he said earlier, she was on the brink of breaking down. For a fleeting moment, she wanted to be impulsive and tell him everything, including Abel''s conspiracy and how he was forcing her. If Luke learned everything and rescued N, she could risk her life and cherish the rest of her time with them. However, what she wanted more was to live with the children for a long time, to watch them grow up, and stay by their sides as they started their own families. As such, no matter what, she could only do as Abel said and could not afford to act rashly. Luca went upstairs, depressed. As soon as she walked into her bedroom and sat down on her bed, there was a knock on her door. "Ms. Luca, can Ie in?" Lanie''s voice came from outside the door. Luca said, "Come in." Lanie opened the door and walked in. Luca adjusted the expression on her face and asked with concern, "What''s wrong? It''s gettingte, why aren''t you in bed?" "I''m different from my younger siblings. Although I think that Grandma is scary, she doesn''t impact me much." Lanie stood in front of her and said, "Ms. Luca, can I sit down?" "Of course," Luca nodded. Lanie sat next to her and said, "Ms. Luca... Daddy likes you very much." "You''re a kid. How do you know all this? Besides, this is your Daddy''s matter. Maybe it''s not what you think it is," Luca said while rubbing his head. Lanie shook her head and said, "He likes you. Before Mommy lost her memories, Daddy treated her just like he how he treats you now, Ms. Luca." "You''re still young, so you can''t don''t know chalk from cheese." Luca pinched his nose and looked at his facial features. She was filled with emotions. Of the three children, he was the most like Luke. "I do know, and I also know that my mommy is gone. Rainie and Tommy are aware of it as well but we didn''t say anything to the public so no woman would hit on Daddy." Lanie leaned his head on her arm. He also wanted to feel the warmth from being in his Mommy''s arms after seeing Tommy do it. Chapter 1762 Luca wrapped Lanie in her arms. She understood what the kids were thinking. "Do you see me as one of those women as well?" she asked cautiously, worried that she would be hurt to hear from Lanie that the kids did not like her. Lanie raised his head and looked at her with a firm gaze. "No, all of us like you, Ms. Luca. I don''t know why but we''ve always thought that you''re affectionate and love us as our Mommy did. If it''s possible, we hope to be able to live with you for the days toe. Ms. Luca, although our daddy seems cold, he treats his lover gently and wholeheartedly. Rainie and I can guarantee it." Luca noticed how Lanie was promoting Luke. She smiled and gently pinched his hand. "You like me but you''re still young. You can''t tell what kind of liking it is." "We feel that whenever we see you, it''s like seeing our mommy. Ms. Luca, Daddy likes you very much and we like you very much too. Think about it. Don''t reject Daddy just like that," Lanie said sincerely. Luca felt disconcerted after hearing what Lanie said. They liked her and she liked them. How could a mother not love her children? Nevertheless, they were in close proximity but were unable to acknowledge each other... Luca sighed and replied, "You don''t understand¡ª" Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "I know, I''m young and don''t know anything. However, trust that what I said is true. Rainie, Tommy, and I have thought about whether we would be unhappy if you were to be our mother. In the end, we found that we were able to ept it. Ms. Luca, even if you and Daddy can''t be together, we all hope that we can see you every day. Please don''t move out..." Lanie rarely acted pampered with her. Luca could not turn him down when she saw how Lanie acted. She said, "Give me some time to think about it, okay?" "Okay, Ms. Luca. Even if you don''t like Daddy, we''re so cute. There''s no way you don''t like us. If you don''t stay with us, we''ll be miserable. I''m sure you''ve seen a lot of news on TV and in newspapers about how babysitters abuse children, right? You wouldn''t have the heart to put us in that situation, will you?" Seeing that she did not agree right away, Lanie knew that he had to keep a hold on Luca. Luca was speechless, it was true that she would never put them in situations as such. Lanie continued talking, "If we stay in Crawford Manor, it''ll be fine since Great-grandpa is there, so the maids won''t dare to do anything to us. However, if Daddyes homete from working overtime, we only have the maids there to take care of us. Daddy says that he won''t have the maids from Crawford Manor take care of us anymore because Grandma is back and needs people to take care of her. As such, he ns to hire a maid from outside, which means that a stranger might enter our home. The possibility of us being abused is higher." Luca knew that Lanie was trying to force her hand and thought that no one would dare to abuse such a smart kid. If they were abused, they definitely would not let it go. They would tell Luke. Luca could not bear looking at how miserable Lanie appeared. She knew that he was doing it to keep her around. She sighed and said, "Okay, let me think about it." In the past, the one who was the least affectionate to her was Lanie. Therefore, Luca never knew whether Lanie liked her. However, after she heard his speech, she knew that Lanie''s attachment to her was no less than that of the other two children. It was just that he was the eldest among the grandchildren of Old Master Crawford, so he had to appear mature and not show many emotions. The reality was that they were all just children. "Okay, Ms. Luca. You must think about it clearly. Don''t be difficult as the other adults. Tell us how you truly feel. There¡¯s no point in being difficult, don''t you think?" Lanie said with a serious expression. Luca did not expect that she would be schooled by his son. However, she was put in a difficult position. Which adult was not? Life as an adult was not that easy after all. After she sent Lanie off, Luca closed the door, walked into the ensuite bathroom, washed up, and sat down on the bed. What Luke and Lanie said kept ringing in her ears. She snapped out of it when her phone rang. Luca looked at her phone and found that Amur was calling. She answered the call. "Amur, it''s sote, why haven''t you gone to bed?" "You¡¯re awake too." Amur looked at hisputer screen. His surroundings were pitch-ck, and he looked slightly petrifying with theputer''s light shining on his face. "I justid down and am ready to go to bed. Did something happen?" Luca asked. "I''ve been looking for Nina," Amur said, "And I''ve found something." Luca immediately sat up and said in surprise, "So fast?" "Luca, don''t forget that there are many informants from the Ind of Despair in A City. Those informants can provide more clues than Luke and Percy''s men." Amur was a little proud. Although it may seem like he was on the losing end whenpared to Luke, he had strengths that Luke could not compare to as well. After his reminder, Luca knew that Amur had made use of the informants from the Ind of Despair in A City. However, it does not matter. After all, it was Amur who engaged them, not her. Hence, it would not attract much attention from Abel... "When¡¯s the soonest you can find her?" Luca asked. "I''m already tracking her now and if it goes well, I''ll be able to find her early tomorrow," Amur replied. Luca kept silent for a while. She thought of telling Amur not to hurry and get some rest. However, she thought of how Nina''s life was in danger the longer she was in Pierre''s hands. She did not want to take the risk. "Thank you for your hard work. If you find Nina, don''t act alone. Just make an anonymous call to Percy, tell him Nina''s whereabouts, and watch quietly from behind the scenes." Luca reminded him, not wanting Amur to be directly involved. Now that Luke knew about Amur''s existence and thought he was her younger brother, Luke would be suspicious if Amur showed his hand. "I know what to do." Amur nced at the time and found that it was gettingte. He reminded her. "It''s gettingte. Go to bed and wait for my good news tomorrow." "Okay." Luca believed in his ability to find someone and hung up the phone. She was lying on the bed, but her mind was full of Luke''s and Lanie''s words earlier. At the same time, she was worried about Nina. She turned sideways, took out the medicine from the bedside table, and swallowed one. If she did not take any medicine, she was doomed to have another sleepless night. After she took the medicine, Luca put the bottle back in the drawer of the bedside table. Shey straight and quietly waited for the sleepiness to hit her. Chapter 1763 The next day, Luca checked her phone as soon as she woke up. She had nightmares the entire night. She dreamt of being forced to separate from Luke and her children. She also dreamt of Nina being brutally abused by Pierre. The dreams made her feel suffocated... Luca looked at her phone. There was a text sent 11 minutes ago. She opened it immediately. Amur had texted her. He said that he found the ce where Nina was being held hostage and he was already creating an anonymous phone software. He would notify Percy as soon as he was done. Luca got up immediately and replied: [Have you notified Percy?] Amur responded: [Give me five minutes.] Luca understood that it meant that the software would take another five minutes toplete. Amur could only notify Percy after the anonymous phone software was made so that he would not be discovered. One''s phone number had to be registered with one''s real name. As such, Percy could still find Amur even if he registered for a new number to notify him about Nina''s whereabouts. Luca''s heart settled a little. She thought that things would get better now that they were close to finding where Nina was being held. She believed that Percy woulde up with a n to rescue Nina soon. Luca suddenly remembered that the kids had spent the night here, so she washed up immediately, changed into casual clothes, and went downstairs. As long as they were staying with her, she would prepare food for the children. Luca opened the door and nced at the doors of the guest bedrooms. They were still closed. It seemed that everyone was still sleeping. She gently walked downstairs and was stupefied when she saw Luke sitting on the sofa. Luke turned his head to look at her. Luca bit the bullet and greeted him, "Mr. Crawford, good morning." "We''re at home now. You can be a little more casual," Luke said. ''Casual?'' Luca thought about it. It would be better for her to continue referring to him as Mr. Crawford. The two of them had nothing to do with each other. It would be inappropriate to call him by his name. She thought of Nina. After Percy found out where Nina was, she was certain that he would inform Luke and get his help. She did not say anything and went into the kitchen immediately. Yesterday, she bought some bread for herself. She only needed to toast the bread, fry some eggs, and warm the milk in the microwave to make a quick breakfast for the family. She would likely be able to get it sorted before Luke had to make a move. Luca rolled up her sleeves and started preparing breakfast. Five minutester, a simple breakfast was ready. While Luca was busy in the kitchen, she kept a close ear on what was going on in the living room. After a while, Luke''s phone rang. Shortly after, he walked into the kitchen and said, "I''m heading out. The cleaningdy wille over a littleter today. Please keep an eye on her for me." "Have some breakfast before you go. I made some sandwiches," Luca said. She thought that it would be inconvenient for Luke to eat the ingredients separately so she made two sandwiches for him. Luke looked at the simple breakfast, nodded, picked up one of the sandwiches, and finished it in two to three bites. He raised his ss and finished the milk. He then picked up the other sandwich. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly turned around and said, "Percy may have news about Nina. I''m heading out to lend him a hand but don''t have your hopes up. We''re just checking out a usible lead." "Go on. I''ll take care of the kids." Luca nodded. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. With her promise, Luke wholeheartedly trusted her with the kids and left with the sandwich. Luca stood by the window and watched Luke drive away. She was lost in thought. ¡®Nina should be safe now...'' After Luke left the vi, he drove to the location provided by Percy and met up with him. His men had been waiting there for a long time. At the same time, Percy''s men were also waiting there. It was a lively scene as soon as the men from both sides met. If others did not know, they would have thought that the bodyguards were there in preparation for the arrival of someone famous. "Are you sure that the tip is reliable?" Luke asked. "I''m not sure but my men have checked out the area. There''s a sophisticated security system set up around the vi. At the same time, there are security guards on duty every few meters. I suspect that Nina is inside," Percy said. He had sent someone to investigate and found that the vi was indeed suspicious. "The vi belongs to your mother?" Luke asked. His men had already searched for all the vis under Percy''s name but they did not find anything. As such, they had not found anything until now. Percy nodded and replied, "I didn''t expect him to be so bold and hide her in the vi under our mother''s name. Isn''t he worried that the Mallory family will be affected if something happens?" Luke reminded him, saying, "If Pierre can start apany topete with Mallory Corporation for business, do you think he would be worried about something like this? Your mother has always favored him. Even though this vi is in her name, there''s a chance that she gave it to Pierre long ago. That''s why he dared to do such things." Percy nodded in agreement. The Pierre he knew now was no longer the younger brother he could easily control back then. Percy knew that he was Madam Mallory''s favorite, so he acted arrogant and unscrupulous in the Mallory family. After what happened with Lucast time, he learned his lesson and avoided keeping hostages in the vis under his name. "Do you have the floor n?" Luke asked. "I have it on hand. There''s only one exit, so it''s easy to make a move. We first need to get rid of the people outside the house. The people inside will be easy to deal with," Percy said. The people guarding outside the house looked like elites but they were nothing inparison to Luke''s men. If they could not fight one-on-one, they would take them on two-on-one. There were more of Percy and Luke''s menpared to Pierre''s. "Okay, I''ll go along with your n. I don''t know if Pierre will hurt Nina when pushed into the corner, so it''s better to be cautious and try to deal with the men outside without alerting those who are inside." Luke reminded him. It was Percy''s woman, so Luke would dly let Percy take charge of the situation while he would just follow from behind. "Let''s wait for another five minutes," Percy said. Luke did not say anything and just waited silently. Five minutester, Percy''s men came over and whispered, "Boss, we''ve checked the infrared detector and found that there are not many people inside. The security guards seem to be concentrated outside the house. As soon as we deal with the men outside, it''ll be easy to manage the situation inside." "Okay, just follow what I said just now. Everyone should take their corresponding positions now. Let''s go." Percy made a move and the group dispersed after they heard his instructions. The n was for them to approach the vi from different directions and take down the bodyguards guarding outside. Preferably, they would do it at the same time so as not to alert those inside the house. Chapter 1764 In the vi. Nina was groggy. A needle was inserted into the back of her hand. The nutrition solution was delivered into her body through her veins. She still refused to eat, so she got so weak that she was ill with a fever. After they administered the fever-reducing injection, the female doctor adjusted the speed of the nutrition infusion and looked at the male doctor. "Why don''t we leave the needle in? If her fever doesn''t go away, she''ll have to go for an intravenous infusion at noon and another bag of nutrition solution later. I''m afraid the boss won''t be happy if we keep stabbing her." The male doctor looked at Nina, then at the maid. He left the decision to her. ¡°Do you think we should leave the needle in?¡± The maid replied in an indifferent tone, "Do you dare to do so? She''s not a mental patient yet has to be restricted by a straitjacket. After you''re done with the infusion, you have to loosen the straitjacket. Can you guarantee that she won''t hurt herself using the needle after we leave?" The male doctor nodded in agreement. "If she tries anything, we''ll never hear the end of it from the boss." "However, these needles..." The female doctor frowned when she thought of how Nina''s hands were densely packed with needles. "Don''t worry. She won''t stay stubborn for much longer. Her arrogance will be worn away quickly. You''ll be done with her soon enough," the maid said confidently. ''It won''t take long for a man like Pierre to conquer Nina.'' The two agreed with what the maid said. They believed that Nina would be fine as long as she was willing to obey Pierre. "I made some refreshments. Let''s go have some ande back to check on herter." The maid suggested. "Okay." The doctors left together. As soon as the three of them walked out of the room, they were shocked by the sight in front of them. A group of men had rushed into the living room with weapons in their hands. The maid was scared shitless. When she saw Percy, she immediately acted calm and said, "Young Master Percy, why are you here?" Percy looked at the door of the room behind her with a stern expression. When he saw the maid, he was certain that Nina was locked up here by Pierre. The maid used to work for the Mallory family. Pierre was satisfied with her capabilities and asked her to work for him so that she could manage his vi. "Is Nina inside?" Percy asked. The maid knew that she was in trouble and acted dumb. "Nina? Who? I don''t understand what you''re talking about. Young Master Percy, why did you bring so many people here? You must know that this vi belongs to Young Master Pierre." "I''ll give you one more chance. Is Nina in there?" Percy asked while he red at her. The maid shook with fear and immediately replied, "Young Master Percy, it''s not my fault. I''m just following Young Master Pierre''smands. If I did something wrong, it''s because Young Master Pierre asked me to do so." Percy shoved them to the side and opened the bedroom door with force. He quickly walked over when he saw Nina, who was lying on the bed. "Nina." Nina was in a daze. She thought she heard someone calling her and tried to open her eyes, but it was to no avail. When she did not respond, Percy noticed the needles on the back of her hand and carefully pulled them out. "Nina, I came to save you. Sorry that I''mte." As soon as the needles were removed, Nina''s veins began to bleed. Percy grabbed the cotton swab on the bedside table and pressed on the wound. The maid walked in, trembling. The men outside seemed as though they were ready to swallow her whole. She tried to defend herself, saying, "Young Master Percy, it''s not my fault. I''m just working under him. I just do whatever he tells me to..." Percy ignored her and continued to call out to Nina, "Nina, can you hear me?" She seemed to hear Percy''s voice... Nina shook her head and wanted to open her eyes to look at the person in front of her. However, her eyelids were too heavy and she could not open them. When he saw that, Percy turned his head and said sullenly, "What did you do to her?!" "I didn''t do anything!" The maid quickly denied any wrongdoing on her part. "Why does she look like this if you hadn''t done anything?" Percy did not believe her. "Ms. Nina has a fever now. Of course, she would be drowsy. Don''t worry. After I learned she has a fever, I asked the doctors toe over and they gave her a fever-reducing jab," the maid said quickly, trying to exin herself. "Then what is this?" Percy asked while he held a needle up. The maid said, "This is for the nutrition solution. Ms. Nina refused to eat, so we had no choice but to have her undergo infusion therapy. This is good for her health and has absolutely no side effects." Percy threw the needle on the floor and looked at her with an indifferent expression. "You falsely imprisoned her. You can exin yourself to the police." The maid fell down with a loud thump. She knelt on the floor, begging for mercy, "Young Master Percy, you can''t do this to me. I''m just doing what Young Master Pierre told me to. If you send me to prison, your brother will be dragged along!" "It was Pierre who told you to do all of this? If you have any evidence, you can tell the police." Percy bent over and touched Nina''s forehead with his hand. He found that she was burning. He picked her up and left. Luke stood in the living room and asked when he saw Percy carry Nina out, "What happened to her?" "She hasn''t eaten for several days. Her body is weak and feverish," Percy exined. He then looked at his subordinates and said, "I''ll leave this to you. Make sure you send all those guilty to the police station. If I find that someone has slipped through the, you know what I''ll do to you, yeah?" "Boss, I know what I should do." The subordinate shuddered when he realized that Percy was not joking and immediately instructed his men to start moving. Luke picked up his phone and texted Johann. He then said to Percy, "Johann is already waiting for you in the hospital." "Thanks." Percy never thought that Nina would be here. He just wanted to try his luck after receiving the anonymous call. As such, he did not n it out thoroughly. Had he made arrangements in advance, the ambnce would have been waiting outside. Percy walked out of the vi with Nina in his arms, got into his car, and instructed the driver to go to the hospital. He held Nina in his arms the entire way. Ninay in his arms and felt very ufortable. She opened her eyes and looked at the man holding her. Her gaze was hazy because of the high fever, but the familiar smell in her nose reminded her of Percy. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "Is it you?" she asked. Her throat was coarse and ufortable because of the high fever. "It''s me," Percy replied. Although she did not ask who it was, he intuitively knew that Nina was referring to him. "You... finally came. I feel terrible..." Nina buried her head in his arms. When one was sick, they would be vulnerable and want to find the person they loved most to lean on. Chapter 1765 Percy listened to her screams and hugged her silently. "Don''t be scared. We''re going to the hospital now. You''ll feel morefortable once we get there." Nina heard his reassuring words and subconsciously grabbed the corner of his clothes. She was scared that he would disappear as soon as she loosened her grip. ¡®It''s not a dream, is it... Percy came to my rescue...'' Nina said nothing. Percy hugged her tightly until she arrived at the hospital. Johann had arranged for someone to wait for Nina at the hospital''s entrance. Percy got out of the car and felt Nina grip him tighter when he wanted to ce her on the stretcher. "Nina, we''re at the hospital now. The doctor will take care of you." Percy noticed her unease and reassured her. Nina shook her head and said, "Don''t leave me. I''m scared..." When he heard that, Percy felt as though his heart shattered. "Okay, I won''t let you go. I''ll carry you in." Percy carried Nina in his arms and walked to the hospital. The doctor who was on stand-by said when he saw that Percy refused to put Nina on the stretcher, "Sir, put the patient on the stretcher so that it''ll be easier on you. It''s a less bumpy journey for the patient as well." Nina quickly grabbed Percy''s shirt where his chest was when she heard what the doctor said. "No, I''m fine. Just lead the way." Percy turned down the doctor''s offer. The doctor had no choice but to trot in front to lead the way after seeing how persistent Percy was. Johann was waiting for them in the consultation room. He was slightly startled to see that Nina was carried in by Percy instead of a stretcher. "This is..." He noticed the sweat on Percy''s forehead. "Aren''t you tired from carrying her all the way here?" "I''m not tired. Quick, help her get rid of the fever," Percy said as he tried to ce Nina on the bed in the consultation room. Nina realized that she was being lowered and clutched onto him tightly. "Don''t put me down." Percy''s heart softened, and he carried her again. "How can she be treated if you don''t put her down? Uh, never mind. Sit on a chair if you insist on carrying her. I''ll get the nurse to take her temperature." Johann understood why Percy had carried Nina all the way in. Even heroes would go weak in the knees for the charms of a beautiful woman... Percy waspletely besotted. He would not behave as such if the woman was not Nina. After he heard what Johann said, Percy sat on the chair. The nurse next to him put the sterilized thermometer into Nina''s armpit and said, "Make sure she mps it tightly or the temperature disyed will be inurate." "Mm." Nina closed her eyes and subconsciously clenched her armpits when she heard the nurse''s instructions. After a while, the nurse took out the thermometer. She nced at it, frowned, and said, "Dr. Park, the patient''s temperature is 39 degrees." "It''s that high? She needs an antipyretic jab." Johann made arrangements immediately after he heard that. Percy thought of something and said, "Wait a minute. She was given an antipyretic jab before this. Will that affect anything?" "When was she injected?" Johann stopped and asked. "It should be around half an hour ago," Percy replied. "Do you know which antipyretic jab was administered?" Johann asked. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Percy shook his head as he was unsure. "I''ll ask." "Okay. It''ll generally take some time for the antipyretic jab to work after the injection. After an antipyretic jab has been administered, the second jab can''t be administered within a certain timeframe. In that case, let''s have Ms. Langdon hospitalized. We''ll use other means to cool her down for now." Johann made an immediate decision. Percy trusted Johann''s medical skills and decided to do as he said. Nina was quickly assigned a ward. Percy carried Nina into the ward. The ward was a VIP ward, and it was quiet. Percy carried Nina carefully and tried to put her on the bed but Nina would not let go of him. "Don''t leave me..." Her voice was still weak. Percy''s heart tightened into a bunch. He held her in his arms once more. "Don''t worry, I won''t leave you. We have to find a way to help you cool down, so you have to lie on the bed. I promise I''ll be right beside you the whole time!" Nina listened to his soothing words and slowly released her grip. Percy breathed a sigh of relief andid Nina t on the bed. After a while, the nurse came in with an ice pack and alcohol wipes. She said, "Sir, we''re going to help the patient to cool down. Do you need to step aside?" "I''m her boyfriend. I don''t need to step aside," Percy said. He was unwilling to go back on his word since he promised Nina that he would stay by her side the entire time. The nurse nodded and stuffed the ice packs under Nina''s armpits. The weather had turned cold, so even though it felt like she was burning, she was extremely ufortable under the stimtion of the ice cubes. "It''s so cold! I feel so ufortable!" she cried out. When Percy heard her screams, it felt as though her pain had transferred to him. He immediately looked at the nurse and said, "She''s screaming out of difort. Can you please stop using ice cubes?" The nurse sighed and replied, "Ice cubes are the quickest way. If we don''t use ice cubes, the only other option is to wipe her down with alcohol." "Let''s wipe her down with alcohol, then," Percy said. He was unwilling to see Nina be in such pain. "We don''t have enough manpower in the hospital. If we resort to using alcohol wipes, we have to keep wiping for some time. Otherwise, it''ll be ineffective," the nurse said, embarrassed. "I''ll do it." Percy did not even give it a second thought before he readily agreed. The nurse was happy to hear that he was willing to help out, so she taught him how to wipe Nina. Percy did as the nurse said and carefully wiped Nina. An hourter, the nurse came in with a thermometer and took Nina''s temperature. After a while, the nurse said to Percy, "Wiping her with alcohol is effective. The patient''s body temperature has dropped to 38.5 degrees. By the way, do you have the brand of the antipyretic jab already?" "I''ve already told Dr. Park." Percy had passed the message to Johann as soon as his subordinate texted him. "Okay, Dr. Park will make the necessary arrangements, then. Don''t worry, the patient''s condition hasn''t gotten worse. It means that the antipyretic jab and alcohol wipes are effective. If possible, continue to wipe her down and I believe that her fever will soon subside.¡± The nurse reassured him. Percy nodded. He continued to wipe Nina even as he spoke with the nurse. There was a small wound on his hand and it hurt the entire time from the stimtion of alcohol. Nevertheless, he was not bothered. All that he cared about was helping Nina reduce her fever. After a while, Johann walked in while holding a packet of needles. He said, "It''s time for another antipyretic jab. Although 38 degrees is not considered a high fever, since you''re so anxious, we''ll give Ms. Langdon an injection to get her fever down." "Mm." Percy stopped what he was doing. Johann prepared the needle, then pinpointed Nina''s vein and started the injection. The needle was slowly inserted into Nina''s vein. Percy kept silent, but he still felt the pain. The needle was inserted into Nina''s vein but it felt as though it was stabbed through his heart. Chapter 1766 The antipyretic fluid entered Nina''s vein little by little. After Johann adjusted the speed of the drip, he looked at Percy and saw how in pain he looked. He joked, saying, "It''s just an injection. Her fever is so high that she won¡¯t feel any pain no matter how sensitive she is to it." Percy frowned even more when he heard that. Seeing that Percy was not in the mood to talk, Johann touched his nose and did not continue the conversation. He went through some of the things to be mindful of and left. ... Luca was in the vi worrying about Nina while taking care of the children. Her refusals about Luke moving in with the three kids had gone unheard. The truth was that she wanted more than anything to live with the children and Luke... The cleaningdy arrived to help take care of the children. As per Luke¡¯s instructions, she bought a bunch of ingredients before she came to the vi. When Luca saw her, she took the initiative to put the groceries in the refrigerator. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Lanie and Rainie were both doing their homework in the living room. When they saw Luca carrying the ingredients into the kitchen, Rainie whispered to Lanie, "Ms. Luca won''t leave, right?" "Daddy was so unconvincing. I had a long chat with Ms. Luca yesterday. I don''t think she¡¯ll leave?" Lanie muttered. If their daddy could convince her to stay, they would not have to be so worried. Rainie gave him a thumbs-up and praised him, "Lanie, you¡¯re awesome! If Ms. Luca stays, we should all thank you." Lanie looked at his sister''s admiration and grinned from ear to ear. "It¡¯s no big deal as long as we can make Daddy happy and protect our family. Rainie, you have to put in some work too, okay?" "Ah, what should I do?" Rainie nced at the kitchen and saw that Luca was still inside, so they continued the discussion. "Ms. Luca is soft-hearted. You¡¯re a girl, so acting weak will soften her heart." Lanie gave her an idea. "Spend some time with Ms. Luca to show her your vulnerability and how you¡¯re scared of Greatgrandpa. By then, she¡¯ll not have the heart to leave and we can leave the rest to Daddy." Rainie nodded, indicating that she knew what to do. Just as they were done chatting, Luca came out with a te full of cut fruits. She looked at the twins and said, "I cut some fruits for you. Do you want to have some?" "Yes!" Lanie and Rainie said in unison. Luca put the te in front of them. She did not see Tommy, so she asked curiously, "Where''s Tommy?" "Tommy finished his homework and went upstairs to look for his coloring book," Rainie replied. Luca nodded and looked at their homework. The children had grown up and were smart. They did not need her guidance toplete their homework. She could not help but sigh for missing out on the period when the children were still growing up. Rainie picked up a piece of apple with a fork and held it to Luca''s mouth. "Ms. Luca, have some." Luca smiled slightly. Rainie''s heart-warming action made her feel as though her heart had melted. She opened her mouth and carefully ate the piece of apple given to her by Rainie. The apple was refreshing and sweet. Luca ate it slowly. Rainie smiled, her eyebrows curving like the moon. "Ms. Luca, is it delicious?" Luca looked at her smile and it reminded her of when she was younger. She nodded and said, "It''s delicious. You should have some too." Rainie got a piece and chewed it slowly like her. "I''m going to ask Tommy toe down." Luca stood up and was about to go upstairs to get Tommy when she saw Luke walk in. "Daddy, have some apples. Ms. Luca cut them for us!" Lanie greeted him when he saw Lukee in. Luke walked over, looked at the sliced apples, then at Luca. "Have you found Nina?" Luca asked immediately, not even bothering to say hello. She was worried sick about Nina. If she was not worried that calling them might affect their operation, she would have called to ask if Luke had found Nina. "We have. She''s in the hospital now," Luke said. Luca''s heart tightened, her eyes showing concern for Nina as she asked, "Is she injured?" "No. She has a fever and is being treated in the hospital." Luke knew she was worried about Nina and did not hide anything from her. Luca nced at the children with a hesitant expression. Even if she did not say anything, Luke knew what she was thinking about. "If you want to go to the hospital, go. I can stay here to watch the kids." Luca was stunned. She did not say anything but he knew exactly what was in her mind. They were still so in sync even though three years had passed. "Thank you," Luca said. She turned around and went upstairs, intending to change into a fresh set of clothes and head to the hospital. She suddenly thought of Pierre, so she turned around and asked, "Did Pierre do it?" "Yes." Luke nodded. "Will Mr. Mallory be going after him?" Luca continued to ask. Pierre escaped cunningly the time she was kidnapped. This time, she did not want to see Pierre get off scot-free. "Yes," Luke said. Even though Percy did not say what he was going to do with Pierre, Luke knew that something was about to happen. Pierre had done so many terrible things that Percy''s love for his brother had long been exhausted. Not to mention, Nina was his everything. No one was allowed to touch her. Pierre had publicly offended his woman, so a break between the two brothers was inevitable. Luca nodded and went upstairs to change. Tommy saw here out of the bedroom, walked over, and hugged her hand. "Ms. Luca, where are you going? Take me with you? " "I''m going to the hospital to visit Aunt Nina. There are many germs in the hospital, so I can''t take you with me," Luca said. Since Nina had just been rescued, she must be in shock. Bringing the child over would only make a scene. Tommy still wanted to follow her but when he saw Luke walk upstairs, he said obediently, "Okay, Ms. Luca. Come back quickly. I''ll wait for you at home." Luca noticed that Tommy mentioned that he would be waiting for her at home, not ''here''... She was unsure if he said it unintentionally or intentionally. "Okay." She patted Tommy''s head, turned around to leave, and saw Luke. She nodded and went off. Luke said suddenly, "I''ll drive you there." "You''re going too?" Luca was stunned. ''Didn''t he just say that he would stay here to take care of the kids?'' "Mm, I have something to discuss with Percy," Luke said. Luca nced at Tommy behind her and asked, "The kids..." "With the cleaningdy here, it won''t be a problem," Luke said. Although the cleaningdy he arranged was not from Crawford Manor, she was someone he could trust. The children would not make a fuss about going out, so one caretaker was more than enough to take care of them. Chapter 1767 Tommy listened to the conversation between the adults and came to assist, saying, "Daddy, Ms. Luca, don''t worry. I promise that I''ll be good and listen to the cleaningdy, Lanie, and Rainie. I''ll be waiting for you toe home!" Luca nodded and said, "Okay." Luke walked into the opposite room and said, "Give me five minutes. I have to change." "Mm." Luca nodded. Tommy took her hand and whispered, "Ms. Luca, you have to follow closely behind Daddy when you''re out." "Why?" Luca was intrigued. She crouched down and looked at the child. "It''s dangerous and there are many people out there! Only by following Daddy closely can he keep you safe!" Tommy touched the top of her head as she did to him previously. "Ms. Luca, you''re my favorite person. You have to keep yourself safe.¡± Luca was not sure how to feel. Tommy was so young but he already learned to say such things. She looked at the serious look in his eyes and nodded. "I will." Luke changed his clothes, opened the bedroom door, and raised his eyebrows slightly when he saw their interaction. Luca subconsciously stood up. "Daddy, you must protect Ms. Luca when you''re outside. Don''t let bad guys take her away!" Tommy nagged them like a little old man. "I''ll protect her. Don''t worry." Luke looked at the child, the corners of his mouth slightly raised. He could not help but smile. "Don''t worry about us. You should leave now so you cane back early. I want Ms. Luca to tell me a story before I go to bed," Tommy said. He then went downstairs with his coloring book. Luca followed behind Tommy. Seeing that she did not say anything, Luke was not bothered and went downstairs with them. After he exined the situation to the kids, Luke left with Luca and drove her to the hospital. The atmosphere in the car was silent, and Luca''s nerves were tense. She felt a little ufortable every time she was in such a small space with Luke. She was worried that her thoughts would be seen through by him. Luca sped her hands together, thought about it for a while, and broke the silence. ¡°Uh, is there enough evidence to charge Pierre now?" She was worried that this time would be the same as thest, where Pierre paid off some people and got away with it. "Yes," Luke said, "The vi where Nina was held captive belongs to Pierre''s mother, which was why no matter how deep Percy dug before, he didn''t find anything. He didn''t take this into ount." ¡®If the vi is owned by his mother, I''m sure Mr. Mallory wouldn''t dare to act rashly. If Madam Mallory is involved, this will be a difficult matter to handle. Madam Mallory has always disliked Nina. If Mr. Mallory involves her because of this, the Mallory family''s impression of Nina may worsen.'' Luca was worried. On the one hand, she hoped that Pierre would get the punishment he deserved, but on the other hand, she hoped that Nina could find her happiness. However, it would be difficult for Nina to be happy with Percy. If she wanted to pursue Pierre because of this matter, she may annoy Madam Mallory. At that time, if she wanted to get the support of the Mallory family to be with Percy, Luca was afraid it would be impossible. "Percy will take care of it," Luke replied. Luca looked at him suspiciously and asked, "What do you mean by that? Does Mr. Mallory have another way?" "He received an anonymous phone call, and after he found out that the vi belonged to his mother, he started gathering evidence. When he entered the vi, the maid admitted to him that Pierre made her do all of it. Even if the maid wants to flip her statement, it''ll be impossible," Luke said. Luca nodded. Although he said that it was unlikely that the maid would change her statement, it was still possible with the intervention of the Mallory family. Even if they have a recording of her confession, the police station would still acquit Pierre and say that he was framed. When she thought of that, Luca felt that she still had to rely on the strength of the Ind of Despair to deal with Pierre. However, those from the Ind of Despair were not moving fast enough... ''It would be great if those people could hurry up.'' Luca''s mood wasplicated. She did not even notice when Luke parked the car in the hospital''s parking lot. "We''re here." Luke turned his face sideways to look at Luca, who was in the driver''s seat. Her brows were furrowed, so he knew at one nce that she was deep in thought. It was not hard to guess that she was thinking about Nina. "Ah, that''s great." Luca came back to her senses, unfastened her seat belt, opened the car door, and looked at the familiar hospital parking lot. She smiled wryly when she thought of how fated she seemed to be with the hospital. She had been here countless times, no matter if it involved her directly or indirectly. Whenever she saw the hospital, she felt depressed. "Let''s go," Luke told her as he opened the door and got out of the car. Luca nodded and walked side by side with him. The two soon arrived at Nina''s ward. At that point, Nina had woken up and her fever had almost subsided. "Nina, how are you?" Luca walked in and asked when she saw Nina sitting up. Nina''s body was a little weak because she had not eaten for several days. She said, "I''m fine. I''m wonderful." Luca looked at her pale lips and knew that Nina was just trying tofort her. She nced at the IV fluid and did not need to look closely to know that it was glucose solution. She guessed that Nina deliberately went on a hunger strike so that she could escape. Otherwise, her weight would not have dropped so drastically. "You look so weak... What did the doctor say?" Luca walked over, ignoring Percy. She still resented Percy in her heart. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . If it were not for his previous incident with the Johnston family, Nina would not have left. It was only because Nina was without his protection that Pierre was so bold and dared to hurt Nina. "The doctor said that I''m fine, I need to stay for observation for one night and can be discharged tomorrow if my fever is gone," Nina said. Right after she woke up, she told Johann about what had happened. Aside from not eating and drinking, the people in Pierre''s vi did not act violently against her. She just had a fever but her body was okay. She was not in pain. Luca sighed and looked at Percy. He looked gloomy. Luke cleared his throat and said to Percy, "Percy,e out. I have something to discuss with you." Percy looked at Nina as if he was unwilling to leave. "Mr. Mallory, I''ll keep a close eye on Nina, don''t worry," Luca said. She knew that Luke had something important to discuss with Percy, so she came to his aid. If she guessed correctly, what Luke was going to say must have something to do with Pierre and the anonymous phone call. Nina would not want to hear Pierre''s name, so they definitely could not discuss it in front of her. The anonymous call... She wondered if they would track the location of that anonymous call... Nevertheless, they would not find anything even if they tried. After all, Amur would not easily leave traces that could be tracked. Chapter 1768 Percy looked at Nina, whoy peacefully on the hospital bed. She nodded and spoke in a low, gentle voice, "Go. We''re in the hospital. Nothing will happen to me." When he heard her, Percy stood up and walked out of the ward with Luke. Luca approached the hospital bed and looked at Nina''s thin face. It was pale and ashen. "You''ve lost a lot of weight." "I couldn''t eat when I was there, so naturally, I lost weight." Nina looked at the person in front of her. She could not stop crying when she thought of how Percy was right in front of her as soon as she woke up. When she saw Luca, she waspletely relieved and knew that she was truly safe. Luca sat on the chair beside the bed and held Nina''s frail hand. "After you''re discharged, you need to make up for the weight you''ve lost and eat more food so that you can get back to how you were before." "I''ll eat more if you''re the one cooking for me!" Nina was more rxed when Luca was around. She did not want Luca to worry about her, so she pretended to be at ease and joked. Luca poked her forehead and asked, "Did Mr. Percy take you to the hospital?" "Yeah. If it weren''t for him, I''d still be sick and stuck in the vi. Luca, if I wasn''t on my period, Pierre would''ve gotten to me. During my time there, I thought about everything that had happened. I was overwhelmed with endless grief and fear. I regretted being so willful and thinking that I could solve everything by myself. In the end, it was Percy who helped me solve all of my troubles. I''m not that capable..." Nina told Luca the things she had thought about over thest few days. Luca nodded with a smile on her face. "Yes, Mr. Percy has put in a lot of thought and time for you but you didn''t notice it before." "I see it now. Luca, do you think it''s still possible for me and him?" Nina hesitated for a few seconds before she asked. After she went through everything that she did, she saw the truth that she had tried to bury and knew that Percy held a special ce in her heart. All along, she thought that the gap between them was toorge to ovee, so she never wanted to admit her feelings for him... "Of course, it''s possible," Luca said immediately and with certainty, "Look, Mr. Percy rescued you when you were in trouble. You were locked in the vi these past few days, so you don''t know what went on. Mr. Percy has been looking for you since you went missing. He hardly ate or slept during this period. If Pierre wasn''t too cunning and hid you in their mother''s vi, you would have been found sooner." Nina smiled. Although she knew that Percy would look for her, when she heard her close friend say that, she could feel the hardships that Percy went through in thest couple of days. "I''m sorry to have worried you," she said. Luca swept her bangs aside and said, "All Pierre did was hold you hostage. He didn''t hurt you, right? " "No. Don''t worry, I don''t find the need to lie for him." Nina shook her head. She felt much better after she got the glucose intravenous infusion. "If he really did anything to you, I''ll destroy him!" Luca said as a murderous look shed in her eyes. She was not joking. She could let it slip when Pierre hurt her but she would never endure him hurting those she held dear. Nina looked at her and thought the way Luca cared for her felt familiar. She was worried that Luca would step on Pierre''s toes for her, so she gently held Luca''s hand and said, "Trust me, nothing happened except that I starved. It was just for a few days. The weight loss is not a big deal." "Enough with the fake optimism. I''m sure that this incident must have caused a lot of trauma. If you''re ready to talk, tell Mr. Mallory everything. Find a psychiatrist and go for therapy. Don''t keep everything to yourself,¡± Luca said. Nina nodded. Luca nced at the fruits on the table and asked, "There are some fruits here. Do you want some?" "Yeah, I want some grapes," Nina said after she noticed that there were grapes in the fruit basket. Percy had asked someone to send it over after Johann told him that she could have fruits to supplement her condition. The fruits in the basket were all her favorites. Nina did not expect that Percy, who had never once asked her what she liked, would know so much about her. After she took off her rose-tinted sses, she found that he was not arrogant toward her. Rather, he was careful and considerate. Luca walked to the fruit basket, nced at it, and said with a smile, "They''re all your favorites. Did Mr. Percy buy it for you?" "How did you know?" Nina was surprised. "Mr. Percy is the only one who would be so thoughtful to prepare so much for you. Look at me. I came in a hurry and am empty-handed." Luca picked up a bunch of grapes and walked into the bathroom. After her reminder, Nina noticed that Luca came with Luke. It was Saturday. Logically speaking, Luca did not have to go to work, and her outfit also did not look like she came from work... Luca washed the grapes and saw the delicate fruit te on the side. She thought that Percy was so thoughtful that he even got a te ready. She picked it up, put the grapes on it, and went out. "The grapes look fresh. They should be very sweet." Luca put the grapes on the bedside table, looked at Nina who was still on the intravenous drip, and asked, "Would you like me to help you adjust the bed?" "Okay." Nina nodded. Percy was so worried about her just now that he refused to adjust the bed even though she said that she was getting back pain from lying down so much. She did not say anything seeing how ill at ease he was. Luca helped to adjust the bed, then assisted Nina to a sitting position. She put the pillow up to make her morefortable. Nina was about to pick up the fruit te when Luca said, "I''ll do it. Your hand is still attached to the drip. Don''t move around." "I''m thankful to have you here taking care of me." Nina saw how worried Luca was for her. To outsiders, they seemed like friends who had known each other for more than ten years. "What about Mr. Percy? Mr. Percy has been taking care of you too. What do you think of him?" Luca joked. Since Nina was safe and sound, all she needed to do was to make her happy. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . "I''ve said what I wanted to say. Let''s move on from the topic and have some grapes." Nina blushed slightly. When she thought of how Percy had risked everything to save her, she realized that the emotions that filled her heart were not feelings of being touched; it was love. Luca noticed that she was blushing. She handed the grapes to her hand and asked, "Do you want me to peel the skin off for you?" "How do you know that I like to peel the skin off the grapes?" Nina thought that it was a little odd that Luca knew everything about her. Although the two had known each other for a while, she had never eaten grapes in front of her. "That''s because I like to eat grapes without the skin too." Luca helped to peel the skin off seeing that the needle was still stuck in the back of Nina''s hand. Chapter 1769 Nina took the peeled grapes and said, "Some of your habits are very simr to mine." "Isn''t that normal? After all, we''re good friends." Luca smiled. She then lowered her head and continued to peel the grapes for her. Outside the ward. Percy and Luke each had a cigarette in their hand. "How''s it going?" Luke asked. If Percy was willing to make a move on Pierre, he would be more than happy to help. Although Pierre had not made any big moves now, they all saw his ambition. Right now, he was only afraid of the two old masters from the Crawford and Mallory families. After a few years, no one would be able to control him when he grew stronger. As such, it was necessary to deal with a hazard like Pierre as soon as possible. "Those involved have been taken to the police station. Pierre should know that I''ve rescued Nina by now." Percy took a deep breath and blew out some smoke circles. In front of Nina, all he could do was to take good care of her and show her his gentleness. In ces where she could not see him, he was mncholic and ruthless. The mncholy was because Pierre was his younger brother. The Mallory family would definitely not allow him to deal with Pierre publicly. The worst thing was that as his younger brother, Pierre went for the woman he loved the most, as well as made moves behind his back. Although the Mallories were not in charge of thepany, it was impossible for them not to know about what Pierre had been doing. Although they knew that what he was doing may harm the interests of Mallory Corporation at any time, they did not say anything. Percy knew that if he went after Pierre, the majority of the Mallories might be on Pierre''s side. His road of vengeance would be difficult. Percy smoked his cigarette and remembered what Old Master Mallory had once taught him. "In this world, the strong will dominate the weak. It doesn''t matter if you''re the eldest grandson of the Mallory family and you''ve been trained to be the heir since you were young. If one day, they find that you''re not as good as your younger brother, even if the Mallories are on your side, the shareholders of Mallory Corporation won''t be. As such, you must be strong enough to carry the Mallory Corporation.¡± "What should I do next?" Luke continued to ask. He had no choice but to let go of what had happened last time due to the interference of various forces. This time, he would help Percy no matter what. "Wait for my notice." Percy had not thought it through. He had already found someone to keep watch at the police station. He would be immediately notified if Pierre or other strangers went to visit those key suspects. "Okay. If you decide to avenge Nina, I''ll help you. After all, Pierre has also touched my woman," Luke said. He held onto some guilt for having to mind the bigger picture and not being able to avenge Luca. Pierre had offended him and now, he had offended Percy. His good days wereing to an end. "By the way, my people can''t track the anonymous phone number. Can I borrow someone from your side?" Percy asked. He did not pay much attention to the anonymous call at first because he thought that it was a prank call. After he found Nina, he asked someone to investigate the matter but they could not find out the source of the call. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "You don''t have to look for it as you won''t be able to find the person behind it," Luke said. "The call came at the perfect timing and was anonymous. On top of that, the signal was hidden with special software. Do you think that it can be tracked that easily?" "Based on your tone, you know who called me?" Percy frowned suspiciously. Luke nced at the ward''s door and noticed that Luca was still inside. "Luca has been worried about Nina," he said. Percy nodded. He knew that Luca had tried everything to find Nina. "We''ve always suspected that Luca is refusing to admit her true identity because there are forces behind her that are forcing her to do so. There''s someone who''s keeping watch of her," Luke said. It did not seem like a coincidence that Amur came back yesterday and they received an anonymous call the next day. He suspected that it was Luca who asked Amur to help find Nina. The forces behind Luca forced her to go through stic surgery and then arranged a fake Bianca to be by his side. They must have a foothold in A City. Otherwise, how dare they act so boldly? "You suspect it''s Luca?" Percy snuffed out the cigarette and asked. "I suspect it''s Luca''s titr brother." Luke''s attitude was not the best when he mentioned Amur. As a man, he had a natural hostility toward Amur. Percy nodded and thought that his suspicions were not unreasonable. "I''ve gotten someone to watch him in secret." Luke also put out the cigarette. Percy opened the window. Nina did not like the smell of cigarettes on him, so he had stopped himself from smoking. If the matter was not that serious, he would not be smoking. After a while, the two walked in. When they saw Luca sitting on the chair beside the bed feeding Nina grapes, they looked at each other. True friendship never went away. Even though Luca had changed her identity, Nina quickly epted her. Luca heard the sound of them walking in and looked at them. "Are you done talking?" "Yeah." Luke nodded. He was envious of how she was taking care of Nina. Luca put thest peeled grape in Nina''s hand and put the te aside. "The doctor said you can eat solid food now, so I''ll cook some chicken soup for you tonight, okay?" she said. "That sounds wonderful." Nina''s eyes lit up. Luca nced at Luke. She knew that he still had work to do. Besides, she had a bunch of documents to trante. She stood up and said, "I''lle backter." "Mm, you don''t have to worry about me. Go." Nina nodded. Her mood significantly improved after she spent some time with Luca. Luca and Luke left. Percy walked over and got close to the hospital bed. When he saw Nina half-lying, he frowned and asked, "Are youfortable lying down like this? If not, I''ll adjust the bed for you." "No, I''m fine. I can watch TV like this. I promise I''m fine." Nina''s mouth curled into a shallow smile. Percy nodded. The phone in his pocket rang. He picked it up and saw that it was Madam Mallory calling. His mood sank as he hung up the call. Nina noticed what he did and that his expression became worse after seeing the caller ID. She asked cautiously, "If you''re busy..." "I''m not busy. I''ll stay with you," Percy said, not nning to leave. He was worried that Pierre would make a move if he left. The hospital was not under him. Even if he arranged his men to guard Nina here, he would feel more at ease if he personally kept guard of her. After these few days, he was deeply aware that he could not bear to lose Nina. Chapter 1770 Nina noticed the worry in his eyes and said softly, "Are you struggling with what to do with Pierre?" Percy looked at her. After she was rescued, she no longer resisted him. Her tenderness was hard-won as the price was for her to experience those terrible things. He would rather she did not experience them and for her to see his love for her bit by bit through his hard work so that it would hurt her a lot less. "No, don''t read into it." Percy put his hand on her forehead and removed it only when he felt that her temperature was normal. "Don''t lie to me. Pierre is your younger brother. If you go after him for my sake, you won''t be able to exin it to your family. Since I''ve woken up, your phone has rung three times and you didn''t answer a single call. It''s someone from the Mallory family who''s calling you, no?" Nina hated Pierre, and she did not want to let the matter slide. However, she could not deal with this mad man alone. She could only do it with Percy''s help... If Percy stood on her side, however, he would be fighting against a whole lot of people. She could not bear to let Percy face something as such. She med herself for everything. If she had epted Percy''s feelings for her and his protection, Pierre would at least have his scruples and not do anything to her. "It has to do with thepany." Percy tucked her in and reassured her. "Don''t read into it." Nina knew that he was saying this only because he did not want her to feel guilty, so she nodded. She knew that no matter what she said, it would not change Percy''s decision. She was incapable of fighting against Pierre, but Jean... Nina lowered her gaze slightly. She was unwilling to forgive Jean after she learned from Pierre that Jean had worked with him to lie to her so that she would show up at the bar... ... Luke drove to the vi. Luca breathed a sigh of relief after she personally made sure that Nina was fine. She felt much more rxed sitting in the passenger seat. Luke said thoughtfully, "You care about Nina a lot." "Why do you say that?" Luca looked at the reversing scenery outside the window and wondered. ¡®How did he notice the change in my mood when he''s driving?'' In front of him, there seemed to be a detector for the emotions she wanted to hide. He knew everything. "You look much more rxed than before," Luke said. Luca nodded and exined, "I was worried that Nina would be bullied by Pierre when she was held hostage. Her mental state is too fragile. She wouldn''t be able to deal with it if she encountered something like that. Fortunately, that''s not what happened, so the trauma isn''t as bad. Also, after this incident, she knows who matters most in her heart. So it''s somewhat a blessing in disguise." Luke listened to her words of concern for others, stared ahead, and said thoughtfully, "You''re d she found out who''s the most important person in her life, but how about you?" "What?" Luca looked at him. She did not understand what he meant. "What are you thinking about? When will you recognize your true feelings?" Luke asked. Luca turned her head away and sped her hands together uneasily. "I don''t understand what you mean." Luke did not continue talking. Since Luca wanted to be an ostrich, he could not force her. If he pushed her too hard, she might resist him. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. His phone rang. He nced at it, picked up the Bluetooth earphones beside him, put them on, and answered the call. "What''s the matter?" Luca knew from the tone of his voice that it was not the children who called. Luke had a different tone of voice when he talked on the phone with different people. To Bianca, he was gentle and loving. Although he was more stern when he spoke to the kids, his tone was still gentle and affectionate. He was respectful toward Old Master Crawford. With other people, he spoke indifferently as though there was no warmth to him at all. The person on the other end of the phone said something. Luca did not hear anything since he was wearing earphones. However, she noticed that his tone had be more serious. "I''m on my way." She watched as Luke hung up the phone as soon as he finished talking. She asked with a frown, "What happened?" "Something happened at Crawford Manor. I need to go back now," Luke said. Although he just mentioned that ¡®something happened'', Luca knew that it had to do with Allison. She began to cause drama only after a few days of silence. When Luca heard that it was about Crawford Manor, she thought that it would be inappropriate for her to be involved. She said, "Drop me on the side of the road. I''ll take a cab back." Luke nced at her and knew what she was thinking about. He said, "I have to trouble you toe with me. I can''t solve this matter alone." ¡®He can''t solve it alone...'' "Okay, I''ll try my best." Luca nodded in agreement as she knew that it involved Allison. Allison paid a lot of attention to her appearance. Although the concoction she prescribed had prevented her face from getting worse, it did not cure her condition. As such, Luca had been expecting her to make a scene sooner orter. Seeing that she consented to be involved, Luke turned around at the intersection ahead and headed for Crawford Manor. It was the weekend, so there were more people on the road. They took more than half an hour to reach Crawford Manor. As soon as Luke stopped the car, the butler hurried over, looking utterly anxious. "Young Master Luke, you''re finally back. Please get Madam Allison to calm down." "Where''s Grandpa?" Luke asked. In the past, Allison would still be a little afraid of Old Master Crawford. If Old Master Crawford was at Crawford Manor, she would not dare to make a scene. "Old Master Crawford went on vacation with his friends to a vige in the suburbs. He won''t be back until evening at the earliest. It''s a mess inside. I think Madam Susan and Madam Allison are about to get into a fight," the butler frowned as he spoke. He was just the butler. If the two of them fought, he would not be able to diffuse the situation. As such, when he felt that something was about to go down, he immediately called Luke and Louis to get them toe back. Luke nodded and said, "Let''s go in." Luca followed by Luke''s side. Considering the situation inside, she slowed down slightly and followed behind Luke instead. As they approached the house, they heard the sound of quarreling inside and the vague cries of a child. Luca guessed that it was Thea who was crying. After they entered the main house, Luke saw how agitated Allison and Susan were. They were being pulled aside by two maids. Thea, on the other hand, was standing in the corner, crying. She was obviously frightened by what was happening. "What''s the matter?!" Luke frowned, his shout interrupting the quarrel between the two. No matter what social ss someone was in, they would go out of control when they quarreled, including Susan and Allison. Chapter 1771 At that moment, the two acted like shrews who were fighting in the market square. When Allison saw Luke, she knew that her support had arrived. Before Susan could say anything, she cried out, "Luke, I don''t feel weed in this house! I don''t want to live anymore!" Luca listened as Allison cried about her misery. It was made clear that she wanted Luke to step in. Nevertheless, Luke was the kind of person who sided with reason. He did not side her blindly. Instead, he asked, "What happened? Your quarrel is scaring Thea." Thea nted her bum on the floor all of a sudden. Thea covered her face and cried so hard as if she was going to be out of breath at any moment. Luca could not bear to leave her as such, so she walked over, took her hand, andforted her softly. "It''s okay. Everything is okay. Don''t cry." Thea continued crying although she was beingforted. Susan noticed it and pulled Thea to her side. She scolded Allison dismissively, "If you don''t want to live, I''m all for it. Why are you still here to hinder the earth''s rotation? Do you think your son will back you up now that he''s here?" Seeing that Susan was unwilling to back down, Allison decided to change her tactics and pretended to be vulnerable. She said, "Luke, look, this house is no longer my home. She speaks ill of me to anyone who''s willing to listen to her. She''s trying to force me to leave. Please take me away from this horrible ce. I don''t want to live here anymore." Susan snorted coldly and replied, "It''s best if you''re willing to move out so you won''t scare my baby Thea anymore. Why are you still going around scaring people with that ugly face of yours? Are you trying to scare my baby granddaughter to death? Sure enough, ugly people will do all kinds of weird things to get attention." "You... How dare you?!" Allison was hit on her sore spot and was ready to fight Susan. However, as soon as she took a step forward, the maid who held her was frightened and held onto her even harder. "Enough!" Luke frowned. He was extremely annoyed by what was happening. Crawford Manor was peaceful for several years because of Allison''s imprisonment. It had not been long since she got out of prison but she and Susan had started arguing again. Their quarrels annoyed everyone. The only ones unaffected were the two parties involved. Luca sighed helplessly as she watched the drama unfold. Allison raised his hand and pointed at Susan. "Luke, she called me ugly. She even told the maid to tell her granddaughter. I can''t let go of this!" Luke knew how vicious Susan''s words were, but it was not his ce to say anything. Although she was in the wrong, she was still Louis'' mother and his elder. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "Okay, stop arguing," he scolded them with a cold tone, "I brought Dr. Craw here. She''s going to do a check-up on your skin. Do you want to consult with her?" Allison touched her face subconsciously. There were endless wrinkles. She had applied the herbal concoction for so long but her skin did not seem to get any better. However, it also did not get worse. She quickly said, "Yes, I want to consult with her!" "Go upstairs, then," Luke said. The quarrel could only be settled by getting Allison upstairs. Allison stared at Susan fiercely. Susan was ufortable looking at her terrifying face paired with her piercing gaze. "What are you looking at?! You''ll never have skin as smooth as mine," Susan sarcastically said. She had always been pissed about Zachary being on Allison''s side in the past because of her inability to have children and her age. She felt that it was also because she was not as good-looking as Allison. However, she could finally stand proud now that Allison''s face ended up as such. The tables had turned and it was Allison''s turn to be the unlucky one. Susan felt at ease. She would be more at ease if Allison left Crawford Manor. "I''ll cut you after I see the doctor!" Allison said viciously as she turned around and went upstairs. Luke gave Luca a look. Luca nodded and was about to follow her upstairs. Susan said sarcastically, "I don''t know why you''re wasting your time since the stic surgeons have already said that your face can''t be restored. Isn''t it a waste of resources for you to see the doctor? If you have the time, why not go to the suburbs and choose a nice cemetery plot? You might be able to get a spot with nice scenery. Maybe that''ll make you want to die faster." Allison exploded. She turned around and red at Susan viciously. "What did you say? I''ll tear you to pieces if you continue talking!" "I''m only telling the truth. Why? Luke, doesn''t your mother allow others to tell the truth? Although she met the stic surgeon in prison, she can''t hide the results of her diagnosis from others. Does she think that no one knows about her rotten face just because she hasn''t gone outside since her release from prison? Allison, everyone in the world knows that your face is ruined and can''t be cured!¡± Susan continued to trigger Allison seeing that her reaction was so strong. "I''ll kill you!" Allison knew that if anyone out there knew about her situation, half of the reason was Susan. Family matters should be kept within the household, but Susan told everyone about her condition. It was clear that Allison wanted her to be a joke in the public eye. Luca stood at the head of the stairs, blocking Allison''s way. She said with a serious expression, "Ms. Tanner, I''m in a hurry. If you don''t think you need a consultation today, I''ll head off now." When Allison heard that, she had to calm herself down. The concoction that Luca gave her was the most effective out of everything she had ever received from the doctors. She only had Luca to rely on. "I''ll deal with youter! Bitch!" After she shouted that, she headed upstairs. Luca breathed a sigh of relief. It was obvious that Susan wanted to pick a fight. She continued to trigger Allison even after she had backed down. If it were not for her quick thinking, they might have gotten into a fistfight. If Old Master Crawford knew that they got into a fight, he would be furious. To Old Master Crawford, what he cared about the most was family harmony. However, Susan and Allison were always like two opposite threads. They would never be on the same end. Luca nced at Luke and followed Allison upstairs. At that moment, Louis had also hurried back. When he saw his frightened daughter who was still crying, he snatched the child from Susan''s arms. "Mom, why are you arguing with Allison again?!" Louis could not do anything about their ipatibility. "From your tone of voice, you seem to think that I was the one who picked a fight? Are you my son or her son? Why do you keep siding with her?" Susan looked at him, dissatisfied. Louis took out a tissue and wiped her daughter''s tears. "I''m not siding with her. I just think that these fights are pointless. All they do is make everyone in the house feel uneasy." "It''s not my fault. She knows she''s so ugly yet still walks around the house! Do you see Thea''s tears? It''s because of her horrid appearance." Susan looked at Luke as if she was in the right. "Luke, move her out of here. If you don''t, it''ll cause me and Thea to have a heart attack sooner orter." Chapter 1772 Louis immediately grabbed Susan and walked off. "Okay, Mom, that¡¯s enough. The vi is almost ready. You can move in with us when the timees." When Susan heard that, she scolded, "Bastard! I told you that I won¡¯t move out! You¡¯re not allowed to move out as well. This is your home!" Louis was not bothered. He went upstairs with her. Luke stood downstairs, deep in thought. Allison and Susan were ipatible with each other so he had expected them to fight. He knew that he could not postpone his ns any longer. "Young Master Luke, are you moving out for good with Young Master Tommy and the others?" the butler asked. "Mm, I won''t be moving back for the time being." Luke nodded. He did not want the kids to be affected by their infighting. Aside from that, he had not returned to Crawford Manor often because he was upied with work. It was a better option for him and the kids to live in the vi and have them get closer to Luca so that she would open up to them about her true identity sooner. "Since you and the kids left, it feels like this home is missing something. Old Master Crawford doesn''t like to stay here either. He¡¯s been going out to meet with his friends more frequently.¡± The butler sighed when he thought of how the once lively home had turned so silent. The asional sounds were from Susan and Allison, who just yelled at each other whenever they interacted. "I''ll bring the kids back when they''re on holiday," Luke said, "I''ll go upstairs to see what''s going on." "Okay." The butler nodded. Luke went upstairs, opened the door to Allison''s room, and frowned when his nose was overwhelmed by her strong perfume. It was way too strong... Luca was sitting on the chair by the bed, taking Allison''s pulse. Allison saw Luke walk in but did not react to it. She went on and on, asking Luca questions, "When will my face recover?" Luca listened to her endless questions, finished checking her pulse, and looked at the man behind her helplessly. She could answer Allison''s question but she knew that the other party would not ept her answer. "Ms. Tanner, you need to continue applying the concoction to manage the condition of your face. I just checked your pulse and found that your problem is not only on your face. In addition to applying the concoction, I''ll also prescribe some oral medication to treat your body," Luca said, dodging her question. When she heard that there was something wrong with her body, Allison pulled back her hand suspiciously and said, "I''m eating and sleeping well. How could there be a problem with my body? Are you talking nonsense because you want to earn more from me?" Luca sighed and replied, "I haven''t received a single cent from you. Your pulse is much more chaotic than when you were in prison. I think it has something to do with your daily routine, so I suggest you make a change. Your health will improve when we work on it internally and externally." Allison was still suspicious. The wrinkles on her face deepened because of the expression on her wrinkled face. "My daily routine is good. Are you ipetent and just spewing nonsense?" "Don''t consult with me if you don''t trust me. Ms. Tanner, if you have doubts about my abilities, you can stop using my concoction." Luca was fuming a little. As Luke''s mother, Allison had never helped him in any way but put him through the wringer all the time. The saying went ¡®love me, love my dog''. Hence, if she loved Luke, she should love everything about him. However, she could not bring herself to like Allison, a mother who would only hold him back. As time went on, she was a little disgusted by her. Luke spoke up for Luca, "Dr. Craw''s advice for you is for your own good. Okay, she''ll prescribe some medicine for you. It''s your choice whether you want to take it or not." Allison red at him, dissatisfied. She was mad that her son would side with outsiders instead of her, his mother. "I know. I''ll take the medicine on time in full. If it doesn''t work, I''ll stop taking it, alright?" Allison said in an odd tone. Luke did not speak, and neither did Luca. Seeing that they did not say anything, Allison thought of something and said, "Uh, I have something to talk to my son about. Give us some privacy." Luca listened to her unceremonious tone as if she thought of her as a maid. She did not say anything and just walked out. Luke watched Luca leave, his dissatisfaction toward Allison growing even more. "What are you going to say?" His tone was cold as if the person in front of him was not his mother but a stranger. Allison stretched out her hand and said, "You haven''t given me any living expenses since I got released from prison. Are you trying to have me starve to death?" "How much do you want?" Luke asked straightforwardly. He was clear about what she wanted from him and did not bother to go around in circles. Seeing that things were going her way, Allison got a little excited. She nned to ask for one million, but seeing how casually he acted, she decided to go all out and said, "I want three million." "What do you need three million for?" Luke frowned. The amount was within his expectations. "Is three million a lot? It''s just a day''s work for you. I need money to get on with my life." Allison took him for granted. She thought that he was her son so, of course, he was responsible for all her living expenses. "You have all your meals in Crawford Manor. You won''t go hungry." Luke was not fooled by her. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "I have to go out sooner orter and maintain my skin. I need money for all of these! This amount is nothing to you. You''re my son, so you should give me money." Allison was getting anxious seeing that he seemed unwilling to give her money. "You want to go out looking like this? You can''t apply any skincare products to your face now. As for clothes, I''ll buy everything in trend for the season and put them in your wardrobe. What else do you need?" Luke listed everything down. She did not have to spend any money at all. "You just don''t want to give me a single cent, do you? Okay, if you don''t give me any money, I''ll move into your vi to live with you." From what he said, Allison got the impression that he did not think she needed money. She was dissatisfied. "I''ll give you the money but not now," Luke said, "I''ve arranged for someone to renew your passport and apply for a visa. You''ll receive a sum of money when it''s done." "You want to send me out of the country? You''re such an unfilial son! You sent your wife away and now you want to send your mother away too? If you dare to do this, I''ll expose your unfilial behavior on the inte!" Allison was perturbed when she thought that he did not want to support her and wanted to send her away. She would be happy to go on a holiday abroad, but if she was exiled, she would never agree to it. Since she would be stared at andughed at if she went out, it was better for her to stay in the manor and not go anywhere. Chapter 1773 Send Her Off To South Korea "I''m going to send you to South Korea to see a doctor. stic surgery there is advanced. The doctors here say that you can''t be cured but that''s not necessarily the case if you go abroad. However, if you don''t want to go, you can stay here," Luke said. He originally nned to send her off after a few months but now that she was causing such a scene, he just wanted to get it done right away. Peaceful days were ahead of them as soon as Allison went abroad. When Allison heard that he was going to send her to Korea for stic surgery, her anger disappeared immediately. However, she was worried that he was lying to her, so she said, "I want to go to the best hospital in South Korea. I won''t go if there isn''t a good doctor." "I''ll make the necessary arrangements," Luke said. "Okay, I''ll say yes for now. After I''ve received treatment, I''lle back to A City immediately," Allison said. She made it clear that she did not intend to stay abroad for too long. "Mm," Luke said. On the other hand. Luca was not the least bit interested in their conversation. After she left Allison''s bedroom, she went downstairs, where the butler was cleaning the antiques that Old Master Crawford had ced on the shelf. "Ms. Craw, do you want some tea?" the butler asked enthusiastically when he saw hering downstairs. Luca shook her head and suddenly thought of Allison''s health. She asked the butler, "Can I ask you something?" Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "Go for it. I just want to give you a heads up that I don''t have the final say on everything in this household, so there might be some things that I''m unaware of," the butler replied cautiously. Luca smiled and replied, "It''s not about a secret. I just want to ask you if you''ve noticed anything different with Ms. Tanner''s daily routine?" "Madam Allison? There''s nothing odd about her daily routine. It''s the same as before," the butler said. "The same as before?" Luca frowned slightly. "Yes. Madam Allison has always gone to bedte and woke upte. When she wakes up, she skips breakfast, so her first meal would be lunch. Sometimes, to maintain her figure, she won''t eat dinner either. I haven''t paid much attention to when she goes to bed because all the maids at Crawford Manor are not allowed to go upstairs after ten o''clock," the butler replied. Luca nodded. She understood the reason behind Allison''s abnormal pulse now. When she was in prison, she was on a strict schedule. Allison had to follow the schedule set by the prison, so she did not stay upte or get upte. She had three meals a day too. However, she returned to her old ways once she returned to Crawford Manor. If she were still young, her body may be able to adapt to it quickly. However, it was not the case for women her age. It was the body''s natural defense mechanism to protest her staying upte. That contributed to her pulse being abnormal. "Dr. Craw, why are you asking?" The butler could tell that there was a reason behind why Luca asked about it. Luca shook her head and said, "Nothing to worry about. I just asked out of curiosity. I''ll leave you to attend to your tasks." "Okay." The butler did not push for it seeing that she was unwilling to talk. Luca stood and waited at the top of the stairs. After a while, Luke came downstairs. "Mr. Crawford, can we head off now?" She remembered her promise to cook chicken soup for Nina. If she left now, she would still have some time to cook it. However, if they left anyter, she would have to cook the chicken soup in a hurry. "Okay." Luke went downstairs and told the butler, "Call me if anything happens." "Yes, Young Master Luke," the butler replied. Luke looked at Luca with a neutral expression and said, "Let''s go." Luca nodded and followed behind him. The butler turned around and looked at the two. He sighed and thought that the two of them were a great match, but it would not be easy for them to get together considering that Bianca was still around. At that moment, Louis went downstairs and saw that there was no one else in the living room. He asked, "Where''s Luke?" "Young Master Luke and Ms. Craw just left," the butler replied. Louis nodded and asked, "How did he look when he left?" "Nothing out of the ordinary." "That''s good. I hope Luke isn''t mad." Louis spread his hands helplessly. He had a headache thinking about the mess his mother caused. "Young Master Louis, I''ll manage the situation here. You can head off to work." The butler smiled and said thoughtfully when he saw how distressed Louis looked. He knew a little about what was going on with everyone in Crawford Manor. For example, he knew that Luke was working on a big project and Louis'' studio had just received a big order. Old Master Crawford told him all of that. Old Master Crawford did not usually have anyone by his side, so he would ramble with him. The butler remembered everything he said. "Okay, thanks for the trouble. I''ll head off to work now." Louis waved the butler goodbye and left. Luca sat in Luke''s car as he drove to the vi. "What''s wrong with my mother''s body?" Luke started the conversation seeing that she did not tell him anything about the matter since she got into the car. Luca looked at him and exined, "I think that there''s something wrong with her liver. There should be no major problem if she''s willing to receive treatment in time." "How can this be?" Luke frowned. Although he was not close to Allison, he did consider himself her son, so he did not want to see her suffer. "Was this issue present when she was in prison? " "Ms. Tanner was in good health when she was in prison. I just had a chat with the butler and from what I understand, I think it has something to do with Ms. Tanner''s daily routine. She has reverted to her old ways after being released from prison. She''s not young, so her body can''t ept this unhealthy transformation all of a sudden. It''s protesting in the form of these symptoms." Luke understood what she meant. All in all, everything that happened to Allison was because of her irregr daily routine. "When the timees, give her a prescription and I''ll ask the maid to help her prepare the concoction." "Mm, the concoction will be bitter. I''m afraid she won''t drink it." Luca expressed her worries as Allison was self-centered and she did not believe in what others told her. "I''m going to send her to South Korea." Luke looked at the traffic lights at the intersection, stopped the car, and told her about his decision. Luca was Bianca. He felt she needed to know everything about this. "Why?" She was a little surprised. Everyone knew that Allison''s condition could not be cured. It was unnecessary to send her off to South Korea. "Was she the one who brought it up?" "No, I asked her to go. She won''t ept the facts no matter how much time has passed. Instead of having her cause trouble in Crawford Manor, it''s better to send her off to South Korea. That way, she''ll still think that her face can be cured." Lukeid out the truth. Luca knew his intentions, sighed, and blurted out, "You haven''t had it easy." Chapter 1774 Luke stepped on the elerator when he heard what she blurted out. "Are you taking pity on me?" "No, your identity and status are envied by others. You don''t need any pity." Luca turned her head to the side and was annoyed at herself for babbling. "Those are just what others see on the surface. Luca, you see more of me than others do. Do you still envy the real me?" Luke asked. "No," Luca answered without a second thought. Luke chuckled and said, "You can take pity on me. I do hope that you sympathize with me more and stay by my side." Luca''s heart ached when she heard what he said. She wanted to stay by his side, but it was impossible. Abel would never allow it. She was living in agony but she could not tell him anything. The only thing that she could do was express her firm denial. "Mr. Crawford, nothing is ever going to happen between us." "Someone said this to me once and I made the impossible possible. Luca, how long do you think it''ll take me to get you to ept me?" Luke stood his ground. Luca was heartbroken. She wanted nothing more than to hug the man who seemed to be glorious on the surface but bore a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders. He was human. No matter how tough he was, he would get tired as well. However, he did not let anyone know about his difficulties. He just endured them silently. "Mr. Crawford, as I said, nothing will ever happen between us." Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "You''ll know that you''re wrong sooner orter." Luke parked his car at the entrance of the supermarket and said, "Don''t you want to make chicken soup for Nina? Do you need to get the ingredients?" "Yes, thank you, Mr. Crawford. You can head back now. We''re not too far from the vi. I can just walk back after I''m done getting groceries," Luca said. Luke unbuckled his seat belt and opened the car door. "The kids didn''t bring any snacks when they moved in. I''m going to buy them some." Luca was surprised that he knew what snacks the kids liked. She thought about it. It was not odd seeing that he had been taking care of the children all these years. No matter how careless he was, after a while, he would learn about the kids'' likes and dislikes too. "Why don''t I buy them on your behalf?" Luca said. She was not into the idea of the two doing groceries together. There were a lot of popr movie stars living in the area, so many reporters were lurking around to get first-hand gossip. As such, if those reporters saw her shopping in the supermarket with Luke, news of it would be sure to upy the headlines the very next day. "Do you know what snacks they like?" Luke asked. Luca wanted to say that she knew seeing that they were her kids, however... "There are only so many snacks that kids like. I''ll just buy a little of everything," she replied. "You haven''t been a mother, have you? A lot ofpanies include additives in the snacks to improve the taste. Those aren''t nutritious for kids. On top of that, the kids are picky. They won''t eat just any snacks," Luke said as he walked into the supermarket. Luca nced around and found that there were no reporters around, so she followed behind him and walked into the supermarket. She thought that she would just buy what she needed while Luke went to get the children''s snacks. They would go their own ways and the reporters would have nothing to write about. After they walked into the supermarket, she grabbed a shopping trolley while Luke kept his hands empty. "Mr. Crawford, aren''t you going to buy snacks for the kids? Why didn''t you get a trolley?" Luca asked. "Your cart is more than enough. Why bother?" Luke put his hands in his pockets to make it clear that he did not intend to grab a trolley. Luca knew that Luke had made up his mind to shop with her. She no longer had to guess what Luke was trying to do... After all, he had announced that he was interested in her prior. It would be meaningless to specte. Luca pushed the trolley and walked toward the fruits and vegetables area. Luke followed behind her. Luca subconsciously looked around. When he saw her, he could not help but tease her. "You look like a character in a TV series." It was rare for Luke to tease her like that. She would not have acted as such if he was not standing beside her. "Mr. Crawford, I didn''t expect that a busy man like you would spend your time watching TV shows." She was toozy to continue the conversation when she heard his teasing remark. "I generally don''t, but I''ll watch some on and off. Rainie doesn''t like watching cartoons anymore. She likes watching TV shows. She''ll usually watch TV on the second floor while Tommy watches cartoons on the TV on the first floor," Luke said. Luca nodded. It was normal for kids to think that cartoons were childish and move on to watch TV shows as they grew older. "Why don''t you ask me what you look like at the moment?" Luke was slightly bothered that she did not seem to care about what he said, so he continued to tease her. Luca picked up the vegetables and asked in a casual tone, "What do I look like?" "You look like a thief." Luke took a jab. "You''re looking around like you''re about to do something bad." "I just don''t want to get myself into trouble." Luca picked up a handful of vegetables and put them in the shopping cart. While she was picking the vegetables, she was also thinking about what she would be preparing for dinnerter that night. Luke raised an eyebrow. ''She thinks of me as trouble? We don''t have to be like this if she just admits that she''s Bianca.'' After Luca picked the vegetables, she bought some meat. She bought more groceries because she would be cooking for three children, two of them, and the cleaningdy. While she was picking and choosing, she was also paying attention to whether anyone was sneakily taking a photo of them. Luke said, "Don''t worry, normal reporters can''te into this supermarket." "Why?" Luca looked at him, puzzled. "This neighborhood is loved by popr celebrities, so the supermarket deliberately set up a rule to ensure the privacy of those celebrities. Anyone with video equipment is not allowed in. Do you see the supermarket staff? Don''t you think that there are more of thempared to ordinary supermarkets? This is all to protect the privacy of celebrities. If they see someone holding a phone to take a photo, the staff will stop them and shoo them out of the supermarket." Luke could not bear to see her so nervous, so he told her the truth. After all, he wanted to be by her side to get groceries hereafter. Luca nodded. There was indeed more staff there than in other supermarkets. She thought it was because the supermarket had a good turnover. "Fans are not allowed to follow movie stars here. If they''re found, they''ll be shooed out and cklisted. The facilities here are well-rounded, so the stars love thismunity," Luke said. He did not want her to worry. "Is that so? No wonder the prices here are so expensive. They do it to maintain the profit margins." Luca sighed. Chapter 1775 After Luca bought the ingredients to make chicken soup and dinner, they walked to the snacks area. She watched Luke pick out several snacks and put them in the shopping cart. She secretly jotted down the snacks in her head. After that, the two of them went to the checkout counter. The cashier put all the items in the shopping bag. Before Luca could react, Luke paid for the bill using his phone. Luca had no choice but to follow behind him. She wanted to settle the bill by herself but did not expect that he would fight for the bill. Once they got home, the children surrounded them. Tommy blinked his big watery eyes and asked, "Daddy, did you buy any snacks?" "Yes, they''re all in the bag," Luke said. "That''s wonderful. Long live Ms. Luca!" Tommy pped and hugged Luca''s hand. "Huh? Long live me?" Luca looked at the children in amazement. Luke was the one who got them the snacks, so she was not sure why they were cheering for her instead. "If not for you, Ms. Luca, Daddy probably wouldn''t get us anything to eat. Then we''d have to go through another day without snacks. Ms. Luca, I truly feel like Daddy''s child when you''re around!'' Tommy comined about Luke on purpose. Luke was not bothered by what Tommy said. After all, he knew that he did so to keep Luca around. He would do anything as long as Luca would stay. Luca looked at Tommy, patted his head helplessly, and said, "Your daddy was the one who bought these. You should thank him." Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "We''ll listen to everything that you say, Ms. Luca. Thank you, Daddy!" Tommy turned his head with a smile. He winked cheekily as he thanked Luke. He had nned it out with his siblings. If their mommy thought their daddy did not take good care of them, she would be reluctant to leave. As such, they were doing their best to make it seem like Luke did not care about them at all. Luca put the shopping bags on the coffee table and took out the children''s snacks. "These snacks are for you. Make sure you don''t eat all of them at once, okay?" "Got it, Ms. Luca," the kids said in unison. Luke did not say anything when the children ndered him. His goal would be achieved as long as Luca believed them and was reluctant to have the children leave. After Luca took out the snacks, she picked up the shopping bag and walked to the kitchen. Tommy followed behind her like a little bootlicker. "Ms. Luca, are you going to cook?" "Yeah, I''m going to make some chicken soup for Aunt Nina," Luca replied. Tommy''s eyes lit up when he heard that. "Ms. Luca, can you make some more? We want to have the chicken soup you make too. Since we started eating your cooking, we realized that other people''s food isn''t as good. Even when Daddy takes us out to eat, the food isn''t as good as your cooking either." Luca nodded and replied, "Okay, I''ll make more. We''ll have chicken soup for dinner tonight?" "Yay! Ms. Luca, life is great with you around." Tommy followed her into the kitchen. Lanie and Rainie looked at Tommy, then looked at each other. Lanie took the lead and said, "I told you Tommy was the best person to do this." "Yes, we''ll leave these to Tommy moving forward." Rainie decided. They were older kids and no longer what they were when they were five years old. It felt a little childish if they were to say the things he said. However, it was different with Tommy. He was still at a childish age, so there was nothing wrong with him saying things like that. Luke listened to his daughter and son''s conversation whileughing. "Daddy, don''tugh. We''re helping you." Rainie protested. "Mm, it''s a great arrangement. You''re choosing the right people to do the right things. That''s smart," Luke said and walked upstairs. There were too many things that happened today, so he did not have the chance to deal with the tasks in T Corporation. He was going to work. Each bedroom in the vi was quiterge. Luca had asked for the study to be used as aboratory, so his desk and the children''s desks were all ced in their respective bedrooms. They did not use the other bedrooms. After Luca made the chicken soup, she called the children toe over and eat. After a while, the kids and the cleaningdy were sitting at the dining table, waiting to eat. However, Luke was nowhere to be seen. "Where''s Mr. Crawford?" Luca asked. "Ms. Luca, Daddy is still working in his room," Rainie said in a childish voice. "Is that so? Ask him toe down and tell him it''s time for dinner," Luca said to Rainie. "No, I don''t want to go." Rainie shook her head. Luca was a little stunned that the child refused to do as she asked. "Why don''t you want to go?" "Daddy is very serious when he works and doesn''t like to be disturbed. He''lle down to eat when he''s hungry," Rainie exined. When the cleaningdy heard that, she stood up and said, "I''ll go tell Young Master Luke toe downstairs for dinner." Rainie grabbed the cleaningdy''s hand and said, "Aunt, don''t go. It''s scary when Daddy gets angry. I don''t want him to be angry at you." When the cleaningdy heard it, she stopped what she was doing to ensure that she could keep her job. However, she was not sure what to do next. She said, "The chicken soup will not taste good when it''s cold. He might me me for it." "Ms. Luca, you can take the chicken soup to Daddy''s bedroom. He won''t be angry if you go. Daddy makes use of every minute to deal with work, so Ms. Luca, you should go. I''m sure he won''t be mad at you," Rainie said. Luca understood what Rainie meant. Luke, who was busy at work, did not want to be disturbed. However, it would be okay if she went? Would he be able to tolerate her interrupting his work as before? "Yeah, Ms. Luca, hurry up. Daddy''s stomach is weak. He can''t go hungry." Lanie urged. "Okay, then. You can start eating. I''ll bring a bowl upstairs for him." Luca did not read into it. She understood the kids'' intentions and just went with it. She took a small te and put some side dishes to pair with the chicken soup. Considering that the weather was cold, if Luke did not drink the chicken soup in time, the chicken soup would go cold. She took a thermos sk and filled it with chicken soup. She then carried a tray upstairs. She arrived at Luke''s bedroom, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. "Mr. Crawford, it''s me." "Come in," Luke said. Luca freed one hand, kept her bnce, opened the door, and saw Luke sitting in front of the desk. He looked busy, so she put the tray aside. "Mr. Crawford, the kids say you won''t go downstairs for dinner when you''re busy. I brought you chicken soup. Remember to have some." "Mm." Luke nced at her before his gaze returned to theputer screen again. He was in a meeting with international partners, so he did not pay too much attention to her. Luca did not bother him seeing that he was so busy. She just turned around and walked out. ¡®Luke is so busy... Maybe I shouldn''t have said yes to him sending me to the hospital just now.'' Chapter 1776 After she was done with dinner, Luca set off to the hospital with a thermos sk in her hand. After Luke finished his meeting, he came down with the tray, which the cleaningdy immediately took to the kitchen. He subconsciously looked for Luca. However, he did not see her. Tommy sat on the sofa and read a storybook. When he saw Luke looking around, he said, "Daddy, you don''t need to look for Ms. Luca. Ms. Luca has already left." "She went out?" Luke frowned and sat beside his son. "Yeah. Ms. Luca went out after dinner. She said she was going to visit Aunt Nina." Tommy was a qualified messenger. "Why didn''t she ask me to drive her?" Luke took his son''s storybook and flipped it resignedly. When he saw how Luke reacted, Tommy took his storybook and said, "Ms. Luca knew that you were busy, so she didn''t want to bother you. She cares about you. Why are you unhappy about that?" Seeing how street smart Tommy was, Luke suspected that he watched those TV shows with Rainie. He raised his hand and flicked his forehead with his fingers. "You''re just a kid. Don''t worry about what the adults are up to." Tommy rubbed his forehead in pain. "Daddy, I won''t care about you anymore. I don''t get why you''re upset when Ms. Luca is being considerate to you." "I''d rather she trouble me more." Luke believed that loving someone included solving their troubles. He was more than happy to do so. Tommy picked up his storybook and jumped off the sofa. He shook his head helplessly when he saw how his Daddy acted. Adult rtionships were not something that a child like him understood. Luke''s face was stern when he saw how Tommy reacted. "What do you want to say?" "Nothing. The world of adults is tooplicated for me. I''d better go back to the bedroom and read my storybook," Tommy said and headed upstairs with his storybook in his hand. Luke stood up as well. Luca did not want to trouble him, so he would continue working. He would have more time to win over her if his work was well managed. Anyway, they had the rest of their lives together. He believed more than anything that Luca was destined to be with him. Luca arrived at the hospital, walked into the ward, and noticed that Percy was still around. He won some brownie points from her. He was worried that Nina would be in danger if she were left alone in the hospital, so he took care of her and never left her side. It was a good thing. With him around, Nina would be safe. She would not have to worry about being harassed by Pierre and his men. "Luca, you''re here!" Nina smiled when she saw Luca. Luca walked in with the thermos and said, "Yes, I promised to cook chicken soup for you. Do you want to have some now?" "Yes, I haven''t eaten in a while. I''m so hungry that it''s making me ufortable. I''d love to have some chicken soup now." Nina smiled. The chicken soup Luca brought was timely as it could relieve the difort in her stomach. Percy frowned and asked, "Your stomach is feeling ufortable? Why didn''t you tell me?" Nina did not want him to know. After all, it was just an upset stomach. She knew she would feel better after drinking something warm, so she did not say anything and waited for Luca toe. She did not expect to be so excited when she saw Luca carrying the chicken soup that she let it slip. "It''s nothing to worry about. I''ll feel better after I have some chicken soup," Nina quickly said for fear that Percy would get all the doctors involved and ask them to do a bunch of examinations on her. "You were on a hunger strike for a few days. A little difort can end up being a big problem." Percy wanted the doctor toe and do a check-up on her. He could not bear to lose Nina. He did not want to take any risk. "I''m fine, trust me." Seeing that he was about to look for a doctor, Nina quickly persuaded him to stop. She looked at Luca and said, "If you don''t believe me, ask Luca to check my pulse. Her medical skills are even praised by Mr. Crawford." Luca nodded. She also thought that Nina had no major problem, so she looked at Percy and asked, "Why don''t you let me take her pulse?" Percy nodded. He trusted her medical skills. Luca reached out and took Nina''s pulse. The atmosphere in the ward became so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. After a while, she withdrew her hand. Percy was very anxious. He asked, "How is she?" "There''s no major problem. She''s just slightly malnourished." Luca opened the thermos sk with a smile while she poured out the chicken soup. "The malnutrition can be cured as long as she eats well, so it''s up to you, Mr. Percy. " She meant for Percy to take good care of Nina. Nina blushed and said, "Luca, what nonsense are you talking about?" "I''m telling the truth. Mr. Percy is a good man, and I''m sure he wants to take care of you for the rest of his life." Luca handed the bowl of chicken soup to her. She was slightly envious. Although Nina had gone through some hardships, she had a bright future where she and Percy could have a fairytale ending. On the contrary, she previously lived a very happy life with Luke and gave him children. However, their future was a bumpy ride. It was likely that she and Luke would not get their happy ending. "I can take care of myself." Nina handed the chicken soup to Percy. "Do you want some?" "I''m good. You can have it all." Percy looked at her gluttonous expression, it seemed that Luca''s cooking was indeed delicious. It was a pity that she belonged to Luke. Otherwise, he would have hired her to cook for Nina every day. "Both of you can have some. I brought a lot. It''s enough for two people," Luca said as she picked up the bowl next to her and filled it up. Nina handed him the bowl in her hand and said, "Did you hear her? Have some." Percy nodded and took the bowl. Luca watched as the two drank the chicken soup without saying a word. She felt like a third wheel, so she closed the lid of the thermos and said, "Enjoy yourselves. I''ll head off now. There''s still a lot of soup in the thermos. Feel free to finish it." "You''re leaving so soon?" Nina looked at her, stunned. "Yeah, I don''t want to be a third wheel. I still have a lot of work to attend to. Have fun." Luca turned around to leave. She did not want to bother them, they needed the alone time. After she left the ward, she walked straight out of the hospital. She wanted to go back to the vi to work, but unexpectedly, she saw Pierre when she passed by the hospital''s parking lot. When she thought of everything he had done, including Nina''s kidnapping, she clenched her fists. She watched him close the door and walked toward him quickly. "Pierre!" Luca''s voice was full of anger. After she grabbed her phone and pressed the record button, she rushed directly in front of him. Pierre''s expression was gloomy. When he saw it was her, he sneered and said, "What do you want? Do you want toe to me?" "What did you say?! I''ll tear you into pieces!" Luca clenched her fists. She could not help it. She wanted to hit him in the face. "Wow, even after being kidnapped, you''re still so short-tempered." Pierre narrowed his eyes and looked at her wless forehead. "No scars? It seems that Luke took good care of you. No wonder you''re willing to be his mistress."Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1777 Luca frowned when he dragged her through the mud. She said, full of disgust, "You kidnapped Nina, didn''t you?¡± Pierre sneered. He was in a bad mood because Nina was rescued by Percy. Luca appeared in front of him when he needed a ce to vent. Since someone was willing to be his punching bag, he was more than happy to do so. "Are you ndering me? If I was the one who kidnapped her, why would the police let me show up here safe and sound?" Pierre was arrogant and domineering. He was not at all worried that Percy would call him out. They were brothers. He thought that Percy would not be so stupid to go against him for a woman. On top of that, the Mallory family would never allow Percy to send him to prison because of a woman. Having seen the scale of hispany, Old Master Mallory loved him. "There''s no one else here. Why are you beating about the bush?" Luca knew that he was poking fun at her. No matter what, she was determined for him to confess his crime. "Luca, do you have any evidence?" Pierre narrowed his eyes and looked at the person in front of him. She had apletely different personality from Nina. His intuition told him that this woman was not one to mess with. However, he had never been afraid of anyone, let alone a woman. The more dangerous a woman seemed, the more he would want to find out more about her. "Evidence? I don''t have any, but you know what you''ve done. There''s no one around right now. I didn''t expect you to be so timid. You dare to n a kidnapping but don''t have the guts to admit to it. What? Are you nning to pay off your subordinates and the maid to take the me? Yes, you only have money left. What else can you do other than pay people off? What a coward. I''m d that Nina didn''t choose you. She''s so happy with Percy." Luca''s words pierced Pierre''s heart bit by bit. "What did you say?!" Pierre clenched his fists. He was uneasy when he heard her mocking him. When he heard that Nina was with Pierre, he was even less calm. His heart was full of longing for Nina. He would never allow the woman he wanted to be with Percy. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Do you not understand me? The part about you being a coward? Or the part where Nina epted that the person she has always loved is Mr. Percy, so she has decided to let go of the past and be with him?" Luca knew that her provocation was working as his gaze was doleful. She continued to do so as she was not worried that he would do anything to her in front of the hospital. Under normal circumstances, Pierre would not necessarily be her opponent. If he tried something, she would have an excuse to go all out on him. There was surveince in the area. If he pursued the matter, she could say that she acted in self- defense. Moreover, she was familiar with the anatomy of the human body. She could be as ruthless as she wanted. She would not cause serious injury. He would simply hurt real bad for a few days. "Luca, how dare you?!" Pierre''s hands were clenched tightly, his knuckles cracking. "Why are you so angry? The person who kidnapped Nina wanted to win her heart but unexpectedly, he sent the helve after the hatchet. Nina was previously in a dilemma and had been avoiding Mr. Percy. But now, she has you to thank for..." Luca continued to prod him because she wanted to record him admitting that he was the one who kidnapped Nina. She knew about Percy''s difficult position, but she did not want to let a good-for-nothing like Pierre continue to harm others. "You''re courting death!" Pierre could not hold back any longer. He raised his fist to Luca''s face. Luca reacted quickly and ducked. She knew what exactly to say when she saw his furious appearance. "Oh wow, you want to hit a woman? Why? You''re pissed to see Nina making the right choice? At the end of all of this, she''ll have to thank you for kidnapping her this time, no?" "Shut your mouth!" Pierre wanted to tear her apart. "You did a good deed by kidnapping her even though you''re timid and dare not admit that you nned the kidnapping." Luca continued to trigger him. Pierre was raging mad. He shouted, "What if I nned it? I''m going to kill you today!" He lunged at Luca. Luca deftly dodged him once again. "You kidnapped Nina." "Yes, it was me. What are you going to do about it? Nina chose Percy now but she''ll choose me in the future. I won''t go look for her today but I''ll take you to hell today!" Pierre said fiercely, reaching out to hit Luca. Luca chose the perfect timing and deftly dodged his attack. At the same time, she grabbed his wrist with one hand. "Ah!" Pierre was in pain. The sudden pain made him almost unable to stand. Luca looked at him indifferently and said, "Pierre, if you hadn''t gone for a sneak attack thest time, do you think I would''ve been kidnapped so easily? I didn''t expect that you would pay someone off even after I was found in your vi. I''ll avenge myself and Nina today." After she said that, she found the perfect timing when Pierre was not paying attention and raised her other hand, whacking him in the spot under his ribs. The ce where she hit was the second most vulnerable ce for a man. When a man was hit on the vital point, it would hurt. However, this pain was twice as painful as that. Even so, not many knew about this pulse point. "Ah!" Pierre was in pain. When he wanted to scream at Luca, he stopped abruptly. Luca kicked him off and said, "I wish I could kill you." Pierre could not stand anymore. He fell to the ground and looked at the ferocious woman in front of him. She looked weak but she attacked so fiercely that even a well-trained man could not achieve such a level of skillfulness. Pierre covered his stomach. He could not tell where the pain wasing from. He just knew that it hurt like hell. He was subdued just from one move. He felt that he had lost his dignity and said viciously, "Luca, damn you! I''ll never let you go!" "I won''t let you go either. I''ll hit you every time I see you." Luca pped her hands and warned him, "Whatever it is,e at me. I''ll let you understand what it feels like to be a living dead." After she said that, she turned around to leave. Hitting him had not relieved her hatred, but she got the recording she wanted. She did not want to stay here any longer. She took out the phone in her pocket and pressed save. Then, she left the hospital and took a cab back to the vi. She did not send the recording to Percy right away because she wanted to see what his next steps were. As soon as she returned to the vi, she was surrounded by the children. Luca watched as the children talked all around her. The corners of her mouth could not help revealing a warm smile. Chapter 1778 Luca was patient. She waited until the kids had finished talking before replying to each of them. Then, she asked them, "Where''s your daddy?" Rainie pointed upstairs, "Daddy is upstairs. He''s still working." "Alright. Be good. I''m going upstairs to discuss something with him." Luca had bought some chocte- vored candies before she came back. She took them out of her pocket and gave two candies to each of them. Then, she headed upstairs. After what had happened today, she was pretty sure that she would not get into trouble. Still, she had to tell Luke about it. She walked upstairs to the second floor. Luca directly knocked on his bedroom door. This time, it was not because of her affairs but about Nina and the Mallory family. It had nothing to do with their love matters. Hence, she was able to face him directly. "Come in." Luke''s voice came from inside. Luca pushed the door open and saw that the man was busy with his work. He was typing on the keyboard handling his work. He was not in a meeting, so he was avable to talk. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "Mr. Crawford, I''d like to have a word with you. Can you spare me five minutes of your time?" she asked. "Come in and talk to me. I''m not used to talking to someone from a far distance," Luke said in a cold tone as he nced at Luca, who was still standing at the door. Luca was startled for a moment. She told herself that his bedroom was not some bottomless abyss. She walked in. Luke pointed at the couch beside him and said, "Sit down and talk." "There''s no need to. It''s not really a big deal. It''s just that I ran into Pierre when I came out of the hospital just now. I couldn''t help but give him a lecture." Luca told him what she did. Luke frowned and looked at her. "Are you hurt?" Luca was slightly surprised. He did not me her or judge her for what she did. Instead, he was concerned about her and asked if she was hurt. "No. He can''ty a finger on me," she answered honestly. The incidentst time was merely an ident. If he had not used dirty tricks to trap her after kidnapping her, she would not have ended up in such a mess. Luke looked at her from head to toe. He nodded his head after making sure that she was not hurt. "It''d be better to avoid someone like Pierre when you see him next time." Luca replied, "Alright." She knew that she would have to face Pierre''s revenge after dealing with him. He was a petty man. Besides, she could not predict when Pierre would strike again. "Did you beat him up badly?" Luke asked again. He did not intend to me her for punishing him by beating him up. "Perhaps," Luca replied honestly. It might not be considered serious because there were no wounds on his body. Even if he went for a check-up, the doctor would not be able to tell what was wrong with him. However, she was sure that he would be in pain for a couple of days after she beat him up. Luke looked at her. What was she talking about? Luca then exined, "He''s going to suffer for the next few days. But there are no wounds on his body, and he won''t be able to find out what''s wrong with him either." Luke knew that she must have used her own ways to teach Pierre a lesson. After all, after what had happened thest time and Nina getting kidnapped by him this time, Luca must be holding a grudge against him. "Apart from these?" Luke knew there was more to it apart from her teaching Pierre a lesson. Luca was stunned. How did he know her so well? Yes, there was something else she wanted to talk to him about... "There''s a recording." Luca took her phone out and hit the y button. After Luke finished listening to it, he did not frown. Instead, he said, "The recording¡ª" "I''m not nning to give it to Mr. Mallory. I don''t know what he''s up to, but if he can''t handle this matter properly, I''ll consider sending this to him," said Luca. She still thought of letting Percy deal with Nina''s affair himself, but she would lend him a hand when necessary. The recording was just a backup. Luke gazed deeply at her. She had changed a lot. She could do anything to protect the people she cared about regardless of the consequences. She could even go this far for Nina. However, she chose to run away from him. There was nothing Luke could do. He had no choice but to advise her and say, "Pierre won''t let you get away with it. Be careful." "Okay." Luca was still surprised that he did not me her for being impulsive. After telling Luke what she wanted to say, she looked at the thick pile of folders on his table. She refused to bother him any longer. "Mr. Crawford, I''m going back to work first." "Alright," replied Luke. Luca turned around and left. Then, she closed the door. Luke watched her from behind as she disappeared behind the wooden door. He let out a sigh. "When will you openly face me?" Luca returned to her bedroom and took out the documents that needed to be tranted. She sat down at the table and began tranting. She told the children that she had something to do and would be busy. The three of them could not have been more considerate. They did note in to disturb her. They did not evene to the second floor. Two hourster, Luca was done tranting one document. When she was about to head downstairs to get a ss of water, she pushed the door open and saw the maid pacing back and forth outside Luke''s bedroom. ¡°What''s the matter?" Luca stepped forward and asked when she saw the uneasiness on the maid''s expression. The maid saw her and said immediately, "Ms. Luca, the police officers are downstairs. They im that they''re looking for you." Luca was puzzled. Why was the maid outside Luke''s bedroom if they were looking for her? "Are they downstairs?" The maid nodded. She instantly stopped Luca when she saw Luca going downstairs. "Ms. Luca, it seems that they''re looking for you because you beat someone up. Why don''t you let Mr. Crawford handle this?" Luca shook her head. She knew the police officers were here because of Pierre''s matter. She did not expect Pierre to be so shameless. He even called the police after getting beaten up by a woman. Was he not embarrassed to be taught a lesson by a woman? "It''s not a big deal. I can handle this myself." Luca did not want to disturb Luke. She did not leave any wounds on Pierre''s body. Hence, there was nothing the police officers could do about this. Even though there were surveince cameras there, they would still be able to see that Pierre was the one who started it. She was just defending herself. She did not even leave a wound on his body when she defended herself against him. What could the police officers say? Luca was preparing to go downstairs to talk with those police officers. Luke''s bedroom door was pushed open when she took a step forward. Luke stared at the maid outside the door, then at Luca, who was not far away from her. He asked, "What happened?" The maid was worried that she might disturb him if she knocked on the door. That was why she was hesitating outside the door. She immediately told Luke when she saw him, "Mr. Crawford, there are two police officers downstairs. They came to look for Ms. Luca, iming that Ms. Luca beat someone up. And they want her to cooperate with them in the investigation." Luke frowned and turned to look at Luca. Her expression was calm, and there was not even a trace of fear or worry on her face. Chapter 1779 Luke knew Luca would leave herself a way out. Even though the police officers hade looking for her, there was nothing they could do to her. However, he would never allow the woman he loved to suffer. Hence, he put a cold expression on his face and walked in front of Luca. "Come on. Let''s see what they''re up to." Luca looked at the man''s tall figure from behind. She zoned out a little. Luke was standing in front of her to protect her. When Luca recalled what he did for her every time she was in trouble, she would always have mixed feelings deep in her heart. It was a bittersweet feeling. Luca did not space out for long. The moment Luke stepped on the stairs, she quickly followed behind him. The police officers who were waiting in the living room saw Lukeing down first. They exchanged nces with each other. Did they note here to arrest a woman called Luca? Why was Luke Crawford here? ¡°Sir, why is the woman together with Luke Crawford?¡± a young police officer asked in a low voice. Could it be that there was something unusual going on in between them? The older police officer shook his head and replied, "Stop minding other people''s business. We''re police officers, not reporters." The younger police officer nodded his head. Suddenly, he remembered Luke''s scandal that happened a few months ago. Was it not fake news? It was true? "Bring the children upstairs." Luke saw that the three children were sitting on the same couch, staring at the police officers curiously. Luke''s face darkened, and he ordered the maid. The maid replied and brought the three children upstairs hurriedly. Luca came right up to the police officers, looking calm. She could feel that Luke was dissatisfied. Then, she spoke first. "Why are you looking for me?" The older police officer looked at them and asked in a stern tone, "You''re Luca Craw?" "Yes," Luca replied in a simple yet confident manner. She did not show any guilt in front of the police officers. The police officers who thought she would behave arrogantly because she had Luke''s support were surprised to see her being so cooperative. The older police officer said, "Please follow us back to the police station." ¡°What for?" Luca asked him even though she knew the reason. The expression on her face was calm as usual. There was no doubt that these police officers came here because of Pierre''s matter. "We believe that you''re involved in an alleged assault case against Mr. Pierre Mallory. So, please follow us back to the police station for the investigation," said the older police officer. He nced at the document in his hands. It was Pierre Mallory who reported it. "Sure. But please let me go upstairs and get changed first." Luca did not put them in a difficult spot. She turned around and went upstairs. The two police officers waited downstairs. They shot a nce at Luke. The expression on his face was as cold as stone. He looked like a demon from hell. They knew it would be tough to deal with this case, but they had to do it. Whenever someone reported a case to them, it was their duty to investigate it. They were secretly d that Luca was willing to cooperate with them. Luca got changed and went downstairs. She looked at the three people in the living room. Luke had been sizing the two police officers up. His aura was so strong that the two police officers dared not to speak a word. Luca walked toward them and said, "Alright. Let''s go." The young police officer heard her and took the handcuffs out. Luca frowned and reminded him, saying, "I''m just following you back to the station to help in the investigation. I shouldn''t be considered a convict before things are figured out yet, right?" "Yes, that''s right. What you said is right. Keep the handcuffs away," the older police officer said politely. Handcuffs were only applicable when they dealt with people who did notply with thew. The younger police officer kept the handcuffs away after listening to what the older police officer said. The older police officer was more experienced. He was already grateful that Luca was willing to take the initiative to cooperate with them. "Thank you for your cooperation. The police car is out there. Pleasee with me." Luca nodded. She turned around and shot a nce at Luke. She said, "I''ll be back soon." "Alright." Luke''s facial expression was still livid. Luca did not ask for his help even when she was facing the police officers alone. It was as though she could handle everything herself. He was not used to Luca being so strong and independent. Luca heard his response and knew that he would not do anything. Hence, she left with the police officers while feeling reassured. When she reached the police station, the chief police officer sat down opposite her when she had just sat down. Perhaps the older police officer had told him about her earlier. That was why the chief police officer was polite to her. He served her a cup of tea before he began the interrogation. Luca looked at her phone without lifting her head. She did not want to waste her time. Hence, she had taken a few photos of the documents that she needed to trante when she went to get changed. This way, she would be able to continue to do her trantion work when she was here. The chief police officer noticed that she did not intend to speak first. He had no choice but to say, "Ms. Luca, we received a police report and that''s why we had to bring you here to cooperate in our investigation. I hope you can understand." "The person who reported me to the police is Pierre Mallory, right?" Luca still did not lift her head. She typed out the tranted sentence in her notes app. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Yes. Mr. Mallory ims that you attacked him at the hospital''s parking lot. He''s seriously injured and currently receiving treatment at the hospital.¡± The chief police officer wondered if she really injured someone. The woman in front of him was way too calm. ¡°Is it true that I injured him? Is there any injury assessment report?¡± Luca asked. The chief police officer nced at the police officer who was in charge of the case. The police officer shook his head. Pierre only told him that he was receiving treatment at the hospital, but he did not show him any reports. ¡°It seems like there''s no such report. The hospital would have provided him with an injury assessment report if I had really injured him. Now, can I sue Pierre Mallory for defamation?" Luca put her phone down and looked at the police officer while she asked. The chief police officer looked at her with admiration. She was able to think clearly and speak artictely. ¡°Did he provide any evidence when you received the report?" The chief police officer turned around and asked his subordinates. He was not sure about the details of the case. He was attending a meeting when Pierre made the police report. "Mr. Pierre''s assistant sent a video, and Ms. Luca did attack him," the older police officer replied immediately. The police officers were dispatched to her residence because of the video. They failed to ask Pierre to provide an injury assessment report. Luca asked, "Did it take ce at the hospital''s parking lot? Pierre was going to attack me, but I managed to dodge him. I only pinched him with my hands without using any tools. How could I possibly have injured him? Looking at this from a legal perspective, I was merely defending myself. I didn''t cause him any serious injuries." The chief police officer finished watching the video. Indeed, she was not holding any weapons when she dealt with Pierre. The man fell to the ground after getting touched twice. The scene that looked like both of them were fighting could not be used as evidence that Luca had injured him. The chief police officer had made his judgment. He smiled at Luca and said, "Ms. Luca, thank you for cooperating. After investigating, I''ve concluded that the case can''t be considered as physical assault. I''m sorry for wasting your time. Why don''t you let us send you back home?" "Thank you, but I can hail a ride back home myself." Luca saved the tranted document on her phone. Then, she stood up and asked, "Is there anything I need to sign?" Chapter 1780 The chief police officer replied hurriedly, ¡°No. There are no grounds to the case, so you don''t have to sign anything." Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Luca smiled and said, "Then I shall leave first." "Sure, sure." The chief police officer sent her out of the police station himself. After watching her leave, he turned around and looked at his subordinates. "Next time, before you go and bring someone in to aid in the investigation, take a proper look at the evidence on hand and see whether or not the actions can be constituted as a crime. Just look at what happened today. We''ve only wasted our time and resources." "Yes, Chief," the older police officer replied. He only watched the footage without thinking that much. After analyzing the case, he believed that Pierre intentionally fell to the ground to set Luca up. "This matter has to be made public. reportter and hand it to me before you get off work." The chief police officer turned around and returned to his office after that. "Yes, sir." "And you''ll have to submit a report for failing to file the case. If that man is unconvinced, then have him provide solid evidence to us. That''s the only way we can continue to handle the case." The chief police officer turned around and added. The older police officer nodded to indicate that he understood. "Yes, Chief." After Luca left the police station, she sent a message to Johann: [Dr. Park, are you busy?] Johann replied to her message soon after: [Not really. What''s the matter?] [I''d like you to help me enquire about Pierre Mallory''s current condition.] Luca was curious. The police officers told her that Pierre was currently receiving treatment at the hospital, so he must be lying on the ward bed in the hospital now. What was worse was he could not lie still and quietly. [He''s in the hospital? Has his retribution finallye?] Johann was surprised. After all, people tended to get what they deserved. He did not expect karma to hit Pierre so soon. [...] Luca was surprised that he would react that way. Doctors were always called angels for their kind hearts. However, they were ordinary people too. All those things that Pierre did had provoked the anger of many. That was why Johann would say something like that. [How did you know he''s been admitted to the hospital? I didn''t receive any news about it.] Johann continued to ask her after she sent him a few full stops. [It''s because of me that he had to be admitted to the hospital.] Luca was replying to his messages while she was in the taxi. [He should be in the neurology department if I''m not mistaken. [Is it that serious? Did you hit him?] Johann was still surprised, and he opened the hospital''s information system right away. He was different from the other doctors. He had the right to check every department''s system in the hospital. [Not at all. But he''ll have to suffer some pain for a couple of days.] Luca replied to him as she waited for his result. Johann found Pierre''s information by entering his name. He clicked on it and saw his name. Indeed, Pierre was admitted to the hospital today. The mainint was an unexined pain in his body. [Dr. Craw, I found his records. The mainint states that there''s unexined pain in his body. Is he still a man? He can''t even endure it and needs to be admitted to the hospital? He''s not thinking of setting you up, right?] Johann despised Pierre from the bottom of his heart. How could a ruthless man be admitted to the hospital just because of some pain... Luca replied: [Dr. Park, I''d like you to monitor his situation from time to time. His condition isn''t as simple as it seems.] She could guarantee that he would not die, but she was uncertain if Pierre would pass out from the pain. Johann let out a sigh as he read the message on his phone. Luca and Luke were truly a couple, after all. They would ask for his help to keep an eye on everything. Fortunately, it was convenient for him to do so in the hospital. Otherwise, he would have to keep heading to the other departments. That would indeed be tough for him. [Sure. I''m just curious. Which part of the body did you strike? How can it be so painful?] Johann recalled the anatomy lessons he took before. He was not taught which part of the body would cause such severe pain when struck. Besides, there was nothing written on Pierre''s diagnosis analysis. It seemed like there was no obvious answer for what was causing his pain. [Would you like to try?] Luca was in a good mood, so she suddenly teased him. Johann replied: [No, thank you. I''ll probably have to take a look at himter. If they can''t find the source of his pain, they''lle to ask for my help. I just wanted to ask you so that I won''t be embarrassed later.] [It''s a long story. Even if you know how I did it, there''s no way to treat it. You can only give him some painkillers. He''ll be fine in two days.] Luca replied when she saw that the driver had almost reached the destination. She kept her phone. Johann read her message and could not help but shiver. Her sophistication made him wonder what she had gone through in the past to be the way she was now. Johann kept his phone away. The head of the neurology department came in hurriedly. ¡°Dr. Park, are you avable now?" "Yes. I''ve finished performing all my surgeries today. Dr. Lance, why are you all sweaty? What happened?" Johann asked an obvious question. "The second young master of the Mallory family has juste in today. Hisint is that he''s suffering from unexinable pain. I did every health check-up there is and nothing seems to be wrong with him. I can''t find the source of his pain. I''d like to ask for your help to take a look at him. You''re knowledgeable and well-informed, after all. You might be able to find out why," Mr. Lance pleaded with him. Johann stood up. It was his fate to help Luke clean up Luca''s mess. "Come on. Let''s go take a look." ¡°That''ll be great.¡± Dr. Lance looked more positive now. Johann told him beforehand. "But I can''t guarantee that I''ll be able to figure out what''s causing the pain. After all, there are too many reasons that can cause pain. Even if we form a medical team to perform screening examinations, we won''t be able to find out within a week.¡± Dr. Lance knew that too. He nodded his head instantly. "Of course, I know that. But two heads are better than one. I''m d you''re willing to help." Johann nodded and followed him out of the office. The two of them came to the ward. They could hear Pierre groaning in pain before they even went in. He was cursing and swearing while he was in pain. "What kind of shitty hospital is this? I''ve been here for so long but the doctors here have no way to stop the pain?" Johann nced at Dr. Lance. "Your patient has a really bad temper." "There''s nothing I can do. He''s the second young master of the Mallory family in A City. That''s just the way he is. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have to trouble you," Dr. Lance said helplessly. They had been busy screening through the possible causes behind Pierre''s pain. However, Pierre could no longer wait for them. He scolded every doctor and nurse in the department. They had already done a thorough health check-up on him, yet they still could not figure it out. Johann put his hands in the pockets of hisb coat and walked into the ward. "What''s going on here?" he asked with a cold expression on his face. Every doctor here had to show respect to Pierre except for him. It was because he was capable. One''s capability trumped over everything no matter where one was. "The patient ims that he''s suffering from abdominal pain, but we can''t find the reason even after running through multiple medical examinations," one of the doctors answered immediately. Johann looked at Pierre''s face turning green and pale because of the pain. His heart tightened, and he was d that he had never offended Luca. Otherwise, he would have ended up in the same state as Pierre. Chapter 1781 ¡°Hand me the medical report," said Johann as he stood near the window. The doctor beside him quickly handed a pile of medical reports to Johann. Pierre watched him slowly go through his reports and cursed, "What are you fucking bastards doing here? After all those examinations, none of you can find the cause. You even asked this person to come here. Are you trying to kill me? Just give me the painkillers. I need the fucking painkillers!" Johann ignored what he said and continued to read the reports. The doctor beside him exined why they could not give Pierre the painkillers. "Mr. Pierre, we don''t mean to stop you from taking painkillers. But we can''t find the reason why you''re in pain now. We can''t simply give you medicines. We might need to run some other tests on you. If you take the painkillers, it''ll affect the test results and conceal the cause of the pain you''re experiencing now." Johann listened to the doctor''s exnation. He deliberately took his time to read the reports in his hands. After what Luca told him, he knew there was no need for him to check if Pierre was afflicted by a disease. He even wanted Pierre to suffer for a while more, so he read the reports slowly. Pierre listened to the doctor''s repeated exnation and yelled angrily, "Stupid doctors! You''re a bunch of stupid doctors! You should be finding a way to relieve my pain." The doctor stopped talking. The more he spoke, the more he got med. Johann closed the medical reports leisurely and said something that annoyed Pierre even more. "ording to the medical reports, there''s nothing wrong with him." "I''m not fucking sick. Of course, there''s nothing wrong with me." Pierre wished that he could get out of the bed and punch him in the face. However, he could only curl up on the bed because of the pain. Johann looked at him contemptuously and said, "If you''re not sick, then how can you be in such pain that you have no choice but to lie here?" "You!" Pierre red at him. Johann said, "A hospital is a ce where doctors treat patients. Those who are lying on the ward bed are sick patients. Your situation is tooplicated, and we can''t find the cause to exin the pain you''re suffering." Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Pierre was just about to yell at him when a sudden piercing pain struck him. He had no choice but to curl up on the bed. Johann handed the medical reports to the doctor beside him. "Since we can''t find the cause, just give him painkillers." Dr. Lance replied immediately, ¡°Dr. Park, are you serious? If we give him painkillers now, I''m afraid¡ª" "I see Mr. Pierre still has the energy to insult our medical staff. It doesn''t seem like there''s something wrong with his health. It says so in his medical reports too. But his pain is real. I suspect that he may be dependent on painkillers. Anyway, give him the right amount of painkillers to relieve his pain first." Johann analyzed the situation for them and let those who were present think that Pierre had bad habits. As society was too stressful these days, many people would choose to numb their nerves with painkillers to escape from their stressful lives. Painkillers were a medication. However, when a person took too many, it would lead to a certain dependency on them. It was just like Leia. She took too many painkillers and ended up ruining her kidney. Pierre was about to refute Johann after he was used of suffering from drug addiction, but he could only cry out. The pain was excruciating. Johann shrugged his shoulders and said, ¡°Relieve his pain first. Let''s see what state he''s in after the effects are gone." "Alright." Dr. Lance thought that it was probably a good idea too. Indeed, there was nothing wrong with Pierre''s medical reports. He thought of relieving Pierre''s pain first and putting the matter aside for the time being. Therefore, he asked the nurse to contact the hospital''s pharmacy immediately so they could send some painkillers over. After a while, Johann watched Pierre take the painkillers. A hint of guile shed across his eyes. He turned around and walked out of the ward. Now, everyone''s attention was on Pierre. They were waiting to see the effects of the medicine. No one noticed that Johann had left the ward. After Johann left the ward, he sent a message to Luca: [The pain is so terrible that Pierre doesn''t even have the strength to talk. I''ve asked them to give him painkillers, and I misled them into making them think Pierre is probably suffering from drug addiction.] At this moment, Luca was heading to the vi. She smiled after she received Johann''s message. This time, she had sessfully taught Pierre a lesson, right? Since no one taught him how to be a normal person, she was d to teach him. The moment Luca returned to the vi, Luke had also received a message from Johann. [I finally got to see your wife''s tricks. Promise me that you won''t piss her off in the future. Otherwise, you might end up like Pierre. He''s in so much pain that he can only lie on the bed. He even eventually lost the strength to curse at others.] Luke deleted the message quietly. He was staying together with Luca now, so he had to stay alert to prevent her from discovering that he already knew her true identity. He stood up and headed downstairs. The children were reading their books quietly. Luke walked toward them and said, "Don''t worry, Ms. Luca will be back soon." "Daddy, is that true?" Rainie''s eyes were brimming with tears. She was crying half an ago because Luca was brought away by the police officers. "Yes. Ms. Luca should be on her way back home now. She didn''t do anything wrong. She''s only cooperating with the investigation." Luke stroked his daughter''s head. After the maid brought the three children upstairs just now, they secretly headed to the balcony. They saw Luca being taken away by the police officers in the police car. They thought Luca had done something bad and that was why she was taken away by the police officers. They thought they wanted to lock her up. Hence, they hurried down to find Luke and asked him to save Luca. It took him some effort to calm them down. Luca walked into the living room and saw them there. She was slightly startled and said stiffly, "I''m back." Rainie took the lead and ran to her first. She hugged her. ¡°Ms. Luca! Sob, you''re finally back.¡± Luca looked at the child and turned to look at Luke with confusion. "Yes, I''m back. What''s wrong?" "They were worried that the police officers might lock you up," Luke exined with both of his hands in his pockets. Luca smiled and squatted down to talk to the child at eye level. "I''m alright. Something happened and I went to cooperate with the investigation. That''s all." "Ms. Luca, you''re not getting locked up by the police officers, right?" Rainie asked worriedly. "No. I didn''t do anything bad. Only those who do evil things will get locked up by the police officers. Don''t worry." Luca stood up, held Rainie''s hand, and led her to the couch to sit down. "Ms. Luca, please don''t leave us." Tommy threw his arms around her. They all knew that although the person in front of them had a different appearance now, they were sure she was their mother. Hence, they refused to see her leave their sides. Luca was startled for a moment. She did not expect the children to be so clingy to her. Had she made the wrong decision by agreeing to let them stay here? She would have to leave them one day. If she were to leave now, the children might only be upset for a while. If she left when the children has already established deep bonds with her, they would be even more upset and reluctant to part with her... Luca''s heart struggled even more at the thought of this. Chapter 1782 Luca thought she should just leave them now, but she was too reluctant to do so. Such conflicting thoughts made her feel defeated. At least she knew what she needed back then, but right now, she could no longer figure out what she needed. Luca gently pushed away Tommy who was clinging to her and stood up. This was the first time Luca pushed Tommy away. He lifted his head and looked at her with some confusion. ¡°Ms. Luca?" Luca exined while concealing her feelings, "It''s almost dinner time. I''m going to prepare dinner first." Tommy watched her walk into the kitchen and looked at Luke, feeling sensitive. "Daddy, did I say something wrong to make Ms. Luca unhappy?" Luke shook her head. He noticed that something was wrong with Luca''s emotions, but it was not because of the children. He reckoned she must be having a hard time now due to the different emotions surging within her. He wanted to help her, but what could he do if she refused to talk? "Daddy, go ahead and cheer her up." Rainie pushed Luke''s hand gently. She thought Luca was tired of a bunch of children surrounding her. Luke knew what she had in her mind and emphasized, "She has always loved all of you. It''s not what you think it is." Rainie nodded. Luke stood up and said, "I''m going to find out what''s the matter." He entered the kitchen as he said that. Luca took the ingredients out of the fridge that the cleaningdy bought when she came to the house. She was thinking about what she should prepare for the children. Luke leaned on the kitchen door and asked, "What happened at the police station?" The sudden voice gave Luca a scare as she was deep in thought. She turned around and looked at the man at the door. ''"Sorry, I didn''t mean to." Luke noticed her small reaction. "It''s alright. I was thinking of what I should prepare for dinner and got lost in thought..." Luca put the ingredients that she would not be using back into the fridge. Luke realized her exnation was strange and continued to ask, ¡°Did you get bullied at the police station?" "No. They don''t have any evidence. There''s nothing they can do to me." Luca shook her head, worried that he might stand up for her. Hence, she quickly exined herself. Luke remained silent. If it was not about what had happened at the police station, she must be thinking about the children. There had always been a question deep down in Luke''s heart. What was being held against Luca that made her refuse to acknowledge her identity in front of them? Luca noticed Luke was still standing there, so she asked, "Mr. Crawford, is there anything else?" "No. The kids are worried about you. That''s why I came here tofort you." Luke directly told her that he was just doing what the children wanted him to do. Luca let out a sigh. She felt amused and helpless when Luke straightforwardly replied to her. "I''m alright. If you keep staring at me like this, I''m afraid I won''t be able to finish preparing the dinner in two hours." She felt happy to be watched by him, but there was a hint of uneasiness amid the happiness. His eyes were too deep, as though they could see through what she was thinking. Luke slightly narrowed his eyes. "Watching you make dinner reminds me of someone." "Who?" Luca ced the ingredients on the countertop, getting ready to clean them and cut them. "My wife," said Luke. He noticed her body tensing up when he said the word. "She used to cook for the kids back then. And the kids loved her cooking too. They always finished their food and everything on the dining table when she was the one preparing the meal." Luca cleaned the ingredients with her back facing Luke. Only she knew how stiff her actions were. "Really? Your kids aren''t picky with food, so it doesn''t matter who cooks the food, right?" She tried hard to speak gently to make herself sound more natural. Luke added, "They''re picky. They don''t like eating certain foods unless it''s their mother or you who cooked them. That''s the only time they finish eating everything even though they don''t really like the food." "Really? Perhaps my cooking tastes good, and that''s why the kids enjoy it." Luca watched the water running from the tap. She was swallowing all the bitterness she felt. Luke did not say anything more when he heard that. He turned around and left. The children were sitting in the living room. They asked their father immediately when they saw him return, "Daddy, is Ms. Luca alright?" "How could she be cooking your dinner if she''s not alright? Don''t worry." Lukeforted them. Rainie nced at her elder brother. Girls were usually more attentive and sensitive. When the adults said it was nothing, she knew it might not really be the case. The maid was washing the dishes after dinner. Luca headed upstairs, nning to continue with her work. Abel called her on the phone once she sat down. Luca looked at the string of numbers on the phone screen and sighed. Did he install a security camera to monitor her? Why would he call her whenever she was enjoying these blissful illusions, reminding her of the cruel reality and how she would never be happy? Luca picked up the phone as she stood up. She walked into the bedroom''s washroom and turned on the tap. Luke and his children were staying here with her now. She had to be more careful. Luca only answered the call after she made sure she was in a noisy environment. ¡°What''s the matter?" ¡°Is your research going tounch in the market soon?" Abel asked. Luca''s heart tightened. Was he going to make his first move? "You''re asking me to expose my forms to the public to cause problems with theunch? Won''t I be digging a hole for myself this way?" Luca lowered her voice and said with her teeth clenched. Abel could do anything just to take revenge on Luke Crawford. However, she could not do that. Abel''sugh came from the other end of the line. "Ivana, do you think I don''t know what you''re up to? Don''t worry. What you''re thinking now isn''t what I want to do." Luca did not feel relieved because of this. Instead, she asked him another question, "What do you want, then?" "It wasn''t easy for me to arrange for you to go back there, so I won''t let your identity be exposed that easily. If your identity is exposed, a pawn of mine will be wasted. I won''t let you get away easily. I want you and Luke Crawford to suffer every bit as much as I did!" Luca clenched her fists tightly when she heard Abel''s gruesome words. What did Abel want from them? How far would he go to torture them? When would he stop? Did he really want them dead? Abel continued to say, "I want you to steal another professor''s study and publicize it in advance, causing the pharmaceuticalpany to suffer losses. Then, you''ll be promoted to a higher rank. What I want you to do is stay beside Luke and take over his pharmaceuticalpany." Luca gasped. That was what he was nning. If she really took over the pharmaceuticalpany, then every research would fall into her hands. N?velDrama.Org ? content. In other words, they would fall into Abel''s hands... Chapter 1783 "I''m uncertain about that." Luca tightened her grip on the sink, refusing to obey such orders. "If you don''t do it, I won''t mind destroying Luke Crawford right away." Abel threatened her. "Do you think I have no choice but to sit here and wait for you to do it? Ivana, I''ve been making arrangements the whole time you''re carrying out your missions. Do you really think that I don''t know what you''re up to?" Luca was in despair. Abel had probably obtained more information about T Corporation. However, he did not deal with Luke right away. He thought it would be more interesting to see Luke and Luca ruin each other. Luca''s fingers grasped the marble top, and she said angrily, "I''ll try my best, but I can''t guarantee I''ll seed. The ce is heavily guarded." "Heavily guarded? That''s for outsiders. It can''t be more convenient for you to stroll in and out of there easily. Ivana, if you try to fool me again, just wait for the day I lose all my patience. By then, you can only watch helplessly as the man you love falls from the glorious altar!" Abel made it very clear. Indeed, Luke was standing on the altar now. No one knew what would happen to him if he fell from it one day. Abel was excited at the thought of it. He looked forward to seeing Luke fall from the top of the food chain to the lowest ranks. He wanted him to experience that pain... Luca clenched her fists. "There''s no way I can return to the pharmaceuticalpany now." "Don''t worry, you''ll get the chance soon. You''d better get things done for me when the timees." Abel hung up the phone after that. Luca listened to the busy tone from the other side of the phone. Thest sentence that Abel said to her confirmed that there were people from the Ind of Despair working in Watson Biopharmaceuticals. That was what a devious person like him would do. To deal with Luke and ruin him, Abel would never rely on her alone. Luca''s hands could not help but tremble at the thought of Abel''s pawns who might have been arranged to work at Watson Biopharmaceuticals and T Corporation. What should she do? What could she do to make Luke realize that his working environment was not as peaceful as he thought? How should she tell him that there was looming danger everywhere around him? ¡°Ms. Luca? Ms. Luca?" Rainie''s voice came from the bedroom. Luca snapped back to her senses and turned off the tap. She pushed the door open and exited the washroom. "What''s wrong, Rainie?" Rainie looked at her with her bright and beautiful eyes. "Ms. Luca, am I disturbing you?" "No, you''re not. What''s the matter?" Luca concealed herplicated feelings. Rainie had inherited her attentiveness from her. If she showed a hint of uneasiness on her face, the child would most certainly notice it. The cruelty of the adult world should not affect the children. Rainie took the initiative to hold Luca''s hand. Luca felt something being stuffed into her palm. She lowered her head and looked at it. It was candy. "Is this..." She looked at the child, puzzled. "Ms. Luca, you gave this to me back then," said Rainie. "Even though you haven''t said anything about it, I can sense that you''re feeling troubled. I don''t know what''s troubling you, but Mommy told us that we should eat sweet candy when we''re feeling upset. Everything will be better after that!" Luca stared at the child and nced at the candy in her hand. She asked, "Rainie, do you miss your mother?" "Yes. I miss Mommy every single day, but we know she has her own reasons, so we don''t me her for leaving us." Rainie looked at Luca with a determined look in her eyes. Did they all think so? "Ms. Luca, we''re still young. We don''t know much about theplicated world of adults, but we like you very much. I hope you won''t be mad at us if we''ve done anything wrong. We want you always to be by our sides." Rainie took the initiative to hold Luca''s hand. Luca''s voice was getting hoarse, "Is that what you really think?" "Yes." Rainie nodded. Luca looked at the sensible look on the child''s face. A child like her who was born into a prestigious family like the Crawford family should be treated like a little princess. She should have nothing to do with the cruel adult world out there. It was because she should be protected well. However, Rainie was forced to grow up because of her. Luca was heartbroken to see the child like this. "I''m not going anywhere. It''ste. Hurry up and go to bed. Aren''t you apanying your dad back to Crawford Manor tomorrow?" Lucaforted Rainie. Luke was going to bring the children back to Crawford Manor for dinner tomorrow. Rainie nodded and pointed at the bed. "Ms. Luca, take a seat." N?velDrama.Org ? content. Luca sat down at the bedside as she wished. "Muacks!" Rainie leaned closer to her and kissed her on the cheek. Then, she waved her hand and said, "Goodnight, Ms. Luca. I''ll see you tomorrow." "Goodnight." Luca watched the child leave as she walked her to the door. She only closed her bedroom door after she watched Rainie head back into her bedroom. Rainie''s kiss. Luca touched her face. Previously, when she put Rainie to sleep, she would also give her a goodnight kiss and say goodnight to her. Time had not taken these away from her... Other than missing the opportunity to see the children growing up, she had yet to find out if there were some other regrets. Luca sat on the bedside and looked at the candy in her hand. She opened the wrapper and put the candy in her mouth. The children loved this candy. Luca let out a sigh as the candy melted in her mouth. Her phone rang at this moment. It was Mo Stone''s phone number. Luca suddenly recalled what Abel had told her on the phone. He said the chance woulde soon. She was currently doing experiments at T Corporation now. Hence, there was no excuse or reason for her to return to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. However, Mo had taken the initiative to contact her now. Was Mo Stone the one Abel had arranged to stay by Luke''s side? Luca dared not let her suspicions run free like this. She cleared her throat and answered the call. ¡°What''s the matter, Mo?" "Dr. Craw, I''m sorry to call you at this hour." Mo apologized without saying anything else. Luca thought of testing whether or not Mo Stone was one of Abel''s people, but she would certainly realize what she was trying to do. Luca had no choice but to observe first. She could not let Abel find out what she wanted to do behind him. "It''s alright. I''m not asleep yet. What''s the matter?" Luca sounded calm. Mo asked in a careful tone, "Dr. Craw, may I know if you''re avable tomorrow?" "Tomorrow''s Sunday. I should be avable. What''s the matter?" Luca noticed that she had yet to tell her the purpose of calling her. She thought that it must be a professor who asked Mo to make this call. "Can youe back to Watson Biopharmaceutical? We''re facing some difficulties with Dr. Albus''s research here, so I''d like to ask for your help," Mo stated her purpose. Luca frowned. "Are you the one who wants me to go back? I don''t think it''s a good idea for me to intervene with Dr. Albus'' research." "No, Dr. Albus asked me to make the call. He''s the one who''s asking for your help," Mo replied immediately. Chapter 1784 Luca fell silent. Even though she had yet to find out what the matter was, she was pretty sure that this had something to do with Abel. However, was the spy Dr. Albus, the researchers under him, or Mo Stone? Mo realized Luca had not answered, so she asked carefully, ¡°Dr. Craw, will it be inconvenient for you?" Luca snapped back to her senses. She did not test Mo and just said, "No, I''m just surprised to hear that. After all, I was never involved in Dr. Albus'' research before this." "Actually, Dr. Albus'' research is already at the clinical stage, but we''ve encountered some difficulties. It has been troubling us for a week, and we''ve already asked everyone we could. You know as well that every professor is busy with their own research. Even though Dr. Albus asked for their help, they can''t spend too much time helping him solve the problems," Mo exined the current situation to Luca helplessly. Luca understood. She was only slightly surprised. "Dr. Albus'' research has already reached the clinical stage?" "Yes." "Then why didn''t they move to anotherb?" Luca knew the policy was meant for her. Luke did that to restrain her from leaving T Corporation so that it would be convenient for him to keep an eye on her. However, the policy was already implemented, so it was unlikely that it was not exercised in the company. Since Dr. Albus'' research had already reached the clinical stage, why had they not moved to the office building of T Corporation? "It''s because someone from the headquarters told us that every floor is upied, so there''s no ce for us. That''s why they asked Dr. Albus to continue his research here," Mo replied. Luca had been busy with her work, and she did not notice the situation in the office at all. It seemed like Luke had already thought about it when he arranged for her to move to anotherb. "I got it. Can you tell me what''s the situation over there with Dr. Albus?" Luca asked. Mo paused for a moment. "I can''t exin it on the phone. I have a document with me now. Why don''t I send it to you? You''ll be able to figure it out when you read it." "Alright. I''ll give you an answer after I learn about the difficulties you''re facing now." Luca did not know if the issues they were facing were within her capabilities to solve. Besides, she wanted to find out who Abel had ced in thepany. There were many people on the Ind of Despair. Even though she was there for three years, she was still unable to recognize all of them. Furthermore, all of this was Abel''s n. Naturally, he could separate his subordinates as he wished. They would not know each other''s identities unless they were given the antidote at the same ce and time. "Alright. I''m sending it to you now," replied Mo as she sent the document to Luca''s email. ¡°Dr. Craw, I''ve sent it. Have you received it?" Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Luca walked to her desk and nced at herptop screen. "Yes, I''ve received it. Let me take a look at it first." "Alright. I''ll be waiting for your call." Mo took the initiative to hang up after that. Luca downloaded the attachment on herptop. Then, she opened it and read the contents. It was mainly about the research problems that they were facing when they were preparing for the clinical experiment. Luca frowned when she saw the chemical forms. Sure enough, they wereplicated. Still, she was taught by Shanks, after all. These were not considered difficult for her. She could help... The most important thing was what Abel had told her. If she refused to help, Dr. Albus would definitely not say anything about it. However, the one who was secretly working for Abel would do his job and inform Abel about it. At that time, she would still be the unlucky one. Hence, she had to agree no matter who was behind this. Luca nced at the time. She sent a message to Mo: [I''ll go over there tomorrow.] Mo Stone replied soon after: [Alright. Thank you, Dr. Craw. See you tomorrow.] After Luca read Mo''s reply, she called Amur. When he answered the call, he was in a noisy environment. "Amur, where are you?" It was already 11 at night. Why was he still wandering outside? Judging from the noisy music in the background, it seemed like he was at a bar. "I''m at a bar carrying out my mission." Amur walked through the crowd, heading to the bar''s entrance. He unconsciously lied to her. Amur was not carrying out a mission. He simply felt ufortable at the thought of Luca staying together with Luke now, so he could not fall asleep. Hence, he came to the bar for a drink. Luca frowned. He had juste back not long ago, yet Abel had already assigned him another mission? That was not possible. Those who had just aplished their missions would have at least a week of rest. "Are you really carrying out your mission?" Luca confirmed with him. Amur seldom drank when he was on the ind. Sometimes, some people would encourage him to join them for a drink. However, he would always reject them by telling them that he had to keep his mind clear. She could even count how many times she had seen Amur drinking with both of her hands in those three years. "Yes." Amur paused for a moment and decided to continue to lie to Luca. He had no idea how he should tell her about his feelings. Luca would not be able to understand his feelings nor the reason he had been acting this way. It was because she had been treating him as her younger brother the entire time. ¡°Why aren''t you sleeping yet? It''ste.¡± Amur walked out of the bar and listened to the noise from her end. He did not hear anything other than her voice. Luke was not sleeping with her in the same room... Amur was secretly rejoicing for a moment. They were only staying together under the same roof. They were not close enough to sleep in the same room yet. Did that mean he still had a chance if he continued to be considerate to Luca and protect her? Luca remembered what she wanted to tell him and quickly said, "Oh yes. I suspect one of Abel''s people is working in Watson Biopharmaceuticals. But I don''t know who it is yet. I''d like you to help me to find out who it is. I need to know who''s that person to get the upper hand." "Did Abel assign you another mission?" Amur asked. "He''s always been assigning me missions all this time. But I''m still currently in a passive position now. Those people he arranged probably know about my existence and my mission, but I know nothing about them.." Luca was helpless. She could investigate the matter herself, but she was quite upied now. How could she possibly have the time to do all these? Unless she sacrificed her sleep. "You only have to carry out the mission as he said. It''s the same no matter what kind of mission it is." Amur reminded her. "Amur, you know what he means to me. I really don''t want to hurt him, but I''m left with no choice now. I have to listen to what Abel says. Still, that doesn''t mean I''m going to do everything as I''m told. I want to know who those people are, and I want to know what their missions are. That''s how I can turn my passive position into an active one. Also, it''s to minimize the harm that Luke will face in the future," said Luca. Luke was N''s father, and she thought Amur would understand her. Chapter 1785 Amur did understand her situation. However, he had feelings for Luca, which was why he disagreed with what she was doing now. "Haven''t you considered that we can''t fight against the whole Ind of Despair if it''s only you and me?" Amur reminded her. It did not matter if he was discovered. The worst they would do was throw his body into the ocean. However, Luca had so much to lose. Was she really going to take the risk for Luke, that useless man? What would happen to N if something happened to her? A little girl growing up on the Ind of Despair. There was no doubt what kind of person she would be in the future if she was left alone there. That was why N needed Luca''spany. "I''m sorry. That was rather sudden..." Luca was startled. She did not expect Amur, who had always supported her, to be against it so much. Sure enough, judging from Abel''s power and influence, not everyone dared to stand against him. Amur listened to Luca''s tone and let out a sigh. "Forget about it. There''s no point talking about this now. I''ll help you look into Watson Biopharmaceuticals and also T Corporation. I''m guessing Abel must have ced his people in bothpanies. I''ll try to track them down and get their identities." Luke was a capable man, but he had so manypanies under him. He was not responsible for the recruitment either, so it was easy for Abel to arrange for a few of his men to join Luke''spanies. Once those people who had gone through the training on the Ind of Despair were recruited by Luke''spanies, they would rely on the abilities they had attained during their training to help them excel in their work and get promoted. Those who relied on their capabilities alone without being affected by the others would not arouse Luke''s suspicion. "Thank you, Amur." Luca did not expect he would change his mind to help her. "You can''t fight Abel alone. I don''t want to see N losing her mother at such a young age," Amur replied stubbornly on purpose. Luca knew he cared about her. When she met him for the first time, she knew she had to save thisd. "I have to thank you no matter what. It''ste. Don''t drink too much. Get some rest. I have something to do tomorrow. I''m going to sleep first." Luca hung up the call after that. Amur felt mncholic while he listened to the busy toneing from the other side of the phone. Even though he lied to her, she was definitely able to tell. Why was she unable to see Luke''s true colors, then? Luca hung up the phone. Someone knocked on the door when she was about to sleep. She walked to the door. She saw Luke standing outside the door and was startled for a moment. ¡°Mr. Crawford?" "I was thinking of getting a ss of water for myself, but I saw that the lights in your room were still switched on. Why aren''t you sleeping yet?" Luke asked. Luca looked at the coffee mug that he was holding in his hands. He always used different cups for coffee and water. Luke was holding a coffee mug at this hour. He probably wanted some coffee... "I''m going to sleep." She did not expose him. Luke nodded. "Goodnight." As Luca watched him turn around, she took a deep breath and could not help but say, "Mr. Crawford, drinking coffee at this hour is bad for your health." Luke had her back turned to her, and he gave a faint smile. She still remembered all the small details about him as well as his habits. "I might have to stay up all night," said Luke. "It''s bad for you to drink coffee even if you''re staying up all night. It burdens the body. I remember there''s some milk in the fridge. Why don''t I heat it for you?" Luca could not put up with it. She refused to see him drink coffee to keep himself awake all night. "Sure," Luke said nothing more than that. He handed her the coffee mug. Luca took it from him. She knew that she had slightly given herself away just now. After all, Luke imed that he was going to get water, but she pointed out that he wanted coffee instead. She could not be bothered that much, however. She went down the stairs with the mug in her hands. Luke watched her figure disappear down the stairs. He turned around and walked into his bedroom, waiting for his milk. Luca was still the woman she used to be. She remembered every little detail about him, and she was willing to make him a ss of warm milk thiste at night. Luke smiled. He would love to hold her in his arms and have a hot make-out session with her if he was allowed to do that. Luca strolled to the kitchen, took out the milk, and put it in the microwave to heat it. Then, she poured the milk into the mug. She looked at the milk in the mug and shook her head. She felt like she had made a mistake. However, this meant Luke would not be drinking coffee tonight. He would be able to sleep for a while after he finished his workter. That would be great. Luca headed to the second floor with a mug of milk. She knocked on Luke''s bedroom door. The door was not closed as though he had left it open for her. When she was standing at the door, she was able to see the man who was busy with his work. Luke lifted his head to look at the person in front of him and said, "Come in." Luca ced the coffee mug on his table. Luke chuckled when he saw the steaming milk in the coffee mug. Luca heard this and could not help but ask, ¡°Mr. Crawford, what are youughing at?" Luke lifted his head. His deep eyes concealed his love for her as he calmed his emotions. "I suddenly thought of my wife." Luca''s hand shook a little, and she took a step back unconsciously. "Why?" "Previously, whenever I had to stay up at night to work, she would snap at me if she saw me drinking coffee. Then, she would pour the coffee out and pour me a ss of warm milk instead, just like whatN?velDrama.Org ? content. you did." Luke looked at her as he recalled the in yet sweet memories of the times he spent with Bianca in the past. Luca unconsciously turned her face away, pretending to look at the books on his bookshelf instead. "Mrs. Crawford must have thought that drinking coffee at night is bad for your health too. She did that because she was worried about you." "Are you the same too?" Luke picked up the mug. Luca pretended she did not understand what he meant. "Same as what?" "You''re concerned about my health too, right?" Luke asked. Luca''s heart trembled, and she deliberately put a serious expression on her face. "Mr. Crawford, I have some medical knowledge, and I think drinking coffee at night is bad for your health. That''s why I got you some milk instead. And in this sense, both Mrs. Crawford and I know that drinking coffee at night is bad for your health. However, it''s because I have some medical knowledge that I can''t bear to see others ruin their health. Meanwhile, Mrs. Crawford was simply concerned about your health." As he listened to her, it became clear that she did not want him to misunderstand her. Luke felt helpless. When would she stop pretending? "Is that it?" "Of course. Oh, Mr. Crawford, I''m heading to Watson Biopharmaceuticals tomorrow." Luca noticed that there was something wrong with their subject of conversation, so she took the chance to change the subject. "Why are you going there?" Luke asked. "Dr. Albus needs some help for the clinical stage of his research. That''s why I''m going there to see if I can lend a hand," Luca exined. Luke was surprised that she was willing to help others. At first, he disagreed with the idea of her helping someone else. However, considering that Watson Biopharmaceuticals was one of his assets, it seemed weird if he was against it. It was normal for colleagues to help each other in the workce. He had no choice but to nod his head and reply, "Sure." Chapter 1786 Luca found an excuse to leave his bedroom after Luke agreed and nodded. She even helped him to close the door before she left. Luke looked at the warm mug of milk on the table. He picked it up and took a sip of it. He did not like the taste of milk, but he would never resist the milk that Luca brought him. It was the same brand of milk and the same mouthfeel, but the taste was different after she heated it. He had asked Mrs. Nancy to heat milk for him before. However, it tasted different from when Luca heated it for him. The same milk tasted different after she heated it. Luke''s eyes became gloomy as he looked at the milk in the mug. He said, ¡°Bea, when are youing back to me." The following day. Luca left the vi after she made breakfast for Luke and the children. She headed to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. She did not have to worry about what the children would be having for lunch as they would be following Luke back to Crawford Manorter. It had been a long time since Luca came back to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. She found the ce unfamiliar now. After she walked into the building, she saw Mo, who was waiting for her in the lobby. After she started working in T Corporation, she surrendered her ess card. She did it so that she could avoid arousing any suspicion. It was also to prevent herself from getting into trouble in the future. "Good morning, Dr. Craw." Mo let out a sigh of relief when she saw Luca. Fortunately, Luca was willing to put aside past matters ande here to help them. Otherwise, Dr. Albus would keep annoying her. Mo was merely an assistant. Dr. Albus was having problems with his research, but he refused to take the initiative to ask for help from Luca himself. He wanted Mo, his assistant, to be the middle person. It was too troublesome. "Good morning." Luca walked into the lobby and waited for Mo to swipe the card for her. Mo swiped the card, and Luca stepped in. Before Mo could begin with the pleasantries, Luca went straight to the point and asked, "Is Dr. Albus here yet?" ¡°Dr. Albus learned that you''re willing toe over and help, so the team came to the office early in the morning. They''re waiting for you upstairs," replied Mo. Luca nodded and walked toward the elevator. "Come on. Let''s not waste our time." Mo let out a sigh when she saw how Luca was vigorous and speedy. None of the professors here had such an attitude. Even though they would receive a handsome reward and good reputations after the drug they were researching on wasunched into the market, those who were working under T Corporation were not bothered to fight for those perks. Many of them were cking off. Without being given more incentives, they would be satisfied as long as their research progress reached the normal standards. Hence, Mo could not help but exim when she met Luca again. She trotted to the elevator and swiped the card. The elevator doors opened right away. Both of them headed to the floor to meet Dr. Albus together. The moment Luca saw Dr. Albus, the first thing that came into her mind was that he had lost some weight. It seemed that he was distressed about his research. "Hello, Dr. Craw." Dr. Albus greeted Luca more passionately than ever before when he saw her. After all, he had gotten stuck in his research. If he were to look for those friends of his for help, he would have to risk getting his research leaked. Besides, all the professors in thepany were in no mood to help him. Luca was the only one who could help him at the moment. Hence, he weed Luca enthusiastically. "Hello." Luca felt indifferent toward his enthusiasm. She shot a nce at Mo, then turned to look at Dr. Albus again. She said, "Dr. Albus, I''ve gone through the information. Let''s get straight to the point. We''ll hold a meeting and discuss the next research approach, as well as how we''re going to solve these problems." "Sure. The meeting room is ready." Dr. Albus was even more surprised to see her agreeing to help him without setting any conditions. If it were the other professors, they would certainly make demands and put Dr. Albus on the spot. They were willing to help him, but on one condition¡ªthey wanted a share of the pie. That was the reality of society. Dr. Albus refused to share the fruits of his work with others. However, those professors would pressure him without considering the camaraderie they shared. They clearly did not contribute anything when his research was in its early stage, but they wanted to share his sess. He was unable to ept that. That was why Dr. Albus was surprised when Luca agreed toe over to help him without asking for anything. At the same time, he saw Luca in a new light. When the two of them got into the elevator and headed downstairs, Dr. Albus asked in a low voice, "Dr. Craw, are you sure you can help to solve the problems I''m facing?" "I''m not a hundred percent sure, but I''ve done simr research when I was abroad. Perhaps I can help you," said Luca. Dr. Albus'' eyes brightened up when he heard that. "That''s great. Thank you for helping me. Otherwise, our team would be in trouble." Luca smiled at him. She walked out of the elevator when the doors opened. On the other hand, in the vi. Tommy woke up and could not find Luca. He adorably ran toward Luke and asked, "Daddy, where''s Ms. Luca?" ¡°She went to work.¡± Luke moved his gaze away from the newspaper and nced at his son. After Luke finished the milk that Luca got him, it did not take long before he felt sleepy again. He put his work aside without a second thought and took a good night''s sleep. Tommy put his hands on his hips and asked, "Today''s Saturday, right? Why is Ms. Luca working on weekends? You''re not working either.¡± "She went to her originalpany to help out a colleague. I have nothing to do with it," Luke exined to his son. He felt helpless when Tommy looked like he was about to me him. Tommy snorted as though he was ming Luke for being irresponsible. "Daddy, did you bully Ms. Luca last night? Is that why she''s not at home today?" "Why would you say that?" Luke frowned when he looked at his son, who gave him a disapproving look. "I saw you walking out from Ms. Luca''s roomst night. And you looked like something was bothering you," said Tommy. "Spying on people at such a young age?" Luke lifted his head and flicked Tommy''s forehead with his finger. "Stop talking nonsense, and stop imagining things. She went to help her ex-colleague. She didn''t run away." "Really?" Tommy was still doubting him. "Yes." Luke was helpless when his own son refused to believe him. Tommy definitely got that skeptical behavior from him. "Fine. I guess I won''t get to eat Ms. Luca''s cooking today." Tommy thought how unfortunate that was... "She didn''t forget about you. Breakfast is in the kitchen. Ask the maid to get it for you." Luke looked at that greedy look on Tommy''s face. Luca had won the children''s hearts with her cooking and maternal love. Tommy pped his hands happily when he heard that. "Really? Ms. Luca is awesome!" He ran to the dining room. Luke shook his head helplessly when he saw how happy Tommy was. Just then, Luke''s phone vibrated. He picked up his phone and nced at it. It was a message from Percy.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 1787 Percy asked Luke to send him the evidence of Pierre plotting schemes behind their backs... Luke fell silent for a few seconds when he looked at the message. Then, he replied to him: [Okay.] After Pierre threatened him to quit the tender by kidnapping Luca, Percy and Luke had been digging deeper into Pierre''s past deeds. Pierre was currently expanding hispany, and his ventures ovepped with their two families'' corporations. On the surface, it did not seem that Pierre intended to steal their business. However, it was just a front and something Pierre did to impress the Mallory family. After all, the Mallory family had to stand up for their family members for the sake of their reputation. If they found out that Pierre''spany was affecting the interests of their family business and the Crawford family''s business, they would have certainly stopped Pierre instead of supporting him. Pierre was just putting a front for others to see. He had been secretly doing things that were not as simple as the others thought. He had been nning quietly and building connections with others. He was waiting for the day to take over the businesses of the two families. Luke''s men had been busy collecting evidence so that Luke could deal with Pierre one day. Now, Percy was asking Luke for the evidence. That indicated that Percy was going to dere war on Pierre. Percy must be doing it for Nina''s sake. Everyone in the Mallory family was supportive of Pierre. Percy was afraid that his parents would oppose him for getting together with Nina. At the same time, he had to deal with Pierre. His family would not be able to understand him. They might even get in his way. However, if they found out Pierre was nning to destroy the foundation of the Mallory family that had lasted for 50 years, Percy might be able to get their full support. Then, it would be easier for him to be with Nina. Percy was the same as Luke. They would sacrifice everything for love. Luke recalled how many ill-intentioned people he had kicked away just to get together with Bianca back then. It was a difficult process. Therefore, even when he discussed it with Percy before, the evidence in his hands was meant to be used when it was necessary to make Pierre suffer a crushing defeat. Luke thought this was the right time to reveal the evidence so that it could make things easier for Percy and Nina. Percy and Nina had been struggling for years, and finally, they were able to get together. It was something Luca wanted to witness too. Hence, Luke sent the evidence to Percy without a second thought. 30 secondster, Percy replied to him: [Thank you.] [Don''t mention it. We''re brothers.] Then, Luke stood up and headed to the dining room. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Percy had to face the Mallory family alone. This was all Luke could do for him. In the hospital. Percy saved the document and said to Nina, ¡°I''ve got the document." Nina looked at the determined expression on his face and asked with concern, "Are you really going to do this?" Nina was able to regain her strengthst night before she went to sleep. Hence, she had a long talk with Percy. They talked about everything¡ªtheir misunderstandings in the past, their feelings for each other now, and the expectations they had for their future. That was when she knew that Percy was not only asking her to stay beside him. He wanted her to stay with him for the rest of his life and give her a proper status acknowledged by everyone else¡ªthat was, the title of Mrs. Mallory. He told her that he had always wanted her to be his wife. However, he did not get the chance to say it back then. He thought that as long as she stayed beside him, she would know his feelings for her even if he did not tell her about them. He thought they would have a happy ending someday. Percy had no idea that Nina did not know what he felt for her back then. Perhaps what he did was not enough for her, but when he wanted to do something more for her, the elders in the Mallory family insisted on getting him a fiancee¡ªMadison Johnston. There was no way Percy could reject them. It was because Nina would be the one getting hurt once he rejected them. Percy thought Nina had feelings for him and she would not leave him easily. However, he did not expect Nina to leave him that quickly when he was forced to announce to the public that he was getting engaged to Madison. He had a series of ns behind him, ns of what he wanted to do with Nina. However, she left him... He was left with no choice. He told himself not to go looking for Nina before he settled everything. Then, Nina learned everything that happened next. The n Percy implemented was to ruin the Johnston family. It would make the Mallory family change their minds and call off their engagement. Then, he would get Nina back. Everything was going smoothly as he had nned, except that Nina concealed her feelings and was unable to figure out her feelings for him. Percy did not expect Pierre to have the guts to hold Nina captive either. However, those few days when Nina was imprisoned made her figure out what she felt for Percy. Now, they were happy to be together with each other. There was almost nothing in between them that could separate them, other than the Mallory family. If Percy wanted to marry Nina, it was something he could do at any time. Still, he did not want Nina to suffer after she married him. He did not want her to get bullied by the Mallory family. That was why he had to do this. "I''ve decided..." Percy stood up. "I''ve received news that Pierre was admitted to the hospital yesterday. He got beaten up by Luca. The important members of the Mallory family are in his ward now. I''ll bring this document and the evidence I''ve collected with me to negotiate with them.¡± Nina did not know what his chances were in the negotiation this time. Percy had talked to her about this before. He asked her if she would be willing to ept it if the price they had to pay to be together was to stop going after Pierre. She replied without a second thought. She nodded and said, ¡°I can ept it.¡± She was more concerned about Percypared to Pierre getting his punishment. What Pierre was about to do could cause him to cut off ties with the Mallory family if he did not handle it well. She was not worried about Pierre losing everything after cutting ties with the Mallory family. Pierre was capable, and he had friends. Even if he lost everything, he would still be able to stand up and fight again. Nina just could not bear to see Pierre cutting ties with his family for her sake. "I know what you''re thinking. After all these years, I know that I can''t leave you. If I have to choose between you and my family, I''ll definitely choose you. Besides, we haven''t gotten there yet. So, trust me, alright?" Percy looked at her with determination. Nina nodded and grasped his hand tightly. "I trust you, but I also hope you can handle this well. They''re your family, after all." ¡°Except for Pierre.¡± Percy did not see him as his younger brother anymore. Pierre used to be overly confident in doing things back then, and Percy had always been there to help him handle the problems he caused. That was why Pierre was so powerful now. Percy never expected that his brother whom he had always helped would be a wolf that turned on him. Chapter 1788 He could help Pierre grow, and he could also tear him down. It was just a matter of time. Percy still considered the Mallory family as his family, but from the moment Pierre made a move on Nina, he had stopped thinking of him as his brother. The nurse walked in with the receipt and saw the two of them holding hands tightly. With envy in her eyes, she said, "Mr. Mallory, Ms. Langdon''s discharge procedures have beenpleted. This is your credit card, and these are the discharge documents from the hospital." "Thank you," Nina reached her hand out, taking the receipt and the credit card. She put the receipt in her pocket and handed the credit card to Percy. "Here." "This is yours to keep." Percy did not take the card. "Uh..." Nina looked at the ck card in her hand. ¡®How generous of him. There¡¯s no limit to the ck card. Isn¡¯t he afraid that I¡¯ll squander his money?¡¯ "You¡¯re my lover and soon-to-be Mrs. Mallory. My assets should be managed by you," Percy said. Ninaughed out loud. The worries she had in her heart disappeared when she heard what he said. "I¡¯m not great with managing money." "It doesn''t matter. I have a financial advisor, and he takes care of most of my investments. All you need to do is hold on to this card," Pierre said. He picked up some of Nina''s items and handed them to the nurse. "Can we keep these at the nurse''s station for a minute? We''lle and get themter." "Of course." The nurse was envious. She took Nina''s belongings with a smile and walked out of the ward. Percy took her hand again and said, "Are you ready?" "Mm." Nina nodded. Although she was reluctant to face Pierre, from the moment she admitted to herself how she truly felt about Percy, she knew that she had to face Pierre eventually. That was so that she could be with Percy forever and ever. After all, they were brothers... Percy was worried that she would feel pressured emotionally, so he reassured her, saying, "Don''t be afraid, I''ll be right beside you." "I''m not afraid because I know that you¡¯ll protect me." Nina smiled and walked out of the ward with him. After what had happened, no matter how stupid she was, she knew how she felt. If she missed out on being with Percy for worldly reasons, she would regret it for the rest of her life. After all, Percy was her soulmate. Her dream was simple¡ªone house for two people, and three meals a day throughout four seasons. One of the two people would be Percy Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. No matter if they were rich or things were difficult, as long as Percy was there by her side, life would be sweet no matter how tough the days were. Percy had found out from the butler which ward Pierre was in. It was downstairs. He also knew why he was admitted to the hospital and that Madam Mallory was taking care of him. Since they were kids, Percy, as the heir, was raised by Old Master Mallory, while Pierre was taken care of by Madam Mallory. Therefore, there was not much brotherhood between them, except for Percy''s tolerance as an elder brother to his younger brother, as well as basic family affection. As for Madam Mallory, because she spent more time with Pierre aspared to Percy, she loved her younger son more. The Mallory family was strict with Percy but doted on Pierre. Therefore, with such different upbringings, the brothers had different personalities. Percy and Nina took the elevator downstairs. The closer she was to Pierre''s ward, the more nervous Nina became. She held Percy''s hand tighter and tighter. "Don''t worry, he was beaten up so badly that he can''t get out of bed. He can''t hurt you." Percy sensed her negative emotions and soothed her. Nina chucked. "Beaten up? Is Luca that good?" "You''ll find outter." Percy had a rough idea of what had happened. After Nina rxed a little, he opened the door of Pierre''s ward. Madam Mallory and Old Master Mallory were both in the ward. Madam Mallory had no expression when she saw Percy walk in. However, when she saw the woman beside him, her expression suddenly turned sour. She could not help but shout, "Percy, your brother is injured and hospitalized. How could you only be here now? How can you call yourself his brother?" Percy''s expression was nk as he replied, "Injured? The doctor didn''t find any wounds on him, no? How is he injured?" Pierre listened to him and saw the two holding hands. His gaze turned grim. Percy not only rescued Nina from him but now walked into the ward holding hands with her. It seemed that Luca was not making things up out of anger. They were really together... Pierre looked at their tightly held hands and wanted nothing more than to part them. ''Nina is mine! How dare Percy take my woman?! No, I''ll never allow such a thing to happen!'' "Brother, why did you bring this woman here? You know our mother doesn''t like to see her." Pierre had taken painkillers, so he was in good spirits. He wanted to take this opportunity to trigger Nina as much as he could. If Nina wanted to leave Percy, there was nothing Percy could do. She had left him once before, so she could leave a second time. As long as she left him, he had a chance. "This woman? Nina is not any other woman. She''s my fiancee. She agreed to my proposalst night," Percy said with a serious expression. Nina looked up at Percy in amazement. ''Proposal? When did that happen? Didn''t we just confess our feelings to each otherst night?'' Even though Nina was stunned, she did not say anything. She knew that Percy did it intentionally. Hearing that, Pierre immediately sat up and shouted, "What? You can''t marry Nina!" "Why?" Percy looked at his emotional brother with an indifferent expression. "I love her; she loves me. We''re both unmarried. Why can''t we get married?" "Because¡ª" Before Pierre could finish his sentence, Percy interrupted him, "I can''t marry her because you falsely imprisoned her?" "That''s enough, Percy! Why are you making a scene early in the morning?" Madam Mallory listened to the conversation between the two and could not help but be stern. She stood up and interrupted them, her cold gaze staring daggers at Nina. ''This bitch! What did she do to Percy?! She already promised not to continue pestering Percy back then. What''s happening now?!'' "Ms. Langdon, it seems that I underestimated you. I didn''t expect you to be so shameless. You promised me one thing but ended up doing another." Madam Mallory gritted her teeth, wishing that she could cut Nina into pieces. Seeing both of her sons arguing over Nina, Madam Mallory decided in her heart that it was all Nina''s fault. "I promised you that I would leave Percy because I thought I didn''t like him then." Nina looked at Madam Mallory and said calmly. Chapter 1789 "If you don''t like him, why won''t you let him go? Didn''t I give you a sum of money? You don''t want it anymore? Or... do you think it''s too little? That sounds about right. A woman like you would only approach my son to get to me. Tell me, how much do you want this time?" Madam Mallory despised Nina. She took out the checkbook from her handbag and was about to write Nina a check. "I don''t need money. I didn''t need it before, I don''t need it now, and I won''t need it in the future." Nina held Percy''s hand tightly. She initially nned to stand aside and let him solve the matter on his own. However, she could not keep quiet any longer. Since she loved him, she was willing to share weal and woe with him. They would get through hardships together. That was what true love was. She would never back down because she was afraid. "What do you want?!" Madam Mallory was fuming from what she said and threw the checkbook on the sofa. "I didn''t know how I felt before, so I told you that I had no interest in Percy nor did I like him. However, Pierre, your youngest son, made me acknowledge my true feelings," Nina said as she looked back at Pierre. His face was ashen. She was unsure if it was because of his health or because he was angry with what she said. He looked like he was going to get out of bed and strangle her to death. Nina did not know that with Pierre''s temperament, he would have most certainly gotten out of bed in an instant. However, he was still half-lying on the bed. Could it be that Luca hurt him so badly that he could not even move? Nina admired Luca in her heart. At the same time, she was worried that he would pick on Luca once he got better. Hopefully, when the time came, Luke would step in and help Luca... "What do you mean..." Madam Mallory was stunned. She looked at her youngest son and found that his expression had turned ugly. She was worried it was because he was sick. The doctor had prescribed him painkillers the day before. At first, the painkillers could only numb the pain for four hours. Although the pain was still there, Pierre, who had an active lifestyle, was able to manage it. However, since the middle ofst night, he started to feel the pain again. The pain was not subdued even after he took painkillers. The painkillers'' effect was getting weaker and weaker. It was unable to keep the pain in check any longer. The doctor had no choice but to ask him to endure it when he cried out in pain. He told Pierre to only take the painkillers if he could not deal with the pain anymore. The consideration of the side effects from the heavy dosage had to be thrown out the window... That was because his pain was real. "Pierre kidnapped Nina for his selfish reasons. The police station has already followed up on this matter. Although they have yet to bring him in for questioning, based on the current progress, it won''t be long until it happens.¡± Percy looked at Pierre, whoy on the hospital bed with a chilly expression. With Pierre''s character, even if the matter was exposed, he would not tell Madam Mallory and Old Master Mallory the truth until the absolutest moment. To them, he was nothing but a fop. He could only get more of their love if he stayed out of trouble. For as long as Percy could remember, every time Pierre got into trouble and was unable to deal with it, he would step in to help out as his elder brother. When Percy had no time or it was a time-sensitive matter, only then would Pierre ask for help from the family. Therefore, in their hearts, although Pierre was arrogant and domineering, he rarely caused any trouble. "What did you say? That''s impossible." Madam Mallory did not believe that Pierre would be interested in someone like Nina. She was raging. "Don''t frame your brother for your own desires!" "Previously, he held Luca hostage in his vi to force Luke out of the bidding. At that time, he settled the matter by paying people off. You were so happy because he started his own business, so I didn''t pursue it. This time, he learned his lesson. After he kidnapped Nina, he imprisoned her in your vi and got our former maid to take care of her. Now, that maid is in the police station. When Nina was rescued, the maid admitted that Pierre was the person behind this." Percy shook the phone in his hand and continued talking, "Luke and I have a copy of her confession. There''s no reason for the maid to frame him." N?velDrama.Org ? content. "My vi?" Madam Mallory frowned and nced at her younger son who was on the hospital bed. "Every one of my vis is taken care of by a dedicated person. If he was hiding someone in my vi, how could I not know?!" Percy was a little disappointed when he saw that she still chose to trust Pierre instead of him. This might be the difference of not having grown up by her side. "The vi is in your name but you gave it to him. You just haven''t transferred the title yet," Percy continued. "Do you want to listen to the recording? Actually... you don''t need to listen to the recording. The police areing today." "What the hell do you want?!" Pierre curled up. He had just felt better because of the painkillers he took an hour ago, but Percy and Nina''s presence caused him to be in pain again. Percy did not feel anything when he saw how distressed Pierre appeared. Pierre would be fine. That was what Luke told him. Percy said, "I don''t want much. I can choose not to hold you ountable, but the Mallory family can''t stop me from being with Nina!" Madam Mallory cked out for a little after she heard what he said. ¡®There are many socialites in A City. Why did he fall in love with this ordinary woman?'' It was not just Percy. ording to what he just said, even her favorite youngest son was interested in Nina... ¡®Were my sons bewitched?'' Madam Mallory was so angry that she did not know what to say. Old Master Mallory knew that she was worried that Percy would hurt his brother for Nina, so he stood up and firmly objected to it. "I disapprove of this rtionship. " Percy looked at Old Master Mallory. Although the old master had kept silent, Percy knew that something was up and kept his guards up. That was because he knew that the stance of the elders in the Mallory family was the same as Madam Mallory''s. They thought that it was no big deal to sacrifice oneself as long as it was for the good of the Mallory family. They did not see it as a sacrifice. It was just a marriage of convenience to them. They loved Pierre so much because he would do exactly as they said. He had agreed without a second thought when they arranged his marriage. "Grandpa, even if you disapprove, I''ll still be with Nina." Percy expressed his stance. Old Master Mallory squinted, his cloudy eyes looking at Nina grimly. Even though he had been out of the corporate world for many years, his strong aura was still present. Nina felt a little overwhelmed and breathless. Old Master Mallory said, "If you insist on being with this woman, I can''t guarantee what she''ll have to face in the future. Percy, you know as well that even though I''ve retired, I still have my ways." Old Master Mallory''s aura was like a storm that was brewing, pressing down on everyone below him. Chapter 1790 Percy held Nina''s hand tightly. He was beside her, so she had nothing to be afraid of... Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "No matter what the consequence, I want to spend the rest of my life with her. She''s my soulmate. No one can change my mind about that." The corners of Nina''s eyes were moist when she heard how unyielding his tone was. No matter what she had to endure in the future, what Percy just said was enough to sustain her through it all. There would be no more misunderstandings and differences moving forward because she realized that this man loved her as much as she loved him. "What if you had to give up everything thates with being a Mallory?" Old Master Mallory was cross seeing how determined Percy was. The Mallory family was the source of all his glory. The old master did not think that Nina would still opt to be with Percy if he lost everything. Percy did not waver. "Even if you take everything from me, I still want to be with Nina." Old Master Mallory mmed his cane hard on the floor. ''Does he think that it''s just a threat?!'' Old Master Mallory assumed that Percy was fearless because he was brought up by his side and trained to be the heir since young. He thought that if he took away everything and made Percy realize that he could give the title to Pierre at any time, Percy would be back down. As such, Old Master Mallory said stubbornly, "Do you think you''re the only one who carries the Mallory surname?" Pierre''s eyes twinkled. Although the pain was getting on his nerves and his will, Old Master Mallory''s words lifted his spirits. Although he no longer needed the Mallory family''s support, it would be great if he could have all of the Mallory family''s assets under his name. Who would say no to getting more wealth? If not for Old Master Mallory intending to give everything to Percy in the beginning, Pierre would not have started a newpany to secure his future. Percy knew what Old Master Mallory meant, but he was confident in himself. He could give Nina a stable future with or without the Mallory family. "Even if you give Pierre everything I have, I''ll still choose to be with Nina. Without the Mallory family, I''ll have to start all over again. But that doesn''t mean my life will be over." Percy realized that as long as Nina was with him, his life would not being to an end any time soon. "You... You!" Old Master Mallory was raving mad and stared at Percy with somber eyes. He did not notice any shift in emotions from Percy. The strong will in his eyes remained the same. Percy was brought up by him since he was a child. He could see whether Percy was being truthful at a nce. Percy was absolutely serious. ''He''s willing to give up his life for a woman who can take everything from him at any time?!'' Old Master Mallory''s resentful gaze fell on Nina. The grandson he had always been proud of had been bewitched by this woman! "Okay, in that case, I''ll go to work tomorrow on Monday and hold a general meeting to revoke your position in front of everyone. Moving forward, Pierre will be responsible for everything to do with Mallory Corporation!" Old Master Mallory made a decision in a fit of anger. Percy''s expression remained the same. He looked at Old Master Mallory and took out his phone. "You don''t have to make things so troublesome. I''ll resign on Monday. However, I urge you to reconsider the person in charge." "What do you mean?!" Old Master Mallory was so angry that his face turned blue. He was fuming that Percy did not react even after threatening to have him fired. Old Master Mallory felt that his grandson was getting more and more out of control. Percy handed the phone to him and said, "This is the evidence I''ve collected in thest few months. Pierre''spany doesn''t seem like it''s infringing on the interests of Mallory Corporation, but what he''s been doing makes it clear that he wants to overtake thepany. If you leave Mallory Corporation in his hands, do you think Mallory Corporation will annex hispany, or hispany will annex Mallory Corporation?" Old Master Mallory''s expression turned even uglier. He took Percy''s phone. It took some time for him to go through the evidence as he did not have his reading sses with him. Pierre''s expression changed in an instant when he heard what Percy said. "What nonsense! I didn''t do anything!" "I can''t fake the evidence. Everything that you''ve done is part of your n to annex Mallory Corporation. If you''re handed Mallory Corporation, what will you do next?" Percy faced Pierre head-on. Their brotherhood no longer meant anything to him. Ever since Pierre did such an outrageous thing to Nina, he did not see him as his younger brother. "Don''t use me of something I didn''t do!" Pierre''s expression was ugly. He wanted to get up and argue with Percy, but he had no strength. He forced himself to get up. In the end, he was just a joke to Nina. "Everything I''ve done is for Mallory Corporation. If you want to buy mypany, I''ll agree to the sale without saying a word," he continued to quibble. He had been careful. He was unsure how Percy knew about it. He could not pinpoint where he went wrong and how Percy got evidence of what he did no matter how hard he tried to recall. Pierre would never allow something to go wrong seeing that Mallory Corporation was that close to being his. Percy did not say anything. He just waited for Old Master Mallory to finish reviewing the evidence. After Old Master Mallory went through everything, he stared at Pierre sternly. Madam Mallory was calling Nina every name in the book in her heart. At the same time, she was observing everyone''s reactions. Old Master Mallory''s reaction gave her a bad feeling. Perhaps based on the evidence, Pierre had indeed done something awful. Nevertheless, no matter what he did, as long as Mallory Corporation wanted to buy over hispany, he would agree to it. He had already made the promise to Old Master Mallory. "Dad, you can''t trust this so-called evidence. Percy has been bewitched by this fiend. I bet she made up everything to confuse us all." Madam Mallory was calling Nina all sorts of names. Old Master Mallory red at her, his expression was impatient. "This is not your ce to speak." Madam Mallory shut up and looked at Pierre. She was unsure what he did and why Old Master Mallory was not targeting Nina. As their mother, she wanted both of her sons to listen to her. Nevertheless, Pierre was her favorite, so she hoped that things would go well for him. Old Master Mallory approached the hospital bed, looked at his pale grandson, and asked, "Pierre, exin yourself." "Grandpa, what do I have to exin? Even if the evidence is true, Mallory Corporation will be on the winning end." Pierre was not sure what Old Master Mallory knew, so he made it seem that it was all in good intentions and that it was for the good of Mallory Corporation. "Mallory Corporation is a tall tree and is sure to catch the wind. Mypany is there to back Mallory Corporation. When necessary, it''ll merge with Mallory Corporation so that Mallory Corporation can be even stronger. Grandpa, you have to believe me." Old Master Mallory looked at Percy. Percy''s face was expressionless. His thin lips then spat out the truth. "Everything you do is for the good of Mallory Corporation? That''s what it seems like on the surface, but we both know that your ambitions go beyond that. "Otherwise, why would you be involved in the industries that the Crawford and Holston families are in? I know you''re also secretly involved in the dark market. You''re saying that yourpany will back Mallory Corporation? I think you want to annex Mallory Corporation, or worse, drag Mallory Corporation into the abyss." Chapter 1791 Pierre did not expect Percy to have found out about everything. Moreover, Percy had alreadypleted the investigation a while back and had been hiding it from everyone. He only opted to uncover all that he knew at the perfect timing. It seemed that they had been keeping a close eye on his whereabouts for some time now... "Enough with the hogwash. Today is about you wanting to be with Nina. Don''t get me involved in this mess." Pierre refused to talk about it. Madam Mallory said, "Yeah, be careful with what you''re saying. Even if Pierre is ambitious, he won''t put the Mallory family in such a situation." "If this information is released to the public, how many people do you think wille to pick on the Mallory family?" Percy asked in a low voice. Madam Mallory shut up. She had not seen the evidence, so she did not know how serious things were. Nevertheless, she had a rough idea based on Old Master Mallory''s expression. Hence, she did not dare to answer Percy''s question. "Ah..." Pierre cried out in pain when he saw that the situation was not in his favor. Madam Mallory dashed to his side and looked at him anxiously. "Pierre, is it hurting again?" "Call the doctor..." Pierre was in too much pain to even gasp for air. It would only hurt even more. Madam Mallory immediately pressed the call bell. Nina turned around and looked at Pierre. His face had turned blue and white due to the pain. He, who had always been arrogant and self-obsessed with how he looked, was now a poor man tortured by illness. Her heart remained unmoved seeing Pierre''s tragic state. She did not have any mercy for him, nor did she rejoice at Pierre''s misfortune. Her gaze was calm as if the person in front of her was a random stranger. Pierre was in pain and looked at Nina, trying to find some indicator that she cared about him. However, he found nothing. It was as though she was looking at a stranger. Pierre was frustrated that his pain did not cause any fluctuations in emotions for her. He was nothing but someone she hated with all her heart. ''How can she look at me like I''m a stranger?! I care so much about her...'' Pierre was unable to ept this. The doctor came in, heard Pierre''s wailing, frowned, and asked, "Why? Is it hurting again?" "Yeah, Doctor. What kind of painkiller did you prescribe him? Why did the effects stop only after a while?" Madam Mallory looked at her son worriedly. She thought he was pretending to be in pain to avoid Old Master Mallory''s questioning. However, when she saw his forehead break out in a cold sweat, she knew that he was not acting and he was really in pain. "It shouldn''t be. The effects of this drug usuallyst six hours. It wouldn''t lose its effectiveness in such a short time..." The doctor walked over to check on Pierre. Except for his terribleplexion and the cold sweat on his forehead that could not be faked, it seemed that everything was normal. He looked at the nurse beside him and said, "When was thest time he took the painkillers?¡± The nurse nced at the chart and replied helplessly, "An hour and a half ago." "It''s only been an hour and a half?" The doctor''s frown grew deeper. "No, he can''t take another round of painkillers now. If he goes on like this, he''ll be addicted to them." Pierre mmed his hand on the bed when he heard that the doctor did not intend to give him more painkillers. "Give me the medicine or I''ll have someone bulldoze your hospital!" The doctor shook his head helplessly. He wanted to exin to Pierre why taking so many painkillers was a bad idea and the side effects it could bring to his body. However, Madam Mallory interrupted the doctor. "He''s in a lot of pain. All you have to do is help him relieve the pain. Why are you circling the matter? Do you not want to help him? If you won''t do anything, I''ll go straight to the director." The doctor looked at the arrogant pair of mother and son. He shook his head helplessly, knowing that he could not afford to piss them off. He said, "I''ll prescribe the painkillers for the patient right now. Give me some time. I''ll have it delivered to you in ten minutes." After he said that, the doctor and nurse left the ward. At the same time, Cecilia, Pierre''s fiancee, arrived. She looked at the hospital bed, and there was a sh of surprise in her eyes before her gaze quickly returned to normal. She dashed to the side of the hospital bed and looked at Pierre worriedly. "Pierre, they told me that you''re sick. Are you okay?" Pierre did not look at her. He kept staring at Nina. Nina felt awkward being stared at, so she said to Percy, "Why don''t we go?" "Mm." Percy was annoyed when he saw that Pierre would not stop staring at Nina. Even at this point, Pierre still refused to give up on her... In an instant, he grabbed Nina and walked out of the ward door. Old Master Mallory watched Percy leave and did not stop him. Pierre''s health issues were more serious. He wanted to wait for Pierre to recover before they dealt with the matter at hand. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Pierre saw Nina take Percy''s hand when they walked away and screamed out in pain. "How terrifying." Nina was walking along the corridor away from the ward, but she could still hear Pierre''s cries. Percy acted aggrieved. "Don''t waste any time thinking about him." "I''m just saying. Don''t be jealous." Nina held his hand tighter. Since she had confessed her feelings for him, she no longer resisted being intimate with him. She thought of how she had acted in the past and sighed about how unnecessary it all was. When they passed by the nurse''s station, Nina heard the nurse who had juste out of the ward discussing Pierre''s situation with the doctor. "Painkillers wouldn''t go ineffective so quickly. I think he''s already addicted to painkillers," the nurse comined to the doctor while filling out the form. "I just got a prescription from the doctor who was on dutyst night an hour and a half ago. The patient said that he took the medicine an hour and a half ago, but I think that might not be the case." "We have no choice. We have to stop his pain." The doctor looked helpless. "It''s not good to take too much of this painkiller." The nurse frowned. She suggested using vitamins instead of painkillers, but it would not reduce the pain and she did not dare to bear the consequences. "How about this? I''ll switch to another painkiller. The effects should be better." The doctor sat in front of theputer while typing on the keyboard. He wasmunicating with the pharmacy to dispense Pierre''s medicine. Nina and Percy walked past the nurse''s station to the elevator. She murmured, "Luca is amazing." "She''s amazing." Percy rarelyplimented others, but he had seen Luca''s ability first-hand time and again. Luke''s current wife was worlds apart from who she was in the past. Nina said, "However, the person she offended is Pierre. I''m afraid that Luca will be the first to be picked on after he recovers." She had seen how much pain Pierre was in and also heard what the doctor said. She was worried that Pierre would take revenge on Luca. "Don''t worry. He won''t have the time for it for the time being," Percy said confidently. The document that Luke sent him had helped him, which meant that it would also help Luca. "Why?" Nina squeezed his palm. She was slightly puzzled. "After he recovers, he''ll have his troubles to deal with." Percy held her hand. "That document I have on hand will take some time for him to deal with." Chapter 1792 Based on what Percy knew about Old Master Mallory, he would soon be looking into the authenticity of the document. The elevator doors slowly opened, and Nina walked in holding Percy''s hand. Percy took care of her every step of the way. After he pressed the button to go down, he stood guard in front of her while she stood in the corner of the elevator. "Enough about him. What are you going to do?" Nina looked up and saw his chin. He had a five o''clock shadow after spending the whole night taking care of her in the hospital. Percy would always keep himself neat. However, he did not ask anyone to bring his daily necessities over, so he looked out of the ordinary. He appeared sexy andzy. "I''ll be fine." Percy patted her head tofort her. Nina rested her head on his shoulder, knowing that he only said that to keep her from worrying. ¡®Are things really going to be fine?'' If Percy left Mallory Corporation, he would have to start over from scratch. She did not have any doubts about his abilities, but she was certain that Old Master Mallory would not make his life easy. ''If they''re determined to ostracize him, how will he survive in A City?'' Percy looked at the woman in her arms who stopped talking. His heart was filled with warmth when he felt her leaning into his arms. "Why did you stop talking?" Nina smiled slightly and replied, "I''m thinking about something." "What are you thinking about?" There were a lot of people in the elevator, so Percy hugged her tighter. "I was thinking that if you be jobless, I''ll work hard to support you." Nina hugged his waist. She expressed her love for him openly even if it was in front of so many people. "It seems that I have to work harder so that you won''t have to think about how to support me." Percy pinched the tip of her tiny nose. He was filled with happiness that he had never experienced before. "It''s not difficult to support you. You''ll have to quit drinking, though. The bottles that you drink are too expensive. I can''t afford them," Ninained cheekily. "Yes, Madam!" Percy promised her, saying, "If you don''t like me drinking, I''ll quit for you." On the other hand. The nurse gave Pierre another dose of painkillers, and after a while, the medicine took effect. His complexion gradually returned to normal. "Pierre, do you feel any better?" Madam Mallory asked with concern. Pierre''s breathing had eased a little. He nced around the ward and found that Old Master Mallory had left, presumably because he was annoyed at how noisy and loud he was when he was screaming earlier. His fiancee, Cecelia, and Madam Mallory were the only ones left. "I''m fine," Pierre said with a livid expression as he struggled to sit up. "Your body is weak now. Stop moving around," Madam Mallory said immediately. She put her hands on his shoulders to try to stop him from moving. The nurse on the side chimed in and said, "He''s doing much better. Let him sit up. The physical examination shows that his body functions are all normal. There''s no need for him to lie down like other patients." Pierre looked at the nurse with a stern expression. His gaze was sullen as if he was going to swallow her whole. "What do you mean by that?" The nurse was updating his chart and was taken back when she saw his fretful stare. She was stunned and uttered, "What?" Pierre sat on the hospital bed. After the pain passed, he seemed to have forgotten how abashed he was just half an hour ago. He threatened the nurse viciously, saying, "Are you saying that I''m not sick and I''m just pretending to be?" "I didn''t mean that..." The nurse knew that he had misunderstood her and wanted to exin that she believed that his pain was real. However, she could not deny that it was also a little strange. They could not find out the root cause, the pain was inexplicable, and the effectiveness of the painkillers was rapidly reducing. His symptoms werepletely different from other patients they''ve seen. "What did you mean, then?" Pierre did not intend to let her off easily. He nned to vent out all his anger on her. The nurse put down the chart and tried to exin herself, "Mr. Mallory, what I meant was that your body has no obvious wounds or any signs of internal bleeding, so you can sit up¡ª" "So, what you''re saying is that I''m just pretending to be sick?" Pierre continued to be aggressive with the nurse. Seeing how her son was reacting, Madam Mallory knew that he was disconste because of what Percy had done and wanted to vent his anger on others. She quickly stopped him. "Pierre, the nurse didn''t mean that. Are you thirsty? I''ll pour you a ss of water." Pierre looked at his mother. "Uh, I have other patients to check on. If you feel unwell, just press the call bell." The nurse quickly put down the chart and walked out of the ward. Cecilia watched as the situation unfolded and looked at the person on the hospital bed worriedly. She asked with concern, "Aunt Karen, what''s wrong with Pierre?" Madam Mallory shook her head with a helpless expression on her face. "The doctor can''t find out why, so he can only rely on painkillers to relieve the pain." "It''s that serious? My father is close with the director here. Why don''t I ask him toe over and have a look at Pierre?" Cecilia looked at Pierre with concern. She was staggered that a man who had always appeared strong could have such a serious illness. She had to keep an eye out. If Pierre went on like this, she would never marry him. Seeing that their wedding date was approaching, even though Cecilia liked him a fair bit, she would definitely have her father break the engagement if Pierre had any hidden illness. Madam Mallory wanted to let it go since even the best doctor could not find anything. However, she did not want to be a wet nket seeing that Cecilia was eager to help Pierre solve his problem. She said, "Okay, that sounds great." Cecilia looked at Pierre and recalled how badly in pain he looked just now. That hideous appearance hadpletely ruined his perfect image. She said, "I''ll head out and make some calls, then." "Go ahead," Madam Mallory said. After Cecilia left the ward, Pierre still seemed stern. "Why did you ask her to do that? Isn''t it just a waste of time?" "Cecelia cares about you, so you shouldn''t turn down her goodwill. With her gone, we can talk about what happened. Come on, be honest with me. Are the things your brother said true?" Madam Mallory asked. As long as he admitted the truth, she was ready to jump in and help him solve this situation. It was more difficult for him to deal with these problems seeing that he was still lying in the hospital bed. Only she and his father could help him. If Pierre refused to tell her the truth, he wouldnd himself in some serious trouble when Old Master Mallory found out that this matter was true. Pierre turned his head around and refused to discuss the matter. He thought that he could easily solve this matter if he was not lying in bed. "If you don''t tell me the truth, no one can help you," Madam Mallory said earnestly. "Be honest with me. As your mother, of course, I''ll help you. If you tell me the truth, I promise that Old Master Mallory won''t find anything." "Mom, leave me alone. I can handle this on my own." Pierre was a little impatient. "You can handle it on your own? You''re lying on the hospital bed now and you don''t even know how long the painkillers'' effects willst this time around. How are you nning to deal with it? Your grandfather may have already started investigating the matter. I''m trying to help you; I''m not doing the opposite," Madam Mallory said to him while frowning.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Chapter 1793 Pierre kept silent for a moment and chose to believe her. All along, Madam Mallory had cared more for him than Percy. However, their grandfather, Old Master Mallory, had always favored Percy. He knew that the only one who could help him was his mother. He told her everything he did. After Madam Mallory heard everything, she shook her head and shouted, "Pierre, how could you do such a thing?!" "If I''m not lying here now, I could have done more and they still wouldn''t have found anything." Pierre gritted his teeth. He thought of Luca and did not expect that she could be so terrifying. With only her bare hands, she hurt him so badly that all he could do was lie here. Even the doctor could not figure out what was wrong. He had no direct evidence, so not only could the police not help him but even the doctors and nurses in the hospital thought that he was addicted to painkillers... "They won''t be able to verify the document in a day and a half. Have you ever thought about the consequences and the kind of situation that you''re putting the Mallory family in?!" Madam Mallory did not expect him to do such absurd things behind the scenes. She could not help but scold him a little. It seemed that she had pampered him too much. Otherwise, how could he do such a ridiculous thing when he had a good business in his hands? Pierre stayed silent. He was careless for underestimating Percy''s and his friends'' capabilities. Madam Mallory could not bear for him to be bollocked by the family. She said, "Okay, I''ll help you deal with this. Focus on taking good care of yourself. When you recover, there''ll be a lot for you to attend to." Pierre nodded. Percy had brought Nina over andid it all out on the table. As long as he could handle the matter well, the Mallory family would be his moving forward. However, he wanted more than that. He not only wanted to rule the Mallory family, but he also wanted Nina. Hey down, his hands clenched into fists when he thought of Nina''s face. ''She thinks that she''ll be happy with Percy? It''s not so easy to be happy. I''ll never allow her to stay with Percy!'' On the other hand. After Cecilia left Pierre''s ward, the more she thought about it, the more she felt that something was off. She walked to the nurse''s station and wanted to ask about Pierre''s condition, but she overheard the nurse discussing how Pierre might be dependent on painkillers. Her expression changed, and she left quickly. Doctors and nurses would not discuss the patient''s privacy at will, so she had to confirm whether what they said was true. If it was, she would break off their engagement. Cecilia was selfish. She had no ns to be by Pierre''s side through thick and thin. ... On the other hand, when Luca was done with work, it was already evening. She conducted a series of studies in theb throughout the day. With her help, there was a breakthrough in the research. Luca said to Dr. Albus, "This is all I can do to help. I''ll have my hands full for the months toe. If you have any questions, you can drop me a text. I''ll reply to you when I''m able to but maybe not right away. " Dr. Albus had heard about her holding several jobs in T Corporation. He said gratefully, "Dr. Craw, thank you for your help. I can finally breathe easy." He had been stuck for a while, so he had not rested for several days. Luca smiled and replied, "You''re wee. I still have something to attend to. I have to make a move." "Oh, is that so? I wanted to buy you dinner." Dr. Albus thought that it was a pity. After all, she was of great help, so it was normal for him to want to buy her dinner. "Don''t worry about it. I have something to do. Please swipe your ess card for me, else I won''t be able to get out," Luca said. When she came, she found that the security facilities had been perfected. Abel had given her the chance to learn about the security system, but it was also because he wanted her to know that it was difficult to extract any internal information from here. Since she did not work there and did not have an ess card, she could not get in. Hearing that, Dr. Albus immediately swiped his card and said, "Dr. Craw, I''ll ask Ms. Stone to send you your ess card some other day." "I have an ess card?" Luca was stunned. She no longer worked in the building and was surprised as to why she was entitled to an ess card. "Yeah, you signed a contract with Watson Biopharmaceuticals. You were originally an employee of Watson Biopharmaceuticals, so why wouldn''t you get an ess card? Although you''re not doing research here, when your research isunched to the market and you''re done with your work in T Corporation, you have toe back. It makes sense to prepare an ess card for you." Dr. Albus walked her out of the office. Thepany''s security measures were done well. Since Luca did not have an ess card, she could not enter the elevators nor leave thepany. Luca walked into the elevator and lowered her eyes slightly. After Dr. Cole''s scheme was revealed, although he was not fired, he was no longer the head of the department. Although Luke had not appointed the head of the department even after some time, everyone has tacitly agreed that it was going to be Dr. Albus. Aside from Dr. Cole, Dr. Albus was the most senior employee in the entirepany. He was well- known in the industry. Therefore, he could indeed arrange an ess card for her. Luca thought that he took the initiative to offer her an ess card because she was an employee of Watson Biopharmaceuticals, or perhaps it was also because he was from the Ind of Despair, so he wanted to make it easier for her to execute the next step in her ns? N?velDrama.Org ? content. "Dr. Craw?" Dr. Albus called out to her seeing that she kept quiet. Luca looked up and smiled. "It''s nothing. I''ll juste here to get the ess card when it''s ready." "That works as long as you don''t mind the trouble." Dr. Albus had no objection. With the help of Dr. Albus, Luca arrived at the entrance of Watson Biopharmaceuticals. She watched Dr. Albus swipe the door with another card, and the door slowly opened. She walked out of the office, said goodbye to Dr. Albus, and prepared to head back to the vi. She walked slowly toward the taxi stand as the kids were all having dinner with Old Master Crawford at Crawford Manor today. Her phone rang. Luca nced at it and found that Nina was calling. She answered, "Nina, have you been discharged from the hospital?" Nina''s tone was pleasant as she said, "Of course. I was discharged this morning." "Sorry, I''ve been upied the entire day so I didn''t have the time to go pick you up, but..." Luca heard the joy in her tone and presumed that it had something to do with Percy. She recalled that Nina''s tone was always unhappy because she did not want to stay by Percy''s side and also because of the miscarriage. However, her tone had changed since she realized her feelings for Percy. Luca was relieved when she thought of that. Nina wondered. "But what?" "I guessed that Mr. Mallory would be by your side the entire time, so I didn''t want to be a third-wheel," Luca said, teasing her. Chapter 1794 "Stop it. Stop teasing me." Nina''s words showed the pamperedness of a woman in love. "It''s obvious that I don''t hold a ce in your heart, so you didn''te to the hospital to pick me up." "If I had shown up, wouldn''t it ruin your fun time with Mr. Mallory?" Luca listened to the tone of Nina''s voice and knew that something must have happened. Otherwise, Nina would not be speaking in this tone. Her words seemed to be covered with honey, which made Luca both relieved and envious. Nina snorted and said, "I don''t care. I was discharged from the hospital today and you didn''te to pick me up, so you must apany me for dinner." "Now?" Luca nced at the time. It was not toote. "Of course, there''s no time like the present. Today''s Sunday. I''ve informed Sue and booked the restaurant. The two of you must have a meal with me today." Nina shared her ultimate goal. In the past few years that she and Percy were on and off, Sue and Bianca were the ones always by her side. Later, Bianca''s personality changed and Luca appeared, seemingly recing Bianca. Luca had been silently apanying her, so Nina had to treat her to this meal. "Okay, I''ll treat you to dinner to celebrate you finally finding a good match, and at the same time, to celebrate you being discharged from the hospital." Luca agreed. Since there was no one to go back to in the vi tonight, it was not a bad idea to spend some time with Nina. When she thought of that, she could not help being stunned. ¡®When did I be so ustomed to Luke and the kids being by my side?'' It took a lot of time for her to ept that they would no longer be around. However, it had only been two days since they were not in the vi and she was already not used to it. She even felt a little bored. Amid the feelings of boredom, there was also a feeling of not wanting to go back to the vi alone to face the silence there. Nina was a little embarrassed and said, "I said I was going to treat you for a meal." "We can decide itter. Will Mr. Mallory let you out of the house, though?" Luca continued to tease her in an attempt to get rid of the difort she felt internally. "It doesn''t matter. I''m a person, not an object." Nina blushed and looked at herself in the mirror as she said that. Luca got it right. It took some persuading before Percy let her have dinner with Luca and Sue. He eventually promised not to follow her. "After all, you''re in your honeymoon period." Luca went to the taxi stand. There were no taxis around to pick up passengers because it was the weekend. If it were a weekday, there would be more taxis waiting in line for people to get on. "Honeymoon period? Mm, I''ll talk to youter. I''ll send you the address via text. I''ll see you there." Nina blushed hard from Luca''s teasing and hurriedly hung up the call. When she heard the busy tone, Luca put her phone back in her pocket. She looked at the gradually fading sunset in the distance and could not help but enviously say, "How great." She envied that Nina could get her happiness and grieved for her own unclear future. Luca looked away. After waiting for some time, she still did not see a taxiing, so she had to use a ride-sharing app to get a taxi. She rushed to the restaurant Nina had booked. She walked into the restaurant, mentioned Nina''s name, and was brought to a private room by the waiter. Since the restaurant was rtively close to Sue''s house, Luca saw the other two already sitting there when the door of the private room was opened. When she saw Luca walk in, Nina smiled and said, "You''rete. You have to drink for making us wait." "I''m okay with drinking, but won''t you ask me why I''mte?" Luca pulled out a chair with a smile and sat down. "Why?" Nina went with her and handed over the menu. Luca took it, nced at the dishes the two of them had ordered, then closed the menu. She said, "I don''t have anything to add on. These are fine." "Don''t you want to order a little more?" Nina persuaded her. "The dishes you''ve ordered are already to my taste. Why should I add any more?" Luca said with a smile and exined why she waste, "I was working overtime at Watson Biopharmaceuticals and couldn''t get a taxi, so I''mte." "You have to work on weekends? Or did you have to go back to Watson Biopharmaceuticals for something? Luke is a horrible boss," Nina said with a frown. Weekends were meant for resting. If Luca had to work overtime, she should just have to go to T Corporation. Why would she still need to work for Watson Biopharmaceuticals? Watson Biopharmaceuticals was at a remote location. "It''s not because of Mr. Crawford. I promised to help a colleague," Luca exined. "Is that so?" Nina nced at Sue and said, "By the way, Sue and I are nning to travel. Do you want toe with us?" "Is it soon?" Luca asked. "Yeah, next weekend." Nina nodded. Luca shook her head helplessly to indicate that she could not go. "I have a lot of work recently." "I told you." Sue took a sip of tea and said, "Luca is a busy person in T Corporation. I heard Jason say that she''s involved in the new project. She''s very busy." "That''s a pity." Nina held her chin. She wanted to go on a trip with Luca. "Let''s talk about it some other time," Luca said and took a sip of tea. "Yeah, Sue isn''t able to take time off either. Mr. Doyle is just as busy, so there''s no one to take care of Kari and Teri." Seeing that they had no time, Nina could only give up. After the three of them had dinner, they sat there and enjoyed tea for a while. Even though they said that they would drink, none of them had a single drop of alcohol. It was almost nine o''clock at night when Nina''s and Sue''s phones rang at the same time. Only then did they want to leave. Luca wanted to get the bill. However, Nina grabbed the bill and said, "I said that today is my treat, so how can I let you pay?" Luca looked at Nina and did not follow her to settle the bill. When they walked out of the restaurant, they saw Percy and Jason standing there. Nina and Sue walked toward them. They then held hands with their partners and waved at Luca. "Luca, why don''t we send you home?" Nina turned around and said. ¡°Don''t worry about it. It''s convenient to get a taxi here. I''ll take a taxi, so go home." Luca shook her head and turned down her offer. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Seeing this, Nina did not press on and left with Percy. Luca waited for them to leave before she slowly walked away. She was not sure if Luke had gone back to the vi with the kids... Based on experience, Luke was usually toozy to run around. She guessed that he would spend a night at Crawford Manor with the kids. Even if she went back, she would still be alone. After two tumultuous days, Luca suddenly did not feel like going home. She took a deep breath as she looked at the streetlights and the cars that came and went. She hated being alone. It was not a good sign. Chapter 1795 Luca sighed and looked at the hot air she breathed out. She could not help looking at the streetlights on the side of the road. It turned out that, unknowingly, the weather was already so cold. The breath exhaled was misty. Taxi could not stop where she was, so Luca could only continue walking. Her phone rang, and Luca, who was immersed in recollecting her past memories, was startled as she took her phone out of her pocket. It was a string of unfamiliar numbers. Luca frowned. She was unfamiliar with the number, but when she saw the numbers eight and nine, she knew that whoever was calling was rich. She answered, "Hello." "Is this Luca Craw?" There was a proud female voice on the other end of the line. Luca could not see her expression, but she could imagine the disdainful look of the other party. "Who''s calling?" The woman on the other end of the phone did not expect her to ask such a question. She was stunned, then she said, "You''re Luca Craw, right? I have something to talk to you about. Come to the cafe on the top floor of International Center." "If you don''t say who you are, I won''t be there, Ma''am. I''m sorry." Luca finished speaking and hung up. The voice on the other end of the phone sounded slightly different because of the transmission methods, but Luca could still tell that it was Percy''s mother who called. The reason she called her probably had something to do with Pierre. Johann had informed her about Pierre''s condition, so she knew how many times he had taken painkillers, what painkillers he took, and how long the effectssted each time. A minute after she hung up, Luca''s phone rang again. Seeing that the number was still the same, she curled her lips slightly and answered the call. The other party did not wait for her to speak this time. She directly stated her identity, "I''m Pierre''s mother." Luca knew that she would not have gotten it wrong. When she heard her say that, it confirmed her suspicions. "Mrs. Mallory, what can I do for you?" Her tone was neither humble nor servile. She was even a little arrogant, which made Madam Mallory furious. "There''s something you can do for me. I want to meet you," Madam Mallory said. Percy was madly in love with Nina, while Pierre was lying on the hospital bed, unable to move. If she wanted Pierre to get better, she had to find this woman. "It''s not convenient for me to go there because I don''t have a car. How about youe here?" Luca did not n to go to International Center seeing that she was asking to see her. Hence, Madam Mallory should be the one traveling. "You..." Madam Mallory was surprised. This was the first time she was being ordered around. With her status in A City, as long as her assistant made a call, there would be many who would be willing to go to where she was to please her. However, Luca did not know chalk from cheese. Sure enough, those who hung out with Nina were just as annoying. Luca did not wait for her to vent her anger. She looked around, chose a cafe, gave Karen the address, and hung up. Not wanting to be harassed by Percy''s mother, she simply blocked the number, walked into the cafe, found a window seat, ordered a ss of juice, and sat down. She knew that Madam Mallory would definitely show up. Madam Mallory would not do it for anyone else but she would most definitely do it for Pierre. After what had happened, Luca could see clearly that Madam Mallory favored Pierre. Luca couldn''t help but sigh. Even though the children were all biological, there was a more preferred distinction. She did not know what Percy thought about that, though. Luca would not be partial to any one of her children. She would give them the same amount of love and would not make them feel like they were not liked by their mother. However, she could only be with the children as Ms. Luca. It might be difficult to hear them call her ''Mommy'' again. The waiter brought her the juice she ordered, and Luca thanked him. She held the juice cup and waited for Madam Mallory toe. On the other hand. Madam Mallory was fuming after Luca hung up the phone for the second time. She tried to call her again only to find that she had been blocked. She was irritated as she put down a few hundred-dor bills. She then stood up and walked out. She did not want to waste her time on Luca, but after she got in the car, she was reminded of how much pain Pierre was in. Hence, she decided to endure it. She told the driver the address that Luca had shared. Half an hourter, Madam Mallory found the cafe Luca mentioned. She frowned when she saw the quality of the cafe. ''What''s so special about this ce? How could Luca disrespect me and invite me to such a cheap ce?'' Madam Mallory stood at the entrance and struggled for half a minute before she walked into the cafe. It was all for Pierre. The smell of coffee flowed into her nostrils. It had a good smell, but Madam Mallory thought it smelled cheap. Hence, she took out a handkerchief to cover her nose. When the waiter saw what she did, he was curious as to whether she found the ce disgusting. "Wee, Madam. Pleasee in." Regardless, the waiter greeted her warmly. Madam Mallory rolled her eyes, walked in, and saw Luca sitting by the window. She said to the waiter, "I''m meeting someone here." "Okay, Ma''am." The waiter still followed behind her. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Madam Mallory walked up to Luca and looked at her proudly. "I''m here." Luca had already seen her outside the window. She looked up, nodded, and said, "Have a seat, Madam Mallory." Madam Mallory snorted coldly and called Luca an uneducated bitch in her heart before sitting down. The waiter handed her the menu. Madam Mallory did not look at it and said directly, "Don''t give it to me. I don''t drink such low-quality products." The waiter''s expression turned ugly. ¡®Why did shee in if she thinks that our cafe is low-end?'' Madam Mallory moved the menu to the side in disgust and was the furthest from a noblewoman that she could be. "The drinks include sharin, right? I don''t want anything." "Since she doesn''t want anything, please bring her a ss of lemonade." Luca helped the waiter. "Okay." The waiter put away the menu and left. Luca looked at the arrogant and critical woman, asking curiously, "Has the Mallory family always been rich?" "Why are you asking this?" Madam Mallory frowned at her irrelevant question. Luca smiled softly, her eyes wandering. "Madam Mallory, you don''t seem like you have suffered much, so I asked that. I''ve seen the news, and it seems like you''re involved in a great deal of charity work? You also funded Hope Primary School, so you should''ve been there in person, right? The conditions there should''ve been worse than here. How did you get by at that time?" Madam Mallory clenched her bag tightly. She had a murderous look in her eyes because she knew that Luca was mocking her. What a sharp tongue! "I didn''t expect that you would be so clever with your words. No wonder the police can''t do anything to you." Madam Mallory sneered. She thought that someone must have helped Luca escape jail time. She had heard that Luca and Luke were very close. Chapter 1796 Luca picked up the ss and took a sip of the juice, ignoring her sarcasm. "The police didn''t arrest me, so what''s there for them to do to me? I just cooperated to help with the investigation. There''s no evidence to point out that I hurt anyone." She smiled and thought of how this woman''s mouth had once spat out extremely vicious words to Nina. She was thinking about how she could get even with Madam Mallory. "There were surveince cameras that captured what you did. How dare you say that there''s no evidence? If you didn''t touch him, my son wouldn''t be lying in the hospital now!" Madam Mallory was raving mad that the police released Luca, saying that there was no direct evidence to link her to Pierre''s injuries. The hospital could not issue an injury report either because they found nothing. They could not take action on Luca. "I barely grazed him. Mrs. Mallory, I''m nothing but a weak woman. How could I cause your son to lie in the hospital?" Luca raised her hand deliberately. Although she had been doing experiments, the skin on her hand was delicate and she had long fingers. It did not look like a hand that could beat up a man. Madam Mallory wanted to tear off her sharp mouth. She asked, "What did you do to Pierre?!" "I didn''t do anything." Seeing how mad Karen was getting, Luca held the juice in her hand so she could not ssh it on her. "Don''t act dumb in front of me. If you didn''t do anything, how did Pierre get knocked to the ground just like that?" Madam Mallory narrowed her eyes. If Luca refused to tell her what had happened, the doctor would not be able to find the root cause. Taking painkillers five to six times a day would not lead to Pierre getting any better. "There are many people who fake idents in this world. Maybe Young Master Pierre wanted to stage an ident involving me?" Luca drank her juice leisurely. In the past, she would not be bothered to waste time on people like Madam Mallory. However, she did not want to go back to the empty vi, so she was there to waste time with Madam Mallory. Madam Mallory did not care about her image at that moment and scolded, "Who do you think you are? Why would Pierre waste any time staging an ident involving you?!" "Yeah, you''re right. I''m nothing. However, Young Master Pierre still wanted to kidnap me. How did a kidnapper escape the punishment of thew?" Luca deliberately mentioned the kidnapping incident. "Who are you calling a kidnapper?!" Madam Mallory mmed her hands on the table and stood up. "Stop spewing nonsense! The police have no evidence to prove it!" "Aren''t you spewing nonsense as well? Since you and I are talking nonsense, there''s no need to continue the discussion." Luca stood up and saw the waiter bring the lemonade. She took out two hundred dors from her pocket and said, "Can I get the bill? Don''t worry about the change." The waiter was not sure how to react, so he put the lemonade on the table, looked at the money, and then at the two people. The two of them did not look like ordinary women. However, the situation felt awkward as though they were about to break out in a fight. Luca looked at the woman whose face had turned blue with anger and smiled. When she was about to leave, she received a call from Luke. She stepped aside, worried that she would be sshed when she was not paying attention. She answered the call, and Luke''s voice came from the other end of the phone. "Aren''t you home yet? You''re still working at Watson Biopharmaceuticals?" "Mm, I''m still out. Aren''t you and the children staying at Old Master Crawford''s ce?" Luca was a little surprised that they were not spending the night at Crawford Manor. "It''s too noisy over there. It''s not suitable for the kids to rest there," Luke said. Susan and Allison quarreled as soon as they met. Even when Old Master Crawford was around, they would still be cynical and sarcastic with each other. It was not good for the children, so he left with them after dinner. They did not expect Luca to still be out. "Where are you?" Luke asked. "I''ll be back in a little while. I still have some stuff to deal with now." Luca looked at Madam Mallory and knew that their conversation was over. However, Madam Mallory was still standing there, seemingly insistent on figuring out what was going on with Pierre. "What do you have to deal with?" Luke frowned and looked out the window. The temperature at night was lower than that during the day. It was cooling down even further. He wondered if she was staying warm. "Mrs. Mallory came to look for me," Luca said feebly. "Because of Pierre?" Luke raised his eyebrows. Percy had already made the documents public. They should now have their hands full dealing with the mess Pierre made. ¡®How can they still have time to trouble Luca?'' "Yes. Pierre is still in the hospital and it seems that he''s not doing well," Luca answered honestly. After all, Luke already knew everything. "Give me the address," Luke said. "No, I can deal with it myself." Luca did not think of asking him for help. If he sided with her in front of the Mallory family, the rumors surrounding them would never be wiped out. "I believe you can deal with it on your own. I''ll just go to pick you up. I won''t interfere in the matter," Luke said. He opened Luca''s bedroom, dug through her closet, and took out a coat. When Luca heard that, she told him her address. Luke wrote down the address and said, ¡°I got it.¡± Then, he hung up. Luca put her phone away. Madam Mallory sneered at her when she saw her reaction. "Why? Are you scared?" "What?" Luca raised her eyebrows. When she saw Madam Mallory hold the ss of lemonade, Luca knew that if she was not alert, the ss of lemonade would be sshed on her face. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "You feel guilty and are looking for help. Let me tell you, if you don''t tell me the truth today, don''t even think about getting out of this cafe!" Madam Mallory then moved to ssh the ss of lemonade on Luca''s face. Luca immediately dodged to the side. All the lemonade was spilled but none of it got on her. Madam Mallory was fuming and shouted, "How dare you dodge to the side?!" "It''s a pity... This is such a nice chair but it was ruined by you." Luca nced at the wet chair and said calmly, "Why shouldn''t I dodge it? Madam Mallory, I''m going to repeat myself once more. If you want to take action against me, show me some evidence and get the police involved. Otherwise, don''t falsely use me. If you go on spewing nonsense, I''ll have evidence to sue you for nder." "You!" Madam Mallory''s eyes widened. ''She wants to sue me for nder?!'' "When the timees, it won''t look great for the gracious Madam Mallory to be brought to court for nder, no?" Luca smiled and took out a few bills. She then ced them on the tray the waiter brought over. "Sorry, you may need to take this chair out to dry before you can use it again.¡± "Ma''am, no need," the waiter responded quickly. After all, it was lemonade, not coffee. Luca shook her head and left the cafe. Madam Mallory stood there. Her series of actions had made her the center of attention. Several couples were on a date in the cafe. They took photos of what had happened with their phones. "Who is this person? Why is she so arrogant?" "At first nce, I can tell that she''s the wife of some rich man. Did you see her bag? It''s so rare that there are only ten of them in the world." "Another drama among the rich and powerful?" Chapter 1797 "I overheard their conversation. I don''t think it''s some drama among the rich and powerful. This woman is so unreasonable, right?" "Yes, it''s fortunate that the young woman dodged quickly. Otherwise, she''d be freezing in this cold weather." Madam Mallory saw that everyone was siding with Luca. She red at them and warned, "Are you taking photos of me?! If you post them on the inte, awyer''s letter will being your way!" When the crowd heard that, they put down their phones and pretended as though nothing happened. They continued to chat while drinking coffee. Madam Mallory left the cafe angrily. She watched as Luca stood on the side of the street with squinted eyes. It seemed that Luca would not spill if she did not put Luca in her ce. ¡®Let''s see if she''ll still be such a prick when she falls into my hands!'' Madam Mallory got into the car on the other side of the street and called her subordinates. The driver heard what she ordered her subordinates to do and quickly asked, "Madam, what do you want to do?" "I want to catch that bitch in front of me!" Madam Mallory had resentment in her eyes. She had never been so humiliated in her life. She had always appeared in public as an intellectual and generous person. However, she failed to maintain that image in front of Luca. She was fuming that Luca pissed her off in front of everyone with just her words. She would never forgive her easily for embarrassing her. "Madam, you have to think twice. The matter with Young Master Pierre has not been resolved. If you do something like that, you might get into trouble with the Crawford family..." The driver reminded her. When Pierre kidnapped Luca, it was Luke who came forward to solve the matter. The entire Mallory family knew about it. If it were not for Pierre holding a trick or two, he would have been sent to prison by Luke. As such, everyone in the Mallory family knew that Luca had Luke''s backing. If Madam Mallory wanted to mess with Luca, she was inevitably picking a fight with Luke too. "No matter what, I won''t let go of this matter so easily. Pierre will never recover if that woman doesn''t talk," Madam Mallory wanted to avenge herself and Pierre. "Madam, do think twice..." The driver sighed and nced at Luca, who was still on the side of the road. It seemed that she was waiting for her ride. If she did not leave soon, she would be in grave trouble. "Enough chit-chat. You''re being annoying." Madam Mallory had a stern expression. She was in an irritable mood because of what happened with Percy and Pierre. She wanted to ask her husband for help, but she could not get in touch with him no matter how many times she tried calling. She had been running around all day for Pierre. She had not tailed someone before, so it felt difficult for her. She was extremely tired from doing all these. As such, when she was triggered by Luca, she went completely irrational. The driver had no choice but to shut up. He knew that her mind was set. He looked at Luca, who was not far ahead. He hoped that she would leave before Madam Mallory''s bodyguards arrived. After a while, a Mercedes-Benz drove up and stopped in front of Luca. The driver kept watch of Luca and saw her open the door to the front passenger seat. She got in, and the car quickly left. He was secretly relieved and said, "Madam, that woman has left." Madam Mallory had also been paying attention to Luca. When she saw what happened, she nced at the Mercedes-Benz. It was not a particrly luxurious car, and the license te was not prominent. Hence, she said, "Follow her." "Ma''am, is that a good idea?" The driver did not expect that Madam Mallory would want to chase after Luca even after she left. "Do you want to lose your job? Do you want me to repeat myself?" Madam Mallory watched as the Mercedes-Benz left. She was feeling a little anxious. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. In any case, she had to make Luca talk and get her to admit that she hurt Pierre so she could send her to the police station. The driver hurriedly started the car and stepped on the elerator. Madam Mallory picked up her phone and talked to the bodyguards who were rushing over. She got these bodyguards so that she could get Luca under control. ¡®No way will I let her leave!'' Madam Mallory''s expression was hair-raising. ¡°Bitch, you''ll soon find out that I''m not one to mess with!" The driver shivered and did not say anything. He followed closely behind the car that Luca was in. Luca sat in Luke''s car and gave him an overview of what had happened in the cafe. Luke frowned and replied, "Looks like she''s got a lot of energy." "What do you mean?" Luca was puzzled. ¡®Is he talking about how she still has the time to pick on me when she''s supposed to be taking care of Pierre?'' When she had dinner with Nina, she briefly mentioned Pierre''s current situation and that Madam Mallory had been taking care of him by his side. "Percy asked me for a document that contains evidence of what Pierre has done behind the Mallory family''s backs. If the document is sent to the relevant authorities, the Mallory family will be in big trouble. Pierre is lying in bed, and Mrs. Mallory is the only one who can help him deal with his problems. While she''s doing that, she still has time to look for trouble with you. Doesn''t it seem like she has too much energy?" Luke did not hide his feelings from her because she was Bianca. Luca nodded, indicating that she understood him. Madam Mallory did it all for Pierre. No wonder she could not maintain an elegant appearance. It seemed she was trying to get Pierre to get better soon so that he could take care of these problems and she could keep her ce in the Mallory family. She nced at the side mirror next to her and noticed that there were three cars following behind. It was normal for three cars to follow behind them on the road, but Luca noticed that one of the cars belonged to Madam Mallory. When she was in the cafe earlier, she saw Madam Mallory get out of the car, so she had an impression of it. "Madam Mallory is following us," Luca said. "I know." Luke noticed that Madam Mallory was following them earlier than she did. After Luca got into the car, Madam Mallory had been following closely behind. At first, it was only one car that followed them, but soon, there were two more. The three cars remained a certain distance from them, so he quickly noticed them. Luca nodded. When Luke was driving, even while talking, he would be vignt and observe the road around him. It was normal that he had noticed it long ago. "She''s not giving up," Luke said. He got mad when he thought about what Pierre had done to Luca and how Madam Mallory was still going after Luca. It seemed that Percy was not stern enough. These people still did not know what fear was. In that case, they could not me him for what he was about to do. "Sit tight," Luke said to Luca. Looking at his peevish profile, Luca guessed that it was because he was pissed off by Madam Mallory''s relentless pursuit. She nodded and silently held onto the door handle. Luke stepped on the elerator, and the ck Mercedes-Benz flew like an arrow. It instantly put some distance between them and the three cars behind. Luca was paying attention to the cars behind. When the other party realized what was happening, they immediately sped up to keep up with them. Chapter 1798 "They''re still following us." Luca reminded him. "I know." Luke continued to step on the gas, turned a corner at the road ahead, and headed for a wider road. Luca initially thought that he wanted to get rid of the cars following them. However, after seeing what he did, she knew that he did not want to get away. Rather, he wanted them to stop their cars. The cars behind saw the Mercedes-Benz going onto a wider road and felt that their opportunity had come. They immediately overtook Luke''s car. Luca looked at the rearview mirror and noticed that the three cars behind them were desperately pressing on the elerator, gradually getting closer to their car. ¡°They''re about to go past us..." Luca muttered to herself and noticed that Luke was slowing down. He deliberately slowed down so that when those people overtook them, they would not hit their car because they were going too fast. Luca was impressed at how thoughtful Luke was while she watched the two cars pass the Mercedes- Benz and then stop at the side of the road. Luke braked slowly. Without too much impact, their car came to a slow stop behind the two cars. Luke looked at the four or five peopleing down from the two cars that were blocking their way with calm eyes. ''Are they nning to kidnap Luca? ''How dare they think of touching my woman? It seems that none of the Mallories are reasonable except for Percy.'' "Get out of the car." Luke did not n to be involved yet. If Madam Mallory saw him, she would naturally give up her ns. He would stay in the car just to see what Madam Mallory was up to. "Okay." Luca knew what he was thinking even without too much verbalmunication. She unbuckled the seat belt, opened the door, and got out of the car. A bodyguard looked at her and said indifferently, "Luca Craw,e with us." "Why?" Luca held the door, not wanting to leave with them. "Madam Mallory wants to see you. If you don''tply, don''t me us for having to use force," the bodyguard said with narrowed eyes. He ignored the person in the driver''s seat of the Mercedes-Benz. Even if she had someone with her, there were five of them there, plus the drivers of the two cars. There were seven of them in total. Why would they be afraid? Luca smiled and nced at the parked car on the other side. Madam Mallory had no intention of getting out. She said loudly, "Mrs. Mallory, are you kidnapping me?" "As long as you cooperate with them, that doesn''t have to be the case." Madam Mallory opened the car door but did not get out. She just looked at Luca arrogantly. No matter what, Luca was nothing but a vermin in her eyes. She could have Luca obediently fall into her hands with the help of a few men. If Madam Mallory was willing to put in a little effort, she could make Luca disappear from A City. Luca looked at her haughty appearance. It turned out that no matter how nice a person seemed in public, if they decided to be hysterical, they were the same as the women one would find yelling in the market. If she had not seen it with her own eyes, Luca would not think that Madam Mallory could act as such. Madam Mallory was sitting in the car, looking like a mob boss as she ordered her underlings around. "What if I don''t agree?" Luca raised her eyebrows and said. She was confident that she had a chance of winning against the five bodyguards as long as they carried no weapons with them. N?velDrama.Org ? content. "Don''t me me for being impolite, then. All of you, get her!" Madam Mallory said to the bodyguards. "No matter what happens today, I want her caught." "Who dares to touch her?" As soon as Madam Mallory finished speaking, Luke''s voice came from inside the car. Luca watched him open the car door, stand up, and put one hand on the roof of the car casually. He seemedid-back but his aura was strong. His headlights were shining brightly on the bodyguards. He looked at them with a frosty gaze as if he was warning them not to mess around. Madam Mallory''s eyes widened. She did not expect that the person in the driver''s seat was Luke. She thought it was just an ordinary driver... "Luke, why are you..." Madam Mallory knew Luke since he was a child, so she was more affectionate in how she called him. "Aunt Karen, it''s me. Why did you stop my car?" Luke retracted his hand, put them in his pockets, and leaned against the door to look at Madam Mallory, who was still in the car. Madam Mallory nced at him, then at Luca. It turned out that it was Luke in the car. No wonder Luca was so arrogant and did not seem to be intimidated by her bodyguards. It was alreadyte, but Luke was still driving her around. Madam Mallory did not believe it if they said that there was nothing going on between them. She put on a gentle smile and said, "Luke, Ms. Craw hurt Pierre. I wanted to get her to exin what she did to the doctors so that they can treat Pierre." "That''s it?" Luke said nkly. "Of course! Please convince her to get in the car, lest my men identally hurt her and it harms the harmony between us." Madam Mallory guessed that Luke would not ruin the peace between the two families because of Luca. Luke nced at Luca, and she was also looking at him. She expressed her trust toward him without saying a word. She gave him the power to make the decision, showing that she believed that he would not hurt her. Luke turned his head and said, "You said that Luca hurt Pierre. Is there any evidence?" "Of course!" Madam Mallory had also seen the video. Luca touched Pierre twice and he fell to the ground in pain. "Why didn''t the police do something if there''s evidence?" Luke asked. Madam Mallory did not speak. She just squinted at him. ''Is he protecting Luca?'' Sure enough, birds of a feather flocked together. Nina had bewitched Percy and he was willing to give up all his achievements over the years for her. Now, Luke was also enamored by Luca. The point was, Luke still had a wife. When she thought of that, Madam Mallory could not help but feel resentment. She hated mistresses more than anything. ''How could Luca be so shameless?!'' "Since the police didn''t do anything, that means there''s no evidence. How can you say that Luca injured Pierre?" Luke continued to press. Madam Mallory squinted and looked at them. "Luke, are you saying that I''m framing Luca? Today, no matter what, I''m going to take her with me so she can give my son an exnation. If you stop me, you''ll be making it clear that you''re determined to take a stand against me. Do you want to take a stand against the Mallory family?" "Aunt Karen, are you sure that everything you say represents the Mallory family''s stance?" Luke asked. Madam Mallory was taken back. With Old Master Mallory around, she could never represent the Mallory family. "After Pierre''s men kidnapped Luca, Old Master Mallory said that he would not pick on Luca for no reason. Are you sure you want to take Luca with you?" Luke reminded her while showing her enough respect. Of course, Madam Mallory knew that she did not speak on behalf of the Mallory family. However, Pierre was half-dead on the hospital bed. She clenched her fists and scowled at Luca. She knew that she could not do anything to Luca now. "Okay, I won''t take this woman with me, but today, your actions have made it clear that you''re announcing war against the Mallory family!" Madam Mallory wanted to have the final say before she left. Chapter 1799 Luke kept silent and just stared straight at her. Madam Mallory thought that it was because Luke was thinking about something. However, he did not speak even after a full minute. Madam Mallory thought that Luke was looking down on her. She was fuming that he did not seize the opportunity even when she gave him an out. She said to the driver with a stern expression, "Drive." The driver heard her and hurriedly started the car. Madam Mallory mmed the door and left. When the bodyguards blocking the road saw that, they got into their cars as well and left. Luca breathed a sigh of relief. Her nerves were tense, but it was not because she was afraid that Luke would betray her for the sake of maintaining the harmony between Crawford and Mallory families. She was just worried that Madam Mallory would try to force Luke. Madam Mallory''s men certainly would not be able to hurt Luke, but it was hard to say whether he would get hurt trying to protect her. After the Mallory family''s bodyguards retreated, Luca looked at Luke, who was just standing there. The night wind blew. She could not help shivering from the cold. Luke retracted his gaze and happened to see Luca shivering. He remembered that he had brought her a coat. He said, "I noticed that the temperature dropped, so I brought you a coat. It''s in the backseat." Luca nodded, opened the rear door, and saw a bag. She picked it up and inside was one of her long coats. ''How thoughtful of Luke...'' She picked up the coat, put it on, and instantly felt a lot warmer. "Next time, you must keep me in the loop if you encounter such things. You shouldn''t have been dragged into this mess with the Mallory family." Luke said. Madam Mallory acted like that because she had no one else to pick on. As such, she went after Luca. "I was the one who provoked her first." In front of him, Luca admitted to what she did truthfully. After all, she was the one who made the first move on Pierre. Luke shook his head helplessly when he heard what she said. Nevertheless, he did not ask her to keep her temper in check. After all, Pierre needed a spanking, and Luca just dealt with Pierre before he and Percy did. Moreover, she did nothing wrong. In fact, she did a good job... "Let''s go home. Tommy and the others won''t go to bed until you''re back," Luke said and returned to the driver''s seat. As soon as Luca heard that, she did not dare to dy any longer for fear that it would affect the children''s rest. She got into the passenger seat, closed the door, and fastened her seat belt. Luke drove back to the vi. The children gathered around Luca when they saw that she was back. "Ms. Luca, are you cold? It''s cold outside tonight." Luca looked at how caring Rainie was, shook her head, smiled, and said, "It''s not cold, not cold at all." Tommy smiled and said, "Ms. Luca won''t be cold with the coat that Daddy brought her." Luca scratched his nose. ¡®What a cheeky one, I wonder where he learned it from...'' She said, "It''s gettingte. Why are you still up?" "We were worried about your safety, so we waited for you toe back," Lanie replied obediently. Whenever he was with his mother, his temperament would shift from being cold-hearted to talkative. Luca nced at the clock on the wall. Usually, the children would have already returned to their respective bedrooms at this hour to get ready to sleep. She urged them, saying, "Okay, go to bed now. It''s gettingte." The kids nodded and walked up the stairs. Luca nced at Luke, who was still standing there. If it were before, they would go upstairs together. If he was busy with work, she would stay downstairs and make him a ss of milk. If he was not busy, they would go upstairs and walk into the bedroom together. However, things were different at that moment... Luca nodded toward him, then said, "Mr. Crawford, if it''s alright, I''ll head to bed now." "Mm." Luke did not ask her to stay. After Luca went upstairs with the kids, he was the only one left in the huge living room. Luke sat on the sofa and called Percy. Percy was being lovey-dovey with Nina. When he heard his phone ring, he was slightly annoyed. However, when he saw the caller, he resigned himself to fate and sat up to answer the call. "Luke, do you know that disturbing people''s sleep in the middle of the night is a terrible sin?" Luke heard Percy''s dissatisfied voice on the other end of the phone and knew that he had ruined his and Nina''s fun time together. Nevertheless, he did not feel guilty. "You can go ahead with your ns anytime you want, but there''s something I need to tell you." "What''s the matter?" Percy pinched Nina''s face. There was not much meat on her face, so it did not feel the best. He secretly vowed to make sure that Nina was well-fed. "Your mother wanted to kidnap Luca tonight," Luke said. "What? How dare she do that?" Percy frowned. He did not expect Madam Mallory to be so irrational. He thought that only Pierre would dare to do such a thing in the Mallory family. He did not expect that Madam Mallory would be such a roughneck as well. She was not mindful of the overall situation. All she was doing was causing trouble for the Mallory family. "You''re not relentless enough." Luke reminded him. Percy had morepromising things in his hands that could be used against Pierre. If he had gone with a firmer approach, it would not give Madam Mallory time to plot against Luca. Percy nced at Nina, who was also looking at him worriedly. "I see. I''ll take care of this." "I''ve dealt with the matter, but I can''t guarantee that she won¡¯t badger Luca again. I don''t want this matter to involve her any more than it already has," Luke said. Even in front of his best friend, he was imperious in protecting his wife. Luca was his everything. She was a woman he could not bear to bully himself, so how could he allow her to be bullied by another person? "Got it." Percy hung up. Nina took his hand and asked worriedly, "What''s wrong?" Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "My mother went to badger Luca today and wanted to kidnap her." Percy wondered if his mother was crazy. Otherwise, why would she do such an impulsive thing? It was lucky that Luke was there, or it would have been a big mess. "How is that possible. Isn''t Luca..." Nina suddenly stopped talking and thought that Madam Mallory must have made a move on Luca after she and Sue left. "Is she okay?" "Luke happened to be by her side then, so she''s fine," Percy told her. "Luke?" Nina''s brows furrowed deeper, and her emotions wereplicated. On the one hand, she was d that Luca was fine. On the other, she wondered why Luke was by Luca''s side sote at night. "Can you promise me one thing?" Percy brushed through her long hair lightly. Nina looked at him. A lot was on her mind. "You''ve always regarded Bianca as a good friend, but can you promise me to stay out of Luca and Luke''s rtionship?" Percy said. "Why?" Nina frowned. She had always felt that these two men were hiding too many things from her. However, no matter how many times she tried to ask, they refused to say anything. "You''ll know why in the future. Just trust me on this," Percy said. Luke had not figured out the truth, so Nina''s blind involvement would only make his investigation more difficult. Chapter 1800 Nina looked at him. She had something to say, but she hesitated. She wanted to ask him why. ''Why is he asking me to leave the matter alone when it''s something that everyone would know is wrong without having to think twice? Could it be that there''s a secret behind all this?'' Luke should never have betrayed Bianca, even if there was another reason behind it. Even if he no longer loved her, he should end the rtionship with her righteously. However, Bianca was exiled abroad, while Luca was by his side. It was not that Nina thought that Luca was bad. She just thought that it was wrong for her to intervene in Luke and Bianca''s rtionship. However, Percy told her to stay out of it... Percy held Nina in his arms seeing that she was staying silent. "There are many things that the fewer people know, the better. I promise that when the timing is right, I''ll tell you everything." Nina knew that there must be a n in motion, so she did not continue to pursue the matter. However, she asked, "Will your n hurt Luca?" It was inappropriate that she was involved in Luke''s marriage, but she should not be hurt either. After all, she was a genuinely nice person. "No." Percy promised. "That''s good. it''s gettingte. Let''s go to bed." Nina held his arm, her voice was soft.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Percy wanted to deal with the matter involving the Mallory family, but seeing that it was almost midnight, he knew that Old Master Mallory had already fallen asleep. As such, he had to wait until the next day. "Okay, let''s sleep." He hugged Nina as theyy down. The night was long. Some whispered about love, while there were some who could not sleep for various reasons. ... The next day. Luca came downstairs with dark circles under her eyes to prepare breakfast. The maid was upied and working in the kitchen. When she saw Luca walk in looking like she had not slept all night, she said in surprise, "Ms. Craw, did you not have a good rest?" "It''s alright. My mind was upied with work, so I only got a few hours of sleep," Luca exined and touched her face. Her skin was not in the best condition because of her insomnia. Last night, she thought about everything and anything, causing her to have insomnia. It was the first time she could not fall asleep even after taking sleeping pills. Luca felt that her current life had made her more and more anxious. "You look terrible. How about I make you a cup of warm milk to make you feel a little better?" the maid asked, concerned. "Don''t worry about it. I''ll just get some sleep tonight." Luca picked up the apron beside her and put it on. The maid noticed that Luca was going to prepare breakfast for the children, so she said thoughtfully, "Actually, let me do this. Would you like to go back to sleep? You can still sleep for an hour or so." "It''s alright. I can''t fall asleep right now. I can prepare breakfast while you can go ahead with your other tasks.¡± Luca shook her head, opened the refrigerator, and took out some ingredients. Tommy and the others liked the breakfast she made. If the maid prepared it, they would be able to tell the difference. Therefore, Luca wanted to make breakfast for the kids when she still could. She did not want to leave any regrets. She cherished any time she could be part of their growth, even if it was only for one day. Seeing that Luca insisted on making breakfast for the children, the maid nodded, took off her apron, and walked out of the kitchen. Luca worked agilely to prepare breakfast for the children. She then went upstairs and put on some light makeup to hide her haggard face. By the time Luke and the kids got up and went downstairs, Luca had already brought the breakfast she prepared to the table. Tommy''s gluttonous eyes lit up when he got a whiff of the aroma. He dashed to the dining table and looked eagerly at the breakfast on the table. "Ms. Luca, I''m hungry." He turned his head and looked at Luca, who was pouring milk into a ss. "Sit down and dig in, then," Luca said, putting the cups of milk in front of the children''s seats. In front of her and Luke''s seats, she ced two cups of coffee. Luke would usually have a cup of coffee in the morning, while she would usually drink whatever the children drank for breakfast. However, she did not sleep muchst night and had to have some coffee to deal with her high-intensity workload. The children took their seats, and Luke sat next to them. He looked at the coffee in front of him, then at the coffee in front of Luca. He was a little puzzled and asked, "Since when do you drink coffee in the morning?" In the past, she would drink milk or juice. Luca put the toasted bread in front of the kids and responded to the man''s question, "I like to switch things around from time to time." The maid heard her but did not say anything. After breakfast, Luca stood up. She did not need to clean up the tes on the table, so she went upstairs to change and prepared to head to the office. After the maid saw her going upstairs, she whispered to Luke, "Sir, Ms. Craw didn''t sleep wellst night, so she needed coffee." "Mm." Luke nodded. Although Luca did not say anything, he could guess what happened. Her life was stable, and she paid great attention to taking care of her health. She would not drink coffee if she did not have to. "She''s wearing makeup now, but when she came downstairs to prepare breakfast for everyone, her complexion was terrible. If you can, please have her rest more." After the maid finished speaking, she brought the dirty dishes to the kitchen. Luke nced at the kids. They had all heard what the maid said. "In the future, whether the food is prepared by her or the maid, you have to finish everything obediently. Don''t be picky eaters," he ordered the kids. Luca went downstairs to make breakfast for them even when she did not have enough rest because she knew that the kids liked her cooking. Tommy also felt sorry for Luca, so he nodded obediently in agreement. After Luca changed her clothes and went downstairs, there was no sign of the three children in the living room. "Let''s go." Luke picked up his briefcase and got up from the sofa. ¡®He wants to send me to work?'' They worked in the same building, so Luca understood why he wanted to send her to work. She did not turn him down and nodded. She then asked casually, "Where are Tommy and the others?" "Zander is sending them to school," Luke said. When Old Master Crawford found out that he was living with Luca with the kids, he arranged for Zander to drive the kids to and from school. He did that so it would allow Luke to focus more on thepany. "Zander?" Luca wondered. ''Doesn''t Zander work in Crawford Manor? Won''t Old Master Crawford have a problem now that Luke is having hime over to pick up the kids every day?'' "It''s Grandpa''s arrangement." Luke knew the questions in her mind. Luca looked up at him and suddenly wanted to ask him if Old Master Crawford knew that he was living with her after he moved out. If Old Master Crawford knew, he would never agree... That was because Luke had a spouse, even if just legally. Chapter 1801 "Do you have any concerns?" Luke asked, seeing her hesitant expression. He knew her so well that he could even decipher what she was thinking about with just a microexpression. Luca shook her head as she could not ask the question she had in mind. "It''s nothing." Luke''s gaze sank, but he did not press on. "Let''s go. We''re going to bete if we leave anyter." Luca nodded and left the house with him. Luke drove, and when they passed the vi''s entrance, Luca noticed that the contractor of the vi next door was already embellishing the door. She said softly, "Is the renovation work next door almostpleted?" "Mm, Louis and the others will soon be moving in." Luke took a nce and continued to drive toward the entrance of themunity. "Louis?" Luca looked at him. ''The vi is Louis''?'' ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Luke nodded in answer. Luca did not say anything. ''He nned all these on purpose...'' He first arranged for her to move to the vi, then he moved in. Not long after, the children moved in as well, while Louis and Yuri would soon live next door. For a moment, Luca thought that she had returned to her previous life. She was living at Crawford Manor with Luke and the kids at the time. Louis had just started a family and given up his old ways. He lived a happy life with Yuri. Unfortunately, it was all an illusion. Luca looked at the road ahead, it was leading to T Corporation. The car kept going forward, just like how her life could not go back to how it was in the past. ... On the other hand. Crawford Manor had no peace early in the morning. Old Master Crawford invited some friends to go out for morning tea. Since the master of the house was gone, Susan and Allison fought first thing in the morning. Louis did not want to get involved in their feud and left with his wife and daughter. In the end, Allison and Susan did not reach a conclusion with their fight. It was the butler and the maid who forcefully separated them. Since it was office hours, the butler did not notify Luke and settled the matter himself. Allison angrily went back to the bedroom and called Luke six times in a row, all of which went straight to voicemail. "Damn it, there''s no ce for me in this house!" She wanted to pack up and take out her suitcase. However, she paused what she was doing. She thought that if she left, it would make life easier for Susan. Even if she had somewhere to go, she could not give this home to Susan. Allison calmed herself down, sat on the bed, and left a message to Luke. [If you don''te back tonight to bring me justice, you can wait to bury my body. I can''t stay in this house anymore.] After she texted him, she sat on the chair and picked up the herbal concoction prescribed by Luca that the maid had just sent to her room. She got a whiff of the strong medicinal smell, remembered the unpleasant taste, and frowned in disgust. She did not want to drink such an unpleasant concoction. Knock, knock. There was a knock on her bedroom door. "Who is it?" Allison put the concoction at the side in disgust. "Madam Allison, Madam Mallory is downstairs. She''s looking for you." The maid''s voice came from outside the bedroom. "Madam Mallory? Did she say why she''s looking for me?" Allison did not open the door and just stood behind the door to ask. She knew Madam Mallory, but they were not close. To be precise, because of her identity, Madam Mallory had always looked down on her in their social circle. She had a better rtionship with Susan because Susan was the legal wife. Even though she was the one who gave birth to the heir to the Crawford family, in those people''s mouths, she was nothing but a mistress who lived in Crawford Manor by relying on her son. If Luke was no one special, the Crawford family would want nothing to do with her. That was how Madam Mallory saw her from the beginning, so Allison felt no need to bootlick nor befriend her. They were never close, so Allison did not go down immediately, thinking that she came to visit out of the blue to make fun of her. Allison looked at herself in the mirror. Her skin did not get better even after she applied and consumed the concoction. Allison would never allow herself to meet outsiders with her face like this so as not to beughed at. "Uh... she didn''t say why," the maid said. Hearing that, Allison did not give it much thought before she said, "If she didn''t say anything, it means that all is well. Tell her I''m not feeling well and I can''t meet her. If there''s something she wants to talk to me about, have her call me." The maid was taken back as she thought that it was not the best response. She had worked for the Crawford family for many years, so she knew about the rtionship between the Crawford and Mallory families. Allison acting up might harm the rtionship between the two families. "Okay, Ma''am." The maid understood and knew that Allison would not meet Madam Mallory no matter what. She returned downstairs and politely said to Madam Mallory, who was sitting in the living room, "Madam Mallory, I''m sorry. Madam Allison is not feeling well. She won''t be able to meet you today." Madam Mallory frowned. Susan, who sat beside Madam Mallory, snorted coldly and exposed her. "She''s not feeling well? She was just yelling at everyone like a shrew but she''s suddenly not feeling well now? I think that she''s just embarrassed to meet our guest with that ugly face of hers. " The maid was not sure how to react seeing how ruthless Susan was. It was said to not wash one''s dirty linen in public, but the two could not wait to publicize their nonsense. It had gone on for over 20 years, and it had no signs of stopping. Madam Mallory heard her, put the teacup on the coffee table, and said gracefully, "She''s sick?" "Didn''t you hear?" Susan pushed the te of baked goods toward her and gossiped, "Her face is horrendous-looking now. She looks like an old witch, so, of course, she doesn''t dare to meet anyone. Her own grandchildren would get frightened and cry when they see her." Madam Mallory frowned. She did not pay much attention to Allison''s news. Susan and the others were all socialites, but she was different from them and had a career of her own. Even if the Mallory family''s affairs were all handled by Percy, she was still busy handlingpany affairs. Naturally, she was not bothered with gossip as such. "That sounds scary. Why doesn''t she go seek treatment?" Madam Mallory asked. "What treatment? There''s nothing that stic surgeons can do. She can only wait to die." Susan talked about Allison''s illness triumphantly. She asked, "By the way, didn''t you always look down on her before? Why do you want to meet her all of a sudden?" "It''s because of Luke." When Madam Mallory mentioned Luke, she was reminded of what had happenedst night. He was a junior who did not respect her, seeing as how he had arrogantly protected that woman. She had to tell the Crawford family about this, so she thought of going to Allison. Even though Allison was mistress, she was also a sensible person. She would never let Luke be without saying anything. When Susan heard that it involved Luke, she realized from Madam Mallory''s expression that there was more to the matter. Hence, she became interested. Chapter 1802 "What happened? Tell me about it," Susan asked quickly. She did not intend to let go of anything she could use against Luke because this might be the evidence she needed to bring him down and make Louise to power in the future. "Tell you? Are you able to tell him off?" Madam Mallory wondered. After all, Susan was not Luke''s biological mother. "Why not? No matter what, I''m still his mother. When Allison doesn''t know how to educate her son, I''m the one who steps forward," Susan said. Madam Mallory nodded. No matter what, Susan was the legal wife of Zachary Crawford. Even though his biological mother was around, Luke still addressed Susan as ''Mother.'' "Doesn''t Luke already have a wife? I found out that he''s very close to Luca Craw and there''s a high chance that they''re living together," Madam Mallory said. She did not mention what had happened the day prior. After all, she impulsively wanted to kidnap Luca. It was illegal, so she did not want to say anything about it. When Susan heard that, she lost interest. "Luca Craw? It''s not news that they''re close. Luca has won the hearts of the three children. If you say that they''re living together, that''s possible... But there''s nothing anyone can do about this matter, not me nor Old Master Crawford. We can''t be involved." "Old Master Crawford doesn''t care? How is that possible?" Madam Mallory was surprised. She only spoke about this so that Allison or Susan would know about it and ry the news to Old Master Crawford. Her goal was for them to restrain Luke. She was clear that out of everyone in the Crawford family, only Old Master Crawford could do something about Luke. "Why not? Let me tell you, Luke moved out with the kids, and Old Master Crawford agreed to it. His agreement says everything. Old Master Crawford is not stupid. When they moved out, he must have investigated everything and knew that Luke might live with Luca. Even so, he still agreed. This matter is not a secret in the Crawford family." Susan took a sip of tea and suddenly lost interest in the conversation. She once wanted to win over Luca but was turned down, so Susan had no other means to go about it. "This is ridiculous!" Madam Mallory could not believe that Old Master Crawford had given his agreement for Luke to move in with Luca. ''Is he not afraid that the reputation of the Crawford family will be ruined if the reporters find out about it?'' The reason why Madam Mallory did not get the reporters involved but instead went to the Crawford family to inform them was that she did not want to make a big deal out of it. To some extent, the fate of the Crawford and Mallory families was interrted. Therefore, when it was not absolutely necessary, she did not want the Crawford family to be involved in a scandal. "This family is crazy. Since that woman got out of prison, it''s gotten even crazier." Susan could not help comining. She knew that Madam Mallory wanted the Crawford family to control Luke, so she thought of a way to go about it. "How can we let Luke be like this? What about his wife who''s abroad? If that woman sticks around, won''t he just be like his father?" Madam Mallory rambled and mentioned the Crawford family''s yboy, Zachary Crawford. Susan''s mood sank. Madam Mallory pursed her lips and realized she had said something wrong. She touched Susan''s hand and said, "Sorry, I didn''t mean to mention him." "It doesn''t matter. He''s been gone for so long. I''m somewhat d that he only had Allison. If there were two more, I won''t be able to stay in this home any longer." Susan felt hatred in her heart, but she could not show it. Hence, she acted generously. Madam Mallory took a sip of tea. Seeing that she had not achieved any purpose in her visit today, she did not want to waste any more of her time. After all, the mess left behind by Pierre had her upied. "Forget it. I just wanted to remind you but it seems that all of you already know about it. Although it''s absurd, the entire Crawford family is in Luke''s hands now. None of you seem to be able to do anything, so I won''t bother you any longer." She stood up. She intended to put pressure on Luke but did not expect that the Crawford family was in a situation as such. Although they seemed to be doing better than the Mallory family, if this piece of news exploded, they would have their hands full as well. Seeing that she was about to leave, Susan hurriedly held her back. "Although the Crawford family can''t deal with this matter, I know people who can." As soon as Madam Mallory heard that, she sat on the sofa again and quickly asked, "Who?" "The Norman family." Susan reminded her. She had hinted to Queenie once before and Queenie had reacted with surprise then. When she was sitting and waiting for the drama to unfold, the matter was over before she knew it. Nothing happened. Seeing that her n failed, she could not continue to remind or encourage Queenie to find trouble with Luke and Luca. That was because it would make her ulterior motives obvious. After all, she was still Luke''s mother. If anyone found out what she was nning, she would be digging a grave for herself. If Old Master Crawford found out, it was inevitable that she would be criticized for it. "The Norman family? Jack norman?" Madam Mallory remembered that Luke''s wife was Jack''s long-lost biological daughter. "Queenie has always felt guilty about her long-lost daughter. It''s a pity that they don''t know what Luke is doing behind their backs." Susan took a sip of her tea. Her hints could not be more obvious. Madam Mallory nodded thoughtfully. If she told Queenie about this, she would not stay out of it from what Madam Mallory knew about her. "By the way, don''t tell others that I told you that. Old Master Crawford doesn''t like it when I cause trouble. Last time, I didn''t hint at Queenie hard enough, so it didn''t work. Luke has been bewitched. If it''s for the good of Luke, you can try doing something about it. After all, Luca Craw is not as unassuming as she seems." Susan was worried that Madam Mallory would not take action if her hatred for Luca was not strong enough, so she deliberately phrased her words in a certain way to increase their effectiveness on Madam Mallory. Madam Mallory gritted her teeth and said, "I know that there''s more to that woman that meets the eye. Otherwise, how could Luke, who has always been wise, be bewitched by her?" Susan secretly rejoiced. If Madam Mallory went to look for Queenie, there was sure to be drama. Old Master Crawford did not care about what Luke was up to because he knew that Luke did things properly and would not cause the Crawford family to lose face. However, Queenie was different. This time, she would be more vignt if someone who had nothing to do with the Crawford family went to her. Susan was certain that Queenie would go to Luke to ask him what was going on. Although it may not be possible to separate Luke and Luca, it was not bad to be able to cause some trouble for him. She wanted to take revenge on that pair of mother and son for hindering her for more than 30 years. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Madam Mallory made an excuse to leave after she got a solution. Susan sat on the sofa and looked at the maid who was cleaning up the table. Her gaze sank. Chapter 1803 "How much did you overhear from the conversation between me and Mrs. Mallory?" Susan asked. The maid was responsible for delivering food and drinks to Allison. She was usually the one in contact with Allison. The maid''s body shook as she uttered, "Madam Susan, I didn''t hear anything." "Very well. If someone else knows about what we talked about, I¡¯ll know that you identally overheard it and spread the news. You''re aware of the consequences, yes?" Susan threatened the maid. Although Old Master Crawford was still in control of the Crawford family, she still had the ability to frame the maid and have her fired. The maid nodded quickly and said, "I understand. I didn''t hear anything." The maid cleared the cups and snacks on the coffee table. Then, she got a text from Allison, so she immediately went upstairs. She knocked on the door of the room, and Allison''s voice came from inside. "Come in." The maid opened the bedroom door and saw Allison''s face. She was frightened and could not help trembling. She immediately lowered her gaze and asked, "Madam Allison, what can I help you with?" "Take that bowl out of here. It stinks like hell," Allison said while she pointed to the bowl next to her that contained the herbal concoction. She had only taken two sips before she decided that she did not want it anymore. The maid came in and picked up the bowl along with the tray. Allison asked, "Has Madam Mallory left?" "I think so," the maid replied cautiously. She knew that Allison wanted to get information out of her, so she was careful not to let herself slip. After all, Susan had warned her. As such, she could only hide what she knew from Allison. "Did she say anything?" Allison looked at herself in the mirror, her thoughts in turmoil. She covered the mirror with a ck cloth. The maid replied softly, "She chatted with Madam Susan for a while and left." Allison raised her eyebrows and looked at the maid. She was jealous of the maid''s fairly smooth face and was mad that a maid''s skin was better than hers. "Chat? What did they talk about?" "They seemed to be talking about some household matters. Nothing out of the ordinary." The maid tried to fool her. Allison continued to ask, "Household matters? She didn''t mention to Susan why she came to look for me?" "I didn''t hear anything... I was in the living room only for a while before I was asked to go to the kitchen by the cook to help out." The maid quickly shook her head. Allison did not look at her anymore. She waved her hand and said, "You can leave now. By the way, you don''t need to bring me lunchter. I''m trying to lose weight." "Okay, Madam Allison." The maid got her permission and immediately went downstairs with the bowl for fear that Allison would continue to question her. She was worried she would end up letting something slip because she was too nervous. Allison sat on the vanity chair, deep in thought. Madam Mallory was not close with her and would usually look for Susan if she visited. ''Why did she suddenlye to look for me today? Is it as simple as wanting to see my disfigured face?'' "What a bitch!" Allison yelled out vicious words when she thought that Madam Mallory came for just that. At noon. Luca finished a task and ran to theb downstairs to check on the progress of the experiment. Rhett handed her the reports. Luca carefully looked at every line of the data. She did not dare to be careless. All of the data would affect the final stage of the drug''s research and development. After she read the data at hand, Luca asked "Has the clinical trial report been sorted out?" "We''ll only be able to have it ready this afternoon," Rhett answered honestly. Luca nodded and did not put pressure on them. "The processing of the data can''t go wrong, or it''ll affect the next step of the research. Take it easy. Just make sure there are no mistakes." Rhett nodded and asked embarrassedly, "Are you sure that everything is okay? I heard that Dr. Albus'' research ising to an end and their drug is about to beunched. Theboratory researchers on our team are feeling a little anxious because of that..." Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca understood why they were anxious. After all, they were supposedly ahead of everyone with their research... They could not help but feel ashamed of being overtaken by Dr. Albus'' team. Luca ced the report in his hand and replied, "Drug research is not child''s y. Our drug is more complicated than Dr. Albus''. It''s understandable why we were ahead in the early stages of our research and slowed down in theter period. Don''t rush. The progress of others doesn''t represent ours. Speed doesn''t mean anything as long as we''re meticulous with the research and the medicine can truly cure patients.¡± Rhett took the report from her and nodded. Luca was reasonable. However, the news of her helping out Dr. Albus had spread in the team. Some of the researchers were dissatisfied. After all, they were all hands on deck with the research, while Luca not only had to take care of T Corporation''s trantion work but she also helped Dr. Albus... Luca looked at Rhett''s embarrassed look and knew why he reacted as such. "Tell them to focus on the task at hand. If the drug is effective, it''ll naturally sell. If the sales are good, they''ll get their bonus. Besides, thepany''s end of the year performance is not based on whounches the drug in the market first but rather, whose drug is used by more hospitals and institutions." Rhett nodded knowingly. Luca nced at the time and said, "It''s time for lunch. Go and get something to eat." "Dr. Craw, don''t you want to get anything to get? Do you need me to take away some food for you?" Rhett asked. Luca turned around, yawned, shook her head, and said, "I''m not hungry. I want to go back to the office to rest for a while. When lunch break is over, please knock on my door. I''m afraid I won''t be able to get up in time." She did not sleep all nightst night, so she was a little tired and sleepy. However, there were not many office sofas that a person could lie t on. Hence, Luca came down specifically to lie down and rest in this office. "Okay, Dr. Craw." Luca walked back to the office and sighed as soon as she closed the door. The high-intensity workload required her to get enough sleep. She nced in the direction of the surveince camera and wondered if Luke had already gotten someone to dismantle the camera or if he was still monitoring her through it. Now that she was working in the upstairs office most of the time, she assumed that he was no longer monitoring her. Luca thought about it but still decided to turn her head in the direction of the camera,y down, and put her coat over her. She nned to rest for a while. Upstairs. Luke opened the office door and walked to Luca''s office. He found that while the door was open, Luca was not inside. ¡®Did she go out for lunch?'' He raised his eyebrows. He thought that it was more probable for Luca to ask someone else to take away food for her while she made use of the time to get some rest. "Boss?" Jason had finished lunch and walked over when he saw Luke standing in Luca''s office. He asked Luke, "Are you looking for Dr. Craw?" "She went out for lunch?" Luke nced at him, his eyes focused once again on the office chair. Chapter 1804 "Dr. Craw? I went downstairs with her just now but I don''t think she was going for lunch." Jason reported truthfully but wondered why Luke did not call her directly. ''Aren''t they already living together? Why are they still so awkward when they''re in the office? After all, Luke was the boss of thepany. Jason did not think that should be the case. No one would dare say anything even if he used a public tool for private use. "Where did she go?" Luke asked even though he had an answer in his heart. If she went downstairs and did not go for lunch, she was probably too tired. Hence, she went to the office downstairs to rest. He nced at Luca''s office. It was a temporary office that used to be a vacant utility room, so there was not enough space for a sofa that could fit her. "I think she''s in theb." Jason looked at his thoughtful expression and felt a little uneasy. Luke turned around and walked to his office. When he thought that Luca might not eat and just sleep until the end of the lunch break, he turned around and said to Jason, "Order a meal and put it on Dr. Craw''s desk." "Got it, Boss," Jason replied. Luke returned to his office and closed the door because he did not want to be disturbed by others. He moved the mouse to open the monitoring software that had not been in use for a long time. Since Luca moved to the office upstairs, he had not used the software. Moreover, after he found out that she was Bianca, he did not install surveince cameras in the new office because he believed that she would never hurt him. She did what she did because she waspelled to. Luke looked at the surveince footage and saw Luca lying on the sofa with her head facing the camera. She used a coat to cover her body. It was cold, but all she did was put on a coat. Luke could not sit still. The moment he stood up, he sat down again. Luca would be suspicious if he sent a nket over. Although he knew her true identity, he did not want her to know what he was doing for her. Looking at the woman lying on the sofa resting, he silently clenched his fists and called Tina in. Tina knocked on the door. After she got his permission to step in, she opened the door and asked, "Boss, what can I help you with?" "Have the logistics team send each department a few nkets," Luke said. "Huh?" Tina was a little confused as to why each department needed nkets. "Boss, what are the nkets for?" Luke nced at the screen and showed an indifferent expression. "It''s getting cold. Our employees might catch a cold if they don''t have a nket during their lunch break." Tina nodded in response... However, thepany had never implemented something like this before. This initiative was out of the blue, so Tina thought about it before figuring out why he gave the order. She said, "Boss, do you need to equip the senior management of each department with one more? Just to be safe." Luke thought what she said made sense and nodded. "Go for it." "Okay, Boss. I''ll make arrangements right now." Tina left his office with a smile. Luke''s gaze fell on theputer screen again. There was limited space on the sofa, so Luca did not change her sleeping position. She slept straight and appreciated every second that she got to rest. At the end of the lunch break, the rm clock on her phone rang and there was a knock on the door. Luca opened her eyes and said to Rhett, who was at the door, "I''m awake." When Rhett heard her reply, he stopped knocking on the door and said, "Okay, Dr. Craw. I bought you lunch. Would you like to have it now?" Luca nced at the time. It was already after lunch hours. She used her lunch break to rest and thought that it was not fair for her to use her work time to eat. She turned him down, saying, "Thank you, but don''t worry about it. I''ll get back to work in a moment." Rhett heard that she did not want to eat and did not insist. He returned to theboratory to continue with the research. Luca sat on the sofa, turned off the rm clock, put on her coat, and left the office without staying much longer. When she returned to the office upstairs, Luca saw a takeaway box on her desk and frowned. ''Who put it here? Was it Luke?'' Luca subconsciously denied this possibility but knew that besides him, not many would so thoughtfully prepare food for her. She picked up the takeaway box, walked to Jason''s office, and found that his door was not closed. She still knocked on it nheless. Jason looked up from the pile of documents, nced at her, and said with a smile, "Dr. Craw, it''s you." "Mm. Mr. Doyle, did you put this takeaway box in my office?" Luca asked as she showed the takeaway box. Jason nced at the takeaway box and replied, "Yes and no. The boss asked me to put it in your office. He might have asked me to get that for you because I mentioned that you went downstairs for work, so he guessed that you wouldn''t have lunch." Luca heard him and nodded. ''It''s really him...'' "Okay, thank you." After she thanked him, she was ready to go back to her office. Jason said, "Dr. Craw, why don''t you go and warm up the food? You can continue working after you have something to eat. It won''t take much time anyway. The boss arranged it as such because he''s concerned about your health." Luca did not intend to eat at first but reconsidered after she heard what Jason said. ''Yes, this is his kind intention. Although I act like I don''t care, how could I not eat it?'' "Okay..." She walked into the pantry with the takeaway box. On the other hand. Madam Mallory was in Pierre''s ward. Her phone kept ringing. She was tending to Pierre while dealing with the mess he created. Pierre was taking painkillers more frequently. The doctor had no choice but to inject valium to prevent the excessive painkillers from causing irreversible damage to his nerves. After Madam Mallory finished her phone call, she looked at her son who had be sluggish due to the valium. She could not help but sigh. There were mixed emotions in her eyes. Pierre''s mess was moreplicated than she had imagined, and to make matters worse, Old Master Mallory had already gotten someone to investigate the matter. She tried stopping them but still could not stop the men Old Master Mallory hired. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. The phone rang again and Madam Mallory answered. "What''s the matter?" "Madam, you asked me to investigate the whereabouts of Mrs. Norman and I found her. Coincidentally, she''s also at the hospital today." The person on the other end of the phone reported. "At the hospital? The same hospital as Pierre?" Madam Mallory asked. "Yes, that''s the one. However, she''s not there for treatment. She seems to be taking care of a patient, but we didn''t manage to find out the identity of the patient," the person on the other end of the phone replied. "Okay, got it." Madam Mallory took a deep breath and said, "You at least found the ward number, right? Send me the ward number." "Okay, Ma''am." The person on the other end of the phone texted her the ward number after they hung up the call. Chapter 1805 Madam Mallory nced at the ward number and found that it was a VIP ward. She guessed that whoever Queenie was taking care of was not simple. Otherwise, why would they be in the VIP ward? On top of that, her men could not find out who was in the ward. ''Is it Jack Norman?'' Madam Mallory thought that it would not be possible as she saw the news of Jack in the newspaper that morning. He was attending various events, so he could not be in the VIP ward for treatment. ''Could the person in the ward be Luke''s wife, Bianca?'' After all, Bianca was supposedly studying abroad but no one knew where she was studying nor the specific details. Maybe she got sick and Queenie brought her back to be secretly treated... If it was Bianca, she could use her to mess with Luca. ''Luca likes to be a mistress, huh? If Bianca appears in front of her, Luke won''t be able to protect her anymore.'' The longer a man was in Luke''s position, the more afraid he would be of getting into scandals that could affect hispany''s stock price. If something happened, he would be sure to stand on Bianca''s side. By then, Luca would be nothing. Madam Mallory looked at Pierre who was still asleep and told the nurse, "Take care of Young Master Pierre. I have something to attend to." When the nurse heard that, she was a little scared. After all, whenever Pierre was sober, he would be in a terrible mood. If he woke up and Madam Mallory was not around, she would likely get the brunt of his anger. Madam Mallory snorted coldly when she saw how the nurse reacted. She knew her son, so she said, "I''ll be back in a while. He''s injected with valium, so he won''t wake up any time soon." "Okay, Ma''am." The nurse had no choice but to agree. After all, she was here to take care of the patient. Since the Mallory family had paid her, she should take good care of him. Madam Mallory immediately left the ward and rushed to the upper floor. Originally, Pierre should have been allocated a ward on the upper floors, but his situation was special and the doctor did not rmend him to stay there. Otherwise, it would be more difficult to take care of him. Hence, they could only go with the doctor''s arrangement and stay in a two-person ward. She then took advantage of the Mallory family''s connections and turned the double ward into a single ward. Madam Mallory came to the VIP ward floor and was about to look inside but was stopped by the head nurse. "Hello, who are you?" The wards on this floor were special, so she remembered each patient and their family members. She would not allow others to walk around at will to protect the privacy of the patients here. "I''m here to visit a patient," Madam Mallory exined patiently when the nurse stopped her. The nurse looked at the woman who was dressed gracefully and luxuriously. The nurse thought that she did not look like a gossip reporter who came to secretly take pictures. Hence, she politely asked, "Which patient do you want to visit? We need the consent of the family before any visitation." Madam Mallory was taken back. She had note to this floor for too long, so she forgot that the management of this floor was strict. She did not have time to look for connections to assist her in this operation as she feared that Queenie would leave while she was doing that. She just said, "I''m here to visit a patient from the Norman family." "Which Norman family is it?" The head nurse patiently verified with her. Madam Mallory began to get impatient and said, "It''s Jack Norman''s family." ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. The head nurse knew about the Norman family. She nced at her and said with a straight face, "Ma''am, I''m sorry. We haven''t received any instructions from the patient''s family, which means that they didn''t tell our nurses that a guest would being to visit today." Madam Mallory was at her limit. She stared at the head nurse and shouted, "They''re so busy, they may not remember everything. I made an appointment with them yesterday and told them I''de to visit today. I also know their ward number. It''s 2505, isn''t it?" "I''m sorry, we weren''t informed. Maybe the patient''s family was so busy that they forgot about it. Perhaps you could give them a call. You can only enter if you''re authorized." The head nurse insisted. The patients on this floor paid great attention to their privacy, so she did not dare to let her in of her own ord. Madam Mallory looked at how insistent she was, became anxious, and said, "Do you know who I am? I''m Madam Mallory, not one of those good-for-nothing reporters. I''m a public figure! How dare you dare stop me? I''ll have you fired by tomorrow!" The head nurse was helpless at her rogue remarks. They did their work ording to the rules and regtions. They did not dare to let anyone walk in just like that. "Sorry, Madam Mallory. It''s our job." The head nurse insisted on wanting to maintain patient privacy. After all, she was more afraid of letting randoms in and the patient''s family ming her than to receive aint from those she did not let in. Madam Mallory cursed, "Who do you think you are?! I''ll have a chat with your departmentter. What kind of quality..." She took out her phone, walked to the elevator, and called the number that called her just now. "I can''t get into that ward. Help me think of a way for me to get in." The person on the other end of the phone heard her and said helplessly, "Madam, if you can''t enter, I would have no way to..." The nurses would not even let someone with the Mallory name walk in. He was just someone who was at the bottom of the food chain. He was out of ideas. "Trash, you''re useless!" Madam Mallory was so angry that she yelled. The man on the other end of the phone gave her a suggestion. "You can wait by the elevator? She would have to leave eventually." ''Wait by the elevator? Does he not know who I am?'' She immediately hung up the phone in anger. Madam Mallory then looked at the head nurse in the distance who was still standing there. She had arranged this kind of ward for Old Master Mallory before and knew that even if the head nurse walked away, there would be other nurses or security guards guarding the ce. Without the consent of the patients or family members, she would never be able to get in. Madam Mallory thought of Pierre, who was still lying on the hospital bed, and then she thought of Luca. The expression on her face turned hideous. ''Luca, I''ll let you experience ten times the pain you caused my son!'' Madam Mallory thought of that and decided to stand near the elevator. She knew that she would bump into Queenie here! The head nurse in the distance looked at Madam Mallory, who did not seem like she wanted to leave. She shook her head helplessly and did not say anything. After all, as long as she did not step into the ward area, it would not be a vition of the hospital''s rules and regtions. She could not do anything to her. Madam Mallory stood there until three o''clock in the afternoon before she saw Queenie walking by slowly. She was also a public figure, so she was sure. She stepped forward and said enthusiastically, "Mrs. Norman, what a coincidence. Why are you here?" Although Queenie did not like to socialize, she still remembered the faces of the more important people because of her husband. She never had much contact with Madam Mallory, but she still knew who she was after she gave it some thought. She looked at her, baffled. Then, she asked, "Yes, Mrs. Mallory, what a coincidence. Why are you here?" Chapter 1806 Madam Mallory certainly would not let Queenie know that she had been waiting for her, so she made up an excuse. "My son is hospitalized because he''s not feeling well, so I''m here." Queenie frowned, her mood heavy. Leia''s illness made her empathize with Madam Mallory. She looked at her worriedly and asked, "Is your son alright?" "The situation is not optimistic." Madam Mallory secretly rejoiced when she saw that Queenie responded rather positively. She turned around and waited for the elevator with her. "The doctor can''t find out the root cause, so he can only rely on painkillers and valium to stabilize his condition." "It''s that serious..." Queenie''s brows furrowed deeper. She thought of Leia, She had been taking medicine and would go home to recuperate when she got better. However, if her condition took a turn for the worse, she would have to be hospitalized again. The medicine that Luca prescribed was effective, but Leia''s willfulness made her condition worse. The medicine had now be less effective. Seeing Queenie''s sad face, Madam Mallory made a n in her heart. She sighed and said, "Pierre was hospitalized because someone plotted against him. The cause has not yet been found, so he can only cry out in pain. As a mother, I wish I can take the pain for him but... Sigh..." Queenie replied with concern, "Someone plotted against him? Who''s so courageous?" Although she did not have much contact with the business circle, she knew exactly the status that the Mallory family held in A City. "I don''t know if you know her. That woman is doing whatever she wants with the Crawford family''s backing!" Madam Mallory watched the elevator arrive, politely let Queenie step in first, and said all that through gritted teeth. ''The Crawford family?'' Queenie paused, walked into the elevator, and saw that Madam Mallory also walked in. She asked, "Did the Crawford family hurt your son? Aren''t the Crawford and Mallory families on good terms?" She did not believe that anyone in the Crawford family would break the peace. Madam Mallory pretended to be thinking of something. Then, she shook her head and acted as though she wanted to avoid talking about it. "Forget it. It''s aplicated situation." "Mrs. Mallory, you are..." Queenie could not let it go when she heard the Crawford family''s name being mentioned. If the Crawford family did something outrageous, she could plead for them. "I forgot that Luke is your son-inw. You should just act like you didn''t hear anything about it." Madam Mallory pressed the button for the first floor. She guessed that Queenie was going home. "Mrs. Mallory, is there anything I can help you with?" Queenie was not a gossipy person. Although she was rted to the Crawford family, she did not ask any further since Madam Mallory refused to talk. Queenie did not expect that she would not pursue the matter. If it were someone else, they would continue asking. Madam Mallory rolled her eyes, shook her head, and said, "Sorry, I lost my temper. I was too worried about Pierre. Sigh, I me him for provoking that woman." ''Woman?'' Queenie frowned. ''How could any woman in the Crawford family provoke Pierre?'' The only people she could think of were Allison and Susan, but neither of them seemed to be the kind who would interact with Pierre. "Who is the Crawford woman you''re talking about?" Queenie was curious. Madam Mallory lowered her gaze as a smug look shed across her face. Her opportunity came, and she did not bother to be subtle this time. She said, "It''s the woman named Luca Craw!" "She''s from the Crawford family?" Queenie looked suspiciously at Madam Mallory, trying to understand if there was more to the situation from the look on her face. Madam Mallory sighed and shook her head, "Of course, she''s not a woman from the Crawford family. I shouldn''t have said these things, but at this point, I have to reveal the truth. Mrs. Norman, I think you''re still being kept in the dark by Luke?" Queenie blinked and had a bad premonition. "Mrs. Mallory, what do you mean by that?" Madam Mallory deliberately showed an embarrassed expression as she said, "Mrs. Norman, you and I are not gossipy people. When some truths are uncovered, it may lead to a bad impact. Why don''t you pretend that you didn''t meet me today and nothing happened? " The more she spoke, the more questions Queenie had. "Is there a secret rtionship between Luca and Luke?" "You know?" Madam Mallory blurted out the words, then covered her mouth. She deliberately pretended to have identally let it slip. Queenie thought about what she had seen and heard before, as well as Susan''s previous hints. Nevertheless, she believed in Luke''s character and his feelings for Bianca. She did not continue to question their rtionship following Leia''s illness and the kindness that Luca showed to their family. However, Madam Mallory''s words had rekindled her suspicions. "I know about Luca... Luca has good medical skills and she''s also an employee in Luke''spany. The two are friends. Do you have any misunderstandings?" "You know about everything..." Madam Mallory thought to herself. Queenie was not a fool, but she did not choose to pursue it. The reason for this was intriguing to her. "I know they have a good rtionship, but from what you said, is there any misunderstanding?" Queenie said. She hoped that Luke and Luca were just colleagues and ordinary friends. "I also hope that I misunderstood the situation. Last night, I went to Luca to find out what she did to my son but Luke protected her. At that time, it was already after ten o''clock. If they''re just friends, would they be in the car together past ten o''clock? She was alone in the cafe at that time and Luke personally picked her up after she left..." Madam Mallory said while noting the change in Queenie''s expression. ''Ordinary friends wouldn''t act as such...'' Queenie''s expression turned ugly. Madam Mallory said, "I hope it''s fake. After all, Luke has a wife. His rtionship with Luca is ridiculous." Queenie saw the elevator reach the underground floor and stepped out. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Madam Mallory followed behind her and said to herself, "Did I say too much? Sorry, I just feel bad for your daughter. If Luke betrays Bianca while she''s still abroad..." Queenie''s appearance remained normal, but her heart was already in chaos. However, she did not forget that she was still in public and in front of an outsider. Even if the outsider had a good rtionship with the Crawford family, she still had to maintain her rtionship with the Crawfords. "I believe in Luke. He exined to me before that he and Luca are just ordinary friends. I have something to attend to. I''ll see you around." Queenie finished speaking and left quickly. Madam Mallory pursed her lips as she watched Queenie leave. Although Queenie said she believed in their rtionship, she noticed that she had changed how she referred to Luca. A simple conversation as such could make Queenie suspicious. Madam Mallory secretly rejoiced. Since Luke and Luca made her unhappy, she would not let them havefortable lives. She picked up her phone and made a call to her subordinates. She asked them to investigate the identity of the person in the VIP ward. Chapter 1807 After Madam Mallory hung up the call, her phone rang again. She answered, her tone full of impatience, "What''s the matter?" "Madam, something terrible has happened! Young Master Pierre woke up and is twitching from the pain!" The nurse on the other end of the call was flustered. Madam Mallory could hear Pierre''s wailing through the call. Madam Mallory''scent mood was instantly disturbed. She quickly returned to the elevator and went upstairs. "Inform the doctor immediately. I''lle now." ... After Queenie left the hospital, she was still thinking about what Madam Mallory had said. She felt uneasy. The doubts that had been suppressed before were now springing up like bamboo shoots after rain. She did not want to doubt them, but she could not help it. She called Jack and said, "Dear, are you in the office now?" "Yeah, I''m still processing some documents. What''s wrong?" Jack noticed that his wife''s tone was off. He quickly asked, "Did Leia do something wrong again?" Leia kept trying to buy organs from other sources but was stopped by the people arranged by him and Luke. As such, Norman Residence had not been peaceful. "It''s not Leia. Can I go over now?" Queenie asked. "Come," Jack listened to her uneasy tone and did not dare to let her go home alone. Queenie''s health was fine, but because of Leia, she had neurasthenia. The doctor''s advice was for her to get more rest and thepany of her family. With his consent, Queenie got into the car and asked the driver to take her to the provincial office. When she walked into Jack''s office, Jack was talking business with someone on the phone. When he saw Queenie walk in, he motioned to her. Queenie nodded knowingly. She sat on the sofa beside her and waited. Jack continued to talk with the person on the other end of the phone. The assistant secretary came in with a cup of tea and said softly, "Madam, this is your tea." "Thank you." Queenie took it. She was elegant and did not lose Jack''s face. She picked up the teacup, took a sip, and waited quietly. Jack was talking to others about urban nning and some important events that would be held in A City in theing month. Queenie listened and saw how busy he was. She felt that she should not bother Jack because of Luke and Luca. While Queenie thought about it, Jack was done with the work call. Jack asked with concern when he noticed how upset his wife looked. "What''s wrong? Why do you look so bitter?" "Nothing..." Queenie smiled slowly, trying to ease the ugly expression on her face. She had made up her mind not to tell him her doubts. She could investigate this matter on her own. "You have worries written all over your face. How can you be okay?" Although Jack was an alpha male, they had been together for decades. He was thoughtful when he needed to be, especially when facing Queenie. He sat beside her, sighed, and took her hand. "What happened?" Queenie looked at him. There were tears in her eyes. Seeing her like this, Jack was even more sure that something had happened. He quickly asked, "Okay, let''s hear it. If there''s a problem, I''ll fix it." Queenie took a deep breath and told him everything Madam Mallory told her. After he heard everything, Jack frowned and replied, "If that''s the case, we have to get Bea toe back." "Bea is still abroad. Usually, she''s the one who takes the initiative to contact us. I want to reach out to her but I may not be able to get in contact with her in time." Queenie also agreed with his decision. For the sake of Luke and Bea''s marriage, this must be done. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Whether they decided to stay together or get divorced, it was not Luke''s decision alone. However, the biggest problem that they faced now was that they could not get in contact with Bianca. "Yeah, how about this? Didn''t Bea send us a parcelst time? We''ll ask someone to find this address and see if we can contact her right away," Jack said. "Do you have any friends over there?" Queenie asked. "Yes. I nned to ask someone to check on how she''s doing recently. In this situation, I have to ask my friend to check in on her immediately," Jack said as he texted his friend. There was a time difference, so the message was not responded to immediately. "ording to what Mrs. Mallory said, Luca and Luke are very close now. Why don''t you get in touch with Luca to see if they''re as close as that Mrs. Mallory said? It''s not good if we use her of something she didn''t do." Jack suggested. In his mind, Luca was not the kind of person who would be a mistress and ruin someone''s marriage. He had always been urate in making a judgment of a person''s character. He did not want to believe that he was wrong this time. "Okay, I''ll contact Luca now. If your friend has news, let me know immediately." Queenie could not wait to get in contact with Bianca. She had always disapproved of Bianca''s n to study abroad. Every time she persuaded her toe back on the phone, Bianca was so determined to stay abroad to study. If she continued with her studies, she may have no family when she returned to A City. Although Bianca was good-looking, she was not young. Queenie did not want to see her live the second half of her life miserably. No matter what, she had to get Bianca back in A City. "Okay." Jack nodded and watched her contact Luca. Her number was dialed, and after a while, Luca answered, "Mrs. Norman, good afternoon." "Luca, good afternoon." Queenie listened to her voice and could not help but think of what Madam Mallory said. She took a deep breath and tried to treat Luca with rose-tinted sses. After all, Luca had helped their family countless times. Luca felt that things were off when she heard her rigid tone. ¡®Did something happen?'' "Mrs. Norman, are you okay? Did something happen?" Luca asked. "Nothing happened. Everything is fine. By the way, are you free today? I want to invite you to my house for dinner." Queenie nced at Jack, feeling uneasy. "Today? I might have to work overtime..." Luca felt as though she was put on the spot. There was a lot of work she had to attend to, but she was not working at her peak. "Will it take long?" Queenie could not wait to see her. "No, maybe an hour or so." Luca estimated that she could handle all the work in an hour. "That sounds good. After you finish your work,e to my house for dinner. Uncle Jack and I will be waiting for you." If it were in the past, Queenie would not force her. However, this time, she had to do things she did not like doing for Bianca''s sake. Luca did not turn her down. Listening to the tone of her voice, she knew that Queenie must have something in her heart, so she agreed. "Okay, I''ll head to your ce after I get off work. Thank you, Mrs. Norman." Chapter 1808 Queenie looked at Jack and nodded after Luca gave her promise. Then, she said, "I shouldn''t be keeping you any longer. See youter." "Sure," replied Luca. Queenie hung up the call first. Jack asked again, "Should we invite Luke too?" "You''re thinking about figuring out if there''s anything suspicious between them, right?" Queenie knew what he had in mind, and Jack nodded. "Actually, it was already very suspicious when they slept in the same bedroomst time. But we believed in Luke''s integrity, so we stopped suspecting him." Queenie grabbed her husband''s hand and added, "I know you believe in Luca. I''d like to believe that she''s not that kind of person either. I''m just trying to get her to talk tonight, so there''s no need to ask Luke toe over too." "Alright." Jack did not say anything knowing that Queenie had her own ns. After all, he wanted to find out whether or not he was wrong about Luca too. Queenie stood up when Jack agreed with it. She said, "Then I''ll go get ready." "Wait, did you juste back from the hospital just now?"Jack asked. "Yes." Queenie nodded. Leia suddenly felt ufortable a few days ago, so she was admitted to the hospital again. "I ran into Mrs. Mallory when I walked out of Leia''s ward." Jack nodded. Then, Queenie asked again, "What''s wrong?" Jack did not tell her what he was thinking about to prevent her from getting worried again. Therefore, he said, "Nothing. Go back and get ready." "Okay." Queenie knew he had something else to do, so she turned around and left. After Jack sent Queenie out of the door, he made a call. "Find out what''s going on with the Mallory family these days." Jack hung up the phone after he gave his orders and sat on the office chair, pondering. His men were quite slow in investigating things, but there was no way he could ask Luke for help now. He could feel there was a huge mystery shadowing the Crawford and Norman families after things had come this far. Perhaps Luke knew about it, but he chose not to tell him. If that was the case, he must be trying to protect the Norman family or someone else. Was it Luca he wanted to protect? Jack shook his head. It seemed like other than handling his work, he would have to find out what Luke was up to. It was six-thirty in the evening. Luca was still working in her office. She nced at the time, then at the documents that she had yet toplete. She was not anxious about them as she thought that there would be enough time for her. Luke walked into her office without knocking on the door or making any sound. Luca was keenly aware that someone hade in. She looked up and realized it was Luke. She was slightly startled and stood up unconsciously to greet him, ¡°Mr. Crawford." Luke looked at the documents on her table and nodded. He said with a cold voice with his hands in his pockets, "Still busy?" "No, there are just some documents left," replied Luca while wondering why he was here. "There aren''t many left. Leave them for tomorrow." Luke nced at the folders. She had the habit of keeping thepleted documents on her right-hand side while the unfinished ones were kept on her left. It was just like how Luke did it. Now, there was only a white-colored folder on her left. The white-colored folder was not an important folder either. "It''ll only take me half an hour to finish it," said Luca. When she sat down and nned to continue with her work, she suddenly thought that Luke might havee to see her because of something else. She lifted her head and looked at Luke''s expressionless face. She had gotten used to his gentleness back then, so she was still not used to seeing him being cold to her. "Mr. Crawford, are you waiting for me to get off work?" Luke nodded and reminded her. "Zander has picked up the children and sent them back to the vi." Previously, when she was still Bianca, she would never work overtime in the office. She would bring her work back home most of the time. It was because she wanted to prove to the Crawford family that even though she had her own career, she would not neglect her children. Her children would still be the center of her world. Luca recalled that she had not told Luke that she was going to meet Queenie, so she quickly said, "Mr. Crawford, Mrs. Norman invited me for dinner at her house tonight, so I probably won''t go back home so soon..." Did Queenie invite her for dinner? Luke slightly furrowed his brows. Why did he not know about it? "Mr. Crawford, is there a problem?" Luca asked again. "You should leave earlier since you promised to have dinner with them. I''ll bring these documents back for you. You can continue working on them after dinner." Luke came closer and picked up the whitecolored folder. Luca was so astonished that her jaw dropped a little as she watched his domineering gestures. She felt helpless. Well, it was true that she should not let her parents wait for her. Luca got up and said, "Alright. I''m leaving." ¡°Do you want me to give you a ride?" Luke asked. Without a second thought, Luca shook her head and answered immediately, "No, thank you, Mr. Crawford. I don''t want Mr. and Mrs. Norman to misunderstand¡ª" Luke slightly narrowed his eyes as he listened to her. He felt annoyed deep in his heart. Misunderstood? She was his wife. It was just that she had changed her appearance and was ced beside him by the people behind her. What was there to misunderstand? If he were not worried that something might happen to her, he would have jumped at the chance to blow her cover.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Luca noticed that he had been keeping silent with an annoyed look on his face. She said carefully, "Mr. Crawford, if there''s nothing else, I''m leaving first." "Off you go." Luke brought the folder along with him and left the office first. Luca looked at the man''s tall figure from behind and let out a sigh. She knew Queenie would not invite her for dinner without reason. If it was not about Leia, then it was probably because of Luke''s affair. If Madam Mallory really had nothing better to do, she would definitely secretly plot against her. However, she hoped that the reason Queenie came looking for her was not that Madam Mallory was talking nonsense about her behind her back. She had no idea how she was going to exin herself if it was really because of Madam Mallory''s actions. Could she insist that there was nothing between her and Luke? However, they were already staying together. Who would believe that? If Jack had sent someone to investigate this matter, he would be able to spot loopholes in her words easily... Luca stood there and waited for five minutes. She only packed and left after assuming that Luke had left. She went downstairs, got out of the office, and hailed a taxi to head to Norman Residence. It was already ten past seven in the evening when she reached Norman Residence. Luca nced at the time and secretly rejoiced that she was not toote for dinner. The Norman family usually had dinner around this time. She rang the doorbell. The maid came to open the door. She was not surprised to see Luca as Queenie had already told her about it. She greeted her passionately, "Ms. Luca, you''re here. Come on in." Luca smiled at her and entered. She nced at the garden on her left habitually. The rose bushes were already hibernating because of the weather. Queenie had trimmed them neatly so that they could bloom even more beautifully next year. Chapter 1809 The maid saw her looking at those rose bushes, smiled, and said, ¡°Mrs. Norman takes good care of the rose bushes. They''ll definitely bloom again next year." "Yes. She has always known how to take care of these rose bushes," Luca said thoughtfully. The maid looked at her in surprise. "Ms. Luca, you know Mrs. Norman well. Indeed, she knows how to take care of rose bushes well. These were trimmed a few days ago. Mrs. Norman said that the rose bushes will look great next year after vernalization." Luca smiled as she listened to the maid. Of course, she understood her own mother well. Luca felt a sense of warmth when she walked into the house. The maid said, "Mr. and Mrs. Norman, Ms. Luca is here." Queenie walked out of the kitchen with an apron on her. She saw Luca standing at the entrance. She smiled and said, "Luca, you''re here. Take a seat. Dinner will be ready soon." Jack, who was sitting on the couch, added, "Luca,e here and drink some tea." Luca smiled. She nodded as she walked toward Jack and sat down on the armchair beside him. Jack cleaned a teacup and poured some warm tea for her. "It''s cold out there, right? Come, drink some tea to keep yourself warm." "Thank you, Mr. Norman." Luca took the cup of tea from him, took a sip of it, and tasted it. Jack shot a nce in the direction of the kitchen and continued to talk to Luca, "How''s the tea?" "It tastes good, and it smells nice. I can always get a cup of nice tea here," said Luca as she smiled. Jack took a sip of the tea and shook his head. "This isn''t considered much. I don''t have any good tea here, but the Crawford family does. But don''t you know already that?" Luca''s smile froze a little. He did not mean to mention the Crawford family on purpose, but she could not help to notice that. "What''s wrong?" Jack''s heart sank when he noticed her oddness. Luca was a smart person. A simple sentence that he said had sparked a different reaction in Luca. Was she feeling guilty? "Nothing. I''m just wondering what kind of tea does the Crawford family have that tastes better than this warm cup of tea." Luca tried to smooth things over. Jack smiled and gave her a thoughtful nce. Then, he refilled some tea for her again. "Old Master Crawford loves drinking tea. Everyone in A City knows about it. Luke would buy some tea for the old master every now and then. He would spend tons of money just so the old master can enjoy good tea. Everyone in A City knows that." "Mr. Norman, I didn''t grow up here, so it''s my first time listening to these things that you''re saying." Luca looked down and tasted the tea quietly. The sweetness and bitterness of the tea were mixed. Gradually, she could no longer taste the sweetness in it. It felt awful to be doubted by someone else. Luca could not tell them that she was their daughter either... Jack smiled and said, ¡°Oh, I''ve been too busy these days. I even forgot that you grew up in a foreign country. Russia should be colder than A City around this time of the year, right?¡± "Yes. It''s so much colder there. That''s why I''m alright with the current temperature here.¡± Luca finished drinking the tea in her teacup. "There''ll be an International Tea Industry Expo in A City in a couple of days. Would you like toe? You can buy some good tea there. You might be able to use it in the future." Jack tested her. If Luca really had feelings for Luke, she would try to please the people around Luke. Hence, she would readily agree to go to the expo to shop for some tea. "Really? Then I must go," Luca smiled and said. "A few of my friends are tea lovers too. If I can buy some good tea and send them over to my friends, they''ll certainly be happy to receive them." Jack smiled. He had no clue whether or not Luca was really going and what kind of tea would she buy. He would have to get someone to find out who the tea would be gifted to as well. Queenie and the maid served the dishes on the table and said to the two people who were sitting on the couch. "Dinner''s ready." Luca put down the cup of tea and stood up to head to the dining room together with Jack. Four of them sat at the dining table. Luca asked with some confusion when she noticed that Leia did note down for dinner. "Mrs. Norman, where''s Ms. Norman?" Queenie let out a sigh when Luca mentioned Leia. She exined, "Leia was feeling ufortable two days ago, so she''s been admitted to the hospital again." Luca nodded. Leia''s health condition had be very unstable because of her lifestyle back then. Even if she could manage her health by taking medicines now, her health condition would not be stable. It was normal that Leia would often be admitted to the hospital. "What did the doctor say about Ms. Norman''s health condition?" Luca asked with some concern. Although Leia had done many atrocious things to her, she was still Luca''s younger sister, after all. Even though there were no blood ties between them. However, she could not reveal her true identity as she had no idea what would happen in the future. Hence, she still needed Leia to keep Mr. and Mrs. Normanpany on her behalf. She could not rely on Luke alone. After all, it was tiring enough for him to handle everything alone. Luke had to take care of the children, T Corporation, and the affairs of Crawford Manor. After she left, he might fall in love with another woman and rebuild another family. It was not certain that he would take care of the Norman family when the time came. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Queenie handed a bowl of chicken soup to her and said, ¡°Oh yes, Luca. How''s life?" "I''m quite busy these days. You know that too. T Corporation is tendering a project in Europe, but their trantor happens to be on maternity leave. Mr. Doyle knows I understand Russian, so he got me to do the trantion work. I''m really swamped at work now. These days, I''ve been busy as a bee," said Luca. After Jack tested her out earlier, Luca knew Mr. and Mrs. Norman invited her for dinner only to find out if anything was going on between her. After Luca knew that Leia had been admitted to the hospital, she spected that it must have been Madam Mallory who said something to Queenie. The reason was that Percy had to stay in the hospital to feel any relief. Madam Mallory adored her son so much, so she would definitely apany him at the hospital. If she found out that Queenie was there too, she would try her best to run into her and tell her everything about her and Luke. Even though Luca had saved Queenie before, Queenie still loved her daughter the most. She would want Bianca to be happy. If something was going on between Luca and Luke, it would be the biggest obstacle for Bianca. Luca felt helpless. She could not say anything if they really wanted to deal with her. After all, they were doing it for Bianca''s sake. ¡°If you''re so busy, it must be hard for you to take care of yourself when you''re staying alone. Come, drink more soup. It''s good for women''s bodies. No matter how busy you are with your work, you have to take care of your health too." Queenie felt bad to know that Luca was overwhelmed with work. It was as though she was feeling bad for her own child. Queenie was slightly startled by herself. When did Luca start making her feel this way? "Thank you, Mrs. Norman." Luca took it from her. She blew on the hot chicken soup for a while and sipped the soup slowly. Queenie looked at her thin face and could not help but say, "Luca, you''ve lost some weight. It must be tough for you to handle so many jobs, right?" Chapter 1810 Luca felt a surge of warmth in her heart. Thosepassionate words sounded like they came from a parent caring about their child''s daily life. "It''s alright. Although I''m taking up another job, I''m still able to manage it," said Luca. She finished drinking the chicken soup and picked up the spoon to help herself with the food. Queenie prepared all the dishes. They were home-cooked for the guest. Luca took her time tasting the dishes. Although they were not particrly tasty, they had the taste of home¡ªsomething that she had been missing. Queenie and Jack exchanged nces with each other, then asked, "Oh, Luca, where are you staying now? I''ll ask the driver to send you back hometer." Luca thought of Luke. If the driver were to send her back, then her current address would be found. She shook her head and said, "Thank you, Mrs. Norman, but I can go home by myself." "It''s cold out there. There won''t be as many drivers working thiste at night. Don''t reject my offer and let my driver send you home, alright? We''re all staying in A City. How far can it be?" Queenie insisted. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca pondered for a moment. She had no choice but to agree. She must not let the driver send her back to the vi, though. She would head to Amur''s ce after dinner and check in on how he had been doing these days. Queenie continued to ask her when Luca agreed to it. "Luca, I''ve never heard you mention your love life after knowing you for so long. Are you dating someone?" Luca paused when she was halfway picking up some vegetables. They wanted to send her home, and now, they were asking about her love life. All they wanted to know was whether or not she was dating Luke. Luca did not want to lie to them. She had no ns of getting together with someone to put on a show either. She shook her head and said, "I''m swamped with work now. How can I possibly have the time to date someone?" "How can you not have time for that? Although work is important, dating is important too. Love can sweeten your life. You just have to find someone suitable who understands and supports your career. Previously, Jack was busy with work too when he was pursuing me. But I could understand him. That''s why he could bnce work and family very well." Queenie put down her spoon and held Luca''s hand. "Luca, a few outstanding single men are working at Mr. Norman''spany. Why don''t I introduce some of them to you? If there''s someone you like, Mr. Norman and I can fix you up with him. Women should date when they''re young. You can''t keep focusing on work only." Luca listened to her advice. Queenie was very concerned about her love life only because she was worried that Luca would interfere in Luke''s marriage. Queenie would certainly be worried if she rejected her offer. This was a big dilemma. Even though Luca felt ufortable with it, she still nodded and agreed to it. "Alright." ¡°That''s wonderful." Queenie smiled with satisfaction as she helped Luca with the dishes. "Have some more. You''ve been working so hard." Luca ate quietly while feeling ufortable in her heart even though she was already aware that their purpose of inviting her over for dinner was because of Luke. However, they were doing it for her own good too. Luca ignored the feelings in her heart and apanied them to finish dinner. When they were about to finish dinner, Jack''s phone, which had been put aside, started ringing. Queenie asked him immediately, "Is it a message from your friend in New York?" Jack nced at his phone, nodded, and answered, "Yes, but he doesn''t have the time to look for Bianca yet. We have to wait until tomorrow." Luca looked at them. They were looking for Bianca? "Mr. Norman, Mrs. Norman, you''re¡ª" Queenie nodded. She turned around, smiled at her, and exined to her, "Bianca, our daughter and Luke''s wife, has been in New York for quite some time now. She refuses toe back here. Besides, we can''t seem to contact her when we want to. That''s why we found a friend in New York to contact her. New Year is just around the corner, isn''t it? If she''s really noting back, Mr. Norman and I will go through the formalities here, then fly over to New York and spend the new year with her." Luca''s brows were slightly furrowed when she heard that. Luke had faked the news that Bianca was abroad. How could they possibly find her? "Do you know where she is?" Luca asked tentatively. Jack nodded and exined, "We received a parcel sent from abroadst month. It was from Bianca. There''s an address on the parcel. We reckon that Bianca must be staying there, so we asked someone to contact her. This child became foot-loose and fancy-free after losing her memory. She''s always traveling around, so it''s difficult for us to find her." Luca fell silent as she listened to Jack''s exnation. Should she tell Luke about this? If they found out that Bianca was not actually staying at the address and Luke did not take preventive measures in advance, how was he going to exin it to them at that time? If Luke told them that Bianca was dead, they would be heartbroken. Luca took a bite of white bread casually, deciding that she should tell Luke about this. She refused to see them grieving over her death. Luca asked their permission to leave after dinner. Mr. and Mrs. Norman did not make her stay. Jack arranged for his driver to send Luca home. When the driver asked for her home address, Luca told him the address of the apartment she used to stay at. The driver nodded, followed the navigation, and sent Luca to the apartment. ¡°Ms. Luca, why don''t you open the door and let me send you in?" the driver said as he noticed that the residents would need an ess card to enter the residential area. "It''s alright. I can walk back home by myself. It''ste. You should get off work and get some rest." Luca insisted on getting out of the car here. The driver did not continue insisting to send her in. He opened the door and let her get out of the car. After Luca got out of the car, she headed toward the entrance of the residential area. Then, she swiped the card and walked into the neighborhood. Ever since Amur came back, she had been carrying the ess card with her so that it would be convenient for her toe back here. Luca turned around and saw the driver slowly reversing the car. She had made the right move by making it a habit to bring the ess card with her. The driver did not leave right away after she got out of the car. He wanted to see if she was really staying here. He only left after he saw her swipe the card and enter the area. He left after he was sure that she was staying here. Luca reckoned that he would report it to Jack. Then, Jack would ask someone to look into this apartment to see if it had anything to do with Luke. Luca shook her head helplessly when she thought of how her biological parents were suspicious of her. Although she understood why they did that, she still felt ufortable about it. Luca continued to walk toward the apartment, nning to talk to Amur for a while before heading back home. Luca got into the elevator and headed upstairs. When she opened the door, there was only darkness and dead silence in the apartment. "Amur?" Luca called out to him. No one answered. Luca turned on the lights and frowned when she saw the ashtray on the coffee table. There were many cigarette stubs in it. It seemed like Amur had smoked all these. Luca took out her phone and called Amur. The phone rang for a long while without anyone answering it. Chapter 1811 Luca held her phone in her hands after hearing the beeping sound. She nced at the time. It was still early. She put down her briefcase and looked at the messy apartment. Then, she started cleaning the ce up. An hourter, Luca had already finished cleaning up the apartment, but Amur was still not home yet. Luca had no idea if he was on a mission, so she dared not to call him again lest she disturbed him. She picked up a piece of paper, left a note for him, and left the apartment. After she left the apartment, she hailed a taxi to go back to the vi. It was already 11 o''clock at night. Luca walked into the living room. No one was there. She figured that the children must have gone upstairs to sleep at this hour, but Luke... She bent down and changed into a pair of slippers. Then, she crept her way up the stairs. As expected, the second floor was quiet as well. Luca walked to her bedroom door and nced at the room opposite her. The door was closed tightly. She could not see if the room was lit, so she did not know if Luke was still awake. However, based on her past experiences, Luke must be working now. He would not have gone to sleep so early. Luca nned to put her briefcase down and go over to check on him. As she pushed her bedroom door open, the door opposite her room was pushed open at the same time too. She turned around when she heard the sound. ¡°Mr. Crawford." Luke nodded and nced at the time, pretending to ask her in an aloof manner, "The Norman family made you stay until now?" Luca shook her head and exined, "No, I went to the apartment just now." Apartment? Amur? Luke''s face darkened in a split second. He refused to see Luca have too much contact with Amur. "Why did you go there?" Luke''s voice sounded even more gloomy. Luca noticed the changes in him. She knew what kind of situation she was in now. Luke had told her that he had feelings for her. Previously, she refused to believe it, thinking that he was probably feeling lonely. However, the possessiveness and jealousy that he was expressing now were indeed reflective of his behavior when he was in love with someone. She had no choice but toe clean about it to deal with his unhappiness. "The Norman family wanted to know where I was staying. They suspect that there''s something unusual going on between you and me. I couldn''t let them know I''m staying here, so¡ª" Luca looked down. Perhaps it was better to let him misunderstand her. That way, he would be able to give up on her. However, she refused to drag Amur into this. Moreover, she loved Luke as well. If it were not for the obstacles, she would have acknowledged him and her children by now. Luke''s expression brightened up when Luca was willing to exin herself to him. He held his mug in his hands and turned around. Luca realized that he was going downstairs. She put her briefcase on the dressing table in her bedroom, then turned around and followed him down. Luke walked into the kitchen and picked up the mason jar filled with coffee beans. He put it down again when he remembered what Luca told him. He opened the fridge, took the milk out of the fridge, and poured it into his mug. Luca came into the kitchen and happened to see that. She reminded him, saying, ¡°It''s getting cold. You''ll feel morefortable if you warm the milk before drinking it.¡± Luke heard her. He turned around and opened the door of the microwave. Luca saw him nning to put the mug filled with the milk into the microwave. She walked toward him and said, "Let me do it." Luke handed her the mug. Luca opened the cab door and took a microwavable bowl out of it. She cleaned the bowl and wiped the remaining water on the bowl with paper towels. Then, she poured the milk in the mug into the bowl and ced it in the microwave. "How troublesome." Luke could not help but make ament after watching her. Luca chuckled. He had never paid attention to such small details when doing things. Of course, he would think it was troublesome. Luke had been taken care of since he was born. When did he ever warm up the milk by himself? If it was not thatte, the maid would have done everything for him.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "Mr. Crawford, I have something to tell you," said Luca as she watched the microwave''s ss te slowly spin inside. She turned around and looked at him. Luke knew she must have something to tell him when she followed him down. He nodded and waited for her to speak. "When I was having dinner with the Norman family today, Mr. Norman told me that he had asked a friend of his to help to look for your wife, Bianca," said Luca. Luke raised his brows. Mr. Norman was looking for Bianca? Luca knew she had not made it clear enough, so she exined, "They received a parcel a month ago and said that it was Bianca who sent it. There''s an address on the parcel, so they think that Bianca is currently staying there. Hence, Mr. Norman asked his friend in New York to head to the address to inform Bianca that they''re thinking of heading to New York to celebrate the new year with her." Luke nodded. He was the one who got someone to send the gift. It was the house address of one of his subordinates working in hispany in New York. Jason had arranged everything at that time, but he did not expect there to be such a big loophole. The address on the parcel was not hidden. ¡°I got it." Luke nodded. Luca pondered for a moment and reminded him again, saying, "I also heard that their friend is currently unavable, but they''ll go over there to contact Bianca tomorrow." She wanted to remind Luke that he had to act fast if he was going to handle the matter. Luke nodded. Just then, the microwave let out a ding. Luca turned around, turned off the power switch, and opened the microwave door. She carefully took the warm milk out of the microwave. The milk was not too warm. The temperature was just right to drink it, and it would warm the stomach instead of burning one''s mouth. Luca poured the warm milk into the mug and handed it to Luke. "Mr. Crawford, here''s the milk." Luke took the mug of milk from her and looked at her. All the things that Luca had told him tonight meant that she still cared about him. Otherwise, she would not have told him about the Norman family''s ns. Luke''s eyes darkened. She cared about him, but she could not reveal her identity. Was she not upset about it? The two of them loved each other, but they could not be together. Luca noticed that Luke did not intend to leave after he took the mug from her. Instead, he kept staring at her. They were standing so close to each other too. After she noticed that, she lowered her head, took a step back, and said, "Mr. Crawford, I''m going upstairs first." "I left your document on your desk," said Luke. "Thank you." Luca thanked him and quickly went upstairs. She went to get the document in the study. Then, she trotted back to her bedroom. After she closed the door, she held the document in her arms and leaned against the door while taking deep breaths. When she looked at Luke''s facial features just now, she had a strong and sudden urge to kiss him. What would happen if she really did that? How would things turn out between them? That would fulfill Abel''s wish. Hence, she was not allowed to do that in order to protect him and the children. Luke took deep breaths to slow down her heart which was beating rapidly. It took her a while to calm herself down. Right then, her phone suddenly rang. She nced at her phone. It was Amur who was calling. Luca answered the call and said, "Amur, is that you?" "It''s me." Amur''s voice was slightly hoarse. She frowned when she heard his voice. ¡°Have you been drinking?" she asked. There was a hint of drunkenness in his voice when she heard him speak. Moreover, it seemed like he had drunk a lot judging from his hoarse voice. He did note back to the apartment while she was there either. Had he gone out to drink? Chapter 1812 ¡°I drank some when I was on the mission." Amur found an excuse to cover up the fact that he was drowning himself in alcohol. He had been going out drinking for a few nights now. He could not calm himself down at the thought of Luca staying with Luke, and he had never stopped thinking of bringing her back to his side. However, Luca would not allow him to do so. Therefore, Amur had no choice but to drink his sorrows away. Luca frowned as she listened to his hoarse yet slightly slurred words. "Amur, is something bothering youtely?" Amur remained silent for quite some time. He so badly wanted to tell her that she was his biggest worry, but how could he say something like that to her? Luca only saw him as her younger brother. "No. Stop overthinking." Amur looked down. He dared not to say anything like that to her. If Luca knew he had feelings for her, she would convince him to forget about her and return to the Ind of Despair. Now that she was surrounded by danger, he could not just go back to the Ind of Despair and leave her alone in A City. Abel hated her so much. Even if she was still useful to him, Abel would not save her if she encountered any danger. Luca knew he was not telling her the truth. However, Amur was already an adult. Even though Luca knew he was not being honest with her, there was nothing that she could do about it either. She let out a helpless sigh and reminded him, saying, "Drinking too often is bad for your health. It''ste. Get some rest." "Thank you for cleaning up the apartment for me today." Amur hung up right after he said that. If he had known Luca would being today, he would not have gone out drinking no matter what. As Luca listened to the busy tone on the other end of the phone, she wondered if it was because Amur had been outside for too long and that was why he was acting weird. Actually, he did not have to stay in A City to protect her. If he headed back to the Ind of Despair, Eler would be able to look after him. At least things would not have to be this way. As Amur was out of the Ind, he would often be assigned missions. He did not even have time to rest. Luca let out a sigh. There was nothing else in her mind now. She was only thinking about formting the antidote so that she could try to reduce the harm that would be brought upon Luke. The sound of someone walking came from outside her door. She thought it might be Luke making his way up the stairs and heading back to his bedroom. Sure enough, she heard the sound of a door closing. Luca nced at the time. It waste. She did not have a good night''s sleepst night, so she had started feeling sleepy. She looked at the white folder. Even though she was supposed to finish tranting the documents today, the workload was not much and the documents were not urgent. It would be fine if she did them tomorrow. At the thought of this, Luca grabbed her pajamas and headed to the washroom to clean herself up. She then turned off the lights andy down on the bed. Before she closed her eyes, she heard someone opening a door. Was it Luke? Luca did not open her eyes and kept them closed. She listened to the noises outside the door. She heard nothing else other than the sound of the door opening earlier. Luke was standing with his back leaning on the wall outside the door. He was staring at Luca''s bedroom door quietly. He would be able to see her face once he pushed the door open. However, he did not do so even though he knew she was Bianca. He would not do anything that would hurt her before she truly epted him. Even though he would be doing it out of love and it would not hurt her, he still would not do it. Luke gazed at the door quietly for a long time as though he could see Luca in the bedroom through the door. He only went back to his bedroom and continued with his work when there was no sounding from her bedroom. The night darkened and it got even quieter. Before Luca was kidnapped, he had thought of seizing the chance to train Lanie so that he could take over thepany when he graduated. Then, he would bring Bianca to travel around the world. However, all he had in mind now was to find out the truth as soon as possible. Then, he would ask Luca to return to his side. He slowly took out his phone at the thought of this. He made a call. The issue of the package''s address had to be handled immediately because of his subordinate''s negligence. Hence, he did not feel sorry for calling him in the middle of the night. The following day. Queenie called Luca when she was busy with her work in her office. "Hello, Mrs. Norman." Luca cradled her phone between her ear and shoulder, while her fingers were still typing on the keyboard. Her eyes were focused on theputer screen. Queenie fell silent for a few seconds when she heard the sound of Luca typing on the keyboard. Then, she asked carefully, "Luca, are you busy?" "No, I''m not. Mrs. Norman, what''s the matter?" Luca replied to her and nced at the documents to confirm the text at the same time. Then, she continued to trante. Queenie could hear that Luca was still typing on the keyboard on the other end of the call. She realized that she had acted recklessly by making this call. "It''s nothing important. We''ll talk about it again when you''re on your break," Queenie said. When Queenie received the call from Jack, she could no longer suppress her excitement. She called Luca right away without considering if Luca was busy at this moment. "It''s okay, Mrs. Norman. Just say it. I''m listening." Luca stopped typing on the keyboard to show that she would put all her focus on listening to what Queenie had to say. Queenie thought of hanging up the call before she heard Luca say so. Hence, she asked, ¡°Luca, will you be avable at noon orter in the evening?" "Yes, I''m avable. What''s the matter? But I''m not sure if I have time in the evening. After all, my workload can increase anytime," replied Luca. She had no idea why Queenie was looking for her. Could it be that she was still trying to make her talk? She recalled the package''s address at the thought of this. She wondered if Luke had listened to her and solved the problem. She did not want Mr. and Mrs. Norman to find out the hard truth. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Let''s meet at noon, then. I''ll be waiting for you in the cafe downstairs of your office. Is that alright?" Queenie made an appointment with her. "Sure. But Mrs. Norman, can I know what''s going on?" Luca could sense that Queenie seemed to be anxious about it, so she decided to ask. "Didn''t I tell you that we''ll be arranging a blind date for youst night? When Jack came back home today, he told me he had found a nice man for you. He''s handsome and has a bright future. That''s why I''m in such a hurry to introduce him to you and let you two get to know each other," said Queenie. After Luca agreed with her suggestionst night, she had been rushing Jack to hurry up and settle the matter. If Luca got into a rtionship with someone else, then they would not have to worry if there was anything going on between her and Luke. Jack thought so too. He began screening all his subordinates after Luca leftst night. After Jack talked to the man today, he agreed to meet Luca. Hence, Queenie could not wait to call Luca and make an appointment with her. Luca felt a tingling on her scalp as she listened to what Queenie said. She had only agreed to it to assure them. However, she did not expect that they would act so quickly. They were even faster than those professional matchmakers. Luca felt like she was being driven into a corner. There was no way she could turn back now. She had no choice but to bite the bullet. She could not reject their offer. If she refused to see the man they wanted to introduce to her, they would think that she did not mean what she said. Chapter 1813 They would still suspect her when the time came. Although Luca felt embarrassed, she still agreed to it and said, "Alright. I''ll be there at noon." "Alright. Then I''ll leave you to it." Queenie sounded happy when Luca agreed to it as though the matter would be settled once the two people met each other. Luca was an outstanding woman, and the man Jack rmended was a fine, young man. When the two of them met each other, they would certainly catch each other''s eyes. Moreover, Luca agreeing to go on a blind date indicated that there was probably nothing going on between Luca and Luke. After Queenie hung up the call, Luca put her phone aside. Luca thought they were just testing her, but she did not expect that they would really make arrangements after she agreed to their suggestion. She thought her parents were not the kind of people who enjoyed arranging blind dates for others. However, they were doing it to her now. Perhaps they were worried that she would steal someone''s husband... Luca felt a pain in her neck all of a sudden. She picked up her mug and stood up. Then, she headed to the office pantry. Tina was in the pantry too, making some coffee. She saw Lucae in and smiled, saying, "Dr. Craw, would you like to have some coffee? I just made some." "No, thank you. in water is fine for me." Luca walked toward the water dispenser and filled her mug with water. Tina added some milk to the coffee. She turned around and noticed that the mug that Luca was filling with water was nearly overflowing. She reminded Luca, saying, "Dr. Craw, it''s almost overflowing." Luca snapped back to her senses, picked up her mug, and took a sip. The water was cold. "Why is it so cold?" "You filled your mug with cold water just now," said Tina. Tina felt there was something wrong with Luca. She was too absent-minded. Her mug nearly overflowed just now, and she did not even realize she had been filling her mug with cold water. "Oh." Luca came back to her senses and poured half the mug of cold water into the sink. Then, she pressed the button to dispense warm water. "Dr. Craw, what''s wrong with you? It seems like something''s bothering you. Are you facing any difficulties at work?" Tina asked with concern. Luca let out a sigh helplessly. She held her mug and hesitated, wondering if she should tell Tina about it. "Don''t worry. I''ll forget about it after you tell me. I won''t tell anyone about it." Tina promised. "I''m not afraid of you telling the others about it. After all, everyone might be able to see it for themselvester on,¡± Luca said with a helpless look. Queenie had her own reason for choosing to meet her at the cafe downstairs. She knew why even if Queenie did not tell her. Although it looked like Queenie chose the cafe downstairs for her convenience, it was to leave Luca with no choice but to agree to the date. That way, she could head back to her office immediately after lunch. However, the cafe downstairs did not have any private rooms. In other words, she would be seen by other employees on her blind date. Then, the news would spread like wildfire in the office. Luke would probably know that she was going on a blind date. It was a great chance to kill two birds with one stone. Queenie had meticulously made the arrangements. Luca knew that she was once an independent woman too. If it had not been for Jack, she would not have chosen to stay behind the scenes and be the woman behind her man. "So what is it?" Tina got even more curious when Luca said so. "I was arranged to go on a blind date with someone," said Luca. "Blind date? That''s not a big deal. Last week, I went on a blind date too. That guy was sort of pervy. I''m not interested in him. Sigh, ever since I met your younger brother, I''ve been thinking about him. How nice would it be if my date could be as handsome as your younger brother," Tina said as she let out a sigh. Luca smiled and shook her head. "He''s nice, but he''s not as good as you think he is." After all, the people from the Ind of Despair all had blood on their hands. "Let''s not talk about this. Isn''t it just a blind date? Do you seriously have to be this restless over it? If you don''t feel like seeing him, then don''t." Tina did not continue to talk about Amur. She changed the subject back to Luca''s matter. "The woman who arranged the blind date for me is someone I respect very much. I don''t want to let her down. Besides, she''ll get upset if I refuse to go on this blind date," said Luca. "Then you can just get it over with it. You can tell her that he''s not suitable for you after meeting the guy, but that way, she might arrange more blind dates for you in the future." Tina had more experience in going on blind dates. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "Hmm, how do I exin this? She can''t wait to see me meet up with this guy, so she arranged for the blind date to take ce at the cafe downstairs of our office. I don''t think it''s the right time for me to go on a blind date now, but I can''t turn her down. So, I have no choice but to go for it," Luca said helplessly. "I understand what you mean. So, that''s why..." Tina took a sip of her coffee and patted Luca''s shoulder. "There''s nothing I can do to help you either. Good luck, then." Luca took a sip of water, let out a sigh, and said, "Yes, I need all the good luck I can get." Luca left the pantry after that. Tina watched Luca leave from behind. She shook her head helplessly and muttered to herself, "So, why do people go on blind dates anyway? Can''t a woman enjoy staying alone?" Luca walked back to the office with her mug. She saw Jason bringing two folders over to her. He said, "Dr. Craw, we need your help to trante these two folders too." "Alright. Sure thing," Luca replied. She was only taking up trantion work, so it was considered easy for her. Luca sat at her office desk. Although she was not in the mood to continue working, there were still piles of documents she needed to trante. She could not be distracted now and continued to throw herself into work. At noon, her phone rang. Luca nced at her phone. Sure enough, it was Queenie calling her. She had no choice but to answer the call. "Hello, Mrs. Norman." Queenie was satisfied listening to her polite tone. She said gently, "Luca, I''ve arrived at the cafe below your office with Enoch. When will you being down?" Luca nced at the time. It was already lunchtime. She stood up and said, "I''ming down now. It''s the cafe right below T Corporation, right?" "Yes, we''re here. You cane over now. Do you mind if I order some dishes for you first?" Queenie knew Luca was busy with her work, and that was why she requested to do so. "Sure. Thank you, Mrs. Norman." Luca hung up the call and shook her head helplessly. There were many cafes and restaurants around her office, but Queenie chose the cafe only because there were no private rooms there... It did seem like Queenie was nning to let the others, including Luke, see her on a blind date. It was a hint. Luca put on her jacket, picked up her phone, and left the office. She nced at Luke''s office and could vaguely see that the door was closed. Jason happened toe out of his office. He ran into Luca. He smiled and asked, "Dr. Craw, are you going down for lunch too?" "Yes, what about you?" Luca nced at Jason and headed to the elevator. "Yes, and I''ll be getting the boss'' lunch too. I have to go down to get it," Jason exined Chapter 1814 Luca nodded. She knew Luke was in his office based on what Jason had told her. He was not nning to go down for lunch. That would be great. That way, he would not find out that she was going on a blind date. Jason and Luca got into the elevator together. He pressed the button for the first floor and asked Luca, "Dr. Craw, where are you going for lunch? Would you like to join us?" ¡°I have a lunch date.¡± Luca shook her head and rejected Jason''s offer. Lunch date? Jason raised his brows. Luca was only closer to Tina in the office, and she was considered a lone wolf. Who could she possibly have a lunch date with? Could it be that younger brother of hers? It would be a disaster if Luke found out about it. A jealous man was the scariest. When Luke got jealous, that was even more terrifying. "Are you having lunch with your younger brother?" Jason asked immediately. Luca shook her head and replied, "No." "I see..." Jason still wanted to ask her who she was having lunch with, but she refused to say another word. He could not say anything much about it either. Luca and Jason walked out of the elevator together when they reached the first floor. Jason looked at Luca and asked, "Dr. Craw, where''s the person you''re having lunch with? I can give you a ride if it''s not far away from here. My car is in the parking lot out there. "It''s not that far. We''ll be having lunch in the cafeteria. It''s alright. Thank you," said Luca. She wondered why Jason seemed to be curious about her affairs. Was it because of Luke? That did not sound good. If Luke found out she went on a blind date, he would probably fly into a rage. Now, Luca really believed that Luke had fallen for her. However, such feelings were too shallow in her eyes, as though it would only take a gust of wind to blow everything away. Luke was just lonely. "Alright." Jason nodded. He nned to find out who Luca was having lunch with after buying Luke''s lunch. Luca walked out of the building of T Corporation with Jason, and they separated when she headed to the right while Jason went to the left. Jason turned around and nced at her. Luca had already entered the cafe next to the office building. Only then did he turn around and continue to walk forward. Luca saw Queenie waving at her once she entered the cafe. There was a man sitting opposite her. Queenie had chosen a table located at the corner of the cafe, but it was near the windows. If someone was to pass by there, they would be able to see her immediately. The location was very visible, but it was a nice ce to talk because it was located at the corner of the cafe. No one would be able to disturb them. Luca thought to herself that Queenie had nned this every step of the way. Queenie was putting in a lot of effort to secure Bianca''s position. Luca smiled, walked toward her, and greeted Queenie, ¡°Good afternoon, Mrs. Norman." "Good afternoon, Luca. Come on, let me introduce you to Enoch Campbell. He''s one of the civil servants working in the provincial capital. Enoch, this is Luca Craw, the one I mentioned to you before. Luca is currently working in T Corporation." Queenie was smiling brightly while she introduced them to each other. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Campbell." Luca greeted the man sitting opposite her politely. Those who were able to win Jack''s and Queenie''s favor were usually good-looking. Luca was secretly rejoicing. Queenie did not simply choose any man for her. At least, she arranged this handsome-looking guy named Enoch for her. Luca could see that although Queenie refused to see Luca and Luke having too much contact with each other, she was not careless when she was choosing a date for her. She was unlike other matchmakers... Perhaps they were really looking out for her. While Luca was lost in thoughts, Enoch, who was sitting opposite her, put on a satisfied smile on his face. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Craw." Queenie looked at the two of them. She was so delighted as if she could already see the two of them getting married. She said, "Why don''t both of you talk to each other? I should leave first." Luca grabbed Queenie''s hand and said, "Mrs. Norman, it''d be better if you stay for lunch. It''s lunchtime. Don''t starve yourself." "Yes, starving is bad for your health." Enoch, who was sitting opposite her, added. They were on a blind date, but it was different from old-fashioned blind dates. Hence, Queenie did not need to leave them alone. "Oh, okay." Queenie thought the two young people were embarrassed. She sat down at the table again. Luca let out a sigh of relief when Queenie was willing to sit down again. If Luca was seen by her colleagues sitting opposite each other with Enoch alone in the cafe, they would misunderstand. However, if Queenie was here too, they would not easily think that something was going on between Luca and Enoch. Queenie smiled when she noticed Luca and Enoch not talking to each other. She started a topic for their conversation, "Oh, why don''t you two get each other''s contact details? Isn''t it great for young people to hang out more often? Perhaps both of you can have dinner and watch movies together?" Luca listened to her, and she knew she had no choice but to get Enoch''s contact details. Enoch agreed with her. He picked up his phone and asked, ¡°Ms. Craw, can I have your contact details?" Luca knew there was no way she could reject him. She picked up her phone, opened her Facebook QR code on her phone, and said, "Of course. Oh, you can call me Luca." "Then you don''t have to call me Mr. Campbell either. I prefer being called by just my name," Enoch replied humorously while he scanned Luca''s QR code and sent her a friend request. Luca epted his friend request and left a remark. Queenie, who was watching them, could not help but exim in her heart. Although the two of them were still keeping a distance from each other, judging from the situation, there was a high chance that they might get together. Before the dishes were served, Enoch and Luca were talking about some of the matters in the pharmaceutical industry. Luca was surprised to find out that the date Jack had chosen for her was quite remarkable. Although Enoch was a civil servant working for the government, he knew a lot about the pharmaceutical industry. It was not easy... Luca thought Queenie and Jack had simply arranged someone who was more outstanding than her, but it seemed like they had put in a lot of consideration when they were picking her date. Although the pharmaceutical industry was not within the scope of his interest, he was still able to continue their conversation. Hence, they had more and more topics to talk about. Queenie smiled and remained silent while she watched the two of them. The more she listened to their conversation, the more she thought they were a perfect match. After the waiter served their lunch, they stopped talking and began to eat. On the other hand. After Jason ordered food for Luke, he did not forget that Luca was having a lunch date. Therefore, he headed to the cafe and nced around. Before he entered the cafe, he saw Luca sitting at the table beside the window. Queenie was sitting beside her, while another man was sitting opposite Luca. Jason was pretty sure that this man was not an employee of T Corporation. Who was it? If standing outside the cafe and taking photos with his phone was not considered strange, Jason would have taken out his phone and taken a photo. After all, it was a serious matter that hisdy boss was having lunch with another man. Jason rubbed his nose when he saw Luca and Enoch having fun together. He turned around and walked into T Corporation. Should he inform Luke that Luca was having lunch with another man now? Chapter 1815 If Jason told Luke about it, normal employees like them would probably have to deal with a hot-headed boss for the whole day... However, if Jason chose to not tell Luke, what should he do if some other man was stealing thedy boss from Luke? Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Jason was in a dilemma. He ran into Tina when he entered the office. Tina was carrying a lunch box. It seemed she had gotten a takeaway as well. ¡°Tina, you didn''t dine in for lunch?" ¡°I waste when I came down. There wasn''t a seat left in the cafe next door, so I ordered takeout instead," Tina said helplessly. "You ordered takeout at the cafe next door?" Jason nced at the takeout packaging she was carrying. It was indeed from the cafe next door. "Yes. I even saw Dr. Craw''s date just now. He''s quite handsome. If someone introduced me to such a cute guy for a blind date, I wouldn''t have to be pressured by my parents for not getting married yet." Tina put on a love-struck expression on her face. She had been sizing Luca''s date up when she was ordering her food. However, she was too embarrassed to disturb them. She only watched them from far away without disturbing them. ¡°Blind date?" Jason''s heart skipped a beat. No way, hisdy boss was on a blind date? Then what about his boss? Was Luke getting dumped? "Yes. Dr. Craw told me about it when we were in the office pantry today. She said someone arranged a blind date for her, and she couldn''t reject it." Tina did not understand why Jason looked so surprised. Even though Luca was good-looking, it was normal for young women around her age to go on blind dates. "Oh sh*t, oh sh*t!" Jason cried out. Although Jason wondered why Queenie was there with them, he thought they were just friends. He had no idea that Luca was on a blind date. It was a mess. ¡°What''s wrong?" Tina could not help but panic when she saw Jason reacting like this. "Mr. Doyle, don''t tell me¡ª" "What?" Jason did not look at Tina''s expression. Jason''s mind was filled with thoughts of whether or not he should tell Luke about this. Although Luca was probably forced to go on a blind date and it seemed like the guy was no match for Luke, it was still a dangerous situation for Luke. Luca might get stolen by someone else. After all, she was not Bianca now. Should he be honest and tell Luke about this? If Jason told him what happened, everyone might have a tough time until the project ended. "You''re not interested in Dr. Craw, are you?" Tina asked in a low voice. Jason shivered with fear. He looked at Tina with a stern expression on his face. "What makes you think so?" "You look nervous after finding out that Dr. Craw is on a blind date as though someone is stealing your loved one," Tina exined innocently. "There''s no such thing. I''m worried about someone else." Jason was frustrated. If he told Luke about this, those who were working in the secretary''s office would be in trouble too. "Really.." Tina still doubted him, but she knew Jason and Sue loved each other very much. If Jason was worried about someone else, then who could it be? Could it be Jason was worried about their boss? It was probably him... Tina was secretly pondering. Although Luke did not express his love for Luca in front of the others, Tina could see how much he cared about Luca and how he had been giving her special treatment. Hence, after she thought about it, it seemed their boss did really have feelings for Luca. That was why Jason was so nervous when he knew Luca was on a blind date. It was because everyone would be in trouble if their boss knew about it. Tina put on a long face right away and looked at him, "Uh, Mr. Doyle, you won''t tell the boss, right?" "I''m going to tell him." Jason knew Tina was thinking the same thing. He pulled a straight face and replied to her. "Can you not tell him about it? Although that guy is handsome, he''s no match for our boss. He''s not even close. Dr. Craw wouldn''t fall for him¡ª" Tina wanted to stay out of trouble. After all, she was already busy enough. If something pissed Luke off, everyone in the office would get even busier with work. They probably would not even have the time to go home to rest. "What if Dr. Craw falls for him, then?" Jason questioned her. He knew Luca was trying to avoid Luke. If Luca took things too seriously and got together with that man to forget about Luke, it would be toote to make things right then. Tina thought thetter option might be even more serious. Tina let out a sigh and said, "Then try to put it mildly when you tell him about it. After all, Dr. Craw didn''t volunteer to go on a blind date. She had a helpless look on her face when she talked about the blind date. I could see that she didn''t want to do it. She wouldn''t have agreed to it if it wasn''t because the person who arranged it is a person she cares about." "Really?" Jason confirmed with her. "Of course, it''s true. Do I look like I have the guts to lie about this?" Tina confirmed with him. "So, you have to keep the boss calm when you''re telling him this. Dr. Craw isn''t the kind of woman who''d admire a bad-tempered man." "Do you want me to tell the boss your exact words?" Jason looked at her expressionlessly. Tina shook her head instantly. It would already cause an uproar if Jason told Luke that Luca was on a blind date. If Jason said these words to him too, Tina would probably get fired. "Don''t tell anyone about this first. I have to find the right time to tell him." Jason reminded Tina when he noticed that the elevator had reached the first floor. He then entered. Tina muttered to herself in a low voice, ¡°I think you should tell him as soon as possible. I saw many colleagues having lunch at the cafe when I went in just now. If you don''t tell him now, it''s just a matter of time before the boss finds out.¡± "How troublesome!" Jason was frustrated at the thought of this. Tina hunched up her shoulders. She was d that she was not Luke''s assistant. Otherwise, she would be the one who had to tell Luke about it. She had no idea what she would have to face if that really happened. After all, jealous men were scary. It would be even scarier if it was someone like Luke. On the other hand. After Luca finished her lunch, she noticed it was about time to get back to work. She told them that she had to leave and head upstairs to continue her work. Enoch stood up and said enthusiastically, "Luca, let me send you." Luca was startled for a moment. She did not expect Enoch to be so enthusiastic when they had just talked to each other for an hour. She was unprepared for such changes. "What''s wrong? Is it inconvenient for you?" Enoch noticed the changes in her expression. Luca nodded and exined politely, "The corporation has a very strict system. Outsiders are not allowed to enter the office. You''ll have to register and go through stuff like that. It''s troublesome." It was not troublesome. Luca was one of the senior managers in T Corporation, so she only had to inform the security guards after he registered as a visitor. However, Luca did not want Enoch to send her there. Not only did Luca refuse to let Enoch send her there, but she was even thinking of cutting ties with him after their lunch. Although she had a great time talking with Enoch, they were talking about professional knowledge most of the time. Besides, those were not Luca''s interests. Therefore, they did not really hit it off. Chapter 1816 Enoch nodded his head understandingly. ¡°Oh, I''m sorry." "It''s alright. You work in a different industry, so it''s normal for you to be unaware of some practices here. Anyway, I''ll head back to work now." Luca let out a sigh of relief when Enoch did not insist on sending her upstairs. Queenie did not say anything either. Luca had no idea how she was going to reject Enoch if he insisted on sending her there. However, he seemed like a generous man. He would not do things abruptly. Luca would just distance herself from him after this. Enoch would understand what was going on even if she did not spell it out for him. Luca epted Queenie''s arrangement, but there was nothing Queenie and Jack could do if Luca and Enoch did not click well with each other. "Sure. I''ll keep in touch with you through Facebook," Enoch added. It had been such a long time since he met a woman who caught his eyes, and that was why he wanted to go for it. Luca nodded, turned around, and left. Queenie smiled as she watched Luca leave, then she asked Enoch, "Enoch, what do you think of Luca?" "I like her. I''m hoping to get to know her better." Enoch expressed his admiration for Luca unabashedly. Enoch was born in a political family. He was surrounded by different types of women since he was young. However, none of them had ever caught his attention. It was because he had nothing inmon with them. Enoch was interested in many things. If he was not a filial son who listened to his parents'' arrangements and continued to be involved in politics, he would be working in the pharmaceutical industry just like Luca. "That''s great. I didn''t expect you to like her so much. Luca is a good woman. She''s beautiful and has a good personality. Uncle Jack and I can promise you that. It''s wonderful that you''re willing to get to know her better." Queenie did not expect everything to go so smoothly. Queenie had only arranged the first blind date for Luca, and this guy was already interested in her. It seemed like Luca was charming, indeed. She could not let such a charming woman like Luca stay close to Luke. Otherwise, things would get out of control in the future. "Luca is different from any woman I''ve known before. I''m definitely not going to reject getting into a rtionship with her if she agrees to it too," said Enoch. There were traces of his admiration for Luca in his words. "I was observing you two just now. I think you left quite a good impression on Luca too. Besides, Uncle Jack told me that your ability and courage are the best among the younger generation, so you''ll surely have a bright future," said Queenie. Although she was in a hurry to find Luca a boyfriend, she did not do things carelessly either. Queenie could not help but dig into Enoch''s family background when Jack nned to introduce Enoch to Luca. His family had been involved in politics for three generations. Although Enoch''s grandfather and father did not hold high positions, they had been honest and fair their whole lives. A child educated by such a family was certainly not that bad either. Moreover, Jack told her that Enoch had a bright future. If he was willing to keep up with his work with a down-to-earth attitude, he would not stay in his current position as a civil servant for long. N?velDrama.Org ? content. A man like him was considered outstanding, and he would be a great match for Luca. That was why Queenie made such arrangements. When she brought up the topic of a blind date to Enoch, he agreed to meet Luca. At the same time, Luca had agreed to meet him as well. The two of them looked harmonious when they were talking to each other just now. It seemed like they had left a good impression on each other. It was as though Queenie was able to envision Luca and Enoch dating, then getting married and having kids. "Thank you for introducing me to such an outstanding woman." Enoch was truly satisfied with Luca. It was great if his partner was working in the profession he was interested in. If they really got married, he did not have to worry that there was nothing they could talk about even if they were working in different fields. ¡°Don''t mention it. What the future holds for you all depends on you and Luca now. You''d better seize the chance. If this works, you''ll surely receive a wedding gift from us.¡± Queenie encouraged him. Enoch nodded confidently. He lowered his head and sent Luca a message: [I had a great time talking to you. If you''re not busy, why don''t we meet again at ater date?] Luca got into the elevator and massaged her aching forehead. She let out a sigh as she watched the elevator go up. She did not expect it to be so tiring to deal with Queenie. Her heart belonged to someone else. How could she be interested in another man? However, she had no choice but to respond enthusiastically to a man she had no interest in for Queenie''s sake. She was trying to show that she was interested in him too. Well, putting on a show was tiring... Luca was not a professional actor. It was already tiring enough when she had to conceal her feelings when she was facing Luke. Now, she had to deceive Queenie and Enoch with her poor acting skills. There were no other employees in the elevator as lunch break was almost over. Luca leaned her head on the elevator wall wearily and let out a helpless sigh. She wanted to look for a shoulder to cry on or go somewhere she would not have to pretend and put on a show. She wanted to lean on Luke''s shoulder the most. However, she still had to put on a mask when she was facing that man. There was no ce for her to rx. Luca covered her face with her hands. She felt exhausted. Then, her phone in her pocket vibrated. She took her phone out and looked at it. It was a message from Enoch. Luca let out a sigh and stared at the keyboard for a long time. She thought of finding an excuse to brush him off, but considering that he might be sitting with Queenie now, she replied to him: [Sure.] Luca walked out of the elevator when it arrived on the floor. She ran into Jason, who had just gotten out of the office pantry. She smiled and greeted him, "Mr. Doyle, have you eaten your lunch?" Jason''s expression was a little strange. He nodded and replied, ¡°Yes, Dr. Craw. How was your date?¡± ¡°I was just having lunch with my friends. I don''t think it''s considered a date,¡± Luca corrected him. She was reluctant to mention the words ''blind date''. ¡°I see. I''m going back to my office to work first,¡± replied Jason. Then, he headed to his office. Jason was still on the fence. He had yet to tell Luke that Luca had gone on a blind date. After all, everyone in thepany was stressed enough. If Luke got furious and wanted them to speed up the progress of the project, then they would be out of luck. Jason had been working for him for years and knew his boss'' temper well. If Luke was mad at something, he would work continuously to release his anger. The workload of the employees would increase if Luke''s workload increased. Although it was tiring for Luke to handle everything in thepany alone, he was able to endure it more than others as though he was Superman. However, his employees were merely ordinary people. They would not be able to do so much work. Luca looked at Jason''s figure from behind. She noticed Jason was acting a little weird, and the way he looked at her was odd too. Could it be that Jason had found out about her blind date? It was not a big deal if he figured it out. However, if he knew about it, Luke must know about it as well. Chapter 1817 Luca shook her head. What would happen if Luke found out about it? If Luke was really bothered about her blind date, then everyone in the office would get into trouble... Luca nced at the time. There were two minutes left until lunch break was over. She trotted over to clock in. Luke walked out of his office and saw Luca clocking in. Then, he walked toward her. Luca turned around and saw the man in front of her. She could not help but be startled for a moment. She lowered her head unconsciously, avoiding his gaze. She had no idea why she had this guilty feeling when she saw Luke. It was as if she had done something wrong and was caught. However, she was Luca now, not Bianca. The identity Abel had given her was a single, unmarried woman, not a married woman. ¡°Mr. Crawford, I''m going back to work now," said Luca. Luke frowned when he noticed Luca was running away from him like a mouse running away from a cat. He asked, "Why are you sote?" "I was having lunch just now and lost track of the time." Luca noticed that Luke was still talking normally. He just sounded a little serious. She figured that he probably did not know that she had gone on a blind date, so she told him a white lie. "Alright, then." Luke did not put her on the spot. Even though Luca was lowering her head as though she was hiding something from him, he did not force her to tell him anything. Luca nodded and trotted back into her office. She sat down at her desk and took her phone out, noticing that Enoch had sent another message to her: [Are you avable this weekend?] When she saw this message, Luca muttered to herself, "Oh no." Looking at the situation now, it was clear that Enoch was interested in her. It was not because Luca was narcissistic, but a man must be interested in a woman when he could not wait to ask her out again right after seeing her. Although Enoch was a good man, she had no feelings for him. Luca shifted her eyes and replied to him: [I''m swamped with work recently. I''m not sure if I''m avable this weekend. Why don''t we talk about thister?] Enoch replied to her message soon: [I''m sorry. I didn''t consider that you might be busy with work. Then we''ll talk about itter.] Luca''s head hurt again when she read thest sentence of the message¡ª''We''ll talk about itter.'' She kept massaging her temples. Luke saw her when he was passing by her office. He stopped and stood at the door to look at her without entering her office. "Are you feeling ufortable?" ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Luca stopped massaging her temples. She looked at him with confusion and shook her head. "No." "Then why are you massaging your temples?" Luke asked again. Luca nced at her desk and exined, "It''s nothing. One of the sentences I''m tranting is a little harder. I''m just thinking of how I should trante it." Luke stepped into her office and walked toward her desk. "Which one?" "I''ve already figured out how to trante it. Thank you, Mr. Crawford," Luca replied immediately. She did not expect him toe in because of this. Luke''s eyes darkened. He felt that something was wrong with Luca. However, he could not tell what it was. Luca met Luke''s deep eyes that carried a lot of wisdom. She was worried that Luke might see through her, so she picked up the document and said, "I''m getting back to work." Luke nodded. He reminded her with a cold expression on his face, saying, "You can ask me if you need any help in tranting." "Alright, Mr. Crawford," replied Luca. Luke did not say another word. He turned around and walked out of her office. Luca let out a sigh of relief when she watched him leave. She really could not figure out how Luke was feeling now. Previously, Nina told Bianca that Luke''s emotions were manipted by her. However, she was Luca now, not Bianca. Even though Luke had feelings for her, he would not have fallen so hard for her. Then what were all his emotions about? Luca sighed as she looked at the piles of documents. It was tough for Luca to stay beside Luke. It felt better to be Bianca. At least when she was still Bianca back then, she never had to handle anyone''s mood swings. There were only the asional times when Luke identally pissed her off... On the other hand. When Nina was busy handling the documents at Brint, Sue pushed her office door open and dashed into her office with a panicked look on her face. Nina was startled by her actions. "Sue, what happened?''" Sue looked at Nina''s rosy cheeks. Ever since she made up with Percy, her mood had been getting better day by day. Her cheeks had turned rosy too. When Sue was on her way to the office this morning, she was eximing how different women looked when they were in love. "What''s wrong? Is there something on my face?" Nina touched her face curiously. Sue remembered what she wanted to tell Nina. She handed her phone to Nina and said, ¡°No. Look at this. Something''s happened." "What''s going on?" Nina took Sue''s phone from her curiously. There was a video app opened on the phone. Nina''s face turned pale white when she nced at the title. "What is this?" Nina asked. "It''s Madison Johnston. She got engaged with Percy back then. She hosted a live stream to show her jumping off a building," Sue exined. "Why is she..." Nina was startled. She widened her eyes as she looked at the video. Madison was holding her phone herself while doing the live broadcast. Nina could only see a pair of legs hanging in the air. The crowd who was watching her from below looked tiny. She could see how tall the building was. "She said the Johnston family is doomed in her live steam. And she imed that the man she loves isn''t in love with her. He''s together with another woman now. She thinks there''s no point living in this world anymore." Sue exined. Nina''s hand trembled. "No way. She can''t jump off the building. No way. Where is she? I have to go there." She stood up suddenly. The Johnston family fell from grace because Percy had secretly plotted against them, causing their family to face huge difficulties. Madison was talking about Percy when she said she got dumped. It was because Percy had gotten together with Nina that he fought against the Mallory family publicly. That was how the news spread. Madison must have found out about this, and that was why she could not take it anymore. "Nina, calm down. The live stream has already ended!" Sue held down Nina''s shoulders as Nina was acting so hysterically that her shoulders were shaking. "Then what happened to Madison.." Nina''s voice was trembling when she asked the question. "Don''t worry. Madison is alright. When she started the live stream, the firefighters had alreadyunched a rescue attempt. Madison is fine and she''s not hurt. But she was sent to the hospital by the firefighters to receive treatment because of her emotional issues," Sue replied. She only dared to show Nina the video was because she was sure that Madison was safe now. She could not hide this from Nina because it was only a matter of time before Nina found out about it. "I''m d she''s okay. What a relief." Nina had yet to recover from the shock. It made her go weak in the knees as she slumped in her chair. It was as though she was the one sitting on the 20-story high building. Chapter 1818 Sue could not hold back when she saw her in this state. "That''s right. She''s fine. You don''t need to be worried." "How can I not be worried..." Nina was still in shock as she lifted her head to look at her best friend. "If anything were to happen to her, I can forget about living a good life." Sue felt a pinch in her heart. No one would have thought that Madison would attempt suicide. Looking at her trembling made Sue utterly heartbroken. She hugged her tightly andforted her, saying, "This has nothing to do with you. She was the one who isn''t in her right mind, causing her to take the wrong path." Nina was in Sue''s arms and thought of Percy. If it were not because he wanted to be with her, he would not have caused so many problems without her knowledge and even gone against the Johnston family. Despite knowing that the Johnston family had been having problems for a long time and it was only a matter of time before they would be targeted by others, it remained a fact that Madison would not have attempted suicide if not for Percy. From the very start of it all, she felt that she was responsible for Madison''s suicide attempt. "Sue, if it weren''t for Percy, the Johnstons wouldn''t have ended up in such a miserable state and Madison wouldn''t have fallen into depression," she muttered. The light in her eyes was gone as she tried to reduce her feelings of guilt. "You can''t force a rtionship. You''re not to be med. You and Percy both love each other. Even if he hadn''t thought of a way to take down the Johnston family, he would''ve stille up with ways to get together with you and provide you with a bright future. Madison took it too hard." Sue had watched the entire live stream. Madison did not mention anything about the Johnston family and kept asking why she was dumped. Although she did not state it explicitly, everyone understood. She had yet to see the news on the inte, but she did not need to. Currently, public opinion was inclined toward Madison. Currently, all she hoped for was for Percy to settle it as soon as possible. After all, ording to the timeline, Nina was the first to arrive at the scene. "But I. I hurt her." Nina lowered her eyes that were brimming with tears. She thought that after all the things she had gone through with Percy, she would never shed a single tear because of their rtionship again. However, the reality was always cruel. Madison jumping off the building had dealt her a huge blow. Madison must have heard about Percy going against the Mallory family for my sake. Hence, Madison started having negative thoughts.'' "It''s alright, Nina. What are you thinking about? It wasn''t easy for you to find your true love. Yet, you''re now thinking of unnecessary things because of this? If Mr. Mallory finds out about this, he''ll definitely get angry. Madison will be fine. Besides, both of you don''t need to obtain her approval to be together. As long as you''re happy, you can just ignore the naysayers, right?" Sue softly patted her back. "Which hospital is Madison in now?" Nina suddenly lifted her head. All this while, she had never thought that her rtionship would hurt another innocent woman. It was the Mallory family who protested her being together with Percy. Madison was innocent. ''It must be because I''ve gotten together with Percy that she started having all those negative thoughts." "What are you nning to do?" Sue lowered her head to look at her. She quickly shook her head the next moment and said, "Madison''s emotions are still very unstable right now. Besides, the paparazziContent ? N?velDrama.Org. will definitely be at the hospital to get first-hand information. If you go there, you might agitate Madison and get photographed by the paparazzi. It''ll only bring about adverse effects." Nina bit her lower lip. She was the one at fault. Even so, she could not help but want to know about Madison''s current condition. "How about this? I''ll send someone over to get information on Madison''s condition. So, don''t go showing up over there. Just let Percy handle it. Have faith in his abilities. He''ll certainly handle it perfectly." Sue was unable to remain firm when she saw Nina''s disappointed look. "Alright." In the end, Nina nodded her head in agreement because she was worried her appearance would agitate Madison. She was also worried that others might misunderstand that she was there to show off. Sue patted her head and said, "If it isn''t because my parents are sick right now, I would love to get both of them to take care of Kari and Teri. That way, we can go on vacation together." Nina smiled gently. "Going on a vacation is not a priority right now. We can talk about it once the kids have grown up, or when Mr. Doyle is not that busy and has the time to look after the kids." Sue nodded and thought back to the past. In the beginning, Bianca was the happiest of them all. Both she and Nina were clueless about their future rtionships and had no idea how they should face their partners. However,ter on, with the help of Bianca and Nina, Sue found her direction in life. Besides, her rtionship with Jason had improved and she even learned to trust him. Currently, Bianca was in a foreign country, and there was no news about her. Meanwhile, Nina thought that her life would settle down and she would soon get her happy ending. However, Madison showed up. The thought of it made her have a heartache. "Alright, stop letting your thoughts stray away. I''ll go arrange for someone to get news of Madison''s condition." Sue tapped on Nina''s head as if to remind her silly self not to worry over this issue anymore. "Alright." Nina nodded. With Sue''sfort, she felt much better now. Sue left and closed the office door. Nina sighed. Her emotions were not stable. The thought of Madison attempting suicide because she had gotten together with Percy made her hands tremble. Looking at the silent screen of her phone, she had the urge to listen to what Madison said during the live stream. However, she did not dare to click into it. ''If she was really going tomit suicide, she wouldn''t have kicked up such a big fuss.'' Hence, Nina knew that Madison did not have the intention tomit suicide at all and was just cing herst bet. She wanted the public to know that Percy had betrayed her and make the public misunderstand that Nina was the third party... She was not worried about all those matters because Percy would handle them. ''But what if Madison really wanted tomit suicide? ''She sat on the balcony of such a high floor. Wasn''t she scared?'' Nina took a deep breath. She had never thought that her appearance would harm others, but it was clear that she had indeed hurt someone this time. Besides, this situation seemed to have gotten much moreplicated. ''Why won''t she let me off the hook?'' The more Nina thought about it, the more frightened she was. Her phone vibrated. She picked it up and saw that it was an Instagram message from Percy. She ced her phone aside and did not click into it. After knowing Madison had attempted suicide, she no longer knew how she should face Percy. She loved him, but after going through so many things for such a long time, her love for him had been mixed up with other things. Nina touched her warm forehead, wondering if it was caused by her overly agitated emotions. She ced her hand down and muttered, ¡°Percy. "We''ll be together forever, right?" No one replied to her. Sue, who was outside, was very busy searching for someone to investigate which hospital Madison was admitted to. In the end, she got to know which hospital Madison was admitted to through Jason and Johann. "This world is so small. Do rich people love to gather in hospitals?" Sue wondered. Chapter 1819 Nina''s mother, Pierre, and Madison were all receiving treatment in the same hospital. After giving it a thought, she asked Johann for a favor. Considering that she had a connection to Luke, coupled with the fact that Jason and Johann were both her friends, Nina asked him to help check on Madison''s condition. Johann agreed to it. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. After finishing his rounds, Johann sauntered toward the psychiatric department while yawning. Before arriving, he saw Pierre walking out with two people trailing behind him while carrying two suitcases in their hands. ''Has he been discharged?'' Johann raised his brows. ''It seems that Luca really knows how to deliver a heavy blow.'' Back when Pierre was first admitted, he was in so much pain. After being in pain for two to three days, it seemed that he had returned to normal and could be discharged. He smiled and walked over. "Mr. Mallory, have you been discharged?" Pierre knew that Johann was one of Luke''s people, so in other words, he was on Percy''s side. He just took a nce at him and said through gritted teeth, "Yeah. It''s all thanks to you." "No, no, don''t say that. I didn''t do anything. I didn''t manage to find out what was wrong with your body, but it seems that you can walk freely now and you''re fine.¡± Johann ced both his hands in his pockets. He knew the truth, yet he put on an act as though he was clueless. Pierre clenched his fists. At this moment, he just felt like beating up anyone rted to Luke. "I''m fine." He snorted. "But you look a little pale. Are you sure you''re alright? Why not stay for one more night?" Johann suggested. Pierre snorted and continued straight ahead with a darkened expression, ignoring Johann. Since noon that day, he was no longer in pain. He did not need any more painkillers and had recovered naturally. It was as if nothing had happened. Johann shook his head as he watched Pierre leave. He picked up his phone and sent two messages. The first message was to Luca. [As you said, Pierre recovered today and has been discharged. You should be careful in case he tries to get back at you.] The second message was to Luke. [Pierre has been discharged. Take good care of your woman.] After sending both messages, he then continued to make his way to the psychiatric department. He headed to the nurse''s station. Johann frowned and said, ¡°Why are there so many reporters here? Go get the security guards to chase them away." The matron said with a bitter look, "I''ve already informed the security guards. Three batches of guards have alreadye over and chased away these reporters, but they keep sneaking in. They''re just like flies. It''s impossible to chase them away." "Is it because of Madison?" Johann asked. He knew long ago that Madison was admitted here. However, he was not interested in those who had nothing to do with him. If it were not for Sue asking him for this favor, he would not have made his way here. The matron nodded her head. The current lifestyle in the city was very stressful, so many would easily have negative thoughts. Hence, there were many patients in this department seeking treatment. However, none of them had ever brought so many reporters here before. Their department was different than others. Some of the patients here would have their emotions triggered whenever they saw strangers pacing around and suffer a rpse in their illness. This time, due to these reporters who lingered around without any intention of leaving and who were determined to get first-hand information, a few patients had broken down. Currently, both nurses and doctors were thrown into turmoil. They could not care less about any other things. Johann turned around and looked at the reporters, asking, "Want to settle this hassle?" The matron''s eyes glittered as she immediately nodded her head. "Of course. Our patients are extremely sensitive. They''ll go mad if they see this bunch of reporters." "Have the Johnstonse over to settle it. Just say there are lots of reporters loitering here. It''ll do no good to Madison''s privacy and mental health. Tell the Johnstons that the reporters are targeting Madison. This will chase the reporters away. Even if they''re not willing to leave, the cops will forcefully chase them away. But if the Johnstons are not concerned about Madison''s health, the reporters will continue to stay here." Johann proposed a n while wondering if it was the Johnstons who plotted this. After all, the Johnstons were currently being cornered by the Mallory family. It would be worthwhile for them to pull any tricks they could think of or sacrifice someone to protect the Johnston family name. The matron nodded and said to Johann, "Dr. Park, can you stay back here to help out for a while? I''ll go and speak to the Johnston family." "Alright." Johann nodded and did not insist on following. He did not need to be personally involved to know the truth. He would just have to rely on the nurses to understand the situation here. Besides, psychiatry was not his field. Johann just stood therezily at the nurse''s station and looked at the reporters, preventing them from entering. Deep in his heart, he was thinking that if these persistent reporters were ced here as part of the Johnston family''s plot, then he would really have to take his hat off to them. ''In order to protect the Johnston family name, they''re pulling all sorts of tricks under their sleeves.'' When he was staring at the reporters, Tia came out of the elevator. When she saw Johannzily standing at the nurse''s station, she got curious and walked to him. "Johann? What are you doing here?" Johann was shocked to see her and raised his brows. "I work in this hospital, so of course, I''ll be here. But you... Who called you here?" Tia knew in an instant when she saw his reaction. "Enough. You''re here to get some insider information, right?" "Nonsense. All departments in this hospital wee me. There''s a patient here who''s suffering from a disease, so they invited me over to check on them. But now, just look at these reporters. They''re keeping the nurses and doctors here so upied. Hence, everyone is ignoring me and no one is here to tell me where that patient is. I can only remain standing here, so I might as well stop the reporters from entering." Johann just simply blurted out a reason. Tia was slightly suspicious. "Really?" "What about you? Did the Johnston family send you here?" Johann softened his voice. Only the Johnston family could hire a psychologist like Tia. Even though the Johnston family was in crisis, they could still fork out some cash to pay for Tia''s expensive medical fees. Besides, with so many reporters here, perhaps they could gain valuable insider information if they saw Tia entering the department. It seemed that the Johnstons were determined to create big waves out of this news and have the Mallory family be in chaos. "Just keep your mouth shut if you know about it. I have to keep my patient''s details confidential." Tia turned a blind eye against him. Johann burst intoughter. "If you really wanted to keep your patient''s details confidential, you wouldn''t have walked over so grandly. Now, all the reporters have their eyes on you." Tia turned around and saw the reporters gathering at the elevator. They were sneakily taking photos of her. "I had no idea that there were so many reporters here. Can''t the hospital do any better than this? Why aren''t you guys chasing them away?" Chapter 1820 "We can''t chase them away. It''s obvious that the Johnston family has arranged for them to stay here,¡± Johann told her while shaking his head. Tia suddenly felt that something was off after hearing this. ''Any psychiatric patient would want to keep a low profile, yet this patient is openly receiving the reporters'' attention. It seems that the Johnstons are trying to make a big deal out of Madison''s attempted suicide.'' "This is interesting. Help me find out which ward she''s in," Tia asked. Johann put on a helpless look on his face. "I''m not a nurse." "Then why are you standing here?" Tia red at him helplessly, then turned to look at the reporters beside her while feeling d that she had put on makeup before leaving her house today. Otherwise, she would have a rough road ahead if the reporters saw her without makeup. Johann smirked. "I''m enjoying the scene. It seems that you do enjoy being photographed by the reporters." Tia retrieved her gaze and cursed inwardly. Johann was very observant. Despite psychology not being his field of study, he was more observant than any other psychologist. Indeed, she enjoyed having the reporters take photos of her. With that, she would be on the papers and Luke would be forced to take note of her. "Oh, right. I heard that you''ve epted Luke''s mother, Ms. Tanner, as your patient?" Johann asked. Tia tapped on the table. "Do you want to change your profession? You sure love gossiping. The systems in hospitals are all the same. Hurry and help me check which ward she''s in." "Didn''t those people tell you the ward number when they hired you?¡± Ultimately, Johann sat on the chair and still helped Tia. Just by typing Madison''s name on the keyboard, he would be able to see all the hospital''s records about her. After hitting the enter button, he raised his brows. It seemed that Madison did have a very fragile body. There were several of her records in their hospital. "I just happened to forget. You''re such a nuisance. All I''m asking is for you to help me check her ward number." Tia wasining because Johann was being slow. After she epted the case, she immediately started borating on her fees in detail. She also recorded everything that her client told her about Madison''s condition. The only thing she forgot to ask for was Madison''s ward. If she were to just ask around, she would certainly look unprofessional. "Found it. Just walk until you reach the end and the ward is on your right,¡± said Johann. "Are you trying to confuse me? Why can''t you just tell me the ward number?" Tia''s eyes were brewing with anger as she was very dissatisfied with his response. "It''s all the same. Just listen to my instructions and open the door once you''re there. You can head in immediately,¡± Johann spoke while looking at those reporters. The security guards from the ground floor had arrived. They were just standing aside, having already given up on chasing the reporters away. After all, there were lots of people in the hospital. With just the blink of an eye, the reporters would sneak in again using other methods. Hence, the security guards just stood there so that the reporters would not trespass into the department and ward area. Tia still doubted Johann of fooling with her even after seeing his expression. ¡°It''d better be the correct ward, or I''ll get back at you." Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "Men don''t like fierce women." Johann shook his head. Back when Tia did not have a crush, she would obey all hismands and even wanted to be with him. However, he was not into her. Currently, Tia had a new crush and would only listen to Luke. As for other men, she did not bother to treat them gently at all. In her opinion, men she could not take advantage of were useless to her. Johann sighed. ''Women are sure quick to change their minds.'' As soon as Tia took two steps forward, she turned around and red at him. "I''ll file aint against you if I find out you''re spouting nonsense.'' Johann shrugged his shoulders. Ifints were effective, he would have long been transferred to another hospital. He sat down and nced through the information in the system. His eyes gradually darkened. ''Perhaps all of this information can help Percy.'' Johann closed the information and waited for the matron to return. After some time, the matron came back and shook her head helplessly when she saw those foolish reporters. Johann saw her and asked with a smile, "How did it go?" The matron sneakily gave him a thumbs up. "Dr. Park, it''s just as you predicted. 90 percent of those reporters were sent by the Johnstons." "How''s Madison doing?" Johann continued to question. The matron replied, "She''s not doing too well right now. Her emotions seem to be unstable. Initially, Dr. Leo wanted to inject her with a tranquilizer but the Johnstons objected to it. They imed that they''ve hired a psychologist outside of the hospital to help stabilize the patient''s emotions. That professional psychologist has just arrived." "It''s Tia," Johann added. "You just met her, right?" The matron smiled. Of all the doctors in this hospital, Johann was the most capable one and also the easiest tomunicate with. ¡°Yes. Oh, right. Earlier, I used theputer because she didn''t know which ward to go to. So, I checked it for her," said Johann. "No problem at all." The matron was easy-going as well. Johann nodded and spun around to leave. He picked up his phone and sent Percy a message about what he had just seen. [Regarding the issues with the Johnstons, I think the information in the hospital''s system can help you.] Percy replied quickly: [What information?] [This is confidential. As a doctor, I can''t just simply reveal it. You have to find out for yourself.] Johann did not explicitly say anything. After all, he still had the morale of a doctor. As long as he was not the one who revealed a patient''s confidential information and it was Percy who hired a hacker or someone else to obtain the information to reveal it to the public, no one could me it on him. After some time, Percy replied? [I''ll treat you to beer after this is over.] [You might as well invite me to your yacht. I''m sure you haven''t sailed your yacht during this time. Let me use it.] Johann was being greedy. Percy replied: [As you wish.] After working hours, Luca also learned the news of Madison attempting suicide by jumping off a building. She looked at the documents on the table that were already done. She had alreadypleted all her work for today and was nning to call Nina. Just when she was about to give Nina a call, Percy called her first. Luca was surprised as Percy would not just casually give her a call. She answered the call and said, "Mr. Mallory?" "Dr. Craw, I''d like to ask you for a favor," said Percy. "It''s about Nina, right? What is it?" Luca could guess it immediately. "I''m guessing you''ve seen the news of Madison jumping off the building, right? Now, the world is ming it on Nina. I''m in the midst of handling this issue and I can''t leave, but I''m worried the Johnston family might target Nina using public opinion. Hence, I want to ask you to take care of her. Don''t let her mind stray during this period of time," Percy pleaded with Luca. He knew Nina''s character well. She was to type to shoulder all the me herself, and it would certainly be the same with this incident. "Alright, no problem." Luca agreed readily as she had already been nning onforting Nina. It was not easy for Nina and Percy to open up their hearts to each other and be together, but Madison had suddenly stirred trouble. As everything happened in such a short time, Nina would definitely me herself for Madison''s attempted suicide. Chapter 1821 Percy paused for a moment and continued, "What I''m trying to say is to let Nina stay over at your ce for the time being." Earlier, he received a call from the maid at the vi telling him that there were reporters outside the vi and she could not chase them away as they insisted on staying until they saw Nina. He had to stay in the office to settle this issue and could not return, but he could not do anything about this either as it involved Nina. "About this..." Luca felt troubled. "Are there many reporters at your vi? Why not have Nina stay at the previous apartment?" "She needspany now. That''s why I thought of this arrangement. Actually, she already knows about what''s going on between you and Luke, so you don''t have to worry too much about it," said Percy. Luca was speechless and wondered how Percy knew that she was staying together with Luke. However, when she thought about the rtionship Percy and Luke shared, it was possible that Luke had told Percy about it. Indeed, both Luca and Luke were innocent. Despite staying in the same house, they had never done anything intimate and had never crossed the line. However, after listening to what Percy said, it sounded like she and Luke shared some sort of deep rtionship. As Luca listened, she became helpless. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "I''m just staying together with Luke. That''s all," she emphasized. "We''re like housemates." "I know. That''s why I''m asking you to look after Nina," Percy replied to her, but he was also teasing Luke inwardly. ''It seems that he still hasn''t won over Luca.'' Luca was at a loss for words as she felt that Percy had a point, but before that. She felt that something was off. Even so, she had no choice but to agree. "Alright, no problem." "Thanks. After this issue is over, I''ll treat you to a meal." Percy seldom asked for favors from a woman, but when things were rted to Nina, he was willing to beg everyone all for Nina''s sake. "You don''t have to treat me to a meal. Just treat Nina well," said Luca. She did not wish for others to repay her. All she wanted was for them to treat their beloved ones well. "Alright," Percy answered. ¡°Nina is my one true love. You don''t have to remind me about it, and I don''t have to promise other people either. I''ll definitely treat her well." Luca was relieved when she heard Percy''s statement. ''As long as Nina is happy.'' After ending the call, Luca felt troubled. If she really brought Nina back to the vi, she would have to inform the owner of the vi... She got up and walked to the door of the office. She looked in the direction of Luke''s office. ''He''s probably still working..'' Luca sent Nina a message: [Nina, do you want toe over to my ce for a meal?] [Sure, no problem. Send me your address and I''ll head over.] Nina knew that Luca had moved to another ce but she did not know the address. [I''m about to finish work. I''ll head over to pick you up.] After Luca was done texting, she ced her phone inside her pocket. After inviting Nina, the only thing left to do was to inform Luke of the arrangement. Luca walked toward Luke''s office, and coincidentally, Jason came out of the office. ¡°Dr. Craw, are you looking for Luke?" Luca nodded. "Is Mr. Crawford inside?" "He''s inside. Just head on in," said Jason. He did not close the door of Luke''s office and headed straight back to his own office. Luca nced at the office door that was left open. She felt perturbed, not because she was about to meet Luke but because she had invited Nina over without seeking permission from him first. She was worried that the man would be dissatisfied with this. "Come in." Luke had overheard their conversation. After some time, he took the initiative to speak when he realized Luca had yet to enter. Luca entered. "Mr. Crawford, I have something that I''d like to discuss with you." "Regarding Nina?" Luke noticed she was feeling nervous and helpless. He was still the same man who loved her, but she seemed to not notice Luke''s love and affection for her. She was feeling so anxious just over this issue. Luca was surprised, thinking perhaps it was Percy who had spoken to Luke beforehand. Hence, she nodded her head. "Yes, I''m worried that Nina''s thoughts might go astray if she''s left alone. Hence, I hope she can stay at the vi in the meantime." "Sure." Luke agreed to it. What made him feel dissatisfied was not that there would be another woman staying in the vi but that Luca had to be so cautious when talking to him about this matter. He would have his guard up with anyone except Luca. However, it seemed she saw him in a certain light. Luca let out a breath of relief. ''It seems that Percy has spoken to him beforehand. After all, that vi belongs to Luke. It''s pointless if I''m the only one who agrees to it.'' "Thanks, Mr. Crawford. If there''s nothing else, I''ll leave your office now," she said. She hadpleted her work, so she could leave the office. "I''ll be backte tonight. I''ll have to leave the kids to you," Luke said. Luca nodded as taking care of the kids was supposed to be her responsibility anyway. That reminder made her feel distant. She could not help but feel sad about it. After Luca left the office, she picked up the documents and immediately headed to Grace Bay. After picking up Nina, Luca nced at the surroundings and noticed there were no reporters around. ''It seems like even though the Johnstons are up to something, they still don''t dare to offend the Crawford family.'' That was because the big shot behind Grace Bay was Luke. Hence, the Johnstons did not order the reporters to hound Nina here. It was already risky for them to offend the Mallory family, and if they were to offend the Crawford family as well, they would be in deep trouble. Luca understood the situation well, including how Nina managed to escape from those reporters. Nina entered the car and also nced at the surroundings before letting out a breath of relief. ¡°Thank God they didn''t order those reporters toe here." "This is the Crawford family''s territory," Luca said before informing the driver the address of the vi. Nina heard it and eximed with widened eyes. "You''ve moved into a vi? It seems Mr. Crawford really treats you very well." Luca looked at the driver, who was in the driver''s seat, and said, "It''s an employee perk." "Not too bad." Nina smiled faintly and looked at the screen of her phone. She was paying close attention to Madison''s news but it had been quite some time since there were any reports about hertest condition. Although she had also gotten Johann to get insider news from the hospital, she only learned that Madison was currently receiving treatment. She was not informed of any other details. "Stop looking around. I''ll cook whatever you want to eat tonight," said Luca. she was trying to divert Nina''s attention with food. "Your cooking skills are impressive. Everything you cook is delicious, so I''ll leave it to you. I''ll love whatever you cook." Right now, her mind was fully upied with thoughts about Madison. She could not even think of what food she wanted to eat. Percy had sent her lots of messages today. However, she knew that he was handling the issues due to Madison attempting suicide by jumping off the building. They were both in a difficult situation now. There were lots ofizens criticizing Percy for betraying his rtionship with Madison, while others criticized her for being the third party who interfered in their rtionship. Chapter 1822 Those criticisms did not affect her that much, but they would leave a huge impact on Percy. The Mallory family had not officially kicked Percy out. Hence, his reputation would still affect that of the Mallor family. Even though he had decided to leave the Mallory family, he would still need to preserve the reputation of the Mallory family as long as he was still one of them. Nina was understanding. Even though she was quite upset, she did not rely too much on Percy so that his attention would not be diverted from the serious matters on hand. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Alright, then I''lle up with the menu.¡± Luca noticed that Nina had a lot on her mind, hence she found it difficult to reply to her question. Luca held Nina''s hand and did not say another word. "Okay." Nina nodded and held Luca''s hand as well. It was such a simple gesture, yet it gave her immense strength and support. Luca was sincerely concerned about her. Nina recalled Percy''sment. As a friend, perhaps she should not keep dwelling on the past. When they were about to reach the vi, Luca had the driver pull up to the side. She went to the supermarket nearby to purchase some groceries. Even though the maid in the vi had already bought some groceries, Luca felt she needed to buy even more as Nina wasing over. It was to prevent not having enough food at home. After purchasing some groceries, Luca and Nina then headed for the vi. Nina looked at the surroundings and sighed. "The atmosphere here is very nice. I remember that the vis here were built only a few years ago. Apparently, many celebrities have purchased a unit here. Luca, have you ever met any celebrities during your time here?¡± Luca shook her head and exined, "I just moved in not too long ago. How could I have met any celebrities?¡± "You''ll have your chance in the future." Nina looked at the surroundings and had taken a liking to the area. Seeing that Nina loved the environment, Luca teased her, saying, "Since you like this ce so much, then just move in with Mr. Mallory. The atmosphere here is nice, and the security measures are very good. Outsiders can''te in here." "You''re right. If I were to move here, I''ll be your neighbor. I cane to your ce every day to have meals. When that happens, you''ll end up crying." Nina revealed a smile. The change of environment had made her feel much better. Luca said casually, "You''re most wee. You cane and have a meal whenever you want to." Both of them kept chatting. After driving around for a moment, they arrived at the entrance of the vi. "This is it. Let me open the door." Nina helped Luca carry the bags in her hands. Luca keyed in the password, and the door opened. Luca looked at Nina beside her and said, ¡°Go on and enter. Oh, right. There are other people inside as well.¡± "There are other people inside? Did Luke even hire a maid for you?" Nina was astonished and followed her in. "There''s a maid, but there are also others. I haven''t told you that I''m not the only one staying in this vi," Luca spoke as she closed the door. Nina was anxious. ''Could it be her housemate?'' After following her into the master bedroom, Nina learned that Luca was referring to... Luke''s children. It turned out to be Luke''s children. The three children surrounded them when they saw Luca and Nina entering. They greeted her, "Hi, Ms. Luca. Hi, Godmother." Nina looked at Luke''s three children, then looked at Luca. ''Since the kids are all here, does it mean that Luke is here too?'' "Your guess is right,¡± Luca said. She took out the candies that the kids loved from her pocket and passed them around. "I bought you guys some treats, but don''t have too much of them. Dinner will be served soon." "Thank you, Ms. Luca!" The three kids got their candies and left. Perhaps after getting reminded, they seemed much more mature now. Nina said in astonishment, "Are you and Luke already together?" "No." Luca shook her head and pulled Nina''s hand to bring her to the kitchen. "If I say that we''re just housemates, will you believe me?" Nina thought to herself and knew she would not buy it. ''If a man and a woman are staying in the same house, how can they just be housemates? ''Besides, he even brought his children over. To the outsiders who don''t know a thing, they might think of them as a happy family of five.'' "I believe." Nina''s voice was a little stiff. "If such a thing happened to other people, I would have difficulty believing those words too. But I can guarantee there''s nothing suspicious going on between me and Luke. We''re not in an intimate rtionship." Luca knew Nina would not buy it and exined helplessly, "Otherwise, why would I bring you here?" "I''m sorry." Nina thought to herself, ''She''s being so honest. Perhaps it might be the truth?'' "Alright, I''ll go prepare the meals now. Do you want to help out?" Luca invited her. "Sure." Nina agreed happily. Recalling that Luke was also staying here, she asked, "Luke will be back tonight for dinner too, right?" "Yeah, but it won''t affect your stay here. All the rooms in this vi have been taken, but you can sleep with me." Luca was determined to make Nina stay. After all, Percy had no time to spare to take care of Nina. Hence, Luca wanted Nina to stay by her side. It could be considered a form of protection. "Alright," Nina recalled Percy''s words. Despite being reminded about it earlier, learning that Luca and Luke were staying together still made her astonished. Nina was suppressing her curiosity, but Luca seemed to be agitated and was blurting out things. This made Nina wonder what Luca did not want her to find out. Luca knew that Nina was still wondering what was going on between her and Luke, but at least Nina was no longer thinking about Madison''s issue. Hence, Luca was not bothered to exin and did not reassure Nina. She even allowed Nina''s thoughts to roam free. "Come and be my assistant," she said. Nina nodded and stood beside Luca to be her assistant. Luca had Nina wash the vegetables, and she did it quietly. When Luca had Nina slice the meat, she did it silently as well. However, it was obvious that Nina was not putting her full attention on the task at hand. Before dinner was ready, Tommy came running into the kitchen and said pamperedly, "Ms. Luca, I''m starving. When will dinner be ready?" "Soon. Go to the hall and y with your brother and sister for a while more. You''ll get to eat in a moment." Luca stretched out her hand and patted the child''s head in a loving gesture. It was indeed quitete as Luca had gone to pick Nina up before returning home. "Alright." Tommy spun around and left. Nina looked in the direction where the child left. Since Bianca lost her memories, the three kids had never gotten close to anyone else. However, the three children were all very close to Luca now. It was as if the person before them was their biological mother. "What are you thinking about?" Luca saw Nina turning around to look in the direction of the hall and reminded her, saying, "The meat has been minced well, so stop mincing it. Otherwise, the texture won''t be as good." Nina snapped out of it. She definitely could not tell Luca what was on her mind. Hence, she could only tell a lie, "Nothing. I just don''t feel too good about the children greeting me in a way that makes me seem much older.¡± Luca smiled as she listened to Nina''sining tone. She shook her head and said, "You''re not old. You''re still so young." Chapter 1823 "Kids don''t tell lies. They call you ''Miss'', while they call me ''Godmother''. Doesn''t that make me sound older?¡± Ninamented, ¡°It seems that I have to take better care of my appearance.¡± "Your skin looks much betterpared to thest time I saw you." Luca changed the topic. "Really?" Nina could not help but feel thrilled. She wanted to touch her face, but when she realized that her hands were full of grease due to the minced meat, she abandoned that thought. ¡°Lately, my quality of sleep has improved and I feel much more energetic." "Good sleep is the best way to protect your skin. It''s actually quite a good way to go about it. You look much younger now. I think I should have the kids greet you as ''Miss'' too!" Luca looked at Nina. Women loved to be praised, and Nina was no exception. "Well, you got a point there, but forget it. We still have to follow hierarchy!" Nina was utterly delightful after being sweet-talked by Luca. Luca let out a breath of relief after seeing that Nina was no longer being troubled by her issues. It was not easy for Nina to find her true love. She did not wish for Nina''s happiness to be destroyed all because of Madison. On the other hand. Jack received news from his friend and frowned. Queenie served him a cup of tea. Seeing such a look on his face, she ced the teacup in front of him and asked in a concerned tone, "What''s with your expression, Jack?" "My friend from New York has sent me some information," Jack said. Queenie heard that and was delighted. She said, "Really? Did he manage to find Bianca?" "No." Jack shook his head. "He said that he went over to the address I gave him and found that it was an old couple staying there. That old couple imed that they bought that house from a young person not too long ago." "A young person? Did Bianca buy a house?" Queenie frowned and vaguely felt that something was not right. "Why haven''t we been able to get into contact with Bianca? Even now when we followed the address, we still failed to find her." "I''m not too sure about it. I''ve already sent Bianca''s photo to my friend. I told him to ask the old couple if they bought it from Bianca when he''s free." At this point, Jack noticed something was not right as well. It was as if a huge mystery was engulfing their life and they were totally clueless about it, leading to them not noticing it all this while. "Did the old couple mention where the person whom they bought the house from is currently staying?¡± Queenie was not willing to let go of the slightest trail for the sake of locating Bianca. However, everything thus far had been fruitless. "That old couple was unsure because all the documents were already prepared beforehand and in soft copies. Hence, the previous home owner''s information isn''t stated," said Jack. "If that''s the case..." Queenie had a sad expression on her face. She thought she could get in touch with Bianca but it seemed like it was impossible. "Jack, I want to fly over. Do you mind settling the procedure for me?" She still wished to look for Bianca. However, given Jack''s unique status, she had to go through special procedures if she wanted to fly abroad. "You want to personally look for Bianca?" Jack was able to see through his wife''s thoughts in an instant. "Yes. Bianca has been alone abroad for so long. I want to look for her. Let''s not talk about other things but she''s already a mother. How can she just ditch her kids and husband here while she travels abroad for so long? It''s ridiculous," said Queenie. She did not wish for Bianca to be left without a ce back home and be forced to go through life miserably. Jack knew what was actually going on in Queenie''s mind, but he was not assured to have Queenie go abroad alone to search for someone without any clues. Hence, he had to convince her not to. ¡°That old couple said that it''s been some time since they bought that house. Maybe Bianca has gone to another state? The States is such a big ce. If you just blindly go there, how do you expect yourself to look for her?" "Bianca, that child, really makes me worry," Queenie said as tears came streaming down her face. "I thought having a child would make me feel assured. Never would I have thought that both she and Leia would make me worry so much." Jack was not willing to see Queenie cry and quickly hugged her. "Don''t be too upset. Our kids will have to lead their own lives. They''ve chosen their paths. We, as parents, can''t do a thing about it." "But, I really miss Bianca." Queenie cried. When Bianca was little, she was taken away. It was not an easy feat for them to reunite. However, Bianca went abroad only after a few years. She had feelings of guilt for her biological daughter. After reuniting, she wished to take good care of her and protect her. However, she did not even have the chance to do so. Besides, she could not even reach out to Bianca. "Alright. I''ll talk to Luke." Seeing Queenie in such a state made Jack heartbroken. Queenie asked, "How do you n to tell him?" "Now, Luke is the only person who can get into contact with Bianca. I''ll talk to him and get him to persuade Bianca to return and keep uspany for a few years, alright?" Jack could not bear to see Queenie cry. "I don''t just want her to be by our side for a few years. I wish for her to be by our side forever. You know as well that she''s our biological daughter." Queenie just wanted to make it up to Bianca. "Alright, I''ll talk to Luke, but Bianca is already an adult. Previously, she encountered those issues and lost her memories. It''s only normal for her not to have feelings for the kids and us. You have to be understanding and don''t get too upset," said Jack. Queenie cried and nodded. Since Bianca encountered that incident, no one familiar with her had been by her side up until now. She was alone in a foreign country. Thinking of Bianca being alone made Queenie upset. "You must talk to Luke. If Bianca isn''t willing toe back, then have him give us her address. We''ll go over and keep herpany," she said. "Alright." Jack agreed, but deep inside him, he was upset. It was not that he had never spoken to Luke about it. He had always wanted to know Bianca''s address. However, every time, Luke would give all sorts of excuses to reject him. That was the reason why Jack became suspicious. ''Is Bianca really abroad?'' Whileforting Queenie, Jack''s eyes darkened. ''If Bianca is not abroad, then where could she be?'' Even though Bianca had lost her memories, she was still in love with Luke. Otherwise, there would not have been so manyplications. It was not possible for Bianca to leave her family here while she stayed abroad for so long. She had always been worried she might lose Luke. ''But why isn''t she worried at this moment? ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ''If Bianca really is in the country, where could she be? How can a person disappear without leaving a trail? Unless Bianca is gone... ''Or perhaps, she''s locked up.'' Jack could not ept either one of these possibilities. After all, that was his and Queenie''s beloved daughter. If Luke ever dared to do such a thing to Bianca, he would not let Luke live a peaceful life in A City. Chapter 1824 Afterforting Queenie''s emotions, Jack then gave Luke a call. When the call was connected, Jack did not say any greetings but questioned immediately, "Luke, do you have time to spare right now?" "I''m still working overtime, Jack. Is there something urgent?" Luke asked. He knew why Jack was giving him a call. Perhaps he could no longer keep Bianca¡¯s matter a secret. Keeping it a secret from them was just a temporary measure and Luke had never nned on letting them remain in the dark for too long. If Jack was easily fooled, he would not have his current achievements. "You''re still working?" Jack''s voice deepened, and he could not help but drag his tone. He knew very well about T Corporation¡¯stest project. "Then when will you be free? I n to talk to you about Bianca." "I¡¯ll head to your office and pay a visit to you tomorrow,¡± Luke said. Jack was caught by surprise. Not only did Luke not reject but he even agreed. He even made an appointment for the next day. "Alright. I''ll wait for your arrival tomorrow." Jack agreed as well. After hanging up the call, Luke ced his phone aside and tidied up the documents. Looking at the time, Luca was probably preparing dinner now. Despite being busy, he would not miss mealtimes as long as it was Luca preparing the food. However, that was only if time permitted it, of course. Hence, no matter how busy he was, he would still tidy up the documents and head back home on time. He would leave work matters till after dinner. He would do anything to have dinner with Luca. Regarding Jack wanting to meet up with him to talk, Luke was not the slightest bit bothered about it. If he could not continue to keep this secret, he would just reveal the truth. After all, he still had two DNA test reports which were kept in a safety deposit box. One of them was the DNA test report of the fake Bianca while the other was the DNA test report of Luca and the kids. Even if Jack learned the truth, it would not disrupt Luke¡¯s investigation. Instead, it might end up helping him. The reason he never revealed the truth before this was because Bianca''s father was also his father- iw. He did not wish for his inws to be too worried about it. After Luke tidied up the documents, he got up and left the office. He drove his car to the vi. When he was approaching the living room, he heard the cheerful voices of the kids and the faint aroma of the food. Such a life was lovely and happy. He had dreamt of such dreams when he lost Bianca. He dreamt that aftering back home from work, the kids would surround him while Bianca busied herself in the kitchen preparing food for all of them. Whenever he dreamt of such scenes, he would not be willing to wake up. He never expected that he still had the chance to enjoy a life like this. The moment he stepped into the living room, Rainie came running over, "You''re back, Daddy." "Yes, I''m back. Are you done with your homework?" Luke looked at his daughter. Daughters would often be close to their fathers, and that saying was urate. Whenever he was back from work, Rainie would always be the first toe and greet him if she was in the living room. "We''ve done our homework. Tommy got one question wrong but Lanie already taught him the correct answered," Rainie said. Luke nodded. Rainie looked in the direction of the kitchen and reminded softly. "Oh, right. Daddy, Godmother is here." "I know." Luke brought the documents upstairs and came back down. At that moment, the children were all already sitting at the dining table. Rainie waved her hand and called out, "Daddy, Ms. Luca and Godmother have already prepared dinner. Come and eat." Luke went over and sat on his seat. Nina held the cutleries and looked at Luke''s seat. It was the seat that usually belonged to the host. She then turned to look at Luca, who was getting food for the kids. She was very kind to Bianca''s kids. At the very least, that was what she saw. Besides, the kids had expressed that they liked her. Hence, that proved that Luca treated them well behind the scenes as well. Otherwise, Rainie and Lanie, who were already so grown, wouldn''t have failed to notice if Luca was just putting on an act. Luca meticulously got food for each of the kids, then picked up Luke''s te. She got him some food as well before cing it back in front of him. "Thanks." Luke expressed his gratitude. Nina heard it and could not help but sight. "I really envy you, Mr. Crawford." Listening to her tone, Luke knew immediately that she was feeling sorry for Bianca. However, this time, she was not causing Luca any trouble but was ming herself instead. Perhaps she had epted the reality. However, she would still have the thought of causing trouble. Luke''s expression remainedposed as he asked, "Why is that so?" "You have such a capable employee like Luca when you''re in the office. When you''re back home, Luca prepares a table full of delicacies to serve you. Tell me, how can I not be envious of you?" Nina teased. She could no longer hold back the moment she saw Luca serving Luke dinner. ''It''s not that Luke has no hands to do it himself...'' ording to Luca, even though they were currently staying together, they had never flirted with each other and their rtionship remained innocent. They were just like housemates. However, to have Luca prepare dinner and even serve him his meal, Luca would only look like a nanny if she was neither his wife nor his girlfriend. Hence, Nina was not used to such a scene. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "You should," Luke just answered simply before picking up his cutleries to start eating. Nina did not expect him to say such bold things. "Then shouldn''t you be giving Luca three sries?" She started provoking the man who was sitting at the seat belonging to the host. Luke paused when he was in the middle of picking up some food. Luca quickly served Nina a bowl of chicken soup. "That''s enough, Nina. Come and have some chicken soup. Didn''t you want to drink this soup so badly?" Nina looked at her. "You have to prepare meals, do trantion work, and even research drugs. It''s only logical that Mr. Crawford gives you three sries, right?¡± "Yes." Luke picked up a piece of fillet and ced it onto Rainie''s te. He filled the other two kids'' tes with dishes as well. "I''ll have the finance department handle it tomorrow." "No need for that, Mr. Crawford. It''s not a hassle to prepare meals... As for the trantion work, Mr. Doyle has already spoken to the financial department about it." Luca was very embarrassed. She took care of Luke and the kids of her own volition, not because she felt forced to do it. Luca knew that Nina was mad at Luke''s attitude of doing nothing but only waiting to be served. However, she was strongly opposed to him paying her for this. Nina, who was sitting at the side, did not expect Luke to agree easily. That was not her initial intention. She cleared her throat and said, "Actually, Luca is not a nanny. Won''t it be better if she''s in charge of preparing meals and you wash the dishes after meals?¡± Chapter 1825 Luca did not expect that Nina would make such a rmendation. Just when she was about to reject it, Luke spoke up. "That''s fine." He agreed. Luca was astonished. ''He? Washing dishes?'' She recalled that Luke was a man who could not even operate a microwave or any other electrical gadgets in the kitchen. It seemed like he was not too good in the kitchen. Nina also put on a shocked expression. ''The head of T Corporation and the heir of the Crawford family actually agreed to wash dishes?'' The three kids looked at each other and smirked. They did not say anything. Instead, they ate even faster. They all wanted to watch their father wash dishes in the kitchen. After Luke agreed to it, Nina was at a loss for words and just kept quiet as she ate her meal. Luca''s cooking was delicious, but with Luke around, her attention was no longer on the food. She kept thinking about the scene of Luke washing dishes in the kitchenter. After dinner, Nina asked Luca softly, "Do you guys have a dishwasher?" "We do." Luca nodded. Nina came to an understanding. "No wonder he agreed to it so quickly. He''ll probably use the dishwasher, right?" "But after I moved here, no one ever uses that dishwasher. I wonder if he even knows how to use it," Luca said softly. Luke never washed dishes in the past. On any usual day, the two of them would just stand side-by-side. She would wash the dishes while he would wipe them. It was a smooth process. However, at this moment... Nina looked at Luke''s expressionless face as he cleaned up the dishes on the table. She reminded him, saying, "Mr. Crawford, the dishes will be cleaner if you wash them by hand. You have to wash them first before cing them into the dishwasher to ensure the germs are killed." Luke nced at her. After Percy suggested having Nina stay the night with Luca, he had already prepared himself to be nagged by Nina. However, he did not expect Nina to provoke him endlessly. ''I''m going to make Percy pay for this.'' Luca watched Luke stack up the tes and thought to herself, ''If he''s careless, the tes at the top will fall and shatter. It''ll be troublesome to clean up the mess if that happens.'' Hence, she got up and said, "I think I''ll take it from here." "You can do your own thing. Let Mr. Crawford handle it. He''s not a kid. Isn''t it only normal for a person to work a little after having their meal?" Nina pulled Luca back. Luca looked at Luke as he carried the tes that were stacked up high. N?velDrama.Org ? content. If it were her, she would take two trips to bring all the tes to the kitchen as it was safer that way. With much caution, Luke brought the tes and cutleries into the kitchen. Luca was held back by Nina. She had no choice and could only watch from behind. A while passed and there was no sound of anything crashing to the floor. Only then was she relieved. At the very least, he had not broken anything. After seeing the anxious look on Luca''s face, Nina whispered, "Rx. It''s only because he has never done this before. It''s not that he doesn''t know how to do it." Luca nced at her and had a helpless look on her face. "I''m just worried about my tes and cutleries." "Quit the act. Come, let''s see how he''s washing the dishes." Nina held Luca''s hand and walked to the entrance of the kitchen. Luke had his back facing them while standing in front of the sink. Water came running from the tap, and all they could hear was the sound of water and tes being washed. However, they were unable to see how he was washing the dishes. Tommy forced his way in and held Luca''s hand. "Don''t worry, Ms. Luca. I''m sure Daddy will wash all the tes until they''re sparkling clean." Nina touched the child''s head. She asked curiously, "How do you know?" "That''s because Daddy is a germaphobe. That''s why he''ll make sure the tes are very clean," said Tommy with a straight face. Nina wanted tough out loud. She covered her mouth, trying her best not tough out loud. Luke was washing the dishes. After hearing what the child said, he reminded them coldly. "I can hear you guys talking from over here." Tommy covered his mouth and said with a smile, "Daddy, the way you do things so seriously just makes you look cooler!" "He does look quite cool.¡± Nina agreed and nodded her head. "Next time, I''ll make Percy try it." "You should ask Percy to prepare dinner for you." Luke did not turn around and continued struggling to get rid of the grease on the tes. "I guess I can try that," Nina added. However, she realized something was not right. "Why would you say so?" "You just have to be determined and just hope you won''t be admitted to the hospital after having his cooking,¡± Luke said. As Percy''s best friend of 20 years, Luke knew how terrible Percy was at cooking. "Uncle Percy''s cooking is terrible." Tommy thought back to the time in Russia. He was unlucky enough to try Percy''s cooking. Just the thought of it now made him have goosebumps. "It takes time to pick up cooking skills. You just have to give him a chance.¡± All of a sudden, Nina was agitated when she heard the criticisms from Luke and his son. ''I swear I''ll make Percy learn how to cook!'' Luca saw that Luke was about to finish washing the dishes. He was picking up a towel to wipe the tes now. She then reminded him, saying, "It''s the light green towel." Luke turned around to look at her and picked up the towel before starting to wipe away the water droplets on the tes. Nina nodded in satisfaction. "Never would I expect the great Mr. Crawford to be quite an expert in washing dishes. Not bad." After saying that, she held Luca''s hand. "Come, let''s head upstairs, Luca." "Why?" Luca was puzzled. "You said it''s rare for me to spend the night with you. Don''t you want to have a girl''s talk?" Nina held her hand and was about to head upstairs. Tommy squeezed his way to the front when he saw his mother being pulled away by Nina. "Godmother, can Ie with you guys?" Nina looked at Tommy and shook her head while saying, "Today, Ms. Luca is mine. So, that''s a hard no." "You''re selfish, Godmother. You used to be the one who loved me the most." Tommy pouted his lips, behaving in a spoilt manner. However, he was not really upset. "You were cute back then but you''ve grown up now and have started to look more like your daddy. So, tonight, your daddy will be the one taking care of you. Luca, you''re mine." Nina pinched Tommy''s nose and pulled Luca upstairs. Tommy nced at Luke, who was still busy cleaning up in the kitchen. He sighed, "I still love it when we''re all together as a family, Daddy." "Nina will be leaving tomorrow." Luke did not turn around and replied to his son. If Percy asked him to let Nina stay for another day, he would never agree to it. No matter what Percy said, Luke would not agree! ''If he''s worried about Nina, he should just stay next to her himself. After all, he has already dered that he''s going against the Mallory family. So, there''s no harm having her by his side.'' After arriving on the second floor, Nina''s footsteps came to a halt when she saw so many doors. She asked, "Which one is your room?" "First one on the right," Luca said. Then, she exined, "The one opposite is Mr. Crawford''s, followed by Rainie''s, Tommy''s, and Lanie''s room. Thest one is the study, but it''s also being upied by me as it''s more convenient for me to conduct my research there." Nina burst intoughter as she listened to Luca''s exnation. "I know there''s nothing going on between you and Luke now. You don''t have to exin in detail." Chapter 1826 Luca looked at her expression. It seemed like she was not telling a lie. She then pushed the door open and said, ¡°Come on in." Nina walked into her bedroom and looked at the simplistic design. She nodded her head and turned around to look at Luca. "To be honest, Luca, will I be a nuisance if I stay here for the night?" "Not at all. Luca opened the closet and took out a brand new pair of pajamas that she had never worn. "On the contrary, I''ll be reassured if you stay here. I''ve never worn this set of pajamas before. I''ll let you wear it for tonight, alright?" Nina epted it and said with a smiling face, "Thanks. But I know that you have a lot on your te. If not for Percy not being reassured, I would never havee here to bother you. You don''t have to apany me tonight and just do whatever you need to do. You just need to leave half the bed to me." "Alright, since you''ve said so, then I shall continue with my work," said Luca. She sat on the chair in front of the dressing table and opened herptop. Nina nodded and said, "I''ll just make myselffortable." "Of course." Luca turned around and smiled. Her gaze then focused back on the screen as she resumed working. Nina suddenly thought of Percy when she saw the serious look on Luca. ''I''m guessing he''s currently frustrated over Madison''s issue.'' All of them seemed to be very busy except for her. Nina dared not express her feelings to Luca, but she could not help herself. She wanted to know about Madison''s condition and her recovery progress. Theizens were still cursing her on the inte and things were getting worse. Nina read the harshments theizens left her and thought to herself. ''If they learn that I was the first to get together with him, will they still curse me? ''They probably will. In their opinions, Madison is the victim...'' Nina continued scrolling down. Looking at the criticisms, she could confirm that Percy had not hired anyone to suppress the hatements. ''What''s he up to right now?'' Luca felt that Nina was being way too quiet. She turned around to look and saw her sitting on the sofa while looking at her phone. "Don''t worry. This issue will be over before you even realize it." Nina lifted her head, and her eyes seemed teary. She would be lying if she said that she was alright. Madison attempted suicide, and she felt bad about it. "How do you know that?" "Because Mr. Mallory is very capable. You shouldn''t bother reading thosements. Perhaps by tomorrow, there''ll be a drastic shift in public opinion. Even though Mr. Mallory is very capable, you still got to give him some time to sort it out," Luca said despite having no idea what Percy was up to. Even at this point, no one had stepped forward to rify things. However, she believed that Percy would not just give in to the Johnston family''s ns. Nina could not help but tease, "Are you trying to stand up for him? Say, how much did Percy give you?" "I''m just trying tofort you. He didn''t give me a penny, but since Iforted you, perhaps you should be the one paying me instead.¡± Luca teased back with a smile. "I have no money, but you can always look for me if you needpany.¡± Nina waved her hand. "That''d be great, but Mr. Mallory wouldn''t approve of that," Luca muttered softly. Seeing that Nina''s mood was much better now, Luca turned around and continued with her work. Tommy was standing outside of the bedroom, just staring at them. He heard their conversation and wished to talk to his mother as well. Luke went upstairs and saw his little son looking just like an abandoned child as he stood outside of Luca''s bedroom. It was clear he was feeling aggrieved. He shook his head helplessly and asked with a smile, "Why aren''t you returning to your room, Tommy?" "Daddy, I want to go inside. Can I?" Tommy turned around and asked with a pout. "No. We''re not allowed to disturb them tonight." Luke held his hand and sent him back to his bedroom. Tommy saw Luke closing the door and sighed softly. He said, "She forgot about her son the moment she haspany. Boo-hoo." The next day. Luke kept his word to Jack and came to his office. Coincidentally, Jack was done with his morning meeting. Seeing Lukeing over, he ordered his secretary, "Go brew some tea and send it to my office. I still have things to settle here. Help me deal with the matters if there''s nothing urgent." Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "Yes, sir," the secretary answered and turned around to head toward the pantry. Jack walked over with a smile, but he still appeared quite serious. "Mr. Norman," Luke greeted. Even though he was inws with Jack, he would still greet him formally depending on the asion and not as his father-inw. That way, he would not leave a bad impression of himself. Jack admired Luke for being meticulous. He nodded and said, "We''ll talk inside." "Alright." Luke followed him into the office. Jack''s secretary came in and served tea, cing the teacups in front of them. Then, she headed out and closed the door. Jack picked up the cup of tea and said, "Come, take a sip. I hope you won''t mind the tea not being as good as the ones in Crawford Manor.¡± "There are so many people who wish to drink this cup of tea but they can''t. It''s my honor." Luke lifted the teacup and took a few sips. He was usually busy, and it was the same for Jack. Hence, the moment they ced their cups down, they immediately started speaking without beating about the bush. "Mr. Norman, what is it that you wish to know. You can just tell me." Jack stared at him, and the smile on his face gradually disappeared. It was reced with a serious expression. "Will you answer my questions as long as I ask them?" "There are only us both in this office. I''ll answer whatever question you ask me,¡± Luke said. He did not n to continue fooling Jack. Jack nodded. "I believe you''re hiding something from me. But since you''ve given your word, I''ve decided to continue believing in you. Is Bianca overseas?" "I''m not too sure about her whereabouts before this, but she''s currently in the country,¡± Luke replied. He was indeed unsure whether Luca, who was really Bianca, was in the country before this. After all, when Luca returned to the country, she underwent proper procedures. "What do you mean?!" Jack frowned. "Throughout these three years, I had been suspecting that the Bianca by my side was an impostor and the impostor had undergone stic surgery to look like Bianca. She was then positioned to stay by my side. As for the real Bianca, I think she''s being controlled by an unknown organization behind her.¡± Realizing that Jack had been suspicious for a long time, Luke revealed everything. After all, Jack was not someone easily fooled. If Luke did not say the truth and made Jack even more suspicious, things would take a turn for the worst. Luke had a lot of things going on and could not be bothered to keep it a secret from Jack any longer. "Do you have proof?" Jack listened to what Luke said and did not be immediately suspicious. Even so, he did not choose topletely believe in his words either. He recalled that Bianca had lost her memory three years ago and lots of unusual things had happened. However, everything could be exined by the fact that she lost her memory. If it was true that she never lost her memory but was another person entirely, then that could exin all those unusual incidents as well. Chapter 1827 Luke took out the DNA report and passed it to Jack. ¡°This is the DNA report that was done without Bianca''s knowledge and the kids suspected her identity. The report states that she and the kids aren''t rted." Jack took the DNA report and flipped it open. He read the concluding statement on the DNA report. "The kids went ahead and did the DNA report?" "Yes. They asked for a driver from the Holston family to help with the signature," said Luke. Jack smirked. "Those kids are really just like you. Alright, I believe that Bianca is an impostor. Then, what did you mean by the second half of what you said earlier?" "The real Bianca is back. She''s now in the country, and she''s very close to us. However, she seems to be on a mission, or perhaps she''s still under the control of that unknown organization. That''s why she changed her appearance, and her characteristics have undergone a drastic change as well. She''s still unwilling to reveal her true identity," Luke said. Jack was listening to him speak and thought of someone. He asked, "The person you''re talking about, is it Luca?" "Yes. She''s Bianca. This is another DNA report. I took her DNA sample without her knowing and took it for testing," Luke said. Jack quickly took the report and opened it. The results made him frown. There was nothing wrong with his instincts, then. When he first met Luca, he had experienced a strong feeling of familiarity. However, it was just that his status was a little unique and there were lots of people who would use all sorts of excuses to get to know him. They hoped to gain resources from him by forming a rtionship with him. Hence, despite the sense of familiarity, he had always been cautious. He did not expect that the feeling of familiarity would stem from them being blood-rted. "How long have you known about this?" After Jack learned about this, his hands that were holding the DNA report were shaking. "I did the DNA test when I first started getting suspicious. I''m sorry for keeping this from you and your wife. But I did all this just to protect her and you two as well." Luke got up and bowed to him. Jack was Bianca''s biological father. Luke should not have hidden this discovery from him. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Jack could not describe what he was feeling right now, but he was still thankful after getting to know that his and Queenie''s daughter was still by their side. ¡°The organization that''s controlling her, have you looked into it?" Jack asked. Luke shook his head. "I haven''t found anything. The organization is very hard to track down. Besides, after Bianca''s return this time, it seems that she has a mission toplete. I think I''m her target, but I''m not sure about the details. Hence, I have to go along with her and not expose her agenda." "You''re the target of her mission? If the organization behind her intends to harm you, what will you do?" Jack thought of Luke''s three children. "I believe in Bianca. Even if she''s been given a mission, she won''t harm me," Luke said firmly. "Are you certain? It''s already been three years. Like what you said, her character and personality have undergone a huge chance." Jack''s eyes were gleaming. He slowly started to calm down and started analyzing the situation with Luke. Luke nodded. "But she''s still Bianca, the one I love. No matter how much she''s changed, it won''t change that fact." "Very good. What should I do?" Jack believed that Luke would be able to handle it. He did not intend to question Luke further after he came clean to him about Bianca''s situation. Luke looked at him and immediately said, "I just need you to act as though you know nothing. In the meantime, pleasefort and persuade Mrs. Norman." "No problem." Jack agreed. The reason Luke had hidden this from them was perhaps because of Queenie. If Queenie knew about it, she would definitely start crying and long to reunite with Luca. If their family really reunited, perhaps a greater threat would be awaiting them. It would just spell more trouble for them. That was why Jack agreed to Luke''s request and intended to help him. "Luke, I was willing to hand my daughter to you back then because you''re capable. You must protect her. She was hurt three years ago, and that was our fault as parents. We made the mistake of believing in Leia. This time, only you can protect her." "I''ll protect Bianca." Luke gave his promise to Jack. When Nina was about to head back to the office to work, she received a call from Percy. "Percy, are you done with your matters?" She sounded rather thrilled. Last night, he did not send her any messages, nor did he give her an update on the matters he was dealing with. "There''s still a minor matter that''s unsettled. Nina, I need your help." Percy''s voice sounded rather tired. "Say it. I''ll definitely help you." Nina listened to his tired voice and felt heartbroken. However, when she got to know that she could help him, it made her excited. "Come to my office. Oh, right. Come in through the back door. I''ll send someone to wait for you at the back door. There are reporters in front, so don''t take the main entrance." Percy gave his instructions to her. "Alright, I''ll head over now." Nina agreed. After hanging up the call, she informed Sue about it. Then, she called a cab and headed to Mallory Corporation. There were no reporters at the back door of Mallory Corporation. Nina walked over, and the secretary of Mallory Corporation came out from inside. ¡°Ms. Nina, Mr. Mallory is waiting for you upstairs. Please follow me." Nina nodded. She knew the secretary of Mallory Corporation, hence she was reassured and followed her. They took the elevator and arrived at Percy''s office. The secretary pushed the door open, and Nina walked in. "Percy." Nina took quick steps when she saw Percy standing there. It had been almost 24 hours since theyst met. At this moment, Percy looked exhausted. His eyes were bloodshot and his facial hair had grown. ''It seems he stayed up the entire night. ''To settle the issue with Madison, he stayed up the entire night...'' Percy hugged Nina. If it were in the past, they would have had breakfast in the vi before heading to work. It was unlike now, where they had to be apart for the entire night before being able to meet again. Nina hugged him tightly, and her face turned scarlet from gluing it against his chest. She listened to his rapid heartbeat. The anxiety within her slowly calmed down. She felt rather content now. ''To be able to hug him is a kind of happiness as well.'' "Cough cough." Just then, Nina heard some sounds. At that moment, Nina realized that apart from Percy, there were also other people in the office. Her face became even redder as she softly pushed him away. "Don''t do that. There are still other people here." Percy was not bothered about it and changed his posture to wrap his arms around her waist. "Don''t worry, they''re all bachelors. We should let them be jealous sometimes. It''ll be good for them." "Mr. Mallory, you''re going overboard." Adrian could not help but shake his head when he heard it. After a night had passed, the crisis was over and one could smell love in the air now. Chapter 1828 "How is that too much? I haven''t seen the love of my life all night. What''s wrong with hugging and kissing her?" Percy noticed that Nina was embarrassed, so he hugged her even tighter. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Adrian rolled his eyes and continued typing on the keyboard. He was copying the files to the memory drive. Nina listened to their conversation. They were rxed as though they were not facing a crisis. She raised her head and looked at the man with watery eyes. "Percy, you said you needed my help with something. How can I help?" Percy kissed her cheek and replied, "You''ll find outter." "Are you guys going to make out? Should I take myputer out and leave you both alone?¡± Although Adrian was looking at hisputer, he was annoyed by their interactions. "All you do is face theputer all day. Theputer is your wife. Why are you being so sour?" Percy grabbed Nina''s hand, and they sat on the sofa. "Nina, let me introduce you to my friend, Adrian. He''s a computer god." "Hello," Nina nodded and greeted him politely. Adrian stopped typing on the keyboard and smiled at her. He then quickly looked away to avoid Percy from misunderstanding. He said, "Hello. I don''t think of myself as aputer god. If I''m that powerful, I wouldn''t have to spend the whole night cracking the hospital''s security system." "The hospital''s security system?" Nina was slightly confused. ¡®Aren''t they dealing with Madison? Why are they trying to crack the hospital''s security system? Unless... they''re trying to find out about Madison''s current situation through the system? If that''s the case, wouldn''t it be simpler to ask Johann?'' "Mm, Johann said that there''s something in the hospital''s patient records that can help us. However, after it was hacked thest time, the hospital''s security system has been upgraded. Cracking it remotely is more difficult than it was thest time, so it''s taking an entire night to get ess to the records that Johann mentioned," Percy exined to her patiently. If it were someone else, they would not have such patience. Nina was even more curious as to what records could help them with their situation. "What records are they?" "You''ll know by then." Percy kept her guessing. Nina was curious seeing that Percy refused to tell her what he was up to. ¡®They''re spending an entire night just to get these records? Percy does seem a lot more rxed now, though. How interesting..'' However, she could not do anything since he would not let her in the loop. He acted the same way with the matter involving Luca and the matter rted to Madison. After a while, Adrian snapped his fingers and said, "Okay, I''ve saved the records. This memory disk is the key to reversing your situation." Nina looked at the memory disk in Adrian''s hand and said worriedly, "Are you nning to release this information to the public? Will this affect Dr. Park?" "You can''t worry about other men in front of me," Percy said domineeringly. His arms around her waist tightened when he heard her mention other men. "No... He''s been helping us. We shouldn''t put him in a tough spot, right?" Nina was forced to lean in his arms to rify her intentions. She did not want to repay kindness with enmity. "Don''t worry. I got the records through my own means, not from the hospital''swork. As such, Johann won''t be caught up in this mess," Adrian said. If Johann were working with them, he would not have to spend the entire night with Percy to get this information. Nina nodded and patted Percy''s hand lightly. He was hugging her immensely tightly. However, she liked it very much. There was a knock on the office door, and Percy''s secretary walked in after opening the door. She reported to him, "Mr. Mallory, the venue downstairs has been set up. Do you want reporters to enter the venue now?" "Go for it,¡± Percy said. "Okay, I''ll make the arrangements now." The secretary nodded, turned around, and walked out. Percy pinched Nina''s face. Her face did not have much flesh on it. It seemed that it would take a little more effort to increase her weight. "I''ll have to freshen up." Nina nodded. From his conversation with the secretary, she guessed that Percy was going to hold a press conference. ¡®Is he going to release the records they just found during the press conference? The hospital''s database is full of patients'' confidential information. What records did Percy find that can reverse the situation?'' Ten minutester, Percy was done getting ready and walked out. He had changed into a suit and shaved his beard. He looked like he was full of energy. He looked perfect except for his bloodshot eyes. "Let''s go." Percy reached his hand out to her. "You''re meeting the reporters. Do you want me to go too?" Nina suddenly became nervous. She lowered her head and straightened her dress. She had not gone back to the vi, so the clothes she had on were borrowed from Luca. Her height was about the same as Luca''s, but she was much thinner than Luca. As such, she could put the clothes on but they were a little ill-fitting. "Mm, I need your help. All you need to do is stand by my side." Percy nodded. Since Madison used public opinion to have Nina be called all sorts of names by the public, he nned to use this press conference to let everyone know that Nina would stand by his side no matter what and their rtionship was legitimate! Nina took a deep breath. She would always be by his side as long as he needed her. Since she had chosen to be with him forever, she was willing to handle the pressure that came with it. Nina walked over to his side. Percy took her hand and the memory disk that Adrian gave him. "Thanks for your help. Get some rest." "I''ll definitely get some rest, but I''ll also be waiting for you to buy me a splendid meal for my hard work. I''ll wait for your good news." Adrian smiled, turned off theputer, and left Percy''s office. Percy looked down at Nina and asked in a soft voice, "Are you ready?" "Yeah, I''m ready." Nina nodded, her palms all sweaty because she was nervous. Percy took a tissue and wiped the sweat on her palms gently as if he was wiping a treasure. "Don''t worry. You have me by your side. Nothing will happen." Nina looked at his gentleness and knew that she had not fallen for the wrong person. She would willingly ept it even if she had to face the usations and insults of the public. "Mm." She did not say too much. Instead, she held his hand, expressing her trust in him. Percy took her by the hand, and they took the elevator to the venue downstairs. Mallory Corporation had a dedicated venue on one of the floors to hold press conferences. This venue had not been used many times. Since Percy took over the business, the venue had only been used once. This time, he and Nina stepped into the hall together. Chapter 1829 As they walked into the venue, Nina felt that all of the shlights of the reporters'' cameras were directed at her. She was so nervous that her body could not help shaking. However, she straightened her back, followed Percy''s footsteps, and arrived at the main seat. She then sat next to him at his signal. Since she had chosen to be with Percy, it was time for her to learn to face the camera. She put on her best demeanor so the reporters would not have the slightest chance to use her to attack Percy. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Percy sat down, and the reporters in the audience were eager to ask questions. Percy raised his hand, indicating that it was not the time for them to ask questions. He was the host and main speaker since it was ast-minute press conference with no moderator. "Hello, everyone. Good morning. Today''s press conference is held because there''s something I want to rify. I hope that after you hear my side of the story, you can report what I said truthfully and inform the general public,¡± Percy finished speaking and nced at Nina. Nina replied to him with a small smile. Percy continued talking, "I''m very sorry to hear that Ms. Madison Johnston attempted suicide by jumping off a building. At the same time, I''m here to address the various spection on the inte. Ms. Nina Langdon and I met four years ago. We were in amitted rtionship not long after we met. However, we broke up because of a minor conflict. The proof of our rtionship over the years can prove that I''m speaking the truth. At the same time, I did have a marriage contract with Ms. Madison. It was a transactional marriage with no emotional basis. When I realized that I couldn''t live without Ms. Nina, I promptly terminated my engagement with Ms. Madison and pursued Ms. Nina again. I made my choices with a clear head. I''d like to make it clear that Nina is not a mistress. When I first met her, I knew that she was the love of my life. It was unfortunate that we separated for a while because of certain misunderstandings. At the same time, she has been misunderstood and harassed a lot during this period, but she endured it silently without giving any statement. Nevertheless, it doesn''t mean that she admits that she''s my mistress. Therefore, I hope that after today''s press conference, everyone will let go of the matter and stop spreading rumors that hurt my fiancee." When Percy mentioned ''fiancee'', Nina was startled, and there was an uproar in the audience as well. He called her his fiancee, not his girlfriend... Those were two significantly different identities. Nina''s hand trembled slightly. Her heart could not contain her excitement. In front of her was a man who overcame all difficulties just to be with her. He even announced to the whole city that she was his fiancee... Of course, she would react strongly! A reporter sitting in the front row raised his hand and asked, "Mr. Mallory, what do you have to say about Ms. Madison''s attempted suicide?" "What do I have to say? I have nothing to exin. All I can say is, I''m sorry. It''s regretful that Ms. Madison was so upset because of the termination of our marriage contract." Percy knew the reporters had taken money from Johnston family, so they would not let the matter go easily. "Do you only have regrets and apologies? Don''t you have any guilt? After all, Ms. Madison did what she did because you broke off the engagement with her and instantly turned around to be with another woman." Another sharp-tongued reporter stood up and questioned him. Percy raised his eyebrows. Since the Johnston family wanted to make him out to be a scumbag, they had no one to me for what he was about to do. What he said previously was to save Madison''s dignity. However, opportunities were given to those who appreciated them, not to people like Madison. "Commercial marriages have no emotional basis. The matter was decided by the elders of the Mallory family. Considering I still have feelings for Nina, it wouldn''t be honorable nor responsible of me to marry Ms. Madison under these circumstances. I was honest with my feelings and gave her a reasonable exnation. Only after we separated did I get back with the love of my life. I don''t think I should feel guilty about it. After all, themercial marriage was forced upon me by Ms. Madison. It''s expected that we wouldn''t have a happy ending. After all, I also have the right to choose the woman I love, no? As such, why should I feel guilty? I don''t owe Ms. Madison anything." Percy looked at the reporter coldly and pressed, "Or do you have any evidence on hand to prove that I took advantage of her during my engagement with the daughter of the Johnston family?¡± The reporter was stunned. He did not have anything on hand. He did not have any evidence. The only reason he questioned Percy was that he had taken money from the Johnston family. Seeing that the reporter kept quiet, Percy looked at the other reporters and asked, "Do you have any questions?" The reporters looked at each other. They all knew that marriages of convenience were formed because ofmercial benefits. If there was profit, they would be together. If it would end up in a loss, there was no reason for the two parties to marry each other. With the current situation, if Percy continued to be with Madison, it was equivalent to him cleaning up after the Johnston family''s mess. No smart businessman would be willing to do that. Their only option was to pick on Percy''s seamless get-together with Nina or her identity as his mistress. However, since Percy had presented evidence that Nina was not a mistress but someone who had gotten together with him first and what they had was true love, they had nothing more to ask. Madison lost the war. Seeing them whispering and chatting with one another, Percy knew that public opinion would soon change. However, that was not enough. Since Madison wanted to ruin his and Nina''s reputation, she was destined to suffer the consequences. "Reporters, thank you foring to this press conference. In addition to what I shared just now, I have something else to tell you," Percy said. One of the reporters felt that something was wrong and immediately bootlicked Percy. He raised his head and asked, "Mr. Mallory, are you going to announce your and Ms. Nina''s wedding date?" Percy smiled at Nina, then looked at the reporter. "I want to hold our wedding immediately, but I haven''t proposed yet, so please allow me some time to prepare for that. What I want to share is about Ms. Madison Johnston." Nina could not help looking at him nervously as she knew that he was about to release the records. "What''s the matter?" another reporter asked. "In regards to my termination of engagement with Ms. Madison, everyone may simply think that it''s because Mallory Corporation is unwilling to help Johnston Corporation as they''re facing a crisis now." Percy put the memory disk into theptop beside him. He then controlled the mouse to click on the file on the memory disk. Chapter 1830 When the reporters saw what he was doing, they knew that they were about to get their hands on some juicy news. All of them directed their cameras at the screen. Percy said, "Arge part of the reason why I terminated my engagement with Ms. Madison, in addition to themercial crisis that the Johnston family is facing, is because I found out that Ms. Madison is a scarlet woman. She doesn''t meet the criteria I have for a wife. Besides, I still care deeply about Ms. Nina. As such, despite knowing that the dissolution of the marriage would harm me, I still firmly terminated my engagement as soon as I found out." Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Nina''s gaze fell on the projector screen. There were piles of documents side by side, all of which were records of Madison''s hospitalization records. Among them, there were her gynecology reports. Everything was recorded on theputer, so Nina could understand the writing. The report mentioned that Madison had contracted multiple STIs and had two abortions in the past few years. She opened her mouth slightly in astonishment when she saw the doctor''s diagnosis of how she would be infertile for the rest of her life. When she remembered that there were reporters in the audience, her expression immediately returned to normal. It turned out that Percy and Adrian had been upied all night retrieving the information from the hospital''s medical records. ''Madison, who''s always appeared dignified and gentle, is such a tramp in private?!'' The reporters in the audience were in an uproar. The photos of the documents had the signature of the doctor in charge and the hospital''s official stamp. Although all of these could be faked, Percy did not seem like he was faking them because of this public opinion incident. After all, if his evidence was taken apart, the impact on him would be even worse. Percy noticed everyone''s reactions and said, "These materials were obtained by me before this incident. I had hired a private investigator to look into Ms. Madison''s private life. It turns out she''s not the kind lady we imagined her to be. She''s been deceiving everyone, including the Mallory family. She makes it seem as though she lives a healthy lifestyle in front of the public, but in reality, she''s infertile after undergoing two abortions. I believe that it would be uneptable to anyone." "Mr. Mallory, since you imed to have ess to this information prior, why are you only choosing to disclose this information now? Could it be that these documents were faked and you''re using them as a shield for your actions?" a reporter asked. Percy sneered and looked at the reporter. ''New Straits Times...'' "When we terminated the engagement, I thought there was a mutual understanding between us and things were peaceful. Since the Mallory family did not suffer any losses, I kept my mouth shut regarding the information. After all, Ms. Madison is young. However, Ms. Madison and her family crossed a line when they used news of her suicide attempt to cause me, my lover, and the Mallory family trouble. That''s why I decided to make it public. As the Johnston family refuses to let the Mallor family go, I don''t need to be merciful. Please understand that everything I do is to protect my lover and my reputation." Percy''s remarks made the reporters who were on the Johnston family''s side speechless. Not everyone repaid grievances with virtue. Percy was notorious for being ruthless in A City. He was a businessman, not a phnthropist. The Johnston family lost even after trying to sink him with moral public opinion. The Johnston family lost, and so did Madison. The supposedly dignified and gentle Ms. Johnston was revealed to be such a ygirl in real life. Her public image was ruined. The Johnston family relied on her to solve the family crisis. Before this, it might have been possible for her to get someone to help her deal with this mess, though that man might not be as good as Percy. However, once this information was made public, no one would be willing to deal with this hot potato of a woman. The Johnston family had lostpletely. After Percy said everything he wanted to say, he stood up, held Nina''s hand, and left the venue. The reporters were shocked by the information he revealed to them and asked Percy if there was anything more he wanted to share. Percy did not answer and just left. Nina was led into the elevator by him. She slowly recovered from the shock, looked at him, and asked, "Percy, aren''t your actions a little too harsh?" "I nned to keep the information to myself if the Johnston family hadn''t messed with you. I gave them a chance at the press conference but they didn''t appreciate it and opted to manipte reporters to question me. They asked for it.¡± Percy held her hand tightly and did not let go. "That''s it for Madison..." Nina did not feel happy. Although Madison hired someone to mess with her, she was still safe and sound. She disliked Madison but would not go as far as to say she hated her. "Mm, that''s it for the Johnston family," Percy said. "If they hadn''t caused any drama, maybe they would''ve still stood a chance." "You''re thest person anyone would dare offend," Nina said cheekily when she noticed that the mood was slightly heavy. Percy took her into his arms and said, "If it''s you, I''ll ept it. I just don''t want anyone to hurt you. I couldn''t stand it when I saw the public attacking you. If I had the evidence yesterday, I would''ve made a move sooner." Nina was hugged tightly by him, and her heart felt at peace. She looked up at the man and said, "Did you know about Madison''s personal life before this?" "I didn''t investigate her before this. Even if the Johnston family had taken precautions to cover their trails, as long as I take the time to investigate, I''ll definitely be able to dig out all their dirty secrets. However, after rejecting the marriage of convenience with the Johnston family''s daughter, my family would only find others for me to marry. Hence, I have to let everyone understand that if they dare to agree to partake in this marriage of convenience with me, I''ll simply annex their family''spany." Percy had dealt with not only Madison but the entire Johnston family too. As such, even if the negative news about Madison was revealed, the Mallory family would just find another family to work with. Percy had to let the Mallory family and other families in A City know that no good coulde from forcing him to do the things that he did not want to do. Following theplete copse of the Johnston family, many of the families would not dare to plot against him anymore. After all, all thepanies had something that could be used against them on their road to bing bigger and stronger. Thesepanies just wanted to find their ce in the business circle. However, if they dared to agree with the Mallory family''s proposal, Percy would annex all of them. The person by his side had to be Nina. Nina suddenly thought of the past. Back then, after the Mallory and Johnston families announced their coalition, Percy had lesser time to go back to the vi and sometimes even disappeared for several days. She thought that Percy had found his true love, so he was spending time with Madison to please her. However, now she knew that he had spent that time nning Johnston Corporation''s downfall. Chapter 1831 However, at that time, Percy did not say anything and she did not take the initiative to ask him. That was why they ended up where they were. Nina felt terribly guilty. He was doing his best to ovee difficulties just to be with her, but she was constantly doubting him. She even told him that she was leaving him, unknowingly troubling and stressing him out. He even went as far as getting drunk to hurt himself. "Percy, I''ll never leave you again¡ªnot unless you don''t want me anymore." Nina hugged him back. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Percy heard her and said solemnly, "What are you talking about? I''ll never let you go for as long as I live." Nina listened to his oath and smiled sweetly. Even though the price of their happily ever after was hurting Madison, Madison had indeed deceived Percy. Nina did not feel as guilty anymore. She was happy as long as she was with Percy. "Okay, we''ll be together forever, then!" Nina felt that every cell in her body was filled with joy. She felt like she was walking on air. She knew that the road ahead would be challenging since she had chosen to be with Percy for the rest of her life. However, at that moment, she just wanted to embrace her happiness and not let go. When Percy heard what she said, he could not help himself from carrying her princess-style. "Ah, Percy! Let me down!" Nina knew that there were surveince cameras in the elevator. ''Isn''t he afraid of being seen carrying me like this?'' "I won''t let go. I''m tired. Come rest with me," Percy said. As soon as the elevator doors opened, he carried Nina into his office and kicked the door shut. On the other hand. Madison knew that Percy was holding a press conference, so she sat beside Nick Johnston on the couch in the ward as they stared at theputer screen. Madison was crazy with jealousy when she heard Percy talk about his rtionship with Nina. He went on and on about their past rtionship. She smiled only when the reporters constantly questioned and used him of being a scumbag. She wanted to destroy him since she was not able to be with him. Madison had liked Percy for six years but never got close to him due to his cold temperament. She finally got an opportunity but had to let go of it because of the Johnston family. Madison was fuming. She was anxious and resentful toward Percy when she saw how the Johnston family was falling deeper and deeper with each passing day. As such, she thought of faking her suicide to get the public to sympathize with her and ruin Percy''s reputation. ¡®No way I''m going to let him live a stable and happy life with that woman!'' Madison also nned to wait for some time before she found someone willing to help the Johnston family out of their crisis. Hence, after she told Nick about it, he immediately agreed with the n. She did not have the patience to wait any longer. After she knew that Percy had gone to his family with Nina, she immediately arranged to broadcast herself jumping off a building. Of course, it was all faked. After Nick sent her to the hospital, she immediately pretended to be emotionally unstable and refused to meet anyone. She also paid some reporters off to make sure that the incident would be on the front page. As she listened to Percy''s exnation, she secretly cursed at him, "*sshole!" Nick felt that something was wrong. ''Why does it seem like Percy is turning things around?'' However, he stillforted Madison. "Don''t worry, no one will be fooled by him." Madison nodded. No matter what, she was the partner who made their rtionship public before Nina did. It did not matter that they were together for four years before since he had never gone public with their rtionship before this. ''How can a woman who was kept in the dark for four yearspare to me?'' They continued watching the live stream, but when they saw Percy revealing her health reports, Madison screamed, "What''s going on here?!" Nick rubbed his eyes in disbelief and uttered, "These are supposed to be confidential. How did Percy get his hands on them?" He knew about Madison''s previous lifestyle, and for that reason, he spent a certain amount of money to hide the records so that she could be portrayed as a properdy in front of the public. "It must be the hospital. They must have given the records to Percy! Otherwise, how could he have obtained this information..." Madison felt as though all the strength in her body had been drained. She was very ufortable and wanted to find something to support herself, but she could only lie on the sofa weakly. "This man is terrible! He paid off the hospital to get these records. These are all from a few years ago..." Nick became anxious. The disclosure of this information would put the Johnston family in an even more disadvantageous position. Their uing ns would no longer be realized with the disclosure of this information! "Madison, stay in the ward and don''te out. I''ll talk to the hospital''s chairperson. If they dared to disclose the information to Percy, I''ll sue the hospital into bankruptcy!" Nick hurriedly left the ward. Before he could find the chairperson, he was surrounded by arge group of reporters as soon as he arrived at the nurse''s station. These reporters were not arranged by him. "Mr. Nick, Mr. Percy released Ms. Madison''s previous medical records five minutes ago. Do you have anything to rify on the matter?" "Mr. Nick, are those reports real?" "Mr. Nick, how''s Madison doing now? Did you hide her medical history so that she could marry into the Mallory family?" The series of questions made Nick pale. He did not have the headspace to deal with these annoying reporters at that moment. The matron saw the scene unfold and hurriedly stopped the reporters. "Where''s your security team?!" Nick was livid! "The security team ising up now." The matron was not sure how to react. These reporters were just standing here earlier without trying to step in. Hence, when the security guards changed shifts and did not have time toe up, she did not urge them. She did not think that the situation would quickly turn sour when Nick came out. She knew something must have happened. She could tell that reporters were not on the Johnston family''s side anymore! Nick looked at the reporters who kept pouring in. Several thin nurses stood in front of him. He said to them in a gloomy tone, "I want to see your chairperson. Please help me get in touch with him." After he said that, he returned to Madison''s ward. "How did it go?" Madison was in a daze and stood up when she saw himing back. "Have you contacted the chairperson? Maybe we can get him to say that Percy''s documents were faked..." Nick was cranky. ¡®It doesn''t matter what''s true or false. What we have to say is no longer convincing to the local wealthy families.'' Even if the chairperson sided with them, there were still people who would investigate the matter. He did not have the kind of money to help Madison cover up the absurdity of her previous lifestyle. Those rich and wealthy were not stupid. They would choose to believe in Percy, not the Johnston family! Chapter 1832 "I can''t go out now!" Nick was sour. The Johnston family had always been a patriarchal family. If Madison did not have some means, she would not have any say in the family. Madison was stunned, and her face was pale. She had just browsed the inte and saw that public opinion had changed drastically. It was only half an hour after Percy''s live broadcast. The public had been scolding Nina and Percy but had since shifted to gossip about her. Madison was scared of seeing this change. Her absurd days in the past involved a range of men, some of which were not of quality. If they saw the news, they might use the one night they spent together as bragging rights on the inte. "What happened?" Madison wondered, wanting to go out to see. Nick held her and said with a sullen expression, "Thanks to your n, the ce is flooded with reporters. They''re not the ones you arranged either! I''m not the only one who can''t get out, no one else can! Why should I contact the chairperson? Even if we get in touch with him, will he be willing to stand on your side?" "If he doesn''t want to, we''ll sue him since this information was leaked from this hospital." Madison was at a loss but still thought of a way to go about it. She could not have this ruin the rest of her life. The Johnston family was a realistic family. If one added no value to the family, their lives would be worse than a maid''s. She did not want to live a life as such. Even if the Johnston family went down, she could still rely on her beauty and image to find a wealthy family to live a good life! Madison was reluctant to face such a reality seeing that her n was about to be destroyed. "Sue him? We don''t know where Percy got these medical records from. If the hospital finds out that it has nothing to do with them, have you thought about the consequences of doing what you just proposed? Also, even if you win the court case, how much can you get out of it? Can it help the Johnston family get through this crisis? Won''t you be admitting that the medical records are real?" Nick regretted going with her n and provoking Percy. After this lesson, he would never dare to piss that man off again. He would not have agreed if Madison had not sworn that the n would be a sure win. He did not expect that Percy would find Madison''s past medical records. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Madison regretted everything she did and grabbed onto his sleeve like it was a lifebuoy. "What should I do now?" Nick was already annoyed at her. Seeing how foolish Madison had been, he made a decision impatiently. "You''re the one who provoked Percy. Don''t drag the Johnston family down with you." Madison''s eyes widened in disbelief. "What do you mean?" "If the chairperson refuses to step out and rify the matter, the Johnston family will inform the media that we have cut off ties with you. From now on, even if you carry the Johnston surname, you''re not a part of the Johnston family!" Nick said cruelly. Their rtionship was nothing to him. He knew that the right option was to save the Johnston family and hope that Percy did not take revenge on their family. He could not let the whole family suffer even more and make things worse. Madison shook her head. Her body was unstable and she fell to the floor. "No, I still have value. I can still create opportunities for our family." Nick looked at her angrily. If it were not for the reporters outside, he would have left long ago. "Value? Go around and ask people what they think of you. Will the rich and wealthy pay for a broken shoe? They''re not stupid. They''re rich, so they can get all kinds of women. They don''t need a broken shoe like you. Scram!" Madison broke down when she heard his indifferent tone. ''How can I live without the Johnston family?'' She had gotten used to being rich. All of a sudden, she had nothing now. Madison lost all hope. She looked at the white wall and staggered to get on her feet. Nick did not think too much of it. Madison hit her head on the wall the next second. Nick was frightened by the loud thump. He did not expect Madison to cause more drama. He immediately cursed at her, "Are you crazy?!" Madison''s forehead was smashed against the wall, and there was blood dripping from the wound. In just a few seconds, her cheeks were stained with blood. Madison did not seem to hear what he said. Her body fell straight down. As she fell, she muttered, "I don''t want to live anymore. I don''t want to live anymore..." The nurse happened to walk in and see this scene. She yelled out in shock. However, she had been working in this department for years now, so she was used to it. She reacted quickly, pressed the call bell, and notified her colleagues toe to the ward. She then walked over to check on Madison. "What happened?" The nurse turned around and asked Nick. She understood what had happened when she saw the blood on the wall. "Did the patient hit her head against the wall?" "She hit her head against the wall herself. No one forced her." Nick did not show any pity and distanced himself from Madison. The nurse did not have time to talk nonsense with him. She and her colleagues who came in administered first aid to Madison. ... On the other hand. When Luca was at work, she learned about Percy''s press conference from Tina. Out of curiosity, she got distracted, plugged in her headphones, and listened to the live broadcast on her phone. When Percy announced his rtionship with Nina in front of reporters, a small smile appeared on the corners of Luca''s mouth. Percy not only expressed his love for Nina to the Mallory family but also exined the situation to reporters and the public. Luca sighed as she knew that no matter how many difficulties there would be, Nina would be by Percy''s side firmly. She was happy that they had gotten their happily ever after. Luca took off her earphones and heard a low voice saying, "What are you smiling at?" She looked up in astonishment. While she was still listening to the live broadcast, Luke had walked in but she did not notice because she was wearing earphones. The volume was turned up. "Sorry, Mr. Crawford. I was listening to a live broadcast while working." Luca bowed her head and admitted to what she was doing. "What live broadcast made you so happy?" It had been a while since Luke walked in but she did not notice him because she was wearing earphones and his movements were light. He just stood there, watching the corners of her mouth curve into a sweet smile. His heart could not help but beat like a drum. When Luca saw him, she did not want to lie and cause unnecessary misunderstandings, so she answered honestly, "I was smiling because I was listening to Mr. Mallory''s live press conference. I heard him confess his love for Nina to the reporters." "You''re happy about that?" Luke asked rhetorically. Luca nodded. ''How can one not be happy when there''s a man who''ll do anything to make one happy and announce one''s existence to the entire world?'' Chapter 1833 Luke looked at her deeply. He knew that Luca was smiling like that because Nina was happy. He did not misunderstand. He just nodded slightly and walked out of the office. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Percy may seem cold, but he had a romantic side when he was with Nina. If he did not know the details, he would likely have gotten jealous of Percy for making Luca smile like that. Luca watched Luke leave. She touched her chin and wondered why he walked over. ''Is there work for me to do? If yes, he could''ve easily called me to notify me. But he came in and left without talking about work?'' Luca was puzzled. When Luke returned to the office, he remembered why he went to look for Luca just now. He was in a daze thinking about how her smile was not for him, so he was so annoyed that he even forgot that he was there to talk to her about something. He was a little embarrassed to walk back to her office, so he picked up his phone and texted Luca. [Dinner at the Royal Crown Hotel tonight at seven.] He pressed ''send''. Jack Norman had requested the meeting. After he found out that Luca was Bianca, he mentioned that he wanted to chat with Luca alone, which was why he organized this dinner. Luca received Luke''s text and wondered why he was asking her out for dinner. ''Will I be eating alone with Luke? Or is there another asion?'' Luca carefully replied: [Mr. Crawford, are we eating alone?] [It''s a business meeting.] Luke did not tell her that Jack would be there. Luca breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that it was a business meeting. She was fine as long as she did not have to eat with Luke alone. His aura was strong. Even though she had changed over the years, she still felt uneasy facing the man she loved. After all, she was using a strange identity to spend time with the man. The previous touches and memories would pop up in her mind when she was alone with Luke, making it impossible for her to face himfortably. After work hours. Luke did not work overtime for the first time in a long time. He packed up his documents and went to Luca''s office. Since he had informed her in advance, Luca happened to be putting on her coat when he walked in. When she saw Luke, she subconsciously got nervous and asked, "Mr. Crawford, is it a formal asion? Do I need to change and dress up?" Since Luke had not told her much, she was particrly cautious. Luke shook his head and said, "You look fine. It''s just a business dinner." Luca calmed down when she heard what he said. ''It''s just business dinner, so that''s fine. I''m not going as Luke''s femalepanion but as his assistant.'' "I''m ready to go." She picked up the briefcase which contained the documents that she nned to work on at night. Luke nodded and said, "Let''s go." Luca nodded and followed behind Luke calmly while keeping an arm''s distance. When they were about to reach the elevator, she looked back. ''It''s a business dinner, so why isn''t Jasoning?'' Luke pressed the elevator button and happened to see Luca turning back. He reminded her coldly, saying, "Look ahead when you walk." Luca was startled, turned around, and found that she was very close to Luke. While she was thinking about why Jason did not have to follow along, she had unconsciously gotten so close to Luke. It would just take a few more steps for her to touch Luke''s back... "Sorry, Mr. Crawford." She lowered her head, knowing that he hated it when others touched him without his consent. That rule applied to everyone but her. However, she should keep her distance. Luke watched the elevator doors slowly open and walked in. He looked at how careful Luca seemed and could not help but wonder. ''Since when did she need to be so cautious? She doesn''t need to do so around me.'' Luca watched him linger on pressing the elevator button and asked softly, "Mr. Crawford, are you waiting for Mr. Doyle?" "Why would I be waiting for him?" Luke stretched out his hand and pressed the underground floor button, where his car was parked. "Doesn''t he need toe to this business dinner?" Luca asked. She thought that Luke would bring Jason. After all, he was his assistant. She assumed that Luke asked her along so that she could be the trantor. "This business dinner has nothing to do with him." Luke put his hands in his pockets and used a cold expression to hide his restlessness. His heart would beat rapidly whenever he faced Luca. He had to hide his true feelings so that she would not be scared away by him. Luke looked at Luca''s bowed head, wondering when the days of him disguising his feelings for her woulde to an end. When they arrived at the underground floor, he stepped out of the elevator first while Luca habitually followed behind him. In the past, she would walk by his side. However, Luca could only follow behind him. If she fought for it, she would have a chance to stand by his side, but doing so would bring huge trouble to Luke. She was unwilling to do anything that might hurt him. "There''s still half a month left before this projectes to an end. If the bid is sessful, a reward will be given to all the employees involved and apany trip. Where would you rmend?" Luke walked to his parking space as he asked. ¡®Company trip?¡¯ Luca blinked, remembering thest trip. She almost drowned because she got a cramp and was rescued by Luke. She was put in the spotlight that day... It was from that day that their rtionship developed, and there was a subtle whiff of romance. "Get in the car." Luke saw her keeping quiet and knew she was thinking about something. He walked to the side of the car, opened the front passenger door, and reminded her. The front passenger door had been opened. It was obvious that she could only sit there. Luke did not ask the driver to drive them, so she could not possibly sit in the back. Luca turned sideways and got into the car. She unavoidably came into contact with Luke¡¯s body. The weather was cold, so she was wearing threeyers. When they touched, her nerves were numbed and she lost herself in the sensation. It was as though she was having puppy love once more. When one came into contact with the person one liked, even if it was not an ambiguous moment, it was enough to intoxicate one. Right after the door closed, Luca quickly covered her cheek with her hand. Fortunately, it was not burning hot. Luca watched as Luke went around the front of the car and opened the driver''s door. She acted casual as she fastened her seat belt and looked ahead. Luke noticed her fake calmness. He sat in the driver''s seat, lowered his head, and smiled slightly. He knew her best. Her seemingly natural state revealed her inner difort. ¡®Is it because of how I had deliberately touched her just now?¡¯ Chapter 1834 Luke was secretly delighted that his small actions would make her react so strongly. He casually put his hands on the steering wheel after he fastened his seat belt. When faced with Luca, he felt as though he was a young schoolboy. He was head over heels for her since back then. Back then, he was not sure how to strike up a conversation with her, so he yed on the court to attract her attention. Luke felt like he had gone back in time when he would secretly rejoice because of her small actions. Luca noticed that Luke had not started driving. She turned her head to the side and looked at the man''s strong side profile. "Mr. Crawford?" Her voice was soft and gentle, grazing his ears like a gust of soft wind. All of the cells in Luke''s body shuddered. He turned his head and looked at her, her gaze softening involuntarily. "What''s the matter?" he asked. Luca raised his hand slightly, pointed ahead, and asked hesitantly, "Aren''t you going to drive?" After being reminded, Luke realized that he was caught up thinking about how cute Luca was. He cleared his throat and exined, "I was thinking about something." Luca nodded understandingly but did not say anything. It was rare to see him be so deep in thought. She was curious about what he was thinking. Luke started the car, drove, and headed to Royal Crown Hotel. Royal Crown Hotel was near T Corporation, and the entire journey took ten minutes. Luke did not park his car in the underground parking lot but chose to park it outside. Luca got out of the car and looked at the hotel in front of her. She was somewhat puzzled. Although Royal Crown Hotel had a certain reputation in A City, people did not usually have business meetings here because it was not of the highest service quality. Argepany like T Corporation would usually go for three-star restaurants. Luke stood beside her and asked, "What are you thinking about?" Luca shook her head to indicate that it was nothing. After all, he was the boss, so she could not ask him questions. "Let''s go," Luke said while standing there. He did not take a step forward. Luca took a step forward subconsciously, only to notice that Luke was walking side by side with her. She wanted to slow down but Luke sensed it and kept the same pace with her. Luca was not sure what to do. He was doing it on purpose, and there was no other way to distance herself from him except to stop. She could only bite the bullet and walk into the hotel side by side with him. The hotel manager walked toward them and greeted Luke warmly, "Hello Mr. Crawford. Wee, your private room is ready." Luke nodded and said nothing. The hotel manager enthusiastically led the way. This situation wasmon to Luca. As long as the restaurant was informed in advance, Luke was treated like this wherever he went. They walked into the private room, and Luke pulled out a chair. He looked at her. The chair was pulled out for her. Under the gaze of the hotel manager, Luca had to bite the bullet and sit down. Luke looked at her, the corners of his mouth turning into a smile. The hotel manager was surprised. Luke, who seemed cold, shed a smile. Was it an illusion? He blinked, Luke was still smiling. The hotel manager immediately pulled the chair next to Luca for Luke. This private room was not particrly luxurious. There was no big round table. It was a square table, so they sat fairly close to each other. Luca looked at Luke''s hands, which were casually resting on the table. They were very close to each other. It was as though they were on a date, not a business dinner. The hotel manager brought them two sses of lemonade and politely asked, "Mr. Crawford, would you like to ce an order?" Luke nodded, "Yeah." The hotel manager immediately handed the menu. Luke took it, looked at Luca, and said, "Would you like to order?" Luca shook her head quickly, then watched him open the menu and ce an order. She could not help but remind him softly, "Mr. Crawford, aren''t you going to wait for the guests toe?" "I know what he likes to eat," Luke said. He was the one taking care of the Norman family when Luca was away, so he knew what Jack liked to eat. After all, a few years ago when Queenie was in bad health, Jack resigned and took care of her wholeheartedly at home. Hence, Luke often took them out to eat. Luca closed her mouth shyly and watched him order some dishes. Most of them were her favorites. After Luke finished ordering, the hotel manager asked, "Mr. Crawford, do you want anything to drink?" Luke stayed silent for a while. He had to drive, but Jack liked to drink, so he nodded. "Give me a bottle that''s within the price range." "Okay, I understand." The hotel manager nodded and smiled. He picked up the menu and walked out. Luca listened to the conversation and understood the situation. The person who wasing for dinner was most likely from the political circle instead of the corporate world. Luke asked the manager to bring a bottle within the price range. In the political world, integrity and fairness were important, so they had to be strict with their spending. Luca suddenly thought of Jack. In an instant, she thought that it could not be. If it was Jack, why would Luke book a table in this hotel and bring her here... They could just eat at Norman Residence or Crawford Manor. After Luke finished ordering, he took out his phone and started browsing the news. Luca did not say anything as she was familiar with his habit. He would usually take this time to browse the closing of the domestic stock market, make some important records, and go through the day''s financial news. At moments like this, thest thing he wanted was to be disturbed. Luca also took out her phone. Before she got off work, she had photographed a few pages of documents to be tranted. Seeing that there was time, she wanted to do some trantion work on her phone. The two were quietly upied with their respective tasks until the private room door was opened again. Luca subconsciously looked toward the door when she heard the sound. Jack walked in through the door. ¡®It''s really him...'' Luke stood up, and Luca followed along. "Mr. Norman, please take a seat," Luke said. Jack noticed Luca''s stunned expression and sighed to himself. ¡®How did I not realize that she''s Bianca?''Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Fortunately, Luke had told him on time. Otherwise, he might have hurt her. "It''s not working hours now. Call me ''Father-inw''," Jack said with a smile as he walked in. Luke nodded and nced at Luca, who seemed confused. He did not care to exin to her and continued saying, "Yes, Father-inw." "What are you doing standing? Sit down. Luca, you sit down too." Jack was enthusiastic after knowing that Luca was his biological daughter. Chapter 1835 Luca thought Jack was acting a little weird. In the past, Jack had always been polite to her, but today, he was weing and kind. That was how he acted toward her when she was still Bianca. Luca nodded and sat on the chair. Jack looked at her delicate facial features. Her looks were significantly different from what she used to look like. ''In the past few years, she has been controlled by a mysterious organization and was even forced to change her face. She must have suffered a lot...'' He was distressed and could not help but me himself for not protecting Luca well enough. Luke cleared his throat. After Jack found out that Luca was his daughter, his mentality must have changed. However, the change should not be too obvious so as to not arouse Luca''s suspicions. "Father-inw, I''ve already ordered some dishes to share. They''re home-cooked dishes. I also ordered a bottle of wine," he said. "Did you go over the budget?" Jack came to his senses. He was deep in thought looking at Luca just now. "No, don''t worry," Luke said. As a politician, it was normal for Jack to lead by example. "It''s alright, Luca. I asked Luke to help me organize this dinner because I want to thank you." Jack found an excuse to see her. "Thank me?" Luca was stunned. She had not done anything for the Norman family recently, so why did he want to thank her? Jack exined, "You''ve been helping the Norman family all this time, treating your Aunt Queenie and..." He paused, nced at Luke, and continued, "You''ve helped us so much, but I haven''t even bought you a meal. Hence, I asked Luke to help arrange this." Luca suddenly realized that it was because of this... "Uncle Jack, you''re too kind. You and Mrs. Norman have previously invited me to eat at Norman Residence. That''s good enough." "How could that be? You saved their lives. A simple meal won''t do," Jack said. He was not exaggerating at all. Luca did save Queenie and Leia. He and Queenie never thought that the person who saved them was Bianca. It was a pity that Queenie could not find out about Luca''s current identity. If she knew that their daughter was by her side, she would be relieved. Luca noticed how insistent Jack was, so she nodded and asked, "Where''s Mrs. Norman?" "She has something to attend to, so she couldn''te today," Jack said. He did not inform Queenie that he nned to meet with Luca. Queenie had been tired from taking care of Leia. She brought dinner to the hospital for Leia this evening, as she usually did for thest couple of days. Luca nodded, guessing that Queenie was busy with Leia. She was a little upset. After all, Queenie had been overworked. Luke rang the bell and asked the waiter to start serving. When the dishes arrived, Jack was satisfied. He nodded and talked to Luca warmly. Luca felt a little ufortable. Jack normally treated outsiders with a lukewarm attitude. He would be gentle and refined while maintaining a certain distance from others. After they ate, Jack watched Luca for a while before he left. Luca followed Luke to the counter, and after they left the hotel, she could not help but say, "Today..." "What?" Luke turned around to look at her. In the dark night, his body was entirely shrouded by the light from the streemps. When he looked at her, the light in his eyes flickered. She forgot to speak. Seeing how she was looking at him as if she was infatuated, he was secretly happy. He asked again, "What?" Luca came back to his senses and exined, "Mr. Norman seemed a little abnormal today..." "Did he?" Luke was happy. As his woman, she was observant, delicate, and sensitive. In his opinion, Jack did a good job of hiding his emotions but she still noticed the abnormality. "Yes, it didn''t feel right." Luca nodded. She wanted to say that Jack was more enthusiastic toward her but it would seem strange to say that to Luke. "You''re overthinking it. Can you drive?" Luke asked as he walked to his car. He had a few drinks with Jack. Jack had a driver to pick him up but Luke did not arrange for his driver to drive today. From what he recalled, Bianca could drive. "I haven''t driven for a long time..." Luca said. She was embarrassed. "It''s okay. I can''t drive after drinking, so you drive." Luke shoved the keys into her hand. Luca had to go to the front of the driver''s seat, unlock the car, and open the car door. Luke''s seat was adjusted for his height. Luca took some time to adjust it before she found a comfortable driving position. She sneaked a nce at the man in the passenger seat and found that he had already buckled his seat belt and was sitting therefortably. He was watching her adjust her seat and waiting for her to drive. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Luca put her briefcase in the backseat, buckled her seat belt, and headed for the vi. Halfway through the ride, her phone rang. Luke nced at the back. She had put her phone in her briefcase and was not wearing Bluetooth earphones. "Do you want to pick that up?" "No, I''ll call backter," Luca said. She had not driven for a long time and did not want to be distracted. After all, her life and Luke''s life were on the line. Luke listened to her and ignored it. The phone rang a few times, and there were two text notifications. Luke raised his eyebrows. ¡®Who would look for Luca at this hour?'' Luca was not bothered by it and drove the car intently. After she parked the car in the parking lot of the vi, she breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, she still remembered how to drive and got them home safely... She took out her phone and nced at the time. Those who were up now were likely partying or drinking. After all, it was already ten o''clock in the evening... She did not expect Jack and Luke to have so much to talk about. She opened her call log and found that Enoch Campbell was the one who called her... She checked her texts and they were from Enoch as well... He called her at this hour only for one purpose, to ask her out... Enoch had been taking the initiative to chat with her. Although she had told him many times that she was busy with work, Enoch was still interested. She did not respond with much enthusiasm but he would still insist on chatting with her every day. Moreover, during this period, he had also asked her out several times. Luca nced at Luke walking in front and could not help but be worried. She would never have caused such trouble for herself if she had been careful enough and Queenie did not get suspicious. She touched her face. After stic surgery, her facial features were more refined, so she was more liked by men. Luca was puzzled. Her phone vibrated again. It was another text. Luca nced at it. Enoch had set her a voice note. Chapter 1836 It seemed that if she did not answer his calls or reply to his messages, Enoch would never let it go. Luca frowned. It was not the first time she had faced such a clingy man, but she did not expect Enoch to be like this too. She felt that Enoch, as an educated civil servant, should not be acting like this. Luke walked in front. Luca did not listen to the voice message and wanted to turn her phone on silent when Enoch sent another message. At that moment, Luke stopped and turned around to look at her. Luca used to have a narrow social circle. After she came back to A City as Luca, her circle became even smaller. From what he knew of her, her phone never rang like this during non-working hours. "What''s wrong?" He noticed that Luca seemed helpless and had a gut feeling that something had happened. "It''s nothing." Luca did not dare to tell him about Enoch. Although he said that his feelings for her had yet to reach fiery and intense, her intuition told her that if she told him, something would happen. She did not want to cause such trouble. Luke''s gaze shifted, and he nced at her phone. Luca had turned her phone to silent mode but there were still vibrations. He heard the vibrations and said thoughtfully, "That person seems to be in a hurry to look for you." "It''s my brother." Luca hurriedly used Amur as an excuse. At that moment, she was like a puppy-eyed student who was caught by a teacher and suspected of being in a rtionship. The feeling of guilt spread all over her body. Enoch was the one who took the initiative in the rtionship. She had not once given the other party a chance. She felt guilty even though she was not involved with the man in front of her... In her subconscious, she still thought of herself as Bianca. Luke heard her mention Amur and noticed her guilty appearance. ¡®Is it Amur calling? She should not look... guilty if it''s her non-blood-rted brother calling.'' "The person calling seems eager," Luke said. He then turned around and went upstairs. Since Luca did not want to tell him anything, he would investigate it himself. He wanted to see who was the one texting her sote. ''It''s not Nina. She''s having the time of her life with Percy. It wouldn''t be Sue as well, and it''s even lower odds that it''s someone else...'' Luca nced at her phone, and it vibrated again. It did seem like the other party was eager to talk to her. After Luke disappeared around the corner of the stairs, she went upstairs and returned to the bedroom. She opened her text log and read the messages from Enoch. Enoch said he was worried because she was not picking up his calls or returning his messages. Luca did not want to continue to be harassed. She replied briefly: [I''m fine.] She thought that Enoch would not bother her if she acted indifferently. She did not think that Enoch would call as soon as she put down her phone. Luca looked at the caller ID and felt helpless. It was the first time she was so annoyed when dealing with a person. The phone kept vibrating, so she was forced to answer. "Hello, it''s Luca." "Luca, are you okay?" Enoch asked, concerned. "I was driving, so I didn''t have time to reply to your messages, sorry." Luca was indifferent to his enthusiasm. Enoch noticed something, but he continued with his efforts when he thought of Luca''s face. "Ah, okay. I was worried when you didn''t answer my calls or replied to my messages. Have you been working overtime until now?" "Yes." Luca did not bother to tell him what she did. After all, this could lead to an endless number of topics. All she wanted to do was to wash up, take care of her work, and go to bed. Enoch said, "You sure work hard. Have you eaten dinner? Shall I get you some takeout?" "No, thank you. I''ve already eaten at the office. I still have work to do. Is there anything else you want to talk about?" Luca took a deep breath, trying to maintain a friendly tone. Enoch heard the overtones and said quickly, "I was just worried about you. Since you''re so busy with work, I won''t disturb you for now. If you have time, let''s catch up over the weekend?" Luca noticed that he was taking the opportunity to ask her out and quickly refused. "I''ll be working overtime this weekend. Thepany''s project ising to an end. I don''t think I have time to catch up for the next few weeks. Since all is well, I''ll attend to my work now." After she finished speaking, she did not give Enoch a chance to answer and quickly hung up. Luca sighed. She thought that someone who was introduced by Queenie and Jack would not cross the line, but now it seemed... She was speechless. It may be because Enoch usually behaved better in public settings. He was gentle and well-mannered, so he was more popr with the elders. In private, however, he was so ungiving that Luca began to wonder how he went on with his life with his emotional intelligence. After all, Jack believed in his abilities, so he must have something up his sleeve. Luca could not figure it out. She decided to put the phone aside. She opened the closet and took out her pajamas before going into the bathroom to wash up. She came out with her body dry and turned on theputer to resume working. On the other hand. Enoch was upset after Lua hung up on him. He fell in love with Luca at first sight, but when Queenie was around, he did not want to seem overly enthusiastic. However, Luca did not seem to care much about him. Enoch decided to try again. He wanted to ask Queenie for help. After all, she and Jack were the ones who introduced them. It was normal to ask Queenie for help. As such, Enoch called Queenie. After the call was connected, Queenie was very puzzled to receive a call from him at this hour. "Enoch, it''s sote. What''s the matter?" Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. After hearing her say that, Enoch realized that it was veryte and he really should not be disturbing her. Since he was already on the call, though, he had to bite the bullet and say, "Mrs. Norman, good evening. I''m sorry to call you at this hour and disturb your rest." "That''s okay. I haven''t gone to bed yet but why are you..." Queenie looked at Jack curiously. ¡®Is it because he couldn''t contact Jack, so he''s looking for him through me?'' It was not the first time that something like that had happened. She watched Jack sit on the sofa with a wide smile on his face. He had been like this since he got home. He said nothing when she asked him about it. All he said was that something good had happened, and she was very puzzled. "Are you looking for my husband?" Queenie asked. Enoch quickly shook his head and answered, "No, I''m looking for you. You introduced me to Lucast time, so I wanted to thank you. I want to invite you and Mr. Norman to have dinner together sometime." "How is it? Is it going well?" Queenie asked happily when she heard that he wanted to invite them for dinner. If Luca and Enoch got together, then she and Luke would be innocent. "Not yet, but I''m working on it. I want to thank you two for introducing me to such a good woman." Enoch euphemistically expressed his gratitude and the fact that he had yet to score with Luca. Chapter 1837 "No worries..." Queenie was slightly stunned when she heard that he had not won over Luca. She thought Luca was quite satisfied with Enoch. After all, Enoch was a good-looking bachelor. Many women were vying for a blind date with him. "Have you encountered any difficulties?" Queenie thought about it and understood why he wanted to ask them out. "No, I just want to invite the two of you to a meal." Enoch knew that talking on the phone would not give him the best opportunity, so he wanted to seize the opportunity to meet Queenie in person. Queenie thought about it for a while. She agreed, thinking that maybe he had something to talk to her about. "Okay, give me the time and date. Mr. Norman may not have time, so I''m not sure if he''ll attend. As for me, I''ll be there." "Okay, thank you, Mrs. Norman. I''ll keep you posted once I''ve confirmed the date and time. I won''t disturb you and Mr. Norman''s rest any further. Goodbye." Enoch was so happy that he wanted to jump upon hearing that Queenie was willing to meet with him. Thest time they met, he noticed that Luca seemed to listen to Queenie. If Queenie put in a good word for him, maybe Luca would give him a chance. Enoch was confident in what he could provide for her. He believed that as long as Luca was willing to give him a chance, he could win her heart. On the other hand. Jack came out of the bathroom and happened to hear Queenie''sst two sentences. He asked, "It''s so late. Who''s calling?" "It''s Enoch from your department," Queenie replied as she put her phone aside. "Enoch? What did he call for?" Jack frowned. He had never asked Queenie to help with work. Therefore, people in his department would usually not contact Queenie. It was sote as well... "He seems to be satisfied with Luca, but Luca doesn''t seem to care about him. I''m guessing he wants to ask me for help to put in a few words," Queenie said helplessly. Although she had introduced Enoch and Luca, she thought that the rest should just flow naturally. If Luca was not interested in him, he should not force it. Queenie should not have to force Luca to do anything. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. After all, the feelings were hers. She could not control who Luca liked. If she were not worried that Bianca''s position as Luke''s wife would not be guaranteed, she would not be a matchmaker either. "It''s all about mutual consent. What does he want you to do?" Jack frowned. For a long time, he thought that Enoch was a person who knew better. However, his impression of Enoch worsened after this incident. Jack felt guilty when he was reminded of how Luca was Bianca and that he cooperated with Queenie to introduce her to someone. Fortunately, Luca was not interested in Enoch. Otherwise, he would have wronged Luke. "I thought so too, but the guy seems to like Luca a lot." Queenie frowned slightly. She agreed with what Jack said. Jack''s heart skipped a beat as he looked at her. "Are you going to agree to Enoch''s request?" "He wants to invite us to dinner. Don''t worry, I''ve already turned it down for you. My attendance is dependent on my schedule as well. Since he likes Luca so much, it''s not impossible to help once, right, dear? After all, I don''t want to see Luca miss out on such a good man either." Queenie asked Jack for advice. Jack shook his head and responded, "That shouldn''t be the case. If Luca doesn''t like him, it''s pointless for you to force it." "That''s true... but I''ve already promised Enoch. I''ll go just once. If it doesn''t work out, we''ll introduce someone else to Luca." Queenie had already thought it through. No matter what, she would find a partner for Luca. There were a lot of youngds working under Jack. She was sure that there would be one Luca would like. Jack shuddered as he listened to his wife''s n. He regretted agreeing to arrange a blind date for Luca. If he had known that she was Bianca, he would not have interfered with Luke''s and her rtionship. He would even help to hide it from Queenie. Now, if he did not agree with Queenie, she might misunderstand. If he agreed with Queenie, he would cause trouble for Luca and Luke. "What are you thinking about?" Queenie noticed his frown. Jack shook his head and exined, "I think it''s up to the young people to deal with their affairs. Maybe Luca is focusing on her career and doesn''t have the headspace for romantic rtionships?" "Luca is good-looking and doesn''t look her age, but she''s getting older. She needs to get married sooner orter." Queenie did not understand why her husband had suddenly changed his mind. Jack reluctantly said, "Luca grew up abroad. The mindset of people in foreign countries is different from those in A City. If it doesn''t work out with Enoch this time, we''ll let go of the matter. Let''s not go too far, lest she gets annoyed with us. We have to repay her kindness to our family." Queenie was even more puzzled. He had agreed with her n before this, but out of the blue, he did a 360. "Dear, did something happen?" she asked in a soft voice. "I just think we shouldn''t be meddling in their rtionship. Regarding Enoch, I''m sure Luca has her own reasons as to why she''s not interested. We can''t force her to ept him. She respects us and agreed to our arrangement because of it, but whates next has to be decided by her..." Jack held Queenie''s hand, hoping that she would not cause any more trouble for Luke and Luca. Luke and Luca had not had it easy. "But I''m doing this for the sake of our daughter..." Queenie agreed with what he said but she was selfish. She prioritized her daughter. Of course, Jack knew what she was doing. He said, "No matter what it is, it''s their choice. It''s time we let the young people make their own decisions." Queenie sighed and turned her face away. Her voice became choked up, "I feel that you''ve changed. Is there any news from Bea?" "No, my friend couldn''t find Bea. I talked to Luke and was able to get in touch with Bea through him. She''s having a wonderful time abroad and has learned a lot of new things, so she doesn''t n toe back now." Jack found an excuse to fool Queenie. "How could you get in contact with Bea but I can''t?!" Queenie felt that something was off. "Bea has been traveling. Next time. Next time when I contact her, I''ll ask her toe back for the festivities!" Jack assured her. Queenie nodded and kept quiet. When he saw Queenie''s watery eyes, Jack knew that Queenie would not give up on the matter. It seemed that he had to drop Luke a reminder. After all, it was his and Queenie''s wrongdoing. "Get some rest, dear. Don''t you have to get up early tomorrow to go to the hospital to deliver breakfast to Leia?" Jack embraced her and walked to the bed. Chapter 1838 Queenie noticed that Jack was reluctant to continue talking about the subject. Besides, it seemed like Jack had changed his attitude toward Luca. Queenie was worried about it. She was worried that something was going on with Bianca and Jack was choosing to avoid talking about it as he did not want to trigger her emotions. Queenie thought it would be better not to say another word when she saw Jack already lying on the bed. The following day. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Luca followed Luke''s car back to the office. She let out a sigh when there was no one around and pushed the car door open calmly. "Thank you, Mr. Crawford." Luca got out of the car right away after she thanked Luke. Since staying in the same vi as Luke, Luca had no reason to reject his offer to give her a ride to and back from the office as it was indeed convenient. After all, they had to be in the office at the same time. Luca would personally prepare breakfast for the children. She would leave for work after that, but Luke would already be awake by then. Hence, Luca could only pray that she would not run into her colleagues when she got out of Luke''s car. Luke shook his head helplessly as he watched Luca trot away. He unfastened his seat belt and got out of the car leisurely. Did Luca think that she would be able to distance herself from him this way? That was impossible. Luca belonged to him, and she would be Mrs. Crawford forever. Luca let out a sigh of relief when she got into the elevator. Luke did not catch up to her. They were far away from each other, and no one else would have seen them. She did not return to her office right away. Instead, she headed to theb and hosted an early meeting. Her research project was alreadying to an end, and her product would soon be mass-produced before being sold on the market. Therefore, no mistakes were allowed to happen now. Rhett saw Luca walking into theb. He quickly handed her the meeting agenda. ¡°Dr. Craw, this is today''s meeting agenda.¡± Luca took it from Rhett and nodded. ¡°Let me return to my office and take a look at it. We''ll hold the meeting in 15 minutes." While Rhett was secretly eximing at how quickly Luca could read the agenda, he handed another document folder to her. "Dr. Craw, this one''s for you too." "What''s this?" Luca took it from him curiously. "Ms. Stone passed it to mest night. She reminded me again and again to make sure I hand this to you," answered Rhett. Luca had moved houses, and she did not update hertest address in the company''s employee information. Hence, they did not know where she was staying now. Mo Stone had no choice but to pass the folder to Rhett. Luca was startled for a moment when she heard Mo''s name. It must be Dr. Albus'' folder. Did they face difficulties in their research again? "Dr. Craw, what is it?" Rhett asked cautiously. Mo had reminded him before that the folder contained important information, so no one was allowed to read it. "It''s Dr. Albus'' research," replied Luca as she headed back to her office. 15 minutester, Luca finished reading the meeting agenda and went to attend the meeting. Luca did not go upstairs immediately after she assigned tasks and handled matters that needed her attention. Instead, she sat in theb and began to study the document folder that Dr. Albus had sent to her. He had encountered another small issue with his research again. Luca read through the data attentively and found out where the problem was. She was puzzled. If Dr. Albus had observed this carefully and spent more time dealing with this problem, he would have been able to solve this himself. At this point, it was as though he intended to let her see the experiment''s results. Luca''s heart sank. Judging from Dr. Albus'' capability, this was a problem that he could have solved if he had just spent more time on it. He did not have toe to look for her. The arrangements he made seemed to be intentional. Could it be that he was from the Ind of Despair? Luca looked at the folder and opened her email. She began to type an email to Dr. Albus to tell him where the problem was. Ten minutes after she sent the email to him, Luca received a reply from Dr. Albus. Other than thanking Luca for helping him, he praised her for being able to find out where the issue was so quickly. He even told her that his team had been looking for the problem for two days, yet they could not find it. Luca lifted the corners of her lips subtly. Dr. Albus seemed to be concealing something. Previously, when Luca helped Dr. Albus solve his problem, she had already understood the entire form of the drug and other details. Now, he came asking for her help again. It was as if she was a participant in the research. This must be Abel''s purpose. He arranged for Dr. Albus to get into thepany and study drugs, but he did not ask Dr. Albus to disclose the form even though doing that could give T Corporation a big blow. Instead, Abel wanted Luca to do it herself because she was Luke''s wife. This way, it could bring him pleasure! It gave Luca the chills, but there was nothing she could do. What could she do to Abel? She could not even inform Luke, and it was even more impossible for her to hint at Luke. Luca massaged her aching forehead. The only thing she could do now was record Dr. Albus'' research findings. Then, she would have to wait for Abel''s orders to leak the information immediately. Perhaps, she would have to sell it... Luca recorded everything down and sent the details to her email. Then, she secretly deleted her traces on theputer. She did not want to be that meticulous, but she had no choice. She could not reveal her identity so soon. Even if she disclosed the research information to the public, it would not affect T Corporation that much. There were still other research projects that could be mized. Thepany might only lose the money they had invested in the early stages of Dr. Albus'' research. Luca had to continue to stay beside Luke to know what was Abel''s next step. Perhaps when the time came, she would have to sacrifice herself to protect Luke and T Corporation. However, she was not only the one who had to sacrifice herself but her cute little daughter, N, too. That was why Luca was still hesitating. She took a deep breath after she was done doing everything. Her expression returned to a calm one. Luca had to head upstairs to continue to work. She had headed to theb this morning to check on the progress of her project first. The researchers in theb were busy with their experiments. Although the final stage of the research was tedious, they seemed to be dealing with it patiently. Once the research seeded, they would receive a considerable amount of money. Luca left the researchb, got into the elevator, and headed upstairs. When Luca had just sat down on her office chair, Tina was holding a bouquet of roses and walked into Luca''s office with a smile on her face. ¡°Dr. Craw." Luca lifted her head and nced at the bouquet Tina was holding. She smiled and asked, "Who gave it to you?" "How I wish it''s a bouquet for me, but it''s actually yours. Do you mind if I put it here?" Tina asked. Tina had run into the receptionist who was holding the bouquet of roses in the elevator when she went downstairs to handle some affairs. Tina happened to find out that the roses were for Luca after asking the receptionist. "For me?" The smile on Luca''s face faded away as her brows furrowed. "Yes. Your name is written on the card. The receptionist asked me to help give it to you." Tina took the greeting card out without looking at it. She handed it to Luca immediately. Luca took it from Tina and ced the card aside without ncing at it. "Don''t you want to find out who gave it to you?" Tina looked at Luca. She knew Luca was not very happy to receive the flowers. Chapter 1839 ¡°I can tell who sent it without looking at it." Luca felt annoyed. Giving Enoch the cold shoulder was not working at all. It seemed like she had to find a chance to make things clear with him. "Is it the guy you went on a blind date with?" Tina understood at once. If Luca was not happy to receive flowers from the man, that would only mean Luca was not interested in him. Tina looked at how distressed Luca was. It looked like the man had yet to notice that Luca had no feelings for him. Luca nodded and turned on herptop. "I''m not nning to date anyone, let alone get married. So, I''ve been giving him the cold shoulder after we had lunchst time. But it seems like he''s not giving up yet." Tina stroked her chin and made a suggestion. "If he''s not nning to give up, then you should just be honest and make it clear to him. If he continues to bother you, you can find someone else to put on a show with you. I''ve done that before to get rid of a nuisance." Luca knew only too well about these tricks. She thought Enoch should know better than the others considering he was someone well-educated, and on top of that, he was even working in the provincial capital. Now, it seemed like Luca had to turn him down personally. Tina touched the roses, and she thought Luca seemed to not be interested in these flowers. She would throw them into the trash eventually. Hence, Tina eximed, "It''s such a pity for these champagnecolored roses. This guy who''s chasing after you must''ve spent quite a lot of money getting you such a big bouquet of champagne-colored roses. Oh, what''s his upation? How can he be so generous?" Luca replied, "He''s a civil servant if I''m not mistaken. Forget about it. I remember you like flowers a lot. Why don''t you take the flowers and put them in the secretary''s office? That''s much better than having me throw them away." Tina smiled and said, "Sure. Dr. Craw, how do you know I like flowers?" "I noticed that you always have fresh flowers in your office. I''m allergic to flowers, especially this type of flower. So, I''ll give the bouquet to you. Thank you!" Luca found an excuse, picked up the flowers, and handed them to Tina. Tina dly took them from Luca and said, "Thank you. The flowers on my desk are about to wither." "Don''t mention it. I should thank you for helping me to get out of such a big trouble," replied Luca. Her head hurt whenever she saw the bouquet. Besides, Luke might enter her office, and he would question her when he saw such a big bouquet. Luca did not want to lie to him. Hence, asking Tina to take the flowers away was a good idea. Tina took the bouquet of roses away happily. She ran into Jason who had juste out of his office when she was on her way back to her office. "Tina, did you receive such a big bouquet? Is someone pursuing you?" Jason asked cheerfully. It was normal to have such conversations with Tina after working together with her for so many years. Tina shook her head and replied, ¡°How I wish someone is chasing after me too. But this bouquet isn''t for me.¡± ¡°Then who are the flowers for? I remember that you''re the only singledy in the secretary''s office.¡± Jason teased her. Tina rolled her eyes at Jason, looking adorable. ¡°Mr. Doyle, all of us know you''re happily married and you have a happy family. But don''t rub it in my face. Otherwise, I''m going toin to Sue.¡± ¡°Fine. I''m sorry.¡± Jason surrendered immediately. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "The flowers were gifted by the guy Dr. Craw went on a blind date with, but she doesn''t like them, so she gave them to me. The champagne-colored roses are beautiful, and they smell nice too. So, I''m taking them back to arrange them." ¡°They were for Dr. Craw?¡± Jason widened his eyes and nced at Luke''s office unconsciously. Fortunately, Luke did note out of his office. Jason did not tell Luke about Luca going on a blind datest time. He had been keeping a close eye on Lucately. She did not look like she was going on dates after getting off work. Hence, he thought things had not worked out between her and her blind date, so he decided to let the matter slide. However, Jason did not expect the man to go as far as send flowers to Luca''s office to chase after her. Although Luke still had no idea about it, he would eventually find out about it if that man continued to pursue Luca. If that happened, they were all going to be in deep trouble! "Does Dr. Craw not like the bouquet or the guy?" Jason lowered his voice and asked. Tina nced at Jason out of the corners of her eyes. She instantly smiled and asked, ¡°Mr. Doyle, when did you be so nosy?¡± If Tina did not know Jason was in love with Sue, she would have suspected Jason was interested in Luca. Otherwise, why was he so interested in someone else''s love life? That was not something a man would be curious about. As Jason listened to her making fun of him, he exined patiently, ¡°I''m doing this for the sake of our happiness.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Tina did not understand what he meant. ¡°Someone else is in love with Dr. Craw. I''m just helping him to enquire,¡± Jason exined patiently. Tina was usually not slow when it came to these kinds of things. How could she not figure things out at this point? After all, it was either Jason or Tina whom Luke would give orders to whenever it was something rted to Luca. More than the others, Tina should be more aware of what was going on. Tina understood what Jason meant at once and said, ¡°Don''t worry. Dr. Craw isn''t interested in him and the flowers.¡± Jason let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Luca had no interest in that man. However, he could not let Luke know about this. Then, he reminded Tina again, "Keep in mind that you shouldn''t tell anyone that Luca gave the flowers to you if you''re asked about it.¡± "Alright, alright." Tina held the flowers and returned to the secretary''s office immediately. As Jason watched Tina leave from behind, he shook his head helplessly. Fortunately, it was Tina who knew about this. If it were someone else, they would not have been able to keep their mouth shut. Jason nced at Luke''s office door. It was still firmly shut. He let out a sigh, secretly hoping that Luca could solve this problem as soon as possible. That way, everyone would be able to get away with it. When it was noontime, Luca was getting ready to head downstairs for lunch, but she received a call from Queenie. Luca had this sneaking suspicion that the call had something to do with Enoch. Even so, she answered the call anyway. After all, Queenie was her biological mother, and there was no way she could ignore her phone call. After Luca answered the call, Queenie''s gentle voice came from the other end of the call. "Luca, are you on your lunch break now?" "Yes, Mrs. Norman. It''s lunch break now," replied Luca. "That''s great. I was feeling a little bored today, so I thought of asking you out for lunch. I''m at the Smokin'' Hot Steakhouse. Can youe over here?" Queenie did not make an appointment with her in advance this time. Luca was smart enough and would probably know why she was asking her out. Queenie was worried that Luca might turn her down, so she timed it perfectly before making the call. Enoch, who was sitting opposite Queenie, was looking at her nervously, waiting for Luca''s reply. Before this, Enoch had told Queenie about his feelings for Luca. Queenie could not bear to turn him down. Thus, Queenie promised to help him one more time. If Luca still rejected him, then there was nothing she could do anymore. After all, love could not be forced. Enoch thought he was going to seed this time with Queenie''s help. After all, he even got Luca a bouquet this morning. Women loved receiving gifts. Furthermore, it must have made her look good when she received such a big bouquet of champagne-colored roses in front of her colleagues. Chapter 1840 ¡°Smokin'' Hot Steakhouse? Alright, I''ming down now." Luca knew Queenie was looking for her because of Enoch, but she bit the bullet and went to meet her. "Oh, I reserved a private room. Just mention my name to the waiter when youe inter," said Queenie. It was different this time. Last time, Queenie was hoping Luca''s colleagues would know that Luca was on a blind date. That was why she picked a cafe without a private room. This time, Enoch needed to talk to Luca. They needed a quieter ce to have a conversation. Hence, Queenie reserved a private room under her name. "Alright, Mrs. Norman. Please give me a moment. I''m heading there now," replied Luca. She hung up the call, stood up, and walked out of the office. While she was in the elevator going downstairs, she wondered if she should make it clear to Enoch in front of Queenie. She knew Queenie would be able to understand her. Love and rtionships could not be forced, after all. What made Luca worried was that if Queenie knew Luca was not interested in Enoch, maybe she would arrange for another man to go on a blind date with her immediately. It was to make sure nothing was going on between her and Luke. She felt helpless at the thought of this. Luca left T Corporation and headed to Smokin'' Hot Steakhouse. It was the white-cored workers'' favorite Western restaurant nearby. Hence, the ce was fully booked when she reached the restaurant. It took some time before Luca found a waiter and asked which private room Queenie was in. Luca pushed the private room door open. Sure enough, other than Queenie, Enoch was there too. Queenie smiled and waved to Luca. "Luca,e here and take a seat." Luca walked into the private room helplessly. Queenie was still trying to set her up with Enoch. Luca could see Queenie was anxious about matchmaking her and Enoch. "Mrs. Norman." Luca walked into the private room and closed the door. After that, she sat on the chair. Only then did she greet Enoch calmly. "Mr. Campbell." The way Luca called Enoch was cold and hard. Queenie could easily hear the changes in Luca''s tone, and she frowned a little. She did not need to make any guesses to know that things were not going to work out between Luca and Enoch no matter what she said today. Luca had done her a favor bying over here, but that did not mean she would be able to ept Enoch. Although Queenie thought Enoch was a nice man, she could not force Luca to get together with him if Luca did not like him. Enoch could hear the coldness in Luca''s voice, and he wondered if Luca had received his flowers. Could it be that the greeting card had fallen out while the flowers were sent to her office? ¡°Mr. Campbell sounds distant. Luca, didn''t we agree to call each other by our names?" Luca felt even more frustrated. Was he truly not getting it, or was he just pretending not to understand? After they left the cafest time, Luca had taken the initiative to distance herself from him. She immediately went back to addressing him as Mr. Campbell. Luca wondered why this was happening, but she did not lose her temper out of respect for Queenie. Enoch handed Luca the menu when he noticed that Luca refused to say anything. "Mrs. Norman, Luca, take a look at the menu and see what you''d like to order." Luca did not even nce at the menu. She said immediately, "I''d like to have Set A. Thank you." Queenie could sense there was something wrong in the air, and she felt like she had done something wrong. She started feeling sorry, and she said, "I''ll have the same set as Luca." Enoch nodded and ordered three sets of Set A meals by scanning the QR code. Enoch put his phone down after he ced the order. He tested Luca by asking her a question, "Luca, I sent a gift to you today. Did you receive it?" "Do you mean the bouquet of roses?" Luca looked down without showing any signs of happiness for receiving such a gift. "Yes, yes. It seems like you''ve received it. It took me some time to choose that bouquet. I listened to the florist''s suggestions and chose that bouquet for you. There''s a significant meaning behind the number of roses!" Enoch rattled on, trying to let Luca know how much effort he had put in. Luca remained silent. Enoch finally realized something was wrong, so he asked, "Were the quality of the roses bad?" "I''m not a fan of roses," Luca lied. She loved roses, but only the ones that Luke gave her. Queenie was slightly startled. Luca did not like roses? Was Luca not interested in the roses nted at her house? That was why she rmended Enoch to get Luca some roses when he asked for her help. "You don''t like roses?" Enoch gave Queenie a surprised look. He was secretly ming Queenie. If Queenie had not rmended the roses, he would not have made the wrong decision. However, Queenie was Jack''s wife, and he dared not to say anything about it. "I''m sorry. I thought¡ª" "Mr. Campbell, I suppose you should know that everything works the same way. There''s always going to be something you like and something you dislike. And that includes the rtionship between people. So I think there''s no need for you to waste your efforts on me. You deserve someone better." Luca could no longer hold it back, so she spilled everything out. Enoch was startled. He did not expect Luca to say something like that to him when Queenie was around. He felt embarrassed, and he was even more unconvinced. Was he not good enough? This woman, Luca, really had no idea what was good for her. Queenie felt the temperature in the room abruptly drop. She quickly smoothed things out. ¡°Alright, alright. No matter what, it''s nice to get to know each other. We''re all friends, right?" Enoch was unconvinced, but he still nodded and agreed with Queenie. Luca was reluctant to do so, but she thought she had made things clear enough. Even if Enoch was still thinking of getting together with her, he should have understood by now. He would not continue to bother her after she turned him down so directly. Hence, Luca nodded and agreed with her. Queenie let out a sigh of relief when the both of them did not start a fight because of this matter. The dishes were served at the table. Enoch was trying to please Luca unconsciously, and Queenie was watching every move he made. She cleared her throat gently to remind him. Enoch was startled. Embarrassed, he stopped his gestures to please Luca. Luca quickly finished the food that she ordered. Her phone vibrated while she was looking for an excuse to leave earlier. It was a message from Jason. She was asked to attend an unscheduled meeting in ten minutes. She had to end her lunch break as soon as possible and return to the office. Luca wiped her mouth and said in a hurry, "Mrs. Norman, Mr. Campbell, I need to return to the office earlier to attend a sudden meeting." Queenie quickly replied to her when she heard that, "Alright. You''d better hurry." Luca nodded. She held her phone and stood up. Then, she pushed the private door open and left. She pondered for a moment before she walked out of the restaurant. Since she had already rejected Enoch, she should not let him pay for lunch. Hence, she paid the bill at the cashier. After Luca paid for the lunch, she hurried off to T Corporation. In the private room. Queenie put down her cutleries and wiped her mouth with the napkin gracefully. Then, she turned to look at Enoch. After Enoch was rejected by Luca, he had been down in the dumps. He looked pitiful. Still, love and rtionships were not easy to deal with, especially if one fell in love on a blind date.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Queenie pondered for a moment. She thought it would be better tofort him. Hence, she asked in a caring manner, "Enoch, are you okay?" Enoch forced a smile and replied, "I''m okay, Mrs. Norman." Chapter 1841 Queenie let out a sigh. ¡°Stop pushing yourself. It''s my fault. Love can''t be forced. Enoch, you just have to let it go." Enoch smiled at her. Love could not be forced, but he had already fallen in love with Luca at first sight. Enoch had been single for years. It was not because no one had ever introduced him to other women, but it was he who felt that those women were no match for him. That was why he had chosen to stay single. That was all until he met Luca. Luca''s appearance, aura, personality, and career were good enough for him. That was how he began to fall in love with her. Enoch thought Luca would be satisfied with him, but he did not expect that Luca would show no interest in him. He had been living a smooth sailing life, but he had encountered setbacks at that particr moment. Enoch did not express his emotions in front of Queenie, but he was secretly holding a grudge against this matter. On the other hand. Luca hurried back to the office. She let out a sigh of relief after getting rid of Enoch. When Luca was back in her office, she packed the things that would be needed for the meetingter. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Tina knocked on her door and walked in. She smiled and handed a thermos bottle to Luca. She said, "Dr. Craw, this is for you." "What''s this?" Luca put down herptop and took the thermos bottle from Tina with a confused look on her face. "I made this juice for you. I bought the fruits at the supermarket before I came to work this morning. They''re all imported fruits, and the juice tastes good. It''s my gift for you in return." Tina was not the kind of person who would take things for granted, and that was why she wanted to give something to Luca in return. Tina knew Luca did not like drinking coffee, so she wanted to thank her by making her nutritious juice. "Thank you. I''ll drink it after the meeting." Luca readily epted it. She picked up herptop, then the folder that Jason had passed to her just now. Tina knew Luca needed to attend the meeting, so she nodded. She did not have to attend the meeting this time. She said, "Then I''ll leave you to it. See youter." ¡°See youter." Luca carried herptop and walked out of her office. Luca walked into the meeting room. Some of the senior managers were already sitting there waiting for the meeting to start. Luca had attended a few meetings like these before. She was no longer feeling distraught. She was here to work, and that was why no peculiar eyes were falling on her anymore. Luca sat down on the right side of the CEO''s seat. She turned on herptop, opened the document folder, and took the recording pen out of her pocket. She got ready to record the minutes. After she got everything ready, Luke walked into the room with a stern look on his face. Those who were in the meeting room got serious too when they saw Luke''s expression. This impromptu meeting was not as simple as it seemed. Something must have happened. Otherwise, their boss would not have that look on his face. Jason distributed the documents one by one to every senior manager. Luke sat on the CEO''s seat and looked at every subordinate disdainfully. No one even dared to breathe when Luke was watching them like that. Luca sat beside him. She could feel the depressing atmosphere in the room. Deep down in her, she knew something must have happened. Otherwise, Luke would not have such an expression on his face. Indeed, Luke spoke and said, "The Europeanpany has just added another new condition. The details are in the document. Please take a closer look at it." The senior managers heard him and opened the documents in front of them immediately to read the specific requirements. The Europeanpany had made a big adjustment to the building materials, architecture design, and price. Luca had received a copy of the document too. She lifted her head and nced at Luke after she read it. The architecture design in T Corporation''s bid document was simr to the requirements of the Europeanpany. There was only a slight difference that did not meet the requirements. Hence, they only had to make some slight amendments to it. As for the building materials, they could be adjusted and modified. There would be a change in the price of the bid document as the cost of materials increased. These were not the real problem. The biggest problem was¡ªtime. The whole bid document had beenpleted, but the rest of the content would need to be amended if they made any changes to it now. Moreover, it was only less than two weeks until the bidding date. It would be a fastidious job that required cooperation from every department to redraft a bid document within two weeks while tranting the whole document at the same time. If something went wrong, they would bete in submitting the bid document. "Boss, we can''t make it in time," said one of the senior managers. Luke turned to look at him and said, "Our architecture design is simr to the requirements of the other party. We only have to amend some other parts and the building materials listed on the document. The otherpanies participating in the bid are also facing the same problem. The thought that they don''t have enough time to amend their document didn''t even ur to them, so why would we think so?" The senior managers dared not to say another word when they heard that. It was not that they could not make it in time, but if Luke decided to rush it, they would have to work day and night for the next two weeks. They were worried they would burn out. ¡°Boss, since they''re the ones who asked us to make the amendments, didn''t they extend the time?" another senior manager asked. Luke shook his head and replied, "The time hasn''t changed." "They''re clearly making things difficult for us. Could it be that someone is pulling the strings behind the company?" Another senior manager was a little annoyed. Thepany did not ask for any other requirements before this, yet now they were making demands. It seemed like someone in that company had already made a decision on whichpany to choose. However, that person was worried that thepetition would be fierce, so they came up with something like this. The otherpanies were the ones who had to suffer. "No matter what, I want to see apleted bid document submitted in two weeks," said Luke. He would never give up the bidding this time. If he gave up like that, then everything they had done and the efforts his employees had put in before this would be all in vain. As a business owner, he would not allow such a thing to happen. The senior managers fell silent. After all, they had put in so much effort before. They had to make it work no matter what. "Is there a problem?" Luke looked at them. "No," the senior managers replied. Luke nodded. Since they had no problem with it, then they should continue to study the contents of the document. At the same time, Luke would guide them further along the process. In the first step, the design department had to take charge. Luke only ended the meeting after he suggested modifying the whole design. After Luke left, Luca stood up and tidied up her documents. Jason said, "Dr. Craw, your trantion work will wrap up after the amendment this time. You can''t handle this alone, so our Russian trantor wille back to work together with you to reduce your burden here. Luca nodded. Indeed, she had to wait until they had amended the whole bid document to start tranting it. Hence, she would be thest one to finish everything. Luca could not work with them during the preliminary stages, and she had to work alone. It was fine for her if enough time was given, but she would be buried with work if not enough time was given. It would be best if someone could help her with it. "d to hear someone will be helping me." She let out a sigh of relief. Chapter 1842 Jason nodded and walked out of the office. When Jason reached the elevator, he realized Luke''s elevator doors were still open. He walked toward it curiously. Then, Luke spoke and said, "Come in." Jason nodded and entered the elevator. The elevator doors closed slowly. Jason lifted his head to look at the floor numbers that were constantly going up. Although he had been working with Luke for so many years, he would still feel a little pressured to be in the same elevator as him. Luke was his boss, after all... Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Is there anything unusual with Lucately?¡± Jason was startled for a moment, then he felt guilty all of a sudden. Did Luke find out about it? No one was spreading the news that Luca had gone on a blind date, though. How did he know about it? Was it because of that bouquet? ¡°Boss, what do you mean by anything unusual?" Jason blinked his eyes. "Is she keeping in touch with any other man?" Luke went straight to the point. He noticed Luca''s phone had been constantly ringing recently. Endless message notifications and phone calls hade inst night. His instinct told him that the one looking for Luca was not a woman. "I''m not so sure about that. Aren''t you supposed to know that?" Jason decided to y dumb. After all, even if Luke found out about it, he could tell him that he had not seen anything. Luke shot him a cold nce without saying anything. Luke noticed that Luca had not been herselftely and that was why he intended to ask Jason. When Jason imed that he had no idea about it, Luke replied, ¡°I suspect Luca has been talking to someone else these days. Keep an eye on her for me." Luca would only spend time in the office and her home. She had been living a simple life without going anywhere. If she was talking to someone else, then she must have met him in the office. Hence, Luke had to make Jason his informer. Jason let out a sigh in his heart. The wholepany belonged to Luke, but he wanted him to keep an eye on Luca. "Alright, Boss." There was no way Jason could reject Luke. The elevator doors opened slowly, and Luke strode out of the elevator with his long legs. If Luke happened to find out which bastard was eyeing the woman he loved, he would crush him into pieces. After the meeting ended, Luca returned to her office to continue with her work. Some parts of the bid document did not need to be redrafted, so she could still use the tranted content. When it was time to get off work, she packed her stuff and prepared to leave. Before Luca reached the elevator, she received a message from Tommy. The child was asking her if she would be getting off work on time today. Luca smiled sweetly. The child had always been clingy. He would ask Luca if she was getting off work on time every day after he came back from school. Even though Luca had used another identity to return to his side, he was still as needy as usual. Luca replied to him: [I''m already getting off work. I''m on my way back home.] After a while, Tommy replied: [Then I''ll wait for you toe home.] Luca smiled. She put her phone back into her pocket and waited for the elevator. Tina came over and noticed that Luca was smiling. She asked in a gossipy manner, ¡°Dr. Craw, look at how sweet your smile is. Are you going on a date?" "No. I''m not seeing anyone." Luca shook her head, turned around, and nced around her. Fortunately, no one else was there. "Don''t worry. Hardly anyone knows that you went on a blind date thest time." Tina gave her a mischievous smile. "You were smiling so sweetly that I thought you were going on a date with some guy." "No, I''m not. I''m going home." Luca shook her head. "And I''ve already rejected that guy." "Really?" Tina gave Luca a thumbs up when she heard that. "That''s very decisive of you. If you don''t like him, it''s better to reject him quickly so that you can stop wasting each other''s time." "Yes. I rejected him in front of the matchmaker as well. I made myself very clear, so I feel so much more relieved now," said Luca. It was also considered an exnation for Tina. After all, Tina knew she had gone on a blind date. "That''s great." Tina agreed. As the elevator reached the floor, the doors opened slowly. Luca and Tina entered the elevator together. After Tina pressed the button to go to the first floor, she asked, "Did you drive here?" "I don''t have a car," answered Luca. Tina nodded and pressed the button to close the doors. Luca asked, "Getting off so early today?" "Yes. Something came up, so I informed Mr. Doyle that I''ll be getting off work on time today. The others are still working in the secretary''s office," replied Tina. The elevator went down all the way to the first floor without stopping on another floor. Luca was secretly eximing. It seemed like the policy changes regarding the European project had caused everyone to work overtime. That was why only a few people were getting off work on time. After they reached the first floor, both of them walked out of the elevator side by side. They were nning to take the same path as they were both hailing a ride home. Luca noticed that Enoch was standing not far away when they walked out of the entrance. She paused and frowned. Tina noticed Luca''s gestures and asked, "What''s wrong?" ¡°That man..." Luca looked at Enoch, who was not far away from her. He had already noticed Luca and was walking toward her. "Don''t tell me he''s the one who went on a blind date with you?" Tina was a smart woman. She spected that he was Luca''s blind date when she saw such a scene and also Luca''s reaction. "That''s him." Luca nodded as she watched Enoch walk toward her. Impatience had begun to surge in her heart again. After sending flowers to her office, Enoch was now standing outside her office waiting for her. Had she not made herself clear enough?! Why did Enoch not seem to understand her intentions? He even came to her office to stop her at the entrance. If someone else saw this, they would certainly misunderstand. "Didn''t you rify things? Why is he still here." Tina was startled. She nned to stay beside Luca. Tina had met stalkers before. She knew how terrifying it could be. It was enough to frighten someone to death. She had to apany Luca before this man went mad and hurt Luca. "I did make things clear, but it looks like he didn''t quite understand what I meant." Luca felt helpless as she watched Enoch walk toward her. Luca took a few steps back. She was secretly rejoicing that most of the employees were working overtime today. Otherwise, many would have witnessed such a scene. "Luca, you''re off work." Enoch walked toward her, nced at Tina, and looked at Luca again. He smiled brightly at her. Luca frowned. If it were not because the person in front of her was associated with Jack, she would have greeted him with a punch. After all, when someone could not understand what she meant, punching them would make them realize it quicker. "Mr. Campbell, what''s the matter?" Luca''s tone was cold and distant. "I came to pick you up from work," answered Enoch. "Mr. Campbell, I think you must''ve understood what I said today. Things will never work out between us. Please leave." Luca took a deep breath, trying to watch her manners. What was so great about her? How dare Enoch hound her here? "I know you don''t like me, but everyone has the right to pursue someone. You don''t like me, but that doesn''t stop me from liking you." Enoch insisted. Tina was suppressing the urge to scold him when she heard what he said. Was there something wrong with his brain? "You''re already affecting my daily life!" Luca gave Enoch a stern look. She was not joking. Chapter 1843 "I''m just here to pick you up from work. You didn''t drive to work, right? Well, I drove today. The weather is cold, and you''ll be freezing if you wish to hail a ride by the roadside. Isn''t it good if I can offer you a ride?¡± Enoch said. A lot of women wanted a man to be thoughtful and care for them. That was why Enoch came here just to wait for her. After all, government staff got off work earlier than employees in the private sector. He had plenty of time toe here and wait for Luca. Luca took another step back. She would have informed the security guards without hesitation if it would not alert everyone in the office. ¡°Mr. Campbell, please understand that I''m not going to change my mind no matter what you do. So, please leave.¡± Enoch''s heart sank, and anger was bottled up inside him, but he did not let it out. "Luca, I like you. Can''t you give me a chance? Look at me. I own a car and a house. I''m not that bad..." Tina, who was standing beside Luca, could no longer stand it. She rolled her sleeves and scolded Enoch, "Hey mister! Is your brain still working? Didn''t you hear her say that she has already rejected you and she''s tired of you bothering her? Why are you still waiting here? She doesn''t even want to be friends with you. You''d better give up instead of waiting for her here. You''re not going to gain her favor by doing this. It''ll only make her hate you more. And do you think every woman you meet is a gold digger? Do you think she''ll throw herself in your arms when you''re only driving an Audi? I''m sorry, but it''s not like Dr. Craw can''t afford those cars. She''s only furthering her career here for now. Things might change in the future, and that''s why she didn''t get a car. So, you''d better drive your car away and get the hell out of here." Enoch did not expect that Luca would despise him for doing this. He also did not expect to get scolded by the woman beside her. He drove here to pick Luca up to show her how capable he was. He owned a car, and it was a better model than the ones driven by typical white-cored workers. However, Enoch did not expect that they did not give a damn about his car. The man''s pride had shattered in front of these women. Enoch nced at Luca, and the look in his eyes had changed. Tina also noticed the changes in his eyes. She shivered and turned to look at Luca. Luca seemed calm. "Mr. Campbell, please stop bothering me once you leave." Luca grabbed Tina''s hand and left after she said that. The two of them walked to the spot nearby where they could hail cabs. Tina nced in the direction of the office. Enoch had already left. She eximed, ¡°The look in the man''s eyes just now was so scary. It was as though he wanted to eat you up after being rejected again." Luca nodded. The look in Enoch''s eyes just now was indeed something else. However, he was merely a civil servant. What could he do to her? Luca was sure that after she made it clear by rejecting him and coupled with the harsh words that Tina had said to him, Enoch would not want to have anything to do with her anymore. She took her phone out, thinking of deleting Enoch''s contact number. She unlocked her phone and realized Enoch had sent a few messages to her. Luca felt annoyed receiving so many messages from Enochst night, so she had already muted his messages. She noticed that there were more than ten messages left unread. Each of them was in short paragraphs. Luca could not be bothered to read them. She blocked him and deleted his contact number. Luca was worried Enoch would stille looking for her. She refused to give him any chances, so she blocked Enoch''s phone number and deleted it. Tina looked at her. She also noticed that Luca''s chatbox with Enoch was full of messages. She eximed, "This kind of man must think that he''s so sessful just because he owns a car and a house. He thinks that the woman he''s interested in will definitely fall for him, huh? That''s why he''s so scary." "You''re right," Luca replied. Actually, she had no idea why Enoch would do that. She was not very outstanding either. "You made it very clear when you rejected him, but his ego tells him that he shouldn''t be rejected. He thought it was perhaps you hadn''t seen his financial situation and that''s why he pulled a stunt like this. I wonder where he got his confidence from? His looks? He''s not even as good-looking as our boss¡ªnot even a third," Tina muttered to herself as shepared Enoch to Luke. It was a sure defeat for Enoch. ¡°You''reparing him to Mr. Crawford?" Luca pulled a wry face. "Why not? They''re both men, so what''s wrong withparing him to Luke? I think my aesthetic standards have increased after working long enough with Mr. Crawford. That''s probably why I''m still single now. I think my boss is partly responsible for that. Facing a handsome boss every day has constantly increased my aesthetic standards. I''m no longer interested in ordinary men." Tina grabbed Luca''s arm passionately, and she could not help but talk to her about these things. Luca shook her head, smiled, and said, "Then should Mr.Crawford take responsibility for you?" "Oh no. Boss'' level is much too high. There''s no way he can be responsible for me. I''d be thankful If he''s able to introduce a handsome man to me." Tina shook her head immediately and cracked a joke. "I''m afraid that you might not be interested in him," said Luca. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "You have no clue about this. Dr. Craw, think about it. Birds of a feather flock together. If Mr. Crawford introduces a handsome man to me, that person must be a sessful business elite too. Although he might not be as good as Mr. Crawford, he''s definitely capable. This type of man might be able to catch my attention," said Tina. Previously, Tina had been to many cocktail parties with Luke. She met many sessful middle-aged businessmen at the party. However, there were also many new, young entrepreneurs. However, Tina was just a secretary. It would be better for her to not get to know them. Luca listened to Tina, and she could not help but agree with her. She reminded Tina when she saw an empty cab heading toward them from afar. "There''s the cab." Tina let go of Luca''s arm and said, ¡°Dr. Craw, you should go first." ¡°I think you should go first. Didn''t you tell me you have something to do?" Luca wanted Tina to take the cab first. ¡°I''m not in a rush. You should take the cab first. Even though that guy has left, we can''t really be sure. He mighte back. It''s not safe for you to wait alone here. So, just get in the car." Tina helped her hail the cab. Luca remembered that the three children were still waiting for her at the mansion. Besides, Luke would definitely work overtime today as he was currently involved in the architecture design part of the project. Hence, if Luca went homete, the three children would be waiting at home without any family members with them. Hence, Luca got into the car. Tina helped her to close the car door and waved at her. After Luca told the driver the address, the cab drove away. Enoch, who had yet to leave, was hiding at the corner of the street. He went back into his car in a hurry when he saw Luca getting into the cab. Then, he followed the cab she was in. He was even more unconvinced after being humiliated by two women. He was looking for a chance. Luca rejected him? Well, then he insisted on pursuing her. He was good enough, so there was no way he could not win a woman''s heart! He had to figure out where Luca was staying now so that he could take action. Tina was waiting for other cabs by the roadside. An Audi drove past her. She frowned and muttered to herself, ¡°That car... Could it be the man from just now?" Chapter 1844 Enoch drove all the way while following behind the cab Luca was in. Then, he reached the entrance of the vi district. He stopped the car beside the road and watched Luca get out of the car before walking into the vi district. "She''s staying in a vi district?" Enoch nced at the houses in front of him. The prices of such vi districts had surpassed the average real estate prices in A City over the recent years. It was even about to exceed thend price of the mansions built by those wealthy people back then. Those who could stay here were mostly sessful entrepreneurs and A-list celebrities. ¡°Is Luca that rich?¡± Enoch furrowed his brows suspiciously, refusing to believe that. Although Luca had a decent job and she came back from abroad, only a few could afford to stay in these mansions... Enoch picked up his phone and saved the video he recorded. Then, he asked a friend who was working in the housing and urban development field out for dinner before leaving. Luca did not know Enoch had followed her all the way here. She had been busy handling her work when she was in the cab and did not pay attention to what was going on on the road. When she reached the vi, she greeted the children and headed to the kitchen where she began to make dinner. Luke had note back even after dinner was ready. She knew Luke woulde backte tonight. Maybe he would even sleep in the office. In the past, she would definitely deliver a warm dinner to the office for Luke. However, she had no status now. That was why she just kept some food for Luke. After she kept the food warm, she ate dinner with the children. After dinner, the children took turns letting her check their homework. Then, Luca imitated Luke''s signature to sign their exercise books. Lanie noticed that Luca had signed using Luke''s signature and asked, "Ms. Luca, why are you using Daddy''s signature?" "It''s because your teacher will ask who I am if I sign my name on it. If you try to exin things to your teacher, they probably won''t believe it. Since it''s troublesome, I''d rather sign your Daddy''s name on it," exined Luca. After she signed Lanie''s exercise book, she picked up Rainie''s book to sign Luke''s signature on it as well. Lanie looked at the signature on his book and eximed, "Ms. Luca, the signature you signed is almost the same as Daddy''s signature. That''s impressive." Luca smiled. She had picked up the skill when she was on the Ind of Despair. When she was trained on the Ind Of Despair, they would arrange various courses for her. It was to make sure that she could master a wide range of skills so that she could carry out her missions easily. Skills like forging a signature would sometimese in handy when she was carrying out missions. After undergoing training for so long, Luca never expected that the first time she would be using this skill was to sign her children''s homework. She would not have signed the children''s homework on behalf of Luke if it was not because he might not being back tonight. "They''re really alike. I used to have a hobby. I loved to copy others'' handwriting. The more I practiced, the better I got at it. It''s just like with Mr. Crawford''s handwriting. I often see his signature on documents, so that''s why I know how to copy his signature too," exined Luca. After signing Rainie''s exercise book, she picked up Tommy''s. Tommy''s homework was not as good as his elder brother''s and sister''s. He could not calm himself down to focus on his homework because of his personality. Hence, Luca checked Tommy''s homework again. After making sure there was no problem with it, she signed Luke''s name on it. Afterpleting everything, Luca stood up and said, "Alright. You''ve done your homework. You can go ahead and watch your cartoons or do anything else you want." Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. "Ms. Luca, what are you going to do?" Tommy asked. "Me? I have to work." Luca stroked the child''s head and added, "I''m sorry. I''ve been busy with work lately, so I can''t keep youpany." "It''s alright, Ms. Luca. Go on, then," Rainie replied thoughtfully. The children felt satisfied as long as their mother was willing to stay with them. It was enough if they could see her and have dinner with her every day. Meanwhile, Tommy said, "Ms. Luca, you''re too busy. Look what Daddy has done, giving you so much work. You should ask him to reduce your workload. That way, you can have more time to rest." Luca smiled and stroked Tommy''s head. She said, "Everyone in the office is busy now. I can''t just sit there and do nothing. Alright, I''m going upstairs to work now. Come upstairs to look for me if you need something, okay?" "Okay," the three kids replied in unison. After Luca went upstairs, Rainie looked around her. The maid was busy cleaning up the kitchen. Rainie said to her elder brother in a low voice, "Lanie, Ms. Luca is lying. She didn''t know how to copy others'' handwriting back then." "She''s maturing. She now knows how to do things she didn''t know how to previously," replied Lanie. Even though Luca did not tell Luke what she had gone through, he was sensitive enough to sense that their mother had gone through a tough time in the past few years. Rainie nodded her head. Her father told her before that adversity led to growth. Their mother must have suffered all these years... It was 11 o''clock at night, Luca silently walked out of her bedroom. She headed to the living room on the second floor and opened the balcony door. A gust of cold wind blew into the room. She could not help but shiver for a while. The temperature had plunged tonight, and it was much colder. Luca walked to the balcony and looked at the parking lot downstairs. Luke''s car was not there, which meant that he was still in the office. She pulled her jacket closer around her body as she trotted back to the living room and closed the door. It felt much warmer now. Then, she recalled the night Luke gave her his coat. She wanted to do the same as well. However, she had no status to do so, and she could not leave now. The maid had already gotten off work. Although the kids had gone to bed, it was dangerous to leave them at home alone. The temperature had dropped. She wondered if the children''s nkets were enough to keep them warm. As Luca thought of this, she walked toward Tommy''s bedroom and gently pushed the door open. The child was lying on the bed, deeply asleep. Luca walked toward Tommy and saw that he was nicely tucked in. She smiled. The child used to kick the nket off him. He had grown up now, and he no longer made a fuss in his sleep. She touched the child''s forehead. It felt a little cold. She took another nket out of the cab and draped it over him. Then, she left without making a sound. After that, Luca headed to Rainie''s room. Little girls were weaker against the coldpared to boys. Hence, she took another nket to cover it on her as well. She helped to tuck the nket under Rainie''s arms. When she was about to leave, she heard Rainie talking in her dream. ¡°Mommy¡ª" Luca was startled for a moment and turned around to look at Rainie. Rainie''s eyes were not opened; they were still closed. It seemed like she was talking in her sleep... Luca let out a sigh. When the kids were sleeping, they were dreaming about their mother. She was their mother and standing in front of them now, but she could not acknowledge them. Luca massaged the dull pain in her forehead. The more she thought about it, it was not only her head that ached but her heart too. Luca was not beside them when they were young. She thought they could live a happy life together with them after acknowledging them, but now.. Luca closed the door gently and walked toward Lanie''s bedroom. She added another nket to keep him warm too. Chapter 1845 After she did everything, she went back to her bedroom to rest. However, she heard the noises of a car driving in and the engine turning off. Luke hade back... Luca made her way down the steps. When she stepped on the curtail step, she happened to see Luke walking into the house. He looked cold as he closed the door. Luke frowned when he saw her and asked, "It''ste. Why aren''t you sleeping yet?" ¡°I was going to sleep, but I heard the sound of your car..." Luca looked at Luke''s face. He still looked energetic, but she had no idea if he had his dinner already. She asked, "Mr. Crawford, I saved some broli chicken casserole for you. Do you want some?" Luke did not have his dinner, but it was well past dinner time. He was not feeling hungry either. However, when Luke heard Luca asking him that, he asked her, "You made it?" "Yes. It only takes five minutes to reheat, then you can have it," said Luca, remembering that Luke had a weak stomach. "Alright. I''ll have it," replied Luke. Luca heard him and trotted to the kitchen, taking the broli chicken casserole out. Even though she had tried to keep it warm, the food still turned cold as it had been a few hours. Luca ced the food in the oven and set the timer. She thought that Luke was probably starving, but she did not prepare any soup today. Hence, she got him a ss of warm milk. Luca held the ss of milk, headed to the dining room, and put it on the dining table. "Mr. Crawford, I didn''t make any soup today. You can have some warm milk first." Luke sat on the chair and took the ss of milk that Luca had prepared for him. He took one sip after another, enjoying the taste of the milk. It was only a ss of ordinary milk, yet Luke was drinking it as though he was drinking wine or coffee. Luca''s face reddened as she watched him. She had always been secretly obsessed with Luke''s elegance. When Luca heard the oven''s timer ringing, she strolled to the kitchen immediately to get the heated food out of the oven. "Mr. Crawford, is it enough? I can make a grilled cheese sandwich if it''s not enough for you to eat." "It''s enough," answered Luke. He knew Luca was worried that he had been starving the whole night and this might not be enough for him to fill his stomach. That was why she asked him. However, he was no longer as hungry now even after going without food for so long. Still, when he smelled the fragrance of the food, Luke felt hungry at once... As Luca watched Luke quickly finish the food on the dining table, she let out a sigh. Luke had indeed starved the whole night. She felt embarrassed just watching him, so she said, "Mr. Crawford, just leave the te here after you finish the food. The maid will clean it up tomorrow morning. I''m going upstairs first." "Sure." Luke nodded. The food Luca prepared could really whet his appetite. He was not hungry at first, but he just wanted to devour everything on the te now. Luca returned to her bedroom and closed the door. She recalled the scene of Luke eating his dinner. Although he was still graceful, it could be considered as him gobbling up the food. It must have been really hard for Luke. For the sake of his children and the Crawford family. Luca sat on the bed and pondered for a while. She turned off the lights when she heard the sound of someone climbing up the stairs. Then, shey down on the bed and closed her eyes. She seldom relied on sleeping pills to sleep ever since she moved in here. Even though Luke and her three kids were not beside her, she unknowingly felt at ease. She could sleep well even without taking the pills. Luke stood outside Luca''s bedroom door for quite some time. Then, he went to the kids'' rooms to check on them. He only returned to his bedroom after that. He had been guiding the employees in the design department to amend the parts that did not meet the document''s requirements the whole night. He would probably sleep in the office if it was not because he was worried about Luca and the kids. There were so many other things to do at the moment. After he made time for Luca and the kids, he returned to his bedroom, turned on theptop, and continued to work. The next day at noon. Luca received another call from Queenie again. Queenie invited her to have lunch together downstairs. Luca felt a little unpleasant at the thought of what had happened yesterday. She nned to turn Queenie down. "Mrs. Norman, I''m sorry. I''m quite busy today¡ª" "Luca, I know you don''t like Enoch. Don''t worry. I''ll be meeting you alone today. And I won''t be speaking on behalf of anyone either. I just wanted to apologize to you," exined Queenie. Apologize. Luca let out a sigh in her heart. How could she let her mother apologize to her? Besides, Queenie probably did not think that she would be so against Enoch either. "It''s alright. Mrs. Norman, how about this? Do you mind waiting for ten minutes? I''ll go downstairs as soon as I finish my work." Luca was afraid that Queenie would continue to talk about Enoch. That was why she did not want to see her. However, since Queenie said she would not mention Enoch, then it was alright for them to meet. After all, Queenie was her mother. "Alright. I''ll wait for you." Queenie sounded relieved. Luca tranted thest paragraph, saved the document, and left the office. She ran into Luke when she walked out of the office. "You''re going out for lunch?" Luke asked. "Yes, Mr. Crawford." Luca noticed that Luke was holding a document in his hands. She reckoned that he had juste up from downstairs. When she came to work today, she heard the news that Luke had personally guided everyone in the design department to amend the design draftst night. Luke was indeed talented at architectural design... However, Luke was leading a team alone, and he would be the one toplete the important steps. From the looks of it, he did not seem like the boss but the director of the department. "Care to join me?" Luke invited her. Things were going smoother than he expected, so that was why he could make time to have lunch with Luca. "Uh, Mr. Crawford, I have a lunch date. I don''t think it''s convenient." Luca politely declined him. "Who are you going for lunch with?" Luke heard her and began to tense up. Could it be that she was going to have lunch with the man who had caused her to act strangely recently? "Mrs. Norman." Luca did not want Luke to misunderstand her. She answered honestly, "She''s waiting for me downstairs." ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Luke felt relieved when he heard it was a woman who was going to have lunch with her. It was even his mother-inw. He nodded and said. "Go ahead, then." "What about you.." "Mr. Doyle will order takeout for me." After that, Luke strolled back into his office. Luca watched him from behind. Before she had a chance to think, she hurried downstairs to meet Queenie. Luca came to the restaurant Queenie told her and found her there. She sat opposite Queenie. Queenie did not lie to her. Enoch was not here this time. Of course, there was no other man too. It seemed like this was not a blind date. "Luca, you must be busy." Queenie saw that Luca was slightly gasping for air and thought that she must have hurried here. "It''s still manageable. It''s just that there were some changes in thepany''s project, so there''s more work to do now," replied Luca. Queenie was Luke''s mother-inw, so it was fine to tell her about it. "Oh, I''m always asking you out for lunch. Am I disturbing you?" Queenie was worried that her behavior would affect Luca. Luca smiled and shook her head. "It''s alright, Mrs. Norman. Besides, it''s lunch break now. Mr. Crawford won''t be bothered as long as we do our jobs well." Chapter 1846 When she listened to Luca''s thoughtful words, Queenie was reminded of Bianca. If her daughter was as thoughtful as the person in front of her, she would not have to worry that much. Queenie looked at Luca''s gentle face. Queenie always had this familiar feeling and unknown intimacy for Luca. Queenie''s eyes welled up a little while staring at her. She suddenly had inexplicable mixed feelings surging within her. ¡°Luca, I''m sorry for what happened this time." ¡°Mrs. Norman, you didn''t do anything wrong. Why are you apologizing?" Luca shook her head. She smiled at her to calm Queenie down. Queenie was her biological mother. She would not me her no matter what she did. Besides, Queenie had her own reason for what had happened this time. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. She could not me Queenie and Jack for what had happened. "No, it''s my fault. I shouldn''t have introduced someone to you before getting to know him better. Enoch must have caused you a lot of trouble, right?" Queenie reflected on everything that had happened after she went homest night. She felt that it had been wrong of her to introduce Enoch to Luca. Moreover, Enoch seemed to have caused Luca a lot of trouble. "No. It''s just because it''s not the right time for me to get into a rtionship now. That''s why I was so annoyed." Luca shook her head. She should not me Queenie for this. Although Enoch was a little annoying, he was just an ordinary man who was pursuing a woman. He did things that a man would typically do to win a woman''s heart. Her impatience was not because Enoch had been bothering her. It was because she was worried that Luke would find out that she went on a blind date with Enoch. She did not want to have to exin things to him, and she did not want him to misunderstand her. After all, her mood swings came from her fear of being discovered by Luke. "That''s very kind of you. But is there such a thing as a perfect match? When I remember first meeting Jack in the past, I didn''t think that we were a good match either. But I still ended up with the person I didn''t think would match me well. I never thought I would end up marrying him either." Queenie held her cup with both hands while telling Luca about her past. This was the first time Luca heard about Queenie and Jack''s love story. It caught Luca''s interest. "What happened next?" "Oh, just the normal stuff. He asked me out a few times, and I was attracted to the way he talked about politics and creating a better future. That''s quite magical, right? After that, we got into a rtionship and we got married. Then, we had children. Everything happened just like how it would with any other couple, but it''s also somewhat different." Queenie took a trip down her memoryne. Her 30 years of marriage with Jack were in yet heart-warming. The corner of Luca''s lips curled and turned into a smile. ¡°In the end, whatever will be, will be. Let nature take its course.¡± "Yes. Let nature take its course when ites to things like getting married and having kids. So, Luca, stop wondering whether a man is a good match for you or not. You''ll find someone." Queenie patted the back of Luca''s hand. It was true that Queenie was anxious to arrange blind dates for Luca. However, she was only forced to do so as she did not want anything to happen between Luca and Luke. That was why she made such arrangements. She also wanted Luca to be happy. "Yes, that''s how it works. I guess it''s better to go with the flow when ites to rtionships and marriage." Luca understood what Queenie meant. Queenie was wondering if she should introduce some other men to her. However, Enoch had caused enough trouble for Luca. Luca probably did not want to get involved with another blind date and get herself into more trouble. Queenie understood Luca''s thoughts. She could not force Luca to go on a blind date if she was reluctant to do so. After all, she did not want Luca to hate her. Besides, judging from Luca''s situation now, Queenie would not be able to arrange a blind date for Luca just to stop her from getting into a rtionship with Luke. Queenie nodded and smiled. "You''re a smart woman who has your own ns. If you''re not in a hurry, then I can''t say anything more about your love life either. Come on, let''s eat. Otherwise, the food won''t taste good when it gets cold." Luca knew that after Queenie said that to her, she would not force her to go on anymore blind dates. She no longer had to worry about that. After lunch, Luca wanted to head back to her office to work. Queenie did not make her stay as she knew Luca was busy. She let out a sigh as she watched Luca leave from behind. When she was about to leave the restaurant after paying for lunch, she received a call from Enoch. Queenie was reluctant to answer the call when she saw who it was, but she had to answer it. "Hello, Enoch. What''s the matter?" Queenie answered the call as she walked out of the restaurant. Enoch heard the noises from the other end of the phone and asked, "Mrs. Norman, are you free now? There''s something I''d like to tell you." Queenie got back into the car and signaled the driver to start driving. "What''s wrong? Tell me about it." "I think it''d be better for me to talk to you in person." Enoch told Queenie that he wanted to see her. Queenie was in a dilemma and said, "Aren''t you working now? It''ll be the same if you tell me over the phone." Enoch insisted on seeing Queenie, so he had asked for a leave from his superior this morning. He exined, "Mrs. Norman, I''ve already taken the day off. It''ll only take a few minutes for me to speak to you about this." Queenie helplessly let out a sigh when Enoch insisted on seeing her. She said, ¡°Fine. Where are you now? I''ll meet you there.¡± Enoch was thinking of personally visiting her to show his sincerity. He did not expect Queenie to offer to look for him. Therefore, he mentioned a coffee shop nearby. Queenie recalled that the coffee shop was not very far from her, so she said, ¡°I happen to be nearby there. I''m going there now. See you in ten minutes.¡± "Alright, Mrs. Norman. I''ll be waiting for you here." Enoch trotted to the coffee shop. There were certain things he needed to tell her in person so that she would know the gravity of the matter. Queenie walked into the coffee shop after she arrived. It was a weekday and was still working hours now. Hence, there was barely anyone in the coffee shop. She found Enoch sitting at the corner of the coffee shop with one nce. She walked toward him and sat down. Enoch handed her the menu immediately. ¡°Mrs. Norman, you''re here. Is there anything you''d like to drink?" Queenie shook her head. Even though she knew Enoch came looking for her because of Luca, she did not really agree with him pestering Luca. She tried to be polite and gentle. She looked at him and said, "Enoch, I''ve just finished eating lunch. I''m not ordering anything. What would you like to tell me?" "Mrs. Norman, I actually like Luca a lot. But she refuses to give me a chance, and I don''t feel comfortable with that," said Enoch. It was his first time getting rejected by a woman. It made him feel like a loser. Queenie frowned when she realized how stubborn Enoch was. She tried to persuade him, saying, ¡°You can''t force someone to fall in love with you." "Mrs. Norman, I know that. But I want an exnation for why Luca would reject me. She didn''t even agree to get to know me better before she rejected me. As a man, I can''t ept such an oue. So, I did something yesterday," said Enoch. Chapter 1847 Queenie was worried that Enoch was bothering Luca again when she heard that he had done something. She became nervous and said, ¡°Enoch, things like love and rtionships can''t be exined by just reason." Enoch saw the anxious expression on her face and replied, "Mrs. Norman, don''t worry. I didn''t bother Luca. But I found out why she rejected me." Queenie was startled for a moment, then she asked, "Why?" "I thought of picking her up from work yesterday, but after I saw her get into a cab, I followed her. I didn''t bother her. I just followed her all the way back to her house. However, I found out that she''s staying in a vi district in A City called Gilded Gem Vis. You should know about this vi district, right?" said Enoch. Gilded Gem Vis? Luca was startled. Previously when Luca was sent back home by their driver, she was clearly staying in an ordinary apartment building. Why was she suddenly staying in a luxurious vi district? "Enoch, did you get it wrong?" "No, I didn''t. I saw her walking in there with my own eyes," replied Enoch. When Queenie noticed how stubbornly in love he was with Luca, she said helplessly, "Well, can this prove anything?" "Not everyone can afford to buy a vi there, Mrs. Norman. No matter how high Luca''s sry is, she wouldn''t be able to afford a vi there. I guess this is the reason why she rejected me. She can afford to stay in one of the vis there because her boyfriend is staying there too," said Enoch. Actually, he suspected that Luca was the mistress of a wealthy man. However, it was inappropriate to mention such improper things in front of Queenie. "Luca has a boyfriend? How''s that possible..." Queenie frowned. If Luca had a boyfriend, she did not have to lie to her about it¡ªunless her boyfriend was someone who could not be seen with her. "Here''s the information I found after I looked into it." Enoch handed her a document. "Mrs. Norman, I''m beingpletely honest with you. I got this information from a friend. Not everyone can stay in Gilded Gem Vis. Besides, those wealthy people wouldn''t rent their ce out to outsiders after buying properties there. Luca''s name is not on the list of owners either. If it isn''t because Luca has a rich boyfriend, how could she possibly live there?" Queenie did not expect Enoch to investigate this matter. She picked up the list and nced at it. It was the list of names of people who had bought vis there. There were names of businessmen in A City as well as celebrities. Queenie knew who the estate developer was. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Previously, when the developer was starting the project, he even thought of giving one of the vis to Jack. However, Jack, who had always been fair and honest, rejected him right away. He would never take such gifts from others. She noticed a few familiar names on the list¡ªLuke Crawford and Louis Crawford. ¡°Mrs. Norman, you spotted the name too, right? Your son-inw, Luke Crawford''s, name is on the list." Enoch added. Queenie nodded and replied, "You mean... No way. How''s that possible? Look, other than Luke''s name, Louis'' name is on the list too. T Corporation must have participated in the development of this vi district. It''s normal if they own vis here." "But Luca and Luke were involved in a scandal before. Besides, they''re working in the samepany. Mrs. Norman, I know it''s wrong of me to investigate such things, but I''m only asking for an exnation. I guess I found the reason now. And I''m showing you this not because I want you to do something about it. It''s just that Luke Crawford is your son-inw, and your daughter is still abroad. I just think that this matter concerns you and Mr. Norman." After Enoch finished talking, he stood up and said, "I''ve figured out the reason now. There''s no point for me to keep these. I''ll leave these to you. I''ll be leaving now." Queenie watched Enoch leave from behind. She had just set aside her worries, but now, they suddenly returned strong. Luke and Luca. Queenie could no longer sit there. She asked her driver to drive her to Gilded Gems Vis. It was almost time to get off work. Queenie sat in the backseat of the car. She watched people entering and leaving Gilded Gem Vis without saying a word. The car te number on her car was special, and no ordinary people could have it. That was why the security guards did not send her away despite her car being parked outside the entrance for the whole afternoon. The driver looked at Queenie in the backseat of the car. She had never stopped staring outside the window. The driver did not know what was going on, so he could not help but ask, "Mrs. Norman, you''ve been watching outside the window for the whole afternoon now." "Just a little longer." Queenie nced at the time. She knew Luca would not get off work that early, but she was in a hurry to verify what Enoch had said to her. If Luca did not show up here today, that would prove that she had juste to visit a friend yesterday. Then everything would make sense. The driver fell silent after listening to what she said. After a while, Queenie saw a car pass by. She set her eyes on the car. It was a familiar car te number. She asked the driver immediately, "Look, is that Luke''s car te number?" The driver looked over and replied, "Yes, Mrs. Norman. The car and the car te number belong to Mr. Crawford. I remember that he once drove this car to your house. But I suppose their driver, Zander, should be the one driving the car." When Queenie pushed the car door open to take a closer look at it, the car had already driven into the district. She frowned and waited for another 15 minutes. When she was about to get back into her car, she saw Luke''s car driving out. Queenie made a sudden decision and waved at the car. Zander, who was driving the car, saw Queenie. He hurriedly parked the car by the roadside and got out of it. "Mrs. Norman, why are you here?" Zander was indeed driving the car. Queenie knew very well that it was after school hours now. Zander must have sent the children home after picking them up from school. ¡°I was thinking of meeting the children, but I came early. Then I saw a familiar car te number. I thought it was Luke. That''s why I stopped the car. I didn''t expect to be you.¡± Queenie casually found an excuse. "Yes, I''ve sent the kids back home. You said that you want to see the kids, right? Why don''t I send you in?" Zander said enthusiastically. Queenie shook her head right away. "It''s alright. The kids are at home now, so there''ll be people in the house. I''ll just press the bell.¡± Zander heard her and remembered that he still had errands to run. He nodded and said, "Alright. You know which one it is, right?" "How can I not know? Off you go, then," said Queenie. Zander did not say anything more. He slightly bowed to her and nodded his head. Then, he got into the car and left. The smile on Queenie''s face faded when she saw Zander drive away. She got back into her car. Zander had sent the kids back here, which meant that the kids were staying here now. Luke would be staying here too... Why was she not informed when they moved out of Crawford Manor? Could it be that things were exactly as what Enoch had told her? Luca and Luke were in a rtionship? She sat in the car and continued to wait. The driver was puzzled when he saw that Queenie did not intend to enter the district or leave the ce. He sent a message to report to Jack, informing him about Queenie''s unusual behavior. Chapter 1848 The driver sent Jack a message. After reporting Queenie''s abnormal behavior, Queenie''s phone rang after some time had passed. Upon seeing that it was a call from Jack, she immediately ced her phone aside and did not intend to answer the call. The driver looked behind and saw that Queenie was still looking outside the window, paying close attention to every car that passed by. Seeing her in such a state left him with no choice but to remind her, "Mrs. Norman, your phone is ringing." "It''s not important," said Queenie. Seeing that Jack was calling her at this hour, she figured that he just wanted to tell her that he would be homete. Compared to what she was doing now, which was waiting at this spot to see whether or not Luca would show up, this call was not important at all. The driver stuttered and felt that Queenie was not being herself. She just kept staring outside the window as if she was trying to catch her husband having an affair red-handed. Her phone rang more than ten times, yet Queenie never picked up the call. After some time, the driver received Jack''s call. "Yes, Mr. Norman. Mrs. Norman is in the car," Jack was asking about what Queenie was up to, and the driver answered honestly. Jack understood what Queenie was doing and ordered, "Pass the phone to her." "Yes, sir." The driver tilted his body and handed the phone to Queenie. "Mrs. Norman, it''s a call from Mr. Norman. He''s looking for you." Queenie never shifted her gaze from the window and just stretched out her hand, hinting for the driver to ce the phone in her hand. The driver was helpless. It was his first time seeing her like this. He ced the phone in her hand. Queenie brought the phone to her ear while still staring outside the window. "You''re going to tell me that you''ll be back homete tonight, right?" she asked casually and carefreely. Jack frowned and said, "I''m currently on my way back. Where are you?" "Oh," Queenie replied before continuing. "I''m still outside, but I''m about to head back home." "Did you happen to forget what day it is today?" Jack asked. ''It seems she''s still focused on Luca.'' Jack did not know what was going on with Queenie. Last night, he thought that Queenie would let her guard down after she told him that she would not arrange another blind date for Luca. However, it seemed she had changed into another person today. ''It seems like I really have to investigate what''s going on.'' "What?" Queenie was stunned. ''What day is it today?'' Jack sighed and reminded, "Dear, today''s our wedding anniversary. You''ve never forgotten, so how did you forget about it this year?¡± Queenie was dumbfounded. ''Today is our wedding anniversary?'' She had been so upied with Bianca and Luca''s issue in the past few days that she hadpletely forgotten about their wedding anniversary. She said, "Alright, I''ll head back now." Jack was about to say something, but Queenie had hung up the call. Listening to the busy tone on the other end made Jack feel helpless. He sighed. ''She has lost her mind all because of Bianca.'' However, he would never tell her that Luca was Bianca. Jack had no choice but to call Luke. He was the only one who could handle this situation. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. On the other hand. Queenie knew that Luca did not own a car. Hence, she was keeping track of each cab that came by until a particr cab came to a halt at the entrance of the vi. Her heart was racing, and her eyes were fixed on that car. The person in the car came out of it. Despite being quite far away from the cab, Queenie was still able to make out that it was Luca just from her back. The moment she was sure it was Luca, Queenie felt as if the strength within her was being drained away as she leaned against the seat while staring at Luca, who was not far away from her. After closing the car door, Luca immediately headed toward the entrance of the vi. "It''s true..." Queenie was trembling as she watched Luca walk into the vi. She picked up her phone with her trembling hand. She gave Luca a call. "Mrs. Norman." The driver was worried that her body might show signs of abnormality when he saw Queenie''s pale face. Queenie lifted a finger a ced it over her mouth. "Don''t say a word." The driver could only close his mouth and continue to monitor her behavior through the rearview mirror. Queenie made the call but she did not get through. Luca was on another call. On the other hand. Luca had received a call from Luke. "Mr. Crawford?" Luca was astonished that Luke would call her at this hour. "Where are you now?" After Luke received Jack''s call, he paused his meeting and gave Luca a call. "I''m just about to enter the vi," said Luca. "Do you need me to buy anything?" "Have you gotten out of the car?" Luke asked. "Yes, I''ve gotten out of the car." Luca found it weird, but she still answered his question honestly. "Today is my father and mother-inw''s wedding anniversary. It''s not convenient for me to leave now as I have something to attend to. You should head back and bring the kids over to the Norman family''s residence. I''ll get the kids not to simply run their mouths off." Luke did not exin further and just gave her a set of instructions. "It''s their wedding anniversary? Is it even appropriate for me to bring the kids there?" Luca was stunned as she did not expect today to be such an important day. Naturally, she wanted to celebrate her parents'' wedding anniversary with them, but she did not have the right status to do so now. Besides, if she brought the three kids over, she would not know how to handle the situation if Jack and Queenie misunderstood. "It''s appropriate. I''ll be relieved if you''re the one bringing the kids over." Luke knew what she was worried about. "You''re familiar with the Norman family, so nothing will happen." "Alright." Luca nodded after she heard it. She agreed as she thought it might be Jack and Queenie''s intention to have the kids go over to join the fun. She then hastened her pace toward the vi. Upon returning to the vi, she realized that Luke had already notified the kids. She had yet to say a word, but Tommy had already changed his clothes and shoes. He then walked to her side and held her hand. "Ms. Luca, we''ve all changed our clothes." Luca looked at Rainie and Lanie, who was standing at the entrance waiting for her. She then nodded her head. It seemed that her attire was not suitable for a wedding anniversary celebration, so she said, "I''ll head upstairs to get changed." "Alright, Ms. Luca." Tommy nodded. The three kids all sat on the sofa, and after seeing Luca making her way upstairs, they looked at each other. Lanie was the first to remind his brother and sister, "You guys have to remember what Daddy said earlier. Don''t expose anything." "We remember," Rainie and Tommy said at the same time. Tommy nodded his head. Earlier when Luke called, he had told them that they would be going to their grandparents'' house to celebrate their wedding anniversary. During this time, they had to get rid of the suspicion their grandmother had toward Luca. Hence, they were on a very important mission. After Luca was done changing her clothes, she brought the kids over to the vi. When she was heading outside, Tommy pulled at her sleeve and said, "Ms. Luca, Daddy said Uncle Zander wille to pick us up." Luca was astonished to hear what the kid said. She nodded her head, and her footsteps came to a halt. They, waited for Zander to drive the car over to them. After some time, Zander drove the car and parked before them. Chapter 1849 Staying Together "Young Masters, Young Miss, Ms. Craw, please get into the car." Zander got down from the car and opened the door of the backseat. Lanie knew that the backseat had limited space, so he took the initiative and sat in the front passenger seat. He opened the front car door and got inside. Both his younger brother and sister loved staying close to their mother. Hence, as the elder brother, he was very mature and offered his seat to them so that they could be morefortable. After they had all entered the car, Zander returned to the driver''s seat. Luca said, "Uncle Zander, please drive us to a nearby mall first. I want to buy something." Since they were about to attend Jack and Queenie''s wedding anniversary, she naturally should not attend empty-handed. She nned to get them some essories as a gift. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. She would be doing the things Bianca used to do with her current identity as Luca. While Zander was putting on his seatbelt, he exined with a smile, "Ms. Craw, you don''t have to prepare anything because Young Master has already prepared it." "He has prepared it?" Luca was astonished because earlier, Luke only called her to inform her of the arrangement. She thought that he only thought of it at the eleventh hour or it was Jack who informed them at thest minute. She did not expect him to have already made preparations. "Yes. The presents for both elders have been prepared," said Zander. Luca nodded and exined, "Those are his gifts for them, but he didn''t prepare my gifts for them." "He has prepared them as well. Young Master has prepared two sets of presents," Zander exined. It was not a difficult thing for Luke to prepare presents. Besides, Luke was rich. Even if the shops were closed, all he need to do was say a word and the staff would open the shops for him. Luca did not expect Luke to have everything arranged despite it being at thest minute. He had even prepared two sets of presents. She did not ask what presents they were as she knew he would have gotten others to choose appropriate gifts. Luca did not say another word and nodded her head. Zander started driving the car. On the other hand. In the Norman family''s household. Initially, Jack wanted to surprise Queenie. He had long ago hired a chef and the employees from a hotel to decorate the house. After seeing that the decorations were up and the food was almost prepared, he walked out and waited for Queenie''s return. He had just received the driver''s message stating that they were at thest traffic light from the house and would soon be back. After approximately five minutes, the car came to a halt at the entrance. Jack knew Queenie loved banquets. Hence, he opened the car door, looked at the person in the car with a smile, and said, "Come out of the car, dear." Queenie returned to her senses and looked at Jack, who was outside of the car. She felt tears welling up in her eyes. The moment she saw Luca walking into the vi, she was instantly sure that she was together with Luke. She could no longer remain calm. Queenie lifted her head and felt lost as she nced at Jack. "What''s wrong?" Jack knew the reason for the expression on her face, but he still acted as if he was not aware of the reason. He showed concern for her. "Jack, I found out something..." Queenie muttered softly. She still could not ept the fact. "We''ll talk once you''re out of the car," said Jack. Queenie came back to her senses. The driver was still in the car, and if word of this were to spread, it would do no good to Luke and Bianca. She nodded, and when she got out of the car, her expression was utterly awful. Jack frowned when he saw her in such a state. He went ahead to support her. "Are you alright?" "I''m fine." Queenie shook her head. She staggered and nearly tripped. Jack quickly came to support her. "Careful." Queenie nodded and followed him into the house. She noticed the hall was meticulously decorated, but she was not in the mood to admire the view. All that was in her mind was the issue of Luke and Luca¡¯s rtionship. She wanted to tell Jack and have him settle the issue. Even though Bianca had willingly gone abroad, Queenie could not ept her daughter''s husband being snatched by another woman, even if she was indebted to that woman. Jack knew Queenie had something to say. Hence, he helped her to the bedroom. With his help, Queenie slowly sat on the sofa. She looked at Jack with her red eyes. "What happened to you?" Jack asked. "Do you know that Luke brought the kids with him and moved out of Crawford Manor?" Queenie asked. "I had no idea." Jack did not say anything. If he were to say he knew about it, she would certainly me him for not telling her. Currently, the most important thing was to ensure that Queenie¡¯s mood was stable. "I don''t know when he brought the kids with him and left Crawford Manor. He¡¯seven staying with Luca now," Queenie said while tears came streaming down. Clearly, it was not Jack who betrayed her, yet Queenie still felt upset. She simply thought that her daughter was living a hard life. When Bianca was young, she was brought away by Allison to a poor family and was brought up by them. She never got the chance to enjoy motherly love and was often being bullied by her stepmother. It was not easy for her and Luke to end up together, but she was kidnapped and even went through those miserable experiences. She then lost her memories, and finally, she went abroad to further her studies and nned to improve herself so she would be a better match for Luke. At this moment, however, another woman had appeared by Luke''s side. If Bianca, who was abroad, were to know about this, she definitely would not be able to ept it. "How do you know she''s together with Luke?" Jack took out a piece of tissue. When the driver sent him the location, he knew that Queenie just wanted to rify whether or not Luca was together with Luke. Hence, he made these arrangements. "She entered the vi where Luke is staying, and that vi has no units for rent. Enoch has also checked it. There''s no news about Luca renting a house. You said that she moved in, so doesn''t that mean she''s staying with the kids and Luke?" Queenie said. "Did you misunderstand something? She has always been close to the kids. It''s normal if she asionally visits them. It shouldn''t be a problem, right?" Jack was trying his best to get rid of Queenie''s suspicion. Queenie shook her head. "How is that possible? For two days straight..." Jack did not expect Enoch to be so capable that he made Queenie be suspicious about the rtionship between Luca and Luke once again. He nned to continueforting her, but the servant came knocking on the bedroom door. "Mr. Norman, Mrs. Norman, Ms. Luca has brought your grandchildren here." Queenie looked at Jack, astonished. "You invited Luca?" "No. Recently, I''ve noticed that you''re upset. I arranged for the kids toe over and celebrate our anniversary. I told Luke about it." Jack shook his head. In truth, he did not tell anyone about it in the beginning, but it seemed that this was the only way to get rid of Queenie''s suspicion. "Then about Luca and the kids." "Why don''t we head down? Then we''ll find out everything," Jack said. Queenie nodded her head and wiped away her tears. Noticing that her eyes were red, she put some makeup on her face. After looking like her usual self, she headed downstairs with Jack. Upon arriving at the first floor, they saw that the three kids hade upstairs and had even brought presents along. They said their wishes with a smile, "Grandpa, Grandma, we wish that you two will always be in love!" Chapter 1850 It was because of Luca that Queenie was unable to smile. She lowered her eyes as she nced at the smiles on the kids'' faces. She asked, "All of you are good kids, but why you guys are here?" "Grandpa invited us over," said Tommy. Jack, who was holding Queenie''s hand on the side, exined, "I know you love having crowds, so I invited Luke and the kids over to have a meal." Queenie looked at Luca. Lanie was good at observing one''s expression. He listened to his father''s orders and said, "Buttely, Daddy has been very busy. He''s always working overtime in the office. That''s why he told Ms. Luca to bring us over. He said someone has to watch over us. Otherwise, we''ll cause huge trouble and give Grandpa and Grandma a headache.¡± "Is that so?" Queenie was puzzled. If Luke had really asked Luca for help, then it would exin her entering the vi. However, it could only exin today''s incident. "Yes. Mr. Crawford told me to bring the kids over so that they could celebrate the asion with you two.¡± Luca went along with what the kids said. At this moment, she noticed that Queenie''s mood was unstable. ''It''s like she''s putting her guard up against me.'' "So that''s how it is. I didn''t notice that Luke is so busy with his projects. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have troubled him," Jack said. Lanie said, "Daddy has been extremely busytely. Sometimes, Ms. Luca will have toe over to take care of us after work before going home." Luca was beginning to feel suspicious when she heard the kid''s words. ''Did Luke order the kids to say these things? What are they plotting?'' Queenie heard it and felt suspicious. ''Are they speaking the truth? ''Even if Luke is busy, he can just hire a nanny to look after the kids. Why must he ask for Luca''s help? ''She''s very busy too, isn''t she?'' "Luke is so busy. I''ll have to trouble you to help look after the kids," Jack happily went along with what the kids said while holding Queenie''s hand. ''She should be more assured now, right?'' Queenie said, "If that''s the case, have you been looking after Luke''s kids all this while, Luca? So sorry to have troubled you." "It''s nothing. The kids are very obedient. I love being with them," said Luca. "Yeah. We also love Ms. Lucaing to take care of us. Besides, Ms. Luca cooks delicious food. As long as she''s the one cooking, I''ll finish my food every time," Tommy said. Queenie nodded. ''It seems that Luca isn''t staying in that vi. She just goes over every day to look after the kids.'' Even though there seemed to be a logical exnation for everything, she still felt uneasy. Luca had a feeling that the reason why Luke ordered the kids to say these things was not as simple as it seemed... Initially, she thought he had just ordered the kids not to identally blurt out the fact that she was living with them and to bear in mind the things that were appropriate to say. However, from the looks of it, it seemed that Luke was using the kids to hide something. The atmosphere was rather awkward, and Queenie''s mood had not recovered even after hearing the kids'' exnation. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. She forced out a smile and looked at the kids. She was still thinking about what would happen to Bianca once she was back if Luca was really together with Luke. Furthermore, the kids shared such a good rtionship with her. ''She''s going to lose her lover and family.'' Luca knew something was going on after seeing Queenie''s sad expression. She had not been a good daughter. She could not take care of Queenie for so many years and even made her so worried. She looked at the presents in her hands. They were prepared by Luke, and she handed them over. "Mr. Norman, Mrs. Norman, these are gifts for you. I wish you guys a happy wedding anniversary." Jack looked at Queenie. ''If she knows that the person in front of her is our beloved daughter, will she still be in such a mncholic mood?'' He epted the gifts. "Thank you, Luca. It''s so kind of you." Luca was embarrassed after listening to what he said. She was not the kind one. She believed she was the worst child a parent could have. Her biological parents were just in front of her, yet she did not have the courage to acknowledge them. Queenie was still not saying a word. Jack held the gifts in his hand and said, "Luca, I heard that you''re interested in art. Recently, I''ve collected a few oil paintings. Do you mind taking a look at them for me and telling me what you think?" "Actually, I''m just a casual appreciator,¡± said Luca. To be honest, she was not as good as Jack in terms of art valuation. "It''s alright. Anyway, the chef is still preparing the dishes in the kitchen, so you cane and take a look at the artworks," Jack said, determined to drag Luca away. Luca had no choice but to ept his invitation. They headed upstairs together. Queenie saw them heading upstairs and nced at the three kids, saying, "Lanie, Tommy, I bought some new toys two days ago. They''re upstairs. Go y with them." "Really? Thanks, Grandma." "Alright, Grandma," Lanie and Tomy said at the same time. They noticed that Queenie had only called out to them. Lanie pulled Tommy upstairs. Rainie was the only one downstairs. Rainie saw her brothers heading upstairs and asked softly, "Can I follow my brothers up to y with the toys, Grandma?" Queenie pulled Rainie and sat on the sofa, looking at her passionately. Out of the three kids, Rainie looked the most like Bianca. She looked at Rainie, and it was as if she was looking at Bianca. "Rainie, I know you''re a good girl, so you won''t lie to me, right?" she asked. Rainie nodded and was puzzled why Queenie said such a thing. "What''s wrong, Grandma?" "Nothing. I just want to know something, so I asked you to stay back. You''ll answer me honestly, right?" Queenie held Rainie''s little hands and looked at the child. There was a reason Queenie made Rainie stay back. ''Little girls are not good at telling lies.'' "What do you wish to know, Grandma? I''ll tell you." Suddenly, Rainie knew what was happening. "Do you guys really like Ms. Luca?" Queenie asked casually. "Yea. My brothers and I like being together with Ms. Luca. She''s a good person and is very gentle. She treats us very well, so we like her." Rainie nodded. Queenie sighed inwardly when she heard the answer. ''Luca''s influence on the kids is too big. ¡®She even surpassed Bianca, who''s their mother...'' "During this period of time, has it been Ms. Luca who''s looking after all of you? Didn''t your daddy hire a nanny to look after you guys?" Queenie asked again. "Ms. Luca wille to look after us whenever she''s free." Rainie knew Queenie''s motive in asking these questions. Hence, she just listened to what Luke had told her. "Tommy is picky with his food and doesn''t like the food made by the nanny Daddy hired. He likes Ms. Luca''s food, so whenever Ms. Luca is free, she''lle over and cook for us." Luca heard Rainie''s reply. ''It seems that Luca is indeed only helping out to look after the kids. She''s not living with them.'' She then asked again, "Then why did your daddy bring you guys out of the house to stay in another ce?" Chapter 1851 "Because Daddy said that the family is not peaceful now and it''ll affect our quality of life. That''s why we moved out. It''s not just us. Even Uncle and his family are moving out," Rainie said. Queenie knew that this was because of Allison''s return. Kids would not tell lies, especially a little girl like Rainie. Queenie nodded, indicating that she understood. With a gentle smile, she said, "Alright, Rainie, you can go upstairs to y." "Alright, Grandma." Rainie got up and headed upstairs with little steps. Queenie''s heart faltered when she saw the child''s back. ''If only Bianca was in the country. If she was around, the family would be a happy family.'' Luca stood in Jack''s study and watched him search for his oil paintings in the collection rack. She did not say a word. Apart from loving to drink while socializing, his other hobby was collecting oil paintings. However, due to his status, he did not reveal this hobby of his. "Oh, Luca. I should apologize for the things that have been happeningtely." Jack took out an oil painting and ced it on the table. He apologized to Luca. Luca looked at him, astonished. "I beg your pardon, Mr. Norman?" "I''m talking about the blind date with Enoch," said Jack while taking off the cloth that was covering the oil painting. "I learned about some of the things that happenedter on. Enoch has given you a lot of trouble, hasn''t he?" Luca nodded and did not hide it from him. "A little. Actually, it''s not that much trouble." "Are you saying this only because you''re afraid I might punish him?" Jack asked. If a civil servant were to be targeted by his superior, that would be the end of his career. Luca shook her head. ''Why should I be afraid that Enoch will be punished? ''I didn''t do anything. Even if Enoch is really punished, what does it have anything to do with me?'' Luca was worried that Jack might tell Luke this so that he could avenge her. "Back when I first introduced Enoch to you, it was because I thought that he was a decent guy. I didn''t expect him to be such a burden. I got to know all of this through Mrs. Norman. It seems I owe you an apology," Jack said. If he had known much sooner that Luca was Bianca, he would not have done such a thing. "I''m the one who should be med for this issue. If I had made myself clearer before this, none of these things would''ve happened.¡± Luca shouldered all the me herself. Jack shook his head. He changed the topic after realizing she did not me him and Queenie. After putting down the oil painting, he called out to her, "Come, these are the oil paintings I recently collected. Come take a look and give yourments on them." Luca nodded with a smile. While both of them were evaluating the oil paintings, Queenie knocked on the study''s door and came in. She said to them, "The chef has prepared dinner. You guys maye down and have dinner." Luca heard it and nodded. She turned around and noticed that Queenie''s expression was much better now. Jack kept the oil paintings and said, "Let''s go. Call the kids toe down and have dinner." Queenie nodded and sighed silently when she saw both of them. It seemed that Jack had been treating Luca better since two days ago. The moment she entered the study, she had a feeling as though both of them were father and daughter. ''What did Luca do? ''How did she make Jack change into another person?'' Queenie saw Luca walking to the yroom next door, and after calling out to the kids, they headed downstairs together. The three kids walked happily beside her. Queenie wanted to call the kids to go over to her side, but when she opened her mouth, no words came out. Luca was really close to the kids. If Queenie called out to them, it would make her seem ignorant. After Luca and the kids apanied Jack and Queenie for dinner, they sat in the living room and had tea. After some time, Jack took out a photo album and said happily, "Luca, do you want to have a look at the old photos of me and Mrs. Norman from when we were younger?" Luca was curious about their past. After all, she was not by their side in the first two decades of her life. She immediately nodded and said, "Sure. I would love to see them." Jack ced the photo album in Luca''s hand. "This photo album contains all our memories, from the time I got to know Mrs. Norman to when we got married. There are also photos from a few events that happenedter on. They''re all photos of us. You can slowly go through the album." Queenie saw Jack passing the photo album to Luca. Indeed, that album contained all their photos together. She had a habit of collecting photos of herself and Jack to keep as memories. As for the other album, it contained photos of them and Leia. It was Bianca that Queenie did not get the opportunity to create a photo album for. Luca opened the photo album, and the first photo in it was a photo of Queenie and Jack when they were young. Both Queenie and Jack were wearing the most fashionable clothes in the 70s. Tommy was sitting beside her. He pointed at the photo and asked, "So this is grandpa and grandma when they were young?" "Yeah," Luca answered. Tommy praised, "Grandma is so pretty, and Grandpa is so cool!" Jack was thrilled at the child''s praise andughed. "Oh Tommy, you''re so good with your words." Luca smiled at Tommy upon seeing how sweet of a talker he was before flipping to the next page. "When was this taken?" She pointed at one of the photos and asked. Queenie took a nce, then looked at Jack. Jack was looking at her as well. "You''re the one who arranged these photos. Why don''t you exin?¡± Queenie then said, "This was when Jack was about to propose to me. He brought me to a park. He had nned the proposal with his colleagues. In the photos after that, you can see when the proposal took ce." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Luca nodded and said, "I didn''t expect Mr. Norman to have nned a proposal." Jack scratched the back of his head, feeling embarrassed. Back then, he was indeed very careless but was fortunate enough to have his colleagues remind him. Queenie was not one of those conservative women but a celebrity. If he wanted to increase his chances of a sessful proposal, he had to make sure the proposal was trendy. Hence, with the help of his colleagues, he nned a proposal. "It was all because I was afraid Queenie might not agree to the proposal if I did it casually," said Jack. As Jack spoke, Queenie began to recall the past. At that time, she never expected the future to turn out like this. She then said while feeling shy, "You were the one who nned the proposal. I didn''t ask for it!" "Yes, it''s all because you deserve the best." Jack nodded. He said the sweetest words in front of the kids. Luca smiled, and the sound of the kids''ughter was heard. "The kids are still here." Queenie did not expect Jack to say such a thing in front of the kids just to coax her. "It''s alright. Today is our wedding anniversary. Sweet talk is important to show them how good their grandparents'' rtionship is," Jack said while looking at Luca, who was still flipping the pages of the album to look at more photos. Chapter 1852 Queenie''s face was red, and she started feeling embarrassed. Jack was usually a straightforward person and would seldom say such honeyed words. However, with Luca and the kids present today, he was acting rather unusual. Rainie said from the side, "Grandpa and Grandma do have a very close rtionship." Luca smiled and softly squeezed the child¡¯s little hand. After all, girls were different from boys. What they desired was different as well. Just then, the servant served sliced fruits and cake. Queenie said, "Come, have some cake and fruits." Kids loved sweet stuff, so they all took a slice of cake. Rainie was considerate and served her grandparents a slice of cake each. Then, she served another slice of cake to Luca. "Ms. Luca, have some cake." Luca shook her head and said, "No thanks. You go ahead and help yourself." Rainie nodded and sat down beside her. She started taking small mouthfuls of cake, enjoying herself very much. Luca continued looking at the photos. When she saw one of the photos, she noticed the date stated on the photo. It was the year she was born. In that photo, Jack and Queenie were both standing side by side with bright smiles on their faces. She pointed at the photo and asked, "Mr. and Mrs. Norman, when was this photo taken?" Jack looked at the photo and was astonished. Then, he looked at Luca. ''It¡¯s impossible that Luca doesn''t know that¡¯s the year when she was born...'' Luca was also looking at him. Queenie ced the cake down and looked at the photo. Her gaze seemed focused as she exined, "This photo was taken the year I found out I was pregnant. At that time, I was pregnant with Bianca. It had only been about a month, and my tummy wasn''t that big yet." Tommy heard it and looked at the photo. He then said happily, "So, you were pregnant with Mommy in this photo. Grandma, does that mean Mommy was in your tummy at that time?" "Yes.¡± Queenie recalled the tough time she endured when she was pregnant back then. Then, she recalled the incident that urred muchter when Allison ruthlessly kidnapped her beloved daughter, making her suffer from the loss of losing her daughter for more than 20 years. "When I was pregnant with your mom, it was very tiring and tough. But no matter how tiring or tough it was, I wasn''t afraid at all because she''s our beloved daughter. Every day, we were looking forward to the day of her arrival. Hence, we were very happy. In fact, all parents in this world are the same. Even though your mom has forgotten a lot of things and even forgotten the happiness of being pregnant with you guys, you can''t forget the kindness she had for you. Do you understand?¡± The three kids looked at each other after listening to Queenie. Then, they all nodded their heads at the same time. They loved their mother. Hence, even though lying was wrong, they would still lie to protect their mother. After all, they had gotten their father''s permission. She had never lost her memories and had always loved them. Jack listened to Queenie educating the kids. It was as though she was afraid the kids might forget Bianca. He said happily, "Rest assured. Lanie, Rainie, and Tommy are all very smart. They won''t forget Bianca. Besides, it''s not like Bianca isn''t around anymore. She just went abroad to further her studies. Wait until everything is done, and she''ll definitely be back. This is her home, and we''re her family. We''re her most stable source of support." His words had a hidden meaning to them... Jack was not hoping for anything else but for Luca to understand his intentions. Regardless of what she was up to and regardless of what problems she was facing, her parents would always be there for her. Luca was feeling mncholic while listening to Jack. They were her family, but she could not rely on them. After feasting on the desserts and fruits, Luca noticed that it was gettingte. She was nning to bring the kids home. After all, they still had a part of their homework that had yet to bepleted. After expressing their intention to go back, Queenie offered to have the driver send the kids back, then send Luca back. Luca felt troubled. She was staying in Luke''s vi now, and it was quite far from the apartment. It would be very tiring for the driver to go through the hassle too. Besides, she had no idea whether or not Luke was already back home. If the maid''s shift had ended, no one would be there to take care of the kids. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Jack also thought about it, and when he was about to speak, Lanie spoke first, "Grandma, you don''t have to ask the driver to send us back. Daddy has already arranged for Uncle Zander to fetch us home." Luca lowered her head to look at the kids. ''Luke has already arranged it?'' After arriving at the Norman household, Luca told Zander to go back first since Luca nned to stay a little longer. She said she would just call for a cab to bring the kids back hometer. She never would have thought that Luke had already made the arrangements much earlier. Queenie nodded when she heard that and said, "Alright, then. It''s gettingte. Hurry and go home. Otherwise, you kids won''t have enough energy for school tomorrow." The kids nodded and left with Luca. Upon returning to Zander''s car, Luca looked outside the window and waved her hand to Jack and Queenie. Then, she said, "Start the car, Zander." Zander answered and drove the car away. Luca looked at the scenery outside the window. After leaving the entrance of the Norman household, she asked, "Zander, how long have you been waiting here?" "Not that long. I came after Young Master nche sent me a message. I don''t think it has even been half an hour,¡± Zander answered while driving. Luca looked at Lanie, who was sitting in the front passenger seat. He was usually not talkative, but he spoke a lot tonight. Besides, most of what he said was to protect her and to keep the secret of her living with them. "You must have a lot of questions, right, Ms. Luca?" Lanie suddenly asked. "Yea." Luca nodded. "I think it''s best if you ask Daddy. Daddy made us say all those things.¡± Lanie suddenly turned around and winked at Luca. That pair of eyes looked just like Luke''s¡ªdeep and rather intelligent. She could not help but be in deep thought. ''Why would Luke make such an arrangement?'' Luca nodded, feeling puzzled. Lanie turned around. After returning to the vi, Luca and the kids entered together and noticed that Luke was not home yet. The maid had already left after her shift as she was not ordered to stay back. Luca brought the kids upstairs and made them show her their homework for her to go through them. Then, she had them all go take a bath. When she was done checking their homework, the kids had already brushed their teeth. Luca took a nce at the clock and said, "Alright, it''s gettingte. Off to bed now." "Good night, Ms. Luca." The three kids said at the same time. Luca smiled gently and watched them enter their respective rooms. She then looked at the time and thought that Luke should return soon. She sat in the living room on the first floor and was hoping to wait until Luke returned so that she could ask for rification. She took out her documents andy on the mat on the floor. She opened herptop and started working. She waited for Luke to return while working. That way, she would not feel bored. Chapter 1853 When Luke drove back home, he saw that the lights were still on. He knew there was someone waiting for him. This love that he had been waiting so long for made him feel a surge of warmth in his heart. There were so many others waiting for him to return, yet none of them could provide more warmth than Luca could. Luke entered the house. Luca had long heard the noises outside and was sitting on the sofa, waiting for him to enter. If it were in the past, she would definitely be scolded if he saw her sitting on the mat on the floor. It was as though she did it subconsciously. Seeing Luke made her feel chilly as though it was cold outside. She then got up and said, "Do you want a cup of warm water, Mr. Crawford?" "Sure." Luke nodded. The weather was getting colder as the days went by, but with Luca around, he would always be instantly warmed up again. Fortunately, she still returned to his side even after going through so many incidents. Looking at Luca''s back as she went into the kitchen and seeing her be busy for him made him feel as though they had gone back to three years ago... Luca poured a cup of warm water and came back out. She had adjusted the temperature of the water so that Luke could drink it immediately. Luke received it and drank it at once. Then, he looked at her. Luca was also looking at him. The moment they looked at each other, she forgot the questions that she wanted to ask him. Luke knew there was a reason why she stayed up sote just to wait for his return. Hence, he exined, "When you returned to the vi today, Mom was watching from outside.¡± "She was outside of the vi watching me?" Luca was astonished. That was because in such a high- end vi area, unregistered cars could not simply be allowed in. Even when she came back in a cab, she had to get out at the entrance too. If Queenie were watching her at the entrance, she definitely would have seen her entering the vi. Luke nodded and said, "She knew I moved in here with the kids. If things took a turn for the worst, her thoughts would start straying when she saw you enter the vi.¡± Luca came to an understanding. ''It seems that Queenie is still suspicious of me. ''No wonder she was being so weird today...'' ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Mr. Crawford, how did you know she was watching at the entrance?" Luca could not help but ask. "My friends saw it." Luke simply said a reason as he could not let her know it was Jack who notified him. That was because to Luca, Jack would always side with Queenie. Luca nodded. ''It seems that Queenie has started suspecting me again after I rejected Enoch." "Mrs. Norman is so busy on usual days. Why did she stalk me." Luca was sad. Thest time, she intentionally had the driver take another route, making Queenie think that she was staying in that apartment. ''No, Queenie shouldn''t be suspecting me.'' Luke looked at her and said, "Perhaps something had happened." While Jack managed to notify him in time, he did not exin the matter properly. It seemed that there was something off about this situation that he needed to figure out. "I''ll be more careful next time," Luca said. Since she had moved in, she did not n to move out. After all, now that the kids had left Crawford Manor, they needed her to look after them. She would not be assured if she left them under the maid''s care. ''I''ll talk about it after Luke is done with whatever he''s busy with.'' That was what Luca nned. Luke took out a car key from his pocket and passed it to her. "From now on, you''ll be driving this car." Luca shook her head and said, "No thanks, Mr. Crawford." "If you continue to take cabs and get down at the entrance, you''ll be easily spotted. With this car, you''ll be able to drive in directly as I''ve already registered the car at the property department," Luke said. He got Zander to search the entire garage and find a low-profile car. That was because Luca definitely would not ept cars that were too luxurious. Luca looked at the car keys and epted them after confirming that it was not a luxurious car. "Thanks, Mr. Crawford," she thanked him. The reason why she epted the car was so that she would not be exposed. Luke was a public figure. Sooner orter, the reporters would know about him moving into this area. Hence, it would be better for her to drive the car in and out to prevent having her photos taken. After getting the car keys, she packed up the documents on the table and said to Luke, "I''ll go get some rest upstairs now, Mr. Crawford." "Alright." Luke did not stop her. Luca returned to her bedroom. She did not think she had anything else to do. After giving it some thought, she remembered that she had not asked Luke whether he wanted supper or not. He was busy and had only juste back. Perhaps he did not even have dinner. Just when Luca was in a dilemma about whether or not she should head downstairs to ask him, there was a knock on her door. She immediately opened the door. She looked at Luke who was outside and asked, "Do you still need anything, Mr. Crawford?" "For the next three days, can I trouble you to look after the kids?" Luke said. He suddenly remembered he had to go abroad for some issues. She had yet to know about it. Luca nodded in agreement. "That won''t be a problem, but did something happen?" "I''ll need to make a trip to South Korea," Luke said. To be urate, it was to send Allison there. Speaking about South Korea made Luca think of Allison. "Is it because of Ms. Tanner?" Luca nodded. "Aren''t you busy recently? Why are you still taking time out to go to South Korea?¡± Luca asked. The bidding had yet to bepleted, and there were still lots of matters waiting for him to settle in the office. "The main design has beenpleted. The remainder can be handled even if I''m away from the office," Luke exined. He had long ago nned for Allison to leave the country. Initially, he wanted to wait till he had settled the current project before sending her abroad, but it turned out that Allison could not even wait for half a month. Two days ago, she started going against Susan again back in Crawford Manor. If it were not for the servant and butler stopping her, perhaps they would have started a physical fight. The servant who stopped her was even scratched twice in the face and was currently undergoing a few tests in the hospital. Old Master Crawford was so mad because of this. He had no choice but to let Luke settle the issue as soon as possible. After all, the manor was peaceful when it was just Susan there. Only when Allison returned did the manor fall into chaos again. Hence, Luke decided to send Allison to South Korea for treatment. Initially, he hired an interpreter to travel along with her, but Allison started acting unreasonable and insisted that Luke personally send her off. Only then would she agree to go. Feeling helpless, Luke booked the flight tickets after he was done with the design work. When Luca heard it, she was heartbroken over how he was overexerting himself. ''He has to travel back and forth. Even while sending Allison abroad, he still has to work...'' Allison was no longer a kid. Naturally, it would not be a problem for her to travel abroad alone, yet she still insisted on Luke apanying her. It must have been her request. She was obviously Luke''s mother yet acted as though she was his creditor, constantly needing his concern and demanding his fortune. At the same time, she did nothing to help him with his work or family. Luca did not know how she should help him. The only thing she could do was to promise him. She nodded and said, "Alright, Mr. Crawford. I''ll take good care of the kids." Chapter 1854 "If you''re too busy, just give the butler of Crawford Manor a call. He''ll arrange for a nanny toe over to take care of the kids." Luke knew that Luca had a lot of things to do. After all, she took on many jobs in T Corporation. Later on, she would be much busier than she was now as she would be swamped with work and had to take care of the kids as well. He was worried she would be overwhelmed. "Alright, I got it. Just rest assured." Luca nodded. Currently, all she could do was reassure him. He would no longer be as troubled once Allison was sent out of the country. Luke looked at Luca, who was far away from him. Even the tone she used to speak seemed to carry a great sense of distance between them. She was probably not as calm as she appeared. However, she was very good at putting on an act. Looking at her now, she seemedposed. She was obviously concerned about him, yet insisted on putting on an act as though she was merely an employee obeying her superior''smands. This made Luke feel uneasy. "Sorry to trouble you." It was clear he was feeling uneasy when he spat out such a cold statement. He then turned around and entered the bedroom. Luca slowly closed her door when she saw him closing his door too. ''He looks unhappy... ''But I didn''t do anything wrong. I didn''t say anything I shouldn''t have said either.'' Luca massaged her forehead. Most of the time, Luke''s thoughts were hard to guess. The next morning. Luca got up and made breakfast for the kids. When she served the breakfast, she saw Luke carrying his suitcase downstairs. This time, he did not bring arge suitcase. Luca thought to herself, ''At this time of the year, the weather in South Korea is much colder than it is here. Looking at that small suitcase, I wonder if he brought enough clothes with him.¡± He woulde back once he sent Allison abroad, but it was a rushed trip. If he did not bring enough clothes, he would not have much time to purchase them. The thought of it made Luca ask, "Mr. Crawford, South Korea is very cold this time of the year. Did you bring enough clothes?" Luke heard her words and felt sad. ''She''s obviously concerned about me, but her tone sounds so distant.'' "I won''t be away for too long, so the clothes I brought are adequate." Luke wanted to give her a reply that sounded distant as well, but after looking at her face and those familiar eyes, he was unable to stand firm with his decision. Hence, he still spoke a lot without him realizing it. Luca nodded her head and said, "Breakfast is ready." Luke was not in a hurry. Despite not being happy with how Luca was distancing herself from him, Luke still decided to have breakfast before departing. He sat at the dining table. Soon, the kids changed their clothes and came downstairs with their school bags. Seeing the suitcase in the living room made Tommy look at his father with a look of shock. "Daddy, are you going abroad for work?" "Yeah." Luke helped himself to a bowl of porridge. "Why didn''t you mention it earlier?" Tommy said with much dissatisfaction. In the past, Luke used to notify him and his siblings much earlier before he went on business trips. "It was ast-minute decision. I''ll be back after three days." Luke could tell his son was dissatisfied from hisment and exined helplessly. It was a decision made yesterday, so he did not have time to tell the kids about it. If it were not for Allison wreaking havoc, he would not have made such a hasty decision either. Tommy pouted his lips and was obviously not dissatisfied. Lanie was understanding and asked, "Daddy, are you going to send Grandma away?" "Yes." Luke nodded. Among the three kids, Lanie was the calmest and smartest. His personality was also like Luke''s. Hence, he was able to figure out his dad''s ns in an instant. Lanie nodded, sat on the chair by the dining table, and said, "Then, I wish you a safe trip, Daddy. I''ll be waiting for your return with Tommy and Rainie." "Alright. Hurry and eat your breakfast, then off you go to school," said Luke. Even though he would be leaving the kids with Luca and knew she would take good care of them, he still had to arrange everything appropriately. The kids sat on the chairs and started eating their breakfast. Luca had to go to work soon too. She sat on a chair and ate breakfast with them. After eating breakfast, Zander sent the kids to school, while Luke drove to Crawford Manor to pick up Allison. After Allison was out of prison, she became extremely good at creating trouble. Even though Luke had arranged for a driver to send her to the airport and said he would be waiting for her there, Allison was still dissatisfied and insisted on having Luke personally send her. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Luca watched as the kids were driven away by Zander, and after seeing Luke drive away as well, she went to the garage. She got into the car that Luke gave her and slowly drove out of the entrance of the vi. After arriving at the office, she found a parking lot and parked the car. Then, she took the elevator and headed upstairs. When the elevator stopped on the first floor, she coincidentally bumped into Tina. Tina walked into the elevator and saw Luca. She then greeted warmly, "Good morning, Dr. Craw." "Good morning, Tina." Luca nodded. Tina was holding onto a cup of coffee and breakfast. She asked, "I bought breakfast, Dr. Craw. Do you want to join me?" "No thanks. I''ve already eaten," Luca thanked her politely and rejected her kind offer. When Tina heard the words, she did not pursue the matter further. She suddenly recalled that Luca had come from the basement floor, so she became a busybody and asked, "Did you drive your car here today, Dr. Craw? Did you buy a new car?" Luca recalled that the car Luke gave her was not a brand new car. She then shook her head and said, "It''s an old car." "I thought you didn''t own a car. I always see you taking a cab to work," said Tina with a smile. Luca exined, "I just returned from a foreign country and wasn''t familiar with the traffic rules here. That''s why I didn''t dare to drive a car. I just recently got my driving license." Tina nodded. "So, that''s how it is. Oh yeah, do you know? Boss has suddenly gone on a business trip and will be away for three days. For the next three days, it''ll be Mr. Doyle handling the issues in the office.¡± "Oh really? Where did the boss go?" Luca asked, pretending to be clueless about it. "No idea. My. Doyle didn''t say a word about it. Perhaps it''s an emergency issue. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have left at the eleventh hour. I hope it has nothing to do with this project, or all our efforts throughout this period of time will go to waste," Tina said. Many people hoped that this bidding would end with sess and they could gain huge rewards. "I don''t think it''s that. Let''s just focus on our jobs.¡± Lucaforted her. She could not say a word about Luke''s family issue. "Oh right, the trantor who was on leave ising back to work. From now on, you guys will work together for any trantion work. Her office will be in our secretary''s room," Tina said. Luca looked at her. "Isn''t she going to share my office with me?¡± "There isn''t a trantor who has their own office. All the trantors in thepany are under one department, and that''s on the 13th floor. Of course, you were initially just a secondment. Besides, you upy a much higher position, so you were arranged to have your own office," Tina exined. The trantor''s office was not initially on this floor, but Jason had arranged it at thest minute so that Luca could bettermunicate and work together with her. He arranged a seat in the secretary''s office for the trantor who had juste back from her leave. This way, Luca would not have to go back and forth from one ce to another. Chapter 1855 "So, that''s how it is." Luca nodded, indicating she understood. Upon arriving at the office, both of them stepped out of the elevator at the same time. Tina looked at the time and said, "I think Alya has already arrived at the office. Why don''t I bring you over so you two can introduce yourselves?¡± Luca knew that Alya was the trantor who had juste back from her pregnancy leave. She nodded and said in agreement, "Alright." After all, they would be working together for the next half a month. It would be a wise move to introduce herself to her now. Tina entered the secretary''s office and indeed, Alya was already sitting inside. Tina greeted her with a smile. "Alya, long time no see. I''ve been waiting for you to return to work. How have you been? Is your baby obedient?" Alya looked at Tina and smiled. "Long time no see. The baby is obedient. If it isn''t because the company needed me to return, I really wouldn''t want my pregnancy leave to end. I want to apany my baby longer." Tina smiled and made an introduction. "Here, let me introduce you to Dr. Craw. During this period, she''s been the one taking over your job. It''s going to be a little hectic for theing half a month, so our boss decided to have you two work on the trantion jobs together. Dr. Craw, this is Alya." Luca looked at Alya who was standing before her. She was different from other mothers who had just delivered. She maintained her figure very well. Hence, her figure was still slim even after just giving birth. She smiled and greeted Alya, "Nice to meet you, Alya." "Nice to meet you, Dr. Craw." Alya had been hearing about Luca for a long time. She was a researcher at Watson Biopharmaceuticals. However, due to some special reasons, her entire researchboratory was shifted to T Corporation. Besides, their boss even freed out an entire floor just for it. During her leave when she was unable to work, Luca took up her job and became a Russian trantor for thepany as well. Furthermore, their boss even gave her her own office on the top floor. None of the trantors in thepany had ever received such treatment. Hence, the news about Luca receiving special treatment had already spread to their department. Alya secretly rejoiced that Luca''s original job was not as a trantor. Otherwise, she would not have been able to keep her job here. After all, the treatment Luca received had surpassed any treatment a regr trantor could hope to get. After introducing herself, Luca returned to her office. Yesterday, she brought her iplete work back home because she had to bring the kids to celebrate Jack and Queenie''s wedding anniversary with them at thest minute. She nned to finish what was left of her work before she was assigned more work. After two hours, Luca''s phone rang. She looked at it and saw a new message. She clicked into it, and it was a message from Luke, informing her that he was already on the ne and was about to take off. Her finger swiped over gently, and she looked at the message for half a minute. After thinking for some time, she replied: [Have a safe trip.] On the other hand. Luke received Luca''s message that just contained four words. Despite just looking at the words on the cold screen, he could still feel the warmth. The announcement was soon yed, informing passengers that the ne was about to take off. Luke set his phone into flight mode and ced it in his pocket. Allison, who was sitting beside him, had seen everything he did earlier. She had also spotted the smile on his face and was feeling uneasy. Apart from Bianca, her son treated everyone else coldly¡ªeven her. After growing up, he seldom showed a smile on his face. However, earlier, he was smiling while looking at his phone. "Is it news about Bianca?" Allison asked. She had not seen her daughter-inw since getting imprisoned. She heard that Bianca had lost her memory, and since then, she had never once visited Allison. As her mother-inw, she found Bianca''s behavior very inappropriate. Only after she was released from prison did she learn that Bianca had ditched her family and gone to travel abroad. As a mother-inw, she was definitely dissatisfied. Bianca, as her daughter-inw, did not carry out her filial duties when Allison was sick. However, Allison did not fly into a temper. That was because she knew that Luke cared about Bianca. Furthermore, she currently relied on Luke. If she were to talk bad about Bianca in front of him, she would be despised by him. With how much Luke cared about Bianca, he would probably not hesitate to abandon her for Bianca''s sake. Hence, no matter how much trouble Allison caused, she would never drag Bianca into her mess. "No." Luke kept his phone. Despite knowing that Luca was Bianca, he could not treat Luca as Bianca. He would not do that in front of other people as well. Otherwise, it would risk exposing Luca''s status. There was definitely a reason why she was not willing to expose her identity right now. Perhaps there would be a great danger if her identity was exposed. Luke was not willing to witness that scene. Hence, he allowed her to continue putting on an act to deceive him and others. Allison pulled on her mask a little and said, "If it''s not about Bianca, why were you smiling?" Luke did not say a word. Allison continued asking, "Since my return, I''ve never received a call from Bianca. You and her..." Before she finished speaking, Luke interrupted, "She lost her memory and is currently traveling abroad. She doesn''t remember you." Allison pouted. "Even if she doesn''t remember me, you guys would''ve still mentioned me, right. Luke did not say a word. Allison said, "In the past, you were always eager to cling to Bianca after you got off work. Now, you allowed her to travel abroad by herself. Did you have a change of mind." Luke still did not say a word. He listened to the announcement on the ne. He folded both his arms across his chest, and from his expression, it could be seen that he refused to talk. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Allison continued saying when she saw him not talking, "Actually, she''s not that great of a woman to begin with. Anyway, I don''t like her being my daughter-inw. Besides, I heard that she was taken to an improper environment after she was met with that incident. If you have no feelings for her anymore, then just hurry and leave her. You don''t have to worry about offending the Norman family. Even though Jack currently holds a very high position, he can''t do anything if you bring up his daughter''s past. Besides, with the Crawford family being so powerful, who do you have to be afraid of? She had always been dissatisfied with Bianca. Even when Bianca reunited with Jack and Queenie, Allison was still dissatisfied. Seeing now that Luke had another woman by his side, Allison hurriedly advised him. Luke did not say a word. It was as if Allison''s nagging was not directed toward him as he shut his eyes and ignored her. Allison saw that he was not giving her any reaction and continued to say, ¡°I''m saying all this for your own good. I heard that Yuri''s family has expanded their business. If Louis agrees, they''ll definitely support Louis ande for your position. Now, Bianca is abroad and the Crawford family no longer needs to rely on political power. You don''t like Bianca anymore, so just get rid of her. Go find a young, pretty woman with clean family background. It''s much better than waiting for that woman." "My feelings for Bianca have never changed in the slightest." Luke suddenly opened his eyes and looked at her. Chapter 1856 Allison was a little surprised. Then, she burst intoughter. Her grin was too wide without her realizing it, which caused her skin to stretch and left her in pain. Fortunately, she was wearing a hat and a mask. Otherwise, everyone would have been able to see her contorted features. Luke took in a cold breath when he heard herughing, and his face still remainedposed. Allison calmed down when she was no longer in pain. Recently, she seldom took the medication prescribed by Luca. Hence, her skin had be much more sensitive. Sometimes, when she didrge movements, her wrinkled skin would stretch and cause her to be in pain. She looked at Luke, and thetter did not show any expression of concern. Allison was used to it and did not need his concern either. All she cared about was the money she received. "Did you think I wouldn''t know about what had happened during my time in prison? If you still love Bianca, then why were you two sleeping in separate rooms? At the end of the day, you''re just a germaphobe and still mind her past." She was not bothered about whether or not her words would anger Luke. After all, everyone had the same thought, so she might as well just say it out. Luke tilted his head and looked at Allison, but it only made him irritated. ''It seems that she has been too free and started gossiping with the servants to know about past matters. ''Otherwise, how would she know that Bianca and I slept in separate rooms back then?'' Seeing that Luke was not talking, Allison then said, "Actually, this isn''t a big problem. Just divorce if you guys have no more feelings for each other. Besides, given your current situation and Bianca''s unstable emotions, you''ll likely gain custody of the kids." Luke opened his eyes and looked at her coldly. All this while, it had been Bianca helping her out, yet Allison said such a thing. "Are you done talking?" Only then did Allison notice that Luke was angry. She kept quiet because Luke''s cold gaze seemed as if he would throw her out of the ne at any moment. The ne slowly took off. Luke shut his eyes and ignored Allison. The flight attendant came to serve desserts and drinks. Allison saw the food that was ced before her and noticed it was almost noon. She woke upte and did not get to have breakfast before Luke arrived to pick her up. She was a little hungry now... Even though they were in first ss, there were still people around. Allison dared not take off her mask in public. She had no choice but to bear with her hunger and wait until she got off the ne. On the other hand. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. It was noon. Queenie came to the provincial capital and gave Enoch a call. Enoch immediately met up with her when he received the call from Queenie. Due to his unique status, Queenie booked a private room in a nearby Western restaurant and waited for Enoch to show up. After 15 minutes, Enoch showed up. "I''m sorry, Mrs. Norman. A member of the public suddenly appeared in the office and I had to handle their matters first, so I''mte.¡± Queenie shook her head, indicating it was alright. "It''s alright. Have a seat." Enoch sat opposite Queenie. Before thetter could speak, he asked, "I''m guessing your trip here this time is regarding Luca, right?" "You''re a smart guy, Enoch." Queenie nodded. Yesterday, after Luca brought the kids back home, she thought about it for the entire night and chose to believe in Luca. After all, she had believed from the very start that Luca was not the type who would destroy other people''s families. Queenie thought that Luca was a good person. If it were not because of Bianca, she would not have overthought matters. "Seeing that you called me out today, you must have already checked things through.¡± Enoch was excited. ''If she has found out that something is going on between Luca and Luke, she''ll definitely stop their rtionship at all costs.¡± At that time, not only would Luca be a failure but her intention of getting Luke and living a good life through him would be gone. The thought of it made Enoch excited. ''It''s her fault for not choosing me!'' Queenie noticed the excited look on Enoch''s face and felt disgusted. She did not expect that in addition to stalking, Enoch also had a strong sense of revenge. ''Thank God Luca didn''t like him. If she had ended up liking him, something bad would''ve happened in the future.'' "I did verify things. Actually, things are not like what you think." Queenie took a deep breath and suppressed the uneasiness within her. In the past, she would have absolutely avoided talking with someone like Enoch. Enoch was stunned and stopped smiling. ''Things are not like what I think?'' "Did you make a mistake, Mrs. Norman?" Queenie shook her head and said, "Luca is an employee of T Corporation. Because of fate, she got close with the kids. When Luke is working overtime, she would go over to spend time with the kids. It''s not like what you think." "Impossible." Enoch immediately denied it. He did not believe that a single man and a single woman staying in the same house would still remain in an innocent rtionship. "Stop being stubborn, Enoch. All you saw was Luca entering the vi, and not what had happened inside. I''ve already rified the matter. I''m only telling you this today so that you won''t let your mind stray anymore. The reason Luca rejected you was because she thought you guys weren''t a match and nothing else. From now on, don''t think about unnecessary things. After all, if such a thing were to spread, it''ll do you no good," Queenie advised him. Listening to Queenie siding with Luca made Enoch have a dark expression. Queenie noticed it and sighed. "Enoch, you''re a youngd. You should know that you can''t force a rtionship." "I know," Enoch replied immediately. If it were not for Jack, he would have started barking. ''They imed that she was a good woman with clean family background. In reality, she''s such a yer and a woman who sells herself for money. She made me waste so much time and effort.'' Hence, no matter what Queenie said, it would not change Enoch''s perspective. Besides, he found her nagging rather irritating. Queenie was dumbfounded. Enoch snapped out of it and noticed that the words he blurted out were rather rash. He scratched his head and exined, "I''m sorry, Mrs. Norman. I know that you can''t force a rtionship. The reason I told you about it was that Mr. Crawford is your son-inw. Since they''re both innocent, then that''s great." Queenie let out a breath of relief. Looking at his expression now, nothing seemed to be wrong. "It''s good if you''re able to think things through, Enoch." Enoch got up and said, "Yes, I''ve thought through it, Mrs. Norman. If there''s nothing else, I''ll excuse myself." Queenie stopped him. "Aren''t you going to have lunch?" "There''s a lot of work in the office. I have to rush back. I''ll just order something and have it delivered. You should enjoy your meal. I won''t bother you anymore," Enoch said. At this moment, he despised Queenie as well. ''She looks gentle, but in truth, she''s not at all reliable. ''Otherwise, why would she have introduced Luca to me?'' ¡®Now, she''s even helping them clear their names. Honestly speaking, the reason she came looking for me and said those things is just that she doesn''t want to air her family''s dirtyundry in public.'' Chapter 1857 After Enoch left, Queenie let out a breath of relief. She hoped this issue would end and no more trouble would crop up. In the afternoon, Luca was still busy at work. That was because the department downstairs had sent a few documents that needed to be tranted. Hence, Luca and Alya started dividing the workload. Alya took the initiative to take up arger workload. Luca did not say a word. She was just meant to substitute the trantor from the start, so now that Alya was back, it was only normal that she take up arger workload. If it was not because she had to follow up with other tasks and was very busy at the moment, she would have directly gone back to the researchboratory downstairs. No one would havemented anything about it. Luca picked up the documents and walked back to her office. Alya saw her figure that was leaving and said with a sigh, "It''s good to have your own office." Tina, who was sitting in front of her, heard it. She said with a smile, "Alya, do you think our secretary''s office isn''t good enough?" Alya did not expect Tina to reply to her in this way. ''Everyone has been saying that Luca had some connections. Otherwise, how could she be given special treatment?'' She did not believe that Tina was not aware of it. She lifted her head to look at the person in front of her, shook her head, and said, "It''s nice. I find that this floor is much better than the office downstairs." "Then why do you keep sighing? Alya, it''s more important to do your work properly," Tina warned softly. The matter regarding Luke and Luca was not something ordinary employees like them could talk about. Besides, it was only normal for Luca to receive special treatment as she was indeed very capable. After all, Tina had witnessed with her own eyes how Luca did not need to use trantion software or look things up on the inte to trante a document rted to architectural design. There were lots of professional terms in the document too. Back when she just started this career, she was unable to trante those terms but Luca was familiar with those professional terms and was able to trante them quickly. No trantor, who had just gotten involved in the architectural field, would be able to achieve such a feat. Not only had Luca mastered manynguages, but she also had medical knowledge, researched medicine, and knew about architectural design... Alya understood what Tina was trying to say and smiled awkwardly. "I just said it casually. Don''t take it to heart." Tina did not say another word. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Luca had invited lots of trouble. Not long after she started working in Watson Biopharmaceuticals, she started receiving special treatment. Hence, others began to feel jealous of her. It was fairly normal. Tina took a sip of her coffee and was thinking about whether she should give Luca a reminder. However, Luca would only be working on this project for another half a month at most. When the project ended, she would probably return downstairs and take charge of the work in theboratory. She heard from Zoey that the research downstairs was about to bepleted. If it was not because Luca was sent upstairs, their research would have beenpleted long ago. Tina thought for a moment and decided not to say a word. Luca was smart. She would be able to sense some things even without needing people to point them out to her. After Luca left the secretary''s office, she returned to her office and was busy until the evening. When it was approaching after working hours, she received a call from Abel. "Take some time tonight ande to a ce. I''ll send you the addresster," Abel said and did not tell her the location. He just ordered her to show up. Luca frowned, not knowing where he wanted her to go. "Where do you want me to go?" she asked. "You have no right to ask. All you have to do is bring along Dr. Albus'' research paper.¡± After Abel said that, he hung up the call. ''Dr. Albus'' research.'' Luca opened her mailbox and instantly understood the situation. Abel had started making his move. She kept her documents that were printed and ced them in a folder. This was Abel''s order. It meant that he had gotten everything prepared and was going to make her betray Luke bit by bit. Luca sighed. Just then, she received an email. The time and location were stated in the email. The location was rtively remote. Luca frowned as Abel was asking her to go over at such an early hour. The kids would still be awake, but the maid would have already ended her shift. Even if the kids were already asleep by then, she could not leave the house. After all, it would not be safe to leave them alone at home. Luca thought through it and decided that she could not make the maid work overtime to look after the kids as Luke would eventually find out that she had gone out. In the end, she thought of a person to help her out. Luca gave Nina a call. ¡°Good afternoon, Luca," Nina answered the call, and her voice sounded very happy. Luca sighed. Ever since Nina and Percy''s misunderstanding was resolved, Nina''s mood had been getting better as the days passed. "Nina, are you free tonight?" Luca asked. If it was not because Abel insisted on her going to that location, she would not be troubling Nina to look after the kids. "Tonight? Yeah, I''m free," Nina immediately answered without giving it a thought. "Well, I''d like to ask you for a favor..." Luca was feeling embarrassed. After all, asking Nina toe over to look after the kids would mean that she was taking away Nina''s time with Percy. "What happened? Just tell me. You don''t have to hesitate." Nina knew that Luca must have encountered a problem, which was why she thought of her. Even though they had not known each other for long, Luca had helped Nina countless times. No matter what, Nina would dly return the favor. "Mr. Crawford is on a business trip for the next few days, and he left the kids to me. He told me to help look after them. However, I need to head out for a moment tonight. I''m worried about leaving the three kids at home. I can''t bring them out with me either. So, I''m calling to ask if you''re free to help me look after the kids. It''ll probably just take an hour." Luca had no choice but to ask for a favor from Nina. "Look after the kids? Sure, no problem," Nina answered carefreely. Those three kids were Bianca''s kids. She had a good rtionship with the kids all this while. With the kids being so obedient, it would be easy to look after them. Hence, Nina thought that it was not a problem. "Thanks. I''ll treat you to a meal next time." Luca let out a breath of relief when she heard Nina agree. At least, she had settled the issue with the kids. "What time will you be going out tonight?" Nina asked. "Nine o''clock," Luca answered. In the email, Abel wanted her to arrive at the location by ten o''clock. Hence, she needed to depart by nine. "Then how about treating me to a meal tonight? I''ll head over to your ce after work," Nina said immediately. She would inform Percy about it as she would not be going back to save the hassle of traveling back and forth. "Alright, no problem. What do you want to eat?" Luca was fine with it and agreed. "Anything is fine as long you''re the one making it. I''ll talk to youter. I have a customer here." After Nina was done talking, she ended the call. Luca ced her phone aside. When she nned to continue with her work, her phone vibrated. She picked it up and noticed it was a message from Luke. He had safelynded at Hamilton. He was arranging for Allison to be admitted to a hospital. Luca nced at the message, and even after being in deep thought for some time, she still did not reply to the message. Chapter 1858 If she were Bianca, she would have a lot of advice and words of yearning to tell him. She would ask him to focus on dealing with the matter at hand. However, she was Luca, not Bianca. Even though there were thousands of words in her heart, she could not say anything because she was in no position to. Luca thought about it and replied, "Okay." She then put down her phone and got down to work. Until she got off work, Luke did not text her. Luca guessed that he was busy. After all, they were not involved in any way or form. There was no need for him to update her on his schedule all the time. Seeing that it was time to get off work, Luca packed up some documents and prepared to leave the office. After Alya ced the tranted documents in Jason''s office, she was surprised to see Luca heading off. "Dr. Craw, are you done for the day?" "Yes." Luca nodded. Alya had taken over most of the workload. Since she was done with her part and considering that Nina would be over for dinner, she wanted to get some fresh groceries to cook for Nina. Alya nodded thoughtfully. Luca turned around and left. Alya watched her clock out and hurried back to the secretary''s office. Everyone in the secretary''s office was working overtime. The day before she came back, she was briefed about all of thepany''s current projects. It was a special period, and almost everyone in thepany had to work overtime. Maybe, the only person who could get off work on time was Luca. To Alya, Luca''s punctual departure from work was ssified as special treatment. "Tina, I just saw that Dr. Craw get off work. Is she allowed to get off work so early?" Alya could not help herself from gossiping with Tina. "Anyone can leave the office after they finish their work," Tina said while she dealt with the documents she needed for the next day. "How can she finish her work so fast? I still have half of the documents that need to be tranted. How is it possible for her to finish so soon..." Alya felt that Luca had not finished her work. Tina coldly nced at the documents on her desk and reminded her, saying, "When we assigned the tasks, you took the initiative to take over most of the documents. Naturally, your workload is heavier. Dr. Craw has fewer documents to work on, so, of course, it would take less time for her to finish her work." She knew that Alya was just pissed that Luca left work on time. Alya muttered, "Dr. Craw is different from us. I don''t dare to give her so much work." "That''s true. She''s not a trantor, you are. This is within your job scope. If this project wasn''t that urgent, she would''ve handed you all of the documents and gone home even earlier. Alya, it''s a good thing that someone is sharing your workload. Hurry up and finish what you have left for the day. These documents are needed for tomorrow." Tina reminded her mercilessly. Luca was not a trantor to begin with. It was not easy for her to deal with so many projects at the same time. Alya did not know how to respond to that and went back to her seat. Sheined about what had happened to the trantion department. However, everyone was very busy and no one responded to herints. Alya missed her children who were waiting at home. She looked at the documents and knew that she could not reunite with her kids until she was done tranting them. With no other choice, she continued to bury her head in the documents. Luca drove out from the underground parking lot of T Corporation. When she passed the entrance of T Corporation, she noticed an Audi was parked on the side of the road not far away. She frowned. Her car drove by but she did not see the license te number. However, the Audi was very simr to the one that Enoch drove the day before... ''It can''t be him..'' All she felt was annoyed and angry when she realized that Enoch was likely involved in the reason why Queenie was watching her at the entrance of the vi the other day. Fortunately, after she blocked him on all tforms, Enoch did not reach out to her through other means. At least he did not continue to bother her. Luca drove to the supermarket nearby, bought some groceries, and returned to the vi. Nina had note over yet and Luca estimated that she would be there in the next ten minutes or so. After she greeted the children, she hurriedly went into the kitchen and started to prepare dinner. 20 minutester, Nina arrived. The maid went and got her. She drove the car in smoothly. Tommy was happy when he saw Nina, but at the same time, he was also a little worried. "Aunt Nina, are youing over to spend the night again?" He remembered that Luca had her full attention on Nina thest time she came to spend the night here. The three of them could only stare at Luca''s tightly closed bedroom door. They were not allowed to enter. Nina knew that Tommy was worried that she would take up Luca''s time and could not help but pinch his face. "Don''t worry, I''ll only be here for a while. I won''t be spending the night here." "That''s wonderful! Aunt Nina, please have a seat." Tommy cheerfully invited Nina to sit down. "Cheeky little one, were you worried that I''d spend the night?" Nina sat on the sofa with a big smile on her face. She took Tommy''s hand and pretended to be serious. Tommy shook his head immediately and replied, "No, no." "How could you lie at such a young age? When your Daddyes back, I''ll tell him that you lied to me." Nina held back her smile and squeezed his cheek. It was fleshy and felt good. "Aunt Nina, I''m sorry." Tommy hurriedly acted cutely. "Okay, don''t worry. I''m just here to have a meal and watch you for a few hours. I''ll head home after that," Nina said. Rainie asked, "Aunt Nina, you''re here to keep watch of us?" "Yeah, Luca is going to go outter. She''s worried about leaving you alone, so she asked me to take care of you. Why? Do you not want me here?" Nina hugged Rainie, lowered her head, and kissed her cheek sweetly. Rainie shook her head and said, "No, we wee you to our home anytime. It''s just that... Ms. Luca didn''t tell us anything, so we''re a little confused." "Is that so? Maybe she nned to tell youter? Is she in the kitchen now?" Nina asked. "Yes." "Hurry up and do your homework. I''ll go to the kitchen and see if I can help." Nina urged the kids. She stood up, walked into the kitchen, and saw that Luca was busy in the kitchen. "Do you need help?" she asked. Luca turned around, saw Nina, and smiled slightly as she replied, "No need. The meal will be ready soon." "Let me wash the dishes for you." Nina did not want to freeload, so she walked over and washed the dirty dishes. Luca did not stop her. "By the way, where are you going tonight?" Nina asked. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Luca was cooking and stopped when she heard Nina''s question. She made up an excuse, saying, "Something happened to my brother, so I have to go back and check on him." Chapter 1859 "Your half-brother?" Nina asked. "Yeah." Luca did not know what to say, so she decided to use Amur as an excuse. "To be honest, I envy you a lot. You and your brother are not rted by blood but you''re so close. Even those who are rted by blood may not have as deep a rtionship as the two of you," Nina sighed. Luca knew that she wasmenting about her rtionship with Jean. Their rtionship was worse than those who were unrted. "What did your brother do?" Luca asked. She had been busy with a lot of things in thest couple of weeks. Since Percy had sorted out most of Nina''s issues, Luca had not been checking in on her. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. After her loud sigh, Luca remembered that Nina had problems with her rtionship and family. Especially with Jean. "Jean? All he does is think of new ways to ask me for money." Nina sounded helpless as she said, "Since he couldn''t get the money from me, he''d go ask Percy for it. I told Percy to not give him a single cent, so he has no choice but to ask my mother now." "Did he seed?" Luca knew that Anna was still in the hospital. "Yeah, he did. If he cries in front of her a few more times, my mother will probably be willing to give her life for him. The medical expenses I set aside were all taken out by my mother and given to him. Do you know what happened next? There''s no money in the ount to be debited, so the hospital called me." Nina chuckled. There would never be a solution to the problems in her family unless Anna decided to be ruthless and ignored Jean. "I assume that you''ve stopped depositing money into that ount now, right?" Luca asked. Nina put the cleaned bowls aside and started to tidy up the cutleries. "No, but I''ve gotten smarter. I don''t deposit too much at a time, and I told the hospital that only I can touch the money in the ount. That way, my mother will run out of money for him to squander." "That''s smart," Luca said. There would be no good ending to Anna spoiling Jean like that. Jean was a terrible man. He worked with Pierre to kidnap Nina and even went as far as to take the money meant to save Anna''s life. It was as if the two of them owed it to him... "Things aren''t great, but they''re not terrible either. Jean will still find opportunities to bother me. Since Percy and I have gotten back together, he seems to think that Percy will also support him for the rest of his life. I''ve told Percy that no one is allowed to help. Since he can''t get any money from Percy, he''s just causing trouble every day. It''s so annoying." Nina washed the cutleries and put them aside. "You have to be careful with him. He worked with Pierre to kidnap you before. He might do it again." Luca reminded her. "I know. I don''t think that Pierre has the time to bother me, though. I heard that he''s busy dealing with the mess he created. From what Percy told me, the illegal things he did have caught the eye of relevant government bodies. He''s being investigated. He''s too busy to even take care of himself, so he probably won''t have time to trouble me and deal with Jean." Nina said. Pierre had not been doing well. Otherwise, her life would not be so peaceful now. "The Mallory family won''t give up on Pierre. His problems will be solved sooner orter. You must protect yourself." Luca reminded her. Although Abel agreed to hassle Pierre, he had yet to make a move. She could not figure him out. "Don''t worry, I''ll protect myself. I''m even thinking about learning some self-defense techniques," Nina said happily. She watched as Luca added salt to the soup while she counted the corresponding soup bowls and cleaned them. "It may be a littlete for you to learn them now. You should just listen to Mr. Mallory," Luca said cheekily. She was happy to see a confident and optimistic Nina. Nevertheless, no one could gain self-defense skills overnight. She used to learn fighting skills from Rain. Back then, she thought that she could train and protect herself so that Luke would not have to worry. However, after the three years she went through on the Ind of Despair, she realized that these skills were not something that could be aplished overnight. It took her three years to get to where she was, and she paid a huge price for it. "You''re speaking as though he can protect me." Nina stuck out her tongue. Luca ted thest dish. "I can''t guarantee anything, but I do believe that if he can''t protect you, no one can." "It''s not that many want to hurt me. I''m just unlucky. I pissed off someone I shouldn''t have, which led me to my current situation. I''m just an ordinary person. I''m so ordinary that no one bothers me when I walk on the streets." Nina sighed, then picked up the washed bowls and walked out of the kitchen. ''Who''s not an ordinary person?'' Luca thought to herself. If it were not for Luke, she would be like an ordinary person too, striving helplessly toward the goal of establishing herself in A City. Her days would be repetitive. Instead, she was in a situation where she did not know what she would encounter next. Luca sighed. She quickly concealed her feelings and took out the dishes. After dinner, Luca saw that it was still early, so she guided the children to finish their homework. She then imitated Luke''s signature as it was required. Nina watched from the side and could not help but sigh in her heart. Bianca had never done anything like this for her children since she lost her memory. At that moment, Luca was more like their mother than Bianca. Nina sighed once more when she saw how the kids surrounded Luca. ''Things might be better if Luca, not Bianca, is their mother...'' When Bianca first lost her memory, she often visited Crawford Manor. She noticed that the kids would want to get close to their mother, but often, they were scared off by Bianca''s resistance. They could only watch her dully. Inparison, the three children surrounded Luca like they would with their mother. It was a heartwarming scene. After Luca was done, she nced at the time and said to Nina, "I''m going out in a while. Thanks for taking care of the kids." "Don''t worry, I''ll watch them closely and put them to bed at half-past ten. Go do what you need to." Nina assured her. Luca nodded and went upstairs to change. The clothes she was wearing were inappropriate. They hindered the movement of her arms and legs. Luca changed into all-ck casual clothes and put on a thick coat, scarf, and gloves. She then went downstairs with a briefcase in her hand. Nina saw her, nodded, and said with a smile, "Don''t worry, I''ll be here waiting for you toe back." "Okay." Luca nced at the children and turned around to leave. Chapter 1860 After Luca left, Tommy looked at his brother and said, "Lanie, where do you think Ms. Luca is going?" "I don''t know." Lanie looked at Nina. He never had a chance to ask since he found out that Luca was going out. Nina said helplessly as the children looked at her, "She told me that she has to go see her brother. She''ll be back soon enough. Since you''ve finished your homework, do you need to revise what you''ve learned today?¡± Rainie replied, "Aunt Nina, we''ve memorized it." "You read it twice and you understand all of it?" Nina sighed in her heart. She thought that it was normal that they were such fast learners since they were Luke''s children. They had his excellent genes. She wondered if she and Percy''s future kid would be as smart as them. After all, Percy''s genes were also superb. However, her genes... Nina sighed. ''Forget it, my genes are not as good as Bianca''s...'' "Aunt Nina, what are you sighing about?" Tommy looked at her curiously. "I''m sighing about how my genes aren''t as good as your mother''s. It would be great if my baby can be as smart as you guys." Nina pinched little Tommy''s cheek. If her kids were as smart as them, it would save her a lot of trouble. She would not get cerebral hemorrhage when tutoring them, unlike the videos she often saw online of parents helping their kids with their homework. "You want to have a baby with Uncle Percy? Aunt Nina, hurry up and have a baby. We want siblings." Tommy urged her. Nina''s face turned tomato red at the mention of Percy. She picked up the remote control to turn on the TV and found the cartoon channel. "What nonsense are you talking about? You''re a kid. Don''t think too much about these things and focus on your cartoons. At ten, you''ll have to go upstairs to take a shower and rest." Tommy smiled cheekily and sat on the sofa without saying anything else. On the other hand. Luca walked out of the vi. She did not drive because Luke had given her a car and there was a dashcam on it. Even if she removed it, she was unsure if there were other surveince cameras equipped. Hence, she did not dare to drive, lest her whereabouts be known to him. She got a ride using a ridesharing app and asked the driver to take her to Amur''s apartment. After she arrived at the apartment, instead of going upstairs, she stood at the taxi stand and stopped another car. The reason why it took an hour for her to get to her destination was that she was very cautious. She had to do what she told Nina so that she would not be suspected if something happened. Luca watched an empty taxi slowly approach her. She stopped it and got in. She then told the driver the address provided by Abel. The driver drove her there. After Luca got out of the car, she found a corresponding residential building based on the address. She looked at the dpidated residential building and sighed. Abel liked looking for such dpidated ces as a stronghold every time. There was no advantage other than it being easy for them to run away if they were discovered. Luca knocked on the iron door. After a while, a voice came from inside, "Who is it?" Luca replied in fluent Russian, "It''s Ivana." The door opened as soon as her voice fell. Luca looked at the person who opened the door. It was a strong man with pale skin. On the Ind of Despair, except for those who often performed missions, everyone else''s skin was as fair as his because they were underground all year round. She could tell that he must have left the Ind of Despair not long ago and had never been on a mission. "Your proof?" the strong man asked in Russian with a dialect. Luca took out her phone and handed it over. In addition to the unique tattoo, their phones could also be used as proof of their identity. She did not have the tattoo on her because Abel had always nned to use her to get revenge on Luke. Hence, he did not make her get one. As such, the only thing that could prove her identity was her phone. The strong man took her phone, took out a special instrument from his pocket, and put it near the phone. The phone beeped, and he confirmed her identity before he let her in. "Come in. The buyer is waiting for you." Luca walked in. Another man stopped her and said, "I need to search you." Luca looked at the man''s malicious eyes and knew that if she let him search her, she would be taken advantage of. However, it was not the time to cause trouble. Thus, she stood up straight and raised her hands. When she saw that the man was about to touch her body, she warned in a soft voice, "Be careful where you ce your hands. If you touch me inappropriately, I''ll break your limbs once I''m done with the matter at hand." The man was stunned. There were quite a lot of women on the Ind of Despair because of the need for various missions. However, there were very few like her who could instill fear in others just with words... "Enough with the chit-chat," the man who opened the door said. He had no interest in Luca, so he began to search her body. Luca held herself back as their hands checked her for prohibited items. She silently clenched her fists. After the body search, the two men exchanged nces and said, "Go in." Luca walked in. In the living room of the residential building, there was a luxurious sofa that clearly did not belong there. The dark red leather was the color of human blood. Abel and a man she had never met sat on it. Judging from the man''s figure, it did not seem like he practiced martial arts. Luca thought that he was probably not someone from the Ind of Despair but a buyer. When the buyer saw Luca, his eyes lit up. Abel noticed the buyer''s expression and said, "Mr. Bailey, the information you want is in the hands of this woman. After you pay for it, the information will belong to you." Bailey retracted his gaze and took a puff of the cigar in his hand. He was having a good time. He squinted at Abel and said, "Mr. Abel, is it appropriate for you to ask me to pay before I inspect the goods? " "My business is all over the world. I have a certain reputation. The inspection you mentioned does not guarantee my rights. After all, I can give you the documents and it can be considered an inspection. You can produce the drugs based on the form on the document, and that''s also an inspection. Mr. Bailey, what kind of inspection are you talking about?" Abel took a sip of red wine and asked. Baileyughed and responded, "Mr. Abel, since I chose you, I trust you. As long as I can confirm that the document contains the form of the drug, I''ll transfer the money to you immediately." T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Abel nodded, looked at Luca, and said, "Give the file to Mr. Bailey." Luca clutched the briefcase tightly. Once she handed over the document, T Corporation would be put in an unfavorable position. By then, it was no longer a matter involving Dr. Albus and his team but the entire T Corporation. However, she had no choice but to give in as Abel''s and Bailey''s men were all around the building. Chapter 1861 Luca was aware of the situation she was in and knew that she had to hand it over... She opened the briefcase. Under the watchful eyes of Abel and Bailey, she took out the document. Luca''s hand trembled slightly the moment she handed it over. Once this document was in their hands, it was inevitable that T Corporation would suffer losses. It was not the potential loss that T Corporation would face that she was ufortable with. After all, Luke could easily make up for the loss. Moreover, even if she did not hand it to Bailey, Abel had another copy in his hands. As such, there was no other way around it. Luca was sad because she would be the one causing T Corporation to make a loss. A greedy smile appeared on Bailey''s face. He reached out to take the document in her hand. He nced at it and confirmed that it was the form. He snapped his fingers to his subordinate. His subordinate started to type on theputer. Bailey exined, "It''s too troublesome to bring arge case of cash. I''ll transfer it to you through my Swiss ount. Don''t worry, it''s very safe." "I''ve always beenfortable doing business with you." Abel raised his ss. Bailey also raised his ss, clinked it, took a sip of red wine, and looked at Luca wantonly. After they finished their ss of wine, the money had been credited to Abel''s ount. Abel confirmed that the money had been transferred, then stretched out his hand and said, "Mr. Bailey, it was a pleasure working with you." "It was a pleasure to work with you too. The form I just got from you will make me a lot of money," Bailey said. "Remember, you have to apply for a patent and go public before the timing I mentioned. Otherwise, I can''t guarantee what will happen after that." Abel reminded him. "Sure thing. All our research and data are ready. We were just waiting for the form. This is wonderful!" Bailey said. He was more than ready to make a fortune. His gaze fell on Luca again as he said, "Mr. Abel, your female subordinate is beautiful." "The women on our ind are all beautiful," Abel said with a smile. The corners of his mouth twitched with malicious intent. "No, she''s different. Your female subordinates who I met before are not as beautiful as her," Bailey said. He did not conceal his interest in Luca. Luca frowned. ''The deal is over. Can I go now?'' She could not leave since Abel had not said anything. When he heard Bailey''s words, Abel smiled more wantonly. "Mr. Bailey, I didn''t know that you like faces like hers. Ivana,e and have a drink with Mr. Bailey." Luca indifferently turned him down. "My job scope doesn''t include being an escort!" "Your job scope? Your job scope is determined by me. If I tell you to have a drink with Mr. Bailey, that''s what you''ll do!" Abel mmed the wine ss on the coffee table and looked furious. Bailey was more interested when he saw how stubborn Luca was. "Mr. Abel, don''t be angry. She''s different from the other women I''ve met. She''s a little shy, and I like her because of it. Why don''t you have her spend a night with me?" "What if she won''t?" Abel asked. "She''s your subordinate. Will she dare to disobey you?" Bailey wondered if Abel would let her spend the night with him. "There''s a rule on our ind. If anyone doesn''t want to ept the order I give, they can choose not to obey after they stab themselves," Abel said and threw a Swiss knife on the table. Luca knew that he wanted her to make a choice. If she chose to stab herself with the Swiss knife, she would not have to spend the night with Bailey. Bailey looked at the sharp Swiss knife and said proudly, "What an interesting rule. It must be very painful to stab oneself with such a sharp knife?" "Of course, we''d choose to stab at the spots with the least nerves, and at the same time, it won''t hurt the vital organs. Very few will choose this punishment," Abel said. ''Except for Luca.'' Even if she had yet to choose, he knew that Luca would rather choose the knife than Bailey. That was because she would never betray Luke. He did it on purpose to see how far Luca would go for Luke. "I''m a person who haspassion for women. Ms. Ivana, if you choose me, you''ll suffer less and have a lot to gain. Choose me." Bailey was very confident that she would choose him. After all,pared to getting stabbed, there were some benefits she could gain from choosing him. He believed that no woman could withstand such a temptation. Abel did not say anything. He just looked at Luca. Without any hesitation, Luca picked up the Swiss knife and said, "I choose the Swiss knife." In an instant, Abel showed an expression indicating that he had predicted it all along. On the other hand, Bailey was stunned. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Ms. Ivana, am I so terrible?" This was the first time he had been rejected by a woman. Abel shook his head and said, "Mr. Bailey, it''s not because you''re terrible but her heart belongs to a man. Women can make any sacrifice for their lovers and won''t betray them. Do you get it?¡± "I thought that this kind of love was extinct." Bailey watched Abel take the Swiss knife. He stood up and did not stop him. Since he could not get her, he was happy to settle for watching her suffer. "It''s not extinct. I''m one of those who have such a love as well," Abel said. If it were not for Kassy, he would not have nned this for so long. Luca did not show any fear as she watched him open the Swiss knife. Abel was ruthless and stabbed the knife into Luca''s lower left rib. Pain spread from the wound in an instant. Luca lowered her head. Without fear, she watched the clean knife go in ande out stained with blood. Blood spilled from the wound. Abel held the knife and wanted to see the look of pain on Luca''s face. However, the woman was too stubborn and did not show any emotions. He felt that it was not enough, so he stabbed her in the side again. Bailey was taken aback by his action. "Isn''t it only once?" "This second stab is because I''m dissatisfied with the speed at which she''s carrying out her mission. Ivana, I don''t have much patience. You have to hurry up. When I ask for something and you don''t have it, you know what''ll happen." Abel drew his knife. The blood from the knife sttered on the floor. Luca lowered her head and looked at the blood on the floor. Her clothes were also stained with blood. She was secretly thankful that she was wearing ck, so no matter how much blood spilled out of her, it would not be that obvious. Blood continued to pour out of her body. She looked at Abel and asked, "Anything else?" Abel looked at the amount of blood she was bleeding. If she was stabbed again, she would likely lose too much blood and fall to the floor. If she had no value to him, he would stab her again. However, at the moment, Luca was still useful to him. As such, he did not want to get into too much trouble. He threw the knife on the coffee table and said, "Don''t think about betraying me. I know everything that you''re doing." Chapter 1862 Luca looked down at the blood on the floor. It was bright red and not yet solidified. She was stabbed twice, and blood kept flowing out of her wound. Luca felt the pain but she knew that she would not die. Abel had picked the right spots to stab her. The pain was doubled, but as long as the wound was treated in time, there would be no major problem. Luca looked at the man in front of her indifferently. Her face and lips became very pale because she was bleeding. She looked extremely weak. "Anything else?" she asked. Abel did not show admiration or sympathy for her calmness and weakness. He looked at her coldly and warned her for thest time, "Focus on what you need to get done." Luca did not say anything. She turned around to leave. The blood on her body would flow to the floor with every step she took. Bailey watched her leave with a frown and said, "Mr. Abel, the people you trained are good. She got stabbed twice but left as if nothing happened." "Everyone I trained can do this. Otherwise, how can they service big bosses such as yourself?" Abel said while he poured Bailey and himself another ss of red wine. A glimmer of pride shed in his eyes when he saw the blood on the floor that had yet to solidify. ''Luca has been thinking of ways to help Luke, but can she? Under my control, she''ll never seed!'' Bailey was delighted by what he said. He felt okay even without Luca''spany. After all, he was rich and could get another woman easily. "Mr. Abel, it was a pleasure to work with you." He raised his ss and said cheerfully. "Our cooperation was a pleasant one." Abel was in a pleasant mood as the deal had gone well and he got to stab Luca. ''To stab Luca is to stab Luke''s heart. If Luke knows that his beloved woman has suffered so much because of me, will he regret everything he did?'' He would surely regret it. Every night when he went to sleep, he dreamt of Kassy. Abel would regret not staying on the Ind of Despair. If he had been on the Ind of Despair, Kassy would not have suffered and Luke''s ns would not have worked out. They clinked sses again, and Abel finished his drink in one gulp with a smile. Luca walked out of the living room and slowly covered the wound with her hands. She knew she had to stop the bleeding and took off her scarf. The reason why she was dressed like this was not that she was afraid of the cold but because she had thought that something like this would happen. That was why she wore a scarf. Times like this were when a scarf would be useful. Luca bit her lip and picked up the scarf, intending to put pressure on the wound. She would deal with them when she arrived home... After she walked out of the house, she was about to wrap the scarf around her wound under the dim street light when the man who opened the door for her suddenly stood behind her. Even after she lost so much blood, Luca was still on high alert. She turned around immediately because it was very dangerous to face an enemy with one''s back. "Don''t worry, I didn''t receive any order to mess with you," the man said in Russian. Luca blinked. The man took out two rolls of gauze from his pocket and handed them over. Luca looked at him warily and did not take them. "Why are you giving this to me? Did Abel ask you to do it?" "No." The man shook his head. "He didn''t give me any orders. I just want to give them to you. Take them. It''s better to use these to press on the wound than your scarf." Luca still did not take them. Too many things had happened that did not allow her to trust anyone easily. Seeing that she refused to take them, the man sighed and exined, "You once helped me on the ind. This is my repayment for your kindness." Luca looked at the two unopened rolls of gauze, which she really needed at that moment. "Aren''t you afraid that Abel will punish you?" "I am, so please quickly take them off my hands." The man said, "Don''t worry, they''ve not beenced with poison." Luca hesitated for a few seconds before she took the gauze and left. When the man saw her leaving, he reminded her. "There''s a public toilet a hundred meters in that direction. You can go there and wrap your wound." Luca did not speak but she had heard what he said. She walked forward about a hundred meters, saw a public toilet, and walked in without any hesitation. There was no one in the public toilet. Luca endured the pain, took off her blood-soaked clothes, and then bit the gauze''s packaging with her teeth. She wrapped the gauze tightly around her wound. It hurt like hell, especially when she put pressure on them. She had no choice but to endure it. If she could not bear the pain, she might fall to the ground at any time due to excessive blood loss. If that happened, it would be unfortunate if no one came in or no one was on the street. She would be dead if they found her tomorrow. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. It was not time for her to die... Luca tightened the gauze and watched the blood seep out of the gauze. She felt a little helpless. She had prepared everything except for medicine. She never thought that Abel would be so cruel to her. He did it not because of Bailey. He had wanted to teach Luca a lesson for a while now but he never found a reason. Luca gave him a reason when she disobeyed his order to drink with Bailey. He taught her a lesson in front of so many people... Luca turned pale and put down her clothes. She was worried that the bleeding would scare the driver. Hence, she unfolded her scarf and wrapped it around her waist. Her scarf was also ck, so even if blood seeped out, no one could see it. After she was done, Luca washed away the blood on her hands, stopped a cab, and returned to the apartment. After she got down, she endured the pain and took a few steps forward. She stopped another cab and told him the address of the vi. The driver drove the car and noticed that she seemed off. He checked in on her, asking, "Ma''am, you don''t look too well. Are you okay?" "I''m fine." Luca took a deep breath and said. The driver said, "Should I take you to the hospital?" "I''m fine, just a little motion sickness. Please get me home as soon as possible." Luca rejected the driver''s kind gesture. When the driver saw that, he knew it was not his ce to say anything. Hence, he just focused on driving to the vi. Luca closed her eyes, silently enduring the pain from her wounds. She was feeling weak because of the blood loss. She estimated that when she was about to arrive at the vi, she would not have the strength to walk. Hence, she took her phone and called Nina. Nina had put the children to sleep. Her phone rang, and she immediately answered. "Luca, what''s the matter?" Chapter 1863 "Nina, are the kids asleep?" Luca asked. She did not want to scare them. "They''re asleep. What happened? Why do you sound so weak?" Nina noticed how terrible she sounded and asked quickly. "Something happened. Can you drive over and pick me up at the gate of the vi? I can''t walk, and they don''t allow cabs to go in," Luca said. If she had the strength, she would not want to trouble Nina. "Okay, I''lle out right now." Nina did not dare to dy things. She immediately took the keys and left the vi. Her car was parked in the parking space outside the vi. "Ma''am, we''re here. Are you sure you''re alright?" The driver noticed that Luca''splexion was getting worse and worse. "I''m alright. I''ve asked a friend to pick me up, thank you." Luca held on. After she paid, she opened the car door, endured the pain, and got out. She saw Nina''s car parked on the side of the road inside the vi area. Luca gritted her teeth and walked forward. It was too dark, so even though Nina was there, she did not notice that Luca had gotten out of the cab. When Nina saw Luca, Luca had already walked in. Her slightly hunched back waspletely different from how she usually appeared. Nina walked forward immediately and asked with concern, "Luca, are you okay?" Luca was covering her ribs. She had bandaged the area with gauze and covered it with a scarf, so she was not sure if she was still bleeding. She shook her head and said, "Help me get in the car." Nina wanted to see where she was injured but she dared not dy things. She immediately helped Luca into the car, then sat in the driver''s seat and drove back to the vi. After she parked the car, Nina helped Luca to go inside. When they arrived in the living room, she noticed how abnormal Luca seemed. The scarf that should have been around her neck was now around her waist. "Luca, is your waist injured? I smell blood..." Nina frowned at the strong smell of blood. It seemed that Luca was seriously injured. "Please help me to the second floor. I can''t do it myself." Luca bit her pale lip to give herself some strength. Nina nodded and immediately supported her. Since she did not know where Luca was injured, she had to grab her arm and help her up the stairs step by step. It was only 20 steps, but it took Luca, who was supported by Nina, a while before they got to the second floor. The two were already out of breath. Cold sweat broke out on Luca''s back, and sweat beads appeared on Nina''s forehead as well. "Do you want to go into the bedroom?" she asked nervously. Luca nodded. She was worried that their movements would wake the children, so she whispered, "Don''t be too loud. I''m afraid it''ll scare the children." "Okay." Nina tried to be as quiet as she could and helped her into the bedroom. Luca could not hold it any longer. She staggered and fell onto the bed. Nina looked at how weak she seemed and said while frightened, "Luca, we should call you an ambnce?" "I''m fine. I don''t need an ambnce." Luca closed her eyes and was secretly d that Nina was there. Otherwise, it would be difficult for her to deal with it all. "Nina, I need your help." "I don''t even know where you''re hurt. How can I help you? I don''t have any medical knowledge." Nina looked at her weak appearance and was stressed out. "Don''t be afraid. First, help me take out the box full of jars from the drawer under the dresser." Luca had been friends with her for so many years. She knew that Nina was not scared of blood. This was something only people who were not scared of blood could do. Nina took a deep breath. Since Luca refused to go to the hospital, she was all Luca had. She listened to her, opened the drawer of the dresser, and saw the box Luca mentioned at a nce. She picked it up, opened it, looked at the bottles and jars inside, and asked, "Which one is it?" Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "The blue jar. And the transparent one is the disinfectant. Bring the small white box over too." Luca opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling. Her view was blurry because she had lost too much blood. She felt that the light in front of her was dim. Nina grabbed all of them immediately and asked, "What do you want me to do?" "The scissors are in another drawer. Please take them," Luca said. She bit her lip and unwrapped the scarf. Nina took out the scissors, turned around, and saw Luca''s torn clothes. She immediately stepped forward and shouted, "Luca, were you stabbed?" Luca did not make a sound. She rolled up her clothes and said, "Cut off the gauze and help me get up." Nina nodded and cut off the gauze with trembling hands. The wound on Luca''s waist was immediately exposed. The bloody wound looked horrendous. Nina could even see blood spurting out. "Help me up." Luca reminded her when she noticed that Nina was stunned. Nina came back to her senses and immediately helped her get up. Luca leaned against the head of the bed and nced down at her wound. She seemed indifferent, which was a stark contrast to Nina, who was panicking. "Give me the disinfectant," she ordered. Nina stood there in shock and subconsciously handed over the disinfectant. She even forgot to unscrew the bottle cap. Luca struggled to unscrew the cap. She then poured the entire bottle of antiseptic over the wound. Nina took a deep breath. ''This is a disinfectant... It must hurt like crazy...'' She looked at Luca, worried that she would faint from the pain. However, Luca''s expression did not change in the slightest. Her face was still pale, but she did not scream out in pain. After she disinfected her wound, Luca was not bothered that the disinfectant had gotten her pants wet. She continued to instruct Nina, "Open the blue jar." Nina did as she was told and handed it to her. Without blinking, Luca poured the powder onto the wound. The gauze binding the wound had a certain hemostatic effect, but such a simple binding would cause the wound to be infected easily. At the risk of continued bleeding, Luca also cut the gauze. Moreover, as soon as she came back, she immediately applied medicine to the wound. It could stop the bleeding and promote wound healing. Nina did not blink and watched her work. After seeing the powder scattered over the wound, she noticed that the bleeding was reduced. She had long heard that Luca had a lot of powerful medicinal powders, but she did not expect them to work so well. After applying the powder, Luca said, "Nina, do me a favor and open the small white jar. Take out the needle and thread inside. Put the thread in the needle for me." Nina was startled and responded, "What are you going to do?" "I want to suture the wound," Luca said. The wound was too deep. If it was not sutured, she might bleed out. When Nina heard what Luca said, she shook her head quickly and said, "Luca, that''s not easy to do. Should I take you to the hospital?" "Trust me." Luca sounded weak because of the blood loss. She looked at Nina and knew that she was the only one who could help her. Chapter 1864 Seeing that she insisted on not going to the hospital even though she was so injured, Nina gritted her teeth. She could only choose to believe that Luca could do it. With trembling fingers, she picked up the needle and thread. She put the thread through the needle. She asked, "Am I doing it right?" "Yes." Luca gritted her teeth. Nina handed her the needle and thread. Luca raised her hand to take them. Then, she began to sew between the open flesh. Fortunately, she could still see where Abel stabbed her. Otherwise, she would not be able to suture her wound herself. Nina looked at Luca''s pale face and her hands that were holding a needle to suture her wound. Her face could not help but turn pale. There was no anesthetic or tranquilizer, so it must be very painful. Nevertheless, Luca did not scream. ¡®Is she numb toward pain, or does she just not want to wake the kids up and scare them?'' Either way, Nina admired Luca. She was impressed by her toughness. Luca endured the pain from the stitches while thinking of an excuse to fool Nina. After all, she had to give her an exnation after what happened. After Luca sutured the wound, she picked up the powder and sprinkled it on the wound again. She then looked at Nina and asked, "Can you bring me the gauze?" Nina reacted, picked up the gauze, and asked, "Are you going to bandage it?" "Yeah." Luca looked at her wound. Fortunately, after suturing it and applying the powder, there was no further bleeding. "I''ll help you." Nina stepped forward with the gauze when she saw how weak Luca was. She opened it and wrapped it around Luca''s waist. After wrapping one round, she asked, "Is it enough?" "Another round." Luca closed her eyes as it was hard for her to breathe. The excessive blood loss and her sore wound made her very weak. Nina did as she said and wrapped the bandage around her once more. "Okay." Luca opened her eyes and tried to stand up. Nina quickly held her shoulders and said, "You''re weak now. You can''t stand up. What do you want to do? I''ll help you." "Thank you for the trouble. Can you get me that bottle of red and white pills from the box?" Lucay on the bed. Nina was right. She was not in the state to get up right now. Nina found the pills she mentioned in the box. She flipped the bottle over and found that there was no manufacturer. She handed it to her and confirmed, asking, "Is this is? What kind of medicine is this?" "Anti-inmmatory medicine." Luca took it and shook out two pills. Seeing this, Nina said quickly, "I''ll go downstairs and pour you a ss of water." "No need." Luca finished her sentence, ced the two pills in her mouth, and swallowed them. The medicine was made from herbs. They were very bitter, but her brows did not even furrow. Nina was stunned. ¡®She can deal with hardships much better than others...'' A woman as such seemed more suitable to stand by Luke''s sidepared to Bianca. When she thought of that, Nina immediately patted her forehead. ¡®No matter how good Luca is, I should not have such thoughts.'' Nina squatted down, picked up the blood-stained gauze and scarf on the floor, then looked at her ck clothes. She then asked, "Luca, can you change out of your clothes? I see blood on your clothes." "Yes, please bring me a nightdress," Luca said. Nina opened her closet, chose a nightdress, and helped her put it on. Lucay on the bed panting after she changed out of her blood-stained clothes. "Luca, these clothes and the scarf..." "Just help me put them in the bathroom," Luca said. Nina nodded, took her dirty clothes into the bathroom, found aundry tub, and put them in it. She did not clean them because she knew that these clothes would most likely be thrown away. After all, there were holes. Nina threw the blood-stained gauze into the trash, washed her hands, and texted Percy. She told him that something had happened to Luca and she nned to stay here tonight. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Percy did not say anything. After all, Luca had helped them a lot. Apart from taking in Nina, she also hurt Pierre so badly in the hospital parking lot that he had to be hospitalized. That allowed him to choose Nina and keep the fruits of hisbor over thest few years. Therefore, Nina received his agreement. He asked her to make sure she was kept warm. Nina''s mouth curved up a little when she saw his text. She then walked out of the bathroom. She looked at Luca, who was lying on the bed. She hesitated to ask her about what had happened. Before Nina said anything, Luca said, "I was robbed on my way back." "Robbed?" Nina''s eyes widened. "Did the person who robbed you hurt you?" "Yeah," Luca said. "I think they got the wrong person. They stabbed me twice and ran away without taking anything." "How is it possible..." Nina frowned. ''Aren''t robbers focused on getting money? Why would they run away after they stabbed her twice?'' She thought Luca was being sought for revenge and even suspected Pierre. "I don''t know why." Luca closed her eyes, and her voice was weak. She thought it was best if she did not give too many details. Nina wanted to ask her more questions but felt that Luca was reluctant to say more. Everyone would have things that they did not want to share with others. Nina knew nothing as everyone was hiding the truth from her. With a sigh, Nina said, "I''m worried it''s Pierre''s doing. Luca, why don''t we call the police?" "It''s no use calling the police. I was walking on a small road, the lights were dark, and there were no surveince cameras nearby. The police won''t be able to find anything." Nina was stunned. Before the police started the investigation, Luca had already concluded that the police would not be able to find anything. She vaguely felt that Luca did not want to call the police. Maybe she knew who the other party was but she did not want to involve others. Nina felt that Luca''s identity was more and more mysterious. In her desperation, she said, "Get some rest. I''ll stay here with you tonight." When Luca heard that, she opened her eyes and looked at Nina, feeling a little guilty. Nina was not that easy to fool. She knew something was wrong but she did not ask anything and just decided to stay by her side... "Nina, you don''t have to apany me. Go home. Mr. Mallory is waiting for you." "I''ve already told him. Don''t worry. I didn''t tell him that you''re injured. I can''t go back tonight. You''re so seriously injured and you won''t go to the hospital. What if you get a fever? Are you expecting the children to take care of you?" Nina shook her head. Luca was at a loss for words. After she took the medicine, she doubted that she would get a fever. However, since Nina insisted, she had no choice but to follow her wishes. "Can you help me check in on the kids? They like to roll around when they''re asleep sometimes." Nina nodded and thought that she was affectionate toward the kids. Luca was afraid of waking up the children and scaring them. Even when shey on the bed, she was worried about whether they were rolling around in their sleep. Her actions were iparable to how Bianca treated them after she lost her memory. Chapter 1865 After Nina sighed in her heart, she opened the bedroom door and walked out. She checked in on the children one by one. They were all fast asleep, not awakened by their moving about. Nina confirmed that they had not rolled out of bed, then closed the door and shook her head. ''How could Luca have woken the children up when she was so careful all throughout?'' She returned to Luca''s bedroom, closed the door, and said, "Don''t worry, Lanie and the others are sound asleep. They didn''t roll off the bed." Luca opened her eyes and looked at Nina. A slight smile appeared on her face. She knew that Nina was going to stay here tonight and did not want to turn her kind gesture down. She said, "I have a new nket in my closet. If you want to sleep here, you can share the bed with me as long as you''re okay with the smell of blood on me." "I don''t mind it, but I''m not going to sleep here tonight. I''m afraid that I''ll identally hurt you when I''m asleep. I''ll sleep on the sofa. The sofa in your bedroom is the right size," Nina said. She opened Luca''s closet and took out the nket. Luca did not say anything. She knew that Nina wanted to stay only because she was worried about her. "Thank you, Nina," she said. "At times like these, you don''t have to be polite with me. Rest early. You look very weak. You''ve lost so much blood. I''m sure you''re not feeling the best," Nina stepped forward and touched Luca''s forehead. She was relieved to find that Luca did not have a fever. "Mm, good night." Luca closed her eyes again. Nina was right. She had lost too much blood and was not doing well. Nina watched her close her eyes and left a small night light on so that she could check in on her in the middle of the night. The next day. When Luca opened her eyes, the sun was up. The sun roseter in winter. She nced out the window and knew that she had woken upte. She got up in a hurry and identally tugged on the wound. She could not help but frown. She was only thinking about preparing breakfast for the kids and forgot that she was injured... Luca nced at the bedroom. Nina was not there. She got out of bed and lifted her nightdress in front of the full-length mirror. Looking at the gauze, she did not seem to have bled. The bleeding had probably stopped after she stitched her wound. Luca carefully walked to the dresser, opened the drawer, took out the gauze and powder, and walked into the bathroom. She carefully undid the gauze and nced at the sutured wound. It was covered with scabs and looked like a centipede. She was used to this kind of wound. She picked up a towel and soaked it in some hot water. She wrung it dry and wiped off the blood around the wound before slowly wiping the rest of her body as well. She was used to these injuries from her days on the Ind of Despair. Even though it slowed down her movements, she could handle everything herself. After Luca wiped herself, she felt that the smell of blood on her body was fainter. She then sprinkled medicinal powder on the wound and wrapped it with gauze again. She had to go to the office, so she deliberately wrapped an extrayer of gauze around the wound before she changed into her work clothes. After she was done, Luca cleaned up a little and slowly walked downstairs. At this moment, Nina was going upstairs with her breakfast. She bumped into Luca in the middle of the stairs and eximed, "Why did you get out of bed?" "I''m much better now. I''ll be okay," Luca said. She knew that Nina had been busy since early in the morning when she saw the breakfast that Nina prepared for her. ¡°Still, you shouldn''t have gotten out of bed in case..." She looked back and made sure the maid was not in the living room before she whispered, "What if the wound opens?" Luca shook her head and exined while holding onto the handrail of the stairs. "I took a look at the wound just now. It didn''t open and has started to scab. Don''t worry..." Nina looked at her. Luca''s face and lips were pale, but other than that, she looked like a normal person in office attire. She asked, "Your clothes... You''re going to work?" "Yeah, there''s a lot of work that I need to attend to. I have no choice..." Luca said helplessly. She did not want to ask for time off. Luke would know if she did. Although she could say she was sick, she was unwilling to do that for fear that he would investigate. Nina sighed and said, "Wait a minute." She went downstairs, put her breakfast on the table in the dining room, and walked up the stairs again. She reached out to support her. "Come on, I''ll help you downstairs." "I''m not that weak." Luca pursed her lips and smiled but still put her hand in Nina''s. "I know you''re not weak after seeing what you did yesterday. You almost scared me to death," Nina said while recalling the wound on Luca''s body. Without any anesthesia, Luca sutured her wound herself to stop the bleeding. Nina was very frightened. She did not get a good sleepst night and woke up several times to check on Luca. She was afraid that something would happen to her. "Sorry..." Luca was a little embarrassed. "Don''t apologize. Just make sure that you''ll be careful," Nina told her to be careful. The maid came out of the kitchen, saw them, and asked, "Ms. Craw, what''s the matter with you?" "I''m not feeling well. It''s fine," Luca exined to her after sessfully stepping down from thest step. "Not feeling well? Do you want me to call the family doctor?" the maid asked quickly. Luca shook her head. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Nina helped her and said to the maid, "No, she just caught a cold and had a feverst night. Didn''t I tell you all about it? Her fever subsided in the middle of the night." The maid looked at Luca''s still pale face and nodded. "I''ll go upstairs to clean up the rooms now." "Okay. By the way, you don''t need to clean my bedroom," Luca said while looking at Nina. Nina winked at her, and the two walked into the dining room together. "Have the kids gone to school?" Luca looked at the empty dining room. There were no children in the living room either. "Yeah, they were picked up by Zander a while ago. Don''t worry, I told them you got a cold so you needed to rest. You were deeply asleep and didn''t wake up even when Lanie and the others stood at the door to confirm that you were in your room," Nina said. She lied to everyone on Luca''s behalf because she knew that Luca did not want others to know what had happenedst night. "Thank you, Nina," Luca said. "You don''t need to thank me. If you want to thank me, teach me how to cook once you''ve recovered. The maid hadn''te then, so I decided to prepare breakfast myself. But the kids all disliked what I made. They still prefer your cooking. In the end, I had no choice but to ask them to call the maid, so the maid bought them breakfast from outside. They ate before they went to school,¡± Nina said while cing a te in her In front of Luca. "Eat it. The maid made it. It''s not bad.¡± Luca smiled and said, "Thank you." Chapter 1866 "I feel awkward listening to you thank me. By the way, I''ve already talked to Mr. Doyle but didn''t share any details. If you decide to go to work, let him know. You''re going to bete if you leave now, so if you insist on going, I''ll drive you there." Nina nced at the time. Luca would most definitely bete for work. Luca nced at the time. It waste, and she had to go. "I still have to go, or work will start to pile up." While eating breakfast, she texted Jason and told him that she would be half an hourte. Jason replied immediately: [Okay, Dr. Craw.] Luca put down her phone and took her breakfast in big bites. Seeing this, Nina said to her, "Don''t eat in such a hurry. Work is important, but your body is more important." Luca nodded and continued to eat breakfast. Nina held her chin, looked at Luca, and sighed. "I think Luke is lucky to have an employee like you." Luca paused what she was doing but said nothing. Nina did not continue to say anything. She just looked at Luca, who was weak but still rushed her breakfast just to get to the office earlier. Not only was she juggling two roles in T Corporation, but she was also helping Luke take care of his family. Although Nina felt that this was inappropriate, after what had happenedst night, it was a fact that Luca treated the children well. Over the years, she had seen quite a few women who tried to win over the three children to get close to Luke. Their ttery was superficial, and the children did not ept it. However, Luca''s kindness to the children was longsting. The children epted it readily. They do not hide their love for Luca. After Luca had breakfast, Nina drove her to T Corporation. Luca sat in the passenger seat, looking at the documents. Nina nced at her and said, "Working in the car is not good for your eyes." "It''s only for a while," Luca said. These documents should have been donest night, but due to what had happenedst night, she had no choice but to work on them today. "You work so hard. If you don''t get a bigger bonus at the end of the year, I''ll scold Luke for you," Nina said whileughing. Luca listened to her words and sighed in her heart. ¡®This is great...'' Since Nina and Percy got back together, Nina had be fearless. It was great that she was loved and taken care of by Percy. Nina parked her car near the entrance of T Corporation and watched Luca unfasten her seat belt. She could not help but say to her, "If anything happens, call me immediately and don''t deal with it alone." "Okay. Please don''t mention this to anyone." Luca put her hand on the door, looked at Nina, and said. "Don''t worry, my mouth is shut tight. I won''t say anything to others. Although I don''t know why you don''t want to call the police, you must have your reasons. Don''t worry, I won''t tell anyone about what happenedst night. If you encounter any difficulties, please know that I''ll always be there for you." Nina knew that Luca did not n to tell Luke what had happenedst night. Her injury was so serious, but she insisted on keeping quiet about it. There must be a deeper reason behind it. All she could do was keep it a secret for Luca and lend a helping hand whenever Luca was in trouble. Nina did not know why she treated Luca as such. She just felt close to her and wanted to be kind to her. She had felt the same way when she first got to know Bianca. "Okay, I''ll go to work now." When Luca heard that Nina was willing to keep her secret, she nodded with a smile, opened the door, and slowly got out of the car. Nina watched her walk into T Corporation before she drove away. T Corporation. Alya walked in with stacks of documents and could not help butin, "These documents are so heavy." Tina nced at her. There were indeed a lot of documents, so she walked over and helped her carry some. "Why didn''t they bring these up? Why did you have to bring these up alone?" "I''m not Dr. Craw, so they told me that they didn''t have time and asked me to go down to carry them myself." Alya was pissed. Usually, they had to collect the documents when they received a call from the relevant departments. If they were not busy, they would search for the documents of the secretary of those departments would send the documents over. However, she had just heard from downstairs that if it was Luca, someone would always send the documents over. Hence, Alya was raving mad. Tina nodded and put the documents on her desk. "The situation is a little different now. Let''s be understanding toward each other." "They''re busy but I''m busy too! By the way, where''s Dr. Craw? I wanted to assign her some work but there''s no one in her office," Alya said. "I don''t know. I haven''t heard anything," Tina said. When she passed by Luca''s office earlier, the door was indeed closed. "We''re so busy but she doesn''t even bother to show up. Does she expect me to do everything on my own?" Alya put the documents on the table and could not help but mutter, "It''s different when you have connections. " "Don''t talk nonsense. I''ll go look for Dr. Craw." Tina knew that Luca was not the kind of person who depended on connections, so she could not help but say that before she walked out of the office. Alya snorted coldly and said, "What''s the big deal? Why can''t I talk about her when she''s in the wrong?" Tina ignored her since Alya would be going back downstairs after the project waspleted. There would not be much interaction between the two after that. She walked out of the secretary''s office and walked to Luca''s office. She happened to see Luca punching in with a briefcase in her hand. Tina could not help but said in wonder, "Dr. Craw, did you juste in?" "Yeah, I had something to attend to, so I waste," Luca exined. When she saw that she had sessfully clocked in, she walked over. "I thought you were downstairs. After all, you''re neverte." Tina nodded. She noticed Luca''s pale face and asked with concern, "Dr. Craw, are you feeling unwell?" "A little. Just part and parcel of being a woman..." Luca deliberately made Tina think that she was on her period. "You should go into the office and take a seat. You can''t be too hard on yourself when you''re on your period." Tina supported her hand. Luca''s face was too pale. Tina did not think that her difort was from being on her period. Luca shook her head and said, "Is Ms. Alya in the secretary''s office? I haven''t gotten the new batch of documents to be tranted yet." "Alya just brought the documents up. I''ll get them for you. Go in and sit down," Tina said and walked toward the secretary''s office. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Luca was rather embarrassed. After all, Tina was also busy. However, her wound was aching. She knew that it was because she was walking too much and her movements had tugged on the muscles. Hence, she sat on the seat. Chapter 1867 After a few minutes, Tina walked in with a few documents. "Dr. Craw, these are the documents you''ll be working on today." "Okay, thanks." Luca took them and put the documents on the table. Tina looked at the thick folder. It looked like a lot, butpared to Alya''s workload, it was not much at all. After all, Alya did most of the trantion work. "Dr. Craw, there are more documents today, so it''ll be a bigger pile than yesterday''s," Tina exined. "It''s okay, I can handle it." Luca smiled, turned on theputer, and started to work. Tina did not want to disturb her and walked out of her office. ... On the other hand, in South Korea. Luke checked Allison into a well-known stic surgery hospital in Seoul. Allison looked at the interior and frowned, dissatisfied. "You put me in a hospital like this? The environment is not very good." Luke looked at the luxuriously decorated ward. It was still a ward, after all. It was a little different from a five-star hotel. He said indifferently, "This is a hospital, not a hotel." "I know it''s a hospital, but is this their best ward? How can they serve the rich like this?" Allison looked at her son. Since there was no one else in the ward, she took off her hat and mask, revealing her face full of wrinkles. Luke put his hands in his pockets and looked at her impatiently. "This is the best stic surgery hospital in the whole of South Korea. This ward is the most expensive one. One usually has to make an appointment and wait for a long time to be able to get this ward. More than ten people are waiting for this ward. If you don''t want to stay here, you can go back to A City." When Allison heard him mention A City, she backed down. She immediately said, "I didn''t say anything. Why do you always threaten to send me back to A City? Do you want me to live my life with this face? What? You don''t want to send me for treatment?" Luke did not answer her. Allison knew that this was herst chance, so she had to seize it. She picked up her phone and checked the information about this hospital on the Inte. After three minutes, she found out that the stic surgery hospital they were in was indeed the best in South Korea. Many celebrities chose to have stic surgery here and received a great oue. The doctors'' skills were good, and the services were rated five stars. Allison''s dissatisfaction was eased. She put her phone away, cleared her throat, and said, "Since you said this ce is good, let''s stay. But are you sure this is the best ward?" Luke nodded, he was still cold. Allison said, "Okay, then I''ll get my treatment here. Handle the paperwork for me. Can I have a face-to- face consultation today?" "The doctor who''s taking your case is on a business trip and won''t be back until the day after tomorrow, but you can check in tonight." Luke nced at his phone. The person he hired should be handling the procedure for Allison. He knew that Allison was not easily fooled, so it took him a long time to get a booking. On top of that, he got her this ward. One could imagine the extent of his preparations. "Why are we checking in so early then?" Allison did not like hospitals. Although it was a stic surgery hospital, it also smelled of disinfectant. "To help you settle down first," Luke said. Just then, someone opened the door. Allison was startled. She immediately turned around and covered her face. She could act as if nothing had happened in front of Luke because she was used to it. However, she was still afraid of facing outsiders. She was worried that she would beughed at for her appearance, especially in this unfamiliar country. They were going to gossip about her in Korean and she would not be able to understand them. "Hello, sir. Since you and the patient have seen the ward, are you satisfied with it?" The nurse came in to confirm with Luke whether or not they would be proceeding with this ward. After all, many people were waiting for this ward. "Yes, we''ll take this ward," Luke replied in fluent Korean. Looking at his cold appearance and hearing him speak in fluent Korean with his sexy voice, the nurse''s face flushed slightly. She said, "Okay, I''ll check the patient in." Luke nodded. After the nurse left, Allison turned around andined, "These nurses are so rude." "You''re not a patient here yet." Luke reminded her that she was not in A City. Why was she still acting like she was above everyone else? Allison pursed her lips. "Are you my son? Why don''t you ever side with me?" As soon as she finished speaking, the door was pushed open again. A young woman walked in. "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Tanner''s hospitalization procedures have beenpleted. She can be admitted tonight." "Mm." Luke nodded, took the document in her hand, checked it, and found no issues. "I''ll leave it to you. Thanks for taking care of her during her treatment." "That''s what I''m supposed to do," the young woman said. She was the interpreter and carer for Allison whom Luke hired. When she heard the conversation between the two, Allison immediately asked, "Luke, what do you mean? She''s going to take care of me? What about you?" Luke raised his eyebrows. ''Did she think I would stay here to take care of her?'' "You have to undergo treatment for a long time, so I found an interpreter and nurse for you. She''ll be responsible for everything thates next," Luke said. "What about you?" Allison continued to ask. "I''m going home," Luke said coldly. "No, you can''t go back to A City!" Allison wanted to keep him by her side. She did not want to be left alone in a foreign country. She felt very insecure without him. She also thought that he might just abandon her here. "You want me to stay here with you for your treatment?" Luke frowned. "I''m your mother. I raised you for so many years, so shouldn''t you take care of me?" Allison used their rtionship to guilt-trip him. Luke was tired and knew that she would fight with him over his intention to return to A City. Hence, he said, "There''s still a project in A City waiting for me to deal with. If I don''t go back, the project will not be completed and T Corporation will face huge losses. I have to go back." T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Allison listened to him and was at a loss for words momentarily. What she needed more than Luke''s presence was money. If T Corporation lost the bidding because Luke had to stay with her, the shareholders of T Corporation would hold him ountable. T Corporation might be snatched by Louis in minutes. If Louis was made the president of T Corporation, she would have no say in the Crawford family. Even if she was cured, she would not have her status anymore. Allison could not let that happen. She gave in and said, "That''s fair. Your domestic projects are more important. Okay, after you''re done with the arrangements here, go back to A City." Chapter 1868 The young woman beside was secretly astonished while listening to the conversation between the mother and her son. However, Luke was her boss now. She could not say anything about it. She only had to listen to his arrangements. After Luke handled Allison''s affair, he signed the relevant documents and left the hospital. He refused to stay any longer in South Korea. He could not wait to go home. He missed Luca so much. However, there was no flight back now. He had to stay for another night. Luke returned to the hotel. He picked up his phone and nced at it. There were no other messages other than the ones from Jason and some other senior managers who were reporting to him. He had not received any messages from Luca or the kids. Luke put on a helpless expression on his face. Previously, the kids would send him messages every day to tell him how much they missed him whenever he went on a business trip, but there was not even one message from them now. It seemed like the kids had forgotten about him now that Luca was taking care of them. Luke sent a message to Luca and asked: [What are you doing now?] Even after a while had passed, Luca had yet to reply to his message. Luke frowned as he opened Jason''s message. He asked Jason directly without trying to conceal his intentions: [What''s Dr. Craw doing now?] It only took a few seconds for Jason to reply to Luke''s message. He replied immediately: [Wait a minute, Boss. I''m going to take a look.] Luke did not reply to him. After some time, Jason sent another message: [Boss, Dr. Craw is busy with her work in her office now. Would you like to pass her a message?] Luke slightly narrowed his eyes. Luca was so busy that she did not notice her phone''s notification? Was she doing it on purpose? He could not figure it out, but he did not ask Jason to ask Luca. He just replied to Jason''s email. Jason was waiting for Luke''s reply. He did not expect that he would receive a document email instead of a message from Luke. Jason opened the document and nced at it. Then, he let out a groan. Was the boss in a bad mood? He directly rejected the report that had just beenpleted. Jason immediately passed the document to his subordinates without a second thought and asked the department downstairs to redo it. Luca was busy with her work. Just then, her phone rang. Only then did shee back to her senses. She nced at her phone. It was Nina who called. She answered it and said, "Hey, Nina." ¡°It''s already noon. Have you gone out for lunch?¡± Nina asked caringly. ¡°No. I didn''t know it''s already noon. I''m going now¡ª¡± Luca nced at the time. It was indeed already noon. She had been busy today and took no notice of the time. ¡°Hold up. You don''t have to go anywhere. I''ve ordered takeout for you. Someone will deliver it to you later. Just sit in your office and don''t go anywhere, alright?¡± Nina reminded her. With the state Luca was in, she should not be going to work at all. However, she insisted on doing so. Nina had no choice but to continue looking after Luca in other ways. "Alright. Thank you." Luca knew Nina cared about her, so she sincerely thanked her. ¡°Don''t mention it. Oh, when is Lukeing back?" Nina asked. "I suppose he''sing back tomorrow." Luca counted the days. Luke had told her that he would be back around this time. "If that''s the case, I''ll go over to your ce again tonight. Wait for me when you get off workter. I''ll pick you up," Nina added. Luca hesitated and said, "Mr. Mallory isn''t going to be happy about that." "Your health is more important than anything else now. Besides, Percy is quite busy these days. He alwayses homete. I told him to sleep in his office for the next two days. Everything will be fine. It''s decided. You should stop overthinking. Your health matters the most now." Nina made the decision for her right away. Luca had no choice but to say, ¡°Okay.¡± Nina hung up the call as soon as Luca agreed with her. When Luca was about to put her phone aside, she noticed that there was an unread message. After she tapped on it, she realized that it was a message from Luke. He had sent it this morning. He asked Luca what she was doing... Luca''s heart pounded faster all of a sudden. It seemed like Luke was just casually chatting with her, like how a husband was concerned about what his wife was doing. Luke had been acting weird in the past two days. Luca calmed herself down and replied to him in a very formal tone: [I''m sorry, Mr. Crawford. I was handling my work just now and missed your message. Is there anything you''d like me to do?] Luca tapped the send button after reviewing her words and making sure that there was nothing wrong with them. After she sessfully sent the message, she put her phone aside. Jason happened to carry a bag into her office at this moment. He said, ¡°Dr. Craw, it''s your lunch.¡± Luca looked at Jason with surprise and asked, ¡°Mr. Doyle, why are you the one delivering it up here?¡± "Actually, it wasn''t me. Ms. Nina told me that you aren''t feeling well, so she asked someone to deliver the food to the receptionist. Then, the receptionist delivered it up here. I took it from her and came here," said Jason. He put the lunchbox on Luca''s desk. He noticed her pale face. ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Luca was embarrassed. After all, everyone in the office was busy working. She should not be receiving such special treatment. "It''s nothing, Dr. Craw. Why don''t you go home and take a rest if you''re feeling ufortable? Ms. Taylor can do the trantion work too." Jason was worried that Luca would be exhausted. If Luca was exhausted and felt sick, what would he do if Luke came back and med him for it? "It''s nothing. I''ll be fine." Luca smiled and opened her lunchbox. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Jason noticed that Luca was going to have her lunch. It felt wrong to stay there and watch her eat. Thus, he smiled, turned around, and left. Luca moved slowly to her office door and closed it. Then, she sat down in her office chair again. Perhaps it was because the effect of the painkillers had subsided, so it was hard for her to even take another step. She opened her lunchbox and realized that Nina had ordered some soup for her. Luca picked up the briefcase beside her and took a packet of pills out. She had made them herself. Not only could they stop the inmmation and relieve pain, but they could also help in recovering wounds. She shook out the pills into her palm and stuffed them in her mouth. Then, she swallowed the pills together with the soup. Luca started to eat her lunch after taking the medicine. The food Nina ordered for her tasted nd, and they were suitable for her, someone who was in the midst of recovering from her wound. Her phone rang again after she took a few bites. Luca thought it was Nina. She nced at the phone number, only to realize that it was a call from Abel. Her eyes darkened. She eventually tapped on the answer button. "What''s the matter?" Luca sounded irritated and disrespectful. Abel chuckled. "It turns out that you''re still alive." "Yes, I''m still alive. I could''ve died if you were cruel enough to stab half an inch away from the spot you did." Luca looked down. She knew Abel had done it on purpose. He stabbed right on the spot with the most nerves, but it was not fatal enough. "Is that what you want? I''ll grant your death wish in the future, but you can''t die now." Abel made this call just to make sure that she was not dead. After Abel let Luca leavest night, he did not send anyone to follow her. He knew Luca would be able to live through it. Chapter 1869 Abel was in charge of Luca''s life. Luca pursed her lips so hard that her pale lips had turned purple. Even so, she did not say a word. Abel sneered when Luca did not reply to him. He continued, ¡°I''ve already sold the form. Things are going to get interesting now. Luca, I''d like you to do something for me." Luca had a bad feeling about it. Her voice sounded hoarse and weak. "What¡ª" Abel replied, "Make everyone think that it was Albus who sold the form." Luca was shocked. Let everyone think that it was Dr. Albus who sold the form? If everyone suspected him, then Dr. Albus would definitely get fired. Thepany would hold him liable for selling the form. Luca suddenly realized that Dr. Albus, whom she had been suspecting all this time, was not one of Abel''s men. Who had he sent here, then? Luca felt lost. She filtered through every subordinate under Dr. Albus in her mind, only to realize that none of them could overthrow Dr. Albus'' decision... Luca could not help but feel anxious at the thought that the person Abel sent was still developing drugs in Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Abel wasughing hysterically on the other end of the call. "Why are you not talking? Oh yes, you must have thought that Albus was one of my men, right?" "It now appears that he isn''t." Luca sneered. Abel was not that dumb to expose the person he had carefully ced there. "That''s right. But you don''t know who it is either. So, you only have to follow my arrangements," said Abel with the sweetest joy of retribution in the bottom of his eyes. Luca looked down. If she did not know who that person was, then she would always be in danger. She had nned to alert Luke about it or get rid of Dr. Albus through this matter, but everything turned out to be out of her expectations. "Oh yes, T Corporation is almost done with the project in Europe, right?" Abel asked. "Yes. What about it?" Luca did not deny it. It was because Abel''s men were also working in T Corporation. What use would it do if she denied it? "I want you to steal the bidding document a weekter. If you can''t get it done, I''m not sure what the consequences you''ll have to bear are," said Abel. Abel did not want to get rid of Luke so soon. He wanted to take it one step at a time and watch Luke exhaust himself. He wanted to see Luke unable to handle the matter. It was his pleasure to watch Luke get slowly defeated. ¡°I don''t even know where the safe that holds the bidding document is. I can''t do this.¡± Luca rejected him. "You know where it is, but you just don''t want to steal it. If you''re thinking of helping the man you love to solve the crisis this time, you''ll have to be willing to let your cute little daughter suffer," Abel said in a grim manner. "What do you mean?!" Luca panicked. "What I mean is, your daughter is the only one who has yet to take the drug on the Ind of Despair. Think about it. Isn''t it a good thing to give her the injection? Her physical condition will be stronger, and her skin and facial features will also improve. Well, that doesn''t sound like a bad thing after all!" Abel struck Luca''s only weak point. "I''ll get the bidding document. Don''t touch my daughter." Luca''s fists were already clenched hard because of what he said. The drug that Abel mentioned was not as he mentioned. It was not good at all. It was the drug that she had been injected with before. The drug could make people grow physically stronger, but it had serious side effects. Furthermore, she had to take the antidote once a month. N hated taking medicine the most. "Great. Then I''ll be waiting for your good news." Abel hung up the call as soon as he finished talking. Then came the busy tone from the other end of the call. After that, it became quiet again. Luca was still unable to calm herself down. Abel left Luca with no choice. He was forcing her to choose between Luke and her daughter. Luca put her phone aside and looked at the door worriedly. She knew Luke''s habits when it came to keeping confidential documents. If Luca was lucky enough and it turned out that Luke had not changed the safe''s password after all these years, she was pretty sure that she could get the bidding document. Luke would not have the chance to prepare another bidding document in time regardless of whether he found out about it or not. The other party would definitely hand over the bidding document first. If Luke did not find out about it and handed in the bidding document as well, T Corporation would immediately be disqualified. The corporation would even be used of stealing the otherpany''s confidential information. If Luke found out about it, he would have to prepare a new bidding document within a week. It was all part of Abel''s n. Luca looked down at her lunchbox. The food had turned cold, and she no longer had the appetite to eat. She was destined to fail everyone around her. If N knew that Luca had to force others into a dead-end to protect her, Luca was not sure what N would think about her. Luca put the lid on the lunchbox and threw it in the trash can. N was born on the Ind of Despair, and Luca was worried that the environment there would affect the child''s physical and mental development. That was why Luca had been teaching N to be kind- hearted and never do bad things. However, as the child''s mother, she had no choice but to do these evil things to protect her. After Luca got off work, she received a call from Nina. Luca looked at all the work she had yet to finish. She had no choice but to tidy them up and bring them back home to work on them. Luca was in low spirits when she headed downstairs after clocking out. Nina, who had been waiting for Luca downstairs, saw her walking out of the entrance of T Corporation. She hurried over to meet her and opened the car door for her. ¡°Thank you, Nina." Luca''s mind was somewhere else when she bent down and got into the car. She did not even notice that her movement had identally torn her wound. Nina noticed that something was wrong with Luca. Nina sat in the driver''s seat, fastened her seat belt, and looked at Luca. Luca seemed to be preupied. She did not even fasten her seat belt. "Luca, why are you spacing out? Are you too tired?" Nina asked caringly. Luca came back to her senses, shook her head, and replied, "I was thinking about something else. Let''s go." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "You haven''t fastened your seat belt." Nina reminded her. Luca lowered her head and nced at the seat belt. She had been lost in thought ever since she received Abel''s call. She became less efficient at work, doing things slowly. She even forgot such a normal thing. Luca fastened her seat belt immediately. Nina started the car engine and headed to the mansion. "You don''t look good. Rest earlier after you have your dinnerter. I''ll take care of the kids for you." Luca shook her head when she heard Nina taking the initiative to take care of the kids. She said, "You can just drop me off and I''ll stay at home myself. Nina, you have your own life too." "But I''m worried about you. Just one night. I won''te to your ce again after Lukees back tomorrow." Nina insisted. Luca did not say anything. She just nodded. Luca fell silent as she watched the hustle and bustle outside the window. She was specting who exactly was the person Abel had ced in Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Moreover, Abel had already sold off the form. When would the buyerunch the product? Chapter 1870 Mr. Bailey would certainly apply for the patent before Dr. Albus applied for it andunch the product after that. They only had to make up a list for the clinical trial, then they would be able to apply for the patent. Luca suspected that they would choose tounch the product around the time when T Corporation was bidding for the project. Besides, now that Luca had stolen the document, this series of events would deal blow after blow to Luke. Luca held her forehead. T Corporation would face a great crisis if this really happened. It would still be alright if T Corporation''s reputation was still well protected. What she feared the most was that Abel would think of a way to ruin the corporation''s reputation. This way, Luke would have to face such a crisis and a huge burden at the same time. Luca recalled a few years ago when the property built by T Corporation was deliberately bombed by someone, causing the building to copse. Luke had put in a lot of effort to get to the bottom of the case and made sure those people got what they deserved. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. However, it was different this time. Luca remained silent all the way. Nina thought it would be better not to force her to speak. After they reached the vi''s entrance, Nina reminded her, ¡°Luca, we''re here." Luca nodded. She was about to unfasten her seat belt. Nina grabbed her hand and said, "You can scan the ess card in the car. I''m driving in." Luca suddenly realized that after Nina reminded her. She took the ess card out and waved it before the long-range reader. Nina could not help but voice out when she saw Luca behaving like this, "Is it because you''re too weak right now that it''s causing you to be so tired? You seem out of it." "I guess so," Luca replied in a low voice. "The kids are going to be worried again if they see you like this." Nina remembered that when she woke up this morning, the kids came to surround her and asked about Luca. Even though Nina had told them that Luca was fine and she was just having a cold, the kids refused to believe her. They insisted on seeing Luca themselves before they believed her. Nina was afraid that their noses were sensitive enough to smell the blood on Luca''s body. Hence, she found an excuse and told the kids that they would be disturbing Luca if they went upstairs to see her. She only allowed them to see her while they stood at the door. She immediately brought them back downstairs after they got a glimpse inside. "It''s alright. I''ll stop thinking about work when I see them." As Luca watched Nina slow down the car in front of the vi''s gate, she pressed the button on the gate remote. The gate opened and Nina drove in. The kids hurried out of the house once they heard the noise of a caring from outside. Luca was still in bed when the kids left for school. When they came back home, the maid told them that Luca had already gone to work despite being sick. Hence, the three of them were worried sick about Luca. Luca pushed the car door open. Lanie, Rainie, and Tommy were already standing outside the car door staring straight at her. ¡°Ms. Luca, you''re back!¡± Rainie spoke first. She was observant enough to notice Luca''s pale face. Luca was slightly surprised to see the kids waiting for her here. She looked at them and immediately urged them, saying, "It''s cold out here. Hurry up and get into the house." "Ms. Luca, we''re worried about you." Tommy expressed his worries directly to Luca while helping her to carry her briefcase. Luca felt a little sorry when she saw the kids show so much consideration for her. They were worried about her health. Luca shook her head and held Rainie''s hand. Rainie''s hand was cold as she had been outside for a while. Luca said, "I''m alright. Let''s hurry up and go inside. You can''t possibly keep yourselves warm by just wearing this. You''re going to catch a cold." Nina pushed the car door open and got out of the car too. She saw how intimate they were as though they were a family. She could not help but tease them, "You''re only worried about Ms. Luca. Why aren''t you showing some love to Ms. Nina?" Tommy walked toward Nina with a smile on his face. He held Nina''s hand and said, "Godmother, are you going to be here tonight?" "Of course. I''ll have to take care of all of you." Nina held Tommy''s hand back and frowned. "You''re freezing. Come on, let''s go in." Luca and Nina brought the three of them back into the house. The maid had already prepared warm tea for them. She greeted them, "Ms. Luca, Ms. Nina, you''re back. It''s cold out there. I''ve made some tea for you. Please have some." "Thank you." Luca had been walking for a while. She did not want the kids to notice that she was walking unusually. That was why she had been walking while keeping her back straight,pletely disregarding her wound. Her wound was slightly hurting now. She hurried to the couch and sat down on it. Nina had been keeping an eye on Luca''s movements. There was nothing unusual about them. Even so, she still said to the maid, "Luca is not feeling well today. I''m not good at cooking either, so I guess you''ll have to prepare tonight''s dinner." The maid smiled gently. Luca would prepare dinner every day, but she knew Luca was feeling ufortable today. Hence, she had already prepared dinner in advance. "I''ve already started making dinner. Dinner will be ready in half an hour." Nina nodded. She picked up the teapot and poured tea for Luca and the three kids. "It''s freezing out there. I think the first snowfall of the year is just around the corner. Drink some tea to warm yourselves up." Luca picked up the teacup and took a whiff of the tea in the cup. After making sure that there was nothing wrong with the tea, Luca slowly took a sip of it. Given the circumstances now, Luca had no choice but to stay alert. There would be even more problems for her to handle if the maid was someone sent by Abel to plot against her. Nina noticed Luca''s subtle gestures, but she remained silent. She just said to the kids, ¡°Geez, make sure you put on more clothes when you leave the house. Weren''t you cold when you were outside dressed like this?" "We didn''t feel cold anymore when we saw Ms. Luca," replied Tommy with a smile. It was warm enough in the house. Besides, after they came back, the kids put on heavy winter clothes. That was why when Luca came back, they did not bother to put on more clothes and just ran straight out to make sure Luca was alright. The kids were very sensitive after having lost her once before. "I''ll get jealous if you say that. When you were little, I used to carry you with a baby bottle in my hands. Don''t you feel warm when you see me?" Nina pinched Tommy''s chubby face. Tommy leaned closer to Nina immediately, hugged her, and said, "I feel warm as well when I see Godmother, but we were just worried about Ms. Luca¡ª" "Alright, Ms. Luca is fine. I''ve already brought her to see the doctor. The doctor said she''ll be alright after resting for a few days." Nina moved the child away from her and took off her winter clothes. Lanie turned to look at Luca with his round pupils and asked, "Ms. Luca, is that true?" "Don''t worry. I''ll be fully recovered tomorrow." Luca assured him. The wound would usually heal on the second day as long as Luca took the medicine. The medicine''s effects sped up the recovery process, so it would not take her seven days unlike regr people. "I''m d to hear that," said Rainie, who was sitting beside her. Luca took a few sips of tea. She nced at the kids and felt warmer. The three of them who were busy talking andughing not long ago were now sitting there and doing their homework. Luca nced at Nina, who was taking her phone out. Luca picked up her briefcase at the thought of this. Nina put down her phone and asked, "You''re so weak, yet you still brought your work back home?" Chapter 1871 The Children''s Godmother ¡°I wasn''t feeling well, so I didn''t get to finish my work today," Luca smiled and exined. ¡°It''s just some trantion work. It''s not a big deal." Nina shook her head and muttered, "Tranting is one of the most nerve-racking jobs. It''s a shame I don''t know how to speak Russian. Luca, you''re amazing." "When you live in an unfamiliar environment for a long time, you''ll naturally pick up the localnguage," Luca said as she opened the document andptop. Luca did not undergo any systematic training. She just learned thenguage herself during her three years on the Ind of Despair. During that period, she often asked Eler and Amur to teach her Russian. Luca knew very well that mastery ofnguage was an essential skill to survive in such a horrible environment. She had to know what the others were talking about behind her to be able to have the chance to survive. That was why she spent a year mastering basic Russian phrases. She then spent two years constantly picking up new words to master thenguage. Luca recalled the many difficulties she had gone through during those three years while cing the laptop on the armrest of the couch. She found a position that would not put pressure on her wound and began working. Nina was lost in thought as she listened to her. What Luca said did not seem like living but surviving... Her words sounded as though she had gone through a lot of inhuman experiences. Nina recalled what Luca did yesterday. She could not help but wonder about Luca''s past. Perhaps it was not something an ordinary person like her could imagine. As Luca had started to work and the kids were also busy with their homework, Nina did not say anything more. She picked up her phone and replied to Percy''s messages. Although Percy was a little unhappy that Nina would not return home today after not going back yesterday as well, Luca had indeed been a big help to them. That was why Percy did not ask Nina to go home even though he was dissatisfied with it. Half an hourter, the maid had already finished preparing dinner. Luca and Nina brought the kids over to the dining room to have dinner together. Lanie, who was usually a picky eater, did notin about the food tonight. He knew Luca was sick and could not make dinner for them. Hence, he behaved himself and ate the dinner prepared by the maid. The maid let out a sigh of relief when she saw that the children did notin about the dinner she made. After dinner, Luca sat on the couch and waited for the kids to finish their homework. Tommy held his phone and dashed toward Luca when she was busy checking their homework. "Ms. Luca, Daddy is asking for a video call." Luca stroked Tommy''s head and replied, ¡°Answer it, then." Tommy opened his mouth as if he was about to say something. He thought of telling her that his daddy missed her too. However, he shut his mouth with embarrassment when he remembered what Luke had reminded him before. He tapped on the answer button and tried to stretch his hands out so that Luke could get a wider view. The video call connected, and Luke''s face showed up on the screen of the phone. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Tommy waved his hand excitedly and called out, "Daddy!" Luke nodded. He was able to see Luca, who was busy checking the kids'' homework, through the phone angle that Tommy had deliberately adjusted. Luke noticed Luca''s face had be paler, but he was not sure if it was because of the lighting there. "Daddy, have you eaten your dinner?" Tommy asked. He missed his daddy a lot after not seeing him for two days. "Yes." Luke''s voice came from the phone''s speaker. Luca''s hand that was flipping the pages paused. She lifted her head and saw that with the angle Tommy was holding up the phone, Luke would be able to get a good view of her. Hence, Luke was able to see most of her face while only half of Tommy''s face was shown on the screen. Tommy did it on purpose... Luca was speechless, but her face was already captured on camera. She had no choice but to greet the man, "Good evening, Mr. Crawford." "Good evening," replied Luke. The two of them looked at each other, but they did not intend to say another word. Tommy was a little anxious. Luca spoke first when he was about to speak, "Uh, you guys go ahead. I''m going to continue to check the kids'' homework." Tommy turned to look at Luca. Luca stroked his head and reminded him, saying, "Lanie and Rainie must miss their daddy too. Bring the phone along with you and go look for them." Tommy pouted with reluctance. Back then, whenever they had video calls with Daddy, she would hold them in their arms while chatting with Daddy. Now, she refused to have a video call with Daddy. Tommy had no choice but to bring the phone up to the second floor. After he went back to his bedroom, he spoke, "Daddy, why did Ms. Luca refuse to talk to you?" "I don''t know either." Luke''s son had voiced out his thoughts. Luke refused to admit the truth, but it was indeed a fact. "It must be because you''re not putting in enough effort. That''s why Ms. Luca doesn''t want to talk to you." Tommy pouted. Luke''s face turned slightly ashen as he listened to what his son said. ¡°Where did you learn all these?" Tommy stuck his tongue out at him and changed the subject hurriedly. "Ah, Lanie and Rainie must miss you too. I''ll pass the phone to them." After that, Tommy went out of his bedroom with the phone. He went looking for Lanie and Rainie. Luca was still in the living room, signing the kids'' homework on behalf of Luke. Then, she put their exercise books back into their bags. Nina came out of the washroom at this moment and saw Luca putting the exercise books back into the kids'' bags. She asked, "Have you finished checking their homework?" "Yes." Luca zipped their bags to prevent the kids from dropping their books to the ground if they fooled around. "Do you have to check their homework for them every day?" Nina asked again. "Not really. Mr. Crawford is usually the one who checks their homework when he''s not busy," answered Luca. "Well, given the circumstances now, I''m just temporarily taking over this duty." "I see. I was wondering why you''ve been so kind to the kids. It won''t be too much even if they start calling you their godmother." Nina smiled and stepped forward to put all of Luca''s files back into her briefcase. "Let''s go upstairs since you''ve finished everything." Luca''s face was slightly pale as she listened to what Nina said. The children''s godmother... Luca had never wanted to be the children''s godmother. Luca held onto the back of the sofa and used it to support herself to stand up. When she was about to make her way up the steps, Nina''s phone rang. "Give me a minute. Let me answer this phone call," said Nina as she picked up her phone and nced at the number. The expression on her face changed. She answered it immediately. "May I know if this is Ms. Nina?" A woman''s voice came from the other end of the call. "Yes, that''s me. Did something happen to my mother?" Nina asked. The call was from the hospital. That was why she knew something must have happened to Anna before the nurse spoke to her. "It''s not about your mother, it''s your elder brother. He got into trouble in a bar and was beaten up quite badly. He''s being sent to the hospital now. Your mother is unable to get down from the bed to handle the hospital admission procedure. Are you able toe over to the hospital to get it done?" the nurse asked. "Did he get into a fight?" Nina''s voice sounded a few keys higher. "Yes, and it was quite serious. The police officers are waiting here to handle the matter now," answered the nurse. "I''ll be right there." Nina nced at Luca, her eyes filled with guilt. Chapter 1872 Luca could clearly hear the voice that came from the other end of the phone call. She said immediately, ¡°It sounds serious. You''d better get going." ¡°What about you..." Nina was worried about leaving Luca alone at home. "I''m fine. Look at me. I was finest night, so nothing else will happen tonight. Don''t worry. Family is most important." Luca convinced her. Nina pursed her lips. Something might happen to Jean at the hospital if Nina did not show up. She had no choice but to head to the hospital. "I''m going to the hospital, then. Remember to call me if anything happens here." "Don''t worry. Nothing is going to happen. Oh, you''d better inform Mr. Mallory about this." Luca reminded her. "Percy is someone with high social status. The hospital and police officers will cut Jean some ck even if something has happened." "I got it," Nina replied. Then, she turned around and left. Luca slowly walked toward the door. She watched Nina leave the vi through the ss window, and she let out a sigh. Nina could finally live in peace, but Jean messed it all up. What a troublemaker. Luca carried her briefcase andptop before slowly walking up. It was a two-story vi, so there was no elevator installed. She could only make her way up the stairs step by step. The wound was hurting, but Luca endured the pain and continued to head upstairs. She slowly walked up to the second floor. When she was about to let out a sigh of relief, Tommy walked out of Lanie''s bedroom and saw Luca. He dashed toward her, thinking of giving Luca a big hug. "Ms. Luca!" Luca saw through Tommy''s gestures. Normally, Luca would be fine with it. However, if Tommy gave her such an aggressive hug now, her would surely tear open. Luca unconsciously dodged when she saw the child running toward her. Tommy noticed that Luca was avoiding him. He was stunned as he suddenly stopped running. He looked at Luca with an aggrieved look on his face, "Ms. Luca.." Luca secretly sighed when she saw the child almost bursting into tears. She had no idea whom this child had taken after. She did not want him to jump on her, but she felt sorry for making him disappointed. ¡°Tommy, I''m not feeling well. My bones will fall apart if you rush into my arms like that," Luca exined. Tommy had already grown up a little, so he should be able to understand her exnation. Tommy listened to Luca''s exnation, and only then did he suppress his urge to cry. He said in an aggrieved tone, "Ms. Luca, you don''t hate me, right?" "Of course not. Have you ended the video call with your daddy?" Luca asked. She carried her things with another hand and wiped Tommy''s face with her free hand. Tommy was such a crybaby. There were still tears in the corners of his eyes. "Yes. Daddy went back to work again. He''s so busy." Tommy looked at the things Luca was carrying in her other hand. He said in his childish voice, "Ms. Luca, are you going to work too?" "Yes. Your daddy is busy working, so I''ll have to work too." Luca realized that she had sessfully patched things up with Tommy, so she pushed her bedroom door open. Tommy tagged along behind Luca like a clingy little boy. He noticed that Nina was nowhere to be seen, so he asked Luca, "Ms. Luca, where''s Godmother?" "Something came up and she left. It''ste. Hurry up and take a shower. You should be resting now." Tommy nodded obediently. He knew Luca had to work, so he dared not disturb her. He turned around and walked out of the bedroom. Luca let out a sigh as she watched Tommy leave. She ced the briefcase andptop on the desk before gently touching her wound that was still hurting. She dared not to show that she was in pain in front of the kids. Luca closed the bedroom door and slowly took off her clothes. She realized that the bloodstain on the gauze was slightly bigger than it was in the morning. She was still unable to stop the wound from bleeding. She removed the gauze and nced at her wound. The wound was still alright, and the suture did not open. Luca walked into the washroom. She changed the gauze and put the medicinal powder on her wound after she washed up. Then, she changed into a clean set of pajamas and walked out of the washroom. She nced at the time. The kids should already be in their beds at this hour. She opened the bedroom door and came to Tommy''s bedroom first. She gently pushed the door open. Tommy was already on his bed, getting ready to sleep. "Ms. Luca?" Tommy was happy to see her. "Rest early." Luca smiled while remembering how she used to put Tommy to sleep before he slept back then. He was able to go to bed by himself now. Even though Tommy was still a crybaby, he had really grown up. He was more sensible now. "Alright. Good night, Ms. Luca." Tommy knew Luca was sick. That was why he wanted to stay closer to her for a while more, but he suppressed the urge to do so. Luca watched Tommyy down and tuck himself into bed. She then gently closed the door. Next would be Rainie''s bedroom. Luca pushed the door open. The little girl was sitting on her bed reading a storybook. ¡°Rainie, it''s time to sleep." Luca reminded her in a soft voice. Rainie lifted her head and saw Luca. She smiled gently at her. "Okay, Ms. Luca." Rainie wanted to get down from the bed to put her storybook back on the bookshelf. Luca walked into the bedroom and took Rainie''s storybook from her. "Let me help you. It''s cold. Lay down quickly." "Ms. Luca, we don''t feel cold. We have a heater in our rooms. Lanie told me that you''lle into our bedrooms every night to see if we''ve kicked off our nkets. But we won''t catch a cold even if that happens. Ms. Luca, you don''t have to worry about us." Rainie remembered what Lanie had told her, and she mentioned it to Luca. Luca must have fallen sick because she had been busy looking after the three of them. "Lanie knows about it?" Luca was startled for a while after she put the storybook back on the shelf. Lanie was always fast asleep when she entered his bedroom. How did he know about that? "Lanie is a light sleeper. He''ll realize it when you push his bedroom door open," Rainie exined. "How can it be..." Luca felt slightly guilty. She must have woken Lanie up every time she went into his bedroom at night. "It''s alright, Ms. Luca. Although Lanie is a light sleeper, he''s able to fall asleep again after he wakes up. You haven''t been disturbing him," Rainie smiled and exined to her. Then, she sniffed around and realized there was the sweet smell of Luca''s medicine in the air. "Ms, Luca, what''s the scent on your body? You smell nice!" Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Really?" Luca took a sniff and reckoned that it was probably the smell of the medicinal powder. She did not expect Rainie to have such a sensitive nose. "It''s probably the scent of my shower gel. It''ste. Get some rest." "Alright, Ms. Luca." Rainie nodded andy down on her bed obediently. A surge of warmth surged in Luca''s heart when she saw how lovely Rainie was. After she got out of Rainie''s bedroom, she arrived at Lanie''s bedroom. Luca remembered what Rainie told her. She pushed the bedroom door open and realized that Lanie had not turned off the lights. Lanie put down the book in his hand when he saw Lucae in. "Ms. Luca, I''m going to turn in now." "Lanie, am I disturbing you bying in every night?" Luca asked. Lanie shook his head, knowing that his younger sister must have told Luca about it. He exined, "Ms. Luca, I sleep very well. You''re not disturbing me." "But you''ll wake up each time." Luca looked at how sensible Lanie was. It broke her heart and made her feel guilty. As Lanie''s mother, she did not even know that he was a light sleeper. Chapter 1873 "Ms. Luca, I like you as much as Tommy and Rainie do. I want your concern and love as well," Lanie said in a serious tone when he noticed Luca''s guilty expression. Lanie was not always a light sleeper. Lanie''s sleep quality became poorer and poorer after Bianca''s impostor moved to Crawford Manor. Back then, the impostor was trying to y the role of a good mother. However, there were no blood ties between them. No matter how hard Lanie tried to convince himself, he always felt that something was wrong. That was why he would wake up whenever the impostor tried to enter his bedroom to tuck him in. He would also often hear loud noises in the middle of the night back then. That was when his sleep routine underwent a drastic change. Luca blinked her eyes. She was a little surprised. Lanie''s personality resembled Luke''s. He normally would not say such things. Luca walked toward Lanie''s bed and sat down. ¡°Lanie, why?¡± "It''s because you''re a gentle person. We can feel the warmth of a mother when you care for us," answered Lanie. He told Luca about the vulnerabilities in his heart. "Ms. Luca, we only had Daddy and Great-grandpa in our lives before you showed up. We were envious of other children for having a mother by their side. It was until you came into our life that we didn''t have to be envious of other children anymore." Luca''s gaze turned gentle when she listened to what her son said. It was because she was their mother. "Alright. I''ll pay more attention when I open the door next time so that I won''t disturb you. It''s safe here. You don''t have to worry that something bad will happen. Get some rest." Luca stroked Lanie''s head. Lanie nodded. The usual cool expression on his face turned into a shy smile. Luca tucked Lanie in when hey down on the bed. "Goodnight, Lanie." "Goodnight, Ms. Luca." Lanie closed his eyes. Luca picked up the book that Lanie had put on his bedside table and nced at it. It was a science book. Lanie was not interested in storybooks and fairy tales. The books on his bookshelf were all books rted to science. Luca put the book back on the shelf. She noticed that all the books on the shelf were on the same topics. She muttered to herself, ''Will Lanie be reading books about finance and economics when he grows up?'' Luca turned around and nced at Lanie, who was on his bed. She tip-toed out of his room and closed the door. It was quiet at night. Luca could not hear anything. Luca let out a sigh when she returned to the bedroom. She looked at the briefcase on the dressing table. She sat down on the chair, picked up her phone, and asked about Nina''s situation. [Nina, how are you holding up?] Luca sent a message to Nina. Nina replied after a while: [I''m still dealing with it. Are you alright?] [I''m alright. Just tell me if you need anything.] Luca put down her phone after she replied to Nina''s message and continued with her work. On the other hand. Nina was dealing with Jean''s matter at the hospital. She was overwhelmed as it was quite a serious matter. Jean had gone drinking at a bar. Then, he got into a fight with someone because of a woman. He made a mess at the bar and injured that person badly. However, he refused to stop fighting. In the end, Jean smashed the man''s head with a bottle and seriously injured him. Jean and the man who fought with him were in the emergency room now. Jean was not seriously injured, but the person who got beaten up by him suffered serious injuries. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. The doctor told her that from the results of the CT scan, there were pieces of ss stuck in the patient''s head when they were fighting each other. Thus, the doctor had no idea just how serious the patient''s condition was now. Nina followed the nurse around. After she paid for the medical expenses, she was taken aside to talk to the police officers as it was an assault case. Other than telling the police officers about Jean''s identity, Nina could only answer helplessly that she did not know anything about the fight when the police officers questioned her. One of the police officers looked at Nina helplessly when he was unable to get any information from her. He had no choice but to say, ¡°That''s all for today, then. The victim''s family wille to the hospital later. Please don''t leave the hospital first." Nina pursed her lips and nodded. Then, she asked, "Am I allowed to talk to my brother?" "There''s nothing you can do now even if you go talk to him," one of the police officers replied. "He''s drunk. He doesn''t answer our questions, and we can''t get a statement out of him. It''s strange how a drunk person like him could beat someone up so badly." Nina was even more upset when she heard that. Was Jean tired of living a peaceful life? How dare he make such a scene? Nina clenched her fists when she thought of what the police officers had told her. She asked, "Then may I know who''s the woman who made him get into a fight with the other man?" The police officers exchanged nces with each other. They were hesitating and wondered if they should tell Nina who the person was. ¡°Please tell me. I''m not going to do anything to her. I just want to know how it happened," Nina pleaded with them sincerely. "Alright. It''s not a big deal even if we tell you who it is. You''ll find out about it sooner orter anyway. The name on the woman''s ID is..." The police officer nced at the document. "Marie Rayne." "It''s her!" Nina was shocked. She could never forget that name for the rest of her life. Marie was partly responsible for what Anna and Jean had be today. "Do you know her?" the police officer asked her when he saw Nina''s reaction. "She''s my brother''s ex-girlfriend. And she snatched our property away from us before this." Nina said helplessly. Nina did not expect that Marie woulde looking for Jean again after she was released from prison. She did not expect Jean to not have learned from his mistakes either. He hadpletely forgotten about the pain she caused him back then. He even got into a fight with another man because of this woman. "Are any of Jean''s family members here? Who''s Jean''s family?" Nina had yet toe back to her senses when a nurse came out of the emergency room and called for Jean''s family members. Nina immediately stepped toward her. "Hello, I''m Jean''s family member." "Have you paid the bills?" the nurse nced at her and asked. "Yes. Here''s the receipt." Nina handed the nurse the receipt given by the hospital. The nurse took the receipt from her. She exined Jean''s situation to Nina after making sure that there was nothing wrong with the receipt. "The results of the CT scan have juste out. He has some wounds and bruises, so he only has to get a surgical suture. You''re his family member, and we need you to sign this document." Nina nced at it and knew that it was a surgical consent form. She signed the document immediately. "I''m going to inform the doctor to perform the surgical suture now." The nurse turned around. Nina grabbed her hand when she was about to walk in. "Is there any other problem?" Nina bit her lip and asked, "Um, what about the man who was admitted to the hospital along with my brother?" "Do you mean the man who got beaten up by your brother? He''s not doing well. And he might have to undergo a craniotomy surgery. The doctor is still waiting for the final examination report. His family members are on their way here. Oh, kindly pay for his deposit if his family members can''t make it in time. Given the victim''s circumstances now, you''ll be asked to pay for his surgery costs and other hospital expenses anyway." Chapter 1874 Nina could not help but stagger when she heard what the nurse said. Nina did not give a damn about the medical bills. However, she was worried about the man who was injured by Jean. Jean would be held liable if anything happened to him... Anna would not be able to ept the fact if she found out about it. Nina took a deep breath. All those unfamiliar legal provisions were running through her mind. What kind of sentence would Jean face if he identally killed someone? Nina dared not to think about it anymore. As she watched the nurse walk back into the emergency room, she stepped forward and said, ¡°Please, you must save that person." ¡°Of course, we''ll try our best to save him. Now, you just have to wait for his family to arrive," the nurse replied. Nina watched the nurse walk back in and pull the curtains. She paced around restlessly. After a while, one of the police officers brought Marie over and said to his colleague, "This is the woman whom the two men were fighting over at the bar. The doctor checked her and said she just has minor injuries. She''s fine. Go ahead and take her statement." Nina flew into a rage when she saw Marie. She dashed toward her and said, "Marie Rayne, it''s really you! What do you have against my brother? Why are you doing this to him!" Marie narrowed her eyes. She looked at Nina who had be even prettier than before and sneered, "Did you say I did this to your brother? Nonsense. He''s the one who started the fight. He couldn''t stand being provoked by others and that''s why he''s in the hospital now. I''m going to sue you for defamation if you speak nonsense again!" "B*tch! You made my family lose everything we had. You''ve already gotten out of prison, yet you''re still not sparing him. I''m not going to let you get away with it if anything happens this time!" Nina got emotional. Jean was a person who would always pick on those who were weaker than him. However, Nina was pretty sure it must have been Marie who bewitched Jean and incited him to beat up another person. Not only had Marie ruined Jean''s future, but she even scammed Anna off her money, which destroyed the whole family. Even so, she still refused to spare Jean. "How scary. Officer, you heard her. This woman is threatening me. If anything happens to me in the future, she must be the one behind it!" Marie looked at the police officer while pretending to be weak. She was hoping to receive some protection from the police. Marie did not expect Jean''s matter to turn out to be such a big deal. Marie was not afraid of Nina. She was afraid of the man in the emergency room half-dead. That man seemed to have some connections in the underworld. She was worried that those gangsters woulde to look for her if anything happened to that man. That was why she needed the police officers to help her. "You were the one who started this. Why are you afraid of getting into trouble now?¡± The police officer did not fall for Marie''s trap. After all, he knew what kind of woman she was. ¡°I didn''t. You''re a police officer. You can''t nder me.¡± Maire hugged her arms and pretended to be innocent. Nina was disgusted at watching how despicable Marie was. At the same time, she was secretly ming Jean for being a loser. Jean had already been fooled by her once, yet he still let himself be fooled for the second time. Had he been bewitched by Marie?! The police flipped open the statement file. He shot Marie a cold re and said, ¡°Everyone in the bar has already given their statements. They said it was you who fanned the mes and provoked others last night. What''s the matter? Do you think you won''t be held responsible as long as you keep your hands clean?¡± Marie was startled for a moment. Then, she pointed at the wound on her forehead and said, "I didn''t do that. Don''t listen to their nonsense. I''m a victim!" "Someone recorded a video. Everything you said and did have been captured. Stop ying tricks with me. Behave and cooperate with us. Tell us everything that happened in detail. Otherwise, you''ll be charged for obstruction of justice and will face more serious charges when the timees,¡± the expressionless police officer said. He did not pity her just because she was a woman. Marie became a coward once she heard that someone had recorded a video. She looked at the police officer helplessly and said, "Officer, what I said isn''t valid¡ª¡± "It''s not up to you whether it''s valid or not. What you said is evidence, which is needed for the legal procedurester. Let''s go. Follow us to give your statement.¡± The police officers took Marie away as it was inconvenient for them to take her statement there. Nina clenched her fists as she watched Marie leave. She had to solve Jean''s problem at the moment. Nina took a deep breath and called Johann. Johann happened to be in the hospital as he had to observe the condition of a special patient today. That was why he had been in the hospital the entire time. Johann headed downstairs after he received Nina''s call. "What''s the situation now?¡± Johann and Nina were familiar with each other. He did not make any pleasantries and went straight to the point with Nina. "My brother was drunk and smashed someone in the head with a ss bottle. The man is still in the emergency room, and the doctor is waiting for the report. But ording to the preliminary assessment, the man isn''t doing too well. The doctor said that ss shards had pierced into his head...¡± Nina exined. Johann frowned. "That''s serious. Your brother really is a troublemaker.¡± ¡°My brother will be thrown into prison if anything happens to that man. Dr. Park, please help me." Nina knew Johann had good medical skills. He could save that man''s life if he was willing to help. "Rx. Let me go in there and see what''s going on." Johann had received a notice from the emergency department when the patients were admitted to the hospital. However, Johann was not working in the neurological department. Besides, he had a patient with a special case to take care of. The doctor on duty today was a respectable expert in neurology. That was why Johann did note over. Still, Johann could not leave the matter in someone else''s hands after he knew that Nina had something to do with this. After all, Percy was one of his best buddies. Nina watched Johann walk into the emergency room. She restlessly paced around outside the emergency room. After a while, a middle-aged woman and two burly men dashed in. One of them tugged at a nurse''s sleeve and asked, "Is Tyrone here?" The nurse withdrew her hand and frowned with disgust. "Are you Tyrone''s family member?" The younger man pointed at the middle-aged woman and said, "She''s Tyrone''s mother. We''re his friends." "Why are you sote? Fortunately, the patient hasn''t been sent into the surgery room yet. This is Tyrone''s medical bills. Tyrone''s mother, please sign this and pay the bills." The nurse took a stack of bills and the documents that needed to be signed. The middle-aged woman was crying while she signed the paperwork. The younger man who was beside her frowned and asked, "I thought Tyrone was beaten up by someone else? Why are we paying for his medical bills?" Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. The nurse nced at Nina and said, "He was beaten up by someone else, but the police officers have yet to figure out what had happened. And Tyrone''s condition isn''t good. He''ll have to go for surgery. Someone has to pay for the deposit first. Only then can the doctor continue to treat the patient." The older man rolled up his sleeves at once and asked, "Where''s that bastard who beat Tyrone up?" Chapter 1875 The nurse frowned when the man spoke in a loud voice. ¡°Sir, you''re in the hospital. Please lower your voice." After the nurse said that to the older man, he lowered his voice and said, "He injured Tyrone, so he''ll have to be responsible for Tyrone''s medical bills. Is there anything wrong with that?" The nurse nced at Nina. The older man looked in the direction where the nurse was looking and saw Nina. "Are you the woman who stirred things up?" "I''m Jean Langdon''s family member. It''s Jean''s fault, so I''ll be responsible for Tyrone''s medical bills. Please give me your ID. I''m going to pay now," Nina said frankly. "So, you''re the one who''s going to cover Tyrone''s medical costs, right? Good. Let''s go and pay!" the man said. He was about to tug at Nina''s sleeve. Nina was so shocked that she took a step backward. She said, "Just pass me the ID. I''ll go and pay." "Pass it to you? What if you run away with the ID? What should I do if I can''tplete the admission procedure and I miss the best opportunity to get Tyrone treated? I''m telling you, don''t try to run away from your responsibility. How dare you hurt my younger brother?! Just wait and see!" The man refused to listen to Nina. He insisted on going with her. Nina looked at the burly man, and she quickly hid behind the nurse''s desk. The younger man looked at Nina, and something came across his mind. Thus, he tugged at the older man''s sleeve and said, "We''re in the hospital. She won''t be able to run away. Let''s just pass the ID to her." "Boy, you can''t blow your brothers off for a woman, right? I''ll give you the ID. Bring her there." The older man knew Nina was afraid of him. Hence, he handed the ID to the other man. "Alright." The man took the ID from him and looked at Nina. "Come on. Let''s go pay for it." Nina could sense that these two men were not very nice. Even so, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and follow this man to the payment counter. When they were on the way there, the young man tried to talk to Nina. "My name is Keith Hugh. What''s yours?" Nina did not reply to him. She trotted to the payment counter and took the stack of medical bills from Keith before handing them to the nurse. She said, "Hello, I''d like to pay for this." The nurse nced through the papers and quickly helped Nina to handle the hospital admission procedure. Nina signed her name on the bills after she paid for them. Keith grinned when he saw her signature. He said, ¡°So, you''re Nina Langdon." Nina shot him a nce. She took the receipt that the nurse handed to her and trotted back to the emergency room. After Nina showed the nurse the receipt, Johann and the emergency physician walked out of the emergency room as well. Johann asked the nurse, "Is Tyrone''s family here?" "They''re here. The three of them are his family members," answered the nurse. Johann looked at the three of them and said, "Tyrone''s not doing too well now. The examination report shows that he has cerebral edema, and there are some ss shards stuck in his head. We need to perform a craniotomy surgery on him immediately while looking for the bleeding point to stop the bleeding. We need you to sign these papers. We''ll perform the surgery instantly after you sign these." The middle-aged woman almost fainted when she heard that Tyrone needed to undergo surgery. Another man helped her up immediately and said, "Hang in there, Aunt Jenny." Keith heard that and said, "I''m Tyrone''s cousin. Can I sign the papers?" "It''d be better if a next of kin signed these." Johann handed the papers to the middle-aged woman. The woman''s hands were trembling as she signed her name on thest page of the papers. Then, she knelt on the floor and said, "Doctor, Tyrone is my only son. Please save him." Johann took the papers from her and said expressionlessly, "We''ll try our best." Nina looked at Johann''s expression and knew that Tyrone was not in good condition. She pled, "Dr. Park, please. You have to save him." Johann nodded and nced at Keith and the others. Then, he reminded Nina. "Ask Percy toe here. You can''t do this alone." Nina knew what Johann meant. Nina would not be able to defend herself alone if Tyrone''s family did something to her. She nodded and replied, "I will." Johann nodded and looked at them. "We''re transferring the patient to the operating room now. You may follow us and wait outside." Right after Johann said that, the nurses pushed the ward bed Tyrone was lying on while unconscious out of the emergency room. The middle-aged woman rushed over and said, "Tyrone, hang in there. Otherwise, I''ll die with you!" "Aunt Jenny, stop. Tyrone will be fine." Keith''s attention was not on Nina now. He helped the middleaged woman up. "Please take her away," the nurse said. Keith pulled the middle-aged woman away from the ward bed immediately. "Aunt Jenny, let the nurse bring Tyrone to the operation room. Larry,e over and help Aunt Jenny up." The man Keith was calling was the older man who came along with them. Larry gestured to Nina and warned her, "You''d better pray that Tyrone will be fine. Otherwise, I''ll make you regret this!" Nina looked down and followed behind them. Johann was the surgeon for the operation, and he had already left to prepare for the surgery. Nina pondered for a moment and decided to text Percy: [I''m in the hospital now. Can youe here?] Percy called Nina immediately right after the message was sent. Nina paused and looked at the caller ID. She felt a lump in her throat. Nina did not want to trouble Percy when it came to things rted to Anna and Jean. After all, Percy was busy with his work, and he had already done a lot for her. However, it was only then she realized that Percy was the only one she could rely on when something bad happened. Percy was the only one who could truly give her a sense of security. Nina answered the call, ¡°Nina, why are you in the hospital?" ¡°Jean got into a fight at a bar. Someone''s injured. But it wasn''t me." Nina could not exin the whole story in a few words. She could only say something that would not make Percy worry about her. "I''ll be right there. Don''t be afraid." Percyforted Nina. "Okay. I''m outside the operating room on the third floor¡ª" Nina followed Tyrone to the operating room and stopped outside. Keith and Larry were helping Aunt Jenny up. After they watched Tyrone being sent into the operating room, Larry said, "Aunt Jenny, take a seat. Don''t worry. Tyrone is going to be fine. He''lle out soon." "Larry, don''t be too optimistic. Didn''t you hear what the doctor said just now?" Keith spoke. Larry red at Keith and said, "Shut up. Stop talking nonsense!" Keith had no choice but to keep his mouth shut. He helped Aunt Jenny to sit on the chair. Then, Keith turned to look at Nina. Nina was not considered a beauty, but she was quite charming. She had caught his attention. "What are you looking at? Do you think I have no idea what''s in your mind? Our brother, Tyrone, is still in there!" Larry looked at Keith with a disdainful look. Keith''s mind was somewhere else just because of that woman. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. "Larry, you said that Tyrone will be fine." Keith then walked toward Nina. Chapter 1876 Larry looked at his brother with a disappointed look on his face. Keith was not bothered about it. He walked toward Nina and sat down beside her. Nina did not look up. She moved to another empty seat beside her. Keith noticed it and did not lean in closer to her. He continued to talk to her, ¡°Hey, my brother is seriously injured. Your brother will have to go to prison if we make a big deal out of it." "Don''t worry. We''ll take responsibility for this." Nina lowered her head. Although she was stubborn, she was secretly praying for Tyrone and hoping that he would be fine. "Of course. Your brother will have to pay for the medical bills andpensate Tyrone as he won¡¯t be able to work during this period. But I think we should discuss how to handle this and how much you have to pay. Do you get me? Although the one in the operating room is my cousin, I''m the only educated person in the whole family. Everyone listens to me, so I''ll be the one in charge of this matter." Keith hinted at Nina, telling her that he had the right to deal with this matter. Nina was not dumb either. She knew what Keith meant, but she refused to answer him. Keith stroked his chin when Nina remained silent. He thought it was humiliating, but he refused to give up so easily. Keith thought that if anything happened to Tyrone, Nina and her family would have to bear the responsibility for the rest of their lives. No matter how reluctant this woman was, he would eventually get her. "Of course, I hope my brother will be alright. Uh, why don¡¯t I get your contact details? If there¡¯s anything we need to discuss after this, I can give you a call." Keith took his phone out and opened his QR code, thinking of sending Nina a friend request. "You can have my secretary¡¯s contact details. And you can call him if there¡¯s anything else you need," Percy trotted toward them and said with a cold face. It was quiet at night in the hospital, especially in front of the operating room. Percy could hear Keith hitting on Nina the moment he walked out of the elevator. Percy knew Nina would ignore such men, but he was still mad about it. How dare these men try to flirt with his woman? Keith lifted his head and looked at the man who suddenly came out of nowhere. He frowned and asked, "Who are you? Are you that bastard''s rtive?" T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Nina looked at Percy who rushed here. He was all travel-worn and weary with some frost on him. She stood up and walked toward Percy. She held Percy''s hand. His hand was not warm but it gave her strength. Percy lowered his head and looked at her. He stroked Nina''s hair gently and said to Keith, "I''m her fiance. Let me handle this." Keith narrowed his eyes while sizing Percy up. Percy looked familiar, but he was not of the same social status as Keith. That was why Keith could not remember who he was at that moment. However, judging from Percy''s aura and his looks, his clothes, as well as the watch he was wearing, Keith knew that he was a wealthy man... Keith was a little disappointed. There was no way Nina would fall for him if she had a boyfriend like him. However, the man had told him that they could look for him if anything happened. That would indicate that an easy mark hade to them himself. Although Keith did not manage to get the woman, it seemed pretty good to have this man shoulder the responsibility. Keith was secretly rejoicing as he said, "Since you said that you''ll be responsible for this matter, then just give me the contact details of the person you told me just now. Don''t even think of running away from this. It was her brother''s fault." Percy turned to look behind him. His assistant hurried toward him and handed him the key. "Boss, I''ve parked your car." Percy''s assistant had been working overtime with Percy at the office. Percy dragged him along to the hospital when he received Nina''s message. Percy could not wait to get out of the car the moment they reached the hospital. He asked his assistant to park the car and ran into the hospital in such cold weather. "Give him your name card." Percy kept it short and simple. The assistant took the business card holder out of his pocket and took out his name card. Then, he handed it to Keith. "Sir, please contact me if there''s anything else you need after this." Keith nced at the name card and lifted his head after he found out Percy''s identity. Keith could not help but smile. An easy mark, indeed. It looked like it was the right choice for Tyrone to get into a fight. "Alright. I''ll look for you. You''ll have topensate my cousin and be held liable if anything happens to him." Keith kept the name card carefully and strolled to Larry''s side. Larry looked at his brother. He frowned and asked, "Who''s that man over there?" "Larry, Tyrone didn''t get injured for nothing this time." Keith took the name card out of his pocket and showed it to Larry. Larry rxed his furrowed brows once he saw the name card. He had nned on making a fortune no matter what happened to Tyrone in the operating room. However, when he noticed that Nina was just a white-cored worker, he was worried that she would not have that much money. It would be difficult for him to ckmail her. He did not expect she had such a big shot behind her. They could celebrate New Year''s happily this time! "Keep the name card. Don''t lose it." Larry reminded Keith. ¡°I won''t. I''ll take a photo of it too," said Keith. He picked up his phone and took a photo of the name card. Even if they lost the name card, he would still have the secretary''s contact details on his phone. Nina frowned when she heard the conversation between the two brothers. She had only thought of asking Percy to keep herpany when she asked him toe over. After all, these men did not look friendly to her. She did not expect Percy to take up the responsibility. It was Jean who messed things up. Percy had nothing to do with it. Nina squeezed Percy''s hand. Percy was able to understand what Nina was thinking about with just a small gesture and without any words after being together with her for years. He lowered his head and looked at Nina gently, a far cry from how was usually cold to others. "It''s alright. Leave it to me," said Percy. Even though it was Jean who caused this trouble, how could Percy let Nina bear this alone? "You don''t have to take up the responsibility," Nina said in a soft voice. "It''s alright. I don''t want you to see you tired." Percy put his arms around Nina and hugged her. "You must be sleepy. Why don''t you go home and get some rest?" Nina shook her head. "I''m waiting for his operation to end. I''m still a little worried." Jean would have murdered someone if the person in the operating room could not survive the operation. Even if Tyrone''s family took the money from them, Jean would still have to carry the legal responsibility. "Alright." Percy nodded. "Dr. Park is pretty good, right? He''ll be able to bring that man back to life." Ninaforted herself while she held Percy''s hand tightly. Percy''s hand was getting warmer. "Yes. He''s good," said Percy. He seldom praised anyone, but he was genuinely impressed with Johann''s medical skills. Nina nodded and leaned on Percy''s shoulder as they waited for the operation to end. She could not imagine how Anna would freak out if Jean was thrown into prison again. Chapter 1877 Staying In A Single Ward Three hourster, Johann and another doctor walked out of the operating room. The nurse beside them called out, ¡°Is Tyrone''s family here?" Keith and Larry helped Aunt Jenny up. They brought her to the door of the operating room. Nina stood up too when she heard it, and she came forward. Johann nced at Percy and Nina. He slightly nodded his head to greet them. Nina looked at Johann''s expression, unable to figure out whether or not the surgery had seeded. She was so nervous that she squeezed Percy''s hand. "Tyrone''s surgery was a sess. We sessfully extracted the ss shards out of his brain while removing the blood clots. But the patient''s wounds areplicated. We still need to transfer him to the ICU for another 24 hours of observation. We''ll only transfer him to the general ward if there''s nothing wrong with him," said Johann. There was no expression on his face when he said that. After bing a doctor for such a long time, Johann''s face was expressionless even if the surgery was a sess. "Really? Doc, can I go in there and take a look at my son?" Aunt Jenny was still worried. Johann shook his head. "It''s not the ICU''s visiting hours now. You''ll have to wait until the working hours tomorrow. Only then will the ICU will allow family members to visit the patient. And be sure not to leave first. It''d be better to have one of the family members here. We''ll need someone to decide for the patient if anything happens." "Alright, alright. I''m staying here." Aunt Jenny took the initiative to stay as she was worried about her son''s condition. Johann shot Percy a nce after he said what he had to, then left. The nurse cleared her throat and said, "Excuse me, the amount of money in the patient''s bank ount that was provided earlier doesn''t seem to contain enough money. It''d be better if his family members could deposit some money into the ount." "Leave it to me," said Nina. She knew that no matter who paid for the medical bills first, she would be the one who would pay for them eventually. That was why she took the initiative to say that. "Just bring your card there." After that, the nurse showed the ss shards that were removed from Tyrone''s brain. They were bright green-colored ss shards. Nina fell silent when she saw that. "These are the ss shards that were removed from the patient''s brain. Please take a look at them," said the nurse. Aunt Jenny suddenly burst into tears when she saw blood on the ss shards. ¡°Oh my goodness. It must''ve been so painful to have such sharp ss shards pierced into his brain." Keith turned around and nced at Nina. He gave up the thought of hitting on her once he knew she had such a rich boyfriend. Hence, he viciously handed Tyrone''s card to Nina and said, "Here you go." Nina wanted to take it from him, but Percy grabbed her hand and nced at his assistant beside him. "Do it." The assistant nodded and took the card from Keith. Then, he headed to the payment counter. Nina lifted her head, looked at Percy, and said, "I''d like to visit my brother." "Sure." Percy nodded and left the operating room together with Nina. The Hugh brothers did not put Nina on the spot as someone else would be responsible for this matter. Nina was informed by the nurse that Jean had already been sent to the ward. Nina and Percy headed upstairs after knowing which ward he was in. Jean was sent to a ward that could amodate six patients as there was no special request for other arrangements. The patients were already resting on their beds when Percy pushed the door open. Nina realized that she might disturb the other patients if she came to look for Jean like this. They would certainly fight with each other every time they met. Hence, Nina grabbed Percy''s hand and shook her head. Percy exited the ward, closed the door, and looked at her. Nina said in a low voice, "I''lle again tomorrow." "Alright." Percy nodded and left the ward with Nina. Nina sat in Percy''s car, looking outside the window. The trees and nts had turned yellow, and leaves had fallen from the trees. She was able to see ayer of frost on the tree branches if she took a closer look. Nina thought it would snow soon. "How much are Tyrone''s medical bills? Can you give me a number?" Nina said. Percy raised his brows and asked, "That''s how you want to do it?" "Yes. Please let me know. Otherwise, I think I''d better follow up with this myself." Nina did not want to take advantage of Percy even though it was no secret that she was in a rtionship with Percy. Percy let out a sigh helplessly. "I think I should marry you sooner." "Huh?" Nina blushed when she heard what he said. "The only way to stop you from drawing a fine line between us regarding certain things is for me to marry you. Nina, everything I have is yours too," said Percy. He did not like Nina being too particr at differentiating things between him and her. However, he had no choice but to let Nina do what she wanted since she insisted on doing so. The only thing he could do to change the situation now was to make Nina his wife. It seemed like Percy had to bring Nina to the city hall to register their marriage once he was done with his work. He would tie her up and bring her there if she refused to go with him. "I never said that I was going to marry you," Nina mumbled in a low voice. However, it warmed her heart when she heard that Percy was nning to marry her. It seemed like winter was not so bad at all. ¡°Who are you going to marry if you don''t marry me?" Percy asked in a serious voice. ¡°I''m not marrying anyone," said Nina, ying hard to get. "You can''t say no to me when the timees. Wait until I finish my work and I''ll bring you to the city hall. I''ll tie you up and bring you there if you refuse to go with me," Percy said domineeringly. Nina felt helpless as she shook her head, but she did not say a word. She looked outside the window. The bliss in her slowly filled her troubled mind. It felt good to have Percy beside her... The next day. Nina prepared breakfast for Percy with the maid''s help after she woke up in the morning. After the two of them had breakfast together, Nina said, "I''m going to the hospital today." T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Sure. Call me if anything happens," replied Percy. The hustle and bustle of the hospital had returned in the morning. It was as though Nina was in another worldpared to the silence at night. Nina went to ask the nurse about Tyrone''s condition first. Nina let out a sigh of relief after she found out that Tyrone was doing well in the ICU. Then, she headed to Jean''s ward. Jean was eating the breakfast that the hospital had delivered to him this morning. He looked at the noisy surroundings and frowned, feeling dissatisfied. He was secretly ming Nina for not making better arrangements for him and letting him sleep in such a cheap ward. Nina walked in and saw Jean on his ward bed with a bandage around his head. His face was injured too. Still, he looked energetic. Nina immediately got furious. Jean could not be bothered when he saw her expression and just said directly, ¡°d that you''re here. Transfer me to another ward. I don''t need a single room ward. A ward with two or three patients will do." Nina raised her brows while looking at his breakfast on the table. She said, ¡°Well, I think this ward suits you more." ¡°What are you talking about? It''s noisy here," said Jean. He could not get along with the other patients and wanted to be transferred to another ward. "There''s no need to. The police officers will be here to look for you soon. You''ll be staying in the single ward after that." Nina said coldly. Chapter 1878 The two words said by the police scared Jean and diminished his arrogance. The food in his hand fell back onto his te. He fumbled about and asked Nina, "Tyrone is dead?¡± ¡°You injured him so badly. Even the ss was smashed into his head. What did you think would happen?¡± Nina got mad when she saw Jean''s terrified expression. She had never asked for him to be rich. Actually, as long as he took things seriously, he would not have a problem earning enough for his living expenses. However, he had disappointed her. "What''s wrong? Are you scared now? Why didn''t you think of the consequences when you smashed his head so forcefully back then?" Suddenly, Jean''s eyes became red. Tyrone was dead. Even if he was willing to pay thepensation, he would not be able to escape from thew... "It wasn''t my intention to hit him so hard. It was Marie. She kept inciting me.¡± Jean wanted to push all the me on Marie. Nina got even angrier when she saw Jean''s childish behavior. He even mentioned Marie. "Marie had let you down in the past, so why can''t you be more mature now? Just because she incited you, you had to go along with it? If Marie asks you tomit suicide, will you blindly do so as well?" Jean could not be bothered about Nina''s lecture. He was only thinking about how he could not afford to be imprisoned. He held Nina''s hand. "Nina, I''m your brother. I can''t go to prison. You must look for Percy and help me out of this situation. From now on, I won''t get involved in anything rted to Marie. I''m your brother, and our mother is still expecting me to get a job to cover her living expenses! I can''t go to prison now." He had once tasted life in prison, and he did not want to experience it again. The other patients in the ward watched this scene, and none of them made a single noise. As Nina was talking, her eyes turned red. "You''d better pray hard that Tyrone is alright. Otherwise, I''m afraid even Percy won''t be able to help you out." Jean was dumbfounded and looked at her. "What do you mean? Are you saying he''s not dead yet?" "He''s in the ICU now. We have yet to know what''s going to happen in the future. I''m guessing that the police will be here to question you in a while more. You should be more alert.¡± Nina coldly took her hand away and turned around to leave. "Nina, Nina!" Jean was afraid to face the police. After all, Tyrone was still in the ICU. Later when the police showed up, he would definitely be sent to an istion ward. However, that ward was not the luxurious type and was more of a ce of torture. Jean was not willing to go through that and wanted to get Nina to hire a goodwyer to settle this issue. However, Nina did not turn around and immediately left the ward. Jean was disappointed. He wanted to get out of bed to stop her, but the pain in his leg was unbearable. He wanted to get out of bed but could not do so. After Nina left Jean''s ward, she took a deep breath and walked toward Anna''s ward. Anna had always thought that Jean had a bright future ahead, but ultimately, he was the one who destroyed his own future. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ''And all of this has to do with Anna''s pampering...'' Nina entered Anna''s ward. At that moment, Anna was having her breakfast with the nurse''s help. She looked sideways at Nina when she saw hering into the ward and did not say a word. The nurse beside her greeted Nina warmly. "You''re here, Ms. Nina." "Yeah." Nina nodded and looked at Anna, who was looking back at her with a cold expression. She felt bitter deep in her heart, but she would never express it. That was because Anna would not listen to whatever she said and would not understand her feelings. Between Nina and Jean, she was just someone Anna asked for money from. Nina looked at Anna, who would not even spare her a nce. She thought perhaps thetter was still mad at her for withdrawing the additional cash from the bank ount. However, she would not apologize for it as she was not at fault. Nina sat on the chair and waited for Anna to finish her breakfast. Seeing that Nina was staying, Anna intentionally slowed down her eating pace. However, no matter how slowly she ate, she would eventually have to finish it. After Anna was done eating breakfast, the nurse then cleaned up the cutleries. Nina then spoke to end the silence, "Jean got himself involved in a crime yesterday." This was her very first time talking to Anna after so many days. Anna could not help but reply when she heard Nina''s words, "Why are you talking about Jean? He''s your brother. Oh, so now that you''re together with a rich man, do you think so highly of yourself that you''re not going acknowledge your own brother? Is that so?" Nina took a deep breath. Anna and Jean just thought that since she had gotten together with Percy, it was only right that she improve their lifestyle as she no longer needed to worry about food and clothing. ''They said Voldemort is scary, but having such a brother is quite scary too.'' Anna added when Nina did not respond, ¡°If you have what it takes, then don''t acknowledge me as your mother. From now on, we''ll just be strangers!" "Are you sure about that?" Nina clenched her fists as she did not wish to quarrel in public. However, Anna''s attitude made her utterly disgruntled. Anna got a little scared when she saw Nina''s reaction. However, she did not think that Nina could really disregard her, so she was stubborn and said, "Yes. After all, I don''t have such an unfilial daughter like you!" "So you''re saying that without me, Jean can afford to pay for all of your medical fees?" Nina got up and looked at Anna from above. She had long ago been disappointed with Anna. "At the very least, your brother is not as heartless as you are. Besides, he used to study abroad, so he can get any job he wants," Anna said, thinking that her son was the most excellent. Even though he was once imprisoned, it was also because he was framed by Bianca. "Oh really? If he''s that excellent, why hasn''t he gotten a job after being released from prison? Why is he still together with a woman like Marie? Why did he disregard everything and beat someone up until that person is disabled? So, this is your good son, huh? If you think he has what it takes to look after you, then I''ll let him take good care of you." Nina initially came over to tell her that Jean had injured someone and might be in deep trouble, so she might not be able to look after Anna in the meantime. However, after being triggered by Anna, she revealed the entire incident. Anna looked at Nina, astonished. "What did you say?" "I said that your good son, Jean, beat up someone after being incited by Marie. That guy is currently in ICU. That guy has yet to get over the life-threatening crisis. Besides, Jean is penniless. He can''t even afford to pay for his own medical fees, yet he now has to cover the victim''s medical fees. Actually, what you said is right. Your son is indeed excellent. He''s really excellent at giving money to other people. Since he''s so capable, why doesn''t he go to the poverty-stricken areas to help the poor? Why is he here causing so much trouble?" Nina was agitated. Anna''s expression was pale and awful. She shook her head and looked at Nina with a disgusted look. "You terrible woman, you must be lying to me. Why are you cursing my son?" Chapter 1879 Nina''s eyes shed with disappointment. In her eyes, Jean was her son but she was not her daughter... "Whether or not I''m lying to you, you''ll soon know the truth. In the afternoon, ask the nurse to push you to the hospital''s detention ward. That''s when you''ll know whether or not I''m lying to you." Nina spun around and left the ward after speaking. Anna''s cursing could be heard from behind. Nina was not willing to listen and was not bothered by it. From childhood all the way to adulthood, she had only ever held a ce in Anna''s heart when Jean was still doing alright. When Jean started walking a crooked path, her status in Anna''s eyes starting falling as well. She could not understand. She had given everything she had to Jean, including the chance to further her studies. He ultimately failed to be a good person, yet Anna pushed all the me on Nina. ''Why is this happening to me? Is it because I''m not a son?'' Nina felt her limbs weaken. She sat on the long bench along the corridor of the hospital and took a deep breath. The thought of it made her sigh helplessly. Her phone rang, and Nina answered the call. "Hello?" "Hi, I''m calling from the public security bureau. We''re informing you that we''ve moved Jean into the detention ward where he will continue to receive his treatment. Please take note of the visiting hours and location if you wish to visit him." A man''s voice was heard. "Alright, got it." Nina hung up the call. There were specific hours to visit someone who was in the detention ward. If she did not follow the timing, she would not be able to visit Jean. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Currently, she was clueless about what to do next. All she could do was wait for Tyrone to get out of the life-threatening crisis before thinking of her next step. She wanted to seize the chance to peacefully reach a settlement for Jean''s sake. As soon as she hung up the call, Nina''s phone rang once again. This time, it was a number she was unfamiliar with. She answered, "Hello?" "Hi, are you Jean''s younger sister?" The one speaking was obviously not a police officer. They had an aggressive tone. "I am. You are..." Nina asked. "I''m from NX bar. Last night, your brother Jean came to my ce to have some liquor andter got into a fight with another guy. He destroyed a lot of things in the bar. Besides, he didn''t pay the bill for the liquor he had either. I got some people to ask the police and there''s no doubt everything is Jean''s fault. So, let''s not dy things or go through the formal procedures as it''ll affect my business and the renovation work that needs to be done. Let''s just settle this privately, alright?¡± the guy said. ''Settle it privately? ''If we can privately settle Tyrone''s issue, we can definitely settle the bar''s issue privately too.'' "I''ll have no problems if thepensation amount that you suggest is reasonable,¡± Nina put forward the condition. She had been in the business field for so many years. Even though she had been well protected by Percy, she would not be easily fooled by others. "It''s a deal. I''ve asked someone else to do the calction. You maye over and I''ll slowly exin it to you. Rest assured, I''m just following the market price. I won''t raise the price too high. Besides, there''s surveince footage as proof. I wouldn''t simply use your brother," said the person from NX Bar. Nina lowered her eyes and agreed to it. "Alright. I''ll go over right now." After ending the call, she checked the location of NX Bar. She came to an understanding once she got to know the street the bar was located. Indeed, Jean did not have too much cash on him that he could go to high-end bars. For a bar like this, thepensation wouldn''t be too much. She thought that she did not need to inform Percy about this and would be able to settle it on her own. After thinking about it, she immediately drove her car toward NX Bar. Upon arriving at the entrance of the bar, she parked her car and took a nce at the street full of bars. However, since it was broad daylight, there were not many people. NX Bar was open only because the owner wanted to negotiate thepensation matters with Nina. Nina went over but did not enter directly as she still had her guard raised. She just stood at the entrance and asked, "Is there anyone inside?" After some time, a middle-aged man with a belly came out. He had a cigarette in his mouth. He looked at Nina from head to toe before asking, "So, you''re Jean''s younger sister?" "Yes." Nina nodded. The man then looked at the car Nina drove. It was just a worn-down car. She did not seem to be a rich person like what Marie had described. "Is that your car?" The man asked once again. "Yes." Nina turned around and said while nodding her head. "Can you afford to pay thepensation when all you''re driving is that car?" The man was curious. ''Am I being fooled by Marie?'' However, nothing good woulde about by fooling him. After all, how much money he got from this would affect Marie''s share. "Your bar doesn''t seem to be a high-end bar as well. We won''t know whether or not I''m able to pay the compensation if we don''t discuss it first." Nina was starting to be impatient. ''If he''s judging whether or not I can pay thepensation by looking at the car I''m driving, it means there''s a chance this might be a scam.'' She felt fortunate that she had insisted on not driving a luxurious car when she got back together with Percy. Instead, she chose to continue driving her worn-down car. Otherwise, if she were to drive one of Percy''s luxurious cars, the man would certainly ask for a bigger amount. "Sure. Let''s go in and talk about it." The man threw the cigarette butt and casually stepped on it, putting out the me. Nina did not take a step and just said, "I think we should just talk outside here." The man turned around and looked at her. He smirked and said, "What''s wrong? Are you afraid I might do something to you?" "The lighting outside here is much better." Nina did not tell the truth, but the man knew what she really meant. The man frowned and got irritated. "I can show you the bills, but if you need proof, I still have to go in and get it. It''s very troublesome." "Well, I have lots of time. Besides, you can just show me the bills and proof. I''ll check them out myself. If there''s no issue, I''ll pay you thepensation," Nina said, determined. "Alright, alright. I''ll go in and get the things for you now. You''re so troublesome." The man spun around and entered the bar. He entered the office and took out the list that he hadpiled overnight. Marie sat on the sofa and asked after seeing his actions, "How''s it going? She''s quite easy to scam right?" "What do you mean by easy to scam? She doesn''t want to enter the bar and insists on checking the things outside. She''s afraid she''ll suffer a loss. Also, she''s driving a worn-down car. Say, do you think she''ll be able to pay this price?" the man got worried and said. "Don''t worry. She''ll be able to pay for it. It''s true she doesn''t have money, but her boyfriend does. He''s the head of the Mallory family. You know him, don''t you? That one or two boxes of genuine wine in your bar was imported by the branch office of theirpany," said Marie arrogantly. She knew that Nina had a very good rtionship with Percy. Hence, she incited Jean to get into a fight. As long as the things in the bar were destroyed, he would need to paypensation. Then, Marie would be able to get amission from the bar owner. That was her way of earning money. She had made money plenty of times using this method. She incited Jean to destroy more items because she knew Nina had Percy backing her. However, never would she think that Jean, who looked so fragile, would beat someone up so badly. He nearly dragged her into deep trouble after almost beating someone to death. Chapter 1880 "The girlfriend of Mr. Mallory from Mallory Corporation drives such a shabby car? Don''t try to fool me.¡± The man raised his finger and pointed at Marie, warning her. "Don''t worry, I''m not fooling you. That woman is very ordinary, but she lives a very good life. Percy has already announced their rtionship during a press conference. Don''t worry about anything else. You''ll definitely get money out of her.¡± As Marie spoke, she was inwardly feeling jealous. ''With just Nina''s mediocre looks, she was able to make Percy fall so hard for her. ''I wonder if it''s because she learned how to seduce men from Bianca that she has the skills to get her hands on such a wealthy guy.'' "Alright. Let me show her the list," the man said and left the office. Nina was still standing outside the entrance. The man came to the entrance and passed the list to her. "This is the list I prepared yesterday. The first three pages list down the property damage after your brother fought with others. Thest three pages list down my other losses due to your brother''s fight, such as causing a few of my customers to leave without paying the bills, the liquors, and the tips for the staff. Logically speaking, your brother should be the one to take full responsibility for all these." Nina looked at the six-page list. She took it and casually flipped through it. "He destroyed these many things?" "Of course. There are surveince cameras here too. I''m not wrongfully using your brother." The man took out a cigarette, ced it in his mouth, and lit it up. "I''m telling you, don''t ever think that fighting is just like what''s depicted in TV shows where you just pick up a wine bottle and swing it everywhere. He was quite drunkst night, and he was just like a mad dog. I got a few staff members to stop him but it was to no avail. He continued to kick and punch that guy. He even destroyed a few tables and chairs. I just bought them not too long ago, and they were all high-quality goods. Also, he indirectly injured some of my staff members too. Now, they''re all taking a break due to work-rted injuries. I still have to pay them their sry despite them being on leave. And as for the medical fees, I don''t think it''s right for you to expect me to bear all the cost myself, right?¡± Nina nced at the long list that stated the amount ofpensation. Moreover, the price tags shown for the tables and chairs, as well as the cost of other facilities, were extraordinarily expensive. ''This bar doesn''t look like it can afford these things in the first ce.'' She took a nce at the interior. The man noticed her action and stepped aside, asking, "What''s wrong? Do you want to go in and have a look?" Nina saw that it was pitch-ck inside. The lights were not switched on. She shook her head and said, "No thanks. I''ll need some time to go through it. I''ll discuss it with you again after I''m done, okay?" "Of course. Say, you''re Mr. Mallory''s girlfriend. You definitely won''t run away from paying the compensation. Besides, even if you do try to escape from this, I can just look for your brother or even Mr. Mallory, right?¡± The man smiled. Nina frowned. ''How does he know about that?'' Even though Percy had announced their rtionship during the press conference, it was not like the entire city knew about it. In the eyes of many people, she was just an ordinary person. Even though she was puzzled, she did not say a word. She took out a name card from her pocket. "I need a copy of the surveince footage. Can you please send it to the address stated here?" The guy squinted his eyes and looked at it. He nodded. "Alright, I''ll have someone send it overter. You''d better take action fast. I renovated my bar, so I''m short on cash now. After your brother caused this huge mess, it''s going to be even more troublesome to renovate it again." "I''ll get to it as soon as possible." After speaking, Nina took the list and walked to the side of the car. She got into the driver''s seat and ignited the engine before driving away. She did not immediately pay for thepensation as she had doubts. Jean had just gotten into a fight. Was it possible for him to have broken so many things? Just from reading the items on the list, it made it seem as though Jean had destroyed the entire bar. However, he was alone at the time. How could he have done such extensive damage... After thinking about it, she called thepany''s ountant. She would leave it to the experts to handle as it was rted to finance. She nned to use thepany''s resources for personal purposes and get thepany''s ountant to help her do the calction. On the other hand. Luca looked at the time, and it was already noon. She had looked up the relevant information and found out that a few flights would be arriving in A City from South Korea. However, ording to Luke''s character, he would most likely choose the earliest flight. If he had really boarded the earliest flight, Luke would have already safelynded by now. Perhaps he might be on his way to thepany. She got up and took a deep breath. After a day and two nights, the injury on her waist had almost recovered. She was not afraid that the wound might bleed when she did some movements. Seeing that there were still many documents that needed to be tranted, Luca decided to head downstairs for lunch before continuing to work. She arrived downstairs, and when she was just about to exit thepany, she saw Enoch. Luca frowned, knowing he was here to seek trouble with her. Hence, she wanted to turn around to leave. Enoch saw her and picked up his pace. ¡°Luca, Luca." He shouted twice, and it attracted most of the employees'' attention. Luca noticed that the employees'' gazes were directed toward her. If she were to leave now, she would look like someone who was escaping from her creditor. She had no choice but to head straight. She maintained a distance away from Enoch and looked at him coldly. "What brings you here, Mr. Campbell?" Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Luca, I was in the wrong and have caused you a lot of trouble. I''ve thought about it. Even if we can''t be a couple, we can still be friends and keep in touch from now on, right? I came here today just to apologize to you. Look, I even bought you a present." Enoch gave her the present. Luca looked at the present he wanted to give her. The logo on the bag was a luxurious brand that white-cor workers nowadays loved. It seemed to be a bag. "I ept your apology, but I don''t need the gift. I still have things to do, so I''m leaving now," Luca said as she walked away. Enoch disregarded the gazes of others and held onto Luca. "Your attitude just shows that you''re still mad at me!" He got anxious. After thinking for a few days, he still thought that Luca was the best. Since Queenie had already said that she had nothing to do with Luke, he would just have to put in more effort and get closer to her as a friend first. If he found out that she was indeed in a rtionship with Luke, he would then expose it. Otherwise, he would pursue her! Luca was mad and pulled her hand away. Her movement was too big, causing her wound to tear open. It made her frown. "Mr. Campbell, if you''re going to keep behaving like this, I''ll call for security.¡± "Luca, I just want to be friends with you. Why would you call for security?" Enoch pretended to be puzzled. He did not think that his actions were considered harassment. Tina came out of the elevator at this moment and saw Enoch. She barked softly, "Damn it! Why is it this guy again? Dr. Craw is so unlucky." "What''s wrong?" A colleague looked at her. Tina did not say a word and immediately headed straight over. She shielded Luca behind her. "Sir, do you have an appointment?" Enoch looked at Tina and recognized her to be the woman from before. He frowned and said in an irritated tone, "What appointment?" Chapter 1881 "So, you don''t have an appointment. Security, please get this guy out of here. If he still shows up here after this, just continue to chase him out.¡± Tina was much harsher than Luca. "Understood." A security guard at the side had seen how Enoch was pestering Luca and was also prepared to make a move. However, since Luca had not given any orders, he did not dare to take any action as it was possible they could be a couple who was arguing. After all, he did not dare to offend Luca. Enoch took a step back when he saw the security guard walking toward him. He looked at Luca and said, "Luca, don''t you dare take things too far. If it wasn''t for Mr. Norman, I wouldn''t even have my eyes on you!¡± Luca''s face was scarlet as she was mad at what Enoch said. If it were not for the crowd watching them, perhaps she would have stepped forward and taught this shameless man a lesson. "You''re just frustrated because you can''t get her. Dr. Craw won''t ever like you. Even if you get tons of big shots to support you, she still won''t even spare you a nce. Get lost!¡± Tina seldom spoke such harsh and feisty words to others. Even though Enoch''s attitude did not affect her, she could not help but give him a lecture. To be lectured by a woman in front of a crowd made Enoch utterly ashamed. He stomped his way out of the building. The employees surrounding them were still standing on the same spot. With a cold expression, Tina said, ¡°Why are you guys still standing here? Do you guys think that you have too much time during lunch break?¡± After being reminded by Tina, the employees hurriedly walked away and dispersed from the scene. Luca was so mad that her face had be pale. The previous time Enoch blocked her way, no one had been there to witness it. Besides, Tina was trustworthy. Hence, that incident did not reach the ears of others. However, the current incident was different. With so many people having observed what went down, it was almost guaranteed that the entirepany would soon learn about it. She felt a slight headacheing on. If Luke found out about it, what would he think? Tina noticed that Luca was not looking too good and ced her hand over Luca''s shoulder. She squeezed her shoulder andforted Luca, saying, "It''s alright. Why don''t you head upstairs to get some rest? What do you want for lunch? I''ll go get it for you." "I''ll just have the same as you." After being pestered by Enoch, Luca no longer had the appetite to have lunch. "Alright." Tina nodded and headed toward the door of thepany building. Luca took the elevator and headed upstairs. The entire T Corporation resumed its usual routine. None of them noticed that Luke''s personal elevator was slowly traveling up from the first floor, going all the way to the top. In the elevator, Luke''s expression was very dark. He had just rushed back from the airport. He was on the first floor because the driver had dropped him off there. As soon as he entered the elevator, he had heard amotion. A man had yelled out Luca''s name twice in a row. "Have you been hiding certain things that have happened in thepany from me?" Luke was looking at Jason with a cold re. Jason fumbled, shook his head, and said, "Sir, I''ve already reported everything that has happened in thepany." "Then what about previously?" Luke continued questioning. He had seen the scene from earlier, and it seemed like it was not the first time that guy had pestered Luca. Perhaps they both knew each other from a long time ago. However, how did Lucae to know that guy? "Are you referring to Dr. Craw and the guy with thest name Campbell?" Jason asked. "Obviously," Luke said coldly. Jason shuddered as he knew things could not be kept a secret anymore after Luke had seen the scene. He had no choice but to say, "Previously, Dr. Craw was arranged to attend a blind date, but I''m not too sure what really happened. I think it''s best if you ask Tina about this." "Blind date? Who''s the one who arranged it?" Luke continued questioning. "I''m not sure..." Jason clenched his fists, his palms starting to sweat. It was unavoidable as his boss was way too domineering. Whenever something had to do with Luca, Luke would be even more domineering. "This is Dr. Craw''s personal issue, so I don''t know anything about it." "That man mentioned Mr. Norman just now, didn''t he?" Even though Luke had been in the elevator, he was pressing the hold button. Hence, he was able to clearly listen to all the voices outside. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. "I guess so." Jason was feeling guilty being questioned like this. He was not in the wrong, yet it seemed like he had done something wrong. He just stood there, where he continued to be interrogated by Luke. Was Mr. Norman not his boss'' father-inw? Could it be that it was really Mr. Norman who arranged for Dr. Craw to go on a blind date? If that was really the case, Luke would not go confront his father-inw about this, right? That would truly offend the Norman family. Jason was worried that Luke might actually do it, and it would lead to his future being ruined. Even though Luke would usually settle things calmly and in aposed manner, it was different when things were rted to Luca. When the elevator arrived on the floor, Luke stepped out and walked to the door of his office. He then said, "When Tina''s back, ask her toe to my office." "Yes, sir." Jason dared not take it lightly. After Luke entered the office, he helped Luke adjust the heater''s temperature before closing the door. Then, he sent Tina a message. [After you have your lunch, please make a trip to Mr. Crawford''s office.] He sent the message. After a moment, Tina replied. [The boss is back?] [Yes, and he even overheard the incident that took ce in the main lobby.] Jason warned Tina. [Oh, right. It seems like he''s not in a good mood. I advise you not to hide anything on behalf of Dr. Craw. Juste clean about everything.] [Oh my God! What''s with the coincidence? And how does he know that I...] After Tina sent the message, she felt terrified and sent a whole row of crying emojis to Jason. [Mr. Crawford asked me about it, but you know more than I do.] Jason replied honestly. [Mr. Doyle, how could you betray me?! If Mr. Crawford learns that I''ve hidden so many things from him, that''s the end of it for me. Is today my death sentence?] Tina cried and changed her mind. She quickly asked the waiter to pack up the two sets of meals that she ordered so she could have them as takeaway. [What could I have done about it? Mr. Crawford had already heard the exchange that took ce in the lobby. If you say that you don''t know anything, he won''t buy it. Don''t worry. At most, he''ll just put on a dark expression. He won''t do anything to you.] Jasonforted her. After all, Tina was a good assistant to Luke. Besides, this matter was about Luca, so Luke would not simply go around firing others. If Luca knew Luke had done such a thing, his image as the boss would be ruined. Besides, the boss would not want to see Luca feeling guilty. [I''ll head back once I get my lunch.] Tina covered her face and was feeling troubled by the thought of Luke telling her toe clean to him with a dark look on his face. To avoid getting punished, she had no choice but to let Luca down. Initially, she had promised to keep it a secret, but since Luke had started to have questions, she needed to protect herself first. Zoey came over and became a busybody, asking, "Tina, what''s going on with Dr. Craw''s issue?" "What are you talking about? Why are you asking me about it?" Tina did not have a pleasant expression on her face, and her tone was harsh. Zoey was puzzled after being sted. "Earlier, we all saw you protecting Dr. Craw. Who''s that guy?" Chapter 1882 Tina felt frustrated listening to Zoey''s nagging and reminded her, saying, "Ms. Davis, Dr. Craw is your superior." Zoey was dumbfounded. It was because Tina was always easy to talk to that Zoey decided to get insider news from her. "Uhh, Tina..." Zoey wanted to exin. "As an employee, if you go around looking to get gossip about your superior, you''ll only cause others to be dissatisfied with you. It''s not like you''re a newbie who had just entered the workforce either, so you should already know this,¡± Tina said. In the past, Zoey was never the type to do things without thinking twice. It was probably because she mingled too much with Jenni and turned out like this. "I''m sorry for being a busybody, Tina." After being lectured, Zoey''s back had started breaking out in a cold sweat. The waiter came over while carrying meal sets that had been wrapped up for takeaway. Tina took hers, looked at Zoey, and reminded her again. "Don''t ever be used by others without you realizing it." "Got it." Zoey noticed Tina was serious and dared not say too much at that moment. It was Jenni who had encouraged her to approach Tina and get insider news. She was a busybody and got lost in her thoughts, which was how she ended up approaching Tina. After listening to Tina''s strict lecture, Zoey noticed she had done something she should not have. After Tina left, Zoey returned to her table while feeling down. Before she even sat down, Jenni came over to gossip with her. ¡°How did it go? What did Tina say?" Zoey looked at Jenni with some resentment. If she had not listened to Jenni, she would not have gotten lectured by Tina. The thought of it made her mood sink lower. Jenni got anxious and pestered her, saying, "Come on, say something. What did Tina tell you?¡± "She didn''t say anything." Feeling sad, Zoey picked up her milk tea and took a sip of it. Jenni looked at her, feeling suspicious. "She didn''t say anything? How is that possible? I saw you two speaking for a long while." Zoey still did not say a word. Jenni got mad and said, "We''re besties. I''ve been taking good care of you during work. Now that you''ve found out something but you''re not telling me, don''t you think it''s inappropriate of you?¡± "Ms. Lynn, Dr. Craw is my superior!" After being pestered by Jenni, Zoey lost her temper and pushed her milk tea on the table. She exerted a little too much force, so the cup produced a small sound when it came into contact with the table. Jenni was stunned and bit her lip. She stared at Zoey for some time before asking, "What are you trying to say?" "You knew that Dr. Craw is my superior, yet you still asked me to ask about her gossip. You said we''re besties, but you''re treating me as a tool. Did you ever think about my future when you told me to go ask about my superior''s personal matters?¡± Zoey nced at Jenni coldly. This time, she had really seen through Jenni''s true colors. "All I did was just ask you to get some insider information. Why are you so worked up? If you don''t wish to tell me, then forget it." Jenni had no reason to argue back after being sted by Zoey. She picked up her cup of coffee and took a sip. "There''s no point in saying anything more. From now on, don''t me me for not taking good care of you at work." "Your department is so far away from mine. You can''t even look after me." Zoey got up, spun around, and left. Jenni nced at Zoey''s back as thetter walked away. She muttered in dissatisfaction, ¡°How did this brat suddenly be so smart? Darn it. I just asked her to get some gossip. Why is she being so serious? It seems it''s not easy to manipte those around Luca." She took out her phone and scrolled through her photo album. Earlier, she had witnessed the entire exchange in the lobby and sneakily recorded it with her phone. Since she was not standing too far away, she was able to take a clearer video. She looked at the man''s face and touched her chin, saying, "Do you think if you don''t tell me about it, I won''t be able to investigate it?¡± Jenni sent her rtive, who was a detective, a photo of that man. She was feeling thrilled. She wanted to seek her rtive''s help to find out that man''s identity. She was jealous of Luca because she received special treatment from Luke. Hence, she would investigate anything that might have the chance of making Luca leave a bad impression on Luke. On the other hand, Tina rushed back to the office and delivered Luca her lunch. "Here''s your lunch, Dr. Craw. Remember to eat it on time, alright?" Tina ced the lunch on Luca''s table and did not mention a word about Luke summoning her. Luca received it and said while taking out her phone, "How much does it cost? I''ll transfer the money to you." "No need. We can im it from thepany. I''ll just inform the ountant. Besides, it doesn''t cost that much. I''ll be heading back first." After speaking, Tina waved to Luca and left. Luca nced at Tina''s back and was feeling down. ''I thought she went to the canteen to have her lunch. Why did she change her mind and got takeaway as well?'' Looking at the food, Luca closed the office door and nned to rest for a moment after having her lunch. She would continue working after that. Tina rushed back to the office while everyone in the office was having lunch in the cafeteria downstairs. She had a sad look on her face as she thought about having to face Luke''s dark expression. It made her have the urge to bring Luca along with her. ''But if I bring Luca along, perhaps it might make Mr. Crawford even angrier.'' Tina thought about it and decided to discard that thought. She headed to Luke''s office. Knock, knock. She knocked on the door cautiously, afraid that any huge actions might trigger Luke. "Come in." Luke''s voice was hearding from inside. Tina heard it and felt that Luke was holding back his anger. While feeling terrified, Tina pushed the door open. Luke was the type of person who would unleash his anger on his subordinates if he was mad. He would not get the innocent involved. Regarding this issue, Tina thought that if she had really done something wrong, it was that she did not report it to Luke and kept the matter from him. Hence, she was prepared to be lectured by Luke. She cautiously pushed the door open and saw the man inside. His back was facing the door, and he was standing while looking out the window. Tina could not see his expression but could feel his domineering aura. She was trembling as she said softly, "Mr. Crawford." "Come in and close the door." Luke extinguished the cigarette butt in his hand. He spun around and looked at Tina, expressionless. Tina shuddered and walked into the office. She closed the door and said, "It''s my fault, Mr. Crawford." She admitted her fault before anything else. As long as she had a good attitude, perhaps she would not need to endure any lectures. Luke looked at her with a cold gaze with no emotions. It was as if he was unbothered about Luca''s issue. Only Luke knew just how angry he was because of Luca''s issue. "Spit it out." He sat on the executive chair and just said those two words. He was not looking at Tina anymore. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "I think that guy''s name is Enoch Campbell. He''s the guy Dr. Craw went on a blind date with, but she doesn''t have the slightest feelings for him. Besides, she did the right choice of rejecting that guy. But it seems Enoch hasn''t given up on her. Even after being rejected, he returned to look for Dr. Craw again.¡± Tina immediately came clean about everything. After all, it was more important to keep her career safe. "Enoch Campbell?" Luke muttered the name softly in a calm and cold tone, but it sounded as though he wanted to tear Enoch into pieces. "Yes, sir. His name is Enoch. I think he''s a civil servant in the provincial capital. His qualifications are slightly betterpared to an ordinary guy, but he''s too confident in himself. Dr. Craw doesn''t seem to have a good impression of him,¡± said Tina. Chapter 1883 "Who arranged the blind date?" Luke asked again. Tina shook her head. "Dr. Craw never mentioned it, but I heard it''s a senior she respects a lot. Hence, when the blind date was arranged for her, she had no choice but to attend. It was just that she never expected to get involved with such an annoying man.¡± Luke''s eyes became gloomy. "So you knew about her going on a blind date a long time ago?¡± "Yes, but Dr. Craw said that she doesn''t have any feelings for that guy. That''s why I didn''t report it to you. I''m sorry, Mr. Crawford. It''s my fault." Tina lowered her head and obediently admitted that it was her fault. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Luke had mentioned earlier that she must always take note of everything rted to Luca and report back to him instantly if there was anything. Tina just thought that since Luca had no feelings for that man, she did not need to report it to Luke. After all, she did not want his emotions to be affected. However, they were both affected by this matter in the end. ''I didn''t expect Enoch to be such a nuisance. Even Mr. Crawford has found out about it.'' "I told you to report everything to me," Luke said. "It''s my fault. Please punish me, Mr. Crawford." Tina had a bitter look on her face. She was ready to have her sry deducted as a punishment. As long as she was not fired, she would ept it. "Don''t let such a thing happen for the second time. Continue to keep an eye on her for me,¡± said Luke. He would be much busierter on with a lot of matters to deal with, so he might not be able to keep tabs on Luca. Hence, he would still need Tina to help him keep an eye on Luca. After all, Tina was a woman, so it would be much more convenient for her to approach Luca as compared to Jason. "Yes, sir." Tina let out a breath of relief after knowing that Luke had no intention of punishing her. "Off you go," Luke said and picked up his phone. Tina nodded and got out of the office. When she closed the office door, she did it softly so that she would not cause a racket. Luke was the only one left in the office. After getting to know the truth, he was still very mad. First of all, he was mad at Luca for going on the blind date. She was his wife and a mother to three children. Even though she had changed her appearance, it did not change that fact. Next, she was pestered by another man. Even though she had rejected that man, she did not inform him and even asked Tina to keep it from him! It seemed that he had given her way too much time and space. He was being too lenient with her, which was why she did these things without considering his feelings. Luke called Jack. The call was connected, and Jack asked, "Luke, is there anything you need that you''re calling me at this hour?¡± "Jack, were you the one who arranged for Enoch to go on a blind date with Luca?¡± Luke spoke with a stern tone. Jack was stunned andughed. "So, you''vee to know about it?" "He''s pestering Luca and even came to thepany today," said Luke. He was utterly disgruntled when he thought of his woman being in another man''s mind. Furthermore, that man was a nobody. He would not tolerate his woman being in another man''s mind. Jack made a hand gesture and had his secretary leave the office. After the secretary left, he exined, "I had no idea that Luca was Bianca before this. Your mother- iw was worried that Luca''s appearance would be in the way of Bianca''s happiness. Hence, she thought of introducing Luca to a boyfriend. If she agreed to go on a blind date, it would mean that she had no feelings for you. Coincidentally, she agreed to it, so we arranged a blind date for her. It was only that once. Things didn''t work out between them, so we didn''t force them to get together. We weren''t plotting anything. You know this, right? It''s just that we didn''t expect Enoch to be such a person. But we previously came to an agreement, and Enoch promised not to bother Luca again. Why did he..." Luke had now learned the truth behind it. He had nothing else to say despite still being mad. It was all because the Normans had no idea that Luca was Bianca before this. Even up to this point, Queenie was still clueless. Luke spoke with a deep voice, "Today, Enoch came to thepany and pestered Bianca. I want to deal with him." Enoch was Jack''s subordinate, so he had to inform Jack about his intention to deal with Enoch first. Jack had no opinion about it. After all, they had previouslye to an agreement. If Enoch had not continued to pester Luca, perhaps Jack would want to protect him. After all, he had a bright future ahead. Nevertheless, he kept pestering Luca. Even though they were the ones who arranged the blind date, Enoch, as a man, should be more open-minded even if he and Luca could not be a couple at the end of the day. He should not continue to pester her. Hence, Jack had no intention of protecting Enoch. He just said, ¡°You can do whatever you want. Anyway, it has already been brought to my attention that Enoch is not the gentleman I thought he was.¡± After getting the green light from Jack, Luke then hung up. He had only called to rify whether it was Jack and his wife who introduced Enoch to Luca. He also wanted to inform Jack that he would be making a move against Enoch. It would be a piece of cake for him to do so. It was just that since Enoch was the man Jack had introduced, it meant that Jack must think highly of him. That was why Luke decided to give Jack a heads-up about it first. That way, he would not be upset if Luke took action against Enoch. However, since Jack had voiced his agreement, he might as well go all out. ''Enoch...'' Luke softly said the name, his eyes giving out a murderous aura. He gave the man¡¯s basic information to Percy as he was much better at investigating people. Besides, Luke would be very busy in theing days. Hence, he had Percy help him look into Enoch. When it was time to make a move, Luke would personally deal with Enoch. [Name: Enoch Campbell. He¡¯s working in the provincial capital. I want to know everything about him, including his dark secrets.] Luke sent Percy a message. After some time, Percy replied: [I''ve looked into him. He''s just an ordinary guy. How did he offend you?] Seeing that Percy was being a busybody, Luke decided to just satiate his curiosity. [He has a crush on my women.] [Damn it, he¡¯s done for. Give me two days.] Percy replied. [That¡¯s too slow.] Luke believed that with the connections Percy had, he did not need two days. [I''m quite busytely. Even though he should be taken down for having a crush on your woman, you should still be considerate of me.] Percyined. He was exhausted from having to deal with Pierre¡¯s matters. He had decided to deal with his younger brother without giving him a chance to regain his status. Luke replied: [Alright. Two days.] After instructing Percy, Luke picked up the internal line and ordered Jason, "Call for a meeting in half an hour.¡± "Yes, Mr. Crawford." Jason let out a breath of relief. Luke seemed to be his usual self again. ''So, does this mean everything is over?'' He dared not make any wild guesses and quickly passed down the order to prepare for the meeting. After Luca and her lunch, she received the notification to attend the meeting and was dumbfounded. ''Luke is back?'' She quickly checked the flights, trying to figure out the flight that Luke had taken. After checking, she felt uneasy. Taking into ount the time taken to travel from the airport, it was likely that Luke arrived at the office at noon. ¡®If that¡¯s the case, did he see the scene of Enoch pestering me?'' Chapter 1884 Luca suddenly felt uneasy. She had wanted to keep the blind date a secret. However, the possibility of Luke knowing about it made her uneasy. Luca picked up her phone and sent Tina a message: [Tina, do you know when Mr. Crawford returned?] [I''m not too sure about that. After I was done buying lunch, Mr. Crawford was already there sitting in the office. As for when he returned, I think it''s best if you ask Mr. Doyle.] Tina did not mention a word about Luke summoning her to question the incident. Even though she thought that Luca was a good person, it was still because of Luke''s order that she got close to Luca. Hence, she was not willing to reveal too much, lest Luca noticed something off and Tina lost a friend. [Alright, got it.] Luca ced her phone down. She did not ask Jason. She could only ask Tina about Luke''s issue as Jason was Luke''s trustworthy assistant. There might be a chance that Jason would inform Luke about her inquiries. She felt puzzled. After all, even though Enoch had only pestered her in the lobby for about ten minutes, she did not know whether Luke had stumbled into the scene. At that moment, her attention was focused on Enoch. She was only thinking about escaping from him and did not pay any attention to her surroundings. Seeing that 15 minutes was almost up, Luca got up and started packing the stuff needed for the meeting. She then headed to the meeting room. She thought of heading over earlier so that she would not bump into Luke in the corridor. After arriving at the meeting room, there were not many management executives around. Luca nodded at them as a greeting. Then, she sat down on her seat. She opened herptop and continued tranting. She wanted to finish a little more of her work so that she did not need to work overtimeter. She had no idea when would she be transferred to another ce by Abel. In other words, she was clueless about when would Luke find out about her actions. When the time came for her to be transferred, or if she was busted by Luke, she would have to separate from her kids. Luca wanted to spend more time keeping the kidspany. When it was almost time, Luke came to the door and immediately spotted Luca, who was sitting in her seat. She was so focussed on herptop, and her slim fingers were constantly typing on the keyboard. Jason had mentioned that even though Alya had returned from her leave, the workload was still very heavy as they had to revise the bidding document. Hence, despite both of them working on it, things were still quite hectic. Luke looked at her for two seconds and walked in. The atmosphere in the meeting room became serious all of a sudden. Even though Luca was busy, she noticed the change of atmosphere in the meeting room. The instant there was dead silence, she lifted her head and looked at the door. Luke had already made his way to the president''s seat. Jason pulled the chair out, and Luke sat down coldly without any expression on his face. Luca sneakily nced at Luke''s side profile and thought he was colder than usual. Had something unpleasant happened? Luca felt guilty. Even though she had changed her appearance, she was still the mother of their three kids. From the perspective of thew, she was still Bianca despite having undergone stic surgery. As for Bianca''s husband, it was still Luke. She shook her head. Even though she had gone on a blind date, Luke did not know her real identity. There was no reason for him to be angry. Even though he had said many weird things to her, such as how he insisted on moving in and staying with her, he never once crossed the line. Hence, Luca thought perhaps Luke was just joking around with her. She did not think that Luke''s current mood had anything to do with her. ''If that''s the case, is he not in a good mood because he didn''t settle Allison''s issue well or because the progress with the bidding document is not up to his expectations?'' Although Luca had sneakily shot a nce at him, Luke still noticed it. He raised his hand and said coldly to the crowd before they could even greet him, "Start the meeting." After he spoke, the crowd felt the atmosphere be even chillier. They dared not say anything, and everyone was sitting straight, ready to be criticized. Jason got the presentation ready and started the flow of the meeting. Luca sat beside Luke and sighed to herself. Indeed, he was in a foul mood, and it was reflected in his tone when speaking. There were not many people who could affect his emotions this strongly. Previously, Luca used to be one of these people. Jason cleared his throat and started the meeting. Luca dared not continue sighing and quickly worked on recording the minutes. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. That meetingsted for more than three hours as each department head was lectured. Luca looked at Luke''s serious face and felt fortunate that she was not one of them. After the meeting was over, Luke got up and looked at Luca. "Meet me at the basement car park after half an hour." "Is anything the matter, Mr. Crawford?" Luca became anxious when Luke said that in front of the crowd. "We''re going to Watson Biopharmaceuticals for a meeting." Luke retrieved his gaze and immediately left the meeting room. Right after he left the room, everyone took a breath of relief. Their boss was way too scary today. An executive who was much closer to Jason could not help but ask, "Mr. Doyle, what''s up with the boss today? He''s in such a bad mood. Who offended him?" Everyone said, "Yeah, even when he was dissatisfied with our progress in the past, he has never acted like this." Jason looked at the crowd. He wanted to look over at Luca, but that would be too deliberate. He smiled and shook his head before continuing to keep his documents. "Don''t overthink things. Mr. Crawford is just dissatisfied with your work progress. Continue working overtime and amend what needs to be amended." Everyone was down when they heard it. Luca tidied the documents on the table and got up. Jason called out to her, "Dr. Craw,ter when you head over to Watson Biopharmaceuticals for the meetingter, I predict it''llst until after working hours. If the trantion work is overwhelming and you can''t finish it in time, just hand it over to Alya." Luca hesitated. If it were not for her having to attend two meetings back-to-back, she would be able to settle the trantion work that she was assigned. "I don''t think that''s a good idea. Alya is quite busy as well." "It''s her work to begin with. Besides, you still have to arrange the meeting minutes. Also, the meeting at Watson Biopharmaceuticals is quite important. You''re probably going to be flooded with work," said Jason. Luke had informed Jason to tell Luca these things. The man who was still angry over Luca''s matters refused to say these words to her himself. Luca heard this and immediately said, "Is it the meeting about Dr. Albus applying for a patent for his research." Jason smiled. "I''m not too sure about that. I''m not in charge of the issues there. But I''m guessing it might be possible. Besides, if it isn''t because you were transferred here to help out, you would''ve also applied for a patent by now, right?" Luca nodded. Her research was based on Shanks'' research, so everything could go smoothly. Even though she was cautious and had adjusted the dosage to maximize the drug''s effects, it would not affect the foundation of the research. If she had focused on researching this entire time, she might have seeded already. "Then I''ll go inform Alya." Luca eventually agreed. Chapter 1885 After keeping all the documents, Luca took theptop and walked toward the elevator. There were a few high-ranking executives behind her, and she heard them whispering. They were all trying to guess the reason behind Luke''s foul mood. ¡°Perhaps his wife is flirting with another guy overseas and that''s the reason Mr. Crawford has such a terrible mood," said one of the executives. "I don''t think so. Didn''t they say that their rtionship worsened after she lost her memory? Regardless of how much trouble she causes, it shouldn''t affect Mr. Crawford''s mood." "That''s hard to say. ording to past experience. not many can make Mr. Crawford this unhappy. Even if our proposal is terrible, he''ll just put on a dark expression and point it out. This time, he unleashed his domineering aura." Luca could not help but lower her eyes when she heard their conversation. They were not wrong. No matter how dissatisfied Luke was with their work in the past, he would not behave like today... When the elevator arrived, Luca did not enter but stepped to the side and made space for the others. "Aren''t you going to enter, Dr. Craw?" Thest executive who stepped into the elevator looked at her. Luca shook her head and said, "I need to head upstairs, so you guys can go ahead first." The person heard her and pressed the button to close the doors. Luca waited for the next elevator. At that moment, Jason came over and stood beside her, also waiting for the next elevator. The elevator had yet to arrive. Jason looked at Luca, who was being very quiet as if Luke''s abnormal behavior did not affect her. He could not help but feel curious and ask, "Dr. Craw, don''t you think something is off about Mr. Crawford?" "Off?" Luca spun around and looked at him. "Isn''t he always this serious when he''s working?" Jason heard her reply and was speechless. ''She''s really good at putting on an act.'' "Mr. Crawford was acting unlike his usual self today. He''s unusually domineering." Jason touched his nose. He had to be extraordinarily cautious when he was by Luke''s side today as he was afraid he might make the boss unhappy. "Is that so?" Luca smiled. Jason was stunned at Luca''s smile. He knew her true identity, so he did not believe that Luca had failed to pick up on Luke''s abnormality today. ''But is she really not curious about it?'' Jason was deep in thought. Luca would probably need to face Luke''s criticismster. He warned her beforehand, saying, ¡°Oh, right. I''ve mentioned that Mr. Crawford is in a foul mood. If he has a bad temperter on, please forgive him." "The boss is upset because he''s dissatisfied with his employees'' work progress. It''s understandable." Luca heard Jason''s hint and was puzzled. What was his reason for saying that? Could it be that Luca was the reason why his mood was affected? That was impossible... She was not Bianca but Luca. Luca denied that possibility. When the elevator arrived, she stepped into the elevator. Jason heard her reply and sighed. If something happenedter on, he hoped the rest of them would not be involved. After all, just the project itself had already given them a lot of pressure. Luke, who was disgruntled now, would be more demanding regarding the project''s details and the employees'' work attitude. After the elevator arrived on the floor, Luca stepped out first. After cing herptop and the documents back in her office, she took the trantion documents that she had yet to finish and walked to the secretary''s office. She handed the trantion documents to Alya and exined the situation to her. Alya did not say a word and just received the documents with a smile. "Alright, Dr. Craw. I''ll take care of these." Luca nodded her head. Seeing that Alya had no objections, she thought that perhaps Jason had informed her about it beforehand. She said, "Sorry to trouble you." Then, she spun around and left the secretary''s office. Alya stretched her neck and watched Luca leave the office. Sheined, "I do envy people who have connections. With just a word or two, all the documents were thrown back to me." Tina was doing her work in front of Alya and heard herints. She did not turn around and just spoke on behalf of Luca, "If you have what it takes, you can also throw the workload back to her." "What are you talking about, Tina? She''s Mr. Crowford''s woman. How could I dare to do so?" Alya gave in and flipped open the documents. She could not help but mutter, "After an entire morning, she only got so little done. She''s so inefficient." Tina said again, "Dr. Craw has her own things to deal with. If you can head down to do the research, someone will definitely take care of these documents for you." "That''s not my profession." Alya rolled her eyes. Tina turned around while feeling impatient and looked at her. "That''s not your profession, trantion is. If that''s the case, you should just focus on your work and not rely on someone else to help you with your work when trantion is not their profession." Alya noticed Tina was serious and immediately exined, "Don''t get so worked up. I''m just comining because of work pressure.¡± "Who isn''t facing great pressure due to this project? In other words, who in the entire T Corporation isn''t under great pressure? After all, the result is all that matters. Alya, if you can''t catch up to the work pace after giving birth, there are still lots of people out there waiting to take over your position. You''d better not let Jason hear the words you just said. Otherwise, your career will be at risk.¡± Tina warned her. "Alright." Alya dared not say another word but was holding a grudge against Tina. Why was she also supporting Luca? T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Was it because Luca had a good rtionship with Mr. Crawford? After Luca left the secretary''s office, she returned to her office and picked up her phone to contact Mo. She wanted to get a better understanding of what today''s meeting would be about. Mo informed her of the content of today''s meeting. Luca took a look at the message, and indeed, it was rted to Dr. Albus applying for a patent and his drug being listed. It seemed like this was the most updated news. Luca held her chin and thought back to Abel''s words. He wanted to make Luke misunderstand Dr. Albus and put all the me for the leaked research on Dr. Albus... He had ordered her to carry out this mission, which meant that there would be his people among those going for the meetingter. Luca thought about whether she should seize this opportunity to identify that person. After all, knowing who her enemy was would make things easier for her. Luca looked at the time, and it was almost time for her to meet up with Luke. She figured that she might not have to return to the office. Hence, she kept the documents in a folder and brought it downstairs. She went all the way down to the basement car park. Luca saw Luke''s car, and after heading over, she realized that he was already waiting there. "I''m sorry, Mr. Crawford. I''mte." She knew she was notte, but when faced with the man in front of her, she would be consideredte as long as she got there after him. Luke lifted his eyes and looked at her with a cold gaze. Luca looked into his eyes and shuddered. Then, she lowered her head again. After so long, she was still not used to his extraordinarily cold gaze. Chapter 1886 Luke noticed she was evading his gaze and was feeling helpless. She failed to make out the helplessness and frustration in his eyes. "You''re indeedte, Dr. Craw. Say, how should I punish you?" Listening to Luke''s deep voice, it sounded like he was angry. Luca was astonished as Luke was not the type to mutter gibberish. She thought he would just coldly say, ''Get in the car.'' After all, she was not actuallyte. However, Luke did not act the way she expected and asked her directly how he should punish her. The word ''punish'' was usually used as a joke between couples, parents speaking to their children, or even teachers speaking to their students. This sort of thing was not something that a boss would say to his subordinates. "Hmm?" Luke voiced out after noticing that Luca had yet to reply. Luca felt that something was off about Luke. She had no choice but to say, "Mr. Crawford, I don''t think I should be punished.¡± "Tell me your reasoning." Luke saw her lower her head and wanted to lift her chin with his hand before kissing her. "I arrived here eight minutes earlier than the time you stated. Logically speaking, I''m notte," Luca exined. This was not how one survived in the workce, but she had to say it. ''Otherwise, will I really be punished by Lyke?'' "Then tell me, are you in the wrong?" Luke squinted his eyes. ''After changing her identity, she has gotten better at talking, so how could she allow a man like that to keep pestering her?'' Luke was mad. Luca felt chilly. She clenched her fists and took a deep breath. "It''s my fault for making my superior wait for me, but this is about principals at work. I''m not really at fault here." Luke heard her debating with him and felt helpless. He pulled the door of the driver''s seat and said, "Get in the car." Luca let out a deep breath of relief. That issue was finally over. She quickly got around the car and opened the door of the front passenger seat before getting in. Luke ignited the engine and headed toward Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Luca thought the incident was over, but when they got out of the parking lot, she realized it was not. The moment the car left the car park, Luke mmed on the gas pedal as if he was in a hurry. She knew that all men would unleash their frustration by driving fast. She grabbed the seatbelt in front of her, not saying a word. Since it was not after working hours, there were not too many cars on the road. She knew that Luke had good driving skills. Luca was not worried about meeting with an ident on the road but was worried he might be stopped by the traffic police. With that, news about the president of T Corporation speeding on the road and endangering the citizens'' life would be in the headlines the next day. Luke stared hard at the road ahead and had no intention of slowing down. As for the woman in the front passenger seat, she was not in shock and did not say a word. Luca was much more mature. After three years, she was not anxious when sitting in a car that was going at full speed. Luke continued mming the gas pedal and asked, "Aren''t you scared?" Luca was very calm. "Your driving skills are good, Mr. Crawford." "Luca, your carefree appearance makes me have the urge to just dig out your heart and draw out your blood just to see whether or not you''re a cold-blooded person." Luke clenched the steering wheel, and the veins on the back of his hands were popping out. Luca was stunned. ''What does he mean by that?'' "Mr. Crawford, I don''t get what you''re trying to say." Her expression remained the same. Luke heard what she said and got even more frustrated. "Luca..." Listening to him shout her name made Luca dumbfounded. She knew he was angry. She did not say a word as she knew whatever she said would only be adding oil to the fire. "You''re indeed cold-blooded." Luke breathed out but was still unable to get rid of the frustration within him. ''Maybe,'' Luca lowered her head and thought inwardly. ''If I''m not cold-blooded, how can I withstand seeing him and the kids being so sad?'' Luke gave a honk and overtook the car in front of him. He could not help but question her, "Why do you attend the blind date?" Luca lifted her head and was astonished. ''So, he does know about it.'' "Exin." Luke''s face tilted to the side as he asked her. He wanted to hear her exin it. "Mr. Crawford, it''s my freedom to choose whether or not to attend blind dates. I''m not young anymore. Isn''t it normal for me to go on blind dates, get a boyfriend, and then get married and give birth to children?" Luca did not say the true reason but said something that might make others believe her. Luke was mad because she went for the blind date, which meant he really cared about her. However, she could not make the man take another step. Hence, she did not tell him the truth, which was that she attended the blind date just because she did not want Jack and Queenie to worry. "Married? Luca, are you even taking my words seriously?" Luke got angrier when he heard Luca''s exnation. ''Could it be that after three years, she has really forgotten about this family, me, and the kids? Is she mad at me for having done nothing in the past three years?'' "Mr. Crawford, what you said back then was just nonsense said in the spur of the moment.¡± Luca became cold-hearted and wanted to draw the line between them. She was not willing to have them both develop deeper feelings for each other. "Nonsense, huh? Luca, do you wish for me to tie you on the bed? Will you then realize whether or not the things I said are the truth or just utter nonsense?¡± Luke drove faster, reaching the limit. "Enough, Mr. Crawford!" Luca felt a pinch in her heart when she heard what Luke said. She interrupted him, saying, "You''re my boss, not my boyfriend. For two people to get into a rtionship, their feelings must be mutual. Thanks for taking a liking to me, but I don''t like you. It''s impossible for us to be together!" Luke''s eyes became red. It was not because he was speeding but Luca''s reply. After three years had passed, she actually said such a thing. She was ruthlessly shoving him away again! "Do you mean it?" Luke suddenly slowed the car down and felt defeated. He wanted to do everything possible to make Luca tell the truth, but he could not be too greedy. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. It was not a simple feat for them to have reunited. He would not just give up like this. "I mean it. Both of us don''t have a future together. Mr. Crawford, please spare me. I really love my work. If you force me just because you''re my boss, I''ll leave thepany," Luca said coldly, but deep inside her, she was hurt as well. She wanted to be together with Luke and live a peaceful life with the kids. However, she could not do so... It may seem that they were very close together, but in fact, there was a huge gap between them. Luca lowered her eyes and felt the speed of the car gradually reducing. It was back to the normal speed. She let out a breath of relief. "As you wish," Luke said those words through gritted teeth. He did not expect her to threaten him and say she would leave thepany just to maintain a distance from him. ''It seems like throughout these three years, Luca has learned how to be a cold-hearted person.'' Chapter 1887 When she heard him saying those words, Luca felt a pinch in her heart. If she had the chance, she was not willing to be this cruel to Luke either... Luca lowered her eyes and felt the speed of the car gradually slow down. Luke no longer said a word. It was as if he had calmed down and was not as crazy as before. However, she could sense the atmosphere bing much chillier as Luke was no longer saying anything. He just kept everything within himself. Luca sighed, and her instinct was telling her that this was not the end of it. The things Luke told her made Luca know that he was serious about her. It was not just a superficial liking, nor was it because he could not tolerate being lonely. It was just like before when she was Bianca. Being cornered by Luke like this made her feel as though she had returned to the past. Luca knew that her words were hurtful, but she could not exin herself. She could only pretend as though nothing had happened. Luke drove the car and arrived at Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Luca immediately unbuckled the seat belt the instant he stopped the car. She did not want to spend another second being in the car with Luke. Making things clear between them was much better than if she were to just follow Abel''s order. Luke''s eyes glistened with anger when he saw Luca''s swift action. If he found out who it was that made his woman end up in such a situation, he would not let them off the hook. Luca could not be bothered about work ethics right now and immediately entered Watson Biopharmaceuticals. She still had the ess card that Mo previously gave her inside her bag, so she swiped it and entered. She was not worried about what would happen to Luke even if he did not have the pass. After all, he was the boss of this ce. It would only be natural for the security guards to wee him. Luca took the elevator and arrived at the office floor. She walked straight into the assistant''s office. Mo saw her and said with a smile, "You''re here, Dr. Craw." "Yeah, we''re supposed to enter the meeting room now, right?" Luca asked. "Yes. A few professors are already in the meeting room downstairs. I''ll head down after I arrange the documents," said Mo. She sneaked a peek behind Luca. "Where''s the boss? Didn''t hee with you?" As they both came from the headquarters, Mo thought that they would show up together. "Mr. Crawford? I think he''ll be here in a few minutes." After saying that, Luca changed the topic. "If that''s the case, I''ll go downstairs." "Alright, Dr. Craw." Mo nodded. As she watched Luca leave, she shook her head helplessly. She continued to get the documents ready. Luca came downstairs and walked into the meeting room. There were already a few professors who had arrived. Luke had yet to arrive. Perhaps parking the car had dyed his arrival. "You''re here, Dr. Craw." "Good afternoon, Dr. Craw." "Hello." Luca nodded when faced with the few professors who greeted her. She noticed there were no name cards ced on the table. Hence, she just sat in the corner. "Why are you sitting in the corner, Dr. Craw?" Dr. Albus came to her with a radiant look on his face. After today''s meeting, he would be able to hand in the paperwork needed for the patent application. He was delighted. Coupled with the fact that Luca had previously helped him out, he treated her warmly. "It''s the same no matter where I sit. Of course, I''ll leave the best seats to the seniors," Luca said. The main reason was that she wanted to avoid Luke. After the incident earlier, she did not want to be so close to him. Luca''sment made lots of professors admire her and nod their heads. After all, she was not wee in thispany back then. She was capable but way too young. With her shining too brightly, it hid all of their achievements which they only managed to aplish after so many years. Hence, there were a few professors who disliked her. Later on, they heard from Dr. Albus that Luca had left behind past matters and was willing to put her work aside to help him out. It made a few professors change their impression of her. After all, it would be better to have an additional friend than an enemy. Perhaps one day, they would need Luca''s help in their research. "Why bother saying all this? We''re all colleagues. Come, let''s go and sit in front." Dr. Albus was still treating her warmly. Later when it was time for him to give his report, he would definitely mention Luca. After all, everyone in thepany knew that Luca had helped him out. "No thanks, Dr. Albus. I''ll just sit here." Luca insisted. She was paying attention to the door of the meeting room. The moment she saw Luke entering, she said, "Mr. Crawford is here." Dr. Albus did not pay any more attention to Luca when Luke came in and quickly went forward to greet Luke. "Mr. Crawford, sorry to trouble you toe all the way here despite your tight schedule." Dr. Albus went forward and greeted Luke politely. Luke was not in a good mood, especially when he noticed Luca sitting in a corner. The meeting room was so spacious, and there were plenty of seats. However, she chose to sit in a corner. It was obvious that she was trying to avoid him. ''Am I a virus? Or a poisonous animal? Why is she deliberately trying to sit far away from me?'' Thinking back at the times when they were so close to each other andparing them to the current situation when Luca was distancing herself from him, Luke felt angry and wanted to request her to sit beside him. Dr. Albus thought he had said something wrong as Luke did not say a word after he greeted him. Hence, he said softly, "Mr. Crawford?" Luke looked at him coldly. Dr. Albus shuddered. It seemed that their boss was in a foul mood today. He quickly pulled out the president''s seat. "Have a seat, Mr. Crawford." The other professors saw the scene and noticed that something was off. They did not say a word. Luke sat on the president''s seat and looked at the few professors coldly. Then, he fixed his gaze on Luca. Everyone would fight for the chance to sit closer to the boss, but Luca sat in the corner. "Let''s start the meeting." He withdrew his gaze and said coldly without any warmth in his words. That meeting on that day was obviously for Dr. Albus to announce the result of his research. It was supposed to be a piece of good news. After all, it would be Watson Biopharmaceutical''s first profit- making project. However, Luke had such a cold expression on his face. The people present felt even more scared than if they were to hear a scary story. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Dr. Albus felt that something was off, but the meeting had to proceed. He nodded at Mo, who had just entered. "So, we shall begin the meeting, Mr. Crawford." Mo heard it and put on the presentation. Dr. Albus started talking about his research. He exined all the data and the results of the clinical trials. Just reporting on the results alone took more than an hour. After Dr. Albus was done, he looked at Luke. "That''s the end of my presentation, Mr. Crawford." "Alright." Luke still had an awful expression on his face. It was as though thepany''s profits had nothing to do with him. Dr. Albus was dumbfounded. ''My presentation went fine, so why is Mr. Crawford''splexion still so dark...'' Feeling helpless, he continued, "The research for this drug is a sess. The main reason behind it is the effort of the researchers in my team and also Dr. Craw. Thank you, everyone. Thank you, Dr. Craw." Chapter 1888 Luca knew it was time for her to speak. Even though Luke was there, she was not willing to talk but she still got to carry out Abel''s order. Luca smiled and looked at Dr. Albus. "You''re wee, Dr. Albus. The credit for this medication research still goes to your research team''s effort. All I did was solve a tiny problem. Those crucial data and all analyses were stillpleted by you guys. I''m not involved in those." Dr. Albus'' eye glittered with admiration when he heard her reply. She did not hog all the glory. ''Very good. She knew a lot more about the rules in the career fieldpared to when she first entered.'' Luke got even more mad when he saw Luca smiling at Dr. Albus. ''She smiled so sweetly to a professor who is not rted to her but to me, she could just blurt out such a mean statement.'' Luke suddenly got up and announced, "The meeting had ended." Dr. Albus'' smile froze and looked at Luke. "Mr. Crawford..." "For the remaining stuff, just follow the protocol will do." Luke had a very awful look and after saying it, he left immediately. Luca look at Luke''s back figure which was leaving the scene and sighed within her. ''I think I should prepare myself and pack my luggage to move back to my condominium.'' Since she had blurted everything, it would not be appropriate for her to continue staying in the vi. "Mr. Crawford, about the celebration feast." Dr. Albus followed up with Luke, astonished. "You guys go ahead." After saying it, Luke walked to the elevator and repeatedly pressed on the button, as if the elevator had triggered him. Dr. Albus dared not speak a word and watched Luke entering the elevator. Then, the door of the elevator closed before he slowly returned to the meeting room. A few of the professors got up and asked when they saw Dr. Albus return, "Dr. Albus, what''s wrong with Mr. Crawford?" "I don''t know either. Did I say anything wrong during my presentation?" Dr. Albus asked them. The few professors shook their heads. Dr. Albus looked at Luca. "Dr. Craw, do you know why Mr. Crawford is in such a state? Did I do something wrong?" "It''s not your fault, Dr. Albus. I think Mr. Crawford has been having a foul mood since he was in the headquarters. I guess something went wrong with the project," Luca said. Her response calmed Dr. Albus. "As long the problem is not with me. It''s gettingte, let''s head over to the hotel." "Hotel?" Luca let out a suspicious tone. "Yea, Dr. Craw. Let''s go together. Today''s the celebration feast for Dr. Albus and his research team. Mo has already booked a room in the hotel," said one of the professors. Luca thought about it. It was only normal for them to organize a celebration feast, but she decided not to attend. She thought of returning before Luke did and left after she had packed her luggage. "Dear professors, I''m sorry but I still got work to do. I really don''t have any spare time." Luca rejected their invitation. "Dr. Craw, it''s just for a night..." one of the professors persuaded. "Yea." Luca felt troubled. Mo smiled and exined on behalf of Luca, "Dear professors, stop troubling Dr. Craw. Right now, she still got to be in charge of the project at the headquarters. The project is on a tight schedule, and she hopes she would have a clone to carry out the job. How is she going to have the spare time?" "That''s right, it''s very hectic." Luca had a helpless look on her face. Dr. Albus heard it and did not pester. "Oh right, I almost forgot. How about this Dr. Craw, when you''re free, let me treat you to a meal next time? Though, you have toe when I do. " "I''ll go for sure. Thank you, Dr. Albus." Luca felt guilty when she saw Dr. Albus being so steady. If she was right, Mr. Bailey would apply for the copyright much earlier than Dr. Albus. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Then, Dr. Albus would lose everything and be faced with the crisis of being fired. In the world of research, Dr. Albus'' future would be ruined if it was involving copying or giarism. And as the mastermind of it, Luca could only softly apologize deep within her. Dr. Albus nodded. Luca picked up the office bag and followed them out. When they arrived at the elevator, she asked, "Oh right, Dr. Albus, earlier did Mr. Crawford go upstairs or downstairs?" Dr. Albus recalled. "I think the elevator was sent downstairs. I think Mr. Crawford had gone back to the headquarters to continue with work." "Yea." Luca prayed hard that she would not bump into Luke when she arrived downstairs. A few professors wanted to head upstairs to pack up before leaving. Hence, Luca did not follow them but took the elevator alone and headed downstairs. She walked out of the building of Watson. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw there was no car parking at the entrance. She guessed perhaps Luke was livid and returned to T Corporation to settle his work. Luca headed to the ce to wait for a taxi and coincidentally she received a call from Tina. "Dr. Craw, is the meeting over there over?" Tina asked. "Yeah." "You should go straight home once the meeting is over. You don''t have to return to headquarters," Tina said. "Alright, but what''s happening?" Luca felt something was off. "It''s that the worker at the front counter called me, saying the man, who harassed you in the afternoon, is again at the entrance. This time, he didn''te in but squatted at the roadside, waiting for you. With that, the securities could do nothing to him," Tina said. In the afternoon on that day, the incident that urred at the front counter was chaotic. Hence, they called up Luca''s office. However, no one picked up. Hence, they called to inform Tina about it, having her inform Luca. "Is it Enoch? Alright, I got it." Luca was helpless. Because of Enoch, it led to her rtionship with Luke became very stiff. Initially, she could live the days off with satisfaction and she could also put up an act to stay with Luke and took care of the kids. Currently, it was because of Enoch that those peaceful days were destroyed. Luca sincerely hated that man and even had the thought of taking him down. "That man is just like a pervert guy. You got to be careful. In the future whenever possible, please take the rear entrance ore in from the car park area. You never know when he is going to go crazy..." Tina hid in the pantry and reminded. "Alright, thank you, Tina," Luca said with much gratitude. "You''re wee, I''ll resume my work then." After Tina said it, she quickly hung up the call. Luca stood at the roadside with a dark expression. She would not go around offending others if that person had not offended her in the first ce. However, at that moment, her peaceful life was destroyed by Enoch. Luca guessed that it might be because of Enoch that made Queenie develop suspicions. ''Since he''s not letting me off the hook, then please don''t me me for what''s going to happen.'' Looking at the empty taxi that wasing to her, Luca then stretched out her hand to stop the cab. After entering the cab, she sent a message to Amur. [Are you free, Amur? I want you to help me check on someone.] After a few seconds, Amur replied. [Yes, I am. Who do you want me to check on?] Chapter 1889 [Enoch Campbell. I don''t have much information about him. All I have is his handphone number. His number is...] Luca came to a pause as she could not recall his number. Hence, she searched through the cklist numbers to look for Enoch''s number and sent it to Amur. [He is also a government servant, not in a very high position. If you have the chance, I want all information about him. The best is his dark secrets.] Luca emphasized. Luca had no idea whether Amur would be able to look into Enoch''s dark secrets but for now, she could only pray hard that if Enoch really had dark secrets and Amur would coincidentally find them. [How did hee to offend you?] Amur saw Luca''s message waiting for dark secrets and knew that this person must have offended her. ''Those who offend Luca have no peaceful day.'' [He kept harassing me, causing me so much trouble. I want him to legally be out of my life.] Luca knew that Amur might go overboard, hence she empathized with the word legally. She would admit if Enoch really did not have any dark secrets but if he did have, she would have a way to make him unable to show up before her. Amur stared at the word legally for quite some time. Luca was still a softhearteddy. ''She still uses such civilized method to go against someone who keeps harassing her.'' If it was not for that word, Amur would apply some underhanded method to make Enoch disappear as far as possible from Luca after he was done investigating. [Roger.] Amur sent the message and frowned helplessly. He had no choice but to respect Luca''s kindness. Besides, if it was not for Luca''s kindness back then, he would not be the person he was right then. He would never forget back in the Ind of Despair; she rescued him from a group of men who were much stronger than her. Or else, he might have been beaten up so badly and ended up at the gates of hell a couple of days later. Luca knew Amur would do things with a limit. She kept he handphone and looked at the scenery outside the window. The thought of leaving Luke and the kids made her feel sad to do so. Luca sighed and opened the photo album on her handphone. She keyed in the password and looked at N''s photos. She gently touched the screen and imagined herself touching a kid. ''N, I did all of this for your sake, but I''ve cheated on your father, as well as your brothers and sister. ''So, you got to be alright alone on the Ind of Despair. Don''t go around learning bad things from others.'' "We''ve arrived, miss." The driver interrupted Luca. She lifted her head and looked. It was indeed the vi. She gave him money and got out of the car. She slowly returned to the vi at a slow pace. That was because she knew that Luke would return to T Corporation to work overtime. Hence, she was not in a hurry to leave. It was as if taking a step slower would mean dying a minute of leaving. However, no matter how slowly she was, she would still meet the end. She looked at the vi before her and sighed. She jammed onto the password and the door was opened. She pushed the door opened and entered. The kids quickly ran out after they heard the sound. "You''re back, Ms. Luca!" It was always Tommy greeting her most warmly. His huge smile was just as warm as the sun, and it was as if winter would be chased away. Luca looked at the kids surrounding her and touched all their heads, with her eyes glistening with unwillingness. "Are you tired from work, Ms. Luca?" Rainie was the most caring kid as she was concerned for Luca. "No, I''m not tired. I''m fine," said Luca. "Ms. Luca, father just called back, saying he might not be back home tonight, and asked you to take care of us," said Lanie from a side. Luca was astonished. ''Luke won¡¯t be returning and he wants me to look after the kids? ''If he doesn''t return, how can I leave in peace? After all, it''s not safe leaving the three kids at home.'' "When did Mr. Crawford say that?" Luca asked. Lanie looked at the clock and answered, "About half an hour ago. Father called back and said. Ms. Luca, we will be heading upstairs to do our homework."Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. After saying it, Lanie brought his siblings upstairs. Luca initially was prepared to leave but Luke suddenly said he would note back... ''Is he trying to make me stay?'' Luca shook her head and looked at the kids running upstairs. She knew she would not be able to leave today. Even if she was still determined to leave, she could not ditch the kids at home. That would be too dangerous. Luca picked up her handphone but did not have the courage to call Luke. Hence, she could only give up. She casually ced the office bag on the sofa and then walked into the kitchen. It had been two days that she did not cook dinner for the kids because of the injury to her waist. That day, she was much better. Hence, she took the initiative to help the nanny and prepared dinner for the kids. The nanny saw Lucaing in and said with a smile, "Ms. Luca, do you want to prepare dinner for the kids?" "Yea, can I trouble you to assist me?" Luca said. The nanny said while nodding with a smile, "No problem. Your cooking skills are so good. The kids love your cooking. I can still learn from you sneakily by being your helper. I''m the one who cooks the dishes for the past two days as you''re not too well. I followed your cooking style and recipes and the kids said it tastes good, even if my cooking is still different from yours. Also, the kids in my home also said that my cooking had improved. They love my cooking." "Really?" Luca smirked and wore the apron, starting to prepare dinner for the kids. On the upstairs. Lanie, Rainie, and Tommy were all in Lanie''s room. Tommy touched his chin and said with a curious look, "Lanie, say, why did father do this?" Lanie snapped on his brother''s head. "It''s so obvious. For sure father had made Ms. Luca mad. So he''s noting back and using working overtime as an excuse." "How did father make Ms. Luca mad? Besides, he can stille back home. Our mother is not a scary person. She''s so soft and kind. For sure she would not be mad at father," Rainie said as she never saw their mother being this mad. Lanie could not help but shook his head when he saw his siblings'' innocent look. "It''s not wrong to think of it that way. But now, she''s using another identity. If father and Ms. Luca really are in a fight, perhaps she might move out. So, father didn''te back at all so to make her stay back. Ms. Luca loves us so much, for sure she would not be willing to leave us home at night without any adults looking after us." "She''s going to move out?" Tommy was shocked to hear it and quickly said, "If she''s going to move out, I rather not have father return home." "But I missed father too, but I don''t want her to leave..." Rainie was troubled. ''Why are everyone''s parents staying together and not us? Not just did our parents stay apart, but our mother also changed her appearance and identity. In the meantime, she''s been acting so stiffly with our father.¡± ''She is our mother yet we can''t acknowledge her.'' Chapter 1890 "Right now, we don''t have any way to help father but to wait for him to settle it himself," said Lanie. Forcing Luca to stay back would only make her feel suspicious. However, Luke could only use the excuse of staying back for work and not returning for only a day or two. Lanie''s small face which was simr to Luke became serious but deep in his heart, he was praying hard, hoping their father would think of a way tofort Luca soon. At night, after the kids had dinner, theypleted their remaining homework. Luca checked on their works and imitated Luke''s signature to sign their homework. Then, she apanied the kids to watch cartoons while she worked. It was still manageable for her to look after the kids while working. Fortunately, the kids were obedient and just sat still to watch their cartoons. When it was time for advertisement, they would eat fruits and drink their water, not intending to disturb her. It went on till 10 o''clock at night. Luca looked at the clock and looked at the entrance. It was dead silence outside. It seemed that Luke was not going to return home. ''He must have predicted I will leave so he used such a method. ''However, this method can only be used for one or two days. It''s impossible for him not to return home for the long term. After all, the kids are at home, and he will be worried. ''In the end, I''ll still have to leave. What''s the point of him trying his best to deny it?'' "Ms. Luca?" Tommy waved his hand and looked at her with big eyes, feeling sad within him. ''Why is she daydreaming? Is she thinking of our father?'' Luca snapped out and looked at the kids. "What''s wrong?" "The cartoon is over, Ms. Luca. We will be heading up to take a bath," Tommy said. "Alright. If you wash your hair, make sure to dry it," Luca said and saved the data on herptop, and kept her documents. After the kids went upstairs, she followed them as well. After the kids were done bathing, Luca wished them all good night and continued heading back to her bedroom to work. She was focusing on her work while continued paying attention to themotion outside. On the other hand, Percy and Jim kept shaking their head and looked at the drunken Luke. Luke had already drunk three bottles of liquor. No matter how good liquor was, it would be a waste if he just chugged it; there would be no point. "It''s already the fourth bottle. If you continue drinking like that, you might as well just drink beer. It won''t cost as much, and we can''t take turns drinking it. It won''t be a waste of money and it makes you drunk easily," Jim teased while having one leg over the other, picking up a ss of red wine and counting the number of bottles Luke had drunk, bored. He would not be bothered about the liquors drank as he was not the one who would be paying for it. He thought to himself. ''This is interesting.'' All this while, Luke was a rationale guy. After so many years, Jim was still able to see Luke get drunk because of a woman and he found it interesting. Besides, this time, it seemed like he was left with no other options. Percy lifted his eyebrows, teasing Luke as well, "I also didn''t expect you''ll be unable to hold back your anger." Luke ignored them and continued drinking the liquors. He was also not bothered that his friends had to work the next day, and only thought of drinking. "How should I put it?" Jim knew that Luke was drunk because of a woman but was not too sure about the exact details behind it. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "It took him quite an effort for him to have a better rtionship with that Bianca, who had changed her appearance, and even stayed together. In the end, he found out that Bianca was attending a matchmaking session without his knowledge. All his anger was then unleashed in an instant. Not just he''s going to take down that guy but even came out clear about his feelings for her, forcing Bianca to make a decision. In the end, guess what happened?" Percy smirked. Seeing his best friend being in such a terrible state made him thrilled. "I''m guessing Bianca rejected him." Jim was spot on. "This issue is soplicated. Now is not the right time to be confessing, alright?" "Love blinds one. The same goes for jealousy. So, you must understand and forgive him," said Percy as he was experienced in that situation as well. "But he shouldn''t be in such a hurry. Isn''t this issue yet to be investigated thoroughly? Or was it that Bianca had taken interest in that guy from the matchmaking session?" Jim analyzed. "Nope. She doesn''t have the slightest interest in him. It seemed like she felt frustrated as well but our young master Luke, couldn''t tolerate it." Percy shook his head. Thinking back to when he first been together with Nina, he was able to take it in and was not like Luke, unable to bear the anger. Besides, they still had the kids to tie them down. One look at it and it was obvious that Bianca was not the type to discard her kids and be with another man. He could not understand as well the reason for Luke to handle this situation terribly. ''Why can''t he just quietly get rid of Enoch?'' "Maybe this is the rtionship after a marriage, having no self-confidence and worried that she might leave him with someone else." As Jim was analyzing, he continued to tease Luke. "Get lost!" Luke threw an empty bottle toward them both after listening to his best friends''ments. Percy and Jim dodged it while smiling. "What''s wrong? We''re not the one who''s making you mad." "I asked you guys here to drink not to make fun of me." Luke flipped a blind eye. If he knew they were going to tease him for so long, he might as well notment about it. "Well, we won''t out best you in drinking. Besides, our love lives are quite good and we''ve nothing to comin about. Furthermore, with us analyzing it, isn''t it helping you out to think of a way to make your wife stay back?" Percy smiled and sat beside Luke while talking on thetter''s shoulder. The more a terrible state he was in, the happier Percy would be. After all, being good friends, apart from supporting each other in difficult times. They would spend most of their time teasing each other. Luke had teased him numerous times as well. Listening to what Percy had to say, Luke felt it was all just crap. He did not make a sound and took a bottle of liquor and drank. Looking at the defeated Luke made Percy predict thatter on, Luke would be so drunk andy on the sofa while muttering Luca''s name. He still could not help but said, "Actually, about this issue, it is not just dead ends. There''s still a way out of it." Luke thought Percy was cracking a joke. ''Right now, apart from locking Luca, not letting her leave, there wouldn''t be another way out.'' Even though the kids were her weakness, it was obvious that she was on a mission. Besides, the thing that was used to threaten her or to control her would possibly be much more important than the kids. Besides, he was not willing to lock Luca. "You got an idea? Tell me about it." Jim got curious. "The way is..." Percy kept him in suspense and did not say anything but looked at Luke. "Whether or not this method is going to be effective or what will the oue be like, it will all depend on whether or not Luke is harsh." Chapter 1891 Before Luke could speak, Jim could not help but tease once more, "He''s ready to give up on life for Bianca." Percy nodded in agreement. He would not have ended up suffering so much if he had been obedient back when Luke was on the Ind of Despair. However, to get away from that ce and return to Bianca, he was not bothered about his life and escaped immediately. He even sted the entire ind just to get rid any trouble that may reappear. The man, who was harsh to himself and other people, was treating Bianca with extra care. Currently, he even stayed in the bar all just so Bianca would not leave, and even dragged them along to apany him in drinking liquor. The man before them had lost the rationale he used to have. All of his unusual behavior was all because of Luca. Jim looked at Luke, who was still binge drinking liquor and not saying a word. Then, he looked at Percy, who was still leaving him in suspense and urged, "If you got any options, please say it out fast. My wife and kids are still waiting for me at home." Percy had one of his legs crossed over the other and looked at him. He wanted to think of a way to solve Luke''s problem and hurry back home to be with his wife. ''Who doesn''t have a pretty wife waiting for them at home?'' When Percy thought of Nina still waiting for his arrival back at home, he immediately said, "Even though up to this point, Luca is still not willing to reveal her identity. In the meantime, she''s keeping her distance from you, and you still have feelings for her. So, why not seize this opportunity and be a little harsh on yourself, make Luca admit that she still cared for you. Wouldn''t that solve the crisis between you two?" Luke lifted his ss of liquor and did not continue drinking it but squinted his eyes. Despite being drunk, he still gave Percy''sment a thought. "Then what should he do? Torture himself? That''s not his way of doing things," said Jim while shaking his head. The way of causing havoc and evenmitting suicide was not Luke''s way of doing things. "Of course not. Torturing oneself is the lowliest method. It won''t be effective against a sharpdy like Luca. However, we can create an ident. Say, for example, breaking a leg after being drunk..." Percy gave an example. Suddenly, Luke had a dark expression." What are you trying to say?" ''Getting my leg fractured after being drunk? If words about it were to spread out, I''ll be losing my dignity.'' Percy cleared his throat. "I''m just giving an example. If you got injured because of this and got admitted to a hospital, not only will Luca take care of you and the kids but in the meantime, we can be clear about whether she cares for you. Isn''t this killing two birds with a stone?" "Then breaking one leg isn''t enough. I''d say we should make it more serious and that will make Luca take it seriously," Jim added. "Say for example a road traffic ident. Thinking about the effects of it, for sure it''s going to do well." "You''re right. Besides, admitting to a hospital will not dy your work progress. Anyway, it''s not your first time working while being admitted to the hospital," said Percy while nodding his head, agreeing to Jim''s idea. "Traffic ident is a good idea. Just get yourself knocked over and have Johann step in to make things sound more serious." Listening to their lousy idea made Luke pick up his ss of liquor and gulp it all in one go before getting up. Percy looked at him. "Where are you going? Don''t tell me you taking it for real? We''re just joking." "I''m not drunk," Luke said. He left the room without turning around. Initially, his idea of inviting them out was to have them give some useful ideas and not some useless stuff. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Indeed, the ideas that they mentioned would make Luca stay back but it was very childish. An adult should not do such a thing. Luke paid the bill for that room and left the bar. Looking at the traffic light made him think of Luca. If he could note out with an idea, Luca would really leave him. After waiting for three years, he finally waited for her return. He would not allow her to back off and even leave him. The thought of it left him frustrated. He wanted to return to his car to rest for a moment, yet there were a few young reckless drivers who came charging down the street toward him. Those motorcycles that were headed his way were deafeningly noisy. The few youngds steering the vehicles were drunk. Luke nced at them, but the effect of the liquor made him unable to react in time. He collided with one of the motorcyclists. At that moment, it was chaotic. Luke fell to the ground and stared at the traffic light. He felt dizzy and slowly lost consciousness. The waiters at the entrance quickly went forth when they saw Luke being knocked down. They held down the few of them, who had caused trouble and wanted to leave the scene. "Mr. Crawford. Hey, Mr. Crawford." One of the waiters got down on his knees to examine his condition. Luke was still not responding. "Hurry and dial 120. Also, Mr. Mallory and his friend are still in the room. Go and tell them about it," roared the waiter when he noticed Luke had lost consciousness. Percy and Jim were sitting in the room and drank theirst ss of liquor. Percy said when he saw the waiter pushing the door open anding into the room, "You came just at the timing, bill please." The waiter was anxious. "This is bad, Mr. Mallory. Mr. Crawford got knocked down by a drunken reckless motorcyclist as soon as he left the bar. Now, he''s unconscious at the roadside." Percy opened his mouth in astonishment and exchanged looks with Jim. ''Whatever I said had turned into reality? ''I just suggested that Luke torture himself by getting into an ident to make Luca worried about him, and he actually went through with it? ''If it was not for him knowing that Luke was not such a person, he would be suspicious whether or not he did it intentionally.'' "Has the ambnce arrived?" Percy got up and headed out anxiously. "We''ve already called the ambnce. It will soon arrive. The main thing is that until now, Mr. Crawford is still unconscious. I witnessed that his head knocked on the ground..." the waiter was worried. Despite not them knocking him down, it still urred at the entrance of their bar. Besides, any ordinary people would have dodged it. It was because Luke was drunk and unable to react to it. Hence, he was slow and was not able to dodge it. If anything were to happen to Luke, and the Mallory family came hunting for an exnation, for sure the bar would be closed down. "It''s just a motorcycle. Is it that serious? Did the motorcycle hit him at a high speed?" Percy asked and headed out anxiously. "The velocity was quite fast but waspletely avoidable. Maybe Mr. Crawford was drunk and wasn''t lucid enough to dodge. My colleague has already lodged a police report and caught hold of the few youngsters. The few youngsters were drunk as well." the waiter replied. Percy walked out of the bar and saw there a few people surrounding a corner. He went up and saw Luke lying on the ground, not moving an inch as if he was dead. No one dared to move Luke as they were unsure of his current situation, worried they might cause further damage to him. He spun around to look and saw a few waiters pinning onto the few youngsters who were looking down. He took off his coat and ced it over Luke''s body and walked to the side of the youngsters. "So these are the ones who knocked him down?" "Yes, Mr. Mallory," one of the waiters said. Percy frowned. "Excellent. How dare you speed on road after being drunk. You guys even sped on road in groups. Later when the cops arrive, have them all arrested." Chapter 1892 "Yes, sir." The bar manager heard it and quickly rushed to the scene. He quickly agreed to it after knowing that Percy had no intention of putting the me on them. He prayed so hard for Percy to push all the me onto the youngsters, who did not know their standings in society. Percy looked at Luke, who was lying on the ground and exchanged looks with Jim. ''This time, he really got into an ident. It''s just that this time, he was knocked down by others...'' "Later I''ll follow the ambnce to escort him to the hospital. You head back home first," Percy said to Jim. Currently, Jim''s wife was pregnant with her third child, and it would not be appropriate for him to go back homete. Percy would just exin to Nina. "Alright, just give me a call if there''s anything," Jim said. After some time, the ambnce arrived at the scene. With the help of a few health care workers, Luke was ced on the stretcher and Percy boarded the ambnce, heading toward the hospital. In the ambnce, the doctors put on a drip for Luke and asked for some history. After answering, Percy got to know that Luke would be sent to the hospital where Johann was and quickly gave thetter a call. After the call was connected, he was still looking at the man, who was unconscious. He was unsure whether Luke was unconscious due to him being knocked down or was it because he was drunk. Anyway, he was still unconscious. "Even if he was out from his drunken state, will he still be passing out cold?" Percy asked. The doctor did a simple checkup. "His pupils are reacting normally. It could be due to both of the factors you mentioned." Percy touched his chin. He did not expect there would be a day when his words would turn into reality. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. After the ambnce arrived at the hospital, Johann made some arrangements in the hospital and after running a simple examination on Luke, he immediately arranged for all sorts of investigations. Percy sat on the chair in the emergency department. He took out his handphone and called Luca. After all, currently, Luke really wanted Luca to acknowledge their rtionship. This time, Luke was knocked down and it was a chance. In the middle of the night, the instant when the handphone rang, Luca immediately opened her eyes. Three years of training made her develop self-conscious. Even if she was deeply asleep, she would still be able to wake up immediately whenever there was a noise in the surrounding. When the second sound of the handphone rang, she had already noticed that the sound that woke her up was originating from her handphone. She picked up her handphone and looked at the iing call. ''Percy... ''It is already sote. Could it be because of Luke that he is now calling me?'' Luca held onto her handphone and silently decided. No matter what Percy said, she would not be softhearted. She couldn''t give in to Luke now. Despite Abel asking her to get closer to Luke numerous times, she was not willing to hurt her man. She clicked on the answer button. "Hi, Mr. Mallory." Percy waited for a moment. He thought she was not going to pick up the call. The moment she answered, he let out a breath of relief. "Dr. Craw, please head over to the hospital right now." "Hospital?" Luca''s heart skipped a beat when she heard of the location. "Did something happen?" "Luke got into an ident," Percy intentionally spoke with an anxious tone so Luca would be nervous. "ident? Is it bad?" Luca clenched onto her nket and was starting to get worried while unable to remain calm. "I can''t justify whether or not it''s serious but he''s unconscious before he was here." Percy noticed the change in her tone. He could sense that Luca was still concerned for Luke. Or else, she would not be concerned about his situation. "What causes it?" Luca quickly got out of bed, but when she thought of the kids being left alone at home if she left the house for the hospital, she sat on the bed once again. She could not bring the kids over to the hospital as it would scare them. "I''m not too sure about the details but can you make a trip here? Also, bring some documents belonging to Luke. Or else, it''s going to be a hassle to proceed with the admission," Percy asked. He got to seize the opportunity. Even though Johann said it might not be a serious issue, all he could do was make Luca nervous. "I can go over but can you please take care of things over there for the time being? I need to have the nannye over here before I leave the house. Leaving the kids here is too dangerous," Luca discussed with Percy. "No problem. But please be here soon. Because urgent things might just suddenly happen." Percy agreed. After Luca ended the call, she called the nanny and briefly told her the condition and had here over to look after the kids. After the nanny agreed, Luca changed her clothes and walked out of the bedroom. She looked at Luke''s bedroom and thought to herself. ''I should go in. This time, he''s going to be admitted. For sure he needs to be registered in the hospital. I guess all his important documents are inside there.'' Luca opened the lights and then closed the bedroom door. ording to her understanding of Luke, she found his medical card in the bottom drawer of his study table. After cing it in her pocket, Luca looked at the safety box in a corner... Luke had two safety boxes in which he kept his import documents. One was in the office in the company and the other one was in the study room at home. Currently, he had no study room in this vi. Hence, this safety box was used to keep his documents. The thought of it made here over to the safety box. She looked at the password column and thought deeply about it. Even if three years had passed, she still know Luke well and was confident to unlock the password. As long as she unlocked the password, she would be able to know everything that Abel wanted. Luca looked at the safety box and after some time, she still did not make a move. Once the door of the safety box was opened, it would mean Luke would have to face a huge crisis. The thought of the possibility of events that might happen made her unwilling to do so. ''Forget it. I''ll drag on as much as I can.'' Luca made a decision. Luke had met with an ident, and she was unsure of his situation. She was worried and the thought of Percy''s negative tone made her feel that Luke''s condition might be very serious. ''Why did he get himself into an ident? Was it because of me?'' Luca walked out of Luke''s room and came downstairs to wait for the nanny. Time passed and she got more worried and wished that she could show up at the hospital instantly to get to know the condition of her man. After half an hour, the nanny showed up. "Ms. Luca. I''m sorry, it''s hard to get a cabte at night." Luca shook her head and said, "I should be apologizing to you, for making youe over at thiste hour. I''ll leave the kids to you. I''ll go over to the hospital now to know what''s going on." "Alright, no problem," the nanny agreed immediately. Luca took the little car key given to her by Luke at the entrance of the vi. She put on an apron and when she was about to leave, she turned around and ordered the nanny, "The kids had no idea what was happening. If they ask, just say I got some stuff to attend to and headed back to the office. Don''t mention a word about Mr. Crawford''s condition.¡± "Got it. I know what to do, Ms. Luca. Please drive safe," the nanny reminded. Chapter 1893 Luca nodded and rushed to leave. She sat in the car and cautiously drove out of the vi. At that moment, it was already past midnight. The thought of Luke might be facing all sorts of situations in the hospital made her drive faster as there were not many cars on the road as well. She rushed to the hospital and rushed to park the car and headed to the main building of the hospital. Because she had previously enquired that Luke was currently at the emergency department, she then rushed her way over there. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Percy saw her rushing there and was unable to conceal the anxious look on her face that made him think about it. ''Maybe Luke got lucky out of this ident.'' The instant Luca saw Percy, she rushed to him. "Mr. Mallory, where''s Mr. Crawford?" "He just underwent all the investigations. Now the doctors are in there discussing the management," Percy said. "Then did the doctors say anything?" Luca asked cautiously. Her heart was racing, afraid she might be hearing bad news. Percy shook his head. "The doctor didn''t say anything and simply had a serious look on their faces. But rest assured, all doctors are like that. Besides, I got Johann over to tend to him. It will be fine." Luca was relieved when she got to know that Johann was involved. She felt relieved knowing he was helping with Luke. "Mr. Mallory, isn''t Mr. Crawford working overtime? How did he get himself involved in a road traffic ident...?" she blurted. She wondered whether it was her overthinking as the moment she met up with Percy, she smelled a strong stench of liquor. However, after sniffing it properly, it smelled like antiseptic. "Well, there will be times when a man will meet with the unfortunate. You got it, do you?" Percy said. Luca shook her head. "Can you make it clearer? Are you saying that Luke met with an ident after work?" "No. Something is bugging him, and he could not think through it. Hence, he dragged me along with Jim to have alcohol. After drinking, when he was about to leave, he was then knocked down by a few drunk youngsters," Percy had no choice but to say the truth. Anyway, it was not a bad thing to let her know of Luke''s true emotions. "He''s knocked down?" Luca widened her eyes, astonished. ''He was drunk and drove, yet being knocked down?'' Percy knew what she was suspecting and waved his hand helplessly. "Yes. He''s knocked down when he''s walking on the sidewalk. Those drunken youngsters thought that driving their motorcycles on the sidewalk would not be an issue. They didn''t expect their speed to be so fast and Luke didn''t manage to avoid them. The youngsters couldn''t brake in time so..." "I got it." Luca kept quiet. ''Will it be that serious after being knocked down by a motorcycle? ''Things might not be serious if the collision wasn''t too severe but it''s hard to say for sure; things will be unpredictable.'' "Have a seat first. The doctors will be out soon," said Percy and got up. "I''ll go buy a bottle of water. Do you want?" "No thanks." Luca thought of asking more in detail, so she could get to know about Luke''s condition soon. However, it seemed that Percy had said everything that he knew. It would be better if she just sat on the long bench and wait. After some time, Johann opened the curtain and came out. "Dr. Craw, why are you alone here? Where''s Percy?" Luca immediately got up and looked at him. "He went to buy a bottle of water. Dr. Park, how''s Mr. Crawford?" Johann nodded and was holding onto the report. "Well, you do know medical as well. Then I''ll not beat around the bush. I wouldn''t say he''s not in a critical state as of now, but I can''t say it''s notpletely serious. He will still need treatment. So, we can''t say with certainty that he''s entirely alright. Right now, the thing that I''m most worried about is his brain." "What''s wrong with his brain?" Luca asked. Johann pointed at the back of his head and exined, "When he got knocked down, there wasn''t any protection. He fell and immediately lose consciousness. Hence, the CT report did show there is minimal bleeding. However, his bleeding is not too big of an issue. We need to continue monitoring it. If the area of bleeding didn''t expand,ter, the clot will be reabsorbed on its own. Of course, if he''s unlucky, and the bleeding continues to expand, we have no choice but to do an operation to stop the bleeding." "Alright." Luca''s mind went nk when she heard Luke injured his head. She did not know what to do next but just gave Johann a reply, stunned. Seeing her in such a state made Johann recall whether he had said too much. However, Percy had previously ordered him to mention it toward the critical side when he saw Luca. He dared not do so. It was a fact that Luke was injured but it was not too serious. After giving it a thought, he could onlye out with such an exnation. Johann cleared his throat and continued, "Don''t worry too much. Just think toward the positive side. Everything is going to be fine." "I got it. Are there any other issues?¡± Luca lifted her head to look at him and the worried look in her eyes was impossible to conceal. She was worried about Luke. Currently, she could only pray for him to be safe and for nothing to happen. "Also, he might have a cerebral concussion. It should be fine if we take good care of his head for the next two days. Also, for his right leg, there are signs of it being fractured. I''ve briefly heard about the ident. Maybe he was squashed by the motorbike, causing his bone to be fractured and it''s not a simple fracture. As a doctor, I still rmend putting a cast over his right leg," Johann said. "Alright." Luca listened to what Johann had to say and frowned deeper. The things that he said could be healed but it would have to trouble Luke. Once the cement was applied, it would take at least one month before it could be removed. For the time being, Luke''s mobility would be restricted. He still had tons of stuff to attend to in thepany. ''If I''m leaving, who is going to look after him?'' Johann noticed her frowning and deep in thought. He then added, "We don''t need to arrange for him to undergo any operation. You brought his identity card, right? Just give it to me and I''ll have someone settle it. Then, I''ll help to arrange for the cement application." Luca took out Luke''s identity card from her pocket. Johann received the identity card and held it in his hand. ¡°Then, I shall proceed to apply the cement cast for him. You may have a seat here first. Once the cement cast is done, he will be transferred up to the ward. Right now, he is still unconscious. Tonight, it''s best if there is someone to keep him company.¡± "I''ll be the one," Luca said as she was not assured to get other nurses to take care of Luke. "Alright." Johann looked at Luca''s look that was deep in thought and smirked. ''It seemed this time, Luke''s wish is going toe true. This time, it will be after one monthter if Luca wants to leave him.'' He returned to the emergency department. Luca sat on the long bench. At that moment, Percy was done purchasing water and came over. He gave one of the bottles of water to Luca. "Dr. Craw, have some water." "Thanks." Luca took it over and exined to Percy, "Earlier, Dr. Park came out and told me the result." "How''s Luke?" Even though Percy had already known Luke''s condition, he still put up an act, pretending not to know and asked. Luca blurted everything that Johann said, feeling depressed. Chapter 1894 Percy heard Luca saying it as if she was reading a report, repeating Johann''s speech in detail, and it made himugh. He opened the bottle of water to hide away the urge tough and took two mouthfuls of water. Then, he comforted Luca, "This time, Luke has met with an ident. Dr. Craw, it seems that I''ll have to trouble you." Luca looked at him and was feeling much suspicious. She did not express her intention to stay back to look after Luke, but he had assumed that she would for sure stay back. Seeing that she was not talking made Percy ask intentionally, "What''s wrong? Any problem?" "No..." Luca said slowly. "After all Jason is busy with issues in the T Corporation. If you can''t stay back to look after him, I guess that leaves me no choice but to notify the people In the Crawford Manor." Percy took another sip of water. "But to make it clear, only old master Crawford is the only one in the entire Crawford Manor who cares about Luke. But he''s already so old. I heard that he had lots of diseases and it was all due to the cold weather. That''s why I thought of you and called to notify you." Luca nodded. Naturally, she would not bother old master Crawford regarding Luke''s issue, and she could not scare the kids. She thought about it and thought she was the most appropriate person. Even though her appearance and status had changed, she was still once Luke''s wife. Percy no longer said anything when he realized he had persuaded Luca to stay back. He put on an act and sat on the long bench, waiting for Luke toe out. Before Johann spoke to Luca, he had discussed it with Percy beforehand. It was a fact regarding the fracture of the right leg. They would need the application of a cement cast for the recovery but the theory of having a blood clot in his head was incorrect. At most, Luke would just pass out cold for two days due to the concussion and would not need to undergo any operation. They did so all just so Luca would stay by Luke''s side. Seeing Luca''s current state made him know that the n was a sess. From then on, Luke would be able to obtain the heart of Luca and he got to be thankful to Johann. After half an hour, the cement case was just applied to Luke''s right leg, and he was lying on the hospital bed, pushed out by the doctor and nurses. Luca immediately stood up and walked upfront. Luke was still unconscious, put on venttion, and had no feeling that his leg was being put on a cement cast. Percy looked at Luke, who was still unconscious, and frowned while asking Johann, "Why hasn''t he woken up?" "It''s better off that way than to wake up. If he wakes up, I guess he will be nauseated and feel dizzy. So, it''s better if he''s still passed out cold " Johann was sure that Luke was fine even if he was not awake yet. "Right now, he needs rest. If I''m wrong about it, he had not been resting well for a few days. Adding to that alcohol has the effect of protecting our bodies. Hence, being passed out cold, for the time being, is not a major issue. In his current state, it will make the person looking after him feel much easier." "True." Percy looked at Luca. ¡°Don''t worry too much, Dr. Craw." Luca was being pointed out and her gaze shifted away from Luke while nodding. Johanna tapped on the head of the bed and ordered, "Alright, now push our patient to the VIP ward in the hospital." The nurses and the doctor on duty pushed Luke toward the elevator. Johann did not say a word and Luca took the initiative to follow behind the doctor and nurses. The doctor and nurses were fast. In five minutes, they had pushed Luke to the VIP ward. In the meantime, they had shifted Luke to another bed and put him on a drip. The nurses brought the basic necessities. Knowing that Luca was going to look after Luke, the nurse taught her the methods of using those necessities and left the ward. Percy said after seeing that everything was already well arranged, *I''ll leave him in your hands, Dr. Craw. I still got to head back. Lately, Nina isn''t in good shape, and I''m not relieved to leave her at home all alone." "Alright, sorry to trouble you, Mr. Mallory." Luca nodded and after seeing Percy off, she closed the ward door. At that moment, only she and Luke were the only ones in the ward. Luca nced at the drip that was adjusted to drip slowly by the nurse, and then looked at Luke, who was lying on the bed quietly. The thought of Johann''s words made her unable to remain calm. She walked up front and softly called out, "Mr. Crawford?" Luke still did not react. Looking at his hand, which was left outside of the nket because of the drip inserted made her pull the nket slightly upward. Her fingers ced on Luke''s pulse. Luca silently took Luke''s pulse and felt that thetter was having an abnormal pulse. However, recalling he had drunk so much liquor made her assume that was the cause. She retrieved her hand and after helping him cover with the nket, she thought for a moment and gently opened his eyelids. Even though she was not a neurologist, she still knew the basics. She saw Luke having normal pupils, then only she let out a breath of relief and sat on the chair beside it. The nurse had reminded her that tonight, Luke still had and would need to finish both bottles. Or else, his blood flow would take a reversal flow and that would lead to seriousplications. However, given Luke''s current state, Luca was unable to sleep well. Luca looked at the drip that was dripping slowly. Since she had no document that needed to be settled, she took out her handphone to pass time. After two hours, only Luke''s drip was over Luca looked at it and it was already four in the morning, and Luke still had no signs of waking up. Earlier, Johann came to check on Luke andmented that perhaps Luke was deep asleep after passing out cold. It was only natural he did not wake up, so Johann reassured her not to worry too much about it. Because he did a simple examination and Luke''s body condition was normal. Luca sat on the sofa and yawned. ''Perhaps Luke''s issue would invite huge chaos in T Corporation. After all, he''s injured. ''And he still has to take charge of T Corporation.'' Luca thought of it and felt her eyelids rather heavy. After looking after Luke for an entire night, she was fatigued. ''I will just close my eyes for a moment...'' Not knowing how long she had closed her eyes; she heard a noise and immediately opened her eyes. Subconsciously, she looked at the hospital bed. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Perhaps due to the distance, she could not see Luke''s face but could hear him muttering. She immediately got up and walked to the side of his bed. "Are you feeling alright, Mr. Crawford?" Luke was a little lost. It was obvious that he was not sure what condition he was currently in. "Where is this?" His throat which was burnt by the alcohol made his voice hoarse. "This is the hospital. You''ve been knocked down by a motorcycle," Luca exined. When Luke heard the word motorcycle, she recalled the entire incident. He was drunk and was unable to dodge the motorcycle which had no intention of braking. Then, he lost his memories. Luca clicked on the help button when she saw him having a dark expression. "What''s the time now?" Luke looked at him and was thinking perhaps it was Percy''s idea that she ended up showing up in the scene. "Now is already six in the morning." Luca looked at her handphone and replied. Because it was winter, the sky outside had yet to be brightened up. Chapter 1895 Given the weather, it was hard to make out that it was currently already in the morning, but Luke had indeed passed out the entire night. Her faint hoarse voice traveled into his ears, and it made Luke go pale. Throughout the entire night, he lost his senses, and the mastermind behind all of these was because of a motorcycle. Luke wanted to sit up. Luca saw it and quickly reminded, "Mr. Crawford, it''s best if you don''t sit up right now." Luke slowly lifted his head and the feeling of dizziness made him lie back on his pillow. "What''s wrong?" "Dr. Park said that you have a slight concussion. It''s best if you lie down and get some rest." Luca saw him frowning and without him saying anything, she knew he was dizzy. She had experienced having a concussion and that feeling was unpleasant. "Was it because of the ident as well?" Luke has an awful expression. Because of an ident, he ended up in such a state and it made him feel embarrassing. ''Besides, those road bikers...'' He slowly regained his awareness and the scene fromst night was still vivid in his memory. He remembered the scene where those daring youngsters came driving toward him. "Yes. At that moment, you had the back of your head knocked on the ground," Luca said while noticing his dark expression, guessing that he was feeling embarrassed for being admitted to the hospital for such a thing. Luke took in a deep breath and asked, "Then how about my leg?" When he wanted to get up, he noticed it took him great effort to lift his right leg, as if it was being suppressed by something. "A cement cast was applied over your right leg because the motorcycle went over your leg, causing it to be fractured," Luca blurted the truth. "Damn it!" Luke did not expect a motorcycle would make him unable to move carefreely. "Mr. Crawford, don''t get so worked up. Everything is going to be fine," Luca quickly advised. Luke had a dark expression. Even though Luca was now by his side, taking care of him, he was still having a foul mood. Because a motorcycle, it made him so inconvenient in many aspects. "What Dr. Craw said was right. Everything is going to be fine. If you''re being so agitated, it''s not going to do you any good with the bleeding going on in your head." Johann pushed the door opened and overheard the conversation between Luca and Luke and added. "There''s a bleeding going on in my head too?" Luke was shocked. Never once had he thought of his body being this fragile. ''I got defeated by a motorcycle...'' "Well, I''m not in time to tell you that," said Luca helplessly. "After resting for an entire night, how do you feel now? Anywhere not well?" The nurse whom Johann brought along went forth and examined Luke. Luke saw his gesture of holding onto a little torch and shining into his eyes, which made him tilt his head away disdainfully. "No." "No? How is that possible? Aren''t you feeling dizzy?" Johann asked again and kept his torch. He picked up the medical book at the end of his bed. "Well, he did have a little dizziness earlier but it''s not too serious," said Luca. Johann nodded and after writing in the medical book, he ordered the nurse beside him, "Send Mr. Crawford to the treatment room and arrange a CT brain scan." "Alright, Dr. Park." The nurse walked out and arranged for Luke. "I still need to be examined?" Luke was against those investigations. Initially, he was able to protect Luca but now, it seemed that he could only lie on the bed and have Luca take care of him. In the meantime, it allowed Luca to witness his fragile side. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Of course, this is all for the sake of your safety and health," Johann exined. After he was done checking, he stood in the ward, having no intention of leaving. "Why are you still standing here?" Luke looked at Johann, irritated. "Of course, waiting to send you to the treatment room. As your attending doctor and friend, it''s only logical for me to be responsible for your health." Luke knew whatever he said would be argued after listening to his grand exnation. Johann just wanted to watch what was going on. Seeing that Luke did not say anything, Johann then added, "Dr. Craw,ter on, you need not apany us. Right now, he''s looking not too bad. If possible, you can go prepare breakfast. After drinking liquor, for sure his tummy is upset." "Alright." Luca was worried about Luke but with Johann around, there would be no reason to be worried. The two nurses pushed Luke''s bed and left. When leaving the ward, he kept looking at Luca and was deep in thought. ''If it''s not for me meeting with an ident, for sure she would not stay here as well. ''Even though it''s embarrassing to get knocked down by a motorcycle, I still feel happy because I''m able to receive Luca''s meticulous care.'' The CT room had long ago informed them and was waiting for Luke''s arrival. When he reached the entrance, he was then pushed in but was never shifted to another bed. Luke kept lying on the bed because of his dizziness. He squinted his eyes to look at Johann. "Aren''t you supposed to run the investigation on me?" "No need." Johann shook his head. "Right now, your condition doesn''t warrant a CT." "Then why did you bring me here for?" Luke looked at the healthcare workers around him and they did not intend to move him to another bed "To put on an act." Johann looked at his colleagues and said, "You guys can leave first. After five minutes,e in and send Mr. Crawford up." The few healthcare workers nodded and left. Luke asked, "Spit it out." "There''s no bleeding in your head. Apart from a minor concussion and the bump at the back of your head after being knocked on, your head is alright," Johann came out clear. "All of these are Percy''s ideas. Please don''t me it on me." Even though Luke was lying there, the domineering nce made Johann stutter uncontrobly. "After you''re being admitted, Percy told me you''re troubled because of your rtionship and wanted me to deceive your condition to the worst extent so that we can make Luca stay by your side. Then, you''ll have your chance to persuade her to return. So, I''ve thought of it over and over and only this method can help you out." "Foul idea." Luke closed his eyes. Johann quickly came to the side of the bed and listening to his dishonest words, he teased, "What do you mean by a foul idea? Look, isn''t Dr. Craw staying by your side? Besides, the cement cast over your leg can only be removed after a month. I guess during this month, there''s more than enough time for you to make up for this rtionship, right? Besides, you cannot insist on not going home and make her unable to leave. Now, even though it''s a little embarrassing, it''s still better. Besides, the concussion you''re having is just temporary. When you''re fine, you''ll be able to work anywhere. Isn''t that for the best?" Listening to Johann''s words left Luke speechless. ''Indeed, Luca had stayed back.'' Besides, things hade to this state, he had no choice but to go on with the n. ''Or else, what can I do about it?'' He was not willing to see Luca left. Johann smiled when he noticed Luke not saying a word. "You''re the person who is involved in the chaos. I''ve already told you about your body condition. It''s all just an act bringing you here for a checkup. After all, Dr. Craw isn''t someone who is easily being fooled. Alright, when you''re back to your ward, go enjoy this rare chance of treatment." Chapter 1896 The treatment that Johann talked about was the care given to him by Luca. After five minutes, the healthcare workers followed his order and entered the CT room. Johann tapped on the head of the bed as if he was tapping on Luke''s shoulder. "Even though you will have to spend the remaining one month on the wheeling chair, I hope you will enjoy it. After all, fracturing your bone is not a small matter. Come, let''s return to the ward." The healthcare workers heard it and sent Luke back to the ward. Luca was not in the ward. Johann turned around and looked at Luke, who was ced in position. Pfft. "Has Dr. Craw left?" "She wouldn''t," said Luke with confidence. ''Luca is not such a person.'' Even if she was avoiding Jim, she would not simply leave him. After all, he was still in the hospital and would not just leave without saying a word. Besides, even if Luca did not say anything, she did not put on an expression showing she was heartbroken. However, he could still vaguely feel it. Even if she did not say anything, he could still clearly feel it and was not just cheating himself. ''Luca is indeed worried about me.'' "Are you so sure about it?" Johann took out his handphone and called Luca. "Where are you, Dr. Craw?" "I''m at the restaurant nearby the hospital buying breakfast, Dr. Park. Is Mr. Crawford''s report out already?" Luca asked. She knew that the report would be out soon if it was anything rted to Luke. "So you went to buy breakfast. I was wondering where you could have been." Johann purposely looked at Luke, who was having a calm look, confident that Luca would not leave him. ''Indeed, they are husband and wife. Even though they had not been in contact for three years, they both still knew each other so well. He was impressed. "The report is out. I''ve gone through it, and there isn''t any more bleeding going on. You don''t have to worry about it, but someone will still need to look after the patient. When will you be back?" Johann tried to persuade Luca toe back with his words; only half of them being true. ''Indeed, Luke needs someone to look after but he''s not having any bleeding.'' "Maybe I''ll still need some time because I''m outside now. I''ll get back as soon as possible." Luca was relieved. Her anxious feelings had finally beposed. Luke lifted the sides of his mouth. Even if he was eating just a simple bowl of porridge, he would be picky about it too. The porridge provided in the hospital was not up to his taste. There would not be any guarantee that he would eat the porridge even if it was bought from outside. That was the reason she went out of the hospital to buy. "So that''s the reason. Then I shall have the nurse look after him for now. We''ll talk once you''re back," said Johann and hung up the call. He looked at the man on the hospital bed. "It looks like you''ve guessed it correctly. Dr. Craw is indeed concerned for you. She didn''t run away and even knew you are picky on your food. She didn''t buy the porridge in the hospital but went outside to buy it. Pfft. She really puts in a lot of effort." Listening to Johann''s teasing tone made Luke put on an expressionless face and interrupted him, "If you''re envious, then go get yourself a girlfriend too but no one can say for sure whether or not you will meet a good one." Johann came to a pause. ''I think I''ve heard thisment back when this couple was madly in love with each other.'' Currently, with them in such a state, it was nowhere better than being a bachelor like himself, but Luke still got the rights to show off. Johann pursed his lips. "You''re too over, Luke." "I''m just stating the truth." Luke continued closing his eyes and was very calm. The nurse beside him smiled sneakily. Johann saw it and cleared his throat. " Stopughing, it''s not that I don''t have a crush. It''s just that I only like one person. What''s wrong about it?" The nurse quickly nodded. Because the nurse had been working together with Johann for a very long time, she teased him with a tone almost simr to Luke''s, "Everyone in the hospital knew that you enjoy living by yourself, Dr. Park. You don''t have to emphasize it." "Enough. Stop teasing me. Take good care of the patient. If he''s dizzy or vomited, don''t need to notify me. Just do the necessary," after Johann was done saying, he left the scene. He had obviously helped Luke so many times but every time, it would be him who ended up being hurt. Not just Luke, it was also with Percy and Jim. They would always act all lovey-dovey before him, making him feel hurt. After Luca was done buying breakfast, she rushed to the hospital. She walked to a nearby shop and thought of Luke having no towel and some necessities. Besides, there was only one nanny at home. It would not be rational to have her deliver it to the hospital. Hence, she entered the shop and bought some daily necessities. She had no idea how long Luke would be admitted. Hence, those would need to be prepared. Luca knew Luke was picky. Nothing in the hospital was good. All she could do was reduce the chances of Luke having a bad mood. Luca held onto the breakfast and daily necessaries and entered the ward. The nurse saw her and said, "I''m leaving the patient in your hands." "Oh right, can he sit up?" Luca asked. If he was able to sit upright, it would make it easy for him to eat breakfast and brush his teeth. "It depends on him. If he''s able to sit up without feeling dizzy, then it''s alright. If he does feel dizzy, then don''t force him to do so," said the nurse. Luca nodded and ced the package in her hand down and looked at the hospital bed. Luke was also looking at her. His deep-seated eyes were as if had hidden lots of things that he wished to say. "Mr. Crawford, do you want to brush your teeth?" Luca evaded his gaze and pretended to arrange the items in the stic bag. She knew Luke was very hygienic. Regardless of what happened, he would prefer to brush his teeth before having breakfast. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Alright." Luke could feel that Luca was evading. Previously, he did not hide this temper and forced it too much on her. Hence, it was only normal for her to evade him. Currently, she did not leave immediately and that was already the best oue. Luca held onto the basin and arrived at the sink. She was meticulous and tested for the temperature of the water. Then, she carried it to the side of the hospital bed. "Mr. Crawford, do you want to adjust your bed a little higher? That will make it easier for you to brush your teeth," she asked. "You''re free to do so as you deem it fit," Luke closed his eyes and said. Luca nodded and slowly adjusted the bed higher. As she was adjusting, she took more of Luke''s expression. Looking at him slowly frowning made her actionse to a halt. "Are you feeling dizzy?" "I''m fine. Give me the cup and toothbrush." Luke opened his eyes, feeling a little dizzy but still bearable. Even though he wanted Luca to look after him, he still got to preserve his image. Luca passed the cup of water for brushing his teeth and the toothbrush with toothpaste on it to Luke. "I bought all of these at the convenience store. The quality might not be that good but just bear with it for the time being." Luke did not say a word. Indeed, those items did not match up to his branded items used to brush his teeth, but under such circumstances, he had no choice of being picky. He believed she was terrifiedst night. When Percy called her to inform her that Luke was admitted, she did not even think of packing up her own stuff. Luca watched Luke''s action of slowly brushing his teeth, guessing perhaps it was because he was still not in good shape. She wanted to help but thought it might be too intimating. Hence, she just waited for him patiently. After brushing his teeth, she squeezed the towel dry and passed it over to him. Chapter 1897 Luke closed his eyes andy on the bed. His face looked awful because he was feeling dizzy. "You help me with it." Luca knew he was already at his limit and did not hesitate and helped him get his face washed. Then, she lowered the bed. The head of the bed was slowly lowered and after Luke felt much better, he said, "That''s the way." Luca''s action came to a halt. She got up and said, "I''ll go and pour the water away, Mr. Crawford. Then, only I''ll serve you the breakfast." "Alright." Luke closed his eyes. He had yet to recover from the dizziness he had from earlier and just laid there quietly. Luca carried the basin to the toilet and poured the water away. Then, she squeezed the towel dry and hung it on the hanger to dry it. She walked out of the bathroom and looked at Luke. Earlier he was still having a pale look and currently, he looked much better. She knew he was feeling much better. Hence, she opened up the lunch box and softly asked, "Do you want some porridge, Mr. Crawford?" Luke had no appetite, but Luca went through the cold weather outside just to buy the porridge for him and he could not afford to let her effort go to waste. "Alright." Initially, Luca wanted to sit at the side of the bed and feed him, but such a distance would be too intimating. Hence, she moved the chair and sat at the side of the bed. She held onto a spoon and started feeding Luke the porridge. She was being patient and after letting the porridge cool down, served it to Luke. He went with the flow and opened his mouth to eat it. With each spoon fed, and after Luke had finished half the bowl of porridge, only he said, "I had enough." "Alright." Luca nodded and took the porridge away. Only then, she walked into the bathroom and started brushing her teeth. Then, she ate her breakfast. Lukey on the hospital bed and raised his hand. Luca saw it and immediately got up to ask, "What are you doing, Mr. Crawford?" "Where is my handphone?" Luke said softly. When facing Luca, he was unable to speak sternly. The anger he was having yesterday had pretty much cooled down. Luca ced her breakfast down and took out the handphone from the drawer at the head of the bed. "Yesterday, Mr. Mallory helped put your handphone inside here." Luke took it and unlocked the password and read through the unread messages. He clicked into it and there were Jason and Tina''s messages. There were also Percy''s messages and the messages from the kids. Luke clicked into the kids'' messages first. It was sent in the morning, and they told him that Luca had left. He lifted his eyes and looked at Luca before him. Perhaps she did not want the kids to be worried and had made the arrangements yesterday. Hence, they were clueless about it. At that moment, she was right before him. Luke did not reply to them and continued reading other messages. Percy''s messages were all nonsense, asking him to grab hold of this rare chance. He purposely deleted all of his messages so that Luca would not be suspicious in the future. Lastly, only he clicked into Jason''s message. Perhaps it was Percy who had notified him, Jason knew that Luke was admitted to the hospital. Hence, he came to greet him intentionally. Luke squinted his eyes. Despite being dizzy at that moment, he still got to work. After all, he could not afford to dy the project. Hence, he gave Jason a ton of job lists to be done. Luca was eating her breakfast while looking at Luke holding onto his handphone. She knew he was currently doing his work and felt sorry for him. Outsiders all viewed him as a grand person but only Luca knew that Luke had sacrificed so much of his rest just to develop T Corporation throughout the past few years. Even if he fell sick, or how great the Crawford family was, he would not forget to work. All just to make sure thepany would have a better future. After all, only the strongest ones would not be picked on, and able to stand firm at the top in the society, and not be looked down on by others. He was that sort of person. His target was to make the T Corporation stronger and with this target in mind, not only did it reward him fame and status, but also fortune. In the meantime, it guaranteed the life of many people who were working hard in A City. His pride was all a result of his hard work, and his effort made others live a better life. However, all these, only she knew about it and no one knew a thing about it. Luca sighed within her. After some time, her handphone rung. She took it out to have a look at it and it was a message from Jason. He was asking whether she needed his help. Luca was guessing perhaps it was Luke who told Jason something. Hence, Jason knew about her staying by his side, taking care of Luke. She thought for a moment and replied, [Can I trouble you to make a trip over to the vi to help me get my office bag? Also, can you bring the documents that needed to be settled for today as well? Thanks.] Jason replied very fast. [No problem. I''ll go get it for you this instant.] After 45 minutes, Jason showed up in Luke''s ward, with Tina following behind, and both of them were holding a bunch of items. "Good morning, Mr. Crawford, Dr. Craw." They both called out simultaneously. Luca got up and took the initiative to take the bag over from Tina. "Thank you." Tina had a serious look. Given it was any usual day, for sure she would be smiling but currently, Luke was still lying on the hospital bed, if she were to smile, perhaps it might not be too appropriate. "Dr. Craw, this is my responsibility. The packet you''re holding is a change of clean clothes that I brought over for you. Also, this bag is your office bag and the documents that you need to settle for today."Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Luca took out the office bag and there were still documents from yesterday that were yet to settle. However, it was not much, and she should be able to ovee it. After all, she was supposed to take care of Luke. Even though he was picky, he was easier to look afterpared to other patients. That was because apart from his basic needs, most of his time was spent on work. She nced at the remaining documents and asked, puzzled, "That''s all for today that I''m supposed to handle?" Tina nodded and exined, "That''s because you got to take care of Mr. Crawford. So, I''ve made Alya take up most of the work." "Everyone in thepany knew about it?" Luca lowered her voice. She looked at the bed and noted Jason was reporting the work progress to Luke. "Rest assured, Mr. Doyle and I didn''t intentionally tell the outsiders. Maybe soon they wille to know that Mr. Crawford met with an ident, but they won''t know you''re here looking after him," Tina quickly said as she knew what she was worried about. Luca nodded. Things between her and Luke were prettyplicated, and it had caused the workers in thepany to make all sorts of predictions. Many of them thought that it was a fact that she did it for her profit. They all thought there really was something going on between her and Luke. However, she did her very best to maintain a distance making them make wild guesses but having no evidence to prove. If they were to find out that she was currently taking care of Luke, for sure they would think everything was the truth after all and started gossiping behind their backs. Even though she could not take control of the words that other people said, she still felt ufortable having others gossiping behind her back. "Also, I''ve got you covered. I said you''ll be working at Watson for the time being. So, you won''t be in T Corporation. They will not suspect a thing." Tina thought through things. ''It seems like Mr. Crawford''s leg had been put on a cement cast. For sure Luca will have to stay by his side to look after him. It''s only natural that she can''t return to thepany.'' Chapter 1898 Luca looked at Tina thankfully and said, ¡°Thank you." ¡°Don''t mention it. Take a look at these. Is there anything you need?" Tina shook her head. She had yet to know Luca''s true identity, and she just thought it was tough for Luca to take care of Luke. After all, Tina knew how unpredictable Luke could be and how hard it was to serve him. ¡°Alright. Let me see." Luca was still nning to ask the maid toe over after the kids came back from school. Then, she could go back and pack some stuff. After all, she had to watch over Luke. She might have to stay here for a few days. There was no way she could stay here without bringing any clothes with her. Tina followed behind her and exined, "Mr. Doyle and I went to the mansion to take these. I didn''t know what you needed, so I grabbed some warm clothes, the skincare products on your dressing table, and some toiletries. As for Mr. Crawford''s things, I didn''t dare to go into his bedroom. I didn''t manage to get anything for him." Luca checked the things, and there was nothing shecked. Tina had prepared everything well. ¡°These will be enough. Thank you," said Luca. She thanked Tina from the bottom of her heart. Tina knew Luca was staying together with Luke. She was not curious about it, and neither did she gossip about it. Instead, she helped Luca keep it a secret. Hence, even though Tina had found out about it, Luca was assured that the news would not spread in the office. ¡°No problem. Let me report my work first," replied Tina. "Sure." Luca nodded as she watched Tina walk toward Jason and stand beside him. She joined him to report on their work. Luca took the initiative to walk out of the ward to avert any suspicion. She headed to the corridor. Johann had arranged for Luke''s ward to be at the end of the corridor. With this arrangement, his privacy was well protected. Luca could understand Johann''s good intentions. There was a door at the end of the corridor. The door led to a garden. However, the door to the garden was closed to prevent patients from doing things that could harm themselves. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Luca could see the scenery of the garden through the windows. It was an outdoor garden. The leaves had already fallen off the nts, leaving the bare branches on them. Luca let out a sigh. Frost had begun to cover the windows. It would be snowing soon. Luca recalled that three years ago when her family was still living a peaceful life, Luke would bring the kids to the yard to have a snowball fight on the first snowfall of the year. Luke and the kids would wear warm clothes, so they were not afraid of the cold. They would throw snowballs at each other happily. Rainie had little strength, so she could never win against her elder brother. Tommy was still little back then and was always defeated by his elder brother and sister. Luke would help Rainie to make snowballs and carry Tommy on his shoulders so that he could throw the snowballs from a higher position. Meanwhile, she would prepare warm tea and refreshments for them in the kitchen. Sometimes, she would look at them ying in the yard through the windows. She would always be amused by their laughter. She had such a warm family at that time. Even though it was snowing outside, their hearts were warm and they could withstand the cold winter. Luca wrapped her arms around herself and stood at the end of the corridor while looking outside the windows. The scenery outside was not beautiful, but it reminded her of the past. It would be snowing soon, and the kids would be having their winter break... "Luca?" A voice interrupted Luca''s thoughts. She turned around and realized that it was Nina calling out her name. "Nina, why are you here?" Luca remembered that Nina was probably here because of Jean''s matter. Nina smiled at her bitterly and exined, "I''m cleaning up Jean''s mess." Nina had been exhausted in the past few days. Tyrone''s condition was very unstable, and he had stayed in the ICU for another two days. The doctor only approved Tyrone to be transferred to the general ward today. Nina felt guilty about it. She requested Johann to get Tyrone a VIP ward so that he could get better resources for recuperation. That was why she followed Tyrone here. Nina did not expect to run into Luca. Luca listened to Nina''s exnation and understood how helpless Nina felt. Nina even refused to address Jean as her elder brother now. It seemed like the matter was quite difficult and troublesome this time. "How''s the man who got beaten up by Jean?" Luca had asked Percy about the matter while she was waiting for Luke to get his leg cast. That was why she knew about it. "His life is no longer in danger. And he has regained consciousness. That''s why I asked Dr. Park to get him a VIP ward for him to continue receiving medical treatment," answered Nina. It was Jean''s fault, after all. Hence, spending a little more money was necessary to calm the Hugh family''s anger. Luca nodded. "Tell me if you need anything. I''ll help with whatever I can." "There''s actually something you can help me with." Nina took a deep breath and decided to tell the truth. The chances of Jean being thrown into prison would be lowered if Luca could help. "Tell me." Luca noticed the anxiety in Nina''s eyes. She promised to help her without a second thought. "The doctor told me that the surgery might have caused some damage to Tyrone''s nerves, but he doesn''t know the extent of the damage for now. Tyrone might need to receive physiotherapy, including acupuncture treatment. I''ve heard Dr. Park mention that you studied a lot about acupuncture treatment in the past, and your skills are better than those of other doctors. That''s why I''d like to ask you for a favor. Can you help me if Tyrone really does need..." Nina knew it was abrupt of her to ask for Luca''s help all of a sudden, but she had no other way. ¡°Of course." Luca agreed to help her without hesitation. Nina let out a sigh of relief. The chances of Tyronepletely recovering would be higher with Luca helping her. "Thank you." Nina''s eyes reddened. Before this, Nina was always wondering if she should ask for Luca''s help. However, she knew Luca was quite busy with her work. The uneasiness in Nina''s heart was relieved the moment Luca agreed to help her. "Alright. Let''s not talk about this anymore." Luca lifted her hand, pondered for a moment, and stroked Nina''s head. A familiar feeling aroused in Nina''s heart. She had always felt familiar with Luca. She was even surer of her feelings when Luca stroked her head. "Oh, how''s Luke?" Nina had received news that Luke got into an ident from Percy. Luca replied, "Everything is in control. He should be fine." "That''s great." Nina let out a sigh of relief. Just then, someone walked out of the ward. It was Keith. He looked at Nina with slightly narrowed eyes and said, "I thought you escaped." "I told you before. I''ll take responsibility and won''t run away." Nina turned around and gave him a stern look. "You said that when you didn''t know how serious my brother''s condition was at that time. Who knows if you''ll run away? It''ll be a big problem if my brother doesn''t recover!" Keith was the most educated one among the three brothers. That was why he could understand the doctor''s words very well. Chapter 1899 Nina took a deep breath. Of course, she knew it would be a big problem if Tyrone''s recovery did not go well. "I said that I''ll take up the responsibility. My brother has been detained by the police officers now. How can I run away? Besides, I''ll find the best doctor for Tyrone if he really has to receive treatment at a later stage. Don''t worry." The only thing she could do was to assure Keith. It had only been a few days, yet Nina was already on the verge of copsing. Anna thought Jean''s case was just a small matter at first. It was only when Jean was detained in his ward that she realized how serious it was. Hence, Anna would call and text Nina to urge Nina to bail Jean out whenever she had the chance to do so. However, Nina did not listen to her. She had been dealing with the mess that Jean had left behind. Nina was exhausted. She would have broken down without Percy''s help. Nina could bail Jean out, but she did not do so. It was because Jean should learn his lesson this time while he was detained in the custodial ward instead of prison. After all, it was much better than being in prison. Keith narrowed his eyes. Indeed, Jean was still being held in the custodial ward, and Nina did not look like she would bail him out. Keith had been asking people to dig into the Langdon family''s backgroundtely. He found out that the sister and brother had a sick mother who was in this hospital too. If that was the case, they would be able to look for the brother and mother even if Nina ran away. Keith narrowed his eyes, sizing Nina up maliciously. He then looked at the person behind Nina, Luca. He held his finger up and pointed at them with a hideous expression on his face, ¡°You''ve given your word.¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. After that, he turned around and left the ward. Nina let out a sigh. Luca turned to look at Luke''s ward. Jason and Tina had yet toe out. She thought Luke was still discussing work matters with them. Although Luca did not want Luke to handle work matters with his condition now, there was no helping it sometimes. They would not be able toplete the bidding document in time if Luke was not around to call the shots. Moreover, this man had always sought perfection in every detail. He was self-demanding and strict with the others as well. That was why Luca did not try to advise him. Besides, she was in no position to give him advice. Nina looked at her and asked, ¡°Luca, why aren''t you going in?" Percy knew Nina would be going to the hospital frequently these days, so she might run into Luca. That was why he told Nina that Luca would be keeping Lukepany in the hospital. He even asked Nina not to interfere with what was going on between them. Nina knew there must be a reason why Percy said so, so she promised him. "Mr. Doyle and someone else is in there. They should be busy handling work matters. It''s not a good idea if I go in now," exined Luca. Nina nodded. She knew Luca was trying to avoid being suspected by her. It was an important project, after all. No mistakes were allowed. "Can I go in and visit the patient?" Luca asked. Nina pondered for a moment. Larry did now show up today, and Keith had left. There was only Tyrone and Aunt Jenny in the ward. Nina nodded and said, "Sure." Luca followed Nina into the ward. Aunt Jenny was sitting on the chair beside the ward bed and silently wiping her tears. She rolled her eyes at Nina when she saw hering in. Nina had gotten used to Aunt Jenny''s attitude toward her. Aunt Jenny would always roll her eyes at Nina whenever she saw her. She would point at Nina and scold her if the doctor informed her of some bad news. Nina could understand Aunt Jenny''s feelings. After all, who would be willing to let their son suffer all of these things? That was why Nina had been enduring it silently. Other than the beeping sounds of the monitoring equipment in the ward, there was no conversation between Nina and Aunt Jenny. Luca read the vital signs on the monitor. The patient''s vital signs were stable. That was why the patient was able to transfer from the ICU to the general ward. "How is he?" Nina asked. "His vital signs are good," answered Luca as she looked at the bandage on Tyrone''s head. Then, she asked in a soft voice, "Only his head is injured, right?" "There are other wounds too, but they''re not life-threatening except for his head injury..." Nina let out a sigh. Jean had hit his head way too hard and ruthlessly. Nina had watched the surveince footage of the bar after she got her hands on it. She realized that the reason why the ss shards were pierced into Tyrone''s head was that after Jean smashed Tyrone''s head with the bottle, he kicked him. It caused Tyrone to fall to the floor. He knocked his head on the bar counter the moment he fell. That was how the ss shards got into his brain. "He''s going to be fine." Lucaforted Nina. She could not see the condition of Tyrone''s injuries, but fortunately, he managed to survive this. Aunt Jenny turned around and looked at them viciously. ¡°Who are you? What makes you think that my son will be alright? He''s lying here, and who''s the one to me for that?" Luca parted her lips as she wanted to exin it to her. Nina pulled her hand and apologized to Aunt Jenny. "I''m sorry. It''s my brother''s fault. Luca, let''s go out and talk." Luca nodded. The two of them walked out of the ward. Luca noticed Nina''s reddened eyes, and sheforted her with a soft voice, saying, "Don''t worry. Everything is going to be alright." Nina sniffed and nodded. She felt better after Lucaforted her. Both of them stood in the corridor, looking at the ss door at the end of the corridor and the scenery outside the windows. Winter would alwayse to an end. Jason and Tina walked out of the ward ten minutester. Jason saw Luca and said, "Dr. Craw, Mr. Crawford is looking for you." Luca nodded and nced at Nina, who was beside her. "Off you go." Nina did not say anything more. Luke needed someone to take care of him now, and Luca was good at taking care of people. What else could she say? "Call me if anything happens," said Luca. Then, she returned to Luke''s ward. Luke was still sitting in a reclined position on the bed. What was different was that there were piles of documents beside him, and he was holding a stack in his hands. "Mr. Crawford, what''s the matter?" Luca did not stop him from working. "Please get me something to drink." Luke did not put down the document in his hands. He told her what he needed directly. Luca nodded and wondered why he did not tell Jason to get him a drink. She believed that it would not be a big deal for Jason and Tina to help him with that. Luca poured one-third of warm water and added two-thirds of cold water into a ss so that the temperature would be just nice for him to drink it immediately. As Luke was sitting in a reclined position, Luca was thoughtful enough to take one of the straws the nurse gave to her and put it in the ss. Then, she handed it to Luke. Luke put down the document, held the ss with his hands, and drank it slowly. Luca tidied up the pile of documents on his bedside and ced them on the bedside table ording to the colors and the importance of the folders. Luke said, "It''s inconvenient for me to take them if you arrange them like that." Luke dared not to move too much, and he did not even dare to turn around. He would feel light-headed if he was even a little careless. "I can help," Luca said in a soft voice. Chapter 1900 She spoke to him in a gentle voice just like how she used to speak to him before. Luke looked up and stared at her. A warm feeling arose between them when their gazes met each other''s. Luca quickly lowered her head and ced the documents properly after she met Luke''s gaze. Luke finished drinking the ss of water and noticed that Luca was still busy arranging the pile of documents. He said calmly, "Coffee tastes better." Luca knew Luke was craving coffee again. She paused what she was doing and took the ss from him, putting it back where it was. "Mr. Crawford, it''s better to have in water now." "Am I not allowed to have any coffee?" Luke frowned. He only had a fractured bone. He was not sick at all. "Yes. You can have milk or juice if you think in water is tasteless," said Luca deliberately. Juice or milk was not Luke''s top choice even if there was no coffee. Luke enjoyed drinking coffee. Apart from that, he would drink in water and wine. Luca knew his preferences like the back of her hand. "Fine." Luke was indeed not interested in either of them. Luca smiled subtly as she seldom saw Luke surrendering to her. Luca ced Luke''sptop on the other side of the bed after she arranged the documents. It was for the nurse''s convenience when she came to give Luke the injection. That way, his things would not hold her up. Luca returned to the sofa after that. She ced her personal belongings that Tina had helped to bring over into an empty cab. Then, she turned on theptop and began to work. The ward became quiet again. Luca sat on the sofa, reading the documents and typing the trantions on herptop. Luca asked Tina for Alya''s email after she finished tranting a document. Then, she sent the tranted document to her and continued to trante another one. Luke did not make a fuss anymore. He would only asionally lift his head to nce at Luca when he was reading the documents. It set his mind at ease whenever he saw her figure in the ward as it would remind him that she was here. Although it was embarrassing to be involved in a car ident this time, it was worth it. The nurse came in and saw Luke handling the documents. She reminded him with a gentle voice, "Mr. Crawford, based on your condition now, it''s better for you to get some rest. Don''t overwork yourself." "Okay." Luke did not look up. He put his arm on the bedside for the nurse to give him the injection. The nurse saw the piles of documents on the bedside table and nced at Luca. The documents with Luca were not that many, but she was busy working too. Although they were in the hospital, it seemed like they came to work there. If it had not been for the cast on Luke''s leg, the nurse would have thought they were here to visit another patient. They even brought their documents along to work on them. The nurse remained silent. After all, she could not afford to offend the patients staying in the VIP wards. She gave Luke the injection and adjusted the rate of flow of the IV drip. Then, she reminded Luke. "Please remember to rest and don''t burn yourself out." Luke did not say a word. Luca lifted her head, smiled at the nurse, and said, "Alright. Thank you." The nurse nodded and left the ward without saying another word. Luke picked up theptop beside him after he finished working on one of the documents. He typed on the keyboard of theptop, replying to an email and attaching a document. He typed quickly on the keyboard. Luca looked at the needle on the back of his hand. Based on the speed of his hands, he would soon have to change to another new needle. "Please pass me another folder." Luke knew Luca was looking at him, so he said directly. Luca nodded and put down the document she was holding. She went to get the folder at the top of the piles of documents and handed it to Luke. Luke ced theptop on his thighs, took the folder from Luca, and said calmly, "Thank you." Luca fell silent for a moment and said stiffly, "You''re wee." She ced the document he had finished working on in another spot so that he would not mix it up. Luke noticed what she did. The woman who knew his habits so well but refused to admit her true identity. That sounded a little ironic. Luca did not say anything when she saw him continue working on the documents. Hence, she returned to the sofa without a word and continued with her trantion. However, it was ufortable to sit on the sofa as Luca needed to use theptop. She had to bend her waist with this seating posture. She would identally ce pressure on her wound that had almost recovered whenever she bent down. However, Luca could not sit on the floor. Luca pursed her lips. Then, she eventually found a morefortable sitting position and continued to work. The maid came to deliver lunch when it was noontime. Luke did not pretend to be sick. He ate his lunch himself. Luca did not ask him if he needed to be fed when she saw him eating his lunch. After all, Luke could eat lunch himself. There was no need for her to do things like that if he did not ask her. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. The maid looked at the two of them and asked, ¡°Mr. Crawford, Ms. Luca, what would you like to have for dinner tonight?" "I''m fine with anything." Luke was not craving anything. It was because the food he ate would all taste the same if it was not Luca who prepared them. It would not taste special, and it would not make him look forward to it. The maid turned to look at Luca. ¡°Something light. Please make some bone broth if that''s possible. It''s good for the bones," answered Luca. The maid frowned with embarrassment and said, "Ms. Luca, do you know how to prepare bone broth? I''ve never made that before. I''m not sure how to." "I''ll send you the recipeter. It''s simple." Luca picked up her phone and sent the recipe to the maid. "Don''t buy the ingredients at the supermarket or the market. You must head to the fresh market to get them. The quality of the ingredients is better there." "Okay. I''ll go get the ingredients now." The maid packed the thermos bottle and brought it out with her. Luca nced at the time, only to see that it was almost time for Luke to take his medicine. She walked toward the ward bed and took some pills out from the container that the nurse gave earlier. Then, she grabbed a ss of warm water and said, "Mr. Crawford, after you take your pills, it''s time for your afternoon nap." Luke had been working on the documents since he had his lunch. Luke took the pills that were on Luca''s palm and stuffed them in his mouth. Then, he drank the warm water and swallowed the pills. There were seven or eight pills in total. Luke did not even frown when he swallowed them. There was an indescribable feeling surging in Luca''s heart. "Do you want me to help you to lower your bed?" Luca asked. Luke''s gaze fell on the documents once again. Although he wanted to look at Luca, he was afraid that his gentle gaze would shock Luca. Percy was right. Luke had to forget what had happened in the past in order to mend their rtionship. Luke had to behave like a normal person and not make a scene out of things. He had to rebuild his image so that he would not make Luca worried. Even though Luke was unconvinced, it was a good idea to stop her from leaving him. "I don''t take afternoon naps." Luke typed on the keyboard as he continued to reply to the emails. Luca looked at him and frowned slightly. "You''ve been working hard all morning. You need to rest." "I have tons of work to do," replied Luke. He wondered if it was because of the concussion, he felt that his working efficiency had reduced a lot. New documents would being inter in the afternoon. If he continued at this pace, he would not be able to finish them in time. Luca put on a helpless expression on her face as she looked at Luke. She would never force Luke to do so if it were not for his concussion and injuries. Chapter 1901 A voice came from behind the door when Luca felt helpless. ¡°You have to be harsh to the patient if he refuses to listen to you," said Johann as he came walking in. Luca watched Johann ignore Luke''s wishes and lowered his bed directly. "You!" Luke was forced to lie down while he was still holding a document in his hands. Theptop that was on his thighs was tilting now. "You should be resting. Besides, aren''t you tired of reading like this? Why don''t you use the desk?" Johann asked. He was grinning at Luke, while Luke stared at him angrily. "Mind your own business. Adjust it back." Luke tried to sit up on the bed, but he felt dizzy after he moved a little. He could not even sit up on the bed. "You can''t get up, right?" Johann grinned and said, "Take a nap. You won''t feel dizzy when you wake upter." Luke red at him and asked, "Why?" "I gave you some medicine. It''ll take some time before it takes effect. You''ll feel better after taking a nap. And your condition will naturally improve too," said Johann. Luca picked up Luke''sptop and put it away. Then, she grabbed the document Luke was holding in his hands. "Mr. Crawford, you should take a rest since the doctor said so." Luke was about to say something, but Johann shook his head. "Don''t tell me you can''t sleep. The medicine I gave you can help you sleep. Calm yourself down, then see if you can fall asleep." "You did it on purpose!" Luke''s brows furrowed even more. Previously, Johann would avoid giving Luke any medicine that would make one feel drowsy whenever Luke fell sick. A good night''s sleep was a luxury to Luke. He needed more time to handle his work. "You have to take the medicine if you''d like to recover quickly and make those symptoms go away. Once you recover, you can go back to being a workaholic. Besides, don''t you have Dr. Craw here with you? She can help." Johann closed the curtains as he said that. "Get some sleep. Just half an hour and you''ll feel better." Luke did not say another word. Perhaps he felt much morefortable when heid down, or maybe the medicine had begun to work, so he started to feel sleepy now. Luca looked at Johann thankfully when she noticed Luke was no longer resisting. She stepped forward to cover Luke with the nket. Johann watched everything she did. As an outsider, Johann could see clearly how much Luca cared about Luke. They had each other in their hearts, but why were they torturing each other like this? They would be able to live happily together if they just got together, right? Johann shook his head as he watched the awkward couple. Luca happened to notice Johann''s reaction and she asked in a soft voice, ¡°Dr. Park, what''s wrong?" "I''m just sighing." As Johann watched Luke, who had his eyes closed, he thought Luke would be able to get a good night''s sleep. Although the hospital was full of the smell of disinfectant, he had Luca with him. Luke hade looking for Johann before, asking him to give him some medicine as he was suffering from insomnia. When Johann asked him why he never had insomnia before this, Luke told him it was because Bianca''s presence made him feel relieved. He could fall asleep at once the moment hey down on the bed as long as he could smell Bianca''s scent in the air, or if he was in the same space as her. Bianca was like the cure to Luke''s illness. Now, his cure hade back. "Why are you sighing?" Luca asked in a soft voice. She could not help but wonder what was in Johann''s mind. "Only you and drugs that cause one to be drowsy can make him sleep so peacefully." After that, Johann smiled and left the ward. Luca watched Johann leave the ward from behind. She was left deep in thought. Did Johann know something about her? Perhaps both of them had found out something? Luca did not dwell on it. Instead, she closed the door. Even though it was a VIP ward that was in the innermost corner on this floor, there were still a few patients'' family members who would walk past the room out of curiosity. Luca set the rm for one and a half hours from now. It would be unrealistic for Luke to stop working for the whole afternoon. It would be enough for him to sleep peacefully for one and a half hours. Luca returned to the sofa. She could feel the wound on her waist hurting. Luca touched her wound, and she had a bad feeling about it. She got up and walked into the washroom. Then, she removed the gauze and nced at the mirror. Some blood was oozing from the wound. Her wound had almost healed. Perhaps it was because she had been sitting in a bad posture for the whole morning. Luca thought she would not need to treat it since there was not too much blood oozing out. However, she realized the adhesive gauze could no longer stick when she tried to stick it back on her wound. Luca had no choice but to take off the gauze. Then, she carefully tip-toed out of the ward and came to the nurses'' station. "Hello, can I have a roll of gauze, some bandage, iodine, and a few cotton swabs, please?" Luca said to the nurse. Those were basic medical supplies, so there would be some at the nurses'' station. ¡°Sure. But why do you need these? Is the patient injured?¡± the nurse recognized Luca and asked hurriedly. "Oh no, I identally hurt myself. That''s why I need those things to dress my wound. Please include the charges in Mr. Crawford''s bills," said Luca. "Where did you hurt yourself? Do you need my help?" The nurse took out the supplies that Luca needed. "It''s alright. I can do it myself," replied Luca. She took the supplies from the nurse and returned to the ward. The facilities in the VIP wards were truly the best. The door made no sound when Luca pushed the door open. Luca closed the door and headed to the washroom. She disinfected the wound and dressed the wound swiftly, then walked out of the washroom. Luke, who was lying on the bed, was still sleeping soundly. He was not affected by Luca''s movements. Luca let out a sigh of relief. As she looked at the man on the bed, she felt a little sleepy too. She did not rest wellst night. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. She had been keeping a close watch on Luke, so she only managed to get two hours of sleep. Luca nced at the sofa at the thought of this. There was no need for her to use the foldable hospital bed if she slept in a fetal position. Besides, she would be afraid that she would wake Luke up if she tried to unfold the bed. Therefore, Luca took the nket the hospital had provided for the patient''s caretaker andy down on the sofa. She closed her eyes, nning to take a nap. She knew she would be able to fall asleep. It was because Luke was in here with her. It did not take long before Luca fell deeply asleep. She seemed to hear Luke snoring a little before she dozed off. Luke seldom snored as he was a light sleeper. He must be sleeping soundly now. As Luca pondered, drowsiness slowly took hold of her. She no longer thought about Luke. The rm rang half an hourter. Luca opened her eyes and nced at the time. She was only nning to nap for half an hour, but she did not expect to have napped for one and a half hours with Luke. Luca turned off the rm. She sat up on the sofa and turned to look at the ward bed. Chapter 1902 The man lying on the bed was quiet. Luca listened carefully to his breathing. He was breathing steadily. The rm had not woken Luke. Luca stood up and looked at Luke, who was still asleep. Although she could not bear to wake him up, he would be unhappy if he found out that he had rested for too long. Besides, sleeping too much would affect his sleep at night. Luca walked to the bed and called him gently, ¡°Mr. Crawford, wake up." Luke frowned, as though he was unhappy that someone was disturbing his sweet dreams. "Mr. Crawford, time to get up." Luca continued to wake him. Luke opened his eyes slowly and looked at the white ceiling. Only then did Luke realize he was in the hospital. He had a long, sweet dream. He dreamt that he had gotten back together with Luca, and the two of them lived happily ever after. Luca''s appearance was no longer like how it was in the past. She looked like how she looked now. He sleptfortably while having such a dream, and he refused to wake up. "How long have I been sleeping?" Luke lifted his hand, thinking of looking at the time. However, he remembered that he was in the hospital, and the nurse had kept all his belongings away. "You slept for one and half an hours," answered Luca. "How are you feeling now?" "Much better." Luke was surprised that he actually slept for one and a half hours. Was it because of the medicine? Luca nodded. She was d to hear that he was not feeling sick or ufortable. "Then, would you like to get up now?" "Raise the bed." Luke gave his orders. He had fulfilled Johann''s request and took a nap. He had enough rest. Luca nodded and raised the bed for him. She noticed the changes in Luke''s expression while she was raising the bed. Luke''s expression was calm, and it seemed that he was no longer dizzy. He spoke again when he almost sat up straight, "Okay." "I''m alright. Draw the curtains." Luke noticed how worried Luca was. He wished that he could at least pretend he was weak so that Luca could take care of him more. However, the circumstances would not allow him to do so as he needed to work. The remaining time left for the project could not allow him to dy any longer. Luca saw Luke behaving naturally, and there were no signs of him showing that he felt ufortable. Thus, she turned around and drew the curtains. Then, she opened the ward''s door and saw Jason, who was standing outside the door. ¡°Mr. Doyle, how long have you been standing here?¡± Jason let out a sigh of relief when he saw Luca open the door. He closed the folder in his hands. Then, he turned around and picked up the briefcase on the floor. "Not that long. I didn''t want to disturb you when I saw that you and Mr. Crawford were taking a nap." Luca slightly blushed. The way Jason said it made it sound like something was going on between her and Luke. "Dr. Park gave Mr. Crawford some medicine, and he said Mr. Crawford would feel better if he took a nap. That''s why he napped for one and a half hours." "Okay. I''m going to pass the documents to Boss." Jason grinned as he walked into the ward and handed another pile of documents to Luke. He said, "Boss, these are the documents you have to go through." "Put these aside. And I''ve finished going through the documents on my right. Take these back." Luke nodded. There was not much of an expression on Luke''s face when he saw the pile of documents Jason brought. Luke had gotten used to this busy life. He would be able to finish them all even if there was another pile of documents. Jason nodded and ced the documents on the bedside table. "Alright, Boss. There are tons of documents. Dr. Craw can help if you can''t manage all of them by yourself." Jason turned around and nced at Luca. Luke noticed Jason''s gesture, and he suddenly became upset. Then, he reminded Jason, "You may leave if you have nothing else to do here." "Okay." Jason had no idea what he had done wrong. However, since his boss had said so, Jason left in a hurry. Luca stood at the door. She waited until Jason had left, and only then did she return to the ward. Luke was already handling his work. Luca let out a sigh in her heart when she saw those new documents Jason had brought in just now. How would Luke be able to stand it when he was physically weak now... As Luca watched Luke sitting on the bed busy working, she asked, "Mr. Crawford, would you like me to set up the table for you?" "Yes." Luke held one of the documents and raised his hand while looking at her. Luca was swift enough to help him to set up the table that was attached beside the hospital bed. Then, she put hisptop and the important documents on the table. Luke did not say a word. He watched Luca prepare everything for him before resuming work. The moment she bent her waist, Luca felt a twinge of pain from the wound on her waist. She gasped and sat up straight so that she would not pressure her wound again. Even though she had been careful enough, the pain in her body was still reminding her that she needed to be cautious. Luca knew the wound was inmed. It was a rare situation. Her wound had almost recovered, and she would have been able to remove the stitches in two days. The phone that Luca left on the coffee table vibrated. She picked up her phone and nced at it. It was a message from Abel. [T Corporation''s bidding document is almost done, right? I want the contents of their bidding document. Send the information to me as soon as possible. Don''t try to dy. Otherwise, your daughter will be in trouble.] Luca looked at Abel''s shameless menace. She sped her phone tight, and the veins on the back of her hands popped out. How she wished that she could kill Abel right now. Abel knew Luca could not bring herself to do so, and he knew how much the project meant to Luke and T Corporation. The project this time was the most important project in T Corporation, especially in comparison to Dr. Albus'' drug form. That was why Abel would go as far as to threaten Luca with N''s life. ¡°What''s wrong?" The soft sound of the vibration had caught Luke''s attention. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Luca appeared gloomy and depressed after she looked at her phone. She seemed angry. "Nothing." Luca came back to her senses and deleted the message. Then, she put down her phone. No matter how helpless and angry she was, she could not show her emotions in front of Luke. "Who sent you a message?" Luke pretended to ask unwittingly. Although Luca did note clean to him, he could sense that something was wrong. The veins on the back of Luca''s hands were popping out, and Luca was pursing her lips tightly. It was as though she was exasperated. Could it be that it was a message sent from the forces behind Luca? Was she being threatened? Luke believed that someone was threatening her. Moreover, that person behind Luca was most likely holding a grudge against him. That was why Luke had sent his men to investigate the matter, but he did not find anything. He had even sent people to the Ind of Despair a few times. There was no sign of people living on that ind. Furthermore, after he cooperated with the Russians to destroy the forces on the Ind of Despair, the forces in various regions that were previously oppressed by the Ind of Despair were starting to assemble again. They had their own territories andbor division. They were getting stronger and stronger. That was why it had be even more difficult to figure things out. "It''s a message from the property management. It''s time to pay the management fee for the apartment." Luca looked down, trying to conceal her unnatural behavior by reading the documents. Chapter 1903 ¡°Isn''t your brother back here? Let him pay the fees," said Luke. He mentioned Amur on purpose. Luca nodded and nced at Luke. Then, she stood up and said, "Mr. Crawford, I''m going out to make a call." Luca walked out of the ward before Luke could say anything. Luca leaned on the wall. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. It was difficult for her to lie to Luke. Luca touched where her wound was with one of her hands. She reckoned that she would have to return to the mansion to get some medicine. She could not ask someone to get it for her as this was a personal matter. "It''s you." After Luca calmed herself down, she heard a voice when she was about to return to the ward. Luca looked in the direction where the voice wasing from. With her good memory, she was able to recognize that person as the rtive of the man whom Jean had injured. It was the man who threatened Nina this morning. "Can I help you?" Luca replied with a cold tone of voice. If it were not for Nina, she would not have been bothered to entertain this person who had been rude to Nina. Keith was sizing Luca up. This woman was prettier than Nina. Besides, Keith''s aunt told him that this woman had followed Nina into the ward to visit Tyrone. She thought Luca was perhaps rted to Nina. "Do you recognize me?" Luca had caught Keith''s interest. Keith thought that he would be able to pursue the woman in front of him even if he could not get Nina. "The ward next door." Luca pointed at the ward opposite her. "Yes. You''ve got a good memory. Oh, you''re here for..." Keith noticed that Luca''s hand was on the doorknob. "Is the person inside one of your rtives?" "It''s my boss," replied Luca. She could not be considered Luke''s rtive due to her identity now. "So, the person in there is your boss. Are you working as a caretaker?" Keith immediately thought that Luca was working as a full-time caretaker. That was why Nina knew her. After all, the man who supported Nina allowed her to easily arrange a VIP ward for Nina. It must be easy for Nina to enter VIP wards considering how she was relying on such a wealthy man. That was probably how Nina got to know a caretaker like Luca. "What''s the matter?" Luca did not feel like talking to the man in front of her. ¡°It''s nothing important. I was wondering how much you charge per day. We''re nning to get a caretaker for the person staying in this ward, my cousin. That''s why I want to ask you whether you''re interested in the opportunity. The fees won''t be a problem. We can afford it anyway." Keith deliberately pretended to sound like a deep-pocketed man, thinking that Luca would agree with this. After all, there were no contracts between the employer and caretakers. Hence, caretakers would certainly choose the party who offered more money. Keith refused to believe that Luca would miss out on such a good chance to earn some money. "I''m not interested," said Luca. Even though she knew Keith had misunderstood what her job was, she did not exin it to him either. "You can ask the nurse if you''re looking for a caretaker. They know some professional caretakers. Judging by your cousin''s condition, it''d be better for you to look for a professional caretaker to take care of him." ¡°Aren''t you professional enough?" Keith insisted on hiring her. ¡°We can afford to pay as much as you want. We''re rich." ¡°Stop talking so loud outside the wards. You''re disturbing the others," said Luca. She pushed the door open and walked into the ward. Keith was curious and wanted to take a look inside the ward. What kind of person could make Luca loyal to them? However, Luca closed the door relentlessly. She even pulled the curtains of the window on the door to prevent Keith from peeking inside. Keith did not manage to catch a glimpse. He could not help but feel embarrassed, and he muttered to himself in a low voice, "What''s so great about that? You''re just a f*cking caretaker. How dare you look down on me?! Just wait and see how much money we can get from that woman when Tyrone recovers. You won''t be good enough for me when the timees!" Luke watched Luca walk into the ward. Even though the soundproofing of the ward was good enough, he could still hear the noises outside the door. ¡°What''s with the noises just now?" Luke asked. Luca exined, ¡°It''s someone from the opposite ward. Nina''s brother injured someone. She arranged for the patient to be transferred to the opposite ward to receive treatment." Luke nodded andmented, ¡°Jean is such a troublemaker. It seems he didn''t learn his lesson when he was in prison back then." Luca agreed with him and nodded. It was onlyter that she realized her conversation with Luke sounded like they were having small talk. Luca cleared her throat and did not answer him. She stepped forward and poured a ss of warm water for him. She said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, please have a ss of water." ¡°Put it aside," said Luke. Luca set the ss of water aside. Then, she returned to the sofa and sat down to continue with her work. It was four in the afternoon when Jason showed up in the ward. He came to take the documents. Luca handed Jason the documents that Luke had finished working on. At the same time, she also handed the source documents to Jason, while she sent the tranted files to Alya directly. Jason turned to look at Luke after he took the documents from Luca and said, ¡°Boss, there are some matters about the project that I have to report to you." "Say it." Luke''s gaze did not move away from theptop screen. Luca silently stood up and walked to the door when she heard that it was something rted to the project. Jason noticed that and turned around to look at Luca. Then, he looked at Luke again. "Didn''t you say you need to report something to me?" Luke asked impatiently. He did not stop Luca when she tried to excuse herself from their conversation. Jason nodded and reported to Luke immediately. He could not talk about these on the phone, and he had to report them to him personally.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Luca could not hear anything once the door was closed. She could not help but wonder. She came here to gather intelligence, but she took the initiative to excuse herself. At the end of the day, she still refused to do anything that would harm Luke. Johann came over and saw Luca standing outside the door. He asked, "Dr. Craw, why are you standing here alone?" "Mr. Doyle is reporting to Mr. Crawford in there," exined Luca. Johann was a wise man. He nodded and waited outside the door together with her. "How is Luke feeling this afternoon?" Johann asked. Johann did note to see Luke for the whole afternoon. It was not that he was not worried about Luke. It was just that he was so busy that he could barely find any time toe over. Johann hurried over here once he finished performing an operation and after he handed over the rest of the tasks. "He napped for an hour and a half after he took the medicine. He''s feeling much better now, and he doesn''t feel dizzy anymore when he sits up straight," reported Luca. Johann nodded and asked, "What''s wrong with your waist?" Luca looked at him, puzzled, "Nothing." "I noticed that you''ve been supporting your waist with your arm when you''re talking to me. Are you really okay?" Johann asked. He was pretty sure that it was not a habit of Luca''s. After all, she did not have this habit back then. Johann could figure out what was wrong with patients by just observing them. It became his instinct after being a doctor for so many years. That was why Johann thought something must be wrong when Luca stood here with her hand supporting her waist. Luca lowered her head and nced at her hand. She was unconsciously protecting the wound on her waist with her hand. Chapter 1904 ¡°Nothing. It''s just a rpse." Luca knew telling an experienced doctor like Johann that she was fine would arouse his suspicion. She had no choice but to find another excuse. "Do you need me to do a check-up on you?" Johann asked caringly. "It''s alright. It''s just my usual lower back pain. I got this. Thank you." Luca rejected Johann politely with a slightly awkward smile on her face. Luca did not expect she would be so careless in front of Johann and make him realize that something was wrong with her. "Although you have some medical skills and know your health condition well, some conditions need to be treated as soon as possible," Johann advised her. He could not say anything since Luca insisted that she did not need a check-up. "I know that. Thank you." Luca thanked Johann politely. Although what he said did make sense, she could not let anyone check her wound. Half an hourter, Jason walked out of the ward after he finished reporting to Luke. He was surprised to see Johann and Luca standing outside the door. "Dr. Park, you''re here too." "Yes. I came to check on your boss'' condition." Johann smiled and replied, "Oh, please try your best to reduce his workload. He can''t be too tired now." Jason let out a sigh and shook his head helplessly. "I know, but I can''t make the decision for him when ites to certain work matters." Luke was different from the bosses of otherpanies. He was very particr about doing things on his own if they were important. However, it was just because of that that T Corporation was growing better under his leadership. Furthermore,panies as big as T Corporation were usually family businesses. There would be a few family members managing thepany together. Currently, the Crawford family only had Luke and Louis. Luke, who was the eldest son and Louis'' elder brother, shouldered Louis'' share of the responsibility after finding out that Louis had his own dreams. Luke did not care about what others said about how he fought with his brother for the family business and that he was an imperious person. Only those who were by Luke''s side knew that Luke made that decision not because he wanted to gain the upper hand in the family. Instead, he was protecting Louis and allowing Louis to have his own space and time to pursue his dreams. Louis used to be yful back then. Luke once forced Louis to work in T Corporation to make sure that he would not get out of touch with society. Now, Louis was no longer yful, and he began to focus on his career. Luke let Louis go and gave him enough capital to let him pursue his dreams. T Corporation would wee him back anytime. That was why in other families, a few members would help out in managing thepany, but Luke was all alone. Everything in thepany would eventually fall on Luke''s shoulders no matter how much his subordinates helped him. Johann shrugged his shoulders and sighed. ¡°I was lucky enough to be a doctor. Otherwise, I would''ve ended up like him too." Luke sat on the bed and heard Johann gloating over his misfortune. He reminded Johann, "You''re no better than I am after bing a doctor." Johann walked into the ward and looked at the man who was stuck on the bed with a leg cast. Luke was already in bed, yet his attitude was the same. "At least a doctor gets to have a holiday. And it''s interesting to meet different kinds of people every day." "But you''re still single," Luke retorted mercilessly. Johann was left speechless. Well, he met different kinds of people every day, but he was not interested in those people. That was why he was still single... "And you can''t even have a good night''s sleep when you''re on duty," Luke continued. Luca, who was listening to their conversation, could not help but smile. Luke never used to talk much, but his words were always hard-hitting whenever he said something mean. It was just like Johann''s situation now. "I didn''t get any restst night because of you. Let me measure your blood pressure." Johann picked up the blood pressure monitor beside Luke brusquely, and he was about to wrap the cuff around Luke''s arm. Luke watched Johann''s gestures and reminded him coldly. "My blood pressure is normal." "I can see that you''re behaving unusually today. You''re talking too much. Is there a blood clot in your brain that''s pinching your nerves? Why don''t I continue to work overtime tonight to get you on the operating table and take a look at your brain?" Johann looked at Luke resentfully. He was annoyed for getting snubbed twice. Johann hated it! Luke looked up, nced at Johann calmly, and said, "Sure." Johann thought Luke would at least say something and squabble with him. He did not expect Luke to end the conversation between them with just a word. Johann looked at Luca pathetically. How could her man be so naughty? This way, he would be the one acting childishly in the eyes of others. Johann wrapped the cuff on Luke''s arm and began to measure his blood pressure. Then, he picked up the infrared thermometer and pointed it at Luke''s forehead to measure his body temperature. After that, Johann recorded the data on Luke''s medical record. Luca nced at the data. The results were normal, so Luke should be fine. Luke watched Johann keep the medical record properly. He noticed that Johann did not seem to have the intention of leaving. He asked, ¡°Is there anything else you need to check?" "No. You seem pretty good now. I''m just wondering if I was wrong about the CT scan," Johann mentioned it deliberately. Luke could sense the threat in Johann''s voice. Was Johann nning to tell Luca that there was actually no bleeding in Luke''s brain? Luke was not afraid. After all, it was Johann and Percy who lied to Luca. Even if Luca got mad, she had no reason to be mad at him. Besides, his right leg was broken now. There was no way she would leave him alone. "Then you''ll have to take a good look at it. Perhaps it was a misdiagnosis," Luke replied, and he tried to drive Johann crazy again. "But you''re a medical expert and an experienced doctor. How could you have made such mistakes?" Johann shook his head and patted the cast on his leg twice, saying, "Of course, I wouldn''t. So, that leads to only one exnation¡ªyou have good physical abilities." Luke nodded. Johann was even more annoyed. He still could not win the argument after everything he had said! Johann had no choice but to turn around and look at Luca. He said, "Dr. Craw,e to my office to look for me if you need anything. Oh yes, it doesn''t matter if I''ve gotten off work. I''lle back here if you give me a call. I have to leave now." After that, Johann turned around and left. Luke''s face darkened a little when he heard those ambiguous words. Were Luca and Johann that close? Why did the two of them seem to share a secret? Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Are you feeling ufortable?" Luke asked. Luca shook her head and returned to the sofa. "Mr. Crawford, I''m fine." "What is he talking about?" Luke asked. Luca simply found an excuse to exin it to him, "I talked to Dr. Park while we were waiting outside the door. We talked about a type of disease and he told me that he has some information on it." Luke sneered in a low voice. It seemed like Luca was more interested in medical knowledge after she returned. Chapter 1905 Luke thought that he would have to start learning some medical knowledge after he finished his work. After all, he needed to have more topics to talk about with Luca. Luca sat on the sofa and continued to trante the documents. The wound on her waist still hurt no matter how she sat. It seemed like she had to look for a chance to return to the vi. Luca was secretly thinking about it and looking for an opportunity. She waited until it was nighttime. Only then did she manage to get the chance to return to the vi. The three kids followed the maid to the hospital when the maid came to deliver their dinner. The kids were relieved when they saw Luca taking care of their father. She had not left without saying goodbye. The three of them surrounded Luke''s ward bed after they greeted Luca. They were looking at the man sitting on the bed. Tommy was the first one to ask, ¡°Daddy, what happened to you?" Luke looked at his son and replied without trying to hide anything, "I got into a car ident." "Daddy, why did you get into a car ident?" Tommy continued to ask. Luke fell silent. He could not possibly tell Tommy that he went drinking and did not manage to dodge when he saw someone''s car driving toward him, right? How embarrassing... After all, it was the alcohol that numbed his nerves, making him unable to respond as usual. He would have been able to avoid the motorcycle if he had been sober. Tommy noticed that Luke did not answer him. He thought he would die of curiosity, so he asked again, "Daddy, can you tell me why?" Luke remained silent as though he did not hear what his son was saying. Lanie could not help but say, "Didn''t Dr. Park tell us? Daddy drank too much. The alcohol affected the speed of his reflexes. That''s why he was hit by a motorcycle. He banged his head on the floor and fractured his leg." What Lanie said described Luke''s ident perfectly. Luke''s face darkened as he felt a little embarrassed that the kids now knew what had happened to him. Tommy nodded and carefully poked the cast on Luke''s leg. "Daddy, does it hurt?" "No," Luke replied with a gloomy face. He would probably have gone to teach Johann a lesson if he was able to walk. Johann did it on purpose. The only reason Johann told the kids so much about the incident was to embarrass Luke in front of his children. Johann had been harboring a grievance against Luke after he was provoked by him. That was why the kids knew so much. "Daddy, that''s impossible. It hurt a lot when I fell and injured my knee back then." Tommy poked the cast again while observing Luke''s expression. There were no changes other than the gloomy expression on his face. Then, Tommy added, "Daddy, don''t drink too much next time. Dr. Park told us that old people shouldn''t be drinking so much." "Where''s Johann?" Luke clenched his fists. "Dr. Park has gotten off work." Tommy smiled and said, "We ran into him downstairs just now. He told us everything. Otherwise, we wouldn''t even know you''re badly injured." "Badly injured?" Luke narrowed his eyes and nced at Luca. The corner of her lips was slightly curling up. What the kids were saying must be amusing her... "Yes. Dr. Park also told us that you have to sit in a wheelchair even after you get out of the hospital.." Tommy added. "It''s just for a while. I can walk after the cast is removed." Luke corrected his son as he was worried that Johann had misled him. It was to prevent Tommy from telling the others that his Daddy would have to sit in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Luke only got hit by a motorcycle. He was not even close to being a cripple. "I see. Daddy, is it fun to sit in a wheelchair?" Tommy continued to speak. The little boy who was still worried about Luke''s condition a moment ago had set aside his concern once he saw Luke''s condition for himself. Then, he started to ask questions curiously. "It''s not fun at all," Luke answered patiently. He would have grabbed Tommy and kicked him out of the ward if he were not his son. However, Tommy was Luke and Luca''s son, so he had to bear with it! Besides, Luca was here too. Back then, she never supported educating children by punishing them. She would always be upset for a long time when she saw any news about strict parents educating their children by abusing them and leaving injuries on them. Tommy nodded, and he lectured Luke like an adult, "Daddy, you should drink less next time if it''s not fun to sit in a wheelchair. Don''t do that again. I was worried sick when I woke up and didn''t see you and Ms. Luca at home. The maid didn''t say anything to us either." Luke felt that his status in the family had suddenly crumbled with his youngest son lecturing him. Luke cleared his throat and said, "It was an ident. In the meantime, all of you should move back to Crawford Manor first." The maid had her own family to take care of too. She could not possibly stay at the mansion every day to look after the kids. Luca had to take care of him in the hospital, so she could not go back either. "Alright, Daddy." The three of them replied in unison, knowing that their daddy could not go home because of his condition, while their mommy would have to take care of their daddy. That was why no one objected. Luca was overwhelmed with mixed emotions when she saw how sensible the kids were. Rainie was focused on the cast on Luke''s leg. Atst, she asked carefully, "Daddy, can we write or draw on this? I saw people on TV drawing on casts like this.¡± "No." Luke pulled a straight face and rejected her. "Ah, why?" Tommy was disappointed. He was excited when he heard his sister mention drawing on the cast. Luke replied, "I have to meet other people, and I''ll have to talk about business. How am I going to meet them if you draw on the cast?" Lanie said, "Daddy, I''m sure you''ll wear long pants after you''re discharged from the hospital. The others won''t be able to see it." Luke fell silent. He did not expect that it would be so hard to fool his eldest son. Luca looked at the kids. They seemed eager to draw on Luke''s leg cast. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Luke had always left an impression of a strict father on the kids. It was difficult for them to find a chance to be spoiled and ask to do something like drawing on his cast. They must be looking forward to it. Hence, Luca could not help but speak up for the children, "Mr. Crawford, let them draw if they want to. I remember that the kids are pretty good at drawing." Luke turned to look at Luca. He became soft-hearted when Luca spoke for the children. He could never turn her down. "Daddy, we''re a family. Let us draw on your cast. Those uncles and aunties won''tugh at you because you have three cute and lovely children as well as Ms. Luca..." Tommy acted cutely and mentioned Luca''s name. "Yes. Daddy, I''d like to write down some wishes for you," Rainie said gently. Rainie resembled Bianca a lot. Luke became even more soft-hearted when Rainie was whining. He asked, "Do you have colored pencils with you?" "I do." Tommy raised his hand. "I had a coloring ss today. That''s why I brought colored pencils with me!" Then, Tommy took a set of 24 colored pencils out of his bag. Chapter 1906 Luke''s eyes darkened when he saw those colored pencils. This little brat must have done it on purpose, right? It looked like there was no way he could escape from getting his cast drawn on by the kids today. Luke watched helplessly as the kids started to draw on his cast. Even Lanie, who had always been calm and mature, picked up a ck-colored pencil and wrote on his cast: [Get well soon, Daddy.] Luke looked at his children. There was a trace of affection amidst the look of helplessness in his eyes. Although Luke was strict with his kids, he truly loved them from the bottom of his heart. Luca stood beside and watched the kids draw on Luke''s cast. Although the kids were still young, their drawings were pretty good as they had been exposed to different kinds of hobbies for such a long time. The drawings on the cast were not messy. The kids had filled the white cast with innocent and colorful drawings. It was stunning. It was just like beautiful scenery during spring. Luca watched them for quite some time. Then, the wound on her waist was hurting again, reminding her that she needed to take the medicine and dress the wound. Otherwise, the wound would be inmed. She had to return to the vi to get the medicine. Luca asked Luke after she decided to go back, ¡°Mr. Crawford, I''d like to go back home to get some of my things since the maid is here now. It won''t take long. Half an hour will do." Luke nodded. He knew she was not looking for an excuse to leave. That was why he gave her permission to do so. "Alright. Zander is waiting downstairs. Ask him to send you back." Zander was the one who sent the maid and the kids here. He was still waiting in the parking lot downstairs. "It''s alright. I drove here. There''s no need to trouble Zander." Luca put on her jacket, picked up her phone and keys, then left the ward. Lanie watched Luca leave from behind, then he turned around and looked at Luke. ¡°Daddy, aren''t you afraid that Ms. Luca will never return once she leaves?" Luke stroked his son''s head and replied, "She''s not like that." Luca came to the parking lot. She left after she found where her car was. Luca''s wound hurt even when she was driving. It was painful... Luca wondered why the wound that was about to recover would suddenly hurt a lot. She endured the pain and drove back to the vi. Then, she walked into her bedroom and opened the drawer, looking for the medicine. Luca was not in a hurry to leave. She treated her wound first, then dressed it. After that, she took some painkillers and antibiotics. It took a while before she felt the pain reducing. Only then did she pack the supplies and medicine she needed so that she could bring them along with her. She immediately headed to the hospital without any dy. Tommy came over to hold Luca''s hand the moment she returned to Luke''s ward. He was excited to show her their drawings on Luke''s cast. Luca smiled and praised them when she saw the colorful drawings and the children''s wishes on the cast. ¡°How beautiful!" "Ms. Luca, you think the drawings are nice too, right? Daddy says they''re bad. He''s a liar!" Tommy comined while pouting his mouth. Luca looked at Luke. He looked disdainful, and she thought he was behaving like that because he had be a drawing board for the kids. Luca stroked Tommy''s head and nced at the time. Then, she reminded them, "It''ste. It''s time to go home. You''re runningte for dinner." She had to remind the kids that dinner time was fixed at Crawford Manor. She knew that, which was why she reminded them. "Alright. Ms. Luca, Daddy, we''lle to visit again tomorrow." Tommy turned around and said to Luke. He did not insist on staying here. When they were on the way to the hospital, his elder brother and sister had told him that Daddy and Ms. Luca had been very busytely. They had to be more understanding and stop thinking about sticking around Daddy and Ms. Luca. The ward became quiet again once the kids had left. Luke looked down and stared at the colorful cast. He asked, "Can I wash it off?" Luca blinked and looked at him, "Mr. Crawford?" "Can this be washed off?" Luke asked. "I''m afraid not. It''s hard to wash the colors off once they''re on the cast," Luca replied honestly. Besides, it was not the time to wash them off now. It would take up to a month before he could remove the cast. Luke picked up the folder and continued to read the documents. "I''ve already informed Mr. Doyle to get you a few loose-fitting pants. You can wear those to cover up the cast when you''re discharged," said Luca. She knew Luke was not concerned about the kids'' drawings, but it would affect his aura if his cast was so colorful. Luca understood him. That was why she mentioned it to Jason when she was on the way back here. "You asked him to get those for me?" Luke frowned. Luca looked at him in surprise. ¡°Is there something wrong?" ¡°I don''t wear clothes prepared by another man." Luke was disgusted at the thought of this. He thought personal items like clothes and shoes should not be prepared by another man. Moreover, he was not in an urgent situation now. Why did Luca ask Jason to prepare these for him? Luca could do this herself. ¡°You mean¡ª" Luca seemed to understand what he meant, but she was not certain. Besides, she refused to make the decision herself and prepare the clothes for him. Luke could not help but sigh when he heard her asking. Luca understood what he had in mind, yet she still behaved as such. ¡°I don''t trust Mr. Doyle''s taste when ites to picking my outfits. I''ll leave this to you." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Ah, okay." Luca nodded her head stiffly. ¡°Do you know my size?" Luke asked that question intentionally. Luca should know it as she was the one who prepared all his clothes for him back then, including those tailor-made outfits. Of course, Luca knew it. Luke''s body had not changed, hence his size would not have changed either. ¡°I don''t." Luca bit the bullet and lied to him in his face. When he looked at her lying to him without any changes in her expression, it reminded Luke of how she used to blush for the whole day after she whispered sweet nothings in his ear. She could lie to him in his face without any changes in her expression now. "My clothes are in the vi. You can go there and take a look." Luke''s voice sounded stiff now. "Alright, Mr. Crawford." Luca nodded. Then, she put the bag that she was carrying into the cab prepared for the patient''s caretaker. ¡°What did you take when you returned to the vi?" Luke asked again. "Just some skincare products that I use daily," answered Luca. She nced at the time after she kept her items. It waste. Luke had to take a shower... Luke was a neat freak. There was no way he would skip taking a shower, but. Luca was in an awkward situation now. She was not Bianca now. Would this man befortable being naked in front of her? Luca thought it would be inappropriate even if Luke was willing. She was not shy, but it was unsuitable for her to do so. Luca cleared her throat and asked, ¡°Mr. Crawford, would you like to take a shower today?" ¡°Yes, of course." Luke closed the folder and nced at the time. It was time for him to get cleaned up. ¡°Get ready." ¡°Get ready? I think it''ll be inappropriate for me to do this. Why don''t I look for a nurse to help you? Perhaps a male caretaker will be fine." Luca asked. It was indeed unsuitable for her to do so. Chapter 1907 "There''s no need to." Luke''s face darkened. Did she think her identity had changed just because she came back with a different appearance? Had she forgotten that they were a couple? She must have seen every part of his body, right? Luca shut her mouth when she noticed Luke''s expression. She did not say another word. Luke said with a stiff voice, "Get a new wheelchair in here." "Okay." Luca trotted out of the ward and went to the nurses'' station to ask for a new wheelchair. It was the VIP ward, so the patients here were definitely wealthy and respectable. That was why they provided enough equipment. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. After a while, Luca got another new wheelchair from the nurse. Keith happened toe out from the ward when she passed by Tyrone''s ward. Keith could not help but mock Luca when he saw her pushing the wheelchair. "Well, your boss is kind of troublesome. You even have to push the wheelchair for him. It would be much better for you toe look after my cousin. He''s in bed now. And that saves you a lot of trouble." Luca rolled her eyes at Keith and ignored him. She pushed the wheelchair into Luke''s ward and closed the door immediately. Then, she pulled the curtains to stop people from peeking in out of curiosity. Luke gave her another order when he saw her pushing the wheelchair in, "Move this table away." Luca nodded and moved the table that was blocking him away. She knew Luke was nning to get off the bed when he requested a wheelchair. Luke did not feel ufortable even though he had only been sitting on the bed the whole afternoon. Luca knew he could climb off the bed, which was why she did not stop him. She put down the railing of the bed after she moved the table away. Luke slowly climbed out of the bed. He was not used to the cast on his right leg, so his gestures were a little clumsy. Luca waited until he had moved both of his legs to the bedside before pushing the wheelchair toward him. "Mr. Crawford, I''ll help you upter to get you to sit in the wheelchair, is that alright?" "Alright," replied Luke. If it had not been for the cast, he would not have ended up in such a state. Luca looked at Luke, who was in his hospital robe. She took a deep breath, reached out her arms, and put her arms around his waist. The hospital was warm enough, so the hospital robe was not that thick. Luca could feel Luke''s body temperature when she put her arms around his waist like this. He felt warm, and there was a hint of static electricity on his body. Luca wanted to withdraw her arms. However, Luke was already standing with one foot on the floor. The man would definitely fall on the bed if she withdrew her hands now. Luca blushed while she helped Luke get into the wheelchair. She stopped the wheelchair from moving backward with one of her legs. It took a lot of effort to put Luke into the wheelchair properly. However, Luke was thinking about how happy he would be if they were able to hug each other like this all the time. Luke sat in the wheelchair and cleared his throat. He was not just distracted for a short moment just now. He even seemed to have lost himself. "Take me to the bathroom," Luke ordered. Luca''s face was still red. She quietly stood behind Luke so that he would not notice her blushing face. She quickly pushed the wheelchair to the bathroom when she heard him. ¡°Push me in. Leave the rest to me. There''s no need to trouble you,¡± said Luke. Luca nodded. She pushed down forcefully to lift the back wheels of the wheelchair up into the air. Then, she pushed Luke into the bathroom. Even though Luke told her she did not have to help him, she prepared a small tub for the face and a towel for him. Then, she took the showerhead down for Luke. Finally, she took another hospital robe given by the nurse and hung it on the clothes hook beside him. "Mr. Crawford, try not to wet the cast," Luca reminded him with a soft voice. "I know." After that, Luke lifted his head and nced at Luca. Her face was red. It seemed like she had feelings for him too but just refused to admit it. "Your face is red." Luke exposed her. "It''s probably because of the warm temperature here," Luca replied. She nced at the things she had prepared for him and made sure that everything was prepared. She left the bathroom right away like she was running away from something. "Mr. Crawford, I''ll be outside the door. Just call me if you need anything." "Will youe in if I call you?" Luke maneuvered the wheelchair and turned around to look at her. Luca''s face turned redder, then she immediately closed the door. Luke smiled as he watched the door close. He was amused at making Luca blush. Luca stood not far away from the door of the bathroom. She was worried that Luke might face some difficulties when washing himself up. She dared not to move too far away. Luca was lost in thought while she stared at the closed bathroom door. Would she dash into the bathroom if anything happened to Luke? Luca would still rush into the bathroom even though she knew it was inappropriate to do so. After all, she would not be able to stop herself from feeling worried about him. Luca''s heart still belonged to Luke even though she could not acknowledge him. Luca looked outside the window. Judging from the temperature out there, it would be snowing soon. It had been three years since she was able to spend the first snowfall in winter with her loved ones. She looked down, feeling upset at the thought of spending her fourth year like that too. Half an hourter, Luke''s voice came out from the bathroom. "I''m done." The door was not locked from the inside. Luca opened the door carefully, only to find that Luke had already put on the clean hospital robe. He sat in the wheelchair, looking at her. There were water stains all around. Luca thought that it must have been difficult for Luke as he was not used to showering while sitting in a wheelchair. That was why he looked like he was in a fluster. Well, at least he managed to clean himself up. Luca pushed the wheelchair and got Luke back into the ward. However, she did not use the method from earlier to help him. Instead, she held her hand out and said, "Mr. Crawford, can you climb up the bed?" Luke looked at her with his deep eyes. Was she afraid of touching him again because of what had happened just now? Luke nced at the time. Then, he grabbed her hand and stood up with one foot. He could feel how careful she was being. A wicked idea came across Luke''s mind. He pretended to stagger and fall on her. Luca was fast. She immediately put her arms around him without considering the distance she should be keeping from him. Luke took advantage of the situation to take Luca into his arms. His fiery palm held her waist. Luca eximed in surprise when she felt the warmth. She could not help but lean forward. Luke did not expect Luca to lose her bnce. His body was leaning backward too. He suddenly fell onto the bed with Luca on top of him. Luke cried out when his leg was pinned down. Then, he looked at Luca, who was leaning on his chest. Although it hurt a little, his hand was holding Luca''s waist tightly, and he refused to let her go. Luca lifted her head and looked at Luke''s chiseled jaw. Her heart was racing uncontrobly. There was zero distance between them now. It seemed like their clothes could not stop the warmth from spreading to each other. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears, and her body was on fire. "Mr. Crawford, are you alright?" Luca recalled Luke had cried out in pain just now. "I''m fine." Luke''s hand was still on her waist. Luca let out a sigh of relief. Then, she moved his hand away from her waist, thinking of holding onto the bed to get up. Chapter 1908 However, Luke''s hands were clutching tightly onto her waist. ''He did it on purpose...'' Luca pursed her lips. idents could easily ur at such a distance. Her throat was burning, and it took her great effort to speak. "Let go of me, Mr. Crawford. I have to get up. Only then can you." As she was speaking, she was trying to free herself from Luke''s hands. Even though he was not willing to let her go, Luke ultimately still did. He did not want to push her too hard and have her keep a bigger distance from him. After all, Luca had made great improvements in other skills throughout the years. Her instinct to escape had gotten better as well. She belonged to him. Even if he had to be patient, he had to have her. Luke let go of her, and Luca felt the grip around her waist loosen. She let out a breath of relief. She ced her hands on the bed and used them to support her as she attempted to get up. At that moment, the door was pushed open. Johann came in and saw Luca on top of Luke''s body. He shrieked in an exaggerated tone, "Oh my, I''m sorry! Am I interfering in you two''s activity?" Luca heard Johann''s words, and her face went scarlet as she immediately got up. She took a deep breath and looked at Johann, who had turned his back to them. Feeling helpless, she exined, "Dr. Park. I identally tripped over and it was Mr. Crawford who held onto me. It''s not like what you think." Johann did not turn around and just waved his hand behind him as he said, "I got it. Do you guys want to continue? Why don''t I leave first?" "Dr. Park!" Luca could hear a teasing tone in his words. She became shy and felt helpless. "I''ve already stood up." Johann slowly turned around, and seeing that both their clothes were tidy, he cleared his throat and winked at Luke who was slowly sitting up. "I''m so sorry, buddy. I didn''t know you were in the midst of it." "Dr. Park!'' Luca''s face became even redder when she heard Johann''s teasing tone. Johann knew Luca was shy and did not tease her anymore. He waved his hands and said seriously, "Alright, I''ll get down to business. Have you experienced any difort since this afternoon?¡± "Nope." Luke sat on the bed and lifted his leg that was in a cast. Johann''s eyes glittered when he looked at the drawings on the cast. He went forward to examine it. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Those three kids of yours are quite good at drawing Just look at these colorful colors. It''s so nice to look at." Luke picked up the nket from the side and immediately covered it. Johann saw that Luke''splexion looked dark. He put away the smile on his face and continued talking about the serious matter at hand, ¡°If you don''t experience any difort tomorrow, do you want to be discharged?" "He''s able to be discharged so soon?" Luca was astonished. She thought that Luke would still have to stay in the hospital for a few more days for observation. Johann nodded and thought back to the lie he told Luca. He slowly twisted his words, saying, "Even though there''s some bleeding, his condition isn''t too serious overall. Tomorrow, we''ll do another CT brain scan. And if there''s nothing wrong, he may go home and recuperate. The most important thing is that he''s no longer bleeding and there''s no serious problem. The hospital is facing a shortage of wards, so we have to free some up." "Free some wards?" Luke squinted his eyes. He wanted to stay in the ward and continue to enjoy Luca''s care. "Yes. We have to free a ward for a politician. He has an appointment for an operation. Hence, the director of the hospital asked me toe over to discuss this with you. After all, out of all the patients on this floor, you''re the patient with the least serious condition," Johann exined helplessly. He could figure that Luke was enjoying Luca''s care. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. However, it would not be easy to fool the director. If he personally came here to talk with Luke, it would be troublesome if Luke found out Johann was deceiving him. Hence, Johann rushed back to the hospital even though it waste at night. Luke did not say a word and just stared at him with a cold gaze. Johann felt a chilly sensation coursing through him and looked at Luca. He had no choice but to say, "Dr. Craw, even though Mr. Crawford can be discharged, he''ll still need someone to look after him. So, for the next few days, I''ll have to trouble you to look after him. After all, he''s still facing mobility issues, which makes it rather inconvenient for him to do things." "I got it," Luca promised. Looking at Luke''s current appearance made her suspicious, though. ''Isn''t he supposed to be happy to be able to be discharged? Why is his expression still so dark?'' After all, it was not convenient for him to handle his work in the hospital. She also recalled that Luke disliked being in the hospital... Johann pped his hands. Luca had promised to look after Luke. In that case, there should not be a problem. This was the best oue. He continued to say, "Then I shall not disturb you two from doing. your work. I''ll take my leave. Oh right, don''t work toote tonight. You''re still a patient, after all." Luke silently pulled up the railing of the hospital bed. Luca looked at Johann leaving the ward and closing the door behind him. She then looked at Luke. The moment she saw him taking the documents from the bedside table, she immediately got the hint and shifted the table toward him. Luke looked at her, sighed, and said, "Don''t go, Luca." Luca immediately stopped her actions. She lowered her eyes, and her little fingers were still grabbing the edges of the bedside table. She was feeling uneasy. "Mr. Crawford." "What I said earlier is the truth. I really like you, but if you can''t ept it, just forget what I said. If you leave, the kids and I will be very sad. They''ve all taken you as an important part of our family. I feel the same too." "Now''s not the time to be saying all these, Mr. Crawford. You have to rest well." Luca let go of her hands and ced hisptop on the table. "Rest assured, I won''t leave your side before you''ve recovered." Luke looked at her lowering her eyes. Her flushed expression from being shy earlier was no longer there. It seemed as if the scene from earlier was just an illusion. There were always some words that could make her instantly snap back to her senses, such as words about him liking her. After Luca ced theptop on his desk, she spun around and walked to the sofa. She sat down and continued to trante her documents. It was as if everything that urred earlier did not happen. The ward was dead silent with only the sound of documents being flipped and typing on keyboards. On the other hand. In Crawford Manor. After Old Master Crawford had his meal, he brought his three great-grandchildren to the study. The three kids sat obediently on mahogany chairs. There were thick cushions on top of the chairs because of the cold weather, and there were tassels on them. Tommy, who loved to y, could not hold back and used his fingers to twirl the tassels. He yed with them while asking, "What gossip do you want to know, Great-grandpa?" Old Master Crawford looked at him while touching his beard. "You little brat. Why are talking like an old man?" "Well, I learned it from you." Tommy smiled and jumped down from the red chair. Tommy walked to his side and sat on hisp. "Great-grandpa, do you wish to know what''s going on between Daddy and Ms. Luca?" "Yes. Can you tell me about it?" Old Master Crawford pinched Tommy''s round face and asked. "Great-grandpa, I think you should ask Daddy yourself. We don''t know the details," said Tommy with a smile. "What? You guys don''t know the details?" Old Master Crawford frowned. ''The kids are living with them. Here I thought they knew everything.'' Chapter 1909 The three kids all looked at Old Master Crawford and shook their heads. Luke had never told them the whole story. All they knew was that if this incident was not handled well, their mother would have to leave them again. They did not wish for Luca to leave. "What''s going on with Luke?" Old Master Crawford was troubled. It had been so long, yet Luke had yet to seed. He could not ept the slow progress. "Great-grandpa, Daddy doesn''t have a choice either," Rainie said. Their mother had changed ever since she returned, but she still treated them well. It was just that nothing could sway her, so their father was left with no choice as well. "I''ll go over tomorrow to know what''s going on.¡± Old Master Crawford had made up his mind. Since his grandchild was not making fast enough progress, he had no choice but to personally head over. "Great-grandpa, ours and Daddy''s happiness will all depend on you. We want our family to reunite as soon as possible," said Tommy with a smile. He believed things would be much easier to handle with their great-grandfather advising their father. Susan was standing at the door of the study. She had her ears glued to the door to listen to what was happening inside. Hearing that Luke was trying to win over Luca''s heart made her have a dark expression. ''They want to make Luca join the Crawford family?'' It had taken her great effort to get rid of Bianca so that there was one less person to fight over the inheritance. However, from the current looks of it, Luca would be joining the fight? She would never allow such a thing to happen. Susan wanted to record the conversation between Old Master Crawford and the kids so she could hand it to Queenie. She wanted to let Queenie know about the Crawford family''s intentions. However, she was separated from them by a wall. Coupled with the good soundproofing, she could not hear properly and could only get the gist of the conversation. Hence, she could not record it with her phone. She ced her phone against the door, thinking it might record the conversation much clearer. She wanted to make Luke lose the authority to rule over T Corporation. To do that, she would have to get rid of the people around him. For starters, she would have to get rid of Jack''s support. If she could let Queenie hear the conversation about Old Master Crawford expressing his support to have Luke win over Luca, that would be the end for Luke. Old Master Crawford nodded. "I won''t rush it, then. I''ll just head over tomorrow and see how it goes." After the discussion, the kids left the study. As Susan wanted to get more information from them, she did not have time to react and ended up bumping into the three kids. "Why are you standing here, Grandma Susan?" Lanie saw Susan holding her phone against the door and couldn''t help but feel suspicious. Susan pretended to look at her phone and said casually, ¡°I''m here to look for Old Master Crawford. Is he inside?" "Great-grandpa is inside," said Lanie. He pushed the door open and said to Old Master Crawford, who was inside, "Great-grandpa, Grandma Susan is here for you." Susan stared at him with resentment in her heart. Luke and his kids were all stumbling blocks keeping her away from gaining all of the Crawford family''s inheritance. Old Master Crawford''s voice was heard from inside, "Come in." Since he had already spoken, Susan had no choice but to enter. She snorted and walked in. Lanie pulled on his siblings'' hands and walked back to their yroom. Rainie closed the room door and muttered softly, "Brother, was Grandma Susan eavesdropping earlier?" "Yes." The first thing Lanie saw when he opened the door was her odd posture. Besides, from the way she was holding onto the phone, it was definitely possible that she had been trying to record their conversation. "Why did Grandma Susan want to eavesdrop..." Rainie blinked her eyes. The things they were talking about were not secrets. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Tommy was flipping through a picture book on the side and answered her question, "That''s because Grandma Susan doesn''t like us." Rainie looked at her younger brother. She knew since she was younger that Susan disliked them. However, because of their father and Old Master Crawford, Susan could not do anything to them despite disliking them. After all, it was Old Master Crawford who had the final say in the family. "Grandma Susan wants to take our father out." Lanie took out a book about the universe and touched his chin. His expression when he was deep in thought was just like Luke''s. "Do you think we should inform Daddy?" "We should tell him. Otherwise, something bad might happen. That''s going to be worse," Rainie said. They were all especially mature because they had been living in the Crawford family for a very long time. Furthermore, Luke was always busy, and Bianca was not by their side when they were younger. Lanie nodded and looked at Tommy. "Tommy, you''ll be the one to tell Daddy." "Alright, Brother." Tommy took out his phone and typed a message to Luke, telling him about Susan eavesdropping on their conversation with Old Master Crawford. Then, he sent the message. In the study. After Old Master Crawford saw Susan entering the study, he put on a cold expression and asked, "Is there you need to talk to me about?" "It''s nothing much, Dad. I''m just concerned about how is Luke doing. Do we need to get him some supplements?" Susan could not think of anything important to discuss with the old master and ended up asking about Luke''s condition. Old Master Crawford had a cold expression and said, "What could''ve happened to Luke? He''s just suffering from a minor bone fracture. If you''re really concerned about him, why don''t you look after the three kids on his behalf? After all, the kids are now staying here. They need love and concern." "Hehe, I wish to do so too, Dad. But those kids haven''t liked me since they were little. Besides, it''s already so exhausting to look after Thea for Louis. Where will I have the energy to look after Luke''s three kids? If he thinks we can''t manage to look after them, why don''t we hire a servant?" Susan said. She had long agoined about theck of maids in the manor. Whenever her friends came over to have fun or for afternoon tea, she was not able to show them a grand disy. Among all big families, the Crawford family was the one spending the least amount of money on servants. The number of servants they had did not match the Crawford family''s fame and status. "We have enough servants in the manor. Just spit out if you don''t want to take care of the kids," Old Master Crawford lectured with a cold expression. Susan''s face went scarlet as she said in an aggrieved tone, "I''m not saying I''m unwilling to do it. But there are really too many kids. Besides, we don''t have enough servants. All of them are Allison''s biological grandchildren too. Now, she''s enjoying her life abroad and leaving me all alone to look after the kids. How can I cope?" "Back when she went abroad to receive treatment, weren''t you the happiest person?" Old Master Crawford questioned. Susan was speechless. "Alright, forget it. Dad, I''ll leave now if there''s nothing else. I won''t disturb you from admiring your antiques." She looked at the antiques that were ced on the table by Old Master Crawford and felt depressed. He had the cash to purchase antiques, but he was not willing to hire a few more servants. How would their family keep up with their image, then? Old Master Crawford shook his head helplessly when he saw Susan making her way out of the study. Even though Allison was gone, Susan was still around to cause havoc in the family. Chapter 1910 The next morning, Luke was pushed by the nurse to undergo a check-up. As usual, Luca did not follow. She sat in the ward and waited for Luke to return from his check-up. If there was nothing wrong, she could proceed with the discharge procedures and Luke would be able to return home to recuperate. It would be much better to recuperate at home than in the hospital. Besides, there would be a maid in the vi to help out. If anything were to happen, things would not be too chaotic for her. Luca sat on the sofa and waited quietly. She was able to hear even the slightest sounds from the corridor outside because the door was not closed. "Hurry, this patient has suddenly developed arrhythmia and hypoxia. Hurry and notify the doctor. Get the venttor ready." A nurse''s voice was heard. Luca got up and looked out the door. She saw a nurse sticking her head out from a VIP ward that was diagonally opposite the ward Luca was in. The nurse was shouting. Luca got anxious as the patient in that ward was the man who was seriously injured by Jean. She quickly stepped forward and asked, "What''s wrong?" The nurse knew Luca was not a doctor. Hence, she ignored Luca and waved at another nurse who was pushing the trolley with the resuscitation equipment. "Hurry and notify Dr. Park." Luca knew it was a critical situation, so they could not be bothered to entertain her. Hence, Luca stood aside and did not give them any trouble while they were trying to resuscitate the patient. She took out her phone and gave Nina a call. The call was connected, and Nina''szy voice was heard from the other end of the call. It sounded like she had just woken up. "Hey, Luca? What''s wrong?" "The man that your brother injured has developed arrhythmia. They''re currently resuscitating him," Luca informed Nina. Nina woke up instantly. "What? Is he in a critical situation?" Luca had seen the nurse pushing the trolley with the resuscitation trolley in but did not see the condition the patient was in. However, just by watching the scene, it seemed the patient was in a pretty critical state. "I don''t know what''s going on inside there, but I''m guessing it''s pretty serious. You should hurry and make a trip to the hospital." "Alright. I''ll go over there now." Nina could not bother less about Percy who was changing his clothes in the cloakroom and rushed in. She casually grabbed a change of clothes. As she was changing, she tapped into the loudspeaker mode and said to Luca, "Luca, please, you must save that guy." If he passed away, Jean would be imprisoned regardless of how much money they were willing to pay. Luca could hear the chaos in the ward but was unable to see what was going on as the curtains were drawn. She said helplessly, "I have no right to conduct any medical procedures. But rest assured, they''ve already notified Dr. Park." As soon as she said this, a nurse ran into the ward. "Damn it! It wasn''t Dr. Park who was on callst night. Hence, he''s currently not in the hospital." "Who''s on-call at the cardiac surgery department, then? Also, which doctor is on duty on our floor? Call them here. We''re just nurses. We don''t know much," the other nurse asked. "I''ve already notified them, but they''re all downstairs. They''ll need a few more minutes toe up here.¡± The nurses were all stunned at what was currently happening. Currently, it was the hour when the doctors and nurses were changing shifts. Never would they expect the patient to encounter a problem at this critical moment. Not only were the doctors unable to rush over in time, but there was also ack of nurses. Nina could hear the nurses'' conversation and felt her body go weak. She had to support herself against the wall. "Luca, what should we do?" "I''ll call Dr. Park. You just have to rush here." After Luca said that, she ended the call and immediately called Johann. Johann picked up the call and had already predicted that Luca was calling him regarding Tyrone. He asked, "What''s the situation right now, Dr. Craw?" "I have no idea, but there''s no doctor here. Regarding the patient''s condition, judging from the monitoring sounds, it seems that he''s not in good shape," Luca answered helplessly after seeing Aunt Jenny getting chased out for attempting to rescue the patient. She looked into the ward but could not see a thing. "Haven''t they managed to contact any other doctors?" Johann frowned. "No. I think it''s because they''re changing shifts at this moment." Luca guessed. After all, this was a VIP ward. Logically speaking, there should always be an emergency physician on shift here. "Dr. Craw, do you know anything about cardiology?" Johann was driving and saw the terrible traffic. Even if the road was clear and he rushed to the scene, he still would not make it. "What are you suggesting..." Luca suddenly had a bad feeling. Was he nning to make her... Although Shanks had taught her a lot of things and she had undergone practical training, she did not have the license to practice medicine. She had professional knowledge, but she did not have the license to practice medicine. Hence, she could only help others strengthen their bodies but could not actually practice medicine. After all, she could only treat those who were on the Ind of Despair because they were excluded from thew and organization of the society. "I''ll now grant you the right to treat that patient." Johann revealed his idea. When in crucial times, he was able to grant others the right to practice medicine on behalf of the director of the hospital. "No, Dr. Park. You know as well that I don''t have-" Before Luca was able to reject, she was cut short by Johann. "I know you don''t have the license to practice medicine, but this is a very critical situation now. The patient inside is rted to Nina and Jean. Even if you''re not bothered about whether Jean is alive or dead, what about Nina? If that patient in there passes away, Jean will have to be sent to prison following thews in the country. You know as well what will Jean''s imprisonment mean for Nina. Dr. Craw, if you go in there and help treat the patient, you''ll at least be able to get him one more minute of survival. The decision is up to you..." Luca listened to the sound of the monitoring equipment inside. She was indeed not bothered about Jean''s life or death. However, she could not turn a blind eye to Nina''s future. If Jean was imprisoned, Anna would surely hate Nina. Luca said through gritted teeth, "I''ll put the call on loudspeaker. You can exin the situation to the people inside." After speaking, she turned on the loudspeaker mode and rushed into the ward. The nurses saw that it was not a doctor from the hospital who entered and asked suspiciously, "Why did youe in? We''re now in the middle of resuscitating the patient. Please go out." "You can listen for yourselves." Luca casually ced the phone on the side of the bed and stared hard at the monitor. Johann''s voice was heard from the phone. "I''m Dr. Park. I''m giving Dr. Craw the right to carry out an emergency rescue on the patient. I''ll handle the paperwork for this when I''m back at the hospitalter. For now, just follow Dr. Craw''s instructions." T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The nurses looked at each other, terrified. Luca could not be bothered to exin further and immediately ordered, "Give me the stethoscope." A nurse picked up the stethoscope that was avable and handed it to Luca. Luca held onto it and listened to Tyrone''s heart carefully while observing his expression. The patient was having arrhythmia, and his blood pressure was dropping. His lips had turned purplish- blue as well. She ced her fingers over Tyrone''s pulse and noticed his pulse was rapid. Chapter 1911 Luca made her judgment and was sure it was due to a hemorrhage, but the cause of it was heart problems. "It''s pericardial bleeding." She said it with certainty and told the nurses. She also told Johann, who was on the other end of the call. A nurse frowned and asked, "Are you sure, Dr. Craw? When the patient was sent in here, we did a full body check-up and there was no problem with his heart." "Having no heart problems at that time doesn''t mean he won''t have any now. There are many causes that can lead to pericardial bleeding. There''s no time to do a B-ultrasound. Just give me the drainage device. I''m going to drain out the fluids around his heart. Otherwise, there''ll be consequences," said Luca. The nurses exchanged terrified looks, and neither of them dared to give her the drainage device. If it turned out that it was not pericardial bleeding and the patient fell into a life-threatening situation due to a misdiagnosis, the nurses would be questioned along with Luca. Luca knew why the nurses were hesitating. She said to Johann on the other end of the call, "Dr. Park, please believe me." Johann did not think further and immediately ordered, "Just follow Dr. Craw''s instructions. If anything happens, I''ll take full responsibility for it." Luca was vaguely surprised. Not only did he believe in her unconditionally, but he was also even willing to take full responsibility for it... After all, he would face the possibility of having his medical license getting revoked if anything were to happen. However, Luca was confident about her diagnosis and immediately opened the patient''s robe. A nurse immediately passed her the drainage device. After Luca wore the medical gloves, picked up the antiseptic, and applied it to the area she was about to do the procedure. Then, she picked up the drainage device and slowly injected the needle toward the heart. At that moment, a doctor finally came in. He took a deep, cold breath when he saw Luca''s actions. "Who is she? How could you guys let her rescue the patient?" All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. The nurses at the side looked at Luca, but she had no intention of stopping her actions of draining out the fluids. A nurse had no choice but to exin on Luca''s behalf, "This is Dr. Craw. Dr. Park gave her the authority to rescue this patient. Dr. Park is still on the phone." "I''m the one who gave her the authorization to do so," Johann replied while driving. It was indeed Johann''s voice. The doctor no longer pursued the matter. He just watched Luca''s actions with a frown. "What''s the diagnosis?" "Pericardial bleeding," a nurse replied. "Rubbish! Can one drain out the blood at this position for pericardial bleeding? You''re harming the patient!" the doctor saw the position Luca had pierced the needle in and roared. However, Luca was already in the midst of it. The doctor did not immediately step forward to snatch the needle away. Luca''s expression was calm andposed. As she was inserting the needle, she said, "Indeed, looking at the position that I''m injecting the needle, it''s different from what you''ve been taught by medical books. But this patient is in a critical situation. Besides, we weren''t able to contact any other doctors, so treatment was dyed for quite some time. Hence, injecting the needle here is the fastest way to drain the fluids out. It''s the fastest way to reduce the heart''s burden and to reduce the damage." As she was speaking, the needle was injected deeper. The fluids were being drained out. The doctor was dumbfounded when he saw the bloody fluids. He immediately ordered the nurse, "Hurry, go get the ultrasound machine here. I have to see how much his heart had been damaged." "Yes," as the nurse was saying, she immediately pulled the curtains open and ran out. Luca knew what the doctor was worried about and said faintly, "Don''t worry. I didn''t poke through the vessels. You can know it just by looking at the fluids that are being drained out." The doctor looked a the fluids that were being drained out. Indeed, not all of it was blood as there were other fluids as well. It seemed that the patient had been experiencing pericardial bleeding for some time now. However, during this period, the patient had neverined of any heart difort. Perhaps the pain was masked by the medications given to him. Hence, he did notin of any heart difort. The pericardial bleeding must have worsened and greatly burdened the heart, which led to the current situation. Luca pulled out the needle when she noticed that all the fluids were almost drained out. She looked at the doctor. "I''ll leave the rest to you." The nurse pushed the machine in. At that moment, the fluids had been drained and Tyrone''s indicators had returned to normal. The doctor saw Luca taking off her gloves and bringing her phone with her as she left the ward. He was astonished. "Isn''t she the caretaker of the patient in the ward opposite? Why is she so skillful? She''s even a doctor?" The nurse beside quickly said, "Don''t think about these things now, Dr. Simmons. Why don''t you have a look at whether or not the patient''s heart is alright?" "Push the machine to the side of the bed," said Dr. Simmons. Luca walked out of the ward and coincidentally bumped into Aunt Jenny and Keith. Keith was still panting, and when he saw Luca walking out from inside. He said, astonished, "Why are youing out from inside there?" Luca did not exin, and Aunt Jenny said, "She''s the doctor who was resuscitating Tyrone. How''s my son?" "His condition has stabilized. The doctor in this hospital is doing a check-up on him now," Luca answered. "Are you a doctor? Aren''t you just a caretaker from the opposite ward? What joke are you cracking? A caretaker rescuing a patient in the ward?" Keith widened his eyes. He could not believe it and stopped Luca from leaving. "You can''t leave. If anything happens to my brother, you''re going to have to take full responsibility for it." "The patient had been rescued and is now stable. Besides, I was the one who resuscitated him. I was authorized by the hospital to do so. The authorization letter will be delivered soon." Luca lowered her eyes and hung up Johann''s call. She only took part in the emergency rescue for Nina''s sake. She did not give it further thought and ended up getting herself into this mess. Looking at Keith blocking her way made her feel frustrated. "I can''t be bothered about all those. Anyhow, you can''t leave!" It was obvious that Keith could not believe a caretaker would have such capability. Luke had returned after the check-up, and from far away, he saw this scene. He controlled the wheelchair and rushed to Luca''s side without waiting for the nurse to push him over. "What''s going on?" he asked. "Nothing. Mr. Crawford, you should enter first." Luca knew that Luke hated it when she got involved in unrted matters, so she told him to return to the ward first. Besides, it was not a big issue. Tyrone had been rescued, and he would be alright. Everything would be fine once the doctor inside the ward rified the matter and came out to exin. There was no need for Luke to make an appearance. "What''s going on?" Luke was stubborn and had no intention of leaving. Instead, he asked Luca once again about the situation. Tyrone said angrily, "Your caretaker, without any license or experience, rushed into the ward to rescue a patient. Isn''t this a joke?" Luke looked at Luca. She got herself involved in such a thing? Luca lowered her eyes. After being stared at by Luke, she exined helplessly, "At that time, there was no doctor around and the patient was in a very critical situation. If we didn''t rescue him in time, he might have just passed away. Hence, I called Dr. Park and he gave me the authority to rescue the patient." "What kind of joke is this? There was even a doctor here who gave you the authority to do so? You''re just a caretaker. What right do you have?!" Keith was arrogant. Chapter 1912 Keith shouted. He was thinking if Tyrone could not get past this crisis, he would just have to drag in another scapegoat. With that, he would be able to reap more benefits. "You can''t begin to imagine how capable she is." Luke nced at him with a cold gaze. Keith could not help but shudder. Although Luke''s leg was fractured and put in a cast, so he was unable to stand, Keith could not help but feel scared when he lowered his head and looked into Luke''s eyes. Luke''s aura was way too domineering. "I don''t care. Thisdy will not escape if anything happens," Keith pointed at her and said arrogantly. "Shut up! I''ll take full responsibility for whatever happens." Luke had a cold re. He then turned to look at Luca. The moment he fixed his gaze on Luca, his eyes immediately looked gentle and helpless. "Why did you want to rescue this man?" "I was just thinking of helping Nina." Luca did not wish for others to know that she had such extensive medical knowledge. However, at that moment, she had no choice but to reveal it for the sake of Nina''s future. "Alright." Luke did not me her for being a busybody. She was the type of person who would make sacrifices for her friends. Bianca used to be like that too, and now, so was Luca. Keith heard Luca mentioning Nina, and it made him recall that they were both talking happily outside the ward not too long ago. "Oh, now I remember. You know thatdy, Nina. Could it be that Nina isn''t willing to continue paying for my cousin''s medical fees since his condition is tooplicated? Hence, she asked you toe here and kill my brother?" "Your brother has been rescued. I didn''t harm him at all." Luca could tell Luke was staring at her and felt helpless. She could not be bothered to exin it in detail. After all, once the doctor confirmed that the patient was no longer in danger, he would step out here and exin things. However, Luke was here now and she felt the urge to exin. Luke was not a quack doctor... She would not simply go around harming patients'' lives. "Just because you said you rescued the patient, does that make it the truth? No, I have to make a police report.¡± Keith took out his phone and was about to make a call Luke looked at him coldly. "Do you dare to?" Keith was stunned at that. He had dialed 999 but was dumbfounded now and did not tap the call button. At that moment, the doctor in the ward came out and said, "Be quiet. The patient has indeed been rescued." Keith was shocked and looked at the doctor, then at Luca. It was obvious that he did not believe a caretaker could save someone''s life. "Really?" "Yes. Your brother had pericardial bleeding and an umtion of blood. From there on, it affected a lot of his bodily functions. However, most of the fluids had been drained and all that''s left to do is to ensure his health is stable. His heart will be able to reabsorb the fluids,¡± said Dr. Simmons. He looked at Luca. He did not expect that she would have such skills. When she was draining the fluids, she drained from an angle that was not ording to the usual spot but chose a riskier spot. However, if one took this approach, the damage to the heart was minimal. Besides, under the circumstances where there was no monitoring equipment, it would drain out much more fluids compared to the traditional approach. In a nutshell, if there was monitoring equipment avable, evenpetent doctors may not choose to inject the needle in that spot. However, taking that approach would indeed be a faster method to stop the patient''s condition from worseningpared to taking the traditional approach. Of course, that was only if there was no damage to the other areas of the heart. Keith was still feeling suspicious. "You''re saying that my brother''s pericardial bleeding is due to a heart problem, but there were no such problems during the initial check-up.¡± "Some problems can''t be detected immediately. After all, the structure of the human body is very complex. Besides, your brother was in the ICU for the past few days. The medications and treatment provided stabilized his condition. Perhaps the medications had masked his heart problems. Even during the follow-up treatment, the patient didn''t mention that he felt any difort in his heart. Hence, situations like these are very normal," Dr. Simmons exined. Luca nodded, conveying that she agreed with what he said. Luke saw her gestures and had a darkplexion while looking at Dr. Simmons. "So, there''s no issue with the emergency rescue she conducted?" "Not only is there no problem, but she was also able to quickly rescue the patient with minimal damage. If there was a recording, I think the content and information should be published in medical journals and textbooks." Luke ignored what he saidter on. All he wanted to know was that Luca would be fine. "If there''s nothing else, we''ll be heading back to our ward." "Alright." Dr. Simmons was still suspicious of Luca''s medical skills. However, he gave in after witnessing the uracy of her injection earlier. "Push me back," Luke said. Luca nodded and pushed Luke''s wheelchair back to the ward. Keith did not stop them. When they returned to the ward, Luca asked, "What''s the result, Mr. Crawford?" "I''m not a doctor. How would I know?" Luke looked at her. "Why don''t you check it for me?" Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Luca''s face went red as she moved her gaze away. She said helplessly, "Stop joking, Mr. Crawford. How would I know?" "You would. Otherwise, how did you manage to rescue that patient?" Luke did not expect Luca to have such in-depth medical knowledge. Initially, he thought that she was just knowledgeable in traditional medicine, so she could take pulses and knew methods to nourish one''s body. Never would he have thought that she was also proficient in Johann''s field of work. Just how many of her secrets was he not aware of? After all, it was very impressive for an ordinary person to master a skill within three years. However, in the three years that Luca was kidnapped, she had mastered more than one thing. "It''s just a coincidence that I happen to know a little about it," said Luca. Luke did not believe that it was a coincidence. "Sometimes, I feel that having you work in T Corporation is a waste.¡± "I love my current job." Luca heard what Luke said, which sounded as if he was ming her for keeping too many secrets from him. "Mhm." Luke maneuvered the wheelchair and came to the side of the bed. "Help me up the bed. I want to read the documents for a little while more." "Alright." Luca lent him a hand. Then, she supported his waist and helped him up the bed. She passed him the documents that he had not gone through. Luke opened the documents and continued working. He did not say another word about the incident from earlier. After half an hour, Johann was holding onto Luke''s health report as he walked into the ward. He said happily, "I''ve gone through your health report. The bleeding hasn''t worsened. So, you can be discharged." After listening to Johann''s words, Luca let out a sigh of relief. All this while, she had been worried about the hemorrhage in Luke''s head. After all, his leg injury would heal with time. No sudden issues would ur with that, but it was different in the case of an intracranial hemorrhage. "I can be discharged?" Luke asked. Initially, he did not wish to be discharged, but after the incident earlier, he had been thinking about leaving the hospital. Chapter 1913 After all, he was not willing to allow Luca to be trapped in this chaotic situation once again. "Yes, Dr. Craw. You may hold onto these bills. All you have to do is to bring these over to the counter and settle the discharge procedure." Johann handed her the bills in his hand. Luca nodded and epted the bills. Then, she took out Luke''s identification card from the drawer and headed out of the ward to settle the discharge procedure. After Luca was far away, Luke looked at Johann. Johann quickly waved his hand. "Don''t give me that look. You make it look like I''m the one who''s cornering you." "Were you the one who made Luca rescue that guy?" Luke asked. "It was me. I was left with no other choice. The doctors in the hospital were switching shifts, so it was a little chaotic. ll having a handover session and it was a little chaotic. A minute earlier of resuscitation will grant that guy an extra minute of survival," Johann said. "Do you what the consequences would be if Luca had failed to rescue that guy?¡± Luke was clenching both his fists. If that really happened, it meant the end of a life! Even if he was capable, he may not be able to save her from that situation! "I know. Actually, I didn''t know that Dr. Craw could do all those things. That''s why I tested her out. I didn''t expect her to actually possess such medical knowledge.¡± Johann smiled, attempting to ease the atmosphere. ¡°You ought to have more faith in Dr. Craw. She wouldn''t agree to things that she doesn''t have the confidence in." "But she''ll do anything for Nina''s sake!" Luke said with a cold expression. He knew Luca too well. He was well aware of how important Nina was to Luca. Nina was her best friend. "But she wouldn''t do things without a second thought. Don''t worry. Everything is going to be fine. Speaking about it, your wife is a real treasure. I didn''t expect her to know so much. I heard that the method she used to rescue the patient earlier is an umon method. Dr. Simmons had never seen it before, but with that method and approach, the patient survive the critical state." Johann kept praising Luca to try and make the man who was in bad mood feel much more rxed. After all, saving someone was a good deed. Luke listened to Johann''s praise, but he got even more upset. If he had the chance, he would rather have Luca still be the old Bianca who did not know any of these things. If something happened, she should have just gone to look for the doctor instead of letting the situation progress to what had happened earlier. That way, not only would she be saving herself from risk and potential trouble, but she would also be able to save others. Johann noticed Luke was not in a good mood. Hence, he did not continue with the topic. After all, Luke would not be able toprehend why they admired Luca so much. Luca''s rescue method just now was too novel, but it was a good approach. Johann even felt that it was a shame the nurses did not record the scene earlier. Even so, the needle mark on the patient could be used as study material. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Besides, Dr. Simmons had witnessed the entire scene. On the other hand, after Luca queued up and paid the bills, she took the receipt and came to the nurses'' station to handle the discharge procedure. After the matron received the receipt, she then ordered the nurse beside her to settle the issue. She could not help but say to Luca, "Ms. Luca, I didn''t know you had medical knowledge as well.¡± "I only know a little." Luca wanted to be low profile about it. If it were not because it was a critical moment, she would not want anyone to know about her ability. The capable would have to do more work and would tire easily. After rescuing a patient this time, she had to be more low profile or she would find herself in messy situations in the future. She did not wish to bring trouble upon herself. Besides, if Abel knew about it, he would not be happy about it. After all, these things were secrets of the Ind of Despair. "Don''t be so humble. Judging from your skilled techniques, I wouldn''t believe it if you said you''re not a doctor. But are you really not a doctor?" The matron had asked about Luca from Johann, and it seemed that she really had no medical license. An ordinary doctor''s skills would certainly deteriorate if they were away from the medical field for a long time. Hence, even if they were on a holiday, they would continue practicing to prevent their skills from deteriorating. As for Luca, she did everything wlessly¡ªfrom examining the patient to injecting him with the needle. She did not seem like someone who had never practiced medicine. "I''m just a drug researcher and not a doctor," Luca exined. "Then you''re really awesome. Besides, it has something to do with medicine too. I''m impressed. Unfortunately, the situation earlier was too critical and there wasn''t time to record it. Otherwise, your method would definitely be published in medical journals and textbooks,¡± the matron praised Luca. "I''m not interested in gaining fame," Luca said helplessly. Back when she decided to rescue Tyrone, she had already predicted something like this to happen. It was just that she did not expect Tyrone to have pericardial bleeding, and the drainage method that she learned from Shanks was different from what was taught in regr textbooks. This was the only method she knew, so she had no choice but to go for it. She did not expect that Dr. Simmons would be able to spot a clue and immediately pointed out that she had gotten the spot wrong. "You''re awesome," the matron praised her. The nurse on the other side passed Luca the documents that had been processed. "Hi, Mr. Crawford''s discharge paperwork has been settled. All you have to do is sign here and he can be discharged." Luca signed at the designated ce. Her name and Luke''s were just on top of one another. As she was looking at it, she felt her heart skipping a beat. This feeling was incredible. It was as though the distance between them was very close. Luca took the documents and saw Ninaing toward her. The moment she saw Luca, Nina ran over and hugged her. "Thank you, Luca!" Luca hugged Nina back and sighed whileforting her, saying, "I didn''t do much." "No, you saved me." Nina sniffled. After rushing to the hospital, Johann notified her that Tyrone''s condition was much more stable now. The person who stabilized Tyrone''s condition was Luca. She was the one who examined Tyrone and noticed he was suffering from pericardial bleeding. Furthermore, she did not hesitate and helped conduct an emergency rescue on him. That was why Tyrone''s condition was able to stabilize. Hence, Nina wanted to thank Luca. This time, Luca had helped to save Tyrone, which was equivalent to saving her life. Only if Tyrone was fine would Jean have the chance to be free, and only if Jean was free would Anna let her off the hook. Hence, Luca had saved her. Looking at Nina''s teary eyes, Luca took out a tissue from her pocket and wiped her tears away for her. "Don''t exaggerate things. It was a piece of cake. Besides, you also saved me back then." She was referring to the time she had gotten injured. Nina sniffled. "That was a trivial matter. In the end, you resolved the matter all on your own. Luca, you''ve really helped me out this time. From now on, no matter what happens, I''ll always stand by your side and support you unconditionally." "Sure." Luca was not sure why Nina would say such things. She smiled while replying, "Alright. Since there''s nothing else, you should stop crying." "Okay. When will you be free? I must treat you to a meal!" Nina expressed her gratitude. Chapter 1914 "After some time. I''ve been quite busytely," Luca said. She was delighted when she saw Nina so happy. "Alright. I''ll wait until you''re no longer as busy. This..." Nina noticed Luca was holding onto Luke''s discharge papers. "He''s getting discharged?" "Yea. There aren''t enough wards, so Dr. Park allowed Mr. Crawford to go back home and rest." Luca nodded. Nina nodded as well and said, "It''s better to recuperate at home. At least there''s a maid to look after him there, so you won''t be so tired. Well, I won''t disturb you any longer. Let me know once you''re no longer so busy." "Alright." Luca nodded and took the discharge papers to the ward. When she passed by Tyrone''s ward, she subconsciously looked inside, and her gaze met Keith''s. Currently, Tyrone was in a stable condition. Johann had also shown the authorization letter once he arrived, proving that Luca had already received the authority to conduct an emergency rescue on Tyrone. Keith had also consulted awyer about it, only to learn that the authorization letter was legal. Hence, it would be difficult for him to make a case against Luca and the hospital. Besides, Tyrone was doing well and looked much better than before. Luca walked back to the ward. At that moment, Johann had left and only a nurse was left in the ward. She was exining the dosage and effects of the medications to Luke. Luke was not in the mood to listen to her exnation. Seeing Luca, he immediately spoke, ¡°Just give all of these to her." Luca looked at the packets of medications held by the nurse and quickly stepped forward while saying, "Hi, you can just give me the medications." The nurse nodded and handed the medications to her. At the same time, she exined to Luca in detail when to take them and the dosage. Luca jotted the information down meticulously. After the nurse was done briefing Luca, Luca started packing up her things. Initially, Luca thought that Luke might have to stay in the ward for some time. Hence, she had Jason and Tina bring over a lot of stuff. Coupled with the work documents, she had to ask the nurse for two huge bags. Only then was she able to pack up all her things. She looked at the few bags on the floor, then looked at Luke, who was in a wheelchair. She felt a little troubled. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ''It seems I''ll have to make two trips for this...'' Luca was just thinking about carrying these two bags into the car first and then returning to pick Luke up when Nina entered the ward. "Are you done packing?" Nina looked at the two huge bags ced on the sofa by Luca. "Yea." Luca smiled while nodding her head. Nina looked at Luke. He had changed his clothes and was sitting in a wheelchair. She said, "There are so many things. I think you''ll have to make two trips. Let me help.¡± As she spoke, she picked up the two bags on the sofa. Luca was just about to reject Nina''s kind offer when Nina said, "All you have to do is push Luke''s wheelchair." "The bags are quite heavy. Why don''t you let me carry one of them?" Luca looked at Nina. Of the two bags, one of them contained aptop and all those work documents. ¡°It''s alright. I''m quite strong. Let''s go." Nina shook her head and left the ward while carrying the bags. Luca could only pick up Luke''s medications and push his wheelchair. There were lots of people in the hospital. When they got to the elevator, it was still bearable at first. However, when they headed down and huge crowds started to enter, Luca silently pushed Luke to a corner. The crowd was squeezing each other. Luca stood in front of the wheelchair, acting as a human wall to block Luke from the others in the elevator. This way, they would not identally kick Luke''s injured leg. Luke lifted his head to look at her. In the past, it had always been him protecting Luca. Now, she was strong enough to protect him. Nina, who was pushed to a corner by the crowd, saw Luca''s meticulous care and recalled Percy''s words. She sighed. Perhaps Luke and Luca were the true couple. She should not keep trying to stand up for Bianca. After all, it was Luca who was taking care of Luke now. As for Bianca, whenever Nina contacted her, she would always act indifferently as though whatever happened in A City was none of her concern. Nina tilted her head and looked at them. Amidst the crowd, Luca was shielding Luke in front of him. She silently protected him, and the two acted just like any ordinary couple. They were not willing to leave one another despite hard times. The elevator continued to make its way down. The doors of the elevator kept opening and closing due to many people entering and leaving the elevator. After some time, it arrived at the basement car park. Luca waited for the people in front to leave before pushing Luke out of the elevator. Nina waited for them at the entrance of the elevator. "Oh right. Did you drive here?" "Yes. Our car is just nearby." Luca searched for her car based on her memory. After she found it, she pushed Luke to the front passenger seat before opening the trunk. Nina ced the two bags inside and told Luca, "I''ll be seeing you off now. Just give me a call if you need anything.¡± "Alright, thank you." Luca closed the trunk and walked to the front passenger seat, and opened the car door. "Mr. Crawford, can you stand on one foot?" she asked intentionally. When she came back from handling the discharge procedures, Luke had already changed into his usual clothing. Hence, he was definitely able to stand on one foot. She was confident because she knew Luke would not have asked Johann for help. It was even more impossible for him to have sought help from the nurses. Apart from her, he would not allow anyone else to help him with this kind of stuff. That was why she was confident that he was able to stand on one foot. "Yes." Luke saw her pale face and thought that she was exhausted after rescuing Tyrone. Hence, he did not n on torturing her. He supported himself with his hand on the wheelchair and slowly got up. He stood with one foot, which was a rather funny sight to look at. Luca let out a breath of relief. This was great. He was able to stand on one leg. With that, it would be much more convenient for her to look after him. Luca did not make him stand on one foot for long and rushed forward to support him. Luke looked at her and slowly turned around. With his back facing the car door, he slowly sat down. Luca also helped him cautiously. The moment Luke sessfully sat down, she let out a breath of relief. She bent down and helped him position himself while disregarding the pain in her waist. She only closed the car door once he was properly seated. The moment she stood up, she took in a deep, cold breath. When she was packing her things earlier, she did not pay attention to her movements. At this moment, her wound was extremely painful. Even so, she had to bear with it. She folded the wheelchair and put it into the trunk. Luca guessed that perhaps her wound was inmed. She had been busy the whole morning and did not have the time to observe the condition of her wound. She was so busy that she and Luke had yet to have breakfast. Luca walked around the front of the car and sat in the driver''s seat. After putting on her seatbelt, she asked Luke, "Mr. Crawford, do you want to have breakfast?" Luke nodded. "Just buy it while we head back home. You don''t have to prepare it." "Alright." Luca nodded and drove the car away from the hospital. Halfway through the journey, she bought soy milk and burgers which were still warm. She brought the food back into the car and passed a portion to Luke. "Eat this, Mr. Crawford. After you eat this, you can take your medications." Chapter 1915 "Let''s tuck in." Luke looked at the warm burger. It was still warm but with the current weather, it would be cold by the time they arrived home. Luca looked at her surroundings, feeling troubled. There were no parking spaces around, so she had just parked her car at the roadside to get the food. She could not park here for a long time. She shook her head and ignited the car''s engine while saying, "You can go ahead. We''re not allowed to park the car here for too long." The engine started, and Luke did not stop her. He opened the bag containing the burgers and asked, "Which burger do you want?" Luca thought he wanted to leave it for her. Hence, she said, "I''m okay with either. You can just go ahead." Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. "I''ll feed you." After Luke finished speaking, he picked up a burger. He still remembered that Bianca liked this particr burger shop. She imed that the shop was generous with its toppings, and it was indeed true. Luca was stunned and looked at Luke. He had worn disposable gloves and brought a burger to her mouth. "Eat," Luke just said one word. It sounded like an order but also a gentle reminder. Luca looked at the traffic and dared not be distracted. It had been quite some time since shest drove a car. Feeling helpless, she opened her mouth. Luke ced the burger into her mouth. Luca bit into the burger and chewed on it numbly. The size was just like how she remembered it. She slowly shifted her eyes to look at the man. The next second, Luke did something that shocked her. He took a bite of the burger and stuffed it into his mouth. He was eating the same burger that she had already taken a bite from just now! Luca was not a germaphobe, but he was. At this moment, he was eating the same burger that she had already taken a bite of with her mouth... "What with your expression?" Luke saw her shocked look and reminded, "Pay close attention to the cars ahead." Luca immediately focused her attention on the road ahead, no longer having the courage to look at Luke. However, her face became scarlet without her realizing it. "Are you surprised?" Luke said once again. Luca nodded. She was indeed shocked as Luke was not the type of man who would share food with others. However, at this moment, Luke was even eating the same burger as her. Most importantly, she had bought two burgers... "Luca, I said I like you and it''s true. I won''t dislike anything about you.¡± Luke stuffed the remainder of the burger into his mouth and quickly chewed on it. The traffic light ahead turned red, and Luca slowly stopped the car. Luke said again, "If you still don''t believe me, I''ll give you a chance to. Before you agree to it, I won''t go overboard. So, eat up." After saying it, he took out another burger and ced it in front of Luca''s mouth. Subconsciously, Luca opened her mouth and ate the burger that was in front of her. She had done such things with Luke in the past. It was just that their identities were different now. They were husband and wife back then, so it was pretty normal for both of them to share food. "Mr. Crawford, aren''t you a germaphobe..." Luca swallowed the burger and slowly spoke. Her hands were subconsciously gripping tightly onto the steering wheel. "I don''t have that problem when I''m with the person I like." Luke''s words were warm and honest. They were the truth. Apart from her and the kids, he would pay extra attention to hygiene when he was with other people. This included Old Master Crawford as well. Back when he was young, Old Master Crawford loved to tease him by sharing Luke''s food and drinks. Luke was too much of a germaphobe then and would not eat food that had already been eaten by others. Old Master Crawford had told Bianca about it as well. Hence, Luca knew about it. Luca kept quiet. At that moment, Luke brought to her face a drink with a straw in it. She quickly took it, afraid he might drink it after she drank it. Luke smirked after seeing her gesture. Luca, who seemed like she was eager to draw a line between, looked rather cute right now even though it still made Luke a little mad. The traffic light changed to green from red. Luca ced the drink aside and continued driving. Luke saw the scene and continued feeding her the burger. After the first and second times, Luca ended up epting the fact that Luke would insist on feeding her. They each took turns taking a bite, and the burger was gone in a moment. Luke saw Luca slowly driving the car into the vi neighborhood and praised her, ¡°You''re good at driving." "I haven''t driven for a long time, so I have to drive slowly," Luca answered and headed into the vi after waving the ess card. Luke''s eyes glistened darkly as he asked thoughtfully, "How long has it been? More than three years?" Luca was stunned and nearly mistakenly stepped on the elerator instead of the brake pedal. More than three years? Luke urately stated the years she spent on the Ind of Despair. However, nothing on her information mentioned a timeframe of more than three years. Abel had faked her information and edited it so others would think she and her divorced mother had migrated to Russia to live when she was still very young. "I don''t think so. It''s mainly because I''m not familiar with the roads in the country. Actually, I drove quite often when I was abroad," Luca exined. Luke nodded as he looked at Luca''s expression, which seemed unnatural. Whenever she got anxious, she would forget to control her expression. Luca drove the car and parked at the entrance of the vi. Then, she pressed the button on the remote control and watched the gate slowly open. She drove the car in but did not park the car in the usual parking spot but followed the path and drove all the way to the vi''s entrance. When she really could not drive much farther, she stopped the car and unfastened the seatbelt before pushing the door open. Luca took out the folded wheelchair from the trunk and unfolded it before opening the door of the front passenger seat. Luke unfastened his seatbelt and slowly moved his body. With Luca''s help, he sat in the wheelchair. Then, he said in a dissatisfied tone, "You should let me use the walking cane." "I think it''s more convenient for you to use the wheelchair," Luca said and fastened the seatbelt on the wheelchair. Then, she pushed him into the vi. The maid heard the sound of the car. She had long ago ced the metal ramp at the entrance so that it would be more convenient for Luca to push the wheelchair in. After seeing them entering, she said politely, "Sir, wee back home." "Mm." Luke nodded his head coldly. This was not considered his house. Only if Luca agreed to move back and stay with him would it be considered his house. The maid said, "Sir, Ms. Luca, Old Master Crawford is here. He''s waiting for you two in the tea room." Luca frowned slightly when she learned that Old Master Crawford was here. ''Did hee here after knowing that Luke is injured? Yes, it can''t be kept a secret anymore, especially if even the kids know about it.'' "Mr. Crawford, I''ll push you in," said Luca while pushing the wheelchair toward the tea room Even though the vi was not as big as Crawford Manor, the facilities were adequate. For example, there was still a tea room even though Luke seldom drank tea. It seemed to have been specifically prepared for the elderly. Chapter 1916 Luca came to the door of the tea room and pushed the door open. The fragrance of tea immediately wafted out from inside the room. When Old Master Crawford saw them, he said, ¡°You guys are back. Come in quickly." Luca looked at the old master''s friendly smile and could guess that he did not have the intention of causing trouble for her. She nodded her head and pushed Luke into the tea room. Luke looked at the old man, then at the tea set on the table. "Why are you here, Grandpa?" Luke asked. Not only did he turn up, but he even brought his tea leaves. Old Master Crawford saw Luca meticulously stepping down on the wheel locks and nodded with a delightful smile. He turned around to look at Luke. "Of course, I''m here to visit you. I heard that you were discharged today, so I came to visit. So, how are things? What did the doctor say? How did you even end up in a wheelchair?" Luke looked at his leg and briefly answered, "It''s nothing." "If you''re alright, why are you in a wheelchair, then? Luca, you tell me. What did the doctor say about Luke?" Old Master Crawford asked. "Old Master, the doctor said it''s just a simple fracture. It''s not a big issue. He''ll be fine as long as he keeps the cast on for a month." The old master would be too worried if she mentioned the fact that Luke had a hemorrhage in his head, hence she did not reveal that. Luke lowered his eyes as he listened to Luca. He was delighted. She was handling the situation with great detail. Although his hemorrhage was fake, her worry for him was genuine. If she told Old Master Crawford the truth, he would definitely worry and Luke would have to exin it to him. The way she phrased it had saved him lots of trouble. "Fracture..." Old Master Crawford sighed deeply and looked at Luke with a critical gaze while shaking his head. "What''s wrong, Grandpa?" Luca thought it was because the old master was dissatisfied. After all, Luke''s injury was still rted to Luca. If it were not for her, the man who had always been rational would not have gotten drunk and encountered an ident. "Nothing. I''m just thinking about how the grand young master of the Crawford family would have to be in a wheelchair for one whole month. It''s rather hrious." Old Master Crawford teased his grandson. Up until yesterday, he had never thought of Luke as someone who would easily fall in love. He had always been under the assumption that his love was only reserved for Bianca. However, from the current looks of it, things might be different from what he initially thought. It appeared that Luke was able to develop feelings for other women. Take, for example, Luca. "Grandpa." Luke put on a dark expression as he listened to the old man''s teasing. Did his grandfather come all the way here just to tease him? Old Master Crawford really knew his grandson well. Just by looking at Luke''s face, he knew he was unable to take the joke. The old master picked up a cup of tea and took a sip of it. He then asked, "Do you two want to have some? They''re tea leaves that I brought from the manor. They were freshly picked.¡± "No thanks, Old Master." Luca shook her head. Her wound was still inmed, so she could not drink tea. As for Luke, he did not make a sound. Old Master Crawford looked at his grandson. "Why don''t I pour you a cup of tea?" "Old Master, it''s unsuitable for Mr. Crawford to drink tea given his current condition. He has to take his medications after this,¡± Luca said. Old Master Crawford nodded. "You''re right. Looking at Luke''s overly energetic appearance made me forget that his leg is injured.¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. "Is there a reason behind your visit?¡± Luke felt as though his grandfather was just here to tease him. Hence, he was very upset at the moment. Old Master Crawford put down the cup of tea and raised his brows. "I''m just here to see you and Luca. Yesterday, when the kids were sent back home, they were all crying so badly. I thought that you were disfigured or something." Faced with the old man''s teasing, Luke''s expression became darker as he said ruthlessly, "I''m fine and well." "You look very well right now, but it''s all thanks to Luca staying by your side and looking after you. Otherwise, I doubt you''d be able to say you''re doing well right now." Old Master Crawford smiled. Luca heard their conversation and finally understood that Old Master Crawford was not here to seek trouble but was just here to see Luke being embarrassed. It was good to still be young at heart. Luke was speechless after what Old Master Crawford said. He picked up the teapot before him and poured himself a cup of tea to calm himself. Luca slowly touched his arm. "Mr. Crawford, if you drink the tea, you won''t be able to take your medicationster on." Luke was not mad even though she stopped him. "Push me out. I want to take my medications." Luca nodded and released the wheel locks. She then said to Old Master Crawford, "Old Master, I''ll push Luke out so that he can take his medications." Old Master Crawford shook his head and watched his grandson enjoy Luca''s meticulous care with a dark expression on his face. He was not a gentleman at all and was not caring. How was he going to win her heart? Old Master Crawford said, "Luca, it''s been a while since west meet. Sit down. I''d like to have a word with you." "But Mr. Crawford..." Luca felt troubled, so she tried to negotiate with him, saying, ¡°Old Master, why don''t you sit here first and have your tea? I''ll be back once Mr. Crawford has taken his medications." "Why are you so concerned about him? His leg is injured but his hands are fine. He can push himself out and take his medications without your help." Old master Crawford intentionally made Luke angry. "Grandpa!" Luke could not help but say sternly. Was he here today simply to go against him? "Old Master, Mr. Crawford has quite a number of medications to take, and I know them better. I''ll head out with him first. I''ll be back right after that to apany you to have tea.¡± After Luca spoke, she pushed Luke out of the tea room. After pushing him into the living room, she said, "Mr. Crawford, the things are all in the car. Let me go get them now." "Alright." Luke nodded. As he watched her walk out, he waved his hand toward the maid who was cleaning up beside him. "Any orders, sir?" The maid went over after she saw him. "Go help her carry the things in," Luke said. "Alright," the maid replied and followed Luca out. After some time, both of them returned, each carrying a bag of things. Luca was also holding onto a little bag that contained all of Luke''s medication. "I''ll go into the kitchen to pour you a cup of water." After saying this to Luke, she turned around and entered the kitchen. She mixed some hot and cold water together to make it lukewarm before going out and cing the ss in front of Luke. Luke took it, and Luca sat on the sofa. She sorted the pills that he needed to take. Then, she took out a piece of tissue and cautiously ced the pills onto the tissue. She then put the tissue on her palm. Luke noticed each meticulous action that she made. All of it was done because she cared about him. Old Master Crawford was right. Only Luca would take care of him so meticulously. If it were another person, they would not know so much about him, including Jason who had always been beside him. Even he would not be this detailed. Chapter 1917 Luca ced the pills in front of Luke carefully. "Take your medications, Mr. Crawford." Luke frowned when he saw those colorful pills. "That many?" "Just take them. All of these were prescribed by the doctor," said Luca. Back when she was listening to the nurse''s instructions, she had also thought that there were too many pills that he needed to take. Hence, she sorted out the pills in front of Luke so that he would not be suspicious. After all, Luke was the type who would be suspicious over everything and would put his guard up. Luca did this so that Luke would know that she was trying to help him and not harm him. Luke took the pills from her palm and ced all of them into his mouth before swallowing them with a gulp of warm water. "Alright. Go bring over theptop and documents," Luke said. Luca nodded. She took out hisptop from the bag, along with the documents that he had not gone through. Luke looked at the maid at the side once again and asked, "Has the room been cleaned?" "Mr. Crawford, the room that you need has been cleaned. I''ve gotten the furniture ready too. Do you want to have a look at it?" the maid asked. "I need to work," Luke said. The maid was cleaning up in the living room, and that would affect his working efficiency. Luca asked, puzzled, "Room?" The maid nodded and pushed Luke toward the bedroom. "Initially, it''s a room in the vi meant for the maids. Mr. Crawford ordered me to clean up the room and have it be his temporary bedroom.¡± Luca nodded and guessed that perhaps it was Luke who ordered the maid yesterday evening. That was right. Luke was having trouble with mobility now and could not go upstairs easily. There was no basement because it was just a small vi. The developer also built the vi while preserving the characteristics of the old vi. Hence, there was no elevator installed. The maid did not stay here at night either, so it was easy to make him a temporary room downstairs. Luca followed the maid and came into the maid''s room which had been renovated. The maid pushed Luke''s wheelchair in and entered the room. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. "Mr. Crawford, what do you think of it?" the maid asked. Luke looked at the maid''s room and saw that the furniture had been changed. The bed and office table were all brand new, but the decorations were not satisfactory. Even so, he nodded. It was just for one night anyway, so he did not have high demands. Luke maneuvered his wheelchair and came to the side of the office table. When he ordered the table, he had specially requested that the height should match the wheelchair. With that, his work would not be affected. Luke opened hisptop and no longer looked at the two people. His working efficiency had greatly been affected yesterday, which made him behind on his work. "You may go tend to your matters,¡± he said. Luca looked at the huge pile of documents and nodded, then followed the maid out. After closing the door of the maid''s room, the maid asked Luca in a worried tone, "Ms. Luca, he just got out of the hospital and he''s already working. At you sure he''s going to be fine?" "I''m not too sure. The doctor didn''t say anything about it either." Luca shook her head and recalled Old Master Crawford, who was still waiting for her in the tea room. She turned around and walked toward the tea room. Upon entering the tea room, the nice fragrance remained. Even though there was no one keeping him company, Old Master Crawford was still happily enjoying his tea. "I''m sorry, Old Master. I was caught up in another issue. Sorry to have made you wait so long." Luca stepped forward and apologized. Old Master Crawford shook his head and said, "No matter how busy you are, you''re doing everything for Luke. How can I me you for that? Come have a seat." Luca nodded and sat before him. "You don''t have a preference for tea, right? Then have some water instead.¡± Old Master Crawford poured her a ss of water. The water he poured was hot as he needed hot water to make tea. "Let it cool down. The water is a little hot." "Thank you." Luca took the ss and thanked him. "You''re very polite, and I like polite people. Luca, I''m really fond of you." Old Master Crawford immediately confessed his adoration for Luca. Luca felt delighted and shocked. After all, back when she was still Bianca, he had never expressed a word about his fondness for her even though he always treated her well. "Old Master, you speak too highly of me. You''re being too formal," she said humbly. "I''m just stating the facts. In the past, I didn''t understand why Luke would give you special treatment. Now, I know. Regardless of how tough he is, he''s still just human. Everyone would wish to have someone by their side. Your appearance in his life happened to change him. Now, Luke has started to pay attention to others aside from just focusing on work. Luca, you''re the one who brought out these changes in him,¡± Old Master Crawford kept praising Luca. Luca was getting restless being praised by Old Master Crawford. ¡°Old Master, as Mr. Crawford''s subordinate, I''m just doing what I''m supposed to do." "Just as a subordinate? There aren''t any subordinates who would treat Luke with this much care. Luca, sometimes, you just have to follow what your heart is telling you. Even though you''re still young, if you keep denying what''s deep in your heart, you might just regret it once you''re older.¡± Luca felt helpless when she heard the old master''s words. She did not expect Old Master Crawford, who had always been traditional and conservative, to ept her and speak up on Luke''s behalf. Old Master Crawford took a sip of the tea and looked at Luca thoughtfully. He reminded her, "No one will just go around treating others with unconditional kindness." Luca''s felt heart skipped a beat. Indeed, no one would do that. She treated Luke so well not because Abel ordered her to do so but because she was still in love with him. Otherwise, she would not have to execute this mission so thoroughly and meticulously. "Old Master..." suddenly, Luca felt her mouth bing a little dry. She wanted to refute Old Master Crawford''s statements but could not bring herself to say anything. "You should really think about it." Old Master Crawford got up. Luca got up as well. "Where do you wish to go?" "I''ll go see Luke. I was just teasing him earlier and still have some things to talk to him about.¡± Old Master Crawford smiled and walked out of the pantry with his walking cane. Luca slowly sat down and picked up the cup before her. The tea had not gone cold, and she picked it up before taking a sip. When the warm tea slid down her throat, she realized she had drunk a cup of warm tea. She quickly got up and made her way to the living room. The maid was still cleaning. Luca picked up the two bags. After taking out Luke''s things, all that was left was her belongings. They included the toiletries that Tina had brought over to her. She brought the bag upstairs. Upon returning to her bedroom, she locked the door and quietly took out the items in it. She ced them back in their original spots. She took the medications to the bathroom and lifted her shirt. Then, she took off theyers of bandage. Indeed, the wound was inmed. Chapter 1918 Luca frowned. Usually, her wounds would not get repeatedly inmed. Her gut feeling told her that something was wrong. She had taken good care of the wound. Even if she had identally grazed it, it should not have gotten inmed this many times. She took off the bandage and was about to apply some powder to the wound when she heard the maid say, "Ms. Craw, are you in the bedroom?" Luca had no choice but to tidy up her appearance, walk to the door, open it, and look at the maid. "What can I do for you?" "Old Master Crawford said he wants to have lunch here and wants you to cook," the maid said. She did not want to disturb Luca if she had the choice. After all, Luca was not a maid. She was an honored guest who may even be the madam of the family in the future. "I see. I''ll go downstairs and start cooking in a moment." Luca did not turn her down. She was happy to cook for Old Master Crawford. It was just a meal. She would not be too tired from it. "Okay." After the maid got an answer, she left happily. After all, it was Old Master Crawford who asked to taste Luca''s cooking. Although the maid had been trying to learn from Luca, her best efforts still could not replicate Luca''s dishes exactly. She often helped out when Luca cooked, so she could see the ingredients and seasonings used in each dish Luca made. If not for this, she might have thought that Luca had added some mysterious ingredients behind the scenes. Otherwise, how could the dishes they make vary so greatly in taste? After the maid left, Luca closed the door, locked it, and walked back into the bathroom. She sprinkled medicinal powder on the wound, wrapped it with bandages, and nned to observe it for two more days. If the wound was still inmed after two days, it only meant that there was something wrong with the knife that cut her. There was a chance that Abel hadced it with a type of drug. She was careless and did not expect Abel to do such a thing. She thought that it was unnned, so she did not collect the blood from the wound for analysis. If there was really a problem, she had to slowly investigate the cause. One person''s power was limited. Luca pursed her lips, bandaged her wound, and swallowed a painkiller. After she took the medicine, she nced at the time and realized that she should start preparing lunch. Luca went downstairs and walked into the kitchen. Mrs. Nancy had alreadyid out the ingredients. When Mrs. Nancy saw her walk in, she smiled and said, "I wasn''t sure of the dishes you wanted to cook, so I took out all of the ingredients in the refrigerator." "Let''s prepare something light for Old Master Crawford," Luca said as she picked up the apron beside her. Having lived in Crawford Manor for so many years, she knew Old Master Crawford''s taste. Hence, she decided to cook some of his favorite home-cooked dishes. The maid nodded and gave her a hand. In the maid''s room. Old Master Crawford sat on the sofa beside Luke and watched him deal with his work with a serious expression. Old Master Crawford said helplessly, "Are you going to let me sit here all day?" "If you have something to say, just say it." Luke was replying to emails from T Corporation''s overseas partners. He was much more efficient working at homepared to working in the hospital. Even though Old Master Crawford was by his side the entire time, it did not cause much of a disturbance. "It''s not a big deal. I just want to ask you how you''re going to resolve the matter with Luca?" Old Master Crawford felt helpless that Luke did not even look at him and was just focused on his work. Luke finally looked at him and responded, "What did the kids tell you?" "What do they know?" Old Master Crawford pursed his lips. If the children knew something, he would not be here to ask about the situation. He was only relieved when he saw that Luca was still by Luke''s side and taking good care of him. After all, Old Master Crawford wanted Luke and Luca to be together. Luke''s gaze fell on theputer screen again. He did not speak. Old Master Crawford walked to his side with the help of his cane. He deliberately knocked on Luke''s wheelchair with it and said, "When you''re done with work, you should quickly make your rtionship official. Otherwise, someone else will surely go after a woman as good as Luca." "No one else can take her away," Luke said confidently. No matter how much she avoided him, he was certain that she would not run away with another man. That was because she was Bianca. They had been together with each other for so long. It was as if their rtionship was destined. They would continue to be by each other''s side no matter what. No matter how difficult the situation was, he firmly believed that was the case. Old Master Crawford looked at his confident appearance, sighed, raised his eyebrows, and looked at him. "It''s good that you''re confident, but I heard there''s a man who''s going after her with all he has. You have yet to make a move. Luca might be more into someone like him who''s making his feelings clear. Don''te crying to me when she''s holding someone else''s hand!" Luke listened to his grandfather saying things that he should not say at his age. He shook his head helplessly and maneuvered the wheelchair so he was facing Old Master Crawford. "You''re well- informed." "I''m your grandfather. Even if I retire, there are still a lot of people willing to tell me about what''s happening in thepany as long as I''m interested to know," Old Master Crawford said. Although he no longer managed thepany, he was still actively aware of what went on. "Haven''t you fully retired?" Luke picked up the teacup beside him and took a sip of warm water. He remembered that almost all the people who built thepany with Old Master Crawford had retired. "Don''t worry about it. It''s obvious now that someone is fighting for her hand with you. What are you going to do?" Old Master Crawford changed the subject. "Don''t worry, he''s not a worthy opponent.¡± Once Luke was done speaking, he maneuvered the wheelchair and sat upright. "As long as you don''t cause any trouble, everything is under my control." "I almost believed you. Things are under your control? Didn''t things almost get out of control this time?" Old Master Crawford knew more than the children. "You talked to Jason?" Luke asked suddenly. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Old Master Crawford shook his head again and again. "No, no. I have a lot of people telling me things. Speaking of which, that boy from the Mallory family is interesting. I heard that he fought against everyone for Nina..." Luke understood the situation. It turned out that apart from thepany''s employees, his friends were also the source of Old Master Crawford''s news. He was speechless. At the same time, his phone rang. Luke nced at his phone and found that Percy had texted. Speaking of the devil... He opened the message and saw a long message from Percy. Luke finished reading it with a gloomy expression. Percy told him that he had investigated Enoch inside and out but found nothing. The small mistakes he made when he was young and ignorant were simply not enough to deal with him. Enoch was just an ordinary person. Old Master Crawford stood behind him and was squinting hard to read his text. He then shook his head helplessly. "I thought that you weren''t bothered with that kid. I didn''t expect you to have someone look into him. But there''s nothing on him?¡± Chapter 1919 Luke looked stern as he stared at Old Master Crawford. "I didn''t expect that you still have the habit of standing behind someone and reading their texts." "I''m your grandfather. There are no boundaries between us. Besides, it seems to me that you positioned your phone like that for me to read it." Old Master Crawford was not at all ashamed and had nothing to hide as he stared at Luke''s phone. Luke turned off the screen. Old Master Crawford got anxious and asked, "What are you going to do? This person doesn''t seem like he''ll give up so easily." Luke was not stupid either. He knew that Enoch would not give up so easily. However, there were many ways to make him give up. Luke was not in a hurry. "There are ways." "Let''s hear it, then." Old Master Crawford was very curious. From Luke''s reaction, he knew that his grandson did have something nned. "Grandpa, why are you interested in everythingtely?" Luke did not answer Old Master Crawford''s question. Old Master Crawford replied, displeased, "I''m boredtely. The old man from the Mallory family has been dealing with his family''s affairs recently. I heard that Pierre caused him a lot of trouble, so he doesn''t have the time to meet for tea and chess. The incident with Old Master Mallory''s family also alerted the other old masters, so they''re now focused on dealing with their family business. No one will y chess and drink tea with me, so I can only gossip about the young people''s affairs." Luke knew about what was happening in the Mallory family. He shook his head and asked, "Would you like to look into T Corporation, then? You can keep yourself busy." All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. "No, no." Old Master Crawford waved his hand quickly. "There are no issues between you and Louis. I trust the way you do things." "Grandpa, if you''re bored, you can meet up with Bea''s grandpa," Luke said. Old Man Rayne''s health was much better now that he was under Luca''s care. Although his current condition was not like back then, he was feeling more energetic. "Old Man Rayne? His health is not the best. Didn''t the doctors rmend that he rest more? I don''t want to disturb him." Old Master Crawford shook his head. Compared to the old masters of the other families, he preferred to y chess with Old Man Rayne. Unfortunately, due to his declining health, Old Master Mallory gradually stopped visiting him. However, he always sent his greetings through phone calls and would also s during festive seasons. After all, the two were still inws. "Luca is treating him, so he''s doing much better now. He''s more energetic and doesn''t need to rest in bed every day. He sits and basks in the sun most of the time while ying chess with himself,¡± Luke said. Wanda would keep him posted about Old Master Crawford''s condition every couple of days. Even though Luke had not visited him, he was aware of Old Man Rayne''s physical condition. "Really? Luca is amazing!" Old Master Crawford sighed. "Luke, do you think Luca is a treasure?" Luke did not say anything. She had always been a treasure in his heart. "You have to make use of this opportunity. If you miss it, you''ll regret it." Seeing that Luke was focused on typing on the keyboard to reply to work emails, Old Master Crawford said earnestly and left the room with the help of his cane. He had already said what he had to, so there was no need to continue speaking. After all, it all came down to Luke''s choice. All he could do was sigh by the sidelines. Luca prepared five dishes and one stew in the kitchen. It was easy since she had the help of the maid. After the four of them had lunch together, Old Master Crawford asked Zander to send him home. After Old Master Crawford left, Luca pushed Luke back to the maid''s room so that he could continue to work. This time, she did not persuade him to take care of himself because she knew that what was most important to him at that moment was to finish his work. Sometimes, Luke would use all his time for work. He was ruthless when it came to working. Luca nced at him and turned around to leave. He was busy with his work, and she had to continue working on some documents too. She returned to the living room, saw the maid, and said, "Please prepare dinner." "Ms. Craw, are you going out?" the maid asked curiously. Luca shook her head. "No, I have a lot of work to do, so I don''t have time to prepare dinner." "Okay, no problem. I''ll have the food ready," The maid nodded. Luca walked into the kitchen and took out a packet of herbs from the cupboard. After she prepared it ording to the proportions, she handed it to the maid and said, "I saw that there''s pork bone in the refrigerator. Let''s make bone soup for Mr. Crawford tonight. Put this in and brew the soup as usual." The maid nodded, took the herbs, and asked, "What are these herbs for?" "They''re used to replenish the body. They''re good for bone healing and growth," Luca said, carefully wrapping the rest of the herbs. Herbs were sensitive to moisture, so she packed them tightly so that they could still be used. "Ms. Craw, you know a lot of things." The maid could not help but praise Luca. She did not know what was in the packet. "The effects of bone soup are average, but paired with traditional Chinese medicine, it can be considered a medicinal diet. If you have any questions, just ask me. I''ll go upstairs to work first." After Luca put the herbs away, she turned and went upstairs. The maid put the herbs aside and cleaned the kitchen. Luke maneuvered the wheelchair and came out of the room. He did not see Luca, so he went to the kitchen but only found the maid. "Where''s Luca?" he asked. The maid turned around and replied with a smile, "Sir, Ms. Craw went upstairs to work. Do you need anything from her? Do you need me to get her?" "No, I just want to drink a cup of coffee... Uh, forget about it. Pour me a ss of water instead." Luke suddenly thought of Luca''s advice about coffee. He could not have any alcohol or coffee during this period. "Okay, wait a moment." The maid efficiently poured him a ss of hot water. The ss was handed to Luke, who frowned slightly as he looked at the still steaming water. The maid noticed his change in expression and asked, "Sir, what''s wrong?" "Nothing." Luke headed back with his ss of water. In just over a day, he had be ustomed to Luca''s meticulous care. She would always give him warm water, which would not burn his lips when he drank it. She would never hand him the hot water that the maid did. The water would cool after some time, but those who were thirsty may be impatient if they had to wait. Luca''s care was immacte. He was fascinated by her. Therefore, he was not going to let go of her for as long as he lived. Chapter 1920 Luca got a call from Amur while she was working upstairs. "Amur, did you find something?" The first thing that Luca asked just as she answered the phone was about Enoch. She did not forget it even though she had been busy taking care of Luke''s every need. "I looked into everything that happened after he started working, but I didn''t find anything of value. He''s just an ordinary person. He has no gossip material," Amur said helplessly. Luca sighed. As Enoch was not in a high position yet, no one would bother to target him. "I see," she said. Amur pursed his lips and replied, "Do you want me to take action?" "No, he didn''t do anything wrong. Let''s see how this ys out," Luca said. She did not have the energy to deal with Enoch at that moment. Although he was annoying, he did not do it on purpose. Since she was upied with work and taking care of Luke, she would not be back in the office for a while. As such, she would not be bothered by Enoch for the time being. She wondered if she should just let it go. "Okay. If this man does anything to you, let me know as soon as possible. I''ll help you," Amur said. He hated the annoying flies that surrounded Luca. These men thought that they were good enough for Luca, but none of them were worthy! Amur knew that he was not worthy of Luca as well, so all he could do was guard her and remove those annoying obstacles for her. "I see. By the way, do you know where Abel has been recently?" Luca asked in a soft voice. Abel, who was still in the country a few days ago, was probably no longer around. "No one knows his whereabouts. What happened?" Amur vaguely felt that something was off. "I may have been drugged by Abel," Luca replied. "Drug? What kind of drug?" Amur was on edge when he heard that, so he hurriedly asked. "I''m not sure. I have to observe it for a little. Don''t worry. If I''m drugged, I''ll have a solution," Luca said. Abel''s drugs were all from Shanks. She was not too worried because she was familiar with Shanks'' drugs. Even if she was drugged, she could find out what it was and then cure herself. It was just that the process would be time-consuming. Luca wanted to spend her time working on T Corporation''s documents instead of wasting time on Abel''s tricks. "Be careful, and don''t let him make a fool of you," Amur said. He wanted nothing more but to help Luca. However, he knew nothing about medicine. Luca was the expert. On the Ind of Despair, her medical skills were only second to Shanks''. If she could not do anything about it, he would not be able to help either. Amur was dissatisfied when he thought of that. "I''ll help you observe Enoch for a bit. If I find out that he''s onto something, I won''t let him off." "Okay, be careful. This isn''t the Ind of Despair. If things go too far and Abel finds out, he''ll make you go back to the ind," Luca said. She knew that Abel was not willing to let Amur help her. Otherwise, Amur would not have had to take such a difficult mission as a trade-off. Amur almost lost his life toplete the mission. "I know," Amur said. He wanted to ask more when he heard her say, "If something happens, call me. Don''t deal with it alone. Talk to youter. I have to do some work." Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. After she said that, Luca hung up the phone. Amur knew that she was not being impatient despite hanging up the call in such a hurry. She was just terribly busy. Busy for Luke... Amur clenched his hands into fists. Luca returned to A City because of Luke. However, instead of messing with him, she was giving her all for this man and hispany. At the same time, he also knew how important Luke was to Luca. It was unfortunate that they now stood on opposite sides. Luca did not seem to remember that and went all out for the man instead. He wanted to do more for her. Amur turned on theputer. Two days ago, he took the opportunity to install a location tracker on Enoch''s phone when he was investigating him. After two days of observation, he found that Enoch''s life was very simple. All he did was go back and forth between the provincial government office and his home. He was not at all like someone who would obsess over Luca. Suddenly, Amur noticed that Enoch should still be working in the office at this hour, but he was on the move. Amur put down the map and thought about it. Five minutester, he found that Enoch was heading to T Corporation. ''Is he going there to wait for Luca again?'' Amur stood up and snorted coldly. Sure enough, no matter how ordinary this man was, his obsession with Luca made him just as annoying as other annoying men. He picked up his phone and keys, then left the apartment. Amur rented a car from a car rentalpany to ease his mission. He drove the car and rushed to T Corporation while paying close attention to Enoch''stest whereabouts. Before he arrived at T Corporation, he was sure that Enoch was heading there. Hence, his target was naturally Luca. Amur elerated the car and sped to T Corporation. Enoch had stopped moving and was near him. Amur turned off the tracking and looked at an Audi not far away. It was not time to get off work yet, so Enoch sat motionless in the car. He was patiently waiting. Amur was not in a hurry to trouble him. After all, he could not do anything in public. Hence, he waited patiently as well. Half an hourter, it was time for T Corporation''s employees to get off work. However, all the employees of T Corporation were working overtime to catch up with the project, so not many got off work now. Those who came out of thepany''s building were mainly some less important personnel from the logistics department. Enoch was not bothered. He opened the door and got out of the car. He took out arge bouquet of flowers from the trunk of the car and stood at the door waiting. After thest episode, almost everyone in T Corporation knew about him and knew that he was in love with Luca. He was there to let them know that he was pursuing Luca. There were not many people leaving to get off work, but Enoch never once showed an impatient expression. He held the flowers in his hands and stood there. There were a lot of people getting off work from the nearby buildings. Enoch''s actions became a sight to behold. Strangers thought he was romantic, but those from T Corporation could not help but gossip. Chapter 1921 Amur sat in the car, picked up his phone, took several photos of Enoch, and sent them to Luca. He texted: [He came to T Corporation to wait for you again.] Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. He then put the phone away. Meanwhile, everyone from T Corporation eventually found out that Enoch was waiting for Luca downstairs with a big bouquet in his hands. Tina frowned when she found out. "He''s so annoying!" Alya, who was sitting behind her, heard her and could not help but chime in, "I don''t think he''s annoying. I think he''s very romantic. Dr. Craw is too lucky to be pursued by a civil servant. He even brought flowers. I''m jealous." Tina nced at her and could not help but roll her eyes. "Alya, you''re already married. Why are you so easily caught up by little tricks like those?" "He''s being romantic! My husband does nothing. He''s not at all romantic like this man who''s pursuing Dr. Craw," Alya said. She was envious. "Life is all about the seemingly mundane days. Your husband has been there for you for everything. How long do you think the man downstairs can continue to be romantic? When the actions are not appreciated, they''re harassment. Fortunately, Dr. Craw hasn''t been in office for a few days," Tina said. "I agree with what Tina said. After all, it can be quite annoying to deal with romance that you don''t want." Zoey, who came up to deliver documents, heard what Tina said and agreed with her. Tina smiled and continued to work. Jason called her on the office phone. Tina answered the call and asked, "This is the CEO''s secretaries'' office. I''m Tina. What can I help you with?" "Tina,e to my office," Jason ordered. "Okay, Mr. Doyle." Tina hung up the phone, left the secretaries'' office, and walked to Jason''s office. "Mr. Doyle, what can I do for you?" "That man downstairs, uh, E... something?" Jason frowned in distress as he was unable to remember Enoch''s name. "Enoch." Tina reminded him. She remembered the names of those she disliked. "Yeah, Enoch. You know him as well, yes?" Jason asked. "I won''t say I know him that well. He tried to harass Dr. Craw in the streets and I defended her and scolded him. The second time was when he came to cause a scene in thepany''s lobby, which you already know about," Tina said anxiously. She distanced herself from Enoch. Whoever knew a man like Enoch would be unlucky. "Okay, please go shoo him off. If it doesn''t work, call the police," Jason said. After all, since something like that had already happened in the past, it was appropriate for Tina to take action again. "Okay, I''ll be the bad guy." Tina pouted. She agreed although she was reluctant. "How about this? I''ll treat you to breakfast tomorrow," Jason said cheerfully. If Enoch were not waiting in such an obvious spot, he would not have been bothered. "Breakfast is not enough. I''m about to offend him, Mr. Doyle. How about lunch too?" Tina jokingly negotiated with him. "Okay!" Jason agreed. Tina nodded and went downstairs cheerfully. On the other hand. Amur got out of the car and leaned against it to see when Enoch would give up. He knew that Luca was not in T Corporation. Although Luca did not mention it to him, he knew about Luke''s car ident and how she had been taking care of him in the hospital. Luca never told him anything, but he knew. Therefore, he was not in a hurry to chase Enoch away. He was not from T Corporation, so he had no power to do anything. Tina went downstairs and saw Enoch standing at the door. She brought two security guards with her. Enoch recognized Tina and was immediately impatient. However, he remembered that Luca seemed to be close to the woman in front of him. He did not throw his temper but instead acted politely and asked, "Hello. What time does Dr. Craw get off work? " "What does that have to do with you? Please leave. You''re on T Corporation''s property. Unrted individuals such as yourself aren''t allowed to enter," Tina said viciously. She did not care about being polite since she had already gone all out thest time she saw him. There was no point in being polite to a stalker like him. Enoch did not expect a female white-cor worker to say that to him. He nced at the floor tiles. He was indeed on T Corporation''s property. He took two steps back and said, "I''m not on T Corporation''s property now. Can I, an unrted individual, stand here?" Tina was fuming at his provocative actions and gaze, as well as his arrogant words. She wanted to teach him a lesson. However, she knew that he was a civil servant. She might mess things up no matter what she did. Enoch was not doing anything to harm the interests of T Corporation. "You''re affecting ourpany''s image. Please leave or I''ll call the police," Tina said. "Call the police, then. The police won''t say anything when they get here. This is a public ce, not your company''s property. I have every right to stand here," Enoch said provocatively. Tina lost. He was right. Security guards only had authority until that point. If they went any further, they might be sued. They knew that, and so did Enoch. Tina looked at therge bunch of flowers and felt inexplicably helpless. ''Why is this man so desperate? Luca is not at all interested!'' "Okay, stay here if you want, but you''ll never get Dr. Craw. Enoch, you''re doing the opposite of what you should do. You had a chance when Dr. Craw didn''t have a bad impression of you, but you destroyed it yourself. You''re stalking her. If I were you, I would leave quickly. If you have time to pester Dr. Craw, you might as well go on another blind date. Maybe you can meet someone better," Tina sighed and said to him whileughing at herself in her heart. She knew that Enoch would not listen, so she did not know why she said so much. Enoch''s gaze was firm. Even though the bouquet in his hand was heavy and he was a little tired, he was keen on waiting for Luca. "I''ve made my choice and you have no say in it. Since I''m not upying the territory of T Corporation, there''s nothing that you can do to me." "You!" Tina pointed her finger at him. She was annoyed. She tried to y nice, but he did not seem to appreciate it. He did not seem to think that his behavior was causing trouble to others. "Do you want us to call the police?" the security guard on the side asked. Tina red at him and said, "Stand here all you want, Enoch. Guards, go back to your station and keep a close eye on him. If he steps into T Corporation''s property, shoo him off immediately." Chapter 1922 "Yes." Since Tina could not do anything about it, the security guards went back to their stations and stared at Enoch. Tina returned to the lobby and spoke to the front desk before walking to the elevator. Before she went upstairs, she nced at Enoch, who was still standing by the door. She shook her head helplessly. Fortunately, Luca was not here, so he was standing there in vain. Although their boss had been discharged from the hospital, he was still working from home and Luca was with him. Enoch would not see Luca for some time. After Tina left, Enoch still stood on the side of the road to wait for Luca. He believed that as long as he continued to wait, he would be able to see Luca. Amur, who was standing across the road, looked at Enoch who did not seem like he was about to give up. He picked up his phone and saw that Luca had replied to him. She asked him to leave Enoch alone. Amur squinted his eyes. It was a dangerous situation. How could he let things be? He had to be involved since he was aware of it, but it was not the time to take action. Amur got back into the car, waiting for Enoch to leave. He was looking for an opportunity. Enoch stood there for half an hour but he still did not see Luca. ''Doesn''t she know that I''m waiting for her here?'' Enoch wondered. There must be other fire exits in such arge office. What he was worried about was that Luca had left through other safety exits after learning that he was waiting at the main entrance. If that was the case, his waiting here was meaningless. Enoch thought about it and stepped forward. When the security guard saw him step into the area, they blocked him with a stern expression. "Sir, you can''te in without an appointment." "Everyone else cane in without an appointment. Why can''t I?" Enoch sternly said. "Others are not on T Corporation''s cklist, but you are, so you can''te in." The security guard looked at him nkly. He was a little sick of this man. If it were not for this man, both of them would not need to stand guard here. "What cklist? Why don''t I know about it?" Enoch''s eyes widened. He did not expect such a big group to do this. "You were already cklisted when you harassed ourpany''s employee in the lobby. If you don''t leave, I''ll call the police. You''re standing on T Corporation''s property now." The security guard scolded him with a cold expression. If Tina had not told him not to use brute force unless necessary, they would have thrown Enoch out long ago. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. "Do you know who I am?" Enoch frowned. "I don''t know, but I know that you''re not a business partner. I''ll go call the police." One of the security guards was not afraid since he knew that Tina would back them up. Enoch, at first nce, did not seem like someone of high status. Enoch became a coward when he heard that they wanted to call the police. He immediately walked back and stood on the side of the road. The security guards could not call the police anymore. It was gettingte and cold. Enoch stood on the side of the road, stomping his feet in the cold. He did not leave. He waited for some time and realized that the employees of T Corporation were all working overtime, so not many people had clocked out. It was not until nine o''clock at night that people started to get off work one after another. Enoch saw that people kepting out of the elevator and got excited. He began to scan through the crowd to see if Luca was there. In the end, he did not see Luca. Tina stepped out of the elevator. She was a little surprised that Enoch was still waiting at the door. ¡®Has he been waiting for hours? How is this man so obsessed with Luca...'' Tina pursed her lips. She had told the front desk that if he did not act excessively, the front desk did not need to keep her posted. She did not expect him to have stood there and waited for a few hours... However, Tina was not moved by his persistence. She felt that this man was scary. If Jason had not told her to do something about it, she would not have bothered to pay any attention to him since he would never be able to see Luca today. At that point, she did not want to talk to him. Tina walked out of T Corporation''s building. Enoch saw her and stepped forward immediately. "Where''s Luca?" "How do I know?" Tina walked to the side impatiently. ''Is there something wrong with him? Why is he asking me?'' "How could you not know? I know you''re close to her!" Enoch looked at her. He had been in the cold wind for a few hours, so his face was very dry. She could see some blood on the corners of his cracked lips. "I''m not in the same department as Dr. Craw. I''m not her boss or her subordinate. How would I know where she is? Please step aside. I have to get off work," Tina said with a cold expression. She was annoyed that she had to deal with a man as such in the cold weather. Enoch clenched his fists. He was not going to let her go. "I''m going to call the police if you don''t stop." Tina stared at him. Enoch did not want to go to the police station. It would have a bad impact on his future. It was indeed his fault for this matter. He would be on the losing end if they went to the police. In desperation, he had to give way. Tina left arrogantly, walked to a taxi stand not far away, stopped an empty taxi, and left. Enoch watched the taxi leave. His gaze was gloomy as he quickly got into his car and drove away. Amur, who was sitting in the car, saw this scene. His gut feeling told him that something would happen, so he also followed behind Enoch''s car. The three cars were driving at a certain distance away from each other. Tina was sitting in the taxi and replying to work emails. She did not notice that there was a car following behind her taxi. When she arrived at her destination, she got out of the car. She still had to walk on a path that was about 100 meters before she got home. Tina had moved houses due to problems at home. Her current house was in an urban vige, so she had to cross this path. Since most cars could not pass through, she could only walk in. After walking about ten meters, she felt that something was wrong. It was as if someone was following her... When she realized that, Tina took out her phone, turned on the shlight function, and turned around. She saw Enoch standing not far behind. She was stunned and uttered, "Why are you here?" She screamed, suddenly realizing something. She continued to ask, "Are you following me?" Tina''s scream made Enoch nervous. He waved his hands and said hoarsely, "I want to see Luca. Help me call her." "You can''t call her yourself?" Tina calmed down her frightened heart. He was a civil servant. It was unlikely for him to act too inappropriately. "I can''t get through to her! You''re her friend, so help me contact her. Otherwise, don''t me me for what I''m about to do!" Enoch threatened Tina, whom he thought was easy to scare. He would never make a move. He wanted to contact Luca, but no matter which phone number he used, Luca seemed to know that he was the one calling. The first time, he would be able to get through to her but no one would answer the call, and Luca would simply decline it. The second time, it would say that the other party was on the call or that he had been blocked. "Psychopath! What you need is not Dr. Craw but a psychiatrist." Tina rolled her eyes and continued walking. Enoch clenched his fist and punched the wall. He shouted, "You''re forcing my hand!" Chapter 1923 There was a sudden sound. Tina suddenly turned around and saw him withdraw his hand before angrily rushing toward her. She could not help but back away. "What are you going to do?" "I just want you to call Luca! Give me your phone!" Enoch reached out and asked her for her phone. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Tina was frightened. She was worried that he would hurt her if she did not do as he said. She trembled as she took out her phone from her bag. Enoch''s eyes lit up the moment he saw the phone. When he wanted to use it to call Luca, he was pressed against the wall by a force and was unable to move. "Who did that?!" Enoch shifted his gaze from Tina, only to see a man who was one head taller than him holding onto him. He waved his hands, trying to get away. However, the man was extremely powerful. "Who are you?" Amur had followed him here. It was obvious that Enoch was stalking Tina. He wanted to wait for Tina to go back and find a chance to teach Enoch a lesson but did not expect him to attack Tina. He knew that Luca and Tina were close, so he had to make an early move. "You don''t need to know who I am. If you harass her again, I¡¯ll make you regret it for the rest of your life!" Amur could not do anything but warn him since Tina was still around. "When did you see me harassing someone?" Enoch felt the pressure on him getting stronger. He was almost out of breath. "You¡¯re not only harassing her but also Luca. If you harass them again, you won¡¯t see the sunlight tomorrow." After Amur warned Enoch, he let him go. Before Enoch could react, Amur roared, "Leave!" The man in front of him was tall, strong, and powerful. Enoch knew that he could not fight Amur. When he was let go, he immediately scrambled to leave. Tina looked at the embarrassed state Enoch was in and shook her head helplessly. She then cast a grateful look at Amur. "Thank you." "You''re wee." Amur nced at the narrow alley. Although there were street lights, there were not many people around. He urged her, saying, "Don''t take this kind of path at night." "Oh, it''s close to home. I didn''t expect to be followed by this person. By the way, you are..." Tina squinted and looked at Amur carefully. She thought that he looked familiar. "A passerby." Amur did not reveal his identity and turned around to leave. He was not bothered that she could not remember who he was. He only followed Enoch to warn him not to harass Luca again. He just ended up helping Tina. Tina remembered that he had mentioned Luca''s name and suddenly recalled who he was. She walked around him and said happily, "I remember! You''re Dr. Craw''s younger brother!" Amur frowned. In the eyes of outsiders, he could only be Luca''s younger brother. He was unhappy with his identity. "What''s wrong?" Tina noticed the displeasure in his eyes. "It''s nothing. It''s gettingte. You should head home," Amur said. "Are you here because of Dr. Craw?" Tina did not seem to hear him. Rather, she was concerned about whether he had eaten dinner. "Mm, she said that she was being harassed by a man recently, so I went to see who it was. I happened to see what happened." Amur did not exin much. "Is that so? Thank you very much for your help. If it weren''t for you, I don''t know what else he would have done." Tina thanked him while following behind him. "It''s not a big deal. Go home." Amur did not n to continue chatting with her. Tina acted as if she did not hear what he said. She asked, "By the way, have you had dinner?" "Not yet," Amur answered honestly. Enoch made a move before office hours, so he followed him and kept watch since then. He did not have time to have dinner. However, it did not matter to him whether he had dinner or not. In the past, when he was on a mission and it was at a critical moment, it wasmon to skip meals. "I haven''t had dinner as well. I know a good pot pie shop nearby. Let''s have dinner together?" Tina invited him. "No, thank you." Amur continued walking toward the intersection. Tina grabbed his jacket and walked toward the intersection as well. "You said you haven''t eaten, right? I happen to be hungry too. Let''s eat together. It''s my treat as my thanks to you." Amur watched her slender hand grab him. He thought it would be wrong if he pushed her hand off, so he had to follow her. Tina took him to a pot pie shop at the intersection, greeted the owner of the pot pie shop, and sat at a table with Amur. "This is an urban vige, so the interior of the shop is rtively ordinary. But the pot pies in this shop are delicious. I grew up eating them. The price is cheap, and the portion is fair. Trust me, if you try it, you''ll definitely like the pot pies here," Tina said. He looked at the pot pies on the menu and could not help but say, "The pot pie she makes is delicious too." "Who?" Tina was taken aback by what he said. Amur lowered his gaze and replied, "Luca." During the new yearst year, Luca had made pot pie for N, Eler, and him on the Ind of Despair. It was the first time he had pot pie. He thought it would not taste good, but after he ate the ones prepared by Luca, he found that they were very delicious. Every dish she cooked was delicious. She also told them that the new year was meant to be spent with the whole family. Amur knew that they were family when they were on the Ind of Despair, but back in A City, Luke was her family. "Dr. Craw makes pot pies? That makes sense. The soup she made thest time was delicious. Isn''t Luca your sister? Why do you call her by her name?" Tina asked curiously. Amur still kept his gaze down, so no one could see what he was thinking. "I''m not rted to her by blood." "Oh." Although Tina felt that Amur acted a little strangely, she did not take it to heart. The owner of the store ced the hot pot pies in front of them. Tina said, "Try it, it''s delicious!" Amur picked up his utensils, got a pot pie, and put it into his mouth while she looked. He swallowed it slowly and enjoyed the taste of the pot pie. The taste of this pot pie was different from the one he remembered. After all, it was not made by Luca. Not everyone could cook as well as Luca. Tina looked at him expectantly. She hoped this handsome man in front of her would like the food that she liked. "How is it? Is it delicious?" "It''s not the same as I remember it," Amur said after he tasted it. "Is that so..." Tina nodded and added some chili sauce to her pot pie. "It''s normal for food that was prepared by different people to not taste the same." Chapter 1924 "I know." Amur noticed that Tina seemed a little disappointed, so he added, "Although it''s different, it tastes good." Tina showed a smile and raised her eyebrows as hemented on the pot pie bluntly. "I knew that this pot pie would be able to conquer your taste buds." Amur also added some chili sauce to the pot pie as she did. Tina wondered, "Do you also like spicy food?" "I eat whatever she eats," Amur said. In the three years that they spent on the Ind of Despair, his preferences had been influenced by Luca. He liked whatever she cooked. Tina understood that he was talking about Luca. For some reason, she always felt that Amur had a secret that could not be told. ''What is this secret? We just met by chance, so it''s hard to say.'' The owner went over to their table with some side dishes and put them on their table. "These are for you. Eat them with the pot pie and they''ll bring out a unique vor." "Thank you. So many people like your pot pies. It''s time to open a branch so that more people can taste your food," Tina said with a smile. "I work alone, so I don''t have the resources to expand. I''m happy here. It feels like home. If neighbors like yourself are willing to continue to support me, I won''t move. Money doesn''t matter. I went through 30 years without much,¡± the owner said emotionally. "You don''t want to see more of the world?" Tina asked. This was the first time she had a deep conversation with the owner. "That''s for young people. Enjoy the food. I''ll prepare more if it''s not enough." After the owner finished speaking, he went to greet the other customers. Tina watched Amur eat the pot pie and smiled. She wanted to tell Luca what had happened tonight. However, she instantly dismissed the thought when she thought that it might disturb her and Luke. She dared to disturb Luca but she dared not disturb Luke. She was thankful as long as Luke did not pick on her at work. In the vi. Luca and the maid helped Luke into the bathroom. Luke was obsessed with hygiene and insisted on taking a bath. However, he had a cast on his leg that could not get wet. The maid knew that she would not be able to persuade him, so she asked Luca for help. Luca could not think of a good solution as Luke stared at her. With no other choice, she asked Luke to put on a bathrobe while she walked into the bathroom and observed it. It was unrealistic to make him wipe his body without taking a bath. He had to shower before he went to bed. He was at his limit after surviving a night in the hospital. Luca looked at the structure of the bathroom and suddenly had an epiphany. She found arge bundle of gauze and wrapped it around the showerhead. It was a fixed showerhead, so no matter how hard she tugged on it, it would not fall off. Two long gauze pieces hung down. Luca measured it ording to his height and length, then did a stimtion to gauge the angles. After confirming that there was no problem, she breathed a sigh of relief and walked out of the bathroom. At that point, Luke had changed into his bathrobe. "Mr. Crawford, I''ll wrap ayer of stic wrap around your cast, okay?" Luca asked for Luke''s opinion. "As long as I can take a shower," Luke said. He had reached his limit. Even though he had wiped his bodyst night, he still felt that something was wrong. It was as ufortable as not having a bath for more than ten days. "I promise you, as long as you wrap it in stic wrap, you''ll be able to take a shower," Luca assured him. "Happy to do it your way." Luke did not know what she was up to but decided to trust her anyway. She was Bianca, so she naturally knew how seriously he took cleanliness and how tortured he felt not to be able to take a bath. Therefore, she would not make a fool out of him. Luca nodded and walked to the kitchen. The maid followed behind Luca and asked worriedly, "Ms. Craw, is it enough to just wrap the ster with stic wrap? The water from the shower is so strong that it''s easy to get it wet. Do you want to consider other methods?" The maid''s concern was justified. Once the ster was wet, the doctor''s previous effort was likely to be in vain. He may have to go to the hospital to get it fixed. They had to make sure that the injury was not infected as well. "It''s okay, I have double protection measures." Luca found the stic wrap from the cupboard and asked Mrs. Nancy, "Can I use all of this?" "Of course," Mrs. Nancy nodded and said yes. Luca smiled, walked out with the stic wrap, and then came to Luke''s side. She squatted down and wrappedyers of stic wrap around the ster. "Okay." Luca wanted tough when she saw the stered leg wrapped in stic. However, she did not laugh out of consideration of his feelings. "Is this alright?" Luke looked at the ster that was well wrapped. Luca took the task seriously. "No, let''s go in for the rest. Mr. Crawford, do you want to walk in or be pushed in?" Luca asked. "Be pushed in in my wheelchair," Luke said smugly. Although he could jump into the bathroom with one foot, it felt too degrading. Hence, he opted for the wheelchair. "Okay." Luca nodded, then pushed the wheelchair to the bathroom. Luke noticed the gauze wrapped around the showerhead and asked, "What''s this?" "Gauze," Luca replied as she walked to the edge of the bathtub and put his toiletries next to the bathtub so he could use themter.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. "I know, but what''s the use of it?" Luke frowned. When the gauze was hung like that, it looked like he was going to hang himself. "Don''t you want to take a bath? You can prop up your injured leg here. You should sit in the bathtub with your leg suspended here. The stic wrap ensures that it''s waterproof, so it can protect the ster well. It''ll befortable for you to take a shower this way," Luca exined. She tugged at the gauze again and said, "Don''t worry, this is strong." "Is this the only option?" Luke looked stern. "This is the only way. Otherwise, you can wipe your body with a towel." Luca was not sure how to react when she saw the reluctance in Luke''s eyes. "I''ll do it," Luke said helplessly. Luca nodded. She knew that he would agree to it no matter how much he hated it because he would not allow himself to not take a shower for another night. "I''ll help you into the bathtub?" "Okay." Luke nodded. With Luca''s help, he stood up and sat in the bathtub. Luca carefully ced his stered foot on the gauze. The gauze was solid. It looked stable even when bearing the weight of Luke''s leg. Chapter 1925 Seeing that the gauze was stable even with the weight of his leg, Luca breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at Luke who was sitting in the bathtub and said, "Mr. Crawford, have a nice shower. I''ll be waiting outside the door." "Mm," Luke nodded. Although it was a bit awkward to take a shower like this, it was a better option than wiping his body with a wet cloth. Luca left the bathroom and closed the door for him. She did not lock it from the inside because she would have toe inter. The maid came over and asked softly, "Ms. Craw, are you done?" "Yes, somewhat. Getting Mr. Crawford out of the bathroom after his shower is a big task," Luca said. After Luke was done, she would first drain the water from the bathtub so that his injury would not risk getting wet. If he deliberately did not wear a bathrobe... Luca''s face warmed at the thought that she might see something she should not. "I''ll stay and wait for Mr. Crawford to finish his bath." The maid was worried that Luca would not be able to do it alone. After the maid said that, Luca noticed that it was time for the maid to get off work. The weather outside today was not the best. It might snow. She said, "It''s gettingte. I can deal with it alone, so you should head home and be with your family." "What about..." The maid hesitated. Luca knew that Luke did not like to be seen by other people in a state like that. Even if the maid was here, he might end up ordering her to wait outside. There was nothing the maid could contribute if that was the case. She said, "I can do it alone. I have experience in caring for others. Don''t worry." "Okay, I''ll head home, then." Seeing that Luca was insistent, the maid decided to get off work. Luca thought that Luke would probably wash his hair, so she said, "By the way, is there a hairdryer downstairs? Can you help me find it?" "It''s for guests. I''ll find it for you." The maid nodded, turned around, and walked out of the maid''s room. After a while, she returned with a hairdryer and said, "Ms. Craw, I''ll put the hairdryer on the table." "Okay. Get home safe," Luca said. The maid smiled warmly and nodded. "Ms. Craw, you''re so kind. See you tomorrow." "See you tomorrow." Luca nodded. After the maid left, she was the only one left in the bedroom. She heard the sound of water in the bathroom. Luca figured that Luke had turned on the showerhead. She nced at the documents on the desk, which were all about the project... Abel''s words rang in her ears. Luca clenched her fist. She knew that it was a crucial point for the project. The designs should have been decided... She could not make up her mind whether to steal them... Luca took a deep breath, clenched her fists, and looked away. She could not do it and could only drag it out. It was difficult to divert her attention, so she grabbed her phone and scrolled through relevant information about what she had been drugged with. Half an hourter, Luke''s voice came from the bathroom. "I''m done." Luca put the phone back in her pocket and approached the bathroom door. When she was about to open it, she suddenly remembered that Luke might not be wearing any clothes. She stopped and asked, "Mr. Crawford, are you dressed?" Luke, who was sitting in the bathtub, raised his eyebrows. ¡®If I''m not dressed, she won''te in?'' She acted as if their rtionship never existed even though she had given birth to three of their children... "No. What should I do?" Luke asked. Luca found it a little hard to breathe. If she opened the door and went in without thinking, she would see a PG-18 scene. "Mr. Crawford, drain the water in the bathtub and wrap yourself in the bathrobe I put at the side." Luca urged him. She was prepared for this. Luke nced at the bathrobe next to him and raised his brows. He thought it was something Luca had prepared for him to change into. Unexpectedly, she prepared it because of this. He fumbled around, found the drain, and pressed it. The water from the bathtub rushed down the drain. Luca stood at the door and heard the sound. After a while, she heard Luke say, "Okay, you cane in." All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Luca opened the door and nced tentatively inside the bathroom. Luke was still sitting in the bathtub. His upper body was covered by his bathrobe, while his injured leg was still hanging on the gauze. "I''ll help you." She walked over and gently ced Luke''s feet on the tub. Although the bathtub was no longer filled with water, it was still a little wet. The ster was covered with stic wrap, so the water did not affect it. Luca raised her hand to grab Luke''s armpit. Luke put his hands on the side of the tub and sat on the edge of the tub. Luca watched him sit firmly before she brought the wheelchair over. When the wheelchair was near him, Luke stood up on one foot and swayed slightly. Luca did not dare to dy for fear that he might fall, so she helped him to get into the wheelchair. "Are you okay?" she asked in a soft voice. "I''m alright." Luke closed his eyes and opened them again, his expression indifferent. Luca nodded, pushed him out of the bathroom, then turned around and walked back into the bathroom. She took out a dry towel and said, "Mr. Crawford, since you washed your hair, do you need me to dry it for you?" "I''d appreciate it." Luke''s hair was still dripping wet. He lowered his eyes, not intending to do it himself. Luca had no choice but to wipe the water droplets from his hair with a towel. When the moisture in his hair was almost absorbed by the towel, she brought him to the office table and said, "I''m going to unplug your phone''s charger." "Mm." Luke closed his eyes, enjoying her tenderness. Even though she was still cautious, she was still tender. Luca plugged in the hairdryer, turned it on, and aimed it at Luke''s hair. She knew that he did not like it when his scalp was burning, so she moved the hairdryer farther away. When she raised her hand, she pulled on the muscles around her waist. It was ufortable. Luca did not say a word. She silently dried his hair for him, then turned off the hairdryer and whispered, "Mr. Crawford, I''ve already helped you put your pajamas on the bed. Please change into them." "Got it." Luke nced at theputer that was on sleep mode and moved the mouse. The lock screen was on disy. He did not hide and entered the password in front of her. Luca noticed that the password was her birthday. She lowered her gaze and kept the hairdryer without making a sound. He said that he liked her. That was to say he had no feelings for Bianca anymore. However, his current password was still her birthday. ¡®Does he really like me? Or is he just lonely and sees me as a way to pass the time?'' Chapter 1926 Whatever it was, Luca felt ufortable. She left the maid''s room with the hairdryer and closed the door for Luke. She then stood by the wall and took a few deep breaths. Luke heard the sound of the door closing, turned his head, and looked at the door. The tightly closed door separated him and Luca. He had deliberately entered his password in front of her. Up until now, he was sure that Bianca was back, but she refused to admit her identity. She was controlled by others who had an ulterior motive. The other party might be going after him and T Corporation. Therefore, he deliberately entered the password in front of Luca to let her know that he had not changed his passwords over the years. His passwords were all rted to her birthday. Since she knew his passwords, she might make a move. All he had to do was wait. Luke retracted his gaze and clicked on the software on theputer. He had installed surveince in the entire house where necessary, but he did not install cameras in areas where privacy was needed. Although he wanted Luca to return to his side, he was not a pervert, so no surveince was installed in other rooms except his bedroom. He installed surveince in his bedroom so that he would know if Luca had any ns. Everything about her was in his hands. Luke doubled the speed of the yback, set the time back to the night before, and started watching. He wanted to see if Luca had been in his bedroom and touched anything. When it was the early hours of the morning, Luke saw the surveince footage of Luca walking into his bedroom. Luke slowed down the yback. Luca looked a little flustered. She stood in the middle of the bedroom, looked at the safe for a few seconds, but did not go over. Instead, she walked to his desk, opened the drawer, and took out some documents. She knew exactly where his important documents were. She had not changed at all over the years. She had always been attentive to him. Luke lowered his gaze and watched Luca leave the bedroom on the monitor. He then elerated the yback speed again. He adjusted the time to yesterday evening when she said that she came back to get something. Luke looked at the surveince footage in the whole house. He watched her walk from outside the house to the inside, then to the bedroom. After a while, she came out with a bag. When she passed by his bedroom, she did not go in. She did not enter his bedroom at all except for a brief visittest night... Luke''s eyes darkened even more. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡®Is Luca here to steal data?'' At the moment, she did not look like she was here to steal data. It was more like she was here to take care of him. However, Luke was not tricked. If Luca came back with no strings attached, she would have admitted her identity. Even if she was angry with him, she could settle down somece else instead of staying by his side so deliberately. Presumably, what she was going to do would hurt him a lot, so she kept staying put. If her mission was sessful, she may be threatened. She was reluctant to lose him and her children. Luke picked up his phone and looked at Jason''s text from two hours ago. Jason told him that Enoch had waited for Luca at the door of T Corporation from before six p.m. until nine p.m. He lowered his eyes, saved the video that Jason sent, and sent it to Jack. After he was certain that Jack had received it, he called him. "Father-inw." It was a private call, so Luke did not address him by his title. Jack nced at Queenie, who was watching TV, stood up, and exined to her, "I''m going to pick up a call. It''s about work." "Okay." Queenie nodded and handed an apple to Leia. "Leia,e and eat an apple. The doctor said you need more nutrients now." Leia nced at Jack and took the apple from Queenie. It was not until Jack went upstairs that she said, "Mom, do you think Dad is acting weird?" "What''s so weird about him?" Queenie picked up an apple and took a bite. "Dad avoids being in the same room as you when he takes a phone call. Isn''t that weird?" Leia had bad intentions and wanted to make Queenie have a fight with Jack. If there was a gap in their rtionship, it was more likely that Queenie would pay for the organs that she desperately needed from the ck market. "It''s a work call. Most of his work calls are kept secret. It''s normal. Don''t make random guesses." Queenie trusted Jack a lot. He sometimes had to keep things secret even from his family members, so it was normal for him to step aside to answer his calls. Leia pursed her lips and replied, "Mom, don''t be careless. Although Dad is old, he''s still attractive to the foxes outside. You''d better be careful." "You''re talking nonsense. If your dad hears you say that about him, he''ll scold you. Your dad is very dissatisfied with you now. Be careful about what you say and do. Don''t make him angry.¡± Queenie persuaded her patiently. Leia was not bothered and continued watching TV. ''Jack must be hiding something from us. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have to be so careful.'' If she found out what he was up to, she might be able to break up the couple. On the other hand. Jack went upstairs, cleared his throat, and asked, "Luke, why are you calling sote at night?" "I sent you a video. Have you watched it?" Luke asked. Jack was startled and replied, "I haven''t had time to watch it yet. What video is it?" "The video of Enoch standing at the door of T Corporation waiting for Luca to get off work. My employee sent it to me today." Luke mentioned this matter in a gloomy tone. He could not believe that Enoch would not let it go even after Luca had turned him down. He also thought of Julian, the man who ruined his time with Luca. Therefore, he had no mercy for him. However, Enoch had nopromising materials and was also Jack''s subordinate. He had to consider their rtionship, hence he did not n to deal with it rashly. "What?!" Jack was surprised. He suddenly remembered that Enoch had left early today. "No wonder this kid said that he had to leave work early for something. I didn''t think that he would go to find Luca. That''s outrageous! He didn''t do anything to Luca, right? " "No, Luca has been taking care of me and didn''t go to thepany today," Luke replied. He expressed his thoughts directly, "Father-inw, this person has caused trouble for me and Luca. There are so many ces in the country. I hope he can be transferred somewhere else, a ce where he can focus on his career development." Chapter 1927 Luke''s words made Jack determined. "I''ve been considering a position for transfer recently and Enoch was shortlisted. I know what to do." Jack considered that Enoch was a local, and his whole family was involved in local politics. Even though he was on the dispatch list, he was still thinking about whether to transfer him. However, Jack did not have any second thoughts now. He decided to transfer Enoch. Enoch had no one to me. After all, as a father, Jack had done very little for Bianca. He had to do something for her now. Moreover, Enoch''s transfer was also a promotion. It was good for his future development. "Yeah." Luke did not say anything after he heard Jack''s answer. He knew that Jack would do what was necessary. When he was about to hang up the phone, Jack checked in on how he was doing. "By the way, Luke, are you okay?" "It wasn''t great at first, but she''s by my side and I''m fine now." Luke''s words made Jack smile. Luke did not express much love for Bianca in front of him, but this sentence was enough to show the ce that Bianca held in his heart. "That''s great to hear. Your mother-inw and I will visit you another day," Jack said. "It''s alright. I''ll visit you two with her another day. Father-inw, I still have work to do. I''ll have to hang up," Luke said. "Okay." Jack hung up the phone too. He walked out of the study and saw Leia standing not far from the door. His expression darkened as he shouted, "Were you eavesdropping?" "I didn''t. Dad, your study door was closed. How could I have eavesdropped..." Leia showed a ttering smile, but there was slight awkwardness. She wanted to eavesdrop, but the soundproofing was too good, so she could not hear anything. She only heard him calling Luke''s name. Hence, the person who called him was Luke, not a civil servant. ¡®Why did he say it was a work call?'' Luke was in business, while Jack was in politics. The two should have no working rtionship. "What are you doing here, then?" Jack''s expression was still stern. After he realized that Leia was not responsible, he had no feelings toward her. The reason why he did not sever their father-daughter rtionship was that Queenie was reluctant. "I''m here to check in on you, Dad. You''ve been upstairs for so long, so I wanted to ask you toe down to have some fruits." Leia showed a well-behaved look, but it was useless against Jack. He went straight downstairs. Leia nced at the study and followed him. Queenie was sitting on the sofa and watched them walk down the stairs one after the other. She raised a gentle smile and asked with concern, "Were you talking about something that I can''t know about?" Jack nced at Leia, walked over to Queenie, and sat down. "There''s nothing that you can''t know about.¡± "Well, I don''t know." Queenieughed cheekily. Leia sat next to her and said, "Mom, Dad won''t hide anything from you, right? Dad?" Jack met Leia''s gaze. He was displeased looking at those big, round eyes. In the beginning, the two of them liked Leia''s eyes. She was articte in the welfare agency and was good-looking, so they decided to adopt her. However, the same eyes were too tainted now. They were no longer pleasant to look at. Leia touched her face and felt a little out of ce when she saw Jack just staring at her without answering. "Dad, why are you looking at me like that? Is there something dirty on my face?" "I don''t lie to your mother, but have you lied to us?" Jack asked. He knew a lot of what Leia had done. She had only admitted part of it. Leia was startled. She did not expect him to bring up such a sharp question. Ever since Bianca came back, all he cared about was Bianca. He treated her as though she did not exist at all. Otherwise, why would he keep bringing up the past? He should let it go. Queenie realized that something was wrong. She tugged on Jack''s sleeve and whispered, "Dear, what are you doing?" "I''m curious." Jack continued to stare at Leia. ¡®When will she admit to the things she did? When will she learn to apologize to those who have been hurt by her?'' "Dad, I know I''ve messed up a lot of things and done some ridiculous things as well, but didn''t we agree to leave all of that in the past?" Leia tugged on Queenie''s sleeve. She was broke and had to please her. Otherwise, she would have nowhere to live if she was kicked out of Norman Residence. "Yeah, Leia knows that she''s in the wrong," Queenie spoke up for Leia. Now that Bianca was not by her side, her only hope was that the family could live in harmony and that there would be no more troubles for them. Leia nced at the time and immediately said, "Yes, I know I was in the wrong. I''ll stay by your side in the future, take good care of you, and be filial to you. By the way, it''s almost time for your daily news, Dad. I''ll help you change the channel." She picked up the remote control, turned the channel to the news program, and took the opportunity to change the subject. Queenie held Jack''s hand and rubbed it lightly. "She knows that she did something wrong. As parents, we should let it go." Jack looked at Queenie doting on Leia. It was her doting and his neglect that turned Leia into what she was. If it were not for Leia, Bianca would not have suffered so much. However, that was all in the past. No matter how angry he was about the events of the past, Bianca had already gone through stic surgery. She was now forced to stay by Luke''s side. This was a fact that could not be changed. The news officially began. Jack looked away from Leia and looked at the TV. As the news yed, Leia pretended to be watching TV with them. However, she was not at all interested in the news. That was until the economic channel reported that T Corporation was going to participate in the Russian project. She instantly paid attention to the news. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. The Russian project, if sessful, would help T Corporation garner a lot of profits... Leia was jealous that Luke''s future was bright. Not only did she fail to get together with him, but she also lost so much in the process. "Luke is getting more and more capable." Queenie looked at the news and could not help but sigh. She was proud that Luke was their son-inw. She regarded him as half a son. "Yeah, if they win the bid for this project, hispany''s future development will be even better." Although Jack was in politics, he also understood the economic and business impact of this project. Chapter 1928 ¡°Wow, then Brother-inw must be a great person." Leia listened to his analysis as she deliberately eximed. "Of course. Luke is very capable," Queenie joined the conversation. Her voice was filled with admiration for Luke. Leia felt depressed when she heard Queenie say so. How could an outstanding man like Luke fall into Bianca''s hands if it were not because they refused to help her and favored Bianca over her? However, Bianca did not appreciate Luke either. "There must be many women who have their eyes on such a capable man like Brother-inw. Sis still hasn''te back yet. Could it be that she doesn''t care about him anymore?" Leia pretended to mention Bianca unintentionally. Queenie''s smile disappeared when Leia mentioned Bianca. It had been three days since Queenie received Bianca''s call. "Your brother-inw isn''t someone like that. Stop talking nonsense." Queenie held Leia''s hand and squeezed it gently, hinting her to stop talking about it. Bianca''s matter was a knot in Jack''s and Queenie''s hearts. "A man will always have women surrounding them even though Brother-inw is loyal to Sis. Perhaps one day... Mom, you know what I mean. The people in the industry are all the same. They''re exposed to a bigger world. And it''s been a long time since Sis came back. She might have forgotten about her husband." Leia was trying to pick the thorn in their flesh. Jack mmed the coffee table and red at Leia. "Aren''t you the reason why Bianca ended up like this today?" "Dad?" Leia widened her eyes as she did not expect Jack to say something like that to her. "I''ll make sure you get the hell out of here if you dare to say something like that again. You''ll have nothing to do with the Norman family when that happens, regardless if you''re dead or alive!" Jack leaped to his feet and left without continuing to watch the news. Leia was stunned. Queenie nced at Leia, then stood up as well. "You shouldn''t have said those things. Go upstairs and get some rest." After that, Queenie headed upstairs together with Jack. Leia smirked after she watched both of them make their way up the stairs. She deliberately mentioned Bianca to shift their attention to that woman who was nowhere to be found. That way, Leia would be able to carry out her nster. Leia''s purpose was to take over the Norman family''s possessions. Queenie and Jack entered their bedroom together after Queenie followed him upstairs. Queenie let out a sigh when she saw that Jack was still angry. He sat down on the sofa. She came over and massaged Jack''s shoulders gently. ¡°Leia didn''t mean it. Don''t be mad." Jack replied in an irritated tone, "She did it on purpose. Bianca wouldn''t have ended up like this if she hadn''t conspired with those people." "Did something happen to Bianca?" Queenie could sense that something was wrong with his words. Jack was startled for a moment. He was angry and suddenly reminded of Luca''s current situation, as well as what she had gone through. Bianca would not have been kidnapped and forced to change her appearance if it had not been for Leia. Bianca would not be forced to return to their side while hiding her true identity. However, there was no way he could let Queenie know about this. Jack had no choice but to lie to Queenie. "It''s just that Bianca lost her memory, and she can''t remember anything. That''s why she chose to study abroad. Tell me, would Bianca have to go through all those terrible things that made her go mad and lose her memory if it wasn''t for Leia? Honestly, I regret it now. I regret adopting Leia at the orphanage!" It got Jack thinking about it after everything they had been through. He even thought that it was only a matter of time before Leia bit the hand that fed her and took advantage of him and his wife! Jack would never let such things happen when he was still able to stop Leia! Queenie let out a sigh as she massaged his shoulders gently. "Alright. It''s over now. There''s no point talking about what happened in the past. Jack, we should move on." Jack looked at her and let out a sigh. He wanted to move on too, but he could not forget about those things as he was often reminded of the hardships that Luca might have suffered. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. After all, Luca was their biological daughter, while Leia was only an adopted child raised by them. Luca did not live with them when she was young and had never been showered with their love just like Leia. However, it was impossible to ignore their blood ties. Besides, Leia had been getting out of control in thest few years. It became even more obvious when she waspared to Luca. "Alright, my dear. Leia didn''t mean to say those things. She has learned from her mistakes." Queenie was worried that Jack would really kick Leia out of the house, so she continued to put in good words for Leia. "You shouldn''t be spoiling her. She''s going to be a lost cause if she continues to behave like this!" Jack felt helpless. Queenie smiled and went along with what he said. "Alright. Leia has learned her lesson after everything that she''s been through. So, stop talking about what she did in the past. At least we have a daughter who''s keeping uspany now. We can only count the days until we get to see our daughter again if Leia isn''t here." Jack heard what Queenie said, and he realized that he had said too many things that would remind her of the past. Jack stood up and held Queenie''s hands. "Bea is doing fine. Come on." Queenie lifted her head and looked at him. ¡°Why did you suddenly say that? Is there any news about Biancately?¡± Jack wanted to tell Queenie that Luca¡¯s true identity was Bianca, but Luke¡¯s warning kept repeating in his mind. He could not tell her. "No. Bea would usually contact you first. How can I possibly talk to her when you can¡¯t even reach her?" Jack had no choice but to continue to conceal the matter. Before Jack found out the truth, the person Luke had arranged would only contact Queenie. Luke told him that it was because he was afraid that Jack would realize something was off. The person who pretended to imitate Bianca¡¯s voice hardly contacted Jack after he found out the truth. The hope in Queenie¡¯s eyes faded away when Jack told her that he did not know anything about Bianca. "It¡¯ste. Go clean yourself up and get some rest." Jack had no choice but to ask Queenie to do something else to distract her attention when he saw how upset she was. Jack felt annoyed. He should not have mentioned their daughter. Leia was the one who annoyed him, and that was why he identally blurted it out. "Alright." Queenie walked into the bathroom absent-mindedly. Jack pulled a straight face and turned his phone to silent mode. He watched the video Luke had sent him for a while. After that, he closed the video after confirming that the person in the video was Enoch. Then, he sent a message to Luke. [Ask the person who¡¯s pretending to be Bea to send a few messages to your mother-inw when you¡¯re free. She¡¯s been missing Bea a lottely.] Jack deleted the video and the message after he sent the message to Luke. He was cautious enough to prevent Queenie from finding out. Moreover, Leia was with them now. Jack had finally realized it today. Leia was someone to worry about even though she was sick. She would plot against him when her health was in a better condition. He had to keep an eye on her. Jack put his phone down and connected it to the phone cable to charge it. He waited until Queenie came out of the bathroom, then he brought his pajamas along with him and walked into the bathroom. Chapter 1929 Queenie rose from her dressing table chair after she watched Jack enter the washroom and close the door. She nced at the door, then turned around. Her gaze fell on the charging phone on the bedside table. Leia told her that Jack must be hiding something from her when he hid from her to pick up the call earlier. Queenie was not worried that Jack might be having an affair. They had been a couple for so many years, so she knew what kind of person Jack was. She was sure that he was not that kind of person. She was just worried that Jack was hiding Bianca''s matter from her. Queenie took a deep breath. She decided to walk toward the bedside table and pick up Jack''s phone. Queenie tapped on the phone''s screen. She needed the passcode to unlock Jack''s phone, and she knew his passcode. She nced in the direction of the washroom and chose to key in the passcode. After that, she opened his messages. The chat conversation pinned on top was with her. Queenie continued to scroll down. Other than the office group chats, thetest message was from Luke. She tapped on the message with trembling hands. Luke had replied to him: [Alright, Father-inw.] Queenie scrolled up, but those were the old messages. She quickly went through the char records but did not find out anything rted to Bianca. The messages were mostly about work, as well as some conversations with the seniors and juniors. Some of them were the audio messages sent by the kids using Luke''s phone. The sound of the running water in the bathroom became softer. Queenie quickly returned to the home screen and continued to charge the phone. Queenie waited until Jack came out of the bathroom. She looked up and said innocently, ¡°Dear, your phone rang just now. I was curious, so I picked it up and took a look at it." Jack remained calm when he noticed there were not many changes in Queenie''s expression. "Whose message was that?" "It was Luke''s. I opened the chat knowing it was Luke. What did you tell him? Why did he reply to you with just an ''alright''?" Queenie asked. The messages that had been read would not appear in the notifications again. That was why she needed to look for an excuse to tell Jack that she had opened Luke''s message. She also wanted to take the chance to see if the two were keeping secrets from her. "Oh, I called him but he didn''t answer the call. So I left him a voicemail telling him that you''re missing Bea. I reminded him to ask Bea to give you a call and have a chat with you to cheer you up when he''s able to contact her." Jack had been working in the officialdom for more than ten years. It was easy for him to make up a story. He did not intend to lie to Queenie, but it was better for her this way. ¡°I see." Queenie nodded and apologized, ¡°I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to look at your phone. I just happened to see it¡ª" "It''s alright. We''ve been a couple for years. There''s nothing on my phone that I wish to hide from you. You can look at it anytime you want." Jack knew what Queenie was thinking, but he did not expose her. He reckoned that Queenie must have opened his messages. Otherwise, she would not have noticed Luke''s message. Queenie was not dumb either. After all, she had been in the corrupted environment of the entertainment industry back then. Even though she had protected herself well all these years, she still knew a lot of things. ¡°I''m tired. I''m going to rest first." Queenie let out a sigh when Jack did not me her for looking at his phone. She would not have done this if it had not been for Leia encouraging her to do so. Queeniey down on the bed and tucked herself in. She closed her eyes so that Jack would not notice theplicated feelings in her eyes. Jack secretly let out a sigh as he watched Queenie close her eyes. Fortunately, he had immediately deleted the messages. Otherwise, he would not be able to exin it to her if she saw the conversation. The following day. Luca woke up and touched her waist. She could not help pursing her lips. Luca could feel the pain in her waist by just pressing on the wound gently. She knew her wound infection had worsened without needing to check it. The wound had yet to heal until now. Abel must have done something to the knife that he used to stab her. He had no particr reason. He just wanted to see Luca in pain. Luca had so much work to do now. She hardly had the time to figure out what kind of drug Abel used and how to recover from it... Luca frowned as she walked into the bathroom and lifted her shirt. Then, she removed the bandage wrapped around her waist. After Luca removed the bandageyer afteryer, she noticed that the inmmation on her wound was worse than yesterday. ¡°As expected." Luca picked up a cotton swab to clean up the pus oozing from the wound and put it in a test tube. Luca had prepared the tools before she sleptst night. It was to make it convenient for her to collect the sample and figure out what was going on. She took out some more cotton swabs and swiped the liquid on her wound. Then, she cleaned her wound with iodine. Thest step would be to dress the wound and wrap the bandage around her waist. It took her fifteen minutes to finish doing everything. Luca quickly cleaned herself up as she would have to prepare breakfast for Luketer. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. She came to the first floor after getting washed up. The maid ran into her at the stairs. ¡°Ms. Luca, you''re awake. I thought you overslept and was nning to look for you upstairs," the maid smiled and said to Luca. ¡°I woke up a littlete today. Oh, is Mr. Crawford awake?" Luca looked in the direction of the maid''s room. Luke was very particr about his food and environment. Luca wondered if Luke was able to rest well in the maid''s room. "Mr. Crawford is up. I just pushed him into the bathroom to let him wash up just now." The maid headed to the kitchen after answering Luca. Luca nodded after she heard that Luke had already freshened up. Then, she followed the maid into the kitchen and began to make breakfast. The maid saw that Luca was preparing breakfast, so she stayed near Luca to help her. She could not help but exim while looking at Luca''s side profile. "It''s getting colder every day. In the previous years, it would have already snowed by now, but the first snowfall of the year has yet toe." "Yes. Perhaps it''ll bete this year." Luca continued the conversation while she beat the eggs. Luca suddenly remembered that the kids were not here when she was about to grab a few more eggs. There were only three people in the vi¡ªLuke, Luca, and the maid. Luca put down the eggs she had just picked up. The maid noticed Luca''s gesture. She tried to contain herself, but she could not help letting out a chuckle. "I''m sorry, Ms. Luca. I didn''t mean tough at you." Luca shook her head and replied, "It''s alright. I''ve gotten used to making the children''s breakfast too." "It''s be a habit." The maid sighed. "Previously, the vi was filled with the kids''ughter when they were still here. It has be so much quieter since the kids were sent back to Crawford Manor." Luca nodded. Indeed, the house felt lifeless without the kids''ughter and cheerful voices. Luca was not used to it either. However, Luke and Luca had been busy with worktely. She could not find the time to take care of the kids when the wound on her waist still hurt. Even though Luca missed them, she did not take the initiative to suggest to Luke that he bring the kids back here¡ªunless Luke mentioned it first. Anyway, she would not be able to take good care of them. Chapter 1930 Luca was reminded of the situation at Crawford Manor when she thought about the kids. Although Allison was in South Korea now and the situation at Crawford Manor would not be as belligerent as before, Susan would not want them there. The kids would probably suffer there if Old Master Crawford was not there as well... Luca secretly let out a sigh, hoping that she could recover quickly so she could ask Luke to bring the kids back here. Luca knew that her remaining days with them were numbered. Luca would have to appreciate every moment she spent together with her children. Once Luca was done preparing breakfast, Luca brought the food and headed to Luke''s bedroom. Luke was already sitting at his office desk and working early in the morning. He seized every second and minute to handle his work. Luca could not help but feel inevitably nervous. Luca looked at the pile of documents stacked up high on his table. She walked toward him and put the breakfast down on Luke''s desk. ¡°Mr. Crawford, have your breakfast first." "Alright." Luke took his breakfast from her. It smelled so good that it dispelled his earlier thought of skipping breakfast. He took the te of scrambled eggs from her and took a bite. The warmth of the eggs was just perfect. It was good as usual, but he could smell that there was something different with the eggs. "This doesn''t taste the same," said Luke. Luca exined, "I added some fresh herbs. It''s good for your health." Luke did not continue to ask as he knew Luca would not do anything to harm him. She would have done so if she really wanted to physically harm him. She would not have waited until now. The first chance she had was when he was in New York. Luke would have died if it had not been for her. His nerves might have gotten affected, causing him to be disabled. However, Luca tried her best to save Luke, and that was why he knew he would never harm him using a method like this. Luke finished the bread after he finished eating the scrambled eggs. Luca watched Luke finish his breakfast, then she ced a pack of pills beside him. She said, "Mr. Crawford, remember to take your medicine half an hourter." "Are you going out?" Luke raised his eyebrows. ¡°Yes. I''ve finished working on the documents. I have to go back to the office," said Luca. She had worked overtimest night and finally finished tranting the documents Jason brought over. Hence, she had to return to the office. Luca thought of following up with the research going on downstairs. On the other hand, she wanted to get the new documents too. "Mr. Doyle will beingter. You don''t have to go back to the office," replied Luke. Luca had no choice but to nod her head. Well, it might be a good idea for her not to go out. She could work on studying the liquid that oozed from her wound while waiting for Mr. Doyle. "I''m leaving first if there''s nothing else." Luca carried the tray, turned around, and left. Luke watched Luca leave, then continued with his work. Luca had a few bites of breakfast after she ced the tray in the kitchen sink. Then, she turned around and headed upstairs. She brought the test tube with her and walked into the study. She had all her facilities in her study. Luca did not say anything since Luke and the kids had moved in to stay with her. The study was solely hers. Luke, who used to separate his bedroom from his study, cooperated with Luca. He gave Luca the study, while he chose to work in his bedroom. The kids would note into the study to y either. Luca believed that Luke must have instructed the kids prior to that. Luca held the test tube, extracted the liquid out of it, and began to study it. She had to figure out what kind of drug Abel used on her as soon as possible so that she could recover. The maid knocked on the door after a while. "Ms. Luca, are you inside?" "Yes." Luca put the test tube away, took off her sses, and stood up. Then, she walked toward the door to open it. The maid smiled and said, "I was knocking on your bedroom door just now but you weren''t there. Mr. Crawford told me that you should be in the study. And he''s right indeed." "What''s the matter?" Luca asked. "Ah, yes. Mr. Crawford asked me to inform you that Mr. Doyle is here." The maid passed Luke''s message to her. "Alright. I''m going down now." Luca nodded and closed the door of the study. Then, she headed to her bedroom, carried the files in her arms, and trotted down the stairs. Luca was about to head to the maid''s room when she reached the first floor. However, the maid winked at Luca. Luca stopped and asked in a low voice, "What''s wrong?" "Mr. Crawford was yelling just now. Something bad must have happened. Ms. Luca, it''d be better for you to wait here so that you won''t identally offend Mr. Crawford when you go in." The maid gave Luca a kind reminder while she was still holding the rag in her hands. She had nned on cleaning Luke''s room. However, the maid just stood where she was and dared not to move when she heard Luke yelling angrily in the maid''s room. She was afraid that she would offend the person in the room by making a sound and get herself fired. Luca stopped and stood there together with the maid. Luke was angry? Luca fell silent and listened to the noises in the room. She heard nothing. "Did Mr. Crawford really get angry just now?" Luca asked suspiciously. ¡°Yes. Mr. Crawford was yelling just now, and he said something harsh like he would ask Mr. Doyle to resign immediately if he couldn''t handle the matter well,¡± The maid nodded and said in a soft voice, afraid that she would be heard by the people inside. "That''s serious." Luca was startled. She stared at the door to the maid''s room. The door was closed, and the noises inside had gotten softer. She could not hear anything. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Luca wondered if it was regarding the matter that had happened in Watson Biopharmaceuticals. It was either something had gone wrong with the application procedure for Dr. Albus'' productunch or thepany project. Only those two things could make Luke lose his temper. However, the project seemed to be going smoothly, and she had not received any bad news about it... Hence, Luca suspected that there must be something wrong with Dr. Albus'' research. Luca took her phone out of her pocket and opened the group chat for Watson Biopharmaceuticals. As expected, the group chat was bombarded with messages. Luca had muted the group chat, so Rhett would always keep Luca informed when there was something rted to her and her job. That was why she did not find out what had happened in the first instance. Luca found out that Dr. Albus'' application for the patent and productunch had been turned down through the conversation in the group chat. The reason was that a biopharmaceuticalpany with foreign investments had already applied for the patent using the same research findings and form. There were rumors that they would be launching the product in two days. Thepany''smissioner had already discussed the market price of the product with the Food and Drug Administration. That was why Dr. Albus'' research was not approved. Furthermore, he might be used of stealing someone''s research. Luca lowered her eyes when she read those messages. She felt guilty, but there was nothing she could do now. Luca was no longer looking at the messages in the group chat. It would not change anything even if she read those messages. Luca had stolen Dr. Albus'' research and given it to Abel. She watched Abel sell the research to someone else, and there was nothing she could do about it. She even got stabbed twice. Luca lowered her head and smiled bitterly. Chapter 1931 Luca felt sorry for Dr. Albus and herself. She was like a puppet being toyed by Abel. Luke had approved a huge amount of money for Dr. Albus'' research. The money that Luke invested was all in vain... It was a heavy blow to thepany no matter how financially strong they were. Luca lowered her head. The maid saw this and said, ¡°Ms. Luca, you can leave the documents here if you''re afraid. I can help you pass them to Mr. Doyle." "It''s alright." Luca shook her head and continued to stand there, waiting for Luke. Mr. Doyle hurriedly came out of the room after a while. He was startled for a moment when he saw Luca. "Dr. Craw." "Mr. Doyle, can I talk to you for a minute?" Luca asked. She noticed that Jason seemed to be in a hurry, so it would be better not to hold him up. That was why she asked him first. "Yes, but only for a short while. Boss is getting changed now. We''ll have to depart once he''s done," replied Jason. Luca handed the folders to him and said, "These are the tranted documents. I''ve emailed the text files to Alya. And did you bring the documents that need to be tranted today?" "Yes. They''re on Mr. Crawford''s desk. The two folders on the leftmost are yours." Jason nodded as he took her folders from her. Then, he said, "Dr. Craw, I''ll go start the car first if there''s nothing else." "Sure." Luca nodded and nced at the maid''s room. She let out a sigh in her heart and walked into the room. Luke was putting on a sweater. His gestures were a little clumsy as he was sitting in a wheelchair. "Mr. Crawford, let me help you." Luca stepped forward and helped Luke to pull the sweater down. The sweater swept past Luke''s hair and created some static electricity. Luca reminded Luke, "Mr. Crawford, your hair." "Comb my hair for me." The look on Luke''s face did not look good. He picked up the long jacket on his thigh and put it on. Luca nodded and trotted into the bathroom to get hisb. Then, she walked out andbed Luke''s hair. "I guess you should already know about what happened in Watson Biopharmaceuticals, right?" Luke asked. ¡°I just saw the group chat and found out about it just now." Luca''s voice was a little soft. She dared not to say too much about it. Guilt and remorse filled her heart every time she talked about what had happened to Dr. Albus. ording to Abel''s next instruction, Dr. Albus would be taking the me for someone else. He would be held ountable and forced to resign. It would be difficult for him to continue working in this industry again once his reputation was destroyed. Even if Dr. Albus would like to return to lecturing in universities, it was impossible for him to do so. After all, the universities had high requirements for their professors'' virtues. It was just like Dr. Cole. He was fired after what had happened. Dr. Cole lost his job as a university lecturer after the situation grew bigger. Everyone was avoiding him. Dr. Cole, who once enjoyed his glorious position in the industry, fell into the abyss in the twinkling of an eye. What Luca did caused T Corporation to lose a lot of money and was hurting another person... Luca could stillfort herself by saying that she was serving justice as a vignte if that person was a wicked person who hadmitted a heinous crime. However, Dr. Albus did not do anything harmful other than being snobbish. "What do you think?" Luke maneuvered the wheelchair, moved himself to the dressing mirror, and tied his tie in front of the mirror. Luca looked at their two figures in the mirror. "I have noments. There seems to be something fishy going on." "It''s fishy, indeed. It''s either Dr. Albus stole someone''s research or someone stole his research and sold it to others," Luke said as he tied his tie. He was also paying attention to Luca''s expression. Thepany was doomed to suffer a loss no matter which possibility it was. Besides, there were rumors about Watson Biopharmaceuticals flying around now. Even though Watson Biopharmaceuticals was apany built with the support of the government, the company''s reputation would be ruined now that it had encountered such an issue. That was why many people had different exnations for this. It was not just about the loss now. It was also about the reputation of T Corporation and Watson Biopharmaceuticals.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. This would lead to a crisis if they did not handle this well. Luke did not want to let the fallout continue. That was why he nned to handle this himself. Luca nodded stiffly. She was well aware of the situation, but she was not allowed to say anything. "I have to go to Watson Biopharmaceuticals," Luke said to her after he tied his tie like a husband reporting his whereabouts to his wife. Luca nodded stiffly. Something came across her mind, and she said, "Mr. Crawford, wait a minute." Luke maneuvered the wheelchair and turned around to face her, thinking that she had something to confess to him. "What''s the matter?" "It''s cold out there. You didn''t put on enoughyers, especially on your legs, so you should at least cover yourself with a nket," Luca said. Luke was unable to put on anotheryer of pants as his leg was still in a cast. It was warm in the house, but it must be cold out there. Luca was worried that Luke might catch a cold. Hence, she opened the closet and found a nket. She remembered the maid had put a nket here when she was tidying up his clothes yesterday. Luca carefully ced the nket on Luke''s thighs after she found the nket. There was warmth in Luke''s eyes when he watched Luca ce the nket on him. Luca cared about him... However, this was not the time to enjoy this heartwarming moment. Luke maneuvered the wheelchair and headed outside after Luca stood up straight. "Your folders are on the leftmost of my desk." "Alright, Mr. Crawford." The feelings in the depths of Luca''s eyes faded in a second. Luca found the folders that she had to work on, then walked out of the room following behind Luke. The maid hurried over to Luke''s side when she saw him maneuvering the wheelchair himself. She said, "Mr. Crawford, let me help you." Luke turned around and nced at Luca, who was wearing thin clothes. He nodded, saying, "Sure." Luca stood in front of the French window and watched the maid push Luke to Jason''s car. Luke then got in. Luca let out a sigh, which left the vapor of her breath on the mirror. Luke would be even busier after this. Luca had prayed that they would take things slower, but she did not expect them to strike so quickly. Dr. Albus would have grabbed the chance from them if they had acted slowly. Abel was not that dumb. Luca watched the car leave, then she lowered her gaze. The maid returned to the house and saw Luca in such a state. She asked with concern, "Ms. Luca, you don''t look too good. Did you get scolded by Mr. Crawford just now?" "No." Luca shook her head. Luke did not say anything to her just now. He only made a simple analysis of the situation with her. However, Luke not saying anything just made Luca feel more uneasy about it. It felt like Luke''s eyes could see through her. The maid did not say another word about it and just asked, "Oh, I forgot to ask Mr. Crawford if he''s coming back for dinner." "Just prepare his portion," said Luca. Even though she knew it might take some time for Luke to handle this matter and he probably would note back early tonight, she still asked the maid to prepare his dinner. Chapter 1932 "Alright. I''ll do some cleaning first, then I''ll prepare lunch. Ms. Luca, is there anything you''d like to have for lunch?" the maid asked. "No. Anything will do," replied Luca as she carried the folders in her arms and made her way up the stairs. Luca pushed the bedroom door open and ced the two folders on her dressing table. She opened the folders and nced at the documents. There was not much content to be tranted. Luca opened another folder with some confusion and realized there was not much content in this folder either. The documents that needed to be tranted should increase when the project was reaching the final stage. Why were the documents getting fewer? Luca thought she would be able to finish tranting these by afternoon. Hence, she put the folders aside and returned to the study. She wanted to continue her experiment by separating theponents in the sample. On the other hand. Jason drove Luke to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Everyone in the office tensed up the moment Jason pushed Luke into the office. They had already found out about Dr. Albus'' matter, and they knew how serious it was when they saw their bosse to the office himself. The manager of thepany came out to wee Luke. He was so nervous that there were beads of sweat on his forehead when he saw Luke and Jason. "Boss, this way." The manager saw the cold look on Luke''s face. It was much colder than the cold, blustering wind out there. Even though Luke was sitting in a wheelchair, he still had an imposing aura on him. The manager did not even dare to take a deep breath when he was standing beside him. Jason pushed Luke to the elevator. The manager quickly pressed the button. The elevator was already waiting on the first floor. The doors slowly slid open the moment he pressed the button. Jason pushed Luke into the elevator, while the manager followed behind them. He pressed the floor where the meeting room was at. The doors closed, blocking the gazes of the other employees in the lobby. The manager did not feel any better after entering the elevator. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and shot a nce at Jason. They usually got along with each other well, and Jason was usually lenient with others. However, the expression on Jason''s face was serious now. The manager looked at the numbers that gradually went up as the elevator rose. He was wondering why such a thing happened when he had only taken over the manager position for two months. What rotten luck! ¡°Has anyone looked at the surveince footage?" Jason asked first. Luke remained silent and gloomy. Hence, Jason was the one who started asking questions. "The security department is already going through the footage. We''ll screen through any suspicious people and start investigating," the manager answered immediately. The moment such big trouble was exposed to the public, he followed Dr. Albus'' advice and initiated the investigation right away. However, there were too many surveince cameras in the office building. It would take some time to get to the bottom of the case. Besides, there were more than ten researchers on Dr. Albus'' research team. The researchers were also within the scope of the investigation. After all, they participated in the whole process of the research. They might be the ones who sold the research data to someone else. "Any clues?" Jason asked again. The manager pulled a long face, shook his head, and replied, "The scope of the investigation is still too big, and the relevant personnel is still investigating it." "It''s too slow." Luke, who had been keeping silent, spoke in a dissatisfied tone. "Ask Gale to conduct the investigation." The manager blinked his eyes. Gale? It was only when Jason replied that he realized Luke was not talking to him. Gale was going to be involved in this matter. It seemed like Luke was taking it seriously. Jason picked up the phone and sent a message to Gale. Jason briefly told him what had happened and asked him to head to Watson Biopharmaceuticals now. The elevator reached the floor where the meeting room was on. Jason pushed Luke''s wheelchair and walked out of the elevator. Dr. Albus and a few professors were standing outside the elevator waiting for them. Dr. Albus stepped forward when he saw Luke walk out of the elevator. "Boss, please, you have to get people to investigate this matter and clear my and my team''s names!" Dr. Albus knew that he would have to bear the brunt of this situation if the oue of the investigation was bad. What he would be facing then was an unbearable price that he would have to pay for the rest of his life. Hence, Dr. Albus could not be bothered to find out who the culprit was. He wanted to prove his innocence first, then continue with the rest of it. Luke did not say anything. It was not that he had never seen such a scene before. T Corporation had always been making people green with envy. Many of them wanted to steal T Corporation''s confidential information to gain some benefits. This was not the first time such things happened. However, this was the first time that it had caused such a big loss to T Corporation. This whole time, there were no cases of confidential information and research data being reported stolen. That was why Luke did not expect this to happen. Of course, the losses could not be avoided. ¡°Start the meeting," said Luke in a cold voice. Jason heard Luke and pushed him to the meeting room immediately. The professors did not follow Luke when they saw this. They talked in low voices to each other instead. "It looks like the boss isn''t in a good mood. We''d better keep our mouths shut." "Can he be in a good mood after everything that has happened? It''s a huge loss. Dr. Albus, good luck to you." Another research professor said to Dr. Albus. Dr. Albus looked depressed. The manager who was standing beside them urged them, saying, "Stop talking about it here. Hurry up and go in. Otherwise, everyone will have to suffer if the boss continues to be in a bad mood." The professors trotted to the meeting room once he said that. The meeting started with dead silence in the room. Luke looked at them with his sharp eyes. They were usually very talkative when they were asking for funds for their research. They kept asking for more to fund their research. Now, everyone was keeping silent after something had happened. "Tell me. What are you going to do about what happened this time?" Luke asked. Although he said more words now, his tone of voice still sounded cold and eerie. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Although the meeting room was warm enough with the heating, it felt as though the windows in the meeting room were open. The cold, blustering wind was blowing in, making them shiver in the cold. The manager noticed that the professors were not speaking at all. As the manager of thepany, he had no choice but to stand up. "Boss, in my opinion, other than finding out the identity of the person who disclosed the research data, the most important thing is to figure out what we''re going to do next. Some professors'' researches are already at the stage of clinical trials. We shouldn''t make any more mistakes this time. We have to implement a measure to make sure all research data is strictly confidential." The look on Luke''s face became even darker after listening to such a typical response. He turned to look at Dr. Albus. "Dr. Albus?" The person who was named stood up immediately and trembled for a moment, "Yes, Boss. I''m here." "Your team''s drug research had the highest funds among all the research teams. What do you think about this? How are we going to deal with the losses?" Luke asked again. Dr. Albus trembled again and replied, "Boss, it seems that apart from finding out who''s the whistleblower, we''ll have tounch a new drug in the market as soon as possible to shut down the rumors and stabilize thepany''s development." Chapter 1933 Luke stared at theptop screen and said, ¡°Dr. Albus, can you prove that you did the research yourself?" Dr. Albus handed the papers in his hands to Luke and replied, "Of course. Boss, I''m pretty certain about this. And I have evidence too. I made several mistakes before I managed toplete this research. Besides, ourpany has an incentive program. I wouldn''t have to go through all those things if I really bought the research from someone else. And I would have also justunched the product before the other party did." "Then it must be someone in thepany who sold the confidential information," Luke concluded. "Boss, someone must have stolen my confidential information and sold it to the other party. They beat us to it by forging the trial data and results, then they applied for the productunching. Boss, you must find out the truth!" Dr. Albus went along with Luke. He had not been able to eat or sleep from the day his application for the productunch and patent was rejected. He had been asking people to find out what happened. He would not stop until the truth came out. Luke did not say anything. He was tapping on the meeting desk with his index finger. Dr. Albus nced at Dr. Feron, who was a close friend of his. Then, Dr. Albus gave Dr. Feron a meaningful nce, asking him to speak up for him. Dr. Feron did not want to get involved in this. However, Dr. Feron had benefited greatly from Dr. Albus in the past. He had no choice but to stand up and speak up for Dr. Albus. "Boss, Dr. Albus is right. Not only do we need to find out who''s behind this, but we''ll also have to handle the PR crisis as well. The best way is to ask for Dr. Craw''s help to speed up the research and apply for the productunch." Dr. Albus previously held a one-hour press conference before the research was ready to beunched in the market. It was the first drug by Watson Biopharmaceuticals tounch on the market. Hence, the reporters had all written articles about it. Now, not only were they facing internal problems, but they had to handle external issues as well. Luke swept his piercing gaze across everyone in the meeting room when Dr. Feron mentioned Luca''s name. They lowered their heads whenever Luke''s gaze fell on them, not daring to say another word. "Dr. Craw is helping me to work on the project now. And all of you want Dr. Craw to bear the responsibility and help you to clean up the mess you''ve made?" Luke questioned. The professors noticed that something was wrong with Luke''s words. Luke was saying that it was a mess they had made instead of Dr. Albus'' mess alone... That would mean Luke was not nning to let a specific research team bear the responsibility for this matter alone. All of them would be involved... The manager was shocked to hear this. ¡°Boss, how could you say that? Isn''t Dr. Albus'' research team responsible for this matter?" "Those who have ess to enter thebs in thispany are suspects," said Luke. The manager nced at the others. They were either shocked or showing looks of disapproval, but no one dared to say a word. Since the professors dared not say anything, then he was the only person left. "Boss, the research information was kept by Dr. Albus and his team members. If I had to make a guess¡ª" "Everyone has to be ced under investigation," Luke interrupted him. Investigating everyone in thepany was the most efficient way. After all, anyone could have stolen the information. Everyone fell silent, while the manager cried out bitterly in his heart. This meant that their workload would increase a lot in the near future. After all, other than checking the surveince footage, everyone''s recent whereabouts had to be investigated. That was how they could prove a person''s innocence¡ªor guilt. The research department alone had more than ten employees, and there were also other employees working in other departments who had ess to the research department. ording to what Luke said, these people would be ced under investigation too. Dr. Albus took a deep breath and mustered his courage to ask, "Dr. Craw also participated in my research. Does she need to be investigated too?" The way Luke looked at Dr. Albus grew colder. Luke fell silent for a few seconds and eventually said, "All those involved have to be ced under investigation." Jason''s phone vibrated in his pocket. Jason took his phone out and nced at it. It was a message from Gale. Jason bent down and whispered in Luke''s ear to remind him, "Boss, Gale is already downstairs. He doesn''t have the permission toe in." Luke turned to look at the manager and said, "Go downstairs and bring my guest to my office." "Me?" The manager looked at Luke and quickly nodded. "Alright, Boss." The manager hurriedly left the meeting room as though he was running away from something. Luke looked up coldly and said, "That''s all for today." The professors in the meeting room exchanged nces with each other. Were they ending the meeting without discussing a n? Jason pushed Luke''s wheelchair and left the meeting room. Dr. Albus made sure that Luke had left before asking, "What now?" "He''s the boss. Boss didn''t say anything about what we should do now. We''d better get back to work," replied Dr. Feron. He tidied up hisptop and documents before standing up. They had not reached a conclusion after the meeting. Dr. Albus had no choice but to stand up and leave the meeting room as well. Dr. Albus, who was thepany''s rising star, had fallen into an unfavorable position because of this matter. Luke had not said anything either. No one knew how to fix this. Dr. Albus had a bad feeling about this. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Noontime. Luca nced at the time while she was waiting for the machine''s results. It was already noon. There was dead silence, and the entire vi became quiet without the kids ying around and making noises. Luca stood up as she thought of going downstairs. Just then, her phone rang. Luca nced at it and noticed that it was a call from a string of numbers. She pursed her lips and answered the call. ¡°You answered the call quickly this time." Abel reckoned that the phone had just rung once and it was already answered. He guessed that Luca must have found out about what happened to Dr. Albus and was probably feeling upset about it. "What''s the matter?" There was still not a hint of respect in Luca''s tone. "I told you to make everyone suspect that Dr. Albus is the one who did it. It''s time for you to make a move now." Abel''s voice sounded creepy. She could already tell that he was smiling on the other end of the call. Luca thought Abel knew that Luke must be facing some difficulties now. That was why Abel was smiling. "How do I do that?" Luca had no choice but to listen to him now that things hade this far. Even if Luca listened to him, she still had to suffer. If she did not listen to him, the consequences were evenrger. "I have a sum of money now. Deposit the money into Dr. Albus'' Swiss bank ount," said Abel. "You can do this yourself." Luca frowned. She had already handed the research information to Abel. Now, he wanted her to frame Dr. Albus. Did Abel harbor a grudge against Dr. Albus? "Of course, you have to be the one to do it. That''ll make it more interesting. Oh, the guy named Albus doesn''t have a Swiss bank ount. You''ll have to open a bank ount for him and then deposit the money into the ount," said Abel. "I can''t do this. I don''t have such skills!" Luca rejected him. Abel was too malicious foring up with such a dirty trick. If Luca forged fake evidence, Dr. Albus would be put into a much more difficult position. At least right now, there was no evidence against him. If she forged evidence and Luke investigated the matter, the consequences Dr. Albus would have to faceter were not as simple as being forced to resign from thepany. He probably had to be held ountable for this, and he might end up in prison... Chapter 1934 ¡°No, you don''t. But someone around you can help you do this." Abel gave Luca a hint. Luca was startled for a moment. She suddenly realized that the person Abel was talking about was Amur... "Can you not involve the innocent in this?!" Luca clenched her fists. She did not want Amur to be involved in this matter as this was not a good thing. "He decided to stay by your side, so he''s destined to be involved in this. I''ll send you the bank ount number and password. You''ll deposit the money into that ount after this. You know very well what you''ll face if you don''tplete the task," said Abel. Luca did not say another word. She did not have the chance to reject Abel''s instructions. The silence on the other end of the phone made Abel feel smug. Abel grinned and said, "Do you think that you don''t have to ept the mission if you stop talking? Luca, keep this in your mind. You were destined to be my puppet three years ago. And stop thinking about finding a chance to escape!" Luca lowered her gaze. She would have escaped if it had not been for her child. Being constantly threatened by Abel made her life a living hell. "I''ll arrange it," Luca replied. Abel was right. The moment Amur decided to stay here to help her, there was no way he could stay out of it. Abel sneered. He was dissatisfied with Luca submitting to him all of a sudden. "Is there anything you''d like to say apart from this?" Abel continued to ask. "No." Luca knew what Abel wanted to talk about. Also, she knew that Abel would not tell her what she wanted to know even if she asked. "It seems like you''ve found out that something''s wrong with your wound. But I''m surprised. You''re aware of it, but you''re not saying anything about it. Why? Are you nning to find the cure yourself?" Abel remembered her wound that had yet to recover and the bloody scene that night. He could not help but feel excited. Abel regretted not taking a photo of that scene. Otherwise, it would help brighten his day whenever he looked at it. "You won''t tell me even if I ask you, so I''ll save my breath. I have to go." Luca rolled her eyes. She could imagine the look on Abel''s face now without even thinking about it. Abel hated Luke. That was why he hated everything and everyone that was rted to him. The happiest person to see Luca wounded was Abel. It was because she used to be Luke''s woman. Luca hung up the call and lifted her head to look in the mirror on the dressing table. Then, she smiled bitterly. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Luke''s ex-wife... This was the only identity that Luca had now that was directly rted to Luke. The phone that Luca was holding in her hand vibrated for a second. She held it up and saw that it was a message sent from the string of numbers. Luca opened it and memorized the bank ount number and password before deleting the message. Then, she called Amur. The phone rang five times. Only then did Amur pick up the call. Amur''s confused tone came from the other end of the call. "Luca?" ¡°Did I wake you up?" Luca noticed that there was a hint of drowsiness in Amur''s voice. She thought that he was still in bed. From what Luca remembered, Amur''s lifestyle had always been normal except when he was on a mission. Could it be that Amur had been up all night just because of Enoch''s matter? Luca felt a little guilty. She did not reply to Amur''s message when he sent her a message yesterday as she was busy looking after Luke. "No. It''s time for me to get up anyway." Amur sat up on the bed and rubbed his forehead that stung a little. Amur had left the ce after eating pot pie with Tinast night. He thought of getting some drinks before returning to the apartment. Thus, he went drinking at the bar until the bar closed. It was only then he went back to sleep. That was why he had been sleeping until now. Luca listened to Amur''s slightly hoarse voice and said helplessly, "I was assigned a mission, but I need your help. Can you meet me today?" Luca knew Amur was tired, but she could not wait until tomorrow. Luke was at Watson Biopharmaceuticals now, and he must be investigating this. Luke''s men were capable. It would be difficult for Luca to aplish the mission assigned by Abel if she did not do it today. "No problem. You cane over now." Amur pulled himself together and stood up. He walked out of the room and saw the messy living room. His face darkened. "I''ll wait for you at home." Amur hung up Luca''s call and started hurriedly cleaning up. Luca was startled to hear the busy tone on the other end of the call. Amur did not even ask what mission she was on and immediately promised to help her. Amur had been helping her the entire time, while Eler was looking after N on the Ind Of Despair. Luca owed the brother and sister a favor. Luca returned to her bedroom. She put the tranted folders into the briefcase. Then, she made her way down the stairs. The maid was already waiting for Luca in the living room. "Ms. Luca, would you like to have lunch now?" "Is Mr. Crawfording back for lunch?" Luca asked. ¡°Mr. Doyle called just now to say that Mr. Crawford won''t being back for lunch," replied the maid. Although the maid wondered why Jason would make a call just to inform her of such a matter, she understood immediately when Luca asked her. It must have been Luke''s order. He asked Jason to tell Luca not to wait for him and that she should have lunch first. "Alright. Can you please pack two portions of lunch for me?" Luca said to the maid as she ced the briefcase on the sofa. Then, she picked up the coat on the clothes rack and put it on. "Sure. Are you nning to deliver lunch to Mr. Crawford?" The maid smiled as she thought about how close they were. "No..." Luca shook her head and continued, "I''m going to my brother''s ce. He probably hasn''t eaten lunch, so.." The maid knew she had misunderstood Luca. She came back to her senses. "Oh, but the lunch might get cold if I pack it. Why don''t you have lunch first?" "Just pack it. I''m in a hurry," said Luca. Then, she sat beside the shoe rack. She put on her socks and changed into a pair of warm winter boots. The maid nodded and headed to the kitchen. She packed two servings of lunch for Luca in the thermos container. Then, she carried it out and handed it to Luca. "Ms. Luca, will you be back for dinner, then?" "It depends on my work progress. I''ll give you a callter." Luca took the thermos container and the briefcase before heading outside. A cold gust of wind blew on Luca''s face. Luca lowered her head and walked to the garage. She got into the car and left. Luca thought there was no need to hide her tracks as she was looking for Amur. She was not going anywhere else. Amur was her brother. It was normal for her to look for him. It would be strange if Luca deliberately covered her tracks. Luca headed to the apartment after she drove the car out of the vi. The maid pondered for a moment as she watched Luca drive the car and leave the vi. Ultimately, she made a call to Luke. "What''s the matter?" Luke did not reject the call when he saw that it was the maid calling him. "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Luca has just left the house. She said she''s going to her brother''s house, and she brought two servings of lunch together with her," the maid told him honestly. Chapter 1935 Luke listened to the maid reporting to him about Luca''s whereabouts. He raised his hand and interrupted Gale while he was analyzing the situation. He asked the person on the other end of the phone, ¡°Did she say what she''s up to?" ¡°No, she didn''t tell me about the details. But it looks like it''s something serious. Oh, she even told me that she won''t being home for dinner if she can''t settle it," the maid answered. "Okay." Luke''s eyes darkened. He did not like the thought of Luca contacting Amur. Although Luca treated Amur like her little brother, Amur did not seem to see her as his elder sister. "Send me a message when she''s back home." "Alright, Mr. Crawford." Luke hung up the call after the maid said so. Gale was sitting with his legs crossed opposite Luke, and he deliberately asked, "Luke, haven''t you handled Sister-in-Law yet? And you''re still keeping an eye on her?" "This has nothing to do with you. All you have to do is to investigate the matter for me. It''s up to you to decide how much manpower you need." Luke refused to give Gale the chance to mention Luca and shifted the topic back to the main subject. Gale nodded and replied, "It''s hard to tell whether it''s difficult or not since I haven''t started investigating. I might put the brothers who are doing their mission abroad to use if there''s a need to do so." "Feel free to do so," replied Luke. Gale had Luke''splete trust. Even though Luke and Gale''s friendship had notsted more than 30 years like Percy and Luke''s friendship, Luke was still able to trust him with his life. "Alright then. I was gonna head to the control room to get the rted footage away, but I don''t have permission now. Mr. Doyle, sorry to trouble you." Gale stood up and turned to look at Jason. Gale needed Jason to apany him to the control room. After all, thepany''s security measures were strict. Hence, Gale thought that it was unbelievable to have such important research data stolen and sold off to someone else under such circumstances. "Sure." Jason nced at Luke and followed Gale out of the room. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Luke was left alone in his office. He turned the wheelchair and stared outside the window. Why was Luca looking for Amur? Was there any connection between them and what happened this time? Luke was truly hoping that Luca had nothing to do with this... Luca drove to the apartment. The security guard who was familiar with Luca greeted her enthusiastically when she drove into the residential area. ¡°Ms. Luca, did you buy a car?" "It''s thepany''s car," answered Luca as she held up the ess card against the long-range reader. The entrance barrier gate was opened. The security reminded her, "Oh, the other resident staying in your apartment owns a car too. He took your parking lot. You probably have to park your car in the visitor''s parking lot." "Alright. I got it. Thank you for reminding me." Luca wondered when Amur got a car. Why was she not informed? It was cold, so there were barely any visitors. There were many avable spaces in the visitors'' parking lot. Luca headed to the apartment after she parked her car. She carried the thermos container in her arms, afraid that the cold wind would cool the food. Luca was polite and did not open the door directly when she reached the apartment. She knocked on the door instead. Amur came to open the door. He was surprised to see Luca and said, "Why did you knock on the door? Did you forget to bring the keys?" "I brought the keys, but I still thought it''d better knock on the door first," Luca smiled and exined. She walked into the apartment and looked around. It was not as messy as she thought it would be. It seemed like Amur still cared a lot about his hygiene. "You''re the owner of this house. Don''t bother with the usual courtesies." Amur felt unhappy when Luca said so. It was as though she was treating him like an outsider. Luca ced the thermos container on the dining table and said, "I don''t think you''ve had anything to eat yet since you just woke up, right? I brought lunch. Care to join?" "Sure." Amur nodded. It warmed his heart when he saw the thermos container. Luca still cared about him and even brought him lunch. Luca walked into the kitchen and noticed that there was dust on the cooking counter. She reckoned that Amur had never cooked here before. Amur did not know how to cook either. Luca took out two sets of clean cutleries and walked out of the kitchen. She ced them on the dining table and opened the thermos container. The fragrance of the food filled their noses immediately. Amur sat at the dining table and watched Luca fill a te with macaroni and cheese. Then, she ced the te in front of Amur. Amur could not help and ask, "How have you beentely?" "I''m fine. I have a maid to look after me. The maid prepared all these for lunch. What a sumptuous meal, right?" Luca did not tell Amur the troubles that were on her mind. Amur could hear the implication in her words and replied, ¡°Your cooking still tastes the best no matter how sumptuous the meal is." "Why? Are you craving it?" Luca ced the buffalo wings in front of him. Amur usually worked out, and his body needed more calories. Hence, Luca had specially brought some meat for him. "Yes. I had some really good pot piest night. It''s located in an urban vige. Although it doesn''t taste as good as the one you make, it''s still vorful. Let me bring you there when you''re free," said Amur. Luca nodded and replied, "Sure. Let''s go there after I''m done with the work on hand. I''ll prepare lots of good food for you too." "Sounds great." Amur smiled. He noticed that Luca was only having some sd. He quickly took two buffalo wings for her and ced them on her te. "You''ve lost weight. You should eat more." "Alright. You too." Luca took a bite of the macaroni and cheese. She imitated him by helping him take two more buffalo wings. Amur was not blinded by the happiness in his heart. He remembered why Luca came looking for him, so he asked, "Oh, the mission you mentioned¡ª" "Let''s enjoy our lunch first. We''ll talk about it after lunch." Luca did not answer him directly. She refused to be disturbed by the damned mission while she was enjoying a moment of peace. Amur nodded. After the two of them finished their lunch, Luca carried the tes and thermos container into the kitchen. She told Amur about the mission only after she cleaned everything up. Amur fell silent after he listened to her. He stroked his chin and concluded, "So, I have to use Albus'' identity to open a Swiss bank ount for him?" "Yes." Luca nodded. "Do you have his personal information?" Amur asked again. "I didn''t dare to pry as things aren''t in my favor now. I might need you to use some methods to get that person''s personal information," said Luca. It was not that she could not ess the personal information of the employees in Watson Biopharmaceuticals, but if she looked into it now, she would make herself a suspicious target. "I got it. Let me dig into it." Amur nodded. Luca reminded him, "Don''t try to ess T Corporation''s and Watson Biopharmaceuticals'' systems. It''s easy to get caught now." "Got it. Leave this to me. I probably need some time to do it, but it''s not difficult for me," replied Amur. The task was as easy as pie for him. Chapter 1936 Amur took hisptop out of his bedroom after that. Luca watched him sit down beside the dining table. He turned on hisptop and started looking for Dr. Albus'' personal information. She frowned slightly and asked, ¡°This has nothing to do with you. Are you sure you want to help me?" After all, once Amur started, he would be dragged into this. "I told you before. Your matters are also my matters. Don''t worry, I''ll be careful. They won''t be able to capture my traces as long as I don''t leave any behind." Amurforted Luca. He was confident with his skills. "Alright." Luca fell silent as she watched Amur open the software and start working. She took the documents that needed to be tranted out of her briefcase and began tranting. Amur nced at her and asked, "What are you doing?" Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. "Work documents. I have to trante them," replied Luca. She forgot to bring herptop with her when she came out just now. Hence, she could only look at the documents on the side and work on her phone. Amur could not help but shoot another nce at her. "Russian?" "Yes. They''re rted to the project in Russia," answered Luca. "Is Abel thinking of targeting this project?" Amur''s long fingers were typing on the keyboard. He was writing the codes while finding out what was happening. Luca let out a sigh. Amur took the hint and said, "It looks like he is." "He asked me to steal confidential information and hand it to him," Luca said helplessly. "What''s your n?" Amur did not ask Luca whether or not she was willing to do it. He knew she was reluctant to do so without a second thought. However, even though Luca refused to do so, Abel would never be considerate of her. He would still force Luca to do it. "I don''t know either. I''ll just take it one step at a time." Luca let out a sigh. She would not conceal her troubles when she was in front of Amur. She looked outside the window with her soulful eyes. "Amur, there''s not much time left for me." "You have plenty of time. It''s just... There are some things we don''t get to choose." Amur corrected himself. "Even though Luke is not beside you, you still have me. and Eler." Luca nodded. Apart from Luke, she still had them, but deep in her heart, everything else she could have could notpare to Luke. Luca had a crush on Luke since she was a teenager. They got together and eventually got married to each other. During this time, she always felt as though she was dreaming. However, she was well aware that it was not a dream. Everything she was going through now, including living a life while being constantly threatened by someone, was a nightmare. Sometimes, Luca wished that she was still lying on the bed in Crawford Manor when she woke up in the morning. Luke would be waiting for her beside her, speaking gently to her and telling her that she had been sleeping for a long time... "Let''s focus on what we''re doing here now. That''s what you taught me." Amur saw the mncholic look on Luca''s face. She was reluctant to ept all the arrangements made for her. He had no choice but to Luca came back to her senses and nodded. Then, she continued to work on her trantion. Half an hourter, Amur cracked his knuckles and turned to look at Luca. He said, "I''ve found Raymond Albus'' personal information." Luca looked at theptop screen. Abel was impressive. He managed to find out Dr. Albus'' identification number." "Next." Amur continued, "Next, we''ll create a Swiss bank ount for him." "They have a strict system. Be careful." Luca reminded him. "You don''t have any talents in this regard. That''s why you''ve nevere into contact with any of this. But I''ve been trained to do this ever since I started taking information technology training. The passing requirement to proceed to another level is to create a Swiss bank ount for ourselves without getting noticed by the system." Amur was certain that he could aplish the mission. Luca remained silent. She would feel uneasy if things went too smoothly. In a blink of an eye, Amur was already getting busy. His fingers were quickly dancing on the keyboard as he keyed in the codes. Luca watched him break into the bank''s systemyer afteryer. She could not help but break out in a cold sweat as she was worried about him. Amur was fast. He skillfully used the program that he had developed to his advantage and avoided all the security systems Another half an hourter, he had sessfully created a bank ount for Dr. Albus. Amur created a password while he looked at the information bound to the bank ount. Even though it was Dr. Albus'' bank ount, he was the one who was controlling it now. Thest thing they had to do was to deposit the amount of money that Abel had given into the bank ount. Then, it would be considered a done job. "Write down the password to the bank ount on a piece of paper. I''m getting anotherptop," said Amur. Luca nodded. She picked up the calendar ced on the coffee table and tore a piece of paper. Then, she picked up a pen and wrote down the bank ount number and password that she had memorized earlier on the paper. Amur nced at the bank ount number and searched online. After he made sure what bank it was, he created a new IP address with anotherptop. Then, he logged in to the bank ount online. Although Luca did not know much aboutputers, she was still able to understand what Amur was doing. "You''re meticulous." ¡°I have to be. Luke has a fewputer geeks with him. If he happens to investigate this and if I use the sameptop, they''ll probably find out something. I''m pinning the IP address to another country. Even if they suspect that it''s a setup, they won''t find out that I''m behind it," exined Amur. Luca nodded as she watched him log into the ount Abel gave them. Then, she watched him operate it and deposit the money into the new bank ount he created just now. After Luca saw the words ''Transaction Sessful'', she knew that she hadpleted Abel''s instructions. There was no way out for them, and Abel got what he wanted. Dr. Albus would be in deep trouble. Luca frowned. ¡°There''s something I don''t understand. Why must he set Dr. Albus up?" Although Dr. Albus had a certain reputation in the biopharmaceutical industry, it was not significant enough to affect Abel''s interests. That was why Luca could not understand why Abel would go against Dr. Albus. ¡°Do you want to know why?" Amur closed the webpage and changed the IP address back without giving the opposite party the chance to track him down. Luca nodded. ¡°Yes. He wouldn''t do it for no reason." ¡°I can figure it out," said Amur. Then, he got busy once more. Luca continued to work on her documents on the sofa while waiting for Amur''s results. It was a little difficult to figure things out. However, Amur managed to find out the reason two hours later. Luca happened to finish his work at this time. She put the documents back into her briefcase. ¡°Found it." "Is there any connection between them?" Luca was surprised. She did not expect someone like Dr. Albus, who had a clean family background, to have something to do with Abel. ¡°Do you still remember Kassy?" Amur reminded her. Luca nodded and replied, "Previously, this woman nned to harm me and my children to get Luke... After that, she got thrown into prison. Abel was in love with her at that time." Chapter 1937 ¡°Kassy refused to listen to orders when she was in prison. She was considered a dangerous inmate. Even though she was held in a single cell, she would still find different kinds of excuses to attack the others. That''s what''s written on the report by the prison," said Amur. After Amur could not find the connection between Abel and Dr. Albus, it came to his mind that Abel was taking revenge on the people who were directly or indirectly rted to Kassy. That was why he looked into something else. He did not expect that he would find out about this. ¡°And then?" Luca did not understand how this woman would have any connection with Dr. Albus. Luca had seen Dr. Albus'' personal information before. Dr. Albus was a great academic and a bioresearch professor. He had published a few journals and developed several drugs. How could a person like that have anything to do with Kassy? "Her behavior put the prison officers on the spot. They even held a meeting and consulted the relevant department. In the end, they thought Kassy was suffering from a mental disorder. They decided to give her an injectable drug that could reduce her violent and aggressive behavior. This kind of drug could affect a human''s nervous system and movement behavior, causing that person to be unresponsive. Well, there''s a side effect too. Even when the drug''s effects subsided, their body would feel weak. The drug is mainly used to control a person, and it''s usually used in psychiatric hospitals. The drug that they gave Kassy happens to be a drug developed by Dr. Albus'' team." Luca came to her senses and frowned. ¡°And that''s the reason why he''s getting rid of Dr. Albus?" Amur shook his head and let out a sigh. ¡°Why? Is there something else?" Luca asked. "Yes. Abel had once initiated a rescue n, but it failed. It was because Kassy had been given the drug. The dyed side effects were too strong. Kassy was weak and could barely walk. Most of them who went to rescue her were taken down by police officers. Therefore, Kassy was locked in a heavily guarded cell with advanced facilities. Abel lost the opportunity, and he could only watch Kassy die in the prison." Amur found out what had happened and finally understood why Abel was going against a professor in biopharmaceuticals. Luca fell silent. Dr. Albus was only doing his job. He was not the one who decided to give Kassy the drug. However, Abel was taking revenge on Dr. Albus for Kassy''s death. Then, did the people who decided to give Kassy the drug face the risk of his revenge as well? ¡°The biggest coincidence was... Previously, Kassy had ordered some psychotropic medications developed by Dr. Albus. Perhaps she ordered those from him when she was trying to get rid of you a few years ago." Amur said as he turned off theptop. Luca shook her head and said to him, "That''s impossible. Dr. Albus'' research should all be legal. The psychotropic medications Kassy wanted to give me back then were deadly. Dr. Albus couldn''t have developed those drugs." "Kassy has a team behind her. They can process the drugs again, turning them into deadly ones. Dr. Albus is indeed innocent. But there''s nothing we can do about it." Amur believed that it would not take long before Luke''s men found the money in Dr. Albus'' bank ount. Dr. Albus would never be able to exin this when the time came. Luca held her hands. She felt sorry for Dr. Albus. Although he was snobbish to the others, that behavior came from his own pride and achievements. He had never done anything harmful... "Amur, are we going to keep on taking the lives of the innocent if we continue to be manipted by Abel for the rest of our lives?" Luca asked. Amur knew what Luca meant, and heforted her. "Don''t worry about it. No one knows what''s going to happen tomorrow." "Yes. No one knows what tomorrow holds, but we''ve already seen Dr. Albus'' future." Luca felt deste. She did not feel happy about aplishing the mission Abel had assigned her. Amur felt sorry when he saw Luca in such a state. He secretly made up his mind to be stronger and get rid of Abel. Luca would be able to live a life of her own when the time came. However, getting rid of Abel would not free them right away. After all, they had taken the drug he gave them. Amur was reminded of Luca''s wound at the thought of it. Then, he asked, "Oh, has your wound recovered?" Luca touched her waist and replied, "I''m afraid not. Abel admitted that he poisoned me." "I''m going to look for him to get the antidote." Amur immediately got angry. He did not expect Abel to use such a dirty trick to make Luca suffer more when he was already manipting her. Luca grabbed Amur''s hand before he stood up. "He admitted it, but that doesn''t mean he''s going to give me the antidote. Even if you get to see him, you''ll only end up bing a pawn in his game. He''ll have you help him aplish those missions. Now that you''re on a break, you''d better enjoy the peaceful days. I can deal with the wound myself." "But this can''t be dyed.." Amur frowned. He would have apanied Luca if he knew she was going to hand over the information herself. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. However, Luca would never tell him unless she was unable to handle something herself. Sometimes, it would be toote. "I know my condition well. Besides, I''m taking other medications too. It helps to slow down the effects. Don''t worry. Didn''t you say you''d like to have a taste of my cooking again? There''s some time left, so why don''t we go and get some groceries? I''ll make a nice dinner for you." Luca changed the subject of the conversation. She did not want Amur to worry about her wound. "You''re still wounded, and you should rest. But I''m not good at cooking. Let''s order takeout.." Of course, Amur was more than willing to have a taste of Luca''s cooking again. However, he rejected her when he thought of her wound. "It''s not going to take a lot of energy to cook. And haven''t you been craving my food sincest time? Why don''t we order some ingredients online and I''ll prepare the meal?" Luca knew Amur was worried about her wound, but she was no longer the person she used to be. She was not that weak anymore. "Don''t worry. I know myself very well." Amur had no choice but to nod when Luca insisted on doing so. ¡°Let me help you.¡± ¡°You don''t even know how to cook. And you''ll only cause me trouble if you help me. Just wait until the food is served.¡± Luca picked up her phone and began to order the ingredients using the app. "I''m learning," Amur replied hurriedly when Luca refused to let him help. "The kitchen is clean. It doesn''t look like you''re learning how to cook. But if you''re really learning, I can provide you with a cookbook full of my secret recipes. It feels great knowing how to cook when you''re living alone. It''s much healthier than having takeouts," said Luca. She had chosen all the ingredients, filled in the address, and checked out her shopping cart. Amur wanted to say that Luca would still be by his side in the future anyway. However, how could he say such things to her? He had no choice but to nod stiffly and reply, "Sure." "Help me get the ingredients downstairs when they''re delivered. I''ll take that as your help." After that, Luca opened the document on her phone and started proofreading the tranted content. Chapter 1938 "Alright." Amur agreed and looked at the tender look in her eyes. He was full of unwillingness. He was selfish and hoped that these unpleasant issues would be resolved as soon as possible. With that, he would be able to return to the Ind of Despair with Luca. Even if their days there were unpleasant, they could at least free themselves from the troubles here. Luca did not realize that Amur had thought things through. After she was doneparing the documents, she then sent the maid a message, telling her that she would not be returning for dinner. The maid replied: [Alright, Ms. Luca.] Luca ced her phone down and ignored the message. She turned on the TV and watched it. After having dinner, it was already eight at night. Amur nced at the scenery outside. It was pitch-ck, and he was worried that it would be dangerous for Luca to return alone. He wanted to have her stay back. "It''s gettingte. Why don''t you just stay here for the night? I''ve always been sleeping in the second bedroom, and the things in the master bedroom haven''t been touched. You can sleep there." Luca shook her head as she did not wish to spend the night here. She thought of Luke. Even though he was handling issues regarding Dr. Albus, she was clueless about whether he would return to the vi. If he did return to the vi, no one would be there to look after him. It would not be convenient for him to do anything, including bathing. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. "I think it''s best if I return. Someone wille here to collect these documents. That way, I won''t have to rush,¡± said Luca. She looked at the clock. "Besides, it''s not thatte yet." "Alright then. I''ll see you off downstairs." Amur was aware of her feelings. He knew that she was rushing back because of that man. Luca nodded her head. They walked to the elevator. Her phone rang, and she picked it up to have a look only to see that it was a call from Luke. Luca answered it, "Mr. Crawford." "Are you still at your brother''s apartment?" Luke immediately asked. Luca looked at Amur and answered honestly, "I''m about to leave." Amur, who was next to her, kept quiet. He felt that something was going on between both of them. It was only eight at night and the man was already calling her. Luca was not his woman now! Amur did not say a word and just silently endured the dissatisfaction within him. "I''m at the entrance downstairs. I can''t go in. You''ll have toe out," Luke said as he nced at the security guard who was stopping him. The incident that happened previously had made the security in this small area be stricter. Strangers without the permission of the tenant would not be allowed to enter. "Ah, alright." Luca was surprised that he woulde here. The elevator arrived at their floor, and Luca stepped in. She looked at Amur and said, "You don''t have to send me off, Amur. You can go back and take a rest." "It''s best if I send you down," said Amur, feeling determined. He pressed on the first floor when he entered the elevator. Then, the elevator doors closed. Luca could vaguely sense that he was not in a good mood but just went along with him. After they arrived on the first floor, Luca headed toward the entrance of the small area. She wanted to know why Luke would show up here. Amur grabbed her elbow. "Did you park your car outside?" "No..." Luca shook her head and answered him honestly, "Luke is at the entrance of the small area. Maybe there''s something urgent. I''m heading over to have a look." "He''s here?" Amur frowned and spoke in a disgusted tone. Luca knew he despised Luke. Hence, she made up an excuse for him, ¡°Maybe it''s about Dr. Albus. That''s why he''s here." "I always do things carefully. His men shouldn''t have been able to find him. I''ll follow you to meet him," said Amur in a determined tone. He wanted to have a look at what was Luke up to. Luca could not stop him and followed him to the entrance. The headlights of the car were on, and Luke saw Luca slowly walking toward him. Jason was sitting in the driver''s seat and noticed that Luca wasing over. He reminded, "Mr. Crawford, it''s Dr. Craw." "Get out," Luke said. Jason was astonished. "Sorry?" "Get down from the car," Luke said concisely. Jason unfastened his seatbelt and got out of the car after pushing the car door open. Luca arrived before the car and saw him. She was not surprised that Jason was here too. Wherever Luke went, he needed someone to follow him. "Is Mr. Crawford in the car?" "Yes. Please enter the car," said Jason with a smile. He looked at Amur and noticed thetter''s dark expression under the car''s headlights. ''His gloomy expression is almost on par with Luke''s. ''So, this is Luca''s brother whom Tina mentioned?'' That day in thepany, Tina had blurted out the incident that urred yesterday. Afterining, she mentioned Luca''s younger brother. Since then, he became curious about this person. Looking at him now, Amur was dressed in a thin shirt despite it being winter. From his casual attire, his muscr figure was made obvious. ''No wonder Tina said he''s agile. One look and I know he practices martial arts.'' Luca nodded and walked to the front passenger seat. She knocked on the car window after thinking that the man in the car would be cold if she opened the car door. Luke wound the car window down. He lifted his hand and pointed at the driver''s seat. "Get in the car." The simple statement made Luca stunned. He had never talked much in front of others. Before she was able to speak, Luke wound the car window back up. She could only see the side profile of his determined face. Feeling helpless, Luca had no choice but to go around the car and walk to the driver''s seat. She opened the car door. "Luca." Amur felt a pinch in his heart. He was not happy seeing her entering Luke''s car. Luca just responded with a faint smile. She bent down and climbed into the driver''s seat. She immediately closed the car door, afraid the cold wind might enter. "Any orders, Mr. Crawford?" "Where''s your car keys?" Only then did Luke speak a little more. Luca took out her car keys from the office bag. Before she could pass them to him, thetter took them away. Luke wound the car window down and shouted, "Jason!" Jason quickly went to the side of the car. "Any orders, Mr. Crawford?" Luke tossed the car keys to him. "Go drive Dr. Craw''s car back." "Alright." Jason caught the car keys and smiled while waiting for Luke to wind up the window. He then stood straight up. Luca looked at his actions, astonished. "Mr. Crawford?" "Start driving home," Luke said. "But the car..." Luca looked at Jason. He stood at the front of the car, waving at them. "Jason knows what to do," Luke said. He adjusted his seat to afortable angle. Luca felt very helpless and had no choice but to fasten her seatbelt and start the car. She then slowly reversed the car. ''He really is domineering. The security guards didn''t let him in, so he parked right at the entrance of the small neighborhood without considering whether there would be others entering or leaving the ce.'' Amur took a step forward when he saw Luca slowly reversing the car. However, Jason grabbed his arm. "Hey, don''t go any farther. Luca is driving back home." "Why should she drive that man back?¡± Amur was angry and shoved his hand away. Jason shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "It''s Mr. Crawford''s request, and Dr. Craw epted it. That''s the reason." Chapter 1939 Amur could not refute Jason''s statement and could only watch Luca drive the car away. Jason could sense the abnormal auraing off Amur and added, "Stop looking. They''ve gone far away." Amur looked at him. Even though Jason had not introduced himself, Amur knew who he was. ''I think Luca had mentioned him before. It seems that he has helped her out numerous times in the past.'' Hence, Amur did not n to be petty and just turned around. Jason felt that this pair of siblings was interesting. This man always had a cold expression, but when he saw Luca, his eyes sparkled. It was just the same as Luke. Of course, he knew that Amur and Luca were not biological siblings. They just imed to be siblings. They both came from the same organization. Hence, he knew the reason why Amur treated Luca in such a way and did not me Luke for being hostile to this man. After getting to know that Luca was here, Luke quickly finished his work and headed straight there without even taking dinner. It turned out that he was afraid that Luca might be snatched away by this man. Jason nced at Amur with a critical gaze and thought to himself that it was only normal for his boss to feel threatened. After all, Amur was a decent man... Amur was walking back. After noticing that Jason was following behind him, he asked coldly, "What are you doing?" "I have to help Dr. Craw drive her car back, but I''m not familiar with this ce. Do you know where Dr. Craw''s car is?" Jason asked. The parking spot in the apartment had been upied by the car he was renting. Hence, Luca could only park her car in the visitors'' car park. She would definitely have chosen the car park nearest to the apartment block. He pointed in that direction. Jason inwardly tsked, but he kept quiet and did not say a word. They were heading in the same direction. Jason followed beside him and asked, "Hey, what''s your job? I''ve never heard Dr. Craw talking about you." Amur red at him coldly. Was he trying to sow discord? Was Jason intentionally telling him that Luca did not have much concern for him? Jason noticed Amur''s cold gaze. He felt that Amur might have thought too much into the meaning of his words. Actually, Jason did not mean that. It was just that the weather was too cold, and Amur was cold too, so Jason was just trying his best to chat with him. Jason walked to the car park. After looking around for the car te number, he managed to locate Luca''s car. It was actually Luke''s car. Even though it was not expensive, he was able to recognize the number te immediately and tested it with the car keys. Indeed, it was the car he was looking for. He opened the car door and said to Amur, "Thanks. I''ll take my leave now." Amur suddenly spun around and walked to Jason''s side. He looked at thetter coldly. "You''re going to drive her car back to the ce she''s staying, right?" "Yeah. Dr. Craw normally drives this car out." Jason nodded. "I''ll tag along." As he spoke, Amur opened the door to the front passenger seat. Jason was shocked. He wanted to go there too? Earlier when he saw Luke with Luca, Amur''s expression was obviously not good. If he saw Luca entering the vi with Luke, perhaps Amur might even attack Luke. He quickly shook his head and said, "I''m just following orders. Please don''t put me in a difficult position." "I''m not troubling you. Let''s go." While talking, Amur bent down and got into the car. Jason was troubled and had no choice but to negotiate with him. "My boss won''t entertain you." "I''m just looking for Luca." Amur sat in the front passenger seat and did not intend to get out of the car. The person he was looking for was not Luke. Hence, he could not be bothered about whether or not Luke would entertain him. Jason saw him being so determined. It left him with no choice but to resort to a harsher method. "If you insist on staying in the car and not leaving, I have no choice but to drive the car back to my house. It''s not toote for me to drive the car back to Dr. Craw tomorrow. Besides, even if Dr. Craw can''t drive this car to go to work, my boss has tons of other cars.¡± Amur heard this and clenched his fists. If it were not for Jason having a good rtionship with Luca, he would have punched Jason in the face. Jason noticed that his mood had changed and knew his words had taken effect. He said, "So, as I was saying, do you still want to sit in this car? If you''re interested in going to my house, I can bring you there. I have a guest room." "No thanks!" Amur immediately got out of the car and closed the car door ruthlessly. Jason let out a breath of relief as he had finally managed to chase Amur out. He quickly sat in the driver''s seat and locked the car before Amur had the chance to change his mind. He then ignited the car and left the apartment. When he left, he looked in the rearview mirror and confirmed that there was no car following him. In other words, he was only relieved to drive to Luke''s vi after confirming that Amur was not following him. When he arrived at the vi, Luca had already pushed Luke into the bathroom and was still following the method from yesterday. Jason passed the car keys to her. Luca received them and said, "Thanks, Mr. Doyle." "You''re wee. I had toe here anyway. Oh right, is Mr. Crawford''s mood any better?" Jason asked. Previously, whenever Luke was in a foul mood, he would feel better upon seeing Luca. This time, he wondered if Luke''s mood had improved. "He still has a dark expression. It seems like he''s in a foul mood. What''s wrong?" Initially, Luca thought it was because Luke had seen her with Amur, which was why he had a dark expression. After all, Luke had always been hostile toward Amur. From the current looks of it, things were not that simple. "It''s because of Dr. Albus'' issue. For the time being, we can''t find anything. The earlier we investigate this issue, the higher chance we''ll have of minimizing thepany''s losses. That''s why Mr. Crawford''s mood is very bad," Jason exined. Luca understood and nodded. "So, that''s the issue..." "Normally, Mr. Crawford''s mood will be better when he sees you. But today, something is off. I''m guessing it''s because he saw you with your brother." Jason hesitated. Luca knew what he wanted to say. She said with a t tone, "Amur and I are siblings. Mr. Crawford is making our rtionship moreplicated than it really is.¡± Listening to her exnation, Jason smiled helplessly and even shook his head. Luca was curious when she saw his reaction. "What''s wrong?" "Earlier when I found your car and was about to drive it here, your brother sat in the front passenger seat and insisted on following me here. I told him that if he didn''t get out, I''d just drive the car back to my house. If I hadn''t said that, he would be here now,¡± Jason said. After observing Luca, he knew that Luca really just treated Amur as her younger brother. It was not an issue to tell her about her younger brother''s antics, right? Perhaps the elder sister could lecture her younger brother about this matter. "Is that so?" Luca was surprised. She thought that Amur would not do anything silly. She did not expect Amur to take action, and this gave her a headache.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Chapter 1940 "It''s the truth. I saw that you have a dashcam in your car. It would have recorded our conversation.¡± Jason immediately made it clear that he was not being suspicious out of the blue. Even though he was on Luke''s side, there was no need for him to frame someone he was not even familiar with. "I got it. Maybe he needed something. Thanks for telling me this." Luca expressed her gratitude. Even though she was clueless why Amur would do such a thing, she thought to herself that perhaps it was because she had been neglecting Amur recently. She was just too busy. Her feelings for Amur had always been that of siblings. Hence, as the elder sister, she had to show her concern for him. "I''m done." Luke''s voice was hearding from the bathroom. Jason touched his chin and asked, "Do you need my help, Dr. Craw?" "It''s alright. I can handle it myself." Luca shook her head and believed that Luke would not like it if others saw him in an embarrassing state. If it were not because using crutches was troublesome, she believed that Luke would have chosen to use crutches over a wheelchair. He would do it just to maintain his image. "Alright. In that case, I''ll return to the office to settle some stuff," Jason said, afraid that he might see something that he should. Luca did not see him off. She turned around and walked into the maid''s room and pushed the door of the bathroom open. It was the same asst night. Luke had wrapped himself in a bathrobe. Luca helped him up into the wheelchair. When she was about to push him out and let him wear his clothes, she heard him saying, "I''ve yet to eat my dinner." Luca''s back was facing him, and her footsteps came to a halt. "What do you want to have for dinner?" "The pasta you make," said Luke. Thinking about how Luca had two meals with Amur made him ufortable. ''This woman really knows how to get my blood boiling.'' He was not willing to have other men be in contact with her too often. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. "I''ll go to the kitchen and prepare it for you." After Luca spoke, she left the bathroom and headed to the kitchen. She opened the fridge and took out the ingredients she needed. The maid had stocked up lots of food in the fridge as it was not convenient to head outside to buy groceries due to the cold weather. Besides, it could snow anytime. Luca thought to herself, ''Perhaps he didn''t have lunch either and just had breakfast.'' Hence, while choosing the ingredients, she chose the ones that were high in nutritional value. After preparing the ingredients, she started cooking pasta for Luke. It was a piece of cake for her to cook for Luke. She was very familiar with his preferences. After 25 minutes, Luca had turned the ingredients into a bowl of pasta. She carefully ced the bowl of pasta onto a tray and brought it to the maid''s room. Luke had already changed into a set of casual attire and was sitting in front of the desk working. The moment Luca entered, the aroma of the pasta wafted over and immediately attracted Luke''s attention. Luke looked at Luca while she ced the pasta at the side of the desk. She said, "I don''t know what toppings you wanted, so I just casually prepared these." Luke saw that there was beef and egg in the bowl. His eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "It looks good.¡± Luca nodded. "Enjoy your meal. After this, you''ll still have to eat your medication." He had left in a hurry that day. Both of them forgot to bring his medications along. Luke held her up. "Why don''t you have some too?" "I''m not hungry. You enjoy your meal." Luca shook her head. She recalled past memories when they were both hungry at night and would share a bowl of pasta. They were unable to go back in time nor experience these moments again. Luke took a nce at the sumptuous bowl of pasta. When he lifted his head, Luca had already left the room. She was only always like this, unwilling to stay in the same room as him. Whenever he extended an invitation to her, she would always choose to stay far away from him. Luke picked up his cutleries and took a mouthful of pasta. It tasted the same as how he remembered it. Before this, Luca would change her cooking methods and recipes so that her food would taste slightly different than when she was Bianca. This time, however, she had not changed anything. She had followed her old recipe to cook this bowl of pasta. It tasted good. Luca did not head upstairs immediately as Luke would have to take his medicer on. Instead, she sat on the sofa in the living room and watched the international news while waiting for Luke to finish his pasta. After 16 minutes, Luke came out while maneuvering the wheelchair. The tray was ced on hisp. Luca immediately got up and walked to his side. She lifted the tray. "Did you have enough, Mr. Crawford?" "Yes," Luke said. Luca looked at the bowl. He had finished all the pasta and toppings, including the sauce. "I''ve brought you a cup of water, and the temperature is just right. Here''s the medicine. You can take it now.¡± She carried the tray and walked into the kitchen. Luke looked at Luca''s departing back figure, and his eyes gleamed darkly. She said she did not know him well and did not care about him, but from her actions, was she not showing him concern and care? Luke was not bothered about the trivial issues in life, especially when it was rted to himself. If the one who was sick was Luca, he would definitely study and memorize the dosage of the medications. He would learn about the side effects of each medicine before allowing her to take them. However, if he was the patient, he would not care much. Right now, it was Luca who was concerned about him. She was still concerned about him. Luke picked up the pills and water from the coffee table, immediately swallowing them. Luca was washing the dishes in the kitchen. The sound of the water running made him recall the incident in Watson Biopharmaceuticals. He moved his wheelchair toward the entrance of the kitchen. "There''s something I''d like to talk to you about." Her hands that were washing the dishes paused. She turned around and looked at the man. "Please go on, Mr. Crawford." "It''s about the things happening in Watson Biopharmaceuticals," Luke said. Luca nodded. She had gotten to know from Jason that there was no progress in the investigation. She did not continue to ask after that. Luke continued, "I got Gale to investigate this issue. Everyone rted will need to be investigated, including you." "Got it." Luca nodded. If Luke did not investigate her, she would feel that something was off. "You won''t overthink it, right?" He was concerned about her thoughts. He was worried she might be ufortable with the formal investigation. "Not at all. I yed a small role in Dr. Albus'' research, so it''s reasonable for me to be investigated as well." Luca was not mad. Besides, if she followed Abel''s orders, she would not be busted. "It''s good that you can understand." Luke nodded. Seeing that there were no changes in her expression, he asked, ¡°Are you done with the documents for today?" "I''vepleted them and sent them to the trantor, Alya." Luca made it known that she did not dy her work for Amur. "Great. If you have time,e help me out with some documents." After Luke spoke, he maneuvered his wheelchair back to the maid''s room. Luca ced the dishes that were cleaned into the disinfection cab. She wiped off the water droplets on her hands. He seemed to have given her a choice, but it did not feel like she had an option. She had to head over to the maid''s room. When he heard the footsteps, Luke lifted his eyes to look at her. He pointed his chin to the corner of the maid''s room. "Have a seat." Chapter 1941 Luca looked in the direction where Luke pointed when he lifted his head and noticed the chair ced in a corner. She went over and sat on that chair. Luke stared at her and frowned. ''Is she trying to make me angry on purpose? ''The distance between us is more than three meters...'' Luke said, "if you''re going to sit so far away, how are you going to help me with the documents?" Luca blinked her eyes and got his hint. She immediately got up. She moved the chair to the side of the office table. After cing it down gently, she then sat on it again. Luke was satisfied as the distance between them was now less than a meter. "Mr. Crawford, I don''t have experience dealing with documents.¡± Luca looked at the huge stack of documents on the table and spoke. It was not that shecked the experience but it was that she was afraid she might not handle the task well as it had been quite some time since shest handled documents. "It''s very easy. All you have to do ispare these documents." Luke took out two sets of folders and ced them in front of her. Instantly, she knew what she had to do. This task was not tough. Luca nodded and opened a folder to start working on it. Both of them started focusing on the documents in front of them. After two hours, Luke said, "It''s gettingte. You should head upstairs to get some rest." Luca lifted her head and looked at him, surprised. Before she could speak, the folder in her hand was snatched away. "I can continue to work on it for a while more, Mr. Crawford.¡± "Go get some rest," said Luke. He did not actually need her help to settle the documents. He just wanted to seize the chance to be together with her. Luca saw him not lifting his head and urging her to get some rest. She had no choice but to get up. She ced the chair back in its original spot before leaving. Luke watched as Luca left, his eyes glittering darkly. Luca returned upstairs and did not immediately call it a night. She went to the study and took out the analysis report. She frowned when she read the report. All she was sure of was that the drug Abel hadced the de with contained a microorganism, but she was not familiar with the name. This required further investigation. However, it was gettingte... Luca ced the test tube down, and after storing it in a cool environment, she left the study. She headed to the bedroom, nning to brush her teeth before sleeping. Luke sat in the wheelchair and watched the monitor. He saw Lucaing out from the study and heading back to her bedroom. She showed no intention of entering his bedroom. ''Could it be that she''s really not interested in this project? ''If she really isn''t interested, I can be sure that Luca has nothing to do with the incident involving Dr. Albus.'' The next day, when Luca got out of bed and came downstairs, she noticed Gale was standing in the hall. "Nice to meet you, Dr. Craw." Gale waved to Luca politely. Luca nodded as she knew Gale. However, that was when she was still Bianca. Hence, she did not show too much familiarity. "Hi, are you here for Mr. Crawford?" "Yes." Gale nodded. Luke had just woken up and was brushing his teeth. Hence, he waited outside. Luca initially wanted to ask whether Gale showed up here so early because he had found out something. However, after giving it some thought, she decided not to ask. There were some things that she should not ask as it would make others suspicious. She did not say anything more and headed to the kitchen. Gale looked at her back figure and frowned slightly. Even if one changed one''s appearance, one would not be able to change one''s temperament. Besides, after all these years, her figure had not changed much. It was just that she had gotten slimmer. Despite wearing such a thickyer of clothes, he could still make out that her figure was much better than before. He even got to know that her abilities had improved. It could be possible that she had undergone training, which was why she looked fitter now. Not only did her looks change but her figure as well. "You''re here?" Luke''s voice was hearding from the side. Gale retrieved his gaze and turned around to look at the man in the wheelchair. He seemed to be in a foul mood. ''Did he see me looking at Luca?'' Gale had been working under Luke for so many years. Naturally, he knew about Luke''s possessiveness over Luca. "I got new information, Mr. Crawford," Gale said. Luke maneuvered the wheelchair and turned around. "Let''s go in and talk." Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Gale saw this and walked forward to help push the wheelchair into the room. The maid saw them walking into the room to talk about serious matters and did not continue standing in the living room. She went to the kitchen. She quickly stepped forward when she noticed that Luca was already preparing breakfast. She asked, "Ms. Luca, do you know who that guy is?" "No idea. I think he''s Mr. Crawford''s subordinate." Luca was whisking the eggs, not interested in this topic. "I think they''re talking about something very important." The maidbeled dates on the ingredients that she bought today, then put them in the fridge. "Maybe." Luca lowered her eyes and started the gas stove to heat the pan. She nned to fry a few eggs for breakfast, and eggs fried over fire tasted the best. The maid did not say another word after noticing that Luca was not interested in the topic. In the maid''s room, Luke looked at Gale with a sharp gaze. ¡°What did you find?" Gale was already used to Luke being so serious. "I''ve checked all the ounts of everyone in Watson Biopharmaceuticals, including Dr. Craw. I did manage to find out something." "You found something abnormal?" Luke frowned. "Yes, it''s Dr. Albus'' ount. Recently, he asked someone from a bank in Switzend to help him open an ount. On the same day itself, a sum of money was transferred into his ount. This is the document rting to the transfer of money and opening of ount." Gale ced the information in his hand on the table. Luke opened it and looked at it. Then, he asked, "What about the information of the sender?" "The person who transferred money used a local ount, but the holder''s identity is foreign. It''s a sweaterpany. I''ve looked into it, and I can be sure that thispany is a shellpany. The person used a very advanced method, and this professional method of transferring money prevents us from being able to get any information about their identity. It seems that this person did not only have their eye on Dr. Albus'' research but they also intentionally purchased his research to go against T Corporation." Gale made a guess. Luke nodded and kept going through the information given to him by Gale. He kept quiet for half a minute before saying, "For now, don''t tell anyone about this. Continue investigating the person who sent the money." "Alright. But Mr. Crawford, why haven''t you made a public announcement and mete out punishment for Dr. Albus after learning that he has betrayed thepany?" Gale asked. "Something fishy is going on," Luke said. "Besides, our opponent has a clear motive. I''m not announcing it because I don''t want him to get a better opportunity in the future." "But if that''s the case, the other projects under T Corporation might be leaked..." Gale shared his anxious thoughts. It was obvious that someone was plotting a scheme against T Corporation. If Luke did not take any action now, perhaps other employees in T Corporation would betray them for profits. Besides, thepany was currently handling a huge project. If anyone were to leak the information for this project, the consequences would be disastrous. "I know what to do." Luke ced one of his hands over the other and gently tapped the table. He knew someone was hiding in the shadows to go against him, and naturally, he would not just sit idly by. Chapter 1942 Gale was only in charge of investigating. He was not the one who had the final say on things, so Gale did not say anything more. Luke closed the documents and ced them in the drawer. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. "Have you had breakfast?" he asked. Gale was surprised yet delighted. ''For the first time, my boss is kind enough to be concerned about me and asked whether I''ve had breakfast!'' "I''ve not eaten." He came over early in the morning just to report the information he had found to Luke. Hence, he had not eaten his breakfast. "Stay for breakfast, then." Luke maneuvered his wheelchair and headed out. "Alright, Mr. Crawford," Gale promised. He had heard in the past that Luca was very good at cooking. She had entered the kitchen today, so she was definitely preparing breakfast. He did not expect there woulde a day for him to try the breakfast prepared by Luca. Luke suddenly stopped and turned around to look at him. "Yes, Mr. Crawford?" Gale touched his face. He did not say anything and wondered why would Luke suddenly look at him with a stern look. "Stop looking at Luca with that weird gaze of yours." After Luke said that, he then maneuvered the wheelchair out of the room. Gale suddenly came to an understanding. It seemed he was unhappy about him staring at Luca. It was just because he was inwardlyparing the former Bianca to the current Luca. Besides, even if he did have any ulterior motives for Luca, it was to challenge her to a fight. He had heard that her agility was very impressive. However, whether or not he would win the match, just the fact that a man took on a woman was not something to be proud of. That was why Gale merely thought about it. The maid ced the breakfast prepared by Luca on the table. Seeing Lukee out, she greeted him with a smile, "Sir, breakfast is ready." "Alright." Luke looked at the cutleries ced on the dining table. There were four sets. It seemed that Luca had predicted that Gale would join as well. Luca brought the bread out of the kitchen and ced it on the dining table. She saw Luke and Gale. She said softly, "Breakfast is ready. You guys may tuck in now." Luke nodded and came to the side of the dining table. Gale had just been warned. He lowered his head and dared not look at Luca in case his boss became suspicious again. If that happened, he would not live a peaceful life. Luke looked at Gale, who was standing beside him like an electric pole. He whispered, "Why are you standing there? Sit down." Gale replied and chose to sit beside him. Luca and the maid served the remaining breakfast. She prepared a lot because she had anticipated there would be a guest, hence she made sure to be hospitable. Gale looked at the table full of Western cuisine and silentlymented about how blissful Luke''s life was. His wife was so good at cooking. It was awesome! Luca looked at the seats. It would seem inappropriate if she were to sit beside Gale, so she chose to sit on the other side of Luke. "What do you want to eat, Mr. Crawford? I''ll get it for you," she said. "No need. I''ll get it myself." Like stretched his hand and took the bread that was nearest to him. Then, he got himself a fried egg. Luca saw the scene and took a bowl of oats, cing it before him. Luke disliked eating sweet food. Hence, she had made savory oats. Gale took a slice of bread and ate silently. He felt sorry looking at them both. Even though they had yet to acknowledge each other, they were still thinking about one another. It was no wonder that after so many years and despite Luke being pestered by crazy women in the past, Luke never once gave up on Luca. If Gale had such a lover, he would not give up either¡ªeven if he learned that she might be a threat to him after her return. Gale finished the slice of bread that he took and could not help but say, "This bread is delicious. Which bakery did you buy from?" The maid exined, "All of these were personally made by Ms. Luca." "She made everything herself? No wonder, the bread is so delicious and looks amazing. I thought you bought it from a shop outside," said Gale. The bread was nicely-shaped, and the size was consistent. One look and they looked like they were manufactured by a robot. "You''ve misunderstood. The slices of bread were bought in the supermarket. Of course, the original vor of the bread isn''t this delicious. Ms. Luca added some seasonings to it and ced it back in the oven to bake it again. That''s why the bread tastes so good," the maid exined. Gale gave a thumbs up. No wonder it was so delicious! If he had such delicious breakfasts every day, he would still like it even if he was served the same thing. "You live such a happy life, Mr. Crawford," said Gale. "Even with so much food here, it still can''t shut your mouth?" Luke looked at him coldly. Gale quickly shut his mouth. The maid served him a bowl of oats. "Dear guest, please taste the oats. It''s delicious too." Gale took a sip and dared not say a word. He only showed Luca a thumbs up. He finally understood why Jason had described her food to be heavenly. If Rain knew that he was having a such delicious breakfast today, she would definitely be jealous. After having breakfast, Gale did not stay back and left. The maid cleaned up the dishes. Initially, Luca wanted to send Gale off, but she heard Luke say, "Don''t bother. He''ll leave and close the door himself." Luca''s footsteps came to a halt, and she stopped at the entrance. Gale put on a wide smile. "Thanks for the hospitality, Dr. Craw. You don''t have to send me off." "Alright." Luca turned around and entered the house again. Luke looked at her and asked, "Where''s my medication?" Only then did Luca remember that she had yet to prepare Luke''s medication. She quickly said, "I''ll go prepare your medicine for you right now." "Send it to the bedroom." After Luke spoke, he maneuvered his wheelchair and entered the maid''s room. Luca walked into the kitchen and took out the cup that was exclusively Luke''s. She was going to pour him a cup of water and adjust the temperature so that it was suitable for drinking. The maid saw this and asked, "Are these the medications that Mr. Crawford needs to take?" "Yes. I was busy preparing food and nearly forgot about this,¡± said Luca as she poured in equal parts cold water and hot boiling water. If it were in the past, she would have already prepared a cup of hot boiling water while preparing breakfast and ced it aside. After having breakfast, the water would have already cooled down. That day, she was too busy that she forgot about it. She held the cup and felt that the temperature was just nice. It was slightly warm and would be just nice to drink it with the medications. Luca held the cup of water and arrived in the living room. She took out Luke''s medications, and after sorting the pills, she brought them and the cup of water into the maid''s room. Luke was already sitting in front of the office table. He was working. Luca ced the medications and cup of water on the table while reminding him, "It''s time to take your medicine, Mr. Crawford." Luke lifted his head to look at her, then looked at the cup and medications. It was just like in the past. He did not blink his eyes and immediately stuffed the pills into his mouth and gulped a huge mouthful of water. Luca saw this. Each time, she would think that since the medicine was so bitter, it would be better to just endure the bitterness once than twice. Luke ced the cup down. Luca immediately took it and walked out. After cing the cup back into the kitchen, Luca reminded the maid, "I''m going upstairs to work on some stuff. If Mr. Doyle is hereter, can you pleasee upstairs to notify me?" Chapter 1943 The maid was dedicated to her job. "Of course. That''s no problem at all. When Mr. Doyle is here, I''ll go up to inform you immediately." "Thanks." After Luca thanked her, she left the kitchen and went upstairs. She did not return to the bedroom but went to the study. When she got up today, she checked her wound and noticed that the inmmation was much worse than yesterday. From the condition of her wound, she knew things were not looking optimistic. The medications she had with her had no effect on the wound. If she wanted the wound to heal, she would have to take action fast. Otherwise, she could no longer hide her wound from others. After Luca closed the door, she took the sample and continued with the research. About half an hourter, the maid came and knocked on the door. "Are you inside, Ms. Luca?" Luca massaged her temples and spoke toward the door, "I am. Is Mr. Doyle here already?" "Yes, Ms. Luca," said the maid. Luca got up and walked out of the study. The maid was waiting for her at the door. *I got it. Let''s go," she said and walked to her bedroom. She picked up the documents and headed downstairs. Jason was still reporting his work progress to Luke in the maid''s room. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. As for Luca, she was standing in the living room, waiting for him. About another half an hour passed. Only then did Jason carry a huge stack of documents out of the maid''s room. Luca noticed that his expression was dark. She stepped forward and handed him the documents. "Mr. Doyle, these are the tranted documents from yesterday. The tranted information has already been sent." "Dr. Craw, my hands are full now. You can just ce them on top of this stack," said Jason. Luca ced the documents on top. "Then, I shall take my leave now." Jason saw that the documents were ced securely and were about to leave. Thepany''s project was not put on hold just because Luke was injured. The project was at the final stages, and if everything went smoothly, they would be able to finalize the bidding document. Hence, he was especially busy. "What about the documents that I need to work on?" Luca reminded him. "There''s nothing for today. There are not many documents left that need to be tranted. Alya can handle the rest by herself. That''s why I didn''t bring anything for you," Jason exined with a smile. "Does it mean that the bidding document for the project is almost done, then?" Luca asked as she recalled helping Luke to work on some documents yesterday. Even though those were not important documents, it did seem like things were at the final stage now. "Yes," said Jason. After a few months of busying themselves, the bidding document for the project was almost done. Luca became slightly emotional. Luke was indeed capable. Despite so many things happening along the journey, he was still able toplete the bidding document sessfully. "If there''s nothing else for me to work on, then I''ll head back to work," said Luca, not forgetting about her main career. She was not a trantor nor Luke''s assistant but a researcher. "Not for now, Craw. You can just stay here to look after Mr. Crawford," said Jason. She still had to look after Luke. Luca was stunned, then she smiled helplessly and nodded. Her career had actually turned into looking after Luke. From the moment she returned, she had been with a motive and was selfish. She did everything just to get closer to Luke. She seeded and became his employee. However, the distance between them was far from estranged. Instead, they were getting closer and closer to each other. She first became a trantor. Now, in everyone''s opinion, she was someone who looked after Luke. Jason saw Luca smile and did not think much about it. He carried the stack of documents and left. "Go and help Mr. Doyle," Luca reminded the maid. "Alright." The maid followed along and caught up to Jason''s footsteps. She took the initiative to help him carry a few documents. Luca looked at the maid''s room but did not enter. Instead, she chose to head upstairs and continue with her research. After the maid sent Jason off, she returned to the living room and saw Luke sitting in his wheelchair in the middle of the hall. "Ddi Luca go out?" he asked. "Nope. I think Ms. Luca is upstairs. For the past two days, she''s always in the study whenever she has spare time. I wonder what''s she researching?" the maid answered. Earlier when Luca opened the door, she noticed there were a few machines in the study. Even though she did not know anything about those things, she knew that they were all items for research. "Sir, do you need anything from Ms. Luca? Do you want me to call her down?" the maid asked again. "No need. As long as she didn''t leave," Luke said and maneuvered his wheelchair back to the maid''s room. The project was at its final stage, and he could not help but have a bad feeling about it. ''If Luca is really hiding her identity and trying to get close to me due to a mission, then once this project is done, she might have to leave regardless of whether she aplishes her mission or not.'' All he could do now was investigate the organization controlling Luca behind the scenes. As for the other issues, he could not do anything about them. Even if he wanted to make Luca stay, perhaps he might not be able to. At noon, Luca came downstairs. When she was preparing lunch, the doorbell of the vi sounded. She was slicing the meat and looked at the maid beside her, who was helping to wash the vegetables. She said, "My hands are greasy. Can you please go and see who''s at the door?¡± "Alright." The maid turned off the tap and walked to the hall. Luca continued to slice the meat. After half a minute, the maid came in with a troubled look. "Ms. Luca, I think it''s best if you go and have a look at things? I don''t know how should I handle this. Mr. Crawford has ordered that if there''s nothing urgent, then I shouldn''t go in and disturb him when he''s working." "What''s wrong?" Looking at the maid''s expression made Luca stop her actions of slicing the meat. She immediately washed her hands. "There are two men outside saying that they want to meet Mr. Crawford. Judging from their appearances, one of them is older than the other. Since Mr. Crawford didn''t mention that people would being over, I asked for their names and their reason for wanting to meet Mr. Crawford. They said they were the ones involved in the car ident and are here to apologize to Mr. Crawford. In this kind of situation, I think it''s best not to let them in. I asked them to return for now, but they insist on meeting Mr. Crawford. If they don''t see him, they''ll keep waiting at the door," said the maid. The people involved in the ident? "I think it''s best to have the police handle it. Why would theye here?" Luca frowned. As Luke was injured, he was also a victim. Logically speaking, those youngsters were indeed the ones who should be med. There was nothing suspicious in this incident, so they should just let the police handle it. After Luke gave his statement, no one hade to bother him. Besides, Jason had settled everything that had to do with the ident. Why did these people suddenly show up? "I''ll go and have a look," said Luca as she left the kitchen and arrived in the living room. She activated the video function at the door and saw the two people the maid had mentioned. They were still standing at the entrance, waiting. She did not say a word and had turned off the speaker. She did not inform Luke about it immediately but called Jason instead. "Mr. Doyle, are you free right now?" "Yes. What''s wrong, Dr. Craw?" Jason asked "Regarding the car ident that Mr. Crawford was involved in, has the verdict been made?" Luca asked. Even though the police had not said a word, ording to the standard procedures, these people should be the ones bearing all responsibility. After all, they had driven under the influence and even injured someone. Chapter 1944 "The matter is already done, and Mr. Crawford made me the person in charge of this. The verdict has always been with me, but I just haven''t handed it in.¡± Jason was wondering why Luca would ask him such a question, but he still answered in detail. "Is the other party taking full responsibility for it?" Luca asked. "Yes. Even though there were a few of them who were dangerously driving under the influence, only one person knocked into Mr. Crawford. Hence, the others were punished to go through reeducation, while the one who knocked into Mr. Crawford will have to take full responsibility,¡± said Jason in detail. "Alright, got it." Luca thought for a moment. Take full responsibility? Under normal circumstances, all they had to do was give some money. As for the rest who also drove under the influence, they would just have to undergo reeducation, but that would not take long. Why were these two people here, then? "Dr. Craw, did something happen? Why are you asking about this?" Jason said, concerned. "Yeah. Two people are now standing at the entrance of the vi, wanting toe in and see Mr. Crawford," said Luca. She look at the video interface, and they were still standing outside. It was very cold outside. Looking at the expressions of the father and son who were standing in the cold wind in their coats, she frowned a little. "How do they know Mr. Crawford''s address?" Jason was shocked. Under usual circumstances, the police would keep the victim''s address confidential. If the other party wanted to visit the victim, they would only be able to receive news from the hospital the victim was admitted to. Luke had stayed in the ward for almost two days but they did not visit him. Jason even thought that they would note. Never would he expect them toe to the house. "He is Luke, after all." Luca squinted her eyes. "Let''s not talk about this. Mr. Doyle, if you''re free, can you please take a photo of the verdict and send it to me?" It was inappropriate to have them both stand outside the vi for long. Hence, Luca decided to inform Luke. "Alright. Coincidentally, the verdict is in the office. I''ll go take a photo of it for you now," Jason said. After Luca hung up the call, the maid also looked at the video and asked, "Ms. Luca, what should we do now?" Luca said, "I''ll go inform Mr. Crawford." Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. The maid saw her entering the maid''s room and did not stop her. That was because Luke had forbidden her from disturbing him, but he had not said anything about Luca. She knew it too that Luke usually went easy on Luca. The maid''s room was always locked because Luke needed to work in a very quiet environment. Luca knocked on the door first, and after she heard Luke asking her to enter, she pushed the door open. "Are you free right now, Mr. Crawford?" Luca asked. It was rare for her to look for him on her initiative. "What''s wrong?" Luke turned the wheelchair around and looked at her. Luca said, "The person who''s involved in the car ident is now standing outside of the vi with his father. They said they want to meet you." Luke frowned, his face darkening. "Why are they here?" He did not directly say it, but Luca still knew what he meant and exined, "You''re a public figure, so it''s pretty easy to know where you live." Even though Luke was not a singer or actor, his influence was greater than many people in the entertainment industry. As such, it was not a hard thing to find out where he stayed. Luke kept quiet for a few seconds. "Ask them to leave." "It seems like they really have to meet you. They said if they can''t meet you, they''ll just continue to stand outside," Luca said. Luke frowned deeper. This was a high-end vi area. They could not enter if no one permitted them. However, it would be bad to let them keep standing outside. Even if the security guards chased them away, they would probably not go far away. Many celebrities stayed here, and they took their privacy seriously. If they saw these two people standing here, they would definitely file aint. At the end of the day, the security guards would ask to see him instead. "Have theme in," Luke said. Luca nodded and turned around to head over to the living room. She came to the front of the video doorbell and looked at both of them who were standing outside. She asked the maid, "Can I trouble you to head over and ask them in?" These two people came here for the first time, and they had mysterious identities. It would be best if they did not wander elsewhere. This was to minimize trouble. "Did Mr. Crawford agree to it?" the maid asked with a smile, but she was not surprised at all. As long as it was Luca who talked to him, Luke would basically just nod his head and agree to it. "Yeah." The maid nodded and agreed. "Alright, I''ll go over now." As she was speaking, she put on her coat and went out. Luca thought that they must be very cold when they entered. Hence, she entered the kitchen and prepared them some tea and snacks. Even if they were not honorable people, she still had to be hospitable. There were some snacks in the cab that the maid had previously bought to serve guests. Luca took some out and prepared tea. She ted everything on the coffee table in the living room. She looked around, then went to prepare some fruit. After 15 minutes, the maid invited them in. Luca looked at the father and son. They were each holding onto two big bags of supplements. She then said without changing her expression, "Please have a seat." The middle-aged man looked at Luca and felt that she had an extraordinary aura. She did not seem like a maid in the house. ''If she''s not the maid, is she the wife?'' However, beforeing over, he had gone through Luke''s information in detail. He indeed had a wife, but this woman looked different from the photo he had seen. The middle-aged man thought to himself, ¡®Upper ss men often engage in ambiguous rtionships. It''s best if I keep my mouth shut.'' "Thank you. May I know where Mr. Crawford is?" "He''ll be out soon," Luca said and walked into the maid''s room. The middle-aged man noticed that she referred to Luke as Mr. Crawford. ''It seems she might be his private secretary.'' His son had knocked into Mr. Crawford, resulting in a leg injury. Due to this, Mr. Crawford was now recuperating in his house. However, such a busy man like himself probably would not just leave his work aside. His secretary was probably here to help him out with work. That made sense. Luca came into the maid''s room and reminded, "Mr. Crawford, they''re in the living room." "Got it." Luke signed the bottom of the document, then ced the documents and pen down. He said, "Push me out." Luca nodded and went behind him to push the wheelchair out of the room. The moment Luke showed up in the living room, the middle-aged man immediately got up and looked at his son. It seemed like his son had no intentions to get up. Hence, he pulled on his cor to remind thetter. The youngd then got up as well. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Crawford," Both father and son greeted Luke at the same time. "Have a seat." Luke had a very cold expression. Luca saw this. She knew that Luke was not friendly to anyone. The maid, who was beside, looked at the tea and snacks prepared by Luca. She helped to pour three cups of tea and ced two of them in front of the guests while the other was ced in front of Luke. Chapter 1945 The father and son both took the teacups the maid ced in front of them and introduced themselves to Luke. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Crawford. I''m Saul Leo, and this is my terrible son, Yerik Leo. He''s the one who caused your leg to be injured. We''re here today to apologize to you." Luca lowered her gaze and thought that she should not be standing there, but she could find any excuse to leave. Luke''s eyes were glistening as he looked at the father and son. He thought that their attitudes were eptable but unnecessary. "I''ve already handed this matter to mywyer to settle it. If you have any questions, you may contact Mr. Zac from thew firm in Kaston. He''ll represent me andmunicate with you," said Luke. Saul''s heart skipped a beat. He knew that things would not be settled so easily. "Mr. Crawford, it''s indeed my son''s fault this time, and I won''t run away from the responsibility. It''s just that he''s still in school, so we hope you''ll give us a chance to settle this outside of court," he hinted with his words. Luke did notck money. Even if he chose to settle it personally, he would not be greedy and try to extort money like the others. Hence, he brought Yerik over to seize a chance. If his n seeded, Yerik would not need to be punished. Luke took out his phone and searched for Mr. Zac''s number. He passed it to Luca. "Call Mr. Zac and ask him toe over." Luca took it over, and at the same time, she recalled seeing the verdict earlier. There were a few words that indicated Yerik had broken thew. He was driving under the influence, and the alcohol percentage detected in his system had exceeded the limit. If Luke insisted on settling it in court, Yerik would be done for. He might even be sentenced. "Alright, Mr. Crawford." Luca took the phone and saw that Luke had clicked into Mr. Zac''s contact info. However, what left her astonished was that Luke decided to contact Mr. Zac instead of chasing them away after getting to know their motives. Saul heard this and immediately asked, "Mr. Crawford, do you agree to settle it outside court?" Seeing his delighted look made Luke reply with an expressionless look, "No, I just want Mr. Zac to come here and tell you about the legal procedures in detail." it was out of Saul''s expectation that no matter how he pleaded, Luke did not n on going easy on them. Even though Luke managed to make Luca stay back because of this incident, he was not thankful for it. After all, he had faced so many embarrassing situations because of his leg injury. It was not convenient going to work in a wheelchair. "Mr. Crawford, can you please not contact Mr. Zac for now?" Saul knew things were not going to be easy to settle after listening to what Luke said. ''He''s notcking anything. What should I do to make him agree?'' Luca heard it and did not insist. Saul suddenly got up and kneeled on the floor. "Mr. Crawford, I''m begging you. Please forgive him. Kids should be punished for their mistakes, but if we take this to court, that''ll be the end of it for him. He won''t be able toplete his studies." Yerik did not expect his father to kneel in front of Luke. At that moment, he got anxious. The school knew that he had driven under the influence and crashed into someone. If he was imprisoned, the school would expel him because they would not tolerate students who defamed the school''s name. Hence, after Saul sought all ways to bail him out, he immediately bought some gifts and came to Luke to beg for forgiveness. "Dad..." Yerik was young and proud. He could not understand why his father was kneeling. "You unfilial son, why are you standing there dumbfounded? Do you wish to be imprisoned? Hurry and get down on your knees. Beg Mr. Crawford for forgiveness." Saul immediately pulled Yerik down to kneel. Yerik was forced to kneel. Luca had seen this scene countless times. Saul really loved his son. He was scolding his son in front of Luke, but he must really love him. Pampering one''s children excessively might cause them to lose their direction. Besides, Yerik had broken thew. Even though Yerik was kneeling, it was clear from his young features that he was dissatisfied. He definitely could not understand why Saul would do this. After all, he was a youngster. Besides, judging from his branded clothes as well as the expensive supplements ced on the table, Luca guessed that their family was somewhat wealthy. Otherwise, Yerik would not end up in such a state. "Get up. It''s useless no matter how long you kneel." Luke did not change his mind just because they kneeled. Yerik heard it and got furious. "Dad, why are you kneeling when he''s not willing to ept your gesture? Get up!" He got up first and forcefully pulled Saul up. Saul looked disappointed. He had asked thewyer. Even though Luke did not have serious injuries, it was possible that he would be sentenced to a few years of imprisonment for drunk driving and causing harm to others. Besides, the legal department in A City was very fair. They were famous for doing things ording to thew. If he wanted Yerik to ovee this, he had to get on Luke''s good side. As long as Luke agreed to say that he was drunk at the time and identally crashed into Yerik, there would be a slim chance. "What do you know? All this is your fault. It''s only reasonable for you to kneel here!¡± Saul knew his son was dissatisfied. He med himself for always pampering him. He would always settle all the troubles he caused by bribing the other party. Hence, his son thought he could do anything as his family was rich. He even caused such huge trouble this time. Yerik was still unwilling to kneel, and his eyes gleamed with fury as he stared at Luke. "Mr. Crawford, he doesn''t know anything. If he doesn''t kneel, I''ll kneel on his behalf. I''ll kneel here until you forgive him." Saul did not wish for his only son to be imprisoned.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. "No matter how long you kneel, it''s none of my concern. It''s not going to be helpful in this issue. This young man will need to be educated. Inform Mr. Zac, and in the meantime, report this to the police," Luke said to Luca. "Alright." Luca nodded and picked up Luke''s phone, wanting to inform Mr. Zac first. Yerik said furiously when he heard that Luke wanted to lodge a police report, "Hey, Crawford, I dare you to do that!" "Why wouldn''t I when you''re causing havoc in my house?" As Luke was sitting in a wheelchair, Yerik was looking down at him from above. However, in terms of aura, Luke did not lose. "I''m going to be imprisoned anyway, so I might as well take you out before I go!¡± Yerik rolled his sleeves up and was about to swing a punch at Luke''s face. There were no security guards in the vi except for the two weak women. With Luke sitting in the wheelchair, he definitely would not be a match for Yerik. He had long been angry with him. Saul heard what his son said but could not get up to stop him in time. He was so scared that his face went pale when he saw Yerik about to punch Luke''s face. Chapter 1946 Yerik''s expression was ferocious and excited as he punched with all his might. His punch aimed right at Luke''s face. Would Luke still dare to be so proud after this? Luca had a dark look as she saw the punch that was nearing Luke''s face. She was quick to react and grabbed onto Yerik''s wrist. His punch came to a halt 20 centimeters away from Luke''s face. Yerik was stunned, and his eyes looked at Luca with a fierce gaze. Before he had the time to attack, he let out a yelp. ¡°Ouch, let go!" Saul got up and looked at Luca''s slim fingers that were grabbing Yerik''s wrist. Her fingers could not evenpletely go around Yerik''s wrist. "What''s... What''s happening?" He looked at his son''s pale face and knew he was not faking the pain. However, those slim fingers did not seem like they were doing anything to hurt Yerik at all. Even so, she had managed to stop the punch. Luca did not say a word, and Yerik was in great pain. He had no choice but to kneel and plead with her, "It hurts! Please, let go!" "Are you going to hit him again?¡± she asked coldly. "No, no." This was the greatest pain Yerik had ever experienced. He wanted to retrieve his hand, but Luca''s grip remained firm. He did not expect such a great woman to be by Luke''s side! Luca noticed he was in so much pain that his face had turned pale and red. She snorted coldly and shoved his hand away. Yerik quickly clutched his wrist. There was just a slight redness with no marks on his skin. If other people had grabbed his wrist so firmly, it would definitely have left marks on his skin. However, Luca grabbed his wrist and made him experience terrible pain but no marks were left on his skin. Saul quickly held his son''s arm and wanted to have a look at his injury. "Let me have a look. Where''s the injury?" He looked at Yerik''s wrist, then looked at Yerik, astonished. "Are you really in pain?" Yerik shoved his father''s arm away and had a dark expression. That woman looked scrawny but had such huge strength. "I''m alright." Saul looked at Luke and knew he was in the wrong, so he did not say anything. "If you guys aren''t going to leave, then I''ll call the cops." Luca looked at Yerik''s dark expression and gave onest warning. "I''m sorry, Mr. Crawford." Even though she had just dealt with Yerik, his hand was not injured. Besides, it was Yerik who took action first. Saul was speechless. His son acted rashly, and this made the negotiation fail. He had no choice but to drag Yerik out of the vi. Luke looked at the supplements on the coffee table and ordered the maid, "Give these items back to them. Make sure they leave the vi area before youe back." "Alright, Mr. Crawford." The maid carried the two bags and rushed out. Luca retrieved her gaze. Earlier, she had pressed the trigger point on Yerik''s wrist, which was why he yelped in pain. Luke''s wheelchair was an electronic one, so he was able to control it himself. However, when the punch came swinging down on him, it did not seem like he had the intention of maneuvering the wheelchair to dodge it. Was it because he predicted that she would take action? Luca lowered her gaze. She could not help but ask, "Mr. Crawford, who''s Saul Leo?" She kept thinking about it and could not figure out which rich businessman had the surname Leo in A City. However, there were so many people in A City, and she had not been here for so many years. Hence, it was not surprising that she did not know the emerging wealthy families. Luke looked outside the window. "Saul Leo struck the lottery two years ago and became rich. He''s in the property industry now." Luca came to an understanding. She had sensed that Yerik''s aura did not match his clothes. It turned out that they had gotten rich overnight, so she understood why he had such an attitude. He was in the wrong but was not even remorseful. He went as far as to try and hit others. It seemed that his confidence did not onlye from Saul pampering him. It also came from the fortune his family obtained from striking the lottery. "So, did you decide to settle it ording to thew?" Luca asked that for a reason. From what she understood about Luke, if Luke wanted to settle it ording to legal procedures, he would not have mentioned anything about thewyer. He would have immediately gotten the security guards to chase them out. However, he had mentioned thewyer... He also did not chase them out immediately. Also, Saul was doing business in the property industry now. Despite not knowing how much he won from the lottery, it meant that Saul was still useful to him seeing as Luke did not act cruelly. He was a man who would prioritize benefits above all else when it came to business. "We''ll see about that." Luke squinted his eyes. Saul might perhaps be useful to him, so he was not in a hurry to provoke him. Even if he decided to settle it personally, there was still a long way to go before the court call, so he was not in a hurry. Luca nodded and looked at the teacup in front of him. He did not drink it at all. She thought to herself, ''Thank God he still knows how to take care of himself and didn''t drink the tea.'' Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. "Are you going back to the bedroom to work on the documents?" she asked. "Yes." Luke casually ced his hands on the wheelchair. If one were to ignore the wheelchair, he was sitting just like a rich man. Luca pushed the wheelchair back to the maid''s room. After pushing him to the front of the office table, she took a step back. "Mr. Crawford, if there''s nothing else, I''ll head over to the kitchen to prepare lunch. If it were not for the Leos, she would have almost finished preparing lunch by now. "Off you go." Luke opened a new document. After Luca left the maid''s room, she walked to the kitchen and continued slicing the meat. After that, she washed the vegetables that the maid had only managed to wash halfway. When all the ingredients were prepared and she was about to start cooking, the maid returned. She quickly walked into the kitchen and poured herself a cup of warm water to warm herself. She saw Luca preparing to cook and stepped forward. "Let me have a cup of water first, Ms. Luca. I''ll be there in a moment to help you." "No hurries. Go warm yourself first," said Luca. She knew that the maid had gone out to ensure that the Leos had really left. She did not even put on her coat and just carried the two bags of supplements before running out. "Say, both of them are quite weird. Just look at the era we''re in right now. They still knelt down and begged others. That younger man is even worse. He got mad when he was embarrassed and even wanted to pick a fight,¡± the maid could not help butin. When she saw Yerik lifting his fist, she was so scared. If Yerik really punched Luke, both the maid and Luca would have no idea how they should protect Luke. "They think that just because they''re rich, they can do anything they want. I''m guessing he must have done lots of bad deeds in the past, and each time, his father would just bribe the other party to settle the issue. Hence, his son became fearless," Luca exined and poured some olive oil into the hot pan. She added only a little oil because Luke had to eat clean. "No matter how rich they are, they won''t be as rich as Mr. Crawford. If they really want to talk about wealth, Mr. Crawford''s fortune is enough to crush theirs, right?¡± The maid made a guess as she was not familiar with the business world, but she knew Luke was capable. "I have no idea." Luca smiled while frying the dishes as she recalled Luke''s expression from earlier. Even when Yerik''s punch was about tond on his face, he still remainedposed. The Leos were weird, but Luke was really weird today as well. Chapter 1947 Thinking back about the event earlier made the maid look at her with a gaze of admiration. "Ms. Luca, you''re so awesome. When faced with someone like that, you could still grab his wrist and make him stop. You even made him shout in pain. How did you do that?" Luca raised her hand. "There are lots of nerves in the wrist, and there are also a lot of trigger points." "So that''s how." The maid knew that Luca was good at traditional medicine and did not ask further. When the dishes were almost ready, Luca''s phone rang. Luca wiped her hand and took the phone to have a look. She noticed it was from Nina. She made a gesture, hinting to the maid toe over and put the dish onto a te. Then, she answered Nina''s call. "What''s up, Nina?" Nina''s voice was heard from the other end of the call. "Luca, I heard from Mr. Doyle that you''ve completed your work for the project. Is that true?¡± "Yes. I''vepleted my parts. What''s the matter? Do you need anything?" Luca felt that Nina needed something, which was why she called her. "Tyrone''s sutures are getting removed today.¡± Nina hesitated for a few seconds and thought that she should ask Luca for help. Without her realizing it, seven days had passed and Tyrone would be going for the next step of treatment. "It''s already been seven days. Time does pass by very fast. It''s already time for his sutures to be removed." Luca now knew that this call had to do with Tyrone. "The doctor said that Tyrone isn''t recovering well. The ss shard that pierced his brain has injured the nerve, so he''ll have to undergo physiotherapyter on. I''m hoping to ask you for a favor," Nina pleaded. The doctor said that stimtion of acupoints could greatly benefit Tyrone, so they wanted to try traditional medicine. When it came to traditional medicine, Nina had more faith in Luca. "Sure. I''ll head over in the afternoon to see what''s the issue. But I must make myself clear beforehand. I can''t guarantee that this will be effective, so I''ll n it out ording to the patient''s situation. If traditional medicine has effects on the patient, then I''ll continue to treat him. If it doesn''t have much of an effect, I''ll just you the truth frankly. At least that way, he won''t have to suffer for naught." Luca made herself clear. After all, even if it did not hurt badly when receiving treatment, it may still cause some damage to Tyrone. Besides, she did not want to give false hope unless the treatment was absolutely effective. "Alright, I''ll wait for you at the hospital this afternoon. Thanks, Luca." Luca had agreed, which made her breathe a sigh of relief. After Luca ended the call, she looked at the maid. She was arranging the cutleries. Luke was picky about food and insisted that everything had to be perfect in terms of taste and appearance. Hence, even if it was just a casual meal, the maid was still serious about setting the cutleries. Luca said, "I''m going out in the afternoon. If I''m homete, please go ahead and prepare dinner." "No problem." The maid nodded and could not help but ask, "Where are you going?" "To the hospital." Luca did not hide anything from her. She guessed that perhaps the maid wanted to know so she could report it to Luke. Hence, she did not keep it a secret. "No wonder you were talking about treatments. Is your friend sick?" The maid was curious. Luca shook her head. "Something came up and I have to head over to take a look." "I see." The maid did not question Luca anymore. After having lunch, Luca prepared Luke''s medications and watched him take them. She did not tell him that she would be heading to the hospital. Perhaps it was her illusion, Luke did not seem to like her getting involved with Tyrone. Even though this was Nina''s matter, Tyrone was also involved. Perhaps she might have to deal with shameless men like Keith and Larry if she interfered in this matter. However, when Luketer realized she was not around, the maid would inform him of her whereabouts. Hence, it was fine that she did not tell him beforehand. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Luca changed her clothes and wrapped herself tightly. She left after ensuring that she would not be cold when she got out. She drove the car given to her by Luke and came to the hospital. Tyrone was still in the VIP ward. After she rescued Tyrone that day, Luca had be famous on this floor. When she came to the nurses'' station, the matron spoke to her warmly before she could even speak. ¡°Ms. Luca, what brought you here? Are you here to look for a doctor?" "I''m here to visit someone. It''s Tyrone." Luca guessed that Nina had informed the nurses beforehand. "Oh, Tyrone. Someone is already visiting him. You may enter right away. He''s still in the same ward," said the matron. "Thanks." Luca went to the ward. At that moment, Nina was standing in the corridor. Tyrone''s brothers were here as well and were inside the ward. She was annoyed at them being so talkative. Hence, she came out to catch a breather while waiting for Luca. "Nina," Luca called out. Nina looked in her direction and revealed a smile on her face. "Luca, you''re here so early!" "The sun has been setting earlier these days, so I came earlier to take a look at this situation. That way, I can go back earlier too,¡± Luca exined while looking inside the ward. Both Keith and Larry were inside. It was only normal for both of them to be here since it was the day the sutures would be removed. "Why don''t we wait out here for a while? I don''t think they''ll be inside talking too long," Nina suggested. Tyrone was still recovering. After ten minutes of talking, he would feel tired. If the two men saw that Tyrone was worn out, they would leave the ward and not disturb him anymore. "It''s alright. let''s go in. At least he''s still a little energetic now," after Luca spoke, she entered the ward. Keith saw that it was Luca who entered and had a weird expression. He had seen the expressionless look on her face when she was rescuing Tyrone and did not dare to treat her like a caretaker who knew nothing anymore. However, Tyrone did not know who she was and asked while frowning, "Who are you? This is a VIP ward. Not everyone can enter." Mrs. Hugh immediately said, "Tyrone, this is the person who rescued you when you had a heart issue previously." "So, it''s her? For real?" Naturally, Tyrone knew about it but did not expect that person to be the woman before him. She did not look like a doctor or a nurse at all. He then looked at Keith. "It''s her, Tyrone." Keith nodded. "I heard from Nina that Mr. Hugh will be having his sutures removed. Later on, he''ll have to undergo physiotherapy. Hence, I''m here to see is there anything that I can help," Luca exined. "You? Do you have a letter of authorization this time?" Keith was dissatisfied. He felt that it was embarrassing to have ady surpass him. He thought that Luca was the same kind of person as him. He did not expect them to be so different. "I''m the one who asked her to help this time. There won''t be any letter of authorization," Nina came in and said. She felt helpless when facing the two rough men. "If there isn''t a letter of authorization, isn''t that the same as taking my brother''s life lightly? I don''t agree to it." Keith rejected. Tyrone frowned. "Mr. Hugh''s health is rted to my family. Naturally, I won''t take it lightly. Luca has a license for practicing traditional medicine. Besides, you were there thest time. It was her great medical skills that saved Mr. Hugh. Even the doctors on duty were amazed. Right now, he needs physiotherapy, so I invited her here to help. If you reject her help, does it mean you guys prefer to have Mr. Hugh face mobility issues?¡± Nina said sternly. Chapter 1948 Keith was a little overwhelmed by Nina''s usation and uttered, "That''s not what I mean. Don''t spew nonsense." "If you want Mr. Hugh to recover, let Luca give him an examination. If you need a letter of authorization, she can definitely get it given her ability. All she needs is some time. If we go down that route, it''ll not only waste her time but also Mr. Hugh''s." Nina was tough. After so many days, she realized that except for Mrs. Hugh, no one in this family truly cared about Tyrone. They just wanted to take this opportunity to get some more money. Later on, they would im that they should get a portion of it as they had helped Tyrone. Therefore, they would not dare to hurt her for the sake of money, which was why she no longer agreed to all of their demands. Keith was speechless as well. He was better than Nina when it came to swearing, but when it came to reasoning with others, his education level was not as high. His ability to debate logically was not comparable to her. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Larry said, "What if this woman kills my dear cousin?" "I won''t." Luca did not wait for Nina to step in and said in a neutral tone, "I have confidence in myself. I won''t harm your brother." Larry paused and looked at Mrs. Hugh. "Aunt Jenny, what do you think?" Mrs. Hugh was not an opinionated woman. "How do I know what to do? I''ll leave it for all of you to decide!" Larry looked at Tyrone and said, "Brother, since you''re still mentally able, you should decide for yourself since it''s your body on the line." Although he heard about Luca rescuing Tyrone, he still had no confidence in the woman in front of him. If he made the decision, he was worried that Luca would make a mistake and that would be on him. Tyrone looked at Luca. When he was in distress, although he was physically ufortable and not entirely conscious, he was aware of the rescue process. He had heard the woman''s firm voice. When the doctor arrived and questioned her, she stood by her methods which were slightly different from others. He did not know what she did, but he could feel his body feeling better after she treated him. "Go for it," Tyrone said without hesitation for fear that Luca would leave the moment he hesitated. Luca nodded and looked at Nina. "I want all of his inspection reports that were done in this period." "We may require authorization from Dr. Park," Nina said. She then picked up the phone and called Johann. "It''s okay, I''ll give the patient a simple examination while we wait," Luca said. She had a different method for examining patients. She could obtain more information about the patient''s body than others during manual examination. Her skills, in the absence of machine-assisted inspection, were life-saving. Luca looked at the family and frowned. "I need to examine him. Are you nning to stay and watch?" "Are we not allowed to do so?" Keith said unhappily. He did not agree with letting this woman treat Tyrone. However, Tyrone was conscious now and there was no objection from other people. If he suddenly objected, it would seem as though he had ulterior motives. He did have ulterior motives. If Tyrone did not recover well in theter stage, they would have more excuses to ask for more money. As such, their cut would be bigger. "You can stay and watch if you want. Make sure you stand there and don''t move. No matter what I do, don''t move." Luca nced at him coldly, her gaze full of warnings. Larry also wanted more money, but he was not as outrageous as Keith. "I don''t understand anything. Of course, I''m not going to move." Keith could not help but stroke his arm. He just realized that Luca''s gaze was especially cold. Luca walked to the hospital bed and looked at Tyrone''splexion. It was not terrible. Compared to thest two days, hisplexion was much rosier. She carefully observed the wound on his head. It was healing well. "Have you gotten out of bed since the stitches were removed?" Luca asked. "Yes," Tyrone answered after about two seconds of dy. It was too short for most people to notice, but Luca did. It seemed that the injury might have affected his auditory nerves or his ability to processnguage. She continued to ask, "How do you find walking now?" "My legs feel weak..." Tyrone was still slow to answer. After he finished speaking, Mrs. Hugh added, "His right foot drags a little on the floor. The doctor who checked on him said that it''ll be much better after he goes through physical therapy." Luca nodded. She did not ask Tyrone to get out of bed and walk to show her. Instead, she squeezed a little hand sanitizer from the bottle hanging on the wall. After she disinfected her hands, she used her thumb to press down on some parts of Tyrone''s face. "Let me know if it hurts," Luca said while pressing down slowly. Tyrone cooperated with her. When he felt ufortable, he told her. She would silently make a note of the locations. Johann rushed over after receiving Nina''s call. When he arrived, he saw Luca examining Tyrone. "Is this an examination?" He walked over to Nina and asked softly. Nina nodded and replied, "I don''t understand what she''s doing but yes, she''s doing an examination." "She''s examining his acupoints. If you don''t have ess to any equipment, you can press on these spots to find out the damaged nerves and parts in the body," Johann said. The human body was complex. If they had ess to equipment, they would not resort to methods as such. He looked at Luca in admiration. "Amazing, Dr. Park." Nina did not expect him to understand what Luca was doing. "I''m not as good as Dr. Craw. The spots she''s pressing are different from the distribution of acupoints in the human body that we learn in medical school. This is her unique examination method. I don''t think she needs these reports." Johann raised a thick stack of reports in his hand. Luca was not distracted by Johann''s arrival. The examination took 20 minutes. After she was done, she sanitized her hands again. Keith snorted coldly. He was dissatisfied with her behavior. Luca ignored him and turned around to look at Johann. "Dr. Craw, are you all done?" Johann asked. "Mm. I''m not good. I was just taught differently from how you guys were taught. Are these the inspection reports?" Luca looked at what he was holding in his hand. "Yeah. Since you''ve already examined him, do you still need these?" Johann asked. "Yes. I have to go through these to make sure that I didn''t make any mistakes." Luca joked even though she was confident in her diagnosis. When Keith heard what Luca said, he immediately threw a fit. "I told you that this woman is no good. She has no confidence in her diagnosis! How can we expect her to treat Tyrone?!" Luca looked up and stared at him coldly. She was not sure if he said that because he was reckless or if it was intentional. She was joking but he did not get it. Seeing that no one took notice of what he said, Keith continued ranting, "Dr. Park, you won''t hand my brother over to such a woman for treatment, will you? If something happens, will you take responsibility for it?" "Shut up!" Johann told him to shut up impatiently. ''What a muddled twat.'' Chapter 1949 Keith immediately stopped talking. He widened his eyes and looked at Johann in disbelief. ''He''s a doctor! How dare he yell at the patient''s family?! I must file aint!'' Johann looked at him coldly and said, "Dr. Craw is just joking, yet you can''t tell? All you''ve done is chatter non-stop. Do you want your cousin to get better?" "How do I know whether she''s joking or not? Besides, you''re saying that she''s joking but maybe she truly doesn''t understand anything and is just acting in front of you!" Keith said in anger. ''How dare he use me of being ignorant?!'' He was not ignorant. He just did not believe that a woman who looked after people would be capable of curing Tyrone. Johann felt a headacheing on. ''Why is he so hostile toward Luca?'' Many in the hospital wanted to get Luca''s help. He once asked her for help on their behalf but she turned him down saying that she was not interested in practicing medicine. Luca would not be helping Tyrone if it were not for Nina. "If you don''t trust the doctor''s capabilities, I would suggest you transfer Mr. Hugh to another hospital," Johann said nkly. ''This time, I have to defend Luca.'' ''Transfer to another hospital?'' Keith''s eyes widened. They were in the best hospital in A City and the country. If they transferred him to another hospital, he was uncertain if Tyrone could get better. Larry frowned and realized that Johann was upset with Keith''s line of questioning. He put a hand on Keith''s shoulder and apologized to Johann, "Sorry, Dr. Park. My brother is too worried about Tyrone. Don''t be angry. We''ll go with your suggestion." Keith wanted to say something but did not dare to speak when he saw Larry staring at him. Luca studied the report while they were discussing whether or not they trusted her capabilities. The problems shown in the inspection reports were simr to the problems she found during her examination. However, some additional issues were not detected in the inspection report. When they went silent, she looked up and handed the reports to Johann. "There are other problems besides those highlighted in the report." "What are the problems?" Johann became interested. If that was the case, it was impressive that Luca could find problems that the machines could not. Luca walked up to Tyrone and pointed out the issues. "Dr. Park, look. His facial nerves are also affected. Have a try if you don''t believe me." Johann frowned. "Tyrone, can you smile for us?" Tyrone heard hismand and tried his best to sh a smile. Nevertheless, no matter how hard he tried, the corners of his mouth still could not turn into a smile. Instead, he squeezed out an expression that was uglier than a smile or a cry. "Am I smiling?" he asked. Mrs. Hugh was startled. She looked at Johann and asked, "Dr. Park, why is this happening?" Nina also frowned. She did not expect that a ss shard would leave Tyrone with so many issues.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. She wished that Jean was the one injured instead of an innocent man. She was so mad she wanted nothing more than for Jean to suffer this pain. He had been moring in the detention center every day, screaming for her to get him out. Considering Tyrone''s situation, she wanted Jean to be locked up. No matter how much time passed, Tyrone would still have a long list of after-effects to deal with. Although the doctor said that these could be improved with treatment, she was unsure how long it would take. Johann looked at Tyrone''s condition, which was indeed something they had not detected. He exined helplessly, "The ss shard that pierced his brain happened to havended in the area that controls these nerves. The tissue area where the ss passed and stopped was, which is why he is as such. However, the human body can self-repair. It may take some time and physical therapy, but his situation will improve." "My brother is still single. Is he really going to be okay?" Larry frowned and asked. If Tyrone''s condition did not improve, he would probably be a bachelor for the rest of his life. It was absurd that he let this happen to him because of a woman! "He''ll get better. He just has to stick with the treatment," Luca said while she made notes of Tyrone''s condition with her phone. Tyrone was sad. Although he could not see his expression just now, from their words, he knew that his condition was not optimistic. "Will I be okay?" "You''ll get better," Luca said as she put the phone back in her pocket. She looked at Nina and asked her, "Do you want me to treat him?" "Luca, it''s best if you can help." Nina nodded in agreement. She trusted Luca and Johann with all her heart. "We can go for dry needling, but my methods are not the same as traditional treatment. The effects will be better, though. I''m the only one who can do this," Luca exined with a frown. Johann answered immediately, "I''ll ask the dean to authorize you." "It''s not just about authorization. I also have other things to attend to. I can''t be here for his sessions every time. How about this? Dr. Park, get a doctor that you trust to shadow me. I''ll demonstrate for him what needs to be done, and he can treat Tyrone once he''s mastered it," Luca said. She had yet to complete the tasks on hand, and Luke''s project was about to bepleted. She was unsure of what she would have to face tomorrow. Johann thought that it could work, so he nodded and said, "I''ll arrange someone for you." "Get me someone young," Luca said as she took out a set of needles from her backpack. She made a request as such because the older practitioners already had their own way of doing things. They were arrogant, so it was difficult for her to change their minds. That was why she preferred to work with someone young. "No problem. Are you going to start the treatment now?" Johann asked. "Yes, I''ll give it a try. Let''s see how it goes," Luca said. "I''ll make the arrangements now." Johann turned around and walked out of the ward. Nina said gratefully, "Luca, thank you so much." "There''s nothing much that I can do." Luca was unequivocal. She began to sterilize the tools. Mrs. Hugh felt a little suffocated when she saw the needles. "Are these going to be inserted into Tyrone''s body?" Luca nced at her, looked away, and exined, "They won''t be all inserted. He won''t feel any pain." Tyrone was nervous as he watched her fiddle with the needles. He closed his eyes and decided not to look. Keith wanted to say something, but Larry squeezed his shoulder. He turned around, saw his warning gaze, and did not dare to say anything. After a while, Johann walked in with a young doctor. "Dr. Craw, I''ve found the right person. This is Dr. Wood. What do you think?" "Okay." Luca nced at the doctor who was wearing a white coat like Johann. She did not have many requirements, so she just nodded to acknowledge Dr. Wood. Dr. Wood looked at Luca''s aloof appearance. News of what she did previously had already spread in the hospital. He thought that Luca would be a middle-aged woman. He did not expect her to be a beautiful and smart young woman. Chapter 1950 Any Doctor Can Do It "Hello, Dr. Craw," Dr. Wood greeted her as Johann did. "Hello. We''re about to start. Family members, please wait outside." Luca''s tone was cold. Unlike other doctors, she took no notice of the feelings of patients and their family members. Mrs. Hugh stood up and walked outside the ward. Keith wanted to stay but was pulled away by Larry. "Come on. You being here will only affect the doctor''s mood and the treatment." Nina nced at Luca. She thought long needles as such were scary, so she left the ward as well. Luca asked Johann, "Where are the medical gloves?" "I''ll get them for you." Johann turned around and grabbed two pairs of gloves from a cab by the door. One pair was for Luca, while the other one was for Dr. Wood. Dr. Wood looked at Luca''s sterilized needles and asked, "Dr. Craw, are you going to use this set of needles to treat the patient?" "Yes." Luca patted Tyrone who had his eyes closed and said, "Take off your clothes and lie down with your back facing us." Tyrone opened his eyes and said as he slowly took off his hospital gown, "Doctor, please be gentle. I have a low tolerance toward pain." Luca smiled helplessly when she heard what he said. "If you''re scared of pain, why did you get into a fight with someone in the first ce? Lie down. It won''t hurt." Tyrone''s movements were slow. After he took off his gown, he slowlyy down. Dr. Wood said, "These needles don''t look like the needles I see outside." "My needles are all made to order. When you treat him, you can just use ordinary needles." Luca liked to use these needles because she has always used this set when she was learning and training. She was used to them. After she left the Ind of Despair, she was unwilling to make a swap. "Okay," Dr. Wood said. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. "I''ll only demonstrate once. The next time, you''ll do it with me at the side guiding you. Many of the spots where I''ll insert the needles are different from what you learned in medical school. You can record a video forter viewing," Luca said. If she had the time, she would not let a doctor learn from her. She did not like to teach others. She learned her skills from Shanks, and her knowledge was different from what was in textbooks. Some people would use their medical knowledge to ask 100,000 whys and have her exin the tiniest things. She did not have the patience for that. "I''ll record. You talk," Johann spoke from the side. He had a patient who was not in a critical situation but was about to go into the operating room. However, he wanted to watch Luca treat Tyrone, so he postponed the operation for an hour. He picked up his phone and found a spot that would not get in the way of Luca and Dr. Wood. Luca started to insert the needles. She was worried that Dr. Wood could not figure out the locations, so she exined as she was going through the processes. She paid close attention to Tyrone throughout the treatment. The whole process could be done in ten minutes, but it took her half an hour to insert the needles in the key acupoints. Dr. Wood watched her take off her gloves and could not help but say with admiration, "This is different from what I studied in medical school. Dr. Park, did you record it? I''ll have to watch it several times." "It''s recorded. Don''t worry. I''ll send it to youter." Johann was also amazed at Luca''s dry needling method. After he saved the video, he wanted to ask her where she learned it from. However, considering Luca''s identity, he knew that she would not say anything, so he dismissed the thought. Luca stood by the bed, looked at Tyrone, and asked, "Do you feel ufortable anywhere in your body?" Tyrone did not dare to move due to her previous warning, so he could only answer slowly in a muffled voice, "I feel some muscles on my back... They''re throbbing..." "Does it hurt?" Luca asked. Her dry needling was not electro-acupuncture but direct dry needling, which stimted the blood flow of the acupoints and dredged the meridians to achieve therapeutic effects. "It doesn''t hurt. It''s quitefortable," Tyrone said with his eyes closed. He did not feel any pain during the entire session. "Okay, give it 15 minutes." Luca nodded. She looked at Johann, who was looking at her. "Dr. Craw, you''re amazing." Johann could not help but praise her. He felt amazed every time he watched Luca perform dry-needling. "It''s not that I''m good. It''s the techniques handed down from our ancestors that are impressive," Luca said in a neutral tone. Shanks learned dry needling from an old man in the deep mountains of Province S when he was young. Therefore, these were all knowledge left by the ancestors. Dr. Wood listened to Luca''s words and hesitated. He wanted to say that this was different from traditional dry needling. However, Johann had warned him that all he had to do was learn how to perform dry needling and keep his mouth shut for anything else. As such, even though he had questions, he opted to keep his mouth shut. 15 minutester, Luca pulled out the needles. It was easier to pull out the needles than to prick them. It took her about ten seconds to pull out all the needles inserted into Tyrone''s body. She said, "It''s done. Get up." When he heard that, Tyrone got up. He was taken back when he saw the used needles that Luca had put on the side, "Uh. You put all of that in me?" He wondered if his back and skull looked like a ho''s nest. "It''s not that many." Luca carefully wrapped the used needles and threw them into the medical waste trash can. "The family cane in now." Dr. Wood nodded and walked to the door. Mrs. Hugh had been worried sick about Tyrone. She was the first who walked in. She asked with concern, "Tyrone, how do you feel Does it hurt? Do you feel any difort?" Tyrone shook his head slowly, his response still very slow. "It doesn''t hurt. On the contrary, I feel a little morefortable." Keith sneered when he saw how Tyrone was. "What does beingfortable do?! Tyrone, you need proper treatment. Beingfortable can''t cure you. Some are good at boasting but don''t have the capabilities to match!¡± Luca ignored his harsh words. She looked at Tyrone and said, "Tyrone, try and smile." "I still have to smile?" That was the first time he smiled since he was hospitalized, but everyone had looked at him weirdly. He did not want to smile in front of them again. "Smile," Luca said forcefully. Tyrone had to try to squeeze a smile. Nina kept looking and noticed that Tyrone''s smile was not as distorted. Although it was still weird, it was clear that he was doing much better than before. A trace of a smile could be seen! "That''s impressive!" she said. Luca said to everyone, ¡°He''ll get better with treatment. His face is the most serious in terms of damage, so the effectiveness of the treatment will be most obvious there. It''ll be noticeable even after one session. For the other issues, it''s necessary to continue with dry needling for them to improve." "Okay, as long as he can get better." Mrs. Hugh had noticed her son''s changes as well and was impressed by Luca. She was d that Tyrone did not shoo her off. Otherwise, they were unsure when he could be treated. "What''s so impressive about what she did? Isn''t it just dry needling? Any doctor can do it!" Keith still refused to ept Luca. Chapter 1951 Dr. Wood was annoyed by what Keith said. "Not anyone can do it. Dr. Craw''s dry needling methods are different from the traditional way. They''re moreplicated and precise. And that''s why her methods yield such good effects. If you don''t believe her, you can go to other hospitals to try. The effects of their doctors'' dry needling treatment definitely won''t be as good as Dr. Craw''s." "I just¡ª" Keith started saying. However, he was cut off by Larry, "Okay, that''s enough." Keith could only stop talking. Mrs. Hugh was afraid that what Keith had just said would offend Luca. If she refused to continue treating Tyrone, his recovery might be indefinite. Yesterday, she heard the nurse and the doctor discuss Tyrone''s condition. They mentioned that the probability of recovery was low. They were discussing how to prepare her mentally. When she heard that, she felt as though the sky was falling. Tyrone was still single. Even if Nina wouldpensate their family with a lot of money, she was unsure if Tyrone would be able to get a good wife with that money. She spent the entire night worrying about it. Tyrone was the only one left to extend the family lineage. Even if other women were interested in him, they would likely only be in it for their family''s money. Hence, Tyrone might not be happy. Luca had given her hope, so she said, "Dr. Craw, sorry. Keith said what he said because he''s worried about Tyrone. Don''t mind him." Luca was not a calctive person. Although Keith''s words were not the kindest, they did not hurt her. She said, "For his treatment, he needs to go for dry needling once every three days. Once he has completed three sessions, he can rest at home and wait for another three days to go back to the hospital. He can look for Dr. Wood to continue with the dry needling sessions." "Okay, okay," Mrs. Hugh replied. "What about physiotherapy? Does he need to do that too?" Johann asked when he remembered that the rehabilitation department had arranged a treatment n for him. "Go for it as long as he doesn''t get hurt." Luca picked up her backpack. Keith had another opinion. "What? Go home after three sessions? Tyrone won''t be discharged from the hospital until he fully recovers. Don''t think about saving money for this woman. She said that she''ll take responsibility for all rted costs. If something happens to him when he goes home¡ª" Johann interrupted him impatiently. "We will evaluate the patient''s body before he''s discharged. You don''t have to worry about that." Keith wanted to say something else but Mrs. Hugh said sternly, "We''ll listen to the doctor." "Aunt Jenny!" Keith''s eyes widened. They had agreed the day prior that they would not discharge Tyrone as long as he had yet to recoverpletely. Nevertheless, as soon as Luca arrived, Mrs. Hugh changed her mind. Larry knew what Keith was thinking about and put a hand on his shoulder. "Let''s go for a smoke." Keith still wanted to convince Mrs. Hugh. "Brother, I don''t want to smoke. You can go if you want to." "Come with me even if you don''t want to," Tyrone said as he gripped Keith''s shoulder and walked out of the room. The ward was finally quiet. Luca looked at Nina and said, "Nina, if all is well, I''ll head off now." Johann joked and said, "Yes, it''s time for her to go back. Otherwise, someone might not stop calling me and I won''t know how to exin this." Luca shook her head helplessly and walked out of the ward. She did not leave immediately. She thought of how Keith was forcibly brought out of the ward by Larry and knew that they would be up to something. Larry was a few years older than Keith. He was calm, unlike Keith, who was impetuous. Although he was submissive on the surface and did not question Luca when she spoke, Luca knew that he was thinking about the same thing as Keith. Maybe he used smoking as an excuse to discuss something with Keith. She wondered if she would get some useful information if she eavesdropped. Luca smiled, took her phone, turned on the recording function, and hurried to the smoking area on the same floor. Larry and Keith were there. Luca heard Keith''s grumpy voice in the distance. She hid around the corner and pressed the record button. Keith looked at Larry who was smoking calmly and stomped his feet. "Brother, why didn''t you say something to Aunt Jenny? We agreed on the next steps yesterday. How can she do such a 360? She even told us to listen to the doctor! If she listens to the doctor, Tyrone will be discharged early and his condition won''t seem as serious. That woman may use this to refuse to give us more money. " "Why are you impatient in front of them?" Larry let out a puff of smoke. The windows were open for venttion. After he zipped up his jacket, he slowly said, "Aunt Jenny made a promise, but that''s all there is to it. You won''t be able to change her mind with just a few words. Let it be. I''m sure that as the situation unfolds, she''ll change her mind again and go against the doctor''s words." "How are you so sure?" Keith looked at him, confused. "Do you think you''re the only one thinking about asking for more money? She wants more money as well." Tyrone continued speaking, "Tyrone isn''t doing well. He''s not handsome and is even handicapped now. If she doesn''t ask for more money, how will any normal woman marry him in the future? If the woman is abnormal, the children she gives birth to will be abnormal as well." "That''s true." Keith nodded in agreement. "However, it''d be a lie if I tell you that I wasn''t worried when she said what she said. How annoying is Dr. Craw?! It''s all her fault!" "Don''t worry. As long as we work together, we''ll be able to get a lot of money from Nina. At that time, we''ll mention that since we''re also taking care of Tyrone, Aunt Jenny should give us a portion of the payout. We''ll be rich!¡± Tyrone put out his cigarette and threw the butt. The cigarette butt did notnd in the trash can but on the ground beside it. Luca''s mood sank as she listened to their conversation. All they cared about was money. There was nothing else that mattered to them. Since they seem to think that Tyrone would end up being disabled, she would never allow that to happen. Luca pressed the save button and made sure that the conversation was saved. She turned around to leave and texted Johann to ask him where he was. After Johann told her that he had returned to his office, she headed there. After she walked in, Johann happened to hang his white coat on the hanger. She asked, "Dr. Park, are you going for an operation?" "Yeah, I postponed my surgery by an hour when I found out that you came to perform dry needling treatment on a patient," Johann said. "Give me another five minutes. I need a piece of paper and a pen," Luca said. She knew that he was not in a hurry since the operation could be postponed for an hour. Johann nodded and put a pen and paper in front of her. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Luca sat in the consultation chair, picked up the pen, lowered her head, and wrote a prescription on the paper. She made a note of the dosage and the usage, then handed it to Johann. "This is for Tyrone. It''s gettingte and I have to leave now. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a text." Johann nced at the prescription and nodded. He said jokingly, "You should make a move soon, in case Luke asks me where you are." Chapter 1952 He mentioned Luke... Luca felt helpless. After Luke''s car ident, Luke''s brand was put on her body. However, she could not bring herself to hate what they were doing. That was because if the incident before had not happened, she would have been Luke''s. After Luca left the prescription, she turned around and left. She took the elevator to the first floor and unexpectedly bumped into someone she did not want to see. Jean Langdon... Jean had juste out of the detention center. He was still in handcuffs and was apanied by two policemen in uniforms. When everyone saw them, they were worried that Jean was a murderer and all fled. When Luca saw that it was Jean, she was about to turn around and leave via another exit. However, it was toote. Jean called out to her, "Luca!" There was a little trace of joy in his tone. He did not seem to feel ashamed that he was handcuffed and escorted by police. Luca had to stop. She turned around and looked at him with a frown. "It is you!" Jean ignored the two policemen beside him and walked up to Luca. "How have you been recently?" Luca nced at the handcuffs on his hands with an indifferent expression. "Doing better than you." Jean thought that she minded the handcuffs on his hands, so he said with a smile, "Come on now. I''m innocent and will be out soon." "Innocent?" Luca sneered. "Tyrone is still lying in the ward after being beaten up by you. He may even end up being disabled. How dare you say that you''re innocent?!" "Disabled?" Jean''s expression changed slightly, then it returned to normal, "Don''t lie to me. He was hit by a bottle, so how can it be so serious? He''s not made of ss. He won''t shatter when touched." "I''m not lying to you. If his family goes after you, you can start preparing to spend a few years in prison." Luca nced at the two policemen beside him and wondered why they allowed him to stand there and talk to her. "It''s okay, Nina won''t let anything happen to me. Besides, with Percy, anything that can be settled with money won''t be an issue." Jean was optimistic because he knew that Nina would take care of everything for him. "Naive fool." Luca frowned in disgust. Jean was older and more educated than Nina, but he was acting like an ignorant man who thought everything was going to be alright. It was sad that Nina, a normal woman, was forced to clean up all her brother''s mess... "Don''t say that. I''m quite manly. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have made a move when he touched Marie. See, I protect the weak, but it''s unfortunate that I went a little too far this time, Next time, I certainly won''t," Jean said. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. "Marie?" Luca''s brows furrowed even more deeply. ''Does this matter involve Marie?'' "Yeah, I bumped into Marie at the bar and she asked me for help. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have bothered." Jean did not want Luca to know that he was previously in a rtionship with Marie, so he made something up. "..." Luca knew that when it came to Marie, nothing good coulde out of it. It was the same at the vi and the same when Jean bumped into her. "Why aren''t you saying anything? Don''t get me wrong. I just happened to meet her at the bar. I wouldn''t have done anything if she hadn''t asked me for help and told me that Tyrone was harassing her," Jean continued to lie with his eyes open. The police could not stand by as Jean positioned himself as the hero. The whole thing started because the two men were fighting over Marie. "Enough with the chit-chat. Let''s head back to the station. You''re still detained." A policeman pulled Jean''s handcuffs and wanted to leave. Jean was forced to follow behind the police. As he was walking off, he said, "Luca, don''t misunderstand. I have nothing to do with someone like Marie!" Luca was close with Nina. Maybe Nina had already told her that he was involved with Marie before this and got tricked. As such, he did not want Luca to think he was back with Marie. If she thought so, he would have no chance with her. The other policeman listened to what Jean said, shook his head helplessly, looked at Luca, and said, "Ma''am, don''t listen to him. It''s all nonsense. After an investigation, we found that they fought in a bar for a woman with thest name Rayne. This woman came with him. She didn''t show up out of the blue." He did not want Luca to be fooled, so he said what he said. "I see, thank you." After Luca thanked the policeman, she turned around and left. She was aware of the kind of man Jean was. After all, a leopard could not change its spots. Even if Jean hade out of prison, he was still the same man. He still wanted to get close after knowing what kind of person Marie was. He asked for it, so he deserved to be injured and caught. ''Poor Nina.'' Luca nced at the time and did not n to stay in the hospital for much longer. She guessed that the results of the analysis she did that morning should be ready. As she thought of that, she walked to the open-air parking lot of the hospital and got into the car. She did not drive off immediately and waited for the car to warm up a little before she drove away. Luca arrived at the vi and entered the living room. She heard the maid say, "Ms. Craw, you''re back. Sir was asking me where you were." Luca nodded and replied, "What else did he say?" "Nothing else. I told him that you went to the hospital to help your friend," the maid said. "Okay, I see." Luca put the backpack on the sofa, then walked to the maid''s room. She knocked on the door. "Come in." Luke''s tone was a little cold. Luca opened the door, walked into the room, looked at the man sitting at the desk, and called out to him, "Mr. Crawford." Luke did not look up as he responded, "You''re back?" "Yes," Luca nodded. Luke seemed busy, so she thought that he should not have anyments about her going to the hospital. Luke still did not look up as he asked, "You went to help Nina?" "Yes, Tyrone had his stitches removed today. He needs to continue with the next step of treatment. I treated him with dry needling," Luca answered honestly. Johann was there, so even if she did not tell him, he could always find out from Johann. "Do you still need to go again?" Luke continued to ask, still not looking at her. Luca listened to his t and calm tone. It did not seem like he was angry, so she breathed a sigh of relief. On the way back, she was worried that he would me her for being nosy. After all, she also thought that it was better to have less contact with someone like Tyrone. "I need to go once more. I asked Dr. Park to help me find a doctor who can do dry needling. I demonstrated it to him this time. Next time, I''ll guide him so he can get the hang of it. After that, I won''t have to go anymore," Luca exined in detail. Chapter 1953 "Mm." Luke''s tone was still calm. After he found out that Luca had gone to the hospital, he guessed that she was there to help Nina. Her friendship with Nina and Sue had never changed. However, their rtionship had changed a lot. Luke felt hurt when he thought of that. "You can leave now." "Okay," Luca did not say anything else. She left the room and closed the door for him. She went upstairs with her backpack. As soon as she returned to the bedroom, her phone rang. Luca thought it was Nina calling. She took out the phone and saw that it was a string of garbled characters. It was not Nina but Abel... She took a deep breath and answered the call. As soon as she put the phone to her ear, she heard him ask, "Did you get the bidding document as I asked you to?" "The project bid hasn''t beenpleted." Luca frowned. "Not finished yet? Ivana, who are you kidding? How could Luke''spany be so inefficient?" Abel did not believe her. Luca could not help but feel a burning rage. If the other party had not suddenly changed its demands, the bid would have beenpleted early in the morning. "Since you''re paying so much attention to this project, you must know that the other party has changed the requirements. The bid has to be redone." She lowered her gaze and added, "It''s considered good if we canplete it in time." "The bid is approaching the specified submission date and it hasn''t been done?¡± Abel''s tone was gloomy with a hint of warning. If Luca dared to deceive him, that would be it for her! Luca had no choice but to say truthfully, "There''s still a little more to go until it''s ready. It should be completed in another two days." "In two days?" Abel was dissatisfied. If he waited for Luke toplete the proposal before stealing it, it might be submittedter than T Corporation. He could not take such a risk, so he said, "There''s only a little bit left, so there won''t be many changes. Luca, you have to give me the contents of the bidding document by the end of the day." Luca clenched her hand into a tight fist. ''By the end of the day... That means that I have to steal it in the next few hours. Must I do that...'' "Not today." "Why?" Abel''s tone sounded even more unpleasant. "I don''t know where his important documents are. There''s a safe in thepany and at home. I can only try the safe at home today. If it doesn''t work, I''ll have to wait until tomorrow," Luca said. "Tomorrow is the final deadline. If you still don''t give it to me, you''ll have to bear whateveres next." Abel gave her an ultimatum. Luca gave an indifferent hum, but she felt uneasy in her heart. If Luke had put the document in the safe at home, she could sneak it out and modify some important data before giving it to Abel. If they were not in the safe at home, she was unsure how she could get her hands on them. Luke''s office was not a ce she could enter if she wanted. When he heard Luca''s tone, Abel smiled gloomily and asked, "How''s your wound?" "I''m not dying. If that''s it, I''m going to hang up the call now," Luca said, then hung up the call. He deliberately mentioned her wound because she was too calm when talking to him. After she hung up the call, Luca fondled her hair irritably. Her wound was not her priority. Even if it was inmed, she would not die within the next few days. Right now, the most important thing was to get her hands on the bidding document. She could not prepare the entire bidding document by herself, so she still had to get Luke''s bidding document... Luca was pacing in the bedroom. When she was hesitating, Abel sent her another text: [After you get the bidding document, send it to me in full. If I find out that you changed the price or anything else, Kathryn will suffer.] Luca''s mood sank. She could not help but throw her phone on the bed. Her hands were clenched tightly into fists... He knew what she was thinking, so he used N to threaten him... Luca took a deep breath and adjusted the anger in her heart. She could not be carried away by her emotions. She could not let anything happen to N... She turned around and looked at the door, behind which was Luke''s bedroom... "Luke, I''m sorry..." Luca whispered. She had to do it for their daughter... If T Corporation lost the opportunity to bid because of the leaked proposal, it would cause a lot of losses. The loss of Dr. Albus'' research was waiting to be covered by this project. Therefore, the leaking of the bidding document may seriously harm T Corporation. However, Luke had the ability. She believed he would be able to get back on his feet, so she could not risk hurting N by secretly changing the bidding document. Luca opened the bedroom door and saw that Luke''s bedroom door was shut tightly. She took a deep breath, walked across, and slowly opened the door. With a click, the door was open. Luca took a deep breath and nced in the direction of the stairs. The maid was not heading upstairs. Meanwhile, Luke could not go upstairs in his state. She opened the door, walked in, and headed for the safe. However, she hesitated to make the next move... Luca clenched her fists, and her mood wasplicated. The bidding document might not be inside. If it was not inside, she had to go to T Corporation this same night. In any case, she still had to steal the bidding document... She mustered up her courage and reached for the lock of the safe but did not press it. She still had no courage to do it. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ''I''ll do it tonight..'' Luca immediately withdrew her hand and hurried out of Luke''s room. She did not know that Luke had seen everything. His door was connected to the surveince camera. When someone opened the door, the surveince camera would automatically record everything that was happening in the room. He looked at Luca through theputer screen and noticed that she seemed to be going through an internal struggle as she stared at the safe. She stretched out her hand but did not unlock it for a long time. In the end, she chose to leave. Luke crossed his hands and kept watch of what was happening through the monitor. It seemed that her goal was indeed the bidding document. After he watched Luca leave, Luke clicked out of the interface and opened the drawer beside him. He prepared this bidding document that was sent over by Jason two days ago for Luca. He just did not have the time to put it in the safe. It seemed that he had to put it in the safe himself. He would give Luca whatever she wanted... However, he would not be giving her everything. After all, he had to figure out who was plotting against them behind the scenes... No matter who it was, he swore not to let off the person controlling Luca and forcing her to change her appearance! Luca went downstairs. She was still trembling. She had almost keyed in the password... She was so close topleting the task assigned by Abel... Luca took a deep breath and adjusted her heart rate. The maid asked with concern when she saw how pale Luca was, "Ms. Craw, your face is so pale. Are you okay? Are you feeling alright?" "I''m fine." Luca shook her head, and her expression returned to normal within a second. "You don''t look the best..." the maid said. "It might be because I didn''t take a nap today, so I''m a little tired." Luca made up a random excuse. Chapter 1954 "Is that so? Get some rest after dinner. Food is ready," the maid said with a smile. Luca felt that the maid was too involved. Maybe she was acting on Luke''s orders... When she heard the maid say that food was ready, she went into the study and said to Luke, "Mr. Crawford, dinner is ready." Luke nodded and picked up the thick stack of documents on the side. "Bring me the crutches." When he was discharged from the hospital, the hospital nurses had thoughtfully provided him with crutches but he never used them because he thought that it was bad for his image. Luca nced at the documents in his hand and looked away casually, feeling a little guilty. She had seen the word ''project''. ''Is that the bidding document?'' She quickly hid her emotions and brought the crutches in the corner to Luke. Luke''s mood sank when he saw the metal crutches. He thought that he would never use the crutches until he recovered, but he did not expect to have to use them now. Luca sighed to herself when she saw his reaction. It was as though he was forced to use the crutches. "Mr. Crawford, where are you going?" "Upstairs." Luke abruptly stood up using the crutches with the document in one hand. Luca immediately stepped forward to help him for fear that he would lose his footing and fall. Luke had the crutches under his armpits. The awkward feeling made him ufortable. He would not be using them if it were not for Luca''s sake. "Are you alright?" Luca asked with concern when she saw that he could stand up straight but was not moving. "Let''s go. Walk behind me and pay attention. I''m a little unstable." In front of Luca, he did not bother to maintain his image. He honestly told her that he was not familiar with using crutches. "Okay." Luca nodded in agreement and followed behind him as she held her breath. He lifted the injured leg, ced the crutches under his armpit, and moved forward step by step. "Is this meant for humans?" "This is how medical crutches are..." Luca said. These were the best crutches that money could buy. He probably had not used them much, so he was not used to them. If he could ept the crutches, he would not need to stay on the first floor. ¡°Grandpa''s cane looks like it''d be easier to usepared to this." Luke was referring to Old Master Crawford''s walking cane. Luca knew what he was talking about. She had a feeling that Luke was especially chatty that day... He struggled to walk upstairs with his crutches. Luca followed from behind, terrified. She was scared that he would lose his foothold and lean back, so she was ready to catch him at any time Fortunately, Luke made it to the second floor. He stood at the entrance of his bedroom and raised his chin. "Help me open the door." "Okay, Mr. Crawford," Luca said as she opened the door. It opened with a click, just like the sound it made when she opened the door just now. The only difference was that Luke was beside her this time. She lowered her gaze and nced at the document in his hand. ¡®Is he going to put the document in the safe?'' Luke walked in with the help of his crutches. He closed the door but left a gap. He did it on purpose for Luca. When the vi was being renovated, the second floor was made to have good soundproofing. If the door waspletely closed, she would not be able to hear him opening the safe when she stood outside. Luca turned her back to the door, but her ears were subconsciously listening to the sounds inside. She heard Luke open the safe... She could hear everything, from him twisting thebination lock and then entering the digital passcode. She has seen that kind of safe. There were three kinds of locks in total¡ªa twistbination lock, a digital lock, and a pupil lock. However, for the convenience of users, one would generally only need to unlock two locks. The third lock would automatically be unlocked. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. In his current state, it was inconvenient for Luke to unlock the pupil lock, so he unlocked the other two locks. Luca took a deep breath. She could hear everything. The safe was sessfully opened, and she heard the sound of the safe''s door opening. After a while, she heard Luke closing the safe and the sound of the three locks locking automatically. The moment the safe door was closed, she heard Luke walking out with the help of his crutches. After a while, he came out of his room. "Let''s go. Let''s have dinner." "Okay, Mr. Crawford." After Luca helped him close the door, she walked in front of Luke and carefully guarded him since they were going downstairs. Luke watched Luca''s petite body walk in front of him as she wanted to protect him. He was filled with emotions. He should be the one protecting her, but the two had swapped positions. The two went down one step at a time. Going downstairs was more difficult than going upstairs, so it took a lot out of Luke to get to the first floor. Upon seeing what was going on, the maid eximed, "Sir, this is too dangerous!" Luke looked at her calmly and replied, "Don''t worry about it." "Stand where you are. I''ll bring the wheelchair over." The maid was still anxious. If Luke, who was not familiar with using crutches, fell, it would take him much longer than expected to recover. Luke lowered his gaze. It was indeed difficult to go downstairs. He was cautious, but his armpits were already aching from using the crutches. The maid pushed the wheelchair to his side and said, "Sir, try to avoid going upstairs. You''re more prone to idents if you go on like this." "I had to put something important upstairs," Luke exined, lest the maid nagged at him more. The maid still disagreed with his choices. "If you had something to put upstairs, you could''ve gotten me to do it." Luke did not speak anymore. He went to the dining room by maneuvering the wheelchair. "Let''s have dinner." "Okay." The maid nodded and walked into the kitchen to bring out the dishes. Luca also helped her out. After dinner, she helped Luke take a bath as she did for thest couple of days. After she watched him take his medicine, she asked, "Mr. Crawford, is thepany''s bidding documentpleted?" Luke shook his head and replied, "We''re left with thest two pages. We can finish it by tomorrow." "Will you be at the scene of the bidding?" Luca asked. If she seeded in stealing the bidding document for Abel, she did not know what he would do with it. She knew that he would sell the document to someone else. However, she was unsure if the person who bought T Corporation''s bidding document would modify the basic information and submit it or whether they would modify their bid based on their document to secure a win. Whichever it was, Luke would inevitably fail... After he took over T Corporation, he participated in many bids, and all of them were sessful. As long as he was present, the reporters would capture his victorious stance. However, this time, he was destined to lose. If he was there, those reporters would make a big deal out of it... Luca hoped that he would send someone to attend on his behalf because of his injury. "I''ll definitely be there," Luke said. Luca wanted his bid, which meant that on the day of the bid, the person controlling her might be present. Although it was only a possibility, he was determined to show up. He had to go to the scene in person to confirm. Chapter 1955 "Is that so..." Luca frowned slightly. He still wanted to attend the event even though he was injured. "I don''t feelfortable handing the task over to others for important asions as such," Luke said. He finished the warm water and put it on the table. Luca looked at his cast and said, "But your leg..." "Start packing. You''ll be going on a business trip with me," Luke said. Not only was he going, but she was going too. If he had to go by himself, it was impossible for him to find out who was controlling Luca when he had to face so many bidders. Luca felt awkward. "I''m going too?" "I need someone to take care of me. You''re more attentivepared to Jason. Do you have any objections?" Luke asked. "No, I''m fine with the arrangement." Luca shook her head. ''Am I allowed to say no? Of course not.'' Even if the wound on her waist had not healed, she could not say anything. Since Luke asked, she could only say yes... "Get ready. We''ll leave next week." Luke finished speaking and looked away. Luca replied with a hum and walked out of the room. The maid had not gotten off work yet. She was cleaning the living room. Luca nced at the time and said, ¡°It''s gettingte. You should get off work." "I''ll get off work after cleaning this table." The maid looked at her. She thought of Luke''s dangerous behavior just now and said, "Ms. Craw, I saw you helping Mr. Crawford upstairs today." "Yeah." Luca nodded. She knew what she was going to say. She thought to herself that a maid who was as responsible as her was rare. "That''s too dangerous. If he wants to go upstairs, you can call me. I can carry him upstairs," the maid said. "Mr. Crawford wanted to put some private documents in his safe, so that''s why he did that. There should be no next time," Luca said. She watched as the maid finished cleaning the table and urged her, "The rest can be done tomorrow. Theter it is, the colder it gets.¡± Only if the maid got off work could she confidently go into Luke''s room to get the document. "That''s true. I''ll get off work, then." The maid smiled and walked into the kitchen with the rag. Luca did not go upstairs immediately. She waited for the maid toe out of the kitchen and leave the vi before she slowly went upstairs. As she went up the stairs, her legs were shaking. Tonight, she was going to do one more thing that would hurt Luke... Although she was reluctant, she still reached the top of the stairs. The moment she stepped onto the second floor, Luca looked toward the corridor. It was a matter that had to be done sooner orter. She could not risk N''s life. "Luke, I''m sorry. I¡¯m doing this for our daughter..." After she apologized softly, Luca walked into Luke''s bedroom. The door opened with a click. At the same time, the surveince screen on Luke''s side also lit up. He watched Luca walk toward the safe in silence and with aplicated expression. ¡®She¡¯s going after the bidding document...¡¯ Luca walked to the safe. The first was the twistbination lock, where four digits made up the passcode. She thought about it, entered her birthday, and it showed an input error... It was not her birthday? Luca was stunned. Then, she entered her birth year. With a click, the lock was unlocked. She pursed her lips. If she guessed correctly, the second password should be her birthday. All the passwords set by Luke were rted to her. He cared deeply about her, but now, she had to do such a thing... Luca did not want to do it, but N was still in Abel''s hands. She had no choice but to go for the digital password lock, which was still a four-digit password. She entered her birthday and the safe opened without a hitch. Luca looked at the contents of the safe. On the topyer were Luke''s valuables, including cash, watches, and the essories he sometimes wore. The bottomyer was where the item that Abel wanted was ced. Luca''s hands trembled when she bent down and reached out to take out the bidding document. In the end, she still took it out. Her face was bleak when she looked at the bidding document. She closed the safe, feeling extremely guilty. She fled from Luke''s bedroom soon after. Luke sat in front of theputer and looked at her figure with his deep-set eyes. He opened the drawer and looked at another bidding document. The real bidding document was in his hands. That copy was just for Luca. No matter who she wanted to give it to, it would not affect him. Since he had to prepare two bidding documents and the matter was confidential, only he and Jason had worked on the copy. During this time, they were so upied because the workload was heavy. Luke did not want Luca to suspect anything, so he could only do so. Luca quickly returned to her bedroom and put the bidding document on the dresser. Originally, she nned to scan the bidding document, then revise some important points before sending it to Abel. However, Abel said that she was not allowed to change anything. If he found out, N would suffer. Therefore, she gave up scanning the document and chose to use a camera to photograph the contents of the document page by page. It took Luca about half an hour to photograph the thick stack of documents. She returned to Luke''s bedroom, ced the document back in ce, and quickly walked away. She did not know that Luke was watching her every move. Luca was back in her bedroom. She uploaded the photos from her phone to theputer, then put them in the same folder. Finally, with trembling hands, she sent the folder to the designated email address. Five minutester, Abel called her.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. "I''ve already sent you the bidding document. What else do you want?!" Luca''s tone had a slight fluctuation. Abel was very happy. The more Luca was like this, the better he felt. ¡®Doesn''t she want the best for Luke? I¡¯ll make her do something to hurt Luke, then. ''Do they want longsting love? Impossible!'' "I just want topliment you for a job well done," Abel said. Luca clenched her fist with one hand and responded, "I don''t need yourpliment. Make sure you keep my daughter safe!" "That''s right. Kathryn has grown taller. I heard that she¡¯s still thinking about you and wants you toe back soon." Abel deliberately talked about N to cause her mood to swing. With her daughter on one side and Luke on the other, it was so hard to choose. It was interesting that she chose N in the end. If it were him and there was Kassy on one side and their child on the other, he would definitely choose Kassy. They could have another child, but there was only one Kassy... Thinking of Kassy who had left him, Abel''s tone darkened once more. She had already passed away. "Luca, when do you think I should let youe back?" Luca trembled with anger at his words but said nothing. She was afraid that he would notice her reaction if she said anything, which would make him even more impudent and happy. "Heh, it seems that you don''t want toe back for now. That''s fine. Stay by Luke''s side and destroy him little by little." Abel''s tone was dark. ¡®Since she chose to protect the child, she¡¯s destined to destroy Luke. That¡¯s a wonderful choice.¡¯ Chapter 1956 What he wanted to see most was Luke being pushed into the abyss by the woman he loved most. Luca was angry, and her current mood wasplicated. She wanted to put a knife to Abel''s neck but did not even know where he was at the moment... "Are you done?" She took a deep breath. She wanted to escape from it all. "No." Abel chuckled and continued talking, "Since you''vepleted the task I assigned you, I should give you an appropriate reward, right?" Luca wanted to turn him down because she knew that his so-called reward was of ill will. Abel said, "You haven''t found what drug is in your wound, right? I''ll tell you.¡± "No need." Luca hung up the phone, not believing a word of what he said. Past experience told her that Abel''s rewards and good deeds were all lies. If she believed him, it was most likely that her wound would worsen and she would not be cured. Abel pursed his lips when he heard the busy tone on the other end of the phone. He browsed through the photos Luca sent and sent the folder to an email address. He picked up his phone and made a call. "I got you the document you wanted. You know my ount number. Hurry up and make the transfer." "Since when have I ever dyed my payments to you? Don''t worry, I''ll transfer the money to you immediately." A man''s voice came from the other end of the phone. After he finished speaking, he hung up. Abel snorted coldly, lit a cigar, and sat on the sofa to smoke it. Hera Sanchez came over and leaned on him. "What''s wrong with you? Why do you look so angry?" "I''m pissed off by a pair of fake lovers." Abel took a big inhale of his cigar. He would think of Kassy''s tragic death every time he felt Luca''s love for Luke. If he had been on the ind at that time, Kassy would not have ended up as such. He might have given up on his old life for her and they would be living a happy life together now. However, he and Kassy were separated by death. He felt like duckweed. No matter how many women he was with, he did not feel at home. "Who dares to piss you off? If I were you, I''d get someone to shoot anyone who dares to provoke me," Hera whispered in his ear. Although she had not figured out Abel''s identity over the years, she knew that there was more to him than met the eye. He was someone of high status, but he was not on the path of light. He was the kind of person with blood on his hands. Therefore, she had never thought of leaving him even though he did not acknowledge her as his partner. She knew that Abel might be useful in the future. "Shoot them?" Abel took a puff, blew circles, and smiled coldly. "That''s not a good idea. Taking them out like that will make their lives too easy. What I want is to watch them suffer endlessly. I want them to go through forced separation, and only then will I grant them death." Hera shuddered as she listened to his emotionless words. ¡®He doesn''t just want to kill them but he wants to torture them... Isn''t this the kind of pervert who kills people and whips their corpses?'' He did not seem like someone who dyed things, though. She knew that he hated the couple that he mentioned with everything that he had. "What? Are you scared?" Hera was snuggling against his chest, so he could feel her shaking just now. Hera sneered and replied, "Yeah, you scare me. However, as I''m thinking about what you just said, it''s indeed the best way to torture someone. Since you hate them so much, it should be fun." "It''s okay." Abel put his arms around her. Most of the time, he would think about directly taking Luke down. Every time the thought came to him, he immediately remembered how Kassy was tortured to death. It was an easy way out for Luke if he just took his life like that. As soon as he finished speaking, his phone made a sound, indicating that he had a sum of money transferred to his ount. Abel pushed Hera away, picked up the phone, looked at the number, and squinted slightly. The other party was trustworthy. The amount was exactly what they agreed on. Hera nced at the screen of his phone and saw the numbers on it. She could not help but say with envy, "That''s a lot of money. Did you just close a huge deal?¡± "Somewhat." Abel smiled. He had not done much. Someone sent the files to him and he sent the files to someone else. Then, the money arrived. The person who wanted to buy T Corporation''s bidding document had the intention of submitting it earlier than T Corporation. He could earn money and hit Luke hard. It was killing two birds with one stone. Abel was in a great mood when he thought of that. "It''s amazing. Can you teach me how to make money?" Hera revealed the envy in her eyes. She spent a lot of money on cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and entertainment. She did not have enough money to spend. If Abel was willing to teach her how to make more money, she would not have to hold back from spending anymore. "Teach you how to make money? What do you think I do for work?" Abel smiled, put his phone aside, and put his arms around her again. "I don''t know, but I can do anything. We''ve known each other for so many years. I doubt that you''ll deceive me." Hera smiled with sincere eyes. All she wanted was for him to help her make more money. Sometimes, it was easier to rely on a man. However, not every man was generous. Many were stingy, so it was better to make money by herself! "My business is not something you can be involved in." Abel shook his head. Even after maintaining a rtionship with her for so many years, he still did not trust her. A woman like Hera would easily betray someone for money. He did not want her involved even with the pharmaceuticalpany. Moreover, the pharmaceuticalpany paid out monthly wages on the surface, but she was not interested in that. She did not have the capability to be involved with what he did behind the scenes. Hera pouted and said, "Of course, you''re gonna say that. But you just made a boatload of money. How will you know if you don''t even let me try?" "How much do you want?" Abel asked. After all, she just wanted money. Abel was not stingy with her. If all was well, he would give her a sum of money from time to time. However, the two did not have a long-term rtionship. He would only reach out to her if he was over in A City and needed her for something. Even if he was generous, it could not satisfy Hera''s thirst for money. "Oh, it''s up to you. I''m not with you for money," Hera said shyly. Although she was unable to work with him, getting some money would significantly improve her current situation. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Abel picked up the phone and sent her some money. "Is this enough for you?" Hera looked at the transferred amount as her eyes glowed. She quickly nodded. "It''s enough. You''re so generous!" "I''ve always been this way with you." Abel snuffed out the cigar. He kept Hera around for so long because her lips resembled Kassy''s. Her beautiful face with lips as alluring as Kassy''s was why he came back to her. "Are you happy?" Abel asked. "I''ve always been happy, especially when I''m with you." Hera smiled, snuggled into his arms, and epted the money. Chapter 1957 Abel looked at her delicate lips and smiled evilly. "You have a sweet mouth. Since you''re so happy, you can make me happy too." Hera understood what he meant. Her face blushed as she said shyly, ¡°Cheeky.'' "What? You don''t want more money?" Abel took her hand and did not let her leave. Hera blinked her eyes and looked at him with fascination. "Of course, I want money. Since you''re not letting me learn from you, I can only ask you for money..." "Serve me well. You''ll have more money as long as I''m happy," Abel spoke bluntly. He then stood up and pulled Hera into the bedroom. The next day. When Luca came downstairs, she found Jason and Tina standing in the living room. "Dr. Craw, good morning,¡± the two greeted her in unison. "Good morning, why are you..." Luca looked at them and instantly understood. "Is the bid about to be completed?" "Yes, we''re close to finishing it, so I came over with Tina to help the boss finalize the document." Jason smiled. After so many months, they were finallypleting the project bid. However, it was not time to rx yet. If they were good enough, T Corporation would win the project and there would be another round of hectic schedules. All they would get was a temporary rest. After all, thepany still had other projects in the works. "Is Mr. Crawford up?" Luca did not sleep muchst night, so she got up earlier than usual and was unsure if Luke had woken up. "Mr. Crawford is already up, and the maid is upied," Jason replied and invited her. "Dr. Craw, if you have nothing to do, you can join us." "I think I should stay out of it. The bidding document is confidential. An unrted person like me shouldn''t know too much about it." Luca turned him down. Jason nodded and smiled. Luke had already told him that Luca took the fake bidding document. Although she had put it back in ce, he guessed that the fake document had been photographed and sent to a third party. Jason did not have much of a reaction toward the matter because he knew Luca was being ckmailed. After all, the bidding document was fake, so it did not matter who had their hands on it now. It would not affect T Corporation. Luca said, "Since you came so early, I assume the two of you haven''t had breakfast yet? Should I prepare your portions when I prepare breakfast?" "Thank you, Dr. Craw." Tina immediately responded. She had been dying to have Luca''s cooking again. "Will it be troublesome?" Jason asked. "Making two more portions is not that different from making one portion," Luca said. They came so early when dawn just broke. Those breakfast stalls by the road would not have been open, so they probably had yet to eat anything. Especially Tina, who always ate out for meals. She must not have had breakfast. "Okay, thank you." Jason thanked her and nced at Tina. ¡®Even if she''s hungry, she should thank Luca. It''s manners.'' Tina noticed Jason''s expression and stuck out her tongue slightly. She knew that she had agreed too quickly. Those who were not close with her would think that she was rude. Nevertheless, Luca not only knew her but also knew her very well, so she did not intend to act polite. Besides, if her boss wanted to be jealous, he should be jealous of Luca and other men. He should not be jealous of her rtionship with other women. Jason shook his head helplessly. He did not want to eat it at first, but since Tina said yes, it would be awkward if he just sat there while they ate. As such, he could only agree. He hoped Luke would not show a sour expressionter. Otherwise, even the most delicious breakfast would taste like wax. After a while, the maid came out of the room and said, "Mr. Doyle, Ms. Tina, sir asked you to go in." "Okay, thank you." Jason thanked the maid and walked into the maid''s room together. "Boss," the two called out to Luke. "Sit down." Luke''s tone was cold, and he showed no emotions. The maid''s room was not big. After he requested a 1.8-meter bed and a wardrobe, arge desk was ced in the remaining space. There was no extra space for them to ce another desk. As such, they had to share a desk with Luke. Luke had instructed the maid to reposition the desk and add two more chairs. He sat with his back to the wall, while Jason and Tina sat opposite him. "Boss, shall we start now?" Jason looked at Luke. They would do the summary. Although there were not many people, it would not be a problem to submit the bidding document in time. "Mm." Luke turned on hisptop. At the same time, Jason and Tina also performed the same action. On the other hand. The maid walked into the kitchen and found that Luca was already up. She asked softly, "Ms. Craw, why are you up so early?" "I got up earlyst night because I went to bed early." Luca knew that the maid lowered her voice so as not to disturb the three people working in the maid''s room. Hence, she also lowered her voice to answer her. The maid looked at herplexion and thought it was not the best. Currently, she did not look like someone who had gone to bed early and gotten a good night''s rest. However, she did not say anything. Instead, she asked, "Are you going to make breakfast?" "Yes." Luca nodded. "I''ll help you. What dishes are you nning to make?" The maid picked up the apron on the side and put it on. "Let''s do a little of everything. There are many people today. We can prepare more so that they have the energy toplete their work after they fill their stomachs," Luca lowered her gaze and said while she held back the overwhelming feeling of guilt. Even if they gave it their all for the bidding document, they would not seed... Maybe, the other party had already figured out T Corporation''s bid. Luca was ufortable when she thought about how she ruined their hard work that went on for months in just half an hour. She was the one who did something wrong, and she was also the one who felt ufortable. "Ms. Craw, what are you doing with the noodles?" the maid asked curiously when she saw Luca standing still while holding the noodles in front of the sink. Luca snapped out of it and replied, "I''m thinking about what to make." "It''s early in the morning, so let''s make something light." The maid suggested. She noticed that Luca had taken out the bread bought from the supermarket. She then said, "Are you nning on toasting the bread? If you make noodles, noodles and side dishes will be enough. Will it be too wasteful to make so much food?" "They have a heavy workload today, so they''ll consume a lot of mental and physical energy. Let''s toast the bread and give it to them as a snack. By the way, I don''t know where the coffee beans are. Can you take them out? I think they''ll need coffee." Luca was going to fix a pot of coffee and bring it to them. At T Corporation, all of them relied on coffee to stay alert. She wanted to prepare it for them ahead of time. The maid smiled and opened one of the cabs to take out the coffee beans. "You''re so thoughtful." Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. "They live on coffee every day, so I''m going to brew more and put it in a thermos," Luca said. Her n would ensure that there was enough coffee and it would not get cold. What she could do now was to make amends as much as possible to ease her guilt. Chapter 1958 Mrs. Laurel listened to Luca. She nodded and agreed with her. "You''re always so attentive. I''ll do as you told me. What should I do?" Luca looked down. Even though she had done so many things, she still felt guilty. ¡°Please help me prepare some side dishes.¡± "Alright." Mrs. Laurel agreed happily. She had no idea that there were so manyplicated things running through Luca''s mind. Luca was able to finish preparing the noodles quickly. The bread was spread with butter and put into the toaster. Then, she started to make coffee. Luca made a pot of coffee after she ground the coffee beans and filled it in the thermos sk. "Aunt Laurel, I''ve finished preparing. I''m guessing that they''re still busy. Why don''t we bring these in?" said Luca. "That''s a good idea." Mrs. Laurel nodded and put the bowls of noodles on the tray. "Wait, Mr. Crawford can''t drink coffee. Let me make a ss of juice for him." Luca remembered that Luke had not been drinking coffee for a long time. He must be craving it. However, Luke was still not allowed to drink any coffee. He had to watch the others drink it while he could not. Thus, Luca took some fresh oranges out and quickly squeezed some juice. Mrs. Laurel smiled when she saw Luca squeezing the oranges. That was why Old Master Crawford was assured that Luca would be able to take care of Luke well. She was thoughtful and attentive. Even if they looked for a professional caretaker, she might not be able to take care of Luke that well. On the other hand, Luca did a good job. Luca ced the ss of juice on the tray after she squeezed the oranges. Then, she put the pot of coffee and toasted bread on the tray. She said, "Thank you. And please remind Mr. Crawford that he''s not allowed to drink the coffee." "Okay," replied Mrs. Laurel as she carried the tray and walked into the maid''s room. Luca was still spacing out in the kitchen. She refused to go into the room. She did not want to face the three of them. It would remind her of what she had done if she were to see them handling their work. More than a hundred people had been working tirelessly for days, but their efforts would be for naught. Luca looked at her hands. Not only were her hands stained with blood, but they were also stained with something else... It was more than a hundred people''s effort. She looked at the two bowls of noodles left. One was for Mrs. Laurel, while the other was for her. Luca did not take the bowl of noodles out. Instead, she ate it in the kitchen. Mrs. Laurel returned to the kitchen after she delivered the breakfast for them. She asked with confusion when she saw that Luca did not go out to eat. ¡°Ms. Luca, why are you eating in here?" ¡°It''s the same regardless of where I eat." Luca smiled. She felt a little bitter in her heart. It was the same wherever she went, but it was different at the same time. Mrs. Laurel sensed something was wrong with her and asked caringly, "Ms. Luca, is there something in your mind?" "It''s nothing. Are they happy with the breakfast?" Luca asked. Mrs. Laurel smiled when Luca mentioned the breakfast. "The two guests are happy with the breakfast. But Mr. Crawford isn''t very happy with it." "It''s probably because of the ss of juice." Luca was able to figure it out in a second. "Yes. He wants to have coffee, but he can''t now. So, he can only watch the guests drink it." Mrs. Laurel held her smile back. Luca really knew Luke so well. Luca ate two mouthfuls of noodles. The noodles tasted good, but she had no appetite. "Luke likes to drink coffee. It''s normal," said Luca. She poured the rest of the noodles into the trash bin. A gleam shed across Mrs. Laurel''s eyes. She nodded and went along with Luca, "Yes. Mr. Crawford mentioned that the coffee you make smells good. It''s a pity he can''t have any of it." "I''m going upstairs if there''s nothing else." Luca did not continue her conversation with Mrs. Laurel. Everything she said was rted to Luke. The more Luca listened to it, the more guilty she felt. "Alright." Mrs. Laurel picked up the bowl of noodles and walked out of the kitchen. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca left the kitchen too. She returned to the study and continued with her research. She needed to do something to distract herself. On the other hand. Pierre sat in his office, reading the bid document that his secretary and assistant had worked together to amend. The corner of his lips curled as he smiled creepily. The assistant and secretary exchanged nces with each other when they saw Pierre''s smile. Although it was an evil smile, their amendment was finally approved. As for the reason why Pierre was smiling conspiratorially, the assistant and secretary knew the reason well. Thepany had never worked on the bidding document for this project. Suddenly, this bidding document showed up with T Corporation''s information on it. Therefore, the bidding document belonged to T Corporation. Their boss had taken the bidding document for himself. ¡°Mr. Peralta, are you sure there''s nothing wrong with it?" Pierre looked at his assistant with sharp eyes. He was the unseen buyer behind Abel. "Boss, I''ve done the proofreading three times with Ms. Malone. We''re pretty sure there''s nothing wrong with it. Besides, the bidding document is already perfect. We only had to amend some main points in the document before it''s ready for submission," said Mr. Peralta. The main point that he mentioned was where T Corporation''s name was stated in the document. "Good. Submit this immediately." Pierre closed the folder and gave his orders. All this time, Pierre had been dealing with Old Master Mallory for the mistakes that he made back then. However, Old Master Mallory was still disappointed in Pierre due to Percy''s influence. Pierre was unconvinced, but he dared not to make a big scene out of it. He had been waiting for the chance. He would be able to face Old Master Mallory again if he could get the project this time. However, Pierre''spany was new in the market. Even though he was a capable person, his company was no match for Luke''s T Corporation. That was why he agreed to pay a high price for the T Corporation''s bidding document when Abel contacted him. He could amend it and take it for himself. He had been enduring these grievances for such a long time. He had been waiting for an opportunity! Pierre opened his email. A gleam of treachery shed across his eyes as he watched the digital version of the bidding document be uploaded. Percy Mallory, Luke Crawford, and Luca Craw... Pierre wanted them to experience everything he had gone through during that time. As for Nina. As long as the Mallory family did not agree to let Percy marry Nina, he would still have the chance to get her back and make her surrender herself to him. Percy clicked on the send button when the bidding document had been uploaded sessfully. He sent the bid document to the designated email. "Done," said Pierre. He looked at Mr. Peralta and Ms. Malone, adding, "You know what to do, right?" "This is the bidding document that you spent days and nights working on," Mr. Peralta quickly answered, telling him that he had no idea what this had to do with T Corporation. Percy smirked and said, "I couldn''t have done this alone. Tell them both of you were involved as well if someone asks about it." "Yes, sir!" Mr. Peralta nodded while wondering if people would believe that it only took the three of them toplete this bidding document. "You''ve worked hard. And you may get off work early today. I don''t want to hear anything about this after today. Not a word, do you understand?" Percy warned them again. "Got it, Boss. We''ll leave first," said Mr. Peralta as he trembled a little. Chapter 1959 Mr. Peralta and Ms. Malone left Pierre''s office together. Ms. Malone could not help but tremble at the thought of Pierre''s expression when he warned them, then she looked at Mr. Peralta worriedly. She said, ¡°Mr. Peralta, is it really alright for us to do such a thing?" They had stolen T Corporation''s bidding document... Pierre would save himself if Luke investigated this matter. He would pass the buck to the two of them. Then, they would have to bear the responsibility for everything. They were the ones who would be in deep trouble. Mr. Peralta looked miserable too, and he replied, "I''m not sure either. If Luke sees the bidding document when it''s released to the public, I''m afraid he''ll find a way to deal with ourpany. Mr. Mallory might shift the me to us to protect himself." Mr. Peralta had already thought of that when he was doing this. However, what else could he do even if he knew it? As Pierre''s subordinate, he had no choice but to ept his boss'' arrangement. Besides, he had already read the bidding document. Would Pierre let him get away with it? He only became in charge of thepany after working for Pierre for many years. Another assistant was responsible for some top-secret information about thepany. However, he could still find out certain things. Pierre''spany appeared to be legal, but thepany had been secretly making deals in gray areas. That was why Mr. Peralta dared not to say anything even though he knew amending the bidding document and making it their own was wrong. He was left with no choice as he had read the bidding document before, so he could only drag Ms. Malone into this. "I feel like quitting.." Ms. Malone frowned, putting on a long face. Mr. Peralta reminded her, "Do you think you can quit the job as you wish? You''ll have to wait until this is over. Otherwise, Mr. Mallory won''t let you go that easily." "Then when will this end?" Ms. Malone could not imagine how she was going to spend her days worrying about this when she heard that she was not allowed to quit yet. She realized that the worst decision she had ever made was to work here. "It''s hard to tell. This will end if ourpany doesn''t get chosen for the project and our actions aren''t discovered by T Corporation. The contents of the bidding document will be published if ourpany wins the bid. If that''s the case, this won''t end until the project finishes," said Mr. Peralta. ¡°This is ridiculous!" Ms. Malone looked at Mr. Peralta helplessly when she realized that she could not get herself away from this. Mr. Peralta started feeling unsure when he saw the look on Ms. Malone''s face. He was worried that Luke woulde looking for trouble. The rest of the matters were nothing to him. After all,rgepanies like T Corporation would always keep a few tricks up their sleeves. They would probably have evidence to prove that it was them who stole the bidding document when the time came... "We don''t have a choice. Let''s just do our parts." Mr. Peralta patted Ms. Malone''s shoulder and walked back to his office. Pierre told them that they were allowed to go back home early, but Mr. Peralta was not nning to do so. After all, Mr. Mallory''s mood changed quickly. How would he dare to get off work early? The phone in Mr. Peralta''s office rang when he had just sat down on his chair. Mr. Peralta pressed the answer button. It was a call from thepany''s receptionist. "Mr. Peralta, a man named Mr. Abel would like to meet Mr. Mallory, but he didn''t make any appointments with him. Can you please help me to ask him?" "No appointment? Just tell him Mr. Mallory is busy." Mr. Peralta did not take it seriously. Many people would like to meet Mr. Mallory, so Pierre would not usually meet anyone if they did not have an appointment. Pierre was proud and arrogant. Even though he only owned a smallpany, he still gave others attitude. The receptionist replied, "I told him that too, but he said we should tell Mr. Mallory his name. Mr. Mallory would certainly see him." "Wait a minute." Mr. Peralta hung up the receptionist''s call and called Pierre''s office extension." It was the first time he had encountered such a matter. To be safe, he nned to tell Pierre about it. "Yes?" Pierre picked up the call. "Mr. Mallory, the receptionist just called and told me that you have a visitor who doesn''t have an appointment to see you. His name is Mr. Abel." Mr. Peralta conveyed the message the receptionist had told him. Pierre replied immediately when he heard Abel''s name, "Take him to the lounge." Mr. Peralta was slightly surprised. Pierre, who had always been proud and never shown any respect for others had actually agreed to let a man who did not have any appointment see him. Mr. Peralta replied, "Alright, Mr. Mallory." Mr. Peralta could see that Pierre took this person seriously. Thus, he went downstairs to wee Abel himself. The receptionist smiled and greeted Mr. Peralta when she saw him downstairs, "Good morning, Mr. Peralta." "Leave this to me," said Mr. Peralta. It only took him a nce to know who Abel was. The name did not sound like a local name. Mr. Peralta walked toward a man who had Caucasian facial features and greeted him respectfully, "Hello, Mr. Abel. Mr. Mallory is waiting for you in the lounge." Abel nodded. He stood up with an unlit cigar between his index finger and middle fingers. Mr. Peralta noticed the cigar Abel was holding. He wondered if he should tell him that no smoking was allowed in thepany''s public area. However, Abel did not light the cigar. Besides, he was Mr. Mallory''s VIP, so he decided to keep quiet. Mr. Peralta led Abel to the lounge. He pushed the door open and was momentarily startled. Pierre was not in the lounge. Abel narrowed his eyes and looked around the lounge, his face darkening at once. ¡°Where''s Pierre Mallory?" "Mr. Mallory is probably busy with something right now. Please take a seat." Mr. Peralta quickly spoke up for Pierre. After all, the guest was already here, but the boss was not. "What an attitude Pierre has." Abel sneered as he walked into the lounge. "Mr. Abel, would you like a cup of coffee or some other beverages?" Mr. Peralta added. "Does your coffee taste good?" Abel was very particr about coffee. Mr. Peralta was stunned for a moment, then answered, "Ah? Our coffee is freshly ground¡ª" "Forget it." Abel interrupted Mr. Peralta impatiently. "Give me a ss of wine." Mr. Peralta blinked his eyes. Wine? This was the first time he met a guest who came here and asked for a ss of wine. "Why? Don''t you have it?" Abel frowned and looked at him with sharp eyes. Mr. Peralta felt awkward. There were bottles of wine here, but they were not meant to be served to the guests. Pierre had left bottles of wine here. He would pour some to drink whenever there was good news. However, he had never let the others drink it. Those bottles were expensive, after all. "You don''t even have a bottle of wine in such a bigpany? Does Pierre even know how to treat his guests well?" Abel reproached coldly. Mr. Peralta could hear a trace of murderous intent in Abel''s voice. He had never met someone scarier than Pierre after many years of working. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. The man in front of him spoke in a cold tone. With just one sentence, it could give Mr. Peralta the chills. Mr. Peralta could not help but tremble in fear. Pierre''s voice came behind him when he was about to speak. It was as though Mr. Peralta had found his lifesaver. He turned around immediately and looked at his boss, "Mr. Mallory, Mr. Abel said he would like to have a ss of wine." "I heard." Pierre deliberately did not wait for Abel in the lounge. He wanted to gain the upper hand in this situation. Pierre and Abel were only partners. They did not share a superior-subordinate rtionship. Previously, Pierre only buttered him up for the sake of getting the bidding document. Now that he had gotten the bidding document, there was no need for him to please Abel anymore. Chapter 1960 Mr. Peralta fell silent with embarrassment. The two of them had strong auras. It was not his ce to say a word. Pierre walked into the lounge and ordered Mr. Peralta, ¡°Go to my wine cab and bring a bottle of red wine here." Abel replied as soon as Pierre said, "Red wine won''t be enough. The alcohol content isn''t high enough, Mr. Mallory." Pierre frowned. Was this guy trying to make him drunk early in the morning? However, Pierre had heard that Abel was Russian. Thus, he turned around and ordered Mr. Peralta, "Get a bottle of Martell cognac for me." "Yes, sir," replied Mr. Peralta. He closed the door and went to prepare the liquor for them. Pierre sat down on the sofa opposite Abel with a cold and haughty look on his face. "Mr. Abel, what can I do for you this time?" The way Pierre talked to him was considered polite. Although he had no idea about this man''s identity and background, he must be capable enough since he was able to steal T Corporation''s bidding document. "Will you believe me if I tell you I''m here to have a drink?" Abel toyed with the cigar in his hands, not lighting it up yet. "Absolutely not. If you just wanted to have a drink, you''de looking for me at night, not in the morning," replied Pierre. Drinking at night was much more fun than drinking in the morning. "Interesting. You''re smart." Abel did not really like Pierre, but the enemy''s foe was his friend. He knew that well. Just then, Mr. Peralta brought two snifter sses and a bottle of Martell cognac into the lounge. "Mr. Mallory, Mr. Abel, here''s the cognac." Mr. Peralta ced the swifter sses in front of them. Pierre said, "Serve it to Mr. Abel first." "Yes, sir." Mr. Peralta poured the cognac into the sses for them. Abel looked at the Martell cognac and raised his brows, then he said, "It''s good, indeed. I didn''t expect you to be so generous." "We''re partners. Is there a problem serving my partner with the good stuff?" Pierre asked. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. "Well said!" Abel picked up his ss and drank it without toasting Pierre. Mr. Peralta stood at the side and listened to their conversation. Partners? He did not remember thepany having any business deals with foreigners. While he was pondering, he did not forget to refill Abel''s ss. Pierre spoke after he watched Mr. Peralta refill Abel''s ss. "You may leave first." Mr. Peralta knew that he was not allowed to hear the rest of the conversation. Therefore, he nodded and replied, "Alright, Mr. Mallory." Abel took his lighter out after Mr. Peralta left the lounge and asked, "Do you mind?" "Not at all," replied Pierre as he slowly picked up his ss and took a sip. Abel lit the cigar and took a puff, then said slowly, "Honestly, I came here to see yourpany. I want to know whether it can take down Luke." "What do you think?" Pierre could sense Abel''s hatred for Luke from his words. He could do many things, including uniting with someone who hated Luke to fight against theirmon foe. "Good, but not as good as T Corporation," Abel said honestly, but it made Pierre unhappy. "Don''t worry. I didn''t spend so much money to be the second fiddle after buying the bidding document. I''m sure this can deal a heavy blow to Luke this time," Pierre said gloomily. Crushing Luke and T Corporation would take far more than a bidding document, but it would take some time for Luke to recover his losses. He would need to rely on other projects. However, would it be any easier for him toplete the rest of his projects? They only had to seize the chance to continuously strike blows at T Corporation and ensure Luke could not recover the losses in time. That way, Luke''s time woulde to an end. "It''s good to have confidence. Have you submitted the bidding document?" Abel asked, reminding him not to fall behind Luke. Luke would be submitting the bidding document tomorrow or the day after if they did not pull a surprise move. "I''ve already submitted it. Don''t worry. I didn''t spend so much money just to read the bidding document." Pierre smirked. He was pretty sure that he had a winning hand. "I''m just reminding you not to underestimate your enemy." Abel looked at the ttering look on Pierre''s face. Abel would not have waited until now if Luke could be dealt with that easily. He would not have to go to such lengths to spend three years plotting against him. "Wait for my good news." Pierre did not take Abel''s warning seriously. This time, it would be his most glorious victory after knowing Luke for so many years Abel finished the liquor in his ss quietly and looked at how haughty Pierre was. It would serve him right if he got the short end of the stick. Three o''clock in the afternoon. In the vi, the maid''s room. Jason let out a long sigh of relief. The project was finallypleted. Tina let out another sigh too, but Luke was sitting in front of them. They dared not to express their feelings. Even so, their hearts felt much lighter at that moment. They had been busy with the project for such a long time. It was finallying to an end. Luke submitted the bidding document after he made sure the contents of the bidding document were correct. He received a reply from the organizer after a while, iming that they had already received the bidding document. The organizer then asked them to attend the project meeting. Luke looked up and stared at the two people in front of him. Jason was slightly smiling at first, but his smile disappeared immediately when Luke looked at him. He became serious and asked, ¡°Boss, did they reply?" ¡°Yes." Luke closed theptop and ordered Jason, "Book three flight tickets to Russia." "Three?" Jason was startled. Why three flight tickets? Luke could see that Jason was confused, so he exined, "Dr. Craw will go with us." Jason nodded. It turned out it was Luca who was going with them. He picked up his phone and said, "I''ll arrange it now." He was slightly surprised. Why would Luke bring Luca with them? Was it because Luke was still unable to move freely and Luca would be able to take care of him? It was reasonable to do so, but Luca had just stolen the bidding document... Was he not afraid that something would happen if he kept Luca by his side? Although Jason felt it was inappropriate to do so, he still booked the flight tickets. ¡°Boss, the tickets have been booked," said Jason. "Good." Luke nodded with satisfaction. ¡°Mrs. Laurel has prepared some refreshments for you. You may go outside and have them." They did not even have lunch as they were racing against time to finish the bidding document. ¡°Alright, Boss." Jason and Tina walked out of the maid''s room together. Mrs. Laurel had served refreshments and fruits in the living room. She smiled and said to them when they walked out of the room, ¡°Please sit down and enjoy the refreshments. Would you like to have coffee, tea, or something else?" ¡°Coffee please," replied Jason. ¡°I''ve had too much coffee today. May I know if there''s any juice?" Tina asked. ¡°We have everything. But the coffee will taste different from the one served in the morning. Mr. Doyle, do you mind?" Mrs. Laurel asked. She saw how Luca had made the coffee this morning and knew she was iparable to her. "You weren''t the one who made the coffee this morning?" Jason knew Mrs. Laurel''s identity and spoke to her politely. Chapter 1961 Mrs. Laurel smiled and shook her head. ¡°Of course not. Ms. Luca was the one who made the coffee. It''s good, right? I watched her make the coffee in the kitchen this morning. She was a professional." "It''s good, but we''vepleted our work today. I''ll have a ss of juice too, just like Tina," said Jason. That exined why the coffee had a rich taste and aroma. It was Luca who made the coffee. "Alright. Just a moment." Mrs. Laurel turned around and returned to the kitchen to prepare juice for them. Tina sat on the sofa and asked Jason, "Mr. Doyle, should we ask Dr. Craw toe down?" She reckoned that Luca must be upstairs. "Dr. Craw must be busy now. Why don''t you go and ask her?" Jason could not be bothered, and he thought if Luca was still in love with Luke, she must be feeling bad after everything she did. "What if she''s in the midst of something?" Tina shook her head, afraid that she would disturb Luca. "Then just sit here quietly," said Jason. He picked up the phone and asked, "I''m going to book a flight ticket for Dr. Craw. Do you have her identification number?" "Wait a second. I have to ask someone to check for me on the office''sputer," said Tina. She picked up her phone and asked her colleague. After a while, Tina said, "They''ve sent the information to you." "Thank you." Jason used Luca''s identification number to book the flight ticket sessfully. Mrs. Laurel carried two sses of juice and ced them in front of Jason and Tina. She asked caringly, "Have you finished handling your work?" "Only for the time being. We still have a lot of work to do after this," answered Jason. Mrs. Laurel was from Crawford Manor, and Jason recognized her. She had been serving Old Master Crawford for a long time, and she was his favorite. "That means Mr. Crawford and the both of you are very capable. People like you are always busy. You''ve worked hard. Would you like to stay for dinner? I''ve learned some culinary skills from Ms. Luca, and I know some herbal remedies. I''m sure you''ll feel refreshed after having the food." Mrs. Laurel invited them for dinner. She did not need to get Luke''s permission on certain things. Even if Mrs. Laurel asked them to stay for dinner, they would not do so either. Hence, Mrs. Laurel was only putting on a show. Sure enough, Jason shook his head and replied, "Thank you for the invitation, but I''m sorry, I can''t stay for dinner. Sue has beenining that I''ve been busy with work. I haven''t had the time to go home and eat her home-cooked meals. So, I''m nning to dine at home tonight." Tina would not stay if Jason was not staying too. Tina chimed in and said, ¡°Me too. I''ve told my family that I''m going home for dinner. Thank you." Mrs. Laurel smiled and replied, "Alright then. Enjoy the refreshments. If you''ll excuse me, I''ll have to get back to work.¡± "I''ll leave you to it. Just leave us here," Jason replied politely. Tina said in a low voice after Mrs. Laurel left the living room, "Mr. Doyle, do you feel uneasy?" "We''re at our Boss'' house," Jason replied helplessly. It would be weird if they were able to feel comfortable in Luke''s house. "It''s mostly because Dr. Craw isn''t here with us," Tina said helplessly. She would feel morefortable if Luca was here with them. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Tina was unable to make herself feelfortable while looking at the exquisite pastries and expensive fruits in front of her. She also knew Luke was in his room. "When did you be close with Dr. Craw?" Jason picked up a biscuit and asked. "Close? Not really. But don''t you think Dr. Craw is a nice person?" Tina smiled. She always kept a distance from most of her colleagues at the workce. This way, she could avoid people gossiping about her and prevent herself from getting into trouble. However, Luca was the first person she would like to be close with. "Dr. Craw is a nice person." Jason agreed. Luke maneuvered the wheelchair and came out of the maid''s room after he said that. "Have you booked the tickets?" Luke asked. Jason stood up immediately and replied, "Boss, the tickets have been booked. Two first ss tickets, and one economy ss." "Upgrade yours to first ss. And try to arrange the other two seats in the same row." Luke was generous to his employees, especially those who had contributed a lot. When Jason was working on the bidding document, he even forged a fake bidding document. He deserved to get a first ss seat. "Alright, Boss," replied Jason. The upgrade of the seat was not something urgent. Luke looked around the living room and noticed that Luca was not there. He asked, "Is Dr. Craw in the kitchen now?" "She''s probably upstairs," Jason answered while giving Tina the look. "Boss, since we''ve finished our work, we''re going back to the office to punch out first.." "Sure.¡± Luke did not ask them to stay as he was thinking about Luca. Luke maneuvered the wheelchair and headed to the kitchen after Jason and Tina left together. He asked, "Is Luca not here?" Mrs. Laurel turned around and smiled at Luke, "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Luca only came down to make breakfast today. She has been upstairs the entire time." "Didn''t she have her lunch?" Luke slightly frowned. ¡°No, she didn''t. I went upstairs to inform her, but she said she was busy with something else and told us to go ahead and eat without her," answered Mrs. Laurel. Luca did not have lunch, and they skipped lunch as well as they were busy with work. That was why the lunch prepared was wasted. "Okay." Luke maneuvered the wheelchair and left. Then, he came to the stairs. Luke did not go up. He could not make his way up the stairs without a walking cane and someone to help him. Luca must be upset now. She was still in love with him, but she was forced to do something like this. The guilt and remorse in her heart must feel awful. Luke clenched his fists. He had to finish what he started. He even asked Jason to go upstairs to get the fake bidding document and make some noise. Moreover, Luke had to pretend that he did not know anything. Everything he did was to find out who was the bastard manipting Luca behind the scenes. Mrs. Laurel came out of the kitchen and saw Luke staring at the stairs. She asked with confusion, "Mr. Crawford, would you like to go upstairs?" "No." Luke maneuvered the wheelchair and returned to the maid''s room. Hold on. He still had to endure this a bit longer. Luke had a feeling that he would be able to find out something this time. He could find a way to get Luca out of this situation as long as he knew who was manipting her. Luke returned to the study and noticed that Gale had sent him an email. He opened the email and read it. He did not reply to him. Gale had found some new evidence regarding Dr. Albus'' case. However, Luke did not n to handle it. The case had caused everyone working in Watson Biopharmaceuticals to be in a panic. He was not nning to handle it yet. His priority was still Luca''s matter.... At the same time. Upstairs. Luca sat on her chair in the study, reading the experiment report. She had yet to find out what kind of drug Abel had given her based on the results. After all, the equipment here was not enough to determine what it was. There was no way she could analyze the contents of the drug without the advanced facilities of a laboratory. It seemed like Abel had made up his mind to make Luca''s life a living hell. Luca clutched the sheet of paper that recorded the experiment data and took a deep breath. She could barely suppress her impulse to kill Abel. Chapter 1962 Luca tore the report apart and closed her eyes with her hand on her forehead to calm herself down. There was not much time left. The inmmation of the wound was getting serious day after day. It would leave an ugly tunneling wound on her waist if it took any longer for her to look for the cure. However, she refused to ask for Abel''s help even if it would leave a scar on her. This man only knew how to make terms when talking with others. He would probably assign Luca on another mission if she went to look for him. Luca had already ced Luke and her in a difficult position. She had no idea what Luke and T Corporation would have to face next if Abel forced her to do something else. That was why she could only depend on herself. Luca pulled herself together. She picked up her phone, trying to find whether there were any laboratories avable for rent in A City. She needed aboratory with advanced facilities. There was indeed one once she searched the inte. Luca gave Amur a call. "Amur, I was wondering if you have the time to help me with something?" "Yes," Amur replied immediately without a second thought. As long as Luca asked for his help, he would help her. "I need to rent aboratory with advanced facilities for my experiment. So, I went searching on the inte. Can you please help me to go over there to take a look at theboratory? I''d like to rent it if it''s suitable," Luca asked. Amur had been given medical training too when he was on the Ind of Despair. However, he was just like Eler. They were not interested in this field. That was why Luca was the only one who continued to study this, while they were arranged to learn some other skills. Although Amur did not learn much about this, he still knew a thing or two about the facilities. "No problem. But what do you need theb for? Is it because of the wound?" Amur questioned her. "Yes." Luca let out a sigh. "It''s not healing yet. I can''t analyze the contents of the drug if I don''t have the professional facilities for my experiment, so I''ll leave it to you. Thank you." If it had not been for the heavy workload that made Luca unable to find some time to take a look at the laboratory herself, she would not have asked for Amur''s help. "Abel''s a savage!" Amur frowned. Luca''s wound was not even healed yet. If it were not for her busy schedule, was she not nning to tell him about this? ¡°Who else can be that cruel?" Luca took a deep breath and looked down. Amur and her would not have been forced to walk on this path if Abel was not this cruel. Everyone''s pain came from somewhere, and Abel was the source of their pain. Amur listened to Luca''s disappointed tone. He could not bear to me her for concealing this from him, so he just said, "Send me theboratory''s address. I''ll head there now." "Alright." Luca felt sad and angry at the same time, but she could not release her emotions. The only thing she could do was face the difficulties positively. Luca sent theboratory''s address to Amur after she ended the call. She asked him to help her see if the facilities in theboratory were advanced enough. She nned to ask for two days'' leave from Luke if the facilities in theboratory were advanced enough. Then, she would head to theboratory to analyze the samples and solve the problem. Amur replied to her: [Got it] After that, he did not reply to any of her messages again. Luca put down her phone and opened the door of the study. She was startled to see Mrs. Laurel standing outside the door. "Mrs. Laurel, why are you here?" Luca remembered what she said just now. She seemed to have been speaking in a soft voice. Judging from the soundproofing of the study, Mrs. Laurel would not have heard anything. "Ms. Luca, didn''t you skip lunch this noon? Mr. Crawford found out about it and asked me to deliver some food for you. I made some porridge. Why don''t you have some?" Mrs. Laurel was still carrying the tray. She remembered what Luke had ordered her, so she did not knock on the door. She had been standing here the entire time. Luke told her not to disturb Luca. Hence, Mrs. Laurel had been waiting for almost half an hour outside the door. Luca looked at the porridge and took it from her. "Thank you." "Don''t mention it. Mr. Crawford told me that you have a weak stomach. You''ll have to eat on time. How careless I''ve been," replied Mrs. Laurel. Mrs. Laurel was told that Luca would not be having lunch after informing her that lunch was prepared. She did not insist on asking Luca to have her lunch either. First of all, Luca was an adult. Adults would have to be responsible for their own health. That was why Mrs. Laurel did not urge her to take her lunch. Secondly, Mrs. Laurel did not expect Luke to care more about Luca''s health than Luca herself. "I''ll eat it." Luca touched the edges of the bowl and realized that it was not hot. She looked at Mrs. Laurel. The only exnation would be Mrs. Laurel had been standing here for quite some time, and that was why the porridge had turned warm. "Mrs. Laurel, have you been standing outside the door for a long time?" Luca asked. Mrs. Laurel smiled and replied, "Not really. Mr. Crawford told me not to disturb you, so... Please eat it first. I''m going downstairs to make dinner." Luca nced at Mrs. Laurel. Her words were constantly resonating in her ears, and it made her feel complicated. Luke ordered her to do so. Luca carried the tray back into her bedroom and ced it on the dressing table. She looked at the porridge. She finished eating the porridge even though she had no appetite. It was Luke''s kind thoughts... Luca was unable to ept Luke''s kindness in front of others. However, deep down inside her heart, she did not want to let him down. Luke noticed Mrs. Laurel came down with empty hands. ¡°Has Luca finished her work?" he asked. Mrs. Laurel answered, "Mr. Crawford, I''m not sure if she''s finished her work. But she came out of the study and took the tray." "Did you hear anything when you were waiting outside the study?" Luke asked. He had no idea what research Luca was doing. However, he was pretty sure that her research had nothing to do with the projects at Watson Biopharmaceuticals now. It seemed like she had been secretly doing her own research from the very start. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Luke was curious about what Luca had been researching, but he was unfamiliar with it. That was why he did not manage to figure it out even though he was curious about it. Besides, there were only a few samples that Luca was studying. He could not steal a sample and bring it to someone else to ask about it. These few days, she would walk into the study after she finished her work given by T Corporation. It seemed like the research she was doing was of great significance. What could make her study it so secretly? The equipment she had for doing research was not advanced enough. It was obvious that the research facilities here were for personal use. They were not as good as the ones in theboratory. It would take more time for her to study something with those research facilities. Luke remained silent. He wondered if he had set any rules and regtions in Watson Biopharmaceuticals to prohibit researchers from using thepany''s facilities to do their research. Was that why Luca was using the equipment she had to do her research? Luke pondered. Watson Biopharmaceuticals had always encouraged employees to develop new drugs on their own and propose new ideas and ns to thepany. Not only were the research professors allowed to do so, but even research assistants were given this privilege. If they achieved good results and submitted a report to thepany, thepany would also allocate funds for them to do their research after examinations and approvals. Hence, there were no such rigid rules in thepany. Chapter 1963 Luke thought the only exnation that made sense was Luca''s experiment must be kept secret. The research she had been working on now was probably rted to what was manipting her. Luke tapped his index finger on the armrest of the wheelchair. He looked like he was deep in thought. Mrs. Laurel returned to the kitchen and continued her work without disturbing him. At night. Luca did not continue with her research as her equipment was not good enough. That was why she went downstairs to have dinner when Mrs. Laurel informed her that dinner was ready. Luke would certainly ask Mrs. Laurel to bring her dinner upstairs if Luca did not go downstairs to have dinner. Luca did not want to be given special treatment. Neither of them spoke a word when they were having dinner. Luca''s phone suddenly rang. She nced at it, and after making sure that it was Amur who was calling her, she unconsciously turned to look in the direction where Luke was sitting. She said in a soft voice, ¡°Please excuse me. I''m going to answer the call." Luke did not say a word. Luca took her phone and left the dining room. She did not have to conceal her conversation with Amur. Hence, she did not walk far away from the kitchen and answered the call in the living room. "Amur, how did it go?" "I went to visit the twobs that are avable for rent. The first one has much more advanced facilities than the second one. But the price is much higher as well. Also, the owner of the firstb told me that he only rents it out on a monthly basis, so he''s not epting daily rentals. The secondb epts daily rental," said Amur. He had gone around asking for the details as he knew Luca would only need a few days to figure out what drug Abel had given her. Hence, it was not worth it if Luca had to rent theb for a month. "It''s alright. Let''s just go for the first one." Luca made up her mind. It did not matter how much she would have to pay as long as the facilities were advanced enough. "Can you help me to reserve it now?" "I''ve asked for both the owners'' contact numbers. Are you sure you''d like to book the first one? I can contact the owner and get it done now. You cane over here to do the experiments once the contract has been signed." Amur respected Luca''s choice. They did not have to worry about money when they had such skills and capabilities. "Alright. The sooner the better. Thank you," said Luca. Amur knew she could not wait any longer to heal her wound. He agreed to help her settle this as soon as possible, then he said helplessly, "Luca, you don''t have to be so polite with me." Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Luca blinked her eyes. Was this considered polite? No, it was just her manners. "Amur, this is courtesy. And I''m sorry to be troubling you." Amur let out a sigh. "Alright. I''ll call the owner now. I''ll go over to lend you a hand as well." He refused to miss out on any chances of being together with Luca alone. Luke was busy with his work, so he would definitely not help Luca. Moreover, he did not know about Luca''s wound. Therefore, Luca would probably go to theboratory alone tomorrow. Luca did not reject Amur''s offer to help. She walked back to the dining room after she hung up the call. Luke was still sitting at the dining table having his dinner with an indifferent look on his face. Luca sat down and continued to eat her dinner. She did not mention anything about renting the laboratory. Mrs. Laurel was cleaning up the table after dinner. Luca sat there with her eyes on Luke. She had to head to theboratory tomorrow, so she had to ask his permission to take leave. "Do you have something to tell me?" Luke was straightforward. He could see that Luca was trying to tell him something with just a nce. Luca nodded, took a deep breath, and said, "Mr. Crawford, I''d like to take a day off tomorrow. And I might need to take another day off¡ª" Luke frowned slightly. Did it mean she was going to take a couple of days off? "What do you mean by taking another day off?" "I have to go back due to a family emergency, so I might need a couple of days to see to the family issues at hand." Luca''s hands were fidgeting uneasily under the table. Would Luke approve it? "Your home in Russia?" Luke became alert. The reason Luca asked for a few days off was probably rted to the power behind her. "No, the one in A City," Luca replied honestly. Perhaps telling Luke that she had to go to Russia would make it difficult for him to look into it, but she did not have any family members in Russia... "Do you need help?" Luke asked. "No, thank you. I can handle this myself." Luca shook her head. She dared not to let Luke know about this matter. She was unable to exin why she was wounded, and there was no way she could tell him why she had been concealing this from him. Hence, Luca was going to deal with the matter without letting him know about it. It was her own matter, so how could she drag Luke into this? Luke''s gaze was deep. It was as though it could see through her when he was looking at her. Luca said, "I''ll return to the office to work once I finish handling the matter. Mr. Crawford, is that fine?" ¡°Yes, but on one condition." Luke looked at her. Luca was startled. On one condition? She was merely asking for a few days off, but there was a condition? "What is it." "Ask for my help if there''s anything you can''t handle yourself." That was Luke''s only condition. Bianca used to be weak and would always think of him in the first instance. Luca was not weak now, and she was stronger than before. However, she was too independent now, which made her forget that Luke even existed. Luke could actually help a lot. "...Okay," said Luca. All sorts of feelings welled up in her heart. "And one more thing..." said Luke. "No matter where you are, you''ll have to put the matter aside and travel with me to Russia for a business trip three dayster." Three dayster. Luca pursed her lips. She would be in a bit of a hurry to finish the research within three days. "Any problem with that?" Luke raised his eyebrows. "I can send someone to help you if you think you can''t settle everything within three days." In other words, she must travel together with Luke three dayster. Luca shook her head and replied, "No problem." Luca admitted Luke had made things harder for her by giving her a specified time. Firstly, they indeed had to leave for Russia on that date. Secondly, Luke was still eager to know what she was up to. Luke realized that Luca would rather bite the bullet and agree with him than tell him what she was working on. She was determined to keep the matter to herself. As usual, Luca helped Luke to clean himself up after she asked for his permission to take a few days off. Then, she returned to the kitchen and said to Mrs. Laurel, "Mrs. Laurel, I''m going to be busy for the next few days. I''ll leave Mr. Crawford to you." "Alright. I heard that you''re going to take a few days off. Are you okay?" Mrs. Laurel asked caringly. "I''m okay. Everything will be fine after I handle my business," answered Luca. She muttered to herself in her heart that she would be in big trouble if she could not handle it well. Mrs. Laurel let out a sigh and said, "Remember to tell Mr. Crawford if there''s something you can''t deal with. Mr. Crawford is a kind person. He''ll be willing to lend you a hand." "I know." Luca smiled. Luke was a kind person, but not everyone could get his help. However, Luke had taken the initiative to offer his help to her this time. It was a pity that she would not need his help this time. "The most important thing is to help Mr. Crawford clean himself up. I hung a bandage on the shower nozzle in the bathroom. You can help him to get into the bathtub if he wants to shower. You just have to lift his wounded leg and prop it on the bandage." Chapter 1964 ¡°Okay, I got this. Don''t worry." Mrs. Laurel agreed to help her to take care of Luke. Looking after Luke was one of her duties too, and that was why she readily agreed with it. Luca was assured knowing that Mrs. Laurel would be taking care of Luke. Mrs. Laurel was better at taking care of someone, but Luke insisted on asking Luca to take care of him... Luca pushed Luke back to his bedroom after he finished bathing himself. Then, she helped him to dry his hair and took out a set of clean pajamas for him. She did not say a word the whole time. Luke did not say anything either. The two of them did not feel awkward despite the silence. Luca put the pajamas on the bed and left the room. She had finallypleted her task to take care of Luke today. Mrs. Laurel had gotten off work at this hour. Luca left a pot of warm water in the living room. Only then did she make her way up the stairs. She received a message from Amur when she was back in her bedroom: [I''ve talked to theb owner. You cane over tomorrow.] [Alright. I got it.] Luca did not thank Amur this time to stop him frommenting on her behavior. [What time will you be going there tomorrow?] Amur sent another message to ask Luca. [I''ll probably arrive there early in the morning.] Luca gathered her hair and tied it up after she replied to his message. She was nning to wash up. It was going to be another uphill battle starting tomorrow. She had to figure out what powder Abel had put on the knife within three days to get the cure. She had no choice but to wait until she came back from Russia if she was unable to figure it out three dayster. However, she had no idea how long she was going to stay in Russia. That was why she had to make it fast. [Okay. I''ll be waiting for you there.] Amur replied to her. Luca read his message and did not reply to him. She had to hurry up and get washed up. Only then could she get some rest. Luca woke up early. She changed into warm clothes, picked up the sample, and headed downstairs. Mrs. Laurel happened to enter the living room as soon as Luca reached the first floor. "Ms. Luca, you''re early." Mrs. Laurel nced at the time. It was only six-thirty in the morning. Then, she turned around and looked at her and the warm clothes she had put on. "Are you going out?" Luca was usually still in bed at this hour. ¡°Yes, I''m going out.¡± Luca looked at the weather out there. The snow camete this year. Although the temperature was low out there, there was no snowfall. "You haven''t had breakfast, right? Let me prepare it for you now," said Mrs. Laurel, as she put down the grocery bag. "It''s alright, Mrs. Laurel. I''ll grab something to eat when I''m out there. And I''m noting back for lunch today. You don''t have to prepare my portion," said Luca. Theboratory was quite far away from the vi, and it was near the suburbs. She thought she would probably note home for lunch. "Alright. Travel safe," replied Mrs. Laurel. Luca nodded. She put on a scarf and walked out of the vi. It was cold in the morning. She exhaled and released some breath vapor. She headed to the garage. Luca chose to drive to theboratory since she was not carrying out a secret mission. Besides, it was difficult for her to hail a ride early in the morning. She would just be going to theboratory. Luke would not be able to find out anything even if he found the dashcam video footage in her car. Luca started the car engine and left. She was going to drive on an unfamiliar road, so she turned on the navigation and headed to theboratory. Not many cars were driving on the road in the morning. She drove all the way to the suburban area, and it took her an hour to arrive there. Amur was already waiting for her at theboratory''s entrance. Luca found the parking lot and parked her car. Then, she walked toward Amur and said, "Why are you so early?" "I came from the apartment and arrived here faster than you did," said Amur. He deliberately departed from the apartment at five-thirty in the morning to wait for Luca here. "Did you have the key?" Luca asked. Amur took two maic cards out of his pocket, handed one of them to Luca, and answered, "This is the ess card." Luca nced at the maic card and smiled, "How innovative." "Let''s go in." Amur looked around him. They were in the suburbs in a slightly remote area. However, there were someboratories here, so there were cars parked around. Amur''s eyes darkened. "Alright." Luca nodded and entered theboratory together with Amur. On the other hand. Gale frowned as he watched the two of them walk into theboratory. He picked up his phone and called Luke. "Where is she?" Luke answered the call immediately. Although it was early in the morning, there was not even a hint of weariness in Luke''s voice after he woke up. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°Luke, Ms. Craw has just entered a building in the suburbs. I looked it up and found out that it''s a laboratory for rent." Gale reported to Luke. This ce was considered a high-tech industrial development zone established not long ago. Many buildings here were used asboratories. There were only a few buildings that were used as residential buildings or factories. Many technologypanies that did not have enough capital would choose to rent aboratory here to develop their products. "Laboratory?" Luke frowned. That would match his spection. Luca had always been in the study doing research. Luke reckoned that she went to theboratory because of the research she was working on now. "Alone?" Luke asked for details. "With a young man. He looks like her brother based on the information given to me." Gale informed him without concealing anything. Amur... Luke felt unhappy at once. Luca was busy with her experiments and he could not help her. However, could Amur be of any help to her? Although Luca had no feelings for Amur, Luke could feel the possessiveness that Amur had for Luca. Gale knew Luke was jealous when he was waiting for Luke''s response for quite some time on the other end of the phone. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and ask him, "Luke, do I still have to watch over them?" "Is there a way for you to get in there?" Luke asked. Gale nced at the building. The building was new, and there were surveince cameras outside the building. He would need an ess card to get to the first floor. Gale pondered for a moment and said, "The building''s security system is good. But there''s still a way to get into the building." It would mean Gale needed some time to break into the building. Luke said in a cold voice, "Never mind. I''ll let you get back to work." The reason Luke arranged for Gale to follow Luca was to see if he could find out anything about the problem Luca mentioned to him. Luke did not expect her problem to be rted to her experiment. Thus, he did not gain any information. "Alright." Gale hung up the call and drove away ording to Luke''s orders. Amur stood beside the window. The building for the rentedboratory was not considered tall, and Amur was able to see what was going on down there. He watched the car leave slowly and turned around to look at Luca. Luca took herptop and sample out of her bag. "Okay." Luca''s expression was calm. She already knew a car was following her after she drove out of the vi. However, she did not take it seriously as the person following her did not use any tricks to track her down. The driver seemed harmless. Luca thought it was someone Luke had sent to follow her and that person meant no harm. Even if Luke did not send someone to follow her, he would be able to find out where she was from the dashcam footage. That was why she did not get rid of the car just now. Chapter 1965 Luca showed no surprise. Amur asked, ¡°Was it someone Luke sent?" ¡°Yes," replied Luca. Luke would only send his men to track someone down for a purpose, and he would have made a move if it was someone else. As it was her, the person Luke sent merely waited until she got into the building before leaving. ¡°How dare he ask someone to follow you?!" Amur frowned with disgust. Luke''s behavior was as annoying as Enoch''s when he was pestering Luca back then. ¡°It''s okay." Luca let out a sigh. Luke only wanted to know where she was. All this time, she had been observing. She realized that Luke was unable to forget Bianca, but he was interested in her at the same time. Otherwise, he would not have done this, which made him seem to be possessive over her. Still, could a man be in love with two women at the same time? ¡°If he could send someone to follow you this time, he''ll do something even worse to you next time. Are you really letting him do this?" Amur asked. He wanted to know what Luca was thinking about. ¡°Do you remember what happened to Dr. Albus?" Amur was giving Luca a headache. He was indignant at Luke''s actions. She felt helpless, and she did not know what to say. She had no choice but to find a reason to exin Luke''s behavior. Amur blinked his eyes and replied, ¡°Yes." ¡°I''m involved in that research. He asked someone to follow me to investigate the matter." Luca had no choice but to lie to Amur. ¡°Investigate? But didn''t we get Dr. Albus a bank ount? They haven''t found out about it," Amur said in a muffled voice. If that was the case, then Luke''s men were not that impressive either. Did Luke not have two people who were trained on the Ind of Despair by his side? The efficiency and progress of the investigation should not be like this... ¡°I''m not sure either. But he mentioned that everyone in thepany has to be investigated," said Luca, remembering what Luke had told her before. He would not have taken this long to find out about Dr. Albus'' bank ount if Luke was that capable. However, this matter had not been settled yet. There was not even a rumor about what they had found out and whom they were investigating. No one knew about it except for Luke and his men. Everyone working in Watson Biopharmaceuticals was in a panic now. What if Luke had found out about something but he still had doubts about it? Was that why he decided to continue the investigation? Luca let out a sigh. Amur heard Luca sighing and thought she was worried about what he said just now. He apologized in a low voice, "I''m sorry. I was overreacting." Luca shook her head, knowing that Amur believed in her exnation. She said, "It''s fine. It''s just that there are a lot of things going ontely. I''m going to start working on the research first." "What can I do?" Amur did not forget that he came here to lend her and. "Just stay here and watch," replied Luca. Amur had never learned these. It would be impractical to ask him to help her. However, Luca promised to let Amur stay here because she was worried that Abel woulde looking for her. Abel wanted her dead so badly. How would he allow her to work on her research smoothly here? That was why she arranged for Amur to stay here by her side. He could help if something happened to her. "Okay." Amur looked at theplicated-looking experiment equipment. He knew he could not help much, so he sat on a chair beside her. He took his phone out of his pocket. His phone vibrated for a while before he managed to open it. Amur unlocked his phone screen and realized that Tina had sent him a message. The two of them had eaten together after Amur followed Enoch and got Tina out of trouble thest time. Tina asked for his contact number before they parted. Amur remembered that Tina was Luca''s friend. He hesitated for a few seconds before eventually giving his contact number to her. Sometimes, they would have a chat through texts. Amur looked at the greeting Tina had sent him. He did not reply to her message. Instead, he chose to read the news. His eyes darkened when he saw the news about Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Even though Amur had followed Abel''s instructions and did what he was asked to do, Watson Biopharmaceuticals had yet to release any news on their investigation. It allowed the outsiders to make spections about the matter. What was Luke up to? He was letting the rumors fly around without releasing any official statement or announcing the solution for the matter. Was Luke not afraid that these negative influences would affect T Corporation''s share prices? Amur lifted his head and looked at Luca. She was concentrating on her research. Amur remained silent, trying not to disturb her. On the other hand. Luke still preferred to work from home. Jason left after he delivered the documents Luke needed to handle. After a while, Mrs. Laurel entered the room and said respectfully, ¡°Mr. Crawford, your younger brother, Young Master Louis, is here." "Louis?" Luke put down the documents and slightly frowned. "Yes." Mrs. Laurel nodded. "Push me out," said Luke. Mrs. Laurel came behind Luke and pushed the wheelchair to the living room. Louis was sitting on the sofa and asked, "Brother, are you feeling better already?" "I''m fine. What brings you here?" Luke looked at Louis. Louis was on a business trip when Luke got injured, and he had not shown up until now. Luke knew where he had been. That was why he did not me Louis. "I just came back, and I thought of visiting you. You have a cast on your leg. Did the doctor tell you when you can remove it?" Louis asked caringly. "Another month to go. You didn''te here just to show concern over me, right?" Luke put a smile on his face. Although they were not from the same mother, Luke had watched Louis grow up since he was young. He knew his younger brother well. "It''s true I came to visit you. But there''s something else, indeed." Louis cleared his throat. "Grandpa asked me toe over here to see you and tell you that the problem Watson Biopharmaceuticals is facing now isn''t solved yet. Besides, you''re injured, and you still have projects to work on. He''s worried that you might be too busy to handle everything yourself. That''s why I came here to ask if you need any help." Luke knew Old Master Crawford must have thought so. Old Master Crawford was worried about him and thepany. It was understandable, but he had underestimated Luke''s capability. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. "It''s not a big deal except for this injured leg," said Luke. Louis understood what he meant immediately. He widened his eyes and said, "You''ve settled everything?" "I didn''t do it alone. But, yes, you''re right. It''s all done." Luke nodded. "You managed to solve these problems when so many things were happening at the same time. Brother, you''re amazing! I knew it. Grandpa was worried for nothing." Louis was secretly rejoicing as he was not interested in T Corporation. If he had listened to Susan and fought for T Corporation''s authority, he was pretty sure he was no match for Luke. "I didn''t do this alone. I had help." Luke did not forget the people around him. He would not have solved everything sessfully without them. "That only proves that you''re capable. Oh, why aren''t you announcing it since you''ve already solved the problem Watson Biopharmaceuticals is facing? The news and media are talking about it. Everyone is keeping a close eye on T Corporation!" Louis said. Watson Biopharmaceuticals was part of T Corporation. If thepany could not make it through, it would directly affect T Corporation''s operation. Many investors were waiting to see how it went. They were nning to sell off T Corporation''s shares if the issue was not handled properly. Chapter 1966 "They''re concerned about their interests. I''m working on another project now. If this project seeds, they''ll still be able to keep their interests even if the investigation is still going on in Watson Biopharmaceuticals. That''s why I''m not in a hurry." Luke knew it well. What mattered to them the most was not Dr. Albus'' research being stolen. It was what would happen next and if they could get any benefits from it. Louis understood it well. The investors were all like that. They were only concerned about their longterm interests. Louis let out a sigh of relief when he knew Luke had already settled everything. It was just that he did not announce it to the public. He was nning to leave the businesses in his workshop to another partner at first. Then, he would come over to help Luke to get through this crisis and put his work off untilter. However, he had underestimated his elder brother''s capability. He did not expect the problems to be solved already... "Brother, can you tell me how much losses thepany suffered when the drug research got stolen?" Louis asked curiously. "Do you want to know about it?" Luke asked. Louis nodded and replied, "Of course, I''d like to know. Although I was on a business trip, I was paying attention to this matter every day!" Louis would watch the news every day when he had the time. He was waiting for the investigation results of Watson Biopharmaceuticals. However, he did not expect Luke to bury the news. That was why Louis did not see any news about the Watson Biopharmaceuticals when he returned here. "You cane back to work at T Corporation if you''d like to know how much thepany has lost. Why don''t you be responsible for counting the losses?" Luke said facetiously. Deep down in his heart, he knew Louis had something else he wanted to do. "Brother, you can''t be serious. I would''ve returned if I was interested in these things. I wouldn''t have waited for you to convince me to go back there, right?" Louis shook his head. It was stressful to manage T Corporation, and he was reluctant to return there. He thought it was more interesting to manage his workshop. First, it was his hobby and interest. He would be motivated to make money. Secondly, he could get a handsome ie and it was enough for him to support his family. "I know," said Luke. Mrs. Laurel served some refreshments. Luke picked up a cup of tea and took a sip. Louis picked up his teacup and took a sip too. He said slowly, "Never mind. You''re capable enough to recover the losses no matter how much thepany has lost. It''ll be enough to shut the mouths of those old-fashioned people." "Yes," said Luke. He was not in a hurry now. The ones who were feeling anxious were the directors of T Corporation. Once they got anxious, the others who were holding odd lots would be anxious too. "But is there a reason behind your decision," said Louis. It was important to calm the investors down. Previously, Luke would step forward to calm the investors down whenever something bad happened that could affect thepany. He did not do so this time... "Do you want to know why?" Luke raised his brows and looked at his younger brother. Luke had to take the wheel. Only then would Louis be able to pursue his dreams without having to worry about anything. Louis suddenly felt that things were not as simple as they seemed. "Brother, did something happen?" Louis realized something. Luke looked down and replied lightly, "I''ve just looked into and found out that someone is secretly buying odd lots. He''s also secretly buying shares from the major shareholders." "What? How is this happening?" Louis'' heart skipped a beat. Someone was plotting against Luke, indeed. This was not only about T Corporation. That person would have the right to attend the shareholders'' meeting if he had enough shares in his hands. The decisions of the shareholders were built on the interests and benefits of thepany. They looked like they were close with Luke, but when someone who could pose a threat to Luke''s position showed up, no one knew who these people would be supporting. Interests and benefits could influence the connections between them. "Do you know who''s behind this?" Louis asked again. That person must be trying to harm Luke if he was capable of doing such a thing. Now, the reason Luke was still able to sit in the CEO position in T Corporation safely was that this man had not bought enough shares yet. "This person has been acting mysteriously. I suspect he has something to do with what happened this time. He knew T Corporation would be facing a crisis, and with the share prices plummeting, it would be the best time for him to buy the shares," said Luke. He had already found out that someone was secretly buying thepany''s shares. However, he did not know who it was, so there was nothing he could do. "Brother, then why didn''t you stabilize the share prices as soon as possible¡ª" Louis could not understand. It was obvious that the person was waiting for the share price to drop so he could buy the shares. He would not be able to reach his goal if Luke had done something. "If it''s him who''s behind all this, it''ll happen another time even if I make it through the hurdle this time. The reason why I haven''t made any moves is to nip the problem in the bud," said Luke. Something came across Louis''s mind all of a sudden. "You''re trying to dy it and wait until those retail investors can''t resist selling off the shares. Then, you''ll buy the shares to consolidate the ones you''re holding, am I right?" "Exactly," replied Luke. The reason why that person came up with this idea was that the shares Luke was holding in his hand were not enough. Luke probably had to borrow thepany''s shares from Old Master Crawford and the other family members in the Crawford family when the time came for him to fight against the person who was behind this. However, the Crawford family was not peaceful enough. There were chances that Susan might betray them. That was why Luke had to secure his position. Luke needed more time to secure his position all by himself. ¡°Brother, why don''t I transfer my shares to you?" Louis said. ¡°There''s no need. As a descendant of the Crawford family, those were meant to be given to you. I''ll just wait and buy the shares." Luke rejected Louis''s offer to help. He needed more shares on the market, not the shares that belonged to the Crawford family. ¡°You know someone is going against you now, yet you''re still refusing to take mine?" Louis let out a sigh. Luke was an ordinary person. He was not a superhero. However, he was handling so many difficult matters. "Although your workshop is stable now, you have limited ie. You''ll need the shares to make a living. Keep them for yourself. You''re already helping me as long as you don''t sell them," Luke said straightforwardly. Louis''s workshop ie was enough for a normal family''s living expenses, and there would be a surplus. He was richer than most of the families who were doing business. However, Yuri was born into a wealthy family. Yuri did not marry Louis to make herself suffer. She had always been a spender. Besides, Louis had to support Thea too. The child''s education, living standards, and hobbies would need a huge amount of money. Thepany shares that Louis owned could lighten his burdens. "Of course, I''m not going to sell the shares. But Brother, are you sure about this?" Louis asked worriedly. "Yes. Judging from how quickly I''m buying the shares now, I''ll be able to buy more until the day I announce it to the public. Besides, that person hasn''t realized that I''ve been buying shares. I''m buying more shares than he is," said Luke. Luke had the upper hand in this matter. He had asked someone to keep a close eye on thepany''s shares. Therefore, he was buying the shares way faster than that person was.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Chapter 1967 Louis was still worried even though Luke said so. He felt guilty looking at how relieved Luke was. Although the Crawford family had been training Luke to be the sessor of thepany since he was young, things were a lot easier for Louis. Luke was always studying when Louis was having fun or busy studying. Things were a lot easier for Louis, only because Luke had taken the wheel in front of him. That was why his childhood was a lot happier than Luke''s. Even though there was only one sessor, they were in the same family. Hence, other siblings in the family would have to help their family business in times of need even if they did not take over the company. There were barely any exceptions. However, he was the exception. Louis was able to live an easy life because of Luke. Luke even supported him when he decided to venture out. If it had not been for Luke, Louis would have continued to work in T Corporation, doing something he was not interested in. Luke was surrounded by enemies now, and Louis could not even help him with anything. Luke was still looking out for him. Louis was d that he did not listen to what Susan had taught him when he was young. He was happy he did not see Luke as his enemy. Luke had always sailed the currents for Louis. That was what made Louis'' life a lot easier today. Luke noticed that Louis had fallen silent, so he asked, ¡°What''s on your mind?" ¡°Brother, I''m not busy with my worktely. I can¡ª" Luke knew what Louis was going to say, so he interrupted him, ¡°I can arrange a position for you to work in thepany if you''d like to learn how to manage and run thepany. But stop using this as an excuse." Louis, ¡°..." Luke was smart. He was able to know whether or not what Louis said was sincere or it was just an excuse. "It''s the end of the year now. How is it possible that your workshop isn''t busy at all? If you''re not busy, does that mean your workshop is shutting down?" Luke teased him. Louis''s face reddened as he said, "Alright. Brother, can''t you see I''m worried about you? Stop joking about my workshop. It wasn''t easy to have ite together." "You have your own life. Just do whatever you like to do. I''m here to deal with the other stuff," said Luke. Although they did not have the same mother, they were still rted. Besides, they grew up together, and he knew Louis'' hobbies and ambitions. That was why Luke did not ask Louis toe back and help him. Even though the others would see this as Luke trying to take T Corporation and the Crawford family''s assets for himself, Luke did not care about what they thought. He had been shouldering the responsibilities quietly only because he was the elder brother.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. "Brother, what''s your dream?" Louis asked with a serious tone. He refused to believe that Luke''s dream was to manage T Corporation well. Managing T Corporation was the responsibility that Old Master Crawford imposed on him; it was not what he wanted to do. Louis was able to have dreams and ambitions since he was young, but Luke did not have the right to do so. Everyone thought Old Master Crawford favored Luke more than Louis, but now, he could see that Old Master Crawford had always favored him more. Otherwise, why would he allow Luke to carry such a heavy burden alone? When Louis said he wanted to create a workshop of his own, Old Master Crawford gave him the funds to establish his workshop without saying a word. Louis was much happierpared to Luke. "My dream?" Luke smiled as Luca shed across his mind. "My dream is to spend the rest of my life together with your sister-inw." Having Luca by his side was enough for him. Louis was momentarily startled. Luke''s dream was to live happily together with Bianca? Luke and Bianca had not been on good terms for the past three years... Bianca lost her memory, and she forgot everything. She went crazy without her memories and caused trouble for Luke. He could hardly spend a day in peace. Now, Luke was still thinking of living happily together with Bianca. However, Bianca was overseas with no intention of returning. "Brother, Sister-inw will certainly regain her memory and remember the sweet memories both of you have together. She''ll remember the kids and return home." Louis did not know what to say. He could onlyfort Luke. "I know." Luke was pretty sure about that. She had not forgotten their past. It was just that she could note back now. At night. Luca frowned as she looked at the machine that was still analyzing the sample. Amur carried a boxed meal and walked toward her. ¡°Are the results out yet?" ¡°Not yet..." Luca nced at theputer and let out a sigh of relief. "But I''ve found something. The initial analysis indicates that it''s a type of fungus." ¡°Don''t worry. I''m sure you can figure it out," said Amur. Luca nodded without saying anything. What could she do even if she was sure that it was a type of fungus? There were so many fungi that could cause infection. Besides, other than the inmmation of her wound, there were no other symptoms. It was difficult for her to judge it depending on the state of her wound. That was why she had to depend on the machines. It took a day for her to make sure that it was a type of fungus. She had two days left. Would she be able to figure it out? Furthermore, she had to take half a day off to head to the hospital. "Have your dinner first. You need the energy to continue working on it." Amur could not help her with anything. He could only watch her, keep herpany, buy meals, and remind her to eat and drink. Luca picked up the boxed meal. Her phone rang once she opened the box. She nced at her phone. It was Mrs. Laurel. Only then did Luca remember that she had forgotten to tell Mrs. Laurel that she was not going home for dinner today. Luca answered the call, ¡°Mrs. Laurel, I''m sorry. I forgot to tell you that I''m not going home for dinner tonight." ¡°I see. Don''t worry. Then I won''t save your portion of dinner. Remember to fill up your stomach while you''re out there. Don''t starve yourself, okay?" Mrs. Laurel said caringly. "Alright. I''m having dinner now. Don''t wait for me. I''m hanging up now." Luca hung up the phone after she said that. Amur asked, ¡°Was it the maid at the vi?" ¡°Yes." Luca nodded and took the disposable spoon and fork out. Amur sneered. ¡°It must be Luke who asked her to give you a call." Luca remained silent. Amur did not say anything more. He was worried that his words would turn Luca off. Even though Luca had already changed her name and her appearance, deep down in her heart, she was still Luke''s woman. It would not affect Luca''s feelings for Luke no matter how much he said. Some things were better left unsaid. In the vi. Luke watched Mrs. Laurel end the call and asked, "She''s noting home for dinner?" "Yes, Ms. Craw said she''s already having her dinner. She asked you not to wait for her," answered Mrs. Laurel. Looking at how gloomy Luke was, Mrs. Laurel secretly hoped that Luca could finish handling her business as soon as possible. Otherwise, she had no idea how long Luke would be in such a somber mood. "Let''s eat," said Luke. He did not say anything about it. Luca should be busy. He could not be of any help even if he put on a gloomy expression. As long as Luca was willing to ask for help, Luke could hire a few experts to help her with her research. However, this woman was trying to carry everything on her shoulders by herself. "Alright, Mr. Crawford." Mrs. Laurel hurried to the kitchen and served the dinner she had prepared. She had prepared two portions, but Luke was the only one sitting at the dining table now. There seemed to be a little too much food. Chapter 1968 The maid left work after waiting for him to finish his bath. Luke continued to sit in front of the office table and was settling his documents. The maid''s room was not closed because he wanted to hear even the smallest sound from outside. However, Luca never came back... Only when it was one in the morning did he hear some noises from outside. It was the sound of a door opening and closing. Even though it was intentionally done so that there would not be much noise, Luke still heard it. ''Luca only came back now..'' Luke had a dark expression but did not go out. ''Is she that busy?'' Hearing the sound in the living room made Luke ce his documents down. He sat there, not moving an inch. Luca switched on the lights in the living room and noticed that the lights in the maid''s room were still on. She frowned. She could see that the lights were on because he did not close the door. However, Luke usually closed the door. Luca changed her shoes and thought for a moment but did not choose to head over. She went upstairs on tiptoes. The night was especially quiet, and Luke could hear the sound of her heading upstairs. ''Didn''t she notice that the lights in my bedroom are still on? Why didn''t shee here to have a look? She just headed straight upstairs?'' Luke looked at the time and snorted coldly, feeling dissatisfied. He was like a husband who had been forgotten by his wife. Before he met Bianca, he had never thought that such a day woulde! Luke maneuvered the wheelchair and arrived at the living room. He saw that Luca had already switched off the lights in the living room and gone to the second floor. Only onemp was switched on in the entire living room. He thought back to the past when he was busy and working overtime. Whenever he came homete, Luca would always leave onemp on for him in the living room. Even though themp was dim, it was warm. He also knew someone was waiting for his return. This was the warmth from a family. However, themp tonight... That light shone on his face and revealed his frustration. The light from thismp was very cool and not warm, just like any streetmp outside! Two dayster, Luca was sitting on the chair in the research room. She sighed. She had narrowed it down to a dozen or so types of fungi, but she needed to test each of them to make an analysis andpare them. Luca was starting to regret not learning about fungi from Shanks in more detail. Now that she was alone, there was a limit to her ability. The thought of following Luke back to Russia the following day left her feeling uneasy. Amur came in from outside and was carrying a stic bag in his hand. He ced the stic bag in front of her and said, "Have something to eat, Luca." "Just leave it there first." Luca was conducting a numerical analysis,paring the DNA of each fungus to one another. Amur knew she was anxious just by looking at her. He could not help but grab her hand. "Leave the research aside for now. You''ve not eaten breakfast. Let''s eat first." Luca sighed and looked at Amur. "I''m running out of time." "Why would there be no time?" Amur was determined. "You still have lots of time." "I''m going back to Russia with Luke tomorrow." Luca had not informed him of this previously. She had no choice but to reveal it at this moment. Amur was stunned. Luca was going to Russia? ''No wonder she''s been so worried for the past two days over not being able to find the right fungus.'' "How long will you be there?" Amur hated Luke. ''Not only is he useless, but he even gives her trouble. Now, he wants to upy her time and space.'' "I have no idea, but I think I''ll be there for at least two days.." Luca made a guess. Not long after they went over, thepany in Russia would announce the result. She had long ago given the bidding document to Abel. T Corporation would definitely not get this partnership deal. Hence, they were merely heading over to show their faces and would not stay for too long. It was just that she could not tell how badly the condition of her wound would worsen in those two days. Amur clenched his fists. At this moment, he just wanted to head over to Luke and punch him. "You have your meal for now. Don''t go over to the hospital in the afternoon. Perhaps you might find the right fungus." "Amur, how can there be such a coincidence? Besides, I can''t just leave Nina''s issue aside." Luca nced over and saw that the report had yet to be ready. "Even so, you still have to eat. Taking your meal only takes a very short amount of timepared to you helping others. Besides, maybe you''re now analyzing the right fungus. Just tuck in," said Amur. Luca sighed. Even though the machines here were very advanced, it was still a privateboratory and there was only one such machine. Hence, her progress in extracting the sample and analyzing it to getting the report was very alow... She could not argue with Amur and picked up her cutleries to quickly take a few bites. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. "You haven''t filled up your stomach," Amur said. It was not a question but a statement. Luca had no choice but to take another few bites in a rush. "I''ve had enough." She ced the lunchbox down, and at that moment, the machine let out a noise. She quickly went over to check on it. ''It''s not this fungus.'' She then put another sample into the machine. She looked at the time. If she left now, she would be right on time for her meet-up with Nina. She looked at the machine and said, "Amur, do you mind keeping an eye on it for me? If the report is out, please snap a photo and send it to me. You can help me put the rest of the samples into the machine too." Amur had learned how to do it after observing her operating the machine. He nodded and said, "No worries. Just rest assured and go. I''ll manage things here." "Sorry to trouble you." Luca picked up her bag and left the building. She drove to the hospital and immediately came to Tyrone''s ward. Tyrone was on the bed. At that moment, only Mrs. Hugh was there. Both Larry and Keith were not there either. She guessed that perhaps both of them believed in her ability now, so they did not show up. Tyrone saw Luca and slowly said, "You''re here, Dr. Craw." "Yea, I''m here. Are you feeling much better after the dry needling treatment?" "Much better." Tyrone''s response was still slow, but his pace of speech was eptable. Dr. Wood, who was at the side, said, "The patient has also been receiving physiotherapy in the past two days and is feeling much better. His neuro report also shows that his condition is improving.¡± "Maybe his nervous system is recovering. Dr. Wood, have you seen the video?" Luca was referring to the previous video taken by Johann. "I watch it every day," Dr. Wood replied. "Then, you''ll take over today," said Luca. "Me? Dr. Craw, ording to the prepared course of treatment, shouldn''t we do it tomorrow?" Dr. Wood asked curiously. "I''m going on a business trip tomorrow, so we''ll do it today. Doing it a few hours in advance won''t affect the treatment. Get ready." Luca put down her bag. This time, she was not nning to conduct the treatment and was letting Dr. Wood take over. "Alright. Can the family members leave for the duration of the treatment?" Dr. Wood said. Mrs. Hugh and Nina left the ward together. Luca had Tyroney down, then said to Dr. Wood, "You can use the hospital''s equipment." "It won''t have any adverse effects, right?" Dr. Wood asked. "No. It''s just a matter of one''s feel of the needles,¡± said Luca as she took the antiseptic beside and sanitized her hands. She then put on the sterile gloves. Chapter 1969 The needles Luca used were all specially made on the Ind of Despair. She did not bring too many needles with her, and the effects of the needles were not significant. Hence, she had Dr. Wood use the needles from the hospital instead. Dr. Wood sanitized his hands, then put on sterile gloves. Tyrone knew that this time, it would be Dr. Wood who would take over the treatment. From the previous treatment, he also got to know through their conversation that Luca''s method of dry needling was different from the standard. Hence, it would be Dr. Wood''s first time adopting the method. He was a little scared. "Doctor, Please take it slow. I''m scared of pain..." said Tyrone while closing his eyes. "Don''t worry. I''ve practiced the method many times, so it won''t go wrong. Besides, Dr. Craw is here to supervise. Don''t worry." Dr. Woodforted him. He had watched the video many times and even tried it hands-on as well. He had some confidence. "Let''s get started." Luca did not speak much to them and ordered Dr. Wood to carry on. Dr. Wood nodded and followed how Luca had done itst time. He started pricking the needles into the acupoints. Luca was observing from the side and would asionally whisper to remind him if she wanted Dr. Wood to go a little higher. After half an hour, all the needles had been pricked into the acupoints. Once they were taken out, Tyrone was ready to exercise. Luca asked, "How did it feel this time?" "I feel much better, but I can''t say what it feels like exactly. I just think it was done properly..¡± Tyrone said slowly and made a gesture of opening up his palms. Luca took note of this, and it seemed like the treatment was done really well. This could prove that Dr. Wood''s treatment was starting to take effect. Even Dr. Lance also noticed it and softly let out a breath of relief. "Thank God, it''s effective." Luca noticed that Dr. Wood was sweating. He said, "You''re too nervous." It was not hot in the hospital, so for him to be this sweaty showed that he was very anxious while carrying out the treatment. "This is my very first time trying this new dry needling method on a patient, so I was very nervous," said Dr. Wood with a smile. Previously, he had only practiced the method on objects and was not sure whether he did it correctly. He was clueless. After Luca gave him some pointers, he became aware of his mistakes. "After this session, you''ll have enough experience for the next session," Luca said. She looked at the time and two hours had already passed. In another two hours, the sky would start to turn dark... She said, "If there''s nothing else, I shall take my leave." Initially, Dr. Wood had some questions to ask, but it seemed that Luca was in a hurry. Hence, he nodded and thought he would just ask her the next time. Luca walked out of the ward. Nina got up and asked, "How did it go?" "It seems that the effects this time are quite good. His joint movement is much smoother now. You guys may enter," Luca said while looking at Mrs. Hugh. The moment Mrs. Hugh heard that the treatment was effective, she revealed a smile and entered the ward. Nina also let out a breath of relief. "Thank God." "Yes, everything''s alright. All he needs to do right now is bepliant with the treatment," Luca comforted her. As soon as she was done talking, her phone vibrated. She picked it up and looked at it. It was a message from Amur. Luca''s heart skipped a beat. Amur''s message might perhaps be a piece of good news. Her fingers trembled as she clicked into the message. Amur sent her a photo, and there were three words in the message: [Finally found it.] She clicked into the report and looked at the report that matched up. She was excited, and her fingers started to tremble. Nina noticed her fingers trembling and asked curiously, "What''s the matter, Luca?" "Nothing. I have something on, so I''ll leave first," said Luca. Nina nodded and said in a concerned tone, "Please let me know if there''s anything. Also, you''ve been looking rather paletely. Remember to take good care of yourself." "Got it," Luca said and headed into the elevator. She did not speak any more to Nina. What mattered the most at that moment was the report. Luca came to the car park and found Luke''s car. She immediately drove to the researchb. After an hour, she arrived at the researchb. She rushed upstairs, pushed the door open, and saw Amur. "Where''s the report? Let me see," Luca asked Amur for the report. Amur handed the report to her. "It matches. This is the fungus." Luca looked at the report and was emotional. She finally found it. Luca had found the right fungus. She found the sample, then put it into the machine once more to analyze it again. Amur saw her actions and asked while feeling puzzled, "You want to analyze it again?" "To be on the safe side,¡± Luca said. Shanks had given her this fungus sample, and it was very special. ¡°This fungus is very special, so I have to test it again.¡± "The survival criteria for this particr type of fungus are very demanding. They can only survive in temperatures less than negative ten degrees Celsius. If they''re left in warmer temperatures for a very long time, it''ll be hard for them to survive. No matter how cold A City is, the temperature here won''t be below negative ten degrees Celsius. There are rarely any days with a temperature less than negative ten degrees Celsius. Abel would''ve only been able to use the freezing equipment to bring this fungus here from the Ind of Despair. He put in so much effort to bring this here just to use it on me?" Luca touched her chin. ''This fungus takes so much effort to keep alive, yet he went through all the trouble. ''With that being said, Abel must have a designated ce to store this fungus. Perhaps it might be a cool store.'' Amur voiced out, "You said that it''s hard to keep this fungus alive, but why do you have it?" "Shanks gave it to me," Luca said. "But it''s in its dormant state. This is just a sample. I didn''t think that one day, I''d put it into the machine to analyze it." Before she left the Ind of Despair, Shanks gave her a box and said the items inside might be useful one day. Inside that box contained all sorts of samples of fungi. She did not expect it to really be useful... Luca smiled coldly. Indeed, Shanks knew Abel well. At the same time, he did not wish to let her die. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. After an hour, the report was out once again. Luca looked at it, and indeed, it was a match. Abel had drugged her with something that was extracted from this fungus. "What should we do now?" Amur looked at the report that was a match and asked. "This fungus is a little special. Ordinary antibiotics and anti-inmmatory drugs won''t have any effect on it. I have to make my own medication," Luca said and was feeling grateful to Shanks deep within her. He had also specifically taught her what to do to cure one of the effects of this weird fungus. At that moment, she had thought to herself, ''The criteria of survival for this fungus is very harsh, so it won''t have the chance to be used to harm others.'' Hence, she did not really pay much attention to him when he was exining it to her. "What do you need? I''ll go prepare the things." As Amur was speaking, he put on his cost and was ready to head outside to buy her the items. Luca was not anxious since she already found the right fungus. She said, "There''s something that I need that must be attained in the hospital. The rest can be purchased at the pharmacy. How about this? You go back first. I can settle it myself." "You have to head over to the hospital to settle it? Are you sure you can deal with it?" Amur said. "Yes. I know the doctors in the hospital," said Luca. She would need Johann''s help to get Amphotericin B. Chapter 1970 Amur did not know of any doctors. He would not be able to help out regarding this issue. "Alright. Then, please be careful along the way," he said. Luca wore her coat and reminded, "Oh right, keep the researchb for now. I''ll inform the owner that I won''t be renting it anymore after one month." "You still want to continue researching?" Amur asked. "Yes." Luca nodded. Theposition of the antidote had yet to be fully analyzed. It had been quite some time and she had yet to fully analyze it. Apart from the reason being that the equipment she had was not advanced enough, there was another reason. Theposition of the antidote was veryplicated. She would need the help of advanced equipment. "Alright. You can hold on to the ess card. I''ll get it from you on thest day," said Amur. One month later when they decided to stop renting theb, the ess card would have to be returned to the owner of the researchb. "Alright." Luca carried her bag and left the scene. She drove her way to the hospital, and when she was about to reach the hospital, she contacted Johann. Johann was still in the hospital and had not finished his shift. He immediately agreed when he got to know that Luca wanted Amphotericin B. He promised that he would prepare it for her. After hanging up the call, he used his status to prescribe the medication and had the pharmacist send him a bottle of Amphotericin B. The pharmacy was quick to take action. Before Luca arrived, the nurse at the dispensary had already sent Johann the Amphotericin B that she needed. "Thanks." After Johann received it, he closed the office door. He called Luke. "What''s up?" Luke''s tone did not sound good. Johann was thrilled. ''Is Luca giving him the cold shoulder? He''s speaking in such a defeated tone...'' "Yourdy hase looking for me," he purposely said so to trigger him. Luke''s tone immediately turned cold. "Why did she look for you?" ¡°Of course, it''s because she needs my help. You, as a boss of a corporation, can''t even help her out with such a small task?" Johann seized all chances to tease him and take revenge for past grudges. "Why are you bbering so much nonsense? Are you too free at work?" Luke wanted to know what favor Luca had asked from Johann, but the more anxious he was, the more Johann would keep him on tenterhooks. Hence, he could only pretend that he was not bothered. "Wow, you''re even putting on an act as though you''re not concerned about it. Even though I can''t see your expression right now, I know that you''re very nervous," Johann teased him and added, "I won''t tease you anymore. She asked me to prescribe her a bottle of Amphotericin B." "What''s that..." Luke was clueless about it. "You don''t know anything, yet you dare be the boss of Watson Pharmaceuticals? Aren''t you afraid that your employees will turn their backs on you?" Johann shook his head helplessly. As the boss of Watson Pharmaceuticals, it was very important to learn how to manage it. He should at least have some knowledge about these kinds of things, no? Luke clenched his fists and wanted to just push Johann against the wall to beat him up. "Are you sure you want to beat about the bush at this moment?" Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. "Alright, alright. I''ll stop. It''s an antibiotic, but it''s notmonly used. Hence, you can''t buy it in any pharmacy or online. Only hospitals can prescribe it. Not anyone in the hospital can simply prescribe it to anyone either. She did the right choice by looking for me," said Johann. He knew that Luca had vast knowledge of medicine. Naturally, she would have her reasons for needing it. Hence, he did not further question her and simply agreed with her request. If Luca owed him a favor, it also meant that Luke would owe him a favor. In the future, whenever he needed a favor from Luca, she would not be able to reject it. At the same time, Luke would owe him a favor as well. It was like killing two birds with a stone. "What does she want to do with the antibiotic?" It was Luke''s first time hearing of such an antibiotic. "She''s your woman. If you don''t know, how would I know?" Johann let out a smile, his teeth sparkling and white. If Luke could see his current expression, Johann would definitely be beaten up. At that moment, he looked very arrogant. "I''m not too sure. She recently rented a researchb. I don''t know what''s she up to," said Luke. Ever since he knew that Luca had rented a researchb, he got someone to investigate the identity of the owner of that researchb. He received some information from the owner. The researchb was rented under Amur''s name. The duration of the rental was just one month. As for what experiment was ongoing, the owner was clueless. "It seems like it''s rted to the research she''s been doing recently. Don''t worry, I''ll try to get some information from her. If I do get something, remember to treat me to a drink." Johann seized the opportunity to extort Luke. "If you manage to do so, I''ll gift you an entire wine rack. It''s no problem at all," Luke said. Luca''s location was not kept a secret, but her research was mysterious. He believed that even if Johann were to step in, he would not get any information as well. There was a knock on Johann''s office door, and he guessed that it was Luca. He said to Luke, who was on the other end of the call, "Deal. Wait for my good news." He did not end the call and just turned off the screen before cing it on the office table. "Come in." Luca pushed the door opened and asked, "Good evening, Dr. Park. Have you had dinner?" "I was about to. Come in, Luca. This is what you need." Johann passed her the stic bag that contained Amphotericin B. Luca received it and took a nce at it. It was indeed what she wanted. "Thanks, Dr. Park. When I''m free, I''ll treat you to a meal." "You don''t have to." Johann smiled while shaking his head. He only wanted the bottles of wine Luke had promised him. "Then, how much does it cost?" Luca asked. Even though Johann bought it using his identity as a doctor, he would still have to pay for it. "You don''t have to pay me anything. Doctors have a quota. But I just have a question." Johann looked at the phone, then at Luca. "What do you want to ask?" Luca ced the stic bag down with much caution as the antibiotic was something that could save her life. "Why do you need this antibiotic?" Johann asked. "This antibiotic is rarely used. A usual infection would only need penicillin or cephalosporin to treat it, but you..." "It''s the right medicine." Luca smiled and did not say anymore. Johann knew that she was not willing to borate and asked, "Are you sick?" Luca put her guard up and was not willing to tell him the truth. "It''s not me but a friend of mine." "So, it''s your friend. Oh right, if this antibiotic is not strong enough, just let me know," said Johann warmly. He still wanted to get more information from her. However, she was still not willing to say anything. "Alright. Thanks, Dr. Park. I''ll not dy your work. I''ll make my move now." "Alright." Johann did not want to make her stay any longer either. If he asked more questions, she would be suspicious. If she needed Amphotericin B again, she might choose another path to obtain it and would not choose to ask him for help again. Luca left and closed the office door. Johann picked up the phone and said, "You heard it? Her friend needs it." "I heard it." Luke''s eyes gleamed darkly. She imed it was her friend who needed it, but she only had a few friends in City A. Chapter 1971 Nina? Sue? He had not heard that either one of them was sick. Was it Amur? However, that was impossible as well. If it were Armur, she would have said it was her younger brother and not a friend. Perhaps it was Luca herself... Johann pouted and negotiated with Luke, saying, "I helped you by asking questions. Even though I didn''t get valuable information, at least we know that she wants this antibiotic for her friend. Look, I don''t wish for an entire rack of wine. Half a rack will do. You''ll give it to me, right?" "What if she was lying to you? Do you think that statement of hers is worth half a rack of alcohol?" Luke said. He suspected that Luca had juste up with an excuse to keep Johann quiet. Johann was speechless at what Luke said. He said helplessly, "You don''t have to be this snarky." "Then do me a favor and get some valuable information," Luke said before hanging up. He looked at the time. It would take about half an hour to reach the hospital from where he was. ''I think Luca will be home earlier today.'' The maid carried a suitcase and came into the maid''s room. She asked, "Sir, is this the suitcase that you mentioned?" "Yes." Luke looked at the ck suitcase. It contained everything he needed for a business trip, but they were all personal items. After all, he was a germaphobe, so he would bring all the items he needed to bathe and brush his teeth. "Okay, then I''ll help you put in your winter clothes as well?" When the maid was carrying the suitcase downstairs, she felt that there were not many things inside judging from the weight of it. She guessed that there were no clothes in it yet. "I''ll put in the clothester. Luca should be home in half an hour. Can you please go to the kitchen and heat up the soup?" Luke had no idea whether or not would Luca prepare a meal tonight. He had the maid heat up the soup so that when she returned, she would have some hot soup to warm herself. In the past, she used to take care of him like this as well. When he came back from work, it would usually be veryte. However, there would always be supper waiting for him and a bowl of hot soup to drink. She looked after him more meticulously than Allison. "Alright, I''ll go get it done right now." The maid ced the suitcase aside and walked into the kitchen to heat the soup. Looking at the suitcase, Luke theny it t and bent down to open it. He controlled the wheelchair and came to the front of the closet. The maid had ced the winter coat that he always wore in it. Luke prepared three winter coats. Winter coats were very thick, so they immediately filled up the entire luggage. He then prepared another two sets of pajamas. After putting them in, he zipped up the suitcase. He looked at the passport and other items on the table. He was going to fly over to Russia the next day. He was obviously concerned about this project, but what mattered the most was theing few days. He might be able to find out the mastermind controlling Luca. He had sent both Rain and Gale over much earlier all for this matter. "Luca, I''ll make sure you''ll stay by my side," Luke muttered. On the other hand. After Luca left the hospital, she brought a few medication itineraries that she needed at the nearest pharmacy. With a bag full of things, she entered the car. Just then, she sneezed. ''Did I catch a cold?'' She rubbed her nose but did not think much about it. She just wanted to head home and administer the treatment to herself. Luca drove the car and rushed toward the vi. The road was jam-packed because it was the peak hours after work. She sighed as she slowly followed the flow of the traffic. She thought she was about to solve the difficult problem Abel had left for her. She did not expect that the road would be this heavily congested on her way back. ''Sure enough, there were lots of obstacles to obtain a piece of good news.'' Due to the traffic jam, Luca''s journey ended up taking one and a half hours. When she returned to the vi, she saw Luke in the living room and blinked her eyes. It was one of the few times she saw Luke sitting in the living room when she came back home. Under normal circumstances, he would be in his room, settling documents. Luke saw Luca returning with the cold air behind her and frowned while asking, "Why... are you home sote?" Initially, he wanted to ask for the reason she waste when the journey home should only take half an hour. However, she then discover that he had asked Johann about her. He changed his question at the last minute. Luca was puzzled. Even though she was homete, it was still considered quite early whenpared to thest two to three days. "The road was very congested," she said. "There''s soup in the kitchen. It''s still hot." After Luke spoke, he controlled the wheelchair and turned around to head toward the maid''s room. The maid had warmed up the soup. Before she went back home, she confirmed it with Luke again and ced the soup into a thermos sk to keep it warm. "Alright, thanks." Luca did not expect Luke to order the maid to warm up the soup at this hour. Luke stopped his wheelchair, and with his back facing her, he said, "Don''t forget that we''re flying to Russia tomorrow." "I remember." Luca did not forget about it. If it was not because she had to head to Russia, she would not have been so anxious over the past two days. Luke reminded again, "Pack your luggage. Don''t miss the flight." For the past two days, she was always out early and came back homete. Without needing to ask her, he knew that she had not packed her luggage. "Alright.¡± Luca watched him enter the maid''s room, and only then did she enter the kitchen. She saw the thermos sk on the table and headed over to open it. Inside was warm soup. Luca took a bowl and poured the soup out. She slowly sipped on it.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. The soup was still warm. It warmed up her hands, her body, and her insides as well... After drinking the soup, she carried her bag and went upstairs. She thought back to Luke''s statement. She was not in a hurry to get the medications ready and took out the suitcase to put two winter coats inside as well as some daily necessities. She took out her passport and ced it in a backpack. She nned to carry a backpack. Coupled with the suitcase, she would be all set to leave. After packing her things, Luca started preparing the medications. She took out Amphotericin B and mixed it with a normal saline solution. After mixing it thoroughly, she used the syringe that she bought at the pharmacy and slowly injected it into her vein. Looking at the solution dripping slowly made her feel calm. During this time, she had been tormented by this injury. If it were not for Amur''s anti-inmmatory drugs, perhaps she might not have been able to hold on until now. After the injection, Luca took a deep breath and felt her body. When she felt that nothing was wrong, she started preparing for the medications that needed to be applied to her wound. After preparing it, she took her pajamas and went to bathe. Even if it was just a bath, she would wrap her wound with a bandage and stic wrap to prevent her wound froming into contact with water. That would cause it to be inmed. After bathing, she peeled off the bandage and stic wrap. After checking the wound, she noticed it was still inmed. Luca walked out of the bathroom and took the medication that she had just prepared. With an expressionless look, she applied it to her wound. Then, she faced the mirror and picked up the bandage to wrap it around her wound. Luca looked at herself in the mirror. Due to the bandage, that area seemed much thicker. She muttered to herself, "Thank God, it''s winter." If it was summer, her uneven waist would definitely arouse suspicion. Chapter 1972 Luca ced the pajamas down. When she was about to sleep, there was a video call request. Luca picked it up and saw a bunch of numbers. ''Abel?'' She immediately got rid of that thought. Whenever Abel had some issues, he would either message her or call her. He would not send a request for a video call. That was because he did not wish for Luke to know that they knew each other. Luca thought of someone and immediately answered the call. Indeed, N''s cute face appeared on her phone screen. "Mommy!" The moment she saw Luca, N immediately got closer to the screen. "Mommy, Mommy, is it really you?" "It''s me." The instant Luca saw her daughter, her eyes were filled with tears. N missed Luca a lot and inched her face closer to the screen. Luca was almost unable to see N''s cute face. Hence, she reminded, "Dear, go back a little. Let Mommy have a better view of you." N agreed and backed away obediently. "Can you see me clearly now, Mommy?" "Yes. Oh, my N, you must have grown taller, right?" Luca looked at her daughter. She was unable to determine her daughter''s height through the video. She had not seen her kid for half a year. Her kid was growing, so it was a given that N would grow a lot taller in just a month. Besides, despite the Ind of Despair being very creepy, they still handled the kid''s meals quite satisfactorily. "Yeah. I grew taller again. Mommy, when will you be back? I miss you." N''s cute face revealed an expression showing how much she missed Luca. Looking at her daughter made Luca have the urge to just head back to her side immediately. However, she could not do it right now. "Do you remember what I told you?" She smiled, not wishing for her daughter to see her hesitate. N nodded her head. "Yes. You''re on a mission and you want me to just stay put. I shouldn''t cause any trouble and have to listen to Aunt Eler!" Luca was touched to see her child being so mature. She was already at this age and should attend school, but there was no school on the Ind of Despair. Hence, she would not be able to gain the usual academic qualifications. "Yes. So, are you being a good girl during this period?" Luca asked. "Yes. Aunt Eler just praised me earlier, saying that I''m very obedient." N smiled. N, who was always optimistic, was full of smiles when she saw Luca. That was because Eler had told her not to cry, or else, Luca would be sad. Hence, despite N wishing for her mother to be by her side, she did not cry at all. It showed how mature she was. "That''s great, dear. Where''s Aunt Eler?" Luca asked. It must have been because of Eler that N was able to video call Luca. Luca had to thank Eler for that. N looked to the side, then back to the screen. "Mommy, Aunt Eler''s face is very red. Do you think she''s being shy?" "Shy?" Luca said, puzzled. N turned the camera toward Eler. "Look, Mommy." "N!" Eler did not expect N to turn the camera toward her. Subconsciously, she stretched out her hand and wanted to cover the lens of the camera. However, Luca still saw her. "Eler, why is your face so red?" N was very bright. She said when she noticed Eler not talking, "Mommy, Aunt Eler''s face has been red since she came out from Uncle Shanks'' ce!" Luca came to an understanding. Eler had feelings for Shanks. She had stated it herself too. She never once had a change in feelings for him, and Luca did not say anything more about it. Eler was the one who would decide on her path. Luca had talked to her about it, and Eler seemed to understand that there might not be any future between them both. However, she did not regret anything. There were times when one could not control one''s feelings. Once one fell in love, one would continue to remain in love. N said curiously when she noticed that the two adults were not talking, "Mommy, why is Aunt Eler''s face so red?" "Maybe something joyful happened.¡± Luca smiled as she nced at Eler. N also looked at Eler. "Aunt Eler, what made you so happy?¡± "I''ll tell you in the future!" Eler knew that Luca knew what was going on and did not attempt to hide the fact. She might as well ask about Amur. "How''s Amur doingtely?" "He''s doing fine and didn''t get himself injured. He helps me out when I need it, so don''t worry." Luca knew Eler was worried about Amur, so she just briefly told her about Amur''s situation here. Eler let out a breath of relief. She had not seen Amur for almost half a year. Naturally, she was worried about him. ''However, since Luca said he''s fine, then it means he''s really alright.'' "Next time you have the chance, go talk to Amur. I can see that you''re very worried about him," said Luca. There was not much opportunity to hop on a video call, but every time, Eler would use up the chance on Luca and N. ''She''s obviously worried about her younger brother.'' "I''m just casually asking. Besides, Amur is already an adult. He no longer needs his family to be worried about him, but our N is different. She''s worried about you every single day." Eler touched N''s head. She looked at the time, and they did not have much time left. She added, "It''s almost time. N, we''re going to have to get off the video call now. Hurry, say goodbye to your mommy." N waved her hand. "Alright. Bye-bye, Mommy!" "Alright, bye." Luca waved her hand. Seeing that the call was still on, she reminded again," Eler, you must take good care of yourself over there." "I got it." As soon as Eler was done talking, the call was cut off. Luca stared at the pitch-ck screen and sighed. The smile she revealed immediately vanished. She missed her daughter, but she could not go back to meet her. There was a time limit for the people on the Ind of Despair to be connected to the outside world. There was also a limited number of times to do so. The number of opportunities Eler obtained with much effort would always be used on Luca. That was because she knew Luca missed her daughter. "Eler, I''ll bring you and Amur with me to escape the Ind of Despair,¡± Luca said to herself. She seldom owed other people a favor. The number of people she owed a favor was easily countable. As for Eler and Amur, she owed them both the most¡ªexcluding Luke and the kids. She would have to return the favors she owed them. The Ind of Despair was not a good ce. Hence, the only thing she could do was to pull the siblings out of this deep abyss. Luca looked at the time, and it was gettingte. ''I have to catch the flight tomorrow.'' Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Due to time constraints, she had no time to be sad and could only face what was going to happen the next day... Luca switched off the lights andy on the bed. Looking at the pitch-ck space, she could only hear her own breathing. ''Is Luke asleep right now?'' She had not seen N for half a year. When she recalled the image on the monitor earlier, she noticed that N, who initially looked like her, was beginning to look like Luke. Chapter 1973 Daughters tended to look like their fathers, while sons tended to look like their mothers. This statement proved to be true for Lanie and Rainie. It was the same for both Tommy and N. The more Tommy grew up, the more he looked like Luca''s past self. As for N, she was starting to look like Luke. Fortunately, she did not have a family on the Ind of Despair. Hence, since young, N never had an impression of her father and never questioned who her father was. Luca turned around. The issue about her wound had been settled. Initially, she could sleep well, but because she missed her daughter so much, she was unable to sleep... She kept thinking and finally sat up. She took out the sleeping pills from the drawer, and after taking one pill, she went to sleep. The effect of the medication kicked in fast. Despite feeling depressed, she still fell asleep. When she woke up, it was already daytime. Luca looked at the time. She was used to waking up early even without an rm. After all, she had woken up early in the past two days. After getting out of bed and brushing her teeth, she wore a winter coat. Then, she dragged her luggage and carried her backpack down. The maid was preparing breakfast in the kitchen. After Luca ced her things beside the sofa, she walked into the kitchen. "Good morning." The maid knew that she would be going on a business trip with Luke on that day. She then said with a smile, "Good morning, Ms. Craw. Did you have a good night''s sleepst night?" Last night, after she took the pill, she fell asleep and had a very long dream. As for the contents of the dream, she had already forgotten. Luca nodded. "Not too bad. Come, let me take over from here." "I think it''s best if I do it. Aren''t you supposed to go on a business trip with Mr. Crawford? It won''t be good if you end up smelling like you''re covered in smoke and oil. You should go out. Breakfast will be done in a while," said the maid. Knowing that both of them were going on a business trip, the maid came to work an hour earlier than usual. Breakfast was almost ready. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Luke got up as well and opened the door of the maid''s room. He overheard the conversation between Luca and the maid. He said, "Come here, Luca." Luca heard it and entered the room. "Good morning, Mr. Crawford." "Good morning." Luke lifted his head slightly and observed her expression. She seemed to look much better than yesterday. ''Is it because she had enough rest?'' "I need to brush my teeth. Please help me out," he said. "Alright." Luca pushed the wheelchair into the bathroom. Then, she filled the bathtub with warm water for him to bathe. With her help, Luke brushed his teeth and bathed. His movements were much smoother and faster. After brushing his teeth and bathing, they heard the maid''s voice. "Sir, Ms. Luca, breakfast is ready." "Let''s go," said Luke. Even though breakfast would be provided on the flight, the food would probably not suit him given how picky he was. Hence, he wanted to have his breakfast at home and did not n to eat on the ne. Luca pushed the wheelchair, and both of them came to the dining table. They ate their breakfast quietly. Then, Zander came to pick them up. After Luca saw Zander cing her and Luke''s suitcases into the boot, she put on an anxious look. ''Are we really going to Russia? ''Am I really going to witness Luke fail?'' Luca started to be worried. She had solved a problem but, another problem cropped up, making her worried. After cing the suitcases, Zander helped Luke into the car first. He then looked at Luca, who was daydreaming. "Ms. Luca, it''s time to depart." Luca snapped out of it and nodded. "Alright." She got into the car from the other side. Luke''s wheelchair was in the boot. He sat on the seat. Both of them sat side by side, while Zander was in the driver''s seat. He drove them to the airport. "Master, is your injury much better now?" Zander had not been in contact with Luke for quite some time and could not help but be worried. "Much better," said Luke. He was guessing perhaps the cast could be removed once he was back from Russia. Being in the wheelchair made him feel so restricted. "That''s great." Zander was delighted and did not say another word. Luca kept quiet as well. She felt like there was something on her back. After struggling to get it, she realized it was a hair clip. She recognized it to be Rainie''s hair clip. Luca nodded and ced the hair clip aside. This car was usually used to fetch the kids to school and back. Hence, it was only normal for Rainie''s hair clip to be left behind in the car. Speaking about the kids, Zander then said, "Master, when your leg has recovered, do you want the kids to go back to the vi?" "Of course," Luke spoke in short and precise answers. "The kids miss Ms. Luca every single day," said Zander. ''The kids miss me.'' Luca lowered her eyes and revealed a faint smile. ''Indeed, it''s because of blood ties that we feel so close to each other.'' Even though her appearance had changed, the love the kids had for her was still the same. When recalling what the three kids said earlier, it made Luca think to herself, ''They also wish for me to stay by their side too, right? I haven''t been expressing myself clearly because I''m still worried.'' Luke sneaked a peek at Luca. He saw the smile on Luca''s face, and this made him feel lost in thought. ''How many years has it been? Yet her smile still mesmerizes me.'' Zander did not say a word, and the car was dead silent. Luke ordered Zander to turn on the radio. Coincidentally, the radio was reporting on the incident of Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Luca looked at Luke. His eyes were closed to rest. He did not have any reaction to that news. He was overly calm, and this made Luca even more certain that he had already found out the truth. It was just that he did not reveal it. As for the reason for him not revealing it, she was also clueless about it. Besides, it was as if Luke was not bothered about the incident. His calm expression made her suspicious. ''Does he have a backup n? Could it be that his backup n is the project in Russia? ''If that''s the case, his current confidence will be shatteredter. If the investors know that the project is a failure and the patent for the research is already in the hands of another, it''ll cause share prices to fall. ''I wonder what''s Luke''s backup n for that?'' Luca had not heard of any project of T Corporation that would bepleted soon. She could not help but feel worried. If something really happened, it meant that she was the one who had pushed Luke into a corner... The radio reported another piece of news, but her mind still lingered on the previous one. She could not help but ce her hands together. After an hour, they arrived at the airport. "Sir, Ms. Luca, you can get down here," Zander asked. Luca snapped out of it and looked at the airport. ''After this, Luke will have to face the greatest defeat in his life.'' Luca pushed the door open and got down from the car. Zander took out the folded wheelchair from the boot. After setting it up, he helped Luke down from the car. Despite everyone looking at him, Luke sat in the wheelchair proudly. His injury was no longer a secret in City A. Hence, despite being looked at by others, he was still calm and proud like a king. Chapter 1974 Luca took out all of the luggage from the boot. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Zander saw there were so many things, and Luke was sitting in a wheelchair. With so many things, Luca would not be able to carry them all by herself. He said, "Sir, Ms. Luca, I''m not allowed to park the car here. You guys can wait for me here. Wait till I''ve parked the car, then I''lle over to help carry your luggage." "No thanks." Luke rejected. "You may go back as there''ll be someoneing over to help us out." "Oh, alright. Then I shall return for now, sir. Old Master has already invited Old Man Rayne for a game of chess. I have to return to fetch him," Zander said and got into the car. ''Old Man Rayne?'' Luca looked at Luke. He was able to see through her puzzled expression. "He''s Wanda''s father." ''He''s also your grandfather.'' He added deep in his heart. "Oh." Luca did not expect Old Master Crawford to go over to have a game of chess with her grandfather. Thest time she headed over, he even said that it had been quite some time since anyone yed chess with him. All this while, he had been ying by himself. Sometimes, Wanda was worried that he would be too tired and did not allow him to y chess. He was alwaysining then. She did not expect Old Master Crawford to go over to y chess with him. Luke could make out that she was having some thoughts in her mind. He said, "With your help, his body is much better now and he looks more energetic than before. Compared to those old folks who only want profit, Old Master Crawford prefers spending time with Old Man Rayne and ying chess with him. Hence, he would asionally go over to the Raynes to y chess." ording to what he knew, Old Master Crawford would go over twice per week, and every time, he woulde home with a cheerful mind. They and the Raynes were initially inws. With Old Master Crawford moving around more often, it would be beneficial to Luca and Luke in the future. Hence, Luke was totally supportive of this idea. "I see. Doing the things he likes is better for his physique," Luca said while nodding her head. Naturally, she hoped that her grandfather would be happy. "Sir, Dr. Craw, I''m sorry that I''mte." Jason came over while dragging the luggage. He took a deep breath and put down the luggage to say, "I''ll go get someone from the airport to help out." Relevant personnel in the airport would provide professional services for those who had inconvenience in mobility. "No thanks. I can do it myself. You help Dr. Craw to carry the luggage," Luke said as he did not n to have other people help her out. The wheelchair was a brand new one, and it was very convenient. Hence, he could control it himself with ease. "Alright," Jason agreed and took Luke''s luggage from Luca''s hand. The three of them were ready to enter the airport when Sue''s voice was heard. "Wait up, Jason." Jason''s footsteps came to a halt when he saw Sueing toward him. "What''s up?" "You forgot your scarf. You silly man. How could you forget to wear it in such cold weather." Sue ced the scarf over his neck. ''Mr. Crawford has yet to win Luca''s heart, yet Sue is showing her affection to me.'' "Alright. It''s not a big issue. I can still buy it when I reach Russiater. The weather is getting colder, so hurry up and go back," Jason said softly. It was Sue who personally drove him to the airport. He wanted to drive on his own, but Sue insisted to send him off. Hence, she fetched him there. "How can that be the same? Russia is much colder than here. Once you''re out of the airport, you''ll be attacked by the cold winds before you have the time to buy it. I''ll see whether or not you''re still able to walk when that happens. Also, I''ll leave here when I want to. You don''t have to urge me." Sue red at him, then looked at Luke and Luca. She greeted them with a smile, "Good morning Mr. Crawford, Ms. Luca." "Good morning," Luca greeted back, but Luke only nodded. Sue''s attitude toward Luke was as usual. Back when his rtionship with Bianca was very close, Luke had remained very elegant and cold toward her as well. Currently, no words were needed to describe it. "You guys should go on in. Have a safe trip," Sue said and urged them to board the ne. Jason nodded and dragged both suitcases in. Luca followed behind Luke and slowly walked. Even if Luke did not need anyone''s help when he entered the airport, the relevant personnel would still push Luke''s wheelchair for him. As for Jason and Luca, they were holding onto their documents. When the three of them came to the waiting area, it was still very early. They would need to wait for another hour before checking in. That was because they were in the first ss, and there were not many people waiting. Luke sat in the wheelchair and shut his eyes to rest. After some time, two more people entered. The moment Pierre entered the waiting area, he saw Luke, Luca, and Jason. His eyes glittered coldly. Mr. Peralta, who was following beside, took note of this as well. Recalling how he had edited T Corporation''s bidding document to pass it off as their own, he felt guilty and reminded softly, "Sir, that''s Mr. Crawford from T Corporation." "I''m not blind. I''m much more familiar with Luke Crawford than any others," said Pierre. After all, the Crawfords and Mallories had known each other since a long time ago. Mr. Peralta dared not make a sound when he saw Pierre''s appearance. It was as if he wanted to pick on someone. He stole someone else''s bidding document yet still dared to be so arrogant. ''Isn''t he afraid someone might get to the bottom of this? ''But still, it''s true that if one were to get to the bottom of this, Pierre would still be calm enough and pass the me to Ms. Malone.'' Mr. Peralta had no choice but to catch up to Pierre when he saw him walking straight ahead. "Hey, Mr. Crawford, it''s really you. I thought I was mistaken. How did you end up in a wheelchair?" Pierre asked deliberately. At that moment, he was standing in front of Luke and looking down at him. ''This feeling is just too good.'' Luke nced at him coldly and said, "Oh, it''s you. Are you going to Russia too?" "Yea. The profits for this project in Russia are really tempting. So, it''s only natural for me to join, right? This project is based on skills. You can''t be thinking that I''m trying to seize the business from you, right?" Pierre purposely said so. Previously, Old Master Mallory had promised Old Master Crawford that hispany would not harm the Crawford family''s business. Regarding issues that were based on capability, Luke could not say anything if Pierre managed to get his hands on it. "This is not my business yet, so it''s not considered as being stolen," Luke said, but he vowed to get this project. ''If Pierre wants to snatch it, it''ll still need to depend whether or not he has what it takes to do it.'' He was only relying on the Mallory family to build up hispany, and his funds were vastlycking from T Corporation''s funds. Besides, most of the funds of the Mallory family belonged to the family. Even though Pierre''spany wasrge, it was as impressive. However, Luke was still surprised that Pierre could seize the opportunity for this project. He did not receive any news stating Pierre was going to be participating in the bidding for this project. Had he even prepared a bidding document? "If you can think of it that way, that''s the best. We''llpete based on our capability." Pierre had a wide smile. Deep in his heart, he wanted to corner Luke. Chapter 1975 Luca stood beside and looked at Pierre''s smile while feeling ufortable deep within her. ''That smile of his... One look at it and I know he''s up to something. The attitude of this man toward Luke is very clear to everyone. It was as though Pierre was directly telling everyone that he was going against Luke. Even so, he was sneaky in doing things. Luca frowned slightly and thought to herself, ''Pierre has done so many bad things behind our back, but before he gain benefits from all of that, he was stopped by Old Master Mallory. ''But how did he seize the opportunity for this project in Russia?'' Jason, who was at the side, said, "Mr. Mallory, I didn''t hear about yourpany preparing the bidding document before this. How did you suddenly manage to prepare one?" "Actually, I''ve been preparing it all this while. However, mypany is small, not like T Corporation. Hence, when we decided to participate, we didn''t announce it to the public. Why? You got a problem with it?" Pierre casually came up with something. He was not afraid of being checked for such things just because he had no evidence. "Of course, there''s no problem with it. I''m just curious as the few people I know in yourpany haven''t been working overtime," Jason added, attempting to get insider info on behalf of Luke. He had been following Luke for tens of years. Given Luke''s status, it was not suitable for him to gain any insider info. Hence, it was always Jason who would take up that job. "Well, they''re not involved in the bidding document. Luke has such a capable assistant like you. Why can''t I have two capable assistants to help me out with the bidding document?" Jason purposely looked at Mr. Peralta, hinting that he was one of his capable assistants. Mr. Peralta was feeling guilty after being called out. He helped out with the bidding document? If Pierre had not said it, no one would have bought it. All he ever did was change the contents of the bidding document. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. "So, that''s the case. No wonder. Well, you really do know how to make use of talents." Jason praised, but deep within him, he could not help but feel suspicious. ''Can two people finish preparing a bidding document?'' Jason was aware of the people around Pierre. As an assistant, he too had his connections among this group of assistants. Within the society, all the capable assistants were working under the bosses of huge corporations. Jason was well aware of the capability of Pierre''s assistants. They were not famous figures. Hence, Jason was sure that Pierre was spouting nonsense. Jason and his boss had made a fake bidding document to deceive Luca. They spent lots of time on it. The moment the bidding document waspleted, he and Luke dared not be sure that the bidding document could confuse Luca. After all, she was involved in the trantion. They were just betting that if Luca really got her hands on the bidding document, she would hand it to the person who was controlling her to read through it in detail. Never would they expect themselves to win the bed in the end. When Luca took the bidding document, she had taken photos of the contents. It was not that she had not gone through it in detail. Luke heard their conversation and knew what was going on. The fact that Pierre was asked to join this bidding had nothing to do with him doing it in an honest manner. Pierre listened to Jason''s praise and knew he was not being sincere. He looked at Mr. Peralta and said, "Well, I can''tpare him to you, Mr. Doyle. Mr. Peralta still has a lot to learn. Speaking about hiring people, it looks like Luke is better at it. Not only does he have such a capable assistant like you, Mr. Doyle, but also a capable secretary like Tina. Now, he even has Dr. Craw... He looked at Luca. ''This woman could take me down with just one hand, and she caused me to end up lying in the bed for a few days. I had to take analgesia like it''s candy.'' She even made Old Master Mallory lose confidence in him. Pierre could sense that Luca was not as simple as she may seem, but he would not back off just because of this. He would make Luca pay back for everything she did to him. Luke had a sharp gaze when he heard Pierre mention Luca. Initially, he did not n to interrupt, but in the end, he still said, "The people around you are great too. It took only two people toplete the bidding document. This shows how perfect they are." Pierre saw Luke covering for Luca and shook his head while smiling. "Well, they still can''t bepared to your people." As he was saying, he looked at Mr. Peralta and intentionally said, "Mr. Peralta, if you have the time, please learn more from Mr. Doyle. I won''t be so anxious that way." Mr. Peralta quickly replied, "Alright, sir." Pierre changed the topic again. "Oh, right, has your leg recovered? Fractures can be very serious. You must get a good doctor to treat you. Otherwise, you''ll have problems in the future. Oh right, I knew an orthopedic surgeon. If you need his number, Mr. Crawford, I can help you contact him.¡± "Sure." Luke also gave a fake smile and looked at Pierre coldly. He did not argue or say another word. Pierre was acting cold, and judging by his arrogant look, it was as if he had confidence he would win the bid. ''I''ll see how long he can keep that expression after we''re back from Russia.'' Even if Pierre did not have the chance to go for the bidding document of this project, Luke would have to back out. That made Pierre interested. At that moment, he would arrange another group of people to make the issueplicated. Perhaps, he would also be able to use him of copying the bidding document. The more Pierre thought about it, the happier he was. ''It''s going to be interesting if that happens.'' "After youe back from this business trip, I''ll go make arrangements. Let''s end the conversation here. That''s my seat.'' Pierre headed to his seat. Mr. Peralta quickly went over. Luke had a cold gaze, and asked Jason, who was beside him, "They didn''t prepare the bidding document?" "I didn''t hear of it. This whole time, the assistants in hispany have been getting off work on time," Jason whispered. He would keep in contact with the assistants from differentpanies, getting to know their schedules and strengths. This way, he was able to judge how well a corporation was doing. If the employees of a corporation kept working overtime, it meant thepany was busy and there would be a chance that they were preparing for a project. If the employees got off work on time and were still able to take on the position of assistants, it would be impossible for them to have high working efficiency. It meant thepany only had an ordinary workload with no urgent projects ongoing. Pierre''spany had always belonged to thetter. "There''s a problem with his bidding document," Luke said. "It should be." Jason nodded and agreed with Luke. "I''m guessing that they got help." After all, it was Pierre''spany. Currently, they did not have the ability toe up with a bidding document... "After arriving in Russia, go and look into it," Luke ordered. "I know what to do, sir," Jason said. ''There must be something wrong with Pierre.'' Luca heard them both conversing and looked at Pierre. He was looking back at her with an evil gaze. Chapter 1976 The moment both of them looked at each other, Luca saw Pierre smiling at her. Even though there was quite a distance between them, she could still sense him being provocative by looking at his smile. ''He has ulterior motives...'' Luca returned him a cold gaze and turned away. Pierre chuckled softly. "Why is she putting on an act? No matter how cold she is, she''s still ady who ended up sneaking into Luke''s bed. What a b*tch." Mr. Peralta heard him say that and shook his helplessly. Those in the field all knew there were three people whom one should not offend. One was Luke, the other was Pierre''s brother, Percy, and thest person was Jim. Pierre was publicly provocating Luke now. Even with the Mallory family''s support, it would not mean much. ''Isn''t he afraid that Luke won''t spare him and just take him out directly?'' When that time came, it would still be Pierre and hispany that would suffer. Mr. Peralta sat beside him and touched his chin as he said, "Sir, I don''t think it''s a good idea to provoke Mr. Crawford.¡± "What''s wrong? Do you want me to try to get on his good terms, then?" Pierre lifted his eyes and looked at him. ''It''s just Luke. Why should I be scared?'' When Jason was facing him, he was not scared as well. However, when his assistant was facing Luke, he was so scared and he had lost in terms of aura. If it were not for Pierre not willing to show off his capable assistant, he would not have brought Mr. Peralta here to attend this event. "That''s not what I meant, but we''ll still have to meet each other in the future. Besides, the bidding document this time." Mr. Peralta did not continue. He figured that there was no need to make an enemy out of others even if they were theirpetitors. Besides, they had stolen another corporation''s bidding document. "With you being this scared, I''d think you were a spy sent here by Luke if I didn''t know any better.¡± Suddenly, Pierre was crossed. He was not too bad whenpared to Luke. ''So, why do I have to spare him some face?'' If he was able to obtain this project, perhaps he would be able to make Luke bow down to him. However, it would not matter if he failed to get the project. It would still be much better than Luke, who would not even get the chance. Mr. Peralta nodded and did not dare to say anything. After an hour, the announcement was heard and they could board the ne. Pierre got up and purposely said loudly, "We can finally depart." After saying it, he purposely looked at Luke. Luke and the other two people ignored him. Pierre stood at the boarding gate. He nced at Jason. Luke was walking toward him. He smirked and said, "To be honest, Mr. Crawford, I''m really looking forward to seeing you sitting in the office in Russia with me, waiting for them to announce the result of the bidding.¡± Listening to him say such a long statement, Luke just said a simple word, "Okay." Then, Jason pushed his wheelchair into the boarding corridor. Pierre squinted his eyes and looked at the three of them with an ulterior motive. He had a smile that was looking pretty evil. He said to Mr. Peralta, "Come on, let''s go and register too. This time, we''ll return victorious!" Mr. Peralta answered him, "Yes, sir." Deep within him, he felt troubled. ''Why is he so confident? Even though the bidding document of T Corporation is excellent, it''s not only those within the nation who are going to bid for the project but the entire world. So, where did he gain that confidence?'' Deep within Pierre, it would be considered to be a huge victory if he could defeat Luke. To make Luke ashamed, he had spent a fortune to purchase that bidding document. ''If I get it, that''ll be best. I''ll just take it as an additional reward. If I fail, I won''t think it''s unfortunate either.'' After boarding the ne and with the help of the personnel on the ne, Luke sat in one of the seats. Luca looked at her seat number on the ticket and noticed her seat was beside Luke. It was a window seat. Luca was stunned and watched Jason walk to the other end. She pursed her lips and walked toward Jason''s side. "Mr. Doyle, why don''t you change seats with me? If you sit there, maybe you can still discuss work with Mr. Crawford." "Dr. Craw, I have nothing to discuss with Mr. Crawford about work. I think you should just sit there. After all, you know that it''s inconvenient for him with his legs right now. He still needs your care." Jason immediately rejected her request. He would not dare to change the seats when Luke had intentionally requested to buy the tickets with the seats side by side. Besides, being farther away from Luke would mean being farther from his source of stress. Jason did not wish to suffer from Luke''s cold aura throughout the long flight as that would be torturous. Luca was different. She would not feel any pressure sitting beside Luke. Jason finished talking, then sat down and fastened his seatbelt. Luca saw it and knew he was not nning to switch seats. Hence, she just sat beside Luke. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. "Is it too much of a request to make you sit beside me?" The moment she sat down, she heard Luke''s voice. Luca picked up the seatbelt and fastened it, pretending nothing had happened. "Not at all, Mr. Crawford. I thought that maybe you''d want to discuss work with Mr. Doyle." "There is no work to be discussed, "Luke said the same thing as Jason. If it were not for Luca overhearing their conversation before waiting for the flight, she would have suspected that maybe they had rehearsed their statements to make her believe in them. She asked again, "Don''t you think Pierre''s being a little weird?" "Why is that so?" Luke lifted his eyes to look at her. Luca frowned and revealed her thoughts, "I think he''s trying to take you down. I think he''s confident that he''ll win." "That''s what he thinks. Even though Pierre had set up apany and it was being supported by the Mallory family, hispany size has not achieved the international standard. Even if his bidding document is extremely splendid and the price is very appropriate, Russia might not use his proposal," Luke shared his thoughts. Even though it was a bid, Russia had also made it clear that there would be an assessment of all the companies. Luca nodded. Luke said again, "For the past few days, Percy has been cornering him. Right now, Old Master Mallory is even more disappointed in him. He even ordered that Pierre would not be able to operate certain businesses. After hispany lost the profits of these businesses, his abilities have be much weaker." Luca listened to his analysis. All this while, she was not bothered by those things. After listening to Luke''s analysis, she had a clearer idea about it. In the end, even if Pierre had an excellent biddingpany, there would be a high chance that Russia would not consider hispany. Hence, Pierre''spany had never been T Corporation''spetitor. It was just that currently, he was clueless about the situation and was in a hurry to win the battle. Hence, he joined this bidding. Russia did not limit the size of thepanies that joined, so they gave Pierre''spany a chance. Chapter 1977 However, after Luca came to an understanding, it did not reduce her worries. It was not Pierre who was stopping Luke and not hispany. It was her. The thought of taking action on him made Luca ce her fingers together. Luke noticed her minor gestures. ''She''s still so worried even after listening to my analysis?'' "Don''t worry." He attempted tofort her feelings. Luca wanted to tell him that she was not worried but guilty. However, she could not bring herself to say such a thing. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. As soon as Luke was done talking, the n slowly took off. She looked out the window. When she took the bidding document, she no longer had the chance to turn back. Luke treated her well, but she was destined to let him down. Luca sat upright and lowered her eyes. She no longer looked at the man beside her. "Mr. Crawford, I have a habit of sleeping on the ne. If you need anything, just wake me up immediately." "Go and sleep, then." Luke did not stop her from sleeping. Luca closed her eyes and did not look at the man beside her again. Hence, she did not see how Luke''s eyes were gleaming passionately for her. Their flight took about ten hours, and Luca was constantly asleep. She could make out Luke''s breath because he was beside her. Hence, she was able to sleep extremely soundly. When Luca woke up, an announcement about thending was heard. She snapped out of it and looked at the people around her. She noticed that Luke''s hand was on her arm. "I was just about to wake you up," he said. If it were not for the nending, he would not be able to bring himself to wake her up. Whenever they were on a long-distance journey, she was always able to sleep beside him soundly. Once she fell asleep, she would just sleep throughout the journey. She would not eat or drink. It was as if she had not slept soundly for a very long time. Luke was worried she might be starving, but when he saw her sleeping soundly, he decided to allow her to sleep a while more. "I''ve slept for ten hours?" Luca was astonished. In her memories, she recalled that she had never woken up. However, what surprised her the most was that Luke actually allowed her to sleep for so long. He never woke her up and just allowed her to sleep. "You seemed to have made up for yourck of sleep from the past few days,¡± said Luke. Luca kept quiet for a few seconds. She could not deny that she was happy to have gotten to sleep beside Luke. She looked at the nket covering her and expressed her gratitude, "Thanks." "There''s some food here. Just eat it if you have the appetite. If not, you may eat it when we arrive," said Luke. Back when the air stewardess asked what he wanted to eat, he also ordered a meal for Luca. Luca looked at the bread but did not have the appetite because she had slept for too long... "Thanks, Mr. Crawford." Once again, she expressed her gratitude and moved her body. She had slept for so long. Even though she was in the first-ss cabin where the seats werefortable, her body still felt stiff after sleeping in it for too long. She recalled that the inclination of her seat earlier was not like this. ''Maybe Luke helped to adjust it.'' After all, she would not have been able to adjust the seat if she was asleep. The nended safely at the national airport of Russia. With the help of the airport personnel, everything went smoothly. Due to Luke''s condition, the three of them exited the airport first. Ray was waiting for them at Exit A. Ray stepped forward when he saw Luke and the ganging to him. He greeted with a smile, "Long time no see, Luke." "Long time no see, Ray." Luke looked at Ray, who was still so tall and gigantic. He was polite to him. For so many years, he still maintained his rtionship with Ray. Even though his rtionship with Ray was not as good as with Gordon, they had long ago be friends. Hence, when he got to know that Luke hade for a business trip, he promised to personallye fetch him. As for Vivian and Gordon, they were busy getting things done to wee him. Ray looked at Jason and Luca. He had long ago heard that Bianca lost her memories. ''Bianca is alone in another country, and right now, there''s anotherdy beside Luke. I''m guessing that she''s the one.'' Ray did not think of Luke as a man who would flirt with manydies. He was much more loyal than Gordon. Hence, when he heard this news, he could not believe it. Now that he had seen Luca, he felt that it was possible for Luke to have fallen for her. After all, Luca was too beautiful and could make men fall for her easily. "This is my assistant, Jason, and this is Luca," said Luke. Luca had not agreed to be with him, hence he would not say anything unnecessary. He still had to introduce her to others but just could not just say she was his woman. "Nice to meet you two." Ray put a smile on his handsome face while putting up some distance. However, he was not rude. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Ray," Luca and Jason spoke at the same time. "I didn''t expect you to end up sitting in a wheelchair after not seeing you for so many years. Let''s go. My car is outside. Both Gordon and Vivian are waiting for you in the house," Ray said and took the initiative to push Luke''s wheelchair. When Luke heard Gordon''s name, it was clear Ray had said it through gritted teeth. "What''s wrong? Are you still dissatisfied with him?" "Who? Gordon?" Ray pushed Luke out of the airport and snorted coldly, "How can I be satisfied when he treats my sister that way?" ''If not for Vivian being in love with him, I would have long ago chopped off Gordon''s arm and fed it to the wolves!'' Luca thought to herself when she heard their conversation, ''It seems that Gordon doesn''t treat Vivian kindly.'' She wanted to ask about Vivian''s condition, but she was only a stranger and could not just take the initiative to show concern for Vivian. When Luke heard what Ray said, he asked, "How''s Vivian?" "Even though Gordon isn''t being a gentleman, he''s still scared of me. Hence, he still apanies Vivian. So, she''s still fine," Ray answered through gritted teeth. Vivian only wanted Gordon. Hence, with the man beside her, she would even forget about her younger brother. ''I wonder what''s so good about Gordon to make Vivian fall so hard for him for so many years?!'' Luke could see Ray''s hatred. If he had not stepped in, perhaps Gordon would have been beaten to death by Ray''s underlings. Currently, Gordon was still with Vivian. At the very least, it meant that Gordon had given in. For someone who had given in, he would not just run away, and neither would he make Vivian sad. Otherwise, Ray would get people to hunt him down. "As long as Vivian is alright. From the very start, all you''ve wanted is for Vivian to be alright, right?" Luke''s statement made Ray agree. "Yes. Let''s get into the car." Ray opened his car door and looked at Luke before asking, "Do you need me to carry you?" "No thanks." Even if they were in a foreign country, Luke still paid attention to his image. In other words, he was paying attention to his image in front of Luca. With Ray''s help, he staggered his way into the car. Chapter 1978 After Luke was seated, Ray looked at Luca and Jason. He was not at all arrogant. Instead, he was very polite to them because of Luke. "Get in." "Thank you." Luca and Jason got into the Rolls-Royce. Ray got into the carst. He closed the door and told the driver to drive them home. The dazzling Rolls-Royce drove off. Pierre watched the Rolls-Royce leave, silently jotted down the license te number, squinted, and stood at the airport gate. He was thinking about how the man who picked up Luke seemed familiar. ''Who is he?'' Pierre thought that he was familiar with Luke''swork, but after he arrived in Russia, he discovered that there was a lot that he did not know... Mr. Peralta made the necessary arrangements and walked over to Pierre while holding two suitcases. "Boss, the car is already waiting over there." "What car?" Pierre was still looking in the direction that the Rolls-Royce left. "The car that''s here to send us to the hotel." Mr. Peralta was a little taken aback. He was not sure why Pierre asked that. ''Isn''t it expected that we''d head to the hotel after leaving the airport?'' Pierre looked straight at Mr. Peralta and repeated himself, "What I''m asking is, what brand of car is it?" "It''s a Mercedes-Benz..." Mr. Peralta said. He was boggled. He did not know that Pierre had preferences for the car''s brand. "Just a Mercedes-Benz?" Pierre was dissatisfied as a Rolls-Royce had picked Luke up. It was not that he did not have a Rolls-Royce. However, when he saw the scene, he startedparing himself to Luke. For just a moment, he felt that he was behind Luke. Mr. Peralta noticed his dissatisfaction and quickly replied, "Boss, you didn''t mention anything about wanting a specific car. It''s impossible to find another car now..." The car was arranged by the hotel. He had topped up some money to get this Mercedes-Benz so that their ride would be bearable. Mr. Peralta thought that this arrangement would satisfy Pierre, but unexpectedly, he was still unhappy with it. "Forget it. Make sure you get a better car after this," Pierre said. "Lead the way." Mr. Peralta breathed a sigh of relief when Pierre agreed to get into the car. He was worried that Pierre would choose to wait by the entrance for another car because he was not satisfied with it. The hotel had called Pierre the day before to confirm if he wanted a Mercedes-Benz to pick him up. They mentioned that if he wanted another car, he had to inform them one day in advance. "Yes," Mr. Peralta dragged the two suitcases and walked forward. After he got in the car, Pierre took out his phone and found someone. "Find out who owns this car with this license te number." In Russia, not many could afford a Rolls-Royce. It was either the person who picked Luke up rented the car, or he was loaded. Although Pierre did not want to admit it, when he saw the side profile and back of that person, he thought it was more likely to be thetter. The man looked like someone not to be messed with. Mr. Peralta sat in the passenger seat andmunicated with the driver in English, intending to ask the driver about the process of changing to another car. Unfortunately, the driver did not have a goodmand of English. The two tried their best to communicate with each other, but Mr. Peralta still did not understand what the driver was talking about. Pierre, who was sitting at the back, was irritated. He asked, "Didn''t you find out about all these when we arrived?" "I''m sorry, Boss. I didn''t manage it well." Mr. Peralta groaned inwardly. Pierre usually drove a Mercedes- Benz, so he thought that Pierre would be alright to travel around for business with this car since the specifications of this Mercedes-Benz were fairly decent. He did not expect that Pierre would be dissatisfied. ... On the other hand. Ray''s driver drove them to the vi. Luca thought that the exterior of the vi looked unfamiliar. Luke asked, "You''ve changed addresses?" "Yeah, my sister didn''t like the old vi. She said that the style is too outdated, so she changed to a newer vi." Ray said as he instructed the driver not to carry the luggage of Luke and others. They were there as guests and would just be staying for a meal. Ray had suggested Luke stay in his vi, but thetter turned him down saying that staying in a hotel would be more convenient considering their schedule. As such, he had to follow Luke''s will. Luke knew that it was not that Vivian did not like the style of the previous vi but Gordan. Vivian could give up everything for Gordan. Although Vivian was not good-looking, Gordon was a lucky man to be loved so fervently by a woman. "The environment here is great," Lukemented. Ray''s smile was not deep. He was reluctant to let Vivian move here because the security system here was far inferior to the previous vi''s. However, she opted to put aside her safety for Gordan''s sake. Ray had topromise because there was no other way. "Come in." Ray pressed his fingerprint on the lock and opened the door. Luke was pushed into the vi by the driver. In front of the vi was a spacious garden. The flowers and leaves had fallen because it was winter. The bare branches were covered with thin ice, and it felt a little depressing. The few of them walked across the long garden path to the main house. Vivian was waiting there. When she saw that Luke was in a wheelchair, she eximed and stepped forward, asking, "Brother, what happened?" She referred to Luke as Gordan did. "It was a minor ident. Nothing to worry about." Luke tried to soften his expression as much as possible when facing Vivian. Vivian was immensely insecure due to her appearance. She was a little more sensitive, and if he acted cold, Vivian might overthink and assume that he did not like her. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. After all, Gordan had also decided to stay by Vivian''s side. They were family now. "Uh..." Vivian frowned. She asked cautiously, for fear of poking his sore spot, "Can you still stand?" "It''s just a broken bone. Didn''t Ray tell you?" Luke looked at Ray and assumed that he had not told her anything. Vivian looked at Ray and smiled. Ray was somewhat dissatisfied as he replied, "I didn''t have the time." Since Vivian was so focused on Gordan, she did not have time to listen to him ramble about everything and anything. "I''m sorry, I was negligent." Vivian med herself as she believed that she should be well aware of her guests''test news. Gordan''s voice came from inside the house. "Is Brother here?" He asked twice, and before he finished his sentence, Gordan quickly ran out. When he saw Luke, he was not surprised. Instead, he asked, "Brother, you haven''t removed your cast yet?" Vivian was taken aback when she heard what Gordan said. ¡®He knows about Luke''s injury? Why didn''t he tell me anything...'' That was not something out of the ordinary since Gordan loathed talking to her about household topics. Usually, she was the one talking while all he did was listen... Although she was used to it, Vivian still felt a little hurt. "It''s not been a month." Luke looked at Gordan, then at Vivian. They were together, but something was still off. Chapter 1979 Ray also realized something. He frowned and was a little disgruntled. ''Gordan knew about Luke''s current situation but did not tell Vivian. Was he nning to humiliate her in front of so many people?'' Ray was about to throw a tantrum when he thought of that. He wanted to question Gordan. Vivian was highly sensitive, and her ability to observe others'' moods was extraordinary. When she noticed that her brother''s mood seemed off, she quickly said, "Okay, it''s cold outside. Let''s all go in and talk." Ray was not given a chance to throw a tantrum. It was not right to let guests chat at the entrance. Gordan nodded. He knew that Ray was upset but did not n to do anything about it. He just wanted to entertain Luke. "Come on, Brother. I''ll push you." He pushed Luke, who was in his wheelchair, into the living room. Luca and Jason followed behind. The living room was decorated in a European style and waspletely different from the Russian architectural style. The room was spacious and bright. It looked great. Luca was familiar with Vivian. She knew what style she actually liked. After seeing the living room, she was even more convinced that Vivian moved to this ce to amodate Gordan. "Brother, what do you think of this vi?" Gordan asked. "Is the vi all that you care about?" Luke scolded Gordan as he did not show any concern for Vivian. Fortunately, Vivian was still willing to be by his side. Otherwise, from what he knew of Ray, Gordon would have been killed long ago. "That''s not true. I''m concerned about you. Is this Dr. Craw?" Gordan looked at Luca with a bright smile on his face. He was aware of certain things that had happened in A City. He knew that Luca was the woman Luke cared about the most at that moment. Even before, Luke had requested his help to investigate this woman. She appeared to be a simple and mundane woman. Nothing about her was suspicious. He did not understand why Luke would ask him to investigate such an ordinary woman. However, he understood why when heid eyes on her. Luke asked him to find out more about her because this woman was beautiful and alluring. After meeting her in person, Gordan sighed in his heart. ''This woman doesn''t look ordinary in real life.'' "Hello." Luca felt strange being stared at by Gordan. She knew that Luke had asked someone to investigate her identity before. The person who looked into her was Gordan. Someone from the Ind of Despair had mentioned to her that there was a man who looked like Luke inquiring about her all over Russia. Gordan nodded as an intriguing smile appeared on his face. Vivian felt sad when she saw how Gordan reacted. Even though he was by her side, he still enjoyed looking at beautiful women. Vivian knew in her heart that the reason why the arrogant Gordan stayed by her side was that he was afraid of Ray. Even if he left the Russian borders, Ray still could hunt him down wherever he was in the world. Gordan was not afraid of death but rather of inconvenience. He stayed for so long because he had made a promise to Luke as well. Vivian knew that Luca was beautiful, so it was normal for Gordan to sneak a few more nces at her. Nevertheless, she would still feel sad about it. Even if Luca had nothing to do with Gordan... Vivian took a deep breath, trying to make herself not mind. She knew that she could not make a fool of herself in front of the guests, or Gordan would be unhappy... "Brother, honored guests, the maid has prepared our meal. Let''s go to the dining room and chat while eating?" She invited them. "Okay, Sister-inw. That sounds nice," Luke said. Since Gordan referred to him as ''Brother'', he saw Vivian as part of the family as well. Vivian smiled shyly. When she heard what Luke said, she felt the distance between her and Gordan close in a little. "I''ll push your wheelchair." Gordan snorted in dissatisfaction. Ray heard the sound and stared at him coldly, warning him with his eyes. If it were not for Vivian''s reluctance, he would have beaten up this arrogant and rude man so badly that his head would turnpletely swollen. They went to the dining room. The maid had served the Russian dishes she prepared on the table. "Everyone, please take your seats," Ray said. He nced at Gordan again, warning him not to mess around. Although Luke was not an outsider, messing around in front of him would not be great for their reputation. Gordan turned his face to the side. He felt unhappy when Ray was around. He instructed the maid to take one of the chairs away. Before he could say anything else, Vivian pushed Luke to the spot where a chair was taken away. "Brother, are you okay with this seat?" "No problem," Luke said. Jason nced at Luca, who just stood there and did not look like she was about to sit down. "Dr. Craw, have a seat," Jason said. As soon as he finished speaking, Ray and the others looked at her. Luca had no choice but to sit next to Luke. When everyone was seated, lunch began. Ray and Gordan did not have a drink, and neither did they ask Luke to because they knew he had to work after this. Luca looked at the Russian dishes, which were very different from what they would have for lunch in A City. Although Luke had stayed in Russia for a while, she was unsure if he was used to the food. She asked softly, "Mr. Crawford, what do you want to eat?" "I''ll eat whatever you eat," Luke said. Her profile stated that she had been living in Russia. In those three years, it was likely that she was in Russia. He wanted to see what Luca liked to eat. Luca looked at the Russian food and was not sure what to do. She did not actually enjoy Russian food... She grabbed some side dishes for herself and Luke. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. At the same time, Vivian picked up Gordan''s favorite dishes and put them on his te. Gordan smiled and said deliberately, "When a beauty delivers food to your te, the food will look exceptionally delicious." After that, he looked down at his te and pouted. His actions all showed disgust toward Vivian. Vivian pursed her lips with unease. Ray could not take it anymore. With a m, he put down the knife and fork. "Gordan, what do you mean by that?!" Ray did not spend much time at the vi. He would arrange for some men to be stationed here to ensure Vivian''s safety. He did not want to see Gordan''s face. His sister should be at the top of the food chain and enjoy all the wonderful things that the world had to offer, not be belittled by Gordan! However, she was not bothered. She always said that as long as she was by Gordan''s side, everything would be fine. He did not want to see her suffer, so he rarely came by. If it were not for Luke wanting to get together with Gordan, Ray would have brought them to his ce straight from the airport. Gordan nced at Ray with disdain as a slight smile with a hint of provocation appeared on his face. He then looked at Luca with a beaming smile and said, "What I meant is that our new sister-inw is considerate and got some side dishes for Brother because he doesn''t like Russian food." The words ''new sister-inw'' made Luca''s face turn pale... "Gordan..." Luke''s tone was dismal. Chapter 1980 Luca was not his new sister-inw. Nevertheless, the fewer people who knew that she was Bianca, the better. Hence, he had only expressed his love for her in front of Gordan. However, he did not tell him that Luca was Bianca. Bianca was at a loss when she heard what he said. Gordan looked at the two of them, his expression gradually turning from one of joking to being stunned. "You haven''t seeded?" He did not expect Luke to act so slowly and for him to step on andmine. Logically, Luca was Luke''s prey. He should not be so slow. He was also a man. There was inherent hostility between men, but he admired Luke. He even believed that no woman could escape him... Gordan looked at Luca''s and Luke''s expressions and knew that what he said had put them both in an awkward situation. Ray said coldly, "Gordan, if you don''t know what to say, keep your mouth shut." Gordan could ept anyone else speaking up, but not Ray. Gordan was annoyed and mmed his ss violently on the table. "What does it have to do with you?!" He had been upset with Ray for the longest time. All he could think about at the moment was to resist! Ray listened to the tone of his voice and knew that he was provoking him. He could tell that Gordan was very upset and had reached his limit. Since Gordan wanted to look for trouble, he was not afraid of giving him what he wanted. He ignored Vivian''s begging gaze and bluntly said, "What does Luke''s business have anything to do with you?" Gordan hurriedly stood up and moved his chair back, which made a high-pitched sound as it scratched against the floor. "Do you want to fight?!" Ray''s expression did not change one bit as he stood up calmly and took his tie off. His gaze was gloomy as he said, "You''re the one who wants to fight." "Let''s go!" Gordan roared. He had been wanting to vent his dissatisfaction for the longest time! There was an exercise field in the vi where he would usually train. Even though he was trapped by Vivian''s side, he still did not stop training because he was unwilling to stay by Vivian''s side for the rest of his life! Gordan took off his jacket and walked out. He was dressed normally to prepare for Luke''s arrival, but at this moment when he was about to fight, he was not too bothered. He could only let out all of his anger when his fistsnded on Ray''s body. Ray unbuttoned his sleeves, nodded slightly toward his guests, and said, "Sorry, excuse me for a moment." After he finished speaking, he, too, walked out. Luca looked at the two men who left, then at Vivian. She did not chase after them and just looked at them apologetically. One was her husband while the other was her younger brother. It was a regr thing for the two to get into a fight. After so many times, she knew that she could not stop them, so she could only focus on entertaining her guests. "Brother, you don''t like to eat Russian food? My maid knows how to cook other dishes. Shall I have her do that for you?" "Don''t worry about it. This will do," Luke said calmly. He did not bother to go out to stop the two of them from fighting. Even if he could calm them down this time, Gordan would still find a way to fight Ray. Although Ray was not a fan of Gordan, he would show mercy in consideration of Vivian. Vivian felt a little uneasy. After all, Luke was Gordan''s brother. She confirmed with him again, asking, "Brother, are you sure? It''s not troublesome to have her prepare a few more dishes." "No need." Luke insisted. Vivian felt even more guilty. She had promised Gordan to entertain Luke, but she failed to satisfy his taste buds... She prepared a table full of sumptuous Russian dishes, but unexpectedly, Luke was not a fan of Russian food. ¡®Gordan must think that I''m useless.... I''m such an ipetent wife...'' Vivian noticed that the guests had stopped eating, so she cheered herself up and said, "Why did you stop eating? Take a bite. They''ll be back before you know it." Gordan''s skills were good, but Ray was even better. Based on experience, Vivian knew that Ray and Gordan would be back in a while. They would both be injured, but Gordan''s injuries would be more serious. Jason nced at Luke, then at Luca. He could not help but ask, "Are they going to be okay?" "They do this quite often, so don''t worry about it. Come, let''s eat. There''s no reason for the guests to wait for them..." Vivian said. She hid her sadness with a smile. Even so, Luca could still sense the unease in her heart. She picked up the fork and picked up a piece of blini. After she tasted it, she smiled and said to Vivian, "Your blini is so delicious! It''s soft and sweet. It''s the best I''ve ever eaten." Vivian was slightly surprised. "You like Russian food?" She thought that no one out of the three of them liked Russian food. She did not expect Luca to know a fair bit about Russian food. Most people would think that blini was just an ordinary pancake, but unexpectedly, she knew how to differentiate it. "I lived in Russia for a bit," Luca exined with a smile. She knew that Luke did not enjoy sweet food, so she asked softly, "Mr. Crawford, this borscht looks good. Would you like to try it?" "Okay." Luke nodded. Luca brought one of the bowls of borscht to Luke and looked at Jason again. "Mr. Doyle, do you want some?" Jason nodded and replied, "I''ll help myself." He stood up and took one of the bowls. Jason took a sip. The taste was alright. He believed in Luca''s taste. Vivian watched the three of them eat and breathed a sigh of relief. Her gaze fell on Luca again as Gordan''s words rang in her ears. What he meant was that Luke was interested in her... Luca seemed to have a normal working rtionship with Luke, but he was interested in her. What about Bianca... Vivian wondered. She had never heard of Luke and Bianca getting divorced... ¡®Did they get divorced but it''s just that Gordan didn''t tell me?'' Vivian thought that it was possible. Gordan knew a lot of things but never told her anything. They were living under the same roof but the distance between them was iparably far... Vivian wondered if Luke and Bianca divorced because of Luca. She was close with Bianca. She was so beautiful, intellectual, and courageous. Most men would be reluctant to let her go. Although Luca did not look as innocent as Bianca, her other aspects seemed to be better than Bianca. She presented herself as a more mature and better version of Bianca, but she did not have Bianca''s face. Vivian suddenly understood. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Men would always go for the better alternative¡ªeven Luke, who swore that he would only love Bianca... After all, he was only human. It was normal for him to have a change of heart when there was a charming woman who was better than Bianca in all aspects... Chapter 1981 ''It''s human nature to have a change of heart...'' Vivian could not me Luke for what he did. Everyone had the right to pursue what they wanted. Take Gordan, for example. If it were not for Ray keeping a close eye on him, he would have gotten together with other women long ago. What was more, he got involved with her because he found her refreshing as he had never been with an ugly woman prior. Gordan had the choice to go for a better woman as well... Vivian lowered her gaze. The more she thought about it, the sadder she became. ''Maybe I shouldn''t be so selfish¡ª'' "This soup tastes wonderful." Jason''s praise interrupted her thought. Vivian raised her gaze, smiled, and responded, "d that you like it." As soon as she finished speaking, Gordan and Ray had ended their fight. Both of them returned to the dining room. Luca heard the footsteps and looked up at the two of them. Both were injured. Gordan seemed worse off. Luca thought that Gordan was great at fighting, but it seemed that Ray was better. It was no wonder that Ray was able to control Gordan... Vivian nced at Gordan, then at Ray. She was frowning. "Why are you hurt so badly?" Vivian said to Gordan. "Ask your brother." Gordan had a stern expression. He wanted to fight and vent but did not expect that Ray would go all out. Ray saw him as a sandbag, a sandbag that could dodge and attack. "You asked for a fight." Ray''s expression appeared indifferent as he unrolled his sleeves. Gordan was fuming that Ray was just sitting there, looking aloof. He wanted to yell at him, but he identally tugged at his wound. He took a deep breath and eximed, "F*ck!" Vivian got anxious and put her hand on his arm. "Gordan, does it hurt? I''ll treat the wound for you, alright?" Her gentle concern did not make Gordan feel any better. He shook her hand off and said, "No need." Ray had a grim expression when he saw Gordan being so rude to Vivian. Luke looked at the three of them. He knew that if he did not step in, it was likely that they would get into another fight. "Cough, cough." He coughed twice to remind them that he was still there. Gordan was about to explode when he heard Luke''s coughs. He held himself back. Even though he was angry, he could still manage his emotions. Vivian nced at Luke gratefully. If it were not for him, the two would probably fight once more. Ray had been in a bad moodtely, so he was probably venting his anger on Gordan. She said to the maid next to her, "It''s time for dessert." "Yes, Miss." The maid turned around and walked into the kitchen. After a while, several of the maids brought out some desserts. Gordan finally realized that Luke was still around and that even if he was pissed at Ray, he should not provoke him in front of so many people. He calmed down. After dinner, Luke looked at Ray and asked, "Are you free to have a chat?" Ray squinted his eyes, thinking that Luke wanted to speak on behalf of Gordan. He was a little reluctant, but considering that Luke was a guest, he nodded and said, "Okay, let''s talk in the study." "Okay." Luke nced at Luca and said, "Have some tea and wait here." "Okay, Mr. Crawford," Luca nodded. Gordan watched Luke and Ray leave together. She felt a little depressed. He was wondering why Luke involved Ray in the conversation but not him. He did not say anything and left the dining area. "Gordan, where are you going?" Vivian asked immediately when she saw that he was about to leave. "Your brother''s fists hit me all over my body. If I don''t deal with the aftermath and this face is ruined, will you be happy?" Gordan''s expression was gloomy. He always thought that Vivian loved him and wanted him to stay by her side because of his face. For a while, he even wanted to destroy his face. He thought that such an extreme method would make Vivian give up on him. Vivian bit her lower lip in embarrassment. She should follow him, but there were guests around. It would be extremely rude for her to leave her guests alone. On top of that, she was aware that these guests were important to Gordan and Ray. She resisted the urge to rush over and take care of Gordan. She smiled at Luca and Jason, saying, "Mr. Crawford is having a chat with my brother and it may take a while. The maids have prepared some tea. Why don''t youe with me and we can enjoy it in the living room?" "Okay, thank you," Luca said. She took pity on Vivian, who was stuck in a difficult position. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Over the years, Gordan had never once been gentle or kind toward Vivian. Otherwise, she would not still be as cowardly as she was. She desperately wanted to be with Gordan and was terribly afraid of losing him. As a woman, Luca empathized with Vivian and thought that she lived a pitiful life... Although Ray was very protective of her, what she wanted most was the gentleness and protection of Gordan. However, Gordan was more willing to show his tender side to hookers than to Vivian. ''How sad...'' Vivian was so timid that she never once threw her temper at Gordan... Luca thought about it as she followed Vivian through the long corridor to the living room. Luca and Jason each sat on a single-seater sofa while Vivian sat in the master''s seat. She asked the maid to bring milk, tea, and coffee. She then asked them, "What do you want to drink?" "I''ll have coffee, thank you," Jason said. Although Vivian was ugly, he found her soft and kind voice quite pleasant. "I''ll have some tea," Luca said. Although Vivian did not say anything, she noticed that the tea was specially prepared for them by her. If she drank coffee like Jason, Vivian''s kind efforts would be wasted. She used to be acquainted with Vivian. However, since she was socializing with her with a new identity, she had to treat Vivian like a stranger. Fortunately, with the experience of dealing with Luke, she knew how to handle Vivian. "Okay." Vivian poured them their coffee and tea to show her respect for them. Luca took a sip, her mind drifting to Luke unconsciously. ''What does he want to talk to Ray about?'' Ray was a well-known gangster in the area. She wondered if Luke wanted to work with him on a project. Vivian thought of a few topics to talk to Luca about. Luca responded to Vivian but could not stop thinking of Luke. In the study. Luke took a sip of the coffee the maid brought over and looked at Ray with a nk expression. Ray was a little surprised. ''Doesn''t he want to talk to me? Why is he just staring at me?'' "Is there something on my face?" "No." Luke shook his head and asked, "What''s troubling you?" When he heard that, Ray sat on the executive chair, deted. He said, "Don''t you have something to talk to me about? Why is the focus on me now?" "That''s all I want to talk about." Luke put the coffee to the side of the table and said, "You look troubled." Chapter 1982 "I¡¯m surprised that you can tell. Is it that obvious?" Ray touched his chin. He thought he covered it up well. He never allowed Vivian to intervene in his affairs because he was worried that she would gain enemies from being involved. Therefore, even if he was troubled, he would never tell her. Nevertheless, Vivian was an intuitive woman. She could sense when something was wrong with him. However, this time, he concealed it so well that even Vivian did not notice it. Unexpectedly, Luke noticed that something was wrong. "Did you investigate me, or did you notice it from something that happened?" Ray asked curiously. "We''re friends. Why would I investigate you? I guessed that something was troubling you because you went all out with Gordan," Luke said. He noticed that Gordan''s injuries were more severe than before. Ray let out augh and admitted. "I did vent my anger on him, but it''s not all because of Vivian." "Tell me more." Luke''s words were simple, but they indicated to Ray that Luke was considering whether or not to help him. After all, his capabilities in Russia were limited. A dragon would be teased by a shrimp in shoal water. It might be a better option for Ray to deal with it by himself rather than for him to send in his men. "It''s nothing for you to worry about. There have been several men causing trouble on my site. They make a scene and grab whatever they can. It¡¯s not out of the ordinary, but I can¡¯t find out who these people are. The most depressing thing is that I lost a deal that was about to close to an unnamed organization. I lost a fair bit of revenue because of that," Ray said. He had to support his sizable group of subordinates. As such, it was natural for him to be anxious seeing that his revenue was decreasing. It would be nice if he knew who hispetitors were, but he had no idea. He got some of his men to investigate, but they either did not return or found nothing... That was why he was in such a bad mood. "Is that so?" Luke frowned. Ray held a certain power in Russia and was an honorable man. Not many would dare threaten his interests. Even if they wanted to get involved, they would be forthright with it. Nevertheless, in the end, Ray would more often than not be on the winning side. This was known throughout Russia. No one would be so stupid to fight with Ray. However, a daring organization had emerged. It was even one that Ray had not been able to find out more about. "Many new organizations have been established in recent years. Although we''re not the most harmonious, none of them would take things so far with me. It''s not just me who''s suffering losses. Everyone is suspicious of one another, and a fair few came to talk to me as they suspect that I''m behind it," Ray said. They would not trust him just on his words alone. Since he was a suspect, the others would be more suspicious of him if he did not show any strong proof that it was not him... Luke kept silent for a few seconds. He thought of the Ind of Despair... Although they had not made any big moves in the past few years, he knew that since the Ind of Despair was re-established, they would not be willing to stay unknown or make some money by working on mere tasks. The Ind of Despair would embark on the same path as before sooner orter. "Did you know that the Ind of Despair was re-established?" Luke asked. Ray shook his head and replied, "There are rumors, but no one has evidence to prove that the Ind of Despair has indeed re-established itself. The relevant Russian agencies have been monitoring the ind where they used to be stationed. They found that no one wasing in or out." "Although there''s no movement, you have to take it seriously. There''s someone from the Ind of Despair nted around me," Luke said. They had no evidence that the Ind of Despair was established again, but he did. "What? Are you sure?" Ray was stunned and looked at Luke closely. "That person has a tattoo of the Ind of Despair. The design is slightly different, but I''m certain that they''re from the Ind of Despair," Luke said. The Ind of Despair had a rule. When they changed leaders, the tattoo design must be changed as well. The tattoo on the fake Bianca''s body included slight updates on the previous design. "Is that person still around?" Ray asked. If that was the case, they could believe that the Ind of Despair had indeed been re-established. The others would also believe that what had been happening recently was because of the Ind of Despair. "That person was drugged. I was in control of her when it was time for her to take the antidote, so she didn''t manage to take it. She died a sudden death," Luke said. If it were not for the drug, he might have gotten some information from the fake Bianca. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. "What a pity..." Ray said disappointedly. He trusted Luke. However, his trust in Luke was not enough. He needed other evidence to prove it to others. "I didn''t know that she''d be of any use to you. Otherwise, I would have photographed some evidence for you," Luke said. "Did that person do anything to you?" Ray asked. Luke could not tell him much, so he just shook his head. "She didn''t seed, but since those from the Ind of Despair were nted by my side, I suspect that the people who are causing you trouble may also be them. If there''s a next time, keep them under your control. The tattoos on their body can be covered up, and they''ll only show if a special potion is applied. I''ll ask Gale to send you the form. Get your subordinates to make it and find an opportunity to see if you can find evidence." "Okay, thank you so much." Ray did not expect Luke to be able to do him such a big favor. It was not that he had never caught those people. He had handed them to the police and even interrogated them himself, but he never found out which gang the other party belonged to. Luke''s words gave him some hope. If he found proof that those people were from the Ind of Despair, he and the people from other gangs would not be suspicious of each other. He would have the confidence to deal with them as well... Although the Ind of Despair was powerful, it had just been established. The veterans were still in prison, so it would not be much of a problem if they worked together to fight against the new Ind of Despair. "Don''t thank me. I''m trying to help Gordan too. As long as your anxiety isn''t resolved, Gordan will only get more beatings when he pisses you off," Luke said. He thought it was normal for men to get physical. However, it was not normal for Gordan to be Ray''s punching bag. It was impossible to keep Gordan in check, so he could only start with Ray. What he did not expect was that his previous experience came useful... "I wouldn''t have to hit Gordan if he didn''t pick a fight..." Ray squinted his eyes. If it were not for the presence of Luke and the others, Gordan might have been beaten up so badly that he would have to be hospitalized. After all, Ray would never show mercy when he was in a bad mood. "I know, but it''s hard to keep him out of trouble." Luke nodded. "You know him well." Ray agreed. If it were not for Vivian, Ray would have killed Gordan thousands of times over. He would not have waited until now. Chapter 1983 Luke nodded. "As such, we can only start from you." Ray smiled wryly. He was envious of the friendship between Luke and Gordan. He joked, "Sometimes, it doesn''t seem like the two of you are friends. You''re like brothers." "Is that so?" Luke responded briefly and said nothing else. Gordan had helped him, so it was natural for him to return the favor. Luke was not an ungrateful person. Ray nodded. The issue that was causing his headache might be resolved with Luke''s help. "What''s going on with you and Luca?" He changed the subject and asked Luke what had been on his mind. He thought that Luke and Bianca would be together forever seeing how sweet they were before. Unexpectedly, Bianca was kidnapped. As time went by, he was surprised that Bianca did not stay by his side. Eventually, Luca had taken Bianca''s ce. Ray, who was never a gossipy person, was curious. "There are some things that I''m notfortable talking about." Luke did not tell Ray directly about him and Luca, nor did he n to tell him about Luca''s true identity. He firmly believed that the fewer the people who knew about it, the better. Ray knew that something was up. "Is there more than meets the eye to this matter?" Luke nodded and responded, "Somewhat." "Since you''re ufortable sharing, then I won''t ask." Ray was understanding. Since Luke did not want to talk about it, he would not press him for it. "Thanks." Luke thanked him for being considerate Ray nodded and said, "I''ll push you out." "I can do it myself," Luke said. The vi had an elevator, which made it easy for him to go up and down the floors. He controlled the wheelchair and headed to the elevator with Ray following closely behind. Since Luke said he did not need help, Ray did not step in. He could not help but sigh in admiration as he watched Luke move forward indifferently. Some people, even if they were in a wheelchair, were still so powerful that they could not be ignored. After they stepped into the elevator, Luke raised his eyebrows as he looked at Gordan, who was leaning against the corner of the elevator. Gordan''s tone was depressed. He looked at the two of them with his hands crossed in front of his chest. "Are you done talking?" Luke looked at his bruised face, half of which was swollen. He no longer looked handsome. ¡°We''re done talking." "I have something to talk to you about, too." Gordan shot Ray a pissed look, then looked at Luke. Luke noticed his depressed expression, nced at the time, and said, "Is half an hour enough?" After half an hour, he had to go back to the hotel and prepare for the bidding the next day. "That''s enough. Let''s go." Gordan pushed Luke''s wheelchair out of the elevator. He rubbed shoulders with Ray on purpose as he passed by and snorted. It was clear he was trying to provoke him. In the past, Ray would have beat him up again, but this time, he held back. Luke had just solved a problem for him. He did not want to pick on Gordan in front of Luke. Gordan pushed Luke into his bedroom. "This is your bedroom?" Luke asked. The spacious bed only had one pillow. It appeared to be a single room. It should not be Gordan''s room, but he knew that the collectibles on the disy cab on the wall were indeed Gordan''s style. "Yes," Gordan said. Luke raised his eyebrows and said, "You don''t share a bedroom with Vivian?" Gordan''s face sank. "Brother Luke, don''t joke around. Who would want to sleep in the same bed with such an ugly woman? I''m too scared!" The thought of waking up to see Vivian''s ugly face magnified before his eyes made him shiver. "Don''t say this to Vivian. It''s hurtful." Luke frowned. Although he also thought that Vivian did not have the best looks, he acknowledged that her heart was beautiful. Gordan was the one who went after her, so he should be responsible for his actions. "She''s thick-skinned. She won''t feel anything even if she hears it. What''s more, it''s hard enough that I have to deal with such an ugly woman. I don''t want her face to be thest thing I see every night and the first thing I see when I wake up. Since you told me not to hurt her self-esteem, it''s best that we sleep in separate bedrooms," Gordan yelled. Luke was speechless. What Gordan said made sense. Regardless, Gordan was in the wrong. Vivian''spany over the years had not made his attitude better. It made him even more disgusted with her. As an outsider, he did not know what to say. The conversation between the two was overheard by Vivian, who was standing outside the door while holding a te. The smile on her face disappeared immediately. It turned out that Gordan did not want to share a room with her because he thought she was ugly... She kind of knew why long ago. When they first opted to sleep in separate rooms, Gordan told her that it was because he was used to sleeping alone. He said he would not be able to sleep if there was someone next to him. She had been using that excuse to lie to herself for as long as she could remember, but now that she heard the truth from Gordan, she could not deceive herself anymore... In the end, he could not get over her appearance... Vivian did not dare to open the door. She was going to bring some tea to Luke, but after hearing what Gordan said, she could only leave in despair. Although she had heard plenty of words filled with disgust and ridicule over the years, she still felt hurt when she heard Gordan''s words. No matter how gentle and sensible she was, she could not get into Gordan''s heart. Perhaps, she should not expect anything, nor should she restrain him anymore... The two in the bedroom did not know that Vivian had stood outside and overheard their conversation. Gordan continued talking, "What did you talk to Ray about?" "I can''t tell you," Luke said. Although he trusted Gordan, Gordon regarded Ray as an enemy because of Vivian. Luke was unsure if Gordan would do something to hurt Ray after he knew about Ray''s troubles. Gordan was even more upset. "Are we brothers or are you and him brothers?" "You''re my brother from another mother," Luke said. "However, what we talked about has nothing to do with you. There''s nothing that you can do to help." Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "Ugh..." Gordan took a deep breath. There was nothing that he could do since Luke refused to talk. He was irritated when he thought of how there was a secret between them that he was not aware of. "Then tell me about what''s happening with Luca." Although Luke had not told him much, he sensed that there was more than met the eye. "I can''t tell you about that as well. When the timees and I need your help, I''ll tell you everything," Luke said. He was unsure if he would gain anything froming back to Russia. Luke did not know where he needed Gordan''s help. "You''ll only ask me for help when you need it? Brother, I thought we''re brothers from another mother," Gordan said, dissatisfied. "I''ll let you know if the matter is resolved." Luke nced at his watch. "It''s almost time. I''m going back to the hotel. Don''t ask so many questions. Make sure you treat Vivian well." Chapter 1984 Gordan pursed his lips and looked grudging. After all these years, he was still not used to it and had a bellyful of repressed grievance looking at that in face. "I''m happy to oblige as long as she doesn''t show her face around me." Luke shook his head helplessly. The women outside were interested in Gordan because he was good-looking and could make money at any time. Vivian was unlike those women. At first, he also thought that Vivian liked Gordan because of his face, but as time went by, he did not think that was the case. What Vivian liked from the get-go was Gordan''s soul... He could see it clearly as a third party, but Gordan was very stubborn and refused to acknowledge it. Luke shook his head, controlled the wheelchair, and left the bedroom. He and Gordan referred to each other as brothers, but they were not blood-rted. Luke did not think that it was his ce to dictate his rtionships. The two walked into the elevator one after the other and took the elevator to the first floor. Vivian was sitting on the sofa with Luca and Jason. When she saw Gordan step out of the elevator, the words he said in the room earlier rang in Vivian''s ears. She lowered her gaze to hide the sadness in the depths of her eyes. Gordan looked at Vivian and had no intention of consoling her. He turned to Luke and said, "Brother Luke, I''ll get you a car to send you to the hotel. When you''re done with work, let''s meet again." "Okay." Luke did not stay any longer because he had other things to attend to. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Gordan went to make the necessary arrangements immediately. Luca stood up, nced at Vivian, and said, "Thank you for your hospitality." When Vivian heard her, she stood up quickly, held herself together, and said, "You''re wee. If there''s something that you weren''t satisfied with, please forgive me." Gordan arranged the car and driver. He overheard what she said and sneered. "You''re wee. Entertaining guests is what she should do." Luca frowned slightly. In the past, she thought that Gordan could do better in terms of how he treated Vivian. After all, he should treat her well since he had chosen to stay by her side. At that point, she did not find him irksome. A few yearster, things were still the same. However, she detested Gordan for it now. Even with a pet, one would build a connection and rtionship with it after a few years together. What was more, Vivian was a living person who had been by his side for so many years. However, he had never appreciated her and always made fun of her... ''He really shouldn''t be like this...'' Vivian was not the best-looking but it was not by choice. ''If people had a choice in this regard, who wouldn''t want to be naturally beautiful?'' Luca was deep in thought when she heard Gordan say, "The car is already at the door. Brother, I''ll send you off." "Okay." Luke nced at Luca. When their eyes met, neither of them said anything. She got behind his wheelchair and pushed it. After they got in the car and left Gordan''s vi, Luca looked at the scene of the streets outside that seemed to be going backward. She hesitated for a while, then said, "Mr. Crawford, Vivian''s mood became strange after she brought you tea. She started looking depressed." "She brought us tea?" Luke frowned. He did not see Vivian upstairs just now. "Yes..." Luca saw his expression and had a rough idea of what happened. It seemed that Vivian brought the tea upstairs but did not end up passing it to them. It was likely that her mood became weird because she overheard something. When she returned downstairs, she seemed unusually upset... It was different from how she would act whenever Gordan regarded her with distaste. Luca felt that something was about to happen... Luke did not say anything and texted Gordan. [Vivian seems off, pay attention to her.] Not long after, Gordan replied: [Brother Luke, did she say something to you?] Luke did not tell him that Vivian might have overheard their conversation that included his unbridled hurtful words. Even if he knew, Gordan would not apologize to Vivian. Without an apology, the damage caused would never be undone, so it did not matter if Luke told him. He would not feel guilty for talking bad about Vivian... He replied: [No.]. [Don''t worry about it. She''s unhappy every day. Her face is ugly and she looks irked all the time. It''s normal.] Gordan replied. It was obvious that he was not at all bothered. Luca looked at Luke, who silently put away his phone. She assumed that he was talking to Gordan. Nevertheless, nothing came of it... Gordan hated Vivian so much that he would never appease her... Luca felt sad for Vivian. The Rolls-Royce was speeding through the streets of Moscow. After they arrived at the hotel, Jason used their IDs to check in. Otherpetitors also stayed in the area because the hotels around here were high-end, and they were also the closest to Party A''spany... Luca helped Luke into the wheelchair. She then used fluent Russian to ask the driver to help them with their luggage. The driver smiled and nodded toward Luca. He then took all their luggage from the car. Before Luca could put the luggage aside, a hotel employee stepped out. They enthusiastically pushed Luke¡¯s wheelchair and picked up their luggage. Luca followed the employee into the hotel lobby. Jason went over to her holding their ID cards and the room cards. He then distributed the items ordingly. In foreign countries, these documents were proof of identity. They might not necessarily be together all the time, so it was best for them to hold on to their own documents. Otherwise, there may be trouble. Luca took her room card, then Jason handed another room card to her. "Dr. Craw, you and the boss will be staying in a suite." Luca looked at the suite room card. There was no point in her arguing since they had already made a decision. "Okay." She had no choice but to take the other room card. Luke did not speak as Jason handed him another room card. "Boss, this is a backup card." "Mm." Luke took it. They were in a six-star hotel, so three bellboys handled their luggage while another two attendants brought them to their respective rooms. Luca opened the door of the suite with the key card and pushed Luke¡¯s wheelchair in. The suite had two rooms. Like other suites, there was arge living room, a dining room, and even a kitchen. Luca guessed that there would be some ingredients in the refrigerator. "Choose a room," Luke said. Luca nced at the two rooms that were side by side and suddenly remembered that specific day in B City. The hotel rooms were also side-by-side... She nced inside. The interior of the bedrooms was simr. She picked the one with the balcony and said, "Mr. Crawford, can I take this room?" Chapter 1985 "Okay." Luke had no objection. He controlled the wheelchair and went to the other room. ¡°Bring me my luggage." "Okay." Luca carried his suitcase. It still felt quite heavy, but it was not an issue for her. She went into the room and said, "Mr. Crawford, where do you want me to put your luggage?" "You can put it anywhere," Luke said. Luca put the luggage down. "You can go about your business. I have something to do," Luke said as he leaned down and picked up his briefcase. Luca watched him take out theputer, put it on hisp, and maneuver the wheelchair to his desk. It was not a specially made desk, but the height was just right. Luca guessed that Jason had instructed the hotel staff to change it to a desk with a suitable height for Luke. "Is there something you want to talk about?" Luke looked at her as she was standing there for a while, staring at him. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. "All is well, Mr. Crawford. Let me know if you need anything. I''ll be back in my room." Luca said quickly and exited Luke''s room. She dragged her luggage back to her room, closed the door, and drew the curtains. Luca wanted to take a shower, then change the gauze around her waist. After she took out a change of clothes, she looked for the medicine in the suitcase but could not find it. Luca realized that although she had prepared the medicine, she forgot to put it in the suitcase... She was annoyed at herself for being so careless... Luca rummaged through the suitcase again. The suitcase had a passcode, so she was certain that no one had taken her luggage. It must be that she forgot to put it in. "I''m so stupid..." Luca could not help but me herself. She looked at the messy suitcase and slumped on the bed. She had to change the gauze, but the challenge was that local herbs made up arge portion of the prescription. It was almost impossible to buy all of them in Russia. Her other alternative was to inject herself with Amphotericin B. However, she did not know anyone in Russia who could help her get it from the hospital. Luca touched her chin and searched for nearby pharmacies with her phone. There were several around her, so she decided to give it a try. Maybe she would be lucky enough to get all the materials she needed, or she could obtain Amphotericin B through some other channels. Luca put on her coat and passed by Luke''s room as she left. His room door was not closed, so he saw her as soon as she walked past. "You''re going out?" Luke asked casually when he noticed that Luca had put on multipleyers of clothing. "Yeah, I have nothing to do, so I want to walk around," Luca replied. "Go, stay safe," Luke said. "Okay." Luca''s heart was warmed, and she felt relieved. When she was stopped by him, she was worried that Luke would offer to go with her. If that was the case, she would not be able to go to the pharmacy to buy what she needed. After all, she did not know how to exin to him the situation... After Luca left the suite, Luke grabbed his phone and called Gale. "She went out." "Got it, Boss." Gale hung up the call and sat in the car warming his hands. He arrived in Russia before they did to investigate the forces behind Luca. Luca headed out as soon as she arrived at the hotel. It was possible that she wanted to go shopping, but it was also possible that she was going to meet the organization controlling her. Her documents were from Russia, so the organization was most likely based in Russia. At the same time, the Ind of Despair should also be in Russia... Gale watched Lucae out of the hotel. He said to the driver, "Follow them and keep a safe distance." "Sir, it seems a little difficult for us to follow her without being detected since she''s walking," the driver said. No matter how good he was, it would be obvious if the car was driving so slowly. Luca was not stupid. She would notice in a few seconds. "Yeah. Rain, send someone to follow her," Gale said. Rain replied immediately, "Got it. My people are ready. They''re waiting by the junction..." Luca followed the phone''s navigation and arrived at a pharmacy nearby. Rain watched from a distance and frowned. "Drugstore. What''s she doing in the drugstore?" Gale listened to Rain talking to herself from the earpiece and said, "Don''t worry about it. Just follow her. Maybe she''s going there to see someone." Rain was skilled in tracking, so Luca did not notice it. After she walked into the pharmacy, she asked the clerk in fluent Russian if they had anything she wanted. The clerk told her apologetically that the store did not have what she needed. Luca had to leave and go to the next pharmacy. An hourter, she had gone to all the nearby pharmacies. One of the pharmacies was opened by someone from A City, but she only got two of the materials she needed. She needed a lot more. Luca felt helpless. Sure enough, it was difficult to get local herbs in another country. The owner of the pharmacy gave her a suggestion. "Ma''am, it''s not impossible to find all the medicinal materials you want. You should go to the hospital. Some hospitals in Russia have a herbology department. I think you can ask them. Maybe you can get everything you need." "Okay, I see. Thank you." Luca thanked the owner and left the pharmacy. She had walked for an hour. It had not been long, so her feet were not tired. However, her heart was. Luca saw a coffee shop nearby, went in, and ordered a cup of ck coffee. Rain wore a mask and leaned against the bus stop. She pretended to be waiting for the bus and whispered to Gale, "She''s gone to all the nearby pharmacies. At thest pharmacy, she walked out with a bag. It seemed she bought some medicine." "Buy medicine? What does she need medicine for?" Gale wondered. Luke had told them that Luca was skilled in medicine and pharmaceuticals. They were curious as to why she needed medicine. ''Is she unwell?'' "How do I know? Do you want to ask the boss?" Rain noticed that Luca was looking out the window, so she turned around and pretended to be looking at the bus route. "What is she doing now?" Gale asked. "She''s in the coffee shop having coffee." Rain turned around and nced at Luca. Luca was sitting next to the floor-to-ceiling window, so it was easy to spot her. "How weird." Gale had been watching her for an hour but did not find anything. Even so, he did not give up. She did not do anything for an hour and just went to pharmacies. It was weird. Maybe she was waiting for someone at the coffee shop. "It''s weird," Rain said casually and sat down. "Keep watch and see if she meets anyone. Make sure she doesn''t notice you," Gale said. "Don''t worry. Trust me when I say that I can follow her scent." Rain assured him as she changed her sitting position. "I''ll keep watch, but my intuition tells me that we won''t find anything today." "Since when did you start trusting your intuition?" Gale could not help butin. Chapter 1986 Rain looked at Luca, who was in the coffee shop. She could not help but say, "I can''t believe that you believed me." Gale was sitting in the car. The temperature in Russia was lower than that in A City. He was sitting in the car with the heater turned on, but he still felt cold. Rain was out in the open. Poor thing. There was no choice. When it came to tracking, women were more likely to make others lower their vigncepared to men. "Keep a close eye," Gale said anxiously. "I know. It''s so cold." Rain took a deep breath. She had been staying in A City for a while. Just as she returned to Russia, she wandered the streets for more than an hour in the cold. She could not take it anymore. A bus passed by, but it did not stop because Rain did not wave it down. Only a puff of smoke remained. Rain frowned in disgust. She wished to swap ces with Gale. Luca sat in the cafe, slowly tasting the coffee. She thought that the coffee they served was average. She turned on her phone and looked for a nearby clinic. Hospitals were generally more formal. She could and did not have the time to go to a hospital, so she wanted to see if there was a clinic nearby. It was ideal if she could find an underground clinic. Maybe she could get her hands on Amphotericin B. After searching for a while, she suddenly raised her head and looked out the window. Luca frowned and looked at the woman waiting at the bus stop. She seemed to have been sitting there for a while... Her figure... Luca thought that she looked familiar. She stared straight at the bus stop, thinking about when she could have seen this woman. She seemed to have seen her nearby about half an hour ago... It was so cold but she was sitting at the bus stop. A bus had just left, and it did not seem like she intended to get on a bus. ''Could it be that she''s been following me?'' Luca looked away and asked for the waiter. "Miss, how can I help you?" the waiter asked her with a smile on her face. "Where does the bus from that bus stop go?" Luca asked in fluent Russian. The waiter nced at the bus stop and replied, "There are only two routes at this bus stop, but I don''t know exactly what they are. You can find out more online, or I can check on your behalf?" "No worries, I can do it myself." Luca shook her head. The waiter said, "The weather is bad now, so the buses will likely bete or have reduced frequency. If you need to travel, you can choose to take a taxi or the subway. There''s a subway station nearby. Take a look at the map and you can find it. " "Okay, I see. Thanks." Luca thanked him. The waiter smiled and said, "You''re wee. Let me know if you need anything." "Okay." Luca nodded. The coffee in this cafe was not very good, but the service was excellent. She thought about that, nced at the bus stop casually, then turned her attention away. It was likely that the woman was keeping watch of her. As Luca thought about it, another bus passed by. The woman on the chair still did not stop the bus. Now, she was sure. No one would sit in the cold for fun... The woman did not look like she was homeless. She sat there because it was the best position to monitor Luca. Luca knew this. Although she did not know if this woman was from the Ind of Despair, the other party did not seem to be acting with malicious intent. If she wanted to do something to her, there were a lot of opportunities for her to take action when she was browsing at the pharmacies earlier. However, the woman did not do anything. There were also no other people monitoring her nearby... She guessed that she was not from the Ind of Despair. ¡®If she''s not from the Ind of Despair, is she here because of Luke?'' Maybe... However, since she now knew that someone was watching her, she had to be careful. Luca stood up, put a bill on the table, and said to the waiter, "Bill please." "Yes, Miss." The waiter went over. Luca said, "Don''t worry about the change. It''s a tip for you." After she said that, she left the cafe and walked out the door. She nodded at the woman at the bus stop. Rain saw her, stood up instantly, and walked in the opposite direction. "Gale, my mission failed," she whispered, not daring to look back. She was certain that Luca''s smile was intentional. It told her that she had been discovered. "What?" Gale asked. "She knows I''ve been watching her and smiled at me. I''ve left. If you feel the need to keep following her, you need to find someone else," Rain said. Gale sighed. He did not expect that Rain would be found even with her superior tracking skills. "She''s vignt considering that she spotted you. Even if I send others over, we''ll still find nothing. I believe that she''ll return to the hotel in a while and not run around anymore," Gale said as he instructed his subordinates to keep a close eye at the hotel entrance. Luca was not far from here. If she walked back to the hotel, she could reach it in about 15 minutes. "Mm," Rain hung up the call and turned a corner. Only then did she dare to turn around and nce behind her. She breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, Luca had not followed her. ''How did she know?'' Rain wondered. She looked like a person waiting for the bus as she sat there. ''How did Luca catch sight of me?'' The more Rain thought about it, the more despondent she became. On the other hand. Luca shook her head as she watched the woman turn a corner. ''It seems like I got it right. She''s here to keep an eye on me. Her intentions are not malicious. She''s just here to keep watch.'' She left because she was noticed. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Although she was gone, there might be others who would follow her. Russia was Abel''s world. Her n of going to a nearby clinic to ask for medicine had now failed. She had to go back to the hotel. Luca searched for the hotel address on her phone, then followed the map and walked back. After about 15 minutes of walking, she arrived at the hotel and walked in. Gale sat in the car, watched Luca walk into the hotel, and sent Luke a text. [Boss, Dr. Craw has returned to the hotel.] ... After Luca returned to the hotel, she nced at the time and found that it was almost time for dinner. Instead of going back to the suite in a hurry, she chose to walk around the restaurant. The restaurants mainly served Russian food. She frowned. These six-star hotel chefs were good, and Russian food was delicious. However, no matter how delicious it was, she was still not used to it. Luke... She did not want to have any. She thought of the suite that came with a refrigerator and kitchen. Luca walked out of the restaurant and returned to the suite. Just as she closed the door and took two steps, Luke came out of the room in his wheelchair and looked at her. Chapter 1987 "You''re back?" Luke asked with a frown. He noticed that her coat was wet from the snow. He knew exactly what she had been doing outside. He frowned because Luca did not brush the snow off her shoulders, which made her clothes wet. ''What if her coat isn''t waterproof and the clothes inside are wet? What if she catches a cold?'' "Yes, Mr. Crawford." Luca nced at him, then looked away. Luke''s tone was cold as he reminded her, "Your clothes are wet. Change out of them." Luca looked at her clothes. "Shoulders," Luke reminded her. Luca nced at them and found that they were indeed wet. It did not matter since her jacket was waterproof. "Mr. Crawford, it''s dinner time. Do you want to order something?" she asked. Seeing that she was not in a hurry to change, Luke understood that her clothes were waterproof. Even if the outeryer was soaked, the clothes inside would not be affected. As such, he did not mention it anymore. The temperature in the room was high, and the moisture on the surface could be dried fairly quickly. "Are you going to cook?" Luke asked. He noticed that she had looked at the kitchen when she came in earlier. He had specially asked Jason to book a suite with a kitchen. Not many who traveled on business would stay in suites as such. There were not many family suites like this in hotels. Jason made a reservation at this hotel after asking around. Luca nodded and said, "I went to check out the restaurant downstairs and it''s all Russian food. I don''t feel like eating it." "I''ll have what you''re having," Luke said and maneuvered his wheelchair back to the room. Luca understood what he meant. He wanted her to cook. She walked into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and sure enough, there were quite a few ingredients. They were all ingredients that could bemonly found in supermarkets. There was no issue for her to prepare a hearty dinner with these ingredients... Luca thought about what to cook, and after she decided, she took out the relevant ingredients and prepared to cook. She asked Jason if he wanted to have dinner as well. If he wanted to eat, she would prepare extra. Jason replied to her saying no and that he was going to eat at the restaurant downstairs. Luca did not reply to him. She put on the apron prepared by the hotel and started to prepare dinner. On the other hand. After Luke and the others left, Ray did not stay long and left after talking to Vivian for a bit. The vi that was rarely lively quieted down again. Vivian sat on the sofa, still unable to calm down. She kept reying what Gordan had said in her head. It hurt... Vivianughed at herself. After Luke left, Gordan went up to the second floor. He did not usually spend much time in the living room because he did not want to see her ugly face. It was likely that he was in his bedroom. Vivian stood up and walked to the second floor. Gordan''s bedroom was on the east, while her bedroom was on the west. She would only pass his bedroom when she took the stairs back to her bedroom. If she took the elevator, she would not pass by his room. Vivian always chose to take the stairs so that she could bump into him. When she passed by Gordan''s bedroom, she stopped and knocked on the door. "Who is it?" Gordan''s voice came from inside. "Gordan, it''s me." Vivian pursed her lips. She still wanted to talk to Gordan. She did not believe that he had no feelings for her after so many years. "I don''t have time." Gordan did not ask her what she wanted and just turned her down. Vivian pursed her lips in embarrassment. Before she could even say anything, he turned her down... Moreover, he said it in his usual impatient tone. ''Maybe, he hates being by my side... Is it my fault for having an ugly face?'' Vivian walked back to her bedroom in despair, closed the door, and sat on the sofa by the window. Theyout of her bedroom was the same as Gordan''s. She did so to feel closer to him. She lied to herself saying that they were very close. She could not get the exact same collection, so her shelf was empty. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. She asked Ray to help find them, but Gordan had personally found the collectibles through various means. Hence, Ray could not find them even if he tried his best. She had to give up. The distance between the two was only so little, but in reality, it was an iparablyrge distance. "Sigh..." Vivian let out a sigh. Everything that happened that day was like an extremely sharp knife that cut through her nerves. She thought about her persistence and him deliberately ignoring her. It had been the same all this while. She loved Gordan. However, her love did not seem to make him happy. He was unable to bear this kind of love... Gordan liked everything beautiful. Her ugly face could not get an ounce of his love. Vivian looked at her hand and clenched her fist tightly. She was unwilling to let go of Gordan. She knew that he did not like her, but she held him tightly like how she was clenching her fist. She thought that if she kept him around, he would fall for her one day. However, from what he said to Luke, she finally understood that he was a man who only cared about looks. If she was not good-looking, it was pointless no matter how good her personality was and how much she cared about him. He would not be moved... Vivian let go of her hand suddenly and looked at her slender fingers. ''Maybe it''s time to let go.'' In this way, she would not have to be so tired and care about his feelings all the time. He would be much happier as well. ''It''s not difficult to let go, is it? I have nothing to hold, after all. It might be sad for me, but Gordan will be happy.'' It was within her power to make him happy again. Vivian took a deep breath and made up her mind. She picked up her phone and made a call. "Is this Misha & Associates?" she asked. The other party responded, "Yes, Ma''am. Who are you looking for?" "I''m looking for Ms. Misha," Vivian said. "Ms. Misha is upied now and can''t answer the phone. Why don''t you leave your name and phone number? I''ll have Ms. Misha call you back when she finishes her work?" "I can''t wait. Tell her that my name is Vivian. She''ll likely answer," Vivian said. She did not call the lawyer directly because she was still a little reluctant. She intended to let someone else decide for her. If Misha picked up the call, she would decide to set Gordan free. If Misha was not around... After a while, thedy who answered the phone said, "Ms. Vivian, wait a moment, I''ll connect you with Ms. Misha now." Chapter 1988 "Sure." Vivian''s eyes zed over outside the window. The decision had been made. Perhaps God was unable to put up with it any longer either. She had been at Gordan''s beck and call the entire time. That was why she was unable to bring herself to make the decision. The call was answered, and Misha''s voice came from the other end of the line. "Ms. Vivian, is it you?" the person asked respectfully. Misha was Ray''swyer. Many of the legal affairs of hispany were managed by her. Hence, she respected Vivian very much. Vivian replied, "Yes, it''s me." Misha found it strange after making sure that it was Vivian who called. Vivian had Misha''s phone number, and she could call that number to contact her. Why would she call the front desk''s number? Thus, she asked, "Why are you calling the front desk to look for me?" "There are some legal affairs I''d like you to help with. Ms. Misha, are you avable now?" Vivian took a deep breath. Vivian had to tell her about the decision that she made. Otherwise, she would give it a second thought again before she told Misha. Vivian was not an indecisive person. However, she knew what she had in mind when it was about giving Gordan up. Vivian thought she might as well make the decision now before it was toote and before she regretted it again. "Of course, I''m avable," replied Misha immediately. She raised her hand to interrupt her assistant, who was about to report to her. Ray was her most valued customer. That was why she dared not to offend his elder sister. "I''d like to file for divorce," said Vivian. "I''m sorry?" Misha was surprised. Did she mishear it? Everyone knew that the ugly-looking Vivian had a handsome husband. She did everything her husband told her to, and she was gentle and obedient. Although the two of them did not appear in public that often, it was said that Vivian was deeply in love with that man. However, Vivian was taking the initiative to file for divorce now? "I''d like to divorce my husband, Gordan Norton." Vivian took a deep breath and repeated one more time. Misha sensed that something was wrong. She waved her hand, signaling her assistant to leave her office first. After her assistant left, Misha asked, "Ms. Vivian, did something happen?" ¡°Nothing happened. All you need to do is to draft a divorce agreement for me. I don''t need anything. I only want a divorce,¡± said Vivian. She was paying for the house she was currently staying in, but she did not n to take it. Gordan loved the house. Leaving everything in the house for him was thest thing Vivian could do for him. Misha asked, "Ms. Vivian, you''re taking the initiative to file for divorce and entrusting me to help you to draft a divorce agreement, am I right?" "Yes." Vivian''s voice trembled. She was not that determined, but there was nothing else she could do. Gordan still refused to stay by her side. "That means I''ll be yourwyer once I ept your entrustment. I''ll have to understand what''s going on. Otherwise, I can''t just simply draft a divorce agreement for you," Misha said responsibly. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Ray would find out about Vivian''s divorce when the time came. Perhaps Ray would evene asking her about it. That was why Misha decided to get all this figured out first. "You may ask whatever questions you have." Vivian did not feel that she was being put on the spot. It was nothing more than the fact that Gordan did not like her. It was not something to be embarrassed about. Her looks would have turned anyone off if they saw her. "Is it because you fought with Mr. Norton?" Misha asked. "No," answered Vivian. Gordan would usually taunt her instead of fighting with her. However, even if they fought, Vivian was unable to argue back as would listen to everything he told her. "Then, did Mr. Norton do something to hurt you?" Misha asked again. "No," replied Vivian. Gordan had promised Luke that he would stop fooling around with other women after marrying her. Sometimes, Gordan would go out early ande backte. However, Ray''s men had investigated him before. Gordan had already severed all his rtionships with other women. Gordan had never done anything to betray their rtionship. "Are you the one who''s deciding to have a divorce? Are you the one who''s taking the initiative to file for divorce?" Misha questioned again. "Yes," Vivian answered. "Then, does Mr. Norton know about this? Does he agree with the divorce?" "He hasn''t found out about it yet. But he''ll certainly sign his name when he gets the divorce papers. It''s not going to cause you a lot of trouble." Vivian was pretty sure about it. She could foresee how happy Gordan would be the moment he got the divorce papers. Misha fell silent for a while, then asked, "Have you made your decision? I remember that you used to be madly in love with Mr. Norton." "And I still love him now. But I have to let him go. I knowwyers keep a temte. They only need to make some amendments to the papers and the job is done. Please send the agreement to me," said Vivian. She had to settle this matter as soon as possible. Otherwise, she would regret it... Misha was speechless. What was Vivian up to? Vivian had learned a lot when she was at Ray''s side handling some legal affairs. Previously, Vivian put in a lot of effort to keep Gordan close to her. Was it that easy for her to give up now? Vivian realized Misha was not responding, so she asked, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± "No, there''s no problem. I''m going to amend the temte for you now if you''ve decided. I''ll send the agreement to your email. You only have to print two copies out. The agreement shall be effective upon the date it''s signed by both parties," replied Misha. "Alright. Thank you." Vivian hung up the call and smiled bitterly. She had been struggling with the thought of leaving Gordan for the whole day. However, it only took 15 minutes for her to truly leave him. It seemed like leaving him was not that difficult at all. Vivian walked to her study. Her study was separated from Gordan''s study. After all these years of being together, it seemed like he was reluctant to do anything with her, no matter if he was working or resting. Vivian turned on herputer. 15 minutester, she received an email. Vivian''s hand was shaking when she opened it. It was an email from Misha. She had already amended the divorce agreement. Vivian''s hands were shaking, and her body could not help but tremble too. Still, she printed the papers out. She printed two copies of the agreement. Vivian nced at the content. Misha was attentive. She listed out everything Vivian had asked for in the papers. Vivian would leave the marriage without taking anything with her. Vivian smiled bitterly, and she signed her name on top of the signature line. Then, she ced the agreement in the bedroom. Vivian knew they woulde looking for her in the bedroom when they could not find her anywhere. She knew they would notice the divorce papers here when the time came. Vivian picked up a vanity case and pressed it down on the divorce papers. Then, she took her documents and left the bedroom. This time, she did not take the stairs when she was heading downstairs. Since she had decided to leave, then she would have to be more thorough about it. She could not leave anything to the imagination. Chapter 1989 Vivian came to the first floor. The maid stepped forward and asked her before Vivian left, ¡°Ms. Vivian, we''re preparing for dinner now. Is there anything you''d like to have for dinner tonight?" Vivian was startled for a moment. Yes, it was time for dinner. She would usually ask the maid to ask her what to prepare for meals so that she could get them to make some of Gordan''s favorite dishes. "I''m going out. Go upstairs and ask Mr. Norton about it. There''s no need to prepare my portion." Vivian looked down so that the maid would not notice her mood. "Ah... Okay." The maid did not expect Vivian to say something like this. She would usually n the dishes for each meal. Vivian put on her coat, turned around, and left. The maid watched Vivian leave. She had no choice but to turn around and head upstairs. Then, she knocked on Gordan''s bedroom door. "I''m busy." Gordan thought Vivian was knocking on the door, so he yelled impatiently. "Mr. Norton, I''m the maid. I''d like to ask what you''d like to have for dinner tonight," the maid asked timidly. The maid? It was not Vivian? Gordan''s hands that were toying with the figurine paused. He stood up and went to open the door. It was indeed the maid, and Vivian was not beside her. "What?" Gordan sounded annoyed. Ray had arranged for the maids to serve them. Although they were just carrying out their duties, he felt irritated with anyone or anything rted to Vivian. He wanted nothing to do with them. Moreover, the people Ray had sent over here were not only to serve Vivian. They came to keep an eye on him. Ray was afraid that Gordan would do something to his beloved sister. That was why he had arranged for these people toe here. "The kitchen will be preparing dinner soon. I''d like to ask if there''s anything you wish to have tonight," asked the maid. They seldom talked to Gordan, and they knew how bad his temper was. That was why they never felt inclined to talk to him. "Why are you asking me? Where''s Vivian?" Gordan hated to make decisions on such petty things. Usually, they would not evene to ask him. Vivian was self-centered enough to arrange and prepare what dishes they would be having for each meal herself. ¡°Ms. Vivian went out. That''s why we came to ask you.¡± Gordan was unconcerned about what the maid told him. Vivian went out? That would be great. He did not have to face her. "Anything will do." The maid nodded. "Alright. I''m off to prepare dinner now." Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Gordan closed the door and fell back into his chair to fiddle with his figurines. He was unconcerned about Vivian going out. Vivian did not drive when she left the house. She hailed a ride instead. The road was wet because of the snow. Besides, Vivian was staying in the silk-stocking district. There were barely any cabs passing by here. Hence, she had to wait for half an hour beside the road until she managed to hail one. It was freezing out here. She could hardly feel her legs when she climbed into the car. "Miss, where would you like to go?" the driver asked. "Please head to the Ostin Hotel," said Vivian. She decided not to head to Ray''s ce. Instead, she chose to stay in a hotel. She needed some time for herself to take a break from her and Gordan''s rtionship. Vivian would not be able to find peace if she headed to Ray''s ce. Ray would never be able to understand why she wanted to divorce Gordan. After all, it took a lot of effort for Ray to make Gordan stay. Vivian also used up all her strength to persevere in their rtionship. Ray would probably grab Vivian''s hand and question her after learning that she had given up so easily. That was why staying in a hotel would be the best. Vivian wanted a quiet ce instead of being faced with questions and sympathy. Vivian was dropped off at the hotel entrance by the driver. She nced at the ATMs nearby. Then, she headed to a machine and withdrew a huge amount of money out of her bank ount. Although she was unlike Ray, who was the leader and manager of apany, she had a share of investment in Ray''s career. That was why money was not a problem for her. Vivian walked into the hotel after she got the money. She booked a suite and paid half a month''s rate at once. After she asked the hotel to keep her identity confidential, she hid in the suite, turned off her phone, and never went out again. Vivian only wanted peace of mind without anyone disturbing her. At midnight, Vivian was still not back home yet. Gordan showed no concern, but the maid in the vi noticed that something was wrong. She called Vivian, but her phone was switched off. The maid could not reach Vivian. It was gettingte. Usually, Vivian would stay at home to ensure her safety and not cause any trouble for Gordan. Ray was a famous mafia in Russia, and he had many enemies. That was why Vivian was well aware of this. The maid was afraid that something might have happened to Vivian seeing as she was not home at this hour. Thus, she hurried to the second floor, nning to tell Gordan about it. Someone was knocking on the door again. Gordan thought it was Vivian. Hey down on his bed with his eyes closed, ignoring it. She must be up to no good for knocking at his door at this hour. The maid did not hear any noise in the room. She was sure that Gordan had not gone out after he ate his dinner. She bit her lip and asked, ¡°Mr. Norton, are you in there?" Gordan spokezily when he heard the maid''s voice, "I''m in bed. You can wait until tomorrow." "Mr. Norton, Ms. Vivian isn''t back yet. I can''t reach her. Is there any way you can contact her?" the maid asked. Gordan frowned. Vivian was not home yet? She usually would note home thiste... Gordan got up, but he did not open the door. Instead, he said, "How am I supposed to reach her when you can''t? Just tell Ray." There were no quiet nights in Russia. Even if the temperature was minus ten degrees out there and snowing heavily, thepetition beneath the surface would begin as soon as night fell. The maid shook her head when she listened to his words. Gordan was not even bothered to show a little concern to Vivian after so many years. Gordan heard the maid leave, and he suddenly felt upset. Gordan rose and left his bedroom. He headed to Vivian''s bedroom. He stood outside her door, thinking of knocking on the door to see if Vivian had deliberately teamed up with the maid to lie to him. He paused while he was lifting his hand. What was he doing? Was he worried about Vivian? How could he possibly be worried about that ugly woman?! Gordan withdrew his hand and returned to his bedroom moodily. If it were not for Ray, others would not even spare a nce at Vivian, that ugly woman. Besides, Vivian usually had bodyguards with her when she went out. Hence, there would not be a problem. Gordan returned to his bedroom andy down on his bed at the thought of this. He was not concerned about Vivian anymore. In the hotel. Luca finished showering herself. She removed the stic wrap and the gauze, then she nced at her wound. The wound did not worsen. However, she could not leave the medicated powder on her wound. The powder had no effects. Luca let out a sigh. She threw the bandage into the trash bin and took a new roll of bandage out. She could only apply the anti-inmmation medicine that she always used to her wound without the powder. It was already 11 o''clock at night after she was done with everything. She did not walk out of her room as she was afraid that she would run into Luke. Chapter 1990 Someone knocked on the door when she had justid down on her bed. ¡°Have you slept?" Luke asked. Luca sat up on the bed. She turned to face in the direction of the door and said, "Not yet, Mr. Crawford. Is there anything I can help you with?" Luke fell silent for a few seconds. Luca did not open the door as though she was guarding against him. Luke shook his head helplessly. He was a man sitting in a wheelchair now, and there was nothing he could do to her. Even so, she was still not letting her guard down. It seemed like the days they had spent together were all for nothing. "I came to tell you that you don''t have to wake up early tomorrow," said Luke. He did not insist on asking her to open the door. Luca was surprised. She got out of her bed and went to open the door. Luke was outside the door, and the distance between them was less than an arm''s length. "Mr. Crawford, don''t we have an important meeting to attend tomorrow?" Luca asked with confusion. Luke told her that she would have to follow him to the meeting when they were eating together today. Jason could not understand Russian, so Luca was in charge of the relevant matters. Meanwhile, Jason would be standing aside to help them. Luca knew she could not refuse, so she had no choice but to agree with it. "I''ve just received the news that something came up and the first party can''t attend the meeting. The meeting has been postponed, and the time will only be confirmed at ater time," said Luke. He had just received the notice from the first party, so he came here to inform her. "Okay. I get it." Luca was reluctant. Postponing the meeting would mean that they would be going back at ater date. Luca had no idea whether her wound would worsen if she went back a dayter. Luke noticed the subtle expression on her face and asked, "Is there a problem?" "No, Mr. Crawford." Luca shook her head. She could not tell him that she was injured, so she could not tell him the reason why she was in a hurry to go back either. ''In that case, I''ll need to head to the clinic nearby tomorrow.'' "You can tell me if there''s anything you need," Luke remembered that Luca had gone to a few pharmacies today. Although she was a pharmaceutical scientist, there was no need for her to visit so many pharmacies. Unless she was looking for certain types of medicine. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. "Alright. Thank you, Mr. Crawford." Luca nodded. Luke had a few connections in Russia, and that included Ray. It was easy for him to look for the drugs she wanted. However, that would arouse his suspicion. "I''m not going to disturb you anymore," said Luke. He suppressed the desire in his heart, maneuvered the wheelchair, and returned to his room. Luca heard the sound of the door closing. Then, she closed her door slowly too. Shey down on her bed again, feeling anxious. Luca was worried about her wound. Although she had dressed her wound and taken an antibiotic injection, she was still worried about it. This type of fungus could still grow and reproduce under such a cold environment if it was not completely gotten rid of. It was not a problem that could be solved by relying on her immune system. Besides, staying here would remind Luca that Luke would probably be embarrassed during the meeting. However, their trip here was prolonged. The more Luca thought about it, the more anxious she became. Luca picked up the bottle of medicine on the bedside table. She swallowed a sleeping pill,y down on the bed, and covered herself with the nket. Luca was finally feeling sleepy after taking the pills. Despite still feeling anxious, she fell deeply asleep. Gordan''s vi. It was two a.m. Gordan was woken up by the heavy pounding on the door. "Who is it?" Gordan sat up, feeling annoyed. He nced at his phone. It was five past two. "Gordan, get your f*cking *ss out of there!" Ray''s voice came from outside the door. Gordan frowned and pushed the door open while he said, "Are you out of your mind? Why are you swearing and cursing at my house in the middle of the night!" Ray got furious when he saw Gordan''s sleepy appearance. He pointed at him and scolded, "Bastard, how can you even sleep?" "Why can''t I sleep? Do you think everyone is just like you? You have nothing better to do than toe here and get roaring drunk in the middle of the night." "Me getting drunk? Gordan Norton, look at what you''ve done!" Ray threw a stack of papers right on Gordan''s face. The maid had called Ray in the evening. She asked Ray if Vivian was at his ce. Ray had a bad feeling. After he made sure that Vivian was not in the vi, he sent his men to look for her. However, Vivian did not drive, and her phone was turned off. There was no way Ray could locate where Vivian was with the GPS tracker. A few hourster, Ray''s subordinates were still unable to find Vivian. He asked Vivian''s friends about her whereabouts, but she was nowhere to be found. Ray had no choice but toe to the vi. He pushed Vivian''s bedroom door open and found a stack of papers on the dressing table. They were copies of a divorce agreement. The sharp edges of the paper scratched Gordan''s handsome yet bruised face. He yelled at Ray with dissatisfaction, ¡°What the f*ck are you doing?!" ¡°What did you do to my sister?" Ray clenched his fists. His eyes were zing red with anger. Ray refused to believe that Vivian would suddenly file a divorce. Hence, Gordan must have done something. "I didn''t do anything. I''ll never do anything to that ugly woman!" Gordan clenched his fists. If it were not for the bruises on his face, he would not be suppressing his urge to pick a fight with Ray. "How could my sister want to divorce you if you hadn''t done anything?!" Ray suppressed the fury in his chest. If it were not for Luke, who had helped him before, Ray would have punched Gordan by now. Vivian loved Gordan so much. She even went to great lengths to use her connections to make him stay by her side. How could she possibly file for divorce? ¡°Divorce?" Gordan was stunned, and he blinked his eyes. After he finally understood what was happening, heughed disdainfully. Ray''s words amused him. How was it possible for that ugly woman to let him go out of the kindness in her heart? "Why? Did Vivian cry out that she wants a divorce? Go ahead with it, then. I''ll write my name backward if she''s really willing to divorce me!" Every word Gordan spoke was sonorous. He strongly believed that Vivian would not file for divorce. She would pester him until the day she died. How could she possibly take the initiative to ask for a divorce and set him free?! ¡°Look at the papers you''re holding in your hands. She has already signed her name!" Ray red at Gordan. Vivian wanted a divorce, so he should be the happiest one about it. That was why Vivian refused to watch this. She chose to give everything up and go into hiding. Hiding was not a problem. What Ray was worried about was Vivian''s safety. If she wanted a divorce, then fine. It was not like Ray could not afford to support her. He would be willing to support her child too if she had one in the future. However, he could not find Vivian anywhere now! If the organization from the Ind Of Despair had been secretly messing things up, Vivian was certainly one of Ray''s biggest weaknesses. That was why Ray was anxious about it. Vivian would usually hide when she was behaving wilfully. There was hardly anyone who would dare to go against her for Ray''s sake in the past. However, things were different now. There could be dangers everywhere. Gordan listened to what Ray said. He was dumbfounded. He could not be kidding, right? Vivian really wanted to divorce him? Was it true that such a good thing would happen to him? Ray picked up the papers and nced at them. They were indeed a divorce agreement. Right under the column where the wife''s name was stated was Vivian''s name. Chapter 1991 It was Vivian''s full name too. Besides, Gordan could recognize that it was Vivian''s signature with just a nce. Her handwriting was beautiful. There were few people who could control their strength so well to write down such beautiful words. Gordan suddenly realized that apart from Vivian''s ugly looks, she seemed to be a nice woman. It was just that the appearance of a woman was important for Gordan. Ray looked at Gordan, who was lost in thoughts. Gordan was expressionless and did not say a word. Ray finally lost his temper and said, "Are you happy now?" Gordan looked at the divorce papers and quickly read them through. He was surprised that the ugly woman would give up all her entitlements. Did she think that he would care about this vi? If it were not for her and Ray restricting him, he did not care where he would stay. He only chose a vi that he liked to make him feel morefortable when he spent his days being deprived of his freedom. Hence, he did not need Vivian''s sympathy and empathy. He did not want the vi! Gordan felt awkward. He looked at Ray and asked, "Where is she?" "I can''t find her! Gordan Norton, Vivian signed the divorce papers and went into hiding. She didn''t want to let you see her sorrows. Do you have any idea how dangerous it is out there? She''s not afraid of that either. She just doesn''t want to face you right now. "Vivian is such a kind girl. She''d rather fulfill your wish than care about her own feelings. What about you? Think about it, what have you done for her all these years!" Ray was not a talkative person. However, since he could not wake Gordan up with violence now, he had no choice but to talk to him and try to rouse his conscience. "Shut up!" Gordan''s eyes were cold. "Stop ming me for Vivian''s actions. If you two hadn''t restricted me, things wouldn''t have ended up like this today, would they?" Ray took a step back with a cold, hard stare. Ray lifted his hand. Gordan thought he was going to start a fight, so he threw the divorce papers aside and prepared to fight back. They could fight, but the divorce papers could not be ruined. However, Ray''s gestures were out of Gordan''s expectations. Ray lifted his hand, pointed at his nose, and warned him, "If something bad happens to my sister, you''ll be the first person I''lle looking for." ¡°That''ll be her problem if something happens to her. Once I sign the divorce papers, I''ll have nothing to do with your sister and your family anymore!¡± Gordan said heartlessly, reminding Ray that it was Vivian who took the initiative to ask for a divorce. "You!" Ray looked at the divorce papers on the floor. Perhaps, he should not have let Gordan see this. He should have destroyed the agreement. However, that would be against Vivian''s will. Ray could not do it. Gordan sneered and closed the door. Ray looked at the door and kicked it hard. Still, it could not unleash the anger in his heart. How could Vivian ask for a divorce at this time? Was she not letting Gordan, that bastard, off too lightly? The maid who stood aside was on tenterhooks. She was worried that the two of them would get into a fight again. This time, Vivian was not here to stop them. Gordan might get beaten to death. Fortunately, they did not end up fighting with each other. The maid reminded Ray, "Young Master Ray, our priority now is to find out where Ms. Vivian is. The vi''s security guards have retrieved the surveince footage outside the entrance. Why don''t you take a look at it? Perhaps we can figure out something." "Let''s go.¡± Ray red at the door. Gordan was lucky enough to have Luke backing him up. It was for Luke''s sake that Ray did noty his hand on him. One day in the future, after Ray returned Luke''s favor, he would not hold back anymore. At that time, when Gordan had nothing to do with Vivian anymore, he could not me Ray for not showing mercy. In the bedroom. Gordan bent down and picked up the two copies of the divorce agreement. He identally pulled his wound on his waist. It hurt so much that he grimaced in pain. Previously, when Ray fought with Gordan, Vivian would shamelesslye to his room to help him dress his wound. She was not here this time. It turned out that she was nning for a divorce. "Vivian, well done." Gordan sat on the sofa and looked at the divorce agreement. His eyes darkened. When he got the divorce agreement, the moment of ecstasy did notst for more than two seconds. The reason was that even though it was a divorce agreement, he was dissatisfied with the contents of it. She was leaving him themon property that the two of them had been sharing? What did Vivian view him as in all these years? Was he a gigolo? Was this vi hispensation? How insulting was that?! Gordan could ept a fair share of marital assets. He could even ept it if Vivian requested that all their assets should be taken by her. He was unable to ept this. Gordan picked up his phone and thought of calling Vivian. However, he remembered what the maid had told Ray just now. They could not reach Vivian. Gordan curled his lips, but he stopped as doing that would tear the wound on his face. Although they could not reach her, he might be able to reach her. Vivian asked for a divorce, then she went missing. She was leaving everything to him just to catch his attention. She would still pick up Gordan''s call if he called her! Gordan dialed her phone number with confidence. However, the next second, there came the awkward voice of the operator from the other end of the line. He was startled. The automated female voice from the other end of the line told him that the phone had been turned off. No one was able to reach Vivian... Gordan put his phone aside, thinking of reaching Vivian in some other way. However, he realized that he had no other way to reach her. He did not add Vivian as his friend on every messaging app he used. It was not that Vivian did not want him to add her but Gordan had refused to. He refused to be kept under control by a woman. Gordan could not help but feel irritated. He stood up and walked to his door. Then, he pulled the door open. He could see what was going on downstairs through the railing along the corridor. A few guards were sitting on the sofa in the living room. Ray was standing beside them, watching the surveince footage. It seemed like they were looking for Vivian too. Vivian would usually look for Ray right away if anything happened. She would hide at his ce, taking it as her shelter. This time, she did not look for Ray. She did not have many friends in Russia because of her looks. Gordan returned to his room, picked up his phone, and made a call. ¡°Mr. Norton, it''ste. Is there anything you''d like us to do?" A man''s voice that sounded stiff came from the other end of the line. The person''s voice had gone through theputerized handling of a voice changer. "I need you to help me to look for someone," said Gordan. "Who?" Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "Vivian." Gordan looked at the divorce papers and took a deep breath. "Your wife? You know as well that our fees are charged ording to the worth of the person you''re looking for. Your wife has a wealthy family background. The charges will be expensive.." said the man. "Money is no problem. I have plenty of it," Gordan replied impatiently. ''''I need you to find her no matter how much the price is." Vivian even gave him the vi. Would Gordan be short of money? Chapter 1992 Not to mention that Gordan had enough money even if he did not have the vi. Even though he had been kept by Vivian''s side in the past few years, he still took up jobs. Many underworld organizations in Russia needed foreign aid to help them to handle some troublesome matters. Gordan had skills, and he did things efficiently. He was able toplete the missions he was assigned to. However, he did not have many resources when it came to searching for someone. He was toozy to look for Vivian, that ugly woman, himself. That was why he asked someone to look for her. "Mr. Norton, that''s very straightforward of you. I''ll arrange it now." The man on the other end of the line was not even concerned that it was in the middle of the night. He did not think about waiting for tomorrow. As long as the money was in ce, they would be ready to work anytime. "As quickly as possible," Gordan urged them. Since Vivian was asking for a divorce, he had to seize the chance so that she would not regret it after this. Gordan was looking for her only to ask her to amend the contents of the agreement. "Leave it to us. Don''t worry." The man on the other end of the phone hung up the call. Gordan put his phone aside. He narrowed his eyes. Where could Vivian be hiding? Although Russia was her homnd, she did not have many friends because of her ugly appearance. It did not matter that she came from a rich family. Vivian realized that, which was why she cut off ties with those who approached her only because of her money and status. Where could she go? The only ce that came across Gordan''s mind was a hotel. Although Russia had many hotels, everyone needed to use their identification number to register if they wanted to stay in a hotel. Those people would be able to find her whereabouts quickly. The following day. Luca woke up early in the morning due to the jetg. She nced at the dark sky and stared nkly at it for a while. Had she woken up too early? However, she usually woke up at this hour. Even though she was having jetg, she could not fall asleep anymore. Hence, she woke up and freshened herself up before getting changed. Luca drew the curtains. It was dazzlingly bright. She stared at the scenery outside the window. The snow was beautiful. Luca walked out of her room and nced at Luke''s room. The door was closed. It seemed like Luke was still asleep. The hotel''s soundproofing should be fine. Luca slowly walked to the kitchen. She thought of making breakfast first since she could not go back to sleep. The ingredients were more Western-style as they were in Russia. Hence, she could only make some Western breakfast. After she finished preparing breakfast, she brought her portion of breakfast along with her to the dining room. Then, she heard the sound of the door opening. Luke was awake. Luca nced in the direction of his room. Indeed, she saw him maneuver the wheelchair and slowly come out. Luke was surprised to see Luca was already sitting at the dining table. He asked, ¡°Why did you wake up so early?" "Jetg," answered Luca. She stood up and said, "Mr. Crawford, I made breakfast. Would you like to have some?" "I haven''t freshened up yet," said Luke. "Let me help you." Luca walked toward him. The facilities that the hotel provided were built ording to adults'' needs. It was inconvenient for Luke, who was sitting in the wheelchair now. It was just like yesterday. She had helped him too. Luca helped Luke to wash up just like how she did it previously. She pushed Luke into the bathroom. The hotel staff knew that Luke was in a wheelchair, so they had installed an angled board for him for his convenience. After Luca walked into the bathroom, she picked up a face tub that she bought and filled it with water for Luke to wash his face. Although they were in a different ce, the things she did were still the same. Luca had gotten used to taking care of Luke over the years, so she was still good at taking care of him now. After Luca helped Luke to freshen himself up, she pushed the wheelchair and stopped at the dining table. "Mr. Crawford, let me serve you breakfast." "Alright." Luke nodded. It was still early in Russia, but the two of them had gotten used to their routine in the Capital. That was why Luke felt hungry now. Luca brought the breakfast that she had prepared to him and said, "The ingredients in the fridge are mostly from here. That''s why I made a Western-style breakfast for you." "It''s alright." Luke picked up the knife and fork, eating his breakfast slowly. He enjoyed every breakfast that Luca prepared for him. It was because Luca was the one who made it. The doorbell rang after the two of them finished breakfast. ¡°Let me see if it''s Mr. Doyle." Luca stood up and went to open the door. It was still early in the morning, and it was unlikely to be the hotel staff. Thus, Luca reckoned that it was Jason who was pressing the doorbell. She opened the door, and it was Jason, indeed. "Good morning, Mr. Doyle." Luca stood aside to let Jason enter and walk in. "Good morning, Dr. Craw. Is Boss awake?" Jason was unable to see what was going on in the living room as there was a shelf in between the living room and the dining room. "He''s awake and in the dining room. Did you wake up early too?" Luca went along with him and closed the door. "Jetg." Jason smiled bitterly. He slepttest night, but he woke up ording to his routine. He did not have enough sleep. "Have you eaten breakfast?" Luca continued to ask. She had no idea if the hotel provided breakfast this early. "Yes," said Jason. He walked to the dining room and saw Luke there. Then, he greeted him, "Good morning, Boss." "Good morning." The look on Luke''s face was slightly cold because Jason had been chatting with Luca. Jason noticed the expression on Luke''s face, and he knew Luke was unhappy that he talked too much with Luca. First, he was not as outstanding as Luke was. Secondly, he had a wife and children. He was no match for Luke. There was no need for Luke to be hostile to him, right? "Boss, I ran into Mr. Ray, who was having his breakfast when I was at the restaurant downstairs just now. I was curious, so I went to talk to him. It seems like they''re looking for Ms. Vivian," said Jason. He came here to inform Luke about this. After all, Ray and Luke were friends. That was why he mentioned it to Luke. "Looking for Vivian?" Luke frowned. He turned to look at Luca and recalled what she told him yesterday when they left the vi. Luca told him that Vivian seemed to be depressed. Luke even reminded Gordan tofort Vivian because of this. However, Gordan sounded like he did not care about this. Now that Ray and his men were looking for Vivian at the hotel, that would indicate that Vivian was hiding from them. She was not taken away by anyone else.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Luca slightly frowned when she heard that and asked, "What happened to Vivian?" Jason shook his head. He felt it would be better not to ask too many questions about Ray''s matter. "It must be Gordan. That bastard must have done something and made Vivian upset," answered Luke. Jason did not say a word as he listened to Luke''s tone. Luke sounded like he was angry. Luca nodded and agreed with him. Vivian cared too much about Gordan. That was why her emotions were somehow linked to Gordan. Although it was bad for her, she insisted on doing so. Outsiders like them could only watch her. They were not in the position toment on anything. It was normal for Vivian to get so upset that she was even hiding somewhere now. ¡°Mr. Crawford, why don''t you give Mr. Norton a call?" Luca suggested. Chapter 1993 "I''ll call himter. Gordan is still in bed at this time," Luke nced at the time and said. Ray was trying his best to look for Vivian, but Gordan would not do so. Luke was pretty sure that Gordan was still lying on his bed, snoring loudly in his sleep. There was a reason why Luke would ask Gordan instead of asking Ray directly. Luke was closer to Gordan. It was much easier to open up to a closer friend. Luca understood why Luke made such arrangements. She nodded and did not say anything more. Luke looked at Jason and said, "Follow me." "Alright, Boss." Jason followed behind Luke and left the dining room. Luca watched the two of them head to Luke''s room. After she ced the tes in the kitchen sink, she returned to her room too. There would be professional hotel cleaners who woulde to clean the ce up. Luca sat on the sofa and nced at the time. It was still early... The private clinics nearby would still be closed if she went out now. There was no ce for her to sit if she went outside. That was why she could only sit here and wait for the clinics to open. Luca stared at the snow outside the window, and it reminded her of N. It seemed that N had never seen snowfall since she was born. Luca stared into the distance outside the window. Since leaving her daughter''s side, this was the closest she had been to her. However, she did not have the guts to go back to see her daughter. She was afraid that Abel would falsely use her of something. Also, she feared that she could never get out of the Ind of Despair again once she returned. Even though she dared not to tell Luke about it when she was facing him and she even kept her distance away from him, she realized that she was still in love with Luke. That was why she could not bear to leave him. "N, I''m so sorry." Before she left the ind, Luca recalled that she had promised her daughter that she woulde back to visit her whenever she had the chance. It had been nearly half a year now, yet she did not get the chance to see her. Luca waited until it was working hours, and only then did she head out. The door was left open when she passed by Luke''s room. She noticed that Jason was sitting beside Luke, and the two of them were handling their work. Hence, she did not tell Luke anything, and Luke did not ask her either. Luca nned to go to a clinic nearby as she referred to the GPS. The nearest clinic to the hotel was some distance away. Luca chose to hail a cab at the hotel entrance. The cab driver drove her there after she gave him the address. Luca got out of the car when she arrived at the entrance of the clinic. She registered and asked the doctor if the clinic had the medicine she needed. Unfortunately, they did not have the things she asked for. Luca had no choice but to leave the clinic. She happened to see Vivian by the roadside when she was about to head to the next clinic. ¡°Ms. Vivian?" Luca blinked her eyes. She did not expect there to be such a coincidence. Everyone was looking for Vivian, but she ran into her here without any effort. Vivian unconsciously thought of running away when she heard someone calling her name. "Ms. Vivian, please stop running. Ray''s men are looking for you everywhere." Luca kept up with Vivian''s pace hurriedly. Vivian paused, turned around, and looked at her. She smiled bitterly and said, "So, you came looking for me too?" Luca shook her head. She looked at Vivian''s expression and was sure that something must have happened. "No, I just happened to run into you when I was passing by. Besides, I didn''t bring anyone with me. Mr. Ray is capable enough. He doesn''t need my help." Luca exined. Vivian thought to herself that what Luca said was true. She only came here for a business trip. Even though she had Luke by her side, Ray had a great number of subordinates. There was no need for him to trouble Luke to help look for her. Vivian believed that Luca ran into her coincidentally. Vivian looked up and nced at the clinic behind Luca. Was Luca here to see the doctor? However, none of that mattered to her. "Ms. Luca, can you please do me a favor?" "You''d like to ask me not to tell Mr. Ray your whereabouts, right?" Luca was able to figure out what Vivian wanted to say. "Yes." Vivian nodded. "Sure, but I need something in exchange for your favor," said Luca. The reason Vivian was hiding in the hotel without letting anyone know about it was that she did not want them to find out where she was. It was reasonable for her to ask for a favor like this. "Alright," Vivian replied immediately. No matter what Luca wanted in exchange, Vivian would be able to fulfill it as long as it was within her capabilities. Vivian was pathetic. If she were to be brought back home, she hoped that it was Gordan who brought her back. However, how could that be possible? Gordan did not care if Vivian was dead or alive. Now that he knew she wanted a divorce, he must be celebrating now. ¡°You have to tell me what''s going on." Luca did not want to interfere in this, but she was worried that Vivian would get depressed and think of ending her life. No matter what, Vivian had helped her before. Luca could not bear to see such a thing happen to her. Vivian took a deep breath and looked at her, "Are you busy now?" "I''m free," replied Luca. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "Why don''t we head to my room? It''s cold here," said Vivian. The two of them had been standing here for a while. Their shoulders and heads were covered with snowkes. "Alright." Luca agreed and followed Vivian back to her hotel. The two of them sat on the sofa in Vivian''s hotel room. Each of them was holding a cup of warm tea. Vivian smiled and said, "There''s nothing special about the tea here. I hope you don''t mind." "I don''t mind. A warm cup of tea is enough for me." Luca took a sip of the tea. She was more concerned about Vivian''s condition than the tea. Vivian looked awful. She looked like she had not slept for days. Her skin was sallow and had lost its vibrant rosy healthy glow. The dark circles under her eyes and huge eye bags looked obvious on her medium skin tone. Vivian must have been crying for a long time. Vivian smiled and nodded. Vivian took a deep breath. She was slightly rxed when she looked at Luca. Was it alright to dump her negative emotions onto Luca? "Ms. Craw, do you really want to hear about it? It''s nothing good and full of negativity." Vivian reminded Luca carefully. Gordan had told her before that it was wrong to spread negativity to someone else. No one was born to be a punching bag for others to vent their emotions on. That was why she should not dump her emotions on anyone, including the people who were close to her. Vivian thought it made sense. Hence, she had been dealing with a lot of her negative emotions alone at night. This time, Vivian did not have the energy to embrace the emotions hidden in her heart anymore. She even realized that she would stay miserable and pessimistic for many years after leaving Gordan. Gordon was like the sunshine she longed for, but it never shone into her heart. Vivian would be satisfied with just looking at the expression on his face. However, her sunshine would be disappearing soon... "I''d like to find out why you''re hiding here," Luca said confidently. The empathy in her heart surged a little. Chapter 1994 "I love Gordan very much. I fell in love with him at first sight." Vivian sped the cup in her hand tightly and took a deep breath. Luca nodded without interrupting her. ¡°I never thought that the man I fell in love with at first sight would be interested in me. Gordan came up to me and struck up a conversation with me. He has a fine sense of humor, and he didn''t despise me for my ugly looks. Even though it was unbelievable, I fell even deeper in love with him when I met him for the second time. Butter I learned that Gordan was only teasing me when he said he liked me. Still, I didn''t mind. I''ve never asked for anything in my whole life. I''m ugly, so I don''t have the right to speak. But when Gordan told me that he didn''t like me and he was just fooling around, I came up with an idea." Vivian did not know Luca was actually Bianca. That was why she summarized it and exined her past as well as how she met Gordan. "You kept him by your side?" Luca asked. She had heard about their past before. "Yes. Gordan was good at fighting, but Ray has more capable men around him. I said I wanted him, so Gordan was left with no choice but to stay by my side. I thought he would be able to notice me and disregard my looks as long as I kept him around. But many years have passed and he still hasn''t fallen for me. Instead, the hatred he has for me grows every day. Sometimes, when I ask him to keep me company, it''s as though Ray is carrying a gun behind him and forcing him to do it. Even so, I''d be happy because at least he was still beside me." Teardrops fell from Vivian''s eyes. She was happiest when she got to see Gordan every day. Luca nodded and thought to herself that Vivian was too humble. However, she could not tell her. Luca''s gestures were telling Vivian that she was still listening to her. Hence, Vivian continued, "But I just found out that my happiness is built on Gordan''s pain. He has been suffering all this time, being together with an ugly woman he isn''t in love with. My happiness is his pain. So, I finally decided to give up on my happiness. That way, Gordan doesn''t have to suffer anymore. I decided to let him go. Gordan should be happy now." Luca was surprised. Vivian had decided to let him go? Luca thought Gordan had done something to upset Vivian, and that was why she was hiding. She did not expect Vivian had let him go. "You''ve decided to split up with Mr. Norton?" Luca asked carefully. "It''s a divorce. I''ve signed the divorce papers. And I''m guessing that he should''ve seen them by now and signed his name on them. He''ll be able to hand in the divorce agreement soon. There''ll be nothing left between us after this," said Vivian. Tears were constantly streaming down her face. Vivian was really letting him go this time. ¡°But you''re reluctant," said Luca. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Vivian smiled bitterly, and her tears could not stop falling. "It''s hard for me. But I feel sorry for making suffer for so many years. Loving someone means making them happy and not letting them suffer. I realized that I''ve made a mistake. I want to make up for it. But the bestpensation is to break up with him. That''s what I did." "But you''re in pain." Luca looked at Vivian as she cried. Vivian was not considered pretty, and she looked funny when she was crying like a clown on stage. However, Luca could feel how painful it was for her to leave someone she loved. Luca was forced to leave Luke back then too. The painsted for three years. Even N''s birth could not bring muchfort to her heart. It was only until she came back to him that the pain subsided. However, she only came here because she was assigned a mission to harm Luke. That was why Luca did not feel much happier even though Luke was right beside her. There was only guilt and reluctance. Luca knew exactly how Vivian felt now. "I''ll get through this. I don''t want Ray to know that I miss Gordan even after making my decision. That''s why I chose to stay in a hotel. I n to go back home after a few days." Vivian took a deep breath. She should stop crying now. Vivian had been crying all night. She should not be crying again. As a grown-up, crying could never solve problems. Vivian had to learn to get over her feelings for Gordan. "You didn''t rest wellst night, right?" Luca asked. Vivian was slightly surprised. She thought Luca wouldfort her or give her some suggestions after she told her everything, but she did not. "Yes." Vivian nodded. Luca seemed to be different from the others. "Have you eaten breakfast?" Luca asked again. Vivian shook her head. Luca looked at the telephone beside her. She picked it up and said, "Let me order breakfast for you." "Huh?" Luca dialed the number and made the call before Vivian coulde back to her senses and figure out what Luca was doing. Luca looked at the menu and ordered breakfast. Luca put down the phone after the call ended and said, "Taking a rest is all that matters now. You can heal the pain in your heart, but you can''t hurt your body in the meantime. Otherwise, that''s not called healing. You''d be damaging your body. Have your breakfast, then go to sleep." Vivian listened to Luca and could not help but have a feeling. Luca seemed to know very well what Vivian needed. It seemed like the two of them had known each other for a long time. Luca did notfort her and only reminded her what she needed to do. After a while, room service delivered the breakfast here. Vivian wanted to open the door, but Luca said, ¡°Sit down. Let me do this." Luca opened the door and took Vivian''s breakfast from the waiter. Then, she ced it on the coffee table and said, "Have some. I''ll leave after you finish your breakfast." Vivian nodded. The breakfast Luca ordered for her was high in nutritional value. She probably did not have to eat her lunch after having this. Luca knew her well, indeed. Vivian might have hurt herself by going on a hunger strike if no one was supervising her. Vivian had always thought that her heart would slowly go numb once she numbed her body. However, it seemed like Luca did not think so. Vivian took a few bites and remembered that Luca had juste out from the clinic just now. Hence, she asked, "You went to the clinic nearby just now?" "Yes." Luca nodded. "Are you feeling unwell?" Vivian asked with concern. "Not really. I''m looking for a medicine. But the pharmacies around here don''t seem to have them. I thought of going to a clinic to ask, then I ran into you," replied Luca. "Is it hard to find the medicine you want?" Vivian asked with curiosity. "I''m sure the hospital has it. But the hospital won''t give it to me if I''m not seriously ill. It can''t be bought with just money," answered Luca. She wondered if Vivian could get the medicine for her. However, Luke would probably find out about it if she asked for Vivian''s help. Chapter 1995 Vivian frowned. When she heard Luca say so, she thought it must be the kind of medicine that was hard to purchase. There were two types of medicines that were hard to find in the market. One was prohibited drugs, while the other were medicines used to cure extraordinary diseases. Vivian looked at Luca and thought she was probably not looking for the prohibited drugs. Besides, she would have her own reason for needing this medicine... ¡°I can help," said Vivian. She knew people who could get such things because of Ray. Luca shook her head and replied, "I can find them myself." "You''re worried that someone will find out about it, right? Don''t worry. You''ve been listening to me all day today. I''m thankful. I''ll help you look for the medicine, and I''ll keep it a secret at the same time," said Vivian. Although she still felt down, she was doing much better now after pouring her feelings out. Luca thought to herself that since Vivian had promised not to tell, then Luke would not be able to find out about it. Besides, Vivian had much more connections than her in Russia. That should be fine. "Sorry to trouble you," Luca eventually agreed to have her help. "It''s nothing. What''s the medicine you''re looking for?" Vivian asked. Luca decided to tell her about the antibiotics. "Amphotericin B. It''s a type of antibiotic." Vivian typed on her phone keyboard and handed the phone to Luca. "Is this the one?" "Yes, it is," said Luca. She did not choose the medicine for external use as there were many types of it. It would be troublesome to find it. Antibiotics could work well. Luca had not asked for more of it from Johann as she was afraid that he would suspect her. That was why she only took one dosage from him and injected herself with it right away to resolve the issue. Antibiotics worked better than medicine for external use. "Then let''s add each other as friends. I''ll text you once I have it," said Vivian. She was not very friendly to Luca before this because of Bianca. Vivian thought Luca was the mistress who had destroyed Luke and Bianca''s rtionship. That was why she stayed away from her. However, Vivian changed her perception of Luca today. It was not because Luca was willing to listen to her rant but Luca seemed to know her well. It could be seen from when she was listening to her and how she handled the matter after that. Luca nodded, and the two of them exchanged their contact details. Luca stood up and took a bottle of pills out of the bag when Vivian was almost done with her breakfast. ¡°What''s this?" Vivian asked with curiosity. "I''m a pharmaceutical researcher. These are the sleeping pills that I developed myself. I think you''ll be needing them." Luca did not give Vivian too many of them. She was worried that Vivian would end her life by taking too many pills if she took things too hard. Hence, Luca shook out five pills and wrapped them with a piece of tissue. Then, she handed them to Vivian. "Take one if you can''t fall asleep. The effect is much better than the ones bought out there." "Thank you. Why don''t you give me the whole bottle, then?" Vivian smiled. She felt much better having Luca keep herpany and chat with her to distract her attention. "Although there aren''t many side effects, the efficacy is still there. You''re feeling upset now, and I''m worried that you might take things too hard." Luca put the bottle back into her bag. Her words were honest and straightforward. She did not act submissively, nor was she afraid that she would make Vivian feel worse. "I won''t. Don''t worry, and thank you. I happen to need these now," said Vivian. She knew she could not fall asleep. The pills would definitely work on her. Furthermore, even though Vivian was unfamiliar with Luca, judging from the rtionship between Luke and Luca and Luke and Ray''s friendship, Luca would never harm Vivian by giving her random pills. "Take one before you sleep. The pills I gave you should be enough tost you for five days. That''s all I can do for you now. Get some rest. Mr. Ray is worried about you. Go home when you feel much better," said Luca. She tried to remind her not to do anything silly and that Ray was still waiting for her at home. Vivian felt a sting of mncholy surging in her heart. This time, it was not because of Gordon but Ray. Luca''s words reminded her of everything Ray had done for her all these years. Ray had fought with Gordan again and again to convince him. He was worried and arranged for guards to make sure she was safe when she insisted on moving to the new vi together with Gordan. He had done so much for her throughout these years. He did everything for her sake and to ensure her happiness. However, Vivian was keeping everyone in the dark and hiding to heal the pain in her heart. "Ray must be disappointed in me, his elder sister." Vivianughed at herself. Ray had done so many things for her, while she only had eyes on Gordan. She was selfish. She was way too selfish! Luca shook her head and said, "He''s not disappointed in you. And he''s going to every hotel to search for you. Judging from Mr. Ray''s speed, I''m guessing he''ll be here very soon. I''ve been watching the news in Russia. It seems like the underworld organizations here aren''t really peaceful. Follow Mr. Ray back home if he finds you. It''s not safe here." Luca knew the siblings'' family well, and the stronghold of the Ind of Despair was in Russia. She had been paying attention to the news here. Luca paid even more attention to it when she knew she was going on a business trip to Russia with Luke. Luca knew the underworld scene was in chaos now when she saw the news broadcasting about what they had done. Thus, she kindly reminded Vivian about it. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Really? Ray didn''t tell me anything about it. I didn''t know..." Vivian was shocked. "Anyway, make sure that you''re safe. I''m not going to bother you now, and I should leave." Luca asked to leave when she saw that Vivian was much calmer now. "Alright. Let me see you off," said Vivian. "It''s alright. I know how to go downstairs. Just take one pill and get some sleep. You''ll feel much better when you wake upter," said Luca. Then, she left Vivian''s room. Luca walked to the elevator. A man in a ck suit walked out of the elevator when it reached the floor. Luca could sense danger in the air. She felt that this man was not an ordinary man. Luca looked down and noticed the man was holding a room card. She reckoned that he had booked a room, and he probably had nothing to do with Vivian. Thus, she walked into the elevator calmly and pressed the button for the first floor. Luca reached the first floor and walked out of the hotel. Although Vivian had promised to help her to look for Amphotericin B, Luca still nned to walk around the area. She could not pin her hopes on Vivian alone. After so many years, Luca was aware that the only person she could trust was Luke and herself. Although others had imed that they would help, Luca would still search for the medicine herself. Depending on them might not be able to solve the problem. There were times when she could not even rely on Luke. She could only depend on herself. Luca found a clinic nearby. She hailed a cab and headed to the clinic. Chapter 1996 In the hotel. Vivian was drinking water after she swallowed the pill Luca gave her. Then, she was getting ready to rest. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. The doorbell rang when she had just sat on the bed. Vivian frowned. Could Luca have left her belongings behind, so she came back for them? Vivian headed to the door and remembered what Luca had told to her. The underworld scene in Russia was chaotic now. Ray''s group was formidable. A big tree would attract the woodman''s ax. A few smaller groups were green with envy over their family''s sess. However, they always had bodyguards with them, and that was why they had been safe. Vivian was also under Ray''s protection. She never went out alone as two bodyguards would always follow her. Hence, nothing had ever happened to her. Now, Vivian was here alone. Perhaps those groups had received the news and they were nning to do something bad to her. Vivian was alerted. She did not open the door right away. Instead, she chose to take a glimpse through the peephole on the door. No one was out there. That person must be standing at the side of the door where she could not see. Vivian was pretty sure that the person out there was not an ordinary person. If it were Luca or an attendant, they would have stood somewhere where she could see them through the peephole. That person deliberately stepped away from the visible range of the peephole. ¡°Who is it?" Vivian raised her voice and asked while locking the chained lock. "I''m sorry. I got the wrong room." A man''s voice came from outside the door. Vivian was so frightened that she dared not make a noise. She kept a close eye on the situation outside the door while looking through the peephole. Once she heard the man''s voice, she saw a man wearing ck pass by the door. That should be the man who pressed the doorbell. Then, Vivian did not see anything again or hear anything outside the door. Vivian stood behind the door for five minutes. After she made sure there was no one outside the door, she slowly walked back to her bed. Her tightened nerves rxed at once. The effects of the medicine were working too. Vivian shook her head and said in a low voice, "Luca''s pill works really fast." After that, shey down on the bed and fell deeply asleep. In another hotel room. The man who had just pressed the doorbell outside Vivian''s room walked to the end of the corridor. Then, he swiped the card and entered the room. He dialed Gordan''s phone number before he sat down. "You found her?" Gordan asked. "Yes, Mr. Norton. She''s staying in Ostin Hotel, Room 5034." The man took a box of cigarettes out of his pocket and took one. "Are you sure?" Gordan asked. The hotel was located far away from Ray''s domain. Vivian truly did not want her to be found by them. Was that why she chose to stay in a hotel that far? Was she not afraid that the other underworld organizations would discover her whereabouts and kidnap her to threaten Ray? She was a stupid woman, indeed. She resorted to hiding somewhere, causing trouble for her family. "I''ve confirmed it. Her name and her voice are the same," said the man as he put his phone aside. He pressed on the loudspeaker function. Then, he took his lighter out and lit his cigarette. Vivian''s voice was recognizable. Besides, the man had used professional voice recognition software to make aparison. He was a hundred percent sure that the woman in that hotel room was Vivian. "Alright. I got it. You won''t take up any jobs rted to this after epting mine, right?" Gordan asked. Gordan knew about Ray''s matter. However, this was the organization''s affair. Although Gordan was Vivian''s husband, the others knew Gordan was not part of Ray''s organization. That was why Ray had never helped Gordan solve his problems and difficulties. After all, Gordan was a lone wolf. "Of course," answered the man. "Okay. I''ll deposit the money into your bank ountter." After that, Gordan hung up the call and deposited a huge amount of money into the man''s bank ount. Even though Vivian was ugly, she had a high worth because of her family and Ray. However, Gordan did not feel bad about spending the money. Finding Vivian was the only way to get true freedom. Gordan sat on the chair while he smoked. He did not look for Vivian right away after knowing where she was. He refused to look for her immediately. Vivian would get the wrong idea and think that Gordan was worried about her. If she eventually regretted asking for a divorce, he would not be able to make up for the losses. Well, his divorce from Vivian had already been set in stone. He was not in a hurry now. Gordan smoked and read the contents of the divorce agreement again. His face darkened at once. Vivian. Luca had been to a few clinics, yet she still could not get what she wanted. The clinics did not have the antibiotic as it was not widely used here. Luca had no choice but to give up. It soon got dark as it was winter. Luca could only hail a taxi and return to the hotel. Luca realized Luke and Jason were still busy with their work when she returned to the suite. She did not enter her room. Instead, she took off her coat and tied her hair up. Then, she walked into the kitchen. Luca had already informed the reception to ce some ingredients in the fridge before she went out this morning. Luca opened the fridge and saw some fresh ingredients inside. She smiled and began to prepare dinner. This time, she prepared Jason''s portion too. Luca had noticed that Jason seemed to be alright with having Russian food when they were at Gordan''s ce. She thought Jason must have chosen to have dinner at the restaurant because of Luke. Now that Jason was here working, preparing his portion was only natural. An hourter, Jason could smell the aroma of food in the air. He could not help but swallow his saliva. Luca did note back for lunch when it was noontime. Jason and Luke had ordered room service. They were served Russian food. The food was not, bad but it was not especially good either. They were not used to the taste of the food here. The fragrance of food that came from the kitchen... Jason would love to have some, but Luke would probably give him the attitude if he asked to stay. Jason was in a dilemma. ¡°Stay here for dinner," said Luke. "Alright, Boss. Thank you, Boss." Jason was secretly rejoicing while trying to pretend to be calm. Jason had been hoping that Luke would say this to him. Although Jason had been eating Western food every day, Luca''s home-cooked food was different. Jason loved Sue, but between Sue''s and Luca''s food, he still thought that Luca''s food was the best. Luke saved the file and closed hisptop. "I''m not the one cooking." Jason thought, ''But I''d still need your permission to stay.'' It was just that he dared not say it to Luke. The two of them left the room one after another. At this moment, Luca happened to serve the dishes on the dining table. She greeted them when she saw them walking out of the room, "Mr. Crawford, Mr. Doyle, dinner is ready. Would you like to have dinner now?" "Yes." Luke nodded. He maintained his cold attitude in front of Jason, but deep down inside him, he was craving Luca''s home-cooked meal. Chapter 1997 Russian food tasted nd to them. Hence, Luca''s home-cooked meal smelled so good that it made them hungry. Jason was looking forward to it too. Luca walked into the kitchen and took the tes and cutleries out. Then, she ced them in front of Luke and Jason. She said, ¡°There aren''t many ingredients and spices avable here, so the food might not taste as good." Spices such as oregano, rosemary, and thyme were not avable in the hotel. Luca tried using Russian ingredients to prepare Western food. There were four dishes and soup on the table. Jason swallowed his saliva and suppressed the urge to immediately pick up his spoon to grab some of them. After all, Luke was still here. He should not be in a rush. Luca filled their bowls with soup for them. Just then, Luke''s phone vibrated. Luke picked up his phone, nced at it, and said, "They''ve already decided on the meeting time." "Boss, when is it?" Jason asked. They had beenmunicating with the office in the Capital for the whole day while they were busy with T Corporation''s work matters. After all, they had to dy their return dates. Hence, they did not waste their time while they were waiting here. Otherwise, their work would pile up. When they went back, they would have to work overtime. "The day after tomorrow." Luke put his phone down. "So, we''ll have to wait until the day after tomorrow," Jason spoke hesitantly. "Is there something you''d like to say?" Luke picked up his bowl and the spoon. Then, he took a sip of the soup. The taste of the soup was just like how it used to be. Perhaps it was because the soup did not need so many spices. "Boss, I think the first party seems to be acting strange this time. They amended the requirements and postponed the meeting at thest minute. It seems like they''re making things convenient for some companies," exined Jason. If Jason''s analysis was correct, then their efforts thatsted for a few months would be in vain. "It could be." Luke knew it well. However, he was not anxious about it even though they were doing such a thing. "Boss, aren''t you worried that¡ª" "They''re not going to decide on the winner in advance," said Luke. He was not worried about it. Luke could briefly understand what was going on with thepany. They were making things easier for certainpanies, but they could not decide who would win the bid. That was why they postponed the meeting. Another reason why Luke could stay calm was that he had evidence. Jason did not say anything when he listened to Luke''s tone of voice. He knew Luke must know something about it. Well, Luke was the boss. He had been in the business world for years. How could he not know what was going on? Luca did not say a word. She sat down and began eating her dinner. T Corporation was meant to fail in thispetition, with or without an insider in thatpany. Luke received a call from Ray after dinner. Ray invited them over to his vi for a gathering. Luke agreed to go over, then he looked at Luca and said, ¡°Ray invited us to his vi to meet him.¡± ¡°Mr. Crawford, can I not go?¡± Luca asked. She reckoned Ray was still looking for Vivian. She was afraid that she could not help but blurt everything out if she followed them to Ray''s house. Luca had promised Vivian not to tell anyone. However, she could not bear to see Vivian''s family worrying about her. That was why it would be best for her not to go to Ray''s house. ¡°Give me a reason.¡± Luke did not agree right away. ¡°I''ve been walking the whole day. I''m tired and would like to rest,¡± replied Luca. "Alright." Luke turned to look at Jason, who was still drinking his soup. He asked, ¡°Are you done?" "Boss, I''m done." Jason put down his bowl immediately. He had been eating Russian food for each meal since he came here. Luca''s home-cooked food was delicious. Therefore, he was reluctant to waste any of it. Luke threw the napkin on the table and said to Jason, "Wipe your mouth and get ready to depart." "Alright, Boss." Jason picked up the napkin and wiped his mouth. Then, he stood up, picked up his phone, and informed the hotel to get the car ready. Jason pushed Luke, who was in his wheelchair, out of the suite after the hotel told him that everything was ready. There was a sudden silence in the big suite, and Luca was left alone. Luca did not feel rxed even though Luke was not there. What she had done was like a rock sitting on her chest, and it made it difficult for her to breathe. A driver from the hotel was driving the car. He sent Luke and Jason to Ray''s vi. Ray had sent someone to wait for them at the entrance once he knew that Luke and Jason had departed from their hotel. The hotel''s car had juste to a halt. The man at the entrance came forward politely and helped Luke get out of the car. However, the man who was sent to wee them was not professional enough. Hence, he made Luke look like he was in a fluster. Luke was reminded of Luca when he saw the cast on his leg. Luca was petite, but she was strong and steady when she was helping him up. The man who came to wee them was embarrassed when he looked at Luke, who was sitting in his wheelchair. "I''m sorry, Mr. Crawford. I didn''t mean it." Luke looked at the burly-looking man. He did not intend to hold him ountable. Instead, he asked, "Where''s Mr. Ray?" "Boss is already waiting in the house. Let me push you in," said the man. Jason dared not to let the man push Luke''s wheelchair. He almost made Luke fall when he was helping Luke to get out of the car. "I''ll do it," said Jason. The man smiled embarrassedly and stood aside to make way for Jason. Then, he said, "I''m sorry. A tough guy like me has never done something like this before." Jason pushed Luke''s wheelchair and reminded him, "Please lead the way." "Oh, okay. This way, please." The man walked in front of them as he led the way. The three of them walked across the front yard and into the house. "Boss is right inside. Please go ahead," the man said respectfully. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Jason nodded and pushed Luke into the house. Ray sat on the sofa in the living room while waiting for them. He stood up immediately when he saw theming in. "Luke, you''re here." Luke nodded. Ray pushed Luke''s wheelchair near the sofa. Luke held the sofa''s armrest and stood up. He hopped and sat on the sofa. Then, Jason moved the wheelchair away. "Hansen, bring Mr. Doyle to the lounge area," Raymanded. He had something to discuss with Luke. "Mr. Doyle, this way, please," said Hansen. Jason waved his hand to Ray and left the living room together with Hansen. Ray lifted his hand, and the others who were in the living room left too. Luke looked at Ray''s face. His chiseled face was full of distress. "You haven''t found Vivian yet?" Luke asked. Ray grew even more distressed when Luke mentioned Vivian. Ray let out a sigh and shook his head. "Perhaps I can help," said Luke. ¡°Do you know where Vivian is?" Ray looked at him with surprise. His men had been looking for Vivian at every hotel, but there was still no sign of her. Ray had so many subordinates, and they had spent the whole day looking for her, yet they found nothing. Luke had no power or subordinates in Russia. How could that be possible... "My subordinate saw Vivian today. Perhaps you can head to Ostin Hotel to look for her," said Luke. Gale was the one who told Luke that Vivian was staying at Ostin Hotel. Rain failed to track Luca down yesterday. Hence, Gale was responsible for following Luca today. ording to what Gale told him, when Luca walked out of the clinic, she ran into Vivian. Chapter 1998 Gale had some influence in Russia and knew that Ray was in search of Vivian. Hence, when he was reporting Luca''s whereabouts, he reported about Vivian as well. However, Luke did not immediately tell Ray about it. After all, it was Ray''s family issue. Previously, Ray did not talk much about that incident, so Luke did not think that he shouldment too much about it either. Ray believed in what Luke said, and neither would Luke lie to Ray. Hence, Luke immediately made a call to his subordinates. He got them to head over to Ostin Hotel to look for Vivian. "I didn''t expect you to once again do me a big favor," Ray expressed his gratitude. "My subordinate just happened to bump into her." Luke did not im all the credit. If Ray really wanted to thank someone, it would have to be Luca. If it were not for Luca being nearby, she would not have bumped into Vivian. He recalled that even in the past, Bianca was never bothered about Vivian''s ugly appearance. She even treated Vivian with warmth and gentleness. "No matter what, you''ve done me a big favor. At the very least, I''m able to find her before any other underworld organization. If she had been kidnapped, the consequences would be awful. As a token of gratitude, this document is for you." Ray took out a document from the drawer of the coffee table and passed it to Luke. He had received it in the afternoon. Luke epted it and opened it to read the content. He lifted his brows. "I guess that this document would be much more useful to you," said Ray. He was rather relieved once he got to know Vivian''s whereabouts. "Indeed. Thanks a lot." Luke smirked. ''Perhaps he wanted to look for me just to pass this document to me. This document came to me just in time.'' "As long as I''m able to help you out." Ray inched forth a little and poured the tea that had just been brewed into two teacups. "Now that you can''t drink wine, let''s drink tea instead. Cheers." Luke took the teacup that Ray passed to him and gently clinked it against Ray''s teacup. This time, Ray had done him a huge favor. While Vivian was asleep, she vaguely heard that someone was ringing the doorbell. She slowly opened her eyes and realized that there was really someone ringing the doorbell. She sat up and looked at the clock. It was already nighttime. After taking Luca''s pill, she fell deep asleep like someone who had not slept for a very long time. If it were not for the doorbell, she might have even slept through the entire night. ''The pill''s effect is much better than any sleeping pills sold on the market.'' Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. The doorbell rang once again, and Vivian put her guard up. She slowly walked to the door. She took a glimpse through the peephole. She was worried it might be the man from earlier today. However, the person standing outside was wearing a hotel attendant''s uniform. He was standing before the door and did not evade the peephole''s visual range. Hence, Vivian could see him clearly. "Who is it?" She did not open the door instantly. Even though the person outside was wearing an attendant''s uniform, he might be an impostor. "I''m from the housekeeping department of the hotel. I''m here to deliver your meal to you," the man at the door said. "I didn''t order any food." Vivian''s guard was still up. "It was your friend who ordered it on your behalf. We have the conversation record. Miss, please open the door," the attendant exined. ''Could it be Luca? Perhaps she left instructions to the receptionist before she left?'' Vivian kept looking through the peephole. Apart from the shadow of the hotel attendant, there were no other people. Hence, she opened the door. She revealed half of her body and said to the attendant, "You can just hand me the food." "Alright, Miss." The attendant pushed the meal cart to the front of the door when he noticed she was being alert. Vivian ced one of her hands on the meal cart. When she noticed that the attendant was not intending to leave, she asked, "Anything else?" "Miss, you have yet to return the meal cart from the time you ordered room service earlier today,¡± the attendant reminded. Vivian was still determined not to let him into the room. "Once I''m done eating, I''ll put it in the corridor." After saying it, she pushed the meal cart into the room and locked the door. The attendant looked at the man who was standing in the doorway. The man made a gesture. The attendant nodded and passed him the duplicated ess card. Then, he left silently. The man was not in a hurry to open the door and just leaned on the corridor. He looked at the time and ced both his hands before his chest, not taking a step further. Vivian looked at the desserts in the meal cart, but she did not have any appetite. She recalled what Luca said and sighed. Her emotions were much better after she slept. Even though she still missed Gordan and might even be sad, she felt much morefortable. ''Perhaps I should eat and sleep on time. It''s just a divorce. I''m only losing Gordan''s insincerepany. After all, I never once truly got the man.'' Time would always wash everything away, including her unwillingness to leave Gordan. Vivian was thinking about it while eating the dessert. When she was almost done eating, she felt even drowsier. "Luca''s pill is so strong..." Vivian said as shey on the sofa. After 15 minutes, Vivian''s door was opened. The man in the corridor entered. He looked at Vivian who had copsed on the sofa and went over. Without speaking a word, he carried her and left the room. After an hour, Vivian woke up and looked at the ceiling while blinking her eyes. The next second, she noticed that she was not in the hotel. She was so terrified that she sat up. After looking at the familiar environment, she calmed down. This was Ray''s home, which was her house in the past. It was her old bedroom. "You''ve woken up?" Ray pushed the door opened and came in. He had a dark expression when he saw Vivian. Vivian noticed his expression was awful and felt guilty. Hence, she said, "You got someone to bring me back?" "If it were another person, you wouldn''t be here now." Looking at Vivian''s sad expression, Ray could not bring himself to lecture her no matter how angry he was. It was not her fault that she fell in love with the wrong person. All of the faultid on Gordan! "I''m sorry, Ray. I didn''t give it much thought. I just wanted to hide and heal," Vivian admitted her mistake. Without needing to ask, she knew that Ray already knew everything. "It''s very dangerous for you to be outside there alone. Besides, I told you back when you moved out that this ce will always be your home. If you''re not happy, you cane back here anytime you want. Home is the ce where you heal, not the hotel." Ray did not mention a word about Gordan as she was currently very sad. Mentioning that man would only make her sadder. Vivian nodded. She was not mad at him for bringing her back home. She just felt aggrieved when she saw Ray. Back then, Ray had warned her that Gordan was not suitable for her. However, she was stubborn. Even so, Ray did not me it on her. "My men have been searching for you the entire day and night. It took them great effort to find you at the hotel. They were afraid that you wouldn''t want toe back, so they got someone else to drug you. This drug has side effects, so you have to drink lots of water to get the remnants out of your body," Ray reminded her. He ced the kettle and cup, that were ced on the dressing table by the maid, at the front of her bed. Chapter 1999 Vivian was shocked. ''Ray got someone to look for me?'' She initially thought it was Luca who did not keep her promise and informed Ray that she was in Ostin Hotel. "What''s wrong?" Ray asked after seeing her shocked expression. He did not tell her anything about it because Luke had requested not to tell her the truth. The truth was that it was Luke who informed Ray. "Nothing. My things. Did you men help me bring them back?" Vivian asked. "Yes. They brought back everything. They even helped you check out of your room. All of your things are over there." Ray lifted his chin toward the direction of the dressing table. Vivian''s purse was on the dressing table. "I got it." Vivian got down from the bed, and when she got up, she felt her legs weaken. She frowned. "You''ll be fine after drinking lots of water," Ray said. That drug was initially meant to be used against enemies. If it was not because he was worried that Vivian might struggle and escape, he would not have asked them to use the drug. Vivian pursed her lips and drank onerge cup of water. Ray was relieved when he noticed that she was not crying or causing havoc. "It''s gettingte. You should get into bed.¡± Ray got up and looked at Vivian. "Alright." Vivian nodded. She was still suffering from the effects of the drug. Not only did she feel ack of strength but she also felt tired. "If you don''t sleep, you can go to the study beside to read the books that I bought. They''re all the books that you like." After Ray said this, he left Vivian''s bedroom. Vivian looked around after the door was closed. It had been a few years since she slept in this room, but the decorations in the room were still the same. The furniture was brand new, but the paintings on the wall were still the same. It was clear that during her absence, Ray still got people to take care of her room. N?velDrama.Org owns this. ''This has always been my home...'' Vivian felt a sense of sourness within her. She thought that this would be her childhood home. She never thought that she would one day return. ''Fortunately, nothing has changed.'' Ray did not get mad and changed her bedroom into a guest room just because she chose to be with Gordan. That bedroom was left here as if it was waiting for her return. Perhaps Ray knew a long time ago that she would not stay outside for long. ''Fair enough. This useless determination, how long will itst? Three years? That''s quite long.'' After Ray left Vivian''s bedroom, he immediately returned to his study where Hansen was waiting for him. "Sir, how''s Ms. Vivian?" Hansen asked. He was an orphan, and since young, he had stayed alongside Vivian and Ray''s parents. He was also someone who had apanied the siblings as they grew up. After getting to know that Vivian and Gordan had divorced, he was mad. He wanted to plot a scheme on Gordan but his idea was not approved by Ray. "She''s resting. Where''s Gordan?" Ray asked. "He''s still in the vi. The maid in the vi said that he hasn''t left the ce the entire day. He''s still living his life as usual, not bothered about Ms. Vivian''s condition," Hansen answered angrily. ''Vivian has done so many things for Gordan. Now, she wants to divorce Gordan and even went missing. However, Gordan isn''t bothered about it and didn''t head out to look for Vivian or take any action at all. He''s just hiding in the vi like a young master!'' "What the hell is he doing?" Ray frowned. Vivian had signed the divorce papers but Gordan kept hiding in the vi, not submitting the divorce agreement. As long as Gordan sent in the divorce papers, his marriage with Vivian would be nullified. Initially, Ray thought that Gordan would leave the vi on that day itself because Gordan hated Vivian. Divorce was his biggest wish, but at this moment, things did not seem to go the way he expected. "Sir, why don''t I go and look for Gordan?" Hansen clenched his fists. Even though Vivian was not goodlooking, he would not allow anyone to bully her! Gordan had let Vivian down. It was only a matter of time before they sought revenge on him. "No need. Just have the people in the vi keep an eye on him. Also, Vivian is still very sad now. Pass down my orders. Don''t let any of the servants in the vi mention a word about Gordan or divorce," Ray ordered. "Alright." Hansen had no choice but to agree after Ray stopped him. However, deep in his heart, he was not satisfied. In Gordan''s vi. Gordan was lounging in a massage chair. He was thinking about heading over to Ostin Hotel the next day to look for Vivian to change the contents of the divorce papers. He had prepared a huge amount of cash. ''If Vivian doesn''t want the vi, then I''ll give her the cash. I''ll just take it as though I''m buying this vi from her.'' After all, the vi fulfilled his aesthetics. Even if he wanted to leave, he would feel unwilling to. His phone rang, and Gordan answered it, "Is there an issue with the transaction?" He asked. The person on the other end of the call was the man who had helped him search for Vivian. "No, Mr. Norton. I''ve already received your money. There''s just one thing that I feel the need to inform you. Just take it as a reward for paying me on time," the man said. "What is it?" Gordan squinted his eyes. ''Nothing good will happen if this man calls. Is it about Vivian? She must''ve realized that I got others to look for her, so she checked out and is hiding elsewhere now?'' "It''s about your wife, Ms. Vivian. An hour ago, she was drugged and carried away from the hotel." When that man spoke, he said it with a calm tone as if the person carried away was just an item. "Vivian has been kidnapped by others? Who''s behind this?" Gordan was shocked and sat up. "I''m not too sure, and I didn''t follow up," the man said. He saw it because he felt it was a waste not to stay there for the night when the room had already been paid for. Hence, he decided to stay in the hotel for one night. He did not expect to see such a scene when he came out. The reason he did not follow up on it was that his job was to look for people, not to save them. Besides, the money given by Gordan was to look for Vivian. It did not cover the services that followed. "Why didn''t you follow up on the matter?" Gordan asked through gritted teeth. The massage chair was still turned on, and he switched it off irritably. "Because this isn''t a service that I offer. Besides, the person who took Vivian away looks like someone who we shouldn''t offend. The money you gave is for me to look for Vivian, and I found her. It was just a coincidence that I saw that scene, so I gave you a call to inform you. Do you need me to search for her again?" the man asked. Gordan understood that he wanted more money. If he received more money, he would find Vivian. If he did not receive any money, the man would not continue with the work. "Has your business been failing? Couldn''t you have followed them and then ask me for moneyter on?'' Gordan squinted his eyes coldly and revealed a ferocious aura. "At that moment, the situation was a little desperate and I wasn''t in a position to inform you. If you''ve decided to continue working together, I can immediately start my work and look for her." "No thanks. The way your organization operates has let me down!" Gordan hung up the call. The thought of Vivian being kidnapped by someone he did not know made him so mad that he smashed his phone on the wall. Chapter 2000 Bang! The phone was smashed into two pieces. The maid, who was standing at the door eavesdropping, was shocked. Due to the good soundproofing, she could only hear the sound of an item being smashed. ''Is Gordan mad?'' The maid quickly left and sent Ray a message. N?velDrama.Org owns this. On the other hand, it waste at night and Luca was sitting in front of the office table. She was handling the data sent by Rhett. Suddenly, she felt her body feeling ufortable. Subconsciously, she touched her forehead and found it to be rather warm... ¡®Did I catch a cold when I was outdoors today?'' Luca sighed and looked at the monitor of theputer. Suddenly, she felt as if the words in front of her were starting to be blurry. ''It seems like my body is giving a reaction.'' Luca looked at the time and thought of getting some rest since she still had some time to work on the following day. ''I should be fine after sleeping.'' The next day, Luke woke up. After taking his time to sit in the wheelchair, he then controlled the wheelchair out of the bedroom. He noticed that Luca was not in the living room. ''Has she gotten over her jetg? Is that why she''s still asleep at this hour?'' Luke looked at the clock, and indeed, it was still early. He controlled his wheelchair back to his bedroom as he was afraid that the wheels of the wheelchair would wake Luca. After two hours, Luke maneuvered his wheelchair back to the living room. Luca was still not awake. He looked at the watch on his wrist. ''Luca isn''t azy person. She should be up by this hour.'' Luke maneuvered the wheelchair to the doorway and knocked on the door. "Luca, are you awake?" There was no sound from inside the room. Luke knocked on the door once again. "If you don''t say anything, I''m going to push the door open and come in." Again, there was no sound from inside the room. Luke had no choice but to push the door open and enter the room. Luca was in bed without budging. Luke frowned. ''Is she sound asleep? Something''s not right here...'' He maneuvered the wheelchair and headed over, only to realize that Luca''s face was very red. Luke ced his hand over her forehead, and it was burning. ''Luca''s sick!'' Luke took out his phone and gave Jason a call, "Go get help ande here." Jason heard it and quickly hung up the call. After making an emergency call, he called the hotel staff and rushed upstairs. He thought Luke had fallen. After stepping into the suite, he realized Luca had fallen sick. Looking at Luca''s red face, Jason said, "Sir, I''ve made an emergency call. The hospital is not that far from here. The ambnce should be here anytime soon." "It should get here as soon as possible." Luke bit his lip. Watching Luca''s sickly appearance made him feel a pinch in his heart. He was not willing to see her being in such difort. "Yes, sir." Jason was helpless. They were not in their country, so he was unable to urge others to help out. After 15 minutes, the paramedics arrived at the hotel. After conducting a simple examination, they concluded that Luca had passed out due to a high fever. Hence, they quickly got their men to carry her into the ambnce and rushed her to the hospital. Luke followed them into the ambnce and arrived at the hospital. He saw the doctors and nurses pushing Luca into the emergency room. After a hectic period, a doctor came out with a serious look and asked, "Who''s the patient''s family?" "I am." Luke nodded. "Great. There are a few things that I''d like to rify. Right now, things are not looking too good for the patient. She has a high fever. Do you know when she started having the fever?" the doctor asked. Luke frowned. Last night, Luca was still alright when he returned from Ray''s vi. "I''m not too sure when it happened exactly but she was still alright before midnightst night.¡± He came back to the hotel at 11 o''clock, and after Luca helped him brush his teeth and bathe, it was already 12 o''clock. At that time, her body temperature was still normal. Luke could be sure of this. "You don''t even know how long she''s had her fever?¡± The doctor was scribbling on the medical board. "I''m not too sure." Luke''s tone sounded rather defeated. He wished he knew more details, but Luca always pulled a distance between them. "How did the injury on the patient''s waist happen? She was treated by a doctor previously. Do you know what antibiotics the doctor prescribed her? If you don''t, perhaps you can provide us with the contact details of that doctor. We''ll ask that doctor ourselves," the doctor said. "There''s a wound on her waist?" Luke could not remainposed now. ¡®When did Luca get injured?'' The doctor lifted his brows and looked at Luke. "You don''t know about it?" "I..." Luke stuttered. "How can you not know about such a serious matter? Are you really her family?" The doctor looked at the man before him with a suspicious gleam. ''Even though he''s sitting in a wheelchair, he has an extraordinary aura. He doesn''t look like a liar.'' "We live together," Luke said. At the very least, he did not lie about that. They were indeed staying together. "Her injury is pretty serious. She got a few stitches too. Besides, it''s already inmed. Judging from the degree of injury, it doesn''t seem like a new wound. It might have been there for quite a few days. Do you really not know any of this?" the doctor asked once again. "No idea." Luke did not know what he could do now. He could only answer the doctor saying he was clueless in fluent Russian. He had no idea about Luca''s injury and was clueless about when it urred or where she received treatment. He did not know any of that. The doctor pursed his lips and said, "Right now, we can only prescribe her the usual treatment n¡ª antibiotics and antipyretic. The inmmation is serious. It might be due to germs or fungi. We have to wait for theboratory report before deciding on the next course of treatment." "You guys must rescue her," Luke ordered. "We''ll do our best," said the doctor and he turned around to return to the ward. Luke took out his phone and called Johann. Johann did not pick up the call. He had no choice but to send him a message: [Do you know about the wound on Luca''s waist? When did it happen?] Luke kept staring at the screen of his phone until Jason came over. However, the doctor had yet to come out. "Sir, what situation is Dr. Craw in now?" Jason asked. He had to take a cab to the hospital from the hotel because the ambnce was full. "She''s injured, and the wound is inmed." Luke was waiting for Johann''s reply, but he did not have much hope. If Johann knew about Luca''s wound, he would have hinted it at Luke even if he had promised Luca not to say anything. After some time, Johann replied: [Luca is injured? When did it happen?] ''Indeed, he has no idea about it.'' After half an hour, the doctor stepped out and exined the situation to Luke, "We''ve given the usual antibiotics to the patient and some antipyretics. We''ve sent a sample to the pathologyb. Right now, we have to wait for the results before moving to the next stage of treatment. I suggest the patient be admitted for now because her fever hasn''t subsided." Chapter 2001 "Alright." Luke nodded. He was not influential here and did not know any friends who were doctors. Lucay on the medical bed and was pushed out by the doctor and the nurses. Luke heard the doctor talking about Luca in Russian, "This patient''s condition is a little special, so send her to an istion ward." Luke saw Luca''s face that was red because of the fever. he thought he should seek help from others. Only Gordan and Ray could help him here. In the end, Luke decided to look for Ray. He ordered Jason, "You follow them to the ward. I''ll go and make a call." "Got it, sir." Jason quickly caught up to the doctor''s footsteps. Luke made a call to Ray. "Luca is sick. Can I trouble you to help me look for a doctor?" "She''s sick? What kind of doctor do you need?" Ray was astonished. If Luke was reaching out to seek help from Ray, it would mean that Luca''s illness was very serious. ¡®But she was still alright a few days ago. She''s now sick?'' "For now, I''m not too sure about it. She has a high fever, and her wound is infected." Luke had no idea what sort of doctor he should look for. Previously, regardless of the severity of the illness, he would just seek help from Johann. "I got it. I''ll make the necessary arrangement now. But she might need to be transferred to another hospital," Ray said. The doctors he knew in Russia were all authoritative figures. "Alright, I''ll be waiting for your news." Luke was feeling uneasy. Luca was injured, and he had a feeling that he was about to lose her. He could not afford to lose her! After Ray ended his call with Luke, he was all set to contact the doctors he knew. Vivian came downstairs and heard Ray talking to someone over the phone. She just sat on the sofa quietly. After Ray was done making calls, Vivian asked, "Why do you need to contact some doctors, Ray? Are you feeling not well?" "It''s not me but Luca." Ray shook his head. "Earlier, Luke called and said that Luca is sick. She''s having a fever, and her wound is infected. She''s now receiving treatment in a hospital. Perhaps he''s just worried and wants me to get help from a better doctor." "Sick?" Vivian frowned. "Did you mention inmmation?" Ray nodded. Vivian immediately said, "Actually, I bumped into Luca in the morning and we talked for quite some time. I even promised her to help her look for Amphotericin B. Say, could it be that she needed this medication, which was why she went all over the ce searching for it?" After Luca left, Vivian had gone to enquire about the usage of Amphotericin B, only to find out it was an antibiotic. "Amphotericin B?" Ray was clueless about it, but he still sent Luke a message. He informed Luke of the fact that Luca had asked Vivian for a favor to look for Amphotericin B. "Isn''t she a pharmaceutical researcher? I believe she must know about the antibiotic. I''m guessing she wanted it because of her wound..." Vivian said. "You got a point." Ray agreed. "She even gave me some sleeping pills, and they''re effective. Besides, there aren''t any side effects. She''s quite capable," Vivian said. Yesterday, it was the drug that Ray''s subordinates had given her that caused her to feel lethargy after. It had nothing to do with the pills Luca gave her. "I''ve told Luke about it." Ray nodded. Vivian sighed and said while feeling sad, "I promised Luca not to tell this to anyone, but I''ve blurted it out now. I hope she won''t me it on meter on when she knows about it." "You''re saving her life now. Even though the hospital is still running tests, the doctors would''ve found out sooner orter. Right now, time doesn''t permit her treatment to be dyed. Now that you''ve given us this information, it''ll save us lots of hassle. Time is of the essence for her survival now," Ray comforted Vivian. Vivian was a person who kept her word. She only went back on her word this time to save Luca. Vivian nodded. Even though she did not know Luca well, she would just ept it even if Luca got angry at her after this. In the hospital, after Luke received Ray''s message, he thought back to Luca''s weird actions during this period. ''Is it possible that the research she''s been conducting has to do with her inmed wound?'' He recalled what Johann said and immediately asked the doctor to treat Luca with Amphotericin B. The doctor frowned. That antibiotic was notmonly used, so he suggested, "Sir, let''s decide on that once the report is out, alright?" "No need for that. A few days ago, she was treating herself with Amphotericin B back in our country. It''s definitely going to be effective dealing with the inmmation," said Luke with confidence. The sooner the drug was used, the sooner Luca would recover. Seeing Luke being so confident, the doctor had no choice but to say, "How about this? If you insist on using Amphotericin B, you have to sign an agreement on medication usage." "No problem." Luke immediately agreed. At that moment, saving Luca was the utmost priority. After signing the agreement on medication usage, the doctor immediately injected Luca with Amphotericin B. About half an hour after the injection of the drug, Luca''s body temperature slowly went down. The doctor immediately cleaned her wound when he noticed her body temperature had reduced to normal. Since it was a minor surgery, Luke and Jason were escorted outside the ward by the nurse. Jason nced at Luke''s dark expression, wondering whether thetter was mad or worried about Luca. "Sir, Dr. Craw''s fever has subsided, so don''t be too worried." "Did she ever mention to you about her being injured?" Luke stared at the ward door. Jason immediately shook his head. "I had no idea about it. Previously, Dr. Craw''s behavior was as usual. She didn''t look like she was injured..." He had taken a nce at Luca''s wound. If an ordinary person had suffered such a serious wound, they would have to be admitted to be sutured. They would also have to lie in bed for a few days before being able to get down from the bed. However, throughout this period, it seemed like Luca had always been busy with work. Even if she was a tough woman, such a serious injury would still take a toll on her body. ''Besides, she still had to look after Luke and the three kids.'' Luke kept quiet. Indeed, Luca had been acting very normal for the past few days. Apart from the two days when he went to South Korea, she had never left his side. Luca did not look like she was injured at all. ''Unless she got injured in the two days I was in South Korea.'' However, she did not apply for leave during those two days. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened to her either. In the ward. After the doctor disinfected Luca''s wound, he injected her wound with anesthesia and removed the stitches. After removing the stitches, the doctor sighed and said, "This wound is quite long. Also, the stitches weren''t done properly. I''m afraid it''s going to leave a scar." "We can''t be bothered too much about it now. Let''s save thisdy first," the nurse said. The doctor nodded, and after wiping off the pus from the inmed area, he checked on theposition of the wound. There were no necrotic tissues, so he stitched the wound again. After that, he used a bandage to wrap the wound. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Once her wound was bandaged, Luca slowly got up. "Where am I?" She spoke in English, so the doctor and nurses could not understand her. Hence, they asked, "Miss, this is the hospital. We can''t understand what you''re saying. Do you know Russian?" Chapter 2002 ''Hospital?'' Luca looked at the bed and the people who were standing around here. Indeed, they were in uniform. "How did I end up here?" she frowned and asked. She had no collection of her wound getting inmed. "Your family sent you here. Your body started to give a reaction after your wound became inmed. Your fever didn''t subside and you passed out. We''ve given you antipyretics, and at your family''s request, we injected you with Amphotericin B. Now, your fever has subsided. Besides, we''ve also resutured your wound. Unfortunately, the wound is too long and will leave a scar. For the time being, don''t get your wound into contact with water," the doctor said. Luca lowered her eyes. ''If I was sent to the hospital, it means that Luke knows about it. How am I supposed to exin all of this?'' "When can I be discharged?" Luca asked. The doctor looked at the time and calcted the psed time for the antipyretics to take effect. "If you don''t wish to be admitted, you should at least wait for another six hours. After six hours, you can be discharged if you don''t develop a fever again. However, after you''re discharged, you still have to return for the antibiotics injection to ensure the wound won''t be inmed again.¡± "No need for that," said Luca while sitting up with her arms supporting her. "I''m sorry, what do you mean by that?" The doctor looked at her, astonished. "I''ll write a prescription. All you have to do is get the medications prepared ording to the prescription. My wound will recover even without Amphotericin B," Luca said and looked at the nurse. "Do you mind passing me a piece of paper and a pen?" The nurse looked at the doctor. It was her first time seeing a patient prescribing herself medication. The doctor was astonished and asked, "I beg your pardon. May I know if you''re also a doctor?" "I guess you can say that." Luca looked at them. Previously, she did not head over to the hospital to get the medications she needed because she did not want to invite too much trouble. After all, there was no one in the hospitals here whom she knew, so it would be hard for her to get her hands on the medications. However, she had been sent to the hospital. She might as well have the doctor prescribe her the medications she needed. "If you insist, you have to sign an agreement," said the doctor. He was afraid that Luca might ask the hospital to bear the responsibility if she screwed things up. "Sure." Luca nodded. ''If I hadn''t forgotten to bring the things over, I wouldn''t be facing this trouble now.'' "You may go and get the documents prepared." The doctor ordered the nurse to get the agreement of medication usage ready. "Alright, doctor." The nurse left. Luca took the paper and pen from the doctor. She listed out the medications she needed in Russian. She took into consideration that she was in Russia and not back in her own country. Hence, she changed some of the medications. Even though the effects would not be as good, it was still better than nothing. After all, it was not easy to look for local ingredients here. "Are you sure these are all you need?" The doctor looked at the list. They were all anti-inmmatories, but when used inbination, he wondered whether or not they would be effective. "Yes." Luca nodded. At that moment, Jason pushed the door of the ward opened and pushed Luke''s wheelchair in. "What''s going on?" Luke sat in the wheelchair and looked at Luca, who was on the bed. She was in a much better condition than previously. "The patient''s fever has subsided and we''ve resutured her wound. We''ll now wait for six hours. If she doesn''t have fever again, she may be discharged," said the doctor. "Alright." Luke was still looking at Luca. Jason whispered, "I''ll take my leave for now, sir." Luke did not say a word. Luca could sense that Luke''s gaze was fixed on her. It was like a burning sensation that was not concealed. ''He must be suspicious about when I got this injury...'' After all, all this while, she had been acting as usual, just like any ordinary person. The doctor saw her being so confident and said, "Alright then. I''ll go get these medications ready. Later, the nurse will bring the agreement here. All you have to do is sign it." "Alright, thanks," said Luca, then the doctor left the ward. Luca took a deep breath. She felt the effects of the anesthesia injected into her wound starting to fade, and pain slowly crept in. She was not weak as she was able to withstand such pain. Luca bit her lip for some time before saying, "Thanks, Mr. Crawford." In the meantime, Luke said with concern, "Does it still hurt?" Both of them talked at the same time. Luca was stunned. She shook her head and replied, ¡°It''s still bearable." "If you''re in pain, just have the doctor inject you with another dose of analgesia," said Luke. She was strong, so strong that she did not voice out even after enduring the pain for so long. She still gave her best and worked hard. Out of everyone who had interacted with her, none of them realized something was off about her. No one knew she was injured. However, she did not need to act all tough with him. Luca knew that he was concerned about her and sighed inwardly. The better he treated her, the stronger her sense of guilt. "I''m sorry," she said. Luke frowned. "Why are you apologizing?" "I''ve dyed your and Mr. Doyle''s work," Luca said. If it were not for her, perhaps Luke and Jason would currently be handing some of T Corporation''s documents. Luke had a stunned expression when he heard Luca''s statement, and his face became so gloomy that it was awful to look at. ''She''s apologizing not because she had been keeping her injury a secret for so long but because she dyed my and Jason''s work? ''Out of everything, she''s my top priority!''Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. "Luca, I sent you to the hospital to save your life. You''re very important to me. Despite my working schedule being dyed, I won''tment anything about it. I don''t think you''ve done anything wrong that requires you to apologize." Luke felt that she was doing it on purpose. Even at this moment, Luca did not forget to draw a line in their rtionship. Luca lowered her eyes. Previously, she did not realize that her statements would make Luke this mad. The nurse came in with a stack of documents. Luke looked at them and said, "You should be apologizing to me, but it''s not because you''ve dyed my schedule." After saying that, he maneuvered the wheelchair and left. The nurse ced the agreement in front of Luca. "Miss, can you please sign this agreement? We''ll observe you for six hours, and if everything is fine, you may leave." Luca looked in the direction where Luke left. When she heard the nurse''s voice, she retrieved her gaze. ''What does he mean by that?'' Luca looked at the agreement. It was the usual type of agreement, and she jotted down her Russian signature. Despite her hating this name, it was a name given to her by Abel. Currently, she was using this name to be admitted and receive treatment in the hospital. Hence, she had no choice but to use that name. The nurse looked at her signature and was puzzled. "What''s wrong?" Luca looked at her. "The name you''re signing is totally different from the name given by that man who just went out," the nurse said. "I have a Russian identity, so I have two names," Luca exined. "So, that''s the reason. No wonder you can speak fluent Russian." The nurse smiled and collected the agreement that had been signed. "There''s another five hours before you can leave the hospital. After the fever subsides, you may feel your body growing weak but that''s normal. Drink lots of water and get more rest." Chapter 2003 After the nurse has left, Lucay back down on the bed. Her mind was reying the statement Luke gave. ''I owe him an apology?'' Luca stared at the ceiling. She was clueless why she had to apologize. After Luke left the ward, he received news from Ray. After thanking Ray, he told thetter that Luca''s condition was stable after taking the medication and she was under observation. For the time being, she did not need to be treated further. After Ray learned about it, he replied to Luke''s message telling him that he could just text him whenever he encountered a problem. Then, Luke controlled his wheelchair to a side of the corridor and waited. Jason bought two bottles of water and came over. He saw Luke in the corridor and asked, "Sir, is the doctor in there treating Luca?" "No," Luke said. The moment he entered, the nurse came out. Currently, only Luca was in the ward. "Then, why are you here..." Jason looked at the ward, puzzled. He noticed the door was closed. "She needs rest." Luke looked at the bottle of water that Jason was holding in his hand. He took out his wallet from his pocket and took out a few dor bills. "Go buy some food." "Alright, sir." Jason took the money, then ced the bottle of water down. "Mr. Crawford, please have some water for now. I''ll be back soon." Jason and Luke came over without having breakfast because of Luca. After Jason left, Luke took a bottle of water. He was still at the same spot, staring at the door while daydreaming. After five hours. Luca did not develop any fever, and the doctor allowed her to be discharged. The moment she was discharged, the doctor looked at Luke and reminded him, "Even though your wife''s wound has been sutured, she can''t do any aggressive exercise in the next few days to prevent the sutures froming off. If it''s possible, stay in the bedroom and get more rest. If you notice there are some odd-looking secretions from the wound, you have to instantlye back to the hospital to receive treatment." Luca heard what the doctor said. When she was about to speak, she heard Luke say, "Got it." She kept quiet. ''Earlier when the doctor said that I''m his wife, he didn''t deny it. Did he deliberately not rify it?'' The doctor was concerned that Luca''s wound might reopen if she moved around casually. Hence, he had the nurse bring her a wheelchair. He had Luca sit in the wheelchair when leaving the hospital. "I don''t need a wheelchair." Luca frowned. ''It''s just a wound that has been resutured. I''m not that weak.'' "This wheelchair is not meant to be used long-term. It''s just that it''s best for you to minimize walking when you''re making your way to the basement car park," the doctor exined. Luca looked at Luke, who was waiting beside her. Jason would be there to push his wheelchair for him. They did not say a word. Luca had no choice but to sit in the wheelchair. Jason had already arranged for the transport from the hotel. The driver was waiting for them at the entrance of the hospital. The nurse pushed Luca, while Jason pushed Luke, and they all came to the side of the car at the same time. After Jason helped Luke into the car, he looked at Luca. "I can do it on myself," said Luca. She did not intend to have Jason help her. Jason did not insist on helping. The woman in front of him was Luke''s woman. He could not just casually touch her. It was best if she could enter the car by herself. Luca slowly got up. Since her wound had just been resutured and the surrounding skin was forcefully stitched together, she could feel the pain in her wound when there was any movement in her waist. She pursed her lips. With the help of the nurse, she entered the car. The nurse handed the packet of medications to Luca and reminded her, "The doctor said that if there''s any difort after you take the medicine, you should immediatelye back to the hospital." "Alright, thanks." Luca received the medicine and lowered her eyes. Luke had been constantly looking at her. ''Isn''t he afraid that others will find him acting strange? After all, Jason is still around.'' Jason helped them both close the car door and sighed outside of the car. Now, he would have to look after two patients. He sat in the front passenger seat andmunicated with the driver in English, having the driver start driving. The driver nodded and drove them back to the hotel. After returning to the hotel, Luca was the first to get out of the car. She shook her head when she saw the hand Jason stretched out. She said, "It''s alright. I can do this by myself." Jason retrieved his hand and watched her get down from the car cautiously. Despite her movements not being as smooth as before, those who were clueless would not know that she had an injury on her waist. He suddenly recalled back to the two days when Luke went to South Korea. Luca seemed to be very weak, but even if she said she had fallen sick, it still did not seem like she was sick. It was just that her expression was much more awful than previously. She had also exined herself back then. At that time, he thought that it was because of herck of rest. However, now that he thought about it, it did not seem that way. After Luca got down from the car, Jason helped Luke next. Once Luke got settled down in the wheelchair, he was pushed into the hotel. Luca followed them from behind and slowly walked in. Jason intentionally slowed down his pace so that Luca could catch up. After returning to the room, Luca said to Jason and Luke, "Mr. Crawford, Mr. Doyle, thanks for everything for today. I''ll be heading back to the room to rest." After saying that, she took her medication back to her room and closed the door. Jason was standing behind the wheelchair. He lifted his brows. Then, he walked in front of Luke. "Sir, I came here because I recalled something," he said softly. Luke controlled his wheelchair and moved toward his room. "Let''s go in and talk." Jason followed him into the room and closed the door. "What''s going on?" Luke asked. "It''s about Dr. Craw. I suddenly recalled that when you apanied Ms. Tanner to South Korea for two days, she looked awful when she came to work. She said it was because she did not get enough rest." Luke lifted his brows. "So, you''re telling me that she got injured when I went to South Korea?" "That seems to be the case. Earlier, when Dr. Craw got down from the car, even though her movements were a little slow, she''s still no different from an ordinary person. I thought back to the two days when you went to South Korea. It''s true that she didn''t look well, but there was nothing off about her. I''m suspecting that she got injured during those two days," said Jason. Judging from Luca''s performance earlier, she had quite a high pain threshold. ''All I can say is that she''s not an ordinary person.'' If any ordinary person had gotten injured, it would take them one week, at the very least, to recover. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. From the looks of it, it was obvious that Luca was no ordinary person. Her speed of recovery was very fast. Herplexion was back to normal when Luke returned. "I got it." Luke did not me him. After all, the one who was injured was Luca. She was very good at putting on an act. Even if she was in pain, she could just withstand it. Jason could not stay with her all the time, so it would be impossible for him to know whether or not she was injured. Besides, Luke had been staying with her and he was clueless too. Jason let out a breath of relief when he saw that Luke did not me him. Luke took out his phone and ordered his subordinate back in the country to make a trip to his vi. Luke wanted him to investigate the dashcam of the car that Luca drove. ''If Luca was really injured on that day, it means this wound has been there for a very long time. How did she ovee the pain during this time?'' Hence, he must get to the bottom of it. ''Who injured Luca?'' Chapter 2004 After the reminder, Luke ced his phone down and controlled his wheelchair back to the office table. He said, "Let''s settle some work." "Yes, sir." Jason pulled out another chair and started working together with Luke. After settling the important matters, Luke''s phone vibrated a few times. He picked it up and took a nce at it. It was a message from his subordinate. He said he had gotten the video recording from the car driven by Luca. However, the footage from that day seemed normal. The ces recorded were T Corporation and the vi. There were no other suspicious ces. Luke ced his phone down. Luca had definitely gone to another ce. The only exnation for that would be that she did not drive to that ce herself. ''She intentionally did not drive there. She definitely went to meet someone special, and that''s why she got injured...'' It had been quite some time since this issue was over. Luke knew it would be difficult to investigate it. He would need some time to do it. He looked at the monitor of theputer and was deep in thought. ¡®Is this issue rted to the organization that''s controlling her?'' Jason dared not say a word when he saw his boss behaving in such a manner. On the other hand. After Luca returned to her room, she did not rest but poured out the medication in the packet. She set aside the ones that needed to be consumed, while the rest were crushed. She then mixed them well ording to the ratio. She lifted the bandage and looked at the wound that had been resutured. Indeed, the stitches were much better than previously. After all, doctors were professionals. Luca picked up the medicinal paste and applied them to her wound cautiously. She then wrapped the wound with the bandage once more. Once that was done, she was worn out andy on the bed. The two stabs Abel gave her had given her a hard time. All this while, she could only hide the fact. She did not expect Luke to still find out about it in the end. Even though Luke did not say a word, Luca knew what Luke would get to the bottom of it. Luca did not expect so much trouble toe along. She did not n it well that night. She had imed that she wanted to look for Amur, but she got down from the car at the condominium without entering. She walked ahead for quite a distance and took a cab to reach her destination. If there were surveince cameras over there, perhaps Luke might find the footage. Besides, there was once a case where a security guard was murdered. ''There''ll probably be surveince cameras now...'' Luca did not sleep on the side where her wound was. She knew Luke way too well. If he really loved her, he would definitely investigate it. She kept lying in bed until it was time for dinner. The room door was knocked on. Luca sat up and slowly got down from the bed. After putting on her shoes, she went to open the door. Without any surprise, it was Luke who knocked on the door. "It''s time for dinner," he said. Their distance was much closer because he was sitting in a wheelchair. He slowly lifted his head. Luca lowered her eyes and nodded. She did not have the strength to prepare dinner. ''Well, if it''s Russian cuisine, then so be it.'' She nned to push Luke to the dining table when she heard him saying, "I can do it myself." Luca let go of the wheelchair. Luke maneuvered his wheelchair to the front. She followed, only to realize that Jason had not left. He was opening containers of food. Luca looked at the food on the table. It did not look like it was food from the hotel. "Mr. Crawford, Dr. Craw,e and tuck in," said Jason. He had bought all this food from outside. The Russian cuisine in the hotel was not tasty. Since Luca was injured, she should not have Russian cuisine. It would be more appropriate for her to have something in. Currently, the weather was cold. The delivery men did not do their jobs well either, so Jason personally went to buy food under Luke''s instructions. Luca noticed that the food on the table was all Western food. ¡®All this was definitely bought by Jason.'' She sat down. Luke picked up a bowl of porridge and ced it before her. "This is the porridge that you like." "Thanks." Luca picked up her spoon, but deep in her heart, she wondered how he knew about it. ''Is it because this is the porridge I liked when I was still Bianca? But I''ve never made this porridge for him sinceing back. Luke shouldn''t know about it.'' Luca took a mouthful of it and frowned. ''Well, the taste of this porridge is not that obvious. It''s so typical of Western cuisine in a foreign country.'' "There''s only one Western restaurant nearby, and the taste isn''t that impressive. Mr. Crawford, Dr. Craw, I hope you guys don''t mind," Jason said. If he went a little farther to buy the food, the food might be cold when he got back. Besides, he was not good at cooking. The same went for Luke. Luca was injured and could not cook. Hence, he had no idea how to heat food that had cooled, or how long he should heat it. He might as well buy food from a nearby restaurant. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Luke heard Jason''s words and looked at Luca. Even though the Western cuisine was ordinary, he wished she could at least eat some. Luke also took a bowl of porridge and ate it. Jason ced the desserts and dishes in front of them both. "Dr. Craw, I''ve asked about it and you''re allowed to eat this. Besides, I followed Mr. Crawford''s orders by ordering the chef to put in less salt and oil while cooking these dishes. They''re quite healthy." The dishes they ordered were all quite in. Luca knew they were not a fan of these dishes and they only ordered them because of her. "Thanks." "Eat more." Luke ced a clean te by her hand. Then, he put a few dishes on her te, hinting her to eat up. Luca ate the dishes while eating the porridge. She had a small appetite. After eating half a bowl of porridge, she was stuffed. Luke saw it. "You''re full already?" "Yeah. You guys should continue," Luca said. The dishes were not tasty, and she had no appetite. Hence, she ended up not eating much. "If you''re full, then go back and get some rest. The doctor said not to get water on your wound. Be careful when you''re bathing and brushing your teeth," Luke reminded her again, worried that her wound might get inmed if Luca was careless. Speaking of bathing and brushing her teeth, Luca recalled that Luke needed to do that as well. Even though the temperature here was very low and he did not need to bathe every day, Luke was a germaphobe. He had to bathe and brush his teeth every day. Besides, he had a meeting tomorrow. He would pay close attention to his image. "Well, you..." Luca looked at Jason. With other people around, she was notfortable asking Luke how he was going to bathe. ''If he asks me to go back and get some rest, no one will be there to help him into the bathtub.'' "Mr. Doyle will help me. Take your medication and go rest," said Luke. Previously, he had no idea that Luca was injured. Hence, he tended to ce all of his weight on her before and after bathing. After all, when he was facing Luca, lust would overwhelm him. He tended to seize all chances to get closer to Luca. If he knew she was injured, he would have chosen to trouble the maid and not Luca. That was because he would not want to do so. "Alright. I''ll head back to my bedroom, then." Luca nodded and slowly got up. With them both staring at her, she went into her bedroom and locked the door. At that moment, Jason asked, "Mr. Crawford, what do you want me to help you with?" "Bathing." Chapter 2005 ¡°Uhh, bathing..." Jason let out a troubled expression. "Mr. Crawford, I''ve never done this before. I don''t know how." Luke knew Jason would misunderstand and said with a dark expression, "I don''t need you to help me. I just need you to help me get into the bathtub." ''He doesn''t need me to help him take a bath!'' Jason let out a breath of relief and said, "No problem with that, Mr. Crawford." Luke looked at Luca''s door which was closed tightly. With a dark look in his eyes, he said, "Your Russian must be bad, right?" Jason scratched his head, feeling embarrassed. "I don''t speak Russian, Mr. Crawford. I always use English when I''mmunicating with the hotel staff." As he did not know Russian, it took him a long time to get the hotel management to find him a driver who knew English. He also needed an exclusive kitchen. "Prepare the trantion software. Tomorrow, you''ll be my main assistant," Luke decided and said. Initially, he decided to have Luca attend. Apart from everything else, her Russian was the most fluent. However, Luca was currently injured. He was not willing to let her tire herself out. He wanted her to stay in the hotel to get some rest even though he might not be able to get anyone else to help him out if she was not present. "Do you really want me to go, Mr. Crawford? I don''t know Russian," Jason said helplessly. He only knew threenguages but not Russian. Previously, T Corporation had never worked together with Russia. They always mainly worked with America and Europe. English could be used. Besides, Luke initially nned to have Luca be the assistant this time and even have her be the trantor. Hence, thepany did not provide any trantors. Luca was capable. Even if they relied on the trantion software to help trante things, they would have to edit the words which would be quite hard. "No one can change the decision that I''ve made," said Luke. He had decided. Jason had no choice but to nod his head in agreement. On the other hand. Gordan went back to the vi, exasperated. The maid came from the opposite side. Before she could speak, he said, "Get lost." The maid was astonished. ''Who made him this mad? Why is he in such a bad mood?'' "Sir, dinner''s ready." Despite being barked at by Gordan, she still said politely. "I''m not going to eat. Go away." Gordan stomped his way upstairs. The maid saw it and did not catch up to him. She was puzzled. ''Judging from his looks, I wonder who offended him?'' Gordan had a dark look and returned to his bedroom. Bang! The door was mmed shut. He was outside the whole day. He was either at the Civil Affairs Bureau or Ostin Hotel. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Vivian was taken away, and he had to investigate who was behind it. He arrived at Ostin Hotel and wanted to utilize the connections he had to get his hands on the surveince footage of the hotel. However, the staff had been warned by others. When Gordan came to ask for the surveince footage, he was immediately rejected. They imed that this was a breach of the guests'' privacy. They could not just reveal the footage to anyone unless it was the cops. That rejection made Gordan feel as though he had been granted two tight ps on the face. Gordan attempted to seek an alternative way, but everyone seemed to have been warned and rejected his request. Even bribery was ineffective! There was no other reason behind it. The enemy must have taken action a step faster than him when they brought Vivian away. ''If it was Ray, then it''s fine. But if it''s another organization, it''s going to be bad. I can''t find anything. I need Ray to personally look into it.'' However, he did not have the thought of giving Ray a call because of his pride. Besides, he did not want thetter to misunderstand that he was concerned about Vivian. As for the cops... The cops in Russia worked depending on the power they had. If they knew this case was rted to an underworld organization, they would not take any action. Besides, Gordan was an influential person as well. ''Me, lodging a police report? I can''t do such an embarrassing thing.'' Gordan sat on the sofa and lit a cigar. He took a few puffs aggressively. It was not that he had never suspected it was Ray''s men who brought Vivian away but there was no movement from Ray''s side. There was also no news about Vivian, and no one knew where she went to. ''If it was Ray who took her away, there would''ve been a reaction from him by now! But from the current looks of it, it doesn''t look like.'' Gordan squinted his eyes and looked at the divorce papers on the table which he had not signed. His phone suddenly rang. Gordan nced at it. It was a call from an unknown number. He answered, "Who''s this?" "Hi, is this Mr. Norton?" It was a woman''s voice on the other end of the call. She spoke softly and was polite. It did not sound like a thug. Gordan extinguished the cigar. "I am. Who''s this?" "I''m Misha, Ms. Vivian''s appointed divorcewyer," Misha introduced herself. She called up just to rify some issues. "What''s the issue?" Gordan knew her and knew she worked under Ray as a familywyer. Misha had helped Ray solve lots of issues regarding thew and was quite a capablewyer in her field. "Ms. Vivian has asked me to make a draft of the divorce agreement. I''ll be fully in charge of this divorce case, but it seems like you haven''t settled the divorce. I''d like to know about what''s going on," Misha said. Vivian has already signed the divorce papers a few days ago but Gordan had yet to take any action. Hence, they were puzzled. Chapter 2006 Misha''s speech angered Gordan. ''It was Vivian who suggested divorce, and now she''s sending a lawyer over to negotiate with me. What is she plotting at?'' "I can only talk about my requests with Vivian. Even though I''m in a hurry to divorce, I''ll not sign this agreement. Pass my word. If Vivian doesn''t take the initiative to talk to me, we''ll just drag this on forever. Anyway, I''m not in a hurry," Gordan said and hung up the call. He was not afraid that Vivian would regret it and refuse to divorce him. Currently, the divorce papers that had been signed were in his hand. If the worst situation were to ur, which was Vivian regretting it, he would just sign the papers and submit them. He would sell the vi after the divorce and transfer half the money to Vivian''s ount. That way, he would not owe her anything. Gordan had it all nned out, and he really was not in a hurry. He believed that Vivian would show up once Misha passed on his words. His mood changed, and he got up to go to the door. He pushed the door opened and bumped into the maid who was standing outside the door. "Sir." The maid did not expect him to suddenlye out. She lowered her head to hide her anxious expression. "Were you eavesdropping?" Gordan squinted his eyes and looked at the maid. She was someone Vivian sent over. In other words, she was a spy sent by Ray to be by his side. For all these years, that maid had reported tons of things to Ray. "No, sir. I was just standing here, wondering when would youe out so that I can order the kitchen to get dinner ready," the maid denied it. "You don''t have to exin. You''ve been getting so much information from me throughout all these years and have reported tons to Ray. You should know that I''m about to divorce Vivian now. Regardless of how this vi is going to be settled, Vivian will not want it. So, you may leave," Gordan said as he hated being under surveince. He had no choice in the past as Ray would always want to arrange people here so that he could be sure Vivian was not harmed. It was to ensure her safety. Vivian now wanted to divorce him, so naturally, these people would have to leave. After all, once the divorce papers were signed, he would not be rted to Ray. Those people would not have the right to keep an eye on him. "Are you firing me, sir?" The maid was surprised. After all, two days had passed. Gordon had never meant such words in the past. However, he was not hinting that he was about to fire her. "I''m not the one who hired you. Now, go back to your boss and be his ve. Aren''t you supposed to be following your master?" Gordan knew she had eavesdropped and was not mad. After all, the days of him being under surveince and being controlled would soon be over. "Sir, Ms. Vivian had previously said that she wants me to stay back to take care of your day-to-day," the maid said. The man, who was still in rage half an hour ago, had suddenly changed his expression. It was quite scary. "I said I don''t need you." Gordan got impatient. Both his eyes and tone were scary. "You''ve betrayed me so many times. Do you think I''m clueless about it? Are you sure you want to continue to stay here? Right now, I''m not rted to your boss. It''ll be as easy as squashing an ant to defeat you." The maid was terrified that she fumbled. She took two steps back as she was afraid she might get into trouble. "I-I''ll take my leave for now, sir." "Bring along those people and get lost." Gordan ced both his hands in his pockets and fired everyone in the vi. "Yes." The maid dared not defy him and immediately went downstairs. That man was not influential, but he was much scarier than most of the underworld organizations. Previously, she had the guts to eavesdrop and keep an eye on Gordan because Vivian was still around. Besides, it was a task assigned to her by Ray. Currently, Vivian was no longer in the vi. No one was going to cate Gordan''s fury when he was mad. No one could help the maids out. Leaving the ce was the right choice. Gordan looked at the maid who was making her escape. She brought along the chef, the gardener, and the driver. He smirked. ''Vivian suggested a divorce yet Ray still wants to keep an eye on me? What a joke!'' After an hour, everyone who left arrived at Ray''s vi. After listening to the maid''s report, Ray frowned. Gordan did not immediately fire them, and he had not submitted the divorce papers either. After hearing from Misha, he was suspecting whether or not Gordan was reluctant to be separated from Vivian. Perhaps he had not taken any action all this while because of his pride. However, Ray came to know that it was not because Gordan missed Vivian but because he was unhappy with the contents of the divorce agreement. ''He''s still not satisfied when Vivian has left the entire vi to him?'' Ray looked at the maid and asked, "What else did he say?" "Nothing. He asked us to leave," said the maid. Ray had asked her to eavesdrop on Gordan but she failed. The soundproofing of the bedroom was too good. If he did not speak loudly, no one could hear from the outside. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "I got it," Ray said. The maid was shocked to see Vivianing downstairs. "Why are you here?" "Ms. Vivian, I was chased out by Mr. Norton. Not just me, but the other maids and chef of the vi have been based out as well," said the maid. All the maids in the vi were sent by Ray. "Why did he do that?" Vivian looked at Ray. All these maids were cautious and had always served Gordan well. She wondered why he would suddenly chase everyone out. "Don''t bother about him. Since you guys have been chased out, you all should head over to the butler to handle registration procedures. He''ll arrange jobs for you guys," Ray said. Initially, their sries were given to them by deducting the money from Vivian''s bonus. Hence, it would be the same if they were handed over to the butler. Besides, their house was so huge. The addition of a few more maids would not seem like there were too many people. "Thanks, sir." The maid let out a breath of relief when she heard Ray was still willing to keep them. Vivian saw the maids backing off and started to feel sad when she thought of Gordan being left alone in the vi He was a proud man who would not enter the kitchen. He would not pick up any cleaning tools to do any cleaning either. ''Now that the maids have been chased out, what will happen to him?'' "Are you thinking about him?" Ray was able to figure out what was on her mind by just looking at her. "It''s impossible that I''m not thinking about him." Vivian smiled bitterly. Even though she had decided to leave Gordan, she still loved him. For the time being, she was unable to let go of the feelings. "He chose this, so don''t be sad. It''s not worth it." Ray took out a cigar but did not light it. He just toyed with it in his hand. Then, he looked at Vivian. "I got Misha to call him. He hasn''t signed the divorce papers." Vivian felt her heart skip a beat. She could not help but fantasize. ''He chased all the maids out too. Is he reluctant?'' "Do you want to know the reason behind it?" Ray said, puzzled when he realized she did not ask for the reason in the first instant. "Whether or not I want to know about it, the result is still the same, isn''t it? Anyway, it won''t be like what I think it is." Vivian knew the reason deep down in her heart. Chapter 2007 "He''s not satisfied with the contents of the divorce agreement. He wants to meet you." Ray passed on Misha''s words and did not hide them from Vivian. She was an adult and could make her own decisions. She should take responsibility for herself. "Not satisfied? Which part of it?" It was as if Vivian did not hear the other half of the statement and only enquired about the first half. "He''s not willing to tell Misha. He only said he wants to meet you," Ray said. "If there''s anything, just get Misha to do it. I don''t wish to meet him," Vivian blurted out. She would keep wanting to meet him if she met him again. She suppressed her yearning for Gordan. She could only let go of him if she did not meet him again. It was not easy making this decision, and she did not wish to be fazed because of this. "It''s good that you refuse to meet him, but you might not be able to divorce him like this," Ray reminded her. "He''s the one in a hurry to end this marriage, not me. If he wants more money, just get Misha to agree to him." Vivian thought Gordan was unsatisfied because of the division of the property. ''Well, fair enough. He''s been trapped beside me for so long. It''s only normal for Gordan to ask for compensation.'' Gordan frowned and looked at her. They were notcking money. Even if Vivian had no money, Ray could help her out. ''But is she really alright to go along with Gordan''s every request?'' These years, even though he was forced to stay by Vivian''s side, he did not suffer from any loss. Instead, it was Vivian who was paying the price for being stubborn back then. "Don''t behave like that. It''s my fault. Whatever he wants, just get Misha to agree to it. I don''t want to meet him. I''m afraid I''ll be reluctant to leave his side after that." Vivian smiled bitterly. She did not hide her feelings in front of Ray. Ray was her shelter. Hence, there was no need for her to keep it from him. "Then I shall talk to Misha," said Ray. He took charge of this issue because Vivian did not want to interfere with it. "Ray, thank you so much for all these years," Vivian expressed her gratitude. Throughout all these years, Ray had helped her solve lots of problems. There were some issues where she was obviously at fault due to her stubbornness, but Ray still stood by her side unconditionally. Despite it being her fault, he never med her because he was her younger brother. "You''re my elder sister. It''s only natural for me to protect you," Ray said. "I got an idea. After this issue is solved, I''d like to go on a vacation by myself. Can I?" Vivian asked. She wanted to go on a vacation to rx her mind and forget about Gordan as soon as possible. However, given her special identity, she would have to get Ray to agree if she wanted to go on a vacation. Besides, this time, she wanted to go by herself. She did not wish for a few bodyguards to stay around her. That would make her feel like she had no freedom. "Where do you wish to go?" Ray asked. "I''ve not thought about it for now. But it won''t be in Russia," Vivian said. She looked at the snow outside the window. She just wanted to go to another country, a country with no Gordan. "Sure, but I''ll have to hide your identity. The situation is a little special now, and I can''t have anyone kidnap you to threaten me. Hence, I can''t let anyone know you''ve left home," Ray said as he tried his best to satisfy Vivian''s wishes. "I got it. I''ll be low profile," Vivian said. At this crucial moment, even if she could not help Ray, she would not give him trouble. Their mother had said previously that no matter what happened in the future, both of them had to help each other and not harm one another. N?velDrama.Org owns this. She was grateful for Ray doing her a favor. "It''s gettingte. Go and get some rest," Ray said. "Oh right, I''ll go visit Luca tomorrow," Vivian said. She wanted to have Ray make arrangements. After all, leaving the house by herself would be risky. Hence, it would be better if Ray dispatched some men to follow her. She had betrayed the secret she promised Luca. Hence, she wanted to visit her. "Tomorrow? It''s not a convenient time to do so." Ray shook his head. "Luke and the group will be attending the bidding conference. It''s not appropriate if we go over to interrupt. Why don''t we decide on itter on after we learn the results of the bidding?" Even though he was confident in T Corporation winning the bid, there were just way too many competitors this time. Besides, it involved the entire world. It was not guaranteed that T Corporation would win. Hence, he had to keep an eye out. If T Corporation failed to win the bid, that was all the more reason for Ray and Vivian not to bother them. "The result will be out tomorrow? Alright then. You make the arrangements," said Vivian. She was clueless about business. These years, she had been well protected by Ray. Even though she did not have a princess-looking appearance, she lived a princess'' life. She need not worry about the family. For the past few years, her mind had been solely focused on Gordan. She had no idea of other things and only ever thought about ways to win the man''s heart. Vivian thought about it. ''How would I live in this world without Ray? I''m afraid I don''t even have the basic ability to earn money.'' After leaving Gordan, she started to think about it. She had done so many mistakes in the past few years, wasting her youth and time. She should not just rely on others. She had to think about her future. Otherwise, how would she continue living without all the support she had? Vivian had an idea. On the next day. Luca opened her eyes and looked at the time. She woke up much earlier than the day before. Perhaps, it was rted to her turning in much earlier the night before. Yesterday, after dinner, she just wiped herself and went to bed after taking her medication. The medication contained narcotics. Hence, she fell asleep very soon after shey on the bed. She had no recollection of what had happened outside. Luca got up and calcted the time. Eight hours had passed. She removed the bandage over her waist and looked at the wound. After treating it with Amphotericin B, resuturing it, and applying the medicine, the inmmation over her wound looked much better. The vague pain from yesterday was gone as well. Luca reapplied the medication, and after bandaging it, she took out the white suit from her luggage. On that day, she would be joining the bidding meeting. Even though she knew Luke was destined to lose, she still had to show up beside him with a proper appearance. She was unable to do what she did back when she was with Luke, which was to get through hardships together. However, she would still want to be by his side. After bathing and brushing her teeth, Luca walked to the kitchen and prepared breakfast. When Luke opened the door, he heard sounds from the kitchen. He frowned and was sure that the one in the kitchen was Luca. He maneuvered his wheelchair and came to the kitchen. Indeed, he saw Luca standing in the kitchen preparing breakfast. "What are you doing?" Luke asked. Luca turned around, and her hand was still holding the spat. She was frying eggs... "You''re awake, Mr. Crawford," she said slowly. Looking at Luke''s serious face made her sigh helplessly. She did not expect Luke to get up so early. "There''s still a wound on your waist. Why are you torturing yourself?" Luke frowned. If it were not for him sitting in the wheelchair, he would have brought her back to her bedroom. Chapter 2008 She was wounded, yet she was still preparing breakfast in the kitchen as if nothing had happened. It was no wonder no one noticed her injuries prior. He wondered what she had gone through in the past three years to be the tough woman that she was now. Her wound was inmed, but she was able to get out of bed and make breakfast after only one day of treatment. It was normal to assume that her wound was not a serious one based on how she acted. However, he had seen her wound the day prior. Although there were sutures, the doctor said that her wound ran deep and bone was exposed. "It''s just a minor injury. I feel better after a night''s rest," Luca turned around and said. That was the only way she could face his concerned tone. Luke noted her calmness. He could not do anything. The height of the table was beyond his reach. "Mr. Doyle will bring you breakfastter." He looked at her running around and felt helpless when he noticed that it did not seem like she intended to stop. He could not do anything to her anyway. "I''ll fry the eggs." Luca finished speaking and put the fried eggs on the te. She then poured more eggs into the pan. Seeing that she would not stop, Luke just sat in the wheelchair and watched her work. Luca felt a pair of eyes watching, so after she fried the eggs, she did not continue to prepare other dishes. After she put the eggs on the table, Luca remembered that there was milk in the refrigerator. She thought of getting some milk out to warm it up. Right as she stood up, Luke asked, "What are you doing?" It was clear from his tone that he was dissatisfied. She could only satisfy him by staying put. "I''m thinking of warming up some milk," Luca exined. "Where''s the milk?" Luke asked. "In the fridge." "I''ll go, you sit." Luke steered his wheelchair to the kitchen. Luca hurriedly followed behind him. "Mr. Crawford, the microwave is high up..." Luke could not reach it in his wheelchair. Luke''s expression was stern as he understood what she meant. He could still stand up. It would just take some tries. His injury came at the right time, and at the same time, it was not the right time. Luca was still faster than he was. She took the milk out of the refrigerator, poured it into a reheatable bowl, put it in the microwave, and set the time. Luke saw how she was moving and frowned. ¡®This woman doesn''t know how to cherish her body at all!'' The microwave made a ding, and Luca took out the warm milk. "Isn''t it hot?" Luke wanted to push her onto the bed just to keep her from moving around. "It''s not hot, it''s just warm." Luca walked out of the kitchen with the warm milk and put it on the dining table. Just as she put it down, the doorbell of the suite rang. "It should be Mr. Doyle." Luca was about to open the door when she heard Luke say, "Sit down. I''ll open the door." Luca had to stay in the chair. Luke controlled his wheelchair and went to open the door for Jason. "Boss, I bought breakfast," Jason said while carrying several bags with both hands. "Come in," Luke said. He seemed unhappy. Jason wondered what he did wrong and why Luke looked so grumpy. He walked in with the bags, freed his hand, closed the door, and followed behind the wheelchair. When he saw Luca, she was sitting on the chair beside the dining table. He greeted her with a wide smile, "Dr. Craw, good morning. Why didn''t you sleep for a little more?" "Jetg." Luca saw the bags in his hands, stood up, and wanted to take the bags in his hand when she heard Luke say, "You''re injured. Can''t you be more self-conscious?" The atmosphere was awkward. Luca nced at Jason, then at Luke. She took a deep breath and sat down. Luke kept looking at her. It seemed like he was reminding her that she had to be obedient and stay put. Jason looked at the milk and fried eggs on the table. He immediately understood that the gloomy expression on his boss'' face was because of Luca. He was injured and did not usually cook. He definitely was not the one who fried up these beautiful eggs. It was Luca. Luca was injured but was still cooking. Luke must be upset because of how much he adored her. After she returned, she was not as obedient and weak as before. Luke was in a bad mood but did not throw his temper. After all, she was his beloved woman. He was unwilling to lose his temper and scare her off. "What are you doing standing there?" Luke was even more upset when he noticed that Jason was standing there motionlessly and staring at them. ¡®How dare he stand there and stare at us like we''re a joke?'' Jason immediately stepped forward and put all the bags on the table. "These were bought from a nearby restaurant. There are some croissants, as well as some other pastries and juices. The taste might not be particrly good, but these are our only options. " Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Luca watched him open the bags one by one and said, "Looks good." The three of them ate breakfast quietly. Luca''s appetite was much better than yesterday. Luke''s expression softened a little when he saw that she was eating the same as usual. They still had time after breakfast. Luke looked at Jason and asked, "Have you prepared the trantion software that I asked you tost night?" "Boss, I''ve already found the best trantion software and signed up to be a member. There should be no problem," Jason said. He had even turned on a Russian drama and used the trantion software to cross-check with the subtitles. "This meeting can''t go wrong," Luke said. He and Jason both represented thepany. They had to maintain the good image of T Corporation whether the bid was sessful or not. "Understood. I won''t bring shame to thepany!" Jason said. Luca looked at them, confused. "Why do you need trantion software?" She was Luke''s assistant for this meeting, and Jason was the deputy. It did not matter if he did not know Russian. After all, Luke was fluent, so there was no need for any trantion software. Jason looked at Luke. ¡®Didn''t he tell her anything?'' Luke''s tone was indifferent. He picked up the juice and paused. He then picked up Luca''s warm milk. "Today, you''ll be staying in the hotel to rest." "Mr. Crawford!" Luca was a little anxious when she heard what he said. "Is it because of my wound? I can prepare breakfast and walk around without any problem. It''s just a meeting. I can handle it." "Your injury is serious!" Luke reminded her. ¡®You don''t need to be strong in front of me. You just need to be protected.'' "I''m aware of my injury. I just forgot to bring the medicine that helps with inmmation." Luca believed that the injury would not affect her. She just wanted to be by his side at his lowest moment. "Based on what you said, your injury happened a while ago. Why hasn''t it healed, then?" Luke took the opportunity to ask her. Luca did not expect him to ask this. He seemed concerned about the condition of her wound, but in fact, he wanted to know how she got injured. Chapter 2009 "I won''t let you take the risk without a reasonable exnation," Luke said. Herplexion was doing much better, so he believed that she could participate in the meeting. Jason was caught between them. He did not dare to breathe loudly for fear of being screamed at by either one of them. Luca took a deep breath and quickly thought of a reason that could exin everything. "I was caught up with work and didn''t pay much attention to the wound. It was infected with a type of fungus, but this fungus isn''t ordinary. It took me some time to figure out what it was. I wrote a prescription for myself but forgot to bring it to Russia." She did not take medicine in time, which caused the wound to be inmed. "What caused your wound?" Luke asked. If she gave him a reason, whatever it was, he would agree to let her attend the meeting. He estimated that the meeting would not take too long as it was only an announcement of the results. "I was robbed when I went to Amur''s house. I resisted and got stabbed twice," Luca said. Luke''s expression was ashen. He did not believe her reason. It was only possible that the person hurt Luca when she was unguarded. The person who could hurt her when she was unprepared must be someone familiar to her. He could be sure that the person who hurt her was not Amur. Regardless, she had given him an exnation. Moreover, he couldunch an investigation in this direction. "Pack up and let''s get ready to go," Luke said. Luca breathed a sigh of relief. She was d that he agreed. "Mr. Crawford, I''ll go back to the room to get ready." She stood up, nced at Luke, and walked back to her room. Jason nced at the time, it was almost time. He deliberately wore casual clothes to buy breakfast to prevent his clothes from smelling like breakfast. He was still wearing casual clothes and had to change into a suit. "Boss, I need to change as well," he said. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "Clear the table and go," Luke said as he maneuvered the wheelchair back to his room. Jason looked at the two closed doors and sighed. He felt unlucky. Luca was injured, so he had to run errands now. It did not matter to him. He had to eat, after all. However, when it came to cleaning... The hotel had cleaning staff, so these tes could be left untouched. The ce would likely be cleaned thoroughly after they got back from the meeting. Unfortunately, his boss was obsessed with cleanliness. The longer the leftovers were kept on the table, the stronger the smell would be in the suite. As such, the mess had to be cleaned immediately. Jason looked at the bag on the table and shook his head. ''Things would be different if these weren''t takeaways.'' If Luca had cooked the food, it would be fine even if it stank and rotted on the table because his boss favored Luca. Jason tossed the packaging into the trash before he left. In the room. Luca changed into the suit she prepared beforehand. It was a slim fit but did not emphasize the gauze wrapped around her waist too much. She had always been petite, so even if she was wrapped in gauze and wearing such slim-fitting clothes, she did not appear plump. She put on makeup. After she put on makeup, she tied her hair up and walked out of the room holding her coat andptop. Luke was already waiting for her in the living room. He saw that she was dressed up and in high spirits. He said to her, "Be careful when you walk. Don''t tear the wound." "I know, Mr. Crawford." Luca''s heart warmed. Luke touched on a lot of serious topics that day, and his tone was not the best. Nevertheless, she knew that he cared about her. She would be lying if she said she was not touched. Luca and Luke walked out of the suite in tandem. Luke insisted that she should not push the wheelchair since she was wounded. Luca looked at theptop on hisp and asked, "Mr. Crawford, why don''t I hold yourptop?" When she said that, Luke stopped. He looked at theptop in her hand and said, "Give me your laptop." Luca understood what he meant. She quickly shook her head. "No, this is not heavy. I can take it." Luke''s mood sank. ''She''s holding several pounds. How could she say that it''s not heavy?'' He was just sitting in a wheelchair and would be able to walk sooner orter. ''What does she think of me?'' "If you don''t want to, go back and rest." Luke gave her two options. It was either she give him the laptop and continue to follow him to the meeting or go back to the suite with theptop to rest. Luca did not think much of it. She carefully ced theptop on hisp and said, "Is this okay?" "It''s my calf, not my thigh that''s injured." Luke reminded her of where he got injured. He thought it was not enough, so he said, "Also, I''m not disabled." Luca pouted. She did not mean that. She just thought that this man did not need to take everything as his responsibility. It was not just about theptop but also in regards to other aspects... The two arrived at the hotel lobby where Jason was already waiting. Seeing that there were twoptops stacked on Luke''sp, Jason hurriedly walked forward and took the twoptops. Now, he had threeptops and a thick briefcase weighing more than ten kilograms in his hands. Luca felt bad but from their previous conversation, she did not dare to offer help. More than ten kilograms was not a problem for Jason. After all, his two precious daughters were more than ten kilograms. He could still hold one in his left hand and another in his right hand and spin circles with them in his arms. "Boss, Dr. Craw, the car is waiting outside," Jason said. "Let''s go." Luke looked grim. He controlled the wheelchair himself as Jason had threeptops in his hands. Luca looked at them. Of the three, she had it easiest. Luke insisted that she did not do anything, including pushing the wheelchair. After the three of them got into the car, Luke read the news on his phone. The local news in Russia was also talking about the meeting. He had long heard that the Russian government attached great importance to this bid. Jason ced the threeptops down carefully. He then cradled his briefcase in his arms. The threeptops were expensive, but for Luke, the files in the briefcase were the most important. They were not worth much but they were useful to Luke. The driver was from the hotel. Even though it was snowing heavily, he still drove steadily. After they arrived at M Group, he parked the car and said to them in broken English, "Mr. Crawford, I wish you well and hope that you win the tender." Chapter 2010 "Thank you," Luke thanked him politely. Jason and the driver helped Luke out of the car and into his wheelchair. Luca got out of the car as well. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. The three walked into the lobby of M Group together and bumped into Pierre. "Hey, Mr. Crawford." Pierre grinned happily when he saw Luke. The hotel he booked was different from Luke''s, so he had not seen him for the past few days. He was slightly upset that he could not find fault with Luke. Although he had been a having good time in Russia thest few days, he had not seen Luke. He could only think about how depressed Luke would look after the meeting. He wanted to mess with him. "Second Young Master," Luke called out to him to remind him that no matter how capable he was, he was second in line in the Mallory family. The heir of Mallory''s had long been designated as Percy, who was the eldest son, by Old Master Mallory. Pierre''s mood darkened immediately. He understood the reason for the change in addressment. Luke was reminding him that he was not as good as Percy just because he was born a few yearster! "Luke, do you think all is well since you''re the eldest son of the Crawford family and Old Master Crawford personally appointed you to manage T Corporation?" Pierre stopped smiling and put on a gloomy expression. "Have you ever thought that after this meeting, your younger brother, Louis, will be appointed to rece you?" After this tender, Luke would have caused T Corporation to suffer losses one incident after another. If someone secretly instigated the shareholders, maybe the group would have to change management. At that time, Pierre would just sit and watch the show. "It''s possible. It might happen to Louis, but not you," Luke said. Louis only did what he was interested in. He would not be interested in taking over T Corporation. Therefore, Louis and Pierre were heirs of their respective families. However, the two werepletely different. Pierre would only rely on dishonorable means to get the attention of Old Master Mallory. He did not care about the life or death of the Mallory family members. He only cared about protecting his interests. He waspletely different from Louis. "Of course, Louis isn''t me. If I were Louis, I''d just hit the wall and kill myself," Pierre said with a stern expression to show his disdain for Louis. Louis was different from him as Pierre and Percy shared the same parents. Percy was a few years older than him, so he had the advantage. Moreover, the elders of the Mallory family did not want to see the brothers fighting, so he had been doing things without Percy''s knowledge for the past few years. On the surface, they had a good rtionship. It was not that he did not want to fight but that he could not fight Percy. However, Louis was different. He was Luke''s half-brother, and his mother was his father''s original wife. Even though he was a little younger than Luke, he still had an advantage. He was first in line. Luke was nothing but a son who had to hide in the dark. On top of that, Susan had umted connections within the Crawford family over the years. Louis had no intention of fighting, so he gave Luke the inheritance and let him manage T Corporation. Meanwhile, he ran a small studio by himself. Pierre thought that Louis had wasted his chance and looked down on him. "Louis is disdainful of what you did before, but you''re lucky to have Old Master Mallory behind you. Otherwise, you wouldn''t be standing here right now," Luke said. Although Old Master Mallory was angry at what Pierre did, he could not just watch his grandson get locked up. If this was the case, the Mallory family would lose their reputation. As such, Old Master Mallory scolded Pierre but still helped him sort out the mess behind his back. Otherwise, he would not be able to stand in front of Luke so arrogantly. "What nonsense are you talking about?!" Pierre''s expression darkened. He was in a bad mood when he thought about the criticism he had received in thest few weeks. "I''ve looked into what you did. Pierre, continue with what you''re doing. Let''s see how much Old Master Mallory can handle for you." Luke gave Jason a look when he finished talking. Jason understood him and pushed Luke toward the elevator. Pierre watched them leave and could not help but say, "Luke, let''s see how long you can act proud. Investigate me? We''ll see if you have time to investigate me after today! Maybe you might even have to ask me to do you a favor!" Luca frowned. Pierre''s choice of words was strange. After the past two incidents, he seemed very certain that Luke would not win the bid. ''Could it be that he knows I''ve stolen the proposal? If this is the case, he must be up to something.'' Pierre was such a vicious person. He would use it as ckmail material and threaten her. After all, she had hurt him before. Someone revengeful like him would not let her go so easily if he found something. However, he just seemed sure that Luke would not win the bid and did nothing else. Luca followed Luke into the elevator and nced at Pierre before the doors closed. He was still ring at Luke. When the two confronted each other, Pierre''s expression was not calm. He had lost his demeanor, while Luke... She lowered her head and nced at him secretly. He looked normal, unaffected by what Pierre said. Maybe she was overthinking and Pierre was just blindly confident, thinking that T Corporation would not win the bid. Luke nced at the elevator doors and said in a neutral tone, "The 31st floor." Jason heard him and pressed the relevant button. "Mr. Crawford, it''s on the 23rd floor," Luca reminded him. The receptionist at the entrance of M Group had mentioned that the bidding meeting was being held on the 23rd floor. "I have something that I need to attend to. I''m looking for the CEO of M Group," Luke said. The elevator arrived at the 23rd floor but continued its journey up. Luca was deep in thought. ¡®Does he have a backup n since he''s looking for the CEO of M Group? If so, is there still a chance that he would win the bid?'' When she was thinking about it, the elevator reached the 31st floor and the elevator doors slowly opened. The receptionist standing outside the elevator doors immediately stopped them when they intended to walk out. "Are you here to participate in the bidding meeting? The meeting is held on the 23rd floor. This is the 31st floor. You''re on the wrong floor," the receptionist said. "Hello, I''m Jason from T Corporation. This is the CEO of our group, Mr. Crawford. We have something to discuss with your president, Mr. Marcos." Jason was polite. "Mr. Crawford, I''m sorry. Our CEO has told us that he won''t meet with anyone from any organizations before the meeting to ensure the fairness and impartiality of the process." "Can you amodate us? We''re not here for the meeting. We''re here for..." Jason tried to set something up. Chapter 2011 The receptionist shook his head to interrupt Jason and politely turned him down with a smile, "I''m sorry, this is what the CEO ordered." Jason looked at Luke helplessly. He did not expect someone to stop them. "The briefcase," Luke said. Jason immediately handed the briefcase to Luke. Luke took out a file from the briefcase and handed it to the receptionist. "Can you hand this document to your CEO?" "What is this?" the receptionist asked. "Documents not rted to this tender. However, these documents are important to him," Luke said. The receptionist hesitated. If there was money or something else in the file, he would be criticized if he handed it to the CEO. The CEO had been furious since he knew that some departments were secretly changing the bidding requirements. He postponed the meeting, scolded the relevant personnel, and imposed administrative penalties. Some people even lost their jobs. He dared not take the risk. "This is a document rted to your CEO. I''ll only hand it over this time," Luke added. If what Luke said were true, the receptionist might lose his job if he turned down the document. "Wait here. I''ll deliver the file to the boss." The receptionist agreed, took the file, and walked to the CEO''s office. "Boss, are you sure the CEO of M Group will agree to see you?" Jason returned to standing behind Luke. "Definitely," Luke said. Luca listened to the conversation between the two and did not say anything. ¡®Why does Luke want to meet the CEO of M Group? Is it because of the bidding?'' Based on what the receptionist said, the CEO of M Group seemed to attach great importance to this bid. He was insistent on upholding fairness and justice. Still, Luke insisted on seeing him. That was not how he usually did things. Luca was even more curious about the file he had handed to the receptionist. After a while, the receptionist who had just left returned and said respectfully, "Mr. Crawford, Mr. Marcos saw the document and said he wants to meet you. Pleasee with me." "Wait for me here," Luke said and maneuvered his wheelchair. The receptionist walked behind him and said, "I''ll push you." Luca watched Luke and the receptionist left. She became even more curious as to what information was in the file. She did not ask because maybe Jason did not know either. "Dr. Craw, are you tired?" Jason asked out of the blue. "I''m not tired." Luca shook her head. She had great strength to begin with. She was wearing t shoes today, so she was not tired even after standing for a long time. "Okay." Jason nodded and asked, "Do you know what''s in the document that Boss handed over?" "I don''t know. Do you know?" Luca was a little curious. ''Hasn''t Jason been carrying the briefcase the entire time? Won''t he know what the document is about?'' "I don''t. Although the file has been by my side, I never dared to open it since the boss didn''t say anything," Jason said. He thought it was hopeless for them to meet the CEO of M Group, but unexpectedly, the CEO wanted to meet with Luke after Luke handed the file over. It seemed that the document in the file, as Luke said, was important to the other party. As Luke''s special assistant, the most important thing was to protect the boss'' privacy. Jason would never explore the secrets that Luke did not want to be known. Jason did a great job. Otherwise, Luke would not have kept him around for so long. In the office of M Group''s CEO. The receptionist pushed Luke in. "Boss, Mr. Crawford from T Corporation is here." "I see. You can leave now." Marcos stood up and walked to Luke. He knew a little about each bidder, so he was aware that Luke had gotten into an ident. As such, he was not at all surprised when he saw him in a wheelchair. He bent down and held out his hand politely. "Hello, Mr. Crawford." "Hello." Luke held out his hand and shook it politely. Marcos had prepared coffee. He invited Luke to the table and said, "Mr. Crawford, coffee for you." "Thanks for the hospitality." Luke took a polite sip and put down the coffee. He looked at the man across from him and waited for him to speak. Marcos nced at the time. It was almost time for the meeting, so he skipped the small talk and went straight into it. "Mr. Crawford, I don''t have much time, so I''ll get straight to the point. How did you get that document?" "A friend gave it to me," Luke said. "Why did he give you the document?" Marcos continued to ask. That document was important to him because it was about his family. However, he also wondered why such an important file was given to Luke and not directly to him. If that person wanted something for it, it would make more sense for them to talk to him directly since they could find out this information. What Luke gave, he could give. "This information is useless to him, but he thinks it''d be useful to me," Luke said while he rubbed the briefcase with his fingers. "What do you want?" Marcos asked directly. "Mr. Marcos, don''t worry. I have another file that you need." Luke took out another file from the briefcase. The document Ray gave him was very thick. He deliberately divided it into two stacks to see if Marcos would agree to meet him. If he chose not to see him, this other document would never fall into his hands. The one given previously contained only half of the information. "This is the other half?" Marcos frowned. When he just looked at the document, he felt that although the document was useful, it was not perfect. The one Luke was giving him now must be the perfect missing piece and the information he needed. "Yes, this one is also for you," Luke said. Marcos took it without hesitation because he desperately needed this document. It was rted to the history of his family. He wanted to be the head of the family. This document would be of great help to him. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Marcos'' family wasplicated. It was not easy for him to be the CEO of M Group. If he did not be the patriarch as soon as possible, his CEO title might be removed at any time. "I won''t take your documents for free. Do you want to win this bid?" Marcos thought that Luke was giving him the documents in exchange for the winning bid. "No," Luke shook his head. His answer surprised Marcos. "Then what do you want?" "What I want is very simple. When the meeting starts, please make the proposals of all the bidders public," Luke said. He exchanged such important information with Marcos to find out who was ckmailing Luca. Chapter 2012 Marcos, who was used to making deals, was stunned by what Luke said. He asked, "That''s it?" "Yeah, that''s it," Luke affirmed. "I don''t need to let you win the bid?" Marcos was still in shock. ¡®He doesn''t care about the bidding but wants to see other people''s bids?'' "No, I''m very confident in mypany''s proposal," Luke said firmly. Marcos was even more puzzled. Since he was confident, why would Luke want him to disclose all the bidders'' proposals? "Since you''re so confident and you''re asking for the proposals to be made public, are you worried that the result will not be fair and just? You can rest assured that I''m keeping watch myself. It''ll be judged ording to the various proposals as well as the strength of eachpany.¡± "You''re known for being fair and impartial in the industry. To be honest, I asked you to do this not for fear of unjust results but for my personal affairs," Luke said vaguely. "Your personal affairs?" Marcos was even more surprised that such a good exchange was concerning Luke''s personal affairs. ''Luke''s an interesting man.'' He did not think for long before he agreed. "No problem. I''ll arrange for it." "It''s a pleasure to work with you." Luke knew he would agree. After all, he would not lose anything by making the proposals public. "I can say the same." Marcos put away the documents, nced at the time, and reminded him, "Mr. Crawford, the meeting is about to start. I want to avoid unnecessary gossip and trouble. You should go to the conference room first." "Okay." Luke took control of the wheelchair and left Marcos'' office. Luca and Jason were still standing at the elevator doors waiting for him. When they saw Luke approaching, Jason hurriedly went behind him and pushed the wheelchair. "Boss, all is well?" Jason asked. "It''s settled. Let''s go downstairs to the conference room." Luke nced at Luca and did not talk much. Based on his neutral tone, Luca was unsure what he talked to Marcos about and how it went. The three of them arrived at the 23rd floor and walked into the conference room. Almost all the bidders from all over the world had arrived. Jason pushed Luke to find the seat for T Corporation. He put the chair aside. Luke took the space assigned to T Corporation on his wheelchair. Their location was rtively front. Luke took a look around. The seats were positioned ording to the size of theirpanies. Luca and Jason sat in the assistants'' seats respectively. They turned on theputer and prepared the rted equipment before getting ready. Everypany was the same. If theirpany won the contract, they would record this glorious moment. Pierre, who was sitting in the back. He was upset when he saw Lukee inte and sit in the front seat. ''Why does T Corporation get to sit so front? The otherpanies are all multinational groups. Who does Luke think he is to sit with them?'' Pierre sat sloppily and ignored people from thepany next to him who wanted to strike up a conversation. He stared at Luke''s back. He was unhappy, jealous, and puzzled. Luke went up before he did but arrived at the conference room earlier than Luke. He was wondering where Luke went. Pierre was startled thinking of how confident Luke sounded previously. ''Does he have connections within M Group?'' ''If he has connections... I have the same bid as Luke. Although I submitted earlier, T Corporation can fake the time of submission..'' Pierre clenched his fists tightly. Mr. Peralta sat beside him, not daring to breathe too loud. Pierre''s bodynguage was telling him that he was fuming. It was better that he kept quiet. Five minutester, Marcos walked in with his assistant. After the assistant made a simple speech, he said, "In this bidding, M Group will mainly focus on the contents of the proposal paired with the strength of eachpany. We''ll choose the most suitable partner on the grounds of fairness and justice.¡± Everyone in the audience did not speak. They were allpanies with certain strengths and had gone through meetings as such many times. Even so, just as the results were about to be announced, nervous expressions were still seen across the room. It was a big project, after all. Luca adjusted the equipment, noticed everyone''s expressions, and nced at Luke quietly. His expression was calmer than everyone else''s. It was as if the result of this bidding had nothing to do with him. Luca felt that this was not an expression of victory but pure indifference. Marcos looked at everyone, then nced at Luke before he said, "Before the results are announced, I''ve decided to show everyone the bids that were submitted to us to be fair." After that, everyone looked at each other and wondered about the process. M Group had never mentioned anything about this prior... Without waiting for everyone to ask questions, the proposals were disyed on the projection screen. Marcos had told his assistant before the meeting, so she calmly disyed the bidding prices and drawings from the variouspanies. Luca could not calm down. ''Are they going to show all the proposals?!'' She did not know how Abel had used the documents she stole for him. Perhaps he shared the information with otherpanies, or he might have sold the file. That way, thepany that bought it could directly modify thepany information and then use it, or refer to it to revise their proposal. If it was the former, when everyone saw two simr proposals, that was it for her Luke would suspect her and maybe even find out that she stole the tender. Luca twitched her fingers uneasily, lowered her head, and asionally raised her head to look at the screen because she was worried that it would really happen. Pierre''s face turned pale when T Corporation''s proposal was presented. He took a look at the drawing and found that it was different from the design that Abel sold him. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. He resisted the urge to stand up to see it clearly. He continued to look at T Corporation''s proposal. It was just a few pages. He knew that this proposal waspletely different from the one he got. The documents he got were done well, but the proposal currently disyed was undeniably better. He had been fooled by Abel. That proposal was not from T Corporation at all! Mr. Peralta also noticed that T Corporation''s bid was different from the one they revised. With so many years of work experience under his belt, he knew that T Corporation''s proposal was much better than the one they submitted. Chapter 2013 Whether it was the content of the bid or the capability of thepany, they were on the losing end... They had not only lost, but they also failed to embarrass T Corporation in public as Pierre wished. When T Corporation''s proposal was disyed, there were a lot ofpliments. Luke kept looking at the screen and did not react. He was waiting for the proposal that Luca took. Marcos'' assistant continued to show the proposals. Marcos sat on the chair and looked at everyone with a smile. However, what he was most curious about was Luke''s expression. The meeting went on, and manypanies took the opportunity to learn from theirpetitors. After all, there was only one person who could win the bid, but it was rare to have an opportunity to look at the proposals of others. They could pinpoint the strengths of eachpany. Anyway, there would be more opportunities to compete in the future. Luca was stunned when she saw T Corporation¡¯s proposal. It was not the one she stole. The trantion seemed to be different from the contents disyed on the screen. Luca frowned. The design was kept secret, so she did not touch it when she was tranting the documents. However, she had seen the design draft when she was taking photos. She was an architectural design major, so she was very sensitive to designs. She could remember them at a nce. The design in front of her waspletely different from the one she stole! ¡®Could it be that Luke knew that I was going to steal the bidding document, so he prepared another one in advance just to pull me in?¡¯ Luca felt more and more uneasy. She saw Luke''s calm profile. Mostpanies would not bother to disy all the proposals, but Marcos suddenly decided to do so. ¡®Could it be that Luke went in to exchange terms with Marcos not to qualify but to show every proposal in front of everyone...¡¯ Luca''s mind was nk. She looked at the contents of this unfamiliar tender and thought that the document she tranted waspletely different. Maybe Luke felt something was wrong, so when they redid the proposal, they kept things from her... Luca lowered her gaze. Maybe after this meeting was over, she had to leave Luke''s side. She did not think that they would only reunite for such a short time. He said he liked her, but she had not expressed her feelings. She thought it was a good thing that she had not said anything. Maybe Luke was just lying to her. If Abel knew that the n had failed, he would make her go back to the Ind of Despair. At that time, she would be useless to him. She would go back to the Ind of Despair to be ab rat or a tool toplete a task. Luca was not afraid of the future. She was just heartbroken that she was about to leave Luke. She regretted that she had once again failed to say goodbye to the children. However, she was also thankful that Luke was not fooled... Luca looked at Luke''s side profile sadly. She felt tears welling up in her eyes and immediately raised her head, trying to hold back her tears. ¡®Luke, I''m sorry...'' Luca murmured in her heart. She did not even bother to look at the proposals of otherpanies. There were more and more proposals on disy. Luke had not seen the extra one he prepared with Jason. ''Will it not appear?'' His expression turned serious. Luca noticed the change in his expression. She felt more and more anxious. Sure enough, he was looking for the tender. It did not matter whether that bidding document was used or not. Luke would not be embarrassed if he did not win the bid. However, if the contents of the document were the same, she had no way to exin it! This continued until the proposal for Pierre''spany was shown. Luke frowned. This was the extra tender he and Jason prepared. Luca was responsible for the trantion of this tender. It was the copy she took... It was in Pierre''s hands! How was it possible?! Luke rationalized it and thought that it was impossible that Luca was being controlled by Pierre. Three years ago, his rtionship with Pierre was okay. He had no reason to kidnap Luca. Besides, although he was ruthless, Pierre was not able to plot against him. Therefore, the fact that this bid was in the hands of Pierre did not prove that he was the one controlling Luca. What happened three years ago should have nothing to do with him. It may be that the person who was controlling Luca had sold the bid to Pierre. Luke was running through all the possibilities in his mind and thought that it was the most feasible exnation. It was no secret that Pierre wanted topete with him. That person deliberately sold the bidding document to Pierre so that he wouldpete with T Corporation. He could collect money and watch the drama unfold. If the proposal was real, he could also hit T Corporation hard. However, the person who controlled Luca and Pierre must have never imagined that the fake proposal was the game he set for them. Luca looked at the screen in despair when she noticed that Luke''s expression had changed once again. That was the tender she stole! It was Pierre! N?velDrama.Org owns this. Abel sold the bid to Pierre, then Pierre modified the relevant information. He used it to join the bid! The contents had not been changed. Luke must know this. After all, this was his game. Luca knew that Pierre had pushed her to a dead end... Pierre watched the bidding document he had paid arge sum of money for being disyed. He resisted the urge to stand up and leave. ¡®Luke must be acting all smug. He must''ve guessed that someone was eyeing his bidding document, so he wasted some time and energy preparing a fake document.'' He was a formidable opponent. He was so powerful that Pierre never imagined that he would lose like this. Although others did not know anything, he had been left with no dignity and no chance of winning against Luke... He still could beat Luke by taking alternative methods... ''Why can he rely on the Crawford family and stand in A City like he owns the ce? Why is he, Percy, and Jim Holston always in the center of attention?! Why is my name not with them?!'' This time, he lostpletely and even lost a lot of money! He must get his money back from Abel! All the proposals were shown, and Marcos knew from Luke''s expression that he had found what he was looking for. Their deal wasplete. Luke may have lost a little bit in this transaction. However, he proposed it. In front of everyone, Marcos took out the results in the envelope and announced to everyone that the winningpany was Luke Crawford''s T Corporation! When Luca heard the results, her mind went nk. Chapter 2014 This was great news, but Luca was not happy. After this meeting, she had to face Luke. She did not know how to exin herself. ''Should I escape?'' The only way that Luca thought that she could avoid having to exin anything was to escape. After the results were announced, the meeting was over. There was a lot ofmotion around, but all she could only hear were words of congrattions. Luke should be very happy. He always had his eye on this project. Since this project was in hand now, it meant that T Corporation would expand to the Russian market. At the same time, this project would cover the loss of Dr. Albus'' project so that T Corporation could survive the crisis. The shareholders would not make a scene. Luca sat there and looked at Luke, who was greeted with envious nces from variouspanies. At that moment, he was the most attention-grabbing person in the venue. It was indeed a good day, but it was unfortunate that she would also have to leave Luke''s side. In the past three years, she endured all the hardships and training that broke the limits of her human body. The thought of N kept her holding on, along with Luke and their other children. Luca knew that Abel trained her to get revenge on Luke. She kept training not to help Abel but to have a chance to meet Luke. She was happy if she could even sneak a nce. After they met, she was still deeply in love and unwilling to part once more. A few months were not enough for her. However, that did not matter. "Boss, congrattions!" Jason took the lead in congratting Luke. Luke had won this project and solved the immediate problem. "You''ve worked hard," Luke said. He was very satisfied with the result. At the same time, what made him feel even more satisfied was not getting the project but knowing that the fake bid was in the hands of Pierre. He was not sure that he would find it. After all, the person behind Luca needed the bidding document perhaps because they wanted to know the reserve price of T Corporation. Unexpectedly, the proposal was bought by Pierre. Not only did he not modify the main content, but he also copied it word for word and sent it in. That was why Luke recognized it immediately. ''Interesting...'' Luke looked at Luca and said softly, "You''ve worked hard too." Luca stared at Luke, the serious expression he had just now had disappeared. He was calm as usual. There was a smile on the corner of his mouth that represented his mood at the moment. He did not look angry. "Mr. Crawford, congrattions." She felt that her voice was hoarse. It took several seconds for her to utter these words. Luca congratted him for getting the project. She also congratted herself for failing the mission. Although she failed and had to leave, it was okay. At least she did not end up hurting Luke. Lucaforted herself. Luke saw her expression. She was smiling, but she seemed like she was about to break into tears. He knew what was going on and said, "Everyone has contributed to this. We''ll go back to the hotelter and celebrate!" "Okay." Luca thought of leaving when they were done celebrating. It was thest time she would be with him. After the meeting, Marcos'' assistant went over and aligned with Luke''s schedule so they could sign the contract. The signing of the contract would not bepleted so soon. M Group had to prepare the contract, and thewyers from T Corporation had toe over to discuss the terms together. Therefore, the first meeting was set to be in three days. Pierre nced at Luke, snorted coldly, and left the venue. Luke gave Jason a look. Jason nodded and left the venue as well. He did not leave to follow Pierre. Instead, he took the opportunity to inform Gale to investigate and follow Pierre. No one expected the proposal to end up in Pierre''s hands. After Percy''s issue was sorted, Luke withdrew those who were investigating Pierre. However, it was time to continue investigating Pierre now. Jason called Gale. After he conveyed Luke''s order, he returned to the venue. Luke was discussing with Marcos'' assistant. Jason walked over and asked, "Boss, are you sure it''ll be in three days?" "Yeah." Luke nodded and said, "Pack up and let''s go back to the hotel." "Okay, Boss." Jason breathed a sigh of relief. He packed hisptop and rted equipment, preparing to leave. Luke looked at Luca, who was in a trance. He reminded her, "We''re heading back to the hotel." "Okay, Mr. Crawford." Luca followed behind them. On the other hand. Pierre left the venue and sat in the car when Mr. Peralta got in. When the door closed, Mr. Peralta made a noise, so Percy red and roared at him, "Can''t you be quieter?" "Sorry, Boss!" Mr. Peralta shivered. He buckled his seat belt carefully, then whispered to the driver to send them back to the hotel. Pierre was in a bad mood. Nevertheless, he was relieved when he saw T Corporation''s bidding document. The two proposals were different, so he did not need to be held ountable. Mr. Peralta looked at Pierre''s expression through the rearview mirror. He looked angry like he was about to kill someone. He could not afford to say anything, so he would not provoke Pierre. Pierre took out his phone. He was pissed that he was lied to by Abel! He had spent the money but lost his dignity and the project! He called Abel, but a woman picked up instead. "Who is it?" "I''m looking for Abel," Pierre said. Hera Sanchez was stunned and said, "Why did you call me to look for him?" Pierre frowned. Abel had used this number to contact him prior. He saved it and made a note, so it should not be wrong. "Where''s Abel? He used this number to contact me before." "Contact you? Who are you?" Hera recalled that Abel had used her phone some time ago. She had no problem lending him her phone. "I''m his friend. Where is he now?" Pierre knew through her response that she knew Abel. "Friend? Since you''re his friend, why don''t you know where he is?" Hera understood who Abel hung around having been in contact with him for so many years. She did not give the information easily since he had given her a lot of money. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. What was more, Abel''s whereabouts were beyond her knowledge. "Don''t waste my time. You won''t have a happy ending if you piss me off!" Pierre thought that she was deliberately hiding Abel. Hera was a little scared by his gloomy tone. She was just a woman, and there was no one around to protect her. Abel was not around at this critical moment. "I didn''t mean it. I''m in that kind of a rtionship with Abel. I don''t know where he is now!" Hera bit her lip and said. Chapter 2015 "What kind of rtionship?" Pierre was so angry that he was no longer rational. He lost a lot of money, and the unexpected results made him lose his mind. He could not vent at Luke, so he had to find Abel. Hera rolled her eyes and wondered if Pierre was stupid or acted with intention! "It''s the kind of rtionship where he woulde to me asionally and give me pocket money." She did not make things too clear because she wanted to save her dignity. At the same time, she did not want to show that she was close with Abel. After all, he had so many enemies. She did not want to get in trouble. Pierre understood and sneered. He saw Hera as an escort who was willing to do anything as long as there was money involved. "What are youughing at?" Hera was annoyed. Hisughter was full of contempt. How dare he think of her as an escort? "You''re such an arrogant escort. What''s wrong with meughing at you?" Pierre said grimly. He thought of her as a woman who could be bought with money. There were a lot of women as such. "You!" Hera was so angry. She was thinking about how to fight back when she heard him say, "I''ll make you an offer for you to help me find Abel." N?velDrama.Org owns this. "You''re delusional!" Hera yelled into the phone. She turned him down without thinking about it. "20,000." Pierre offered her in a cold tone. Hera was stunned. He went straight to 20,000 for the first offer. He seemed to be rich, but she could not find Abel even if she wanted to. "I can''t find him." "400,000," Pierre continued. He had spent so much on the proposal, so he did not care about money now. He just wanted to find Abel and teach him a lesson! Hera was tempted by the jump. This was were 400,000 on the line if she could find him... "You''re looking for Abel? I can try, but I may not be able to find him. I need a deposit. The deposit will not be refunded if I can''t find him." Hera shifted her eyes, her mind spinning fast. She might not be able to find Abel, so she added a condition. "How much is the deposit?" Pierre asked impatiently. "Just 20 percent. If I find him, you can pay the remaining 80 percent." Hera did not hide how greedy she was. "I can give it to you," Pierre said. "However, if you''re not serious about helping me find him, just you wait." He knew her phone number and could locate her in minutes if he returned to A City. Hence, he was fine about making a deposit. If she did not give it a proper go, he could still find someone to make her pay. Hera listened to his sinister tone, and her brain that was focused on the money suddenly sobered up. Those who knew Abel were nothing but ordinary. What was more, the man on the other end of the phone had offered 400,000 dors and was willing to pay a deposit of 80,000 dors... He knew her phone number, and all numbers were verified by real names. This man should have the ability to find her... Hera regretted her decision. Nevertheless, Pierre did not give her a chance to regret it. He asked, "Give me your ount number." Hera took a deep breath, told him her ount number, and asked, "Aren''t you afraid that I''m lying to you?" "I''m not afraid." Pierre snorted coldly. "No one has ever dared to lie to me. Except for Abel, others who''ve lied to me are no longer in this world. You know what will happen to you if you lie to me, right?" Hera''s lips trembled with fright at his words. She could not say anything for some time. After a while, Pierre said, "I''ve already transferred the money. Help me find Abel." As soon as he finished speaking, Hera heard the notification that the money had been transferred. She had thought about getting one of the bags that caught her eye after she received the deposit, but she lost the mood to do so now. All she wanted was to find Abel as soon as possible. "I know. Goodbye." She hurriedly hung up the phone and looked at the deposit that had just arrived in her ount. She wanted to cry, but she could not. ... The other side. Luke left M Group after a long discussion. In the car, Luke was on his phone the entire time, updating the employees of T Corporation. There was still a lot to do after they won the project. Luca listened to Luke''s call with Mr. Zac. She lowered her gaze and said nothing. After they left M Group, Luke did not mention the tender at all. She felt uneasier now. Luke was not a kind person. He would never be merciful toward those who had betrayed him. Luca knew that she may face his interrogation and revenge. However, she did not resent him... Luke was managing the signing through the phone. He was not finished with it when he got out of the car at the hotel. Jason was carrying hisptop and equipment while pushing his wheelchair. Luca did not think about helping. She was absent-minded. They were back in the suite, and she did not say a word. She went straight to her room and closed the door. Jason put down hisptop and equipment. He turned around and looked at Luke. It was apparent that he was concerned about Luca''s situation even though he was discussing work with his employees. After he was done with the discussion with Mr. Zac, Luke went to his bedroom and said to Jason, "Come in." "Yes, Boss." Jason followed Luke into the room. Jason breathed a sigh of relief when he closed the door. He could not hold back any longer. "Boss, I''ve asked Gale to follow Pierre. Maybe we can find something." "Pierre took the proposal thinking it was the real bidding document from T Corporation. He didn''t expect that it was just a game I designed. He''ll definitely settle the score with the person who sold him the proposal. We can find whoever is controlling Luca if we keep a close eye on Pierre," Luke said. Whoever it was, Luke would soon find out. He was surprised that Pierre paid for the fake proposal. However, since it was Pierre, it was even better. He did not expect Pierre to not prepare anything and directly use the proposal word for word to attack T Corporation. Pierre had made it easy for him to find whoever was behind it. Moreover, Pierre would certainly take his revenge. Once he found that the bid he submitted was different from the bid submitted by T Corporation, he would never let it go. Therefore, it was easier for Luke to find the person behind this farce since they were connected to Pierre. "Boss, what about Dr. Craw? When she saw our proposal, she was absent-minded. She probably thinks we noticed something long ago." Jason asked Luke how they should proceed with things. "I''ve already nned it. When we return to A City, we''ll put the n into motion," Luke said. He had already nned everything out when he found out that Luca took the proposal. "Okay, Boss." Jason felt relieved when he saw that Luke was ready. Chapter 2016 "During this time, I''ll have Rain help monitor Luca." Luke was not worried about anything else. He was just worried that Luca would disappear. As such, he had arranged for Rain to watch over Luca. If she disappeared because of this, he was not sure where to find her. "Okay." Jason did not worry when he saw that Luke nned everything out. Luca had been hiding in the room and did note out. She looked at the gorgeous decorations. The emotions that filled her heart were guilt, helplessness, and sadness about their uing separation. In the evening, Luke knocked on her door and asked, "Are you in there?" When she heard his voice, Luca got up from the sofa slowly and went to open the door for him. "Mr. Crawford, is everything okay?" she asked. Luke raised his head slightly. He found that her expression was normal, and her eyes were not red. In three years, she had grown a lot. A woman who used to cry out of frustration when faced with difficulties could now face everything calmly. She could even face him calmly. If he could, Luke wanted to tell her that she did not have to act so tough. However, he could not tell her what was on his mind. "You seemed off since you came back from M Group. What''s wrong?" Luke''s words startled Luca. ¡®Didn''t he long ago notice that something was wrong?'' That tender was ced in the safe to trap her. No one has been on the second floor of the vi, and the maid was trustworthy. He would surely suspect her since she was the only one with ess. "No, I''m just tired." Luca could not figure out what was going on with Luke. She got more suspicious but had to pretend that nothing happened. Luke frowned. He was worried about the injury on her waist. "Is your injury doing alright?" "It''s just a little tiring since we got up early and ran around all morning." Luca shook her head. She could not use the wound as an excuse because he would definitely send her to the hospital if he found out. Although he had not expressed his love for her recently, Luca was not a heartless person. She knew that he cared about her. "How do you feel now?" Luke asked. When Ray found out that he had won the M Group project, he invited them to his ce for dinner to celebrate. "I just need some rest. Mr. Crawford, what do you need me to do?" Luca looked at him. "Put on something thicker and go out with me," Luke said. He did not tell her that they were going to Ray''s house. ¡®Go out? Where are we going?'' Although Luca was apprehensive, she nodded because she believed that even if she did not know where they were going, he would not use the same means against the fake Bianca on her. If he wanted to deal with her, he would have done it when they were in the car. He did not have to wait. "Okay." Luca suppressed the unease in her heart, nodded in agreement, and went out with him. After she changed, Luca opened the door. At that moment, Jason was standing in the living room of the suite. When he saw here out, he smiled and said, "Dr. Craw, I heard from the boss that you''re a little tired. Are you feeling better now?" "I''m doing much better. Thank you for your concern." Luca nodded. She noticed the joy in Jason''s expression. That was fair. The employees of T Corporation had been busy for several months and finally got the project. With this, T Corporation''s crisis was sessfully eliminated. "That''s good." As soon as Jason finished speaking, Luke opened his door. He had already changed into a more casual outfit. He was nothing like his serious self in the corporate world. There was a more refined softness to him now. Luca lowered her gaze. The more she looked at him, the more reluctant she felt. "Let''s go." Luke looked at Luca and noticed that she did not dare to look at him. He felt helpless. "Boss, I''ll push you," Jason said quickly. Luca did not speak and followed the two of them out of the hotel. They got into the car. She noticed that the car they got in was not the car arranged by the hotel in the morning. The car that picked them up was much more luxurious. The curtains on the car were closed, so she could not see where she was going and what road they were taking. Luca closed her eyes. She was fine no matter where the man was about to take her. She betrayed him and deserved to be punished. She should not be nervous about what was toe. Although she knew Luke would not hurt her, she thought that it would be a good thing if Luke could personally take her life. Even if she could never see her kids, including N, the pain of being alive could at least disappear. Luke did not speak since she kept quiet. He continued to deal with T Corporation-rted matters in the car. Although the acquisition of the project had stabilized the hearts of T Corporation''s investors and shareholders, he had never stopped working on acquiring T Corporation''s scattered shares. He had a lot of matters involving T Corporation and Dr. Albus to deal with. Luke looked away from the screen and nced at Luca, who was dozing off. The atmosphere in the car was silent. Jason, who was in the front passenger seat, nced behind him and found that the curtain was drawn. They werepletely isted. The two people behind were not saying a word. It was so quiet that it seemed like no one was sitting behind. Since his boss did not speak to Dr. Craw, Jason could not say anything either. He picked up his phone and started chatting with Sue. It has been a few days since he came to Russia. He missed Sue and his two precious daughters. The car drove for a while. The driver said to Luke, "Mr. Crawford, we''re already here. You can get down now." Luca opened her eyes. Although she had closed her eyes just now, she could feel the speed of the car and estimate how far the car had traveled through the driving time. She nced at the time. Based on the distance, they were not in the suburbs. She opened the car door, looked at the luxurious vi in front of her, and looked back at Luke, who was also looking at her... Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Their eyes met, and Luca immediately turned her gaze away. She got out of the car and closed the door. She had been here before. They were at Ray''s home. It was not so much a vi but more so an ancient castle. After all, this vi had existed here for more than a hundred years and was owned by generations of their family. It had be one of the localndmarks. Luke got out of the car with the help of Jason and the driver. The driver exined, "Sorry, Mr. Crawford. I''m supposed to drive you to the house, but the driveway is currently under maintenance, so you can only make the way over. As soon as you go through that section, there''ll be a car to pick you up." "It''s fine," Luke said. The entrance of the vi was slowly pushed open by a maid. Luca followed behind Luke, and they walked in together. It was a gorgeous European-style garden, but it was winter now. After the flowers in the garden were trimmed, they entered a dormant state. The thick snow was pressing on the tree branches. Chapter 2017 This scene, although depressing, was also beautiful. Luke noticed that she had been looking at the garden and suddenly remembered that she, like Queenie, was interested in gardens and such. She would surely like such an ancient European-style garden. "Do you like the style?" Luke asked. Luca was stunned when she heard his question. She nced at the others, and none of them seemed inclined to answer him. Luke was looking at her. He was asking her. "This style is very rare. It''s gorgeous. It should be beautiful in spring," Luca did not answer him straight andmented objectively. A lot of space was needed to create such a garden. Ordinary vis had limited garden areas, so it was usually difficult to create such a style. One could only see this style of gardens in ancient castles. Although the leaves of the nts in the garden had fallen off, Luca could still recognize some of the nts. They would grow and bloom more beautifully after vernalization. "Miss, you''re right. These nts will indeed bloom beautifully when springes," the maid on the side said. Luke did not say anything else. He thought that there were very fewnds with such arge area in the country. What was more, the currentnd division was very clear. He needed arge piece ofnd to create the garden that Luca liked. He was thinking about whichnd in A City was suitable. The few of them walked through the garden path. After they passed the section that was under repair, the maid took them to the main road, where there were already sightseeing cars waiting. Luca sighed in her heart. They were in a castle, not a vi... Thest time she came, she hade in with a car. She did not know there were special sightseeing cars here. "Everyone, it''s cold. Please get in the sightseeing car," the maid said as he opened the door of the sightseeing car. The three got onto the sightseeing car and arrived at the main house. Luca got out of the car and looked at Ray and Vivian, who were waiting at the door. She was slightly surprised. Vivian was back. Luca originally thought that Vivian would be alone in the hotel for a while to calm down before she came back. Vivian looked at her, saw the surprise in her eyes, and knew that Ray had not lied. It was not Luca who told Ray that she was in Ostin Hotel. "Luke, congrattions." Ray stepped forward, reached out his hand, and sincerely congratted Luke. Regarding this project, several friends around him had expressed their interest to participate. However, they eventually lost to T Corporation. The project was highly profitable, and thepetition was strong. It mainly consisted of multinational groups. Ray was surprised and happy that Luke was able to get this project. Hence, he immediately offered to celebrate with him. Luke did not refuse, so Ray sent someone to pick them up. "Thank you." Luke shook his hand politely and looked at Vivian. Sure enough, Ray had brought her home. "Miss Vivian, good afternoon." "Brother Luke, good afternoon." Vivian unconsciously greeted him how she used to. She was stunned as soon as she finished speaking. He called Luke ''Brother'' because Gordan used to call him that. She just went along with it. However, as she was separated from Gordan now, she should not refer to Luke as ''Brother''. Vivian realized this and smiled awkwardly. "Mr. Crawford, I''m sorry." "It''s just a title. I''m good friends with Ray. You and Ray are a little younger than me. It''s alright if you call me ''Brother''." Luke did not mind. He had heard about what happened. Ray told him most of it. Although Vivian had an ugly face and was different from other women, her sincerity to Gordan was much more than what most of the women around Gordan could offer him. It was a pity that Gordan did not want her sincerity. The two could not get together in the end. He did not make any judgments since both sides were his friends. He did not intend to intervene in how either party would deal with the matter. Vivian did not expect Luke to say these words and shyly said, "Brother, Luca, Mr. Doyle,e in. It''s cold outside." Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. They walked into the vi while being led by Ray and Vivian. Luca looked at the decorations inside. The ce did not look like this in the past. However, it was normal since it had been a few years. "Please take a seat," Ray said. Luke sat in his wheelchair, while the others sat on the Nordic-style leather sofa. The maids brought a range of drinks and food. They were all snacks. Ray said, "The main course is still being prepared. I know that you''re not very interested in Russian food, so I invited a chef to prepare Western food for you. This meal is to celebrate T Corporation winning the project." "Thank you." Luke picked up the teacup. Ray knew that he could not drink alcohol due to his leg injury. He prepared tea for Luke instead. "Thank you, Mr. Ray," Luca and Jason said. The five of them toasted and clinked sses. Ray and Luke talked about the situation in Russia. Ray had a lot of gossips to share about the project. Luca listened absently. Vivian saw that she was not very interested in the topic, so she said, "Luca, do you want to do a house tour?" Luca nced at Luke and nodded. "Okay." "Let''s go." Vivian smiled and put down the teacup. Luca also put down the teacup. When she stood up, Luke said softly, "Don''t get too tired." His admonitions were naturally intimate. He spoke to her like a lover. "Okay," Luca replied in a soft voice and left with Vivian. Vivian took her for a house tour. Considering the wound on her waist, she took her to the private theater after walking around for a while. "Do you want to sit down for a while?" Luca did not feel tired, but since Vivian mentioned it, she nodded and said, "Okay." The two sat on afortable sofa. "Is this vi more than 100 years old?" Luca asked. "Yeah. After this year, it''ll have a history of 112 years. This is the address of my family home. Several generations have lived here." Vivian sighed. She used to think that she would live here forever. It wasrge and contained a lot of family history. She loved the history of this ce. If it were not for Gordan, she would never have been willing to move out of this ce. "It has a long history," Luca said. Although every spot had been repaired, it seemed that the years had left a lot of traces here. "This theater used to be Ray and I''s toy room. After we grew up, Ray knew that I liked watching movies, so he transformed it into a theater. I couldn''t tell him no, so I could only ept it. It''s a pity. After all, before the transformation, it was a ce full of memories," Vivian said. Chapter 2018 Luca stared at the gleam in Vivian''s eyes. She knew Vivian was just reminiscing about the past to conceal her sorrows. Luca felt more deeply when she was able to understand how Vivian felt. She could not bear to leave Luke too, but she had to face the cruel reality. What could she do even if she was reluctant to leave him? ¡°It would be enough as long as the memories are kept in our minds," Luca said in a soft, gentle voice, comforting Vivian and herself. It was enough for Luca that she once used to live happily together with Luke. Vivian gazed at Luca. What Luca said was right, and there was no way she could refute it. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. "Luca..." Vivian could feel that the woman in front of her had been through a lot. Her sigh was filled with true feelings. However, she was almost the same age as her ... "Saying goodbye to someone means a new beginning in your life. Be happy." Luca added as she looked at the huge screen and the high-end sound system. Luca knew it would be great to watch a movie here. "You''re right." Vivian nodded. She still could not get Gordan out of her mind now, but it was indeed a new beginning in her life. Vivian looked at Luca''s pretty face and recalled what she had promised her back then. She was forced to tell Ray about their promise to save Luca. It was a good chance for her to apologize now. "Luca, I''m sorry." Vivian looked down and apologized. Luca frowned and looked at her. She asked, "What''s wrong?" "It''s about the time you asked me to look for Amphotericin B. I promised to keep it a secret. After Ray told me that you were sent to the hospital due to a wound inmmation and finding out that you were in a critical condition, I told Ray about what you''re looking for. Then, Ray informed Brother Luke. I''m sorry, I didn''t keep my promise," exined Vivian. She sounded sincere and wanted Luca''s forgiveness. "I don''t me you," replied Luca. Speaking of this, Luca would like to thank Vivian for telling him. If it had not been for her, Luca had no idea how long the hospital would take to figure out what was responsible for causing the wound infection. After all, other antibiotics did not work on her except for Amphotericin B. "You don''t me me?" Vivian thought Luca would get angry as Luca looked like the kind of woman who was cold, strong, and capable instead of an understanding woman. Vivian lifted her head and looked at the woman in front of her. Luca was not putting on a show. It seemed like she had forgiven her. ¡°If it weren''t for you, I''d probably still be lying in the hospital.¡± Luca smiled bitterly. ¡°No, you wouldn''t. Ray had already contacted other doctors in a different hospital. They''re the best doctors in Russia. You''d still be fine even if I hadn''t told them about it,¡± said Vivian. Luca shook her head. Even the best doctors would need time to study and analyze the issue with her. The high fever might have caused brain damage by the time they figured out what medicine they should use. Once the inmmation caused a high fever, normal antipyretics could not help to reduce the fever. Luca shook her head without exining. Vivian knew there were certain things that Luca was reluctant to say, so she stopped asking questions. That was when the maid pushed the door open and walked into the private theater. She said respectfully, ¡°Ms. Vivian, Ms. Craw, dinner is ready. Please make your way to the dining room." Luca stood up. Vivian suddenly held her hand and said, ¡°Come on, let me lead you there." ¡°Alright." Luca left the private theater together with Vivian and went to the dining room. Luke and the others were already sitting at the dining table. Luca and Vivian walked to the dining table and saw numerous dishes of fine Western cuisine. It was clear that Ray valued his friendship with Luke a lot. There were only a few people having dinner. Even if Ray was celebrating Luke''s sess, there was no need to prepare so much. However, Ray did just that. There were a variety of foods cooked in different methods. Luca nced at the dishes. There were a few dishes alike but prepared using different ingredients and techniques. She reckoned that the chef prepared more variety for them as he did not know their preferences. ¡°Sorry we''rete," Vivian apologized to everyone sitting at the dining table before she sat down on her chair. Then, she showed Luca to her seat. Ray looked at them with surprise. When did Vivian and Luca be so close? Previously, Vivian was still speaking up for Bianca andining that she could not understand why Luke would bring Luca along with him. However, Vivian seemed to be fond of Luca now. "Let''s eat." Ray, as the host, ordered his maids. Then, everyone was served a bowl of warm soup. ¡°Luke, the chef prepared all these. He''s from your country. Have a taste.¡± It was rare to see Ray talking so much. "Thank you for the dinner." Luke nced at Luca. The dishes seemed fine. Luca should be able to eat them. "I''m d that you like it." Ray smiled. Then, he gave the maids a meaningful nce. The maids left without disturbing them so that they could have their dinner. There were hardly any conversations going on at the dining table. Luca and Luke followed table etiquette and did not talk when they were eating. It was only when they finished their dinner that Vivian asked, "Ray, did the kitchen prepare any desserts?" ¡°Yes. And there''s your favorite cake," Ray nodded and replied. Luca looked at Ray. She could see how much Ray pampered Vivian from his simple words. Although Ray was the younger brother and Vivian was the younger sister, the way they got along was more like an elder brother and his younger brother. It reminded Luca of Lanie, Rainie, and Tommy. She hoped that the two brothers would protect Rainie just like how Ray protected Vivian. ¡°That''s great.¡± Vivian nodded and turned around to look at Luca. "Luca, you must try the ck forest mousse cake made by the chef. It''s so good. I''ve been eating it for several days now." "Sure." Luca nodded. Vivian added, "You won''t get sick of it. In fact, you''ll get addicted to it." The maids served the desserts once Vivian said that. Ray watched one of the maids ce a portion of ck forest mousse in front of him. He said, "Give it to Ms. Vivian." "Alright, Young Master Ray." The maid ced the cakes in front of Luca and Vivian. The maid then said, "Young Master Ray, the weather forecast just said that there''ll be a snowstorm an hourter. Do we have to tidy up the guest rooms for the guests to stay the night?" Driving at night during a snowstorm was very dangerous. That was why the maid reminded him. They could prepare the guest rooms in advance if the guests were to stay here overnight. "Snowstorm?" Ray frowned. Vivian put down her fork and frowned too. "It''s too dangerous for them to drive back in a snowstorm. Brother Luke, Luca, Mr. Doyle, why don''t you stay here for the night? You can wait until it isn''t snowing too heavily and after they''ve cleaned up the snow on the street." Luke turned to look at Luca. It did not matter to him as he had already gotten M Group''s project. There was no urgent matter at hand that required him to return to the hotel tonight. Chapter 2019 However, would Luca want to return to the hotel? The person who was manipting Luca behind her would have heard about the news that T Corporation had gotten the project sessfully. That person would still go after T Corporation and him. Therefore, they should have something up his sleeve. Luke thought that Luca would still be the one to implement that person''s next move. That was why Luca was not allowed to be out of his sight. Ray noticed that Luke''s gaze was on Luca. He turned to look at her and said, "It''s dangerous to drive in a snowstorm. No subway route can bring you back to the hotel either. Why don''t you spend the night here?" Luca put down her cutleries, lifted her head, and noticed that Luke and the others were looking at her. They were waiting for her reply... ¡°Mr. Crawford, I''ll leave the decision up to you," Luca said in a soft voice, telling them that she was fine with the arrangement. Luke nodded. It seemed like Luca had not received any orders. Luke turned to look at Ray and said, "We''ll have to spend the night here, then. I''m sorry for bothering you." Vivian replied immediately, "Brother Luke, what are you saying? You''re not bothering us at all. I''ll ask the maids to get three rooms ready for the three of you." At night. Luca sat on the sofa in the room, staring at the heavy snow outside the window with a depressed expression on her face. The weather forecast was right. It was snowing heavily. If it snowed all night, the snow would be as high as their knee the next day when they woke up. Vivian went to tidy up the guest rooms after dinner. Luca was not in the mood to join the other activities. She found an excuse and told them that she was tired so she could hide in the room. She sat there for almost an hour. Luca only wanted to be alone now without thinking about Luke and Abel''s matter. Her phone suddenly rang. Luca was startled. She slightly jumped and looked at her phone that was left aside. The screen lit up, and a string of numbers was calling her. There was no way she could escape what ought toe. Luca let out a sigh. She answered the call after it rang five times. "Are you pulling my leg?" Abel''s sinister voice came from the other end of the line. Luca could imagine the ferocious look on his face even though she could not see him. She knew exactly why he called without asking him. He came to ask about T Corporation''s matters. "I didn''t." Luca sounded calm. She was not in a hurry to exin herself. "The bidding document T Corporation submitted is different from the one you gave me. Now, Luke won the bid with another bidding document and got the project. Ivana, tell me, were you fooling me?" Abel refused to believe what she said. Abel was not concerned about the bidding results in the first ce. After all, he assumed that Luke would lose the right to get the project. However, things were out of his expectation. T Corporation was awarded the contract! Abel was stunned when he saw the news on M Group''s official website. He realized he had been yed by Luca. "The bidding document I gave to you was the one I stole from the safe box. Besides, I participated in the trantion of the bidding document. The contents are the same as the contents of the document I gave you. I didn''t know he prepared two bidding documents to set me up." Luca looked down. She was secretly praising Luke for doing a great job. Luke had won this silent battle impressively. Abel''s voice was full of disbelief as he asked, "Do you think I''ll believe your nonsense?" "I wouldn''t do anything to betray you for N''s sake." Luca took a deep breath. It would be difficult for him to believe her right now. However, she had no choice but to make him believe it. Abel was reminded of her daughter. N was indeed in his hands. Luca would not dare to do anything to him. "Are you serious? You''re not in cahoots with Luke?" "I''m not capable enough to finish a bidding document alone." Luca took a deep breath and thought of Luke. He forged a fake bidding document and prepared a real bidding document... How capable he was to be able to work on two bidding documents for the same project at the same time. Luca could not help but feel impressed. Luke was the only one who could do this. Besides, she had no idea when he started preparing two bidding documents. The other employees must not have known about it either. Otherwise, how could the news not have spread? No secret could be kept forever. Hence, Luke probably teamed up with just a few people toplete the real bidding document. Luca did not know how many people were in on this, but she knew there were only a few of them. Abel pondered, and he thought Luca''s words could be trusted. Luca was not capable enough to prepare a fake bidding document alone, and the contents of the bidding document looked decent. "I''ll look into this. If I find out that you''ve lied to me, you know the consequences." Abel warned her coldly. "How are you going to investigate this matter?" Luca had a bad feeling. "Hah, you''re curious? This isn''t something you''re supposed to know." Abel did not intend to tell her. Luca was not the only one he had ced in T Corporation. Still, she was an important pawn and tool. That was why Abel would ask Luca to do certain things. Luca seemed to know how Abel was going to investigate this, and she fell silent. "You said Luke set you up on purpose. Has your identity been exposed, then?" Abel continued to ask when Luca did not say anything. Abel did not want Luca''s identity to be exposed that quickly. He had yet to finish taking revenge on Luke. "I''m not sure." Luca stood up and drew the curtains. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "What do you mean by you''re not sure? Luca, get back here immediately if you''ve failed your mission. If you''re thinking that you might have a chance to run away, your daughter will be the unlucky one," Abel reminded. Luca clenched her fists. She never wanted to talk much in the first ce, but she had no choice and continued, "It''s unlikely for me to be talking to you now if my identity was exposed. That''s why I''m not sure about it." It was true that she was fooled by the fake bidding document Luke prepared. Also, it was true that Luke had no intentions of dealing with her. Luke was probably still talking to Ray in the living room. He showed no sign of trying to pry information from her or lock her up. Abel understood what she meant. It was still uncertain if Luca''s identity was exposed. Abel could always ask her to return to the Ind Of Despair. After all, she was in Russia now. The power of the Ind Of Despair had already prated Russia. He could bring her back anytime he wanted. However, what if her identity was not exposed? Keeping Luca close to Luke, plotting against him anytime he wanted, and forcing her toy a trap out for him was quite an interesting thing to do. What Abel wanted to see the most was Luke getting defeated by Luca. He would have seeded this time if it had not been for the fake bidding document. Abel pondered for a moment and decided to continue observing Luke. "Continue to stay beside Luke. Don''t let him find out your true identity. You know what to do if you''re exposed." "I got it," Luca replied coldly. She would have to inform him to pick her up and return to the Ind of Despair if her true identity was found out. "Don''t think of ying tricks with me. Your baby girl is in my hands." Abel hung up the call after warning her. There came the busy tone from the other end of the line. Luca broke down emotionally, covering her eyes with her hands. Her strong mind would always get crushed by Abel''s threats. Chapter 2020 Luca had never given up the thought of saving her daughter all along. However, it was only now that she realized that there was no way she could do this alone. She could not depend on her strength. There was no way she could fight against Abel alone. Every word and every move she made was made known to Abel. Luca needed support from others so that she could fight him. However, who could support her? Luca knew she could only do this alone. There was no one else... Knock, knock. someone was knocking on the door. Luca lifted her head in grievance and suppressed the urge to cry. Only then did she ask, "Who is it?" ¡°Luca, it''s me, Vivian.¡± Vivian''s voice came from outside the door. Luca sniffed and walked to the door. She opened the door and said, ¡°Vivian, what''s the matter?¡± Vivian was carrying a set of clothes in her hands. She gave Luca a shy smile and exined, ¡°I thought you might need these, so I came to give them to you. They''re all new. Don''t worry.¡± Luca took the clothes Vivian handed to her. It was a set of warm pajamas. "Thank you. Sorry to bother you tonight.¡± Luca thanked her. "Don''t mention it. You''re our honorable guest. This is just something I should be doing,¡± Vivian smiled and said. Then, she noticed that something was wrong with Luca''s expression. Her eyes were red and puffy, so she asked, "Luca, were you crying?¡± "No." Luca shook her head, pretending as if nothing had happened. She had been pretending to be strong in front of others for a long time. It was an easy task for her. "But your eyes are red. You can tell me if you feel upset. I promise I won''t tell anyone about it.¡± Vivian thought Luca was worried that she would reveal her secret, so she gave Luca her word again. It was because she had no other choice that she told Ray about Luca''s matter thest time. "It''s true. I feel so happy today. T Corporation got the project, and everyone''s efforts paid off. Why would I cry on such a happy day? If I''m going to cry, it''d be tears of happiness,¡± Luca said a lot to make Vivian believe in her. "Really?¡± Vivian looked at Luca with her blue eyes. "Yes.¡± Luca continued to exin when Vivian refused to believe her, "My eyes are red because I''m feeling sleepy and my eyes are dry.¡± ¡°I see. Well, I should leave. Goodnight." Vivian thought she was disturbing Luca and felt embarrassed. Luca shook her head. She did not intend to continue to exin to Vivian even though she had misunderstood her. "I''m leaving first. Oh, if there''s anything you need, just pick up the phone receiver at your bedside and press one. The maids who are on duty will pick up the call. And the guards on duty will answer the call if you press two." Vivian turned around and left after that. Luca closed the door and looked at the pajamas she was holding. She pondered for a moment and changed into the pajamas. Then, shey down on the bed. She would still have to stay in this vi even if her thoughts were all over her mind. Moreover, Luke would not be making any moves. Hence, she did not have to specte what Luke was going to do. She closed her eyes and nned to take a nap. Luca had to force herself to rest for a while no matter what. She was stressed out all day long, and she needed to rest. In the vi''s living room. Luke and Ray were discussing something Vivian walked toward them. Ray asked, "Have you finished making the arrangements?" "Yes. I''ve already handed the pajamas to Mr. Doyle and Luca. Brother Luke, I asked the maid to leave a set of new pajamas for you on the sofa in your room. You can change into thatter," said Vivian. Luke looked up, and Luca came across his mind. He asked, "How''s Luca doing?" "Luca? She looks tired. And her eyes were slightly red. She told me that she was sleepy. I didn''t say anything much. I just gave her the pajamas and left," answered Vivian. Her eyes were red? Luca must be distraught, thinking of what he would do next. However, they were still aboard, so they could not work things out now. That was why she kept on worrying. Vivian noticed that Luke remained silent, so she asked, "Brother Luke, the maid has prepared supper. Would you like to have some?" Luke shook his head and replied, "No, thank you." "Alright then. I''m going to bed. The two of you can continue talking." Vivian smiled, then she stood up and left. Luke watched Vivian leave from behind. He asked, "Has Gordan proceeded with the formalities?" Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "No." Ray''s expression turned gloomy when Luke mentioned Ray. "I don''t know what he''s up to. The lawyer said he''d like to talk to Vivian." "You don''t want Vivian to have anything to do with Gordan again," said Luke. It was not a question but an affirmative sentence. Ray nodded and replied, "It wasn''t easy for her to make such a decision. Since she''s leaving, then I''ll have to make sure that she draws a line between her and Gordan." Ray only did that to protect Vivian''s safety. Who would possibly know what Gordan was up to? Gordon hated ugly women. Even so, he was still the one who approached Vivian first. No matter how Vivian devoted herself to him and treated him kindly, Gordon never failed to show that he detested her. However, when Vivian asked for a divorce, Gordan did not agree with it immediately. Instead, he was now trying to get the chance to discuss it with Vivian. Was Gordan not satisfied enough even when Vivian asked for nothing in return? Could it be that he wanted them topensate him for the past few years of moral damage? In this rtionship, Gordon was forced to stay beside Vivian. He was definitely at a disadvantage. Even so, Vivian had also spent her youth and spirit on this rtionship. Had she not made sacrifices too? That was why Ray would not allow Vivian to meet Gordan and talk about it no matter what. It was to stop him from hurting her again. ¡°Previously, you had to go to great lengths to make him agree to the marriage. Now, Vivian is willing to leave unconditionally, but he''s dying things. Tell me, what is Gordan up to?" Ray asked. Luke shook his head and replied, "I''m not sure about that." Luke only helped Gordan thest time because he owed him a favor. Otherwise, judging from Luke''s personality, he would not have interfered in such things. After all, he had nothing to do with this. This time, Gordon did not say anything, so Luke could not be bothered about it. "I don''t ask for anything else. I just hope that Gordan will get divorced as soon as possible. Vivian told me that she''d like to travel abroad to move on from this and live a fulfilling life." Ray toyed with the cigar. His good-looking face was stiff and stern because of Vivian''s affair. Ray thought of keeping Vivian beside him. Since he had a strong background, he could support her. He could do anything he wanted. However, Vivian seemed to be slightly different from before after what had happened between her and Gordan. She was looking for something different. She wanted to enrich her life instead of staying here and being protected by her family. Ray knew he could not change her mind, so he began to help with the arrangements. "Where is she going?" Luke asked. "Your country," Ray told him about Vivian''s choice. Chapter 2021 ¡°Just tell me if you need anything," said Luke. He thought that the reason why Vivian chose the Capital was mostly because of Gordan. Although she had made up her mind to leave Gordan, she still missed him in her heart. "Alright. I''ll not hesitate to ask for help if I need it." Ray nodded. Vivian was the one who could decide where she would be going. He could not interfere. Ray had friends all around the world, after all. Even if Vivian wanted to travel to some state in Africa, he would still be able to make arrangements for her. However, he did not encourage Vivian to head to countries that weregging behind other countries as she would suffer there. That was why Ray agreed right away when Vivian chose to head to Luke''s country, and he had already begun to make arrangements. Ray nced at the time. It waste. Luke was his guest, so he should not be taking up his time to chat with him. Hence, Ray said, "It''ste. Let me ask the maid to bring you back to your room." Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "Sure." Luke did not reject him. He knew Vivian had arranged different rooms for each of them. He would like to return to his room as soon as possible to see what Luca was doing. The maid pushed Luke''s wheelchair and sent him back to his room. Luke asked the maid to leave as he did not need her to serve him. The maid turned around and left. Luke had asked where Jason''s and Luca''s rooms were. Jason''s room was opposite his room, and his room was right beside Luca''s. Luke maneuvered the wheelchair closer to the wall. There was no sound from the other side. Perhaps the soundproofing was too good, or Luca was already in bed. Luke could not hear a thing. Luke picked up his phone and sent a voice message to Gale, "They don''t have to keep an eye on her tonight. Let them rest earlier." Gale had arranged for his men to keep an eye on Luca to prevent her from disappearing all of a sudden. Thus, there were still people following them even when Luca was just beside Luke. However, they were currently in Ray''s vi. The security here was good, and Luca was unfamiliar with the environment here. Even if she wanted to leave in the middle of the night, it was unlikely that she could leave without alerting the security guards. Luke looked at the pajamas Vivian left on the sofa. It was a brand new set of pajamas. He quietly changed into pajamas without showering this time. He had showered at the hotel before he came here. That was why he did not feel ufortable even if he did not shower here. Luke held onto the armrest of the wheelchair and stood up slowly. Hended steadily on the floor with just one leg. Then, he slowly turned around and sat at the bedside. He had be familiar with doing this while experiencing the inconveniences of his injury after the car ident. Lukey down on the bed and tucked himself in. His ears were still listening to the movements in the next room. However, he did not hear anything until he fell asleep. Luca did not sleep well. She felt something was wrong in the middle of the night. Luca opened her eyes and looked around her in the dark. She sat up on the bed with beads of sweat on her forehead. Due to the restless sleep, not only was her forehead full of sweat but her body was sweating too. There were footsteps and noises. Those people were gabbling away in Russian as though they were after someone. The noises were far away, and Luca could barely catch any information. Someone had broken into the vi. Danger! Luca turned on the lights immediately and looked around her. She was afraid that she might be taken away while she was asleep. That was why she hung a cup on the door handle before she slept. The cup was still hanging on it. No one came in. Where were Luke and the others? Luca climbed out of bed right away. She was worried about Luke. Ray was a famous leader of an underworld organization here. The person who dared to break into his house must be as powerful as he was. Luke was defenseless now, and he had an injured leg. It would be dangerous if he was taken by those people who broke into the vi. Luca could not be bothered that much. She ran to open the door barefooted, thinking of rushing to Luke''s bedroom to protect him. Luca had just opened the door when she saw Jason standing behind Luke''s wheelchair in front of her room. ¡°Mr. Crawford, are you alright?" Luca asked caringly. "I''m fine. Are you okay?" Luke woke up earlier than she did. That was why he managed to hear more about what was happening. The person who broke into the vi was hiding somewhere, and Ray''s subordinates were checking every room now. Luke was worried that the person who came was the man manipting Luca, and he was also worried that she might be taken away. Hence, he asked Jason to push him here to guard her room. Luca pushed the door open while Luke was hesitating if he should open the door. ¡°I just woke up..." Luca nced around her and realized that she could hear the noises clearer after she pushed the door open. However, they were some distance away. She asked, "What happened?" "Someone broke into the vi and triggered the security system. Ray is looking for the intruder now. Is there anything strange in your bedroom?" Luke asked. He was not worried that Ray''s enemy would come looking for him. After all, Ray had many men with him, and he could solve this. Luke was only worried about the person who was manipting Luca. "I''m fine. The windows are locked. No one came in." Luca let out a sigh of relief when she saw Luke was safe and sound. She was d that Luke was alright. The moment Luca knew someone broke into the vi, she worried about Luke''s safety the most. Now that she knew that Luke was safe, she set her worries aside. "Okay. Ray''s men are looking for the intruder. Stay in your bedroom, close the door, and lock it. Don''t open the door if it''s not me asking you to open it," said Luke. Luke was assured knowing that Luca was alright. He nned to look for Ray and find out what was going on. Luca listened to his words and frowned. "Mr. Crawford, are you going over there?" "I''d like to see if there''s anything I can help with," replied Luke. Ray''s vi had always been peaceful. It was only after they spent the night here that someone broke into his vi. He was afraid that this had something to do with them or Luca. Luca was about to say something, but she hesitated and looked at Luke. Luke was good at fighting, but he was injured now. What could he do? Luca selfishly thought of asking him to stay in the room together with her and stop him from risking his life. Before Luca managed to say anything, she saw Vivian walking toward them hurriedly with two bodyguards behind her. "Brother Luke, are you alright?" Vivian saw the three of them standing outside the door. The expression on her face was serious. It was obvious that it was her first time encountering such a thing. Previously, even though many were against Ray, those people were not dumb enough to send people to break into his vi and assassinate him. After all, it was not a guaranteed sess. That was why the vi had always been safe. "We''re alright," said Luke. "That''s great. Ray told us to stay in a room together until he finds the intruder," said Vivian. Then, she nced at Luca''s bedroom and said, "Let''s just stay here." Vivian knew nothing about this. The only thing she could do was not to cause trouble for Ray. Taking his word for it would be the right choice. "All of you stay here. I''m going to look for Ray and see if there''s anything I can help." Luke looked at the two mighty-looking bodyguards. He was assured that having them guard the door would be enough to stall things for a while even if someone came for Luca. Chapter 2022 "Brother Luke, it''d be better for you to stay here." Vivian stopped Luke immediately. It made no sense to ask a guest to help catch an intruder. "Trust Ray. He can handle this well. Besides, the vi is more than a hundred years old. The person who broke in will get lost easily even if he has the map. And your leg is still injured. We should stay here." Luca went along with Vivian''s words and said, "Mr. Crawford, I think we shouldn''t cause any trouble for Mr. Ray." Luke slightly frowned. Although the current situation did not look too good, Luke could feel Luca''s love for him. She was concerned about him... Luke stared at Luca for a while. It was indeed inconvenient for him to go look for Ray now. He could onlye up with a few ideas for Ray, but he could not be of much help. Ray would still have to ask someone to protect him if something happened. His staying here would not cause any trouble for Ray, and he could also make sure that Luca was within his sight. Luke decided at once and nodded. "Let''s go in." Vivian and Jason let out a sigh of relief, but it was obvious that Luca was the one who felt the most rxed now. They walked into the room together. Vivian asked her security guards toe into the room too. Then, she closed the door and locked it carefully. Vivian nced at her phone and said, ¡°Ray will call me if there''s any news. Don''t worry.¡± "Alright. Thank you," Luke nodded and said. Vivian felt embarrassed. She said, "Brother Luke, don''t mention it. I invited you to spend the night here, but something like this happened. You couldn''t even sleep well. I''m really sorry for what happened." "They''re probably after me," said Luke. Otherwise, why would they choose to break into Ray''s house tonight? Although the underworld scene in Russia was in a mess, why would they choose tonight, when the group of them was staying over, to make a move? Luca fell silent when she heard what Luke said. There was a chance that they were after Luke, but the only person who was after him was Abel. However, if Abel was behind this, he would not have called her to ask about it just now. Therefore, Luca thought it was not Abel. Luke had not offended anyone in Russia. If it was because he won the bid and someone was jealous of him, it was unlikely that those people would break into Ray''s vi just because of that. After all, Ray''s name was well-known among the underworld organizations in Russia. Who would be willing to mess with him? As for Pierre Mallory... No matter how capable he was with the Mallory family supporting him, he would not be foolish enough to mess with Ray now. Luca remained silent as she was secretly analyzing what was going on. This probably had nothing to do with her and Luke. There was dead silence in the bedroom. The guards were keeping a close eye on the door, preventing anyone from breaking into the room. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Although they were in the safest ce, everyone was nervous while listening to the noises outside. No one even dared to make a sound. Half an hourter, the noises out there got even louder. Vivian went closer to the door, trying to figure out what they were talking about outside. Those people were talking in Russian. Although Luca understood Russian, the soundproofing was too good. In her eyes, the voices kept breaking up. After a while, the noises got softer. Luca reckoned that the matter should have ended. It was either Ray had caught the person who broke in, or that person had already escaped. After a while, Vivian''s phone rang. ¡°It''s Ray." Vivian nced at the phone and told everyone. Then, she answered the call, ¡°Ray, how is it?" ¡°I caught him. Everyone cane out now," said Ray. "Alright." Vivian took a deep breath and hung up the call. Then, she said to everyone in the room, ¡°The man has been taken down by Ray. Let''s go out." Everyone was wide awake after what happened. Luca stood up and nced at Luke. Luke''s expression was serious. Luca had no idea what Luke was thinking about. Usually, she would be able to specte it, but ever since she saw Pierre submitting the bidding document, she did not know what Luke had in his mind. Jason pushed Luke''s wheelchair and walked out of the room, while Luca followed them. Vivian came up to Luca and apologized in a soft voice, "I''m sorry, Luca. You must be shocked." "It''s alright." Luca shook her head. They headed to the living room and saw Ray sitting there smoking his cigar with a stern expression on his face. It quickly became clear that although the person was caught, the trouble had yet to be solved. "How are things?" Luke asked. Ray looked at Luke, then nced at Luca and Vivian. He eventually said, "Take a seat first." Vivian and Luca sat down on the sofa, while Jason locked the brakes on Luke''s wheelchair beside the sofa. He sat down as well. ¡°We got the person, and he''s being locked in the cer now," said Ray. There was a cer in the vi, and the cer had only one door with reinforced walls surrounding it. It was meant to lock up these kinds of people. "Did he say anything?" Luke asked again. "I haven''t questioned him. I think I''d need your help," replied Ray. He needed Luke''s help this time. "No problem. Let''s go." Luke nodded and agreed to help. Luca''s gaze fell on Luke. Ray noticed that Luca was feeling perturbed by the look in her eyes. He reminded Vivian, "Vivian, take care of Dr. Craw and Mr. Doyle." "I got this. Don''t worry." Vivian smiled and ordered the maids who were waiting at the side to get Luca and the others a cup of warm tea. After everything that just happened, they needed a cup of warm tea to warm themselves up and comfort their souls. The maids acted fast. They immediately served a warm cup of tea to each of them. "Luca, have a cup of warm tea. It can calm you down," said Vivian. "Thank you." Luca took it from her unconcernedly. Her mind was full of thoughts of what would happen in the cer. She would like to take a look at the person who sneaked into Ray''s house if she could. Vivian served Jason another cup of warm tea. Then, she looked at Luca. Sheforted her while knowing what she had in mind. "Stop thinking about the cer. Ray and Brother Luke will handle it well." "I know." Luca looked down. She just wanted to know who the person came after. After all, she only had her analysis. Whether or not her analysis was correct still depended on what that person would say. In the cer. Luke was sitting in his wheelchair. He moved out of the elevator with the help of Ray''s bodyguard. The path to the cer was narrow, and the wheelchair could barely make it through. Ray walked in front of him and exined, "The path was specially designed and made. It has two layers of sound-absorbing panels. Hence, it has a strong soundproof system, but the path became narrower because of this." "I see." Luke looked at the brightly-lit path without saying another word. The bodyguard pushed Luke''s wheelchair and stopped outside a door. "Open the door," Ray said to the bodyguard, who was keeping watch at the door. The man pushed the door open. Chapter 2023 The bodyguard pushed the door open. Ray walked in front, heading into the cer. Then, the bodyguard pushed Luke''s wheelchair and walked in as well. The cer was not as dark as he had imagined. It was brightly lit, and he could see everything clearly. A man was chained to a steel bar that was as thick as an adult human. The clothes on the upper half of the man''s body had been taken off. There were fresh bruises on his body. Just by looking at them, it was obvious that it was Ray''s men who beat him up after they found him. ¡°This is the man who secretly broke into my house." The man lifted his head and nced at Ray when he was talking. The expression on his face was evillooking. Then, he lowered his head. Not a word of pleading escaped his mouth. Even though he was being held as a prisoner now, he was still arrogant. Luke looked at the man in front of him. He had blonde hair with a Western appearance. Even though he had been captured, his expression was still prideful. He had this evil look in his eyes. "What do you think?" Luke asked Ray. It was Ray''s vi. That was why he should not be interfering with the interrogation. "I have to go on with the interrogation first," said Ray. Even so, he knew that he would not be able to get any answers from this man. Luke nodded without saying anything. Ray''s subordinate grabbed a chair for him. Ray sat on the chair. He left Hansen responsible for the interrogation session. "Who sent you?" Hansen asked. The man who was tied up kept silent and gave him a dirty look. Hansen was pissed. He punched the man in his stomach right away. Everyone there could hear the loud and clear thud of his punchnding on the man''s stomach. "Speak. Who sent you?" The man lifted his head and sneered. He looked at Ray instead of Hansen. "Aren''t you a big shot? Find it out yourself, then." Ray was toying with the cigar in his hands with a cold expression on his face. After all these years, this was the first time someone dared to break into his vi. Fortunately, he was able to capture the man. Only a few of his men were injured, so it was not very serious. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. However, if Ray had not managed to capture that person and the news spread out in the underworld scene, everyone would start thinking they could trample all over him. When the man realized that he had failed to provoke Roy, he continued, ¡°Well, I thought you were better than this. But this is all there is to you, huh?" A loud smack sounded right after he said that. A hand pped him right across his face. Hansen gave him a p, and the man''s face was all red. The man puckered his lips and spat out a mouthful of blood. A tooth was knocked out by the p. Then, the man said angrily, "Finish me off if you have the guts to do so. Even if you kill me, I''d rather die than tell you who sent me!" "Do you really think we won''t dare to do so?" Hansen rolled up his sleeves and lifted his fist. "Wait," Ray interrupted Hansen. "Boss! He''s asking for it. We should teach him a lesson. Otherwise, he''ll think we don''t have the guts!" Hansen clenched his fist and yelled as he was eager to give this man a piece of his mind. It had been a while since they fought, but that did not mean that they were to be messed with. Ray had been asking them to train themselves, and they had never missed any training sessions. If they were to fight, they were unlikely to lose. "What''s the point of beating him to death?" Ray rolled his eyes at Hansen. He had to at least figure out something. He needed to know if the man wasing after him or Luke, as well as who was the force behind him. The man heard their conversation. Even though his face was still red and swollen, he sneered and said, "You''re just a coward, like I said." "Do you wanna get beaten up again?" Hansen was still tempted to beat him up even though Ray had stopped him. "Come on, then! You''ll never know who''sing after you if I''m dead and when he''s going to make his next move!" The man provoked him. He had never thought of returning the moment he got captured. He only came to carry out his mission. It was a relief to him no matter if the mission seeded or not. Hansen could not help but think of beating him up. "Stop!" Ray yelled. "Boss, if we don''t teach him a lesson, he''ll think we don''t have the guts to do anything to him!" Hansen loosened his grip and clenched his fist again as he could not hold himself back any longer. Ray stared at the man and asked, "I''m giving you another chance. Who''s after me?" The man lifted his head and nced at Ray. Then, he lowered his head and sneered, "Don''t you have any idea who you''ve offended?" Luke, who was listening to their conversation beside them, frowned. The man deliberately said so to arouse Ray''s suspicion and make him suspect the underworld organizations that had disputes with him before. After all, Ray''s family had existed for more than a century in Russia. It was normal for his family to have some disputes with other organizations. Even so, everything had been stable thus far regardless of the disputes between them. No one would be willing to ruin the peaceful situation now, given the benefits that they had been receiving all this while. After all, current society was governed byw. There were many things that were inconvenient for them to do. ¡°Ray, I''d like to have a word with you," said Luke. Ray threw the cigar on the ground and nodded. Then, he signaled the bodyguards behind him to push Luke out of the cer. Ray lowered his voice and warned the man after Luke left, "I''m giving you another half a minute. Think about whether you''d like to tell me or not." After that, Ray left the cer. Luke asked the bodyguard to continue pushing him in his wheelchair until the people in the cer could not hear their conversation. Then, he asked the bodyguard to stop and wait for Ray. Ray caught up with him not long after that. He asked, "Luke, did you find anything out?" "When I was listening to him just now, it seemed like he was trying to start a war." Luke believed that Ray had sensed it too. "Yes. He''s trying to pass the buck to the organizations that my family had conflicts with before." Ray was not dumb, and he refused to believe what that man was saying. Although there was a possibility that he was sent by one of the organizations, he told Ray to confuse him. However, that might be a lie too. Ray could not draw conclusions recklessly for the sake of his subordinates and family business. "Ask your men to check his body and see if there are any tattoos on him. Also, get someone in your family who knows how to make the potion ording to the form that I gave youst time," said Luke. He suspected that the man was someone from the Ind of Despair. They had done such things back then as well. Perhaps the mastermind behind the Ind of Despair thought the forces in Russia were too peaceful, and that was why he sent someone to break into Ray''s vi and wreak havoc. Ray was probably not the only one who came across a situation like this. The others might have encountered such a thing too. However, it was not dawn yet. The news had yet to spread out. Hence, this was only his spection. "You''re suspecting the Ind of Despair?" Ray frowned. "Those who made a mess at your domaintely are probably them too," Luke reminded him of what they had discussed before. "I''m getting it done now," said Ray. He turned to look at his subordinate and asked, "Where''s Winson?" "Boss, Winson is in New York now. Have you forgotten about that? He asked for a leave. He said that he''ll be taking an advanced course," the bodyguard reminded Ray. Winson was the family''s pharmacist. Most of the medicines were prescribed by him. He was a talented person with a high education level. Therefore, Ray allowed Winson to take up an advanced course abroad. He even supported him financially. Chapter 2024 "At this crucial moment!" Ray frowned as he could no longer keep himself calm. The man Ray caught was probably drugged and was like a time bomb. If the man was unable to aplish the mission or return, the drug would probably attack his body. It would be difficult to interrogate the man by then. "Are there no pharmacists left?" Luke asked. ¡°There were two of them. But they followed Winson there." Ray grabbed his hair. He had no idea whether the man locked in the cer had swallowed any pills or not. "I know someone who can help¡ªLuca," said Luke. "She can prepare the potion ording to the form as long as the materials are prepared." "Yes. We still have Dr. Craw." Ray pped his hands and said to the bodyguard, "Head to the living room and ask for Dr. Craw''s help. Just say I''m the one who needs her help. I''ll send the form to Vivian. She''ll know what to do." "Alright, Boss." The bodyguard left immediately. Then, Luke added, "Before the potion is made, you can check the man''s body to see if there''s a tattoo on him. If there is, then we probably won''t need the potion." "Come on. Let''s go together." Roy pushed Luke''s wheelchair himself. Luke lifted his hand to stop Roy when they reached the cer''s entrance. "What''s the matter?" Ray asked. "I''m not interested in man''s body. I think I''ll leave it to you and your subordinates to check him." Luke told Ray that he did not intend to go into the cer. "Sure. You''re a decent businessman, after all. I can understand that." Ray locked Luke''s wheelchair''s wheels after that. "Wait here. I''ll be back soon." Then, Ray pushed the door open and entered. The man looked at Ray who just came in and sneered, "Why? Have you found out who''s your enemy now?" Ray ignored him and ordered Hansen, "Take his pants off and see if there''s a tattoo on his body. Be sure to check carefully." "Yes, Boss." Hansen heard Ray and did what he asked him to. The man sneered when he heard that Ray intended to check if he had any tattoos on him. He took it easily. Ray knew at once when he heard the man''s response. No matter how hard Hansen tried to find the tattoo on his body, he would end up with nothing. Hence, Ray left the cer. Luke raised his brows and asked when he saw Ray push the door open and walk out of the cer. ¡°That fast?" Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "I''m not interested in men either." Ray shrugged his shoulders and leaned on the wall. "I think there''s probably no tattoo on him." "Then let''s wait for the potion," said Luke. On the other hand. The bodyguard delivered Ray''s message to Luca. At the same time, Vivian also received the form Ray sent to her and she said, "Luca, sorry to trouble you this time." Luca knew it must be because of Luke when the brother and sister came to ask for her help. There was no way she could put it off as she felt slightly uneasy about it in her heart. Could it really be Abel''s man who sneaked into the vi? Abel really wanted to take her away? "Luca?" Vivian called out Luca''s name softly when she noticed that Luca did not respond. "What''s the matter? Are you feeling ufortable?" "No. I just have to prepare the potion, right? Let''s go. Bring me to theboratory." Luca came back to her senses and shook her head. In any case, now that the man had been manipted, she wondered if he was sent by Abel to take her away. However, there was no way she could be taken away now. "Let me lead the way," Vivian held Luca''s arm and said passionately. The two of them came to theboratory. Vivian entered the password and said, "This is theb. There''s hardly anyone who uses it. The equipment here is valuable. That''s why we need the password lock." The password lock unlocked as Vivian exined to Luca. Luca pushed the door open and looked at theboratory with advanced equipment. Vivian asked, "Is it alright to do it here?" "It''ll be fine as long as we have the materials," answered Luca. She picked up the disposable gloves, head cover, andb coat skillfully. "The form is right here." Vivian handed her the phone. Luca nced at the form and turned to look at the medicine bottles on the shelves. "Let me see if they''replete." She found the medicines needed on the shelf ording to the form given. The equipment provided here was advanced, and the medicines wereplete too. After a while, Luca found all the medicines and began to mix them up ording to the form given. Vivian looked at Luca with admiration. She realized that the names of the medicines were more or less the same when she was looking at the form. However, Luca was able to differentiate the medicines with just a nce. Besides, she could pour the exact dose needed perfectly. She began to mix. It was impressive. Half an hourter, Luca was done mixing the potion ording to the fixed form. "Done." Luca handed a full bottle of potion to Vivian. ¡°Luca, you''re amazing. It''ll be great if I can be as awesome as you are in the future." Vivian took the medicine from her. She could not help but feel impressed. ¡°Practice makes perfect. These are the basic skills of a pharmaceutical scientist," Luca said lightly. She remembered how much effort she had put in just to differentiate the medicines correctly and familiarize herself with them back then. Not only did she have to remember the medicines'' names but also the ingredients and functions of every type of medicine. That was the result of the hell training that Shanks gave her. ¡°You''re too humble. You''re really awesome, you know!" Vivian eximed. She held the potion in her hand while she walked out of theboratory together with Luca. Theboratory''s door was closed. Luca asked, ¡°Are you going to deliver the potion to them now?" ¡°Yes. Ray told me that he needs it now." Vivian nodded. ¡°Can I go there and take a look? I''m curious what the potion is for." Luca knew what the potion was used for. She was pretending that she did not know it. She wanted to know whether or not the man who broke into the vi was from the Ind of Despair. ¡°I''m not sure either. But just follow me since you''re curious about it," said Vivian. Luca was not a bad person. It was alright for Vivian to bring Luca together with her. Luca nodded and followed behind Vivian. After they got into the elevator and headed to the basement, Luca followed Vivian and walked through the long corridor. They came to the cer''s entrance. Luca reckoned that the cer was probably built under the garden instead of the house itself. She could not differentiate if it was under the front yard or the back yard. Luke was not surprised to see Lucae along with Vivian. After all, she was curious about it. ¡°Thank you, Dr. Craw," Ray said politely as he took the potion from Vivian. ¡°It''s nothing. I''m d to be of help," replied Luca. Her eyes inadvertently swept across the entrance of the cer. It seemed like the man who broke into the house was locked behind this door. The soundproof system here was good. There was no way anyone would be able to hear a sound on the first floor even if someone was tortured in there. ¡°Take this. Have Hansen pour some of the potion on a towel and be sure to wipe every inch of that man''s body skin," Ray gave his orders. Chapter 2025 ¡°Yes, Boss." The bodyguard took the potion from Ray and entered the cer. Vivian looked at them with confusion. The bodyguard had entered the cer, but they did not intend to go in. She thought of following them into the cer to see what was going on. She asked, "Ray, why are you standing here?" "Nothing." Ray shook his head. Vivian replied when she saw this, "I''d like to go in." Ray stopped her and said, "No, you can''t." Vivian frowned and looked at him. "What''s wrong?" "He''s naked now. What are you going to do there?" said Ray. He had no intention of seeing that man''s naked body, not to mention letting Vivian be exposed to that sight. "I didn''t know..." Vivian paused when she heard that. There was an awkward expression on her face. Ten minutester, Hansen walked out of the cer. He could barely hide the excited expression on his square-jawed face. He even forgot to put down the towel in his hand. "Boss, there is one." "Make it clear." Ray felt in his bones that there was a tattoo on that man when he saw Hansen''s reaction. It seemed like Luke got it right. "There''s a tattoo hidden on his lower back. It showed on his skin once I wiped it with the potion." Hansen took a deep breath and reported everything that happened to Ray. Luke frowned, then he lifted his head and exchanged nces with Ray. He was from the Ind of Despair, indeed. "That man." Ray hesitated. "Boss, he has his clothes on now." Hansen knew what Ray was trying to avoid after years of following him. "Come on. Let''s go in and take a look." Ray took the lead. Luke maneuvered the wheelchair and intended to follow Ray in too. Luca noticed that and quietly came over to push the wheelchair in. Luke did not stop her. Vivian followed them into the cer too. The moment the man who was tied up saw Ray walking in, he began to go crazy. ¡°Kill me! Why are you tying me up here? Just kill me!" Ray frowned. How did the man who was mocking and provoking him just now suddenly change into another person? Hansen, who was standing beside, said in a low voice, "Boss, he''s been acting like this since I found out about the tattoo. Perhaps it''s because he failed to sow discord between us and knows that there''s no way he can go back now. That''s why he wants to die." It quickly became clear to Luca when she heard what Hansen said. The man in front of her was not here to take her away. She thought that Abel must have deliberately sent his men to sow discord between the underworld organizations here, trying to ruin the current stable situation. Abel would be standing behind and only step out to take advantage of the situation once they fought with each other. When the man realized that he had failed the mission and exposed his organization, he went crazy. Luca pursed her lips and thought to herself that there was no need for him to react this way. The worst thing would be him losing his life. The man behaved this way only after his organization was exposed. Luca thought that Abel might be manipting something more than just the man himself. Most of the people on the Ind of Despair now were taken by Abel and his men back then. Some of them were closely rted. That was why the man acted this way. Luca felt sorry for the man who was almost going mad in front of her. She also felt sympathetic for the others on the Ind of Despair. Although some of them volunteered to join them, there was a reason behind it. They were abandoned by society, and they could no longer live with thew. That was why they volunteered to join the Ind of Despair, it was to seek asylum. However, most of them did not volunteer to join the organization. Those who were capable would probably be valued, but the missions assigned to them were even more dangerous. No one could guarantee their safety, so all they had was themselves. Those who were not good enough would be at the lowest level of the hierarchy on the Ind of Despair. They got bullied and were forced to make sacrifices. "Kill me! Don''t you have the guts? Just kill me!" The man''s eyes reddened, and his eyes were bulging. He looked pretty insane. Ray ignored the man and said to Luke, "Why don''t we take a look at the tattoo?" "Sure." Luke nodded. Although he had yet to see the pattern of the tattoo, with the knowledge that the tattoo only showed up after wiping the skin with the potion, he was able to determine that it was the symbol of the Ind of Despair. "Take a photo of the tattoo," Ray ordered. "Yes, Boss." Hansen picked up his phone and walked toward the man. "Back off. Get away from me." The man looked at Hansen''s phone. He flew into a rage as he moved his hands and legs. However, his hands and legs were tied up. He was unable to break himself free no matter how he moved them. The clinking sound of the chain and steel bar colliding against each other was ear-piercing. Hansen pressed his palm on the man''s head and pushed it down so that the man could not struggle. Then, he quickly took photos of the tattoo. Then, he handed the phone to Ray and said, ¡°Boss, these are the photos." Ray nced at them. There was a slight differencepared to the previous tattoo that represented people from the Ind of Despair, but it was almost the same. "Is this the Ind of Despair?" Ray handed the phone to Luke. Luke nced at the photo. The tattoo on the man was exactly the same as the one on impostor Bianca. "Yes." After Ray got his confirmation, he turned to look at the crazy man and asked, "Everything that''s been happeningtely was caused by the Ind Of Despair?" The man stopped struggling and remained silent with hatred in his eyes. "Who''s the boss of the Ind of Despair now?" Ray continued to ask. N?velDrama.Org owns this. "I don''t know. I have no idea what you''re talking about. Kill me, kill me!" The man went crazy again. Ray kept the phone in his pocket and said, "It seems like we''ll have to investigate this." Luke looked at the man, then frowned and reminded him, "The Ind of Despair is good at manipting people with their drug. Try to ask as many questions as you can now. Even though your men didn''t beat him up, he''ll probably die soon." "That''s cruel." Ray frowned. "That''s the Ind of Despair," Luke reminded him. He had been taken away by the people of Ind of Despair before. If it were not for Kassy, who fell in love with him, he would probably have to face the endless torture and drugs that could manipte him. If it were through his own efforts, it would not have been easy for him to escape. Despite the fact that Kassy fell for him, they used drugs and hypnotized him to make him surrender himself to the organization. It was to make him forget his true identity and be a pawn of the Ind of Despair. Ray nodded and replied, "I got it. You may head downstairs to get some rest first." Vivian heard him and said immediately, "Yes. It''s two hours till dawn. You''ve suffered enough for tonight. Let me bring you upstairs. Get some rest first, then you can have your breakfast." Luke knew Ray wanted to interrogate the man alone. Hence, he left first. He did not expect such a thing to happen today, and it directly verified his spection. Someone had really reestablished the Ind of Despair, and that man was very ambitious. He intended to mess up the Russian underworld forces and make this ce his stronghold to do his monkey businesses. Luca noticed that Luke agreed to leave, so she pushed his wheelchair and left the cer with him. Vivian could not stand to see those bloody scenes, so she followed behind Luca and left together. The following day. The news that Ray''s vi was broken into spread and reached the ears of various organizations. Chapter 2026 At the same time, Gordan heard about the news too. "Are you sure about that?" Gordan looked at the man who sat in front of him. The man was his friend, and he had his own organization in Russia. "It''s everywhere now. Why? Aren''t you rted to Ray? How can you not know about it?" Owen swirled his wine ss and asked Gordan. It caught Owen''s attention after what had happened. After all, it was Ray''s vi. The other organizations would not have the guts to send someone to sneak into his house. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. However, he would never talk to Ray, and that was why he had no choice but to ask Gordan. It reminded Gordan of Vivian when he mentioned Ray. He was unable to contact her all this while. The divorce papers were still in his hands, and he had yet to send them to the court. Hence, he was utterly depressed about it. "I have nothing to do with his family''s affairs." Gordan sounded aggressive. Owen noticed that there was something wrong with Gordan''s tone. He thought that something must have happened between Gordan and Ray again. He did not continue to ask him questions. Gordan realized that Owen only drank his wine and remained silent after that. He asked, "Who else knows about what happened?" "We don''t know about the specific situation. But I heard that Ray had invited the CEO of T Corporation to his house for dinner when that happened. He spent the night there because of the snowstorm. Hence, he probably knows the details. Aren''t you friends with him?" Owen asked. He knew well about Gordan''s connections. Luke Crawford? Gordan frowned. He knew that Luke and Ray were on pretty good terms. Ray helped Luke look for Bianca when she got kidnapped back then. Although he did not manage to find her, they did get closer to each other. Owen''s phone rang. He nced at his phone, put down the wine ss, and stood up. "I''ve got something to do. I''m sorry, I can''t continue our drinking session. Oh, remember to inform me if you find out anything else. The situation in Russia isn''t that peacefultely." "Got it," said Gordan impatiently. After Owen left, Gordan folded his legs and sat on the sofa as he looked at the scenery outside the window. He looked far into the distance while he held his wine ss and swirled it from time to time. Who would have the guts to break into Ray''s house in the middle of the night? Besides, Luke was there too? Did the person who break into Ray''s house after Luke or Ray? The current situation in Russia was not too good, and Gordan knew about it too. He reckoned that the person was after Ray, and Luke happened to be there when it happened. Gordan put the wine ss down. He stood up and informed the driver to drive him somewhere else. He wanted to find out what happened. It was impossible to head to Ray''s house. Ray would certainly find an excuse to stop Gordan if he headed there now. He might get lectured by him too. Gordan was not silly. He would not walk right into this. That was why Gordan was nning to head to the hotel. On the other hand. Ray had yet to figure out about the matter, and Luke did not n to disturb him. It was no longer snowing heavily after Luke was done having his breakfast, so he suggested that he return to the hotel. Ray was certain that he was the target this time and it had nothing to do with Luke. Thus, he did not ask Luke to stay. Ray arranged for his driver to send Luke and the others back to his hotel. Vivian came forward to him after everyone left, asking, ¡°Ray, are things getting tensetely?" "Yes." Ray nodded. He would never take the initiative to talk about these with Vivian. That was why Vivian never knew anything about it. "That''s why I was so eager to send my men to look for you when you chose to leave Gordan back then. I was worried that something had happened to you." "I didn''t know about this..." Vivian thought that Ray deliberately made a big deal out of it to persuade her to go home. After what had happened this time, Vivian realized that Ray was not trying to scare her. He was telling the truth. "You don''t have to worry about this. Aren''t you nning to further your studies abroad? Get ready for it. Let me handle these," said Ray. It was always the men who took over the family business. That was why after Vivian was born, her mother got pregnant again and gave birth to Ray. It was because women would only have to enjoy the wealth and prosperity that the man brought to their families. Hence, no matter how Vivian looked or how ignorant and ipetent she was, Ray would always protect her. "Alright." Vivian was moved. The best thing in her life was to be Ray''s elder sister. When she was about to say something, Hansen came up and said, "Boss, the man would like to tell you something." "Let''s go and see what he''d like to tell me." The look on Ray''s face became cold at once. Then, he headed to the elevator. Vivian did not follow them. Instead, she returned to her bedroom and prepared for her studies abroad. She had decided where to go, and Ray had found his connections too. She only had to pass the entrance exam. Then, she would be able to start her sses. Although Ray had a way to let her get into the university without taking the exam, Vivian wanted to know how far she could make it. She had been wasting her time on her rtionship all these years. The knowledge she learned in school was for nothing back then. However, she was not someone who would give up easily. She was willing to start over and learn everything again after forgetting it. She wanted to earn the right to get into the university herself. On the other hand. Ray''s driver sent Luke and the others back to the hotel. Jason pushed Luke, who was sitting in his wheelchair, into the hotel''s lobby. He could see Gordan from far away. He reminded Luke, whose head was lowered as he looked at his phone and handled his work, ¡°Boss, it''s Mr. Norton." Luca looked in the direction where Jason was looking. It was really Gordan. He looked a little paler after not seeing him for a few days. Was it because of Vivian''s matter? Gordan''s face should not be getting paler if it was really for Vivian''s matter. After all, he had always wanted to leave Vivian. Gordan saw them too. He nced at the car parked outside the hotel''s entrance. It was Ray''s car. He thought to himself that what Owen told him was right. "Brother Luke, you''re back," Gordan came forward and said politely. Luke looked at how slovenly Gordan was. His stubble was unshaved, and he had bloodshot eyes. He looked pale and awful as though he had been staying up for a few nights. Luke nodded and asked, "What''s wrong with you?" "Nothing. I was in a hurry and forgot to shave." Gordan stroked his chin. His stubble was out, and it was prickly. Luke looked at Gordan and wondered if he was feeling upset because Vivian had left him and that was why he ended up like this. "You came here to look for me?" "Yes, but the hotel''s receptionist told me no one picked up when she called your room. I thought you might be out there, so I waited for you here." Gordan nodded. There was a reason why he did not call Luke. If Luke was not in his room, then he must be at Ray''s house. Gordan was worried that Ray would be beside Luke when he called him. Gordan refused to let Ray know that he wanted to ask about what had happenedst night. Hence, he would rather wait for Luke in the hotel''s lobby than give Luke a call. Chapter 2027 "Alright." Gordan nodded and entered the elevator together with Luke. Jason swiped the room card when they reached Luke''s room. Then, he returned to his room after sending Luke back. Luca knew that they had something to talk about, so she said, "Mr. Crawford, I''m going back to my room first. Just knock on the door if there''s anything you need." "Okay." Luke nodded. Luca walked into another room and closed the door while Gordan looked at her. Gordan''s jaw dropped as he was startled. As a subordinate, Luca was staying in the same suite as Luke. Although they were staying in different rooms, it was still inappropriate to do so. Gordan would not be so surprised if Jason was staying in the next room beside hers. Luke noticed the oddness in his eyes and said calmly, "Let''s go into the room and talk about it." "Alright, Brother Luke." Gordan took the initiative to push Luke''s wheelchair and walk into the room. After he closed the door, Gordan could not help but ask, "Brother Luke, why are you staying together with Luca?" "Is there a problem?" Luke noticed the gossipy look on Gordan''s face and wondered if Gordan came here to gossip about this. Gordan pondered for a moment. It seemed like there was nothing wrong with it. Previously, he could sense that Luke seemed to have unusual feelings for Luca. Gordan shook his head and replied, "No..." "It''s convenient for her to take care of me if she stays here." Luke nced at his leg and gave Gordan a hint. "Oh, so it''s because of your injured leg," Gordan deliberately drawled, indicating to Luke that he refused to believe it. Luca could take care of Luke, but Jason could do that too. However, Luke chose Luca. Did that not prove that Luke had feelings for her? "I''m not interested in being taken care of by a man." Luke knew what he was thinking about, so he exined it with a cold expression on his face. Luke was trying to hit on Luca, but he felt rightful about it because Luca was his wife. Was there any problem if he was trying to hit on his wife? "What a coincidence. I''m not interested in that either. It''s better for a pretty woman to take care of me. So, Brother Luke, you don''t have to exin it to me. I understand." Gordan acted like hepletely understood why Luke did that. Luke did not take his words seriously and asked, ¡°What would you like to know?¡± ¡°Brother Luke, you know me too well." Gordan sat down on the sofa and pped his hands. He looked Luke in the eyes and said, "There are some things I''d like to ask you." "I heard about you and Vivian. You can ask me anything other than that. I''ll tell you if I know about it," said Luke. He could see how protective Ray was over Vivian, so he was not nning to interfere with Vivian and Gordan''s matter. Gordan shrugged his hands and said, "I''m not nning to ask about that woman either." Luke raised his brows. It seemed like he really hated Vivian. If he knew Gordan had been upset all these years, he would have asked Gordan to cut one of his arms off for Ray. "I heard that someone broke into Ray''s vi. What''s going on?" Gordan asked. Luke was not surprised that Gordan had found out about it as he deliberately asked someone to spread the news. Luke did not answer him immediately. Instead, he raised his brows and looked at the man in front of him. Gordan added immediately, "Don''t worry. I''m not asking you about Vivian''s situation. I''m just curious about what happenedst night and which organization sent someone to sneak into Ray''s house. I''m asking this not because I''m worried about Vivian''s safety. You know what my job is. I have to keep myself in the loop of things." Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. "The man who broke into the vist night is from the Ind of Despair," said Luke. Ray would announce the news soon, so he did not conceal it. "Ind of Despair? That''s impossible." Gordon refused to believe it. Would an organization wiped out by Luke be able to stand up again? "It''s not the first time. It''s been chaotic these days. I''m guessing those who caused trouble previously are people from the Ind of Despair too," Luke told him his spection. Gordan''s brows furrowed even more. "Is there any evidence?" "There''s none for the previous incidents, but we have evidence this time. The man who broke in injured two bodyguards. He eventually got caught and we found a tattoo simr to the tattoo of Ind of Despair on his body. It''s just that there''s a slight difference in the middle of the tattoo. The rest are more or less the same. I''ve seen the photo. Not only is the Ind of Despair nning to mess things up here, but they''ve even arranged and ced someone by my side. I''ve dealt with that woman. She had the same tattoo on her," said Luke. He did not tell Gordan that the person who was ced by his side looked exactly like Bianca. "So, it''s the Ind of Despair..." Gordan stroked his chin. It pricked a little after not shaving his stubble for days. He withdrew his hand and said, "No one noticed that the organization was rebuilt back then. Besides, they always had an army and satellite surveince at their strongholds. It''s unlikely that they would go back to the same ces, though. Where are they now?" "I''m not sure either." Luke was confused too. They had been keeping a close watch on the previous strongholds of the Ind of Despair and also the inds near Russia. Still, there were no traces of them. However, the Ind of Despair had its way of quietly sneaking into a ce. Therefore, Luke was not concerned about where their strongholds were. What confused him more was the mastermind''s identity who was in charge of the organization. Although Luca did not have any tattoo on her, there was still a chance that she might be rted to the organization. "I''ll have to look into this. But I wonder why no one suspected it was the Ind of Despair behind what happened not long ago. Brother Luke, you''re impressive," Gordanplimented him. Luke shook his head. If it were not for the imposter Bianca, how could he possibly know so much about it? "Everyone from the Ind of Despair has the same tattoo on them. The tattoo might be on different parts of their body. They would also use a special material to conceal the tattoo. They''ll need to use a specific potion to clean it up. Hence, it''s difficult to know if someone is from the Ind of Despair." Gordan could not help curse but when he heard that. "They''re way too f*cking insidious." "You''re a carefree man. The Ind of Despair won''t target you." Luke nced at Gordan and took his phone out of his pocket. Gordan agreed with him and nodded. There was not much he could do alone. Even though he was informed of thetest things that were happening around here, it would not affect the benefits and interests of the Ind of Despair. They would ce someone beside Gordan if they were really targeting him, but he was no Luke Crawford. Arranging and cing a qualified spy by his side was one of the least useful things they could do. Gordan noticed that Luke was already looking at his phone screen. He knew the conversation was coming to an end. Luke told him that he would not even mention Vivian''s matter, and he really did not say anything about her. Gordan could not help but feel depressed. He suspected that Vivian was brought back by Ray''s men. Although there was no precise evidence for that, Gordan was still pretty sure that was what went down. Gordan thought of worming some information out of Luke starting from what happenedst night. However, he did not expect that Luke would so skillfully dodge the questions. Hence, Gordan only managed to find out what happenedst night. "Brother Luke, do you mind sending me a photo of the tattoo?" Gordan asked again. Chapter 2028 "Sure, but what do you need this for?¡± Luke asked while holding his phone. He pulled up the photo of the tattoo and sent it to Gordan''s phone. Gordan looked at the photo he sent over and exined, "Although I''m an inconspicuous person, I often takemissions. I''ll definitely be able to use this in the future." Luke put the phone down. Gordan also kept the phone in his pocket and held out his hand. "Brother Luke, I''ve yet to congratte you on yourpany getting the project. Congrattions." "Thanks." Luke shook his hand. Gordan rubbed his chin and looked around. He got what he wanted but could not bring up the thing he intended to ask. There was no point in staying around any longer, so he said, "Brother Luke, rest up. I still have some things to do, so I''m taking off. I''ll still be in Russia for the time being, so call me if you need anything." "Okay. It''s inconvenient for me to see you off downstairs, so I won''t. Close the door when you leave," Luke said while opening theptop on the table with no intention of seeing him off. "Got it. I''m taking off then." Gordan did not think anything of his response. This was basically how the two of them got along. He pushed open the room door to the empty living room of the suite. It seemed that Luca was still in her room. Gordan whistled as he turned to leave and closed the door of the suite on his way out. Luke shook his head. He had been working on the project since he came back from the hotel yesterday and had no time to tell Percy about the events here. He sent an email to Percy to tell him about the Ind of Despair as well as Pierre''s participation in the project bidding with the bidding document he had specially prepared. He had no ns of letting Pierre get away with it. However, no matter what he wanted to do, he still had to tell Percy in advance. After all, he was Pierre''s brother. After a while, Percy gave Luke a call from overseas. "Did that brat, Pierre, really do that?" "Yes, the bidding document was deliberately prepared by me and my assistant..." Luke nced at the door before continuing, "We intentionally left it for Luca to see if she would take it." "There''s no way Luca could have given the bidding document to Pierre," Percy assured him that they were not on good terms. Pierre was dying to strangle Luca, and because of Nina, Luca did not like him very much either. The chances of anything happening between them were zero. "Well, there was a middleman involved. I''m guessing it''s the one who''s controlling Luca. Gale is already looking into it. I''m just giving you a heads-up," said Luke. "Got it. This is T Corporation''s business, so do what you have to do. Other than that, if you need anything else, just ask." Percy felt a little guilty. He was Pierre''s brother, yet he had no idea Pierre had secretly done so many illegal things. Moreover, these things were all rted to his brother. It was a good thing that Luke hade up with a n, so Pierre''s actions did not cost T Corporation anything. Otherwise, he would not know how to face his friend of over 30 years. After ending the call with Luke, Percy called Pierre. The call went through, but it was hung up by Pierre after two rings. Percy could not help but curse. He then called him again. This time, Pierre''s phone could no longer be reached. Percy frowned. "What the hell? I''ll teach him a lesson when hees back from Russia." He did not believe that Pierre would never return. After all, hispany was still here. There was no way he would abandon thepany he worked so hard to set up. On the other hand. In Pierre''s suite. He looked at the burly man pointing a gun at his forehead with a gloomy expression. "Mr. Abel, is this how you''re going to treat me?" He looked at the man sitting on the couch across from him. As soon as he opened the door, a gun mmed him onto the sofa, which made him unable to move. Without any of his people around, Pierre knew that even if he moved the slightest bit right now, he would be shot in the head. He had made a misjudgment.N?velDrama.Org owns this. Pierre did not expect that a mere pharmaceuticalpany owner would have such power. He walked in and out of ces in Russia with a gun. Furthermore, he held it to his forehead whenever he wanted. Hence, he finally understood that Abel was not an ordinary businessman. "Aren''t you the one who''s looking for me? I saw that you were trying so hard to find me, so I came. What is it, Mr. Pierre? Why are you looking for me?" Abel took a puff of his cigar and sneered. Hera searched for him all day. When she finally got in touch, she informed him of the situation. Long story short, someone named Mallory was looking for him. Abel did not need to investigate further to know that it was Pierre. Since Pierre wanted toe see him, he personally went to Pierre instead. Besides, no one outside knew that he was the boss of the Ind of Despair. It was still easy for him to get around. After his subordinates found out on which floor of the hotel Pierre stayed, he had them book a room under their name. He managed toe up sessfully. They did not alert the security downstairs or the local police. Everything went smoothly. Pierre nced at the shiny ck muzzle. Once it went off, he would die on the spot. Being held at gunpoint, it would be a lie to say he was not afraid. However, in order to face Abel, he had to toughen up no matter how afraid he was. "There''s a reason why I came to find you, but the gun..." Pierre looked at the sloppy man. The fact that he dared to hold a gun to his head in a hotel meant that Abel was not easy to deal with. If Pierre still went with his previous n, the unlucky one would not be Abel but himself. He figured that if he demanded Abel bring out the money he previously took, he might not be able to walk out of this hotel alive. "My subordinates misunderstood that you wanted to negotiate with me. Hence, the gun. Don''t worry, the gun has been modified. It won''t go off. It''s also equipped with a top-notch silencer. Even if it does go off, it won''t disturb the people next door," Abel said deliberately. A silencer. As stupid as Pierre was, he knew what that meant. Even if he died here today, no one would know. By the time the hotel staff found out, Abel and his subordinates would have long been gone. It seemed that Abel had a stronghold in Russia. Even if there were surveince cameras that captured theming in, they would still have a way to erase the footage. These were the things that would happen after he was taken care of. However, Pierre had no intention of letting himself die here. "I do have something to talk to you about, but it''s not a negotiation." Pierre tamed his anger and changed his words. He who fought and run away lived to fight another day. Abel raised his eyebrows with a smug look on his face. "So, it''s not a negotiation, huh? Then we have a misunderstanding, my apologies. My subordinates are used to pointing a gun at the other party when negotiating to ensure my interests. Haller, put the gun away." Chapter 2029 ¡°Yes, Boss." The man Abel called Haller grunted coldly as he put the gun away and stood next to Abel. Pierre looked at the rogue looks on their faces and regretted not having two bodyguards by his side. In comparison, he looked like he did not even qualify to talk to them. "Mr. Pierre, what do you want to talk to me about?" Abel asked with a wide grin. If it were not for Hera pestering him about Pierre threatening her, he would not have bothereding over. He was not afraid of Pierre, but he did not want Hera to fall into Pierre''s hands. After all, she did look like Kassy in certain ces. It would be a shame if she was taken away by someone like Pierre. "T Corporation got M Group''s project. I suppose you''re aware of it?" Pierre knew from today''s incident that Abel was not a simple person. Previously, he thought that he was just a thief who stole other people''s trade secrets without being in the public eye. Only today did he realize that he was the one who had been underestimating Abel. "I''m aware. You''re referring to the bidding document situation, right?" Abel switched his sitting position and casually folded his left leg over his right, not taking the man in front of him seriously. "I''ve also asked about this. The bidding document given to you indeed belonged to T Corporation, but no one thought that Luke had prepared another copy that was a hundred times better than the one given to you. So, it was only natural that he got the project. He originally thought that he could cause serious damage to Luke this time, but he did not expect that he would have a card up his sleeve.N?velDrama.Org owns this. After he ended the call with Luca yesterday, he had asked two other of his subordinates in T Corporation. They said that the bidding document they had been working on all this while was the one that was sold to Pierre. This showed that Luca was not lying. Luke really had his subordinates prepare a fake bidding document as bait to lure him in. Although he was set up, he did not suffer much of a loss. All the loss was on Pierre, after all. However, he was still unconvinced. He did not reveal any loopholes, but Luke continued to stay on guard. He did not hesitate to have all of his employees help prepare a fake bidding document, while he secretlypleted one himself. It made his n aplete failure. Pierre clenched his fist and almost threw a fit listening to Abel shift all the me to someone else. Haller reached for the gun in his pocket. Pierre forcibly restrained himself. Even if he was capable, he still could not fight someone with a gun. "Didn''t your people double-check before stealing the bidding document?" he said through gritted teeth, trying hard to hold back the rage in him. "Luke is one cunning fe. Who knew he could even deceive those under him? The bidding document everyone thought was going to be submitted was the one you got," Abel said with an innocent look on his face. He knew the actual reason why Pierre was looking for him, but it was impossible for him to take out the money that had already entered his pocket. Moreover, he needed to do big operationstely, which required more money. "So, are you just going to leave it as is?" Pierre asked with veins bulging on his forehead. No matter what, this matter must be dealt with. If he could not start with Abel, he would start with Luke. He could not offend Abel as he had a gun, but what did Luke have? Abel saw the wrath on his face, and the corners of his mouth curled up into a smile. "Otherwise, what else do you have in mind?" "I don''t expect you to be considerate enough to help me recover from the damage this caused me, but I want Luke dead!" Pierre started to have the desire to kill. This was Russia, and it was not at all like home. He did not bring many people with him here this time around, so if Abel were to help him, Luke may die in Russia. He wanted Luke dead? Abel raised his eyebrows, Pierre may not seem like much, but he sure knew how to talk big. Moreover, he also happened to share the same goal as him. The only difference was that Pierre wanted Luke dead on the spot, whereas Abel wanted to destroy everything Luke had little by little and let him die in despair. "Do you have what it takes?" Abel did not try to hide the fact that he looked down on him. Pierre clenched his fist as he was upset about being belittled, but the other party was indeed telling the truth. He did not have what it took to do it back home, and it was the same abroad. "I might not, but you have what it takes. You can hold a gun here in Russia, so I suppose this is your stronghold. Make me an offer. All I want is Luke''s life." "I can make you an offer and I can help you, but I can''t guarantee that Luke will die." Abel took out a cigar from his pocket and sniffed it. "Why? You have people and even weapons, so why not?" Pierre looked at him with red eyes. If he could not take Luke down, then what was the point of spending that money? The rage that he had tried so hard to calm down got fired up again in an instant as he remembered that he had spent arge sum on the bidding document as well, only for Luke to make a fool out of him. Furthermore, he believed that Luke could tell that the bidding document he submitted was the one his company had prepared. Presumably, he was already under investigation by his people. ¡°You may not know this, but Luke has a lot of friends in Russia. One of them is Ray from the underworld. You can investigate him. Two-thirds of the underworld territory in Russia belong to Ray. Although I have a stronghold here, there''s no way I''ll go head to head with them just for your money. If Ray decides to protect Luke, how much effort do you think I''ll need to put in to take care of Luke? Can you afford to pay that much money?" Abel analyzed the situation for him. He needed the money right now, but he also had to make it clear to Pierre about the situation. Not to mention, he never intended to confront Ray head-on this soon. After all, it was easier to get things done in the shadows. "How much money is enough?" asked Pierre. Seeing how determined Pierre was, it seemed that Luke''s scheme had made him lose his mind. Unexpectedly, Pierre could not stand it any longer, and this was even before Luke made him go insane. His temperament was far worse than his brother, Percy''s. Abel took out his phone, entered a number, and handed it over to show him. "This is the price for taking action without the guarantee of sess." Pierre looked at the number and frowned. "You can''t guarantee sess at such a high price?" "Your task isn''t the only one my people are dealing with, so I can''t assign everyone to your task." Abel put away his phone. Pierre asked again, "What about the price of a guaranteed sess?" "I''m not epting this one." Abel shook his head. "You''re passing up the opportunity to make money?" Pierre was surprised. "If you really have the money, you can ask other underworld forces in Russia and see which of them are willing to go up against Ray," Abel said indifferently. Chapter 2030 Pierre looked at him speak confidently and fell silent for a while. Abel gestured toward Haller. ¡°Hand it over." Haller took out a phone and a card from his pocket, cing them in Abel''s hand. Abel tossed the things in his hand onto the coffee table and stood up. "This is how you''ll contact me. After you''ve given it some thought, just dial this number on this phone and you''ll be able to reach me." After finishing, he left with Haller. The door of the suite opened and closed again. Pierre slowly shifted his gaze toward the door. If he had insisted on getting the money back today, his brain would have been blown out by now. He slowly picked up the phone and card on the coffee table. The number printed on the card did not resemble a phone number. Pierre counted the numbers, there were a total of 22 digits. They said it was a number, but they might as well call it a scrambled code. He turned on the phone. This ordinary phone model was avable on the market, but there was nothing else on the screen except for the interface to dial numbers. Not even the basic phone settings were seen. Pierre could confirm that though this phone might look ordinary, it was actually far from it. He put the phone aside. He had not made up his mind on whether to contact Abel for help as he had already spent a lump sum of money. Although he never expected the bidding document to get him the project, seeing the project fall into Luke''s hands filled him with jealousy. Pierre kept the phone and card in the drawer. He wanted to deal with Luke, but he still had to give it some consideration. After all, Abel had provided him with useful information. Luke had connections here too. He wanted to investigate further. The phone he set aside rang, and he picked it up impatiently. It was Mr. Peralta. He answered irritatedly, "What is it?" On the other end of the phone, Mr. Peralta asked nonchntly, "Boss, when are we returning?" "What''s the rush?" Pierre asked coldly. He would not leave until he had decided whether to deal with Luke. Mr. Peralta could sense from Abel''s tone of voice that he was in a bad mood. He held his breath and bit the bullet as he reported, ¡°Boss, there are some matters back at thepany that you need to take care of personally..." He did not want to disturb Pierre, but after Percy called, it not only put pressure on him but the company as well. If Pierre refused to return, things would not turn out great. "I still have some things to deal with here. You head back first." Pierre impatiently drove him away. There was no point in keeping Mr. Peralta by his side. Firstly, he could not help him negotiate. Secondly, he could not protect him. He should not have brought him here in the first ce. If he had brought two bodyguards instead, perhaps he would not have had to suffer Abel''s threats. "But thepany¡ª" Pierre impatiently cut him off, "Who''s the boss here?" Mr. Peralta sighed internally. Working was hard, but even more so when working for Pierre. "You are.." Mr. Peralta said embarrassedly. "Yet you''re questioning my decision?" Pierre''s words were aggressive and unreasonable. Mr. Peralta braced himself and said, "I would never. In that case, I''ll return first. Let me know when you want to go back, Boss. I''ll book a flight for you." Pierre hung up the phone without giving him a reply. Mr. Peralta sulked in his hotel room. Their bidding document did not even get chosen. He had no idea why Pierre wanted to stay. To throw a celebration for Luke? They were already considered lucky that Luke did not cause them any trouble. After recalling what Percy said, Mr. Peralta hurriedly gave him a reply, "Mr. Mallory, Boss said he wishes to stay in Russia for the time being. He refuses to go back." Percy replied in an instant, "What is he staying in Russia for?" After hearing his question, Mr. Peralta wondered the same thing. Percy had a point. There was nothing in Russia for Pierre to do. He could only answer, "I''m not sure about that either. This is the boss''s own decision." "Then don''te back for the time being too. Keep an eye on him and see what else he''s up to," replied Percy. Mr. Peralta''s face immediately fell. He had just been chased away by Pierre, but Percy wanted him to stay here. Should he leave or not? If he stayed, Pierre would definitely find it suspicious. "Got it," he answered Percy after weighing his options. He did not work for Percy, but that seemed like the only option right now. Percy had already brought the bidding document matter out into the open. He also said that if Mr. Peralta refused to help him, Luke would hold him ountable. Mr. Peralta did not want to throw half of his life away because of the bidding document, so he could only agree. The following day. Luke brought Luca and Jason with him to the hotel lobby to wee Mr. Zac and the employees of T Corporation''s legal department. Since they were told toe to Russia on such short notice, everyone could not hide the exhaustion on their faces. After Jason asked for their documents and assigned each one of them a guest room, everyone gathered at Luke''s suite to begin preparations for the pre-contract meeting. The suite was very spacious, so there was enough room for everyone to sit on the couch. Luca was also among them. Luke sat in his wheelchair and looked at Luca as he opened hisptop. He said, ¡°Dr. Craw, there''s no work for you at the moment. Go back and rest up first." Luca was stunned. Did she really have to rest? "I can work, Mr. Crawford." She insisted as she could not imagine the consequences if she returned to her room in front of so many people. Jason had long known that she and Luke stayed together, so she admitted that they were staying in the same suite. After all, Jason would not misunderstand her rtionship with Luke. Even if there was a misunderstanding, he would not speak about it carelessly. However, she could not say the same for the others. There were five other T Corporation employees there excluding Jason, and they all thought that this was Luke''s suite. If she walked into another room in front of them, there was no need to wait until tomorrow for rumors to spread in thepany. She was staying with Luke. Therefore, Luca did not want to stir up any unnecessary trouble. "You''re not needed for the time being. You cane out when we need a trantor." Luke insisted. He thought that she needed more rest as she was sick. Moreover, she was stubbornly distancing herself from him, which upset him. Thus, he wanted to take this opportunity to teach her a lesson. He would let everyone in thepany know that they did not have a typical rtionship. His words were as straightforward as they could be, but Luca still sat on the couch with no intention of budging. At this moment, Jason assisted by saying, "He''s right, Dr. Craw. Your injuries have not recovered. You should go back to your room and rest." Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Just as he finished speaking, all eyes were on Luca. Chapter 2031 Luca nced at the crowd. She had be the center of attention. She then looked at Luke. He had a stern look on his face with no intention of negotiating at all. Should she really go rest? He did it on purpose. Luca looked at Luke with aplicated expression. In the end, she closed herptop and slowly walked into her room. Upon seeing this, everyone was shocked to the core. They peeked at Luke. Was this not their boss''s suite? This was the presidential suite. Surely, only the boss would get this kind of treatment. If Luca stayed here, would that mean she shared a secret rtionship with their boss? Hence, they were taking this opportunity to let everyone know about their rtionship? Everyone started specting, but no one dared to say a word. At that moment, the atmosphere in the suite fell silent. Jason noticed their unusual expressions and cleared his throat, reminding them that it was not their job to focus on Luke and Luca''s rtionship. They just had to do what they were supposed to do. Everyone responded by opening theirptops and preparing to work. Luca sat on the couch in her room and let out a sigh. The walls of the hotel were soundproofed, and the people outside were not loud either. Hence, she could hardly hear anything. Even if she were to jump into a river, she still would not be able to rid herself of her rtionship with Luke. As Luca sighed, her phone rang. The sudden ringing startled her. She felt apprehensive about picking up the phone as she was afraid that it would be Abel. Nothing good woulde out of a call from Abel. After ncing at the phone screen, Luca heaved a sigh of relief. It was not Abel, it was Vivian. ¡°Hi, Vivian. What''s up?" Luca lowered her voice to ask after picking up. ¡°Luca, are you free right now?" Vivian asked rather uneasily. She asked if she was free before anything else. After all, T Corporation had gotten the project. Not to mention, she was on a business trip with Luke. It was only natural for her to be busy. ¡°I''m free. What''s wrong?" Luca lowered her voice, worried that if she spoke too loud, the people outside could hear her. ¡°It''s just that I''m filling out admissions information right now, and the college requires another one written in English, but I don''t have a good enough grasp of it. Plus, I don''t really know anyone around me who speaks English, so I want to ask you for help..." Vivian said sheepishly that trantion software could help her trante it, but there would be a lot of inuracies. Not to mention, one of the basic requirements of admission was having basic knowledge of the language. Vivian had been with Gordan for several years, so her foundation in thenguage was only limited to speaking. She did not understand the writtennguage. ¡°No problem, but what admissions information is it?" Luca asked with uncertainty, ¡°I want to further my studies. I''ve already chosen a college. After sending my application and receiving an examination notice from the school, I can go sit for the exam. If I pass, I can start attending sses," said Vivian. She did not enroll in the Russiannguage department, so thenguage requirements were even higher. Moreover, she did not want to waste a whole year on anguage course. If she got epted, she already nned to take upnguage tutoring while attending sses. That way, she would not have to waste a whole year and her time would be spent more wisely. For the past few years, she had been circling around Gordan without improving herself. If not for Ray''s protection, she might have already been put into a refugee camp. Vivian was not willing to live under the protection of her little brother forever. ¡°I see. Send me the information, then. I''ll take a look at it. Is it okay if we have a video call? That way, we canmunicate in real-time. At the same time, you can fill out the information yourself." Luca understood what Vivian meant. She was not looking for someone to help her fill it out but for someone to guide her on how to do it. "Alright, thank you," The tone of Vivian''s voice was much lighter and not as anxious as before. Luca opened up herptop and video called Vivian after receiving her email. Little by little, she taught Vivian how to fill out the particrly detailed form that took almost the entire morning toplete. After clicking submit, Vivian thanked her again, ¡°Luca, thank you for helping me." ¡°You''re wee." Luca smiled faintly. When she was helping Vivian, she forgot about the embarrassment from just now. ¡°By the way, aren''t you busy with work?" asked Vivian. ¡°Nope. Mr. Crawford said that there''s no need for me yet," Luca said while shaking her head. ¡°Why don''t we go shopping, then? You''ll be bored if you just stay in the hotel. Why don''t I take you out for a walk?" Vivian suggested. "How about next time? I think I''ll have work to do in the afternoon." Luca declined her kind offer. "Alright, I won''t bother you, then. I''ll hang up now." Vivian beamed as she waved goodbye to the camera and ended the video call. Luca exhaled and closed herptop. While she was hesitating over whether to go out and see what was going on, someone knocked on her door. She stood up and pushed open the door to see Jason standing in the doorway. "Dr. Craw, shall we go out for lunch?" said Jason. "Lunch?" Luca nced at the living room behind him. Mr. Zac and the rest of the employees were no longer there. Presumably, they were all in the restaurant. That was why they were gone. Luca had already predicted that they must be spreading the news about her sharing a suite with Luke. "Yes, they''re in the restaurant. Boss booked a table at a Chinese restaurant nearby and they''re already there."Jason nodded. "Okay, I''ll be right there after changing my clothes." Luca nodded back. After changing, she walked out of the room to see Luke waiting for her by the door with Jason standing at the side. The three of them went down together. Since Luke had told the rest to go over first, no one waited for the three of them. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. The Chinese restaurant was nearby the hotel and could be reached by foot, so Jason did not arrange for a car. After walking out of the hotel, wind and snow blew in their faces. Luca subconsciously sunk her face into her scarf. Luke noticed her doing that and suggested, "Why don''t we get the driver?" Jason was bewildered. Did they really need a car for such a short distance? "Mr. Crawford, we can just walk there." Luca also thought that there was no need to drive for such a short distance. She had already walked all the nearby streets in the past two days, so she knew which Chinese restaurant it was. Luke nodded his head after listening to her. When Luca was being assertive, no one could do anything but nod their heads in agreement. The three of them walked to the Chinese restaurant. Jason had booked a private room, so following the waiter''s lead, the three of them walked into the room. The moment the door opened, the chatter stopped abruptly as if someone had pressed the stop button. Looking at Luke being pushed in by Jason, Mr. Zac said, "Mr. Crawford, you''re here." Chapter 2032 Mr. Zac''s words caused the employees who were waiting there to stand up and greet Luke. Luca listened to their greetings as she noticed that their gazes fell upon both of them. Their gazes made her feel like she was being exhibited in a zoo for the public to see, and that made her ufortable. If she were still Bianca and she appeared somewhere with Luke, people would still be looking at her like this. However, at the time, she was his legally wedded wife. No matter how many stares she got, it was not like the stares she got right now. They used their curiosity to mask their inner contempt for her. Luca lowered her gaze and followed Jason into the room. Mr. Zac hastily moved one of the chairs out of the way. Jason pushed Luke to the empty seat. When he saw that there were two empty seats left, he nced at Luca. Luca nodded. It did not matter which seat she chose because she would have to sit next to Luke anyway. The two of them were entangled like cobwebs. No matter how hard one tried to pull them apart, they would always be connected together. She was exasperated and helpless. After sitting down, Jason had the waiter serve their food as the meal was booked in advance. In no time, dishes were being served. Since Luke was here, everyone seemed overly cautious. There was not much table talk. Even when someone was talking, it would be about the contract signing. Luca listened to their conversation. After getting the project, Luke would have more opportunities to travel to Russia with the employees in the future. Being in Russia meant stepping into Abel''s territory. Luca''s chest tightened up. Luke''s power and influence were back at home, but he was well-known abroad too. However, he had encountered trouble in Russia thest time. It would be dangerous for him toe to Russia often, even if he had Ray watching over him. After all, Abel''s people even had the guts to infiltrate Ray''s home and drive a wedge between them to affect their harmonious rtionship. This showed that Abel was nning to expand his power. Other than trying to get more money and power, he also wanted to avenge Kassy. Luca frowned at the thought of it. Luke was already aware of the existence of the Ind of Despair and had informed Ray, so he and several underworld forces would definitely have their guards up. What Luke did not know was that Abel''s final and ultimate goal was him. Luca did not know how to tell or warn him. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. The likelihood of her sticking by him in the future was very low anyway. The food was nd, so Luca did not eat much. After the meal, the group of people left together. Jason pushed Luke''s wheelchair and walked in front. Everyone else, including Luca, walked behind them and uniformly kept their distance from the boss Luke knew what Luca had on her mind but did not say a word. He let her keep her distance since his goal had already been achieved. The people in thepany were now starting to find out about the ''unusual'' rtionship he had with Luca. Although this n would make her subject to criticism and aggravation, Luke felt that there was nothing wrong with doing so. Time after time, Luca would try to stay away from him, which he would not allow. After returning to the hotel, Luke did not have his subordinates continue discussing work at his suite. Instead, they moved somewhere else¡ªMr. Zac''s suite. Luca was still not needed, so she headed back and locked herself in the room. She did not know if Luke had nned things this way because he knew that she was the one who stole the bidding document. However, if he really knew, everything he had done so far would not make sense. Luke would have her locked up somewhere and restrict her so that she would not be able to walk around at will. Luca looked out the window, and it seemed that the snowfall was easing up. She recalled Vivian''s invitation. Instead of locking herself in her room and overthinking, why not go out for a walk? After she thought about it, she sent Vivian an invitation, to which she happily agreed. She even said that she woulde to pick Luca up. Half an hourter, a message came from Vivian stating that she was already waiting for her downstairs. After leaving a note in the living room, Luca went downstairs to meet up with Vivian. Vivian came in a Mercedes this time, which was much more low-key than the Rolls-Royce they rode in previously. ¡°Luca, here!" Vivian saw her walk out and waved with a smile. Luca saw the bright smile Vivian had on her unattractive face. It seemed that the winter snow had melted a little. She sighed to herself. It was Gordan who took her for granted. Luca walked over and noticed another car following behind the Mercedes. ¡°This is..." She nced at the people in the driver''s seat and passenger seats. They were wearing the same clothes. She assumed that they were Ray''s people who were here to protect Vivian. "They''re the family''s bodyguards. Ray found out that I was going out shopping with you and asked to bring the bodyguards along as things haven''t been the most peaceful heretely. You don''t mind, do you?" asked Vivian. She always had an ugly face. Only a couple of people were willing to hang out with her in the past. She was also asked to bring bodyguards with her wherever she went. Those people felt like it was too much, so gradually, no one wanted to hang out with her anymore. Therefore, when Luca saw the bodyguards, Vivian got a little worried. She was afraid that Luca would not want to be followed by such a group of people. "Of course, I don''t mind. Your safetyes first. Are you driving?" said Luca. "No, there''s a driver." Vivian said bashfully. Ray was worried that she would not be able to keep up with the others if she encountered problems, so he arranged for a driver. She opened the door. "Get in." "Okay." Luca did not mind having these people follow them. She bent down and got in the car. Vivian followed suit and closed the car door. "Ms. Vivian, where do you want to go?" the driver asked Vivian in Russian. Vivian looked at Luca. "Luca, where do you want to go?" "I''m not familiar with this ce. Perhaps you can be my guide?" Luca had Vivian make the choice. There was nowhere in particr that she wanted to go. She just wanted to get out of the hotel room and stop thinking nonsense. Luke''s mind was not easy to read. The more she tried, the more confused she became. "Then, I''ll make the decision. First, we''ll go shopping. Then, we''ll grab some coffee. Finally, we''ll go get a facial. What do you think?" Vivian nned with excitement in her tone. It had been some time since anyone did these things with her. "Alright, let''s go with your n." Luca had nothing to add. "Let''s go," Vivian said to the driver, who knew where she usually liked to shop. "Okay, Ms. Vivian." The driver nodded and started the car. After Luca got into Vivian''s car, Gale, who hid in his car, saw everything. He reported to Luke immediately. After Luke saw the message and told Gale to follow them, he continued the meeting with his subordinates to discuss the details of the document signing. He was not surprised that Luca would be with Vivian. When she still identified as Bianca, the two of them got along very well. After changing her identity, she was able to still be good friends with Nina and Sue. It made sense that she would be able to be good friends with Vivian as well. Luca had changed a lot, but there was a lot about that had not changed too. Chapter 2033 When Gale got Luke''s message, he immediately drove to keep up with Vivian and Luca. He followed the car in front of him until they reached thergest shopping mall in the area, where the car stopped. Gale slowly pulled to the side of the road. Vivian nced out the window and confirmed that they had arrived at the right ce. She smiled and said to Luca, "We''re here. Let''s get out of the car." "Okay." Luca nodded and opened the car door at the same time that Vivian did. The two got out of the car. Gale was sitting in the car and saw Luca. He said to the man in the front passenger seat, "Follow Ms. Craw. If you lose her, the boss will be fuming and you''ll only have yourself to me." "Got it." The man did not dare to rx. When he saw Vivian and Luca walking into the mall, he immediately opened the car door and got out. It was a Sunday in Russia. Although the shopping mall was high-end and the prices inside were exorbitant, there was still an endless stream of people visiting. The man looked around and saw Luca and Vivian at a nce. He was secretly grateful. In a mall full of normal-looking faces, there was Luca, who had shiny long hair and a delicate face. There was also the slightly shorter Vivian beside her. On top of that, they were followed by four bodyguards. Even when people came and go, they were still the most eye-catching group in the mall. They were dazzling, hence easy to follow. If nothing out of the ordinary happened, he should have no problem tailing them. The man lowered his hat and started following Luca. Vivian took the initiative to hold Luca''s hand and smiled shyly. "Luca, do you mind?" "I don''t mind." Luca sighed to herself when she noticed how Vivian was holding her hand but still spoke as though she was walking on eggshells. A good rtionship with the right person could make one feel confident and beautiful. Based on how Vivian acted, Luca could imagine how often Gordan bullied her. Vivian felt better when Luca gave her consent. She introduced, "There are many famous brands in the mall here, all of which are genuine. This is the best ce to buy something for yourself or bring back souvenirs to family and friends in A City." Luca wanted to get some souvenirs for her three children, Nina, Sue, and Sue''s two children. ''I can buy them, but is there any chance that I can bring them back to A City?'' If Luke''s contract signing went well, they might be able to go back the day after tomorrow. However, she was uncertain if she would join them. After all, Luke might find out about her at any time. By then, her identity as Luca would disappear from the world... "Luca, what are you thinking about?" Vivian noticed that Luca had been keeping silent and asked softly. Luca came back to her senses and smiled. "I was thinking about what souvenirs I should bring back to A City." "Have you decided? You can also tell me some information about them. Maybe I can help you think of what to get them?" Vivian said enthusiastically. After she thought about it, Luca decided to get some souvenirs. The children would be very disappointed If she returned to A City empty-handed. "Is there a children''s store here?" she asked. She knew the children well and knew the perfect gift for each of them. "Yes, there are children''s clothing and toys on the third floor," Vivian said and led Luca to the elevator. "Mm." Luca nodded. Vivian was surprised that she was going to buy children''s products as she always thought that Luca was single. She could not help but ask, "You have kids?" Luca was startled, and she almost subconsciously replied yes... She had four children. Three were in City A and one was on the Ind of Despair. However, she could not answer that. She could only helplessly smile and say, "They''re my good friends'' children." Vivian noticed Luca''s expression. Although she was smiling, there was also a deep sense of helplessness as if she had something to say but she could not. "You''re such a great friend." Vivian watched the elevator reach the first floor and stepped in with Luca. The bodyguards followed closely behind. Many wanted to enter the elevator, so the bodyguards took the initiative to surround Luca and Vivian with their bodies, forming a human wall to protect them. Luca and Vivian got out of the elevator when they arrived on the third floor. "This way." Vivian led the way. Luca had not been to this mall before, so she followed closely behind Vivian. When they arrived at the store, Vivian asked, "Is this okay?" Luca looked at the huge chain store, nodded, walked in, and said, "Yes." Luca chose the presents quickly. When she decided to get gifts for the children, she had already thought about what to give to who. She bought a new set of books in English and two sets of models. The English book was Lanie''s, while the models were for Lanie and Tommy to share. After she chose the items for the boys, Luca went to the clothing area and chose a skirt for Rainie. Vivian could not help but sigh in admiration as she walked around with Luca. "Your friend has so many kids?" "She and her partner like kids," Luca said. She saw some dolls and chose two for Sue''s children. When Vivian heard her reply and murmured, "That sounds nice." She liked kids, but Gordan did not. Hence, she never got pregnant throughout their marriage. Vivian could not help but sigh as she looked at the dazzling array of children''s products. She was thinking that she might never be able to buy and make use of these things. Someone as ugly as her would not meet someone who truly loved her. Since she could not receive sincere love, she did not want to give in any further. After so many years, she could finally see things as they were. Luca took the chosen items and went to the cashier to check out. After she paid, one of the bodyguards walked over and said, "Ms. Craw, let me help you with the bags." "Thanks," Luca thanked him and handed the shopping bags to the bodyguards. When Vivian saw that Luca had made a purchase, she stepped forward, held her hand, and said, "Let''s go." "Mm," Luca nodded. The two walked out of the children''s store with the bodyguards. After they walked around for a little more, Luca bought two sets of skincare products and jewelry for Nina and Sue. They had their careers, and their men were capable, so they were not short of anything. She tried to choose something that they could use so that they would be more practical. "I''ve bought everything that I need. Where do you want to go next?" Luca asked. Vivian nced at the time and said, "It''s only been half an hour since we arrived and you''re done shopping..." Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "Yeah, there aren''t many people I want to get something for..." The ones she bought presents for were friends who were sincere and kind toward her. To be specific, she bought them for Bianca''s good friends who took care of her. "You''re amazing. Usually, it takes me such a long time to pick something for others. Since you''re done shopping, why don''t we go to the rooftop? There''s a coffee shop there. The coffee and cakes are wonderful." Vivian blinked her eyes and suggested. "Okay." Luca had no objection. After walking for half an hour, she was happy to take a break. Chapter 2034 Vivian eagerly took her upstairs seeing that Luca agreed. After they walked into the cafe, Vivian said to the waitress, "Hello, can we get a private room?" The waitress recognized Vivian. She shed a kind but helpless smile. "Miss Vivian, I''m sorry, but there are already guests in the private room. They ordered a fair number of things too. I doubt that the private room will be avable any time soon. Are you okay with a semi-private room?" "We''re fine with that." Vivian did not put her on the spot. The waitress took them to the semi-private room in the corner. Luca sat opposite Vivian. "What about these gentlemen..." The waitress looked at the bodyguards who followed Vivian. She was not surprised as she had brought bodyguards when she visited before. Vivian looked at the bodyguards who were helping them carry their shopping bags and pointed to the table next to her. "They can sit at that table." When they heard that, the bodyguards sat down at the table next to them. Luca looked at the formation and realized that the bodyguards were always there to protect Vivian. They were just in the cafe, yet the bodyguards had to sit not far away. The waitress brought them two menus and ced them on the two tables. "For you to browse through." Vivian put the menu in front of Luca and said, "Luca, why don''t you have a look?" After that, she looked at the waitress and asked, "What''s the specialty dessert today?" "It''s your favorite, the macaron," the waitress replied. Vivian went to the cafe often and had a membership card, so she received five-star service. "Macarons? I''ll have two sets, one for the table over there," Vivian said. She liked desserts. They made her mood better. "Thank you, Miss Vivian," the bodyguards thanked her. Vivian nodded and looked at Luca. "Is there anything that you want?" "It''s okay. You know this ce well. I''m happy to have you order for us." Luca handed the menu over to her. "I''ll order for us, then," Vivian said. She ordered two sses of Blue Mountain which she thought was the best and asked the bodyguards to order what they wanted to drink. She was never stingy to those who were loyal to her. The waitress left with the menus. "By the way, when are you leaving Russia? I prepared a speech, but it doesn''t feel right..." Vivian said, embarrassed. She was not happy with the speech she prepared. "We won''t leave until the contract is officially signed, but I don''t have anything to do with it. You can give me your manuscript. I''ll help you revise it." Luca said. She could not help but feel downhearted when she thought of the contract with M Group. It may be that Luke had noticed that she was the one who stole and sold the bidding document, so he did not allow her to participate in the next steps of the signing. They were at the point where they were close to signing the contract. Even if she wanted to change anything, there was no way. Nevertheless, Luke''s distrust still made her feel dejected. "Really? That''s great!" Vivian said happily. "I''ll invite you to dinner when I''m officially enrolled in university. By the way, the college I applied to is in A City. We can meet when we have time." "I know." Luca had seen her admissions application and knew that she was applying to Capital College in A City, which was located in College Town. It was close to where she worked and lived. However, she had no idea what she would have to face when she returned to A City. She may not be able to spend time with Vivian as she wished. "Luca, I have one more favor to ask..." Vivian looked at her in face, which was simpler when compared to the makeup that other women put on. Even so, Luca still looked charming. Luca''s facial features may make her seem like she was cold, but Vivian knew that she was not a cold person at heart. That was why she asked her for help. "What do you need?" Luca came back to her senses and looked at her intently. "After you revise it, can you read it to a tape recorder so that I can practice..." Vivian said. "You''re sure that you don''t want to consider taking anguage ss for a semester first?" Luca confirmed with her. Vivian was working so hard to avoid thenguage ss so that she would be able to attend sses immediately. "I''ve wasted enough time in the past. I don''t want to waste any more. I''m going to get anguage tutor while I''m in university," Vivian said. She knew that her arrangement was a little rushed, but she was confident that she could do it. If there was a will, there was a way. Luca agreed to her request seeing how determined she was. "Okay. When you get home, send me the prepared speech and I''ll record it for you after editing it." Vivian smiled contentedly. "Thank you for agreeing to help me ''cheat''." "You''re wee." Luca returned a smile. She wanted to help as much as she could. The waitress brought the coffee and macarons they ordered. Luca and Vivian chatted while they sipped on coffee. When Pierre walked out of the private room, he saw Luca sitting in a semi-private room at a nce. He squinted his eyes. His anger had not been vented yet, so he thought it was meant to be that Luca was right in front of him. It was better toe out at the right timing rather thane out early! Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Pierre walked over. Luca felt the danger, looked up, and saw Pierre walking toward them. "Enemies on a narrow road," she said softly, not expecting to meet him here. Luca was puzzled. The matter of the bidding had been over for a few days, so she did not expect Pierre to still be in Russia. It seemed that he had nothing to do here, so she was wondering why he stayed around. "What?" Vivian could not hear her muttering. "It''s nothing. I saw someone I don''t want to see," Luca said softly. "Who?" Vivian looked around and saw a man walking toward them. It seemed that Luca was referring to this person. Vivian did not hold back her gaze and looked at the man in front of her. The man Luca hated... Sure enough... Vivian was great with reading people. She felt that the man walking toward them was full of hostility as if someone had offended him. "Who is this..." She could not help but ask Luca as she continued to stare at Pierre. Pierre walked over and saw the woman sitting opposite Luca. He frowned and felt that his eyes were stained the moment heid eyes on her. ''This woman is so ugly. How can Luca sit across from her and still be so calm, drinking coffee and eating snacks as if it''s nothing?'' Pierre immediately retracted his gaze as if looking at Vivian more would contaminate his eyes. He walked to the table, lowered his voice, and gave a half-smile. "How are you so free to be here?" "Since a busy person like Second Young Master is free to drink coffee here, someone like me is naturally free." Luca resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him while talking to him. ''I''m just here drinking my coffee and minding my business. Why does Pierre make it seem as though I''m not allowed to?'' Chapter 2035 Pierre saw her and thought of what Luke looked like on the day of the bid. His fists clenched tightly. "Luca, it''s only because of Luke that you dare to talk to me so wantonly. How dare you talk to me like this now that he''s not around and we''re still in Russia?" He was so proud that day. He held a grudge for being stepped on the ground by Luke and Luca. His heart would only feel morefortable if he could get rid of this woman. Vivian could understand some of the words he said. Considering the tone of the other party, she knew that he was here to find fault. She hurriedly drove him away. "Sir, please leave. Don''t disturb us from enjoying our coffee." Pierre raised his eyebrows and squinted at her. "No wonder you''re so righteous. You have someone to stand up for you. Nevertheless, your helper is a bit ugly. She may have scared me if it was at night, but it''s daytime now." Vivian listened to his personal attack and got ready to stand up for herself. However, when she saw Luca shaking her head, she took a deep breath and stepped back. "Second Young Master Mallory, even without Mr. Crawford backing me, I can deal with you with one hand. Have you forgotten?" Luca raised her hand and made a deliberate gesture toward him. Pierre was startled as this was the action that had put him in pain for several days. Injections and medicines in the hospital did not help at all. That pain seemed toe from deep in his bones and nerves. It made him yearn for painkillers to relieve the pain. During that time, he was almost admitted to a mental hospital! "Luca, how dare you?!" Pierre thought of all the suffering from before. He lost his mind, raised his fist, and was about to smash it into Luca''s face. He was careless thest time. This time, he nned to use his fighting skills to subdue Luca and prevent her from touching him in the slightest. Luca looked at the fist that was going toward her face while Vivian yelled in shock. Before she could hide, Pierre was grabbed by the bodyguard, and his fist stopped abruptly in midair. Pierre was very annoyed. "Who the f*ck is it?!" He looked back, and the four men in ck sitting at the table next to him all stood up. One of them was grabbing his hand. "Do you know who I am? How dare you stop me?" Pierre''s ming gaze was fixed on the four men in front of him. Vivian''s eyes shed with admiration for the bodyguards'' timely action. She was not someone who liked to cause trouble, but the man in front of her was clearly here to pick a fight. Since this was the case, she was not afraid to make a scene. He was just a man. No matter how good he thought he was, he could never beat four bodyguards. Moreover, these four bodyguards worked closely with Ray and had undergone high-intensity training. Any one of them had no issue taking on three ordinary men on their own. She stood up and said, "I don''t care who you are. You won''t beying a finger on my friend." Luca looked at Vivian in shock. She was surprised to see this side of her. In the past, Vivian gave her the impression that she was submissive and always worried that she would cause trouble to others. Luca was surprised to see her stand up to protect others. Vivian was truly Ray''s sister. She acted valiantly and carried herself like a true Lacroix. Pierre understood that the four bodyguards worked for Vivian. He took a second look at the ugly woman in front of him. ''Who is she? She must be someone if she can bring four bodyguards with her when she goes out... How does Luca know such a woman?'' "Who are you?" Pierre started to take her seriously. "You don''t know my name, but my brother''s name is Ray Lacroix. If you want to mess with my friend, my family won''t let you off easily!" Vivian looked at him coldly. She did not usually like to cause trouble, so she never used Ray''s name to deter someone. After all, everyone who knew Ray knew her, mainly because of her appearance. As such, she did not need to mention Ray because no one would dare to provoke her. This was the first time she brought up Ray. However, the man in front of her did not look like he was from around here. Hence, Vivian was unsure if using Ray''s name could stop him in his tracks. ''Ray Lacroix?'' Pierre''s pupils shrank when he heard the name. He had wanted to investigate whether Luke knew Ray to verify what Abel said. There was no longer any need tounch an investigation now. Ray''s sister was drinking coffee with Luca, so Ray and Luke must know each other. He was certain of it. N?velDrama.Org owns this. Vivian did not say anything when she saw that his expression turned sullen. She did not know if Ray''s name intimidated him, but regardless, the four bodyguards were here. Hence, she knew that he would not dare to cause any trouble. "Let go," Pierre warned the bodyguard with a stern expression and a low voice. The bodyguard, who had been through a lot, was not affected at all. He had a serious expression and asked Vivian, "Miss, do you want us to get rid of this person?" Their boss had instructed them that anyone who pissed Vivian off would be dead unless she shook her head. Vivian did not make a decision. Instead, she looked at Luca. Luca shook her head. If they got rid of Pierre, the Mallory family would not let it go Even though they were in Russia now, one could do anything as long as they had money. If Pierre was dead, the Mallory family might spend a lot of money to get revenge on Ray. She could not bear to let Ray get into such a situation. Besides, if anyone were to take action on Pierre, it should be Percy¡ªnot anyone else. When she saw Luca shaking her head, Vivian said with a serious expression, "Let go of him. If this gentleman wants to hurt my friend, carry him and throw him out." "Yes, Miss." The bodyguard released his hand, and the four of them looked at Pierre in unison. No matter how unhappy Pierre was, he did not dare to make a move under the gazes of the four sturdy bodyguards. "Luca, someday, you''ll regret choosing Luke." He was livid and left after he warned her. After the matter was resolved, Vivian said to the bodyguards, "Thank you for your hard work. Have a seat and enjoy your coffee. Make sure you don''t disturb other guests." "Yes, Miss." The bodyguards sat down. While they held the cups of coffee in their hands, their eyes were looking around. Luca also sat down and looked at Vivian apologetically. "Vivian, sorry. I didn''t expect this to involve Mr. Ray." "It''s okay. I think that man is just talking nonsense. It won''t have any effect on Ray. Besides, Ray sees Brother Luke as a friend so, of course, you''re our friend too. I can''t stand aside." Vivian smiled lightly and soothed her. "He''s Mr. Crawford''s business rival, and at the same time, he''s also the younger brother of Mr. Crawford''s close friend," Luca informed her of Pierre''s identity. "He''s T Corporation''spetitor and the younger brother of Brother Luke''s friend? What aplicated rtionship." Vivian frowned. She wondered why the younger brother of Luke''s friend would treat Luca like that and act hostile toward Luke. "Luca, I''m curious. What''s the meaning of the gesture that you did to him just now?" Chapter 2036 Luca made the gesture that she did just now. "Do you mean this?" "Yes!" Vivian nodded. She was curious. When Luca did this action, Pierre could not hold back his fear. "I did this to him thest time and he had to stay in the hospital for about a week. His entire body was in pain, but the doctors couldn''t find anything wrong with him." Luca took a sip of coffee. She thought that Pierre must have something nned since he did not get the project but still chose to stay here. Maybe she should remind Luke to be on guard against Pierre. ¡®It''s just that... He''s already doubting me. Will he still believe what I say?'' Vivian''s eyes widened, and she did the same gesture with her hands. "It''s that amazing? You can send someone to the hospital just like that?" Luca shook her head, stood up slightly, pointed to a spot on her abdomen, and said, "Do that in this area. As long as you use about 50% of force, you can make anyone feel unbearable pain and beg to be sent to the hospital." "Is it this spot?" Vivian looked at Luca and pointed at her stomach. "Don''t try it for fun. It''ll work as long as the location is right," Luca reminded her. Vivian let go. She had to prepare for school and did not want to suffer. "I''m just curious. Based on what you said, isn''t that a good way to protect yourself?" Luca shook her head. "This method isn''t all too appropriate to use for self-protection." "Why?" Vivian was even more curious after she heard what Luca said. Her tiny piercing eyes looked at Luca. "This method won''t take effect immediately. If you use it on the enemy when you''re in danger, he won''t feel pain immediately. It''ll take an hour at the earliest. A lot of things can happen in an hour," Luca exined. "I get it now. Yes, it doesn''t seem very effective for self-protection. What part of the body does this move cause damage to?¡± Vivian was like a curious baby. This method was suitable for forcing some people to speak. There were many ways to force someone to tell the truth, and most of them mainly involved causing harm to other people''s bodies. As such, she wanted to know what kind of harm Luca''s method would cause to the human body. "It won''t cause any harm, but it''ll hurt for a few days. In the beginning, the painkillers will be effective, but the effect of the painkillers will gradually reduce. Their demand for painkillers will increase, and doctors might think that something''s wrong with their head..." Luca exined to her as she picked up a macaron and took a bite. ''It tastes great.'' Vivian''s expression was full of disbelief. "What?! Then what happens next?" "The pain will suddenly stop. When the person is in pain, no matter what instrument you use to check, the doctors will only find that the body''s various indicators and organ functions are great. As such, it would not cause any long-term harm. It''ll just hurt a lot for a while." Vivian and the bodyguards looked at each other. They were curious about the information Luca just shared. Luca knew that they did not quite believe what she said, so she smiled without exining any further. Vivian asked, "How does this work..."Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ''It doesn''t cause any harm nor organ damage to the body but can cause significant pain?'' She was amazed. "It''s probably because of the weak points and nerves," Luca exined to them without holding back. She did not understand the logic behind it either because Shanks was the one who taught her that. When Shanks was teaching, he would only exin the necessary details. Most of the time, he would talk only about principles and knowledge. When she first encountered all sorts of shocking information that was contrary to modern medicine, she would ask questions but Shanks never once exined it to her. Eventually, she did not ask any more questions. Although what Shanks taught her was different from conventional medicine, he was undoubtedly the best. Doubts would not hold well with Shanks. Luca hated the Ind of Despair because she was forced to be separated from the love of her life and her children. They even detained her little daughter to make her do things against her conscience. Nevertheless, she was grateful to Shanks, who taught her everything he knew without reservation. "It''s amazing." Vivian could not help but mutter. She had heard from Ray about Luca''s medical skills. She has not seen it in person, but Luca''s remarks made her begin to believe in Luca''s medical knowledge. "Luca, you''re amazing," she praised Luca while looking at her approvingly. "No, these are ancient traditions. It''s just that few people know about them," Luca said. This knowledge was gained when Shanks traveled around the world previously. "I have to learn more from you in the future!" Vivian said. She had a hunch that she could learn a lot from being friends with Luca. "If you''re interested, I can tell you all of this when the timees." Luca was not a stingy person. When it was about to get dark, Vivian sent Luca back to the hotel. Luca headed upstairs after she grabbed the shopping bags from the bodyguard. She swiped the card and opened the door of the suite. She saw Luke in the living room. "You''re back?" Luke heard the door open and looked at her. "Yes, Mr. Crawford." Luca was a little surprised. Luke was the only one in the suite. Jason and Mr. Zac were absent. ''Are the preparations for the contractpleted?'' Luke maneuvered the wheelchair and headed toward her. "What did you get?" Luca nced at the bags and exined, "Some children''s books and skincare products..." Luke nodded. Gale''s men told him all about where Luca went and what she did. He knew everything even if she did not tell him anything. He knew all about her being harassed by Pierre and Vivian''s bodyguards stepping in. Luca hesitated for a few seconds, then said, "Mr. Crawford, I was shopping with Miss Vivian today and bumped into the second young master of the Mallory family. He''s still in Russia. I think..." She stopped talking. Luke stared at her and said, "What are you thinking about?" "I think that he might be nning something. Be careful..." Luca said. Although Pierre had no influence in Russia, he must know Abel since he bought the tender from him. Maybe he also had other organizations working for him. Luca was not worried about Pierre making a move himself. She was worried that he would pay someone to do it. "You''re worried about me?" Luke asked directly as he controlled the wheelchair to be a little closer to her. Luca''s heart beat like a drum all of a sudden, the nerves all over her body bursting with numbness. Her body tried to make her say yes. However, she could never say it. Luca forcibly suppressed her body and said, "If something happens to you, the kids will be sad. Please be careful not to be tricked by Pierre." "Luca, are these words from the bottom of your heart?" Luke asked. Luca pursed her lips, and after a minute, she said, "Yes." Chapter 2037 Luke chuckled at how insistent she was. "Being stubborn is indeed one of your strong points. Luca, if you''re caught and controlled by my business enemies, I''m not worried at all that they''ll find out about my secrets." "Huh?" Luca asked subconsciously. "You''re stubborn. I know that you won''t say anything no matter what they do to you," Luke said. Of course, he just said this for the sake of it. He would never put Luca in a dangerous situation again. Luca lowered her gaze helplessly. She thought that he was being sarcastic. ¡®How could that be possible. I just betrayed you...'' "Mr. Crawford, you can''t be so absolute with your beliefs." Her voice trembled slightly. "I believe in you." Luke''s voice was sonorous and powerful. His words touched her. Luca felt that she was about to lose her hold. The wall that was built brick by brick suddenly copsed. She lowered her head and said, "Mr. Crawford, I''ll return to my room to put down these things." "Mm, let''s go to the restaurant to eat after you put them down. Mr. Doyle has reserved a table." Luke did not force her to deal with her feelings. He just nodded calmly. Luca stopped and stood at the room entrance. "I ate with Miss Vivian just now..." "Okay, you can get some rest, then." Luke finished speaking and maneuvered the wheelchair out of the suite. He was there just to wait for Luca. Since she had eaten, he would go to the restaurant by himself. Luca asked, "Do you want to go by yourself? I can push you there." "No need. Rest well. Mr. Doyle is waiting downstairs," Luke said. He then opened the door and left. He had been in a wheelchair for almost a month now, so he was used to standing up on one foot. The facilities of the hotel were convenient, so it was not difficult for him to go downstairs alone. Seeing him leave, Luca looked away, walked into the room, and put down the bags that were in her hands. She took a deep breath and adjusted her emotions. However, her heart was beating violently after she heard Luke say that he believed in her. A feeling of difort spread all over her body. Luca sensed that something was wrong... She picked up her phone, looked at the calendar, and was shocked to find out that she had forgotten to take the antidote for a whole month. Tomorrow was thest day. She would get into trouble if she did not take the antidote by then... Luca did not dare to dy any further. She immediately made a secret phone call to the Ind of Despair to find out about the strongholds nearby so that she could go take the antidote. She picked up the coat she had just taken off and put it back on. She left no note and went out. ... On the other hand. Pierre returned to the hotel and immediately took out his phone and a business card from the drawer. N?velDrama.Org owns this. He did not hesitate to enter the string of numbers on his phone. After he entered thest number, Pierre looked fierce and pressed the dial button directly. The call was answered when he put the phone close to his ear. A man with a rough voice said, "Who are you looking for?" "Abel." Pierre lowered his gaze. No matter how much it would cost, he had already made up his mind to mess with Luke. The other party was taken aback. He did not seem like he was expecting Pierre to be looking for Abel. He quickly asked, "Who are you?" "Pierre Mallory." Pierre did not have much patience. "He gave me this number. I need to find him for something." "Wait a moment," the man said and covered the phone. Pierre listened to the other party talk to someone else in Russian for some time. However, the sound was intermittent because the man was covering the microphone. On top of that, Pierre was not familiar with Russian, so he could not understand a word. After a while, the phone beeped twice. Pierre thought that the call was hung up when the phone rang again. Abel said, "Hello, Mr. Pierre." "I want you to send someone to hurt Luke." Pierre skipped the small talk and went straight to the point. "No problem." Abel agreed readily. He had made it clear before. Since Pierre insisted on messing with Luke, he would not stand in opposition with money. "He''ll sign the contract with M Group tomorrow. If the signing goes well, he''ll return to A City in two days. I want you to act as soon as possible and not give him a chance to live." All Pierre could think about was killing Luke. "That fast, huh..." Abel deliberately dragged his voice before he said, "However, this won''t be an issue. My organization has many strongholds in Russia. I have many experts, not to mention weapons. As long as you pay the right price, none of this is a problem." "How much does it cost?" Pierre asked through gritted teeth. He could not get rid of Luke himself, but he had money. He was willing to pay as much as Abel wanted as long as he could hurt Luke. "Three," Abel said. Pierre closed his eyes. He knew that ''three'' was not 30,000 nor 300,000. Abel''s appetite was not that small. "Deal!" He gritted his teeth and agreed. "I''ll send you the bank ount detailster. I''ll get to work when I get the money." Abel was happy to see Pierre agree so readily. He did not expect Pierre to be so generous after being consumed by hatred. Abel thought it was great to deal with people like this as he could make money without putting in much effort. "Send it to me now. I want your men to act immediately." Pierre could not wait for a second longer. He wanted to hurt Luke immediately. "No problem." Abel hung up the call and sent Pierre Hera Sanchez''s bank ount. After about five minutes, Abel received the bank transfer from Pierre. He whistled happily, grinned, and mocked Pierre. ¡®What a fool. He can''t do anything to Luke, so he''s paying for someone to do it. He doesn''t need to know that I''m not nning to hurt Luke right now. On top of that, Ray is around. I can''t hurt him either." After that, he waved to the subordinate beside him and gave an order. He had to do something since he was paid. He did not want to ruin his reputation. Nevertheless, he did not care if the assassination was sessful or not. "Understood?" Abel asked his subordinate. He conveyed it very clearly. They did not have to do their best. They just need to show Pierre that they did put in work. It was all y pretend. However, if they hurt Luke or kill him, it was too bad either. However, Luke was skilled and not easy to deal with. "Boss, I understand what you mean," the man replied. Abel waved his hand and said, "Go attend to it, then." "Got it." The man hurriedly left. Shanks, who was sitting across from Abel, fiddled with some test tubes. "New business?" "Someone who wears a ten-dor hat on a five-cent head wants me to take care of Luke, so I got my men to look like they tried." Abel saidzily, "By the way, my cigars are finished. Make some for me. Cigars made by you are my favorite." Chapter 2038 "There are two boxes on the upper left cab. I just made them two days ago. You should smoke less. Although the cigars have been extracted, they''re still not good for your health if you smoke too much." Shanks'' tone was cold as he shook the liquid in the test tube nonchntly. When he heard that, Abel stood up and opened the cab, where he saw two ready-made boxes of cigars. The corners of his mouth turned into a smile in satisfaction. Since Kassy passed away, his only pleasures in life were money, cigars, and alcohol. He got two of the three, so he was very satisfied. "If I can''t smoke as much as I like, then it''s better to just let me die. I''ll transfer the money to youter." Abel took out a cigar and lit it. The cigars were made by Shanks, so he had to pay him. Shanks knew that it was pointless trying to change Abel''s mind, so he just agreed with it for the sake of it. After all, Abel, both before and then, was not someone who could be persuaded. Abel sighed. "I made three million with this request. Together with thepany''s ie, it''s more than enough to cover the entire ind''s expenses for more than a month. Money is easily made from fools like Pierre." "Luke is in Russia, so I assume Luca is in Russia as well?" Shanks asked. "Yeah, all Luke cares about now is Luca. Your stic surgery skills are extraordinary. Although you''ve turned her face into a different style, Luke is still unexpectedly into her. It''s amazing," Abel praised Shanks. It was his idea to make Luca alluring. Shanks obeyed him and changed her facial features. The innocence of the past Bianca was no longer and was reced with a sexy and charming face. Unexpectedly, Luke still fell for her even though she had a different style. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Shanks listened to hispliments and did not react to them. He asked, "When are you going to get her toe back?" Abel sat up straight and looked at him. "Get her back here? It might not be soon. I don''t n to have her return to the Ind of Despair as long as she isn''t exposed. After all, she''s a pawn that I spent three years cultivating." Shanks fiddled with the liquid in the test tube, took out some, and put it under the microscope. He did not say anything. Abel looked at his actions and asked curiously, "Why? Do you miss her?" "No. N has been shouting about how she misses her every day." Shanks'' eyes shed with a hint of tenderness when he mentioned N. His eyes were on the microscope. Abel, who was sitting opposite him, could not see his expression. "You seem like you care a lot about her?" Abel asked. "Is that so?" Shanks looked up from the microscope and looked at Abel indifferently. "Perhaps it''s because she''s the only girl on the ind. She has an innocence that no one else on this ind does. Isn''t it normal to be affectionate toward a child?" "You''d better not be too affectionate toward her. Kathryn is also my tool. This is a gentle reminder not to be attached to her. Don''t me me if I have to sacrifice her," Abel said. In his heart, Kassy''s life was the only one worth mentioning. Other people''s lives meant nothing to him. It was the same whether it was Luca or Kathryn. Shanks knew of his n a long time ago. Although he had a hint of tenderness toward N, he still said indifferently, "As you wish." "Haha, it seems that you don''t care about that little girl that much. That''s fair. You''re isted from the world outside, so it''s normal for you to enjoy having a little girl as such by your side," Abel said happily. "I''m going to experiment. If you want to smoke, please do so outside." Shanks did not want to continue the topic. Although N was cute, her life had nothing to do with him, nor could he control it. "Okay, I won''t disturb you." Abel stood up and walked out with two boxes of cigars in his hand. As soon as he closed the ball, a ball rolled to his feet. Abel raised his eyebrows, looked at the ball, then raised his head slightly to look at N, who was standing not far away. She nced at the ball, then looked at Abel timidly. Luca and Eler''s warning rang in her ears. She did not dare to take a step forward. "Is this yours?" Abel asked. N nodded timidly and replied, "I want to y ball with Shanks..." ''Shanks?'' Abel sneered. It was clear to him that Shanks and N shared a good rtionship. Eler walked over. When she saw Abel and the ball under his feet, she fell to her knees in fright. "Boss, I''m sorry. Ny¡ªKathryn didn''t mean it." N''s eyes were red with fright when she saw everyone''s reaction. "You brought this kid here? Do you think of this ce as an amusement park?" Abel stepped on and ttened the ball. Eler was so frightened that she hugged N in her arms. She was hoping and praying that N would not break into tears. Abel would be annoyed if she cried. The loss outweighed the gain. "It''s my fault for not keeping a close eye on her. Boss, please punish me." Eler took the me for everything. N had always walked with the ball in her arms. It was impossible for such a sensible child to suddenly disobey her. Eler believed that it was an ident. Abel looked at her, who was as protective of N as she was with Luca. He sneered, "I asked you to serve Luca, but I didn''t expect you to risk your life for her. What did Luca do to make you do this?" Eler did not know what to say, so she could only hold onto N and keep apologizing, "Sorry, Boss." The door behind Abel was opened, and Shanks stepped out. He was frowning when he asked, "What''s going on?" Abel nced at Shanks. He knew that he wanted to protect this little girl. He said, "Forget it. I''m in a good mood today and I don''t want to bother about this little girl. Make sure you keep a close eye on her. Next time, I''ll throw her in the ocean to feed the sharks!" "Thank you, Boss." Eler hurriedly hugged the child and bowed to thank him. Abel nced at Shanks and shook the two boxes of cigars in his hand. "I won''t pay you for these cigars." "Consider it a gift." Shanks did not care. After Abel left, N broke away from Eler''s arms and ran to Shanks while pursing her lips. "Shanks, that person is so scary." "On the ind, don''t throw things and run around. Promise?" Shanks squatted down and spoke to N patiently when he saw the ttened ball. "I know. I just wanted to look for you so that you could y ball with me, so I identally..." N lowered her head and looked at the t ball while holding back her tears. She did not hold the ball tight and was too eager, which was why the ball fell to the ground. "Alright. If it''s broken, it''s broken. When I get a chance to go out, I''ll buy you a new one." Shanks comforted her. The little girl was frightened, but she held back her tears. She was so young but strong, just like her mother. N was surely Luca''s child. "Thank you, Shanks!" N immediatelyughed when she heard that he would buy another ball for her. Chapter 2039 Eler was envious of how Shanks pampered N. On the Ind of Despair, except for N, only the seriously injured could get Shanks'' attention. Eler snapped out of it as these should not be her desires. All she needed to focus on was taking care of N and protecting her. She walked over, lowered her head, and dared not look at Shanks as she said, "I''m sorry, Mr. Shanks. I didn''t keep a close eye on Kathryn." Shanks looked at her. His gaze was cold and without a trace of warmth. "You didn''t take good care of her. Do you know how dangerous it is to let her run around in the corridor?" Those on the Ind of Despair were not good people. It was easy for N to bump into and irk these people if she walked around like that. He could help her this time but not all the time. If he left the ind and N bumped into someone, he doubted that Eler could protect her. Eler''s heart shuddered. Every time Shanks talked to her that much, he would be ming her for not taking good care of N. She would not be jealous of a little girl being favored by Shanks, but she would still be upset. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "Sorry, Mr. Shanks." Eler sounded like she was about to cry. She was usually very careful. Although N was well-behaved, she was still a child. A child would not pay as much attention to the things that adults would. She was suddenly in the mood to y with Shanks and immediately ran out with the ball. Eler could not stop her. N listened to Shanks'' serious tone and noticed that Eler sounded as though she was about to cry. It was then she realized that she had done something wrong and caused Eler to be scolded. She put her hands on Shanks'' shoulders and said in an innocent tone, "Shanks, it''s my fault. I ran around and didn''t listen to Eler. Don''t me her. If you want someone to me, you can me me..." Shanks raised his hand and scratched his index finger on her small nose. ¡®How can I me such a cute kid?'' "It wasn''t me that you ticked off. How can I me you?" "Don''t me Eler, then. She didn''t do it on purpose. I''m the bad girl who ran around disobediently and didn''t hold the ball tight enough." N pouted. She had spent some time with Shanks and knew what to do. She knew that Shanks would not continue scolding Eler if she pouted. "Cheeky girl, promise me you won''t do this again," Shanks said helplessly. N brought him some joy in his boring ind life. "I promise, Shanks." N knew that he was no longer angry and smiled sweetly. "I promise to be good." "Okay, go back to your room." Shanks moved N''s hand away. He could not get angry whenever he saw N acting cute and pouting her lips. "Shanks, won''t you y with me?" N asked. "I still have things to do. I can''t y with you today." Shanks stood up and touched her head. He needed to prepare since he would be leaving the ind that night. Shanks nned to go to Russia. Firstly, it was because Abel took the cigars and he had to prepare more. He had to leave the ind to purchase some tobo. After all, Abel smoked very frequently. Two boxes of cigars would be gone in less than half a month. He had to prepare more, lest Abel''s cigar addiction hit. If that happened, he would argue and cause him trouble. On the other hand, he wanted to see how Luca would deal with Abel''s sneak attack. "Ah, what about tomorrow?" N asked expectantly. On this ind, she was only close to her mother, Eler, Amur, and Shanks. Both her mother and Amur had left the ind, so only Eler and Shanks were left. Eler was in charge of taking care of her, so when she was bored, she always looked for Shanks to y with her. Although Shanks was not free most of the time, when he was, he would y various small games with her if she looked for him. As such, N liked him very much. "Not for the next few days," Shanks said. "Shanks, are you going out of the ind?" N asked with wide eyes. Shanks knew what she was thinking about and shook his head on purpose. "No." "Shanks, you''re lying to me again! You''re going out of the ind. You just don''t want to take me with you." N pouted. She wanted to leave the ind to find her mother, but no one was willing to bring her along every time she asked. "I''m busy. Eler, take her," Shanks said. Abel stipted that he could leave the ind, but he could not bring the little girl with him. The rule applied no matter how good their rtionship was because N was Abel''s tool to control Luca. "Yes, Mr. Shanks." Eler stepped forward and took N in her arms. N pouted and knew that she could not say anything. She left with Eler. "Eler..." After they walked away, Ny on Eler''s shoulders and said coquettishly. "N, I can''t do anything about it. You were too reckless today. Promise me that you won''t do this again," Eler touched the little girl''s head and said helplessly. "I''m sorry for making you frightened. I won''t run off again. I''ll follow you wherever you go." N apologized. She made a rash move because she was too eager to y with Shanks. "Good." Eler stroked her head. N asked, "Eler, why won''t Shanks take me out of the ind?" "That''s because you can''t leave the ind without permission," Eler said. She opened the door of their room and walked in. "What is permission? I can hide in Shanks'' coat. No one will know." All N could think about was leaving the ind. "If someone finds out, you''ll be endangering Mr. Shanks. You can''t think like that, N, okay?" Eler told N. ¡®It would endanger Shanks?'' N frowned. Although she wanted to go find her mother, she would not do it if doing so would hurt others. "I know, Eler." N nodded. Eler felt distressed at her sensibility. The little girl wanted to go out but could not, yet she did not cry or make a fuss. She closed the door and put the little girl on the bed. N looked at Eler with a smile on her face and said in her innocent voice, "Eler..." "What''s the matter?" Eler poured her a ss of water and handed it to her. "Come, drink some water. You just ran, so you must be thirsty." N took the ss, took a sip, and said, "When you apologized to Shanks just now, your face turned red again." When Eler''s secret was exposed by N, she stared at her helplessly and said, "You saw it wrong." "I didn''t. Eler, you blush every time you see Shanks. Why is that?" N was curious. "Don''t talk nonsense. If you continue saying these things, I''m going to get angry." Eler pinched her tiny face. Chapter 2040 N knew that Eler would not get angry with her. She said cheekily, "Eler, I''m sorry. I''ll never say such things again." "Okay, I forgive you this time." Eler pinched the tip of her nose and smiled. N put the ss of water aside, hugged her arm, and muttered, "Eler, I miss Mommy so much." Eler patted her head and assured her, saying, "I''m looking for a chance. Give it some time and we can have a video call with her." "When will she be back?" Eler asked her with wide eyes. "It''ll be soon. She''ll be back when she finishes her mission." Eler coaxed her. "I hope Mommy cane back soon. I miss her." N leaned on her shoulder and said, feeling aggrieved. Eler stroked her head. It was important for parents to be by their kids'' side as they grew up. Unfortunately, N''s father still did not know the existence of N while Luca was forced to go out to perform missions. Meanwhile, on the other hand. Luca arrived at the nearby stronghold. Although it was nearby, it was also some distance away. After she arrived, she was asked to answer the password before she even had time to brush the snow off her body. After she gave them the password, she was brought in by a woman. This was a shop that had a sign of a beauty salon at the front. The interior was bright. It was much better than the stronghold in A City. Neither Luca nor the woman who brought her in knew that Gale''s men were watching them from outside. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "Wait here." The woman brought Luca to the front of a private room and said. "Okay." Luca sat down. She knew that the beauty salon was just a cover-up. Nevertheless, those from the Ind of Despair could not tantly carry out their activities in the beauty salon. After all, this ce was mostly for women. On the Ind of Despair, the ratio of males to females was unbnced. The majority of them were men. She assumed that there would be a dark room for these people to attend to their tasks. Luca watched as the woman reached the end of the corridor and disappeared around the corner. She waited quietly and did not follow. There was no point being curious about these. ''What if I find the dark room? Infiltratinges with a huge risk. Taking the antidotes is twice as risky.'' She could not afford to take that risk because she could not bear to part with Luke and the kids. After about five minutes, the woman who brought her in returned and said to her, "Let''s go, it''s ready." Luca followed behind the woman and walked through the long corridor. They got to the end. She followed the woman''s footsteps, and they continued to walk. After about a few meters, the woman stopped in front of a door. Luca watched the woman enter the password, then unlock another lock with her pupil. She then understood that they were standing in front of the secret door. It was not difficult to unlock the door, but along the way, she had discovered the mystery of the corridor. In addition to security cameras, there were infrared sensors in the corridor. If everything was activated, it was likely that the rm would sound if a fly flew in. After the pupil lock was sessfully unlocked, the woman pushed open the door and nced at her. "Go in." Luca walked in. The woman did not follow her in. She closed the door with the back of her hand. All the lights were turned on the moment the door was closed. Luca was calm and did not panic just because she was locked in this confined space. Luca looked at the door not far away, stepped forward, and opened it. A secret room was behind the door. Two men were sitting inside. The secret room was full of things. The ce was not neat but was much cleanerpared to A City. "You''re here for the antidote?" the man asked in Russian. "Yes." Luca nodded coldly. "Name?" the man said. "Ivana Luca Craw," Luca replied with the name Abel gave her. "Do you have the tattoo?" the man asked. "I don''t have a tattoo on my body, but I have this..." Luca pulled out a dagger with the logo of the Ind of Despair inscribed on it. After he verified it, the man handed one of the bottles of antidote to her. "It''s the first time I''ve seen you here. As per the rules, you have to drink it on the spot. You can leave only after you''re done." Luca took it, opened the lid, and sniffed it lightly. "It''s the antidote. It can''t be wrong." The man chuckled when he saw her being so cautious. Luca confirmed that it was the antidote after she sniffed it. She then chugged the bottle. After she was done, she handed the bottle back to the man. The man took it, nced at the empty bottle, and said, "Say something?" "What?" Luca wondered. The man exined sternly, "There was a guy from before who kept the antidote in his mouth when he was drinking the antidote. He wanted to take it to a pharmacist to analyze the ingredients and make the antidote himself to break free from the organization. As such, after drinking the medicine, you have to say something to prove that there''s no antidote in your mouth before you can go." Luca frowned. ''Isn''t that what I did before?'' Nevertheless, she was certain that the person the man mentioned was not her. If they found out what she did, it was unlikely that she would get off scot-free. Luca turned around and was about to leave when heard the conversation between the two men. "There''s a new mission," the other man said. The man heard him and asked, "Who''s the target?" "The target is Luke Crawford. Boss mentioned that we have to carry out this task as soon as possible as the target task may return to A City. The task will be more difficult if it''s carried out when he''s back to his home ground," the man said. Luca''s hand was on the doorknob. Her heart tightened when she heard the conversation between the two men. ''The Ind of Despair is going to make a move on Luke?'' "They don''t think of us as humans! We don''t know where this person is now but we''re expected to make a move as soon as possible? Even if the client paid a high price, this isn''t how they should do things. Sigh." The other man could not help butin. "That''s enough. You might as well start looking for him rather thanining here. After the mission ispleted, we''ll get amission," the man said. He noticed that Luca had not left and asked, "What are you still doing here?" "I don''t know how to open this door..." Luca pretended to be ignorant to reassure these men. "The button in the middle," the man replied impatiently. Luca pressed the button and walked out of the secret room. She could not stop thinking about what the man just said. The Ind of Despair wanted to hurt Luke, and the mission had to be carried out as soon as possible... "You''re out." The woman kept standing at the door. When she saw Lucaing out, she urged. "Leave quickly. If someone asks you what you were doing here, tell them that you came here for a facial." "Got it." Luca agreed casually and headed out with the woman. After she left the beauty salon, she took out her phone but did not know how to convey this information to Luke. When she was hesitating, she thought of a way to go about it. She would get Amur to create a fake email address for her so that she could send an email to Luke to notify him. After she thought of that, she nced around. There were very few vehicles and pedestrians on the road because of the snow. Chapter 2041 Luca did not want to wait until she got back to the hotel to inform Luke because he was in a dire situation. Abel''s men were already preparing to make a move on Luke at any time, so she immediately picked up her phone and called Amur. When the call was connected, Luca did not bother with small talk and immediately jumped straight into it. "Amur, I need your help." "What happened? Are you okay?" Amur could not help but panic when he heard her serious and anxious tone. ¡®What happened to her in Russia?¡¯ Luca took a deep breath and let out a frosty breath. "I''m fine. Nothing happened. However, I just overheard that the Ind of Despair is going to hurt Luke. I need your help." ¡®It''s that man again?!¡¯ Luca was calm even when she was injured. She was so flustered only when the man was in trouble. Amur did not want to help Luke. "I''m not in Russia. How can I help you..." he said deliberately. He had wanted to go to Russia with Luca, but she would not let him. Hence, he could only wait for her return to A City. "Set up a fake IP address and register a new email address with someone else''s information, then send him a reminder email," Luca said. That was the only way she could think of to alert Luke. However, she did not have the capability to do that, so she had to trouble Amur. Amur listened to her solution and frowned. She was willing to take the risk to remind Luke... "Amur, they''re about to make a move. Time is running out," Luca reminded him in a serious tone. She had always known that Amur did not like Luke. Whether on the Ind of Despair or A City, he always had a bad impression of Luke because of her. Amur heard her serious tone and knew that if Luke was not informed in time, Luca would me him if something happened. She always had that man in her heart. Even though he had experienced more life and death situations with her, she would only see him as a younger brother. Amur had to admit that no matter how unwilling he was, it was what it was. "Okay, I''ll do it right now," Amur said. He hung up the call and turned on theputer. Luca stood on the side of the road. She did not choose to go back to the hotel immediately but instead opted to wait on the spot. If all went well on Amur''s side, she would return to the hotel. If not, she was nning to stop the two men when they came out of the beauty salon. She was willing to do it even if she had to go through hell after that. 15 minutester, before the two men in the beauty salon came out, she received a call from Amur. "It''s done." Luca was relieved that at least Luke was notified. Although it was an email, she knew Luke''s habits. He would not miss any email that was sent to his mailbox. Even if there were many spam emails, he would still nce at them. "I also sent it to his assistant to be on the safe side," Amur said. He did that for fear that Luke would miss the news if he did not read the email in time. "Amur, thank you. I''ll treat you to dinner when I get back." Luca breathed a sigh of relief. ¡®Treat me to dinner... Why does she make it seem like we¡¯re strangers?¡¯ Amur was on the other end of the phone, the corners of his mouth curling into a self-deprecating smile. It was clear to him that Luca regarded him as his younger brother. He was just the most ordinary younger brother in her eyes. Her heart was filled with Luke. Amur said with some anger, "No." "Huh?" Luca did not expect him to say that. "I want you to cook," Amur said quickly. If she really wanted to thank him, he thought that it was not a stretch to ask her to cook for him. What he missed the most was the times on the Ind of Despair when Luca cooked some exquisite dishes for him and Eler because they were tired of the Russian food on the ind. Back then, every bite had brought him endless joy. Luca agreed. "Okay, wait for me toe back." As soon as she finished speaking, she saw the two mening out of the beauty salon. She quickly softened her voice and said, "Amur, I''ll have to hang up now." After she said that, she hung up the phone, not giving Amur a chance to speak. The men saw Luca and asked cautiously, "Why are you still here?" Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. "It''s too snowy. I can''t get a taxi, so I''m waiting for the bus." Luca made up a lie. "There''s a subway station over there." The man showed her the way. "Leave quickly. Don''t stay here." "Okay, I''ll head off now." Luca walked toward the subway station. Gale, who was watching everything on the opposite road, frowned when he saw this scene. He saw Luca walking toward the subway station and said to the person next to him, "Get off. Keep up with her and make sure that she doesn¡¯t notice you." "Got it." The man was skilled. He got out of the car and walked toward the subway station as if nothing had happened. Gale stayed in the car, frowning as he watched the two men who had juste out of the beauty salon. Luca walked into the beauty salon just now and came out after a while. After that, the two men came out and talked to her. Not a long time passed, but it was clear that they were at least familiar with each other. Gale could lipread. He knew that the man had taken the initiative to ask Luca why she did not leave. It was because of this that he could be sure that they must have met inside just now. Otherwise, the man would not have started the conversation with that line. He could not read Luca''s lips when she made a call with an anxious look on her face because the phone covered her lips. Nevertheless, the anxiety on her face was obvious. She hung up the phone and did not mean to leave. Instead, she looked at the beauty salon from time to time as if she was worried that someone would find out that she was looking at the beauty salon. She would look at it for a few seconds, then move her gaze away. It was not until she took the next call that her expression was noticeably less anxious. Gale touched his chin. His years of experience told him that something was up. His phone vibrated. He picked it up and saw that it was the person monitoring Luca who texted. He mentioned that Luca had entered the subway and he followed suit. [Be careful and make sure that she doesn''t see you.] Gale had nothing to say, just that one sentence. Luca managed to notice Rain even with her excellent tracking skills, so he made sure that his men were cautious. He had already changed two cars that day so that Luca would not notice him. [Got it.] After the man replied to him, Gale said nothing and looked at the two men across the road. He looked at the ck rucksacks behind the two men and muttered to himself, ¡°What''s inside?" Although he did not know who these two men were, his intuition told him that they were up to no good. Human intuition was innate. Gale looked at the passersby who took the initiative to stay away from the two men. After a while, a ck car stopped at the entrance of the beauty salon. The two men said something to the driver, then got into the car together. Chapter 2042 Gale could not read his lips to make out what he was saying because the car was in the way. He frowned when he saw the car leaving. The license te was half-covered. He picked up the walkie- talkie and said, "Is Rain there?" "Yes," Rain replied. "A Mercedes-Benz Unimog. The front part of the license te number is P425, and the back part is covered. I''m following it now. Drive here and take over. I have toplete the task that the boss assigned me." Gale drove and slowly followed behind the ck SUV. "Got it," Rain replied. Three minutester, Gale saw Rain''s caring out of the corner. "I''ll follow them. You can go toplete your task now." Rain''s voice came from the walkie-talkie. Gale said, "There are at least two people in the car on top of the driver. There may be weapons on them. Make sure you stay safe." "Understood. Don''t worry," Rain replied. Gale stepped on the gas and overtook the off-roader, lest they had any suspicions. At the same time, he also paid attention to the signal of the person following Luca. He nced at it and found that Luca seemed to be heading back to the hotel. Gale drove to the hotel. ... In a restaurant. Luke was having a meal with his subordinates. He did not say a word. The private room was silent, and no one dared to say a word. The phone on the table vibrated. Luke picked it up and found that he received a new email. He had the habit of checking emails in time, so he clicked on the email. At the same time, Jason''s phone also vibrated. He took it out, nced at Luke, and also tapped on his phone screen. Jason could not remain calm after he saw the email. He immediately handed the phone to Luke. "Boss!" Luke nced at his phone. It was an email, and the content was roughly the same as what he received. He handed his phone to Jason. "Uhh..." Jason was stunned. His email told him that there was an organization that got paid to mess with Luke. Luke''s email told him that an organization had sent people to assassinate him. Luke was very calm, which was in stark juxtaposition with Jason, who was losing it. He knew that he had to take it seriously, regardless of whether the email was a prank. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. After all, this was Russia. There were people from the Ind of Despair at work. The Ind of Despair had a grudge against Luke. He once took a group of people to blow up their former organization and locked up the relevant people in the strictest prison forever. Therefore, no matter who was the mastermind behind the Ind of Despair now, they must hate him. Otherwise, they would not have sent a fake Bianca to his side. Luke nced at the dinner table. The others were almost done with dinner. Mr. Zac saw the two''s reactions, especially Jason''s restlessness. He asked in a low voice, "Mr. Crawford, what''s wrong?" "Are you full?" Luke did not answer Mr. Zac''s question. "Boss, we''re full," the other employees said. Luke looked at Mr. Zac and said, "Mr. Zac, take them back to the hotel. If you have nothing on for tonight, rest early. We''ll go to M Group to sign the contract tomorrow well-rested." Mr. Zac obeyed his arrangement. He stood up and said, "Okay, Mr. Crawford." The other employees also stood up. Since the boss told them to leave, even if they were not full, they had to leave. They left the private room, leaving Jason and Luke alone. "Boss, do you think this is a prank?" Jason asked. Nevertheless, he did not dare to take the risk. They could not as easily mobilize manpower to keep Luke safe in Russia aspared to A City. "If it''s a prank, there''s no need to send two emails. One email would be enough to take it seriously." Luke picked up the phone. What he thought about was not who wanted to assassinate him but who notified him. He called Ray first. The call was connected, and he said, "Ray, someone wants to assassinate me." Jason listened to the call and read the email again. ¡®What if someone is ying a prank? But the boss'' intuition...'' He stopped talking. "Who?" Ray asked, frowning. He was still interrogating the infiltrator from the Ind of Despair when Luke told him that someone was going to assassinate him. "I don''t know. I need your help," Luke said. "Where are you now? I''ll send people over." Ray immediately jumped in to help him. Luke gave him the restaurant''s address. "Wait there. I''ll have Hansen bring some men over now," Ray said. "Mm." Luke ended the call and sent a text to Percy. He asked him to log into his mailbox to find out who sent him the email and what the IP address was. After he was done with all of that, he sat there without any intention of leaving as if he was waiting for the food to be served instead of assassins. "Did you bring my checkbook?" Luke asked. "Yes, Boss." Jason took the checkbook from his briefcase. Luke wrote a string of numbers on the check. "Boss, you are..." Jason wondered. "Take this to the owner of the restaurant and tell him that I want to book out this restaurant. Get everyone outside to leave. I don''t want anyone else here," Luke said. He did not n to go back to the hotel and wait. After all, the distance on the street would make him an easy target. ''They want to mess with me? Let theme. Although my legs and feet aren''t mobile, it''s easier to hide here.'' Therefore, no one else should be at the restaurant, lest the innocent victims get dragged into it. Jason understood what he meant. He picked up the check and walked out. The owner was apatriot, and there were not many people dining in the restaurant at the moment. When Jason gave him the check and told him that he wanted the whole restaurant to themselves, he immediately agreed. After hepensated the customers from the few tables, the boss confirmed it with Jason, saying, "Sir, do you not need any waiters?" "No need." Jason shook his head. "Please leave now." "Okay, sir." The restaurant owner left with the staff. Luke and Jason were the only ones left in the restaurant now. Jason returned to the private room and said, "Boss, everyone else in the restaurant has already left. I''ve closed the door as well." "Mm." Luke controlled the wheelchair to face the entrance of the private room. "Boss, do you want me to inform Gale and the others?" Jason asked. After all, he was unsure when Ray''s men would arrive. If it were a normal day, they could dy the other party for a while even without weapons. After all, they were trained. However, Luke''s legs were injured now and he had to rely on a wheelchair. He was toorge of a target. Luke was not nimble now and could not dodge attacks easily. "Gale and Rain aren''t at the hotel," Luke said. "Huh?" Jason was surprised. "Luca''s not in the hotel," Luke said. They would quietly follow Luca whenever she went out. Chapter 2043 Jason understood him. He stood behind Luke and was ready to push him out of there at any time. Luke opted to put his safety aside to ensure that Luca would not leave. He even asked everyone to follow Luca to ensure that she would not disappear into thin air. Jason could tell that his boss'' love for Luca was engraved on his bones and inscribed on his heart. All he could think about was whether Luca would leave him, not whether he would encounter any danger. Otherwise, he would not have allocated all the manpower to her and left no one by his side. Luke''s phone rang. In the private room, the ringing was like a warning bell, stimting everyone''s nerves. Jason could not help but wipe the sweat from his forehead. It was the first time he had been so nervous. He held his breath, watching Luke pick up the phone. The call was from Rain. "Boss, where are you now?" Rain asked. "I''m in a restaurant," Luke answered truthfully. He did not n to tell her about the email he received so that she could keep her focus on Luca. "When we were following Ms. Craw, we found that she entered a beauty salon. She walked out after a short time and then took the subway. Two men came out of the salon not long after her. Gale thought it was suspicious and asked me to follow them," Rain told Luke her itinerary. "Why did Gale n it as such?" Luke frowned. Luca''s anti-reconnaissance ability was strong. All was well if Gale lost her and she went back to the hotel. He was just afraid that Luca dumped them and left. Perhaps someone forcibly took her away on her way back to the hotel. In that case, if there was one less person to help, Luca was more likely to be taken away. "That''s because these two men are suspicious. Boss, don''t be angry yet. I''ve been following them. I think they''re heading toward you..." Rain said. That was why she called him. She and Gale both knew about Ray. Although everyone thought that person was going after Ray, they were still worried. Therefore, in the past two days, they had been extra alert to every movement around them. As such, after she realized that the car in front might be heading toward the hotel, she immediately informed Luke. Luke frowned at what Rain said. It was possible they could find out more about Luca from these two men. He had no choice but to say, "I got an email saying people were sent to assassinate me." Rain was shocked and almost did not stop the car in time. When she saw that the car in front of her stopped because of the red traffic light, she pressed the brake hard and stopped the car only five centimeters away. "Boss, I''ming over now," she said. Rain nned to cut through the next driveway and run the red light. "No, I''ve asked Ray to send people over. Stay with the two men and find out their identities." Luke stopped Rain froming over. He wanted to know if the two men were from the Ind of Despair. If yes, then he could confirm that Luca was being controlled by the Ind of Despair. In this way, he could dig deeper and save her, the love of his life, out of the fire pit. "Boss!" Rain said impatiently. No matter what, she could not bear to leave Luke in danger. "If you regard me as your boss, listen to what I say. Go, follow those two men. I don''t need you here." Luke said. Those men might being to assassinate him. As such, he nned to take a chance. He bet that God would not let him die there. "Okay..." Rain bit her lip. The red light in front of her turned green. She stepped on the elerator to keep up. Although she was reluctant, she had to obey Luke''s orders. In the past, she would never have been so worried, but Luke''s legs were injured and he probably did not have any weapons on him. "Don''t hang up. Let me know if the car you''re following is near the hotel," Luke said. Although Ray had sent his men, this matter had to be handed to the police. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Ray had some influence in Russia. If the police handled this matter, he could find out more about the situation. "Got it." Rain followed the car in front, keeping a certain distance from it so that the other party would not be suspicious. She looked at the navigation. They were getting closer and closer to the hotel... When they were one kilometer away from the hotel, Rain said, "Boss, I''ve been following the car. We''ll arrive at the hotel after another kilometer." "Got it." Luke. After he knew that his guess was right, he asked Jason for his phone. Jason handed him the phone. Luke called the police. Rain''s heart clenched as she listened to himmunicating with the local police in Russian. These men were after Luke. ''There''s only one kilometer left until we arrive. Can Ray''s men and the police make it there in time?'' Rain did not know. She held her breath and continued to follow the car in front. She had no weapons and was bare-handed. She would have no problem dealing with two men who were bare-handed as well. However, she was informed that they may have weapons. ''How am I going to deal with two men with weapons by myself?'' Rain looked at the back of the car and saw nothing but an iron stick. On the other end of the phone, Luke ended the call with the local police. Rain kept him updated about the distance. "Boss, we''re about 500 meters away." "I''m at a nearby restaurant. It''s about a kilometer away," Luke said. He believed that these men would not head to the hotel to find him. If they were from the Ind of Despair, they would not act so unreliably. Rain pursed her lips and saw that they were turning at the intersection ahead. She hurriedly followed behind them, and at the same time, she checked the map. Sure enough, they were heading for the restaurant. "Boss, they''re going to the restaurant." Rain affirmed. At the same time, someone called. Luke frowned and answered, "This is Luke." "Mr. Crawford, I''m Hansen. I''ve arrived at the entrance of the restaurant, but it''s closed. Are you inside?" Hansen said. "I''ll have someone open the door," Luke said. "Great." "Ray''s men are here. Go open the door," Luke said. Jason nodded, quickly left the private room, and went to open the door for Hansen and the others. Jason saw a dozen people standing at the entrance and immediately said, "Come in." Hansen took the lead and walked in. "Where''s Mr. Crawford?" "The boss is in the private room," Jason said. Hansen walked into the private room and was relieved to see Luke sitting in a wheelchair safe and sound. "Mr. Crawford, we''re here to protect you under the order of the boss. We have 13 men in total." "There aren''t that many peopleing for you." Rain heard Hansen and told him. Gale said that there were only two men. It was unclear whether there were other people in the car. It was an off-road vehicle, so they were not expecting many. Chapter 2044 "Who is this on the phone?" Hansen looked at Luke, confused. "This is my friend, Rain. She''s following their car right now. Those men in the car are likelying for me," Luke said. Although Gale and Rain always called him ''Boss'', they had gone through life and death together. Hence, he did not see them as his subordinates. Rain heard Luke and was moved. That was why she and Gale had been so loyal to him. Hansen wondered how they knew that the people in the car wereing for him since they had not arrived yet. Anyway, Ray had given an order to protect Luke, so he said, "Okay, Ms. Rain, got it. Follow them and protect yourself." Rain let out a hum and followed behind the off-road vehicle. She nced at the map. They were getting closer and closer to the restaurant. Since the men sent by Ray had arrived at the scene, they won in numbers. They were skilled too, so she was relieved. When Hansen walked in from the door, he had observed theyout of the restaurant and found that it was rtively safe for Luke to stay in the private room. He said, "Mr. Crawford, I''ll go out first and arrange my men. You and your assistant will stay here in the private room." "Okay. Please, if you can, I want them alive. Also, I''ve called the police. Pay attention and don''t bring any trouble to yourselves," Luke reminded them. Hansen frowned. They could attend to this kind of thing themselves. There was no need for the police toe. However, he thought to himself that Luke was not an ordinary person. There must be a reason why he alerted the police. They just needed to be more careful when they did things and not leave any evidence. "I see. Thanks for the reminder." Hansen walked out and started mobilizing his men. Since the police were involved, they had to be lowkey when they subdued the men. He got his men to quickly hide, intending to catch those men off guard. After Hansen left, Jason walked over and closed the door as instructed by Hansen. Luke said, "Call Gale and see where''s Luca." Jason stood behind the door, nodded, and called Gale. Rain had already informed Gale about what was about to happen. He answered the call as soon as the phone rang, "Mr. Doyle, did something happen to the boss?" "No, it''s temporarily safe here. The men are still some distance away. The boss asked me to ask you where Dr. Craw is now." Jason let him know that Luke was safe. Aside from some of those from the Crawford family and Luca, they would be next in line when it came to people who cared about Luke''s safety the most. "The tracking signal shows that Dr. Craw is now at the subway entrance. My subordinate who''s tracking Luca told me that she just got out of the subway. She seems to be headed back to the hotel," Gale said. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Jason thought of the subway entrance near the hotel and nced at Luke. Luke said in a low voice, "Protect her." Gale, who was on the other end of the phone, was speechless. Luke was about to be assassinated, but all he cared about was that they protected Luca. "Boss, don''t worry." On the other end of Luke''s phone, Rain followed the men until they reached the intersection of the restaurant. She said, "Boss, they''re almost there." Luke looked at Jason and said, "Okay." At the same time, Gale said, "Boss, Dr. Craw has gotten out of the subway. The person following her said that she''s not going back to the hotel but..." He paused. After he determined Luca''s location, he immediately said, "She''s heading for the restaurant." "How did she change direction?" Luke asked, not wanting Luca to get involved. They were not aware of the weapons the men were carrying. Luca would be at risk since she came barehanded and there was a wound on her waist. Gale replied, "She bumped into an employee of T Corporation on the way back to the hotel. I think that the other party told her that you''re still here, so Dr. Craw is running over." ''She''s running?'' Luke frowned because Luca was disregarding her wound! He immediately asked, "Rain, how is the situation over there?" "I''m still in the car. Those men have already gotten out of the car. They''re all carrying big ck backpacks. There are four people in total. Boss, they have weapons." Rain sat in the car and observed everything. She did not know what was going on in the restaurant and could only wait in the car so as not to startle them. "Boss, should I get out of the car now?" "No. Let Hansen and the others deal with it," Luke said. The danger was approaching, but he was still calm as if he was not facing an assassination. The only thing he was worried about was Luca. "Okay, I see." Rain agreed. She didn''t have hot weapons, plus there were many people on the other side. She could not subdue them if she relied only on cold weapons. "Monitor the road. If you see Luca rushing over here, even if you have to reveal your identity, you have to stop her before we settle the situation here," Luke said. This would be the safest for Luca and Rain. "Okay, got it." Rain unbuckled her seat belt, picked up the steel rod in the back seat, and was ready to get out of the car at any time. "Boss, they''re in." As soon as Rain said that, Luke heard noises outside. It was Hansen talking to someone outside. Luke did not go out. He knew that Hansen and the others would definitely not use hot weapons because he had called the police. If he went out now, it would cause them trouble. A few secondster, a gunshot was heard. They could not see what was going on outside. Jason dragged the chair to ce it beside him, ready to protect Luke. Rain could hear everything clearly. At the same time, she saw Luca running over from a distance. "Ugh..." She put the steel rod aside and immediately opened the car door to block Luca''s way. "It''s you!" Luca recognized Rain at a nce. She had heard the gunshot as well. "Don''t go in!" Rain stopped Luca. "Mr. Crawford is still inside!" Luca could not care less. She just wanted to protect Luke. After all, those people had guns. She followed them because she knew that Luke did not have any weapon on him. "Mr. Ray''s subordinates are inside. Dr. Craw, you won''t be doing anything but causing trouble if you go in right now," Rain said. She had heard that Luca was skilled. She knew she would have to take action if she could not stop her. The gunfire was still ongoing. Luca was worried about Luke''s condition. "Those men have guns." "There are more than ten people inside to protect the boss," Rain said. She insisted on blocking Luca''s way. Luke listened to the chaotic sounds outside and heard Luca''s anxious tone. He said nothing. He was fine as long as Rain managed to stop her. There were screams from the people outside. Luke guessed that the police were close. Chapter 2045 "I can help. You have to trust me." Luca looked anxious. She could hear everything even though they were several shops away. The nearby businesses closed their doors in fright when they heard the gunshots. "Dr. Craw, I''m carrying out the order given by the boss. You have to trust the boss. He can handle it." Rain still opted to stand in her way. Luca did not think that Luke could handle it. If his legs were not injured, it would have been fine. However, his legs were injured. He would not be able to dodge the bullets! "I''m sorry." Luca clenched her fists and was about to hit Rain when she heard the sound of sirens in the distance. The police were there. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Luca turned around and saw two police cars speeding past. Rain said, "This is all arranged by the boss. He''ll be fine." Luca was worried. ''Even if Luke has nned everything, can he predict where the bullets will go?'' The gunshots sounded many times in just a few minutes. The situation inside was unknown. She could not help but get angry when she thought of how Luke might be injured and Rain insisted on not letting her in. She stared at Rain and said, "If anything happens to Mr. Crawford, you''ll never hear the end of it!" After she said that, she jogged toward the restaurant. Rain was stunned. She knew who Luca was. She was surprised that someone so gentle would say such mean words because of Luke. She could not believe it. At the same time, she asked the person on the other end of the phone, "Boss, are you all right?" "I''m fine." Luke had overheard the conversation between the two. His heartstrings were slightly pulled when he heard what Luca said. Rain breathed a sigh of relief. She was d that he was fine. If something happened to Luke, she would not be at ease. Gale hurried over and asked, "How''s the situation inside?" "The police have arrived and the gunfire has stopped. The boss is inside. I just asked and he said he''s okay. I''ll have to make a move," Rain said. Since she was exposed, she was unsure if Luca would remember that she had followed her to the coffee shop prior to this. "Okay, let''s go." Gale nodded, got into the car with Rain, and left. After the police arrived, they quickly managed the scene inside. Luca wanted to go in but was stopped by the police. She could only look inside through the ss window. Luke was pushed out by Jason. The Russian police asked, "Did you call the police?" "Yes." Luke nodded and looked at the four people on the ground. Even though they had hot weapons in their hands, they were beaten up badly. Their faces were bruised, and they looked a little embarrassed. Hansen and the others were all squatting. They did not seem to be seriously injured. "In that case,e with us to the police station to record a statement." One of the policemen said as he gestured to the other policemen to handcuff the people on the ground. "No problem. Except for the four with guns, the others are my friends. We happened to be having dinner here. They stepped in to protect me." Luke added. The leading policeman understood that the others did not use illegal weapons but were acting in selfdefense. He said to his subordinates, "Lock up these four people. The others should follow the police car back to the station and give your statements." When she saw the four people in handcuffs being taken out by the police, Luca immediately turned around and quickly walked away so that they would not notice her. After Jason pushed Luke out, he said to the police, "Sir, can we go in our car?" They were not prisoners and had not done anything wrong, so the policeman was fine with it. "Go for it." Luke looked at Luca, who was walking away. His gaze was deep. ¡®She cares about me, but it''s also true that she''s trying to escape.'' He looked at the four men who were brought into the police car and guessed that Luca walked away because did not want to be discovered by these men. As for why she did not want to be discovered by these men, it was most likely because that email had something to do with her. She must have walked into the beauty salon, heard the men''s conversation, and hurriedly sent an email to remind him after she left the salon. She was silently protecting him. The police car drove away, and one of the men saw Luca from the window. ''This woman...'' He recognized Luca at a nce and knew that she was the one who had just taken the antidote at the beauty salon. The hotel driver Jason summoned waited by the side of the road. Luca slowly walked over. "Mr. Crawford, are you alright?" Luca asked. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that he was unscathed. She needed to hear Luke tell her in person that he was okay. "I''m fine." Luke looked at her face. She was obviously concerned, but her gaze was cold. No other emotions were seen. It was like a formic greeting. However, behind that ndness, Luke knew that she was trying to hide her love for him. The hotel car slowly parked on the side of the road. Jason said, "Boss, we have to go to the police station." "Mm." Luke nodded, letting Jason help him into the car. After Luke got into the car, Jason kept the wheelchair and said to Luca, "Dr. Craw, the boss is going to the police station. You should go back to the hotel first." "Okay." Luca did not leave immediately. She watched Jason get into the car and close the door. After the car slowly left, she walked back to the hotel. When she got back to the hotel, she saw Mr. Zac, who hurried over. "Ms. Craw, you''re back?" "Yeah, Mr. Zac. Where are you going?" Luca looked at him. He seemed like he was in a hurry and was wearing thick clothes while holding a briefcase. She guessed that he was going out. "Mr. Crawford asked me to go to the police station," Mr. Zac said. He did not know what was going on because Luke did not make it clear. "Mr. Crawford is on the way to the police station now. He''s going to make a statement. It''s not a big deal," Luca said. She guessed that Luke was getting Mr. Zac involved because something had happened. "Okay, I''ll head off now,¡± Mr. Zac said and headed to the police station. Luca returned to the suite and turned on herptop. There must be new reports in the Russian media since there was a shootout. She thought that the news would break within half an hour. In that sense, it also meant that Abel would soon find out. She felt uneasy when she thought of Abel. The phone rang. Luca looked at it, saw a string of garbled characters, and frowned. ''Abel found out so quickly?'' She took a deep breath and answered the phone. "Luca?" The voice on the other end of the line was not Abel. Luca could tell that it was Shanks. She was a little surprised. It was the first time he called her since she had been out of the ind. "Mr. Shanks, what can I do for you?" "Are you free? I want to meet you," Shanks said. He had sessfully left the ind and was now in the city Luca was in. It waste, so Luca was reluctant to go out. She wanted to wait for Luke toe back. Chapter 2046 When she wanted to turn him down, she suddenly thought that if the contract signing went well tomorrow, she would be able to go back the day after tomorrow. She thought that Shanks must have something to talk to her about since he was looking for her. Hence, she agreed. "Okay, where should we meet?" Shanks gave her the address. After Luca wrote it down, she hung up the call. Although Shanks worked under Abel and belonged to the Ind of Despair, Luca was aware that he had taught her a lot. She regarded their rtionship as mentor-apprentice. Shanks never epted apprentices, and she had never called him master either, but his kindness to her was not something she could ignore. Luca put on her coat and left the suite. Gale sat in the car and saw Luca walk out of the hotel. He immediately informed Luke and followed behind her taxi. Luke was at the police station but he did not forget to tell Gale to continue to follow Luca. He frowned when he saw the message from Gale. ''Luca is out sote? Where is she going?'' Luke replied: [Follow her and see who she''s meeting.] Gale nced at his reply and wondered how Luke was so sure that Luca was going to meet someone else. The taxi stopped in front of a hotel. Luca got out of the car. Gale slowly parked the car on the side of the road, touched his chin, and sighed. "It''s a hotel. What is she doing here?" He did not report it to Luke immediately. After all, a woman walking into another hotel at night was most likely because she was meeting someone. It was just that he was not sure who this other person was. "Do you need me to follow her?" The man sitting in the front passenger seat asked. Gale touched his chin. They would not be able to follow her if Luca went up to the guest floors. That was because they had not made arrangements in this hotel in advance and did not know the people here. The hotel staff would not easily disclose the privacy of the guests. "You can''t follow her even if you go in. I''ll ask the boss." Gale thought about it and felt like he had to inform Luke, so he called him immediately. "What''s the matter?" Luke answered the call and went straight to the point without any small talk. Gale said honestly, "Boss, I followed Dr. Craw and we arrived at a hotel. She went in, but we didn''t make arrangements in advance, so we can''t follow her in.¡± "What hotel?" Luke asked. "Galle Hotel," Gale nced at the building and replied. "It''s Ray''s family business." When Luke heard the name, he remembered that Ray owned the hotel. Gale blinked. ¡®What a coincidence? With Ray''s approval, we''ll know who Luca is meeting.'' "Wait." Luke hung up and called Ray. He briefly exined the matter. Ray said that he would arrange for someone to check the information of the guest and let him know. After Luke thanked him, a police officer came over and said, "Sir, pleasee in with us to make your statement." "Mm." Luke nodded as Jason pushed him and followed the policeman. He replied to Gale. He told him to wait at the door and Ray would pass him the details of the person Luca was about to meet. Gale sat in the car and looked at Luke''s message. He could not help but sigh. "This is too easy." "What did the boss say?" The man sitting in the front passenger seat asked. "Boss told us to wait here," Gale ryed Luke''s message. The man in the front passenger seat stopped talking. Inside the hotel. Luca mentioned the room number to the front desk. Since Shanks had given the staff a heads up, she sessfully got the ess card and took the elevator upstairs. She walked to Shanks'' room, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. After a few seconds, Shanks opened the door. Shanks frowned. ¡®She thought that I asked her here because I need her to do something?'' Shanks turned around and said, "Come in." Luca stood at the door, thought about it for a while, then walked in. She was full of doubts as she stared at Shanks'' back. ¡®Why does he want to see me?'' Shanks walked over to the sofa, picked up his briefcase, pulled out a few photos from it, and handed them to her. "These are for you." Luca took them in confusion and found that the person in the photos was N. "Mr. Shanks?" "I''m sure you want them?" Shanks asked. Unlike the others on the Ind of Despair, he had a high degree of freedom, so his ess tomunication devices such as phones was not restricted. These photos were taken when N was ying with him. After he took the photos, he found out that Luca was going to Russia. He happened to have ns to leave the ind, so he developed these photos. He brought them here just for her. Luca held the photos carefully with both hands. She could not bear for the photos to crease even just a little. "Thank you." She thanked him. Luca did not hide how much she missed N in front of him. Shanks looked at how she treasured the photos with a calm expression and said, "I gave you these photos for a reason. I have something I want you to do for me." "Go ahead." Luca knew that there was no free lunch on the Ind of Despair, even with the most innocuous Shanks. She never thought that she would get these photos for nothing. Shanks took out a list and handed it to Luca. "I need some medicinal materials for my research, but these are quite special. They''re not avable in Russia, and there are not many ces in the world that have them. When you return to A City, help me find them." Luca frowned. It was not a big deal to go look for medicinal materials, but A City was so big. Where would she start? She took the list and scanned through it. Luca knew about these herbs, but they were really hard to find. "A City is very big, I may not be able to find all of them." Luca did not dare to make a deal with him. "These herbs have appeared in Province Z. You can go there to find them,¡± Shanks reminded her. He could not stay outside for too long after leaving the ind. Abel had a suspicious personality and would not allow him to stay out for so long. Moreover, he did not want to go anywhere but Russia. "There''s a stronghold in Province Z." Luca thought to herself that A City was far away from Province Z. Even if she was in the country, it was inconvenient for her to visit. "Those idiots looking for medicinal herbs? I don''t trust them,¡± Shanks said. Those men only know how to fight. They had buff bodies but no brains. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Many had learned from him, but they proved to be incapable. If they were asked to help find the medicinal materials, it was likely that they would be deceived. They did not know how to distinguishmon medicinal herbs, let alone these rare and hard-to-find ones. As such, he could only ask Luca. Luca kept silent. Shanks'' words made sense. Those in the stronghold were indeed unreliable. She was the one who had learned the most from Shanks on the Ind of Despair and was also the one who had mastered the most medical knowledge. It made sense that Shanks asked her toplete the task. Chapter 2047 Shanks noticed that she was hesitant. If he were stronger, Luca would not even have a chance to hesitate. He said, "You can ask someone to help, but I don''t want the medicinal materials that are sent to me to be fake." Luca understood what he meant. If those at the stronghold found the relevant medicinal materials, they had to send them to her to check. Only after confirming that they were authentic could they send them to the Ind of Despair. "No problem." Luca clenched the photos in her hand. "I have a condition, which is that I won''t be asked to return to the Ind of Despair." "Abel won''t have you go back as long as you don''t get caught, don''t worry." Shanks understood Abel. "It''ste. You should go now." Luca nced at the time. She did not linger and hurried back as she was worried that Luke would not see her when he returned from the police station. She left with the photos and the list in her hand. Gale watched Luca leave the hotel and nced at the time. He found that she spent less than 20 minutes inside. He could not help but make a joke. He was d that his boss was not being cheated on. Gales watched Luca take a taxi and leave. He hurried to keep up with her. After Luca returned to the hotel, Gale parked the car on the side of the road and sent Luke a message. [Dr. Craw was at Galle Hotel for less than 20 minutes. She has now returned to the hotel safely.] Luke looked at Gale''s message and did not reply. Instead, he looked at the policeman and asked: [Can my friends leave?] "Yes. After the investigation and collection of evidence, we concluded that they acted out of selfdefense when they saw that the other party had guns. They didn''t cause serious injuries, so they can leave now. I have to say, your friends are great at what they do,¡± the policeman said. There were more people on Luke''s side. Although the other party had guns, no serious injuries or deaths were caused. At the same time, the four men with guns were not seriously injured. It was the first time he had seen such a situation after being a police officer for so many years. Luke looked at Hansen and the others. After he made a statement, he found out about Hansen and the others. No one was seriously injured, and only two suffered minor injuries. Whether they were injured or not, Luke had Jason and Mr. Zac dealt with it. Although they were Ray''s subordinates and must obey Ray''s orders, they would not have gotten hurt if he had not called the police. As such, he decided topensate them. Hansen was also an easy-going guy. Since Luke''s proposal benefited him and his men, he epted the pacification. After they left the police station, Hansen smiled and said to Luke, "Mr. Crawford, we''ll head off now." "Okay, thank you for your hard work." Luke nodded and watched Hansen and the others leave before letting Jason help him into the car. After more than half an hour, they finally returned to the hotel. Jason took him upstairs and stood at the door of the suite. He asked, "Boss, is Dr. Craw back?" "She''s already back. It''ste. Get some rest ande earlier tomorrow." Luke nced at Jason. He did not expect such a thing to happen today, but fortunately, it did not cause any dy to the signing that was happening the next day. "Okay, Boss." Jason helped Luke swipe the room key, and Luke controlled the wheelchair to enter the suite. After the door was closed, Luca heard a sound and walked out of the room immediately. "Mr. Crawford, you''re back." "Mm, why haven''t you slept yet?" Luke asked. He did not mention anything about Luca leaving the hotel just now. She must have gone to look for someone, but he was pending confirmation from Ray on who she met "I just finished washing up. By the way, do you need me to help you wash up?" Luca asked. Jason did note into the suite this time. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "No, I''ll take a shower tomorrow morning. It''ste. Go and get some rest," Luke said. He did not touch on what had happened that day. He believed that Luca knew the situation better than he did. Luca parted her lips slightly. No matter how much she cared about him, she still did not say much. "Okay, Mr. Crawford. You should rest early too." She walked into the room, closed the door, leaned against the door, and let out a sigh. ¡®I''m so d he''s fine...'' Luca sat on the bed disconstely as she reyed what had happened. If she had not gone to the stronghold, she would not have overheard that the Ind of Despair was going to assassinate Luke. ''If I had not notified them in time, what would''ve happened to Luke.'' Luca did not even dare to think about it. Shey on the bed as she thought about why Abel would attempt an assassination out of the blue. Abel had always been very patient because he wanted to torture Luke little by little. She could not figure it out, but she did not dare to ask anyone. The next day. What happened at the restaurant the day before was making a lot of noise in the local news. Luca got up early, nced at the local news site, and saw that yesterday''s incident had already made local headlines. The local police had not given many updates yet, so all kinds of gossip were spreading. Luca lowered her gaze and thought that Abel should know by now. She did not know about his ns, nor if he would continue to mess with Luke. Yesterday, it was just luck. She hoped that Luke would be more vignt moving forward. Luca opened the door after she washed up and saw Jason at the dining table with breakfast. When he heard the door open, Jason turned around and said, "Dr. Craw, good morning. Let''s have breakfast." Luca did not see Luke in the living room and asked, "Good morning. Where''s Mr. Crawford?" "Mr. Crawford is organizing documents inside," Jason replied. Luca nced at the next room. The door was open. After she took two steps forward, she could see Luke in a wheelchair, putting some documents in his briefcase. He felt someone looking at him and raised his head to meet Luca''s gaze. "Mr. Crawford, good morning." Luca hurriedly looked away. She took the initiative to greet him to avoid the awkwardness. "Good morning. Let''s have breakfast," Luke said. He put the packed briefcase on the table and steered the wheelchair out of the room. Luca took the initiative to walk behind him and pushed the wheelchair to the dining table. She was thinking about how the cast on Luke''s foot could be removed after they returned to A City. After heid down breakfast, Jason sat down and reported, "Boss, what happened at the restaurant has been spread. Some media outlets seem to know your identity. I don''t know if it was disclosed by the police station." "It doesn''t matter if it was. It''ll be made known sooner orter anyway," Luke said indifferently as he took a mouthful of oats. Jason was worried that this matter would affect the signing, but seeing that Luke was so calm, he could not say anything as his subordinate. After breakfast, Luca changed into a formal suit, put on a coat, and walked out of the room with a briefcase in her hand. Luke had also tidied up. He nced at Luca and said, "Let''s go." Chapter 2048 Luca nodded as she no longer felt anxious. After all, the signing of the contract was a done deal. Luca pushed Luke out of the suite. Jason and the others were already waiting for them downstairs in the hotel lobby. There were two cars parked at the hotel entrance. Mr. Zac and the other employees climbed into another car, while Jason helped Luke to get into the backseat of the Rolls-Royce. Luca got into the car too. The backseat of the car was spacious. Luca sat by the window and looked at the snow outside the window. Suddenly, Luke asked, "How''s your wound?" "It''s still healing. The stitches can be removed in two days," Luca said in a soft voice. She had been dressing her wound often this time and taking medicine. Her wound was able to heal quickly with the help of the medicine. "That fast?" Luke frowned. He remembered that her wound was a mass of bleeding flesh, and there was even some rotten flesh. The doctor at the hospital had debrided and sutured her wound. He told Luke that the wound was deep and would take some time to heal. After all, some time was needed for the flesh to grow. ¡°Normally, surgical incisions only require seven days to remove the stitches,¡± exined Luca. She took the poison that Shanks developed, and that was why she had a special physical constitution. Her wound would have healed much faster than a regr person who was wounded without the interference of the fungus. "Let me send you to the hospital to do a check-up after signing the contract.¡± Luke felt that something was wrong. Ordinary people would not heal this fast. He was worried that Luca was pushing her body to the limits. Luca knew Luke was worried for her, but she thought that it was unnecessary. If Luca went for a medical check-up, the doctor would only exim that her healing ability was stronger than regr people. Hence, Luca said, "Mr. Crawford, I know some clinical skills." "I know that too, but you dyed treatment for too long. It''d be safer to do a check-up." Luke insisted. Luca knew Luke would pull a long face if she did not listen to him. "Alright." Luca had no choice but to listen to him. However, the doubts in her heart were growing bigger. Did Luke not suspect her of stealing the bidding document? If Luke suspected her, why would he still care for her so much... Luca could not figure it out. The only exnation that made sense was Luke had never doubted her. They got out of the car when they reached M Group''s office. Luca looked at the person who was standing at the entrance of M Group''s office. It was Marcos'' assistant. The assistant came over and greeted them passionately when he saw Luke and the others. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Crawford. This way, please." "Thank you." Luke sat in his wheelchair and spoke politely to him. The assistant nodded. He led them into the elevator and pressed a button. Luca looked at the numbers that gradually went up as the elevator rose. She felt like she was dreaming. The reason they came to M Group this time was to sign the contract. Before that, she still thought T Corporation would not be able to win the bid. The elevator door slowly opened. Jason pushed Luke''s wheelchair out of the elevator, while Luca followed behind Mr. Zac and the others as they moved forward. The assistant brought them to the meeting room. Marcos came in right after they sat down. Hispany''s team was following behind him. "Nice to see you again, Mr. Crawford." Marcos led his team to greet Luke. He reached out and shook hands with Luke. "Likewise." The employees of T Corporation stood up while Luke spoke to show their respect to Marcos and the others. After Marcos shook hands with Luke, he headed to the seat opposite Luke and sat down. The others found their seats behind their boss respectively. The meeting had begun. However, Marcos did not mention the contents of the contract right away. Instead, he said, "Mr. Crawford, do you mind if I ask you a question before the meeting begins?" "Go ahead." Luke appeared to be calm even when Marcos wanted to suddenly throw him a question. He knew what Marcos was going to ask without even having to guess it. "The news of a gun shooting taking ce in a restaurant is all over the media and newspapers today. Although the police have yet to issue any press release about what exactly happened, some of the media stated that you were the target. I wonder if this is true?" Marcos asked. "Yes." Luke admitted. "I was being targeted." Marcos raised his brows and asked, "Do you have any enemies in Russia?" "I think that''s a yes. If you were to go through the news from a few years ago, I cooperated with the Russian government and police to wipe out an extremist group in Russia back then. It was considered the most dangerous group in the world back then. Almost every mastermind behind the organization was caught, but I''m not sure why this group has shown up again recently. I guess I do have enemies here." "You mean the Ind of Despair?" The Ind of Despair came across Marcos'' mind when Luke mentioned the extremist group that was known worldwide. "Yes." Luke nodded. Marcos asked again, "But hasn''t the Ind of Despair vanished?" "I''m guessing there''ll soon be news flying around about the Ind of Despair being re-established. I believe that the man who''s behind the shooting is a member of the Ind of Despair. I don''t have other enemies in Russia other than this organization. Besides, I don''t think I made the wrong decision to cooperate with the Russian government back then," Luke exined himself to dispel Marcos''s doubts. What came into Jason''s mind hade across Luke''s mind too. Thus, the reason why Marcos asked such a question before the meeting was because he was worried that Luke had made many enemies in Russia and they would stand in the way during their cooperation in the project. However, Marcos had such a big family. He did not have to worry about having one or two enemies. Furthermore, Marcos'' family was one of the few families among all the big families in Russia that had never engaged in any shady business deals since it was established. Given all the contributions Luke had made to their country and considering how he did not have too many enemies, Marcos'' family, who had been running their businesses with clean hands, would be able to ept it. Indeed, it was just like what Luke had expected. Marcos smiled and said, ¡°So, that''s it. Mr. Crawford, I hope you don''t mind me asking the question. It''s rted to the project, after all.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Luke did not mind either. ¡°Then, should we start the meeting?¡± Marcos set aside his worries after finding out what was going on. Moreover, Luke cooperated with the Russian government to get rid of the Ind of Despair. That had brought Russia peace and stability in the international financial market. Such contributions meant a lot to the capitalists in Russia and the country''s citizens. ¡°Sure.¡± Luke agreed. It was a long meeting, but the negotiation between them went smoothly. Luca sat there while she watched the other employees of T Corporation focus on the meeting. She quietly turned on herptop and began to record the minutes. Luke did not ask her to do anything. Hence, the only thing she could do was to record the minutes. On the other hand. Pierre flew into a rage when he watched the news. ¡°Crap! A bunch of losers!¡± Pierre did not expect that the huge amount of money he spent had ended up in vain. Even though Abel had reminded him that Luke had Ray beside him and there was a chance that Pierre might not be able to seed, Pierre did not expect that it would be aplete failure! This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Pierre thought to himself that even if Abel''s men were unable to kill Luke, they could at least seriously injure him. However, there was not even a scratch on Luke. Chapter 2049 Not only was Luke alive and well, but those who were protecting him were not injured either! Pierre refused to believe that. Abel''s subordinates had carried guns, but no one on Luke''s side was injured. Were they blind? Pierre suspected that Abel deliberately chose some worthless men to carry out the mission this time. Even though the mission failed, Abel had gotten his money. Abel did not lose anything. Pierre could not calm himself down at the thought of this. He picked up his phone and called the string of numbers. The call was answered, and Pierre said, "I''m looking for Abel." A woman''s voice came from the other end of the line. "We don''t have anyone called Abel here. You must have called the wrong number, right?" Pierre hung up the call and verified the numbers on the name card. He did not get it wrong, so he thought they must have gotten on the wrong line. Hence, he called again. It was the woman''s voice again. "Hello?" Pierre suddenly realized that he could never get hold of Abel anymore with the number he received. He hung up the call and picked up the ashtray from the coffee table to throw it at the wall. "Abel, you son of a b*tch!" Pierre grew up as the second young master of the Mallory family, and everyone was aware of his status. No one had ever dared to threaten him, not to mention to deceive him. Now, not only had Abel threatened him before, but he even cheated Pierre of his money. It was a huge sum of money too! Pierre was so furious that his eyes reddened. His enemy was still alive, and he had lost a huge amount of money. He swore that he would teach Luke and Abel a lesson! The doorbell rang. Pierre clenched his fists. He was in a bad mood now, so he ignored it. N?velDrama.Org owns this. The doorbell did not stop ringing. It was as though someone was urging him to open the door and knew that he was in the room. "Who is it?" Pierre yelled at the door. There was no response from the other side of the door. However, the doorbell was still ringing. Pierre rose to his feet abruptly. The ringing doorbell made him even angrier. He opened the door and yelled, "I''m gonna¡ª" Pierre stopped threatening the person outside the door when he saw who it was. He could not help but stammer, "Brother¡ª" It was Percy who was standing outside the door. Why was he here? Percy''s face darkened as he looked at Pierre. "Why are you throwing a tantrum?" "I didn''t know it was you." Although Pierre was unhappy with him, he had to be humble for now. After all, hispany had just lost a lot of business deals that were supposed to bring in a lot of money. He had also spent arge sum of money twice. "Why? Do you think you can take out your anger on others?" Percy looked at the gloomy expression on Pierre''s face. When Percy thought of what Pierre did, he was disappointed in him as he failed to live up to his expectations. It did not matter if he had depended on himself to get the project fair and square. Yet, Pierre yed such a dirty trick. Why did Percy have a brother like this?! Pierre felt impatient as he listened to Percy''s lecturing tone. He replied, "No. Why did youe here?" "I came to bring you back." Percy walked into the hotel and took his luggage out without bothering to exin. "I came here for a vacation, and I don''t feel like going back yet," Pierre said stubbornly. This was the closest ce to Abel. He might be able to run into Abel if he went looking for him. He would not allow his money to be taken away just like that. "Vacation? Pierre, you came here for a business trip. You failed, and now you refuse to go back. Don''t you feel embarrassed to stay here?" Percy shot him a cold nce. He knew Pierre must be up to something if he refused to return. "Is it wrong for me to be here to expand my market?" Pierre''s gaze turned darker. Did Percy still see him as the little brat who was always following behind him? He was no longer that kid! Pierre wanted to build his own career and do great things. He refused to take a share of the small amount of profit given to him if he were to follow Percy. He did not want the others to only speak of Percy, the business prodigy, whenever they were talking about the Mallory family. Pierre''s name would never be mentioned. That was the reason why he established his ownpany! Pierre thought that Percy should not interfere with his business since he had his ownpany now. "You''re not going back with me, huh?" Percy looked at him coldly. "I''m no longer working in Mallory Corporation," Pierre reminded him. He was arrogant, and he refused to give in. "Fine. You''re all grown up now, huh? How dare you steal someone''s bidding document and still refuse to go back? Let''s see how you''re going to exin this if Grandpa finds out about this!" Percy was breathless with anger. He did not tell Old Master Mallory about this to make it easier for Pierre. Besides, only Luke, Jason, and Luca knew about this. They had not returned to the capital, so the news had yet to spread out. Percy was looking for ways to remedy the situation Pierre was in, and he was hoping that Luke would not drag Pierre into this matter. However, Percy did not expect Pierre to be so uncooperative. Not only did Pierre refuse to return to their country, but even when Percy traveled here to bring Pierre back, Pierre still insisted on staying here. ¡°I don''t give a sh*t about exining myself. I don''t understand what you''re talking about." Pierre rolled his eyes and thought he might as well pretend to be ignorant. Percy ignored what Pierre said and began to search for his passport and ID card. "What are you doing?!" Pierre could not help but feel irritated when Percy insisted he go back. He came forward and stopped Percy without a second thought. ¡°I''m bringing you back." Percy pushed Pierre away and opened the drawer. He saw that his ID card was in the drawer. Percy picked up his ID card and he was about to drag Pierre out of the room. Pierre pushed him away forcefully. Although Pierre was younger than Percy, Pierre did not think Percy was any better than him when it came to fighting. They used to challenge each other. That was why Pierre knew well how good or bad Percy was. Percy narrowed his eyes and looked at him. He said, "You still refuse to go back, huh? Let me call Grandpa and tell him what you''ve done." "Tell him, then. There''s no evidence to prove that I stole it. It''s just a bidding document. No one can prove that I took the bidding document on purpose," Pierre said coldly. At worst, he would only get scolded by Old Master Mallory, but he could still find a way to exin it. Percy did not stop his actions of dialing a number. He said to the person on the other end of the line, "Come in." Two men stepped into the room before Pierre could realize it. Pierre could recognize the two men. They were Percy''s bodyguards. "Why did you bring them here?" Pierre frowned. He had a bad feeling about this. "To bring you back home," said Percy. "Do as I say." "Yes, Boss." The bodyguards took a towel out of their pockets. Pierre clenched his fists and made a pose as he was ready to fight. He said, "Percy, this will be the end of our brotherhood if you do this to me!" "I have no choice but to do this to stop you from messing things up even further." Percy did not have a soft spot for him. He intended to bring Pierre back by persuading him, but he did not expect he would have to do it the hard way. Percy had always loved toe up with a backup n no matter who he was dealing with. However, he did not expect that he would be using his backup n when he dealt with Pierre. It seemed like his brother was out of control. The bodyguards came forward and fought with Pierre. They kicked and punched, while Percy could not be bothered to do anything. Instead, he turned around and closed the room door so that they would not disturb the other guests. Chapter 2050 Pierre was good at fighting, but Percy''s subordinates were good too. It seemed a little difficult for him to fight against two men. Percy leaned against the door and watched them, still not nning to interfere. Five minutester, Pierre was breathless and exhausted. One of the bodyguards quickly covered Pierre''s nose with the towel while he was not paying attention. Pierre quickly came to his senses and struggled. However, before he could get away, his arms and legs were grabbed by the other bodyguard. He knew he was about to lose his consciousness. He struggled to look in the direction of the door. There was hatred in his eyes. Percy knew that his younger brother was a vindictive person. He would surely bear a grudge against Percy for how he treated him this time. Percy looked at Pierre, who was losing his consciousness. He sneered and said, ¡°Bring him to the wharf." Percy was nning to travel back by ne at first, but since Pierre refused to cooperate with him, he had no choice but to knock him out and get onto a cruise ship. That way, he would not be afraid that Pierre would try to escape when he woke up in the middle of the sea. "Yes, Boss." "Pack his things first," said Pierre. The two bodyguards nodded and began to pack Pierre''s things. The bodyguard opened the drawer and took a phone and card out of it. He frowned and handed them to Percy, "Boss, I found these in the drawer." "A phone?" Percy frowned. Another bodyguard had just handed him Percy''s phone just now. Why was there another phone? Although it was normal for Pierre to have two phones, Percy knew that Pierre usually only used one. Percy took the phone from him and ordered, "Continue to pack." "Yes, Boss." The bodyguard nodded. Percy nced at the exterior of the phone. It was not a brand new phone, and it was not even close to Pierre''s style. Pierre had always liked phones with futuristic designs. Out of curiosity, Percy did not keep the phone away. Instead, he turned on the phone and realized that the phone did not have a passcode. Percy unlocked the phone screen. There were no other apps except for a calling app shown on the screen. Percy held no reservations about intruding on Pierre''s privacy. He opened the call history right away and realized that there were only two records. There was a string of numbers on the call history. Percypared the string of numbers on the phone to the one on the card. The numbers were the same. Logically, such long numbers were never used as phone numbers in this world. However, the weird thing was that the call durations were shown on the screen, which indicated that this phone number was in use. Percy thought that the string of numbers was the most important point. After Percy took a photo of the numbers, he snapped a photo of the phone and sent a message to Adrian: [You''re familiar with digital gadgets. Have you ever seen this phone model before?] Adrian soon replied to his message: [This phone has long been discontinued. The brand isn''t an international brand either. It''s a small brand in Ghana. Where did you find this vintage item?] [I''ll tell you when I''m back in the city.] Percy kept the phone. Now, he thought there must be something wrong with the phone. The bodyguards were agile and fast. They packed everything Pierre had brought with him and said to Percy, ¡°Boss, we''ve finished packing Mr. Pierre''s things." Percy handed Pierre''s passport and ID card to one of them. He said, "Check out from the hotel, and don''t tell him about the phone." "Yes, Boss." The two bodyguards nodded. Percy was the one who hired them and paid them, so they would only listen to his orders. One of the bodyguards carried Pierre''s passport and went downstairs to check out of the hotel. Percy said, "Lift him. I''m going to arrange a cruise ship now." "Alright, Boss." The bodyguard who stayed lifted Pierre who had lost his consciousness and carried him on his shoulder easily. Percy left the hotel along with his two bodyguards and the unconscious Pierre. After Percy got into the car, he sent a message to Luke to inform him that he would be bringing Pierre back home. After a while, there was still no reply from Luke. Percy was not worried. After all, today was the day T Corporation and M Group would be signing the contract. If everything went smoothly, Luke would be able to get it done today. As Luke''s good friend, Percy was supposed to stay here to congratte him. After all, if everything went well and T Corporation got the project, Mallory Corporation would also benefit from it. It was just that Percy was worried to let Pierre go back alone. Deep down in Percy''s heart, he knew how messed up his younger brother was. That was why he would rather keep an eye on Pierre himself. M Group. The business meeting to sign the contract went smoothly. Some detailed modifications were made in the agreement after it was discussed by both parties. Atst, an agreement that both parties were satisfied with was printed out on the spot. The agreement signing ceremony would be held in a particrly grand ceremony because of the project''srge scale. Marcos and Luke had discussed it and decided to sign the contract tomorrow afternoon. It would only take up half a day, so Luke agreed to it. Everyone let out a sigh of relief after they left M Group. Mr. Zac said, ¡°I didn''t expect things to go so well." Mr. Zac had handled many such project contracts before. It would usually take a few days for both parties toe to an agreement. He did not expect they would be able to finish it within a day. It was shockingly easy. The other employees nodded and agreed with him. Luke did not say anything. Then, he nced at his phone. He was attending a meeting just now, so he had switched it to silent mode. He opened his phone and looked at it now. He had received a few messages, and one of them was from Percy. When Luke saw the text Percy sent to him telling him that he was here in Russia to bring Pierre back, he replied to him without an expression on his face: [Got it. I''ve just finished discussing the contents of the contract. We''ll sign the contract tomorrow.] After Luke closed Percy''s message, he saw a message sent from Ray: [Reply when you''re avable. The police have figured out the man''s identity.] Luke did not choose to make a call as he was with other people now. He replied to Ray''s message instead: [Is he one of the members of the Ind of Despair?] [You got it right.] Ray replied immediately. [I''ll meet you.] Luke read Ray''s reply and knew that his spection was right. He reckoned that his spection about the person who informed him was right too. Luke lifted his head and nced at Luca, who was beside him. [I''m in the middle of something. I''ll meet you at your hotel after this.] Ray replied. [Just inform me when you''re done. I''ll head to your ce.] After that, Luke said to the others, "Thank you foring today. You can spend the rest of the day doing whatever you like." N?velDrama.Org owns this. "Thank you, Boss." The employees smiled and thanked him. Luke turned to look at Luca and said, "Let''s head to the hospital." "Alright." Luca remembered that she had promised him to do a check-up. She would be breaking her promise if she refused to go. The cars the hotel sent arrived. Mr. Zac and the other employees climbed into one car and left. Luke, Luca, and Jason got into the other car and headed to the hospital instead of the hotel. Chapter 2051 After they reached the hospital, Luca watched Luke take her medical records out of his briefcase. Luca knew he did not suggest she do a medical check-up out of the blue. Luke had already decided on behalf of her without getting her permission. Even if she refused to go, Luke would do whatever it took to send her to the hospital. Luca followed the nurse and headed to the examination room after they handled the formalities and paid the fees. Luke watched the curtains of the examination room get drawn. Then, he nced at Jason and asked, ¡°How long has the ster cast been on my leg?" Jason was startled by the question. He counted on his fingers and answered, "Two more days until it''s a month." Luke nodded and said to him, "I''d like to remove the cast now. Arrange it for me." Jason nodded and replied, "Alright, Boss. Please wait for a while." Jason trotted off to arrange it immediately. Removing the ster cast was not something difficult, so after Jasonmunicated with the doctor, Luke was brought to get an X-ray. He would be able to remove the cast if there was nothing wrong with his leg. Luca walked out of the room when she was done with her check-up. She saw Jason standing outside alone and asked with confusion, "Mr. Doyle, where''s Mr. Crawford?" "Mr. Crawford would like to remove the ster cast on his leg, so he went to get an X-ray," answered Jason. Removing the ster cast? Luca secretly counted the days and said, "But there are two more days until Mr. Crawford can remove the ster cast, right?" "We''re asking for the doctor''s advice. If there''s nothing wrong with his X-ray, then he''s allowed to remove it," replied Jason. "Dr. Craw, how''s your result?" "The wound is healing well. The stitches can be removed tomorrow," said Luca. The doctor could not help but exim in surprise when she was checking Luca''s wound. The doctor who examined her wound was the same person who helped debride and suture her wound. She told Luca that it was her first time seeing such a serious wound healing so quickly when she was examining it. Sheplimented Luca for having good health. Suchpliments could not cheer Luca up. It would be great if it was really her health that was speeding up the healing of the wound. However, it was because of the drug in her body. She had to take the antidote every month. How could she be happy about it? Jason did not expect Luca to be able to remove her stitches that soon. He said without thinking, "That''s fast. Dr. Craw, your ability to heal is very strong." Luca gave him an insincere smile. Jason noticed that Luca seemed like she did not like people saying such things to her, so he stopped and said, "Dr. Craw, Mr. Crawford is just right there taking the X-ray. Let''s wait for him there." "Sure." Luca followed Jason to the radiology department and stood there while waiting for Luke to come out of the room. The door slowly opened. Luke was sitting in the wheelchair as the nurse pushed him out. Jason stepped forward and asked immediately, "Boss, how is it?" "I''m allowed to remove the ster cast," answered Luke. He had talked to the doctor when he was in the room just now and asked him to remove the ster cast on his leg that had been hindering him. Luke turned to look at Luca and asked caringly, "What did the doctor say?" "The wound is healing. The stitches can be removed tomorrow," Luca answered honestly. Then, Luke''s leg condition came to mind and she said, "Mr. Crawford, there are only two days left until it''s a month. You can remove your ster cast then. Is it necessary to remove it today?" Luca trusted Johann more. She thought Luke could just wait two more days and remove his ster cast after they returned to the country. "The reporters will be there for the signing ceremony tomorrow. I''d rather not sit in a wheelchair," said Luke. If he could stand, why not? Marcos was tall, and Luke''s height was more or less the same. If he were to sit in a wheelchair in front of the cameras, it would seem slightly off. Luca listened to him and understood immediately. She nodded and said nothing. The nurse came forward and spoke to Luke in Russian, "Mr. Crawford, let me take you to the room to remove your ster cast. Is that fine?" "Yes." Luke nodded. The nurse gave Jason a signal to let her push the wheelchair. Jason nodded and took a step back. The nurse pushed Luke into his wheelchair and entered the treatment room. Luca and Jason waited for him outside the room. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Ten minutester, Luke walked out of the treatment room. The ster cast on his leg had been removed, and he was able to walk properly now. Luca looked at Luke''s tall figure. It had been almost a month. She had gotten used to Luke''s height when he was sitting in the wheelchair. Now that he could stand and was back to his usual height again, Luca could hardly get used to it. Luke''s aura was so strong that people could not help but notice him even if he were among a bunch of tall Europeans. Luca had to admit that she was stunned. Jason cleared his throat and looked at the two of them as they exchanged nces with each other. The bystanders around them were being ignored. Jason mustered his courage and asked, "Boss, are we going back to the hotel now?" ¡°Let''s go back to the hotel first.¡± Luke looked away and handed Jason his credit card. Jason understood what Luke meant right away. He trotted to the hospital payment counter. After he paid the medical bills, he asked the driver to drive the car to the hospital entrance. The three of them got into the car and returned to the hotel. Luke received a call from Ray when he had just arrived at the hotel. He said, "Luke, I''m done. Can you come over now?¡± "What a coincidence. I''m done here too. Hold on." Luke looked at Luca and said, "I have things to do, so I''ll have to go out. You can go back to the suite first." "Alright." Luca did not ask what Luke was up to. She got out of the car right away. After the hotel''s car drove Luke away, Jason, who got out of the car together with Luca, said, "Dr. Craw, let''s go in. It''s cold." Luca lifted her head and stared at the sky. She felt a little mncholic and muttered to herself, "Yes. It''s really cold." "It must be snowing in the capital, right?" Luca asked. "Yes. It started snowing two days ago in A City. I heard that the trees are all covered with snow and it''s a beautiful sight," Jason said happily. He would make time to video call the kids every day. Kari and Teri were calling him two days ago that they had gone outdoors. They wanted Jason to take a look at the snow. The two girls showed their father the snow in the capital. Sue then told Jason that the two kids were overexcited and yed crazily in the snow. They ended up catching a cold after that. Jason was worried after he found out about that. However, he was abroad now. He felt helpless, but there was nothing he could do. He had no choice but to remind the maid to take good care of Sue and the kids. Luca looked at the snow and recalled how she had always apanied Luke and her three children during the first snow of every year. However, now... She felt helpless, but she was left with no choice. "Dr. Craw?" Jason asked with confusion when he saw her standing there. Luca came back to her senses and smiled. "It''s really cold out here, but the snow is beautiful." "Let''s go in," said Jason. Luca took herptop out when she returned to her room. Then, she took out the photos Shanks had given her. She looked at N, who was smiling in the photos. Her face was much paler than the others as she could hardly see the sun. Luca picked up her phone and looked at the conversation between her and Tommy. The chat history stopped on the day she traveled to Russia. After that, Tommy never sent her any messages again. Chapter 2052 She had not heard anything from the kids... Luca knew the kids were worried that they might disturb her while she was working. That was why they did not send her any messages. She assumed that Luke had probably given them a reminder. Although Luca missed the kids, she did not disturb them. After all, the kids were getting ready to sleep at this hour. Luca read the previous messages between her and Tommy. She could not help but smile. It was a happy and blissful smile with a hint of bitterness. On the other hand. Luke arrived at Ray''s vi. He did not ask the driver to drive him into the vi as the house was heavily guarded. Instead, he chose to get out of the car and asked the driver to return to the hotel. Then, he walked into the vi. Ray knew Luke had arrived, so he quickly sent Hansen to wee him. Hansen received the order and drove his car out. He saw Luke was traveling on foot. Hansen could not help but feel impressed. The security system was upgraded once more because of the man who broke into the house. It would be difficult for someone who had nevere here to figure out the security measures here. Hence, if there was a visitor, Ray would ask them to wait outside the entrance to be picked up. It was to prevent them from bringing their drivers in. However, Luke did not inform Ray in advance, nor did he ask the driver to drive him in. He simply chose to walk. If it were not for the security guards at the entrance who reported it to them, they would not have known that Luke had arrived. That exined why their boss was willing to be friends with Luke, who was attentive and thoughtful. After all, aside from benefits and interests, Ray valued loyalty the most. Many dignitaries were interested in getting to know Ray, but Ray could not be bothered to deal with them. ¡°Mr. Crawford, has your leg recovered?" Hansen drove the sight-seeing car and came to a halt beside Luke. He got out of the car and looked at Luke happily. N?velDrama.Org owns this. After Luke got rid of the wheelchair, he could see that Luke was tall like a European noble. Even a man like himself could not stop praising him, not to mention women. There were barely any other men with an appearance that couldpare to Luke''s gorgeous and charismatic appearance. "Yes." Luke nodded. Hansen drew the curtains and invited him, "Boss sent me to pick you up. Please get in." Luke did not reject his offer. He bent down and got into the car. Hansen closed the curtains and got back into the driver''s seat. Then, he headed to the vi. A few minutester, the sight-seeing car stopped at the entrance. Luke got out of the car, and Ray came into his sight. Ray was surprised to see Luke being able to stand up and no longer needing the wheelchair. He could not help but ask, "You''ve recovered?" "I went to the hospital to remove the ster cast just now," answered Luke. "That''s great. The cook has prepared some warm coffee. You can drink it now. Let''s talk inside." Ray smiled. He was happy to see Luke recover. During thest incident, Luke would not have alerted him if it were not because he was sitting in the wheelchair and it was inconvenient for him to move around. However, Ray thought it was right that Luke had asked for his help. Luke nodded and walked into the vi together with Ray. The maid served some coffee and Russian desserts when they were in the living room. "Try this coffee. It''s a new variety nurtured in my coffee estate. This is the first batch of coffee beans we harvested," said Ray. Ray was especially fond of coffee, which was why he bought an estate for his coffee ntation. Luke was not in a hurry to get straight to the point. He leaned forward to pick up the cup of coffee and took a sip. The coffee had a smooth texture, and the subtle sourish and bittersweet taste lingered in his mouth. There was a hint of floral and fruity smell on the pte. The taste was slightly different from coffee beans that were well-known globally. However, it was a good cup of coffee. "It''s good." Luke put down the coffee cup. Ray smiled and said, "I''m ttered. Should I keep growing the coffee beans and start selling my homegrown produce?" "Sounds great. Save the first batch of coffee beans for me," replied Luke. He was notplimenting the coffee beans for Ray''s sake. They really did taste good. "No problem." Ray put down his coffee cup and began to get down to business. "I found out something from the police." "Are those people from the Ind of Despair?" Luke did not ask Ray what kind of information it was. He asked him what he wanted to know the most. "Yes." Ray gave him an affirmative answer. It was no surprise that Luke would suspect that group of people of being from the Ind of Despair. After all, there were people from the Ind of Despair lurking around him. "As expected." Luke sneered as he listened to Ray. "And the weapons they carried are some of thetest firearms in the global ck market. They have a long range with a decent rate of fire. Only small quantities are produced now. You can hardly find one no matter how rich you are. But they had four of them. It looks like the organization that had disappeared in the past few years can''t be underestimated," Ray analyzed the situation. It was only now he realized how financially strong the Ind of Despair was. At first, Ray thought the Ind of Despair was merely a re-established organization, and they would not have any financial resources. Ray realized that he was wrong now. The wealth of the Ind of Despair was so great that it was unpredictable. After all, these were weapons that one could not even get with money, yet the organization was able to get four just to deal with Luke... ¡°I''m afraid they''ve umted arge amount of wealth over the years,¡± said Luke. He had been caught by the people from the Ind of Despair before, so he knew the situation there. They were constantlypleting the missions assigned to them and making shady deals to umte their wealth. Luke had looked into some of the world''s most famous people who were assassinated. He reckoned that the unsolved cases were mostly done by the people from the Ind of Despair. No one would believe that such an organization could not umte such wealth. "Yes. It seems like we''ll have to keep an eye out for this organization." Ray was troubled. The man who was locked in his cer refused to say anything. He could not get any information about the Ind of Despair. That man insisted on ending his life, saying that he would rather die. Ray had no idea how to deal with someone who longed for death. Even if he wanted to find out more information, there was nothing Ray could do to him. Luke agreed with him. He knew there was no way he could find out any information about the organization and its stronghold. He was unable to destroy the organization just likest time. "Is the man still reluctant to say anything?" Ray let out a sigh and shook his head. "He has a death wish. He simply refuses to talk. I''m afraid he won''t be able to hold on any longer if Hansen continues the interrogation." Hansen, who was standing beside, heard Ray and replied with dissatisfaction, "Boss, I''ve never met someone so stubborn before even after following you for so many years. You can''t me me for not getting anything out of him." The impostor Bianca came across Luke''s mind. When she got caught, she did not say anything either. When she was about to speak, she fell ill. Then, she could not say anything. Vivian happened to hear their conversation when she was making her way downstairs. She walked toward them and smiled as she looked at Luke. "Brother Luke, has your leg recovered? That''s wonderful." Chapter 2053 ¡°Yes. It has recovered." Luke noticed that Vivian''s condition was much betterpared to a few days ago. "Brother Luke, stay for dinner. I''ve just learned to cook two Western dishes. Why don''t you taste them for me and rate them?" Vivian invited him. "Sorry, maybe some other time," Luke recalled that Luca was still in the hotel. He did not know if she would have her meals on time if he was not there. Although Luca did not show it on her face, Luke still noticed that something was wrong with her emotions. He thought that it must be rted to the Ind of Despair. Vivian did not say a word. Ray''s subordinate came up from the basement and headed to the living room. He reported to Ray helplessly, "Boss, that man still refuses to talk." It was just as Ray expected. "Take turns to interrogate him. Don''t let him sleep. Let''s see how long he canst." Ray gave his orders. Hansen clenched his fists and said aggressively, "Let me do it this time. I''ll teach him a lesson if he still refuses to talk." Vivian saw Hansen''s attitude and wondered if he was trying to kill that man. "Ray, let me try to talk to him," said Vivian. She would like to try the trick that she had learned from Luca. Someone happened to be locked in the basement now. If the trick worked on him, they did not have to take his life. She thought the man might tell her something if he could no longer stand the pain. "I''ve never heard of such a technique." Ray frowned. Vivian hade back and told Ray that she had a way to make the man confess yesterday. However, Ray thought it was not going to work. After all, Ray had never seen the technique being used before and thought it was impossible. "You never know if something is going to work or not if you don''t give it a try, right?" Vivian insisted. Then, she turned to look at Luke and said, "Brother Luke, Luca taught me this technique. You believe in her abilities, right?" Luca taught her? Luke asked with curiosity, "What is it?" Vivian stood beside the coffee table so that they could see her gestures. She practiced the posture that Luca taught her and said, "That''s how it is. Pinch here and he''ll be in pain for a few days. It won''t take his life, but he''ll be in pain for a few days. Taking painkillers might be able to ease the pain for a while, but it''ll be excruciating over time. Eventually, no painkillers can ease his pain." "What harm does it cause to him? It''s not life-threatening and there are no injuries. How is it possible to make him suffer from pain?" Ray thought it just did not make sense. Those who had some medical skills would have thought that it was impossible too. Although there were various acupuncture points on the human body in naturopathy, they would need to continuously stimte it to have the effects. It was impossible to just pinch that certain part for a while and have the person be in pain for a few days. "This technique..." Luke picked up his cup and took a sip of the coffee. Vivian and Ray turned to look at him at the same time. "Luca had done this on someone before¡ªthe second young master of the Mallory family, Pierre Mallory. He had messed with her back then, so she used this technique on him. He couldn''t do anything about it and was admitted to the hospital for a few days. He took painkillers and shots to relieve his pain. He even got the most expensive painkillers, but they didn''t work. But the doctor couldn''t find anything wrong with his body," Luke said calmly. Luca had undergone training when she was on the Ind of Despair. That was why there was no doubt that she knew about these things. Vivian could not help but secretly rejoice. She looked at Ray and said, "I told you. Such a technique does exist. Even Brother Luke had seen it for himself. Just let me try. If I do it wrongly, we can still ask Luca toe over and help.." Ray was still a little doubtful after listening to Luke, but he did not me him. After all, Luca might have lied to Luke too. Perhaps she had drugged Pierre when she was dealing with him. "Ray," Vivian called out his name when Ray did not respond. Ray chose topromise in front of Luke. It would be better if he stopped doubting Luca. There was nothing to lose even if there were no effects on the man after Vivian tried it. "Hansen, bring Ms. Vivian down," said Ray. "Alright, Boss." Hansen would like to see if it was as effective as Vivian mentioned. He did not expect Ray to give him the chance to see it for himself. He felt excited as he brought Vivian to the basement. Luke watched the two of them leave and asked, "Aren''t you following them down there?" "Honestly, I''m still doubting it," Ray smiled bitterly. "I''m not doubting you, but the technique. Is there such a technique in this world?" "I believe in Luca. And do you know why?" Luke suddenly lowered his voice. ''Is it because you like her?'' Ray thought to himself, but he dared not to say it out. After all, he could clearly see how Luke felt for Bianca back then. If he was in love with Luca now, would that not mean that he had fallen for someone else while married? "I have no idea," Ray spoke in a depressed tone. There was no way he could make any judgments about the rtionship matters of others. Otherwise, he would not have let Vivian and Gordan end up in this state. ¡°Tell your men to clear out and I''ll tell you,¡± said Luke. It was hard to keep one''s mouth shut. Ray could keep it a secret, but not the others. Ray made a gesture, signaling the maids and bodyguards in the living room to leave. "You can tell me now." Luke was still cautious. He picked up his phone and typed on the phone screen. Ray did not rush him as he knew Luke was careful. Hence, he let Luke take his time and type on the phone screen. Luke typed out a message for Ray: [Luca''s real identity is Bianca. She was kidnapped by the people from the Ind of Despair. They changed her appearance and arranged for her to be ced by my side. I''ve been trying to figure out how she''s being manipted by the Ind of Despair. That''s why I haven''t exposed Luca''s identity.] Ray widened his eyes when he saw this. "Is that true?" "Yes." Luke took his phone back and deleted everything that he had typed. "I don''t have a reason to lie to you. At the same time, I hope you can keep this a secret for me." "Of course." Ray still felt surprised, but everything seemed to make sense after Luke told him about it. The reason why Luke was concerned about Luca was simple. Luca was Bianca... Luke rose to his feet and said, "I''d like to see what''s going on down there." "Let''s go together." Ray stood up too. Although Luke believed in Luca, Ray still doubted if that technique would work. The two of them came to the basement together. Vivian took the towel and wiped her hands when they walked in. "You haven''t started?" Ray asked. Vivian shook her head and replied, "It''s done." "Then." Ray nced at the man with his head down, not saying a word. Was this even a sign of him being in pain? "Don''t worry. Luca told me that this technique can''t be used for self-defense as it''s not going to work immediately. You''ll have to wait for a few hours," said Vivian. Although Vivian had no idea if she did it right, she did what Luca told her. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Ray looked at the bodyguard who was guarding here and instructed, "Keep an eye on him. Report to me immediately if there''s anything unusual." Chapter 2054 "Alright, Boss," the two bodyguards replied at the same time without taking it seriously. They had been interrogating this man for days, and he was still reluctant to open his mouth. Would he talk with just a pinch from Vivian? It was nearly impossible. Ray looked at Luke and assumed that he had something to ask the man. Then, he said, "Perhaps we should wait outside?" "There''s no need." Luke took a step forward and looked at the man with his head down. The man must be fatigued after being questioned for the past few days. He should be in a state of mental and physical exhaustion. N?velDrama.Org owns this. However, he refused to say anything even though he was exhausted. It seemed like the Ind of Despair must have something on him. Otherwise, he would not have asked them to kill him. There might be another reason behind this. He failed his mission, and there was no way he could stay alive even if he told them everything. This was what Gale and Rain had told him before. Before they left the Ind of Despair to carry out their missions, they were forced to drink some kind of drug. They would have to take the antidote regrly to stay alive. If he told them everything now, he would be left to die on the streets if he did not return to the Ind of Despair. Likewise, If he returned to the Ind of Despair, the mastermind of the organization would not spare his life. He would end up losing his life either way. His life was in the mastermind of the Ind of Despair, and he had no choice. "I''d like to ask you one question," Luke spoke slowly. The man lifted his head. His eyes were red as he had been unable to get any rest for such a long time. His eyes were bloodshot like the eyes of zombies in those movies. It was terrifying to see. "Just kill me," the manboriously spat out the words. Luke ignored him and asked, "Is the stronghold of the Ind of Despair in Russia?" The man shuddered for a moment and repeated the words he said, "Just kill me." "You shuddered." Luke reminded him that he had been exposed. The man widened his eyes and looked at Luke with an undisguised murderous gaze. "I don''t know what you''re talking about!" "The stronghold of the Ind of Despair is in Russia," Luke said affirmatively. He turned around and said to Ray, "That''s all." Ray nodded and the three of them left the basement together. After they walked away far enough and made sure that the man was unable to hear them, Ray asked, "Why didn''t you ask more?" "I only want to know if it''s in Russia. But Russia is big. I won''t get any answers from him even if I keep on asking," said Luke. Ray knew that too. However, he did not expect Luke to be able to trick the man into telling the truth. ¡°You''re still the better one when ites to questioning,¡± Rayplimented him. "Perhaps Vivian is better than I am,¡± replied Luke. He decided to stay and see if the man would be in pain after a few hours. "Oh yes, I''ve figured out what you asked me to investigate thest time," said Ray. He had been worrying about thingstely. He almost forgot about the favor Luke had asked of him. "Is it about the hotel?" Vivian was with them, so Luke said obscurely. "Yes." Ray nodded. "Let''s head to the study." "Sure." Luke agreed with him. Vivian listened to the two of them talking in riddles. She could not help but wonder what they were talking about. However, there were some things Ray would not allow her to interfere with. Letting her deal with the man this time was a concession he made, so Vivian did not continue to ask. Ray and Luke headed upstairs when they arrived at the living room. Vivian did not follow them. She turned and walked into the kitchen. Vivian assumed that Luke would stay for dinner tonight, so she headed to the kitchen and prepared dinner. In the hotel room. Luca was staring at her child''s photos. She did not know what to do, and she had no idea what she was supposed to do now. After she was brought to the Ind of Despair, she was confused and lost. The path to her future was misty white. She could not see it. Her phone vibrated. She was receiving a call. Luca nced at it. It was a string of numbers. Was it Abel or Shanks? If it was Abel who called her, she reckoned that he came looking for her because of the assassination. Luca answered the call uneasily. "Where are you?" The voice that came from the other end of the line belonged to Abel. "I''m still in Russia," answered Luca. It was him, and he sounded unfriendly. He must havee to look for trouble. "I''m in the hotel you''re staying at. Room A351. Come over now." After that, Abel hung up the call without waiting for Luca''s response. Luca did not expect Abel to book a room in this hotel just to meet her. Was he not worried that he would be seen by Luke''s men? The day the gun shooting incident happened, Rain had blocked her way. That was when Luca found out that they had followed Luke to Russia too. Luca walked out of the suite. Room A351 was on the same floor as her room. She did not even have to ask the attendant to swipe the elevator card to head to the room where Abel was. Luca lifted her hand when she was standing outside the door of Room A351. She took a deep breath, but something kept her from pressing the doorbell. She had to face him sooner orter. Luca pressed the doorbell as she pondered. The one who came to open the door was not Abel but Abel''s subordinate. He nced at Luca and made way for her to get into the room. "Come in. Boss is waiting for you." Luca concealed her uneasiness and walked into the room with a cold expression. "What''s the matter?" Luca looked at Abel who was sitting on the sofa and asked coldly. "You betrayed the organization." The simple words that Abel uttered pointed out Luca''s mistake. "I didn''t," Luca replied calmly. Abel threw the cigar he was holding onto the floor and said, "Ivana, how dare you say you didn''t? The man who was assigned to assassinate Luke told me that you had just finished taking the antidote when they were assigned the mission. You heard their conversation and headed to the scene. They saw you there. Are you going to deny it still?" Luca kept silent. She did not expect those men to recognize her. Luca was worried about Luke''s safety at that time. Hence, she could not be bothered about other matters. She took the risk of being discovered as all she could think about was protecting Luke. She wanted to know if Luke was injured even after the police officers had arrived and gotten the situation under control. Many problems would ur under circumstances like that. It was just like what was happening now... Luca knew that if she had been able to control her emotions well at that time and protect herself, Abel would not have found out about this. Her emotions had taken over her then, but there was no way she could face the situation calmly knowing that Luke might be in danger. "You''re the one who ced me by Luke''s side. Isn''t it normal for me to show up nearby when he''s in danger?" Luca continued to deny it. "Then how are you going to exin that Luke seemed to have known that something would happen as he had arranged Ray''s men to wait for the men I sent?" Abel questioned her. Abel thought there was hardly anyone beside Luke. That was why he only sent four men to kill him. They would be able to retreat even if the mission failed. However, he did not expect Luke to know about their operation in advance. He arranged for more than ten people to pretend to be the customers in the restaurant to ambush them. His men eventually failed the mission and did not manage to get away. Chapter 2055 After failing to retreat, his men and weapons were all taken away on the spot. Although Abel had received three million dors from Pierre, the amount of money spent on the weapons was enough to break his heart. Abel had put in so much effort to get those firearms, but four of them fell into the police''s hands... That would mean that not only did the mission not earn him anything, but he even lost a few men. It got on Abel''s nerves when he found out about it. He sent someone to investigate the matter. They brought back the news that someone had tipped Luke off, and the one who tipped him off was Luca. Hence, he got out of the Ind of Despair and came looking for Luca to settle the ounts. ¡°You didn''t send people to assassinate Luke and end his life, right? Did you take someone''s money? You weren''t nning to let him fall into your hands that easily." Luca did not exin herself and questioned him instead. Abel narrowed his eyes and replied, "So what? What difference does it make? Luca, do you have any idea how big of a loss you''ve cost me for tipping him off?" Abel did not intend to kill Luke. He was only carrying out the mission. However, his subordinates had been caught by the police. Abel was not afraid that they would expose him because he had something on all of them. Even so, those firearms. Abel felt bad for the loss of the firearms. "You didn''t intend to let him die anyway, and he''s still alive. Isn''t that what you want? Besides, you can implement your next ns," Luca continued. Was he not nning on making Luke''s life a living hell? That was not something that could be done with just one bullet. "You know me very well. But your actions have caused me a great loss. No one has ever spoiled my ns since the Ind of Despair was established, nor has anyone tipped off a target. How dare you?! I want you to pay the price today!" Abel took a gun out of his pocket and aimed it right at Luca''s head. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Luca lifted her head and looked at the ck muzzle. There would be a bloody hole in her head once he pulled the trigger. Was it going to end this way? Perhaps this was a good way to end it all. There was no need for her to go against her will to deal with Luke. Luca smiled. The moment the muzzle was aimed at her, she actually felt relieved. ¡°I didn''t do anything wrong. You told me that you won''t let Luke die easily. I was just carrying out the mission you''ve assigned me." Abel thought Luca would beg for her life. He did not expect her to be so calm when he was aiming the gun at her. "Ivana, do you really think I don''t have the guts to kill you?" Abel narrowed his eyes and looked at her. The expression on her face made him feel sick. It was as though pulling the trigger would be fulfilling her wish. "Pull the trigger." Luca closed her eyes. "You don''t fear death, but if you die, your daughter Kathryn will be dead." Abel''s expression was hideous. He was dying to put a bullet through her mouth. Every word she said was on behalf of Luke! Luca''s body trembled when Abel mentioned her youngest daughter. What he said was true. Her youngest daughter would suffer after Luca died. If her youngest daughter happened to reunite with her after going to heaven, it could be considered a good ending too. Still, what if Abel trained her daughter to be an assassin with his twisted and brutal ways? What if he wanted her to kill Luke and her brothers and sister? Luca knew everything that she thought of would cross Abel''s mind too. Besides, a twisted mind like Abel''s would have definitely thought of this... Luca began to feel afraid. She opened her eyes and looked at Abel. The moment she opened her eyes, Abel knew he had won. The look of courage to face death in Luca''s eyes was gone. Fear had taken over now. Luca was not afraid of the muzzle pointing at her, but she was afraid that Kathryn, who was in Abel''s hands, would face a fate worse than death. "Abel, what are you doing?" Shanks spoke. Abel''s gun was still pointing at Luca''s head. He turned and looked at Shanks, who was walking toward him. "This b*tch betrayed me and cost me a huge amount of money. I''m dealing with her. Can the organs inside her be taken out immediately if she''s dead?" "She drank your poison. They''re worthless," Shanks reminded him coldly. He saw the anxiety in Luca''s eyes, and he knew it was because of N. This woman was not afraid of death, but she began to feel frightened after knowing that her daughter might get tortured by Abel. Were all mothers in the world the same? A blurred figure shed across Shanks'' mind. It seemed like she was the same too. "Well, killing you won''t help me to get my money back." Abel''s gaze was gloomy. He wondered how he could recover his losses. "Put the gun down. She''ll be dead if the gun goes off." Shanks sat on the sofa, reminding Abel with his cold tone. ¡°Why? Do you care about her? You''re not having feelings for her, right?" Abel raised his brows and looked at Shanks. "There''s no such thing." Shanks denied it. "I only need her to continue to search for the ingredients for me." "Can''t you ask someone else to look for the ingredients? Why do you have to save this woman?" Abel narrowed his eyes and looked at Shanks. He wondered if Shanks felt anything for Luca. "You mean those worthless people on your ind? They can''t even differentiate the ingredients, so how are they supposed to look for them? Keep in mind that once the ingredients are found and my research seeds, you''re still the beneficiary," Shanks reminded him. The one who benefited the most was Abel even though Shanks was the one who did most of the drug research. Abel pursed his lips. Indeed, none of the people on the ind, regardless of their gender, could inherit the skills Shanks taught them. It was not because Shanks refused to teach them. They simply had no talent for it, and they could not differentiate the types of drugs. It seemed like Luca was the only one who could help Shanks. "You''ll have to wait for that. What I want to see the most for now is quick profit. Do you know how much money I spent to get those guns?" Abel said furiously. He felt sorry for the money. No one had ever used those guns before, but they were locked in the police station''s evidence room the first time they were put to use. "You want the guns? It''s easy. It''s nothing more than just an evidence room in the police station. I''m pretty sure your men can sneak into it." Shanks looked at Luca. He could see Luca was not afraid now by looking at the expression on her face. Other than Abel, the only thing that could put the fear of God in Luca was her children. This was already in Abel''s ns, but he was still unable to get over it. It was the police station, after all. If his men entered the police station, they might be able to retrieve the guns, but there were chances that they might get caught too. It would be great if they could bring the weapons back, but he would lose a few more men if they got caught. Abel looked at Luca and said, "Fine. I''ll change my mind if you manage to get the weapons back." Chapter 2056 "Me?" Luca frowned. Abel kept his gun and sneered, "You''re the one who caused me the losses. Of course, you should be the one to carry out this mission. If you can get my guns back, I''ll go easy on you for what happened. Otherwise, you''ll have to make up for my losses with your life!" Shanks thought something was wrong. Before he could say anything, Abel stopped him. "Stop speaking up for her. If you go any further, I''ll have to ask you if you''ve fallen for this b*tch. If that''s true, I''ll send her back to the ind right now and you can marry her. Then you can be a father. You''re very fond of her daughter, right?" Shanks shook his head and shut his mouth. That was all he could do for Luca. Luca had to depend on herself to retrieve the guns and get them out of the police station. "I can''t do this alone." Luca knew she had no other choice, so she could only ask Abel to send some help. She had nevere in contact with Russian police officers before. There was no way she could explore the whole police station alone. "I''ll send help. And the goal is to retrieve the guns." Abel took a cigar out. He lit the cigar and took a deep puff. "What if I can''t get them back?" Luca asked. She was not certain about this.N?velDrama.Org content. "If you fail to get them back, you can either pay me back the money spent to get those guns, or you can search for the same firearms and return them to me. Otherwise, you''ll have to pay for them with your life!" Abel gave her a few options. Then, he rose to his feet and walked into one of the rooms. Luca stood there, looking at Shanks. Shanks reminded Luca when he made sure Abel had left, "That batch of firearms are thetest weapons developed by arms dealers in the ck market. They have high damage capacity and a long shooting range. They''re brand new weapons. Many people are looking to have them and there''s a high demand but not enough supplies." Luca pursed her lips. She did not expect Abel to spend so much money to purchase advanced weapons to assassinate Luke. "Is he really thinking of killing Luke?" Luca asked. Shanks sneered. ¡°How am I supposed to know about that? Perhaps he is. You should go back. He''ll be back soon." He was talking about Luke. Luca nodded. It would be difficult for her to exin to Luke if he saw her walking out of this room. Luca headed to the door. Abel''s subordinate called out to her before she left, "Ivana, Boss said you should make your move around one a.m. He''ll send the information about the police station to your email. Make sure you figure it out in a few hours!" Luca''s hand, which was holding the doorknob, clenched tightly. She had to do this for the sake of her child and Luke. She did not have that much money to pay Abel back. Shanks stood up and walked to Abel''s room after Luca left. He pushed the door open. Abel was smoking inside. He could see the fierce look on Abel''s face. It seemed like he was still annoyed. Abel had been poor since he was young. That was why he was exceptionally concerned about money. The only thing that Abel would be willing to spend a huge amount of money on without asking for anything in return was Kassy. As far as he knew, Abel''s parents died because of poverty, disease, and war. Before Abel was left to die with his parents, he was adopted by Robert. Robert, as the former boss of the Ind Of Despair, had countless resources and wealth. However, Abel did not change his way of thinking because of this. Abel thought money could give him the strongest sense of security. Hence, he saw money as something particrly important even when others were promoting the idea that money woulde and go. He would do whatever was necessary to make money. That was one of his goals too. Therefore, he would do the same this time. Something happened that made him realize how important money was. That was why he became worse and took money even more seriously. It was when Kassy got tricked by Luke, then she was caught and imprisoned. Abel thought of rescuing her that time, but most of the forces told him that they would only get her out if he could pay them. Otherwise, there would be no deal. Back then, all the resources of the Ind of Despair had been taken by the Russian government. Abel had no money. Hence, he missed out on the chance and perfect timing to get Kassy out of prison. Those who went to rescue her after that did not manage to save her. "Why are you here?" Abel sounded a little depressed. He could not be bothered that much just now. All he wanted was to kill Luca. "Were you really nning on killing Luca just now?" Shanks asked. "Are you really interested in that b*tch? What a pity. She''ll only love that man wholeheartedly. No matter how kind you are to her, she''ll turn her back on you like a snake. Just a reminder, if you really like her, you''ll have to do it the hard way and make her willing to stay beside you. Otherwise, you''ll regret it one day." Abel took a puff on his cigar and slowly exhaled a smoke ring. "I''m not interested in Luca." Abel mocked him and said, "But you keep helping her." "She''s the only one who has picked up my skills. If she dies, I''ll have to train another person again. It''s too troublesome," replied Shanks. Abel let out augh without saying anything. He would be stuck in an endless argument with Shanks if he continued. Shanks did not continue talking about Luca. After all, there was nothing he could do to help her with what she had to doter. It was up to Luca, and her situation had nothing to do with him. He had already saved her from getting shot by Abel. "I''ve already bought tobo and the other ingredients. I''ll return to the indter," said Shanks. "Alright. If there are too many things for you to carry, ask someone at the stronghold to help you to carry them back," replied Abel. "There aren''t many of them. Most of the things are just your tobo. I''ll ask your men to send that back. I''ll bring the rest myself. Those men of yours are pretty ignorant. I can''t leave the others to them without worrying about them." Abel could not help but mock him, "Speaking of which, I was wondering... If the medicinal herbs and Luca are ced in front of you and you''re only allowed to save one of them, who would you choose to save?" Shanks looked at Abel without an expression on his face and replied, "The herbs." "You''re not saying that against your will, right?" Abel was observing the expression on Shanks'' face. However, it seemed like Shanks was pretty sure about it. "The herbs are the most important." Shanks turned around and closed the door. The room was filled with a strong tobo smell. He could not stand to be in the room for another second. It made him feel ufortable. Abel shook his head. Shanks was pretty interesting. He was the only one who dared to save Ivana and her daughter in front of him. He was not as ruthless as the others on the Ind of Despair, but he enjoyed hiding on the Ind of Despair to do his research. Honestly, it would be difficult for the Ind of Despair if they were to lose someone like Shanks. That was why Abel would not go against Shanks if it did not involve the benefits and interests of the organization. Besides, Ivana. Abel did not truly want her dead. Even so, he needed someone to make up for the losses. Chapter 2057 Luca walked back to the suite absent-mindedly. She recalled the day the shooting happened. If she had been more careful, Abel would not have something on her. She had no choice but to listen to him now. However, would she be able to retrieve those weapons from the evidence room in the police station sessfully? Although the people from the Ind of Despair were capable enough, they never dared to confront the police officers. If she was careless, she would expose herself in front of the police officers... Luca turned on herptop which was on standby mode. She entered the password and logged into her email. There was indeed an email sent by Abel in her mailbox. Luca downloaded the document. At the same time, a notification sound came from Luke''s phone. Luke picked up his phone and frowned, ¡°What''s this?" ¡°What''s the matter?" Ray asked with curiosity while he sat opposite him. "Hold on." From the app, Luke saw that Luca was downloading a document from her email. The app automatically downloaded the document on his phone at the same time, but it was slow because of the poor signal. Half an hourter, the document was done downloading. Luke opened it and frowned once he saw the contents of the document. He handed his phone to Ray and said, ¡°Take a look at this." Ray took the phone from him and nced at the contents. He was able to figure out what kind of floor n it was from the keywords stated on the document, such as interrogation room and evidence room. Ray raised his brows and asked, "Why do you have the floor n of the police station?" ¡°Someone sent Luca this," answered Luke. ¡°Most people won''t be able to ess this floor n. Why did they send it to Sis¡ªLuca?" Ray corrected himself immediately. He had promised Luke not to tell anyone that Luca''s real identity was Bianca. Hence, Luca would still be Luca. She had nothing to do with Bianca. ¡°She''s being manipted by the Ind of Despair. I think they must want her to do something." Luke spected. Besides, this mission must have something to do with the police station. ¡°Could it be that they''re after the weapons?" Ray said. He was nning to wait after this matter was settled and see if he could pull some strings with his connections to get the weapons from the police station. He would like to know the structures of the firearms so that he could produce them too. "I think so." Luke had thought about it too. Ray could not help but frown. It did not matter if the goal was to retrieve the firearms or to get those people out of the detention room. This was mission impossible. The Russian police were no joke... Asking a weak woman like Luca to carry out such a mission. How could she possibly seed. "She''s being forced to do something like this because of me," said Luke. Everything that Luca did and every suffering she ever went through was all because of him. "It''s too dangerous. What are you nning to do?" Ray asked. Luke knew how dangerous it would be. If Luca was detained by the Russian police, there was nothing Luke could do to help her. Luca''s identity was Russian American. If she broke Russia''sw, then she must be sanctioned in Russia. "I''m going to help her." What Luke could do now was to help Luca. Ray frowned and reminded him, "I think helping her is quite a dangerous thing to do. It''s better to stop her from doing such silly things¡ª" "No," Luke interrupted him. "Luca wouldn''t be willing to do such things, but she''s keeping quiet and epting it. She''s risking her life to carry out this mission. It must be the Ind of Despair who asked her to do so. And her only choice is to follow their orders." There were many things she did not get to choose. Luke wanted to know why Luca had no choice but to listen to them. However, there was too much he had yet to find out behind this. Luke had not dug deep enough. That was why he was still unable to figure it out. Ray shook his head helplessly when Luke insisted on doing so. Luke loved Bianca so much. Even if she were to do something that could make him fall off his high position, he would support her nevertheless. Ray remembered that he had misunderstood Luke. After finding out Luca''s true identity, he realized that the person Luke loved the most had never changed. "I can help," said Ray. Luke shook his head. Ray had already been of great help when he sent his subordinates to protect Luke back then. Luke said, "Let me settle this myself." "You don''t have any men in Russia. Besides, even if you do, those people won''t know the situation in the police station better than I do," said Ray. "Luca can take the stuff, but she can''t set those people free." "Thank you." Luke did not reject Ray''s offer to help. Sure enough, Luca would be able to seed with Ray''s help. Ray asked again, "Did they mention when they''re making the move?" Luke nced at the time and answered, "One a.m." ¡°Let me make some arrangements." Ray stood up and headed to the basement. Hansen was there. Ray only had to leave the mission to Hansen. He would not have to worry about the rest. After all, it was dangerous for Luca to do this. However, it seemed like it would not be a big deal with Ray''s help. Vivian walked out of the kitchen. She asked with confusion when she saw that Luke was alone in the living room, "Brother Luke, where did Ray go?" "He went to the basement," answered Luke. He saw that Vivian had tied her hair up and was wearing an apron. She was cooking. "Oh, then do you mind helping me to ask himter when he''s back if it''s alright for him to have some Western food? If he''s okay with it, then I''m not going to prepare any Russian food." Vivian smiled as she asked Luke to help her deliver the message. "Sure." Luke agreed to it and lowered his head to look at his phone screen. He wanted to see if he could obtain any useful information from the document downloaded. Ray and Hansen arrived in the living room when Luke was still reading it. N?velDrama.Org content. Luke put down his phone. Knowing that Ray had left this to Hansen, he nodded and thanked Hansen, "Thank you." "Don''t mention it, Mr. Crawford. It''s an honor to be able to help. I''m off to make some arrangements now." Hansen left the living room after that. Ray returned to his seat, crossing his slender legs. "Don''t worry. Just leave it to Hansen." "I''m assured that your men can do this." Luke expressed his trust in Ray. Then, he recalled what Vivian had asked him to do. He said, "Vivian was asking if it''s alright to prepare Western food without any Russian food." "It''s not a problem. She enjoys it, so let her be. She''s going to further her studies in A City anyway. She won''t starve if she''s able to prepare a few dishes of Western food herself." This time, Ray had decided to let Vivian go pursue what she wanted in her life. "Don''t worry. I''ll keep an eye on her in A City," said Luke. He picked up his phone and finished reading thest page of the document. "Did you manage to find out anything else?" Ray changed the subject of the conversation back to Luca. "Her target isn''t those who got detained but the weapons in the evidence room," replied Luke. He was pretty sure about it after reading the whole document. Most of the information and the floor n was about the structure andyout of the evidence room. Chapter 2058 Knowing that Luca''s mission was to retrieve the weapons, Ray said, "It''s easy. Leave it to Hansen." Luke knew the special connections between Ray and the Russian police. Hence, it would be best to leave the matter to them At the same time, they were also the ones who could ensure Luca''s safety. Luke nodded. He sent a message to Luca, telling her that he would have dinner at Ray''s ce and she did not have to wait for him. Luca did not reply to his message. Luke reckoned that she must be worrying about the mission. Luca was good at fighting, but how was she supposed to fight against the police officers? The maid walked toward him and said respectfully, "Young Master, Mr. Crawford, dinner is served. Please make your way to the dining room." Ray nodded and stood up. "Come on. Let''s go have dinner." "Alright." Luke rose to his feet. The two of them were about to head to the dining room when Ray''s subordinate ran toward them hurriedly and said, "Boss, that man, he¡ª" Ray frowned as he looked at his subordinate who was in a panic. He reprimanded, "Slow down." The man took a deep breath. He did not mean to speak in such a way, but he was so surprised that he had run upstairs. Hence, he was gasping for air. "Boss, the man from the Ind of Despair said his body is aching and he feels ufortable." Vivian stepped forward and heard what the man said. She was delighted and asked, "Does it work that fast?" Ray shot a nce at Vivian in disbelief. He did not believe that such a technique could cause pain, but what was happening at this moment was unexinable. "Let''s go and take a look." Ray decided. "Alright. You guys go ahead first. I''ll ask the maid to put the dishes back so that the food won''t get cold." Vivian was happy with her decision. After all, she had been able to help Ray with something. It could be considered her contribution to this family. Besides, although that man was in pain, his life would not be in danger. She thought to herself and did not think that she had done something terrible. After trying the technique herself, Vivian was truly impressed with Luca. Luca knew a lot, and Vivian thought she had to learn from her. Furthermore, the imperturbable calmness Luca had was truly likable. Luke followed Ray to the basement. Before they arrived at the door, they could hear the man shouting in pain, ¡°Ah! Ah!" It sounded like a beast roaring. Luke and Ray exchanged nces with each other. The two of them could feel the man''s pain just by listening to the sound. After all, they were still some distance away from the basement. The soundproofing here was good enough. If they could hear his voice from such a distance, it seemed that the person inside was unable to stand the torture of the pain he was feeling. That was why his screams were so loud. Ray could not help but feel impressed with Luca. There was actually such a technique, and Vivian learned it well. After days of interrogation, Ray thought this man was not afraid of pain. This endless pain brought about by Luca''s technique would not cause any harm to his body. It was the easiest way to break down the man''s defense mechanism. If it were not because Ray was worried that his subordinates would torture the man until he was unable to take it and die, Ray would certainly have chosen to use the traditional method. That was to let his men take turns to continuously torture the man. Vivian had been a great help to Ray this time. Ray and Luke walked into the basement together. The man heard footsteps and looked at them with bloodshot eyes. He grimaced as he was in pain. He asked angrily, "What did you do to me?" "The pain will be gone if you''re willing to tell us the truth," Ray said expressionlessly. Vivian had mentioned that painkillers would take effect and help manage the pain. "Hell no! You wish!" The man spat at them. However, the pain struck and he could feel his energy being drained away. He could not even spit at the people in front of him. ¡°If you''re not going to tell us, then you can enjoy the continuous pain. The torture willst for 24 hours. How much longer can you endure the pain?" Ray narrowed his eyes. He did not expect the man to still refuse to tell him anything about the Ind of Despair even though it was so painful that it had contorted his features. The man lowered his head and kept shouting. It was as though screaming like that would make him feel better. It only took a few minutes before his voice became hoarse because of the yelling. "Let''s go," Ray looked at Luke and said. He thought that the man would not say anything unless he had a taste of the long hours of pain. "Wait." Luke parted his lips and reminded him, saying, "Put a gag in his mouth." He was worried that the man could not stand the pain and end his life. "Put a gag in his mouth," Ray instructed. Although he refused to believe that the man wouldmit suicide, he did what Luke told him to. If that man attempted to kill himself, he would have done that in the past few days. He did not have to wait until now. Ray''s subordinate picked up the dirty cloth beside him and put it in his mouth. ¡°If you feel like telling me, then shake your head as hard as possible. He''ll inform me." After that, Ray left the basement. Luke looked at the man who was in pain. He did not feel pity for him, and he knew Luca''s technique worked effectively. The two of them met Vivian after they left the basement. "Ray, Brother Luke, why did youe back so quickly?" Vivian asked in confusion. Should they not be taking the chance to interrogate that man? "He''s not going to talk to us anytime soon," replied Ray. Vivian understood that torturing someone to extract information from them would take a long time, but... "Did he pass out? Why isn''t there any sound?" "He''s been gagged. He can''t shout," exined Ray. "I see. Let''s go upstairs and have dinner. Brother Luke can have a taste of my cooking." Vivian turned around and walked in front of them. The three of them returned upstairs and headed to the dining room. Vivian instructed the maids to serve the food that she had prepared. The Western dishes were served one after another. Vivian asked Luke to taste every dish passionately. Luke fulfilled Vivian''s wish and tasted every dish served on the table. The taste was okay, but it was far behind the food that Luca made. Luke was craving it when he was reminded of Luca''s homemade food. He missed Luca. He missed her, her food, and everything good about her. After dinner, Luke suggested that he should leave as he was worried about Luca. Vivian tried to make him stay. Ray stopped her from asking Luke to stay by giving her a meaningful look. Ray arranged a car for Luke to return to his hotel. The sister and brother watched Luke leave.N?velDrama.Org owns this. Vivian looked at the car that had driven far away, then turned to look at Ray. She said, "I have this feeling that Brother Luke has something else on his mind." Ray shook his head and replied, "He''s managing T Corporation alone and carrying the weight of the wholepany as well as the Crawford family on his shoulders. How could he not be preupied?" "That''s true. Brother Luke must be burdened. Ray, you must be feeling the same too, right?" Vivian looked at him. This younger brother of hers had been protecting her so that she could grow up in a peaceful environment. There were many times when Vivian was dressed up beautifully in white, but Ray would show up in front of her all covered in blood. Ray had sacrificed too much for his family, Vivian, and his men. Chapter 2059 The brother and sister were emotionally connected. Ray knew what was on Vivian''s mind. A gust of cold wind blew past them after they sent off Luke. Vivian had not put on any coats or hats. Her hair was messy now. Ray took his coat off and draped it over her shoulders. "Stop overthinking. I decided to take over the family matters. This is what a man should do. And all you have to do is live your life," said Ray. The brother and sister were supposed to carry the responsibilities of their family on their shoulders. However, Vivian was not the kind of person who could take a firm stance with others. She would get bullied if she were to take over their family matters. Hence, Ray started to take charge of various kinds of matters from the elders of the family after he graduated. It felt warm to have the coat on, and Vivian smiled. It seemed like she had gotten over the heartbreak of leaving Gordan. Although she still missed him, she was doing much better now. ¡°Let''s go into the house. It''s cold out here." Vivian knew Ray was not a sentimental person, but he comforted her again and again. He wanted to lighten the burden in her heart. "Sure." Ray nodded. The brother and sister turned around and returned to the house. In the hotel suite. Luca looked at the full bodysuit in her luggage, then she nced at the floor n on theptop. When she came to Russia, she had brought a full bodysuit along with her after remembering that this was where the main stronghold of the Ind of Despair was. Hence, she might be assigned a mission. Wearing other clothes would get in her way and cause inconveniences. She came fully prepared, but she did not expect that she would really need the bodysuit... Luca nced at the time. Although she would only start at around one a.m., she was not the only one on this mission. She would have to discuss with the others how they were going to carry out the operation. Luca picked up the clothes and changed into them. Then, she put on a thick, warm-down jacket to keep herself warm. When she was about to leave, Luke pushed the door and walked in. He hade back from Ray''s ce. ¡°Mr. Crawford, you''re back." Luca did not expect Luke to return this early. After all, Ray had caught someone from the Ind of Despair after he broke into the house. She thought Luke must have headed to Ray''s ce because of this matter. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. After all, Ray had a strong influence in Russia. She believed that he had already figured out the identities of the four people who were caught and detained in the police station. Although Ray was unable to know everything about them, he had the solution with him now. He should have known that those people were from the Ind of Despair. "Are you going out?" Luke asked when he saw that Luca was all dressed up. Her mission was supposed to take ce around one a.m., right? There were a few more hours left. She was going out that early? "Yes. A friend in Russia knows that I''m here, so she said she''d like to meet me," Luca lied to him. Luke did not expose her lies and said, "Do you need the hotel car to send you there?" Luca shook her head. It would only make things difficult if she asked the hotel''s driver to send her. She said, "There''s a subway station near the hotel. I''ll just take the subway. The subway in Russia is quite convenient." "Alright." Luke did not insist, and he walked into his room. Luca let out a sigh of relief when Luke did not continue to question her. She carried her bag and left the suite. Luke''s door was left unlocked. He could hear the sound of Luca leaving the suite. He informed Gale to follow behind Luca immediately. Ray told him to leave everything to Hansen and Hansen would handle everything well. However, Luke would go the extra mile when it was about Luca''s matters. Even though someone else would get it done, he was still worried. After a while, Hansen shared Luca''s location with Luke. Luca headed to the subway station after she left the hotel. She found herself a ce to stand and wait after she got into the subway. Luke was keeping a close watch on Luca''s whereabouts. Luke opened the map of Russia on his phone. He could see Luca getting closer to the police station ording to the location. Luke thought that she should not be acting alone this time. She must be meeting those who would be carrying out the mission with her. After Luca reached the subway station near the police station, she left the subway and headed to an inn. She told the receptionist the number of the room, and the receptionist threw the room card at her while muttering, "What the hell are you guys doing? Why are there so many people staying in one room?" Luca did not answer her. She took the room card and headed to the elevator. She swiped the card, and the elevator moved upstairs. Luca arrived at the room and swiped the card to enter. Before she could see the people in the room, one of them came throwing a punch at her. Luca was swift in response. She stopped the person from punching her with her elbows. She was able to get a nce at the person who attacked her. She realized it was the woman who led her the way when she was in the beauty salon. The woman looked at her resentfully and scolded, "You b*tch! Go to hell!" Luca refused to let her get away with it. The woman attacked her with another hand. Luca lifted her leg and kicked her. ¡°Are you nuts?!" The kick sent the woman flying, and she fell to the floor. She lifted her head. The fury in her eyes was so overwhelming that it almost took over her. "Jake wouldn''t have gotten arrested if you hadn''t betrayed the organization! I''m going to kill you!" The woman would rather risk death just to tear the woman in front of her into pieces. Abel had already informed everyone in the organization that Luca had betrayed the organization. Everyone knew that the reason the mission failed this time was because of Luca''s betrayal. The organization did not n to rescue those who were caught. They were only asked to gather here to retrieve the weapons in the evidence room at the police station. The four of them who were arrested were bound to be abandoned by the organization. Hence, the woman got very emotional. She was dying to kill Luca, who was in front of her. Luca frowned. She had no idea who Jake was. However, she reckoned that he was among those four people. Luca shot the woman a cold nce and denied it. "I don''t know what you''re talking about." "You''re still denying it? Boss already told us that it''s your fault!" The woman rose to her feet, thinking of charging at Luca. She had gone through the training too, but she did not expect Luca to be quick on the uptake. She got careless, and that was why she was defeated. The man who stood beside her stopped her. As an onlooker, he realized that Luca''s ability and skills were better than the woman''s. The woman could never win against Luca even if she charged over one more time. He said, "Enough. Boss didn''t ask her toe here to fight with you." "Then how about Jake?!" The woman looked at the man who stopped her with her bloodshot eyes. "The mission failed. Jake has no choice but to consider himself unlucky. We''re only going to do whatever the organization wants us to do!" the man reminded the woman with a stern expression on his face. This was all Abel''s arrangement, and she was not allowed to do anything crazy. "The organization isn''t even thinking of saving Jake!" The woman said, "You''re Jake''s brother. How can you let this pass so easily?" The man furrowed his brows. Jake and the others were carrying weapons with them. They could have chosen to retreat safely when they realized that more than ten people were protecting Luke. Even so, Jake and the others had weapons in their hands, while Luke and his men did not. They got careless. That was why they were caught by the police. There were witnesses and evidence at the scene. Not even thewyers could bail them out now. Chapter 2060 "What did I tell you when we were on our way here? It''s all Boss'' arrangement. If you insist on taking revenge, then you should consider leaving. You can seek revenge on her after this." The man stared at Luca. Who was she? She betrayed the organization, yet she was still standing here, unharmed. ording to past practice, those who betrayed the organization would end up dead. Even if the betrayer managed to escape from the Ind of Despair, they would not be able to live for long. However, their boss gave her a chance to make up for her mistake instead of going after her and killing her. That was why the man dared not to do anything to her. The woman red at Luca with hatred. She dared not to mess things up when the man mentioned Abel. She showed Luca an obscene hand gesture and said, ¡°Wait for it. I''ll seek revenge on behalf of Jake." Luca remained calm as she looked around the room. The inn was nothing like a five-star hotel. She was able to see the end of the room with just a nce. Other than the man who stopped the woman from fighting, there was another man who was sitting on the sofa. He was only watching them, not concerned about what had happened. There would be four of them including Luca. "Is everyone here?" Luca ignored what the woman said. It was not the time to provoke each other now. "There are only four of us this time. Everyone is here. I''m themander of the team for this mission. My codename is Wolf." The man came over and nced at Luca. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He had been assigned to carry out missions around the world over the years. He was not sure about Luca''s identity. The others were not sure who Luca was either and why Boss had given her another chance. "Ivana," Luca introduced herself as she sized the man in front of her up. Although the members of the Ind of Despair all used fake names, those who had a codename had a higher rank. The rankings on the Ind of Despair were sorted based on the number of missions and their difficulty. When a person had umted a certain number ofpleted missions, their name would be listed in the world''s killer organization. Then, they would give them a codename. This time, Abel even sent such a character here to join the mission. It looked like he was determined to retrieve those weapons in the evidence room. Perhaps it was not only just the weapons... Luca thought that many things in the evidence room might be useful to Abel. Perhaps he was only using the excuse of retrieving the weapons back to get something else. Otherwise, why would Abel send a hotshot here? Wolf nodded. As themander of the mission, although his team members werecking unity, he introduced to her, ¡°This is Klein, and that''s Eira." Luca nodded without greeting them. They could not be bothered to greet each other even if they were on the Ind of Despair. "Everyone is here. Let''s start nning," said Wolf. As the leader of the team, he had to make his team members who were dissatisfied with each other listen to his instructions. Otherwise, something could go wrong easily. ¡°Brother Wolf, you should be careful. This woman doesn''t look like someone who can be messed with. If she can betray Jake, then she''s going to betray you too. Perhaps she has already discussed it with the police officers and they''re waiting for us to go over. We''ll end up like sitting ducks." Eira looked at Luca scornfully, refusing to let go of her clenched fists. If it had not been for the mission and Wolf stopping her, Eira would have torn this woman into pieces to seek revenge for Jake. Wolf turned to look at Luca. Luca did not intend to start a fight or exin herself even though Eira spoke ill of her. Wolf could not help but be vignt. After all, if this woman could betray Jake, she could betray them as well. Although Jake and the others got caught, they were brought back to the police station with their hands cuffed because of their arrogance. This time, their target would be the police station. There was a chance that they might end up like Jake and the others no matter how careful they were. Wolf thought to himself that even though Boss had assigned him the mission and arranged for Luca to join the team, he still had to stay on guard. "Alright. Stop doubting. This was how Boss arranged it. Let''s just each pull our weight." Wolf was working on theputer, projecting the image of the floor n of the police station onto the wall. "This is the floor n of the police station. And here are the photos of the surveince cameras. The surveince cameras in the evidence room and the security facilities are here too. What do you think?" Wolf was trying to gather their opinions. Luca found herself a chair and sat down, keeping a distance away from them. She remained silent. She did not propose any ideas. It was because no matter what she said, the three of them would never believe her. She had betrayed the Ind of Despair after all... Wolf nced at Klein and his cavalier attitude as though he thought that the mission would be easy this time. He did not seem to be taking it seriously. As for Eira, she kept on staring at Luca. Luca sat there and gave him a look that seemed to say she would leave the decision to them. Wolf had no choice but to say, ¡°Since no one has any idea about it, then I''ll share my n. Listen." On the other hand. After Gale followed Luca into the inn, he gave the receptionist some money and made up an excuse. The receptionist told him which room Luca had entered. Gale asked the receptionist to give him the room next to the one where Luca was. After he walked into the room, he informed Luke about it. Luke replied to him after reading his message: [Eavesdrop.] Gale looked at the wall and frowned. How was he going to eavesdrop. He did not get the equipment ready in advance. The man beside Gale asked, "What did Boss say?" "Boss asked us to eavesdrop on their conversation. But we didn''t prepare the equipment in advance. Even if the soundproofing here is bad, we probably can''t hear anything," said Gale. He opened his backpack and took a listening device out of his bag. As he did not make advanced preparations, he could only make do with this. Gale ced the listening device on the wall and listened to the situation next door. He could only hear someone talking, but he could barely hear what the person was talking about. Gale shook his head. "Let me do it," said the man. He took the listening device from Gale and ced it on the wall. Gale left it to him and opened the curtains to look at the surroundings. The police station was diagonally opposite them. Gale recalled what Luke had instructed him. Luca would be carrying out her mission here tonight, and Ray''s men would be secretly helping her. However, they had to be on standby here to intervene when necessary. It would be fine to intervene. They had strongholds in Russia too. Although they were nothingpared to Ray''s forces, at least it was Luke''s intelligencework. How bad could it be? Gale said to the man, "Stay here and listen. I''m going downstairs to check out the situation around here." "Alright." The man leaned against the wall and gave Gale an ''OK'' hand sign. Gale put on his cap and mask, then he left the room. When he headed downstairs and passed by the reception, the staff member working at the reception counter asked, ¡°Sir, you''re leaving so soon? What about your wife?" Chapter 2061 Gale was left speechless when remembered how he had made up an excuse just now to make the receptionist tell him which room Luca was in. Due to the concern and curiosity of the receptionist, Gale could only bite the bullet and reply, ¡°I''ve thought about it. I shouldn''t disturb her." The receptionist looked at him with sympathy and said, "You''re a good man, and you''re good-looking. Don''t be sad. She doesn''t deserve you. If you can''t stand it any longer, you''ll definitely be able to find a better woman." "..." Gale looked at the receptionist. He was so awkward that he only wanted to find a ce to bury himself. "Uh, please don''t let my wife know about this. I still love her." The receptionist felt sorry and looked at him as though she was looking at a faithful, good man. "Alright, sir. I know what to do." Gale had been on the line with Rain so that they couldmunicate with each other conveniently. Rain heard everything the receptionist said to Gale, and she could not help but tease him, "Gale, if Boss finds out that you''ve been defaming Sis, do you have any idea how he''s going to deal with you?" "Shut up. If Boss finds out about this I''m not going to let you get away with it." Gale left the inn and threatened Rain with a low voice to stop her from telling others about this. "Don''t worry. I won''t tell, but your excuse is just too much," said Rain. She wondered why Gale would make up an excuse when this could be settled with money. Not only was Gale smearing his name, but he was smearing Luca''s name too. "I had to. And I''m sending you the photo of the surroundings of the police station now. Take your time to analyze which route they''ll be taking tonight," said Gale as took his sses out of his pocket and put them on. There was a mini spy camera attached to the sses. Everywhere he saw would be captured and filmed. Hence, even if he walked to the entrance of the police station, the police officers would not find out what he was doing. "Alright." Rain, who was on the other end of the line, stopped teasing him and became serious as she got down to work. The two of them were perfect partners when they cooperated. Gale walked across the streets nearby and the surroundings of the police station. He took a photo of all the surveince cameras near the police station without leaving even one behind. The snow was falling, and not many people were on the streets. After Gale filmed everything, he walked toward an RV nearby and knocked on the car door. The door opened and Rain said, ¡°Come in. I''ve finished analyzing every photo." ¡°That fast?" Gale climbed into the car and closed the door. "The system Adrian developed works pretty well. It only takes a few minutes to process a bunch of photos," replied Rain. Adrian was one of Percy''s men. He developed a lot of software, and Luke would buy useful ones from him for personal use. "Come on. We have to find out where Sis and the others will be breaking into the police station," said Gale. He picked up one of the tablets and opened the processed photos. "I think they''ll be taking the west entrance," said Rain. "I noticed that even though the west entrance is far from the evidence room, there are fewer surveince cameraspared to the other ces. I don''t think they''ll choose somewhere with lots of surveince cameras to get into the police station. Otherwise, they''ll be getting themselves in trouble." Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "Are you sure about that?" Gale looked at the photos andpared them to the floor n. "Do you have another opinion?" Rain would like to listen to his opinions. "Have you noticed that? This building is next to the police station. The distance between them is less than three feet. Both of us can jump over with this distance." Gale pointed at one of the photos. The photo showed the distance between the police station and the building next to it. ording to the computer-based analysis, the distance between the two was not even three feet. ¡°Do you mean the rooftop?" Rain tapped on the tablet with her fingers. What Gale said made sense. After all, there were barely any surveince cameras on the rooftop. As long as they were able to break into the building next door and get onto the rooftop, they would be able to sneak in without anyone noticing. "I think that''s possible," said Gale. "It''s convenient for them, but¡ª" Rain insisted, saying, "Let''s keep an eye on both sides." "Sure." Gale nodded and agreed with her. He thought his spection would be correct. In the inn. After Wolf finished telling them his ns, he turned to look at the three of them and said, "That''s all. Is there anything you''d like to suggest? Perhaps you can share with us if you have a better idea." Klein raised his hand. He saidzily, "Wolf, we have enough men and weapons with us. Is there a need to make it so troublesome? Why don''t we just go in and attack right away?" ¡°It''s a police station," Wolf reminded Klein, who did not take the police officers seriously, with a serious tone. "If the Russian police were easy to deal with, why couldn''t Jake and the others escape and let themselves get arrested instead?" Eira could not keep herself calm any longer when Jake''s name was mentioned. "It''s because that b*tch tipped the target off. Otherwise, Jake and the others wouldn''t have gotten arrested." "Mind your words. Who tipped the target off?" Luca narrowed her eyes, pulling a straight face. "Boss said it''s you. You''re still denying it, huh? I''m gonna rip your throat out! Let''s see if you''ll admit it then!" Eira stood up. "Ripping my throat out won''t make your lovere back here." Luca sat on the chair. Her posture had never changed. She ignored what Eira said to her about wanting to take revenge on her. ¡°F*ck you!" Eira thought of heading straight to Luca. ¡°Eira, sit down!" Wolf scolded her. Eira turned around, nced at Wolf, and said with dissatisfaction, "Didn''t you hear what she said? Why are you still speaking up for her?" ¡°I don''t care about the others. I''m only concerned about the mission," Wolf said seriously. ¡°Klein, what do you think about Jake getting caught? Other than someone tipping the target off, Jake was way too arrogant. Otherwise, why would he choose to fight with a bunch of people while carrying a gun? Then, he and the others ended up battered and bruised. They were caught red-handed by the police officers. He had so many chances to escape. He didn''t leave just because he was carrying a weapon. If he wasn''t that prideful, he would have escaped." Klein did not say a word. What Wolf said was true. Wolf turned to look at Eira again. ¡°What you want the most is to have Jake get out of there. You have to make sure the mission goes smoothly so that you get the chance to negotiate with Boss. You can ask him to save Jake. The mission hasn''t even started and you''re already thinking ofying a hand on her. What if the two of you have a disagreement when we''re carrying out the mission? Are you going to fight with her and alert the police officers, then get arrested too? You may not be able to meet Jake even if you get detained." Eira dared not to speak a word anymore. What Wolf said made sense to her. She wanted to save Jake, and the only way was to ask for Boss'' help. Abel would only fulfill their request when their grade point had umted to a certain level. ¡°Is there anything you''d like to say?" Wolf turned to look at Luca. Luca had not spoken a word since he started talking about the n. Wolf nced at Klein and Eira once again. They kept silent. ¡°If you have nothing to say, then get ready for tonight''s mission," said Wolf as he turned off theptop. Chapter 2062 Luca stood up right after Wolf finished talking. Wolf saw that Luca was about to head outside and asked immediately, ¡°Where are you going?" ¡°I''m going out for a walk." Luca thought of going out to observe the surroundings of the police station. She could only see a small part of the police station from the window now. It did not help with the n. She would rather scope out the area than do some empty talking. ¡°Don''t let her go." Eira stood up and looked at Luca resentfully. ¡°If she goes out, she''ll surely tip the police officers off. By the time we arrive there, there''ll be a bunch of police officers waiting for us." What Eira said was pretty much what Wolf had in mind too. However, he was not as aggressive as Eira was and had no intention of seeking revenge on Luca for Jake. Even so, he was still suspicious of Luca, so he said, ¡°There are only a few hours left until the mission starts. Stay here. Don''t cause any problems." Luca chuckled. She was sure that the reason they refused to let her go out was that they suspected her. ¡°If I wanted to tip them off, I would''ve done it earlier. You didn''t even confiscate my phone." She looked at the three of them coldly. Wolf was shocked. How could such an important matter slip through his mind? If he suspected someone, he would usually ask that person to hand their phone to him. Only then would they discuss the n. However, Wolf did not even think of confiscating Luca''s phone ever since Luca came in. It was Eira''s fault. He was taken by surprise when Eira swung a punch at Luca the moment Luca stepped into the room. The incident made him the peacemaker. At the same time, he forgot about such an important matter. ¡°If I betrayed you, the police would already know about your n," said Luca. ¡°Will it make a difference whether you let me out or keep me here?" Wolf reached out and said, ¡°Hand over your phone." There were important things kept in Luca''s phone. Luca did not listen to his instructions to hand her phone to him. Instead, she asked, ¡°Would I keep the evidence in my phone if I had really betrayed you?" Wolf felt a little annoyed. Every word she said seemed to be mocking him for not thinking things through. He looked at Luca with his blue eyes and warned, ¡°Stop ying tricks. Otherwise, don''t me me for killing you before Boss does. I''ll just inform Boss after that." "There''s no need for me to push myself to my death. Abel doesn''t trust me anymore. If I betray the organization again this time, how much longer will I have to live even if I''m protected by the police?" Luca wanted him to understand that it was impossible for her to betray the organization again. It was true that she would not be able to survive. Wolf thought to himself that not everyone would be given a second chance like Luca. Besides, she would have also drunk the poison before leaving the ind. Even if she was protected by the police, she would still need the antidote every month. Without the antidote, she would still end up dead. Wolf pulled his hand back. Luca grabbed the door handle and said, "I''m going out to see what''s the situation. I''ll try to improve your n when I''m back." After that, she pulled the door open and left. Eira stomped her feet angrily when Wolf let Luca out. She said, "Wolf, you''ll regret letting her out!" "She won''t do anything to cause trouble." Wolf fell back in his chair and lit a cigarette. "How can you be sure about that?" Eira was still doubting Luca. She had betrayed the Ind of Despair before, so Eira did not believe her. "I can see the will to live in her eyes. This will be herst chance." Wolf took a puff of the cigarette. He could feel Luca''s strong desire to stay alive when he looked into her eyes earlier. She wanted to stay alive, and her only chance was toplete the mission. Eira looked at Wolf smoking his cigarette calmly. She pursed her lips and picked up the stuff beside her before heading to the door. "Where are you going?" Wolf stood up and stopped her. "You trust her, but I don''t. I have to follow her." Eira red at him. She would never trust a person who had betrayed the organization before. If they were betrayed this time, she would be arrested by the police. It would be impossible to save Jake by then. Wolf blocked her at the door and said, "I''m themander of the mission this time. You have to listen to me." "Will you be able to bear the responsibility if she hands us to the police?" Eira glowered at him and insisted on following Luca. "Are you doubting my decision?" Wolf frowned while he looked at her fiercely. He hadpleted many missions without fail. Hence, he would not fail this time. Eira loosened her jaw muscles. She became anxious when Wolf insisted on blocking the door. She said without thinking, "Is it because she has a pretty face and you have something else in mind?" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Klein, who had remained silent,ughed after he heard Eira say that. He said, "You''ve got a point. Who doesn''t like pretty faces, huh? Am I right, Wolf?" "Nonsense!" Wolf gave Klein a dirty look. What an idiotic man. If it were not for Abel''s instructions, he would never have brought someone like him to carry out a mission. All Klein knew was to party and have fun. He was a worthless man. Klein pouted and shrugged his shoulders indifferently as he replied, ¡°Just take it as nonsense, then." Wolf turned to look at Eira, "Do you think I have no idea what you have in mind? Even if you follow her, your fighting skills are no match for her. No one will be able to help you if you get into trouble out there." Eira felt ashamed when Wolf stated the undeniable fact she knew deep down in her heart. Eira bit her lip and said, "It''ll be toote by the time that woman really betrays you!" She returned to the sofa sulkily after that. As for Klein... Wolf did not say anything when he looked at how arrogant he was. He only hoped Klein would not mess up this mission. Luca walked out of the inn with her phone in her hands. She pretended to be a tourist, lifting her phone and taking photos everywhere. Rain sat in the car and saw Luca, who was walking down the street. "Gale, I saw Sis." She nudged the man beside her with her elbow. Gale lifted his head immediately and asked, "Where?" He saw Luca right after that. "Isn''t she having a meeting?" Gale asked Rain. "Why would you ask me? I''m not sure either. It seems like she''s scoping out the ce." Rain stroked her chin. She reckoned that Luca must be scoping out the area now. "It seems like it to me." Gale watched Luca take photos of her surroundings like a tourist. Her Western face could fool the police officers on duty when she was snapping photos with her phone while passing by the police station. Luca walked past the police station while seemingly busy taking photos. Gale could not help but give her a thumbs up when he watched her, then heplimented, "Sis has some pretty good acting skills. That''s impressive." The police officer on duty had been watching Luca as she took the photos. He showed no sign of stopping her, thinking that Luca was just a tourist. Hence, he let her take photos as much as she liked. Rain could not help but nod and agree with Gale, "Tell me, which route will they take to get into the police station?" Chapter 2063 It was the same question again, and Gale withdrew his gaze. He continued to study the floor n sent by Luke topare it to the photos of the surroundings. ¡°We still need to do more research on this." ¡°You really didn''t hear anything in the hotel?" Rain asked again. Gale shook his head. ¡°I couldn''t hear what they were saying. Their voices weren''t very loud either." As Luca walked away, Rain lowered her gaze. ¡°Then, we have to continue researching." It was nightfall. After Luca had collected the photos of the surrounding environment, she returned to the hotel and sat there the entire time. Wolf and Klein were not talkative people. They just fidgeted with what was in their hand. Meanwhile, Eira had been staring at Luca so intensely she almost burned a hole through her head. Luca did not care about her malicious gaze. She could understand her behavior. If anyone were to hurt Luke, she reckoned that she would be much more ruthless than Eira. What surprised her even more was the fact that there was a couple like Eira and Jake on the Ind of Despair. Judging from how Eira treated her, she could tell that she was very close with Jake. Not many people had emotions on the Ind of Despair. Most of the men there regarded women as prey, while the rest of them did not have any interest in women. As for the women on the Ind of Despair, they had to be strong enough to protect themselves. Otherwise, they would be preyed on by the men there. Abel had no humanity whatsoever. He often preached that the weak were the prey of the strong, so it was no surprise that he would just disregard the safety of the women there. Time dragged past, and Luca grew indescribably uneasy as she watched time pass slower and slower. Finally, it was time to get ready. Wolf stood up and opened the cab. He took out a bag that was half the size of a human and threw it on the floor. Eira and Klein stood up simultaneously. Wolf opened the bag and said, ¡°The weapons given to us for this mission are all in here. Pick the one you like best." Klein looked at the weapons in the bag and frowned. "They''re all so outdated..." "You want advanced ones? They''re in the evidence room in the police station. Retrieve them and you can use them for your next mission," Wolf said indifferently. As long as the weapons could still be used, it did not matter whether they were old or new. Klein clicked his tongue in disapproval. Their boss said that this was a very important mission, yet he was still so stingy with the choice of weapons. Perhaps theirs would be no match for the Russian police''s weapons. He chose a submachine pistol from the bag and held it in his hands. It seemed like it would be quite handy. Eira nced at Luca and found a ck pistol in the bag. Wolf stopped her. "Now is not the right time to take revenge. If this mission goes wrong, Jake''s life will be at stake too." "I know what to do," said Eira through gritted teeth after she had her intentions seen through by Wolf. Wolf let go and took a step back. He looked toward Luca. "Your turn." Luca took a nce at her phone and saw that it was already 12. Luke must already be fast asleep. She was a little surprised that he had not called to ask where she was. "Ivana?" Wolf noticed that she had no intention of picking a weapon, so he called her name again. Luca finally came to her senses and walked over to the bag. Then, she picked a whip. "That''s it?" Wolf frowned. She picked a cold weapon to go up against the armed Russian police. "I have this too.." Luca bent over and pulled out a dagger from her boots. Eiraughed contemptuously. "As expected from an ounder." Wolf insisted. "You should pick a gun." "I don''t need it," said Luca. Guns were fatal. Even if one was familiar with the structure of the human body, there were still too many uncertainties when shooting. Even if she were to shoot at non-fatal body parts, the gunshot wound may still cause serious injuries because of the other party''s movement. That was why she did not want a hot weapon. Moreover, they were only after the few guns in the evidence room. They were not after lives. "They have guns!" Wolf warned her. "I can dodge the bullets," Luca said faintly. "The other party has guns. How are you going to dodge the bullets?" Wolf was clearly in disbelief. This time, he just wanted the mission to be a sess without her being a hindrance. Luca looked up and reminded him, "Four armed people barged into a restaurant with over ten people inside, but no one got shot either." Four gunmen faced more than a dozen moving targets but failed to wound any of them. The worst injury any of them had was someone who identally scratched themselves on ss shards when fighting the opponent. Wolf was left speechless as she was not wrong. The four people on the Ind of Despair, armed with the most advanced weapons, could not hurt a single person. ¡°If they can hide, then I can hide better than them. You can try me," said Luca. ¡°Let''s try it, then! I''ll see if you can dodge my pistol!" Eira could not stand listening to her mocking Jake and the others any longer, so she raised her pistol. ¡°Eira!" Wolf berated as he looked at Eira who got so agitated that she drew her pistol after a small remark from Luca. Eira red at Luca. ¡°She was the one who said she wanted to try it." ¡°We''re half an hour away from starting the mission. Are you really going to do this?" Wolf warned her. As expected from a woman. She lost all her senses after being brainwashed by love. What Luca said was the truth. She never intended to ridicule Jake and just brought it up. Even so, it got Eira so worked up that she drew her pistol. Either way, as a member who was currently working with them on the same mission, what she did was not right. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Klein also looked at Eirazily. Luca turned around to face Eira''s pistol. The shiny ck muzzle was pointing at her, but she had no intention of dodging it. Eira was being watched by three pairs of eyes. Wolf warned her once again, ¡°Aren''t you going to put down the pistol? Do you want this mission to fail?" ¡°Of course not!" Eira felt aggrieved, but she could not do anything to Luca at the moment, so she had to put the pistol away. Wolf looked at the time and said, ¡°Half an hour to go until the mission officially begins. Put on these earphones. Then, leave in batches and gather at the designated location." ¡°I''ll leave first." Luca picked up a miniature walkie-talkie, hung it around her ear, and put on a cap. She did not want to stay here for even a second longer. Luca left the hotel room first. ¡°What a poser." Eira scoffed. She noticed that Luca did not pick up a gun in the end and had a n in mind. After the mission seeded, there were plenty of ways to mess with her. Their boss would only care if the mission was sessful or not. He did not care about their safety. Otherwise, he would not have let Jake and the others be detained by the Russian police. If Jake and the others did not drink the antidote in a month, they would be done for! Ten minutester, Wolf said, ¡°Eira, pretend to be a couple with Klein and leave." "Let''s go." Klein opened the doorzily after looking at Eira, who looked like she was plotting something in her head. Chapter 2064 Eira followed Klein out. ¡°Put your hand in mine." Klein looked at Eira and thought that despite her bad temper, she still had a decent figure. Although her looks were subparpared to the woman who just walked out, they were good enough to just kill time with. "What for?" Eira red at him. She would gouge his eyes out if he dared to take advantage of her. "We''re supposed to act like a couple. Do you think we look like a couple right now?" Klein gestured at the both of them with an innocent look on his face. Eira gave him a warning look. "If you dare make a move on me, I won''t it slide." "I''ve been with plenty of women, and you''re not even up to my standards," Klein said mockingly. Eira was indeed not his cup of tea, but as a tool to pass time, she was not bad. Eira rolled her eyes as she considered herself not bad-looking. The two walked out intimately while pretending to be a couple. When she saw that there was no one on the streets, she stopped in her tracks. Klein looked at her with confusion. "What are you doing?" Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "I want to team up with you." Eira stared straight at him. "To get rid of that girl, Ivana?" Klein could read her mind at once. "Yes." Eira nodded. Ivana had betrayed the team and caused Jake to get locked up. After the mission, there was no way she would let her live. Klein chuckled and looked at her. "I''m only interested in women and money. What do you have?" he said sluggishly. Eira pursed her lip. She would never sell herself out as her heart belonged to Jake. As for money, she had always been assigned to the main stronghold where she never took on any big missions. Thus, she had no money either. "If you don''t have either, then forget it." Klein was not interested in doing charity work. Not to mention, Ivana was pleasant to the eyes. It would do him no harm to keep her around. Perhaps afterpleting the mission and returning to the Ind of Despair, he could even have a love affair with Ivana. ¡°I have women, but it''s not me. I can introduce you to the women I know." Eira bit her lip as she decided to betray the people at the beauty salon. They were not from the Ind of Despair, so no matter what Klein did to them, it would not cause any trouble for their boss. "Are they pretty?" Klein put his hands in his pockets and slouched. "Absolutely gorgeous. They work at a beauty salon. If we seed, all of the women there will be yours. I''ll help you." Eira looked at him. "Deal." Klein walked forward. Eira quickly followed. "By sess, I mean I want Ivana dead." "I know. The mission will be a sess as long as she''s dead, but you have to think this through. The boss gave Ivana a second chance. If the bosses asking questions after we get rid of her, the responsibility is on you." Klein put all the me on her even before they got the job done. "No problem." Eira nodded in agreement as their boss only ever cared about results. He would not care about how Ivana died as long as theypleted the mission. During her time on the Ind of Despair, she had never seen their boss care about anyone''s life or death. The two of them walked unhurriedly to the location set by Wolf. Luca was already standing there, tilting her head up to look at the falling snow. "Hmph." Eira was filled with rage just from looking at her, but she forcibly suppressed it for the sake of their mission. Luca raised her hand to take a nce at her wristwatch. It was 15 minutes to one in the morning. She heard footstepsing from behind her and looked back to see that it was Wolf. "There are about 10 minutes left. Are you all clear about the n?" Wolf looked at the other three whose shoulders were covered with snow. They had arrived earlier than he did. "Yes," Eira and Klein replied in unison. Wolf looked at Luca. Luca nodded and said, "Try not to alert the Russian police during the mission." "Pfft, what a coward," Eira mocked her. Luca remained silent. She just wanted to avoid alerting the police and not get into trouble. Wolf understood where she wasing from. He lowered his voice and said, "She has a point. The boss only wants what''s inside. If we alert the police, it''ll be hard for us to retrieve the items. Be careful when carrying out the mission." The moment Wolf spoke, Eira had nothing else to say. Eira looked away with a defiant look on her face. "We don''t have as much manpower as the police, so keep your guards up," Klein chimed in. He might like bloodshed, but he did not like the hassle of it. It was indeed a hassle to tackle so many police officers. Wolf nced at the time and said, "It''s time. I''ll jump over first and fix the rope for you all." After saying that, he took a few steps backward. Once he was far enough for the run-up, he sprinted and jumped forward with all his might. ording to the n, they were going to sneak in through the rooftop of the police station. With the help of the run-up, Wolf sessfully jumped over to the opposite roof. He pulled the rope, fixed the hook in ce, and gave the three people on the opposite side an ''OK'' gesture. The three of them climbed the rope and made it to the roof of the police station smoothly. They were preparing to sneak in, but little did they know that there were already several pairs of eyes watching their every move from afar. Gale said, ¡°I''ve told you that they would sneak in through the roof." Rain rolled her eyes while gently shaking off the snow on her body. "Yeah, yeah, you''re always right." "Inform the boss." After saying that, Gale squatted down and spoke into the walkie-talkie, "Boss, Mrs¡ª Dr. Craw has gone in through the roof of the police station." "Alright, someone inside will assist them. If they alert the police by ident, you have to help them. But try your best not to reveal your identity," Luke said. He did not want the Ind of Despair to know that he already knew everything about Luca. "Understood," replied Gale. The four of them sneaked into the police station from the roof. Since it waste at night and they were far from the main entrance, the police station was fairly quiet. Wolf had memorized the floor n of the police station, so he knew it inside out. He could easily navigate his way to the evidence room without looking at the map. They cautiously avoided all kinds of surveince cameras. Wolf frowned and whispered, "Isn''t it strange?" "Very strange, indeed." Klein set aside his scatterbrained nature and frowned. "What is it?" Eira did not understand why they found it strange. Their journey so far had been pretty smooth. Klein exined in a low voice, "It''s strange that there are no police officers along the way," The farther they went, the closer they got to the evidence room, which meant that there would be more surveince cameras. They had originally nned to take down a few officers and change into their uniforms so that it would be easier to get around. However, not a single police officer could be seen. If they were identally exposed to the surveince cameras, their current attire would stand out too much. Luca listened to Klein''s words without saying a thing. She had long felt that something was not right. It was as if someone had cleared their obstacles for them. Chapter 2065 Eira, who rarely carried out such missions, frowned and said impatiently, ¡°Since there''s no one here, can''t we just rush into the evidence room and grab what the boss wants?" "Can''t you see the surveince cameras? Do you have a death wish?" Klein looked back at her and wondered why the boss would send such an airhead toe with them on the mission. She was going to drag them down! Eira was startled. She did not expect the man who agreed to cooperate with her to be so mean now. She did not dare speak to speak anymore as she was inexperienced in this area. While they were talking, Luca was busy brainstorming. She soon came up with an idea. "Where are the changing rooms in the police station?" Luca brought it up to the others. Her words brought Wolf to his senses. If they could not find anyone to swap clothes with, there were still plenty of uniforms in the police station''s changing rooms for them to change into. "I remember. Follow me." Wolf remembered the floor n of this ce like the back of his hand. The three of them followed Wolf closely while keeping an eye on their surroundings to avoid getting caught on the surveince cameras. They walked into the changing room, and Wolf heaved a sigh of relief as no police officers were around. If there were police officers in here, they would have had a hard time. "Hurry up and get changed," Wolf said, urging them. Klein walked up to one of the lockers and opened it. He took out a set of clothes and put it on. Upon seeing that, Luca realized that she certainly could not fit in the men''s clothes. People in Russia generally had arger build, so she had no choice but to look for a locker with a woman''s name on it. Eventually, she found one and opened it. Eira immediately reached over and snatched the clothes inside. "These are mine." "..." Luca nced at her. She did not bother arguing because she knew Eira did it on purpose. Plus, now was not the right time to get into an argument. Luca found another locker with a woman''s name on it and took out the uniform. After unbuttoning the jacket, she wore the uniform over her clothes. Although the uniform was a size small, it was still a little too big for Luca. Hence, she could still fit in the uniform without taking her clothes off. Klein, who watched from the sidelines, had a disappointed look on his face. Originally, he had thought that he would get the chance to take a look at her body. After the four of them had changed into the uniforms, Wolf nced at the time. ¡°We need to hurry up and go to the evidence room." The three of them followed behind him with uniforms and hats as their disguise. They casually walked past several surveince cameras like it was nothing and arrived at the evidence room. The evidence room was locked with abination lock. After Wolf gave Klein a look, Klein stepped forward and nted a machine next to the lock. A few secondster, the lock was opened. Luca saw everything. The Ind of Despair may not have equipped them with the best weapons, but they sure did provide them with advanced gadgets. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Wolf pushed the door open and walked in. Luca followed them in without uttering a word. The evidence room was huge. Wolf started assigning positions after entering. "Eira, you search rows one and two; Klein, you search rows three, four, and five." Luca listened to him assign positions to everyone except her, so she asked, "What about me?" "You follow me." Wolf did not let her search alone. Luca knew that he did not trust her. She kept quiet and followed behind Wolf. "Found it." Klein''s voice came from the next row. Luca turned around and saw him holding arge ck bag. Judging from the size of the bag, it did not look like it was for weapons. She frowned and realized that they were not only looking for weapons. The evidence room of the police station contained more than just weapons. It also contained many items seized from other criminals. Luca was silent. She had a bad feeling as she looked at the ck bag. "Good job. Keep on searching." Wolf nodded and nced at Luca. She should know by now that the boss was after more than just weapons. Luca continued to follow him forward. After taking two steps, she saw the weapons on the shelf. Right next to it was a bag filled with evidence. Wolf picked it up and poured everything out. Then, he put all four weapons into the bag. "I found weapons on my side. There are two items left. We need to move faster," said Wolf. "Got it." Klein''s and Eira''s voices sounded at the same time. Luca looked up and took a nce at the position of the surveince camera. Although they were wearing uniforms, the police officer on duty in the monitoring room might find it unusual that they were recklessly searching for things. On the other hand. Hansen sat in front of theputer as he watched the surveince footage. He frowned and said, ¡°These people are not only taking away weapons..." "Should we notify the boss, then?" asked another person. Their people had already hacked into the police station''s system earlier and reced the footage. The surveince footage the police officers were watching right now showed that nobody was in the evidence room. The actual situation in the evidence room was disyed on theirputer. "There''s no use telling the boss. They''re already inside. We can''t suddenly suspend their operation." Hansen decided not the tell Ray. Suspending their operation would put Luca in grave danger. The purpose of them doing this was to protect Luca. Even if he told Ray, he would not let them suspend this operation either. "If they''re allowed to leave just like this, how unfortunate would it be for the cops inside?" The man sighed. They somehow lost a bunch of evidence, yet they could not even catch the culprits. Could they get any unluckier? "That''s their business." Hansen did not show any sympathy as he stared intently at the surveince video. In the evidence room. After a while, Klein''s voice rang out once again. "I found it." "I found it here too," Eira''s voice followed. "Everything has been found. Great. Let''s go back the way we came from," ordered Wolf. Everyone else was carrying things except for Luca, who was empty-handed. Although she did not know what was inside the ck bags they were carrying, they were certainly nothing good if Abel wanted them. She followed them out. The four of them returned the same way they came. They did not head back to the hotel immediately but were on the opposite roof. Wolf took the bags in Klein''s and Eira''s hands, saying, "Klein, these are the things the boss needs. Come deliver them with me." "Can''t you go there alone?" Klein recalled his deal with Eira. Without him there, Eira was certainly no match for Ivana. "But there are four bags here. What, do you have something else to do?" Wolf frowned and looked at him. Klein looked at Luca, then looked at Eira. If God was not on Eira''s side either, then he was not to me. "Nothing. Let''s go." Eira bit her lower lip as she did not expect Wolf to call Klein away after the mission. "What about me?" she said. ¡°You head back to the stronghold," said Wolf. Then, he nced at Luca. ¡°I don''t know where you came from, but you should know where you need to go." Chapter 2066 ¡°I know." Luca noticed Eira and Klein exchanging looks with each other. They must have nned something. Moreover, Eira hated her. Hence, Luca guessed that this n had something to do with her. It was just that Wolf''s arrangement had prevented them from carrying out the n. Wolf nodded and looked at Klein. "Let''s go." "Okay." Klein carried two bags and left with Wolf. Eira stared viciously at Luca while clenching both her fists. Luca nced at the two who left, then looked at Eira in front of her. "What? Wanna fight?" Eira wanted to, but before Wolf had gone far, he warned her once again. "Eira, don''t stir up any trouble. Think about Jake." "Hmph." Eira turned around and left. Luca followed behind her as the four of them left the building. Gale sat in the RV and heaved a sigh of relief when he saw Luca walk out. They got what they wanted without getting into danger. "She''s out. Inform Boss to reassure him," he said. "Okay." Rain picked up the phone and sent a message to Luke, informing him that Luca hade out. Luke sat in the car as he looked at Rain''s message. He was only a block away from the police station. Although Hansen, Gale, and the others were keeping an eye on her, he was still worried. He was even willing to expose himself to save Luca should the need arise. "Go back to the hotel," ordered Luke. "Okay, Boss." Jason had rented a car from a car dealership and sent Luke here, ready to assist him at any time. After hearing Luke''s order, he knew that Luca had seeded. It was a good thing it was a sess. Otherwise, based on how much Luke cared about her, there was no telling what he would have done if she were in danger. Jason stepped on the gas and drove back to the hotel. Things were done on Luca''s side, so they had to reach the hotel before she did. Luke sat in the car and replied to Rain, ¡°Keep her safe." ¡°Don''t worry, Boss. We''ll protect her." After Rain gave him a reply, she put down the phone and sighed. "Boss indeed loves her." "True. Good thing Sis is back," Gale agreed. If Luca did not return, Luke would be so lonely. Even if he had all the money and power in the world, he would be like an abandoned lonely soul with no purpose in life. Gale shut down theputer and picked up the phone to see the moving red dot, which showed the location of the people following Luca. They were moving, but no news came from them. It meant that things were going well. "Should we head straight back to the hotel or follow the red dot?" Rain nced at the red dot on the phone screen. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Let''s follow the red dot just to be safe," said Gale as he stood up, intending to drive back to the hotel. They stayed at a different hotel from Luke as Luca would easily find out if they all stayed at the same ce. However, their hotel was not far from Luke''s, so they were heading in the same direction as the red dot anyway. "You drive. I''m exhausted today." Rain sat there, not wanting to move. "No problem." Gale drove the RV and followed the red dot. Luca was unaware that three people were following her. She hailed a night taxi and returned to the hotel. It was almost three in the morning. She walked into the hotel lobby. Except for the front desk on duty and the security guard, everything else was extremely quiet. Luca swiped her card and went upstairs. When she reached the door of her room, she could not help but freeze. From the moment she left the hotel until now, Luke had not called her, nor did she receive any messages from him. She wondered if he was waiting for her inside... Luca was hoping that he had fallen asleep. Otherwise, it would be difficult for her to exin why she came back sote. She mustered up the courage to swipe her card and carefully opened the door like a child who came homete. She was afraid that she would be interrogated foring back sote. She did not want to tell another lie to deceive Luke. Only a small night light was left on in the suite''s living room as if it was waiting for herte return. With the night light as the only source of light, Luca did not see Luke. She breathed a sigh of relief and walked toward the door of Luke''s room. The door was closed. It seemed like he was already asleep. Luca carefully closed the main door, trying hard not to make a single sound from her movements. She tiptoed back to her room, and the moment she shut the door, she felt like she could finally breathe again. Fortunately, she did not have to face him after doing such things. It was a good thing she did not have to continue making up lies. Every time she faced Luke, she felt like she had to use all her strength to lie. Each time after lying to him, her entire body would feel weak. Luca took off the uniform she stole from the changing room. She did not dispose of the clothes when she was outside to avoid leaving evidence for the police as the clothes hade in contact with her skin. She hid the uniform in the innermost part of her suitcase and covered it with her clothes. Although she did not know what else Abel had Wolf and the others take, she was thankful that they had not shed with the police this time. Nobody got hurt, and she did not get exposed. Luca looked at the wall. The other side of this wall was Luke''s room. If he knew about all the unspeakable things she had done, what would he think of her? The following day. The Russian media were scrambling to cover these two stories. The first incident was the unexined theft of the Russian police''s evidence room. Nothing unusual was caught on the surveince cameras, and the rms were fine, yet four important pieces of evidence were gone. Apart from advanced weapons, items that could only be circted in the ck market were also stolen. These were all important pieces of evidence, some of which were about to be sent over to the court as physical evidence. When Luca got up, the TV which had never been turned on in the living room was reporting this incident. She stood beside the couch and frowned as she watched the TV. The police found out already? Luca understood right away that the evidence room was such an important ce, so they were considered lucky that the police did not catch them in the act. Jason served up some Western food and greeted her, ¡°Dr. Craw, breakfast is ready." Luca walked over to the dining table and looked at the food on the table, then at Luke who just walked out of the room. "There''s only Russian food today because the Western restaurant is still under renovation..." exined Jason. That incident had destroyed many items in the restaurant. He had already negotiated with the owner that they would be responsible for the cost of the renovation as well as the profits lost during the renovation period. Since it was still under renovation, the only option avable was Russian food. "I''ll cook tonight," said Luca. She knew that Luke did not like Russian food, so she took the initiative to be in charge of the cooking. Chapter 2067 "There''s no need to cook tonight. We have to attend M Group''s dinner party," Luke reminded her as he sat down and picked up a knife and a fork. If the signing was sessful, there would definitely be a dinner party to attend. Luca was startled for a moment before she nodded. "Alright." As for dinner parties, Jason was already used to them. Not much needed to be said, The three of them had breakfast in silence. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. After the news had finished reporting the theft of the police station''s evidence room, they started reporting the signing ceremony held on that day between M Group and T Corporation. The economic experts on the news analyzed the economic development and benefits that the signing between the twopanies would bring. Luca silently listened while spreading peanut butter on her bread. The signing between bothpanies was a good thing. It would promote economic cooperation between the two countries as well as economic development, which would improve the living standards of the people. It was indeed a good thing. However, a good deed like this would also infringe the rights of some people. Luca lowered her gaze and ate her bread in silence. Luke noticed that Luca was lost in thought, so he did not bring up what had happened yesterday. He did not ask her what time she came back either. Jason followed Luke''s instructions and asked, "Boss, did you have a good rest yesterday?" Luca''s heart thumped as she looked up at Luke. He did not seem to care about her whereabouts yesterday, nor did he ask about herte return. It was unusual. Luke picked up a slice of bread and spread a little bit of peanut butter on it. "Why are you asking?" "Nothing. I''m just worried that yesterday''s wine was too strong and it affected your sleep." Jason chuckled. "I had a pretty good rest yesterday." Luke nced at Luca. The moment their eyes met, she immediately lowered her head. Luke had a drink with Jason yesterday? "I''m d you had a good rest. I didn''t expect that the wine Mr. Lacroix gave to be able to help you fall asleep," said Jason ording to Luke''s instructions. The purpose of doing this was to make Luca stop worrying about what had happened yesterday. The wine that Ray gave? Based on their conversation, Luca guessed that they must have drunkst night. It was also because of the wine that Luke went to bed early. That was why he did not send her any messages, nor did he wait for her as she predicted. She heaved a sigh of relief. After breakfast, the three of them changed into formal attire and set off to M Group along with Mr. Zac. This signing ceremony was of great importance to Marcos. He personally came downstairs to greet Luke when he arrived. The journalists present held up their cameras to capture this moment. Moreover, there were media outlets that arranged a global live broadcast specifically for this signing. The signing ceremony went smoothly, and with the reporters as witnesses, Luke and Marcos signed their names on the contract at the same time. This moment was also recorded in the global live broadcast. When Pierre saw the moment Luke and Marcos shook hands, he smashed the cup in his hands against the wall. Crash! A bodyguard looked over and silently walked to the wall to pick up the shattered pieces. The second son of the Mallory family loved smashing things whenever he was in a bad mood. Thank goodness, this cruise ship could withstand his torment. "Why are you cleaning up the mess? Get out!" Pierre was furious when he saw the bodyguard squatting there to clean up. The bodyguard picked up the tray beside him to put the broken pieces of ss on it. He said dully, "Second Young Master, if I don''t clean this up, someone will get hurt." Pierre stood up, the wrath in his eyes making him look crazy as he threatened the bodyguard. "Believe it or not, say one more word and I''ll stab these broken pieces of ss into your neck!" The bodyguard shut his mouth and stopped talking. Pierre was a man of his words. Although his boss was Percy, if Pierre did anything to him, there was no guarantee that he would get fair and just treatment. Percy was his brother, after all. The bodyguard silently left with the tray, intending to dispose of the discarded ss, lest Percy used the shards to hurt others. Aside from them, there were also some resident employees on the cruise ship. Percy came over and saw the bodyguard holding a tray. He took a closer look and saw the broken ss on it. "Did he smash this?" asked Percy. Ever since he forced Pierre to get on the cruise ship so they could go back home, the man had never once behaved himself. No matter how much the stuff in this cruise ship cost, as long as he was in a bad mood, he would destroy them all one by one. Percy only now realized how messed up his brother was. ¡°Yes. After watching the live broadcast of the signing between T Corporation and M Group, he became furious..." the bodyguard said in a low voice. "Dispose of these properly. Don''t let him use these things to hurt others when he goes crazy," Percy reminded the bodyguard. "Got it." The bodyguard left with the tray. Percy pushed open the door of the cruise ship and saw Pierre venting his anger on a bottle of wine. He was holding a bottle opener but could not get the bottle to open. He was so angry that he almost mmed it on the table. "I advise you not to do that," Percy said in a cold voice. Pierre saw him walking over and forcefully smashed the wine bottle on the table. Bang! ss shattered everywhere. The bottle was smashed in half. More than half of the wine inside spilled onto the table and the floor. Pierre had always been this provocative. He poured the remaining wine into his mouth without caring about the injuries on his hand from the broken ss. Percy lowered his gaze andughed grimly. "Pierre, you''ve been acting crazy ever since you got on this cruise ship. Haven''t you had enough? Do you want me to throw you into the ocean so you can submerge yourself in the seawater and take a look at the sharks? Will that calm you down?" "Just throw me in! You don''t see me as your brother anyway. I wouldn''t be surprised if you actually do throw me in." Pierre''s eyes were bloodshot. Just looking at Percy made him want to punch him in the face. Did he still think of him as his brother? He was only a tool. Now that he was getting better in business, Percy wanted to thwart him together with Luke. Percy had a dark and sullen face as he rolled up his sleeve. "Do you think I don''t dare to?" "Go ahead. You''ve never thought of me as your brother anyway! Bring it on!" Pierre choked out the words. In his mind, he could never beat Luke, who was not even Percy''s blood rtive. He had never felt this way before this. Now, he thought that Percy was doing all of these things because he was afraid that he would steal his limelight! "I''ll help you!" Percy stepped forward and was about to carry Pierre. The bodyguard who stood aside immediately stopped him. "Boss, don''t. Second Young Master is just in a bad mood." The waters were dangerous now. There were often sharks surrounding this area. Pierre''s hands were still injured. If he was thrown into the sea, the smell of blood would spread and attract nearby sharks. ¡°No need to shed crocodile tears. I can''t go up against you alone anyway. If you want to do it, just hurry up." Pierre looked at Percy indignantly with red eyes as if he had lost his mind. Chapter 2068 Percy was getting frustrated from talking to Pierre. However, he was different from Pierre. He was sensible in all circumstances, even when he was provoked and raged. "Stun him, tie him up, and bring him into the room," he said. The bodyguard who just walked in did not know what was going on. He said quickly, "Boss, is that the best idea?" "Tie him up!" Percy did not have the patience to deal with Pierre. The bodyguards nced at Pierre. Two of them gathered around him and said apologetically, "Don''t mind us, Young Master Pierre." Pierre looked at the approaching bodyguards and stepped on the chair angrily. "Percy, fight me if you''re a man! How can you call yourself a man when you''re getting two bodyguards to handle me?" "You can''t even fight against two of them. Do you think you''re all that?" Percy said with a stern expression. "Pierre, I''ve been letting you off easily for so many years because you''re my brother. I have bailed you out so many times, but you chose to put all that aside and continue causing trouble for Mallory Corporation. If I don''t tie you up, who should I tie up?" "You''re opting to side with outsiders? You''re nothing but a coward! I can''t believe that you''re afraid of Luke. I look down on you!" Pierre rolled up his sleeves and looked at the two approaching bodyguards, not intending to be subdued by Percy just like that. He had to let him know that he was not one to be bullied! Percy was fuming. He would have made a move long ago if Pierre were not his biological brother! He would have gone all out as well. "Do it." He ordered the bodyguards after seeing them hesitate. Percy felt as though he should bear part of the responsibility for Pierre bing like this. If he had been stricter with Pierre when Madam Mallory spoiled him, he would not be as reckless as he was now. The bodyguards nced at each other and took action on Pierre. They thought about subduing Pierre without hurting him, but he put up a fight. They could not subdue Pierre without using drugs. "Is that all you got? You''re nothing without drugs!" Pierre mocked them as he panted. "What are you doing?!" Percy''s mood darkened. The two bodyguards gritted their teeth and had no choice but to go all out on Pierre. One controlled Pierre''s hands and feet to withstand the force of his attack, while the other raised his hand andnded a p on Pierre''s neck. "Mhm..." Pierre cked out, and his body fell uncontrobly. One of the bodyguards caught him and carried him on his shoulders. "Boss, are you sure you want us to tie him up?" "You''ll pay for what he breaks if you leave him with the ability to." Percy did not care what was broken on the cruise ship. He was just tired of Pierre yelling and shouting like a lunatic. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Pierre would never think that everything Percy was doing was for his good. He stubbornly insisted that Percy was siding with Luke. He never thought about how the Mallories would not gain anything if they fell out with the Crawfords. ''What will Pierre get out of the situation then?'' He looked as Pierre was carried out of the cabin by the bodyguards to the room. He said with a stern expression to an attendant standing in the corner, "You''ll be responsible for delivering three meals a day to Pierre moving forward. Meet his demands for whatever it is that he wants to eat." "I understood, Boss," the attendant bowed his head and replied. Percy noticed that the entire cabin had been turned into a mess due to the fighting and frowned. He ordered the attendants, "Clean up this ce." "Yes." Two attendants stepped forward and started to clean up. Percy returned to his room and video called Nina. Nina picked up the phone soon enough. A hint of disappointment appeared in her eyes when she saw the decorations behind Percy. "Are you still on the cruise?" "Yeah, why? You miss me?" Percy saw Nina and knew she was thinking about him, which made him feel better. "No. I have so much free time after you left. Why would I miss you?" Nina made a cheeky face at him, acting the opposite of how she felt. "Don''t lie. I''ll have to punish you when I''m back. We''ll see if you still dare to lie to me then." Percy smiled. It was not a matter of a day or two that she liked to be duplicitous with him. "How long before youe back?" Nina could not help but ask when she heard the words e back''. She did miss Percy, but she also knew that what he had to deal with at the moment was more important. As such, she did not stop him when Percy said he was going to Russia to bring Pierre back. "It''s going to be a while. Pierre is still putting up a fight, so I had to ask my men to take the longer route," Percy said. He deliberately had the cruise ship disembarkter so that Pierre would have time to calm down. Although Nina was a little disappointed, she also expressed her understanding. "Okay, make sure you take care of yourself." "Don''t worry, I''m doing fine. I just miss you a lot." It was not that Percy did not want to bring Nina over. He just could not bring himself to do it no matter how much he missed her when he thought about what Pierre had done before. He was well aware that Pierre had not given up on Nina. "I don''t know if you actually miss me..." Nina teased him by pretending to be upset. "I''m not lying. Nina, you know that I speak the truth." Percy looked at her face and thought she looked thinner. It had taken him some time to make her a little fatter, but he did not expect that she would lose weight after he was away for a few days. "Okay, I know that you miss me." Nina smiled. She could see how serious Percy was through the screen. Nina felt her heart warm when she heard him speak so earnestly about her. "I tied Pierre up," Percy said. Nina was a little surprised but not too much. After all, she knew before that Percy had drugged Pierre to get him on the boat. "Why did you tie him up?" she asked since she had not heard of him tying Pierre up before. "When he saw Luke signing the contract with Marcos, he went crazy and started throwing things. I got annoyed watching him, so we tied him up." Percy knew that he was no longer able to control Pierre. If he had the ability, he would not have let Nina suffer through that kind of damage in the first ce. As such, he could only go rough. Nina felt ufortable when she heard what he said. It was not that she sympathized with Pierre. She just thought that Percy did not have it easy. Even though Pierre had done so many wrong things, Percy still saw him as his younger brother. As such, Percy had his hesitations on how to manage the situation that Nina was involved in prior. Since his brother had done something like that, Percy thought he should shoulder some of the me too. "Good job." Nina smiled deliberately and gave him a thumbs up. Percy was not sure whether tough or cry when he saw her yful look. "Mr. Mallory, you''re cing righteousness above family loyalty. Wonderful!" Nina praised him. Chapter 2069 "Don''t make fun of me. You don''t look like you''ve been eating well since I''ve been gone." Percy looked at her frail face with pity. "Mrs. Euphegenia told you?" Nina stuck out her tongue. Mrs. Euphegenia was the maid hired by Percy to take care of their day-to-day life in the vi. Her appetite had truly worsened since he left. It was mainly because she missed him... Before she acknowledged her feelings for him, she never thought that there would be a day when she would lose her appetite because she missed him so much. "Mrs. Euphegenia didn''t tell me anything. I can see that your face has gotten thinner." Percy felt that if the situation dragged on, Nina would get thinner and all his previous efforts would be in vain. "Is it that obvious?" Nina touched her face. If he had not mentioned it, she would not have noticed anything. After he brought it up, she realized that whenever she lost weight, it would start from the face. "Eat well and wait for me toe back," Percy said. "Okay." Nina agreed so that he would not worry about her. Her ability was limited. She could not help Percy with many things. All she could do was to make him feel more at ease. There was a knock on Percy''s door. Nina heard it and said, "I''ll let you get back to it. I''ll be here waiting for you toe back." Her sensibleness made Percy reluctant to hang up the call. Nevertheless, she knew that he would not hang up, so she hung up the video call before he could reply. Percy looked at the screen and was speechless. He thought that she could sometimes be a little less sensible. That was because she now had him by her side. There was another knock on the door. Percy put his phone on the table and said, "Come in." The bodyguard opened the door and walked in. He did not realize that he had disturbed Percy''s call with Nina. He thought that Percy''s stern expression was because of Pierre. "Boss, we''ve tied up the Second Young Master," he reported. "Well done." Percy nodded. His expression did not soften because of the update. After all, he would not have been forced to tie Pierre up if he were more cooperative. Seeing that he had no further instructions, the bodyguard bit the bullet and asked, "Boss, do you want to keep Second Young Master tied up the entire time?" "Does he deserve freedom?" Percy asked. ''He doesn''t deserve it...'' The bodyguard did not dare to answer him out loud and opted to keep the response to himself. However, he thought that it would not be the best idea to keep him tied up as Pierre was not a prisoner. "Boss, it''s inconvenient for Second Young Master to eat and go to the toilet if he''s tied up," the bodyguard reminded him. Percy looked at the person in front of him and gave a solution. "Draw up a schedule. Those who are on duty will take turns watching him. Feed him food and water when he''s hungry and thirsty. Untie his feet if he wants to go to the toilet." The bodyguard frowned. ''We have to take care of Pierre?'' Although it was not a difficult task, Pierre was arrogant. He would surely hate Percy for treating him as such. "Boss, Second Young Master may hate you even more if you do this. His ego is big..." The bodyguard gently reminded Percy. Pierre''s ego was not as per your average man. It was nice to be served, but not to this extent... Pierre would be driven mad. "I know that he has a big ego. The bigger it is, the more I want to torture him," Percy said. He had thought about everything. He wanted to take this opportunity to dim Pierre''s spirits. "Tell me when the dayes when he''s willing to ept your service.¡± ¡°Okay, Boss." Seeing that Percy seemed so determined, the bodyguard understood that he was determined to teach Pierre a lesson. It was not his ce as a bodyguard toment on the dispute between the brothers. All he could do was perform the task as requested. On the other hand. After the signing ceremony, Luke and Marcos did a short interview. Luca looked at Luke, who was on the stage. He appeared high-spirited, cold, arrogant, and captivating. She nced at the reporters at the scene. Many female reporters admired Luke even with Marcos standing beside him. A lot of them raised their hands just to ask Luke a question. Luca understood instantly why Luke insisted on removing the cast the day prior. She would be lying if she said that she was not sad seeing him being admired by so many people. Luca remembered how it was when she used to stand next to him. Many people were not optimistic about their rtionship, but he was firm with his choice. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Jason did not stand on the stage with Luke because Luke did not need a trantor. He stood beside Luca and sighed. "No wonder the boss insisted on removing the cast yesterday. He''s standing next to Mr. Marcos but the limelight belongs to him fully." He spoke softly, so he was not worried that anyone who worked for Marcos'' would overhear their conversation. Luca listened to him and murmured in agreement, "Yeah." "Dr. Craw, do you think the boss is handsome too?" Jason asked with a smile on his face. Luca nced at him and said nothing. M Group did not give the reporters much time to ask questions. The signing ceremony officially ended after the two men answered several questions. The security team at M Group then asked the reporters to leave. Many reporters who had not asked any questions were naturally unwilling to leave just like that. However, when faced with the security guards, they could only turn around and sneak nces as they left the venue. Jason noticed that Luke was slightly taller than Marcos. He said, "The boss is so handsome." Mr. Zac, who was on the side, could not help but tease him, "Mr. Doyle, if you didn''t have a wife and children, I would''ve questioned whether you''re..." Mr. Zac did not continue talking. He just bent his thumb. "Nonsense. You''ll be pped if the boss finds out that you said that," Jason said quickly. Before Luke met Bianca, he refused to get close to women. No matter how beautiful a woman was and how much she tried to seduce him, it would all be in vain. Some women who went too far to gain the upper hand even got themselves cklisted by Luke. They could not continue their lives in A City. Over time, some strange rumors arose. Every time Luke heard this kind of rumor, his handsome face would be stern. In the end, when he announced to the public that he had a pair of twins, such spection stopped. The public turned their attention to the children, wanting to know the identity of the mother of the child. Mr. Zac smiled, shook his head quickly, and said nothing more. Luca looked at Luke. He was talking to Marcos on stage. After a while, Luke returned with a smile on his face because the contract had already been signed. "Marcos invited us to dinner at his manor tonight." "Manor?" Mr. Zac was a little surprised. There would usually be a celebration banquet after a sessful signing, but this kind of celebration banquet was usually held in a hotel. It was a rare urrence to go to a manor to celebrate. The wealth and capabilities of Marcos should not be underestimated. "Let''s go back to the hotel first. Mr. Doyle,e with me." Luke walked away. Jason followed behind him immediately. Luca watched Luke stand aside with Jason and wondered what he was talking to Jason about. The staff on the side said happily, "I didn''t expect that I would have the opportunity to visit Marcos'' manor. How great!" Chapter 2070 Another employee echoed, "I''ve done my research. The manors here were built in thest century. They''re European-style and extremely luxurious." "Really?" "Really. Mr. Marcos'' family is one of thergest families in Russia. They have a mountain of wealth and long family history," Mr. Zac echoed. They were delighted to be able to attend a dinner at his manor. Luca stood there silently and did not participate in their discussion. After Luke finished giving instructions to Jason, he walked over. Everyone stopped talking and looked at Luke cheerfully. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Let''s go back to the hotel. Mr. Doyle will sort everything out," Luke said. The hotel car was already waiting at the entrance of M Group. The employees nodded, and they left together. After they walked out, they found that the reporters were still waiting at the entrance. When the reporters saw Luke, they prepared the microphones and wanted to interview him. M Group''s security guards approached the reporters, and Luke did not bother to stop. Instead, he hurried into the hotel car. Luca nced at the reporters, then got into the car and left. After Luke left, the reporters gradually dispersed. Mr. Zac and the other employees slowly got into the car. Mr. Zac sighed and said, "From the scene just now, it made it seem like Mr. Crawford is a superstar." "Isn''t Mr. Crawford more famous in A City than those superstars?" an employee said with a smile. They were more rxed now that the signing ceremony waspleted. The efforts that they put in prior were not in vain. "That''s true." Mr. Zac agreed. The car returned to the hotel. Jason and Luca were walking behind Luke. They were about to go upstairs when Jason''s phone rang. "Boss, I''ll have to deal with this," Jason nced at the iing call and said immediately. "Mm." Luke nodded and pressed the elevator button. Luca watched as Jason walked toward the hotel entrance. She was thinking about what he was upied with when the elevator door slowly opened. Luke walked into the elevator and was unhappy when he saw that Luca was still watching Jason. "He won''t get lost. You don''t have to keep watch like that." Luca blinked, regained her senses, and stepped into the elevator immediately. Luke swiped his card and pressed on their floor. Luca quietly raised her gaze and looked at his side profile. He seemed cold, and the warmth that he had just shown dissipated in an instant. The elevator arrived on their floor. Luke stepped out of the elevator. Luca quickly followed behind, and the two walked into the suite one after the other. "Mr. Crawford, do you want something to eat?" Luca asked. After the contract was signed, they left M Group because the banquet was in the evening. It was already 12 o''clock, and it was time for lunch. "No, Mr. Doyle prepared something," Luke said while frowning. Although the stitches on her wound could be removed, she still should not move around as much. Luke felt sullen when he looked at Luca. ¡®When will she be more aware and take better care of herself?'' Luca heard his reply, nodded, and went back to her room. Her stitches could be removed that day. After she walked into the room, she took out a disposable de, sprinkled iodine on the de to disinfect it, and lifted her shirt. Luca lowered her head, pursed her lips, endured the slight tingling pain, and cut the sutures. She removed them one by one. Luca did it in one swoop motion. She was relieved when she saw the pink scar. She was not bothered with her new scar. Luca got dressed. There was a knock on the door before she could put away the medical supplies on the table. She heard Luke say, "Luca." "Mr. Crawford, what can I do for you?" Luca walked to the door and opened it. "Let''s eat," Luke said as he nced into her room. "Okay." Luca walked out of the room and found that Jason was already standing by the dining table, fiddling with the cutleries. "Boss, Dr. Craw, it''s time to eat." Jason set the table and reminded the two of them. Luca looked at the food on the table and remembered that Luke had pulled Jason aside to talk before they left M Group. ¡®Was it about this meal?'' The three sat at the dining table and ate in silence. After they finished the meal, Jason''s phone rang. He nced at it and said, "Boss, they''re waiting downstairs." "Bring them up," Luke said as he picked up a napkin from the table and wiped the corners of his mouth gracefully. Luca took the initiative to clean up the table when she saw Jason leave. When he saw that, Luke said, "Let Mr. Doyle do it." "Mr. Crawford, doesn''t Mr. Doyle have something else to attend to?" Luca did not stop as she did not mind cleaning up. The tableware was disposable. They did not even need to be cleaned. All she had to do was put these in a bag and throw them away. "He''ll be back in a while." Luke took the bag in her hand and put the cutleries in after seeing that she refused to stop. Luca stood there, dumbfounded. She just watched him. Luke noticed that she was standing there with a nk expression and reminded her, "You can take a seat." "Mr. Crawford, my wound has healed." Luca thought it was because of her wound that he did not want to let her work. "You''re not healed until your stitches are removed." Luke tied the bag after he put all the cutlery inside. "I''ve taken them out..." Luca said. "You took them out?" Luke put the bag aside and looked at her with a frown. "It just happened..." Luca said. She felt like Luke would not let it go if she did not make things clear. "Luca! Why didn''t you go to the hospital for this kind of thing?" Luke nced at the time and found that it was still early. They had time to send her to the hospital for a check-up before they had to get ready. "Put on your clothes and follow me to the hospital." "Mr. Crawford, it''s just a small matter. I don''t need to go to the hospital for it. My wound is healing very well," Luca said. She had removed the stitches of many from the ind. It was not that different to do it on herself. "Let me see." Luke stepped forward and stood in front of her. ¡®Show him? Doesn''t that mean that I have to remove my clothes?'' Although he may have seen her wounds when he was in the hospital, the current situation was different. Luca was a little shy to remove her clothes in front of him... "I''m fine. I don''t need to go to the hospital to do a check-up." Luca took a step back. It did not matter that they had been intimate before and she had given birth to four of their children. She was shy as she had not undressed in front of him in three years... "It''s either we go to the hospital or you can show me your wound. I just need to make sure that your wound is doing fine," Luke said. He was already upset that she had kept her injury a secret for so long. Luca thought that there was no need to go to the hospital for such a small matter, so she lowered her gaze and took a deep breath. ''He just wants to look at my waist. It''s not a big deal...'' Chapter 2071 The suite door was pushed open when Luca was about to lift her clothes. Luke looked in the direction of the entrance. He was livid. Jason stood there. He noticed that the distance between the two was very close as if something R18 + was about to go down. He also noticed a blush on Luca''s face. Jason''s gaze shifted to Luke''s face. He saw his livid expression and knew that he made a wrong move by opening the door at that moment... He nced at the people behind him. Jason did not go in, so they did not dare to take a step forward as well. Luca saw them, and her hand that held the corner of her clothes was let go in a daze. She subconsciously took a step back to create some distance. The atmosphere was silent and odd. Jason awkwardly broke the silence. "Boss, how about I take the makeup artists downstairs for a cup of coffee first?" "No, wait at the door." Luke looked cross. He gave Jason the spare card to his room so that he could come in without ringing the doorbell as it would disturb Luca. Unexpectedly, the convenience he intended had put him and Luca in an awkward situation. "Yes, Boss." When Jason was thinking about whether to close the door and wait outside, Luke grabbed Luca''s hand, walked into the room, and closed the door. A makeup artist on the side asked in broken English, "Mr. Doyle, should we wait outside?" "No." Jason did not close the door and just stood by the entrance. He knew that his boss was not an immoral person. Although he walked into the room with Luca and closed the door, he would not do something dodgy. "Okay." Seeing him say that, the makeup artists stood there waiting. After Luca was dragged into the room by Luke and before he could say a word, she saw Luke shut the door. He turned on the lights. "Let me see the wound." There was a seriousness in his tone that she could not refuse. "But Mr. Doyle is still outside..." Luca hesitated. There was still a group of people outside, and it seemed strange that he brought her into the room. "If you keep wasting time, they''ll have to keep standing outside." Luke gave her a choice. It was either she let him take a quick look at the wound and they would go out pretending that everything was fine or she could opt to waste time and let the others'' imagination run wild. Luca looked at his serious expression and knew that there would be no way to resolve this matter if she did not show him her wounds. She had no choice but topromise. She slowly raised her clothes and turned to the side so that he could look at her waist. Luke looked at the two scars on her waist. It was pink in color and ugly. It was as though a centipede was entrenched in her waist. Before, he would never let Luca get hurt, not even a little... This time, she suffered such a serious injury because of his negligence and her helplessness. If she had not researched what she was infected with, the consequences would have been unimaginable. "Does it hurt?" Luke asked. Luca shook her head. She noticed theplicated emotions in his eyes and said softly, "It''s fully healed. It doesn''t hurt anymore." "It''s ugly." Luke knew that even though Luca had changed a lot, no woman would want to have scars on her body. "It''ll fade," Luca said. She would not get scars because her body was affected by the drug. However, she was wounded for a long time, so the scar may notpletely fade, or it may need a longer time. Luke did not make a sound. He just stared at the scars on her body. It waspletely healed, but it had left a mark. Whenever he saw it, the scar would remind him of how he had caused Luca to suffer. Luca''s ears felt warm from being stared at by him. She put down her shirt and reminded, "Mr. Crawford, Mr. Doyle and the others are still waiting outside..." After Luke confirmed that her wound had indeed healed and the stitches were removed, there was no point in him saying anything else. He did not say anything and walked out of the room. Jason was a little relieved to see him walk out of the room, but he still did not dare to go in for fear that one step from him would tick Luke off. "Come in." Luke did not look at those standing at the door but walked into the kitchen with the coffee cup he casually ced on the coffee table. Jason felt relieved. He was worried that Luke would kick them all out of the hotel because he was upset. "Come in," he said to the makeup artists behind him. A group of people followed Jason into the suite. The suite wasrge. It would not be crowded even if the six or seven people came in together with the suitcases and clothes in their hands. Luca walked out of the room. She saw the makeup cases in the hands of the makeup artists and the row of dresses behind her. She turned around to look at Luke nkly. Jason said, "Dr. Craw, these are the makeup artists hired by the boss to create your look for the banquet tonight." "Does it have to be so formal?" Luca felt that the whole setup was a bit exaggerated. It was just a celebration banquet. Even if it was held in a manor, it was still a celebration banquet. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ''Do we have to go so far for a dinner at Marcos'' manor?'' Luke walked out of the kitchen. He had one hand in his pocket and the other hand holding a teacup. He exined, "Marcos'' family has a long history and great influence, so tonight''s banquet must be taken seriously." Luca nodded. Since they had established a partnership, T Corporation would have more interactions with M Group in the future. If there were no idents, they would work on more projects moving forward. The dinner must be taken seriously... "You probably didn''t bring an evening gown, so I asked Mr. Doyle to make the necessary arrangements," Luke exined. Jason chimed in, "Dr. Craw, do you want to get ready in the living room or the room inside?" Luca looked at the two of them and knew that she could not turn them down. She nced at the makeup artists and said, "Let''s do it in the room." Jason nodded with a smile, turned around, andmunicated with the makeup artists. Luca walked into the room, and the makeup artists followed behind her. She was pushed to sit on a chair. After a while, a light-transmitting mirror was installed on the table in front of her. The light was turned on. A makeup artistid out the makeup products on the table in an orderly manner. Luca was a little stunned looking at these cosmetics. Since she became involved with the Ind of Despair, she had never used suchplicated cosmetics. In the past, her makeup was very delicate. Her image was linked to Luke''s, so she could not bear to lose the face of her man. Eventually, she used makeup only to cover up the badplexion from not resting well. There was no need for so many cosmetics, and there was no need for her to put on delicate makeup. "Ma''am, what kind of colors and makeup style do you like?" A makeup artist asked in broken English. Chapter 2072 Luca did not ponder too much before she replied in Russian, "I''m fine as long as it''s not too heavy." The makeup artist was overjoyed that Luca spoke Russian because that meant that she could communicate with her better. She stood behind Luca and looked at her in the mirror. After a while, the makeup artist said, "You look so beautiful. It would be a waste to put on European or American-style makeup on you. I think I would like to try ssical makeup on you. How does that sound?" "I''m happy to have you decide." Luca did not have many requirements for her makeup. However, she had a headache knowing that she would have to sit here for hours. The makeup artist started doing her makeup with confidence seeing that she did not have as many requirements as her other clients. Styling took a lot of time. Luke nced at Luca''s room, which was full of people. Based on previous experience, he knew that she would not be ready for a while. He put down the teacup in his hand and went into his room. Jason nced at Luca''s room, then at Luke''s room. Just as he was thinking about what he should do, Luke said, "You can go back to your room first." Luke had looked at Jason when he said that, so Jason knew that it was directed at him. Jason responded quickly, "Okay, Boss. I''ll return to the guest room." Makeup and styling took more than three hours in total. The dresses brought by the makeup artists were all the sizes of Western European women, so they were toorge for Luca. After an evening dress was picked out for Luca, someone began to make some alterations with consideration of Luca''s temperament. Some of the details were revised. After Luca put on the altered dress, the makeup artist could not help but marvel, "Sure enough, you look so beautiful." Luca felt shy when she heard the makeup artist''s praise. It had been a long time since she had dressed up properly... She nced at the dress that had been meticulously altered by the makeup artist. It touched the floor slightly and was not exaggerated or luxurious but exuded a kind of extravagance. The dress wasvender in color, blending well with her snow-white skin. It was as though the dress was specially designed for her. The makeup artist''s assistant looked at Luca and could not help but say, "I didn''t expect to see someone pull off this dress designed by Aisha so beautifully." "Yeah, it''s so suitable for her. It''s beautiful," the makeup artist said. The dress was designed by the chief designer of theirpany. They nned to feature the dress for the finale ofst season''s catwalk show, but in the end, the dress did not get to be shown because of issues with the model. The reason was simple. Aisha could not find the right model toplement the dress. When thevender evening dress was on Luca, it did not feel like she was setting off the dress. It felt more like the dress was setting off her beauty. ¡°Is it okay if I take a photo? I want to show it to our chief designer. She hasn''t been able to find a suitable model to wear this dress. I didn''t expect it to look so beautiful on you,¡± the makeup artist who asked for the dress from Aisha said. Aisha was proud of her work, but there had not been a model who could showcase the beauty of this dress. Hence, she gave up looking for models. That was why she handed the dress over and allowed the makeup artists to look for guests to wear it. After the makeup artist was done with Luca''s makeup, she had a feeling that Luca could pull it off. She was surprised to find that it worked out perfectly. "I''m not sure if that''s the best idea." Luca frowned. It was not that she did not want to be photographed, but she was in a weird situation at that moment. She did not want the photos to be leaked. "This dress is one of the best works that ourpany''s chief designer, Aisha, has done. In thest season''s catwalk, she nned to debut this dress as the finale but she did not find a suitable model. Until now, this evening dress hasn''t been published in the media because Aisha couldn''t find a suitable model to pull it off. After seeing you in it, I think that this dress is designed for you. I want to take some photos and show them to Aisha so that she can see the beautiful dress on you. Rest assured, the photos will only be shown to Aisha and will not be used formercial purposes," the makeup artist exined to her in hopes that Luca would agree to let her take a few photos. Luca looked at how sincere the makeup artist was, then looked at herself in the mirror. After a while, she nodded. "I don''t want these photos to be shared with anyone else." "Rest assured, we''ll guarantee your portrait rights," the makeup artist replied excitedly as she picked up the DSLR camera on the side. They were prepared to take photos of the customers'' makeup at any time, so the equipment they brought was fairlyplete. The makeup artist did not set up any lights with consideration that Luca did not want to be photographed in the first ce. She was also worried that Luca would get impatient. As such, the makeup artist relied on the hotel lights to take two photos of Luca. "Let''s import the photos to theputer and see if you''re happy with them," the makeup artist said as she took out the memory card and handed it to her assistant. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. The assistant imported the photos into theputer and clicked on the first one. She could not help but sigh in admiration. "You look beautiful." The makeup artist was satisfied and said, "You do look beautiful. If we get a professional photographer to shoot you, we can make a poster out of it." Luca looked at the photo on the screen and thought that it looked great even though it was not professionally shot. Shanks had indeed put a lot of effort into her face. "Remember to save them. We''ll show Aisha when we get back," the makeup artist told her assistant. Luca lowered her gaze and said nothing. After all, this was not her original face. It was good-looking, but she still missed her previous appearance. To be specific, she missed her previous life and the people who used to be by her side. Luke did not close her door. When he heard the sound from Luca''s room, he presumed that she was ready. Hence, he walked out and went to Luca''s room. He stared at Luca who was in avender dress and thought that her beauty was unmatched. Luke stared at Luca dumbfoundedly and lost his manners. The makeup artist looked at the tall and handsome man in front of her. He had already changed into a ck suit and formed a good match with the woman in front of him. Although the two stayed in different rooms, they were in the same suite. Hence, the makeup artist smiled and said, "Sir, your girlfriend is ready. Have a look and let us know if there''s anything else that needs to be done." "Good job." Luke looked at Luca. He could no longer use ''beautiful'' to describe her. In the past, Luca was innocent, but in the present, she was gorgeous and charming. No matter how her appearance had changed, he firmly believed that she was his one true love. From the first time he set his eyes on her, he had decided that no matter how her appearance changed, she was the person he loved the most. "Did you buy this dress?" Luke asked. This dress suited her perfectly. "Sorry, this dress is a high-end custom dress. When the banquet is over, we''ll send someone to collect it." The makeup artist shook her head. Chapter 2073 Although Luca was perfect for this dress, Aisha had stated that this dress was one of her proudest works. It was only for rent, not for sale. The makeup artists could not do anything about it either. Luke took out his business card and handed it to the makeup artist. "I would appreciate it if you can talk to the designer. I want to buy this dress." Luca looked so beautiful in the dress that he wanted to buy it and give it to her. N?velDrama.Org content. The makeup artist took his card and could tell that he really wanted it. She nodded and said, "I''ll discuss it with Aisha." "Okay." Luke''s gaze fell on Luca once again. The makeup artist felt that she was the biggest third wheel here. She cleared her throat and said, "Sir and Ma''am, if the two of you are satisfied with this look, I''ll make a move." Jason had told her toe to him after she was done with the styling, so the makeup artist did not ask Luke to settle the bill. "Mm." Luke returned to his room. The personnel packed up their things. After they left, Luca walked out of the room. Her dress touched the floor slightly, but it was not too much of a drag when she walked. Luca nced at the time and found that it was almost time to leave. Just as Luca thought of reminding Luke, he came out of the room with a jewelry box in his hand. "Mr. Crawford, should we make a move soon?" she asked. "Wait." Luke walked up to her and handed the jewelry box to her. "Have a look." "What''s this?" Luca looked at the delicate jewelry box and knew that it must contain jewelry. She looked at the price of the box and knew that the jewelry inside was expensive. Luke noticed that she hesitated to open it, so he opened the jewelry box for her. It contained a set of tinum jewelry. tinum was not expensive, but what made it expensive was the sky blue gemstones iid on the jewelry. The polished surface of the gemstone reflected a shimmering light under the illumination of the suite lights. Luca could not help but blink in admiration. Luke exined, "Ray helped me get this jewelry set at an auction. He''s been keeping it for me." When he found out this jewelry set was about to be auctioned, he got Ray to help him bid for it because he could not find the time to attend the auction. Ray was a great friend and helped him get the jewelry. The jewelry was expensive, and he was worried that there would be problems with the transportation. Hence, the n was for Ray to pass it to him whenever he was in A City. Since he went to Russia before Ray had a chance to go to A City, Ray handed the jewelry to him directly. "Mr. Crawford, this jewelry is too precious." Luca shook her head. She did not want to wear this jewelry. Moreover, the makeup artist had already chosen some jewelry that would go well with her look. Although the jewelry was not expensive, it was fine. He bought this set of jewelry for her and originally nned to give it to her when she confessed her true identity to him. He changed his mind when he saw her in this outfit. The sky blue gems would match thevender dress. Seeing that she was unwilling, Luke put the jewelry box on the coffee table and walked behind her without her consent. "Mr. Crawford?" Luca wanted to turn around and look at the man when she felt his hand on her neck. "Don''t move..." The warmth of his fingers touched her delicate and sensitive skin. Luca''s nerves were tense, and she did not dare to move. Luke took the existing ne off her neck. Luca felt her neck lighten a little. She saw him walk to the coffee table and pick up the blue gemstone ne. He locked her deep gaze on her as he said, "Put it on." Luca knew that she could not turn him down. She sighed, turned around, and let Luke put it on her. "Mr. Crawford, what if I damage such a precious ne?" Luca murmured in a low voice. It was as if she was asking and sighing at the same time. Luke noticed the helplessness in her tone. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly. He was fine if things that he gifted her were broken. Even if she broke them, he could find better ones for her. Moreover, Luca was not a careless person. He had given her so many gifts and she always kept them well. Everything was in the vi where they lived before. Even when the fake Bianca was around, she never touched those things in the slightest. Luca cherished him so much that she would never easily break the things he gave her. "Are you going to break this?" Luke asked. "No..." Luca lowered her gaze. She could never bring herself to break the things Luke gave her, but she could not reveal what her heart was thinking. "It''s too valuable. I can''t afford to break it." Luke''s expression remained unchanged when he heard her duplicitous words. "If it breaks, I''ll find you a better one." Luca''s heart beat faster, and she lowered her gaze. ¡®Is this meant to be a gift for me?'' Luke put the ne on her. "Let me see." Luca lowered her head and turned around to face him. He looked at the ne on her neck and was very satisfied. His taste was on point. Luca''s dress perfectly matched this blue gemstone ne. Her fair skin paired with the sky blue gems made her skin look more delicate and wless... Luke felt some heat in his body as he looked at her... Luca looked up slightly and immediately looked away when their eyes met. Luke picked up the ring in the jewelry box and looked at her. "Do you want to put it on yourself, or do you want me to do it?" Luca nced at the ring he had in his hand, then at the ring in her hand. She knew that it was useless to turn him down, so she took off the ring on her middle finger. Luke took her hand and put the ring on her ring finger. It was just the right size as though it was made for her... Luca looked at the ring and thought of the wedding ring that Luke put on her when they got married. That wedding ring was designed by a designer. Luke was involved in the designing and manufacturing. The wedding ring was in a ss of itself... Sadly, when she was kidnapped by Abel, they were worried that the wedding ring had a tracker on it, so they disposed of the ring. Moreover, they did it in front of her. She saw the ring full of Luke''s love for her being disposed of with her own eyes. Her heart ached as if the soul of her body was extracted. "What are you thinking about?" Luke asked in a soft voice when he noticed that she was staring at the ring in a daze. He had asked Ray to find someone to adjust the ring prior, so the size was made to fit Luca''s ring finger. "Nothing." Luca came back to her senses and shook her head. She nced at the bracelet in the jewelry box and said, "Mr. Crawford, I don''t want to wear the bracelet. It''s too luxurious..." Luke nodded in agreement seeing that she did not have any bracelet on in the first ce. "Okay." Chapter 2074 Luca nced at the ring in her hand, then at Luke. He closed the jewelry box and handed it to her. "Keep it safe." "Mr. Crawford..." Luca frowned slightly. ''He asked me to keep the jewelry box. Does this mean that he''s nning to gift the jewelry to me? It''s such a precious piece of jewelry...Is Luke serious about me?'' "Take it, put it away, and get ready to go." Luke nced at the time. They needed to leave soon. Luca had no choice but to take it and put the box back on the table in the room. She then walked out of the room, picked up the cashmere shawl left by the makeup artists, and put it on her shoulders. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Luke looked at her and frowned. Although she had a cashmere shawl, it was snowing heavily outside. She would be cold when they got in and out of the car, so he picked up the coat beside him and put it on Luca''s shoulder. "Put on this coat before we arrive at the manor." "Thank you, Mr. Crawford." The coat smelled faintly of lemon. Luca felt safe with his coat on her. His coat was warm enough andrge enough to fit over her shoulders without messing up her dress. "You''ll be my plus one for tonight," Luke added. The public believed that he was married, and Luca''s appearance was obviously different from his wife''s. He could tell the others that he had no plus ones. However, he wanted Luca to face her feelings, so he asked her to be his plus one so she would not have a chance to escape. Luca took a deep breath. She knew she had no choice but to agree. "Okay, Mr. Crawford." Seeing that she had no intention to hold his hand, Luke took a small step forward, took her right hand, and ced it on his arm. Luca ced her hand on him naturally with his movements. Luke was satisfied and left the suite with her. They saw Jason waiting at the door as soon as they opened it. Luca looked at him. She was a little stunned as she did not know how long he had been standing there. "Boss, the car is already waiting downstairs," Jason said respectfully. He sneaked a nce at their arms. After he paid the makeup artists, he made arrangements with the hotel car and waited in front of their room. With the previous experience and lessons, he did not open the door straight and opted to wait outside. Although it was a little awkward whenever someone passed by, it was better than dealing with Luke''s bad mood. "Let''s go," Luke said and took a step forward. Luca wanted to walk behind him just like Jason, but her hand was tucked into Luke''s arm, so she could only walk alongside him. Jason walked behind. As he looked at the two of them, he could not help but think that they looked like the perfect couple. Mr. Zac was standing at the door with the other employees of T Corporation. When they saw Luca walking over holding Luke''s arm, they all put away their surprised expressions and greeted them with a slight smile, "Hello Boss, Dr. Craw." Luca nodded slightly, nced at the delicately dressed people, and lowered her gaze to look at her and Luke''s closely linked arms... "Get in the car," Luke said. Jason stepped forward immediately, opened the door of the Rolls-Royce, and said to Luke, "Boss, Dr. Craw, the two of you can take this car." Luke walked to the car and looked at Luca in a gentleman-like manner. "Get in the car." His voice was gentle and elegant. She tugged on the jacket and bent over to get into the car. The female employees behind the two got a little excited. It was the first time they saw their boss being such a gentleman. ''When did Luke, who usually dominates the corporate world, open the door for others?'' They had never seen him treat Bianca as such. Jason heard the faint voices behind him, turned around, and shook his head at them to motion for them to be quiet. He, too, had not seen this happen for a long time. After Bianca was kidnapped, even though a fake Bianca was ced beside him, Luke did not know it at the time. Even so, he was never intimate with the fake Bianca. As such, it was not without reason that the employees were excited. It was indeed a rare scene. The two female employees kept silent the moment they met Jason''s gaze. After Luca got into the car, Luke closed the door, walked around the front of the car, and got in from the other side. Jason looked at the employees behind him, pointed to another car, and said, "Mr. Zac and the rest of you will go in this car." "Okay." Mr. Zac took the lead and walked to the car behind. Jason sighed. The extended Mercedes-Benz behind him could only fit Mr. Zac and others. If it were not for theck of space, he did not want to sit in the Rolls-Royce and be the third wheel. He had no choice but to sit in the front passenger seat. He asked the driver to drive. The car slowly left the hotel. Luca sat in the car and looked at the empty seat opposite her. This extended Rolls-Royce could seat a lot of people, but no one dared to sit in the same seat as Luke. Jason, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, was isted because of the structure of the car. She was the only one who was in the same space as Luke. There was a lot of room in the car, and he could sit wherever he wanted. However, Luke chose to sit side by side with her. Luca nced at the man next to her. Even in the car, he sat upright. The suit he wore was like him. ''Handsome, neat... No matter where he is, the limelight will always be on him.'' "Are you cold? Would you like to turn up the temperature a little?" Luke nced at the temperature disy and was worried that Luca would be cold. The coat draped over her shoulders kept her warm, so she said softly, "I''m fine. There''s no need for that." Luke opened the mini bar in the car. There were some fruits, mini cakes, and snacks in it as well as drinks. He took out a snack from the mini bar and handed it to Luca. "Have a bite. There''s very little chance of eatingter." Luca understood what he meant. As his femalepanion, she would have to follow him to socialize with others. She would not be able to spend most of her time eating like everyone else. Moreover, after such a busy afternoon, the food in her stomach was already digested. If she did not have something to eat, she would have to drink on an empty stomach. "Thank you." Luca took the snack. Seeing that he was about to close the mini bar, she quickly said, "Mr. Crawford, you should have some too. Drinking on an empty stomach is not good for your health." "You''re looking after me?" Luke looked into Luca''s eyes, wanting to see if she really cared. Luca took a bite of the snack and said softly, "It''smon sense..." Luke took out the whole dessert te and said, "Let''s eat together. The desserts from this hotel are pretty good." Luca looked at the delicate desserts, opened her mouth, and took a bite. Desserts that were made of high-quality ingredients generally tasted good. Chapter 2075 The mellowness of the butter spread in her mouth. Luca took another bite and watched Luke out of the corners of her eyes. She knew that Luke did not like sweets. However, there were only desserts and fruits in the mini bar. Luca said softly when she noticed that Luke was just staring at the desserts, "Mr. Crawford, if you don''t like sweets, you can try the chocte cake." Luke pointed to the little chocte cake and said, "This one?" "Yeah." Luca nodded. The cake was mainly made of dark chocte and cocoa powder, so it would not be as sweet as other cakes. Luke took a bite, and the aroma of rich chocte and cocoa attacked his taste buds. It was not too sweet, so he could still ept it. He slightly raised the corners of his mouth. Luca noticed the arc of his smile and could not help but ask curiously, "Mr. Crawford, what are you smiling at?" "Rainie''s favorite as a child was chocte," Luke said. Luca nodded. She knew that. Her little girl loved sweet things, especially chocte. However, after three years, Rainie did not seem to be a big fan of chocte anymore. It was probably because the little girl had grown up and started to pay attention to her figure. After all, she danced ballet, and it had strict weight requirements. "Eventually, she stopped having it." Luke savored the chocte cake in front of him and mentioned those things she missed. Luca had a rough idea of why, but she still wanted to hear about the kids. Hence, she yed along and asked, "Why?" "Tommy cried day and night after my wife was kidnapped. Sometimes, he needed chocte to calm down. Rainie said that as his older sister, she should take care of her younger brother. Hence, she gave all the choctes in her pocket to Tommy. Since then, she stopped eating chocte," Luke said. It was because of this that Rainie became more sensible and gave all the good things to her brother. It was just to make Tommy feel less ufortable for a while. Luca was calm on the outside, but her heart felt as though it was being cut by a knife when she heard what he said. Her children suffered so much pain because of her. They were supposed to be surrounded by sweetness and happiness but were forced to be haunted by such a huge trauma. She had heard about the fake Bianca from Nina. After the fake Bianca lost her memory, she became extremely entric and did not care about the children. All she cared about was Luke. She would lose her temper if anyone in the vi, whether it was a servant, Old Master Crawford, or even a child, did something that made her unhappy. The three children were alienated from the fake Bianca because of her unstable temper and unkindness. Even though she was present, it was as though they did not have a mother. They were still a lot of people who loved and cared for the kids, but they had seen the fake Bianca go crazy. She was like a ticking time bomb. Luca believed that the three children were traumatized by it. This trauma would not fade over time... In such an environment, they were forced to mature... Luca was already sad because she had made her children suffer so much. She felt much worse when she heard Luke mention the reason why Rainie gave up liking chocte... She looked up and saw the snow falling outside the window. She thought of the past. It took some time for her to be reunited with Lanie and Rainie. They became close because they were rted by blood. It did not take much effort to get them to ept the fact that she was their mother. Later, a person who was carefully prepared by Abel appeared in their lives. Luca could not help herself from clenching her hands into fists when she thought of how the fake Bianca had destroyed the image of a mother in the kids'' hearts. Luke noticed a change in her mood. He did not mention anything about it. He had deliberately said what he said to cause her mood to fluctuate. Even if Luca did not think about him, she would think about the children. Luke put one of the snacks in front of her and said, "Have some more." "Okay." Luca nodded absent-mindedly and took a bite. She did not pay attention to the taste. Luke looked at the screen in front of him. When they were about to reach the destination, he turned around and asked Luca, "Did you bring any hangover prevention medicine?¡± Luca snapped out of it, nced at him, then opened the small bag she brought with her. She took out a bottle of medicine. "I did bring it." Luke asked, "Can you give me a pill? We''ll have to drink at the eventter." Before he could ask, Luca had already unscrewed the bottle cap and handed a white pill to Luke. "Thank you." Luke took it, uncapped a bottle of water, and swallowed the pill with it. Luca looked at him and took a pill herself. As Luke''s plus one, she knew that she would have to drink as well. Luke handed her another bottle of water. "Don''t drink if you can. It''s not good for your health." "Mr. Crawford, I can''t say no to some drinks..." Luca raised her head to take the medicine and took a sip of water. Luke was stunned. ''Yes, there are some instances where we''ll have no choice but to drink.'' He regretted asking her to be his plus one. It was toote to regret it, but after he weighed the pros and cons, he still decided to let Luca be his plus one. He would just have a drink on her behalf. The car stopped. Luke pulled back the curtain and looked out. They had arrived. "Are we here?" Luca asked as she pulled aside the curtains. "Yeah." Luke looked at her and pointed at the corner of her mouth. "Your lipstick is smudged." "I''ll touch it up." Luca took out her vanity mirror and lipstick to touch up her makeup. Jason got out of the car and opened the door on Luke''s side. "Boss, we''ve arrived at Mr. Marcos'' manor." "Wait." Luke did not get out of the car. He just sat there and looked sideways at Luca. He did not get out of the car until she had fixed her lipstick. Luke went around the front of the car and opened the door on Luca''s side. Luca saw him stretch out his hand to help her out. She lowered her gaze, put her hand on his, and got out of the car. Those who got out of the car behind them watched all of this silently. They could not help but sigh at how great they looked together. Although they could not ask much about the rtionship between Luke and Luca, it was okay to take a look at them. After Luca stood firm, she took off Luke''s coat and looked at the man in front of her. "Mr. Crawford, can I leave this coat in the car?" "Okay," Luke said. Since they had arrived at the manor, the coat no longer served its purpose. Luca put the coat carefully in the car. Jason closed the door. He then motioned for the driver to pull over and wait for them to get out. Luke stood beside Luca and slightly bent his arms, signaling Luca to grab it. Luca noticed his movement and sighed helplessly, but she still took his arm and tidied her shawl. ''It''s so cold...'' Luca thought to herself although it did not seem so cold whenever she stood next to Luke. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Jason could not help but sigh in admiration when he looked at them. He took a step back so as not to spoil the beautiful scenery. Chapter 2076 After he stood up straight, Jason cleared his throat and asked softly, "Boss, can I have a word with Dr. Craw?" His question made Luca blush. She was standing there, but Jason asked Luke first. It was as if he was worried about tipping the man off... It was made to seem like she was very close to Luke. Luca suppressed her shyness and asked, "Mr. Doyle, what''s the matter?" Jasonughed dryly, nced at Luke, and confirmed that the man''s expression was normal before he asked, "Dr. Craw, did you bring the hangover prevention medicine?" "Ah, yes." Luca let go of Luke''s hand, took out a medicine bottle from her bag, and handed it to Jason. Jason happily took it, took one for himself, and swallowed it. Luca nced at the people next to her. In Russia, both men and women were very good at drinking. Jason asked her for the medicine so as to not lose the face of T Corporation if he could not drink. She said, "Mr. Zac, do you need it?" Hearing what she said, Jason turned around to look at the others. "Dr. Craw''s hangover prevention medicine works wonders. Even if you drink too much tonight, you won''t feel anything tomorrow." Mr. Zac''s eyes lit up when he heard that. "That''s wonderful! Dr. Craw, can you give me one?" "Take it if you need it." Luca was not stingy. The hangover prevention medicine was not hard to make. Mr. Zac took it and said to the other T Corporation employees. "We''ll have to drink at the event. Who wants to take one?" Everyone took one when they heard that it helped with hangovers. The bottle of medicine was almost finished by the time it got back to Mr. Zac. He was a little embarrassed and did not know how many were left. He turned around, looked at Luca, and asked, "Mr. Crawford, Dr. Craw, have you taken it? " "We already took it in the car. You can have it," Luca spoke on Luke''s behalf. Luke was not at all unhappy that she answered for him. Luca speaking on his behalf was how they used to be. He did not like to talk nonsense, so he was concise with a lot of things. There were many instances when others did not understand him and Luca had to step in to help exin. After everyone took the hangover prevention medicine, the door of the manor slowly opened. The interior of the manor immediately appeared in front of everyone. A man who was about 60 years old stood there waiting. Even though it was freezing cold, he was wearing a suit with a cane in his hand. He smiled when he saw them. Luke guessed that he was Marcos'' housekeeper. N?velDrama.Org content. "Hello everyone, I''m the butler of the manor. I''m here to wee you, our distinguished guests, on the orders of our sir." Although the butler was old, his voice was loud like a bell. "Hello, nice to see you," Luke said. "Come with me, please." The butler made a gesture to invite them in. Luke nced at Luca. She put her hand on his arm obediently. They walked into the manor together. The manor was from thest century and showed an ancient European-style charm everywhere they looked. The manor covered a vast area. They had only walked in through the door and there was still a distance from the main house. Looking from a distance, the main house was at the center of the manor. There was some distance, but it did not prevent them from seeing the bright lights over there. It was beautiful. "It''s spectacr." Among the people apanying Luke, one was from the design department of T Corporation. He had visited many European-style buildings, but manors like this were all private and generally inessible to the public. If they wanted to visit, they could only walk around the outer wall or go to the local museum to see photos. However, an experience as such would never beat on-site visits. After everyone came in, the butler pressed a button. The door behind him slowly closed. He walked to the front of an extended Rolls-Royce next to him, opened the car door, and said, "It''s a distance to the main house, and the weather is cold. Please get in the car." Luke took Luca''s hand and got into the car. The others behind him got into another car. After the butler exhorted the driver, the car slowly drove away. Luca looked at the view of the manor outside the window. It was winter, so the snow was falling. The beautiful scenery waspletely white. It was purity in the greatest sense. The Rolls-Royce drove for about ten minutes. After they reached the main house, Luke and others were invited to get off. "Mr. Crawford, wee." Marcos stood at the door and greeted Luke warmly when he saw him getting out of the car. A sh of admiration shed in his eyes when he saw Luca, who was standing beside Luke. Marcos could still recognize that Luca was the trantor standing beside Luke even though she was dressed well. Although she had a beautiful face, Luca used to wear old-fashioned clothes that presented herself as a corporate person on the previous asions they met. She looked different when she was dressed up. Luke had good taste. It was no wonder Luke turned him down when he proposed Luke bring a plus one that night and asked Luke if he needed him to introduce someone to him. ''With a woman with such a good temperament around him, why would he need other female companions?'' Even if Luke agreed, he would not necessarily be able to find a plus one with a better temperament than Luca. They were the perfect couple. Marcos sighed in his heart. He acted like a gentleman, and his eyes did not pause too long on Luca. "Hello, Mr. Marcos," Luke responded politely. At the same time, he noticed that there were constant noises in the main house. Even if Marcos'' family was huge, it should not be this noisy. It seemed that there were other people besides the Marcos family. It was no wonder that Marcos told him that he must attend the banquet that night after they signed the contract. If he built connections with everyone present, it was just a matter of time for T Corporation to expand to the European market. As soon as everyone with Luke got out of the car, Marcos invited them into the main house. There were many people inside with Russian features. Even without an introduction from Marcos, Luke knew from the behavior of most people that these were all the rich and powerful of Western Europe. They were not like most businessmen. These people had both money and power. They all started their business with family money. If they were sessful, they would be just like Marcos, belonging to a huge family and owning a famous group. Those who were not sessful would not be here. Luca stood next to Luke and knew that many eyes were on her. She realized that the people attending the banquet were extraordinary and most of them came with partners. She secretly thought that Luke made the right decision. The night would not be awkward if she stood beside him as his plus one. "Mr. Crawford, why don''t I introduce you to some of the people here?" Marcos took the role of the host seriously. Chapter 2077 "That sounds great." Luke would not miss such a good opportunity. He led Luca and followed behind Marcos. Jason and the others stayed where they were. Several of them took wine sses from the waiter''s tray. They could not help but sigh in admiration when they saw the scene in front of them. "This ce is so well designed," the employee of the design department said. "Of course, this was designed by Mikal, the master of interior design in thest century," Jason said. He did some research after they were invited to the manor for the banquet. The other female employee looked at Luke and Luca. She could not help but say, "Is it an illusion? The boss and Dr. Craw look great together." Jason nced at them and took a sip of his wine. It was not an illusion. He reminded them, "These words can''t be said out loud. The boss should never hear them." "I know, Mr. Doyle. I''m just admiring," the female employee said. She had worked in T Corporation for a while, so she knew what to say and what not to say. With the help of Marcos, Luke and Luca held their wine sses and were introduced to the people around them. They exchanged business cards with each other. The people in the hall were already a little familiar with Luke. After the introduction from Marcos, they were more than willing to befriend him. Luca stayed by Luke''s side. asionally, when she needed to speak, she would converse in fluent Russian. Others looked at her with a look of astonishment in their eyes. Luke was a little jealous. He regretted having Luca dress up so delicately as the eyes of those men were all locked on her. Russians were warm and open. Once their eyes fell on Luca, they could not shift their gaze away. Luke did not want to show his temper in front of so many people. After all, this was not his home ground. He had to give Marcos face. The cooperation had just begun, so the rtionship between them could not be affected. After Marcos took Luke around, he noticed that Luke seemed slightly annoyed. He said apologetically, "Mr. Crawford, sorry, others like to look at beautiful people." "It''s okay." That was all Luke could say. Marcos smiled and said, "Mr. Crawford, my subordinates also want to meet you and talk to you. Why don''t youe with me?" Luke knew that Marcos was building bridges for them just now, but what was about toe was the real highlight. He nodded and said, "My subordinates would like to meet you too." "That''s perfect. Let''s head in together?" Marcos said with a smile. "Okay." Luke gestured to Jason, who was in the distance. Jason had been paying attention to Luke. When he saw the gesture, he nodded and said to Mr. Zac and the others, "Let''s go. The boss is asking for us. The real party is about to start." N?velDrama.Org content. "I heard that Russians are very good at drinking. Mr. Doyle, are you afraid?" Mr. Zac asked with a smile although Jason had been with Luke for a while and had to socialize with business partners often. Nevertheless, the average amount of alcohol consumed by the people in A City and the Russians seemed to be iparable. Russians grew up with vodka vats surrounding them. "I was quite scared before and afraid that I wouldn''t be able to get out of bed tomorrow. But I felt okay with Dr. Craw''s hangover prevention medicine," Jason said as they walked toward Luke. Mr. Zac had taken the hangover prevention medicine as well. He had a lot of business meetings that involved drinking. He would take some hangover recovery solutions in advance so that his work the next day would not be affected. However, the effects of those general hangover recovery solutions that he took were not great. As such, he could not help but wonder about Luca''s hangover prevention medicine. "It''s that incredible?" "You''ll find out tomorrow." Jason smiled mysteriously and walked up to Luke. "Mr. Marcos, hello." "Hello, Mr. Doyle." Marcos fluently switched between English and Russian. "Everyone, this way, please." They followed Marcos into the room next to the living room. Several of M Group''s managers were already seated in their chairs. When they saw them walk in, they stood up eagerly to wee them. Jason looked back and said, "Mr. Marcos, is it okay to keep those guests outside?" "Of course, it doesn''t matter. I didn''t hold this banquet tonight. It''s my uncle. I just thought of introducing Mr. Crawford to them," Marcos exined. The banquet was originally going to be held at a hotel, but since there was already a banquet held in the manor, Marcos thought of holding it here as well. Luke had done him a big favor, so in return, he introduced the people out there to him. "I see." Jason smiled. He looked at the executives of M Group and thought to himself that they would be drinking plenty of bottles tonight. Sure enough, as expected, for the next two or so hours, the drinking session inside was in full swing despite the noise outside. Luca was one of the few women, but she also had to drink a fair bit. She felt fine because she had taken the hangover prevention medicine in advance. Three hourster. The noise outside gradually quieted down. The housekeeper of the manor knocked on the door, walked in, and said respectfully, "Sir, the banquet outside has ended and all the guests have left. Do you need me to prepare guest rooms for our guests here?" Marcos was wasted. He looked at Luke and asked, "Mr. Crawford, why don''t you stay in the manor tonight?" Luke was drunk as well and nced at Luca. She did not look very drunk, but her cheeks were already flushed. He said, "No, the hotel car is outside. We can just go back to the hotel to rest." "If necessary, we can also arrange a guest room for the driver waiting outside," Marcos said enthusiastically. He loved making friends through drinking. After this round of drinking, he admired Luke very much and wanted to talk to him more about the corporate world. "Mr. Marcos, we''ll still have a chance to drink in the future." Luke insisted. It was Marcos'' manor, and he did not think it was a good idea to stay there since it was the first time they visited. He agreed to stay at Ray''s vi thest time because there was no way out as the roads were blocked due to heavy snow. If he could leave, he would definitely have left. No matter how familiar he was with the person and how good the rtionship was, Luke would still keep a certain distance in these circumstances. "Okay then." Marcos did not insist when he saw how keen Luke was to leave. It was gettingte, so he announced the end of the party. Several of M Group''s senior managers were knocked out. Those from T Corporation were all fine. Those who were not drunk stood up. Luke told Marcos not to send him off because he knew that he had drunk a lot. Marcos did not insist any longer. He was drunk and could barely bring himself to stand up. After Luke and the others left, Marcos shook his head and said, "How did they drink so much?" Those who bade their farewell to Luke and the others sat down on their chairs immediately after they left. One of them said boldly, "Boss, did we drink from the same bottles as them?" Chapter 2078 Marcos covered his forehead with his hands and replied with a weak voice, "Sure." ¡°They can hold their alcohol well." Another drunken executive muttered to himself. On the other hand. After the others followed the butler and left, Luke identally lost his bnce and staggered. Luca helped him up immediately and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, be careful." As the CEO of T Corporation, Luke was toasted with the most during the party, and he was the one who drank the most among them. ¡°I''m fine." Luke shot a nce at Luca. Fortunately, he had taken Luca''s pill beforeing to the party. Otherwise, he would be lying on the floor by now. They headed to the entrance of the living room. As Matysh walked toward them, his eyes brightened up the moment he saw Luca. A beautiful woman like her did exist! Looking at how she was nicely dressed up, he knew that she came to attend the party. However, he had been busy entertaining different types of guests at the party. How could he not have noticed that there was such a beautifuldy here? Matysh''s gaze fell on Luca, who was standing close to Luke. He helped him up. He turned around and nced at Luke. He looked familiar, but he did not know who he was. It seemed like he was one of the guests, not one of the nobles in Russia. ¡°Master Matysh," Mr. Valentin lowered his hand and greeted Matysh as he walked right up to him. Matysh nodded his head proudly and took the chance to ask the butler, ¡°Who are they?" ¡°They''re Mr. Marcos'' guests," Mr. Valentin lowered his head and replied. ¡°Mr. Marcos asked me to send them off." ¡°Send them off? Marcos should be kidding, right?" Matysh frowned and scowled. He thought of seizing the chance to make Luca and the others stay. Perhaps... A wicked idea came up in his mind, and he said, ¡°They''ve been drinking a lot. How could he ask them to go back? Go and get the guest rooms ready. Let them get some rest and spend the night here." ¡°Master Matysh, it''s the guests'' request to leave," Mr. Valentin replied in a helpless tone. He knew what kind of person Master Matysh was. He was afraid that Master Matysh had his mind set on someone since he was taking the initiative to ask Marcos'' guests to stay here. Mr. Valentin thought that the prettiest woman here would be Luca, and she must have caught Matysh''s attention. Matysh had never been a gentleman. He would take the chance to sleep with every woman who had spent the night at his manor. After all, this was not the first time such things had happened. Once Matysh set his eyes on any woman he met at the party, those women who had no special or strong family background were left with no choice but to surrender themselves to Matysh even if they refused to. There was hardly anyone who dared to offend their family. Hence, Mr. Valentin only thought of quickly sending them off to prevent Luca from falling into the clutches of Matysh. ¡°Mr. Valentin, you''ve been serving my family for over a decade. How can you not know how to treat our guests with courtesy?" Matysh put on a stern expression on his face. Mr. Valentin knew what was on his mind and was trying to stop him in every possible way he could. Mr. Valentin used to be obedient. He seldom stood up against Matysh, and all he did was carry out the orders given to him. Now that Marcos had taken over the family''s business, this butler had changed sides? Did Mr. Valentin see him as nothing? No matter how worthless he was, he was still Marcos'' senior and the owner of this manor! "Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Matysh," Luke spoke while Mr. Valentin was hesitating if he should inform Marcos about it. Luke looked at the arrogant man and stressed every word he said to make it clear, "My subordinates and I would like to return to the hotel. We have some work to do, so we can''t stay." Mr. Valentin secretly thanked Luke for speaking up as he listened to him. He had been working here for more than ten years. The person he dared not to offend the most was the man in front of him¡ªMatysh. Matysh narrowed his eyes and looked at the witless man in front of him. It was a blessing for any woman who managed to catch Matysh''s attention. How dare he say something like this to ruin his ns... Before Matysh could speak, Marcos'' voice came from behind. Matysh pretended to be serious and snapped at the butler, "Mr. Valentin, are you doing your job? You''re supposed to send the guests off. How could you let the guests stand here?" Mr. Valentin let out a sigh of relief. Things would be much easier if Marcos was here. "Master Matysh, I thought you want to ask the guests to spend the night here?" Marcos figured it out right away. Matysh was interested in Luca. Otherwise, he would not have taken the initiative to ask them to spend the night here. Everyone in the family knew about all those dirty things he did. That was why Marcos did not ask any of the female executives in hispany toe to the party. It was inevitable for the female executives to spend the night in the manor after drinking so much. Marcos knew there was a pervert in the manor, so he made that decision to protect the female executives in hispany. Although Marcos drank a lot, he was still able to force himself to stay sober. He looked at Matysh and said, ¡°Uncle, that''s very kind of you. I thought of asking them to spend the night too since they''ve been drinking a lot. But my friends would like to return to the hotel, and they''ve got better things to do. That''s why they''d like to go back. I shouldn''t be keeping them from work, right?" Matysh knew that there was no way he could make them stay this time. Unfortunately, he would not be able to spend the night with this beauty. Matysh shifted his gaze and looked at Luca, thinking that he might have another chance in the future. He did not want Marcos in his face now. After all, the family''s business was in Marcos'' hands. Even though he owned some shares of thepany, they were nothingpared to the power Marcos held. "I see. Mr. Valentin, why aren''t you sending the guests off, then?" Matysh had no choice but to ask the butler to send them off with regrets. The group finally got into the hotel''s car after the butler led them to the entrance. Luke did not close his eyes to get some rest when he got into the car. Instead, he picked up his phone and sent messages. Luca was confused. How did Luke know that the man who asked them to stay was named Matysh when there were so many family members in Marcos'' family? Did he dig into the family before this? "Mr. Crawford..." She hesitated. N?velDrama.Org content. "Couldn''t you see that Matysh had his eyes on you?" said Luke. He sounded unhappy. Luca was dumbfounded for a moment. Was Matysh interested in her? "Mr. Crawford, you can''t be serious.." How would a man with such social status as Matysh be interested in her when he could have any woman he wanted? "Matysh is a womanizer. His eyes were glued on you just now. He was suggesting that we should spend the night there just to make things easier for him." Luke had yet to exin it, but Luca already knew what he meant by those words. Matysh wanted them to spend the night there so that it would be easier for him to. It was disgusting and indecent. She did not expect Marcos'' family to have such a sc*mbag even though they had nothing to do with the underworld forces. Luke could see Luca''s anger from her side profile. Of course, a woman who had been trying to survive on the Ind of Despair would not have allowed a man to get away with it. Hence, she would definitely get angry when someone had designs on her. "Matysh has been luring women into his trap and sleeping with them by holding parties and asking them to spend the night. These women are usually born with an ordinary background and don''t have any forces behind them. He''ll sleep with some of the women who are the daughters of rich businessmen or the femalepanions of the entrepreneurs in Russia. Hence, he''ll be able to take care of the matter after that easily. After all, they''re not from noble families. No one would dare stand up against his family to pursue the matter," exined Luke. Chapter 2079 ¡°What a monster!" Rage was burning inside Luca at the thought of those innocent women who had fallen into Matysh''s trap. They could not seek justice because they were afraid of his power. Luca had this urge to teach Matysh a lesson and make sure he got what he deserved. Unfortunately, her days in Russia were numbered. Otherwise, she would havee up with a n and fought for justice on behalf of those women. Luke exined to her when he noticed Luca''s expression, "So, M Group was supposed to appoint Matysh to be their CEO based on seniority. But his family members were unhappy with all the things that he did. Besides, he didn''t have any descendants. Hence, he was only asked to return to the company to take over M Group when Marcos had just graduated from university." Marcos was a capable man, but no matter how outstanding he was, his status in the family was lower due to his mother''s humble upbringing. If it were not for Matysh''s wrongdoings, Marcos would not have had the chance to take over M Group. Marcos did not waste the chance that was given to him. After he took over M Group, he reformed the company and took M Group to greater heights. Therefore, he managed to gain recognition from his family. Luca nodded. Matysh and Marcos did not seem like they were rted to each other. M Group would be doomed to fail if it was in Matysh''s hands. It seemed like their family knew about this too, and that was why they left the family business to Marcos. It was a good choice. "Mr. Crawford, you know Marcos'' family history well." Luca turned to look at him. "I have to conduct a background investigation if I''m going to cooperate with him. Ray gave me a document earlier, and it was about Marcos'' family background. The document contains something that Marcos would like to know too. I gave it to him. In return, he introduced me to many of the nobles in Russia today," said Luke. He was aware of everything deep down in his heart. Even though he got to meet these nobles, that did not mean he would have the chance to cooperate with them. He had to earn the chance to cooperate with them. There was no way he could fight for it when the time had yet toe. The only way was to push T Corporation to a broader and wider international market. That way, the connections he built here could be put to use. "I see." Luca finally knew what secret document Luke had handed to Marcos back then. Although Marcos'' family was clean-handed in doing business, there were still some matters that the others could not interfere with and look into. Too many cooks spoiled the broth. This could be used to describe Marcos'' family which had been around for over a century. "Matysh isn''t someone easy to deal with. He wants you. I''m guessing he''ll be making his moves soon. That''s why I asked Mr. Doyle to book the flight tickets for tomorrow night. We''ll go back home right away," said Luke. He was not nning to give Matysh the chance to harbor designs against his woman. Luca nodded without opposing. On the other hand. After Marcos watched Mr. Valentin return to the manor, he ordered him to put those executives who had passed out in bed. Then, he made his way up the stairs. Marcos had drunk a lot. He felt as though the world was spinning around him, but he insisted on making his way to Matysh''s bedroom. Marcos did not push the door open right away. Matysh was his senior, after all. He lifted his hand and knocked on the door. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Who is it?¡± Matysh''s voice came from inside. He sounded a little breathless as though he was furious and exasperated. "Uncle, it''s me," Marcos leaned against the wall and answered. ¡°Come in.¡± Matysh did not open the door for him. He had never liked his nephew. He hated him even more for ruining his n today. Marcos walked into his room and saw Matysh half-naked. He was venting his emotions on the punching bag. He stood at the door, watching Matysh throw a few punches at the punching bag as though he was letting out all his feelings of dissatisfaction with it. Marcos curled the corner of his lips. Matysh kept punching the punch bag, and he had not heard anything from Marcos yet. Did he not come to apologize to him? Why did he remain silent aftering in? He was truly that woman''s son. He was an ill-bred whocked courtesy! ¡°Don''t you have something to say?¡± Matysh asked in a low voice. Marcos watched Matysh constantly throwing his fists at the punching bag as though it was him and said, "I think it''d be better for me to talk about it after you''re done practicing." Matysh stopped. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the man in front of him, realizing that he had misunderstood him. Marcos came to talk to him. He did note to apologize. Matysh looked at Marcos arrogantly and said, ¡°Care to join me for a sparring match?¡± "Uncle, I''d love to, but I drank a lot today. I''m afraid not." Marcos shook his head. He would spar with him if he had not drunk today. After all, he was pretty sure his boxing skills were not that bad either. However, he had been plied with drinks by Luke''s subordinates today. Alcohol could make one excited, but it could numb one''s nerves too. Marcos was afraid that if he agreed to spar with Matysh, Matysh would take the chance to beat him to a pulp. "Boring." Matysh continued punching on the punching bag. Marcos thought standing there was not an option. After all, it was boring to watch Matysh keep hitting the punching bag. He knew that Matysh had almost stuck a photo of him on the punching bag to release his anger without even having to guess. "Uncle, those who came today are the partners for M Group''s future project. I hope you won''t have any inappropriate ideas toward any of them. If they terminate the contract because of this, we''ll have to suffer a huge amount of losses. Uncle, if this happens, I''m afraid that you''ll have to pay for the losses with your shares," Marcos reminded him. Judging from Matysh''s personality, he would do whatever it took to get what he wanted the next day if he failed to get it today. Hence, Marcos had to warn him beforehand to prevent him from destroying their partnership. Marcos had always thought of cooperating with T Corporation before the tender. However, the directors in thepany with their old-fashioned mindset disapproved of the idea of cooperating with any foreign companies. That was why a bid was held. Only with the bidding document to convince them did they agree to the thought of cooperating with Luke''s T Corporation. Matysh stopped punching and came up to Marcos. He said, "Are you warning me?" "It''s just a reminder," Marcos smiled. "Even though Luke doesn''t have much influence in Russia and neither is he one of the nobles here, he''s a capable man. He''s not what you think he is. He led his team to destroy the Ind of Despair." The Russians might not know who Luke was, but they would know about the Ind of Despair. There was an awful look on Matysh''s face at once. He thought Luke was merely an ordinary businessman. However, the woman standing beside him was too stunning. She was so beautiful that he refused to give up so easily... Marcos told him everything he needed to tell him, and he looked at the expression on Matysh''s face, knowing that his words were taking effect. It did not matter as long as he left Luca alone. Although Luke was married and the photo of his wife that he had seen online was not of Luca''s face, Marcos could see that Luke valued that woman a lot through his words and actions. Hence, Matysh could noty a finger on her. "It''ste. I should go back and take a rest. Uncle, get some rest. It''s not toote for you to practice tomorrow." Marcos shot a nce at Matysh, then he turned around and left. Matysh closed the door without an expression on his face. Then, he picked up his phone. "Investigate this person for me." After the call had gotten through, he gave his order without waiting for the person on the other end of the line to reply. Chapter 2080 The following day. Luca was packing her luggage in the hotel room as they would be traveling back to the capital tonight. The doorbell rang. Luca recalled that the makeup artist had told her that she would being over to bring the dress and jewelry back. Hence, she walked out of her room. She coincidentally ran into Luke. "It''s the makeup artist," Luca took the initiative to exin to him. "Okay." Luke nodded. Carrying his cup, he walked into the kitchen. Luca went to open the door. Three people were standing outside the door. There was the makeup artist and her assistant. She did not know the other woman, but she looked familiar to her. "Ms. Aisha, this is Ms. Craw." The makeup artist introduced Aisha to Luca once Luca opened the door. Aisha was shocked after they handed Luca''s photo to herst night. The expression on her face was exactly how it was on their faces the moment they saw Luca in that dress. Aisha muttered to herself after being shocked, "I didn''t expect anyone to be able to pull it off. She''s the perfect embodiment of this dress. She''s the model I''m looking for!'' It was not because Aisha had never looked for any models with Western appearances but almost all of them who wore the dress could not portray the style features of the dress. She had been putting a lot of effort to look for someone to model the dress. She ended up spending a lot of thepany''sbor and resources but found nothing. Her boss had no choice but to stop her from constantly changing the models. Aisha thought no one in this world would be able to pull the dress off perfectly. That was why she took another dress out to make it the highlight of the fashion show. The moment she saw the photo, Aisha told the makeup artist that she had to inform her when she was heading over to collect the dress tomorrow. She would being along. "Ms. Craw, nice to meet you. I''m the designer of the dress you worest night." Aisha took the initiative to shake hands with Luca. "Nice to meet you." Luca shook her hand back and soon withdrew it, keeping a distance between them. She could roughly guess what was going on when she realized that the designer was here to visit her. ¡°Ms. Craw, I came here to discuss something with you," said Aisha. She was hoping that Luca could be her model. A dress that was so difficult to pull off looked so beautiful on her. Luca would surely look stunning in some of the other clothes she designed. "Pleasee in." Luca knew what they were going to say to her, but it would be impolite for her to have them stand outside the door. Besides, she did not know whether Abel, who was in the room next door, had checked out of the hotel or not. After she returned from the police station, she did not see any of the members of the Ind of Despair showing up around here... The three of them walked into the suite. Luke walked out with his cup refilled and saw the three of them. His brows slightly furrowed. "The dress and jewelry are all in there," said Luca. Aisha''s eyes brightened up when she saw Luke. Were they a couple? It would be perfect if Luke and Luca could be her models. Then she would not have to worry about looking for models in the future. Luke noticed Aisha''s gaze on him and frowned. He walked into the room immediately and closed the door. Aisha was startled for a moment, realizing that it was too obvious that she was staring at him without feeling embarrassed. She quickly exined, "Ms. Craw, I''d like the man we saw just now and you to be my models. Ourpany will provide you with high pay and some excellent resources." "I''m sorry but we''re not interested in bing models." Luca turned her down right away without considering that it would hurt the designer''s feelings. "May I know the reason? You and the man have the perfect qualities to be a model. I believe that if both of you be my models, you''ll¡ª" Aisha tried to convince Luca. She had this feeling that if she was able to convince Luca, the man who walked into the room would agree too. The assistant''s phone rang. She nced at it. It was news about M Group. There was a photo on the news, and it was a photo of the signing ceremony of M Group and T Corporation. That man. There was no need for a CEO of a bigpany to earn money by bing a model. N?velDrama.Org content. The assistant knew Aisha very well. Once she set her eyes on someone and wanted them to be her model, she would not give up easily even if she was turned down. It was because herpany''s boss would back her up. However, theirpany was no match for T Corporation, so it would be better not to embarrass themselves. The assistant took the risk of getting scolded by Aisha, tugged on her sleeve, and said, "Ms. Aisha, please take a look at this." "What¡ª" Aisha shot an impatient nce at her assistant for interrupting her. The assistant handed her phone to Aisha. Aisha nced at it and understood at once. That man was the CEO of T Corporation. How could she ask him to be her model and say that he would be paid a high sry... Even though she had her boss'' support, how much would she have to pay to exceed the pay of the CEO of a corporation? Aisha knew that she had been too rash and embarrassed herself. Although Luke was unable to be her model, it was still possible for the woman in front of her. Although they were staying in the same suite, she was pretty sure that Luca was not Luke''s wife. There were no wedding rings on their fingers. Hence, Aisha reckoned that Luca was his mistress. Mistresses like her had always dreamed of bing an actress or a model. She could make Luca agree to be her model as long as she put in some effort to persuade her. Luca said, "Ms. Aisha, it''s a great honor to have gained your recognition, but I''m busy with my work. And I''m not interested in bing a model, debuting, or entering the entertainment industry. Let me get the dress and jewelry for you." Aisha and the makeup artist exchanged nces with each other. ¡°Ms. Aisha, I told you she wouldn''t agree with it." The makeup artist had already told her after learning about Aisha''s intention. However, Aisha refused to believe that she could not convince Luca, so she insisted on giving it a try anyway. Now, it seemed like they would still end up getting the same answer even if they tried. "Why is it so hard to convince her?" Aisha frowned. Luca took the dress and jewelry out. She even looked for the hotel''s staff to borrow their steamer and steamed the dress. That was why it looked like no one had put it on before. She ced the dress and jewelry on the sofa and said, "Take a look at them. Please look for Mr. Doyle for the payment if there''s no problem with it." The makeup artist quickly looked at the jewelry. The entire set of jewelry wasplete and fine. Not even one piece of diamond had fallen off. She shot a nce at Aisha. Aisha was unconvinced and said, "Ms. Craw, if you don''t have time to be my model, how about this? I heard that you''re very fond of this dress. Why don''t we doll you up and put on the dress for you today? You''ll only need to be our model for an afternoon. After we''re done with the photo shoot, I''ll give the dress to you as a gift." Aisha still wanted Luca to wear her dress and take some nice photos. Even though Luca could not appear in front of others in that dress, Aisha thought it would be great enough to show some photos of her in the dress to others. Chapter 2081 Aisha looked at Luca with confidence. The makeup artist told her that Luca loved the dress, and she was willing to pay a high price to purchase the dress. That was why Aisha used it as a bargaining chip to get the chance to cooperate with Luca. Luca frowned when Aisha just could not stop pestering her. Then, she declined and said, "I''m sorry. I''m going back to my country today. Please bring back the dress and the jewelry." The dress was beautiful, but it was only a piece of clothing to her. It was not something irreceable. Aisha refused to give up and insisted, "We have a branch office in your country. We can hold the photoshoot there if it''s possible." Luca secretly let out a sigh. How could this woman not give up no matter how hard she tried to reject her? The makeup artist beside Aisha felt that Aisha was trying too hard. No matter how hard she tried to convince Luca, Luca had no intention of bing her model. "Ms. Aisha, why don''t we¡ª" Aisha nced at her impatiently and said, "Pack the dress and jewelry and leave first. I have something to discuss with Ms. Craw." Luca was about to speak when she saw Lukeing out of his room. He did not close the door, so he would have heard the conversation between them. "Are you done yet?" Luke deliberately asked. Luca shook her head. Aisha could not help but exim while looking at the man in front of her. If it were not for his outstanding achievements, she would have tried to convince him to be her model too. His body proportions were much better than most Western men. He was born to look good in anything. If she had a personal model like him, she would gain more inspiration for her designs. "Sir, I¡ª" Before Aisha could say anything, she was interrupted by Luke. "She doesn''t need this dress. Pack your things and please leave." Luke put on a cold expression on his face and rejected her. Aisha looked startled. Did he not know about her international fame? The royals and nobles in Europe would look for her to tailor-make their clothes when they had to attend any parties or events. Moreover, they would not always get the chance to customize their clothes... "Sir, here''s my name card." Aisha took her name card out of her bag, trying to tell Luke who she was. However, Luke did not even nce at it. Realizing that she did not intend to leave, he picked up the hotelndline beside him and called the receptionist. Then, he spoke in Russian, ¡°Please have your security guardse up here.¡± The makeup artist was surprised to hear that and quickly said, "Sir, please leave the security guards out of this. We''ll leave right away.¡± Aisha widened her eyes and looked at the man in front of her incredulously. Tons of people out there dreamed of bing her model, hoping to wear the haute couture she designed. The wives and daughters of those wealthy men did not even have the chance to get one of them. However, the man and woman in front of her could not tell chalk from cheese. Aisha got furious. The makeup artist asked her assistant to keep the dress and jewelry. Then, she held Aisha''s hand and said, "Ms. Aisha, we should leave." It would be embarrassing if they stayed longer and got chased out by the guards. Aisha was famous in the fashion industry in Russia. The receptionist could recognize Aisha with just a nce when Aisha talked to the receptionist downstairs not long ago. If she were chased out by the guards and seen by those people, she would be all over the inte. Aisha was reluctant to leave, but she had to take care of her reputation. Knowing that she failed to negotiate cooperation with Luca, she looked at Luca and said with some bitterness, "Miss, you''ll regret rejecting me." Luca was rendered speechless. Was there anything that could make her regret it? She would not even have the chance to wear the clothes that Aisha designed again. "Take care. Goodbye," said Luca as she opened the door. The makeup artist bit the bullet. She grabbed Aisha''s hand and left. Luca closed the door once the three of them walked out of the suite, then she looked at Luke, who was still holding the phone. He said to the person on the other end of the line in Russian, "Never mind, we don''t need them anymore." After that, he hung up the phone and said to Luca, "Turn on the air purification mode in the AC." "Ah? Okay." Although Luca had no idea why he would ask her to do that, she turned on the air conditioner. Russia was located near the north, so they did not need the air conditioner. However, the hotel that they were staying in was a luxury hotel. Even though the heating system was installed, the hotel installed air conditioners in the suite too. However, the air conditioners were practically decorations. Luca turned on the air conditioner and switched it to the purifying mode. "That woman''s perfume stinks," Luke exined to her when she was carrying out his instructions. Luca was stunned for a moment. He must be talking about Aisha. The perfume she wore was truly pungent. The corners of Luca''s lips curled into a smile. She turned around and said to Luke, ¡°Mr. Crawford, I''m going to pack my stuff first." "Okay." Luke watched her walk back into her room. Then, he returned to his room too. Luca stood beside the bed and looked at the jewelry box ced on the bed. This was the sapphire jewelry set that Luke gave her. She could not return it to him, so Luca picked up her clothes and towels. Then, she wrapped the jewelry box carefully to prevent the jewelry set from breaking by ident while she was on her way back home. After she wrapped a fewyers of clothes and towels around the jewelry box, she carefully ced the jewelry box in the luggage. Then, she ced anotheryer of clothes on top of it. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, she brought more clothes with her this time due to the cold weather here. Otherwise, she would be forced to carry the expensive jewelry set with her while constantly keeping an eye on it. On the other hand. Matysh got his hands on the information rted to Luca. He frowned when he was reading the information, and he said to the person on the other end of the line, "She''s Russian?" "Yes. ording to the information given, she followed her mother and immigrated here. But I had too little time. I didn''t manage to find out who her family members are," replied the detective on the other end of the line. Matysh always had a purpose whenever he asked him to conduct a background investigation on a woman. It was mostly because that woman refused to listen to Matysh. That was why he wanted detailed information about that woman. Then, he would force her into submission by targeting her weaknesses. The detective had worked with Matysh several times, and that was why he knew about all the dirty tricks Matysh used. Matysh said with dissatisfaction, "You''re too slow. Make it quick. I want her family members'' information." He did not think that Luca was born into a noble family. She was only an ordinary person from an ordinary family. He only had to ask someone to threaten her family members. After doing that, she would have toe to his side and offer herself to him even if she was not in Russia. "Noted, Mr. Matysh. I''ll hurry up," replied the detective. The person Matysh wanted to investigate was only an ordinary person. That was why he gave his promise and reckoned that he would be able to dig into Luca''s background soon. Matysh hung up the call. He stroked his chin while reading the information. The photo on the paper was Luca''s ID photo without any makeup on. "This woman is pretty," said Matysh. Her bare face looked beautiful even though she did not have any makeup on. His desire of making her his woman grew even deeper. Chapter 2082 On the other side of the manor. Mr. Valentin informed Marcos of the news about Matysh asking someone to investigate Luca. Marcos'' eyes darkened. Matysh did not listen to his advice. Mr. Valentin realized Marcos was keeping silent and asked in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Marcos, should we stop Master Matysh?" "Who would be able to stop him?" Marcos'' tone was filled with disgust. Other than the elders in the family, no one could stop Matysh. However, no one in the family would care about Matysh''s ridiculous behavior. After all, they were proud and stubborn, thinking that they were still living in an era where having a strong and wealthy family background meant they could dominate everything. Even if what Matysh did was wrong, they would let him do whatever he wanted because of his status. Marcos had no right to speak no matter how much money he had earned for this family. It became clear to Marcos that he was little more than a money-making machine for this family. The reason was simple. Matysh could not bring more benefits and interests to their family. That was why Marcos was assigned to rece him and take over the business. He was merely a tool to them, not a true sessor. Hence, Marcos could not stop him even after he reminded Matysh. Matysh did not take him seriously either. None of the others would be able to stop him. "Master Matysh will get into trouble one day if he keeps doing this." Mr. Valentin let out a sigh. He understood that if Matysh offended M Group''s partners, the losses would be significant. However, the people in this family would only look at the oue instead of the reasons. When the time came, Matysh would not have to bear any responsibilities. The unlucky one would be the man in front of him as he was carrying the weight of the family business on his shoulder. Marcos would have to take up the responsibilities. "You may leave first." A hint of brutality shed across Marcos'' eyes. Even though his family had given him enough authority to manage thepany, there were not many things that were under his control. If he turned against Matysh now, he would not be able to hold onto the slightest bit of authority that was given to him. He could not be bothered to have the entire M Group for himself. After all, he knew his capabilities. He could survive no matter where he went. However, he could not lose M Group now. He would not be able to look for his mother, who was abandoned by his family, if he lost his authority now. ¡°Yes, Mr. Marcos." Mr. Valentin did not disturb him any longer. He turned around and left the study. Once the door was closed, Marcos called his assistant and said, "Find out when Luke and his team are leaving Russia." "Boss, can''t we just ask him?" The assistant confirmed with him. After all, he did not need to find out about it if he just asked Luke himself. "No," said Marcos. "Alright, Boss. I''m on it." Marcos hung up the call after the assistant said so. Marcos stood up with a cigarette between his fingers that was left unlit. He nced at the scenery outside the window. Then, he pulled the curtains and took a document out of a safe. It was the document Luke had given to him. Thetter part of the document was information about his family, while the first part was about his mother''s whereabouts. He had always thought that his mother was pushed to a dead end by his family and she ended her life. However, he did not expect Luke to have some information about his mother. His mother was probably still alive... Marcos looked at the photo on the document. His mother and father had always been in love with each other, but his family refused to ept his mother because of her humble upbringing. His mother was only able to join their family because of his father. However, their good life came to an end after his father died of illness. His mother was kicked out of the family, and Marcos was forced not to see his mother. Thest news Marcos got about his mother was that she could no longer stand living a hard life, so she was choosing to end her life. Marcos was pretty sure that the news about his mothermitting suicide back then was fake when he now looked at the woman who had aged a lot in the photo. Luke did not have to lie to him by giving him fake news. It was nighttime when Marcos received a call from his assistant. "Boss, I''ve received news that Mr. Crawford and the others are at the airport. They''re preparing to board the ne and travel back." "Okay. I got it." Marcos hung up the call. It seemed like Luke was a smart man. He knew Matysh would not give up the thought of sleeping with Luca easily. That was why Luke would not remain in Russia. After all, this ce was not within his power and influence. Luke''s woman would be safe if they went back. This way, he would not have to take a lot of effort to protect Luke''s woman. It could save his efforts too. At the same time, Marcos could tell that Luke not only understood him well but he also knew everyone who yed an important role in his family. ¡°I enjoy working with smart people," said Marcos in a low voice. There was a knock on the door, and Mr. Valentin''s voice came from the other side of the door. "Mr. Marcos, dinner is ready." "Okay." Marcos picked up his phone and walked out of the studies. "Mr. Marcos, Mr. Matysh and Old Master Abaza will be having dinner together with you tonight," Mr. Valentin reminded. There were many family members in the family, but they normally had their own ns. Old Master Abaza, Marcos'' grandpa, would usually attend business dinners. They seldom ate dinner together as a family. Tonight, Old Master Abaza and Matysh would be having dinner together... "Got it," Marcos responded. He came to the dining room. Old Master Abaza and Matysh were already sitting at the dining table. "Good evening, Grandpa. Good evening, Uncle." Marcos gave them a warm smile and greeted them. After reading the document Luke had given him, he found out that Old Master Abaza had something to do with his mother''s disappearance. However, he could not show it on his face now. He was polite to them as usual. "Didn''t you go to the office today?" Old Master Abaza nced at Marcos and said in an icy tone. Old Master Abaza was not really fond of this grandson of his because of his mother''s humble upbringing. However, Matysh had failed to live up to his expectations. If it were not for the family''s interests, he would not have agreed to let Matysh stay in the family or for Marcos to run thepany. "There''s nothing important to do in the office today." Marcos sat down. "You can''t ck off either. I didn''t leave such a bigpany for you to enjoy your life." The old master looked at Marcos'' face which resembled his mother''s appearance. He could not help but make a fuss. The biggest failure in his life was to raise Marcos'' father. Marcos'' father fell in love with amoner and ruined their family''s bloodline, humiliating their family. "Alright, Grandpa," Marcos replied submissively without refuting. "Work hard." The old master stopped lecturing him when he saw the maids serving the dishes. "Let''s eat." Marcos picked up his knife and fork. He slowly started eating his dinner. Matysh, who was sitting beside him, seemed to have other things on his mind. He picked up the table knife with one of his hands while he swiped his phone screen with the other hand. "Whose message are you waiting for?" the old master asked when he noticed what Matysh was doing. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Matysh replied vaguely, "No one." "Then why are you looking at your phone? What happened?" Although his son had failed to live up to his expectations, the old master thought all those ridiculous things that Matysh did were nothing compared to Marcos'' father''s act of marrying amoner. That was why he was lenient with Matysh. Chapter 2083 "It''s not a big deal." Matysh did not say anything about his interest in Luca. After all, that woman was Marcos'' business partner. He had to keep it a secret without letting the old master, who put benefits and interests before everything, find out about it. The old master was able to guess what his son was thinking about. "Who caught your attention this time?" Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Matysh looked up and nced at the old master, saying indifferently, "Dad, I know my boundaries." "You''re getting older. Why don''t you settle down, get married, and raise a chubby grandson for me?" said Old Master Abaza. He knew Matysh and him were the same kind of people. Although Matysh was yful, he would take his future wife''s status and background seriously. That was why Old Master Abaza was not worried that he would be like Marcos'' father who married amoner. "I''m not ready yet. Dad, stop talking about this," replied Matysh. Marriage could take his freedom away. So far, he had never fallen in love or thought of marrying a socialite. After all, Matysh was not allowed to fool around if he married any of those women. Those women were proud and arrogant. They had the same status he did. They would never yield to their husbands. Hence, he would not be allowed to mess around. He might even have to cheer his wife up and give in to her. Matysh only wanted to be happy. He did not want to be bound by marriage and make his life miserable. "You''re a grown-up." Old Master Abaza''s face was contorted with rage. At the end of the day, he was not nning to let Marcos take over the family business. After all, half of the blood that Marcos carried in him came from that unpresentable woman. Old Master Abaza was already in the midst of choosing the perfect candidate to be Matysh''s wife. Although Matysh was popr for being a womanizer and an unfaithful man, he had a strong family background. Hence, there were still many women who would be willing to marry Matysh. Old Master Abaza was anxious about Matysh''s marriage and future family. He wanted to raise Matysh''s kids and train them to be the sessor of the family business. When the time came, Marcos would be worthless. He would have to get out of the family. "We''ll see." Matysh knew what the old master had in mind. Men were valuable no matter how old they were, especially the ones with high social standings like Matysh. Hence, he still wanted to fool around. ¡°You can fool around, but don''t get into deep trouble!" There was nothing the old master could do. He had no choice but to let Matysh do as he wished. He deliberately shot a nce at Marcos when he said this to Matysh. Matysh noticed the old master''s gaze. He curled the corner of his lips and said, "Are you still worried about me? It''s been years and I''ve never gotten any woman pregnant with a grandchild. You can rest assured that I''ll never do such things." Marcos'' hands that were cutting the steak paused for a moment. They were talking about their dissatisfaction with his status through hidden meanings. Marcos ced his cutleries down on the table. Then, he picked up his wine ss and took a sip of red wine. Every gesture he made was so perfect that it could be a textbook example of table manners. He worked hard to study these etiquettes since he was young, but what did he get from learning all these and doing them right? They simply despised him because of his mother''s upbringing. ¡°Grandpa, why aren''t you curious about the woman Uncle wants this time?" Marcos put down the wine ss and looked at them with a smile on his face. Matysh was startled, and he glowered at him. How did Marcos know that he had not given up on her yet? Matysh looked at how calm Marcos was, and he could feel a shiver run down his spine. Why did he have this feeling about Marcos bing shrewd and unpredictable after he took over thepany? "What are you trying to say?" the old master asked. "Nothing. I think it''ll be better to leave some of the matters for Uncle to tell you himself." Marcos picked up the napkin and wiped his mouth. He rose to his feet with a smile lingering on his face as he added, "I''m done. I''m going upstairs to do some work." As the old master watched Marcos leave the table, there was a hint of shrewdness in his cloudy eyes. Then, his gaze fell on Matysh''s face again. He said, "Tell me. What''s the matter?" "Dad, I know what I''m doing. Don''t listen to him." Matysh did not tell him. The old master heard this and stopped talking about the subject. He said something significant, "Marcos is getting harder to control." Matysh smiled and said disdainfully, "No matter how capable he is, thepany shares are still in our hands. Dad, don''t worry." On the other hand. Marcos returned to his study after he left the dining room. He opened his inbox and sent an encrypted file to Luke with the remark: [The password is ''mst''. I look forward to working with you.] Luke was sitting in the lounge at the airport. His flight was dyed because of the snowstorm. Hence, he was sitting here, waiting for the pre-boarding announcement together with Luca. His phone rang. He picked his phone up and nced at it, then he immediately tapped on the file in his email. Jason brought a few cups of coffee and walked toward them. ¡°Boss, would you like to have some coffee?" Luke did not take it from him. He replied to Jason while he was typing the password, "Put it down." Jason put the cup of coffee down and looked at Luca. He raised another cup of coffee that he was holding in his hand and asked her if she wanted it by giving her a nce. Luca shook her head. She did not really need the coffee. Jason held the cup of coffee and returned to his seat. Luke was reading the file that Marcos had sent to him. After he decrypted the file, he saw that the file contained everything about the skeletons in Matysh''s closet. Luke had conducted a background investigation on the important family members in Marcos'' family, but it was unlikely that he would be able to dig out such detailed information about the family. After all, wealthy families like these were not allowed to have any scandals. Sometimes, it was unavoidable, so they would normally ask their PR teams to quickly handle all the scandals. As for the reason why Marcos would send this information to him... Luke lifted his head and nced at Luca, who was sitting opposite him. It was because of her. Marcos was reminding him that Matysh had not given up the idea of getting Luca. If Matysh did something behind their backs, Luke would be able to stop him with all this information. Luca noticed Luke''s gaze was on her. She lifted her head and looked at Luke too. "Mr. Crawford, what''s the matter?" Luca noticed that the expression on Luke''s face was gloomy. Was Luke getting impatient because of the flight dy? Luke picked up the cup of coffee and took a sip. Luca had nothing to do with Matysh''s matter. He could not me Luca for it. It pissed him off knowing that the other men were always eyeing his woman. No matter if it was now or in the past. However, she still belonged to him no matter who was eyeing her. "Nothing." Luke put down his cup of coffee and asked Luca, "Would you like to eat something?" "I''m not hungry," said Luca as she shook her head. Luke took his eyes off Luca and sent a message to Marcos: [Thank you.] [Safe flight.] Marcos did not say anything else about the matter. He just expressed his well wishes. Luke kept his phone in his pocket. An announcement was made at this moment. The passengers taking the flight were allowed to board the ne now. The announcement was made in Russian. Luke and Luca stood up at the same time. Jason and the others stood up too when they saw them standing up. Luke said without an expression on his face, "It''s time to board." They boarded the ne one after another and left Russia. Luca''s seat was arranged next to Luke''s. After Luca boarded the ne, she asked for a nket from the stewardess. Then, she covered herself with the nket and began to rest. Chapter 2084 Luke did not say a word while he looked at Luca who was quietly closing her eyes and resting. After traveling with Luca a few times, Luke could feel that Luca was especially quiet when she was beside him. Luca would take the chance to get some rest once she got into the mode of transport when they were traveling long distances. Luke took his eyes off her. The stewardess started to distribute the meals to the passengers after the ne had reached its cruising altitude aspensation for the flight dy. Luke made a silent hand gesture when he watched the stewardess carrying the tray and walking toward him. The stewardess noticed the woman beside him was taking a nap with a nket covered over her. She secretlyplimented him for his consideration of the woman next to him. Then, she handed the menu to Luke. Luke shook his head to tell her that he did not need it. The stewardess nodded and continued to ask the next passenger. The flight took almost ten hours. An announcement was made when the ne was ready tond. Luca slowly woke up. She had been sleeping for almost ten hours and felt drowsy. She was unable to understand what the situation was now. She looked at Luke in a daze, who was sitting next to her. Only then did she remember that they were on a ne. The announcement was repeated once again, and Luca learned that they were about tond. It took almost ten hours to travel from Russia to the airport in A City. She recalled that she fell asleep after she got on the ne, and she could not remember if she had woken up in between. Had she been sleeping for almost ten hours then? In her sleep, she had a sweet dream, not a nightmare. "You''re awake?" Luke asked. He ced a ss of milk in front of her. "You haven''t eaten or drunk anything for ten hours. Drink some milk first. The ne is about tond." Luca only felt hungry after Luke said so. Even though she usually slept on afortable bed, she had to rely on those medicines to make her sleep. She would not be able to sleep that long either. ¡°Thank you.¡± Luca''s voice sounded a little hoarse after waking up. She took the milk and gulped it down. She needed to replenish her energy. After she finished drinking the milk, the stewardess came to inform the passengers that the ne was about tond and reminded them to fasten their seatbelts. The stewardess saw the ss that Luca was holding in her hands. She smiled and said, ¡°Miss, you''re finally awake. Please give me the ss." Luca handed the empty ss to the stewardess. Even the stewardess knew that she had been sleeping for ten hours... She thought that it was to Luke''s credit that she was able to sleep soundly. Luca felt safe having Luke by her side. She was aware a long time ago of the fact that Luke was her cure. The ne sessfullynded at the airport in A City. Luca followed behind Luke and got out of the ne. What weed them was the snow fluttering down from the sky. Luca could not help but be dazzled by the beauty of the white snow in the air. She had already missed the first snow that she had been looking forward to while they were making their way to Russia. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Luca looked at Luke''s tall figure from behind. Before this, she was still looking forward to spending time with him and the kids on the day of the first snowfall. However. Luca could not help but feel upset. She only wanted to reminisce about past sweetness on the first snowfall of the year. However, God did not give her the chance to do so. After she got off the ne, Jason arranged for them to get their luggage back sessfully. Jason looked at Luke and reported to him, "Boss, Zander is already waiting at exit A." "Okay." Luke shifted his gaze and looked at the other employees. "Thanks for the hard work all this while. All of you may take a day off tomorrow ande back to work the day after tomorrow." "Thank you, Boss." All of them were surprised to hear that Luke was allowing them to take a day off work. They returned home with warm smiles on their faces after thanking Luke. Jason''s house was out of Luke''s way, so he went out of the airport and hailed a ride back home. Even if his destination was right on Luke''s way, he would not dare to be the third wheel. Luke looked at Luca and said in a low voice, "Come on. Let''s go home." Luca''s ears were flushing red when she heard what he said. He said they would go home. She walked out of the airport and kept up with Luke''s pace. It was cold out there as the wind whistled. Despite the cier winter wind, Luca''s heart was especially warm because of what Luke said. She was way past the age when she would blush just because of a few words. However, Luke''s words would always make her face redden. Perhaps, it was not because of her age nor the words he said that made her blush but it was him. She caught up with Luke''s pace as she watched Luke walk toward Zander''s car. Zander smiled and greeted them, ¡°Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, wee home." Luca nodded at Zander embarrassedly. Although what Zander said was not as overwhelming as Luke''s words, they were heart-warming too. "Zander, it''s been a long time." Zander strolled to the back of the car and opened the trunk. Then, he said cheerfully, "Yes. I didn''t expect Mr. Crawford and you to be off for a business trip for such a long time. Besides, Mr. Crawford even had his ster cast removed." He was surprised to see Luke walking toward him. Luke lifted his luggage and ced it in the trunk after it was opened. Then, he took Luca''s luggage and put it in too. Zander thought of helping him, but Luke was so quick that it only took him a while to put two big pieces of luggage in the trunk. "Young Master, I should be the one doing this." "Never mind. Let''s go," said Luke. Zander had been working as a driver for the Crawford family for years. He was getting old, so Luke would try his best not to trouble him with such heavy lifting jobs if he could do it himself. "Yes," replied Zander. After he closed the trunk, he scurried forward and opened the back seat door. Luke let Luca get into the car first. Luke signaled Zander to close the door after Luca bent down and climbed into the car, while he walked to the other side of the car, opened the door, and got in. Zander walked to the driver''s seat, opened the door, and got in. He fastened the seat belt and asked, "Young Master, are you going back to the vi or Crawford Manor?" "Vi," replied Luke. He nned to go to Crawford Manor tomorrow to join Old Master Crawford for dinner. "Alright, Young Master." Zander drove and left the airport. Luke shot a nce at Luca, who was sitting beside her. Her face was blushing red as though she had a frostbite on her face. Then, his children came into his mind. Tommy and the others had been looking for him all throughout. They would always ask about Luca''s condition. Luke was injured, and Luca no longer had the time and energy to take care of the kids. That was why he sent them to Crawford Manor. It had been a month since then. The kids must miss Luca a lot. Luke said, "The kids are going to school tomorrow, right?" Zander knew why Luke was asking him this, so he answered, "Yes, Mr. Crawford. The school doesn''t usually close unless there''s a blizzard." "Don''t send them to Crawford Manor after they finish school tomorrow. Bring them to the vi," said Luke. The kids missed Luca, and it was time for them to meet her again. Zander smiled. He nced at the two of them through the rearview mirror. "That''s wonderful. Young Master nche, Young Master Tommy, and Ms. Rainie will be very happy. All they have in mind are the two of you, Young Master Luke and Ms. Craw." Luca blinked her eyes. She was not surprised to know that the kids were missing her. Chapter 2085 Luca sighed when she heard what Uncle Zander said. She was not a qualified mother. The children''s affection and their thought of longing to see Luca again would only end up in vain. Uncle Zander noticed that Luke and Luca were not talking to each other, so he added, "Young Master nche, Young Master Tommy, and Ms. Rainie have been behaving themselves. When they talk to Old Master Crawford, they''d always ask about Young Master Luke''s recovery and when the two of you were returning.¡± Luca''s heart was filled with bitterness while listening to Uncle Zander''s chatters. She could only conceal her feelings and smile as she went along with Uncle Zander, saying, ¡°They probably miss Mr. Crawford more.¡± Luke raised his brows. She had no idea that the kids had already found out about her true identity, and that was why she would say something like this. Luca did not know that if the kids were to choose between him and Luca, they would always be on her side, not his. Luke and Luca got out of the car together after they arrived at the vi. Aunt Neile heard the noises and came out of the house to help. "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, you''re back." "Yes." Luke took Luca''s luggage out of the trunk and took it from him. Uncle Zander watched Luke take his luggage out of the trunk and said immediately, "Young Master Luke, let me do this." Luke thought it was an easy task to pull the wheeled luggage, so he left the rest to Uncle Zander. Uncle Zander and Aunt Neile were pulling the luggage in front of them while Luke and Luca walked behind them. Luca realized there were hardly any traces of greenery left in the yard after she came back from Russia. The nts that could survive cold winters were all covered with a white nket of snow after the snowstorm. Everything was in white. It looked dull, but not unpleasant to look at. "What are you looking at?" Luke noticed that Luca was looking around. Luca randomly pointed at a corner of the yard and said, "It''s snowing. The nts that can survive the winter have dropped their leaves and are covered with snow." "Would you like to see green nts?" Luke asked. He would ask someone to build a greenhouse right away if Luca wanted. He would nt every tree that she loved and look for a professional gardener to make them bloom in winter. As long as she wanted it, he could import the nts from the South and ask those professionals to make the flowers bloom. ¡°No. I''m just overwhelmed. The green leaves were still hanging on the trees before we headed to Russia. And it''s all fallen off now." Luca shook her head, looking at the naked branches adorned with snow. She could not help but exim. Coldness could make the world turn white and bring cold thoughts into people''s minds at the same time. Aunt Neile listened to their conversation, then she smiled and said, "Two days before the first snowfall, the leaves on the trees turned yellowish, then they fell off. But they''ll be sprouting buds again next year when springes." Luca smiled and followed them into the house. Aunt Neile added, "The garden was onlypleted this year. The flowers aren''t fully grown yet. Just wait for spring next year. The flowers will be fully grown, and the yard will soon be filled with a riot of colors. It''s going to be beautiful." Luca nodded. Perhaps it was a coincidence, but most of the flowers nted in the yard seemed to be the ones that she liked. After the winter hibernation, the flowers would grow beautifully next year if they were taken care of. However, her days to remain by Luke''s side were numbered. She had one day less each day she woke up. Would she have the chance to see the flowers in the garden bloom next year? Uncle Zander and Aunt Neile left after the two of them put down the luggage in Luke''s and Luca''s rooms respectively. Aunt Neile began to prepare dinner. Luke nced at Luca and said, "Get some rest if you feel tired." "Alright, Mr. Crawford." Luca walked into her bedroom and closed the door. She nned to tidy up the clothes in the luggage. She opened her luggage, then she removed everything inside the luggage and ced them on the bed. Luca was startled for a moment when she saw the jewelry box that was wrapped inyers of towels and clothes. She removed the towels and clothes and opened the jewelry box. The whole set of jewelry was fine. Luca let out a sigh of relief. Then, she closed the cover of the jewelry box and ced it in the closet drawer. There was no safe in her room unlike in Luke''s bedroom. Hence, she could only put it in the lockable drawer. Besides, Aunt Neile was Luke''s maid. She should be honest, so Luca was not worried about it. There was a weight off Luca''s mind after she kept the jewelry box. She let out a sigh of relief and continued packing her clothes. Aunt Neile made her way up the stairs and knocked on Luke''s bedroom door. "Mr. Crawford, Mr. Mallory is here," she said to the man inside the bedroom. Luca heard Aunt Neile''s voice too. Mr. Mallory? Her intuition told her that it could not be Pierre who came, so Luca thought the person who came must be Percy. Did Percye here because of the bidding document Pierre''spany submitted? Was Luke starting to investigate this matter? Was it not obvious that this had something to do with her? What else could he be investigating? Luca heard Luke''s voice while she was pondering. ¡°Bring Mr. Mallory to the tea room. I''ll be there in a moment." ¡°Yes, Mr. Crawford." Aunt Neile heard him and headed downstairs. She invited Percy to head to the tea room. Luca leaned behind the door, and she heard Luke''s door opening. Then, it was closed again. She reckoned that Luke must be heading downstairs to meet Percy. What would they talk about? Luca wanted to know, but this was Luke''s vi. There was no way she could eavesdrop on their conversation. In the tea room. As Percy watched Aunt Neile prepare some tea for him, he frowned and said, "No wine here?" "I''d like to have a ss of wine," said Percy. He had just brought Pierre back to the Mallory family''s manor, and he rushed here without a single halt. Percy had been on the cruise ship for the past few days. He was extremely exhausted. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Even though Pierre was tied up, he was a pain in the *ss. He tried so hard to escape and almost smashed a hole in the cruise ship to do so. "I''ll get that for you. What would you like to drink?" Aunt Neile knew Luke and Percy were close friends, so she dared not to disobey the guest''s order. "There''s no need to prepare that." Luke walked into the tea room and heard their conversation. "Why are you drinking early in the morning?" Aunt Neile nced at Luke and turned to look at Percy embarrassingly. "Luke, you heartless man. I just want to drink some wine." Percy was firm. He came here to talk to Luke, and he had always eyed Luke''s alcohol collection. "You''re thinking of my alcohol collection, right? Those bottles are kept in the wine cer in Crawford Manor. I didn''t bring them here." Luke sat down opposite him. Percy pulled a long face. "You''re so petty. I''ve hardly been able to get a good sleep for the past few days. Pierre, that b*stard, is difficult to deal with. If I wasn''t cautious enough, I might have had to swim back here. I''d just like to sip on a ss of wine to lift my mood, and you won''t even give it to me." "Lift your mood, huh? Aunt Neile, prepare a cup of coffee for Mr. Mallory." Luke gave his orders without an expression on his face. Chapter 2086 "Alright, Mr. Crawford." Aunt Neile left the tea room. Percy was dissatisfied and protested. "I''m so exhausted after the long trip. And you''re giving me a cup of coffee? What a heartless man!" "It was Pierre who caused the trouble. You deserved it." Luke''s words hit a nerve in Percy relentlessly. When Pierre was arrogant and domineering back then, Percy had no intention of stopping him. Instead, he spoiled him and let Pierre do whatever he wanted to. The Mallory family doted on him, and that was why Pierre behaved like that. He got into trouble everywhere he went, yet he showed no remorse or guilt for what he did. Percy would have to take up the responsibility of spoiling Pierre. He had to clean up the mess Pierre had made. The only difference was that Percy used to deal with the troubles that Pierre had gotten himself into. Now, Percy was the one sorting him out. Percy quickly waved his hand. Fortunately, Luke was his best friend. Otherwise, this matter would not have been solved that easily. "Stop talking about this. All I want to do now is to rip that bastard''s head off and ce it in the Mallory family''s hall." Luke raised his brows and replied, "Sure." Percy was already familiar with Luke. He poured himself a cup of tea and took a sip. Before he swallowed it, he heard what Luke said and almost spat out the tea. "Are you serious?" Luke poured a cup of tea for himself too and stopped talking nonsense with him. "Where is he now?" "I got him locked up," answered Percy. He let out a sigh. Percy had used up all his energy to bring Pierre back home this time. He nned to rest for a day or two, then he would bring Pierre to see Old Master Mallory and discuss how to solve the matter. "Will he be willing to let himself be tied up?" Luke was quite surprised to hear that. Now that the two brothers were not on good terms, the only thing left was to inform the media and the reporters about it. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "Can''t I use the hard way?" Percy finished drinking the cup of tea and sighed. Previously, Percy knew that his men would not be too hard on him when Pierre was tied up on the cruise ship. Hence, Pierre would look for the opportunity and make a scene out of it. Not only were Percy''s guards tricked by him, but the waiters on the cruise ship fell for it too. If it were not because the cruise ship was sailing in the middle of the ocean, somewhere one could never make it to thend even if one managed to escape, Pierre would have jumped off the cruise ship and swam away. "I regret it now. If I knew how difficult he was, I''d have drugged him and booked the whole ne back. It''s much better than sailing in the ocean for days," said Percy. He never thought that Pierre would resist so much when he brought Pierre back home. Percy thought it would be troublesome to book the whole ne as he would have to go through the procedures. Then, he remembered that his family owned a cruise ship in Russia. Hence, he asked his men to carry Pierre up the ship. ¡°But you finally managed to bring him back despite whatever you''ve gone through,¡± said Luke. He did not ask if Pierre admitted what he had done wrong, and he did not ask whether Pierre had told the truth. Luke knew Percy would not tell him about these. ¡°That''s true. Oh, I found this when I captured him in the hotel.¡± Percy took a phone and a card out of his pocket. ¡°What number is this?¡± Luke picked up the card and nced at it. It was a string of numbers, and his suspicion was aroused. ¡°It should be rted to the phone. After all, the card was ced together with the phone.¡± Percy pointed at the phone in front of him. ¡°I tried using my phone to call this number. I couldn''t get through it. But I can call the number with this phone.¡± ¡°What happens after you get through it?¡± Luke picked up his phone and observed it. It was an ordinary phone, and it was considered outdatedpared to the models nowadays. "A woman was speaking on the other end of the line. I tracked it down and found out it was located in a small city in Russia. There''s nothing significant about that ce," answered Percy. "It''s kind of suspicious." Luke''s instinct told him that it was something suspicious without a second thought. Percy nodded. It was suspicious indeed, but it was as though the person had foreseen this, so he handled it well without leaving any loose ends. That way, they would not be able to find out what was going on. Percy sent someone to pay a visit after Adrian found the address, but they found nothing special about it. ¡°I think this has something to do with that bastard purchasing the bidding document.¡± Percy guessed. Luke''s eyes darkened when he mentioned the bidding document. If Pierre had obtained the bidding document through this phone, then it was the Ind of Despair who was behind this. After all, he was pretty sure that Luca was being manipted by the mastermind of the Ind of Despair. The next thing he was going to do was find out who he was. Although it was a passive measure, he would not allow that person to continue manipting Luca to do illegal things. He could turn things around once he found out who the person was. Luke had worked together with Percy and the others to eliminate the Ind of Despair before. This time, they would be able to destroy the organization thoroughly without giving them another chance to rise again. "It''s the Ind of Despair," Luke took a sip of the tea and uttered. Percy knew the Ind of Despair had made aeback, but he did not expect the Ind of Despair to have something to do with this. He looked at Luke with surprise and said, "Are you sure?" Luke did not answer him when he heard footsteps outside the door. He turned to look in the direction of the door. Aunt Neile walked toward them with a smile on her face and ced the cup of coffee in front of Percy. She said, "Mr. Mallory, here''s your cup of coffee." "Thank you. It smells good," Percyplimented. "Aunt Neile, you may leave first. I have something to discuss with Mr. Mallory," said Luke. "Please close the door." "Alright, Mr. Crawford." Aunt Neile nodded and walked out of the tea room and closed the door for them. Percy took a sip of the coffee and said, "You should''ve asked Dr. Craw to join us." Luke shot him a nce. "Come on, you''re not that petty, right? It''s just a cup of coffee. The coffee Dr. Craw made must be good, huh?" After all, Luca''s true identity was Bianca. As Luke''s friend, Percy had had the opportunity to enjoy Luca''s coffee in the past. "Let''s get back to the point." Luke changed the subject of the conversation without concealing his possessiveness for Luca. "I''m pretty sure Luca is being manipted by someone from the Ind of Despair. She was the one who stole the fake bidding document that Pierre bought. That''s why it must be the Ind of Despair who''s behind this. Did Pierre say anything about it?" Luke had received an email when he was in Russia. He was sure of it after he saw Luca showing up nearby the restaurant. He was even more sure about it when she went to the police station together with the other members of the Ind of Despair. Percy shook his head and said, "Pierre didn''t say anything about the bidding document. He said nothing about this number too." Pierre had overreacted when Percy asked him about the card while holding it in his hands. However, Percy only looked at him resentfully with an evil grin on his face no matter what he asked. Chapter 2087 Something came across Percy''s mind. Then he said, ¡°Speaking of this, regarding the matter that you instructed Adrian to investigate, he looked up and found out that the IP address is located in this city. If Dr. Craw was the one who tipped you off, then who sent the email?" said Percy. Was she not afraid that she would get caught by asking someone to tip Luke off? "She has a nominal brother here," Luke reminded him while he made some tea. Percy patted the table. He hardly remembered Luca''s brother. If it had not been for Luke reminding him about his existence, Percy would have forgotten him. "If that''s what her brother did, then her brother must be aputer geek. He''s probably better than Adrian." Percy could not help but exim. After all, if it was really Amur who did it, they had already gone up against each other a few times. However, Adrian could only find out that his IP address was located in this city. He could not go into further details. It was only because the other party was swift inhis actions, so Adrian did not manage to track him down further. Percy could not help but feel sorry for Luca''s brother at the thought of this. That nominal brother of Luca''s must be one of the members of the Ind of Despair too. What a pity that he was working for them. It was a waste of his talent, and he was also risking his life to work for the organization. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Otherwise, Percy would have offered an olive branch to Amur. "Those who managed toe out alive from the Ind of Despair are all skilled." Luke had been there before, so he knew what it was like inside. Including Luca... Luca had gone through a lot of training and hardships to be who she was today. She clenched her teeth, endured it, and made it through. Only then she was able to get out of the Ind of Despair. Even though Luca''s target was Luke, Luke remembered how weak Luca used to be in the past. She spent her days there for three years, and other than the rage that Luke felt within him, he felt helpless and sorry for her. He could not protect the woman he loved the most when she was going through her most difficult times. Percy had never gone to the Ind of Despair before, but he could name everything that the Ind of Despair had done. Those measures did not seem like what an ordinary bodyguard could do. ¡°What are we supposed to do now that we''ve found out about these?" Percy looked at Luke. Luke did not suffer any losses after what happened, and Percy was the one who suffered real losses this time. However, it was Pierre''s fault for purchasing Luke''s bid document through illegal channels. After all, Pierre was thinking of getting the partnership without effort. He even thought of making Luke lose the right to join the bid this time. What a wicked idea he had in his mind. That was why Percy had no choice but to support Luke no matter what he was going to do. Pierre ended up in such a mess all because he brought it upon himself. As Pierre''s elder brother, Percy had warned him earlier not to mess with Luke, but he refused to listen to him. He chose to take this path, and it served him right. "I''m still thinking about it," said Luke. He needed an exnation for the stolen bidding document. Otherwise, it would arouse Luca''s suspicion. Although he had already prepared for this, what was he going to do after dispelling Luca''s suspicion? What method should he use to lure the mastermind of the Ind of Despair out? "Then what about Pierre? How do you intend to punish him? I can help as long as it''s not about taking his life," said Pierre. Although he disagreed with what Pierre had done, they were brothers, after all. Luke could take Pierre''s life, but he could not let Percy know about it. "Where does Old Master Mallory stand on this?" Luke asked. "Now, the old master prefers not to know about it. After what happenedst time, he sent someone to investigate the matter. Even though it was his mother and the others who helped to clean up the mess, the old master managed to find out something else. That''s why he''s annoyed and fed up with Pierre whenever he sees him," said Percy. Although things had turned out this way, Old Master Mallory did not stop giving him dirty looks just because of this. It was because Percy insisted on being together with Nina. Now that the old master refused to see either of the two brothers, Percy believed that someone else would have taken over thepany if there were other sessors in the Mallory family. He would have nothing to do with it. "Fed up, huh..." An idea came into Luke''s mind as he listened to Percy. Since Pierre bought the bidding document from someone on the Ind of Despair, then he must have a way tomunicate with the people of the Ind of Despair. Moreover, perhaps the person whom Pierre talked to was a pivotal figure of the Ind of Despair. If he could get the answers from Pierre, then he would have another lead for the investigation. Although Pierre refused to tell anything now, that did not mean he would not say anythingter. "Hand him to Old Master Mallory tomorrow. Then, leave the rest to me," said Luke. He knew that Percy was concerned about the rtionship between him and Pierre. It would be better not to let him participate in certain things. "Sure. I''ll bring him back to the Mallory family''s manor tomorrow and inform Old Master Mallory about it," said Pierre. Old Master Mallory would certainly criticize and lecture Pierre after he knew what happened. However, no matter how much he lectured him, Pierre was still his youngest grandson. The old master would not be too strict with him. However, things would certainly end badly for Pierre if Luke interfered with it. Percy picked up a cup of tea, thinking of toasting Luke. He said, "I''ve been sitting here for such a long time and I haven''t congratted you for getting the project." Luke picked up his cup of tea and toasted with him. "I have to thank Mallory Corporation''s support in making this happen." "Well said. Making money together, that''s what makes us good brothers," said Percy. Mallory Corporation and T Corporation had an indivisible stakeholder rtionship. Mallory Corporation would gain benefit from it when T Corporation got the project. Pierre knew about this, but he got in Luke''s way, thinking of making Luke a fool in front of everyone. That was why Percy would not defend Pierre this time no matter what. Not only did he try to ruin the benefits and interests of others, but he even wanted to ruin the family''s interests for the sake of his benefits. Would the Mallory family be able to depend on him in the future? The answer was obvious. On the other hand. Luca headed downstairs after she finished tidying up her clothes in the luggage. She came to the stairs. Then, she nced in the direction of the tea room. The door of the tea room was usually left open, but it was closed now. It seemed like Luke and Percy were still discussing their matters. What were they talking about? Was it about the bidding document? Luke never mentioned that Pierre had stolen the bidding document when they were in Russia. He did not suspect why Pierre was able to get the bidding document in front of her either. Was he waiting to deal with her when they came back here? Luca let out a sigh. She would have to be mentally prepared if Luke was going to deal with her. She was satisfied to have been able to keep Lukepany all this time. Aunt Neile walked out of the dining hall and saw Luca standing at the stairway. She asked, "Ms. Craw, why are you standing there?" "Nothing. Is Mr. Crawford still discussing matters with Mr. Mallory?" Luca asked. "Yes. It seems like the two of them are talking about something important. They asked me to close the door," Aunt Neile smiled and replied. Then, she asked Luca, "Dr. Craw, it''s almost lunchtime. Do I have to prepare lunch for Mr. Mallory?" Chapter 2088 Aunt Neile dared not to disturb them as they were discussing matters inside the tea room. She could not make the decision, and that was why she came to ask Luca. Luca nced at the time, then she nced at the tea room with the door closed. She said, ¡°Just prepare his portion. There''s nothing wrong with preparing more." Although Percy was Luke''s friend, it did not matter if they prepared lunch for him or not. However, this was basic courtesy. By preparing more, it might lead to more food wastage, but it would be impolite and drive the guests away if they did not prepare anything for him. "I think so too, but Mr. Mallory''s preferences..." Aunt Neile was afraid that the dishes she prepared would not suit Pierre''s taste. Luca said, "Prepare some home-cooked dishes. I remember that Mr. Mallory loves home-cooked dishes." "How do you know that?" Aunt Neile asked with curiosity. It was Percy''s first time staying here until lunchtime if she remembered it clearly. Luca was dumbfounded for a moment. She could not tell her that she had known Percy for a long time. She smiled and said, "Who wouldn''t like having home-cooked meals? Besides, he''s Mr. Crawford''s friend. So, there''s no need to make a big deal out of it. Come on, let me help you." "Thank you." Aunt Neile returned to the kitchen with a smile on her face. The meals that Luca prepared tasted good. Even if they were simple home-cooked food, it was so good that one would not be able to stop themselves from having more. The two of them were busy cooking in the kitchen while Luke and Percy drank tea in the tea room. They began to discuss work after talking about the trouble that Pierre had caused, then they talked about what had been happening in the business industry in A Citytely. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Have you heard about it? The municipal government is preparing to develop the desertednd in the western suburbs," said Percy. "Is it confirmed?" Luke asked. "Thend in the western suburbs was supposed to be an amusement park, but it''s been deserted for so long. Rumors about its development started when Lanie and Rainie were born." Percy assured him and said, "It seems real to me this time. Why don''t you ask your father-inw and see if you can ask him about it? It''s not about making things easier for us. If the government is really developing it, we''d better get ready to bid, right?" Although Luke would not have to worry about hispany''s operation for the whole year after getting M Group''s project, one could never have too much money when it was about running a business. Furthermore, if a smallpany got the development rights of thatnd, then the smallpany would be taken to greater heights. If Luke''s and Percy''spanies could get it, then theirpanies would be more powerful. Jack would surely know the government''s ns for development. However, it was unlikely that he would tell him. Luke said, "I''ll ask him, but I can''t be sure that I''ll be able to get any news from him. You should ask around too." "I know that your father-inw is famous for his honesty. There''s no way others can make him talk or get something from him. I can''t expect you to be able to get anything out of him either. I''ve already sent someone to find out who''s spreading the news." Percy was trying to figure out if the rumor was true. Luke nodded. They had to get this sorted out. The desertednd in the western suburbs was supposed to be a big amusement park, and it covered a wide area ofnd. If it was true that the government was developing it, then they had to fight for this project. Percy nced at the time and put down his cup, saying, "It''s lunchtime." Luke nced at the time on his watch. It was lunchtime indeed. They had been talking for more than an hour without even realizing it. "You should go." Luke rose to his feet, nning to send Percy off. Percy stood up too. He widened his eyes and looked at him, "I''m so tired from traveling back and forth. I even brought Pierre, that bastard, to you. You''re not nning to treat me to lunch?" "You''re thinking of having Luca''s home-cooked dishes, right?" Luke knew Percy well. Percy had always thought Luca was great at cooking. "So what? It''s not like I''m hitting on your woman. I just want to have lunch. What''s wrong with it?" said Percy, acting like a rascal as he followed Luke out of the tea room. "I''ve worked hard, and I didn''t even ask you to invite me to a restaurant for lunch. Why can''t you just invite me for a home-cooked meal?" "Aunt Neile will be preparing lunch today." Luke had just said that when Aunt Neile came out of the kitchen and saw the two of them. "Mr. Crawford, Mr. Mallory, have you finished discussing? Lunch is ready. Would you like to have lunch now?" Percy asked, "Aunt Neile, did you prepare my portion?" "Mr. Mallory, you''re the guest. Of course, we did. Besides, Ms. Craw helped to prepare lunch too," Aunt Neile smiled brightly and said. "Oh, so Dr. Craw prepared lunch. And she prepared my portion too. Then I should definitely stay for lunch." Percy walked into the dining room naturally like he was part of the family. Luca was standing beside the dining table with an apron on her. She was holding adle, scooping the soup into the bowl. She said to Percy when she saw him walking in, "Mr. Mallory, lunch is ready." There were four tes served on the dining table. Percy smiled and nodded. Luca knew how to please others, which was in stark contrastpared to Luke''s pettiness. Luke should have Luca by his side often. This way, Luke would not easily offend the people he met. Luke walked in and saw Luca still wearing the apron. He frowned. Then, he said, ¡°Leave it to Aunt Neile next time." "Mr. Crawford is right." Aunt Neile walked toward Luca and took thedle Luca was holding immediately. Luca had asked Aunt Neile to inform the two of them that lunch was ready. Aunt Neile did not expect Luca to do such things after she walked away. She was embarrassed and said, "Ms. Luca, please take a seat." Luca did nothing when she saw Aunt Neile behaving that way. She had no choice but to sit down on the chair. Aunt Neile walked into the kitchen and served the dishes she had prepared together with Luca on the table after serving them the soup. "Looks good," Percymented. "I don''t know what you''d like to have for lunch, so I just made these from the ingredients that I could find in the fridge," said Luca. Percy looked at all the food served on the table. Those were ordinary home-cooked dishes. These dishes would never appear on the menu of those five-star restaurants. However, Percy had tried Luca''s home-cooked food before and knew that her food tasted much better than the ones served in a Michelin-starred restaurant. "I enjoy eating home-cooked meals. And I enjoy eating whatever Nina likes to eat," said Percy. Luca might not know about his taste or preferences, but she would know about Nina''s favorite foods. Luke sat down and looked at the dishes served on the table. He thought to himself, ''Percy is just lucky today.'' "Get Nina to prepare home-cooked meals for you if you enjoy having them," Luke took a sip of the soup and said in a cold voice. Percy shook his head and replied, "Nina is a terrible cook. That''s why I never ask her to go into the kitchen." "Is it appropriate toment on your fiancee like that?" Luke questioned him. "Fiancee?" Luca could not help but look at Percy with surprise. Chapter 2089 ¡°Yes, Nina is my fiancee now," Percy admitted. As Nina''s best friend, Luca wanted Nina to be happy. Although the Mallory family was still against it, Percy insisted on holding an engagement ceremony. It was a simple ceremony, but he did it with all his sincerity and wholeheartedly. Percy believed that he could give Nina a happy and blissful life. Luca turned to look at Luke. Was this true? How did that happen out of the blue? "He went to look for the priest on the second day we went to Russia. He grabbed Nina with him and got the engagement ceremony done," Luke told her. "Yes. We were low-profile. I only informed my family and a few close friends about this. But we didn''t invite anyone to our engagement ceremony. That''s why Nina didn''t tell anyone either," said Percy. N?velDrama.Org content. Percy was worried that someone would mess up the engagement ceremony. He kept a low profile before the engagement ceremony. Only after the ceremony was over did he inform his family and Luke. Nina was worried that her greedy mother would mess things up if she told anyone about this. That was why she decided not to tell anyone about the engagement to prevent the news from getting into Anna''s ears. Percy only admitted it in front of Luca because he knew Luca was not the kind of person who would spill the beans. She would always side with Nina at all times. "I see." Luca understood why Nina would conceal it. It was because she had a greedy mother and brother. Anna and Jean would do unscrupulous things to gain benefits from Percy as long as Nina told them that she and Percy were engaged. Even if they did not benefit from it, it was inevitable that they would use Percy''s name to make things easier for them. The best way was to not let them find out that the two of them were engaged. After all, no matter how avaricious Anna and Jean were, they were concerned about their future too. That was why they dared not use Percy''s name to do whatever they wanted out there to avoid getting into trouble and Percy ming Nina for it. If the two of them broke up, Anna and Jean would not be able to take advantage of him anymore. "Mr. Mallory, there''s something I''d like to know." Luca''s expression became serious as she gazed at him. "Say it." The blissful smile on Percy''s face faded. Luca was Nina''s best friend, and Percy knew what Luca was going to say after knowing that they were engaged. Luca only wanted to hear him saying that he would promise to make Nina happy. "Are you sure you''d like to tie the knot with Nina? That means you''ll ept whoever she is, and you won''t give her up easily no matter what happens in the future. Will you be able to do that?" Luca asked. "Of course, I will." Percy nodded. Luca smiled when she heard his answer. She was sure that Percy loved Nina. It would be enough if he could give her the best things in life and protect her well. Nina''s life was hard back then, and she was not happy. Fortunately, she met Percy, a man who could give her a sense of security and bring happiness to her. Pleasure came through the toil. It was a happy ending. "Mr. Crawford, Mr. Mallory, let''s eat. The dishes won''t taste as good once they''re cold." Luca did not continue talking about Nina, and she did not ask Percy to promise any other things either. After all, things were easier said than done. Besides, this was Nina''s choice, and she had done the right thing. Hence, as a friend who wished for Nina''s happiness, Luca had nothing else to say. She only wished that Nina and Percy would live a lifetime of love and happiness and that their years ahead to be filled with joy. Luke looked at the smile on Luca''s face. He knew Luca felt happy for Nina. Percy knew he had already passed Luca''s test, so he smiled. Then, he picked up a piece of steak with garlic butter. He could not help butpliment it after tasting it, "I should''ve brought Nina here. It''s her favorite steak with garlic butter." "You''re even thinking of bringing your fiancee here to scrounge free meals?" Luke could not help but mock him. He was actually not that petty. He just did not want Luca to trouble herself. Although Luca''s wound was almost healed, what had happenedst time would always make him feel shocked and uneasy. Luca had such a serious wound on her, but she concealed it from him for such a long time... Did that mean he was no longer dependable in her heart? Otherwise, why would she keep it to herself for that long? "It''s not a big deal for us to contribute some ingredients. All we need is for Dr. Craw to show off her cooking skills," Percy said jokingly. "Sure," answered Luca. She took another sip of the soup. "It''ll be great to eat together. But only if you''re done dealing with that brother of yours. After that, I''ll invite you over for a meal." Luke deliberately mentioned Pierre in front of Luca. Percy knew what Luke was up to, so he went along with him and said, "No problem. I''ll make sure Pierre, that bastard, learns his mistake. And I''m not going to let him get away with it easily." Luca''s heart skipped a beat when she listened to their conversation. They were talking about Pierre''s bidding document, right? Luca lifted his head and nced at the two of them. They looked calm. After all, although it was Pierre''s fault this time, Luke did not suffer any losses. It was normal for Luke to behave normally. Luca helped herself with some food and concealed the uneasiness in her heart by focusing on having her lunch. Percy left after lunch. Luke headed to the entrance and picked up his car keys. Then, he looked at Luca who was walking out of the dining room and said, "I''m going to Crawford Manor. Would you like to join me?" Luca was surprised. Was he not nning to go to Crawford Manor tomorrow? "I feel a little tired..." Luca declined. Although she wanted to meet the children, Crawford Manor would always give her a feeling of uneasiness. "Get some rest. I might note back for dinner tonight." Luke put on his coat and left the house. Luca looked at the scarf hanging on the coat hanger and pursed her lips. She picked up the scarf and walked out of the house. A gust of cold wind blew against her, and she shivered for a moment. Then, she pursed her lips and trotted toward Luke. "Mr. Crawford, please put on the scarf." Luke was surprised to see the woman in front of him. The cold wind was whistling, and Luca had not put on any warm clothes. He frowned and said, "It''s cold. Hurry back into the house." "Alright." Luca stuffed the scarf in Luke''s hands and hurried back into the vi. Luke looked at Luca''s slim figure from behind, then he nced at the garage that was not far away from him. He frowned. "It looks like I have to use the basement parking lot next time." Luca would not have to feel cold again if she wanted to give him something next time. Luke was in a hurry to move in after he bought the vi. The basement parking lot was not ready yet when the house was still under renovation, and even the elevator was not installed yet. Now that they had moved into the house, it was left upleted. Luke thought to himself that he would still have toplete the renovation. He nced at the scarf in his hands. Then, he wrapped the scarf around his neck. It felt warm. Luke left the vi. Luca stood in front of the window, watching Luke leave the house. Then, she slowly shifted her gaze away. Aunt Neile came out from the dining room and asked with confusion, "Ms. Craw, what are you looking at?" Chapter 2090 "It''s snowing again." Luca let out a sigh. She was unconsciously hiding the fact that she was seeing Luke off from Aunt Neile. "Yes. I remember that it''s your first time spending the winter here, right? Although it''s not as cold as it is in Russia, it''ll snow every day after winteres," replied Aunt Neile. Luca nodded. Before she walked away from the window, she said, "Aunt Neile, I''m going upstairs to get some rest." "Alright, Ms. Craw. Take care," Aunt Neile replied happily. Luca made her way up the stairs. She did not rest as she had slept for more than ten hours on the ne. She was full of energy. Luca returned to her bedroom and picked up her phone. She sent a message to Amur and told him that she hade back from Russia. Amur did not reply to her. Luca was not in a hurry to give him a call either. She thought of finding a chance to visit him. When she was in Russia, she did not follow up with the experiments going on in theb. Luca called Rhett at the thought of this. "Dr. Craw, are you back?" Rhett was surprised to receive a phone call from Luca. "Yes. Oh, how''s the experiment going?" Luca asked. The research would have beenpleted and the drug would have been released on the market if Luke had not asked her to follow up with M Group''s project. Rhett was startled for a moment and hesitated, "The research..." "What''s the matter?" Luca asked. She knew something must have happened when she heard him say that. "There''s something wrong with the research data. It''s slightly different from what we expected," Rhett replied helplessly. Luca was surprised and asked, "Why didn''t anyone inform me about this?" "The management told us to study it ourselves and not to disturb you before you went to Russia. And they told us to pause the experiment if we can''t get it right," answer Rhett. They were unable to find the reason for what was wrong with the data. That was why no one dared to continue the research, and they were afraid that the wrong data would cause the rest of the experiment to end up in vain. Hence, they were currently dying the research. A bunch of researchers was sitting in the office every day, digging through the past data and information trying to find out what went wrong during the experiment. Luca frowned. She knew it was Luke''s orders without a second thought. He even took the risk that something might go wrong with the research just so she would not get disturbed... Luke spent a huge amount of money on their research. However, he was not concerned about it. If it were someone else, he would have asked the employees to work continuously and make it on time to release the product in the market. How could he possibly make such arrangements. ¡°Is everyone in the research team at the office now?" Luca asked. "Yes. Dr. Craw, we''re here. It''s just that there''s hardly any progress with our research." Rhett sounded helpless. If Luca were here to lead them, they would not be stuck in such a situation now. ¡°I''m going to the office now. Get ready and tell them we''ll be having a meeting in 45 minutes." Luca decided. Rhett was startled, "Dr. Craw, are you in such a hurry? You just came back today. Why don''t you get some rest." "It''s alright. We have to get the research data sorted out as soon as possible so that the drug can be launched on the market," replied Luca. Luke had yet to handle Dr. Albus'' matter, and Luca had no idea how it would end. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. However, as for Pierre. Although Luke had not confronted her yet, Luca was prepared to leave anytime. She would like to get the research done andunch the product before she left. That would be thest thing that she could do for Luke. Moreover, the study was based on Shanks'' research that was to cure the same disease. It worked much better than the drugs on the market. If the drug wasunched in the market, Luca would just regard it as she was helping the patients who were suffering from the disease. It would be a good deed. Luca hung up the call after she made her decision. She put on warm clothes and hurried down the stairs. Aunt Neile was busy cleaning the house downstairs. She was dumbfounded for a moment when she saw that Luca had changed her clothes and was making her way downstairs. Aunt Niele asked, "Ms. Craw, are you going out?" "Yes. Something came up in the office. I''ll have to go over," answered Luca. She picked up the car keys from the shelf at the entrance. "You''ve just returned and you''re heading to the office already? Will you being back for dinner?" Aunt Neile asked. Luca paused for a moment and answered, "No. Mr. Crawford went to Crawford Manor, so you don''t have to prepare his portion either. Aunt Neile, you may go home early if there''s nothing left to do." "Ah, okay. Drive safe," Aunt Neile reminded. "Okay, I got it." Luca grabbed the key and walked out of the house. The cold wind blew against her face. She could not help but lower her chin into the scarf and trotted to the parking lot. Then, she headed to T Corporation. On the other hand. Luke drove his car back to Crawford Manor. He had called and informed Old Master Crawford before he came. Mr. Griffin came over and told Luke that Old Master Crawford was waiting for him in the tea room when Luke walked into the house. Luke took off his coat and handed it to Mr. Griffin. Then, he walked into the house. ¡°Young Master Luke, aren''t you taking off that scarf?" Mr. Griffin asked. Luke lowered his head and nced at the scarf, then he shook his head and said, "No." Luca had given him the scarf, so he wanted it to be around his neck for a while longer. Luke walked into the tea room and closed the door behind him. "Grandpa." "Here you are. It''s cold out there. Have some tea." Old Master Crawford picked up a cup of tea that was freshly made and ced it opposite him. Luke sat down and picked up the tea to warm his hands. "Is thepany''s project going well?" Old Master Crawford had always been concerned about the company''s matters. That was why he knew about the project and Dr. Albus'' matter. However, he would still like to listen to Luke''s report about the matters. "Everything''s going smoothly. The contract is signed, and once we discuss it with the other business partners, we can start working on the project," said Luke. "Great. It was the right choice to leave thepany to you." Old Master Crawford took a sip of his cup of tea and let out a sigh. He was always sighing. His son passed away early. However, he was fortunate enough to have two of his bloodlines left. They had grown up to be remarkable men, and the two brothers lived harmoniously. That was enough. "Grandpa, I have something to discuss with you this time," said Luke. "About thepany?" Old Master Crawford asked. "Yes." Luke nodded. Old Master Crawford picked up his phone beside him and sent a message to Mr. Griffin: [Don''t let anyonee near the tea room.] After he gave his orders, he said, "Tell me. What happened?" "I prepared a fake bidding document when I was preparing for the bid," said Luke. Old Master Crawford did not expect Luke to do something like that. After all, it was difficult to prepare two bidding documents at the same time. Even though many employees worked in T Corporation, Luke would not have asked them to prepare two documents. "Why?" Old Master Crawford asked. "Someone was eyeing the project." Luke did not mention Luca''s name. Chapter 2091 After all, Old Master Crawford did not know that Luca''s true identity was Bianca. Despite her having given birth to three children for the Crawford family, if she did anything to harm the Crawford family or something that would affect the interests of T Corporation, Old Master Crawford would never forgive her if he found out about her real identity. Old Master Crawford required his granddaughter-inw to be an obedient woman. Even though Luca was forced to do these things, the old master''s mind was old-fashioned. Luca might leave a bad impression on him. Luke chose not to tell the old master to protect Luca. Besides, only Percy and Jason knew about this. They would never tell anyone about it. Pierre would not have known that it was Luca who stole the bidding document. Otherwise, he would havee looking for Luca when the matter came to light. He would tell Luca everything he knew and threaten her to make her listen to him. They were all in Russia at the same time. Gale and Rain had never seen Luca and Pierre talk to each other. That was why Luke was pretty sure that Pierre had no idea about it. Old Master Crawford frowned when he heard that. He did not ask who the culprit was. Instead, he asked, ¡°Have you found out who it was?" "Yes." Luke sipped his tea. "Pierre Mallory. He participated in the bidding too. The bidding document that he used was the fake bidding document that I prepared." "That bastard?" Old Master Crawford did not like Pierre, the youngest member of the Mallory family, because of the mess he caused thest time. Old Master Crawford almost fought with Old Master Mallory because of this. "I gave Marcos the information he wanted on the condition that he made public the bidding documents from all participatingpanies during the meeting. The bidding document that Pierre submitted was the fake document that I prepared. Other than thepany''s name and some other contents, he didn''t change any word in it," said Luke. Then, he handed the documents to Old Master Crawford. Old Master Crawford picked up his reading sses beside him. He nced at the contents of the bidding document after putting on his sses. "Is this a fake bidding document?" "Yes." Luke nodded. "It''s quite something. I suppose the one you submitted must''ve been of higher quality. Preparing two bidding documents at the same time... Your hard work paid off." Old Master Crawford took his sses off and looked at his grandson proudly. He knew that others were eyeing the project, but Luke had done a good job of nning ahead. The point was, Pierre''s actions did not put his efforts in vain. "Yes." Luke nodded. He was also surprised that it was Pierre who bought the bidding document. An arrogant person like him had spent money to use T Corporation''s bidding document but he identally got exposed. He must be really mad now. "Grandpa, I came here to ask for your help," said Luke. Old Master Crawford was delighted to hear that. He stroked his beard and said, "Sure. I didn''t expect I could be of help at this age. Tell me, what do I have to do?" "Percy is keeping Pierre under control now, and he''s going to leave Pierre to Old Master Mallory tomorrow. Pierre will have to confess everything that he''s done. The Crawford family and the Mallory family have shared a good rtionship for ages. As the younger generation, there are certain things that I can''t intervene with. I''d like you to step forward and seek justice," said Luke. What happened this time was the same as the previous matter. Old Master Mallory would be harsh on him if Luke intervened with it. That was why Luke wanted Old Master Crawford toe forward. "Again. I''ll head to the Mallory family''s manor tomorrow. But you must send me the information. He may not believe it," reminded Old Master Crawford. After all, Luke had never disclosed the bidding document before. If Luke imed that the bidding document belonged to him, then it must be his document indeed. However, Pierre would have the chance to deny it as the bidding document had never been disclosed before. "I came here fully prepared." Luke took his phone out. He stood up and sat beside Old Master Crawford. "There''s the logo of T Corporation in the bidding document. I was afraid that Pierre would notice it, so I made sure that it was obscure enough. Here, Pierre didn''t realize that the logo was still the in the bidding document that was disclosed." Luke pointed at the design draft on the document. Old Master Crawford nced at it. It was indeed T Corporation''s logo! "That''s very obscure, indeed... Well done, Luke." Old Master Crawfordplimented. Luke had nned things ahead, and he was attentive. Not only did Pierre fail to mess things up, but Luke even got the project. All these things proved that he had made the right decision in leaving T Corporation to Luke to manage. "Bring this information along with you tomorrow. If they refuse to admit it, show them the logo and they''ll have no choice but to admit it." Luke picked up his cup of tea and took a sip. "Great. I''m going to get even with him for this. Who cares about the friendship between the Crawford family and the Mallory family? Our friendship is almost over just because of that bastard!" Old Master Crawford was pissed. He had always despised those who did things under the table and used dirty tricks in the business industry. He wondered if someone like Pierre, who had sticky fingers, was the true bloodline of the Mallory family or if he happened to be picked up from the trash when he was young back then. Otherwise, how could they have raised such a bastard? "Grandpa, calm down." Luke returned to his seat, which was opposite Old Master Crawford''s. Then, he poured a cup of tea for himself. The aromatic smell of the tea washed away his weariness. "What did Percy say?" Old Master Crawford would like to know which side was Pierre standing on. "He''s the one who caught Pierre. He tied him up and brought him back here. His position is clear." Luke was telling him that Percy was innocent and he had nothing to do with this. "Finally, a smart guy in the Mallory family." Old Master Crawford sighed. Previously, when he went looking for Old Master Mallory, the old man had defended his unfilial grandson. Old Master Crawford thought what Old Master Mallory did was silly and foolish. Luke took a sip of his cup of tea. Old Master Crawford looked at him and said, "I heard that you went to Russia for a business trip together with Luca." "Yes, Grandpa." Luke knew what he wanted to ask, and he answered honestly. "Then, is there anything going on between the two of you?" Old Master Crawford asked in a low voice. After they had finished talking about work, he was curious about Luke''s personal life now. "It''s still the same," replied Luke. He wanted to close the distance between him and Luca too, but it was not the time to do so yet. He had to find out who was the mastermind of the Ind of Despair. Only then would he be able to confess to Luca about everything. "Why is it still the same? It was a good chance for you. Isn''t there any chemistry between you and her?" Old Master Crawford was dissatisfied. Luke shook his head. "Y-You''ve let me down. You were in a different country alone with her. And you had so much time with just you and her. How could you not have taken the shot?" Old Master Crawford would love to see what was in Luke''s mind. How could he not feel anxious about this? Luke narrowed his eyes. He was able to get the point in every word the old master said to him. "Grandpa, how would you know whether I was alone with Luca?" he asked. "Cough, cough..." Old Master Crawford cleared his throat and rolled his eyes. He picked up his cup of tea and pretended like he wanted to drink some tea.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Chapter 2092 ¡°Did Jason tell you? Or was Mr. Zac?" Luke had already narrowed it down. The others hardly had the chance to talk to Old Master Crawford. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Fine. Mr. Zac was the one who told me. I forced him to," Old Master Crawford admitted helplessly. He was worried that Luke would look for Mr. Zac, he even emphasized that he was the one who forced Mr. Zac to spill the beans. Luke remained silent. He knew it. "I¡¯m just concerned about you, alright? Look at you, raising three kids all by yourself. Although we have maids in the house and you have me helping you to take care of the kids, the kids can¡¯t grow up properly without a mother¡¯s love. I can tell the kids like Luca a lot. And I wonder when will both of you take another step further. Then I won¡¯t have to worry that much," Old Master Crawford mumbled. He had put in a lot of effort for the sake of Luke¡¯s happiness. However, he did not expect Luke, who was so capable and smart during work, to be so stubborn when it came to rtionships. Luke did not take the chance when he had it. He should have taken their rtionship to the next level when he was injured. "Grandpa, I know what I¡¯m doing," Luke said helplessly. He did not want Old Master Crawford to interfere with this. Luca was sensitive and attentive now. He was worried that the old master would mess things up. "You say that every time. But I can¡¯t see any progress. Oh, it¡¯s not that you didn¡¯t do anything but you keep failing. I got it. I got it." Old Master Crawford deliberately talked about this so that Luke would not keep asking him about Mr. Zac¡¯s matter. Luke gave him a helpless look. Old Master Crawford was taking Luca¡¯s matter seriously more than he did. Old Master Crawford stole a glimpse of Luke when he kept silent. "Why aren¡¯t you talking?" "Regarding Luca¡¯s matter, I know what I¡¯m doing. And I can¡¯t do anything recklessly for some particr reasons." Luke had no choice but to say something like this. Although the kids were anxious about it, they were not as serious as Old Master Crawford was. "Isn''t this an excuse? I was thinking of creating a chance for the two of you. I didn''t allow the kids to give you a call when they were thinking of calling you. Who would have known that you didn''t know how to look for the perfect timing. Could it be that you''ve been working too hard over the years and you''re exhausted? Is that why..." Old Master Crawford deliberately paused for a moment. "Do you need me to look for an experienced naturopathic doctor to prescribe some medicines for you to strengthen your body?" "I don''t need it. I''m perfectly fine." Luke knew what the old master meant. His face darkened at once. Fortunately, the kids were not there with them. Otherwise, he would have to exin to them what Old Master Crawford meant. Old Master Crawford immediately tsked and said, ¡°Are you embarrassed?¡± Luke finished drinking a cup of warm tea. There was nothing he could do about having such a grandfather. Fortunately, the old master would not show this side of him in front of the kids. Otherwise, the kids would imitate him! "Alright. Bring Luca over for dinner this weekend. Take it as a token of appreciation for taking good care of you." Old Master Crawford decided. Since Luke was not making any moves, he should lend him a hand. "What are you up to?" Luke frowned and looked at him. "What can an old man do? Am I not allowed to thank someone on your behalf? You don''t know how to do this. As a senior, am I not allowed to do something to help you?" said Old Master Crawford. Luke was left with no choice. Even though he knew Old Master Crawford was up to something, he said reluctantly, "I''ll have to check my schedule." "What arrangements have you made? It''s decided. I''ll ask Zander to invite her over if you''re not bringing her here. You''ll have to drive here and have dinner with us then." Old Master Crawford was determined. He would like to see Luke get married again in his remaining years. Judging from how slow Luke was making his progress in his rtionship with Luca, Old Master Crawford was afraid that he would not be able to see it for himself before he passed away. Luke frowned. "Oh, one more thing. Visit the Norman family if you have the time. Try to ask Jack about the news of the development of the western suburbs. You''ll have to get ready as soon as possible if the rumor is true. Although T Corporation has a lot of projects going on now and there''s no need to worry about getting more projects, there are some projects that we can''t let go," Old Master Crawford reminded. "Okay. I heard about it too, and I''m thinking about it," replied Luke. He had to bring Luca and the kids along with him to visit the Norman family this time. That way, it would not be too obvious. Besides, it had been a long time, so Jack must be missing Luca. "You''ll have to deal with your mother''s matter too," Old Master Crawford reminded Luke again. Although Crawford Manor had quieted down since Allison went abroad, it was inevitable that she would come back here one day in the future. That was why he reminded Luke not to forget about her. She was his mother, after all. Outside the tea room. Susan made her way down the stairs, and she noticed that the door of the tea room was closed. Mr. Griffin was standing not far away from the room. She asked, "Is Old Master Crawford discussing matters with someone in there?" "Yes, Madam Susan," replied Mr. Griffin. Susan frowned and said, ¡°Who is it? It seems it''s been a long time since such formal measures were taken..." The tea room was a ce to talk about business. Previously, Old Master Crawford would invite anyone who came to visit him to the tea room. They would drink tea and have a chat with each other. However, he would not have made it so formal like today. The door of the tea room was closed, and he instructed Mr. Griffin to stand not far away from the room. It was obvious that he did not want anyone toe close to the tea room and eavesdrop on their conversation. The tea room had good soundproofing, but Mr. Griffin was standing right there. There was no way Susan could get near the room, and she would not be able to hear anything. "Young Master Luke has returned," Mr. Griffin replied in a soft voice. Susan''s brows furrowed even more, and she blurted out unconsciously, "That bastar¡ª Luke?" She almost blurted out her hatred for Luke in front of Mr. Griffin. Mr. Griffin was Old Master Crawford''s man. Susan hurriedly corrected herself to prevent someone from noticing it. "Yes." Mr. Griffin slightly frowned. If Susan had not corrected herself in time, she would have called Luke a bastard. The grievances of the previous generation had to fall upon Luke. Mr. Griffin felt sorry for him. Luke had contributed so much to the Crawford family. All the food that Susan put in her mouth and everything that Susan was using now was all because of Luke''s efforts in running thepany well. Yet, Susan was ungrateful. She treated Luke as an obstacle to her son taking over thepany. How pathetic. It would be fine if Louis had the thought of taking over the family business as the two brothers could compete with each other. However, Louis did not intend to do so. All this while, Susan was the only one who had this idea in her mind. "What are they talking about? They''re doing it all mysteriously," Susan could not help but mutter. Mr. Griffin answered politely, "I''m not sure. Perhaps it''s thepany''s matter." "About thepany? How can they not inform Louis about it since it''s such an important matter?" Susan was dissatisfied. Mr. Griffin let out a sigh in his heart and reminded her politely, "Young Master Louis isn''t working in the company." Chapter 2093 Susan frowned with dissatisfaction. ¡°Even if Louis doesn''t work at T Corporation, he''s still a shareholder. Whatever decisions they make, shouldn''t they consult Louis as well?" The butler smiled apologetically and said, "Yes, you''re right." "This won''t do. Since Louis isn''t here, I need to listen to what they have to say." Susan thought that she could not let Luke get the upper hand. She went through a lot just to get Louis so many shares from T Corporation, but if Luke decided to pull some strings and keep the shares for himself, then all her previous efforts would be in vain. "Madam Crawford, Old Master Crawford ordered..." The butler blocked her way. "Don''t worry, I''ll just stand by the door. If I can hear it, I''ll hear it. If I can''t, then so be it. I won''t make things difficult for you," Susan insisted on moving forward. "This is Old Master Crawford''s order, Madam Crawford. Do you want to displease the old master?" The butler held his ground and stood in her way. If she continued forward, she would reach the door. Susan saw that the butler would not budge, and if she continued to make a fuss, the people inside would surely be able to hear it. She did not dare upset the old master right now, so she red at the butler and left. The butler breathed a sigh of relief. Although Susan would hold a grudge against him, it would not be the first time, so he did not think anything of it. When the tea room door opened, Luke and Old Master Crawford walked out. Although the old master was elderly, his hearing was still sharp. He asked the butler, "Who was it who tried to enter just now?" "Old Master Crawford, you heard that?" the butler did not answer. "Was it Susan?" Old Master Crawford knew who it was after noticing how the butler did not answer. After Allison left, the only person left in this house who was this aggressive and domineering was Susan. "Madam Crawford is just concerned about the Crawford family affairs," the butler had no choice but to say. Old Master Crawford grunted as he knew exactly what Susan was up to. After ncing at the time, Old Master Crawford said, "It''s almost time. The children are about to finish school, so have Mrs. Nancy prepare dinner." "Yes," replied the butler as he bowed. ¡°Young Master Luke, will you be having dinner at Crawford Manor this evening?" ¡°I will," said Luke. He had originally intended to bring the children back tomorrow, but since he was already here, he might as well stay for dinner and bring them backter. Old Master Crawford was getting old and needed a quiet space. The ce had always been a bit rowdy as the kids were here all the time. ¡°In that case, I''ll have Mrs. Nancy prepare dinner now." The butler headed to the kitchen after he finished speaking. ¡°Luke, will you be staying the night?" Old Master Crawford asked as he would need to have the maid clean Luke''s bedroom if Luke decided to stay the night. ¡°No, I''ll take the children back home after dinner," said Luke. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Old Master Crawford nodded without obstructing him as he thought that bringing the children back home with him was not a bad idea. Since he could not handle Luca himself, perhaps the children could assist him. ¡°A few of the kids got some new things during their stay. I''ll have someone pack them up," said the old master as he ordered the maid. ¡°We can always buy them again." Luke frowned. He would have to travel to Russia often in the future because of the Russian project. For the most part, he would bring Luca along with him, so the kids would still have to stay at Crawford Manor from time to time. ¡°Just take them with you and save the money. Besides, do you even have time to buy them with the children?" said Old Master Crawford while he gestured to the maid and insisted that she go pack them up. Luke kept quiet as he really did not have much time to spend with the children. When the kids were younger, he could still bring them to thepany to watch over them. The kids knew how to behave, so he would put them in the office and they would stay by his side the entire day without making a fuss. Now that they have to attend school, bringing them along with him would only interfere with their studies. That was why he still needed Luca. He had to hurry up and find the person controlling Luca so that she could return to their family. An hour had passed. Uncle Zander picked up the three kids from school and returned. Lanie, Rainie, and Tommy walked into the living room while holding hands. Their eyes lit up the moment they saw Luke. They let go of each other''s hands and ran over to Luke. ¡°Daddy, you''re back!" Tommy cheered the loudest. Their father came back, which meant that Luca should be back too. He looked around but did not see Luca, so he asked, ¡°Daddy, where''s Ms. Luca?" Luke saw Tommy yearning for Luca and empathized with him. She was the one who took care of him since he was little. It was only natural that he longed to be close to her. He patted his head and said, ¡°She didn''te over. She''s at the vi." ¡°Oh, I see... Daddy, you should''ve brought Ms. Luca over," Tommy said discontentedly. Raine, who stood beside him, also said, "He''s right, Daddy. We all miss Ms. Luca." "When I bring you all back after dinner, you''ll be able to see her." Luke caressed each of their heads separately. "You''re great, Daddy!" Tommy was the first to jump up and down while apuding. "Awesome!" Rainie cheered after ncing at Lanie. Lanie did not have much to say, but the corners of his mouth curled up into a smile too. Old Master Crawford saw the three kids'' reactions and looked at Luke. He then said meaningfully, "It seems like the children like Luca a lot." "They were already very close to Luca to begin with." Luke caressed their heads again. Their fondness came from their kinship. There was an innate connection between a mother and her children. Otherwise, they would not have found out so early on that Luca was their mother. Although the three children were smart enough to notice something unusual in Luca''s behavior, if it were not for their kinship, they would not have found out about it sooner than the adults. Tommy nodded at Old Master Crawford. "Yes, Great-grandpa. We like Ms. Luca a lot." Old Master Crawford stroked his beard while smiling and said, "Well, that''s great. I think having Luca by your father''s side isn''t a bad idea." Thea scornfully watched all of this while standing at the side. They were so childish. Her grandmother was right. Although they were cousins, she should not get too close. They only knew how to feign smiles to please the adults. Howme. Luke noticed Thea''s gaze and could not help but raise his eyebrows. Thea''s eyes met Luke''s, and it startled her. Although she despised her three cousins, she was still afraid of her uncle. Old Master Crawford also noticed that Thea was acting strange and intentionally said in a serious tone, "Thea, why aren''t you greeting your uncle?" "Hello, Uncle.." Thea said embarrassedly. Susan walked over and just so happened to hear Old Master Crawford''s stern voice, which made her indignant. He was so affectionate toward Luke''s kids yet so strict with Thea. It was all because Louis refused to have a second child. The old master was not satisfied with the fact that there were no grandsons from their side. She could not help but speak up for Thea, "Father, Thea is still a kid. Why are you talking to her in such a fierce tone? You''ll frighten her." Chapter 2094 ¡°Thea isn''t a kid anymore. As her grandmother and guardian, aren''t you going to teach her some manners?" Old Master Crawford frowned as could not bear the sight of Susan spoiling the child. Compared to Lanie and the other two, Thea was very bad-mannered. "That''s enough, Father. Keep your voice down. Our Thea wasn''t always like this. She turned out this way because of the trauma she experienced three years ago. Speaking of which, someone is to me for that." Susan deliberately nced at Luke. In her opinion, Old Master Crawford behaved this way because he favored Luke''s children. Thea was also his great-granddaughter, yet he often lectured her in front of the other three children, which bothered Susan. After Thea''s trauma from three years ago was mentioned, Old Master Crawford was speechless. Allison''s behavior at the time had directly hurt Thea and left an indelible psychological wound in the child''s heart. Since then, Thea''s character had changed. Louis and his wife even took the child to see a psychiatrist, and the doctor said that the trauma was a result of emotional shock. Perhaps it would get better as she grew older and gradually forgot about it. The most important thing was to have her parents by her side. However, Louis was often busy with work and rarely had time to apany his daughter. On the other hand, Yuri started to get busy at thepany after Thea went to kindergarten. Hence, she rarely apanied her as well. Thus, Thea had always been in the care of Susan. Susan''s idea of child education was to spoon-feed them and nothing else. That was why Thea''s character turned out even worse. Compared to Lanie and the others, Thea''s personality was not likable at all. "That''s enough. What''s the point of bringing up the past?" Old Master Crawford red at Susan. They so eagerly wished that Thea would forget that incident, yet Susan kept bringing it up as if the situation was not bad enough. Like hell she would forget it! Susan held Thea''s hand and sneered. "Everything happens for a reason, Father. Let me remind you that Thea isn''t to me for the way she turned out. As an elder, shouldn''t you be more caring toward her?" She used the old master of injustice. Old Master Crawford nced at Thea who was trembling. Every time an adult mentioned the incident three years ago, the child would tremble. After so many constant reminders, she simply could not forget. "Alright, dinner is ready. Go eat," grunted Old Master Crawford. He nced at Thea once again and could not help but shake his head. He may need to have a talk with Louis and Yuri to get them to make time to apany their child. If Susan continued to take care of the child, he would much rather find a nanny for Thea. The nanny would do a much better job anyway. Nothing good coulde out of being in Susan''s care. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Old Master Crawford also changed his mind about letting Susan move in with the rest after Louis'' vi was done renovating. Otherwise, she would take care of Thea again. Thea''s character could only get worse if she was under Susan''s care, so he might as well get a professional nanny. Even if Louis and Yuri did not have the time to take care of their child, a professional nanny would be good for Thea too. Rainie noticed Thea trembling and found her pitiful. She still remembered that incident. It was all their grandma''s fault. She stepped forward to hold Thea''s hand. "Thea, let''s go eat." Thea did not extend her hand. She shrank herself in between Susan''s arms instead. She was not afraid of Rainie; she hated her. Old Master Crawford would praise Rainie in front of everyone, but he never once mentioned her. If others did not know better, they would think that she was his only great-granddaughter. Thea took Susan''s words to heart, so Old Master Crawford''s lecture this time around made her grudge against Rainie go even deeper. Susan sneered as she held Thea''s hand and said, "Come on, Thea. Let''s go eat. If not, you''ll get lectured again." Luke frowned. The things that Susan said were not good for a child''s mental growth. It seemed that he would need to have a talk with Louis about the way Thea was being educated. Rainie felt awkward with her hand still extended. Tommy read her mind and immediately went forward to hold Rainie''s hand. He grinned and said, "Rainie, let''s go eat." "Okay." Rainie smiled and patted her brother''s head. The two siblings then walked to the dining room together. On the other hand, Lanie followed behind them. When she saw that Luke was still standing there, she called to him, "Daddy, it''s time to eat." "Alright." Luke nodded and walked into the dining room with the children. After dinner, Luke let the children finish their homework there. The kids were smart, so they were able to do their homework quickly. After they were done, Luke carried the two bags of things the maid packed up and took the kids home. It was pitch dark in the vi. Luke frowned and looked at the time. Aunt Neile must have gotten off work by now, but where was Luca? Based on her character, she would not turn off the lights if he had yet toe back home. Luke took the children into the living room and turned the lights on. The house was extremely quiet. Tommy held Luke''s hand and whispered, ¡°Daddy, did Ms. Luca reallye back?" "She''s back," said Luke. "Then why isn''t she in the vi? Did she sneak away?" Tommy asked while pouting. Luke clearly remembered that she wanted to move out before his ident. Luke''s heart thumped. Luca could not have moved out, right? He had a hard time finding an excuse to get her to move here and live with him and the kids. He thought that after a month, she would abandon the idea of moving away... After seeing the darkness, he started to feel uneasy. He simply put the two bags in his hands on the floor and said, "She could be sleeping. Don''t go upstairs first, or you might disturb her." Luke headed upstairs after saying that. The three kids stood in the living room and impatiently watched as Luke climbed up the stairs three steps at a time. He quickly disappeared around the corner of the stairs. Tommy looked at his brother and sister. "Dad is anxious, right?" "He''s afraid." Aplicated look shed in Lanie''s eyes. Although he did not show it, he was afraid that Luca had moved out too. "Is he afraid that Ms. Luca has moved out?'' asked Tommy. Lanie nodded. Tommy could not help but mumble, "I''m afraid too.." If not for their father''s orders, they would have followed him up to see if Luca had moved out. "Ms. Luca wouldn''t be so cruel.." Rainie looked worried, but she still reassured her brother. She was praying that their mother was not cruel enough to leave them behind. Luke came to the second floor and saw that Luca''s bedroom door was tightly shut. He mustered up his courage and knocked on the door. "Luca, are you asleep?" Chapter 2095 Silence filled the bedroom as no one replied. It was as though his words fell on deaf ears. Luke''s hands trembled, and his heart could not help but beat faster. He had never felt this anxious before... ¡°Luca, if you don''t say anything, I''m going in," he said, yet there was still no sound. Luke put his left hand on the door handle and pushed the door open without hesitation. The lights in the bedroom were off, so he fumbled around the switch to turn on the lights. Luca was not inside. Luke walked to the closet and opened the door. Luca''s clothes were still hanging inside, along with her suitcase. It did not seem like she left. The lump in his throat slowly disappeared. Although he did not know where Luca went, it seemed that she did not leave. He took out his phone to call Luca. N?velDrama.Org content. Not being home thiste meant that she must be busy with something, but it was hard to say what it was she was busy with. Luke was worried that she was sent on another mission by the Ind of Despair. She had just returned. Even if the Ind of Despair were to give her a mission, he did not think that now would be the time. Hence, he did not inform Gale and Rain to be on her tail here. Listening to the ringing tone while waiting for the call to be answered annoyed Luke. It rang about ten times but Luca did not answer. Luke frowned, and when the phone stated that the other end was currently unavable, he dialed Aunt Neile''s number. Aunt Neile picked up the phone. "Mr. Crawford, it''ste. What''s the matter?" "Why isn''t Ms. Craw home?" asked Luke. Aunt Neile replied, "Ms. Craw hasn''t gone home yet? After you left, she said that she had some matters to take care of at thepany." "Thepany?" Luke frowned. Whatpany matters could there possibly be that required her to handle? He instantly thought of the research. During this period of time, Luca had basically abandoned the research for the sake of M Group''s project. Moreover, when they were in Russia, he even instructed Zoey to tell the people in that department to leave Luca alone. M Group''s project was more important, after all. ¡°Yes, that''s what she said. It''s already sote. Is she not back yet?" Aunt Neile wondered aloud. ¡°Perhaps she''s busy." Luke hung up. He was still worried, but he did not call Luca. If she was really busy with the research at T Corporation, it was normal practice for the employees to leave their phones in the office while they were in theboratory. He asked Tina for Zoey''s phone number. Tina immediately gave it to him. Luke dialed the number, and after Zoey picked up, he immediately cut to the chase. "This is Luke. Did Dr. Craw go to work today?" Zoey was a little taken aback that the boss actually called her. Moreover, he called to look for someone. She listened carefully and could hear the anxiousness in his voice. Zoey guessed that Luke was worried about Luca. She quickly said, "Yes, Boss. Dr. Craw is still in a meeting right now." She was a little surprised when Rhett told her to inform the others about the meeting. After asking around, she learned that Luca had just returned from Russia and wanted to have a meeting to deal with the current issues. "Got it." Luke hung up the phone and was finally relieved. She was busy working at thepany. She did not sneak away... Zoey was puzzled after hearing the busy tone on the other end of the phone. That was it? It seemed that the rumors in thepany were true. Zoey shook her head as she thought of Jenni. She had given her heart to the wrong person. No matter how one looked at it, Luca was much better than Jenni. A man like Luke would know how to choose. It was all just Jenni''s wishful thinking. Plus, Luke already had a wife. Even if he did not, in old Jenni still would not stand a chance. Luke came down to the first floor. Tommy saw himing down and hurriedly went up to him and asked, "Daddy, is Ms. Luca asleep?" "No. I just asked and she''s busy working at thepany." After Luke finished, the three kids clearly looked relieved. They were all worried that Luca would leave without saying goodbye. "Daddy, Ms. Luca just returned. How could you have her go work?" Tommy had transformed into a righteous little angel, using Luke of tiring Luca out. Luke saw the reproachful look on his face and patted his head. "She''s worried about the research. It''s gettingte now, and your things are all upstairs. Take what''s yours, wash up, and go to bed." ¡°Daddy, can I sleep on the first floor after washing up?" Rainie asked. ¡°Why?" Luke looked at his daughter and could sort of guess why she wanted to do so. ¡°I want to see Ms. Luca as soon as possible," said Rainie. It had been a while since shest saw her mom, and she missed her a lot. ¡°I want to sleep on the first floor too," said Tommy while he raised his hand. ¡°No, you can''t. If she sees you sleeping on the first floor waiting for her, she''ll feel bad. Go back to your own bedrooms," Luke said firmly as he knew that once he agreed to Rainie''s request, Tommy would make a fuss about it too. If Luca saw the kids sleeping on the couch just to see her, her heart would ache. Not to mention, sleeping on the couch was notfortable. Thus, Luke had them all sleep in their own bedrooms. ¡°Daddy..." Tommy pouted and tried to convince him. ¡°Go to bed." Luke urged the children to go upstairs. The three of them had no choice but to go upstairs. They took their own belongings from the bags and went to their respective bedrooms. They showered, changed into their pajamas, and got ready for bed. After Luke watched the three children crawl into bed to rest, he then specially focused on Tommy. He was the youngest and also the naughtiest. Only after confirming that Tommy was asleep did he carry hisptop down to the first floor. He turned on all the lights on the first floor and on the patio so that when Luca came hometer, it would be brightly lit. Luca used to do the same for him when he worked overtime. Luke made himself a cup of coffee and walked into the living room. He looked out the window, only to see that it was snowing again. He ced the cup on the coffee table and sat on the couch. He opened hisptop and started to look at the global stock market situation as well as the financial news. It was almost 12 when the sound of a car pulling up came from outside the patio. Luke looked up at the clock hanging on the wall. It was already midnight. Luca was back. He continued to work on thepany documents while waiting for Luca toe in. Luca parked the car and was surprised to see that the patio lights were on, as well as the lights on the first floor. Did Aunt Neile leave the lights on for her? Was it Luke? Luca hugged her coat tightly and quickly walked into the house. She saw Luke working on the sofa and could smell the aroma of coffee lingering in the air. She changed her shoes and walked next to the couch. ¡°Mr. Crawford, you''re still awake." Luke looked up at her. ¡°You''re back?" "Yes." Luca nodded. ¡°I saw your missed call. I went to thepany to deal with some things. It''s about the research..." Chapter 2096 Luca was exining to him. After the meeting ended, she saw the missed call from Luke. However, she gave up the idea of calling him back after she saw the time. It waste, and Luke must have already slept... She did not expect to see the vi brightly lit up when she came back. Luke was even working in the living room, waiting for her. ¡°I know." Luke saved the file and closed theputer screen. Luca nced at the time. It was already 12, yet Luke waited for her until now. "Mr. Crawford, aren''t you going to sleep?" she asked. Luke stood up. "Has the drug research been taken care of?" "No, there''s data that does not match the hypothesis. We''re still trying to find out why," said Luca. After having a meeting thatsted the whole day, they still had not found where the problem came from. "No rush. Take your time. Go rest," said Luke. Luca nodded and was about to head upstairs when she heard him say, "I''ve picked up the children." "They''re back?" She was a little surprised, but the corners of her mouth curled up slightly as she missed the three kids too. "Yes, they made a lot of noise about wanting toe back. When they found out that you were at the company working overtime, they wanted to sleep in the first-floor living room and wait for you toe back. But I didn''t allow it," Luke brought up the children, telling her how much they cared about Luca. Luca suddenly felt guilty. "I''ll keep it down when going upstairs." "It''s alright. Let''s go. I''m going upstairs to rest too," said Luke as he felt relieved after waiting up for Luca. Although he knew that she was working overtime at thepany, he would still be restless if he did not get to see her. Now that he had seen her, he finally had peace of mind. "Alright." Luca nodded and went upstairs with him. The two of them walked to their respective bedrooms. Luca turned to look at Luke, then walked into her room and gently closed the door behind her. Luke fixed his eyes on her tightly shut door. They were only one door away... He had to ovee this obstacle quicker. The following day. In the Mallory family''s manor. Percy dragged the reluctant Pierre into the Mallory family''s manor. Mr. Be was stunned to see that Pierre''s hands were tied up and was about to ask what was going on when Percy asked, ¡°Is Grandpa awake?" "Old Master Mallory is awake. He''s having tea in the living room." Right after Mr. Be replied, Percy continued dragging Pierre forward. "Master Percy, what''s wrong with you? Why did you tie up Second Young Master?" Mr. Be chased after him and asked. "Stay out of it." Percy dragged the furious Pierre forward. Pierre felt like he had lost his dignity. When had the untouchable Second Young Master ever been so humiliated in front of these butlers and maids? "Will you let go of me?" Percy ignored his words and pulled him directly in front of Old Master Mallory. Old Master Mallory put down his teacup upon seeing this and frowned as he asked, "Why the big fuss? What''s the matter?" Percy looked at his brother and asked directly, "Do you want to say it or should I say it?" Pierre looked the other way with no intention of answering him. Old Master Mallory frowned. He had no way of controlling Pierre, and after finding out that Percy was secretly engaged to Nina, he was furious. This made him not want to see them even more. "Is it right of you to tie up your brother like this? Also, did I give you permission toe back?" Old Master Mallory seized the opportunity to use Percy. After the old master knew about his engagement, he threatened Percy not to set foot in the Mallory family''s manor. If it were not for the fact that theirpany had to rely on Percy, he might have already reced him with someone else out of anger. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Grandpa, I know that you''re upset about my secret engagement to Nina, but now is not the time to talk about that matter. I came here today to see you and solve the trouble Pierre has caused." Percy frowned. It was one thing for the old master to be upset about his engagement to Nina, but it was another thing for Pierre to cause trouble. Just as he finished talking, Pierre turned around with hatred in his eyes. "What did you say? You''re engaged to Nina?" Percy ignored him and stared straight at the old master. The news of Percy returning with Pierre tied up rmed everyone in the Mallory family''s manor. Madam Mallory came rushing down the stairs and wailed when she saw that both Pierre''s hands were indeed tied. She said, "Percy, how could you tie up your brother?" "Why don''t you ask him what absurd things he''s done?" Percy looked at his mother coldly. Madam Mallory was also part of the reason why Pierre turned out like this. ¡°No matter the absurdity of the things he''s done, he''s still your brother. Why did you tie him up?" said Madam Mallory as she was about to untie the rope for Pierre. "What did you do? I''ve been trying to reach you. How could youe back all tied up?" Pierre did not have the heart to answer her question as he was in the wrong. However, his actions did not cost Percy much, so he did not think it was a big deal. Pierre asked his mother directly, "How could you let him get engaged to Nina?" Although they were not married yet, once they got engaged, it meant that Percy had already stamped his mark on Nina. He could not ept this! Nina belonged to him! Madam Mallory was baffled by his question but still answered, "He insisted on getting engaged and even hid it from us. What could I have done? Why don''t you tell me why you were unreachable these past few days and what you were up?" Pierre stared at Percy with a deadly gaze without answering Madam Mallory. Percy must have known that he could not stop him when he was in Russia, so he deliberately picked that time to get engaged. Although he was unhappy about their engagement, at least she was not married to him yet. There was still a chance. Percy looked at Pierre''s resentment indifferently. He knew that not only did Pierre hate him for tying him up but also for secretly getting engaged to Nina. "That''s enough. What''s with all the ruckus?" Old Master Mallory roared in anger as he saw that the situation was getting out of hand. Percy looked back at the old master. "Say it. What''s going on?" Both his grandsons behaving this way gave Old Master Mallory a headache. Percy took out a bidding document from the briefcase and said, "This was the bidding document Pierre submitted to M Group. This bidding document was prepared by T Corporation." "Nonsense. This bidding document was prepared by my assistant. How could it be someone else''s? Percy, it''s not the first time you''ve helped outsiders. This time, you''re even using me? You''re really something," Pierre refuted. "Did you really prepare this?" Percy saw that Pierre would rather die than admit his wrongdoings. Deep down, he felt disappointed in him. "At M Group''s meeting, all the bids were made public, and T Corporation even got the project. If this bidding document belonged to them, why did they still get the project?" Pierre looked at him menacingly. Chapter 2097 Percy sneered when he heard Pierre''s words. He and Luke knew he would say this. Old Master Mallory flipped through the bidding document and looked up at the two brothers. ¡°This bidding document..." He tossed the bidding document to the side of the couch. ¡°This is my bidding document," Pierre said through gritted teeth. Although this useless bidding document had cost him arge sum of money, he could only bite the bullet and say that it belonged to him. "Pierre!" Percy''s lowered his voice as he issued a warning. "What? Are you still going to help an outsider to teach me a lesson? You had me out at sea with my hands and feet tied up for so many days. How could you do such a thing to your own brother?" Pierre looked at him provocatively. "What?" Madam Mallory eximed before Old Master Mallory could even react. "You were tied up for so many days? Are you hurt? Dear God, how could you do this to your brother, Percy?" Madam Mallory looked Pierre up and down. At the same time, Old Master Mallory asked, "This bidding document is from your brother''spany. What do you have to say about that?" Percy was not surprised to see that both elders chose to side with Pierre. After all, he had already gone against their wishes by insisting on being with Nina. It would not be long before he became the abandoned son of the Mallory family. It was no surprise. "Pierre, do you know who you''re dealing with? If you keep insisting, I won''t bat an eye regardless of whatever happens to you in the future." Percy issued hisst warning. If Pierre was willing to repent in front of their elders, Percy would still look after him in the future. However, if Pierre refused to admit what he did wrong, there was no need to hold on to this brotherhood anymore. Pierre''s face became dark and sullen as he was stunned. Percy knew about Abel? Old Master Mallory''s gaze fell on Pierre once again. His sullen face did not look like he was panicking. Percy''s phone rang. He nced at it and saw that it was Luke. He rejected the call instead of picking up. This was a signal between the two of them. It meant that Old Master Crawford was on his way to Mallory Manor. He had to leave, lest he got into trouble with Old Master Crawford as well. ¡°Fine. If you insist on not saying anything, whatever happens in the future, you''ll carry the burden yourself." Percy left right after finishing. The maid brought a pair of scissors over. Madam Mallory hurriedly untied Pierre and said in discontent, "Why did you get into a conflict with your brother?" "It was him who went crazy. He''s siding with Luke instead of me. It''s obvious that he and Luke are trying to nder me," said Pierre. Madam Mallory frowned. Although the rtionship between the two brothers was getting worse day by day, Percy would never do such a thing. Percy had disobeyed the family''s arrangement and insisted on being with Nina, which made the old master very upset. However, Percy had stirred up big trouble before. Even so, thepany and everything else were still not handed over to Pierre. Hence, there was no need for him to go to such lengths for his own benefit. Old Master Mallory looked at Madam Mallory spoiling Pierre with a stern face. "Pierre, tell me. Did your company really prepare this bid?" "Grandpa, it was prepared by my employees." Pierre twisted his wrists, which had been tied up so tightly it left a big red scar. Madam Mallory''s heart ached when she saw the scar and asked the maid to bring some medicine so she could apply it to Pierre''s wrists. "Really?" Old Master Mallory asked once again as he understood both his grandsons'' temper. Based on Pierre''s current nature, he was indeed capable of stealing bidding documents. On the other hand, Percy would not set Pierre up for an outsider if he were innocent. Pierre became impatient as the old master repeatedly questioned him but also worried. Had the old man sensed that something was off? After all, the old master had been in the business for so many years and was not an easy man to fool. "Nowhere in this bidding document shows that it''s from T Corporation. Besides, if I had gotten someone to steal it for me, I would need money. Where would I have gotten the money from..." Old Master Mallory nodded. Pierre had a point. He indeed did not have money. He did force Pierre to shut down several operations in the gray market, and Pierre had to pay the partners involved a hefty sum. Madam Mallory had helped him out a bit, but the money mostly came from his pocket. Therefore, Old Master Mallory believed that he did not have much money. "Alright, have you had breakfast yet? If not, ask the cook to make you some," said Old Master Mallory. Pierre heaved a sigh of relief as he had gotten away with it. He was the one who submitted this bidding document first. Everything that had to do with T Corporation in the bidding document was erased, so there was no evidence to speak of. ¡°I haven''t slept in days, so I''ll go upstairs to take a nap." For the past few days, Pierre had not been able to sleep a wink as he was at the mercy of Percy. Madam Mallory was heartbroken when she heard those words. "Wait a moment. I''ll help you massage your hands, or there''ll be bruises." After ncing at his wrists, Pierre could not care less and said, "Forget it." "How can I just leave it be. The scar is so dark..." "Leave him alone. Pierre isn''t a child anymore. Why are you still treating him like one? If he were lucky, he''d have his own child by now." Old Master Mallory interrupted Madam Mallory''s thoughts. Madam Mallory dared not say anything more as the old master was clearly in a bad mood after the mess Percy caused. Speaking of children, Pierre was once again reminded that Nina used to be pregnant with his child. If he had not tormented her and kept her from getting what she wanted, the child would be several years old by now. She would not have chosen Percy either. She did it on purpose to get back at him! "Mom, I have something to ask you," said Pierre. Madam Mallory nced at Old Master Mallory''s gloomy expression and said, "Let''s talk upstairs and not disturb your grandfather drinking tea." The old master had the habit of drinking tea every morning. Those who knew about it would know not to stir things up to upset the old master during this time. Percy knew this, yet he purposely chose toe at this time. Pierre did not want Old Master Mallory to hear what he had to say, so he nodded. The mother and son went upstairs. Old Master Mallory grunted as he picked up the bidding document. "Mr. Be." "Yes, Old Master Mallory. What can I do for you?" Mr. Be asked cautiously, lest he spoke in the wrong tone and anger the old master. "Bring me my reading sses," ordered Old Master Mallory. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Got it." Mr. Be walked into the old master''s study and retrieved the sses from the desk. He handed them to the old master. The old master put on the sses and began to read through the bidding document. He did not fully trust Pierre, nor did he fully trust Percy. "Old Master Mallory, your tea has gotten cold. Should I pour you a new cup?" Mr. Be asked carefully. Chapter 2098 "Mm." Old Master Mallory continued to study the bidding document without looking up. Mr. Be left with his teacup, came back, and served him the re-brewed warm tea. Old Master Mallory was still looking at the bidding document. Upstairs. As soon as Pierre walked to the second floor, he could not help but ask Madam Mallory, "Is it true that Percy and Nina are engaged?" Madam Mallory frowned when she heard Pierre''s anxious tone. "They''ve announced the engagement. It''s happening. He hid the news from the family, so Old Master Mallory is fuming." "You should''ve sent someone to keep an eye on him. Maybe you could''ve stopped it." Pierre clenched his fists. "How did you expect me to do that? Mallory Corporation is in his hands. It''s not easy to keep an eye on him. Besides, even when we arranged for the Johnston woman to be his partner, he ended up messing up their family. Everyone in A City knows that he loves that b*tch. No one dares to try anything because of what happened to the Johnston family. What can I do in this situation?" Madam Mallory was annoyed when she thought of what happened. In the Mallory family, Old Master Mallory was the only one who could control Percy. As time went along, even Old Master Mallory began to lose his influence over Percy. All Percy could think about was being with Nina. It was as though he was bewitched and there was no way to stop it. Pierre''s hands clenched into fists when he heard that. ''No, I have to figure it out.'' Since the Mallory family could not stop him, he nned to cause drama between the two. if it did not work, he would imprison Nina again. No matter what, he would not allow Nina to be with Percy! Madam Mallory looked at Pierre and thought he looked enthralled. She knew why he reacted as such. "Pierre, are you nning something?" She went straight to the point. "No." Pierre denied it. Madam Mallory had heard about his previous rtionship with Nina. Pierre and his fiancee seemed to be doing well, so she thought that Pierre just wanted to have fun with Nina. As such, she did not stop him. However, Pierre seemed to have been enchanted by Nina. Madam Mallory reminded him, "Your brother has been trapped by her, but no matter what happens, the Mallory family will never let him be with that woman. Make sure you don''t get trapped as well. Otherwise, your grandfather will never let you off!" Percy would not have gotten away so easily if it were not because he had been in charge of Mallory Corporation for so many years and had made great achievements. However, Pierre... Madam Mallory knew that Pierre was not as outstanding as Percy. His future would be bleak if he continued to be obsessed with that woman. Pierre paid no attention to what Madam Mallory said. He said conceitedly, "I won''t fall into anyone''s hands. However, Nina owes me." "I''m d to hear that you won''t. If you have any ns, make sure you tell me, okay?" Madam Mallory silently supported him when she saw that Pierre still intended to pursue Nina. If Pierre seeded, Percy would no longer be involved with that woman. Downstairs. Old Master Mallory flipped through the document in silence. He could not help but frown when he got to the design section. Mr. Be went over and said softly, "Old Master Crawford, Old Master Crawford is outside the door. He said that he has something to talk to you about." "Is it about Pierre again?" Old Master Mallory put down the documen. This was the second time that the Crawford family dropped by the mansion unannounced to talk about Pierre. "I''m not sure. Old Master Mallory was sitting in the car. I couldn''t see his expression," Mr. Be replied in a low voice. "Let hime in. Also, prepare a pot of tea," Old Master Mallory said. Although the other party was there to make trouble, he must not lose his bearing. His rtionship with Old Master Crawford had not been as good as it used to be since thest time they fought because of Pierre. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. This time, Old Master Crawford was making another appearance because of Pierre. However, Old Master Mallory was not at all panicked. Even if Pierre did steal T Corporation''s bidding document, there was no evidence. The bidding document that Old Master Mallory had with him did not contain anything rted to T Corporation. Old Master Mallory thought to himself as he closed the document and put it with the magazine on the side. Old Master Crawford walked in. The smell of tea drifted into his nostrils, and his brows furrowed even tighter. It seemed that this Old Master Mallory already knew why he was here and even made tea in preparation for his arrival. "Old Master Mallory, long time no see. How have you been doing?" Old Master Crawford said. Since thest incident, he and Old Master Mallory had not interacted. They no longer drank tea and yed chess together like before. "Thanks to you, I''m doing good. By the way, congrattions. Luke is so capable! I heard that he won another big project." Old Master Mallory put on a fake smile. Old Master Crawford was not stupid enough to think that he was sincere. "Yeah, speaking of it, Luke winning the project is good for Mallory Corporation as well. Luke mentioned that he would be signing a contract with Percy in two days." "Really? That''s great! Mallory Corporation and T Corporation have always been working closely together, so it''s not surprising that they would extend the partnership. Come, sit. I prepared some first- ss tea." Old Master Mallory invited Old Master Crawford to sit down. Old Master Crawford sat unceremoniously on the sofa. Old Master Crawford did not take the tea when Mr. Be handed it to him. Instead, he went straight into the topic with a stern expression. "Since T Corporation and Mallory Corporation have always had a win-win partnership, why is Pierre doing these things behind your back?" Old Master Mallory blinked, took a sip from the teacup, and said, "Are you talking about Pierre''s bidding document? Didn''t we talk about this thest time? If he has the will and capability, he''s allowed to compete for resources. Don''t be angry. Drink a cup of tea to calm down. Besides, Pierre didn''t end up getting the project. You don''t have to throw your temper at me early in the morning. " Old Master Crawford watched as Old Master Mallory defended Pierre. He snorted coldly and replied, "The bidding document he submitted was an extra set prepared by Luke." Old Master Mallory knew that he would bring this up. He picked up the bidding document on the side and said, "Are you talking about this document? It was prepared by Pierre''s staff. The content is all rted to Pierre''spany, so why would you say that Luke prepared it?" Old Master Crawford opened the first page of the bidding document and knew at first nce that it was the one that Luke prepared. He said, "Is that so? The bidding document can be revised. So what if Pierre''spany name is on it? The content wasn''t prepared by him; it was stolen. How could he cross such lines in an attempt to win the project? Old Master Mallory, your grandson is despicable." Old Master Mallory''s expression became stern as soon as he heard the word ''despicable'' as he thought that it was a serious usation. "Old Master Crawford, enough with the nonsense!" Chapter 2099 The atmosphere in the living room turned chilly almost instantly. Old Master Crawford stared coldly at Old Master Mallory and could not help but sigh. "When you and I used to be in the corporate world, you were so shrewd. How did you be a different person after you retired?" Old Master Mallory snorted coldly as he knew that Old Master Crawford was secretly mocking him. "You said that this bidding document was prepared by Luke. What evidence do you have?" Old Master Crawford had been waiting for him to say that. He held out his hand and said, "sses." Zander quickly ced the sses in his hands. Old Master Crawford put on his sses and flipped over the bidding document. "You want evidence? I''ll give it to you now. Don''t say that I wronged your precious grandson." Old Master Mallory frowned. Old Master Crawford''s reaction made it seem like there was some evidence in the bidding document that could prove that what he said was true. "Show me what you''ve got. If you find anything, I''ll ask Pierre to kneel in front of you and admit his mistake," Old Master Mallory said stubbornly. After all, he assumed that Pierre and the others would have done their due diligence and conducted a detailed inspection before submitting the bidding document. As such, he did not think that Old Master Crawford would be able to find anything. Old Master Crawford did not speak. He turned to the design draft and put the bidding document on the table. "Look. What is this?" Old Master Mallory looked at it and said, "It''s just a drawing? Why? Luke isn''t the only one who knows design." "Take a closer look. Here." Old Master Crawford pointed to the upper left side of the drawing which had T Corporation''s logo on it. It was a very small logo that was integrated with the drawing. If one did not look carefully, they might miss it. Old Master Mallory''s expression turned ashen. "It''s a mark left by Luke when he was creating the design," Old Master Crawford said as he flipped to the back page. "It''s not only in this drawing but in the next drawing as well." Old Master Mallory waspletely speechless. Old Master Crawford saw his livid expression and added, "Luke prepared two bidding documents for this project, one of which is this one. The reason why he did so is simple. He knew that someone wanted him to fail, so he made sure that he was prepared." He did not expect Pierre to be involved when he formted the n. Old Master Mallory remained silent. His speech to defend Pierre now felt ridiculous. It was supposed to be a fairpetition, but it became a joke now that Pierre''s actions were exposed. Old Master Mallory was shaking with anger. Old Master Crawford had a shrewd look in his eyes. The evidence was present, so no matter how Old Master Mallory tried to defend Pierre, he had no good excuse unless he insisted on losing his dignity. However, if he did so, he would be known as someone who spoiled the younger generation to no limits in their social circle. It would not be good for his reputation. "I know that Pierre is back with you. Now, can you get him toe and exin to me what''s going on?" Old Master Crawford said slowly. His tone made it clear that he was asking for an exnation. Before Old Master Mallory could speak, Madam Mallory went downstairs and happened to hear Old Master Crawford''sst sentence. She stepped forward curiously. She felt disgusted when she saw that it was someone from the the Crawford family who was talking. If it were not for Luke, Percy and Nina would have nothing to do with each other. She said, "Old Master Crawford, it''s you. Why are you so free today to drop by for tea?" "I''m here to get an exnation from your son." Old Master Crawford did not bother to be polite when he saw that it was Madam Mallory who spoke. "Pierre has been running about thest few days and just fell asleep. What''s going on?" Madam Mallory noticed the bidding document on the table and realized that he hade to pick on Pierre because of it. She did not know that the T Corporation''s logo was on the bidding document. Old Master Crawford looked at Old Master Mallory and asked in a cold voice, "Old Master Mallory, are you going back on what you said?" Old Master Mallory''s expression was ugly as he ordered, "Call Pierre down." "Father?" Madam Mallory did not understand why he was doing this. ''Wasn''t this bidding document prepared by Pierre?'' Old Master Mallory red at her and shouted, "It''s all your fault! You dote on Pierre too much! Look at him now! He even stole a bidding document! Call him down and have him apologize to Old Master Crawford on his knees!" "Is the bidding document from T Corporation?" Madam Mallory wondered. ''Even if it was, Pierre would have revised it. What evidence would there be to prove that the bidding document was prepared by T Corporation? Assuming that it does belong to T Corporation, Pierre''s actions this time didn''t cause them any loss. He doesn''t need to apologize as long as he doesn''t admit it.'' Upon seeing her reaction, Old Master Mallory pointed to the logo on the bidding document and said, "Look at what this is!" Madam Mallory looked at it and immediately understood that it was T Corporation''s logo. Pierre had gotten someone to revise it, but there was no way to revise the drawing. The logo cement was so obscure that if one did not look carefully, one would not see it at all. Anyone who was a little more detailed would be able to tell that there was an issue in this design draft. However, Pierre''s employees did not spot it because they were not professionals. Madam Mallory''s expression changed, and she went upstairs immediately. She woke Pierre, who had just fallen asleep. "Pierre, go downstairs." "What''s wrong? I just fell asleep..." Pierre''s temper was not the best. He looked at Madam Mallory sleepily and uttered, "We can talk about it when I wake up." "Something happened. Get up quickly!" Madam Mallory ripped off Pierre''s nket and threw his jacket on the bed with a frown. "How can you sleep when you did that sort of thing?" Pierre had no choice but to sit up and look at his mother. "What did I do?" "Tell me honestly. Did you steal the bidding document from T Corporation?" Madam Mallory looked at him seriously. She was fine if he messed around but this time, he went as far as to steal a bidding document. What made it worse was that it was T Corporation''s bidding document. Old Master Crawford and Luke Crawford would never let him off easily. "So what if I did? They don''t have any direct evidence..." Pierre yawned. He knew that his mother would be on his side. It would not matter even if he admitted to it. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "Old Master Crawford is here demanding an exnation as the design drawing on your bidding document has the logo of T Corporation," Madam Mallory said with a frown. "How is that possible?" Pierre frowned. They had revised the bidding document, and any traces rted to T Corporation were erased. How could there be a logo? "Those who aren''t professionals may only regard it as random lines and won''t spot anything. Old Master Crawford is downstairs now. Be good and apologize. You have to admit your mistakes. Fortunately, it didn''t cause any damage to them. Otherwise, this matter wouldn''t be as easy to resolve," Madam Mallory said. She knew that if Pierre refused to apologize, neither the Crawfords nor Old Master Mallory would let go of this matter easily. After all, Pierre had brought shame to the Mallory family when he chose to do such an ignominious thing. Old Master Mallory cared most about the honor and dignity of the Mallory family. Chapter 2100 Pierre finally understood why Percy chose to stand on Luke''s side even in front of Old Master Mallory. That was because Luke had left his logo on the design draft. Luke had seen the contents of the bidding document in M Group, so Pierre was certain that Luke had plotted against them and made sure that his employees would not notice what he did. Although Luke did not intend to go after him, he got looped into it. ¡®Damn that Abel! He deceived me twice in a row, and now, he has caused me so much trouble!'' Pierre put on his coat. He knew he could not do anything to Abel. He did know what organization Abel led. The phone number Abel gave him was no longer valid, so he could not get in contact with Abel. There was only one way to find him... "What are you thinking about? Hurry up and go downstairs. When you apologizeter, you should be more sincere and me it on someone in thepany. Tell Old Master Crawford that you don''t know anything, but since you''re the boss of thepany, you''ll take responsibility for what happened. Make sure that you apologize properly, okay?" Madam Mallory had already made up an excuse for him. "Got it." Pierre understood what his mother meant, which was not to admit that he stole the bidding document no matter what went down. He just needed to find someone to me. "Also, your grandfather suffered losses when he was younger, so he hates those who lie and cheat the most. Even if there''s no one around, don''t admit to what you did. Just insist that someone from your company did it and you''ll be fine." Madam Mallory did not feel at ease. She reminded him once more. "Got it." After Pierre put on his coat, he slowly walked downstairs. When Old Master Mallory saw hime down, he shouted, "Kneel, you bastard!" Pierre frowned. He was alright with apologizing but refused to kneel. "Grandpa, I did nothing wrong. Why do you want me to kneel?" He insisted. "This bidding document has the logo of T Corporation on it. You said it was prepared by someone from yourpany. Exin yourself!" Old Master Mallory asked in a sharp tone. He hated those who were involved in illegal acts. "How could that be?" Pierre frowned, confirmed it himself, and pretended to be surprised. "It really has T Corporation''s logo..." When he saw the logo, he had an exaggerated expression on his face as he cursed Luke hundreds of times in his heart. ''How cunning... He not only prepared two tenders but he even included a hidden logo.'' What Luke did made it so that he had to deal with the aftermath. "Pierre, do you have anything else to exin?" Old Master Crawford looked at Pierre and asked coldly. Old Master Crawford did not have much affection for Pierre even before all these conflicts. After all, in contrast to Percy, Pierre was much more inferior. Pierre cleared his throat and said sternly, "This document was prepared by someone from my company. As for why T Corporation''s document was used, I think one of them must have stolen the bidding document. Old Master Crawford, don''t worry. I''ll investigate this matter and find out who''s behind this. I''ll give you an exnation and bring the person responsible to you so you can deal with them however you deem fit." Old Master Crawford raised his eyebrows. ''That''s all?'' He did not say anything. Before he came, he already expected that Pierre might make such an excuse. It seemed that he thought right. Pierre was not only cruel but also cunning. Pierre continued talking since Old Master Crawford did not say anything, "I''m also at fault in this matter. I ineffectively managed my people, so I''llunch an investigation into this matter. I''m sorry for causing trouble for you and T Corporation. Don''t worry, I''ll make sure that I look into everything." Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "I see..." Old Master Mallory''s expression lightened a little. He looked at Old Master Crawford and said, "Old Master Crawford, don''t worry. Pierre will find the person who stole the bidding document and deliver them to you and Luke." Old Master Crawford said with a cold expression, "Don''t send them to me. Send them directly to the police station." He knew very well that Pierre nned to find someone to be a scapegoat. He knew that someone would be willing to take up the task with the lure of money. However, if they had to go to the police station, no one would be willing to be Pierre''s scapegoat no matter how much money he paid them. Pierre and Luke had apetitive rtionship. The rtionship between the two was not the best to start with. Old Master Crawford did not believe that Pierre was not involved in this. Pierre''s expression turned gloomy when he heard what Old Master Mallory said. He had nned to make Mr. Peralta a scapegoat. He thought the matter could be solved if he promised him a bright future and gave him more money. However, Old Master Mallory mentioned sending the culprit straight to the police station... That would involve a sentence. "Why? Is there a problem with that?" Old Master Crawford looked at Pierre. Pierre sighed, trying to make things less serious. "Old Master Crawford, I don''t think it''s that serious since it didn''t cause any loss to T Corporation. Why don''t you wait until I find the culprit and hand them over to you? We don''t have to go to the police station. It''s so much trouble." "The police should handle it since it involves illegal activities. Why do you say that? Don''t you want that person to be punished? Do you already know who that person is?" Old Master Crawford asked deliberately. Pierre bit his lip and had no choice but to go for it. "I haven''t started the investigation yet. Don''t worry, I''ll find out who did this." Old Master Crawford exchanged nces with Zander before he stood up. "Okay, I''ll wait for your news. Tell me who it is and then just hand them to the police. I trust that you''ll inform Luke as well. Okay, that''s it. I won''t disturb you any further. Goodbye." After he said that, he left with the help of his cane. Pierre looked at his aged back with hatred in his eyes. ''Why are the Crawfords so annoying?!'' After Old Master Crawford left the vi, Pierre nned to go upstairs. There was nothing to investigate, so he did not n to deal with the matter immediately. "Stop right there." Old Master Mallory called to him. Pierre knew that Old Master Mallory was still suspicious. "Grandpa, what do you want to know?" He stopped and looked at the old man sitting on the sofa. "Does this stolen bidding document really have nothing to do with you?" Old Master Mallory asked. "I didn''t do it. I''ll investigate it, but you have to give me some time." Pierre insisted on denying what he did as per what Madam Mallory told him to. Old Master Mallory had a sullen expression. He looked at Pierre and eventually nodded. He wanted to see how Pierre would deal with this matter. As such, Pierre continued to go upstairs. Madam Mallory did not go downstairs and had been waiting upstairs. When she saw Pierre return upstairs, she hurriedly asked, "How did things go?" "I said what you told me to say. I''ll have to give them an exnation when the timees, but..." Pierre frowned. "What?" Madam Mallory asked quickly. "It''s going to be hard to find a scapegoat because that old man from the Crawford family said that he wants whoever stole the bidding document to be sent to the police station," Pierre said. Chapter 2101 Madam Mallory was not as nervous as Pierre upon hearing the news. "There''ll always be someone willing to step up if you offer enough money." "I don''t have that much cash on hand now," Pierre confessed. He had already lost a lot of money to his business partners because of the closure of many industries. On top of that, he bought a bidding document from Abel and ced an order to assassinate Luke. He did not have much money on his hands now. If there was no one to help him, he would have to use thepany''s cash. However, at this stage, he did not need to do so. Pierre knew that Madam Mallory would not let him stoop so low. "Don''t worry. Go look for someone and tell me how much you need." Madam Mallory said exactly what Pierre thought she would. Madam Mallory''s response was within Pierre''s expectations. "I''ll find a scapegoat." Pierre nodded. Although thetest development was beyond what he expected, it was not impossible to solve with Madam Mallory''s help. On the other hand. Luke got a call from Old Master Crawford and learned of the Mallory family''s so-called workaround, which he had expected. After all, Pierre would not learn his lesson just from this incident. "I see. Thank you for making the trip anyway." Luke thanked him. Although Old Master Crawford was his grandfather, he was no longer involved in thepany''s affairs, so he should thank him for his effort. "No trouble. It''s just that Pierre''s face is annoying. Luke, stay away from him." Old Master Crawford knew that Luke was not close to Pierre to begin with, but he could not help himself from reminding him. "I know," Luke said. Old Master Crawford ended the call. He looked up at the view outside the floor-to-ceiling window. Luca was ying with the children outside. They looked happy engaged in snowball fights. Early this morning, the kids woke up and stood in unison at the door of Luca''s bedroom to wait for her to get up. When he saw that, Luke also stood at her bedroom entrance and waited for her. Luca came out after washing up and was very surprised to see them. School was closed because there was a blizzard. After breakfast, the children pestered Luca to y in the snow with them outside. Luca saw how excited the children were, so she put on someyers and yed with them in the courtyard. Luca opted to skip work for the kids. Luke stood in the house and watched as the kidsughed their hearts out. Thepany of a mother was important to them. He wanted to seize the opportunity so that Luca could stay with the children at ease. Aunt Neile went over to him and asked, "Sir, you and Dr. Craw will both have lunch at home today, right?" "Mm," Luke said. He did not n to go to the office as well. "Okay, I''ll make the necessary preparations." Aunt Neile nodded and returned to the kitchen. Luca yed with the children outdoors for half an hour before she returned indoors with the satisfied children. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Although it was icy and snowy outside, the children had satisfied smiles on their faces. Luca looked at Tommy, who had snot hanging from his nose. She shook her head with a helpless smile, took out a tissue, and wiped it for him. "Ms. Luca you''re so gentle." Tommy enjoyed her doting on him. Luca touched his head and looked at Lanie and Rainie. "Aren''t you cold? Don''t take off your jackets yet." "I''m not cold," Rainie said with a smile. Lanie said, "Yes, we''re not cold because it''s a lot of fun." Luca was touched as she looked at the children''s yful appearances. "Ms. Luca, Great-grandpa bought us a lot of new toys recently. Will you y with us?" Tommy took Luca''s hand and acted like a spoiled child, hoping that she could find time to spend with them. After all, theycked a mother''s love. Luca nced at the time. Although Luke said that it was a holiday, she originally nned to y with the children for a while and then go back to thepany to continue with her research. After all, she had to hurry andunch the drug in the market to make up for the loss from Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Upon seeing her hesitation, Luke said, "Today is a holiday. Spend some time with the kids and apany me to a ce at night." Luca noticed that Luke mentioned the word ''apany''. ''Where does he want me to go with him?'' Despite her doubts, she nodded and said, "Okay." "That''s wonderful! Ms. Luca is on holiday today, so she can be with us all day!" Tommy pped his hands happily, then held Luca''s hand. "Ms. Luca, let''s go upstairs." Luca did as he said and followed him upstairs. Aunt Neile came out with the cut fruit and milk. Seeing this scene, she could not help butugh and say, "The kids like Ms. Craw very much." Luke was standing on the side. He nodded thoughtfully, looked at the tray in her hand, and asked, "This is for them?" "Yes, the young masters and youngdy didn''t eat much for breakfast today, so I was worried that they would be hungry. As such, I prepared some fruits and milk," Aunt Neile replied. The children were so excited to y with Luca that morning, so they told her they were full after they had a few bites of breakfast. They seemed to be worried that Luca would go to work, so they raced against time. "I''ll bring it to them." Luke took the tray from Aunt Neile and walked upstairs. Aunt Neile watched Luke go upstairs and could not help but sigh in her heart about how they looked like a family of five. Luke walked into Tommy''s bedroom with the tray. The four of them turned their heads in unison when they heard the footsteps. "Daddy?" Rainie watched Luke walk in with a tray in his hand, stood up, and asked, "Daddy, don''t you have to go to the office today?" "Today is a day off. These are the fruits and milk that Aunt Neile prepared for you. Have some." Luke was worried that the children would be hungry. However, they would keep quiet even if they were hungry since Luca was around. He put the tray on the carpet. He looked at the Monopoly game on the carpet, raised his eyebrows, and asked, "This is what your Great-grandpa bought for you?" "Yes, Great-grandpa said that we can y this game with Daddy and Ms. Luca, so he specially bought it for us," Tommy said. He remembered Old Master Crawford mentioning that this game could help them bond. Lanie, who was on the side, said, "Daddy,e join us." Luke never had much interest in kids'' games. When his peers were ying games, he was reading various extracurricr books, so he had never yed these games. "Daddy,e and y with us." Rainie invited him as well. Luke sat down and cleared his throat. "How do you go about it?" "Daddy, you haven''t yed this game before? Great-grandpa told us that this game has been around for a long time." Tommy looked at his father with some doubt in his eyes as he always thought of Luke as omnipotent. "I''ve never yed such childish games," Luke exined as he looked up at Luca. Chapter 2102 "Daddy, why don''t you team up with me?" Rainie invited him. Since Luke did not know how to y the game, Lanie and Tommy would likely take the opportunity to bully him. Rainie wanted to help him to maintain a good image in front of their mommy. "Okay." Luke agreed to his daughter''s invitation and sat next to Rainie. Tommy liked this kind of warm parent-child time. He touched the dice and said, "Daddy, Rainie, let''s start the game." This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Luca nced at Luke. She did not expect him to skip work so that he could y such a boring game with the kids. Sure enough, he was a good father. He cared so much about the children. No matter what happened in the future, she felt at ease leaving them to him. "Okay." Luca went along with the children''s wishes. Tommy threw the dice and started the game. With Rainie''s help, Luke yed for one round and understood how to y the game. An hourter, Tommy pouted and said, "I don''t want to y anymore. Daddy is bullying me!" "Is that so?" Luke calmly counted his property cards. "You''ve stolen a lot of properties from me. Daddy, have you heard of respecting the old and loving the young? I''m a child. You should give me some leeway. Otherwise, others might say that you''re bullying children." Tommy looked at the cards in his hands angrily. "These aren''t mine." Luke looked at his son''s puffed-up face, burst into joy, and shoved the cards into Rainie''s hands. "These are the cards that your sister won." Rainie could not help but be amused when she saw her brother''s reaction. ¡°Tommy, let''s y again. This time, I''ll let you win." "Really?" Tommy nced at Luca. She gave them all of her property cards but Luke won them back. Then somehow, the cards were returned to her. In the end, Tommy discovered that he was the first to go bankrupt. "Really. Let''s reassign the cards." Rainie put away the cards in the hands of the other three and began to count. "I don''t want to y with Daddy this round. All Daddy does is bully kids," Tommyined. Luke raised his eyebrows and said innocently, "Is that so?" Tommy used him, "You did do so!" "Okay, you can y." Luke teased his youngest son. He was in a great mood. A new round of games began. After one round, Tommy still lost. Tommy looked at the only card left in his hand, pouted, and said, "Lanie and Rainie bullied me. Ms. Luca is the only one looking out for me." Luca looked at the few cards left in her hand and smiled helplessly. "We''re ying a game. Of course, we must be fair," Lanie said. He looked at the cards he won and grinned happily. Tommy refused to admit defeat. "No, let''s go again. I''ll win the next round." Aunt Neile knocked on the bedroom door when they were about to start a new round of games. "Sir, Ms. Craw, young masters, youngdy, it''s time for lunch." Luca nced at the watch in her hand. Before she knew it, it was already lunchtime. The children had to give in. After all, they had to eat lunch obediently or they would be scolded. Luke and Luca apanied the children for lunch. At the kids'' request, Luca coaxed the three children to sleep. She could not help but reach out and touch the kids'' foreheads. They were all her babies... Luca left the bedroom and saw Luke sitting in the living room on the second floor. She walked over and asked, "Mr. Crawford, where are you going tonight?" "Norman Residence," Luke said. ''The Norman Residence?'' Luca was worried. "Is Aunt Queenie feeling unwell?" "No." Luke looked at Luca, who was so worried about Mr. and Mrs. Norman''s health. He felt sad that she had to put in so much effort to hide her feelings for them! "My father-inw wants to treat you to a meal. At the same time, he also wants you to check my mother-inw''s pulse and see how she''s doing recently," he exined. When he wanted to set up a dinner appointment, Jack mentioned for them to eat at home instead of heading to a hotel. Moreover, he made it clear that he wanted to see Luca. After all, she was his biological daughter. No matter how resolute Jack was, he cared deeply about his biological daughter. "In that case, there''s no problem." Luca breathed a sigh of relief when she found out there was nothing wrong with Queenie. She asked, "Are the children going?" "No. They''re going back to Crawford Manor to apany Old Master Crawford for dinner tonight," Luke said. Although Queenie missed the kids very much, with the children there, it was hard for them to have certain conversations. "Okay..." Luca wondered why Luke did not intend to bring the children. After all, they were the grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. Norman. It was not a problem to bring the kids with them. However, she respected Luke''s decision and did not say anything. Evening. Zander came over and took the kids to Crawford Manor. They had no problem with Luca and Luke going to Norman Residence and them going to Crawford Manor for dinner. Luke told them that they were staying at Crawford Manor that night and he would take Luca back to Crawford Manor the day after. The children readily agreed to these arrangements as long as it was not a prolonged separation. After the kids left, Luke drove Luca to Norman Residence. After they arrived at Norman Residence, only Queenie and the maid were there. Queenie knew early in the morning that Luke woulde over for dinner, but she was a little surprised to see him bring Luca. "Luke, Luca, you''re here." She concealed her consternation and stepped forward to greet her guests gently. However, she kept thinking about how in the past few months, Luke would always bring Luca with him whenever he came over. ''He no longer cares about Bianca... It seems he''s bringing Luca over here to win my and Jack''s heart so that when he and Luca announce their marriage, we''d ept it readily?'' "Mother-inw, I brought Dr. Craw here to check on your pulse." Luke closed the car door and exined to Queenie. He told Jack not to inform Queenie in advance that he would be bringing Luca with him. When he saw Queenie''s stunned expression, he knew that Jack did not mention anything to her. "I''m in good health. We don''t have to trouble Luca," Queenie said. Although Luca was very kind to her, she was selfish and could not help but side with Bianca. Luca smiled awkwardly. She noticed Queenie''s disapproving tone and did not take it to heart because she understood why she acted as such. "Aunt Queenie, Mr. Crawford cares greatly about your health, so he brought me here," Luca exined. She felt a little helpless to be rejected by her biological mother. "Is that so? It''s cold outside. Come in quickly." Since she was there, Queenie did not think that it was right to get Luke to shoo her away. Hence, she could only greet them and get them inside. She even asked Leia to stay in a hotel when she knew that Luke woulde over for dinner so that Luke would not find out about her. Chapter 2103 Luke and Luca walked beside Queenie, and they walked into the house together. Luke nced around and found that Jack was not there. "Mother-inw, where''s Jack?" "He''s still at the provincial office as he has a meeting today. He''lle back a littleter. Ten minutes ago, he said he was ready to leave and mentioned that he would get a bottle of wine. He wants to drink with you tonight. Don''t just stand here. Come sit and drink some tea to warm your body." Queenie said with a smile as she got them to sit down. "Father-inw has been busy. How is his health?" Luke asked, concerned. He was sitting across from Queenie. "He''s been busy. There seem to be a lot of meetings going on recently, and he oftenes backte. It''s considered early for him toe back at this time today," Queenie said as she made them tea. Jack was upied likely because there was a new project in the province, or he was attending to the inspection officers from the central government. There was no news about the central governmenting for inspections, so Luke assumed that Jack was working overtime on the development in the western suburbs. After all, if thend were to be developed, Jack, as the leader, must have a lot of things to attend to. He had to meet, discuss, and negotiate with various departments. "Come, have some tea." Queenie poured the tea into two cups and ced them in front of them. Luca picked up the cup and took a sip of the hot tea. The tea was warm and reminded her of the warmth of a mother. "Aunt Queenie, let me take your pulse." Luca put down the cup after she felt the warmth on her hands. "Okay." Queenie reached out her hand so that Luca could take her pulse. Luca put her hand lightly on Queenie''s pulse while she looked, smelled, inquired, and diagnosed. Luke watched without saying anything. After about a minute, Luca motioned to Queenie to bring over her other hand and continued to take her pulse. After half a minute, she asked, "Aunt Queenie, you haven''t been sleeping welltely?" "Yeah, how did you know?" Queenie nodded. Although she did not have insomnia like she used to, she was always dreaming. Her dreams were absurd and bizarre. They mostly involved Bianca and Leia. She would wake up tired like she had not gotten any sleep at night. Jack did not know about it either because she knew he was busy and did not want him to worry. Although she did not mention anything about it, Jack could tell that something was wrong. He thought she seemed a little flustered whenever she woke up as though she did not get enough sleep. "Your pulse is a little chaotic like you''re often restless. I can prepare a prescription to condition your body," Luca said. She knew that Queenie did not like her, so she did not dare to mess around. Luca was worried that Queenie might overthink. "Okay, thank you." Queenie retracted her hand. Although Luca could tell what she was going through, Queenie was well aware. She was not sick; she was overthinking. It was mainly about Bianca and Leia. She did not know where Bianca was, and Bianca had made it clear that she would not be returning to A City this year. No matter what she said, Bianca still insisted on not returning to A City. Queenie could not do anything about it. As for Leia, her health was getting worse and worse because she did not take her medicine on time. Her liver function was seriously damaged, and the doctor said that there was no other way but to wait for a liver transnt. She had been waiting in line for the liver donation, but it was far from her turn. All she could do was take medicine and go to the hospital for regr injections to sustain her life. Therefore, Leia was dissatisfied and would make noise every day, ming Queenie for not giving her money to buy a suitable liver from the ck market. Luca noticed the reluctance on Queenie''s face and could not help but remind her, "Aunt Queenie, rest is important. You must pay more attention to it." "Okay, I know. It happens asionally, mainly because Bea has been refusing toe back. As her mother, I''m worried about her, so I overthink at night and dream about her." Queenie deliberately mentioned Bianca in front of Luca in hopes that she would understand that Luke had a wife and she should not destroy their marriage. Luca looked at Luke subconsciously when Queenie mentioned Bianca. Luke was looking at her as well. Luca lowered her gaze and said, "By the way, Aunt Queenie, have you checked your blood pressure recently?" "Yes, I measure it every day. My low blood pressure symptoms are much better. Recently, my blood pressure has also risen a bit. However, Jack''s blood pressure fluctuates up and down. Sometimes when he gets busy, he''ll forget to take his medicine. Luca, do you have any herbs to help with high blood pressure?" Queenie asked. She was worried about Jack''s health even though she was upied with Bianca and Leia. It seemed that their home had not had peace since Bianca got kidnapped. "Western medicine is better, but you can usually adjust your diet to help control blood pressure. I can write down a few recipes, and you can prepare the food for Uncle Jack twice a week. It''ll help control his blood pressure," Luca said. She felt distressed. If Queenie had not mentioned anything, she would not know that Jack had high blood pressure. However, they were all getting old. Generally, at their age, people who did not pay much attention to their health would get high blood pressure, Hyperlipidemia, or high blood sugar. Jack was busy with work andcked exercise, so it was normal that he had high blood pressure. Her parents were getting old, but she could not stay by their side as their daughter to take care of them and fulfill her filial piety to them... Luca was very upset. Queenie got energized and told the maid, "Really? Thank you so much. Go and get the pen and paper." "However, fundamentally, it''s best to have a healthy routine, diet, and exercise," Luca said. Medicine and diet were both helpful, but the best option was to change one''s bad habits. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "He used to exercise often. Since my health has improved, he became very busy after he decided to go back to work. Sometimes, he has to stay upte. He also likes to drink a little, so his health is not as good as before." Queenie sighed. When she was not feeling well, Jack paid great attention to his health and exercised regrly, saying that he would not let himself be in trouble because he would not be able to take care of her if something happened to him. "In that case..." Luca took the pen and paper handed over by the maid and began to write some prescriptions to condition Queenie''s body as well as recipes for Jack''s diet. Before she was done with the recipes, Jack walked in and saw Luke and Luca. He said with a bright smile on his face, "Luke, Luca, you''re here!" Queenie heard him and knew that Jack knew Luca would being. He knew that she did not like Luca, so he did not mention it on purpose. Queenie sighed to herself. If Luca and Luke had nothing going on, Luca was indeed a good person. However, she felt that Luca was getting too close to Luke, so even if Luca had saved her, she could not bring herself to like Luca anymore. Chapter 2104 "Father-inw." Luke nodded at him. Luca also greeted Jack, "Hello, Uncle Jack. Long time no see." "It''s been a long time, Luca. If you''re free,e visit me and your Aunt Queenie more often," Jack said. He knew there was a reason why Luca did not visit often. Luke had told him about what happened to her in Russia. As such, Jack knew that Luca was in danger all the time and could not acknowledge him and Queenie as her biological parents for some reason. "Okay." Luca finished writing and handed the paper to the maid. "There you go." "What''s that?" When he saw that, Jack put down his briefcase and sat down near Luca. "It''s a few recipes for your diet and a prescription for Aunt Queenie to condition her body," Luca replied. "Condition her body? What''s wrong?" Jack became nervous. He and Luke asked Luca toe over to check on Queenie''s pulse as an excuse. He did not expect that something would be wrong with Queenie''s body. "It''s nothing. I''ve been having a lot of dreams when I''m sleeping, so Luca checked my pulse and gave me a prescription," Queenie said to reassure Jack. "Are you sure you''re okay?" Jack was still worried, so he looked at Luca and asked her. "It''s nothing. She just needs to condition her body and let go of her thoughts. Then she''ll naturally be able to sleep well." Luca nodded and smiled slightly. She was envious of her parents'' rtionship. Her rtionship with Luke had always been good. However, too many twists and turns had left them where they were now. It was as though they were not meant to have a peaceful life. Jack breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I''m d to hear that." Queenie''s smile got bigger and bigger when she saw her husband''s nervous reaction. "I told you that I''m fine. My body is in tip-top shape." "If all is well, you wouldn''t have to take herbs to condition your body. You still have to pay attention to your health." Jack disagreed with Queenie''s statement. Luca looked at her parents with envy. Seeing this, Luke cleared his throat and said, "Father-inw, can we step aside to talk?" "You want to ask about the development in the western suburbs?" Jack knew what he wanted to talk about. He asked him toe over for dinner so that he could tell him more about what he wanted to know. Nevertheless, even if the answer was given to him, it was up to Luke whether he could win the project. Therefore, Jack wasfortable sharing the information. After all, he knew that Luke would not screw him over even if he knew the information. ¡°Mm." Luke nodded. "Let''s talk in my study," Jack said. After all, the maid was still in the living room and their conversation should not be heard by outsiders. "Okay." Luke stood up. Jack stood up as well, handed the maid the bottle in his hand, and said, "Let the bottle breathe. We''ll drink it when we have dinnerter." "Got it, Mr. Norman." The maid took the wine and walked into the kitchen. Luke followed Jack upstairs. In the living room on the first floor, Luca and Queenie were the only ones left. Luca knew that Queenie did not like her, but she could not help but make small talk. "Aunt Queenie, how''s Leia doing?" "She..." Queenie''s eyes were filled with sadness when Leia was mentioned. "She''s against taking medicine because she thinks that the hormones in the medicine will affect her figure. Her situation is getting worse. The doctors said that there''s no way to reverse it, so they can only wait for a liver transnt. However, the country''s liver sources are limited. There are still several people ahead of Leia in A City, and some have even been waiting for a year. " Luca frowned. Leia''s liver function damage was not severe enough to require an immediate transnt. Her condition would be stable if she followed through with the medicine. She did expect Leia''s condition to be so terrible in just a few months. She had no one but herself to me. She would not have ended up like this if she followed the doctor''s orders and took her medicine on time. "Luca, is there anything you can do about Leia''s situation?" Queenie asked. She did not dare to say these in front of Luke. "There''s no other way if the doctors in the hospital all say that she has to wait for a transnt. Some damage can''t be reversed, especially with the organ..." Luca said, "Some can only slow down the impact of the damage, but Ms. Norman is hurting herself by not taking her medication on time." "I knew there''s no other way... I''m worried if Leia can even wait until then?" Queenie had heard too many simr cases. In the end, the patients could not wait for the liver for transntation and could only pass away with regret. Luca said nothing. At this stage, all Leia could do was take medicine and injections while waiting for the transnt. However, Leia was a fan of drama. Luca was worried that she would continue to hurt herself and then force Jack to pay for a liver on the ck market. "Aunt, you should spend more time with her. Don''t let her overthink and mess around..." Luca said. Jack was not an ordinary person. He may be heavily affected by certain things at any time. If Leia messed up, Jack may be punished ten times more strictly than ordinary people. He did not raise his kids to get them to take revenge on him. Mr. and Mrs. Norman had done enough for Leia over the years. If it was not because she was no longer by their side, Queenie would not be paying all her attention to Leia. "I know what you mean. In fact, it''s also possible for rtives to donate organs. After all, it''s a liver. It has tworge lobes. It''s just..." Queenie did not continue to speak. Everyone in A City knew that Leia was adopted. Their blood type was notpatible with her at all. Therefore, none of them could donate their liver to her. When Leia was in the orphanage, there were very few records of her. They could not find anyone rted to Leia. When Leia was still an A-list star, Queenie remembered a beggar who said that he was Leia''s father. However, at that time, they did not let the beggar continue to make a scene to protect Leia. The beggar was long gone now. It seemed that Leia had no rtives who could help her. "It''s all about luck." Luca suddenly thought of Kevin Rayne. Back then, he also had liver disease and was waiting for a transnt. She could not do anything about it then. That was because their blood types were different. At that time, she thought that her blood type was from the mother she had never met, but she understood why when she found out that her biological parents were Jack and Queenie. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. However, Kevin Rayne was luckier than Leia. At least she managed to save enough money and Kevin got a liver transnt. "The drugs'' effects are great. As long as Ms. Norman continues with her treatment, she has time," Luca could onlyfort her. "Hopefully... Leia will go to the hospital for a check-up tomorrow. If the check-up gives us bad news, the doctor will force her to be hospitalized and wait for the liver." Queenie could not help but share about Leia with Luca. Chapter 2105 Queenie did not know what was going on. She just felt that Luca''s words brought herfort and melted all her anxiety. "Bea isn''t by my side anymore. I just hope Leia can get better soon." She could not help but sigh. Queenie got a headache thinking that Leia might be hospitalized. What Leia hated most was the hospital. She would not stay even if she was in a luxurious single ward. There were a lot of people in the hospital, and Leia was a famous star. She was worried that if someone saw Leia in the hospital and told Luke... Luca listened to Queenie''s sigh and felt even guiltier. ¡®I''m sorry, Mom?.'' All she could do was apologize to Queenie in her heart... Upstairs, in Jack''s study. Luke followed him in and closed the door. "The government does intend to develop the abandoned amusement park in the western suburbs, but there are no specifics for now," Jack said. "After so many years of the rumor going around, the government is finally taking action." Luke could not help but sigh. The redevelopment of the abandoned yground in the western suburbs had been rumored in A City for several years. The rumors went on for some time, but there was never any corresponding announcements. "I''ve been working overtime during this period to hold meetings on this. I can''t tell you the specifics, and I can only say so much. One more thing. We intend to stimte the economy of A City through this project, so there''s a high probability that an A Citypany will be chosen to take on this project.¡± Jack said. "I see. Thank you, Father-inw." Luke knew what to do when he got this positive news. He had been wanting to expand the influence of T Corporation in A City and create a positive image with the local government as it would be of great help in winning the project. After Luke got an answer, he did not n to give up. After all, with so many employees at T Corporation, it was impossible to achieve their target with just the M Group project. "Don''t thank me. There''s one thing I want to ask you." Jack sat on the executive chair and pointed to the seat opposite. "Have a seat. Let''s talk." Luke sat across from him. "The thing I want to ask is, when will you and Luca get through all this and reunite?" Jack asked. Luke smiled bitterly and said helplessly, "You''re not the first one to ask...." "Why? Others are urging you to do the same?" Jack raised his eyebrows. "Grandpa is urging me too," Luke replied. Jack was a little surprised and eximed, "Does the old man know Luca''s identity?" "He doesn''t know. He hasn''t had peace since the fake Bianca appeared, so the goodwill umted by Bea in the past was all lost on the fake Bianca. Luca found that there was something wrong with the herbs, so the old man is very fond of her. He knows that I''m interested in her and has been urging me..." Luke exined. The fake Bianca was like his mother, Allison. They both caused trouble and started wars in Crawford Manor. "Old Master Crawford is quite open-minded. You''re not divorced on paper but he encouraged you to be with another woman." Jack could not help but tease. It was fortunate that this other woman was Bianca. Otherwise, he would have been fuming. "He noticed my attitude and how the children like Luca, so he encouraged me," Luke said helplessly. Old Master Crawford was not open-minded. He just wanted Luke to be happy. After all,pared to Louis, his past was even more bitter. He grew up in an orphanage and served as a tool topete for a favor, so Old Master Crawford wanted to give him more love. "I think so too. Old Master Crawford doesn''t seem like the kind of person who can ept a new daughter-inw just like that. That also shows that Bea is excellent." Jack could not help but praise Luca. Although she was controlled by the bad guys, she was constantly doing things to help Luke and Queenie. Jack knew everything and felt sorry for his daughter. However, even if he was in a position of power, he could not do anything to the organization that controlled her. He could only rely on Luke to protect her. Jack could not help but sigh at how useless he felt. When Luca was born, he was not by Queenie''s or her side. He did not get to protect or love Luca. He trusted others when they told her that Luca died during birth. As a result, she lived through so many years of misery. When everyone disapproved of her being with Luke, he selfishly separated them both for Leia. He knew how ridiculous he was as their father. He wanted to make things up with Luca but, Luke could do more for her than he could. Jack felt even guiltier toward Luca. "She''s great," Luke said. His heart had always been with her. "It''s almost time. Let''s go downstairs for dinner. I bought wine for today. Let''s have a few drinks together. Maybe if I get drunk, there might be unexpected good things that happen." Jack nced at the time and stood up. He enjoyed having a few drinks, but if no one drank with him, he would not drink. It was rare for Luke to visit, so he did not want to miss this opportunity. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "Okay." Luke agreed. He knew that he would not be able to drive after drinking. Luca had been driving for a while and was re-acquainted. He wasfortable letting her drive them back. Queenie watched Luke and Jacke downstairs. She stood up and said, "Are you done?" "Yeah" Jack''s serious face shed a smile. "Just in time. The maid is ready with dinner. Let''s eat," Queenie said. She did not want to go upstairs to disturb them just now. After all, Jack had asked to talk about things in the study, so what they were talking about must be private. "Okay. The wine has had time to breathe. We can have a few drinks." Jack smiled and walked to the dining room. "Dear, drink less." Queenie shook her head helplessly. "No one usually drinks with me. I don''t usually drink, but this time, Luke is here. I must drink with him tonight to satiate my wish," Jack said to Queenie. Luca listened to her parents'' conversation with a smile on her face. Jack said, "Luca, would you like a drink too?" "No, Uncle Jack. Mr. Crawford is drinking, so I''ll have to driveter." Luca said. "You don''t have to drive. We can get you a cab. If we can''t get one, I''ll have my driver work overtime. There are many rooms here too. You can stay here to rest as well." Jack said. "Okay, Luca can rx with me. She''s a woman. How could she ever outdrink you?" Queenie could not stand it any longer and shook her head. "I''m in a wonderful mood today!" Jack spoke to Queenie in a childlike manner. Chapter 2106 Queenie sat at the dinner table and looked at Jack suspiciously. "Why are you so happy? Did something good happen?" "I¡¯m just happy to see my son-inw," Jack mentioned Luke deliberately. Queenie smiled helplessly as she shook her head. "What? Aren''t you happy?" Jack asked. "I''m happy, but the kids aren¡¯t here. I miss them," Queenie said. She had not mentioned the children, but she missed them a lot. "Sorry, Mother-inw." Luke apologized when he heard what she said. "I didn''t bring the kids here because I needed to talk to Jack. I''ll bring them over when they¡¯re on holiday." Queenie nodded with a smile and replied, "Okay." "Where are the kids now?" Jack asked, concerned. "They''re at Crawford Manor," Luke replied. He saw the maid walk over with a bottle of wine, it was high in alcohol content. "It''s nice that Old Master Crawford is watching them," Jack nodded. Queenie sighed and said, "How is it nice? Old Master Crawford needs to rest, and the children would be making a lot of noise. Luke, next time when you don''t have time to watch the kids, send them over. I can take care of them. I miss my grandchildren." "Okay." Luke did not take her words to heart. He knew that Queenie was upied. She spent most of her thoughts and time worried about Leia. Although Luke did not know much about Leia''s situation, he knew that her condition had worsened. She had no choice but to wait for a liver transnt. At the same time, he had yet to take action on this matter. Leia was still making a fool of herself, and Johann said that she still had time. Hence, it was not yet time for him to make a move. Luke intended to help her when Leia stopped acting out or when other situations arose. "Since the kids aren¡¯t around, I don''t need to be a role model. Luke, let¡¯s have a drink," Jack picked up the bottle of wine. Luke stood up quickly and said, "Father-inw, let me do it." "Okay." Jack handed him the wine and asked him to pour himself a ss. Luke poured Jack a ss of wine and another for himself. Queenie shook her head helplessly but did not stop them when she thought of how Jack did not drink much even if he liked to. "Luca, let''s eat," she said. "Okay, Aunt." Luca picked up the chopsticks and started eating. Jack and Luke drank a lot throughout the meal. Luca looked at the two flushed faces, shook her head helplessly, and asked softly, "Mr. Crawford, do you need the hangover prevention medicine?" She did not expect that Jack would drink that much with Luke. He opened another bottle when they were done with the first. "No, it''s okay," Luke said. He did not need to be sober in front of Jack and Queenie. He also did not intend to be sober when he was alone with Luca. Luca hesitated to speak. Jack said, "Luca, it''s okay. Luke can drink." Queenie looked at her husband''s flushed face. It looked like he had been drinking too much. She shook her head helplessly and said, "Yes, you can drink. You already drank two bottles. Drinking so much is not good for your health!" "It''s fine, I don''t drink often," Jack said cheerfully. Queenie did not know what to do with him, so she said, "Luke, you and your father-inw can go to the living room and have a seat. I''ll make you some hangover tea." "Mother-inw, it''s okay. It''s gettingte, so I''ll head off now. You can prepare the hangover tea for Father-inw," Luke said. The more he drank, the more he spoke. "How can this be?" Queenie frowned as he drank quite a lot. "It''s not me who''s going to be driving, so it''s all good." Luke looked at Luca and stood up. He was steady and did not appear as though he had been drinking. Seeing this, Queenie had no choice but to say, "Okay then. Get back safe." "Okay, Father-inw. Goodbye," Luke said. Luca followed suit. "Uncle Jack, Aunt Queenie, goodbye." Jack stood up cheerfully and waved at them. "Goodbye. Doe by more often. We enjoy your company." Luca heard Jack and felt an overwhelming sadness. Parents always missed their children. She wanted her children to be by her side but she could not do that for her own parents. Queenie shook her head. "What nonsense are you talking about?" It made sense for Luke to visit them. He was their son-inw, after all. However, Luca... She was not their daughter, so there was no reason for her to visit often. "Sit here and don''t move. I''ll send them off," Queenie told Jack and walked out with them. Luke walked fairly steadily. When he walked to the side of the car, he subconsciously wanted to open the driver''s door. Luca said quickly, "Mr. Crawford, you''ve been drinking. Let me drive." "Oh, yes." Luke went around the front of the car and walked over to the passenger seat. Queenie watched from the side, shook her head, and said, "You said you weren''t drunk..." N?velDrama.Org content. Luca listened to Queenie''s words and was full of helplessness. She said, "Aunt Queenie, I''ll send Mr. Crawford back first." "Okay, okay." Queenie paused before she said, "Luca, after you send him back, make sure he''s in the living room before you leave. I''m afraid that he''ll be so drunk he''d sleep outside." Luca felt a little guilty. Queenie did not know that they stayed together... "I know." She agreed, opened the door, and sat in the driver''s seat. Luca nced at the front passenger seat and found that Luke had buckled his seatbelt. He was leaning against the seat with his eyes closed. His brows were still slightly furrowed. He seemed to be ufortable because of the alcohol. Luca sighed, buckled up, and left Norman Residence. As soon as she drove off, she heard Luke say, "Don''t sigh, I''m fine." "Mr. Crawford, don''t you need to take the hangover prevention medicine?" Luca asked. Although it may not be as effective as taking it before drinking, it would still be somewhat effective. At least he would not be as ufortable. "No, I don''t want to take the medicine. I want to..." Luke stopped talking halfway. "What do you want?" Luca asked. "I want a good night''s sleep," Luke said. Luca''s heart sank. ¡®He means that he wants to take advantage of being drunk and get a good night''s sleep? Could it be that his sleep quality has not been the best?'' Luca did not dare to delve into it, so she could only focus on looking ahead and driving carefully. She could drive Luke''s car, but she was not familiar with it. It snowed, so she drove slowl. The original half-hour drive took her more than an hour to arrive at the vi. Chapter 2107 After the car was parked, Luke opened his eyes slightly and muttered, "Are we there yet?" "We''re here, Mr. Crawford. Can you get out of the car by yourself?" Luca asked. He had been drinking, so she was not sure if he would be able to walk on his own. "If I can''t, will you let me sleep in the car for the night?" Luke sat there and did not move. He was halfsquinting looking at Luca''s side profile. "No." Luca unbuckled his seat belt. "I''ll help you get in." "No need." Luke sat up straight, unbuckled his seatbelt, opened the door, and got out of the car. Luca frowned slightly. She was worried that he would fall, so she followed closely behind him as he walked into the living room. Aunt Neile was off work, so the vi did not have a single light on. When Luke was about to walk forward, Luca stepped over the threshold and whispered, "Mr. Crawford, I''ll turn on the lights first." Luke stopped and propped himself against the wall. Luca stood at the entrance and found the switch. After she turned on the switch, the room lit up. "Mr. Crawford,e in." She looked at the man leaning against the wall. The alcohol he and Jack drank had a high alcohol content. It was normal that he felt ufortable after drinking. Luke squinted slightly and stepped over the entrance. His body swayed uncontrobly as if he would fall at any point. Luca immediately stepped forward to help him. "Mr. Crawford, be careful." "I''m a little dizzy..." Luke closed his eyes. The alcohol hit him hard, and he did not feel well. Luca gritted his teeth, put her hand around his waist, and said, "I''ll help you get in." Luke lowered his eyes and walked forward with her. "Mr. Crawford, would you like to sleep on the sofa tonight?" Luca said. He leaned on her with most of his body. Although she was strong enough to support her, it was too dangerous for him to go up the stairs like that. "It''s hard to fall asleep on the sofa." A look of shrewdness shed in Luke''s eyes. He could not agree to stay on the sofa with such a good opportunity. He did not intend to miss any chance for him to get him close to Luca, even for a while. Luca thought that he was tall, and it was indeed not suitable for him to sleep on the sofa. The maid''s room, which was temporarily used as Luke''s bedroom, has been tidied up by Aunt Neile. It had be her temporary bedroom. As such, if he did not want to sleep on the sofa, he could only go upstairs. Luca looked at the long stairs and gritted her teeth. "Mr. Crawford, I''ll help you back to your bedroom." "I can walk by myself." Luke half-squinted and said, "I''m just a little dizzy. I''m not drunk yet." "I''ll help you." Luca insisted and stepped up the stairs. Luke put one hand on Luca''s shoulder and the other on the armrest. He lowered his gaze and saw Luca''s face. Her face was flushed like she was the one who had been drinking. Luke felt a little guilty. Maybe he should not be teasing her like this. He let go and nned to go upstairs by himself. After all, a person weighing more than 100 pounds was indeed too heavy for the petite Luca to carry up the stairs. She could feel that he had let go, so she immediately said, "Mr. Crawford, don''t let go." Luke had to put his hand on her shoulder again. Luca felt the weight on her body lighten. She did not make a sound and carefully supported Luke''s waist. They walked up to the second floor slowly. As soon as the bedroom door was opened, Luke let go and stumbled forward. Before Luca could react, he was lying on the bed. He was not lying straight, but there was no bruise or injury. Luca noticed that Luke was wearing a heavy coat. It would be ufortable for him to sleep like this all night. She stepped forward and whispered, "Mr. Crawford, let me take off your clothes for you so that you can sleep morefortably. " Luke opened his eyes. The lights in the bedroom were a little harsh, so he turned his head sideways. There was faint drunkenness in his eyes as he uttered, "Everything?" "..." Luca could tell that he was teasing her. She did not reply, so Luke rolled over and pretended to be ufortable. Luca stepped forward and bent down. "I''ll help you take off your coat." Luke heard the sounds of his buttons unbuttoning and the zipper being pulled. Luca was helping him undress... "Mr. Crawford, turn over." Luca looked at the jacket. She needed his help. Luke sat up, pretended to be confused, and said, "Is this alright?" Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Luca was not sure if he was drunk or if he was pretending... "Okay." She took off Luke''s thick coat. Luca was about to put away the jacket she took off when he grabbed his hand all of a sudden. "Luca, stay with me..." His voice was low. When she listened carefully, it was as if he was begging a little. "Stay with me..." Luke repeated himself. "Mr. Crawford, lie down." Luca''s heart softened. The drunk Luke did not make a fuss and instead begged for herpany like a child. "Stay with me." Luke bargained with her like a child. "Okay." Luca had no choice but to agree. Luke still held onto her hand tightly. When he was about to lie down, she lifted the nket and said, "Lie down straight." "Okay." Lukey on the bed with his head firmly on the pillow. His head was turned sideways, and his eyes were locked on her. "Let go. I need to put your clothes away," Luca looked at his hand and reminded him helplessly. "No, I won''t let go. If I let go, you''ll leave me." Luke did not let go. He was no longer cold and rude, "Luca, don''t leave me." Luca''s heart trembled. She had no choice but to put his clothes on the end of the bed. She then pulled the nket over him and said, "I won''t leave. Go to bed." Luke closed his eyes obediently but still held onto her hands tightly. Luca felt the heat in her palms. She had no choice but to sit on the floor. She leaned against the bed and looked at him. Luke did not open his eyes but knew what she was doing. He was holding her hand. If she wanted to be morefortable, that was all she could do. Luke wanted her to sleep on the other side with him, but in this situation, she would never say yes. As such, he could only flirt with her when he was drunk. He believed that if he kept holding on, she would not leave. Whether it was tonight or in the future. "Luca." Luke''s voice was low. His throat felt harsh due to the alcohol, and he spoke with a hint of drunkenness. "I''m here..." Luca could not help but lower her voice. "I''ve been abandoned by a lot of people..." Luke spoke of his past. Luca''s heart ached. She knew about his past. Although her past was difficult, it was nothingpared to Luke''s. "You''re drunk. Go to sleep." Luca tucked him into the nket. "I''ve been drinking too much but I''m not drunk." Luke knew what her soft spot was, so he did not mind talking about the past. Chapter 2108 Luca secretly let out a sigh. Luke was obviously drunk. How could a tough person like him bring up his embarrassing past if he was not drunk? When she was still Bianca back then, she had never seen the other side of him when he showed his weaknesses. "I always wondered what kind of person I would be today if Louis were born earlier," Luke said in a low voice. Previously, Susan was unable to get pregnant, and that was when Allison brought Luke back from the orphanage. She brought him to meet Old Master Crawford to acknowledge him as his grandfather. Luke would never have returned to the Crawford family if Louis had already been born. Luke would have grown up in the orphanage without knowing who his parents were and why he was abandoned and left at the orphanage. Perhaps he would have been adopted by someone else and grown up in an unfamiliar family. He would not have known anything about his family. "You would''ve be a sessful man even if you weren''t in the Crawford family." Luca ced her hand on his chest. Perhaps the sessful people in this world had the privilege of being given a head start in their life, which led them to be sessful. However, she knew Luke was not one of them. Even if he started from scratch, he would be able to build his career with his talents and efforts. He would be able to do great things all the same. Although it would be difficult, he would never be afraid of the difficulties he faced. He would be able to endure all the pain and weariness. These things were not given to him by the Crawford family. ¡°How do you know?¡± The corners of Luke''s lips were slightly curled. ¡°It''s because you''re that kind of person. You''re someone people will still look up to even if you lose all your aura,¡± Luca said in a soft and tender voice. Luca had always looked up to Luke. It was not because he was one of the Crawford family members. It was the talents he had and how gifted he was. He was in a position where she would never be able to reach. Luca still remembered the days when she had just set up herpany¡ªBrilliant. There were times when she dealt with picky customers and they were dissatisfied with her designs no matter how many times she had amended them. However, once Luke helped with the designs, his work would always satisfy the customers. No one coulde up with a design that could fully satisfy the customer, but Luke could. This was not something he could do by relying on the Crawford family. ¡°What about you?" Luke asked. ¡°Huh?" Luca looked at him. She noticed that the redness on his cheeks had seemed to fade a little. Perhaps the alcohol''s effects had slightly worn off. ¡°Will you look up to me?" Luke asked. ¡°Yes." Luca gave him an affirmative answer, and she added in her heart, ''Always. I''ll always look up to you.'' "I don''t want you to look up to me. I wish you could..." said Luke. He rolled over and slept on his side while facing Luca, still holding her hand tight. ¡°It''ste. Get some rest." Luca looked at his face. He was as handsome as usual even though he was lying on the bed. It made Luca have the urge to nt a kiss on his face when she looked at him. Luca looked down and suppressed the urge to do so. Luke no longer said a word, and his breaths gradually stabilized. Luca tried to pull her hands back, but Luke was holding them so tightly that he seemed to be able to notice it when she moved even a little. He ced her hand on his chest. It was like apetition. Luke would move whenever Luca moved, and it seemed like he would wake up anytime. Luca had no choice but to give up pulling back her hand and let him hold it. She nned to wait until he was deeply asleep, then she would leave. She stared at his face. His breath reeked of alcohol, lingering in the air and her nostrils with a trace of sweetness. It was not an unpleasant smell. It got her feeling a little tipsy after breathing it in. Luca softly let out a yawn. It seemed like she would be able to fall asleep easily when Luke was beside her. The effects of being beside him were much better than when taking sleeping pills. She could feel her heavy eyelids. All she wanted was to close her eyes and sleep. However, Luke was holding her hand. Luca pondered for a moment and decided to rest her head and arms on the bedside for a while. She would only return to her bedroom to rest after Luke was deeply asleep. Luca leaned against the bed and rested her head and arms on the bed. Then, she closed her eyes. She felt ufortable sleeping in this position, but with Luke beside her, she fell asleep right away as she did on the ne and high-speed rail. Luke opened his eyes and looked at Luca''s sleeping face. Luca was unable to pull her hand back, and she could not stand to leave him. She chose to stay here and apany him to sleep. A wave of warmth filled his heart. Luca... Luke listened to Luca''s breaths and stared at her for almost half an hour. The tipsy look in his eyes was gone at this moment. What was left was all his affection for her. Luke found himself feeling calm during times like this. He did not have to worry that Luca would leave him. His heart was overflowing with peace and serenity. Luke slightly let go of her hand. Luca did not wake up. She was still sleeping in that position, resting her head and arms on the bedside. Luke smiled. Her eyes were full of adoration. He got out of bed. Then, he gently picked up Luca and carried her in his arms. "Mmm." Luca let out a bleary grunt the moment Luke carried her. It was as though she could feel that her sleeping position was changing, but she did not wake up. Luke carefully ced Luca on the bed. Then, he grabbed the nket and tucked her in. Luke looked at the woman who was deeply asleep on the bed. He could not help buty down on the bed too. Luke only thought of cuddling with Luca and getting a night of good sleep. N?velDrama.Org content. He climbed into bed from the other side as he pondered. Luca could feel the warmth of his body the moment he covered himself with the nket. She took the initiative to lean closer to Luke while putting one of her arms on his waist. Luke''s smile widened. As he watched Luca bury her head in his chest, Luke ced his hands on her waist and cuddled her while they slept. Time passed faster when one was sleeping. However, Luke had a good sleep. He looked at the woman in his arms when he opened his eyes. It had been a long time since he had a good night''s sleep. He needed her in his life. That was why he would not let Luca leave him this time, no matter what. Luke hugged her tight. How he wished he could wrap her in his arms and never let go of her. Luca could feel the strength exerted around her body. Her eyes flickered, and hershes fluttered a little as though she was about to wake up. Luke quickly closed his eyes. He did it so carefully like a young boy. If Luca found out that Luke had woken up before she did, she would definitely be startled. She would not know how to face Luke. She would even think of avoiding him. Hence, Luke had no choice but to pretend like he was still asleep. Luca slowly opened her eyes and looked at the muscr chest in front of her. She was dumbfounded for a moment. The man sleeping beside her was Luke. Even though she did not lift her head to make sure if it was him, she was sure that it was Luke just by breathing the familiar smell in the air. Luca recalled what had happenedst night. She was only resting her head on the bedside for a while. How did she end up sleeping on the bed? Did she climb into the bed herself? Was it Luke who carried her to the bed? Luca could feel the warmth on Luke''s chest. Her face was burning red. She tried hard to remember what had happenedst night, but she did not know how she got onto the bedst night. Besides, one of her hands was on Luke''s waist... Luca pulled her hand back immediately when she felt the warmth of his skin. Chapter 2109 Luca''s body was burning as though she was having a fever. However, she knew it was not a fever. The truth was, she was feeling shy... Although he was the man she used to see every day, and they were so close that nothing could get in between them, it had been three years since she was this close to him. Even though Luca missed him, she was having a hard time adapting to the intimacy between them now. What Luca was most worried about was if Luke found out her identity and her purpose, how would she face him? How was she going to exin it. Luca carefully lifted her head and looked at Luke. Luke was still asleep. It was probably because he was drunkst night. That was why he woke upter than usual today. Luca carefully moved his hand away from her waist. She let out a sigh of relief when she finally climbed out of the bed. Fortunately, Luke did not cling to her arm as tightly asst night. Otherwise, she would have woken the man up if he was clenching her arm tightly. Luca trotted out of Luke''s bedroom and returned to her bedroom. She quickly freshened herself up. Then, she walked out of her bedroom. Luke''s bedroom door was still closed. Luca did not stay. She made her way downstairs. Aunt Neile was already in the kitchen, busy preparing breakfast. She happily greeted Luca when she saw hering in, ¡°Good morning, Ms. Craw." ¡°Good morning." Luca opened the fridge and looked at the ingredients stored inside. She was nning to make a hangover cure for Luke. Aunt Neile noticed Luca was staring nkly at the ingredients in the fridge, so she asked with enthusiasm, "What ingredients are you looking for? Or would you like to eat something else? You can tell me. Let me prepare it for you." Luca took the honey and tomatoes out while replying, "Mr. Crawford drank a lotst night. I''d like to prepare a hangover cure for him." "Oh, how considerate of you," said Aunt Neile with a smile on her face as she finally understood why Mr. Crawford did not wake up early today. He had drunkst night. As Aunt Neile watched Luca clean the tomatoes and ce them in the juicer, she could not help but wonder... Luke got upte because he was drunkst night, but what about Luca? She woke upte too. That was weird. Although Aunt Neile was confused, she did not tell anyone about it. She began ting the breakfast she had finished preparing. "Is breakfast done?" Luke''s voice came from the kitchen entrance. Luca could not help but look back. Not only had Luke gotten up from bed, but it also seemed that he had washed himself up. The clothes he was wearing were not the ones he worest night. Aunt Neile smiled and answered, ¡°Mr. Crawford, breakfast''s ready. Oh, by the way, Ms. Craw is preparing a hangover cure for you. Would you like to drink it first before you have your breakfast?¡± "Sure." Luke''s gaze fell on Luca, who was wearing an apron and preparing the hangover cure for him. He secretly let out a sigh. How he wished that days like this couldst forever. However, all he wanted for Luca was to restore her identity. That way, he could stop suppressing the urges inside him. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. An ordinary man would suffocate if he held himself back any longer. ¡°Then let me serve your breakfast first.¡± Aunt Neile shot a nce at Luca. She was pouring some honey into the tomato juice. Other than being able to improve the taste of the juice, it could cure a hangover too. Luca poured the tomato juice into a ss and brought it to the dining room. Luke was sitting at the dining table with the newspaper beside him. He picked up the newspaper and nced at it. Noticing that Luca was walking out with the ss of juice, he put down the newspaper and rose to his feet. Luca looked at him in surprise when he took the ss from her and said, ¡°Thank you." Previously, Luke would sit at the dining table and wait for the maid to serve all the dishes. Then, he would start eating. It was rare to see him express his gratitude. Luca watched Luke sit down while holding the ss. When he was about to drink it, she said, "It might not taste good. There are not many ingredients left in the fridge." Luke paused for a moment and said, ¡°It''s alright." He would drink anything Luca made for him even if it was a poisoned drink. Besides, he was assured that Luca would not harm him. Luke lifted his head and gulped it down at once. Luca kept silent when she saw him finish the hangover cure. She sat down in another seat and began eating breakfast. Aunt Neile picked up the ss and strolled to the kitchen. It was quiet in the dining room. After breakfast, Luke looked at Luca and deliberately asked, "Did I cause you any trouble after getting drunkst night?" Luca shook her head without any changes on her face. ¡°No. You were fine, Mr. Crawford. You fell asleep after you got drunk, and you didn''t cause any trouble.¡± Luke looked at how calm Luca was. She only said this to humor him. This morning when Luca woke up and realized that she was sleeping on the same bed with him, she made no noise and quietly left the room. That was when Luke knew that she was still reluctant to face him. He would not force her to face him since she refused to. "Are you going to the office today?" Luke asked. "Yes, I''m going." Luca picked up the tissue and wiped her lips. She would have headed there sooner if it were not for the kids being here yesterday. The research data was notpleted yet, and she needed to speed up the research progress. "Let''s go together." Luke did not ask for her opinion. Instead, he made the decision for her. Luca paused while she was picking up her ss of juice. She said, "Mr. Crawford, I''ll have to head to my brother''s house before going to work. You may head to the office first." Luke frowned, "Why?" "It''s been two days since he replied to my messages. I''m a little worried about him, so I have to pay a visit," exined Luca. She did not intend to avoid Luke this time. After all, the rumor that the two of them had been staying together in a suite must be flying around thepany by now. It was pointless for her to avoid him and keep her distance. After all, none of them would believe that nothing was going on between her and Luke. That was why Luca was in a hurry to develop the drug. It was to prove that she did not get into the company by pulling the strings with Luke. "Let me send you there." Luke decided. Luca was being manipted by the Ind of Despair. If that was the case, Amur must be one of them too. Still, Luke was not sure if Amur was someone ced beside Luca by the Ind of Despair or if he was taking the initiative to help Luca. However, Luca and Amur seemed close to each other. Amur did not look like someone they had arranged to keep an eye on Luca. "It''s alright, Mr. Crawford. I already told Zoey that I''d bete." Luca shook her head. She did not want Luke to find out too much about Amur''s matters. Abel had already made arrangements for Luca''s identity and background for her to approach Luke. Things were different for Amur. If someone were to dig into Amur''s past, one would find out that he was merely an ordinary person on the exterior. However, when one dug deeper into his past, one would realize that there were inconsistencies in his information. Amur had borrowed someone''s identity toplete his personal information. Luke would find out about it if he looked further into it. "Alright." Luke did not force her. He drove the car and left the house after breakfast. Chapter 2110 Aunt Neile walked out of the kitchen and cleaned the dishes on the table. She noticed that Luca did not follow Luke to work, so she asked, ¡°Mr. Craw, don''t you have to go to work today?" ¡°Yes. I''m goingter," replied Luca as she gave Amur a call. The phone stated that the call was unreachable, and no one was answering the phone. No one had been answering the phone for the past two days, and the phone was turned off today. Luca reckoned that Amur had left his phone on standby, and that was why his phone ran out of battery. However, Amur would normally pick up her call instead of ignoring her calls. That was why Luca needed to head over to the apartment and check on him. Amur had promised Luca before that he would leave markings in the apartment if he was out on a mission and he did not have the chance to inform her about it or if he was not allowed to. There were different markings, and each marking represented how dangerous the mission was. Aunt Neile noticed the solemn expression on Luca''s face. She fell silent as she thought it would be better for her to not say anything else. Aunt Neile watched Luca put on the scarf and wrap it around her. Then, she strode out of the house. Aunt Neile carried the tes and cutleries and headed to the kitchen. Luca did not try to hide her trails as she was going to her previous apartment. She drove the car that Luke gave her and headed right to the apartment. After Luca reached the apartment, she came to a halt and parked the car. Then, she deliberately walked to the parking lot reserved for the residents of the apartment. She saw Amur''s car parked in his spot, and there was a thickyer of snow on the top of the car. It seemed like Amur had not driven the cartely. It was unlikely Amur would be in the apartment, then. Perhaps Amur was carrying out the mission Abel had assigned to him. Luca stood in the snow. She pondered for a moment while staring at the car. A security guard came up to her when she was about to head upstairs. He asked, ¡°Miss, why are you standing here?" ¡°Oh, I''m a resident here," said Luca as she stepped forward. ¡°Owner? Why haven''t I seen you before?" the guard asked suspiciously and followed behind her. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Luca showed him her ess card and said, ¡°I left the apartment for my brother. I''m not staying here anymore." The guard verified her ess card. It was genuine. Then, he handed it back to her and said respectfully, "I''m sorry, Miss. You didn''t look familiar to me, so I had to ask." ¡°It''s alright. Oh, by the way, have you seen the owner of this cartely?" Luca pointed at Amur''s parking lot. "Do you mean the white man with a Caucasian face? The good-looking guy with a tall, burly figure?" the guard asked. No foreigners went in and out of this district. Hence, Amur left an impression on him. ¡°Yes, that''s him." Luca nodded. ¡°I often saw him going in and out of the apartment a few days ago. But I haven''t seen him for the past two days... I don''t think I''ve seen him around when I was on duty," said the guard. Although he was not sure about it, Amur was a foreigner with a Caucasian face. He would have noticed him. ¡°Alright. Thank you." Luca turned around and headed upstairs after she thanked him. She wanted to see if Amur had left any markings in the apartment. Luca pushed the door open and frowned. The temperature in the apartment was the same as outside. It seemed that Amur had not been staying in the apartment for quite some time. Luca closed the door and saw that Amur had left a marking on the door with a carving knife. The mission''s difficulty was at a moderate level. Luca pursed her lips. If it was a moderate-level mission, Amur would have given her a call when he had the time even if he was carrying out the mission. Hence, she refused to believe that. However, there was no news of him after asking around. She could not ask Abel either. She had just recently offended him, after all. She was lucky enough that Abel did note looking for trouble. Luca looked around the apartment. She did not remain there any longer. After all, there was no way she could find out where Amur was or what kind of mission Amur was assigned to. Luca closed the door. Her phone vibrated when she was about to leave. She opened her phone, and she saw a message from a string of numbers. It was a message from the Ind of Despair. Luca opened the decoding app and decoded the numbers. The contents of the message asked her to meet somewhere around five tomorrow. Luca let out a sigh. She thought things would be much more peaceful when she returned here. It seemed like they would not be as peaceful as she thought even after she came back. It seemed like even Amur had gotten into trouble because of her. Luca''s eyes darkened, and they were filled with gloominess. She headed straight to T Corporation after she drove out of the apartment. She had informed Rhett earlier that they would be having a meeting. Everyone was waiting for her in the meeting room when she stepped into theb. Luca said to the others while she turned her phone to silent mode, ¡°Sorry I''mte. Let''s start the meeting now." The air in the meeting room was tense. A few researchers exchanged nces with each other without having the guts to say anything. Then, they opened their files. The meeting was held to find out the problem with the data. If they could not find out what was wrong with it, they would have to redo the experiment. All the efforts that they had put in and the expenses of the research would end up in vain. The meetingsted until noon time. Zoey stood at the door of the meeting room and looked around. Then, she shook her head. It seemed like things were not going well here. They had not found out what was wrong with the research data. Zoey shook her head. She thought of helping them to order takeout and wanted to ask them what they would like to have for lunch. However, now... Zoey decided to make the decision herself. She returned to her office, sat on her chair, and picked up the phone. When she was about to order takeout for lunch, she saw that Jenni was looking for something in the doorway. Zoey put down the phone and strode out of the office. ¡°Ms. Lynn, why are you here?" ¡°I was looking for you. Why didn''t you reply to my text?" Jenni sounded dissatisfied. "I left my phone on the table and didn''t bring it along with me just now. What can I help you with?" Zoey asked. "I want to ask you out for lunch," replied Jenni. She nced at the time, then she looked around the office. It seemed like Zoey was the only one left in the office. "Why did those people working in your department leave for lunch so quickly?" "They''re having a meeting in the meeting room. I''m not joining you for lunch today. I''m nning to order takeout for them." Zoey rejected her. Tina had told her not to get too close with Jenni before. After all, she was not reliable. Zoey had always kept that in mind. That was why she was keeping a distance from Jenni these days. "Oh, they''re still in a meeting. I heard that Luca is back in the office, huh?" said Jenni. She was not concerned that Zoey seldom contacted hertely. Jenni came looking for her today just to ask about Luca''s matters. The news that Luca and Luke were staying in the same suite when they were on a business trip to Russia was all over the office now. Jenni could not approach those who went on a business trip to Russia. After all, there were so many people working in the office, and she could not know every one of them. Besides, those who could go on that business trip were those who held higher positions in the office. She was merely a manager. There was no way she could approach those people. Hence, Jenni could ask Zoey about Luca''s matter. When Zoey realized Jenni was trying to find out about Luca''s matter through her, she became alert at once. Chapter 2111 ¡°Yes. They''ve finished their work in Russia. Of course, Dr. Craw is back." Zoey took a step backward and said, "Ms. Lynn, you may go for lunch first. I have to order takeouts for Dr. Craw and the others." Jenni was not nning to let her go. She grabbed Zoey''s hand and asked, "Haven''t you heard?" "About what?" Zoey was dumbfounded. She pulled her hand back, pretending she did not know that Jenni wanted to gossip about Luca. "I wonder if you really don''t know about it or you''re just pretending that you don''t know about it. Luca slept in the same suite as Boss when she was in Russia. Now you know why she was able to be the professor of the department and why she was able toe to T Corporation. She did it by sleeping with the boss." There was a trace of resentment hidden in Jenni''s tone. Zoey looked at the jealous woman in front of her helplessly. Although Jenni imed that she hated women who could get everything easily after sleeping with the boss, she was willing to offer herself to Luke more than anyone else. It seemed like Jenni was not done yet and added, "Shame on her for seducing a married man!" Zoey looked at Jenni''s face. She believed that Jenni would be more tempted to sleep with the boss if she had the chance. "Ms. Lynn, we''re at the office. We shouldn''t be talking about our superiors'' matters." Zoey nced at the time helplessly. The other would miss their lunch break if she did not order the takeouts now. Jenni nced at the office. No one was inside. She let out a sardonicugh and said, "Look at how frightened you are. What''s the matter? Are you afraid of getting caught for doing such a thing?" Zoey turned around and immediately walked back to her seat. "What''s wrong with you?" Jenni looked at her, puzzled. Was she not the one who was usually interested in gossiping? N?velDrama.Org content. "Ms. Lynn, I have to order takeouts for them now. You''d better hurry out and have your lunch." Zoey did not turn back. She swiped the card and went straight into the office. Each floor had its own independent system in the building, so there was no way Jenni could use her employee card to enter this office. Jenni grunted. She thought that Zoey was behaving like that only because she was afraid of offending Luca. After all, everyone in thepany knew that Luca had Luke on her side. Many of them would not dare to offend her. Zoey ordered the takeouts based on the number of employees who were currently having a meeting. She hung up the call, turned around, and nced at the door. Jenni was no longer there. She let out a sigh of relief. Jenni was obviously jealous of Luca. It would be better if she stopped talking to her. Otherwise, she might be dragged into the mess. Half an hourter, Zoey picked up two big stic bags downstairs and carried them up. The moment she stepped out of the elevator, the door of the CEO''s private elevator opened as well. Zoey paused and nced at it. Luke strolled out of the elevator. ¡°Good afternoon, Boss," Zoey greeted him with a serious expression. Luke nodded, then he noticed that she was carrying two bags. He could not see what was inside. "What''s that?" Luke asked while looking at the bags. Zoey lifted the bags and answered, "Boss, these are takeouts. Dr. Craw and the other researchers are having a meeting in the meeting room. They haven''t had lunch yet, so I ordered takeouts for them." Luca had not eaten her lunch yet? Luke frowned, "Did Dr. Craw ask you to order these?" "No. Dr. Craw didn''t ask me to do so, but..." Zoey hesitated for a moment. "What?" Luke asked. "It seems like there''s something wrong with the experiment data this time. Dr. Craw doesn''t want the research done earlier to be wasted, so she''s leading the whole team to look for the problem now. And that''s why I ordered takeouts for them, but I don''t think I should bring them in and interrupt their meeting," answered Zoey. She was nning to leave the takeouts on top of the fridge in the pantry. Then, she would inform them when their meeting was over. After all, Luca''s expression was stern and serious during the meeting. Zoey, who was merely an assistant, dared not to interrupt them. Luke frowned and instructed her, "Open the door." Zoey nodded. She put down one of the bags, swiped the card, and opened the office door. Luke walked ahead of her. After he got into the office, he asked again, "Which one is Dr. Craw''s?" Zoey got down and looked for Dr. Craw''s takeout in the bags. Dr. Craw was the research professor, so her meal allowance was higher than the other researchers. Zoey ordered the takeouts ording to their meal allowances. "This one." Zoey took it out. Luke took Luca''s lunch box from Zoey and instructed, "Inform Dr. Craw that I''ll be waiting in her office." "Ah, okay." Zoey nodded. "And let the other researchers have their lunch first. Tell them it''s my instruction." Luke headed to Luca''s office after that. He pushed the door open and walked in. Luca was not the kind of superior who would exploit her subordinates. The research must not be going well now, and Luca was busy with the M Group''s project earlier, causing a dy in their research. That was why she was racing against time to catch up with the progress. As the boss of thepany, Luke did not even rush them, yet Luca was in a hurry toplete the research. This was not a good sign. "Yes." Zoey carried the two bags and headed to the meeting room. She was not afraid of interrupting the meeting since the boss had instructed her to do so. Zoey knocked on the door. Then, the meeting room''s door swung open. There was a pile of documents in front of everyone''s seat, including Luca. Luca lifted her head and nced at Zoey without saying anything. She continued to read the documents. "Dr. Craw, Boss wants you to meet him in your office," Zoey reported. Luca lifted her head and looked at Zoey. Zoey nodded and pointed outside, telling Luca that Luke was out there. Luca rose to her feet and said, "I''ll be right back." The moment she trotted out of the office, she heard Zoey reminding her as she was worried Luca might head in the wrong direction. Zoey deliberately reminded her, "Dr. Craw, Boss is in your office." "Okay. I got it." Luca walked out of the meeting room. Zoey carried the bags, walked into the meeting room, and said, "I''ve brought lunch for everyone. Eat it when it''s still warm." "But Dr. Craw told us to continue..." said Rhett. "That''s what Boss said. Have your lunch first before you continue. Besides, Dr. Craw won''t exploit her subordinates. You''ll need energy to work. I ordered this based on your preferences. Come on." Zoey took out the lunch boxes and handed them to everyone ording to their names on the lunch boxes. After Luca left the meeting room, she pushed the office door open and saw Luke sitting on the sofa. There was a lunch box on the coffee table in front of him. She had smelled the aroma of food lingering in the air when she passed by Zoey just now. "Mr. Crawford, how may I help you?" Luca walked into the office without closing the door. "Close the door and sit down," replied Luke with a cold expression on his face. He did not let Luca know what he was up to. Luca had no choice but to close the door behind her. She sat down on the other end of the sofa, waiting for him to speak. Chapter 2112 Luke handed Luca the lunch box and said, ¡°I have something to discuss with you. Anyway, eat your lunch first." Luca understood what he meant. If she did not eat her lunch, there was no way they could discuss the matter. She opened the lunch box. All her favorite dishes were inside the lunch box. "Ms. Davis bought it for you," said Luke, "You can order something else if the food doesn''t suit you." "I''m fine with it." Luca was not a picky eater. There was nothing she disliked in the lunch box. Hence, it did not matter. Luca shot a nce at Luke and realized he was watching her. Luca felt embarrassed and said, "Mr. Crawford, I can''t eat my lunch with you staring at me like that." "I''m looking at you like how I do when we''re at home," said Luke. Still, he picked up his phone and checked the documents in his email. Luca thought that things were different when they were at home. How could it be the same when they were in the office? How they were in the past and now... Previously, she thought it was not a big deal when she fell asleep and woke up in Luke''s arms. Everything seemed natural, and she found it heart-warming as well. However, when she woke up in his arms now, all she thought about was how she would exin it when he woke up and found out about it. She even thought of running away from him. Luke was no longer looking at her. Luca started to eat. She had no appetite when she thought of the problems with the data in their research and Amur having gone missing. However, Luke was still beside her, so Luca took a few mouthfuls of food. Although Luke was not directly looking at her, he was able to nce at Luca, who was eating quickly, out of the corners of his eyes. "Slow down. No one''s stealing your food," Luke reminded her. Luca almost choked on her food when he said that. She picked up the soup beside her and took a sip of it. After she calmed herself down, she put down her lunch box and said, "Mr. Crawford, I''ve finished eating. What would you like to tell me?" Luke nced at her lunchbox. There was more than half of it left. ¡°Have you had enough to eat?" Luke asked. ¡°Yes. I''m stuffed," replied Luca. She noticed that Luke''s gaze shifted and fell on her again, so she added, "The food''s a little too greasy for me." ¡°Let me order another takeout for you." Luke opened the food delivery app. He normally would not use these apps, but sometimes when he was looking after the kids, they would want to eat something different. Hence, he would need the food delivery app. That was why Luke had downloaded it on his phone. ¡°It''s alright, Mr. Crawford. I''m not hungry, and I have no appetite today." Luca stopped him. Luke kept his phone and looked at her. Luca said in a helpless tone, ¡°I really don''t need it." ¡°What happened?" Luke asked. ¡°Ah?" Luca did not know what he was talking about. ¡°What made you lose your appetite?" Luke made it clearer. Luca was stunned for a moment, and she replied, ¡°It''s because of the research. I can''t find out where the data went wrong. That''s why I have no appetite." Using work as an excuse was a good exnation. Luke crossed his slender legs, and his brows were furrowed. ¡°Stop giving yourself so much pressure. And I''ve figured out Dr. Albus'' matter." Luca''s heart skipped a beat. Had Luke figured it out? Did he find out that the money that came out of nowhere happened to show up in Dr. Albus'' bank ount? Did he believe that the sum of money was not as simple as it looked? Did he continue to look further into the matter and the clues brought him to her? Otherwise, why would hee looking for her first instead of issuing a notice at the first instance? Even though T Corporation had won M Group''s project, people were still concerned about Dr. Albus'' matter. ¡°Mr. Crawford, what did you find out?" Luca''s heart trembled uncontrobly when she asked that question. Luke put down his phone while looking at Luca''s expression. He gave her a reply, ¡°Dr. Albus has a bank ount in Switzend. Someone deposited a huge sum of money into his ount after what happened. I''m sure Dr. Albus has something to do with data leakage." Luca did not feel relieved even after listening to him. After all, she knew that Dr. Albus was innocent. It was unlikely that Luke would easily believe in this piece of evidence. After all, there was no other evidence that could support his suspicion toward Dr. Albus other than that sum of money. "But if someone had set Dr. Albus up..." Luca carefully reminded him. She hadpleted her mission, but she could not bear to see Dr. Albus getting hurt. Dr. Albus had contributed a lot to the medical field. All the contributions that he had spent half of his life making and his future would be wasted once the news spread. Moreover, Dr. Albus had nothing to do with the medicine Kassy took or what kind of medicine they gave to Kassy when she was in prison. Abel was against Dr. Albus because of this. Dr. Albus was wronged. ¡°The evidence all points to him, except for the money. Besides, Dr. Albus brought the important information out of theb before," said Luke. Luca was startled. They were not allowed to bring any important information out of theb. Otherwise, there would be a risk that the information could be leaked anytime. It was unlikely that Dr. Albus would not know about it after being in this field for years. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Luke looked at Luca. She kept quiet as though she did not believe that Dr. Albus was the one who did this. However, Luca would only feel relieved after they found someone to take the me for this matter as soon as possible. "That was Dr. Albus'' hard work. I don''t think he''d do something like that," Luca muttered in a low voice. "Didn''t he tell you before?" Luke asked. "What?" Luca looked at him. She did not understand what he meant. "Dr. Albus'' wife is sick. They visited many hospitals because of her illness. They were told that there''s a hospital in Washington that might be able to treat her. So, Dr. Albus needed the money," replied Luke. Luke knew Dr. Albus was wronged, but even if no one had set him up and no such thing had happened, there was still a chance that Dr. Albus might sell the drug''s form to the others. However, it was hard to tell how he would sell it. Gale had looked into it before. Dr. Albus had contacted other pharmaceuticalpanies before, but it seemed like the n did not work out. Dr. Albus would be rewarded with a bonus if the drug wasunched on the market. Although it was a huge sum of money, it was far from sufficient for the cost of treatment. Besides, Dr. Albus had signed a contract with thepany. Although he had the patent right to the drugs, his profits would not be as much because of the contract. If someone were to offer him a higher price for the drug, the profits that he would make would be much more than the bonus he would receive. "I didn''t know about it..." Luca''s expression wasplicated as she grew more ufortable. What would happen to Dr. Albus'' wife if he lost his career and reputation? "Although I don''t know how he managed to contact those people, Dr. Albus did get in touch with other companies," Luke added as he dropped a hint. Luca turned to look at him helplessly. "Mr. Crawford, what are you nning to do?" Chapter 2113 ¡°Business is business." Luke made it very clear. Luca knew what Dr. Albus would be facing, but there was nothing she could do about this. She felt sorry for what she had done to Dr. Albus, but she could not step forward and admit it. "Watson Biopharmaceuticals'' PR department will be making an announcement this afternoon," Luke added. This matter had been dragged on for too long, and it was time to end it. "Will Dr. Albus be sued?" Luca asked. "Watson will do things ording to their rules and regtions," answered Luke. He did not feel sorry about sacrificing Dr. Albus for Luca''s sake. After all, Luca was his priority in his heart. Even though she had done something wrong, he would defend her and be on her side. Luca looked down. Perhaps Dr. Albus had the intention to sell the information, but he eventually chose not to do it. Even though there was a huge sum of money in his Switzend bank ount, he probably could not withdraw it either. After all, he would be held ountable by thepany and would have to face his legal responsibilities in the future. Luca felt sorry for him at the thought of this. Luke was helpless when he noticed how upset Luca was. She refused to tell him the truth. Hence, he had no choice but toe up with such a decision. Luke''s phone rang. He nced at his phone without answering the call right away, and he said to Luca, "I''m going back to my office." "Alright, Mr. Crawford." Luca rose to her feet. She was at a loss for words. She let out a sigh after watching Luke leave. She felt sorry for Dr. Albus... Even though she knew she had done something wrong, what made her feel helpless the most was she had no idea how she could make it up to him. Luca picked up her phone after Luke left. She thought of helping Dr. Albus, but she suddenly remembered that Amur was not in A City. That was why she was not sure what kind of illness Dr. Albus'' wife was suffering from. She had no choice but to put her phone back in her pocket. Then, she left her office and headed to the meeting room. Everyone in the meeting room was having their lunch. When they saw Lucae in, they stood up, thinking of throwing their lunch boxes away and continuing with their work. ¡°Finish your lunch first. We''ll continue the meeting after this." Luca stopped them. She was so desperate that she forgot that these researchers were human too. They needed to fill up their stomachs and rest. "Thank you, Dr. Craw." A few researchers thanked her, sat down, and continued eating their lunch. On the other hand. After Luke stepped into the elevator and pressed the button to close the door, he answered the call, "Yes." "Boss, Mr. Pierre is here," reported Jason. The receptionist downstairs had called him through the internal phone line just now. When Jason was about to inform Luke about it, he realized Luke was not in his office. That was why he called Luke on his phone. "He''s here?" Luke raised his brows. He had only sent Old Master Crawford to look for himst night, yet he came here looking for him today. He did not expect Pierre to be that fast. It seemed like Old Master Mallory forced him to do so. "Yes. He''s waiting downstairs. The receptionist didn''t dare to let him in as he did not make an appointment," answered Jason. Even though it was Pierre, there was no exception. Everyone in T Corporation knew that Pierre had his ownpany, and he was one of T Corporation''spetitors. "Bring him to the lounge on the second floor," said Luke. "Okay," replied Jason. There were quite a few lounges in T Corporation. Those who were familiar with thepany would know that the higher the floor of the lounge, the more weed the guest was. Asking Pierre to head to the lounge on the second floor was the greatest humiliation. "And ask the guard to lead Mr. Pierre there," added Luke. He looked at the numbers that gradually went up as the elevator rose. He was not nning to go down. Since Pierre wanted toe, then Luke would let the security guard of T Corporation entertain him. "Alright, Boss." Jason held back hisughter. After he hung up the call, he delivered every word that Luke had told him to the receptionist. The receptionist received the instructions and called the guards. Then, she told the two security guards who were on duty what Luke had instructed them to do. The guards nodded and walked in front of Pierre together. "Mr. Pierre, this way." Pierre looked at the two men who were in guard''s uniforms and frowned. "Where''s your boss?" "Boss told us to lead you to the lounge first," replied a guard. "Fine. To the lounge, right? Which floor?" Pierre asked while he walked toward the elevator. One of the guards replied, "The second floor." Pierre paused as his face turned green. "What?" "Boss ordered us to lead you to the lounge on the second floor," said the guard as he pressed the elevator button. Pierre''s face darkened. How dare Luke have him wait for him in the lounge on the second floor. What did Luke take him for? If it were not for Old Master Mallory''s instruction, he would never havee here today! Pierre did not know what got into Old Master Mallory. The old master insisted that he came here today to give Luke an exnation about the bidding document. He even asked him to apologize to Luke. The old master told him that he owed Luke an exnation. Above all, the old master even sent his assistant to follow Pierre and instructed him to keep a close eye on Pierre so that he would do everything as he was told. Old Master Mallory''s assistant listened to their conversation and could roughly understand what was going on. It was indeed inappropriate to ask Pierre to wait for Luke in the lounge on the second floor as it did not match Pierre''s status. However, there was a reason behind this, and the old master''s assistant could understand. ¡°Mr. Pierre, it''d be better not to get yourself into trouble. Let''s go up," Old Master Mallory''s assistant reminded him. Pierre gave him a dirty look. If it were not for the old master''s assistant watching over him, he would have turned on his heel and walked away. Old Master Mallory''s assistant made a hand gesture, inviting him into the elevator. Pierre had no choice but to walk into the elevator. Old Master Mallory''s assistant followed him into the elevator. The two security guards followed them into the elevator too. Then, they pressed the button for the second floor. "Why are you following us?" Pierre saw them pressing the button, indicating that the guards would be heading to the second floor too. "Boss told us to follow you." The guard stressed the word ''follow''. Those who understood knew that Luke was guarding himself against Pierre, so he had asked the security guards to keep an eye on him instead of asking the receptionist to follow him. It was as though Luke was watching his back, guarding against him like a thief. "Your boss has gone too far!" Pierre warned in a low voice as he clenched his fists. "Mr. Pierre!" Old Master Mallory''s assistant reminded him to keep his temper. They came to apologize today, not to cause trouble. No matter how unhappy Pierre was, he was not allowed to explode with anger now. Otherwise, they would havee all the way here for nothing. "Shut up!" Pierre expressed his dissatisfaction. Old Master Mallory''s assistant reminded him, "Don''t forget what the old master reminded you today." Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Pierre fell silent and walked out of the elevator with a sulky look on his face. The guards noticed that Pierre was heading in the opposite direction and said, "Mr. Pierre, this way." "..." Pierre said nothing. He turned around and followed behind the two security guards. Then, he saw the words ''Housekeeping Department'' on the wall. His face turned gloomy. Chapter 2114 This floor was where T Corporation''s housekeeping department was located. Pierre looked into the office. There were a few middle-aged women who were wearing their uniforms sitting there. The housekeeping department was the department with the least secrets in every corporation, and the people received the lowest pay. It was clear what Luke wanted to tell him by asking him to wait in the lounge of this department. Pierre could not help but mock. ¡°Very funny. Is Luke Crawford worried that I''d steal yourpany''s confidential information? How dare he ask me to discuss matters with him in the lounge of the housekeeping department?" The security guards who were walking in front of him remained silent. They could not help but secretly judge him. How shameless Pierre was. Some things were better left unsaid, but this man was blurting everything out. Was he not ashamed of himself? A guard pushed the door open when they arrived at the entrance of the lounge and invited them, "Mr. Pierre, pleasee in." Pierre looked at the humble-looking lounge and sneered. "What kind of lounge is this? Those who see this would think T Corporation is a smallpany. Is this all T Corporation has? Didn''t thepany just be partners with M Group? Is thepany short of money to decorate the lounge?" The guards were secretlyining while they listened to Pierre''s sarcastic remarks. Why were they the ones to take over the receptionist''s job? They came with the thought of watching Pierre making a fool of himself while they followed Pierre. Now that they were feeling helpless from getting provoked by Pierre''s words, there was nothing they could do. "Mr. Pierre, that''s up to them." The assistant could no longer bear it. If Old Master Mallory knew this was how Pierre was acting when he was supposed to make things clear and apologize to Luke, he would burn with anger. Although it was Luke''s fault for making such arrangements, anyone would have done the same thing. It was already kind of Luke to be willing to see Pierre. After all, stealing a bidding document was no small matter. If not for Luke''s document, would Pierre even have the chance to join the bid for the project? Hence, Old Master Mallory''s assistant thought that Pierre should endure it. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Pierre shot the assistant a cold nce. After he walked into the lounge, he could not help but mock. "Those who don''t know you would think that you''re one of them." "I''m Old Master Mallory''s subordinate," the assistant emphasized. Pierre sneered, knowing that the assistant was reminding him that he was instructed to keep an eye on him. Pierre sat on the sofa and said to the guards, "I''d like a ss of wine." The guards exchanged nces with each other. There was not much funding for the housekeeping department. How could they have wine here? "Are you telling me that a bigpany like T Corporation doesn''t have any alcoholic drinks?" Pierre said disdainfully. "T Corporation doesn''t have any wine here. If you''d like to have a ss of wine, I guess the Mallory family''s manor would have tons of it." Luke''s voice came from the door. The two guards let out a sigh of relief. They made way for Luke to enter the lounge immediately. Pierre stared at Luke, who came walking in. Luke looked spirited, and the prideful look on his face reminded him of the scene during the signing ceremony. Pierre had watched the live stream of the ceremony online. All he wanted to do was rip Luke into pieces! "Really? There''s no wine here? I heard that you''re a wine collector. What''s the matter? Is it because you don''t feel like taking any out and sharing it with me? Then why don''t I buy it from you?" Pierre mocked. Old Master Mallory''s assistant, who stood behind Pierre, shook his head helplessly. With that attitude, it looked like Pierre came here to look for trouble instead of to apologize. "Not really. But mypany isn''t anything like yourpany, where drinking is allowed during working hours. So, we don''t have wine here, not even a bottle. If you''d like to have a drink, I can ask someone to buy it for you. What would you like to drink?" Luke sat opposite him with his legs crossed. He ced his hands on his thighs, and he looked like he was sitting down for a negotiation. The arrogant look on Pierre''s face turned gloomy once Luke deliberately taunted hispany. "No, thank you. I didn''te here just for a sip of wine." "Oh, really? I thought you came here to have a taste of the wine here. Sorry to let you down. But I wonder if you''re encouraging the employees of yourpany to drink while they''re working if you keep wine in yourpany? Will that affect the efficiency in the workce?" Luke questioned him with a string of words without waiting for him to answer. Then, he added, "I guess it has affected the efficiency. Otherwise, yourpany''s employees wouldn''t have ended up stealing the bidding document I eliminated just because they can''t write a bid proposal." Pierre clenched his fists. If it were not for the man behind him, he would probably throw a punch at Luke''s face right now. Old Master Mallory''s assistant noticed that there was something wrong with Pierre''s expression, so he reminded him with a low voice, "Mr. Pierre..." Pierre let go of his fists and clenched them tight again. Pierre tried to put up with him, but what Luke said was provocative. The employees in hispany were all graduates of famous universities. However, due to thepany''s insufficient funds, he could only hire those who had just graduated. The fresh graduates who just graduated from university had the knowledge, but they did not have any experience. That was why they would ask for lower pay. The employees who had just joined thepany were the first batch of employees, and no one was there to guide them. There was no way they could write such aplicated bid proposal. Pierre had thought of outsourcing, but someone showed him another way, iming that he had a way to get T Corporation''s bidding document. Pierre agreed to it as he was overpowered by his hatred for Luke. He thought of using T Corporation''s bidding document to bring Luke to a dead end. However, he ended up being framed. ¡°It was my mistake for trusting the wrong person. I came here to apologize to you today." Pierre forced a smile. There was hatred in his eyes, and even his resentment for Luke came through in his words. "Apologize? Wasn''t it you who gave the instructions to steal my bidding document?" Luke asked. "It certainly wasn''t me. But I made a mistake in trusting someone else. As the boss, I''d like to apologize." Pierre clenched his fists even tighter. He wanted to punch Luke in the face, but he was not allowed to do so under such circumstances. Luke nodded and looked at him, waiting for him to continue talking. Pierre did not say a word. There was dead silence in the lounge. Old Master Mallory''s assistant had no choice but to remind Pierre, "Mr. Pierre, aren''t you going to apologize?" Anger rose in him like a tide. Was it not enough? Pierre looked at Luke, rage pulsing through his veins. It nearly consumed him, burning thest bit of his rationality. However, Madam Mallory told him that he had to endure it. Otherwise, this matter would end terribly! Hence, Pierre tried hard to put up with it. "Mr. Crawford, I apologize for what happened. I''m sorry," said Pierre. Luke could see how reluctant he was, so he asked, "Mr. Pierre, have you found anything about the person who stole the bidding document?" "I''m still on it," replied Pierre. He would need some time to look for someone to take the me for him. After all, Old Master Mallory imed that he would hand this person over to the police. Once this matter was left to the police, that would mean the person would be charged for breaking the law. Chapter 2115 That was why Pierre was unable to find someone to take up the responsibility in such a short time. Money could solve his problem, but the scapegoat would have to face imprisonment. He reckoned that it would be hard to find someone to take the me no matter how much money he offered. ¡°I don''t have much patience left to deal with this matter. Old Master Crawford went to the Mallory family''s manor to make a clear statement that he would bring this matter to the police station and the court. So, Mr. Pierre, you''d better hurry." Luke urged him with a cold voice, "I can ask my men to look into it if you can''t figure it out." Pierre''s face turned pale. It seemed like Luke was asking Pierre to get a move on the matter, but the truth was, Luke was dropping a hint about Pierre''s ipetence. "Don''t worry. I''ll find that person and give you an exnation." Percy clenched his jaw and replied. If Pierre was allowed to do so, he would have ripped the arrogant and condescending man in front of him into pieces and fed his flesh to stray dogs. Pierre and Luke grew up in wealthy families. Speaking of their bloodline, the nobility of his blood was much higher than Luke''s. After all, Pierre''s mother was the first wife, while Luke''s mother, Allison, was merely a mistress. Luke was a mistress'' son, but he was running such a bigpany. At the same time, he was sitting on a sofa that cost a few thousand dors, but he looked sofortable sitting on it. It made Pierre feel sick. "Mr. Pierre, I need you to hurry up, then. Besides, I''d like to give you a suggestion." Luke clenched his hands together and ced them in front of his jaw, sizing Pierre up. "Are you going to teach me how to find that person? There''s no need to. I believe my men can figure it out." Pierre gave Luke a dirty look. He did not need Luke''s kindness, and he knew that Luke would not give him any good suggestions either. Luke was not surprised that Pierre would reject his offer. Luke looked at Pierre''s gloomy face and said, "Perhaps you may consider telling me who you got the bidding document from. It''ll make things much easier." Luke believed that Pierre yed a leading role in this matter. After all, Pierre''s employees were mostly fresh graduates who had just stepped into the society except for his assistants. Those people would not have the chance to know anyone from the Ind of Despair. Luke wanted to give Pierre another way to settle things easier. He wanted to find out the identity of the person who was manipting Luca to carry out further investigations. ¡°Mr. Crawford, what are you talking about? Why can''t I understand you?" Pierre curled his lips. At the end of the day, everything that Luke had done was to find out who was the one against him. The more Luke wanted to know who it was, the more Pierre wanted to keep his mouth shut. Firstly, if Pierre told him the truth, that would mean he admitted that he had partnered up with someone else to steal the bidding document. He would end up in deep trouble. Secondly, he did not want Luke to get what he wanted. He felt great to see Luke being kept in the dark. Moreover, Abel was not someone Pierre could offend, and Pierre was aware of that. Although he was fooled by Abel twice, he dared not to mess with him. The expression on Luke''s face was icy cold. Luke could tell Pierre had no intention of telling him about it. Percy had used the hard way on Pierre before. Now, Luke was doing it the easy way. If nothing worked on Pierre, then he could not me Luke for making things difficult for him in the future. Luke leaped to his feet and locked his cold eyes on him. "Mr. Pierre, you''d better bring that person to the police station as soon as possible. I don''t have that much patience. If I don''t receive any updates on this matter, I''ll issue a press release to the media that you stole my bidding document and submitted it." "I refuse to believe that you''d have the guts to do something like that," Pierre said with a cold expression on his face. If Luke did such a thing, he would be telling the public that he had made an enemy of the Mallory family. "You have to understand what matters the most to Old Master Mallory. It''s not his grandsons, or you," Luke reminded him with a cold voice. The biggest difference between Old Master Mallory and Old Master Crawford was how much they valued their family. Percy insisted on getting together with Nina, and Old Master Mallory was against it. He thought Percy would be embarrassing the Mallory family, and he always tried to do something about it. Madam Mallory took action openly and went aboveboard, while Old Master Mallory was pulling the strings behind the scenes. Now, Old Master Mallory realized Percy was the most suitable person to be the sessor. Pierre was not capable enough, and that was why the old master dared not to leave thepany to Pierre even after he found out that Percy and Nina were engaged. He could not take the risk. The mess Pierre had caused was notpletely solved yet. Luke put his hands in his pockets and shot him a cold nce. Pierre''s reputation would be ruined if he announced it to the public. Old Master Mallory might draw a line between Pierre and the Mallory family for the sake of their interests. At the same time, Mallory Corporation would surely be taken over by Pierre. It was unlikely that it would change no matter whether Pierre married Nina or not. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. If it were not for Luca, Luke would never have given Pierre another chance. He would make sure Pierre got what he deserved and destroyed hispany. However, he needed to find out who was manipting Luca now. That was why he did not act on impulse. Percy understood him as well. Luke''s words made Pierre''s face turn green at once. Pierre knew very well what Luke was talking about. If Pierre''s reputation was ruined, he would be the abandoned son of the Mallory family. Thepany would still be in Percy''s hands regardless of everything that he did, including getting engaged to Nina. Meanwhile, Pierre would lose hispany and everything he had. Perhaps Madam Mallory would pity him, but what could Madam Mallory do for him? Pierre made up his mind. He would never let such a thing happen to him! ¡°Don''t worry. I''ll find out who it was and bring them to the police." Pierre left with a sulky expression on his face. Old Master Mallory''s assistant shook his head helplessly as he watched Pierre leave angrily without showing any magnanimity as the second young master of the Mallory family. He was way too spoiled. The assistant looked at Luke and apologized, "I''m sorry, Mr. Crawford. Mr. Pierre came here to apologize to you today." In the end, Pierre did not look sorry at all and even gave Luke attitude. "He doesn''t feel sorry at all." Luke turned and looked at the door. Pierre must have felt threatened. Luke only had to ask someone to follow him to see what he was going to do next. "Yes, I''m terribly sorry about that. I''d like to apologize on behalf of him." Old Master Mallory''s assistant lowered his head and apologized to Luke for Pierre. Luke looked the assistant in the eye and shook his head. "It''s not your fault or Old Master Mallory''s fault. Please send my regards to Old Master Mallory." "I will." The assistant nodded and left too. Luke looked around the lounge. Honestly, it was his first time stepping into this lounge. The funding for the housekeeping department had always been lesser. That was why the lounge looked so humble. However, it was a great ce to receive guests like Pierre. Jason stood there and saw Luke looking around the lounge. He asked in a low voice, "Boss, do we need to ask the manager of the housekeeping department to clean up this ce?" Chapter 2116 "There''s no need to. It''s a good ce to receive guests like Pierre," replied Luke as he walked out of the lounge. Jason rubbed his nose and took a deep breath. Why would he think that Boss sounded devilish? It seemed like there was some progress between him and Luca. That was why he was in a good mood. Jason hurried over and kept up with Luke''s pace as he left. Pierre climbed into the car after he left T Corporation. He asked the chauffeur to start the car immediately. He would be tempted to blow the crap out of this ce if he remained here for another second. The chauffeur looked at how furious Pierre was and reminded him in a low voice, "But Old Master Mallory''s assistant hasn''te out yet." "Drive the car if I instructed you to do so. What''s the matter? Are you my chauffeur or his chauffeur?" Pierre was very unhappy with the assistant. He had asked him to endure everything, which made Luke step all over him! "You''re my boss," replied the chauffeur. He immediately started the car engine and drove off. The assistant walked out of the T Corporation''s building and saw Pierre''s car driving away, leaving a puff of smoke behind. He shook his head helplessly. The assistant did not catch up to the car, considering his status. Instead, he stood still and called Old Master Mallory. The call went through, and he reported to Old Master Mallory immediately, "Old Master, things didn''t go smoothly. Mr. Pierre didn''t apologize to Luke when he was in T Corporation. Luke also gave him anContent from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ultimatum. If Mr. Pierre doesn''t find the person who stole the bidding document soon, he''ll issue a statement to the media." Only a few people knew that the bidding document that Pierre submitted belonged to T Corporation. If the media found out about this matter, the Mallory family''s name would be disgraced. "Did he really say that?" Old Master Mallory sounded unhappy. The assistant replied, "Yes, I heard it myself. Besides, Luke had nned to ask Mr. Pierre to admit that he stole the bidding document. What he meant was he wouldn''t hold Pierre ountable for what happened if Pierre was willing to tell him who handed him the bidding document. But Mr. Pierre insisted on finding the person responsible." Old Master Mallory sneered while he listened to him. "He got that right. Come back here. You don''t have to follow Pierre anymore." "Alright, I got it." The assistant hailed a taxi and left after he hung up the call. He was not Pierre''s subordinate. If it were not for the old master worrying that Pierre would lose control and talk smack in front of Luke, the old master would not have asked him to follow Pierre. The assistant sat in the car and recalled everything that happened just now. If he were Pierre''s assistant, he would feel like crying for having to deal with such a difficult boss. In the afternoon. Luca was still looking for the problem in the research data. Rhett picked up his phone and nced at her. He pondered for a moment and said, "Dr. Craw, thepany has issued a press release." "Is it about Dr. Albus?" Luca did not lift her head. Luke had told her that the announcement would be made today. "Yes." Rhett quickly made a guess when he noticed that Luca was not even curious about it. Luca must have heard something when she was beside Luke. Otherwise, how could she not be curious about such a big issue? "Get your job done," replied Luca. She was not nning toment anything about Dr. Albus'' matter. The other researchers heard her and exchanged nces with each other. Although there was a certainpetitive rtionship between theirboratory and Dr. Albus'' laboratory, they worked for the samepany. Luca seemed to be indifferent about this matter. Luca noticed the silence that hung thickly in the air. There was not even the sound of pages turning. She lifted her head and looked at them. A few of them lowered their heads. Luca pressed her hands on the documents and said, "I know what''s on your mind. Dr. Albus'' matter isn''t something that can be solved by conducting investigations or speaking up for him. That''s why I hope everyone can learn from this experience. Important data should be left in the office, and you should never leak information to anyone else. If something like this happens in our team, all of us will be in deep trouble." "Understood," the researchers replied at the same time. "Let this be a lesson to all of us. After all..." Luca paused for a moment. "He had brought important information and documents out of theb." Everything was exined in the announcement, so there was nothing they could say. "We''ll have to find out what caused the data error as soon as possible. Drugs have great impacts. The drug can''t beunched on the market if there''s data conflict in the research. Well, I''d like to thank you for being here with me. Let''s work hard together. That way, everyone can get a good bonus after the drug isunched." "Yes." Everyone pulled themselves together once Luca mentioned the bonus. They had made it this far, and they had worked hard for the research. Furthermore, the drug that they had been studying had great therapeutic effects. There would certainly be an overwhelming response once the drug wasunched. By the time they received the bonus, it would be much higher than the other research teams. After all, this was not a drug that could cure minor sickness. Drugs like this might take up to ten years to develop sessfully if they were unfortunate. If it were not for Luca bringing the research into thepany, thepany would not be treating them well today. Everyone focused and continued to look for the data information. Luca felt a little uneasy when she saw everyone focusing on their jobs. Luca was not emotionless, and she had something to say. However, she did not know where to start... She nced at the time and said to Rhett in a soft voice, ¡°I have to leave the office around four in the afternoon. Ask everyone to get off work on timeter." "Dr. Craw, aren''t we supposed to hurry up and find the error?" Rhett asked in a low voice. They were prepared to work overtime when Luca came back to work. "Let them rest today. We''ll continue tomorrow," replied Luca. "Alright, I got it." Rhett nodded. Luca left the office earlier at four o''clock in the afternoon. She did not drive as she was heading to the ce the Ind of Despair had arranged. She hailed a taxi instead. As usual, Luca took two rides before she reached her destination. This time, the location was near the Western suburbs. There were run-down buildings everywhere with traces of time left on them. Luca found the building and pressed the doorbell. The door swung open. A woman narrowed her eyes and sized Luca up. Then, she asked, "Who are you looking for?" "I''m Ivana," replied Luca. "You''re Ivana?" The woman frowned. "But you looked like a local." "You''re the one who sent this message, right?" Luca showed her the message. The woman who looked to be from A City checked and said, "Show me your tattoo.." "I don''t have any tattoos on me. I''m carrying out a special mission," said Luca, "if you refuse to believe me, then I''m leaving." "Wait." A man marched out of the house, shot Luca a nce, and said, "Come in." Chapter 2117 ¡°There''s no way she can prove her identity. And Ivana sounds like a Russian name," the woman reminded the man. Luca shot a nce at the man and turned to look at the woman, then she said, "You have the face of someone from A City too. Could it be that you''re using a name from A City too?" "How could that be? We all use titles." The woman thought Luca was suspicious. Although she got the name correct, there were a few questionable points that aroused her suspicion. The main problem was that Luca did not have the tattoo of the Ind of Despair on her. "Fine. I shall leave since no one believes in me," said Luca. There was no way Luca could prove her identity other than showing the message on her phone. She did not even bring the weapon she got from the Ind of Despair along with her as she had gone to work earlier. A knife was held to Luca''s neck in a blink of an eye. "You can''t leave." Luca slightly cast her eyes down and saw the de that was against her neck. Her skin would cut open and her flesh would tear if she took a step forward. Then, her veins would burst. "What do you want?" Luca remained calm even though someone was holding a knife to her neck. Luca was good at fighting, but she did not intend to start a fight. "It''d be great if you''re one of the members of the Ind of Despair. Everyone can take it as a misunderstanding. If you''re not, then we''ll be exposed. That''s why you can''t leave," the man exined as he pulled Luca into the building and locked the door behind her. "She''s certainly not one of us. Perhaps she has already killed that person. Then, she came here on behalf of her. Her purpose is to go against us," the woman said with confidence. "Believe it or not, I''m the only member of the Ind of Despair without a tattoo." Luca nced sideways to look at that woman. "How''s that possible? The tattoo is our mark, and everyone has it on their body. You''ll have the tattoo if you''re someone from the Ind of Despair," said the woman resolutely. Then, she said to the man, "This woman isn''t as simple as she looks. We can''t let her go now. Otherwise, we should..." The woman made a throat-slitting gesture and said, "Kill her." "Why did you ask me toe here?" Luca was not the least bit frightened when she heard that the woman was nning to kill her. ¡°How can I tell you? You probably have a listening device on you." The woman scowled. The man who was holding a knife to Luca''s throat never once moved it. "Then you should be able to tell me who assigned the mission to you, right?" Luca asked. "I can''t tell you that either." The woman knew how to keep a secret well. Luca looked at her helplessly. "Was it Abel or Shanks?" The woman''s expression changed once Luca mentioned the two names. No outsiders would know the names of the pivotal figures of the Ind of Despair. Luca actually knew them, and she made no secret of the fact that she knew them by calling out their names... The knife held at Luca''s throat slightly loosened once the man heard what Luca said. Luca looked around her and saw something like a sack at one of the corners. Then, Luca recalled what Shanks had told her before. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "It''s probably Shanks, right? He''s the one who instructed me to check the herbs, huh?" The woman snarled at Luca while listening to her. "How much did that betrayer tell you about us?" "Tsk. Hand me your phone. Let me give Dr. Shanks a call, then you''ll know how much I know about the Ind of Despair," said Luca. The woman was dubious about the idea. She gave the man a look when she handed her phone to Luca. If this woman dared to call for help, he would be able to kill her immediately. Luca entered a string of numbers on the phone in front of them. The expressions of the man and woman changed at the same time. The call was answered after Luca tapped on the call icon. "Who is this?" Shanks'' voice came from the other end of the line. "It''s Luca," replied Luca. Shanks was surprised. It was the first time Luca contacted him since she left the Ind of Despair. "Have you found what I wanted?" "No. I''m being held hostage now just because I don''t have a tattoo on me.." Luca said in a helpless tone and shot a nce at the woman. The look on the woman''s face changed after she heard Shanks'' voiceing from the other end of the line. "She doesn''t have a tattoo on her." Shanks proved her identity. "Let her take a look at the herbs. Deliver them to the ind if they''re genuine." "Yes, Dr. Shanks," replied the woman immediately. The knife held at Luca''s throat was moved away at the same time. "I''m sorry." The man apologized. "I was just being cautious." "I understand." Luca hung up the call and rxed her neck. Then, she asked, "Where are the herbs you found? Let me take a look at them." The woman carried over the two sacks of herbs. "They''re all here. Some of them are packaged, and there are namesbeled on them." As Luca opened the sack, she was greeted by the herbs'' pungent smell. However, herbs were not the only things that had such a smell. Sometimes, sun-dried branches or leaves would smell like this too. ¡°Let me take a look. Don''t mind me." Luca grabbed a stool and sat on it. She began to distinguish the herbs. Although Luca told them not to mind her, the man and the woman stood beside her and watched her. They were like children waiting for their exam results. They waited for Luca to tell them whether the herbs were genuine or not. Some of the herbs that Shanks was looking for were difficult to find. Even an experienced physician would tell them that he had never heard about the herbs. If it were not for Shanks'' superb clinical skills, they would have wondered if they were being fooled. The woman frowned while she watched Luca separate the herbs into two piles. There must be a pile of genuine herbs and another pile of fake herbs, but the woman had no idea which pile was the one with genuine products. As the woman watched one of the piles of herbs grow bigger, she became worried that those were fake herbs. She would get scolded by Shanks for not taking her job seriously. Luca looked and smelled the herbs she held in her hands. It did not take long for her to finish identifying all the herbs. "These are fake. You''ll have to keep looking for them." Luca pointed at the bigger pile of herbs. The man frowned, "That much?" They had collected the herbs from the vigers and physicians who stayed in the deep mountains and forests. It was unlikely that there were so many fake herbs and medicines in those ces. "Yes." Luca dusted off the scraps of the herbs on her hands and rose to her feet. "How''s that possible? It took us a lot of effort to collect all these. We evenpared the herbs with the photos that Dr. Shanks had sent us." The woman refused to believe it, and she thought Luca was making things difficult for them on purpose. "Youpared them with the photos? Do you know anything about medicine?" Luca asked. The man and woman shook their heads. "There are many nts that look alike in this world, but their efficacies differ greatly. Some of these are just wild grasses that look simr to the herb. They have no medicinal properties in them. To put it bluntly, you''ve been fooled," Luca said coldly without feeling sorry for them. She knew how much money the two of them had spent and how much effort they had put to look for these herbs. Still, the money belonged to the Ind of Despair, so there was nothing to be sorry about. Their efforts were wasted, and there was nothing she could say about it. "Miss, I know we made a big mistake for treating you like that just now. But can you go through them again?" The man and woman had the same thoughts and asked Luca in a kind and polite manner. Chapter 2118 Luca listened to the man''s words and frowned. ¡°Do you think I''m deliberately making things difficult for the two of you?" "You shouldn''t me us for what happened just now. We didn''t know there were people without tattoos on the Ind of Despair... Besides, there''s no way you can prove your true identity, right?" The woman hoped that Luca could have mercy on them and stop putting them on the spot. Luca crossed her arms and said in a cold voice, "I''m not a sensitive person. And I know the two of you are just being extra careful in order to survive. Everyone here is trying to stay alive. Why should I make things difficult for you? You can bring these herbs and wild grasses back to the Ind of Despair if you refuse to believe what I said. Whatever Dr. Shanks says upon receiving the herbs will have nothing to do with me." The man and the woman exchanged nces with each other. They began to believe that Luca was not deliberately putting them on the spot. It seemed that they had been deceived. "How did this happen? It took us so much time to search for these.." The woman crouched down, feeling depressed as she stared nkly at those fake herbs. Luca could not help but feel helpless when she saw how depressed the woman was. She reminded her, "I believe Dr. Shanks told you before you came here. Some herbs are on the verge of extinction. So, it''s normal that such herbs are difficult to find. Keep on looking. Collect the herbs if you don''t know how to differentiate them. Then let me take a look and judge them." "But we''ll have to spend a lot of time doing this. Why don''t youe with us?" The woman''s eyes brightened up. They did not know how to differentiate those herbs, and they would get easily get deceived. However, the woman in front of them knew how to differentiate the herbs, and she could distinguish the genuine and fake ones. It would make things much easier if they brought her along with them. "I can''t leave. I''m carrying out a mission too. Just try to collect as many herbs as you can and bring them back here. Dr. Shanks is patient. He won''t me the two of you for taking up so much time," said Luca, trying to ease their worries. Shanks was the kindest person Luca knew on the Ind of Despair. Although he appeared to be cold and indifferent, he was much more reasonable than Abel was. The man and woman let out a sigh. "Use the same method to inform me again once you''ve found the herbs. I have something else to do and have to go." Luca did not stay any longer. She looked at the pile of useless herbs, and it reminded her of Dr. Albus. So much effort had been poured, but it was all for nothing. That was what happened to these two people, Dr. Albus, and Luca herself too. Luca walked for about one kilometer after she left the house. She was in the Western suburbs, and there were hardly any cars passing by. That was why she had to use the ride-hailing app to hail a ride. Luca stood by the roadside and waited after she hailed a ride using the app. Her ride would only reach 10 minutester. There was an iing phone call from Dr. Albus at this moment. Luca looked at the iing phone call. Her hands were slightly trembling as she held her phone. She was forced to do such a thing to Dr. Albus, and she did not dare to face him. However, it was as though the phone''s ringtone was rushing her to answer the call. It stopped ringing after no one answered the call for a long time. Then, two secondster, it rang again. Luca knew Dr. Albus was alone and helpless now. He would be facing the public''s judgment and be held ountable by the legal department of Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Dr. Albus was calling her to look for a lifesaver. Luca took a deep breath and pressed the answer button. ¡°Dr. Albus, I''m sorry. There''s nothing I can do ¡ª "Dr. Craw, I''m being wrongly used. Please help me." Dr. Albus asked for help right away as though he did not hear what Luca said to him the moment she answered the call. Luca let out a sigh helplessly. Of course, Luca knew Dr. Albus was innocent. However, what could she do for him? "Dr. Albus, there''s nothing I can do. I''m really sorry." Luca looked far away into the distance. The only thing she could do was apologize to Dr. Albus. There was nothing else she could do for him. "Dr. Craw, I know Mr. Crawford and you... I mean, you''re close with Mr. Crawford. Please tell him to grant me a few days of grace period. I''ll find out who''s the one who sold the information!" said Dr. Albus. He had no choice but to find out the culprit who sold the research form. "There''s nothing I can do. Mr. Crawford''s men have looked into the matter. Dr. Albus, I''m really sorry." All Luca did was apologize. Luca felt relieved and guilty at the same time that Luke did not find out it was her. However, she had no choice. Luca still wanted to stay by Luke''s side. It was not only because she selfishly loved him, but it was also because of Abel. Abel had always wanted to deal with Luke. If Luca''s true identity was exposed, Abel would certainly go to extreme lengths to implement another n. That was why as long as her identity remained unexposed, she would not take the initiative to expose herself and let Luke find out about it. After all, leaving meant bidding farewell. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "No, no, no. Dr. Craw, don''t hang up the call first. I''m telling you, I was wronged. I promise that I''ll do anything to repay you if you''re willing to help me." Dr. Albus sounded insane, and he refused to ept his fate. His research was sold to someone else, and he did not earn any money from it. Moreover, he had to be detained as a criminal and face imprisonment. He would also have to pay a huge sum of compensation. He dared not to resign himself to fate! His wife was still waiting for the money to receive treatment abroad. Dr. Albus had no idea about the bank ount that Luke''s men found. That was why there was no way he could get that money. Hence, asking for Luca''s help was his only way out. ¡°Dr. Albus, I''m still..." Luca could not bear to listen to him anymore. A man was giving up his pride to beg her. That would mean he was really desperate. "Dr. Craw, I''m sure you can help me. Why don''t you help me ask Mr. Crawford out? I''ll give him an exnation." Dr. Albus thought of asking Luca to plead for mercy on his behalf, but he understood Luca had no intention of doing so. That was why he needed to meet Luke himself and prove his innocence in front of him. "You can make an appointment with Mr. Doyle if you''d like to see Mr. Crawford," Luca reminded him. "Everyone in thepany sees me as a betrayer who sold confidential information. No one is willing to believe me. Even Mr. Crawford refuses to see me. Dr. Craw, you''re close with Mr. Crawford. Can''t you do me a favor?" Luca saw the taxi that wasing from afar while she listened to what Dr. Albus said. She made up her mind and said, "I''m sorry. There''s nothing I can do, Dr. Albus. If you''re really innocent, I believe you''ll find a way to prove it. I have something else to do. Sorry.." She took a deep breath and hung up the call. "I''m sorry.." Luca muttered to herself as guilt filled her eyes. The taxi came to a halt beside her, then the driver rolled down the window and asked, "Miss, are you the one who hailed a ride?" "Yes," Luca confirmed that it was the ride she hailed by ncing at the car te number. Then, she pulled the door open and slipped into the car. She received a call from Luke while she was on her way back to the city. "Where are you?" "I''m outside now," replied Luca. She did not tell Luke where exactly she was. Luke asked, "Are you dealing with something?" "I guess so. It''s my brother''s matter." Luca looked outside the car window as the snow started falling again. She could not help but let out a sigh. She was lying to Luke again. Chapter 2119 Luke, who was on the other end of the line, remained silent for a few seconds. He knew Luca was only looking for an excuse. Whatever she was doing now must have something to do with the Ind of Despair. Luke did not ask anyone to track her down because Rain and Gale were busy with their work. He could not trust the others. Luke felt a little annoyed for not being able to ask someone to follow Luca after knowing that Luca was doing something the Ind of Despair had instructed her to. Then, he asked, ¡°What happened to Amur?" "Nothing. He''s recuperating his healthtely and needs some herbs. It''s a little difficult to find them. Someone called me and I went to take a look," said Luca. She looked down and thought that she used to be bad at lying to Luke, but she was getting better at it now. "Have you bought them?" Luke asked caringly. "No. The herbs were fake. I''ll continue to look for them," replied Luca. She looked up and looked at the scenery outside the window. There was another round of silence at the other end of the line. Then, Luca heard the ringing tone of the phone. When she thought Luke had ended the call, she heard him say, "What herbs are those? Johann might be able to help." "It''d be better not to trouble Dr. Park. I''ll look for them myself," answered Luca. Even if she asked for Johann''s help, it was unlikely that Johann would be able to find them. Johann was a doctor, but he was not a specialist in naturopathy. Besides, the medicinal herbs that Shanks was looking for were almost extinct, so Johann might not know about them. Luke knew what Luca meant. She wanted to solve this herself. Even though Luke knew it was an excuse, he could not help but say, "Just tell me if you need any help." "Thank you, Mr. Crawford." Luca could only thank him in a polite and aloof manner. Luke''s eyes darkened at once, and he asked, "Lanie, Rainie, and Tommy will be sent here tonight. Will you being back home for dinner?" "Yes, I''ll go back for dinner," said Luca. She missed her children. The telephone in Luke''s office was still ringing. Luke was annoyed. He had so much he wanted to say, but he eventually just said, "Come back earlier. Stay warm and take care of yourself out there." Luke hung up the call after that. He picked up the receiver and asked, "Yes?" "Boss, the press release about Dr. Albus'' matter has been released to the media," Jason reported. He felt a little nervous as he was sure that he had heard an impatient tone in Luke''s voice when he answered the call. Situations like this usually happened when Luke was doing something important and Jason¡¯s call had disturbed him. "Just take care of the matter. There¡¯s no need to report to me." Luke hung up the call after that. He did not leave any way out for Dr. Albus. Not only did he inform everyone in thepany, but he even issued a press release. It did not matter if it was Dr. Albus¡¯ matter or the bidding document. He had to sacrifice one person. That person could not be Luca. Luke fixed his gaze on theputer screen. It showed that he had received an email, and it was about the person Luke had asked Ray to investigate. This man was the man whom Luca met at Ray¡¯s hotel. The information stated that this man was a doctor. He did not be a doctor after he graduated but became an ordinary white-cor worker. It was suspicious that an ordinary white-cor worker was able to afford to stay in Ray¡¯s hotel. Luke looked at the photos and narrowed his eyes. He was pretty sure that this man was someone from the Ind of Despair. However, he had never met this man before when he was held captive by Robert on the Ind of Despair back then. He spected that this man was the doctor of the Ind of Despair. However, he was not the one who treated Luke and hypnotized him back then... Luke took a screenshot of the man¡¯s photo and sent a message to Gale and Rain, who had been on the Ind of Despair for a longer time. It did not take long before the two of them replied to his message. They told him that they had never seen anyone like that on the Ind of Despair. "Bea." Luke mumbled to himself while looking at the man¡¯s photo. Did she learn those clinical skills from this man? Luke studied the information closely. The information about this man studying in a medical school was detailed, and his graduation photos were attached too. Hence, Luca probably learned her clinical skills from his man. Luke clenched his fists while he looked at the man in the photo. He would never let them get away with it! Evening time. Luca returned to the vi earlier than Luke did. She had just stepped into the house. Before she could take off her coat, Tommy came forward and wrapped his arms around her thigh. "Ms. Luca, you¡¯re finally back. I missed you so much." Luca smiled, crouched down, and looked at Tommy, "Really? How much did you miss me?" ¡°I missed you very much. This much!" Tommy moved his hands far apart and made a big hand gesture to illustrate how much he had missed Luca. Aunt Neile brought some fruits out. She smiled at Luca and said, "Ms. Craw, Young Master Tommy has been looking for you since he finished school." Luca smiled and stroked Tommy''s head. Tommy held Luca''s hand and said, "Ms. Craw, I''m stuck on my homework. Can you teach me, please?" "Sure, no problem." Luca took off her coat and hung it. Then, she made her way up the stairs together with Tommy. Tommy strolled into his bedroom. After he climbed up on the chair, he patted the chair beside him and said, "Ms. Luca, sit here." Luca sat down and asked, "Which one?" "This, this, and this one." Tommy pointed at a few questions where the answers were nk. N?velDrama.Org content. Luca nced at the questions. These were simple Mathematics and English grammar questions. Although Tommy was not as hardworking as Lanie was, these were the basics. It was unlikely that he did not know how to do such questions. After all, Luca had signed off on the kids'' homework before. Those questions were much harder than these, and there were even harder ones. Tommy could answer all the questions himself and even got them correct. However, he was now telling her that he could not understand these questions? Luca looked at the child and asked, "Do you really not know how to answer these?" Tommy felt guilty after Luca looked at him. He knew the answers, but he was pretending that he did not know them. He was trying to make Luca stay. After Tommy discussed with his brother and sister, he decided to y dumb so that Luca would not bear to leave them. They were her children, after all. If her children could not finish their homework themselves, they would end up getting bad results. Their father did not have the time to look after them, so doing this would make their mother stay. However, Lanie and Rainie told him that it would not work. Tommy refused to believe them, so he tried it out today. Luca stared at the kid for a while, then her lips curled into a smile as she pinched Tommy''s chubby face. She said, "Let me teach you." "Alright, Ms. Luca." Tommy let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Luca did not see through his attempt to y dumb. Tommy dared not to go too far. He was able to answer the questions himself after Luca exined the questions to him. Although he left many nk answers, he managed to finish them all with Luca''s help. Tommy handed his homework to Luca and said, "Ms. Luca, please check and sign it." "Mr. Crawford ising home today. It''d be better to let him sign your homework," said Luca. Then, she picked up Tommy''s exercise book and checked it for him. Chapter 2120 Luca thought that if she helped Tommy to check his homework, then Luke could sign on thest page of the workbook after he came back. That could relieve his burden just a little. Tommy took candy out of his pocket as he watched Luca help him check his homework. He said, "Ms. Luca, this is for you." Luca looked at the chocte candy and stroked Tommy''s head. ¡°No, thank you. You can keep it for yourself. But don''t forget you can only eat this after dinner.¡± ¡°Lizzie gave this to me. She told me that yummy candies should be given to our favorite people. So, I''m giving this candy to you, Ms. Luca." Tommy insisted on stuffing the candy into Luca''s hands. Even though Tommy loved eating chocte candy, he insisted on giving it to Luca. Luca smiled and asked after listening to Tommy, "Who''s Lizzie?" "She''s my ssmate. Her nickname is Lizzie," answered Tommy. "I see. It seems like you''re popr among your friends at school." Luca looked at the chocte candy in her hands. Her child resembled Luke, so it was normal for him to already be popr among the girls at such a young age. "But I don''t like them. They keep following me, and I can''t y with the others," said Tommy. He urged Luca, saying, "Ms, Luca,e on. Eat the candy and see if my love tastes sweet." The kid had poured his affection for Luca into the candy, and Luca thought she would be wasting Tommy''s effort if she did not eat it. Luca opened the wrapper and put the candy in her mouth. "It''s sweet." "Really? Love tastes like candy." Tommy was delighted. He smiled so happily that his eyes turned into adorable crescents. "Yes, that''s why Lizzie gave you the candy. Then Lizzie must be..." Luca teased him. She was not afraid of exposing her kids to love matters. They were still young, after all. Besides, it was not good for the kids if parents avoided talking about these things with them. "Ms. Luca, what are you talking about?" Tommy interrupted Luca. "There''s always snot hanging from Lizze''s nose. It''s ugly. I like pretty, gentle girls like Ms. Luca. And girls who are good at cooking." Luca smiled and stroked the kid''s head. It felt wonderful to be able to stay by her child''s side and keep himpany. Yet, times like this would disappear anytime. Downstairs. Luke walked into the house with his briefcase. Rainie and Lanie, who were in the living room, saw him and surrounded him immediately. ¡°Daddy, you''re back." Luke nodded. He was surprised to see that Tommy, the naughtiest child, was not with them. He asked the brother and sister, "Where''s your younger brother?" "Tommy''s upstairs. He''s asking Ms. Luca to help him with his homework," replied Rainie. They saw Luca tutoring Tommy and helping him with his homework when they finished their homework and left their rooms. "Does he need tutoring?" Luke raised his brows. Although Tommy was not as hardworking and studious as Lanie was, Tommy was not a slow-witted child either. He was able to handle the difficulty of the homework given. "He''s just ying dumb," Lanie exined to him. "ying dumb?" Luke raised his brows. He could not hold back hisughter at the thought of Tommy pretending to be dumb. "Yes, Daddy," said Lanie. "Tommy came up with the idea of ying dumb. Besides, Daddy doesn''t have time to tutor us. He thinks that if he does that, Ms. Luca can''t bear to leave us anymore." Luke listened to his son''s exnation and shook his head helplessly. Tommy was willing to y dumb to make Luca stay... However, their mother was not dumb either. How could she not see through the trick at a nce? Yet, Tommy still did such a thing. "Then why are the two of you here?" Luke looked at the brother and sister. "Ms. Luca isn''t stupid, and we don''t want to y dumb," said Lanie while trying to act cool. He told Luke what he was thinking about. Luke''s smile turned into a grin after he heard Lanie say that with contempt. It was true. Luca was not stupid. How could she not know that Tommy was just ying dumb? Tommy was so eager to make his mother stay, and that was why he came up with such a quirky idea. "Well, Daddy, you''ll have to y along with uster," said Lanie. Old Master Crawford had assigned the kids a mission when they were staying at Crawford Manor. "What should I do?" Luke stared at his eldest son. He wanted to know what Lanie was up to. Lanie was about to tell Luke his n, but he saw Luca holding Tommy''s hand and making her way down the stairs. Lanie had no choice but to say, "You''ll knowter." Luke shot a nce at Luca and knew that this had something to do with Luca. They had only been at Crawford Manor for a night. Why did they be so full of ideas aftering back here? Luke reckoned that it must be Old Master Crawford who said something to them. "Have you finished your homework?" Luke asked Tommy. Tommy was pleased, and it was written all over his face. He smiled at Luke, "Of course. I finished my homework with Ms. Luca''s help. Ms. Luca even helped me to check my homework. Daddy, all you have to do is to sign your name on thest page of my homework." Luke shifted his gaze to Luca and said, "I''ll leave it for you to sign next time." "Mr. Crawford, you''re the children''s father. It''d be better if you sign it yourself. Besides, I''m not good at imitating your signature." Luca rejected. She thought that the teacher might have noticed that there was something wrong with the signature. The teachers would probably have asked to meet the parents if it were not for the kids not knowing how to write something like that. Lanie shook her head helplessly when he heard what Luca said. Their father told them that there was a reason why their mother was behaving this way, and he asked them to be patient. He had to figure it out before they cleared the air between them. However, Luke must feel upset too. Their mother was always trying to keep a distance between them. Aunt Neile came out from the kitchen and reminded them, ¡°Dinner''s ready. Mr. Crawford. Would you like to have dinner now?¡± "Let''s eat,¡± said Luke as he shot a nce at his son. He would like to know what they wanted him to do later. Aunt Neile nodded and served the dishes on the dining table. Tommy was holding Luca''s hand. He smiled and said, "Ms. Luca,e on. Let''s eat." Luca nodded and headed to the dining room together with them. Aunt Neile prepared many dishes for dinner. Tommy could not wait to start eating when he saw them. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Lanie and Rainie exchanged nces with each other. Although they did not manage to tell their father about their n, they believed in their father. He was smart, so they were sure he would be able to figure out what their n waster. Rainie spoke when they were having their dinner, "Daddy, are you avable this weekend?" "Why?" answered Luke. He knew the show that Lanie and Rainie mentioned was about to start. "Last night, we were having dinner together with Great-grandpa. He told us he''s not feelingfortable these days. But Uncle Clement can''t seem to find anything wrong with him. Mr. Griffin also said that Uncle Clement suggested that Great-grandpa should head to the hospital for a medical check-up. But Great-grandpa is stubborn and refuses to go. Daddy, why don''t you bring Great-grandpa to the hospital for a check-up?" said Rainie. Luca, who was sitting beside them, could not help but frown. Was Old Master Crawford feeling ufortable? "I''ll bring him there this weekend." Luke yed along with Rainie. "Daddy, Great-grandpa doesn''t like going to the hospital. Can you find a better doctor to give him a diagnosis?" Lanie suddenly spoke. Chapter 2121 A better doctor... They must be talking about Luca, right? Luke understood at once after summing up everything the old master had told them. He turned to look at Luca. The moment Lanie mentioned finding a better doctor for Old Master Crawford, Luca could feel their gazes fall on her. She lifted her head and looked at them. Tommy added, "Daddy, Ms. Luca has good clinical skills. She was the one who noticed that there was a medicinal ingredient added to Great-grandpa''s stew thest time. Why don''t we ask Ms. Luca to do a check-up on Great-grandpa?" "You mean to take his pulse.¡± Lanie turned to look at Luca after he corrected Tommy. "Ms. Luca, Greatgrandpa hates seeing doctors and the equipment in the hospital. Why don''t you take Great- grandpa''s pulse?" Luca looked at the three of them, then she nced at Luke. They had already made themselves clear. How could she decline them? She could not. Besides, Old Master Crawford was kind to her. If he was really feeling ufortable, ignoring him was not something Luca would do. "Alright." Luca nodded and agreed to it while the kids stared at her. Lanie nodded and put on a stern expression on his face. "Ms. Luca, we''ll leave Great-grandpa''s health to you." Luca looked at Lanie¡¯s expression and turned to nce at Luke again. The two of them were getting more and more alike. The serious expressions on their faces were almost the same. Even the looks in their eyes were simr. They were indeed father and son. "I¡¯ll try my best," replied Luca. She had no idea about Old Master Crawford¡¯s health condition. That was why she dared not to guarantee that she could handle it. The thought of Old Master Crawford reminded her of Old Man Rayne. Luca wondered if he was doing well. Although he was taking medicines to recuperate his health, he would have to do a medical check-up every once in a while. Luke could see that Luca was worried. He knew Luca must have thought of Old Man Rayne without a second thought. After all, the two of them were elders. Luca would certainly be reminded of him when they mentioned Old Master Crawford. Luke said, ¡°Let me bring you to the Rayne family''s house when you''re free. Perhaps you can check Old Man Rayne''s pulse and health condition too." "Sure." Luca was secretly surprised. How did Luke know what she was thinking about? Luca was indeed thinking of visiting Old Man Rayne and Aunt Wanda. She just did not have a good reason to do so. However, she would have a reason to visit them after Luke told her that he was bringing her to check on them. "Daddy, I''d like to visit Grandpa Rayne too," said Tommy. He thought of paying a visit to the Rayne family''s house when he heard that. The kids loved visiting Grandpa Raynepared to Grandpa Norman. "It depends on our schedule. We''ll bring you there if everyone has time." Luke promised the kids. Rainie put down the cutlery and said, "Daddy, you can bring us there this weekend." Luke turned to look at Luca. Luca was still busy with the research, and he thought Luca might have to work overtime this weekend. "Ms. Luca is busy with her worktely. She has many things to do in the office," exined Luke. Even if they were going to visit the Rayne family''s house, they would probably visit at night. Luke had to handle M Group''s project, and he had to prepare for the development of the western suburbs. Even though he would be apanying the kids back to Crawford Manor, he would still have to work. Luca nodded. Since Luke mentioned this, Luca also hoped that the kids could understand why she was unable to keep thempany. Tommyined with dissatisfaction, "Daddy, it''s okay if you''re busy, but can you please reduce Ms. Luca''s work..." "It''s not up to me." Luke passed the buck to Luca. It was not up to him to decide how much time Luca had to spend on her work. If Luke was the one who called the shots, Luca did not need to head to the office to hold a meeting about the research. Luca exined, "I''m having some problems with my research, and I need to solve them." "Can''t Daddy solve them for you?" Tommy was still young. He did not know how things worked. He thought his father knew everything, and every difficulty he faced would be solved easily. "Daddy is a smart guy. Ms. Luca, let him help you!" Luca turned to look at Luke. Luke no longer tried to impress his kids by telling them that he could do anything. He confessed to Tommy, "There are people who specialize in certain industries. Ms. Luca is way better than me when it comes to research. I don''t know anything about it." Tommy widened his eyes. He refused to believe that his almighty Daddy could not even help in this matter. "Daddy, you''re embarrassing," Tommy uttered. Luke was not angry that his youngest son found him embarrassing. He was easy-going and approachable in front of Luca and the kids. He urged the kids, ¡°Finish your dinner." ¡°Ms. Luca, are you going to be busy for the next few days?" Rainie asked. ¡°Yes, but everything will be back to normal after the problem is solved," answered Luca. She gave the kids buffalo wings and said, ¡°Hurry up and finish your dinner. I''m giving everyone a surprise after dinner." ¡°What surprise is it?" Tommy pulled himself together once he heard that. His dim eyes brightened up as he looked at Luca. ¡°It''s a surprise. If I tell you, then it won''t be a surprise anymore." Luca pursed her lips. She suddenly realized that she had not given the kids the gifts she had bought for them in Russia. Luca had been busy with worktely. Besides, Amur was still missing. That was why she forgot about the gifts. The kids ate their dinner quietly without talking when they heard there would be a surprise for them later. Luke did not say another word when he saw the kids eating their dinner quietly because of what Luca said. He thought that she was the only one who could quiet the kids down. Even Tommy, who was the most talkative among the three of them, was eating his dinner quietly. He did not say a word after hearing Luca''s words. She understood her children the most... After dinner, the three of them surrounded Luca excitedly, eager to know what surprise Luca had prepared for them. Luca smiled and nodded, ¡°Follow me." The three kids followed behind Luca and walked into her bedroom. ¡°Take a seat." Luca pointed at her bed, signaling the kids to sit on the bed. The kids climbed up the bed and sat on it. Luca opened her drawer and took the gifts out. "I was nning to wrap them nicely before giving them to you, but I''ve been really busy these days. I didn''t have time to buy wrapping paper either. This is for Lanie, and this one''s for Rainie. And this is Tommy''s." She distributed the gifts to the three of them. Tommy''s eyes brightened up when he saw the gift. ¡°It''s a gift!" "Yes. I went to Russia. Although I went there to work, I had to prepare something for you. Do you like it?" Luca sat on the dressing table''s chair and looked at the kids with a smile on her face. She felt happy as well when she saw the kids so delighted to receive their gifts. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Yes. I like it, Ms. Luca. This is the best gift I''ve received this year!" Tommy looked at his gift. He wanted to bring it to school and show it to his friends. He had received such a wonderful gift. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Luca. I like it," said Lanie. Rainie took the dress out and held it close to her body. "Thank you, Ms. Luca. What a pretty dress." Luca waved her hand at Rainie and said, ¡°Rainie,e here.¡± Rainie brought the dress along with her and came to Luca''s side. Chapter 2122 Luca took the dress from Rainie, turned to face the dressing mirror, andpared the dress to Rainie''s body. ¡°It fits perfectly." Luca was satisfied. She was worried that the dress would not suit the child''s height when she was buying the dress for her. The children were growing up fast. The clothes that they could put on not long ago might not be able to fit them well after just a short period. Rainie snuggled up to Luca and gave her a sweet smile, "Ms. Luca, can I wear this to school tomorrow?" Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "Sure. Let me wash it for youter, then I''ll dry it with the dryer. You can wear it to school tomorrow," said Luca. She took a pair of scissors out of the drawer and cut the tag off the dress. Luca was d that Rainie liked it. She nned to put the dress into the washing macher. "Thank you, Ms. Luca." Rainie nted a kiss on Luca''s cheek and left with a smile on her face. Luca did not expect Rainie to do such a thing. She was startled for a moment, then she smiled at her. Aunt Neile showed up at the bedroom''s entrance and reminded the kids, "Ms. Rainie, Young Master nche, Young Master Tommy, the fruits are ready. And your favorite cartoon show is about to start." "Ah, the cartoon!" Tommy was the first to stand up when Aunt Neile mentioned the cartoon show. Then, he turned to look at Luca. "Off you go." Luca waved her hand to ask them to leave and watch their cartoon show. Cartoons were interesting, and they could always attract the kids'' attention. Luca would not stop her kids from watching cartoons after they were done doing their homework. "Alright, Ms. Luca. Thank you for the gifts!" Tommy carried his gift along with him and ran out of the room. Lanie and Rainie followed behind their youngest brother. Luca''s eyes were gleaming with tenderness while she watched the kids walk out of her room. Aunt Neile noticed that Luca was not nning to go downstairs, so she asked, "Ms. Luca, aren''t you going downstairs to have some fruits?" "No. I''m a little tired today. I''m going to get some rest after taking a shower." Luca shook her head and declined. "Alright. Then I shall leave you to it." Aunt Neile closed the door for her. Luca sat on the chair for a while before she rose to her feet and walked toward the balcony on the second floor. She turned on the washing machine and ced Rainie''s dress in it. Then, she adjusted the mode. She smiled as she looked at the machine. Finally, she was able to do something for the kids. Luca turned around and saw Luke standing in the living room on the second floor. She was startled for a moment and walked to the living room. She asked, "Mr. Crawford, why are you here?" ¡°What are you washing?¡± The balcony door was left open, and Luke heard the sound of the washing machine operating. ¡°I bought a dress for Rainie when I was in Russia. She told me she likes it and wants to wear the dress to school tomorrow. I''m helping her wash it so that she can wear it tomorrow," exined Luca. Luke found out that Luca had prepared gifts for the kids when Tommy told him about it. He knew it was normal for their biological mother, Luca, to do so. However, only the kids had gifts. She did not give Luke anything. It was inevitable that he was jealous of the kids. "Thank you." Luke was grateful for every little thing Luca had done for the kids. Luca shook her head. She would not feel tired no matter how much she did for her children. Luke added, "Aunt Neile told me that you''re feeling tired. Rest early." "Okay. Goodnight, Mr. Crawford." Luca was truly tired. She was thinking of tucking herself in bed and getting a good night''s sleep. She could only n what she was going to do next after getting a good night''s sleep. The next day. Luca made her way down the stairs after she woke up in the morning. She prepared breakfast together with Aunt Neile. Aunt Neile could not help butpliment Luca when she saw how good she was at preparing such a hearty breakfast for the kids. "Ms. Craw, you''re really good at this." "Oh, it''s just a simple home-cooked meal..." said Luca as she got the tes ready. The children should be up soon. "The kids will be happy to know you''re the one who prepared breakfast for them when they got upter. They were talking about eating your food when they were watching TVst night," said Aunt Neile. She had already realized that Luca''s cooking skills were better than hers, and every dish she made tasted good. That was why Aunt Neile was not jealous of her, and she told Luca what the kids had talked about. "Really?" Luca was a little surprised. She had never heard the kids mention it. "It''s true. They were talking about it while they were eating fruits and watching TV downstairsst night," replied Aunt Neile as she helped Luca out. Luca nodded and wondered. Back then, the kids would always take the initiative to tell her what they were craving. They would act spoiled and ask Luca to make it for them. However, they would not tell her these things now. It was Aunt Neile who told Luca instead. Aunt Neile noticed that Luca did not say anything. She knew she was being nosy, so she quickly exined, "The kids know you''re busy these days, so they were just talking off the top of their heads." ¡°No. I was just wondering why they didn''t tell me about it," Luca shook her head and said in a soft voice. ¡°They know you''re busy with your work, and I guess they don''t want you to be tired," exined Aunt Neile. It was a tiring job to prepare meals for the children. Besides, Luca was not a professional cook. ¡°Maybe." Luca felt sorry for them. Her children were still young, but they were forced to grow up and think maturely. Previously, the most adorable and innocent child was Tommy in this family. It only took a few years for Tommy to be mature. Although he was still as talkative as ever, it was obvious that he was no longer the little boy who used to be wilful and spoiled. The three kids came to the dining room together after they woke up and freshened themselves up. They saw Luca serving the breakfast, so Tommy asked, ¡°Ms. Luca, were you the one who prepared breakfast?" ¡°Yes. Are you happy?" Luca bent down and looked at her youngest son. Tommy nodded his head excessively to assure Luca. ¡°Yes. I love eating Ms. Luca''s home-cooked meals!" ¡°Then tell me when you wish to eat my food next time. Tell me and I''ll make it for you, okay?" Luca said to Tommy. She was telling Lanie and Rainie too. Tommy hesitated. Luke''s reminders were ringing in his ears. ¡°But, Ms. Luca, you''re busy..." ¡°I''ll always have time to eat no matter how busy I am. It''s just a meal, and it''s not going to take long," said Luca. Then, she nced at the other two kids. ¡°Tell me if you want to have it next time, alright?" The three of them nodded their heads. Luca gave them a satisfying smile. She rose to her feet and helped them with the bacon she prepared after she told the kids about her thoughts. Rainie walked toward Luca and turned around to show Luca her dress. She asked, ¡°Ms. Luca, does it look good on me?" Luca smiled with satisfaction when she saw the dress on Rainie. She answered, ¡°Oh, look at you. You''re so pretty! It''s going to suit the white down jacket well." Rainie''s face was blushing red when Lucaplimented her. She said in a shy manner, ¡°Then I''ll put on a white jacket today." ¡°Sure. Come and eat your breakfast," replied Luca. She saw Aunt Neile taking out the bread she had put in the toaster earlier. She took it from her and ced it on the table. ¡°Would you like to have some eggs for breakfast?" Chapter 2123 Tommy loved Luca''s cooking. He was about to say yes when Lanie said, "It''s okay, Ms. Luca, this is more than enough." Tommy shut his mouth embarrassed ly. Luke went into the dining room aftering downstairs and smelled the aroma of breakfast. After seeing Luca in an apron, Luke knew that she had made breakfast. "Daddy," the three children greeted simultaneously. Luke''s gaze fell on the three kids. He saw that they were eating breakfast with smiles on their faces, which gave him peace of mind. "Good morning, Mr. Crawford," said Luca. "Good morning." Luke sat on the chair. Luca was about to scoop up some oats for him when Aunt Neile immediately said, "Ms. Craw, have a seat. I''ll do it." Luca sat on the seat next to Luke. Aunt Neiledled a bowl of oats each for the two of them and returned to the kitchen. They were like a family of five, enjoying their breakfast in peace. Aunt Neile did not have the heart to spoil the mood. "You didn''t drive back yesterday, right?" Luke asked Luca and took a bite of his oats. "Yes, I had to go to the suburbs and didn''t know the way very well, so I took a taxi," replied Luca as she took a piece of bread for Tommy. The kids loved the bread she made. "Thank you, Ms. Luca," Tommy thanked her and took a big bite of the bread. "Take my car back to thepanyter," said Luke. Since she used Amur as an excuse yesterday, she should be out of excuses today, which meant that she would have no choice but to say yes. "Alright," Luca did not refuse this time as it was difficult to get a taxi at this time of day anyway. Before she went to bedst night, she thought of where the problem might lie. However, all of the important documents were in thepany, so she thought about going to thepany earlier to test out her hypothesis. If her guess was right, the research could carry on. After breakfast, Zander sent the children to school. On the other hand, Luca returned to thepany in Luke''s car. It was still early, so the parking lot was fairly empty. After Luca got down from the car, she went straight to the other side of the parking lot. Luke reminded her, ¡°The elevator is over there." ¡°Mr. Crawford, I need to get some stuff from my car. You can go up first," said Luca as she turned back and headed straight toward where her car was parked. Luke watched as she got into the car and closed the door. He looked away without saying anything and went up by himself. She was still being evasive. Even though everyone in thepany was already suspecting their rtionship, she still wanted to avoid the gossip and rumors. Luca sat in the car and heaved a sigh of relief after she saw Luke leave. She looked at her watch and waited for about three minutes before stepping out of the car and into the elevator. After reaching her floor, Luca stepped out of the elevator and ran into Rhett. "Good morning, Dr. Craw." "Good morning, Mr. Link. Please bring the research-rted documents to my office," instructed Luca. Rhett was intrigued as he guessed that she must have a possible lead and immediately said, "Alright, Dr. Craw. I''ll go pull up the data now." Luca returned to her office and opened herptop after taking off her heavy coat. Rhett quickly brought the files she asked for. "Dr. Craw..." As he was about to ask her something, Luca said, "Go out first and close the door behind you. I won''t see anyone this morning." Rhett was stunned. What would the researchers do, then? After seeing her open the file with a serious expression, he dared not say anything else, so he followed her orders and turned around to leave.N?velDrama.Org content. Luca began to focus on studying the documents and data. After leaving Luca''s office, Rhett returned to the conference room to see that several researchers were already waiting there. "Mr. Link, is Dr. Craw here yet?" The researchers nced at the time. Dr. Craw should have arrived by now, but she was nowhere to be seen. "Dr. Craw has arrived. She asked for a stack of files and is working in her office." Rhett sat in a chair and looked at the researchers resignedly. "If she''s working in her office, then what about us?" asked a researcher. Their research was not making any progress at all, and they had no direction, so they needed Luca''s guidance. "I reckon that Dr. Craw might have a lead. We''ll just have to wait and see," said Rhett. The researchers had no choice but to just randomly flip through files of data. When it was almost noon, Rhett nced at the time and wondered if he should order food for Luca. At that very moment, Luca walked into the conference room with a pile of files in her arms. ¡°Dr. Craw," he stood up as he greeted Luca. The other researchers also stood up one after another and greeted Luca. "Dr. Craw." "I''ve found the root cause of the problem in the research data. Next up, we need to redo the steps for the experiment. Let''s try to finish it within a week. Any questions?" Luca looked at them. "No questions." The researchers were affirmative as the problem they faced before was not knowing where the error was. Now that they knew, there was no problem at all. "There are some remarks in the data files, and I''ve divided the work for the research. If there are no questions..." Luca nced at her wristwatch. "Go have lunch first. We''ll officially start work after the lunch break." "Alright, Dr. Craw." Everyone came to life as the problem they faced was about to be resolved. They finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Luca looked at Rhett. "Mr. Link, can you order takeaway for me when you go out for lunch?" "Sure, what would you like, Dr. Craw?" asked Rhett. "Just get whatever, anything is fine. Hang it on my office door afterward. No need to knock," said Luca. Although she had found the source of the problem in the data, there were still some matters that she had to deal with. "Got it." After Rhett agreed, he walked out with the others. Luca looked at the empty meeting room. She took a deep breath and massaged her face. She still had to keep working. After returning to her office, Luca heard the phone on her desk ring joyfully. She immediately picked it up and looked at it. It was Mo. "Ms. Stone, what''s the matter?" asked Luca. "Dr. Craw, there''s an important meeting that you need to attend this afternoon at Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Would you like toe to thepany or join the meeting online?" asked Mo. Although Luca''s research group was not at thepany, they were still employees of Watson Biopharmaceuticals. "What''s it about?" asked Luca. "It''s about Dr. Albus and thepany''s ns for the next quarter. The manager wishes for you to attend the meeting in person as this meeting is rather important." Mo conveyed the manager''s wishes. Luca raised her eyebrows. Since Mo was trying so hard to persuade her, it would not make sense for her to still insist on attending the meeting online. Chapter 2124 ¡°What time does the meeting start?" asked Luca. "Around 3:30 in the afternoon, Dr. Craw, are you sure that you''re able to attend?" Mo confirmed with her once again. It was not her who wanted Luca toe over but the bunch of old fogeys at the company. She was just conveying their message. "Yes," Luca gave her an affirmative answer. Although she did not know the point of the meeting, if it was about Dr. Albus, she would not expect the other professors to lend a helping hand. When it came to their benefit, friendships and all that was fake. She hung up the phone and folded her hands together. She felt bad as she thought about what had happened to Dr. Albus. Half an hourter, Rhett walked up to Luca''s office with a lunch box in his hands. He recalled her instructions and hung the lunch box on the door handle. "Rhett, is that you?" Luca heard sounds. Rhett thought his movements had disturbed her and said apprehensively, "Yes, Dr. Craw. Sorry for disturbing you." "It''s okay. Come in," said Luca. The office door was pushed open, and Rhett walked in with a bag. He was surprised to see thick files piled up on her desk. "Dr. Craw, you should eat first," he said. "Just leave it here." Luca lifted her chin and continued typing away on her keyboard. Rhett left the lunch box on the corner of her desk. "By the way,e with me to Watson for a meeting at three in the afternoon. The meeting starts at 3:30 p.m.," said Luca. "Alright, Dr. Craw." Rhett nodded. "Go out first ande remind me when the timees," said Luca as she worried that she would lose track of time while working. "Got it." Rhett walked out and closed the door behind him. Luca did not even raise her head and continued to work while staring at the documents as well as her computer screen. Zoey saw Rhette out of Luca''s office and asked curiously, ¡°Mr. Link, has Dr. Craw had lunch yet?" ¡°Not yet. I just delivered her lunch," replied Rhett. Zoey nodded, indicating that she understood. Rhett casually asked, ¡°Why are you so concerned about Dr. Craw all of a sudden?" ¡°No, I''m not... I was thinking that if Dr. Craw had not eaten lunch, I would order food for her. You''ve seen how busy she is because of the data problem. It''s not good for her to starve herself." Zoey waved her hand in a hurry. ¡°You''re right. It''s a good thing we have Dr. Craw. She came back from Russia three days ago and already found the problem in the data. We were working on it for a week and couldn''t even find where the problem was.." Rhett''s words were full of admiration for Luca. ¡°She found the problem already?" Zoey was taken aback and could not help but praise, ¡°Dr. Craw is too awesome!" Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Exactly. I''ve learned so much from Dr. Craw. You saw how we struggled with the data problem. We wouldn''t have been able to carry on with the drug research without her," Rhett expressed his admiration for Luca with a hint of resignation in his tone. The data problem was discovered when Luca left for Russia At the time, Luke had ordered them not to disturb her, so he worked with the researchers in the office to find out what went wrong. He did not think that they still would not have found the problem after her return. ¡°You''re right. Dr. Craw is the person in charge of the research, after all. I previously heard that Dr. Craw entered thepany with this research project and that it was like her own child. Of course, one would understand their child better than anyone else." Zoey may not know much about drug research, but she still understood some of the reasoning behind it. Rhett listened to her words and nodded in agreement. Zoey nced at the time and said, ¡°Mr. Link, I need to go back to work now." "Alright." Rhett also turned around to swipe his card and walked into theb. After Zoey returned to her workstation, she picked up her phone and reported to Luke: [Mr. Link had bought lunch and delivered it to Dr. Craw.] Right as she arrived at work this morning, Zoey was called upstairs by Tina. She thought that Tina was the one looking for her but then realized that it was Luke. He had specifically ordered her to watch over Luca and to inform him whether she had eaten on time, if she had to work overtime, or if she had to take time off to go out for some special reasons. It was not a difficult request, and it was requested by her boss, so Zoey agreed in an instant. At noon, she realized that Luca did not go downstairs to eat, so she stayed here to observe her. After seeing Rhette out of Luca''s office, she intentionally snooped around to find out what was going on. When she found out that Luca had food delivered to her, she reported it to Luke. After seeing that the message was sessfully delivered, Zoey recalled Rhett''s words and immediately reported again: [Also, Dr. Craw has found the problem with the data.] Half a minuteter, Zoey received a reply from Luke. [No need to report this.] Zoey looked at the message notification. He did notpliment her for reporting in detail, nor did he say she did not report enough. Instead, he said that she did not have to report on work matters? The thing Mr. Crawford cared about the most was whether Dr. Craw had eaten on time or not? As expected, the rumors that were circting in thepany were true. Luca was the apple of Luke''s eyes. Nobody could do her wrong. [Understood.] Zoey snickered and replied as envy inexplicably filled her heart. She wanted a man who cared about her too, just like how Luke cared about Luca. However... Zoey recalled the never before seen wife of the CEO that Tina mentioned. Although Luca was favored by Luke, their rtionship would never be out in the open. He had a legitimate wife, after all. What difference did it make that Luke favored Luca? She was undeserving of such description. She may be favored by him, but she did not have the status. Zoey looked at Luca''s office door which was tightly shut and could not help but shake her head. Even if it was true love, Luca still got herself involved with a man who had a wife and children. Honestly, she did not quite agree with Luca''s behavior. Even so, what did it matter? Even if the majority of thepany thought the same as her, there was no point in it. They still had to put food on the table, so they did not dare say a word. Even though Luca did not treat the people in this department badly, Zoey was still not very fond of her. She wondered why Tina admired Luca so much. As Zoey was stroking her chin while musing, her phone rang. She frowned when she saw that it was Jenni. She did not want to pick up, but she still did as she remembered that Jenni had helped her before. ¡°What is it, Ms. Lynn?" "I''m outside your office. How about we go downstairs and eat together?" said Jenni on the other end of the call. Chapter 2125 ¡°Ms. Lynn, I''ve already eaten. You can go by yourself." Zoey declined Jenni''s invitation. She looked up at the office door to see that Jenni was indeed standing there. She could note in, yet she still insisted on standing there as if she was determined to get her to come out. Zoey felt helpless as Jenni was not afraid to stand there and cause trouble. There were several floors in thepany that had confidential documents, such as their floor. They kept many important documents. Although losing those documents would not pose a threat to T Corporation''s operations, Watson Biopharmaceutical''s operations would be affected. Therefore, thepany''s employees avoided the floors with important documents as much as they could as to not get themselves into trouble when the surveince cameras were checked in case something happened. "It''s only been half an hour and you''ve eaten?" Jenni was doubtful. "I brought some food from home. Ms. Lynn, I still have work to do. I''m sorry," Zoey said vaguely while wondering why Jenni was so hard to deal with. "Zoey, are you avoiding me?" Jenni stared in the direction of Zoey''s desk and asked. To get better lighting, one wall of the office was only a meter long, while the rest of the walls were made of ss. Thus, someone from the outside could see what was going on inside Zoey''s office through the ss. "You''re overthinking, Ms. Lynn. It''s just that Dr. Albus''s matter is causing a hugemotion, so our department is rushing the research. We don''t have much time," said Zoey. No matter what, Jenni was still an executive in thepany, so she did not dare to offend her. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. All she could do was find excuses. Jenni was still skeptical. "Regardless of how busy you are, it''s still lunch break right now. Plus, what does the research have to do with you?" "I''m the assistant. I need to help organize the information. Ms. Lynn, there are many important documents on this floor. I''d advise you to be more aware." Zoey hinted vaguely. "T Corporation vacated this floor for Watson. What important things could there possibly be? If you don''t want to go eat, then forget it. Let me warn you, Zoey. Don''t think that because you have a stable job now, you don''t have to build good rtionships. I''m telling you, I had originally invited some executives in thepany to introduce you to. I didn''t think that you would... Forget it. Since you''re so close-minded, don''t me me for not bringing you along," Jenni could not help but ramble on after being rejected. What important documents? Watson was merely one of T Corporation''s subsidiaries. No matter how important the documents were, could they be as important as T Corporation''s documents? Jenni pouted and walked toward the elevator. She saw how arrogant Zoey has be after she got a stable position as an assistant. Did she forget who brought her into T Corporation in the first ce? Zoey sat in her office chair as she looked in the direction Jenni left and could not help but shake her head. She did not believe that Jenni had her best interests at heart. Zoey remembered when she first graduated from college, she wanted to settle in A City and find a job here. However, even after so many interviews, she still could not get a job. Her rtives then introduced her to Jenni, saying that she worked for a bigpany in A City and that she could ask Jenni for help. Thus, she did. However, she did not go empty-handed. After some bribes and paying for many meals, Jenni finally said that T Corporation was hiring an assistant and that she would let her try it out. She just provided her with a direction and did not take care of her at all. Employees were not allowed to get into T Corporation through the back door anyway. Jenni was not really in a position of power. Zoey only had herself to thank for passing the interview. It had nothing to do with Jenni at all. It was just that Zoey found out about it muchter. At that time, she truly thought that Jenni had a high- ranking position in T Corporation. Zoey could not help but shake her head as she remembered the past. T Corporation was her dream ce to work, and she thought that Jenni was able to put in a good word for her at that time, so she was naive enough to have given her a generous bribe. On the other hand, Jenni had shamelessly epted it. Tina walked in with files in her hands and knocked on the office door. She saw Zoey stare nkly with her hands on her chin. ¡°What are you thinking about?" Zoey immediately stood up. "Tina, what brings you here?" "I came to deliver some documents." Tina walked into the office and ced the documents on her desk. "These documents were sent over by Watson. The front desk thought they were Mr. Crawford''s documents and sent them to the secretary''s office, so I brought them to you." "If that''s the case, you should''ve let me go get them." Zoey was embarrassed after hearing Tina''s exnation as Tina had a higher positionpared to her, yet she had to personally make a trip here. That was not how it should be. "It won''t make a difference. Why were you staring into nk space?" Tina asked with a smile. "It''s nothing. I just thought of the past." Zoey shook her head and did not hesitate to exin as she had been working with Tina for some time and knew what kind of person she was. ¡°I met Jenni at the elevator entrance just now. Did shee here to look for you?" Tina asked thoughtfully. "Yes, she asked me to go downstairs for a meal, but I told her that I had already eaten," replied Zoey. "She wanted to eat with you... I bet she just wanted to gossip," Tina said thoughtfully. "I think so. She''s been looking for me for two days in a row. I bet she wants to gossip about Dr. Craw." Zoey could not help but shake her head. "Did you." Tina looked at her and paused. "I didn''t say anything. She can''t get in anyway." Zoey hurriedly shook her head. Thank goodness Jenni could note in. Otherwise, she would stay here 24/7, trying to pry on Luca''s affairs. After all, she regarded Luca as her love rival. Little did she know, she did not even qualify to be Luca''s rival. "Great. It seems like you took my advice. We''re in no position to gossip about the boss'' affairs. Let''s just focus on our work," said Tina as she patted the thick stack of files. "By the way, Tina. Have you been having trouble sleepingtely?" Zoey looked at Tina''s face and frowned. "Is it that obvious?" Tina touched her face. She was indeed having trouble sleeping and had dark circles around her eyes, hence the heavy makeup these days. "Your concealer can barely cover your dark circles and eye bags at this point. No offense, but if you really can''t sleep at night, you can go to Dr. Craw for some medicine to help you sleep," said Zoey. Rhett had mentioned to her before that Luca had developed a sleep aid that was better than sleeping pills. It would not cause any side effects or dependence. She mentioned it on purpose, considering how much Tina had helped her in the workce. Moreover, Tina seemed to be on good terms with Luca, so Luca would definitely give it to her if she asked. "Dr. Craw even has this type of medicine?" Tina said surprisingly. The reason she could not sleep was that she could not get a hold of someone. Chapter 2126 "That''s right. Dr. Craw''s medicine is effective and doesn''te with side effects or dependence. It''s much more effective than the sleeping pills prescribed at the hospital. It just hasn''t entered the market yet. She made it herself and takes it as well. It''s quite safe," said Zoey. Rhett had told her all of this. As for how Rhett knew about it, she did not ask. He must know much more than they did, Rhett was Luca''s assistant, after all. "Dr. Craw is brilliant," Tina spoke highly of her, but she had no intention of asking Luca for the medicine. She was only suffering from temporary insomnia. As long as she cleared her mind, she would be able to return to her old sleeping habits. "You seem to be in bad shape. If this issue persists, your work will be affected too," said Zoey as she looked at Tina''s haggard appearance. If she had not known that Tina was not seeing anyone, she would have thought that she just got dumped. "Let''s talk about it some other time." Tina shook her head. She could not bring herself to ask for medicine from Luca. However, she did want to talk to Luca about something else. Did the missing person have something to do with Luca? When she thought of this, she asked again, "By the way, is Dr. Craw in her office?" "Yes, she is. Tina, since you''re close with Dr. Craw and have spent time together before, she''ll definitely help you," said Zoey. Tina nodded. Although Amur and Luca did not share the same parents, they were still siblings. Luca must know about Amur''s whereabouts. After leaving the assistant''s office, she walked up to Luca''s office door and raised her hand to knock on the door. "Come in." Luca''s voice sounded. After hearing her voice, Tina mustered up the courage to push the door open. "Dr. Craw, are you free?" Luca was eating while looking at documents. She looked up when she heard that it was Tina''s voice and grabbed a tissue next to her to wipe her mouth. "Oh, it''s you, Tina. I''m free. What''s the matter?" Tina saw her eating while looking at documents and kindly reminded, "Dr. Craw, eating like this will cause indigestion." "It''s no big deal. What''s wrong?" Luca knew that Tina certainly did note over to chit-chat. Plus, lunch break was almost over. Even if she dide to chit-chat, now was not the time. ¡°The thing is, I have some personal matters to ask you about." Tina sped her hands together, then stretched them out again out of nervousness. N?velDrama.Org content. Luca noticed her little movements and pointed to the seat next to her. "Have a seat first, then talk." Tina sat on the couch. "Why don''t you finish your meal first?" "I''m pretty much done. You go ahead." Luca pushed the lunch box aside and looked at the person on the couch. Tina''s nervousness did not seem to go away. Tina had always been confident, whether it be at work or outside of work. Luca figured that something was troubling her, which made her behave that way. After having that thought, Luca looked Tina up and down carefully. She noticed that Tina was not looking so well as if she had not slept for days, Tina adjusted her breathing and faced Luca, but she did not know where to start. "Tina, have you not been sleeping well for the past few days?" said Luca when she noticed that Tina was not saying anything. Tina froze. "You noticed it too." "Yourplexion looks bad, and you have eye bags and dark circles. You don''t look like yourself." Luca shook her head. Tina could not help but smile bitterly. She was indeed not herself anymore. The old her used to be dashing, but now, she was like a jailbird who had to think carefully before uttering each word. With no news of Amur, it was like her sky had fallen down. She realized that she had feelings for Amur. However, Amur could not even care less about her. Therefore, there were two possible exnations for why she could not get a hold of Amur. One, he realized that she had feelings for him and was purposely avoiding her. Two, something had happened to him. "I''ve been suffering from insomniately," said Tina after gathering her courage. "I have medicine that helps with sleep. Do you need it?" Luca opened the drawer. She predicted that she would have to stay here in the future, so she brought a few pills to thepany. "No need. There''s a reason why I can''t sleep. You see, I haven''t been able to get a hold of my friend, so I''m anxious..." Tina gazed at her. Luca could tell from her eyes. She was worried and helpless. Luca pointed out bluntly, "Do you like that friend?" "No, no, it''s just that this friend has helped me before and he means something to me, so." Tina quickly denied it. "I see." Luca knew that Tina did not want to admit it, so she just went along with it. "Dr. Craw.." Tina took a deep breath and said everything that was on her mind, "You actually know this friend of mine. It''s your brother, Amur. We''ve been keeping in touch, but he hasn''t replied to any of my messages for the past few days, nor has he answered my calls. I was wondering if something has happened to him?" Luca was stunned. Amur? She would never have thought that Tina had a crush on Amur... When they first met, Luca did not feel the presence of any sparks between them. When did they be so close? ¡°Dr. Craw, that was rude of me. I''ll be leaving.." Tina noticed Luca''s expression and knew that Amur had not once mentioned her in front of Luca. "Tina, wait a minute," Luca hurriedly shouted at her when she saw her stand up and was about to walk out. "I didn''t expect you to be so close to Amur." "He helped me before. That''s how we have each other''s contact numbers," exined Tina. "I see. Amur has recently gone back to Russia to take care of family matters. So, his domestic phone is switched off. He didn''t bring it with him either. It''s only natural that you can''t reach him," exined Luca. "He went back to Russia?" Tina was taken aback and felt lost. This was not much different frompletely ignoring her. Besides, it was hard to meet someone when they were overseas. Moreover, he had no ns of keeping in contact with her. Otherwise, he would have told her in advance if he wanted to. Luca saw through Tina''s expression. In the workce, she may be a sharp and decisive female secretary, but when it came to emotional problems, her feelings were written all over her face. She said on behalf of Amur, "Yes, it was all very sudden as the family asked him to go back to deal with some matters. He went back with only a passport and a bank card, nothing else. That''s why you can''t contact him. If it weren''t for the fact that he remembered my phone number, I wouldn''t have known about it either.." Tina blinked. "I''m sure you''re aware that Instagram is not very popr in Russia, so he can''t reach you. But he''ll be back once everything has been dealt with over there. I''ll tell you first thing when hees back," said Luca. It was a good thing that someone had fallen for Amur. Chapter 2127 As of right now, Amur was under the same circumstances as her. It was not appropriate for them to be emotionally involved with people who were not from the Ind of Despair. However, Luca was confident that she would get Eler and Amur off the Ind of Despair. ¡°Is that so?" Tina''s heart stirred slightly. If what she said was true, then Amur was not ignoring her on purpose. He just did not have a way to contact her. Tina felt better now. Although Luca was unaware that there was something else going on between them, it was no longer like in the olden days when one had to report to family members after making an acquaintance... After seeing the spark in Tina''s eyes, Luca smiled and said, "That''s it. Not only you, but it''s hard for me to get a hold of him too. He''s been busy ever since he went back to Russia. He practically has no time to check his phone." "Even you can''t get a hold of him?" Tina was shocked. How busy could he be? "He''s too busy. When things have been taken care of, he''lle back," said Luca. She did not tell her not to worry, but everything she said so far was to reassure her. "It must be tiring." Tina could not help but let out a sigh, yet she dared not let Luca see through her heartache. "It should be fine. He''s a man. The more he puts himself through, the more he''ll love his wife in the future." Luca looked at Tina and thought that she and Amur were quitepatible. When they were still on the Ind of Despair, Luca and Eler had discussed what kind of woman Amur would get together with once they left. After all, Amur was the only man left in Eler''s family. This was why the continuation of their bloodline was important to their family. Luca would never have thought that her unintentional act would bring two people together. Tina seemed to be quite satisfied with Amur, but she did not know what Amur thought of her. Luca made up her mind that when Amur returned safely from his mission, she would start to pull some strings. Tina nodded in agreement. Amur was different from the men around her, which was why she could not control her feelings for him. Tina nced at the time to see that lunch break was almost over and stood up. ¡°Dr. Craw, I''ll go back to my office now." "Okay." Luca knew that Tina was already relieved and did not say anything more. As Tina was walking up to the door, she thought about something and turned around again. "Dr. Craw, I have one more favor to ask." "What is it?" Luca looked at her. "I''ve indeed not been sleeping welltely. Can you give me a couple of pills to aid in sleep?" Tina still asked her for the medicine at the end. Although she knew that Amur was not ignoring her on purpose, she would still be restless as she would still miss him. She would start imagining things, especially in the dead of night after work. Tina knew that if this persisted, it would affect her work and her life. Hence, she thought that at least she could get some rest with the help of medication. "No problem." Luca opened her drawer and took out the medicine she had initially prepared for herself. Now that she had found the cause of the problem in the data, though, she no longer had to sleep in the office. Tina took them and asked, "Dr. Craw, how much is it? I''ll transfer the money to you." "No need. It''s not worth much anyway. Plus, it''s just for my personal use. It''s not on the market. It''s purely traditional medicine, so it''s not expensive. Just take it," said Luca while shaking her head. "Thank you, Dr. Craw. I''ll go back to work now." Tina held the medicine in her palm. "Alright." Luca nodded and waited until Tina had left her office before burying herself in work again. At three o''clock, Rhett punctually knocked on Luca''s office door. "Come in." Luca nced at the time and massaged her forehead. She did not realize that it was already three. Rhett pushed open the door and walked in as he reminded her, "Dr. Craw, it''s three." "Alright, let''s go." Luca picked up the car keys and herptop before walking out of her office. Zoey was sitting in her office when she saw Luca and Rhett walking toward the elevator. She hurriedly went out and asked, "Dr. Craw, where are you going?" "I''m going to Watson for a meeting. Is there a problem?" asked Luca. "No, it''s just that there may be some documents that require your signatureter." Zoey made an excuse. "Is it urgent? If it''s not, just leave them first and we''ll talk about it after Ie back from the meeting." Luca pushed the button for the elevator. It would take about 20 minutes to get from T Corporation to Watson. Not to mention it was snowing now and the roads would be slippery. Hence, she did not have the time to deal with paperwork right now. There were many senior professors at Watson. It would not be good to keep them waiting. "It''s not urgent, Dr. Craw. You should go to the meeting." After Zoey found out where she was going, she helped press the elevator button. After the elevator reached their floor, the doors slowly opened. Luca walked in and nodded as she said, "I''ll go over first. You can just send the documents directly to my office and leave them there." "Got it." Zoey nodded. After the elevator doors closed, she took out her phone to report to Luke: [Dr. Craw brought Mr. Link along with her for a meeting at Watson.] After sending the message, Zoey walked back to her office and worked on the documents while sitting in her office chair. Luca and Rhett arrived at the underground parking lot. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Can you drive?" asked Luca. "I can, Dr. Craw." Rhett nodded. Luca handed him the keys. "Let''s just go there together. You drive. I''m a little tired." "No problem." Rhett took the car keys. Luca chose to sit in the backseat. She wanted to rest for a bit, and that was why she let Rhett drive. The car slowly drove out of T Corporation''s building, and Luke''s phone vibrated at the same time. Gale''s subordinate had sent him a message. [Ms. Craw has left thepany''s building.] Luke nced at the message and replied with only two words: [Follow them.] Even though she was going to Watson for work, he could not take the risk again. After sending it, he continued to work on the documents. Rhett drove steadily while Luca rested in the backseat. 23 minutester, the two of them reached Watson. After Rhett parked the car, he nced at Luca in the backseat and saw that her eyes were still shut. He did not know whether she was asleep. As he was hesitating whether to wake her up, Luca asked with her eyes closed, "Are we here?" "Yes, Dr. Craw. We''ve arrived at Watson," replied Rhett. Luca opened her eyes, then picked up the coat beside her and put it on. "Let''s go." "Alright." Rhett unbuckled his seat belt and pushed open the car door. Both of them verified their work IDs and made their way to theboratory floor. Mo saw them walk in and immediately went up to greet them. Although she did not work at T Corporation, she still had friends who did. Hence, she was aware of the rumors about Luke and Luca. Thus, she was a little more cautious when she saw Luca. "Dr. Craw, you''re here." Mo''s attitude was respectful. "I need to go to the conference room, right?" asked Luca. "Yes. This way, please." Mo led the way for her. Chapter 2128 Luca followed Mo''s lead and walked into the conference room. There were already two professors waiting in the conference room. When they saw Luca walk in, the two professors said one after another, ¡°Dr. Craw, you''re here. It''s been too long." "Long time no see, Professors." After receiving the warm wee from the two professors, Luca knew what was going on. It seemed that the rumors from T Corporation had reached this side as well. The twopanies were not deeply associated, but somehow, gossip still managed to find its way here. Luca had resigned herself to it. "Yes, it''s been a long time. Have a seat." Dr. Linwood looked at Luca and thought that since she was close with Luke, he should not offend her. After seeing how attentive Dr. Linwood was, Dr. Jackson was unwilling to fall behind. He asked Mo, "When will the other professors and general manager arrive? They should know that Dr. Craw''s time is very precious." "Everyone, please wait a moment. I''ll go inform them again." Mo could not do anything but watch as the two professors fawned over Luca with their ttery. This was reality. Besides, Luca shared that kind of rtionship with Luke. If they got closer to Luca, they might even be able to get more research funds in the future, which would make their research a whole lot easier. "Be quick. We promised to meet at 3:30. Look at the time now!" said Dr. Linwood with a look of disappointment. He then smiled at Luca and said, "Dr. Craw, would you like some coffee? Let my assistant make you a cup." "No, thank you." As always, Luca chose to keep a low profile, so she picked a corner seat and sat down. She opened herptop, and just then, a thought urred to her. She asked the two professors, "By the way, what''s the agenda for this meeting?" "Did Ms. Stone not tell you? How careless of her," said Dr. Linwood as he frowned. "She did tell me, but the new quarter isn''t here yet. Why is the manager in such a rush?" said Luca. The new quarter would only arrive after the new year, but the new year was still a month away. "It''s all because of Dr. Albus. Thepany had nned to use his research as the first revenue. Now that the n has fallen through, the manager must''ve called for this meeting to have us speed up the research progress to quickly increase thepany''s sales," Dr. Linwood exined to her. Luca nodded her head, indicating she understood. That was her guess too. ¡°But our research is nowhere nearpletion..." Dr. Linwood looked at her and added, ¡°Dr. Craw, your research made the most progress at first. How is it going now?" "There were some data errors some time ago, but we''ve found the problem and we''re speeding up the research so that it can enter the market," Luca replied without holding anything back. "I see. Then your drug can be marketed soon." Dr. Linwood heaved a sigh of relief. It was good for her to take the lead. That way, their research would have a chance to take a breather. "If everything goes as nned, you''re right." Luca heard footsteps and nced up at the door. Several professors and managers walked in at the same time. The general manager did not give them a chance to exchange pleasantries and dived straight into the topic. "Since all the professors have arrived, let''s begin the meeting." This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. The conference room was pin-drop silent as everyone waited for the manager to speak. "Mr. Crawford has sent out the news of the press release yesterday and terminated Dr. Albus'' contract. Later on, Dr. Albus will be held ountable for this incident. So, to all the professors here, if Dr. Albus had said or done anything to you, you can tell me. In case something happens in the future, all of you will need to bear the responsibility and consequences," the general manager hinted. Although Dr. Albus was the main professor in charge of that project, it would still require a great deal of effort to single-handedly betray the research. Therefore, the general manager believed that someone among them had sided with Dr. Albus for their benefit. After hearing what the general manager had to say, one of the professors said unhappily, "What do you mean by that?" "I''m not trying to offend anyone. I''m just following the orders from above and conveying the message to everyone," exined the general manager. Luca frowned as she listened to the general manager''s words. There was no way that was what Luke meant. Jason would not carelessly convey messages either, so it was either this manager was lying, or someone was putting words into Luke''s mouth. Dr. Linwood was also upset. "Dr. Albus'' project encountered some problems at the beginning and several professors got involved. When things went south, we cooperated with the investigation as well. It''s been proven that we have nothing to do with this. But are you saying that you''re suspecting us?" The general manager looked at Dr. Linwood with a stern face. "That''s not what I''m saying. It''s just that all of you were involved in the project at some point, so I just want to give you all a reminder." "That means you''re suspecting us. General Manager, you''re not a research professor. You have no idea howplicated science is. Even if we had helped Dr. Albus, the data we saw would only be the tip of the iceberg. Betray the research? Who in the world would want that bit of data? Plus, we never even came close to the key data. Next time, think before you make nderous usations!" Dr. Linwood said coldly. Excluding the former manager, Dr. Cole, and Dr. Albus, Dr. Linwood had the highest seniority among them. He was angry and for good reason. Luca watched everything in silence. If this went on, she was afraid that they were going to quarrel even before they had officially touched on the meeting agenda. The general manager frowned. He was not afraid of causing trouble. After all, he did not work in the laboratory but was in charge of managing the wholepany. "That''s not what I meant. I was just conveying the orders from above. Plus, if you say that you didn''t do anything wrong, then so be it. With the way you''re acting right now, Dr. Linwood, it makes me think that you''re guilty." "Mr. Crawford would never convey such orders. General Manager, did you misinterpret his message? Moreover, Mr. Crawford''s people would take the initiative to look into whether anyone has done anything wrong. I suppose the focus of this meeting is not about Dr. Albus, is it?" Luca could not keep quiet any longer. If she let the general manager continue talking, Luke would lose all his credibility. The general manager was stunned. He dared not utter a word after he thought about Luca and Luke''s rtionship. He had no choice but to say, "Perhaps I misunderstood the boss'' meaning..." Luca remained silent. "Let''s move on, then. We''ll officially start the meeting and discuss the uing development goals of thepany," said the general manager. Luca did not say anything and watched everything with a nk expression. If the general manager had not used Luke''s name to put pressure on these old professors, she would not have spoken up. It was important to know that these old professors were very important to Watson. Chapter 2129 Although they could not treat these people as if they were gods, they could not offend them either. Luca was worried that Abel would make a move in theter stages. His pharmaceuticalpany was quite well-known in A City. Plus, Watson''s welfare package was not the best, so if he made a proposal to these professors, he might be able to win them over. The research results may also be taken away or even abandoned. If that happened, the research funds that were invested at the beginning would all be for nothing. Luca would not sit back and give Abel such an opportunity. The general manager dared not express his suspicion of these professors again because of her rtionship with Luke. The meetingsted for more than an hour. As Dr. Linwood had said, the general manager put all his hopes for thepany''s performance on her research group. All she could do was bite the bullet and agree to it. After the meeting ended, Luca did not stay back to chit-chat with the other professors and left with the excuse that she still had experiments to do. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Dr. Linwood watched as Luca left and said to Dr. Jackson, ¡°With Dr. Craw taking the lead, it takes the pressure off our research." Dr. Jackson nodded in agreement. The general manager listened to their conversation, and his face turned gloomy. He had originally nned to drive a wedge between the professors and Luke, but he did not expect that Luca would rebut his words. With Luca and Luke''s rtionship in the way, he dared not say too much. The intentional provocation this time was considered a failure. The general manager left the conference room with a dark expression. Dr, Linwood watched as the general manager left before discussing with Dr. Jackson, "Jackson, did you get the feeling that everything the general manager said before the meeting was intentional?" "Yes, it did seem that way. It was as if he was setting Mr. Crawford up, giving us the impression that he''s..." Dr. Jackson was already 50 years old and knew the ways of the world, so he could see through whatever the general manager was trying to do. Dr. Jackson was afraid that if Luca had not spoken up, the general manager would have gone on with his attempts. It would be fine if the people knew the truth and were not led by the nose, but if not... Dr. Jackson stood up and stacked the meeting documents together. ¡°I never thought that the management of thispany would be like this." "It''s only natural to havepetition in apany." Dr. Linwood stood up as well and took the meeting documents in his hands. Then, he left the conference room with Dr. Jackson. "That''s why I still prefer to stick with academics." Dr. Jackson pushed his sses. If Luke had not personally gone to the university where he taught to ask him to take up the position, he might still be teaching now. Dr. Linwoodughed and said nothing more. He and Dr. Jackson used to teach at universities, unlike the other professors. Dr. Albus who was in trouble and the former Dr. Cole had taken the initiative to apply for a job here themselves. Everyone could see how that turned out. However, they were not entirely desireless. The reason they agreed with Luke to work here was mainly that they needed the funds from Luke''s company to finish the research they had not been able toplete in the academic field. To get the funding, they had to get on Luca''s good side. Luca was Luke''s woman, after all. If she did not have a good impression of them, one word and Luke could cut their funding anytime. There would be no way to carry on with the research at that point. On the other hand. After Luca and Rhett left Watson, Rhett sat in the driver''s seat to drive while Luca remained in the backseat. Rhett drove carefully and nced into the rearview mirror. "Dr. Craw." "What is it?" asked Luca. "Nothing." Rhett was not sure whether his gut feeling was right. It had not been long since he graduated, and he had been following Luca ever since. There was not much internal conflict in their research group, so he did not have much experience in this area. There were many things that he dared not make a judgment about. "Do you have any doubts about the contents of the meeting?" Luca reckoned that he wanted to talk about this. Rhett knew his boundaries. He would not say or ask whatever he was not supposed to. Rhett took a deep breath and voiced his doubts, "Yes. Before the meeting started, I felt that the things that the general manager said were strange.." Luca finished his sentence for him as she noticed that he dared not continue, "Like he was purposely trying to drive a wedge between Mr. Crawford and the professors, right?" "Right. So you think the same too." The corners of Rhett''s mouth curled slightly upward as it seemed that his judgment was right. ¡°Of course. Otherwise, why did I voice out?" said Luca as she would not have spoken up unless she was forced to. If she had let the general manager continue talking, perhaps there would not be another meeting. Those old professors would certainly look for Luke and cause trouble. She had been at Watson for some time, so she knew exactly how those professors got into Watson. "You''re amazing," said Rhett. Although she was a research professor, she was still under the jurisdiction of the general manager. She was not directly under him, but she was still considered his subordinate. "What''s so amazing about that? I was just assuming someone else''s power." Luca looked out the window. It was not something worth bragging about. The fact that the general manager dared not say anything after she spoke was solely because of Luke. They all thought that she and Luke had a special rtionship, so they did not dare to offend her. Even if the general manager was pretending to obey orders, he would not be so quick to expose himself. When the thought urred to her, her heart skipped a beat. The way the general manager behaved was not entirely like a disy of his absolute power, but rather like he was aplishing something. Could he be from the Ind of Despair? Luca bit her lip as she had not realized this before. Now that she had, her face took on a ghastly expression. Abel must have nted people in T Corporation and Watson. Was one of them the general manager? Luca''s fingers tapped rhythmically on the leather seat. If the general manager was one of Abel''s people, she must give Luke a hint to keep him alert... Even if he did not work for Abel, having someone like him in Watson would bring nothing but harm to thepany. Therefore, they had to get rid of the general manager! Rhett sensed Luca''s unusual tone and nced at the rearview mirror again. Her expression became worse and even more serious. At that moment, he could not even utter the words offort that were on the tip of his tongue. After returning to the office, Luca nced to see that it was almost six o''clock. Rhett and Luca hurried upstairs, intending to see how the research in theb was going. However, when she passed by the assistant''s office, she was called by Zoey, "Dr. Craw, you''re back." "Yes." Luca did not stop and walked straight to theb. Chapter 2130 Zoey hurriedly walked out and said, ¡°Dr. Craw, are you going to theb?" Luca stopped in her tracks and looked back at her. "Yes, what is it?" "Dr. Craw, Mr. Crawford is waiting in your office..." Zoey informed her. Luke had juste downstairs looking for Luca. After learning that she still had not returned from her meeting at Watson, he decided to wait here. After hearing that Luke was waiting for her, she started to feel all warm inside. She turned around and made a gesture to Rhett, signaling him to go in first. Rhett nodded and walked toward theb. Luca looked back at Zoey and asked, "How long has Mr. Crawford been waiting?" Zoey nced at the time and replied, "About ten minutes. He knew that you were still in a meeting at Watson, so he went straight into your office without telling me to inform you." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Luke was the boss of thispany, after all. Hence, she watched him walk into Luca''s office without stopping him. "Got it." Luca turned around and walked back to her office. Since Luke was there, she could not leave him hanging just for the sake of work. Luca pushed the door open to see the man sitting on the couch with his phone in his hands. His eyes were glued to the phone screen. She knew that he was not ying games on his phone but dealing with work. In the hands of others, a phone could provide all kinds of entertainment¡ªshows, chatting, or games. However, in Luke''s hands, he mostly used it for work. He was either dealing with emails and files or talking to relevant people about work. "Mr. Crawford, what brings you here?" asked Luca as she closed the door so that passersby could not peek inside. "I''m waiting for you to get off work." Luke put down his phone and looked at Luca with tenderness from deep down inside him. Get off work? Luca said in dismay, "I''m afraid I won''t be done early today, Mr. Crawford. If you''re getting off work, perhaps you can go back first." "Did you forget the promise you made to the children?" Luke reminded her. Yesterday, Luca had promised to take Old Master Crawford''s pulse, but it was only Friday today... ¡°I might need to go on a business trip to the next city for the next two days, so I won''t be here," Luke said resolvedly, and because of that, he had set the dinner tonight. He presumed that Luca would be able to make time for it, so he did not notify her in advance. "In that case, wait for me to pack my things," said Luca as there was no way she would go to Crawford Manor alone. Besides, Susan already thought that she had an ulterior motive. Therefore, to avoid any disputes, she would choose to go only when Luke was going¡ªeven if she was only going to take Old Master Crawford''s pulse. With Luke there, Susan would restrain herself from provoking her. "Take your time. It''s still early," said Luke as it was the usual time to get off work, so they would not be late. Moreover, he had informed them that he would be bringing Luca and the kids back for dinner tonight at thest minute. Hence, the cooks and the maids must be busy making more sumptuous dishes right now. After all, Old Master Crawford liked Luca. Luca hurriedly packed up the files on her desk and put them in the safe. Luke looked at her scurrying figure and casually asked, "Were you at Watson for a meeting?" "Yes." Luca nodded as she entered the safe''s password in front of him without trying to cover it up. The wholepany belonged to him anyway. If he wanted the information in the safe, he did not even need the password. He could just carry the entire safe away. "What was the meeting about?" asked Luke. After bringing up the contents of the meeting, Luca put the files into the safe and closed the door to turn around and look at Luke. "It was about the next quarter. Because of Dr. Albus'' situation and Dr. Cole''s failed research, the general manager was very anxious and wanted to us to produce some sales as soon as possible. So, the development n for the next quarter was decided in advance." Luke nodded without making anyments. Luca had nned to inadvertently reveal the general manager''s wrongdoings when Luke asked further, but she did not expect him to not say a word. Her expression was somewhat hesitant and uneasy. "What''s wrong? Is the n putting too much pressure on you?" asked Luke. He was concerned about Luca as her experiment was at the forefront of Watson. This meeting about the next quarter''s ns would definitely put a lot of weight on her shoulders. "No, it''s just that the general managermbasted the professors there because of Dr. Albus'' matter, saying that it was a message from above. Mr. Crawford, was that your intention?" Luca decided to say it directly. She would rathere off as emotionally unintelligent to Luke than to see Abel''s n seed. Even if the general manager was not working for Abel, he still did not bring anything to the table in terms of Watson''s development. "No." Luke understood that she was uneasy because of the general manager''s behavior. He guessed that Luca was concerned about him and that the general manager''s behavior would affect the professors'' impression of him, which would eventually affect thepany. Luke was very calm, and the expression on his face remained unfazed. However, he was in fact uncontrobly jumping up and down with joy inside. Luca cared about him! He simply denied it without criticizing and asking too much. Luca understood him. Although Luke did not say much, it did not mean that he did not care. Moreover, Luke had personally invited several old professors there, which indicated his determination to be at the top in the pharmaceutical industry. Hence, there was no way he would not deal with this matter. Therefore, she was relieved that Luke would handle it. After sessfully letting him know about it, Luca let out a sigh of relief and picked up the briefcase at the side. ¡°Mr. Crawford, I''m done." ¡°Let''s go, then." Luke nced at the time on his wristwatch and said, "Zander must''ve picked up the kids by now too." Luca nodded. Getting off work with him while talking about the kids... It seemed like something a married couple would do. She knew that she could not long for this kind of life, but she could not help but feel happy. It was all because she loved Luke so much. Even if they were not intimate, she cherished these little memories several times more. The two of them walked out of the office together. Zoey sat on her office chair and watched as Luke and Luca left together. Luca clocked out at the punch card machine next to the elevator while Luke waited beside her. The two stood there, and although they did not behave intimately, they looked like the perfect match. Zoey watched from afar, and it seemed as though she could sense the gentleness from Luke that he usually did not show to the public. This scene was too beautiful. Chapter 2131 After Luca had sessfully clocked out, she walked into the CEO''s exclusive elevator with Luke. The elevator doors closed slowly, and Zoey withdrew her gaze as she could not help but sigh. ¡°What a perfect match, but how unfortunate.." Rhett walked into the office and heard her sigh, so he asked out of curiosity, "What match? What''s unfortunate?" Zoey shook her head as she dared not gossip about the boss'' rtionship with him. "Are you going home?" "How can I go home when the research professor hasn''t gone home yet?" said Rhett while picking up a stack of files next to the printer on the desk. He was theboratory assistant. If the researchers were working overtime, he would have to as well. "But Dr. Craw has just gone home," said Zoey. Rhett was about to exit the office when he stopped in his tracks all of a sudden and looked back at her. "Dr. Craw got off work already?" "She just clocked out half a minute ago. She should have arrived downstairs by now," informed Zoey. If Luca did not work overtime, then the researchers should not have to work overtime either. Rhett looked at the files helplessly. "These files still need to be examined and approved by Dr. Craw." "Talk about itter. Dr. Craw seems quite busy today." Zoey did not mention Luke and implied that he should not disturb Luca. The fact that both of them left together must be because they had a date. If she was interrupted by work messages and calls while on a date, it would just spoil the mood. "Without Dr. Craw''s approval of these files, arge portion of the research can''t be continued," said Rhett with a frown. If it were not for the meeting at Watson today, these matters would not have been dyed. "Then talk about it afterward. If the research can''t continue, just let the researchers go home," said Zoey. Rhett looked at her. "Do you know something?" "What?" Zoey looked at him with big eyes. "Just now, you told Dr. Craw that the boss was waiting for her in her office.." Rhett checked to see if anyone else was around before asking. Zoey pursed her lips into a smile. It seemed like Rhett was not as oblivious as other men, and he knew certain things. "Good that you know, so don''t disturb Dr. Craw." Rhett looked at the files in his hand and sighed helplessly. ¡°I got it. I''ll let the researchers go home first." ¡°Okay." As soon as she heard that they were getting off work, she started to pack up her things. If they were going home, that meant that she could leave work on time too. 40 minutester, Luke''s car was parked in the parking lot of Crawford Manor. It was snowing outside. Luca was about to push open the car door when Luke said, ¡°Hold on." Luca stopped opening the door and looked at him with a puzzled face. Mr. Griffin rushed over with an umbre in his right hand and another in his left. Luke pushed open the car door, and Mr. Griffin immediately put the umbre over his head. ¡°Young Master Luke, you''re back." ¡°Yes." Luke shut the car door and took the umbre from Mr. Griffin''s right hand. He went around the front of the car to the passenger''s side and opened the door, he said to Luca inside, ¡°You cane down now." Luca realized that he was trying to shield her from the snow. She lowered her gaze and had no choice but toply with his request, so she got out of the car. Luke held the umbre over her head. The snow fell in droves, yet not a single snowkended on Luca''s head and shoulders. The two of them walked ahead while Mr. Griffin walked behind them. After noticing the snow on Luke''s shoulder and how there was not a trace of snow on Luca, Mr. Griffin could not help but sigh internally. The young master of the Crawford family was infatuated. He was both dedicated and infatuated. However, his infatuation pretty much disappeared after Bianca lost her memory. Although he was still very nice to her after that, Mr. Griffin clearly felt that many things were different. The intimacy between the two of them became very distant unlike before, so Bianca was sent to study abroad. Mr. Griffin could not help but sigh. He thought that he would never be able to see this side of Luke again, but he got to see Luke''s gentleness once more when he was with Luca. In the living room.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Old Master Crawford saw how attentive Luke was through the surveince in the parking lot disyed on the screen and could not help but nod and praise, ¡°Not bad. He finally learned." Tommy obediently sat beside the old master and asked in confusion, ¡°Great-grandpa, learn what?" ¡°I''m talking about your father." Old Master Crawford lovingly patted his great-grandchild. He guessed that they were already making their way into the house, so he picked up the remote and turned off the screen. Tommy asked again, ¡°What happened to my dad?" ¡°He''s been enlightened," Old Master Crawford said with a smile. He deliberately let the children join today''s dinner as inviting Luca here alone would seem suspicious. Since Luca loved the children so much, the moment they opened their mouths, she would surely agree without suspecting anything. Tommy was still confused and asked, ¡°Great-grandpa, what''s enlightened?" After seeing Tommy so confused, Old Master Crawford said, "You''ll find out when you grow up. Do you remember everything I just told you?" "I remember everything! Don''t worry, Great-grandpa, I''m the smartest!" Tommy blinked and made an ''OK'' gesture, indicating that he wouldplete his task. "You''re that smart?" Luke''s voice rang out. Tommy looked back and cheered, "Daddy, Ms. Luca, you came back!" Luca was sensitive enough to have caught the child''s words. He said came back, not came... It was not weird to use the words ''came back'' with Luke as he was part of the Crawford family. However, she was no longer part of it, yet the children still used those words as if they considered her family. "Both of you came back. Have a seat. Dinner will be ready soon." Old Master Crawford followed suit. The child may not have paid attention to their choice of words, but Old Master Crawford said the same thing as well. Luca suddenly felt that the warm feeling in her heart made the atmosphere here more pleasant and cozy. "Hello, Old Master Crawford." Nheless, Luca still greeted cautiously. Old Master Crawford looked at Luca joyfully and said, "Luca, didn''t you promise me that you would come to keep mepany whenever you were free? Look how long it''s been since you came!" Listening to the old master''s deliberate scoldings, Luca hurriedly said, "Old Master Crawford, I''m sorry. I''ve been rather busytely!" "Come sit down. I''ve brewed some flower tea. I heard that you love to drink this stuff, right? I don''t know how to brew it, so I just brewed it like how I brew usual tea leaves. Try it." Old Master Crawford had purposely changed his habit of brewing tea with tea leaves to using flowers instead to show how much she meant to him. Luca''s heart felt warm as she noticed the extra attention he gave her. She then sat on the next couch. Tommy immediately clung to her and said sweetly, "Ms. Luca, I finished my homework all by myself. Can you check it for meter?" Chapter 2132 ¡°Of course." Luca caressed the child''s head. After what happened previously, she did not purposely keep her distance from the children in front of the old master anymore. "By the way, where''s Lanie and Rainie?" If they wanted to be close to her, then she would let them be. After all, the days she spent with them were numbered. "My brother and sister are upstairs doing their homework," Tommy said with a smile, leaning even closer to her. Luca simply put her arms around him. Luke stood aside as he watched Luca and Tommy stick together eagerly, which did not make him jealous but made the corners of his mouth curl up into a smile instead. "I''ll go upstairs and keep the files." "Go ahead. I''ll entertain them here." Old Master Crawford waved his hand without paying any attention to Luke. He saw Luca''s concern for the children, which differed from other women. There was no pretense, and the affection in her eyes did not look like it was for show. She was not fake at all and was very suitable to be a mother to the children. He ordered Mr. Griffin, "Here, pour some tea for Luca." "Yes, Old Master Crawford." Mr. Griffin stepped forward and poured the flower tea he brewed into a clean and clear ss cup. Old Master Crawford exined, "I heard that the vor of the tea would be much more robust if it''s brewed this way, but this is all young people stuff. I don''t know much about it. Luca, try and see what this flower tea tastes like." It would be rude to decline the old master''s kindness, so after putting Tommy on the seat next to her, she bent over to pick up the cup of tea. The tea was hot, so she took a small sip. It tasted clean, and the fragrance of flowers filled her mouth. At the same time, she tasted something other than flower tea. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. After putting down the teacup, Luca looked at Old Master Crawford. "Old Master Crawford, did you add anything else other than flower tea?" "Your taste buds really can''t be deceived. I did add some medicinal herbs to it. A well-known doctor in A City prescribed it for Louis'' wife. He said that it has beautifying properties. It''s especially good for those who are busy with work and have little time to rest and take care of themselves. Mr. Griffin, bring out the medicine for Luca to see." Old Master Crawford did not lie about adding medicinal herbs into the drink. However, he had gotten another doctor to prescribe this medicine. It was not the same medicine that Yuri took. Besides, Luca was knowledgeable in the medical field. If he wanted to carry out tonight''s n, it must be done separately. Susan came downstairs and happened to hear the old master say that. She could not help but go up to the butler and open the bag of medicine. She frowned and said, ¡°Father, how can you give such important medicine to an outsider?" "Isn''t it just a tonic? How important can it be?" Old Master Crawford even put Yuri''s medicine packet label on it so that Luca would believe him. "It''s not like you don''t know how precious and costly the herbs inside are. If others know about this, they''ll think that Ms. Luca is your granddaughter-inw while Yuri is no one!" Susan looked at the situation in front of her discontentedly as Yuri was also part of her family. The old master was openly treating Luca nicely, but Luca and Luke''s rtionship was still unclear. After going through all that trouble to drive away that crazy woman, Bianca, here came another one who was favored, Luca. Susan looked at the medicinal herbs with a gloomy expression. She did not know how to distinguish herbs, nor did she know the old master''s n. Hence, when she saw thebel, she simply assumed that it belonged to Yuri. Old Master Crawford was instantly upset. He thought that Susan''s sarcasm toward Luca was all because of a packet of herbs. She was humiliating the Crawford family. "Is Yuri that short of money that she can''t even buy a packet of herbs?" he asked. "I''ll return the money for this packet of herbs to Yuri." Susan opened her mouth but had nothing to say as the old master''s words had left her speechless. Their family was indeed not short of money that they could not afford a packet of herbs, but that was Yuri''s herbs that Old Master Crawford was giving to Luca. She felt as though her belongings were always being taken away. Her husband, thepany that originally belonged to her son, and now, Yuri''s herbs... Luca sat there and awkwardly listened to the conversation between the two. She felt like it was wrong of her to have drunk this cup of tea. "What are you still standing here for? Do you have a problem?" Old Master Crawford looked at Susan with a straight face. There was a reason why Zachary cheated on her with Allison. Other than the fact that Zachary had always been a Casanova, Susan''s character was also a problem. Zachary could not stand this strong character of hers, so he was deceived by Allison''s fake gentleness. In the end, both women were hard to deal with. "Father, there''s no need for the money." Susan did not speak up because she was heartbroken about the small sum of money. After all, the Crawford family had lots of money. How was it possible for them to be unable to afford herbs? "Then why are you making so much noise?" said Old Master Crawford angrily. He was currently helping Luke aplish a life-changing event, yet she was here making a fuss and spoiling the fun. ¡°I just think that you shouldn''t take Yuri''s things without notice. You know that she hasn''t been well ever since she gave birth to Thea. The doctor told her to take the herbs regrly and that the course of treatment shouldn''t be messed up in order to attain the best results. Honestly, I''m not upset about the money. My heart just aches for Yuri''s body." Susan sat on the couch with no intention of leaving. "Mr. Griffin." Old Master Crawford only found her exnation noisy. It was only a tonic, not some life-saving medicine. "What are your orders, Old Master Crawford?" Mr. Griffin immediately answered beside him. "Contact the doctorter and have him prepare ten more packets of the medicinal herbs. Then, have Ol'' Zander go over to get them," Old Master Crawford said in a cold voice. It was obvious that he was exasperated by Susan''s words. "Yes." Mr. Grffin immediately carried out his orders and picked up his phone to contact the doctor for the herbs. Luca lowered her eyes and looked at the bag of medicine. She knew that Susan was worked up because of her, not because Old Master Crawford had misappropriated the herbs. If Old Master Crawford had misappropriated the herbs and given them to someone else, she would not be this angry. Susan was only this furious because he gave it to her. The reason was simple. It was because of Luke... Susan thought that she was in an appropriate rtionship with Luke and had one foot in the Crawford family, which was why she felt animosity toward her. "Luca,e and have some tea," Old Master Crawford said to Luca, his voice bing warmer. He continued, "I heard from Luke that you''re very busy with research matters. You even had to apany Luke abroad for the contract signing. It must''ve been hard on you. This tea was specially brewed for you to nourish your body." Luca picked up the cup of tea and had no choice but to drink it since the old master was so enthusiastic about it. She had nced at the medicine bag without thoroughly inspecting the herbs inside, so she was not able to differentiate them at all. Besides, many types of herbal medicine looked simr. Chapter 2133 After the argument between Old Master Crawford and Susan, Luca dared not pick up the medicinal herbs to take a closer look at them as she did not want Susan to find faults with her actions and further provoke the old master. She reckoned that the herbs really belonged to Yuri, so there should not be a problem. Thest time, there was a problem with the old master''s stew because Susan had tampered with it. Yuri was her daughter-inw and she still hoped that Yuri and Louis would have a second child, so how could she have tampered with the herbs? It was a strong tonic at most. Even if it was not suitable for Yuri''s body, it would not be too bad. Luca picked up the cup of tea, which had cooled a bit during the two''s argument. She took a big sip to please the old master. He did personally prepare it, after all. Susan snorted when she saw Luca drink the tea. She poured a cup for herself as well. ¡°What are you doing?" Old Master Crawford looked at her indifferently. ¡°If she can have the medicine, why can''t I?" Susan said deliberately. When Yuri visited the doctor to recuperate, she had the doctor take her pulse as well. The doctor said that her body was a little weak from staying upte to y cards and her improper diet, but it was no big deal. She would be able to recuperate by having the same tonic as Yuri. However, sheined that the herbal medicine was too bitter, so she did not have the doctor prescribe them for her. After seeing Luca drink Yuri''s medicine like a spoiled brat, Susan could not hold back her anger. She poured herself a cup of tea and took a sip, disregarding the temperature of the freshly poured tea. At that moment, she frowned. It was not because it tasted bad but because it burned her mouth. To save face, Susan did not spit out the tea but forcefully swallowed it. Old Master Crawford did not stop her as she was the one who had asked to suffer tonight. There was no way he could stop someone asking for trouble. Luca felt that the atmosphere was strange, so she put down her cup and was about to get down to business when Old Master Crawford advised her, "Luca, you drank too little. Have some more." "He''s right, Ms. Luca. Great-grandpa specially prepared it for you. Drink more," Tommy said with a smile, not at all affected by the storm just now. He was raised in an environment like this anyway. He had long been used to it. What happened just now was just a small scene. With both the young one and the old one persuading her, she had no choice but to finish the flower tea in the cup. Old Master Crawford nodded his head in satisfaction. Now, the efficacy of the medicine would be sufficient. Mr. Griffin brought over some candied fruit. ¡°Ms. Craw, have some candied fruit so that the sweetness can cancel out the bitterness." The flower tea originally only had the fragrance of flowers, but with the addition of herbs, those who were particrly sensitive to the taste of herbal medicine might not be able to stand it. Thus, he brought out the candied fruit as per the old master''s orders. "No, thank you," said Luca. The taste of the herbal medicine was nothing to her. She had tried a lot of herbal medicine on the Ind of Despair. Her taste buds had be ustomed to the taste of medicinal herbs, so no matter how bad the medicine tasted, she could eat it directly without breaking a sweat. The butler nced at Old Master Crawford. Old Master Crawford nodded, and the butler understood what he meant. As he was about to walk away with the candied fruit, Susan said, "Wait, give me the fruit tray." Mr. Griffin had no choice but to ce the tray of candied fruit on Susan''s side of the coffee table. Susan hurriedly ate a sweet candied fruit. Old Master Crawford looked at her and wrinkled his eyebrows in disapproval. He did not bother saying anything to her and looked at Luca to say, "Luca, is it not bitter?" "My job is making medicine, and I''ve tried the most bitter medicines out there, so this is nothing," said Luca. She thought of her objective and said, "Old Master Crawford, I heard that you''ve been having trouble sleepingtely. Why don''t I take your pulse for you?" This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Just as she finished talking, Susan immediately pricked up her ears. The old master was having trouble sleeping? Why had she not heard about it? She lived in this vi. She should know all the ins and outs of what happened in the vi, including whatever was wrong with the old master. However, she had not heard of this. Susan looked at both of them. "Sure. Come and take my pulse." Old Master Crawford dly agreed. He was not feeling unwell. It was just the kid''s wicked idea. He saw how much Lanie and the others liked Luca, so he asked about their thoughts. They were very keen on Luke and Luca being together without a hint of reluctance or unwillingness. Therefore, he asked them for an excuse to have here over voluntarily. Then, Lanie came up with this idea. Old Master Crawford thought it was a good idea too when he first heard it, so he let Lanie and the otherse up with a n. He did not think that Luca would actuallye. ¡°Huh, aren''t you a drug researcher? How can you take someone else''s pulse?" Susan purposely embarrassed Luca after hearing the old master agree. "Father, if you''re not feeling well, I''ll have the doctor who takes care of Yurie here tomorrow. He can take your pulse, help you recuperate, and prescribe medicine for you. It''s better than having someone who doesn''t even have a medical license prescribe medicine for you." Old Master Crawford red at Susan. It was always noisy wherever she went, which made him upset. Tommy, who sat on the side, could not help but say, "Grandma, Ms. Luca is brilliant!" "Don''t interrupt when adults are talking. You should learn from Thea." Susan red at Tommy. Luca''s heart ached when she saw her son getting bullied. She knew that the three kids would have to face Susan''s jeers while living in Crawford Manor as Susan directed all her hatred for Allison and Luke toward the kids. However, she did not expect that Susan would talk to Tommy like that in front of the old master. "The child was just saying the truth. In fact, I''m currently doing research on herbal medicine," Luca spoke coldly. She could tolerate everything else, but when it came to the children, she was not willing topromise. Susan raised her eyebrows. "Is that so? You know some things about pharmacology and can even help people recover their health, huh? If you''re really that great, why aren''t you treating patients?" "Medicine is also a means of healing. I think that developing good medicine is a boon to patients, so I chose the pharmaceutical industry. This does not change the fact that I know how to heal patients," said Luca as she hugged Tommy''s shoulders. Old Master Crawford looked at Luca defend Tommy with satisfaction in his eyes. Other than being intelligent and not being a burden, Luke''s woman also had to be sincerely nice to the children. From the time Luca entered Crawford Manor until just earlier, Luca had behaved modestly and politely. However, when Susan med the child for no reason, she spoke up for the first time. She was the right kind of woman to be beside Luke. "Since you''re so good at talking,e take my pulse and see what''s wrong with me," said Susan as she rolled up her sleeve while looking like she was about to pick a fight. "That''s enough! I was the one who invited Luca over. I believe in her medical skills. What''s the matter? Do you think you know better than her?" Chapter 2134 ¡°Father, you''ve been around for some time and have seen a lot of things, but there are many scammers nowadays and they''re using more tricks that you''ve never seen, so don''t be deceived." Susan was even more upset when she saw how Old Master Crawford defended Luca, so she pointed out that Luca was a liar. Old Master Crawford had a gloomy expression. As expected, Susan would not be bothered to think about her reputation when she went crazy. She was like this with Allison and now, with Luca. Was she trying to badmouth Luke by hinting that Luca was a liar? Old Master Crawford was very fond of Luca and would never allow such a thing to happen. Just as he was about to speak, Luke''s voice could be heard from the stairs. "Mother, are you doubting the professional skills of the person I hired?" Susan looked up at Luke and frowned. It seemed like he was involved now. She already felt pressured from facing Old Master Crawford. Now that she had to face Luke, her imposing manner immediately dimmed. She had no choice but to exin, "I just raised a reasonable suspicion, Luke. How many people are able to possess pharmaceutical knowledge and are able to treat patients by taking their pulse? Even if you know some of them, they''re probably just pretending. I don''t want your grandfather to get scammed. I''m doing this for his own good." "I''m not as naive as you think." Old Master Crawford had a stern expression. He mercilessly exposed her, then leaned on his cane and stood up. "I know everything about what happens in Crawford Manor. I know all about what everyone here does. As long as it doesn''t harm the Crawford family, I won''t say anything about it. However, it doesn''t mean that I''m unaware and not watching." Susan had chills down her spine. He was hinting at her. She had indeed done some stuff behind the old master''s back, but they were all done for her benefit. These things did not affect the Crawford family''s benefit for now, but it was hard to say whether it would later on. The reason for doing these things was simple. She felt threatened. The old master''s gaze was so intimidating she could not help but dodge it. Luke saw the way Susan reacted and understood what was going on. Old Master Crawford knew everything Susan did behind his back. He just did not stop her for the time being because it did not harm the interests of the Crawford family. Susan thought she had done a seamless job, but in reality, her every move was already caught by the old master early on. She thought she was doing a good job... ¡°I had good intentions.¡± Susan dodged the old master''s gaze, unwilling to admit her mistakes. Luca was helpless. Old Master Crawford snorted coldly, "Luca, let''s go to my study." "Okay." Luca stood up as well and nced at Luke resignedly. When she arrived, she already had a feeling that Susan might pick on her. However, she did not expect that Susan would make the old master angry like this. The old master had been living like this for such a long time. Of course, his health could not get better. Luke nodded slightly, signaling Luca to follow the old master to his study. Susan stared at her as not just anyone could enter the old master''s study. Even when it came to cleaning, the old master''s most trusted butler was in charge of cleaning the old master''s study himself. Everyone else, including her, was not allowed to enter¡ªeven under special circumstances. After so many years since she came to Crawford Manor, it urred to Susan that she had never been allowed to enter the old master''s study at all. However, Luca was allowed to enter so easily. She was furious at the special treatment Luca was getting. With Luke still there, so Susan found herself not being able to say anything at all. Her resentment for Luke started to creep into her heart. It was all because of that broke studio. He not only lost the management rights to T Corporation, but he also often left home early and stayed outte, which caused her to get bullied like this. Luke noticed Susan''s indignance, but he did notfort nor apologize. After everything she said just now, he was already being merciful by choosing not to deal with her. "Tommy." He called out to his son. "What is it, Daddy?" Tommy nestled nicely into his side. "Have you done your homework?" asked Luke. "I''ve finished it. The teacher gave us less homework today, so I could finish it fast." Tommy hugged his arm. Whenever this happened, he was especially afraid of Susan. He felt that her eyes seemed to be carrying knives that could cut children like him a thousand times. She was like a witch who ate children. However, Tommy dared not say what he felt. "Go upstairs, I''ll check your homework," said Luke. He had no intention of joining Luca and Old Master Crawford in the study. The old master''s mood must have been ruined by Susan, so he should let Luca calm him down. Whether she was Bianca or Luca, she always had a knack for cheering up old people. "Okay, Daddy!" Although Tommy thought of letting Luca check his homework, after seeing how terrifying Susan was, he jumped at the chance to go upstairs. Susan watched the father and son go upstairs. She flew into a rage. She was Luke''s mother, but throughout the years, Luke had never looked her in the eye. Old Master Crawford favored Luke, so the old master never said anything about his rude behavior. Susan felt like she did not have a ce in this family anymore. She poured some tea into a cup, then gulped it down. As she was so angry, she forgot about the scalding heat and the herbal taste. The tea that entered her mouth was spat out at once without caring about her image. ¡°Madam Crawford, are you okay?" Mr. Griffin happened to see it from the side and hastily pulled out a few tissue papers. Susan coughed twice as she got choked by the tea and was embarrassed to be seen. She did not take the tissues the butler handed her but threw the ss cup in her hand to the floor. At that moment, the ss shattered all over the floor. Mr. Griffin looked helpless. Louis had brought this cup back from overseas. The old master quite liked it for its good workmanship. "He wants to bully me for this too?" She looked at the broken ss on the floor and did not feel any relief, so she lifted the teapot. The butler realized what she was about to do, so he quickly warned her, "Madam Crawford, this is the old master''s collection. It''s a teapot from the early 20th century..." This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. What he meant was that she could not throw it. Mr. Griffin''s words knocked some sense into her. Old Master Crawford cared a lot about his antiques. When Allison conspired with others to steal the old master''s antiques, he showed no mercy and had the police arrest her. Now, the old master was willing to use this antique teapot to brew tea for Luca! Susan held the teapot in her hands and stared at the floor. If she let go now, the teapot would definitely shatter into pieces. Her rage may even be able to calm down a bit. However, the butler was watching. If the old master found out that his teapot was broken, he would certainly ask what happened and the butler would definitely not cover for her. Chapter 2135 After careful consideration, Susan indignantly put the teapot down. Life shed before the butler''s eyes, and since Old Master Crawford had already gone upstairs with Luca, he asked, ¡°Madam Crawford, would you still like some tea?" ¡°No way. It''s disgusting." Susan sat on the couch, slightly grim-faced. She thought that after Biana and Allison were sent abroad, her days in Crawford Manor would be peaceful. Little did she know that Luke would bring another woman back to infuriate her! Mr. Griffin noticed that she was enraged but was not foolish enough tofort her. Instead, he bent over to ce the teapot and teacups in the tray before leaving. In the study. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Old Master Crawford pulled a chair out for Luca to sit down. Luca sat on the chair. She looked at the old master and said, "Old Master Crawford, don''t be angry." "Is it that obvious?" Old Master Crawford touched his face. He was indeed angry at Susan''s pettiness. She had been the daughter-inw of the Crawford family for decades and even had a grandchild. When she got angry, her demeanor was nothing like how an elder in the Crawford family should behave. If she had not given birth to Louis, she would have been kicked out by now. "Your anger is written all over your face. Think about your health. You need to be less angry and smile more." Luca smiled gently. "The older you get, the harder it is to smile." Old Master Crawford sat in the chair behind the desk and put his cane aside. "I managed to live till this age. There''s not much left in this world that I''ve not obtained or seen. Yet some people just love to make me angry. What else can I do?" "Look on the bright side. This time in your life is all about enjoying your blessings. Your grandchildren are all so filial, and your great-grandchildren are so lovely. Aren''t these worth being happy about?" Luca brought up his happiness. Not many people had the things Old Master Crawford had. Like her grandfather... There was only Wanda around the old man now. She still kept himpany despite being divorced. Wanda had always been a decent woman. If she met someone she liked one day and got married again, the other family may not be able to ept the old man. Of course, if that time came, Luke would certainly make proper arrangements for the old man. However, living life in old age without your grandchildren by your side would be very lonely. Old Master Crawford saw the envy in her eyes and said with a sigh, ¡°Everything you said just now is indeed something worth being happy about. Only if Susan could just behave a little more, then I would be even happier." "Old Master Crawford, it''s not like she''s the only one in your life. Find someone to y chess and go to the teahouse with, or listen to opera music. Won''t these be good enough?" said Luca. Susan was not Allison. Susan did not cause as much trouble as she did. When she caused trouble, it was mostly because she was upset with Luke and the people associated with him. Without their presence, Susan would not upset the old master for no reason. "You''re right. Come, Luca. Take my pulse for me." Old Master Crawford rolled up his sleeve. Luca nodded. She raised her hand and ced it on the old master''s pulse. Two minutester, she withdrew her hand and gave the old master a brief check-up. Then, she asked, "How is your blood pressure nowadays?" "It''s been under control. Mr. Griffin would take my blood pressure three times a day. One in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one at night. My blood pressure has been stable because I''ve been taking medicine regrly." Old Master Crawford replied. His body had no problem at all, and he had been sleeping well too. He only said such words to make Lucae over. "Your pulse is quite stable," said Luca. The old master''s pulse was more stable than others of his age. After she married Luke, she observed the old master''s life habits. She had also heard Luke talk about this. After the old master retired, he was very concerned about his own health, so he took good care of his body. Thus, it was only natural that he was healthier than others. "Is that so? In fact, since thest time you found out that the herbs in the stew were problematic, I stopped using them. My body felt a lot better, but there are still times when it''s hard to sleep at night. In the end, I could only take sleeping pills, which the doctor advised me not to take too much of¡ª especially for the elderly like me with a slow metabolism. If I have too much of it, it won''t be good for my health," said Old Master Crawford who did not have trouble sleeping at all. These were all just excuses. Luca was silent for a few seconds and asked again, "When you can''t sleep, does your mind like to wander at night, or are you just wide awake and not sleepy?" "I felt sleepy before lying down, but after lying down, I think about things out of habit and I''m not sleepy anymore," said Old Master Crawford. A good number of people his age had this insomnia problem, so he used this excuse to deceive Luca, thinking it would definitely work. Luca understood. "You''re just overthinking. That''s why you can''t sleep. You don''t need to take sleeping pills for this. You just need to change this habit." "How do I change it?" Old Master Crawford asked smoothly. "For young people, I would suggest doing some exercises to tire their body. For older people, I can only tell you not to overthink. If that doesn''t work, you could listen to the sounds of nature. It''ll help ease your mind," said Luca. She could not help much with this as the old master''s condition seemed to be caused by anxiety. "Although the Crawford family looks iparably well now, I still can''t stop worrying¡ªmainly about Luke. Although he already has children, his life isn''tplete yet. His wife is abroad right now and the two exist in name only. I''m worried that he''ll end up having to bring up three kids on his own. He''ll be lonely even before he reaches old age. Luca, do you understand my worries?" Old Master Crawford voiced his concern. If it were other people, he probably would not be this worried. Besides, if one had just half the traits Luke had, they could easily find a partner to spend their entire life with. However, Luke was different. His requirements for a partner were very strict. Perhaps it was not considered strict anymore... For more than 30 years of his life, he seemed to have only liked one person¡ªBianca. Moreover, this crush started in high school. Even though he transferred to another school soon after, his feelings for Bianca never faded. Thus, Old Master Crawford once thought that he would never look at anyone again. It was rare to see him have the same feelings toward Luca, so Old Master Crawford thought of helping him. Otherwise, he would not know when would be the next time Luke would find someone he liked. ¡°I understand.." Luca looked down. When Luke was mentioned, of course, she understood. However, what could be done about it? Chapter 2136 Everyone could see Luke''s affection for her. Even after she had changed her identity, Luke still treated her... The thought of her having intimate contact with Luke before made her cheeks flush. Old Master Crawford noticed her blushing and guessed that her feelings for Luke were not that simple, so he deliberately let out a long sigh. ¡°These problems have bothered me for a long time. That''s why I haven''t been able to sleep and eat well." "The children can take care of themselves. Don''t worry so much about them. Your health is the most important. Maybe one day, Mr. Crawford will be more open-minded. Then you won''t have to worry," Luca patted his hand andforted him. A light shed before Old Master Crawford''s cloudy eyes. After hearing her words, he asked, "Luca, do you really think he would open his mind?" Luca froze. Would Luke really open his mind? It had been so many years, but she had never heard of Luke having any sort of rtionship before her return. She also heard the kids mention that even when there was the fake Bianca around, he seemed to only do his part as a husband but the love was not there. Now, he was expressing great interest in her. No matter how much had changed, the soul inside her was still Bianca. Would he really open his mind? Luca did not know, but she could only choose aforting answer to face the old master''s inquiries. "Mr. Crawford is such a capable person. Of course, he would open his mind." Old Master Crawford pouted and shook his head. "How nice would it be if he was open-minded, but after your words today, I''ve be open-minded. You''re right. The kids can take care of themselves!" Luca smiled gently when she saw the old master loosen up. He had guarded the Crawford family for most of his life. Luke would want the old master to enjoy his blessings. Hence, if she could help the old master rx a little, she would try her best to do so. Old Master Crawford looked at Luca''s warm smile and suddenly remembered the real Bianca. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She was also a delicate woman who did not argue or quarrel. She only gently took care of her small family. However, she was not harmless. As long as someone dared to hurt her family, she would definitely stand up to protect them. Although the Luca in front of him had featurespletely different from Bianca, she gave him the same feeling as Bianca. "It''s good that you''re opening your mind," said Luca. Old Master Crawford sighed again. "Luca, I really like the way you speak. Your words are sensible, which makes people feel better after hearing them. You''re much more sociable than those who only argue facts. I still prefer talking with you. Don''t be so busy in the future ande over to visit more. Apany this old man who doesn''t have much time left on this earth and chat with me. "Bah, bah, bah!" Luca knew he said that on purpose to get her toe over more often, so she hurriedly tried to stop the old master from jinxing himself. The old master''s fondness toward her took her by surprise... "Old Master Crawford, if you want me toe over more often to chat with you in the future, you have to stop saying such unlucky words. You''ll live a long life," said Luca. The words ''long life'' put a big smile on Old Master Crawford''s face. Nobody wanted to die, even if they already had a taste of every luxurious or despondent experience the universe had to offer. Who wanted to leave just like that? Of course, one would choose to live life if one could. Old Master Crawford said this on purpose just to tease Luca while trying to help Luke at the same time. "Fine, fine. I''ll try my best to live up to a hundred, then. I''ll nag at you every day." Just as the old master stopped talking, there was a knock on the study room door. Mr. Griffin''s voice could be heard. "Old Master Crawford." "Come in," said Old Master Crawford. The butler pushed the door open but did not walk in. He said with downcast eyes, "Old Master Crawford, the kitchen has prepared dinner, and Second Young Master and the others have returned." "Then inform the kitchen to serve the food." Old Master Crawford rolled his sleeve down and stood up with his cane. "Luca, let''s go eat dinner." "Alright, Old Master Crawford." Luca nodded and took the initiative to assist him, but she could not help butin to herself. After what had happened in the living room earlier, Susan certainly would not stop there. At the dinner tableter, Luca would have to endure more mocking. That was thest thing she wanted to see. Luca was not afraid of being targeted by Susan as she would not have many chances toe here in the future, even if she had made a promise to the old master. She could use work as an excuse, and the old master would understand. She was worried that Susan''s mocking behavior would have a bad influence on the children''s minds. When Susan and Allison used to go to war with each other, she would always take her children away to avoid them being affected by their words as it was not good for the development of the children. At the dinner table this time, the children would be able to hear a lot of Susan''s words. Old Master Crawford walked out of the study and nced at Luca. He knew what she was thinking, so he tried tofort her. "Luca, don''t worry. No one will dare to wag their tongue at the dinner table." Luca''s lips curled into a smile. The only person wagging their tongue all this time was Susan. Although Yuri was also upset, she would not dare say anything in front of so many elders, so the one who started it was always Susan. After these past few years, Luca had a good grasp of the two wives of Luke''s father. They were both troublesome. One was mad while the other was crazy. If she had topare, perhaps Susan was a little better. Besides, she had not done anything to betray the Crawford family for money as of now. Luca assisted the old master into the dining room. The younger generation of the Crawford family was already sitting at the dining table. Susan stared at Luca holding Old Master Crawford''s arm and could not resist squeezing Yuri''s arm. "Mom?" Yuri felt pain as she helplessly called out to her while looking at her with confusion. ¡°You foolish girl. Why are you so ignorant? Look at others, then look at you. When dinner was called, you just sat straight down without helping out. Don''t you know how to assist your grandfather?" said Susan. The simple tasks had been taken by Luca, so she must have gotten brownie points from the old master. Susan thought that Yuri simply did not know how to handle things. Yuri looked at Old Master Crawford, then at Luca. After seeing her actions, she instantly understood what Susan meant. The old master had always been supported by the butler. It would never be her turn to do these things, so she never realized this in the first ce. She stood up reluctantly and cursed Luca under her breath for being nosy. The butler stood at the side. Why was she trying to help? What a brown-noser. "Alright, sit down." Old Master Crawford saw the reluctance in Yuri''s eyes and grunted. He had originally quite liked his granddaughter-inw, Yuri. After all, she was born into a well-known family and was considered to be graceful and knowledgeable. Chapter 2137 What bothered him was the fact that Susan did not know how to properly educate her daughter-inw. She let Yuri be like her, which made Old Master Crawford very unhappy. The good thing was that no matter how simr to Susan Yuri''s nature became, she would at least pretend to be well-behaved in front of him. Therefore, Louis was the one at a loss. Old Master Crawford had no intentions of interfering with that as Louis was very frivolous when he was younger, so having a wife like Yuri to keep an eye on him was not such a bad thing. Luca assisted the old master to the main seat while everyone was watching. After the old master had sat down, Luca thought about sitting somewhere near the edge, but Tommy waved at her. ¡°Ms. Luca, sit here!" Looking at the spot next to the child, she hesitated for a bit. There was an empty spot next to Tommy, and to the right side of this empty seat was Luke... It was like this seat was purposely reserved for her. It would be odd to leave an empty seat if she did not sit there. Old Master Crawford deliberately said, "Luca, just sit next to Tommy." Since the old master said so, Luca had no choice but to sit in between Luke and Tommy. Tommy smiled sweetly at her and sat upright. Table manners were important in the Crawford family. After everyone had arrived, Old Master Crawford spoke, "Since everyone is here, Mr. Griffin, serve the food." "Yes, Old Master Crawford." The butler walked into the kitchen and had the maids serve the dishes for dinner. Old Master Crawford knew that Luke was bringing Luca over, so he had the chef prepare a sumptuous dinner that was as luxurious as a meal at a hotel. Tommy looked at the dishes on the table and got greedy. After the old master said to eat, Luca picked up her chopsticks and gave Tommy his favorite dish. Although she had missed out on several years of their childhood, they were still her children. During this period of time, she had found out what the children liked to eat. She thought it was normal, but this attentiveness had caught the old master''s eye. He was even more satisfied with her. Luca even knew what Tommy''s favorite foods were. It seemed like she did not intentionally approach the children. She was not deliberately pleasing them with ulterior motives. Besides, the children liked many kinds of food. Knowing what they liked the most took a lot of time and effort to understand. In the old master''s eyes, among all of the dishes that the child liked, Luca managed to pick Tommy''s favorite because she put in the effort and knew him well. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Luca," Tommy thanked her contentedly. Susan saw them looking like mother and son and deliberately spoke, "Tommy, I think you shouldn''t call her Ms. Luca anymore. You''d need to change the way you address her sooner orter, so you might as well change it now." Tommy chewed his food and looked at her with a puzzled look, obviously not understanding the meaning of her words. Luca''s face had a grim expression after hearing Susan''s words. The children may not know what she meant, but she did. In the eyes of outsiders, Luke had a wife, so even if she really stood beside Luke, she would not bear a title. What Susan meant was that she seemed to want to be the mother to these children. In the children''s minds, their mother was still the fake Bianca, so Susan''s words made her feel deep malice. No matter how much the children liked her, they would be more attached to their mother. If Susan were to really break down her words, the children would think that she was here to take the ce of their real mother. Luca was very unhappy, but she did not have the identity nor a reason to criticize her for saying this. Susan saw the change of expression on Luca''s face and could not help but feel smug. She said, "Tommy, do you know why?" Tommy swallowed his food and answered innocently, "Why, Grandma?" "Because..." Before Susan could finish, Louis interrupted her with a frown, "Mom, what are you going on about? Don''t talk when eating." "What''s wrong? This rule doesn''t usually exist. I was just trying to exin to Tommy since he''s so curious. What''s the matter with that?" said Susan, unaware of the old master''s ghastly expression. Luke put down his chopsticks and said with a cold expression, "Mother, Grandpa doesn''t like hearing people gossip at the dinner table." "I wasn''t gossiping, I was just¡ª" Susan''s words were ruthlessly interrupted by Old Master Crawford. "If you''re not using your mouth to eat, get out." Old Master Crawford''s words were filled with disgust for her. Although the children liked Luca and would not mind if Luke and Luca took a step further in their rtionship, the old master was still unsure about how the children felt about their mother''s role. He did not wish for the children to think that after Luke and Luca got together, she would rece their biological mother''s position. The children still had feelings for their biological mother. Susan was dissatisfied and retorted to the old master, ¡°Father, I was just telling the children.." This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Mom, have some vegetables. If you have anything to say, wait until dinner is over." Louis put some vegetables and meat on her te. When he found out that Luke was bringing the children back for dinner with Luca, he knew that there would be a bloodbath. Although nothing Susan said would affect the rtionship between the two brothers, he still wished that Susan would talk less as angering the old master would not do her much good. Susan grunted, her own son was not helping, and her daughter-inw could not even be counted on. It was as if everyone else at the dining table was standing on one side and her on another. Whatever she said was useless. Louis cast an apologetic nce at Luke. Since childhood, he had not been able to stop Susan from doing anything. In this family, only Old Master Crawford was able to calm her down. Old Master Crawford took a sip of soup and asked, "Louis, how''s the vi renovation going?" "Grandpa, the renovation is almost done. We just need to wait for the smell to go away," said Louis. Although new materials that were environmentally friendly and not harmful to their health were used for the vi renovation, there would still be a little formaldehyde in it. For the sake of Thea''s health, he intended to wait for the smell of formaldehyde to fully disperse before moving in. "When do you n to move in, then?" Old Master Crawford asked. "After the new year, I suppose..." said Louis. "Alright. After the new year, your whole family will move out," said Old Master Crawford. The whole family would, of course, include Susan. Susan could tell that those words included herself and immediately said, "I''m not moving. I won''t be used to living in a new vi. Just let them move out." Louis did not listen to her advice and moved out anyway. Her child had grown up, and she had no way of controlling him. However, she had to stay here to guard whatever belonged to her. She could not let Luke take it away. Chapter 2138 ¡°Louis and Yuri are busy with work. Who''s going to look after Thea if you don''t move out of the house?" Old Master Crawford did not allow her to stay. "If they can''t look after Thea, they can hire a maid to take care of her. Or they can just send her over here if that doesn''t work for them," said Susan. She insisted on living in Crawford Manor. Susan and Allison used to argue and fight with each other every day. It had be a fight to the end. However, Allison moved out of Crawford Manor after she thought Luke got killed. That was when Susan won the fight. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Hence, Susan insisted on staying in Crawford Manor. This was her territory. "Mom, I''d still be worried if I leave Thea to the maid. You know Thea is unlike other children. I''ll be more assured if you can look after her yourself," said Louis. What he said was true. Thea started suffering from a psychological disorder after what she went through when she was little. They had brought her to the psychologist, and the psychologist told them that she would need her parents''pany. It would help her improve her mental health as she grew up. "Then just let Thea stay in Crawford Manor. I''m not young anymore. I''m not used to living in other ces." Susan made up her mind. She wanted to stay in Crawford Manor, and no one could make her leave. Louis had always known that Susan refused to leave Crawford Manor. However, it was the old master''s decision. Old Master Crawford wanted to live in a peaceful and quiet ce. Louis had no choice but to continue to persuade her, "But Thea needs to see us often. Otherwise, she''ll imagine things." It roused the anger in Susan when she saw Louis insist that she move out of the house too. Louis was her son, but he was supporting someone else instead of his mother. Susan shot a nce at Yuri, who was only concerned about feeding Thea. Susan knew she could not pin her hopes on her daughter-inw. She turned to look at Louis and said, "Isn''t that easy? You can ask the chauffeur to send Thea here when the two of you are busy." "Mom..." There was nothing Louis could do. "Enough. Louis, eat your dinner." Old Master Crawford knew what kind of person Susan was, and he understood why she insisted on staying here. "Grandpa.." Louis felt helpless. There was nothing he could do when such a simple matter could not be solved because of Susan''s stubbornness. Previously, the old master had dropped Louis a hint by asking him to move out as all he wanted was peace in the house. After all, it was difficult to achieve that when Susan was still staying in the house. Louis thought of moving out of the house together with his wife and children after all these years of staying in Crawford Manor. It was also to prove that he was capable of doing so. He had established the workshop on his own without depending on the Crawford family. "I''ll move out of the house if she refuses to. Don''tin about it if I move to your vi in the future," said Old Master Crawford. He thought of asking Susan to move out of Crawford Manor only because he thought Susan was too loud and fussy. He was fed up with her, and that was why he made such a decision. He would leave since Susan refused to move out of the house. "Grandpa, you can stay as long as you like." Louis was not going to reject his grandfather. Yuri could not help but frown when she heard the old master was going to move to their house and stay with them. The old master was not going to cause any trouble if he moved to their house. Besides, considering that he would bring some maids and servants along with him, Yuri''s life would be much more comfortable with them helping her out. However, she was still reluctant. She had to be careful in everything she did if the old master was there. Her life would be boring. "What? You''re moving out?" Susan did not expect Old Master Crawford toe up with such a n. The reason why Susan insisted on staying in Crawford Manor was not only because she had been staying here for more than a decade but also because she wanted to take advantage of the old master. Things would be easier for her if she stayed in Crawford Manor alone and the old master moved out. However, whatever happened after that would not be within her control. Old Master Crawford took a bite of the sd and replied, "Louis'' vi is right next to Luke''s vi. I can see both of them every day if I move there. Isn''t it great to spend some quality time with my family?" Susan looked at Luke and became alert. Luke chimed in, "Grandpa, let''s talk about thister." "Well, Louis will only move out after New Year. No rush." Old Master Crawford knew his n was working when he looked at the awful expression on Susan''s face. Susan had been carefully plotting. She would not let the old master get too close to Luke. However, it was silly of her when she had yet to figure things out even after so many years. Even if Luke was not beside the old master, the bond between them and the connection in their blood would never fade because of their distance. It was the same for Louis, but Susan could never understand it. Louis lived a happier lifepared to Luke. He was pursuing something he wanted, unlike Luke, who was forced to train to be the sessor since he was young. Luke did not have a happy childhood, and he did not have the chance to y and have fun. He started from scratch in the company after he graduated. He slowly took over thepany after understanding how everything in thepany worked. Things were the other way around for Louis. He was living a much easier life. Hence, the old master favored Louis more when he was growing up. Louis was against the thought of taking over thepany ever since he grew into an adult. Old Master Crawford knew Luke was not living an easy life, so he let Louis do whatever he wanted to. Susan clenched her jaw. She did not expect the old master to refuse to live together with her. If the old master was staying in Crawford Manor, he would not have the chance to meet Luke that often. However, if he moved into Louis'' house, then Luke could see the old master every day. Judging from how good Luke was at pleasing the old master, Susan reckoned that he would keep on turning a deaf ear to her. By then, it would be useless for her to stay in Crawford Manor. The assets that the old master owed were much more valuable than Crawford Manor, after all. Susan nced at Luke and secretly made up her mind. Luca was listening to their conversation at the dining table. The subject of the conversation had changed, and they were no longer talking about her. That was why she had nothing to do with whatever they were talking about, and it did not matter to her. Luca slowly ate her dinner. She would also help the children with the food. She had no right to say anything about Susan''s determination. Old Master Crawford said to Mr. Griffin when everyone was about to finish the dinner, ¡°Serve the two bowls of tonic now." "Yes, Old Master." Mr. Griffin turned around and walked into the kitchen, serving the tonic that Old Master Crawford had instructed the kitchen to make for Luke and Luca. He carefully ced the tonic in front of the two of them. Luca looked at the old master when she saw that the color of the tonic was slightly dark. Before Luca could say anything, Susan asked, "What''s that?" "Tonic," Old Master Crawford took his time to answer. The only difference was that Old Master Crawford was smiling, and he sounded cheerful too. "Luke, Luca, thank you for everything you''ve done for T Corporation. I''ve instructed the cook to prepare some tonic for both of you. Drink it." "Old Master Crawford, the tonic..." "Don''t worry. It''s a bowl of nutritious tonic. I''ve asked someone to check the ingredients. The tonic will help replenish your energy. It''s good for you," replied Old Master Crawford immediately. Chapter 2139 Luca knew about medicines, and Old Master Crawford was worried that she would refuse to drink the tonic. If that happened, everything he nned would be for nothing. Hence, he tried his best to make Luca believe that he had no intentions of harming her. ¡°This is the tonic that the old master had prepared for the two of you. We got the herbs from Dr. Archer. It''s good for young people who often stay up all night to work," added Mr. Griffin. Mr. Griffin knew what the old master was up to. Mr. Griffin had been serving the Crawford family for years. He knew Luke since he was a boy and watched him grow up into an adult. Hence, he had the same thought as the old master. They both hoped for the best for Luke. At least that way, Luke would not have to be alone for the rest of his life. He would have someone he loved to keep himpany. The old master meant no harm. He could see that Luke and Luca had feelings for each other, but they were making slow progress. That was why the old master was anxious about it. It was not a bad thing if someone gave them a push. At least, it was not a bad thing for Luke. Luca looked at the tonic in front of her and nced at Old Master Crawford with her brows raised. Old Master Crawford met her incredulous gaze and said, "Come on, drink it. Do you think I''m going to harm you?" "Old Master Crawford, I had tea an hour ago. I''m worried if I drink this now.." Luca was worried that she would be taking too many nutrients today. She usually took care of her health well, and she did not need to drink any tonic. Besides, Shanks had been giving her various types of medicines after she gave birth to N. It was not because he treated her as an experimental tool to test his drugs, but because he was helping her recuperate her health. The health issues she used to have after giving birth and theplications she suffered because of her depression when she was pregnant were cured by Shanks. Her health was better than most people''s. "Don''t worry. The medicinal effects in the tonic and tea don''t conflict with each other," Old Master Crawford said with a smile. He sounded more friendly only when he was talking to Luca. Tommy tugged on Luca''s sleeves and said adorably, "Ms. Luca, just drink it. Great-grandpa prepared it for you." Luke picked up the spoon, took a sip of the tonic, and frowned. ¡°It doesn''t taste good." Old Master Crawford red at Luke and said, "Is there any medicine that tastes sweet?" "Great-grandpa, the medicine Ms. Luca makes tastes sweet just like candy," Tommy raised his hand and answered. Old Master Crawford gave his great-grandson a kind look and replied, "Of course. That medicine is meant for kids, so it must be sweet. But it''s normal for the medicine to taste a little bitter for adults. Luca,e on, drink it. Take it as a token of my appreciation." Old Master Crawford had taken it this far. Luca would make him look bad if she refused to drink the tonic. Luca picked up her spoon and took a sip. The taste of the tonic was indeed as expected after seeing its color. It tasted bitter. Luca could taste that there were several herbs added to the tonic. She was able to differentiate some of them, but she needed to look at the dregs of the tonic to see what was inside the tonic. Although the tonic tasted bitter, Luca looked calm as she finished the tonic while the old master stared at her. Tommy picked up a cherry tomato from the fruit bowl and handed it to Luca. "Ms. Luca, the tonic tastes bitter. Have some fruit." "It''s okay. I''m alright with it," replied Luca. Although she could take the bitterness, she thought it would be better not to reject her child''s kindness, so she took the cherry tomato from Tommy and ate it anyway. Susan was green with envy looking at them. She heard Mrs. Nancy say that Old Master Crawford had bought some expensive herbs. Although she did not know what herbs he bought, the old master had reminded them over and over again to seal them tight and keep them dry as the herbs had good medicinal properties. Perhaps the herbs were cooked and turned into this bowl of tonic. "Since I''ve been feeling tired after taking care of Thea these few days and the tonic has such miraculous effects... Mr. Griffin, please get one for me. Oh, by the way, Louis and Yuri must be tired too. Why don''t you serve three bowls of tonic for us?" instructed Susan. Even though she had seen many precious and expensive herbs in Crawford Manor, she refused to get the short end of the stick. Mr. Griffin appeared to be reluctant. Three bowls? It would be fine if Louis and Yuri drank it. They were a couple, after all. However, Susan might suffer the whole night if she drank the tonic. Susan''s face turned gloomy when she realized Mr. Griffin did not intend to serve her the tonic. She scowled. "What''s wrong? Surely, you didn''t prepare only two bowls of tonic, right?" "Go and get her the tonic. Don''t let the children have it. It''s too nutritious for them, and it''s not suitable for the children," said Old Master Crawford. Susan was too greedy. She had already drank the tea, yet she wanted the tonic now. Old Master Crawford was not nning to stop her. He knew she would be suffering tonight. Mr. Griffin had no choice but to follow the instructions given. He served all the tonic that was left in the pot. Louis was not nning on drinking it in the beginning. After all, this was the tonic the old master had prepared for Luke. Louis was still young, and he could still maintain his health well even though he was tired and busy. Louis was not jealous of the old master''s special arrangements. After all, the old master did not side with anyone. Luke''s work was much more tiring than his. Still, Susan insisted on Louis drinking the tonic. ¡°You must drink a bowl of tonic since it''s such a nutritious tonic. Otherwise, you''ll waste the old master''s effort in asking the servants to prepare it, right?" Louis had no choice but to drink the tonic. There was nothing great about the taste, and it was pungent. Louis took a sip of it and refused to drink it anymore. "It tastes awful."Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Yuri put down her spoon too. The tonic tasted much more terrible than the one she used to drink. "Good medicine always tastes bitter. Don''t stop. Just finish the tonic." Susan took a sip of the tonic and frowned immediately. However, she remembered what Mrs. Nancy said. She bit the bullet by picking up the bowl, taking a deep breath, and finishing the tonic. Luca sat opposite them and watched how hard it was for them to finish the tonic. Then, she nced at Luke. Luke slightly frowned when he tasted the tonic. Not everyone could handle bitterness well. Old Master Crawford watched Susan force Louis and his wife to drink the tonic, then he asked Mr. Griffin to serve them the fruit bowl. It was not for Susan but Louis and his wife. After all, they did not need to drink the tonic. It was just an ident. Susan picked up a berry and put it in her mouth immediately after she finished the tonic. She finally let out a sigh of relief when the sweet taste of the berry melted in her mouth and covered up the bitterness of the tonic. "This tonic is too bitter." Louis picked up a berry for Yuri too. Then, he ced one in his mouth and asked the old master, "Grandpa, why did you ask Dr. Archer to give you such bitter medicine?" "Every medicine tastes bitter, and Dr. Archer was the one who prescribed it. I have nothing to do with this," answered Old Master Crawford. Then, he turned to look at Luca, "Luca, why don''t you spend the night here? I''ve already asked the maid to clean up the bedroom for you." "Old Master Crawford, I''m sorry, but I think I should go back and sleep." Luca declined instantly. If Luca agreed to spend the night here, Susan''s eyes would pierce through her like a spear. Chapter 2140 Luca knew rumors would fly if she agreed to spend the night here tonight. Luke was going on a business trip tomorrow. Luca thought of letting him spend the night peacefully to boost his mood and handle his work. Luke had never shown his emotions on his face even after spending so much time together, and he seemed like a heartless person who never took the affairs of Crawford Manor seriously. However, Luca knew that Luke was more concerned about the affairs in Crawford Manor than anyone else. "Oh no, the tonic you just drank contains high alcohol content. You''ve considered to have drunk. Besides, it''s snowing out there. There''s no way Luke and you can drive back home. As for Zander, he''s old, so it''s better not to trouble him at this hour. So, both of you should spend the night here and get some rest." Old Master Crawford patted the table and decided for them. Luca listened to what the old master said. It seemed like she was left with no choice but to stay here. She could hire a designated driver or hail a taxi to go home if she insisted on doing so. However, it would make the old master upset. Although the old master did not mention it, Luca could sense that he was deliberately asking her to spend the night here. Luke and the kids were certainly not going back if Luca was going to stay here. Luca was confused. Could it be that the old master missed his grandchildren so much that he especially made her stay? "Alright, Old Master Crawford." Luca agreed to it. Old Master Crawford shot Luke a nce when Luca agreed to spend the night at Crawford Manor. Luke knew what the old master was up to when he met his gaze. Luke nced at Luca. She was wiping Tommy''s mouth with the napkin as though she knew nothing about the old master''s n. Luke felt helpless, and he knew what the old master was up to. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. He wished that he could have gotten to know Luca earlier or used another identity to gain her trust and keep her by his side. However, something was holding Luca back. How could it be that easy? Susan was staring at them. The old master had asked the kitchen to prepare some tea and tonic especially for Luca. That was not how he treated his guests. He was already treating Luca like his granddaughter-inw... Susan shot a nce at Yuri and sulked at once when she saw that Yuri was busy feeding Thea some fruits. Louis noticed that Susan was about to say something, and he knew she was in a bad mood, so whatever she was going to say would piss the old master off. Hence, he rose to his feet and said, ¡°Mom, Yuri got the set of jewelry that you asked us to get¡ªthe one you''re nning to wear on your birthday. Would you like to try it on?" Susan''s birthday was half a monthter. Although it was not her birthday yet, Susan took it very seriously. Besides, the old master had given her permission to host a birthday party. That was why she was nning everything herself. She saw a limited edition jewelry set in the magazine, and she wanted Louis to get it no matter what it took or how much it cost. Susan pondered for a moment when she heard that Louis had gotten her the jewelry set. Luca was only spending a night here. It was unlikely that she could cause any trouble in Crawford Manor no matter how capable she was. Hence, Susan stood up and followed Louis to take a look at the jewelry set. Old Master Crawford shook his head and turned to look at Yuri. He said, "Yuri, did you really buy that jewelry set?" Mr. Griffin found that the jewelry set Susan fancied was a limited edition. One could not buy it even if one had enough money. There were only three sets in the whole world. Moreover, the jewelry set had been on the disy rack for quite some time. They were probably already purchased by someone else. Many people in this world were more powerful and influential than the Crawford family. Yuri hesitated. She was unsure if she should tell the old master the truth. "What''s wrong?" Old Master Crawford knew something was wrong when he saw Yuri behaving like this. "It was hard to get the jewelry set that Mom saw. The people who bought it aren''t thinking of letting it go either. So, Louis found a pretty simr set..." said Yuri. They were unable to find the one Susan wanted. "Pretty simr? Will she be able to ept something like that?" Old Master Crawford knew his daughter-inw very well. Susan would never ept a simr piece of jewelry even if it was something she liked but could not get. She would think that them not getting her the genuine jewelry set was an act of disrespect. Bitterness swept across Yuri''s face. She deliberately told everyone about her family matter in front of Luke. "Apart from the high price, the jewelry set that Mom wants is also a valuable collectible. Louis has been asking around, but the collectors who have the set refuse to let it go. It took a lot of effort for him to find someone willing to sell the jewelry set, but the price was ten times higher than the actual selling price. Grandpa, even though Louis has his own career now, it''s just a small workshop. Raising Thea wouldn''t be a problem, but buying such an expensive jewelry set is way too difficult for us. Besides, we''re not as wealthy as Luke is." What Yuri meant was she wanted Luke''s help. Luca inadvertently frowned and smoothed it out again. She wanted to see how Luke was going to handle this matter. After all, something in Yuri''s words suggested that she wanted Luke to help them to get the jewelry. However, would Susan ept it if Luke helped? The answer was a no. Susan had a big ego, and it was unlikely that she would ept the jewelry set Luke gave to her. If Luke truly wanted to help, the only way was through Louis. Louis had his career and family too. Judging from Louis'' self-esteem, he would never easily ask for Luke''s help. ¡°Why did she look for such an expensive ne when she doesn''t even have that much money? And why did Louis promise her that he''d get it for her when he knew he couldn''t?" Old Master asked without going along with Yuri''s idea of asking Luke to help. After all, Louis would voice out if he really needed help, but he did not tell Luke about this. Seeing this from the point of view of a wise adult, Old Master Crawford understood why Louis did so. That was why he did not go along with Yuri''s idea. Otherwise, they would wound Louis'' pride. Yuri did not expect Luke to remain silent and for Old Master Crawford to say something like that. Honestly, although the jewelry was expensive, with all the wealth that Luke had, he could afford to buy it anytime. "It''s what Mom wants. Louis and I have to fulfill her wish." Yuri looked a little awkward. "Clean up the mess that you''ve made." Old Master Crawford held his walking cane, rose to his feet, and said, "Luca, just tell Mr. Griffin if you need anything. I''m going to take my pills after dinner." Old Master Crawford was suffering from chronic disease, and he had to take his pills after dinner every day. He used that as an excuse to leave. He did not want to interfere with Susan''s affair. Luca stood up and replied, "Yes, Old Master Crawford." Yuri gave Luke aplicated look. Luke did not say anything about Susan''s matter until Old Master Crawford had left the dining room. Given the current situation, it seemed that Luke was not nning to help her at all. Yuri was secretly mad at Luke. She left the dining room together with Thea and headed upstairs. Susan''s dissatisfied voice came ringing in her ears when Yuri had only taken a step upstairs. Chapter 2141 ¡°Is this the jewelry set that I asked for? Louis, you probably think that I''m old and my eyes are getting bad. Is that why you''re trying to fool me?" Yuri stood at the stairs, holding Thea''s hands. Susan must be in a bad mood now, not to mention that she was lectured by Old Master Crawford not long ago. Yuri grabbed Thea''s hand and decided not to return to their bedroom to prevent her from getting into trouble. Hence, Yuri lowered her head and said, "Thea, have you finished your homework?" Thea pouted, and there was clearly a disapproving look in her eyes. ¡°Mommy, I don''t want to do my homework." "No way. Come on. Let''s go to your bedroom and finish your homework." Yuri did not want to deal with Susan''s anger. She dragged her daughter and headed to Thea''s bedroom without a second thought. The jewelry set was Louis'' idea. Yuri had thought it was a bad idea from the very beginning. After all, jewelry meant a lot to a woman. However, Louis refused to listen to her. He thought getting something simr would cheer Susan up, so he insisted on buying this jewelry set. Louis had gotten himself into deep trouble now. Thea was dragged back into her room. She looked at her mother and said, "Mommy, Grandma seems angry." "Yes. That''s why you must listen to Mommy''s advice and do your homework." Yuri was a little worried that Susan woulde looking for her. After all, her mother-inw was a censorious person. She was mean to the others, but she would pick on her more. "I''m scared..." Thea sulked when she looked at her homework. She did not want to do her homework. She took the chance to use the excuse of Susan being angry to act cute and avoid doing her homework. "Come on. It''s alright. Everything will be fine after you finish your homework." Yuri was having a hard time convincing Thea. Her daughter was not as studious as Luke''s kids. Thea would always act cute whenever she was asked to do her homework. Quoting what Old Master Crawford had said, Thea''s personality resembled her father. Louis was almost the same back then. Susan''s bedroom. Louis listened to his mother''s sharp question as a dull pain ached in his temples. "Mom, this isn''t the jewelry set that you wanted. But the price of this jewelry set isn''t cheap either, and it looks simr to the one you want." ¡°How can this be the same? There''s nothing simr to it other than the color. It''s not even the same brand!" The design was important to Susan, but the price and brand mattered more. Susan was nning to wear the set to her birthday party. If the wives of those rich men saw her wearing one of the three limited edition jewelry sets, they would be green with envy. Then, Susan would be popr in the social circle. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She wanted to prove that she was the favored daughter-inw in the Crawford family with that jewelry set. Even though Allison had gotten out of prison, there was no way she couldpare to her. What was the point of having a son who had all the benefits? Her son could give her afortable life too. However, she did not expect Louis to buy another jewelry set to deceive her. "Mom, the jewelry set you want is a valuable collectible. Others are reluctant to let it go..." Louis was helpless. He was hoping that Susan would understand him. Louis had gone to great lengths to look for the jewelry set, but he was still unable to get it. He now owed others tons of favors just so he could look for the jewelry set. It was not easy for Louis to approach a noblewoman who was willing to let it go, but he could not afford to pay the price. Louis would have to sell his shares in T Corporation. However, he could not sell the shares that he held in T Corporation to satisfy Susan''s vanity. Luke told him that someone was secretly purchasing T Corporation''s shares before. If Louis sold the shares, that person would probably buy them to threaten Luke''s status. They were a family, and Louis would never do something like that. "This has nothing to do with the others letting it go or not. It''s because you refuse to get it for me. I know you have the connections. Fine, you''ve grown up now. And you told me that you''d honor your mother. It''s all bullsh*t. Louis, I didn''t raise you to get me a counterfeit jewelry set and make me look like a fool!" Susan stormed off and threw the jewelry box on the bed. Fortunately, the mattress was soft. Otherwise, the jewelry in the box would have broken if it was thrown on the floor. Louis felt helpless. Even though this jewelry set was simr to the one Susan asked for, it was not a counterfeit item. After all, this jewelry set was released earlier than the one she wanted. "Mom, why don''t you pick something else? I''ll try my best to get it for you." Louis knew Susan was a picky person. Hence, it was unlikely that he would be able to get another gift for her. Still, it was better than arguing over this jewelry set. Susan shot him a cold nce and scoffed. "You''re my good son indeed. I only want a jewelry set and you''re giving me so many excuses. Fine. You''re not buying it, right? I''m not going to host the birthday party if you don''t get me that jewelry set before my birthday. I''m going to show everyone how my good son honors me!" After that, Susan picked up the jewelry box and stuffed it into Louis'' hands. Then, she pushed him out of the room and mmed the door. Louis looked at the jewelry box in his hands. Susan told him that she would not ept this jewelry set. Louis leaned against the wall, feeling exhausted while massaging his temples. What Yuri said was right. A slight difference was poles apart in a woman''s eyes. This jewelry set was beautiful too, and it cost a fortune. The only difference was that this jewelry set was not a limited edition... Now, if Louis could not find that jewelry set, Susan''s birthday party would be canceled. The Crawford family would be one of the topics of conversation then. Louis let out a sigh. What a pain in the neck. He strolled back to his bedroom lifelessly. Yuri pushed the door open and walked into the room. She saw Louis still holding the jewelry box and knew what had happened. ¡°Mom refuses topromise, huh?" ¡°It was just like what you said. Tell me, do I really have to buy that jewelry set for her?" Louis asked helplessly. "Are you insane? Are you really going to sell your shares for that jewelry set? Let''s not talk about the workshop for now. Although the workshop''s business is growing, no one knows if it''ll run steadily in the future. The ie is enough for us to raise our child now, but what about the future? How do you know what''s going to happen in the future? You won''t have a guarantee without the shares. Luke knows how to please Grandpa well. Even if you''re not running your workshop anymore, you still have the chance to work in T Corporation. But if the old master passes away in the future, no one will be there to seek justice for you, and your shares will be all gone. What will we do then?" Yuri took the jewelry box from Louis and checked the jewelry in the box. Fortunately, the jewelry was not broken. Yuri liked this jewelry set, but Susan was the one who needed it. That was why she did not say anything about it. Now, Susan did not need it anymore. Yuri opened the closet and ced the jewelry box in the safe. "Luke isn''t that kind of person. What are you doing?" Louis frowned when he saw what Yuri was doing. "I''ll take this since Mom doesn''t want it. It''s an expensive jewelry set. I can put it on when I''m attending parties next time." Yuri was not nning to let Louis return the jewelry. Chapter 2142 Louis did not stop Yuri. It had been a long time since he gave Yuri any jewelry. Yuri looked at Louis after she closed the safe and said, ¡°Our family needs the shares no matter what. If you sell all your shares, we can''t depend on my family when we''re facing any difficulty in the future. Are you going to take out a loan when the timees?" "Mom said that she''s not going to host the birthday party if she doesn''t have the jewelry set." Louis pulled his hair fretfully. "Why is this old woman so stubborn?" Yuri frowned. She had expected Louis to get scolded by Susan, but she did not expect that the old woman would threaten her son by not hosting the birthday party if he could not get the jewelry set for her. No way! The hotel had been booked and the invitation cards had been sent to the guests. People would think that there was something wrong with the Crawford family if they canceled the birthday party out of the blue. Besides, Yuri had always relied on the parties held by the Crawford family to maintain her status in the Dunn family. If there was no birthday party this time, would she not beughed at by those people? "If Mom won''t attend the birthday party, we can hold the party like nothing happened." Yuri proposed. After all, there was hardly anyone who truly wanted to please Susan. People preferred to butter up Old Master Crawford and please Luke. As for Louis, they would only ask for the chance to cooperate or form a partnership at most. "What? What will the others think of her if she doesn''t show up at her own birthday party?" Even though those people would not be attending the party to celebrate her birthday, she had to be there. Moreover, Louis was afraid that Susan would annoy Old Master Crawford by refusing to attend the party out of spite. Susan would still be the unlucky one by then. "Tell me, what should we do if nothing''s going to work?" Yuri''s good mood was spoiled by Susan''s matter in a split second. Yuri sat on the dressing table chair with her arms crossed. "She''s your mother. You''ll have to handle this by yourself. It gives me the hump." "I''ll find a way." Louis was annoyed and upset. He thought of lighting up a cigarette to calm himself down. When Louis picked up the lighter and he was about to light the cigarette, he heard Yuri saying, "Get outside if you''re going to smoke. It stinks." "I''m still your husband no matter how stinky it is!" Louis yelled at her and stomped out of the bedroom with the cigarette and lighter. The door mmed behind Yuri. She frowned, feeling aggrieved. It was not her who wanted that jewelry set. Why did Louis vent his emotions on her? "Everyone in this family is weird," Yuri mumbled to herself depressingly. She recalled how Susan had comined to her that the old master took her herbs and made tea for Luca before the dinner. Yuri felt even more ufortable at the thought of that. If Yuri were not Louis'' wife, she would have exposed the fact of the old master taking the liberty of doing anything he wanted and treating Luca kindly. She would also let the reporters know what kind of person Luke was. Luke''s public persona as a faithful husband was contradictory to his true personality¡ªa Casanova. It was a pity that Louis did not intend to go back to T Corporation. If Luke''s reputation was destroyed, it would not do their family any good either. Her family could still gain benefits when thepany was giving out bonuses. Louis got out of the bedroom, nning to head to the balcony to smoke. However, he saw Luke standing on the balcony. Luke did not have any cigarettes in his hands. It seemed like he did note here to smoke. Louis knew Luke was not here to look at the scenery. Hence, there was a high possibility that he was standing here waiting for him. They had been brothers for more than 20 years. Luke knew him well. Yuri did not like Louis smoking. Hence, every time Louis wanted to smoke, he would have toe to the balcony here to smoke. Louis would want to smoke whenever he had something in his mind. "Brother, why are you standing here?" Louis walked toward him and forced a smile on his face. "One for me please." Luke looked at the cigarettes in Louis'' hands and reached his hand out. Luke seldom smoked after he found out that Luca''s true identity was Bianca. Other than the times when Luca made him mad, he would not smoke. Louis handed Luke one and lit the lighter for him at the same time. Luke took a puff and blew a smoke ring. He frowned, "The taste of this cigarette is slightly different." "Yes. The peppermint tastes stronger," replied Louis as he lit another cigarette for himself. "I guess you''re no longer used to it. I notice that you hardly smoke anymore." "Nothing''s bothering me. I don''t need it." Luke looked at him. Although they were born to the same father but different mothers, their brotherhood was not influenced by the grudges that their mothers held for each other. "Yuri mentioned Mom''s matter. Is she dissatisfied with the jewelry you bought her?" Luke had been standing on the balcony for some time, so he heard what Susan said to Louis. "Yeah. She''s not happy with it. And she told me she''s not going to attend the birthday party if I don''t get her that jewelry set. Come on, she''s almost 60 yet she''s behaving like a child. Is that what she''s supposed to do?" Louis was troubled. Luke watched Louis'' brows furrowing as his forehead wrinkled. Susan was always causing trouble for him, but she was much better than Allison. Louis took another puff of smoke. "Grandpa will be pissed if anything happens at the birthday party." ¡°What jewelry set is it?" Luke asked. He was nning to lend a hand when he saw Louis was deeply troubled. "Brother, it''s alright. This is my mother''s request. She''ll never ept it if she knows it was you who helped to buy that jewelry set," replied Louis as he shook his head. He did not want to trouble Luke. Luke and Bianca had helped him a lot when he had just started building his workshop. A few years had passed, and Louis had his own career, but he still needed his brother''s help. When was he going to grow up and be a man? "It''s alright. I can help you to get that jewelry set first, then you can pay me in installments." Luke suggested. He knew Louis was too ashamed to ask for his help. That was why Luke took the initiative to help. However, it was not considered doing him a favor. "Brother..." Louis did not expect Luke to help him. Luke was not helping Louis by giving him money. He was helping him in another way. It was a good idea. At least Louis would not feel like he owed Luke a favor. "I heard Mom yelling at you in the bedroom just now. You found the connection, right? I''ll pay for it. Then you can pay in installments after you get that jewelry set. Take it as my appreciation for holding T Corporation''s shares," said Luke. The shares of T Corporation that Louis was holding could be put to use in the future. "Okay." Louis nodded and stubbed out the cigarette. Then, he took his phone out of his pocket and contacted the noblewoman who was willing to sell the jewelry set. With Luke backing him up, he was finally able to purchase that jewelry set. "I''m waiting for her reply. The price will be confirmedter." Louis let out a sigh. The jewelry set was something he could not buy even if he had the connections. Now that Louis could solve the problem with money, he was finally feeling relieved. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Besides, Louis was the one responsible for dealing with the person who had the jewelry set and some other procedures. Susan would not know that Luke had helped him. "Just tell me how much you need. Don''t put your wife and child in a difficult position," Luke reminded him. Chapter 2143 Louis nodded. He understood the undertone of Luke''s words. Luke was telling him not to be concerned about borrowing less from him and spending all his cash on this jewelry set as it would affect his family. "Brother, don''t worry. I know what to do," replied Louis. He would not let his family suffer just to satisfy Susan, especially Thea. He needed to spend a lot of money on her now. "It''s gettingte. Get some rest." Luke patted Louis'' shoulder and left the balcony. Louis watched Luke leave from behind. Luke had always been taking up responsibilities since he was a little boy. Until now, Luke was still the well-qualified big brother in Louis'' heart. Louis recalled that when he was still young, the rtives of the Crawford family were unhappy that Allison brought Luke back home. They often spoke ill about the mother and son in front of him. They even told him that he had to be better than Luke. Otherwise, they would lose everything they had. Although he was not as outstanding as Luke was now, he was living the life he wanted. Besides, he did not lose everything because of it. The brothers got along pretty well. Louis smiled at the thought of what Pierre told him two days ago. He had tried to make mischief between him and Luke. At this moment, he thanked Luke while watching him leave from behind. Louis thanked Luke for being willing to be his brother. Luke did not return to his bedroom immediately after he left the balcony. He headed to the guest room instead. This was the guest room that Old Master Crawford had asked the maid to clean for Luca to spend the night here. Luke pondered for a moment and knocked on the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± Luca''s voice came from the other side of the door. ¡°It''s me,¡± said Luke. No sound came from the room after that. A few secondster, the bedroom door was opened. Luca was in her pajamas, and she stood at the door to ask, ¡°Mr. Crawford, can I help you?¡± "Am I only allowed to talk to you when I have instructions for you?¡± Luke asked. Luca felt a little awkward. She always had this feeling that Luke seemed to be dissatisfied with something else. She shook her head immediately, "No, I didn''t mean that...¡± She was hoping that she could see Luke every minute and every second of the day, but due to their current rtionship, they were not allowed to do so. Seeing each other often would only start rumors about them. ¡°I came to see you," said Luke. He nced at the bed in the room. The nket had beenid properly, and it seemed like there was nothing that Luca needed. Luca folded her hands and rubbed her hands unconsciously when she heard what Luke said. Then, she turned around and looked at him. "I''m fine." "If you need anything, just call the maid with the phone beside the bed and ask them to prepare it for you," reminded Luke. "Alright. I got it." Luca met his gaze, then she shifted her gaze away and let her gaze wander. Luke opened his mouth as he wanted to say something more, but he noticed Luca''s uneasiness. It melted his heart at once. He knew what Luca was worried about. She was worried that the old master or Susan would see them standing so close to each other. Also, she was worried that the others would specte about their rtionship and stop them. She had tons to worry about. Luke had been concealing his knowledge of her identity from her. He was not sure whether it was right or wrong to let her suffer like that. However, they had made it this far. He had to continue regardless of the choice he made was right or wrong. The only way to end this was to figure out who was the mastermind behind Luca. That way, Luca would be able to stay by his side without having to worry about anything. "Go to sleep. Goodnight." Luke was a little disappointed, but he turned around and left. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca secretly let out a sigh. She knew Luke wanted to tell her something, but if he said it out loud, things would change. That was why Luca would not give him the chance to say it to her. In the middle of the night. Luca could hardly sleep. Her body was burning, and she unconsciously ced her hand on her forehead. There was sweat all over her palm. However, the temperature on her forehead was normal. She stretched her legs uneasily and let out a moan. Before she waspletely awake, she knew there was something wrong with her. This feeling... Her body seemed to have lost control, and the heat rushed to her head as though every cell in her body was affected. Luca forced herself to sit up on the bed. She groped in the dark, looking for the switch. Luca turned on the lights in her bedroom. She narrowed her eyes once the lights were lit, and it took her a while toe back to her senses. She felt that something was wrong with her. It was as if she had been given that kind of drug. However, the symptoms did not seem like it. Luca pondered for a few minutes and found a term to describe how she was feeling now¡ªheaty... Besides, the heat came from the body''s primitive reflexes. It did not seem like she was being controlled by a drug. ¡°What''s wrong?" Luca could not help but frown. Had she been alone for too long? However, she never had this feeling when she was on the Ind of Despair for such a long time. Why did it suddenly... Luca sped the bed sheet helplessly. It looked like tonight would be another sleepless night for her. Knock, knock. There were knocks on the door. The sound that rang in her ears stirred up the restless cells in her body. "Who is it?" Luca asked, secretly hoping that the person outside the door was the man she was thinking of. "It''s me." Luke''s voice came from the other side of the door. Luca frowned. It was him. The moment Luca heard his voice, she had the urge to rush out and hug him. However, her rationality was stopping her from doing so. "I''m already in bed, Mr. Crawford." After that, Luca bit her lip, worried that she would make some weird noises. After knowing that Luke was outside the door, her body trembled uncontrobly. The rush of sensations crawled across her body, asking her to open the door and leap into the arms of the man outside the door. Luca even had the urge to take a cold shower. However, it was winter now. She would catch a cold if she showered now. Besides, she was living with the kids. She would easily spread it to the kids if she caught a cold. That was why she had to endure it. The sounding from outside the door seemed to have stopped. There was disappointment in Luca''s eyes. Did Luke leave already. Luca shook her head immediately. What was she thinking of? Even though he was Luke, she could not just. She could not imagine what the consequences would be if the two of them got that far. While Luca was struggling, there came Luke''s voice outside the door again. He sounded like he was in pain this time. "I think I''m sick. I don''t feel so well." Sick? "Mr. Crawford, I''m. not a doctor." Luca clutched the bed sheet and insisted. "I can''t wait till the doctor''s here. Luca, you''re the only one who can help me.." Luke leaned against the wall beside the door and knew that it must be the tonic he drank when he was having dinner. Nothing happened even a few hours after he drank the tonic. He did not expect that he would feel a little off in the middle of the night. The tonic the old master gave them was too strong. Luca could hear the weakness in his voice, and she could not bear to leave him like that. Hence, she went to open the door. Luke rushed into her bedroom once the door was opened. Before Luca could do anything, Luke flung his arms around her with his body against hers. ¡°Luca, I feel sick." Luke held Luca close to his chest like a child hugging his pillow, telling her how awful he felt. Luca''s mind had gone nk. There was no doubt that the hug was arousing the desire in her that she could hardly suppress. Chapter 2144 Luca''s mind wentpletely nk, just like what happened a few days ago. Her brain froze uncontrobly... ¡°Mr. Crawford.." Luca tried to push the man away. She identally touched his fiery skin and quickly pulled her hand away. His skin was burning. "Luca, am I sick?" Even though Luke knew what was happening to him, he still hugged her. Luca drank the tonic too. He believed that she was not feeling any better than he was now. "Let go of me. Let me check on you." Luke''s scent filled her nostrils. Perhaps the scent used to be hypnotic, but now, the scent seemed to have triggered something in her body. It silenced her thoughts. All she wanted now was to drown herself in him, do something crazy, and let the chips fall where they may. "You can cure me, right?" Luke was still hugging Luca, refusing to let go of her. He longed to make Luca melt into his body, his blood, and his cells. Luca knew it was impossible to ask Luke to let go of her now. She had no choice but to say, "How are you feeling?" Luke buried his head in the curve of her neck, breathing in the smell that belonged to Luca. It smelled good and was sweet. The woman he longed for was in his arms now. He said, "It''s hot. And it''s ufortable. Am I having a fever?" Fever? Luca reckoned that Luke was having the same symptoms as she was. It must be something they ate. The tonic. Could it be that the old master. Before Luca could continue thinking, Luke, who was beside her, was rubbing his face on her neck. The itch of his hair on her skin shot through her nerves and into her heart, awakening something within. Luca was already suspicious, but there was nothing she could do with Luke behaving this way now. Her hands were bound. It took a while for Luca to lift her hand and touch the face that was buried in the curve of her neck. His skin was not radiating heat when she touched him. Luca understood how he felt. It was not the body but the cells in their bodies that were fric. "Mr. Crawford, you''re not having a fever," replied Luca. She was feeling ufortable now too. Luke lifted his head. His gaze did not seem muddled. Aphrodisiac was not added to the tonic. It was only a nutritious tonic. Luca knew herbal medicine well. She assumed that it was too nutritious for them, and their bodies could not ept it. That was why they were having this reaction. ¡°Then why do I feel unwell?" Luke''s dark eyes were staring at her, and he noticed the red flush on her cheeks. "It''s probably because of the tonic. You''ll be fine. Just bear with it," answered Luca. Although they were looking each other in the eyes, she was still unable to break free of his grasp. The man''s strength was not something a woman like her could fight against. "I can''t." Luke leaned closer to her and pressed his lips on her soft, silky ones. Luca was seducing him every moment he was together with her. Hence, he could no longer suppress it anymore. Luca widened her eyes. The touch on her lips eased every muscle in her body, and the cells in her body were shouting and cheering as Luke kissed her. He was so good at kissing. It made her forget to breathe and abandon her thoughts of resisting him. Luke''s lips crashed on hers unrestrained. He enjoyed the enticing vor that belonged to her. His hands held Luca in his embrace uncontrobly. "Mmm..." Luca could not help but let out a muffled hum. Luke''s kiss was like a switch, waking up all her memories of the past. Her body, which was still under her control just seconds ago, was only focused on one thing now¡ªshe wanted more of Luke. Luca closed her eyes and let Luke take over her. She knew she could not push the man away, and she did not intend to either... Luke could feel the woman''s cooperation. His lips were slowly moving down, kissing her chin. It was as though Luke was teasing her every time he nted a kiss on her. At first, Luke was only asking for a kiss to make it a better night for him. However, now he realized that he could not stop himself and things were getting out of hand. "Mr. Crawford, no.." Luca was immersed in his kisses, but her rationality was trying hard to regain the initiative. She was afraid of the intimacy they were sharing without taking any drugs. There was barely any rationality left in her. If they took things to another level when they were aware of what they were doing, how could she face him tomorrow when she woke up? Some things could never go back to the way they were. Luca''s body was trembling uncontrobly. Luke was startled for a moment when he saw the tears falling from the corners of Luca''s eyes. He helplessly let out a sigh. The burning desire within him surrendered to her tears. "I''m sorry. I was being impulsive," apologized Luke. Then, he held her in his arms again. Luca buried her head in his chest and shook her head. There were shivers, disappointment, and gratitude in her heart. It was aplicated feeling, but she was hoping that Luke could forget everything as though nothing ever happened. However, he was not drunk this time. How could he forget about it? ¡°Luca, I feel terrible, but I respect you. It''s because I value you, care for you, and love you." Luke confessed to her all of a sudden. Luca could feel as if her heart had been hit by lightning. She was unable to think straight, but she still replied calmly, "Mr. Crawford, I..." "I know you have feelings for me. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have epted my kiss. And I know you won''t agree to be together with me, but I''ll wait for you. I''ll prove my love for you. It''s true. You don''t have to feel pressured about this. I''ll wait for you." Luke was not holding back this time. He thought of telling her how he felt for her. He did not expect the tonic the old master had prepared for him could work in this way too. "Can I stay tonight? I''m not going to do anything to you. I only want to hold you in my arms tonight. Only you can cure the difort in my body." Luke did not give her the chance to reject him and immediately asked her. Luca looked down and thought it would be just for one night. Hence, she nodded. Luke smiled after getting her permission. There was a twinkle in his eyes. He held Luca''s hands and sat on the bed. "Lay down. I''ll take just one-third of the bed," said Luke. Luca felt like she had been bewitched by him. She listened and obeyed every word he said. Perhaps it was the kiss. Shey down on the bed and moved a little to the side, giving him half of the bed to sleep on. Luke was delighted. He covered himself in the nket. After he reached out and turned off the lights, he held her in his arms again. Luca''s body stiffened at his touch. Luke chuckled when he felt the changes in her body and said, "Don''t worry. I just want to hold you in my arms and fall asleep. That''s the only way to make me feel better." Luca doubted it. Would he really feel better? She was not going to believe that. The moment Luke hugged her, her body that had already calmed down was burning again. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. It felt ufortable. The tonic that Old Master Crawford gave them was working well. Luca could not help but mutter to herself that she would never believe the old master''s kindness anymore. Luke could feel that Luca was slightly shivering. It seemed like Luca was feeling unwell again. He held Luca in his arms tightly. He had dered his affection to the woman he loved, but he was having a hard time too. Susan widened her eyes and looked at the ceiling. She woke up again after falling asleep. She felt the burning heat all over her body, but the infrared thermometer showed that her body temperature was normal. Susan had no choice but to think that it was because she was so mad that she could not even sleep well. Her hatred for Luca and Luke grew a little more at the same time. Chapter 2145 The following day. Susan yawned while making her way down the stairs. She could not sleep after waking up in the middle of the night. The heat in her body went away not long ago. She wanted to rest more but did not feel like sleeping anymore, so she thought of getting up and keeping an eye on Luke and Luca. ¡°Good morning, Madam Crawford." Mr. Griffin noticed how pale Susan was, and he understood why she was looking pale. Susan must have had a hard time trying to fall asleepst night. After all, she took the medicine that the old master had asked someone to prescribe. Even though she was a middle-aged woman, it was hard to resist the effects of the medicine. "Is breakfast ready?" Susan asked. "Mrs. Nancy is still on it," Mr. Griffin lowered his head and answered. Susanined, "She''s still making breakfast? What''s wrong with her working efficiency?" Mr. Griffin nced at the time, lowered his head, and replied respectfully, "Madam Crawford, Mrs. Nancy didn''t know you''d be waking up this early today." He did not tell her that it was still early in the morning. If Susan heard him saying this, she would point at him and say that it was just an excuse to ck off. Susan sneered. There was only Mr. Griffin and her in the living room. It looked like the other maids had note to work yet. She had indeed woken up early today, but she would not allow that to be a reason. She said, "Ask Mrs. Nancy to speed up and prepare breakfast earlier next time." "Yes," replied Mr. Griffin. Although he agreed with her, he was not nning to listen to her instructions. The time to prepare breakfast in Crawford Manor was usually based on Old Master Crawford''s routine. He was normally the earliest to wake up, after all. Breakfast would be served just in time after the old master woke up. This was to ensure the breakfast was freshly made and would not go cold. Susan had no choice but to sit on the sofa while waiting for breakfast to be served. When Mr. Griffin was about to do his work, he heard Susan ask him, "Did anything happen in Crawford Manorst night?" "What do you mean?" Mr. Griffin paused and turned around to face her respectfully. Susan frowned as she secretly scolded him for being ignorant. She had no choice but to make it clearer. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. "I mean the person who spent the night here... Did anything happen to her?" "Madam Crawford, you know that I''m not allowed to head upstairs to disturb anyone at nighttime if I''m not required" answered Mr. Griffin. He was dropping a hint that there was no way he would know what had happenedst night. He would not go upstairs unless his master allowed him to "A stranger had spent the night here. You should''ve kept an eye on her. You''ve failed as a butler." Susan was dissatisfied with his answer, and she thought Mr. Griffin should have watched over Luca. Mr. Griffin felt helpless. He knew that Susan was picking on Luca, but he did not know what Luca had done wrong to receive such treatment. Perhaps Old Master Crawford was very fond of her, and their young master had feelings for Luca, that was why Susan was behaving like this. The old master invited Luca to spend the night here, and he even arranged a room for her upstairs. That indicated that he trusted Luca very much. Susan was not allowed to touch those who had the old master''s trust. "Even though the old master asked her to stay here, you should be careful. Isn''t that one of the butler''s responsibilities?" Susan found herself another excuse to vent her anger on Mr. Griffin after bottling everything up and not getting enough sleep the whole night. Mr. Griffin nced at the time and replied helplessly, "Madam Crawford, Old Master Crawford will be awake soon. I''m heading to his room to help him freshen up." Susan watched Mr. Griffin leave from behind. She was so furious that she grasped the material of the leather sofa tightly. The butler of the Crawford family did not take her seriously! It took a while before she loosened her grip, which left the material of the sofa all wrinkled. Susan secretly swore that the first thing she would do after Old Master Crawford passed away was to fire Mr. Griffin. An hourter. Luca and Luke made their way down the stairs. Old Master Crawford was already sitting in the dining room, waiting for them to have breakfast together. A hint of disappointment shed across the old master''s face when he saw Luke and Luca not holding each other''s hands as he had imagined. Could it be that Luke did not seize the chancest night? Both of them drank the tonic, so it could not be... Old Master Crawford looked at their faces carefully. There seemed to be some dark circles under their eyes. "Good morning, Grandpa." "Good morning, Old Master Crawford." Luca greeted the old master together with Luke. "Come on. Sit down and get ready for breakfast," replied Old Master Crawford. He wondered if the two of them had lowered their pride and endured the medicine''s effectsst night. Was that why they could not get a good sleep? Luca sat on the same seat as during the dinnerst night. Mr. Griffin and the maids were busy serving breakfast. Old Master Crawford took the chance and asked, ¡°Luca, did you sleep wellst night?" Luca believed that Old Master Crawford was deliberately asking her that question. She was pretty sure that there was something wrong with the tonic. Besides, her abnormality seemed tost longer than Luke. She believed that it was not because of her physique but that the herbal tea had the same effects. Hence, the old master had given her two doses of medicine. Luca was speechless. She did not expect the honorable old master would do something like this to her and Luke. "I had a good rest. Thank you for asking." Luca bit the bullet and said something untrue. Honestly, she did not have a good sleepst night. The same went for Luke. Luca thought she would be able to sleep well until dawn cuddling with Luke. After all, Luke could make her sleep well like her sleeping pills. However, she did not expect that the more she slept, the warmer she got after closing her eyes. She did not feel like sleeping, but she was not mentally awake either. The difort had almost devoured all her rationality. Luke could not fall asleep either as he was having the same problem. Atst, Luke could not stop his hands from exploring her body, and there was nothing Luca could do anything about it. Although the two of them did not take things to the next level, what should have happened had happened. They leaned against each other, forcing themselves to stop the restlessness in their bodies. They did not make love, but they had made out like a couple who longed for each other. They demanded pleasure and sweetness from each other to satisfy the burning desire in their hearts. That was why she woke up feeling weak this morning. It was probably caused by the exhaustion and the side effects of the medicinest night. "Really? But you look¡ª" Before Old Master Crawford could continue, Luke interrupted and stopped him. "Grandpa, let''s eat breakfast," said Luke. "Are you in a hurry? Why can''t I talk to Luca first before having my breakfast?" Old Master Crawford rolled his eyes at Luke and thought, ''Did Luke not do anything? What a coward!'' Luke wasted all his efforts and preparation. "I''ll have to head to the airport for a business trip..." said Luke, reminding the old master that it was time for breakfast. As long as the old master had not started eating, as the younger generation, they were not allowed to start either. Chapter 2146 ¡°Business trip? Why are you going on a business trip again?" Old Master Crawford said querulously. He knew that Luke was going on a business trip to handle T Corporation''s matters, but the old master was unhappy now. Luke would rather stay up all night and waste his efforts than take the initiative to look for Luca and solve his problem. One could not make a silk purse out of a sow''s ear! "It''s thepany''s affairs," replied Luke. Old Master Crawford sneered. He knew it must be rted to thepany. It was just that Luke had never thought about his marriage! Even though the old master was dissatisfied, there was nothing he could do about it. After all, he could not rewind the time tost night no matter what he did. Besides, Luca was smart. She should have noticed that there was something wrong with the tonic. Hence, the old master could not use such ways anymore. "Let''s eat," said Old Master Crawford. Luca let out a sigh. It was fortunate that the old master did not continue asking them. Otherwise, she would recall everything that happenedst night. She would have to lie to cover it up... What happenedst night. Luca was reminded of Luke''s body temperature and how he held her in his armsst night. She nced sideways to look at him. Luke was eating his breakfast with the fork in his hands. Luca''s face reddened all of a sudden. There was no way she could look Luke in the eye after everything that happened. Luke drove Luca and the kids back to the vi after breakfast. Luke''s luggage was still in the vi, so he had to go back to the vi to get his luggage before he headed to the airport. Old Master Crawford waited until Luke had left, then he leaned on his walking cane and rose to his feet. Mr. Griffin hurried over to help him and asked, "Old Master Crawford, where are you going?" "Follow me." Old Master Crawford walked into the elevator in Crawford Manor. He waited until Mr. Griffin entered the elevator before pressing the button heading to the basement. The elevator doors slowly closed. Mr. Griffin asked, "Are you going to the control room?" Old Master Crawford smiled and replied, "You do understand me after years of serving me." He refused to believe that Luke did not do anything. Although Luca imed that she had a good sleep and nothing happened, he noticed that Luca was blushing when they were eating their breakfast. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Her gaze was on Luke every time she blushed. "Do you know why I arranged for Luca to stay in that guest room?" Old Master Crawford asked. Mr. Griffin nodded. He knew why the old master was behaving like this after serving him for so many years. He had already figured it out. "The security camera installed in the living hall happens to capture the door of the guest room." "Bingo." Old Master Crawford nodded. The elevator reached the basement, and Old Master Crawford sat in front of aputer. Mr. Griffin helped him to find the security camera that captured the guest room''s door. After he found the right security camera, he asked, "Old Master Crawford, do you need to cast it on a projector screen?" "There''s no need," answered Old Master Crawford. "Speed it up." Mr. Griffin heard him and operated theputer. Old Master Crawford''s cloudy eyes were on theputer screen. He saw Luke knocking on Luca''s door in the middle of the night. Although he had no idea what they were talking about, the old master smiled excitedly when he saw Luca open the door for Luke. "Did you see that?" He was asking Mr. Griffin, who stood beside him. "Old Master Crawford, I see it. Young Master Luke entered Ms. Craw''s bedroom," answered Mr. Griffin. "They closed the door." Old Master Crawford was satisfied. He knew his n had helped the two of them. "Let''s see what time Luke came out from there." Old Master Crawford was relieved after he saw Luke enter Luca''s room. He leaned back on the chair and looked at theputer screen. Mr. Griffin looked at the old master''s expression and nodded. Although it seemed bad to spy on Luke and Luca, the old master was worried about his grandson''s happiness, which made it reasonable for him to do this. "Old Master Crawford, let me break the footage into sections and open a few more windows. It''ll work faster that way," Mr. Griffin suggested. "Alright. That''s a good idea. Break it up, then," said Old Master Crawford. Although they were watching the video at a faster speed, it would take one or two hours to watch the footage from the entire night. Mr. Griffin operated theputer and started ying the footage. Old Master Crawford began to watch the videos. Half an hourter, he pointed at the screen and asked, "When is this?" Mr. Griffin paused the video, nced at it, and answered, "Old Master Crawford, the time shown on the footage is already dawn." "Good job. Luke didn''t waste my efforts. This kid was still trying to deny it. Hah, I''ve got you now, huh?" Old Master Crawford was grinning. He was pleased with this oue. A man and a woman who had taken the medicine were alone in a room. Something must have happened. Mr. Griffin looked at the old master''s cheerful expression and thought that Luke was innocent. After all, it was not Luke who denied it. It was Luca. The old master leaned forward, looked at the time, and said, "Delete the footage. Make sure it''s deleted permanently. Don''t let anyone see this." He was worried that Susan woulde here and look at the footage. That was why he asked Mr. Griffin to do so. After all, Susan was a troublemaker. She might leak the footage to the public to crush Luke if she saw it. Old Master Crawford knew about the impostor Bianca, but the others had no idea about it. They only knew that Luke had a wife and a family. He would get into trouble if the footage was leaked. That was why the old master had to protect Luke. "Alright, Old Master Crawford," said Mr. Griffin. He thought he might as well delete all the footage recorded yesterday. It would arouse suspicion if he deleted only a part of the footage. "Let''s go. I''m in a good mood today. Follow me. I''m going to visit Old Man Rayne for a game of chess." After Old Master Crawford watched Mr. Griffin delete all the footage, he leaned on his walking cane and stood up. "Yes." Mr. Griffin helped him up the stairs. Susan, who was in the living room, saw Old Master Crawforde out with a happy face. He headed to the entrance. She was curious about what happened. "Dad, are you going out?" Susan asked. "I''m going to the Rayne family''s house. Don''t wait for me for lunch." After Old Master Crawford changed his shoes, he instructed Mr. Griffin, "Bring the supplements that I bought thest time. I''m giving it to them." "Yes." Mr. Griffin did what he was told. Susan watched Mr. Griffin take the supplements out from the shelf unhappily. It was Luca yesterday and the Rayne family today. How kind was the old master to those who were rted to Luke! This was what she meant by the old master favoring Luke more. Everyone said that Old Master Crawford valued Luke, and even the old master''s heart was biased toward Luke! Susan was very unhappy about it. After Old Master Crawford left, Susan hurried downstairs. She reckoned that the old master had checked the security cameras just now. Susan pushed the door open and walked into the control room. She touched the CPU. It was slightly warm. She turned on theputer immediately and called the guards. "Madam Crawford, is there anything I can help you with?" a guard asked. "I''d like to see what the old master was watching just now," replied Susan. Chapter 2147 ¡°Madam Crawford, isn''t it a bad idea to look at this?" The guard hesitated. Although Old Master Crawford did not tell him that he should not watch the footage, there was a chance that he might get fired if the old master found out about it. "What''s wrong with it? The security cameras installed in the house belong to the Crawford family. Am I not the madam of this family? Why can''t I see it?" Susan raised her brows and threatened, "You''ll be fired if you don''t help me get the footage." The guard had no choice but to search for the footage after getting threatened by her. "Give me a second," replied the guard. He began to open all the security footage folders and checked which one had been opened recently. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Susan rushed him, "Make it fast. I have an appointmentter." The guard nodded and looked at a bunch of security camera footage recordings. There were many security cameras in Crawford Manor. Most of them were installed outside the gate and in the public areas in the house. All surveince footage would be saved for up to two months before they were automatically deleted. That was why there were a lot of recordings. After a while, the guard turned to look at Susan. "What''s wrong?" Susan asked. Judging from the expression on the guard''s face, Susan knew he was unable to get what she wanted. Susan threatened him again, "If you dare to brush me off, you won''t only lose your job but you might not be able to find a new one in A City." Susan had no sympathy for him. She would not have those who refused to listen to her instructions stay. She had been treating most of them who worked in the vi badly other than Mr. Griffin, the old master''s aide. She could noty a finger on him. "Madam Crawford, it''s not that I don''t want to find the footage for you. The surveince footage Old Master Crawford checked was probably deleted." The guard gave her a sullen look. "Deleted? Are you sure?" Susan doubted it. What did the old master see that he needed to delete it? "Yes. The recordings here have not been opened before. There''s only one surveince footage missing, so it must''ve been deleted," exined to the guard as he pushed the screen toward her. Susan did not know a lot about this and asked, "Which security camera?" ¡°The one on the second floor, near the guest room. I remember that the security camera was adjusted after what happened three years ago. The contents missing were recorded by that camera," said the guard. He had been working for the Crawford family for years, and he was involved in the adjustment of the security cameras three years ago. That was why he remembered it. "The guest room..." Susan frowned. The old master had arranged for Luca to stay in that guest room yesterday. There were guest rooms on the first floor and the second floor. It seemed like the old master hade here to watch what Luca didst night. What could Luca have donest night? Susan was puzzled, and she asked again, "Can it be recovered?" "It''s been permanently deleted and can''t be recovered." The guard shook his head. Luke was the one who hired people to install the security system of Crawford Manor. The expert installed a program on theputer to protect the privacy of the Crawford family. If one had the administrator password, the deleted surveince footage could not be recovered. That way, no matter what happened in the house, there was no way anyone with evil intentions could get the surveince footage as long as they deleted it in time. The administrator password was used to delete the footage this time. "You''re nothing but trash." Susan turned around and walked out of the control room after knowing that the security footage could not be recovered. She could not help but wonder what did the old master see that made him delete the footage. Besides, it seemed like what Luca did was exactly what the old master wanted. It was because Old Master Crawford hade out with a smile on his face. Susan headed upstairs and ran into Louis and his wife. She sneered at him and nned to ignore them at the thought of Louis trying to fool her with another jewelry set yesterday. Yuri nudged Louis with her elbow, asking him to ask for peace. Louis got Yuri''s hint and secretly let out a sigh. He stepped forward and said, "Mom, don''t be mad." Susan turned away from him. "I contacted the buyer abroad yesterday. We''ll be negotiating the price today. I''ll get that jewelry set for you," said Louis. Susan was delighted at once. The unpleasant feelings caused by Luca were gone immediately. She looked at Louis and Yuri and asked, "Really?" "Yes," replied Louis. Luke had promised to lend him the money to buy the jewelry. That should not be a problem. "You''re not fooling me this time, right?" Susan warned him, worried that he would look for a counterfeiter to make a counterfeit jewelry set to fool her. "Don''t worry. I''ll bring it to the jewelry appraiser and let them identify and appraise the jewelry set. It''s not going to be a counterfeit." Louis looked at the smile on Susan''s face and knew she was not mad at him anymore. Women were mysterious creatures. She was mad about the jewelry set, and the only thing that could cheer her up was the jewelry set. However, the price paid to cheer her up was a little heavy. "That''s wonderful." Susan''s day was brightened. She looked at Yuri and said, ¡°Why did the two of you wake upte today? I told you so many times that you shouldn''t sleep in when Grandpa is at home. You''re lucky he didn''tin about anything today." Louis and Yuri exchanged nces with each other. Louis scratched the back of his neck and said, ¡°We were tired. That''s why we slept in." "Tired?" With her sharp eyes, Susan noticed there were love bites on Yuri''s neck. Then, she understood at once. She smiled and said, "That''s good. It''s a good thing for young people to feel tired. I wonder if there''ll be any surprise." What Susan meant was getting pregnant with another child. Yuri''s face reddened. Louis was not nning to have another child. However, things escted quickly last night. They had used up all the condoms, and the two of them could not hold themselves back any longer. Perhaps there could be a surprise... ¡°Mom, please excuse us. We''re heading downstairs for breakfast," said Louis. He grabbed Yuri''s hand and walked into the dining room. Susan was pleased as she had received two pieces of good news this morning. The first one was about the jewelry set she longed for. The second was that Louis and Yuri''s romantic life seemed to be getting back on track. Susan hummed a merry little tune as she made her way up the stairs. She was nning to dress up and go out with those rich wives. After Luke sent Luca and the kids back to the vi, it was almost time to get to the airport. Before he could tell Luca his heartfelt feelings, he grabbed his luggage and hurried to the airport. Rainie stood at the door. She turned to look at Lanie after watching their father leave and said, ¡°Big Brother, should we inform Uncle Zander to pick us up?" ¡°Let''s tell him," said Lanie in a cool and distant manner. Luca asked, ¡°Where are you going?" ¡°Ms. Luca, today''s Saturday. We have to attend a hobby ss. Great-grandpa signed us up for itst month." Rainie smiled. Their father''s leg was injured at that time, and they were sent back to Crawford Manor. That was when Old Master Crawford signed the kids up for a hobby ss to distract their attention so that they could find out and develop their hobbies and interests during their free time. Rainie was signed up for a painting ss, while Lanie attended an astronomy ss. As for Tommy, Old Master Crawford signed him up for a calligraphy ss to train his character. Chapter 2148 Luca nodded. She did not expect the old master to sign up for a ss for the kids. "There''s no need to trouble Uncle Zander. I''ll send you there. Wait a minute. I''m going to get the car keys." Luca turned around and headed to the living room to get the keys. Although it was difficult to drive on a snowy day, she had been driving oftentely. That was why she was confident to take up the job. Lanie and Rainie nodded. They stood still while waiting for Luca. Tommy was the only one pouting his mouth and following behind Luca. "Ms. Luca, I don''t want to go to ss. Can I stay?" Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. "Why?" Luca picked up the car keys and looked at him with confusion. Were they not the ones who chose which sses they would be attending? Tommy''s dark pupils were filled with a grievance as he said, "I didn''t want to go to that ss. But Greatgrandpa said I''m too naughty and need to train my character so I could be calmer. That''s why he chose the calligraphy ss for me." Luca nodded to tell Tommy that she understood. Tommy held onto Luca''s thigh. He continued to y the victim when he noticed that Luca did not say anything. "Ms. Luca, calligraphy ss is boring. It''s all about picking up a pen and writing. The teacher is an old man with a beard. What a bore! You''re not working today. Why don''t I stay home and keep youpany?" Luca looked at the child who was trying hard to negotiate with her just because he did not want to go to ss. She did not know whether tough or cry. Although she felt great having the kids by her side, she had to let the kids attend their sses. It was the old master''s decision, after all. He did it for the children''s own good. "Tommy, you''re not a little boy anymore. Great-grandpa arranged this for you for a reason. Be good. Let me send you to ss." Luca held Tommy''s hand and walked out of the door. Lanie and Rainie, who had been standing at the door waiting for Luca, exchanged nces with each other and smiled. Their younger brother was trying to skip ss, but unfortunately, their mother did not let him get away with it. Their mother would not pity them if it was for their own good. She would insist they do it. Tommy realized that Luca insisted on sending him to ss. He had no choice but to strike a pose and look as though he was negotiating in a meeting. ¡°Ms. Luca, I can go to the ss, but you have to promise me that you''ll pick me up when my ss ends!" Tommy did not want to attend the ss. Not only was the ss boring, but most importantly, he wanted to keep Luca''spany. "Sure. No problem. But you must behave yourself when you''re in ss. Listen to your teacher and practice your calligraphy," Luca asked for something in exchange. "Then I have one more condition." Although Tommy was still young, he got his negotiation skills from Luke. He refused to lose out on anything. "Say it." Luca waved her hands at Lanie and Rainie, asking them to follow her to the parking lot. "I''d like to eat your home-cooked meals!" said Tommy. It had been a few days since hest ate Luca''s home-cooked food, and he was craving it. "That shouldn''t be a problem as long as you listen to me," said Luca. Tommy would surely cause trouble for the calligraphy teacher during ss. She heard Tommy say that the teacher was an experienced calligraphist, but it would certainly be difficult for the teacher to handle kids like him. Hence, Luca promised Tommy that she would fulfill his wishes when he was negotiating with her. It was to make him behave himself too. Rainie, who was standing beside her, smiled and said, "Ms. Luca, don''t worry. Tommy loves your home- cooked meals. He''s going to behave himself." Tommy waved his chubby little hands querulously and said, "Rainie, don''t you like it too?" "I do," Rainie admitted. Their mother''s home-cooked meals were the best. The delicious food from other countries or the dishes a five-starred restaurant made were iparable to their mother''s home- cooked meals. "So, you''re riding on my coattails, huh?" Tommy was ttered. If it were not for him who negotiated with Luca, Lanie and Rainie would not have had the chance to eat their mother''s home-cooked meals either. "You''ll have to behave yourself and not have your teacherin about you." Rainie adjusted Tommy''s cap for him. "I''m going to be the most well-behaved student in ss this time," said Tommy. He would not give his calligraphy teacher a chance toin about him. Luca did not know if she shouldugh or cry when she heard that. She opened the door of the backseat and said, "Come on, get in the car or you''ll bete for ss." The three kids climbed into the car. Luca drove the car and sent the kids to their sses. After Luca dropped them off at the entrance, she watched them enter the building before turning around and leaving. Luca got back into the car. When she was about to drive back to the vi, Nina called. "Luca, I heard that you''re back in the city!" Nina eximed the moment the call was answered. "Yes. I''ve already been here for a few days." The way Nina sounded reminded Luca of people who were in high spirits when something good happened to them. Nina was having a good time now. She did not sound as upset as she was before. It seemed like she made the right choice by choosing Percy. At least Percy was able to give her a happy life, so she was not as gloomy as she used to be. ¡°How could you not look for me when you''re back here?" Nina could not help butin. Although Nina had only known Luca not long ago, she was unexpectedly fond of her. Besides, Luca had been a great help to her. Nina could not help but want to grow closer with her. "I''m sorry. I''ve been busy..." Luca replied helplessly. She had been busy with the research after she came back. Moreover, she did not even have the time to send the gifts she had prepared for Nina and Sue. Luca remembered that she would not be going to the office today, so she might as well just ask Nina out. "Nina, why don''t we hang out?" "Sure. I have something for you. Where would you like to meet?" Nina was thinking of meeting her today when she called her. She wanted to give Luca her engagement gift. Although Luca did not attend Nina and Percy''s engagement ceremony, Nina still wanted to give Luca the gift. "Shall we meet at the hospital? I''d like to check on Tyrone''s condition," said Luca. She had been nning to do so, but she never had the time. Luca wanted to find out whether the dry needling technique that she taught Dr. Wood was working on Tyrone and check if there was a need to amend the treatment n. Nina thought of meeting Luca at a cafe or where she was staying. She did not expect Luca to suggest they meet at the hospital. Furthermore, it had to do with Tyrone. Nina could feel that Luca cared for her and was trying her best to help her. "Alright. I''ll see you at the hospital," said Nina. "It might take half an hour for me to get there. I''m going back to the vi to get some stuff." Luca told Nina to take her time and that there was no need to rush to the hospital. "Got it. I''ll wait for you.'''' Nina hung up the call after that. Luca drove back to the vi and brought Nina''s gift along with her. She pondered for a moment and thought she should just bring Sue''s gift too. She was thinking of asking Sue out if she had the time later. Luca made her way down to the first floor while carrying a few gift bags. She said to Aunt Neile, who was cleaning up the house, "Aunt Neile, I''m going out to meet my friends. And I''m probably noting back for lunch." "Okay, Ms. Craw," Aunt Neile nodded and replied. Chapter 2149 "By the way, I promised the kids that I''ll be preparing dinner tonight, so please don''t prepare dinner. I''ll come back to cook." Luca informed Aunt Neile so that she would not prepare dinner in advance. The kids were picky with their food. They would know who prepared the meal with just a bite. Luca was trying to prevent them from wasting food. "Alright. I got it. Ms. Craw, drive safely," said Aunt Neile with a smile on her face. She appreciated that Luca would always inform her of things in advance. This could prevent her efforts and time from being wasted. Luca nodded, indicating that she heard her. Then, she turned around and walked out of the vi. After Luca put the gift bags into the car, she was ready to drive to the hospital. Her phone notification suddenly rang, telling her that she had received a message. Luca picked up her phone. It was a message from Luke. [Boarding now.] Those simple words seemed to throb in Luca''s heart. Luke was telling her where he was. Although he sounded indifferent, he was informing her of his schedule and his whereabouts so that she would not be worried. Luca held her phone, her fingers slightly trembling when she typed on the keyboard: [Okay. Have a safe journey.] She liked this feeling... It was dull, but it truly made her feel that Luke cared about her. They were like a pair of lovers or a couple. However, Luca did not ept Luke''s feelings or say she was willing to be in a rtionship with Luke. She had no idea if it was because of the chemistry between themst night that made him do this, but she enjoyed having Luke''s attention. Luke replied: [Okay. I''m turning off my phone.] Luca did not reply to him. Luke was on the ne now. He would have to wait until he got off the ne to be able to see her reply. Luca put her phone aside and drove to the hospital. She asked where Tyrone''s ward was when she reached the hospital. Then, she hurried to his ward. "Luca, here." Nina knew Luca had reached the hospital. Hence, she waited for her outside the ward. Luca nodded and came forward. "Have you been waiting?" ¡°No. I just came here. Let''s go in," replied Nina as she pushed the ward door open. Tyrone was sitting on the bed watching TV, while Mrs. Hugh was sitting beside him, peeling an apple. Mrs. Hugh''s expression was calm when she saw Nina walking in. Although Tyrone was getting better, she had never been nice to the sister of the person who injured him. Keith was the one who taught her to do that. He told Mrs. Hugh not to smile at Nina or be nice to her and the others even though Tyrone was getting better. Otherwise, they would think that they could treat them like a doormat. Then, they would stop providing Tyrone with the best treatment. "Hello, Mrs. Hugh. Are you peeling the apple for yourself?" Nothing came across Nina''s mind when she saw Mrs. Hugh''s expression. After all, Jean was the one who injured Tyrone first. It was normal for Mrs. Hugh to give her that dirty look. "This is for Tyrone. The doctor said he''s physically weak. He needs to eat fruits to replenish his health," said Mrs. Hugh. She handed the apple to Tyrone. Tyrone took the apple from her and took a bite. Nina felt helpless. The doctor told them that Tyrone''s condition was stable a week ago. He was allowed to be discharged from the hospital, and he only needed toe back to the hospital for his physiotherapy. However, Tyrone refused to be discharged from the hospital. Tyrone and his mother thought that the hospital was the safest ce. Nina did not ask them to have Tyrone be discharged from the hospital after listening to what they said. However, she wondered if they would feel depressed being cooped up in the hospital for another day or two, but it seemed like they were having a vacation. Nina turned around and looked behind her. Luca walked in and frowned when she saw Tyrone leisurely lying on the bed. Mrs. Hugh''s attitude changed when she saw Luca. "Oh, Ms. Craw, what brings you here?" "I''m here to check on how Mr. Hugh is doing with his recovery," said Luca. Nina thought it was funny when she saw Mrs. Hugh''s attitude changing in a second. Luca was the one who saved Tyrone, and Nina''s brother was the one who injured Tyrone. However, it could not be said that Jean was the one who injured Tyrone. After all, the two of them had argued and fought each other. Jean had gotten injured too, but Tyrone was the unlucky one. The ss shards got into his brain and moved a little, which affected his nerves. Both of them were in the wrong, but Jean made the biggest mistake. "I''m sorry to trouble you." Luca had left a good impression on Mrs. Hugh. Even though she was not a doctor, she gave the impression that she was better than the doctors in the hospital. Mrs. Hugh rose to her feet and grabbed the apple in Tyrone''s hands. Then, she turned to look at Luca, "How are you going to do it?" "They''re just simple check-ups. All you have to do is to listen to me," Luca came forward and looked Tyrone in the eyes, "Got it?" Tyrone''s nerve damage had recovered a little after going through the dry needling treatment and the medical treatment given by the hospital. That was why he could respond faster. He nodded and agreed. Luca began to check on Tyrone. Tyrone was cooperative as well. Luca noticed some problems after checking him. She picked up her phone and jotted down some notes. Nina, who was standing beside her, asked, "What''s wrong?" ¡°Nothing. I''m just taking notes. I might have to change some of the acupoints for his dry needling treatment. It''s going to be more effective.¡± Lucaforted Nina, and she was telling Tyrone and his mother that there was nothing to worry about. "It''s not a big deal, right?¡± Mrs. Hugh asked immediately when she heard that. "It''s nothing. No matter what kind of treatment it is, we''ll have to adjust it ording to the patient''s condition. Is Dr. Wood on duty today?" asked Luca. Although Luca hade back from Russia now, she was not one of the doctors working in this hospital. It was troublesome to ask Johann to give her permission. Besides, Luca was busy with her work too. That was why it was better to leave the dry needling treatment to Dr. Wood. Nina pursed her lips and said, "Let me ask.¡± Nina had added Dr. Wood''s contact details to her phone as she wanted to know how Tyrone was doing and his condition anytime she wanted. She walked out of the ward and gave Dr. Wood a call. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. When Dr. Wood found out that Luca hade to the hospital and was looking for him, he informed the medical director immediately and headed to Tyrone''s ward. "Dr. Craw, you''re here!" Dr. Wood was impressed with Luca now. It was a pity Luca was not a doctor. Dr. Wood would learn from her no matter what it took if Luca were a doctor. Every time Dr. Wood used the dry needling method Luca taught him, Tyrone seemed to get better. The effects were much better than he expected. Dr. Wood was very impressed. Luca nodded and went on without saying any pleasantries, "I''ve adjusted the treatment n for Mr. Hugh. May I know if you''re avable now, Dr. Wood?" "Yes," answered Dr. Wood. "Then, should we start now?" asked Luca. The acupoints that needed to be adjusted were slightly different from the previous ones. She had to guide Dr. Wood to insert the needles into the correct points. "Alright. I''ve got a new set of needles here." Dr. Wood took a set of new needles out of his coat and handed it to Luca. Luca took it from him and turned to look at Nina. "Nina, I''ll leave the video recording to you this time, okay?" Chapter 2150 Johann was not here. Luca could not guarantee that Dr. Wood would be able to remember it after she taught him. That was why she asked Nina to record a video so that Dr. Wood could watch the video after this. "Sure." Nina took her phone out. Although she thought looking at the needles pricking into the flesh was painful and cruel, Luca was the one who asked for her help, so she would definitely help out. Luca opened the new set of needles. She began inserting the needles after Mrs. Hugh went out of the ward. Dr. Wood was standing beside her, learning seriously while listening to Luca''s exnation. Nina was stabilizing her hands while holding the phone and recording the process of Luca inserting the needles into the acupoints. Nina nced at Tyrone. He did not seem like he was in pain looking at his expression. She could not help but whisper to herself how miraculous it was. Even though the needles were fine and thin, it usually hurt when one was pricked with them. However, there was no change in Tyrone''s expression even when there were so many needles being inserted into his body. It was as though nothing was pricking him. 20 minutester, Luca took the disposable gloves off and looked at Dr. Wood. "You''ll have to use this method to treat Mr. Hugh. It''s just like how I did just now." "Alright. No problem." Dr. Wood was confident. Although Luca was inserting the needles in different acupoints, there were not many changes. Besides, he had the video with him, so he thought it would not be a problem. Nina saved the video and sent it to Dr. Wood. Then, she said, "Dr. Wood, I''ve sent you the video." "Okay. Sorry to trouble you. Thank you." Dr. Wood did not check his message in the first instance. Although the dry needling process was finished, he had other things to do. Dr. Wood pushed the electrical stimtion machine beside him nearer to the bed and began to connect the needles via cables to the machine. Luca was beside him, guiding him where changes were needed. "Do I have to record this?" Nina asked. "No. Just take a photo of it after it''s done," Luca replied while she guided Dr. Wood. A few minutester, Dr. Wood turned on the machine. The electric current passed through the needles and into Tyrone''s body. Then, he regted the voltage. Luca asked Tyrone, ¡°How do you feel?" "It doesn''t hurt," Tyrone replied slowly. Luca nodded and said, "Yes, that''s it. I''ll check on you again after some time. I''ll see if you need any adjustments." Dr. Wood was impressed with Luca''s treatment n, and he could not help but ask, "Dr. Craw, do you take apprentices?" He would like to learn all the needling techniques from her. After all, these could not be found in the books. "I''m not a proper naturopathist. There''s no way I''m taking in any apprentices." Luca shook her head helplessly and signaled Nina to take a photo. "Sigh. I was wondering if I could learn from you." Dr. Wood was disappointed even though he was not expecting anything. "Dr. Wood, Luca''s very busy. It''d be better if you drop the idea," Nina replied with a smile on her face. She put her phone back in her pocket after sending the photo to him. Dr. Wood smiled embarrassingly and said, "I was just asking." Luca looked at Tyrone and changed the subject of the conversation, "You''re supposed to be discharged from the hospital. Why are you still in the hospital?" Tyrone blinked his eyes. There were needles on his face too, and he could not speak. He turned to look at Dr. Wood, signaling him to exin it to him. "Our senior doctor and medical directors think that Mr. Hugh can be discharged from the hospital too. He can juste back to the hospital for his physiotherapy. But he and his family want him to stay here for the treatment. They im that it''s to ensure their safety. Perhaps they''re traumatized after everything that happened." Dr. Wood made it simple. He believed that Luca was smart enough to understand the undertone in his words. Luca nodded, indicating that she understood. They had someone paying for their medical bills, and they were staying in the VIP ward. Besides, a sum of money was needed for Tyrone''s physiotherapy after this. Luca assumed that they had already found awyer. They understood that not only did Nina have to pay for the medical expenses, but she would also have to pay for their living expenses, loss of wages, supplements, and others. That was why the Hugh family was not in a hurry. The longer Tyrone stayed in the hospital, the more beneficial it was to them. As for Nina, things did not look so well for her. Money and wealth were worldly possessions, but it was tiring when Tyrone was dying everything and insisting on staying in the hospital. 10 minutester, the treatment had ended. Tyrone sat up on the bed after Dr. Wood removed the needles. Luca asked, "Do you feel ufortable?" This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. If it were another doctor, Tyrone might pretend there were minor problems on certain parts of his body or im that he felt ufortable like how Keith had taught him. However, Tyrone dared not to do that in front of Luca. He knew this woman was capable and he probably could not deceive her even if he lied to her. He shook his head and replied, ¡°Not for now." ¡°Then there shouldn''t be a problem. Ask his family toe in." Dr. Wood went to open the door when he heard that. Luca said to Nina, ¡°Nina, is there anything else you need to do?" ¡°No. Let''s go." Nina hated the smell of the disinfectant. That was why she could not wait to leave the hospital once the treatment had ended. Luca nodded. Mrs. Hugh walked into the ward and heard Nina talking about leaving. She sneered at her with dissatisfaction. Nina grabbed Luca''s hand and left the ward immediately. She turned around and looked behind her when she reached the elevator. Then, she let out a sigh of relief, ¡°That old woman is weird." ¡°Why is she so unhappy?" Luca noticed Mrs. Hugh''s reaction just now. Although she hated Nina, she seemed unhappy when Nina suggested that they leave the hospital. "She thinks that I''m supposed to take care of Tyrone when my brother is the one who injured her son," Nina said helplessly. ¡°She can hire a caretaker..." said Luca. "I told her to hire a caretaker too. But I have no idea who told that old woman that the caretaker wouldn''t take care of Tyrone well. Besides, I''ll be paying for the costs of hiring a caretaker. Hence, she chose to take care of Tyrone herself and told me to give her the caretaker''s sry," exined Nina. She had exined this to Mrs. Hugh a few times, but she refused to listen to her. Nina could not be bothered to exin to her anymore. Luca understood, and she felt as helpless as Nina. The elevator reached the floor, and the elevator doors opened. The two of them got into the elevator. Luca asked another question, ¡°What about Jean? How is he doing now?" "I was thinking of asking the police officer to detain him. After all, I have to teach him a lesson after he caused such big trouble. But I don''t know who told my mother about this, so she cried and made a scene out of it. She even said she wanted to end her life unless I bailed him out. She eventually passed out thest time she did that. I had no choice but to bail him out. He seems to be behaving himself now because the previous matter hasn''t beenpletely settled yet. But." Nina hesitated. ¡°But what?" Luca questioned while looking at the numbers that gradually went down as the elevator descended. She had a feeling that many things had happened while she was away. "He got back together with his ex-girlfriend, Marie Rayne, after I bailed him out of jail." Nina held her forehead, feeling troubled. She knew what kind of person Marie was, but it was as though Jean had been bewitched by her this time. Jean would never listen to Nina, but he might choose to listen to his mother. However, Anna''s health was in bad condition, and she did not like Marie either. She detested her. That was why Nina dared not to tell her mother about this. Chapter 2151 ¡°Marie isn''t a good person..." Luca could not help but blurt out. "You know that too. It''s troubling me so much. I regret bailing him out of jail now. My mom will surely get mad and pass out if she finds out about this." Nina frowned. If Anna knew about this, she might think that not bailing Jean out of jail was the right choice. At least Jean would not have gotten back together with Marie. Nina refused to believe that Marie was truly in love with Jean. After all, Marie never visited him when Jean was caught. "Yeah, I know. Previously, when I was helping Old Man Rayne recuperate his health at his house, I saw Marie making a scene at the entrance of the district. Ms. Rayne told me about her," replied Luca. She did not expect a grown-up like Jean to be such a dunderhead. It was as though he was out of his mind. He was actually still attracted to Marie after what had happened. Luca reckoned that Marie took the initiative to approach Jean because of Percy. It was not because she was nning to seduce Percy. Marie knew it was unlikely that she would be able to seduce Percy, but it was because Nina was in a rtionship with Percy now, and Jean was Nina''s brother. Marie knew Nina would not leave Jean alone no matter how much of a scoundrel he was. That was why she approached Jean. She could take advantage of him. "She''s a nuisance." Nina did not intend to conceal her hatred for Marie. Luca could understand her feelings. After all, Marie ruined their family and took everything they had. "Let''s not talk about her. Oh yes, let''s go for lunch. Ask Sue toe with us too," said Luca. Even though she was using another identity now, she would still like to get together with her best friends. She had to seize the chance when she still had it now. "Sure. Let me tell Sue to ask her to leave her two kids to Mr. Doyle and hang out with us for lunch." Nina picked up her phone, thinking of calling Sue. "It''s better to bring the kids along," Luca said immediately. "Mr. Doyle should be on a business trip with Mr. Crawford now." Nina was not surprised to hear that. She already knew that Luca and Luke were living together. She nodded and called Sue. Sue agreed toe out for lunch after being invited. Nina chose to dine in a restaurant near Mr. Doyle''s house for Sue''s convenience. Luca, who was beside Nina, was fine with the idea. After all, Sue was bringing her kids with her. They should make it convenient for her. Nina turned and looked at Luca after she ended the call, then she asked, ¡°I decided that we''ll have Western cuisine for lunch. Is that okay with you?" "Sure. No problem. But I''ll need you to send me the restaurant''s location. I''m driving, and I suppose you drove here too, right?" Luca asked. "Yes. Let me send you the restaurant''s location now," said Nina, as she operated her phone. The elevator reached the floor where the parking lot was. Luca looked at Nina. She was still searching for the restaurant''s location. Luca held her hand and walked out of the elevator. "Watch your steps." Nina sent the location to Luca and replied with a smile on her face, "I have you here with me, right? I''ll be fine." "Aren''t you afraid that I''ll make you fall?" Luca teased. "Is there anything to be afraid of? Honestly, I''ve never been afraid of that," replied Nina. She recalled the time when she had just begun to know Luca. She needed to be aware of Luca at that time, but she was not afraid of her doing anything to her. Nina was surprised that she trusted Luca without any reason. Nina ced her phone in her bag and pointed at the car beside, "My car''s right here." "Mine is at the front. I''ll see you at the restaurant," replied Luca. She let go of Nina''s hand, waved at her, and strolled in the direction of her car. Luca found her car and got into it. She drove to the Western restaurant while being guided by the navigation. Nina''s car was in front of Luca''s as they departed from the same destination. She was driving slowly as though she was waiting for Luca. Luca was following close behind her. The two of them arrived at the Western restaurant sessively. Sue was already sitting inside the restaurant as it was nearby Jason''s vi. She stood up and waved at the two of them. "There," Luca said to Nina while she was carrying a few bags in her hands. "I saw her. Let''s go," Nina smiled and said. "Hello, Ms. Nina and Ms. Luca," greeted Kari and Teri. "Good afternoon, Kari and Teri." Luca looked at the chubby faces of Kari and Teri. She was very fond of them. She stroked their heads before she sat down. "It''s been a while. Kari and Teri are getting more adorable every day. How cute." Nina looked at the two little girls. A daughter was always the apple of the parent''s eyes, and Nina was envious of Sue. Sue could not wait to make fun of Nina once they sat down. "It''s just like what they said. People are usually in high spirits when something good happens. Nina, look at your ruddy face. I''m so envious of you. It seems like Mr. Mallory is doing well and the two of you are enjoying your life. When are you nning to get pregnant?" Nina quickly waved her hands back and forth. She blushed with embarrassment, ¡°What are you talking about in front of the kids? I''m not married yet. Honestly, you''re the one who''s been enjoying your life, huh? Your skin looks so much brighter and youthful. Well, I guess that''s all thanks to Mr. Doyle, huh?" "Don''t get smart with me. Hey, you''re engaged. Hurry up and get married." Sueughed and joshed. In the next second, she was rushing Nina. Kari was curious about what Nina said, so she tugged on Sue''s sleeve and asked, "Mommy, what did Daddy do?" "Oh, nothing. He did nothing," Sue looked at her daughter helplessly, then nced at Nina, "I told you that the kids are curious now. Stop talking nonsense." Nina was amused and replied, "You started it first. You''re the one who started the topic first. You can''t me me for that." Then, Nina took two engagement gifts out of her bag and handed one to Luca and another one to Sue. "These are the engagement gifts. They''re for you and to share my happiness. I agreed with Percy not to make our engagement public, so we didn''t make it big and invited you all. I''m sorry about that. Percy will invite the two of you for dinner after he''s done with his work." There was supposed to be an engagement dinner, but things were different for them. Nina wanted to marry Percy too. She did not ask for anything as long as Percy was by her side. That was why everything was alright for her. She did not feel wronged. Percy was sincere to her, after all. "Congrattions! Although it''s a pity we can''t attend your engagement ceremony, I''m so happy for you seeing that you''ve found your happiness. Don''t forget to pick my daughters as your flower girl when you''re getting married. You can pick either Kari or Teri." Sue took the engagement gift from her and delivered her sincere wishes. Sue had been watching how Nina had lived her life for the past few years. She understood how tough it had been for her. Now that Nina was finally engaged to Percy, she wished Nina happiness from the bottom of her heart.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 2152 ¡°Congrattions, Ms. Nina." Kari and Teri wished Nina after Sue wished her. Sue had taught them to do so before they went out. "How thoughtful and adorable you two little cutie pies are. I''d really like to bring you back home for a few days." Nina smiled and stroked Kari''s head. The child was sitting beside her. Luca looked at the engagement gift and smiled. "Congrattions, Nina. I wish you all the love and happiness." "Thank you," replied Nina. Although Luca was not as talkative as Sue was, she knew Luca''s wish was sincere and true. One could not define a person''s sincerity by how many words were spoken. Teri, who was sitting beside Sue, saw the engagement gift Sue was holding and said, "Mommy, I''d like to eat the candy." "We''re having lunch soon. Is it alright if you eat it after lunch?" Sue discussed this with her daughter with a gentle voice. "No, I want to eat it now. It looks yummy." Teri was greedy. She looked at the candy and acted cutely in front of Sue as she asked for the yummy-looking candy. Sue was about to speak when Kari said, "Sis, you won''t want to eat lunch anymore after eating the candy. Let''s eat our lunch first, then we can have the candy." Teri listened to her sister and rolled her eyes. Then, she nodded and said, "Okay. Mommy, I want candy after lunch." "Sure. You can have the candy after lunch." Sue stroked Teri''s head and looked at Nina and Luca with some embarrassment, "I''m sorry. The kids are greedy." Nina smiled and replied, "It''s nothing. Isn''t it normal that kids love to eat candy? I chose the candies for the engagement gift. They''re the kids'' favorite candies. Luca, I put more candies in yours so that the three children can have them." Sue was not surprised when she heard what Nina said. After all, she knew that Luca was staying in Luke''s vi too. Luca looked at the gift she was holding and smiled. It seemed like Sue and Nina had epted the fact that she was staying together with Luke. If it were in the past, Luca could tell them that she was only staying in the same house as Luke and that nothing was going on between them without feeling guilty. However, Luca could not say that anymore after what had happenedst night. The more she exined it, the guiltier she felt. Although they did not take things to the next level, they almost did everything they could have done on the bed. ¡°Tommy loves eating candies now," said Luca. She ced the gift aside and handed the bags she carried to the two of them. "These are the souvenirs I bought for you." Nina took the bag from her and said exaggeratedly, "I thought you bought souvenirs for Kari and Teri. I didn''t expect to receive gifts!" "Yeah. I bought them when I went to Russia for work. But I didn''t have the time to deliver them to you. And I know you don''t need anything, so I bought these for you. I hope you like them," said Luca. Then, she handed another bag to Sue and said, "There are three gifts in here. Yours, Kari''s, and Teri''s." Sue took the bag from Luca and instructed her two daughters, "What should you say when Ms. Luca gives you something?" Kari and Teri said at the same time, "Thank you, Ms. Luca." "Don''t mention it." Luca picked up her cup and took a sip of the tea. Nina peeped in the bag and realized it was a set of skincare producers. It was the brand that she had always been using. She had been using this brand for more than ten years, and she started using it when she was a teenager. She had always loved this brand, so she never changed. "Oh my goodness. Luca, you''re amazing. I''ve always been using this brand of skincare products. And you actually bought me the same brand. It''s the perfect gift," Nina could not help butpliment her. Nina liked gifts that were practical and useful. What Luca gave her was practical, and it was the brand she had been using. "Really? I''m d you like it." Luca took another sip of tea. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. "Of course, I like it, but how did you know I''ve been using this brand?" Nina asked. Although she had known Luca for some time, they had never discussed things as other bosom friends did. They never talked about what kind of skincare products or makeup products they used. They had never talked about luxury goods either. "I saw the products, so I just bought them. It''s a famous skincare brand. Many love this brand. Besides, your skin type suits this brand too. I didn''t expect you to like this brand. What a coincidence," Luca smiled and said. Nina shook her head and replied, "I think you''re just sharp. Sue, take a look at your gift. I think Luca''s been secretly watching us live our lives from behind." "That''s dramatic." Luca did not know whether tough or cry when she heard Nina say so. However, there was no way she could tell them she knew what brand of skincare products they used. Sue was curious after listening to what Nina said. She wanted to know if Luca could pick the perfect gift for her too. Sue picked up one of the boxes in the bag. It was wrapped nicely in a gift wrapper, and she did not know what was inside. Luca exined when she noticed the puzzled look on Sue''s face. "The wrapped boxes are Barbie dolls. The shop assistant took the initiative to help me to wrap them when she knew I was buying them as gifts." "How considerate." Sue did not open the boxes and spoke to her daughters instead, "These are the Barbie dolls Ms. Luca bought for you. You''re only allowed to open them when we''re home." Kan''s and Teri''s eyes brightened up when they heard that the gifts were Barbie dolls, then they looked at Luca and thanked her again, "Thank you, Ms. Luca. We like it." They were really twins. They even said the same thing. Thest gift belonged to Sue. She had the same reaction when she saw a set of skincare products. ¡°I usually use this skincare brand too. Luca, I''d truly suspect that you sent someone to investigate what skincare products we''re using if I didn''t know you''re so busy with work.¡± ¡°Well, I bought these ording to your skin type. These two sets of skincare products are ranked the best in the world for your skin types. That''s why I bought them for you," Luca replied hurriedly. "But there are many skincare products that suit our skin type too. Other famous brands also have the same products. You could actually pick the skincare products we usually use based on our skin type. This is crazy," Ninaplimented. She was secretly thinking that Luca must have done her homework. However, how did she find out what kind of skincare products were Nina and Sue using? Did Mr. Doyle and Percy tell her? Still, the two of them were the insensitive type of men. They would not know what skincare products Nina and Sue were using. Hence, they would not notice the brand they used as well. Even though Nina was not sure if Jason was that kind of person, she knew Percy very well. If she asked Percy to get her skincare products, he would send the photos to his assistant and ask him to get them for her. He did not understand what the skincare products were used for. ¡°I guess I happened to be lucky enough," replied Luca. She picked up the menu beside her and said. "Let''s order now. Kari and Teri must be hungry." Chapter 2153 "Alright, let''s order." Nina handed the other menu to Sue, while she shared a menu with Luca. After ordering, they discussed the current affairs in A City. Luca did not say anything as she did not know much about what was going on in A City, so she just listened to them talk. They were exposed to much more things than she was. Luca was always in theboratory working on the research. She practically had no chance ofing in contact with the outside world. However, Nina and Sue were different. They were still the backbone of Brilliant Architectural Design LLC. They were in charge of the decisionmaking for basically all the matters at thepany. It was only when it came to a particrly important decision that they would leave it up to Luke. Sue and Nina talked for some time before noticing that Luca had not spoken at all, so Sue apologized, "Sorry about that, Luca." "Why apologize? The things you''re talking about are quite interesting," Luca said with a smile. They were talking about matters concerning the upper-ss circle of A City. She even heard several familiar names. After hearing their conversation, she could not help but sigh at the things all these people had done over the years. Sure enough, where there were people, there would not be peace. "I''m afraid you''ll be bored. Besides, you don''t know these people," said Sue as she picked up a cup of water to feed Kari. "I actually know a couple of names, like the one you just mentioned, Brody. His family, the Hilton family, seems to be in international trade. I''ve heard of a Hilton family in Russia and the heir''s name is Brody. Could it be the same Brody?" asked Luca. Saying that the Hilton family was doing business abroad would not arouse the two''s suspicion. Nina nodded and said, "It should be the same person." "If that''s the case, the Hilton family used to have several businesses in Russia. I never thought that they would turn out this way..." After listening to their conversation, it seemed like the Hilton family was not holding up well. Their foreign businesses had nearly all been shut down, leaving them with only some domestic estates. It seemed like they ended up in this situation because of Brody''s poor management, but of course, there were other reasons. ¡°Ever since Grandma Hilton passed away, most of the Hilton family''s businesses fell into the hands of Brody. Unfortunately, he lost almost all of the Hilton family''s estates," said Sue as she knew more about this because of Jason. "The one with the most business acumen in the Hilton family was Grandma Hilton, but Brody dated Leia and a series of unfortunate events happened after that, so Grandma Hilton got so angry that she got a stroke and passed away a few yearster. Nobody watched over Brody, so he let himself go. He got together with another female celebrity after breaking up with Leia, but she did not seem to have good intentions as she kept depleting the Hilton family''s wealth," Nina exined to Luca. Luca shook her head helplessly after hearing that. Combining all of their estates, the Hilton family used to be on par with the Crawford family. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. It was just that the Hilton family''s estates were all abroad, so the people here always felt that they were no match for the Crawford family. Unexpectedly, Brody still did not grow up after losing Leia and went on to find a female celebrity instead. Not to mention, the celebrity and Leia even knew each other. Well, birds of a feather flock together. All of a sudden, Luca did not know how to judge the situation... Sue nodded. "If Grandma Hilton were still around, she would never have let the female celebrity join their family. Her judgment of people was precise and harsh. She had always protected the Hilton family. It''s a shame she had such an unfilial grandson who made her so angry that she passed away. The reason why Luke and Jason went on a business trip today is to purchase one of the Hilton family''s branches." Luca only realized that Luke had gone to acquire apany after hearing Sue''s words. She had thought that it was some other project of T Corporation. "Why are you saying that out loud? Aren''t you afraid of leakingpany secrets?" Nina said with a smile. "What is there to be afraid of? The bidding document was stolen by Pierre when they werepeting for M Group''s project but they still secured the project. I believe in my man and his boss," Sue said confidently. Although Jason was Luke''s assistant, to have his assistant help take over apany was going overboard. She did not say anything as Jason wanted to stay by Luke''s side. Besides, they might seem to have an ordinary superior-subordinate rtionship, but in fact, they had been friends for a long time. Unlike Bailey, she would not force Jason to be strong on the outside for the sake of saving face. She felt that livingfortably and honestly while doing the things one liked was good enough. It was not like Jason was not making any progress. He had been making progress by being beside Luke for all these years. It was just that Bailey could not see this and forced him to leave T Corporation to manage a differentpany. Jason refused and coupled with some other reasons, their rtionship came to an end. Nina gave her a thumbs up. "You''re the first person I''ve ever met to brag about her man in such a short and simple way." Before Sue could say anything, Kari said with pride, ¡°Daddy is the best daddy in the world." Sue and Kari''s words had Luca''s lips curl up into a smile. She casually asked, "Whatpany is Mr. Crawford trying to acquire?" "You don''t know?" Sue was a little taken aback as she thought that she was still working beside Luke. "Of course, I wouldn''t know. T Corporation''s Russian trantor was on maternity leave thest time and they didn''t want to hire fresh graduates as they would be troublesome and won''t be able to catch up with the progress of the project''s bidding document. They didn''t have anyone else, which was why they had me rece the position. Now that the project is theirs, I''ve returned to theboratory to conduct my experiments. That''s my job," Luca told them. "I see. It''s all Jason''s fault. He''s always talking about how capable you are all the time. I almost forgot that you''re a research professor, not a trantor." Sue helplessly pped her forehead. "Luca is capable of a lot of things, including cleaning up the trouble that Jean caused. If it weren''t for her, he would be in prison right now," said Nina. Luca chuckled out of embarrassment after hearing Nina praise her. In the middle of their conversation, the meal they ordered was already brought to the table by the waiter. The three adults and two kids ate with relish. After their meal, they thought about visiting Sue''s ce, but Nina received a call. "Hello, who is this?" asked Nina. It was unknown what the caller on the other end had said, but Nina''s expression got gloomier. Luca noticed and gestured for Sue to stop talking for a while. Then, they heard Nina say, "Alright, got it. I''m sorry for the inconvenience caused. I''ll go over there right now." Chapter 2154 "What''s wrong?" Luca noticed the ghastly expression on Nina''s face. ¡°The Rayne family called. They said that Jean is standing in front of the vi with Marie and refuses to leave. The guards could only notify the tenant, so Wanda had no choice but to call me," said Nina while putting on the jacket she took off. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. If it were not for the fact that she was Bianca''s best friend, Wanda would have already made a police report. Jean was her brother, so Wanda was just giving her grace by calling her to let her deal with it. Luca stood up as soon as she heard that. ¡°Isn''t Jean aw-abiding citizen now? Why cause trouble for Aunt¡ªthe Rayne family?" Luca''s anxiousness raised Nina''s suspicion, and she looked even more distressed. ¡°I reckon it''s because I refuse to give him money. Jean doesn''t have a penny to his name now. Perhaps it''s also because Marie incited him to do this." Luca thought of the soft and fragile Wanda. She was ill at ease. ¡°I''ll go with you." Nina wanted to tell Luca to not get involved in this mess, but after seeing the worry on her face, she nodded and said to Sue, ¡°Sue, I have to rush over to deal with Jean''s matter, so you take the children back first." ¡°Okay, go on." Sue waved when she realized the seriousness of the situation. Luca and Nina left the restaurant together and drove to the Rayne family''s house separately. Since it was a weekend and it had snowed, many people were traveling. The road conditions were terrible, so everyone drove slowly, resulting in some congestion at multiple traffic light intersections. Luca was a little impatient looking at the long line of cars. She was not worried that Jean and Marie would startle the elderly as Luke had ced them in a neighborhood with a good security system. Practically no outsiders could get in, so they would definitely be blocked at the door. However, she was worried that Jean and Marie might bump into Wanda. ¡°Marie has lost her mind," Luca could not help but mutter. She lost her mind and had to drag Jean down with her. Jean was six feet tall. If he were toy a finger on Wanda, she would certainly be no match for him. She did not know what was going on over there now and only hoped that Wanda would not bump into Jean face-to-face. The line of cars moved slowly. After half a minute, it stopped again. She still had to wait for the traffic light, but fortunately, after this traffic light, she would be able to get to the neighborhood where the Rayne family''s house was. The phone Luca ced on the passenger''s seat rang. She nced at the screen that lit up and saw that she had a message. Her intuition told her that it was Luke. Luca picked up her phone to open the message, and there it was: [I''ve gotten off the ne. What are you doing?" [I''m on my way to the Rayne family''s house.] Luca did not try to hide it. [What are you going there for?] Luke''s message came through. [I''m with Nina. She got a call that Jean and Marie were causing trouble in the Rayne family''s neighborhood, so I''m going over there and check it out.] Luca exined as briefly as she could. After a while, Luke''s message came again. [Got it. I''ll find someone to handle this matter.] [Okay, I''ll go over to see how it goes.] Luca''s mind was at ease after seeing his message. It was just Jean and Maire. There was no need for Luke to meddle in the situation. If Wanda were a little lesspassionate, reporting it to the police would have solved the problem. However, Luca understood Wanda. She did not take such extreme measures because of Jean. Jean was Nina''s brother. Other than being her best friend, Nina was also Percy''s fiancee. Percy was very close with Luke, so she also took Luke into ount. If Marie had not brought Jean with her, Wanda would not have been soft-hearted and would have called the police immediately. She believed that Marie brought Jean with her for that reason. While Luca was analyzing the situation, the traffic light turned green. After she followed the traffic and passed the intersection, she drove to the entrance of the neighborhood. She parked her car in the temporary parking space next to the green belt and opened the door to get out of the car. It was a straight road, so Luca could see Jean and Marie standing at the entrance from afar. There were two security guards with sticks blocking their way. She did not see Wanda. She did not know whether Wanda had note down or if she was standing inside. ¡°Let''s go." Nina also got out of the car. When she saw Jean from afar, her expression became somber all of a sudden. Luca walked with her to the entrance of the neighborhood. Jean was wrangling with the security guard and did not notice that Nina hade over. ¡°Jean, what are you doing here?" Nina was furious and spoke in a tone that was as enraged as her expression. Jean was startled and turned around. He showed a face of disgust when he saw Nina, but he was a little taken aback when he saw Luca. ¡°Why are you here?" ¡°You''re making a scene at someone else''s doorstep. How could I note?" Nina looked inside the neighborhood and saw Wanda. There was some snow on her shoulders. It seemed like she had been standing there for some time. ¡°Who said I''m here to cause trouble? I came here for a visit. Look at what I''m carrying in my hands. This is for Old Master Rayne," said Jean. "Who do you think you are to greet Grandpa Rayne? Jean, have your eyes gone blind these past few years? Have you lost your marbles? How could you be with a woman like Maire and stille to greet Old Master Rayne? Are you wee here? Do you think you''re worthy? Don''t embarrass me and go home now." Nina dropped a bomb without sparing him any dignity. Marie was instantly upset when her name was mentioned. "That''s enough, Nina. Don''t think that you can interfere just because you''re engaged to Percy. I''m my grandfather''s granddaughter, and I just want to bring my boyfriend home to meet him. What''s the matter with that? Can an outsider like you stop me?" Luca did not intend on saying anything. She just came over to check on Wanda, but after hearing Marie talk about her grandpa, she could not keep her silence anymore. "Ms. Rayne, it''s better for you to not go around saying you''re rted to them. If you''re in your right mind, leave right now and don''t disturb the elderly." "What are you talking about? Who are you to chase me out? Who are you to the Rayne family?" Marie let go of the hand holding Jean. She loathed this woman named Luca. Not only did Luca stand in her way before when she was trying to meet Wanda, but she was even standing here making sarcasticments now. Moreover, ever since she appeared, Jean''s eyes had been glued to her. Wh*re! She was a shameless wh*re! "She''s my father''s savior." Wanda, who had not spoken a word, finally opened her mouth and said, "Marie, although yourst name is Rayne, you changed your name after your mother came. You''re not blood-rted to the Rayne family. Plus, you know what you and your mother have done. The fact that we didn''t hold you ountable doesn''t mean that we think of you as family. I didn''t call the police today not because I want to see you repent but for Nina''s sake." Chapter 2155 Marie bit her lip. She knew all of that? She instantly felt guilty when Wanda looked at her. Luca was puzzled when she heard Wanda''s words and looked at Marie''s guilty expression. What else did Marie and her mother do that she was not aware of? Nina stood at the side and apologized to Wanda, "I''m very sorry, Aunt Rayne. If this happens again, please just call the police immediately without informing me." She already knew that she would not be able to chase Jean away even before she came. It was because this was the first time this had happened, so she wanted to apologize to Wanda personally. "Nina, what did you say?" Jean did not believe the words that came out of her mouth. He instantly could not bear the sight of her and raised his hand to p her. Luca reacted quickly and blocked him. She raised her hand and forcefully grabbed Jean''s wrist. "If you darey a finger on her, I''ll make you regret it." Jean looked at Luca''s exquisite face. Even though she was barefaced and looked angry, she still looked pretty. He could not help but be captivated by her beauty. He embarrassedly pulled back his hand. "I was just messing with Nina. I wouldn''t actually hit her." Luca dusted off her hands as she felt disgusted that she had touched Jean. After being around Luke for some time, she became like him¡ªa germaphobe. She said, "Leave right now. If you don''t, it''s you who''ll suffer." "On what basis? This is the Rayne family, and myst name is Rayne. What''s an outsider like you yakking about here?" Marie saw Jean not taking his eyes off Luca. He even spoke to her in an ingratiating tone. She immediately got angry and reached to pinch his waist. She used great force and did not show Jean any mercy. "Hiss! What are you doing, you crazy b*tch?" Jean''s gaze temporarily left Luca, and he red at Marie. Marie said sarcastically, "I''m helping you save your soul. Otherwise, your soul would''ve been snatched by that wh*re!" "You''re crazy," said Jean. They came here today to ingratiate themselves with the Rayne family and benefit from it. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The reason he listened to Marie was that he wascking money. At the same time, he agreed with her words. Wanda was just a city girl who dared not offend Percy and would not cause any trouble for Luke. They did not expect that they would summon Nina before they could even go in. Luca was not interested in hearing them talk and gave an ultimatum, ¡°If you don''t leave, Mr. Crawford''s people will be here soon." "Luke?" Jean gritted his teeth. That man must be haunting him. He stole his woman and ruined everything! "Mr. Crawford knows you came here to cause trouble, so he got some people toe over. They should be here anytime now. They''reing to send the both of you to the police station." Luca nced at her watch. "You..." Jean did not expect that Luke would intervene in such a matter. Marie shrunk out of fear when she heard Luke''s name as he was a man of his word. She was detained for a few days before. Ever since then, she did not dare make noise outside the gate. For a long time, she could only wait for Wanda toe out after being chased by the security guards to the opposite road. "Forget it, Jean. Let''s not bother arguing with the likes of them. Let''s go. I''ll contact Grandpa myself." Marie hurriedly pulled his arm and left. Jean thought that Luca was bluffing to frighten them and had no intention of leaving. "What are you afraid of? No, I can''t go home empty-handed today." "You''ve already disgraced yourself bying to someone else''s doorstep. What more do you want? Money?" Nina stomped her foot in anger. Luca had warned them and given them a chance, but they still refused to leave? Marie pulled Jean''s neck and whispered something in his ear. Jean became grim-faced and viciously spat on the ground after she was done talking. "Just you wait. I won''t stop here." After his harsh words, Jean and Marie left in a hurry. Nina breathed a sigh of relief and could not help but think that she was almost forced to go to the police station again to bail out the loser that was Jean. "I''m sorry, Aunt Rayne. I didn''t know that Jean would go so far," apologized Nina. Wanda shook her head and said helplessly, "It''s not your fault. I think he was incited by Marie. How could he." She dared not judge what others did, so she did not continue. Nina smiled awkwardly and finally looked at Luca. "Thank you, Luca." "No problem. Do you have a tissue?" asked Luca. She got out of the car in a hurry and did not wear mittens, so her skin came in contact with Jean. She felt dirty. Nina looked into her handbag and pulled out a wet tissue. "Is a wet tissue okay? "Yes, thanks." Luca opened the packaging and pulled out a wet tissue to wipe her hands. Nina nced at Luca and added, "Good thing you were smart enough to think of a way to scare them. Otherwise, there''s no telling how long they would continue making noise here." ¡°I meant it." After wiping her hands clean, she put the wet wipe back into the packaging to throw it away later when she came across a trash bin. "Really? But isn''t Mr. Crawford out of town on a business trip?" Nina''s eyes widened. Luca nced at Wanda. Since Wanda was looking at her, she could only make up a small lie, "Mr. Crawford was looking for me for some work-rted matters, and I was worried that Jean and Marie would get into big trouble, so I told him." Nina''s thoughts were written all over her face. She nodded and said, "Mr. Crawford is awesome." "Luke''s people had sent Marie to the police station before. That''s why she''s so scared. What are you both standing there for? Come in and have a seat," said Wanda. She did not have a problem with Nina as she was not the same kind of person as Jean. Plus, because of her rtionship with Bianca, she quite liked Nina. "No, thank you, Aunt Rayne. I have some stuff to do, so I''ll be leaving," Nina said in a hurry and looked at Luca. "Want toe with me?" "I''d better wait here. Mr. Crawford''s people should be arriving soon." Luca felt that it would be troublesome to inform Luke and then have him inform those people again, so she nned to wait here. Nina thought of going back to teach Jean a lesson, so she left first. Luca saw Wanda still standing there and said, "Aunt Rayne, it''s cold out here. You should go back in. I''ll leave after I take care of everything here." Wanda shook her head slightly, and her eyes looked even more gentle. "I''ll chat with you and keep you company. If you don''t have anything to doter,e in for a cup of tea." "Sure." Luca epted Wanda''s invitation instantly as she missed her grandpa. She usually would not have an excuse or opportunity to visit the old man, so now that Wanda had given her the chance, she immediately agreed. Wanda swiped her card and walked out. She stood next to Luca and chatted with her. Chapter 2156 After a while, Luke''s people rushed over. Then, Luca briefly exined everything to them and let them go back. Luca heaved a sigh of relief as the matter had finally been resolved. Wanda saw the smile on her face after the problem was dealt with and could not help but lift her hand to dust off the fallen snow on Luca''s shoulders. ¡°You must''ve rushed over here, right? You don''t even have your gloves on. It must be freezing. Let''s go inside," she said. "Okay, Aunt Rayne." Luca rubbed her palms together and followed Wanda into the neighborhood. Wanda walked beside Luca, and when she looked sideways at her, she was momentarily distracted by the fact that Luca was the same height as Bianca. Bianca used to walk beside her like this, but walking with Luca beside her gave her the same feeling. She was bewildered. Wanda shook her head slightly. Luca noticed and asked, "What is it, Aunt Rayne?" "Nothing. It''s a cold winter day, so let''s hurry inside the house. Old Master Crawford is here too. You should know him, right? He''s Luke''s grandfather," said Wanda as she pressed her fingerprint to open the door. Old Master Crawford was here? Luca stopped in her tracks and paused for a moment as she remembered what happened yesterday. If Old Master Crawford could carry out such a n, he must be trying to matchmake her and Luke. He was here as a guest today... Luca knew that he was close to Grandpa Rayne, and she could only pray that the old master would not say too much when he saw herter, lest he aroused the suspicion of Grandpa and Aunt Wanda. "What''s the matter?" Wanda closed the door and noticed that something was wrong with Luca''s expression. Luca forced a smile and said, "I didn''t expect Old Master Crawford to be here as well." "Old Master Crawford came this morning and seemed to be in a good mood. He''s been ying chess with my father and even stayed for lunch. Both of them are probably well-rested now and are ready to continue ying chess," said Wanda. Ever since Old Man Rayne''s health improved after Luca''s treatment, Old Master Crawford often came over to y chess with him. With a chessboard, a few cups of tea, and some simple refreshments, Old Master Crawford could spend the entire day here. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. As he would say, this ce was better than Crawford Manor. At least it was quiet. After seeing how much he liked staying here, Wanda had the maids prepare a room for him as a nap room as the elderly had the habit of taking naps in the afternoon. Wanda was also d that there was someone to y chess with Old Man Rayne as it could relieve his boredom. Luca nodded in agreement with her words. Wanda thought that she was nervous to see Old Master Crawford because he was her boss'' grandfather, so she reassured her by saying, ¡°Don''t worry. Old Master Crawford is quite nice to get along with in private. He''s easy-going and not fussy." "Good." That was all Luca could say. She was not worried that Old Master Crawford would be hard to get along with at all. She was worried that he would slip up and expose her. Besides, Aunt Wanda and her grandpa would definitely side with her old identity. The two of them walked into the house. Wanda instructed the maid, "Luca, take off your jacket and let the maid help you dry your clothes." "Ah, alright." Luca took off her jacket. The maid took her jacket and said, "Ms. Craw, is there anything in the pockets? If not, I''ll pick it up and dry it for you." "No, there''s nothing in them. Thank you," said Luca politely. The maid nodded and said to Wanda, "Madam, the two elderly are up and ying chess in the second- floor living room." "Alright. I''ll send some refreshments overter." Wanda nodded slightly. She took off her jacket and put it aside for the maid to dry Luca''s jacket first. The maid walked into theundry room with Luca''s jacket. After taking off her scarf and gloves, she said to Luca, "Luca, have a seat first. I''ll go prepare some snacks and tea." "Let me help you," said Luca. Wanda shook her head in disagreement. "You''re the guest. How can I let you help?" "Just let me help. Moving around is better than sitting," said Luca. She had not made food for Old Man Rayne in a long time. She remembered that he used to love her cooking and her snacks. He even praised her for making the best food in the world. At that time, she had thought that she would be able to spend her entire life as his filial granddaughter. Little did she know that after changing her identity, even the simplest things like visiting him had be so difficult. Wanda saw how she insisted and was ready to say no until she heard Luca say, "Aunt Rayne, if you want me to sit in the living room and wait until you''re done, maybe I should just leave." "Don''t, don''t. I can''t argue with you, huh? Come on, let''s go prepare together," said Wanda. After she agreed, Luca smiled and walked into the kitchen with her. "I''ll make tea for the two old masters first. They both love to drink tea after waking up," said Wanda as she handed her the other apron. After taking that apron and tying it on, Luca said, "So, what do I have to do?" Wanda took out the tea leaves and picked up the mountain spring water used especially for making tea and said helplessly, "I need to think about what snacks to prepare. Usually, I would''ve had everything prepared, but because Jean and Marie came over and caused so much trouble, I didn''t have the time." "I''ll make some sugar-free cookies. Is that okay?" asked Luca. "You even know how to make cookies?" Wanda was a little surprised. "Yup, I like eating them too," said Luca. "Sure. My father loves cookies, but he still likes his granddaughter''s cookies the most. However, after everything that happened, he hasn''t eaten them in a long time. The cookies I make are not as good as my niece''s, so I''ll hand the task to you, okay?" said Wanda while making tea. "No problem. Where are the ingredients?" asked Luca. "They''re in the cupboard and fridge." "Alright. I''ll get started, then." Luca did not dilly-dally and started working on it right after she found the ingredients. Wanda was a little shocked to see her movements. How did she find all the ingredients so quickly? She knew where all the ingredients were as if she lived here. Luca gathered all the ingredients and skillfully made the cookies. After Wanda finished making the tea, she said, "Luca, I''ll send the tea up first. I''lle down and help youter." "Alright," said Luca. After taking a look at the kitchen oven, she saw that it was big enough to make some cupcakes after she was done making cookies. She remembered that Grandpa Rayne was different from others. He loved these snacks the most and said that they were delicate and delicious. Luca understood that the older generation had been through a lot, so these snacks were new foods to him at the time, which was why he liked them. Chapter 2157 Wanda carried the tea upstairs and saw that the two old masters were in fact sitting in the second-floor living room ying chess. ¡°Dad, Old Master Crawford, have some tea first. The refreshments will only be der." Wanda did not mention the incident with Jean and Marie. However, Old Man Rayne had heard about it from the maid. He waited until she put down the tea before asking, "Has that girl left?" "Dad, you know about it..." Wanda sighed resignedly. "The maid was the one who helped me after I woke up from my nap. How could I not know? Hasn''t it been some time since she came here? Why is she back?" Old Man Rayne may be old and in need of affection from his family, but he did not have even the slightest bit of affection for Marie. He thought that Marie was gone for good. He did not expect her toe again today, which made him feel disgusted. In Wanda''s haste to rush out, she forgot to inform the maid to not tell the old master about this. She then nced at Old Master Crawford. Old Man Rayne noticed it and said, "It''s fine for him to hear about it. Just tell me what''s going on." Old Master Crawford added, "Yes, yes, don''t treat me as an outsider. I want to hear what''s going on too." "That child has a boyfriend and said that she brought her boyfriend over to visit you. She even said that she bought a bunch of gifts for you," Wanda had no choice but to say as Old Master Crawford also knew about what had happened between the Rayne family and Marie. She felt ashamed to say it in front of him. "She wouldn''t be so kind." Old Man Rayne picked up his teacup and took a slow sip. Old Master Crawford was shrewd enough to notice the grim look on her face and asked, "Who is that girl''s boyfriend?" "It''s Jean Langdon." Wanda did not try to hide it as she reckoned that Jean and Marie would not stop there. They might stille over again. Fortunately, it was hard for the old master to walk, so he would not step out of the house. He would not be able to catch both of them red-handed and get worked up. "Him?" Old Man Rayne was very familiar with that name. Even after all these years, he remembered all the things Jean had done to Bianca back then because of his unrequited love. "Didn''t they break up?" said Old Man Rayne as he remembered clearly that Jean and Marie had broken up after getting together. "I don''t know why they''re together again. They even said that they wanted to visit you, but the problem has been resolved," said Wanda. She saw Old Master Crawford open up the chessboard and helped set up the pieces. "Jean is a troublemaker as well. I heard Luke mention that he caused trouble at a bar because of a woman and the person he beat up was sent to the ICU. After he survived the critical period, he was moved to the general ward but had a sudden heart attack. The doctors weren''t there at the time, so Luca was the one who had to rescue the man," said Old Master Crawford with a tone of admiration for Luca. "Inform the management about these two and tell the security guards to not let them in." The old master just wanted to live in peace and quiet without being disturbed by all of this. He also wanted his granddaughter to be by his side, but the granddaughter he had in mind was certainly not Marie. "I know," said Wanda. When Old Master Crawford was telling the story about Jean hurting people, she noticed that he had mentioned a name. She asked out of curiosity, "Say, Old Master Crawford, are you close with Luca?" "Yes. Speaking of which, she''s also my benefactor. Luke got her to check my pulse once, and she said that there was no big issue, just some geriatric diseases. Then, I had her stay back for dinner. After she drank a bowl of tonic, guess what happened?" Old Master Crawford purposely stopped at a cliffhanger. Old Man Rayne also had a good impression of Luca, so he was interested in what the other man had to say. "What happened?" "She noticed that there were herbs in the tonic that was not suitable for me to take, and my insomnia was caused by consuming the herbs. My condition was made worse because of the herbs," Old Master Crawford exined after seeing how curious Old Man Rayne was. However, he did not mention that Susan was the one who had the cook add the herbs. There was a saying that he stood by, ''Don''t air your dirty linen in public''. "Luca is really brilliant," praised Old Man Rayne. "You''re right, there are not many people who are as knowledgeable as her about pharmacology at such a young age," Old Master Crawford boasted. An all-rounder like her who was also good with children was the best choice to rece Bianca to be by Luke''s side. Although Bianca was still Luke''s legitimate wife, no one knew where she was. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Old Master Crawford felt that it was a shame, but he also had a selfish desire for Luke to be happy and use that happiness to make up for his unfortunate childhood. Wanda listened to Old Master Crawford''spliments and was confused. It seemed that Luca was very close to the old master. Then, why did she look so nervous when she learned that Old Master Crawford was here? Old Man Rayne looked at Wanda who was deep in thought and asked, "Wanda, what snacks do we have today?" "You''ll find outter. I''ll go down and help out first." Wanda left them in suspense. Although Luca had volunteered to prepare cookies for the old masters as a snack, she was unsure of how good her cooking skills were. Therefore, she did not say anything on purpose. In case Luca did not do a good job, she could still bring out the snacks she bought from the store to serve the two old masters. "Alright, you go ahead." Old Man Rayne was unaware that Luca hade. He thought that she was going downstairs to help the maid. In the past, it would be fine to have no snacks, but Old Master Crawford was here, so snacks were a must. It would be best if they were not store-bought because that wouldck sincerity. Wanda went downstairs and walked into the kitchen to see that Luca had already prepared the dough and was ready to use the mold. "Wow, you''re so fast." Wanda was surprised to see that she was already molding cookies on the tray. "Because you let the buttere to room temperature beforehand, so I was able to do it this quickly," said Luca while her hand movements were neat and efficient. Wanda watched her work as efficiently as a professional dessert chef. The cookies came out looking great. Although she did not know how they would taste, they looked good enough as they were. "What can I do?" She had originally wanted to help, but it seemed like this was Luca''s home turf. Wanda just watched from the sidelines, not knowing what to do. She was worried that if she insisted on helping, she would be more of a hindrance instead. "I also want to make some cupcakes for the two elderly, Aunt Rayne. Why don''t you help me crack some eggs?" said Luca. "Alright, how many do you need?" Wanda thought that preparing more would also show their warm wee to Old Master Crawford, so she picked up a clean bowl. "Six, for now. No need to separate the egg whites. Just beat it," said Luca. "Okay." Wanda picked up the eggs, and one by one, she cracked a total of six eggs into the bowl. Chapter 2158 The oven was done preheating right after Luca finished shaping the cookies. After she ced the cookies in the oven, she looked back at Wanda and saw that the eggs in the bowl were beaten as well. ¡°Do I add flour next?" asked Wanda. She knew how to bake cakes. Usually, the next step would be to add flour, but she still subconsciously asked Luca. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. "Aunt Rayne, let me take it from here." Luca blinked. "Could it be that you have a secret recipe?" Wanda was curious and passed the baton to her. "Not really, but I''m not making a chiffon cake, so the steps are a little different," said Luca as she added the melted butter into the egg mixture. Then, she added an appropriate amount of sugar substitute and milk. Finally, she added the flour. Wanda watched her stir the mixture and took out cupcake molds from the cupboard to hold the batter. After Luca mixed the cake batter evenly, she poured it into the molds. Then, she readjusted the temperature of the oven and ced the cupcakes into the oven as well. Wanda was dumbfounded. "Is this going to work?" She had never seen different types of pastries being baked together. To be able to do this, one would need to be a professional patissier. "It''ll work. Your kitchen oven is big enough, and the temperature is just right. The cookies and cupcakes will be out of the oven in 20 minutes, so you don''t have to wait too long," said Luca. "I knew you were well-versed in the medical field, but I didn''t expect you to know your way around the kitchen as well," Wanda could not help but praise her. Was she really an all-rounder? "It''s just a hobby. I''m not that great at it. I just like dabbling in these kinds of stuff when I''m not busy." Luca washed her hands clean and pulled out a paper towel to wipe away the water on the surface. Wanda looked at her long and slender hands. She did not seem like the type of person who would do these things at all. One could not judge a book by its cover, after all. Wanda poured her a cup of tea. "Good work. Have some tea." Luca took the teacup and smiled faintly. "Thank you." She took a sip of tea and had no intention of leaving the kitchen as every oven had its temperament. To avoid burning the cookies and cupcakes, she stayed there to watch over them. Besides, it was thest step. No mistakes could be made. Wanda understood, so she did not have Luca leave the kitchen. She poured a cup of tea and leaned against the kitchen counter to chat with her. ¡°I heard from Old Master Crawford that you once helped nurse him back to health?" Luca did not expect Old Master Crawford to tell her about this. She felt apprehensive for a moment as she hoped that the old master had only said so much and kept the rest to himself. "Yes, Mr. Crawford was worried about Old Master Crawford''s health, so he asked me to go over and check his pulse," said Luca. "How brilliant. You know so much at such a young age. Be honest, you must really like medicine, right?" There was some admiration in Wanda''s tone. "It''s alright. I just hate leaving my fate in the hands of others, especially people I don''t know very well. That''s why I studied medicine," said Luca. She did indeed hate that, but that was in fact her current situation. Everything was in the hands of Abel, and she could not escape. Wanda furrowed her eyebrows as she sipped her tea. "That''s an unusual reason to pursue medicine." "Is it? Doctors don''t heal themselves, but when people are sick, it''s often the most critical time for them. I''m not willing to see the people I care about the most in the hands of another doctor." Wanda felt like she could empathize with her words. If she had to entrust her loved ones to a doctor because of diseases, she would feel helpless too. "So, how did you end up on the research path instead of bing a doctor?" she asked as she was curious to know everything about Luca. "I''m not used to seeing life and death. I don''t like the oppressiveness of hospitals, so I switched to biopharmaceuticals." Luca made up another round of nonsense. Did she have the freedom to choose? No, because it was all Abel''s arrangement. The fact that she was able to help the people closest to her amid his n was already considered lucky. When she was done talking, the maid walked in. The aroma of the cookies and cupcakes in the oven had already diffused into the air. "It smells so good. What snacks have you made, Madam?" "Luca made cookies and cakes." Wanda pursed her lips and smiled. "They''re so fragrant. If we bake them a little longer, the aroma will spread to the second floor. The two old masters will start drooling for sure." The maid took another deep breath. The aroma was even more irresistible than the pastries in bakeries. "They''re truly very fragrant," said Wanda. If the old master were not ying chess upstairs right now, he woulde down after smelling it too. The maid looked at Luca with sparkling eyes. "Ms. Craw, can you give me the recipe? I''ll go home and make them for my kids too." "Of course. I''ll send it to Aunt Raer. You can ask her for it," said Luca. It was just a food recipe, not a form for drugs. Of course, she could share it. "How kind of you. Thank you," said the maid thankfully. ¡°There are quite a lot of cookies and cupcakes, so pack some upter and bring them home for the kids to try when you get off work," said Wanda as she guessed that the four of them would not be able to finish them. "Thank you, Madam." The maid was pleasantly surprised. 20 minutester, a ding came from the oven, so Luca wore oven mitts and took out both the cookies and cupcakes. The maid watched from aside and could not help but utter, "Well done." "If you want to make some for your kids, you can choose to make shapes. The cookie batter is easily malleable, so the cookies would not only taste great but look nice too," said Luca as she was very satisfied with how the cookies and cupcakes had turned out. If the three little ones at home were to see this, they would be drooling. "Okay." The maid hurriedly picked up a te to help with the ting. After they were done ting the snacks, Wanda carried it and said to Luca, "Luca, why don''t we go upstairs together and have a chat with the old masters?" "Sure." Luca agreed. Although she was worried that Old Master Crawford would blurt something out when he got too excited, she wanted to see her grandpa. After weighing her options, she decided to visit her grandpa. Wanda carried the snacks while Luca carried two cups of tea as they went upstairs together. Old Master Crawford''s nose shrewdly sniffed the scent. He said to himself, "The aroma is getting closer and closer. I''m indeed getting a little hungry." Old Man Rayne moved a chess piece and said, "You have to finish this game even if you''re hungry." "Well, that''s a given. Did you think that I was finding excuses halfway because I''m afraid of losing?" said Old Master Crawford while making a move. "The refreshments are here." Wanda ced the snacks on the coffee table. "Dad, Old Master Crawford, these snacks were made by Luca. Stop your chess game and give them a taste." Chapter 2159 Only after Wanda had called attention to herself did the two old masters who were ying chess realize that Luca was here. Old Master Crawford was all smiles as he watched Luca sit down. He said, ¡°Luca, what brings you here? Did you purposelye over to visit me because you knew I was here?" Old Man Rayne immediately waved his hand and said with a straight face, "I''ve seen my fair share of shameless people, yet I''ve never met anyone as shameless as you. Of course, Luca came here to visit me. Isn''t that right, Luca?" After saying that, he looked at Luca with all smiles as well. Luca did not know whether tough or cry when she saw the two old masters behave like mischievous children. She put down the tray in her hands on the coffee table and said, "Old Masters, would you care to try my creations?" The aroma of the cookies on the coffee table smelled amazing. Old Master Crawford could not help but drool a little. "Luca, of course, I know how good your cooking skills are. That boy, Tommy, thinks about the food you make every day." Luca froze. The old master''s slip-ups might actually reveal some information. Sure enough, Wanda asked in confusion, "Tommy?" Old Master Crawford nced at Luca and realized that he had said too much, but his demeanor remained calm. "Before this, the child threw a tantrum and ran away from home. He happened to be picked up by Luca and she brought him home." "I didn''t even know this happened." Old Man Rayne sat on the sofa with the help of Wanda. Luca''s eyes lit up. "Old Master Rayne, you can walk now." "That''s right. After your treatment, my joints don''t hurt that much anymore. I can walk a few steps with Wanda''s help. It''s all thanks to your medicine, Luca," Old Master Rayne said delightfully. In fact, he had only started trying to walk in the past few days. He had gotten much betterpared to before. He knew that he was getting old and it would be difficult for him to return to his old self, so he was satisfied to even be able to reach this point. Old Master Crawford sat on the sofa and praised her as well, "Luca is so capable. Let me try this cookie to see if it''s really as delicious as they say it is." While saying that, he picked up a cookie and tasted it. The cookies were delicious. They were crispy, and they instantly melted in his mouth. They were suitable for elderly people with bad teeth. He gave a huge thumbs up. ¡°Yummy. It''s the first time I''ve had such delicious cookies." "Really? I want to try them too." Old Master Rayne took a piece, and after tasting it, he could not resist reaching for a second one. "They really are delicious." After seeing how much the two old masters liked the snacks, Wanda ced each of their teacups in front of them and admonished, "Dad, no matter how delicious they are, you can''t have too much. You need to control your blood sugar." "These cookies are better than store-bought ones. You really are good, Luca." Old Man Rayne complimented her and thought of Bianca. That girl used to love making such pastries in the kitchen too. Luca smiled and said, "Old Man Rayne, you can eat to your heart''s content. I''ve reced the sugar in the cookies and cupcakes with xylitol, so your blood sugar won''t spike after eating it." She knew that Old Man Rayne still had high blood sugar, so when making them, she specifically rummaged through the cupboards to find xylitol. "Brilliant. It seems like I can eat my fill today." Old Man Rayne took a sip of tea, while Old Master Crawford had already picked up the cupcake on the side. He took a bite. Luca listened as he praised her, "It''s so good." Wanda watched as the two old master''s minds were no longer on chess butpletely on tasting the snacks. She picked up a piece and ate it too. It was indeed delicious, and it tasted even better than the ones made in bakeries. Old Man Rayne always had a sweet tooth, and since Luca made these with sugar substitutes, he could have as much as he wanted and still feel at ease. "Luca, don''t just sit there. Come and have some too," said Old Master Crawford after he saw that she had not moved. Luca nodded and picked up a cookie. She had specifically modified the recipe to make it easier to eat for people with bad teeth. The four of them sipped tea while eating the snacks Luca made. As Luca listened to the two old masters bicker, happiness emerged in her heart. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Old Master Crawford used to bicker with her grandpa like this too. This scene was like in the past as if nothing had changed. On the other hand. After Nina left the Rayne family''s house, she did not run into Jean and Marie. She guessed that they came in a taxi and left in one too. She got into the car and was about to go to Jean''s house. Before she could even start her car, she received a call from Sue. "Nina, is the problem solved?" Sue said with concern. "It''s solved for the time being, all thanks to Luca..." Nina''s voice was filled with powerlessness. She really did not know what to do with Jean. If not for Anna, she would rather have Jean be in the detention center to repent and not create trouble for himself and others. "Luca solved it.." Sue was a little shocked. Nina briefly ryed the matter to her and said, ¡°It was all thanks to Luca. If not, I would have called the police." What had she gone through to be willing to have the police arrest her own brother? Sueforted her and said, "Well, it''s finally settled, so cheer up." "Sue, have you ever felt that Luca is like a certain someone?" said Nina suddenly. After everything Luca had done, especially when she protected her, Nina would feel as though Luca was someone she was very familiar with. However, the two people looked different. "I''ve always had that feeling but Bianca and Luca are two very different people," said Sue as Luca also reminded her of Bianca. However, Luca was not Bianca. "I feel the same way. That feeling is too familiar." Nina sighed and added, "Let''s not talk about it now. I''m going to get even with Jean." "If you''re trying to get even with him, be careful. Do you need Percy to apany you?" Sue was worried that Jean would hurt Nina after everything that happened. Although Jean did not have much involvement with her, she could still tell that Jean was inhumane. "There''s no need to rm him over such a small matter. Plus, Jean wouldn''t dare toy a finger on me now," Nina was telling the truth. Although Jean was upset with her now, for the sake of his future, he would not dare do anything to hurt her. The fact that Jean was idle was because he had made up his mind to depend on Percy. The person Percy loved was her, so even if Jean did not care about their kinship, he would still care about Percy. "Still, be careful. Jean has been brainwashed by Marie, and that woman is a total nutjob. Her dirty tactics have made him repeatedly fall into her hands, which means that she can easily trick people and she holds grudges. You''d better watch out," Sue felt uneasy. They had all seen what Marie could do. Chapter 2160 ¡°Okay, I''ll be careful. I''m about to drive, so I''ll hang up now," said Nina as she ended the call with Sue and drove to Jean''s home. While waiting for the traffic light, she thought about what Sue said and reconsidered. She decided to send a voice message to Percy to tell him about what just happened and notify him that she was heading over to Jean''s ce. Percy did not reply. Nina assumed that he was busy, so she continued driving to Jean''s home without sending any more messages. She parked her car somewhere nearby as Jean currently lived in the Langdon family''s old house. The parking spaces would be full if she went any farther, so she could only park her car here and walk inside. Several motorcycles were parked in front of the house. Nina frowned. It seemed like not only Jean and Marie were inside but their scoundrel friends too... However, she could not tell whose friends they were. Nina took out her keys and opened the door. The sound of an uproar came from the living room. She walked in with a frown to see several men with vibrantly dyed hair drinking on the sofa. These people did not seem like the type of people that Jean hung out with. Nina reckoned that they were with Marie. Jean, that bastard, not only became a mess after being charmed by Marie, but he even let her bring back all these hooligans. "Where''s Jean?" she asked the men. Their vulgarnguage came to a stop as they turned to look at Nina. Their leader was a scrawny guy who leered at her. He asked, "Why are you looking for him?" "To get my revenge." Nina crossed her arms in front of her chest as the way these people were looking at her made her ufortable. She could see through these men''s cunning expressions at first nce. "That kid, Jean, is up to something big right now. What did he do to you? We''ll let you take it out on us. Why don''t you tell us about it?" The leader of the hooligans smiled maliciously. They had seen their fair share of women who made a living on the streets, but it was their first time seeing someone like Nina. She was quite pretty and had ss. He thought to himself, ''Jean, that son of a b*tch, had such a good woman by his side, yet he never introduced her to me.'' Nina knew what he meant by ''up to something'', so she frowned and said, "He''s in the bedroom, isn''t he?" With that, she walked to the bedroom. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. The man grabbed her arm. "Hey, don''t bother others when they''re up to something. Why? Did he cheat on you? Why not consider being with someone else? My name is Jonny, and I''m the boss of the streets here. Being with me is much better than being with that cheater, Jean." Nina made a sour face. She looked at the man''s hand and yanked her arm away. She was here alone and would be at a disadvantage if she were toy a finger on him. Otherwise, she would definitely have pped him across the face. "Hey, you''re a feisty one. Girl, Jean is with Marie now. Although you''re better than Marie, he much prefers the yful type. If youe with me, I promise to make you happy for life." Jonny did not get angry as he had been pushed away countless times, but he always got his way in the end. Hence, being humiliated in front of others was not a big deal to him. "Shut the f*ck up. I''m Jean''s sister!" Nina frowned as she pulled out a wet tissue from her bag to wipe where the man touched her. Disgusting, absolutely disgusting! Nina started to regret her decision. She should have gotten Percy to apany her or brought along the bodyguards Percy sent. At least then she would not be taken advantage of nor be at a disadvantage. "Oh, you''re Jean''s sister?" Jonny looked Nina up and down. "Jean had such a pretty sister, yet he never told me. Tsk tsk, how ungrateful. What was he hiding you for?" Nina rolled her eyes and walked straight to the bedroom. She knocked hard on the door. "Jean, get your ass out of here!" Jonny stepped forward and tried to pull Nina''s hand. She noticed it and swiftly dodged. "What are you doing?" After hearing her angry tone, Jonny chuckled and said, "Why are you ruining your brother''s fun time? Come here. Don''t be mad. Let''s sit down and talk." "Get out! Get out of my house!" Nina said furiously as she was annoyed by these hooligans. "Hey, you''ve got quite a temper, but I like it. You''re Jean''s sister, right? Why don''t youe with me? I''ll make sure you''ll have a good life." Jonny liked fiery women. The more he looked at her, the more he liked her. Nina''s voice managed to startle Jean. He hurriedly walked out without even putting his clothes on properly and frowned as he looked at Nina. "Why are you here?" "I came to fix your crap. Get this gang of friends of yours out of this house, or I won''t tolerate it any longer!" Nina said with a frown. The environment here was already pretty shabby in the first ce, but these people made it even dirtier. A once perfect home had been ruined by these people. "Jean, why did you never introduce me to your beautiful sister? Which man are you trying to exploit?" Jonny used Jean as if he did not hear Nina''s order of eviction. "No, Jonny, let me exin." Jean could not attend to the woman who was still in the room. He nned to get rid of Nina first, lest she spoiled everything. ¡°Say no more. Have your sister follow me and I''ll give you two a good life. You''ll be respected by people on the streets too." Jonny waved his hand and said to Nina, "What do you think? Come with me and I''ll take care of you." Nina saw that his dirty hands were about to caress her face, so she took a step back out of disgust and said, "Go away. If you dare touch me, I''ll make you regret it." Jonny burst outughing. "Make me regret it? What can you do to make me regret it?" Jean saw how reckless Jonny acted. If Percy found out that Jonny was hitting on his woman, it would be a miracle if he were able to survive in A City, let alone live on the streets. "Bro, stop it. She''s my sister, my only biological sister," Jean hurriedly said to dissuade Jonny and avoid letting Nina know that he had been abusing his power using Percy''s name. "I know she''s your sister. If you let here with me, wouldn''t that make us even closer?" Jonny nced at his brothers behind him and signaled them to get up. The man standing beside him remembered something and whispered, "Boss, isn''t Jean''s sister Percy''s woman? The CEO of Mallory Corporation." "Percy?" Jonny was stunned. There was not a single soul in A City who did not recognize that name, especially gangsters like them. He looked at Jean with inquiring eyes. "Yes, Jonny," Jean said resignedly. Jonny looked at Nina. "Are you really Percy''s woman?" Chapter 2161 Nina looked at Jean, and he subconsciously dodged her eye contact. She could tell what was going on with just one gesture of his. "Jean." Nina''s voice was low and had a warning tone. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Jean could not help but shiver a little and hurriedly said to Jonny, "Jonny." Jonny lifted his hand and interrupted him, "Shut up." Jean shut his mouth instantly. Jonny looked at Nina and said with a smile, "So you''re Percy''s girlfriend. Forgive me for the nonsense I said just now. It was ignorant of me to have failed to recognize you." Nina was disgusted at Jonny''s change of attitude. Before she could give another eviction order, Jean informed him, "Jonny, my sister is now Percy''s fiancee." Although the engagement was low-key, Percy''s announcement after it happened was very high-profile. Therefore, practically everyone in A City knew that Percy was engaged. "Oh, yes, yes, I forgot. Your sister is already engaged to Percy." Jonny pped the back of his head. "Hey, don''t me me. If you had made things clear earlier, there wouldn''t have been this confusion, isn''t that right? Anyway, you can be the bigger person and don''t me me. I''ll be your underling from now on. I''ll follow behind you and Percy. I''ll help you solve all your problems." Nina knew that Percy was renowned in A City''s underworld and perhaps not just A City. Despite that, Percy would never get involved with people like Jonny. The people who helped Percy deal with things were professionally trained, and when confronted, it would not be an exaggeration to say that they could transform themselves into well-trained soldiers. Those people were absolutely not the type of people to abuse their power by relying on fighting to gain territory. They did not make a living from extortion. "Percy doesn''t need your help," Nina said coldly. Since he was so afraid of Percy''s name, she deliberately mentioned it. Besides, there was no shame in mentioning her own man''s name. "You!" Jonny did not expect her to humiliate him. "Jonny, don''t be angry. Some people just like assuming someone else''s power. She''s just using Percy''s name to scare you." Marie''s voice could be heard from the bedroom. Nina looked toward the bedroom door. Marie was already standing there, leaning against Jean as though she was without bones. She did not even properly put on her clothes. There was just a piece of fabric that sparsely covered some ces. Nina looked at her furiously. This was how she bewitched Jean! ¡°Jonny, why don''t you guys go first? She has something important to say to me," said Jean in a hurry. Jonny was grim-faced. "What about my matter?" "I''ll definitely help you," Jean said hastily. He had already taken his money, so of course, he had to say so. "Alright, you said it. If you break your promise, you''ll have to sever an arm for me." After Jonny warned him, he turned around to leave. The people behind him followed him and left. The living room fell silent. Nina had a bad feeling about this. "What did you promise him?" Jean had a sullen face. "It''s none of your business." "You think I want to know? If I didn''t have to save your ass every time, I wouldn''t even bother finding out. Jean, you''ve caused enough trouble. If there''s a next time, I won''t give a damn about you anymore," Nina warned. "Wow, is this how a sister should act? Don''t you know how to respect your elder brother?" Marie put her arm around his. "Shut up and get out of this house!" Nina saw the intimacy between them and flew into a rage. This woman had harmed Jean before, yet she still wanted to continue harming him? "I''m your brother''s girlfriend and also your sister-inw. This is your brother''s house. Why can''t I be here? Plus, watch your mouth. If the reporters find out that this is how you treat your family, I''m assuming that Percy will be disgusted, right? When that timees, your dream of marrying rich would be shattered." Marie was not afraid of her. Nina was not going to pay any attention to her. She looked at Jean instead and asked, "What exactly did you promise that hooligan?" "There''s no need for you to know," Jean said impatiently. Marie also taunted her, "What? You managed to join a rich family, so you don''t care about your brother or your sick and dying mother. He has no choice but to stand on his own two feet by helping people do some things. Is there a problem with that? Unless you''ll only be happy when he starves to death? Tsk, tsk, tsk, I don''t know how someone could even fall for that evil heart of yours." Nina slowly clenched her fists as she listened to Marie constantly stir up trouble. "Marie, do you think I don''t know the sh*t you''re doing behind his back?" "What did I do?" Marie frowned. "Fine, I''ll say it. Jean, listen up. Remember what happened at the bar? Marie teamed up with the owner of the bar to plot against you. I''ve investigated everything clearly, and it''s not the first time she''s done something like this. She''s been going to different bars, cooperating with the bar owners to provoke people to fight and destroy the bar equipment. Then, she would have those peoplepensate for it. In your case, she had it all nned out, yet you''re still protecting her like a fool. You even got back together with her. You almost became a murderer. Open your eyes and take a good look at the vicious woman beside you!" said Nina as she could not help but push her finger against his head, hoping to knock some sense into him. Jean looked at Marie. ¡°Is what she said true?'' Of course, Marie shook her head and denied it. "Jean, it''s not at all like what she said. She just wants to destroy our rtionship, so she made up such a wicked lie." Nina snorted, "I offered a sky-high payout to the bar owner you worked with, but he had to give me a little something in return." "What is it?" Marie had a bad feeling. "The surveince video recording of you teaming up with him. It recorded your conversation with him crystal clear." Nina looked at Marie whose face slowly turned pale, then she turned to look at Jean. "If you want to see it, I can send it to your email as soon as I go back." Jean''s face took on a ghastly expression. He lifted his hand and pped Marie. "Is what she said true?" Marie continued to deny it. She shook her head and endured the prickling pain on her face while her hatred for Nina filled her heart. "No, she''s ruining our rtionship on purpose by spreading lies. I''ve loved you for so long. How could I do such a thing? If she really had evidence, she would''ve taken it out to stop us from the very start instead of waiting until now. She''s doing it on purpose." Jean thought that she had a point and looked at Nina suspiciously. Nina knew that he believed in Marie''s bullsh*t. She internally cursed at his stupidity. Chapter 2162 Nina snorted when she saw Marie weeping and sobbing. ¡°If you had gotten together peacefully, then I wouldn''t have bothered. Besides, both of you are just two peas in a pod, hurting each other. I have no problem with that. But Marie, youpelled him to go to the Rayne family''s house today with malicious intentions. That''s why I brought this up. Jean, if you don''t believe me, open your email in an hour." She uploaded the video the bar owner gave her onto her cloud storage because phones could easily be lost. Marie listened to her tone, and Nina did not sound like she was bluffing. She red at Nina with bloodshot eyes and snarled at her. "Nina, why are you trying to screw me over?" Nina acted as if she did not hear her. She stared straight at Jean and warned him, "In the future, don''t even think of going to the Rayne family''s house. I''ve already told Aunt Rayne that if you dare cause her trouble again, she can just call the police without informing me." After saying that, she turned around and left. She no longer paid any attention to Jean and Marie''s tug of war. Besides, she had already said everything she wanted to say. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Nina turned to leave, and a loud pping sound came from behind her. She did not have to turn around to know that it was Jean who did it to Marie. Nina returned to her car, only to find out that she had left her phone in the car. Her phone was ringing non-stop, so she immediately picked it up to see that it was Percy calling. Her heart skipped a beat as she epted the call. "Percy, I left my phone in the car," she exined first without waiting for the other person to speak. When Percy heard her voice, his tone was tense. "Did anything happen? I was in an international meeting earlier and my phone was muted." He usually would not silence his phone during meetings as he was worried that Nina would not be able to reach him in case anything happened, but this meeting was rather important. Plus, Nina had the day off and did not have any special ns, so he put his phone on mute out of respect for the other party. He did not expect to see her message after the meeting. Percy immediately called her, but she was not picking up. He called over ten times and was worried that Jean might have done something to Nina, so he had already arranged for someone to rush over to her. ¡°Nothing happened, don''t worry. I just went to talk to him about something and left my phone in the car. Sorry for worrying you." Nina felt all warm inside as this man clearly loved her and cared about her. What more could she want? "Good thing nothing happened. Don''t do this again." Percy urged her. He had panicked when he could not reach her and was worried that something might have happened to her. "Okay, there won''t be t next time. Are you done with work?" asked Nina. "I''m done. Stay there and I''ll go pick you up." Percy gestured to indicate that he did not need a driver because he did not like other people bothering him when he was with Nina as he wanted to feel like they were the only two people in the world. "You don''t need toe over. I''ll drive back now. It''s troublesome and a waste of time if youe, so I''ll see you at home." The corners of Nina''s lips raised to form a smile. "Alright, see you at home." Percy knew that Nina was not that pretentious. If she said that he did not need to pick her up, she meant it. If he still went over there to pick her up, she wouldin. "I''ll drive the car back now." Nina ended the call and drove away. In the Langdon family''s house. Marie''s face was pped by Jean three times in a row. She covered her face and cried out in pain, "Jean, you son of a b*tch! How could you beat me after listening to Nina? I loved you so much for nothing." "Love me? If you loved me, would you have lied to me like I was a fool? Marie, tell me honestly. Did you set up everything that happened in the bar that day?" Jean pointed at her nose with a ghastly expression. Marie had intended to take it to her grave, but it urred to her that Nina had the video, so she bit the bullet and said, "Yes, what that b*tch Nina said was true, but it wasn''t my intention to harm you. I wanted to harm someone else. I didn''t expect you to be involved, and things just got out of hand. I wasn''t thinking straight. I was out of my mind and didn''t know how to stop..." Jean heard her admit it and raised his hand again. Marie immediately dodged it. "Jean, before you came, my target was Tyrone. I was thinking of finding someone else to do the deed. I didn''t think that you''de over, and that''s when I tried to stop you. Have you forgotten? You were never my target." Jean frowned and recalled what had happened that day. Things did seem that way. When he walked into the bar, Marie was already sitting next to Tyrone. He went over there of his own ord. Marie noticed him frowning and knew that her n was working. Now, she just had to make it all seem like an ident. Then, she would not have to be afraid of whatever video Nina had. When she first talked to the bar owner, she used the name of some kid from a well-off family in ce of Jean''s name. That little detail had given her a good excuse to use today. "Who was your target?" "A nouveau riche. I was going to provoke him to get into a fight with Tyrone," said Marie while sobbing. "Why would you do such a thing?" asked Jean. Marie looked at him sadly. "Do you think I wanted to? I''m penniless, and the Rayne family doesn''t care about me. It''s hard for a woman to make a living. This was the only way to make money fast. To be honest with you, it''s not the first time I''ve done this. Simr things happen in other bars, but the owners would find someone to stop the fight once it gets to a certain point. Usually, it''d only cause property damage, and the parties involved wouldn''t be seriously injured. After they paid, I could get the commission. Who knew that you''d go so hard? I was scared to death." Jean looked at her and wanted to act against his conscience. However, after realizing that she did it for money, he questioned her, ¡°Nina helped mepensate arge sum of money to the boss, so you must''ve earned a lot of money this time right?" After he brought up the money, Marie refused to say the truth. "I didn''t get a lot of money. It was a fixed price. It''s not like I''m gettingmission from selling things. It was just a little bit of money. I spent some a while ago, and I used the rest to buy those supplements." She pointed at the supplements on top of the cab that the hooligans had already opened. "No more money?" Jean''s eyes widened. Although they were supplements, they were just rip-offs that did not cost much. Marie nodded and wept. To make him believe her, she said, "That boss was particrly stingy. He agreed to give me that little amount of money, but he told me afterward that someone almost died at his bar because of me. He said that it was bad luck, so he took a cut of my share. If he weren''t afraid that I would expose him, perhaps he wouldn''t have even given me a penny. Jean, my love for you is genuine. I won''t hide anything from you ever again." Chapter 2163 Jean squinted his eyes and looked at her red and swollen cheeks without a semnce ofpassion. Instead, he felt resentment. Marie saw that he did not respond, so she immediately pounced and hugged him. ¡°Jean, I really love you. Don''t give up on our rtionship okay?" Jean listened to her weeping with disgust and said, "You can''t lie to me anymore." "I swear, I''ll never lie to you again! Let''s live a happy life together, okay?" Marie reassured him. It urred to Jean that Marie still had the Rayne family behind her, and he became gentle. He touched her red and swollen face and asked in a low voice, "Does it hurt?" Marie nodded. "I did this because I got too angry just now. I''m sorry. Don''t be angry at me," Jean apologized. He knew that Marie wanted to get close to him for a reason, but at the same time, he had an ulterior motive for getting close to her as well The reason he overreacted was that he had just found out from Nina that Marie set him up. After Marie exined things, he was no longer mad. "I''m not angry with you. I did do some things that hurt you. Jean, after being through so much together, please don''t give up on me." Marie hugged him. Jean pushed her away and said, "I won''t leave you. Sit down. I''ll go get you an ice pack." After saying that, he walked into the kitchen. Marie''s pitiful appearance changed instantly. She looked at a certain corner in the living room with sad yet vicious eyes. Nina... Jean... She must remember what they did to her and make them fall into an abyss of doom! In the Rayne family''s house. After Old Man Rayne and Old Master Crawford were done enjoying their snacks, they continued ying chess. Luca sat aside and watched with great interest. She would even talk to the old masters from time to time. Wanda was doing some work in her little workshop. She was at ease as Luca was there to help look after the old masters. When it was 4:30 in the afternoon, Luca nced at the time and realized that it was time for her to go pick up the children. If she waste, Lanie and Rainie would understand, but Tommy, the little one who did not want to go to calligraphy ss in the first ce, would have something to say. Luca saw that the two old masters were still ying chess, so she waited for a while. When the game was over, she said, ¡°Grandpa Rayne, I have something to attend to, so I''ll be leaving." Old Man Rayne stopped rearranging the chess pieces and looked at her, "So soon? Aren''t you staying for dinner?" Lucaughed when she heard him persuade her to stay. She wanted to spend more time with the old man too, but now was now the time. "No, I have some things to do, and I''ve promised some other people." "It''s a pity. I was going to ask Wanda to cook more food tonight." Disappointment could be seen in Old Man Rayne''s eyes. Very few young people could sit here and watch them y for more than an hour. This showed that Luca was patient, and the old man liked patient people. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Old Master Crawford guessed that the people Luca said she had made a promise to were the three children, so he assisted her and said, "The most important thing for young people is to keep their promises. Don''t make things difficult for Luca." "Alright, let Wanda send you off." Old Man Rayne agreed with Old Master Crawford''s words that one should keep their promises. Before Luca could say no, the old master had already called for Wanda, "Wanda,e out for a moment." His voice was sonorous when he called for her, which made Luca smile. It seemed like his health was getting better every day. He waspletely different from back then when he always experienced shortness of breath. Wanda walked out of the workshop and asked curiously, "Dad, what''s wrong?" "Luca wants to leave. Please send her off," said Old Man Rayne. Wanda looked at Luca and urged her to stay. "Going back so soon? Why don''t you stay for dinner?" "I can''t, Aunt Rayne. I''ve made an appointment with others, so I have to keep my word," said Luca. Wanda could only nod and send Luca downstairs. When they arrived at the entrance, Luca picked up the jacket that had been dried off by the maid. When she saw Wanda put on her jacket as well, she hurriedly said, "Aunt Rayne, you can just see me off here. I''ll go out by myself. It''s cold outside." "It''s not a big deal. I''ll wear something warm. I won''t freeze no matter how cold it is," Wanda insisted on sending her off. Luca had no choice but to agree as her Aunt Wanda was very stubborn. They both walked out the door and to the entrance of the neighborhood. While walking, Wanda asked, "Luca, can I ask you a question?" "Sure," said Luca as she could guess what she was about to ask. ¡°Do you have a boyfriend?" asked Wanda. Luca was stunned as she did not expect her to ask such a question. ¡°No." ¡°I was just curious. I hope you don''t mind." Wanda did not say that she was going to introduce her to someone after Luca said that she did not have a boyfriend like how others would. She just wanted to make sure of something. ¡°I don''t mind. Besides, I don''t think I have time for things like dating, mainly because I''m too busy right now. My career is still on the rise, and I don''t want to waste time on rtionships," Luca said with duplicity. She used to devote her time to love, and at that time, she constantly put in the effort to be good enough to stand beside Luke. However, it seemed like now, she could only keep herself busy with work without even thinking about Luke or her love life. ¡°I heard from Luke that you stayed abroad before this, right?" Wanda smiled. ¡°Yes, I went abroad with my mother." Luca lowered her gaze and lied. ¡°The mindset abroad is very different from here, but no matter what, follow your own gut," said Wanda as she mentioned Bianca. ¡°My niece wanted to focus on her studies, but my brother unexpectedly fell sick, so she did a lot of things to take care of him, and her studies got dyed. She went through a lot to go abroad. After she returned, she wanted to focus on her career, but little did she know that she would fall in love and get married. I didn''t think that she would be able to juggle both her family and her career. Unfortunately,ter..." ¡°I heard that Brilliant Architectural Design LLC was established by the CEO''s wife?" Luca listened to Wandamenting her past and got a heartache. She also felt pity for what could have been. Unfortunately, she was powerless, and she could only watch as the past evolved into the way it was now. ¡°Yes, it seems like you know a lot too. But after she went abroad to study, thepany went under Luke''s management," said Wanda. ¡°I''ve heard about it," said Luca, and before she knew it, she had arrived at the gate. She stopped in her tracks and looked at Wanda. ¡°Aunt Rayne, you can just see me off here. My car is just parked right outside." Chapter 2164 "Alright, I won''t see you off, then. It''s snowing, so be careful of your safety when driving," Wanda reminded. Luca''s nose started to feel tingly. Wanda took care of her before she got married in Japan, and she did a better job taking care of her than anyone else. She realized that time and tide waited for no man as she saw the gray hair on her temples. The young ones were starting to grow old too. She had no way of repaying Wanda for all that she did for her in the past. "Okay, it''s cold. You should go in," said Luca as she looked down and walked out of the gate. When she returned to her car, she did not have the time to get all sentimental as the three little children were waiting for her to pick them up. Luca drove off to pick up Lanie and the others. The sses that Old Master Crawford enrolled them in were the best in A City, so the three children had sses in separate locations. Luca would first pick up Lanie and Rainie, then she would go pick up Tommy. The moment Tommy got into the car, he keptining about how boring the calligraphy ss was. After learning that Lanie and Rainie''s extra-curricr sses were fun, he pouted and said, "Brother, come with me to tell Great-grandpa that I want to go to the same ss with you." Lanie shook his head coolly and refused. "You''re too young. It''s not suitable for you." "Why?" Tommy stared at him with his big round eyes. He hated calligraphy. "Because you can''t sit still." Lanie patted his brother''s head and stated, "There must be a reason why Great-grandpa wants you to learn calligraphy." "The reason would be to bore me to death," Tommy said mercilessly. Then, he looked at Luca with his big innocent sparkling eyes. "Ms. Luca, why don''t you talk to Great-grandpa?" "I think it''s good that you''re learning calligraphy. Didn''t you say that you envied your dad''s neat handwriting?" said Luca as she remembered everything the children had said before. "Right, Daddy''s handwriting is very nice." There was admiration in Tommy''s voice when he mentioned Luke. "Great-grandpa sent Daddy to learn calligraphy since he was little. Brother, if you want to have nice handwriting, you have to practice calligraphy. That way, your handwriting will look as good as Daddy''s," said Lanie as he smoothly continued Luca''s words. Tommy''s eyes widened. "Why did Great-grandpa never tell me this before?" ¡°He said it in the past. Back then, we lived with Great-grandpa," said Lanie. When Luke was busy and during the time before their mother returned, they were put under Old Master Crawford''s care. Old Master Crawford would often talk about Luke in front of them, so they naturally knew more about him than Tommy. "I also remember that Great-grandpa said that Daddy used to write sloppily like you. He fixed it after learning from a calligraphy teacher." Rainie nodded. Tommy frowned. He also wanted to write as nicely as Daddy, but calligraphy was too torturous for him. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "But calligraphy is so boring. How did daddy do it?" he said. Lanie and Rainie looked at each other and giggled, then Luca replied, "As long as you have the desire to, you can learn to do well. If youin about calligraphy every day, how are you going to learn?" Tommy was determined all of a sudden. He waved his hand and said, "I must do a good job in calligraphy and write as beautifully as Daddy!" "Good luck, Brother." Rainie cheered for him, then she looked at Luca and said, "Ms. Luca, are you free tomorrow?" Luca nced at the child through the rearview mirror and shifted her focus to the road ahead again. "Yes, what is it?" "We have a small recital tomorrow, and it''s held at Star Carnival. Daddy happens to be away on a business trip, so can youe to see me perform, Ms. Luca?" said Rainie. All of her friends who learned dance with her said that their parents would go see their performance, so she wanted Luca to go too. Luke was far away, so she had no choice. However, she still had her mother, right? "Sure, I''ll send you there," Luca agreed in a heartbeat and thought of pushing back all of tomorrow''s ns. Research may be important, but her children were even more important. Although she could not be by their sides as their mother, she could still care for them. "Thank you, Ms. Luca." Rainie smiled sweetly as she was worried that she would get rejected at first. "I''m the one who should be thanking you for giving me the opportunity to see your beautiful dance," said Luca yfully. She remembered that Rainie loved to dance when she was younger. She did not think that she would still like it three yearster. This interest of hers may apany her for life, which was a good thing. Rainie heard Luca''s words, and a big smile appeared on her face. She knew that their mom still loved them. After they got home, Luca parked the car, and the children could not wait to get down from the car. Tommy asked Luca, "Ms. Luca, did you prepare snacks for us?" Luca was stunned. If not for the incident at the Rayne family''s house, she would have prepared snacks for them for sure. Luca closed the car door and said to him apologetically, "I went out this afternoon, so I couldn''t prepare any. I''m sorry, Tommy." Tommy smiled and shook his head. "It''s okay, Ms. Luca. You didn''t promise to prepare snacks anyway." "I''ll go make dinner. You kids go y for a while. It''ll be done in a bit," said Luca. The kids had finished their school homeworkst night, so other than the extra-curricr sses, they could do whatever they want on the weekends. "Then I''ll go practice calligraphy. Today, that old man, no, the teacher gave us homework. He said that we need to write two full pages and turn them in when we go tomorrow," said Tommy as he hopped into the house. Rainie and Lanie also followed him in. After Luca walked into the house and took off her jacket, she walked into the kitchen to see that Aunt Neile was already busy in the kitchen. As Luca instructed, she did not prepare the dishes but just washed all the vegetables. "Ms. Craw, you''re back," Aunt Neile greeted her. Luca nodded and looked at the vegetables Aunt Neile washed. She thought about it for a moment and knew what she was going to make for the kids. She put on the apron and started preparing dinner for the kids. Aunt Neile stood aside to assist her. Upstairs. Rainie took several tutus and walked to Lanie''s room in distress. "Lanie, can you help me pick a tutu?" Lanie put down his book. He looked at her and asked, "Is it for tomorrow''s performance?" "Yes, and I don''t know what to wear." Rainie looked at the tutus and scratched her head. "Aren''t they all the same?" Lanie looked at them. They were all white tutus. What was the difference? "Of course, they''re not the same. Look, the styles and the lengths are different." Rainie ced the tutus on the bed. "Lanie, help me choose now." "Aren''t you supposed to wear the same clothes as the rest for the performance? Why are you trying to stand out?" Lanie looked at each tutu and had no idea which one to choose. Plus, was this not a girl thing? Why did he have to pick? Chapter 2165 Rainie puffed her cheeks out and exined, "I''m the leading role, so the teacher said that my costume should be different from the other students." The teacher also knew that she had plenty of dance costumes at home, so she did not prepare one for her. Lanie frowned. "But I don''t know how to pick one." "Brother, aren''t you the smartest?" Rainie looked at the tutus. These few were the best-looking ones, but she somehow could not pick a favorite among them. Lanie raised his hand and flicked her forehead. "Ouch, what are you doing?" Rainie touched her head and looked at him in confusion. "I''m just a few minutes older than you. You should let mommy help you pick," said Lanie. How could she let him pick when he knew nothing about tutus? "Shh." Rainie immediately covered his mouth when he referred to Luca as Mommy. She looked back. Thank goodness no one was there. They had agreed to not address Luca as Mommy even behind her back to avoid Luca finding out. Instead, they should get used to calling her Ms. Luca until their dad straightened things out. "Okay, don''t be so scared. She''s downstairs preparing dinner right now. She won''te up." Lanie patted her head. Although they were twins, Lanie took after his father''s height and was half a head taller than Rainie. Rainie shook her head and scolded him with a stern face, "Brother, Great-grandpa has said it before. Better safe than sorry. We need to be careful. We can''t let Mo¡ªMs. Luca find out." After seeing his sister like this, Lanie could not help but wonder why they had to be so cautious just to have their mother around them when they were still kids. What in the world happened to their mother that she so heartlessly refused to recognize them? "Brother, are you thinking about something?" Rainie looked at Lanie who was lost in thought. She called his name in confusion. The twins were telepathic, so Rainie could roughly guess what he was thinking about. "Nothing. Let Ms. Luca pick one out for youter," said Lanie as he could not possibly pick out a tutu. "Okay." Rainie had to give up the idea of letting him help her, so she held the tutus in her arms and walked out of Lanie''s bedroom. After Luca finished preparing dinner, she asked Aunt Neile to bring the food to the table while she called the children down to eat. When Tommy heard that dinner was ready, he cheered and ran downstairs after putting down his pen. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Luca could not help but shake her head when she saw the child behave like this. She walked into the room to look at his writing, and she shook her head again. It seemed like Old Master Crawford had done the right thing by sending him to calligraphy ss. Other than stabilizing his mind, his handwriting needed more practice as well. Otherwise, no matter how smart the child was, if he was behind other people in the future just because of his handwriting, it would be hard on him. Luca helped put his pen away and informed Lanie. Lanie put down his book, nodded, and walked out of the bedroom. His nature was calm and steady just like a miniature version of Luke. Luca pushed the door open and walked into Rainie''s room to see her staring into the nk space on her chair. ¡°Rainie, what are you doing? It''s time to eat," said Luca. Rainie turned her head, and her eyes lit up when she saw Luca. She stood up to take her hand and said, "Ms. Luca, can you help me pick a tutu for tomorrow''s performance?" Luca looked at the tutus on Rainie''s bed and blinked. "We''ll pick it out after dinner." "Okay. Thank you, Ms. Luca." Rainie did not let go of her hand and walked out of the room. She asked, "Ms. Luca, have you told my brothers?" "I''ve told them, and they''ve gone downstairs," said Luca. "Then let''s go too." Rainie held her hand and went downstairs. Before she went into the dining room, she could already smell the aroma of the dishes. It was the smell of their mother''s cooking. "It smells so good," she could not help but exim. "The vegetables Aunt Neile washed today were all your favorites, so I made the usuals," said Luca. Not only did Aunt Neile wash the vegetables, but she also indirectly helped her decide what to cook too. "Great. I love everything that Ms. Luca makes." Rainie walked into the dining room only to see that Lanie and Tommy were already sitting at the table. Lanie sat upright while waiting, whereas Tommy was stealing sips of the soup. If not for the strict education in the Crawford family, the kids might have already gobbled up the food. "No need to wait. Let''s all eat," said Luca. At that moment, Tommy stretched out his meaty arm to stop her. "Ms. Luca, let''s take a photo first." Luca was shocked. "Why do you want to take a photo?" "Just take it." Tommy pouted. Luca did not know what he was trying to do, but she took out her phone and opened the camera app regardless. "Do you want to be in the photo?" "Nope, just take the food," said Tommy. Luca did as he said and took a photo of the food. "Then what?" ¡°Can you send it to me, Ms. Luca?" Tommy blinked. Luca nodded and sent the photo to him. "Alright, now can you tell me what you need this photo for?" "Of course, it''s for Daddy to see that he''s missing out on this delicious food while he''s on a business trip. I''m sending it to him to make him drool." After hearing his words, Rainie shook her head helplessly. "Did Daddy make you upset?" "He told me to listen to Great-grandpa and that I could only learn calligraphy, so that''s why I''m doing this," Tommy said with determination as he held a grudge against his dad. Since he was on a business trip, he could not do anything to Tommy. Moreover, Ms. Luca was there to protect him, so he had nothing to be afraid of. "Watch out, Daddy is going to beat you up when hees back," Lanie warned as he took a sip of the soup. Tommy pushed his chest out. "I have Ms. Luca to protect me, so I''m not afraid." Luca did not know whether to cry orugh at the kid''s behavior. They all liked her cooking, but would Luke really beat Tommy for a photo? She did not think so. He could have anything he possibly wanted to eat. She only made home-cooked food. It could not possiblypare to those delicacies. "Hurry up and eat before the food gets cold," Luca told them. The three kids stopped fussing and obediently picked up their utensils to start eating. They were all very respectful as they cleaned their tes and even finished the extra dishes Luca made. Moreover, they even mercilessly fought for food. In the end, only gravy was left on the tes. Luca looked at the tes, then at the three children. "Did you all not have lunch?" Rainie shook her head and said, "We did. The extra-curricr sses provide lunch." Tommy looked down at his round belly and continued, "But the food there isn''t nice. The food Ms. Luca makes is still the best." Luca looked at him and the round tummy of his that could be seen even under twoyers of clothes. It was wrong of her to have prepared so much food, so she helplessly said, "Don''t sit down after eating. Walk around the living room to digest, or I''m afraid you''ll get indigestion." Chapter 2166 Tommy could not help but exim, "I''m so full." Aunt Neile was cleaning up the dishes and chuckled when she heard the child''s words. "With Ms. Craw here, Ms. Rainie and the young masters are not picky eaters at all." Luca patted Tommy''s head. "Go walk around the living room okay? Aunt Neile will cut fruit for you later." "Okay, Ms. Luca." Tommy had always been hyperactive, so walking around was not a difficult task for him. Luca looked toward Lanie, who also ate a lot today. Lanie took the initiative to say, "Don''t worry, Ms. Luca. I''ll walk around to digest the food too." "Ms. Luca, I don''t need to, right?" said Rainie as she was a girl, and her appetite was not very big. Although the meal Luca made was delicious, she did not eat as much as her brothers. The food on the table was mostly eaten by Lanie and Tommy. Luca shook her head. Girls were more concerned about their bodies and diet, so Rainie did not eat much. Rainie stood up and said, "Ms. Luca, help me pick out the tutu I''m going to wear for tomorrow''s performance." "Sure." Luca remembered her promise, and Rainie took the initiative to hold her hand. Both of them walked out of the dining room. The moment Luca looked down, she saw the child smiling sweetly at her. Luca''s heart warmed up, and she did not want to let go of Rainie''s hand. The two of them walked into the bedroom. Luca looked at the tutus on Rainie''s bed and asked, "What dance are you performing tomorrow?" Rainie said, "The Nutcracker." Luca stroked her chin as she let go of Rainie''s hands and held up the tutus in front of her. "Ms. Luca, do you watch ballet performances?" Rainie stood there, letting her hold up the tutus in front of her. Luca said, "I do, but not a lot. I''ve seen the show you''re performing, though." After saying that, she decided on a tutu. "What do you think of this one?" Rainie picked up the tutu and stood in front of the mirror to see what it looked like. She then beamed with delight. ¡°Ms. Luca, you have great taste." Luca smiled when she received thepliment from the child and turned to look for essories on Rainie''s dresser. "How about putting this on?" "It looks good!" Rainie approved of her choice. "I''ll be looking forward to your performance tomorrow." Luca touched her soft cheeks. Rainie had grown up to be as fair as snow. How pretty. In a few years, N on the Ind of Despair would probably grow up to be like Rainie. "Ms. Luca, can I ask you for a favor?" Rainie stared at her. "Just tell me. As long as it''s within my abilities, I''ll definitely help you," Luca promised. "Take some photos for me when you watch the performance tomorrow. I want to show them to Daddy," said Rainie as she remembered that her mom and dad were both there when she entered a competition a few years ago. Her mom held a camera and recorded her beautiful moments on stage. At that time, she was the happiest little princess in the whole world. Now... This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Rainie smiled and begged her. "Of course, it''s no problem. You''re so beautiful and you dance so well. I''ll definitely record it," Luca promised. "I can''t use a phone, so I''ll go look for my camera." With that, she stood up. Rainie said, "Okay, Ms. Luca. I''ll leave it to you." "Don''t worry. I''ll take care of it. I''ll go look for my camera first. It''s been a long time since I''ve used it." Luca walked out of Rainie''s room after she finished talking. Rainie''s words brought back her memories from the past. Her life with Luke and the kids was a happy one. Luca walked back to her room and found her camera in the cab. She bought this camera not too long after she left the ind. She did not know how long she would be staying here, so she wanted to take photos of the scenery in A City. When she returned to the ind, she could show N how A City looked like. It was the ce where she and her father fell in love. Luca also wanted to capture Luke''s appearance so that N would know what her father looked like and as a reminder for herself too. She did not expect so many things to happen. She simply had no way of getting a close-up shot of Luke, nor did she have the free time to capture the scenery of A City. The few photos in the camera were taken when she first returned to A City. Afterward, she got so busy she did not even have the time to pick up the camera. Luca looked at the photos in the camera. She was not a professional, so she could only go by her feeling. Everything was poorly photographed, but the photos showcased the real deal. She took photos of life in A City to tell N that the world outside of the Ind of Despair was beautiful. She would work hard to bring her child out of that gray world. Luca picked up a tissue to wipe the camera and ced it on the dresser so that she can take it with her when she headed out tomorrow. When she was ready to go downstairs, she received a message from Luke. [Have you eaten?] Luca sat down and replied: [I''ve eaten.] [I received the photo Tommy sent.] Luca was at a loss for words. If he had received the photo, then why did he still ask her? Perhaps he sensed Luca''s loss for words after she did not reply for half a minute. He sent her another message: [The meal you made looks good. Can you make some for me when I get back?] Luca''s fingers trembled. The tone in his words sounded like it was a request, yet it also sounded like a normal conversation between a couple. His face filled her mind, which made it impossible for her to calm down. She replied with a single word: [Okay.] She felt it was not enough, so she replied again: [I''m going downstairs to watch cartoons with them for a while.] Cartoons were Tommy''s favorite. Lanie and Rainie watched them too. At this time, they would usually sit on the couch and watch cartoons. Luca ced the phone on the dresser and went downstairs. As expected, the three kids were watching TV on the couch. Aunt Neile brought out the cut fruit. ¡°Have some fruit." ¡°Thank you, Aunt Neile," the three children thanked Aunt Neile. Luca nced at the time and said to Aunt Neile, "Aunt Neile, thank you. It''s gettingte. You should go home." Aunt Neile nodded. "Alright, I''ll be leaving now. Ms. Craw, Young Master nche, Young Master Tommy, Ms. Rainie, get an early rest." "Aunt Neile, go home safely," said Rainie kindly. Aunt Neile smiled as she put on her coat and left the vi. Luca walked next to the couch to sit down and watch cartoons with them. Tommy snuggled up to her. He took a slice of apple with his fork and held it in front of Luca''s mouth. "Ms. Luca, have some fruit." Chapter 2167 ¡°Okay. Thanks, Tommy." Luca took it from him and had a bite. ¡°Ms. Luca, is the apple nice?" asked Tommy as he looked at her eagerly. "It''s delicious." Luca took another bite. Aunt Neile was the one who picked out the apples, so there was no doubt that they would taste good. Tommy also picked up a slice of apple to eat as he snuggled next to Luca. He ate the apple while watching cartoons. He was over the moon. After the show ended, Luca urged the children to wash up and go to bed. The kids listened to her. An hourter, after Luca had made sure that everyone had gone to bed, she went back to her bedroom. She picked up the phone on her dresser to see that she had multiple missed calls. Her heart immediately dropped. When she opened her phone, she saw that they were all from Amur. Luca immediately called him back. The call went through, and Luca immediately asked, ¡°Amur, are you back from your mission?" Amur sounded a little tired from the other end of the line. "Yes, I''m back." ¡°Is everything okay?" said Luca worriedly as he had left his phone here before going on the mission. Although it was not a difficult task, she was still worried. "It''s all good, and the mission ispleted," said Amur. "You''re not hurt, are you?" Luca noticed how he did not mention anything about his current state or the details of the mission. She got even more worried. "I''m not hurt. I saw the note you left me when I came back, so I called you," said Amur. His voice was still weak. Luca noticed something wrong with his condition and was a little worried, but she was the only person in the vi. It would not be safe to leave the children at home. "I wasn''t looking at my phone just now, so I didn''t answer your calls, Amur. Thank goodness you''re okay." There was some guilt in Luca''s tone. "Don''t worry, I won''t let anything happen to me," said Amur. Although he sounded tired, he still gave her a firm promise. Luca frowned as she still felt that Amur was in bad shape. "Amur, I can''t go out tonight. Let''s meet up tomorrow," she said as she could not be relieved until she had confirmed that Amur was okay. All the missions Amur took on now were rted to her. Abel was narrow-minded. He did not want anyone guarding her, so he purposely sent Amur to perform these difficult tasks. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. A stream of warm current flowed into Amur''s heart when he heard Luca''s words. "Okay, I''ll go look for you." "Get some rest first. I have some things to do tomorrow morning. I''ll go look for you when I''m done." Luca did not forget her promise to Rainie. She could not go back on her word when it came to the children. Otherwise, the children would be disappointed and would not trust her again. "Okay." Amur was a little disappointed as he thought that Luca would be eager to go over and see him. She should be with Luke right now, so it was only natural for her not toe^ Amur ended the call and nced at the gauze wrapped around his body. His mission was to negotiate with a gang in Southeast Sorria. The deal was destined to fail as he was representing Abel, and the conditions Abel gave were uneptable to the other party. Thus, a conflict happened just a few minutes into the negotiation. In the end, he orchestrated an entire fight to take down the other side for Abel''s benefit. However, he got injured from it as well. After getting simple treatment, he immediately went back home without recuperating as he was worried about Luca. Amur frowned as he looked at the blood oozing from the gauze. He took off his shirt and undid the gauze in front of a mirror. A hideous wound was revealed. He picked up some iodophor and sprayed it on the wound to disinfect it. Then, he directly applied some medicine on it. Lastly, he got a new gauze to bandage it. He did not pay much attention to it as he never received any medical training on the Ind of Despair, so the bandage was poorly done. It was a good thing it was winter, so no one could tell with clothes on. If it were summer and he wore something thinner, Luca would be able to tell. Amur did not n to tell Luca about his injury as to not worry her. Although there was only Luke in her heart... The next day. After sending Tommy and Lanie to their extra-curricr sses, she drove Rainie to Star Carnival. Rainie took out her performer ID, so she did not need to purchase tickets to enter. She led Luca toward the center of the park. The stage for the children''s performance was set up here. Luca sent Rainie backstage where the teacher was waiting for her. She was the main character in this ballet show, so the teacher paid extra attention to her. "Rainie, you''re here. Did you bring everything?" The teacher looked at Rainie with a smile as Rainie was the most talented student she had ever taught in the past few years. The teacher wanted Rainie to learn dance professionally, but when she mentioned it to Luke, he said that studies were the most important thing for the kids right now. Wherever she wished to branch out in the future was for the future her to decide. The teacher understood what he was saying. The Crawford family was well-off anyway, and the children did not need to earn money. However, she took extra care of Rainie in hopes of maintaining this interest of hers. If she nned to be a ballerina in the future, Rainie would prioritize her as her coach. Rainie nced back at Luca, where all her things were. ¡°Teacher, here are Rainie''s costume, shoes, and essories." Luca handed her the two bags filled with things. Rainie took them and said to the teacher, "Teacher, I''ll go change first." "Alright, go on." The teacher smiled, and her eyes fell upon Luca again. She saw Luca picking up Rainie yesterday and had been curious about her rtion to Rainie. "Is there something wrong?" Luca''s eyes met hers. The teacher smiled and hurriedly exined, "May I ask if you''re a rtive of Rainie''s?" She looked at Luca, and her outfit did not look like she was a maid. However, she had never seen her before, so she was curious. "I''m Mr. Crawford''s subordinate. Mr. Crawford is on a business trip, so he asked me to take care of the children," said Luca without referring to herself as a rtive. Besides, a rtive was not the same as a mother. She had not acknowledged them, so she could not consider herself their rtive. Even so, there was no other rtive who loved them more than she did. "Oh, I see. So that means Rainie''s parents won''t be here to see the performance today, right?" After learning that Luca was not a rtive, her attitude was not as earnest as before. Even so, she was still polite enough to not make Luca feel ufortable. "Yes, that''s right. Mr. Crawford is away on a business trip, and Old Master Crawford''s health is in bad condition, so he can''t stand being out in the cold for too long," exined Luca. Chapter 2168 Rainie''s teacher understood immediately. None of Rainie''s family members came. That was why the woman in front of her who imed she was Luke''s subordinate came here. She said, ¡°I see. Then will you stay to watch Rainie''spetition?" ¡°Yes. I will," replied Luca. Was it not obvious enough with Luca carrying a camera with the camera strap on her shoulder? "We''ve reserved seats in the auditorium for the kids'' family members. It usually starts on the second row. Please wait there," said the teacher. Luca nodded. She put a smile on her face when she saw Rainie walk out of the room after getting changed. The look in her eyes was gentle and kind. "Ms. Luca, can you help me tie this?" Rainie walked past the teacher and asked for Luca''s help. Luca nodded, squatted down, and helped Rainie tie up every strap that needed to be tied. "Done." Luca rose to her feet and encouraged her, "I''ll be watching your performance from out there. You got this!" "Alright, Ms. Luca." Rainie smiled. She was used to performing on the stage, so she was not feeling nervous at all. All she knew was Luca would be watching her down the stage, and she wanted to perform well. Rainie''s teacher helped her to tie Rainie''s hair after Luca left. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Luca walked to the auditorium. She found the seatbeled with Rainie''s name and sat down. Three seats werebeled with Rainie''s name. Luca chose to sit on the rightmost seat and waited for the performance to begin. Luca knew the dance academy that Rainie went to was one of the top schools in A City in the whole country. The dance teacher was an experienced teacher who worked in famous theaters abroad, and she came back to the country to start her career as a dance teacher. That was why many parents in A City who wanted their kids to attend dance sses would try their best to send their kids to this academy. However, this was not a ce where the kids could join by simply paying expensive fees. The academy only epted talented dancers. Hence, every public performance they held was able to attract many kids and parents who were interested in dance. Although it was snowing out there, there were still many of them who came to see the show. Luca turned on the camera and looked at the previous photos captured. The empty seats around her were upied in a few minutes. The two seats beside Luca were empty. She turned around and nced behind her. Many people were already seated, so there were hardly any empty seats left. Luca nced at her watch to check the time. She had caught a glimpse of the posters hanging outside the auditorium when she came in. The performance was about to start. A figure passed by Luca and sat on one of the chairs reserved for Rainie''s family members. Luca was startled. She lifted her head and saw Yuri. Thea was sitting beside her. Yuri raised a brow when she saw that Luca was here too, and she asked, ¡°Why are you here?" ¡°I came to watch Rainie''s performance," answered Luca. She was also wondering why Yuri and Thea would show up here. Yuri nced at the chair Luca was sitting on. She was able to see it clearly as Luca was not leaning against the back of the chair. The words written there clearly stated the seats were for Rainie''s family. Yuri sat down as she recalled how Old Master Crawford favored her. She was secretly feeling ufortable with it. It was not that Yuri was trying to vie the old master''s attention, but Luca''s existence had caused Old Master Crawford to neglect Louis'' family. "I came to watch the performance too. Thea loves ballet, but she can''t get into the academy. That''s why we came to watch. The academy told us that they reserved three seats for the student''s family members. I was thinking of asking Louis toe, but he happened to have something to do today. That''s why he didn''te. Fortunately, he didn''te. Otherwise, he''d have to squat to watch the performance," Yuri deliberately said to her. Luca could sense that Yuri''s words carried an overtone of menace. She was using Luca of upying another seat. "Rainie didn''t expect her aunt and cousin toe to watch her performance." Luca fiddled with the camera in her hands. When she was still Bianca back then, she might be able to tolerate her behavior to make things easier for the old master. However, she had a new identity now. There was no need for her to be concerned about the harmony in the Crawford family. Besides, Luca knew Yuri would not be kind to Rainie even if she treated Yuri kindly. Only Old Master Crawford and their father were kind to the children in the Crawford family. "Well, I''m Rainie''s aunt. And the seats are obviously meant for Rainie''s family members. What about you? Although Rainie addresses you as Miss, which makes you sound a lot younger, you can''t possibly assume that you''re also Luke''s daughter, right?" Yuri mocked. Luca clenched her fists as Yuri continued talking, "Rainie''s mother is still abroad. It''s just a matter of time before her motheres back. Judging from how faithful Luke was, other women won''t even stand a chance when Bianca''s back. What''s the big deal if someone is able to get along with the kids? Luke is the one who chooses his wife. There''s nothing much to do with the kids. Besides, the ties of their kinship are much deeper than some hypocritical affection." Yuri scoffed and judged her. The grudges she held against Luca came from Old Master Crawford and Susan''s influence. The biggest reason was still Yuri thought Luca was the mistress. Louis used to be messing around too. Although he had reigned himself and stopped doing such things after getting married, Yuri would still doubt him. At the same time, Louis'' ex-girlfriends who worked as supermodels would still provoke Yuri now and then when they ran into her. They would show off how generous Louis was to them and how he had treated them kindly. That was why Yuri hated Luca. She did not show her hatred for Luca in front of Old Master Crawford. After all, as the younger generation, she would be criticized if she showed her emotions in front of the elders. Luca looked down and reminded her, ¡°Is that how you educate Thea?" Yuri turned around and nced at her daughter. Thea was looking at everything that was happening with curiosity. She quickly covered her daughter''s ears and red at Luca, "It''s none of your business!" "It''s none of my business, but I don''t think it''s a good idea to say such things in front of the kids. But at least I know you hate me after everything you said. There won''t be any interactions between us in the future, but please be careful with your words. It''s bad for the kids," said Luca. If she had not made out with Luke that night, she could seriously tell her that nothing was going on between her and Luke. However, Luca did not have the confidence to say it after what happened that night. Things were unclear between them now. Although it was not as bad as Yuri thought, they had done those things, after all. Yuri was ring at her. Before she could say anything, the lights went off and their surroundings darkened. The performance was about to begin. No matter how unhappy Yuri was, the auditorium became quiet the moment the lights went off. Yuri was an educated person, so she let go of her hands that were covering Thea''s ears and stopped talking. Yuri would catch the others'' attention and be gossiped about if she continued to talk. She picked up her phone and adjusted her phone brightness to the lowest. She keptining to Louis about Luca. Chapter 2169 Luca could sense that Yuri was unhappy, but she did not say anything. She focused on watching the performance. Rainie was the star ballerina. She attracted everyone''s attention the moment she stepped on the stage. The expressiveness of her facial expressions and her skilled elegant dance moves were a disy of the dancing skills she had picked up over the years. Luca picked up the camera and kept taking photos of Rainie dancing on the stage. At the same time, she noticed that something was wrong as she was sitting near the stage. The stage was bright enough, and that was why Luca did not switch on the sh. It did not affect the photos'' quality either. The ballet performancested for 40 minutes. Luca heard Thea talking to Yuri after the dancers made their curtain calls, ¡°Mommy, I want to get into the dance academy too. Sign me up please." Yuri shot a nce at Luca. She was lowering her head and fiddling with the camera as though she was not paying attention to what the kid was saying. Yuri lowered her head andforted her daughter. "Thea, be good. We''ll talk about this after New Year." "Why should we wait until New Year? We''ll be having winter break soon. Mommy, if Rainie can perform on stage, so can I," Thea saidpetitively. Yuri felt helpless when her daughter said so. Not everyone could enter the dance academy Rainie was attending. The kids may take it as a hobby ss, but the teachers in the academy would only select the candidates who had naturally given talents and were willing to work hard. Thea''s ballet was not exceptionally good back then. Yuri went along with her daughter and signed her up for the admission interview. If her daughter was able to get into the academy, it would make Yuri look good as her mother. However, Thea failed to pass the interview. The teacher imed that Thea''s foundation was not strong enough, and they could not see any dancing talent in Thea. They suggested Thea head to other dancing schools to continue improving her dancing skills and wait for the next interview. Still, Thea did not manage to get into the academy during the second interview. However, one of the teachers was kind enough to tell Yuri that there was another way to pass the interview. She told her that if Thea could win a dancepetition, then she would be able to enter the academy without going through the interview. There was a balletpetition for kids after New Year. Yuri was thinking of getting Thea to win that competition. The lights in the auditorium lit up once the dancers made their curtain call. Luca stood up as the other audience members got up from their seats too. She had listened and understood what Yuri and her daughter were talking about. Thea''s intention to enter the dance academy was not because she wanted to learn but because she did not want to lose to Rainie. A child with such apetitive mindset usually learned it from her parents and elders in her family. It was the same as before. The child would only grow up taking the wrong path if she grew up in such an environment. However, it was not up to Luca toment on such things. She left Yuri and her daughter and headed backstage. Rainie was sitting on the dressing table chair, waiting for her teacher to help her untie her hair. Luca walked toward her, got down at Rainie''s eye level, and said, "Wow, Rainie, you''re an awesome dancer!" Rainie was delighted to see Luca. "Ms. Luca, is that true?" ¡°Yes. I took photos. You did a good job. Many uncles and aunts who were sitting around me were praising you," said Luca. She did not lie to Rainie. Although most of them kept silent, Luca was still able to hear people praising Rainie when she was performing. "I was afraid that I couldn''t perform well. I''m different from the other students, after all. I didn''t have much time to practice..." said Rainie. A few students who performed on the stage were different from her. They would practice dancing at the dancing academy every day, while Rainie had to focus on her studies. She could only practice dance at home at night and when she headed to the dance academy on the weekends. Hence, a few students were unhappy with their teacher''s decision of making Rainie the star ballerina. It was until the teacher asked Rainie to perform four difficult dance moves consecutively in front of everyone that they shut their mouths. Rainie was gifted, and she did not need to put in too much effort to dance well. That was why her teacher gave her the chance. However, Rainie was worried that she would ruin the performance as she did not have enough time to practice. She felt pressured, but she did not show it to the others. "But you did a great job. Well done, Rainie. Even though you practiced less than the others, you were more focused and serious when you were practicing the dance. So, there''s no need to feel insecure. You''re good at it, and you''ll improve in the future." Luca knew the child did not fully devote herself to the performance on the stage, and that was why she deliberately encouraged her. Rainie was her daughter. As her mother, she was able to notice every little change in her. "Thank you, Ms. Luca." Rainie appreciated Luca''s encouragement. Luca rose to her feet and said, ¡°Let me help you with your hair and remove your makeup." ¡°Okay." Rainie nodded. The teachers were very busy now, and they had no time to help her. Rainie usually needed someone to help her with these. She could not handle them well herself. Rainie changed back into her clothes after her makeup was removed. Luca took the bag filled with the ballet costume and pointe shoes from Rainie. She said, "Rainie, let me send you back to school." ¡°Ms. Luca, I don''t have to go back to school," Rainie replied immediately. ¡°Huh?" Luca looked at her. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Our teacher told us there are no sses in the afternoon. We don''t have to go back to school," exined Rainie. This was the customary practice of the academy after the performance. Luca was dumbfounded as she did not expect that. She would have to take care of Rainie if she did not have to go back to the dance academy. It was easy to take care of Rainie, but she thought Rainie was going back to the dance academy, so she already nned to meet Amur. ¡°Ms. Luca, do you have any ns? You don''t have to worry about me if you''re going somewhere else. But can you please inform Uncle Zander to pick me up?" Rainie was worried that she would ruin Luca''s n. That was why she said that. Luca could not bear to see her child like that when she was being so sensible. However, it would be difficult to meet Amur again. She had to return to the office and continue with her research tomorrow. Luca decided to bring her daughter along with her. ¡°It''s okay. I''m going to meet a friend. He''s my younger brother. Come on. Let''s go meet him." Rainie nodded and replied, ¡°Okay Ms. Luca. I''ll be good and behave myself. Don''t worry." The kids knew Luca had this so-called younger brother based on what Luke had told them before. However, this man was unable to challenge their father''s position in Luca''s heart. Moreover, they had never met him before, so the three of them did not take Luca''s brother seriously. Furthermore, Lanie and Rainie had heard what Tommy told them, so they were unmindful about it. Rainie did not expect she would be the first one to see their mother''s so-called younger brother. Lucaughed it off when she heard what Rainie said, and she replied, "Of course, I know you''re the obedient child. That''s why I never have to worry about you. I never have and never will. So, you don''t have to say such things. You''ll always be Mom¡ªmy little princess forever, alright?" Chapter 2170 Rainie was smiling as she noticed that Luca was about to say ''Mommy''.. That would only mean Luca still saw them as her children. Hence, it must be what their father had told them. Their mother had some unspeakable reason, and that was why she did not acknowledge them. Rainie was thinking of telling Lanie about it after he came back from school. Luca brought Rainie out of the amusement park. All the open-air parking lots were upied with cars. Hence, Luca parked her car in the multi-story car park when she came here. Luca and Rainie ran into Yuri and Thea when they walked into the car park. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Hello, Aunt Yuri. Hello, Thea," Rainie greeted them. Rainie was looking for Luca when she was on the stage, and that was when she saw Yuri and Thea sitting beside Luca. "Oh Rainie, you did such a great job." Yuriplimented her while her gaze fell on the two''s interlocked hands. Those who did not know would have thought that they were mother and daughter. "Thank you, Aunt Yuri." Rainie could sense how much sincerity was in Yuri''spliment. Yuri added, "I didn''t expect you to dance so well when you''re busy with your studies. Rainie, doe back to Crawford Manor during your free time. Perhaps you can teach Thea some dancing skills. She''s hoping to get into your dancing academy too." "Good luck to Thea." Rainie gave her a sweet smile and turned to look at Luca, "Ms. Luca, aren''t you going to meet a friend? Let''s go. We''d better not bete for it." Before Luca could say anything, Rainie added, "Aunt Yuri, please excuse us. We should leave now. Thea, all the best to you." Luca did not say a word and left together with Rainie. The image she was portraying now did not represent Luke''s image. That was why there was no need for her to say anything in front of Yuri. Yuri watched them leave from behind and sneered. Then, she lowered her head and looked at her daughter. Something was wrong with Thea''s expression. Yuri was worried and asked, "Thea, what''s wrong? Are you feeling ufortable?" "No, Mommy. I''m fine." Thea shook her head. ¡°Then what''s with the look on your face?" Yuri ced her hand on Thea''s forehead to feel her body temperature. "Mommy, I wonder why Rainie was able to enter the dance academy while I can''t?" Thea lifted her head, looked at Yuri, and asked. She could dance well too, and her dance teacher told her that she was good at dancing. Why did the teachers of this dance academy say that her dancing skills were ordinary? "It''s because you''re young. You''ll dance better when you grow up." Yuri had no choice but tofort her. Her child had no talent, but she still thought that her child was the best. She could enter the dance academy she wanted to if she put in more effort. "Mommy, is Rainie the one who doesn''t want me to enter the academy?" Thea pouted and asked. Yuri was stunned for a moment, then she asked, "What makes you think so?" "Rainie got into that academy when she was young. So, she must be familiar with the teachers there. She probably told the teachers not to let me into the academy," said Thea. Whenever their rtives came to visit them, what Thea heard the most was their praise for Rainie for dancing ballet so well and how she was able to get into a famous dance academy at such a young age. They said Rainie was talented and beautiful. She was destined to be a sessful dancer in the future. Old Master Crawford would be grinning from ear to ear whenever he heard thesepliments. On the contrary, those rtives would not praise Thea. They would only tter Rainie... Thea was unwilling to ept this. Besides, she had heard Susan mention it before. That was why she thought it was Rainie who was standing in her way and that was why Thea could not enter the academy. It was to prevent Thea from stealing her show. Yuri was rendered speechless when she understood what her child had in mind. What did she hear that made her think so? Yuri knew Rainie had nothing to do with Thea getting into the academy. Moreover, Luke would never use such dirty tricks to give his daughter such privileges. Thea lifted her head again and looked at Yuri, then she said, "Mommy, I must get into the dance academy and impress my great-grandpa." It was good that her child was determined, but it was true that her child had misunderstood certain things. While Yuri was thinking if she should correct her daughter''s wrong perception, Thea held her hand and said, "Mommy, it''s cold. Let''s go home." Yuri had to put aside her thoughts. She smiled and said to her daughter, "Alright. Let''s go home." On the other hand. Luca drove to the restaurant near the apartment. She told Amur that they would meet at the apartment and she would cook some home-cooked food for him. However, Rainie wasing along with her now. Luca was worried that her child would imagine things, so she changed the destination to a restaurant. Amur arrived at the restaurant ten minutes earlier. He was wondering why Luca would suddenly change her mind and choose to meet him at a restaurant, but he understood at once when he saw Luca bringing a little girl into the restaurant. She was worried that the little girl would misunderstand their rtionship. Amur stared at Rainie with his deep eyes. Before Luca could say anything, Amur knew who the little girl was. The little girl looked like Luca before she had the stic surgery, and she looked a little simr to N, who was on the Ind of Despair. This must be the eldest daughter whom Luca told him about before. Luca pulled the chair and helped Rainie sit on the chair after she got closer. Rainie sat on the chair, and Luca sat beside her. Then, she said, ¡°Rainie, this is Uncle Amur." "Hello, Uncle Amur. You have such pretty blue eyes." Rainie looked at the man opposite her with her big bright eyes and smiled sweetly at him. She liked the pair of deep blue eyes Amur had. "Hello, Rainie." Amur looked at Rainie. Although she was Luke''s daughter and he hated him, the child in front of him was the same as N. They were rted to Luca. They had adorable and pretty faces. There was no way Amur could dislike them. Amur''s tone of voice became gentle when he was talking to her. "Amur, I''m sorry. I drove slowly as it was snowing. You must have waited for quite some time, right?" Luca exined to him why she camete. "No. I just arrived here not long ago. Rainie must be hungry. Why don''t we order first?" Amur handed the menu to Rainie. "Thank you, Uncle Amur." Rainie took it from him and handed it to Luca, "Ms. Luca, please order for me." Luca did not decline her. She knew what her child''s favorite food was. She picked up the menu and ordered a few of Rainie''s favorite dishes. Then, she looked at Amur, "You should order some too." "I''ll leave that to you," replied Amur. "I''m not a picky eater." "Yes. You''re not picky. I almost forgot that." Luca patted her forehead and ordered a few other dishes. Then, she called for the waitress and handed the order to the waitress. Chapter 2171 Luca sat there doing nothing after she finished ordering the food. It was inconvenient for her to talk with Amur as Rainie was there. Amur knew Luca had wanted to meet him alone in the beginning, so she must have something to tell him. However, Rainie was here together with them. She could not tell Amur what she wanted to say. After all, the child was not that young anymore. She understood a lot of things. Rainie nced at Luca, then she turned to look at Amur. She smiled and said, ¡°Ms. Luca, I saw a swing there. Can I go over there to y?" "Ah. Sure." Luca turned to look at the swing. It was a y area designed by the restaurant for the kids so that the parents could rx when they brought their children here. "Be careful. Don''t go anywhere else." "Okay. I know." Rainie stood up and strolled toward the y area. Luca was happy that there was a kids'' y area in the restaurant. Otherwise, it would be inconvenient to talk to Amur. "Is she one of your children you''ve been missing?" Amur asked Luca in Russian. No one in the restaurant should be able to understand thenguage. Luca shot a nce in the direction where Rainie was. She was sitting on the swing and ying on it. Rainie waved at Luca when she noticed she was looking at her. Luca smiled and waved back at her. Then, she replied to Amur, "Yes. She has a twin brother." "Who does the twin brother look like?" Amur suddenly asked. Luca answered, "He resembles his father. Why are you asking this?" "I was thinking that if the boy resembled you, he''d be good-looking," said Amur. "Rainie looks like you back then." Although it had been nearly three years since Luca changed her looks, Amur could still remember what she looked like before. "It''s better for a boy to look like his father," said Luca. She did not think it was bad for her son to resemble Luke. Amur shrugged his shoulders and added, "I think Rainie looks cute. And it''s good." "Does N look like her?" Luca smiled while watching her daughter. She would always look at N and think about Rainie when she was on the Ind of Despair. Now that she had left the Ind of Despair to carry out her mission, looking at Rainie reminded her of N. ¡°Indeed. They both resemble you," replied Amur. Luca changed the subject of the conversation and turned to look at Amur. "Amur, was the mission you carried out a dangerous one?" "It''s over." Amur could not bear to lie to her, so he avoided answering her question. "It doesn''t matter if you refuse to tell me. I know it all. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have left your phone in the apartment. You were afraid that I''d locate your whereabouts and find you, right?" Luca had it all figured out. She knew the truth even if Amur did not tell her. Amur nodded. He came back safely afterpleting the mission, so there was nothing to hide. "But I''m alright." "You''re lying," Luca shook her head and said. "Your lips are white. You must be injured. And you''re seriously injured. But you can get out of the bed and walk normally after a few days." Amur wondered if Luca could read his mind. How did she know he was injured by looking at his face? "I''m a European. I''m born with fair skin." Amur refused to admit it. "It''s okay if you don''t want to admit it. I can see it. I''ve always told you to protect yourself, but you refuse to listen to me. Although I understand it''s unavoidable, you''re not alone. Someone is on the ind waiting for you to go back," said Luca. She took a bottle of medicine out of her bag and handed it to him. She had this feeling that Amur was injured. That was why she grabbed the medicine and brought it along with her when she went out this morning. The medicine was for curing external wounds, and it worked much better than the medicine used in the hospitals. "You know how to use this." Luca ced the bottle in front of him when Amur did not take it from her. Amur smiled bitterly. He would be admitting that he was injured if he took the bottle of medicine. Even though Luca was not in love with him, she still cared about him. She might fly into a rage if she found out that Amur was injured and almost lost his life while carrying out the mission. Amur felt grateful that Luca cared about him. "Take the medicine even if I got it wrong. It helps to cure wounds that aren''t serious as well," Luca persuaded him. "Thank you." Amur took the bottle of medicine. Luca''s medicine was good. His wound would heal faster if he applied her medicine. "What are friends for?" Luca shook her head helplessly. Then, she asked, "You''re not allowed to tell me what mission you were carrying out, right?" Amur nodded and said, "Yes." He recalled what happened when he was carrying out the mission and added, "But I ran into two people when I was carrying out the mission." "Who?" Luca asked with curiosity. It must be people she knew if Amur mentioned it to her. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "They were looking for herbs, but they got lost in the woods. I found the stronghold of the organization there. The name they told me was your code name," said Amur. Luca knew what happened when Amur mentioned the herbs. She said, "Dr. Shanks is looking for the herbs." ¡°I thought you were in trouble. I wondered why the two of them were looking for herbs..." Amur let out a sigh of relief. It turned out that Shanks needed the herbs, not Luca. He was worried that something was wrong with Luca''s health and that was why she asked the two people to look for herbs. Amur felt relieved after finding out the truth. Furthermore, Amur noticed that Luca was ncing at Rainie out of the corners of her eyes when she was talking to him. She was being careful, afraid that Rainie would be lost. Amur suggested, "Luca, ask Rainie toe back here if there''s nothing more to talk about." Luca only wanted to confirm that Amur was alright today. He was unharmed. She had seen it for herself. Although Amur might be injured, there would not be a problem if he was still able to make his way down the stairs. Therefore, Luca waved at Rainie, signaling her toe back here. Rainie walked back to their table when she saw Luca waving at her. She said, "Ms. Luca." "Come one and sit down. They''ll be serving the dishes soon," said Luca. "Okay, Ms. Luca." Rainie behaved well and sat down on her chair. She was not as cold as Lanie was or as naughty as Tommy. Rainie was a good, obedient child. She sat there like a little gentle princess. Amur looked at the well-behaved little girl. She seemed to have Luca''s gentleness. If it were not for the Ind of Despair, Luca would be just like this little girl. She was humble and gentle. It was the Ind of Despair that changed her. However, Amur knew that no matter how much Luca had changed, she still had a kind heart, and she was still the Bianca who saved him back then. Rainie noticed Amur''s gaze was on Luca. She smiled and looked at him. Amur''s face reddened a little, and the expression on his face stiffened. "I didn''t know you''d be bringing Rainie here. I didn''t get anything for her." Chapter 2172 "There''s no need to get anything for her. We''re just meeting up and having lunch together. We don''t need to make it so formal, right, Rainie?" Luca lowered her head and looked at Rainie, who was drinking her water, with a smile on her face. Amur noticed how gentle Luca''s smiling eyes were. It was how she looked at N when she was on the Ind of Despair. It must be difficult for Rainie to part with Luca if she had to. Luca was a good mother, after all. However, N could not bear to part with Luca either. They were her daughters. How could she stand the thought of parting with her daughters? Amur made up his mind. He must work hard to prevent Luca from going through the pain of parting with her family again. Rainie nodded and agreed with what Luca said, but Amur thought it was inappropriate. Amur stood up and said, "No. It''s impolite of me. The dishes aren''t served yet. Please excuse me for a minute." "Wait." Luca stopped Amur while thinking fast. "It''s really okay. There''s no need to trouble yourself. You can buy Rainie dessert if you insist. She has a sweet tooth." Rainie went along with Luca and said, "Yes, Uncle Amur. You can buy me dessert." "That''s all?" Amur thought it was too perfunctory. Who would buy desserts for a child during their first meeting? "Kids love eating snacks. Usually, when it''s your first time meeting a child, most people would get them snacks apart from toys and clothes. If you think one isn''t enough, you can order two. I''d like to have some too." Luca deliberately said that as she thought it was a bad idea for Amur to go out and get something for Rainie when it was freezing out there. Amur had no choice but to pick up the menu and order a few desserts for the two of them when Luca insisted on buying Rainie desserts. Rainie had also agreed to what she said. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Luca stopped him and said, "Amur, that''s enough. We can''t finish it all if you order more. It''ll be a waste." That was when Amur stopped ordering, and he said to the waitress, "That''s all for now." The waitress smiled and took the menu away. Rainie stuck out her little tongue. She could not help but sigh. "Uncle Amur, are you trying to make me fat?" Amur seldom talked to children, so he asked with confusion, "Of course not. What''s wrong?" "You must think that I''m too skinny, and that''s why you ordered so many desserts. You''re trying to make me fat," Rainie said mischievously. Even though she was a child, she could sense Amur''s feelings for Luca. However, she could not seem to hate him. She thought Amur was nice and friendly. "Although I didn''t mean that, I guess it''s alright for kids to be a little chubbier, right?" Amur was amused. He did not expect the little girl to have such a witty tongue when she looked so decent and quiet. "But I have to dance. So, Uncle Amur, you''ll have to eat moreter." Rainie frowned, then smiled again. Amur looked at Luca with confusion. Luca exined, "Rainie is learning ballet. She just finished her ballet performance beforeing here." Luca sounded proud when she mentioned it. It was something to be proud of when her daughter could dance ballet well. Amur gave Rainie a thumbs-up and praised her, "Wow, that''s impressive. Many little girls in my country love ballet too. Rainie, would you like to be a ballet dancer?" "Uncle Amur, I''m still young. I can''t make up my mind now. Let''s talk about the future next time," said Rainie. Although she loved ballet, she was not sure whether or not she would be a professional ballet dancer in the future. After all, her father told her that life and hobbies were different things. Life could be boring if it was all about hobbies. Rainie thought what he said was reasonable. That was why she listened to Luke and studied well while treating dancing as her hobby. "Really? Well done, Rainie." Amur could not help butpliment her. What Rainie said was not something a child at her age would say. Perhaps it was because of Luke''s influence... The little girl in front of her was more mature than those her age. An idea shed through Luca''s mind. She took the camera out and said, "I took some photos. Would you like to take a look at them?" Amur could sense Luca was proud of her daughter, Rainie. He nodded and took the camera from her. "I haven''t seen them either," said Rainie. She stood up and sat beside Amur. She looked at the photos that Luca took together with him. Outside the restaurant. A man was sitting in the car, looking at the situation in the restaurant through the ss. Then, he made a call. "Yes?" Luke''s voice came from the other end of the line after the call was answered. "Boss, Ms. Craw is having lunch with a man in the restaurant," reported the man. He was instructed by Luke to protect Luca and report to him her whereabouts. "A man? Who is it?" Luke lifted his hand to signal Jason to stop reporting to him. Jason swallowed back the words that were at the tip of his tongue when he saw Luke''s signal. "I''m not sure, but he looks European," answered the man as he picked up the file and looked into it. The information about Luca''s rtionships was in the file. The man checked for a while and said, ¡°Got it. His name is Amur." ¡°It''s him..." Luke''s voice sounded grim at once. The man could sense Luke''s change of mood from the other end of the line, and he quickly added, ¡°But they''re not alone. Ms. Craw brought Ms. Rainie along with her." Luke frowned. Luca actually brought Rainie to meet that man? ¡°Rainie''s there, right? Keep an eye on them and make sure they''re safe," replied Luke. He had told the kids about the situation Luca was in now, and he believed Rainie knew exactly what to do. Although Rainie would not ruin everything, she knew what to do. Amur could not do anything if she was there. "Alright, Boss." The man looked at the harmonious atmosphere between the three of them. Rainie seemed like she was getting along with Amur. He hesitated for a moment, and after replying to Luke with guilt, he chose not to tell Luke about it. Luke did not sound okay now. If he knew Rainie and Amur were getting along well, he might lose control, drop whatever he was doing now, and hurry over here to defend his rights. ¡°Are you hiding something from me?" Luke was sensitive enough to sense the guilt in his voice. ¡°No, Boss. They''re eating now. I''ll protect Ms. Craw and Ms. Rainie," the man quickly replied to him. If Luke found out what was happening now, he would ask him to make a mess out of things if he could not make it here in time. That way, Luca would surely be alert after this. "Watch over them carefully. Inform me if anything happens," said Luke. He hung up the phone and lifted his hand to signal Jason to continue to report to him the progress of the acquisition. Chapter 2173 Jason noticed Luke''s gloomy expression. He was sure Luca had something to do with it. ¡°What are you doing?" Luke''s face darkened, and he asked Jason when he did not hear his report. Jason immediately came back to his senses. He put on a serious expression and reported to Luke about the progress of the acquisition. Another American-ownedpany was nning to purchase Brown''spany at the same time. That was why they were hardly making any progress with the acquisition. Luke frowned and asked when he heard Jason reporting to him, "It''s too slow." The words were sonorous and powerful. Jason could deeply feel Luke''s dissatisfaction. Then, Jason exined, "It has be even more difficult to acquire thepany as other American- ownedpanies are joining in. That''s why the progress slowed down a little..." Luke looked up and shifted his gaze to Jason. He looked at him with his cold, dark eyes. Jason understood what he meant. This was not about the slow progress. It was Luke who refused to ept such a reason. "Boss, we''ll try our best to speed up the progress," Jason promised him right away, hoping that it could calm Luke down. However, Luke was not only unhappy with the acquisition progress but it was because of the phone call too. Luke rose to his feet and walked toward the window. He looked down at the buildings outside. The hotel he was currently staying at was thendmark of that ce. It was the tallest building in the city, and he was on the highest floor of the building. He was able to look down at the whole city when he stood beside the window. It was just like the acquisition n this time. If he could acquire the Brown family''spany, he could gain a foothold in this city. It yed an important role in expanding T Corporation. "T Corporation has to acquire thepany this time," said Luke with overbearing determination in his eyes. Luke would not allow any mistakes in the acquisition this time. He could not let the chance slip by and fall into someone else''s hands. "Yes, Boss." Jason understood how important the acquisition was. Otherwise, Luke would not have come here to work on the acquisition himself. "I want it to be done as soon as possible," said Luke. He wanted to go back to A City after handling the work here. Luke was forced to leave the city when he had just made a breakthrough in his rtionship with Luca. He would not allow the distance that he had just closed between them to grow apart again. That was why he had to return to A City as soon as possible. ¡°Got it, Boss," said Jason. He nced at the time and reminded him, ¡°Boss, they''re waiting for you to host the meeting downstairs in 10 minutes." T Corporation''s branch office was right below the hotel. It was convenient for them to work here when they were here for a business trip. Luke nced at the time. Although he missed Luca, he had to walk out of the suite. The only way to free Luca and bring her back home was to be stronger. He could destroy the Ind of Despair once, so he could destroy it again even if they had changed their leader. Jason quickly followed behind Luke and walked out of the suite, thinking that everyone who attended the meeting would have to suffer since Luke was in such a bad mood. On the other hand. Amur rushed to pay the bill after they finished eating lunch. As Luca watched Amur grab the bill and walk toward the cashier counter, she shifted her gaze and lowered her head to look at Rainie. ¡°Have you had enough to eat?" ¡°Ms. Luca, I''m full." Rainie picked up the napkin and wiped her mouth. Her moves were so elegant as though she was a princess. Luca smiled. Amur walked toward them after paying the bill. He said, ¡°Done. Do you have any ns after this?" Luca shot a nce at Rainie. The kids usually had the habit of taking a nap in the afternoon. They would be tired if they did not take a nap. Luca replied, ¡°I''m going home." Amur was a little disappointed. He was nning to bring them to hang out somewhere else. However, he would still stick to Luca''s n. He nodded and replied, ¡°Let me send you home." ¡°It''s okay, Amur. I can''t trouble you to send me here and there. Just go home." Luca shook her head and rejected his offer. Although Amur did not admit it, Luca knew he was wounded. What mattered the most for Amur now was to get enough rest. Amur unclenched his fists. He had no idea why Luca refused to let him send them back, but he thought it would be better not to specte. After all, Luca meant it when she said she did not want him to send them back. ¡°Be careful when you''re on your way back home." This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca could sense the unwillingness in his voice. She nodded and said, "Remember to apply the medicine. Besides, Tina is worried about you. Reply to her messages since you''re back." "We..." Amur frowned. He wanted to exin to Luca that nothing was going on between him and Tina. ¡°It''s good news. But you must take care of things that you should take care of." Luca blinked at him. She did not make it clear as Rainie was there too. Considering that they had hidden identities, if Amur and Tina ended up being in a rtionship, that would mean he would be dragging Tina into danger. Hence, Luca wanted Amur to stay on the right side of it. After that, Luca and Rainie left. The two of them climbed back into the car. Rainie sat on the passenger seat, fastened her seat belt, and nced outside the window. Amur was standing there looking at them as though he was reluctant to part with them. "Ms. Luca, why did you ask Uncle Amur to apply medicine? Is he hurt?" Rainie asked. ¡°Yes. He told me he identally hurt himself." Luca waved at Amur, signaling him to hurry up and go back home so that he would not catch a cold. Then, she drove the car away and left. Luca did not say much. Otherwise, Amur would keep standing there. Amur would only leave after she left. "Then what''s with him and Ms. Tina..." Rainie used to go to T Corporation often. Back then, Luke had instructed Tina to look after her and Lanie in the office. Hence, Rainie liked Tina a lot too. Although she had no idea what was going on, she assumed that the person Luca called Tina was the Tina she knew. "Rainie, I''m not sure how to exin this to you. Let''s have Uncle Amur handle this himself, okay?" replied Luca. Kids nowadays were precocious. That was why she did not know how to exin what was going on between Amur and Tina. Besides, Amur still had many problems to be solved now. "Alright, Ms. Luca. I got it," Rainie smiled and replied. This was between the adults, so kids should not be meddling with it. "You must be sleepy. Take a nap in the car. You can continue when we arrive hometer," said Luca. The restaurant was a little slow when they were serving the dishes, so it was already Rainie''s nap time when they finished eating. Speaking about napping, Rainie unconsciously let out a yawn and closed her eyes. Luca shot a nce at the child and came to a halt at the side of the road. She took a jacket from the backseat and covered it on Rainie. Then, she continued to drive. Rainie had not fallen asleep yet. She could feel Luca''s movement, and the jacket covering her had Luca''s scent on it. Rainie smiled sweetly, feeling blissful. It was her mother''s scent. Luca tried her best to keep the car steady. It only took a while for Rainie to fall asleep in the car. The child did not wake up until they arrived at the vi. Chapter 2174 Luca got out of the car after she parked the car. She closed the door quietly so that she would not wake Rainie up. Luca walked past the front of the car and opened the passenger seat''s door. She unfastened Rainie''s seat belt and pulled the jacket up as it had slid down Rainie''s body. Then, she carried Rainie in her arms. Even though Rainie was skinny, she was heavy. However, Luca managed to carry Rainie in her arms and walk into the vi without much effort. Aunt Neile was surprised to see Luca carrying Rainie back in her arms. Luca shook her head when she was about to speak, so Aunt Neile immediately shut her mouth. Luca carried Rainie up the stairs. Aunt Neile followed behind closely, worried that Luca could not carry the child. After all, Rainie was already a ten-year-old child, while Luca looked so skinny. What if Luca could not carry the child all the way to her bedroom? However, Luca carried Rainie in her arms and made her way up the stairs steadily. It showed that Aunt Neile was overthinking. Luca firmly held her daughter in her arms. Aunt Neile saw Luca walk toward Rainie''s bedroom. She hurried over to help them push the door open. Luca walked into the bedroom and ced the child on the bed. She took Rainie''s shoes and socks off, tucked her into bed, and let out a sigh of relief. Aunt Neile gave her a thumbs-up. Luca reckoned that Aunt Neile was praising her for her strength without saying anything. Carrying a ten-year-old child while walking up the stairs without catching a breath and cing the child on the bed without waking her up was indeed an unbelievable feat. Luca rose to her feet as she looked at Rainie, who was deeply asleep. It tugged at Luca''s heartstrings when she saw Rainie smiling with her eyes closed in the car just now. That was why Luca was reluctant to wake the child up. Luca made a hand gesture to signal Aunt Neile to leave the room. Aunt Neile understood what she meant. She nodded and left Rainie''s room together with Luca. Rainie''s bedroom door was closed behind them. After walking for some distance, Aunt Neile spoke, ¡°Ms. Craw, you''re so strong. I can''t believe you can carry Ms. Rainie." Luca looked so delicately built. If it were not for Aunt Neile seeing it herself, she could never have imagined Luca carrying Rainie in her arms. ¡°The child''s not heavy," said Luca. The punching bag she carried on the Ind of Despair was much heavier than Rainie. The instructor Abel had sent to train Luca often asked her to carry a punching bag that weighed 50 kilograms on her back while running to train her physique. He did not care if Luca could handle it or not, she had to run. If she ran slow, she would be given extra training. That was why even though Luca''s body was initially weak, she had gotten used to the inhuman training she went through in those years. Carrying Rainie was nothing to her. "That''s still impressive. Did Ms. Rainie fall asleep?" Aunt Neile asked. She was worried that Rainie was sick. "Yes. She''s asleep. It''s her nap time now. She couldn''t hold herself back any longer and fell asleep in the car," replied Luca. Aunt Neile nced in the direction of the bedroom and nodded. "Ms. Craw, you should get some rest too. I''m going downstairs to do some cleaning." "Okay. Thank you." Luca headed downstairs too. She walked out of the house and marched to the car. She took the bag Rainie put her ballet costume in and camera out of the car. It was inconvenient for Luca to get these when she had to carry Rainie. She strolled back into the house carrying those in her hands. She ced the bag on the sofa and said to Aunt Neile, "Aunt Neile, this is Rainie''s ballet costume. It needs to be dry-cleaned. Please bring it to theundry shop." "Okay, no problem," answered Aunt Neile, who was tidying up the living room. Luca carried her bag and camera and headed upstairs. Luca did not rest. She transferred the photos in the camera to herptop. It reminded her of N when she watched Rainie''s incredible performance on the stage. If N had grown up in the same environment as Rainie, would she like ballet too? Luca let out a sigh when she thought of her youngest daughter. It was probably because of her living environment, so the things N was interested in were odd... However, Luca hoped that she could implement her ns earlier so that she could bring her daughter out of that environment. Otherwise, it would bring nothing but trouble for the child''s growth. Lucay down on her bed after turning off herptop, thinking of taking a nap. Perhaps she was tired. She fell asleep after covering herself with the nket. Luca had no idea how long she had slept. She felt like someone was watching her and slowly opened her eyes. Then, she realized Rainie was sitting on her bed, smiling and looking at her. "Ms. Luca, you''re awake!" Before Luca could say anything, Rainie spoke. Luca stroked her forehead and looked at the child. She asked, "Why are you sitting here?" ¡°I came here after I woke up. You were sleeping, so I didn''t wake you up," answered Rainie with a smile on her face. Luca nced at her phone. There were a few unread messages. She looked at the time and realized that she had slept for an hour. "I slept for so long?" She remembered that she was nning to take a nap, but she did not expect that she would sleep for an hour. Luca was a light sleeper. She usually could not fall asleep in the afternoon. She was only closing her eyes to rest. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Ms. Luca, you were deeply asleep just now. And it sounded like you were talking in your sleep." Rainie stood up and looked at her. "I was talking in my sleep? What did I say?" Luca did not recall talking in her sleep. "It sounded like you were calling Daddy''s name," said Rainie, and she was still smiling. Although Rainie used the words ''sounded like'', she had heard it clearly with her own two ears. Luca''s face reddened, and she quickly denied it. "I wasn''t dreaming just now. You must have heard it wrong." "I probably got it wrong. But Ms. Luca, you were sleeping soundly," said Rainie. If she were not afraid of waking up Luca, she would have climbed up Luca''s bed and cuddled with her. It was the happiest thing to be able to cuddle with her mother and sleep together with her. "Maybe I was tired." Luca massaged her aching forehead, feeling ufortable. Perhaps it was because she slept in. Luca got out of bed. She was recalling what Rainie had just said to her. She was deeply asleep, and she could not really remember if she was dreaming just now. Did she really dream of Luke? Rainie noticed that Luca was in a daze. She held her chin in her hand and asked with confusion, "Ms. Luca, what are you thinking about?" "Nothing." Luca shook her head. "Ms. Luca, what should we doter?" Rainie asked. She wanted to do some parent-child activities with Luca. After all, Tommy was clingy and was usually always around Luca. It was a rare chance for her to be able to spend time with Luca alone. Luca pondered for a moment and replied, "Should we bake cookies?" Luca remembered that Tommy was saying that he wanted some cookies, but she did not have the time to prepare them. She thought she might as well bake some cookies with Rainie while she had the chance now. "Sure. Tommy loves the cookies you bake. I''d like to learn too," Rainie said joyfully. "Let''s go." Luca reached out and offered her palm to Rainie. Rainie held her hand, and the two of them made their way down the stairs together. Chapter 2175 Luca and Rainie were baking cookies in the kitchen, while Aunt Neile was tidying up the living room. The vi''s telephone rang. Aunt Neile answered the call with a puzzled look on her face. After all, people nowadays used smartphones, and there was hardly anyone who would call the vi''sndline number. The telephone was basically a decoration in the house. Besides, it was the first time the telephone rang after she started working here. "Hello, this is theCrawford family." Aunt Neile picked up the receiver. ¡°Is Luca there?¡± Luke''s voice came from the other end of the line. Aunt Neile was startled for a moment, and she replied, "Mr. Crawford? You''re looking for Ms. Craw, right?" "Is she in the vi?" Luke asked. "Yes. Ms. Craw is in the kitchen. She''s baking cookies with Ms. Rainie. Do you need me to inform her to pick up your call?" Aunt Neile asked. "Never mind. If she''s at the vi, then it''s fine," said Luke. He called Luca after the meeting ended, but no one was answering the call. Hence, he called Aunt Neile, but she did not answer the call either. He had no choice but to dial the vi''sndline number. "Okay, Mr. Crawford," Aunt Neile was confused. Luke called to ask about Luca, but he did not ask her to answer the call. That was weird. Luke added, "Aunt Neile, bring your phone with you when you''re doing house chores. I need you to pick up my calls if anything happens." "Oh, I''m sorry, Mr. Crawford." Aunt Neile knew Luke had tried to call her when he told her that, but she had been carrying her phone with her. She did not hear her phone ring, though. She took her phone out of her pocket and realized she had no idea when her phone had been switched to airne mode. "My kids must''ve touched my phone and switched it to airne mode. That''s why I didn''t hear the phone ringing. I''m sorry," exined Aunt Neile. "It''s okay. I''ll be back in a few days. Take good care of them." Luke hung up the call after that. Aunt Neile listened to the busy toneing from the other end of the line. She hung up the call even though she thought it was strange. Then, she turned off airne mode on her phone. She could not help but mutter to herself, "It looks like I can''t let the kids mess with my phone anymore. Otherwise, they''ll turn on the airne mode again and I''ll miss Mr. Crawford''s calls. I''ll be fired sooner orter if that happens again." Luca walked out of the kitchen and heard Aunt Neile muttering to herself. She asked with curiosity, "Aunt Neile, what are you saying?" Aunt Neile put her phone back into her pocket and replied, "Nothing. Mr. Crawford called thendline just now. That was when I realized my grandson had turned on the airne mode and Mr. Crawford couldn''t reach me just now." Luca''s face was slightly red when she heard it was Luke who called. Then, she recalled what Rainie told her. "What did Mr. Crawford says?" Luca asked. "Nothing. He just asked if you''re in the vi. He didn''t say anything and hung up the call when he found out that Ms. Rainie and you were baking in the kitchen." Aunt Neile expressed this in her own words. Luca raised her brows. Luke called just to find out if she was in the vi? This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Was he looking for her or not, then? Luca could not guess it and asked, "Aunt Neile, where did you put the icing sugar for the cookies? I need it." "The icing sugar... Let me get it for you. The previous bag was finished, but I haven''t been using it lately. That''s why I didn''t take a new one out." Aunt Neile put down the vacuum and marched into the kitchen. She took a bag of icing sugar out of the shelf. Aunt Neile smiled when she saw that Rainie''s hands were covered with flour. She said, "Way to go, Ms. Rainie." "Aunt Neile, I''ll give you some cookiester." Rainie smiled and looked at Luca. "Sure. Ms. Rainie''s cookies must be good." Aunt Neile agreed with her, then she turned to look at Luca. "Ms. Craw, I''m going out to continue with the house chores if there''s nothing else that you need." "Okay." Luca opened the seal of the icing sugar pack and poured some on the scale. Then, she mixed it with the butter. Rainie was standing beside her, watching her. Half an hourter, the aroma of cookies filled the air. Rainie carried the cookies on a te and walked out of the kitchen. She said, "Aunt Neile, the cookies are done. Come on here and try them." Aunt Neile gave her a response, walked into the washroom to wash her hands, and came out again. She picked up one of the cookies and took a bite, "Ms. Rainie, this is so good!" Rainie heard herpliment and gave her a cheerful smile. She said, "Ms. Luca made these. I was just helping out." Luca walked out of the kitchen and heard Rainie saying that. She chimed in, "You helped to bake the cookies too, which means you made these cookies as well." After that, Luca took the scarf out and put it on her neck. Then, she put on her coat. Rainie saw her and asked with curiosity, "Ms. Luca, where are you going?" "I''m going to pick Lanie and Tommy up. Rainie, stay at home and be good," Luca reminded her like she was her mother. "Okay. I''ll listen to Aunt Neile." Rainie nodded. Luca smiled and nodded at Aunt Neile. Then, she went out and headed to her car to bring Lanie and Tommy back home. 40 minutester, Luca brought Lanie and Tommy home. Tommy''s nose was so sensitive that he could smell the aroma of the cookies in the air right when he stepped into the vi. His eyes brightened up as he looked at Luca. ¡°Ms. Luca, you baked cookies?" "Yes. Rainie and I baked the cookies together. Well, you must be hungry. The cookies are in the kitchen. Go get some," said Luca as she hung their coats on the hanger. Then, she took off her coat and hung it. Tommy sprinted to the kitchen, cheering happily. This was the happiest moment of his day. Lanie shook his head helplessly when he looked at how gluttonous Tommy was, then he turned to look at Luca. Luca was curious and asked Lanie when she noticed that he did not follow Tommy to the kitchen, ¡°Lanie, why aren''t you going to eat the cookies?" "Ms. Luca, you must''ve baked a lot of cookies. Tommy won''t be able to finish all of them now. I''m not in a hurry," exined Lanie. Luca smiled and stroked his head. "Just go and have some cookies. Don''t eat too many, though. Otherwise, you''ll be too stuffed for dinner." Lanie was still not heading to the kitchen. He frowned and asked, "Ms. Luca, if Tommy keeps on eating like this, will he be fat in the future?" "I don''t think so..." Luca smiled and replied. Luca and Luke were not overweight. Besides, everyone in Luke''s family was fit and slim, and the same went for Luca''s family. Hence, Tommy probably did not have those genes. Tommy was a little chubby now. However, he would look slimmer if he did more exercises. Luca thought that Tommy must be the kind who liked exercising since he was so active. That was why that should not be a problem. "I''m really worried that Tommy will be a fat boy in the future," Lanie said, feeling worried for Tommy. "Then, as his elder brother, you''ll have to remind him not to eat too much," replied Luca. She held Lanie''s hand and brought him to the kitchen. Tommy was already standing beside the shelves, eating the cookies. He waved at Luca and Lanie when he saw theming in. "Lanie, the cookies are so good. Come on. Have a bite." Lanie nodded and walked toward Tommy. Then, he asked, "Tommy, how many have you eaten?" Chapter 2176 ¡°Not many. Lanie, you should try." Tommy was worried Lanie would not allow him to eat the cookies, so he moved the te toward him. Lanie turned to look at Luca helplessly. Luca could feel Lanie''s gaze on her. She seemed to understand what he meant. It was like Lanie was telling her, ''Look at your greedy little son...'' Luca cleared her throat and said, "Lanie, take a few of them. Leave the rest for tonight." Lanie nodded and took three pieces of cookies. Tommy was looking at them eagerly and asked, "Ms. Luca, can I take some too?" Luca looked at the cookie crumbs on the corner of Tommy''s lips, and the eager look on his face. It softened her heart. She nced at the te, and she briefly knew how many cookies Tommy had eaten. If Tommy continued to eat the cookies, he would not be able to have dinnerter, or he might be stuffed. "Ms. Luca." Tommy tried to act cute again when he saw Luca not saying anything. He wanted to win another chance to eat more cookies. Luca thought that it should be fine to let Tommy have another one or two. However, she met Lanie''s gaze when she was about to say something. Although Lanie did not say anything, Luca felt that he was reminding herself not to spoil Tommy. Luca had no choice but to make up her mind and reason with Tommy, "Tommy, you''ve eaten quite a few cookies. I know you''re hungry now, but if you keep on eating, you won''t be able to have your dinner. Don''t forget I''m the one making your dinner today." Even though Tommy wanted more, hepromised instantly once he heard Luca telling him that she would be preparing dinner. He said, "Okay, Ms. Luca. I won''t eat anymore." The cookies were yummy, but Luca''s home-cooked food tasted better. Luca ced the cookies on a higher table so that the kids would not be able to reach the cookies if they returned to the kitchen. Then, she said, "Okay. I''m going to prepare dinner now. Kids, head to the living room and wait for dinner." Tommy nodded and left together with Lanie. Aunt Neile watched everything that happened and could not help but exim, "Ms. Craw, you sure know how to handle the kids." "Huh?" Luca turned around and looked at Aunt Neile. "I used to work at Crawford Manor. Only Mr. Crawford could handle Young Master Tommy when he was greedy. The others aren''t able to persuade him. He''d simply refuse to give in. Even if Old Master Crawford was there, he would think of a way or act cute to get what he wanted to eat," said Aunt Neile with a smile on her face. "You''re the only person who can convince Tommy to stop eating other than Mr. Crawford." Luca shook her head helplessly. She knew Tommy was greedy, but she did not expect Tommy to behave like this in front of the old master. Old Master Crawford was the most dignified person in the Crawford family. She was helpless when she imagined Tommy pestering him and asking for snacks. There was nothing the old master could do even if that was the case. After all, it was hard to reject Tommy when he acted cutely. "Is that so?" Luca smiled, put on the apron, and began to make dinner. Luca had learned fromst night''s experience, so she cooked fewer dishes today. It was to prevent the kids from eating too much and it affecting their health. Luca apanied the kids to watch their favorite cartoon with them after dinner. Then, she asked them to take a shower and get ready to go to bed. Luca only returned to her bedroom after she completed everything. Luca had left her phone charging in the bedroom after she took a nap this afternoon. Then, she headed downstairs to bake some cookies with Rainie. She forgot she left her phone upstairs. Luca''s heart skipped a beat when she saw there were five missed calls. She tapped on the notification immediately and realized that all of them were from Luke. She nced at the time. It was when she woke up from her nap and went downstairs to bake the cookies with Rainie. Luca recalled what Aunt Neile said to her. Could it be that Luke was unable to reach Luca, and that was why he called Aunt Neile before eventually calling the vi''sndline? It might be possible... Luca nced at the time. She did not return his call. Instead, she chose to exin in a message: [I''m sorry, Mr. Crawford. I left my phone charging in the bedroom. That''s why I didn''t get to answer your call.] After the message was sent to him, Luca received a reply from Luke: [Alright.] It was a simple response with just one word, and it made Luca feel a little upset. Was he mad at her? Was he busy with something and that was why he did not have time to reply to her with a longer message? Luca was still hesitating if she should return his call at first, but she decided not to return his calls when she saw Luke''s simple reply. Perhaps she should not have exined it to him. Luca was a little depressed. She received a call from Nina when she was getting ready to take a shower and call it a night to get ready for tomorrow''s work. ¡°Hey, Nina, what''s the matter?" Luca answered the call. She was a little confused. After all, Nina would not be calling her at this hour if nothing was going on. "Luca, are you in bed already?" Nina asked. "Not yet. What''s wrong?" Luca asked. "Um?." Nina hesitated. She needed to ask a favor from Luca, but it was hard for her to bring it up. "Just tell me if you need anything. I''ll do whatever I can to help you." Luca could sense that Nina wanted to ask for her help, but it was difficult for her to say it since they had not known each other for long. "Um, I''d like you to help me improve my health and wellbeing," said Nina. Luca suddenly felt nervous and quickly asked, "Why do you need me to improve your health? Are you feeling ufortable? Have you seen the doctor? Do you have any medical check-up reports?" Nina could sense that Luca was worried about her on the phone. Luca was not putting on a show. She was truly worried about her. It had been a long time since she felt that there was someone who truly cared about her apart from Percy. It warmed Nina''s heart, and she replied, "I''m fine. I know you''re good at medical stuff, especially naturopathy, so I''d like you to help me to improve my health. I''d like to get pregnant..." "Pregnant?" Luca was dumbfounded. She blinked her eyes in astonishment. "Are you getting married soon?" Percy and Nina must be nning to get married if Nina was eager to have a baby. Luca felt happy for her. They finally worked things out and got together after everything they had been through. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Nina replied in a helpless tone, "Not yet." Luca frowned at once and carefully asked, "Then why do you want to get pregnant all of a sudden?" There was dead silence on the other end of the line. Luca took a deep breath. Something came into Luca''s mind when Nina told her that they were not getting married yet. "Nina, you''re telling me the two of you aren''t nning to get married yet, but you want to get pregnant. Are you thinking of..." Luca could no longer continue. "Luca, I love him so much. And I want to spend the rest of my life together with him. Now that we''re together, that''s the only way.." Nina sounded a little depressed. There was nothing she could do, and that was why she came up with this idea. Although Nina and Percy were engaged, their rtionship was not official. The Mallory family would think of a way to stop them from getting married. Therefore, Nina wanted a baby. The Mallory family might change their mind if Nina was pregnant. Chapter 2177 The expression on Luca''s face was stern. She would agree to help Nina to improve her health so she could get pregnant if she was married and Percy and Nina wanted a baby. However, it was not the right time to do so now. ¡°Nina, it''s not necessary to get the Mallory family''s permission if Mr. Mallory wants to marry you. You can get married abroad, thene back to sign the marriage license. Your marriage will still be legalized here. It''s the same," said Luca. Getting married in A City would require a household registration permit. It might be difficult to get married if either side of the family disapproved of the marriage. However, it was different in countries abroad. Any couple could be legally married as long as the two of them had their passports and rted documents. "I know. I know that." Nina let out a sigh. "But I don''t want to see Percy be caught in the middle between me and his family. Luca, they''re his family members. If they disagree with us getting married but he insists on marrying me, they''ll make things difficult for him in the future. That''s why I came up with this idea..." Nina was envious of Sue every time she met her children. Not only did Nina want to break through the barriers between her and Percy by getting pregnant, but it was also about having a child. She wanted to be a mother. "Mr. Mallory loves you. If he''s made a firm decision, you should believe in him. Besides, he can protect you. On the other hand, if he has no thought about marrying you, it''s risky for you to get pregnant. Nina, I''m not going to help you if there''s a one percent chance that you might be a single mother," said Luca. She did not want Nina to suffer. If Nina ended up being a single mother, the path ahead would not be easy for her. Luca felt it was heartless to do so, but she did it for Nina''s own good. Moreover, even if Nina became pregnant with Percy''s child, the Mallory family might not acknowledge that it was Percy''s child. By the time she was truly pregnant, she had to be careful and guard herself against the Mallory family. Would it not be tougher for her? Luca knew Nina trusted her, and that was why she came to ask for her help. However, Luca refused to help her as she had a soft spot for Nina. Nina would get hurt if she helped her. Luca also knew that if she chose not to help Nina, Nina could find a better physician to improve her health with Percy''s help. Even though she knew that it was wrong to do so, there was nothing Luca could do to stop Nina. Nina let out a sigh. What Luca said was reasonable, and she understood it too, but she had been in a dilemma for the whole day. She just wanted a baby. She had impulsively aborted the baby back then, and she did not take care of her health after the abortion. The doctor told her that she had to improve her health to get pregnant again. Otherwise, it would be difficult for the zygote to imnt in the uterus. Percy had always wanted a baby too. Nina did not want to disappoint Percy. That was why she did not tell him about her ns. She thought of improving her health first, then she would tell Percy about it when she got pregnant. ¡°I understand everything you said, and I''ve been thinking it over..." Nina insisted on going ahead with her n. Before Nina came looking for Luca, she thought Luca would agree to help her. However, if Luca ended up rejecting her, and she took Nina''s matter seriously. Nina had no idea why Luca was against it. "Have you talked to Mr. Mallory about this?" Luca suddenly asked. She refused to believe that Percy would agree to such an absurd decision. Nina fell silent for a moment and decided not to lie to Luca. "I haven''t told him about it. I''m thinking of getting pregnant first before l tell him." "How about this? You talk to Mr. Mallory first. If he agrees with it, then I promise that I''ll help you improve your health. I''ll only agree to help you on the condition that he agrees with it," Luca suggested. Percy loved Nina, and he would never ask her to do something like this for his sake. Nina''s n of secretly getting pregnant was just to give an exnation to the Mallory family and convince them to let Percy marry her. However, Percy would never agree with such a n. Percy would not take the risk of Nina getting hurt. Nina reckoned that Percy was such a person too. That was why she did not discuss the matter with him. "Okay. Give me some time.." Ninapromised and let out a sigh. "It''s not me who''s giving you time. You''re the one who''s giving yourself some time to figure it out if this is something worth risking," replied Luca. "Alright, I got it. Luca, sorry for bothering you. Have a good rest. Good night," Nina was about to hang up the call. Luca thought of saying something to her, but the words that were on the tip of her tongue did not escape her mouth. Nina was a grown-up. Everything she had been through in the past few years was just as much as what Luca had gone through. "Good night." Luca hung up the call. She drew in a long breath and let out a deep sigh. Nina was pregnant before this because of her, and she lost her baby because of Pierre, that bastard. Nina had never experienced the difficulty of being pregnant for ten months, nor did she know what it felt like to be apart from her children. However, Luca had gone through these before. That was why she did not want to see Nina taking the risk. Although Percy was a good man whom Nina could trust her life with, it was not worth it for her to take such a risk. Luca shook her head. In the end, this was Nina''s decision. There was nothing she could do no matter how hard she tried to convince Nina. Luca stood up, put her phone back on the bedside table, and walked into the bathroom to clean herself up. Then, shey down on her bed to rest. She had a dream that night. Luca dreamed that Nina was pregnant, but she resolutely left Percy''s vi and told him that she wanted to draw a line between her and Percy. In her dream, Luca was a bystander. When she wanted to step forward to find out what happened, Nina did not see or hear her. She sat there alone, crying. After that, she saw Nina dealing with her pregnancy alone. She gave birth to the child and raised the child all by herself. Nina became depressed, and she was not as cheerful as she was before. She even hated everything in this world. Luca opened her eyes. She let out a deep sigh of relief when she realized it was just a dream. Fortunately, it was just a dream... Luca must have been overthinkingst night, worrying about Nina''s condition. Hence, she had this ridiculous dream. Luca sat up on her bed. Although she knew her dream had nothing to do with reality, it made her feel like she was on pins and needles. After freshening up, Luca walked out of her bedroom. The kids were already awake. That was when Luca realized something and nced at the time. She woke upte today. Luca hurried downstairs and walked to the dining room. The kids were already eating their breakfast at the dining table. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Aunt Neile, who was standing beside them, said, ¡°Ms. Craw, you''re awake. You got upte today, so I prepared breakfast for the kids." "Okay. Thank you." Luca nodded. Her face looked a little pale. She slept for a long time, but she was tired because of the dream. Luca massaged her forehead and sat down on the chair. Rainie was worried and she said, "Ms. Luca, you look tired." "I''m alright. I had too much sleep." Luca stroked Rainie''s head. Aunt Neile served Luca breakfast. She lifted her head and smiled at Aunt Neile, "Thank you." Chapter 2178 Aunt Neile said, ¡°It was rare to see you sleep in today. That''s why I didn''t wake you up. I didn''t expect you''d look so tired." "I''ll be fine after drinking a cup of coffee," Luca ate a mouthful of oatmeal. She thought she needed a cup of warm coffee to perk herself up a little. "Let me get you some coffee," replied Aunt Neile as she walked into the kitchen. The kids finished eating their breakfast. Tommy nced at the time and said to Luca, "Ms. Luca, we''re heading to school first." "Okay. Be good and listen to your teacher," replied Luca. Usually, it was Uncle Zander who picked the kids up and sent them to school. When Luca was making her way down the stairs, she nced outside the vi and saw Uncle Zander''s car already outside and waiting for the kids. "Ms. Luca, see youter." Rainie waved her hand at Luca and walked out of the dining room. Luca was watching the kids as they left and disappeared at the entrance of the dining room. Only then did she shift her gaze and continue eating her breakfast. She had to quickly finish her breakfast and head to the office. Luca was nning to work this weekend, but Luke was away on a business trip. It ruined her n. She canceled it and let the researchers on her team take the weekend off so that she could stay at home and take care of the kids. After Luca finished eating her breakfast, Aunt Neile came out carrying a cup of sweet-smelling coffee in her hands. "Ms. Luca, here''s your coffee." Luca looked at the cup of coffee in Aunt Neile''s hands. She thought it would be rude to turn her down, so she said, "Aunt Neile, can you please pour the coffee into the thermos bottle? I''ll bring it to the office." "Of course." Aunt Neile nodded and walked into the kitchen to look for the thermos bottle. Luca went upstairs to get changed. She looked at herself in the mirror. She looked okay because she had enough sleepst night, but it was obvious that she was low-spirited and a little tired. Luca shook her head, picked up her phone, and nced at it. Luke did not continue to keep in touch with her after he replied to her with a simple response yesterday. A bitter smile swept across Luca''s face. She truly did want to keep a distance between her and Luke, but now, she truly wanted Luke to be kinder to her too. However, things did not turn out the way she wanted... Luke seemed distant again when she was stuck in contradiction and indecisiveness. Luca ced her phone in her coat pocket and hurried downstairs. Aunt Neile stood at thending of the stairs, holding the thermos bottle filled with the coffee. She handed the thermos bottle to Luca when she saw hering down and said, ¡°Ms. Luca, drive safe." ¡°I will. Thank you, Aunt Neile." Luca walked out of the vi after taking the thermos bottle from her. She drove the car and headed in the direction of T Corporation. Luca realized that Rhett was the only one there when she returned to the floor where theboratory was located. The others had yet toe back. It seemed like it was still early. "Good morning, Dr. Craw," Rhett stood up immediately when he saw Lucae back. "Good morning." Luca nced at the time and looked at the breakfast on Rhett''s desk. She nodded without saying anything. Then, she clocked in, turned around, and walked back to the office. Rhett looked at her from behind, and he nced at his breakfast. He sat down and continued eating his breakfast since Luca did not say anything. Luca''s phone rang when she just sat down on her chair in her office. Her heart skipped a beat. She took her phone out and looked at it. It was Sue who was calling her. Luca answered the call and greeted, "Hey, Sue, good morning." "Luca, have you seen today''s news?" Sue asked. "I woke upte today. I didn''t manage to watch the morning news broadcast. What happened?" Luca''s panicked thoughts grew wild when she heard how anxious Sue sounded on the other end of the line. Could it be that something had happened to Luke? This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Luca was flustered as she quickly turned on theputer. She wanted to find out today''s news. "Nina''s in trouble," said Sue. There was nothing she could do to help Nina now. That was why she called Luca to see if she could help her. "Nina?" Luca''s hands trembled when she typed the news website in the search bar. Then, she clicked on the local news website and read the news. "Mhm. A few media outlets reported about her today. They wrote horrible things about her. They''re all about. Take a look at the articles. I don''t know what I''m supposed to do now," replied Sue. She had no idea how to describe the contents of the news. "Don''t worry. Let me take a look at the situation first." Luca could sense the helplessness in Sue''s tone. Sue must be eager to help Nina, but Luca believed that Sue did not know how to help Nina this time. That was why she came looking for her in the first instance. Luca saw the news after the website was done loading. She saw the headlines about Nina. Luca frowned. The headlines themselves were terrible enough. Every single word taunted Nina for having a family background that was no match to Percy''s. Luca clicked a link and scrolled down the page. Almost everything written on the news was the truth, but some of them distorted the facts. There were false statements such as Nina being raped and getting pregnant. Another one was how Nina treated her mother, Anna. The news report thoroughly exposed everything that happened to Nina in the past and the present. Besides, the words carried an overtone of defamation and sarcasm. Whenever Percy was mentioned, the article that someone like Nina did not deserve Percy. "Damn..." Luca could not help but lose her temper when she saw the news. The person who wrote this news article seemed to have dug into Nina''s background through someone close to Nina. Otherwise, how did that person manage to know so much about Nina''s past? Sue heard Luca swearing, and she knew Luca was furious too. Therefore, she told Luca about her assumptions, "Luca, do you think there''s any chance the person who wrote this news article is someone in the Mallory family?" ¡°It can''t be the Mallory family,¡± Luca denied immediately without a second thought. ¡°How can you be so sure about that?¡± "The Mallory family aren''t fools. Mr. Mallory got someone to spread the news that he was engaged with Nina two days ago. Even though the Mallory family is against it, they wouldn''t have started with this and gotten the reporters to write an article about Nina''s past. Isn''t that smearing the Mallory family''s reputation too?" Luca shared her thoughts with Sue. The Mallory family was meticulous and concerned with their family''s reputation. If they knew about these, they would use it as a reason to convince Percy not to marry Nina. Perhaps they might use it as evidence to threaten Nina. However, they would never do something stupid to expose these to the public. Would they give the others the chance to make fun of them and look down on Percy? It was a nightmare for a wealthy family to be surrounded by such embarrassing news. ¡°What if they had made up their minds?¡± said Sue. Only the Mallory family was holding a grudge against Nina. She could not think of anyone else who would do this to her. ¡°It doesn''t matter who it is now. What matters the most is Nina. It''s obvious they''re against Nina. How is she now?¡± Luca asked. It was important to find out who exposed these things to the reporters, but Luca believed that Percy would get his hands on it. She was more concerned about Nina''s condition now. ¡°The reporters are waiting for Nina downstairs. I told Nina about it. She''s noting to the office today. As for her current situation, I guess she''s probably at home hiding from the reporters,¡± Sue said helplessly. Chapter 2179 Luca let out a sigh helplessly. Nina was so close to living a happy life, but someone stabbed her in the back at this time. Sue added, "I''m afraid that she might overthink now. After all, her past is her deepest wound. It''s cruel for someone to use this against her. That''s..." Sue felt helpless and angry at the same time. There were no words that could describe how upset she was. Luca did not know what to say either. Although Percy protected Nina well, after their conversationst night, Luca could sense that Nina was still sensitive. She would still feel worried and insecure. Now, such awful things had happened to her. "Luca, is there anything we can do for her?" Sue was overwhelmed. "Let''s show more concern for Nina. There''s nothing we can do about the reporters. Things aren''t as simple as they are. The reporters are looking for her now.." replied Luca. She knew what kind of people the Mallory family was. They were probably annoyed after getting exposed this time, thinking that Nina had brought shame to the Mallory family and ruined their reputation. They mighte looking for trouble. "That''s all we can do for now." Sue let out a deep sigh. There was a knock on her office''s door, and she said to Luca, "Luca, I have something to deal with. Talk to youter." "Okay." After Luca hung up the call, she carefully browsed the news article again. She did not read the comments, but she knew what the others would be talking about even if she did not look at them. Percy''s status was not lower than Luke''s in A City. Percy insisted on being together with Nina. Many people were envious, displeased, and jealous of Nina. There was no doubt that theizens were criticizing Nina. Luca shook her head helplessly while reading the news article. Luca nced at the time. She wanted tofort Nina, but she had something more important things to do at hand. Hence, she picked up her phone and sent a message to Nina: [I saw the news. Are you okay?] After Luca sent the message, only seconds passed before she received a reply from Nina: [I''m alright. Don''t worry.] [I have to finish my experiment. I''ll look for you after this.] Luca replied. She knew Nina well. Even though Nina said she was fine, nothing was alright deep down in her heart. Luca did not wait for Nina''s reply. She left her phone in the office. After putting on her white coat, she headed to theboratory. Her team of researchers was already in theboratory getting ready to conduct the next stage of clinical trials. Luca began to work after she greeted everyone. They worked the whole morning until the afternoon. They did not really leave theboratory. Even their lunches were ordered by Zoey. They continued with the research after they ate their lunch in the staff room of theboratory. The data error had dyed their research progress too much. That was why they were racing against time, trying to catch up with the progress. Moreover, Luca had promised to fulfill the request of Watson''s general manager. When the office''s working hours ended, Luca walked out of theboratory. She let the researchers get off work on time today as the research progress was going well. Luca looked at her phone when she returned to her office. There was only one unread message from Nina. She tapped on it and read the message. It was Nina''s reply to her message from this morning: [You don''t have to.] Luca looked down. There was not even a message from Luke today. Luca smiled bitterly. What was she expecting from him? It was normal for Luke not to contact her. Was that not the case? The passion they felt for each other in the beginning would onlyst for a few days, then it would fade as time went by. Luke''s heart had always been with Bianca. Even though Luca''s true identity was Bianca, her looks had changed. She could not win Luke''s heart anymore. Luca did not leave immediately. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Uncle Zander would fetch the kids from school after ss. Aunt Neile would take care of the kids when they were back at the vi. Luca opened the news and nced at the articles. The saga continued... Furthermore, the papers and websites that were reporting about this matter seemed to be increasing. It was as though Percy was not doing anything to stop this at all. Luca furrowed her brows. She wanted to ask Percy about this. Why did he not make any moves in the first instance and let things escte? Although they were writing about Nina''s past and there was nothing more that could be looked into, talking and making a big deal out of Nina''s past would hurt her badly. Even so, Luca could not possibly question Percy about this. Perhaps Percy had something else in mind. Besides, if Luca questioned Percy herself, it would not be of much help to Nina. Luca let out a sigh and turned off theputer. She left the office after tidying up her documents. Luca returned to the vi. The kids were already in the vi after Uncle Zander sent them back here. They were doing their homework in the living room. Aunt Neile was preparing dinner in the kitchen. ¡°Ms. Luca, you''re back!" Tommy lifted his head and looked at her. He said with a smile on his face. ¡°Yes. Are you doing your homework?" Luca asked. Tommy nodded and handed his book to Luca, "Ms. Luca, I''m done. Please help me check." "Okay. I''ll help you check your homework." Luca put her briefcase aside and began checking Tommy''s homework. After making sure everything was correct, she imitated Luke''s signature and signed on thest page of the homework. Then, she handed it back to Tommy. Lanie and Rainie were done doing their homework too. Luca helped them sign as well. "Ms. Luca, you look tired..." Rainie was so attentive that she noticed the weariness on Luca''s face. "I was busy with work today." After Luca signed on thest page of the twins'' homework, she returned their books to them and said, "Put your books in your bags. Otherwise, you might forget to bring them to school tomorrow." ¡°Ms. Luca, you should rest earlier." Lanie took his book from Luca and put it in his bag while he talked to her. "I will." Luca loved the three of them. She rose to her feet and said, "Let me see if there''s anything I can help in the kitchen. Maybe I can cook something. I don''t have much time. And I can only prepare a dish for you. What would you like to eat?" Tommy shook his head and replied, "Ms. Luca, dinner is almost done. Sit down and take a rest. Daddy said you should sit down and rest if you''re feeling tired. You don''t have to do those things." Luca was surprised. She thought Tommy would be the first one to tell her what he wanted to eat. However, Tommy asked her to rest instead. He was not nning to ask Luca to cook for him. Luca looked at the kids, feeling relieved. It wasforting when the kids were thoughtful. Rainie went along with him. "Yes, Ms. Luca. You should rest. Aunt Neile prepared dinner early today. We can have dinnerter." Luca knew the kids cared about her. She smiled and sat on the sofa, asking them what interesting things had happened in school today. After a while, Aunt Neile walked to the living room and informed them that dinner was ready. Luca returned to the study after dinner. She began to continue with the research she had stopped doing. She was finding the antidote for the poison. After all, this matter could not be dyed either. Luca set the rm so that she would not forget to remind the kids to sleep while she was focused on her research. Chapter 2180 Luca was doing experiments in the study the entire time. The kids did note upstairs to disturb her either. Only when the rm rang did Luca stop doing her experiment. She disinfected her hands and walked out of the study. Luca ran into the kids when they were making their way upstairs. ¡°Ms. Luca, have you finished your work?" Tommy smiled cheerfully and came forward to hug her. Luca stroked Tommy''s head and looked at Lanie and Rainie, "Come on. Go clean yourself up. It''s time for bed." "Okay, Ms. Luca," the three kids replied at the same time. Luca returned to her bedroom. She got herself cleaned up at the same time as the kids did so. Then, she tucked the kids into bed. Her phone rang when she was about to do some reading before heading to bed. Could it be Luke? Luca could not suppress the quiver in her heart. She picked up her phone and looked at it. It was Nina who called. She quickly answered the call and said, "Nina, what''s wrong?" Luca had a feeling that something must have happened if Nina was calling at this hour after the incident this morning. "Luca, were you asleep?" Nina asked. She was worried that she would disturb her. "Of course not. Would I have been able to answer the call so quickly if I was asleep?" Lucaforted her. Nina was such a person¡ªcareful and afraid to trouble others. "I''m at the entrance of your vi district. Do you mind opening the door for me?" Nina asked. She had pressed the visitor doorbell, but no one answered. She thought that it was either Luca was asleep or she was on the first floor. "You''re at the entrance?" Luca was surprised. She quickly jumped out of bed and wore her wool slippers. "Hold on there. I''m going to get you now." "You don''t have toe over. I know the directions. You just have to open the gate for me." Nina sounded tired. Luca could hear her voice slightly shivering when she listened to it carefully. "Alright. Give me a minute." Luca headed downstairs immediately to open the district gate for her. ¡°Thank you, Luca. I''m walking in now," replied Nina. ¡°Come in. I''ll be waiting for you at the door." Luca knew something must have happened to Nina. That was why she came here. Luca put on her coat. She grabbed another coat, thinking that Nina probably did not wear enough layers to keep herself warm before she walked out of the house. Nina let out a sigh on the other end of the line. It was especially quiet on this cold, snowy night. She could hear Luca''s footsteps, and she said, ¡°Luca, you don''t have toe out so soon. I''m still walking." ¡°You walked all the way here?" Luca frowned. ¡°No. I hailed a ride toe here. Let me walk to your house first. You should go back into the house to keep yourself warm. I''ll call you when I''ve arrived." Nina sniffed. A gust of cold wind blew past Nina, making her nose dry and itchy. Nina continued to head toward the vi after she hung up the call. Luca did not listen to what Nina said. She carried the coat and walked to the door gate. The vi district was huge, and Luke''s vi was located at a more remote location. That was why Nina needed some time to arrive at the vi no matter which gate she came from. Luca nced at her phone and continued to wait at the door gate. 15 minutester, Luca saw Ninae walking toward her. She noticed that Nina was wearing flimsy garments under the lights of the dimly lit streetmps. Luca frowned. She came up to Nina and draped the coat over her. ¡°Why didn''t you put on a few more layers to keep yourself warm since it''s so cold out here?" Luca had been holding the coat in her arms, keeping it warm. Nina could feel the warmth when Luca draped the coat over her. She gave an embarrassed smile and said, ¡°Can you please take me in for tonight?" ¡°Sure. No problem. But you''ll have to tell me what happened." Luca held Nina''s hand and closed the door after they got into the vi. Nina remained silent and followed Luca to the vi. Luca was not in a rush to question her, so she only asked, ¡°It''ste. Have you eaten dinner?" Nina''s pale lips curled up. She had been outside for a while, and it was freezing. Her lips were slightly purplish. She replied, "I had some." Luca roughly knew what Nina meant by that. Hence, she said, ¡°Sit down. Let me get you a warm ss of milk." Nina did not want to trouble Luca at first, but she listened to her and shut her mouth when she noticed the look on Luca''s face. It was the same as how Bianca had taken care of her before... Luca walked into the kitchen and got Nina a warm ss of milk. She took some snacks that were prepared for Tommy and the others. Then, she brought them to the living room. ¡°Have some. Don''t tell me you have no appetite. It''s freezing out there, and you barely ate anything. Your body won''t be able to take it. Aren''t you thinking of improving your health?" Luca was worried that Nina would refuse to eat. Her tone was a little forceful. ¡°Thank you, Luca." Nina picked up the ss of milk and took a sip. The warm milk warmed her body, and she felt much better. She looked at the snacks on the table and said embarrassingly, "Aren''t these snacks for the kids?" "There''s nothing to eat at this hour. Just eat them. The snacks are everything we have for now. I''ll ask Aunt Neile to go to the supermarket to get some groceries," said Luca. She picked up one of the snacks and opened it. Nina would have to eat it once Luca opened it. Nina watched Luca open the package and put the snacks in her hands. Nina said helplessly, "Luca, are you treating me like a child?" "Aren''t you one?" Luca picked up another bag, "Come on." "Okay, I''m eating. But stop opening the snacks. I won''t be able to finish them all. You know I don''t eat much." Nina took the bag of snacks from Luca and put it on the coffee table. "I''ll have this one." Nina took one of the cookies while she talked to Luca. It was no surprise that Luke''s kids had the privilege of enjoying luxurious foods. It had been a long time since Nina ate such premium snacks. It aroused her appetite. She enjoyed eating the snacks. Nina thought she would not be able to finish the whole pack. She did not expect to be able to finish the whole pack while she drank the milk. It only took a while for her to finish it. She even finished drinking her milk. She could not help but burp. "The perfect match of cookies and milk. I''m so stuffed." Nina waved her hand, telling Luca she could not eat anymore. Luca did not force her to eat when she saw Nina was done eating. She adjusted her sitting posture and looked at her. "The way you''re looking at me is scaring me.." Nina suddenly lost her confidence. "Then tell me what happened. Why did you go out without wearing enough to keep yourself warm at night?" Luca knew the reason Nina came looking for her must have something to do with what happened this morning. However, even if it had something to do with it, Nina would not havee here in such a flustered condition. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Luca knew Nina well. Nina must have forgotten to bring her ID with her. Otherwise, she would not have come here if she had brought it along with her. She would have headed to the hotel. "Didn''t you read the news articles?" Nina pouted her mouth. "Yes. I saw them." Luca nodded, waiting for Nina to continue with her story. Chapter 2181 ¡°Most of what the news articles wrote about me are true." Nina took a deep breath as she was not afraid that Luca would know about her past. It was because she knew Luca would not do anything to hurt her even if she knew everything. "Mr. Mallory should already know about your past. He''s not making a fuss out because of the news articles, right?" said Luca. Percy knew Nina well, just like her. "No, he''s not. He''s been busy handling the matter the whole day. It''s still a hot topic on the inte, and it''s not because he''s not doing anything to stop it. He''s nning to find out who was the one to expose the information to the reporters and proceed with the next step." A bitter smile swept across Nina''s smile. She agreed with Percy''s way of handling the matter. After all, only a few knew about Nina''s past. They should be able to find out who was the mastermind behind all these soon if they were to look into it. After that, they would implement the next n. That would be the best. Now, everyone knew about Nina''s past, so it did not matter who wrote about her and published it. "Then why did you..." Luca hesitated. Nina agreed with Percy''s way of handling the matter, so there was no need for her to run away from home. "Percy''s parents came to our house. Percy was there too, and he told his parents that he didn''t care about my past in front of his parents. He even told them that he''d marry me. Madam Mallory fainted when she heard Percy say so. It was so chaotic. Percy only came back in the evening after sending her to the hospital. He told me to pack my luggage after he came back. He wants to get our marriage certificate abroad." Nina recalled what happened, but there was a hint of destion in her eyes. Luca did not know where that came from. Nina had just told her that she wanted to marry Percyst night. Was it not good that Percy suggested bringing her abroad to get their marriage certificate? "You''ve wanted to be together with him for ages. You have the chance to spend the rest of your life with him, but you''re running away now?" Luca asked in an unbelievable tone. Nina crossed her legs, let out a deep sigh, and said, "Luca, you have no idea what I want. The marriage I want is the kind of marriage where I can receive everyone''s blessing and everyone agrees with it. This is not the right time to get married. The whole world is against it, but he insists on going against the world to be together with me." Luca understood what Nina meant. Nina ran away for the sake of her future. If Percy lost Mallory Corporation just because he married Nina, she would regret it even if he would not. It was just like Jack asking Luca not to marry Luke with the information in his hands back then. She wanted to be together with Luke at that time. She chose to bear the pain no matter how heartbroken she was at the thought of Luke possibly facing imprisonment after he got together with her. That was why she rejected him at the ceremony. She did it merely for Luke''s sake. It was the same as what Nina was doing now. ¡°His family made it clear that if Percy insisted on marrying me, he''d lose a seat at the table in the Mallory family. Although he told me that he''d be fine without Mallory Corporation and he can''t live without me by his side, it''s still a fact that Percy was born with a silver spoon. He''s capable, but it''ll be difficult for him if he loses the support of the Mallory family. Perhaps he''ll regret choosing me one day in the future. That''s why I want to get the Mallory family''s permission and support before we get married rather than make him lose everything he has just because we want to get married." Nina added. "Did the two of you fight?" Luca continued. "It''s not really a fight. He''s too stubborn now. He said we should head to New York and sign the marriage certificate immediately. I didn''t want to do so, so I came out. I didn''t bring anything with me when I came out. That''s when you came into my mind..." said Nina. She had been choosing between Sue and Luca regarding who she should ask for help. She eventually chose Luca. After all, Sue was quite confused now. "You should''ve informed me at the first moment. It''s not a good idea to run away from home without putting on enough garments and not bringing your ID along with you. What would Mr. Mallory do if anything had happened to you?" Luca shook her head, stood up, and cleaned the table. "Spend the night here tonight. You can stay here tomorrow if you don''t feel like going back yet. No one knows you''re here, after all. No one will disturb you." "Really? I''m allowed to stay here?" Nina was worried that she would disturb Luca. "Yes. For as long as you wish." Luca assured her. She pondered for a moment, turned around, and added, "But you have to tell Mr. Mallory your whereabouts so that he doesn''t have to worry about you. He''s not the one who exposed your past to the press this time. The two of you have different perspectives on marriage. You''ll have to face him after this ends. Talk to him when the timees." "Okay. I will. Thank you, Luca." Nina looked at Luca with gratitude. Luca smiled and replied, "Wait for me to clean this up. Then let''s go upstairs." "Okay." Nina nodded. She picked up her phone after Luca walked into the kitchen. There were more than ten missed calls and a bunch of unread messages. Nina did not return the calls, nor did she read those messages. She knew Percy was talking about everything they had talked about before. Nina sent him a message: [I''m at Luca''s ce. Don''t worry. I''m not going back for now. The reporters at the door are annoying.] She turned off her phone after sending the message. The reporters saw Madam Mallory going to Percy''s vi and making a scene there. After that, Madam Mallory fainted and she was sent to the hospital. Nina had no idea how the reporters found out about it, but it was being reported on the news now. Speaking of this, Nina thought the reporters were good at investigating and finding out what had happened. Even the private detectives were not as good as them. If it were not for her running away from the vi at night and there being no reporters waiting outside at the time, Nina would not have been able to get out of the vi. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Fortunately, Madam Mallory was okay. She was only suffering from hypertension, and she fainted because she did not take her medicine on time. Nina let out a sigh of relief after knowing that she was fine. If anything happened to Madam Mallory because of her, she would not know how to face Percy. Luca ced the snacks back where they were. She did this to prevent the kids from being greedy and eating too many snacks. She cleaned the ss and walked out of the kitchen, then she asked, "Have you told Mr. Mallory?" ¡°Yeah. He knows I''m here.¡± Nina rose to her feet. Luca nodded and replied, ¡°Come on. Let''s go upstairs. I''m going to find you a set of pajamas. Take a shower and get some rest. Stop overthinking." "Yes. Thank you for letting me stay." Nina blinked her eyes at Luca. Although she had a lot on her mind now, she was surprisingly relieved when she was facing Luca. It was like she was facing someone she had known for ages. Nina could not help but share her thoughts and troubles with her. She wasforted at the same time. Luca brought Nina up to the second floor and reminded her, "Lanie and the others are asleep." Chapter 2182 Nina nodded and said in a soft voice, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be quiet." The two of them walked into the bedroom one after another. Luca opened the closet and took a new set of pajamas and underwear. "Your figure is almost the same as mine. These are new. Hurry up and take a shower." ¡°Thank you." Nina sniffed and took the clothes that Luca handed to her. Something came across Luca¡¯s mind, and she said, "Hold on. Let me get you a set of new towels and toiletries." Luca walked out of the bedroom and headed to the storeroom to get a new set of toiletries and towels. Aunt Neile had prepared all these. Luca returned to the bedroom and handed everything to Nina. She said, "Off you go. You can use the shower gel, shampoo, and skincare products in the bathroom." "Luca, there¡¯s no doubt I¡¯d fall in love with you if you were a man," Nina yfully joked with her. Luca was amused by Nina''s joke and pretended to be serious as she said, "No way. I''m not going to fight over a woman with Mr. Mallory. I''m sure I''ll lose." "Hey, stop teasing me." Nina pouted, turned around, and walked into the bathroom. Luca sat beside the bed and nced at her phone. It was already midnight... There were still no messages from Luke. Was he mad at her? Langdon¡¯s house. Marie was in a good mood. She was humming a song while she strolled into the living room. Then, she frowned when she saw Jean sitting on the sofa. She asked, "Aren''t you asleep yet?" "Where have you been?" Jean crossed his arms in front of his chest with a gloomy look on his face. "My friend asked me out. That¡¯s why I went out. Why? Can¡¯t you sleep without mypany?" Marie sat down beside him and leaned on his shoulder, giving him a flirtatious look. Jean pushed Marie away in disgust and asked, "You went out? Did your friend ask you to head to the bar and get a few drinks?" The look on Marie''s face changed at once. She even went to the hotel to take a shower to remove the alcohol smell on her before she went back to prevent Jean from finding out that she went drinking. "Huh? Can''t we go to the bar to talk?" Marie refuted without denying that she went to the bar. ¡°What were you and your friend talking about?¡± Jean looked at her sideways. ¡°Just the same old. Women are always upset about men and money. I was justforting her and we had a few drinks together.¡± Marie thought Jean said something like that because of the alcohol smell on her. ¡°Hah, Marie, is it so hard to admit that you''ve been messing around?" Jean''s expression was sulky. Did she really think that Jean had no idea about it? Marie was released from prison a little earlier than he was, but he knew as much as she did. The look on Marie''s face turned gloomy at once. She said, ¡°What do you mean? I was just out having a few drinks with my friend, so how was I messing around with someone else? Besides, I don''t have any money to go to the bar. My friend was the one who gave me the money." ¡°Are you really broke?" Jean forcefully grabbed her wrist and gave her a menacing look. ¡°I''m broke." Marie frowned. She wanted to pull her hand back, but Jean was too strong. ¡°You''re broke? Where did you get the money to expose her, then? Why? Have you splurged the money on drinking at the bar? Or did you give it to some boy toy you''re messing with?" Jean questioned her. Marie stopped struggling. She avoided his gaze the moment their eyes met each other. Then, she said, ¡°What are you talking about? The press?" ¡°Do you think I have no idea about this? Nina made the headlines today. Everything about her past was written in the news article. Aren''t you the one who told the press about it?" Jean looked at her with a hideous expression on his face. ¡°I have evidence. Marie Rayne, be honest and don''t make me do it the hard way." Marie did not expect Jean to know about this. Marie was humiliated when Nina treated her that way back then. Marie was so mad that she looked for the press and revealed Nina''s past. She received a sum of money for revealing Nina''s secrets. However, Marie did it in secret. She disguised herself when she went to meet the press. Also, she did not tell the press who she was, and she received cash from them. Therefore, the press would not have known who she was. How did Jean find out about that? ¡°Why? Did you think you did everything perfectly and nobody would''ve found out about it?" Jean narrowed his eyes, lifted his hand, and pped her in the face. ¡°Marie Rayne, ruining Nina''s ns means ruining my future life. What the hell were you thinking?" Marie fell on the sofa due to the strong impact. There was blood flowing out of the corner of her lips. Jean did not have any sympathy for her. There was no doubt that what Marie did had destroyed Nina''s hope of getting into the Mallory family. Jean was not thinking straight now, and all he thought of was beating the woman in front of him to death. ¡°I''m going to beat the sh*t out of you!" Jean lifted his hand, and he was about to punch Marie. "Don''t you dare! Jean, if you dare to touch me, I''ll tell the press more about Nina, including stuff about you. The Mallory family already can''t ept her. Is there any chance for Nina to turn things around if you''re exposed as well?" Marie raised her voice and warned him. A person like Nina having such a miserable past would be an embarrassment for wealthy families like the Mallory family. They should have known about it, but no one was writing anything about it. That was why the Mallory family did not have so many excuses to stand against Percy''s rtionship with her even if Percy insisted on being together with Nina. Now, Nina''s past was a scandal that had made the Mallory family aughing stock in A City. Jean''s past was also part of Nina''s scandalous past. If Marie revealed this to the press, Nina''s dream of marrying into a wealthy family would be ruined. Jean''s hand stiffened and stopped in the air, ¡°Marie Rayne, you just don''t know when to stop, huh?!" "Jean, look at how naive you are." Marie sneered and stood up. She would have pped him in the face twice if she had somewhere else to live now. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Jean frowned. "What do you mean?" "Do you think you''ll gain any benefits after Nina gets married to Percy even if I didn''t expose her?" Marie provoked him by mentioning the rtionship between Jean and Nina. The brother and sister had always been in a toxic sibling rtionship. Jean would not deal with Marie as long as she continued to provoke him. "I''m her brother. No matter how bad our rtionship was, she''ll still care about me when I''m broke and starving. And Percy won''t let Nina, that b*tch, be caught in the middle," replied Jean. He had his own motives for wanting Nina to be the young mistress of the Mallory family. Percy would have to take care of her, after all. "That''s what I mean by calling you naive. Look, Nina has Percy backing her up, but how is she treating you and your mother now? You''re almost broke, and she''s not giving you any money. She even stopped you from going to the Rayne family''s house. And your mother, she wants to stay in a quiet ward. These are simple things that she could do for you and your mother. But where is she now? She''s being stingy and doesn''t care about you. Do you think things will get better after she''s married to Percy? Don''t be silly. It''s not like she''s obsessed with her brother." Marie snickered. Chapter 2183 ¡°Even if she seeds in bing the Mallory family''s young mistress, you''re not her. Although both of you were born to the same mother, what''s the point of defending her now when your futures are going to be worlds apart? Jean, wake up! Her good life has nothing to do with you. So, you should drag her down instead of seeing her marry rich. She wants to get rid of you to live a luxurious life, so you can''t let her wishe true!" Marie continued to provoke him after seeing him remain silent. Jean frowned and looked at Marie. She had a point. Judging from how Nina currently acted, he would not have anything to do with her after she became rich. She could not be counted on in the future. At the end of the day, he could only count on himself. If he had to watch Nina live a good life while he lived a miserable one, he might as well do as Marie said and drag her down. The change in Jean''s expression caught Marie''s eyes. She said, "Am I right? The press pays generously. Aren''t you short of money recently? Whatever dirt you have on Nina may benefit you greatly if you cooperate with the reporters." Jean lifted his arm and immediately cupped her chin. "Why are you doing this to Nina?" Jean questioned as they had agreed to take advantage of Nina by being close to her, but now, Marie wished to take advantage of Nina. "I... I''m just angry. I can''t stand seeing her treat you like this." Marie tilted her head and tried to break free from his hand, but it was to no avail as he was tightly grabbing her jaw. She never intended to confront Nina. She just wanted to rely on this fool, Jean, to take advantage of her. However, Nina had humiliated her, which nted the idea of revenge in her mind. Plus, she got it all figured out. Jean had nothing but this house and the insurance he would get after Anna''s death. Thus, she did not actually hope for Nina to be nice to Jean. In fact, the reason why she was still with Jean was that she needed a ce to stay. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Not to mention, she wanted to obtain this house too. Although it was an old house, it was still worth a lot of money in a city like A City where thend value was extremely high. Marie was waiting for the chance to get hold of this house. Jean obviously did not believe the nonsense she was spouting. If it were not for the fact that he had no money or women right now, he would not be with a woman like Marie. She was like a poisonous snake, watching his every move. "Don''t think I don''t know what you''re up to. If you dare talk nonsense to the reporters again, I''ll pull your tongue out," he threatened her viciously. It was not because he wanted to defend Nina, but it was for his own good. "You... Let go of me first." Marie furrowed her brows as his grip was too strong. Jean grunted and let go. Marie immediately took a few steps back to avoid getting choked again. "You''re destined to get nothing, but you''re still defending her? Are you stupid?" She stared at him in bewilderment. Jean sneered as she did not know that he was defending himself. "If I ever find out that you''re causing trouble behind my back again, you''ll be sleeping on the streets," Jean warned her. She had no ce to live, so her biggest fear right now was getting kicked out. Even if she had a lot of money from selling information to the reporters, she would soon run out of funds if she had to live on the streets without a job. "I did such things all because of you, yet you don''t appreciate it. Don''t bite the hand that feeds you," muttered Marie. Jean stopped in his tracks and looked back at her. Marie was stunned. "Pretend you didn''t hear that." Jean still walked up to her and looked down at her. "Where''s the money you got for selling out Nina?" "It''s all gone." Marie immediately shook her head when he mentioned money. "Gone?" Jean narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "There was quite some money as the press was generous, but my friend asked to borrow my money. She saw how much I had, and it would be embarrassing not to lend it to her, so I did," Marie lied. Jean sneered. "You? Lending money to other people? That''s not your style." All this while, Marie had only borrowed from others. She never lent anyone any money. "There''s a first time for everything, and that close friend of mine had an emergency. How could I do nothing about it?" Marie felt that Jean''s gaze was too eerie as if he could see through her. Jean used to be a blockhead who was manipted by her, so how could he have changed? "Others may change, but you won''t." Jean raised his hand and ced it on her neck, then his hand slowly moved downward. Before Marie could even react, the money was pulled out by Jean. Jean waved around the thick stack of money as a smile appeared on his face. "You haven''t changed at all. This stack of money is quite thick. It seems like Nina''s information was worth a lot." Marie''s eyes widened, and she raised her hand to grab the money. "Give me the money." "In your dreams." Jean pocketed the money with no intention of giving it to her. "That''s my money!" Marie''s eyes were red when she saw the money. She could have splurged for a good amount of time with that money, but it was snatched away by Jean, which made her anxious. ¡°Your money? This is the money you got from selling Nina''s information. Since you didn''t deposit such a thick stack of money in the bank, you must be afraid that Percy''s people would find out and you''d land yourself in serious trouble when he decides to take revenge on you." Jean stared at her menacingly. Marie paused as that was indeed the case. "So what? The money came to me. It''s my money!" Marie did not have the patience to persuade him as she wanted to grab it. "Since the money is in my hands now, it''s mine. Marie, you eat what''s mine and live in my house. Shouldn''t you pay me? If you want this money, you can have it. I''ll just tell Percy that you were the one who spilled the beans to the reporters. Do you still want it?" Marie hesitated. Jean sneered. "The money belongs to me now." "Then what about me?" Marie''s face and eyes turned red as she was obviously infuriated by the scoundrel. "As long as you''re with me, how can I treat you badly? If you behave and don''t make me angry, I''ll basically be forced to take care of you." Jean sat on the couch and started counting the money in front of her. Marie bit her lip in aggrievement. She should not havee back. The money was enough for her to spend a good amount of time outside. After Jean was done counting the money, he put it in his pocket with satisfaction. He saw how angry Marie looked while standing there as she dared not say a word. He said, "What? There should''ve been more, but you spent a chunk of it to treat those hooligan friends of yours to a meal, didn''t you? How about I give you another ten?" Chapter 2184 Marie was filled with resentment as she saw him hold up the ten dors. ¡°You don''t want it? I''ll take it back then." Jean saw that she did not move and was about to take back the money until she swiftly snatched it from him. Jean smiled contemptuously. "It''s not enough," said Marie as she held out her hand. "If ten dors is not enough, how much do you want?" Jean frowned and was obviously unwilling to give her too much. "Even if you''re covering the costs of my stay, what about my food and daily transportation expenses? You can''t leave me empty-handed. Even if I were to stay at home, I''d need money to order takeout too," said Marie. "How troublesome." Jean took out his wallet and handed her a public transport card. "This is..." Marie looked at the public transport card and frowned as the card could only be used for rides and not for consumption. Plus, who even took public transport nowadays? "There are ten dors on the card. You can take the subway when you go out. It''llst you a few months," Jean saidzily. Marie looked at his gracious expression as he handed her the public transport card with ten dors in it. That was it? "My friends don''t even take the subway anymore, and now you''re making me take the subway? You have so much money in your hand. Can''t you give me some? It''s not like we eat together every day," she said with dissatisfaction. "You don''t want this?" Jean got a little impatient listening to her babble on. If she had not gotten so much money, he would have thrown her out long ago. After hearing that, Marie took the public transport card without hesitation as she still had to get around. Although she could not get a taxi, she could not walk everywhere either, right? Jean looked at her and smiled scornfully, expressing his disdain toward her. "Here''s another 50 dors. It''ll cover your food costs for a week. If you don''t treat others, it might even last you two weeks." He drew out 50 dors worth of bills and ced them on the coffee table. Then, he stood up and stretched. Marie stared at his back as he walked into the room. Her gaze was as sharp as knives as she stabbed the man in front of her a thousand times with her deathly stare. She picked up the money on the coffee table and stared nastily at the 60 dors in her hands, including the public transport card. She had a great future ahead of her, but she became down and out because of Bianca. Other than her, everyone else in the Rayne family was living a carefree life. Meanwhile, she was here living a life that even animals would not want to live. Marie looked at the dor bills in her hand and swore to herself that she would not let the Rayne family live a good life! This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. The next day. When Luca woke up, Nina was still asleep. She got up quietly and walked into the bathroom. She closed the door lightly and started to wash up. After Nina washed up yesterday, she tossed and turned as she could not fall asleep. Luca was worried that it would affect her health if this persisted long-term, so she gave Nina the sleeping pills she used. After taking the pills, Nina fell into a deep sleep half an hourter and had not woken up since. After washing up, Luca saw that Nina was still asleep. She thought of having Aunt Neile tidy up the guest room for Nina to sleep in as she was not used to having someone other than Luke sleep beside her. She did not know why either. After Nina fell asleep yesterday, Luca also took a pill to fall asleep. Luca went downstairs and noticed that the children were still asleep while Aunt Neile was preparing breakfast in the kitchen. She went into the kitchen and put on an apron to help Aunt Neile out. She said, ¡°By the way, Aunt Neile, my friend came to spend the night yesterday and she might be staying here for a while. Can you please tidy up the guest room after breakfast?" "Friend? Ms. Craw, is that friend of yours a man or a woman?" Aunt Neile looked at her dumbfounded. "What are you asking that for?" Luca looked at her with a puzzled expression. "Oh, nothing. It''s just that the color of the sheets and bedding I prepare will be different if it''s a female guest so that their stay would be morefortable. As you know, women require more things than men. I''d need to prepare everything. There''s not much stock left in the storage room, so I''d need to see what''scking and buy them at the supermarketter," Aunt Neile exined immediately. She only asked in detail to report to Luke. It would be okay if it were a female guest, but if it were a male guest... Luke would probably be upset. "It''s a female guest, but there''s no need to prepare too much. Just the daily essentials will do. You can ask her if she needs anything else when she wakes up as it''s not convenient for her to go out right now, so you need to help her get some daily supplies," said Luca. Aunt Neile breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that it was a female guest. It was a good thing Luca did not bring a man back home. Otherwise, it would not end well when Luke found out. Luca did not pay attention to Aunt Neile''s expression and focused on preparing breakfast. After breakfast was ready, the children woke up. Rainie saw Luca preparing breakfast and looked puzzled. ¡°Ms. Luca, you''re awake?" ¡°Yes, I woke up earlier today. Come over and have breakfast," Luca greeted her. She had prepared a hearty breakfast today. She put the bowls of oatmeal in front of each seat. ¡°Then, who''s that sleeping in your room..." Rainie was terrified, and her little face went pale. She had peeked into Luca''s room beforeing down earlier. She saw someone sleeping on the bed and thought that Luca was still asleep, so she did not wake her up. Luca hurriedly exined after seeing the child''s shocked expression, ¡°That''s Nina. She came overst night." Rainie heaved a sigh of relief as she was shocked by that scene just now. ¡°So it was Ms. Nina. Why is she." ¡°Shh. Ms. Nina encountered some problems and needs to stay here for the time being. Is that okay?" Luca consulted the three kids. Although she asked for their consent, she knew that the children would definitely agree. Nina had always been nice to them since they were little, especially Tommy, who got pampered by Nina. Hence, the three kids were very fond of her. They would not have a problem with it. ¡°Of course," the three children said in unison. ¡°I love Ms. Nina," said Tommy. As soon as he said that, Nina''s voice came from the dining room door. ¡°Who loves me?" The three children turned around to see Nina walk in. They smiled. ¡°Good morning, Ms. Nina." ¡°Good morning." Nina was put in a good mood when she saw the smiling faces of the three kids. Luca pointed to the seat next to her and said, ¡°Since you''re up, let''s have breakfast together." Nina sat on the chair and apologized to Luca. ¡°I''m sorry to have kept you waiting. I must''ve overslept." ¡°Ms, Nina, we just sat down as well," Tommy scrambled to say. Nina made a heart gesture to him and looked at Luca. ¡°Why didn''t you wake me up?" Chapter 2185 ¡°You didn''t have to get up early. Besides, sleeping a little longer is good for you." Luca served her a bowl of oats. Nina smiled and said, "It smells so good. Would I still have gotten such a hearty and delicious breakfast if I had continued to sleep?" Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Aunt Neile stood aside and smiled. "Ms. Nina, the breakfast reserved for you is still in the kitchen. Since you''re awake, I''ll bring it out right now." "Thank you," thanked Nina. Luca ced a bun on her te using tongs and said, "That''s Aunt Neile, the maid who works here. Tell her if you need anything, and try not to go out during this period of time. If you really have to go out, there are cars in the garage. You can ask Aunt Neile for the keys." "The cars in the garage belong to Mr. Crawford, right?" Nina took a bite out of the bun and immediately gave Luca a thumbs up. It was delicious. "They''re Mr. Crawford''s, but it doesn''t matter," said Luca as Mr. Crawford had mentioned that if she wanted to drive, she could drive those cars anytime. He would not mind. However, she still had not used his cars as they were expensive. Her driving skills were subpar. If she were to identally bump or hit something, she would be in trouble. Moreover, those cars were too eye-catching. She might be surrounded by onlookers if she were to drive them out. Luca preferred to keep a low profile. "We can talk about thatter. I guess I''ll just be a coward and stay here for the next few days, but I can be responsible for picking up and dropping off these three cute little kids." Nina winked at the three kids. "They don''t need your help. Uncle Zander is usually responsible for that. He''s outside right now," said Luca while ncing at the kids. The kids ate breakfast a little slower as they were listening to their conversation, so Luca reminded them, "Pick up the pace and go to school once you''re done or you''ll bete." The three children hastened their movements. Nina was amused by the children''s actions. Aunt Neile came out with breakfast and ced it on the table. "Ms. Nina, enjoy your meal." "Aunt Neile, the breakfast you made tastes great." Nina gave Aunt Neile a thumbs up as she thought that all these were prepared by Aunt Neile. Aunt Neile shook her head and smiled. "Ms. Nina, most of these were prepared by Ms. Craw. I was just assisting her." Nina widened her eyes and looked at Luca. "You''re amazing, Luca." "No, I''m not. Hurry up and eat," said Luca as she gave Tommy another bun. "Here, have more." "Ms. Luca, the buns are delicious. You''re amazing," Tommyplimented her as well. Luca smiled and finished breakfast with the children. After breakfast, the children went to school with their backpacks. Luca watched them leave before withdrawing her gaze to see Nina''s inquisitive look. "What''s wrong?" Luca asked while putting on her jacket to get ready for work. "You looked like a loving mother who was sending her children off to school," Nina said what she felt as Bianca used to be that way. After watching Lanie and Rainie get in the car, Bianca would usually go back to minding her own business. If she was not busy, she would even take the kids to school herself. At that time, Nina envied the life Bianca had. She still remembered it to this day. Luca chuckled without answering her directly and just said, "The children are so cute. You stay here. I''ll go to work." "Okay, be careful on the road." Nina watched Luca go out and was a little envious. She admired professional women like Luca. Although she had her own career, she would never make it as far as Luca. If Bianca had not invited her to Brilliant Architectural Design LLC, perhaps she would have had to rely on Percy to find a job or just be a mere employee of T Corporation. She would not get far either way. Moreover, she used to not have a stable job because of Percy. Now that she finally had a steady job, things like this happened. She could not even enter thepany. Plus, to stop the reporters from asking more about her, Sue had to y bad cop and stop the people at thepany from spouting nonsense to the reporters. If she found out that they had done so, they would be fired. Nina sighed. Percy was not the only one in her life. She also had these close friends who were worried about her and willing to go out of their way for her. It seemed like the hardships she faced in the past were not enough for fate to favor her, so now, fate was ying a joke on her again. The more Nina thought about it, the more despondent she became. "Ms. Nina, what are you thinking about?" After Aunt Neile finished tidying up the kitchen, she walked out and saw Nina stare out the floor-to-ceiling window. She looked to be in low spirits. "Nothing much." Nina came back to her senses and saw a bag in Aunt Neile''s hands, so she asked, "Aunt Neile, are you going grocery shopping?" ¡°Yes, and by the way, Ms. Craw informed me that you can tell me if you need anything. I''ll help you buy it at the supermarket," said Aunt Neile to avoid making two trips. "I''ll go with you." Nina did not have any of her personal belongings, and she could not keep on using Luca''s things. Although she and Luca had simr body types, Luca was a little more voluptuous than her, so her clothes would not fit her very well. Aunt Neile recognized her at first nce and said, "Ms. Nina, you''re the talk of the town. If you go out, you''ll be recognized. I don''t mean anything else, but it''s better for you to stay in the vi." Nina was taken aback and smiled bitterly. "You''re right. Celebrities like living in this area, and there are many reporters here too. In that case, I need to trouble you to buy some clothes..." "Okay, no problem. Just give me your size. However, there''s one issue. You might not like the clothes I pick as my taste is a little old-fashioned. I hope you don''t mind," said Aunt Neile. "I don''t mind as long as I can wear it." Nina texted Aunt Neile her size and measurements. She had intended to ask Sue for help, but since Aunt Neile was here to help, she would not need to trouble Sue anymore. After Aunt Neile received Nina''s list, she nodded and said, "I''ve received your message. By the way, is there anything you want to eat for lunch?" "Nope. In fact, you don''t have to prepare lunch. I''m still very full from breakfast." Nina touched her stomach. Luca''s cooking was too good! "How can I not?" Aunt Neile shook her head. "I''ll decide on what to make for lunch. Well then, I''ll be heading out first. Just call me if there''s anything." "Alright, stay safe." Nina smiled and waved at her. After Aunt Neile left, she was the only one left in the huge vi. Nina picked up her phone and took a deep breath. She then opened a website and looked at the eyecatching headlines, only to see that they were all rted to her. Chapter 2186 Although she told other people that she was okay, Nina did in fact mind it. She frowned as she saw those disgustingments and could only sigh. She did not even have to strength to speak up for herself in thements section. Nina tossed her phone aside and rested her head in her hands. If someone were to see her in her current state, they would definitely know that she had been defeated by thosements on the inte. If she knew who was the one that made her so miserable, she would not let them get away with it. Her phone rang. She nced at the screen to see that it was a call from Percy. She knew that if she did not answer, Percy would keep calling her, so she had no choice but to pick up. "Don''t you have to work?" Nina did not ask why he called as even the stupidest person would know what he called her for. "I''m worried about you. Are you okay?" Percy''s voice was hoarse. Nina frowned because of his hoarse voice. Did he drink a lot? "I''m doing fine here. Which other ce would be safe if even Luke''s vi isn''t? Have you been drinking?" Nina asked. "Yes, I drank a little." After Percy finished speaking, there was almost a minute of silence. Nina did not speak because she knew that he still had something to say. "Nina,e back. I''ll never force you to do something you don''t want to do again," he said. He had thought about it all night. He decided to follow her advice because he wanted to be with Nina very much. Although it was hard to get the Mallory family to agree, it was not impossible. He was confident. "Percy, if I go back, won''t it be a hassle to confront all the reporters at the door? I want to stay here for a while, at least until the investigation is done. I''ll go back after that. Luke is out of town anyway, so it''s not ufortable here," said Nina as she thought that staying here was not bad. Although her imagination would still run wild, at least she would not be surrounded by reporters if she were to go out. Moreover, Luca and the three kids were here. She would be surrounded by people. Percy was silent, and when he opened his mouth again, his voice was full of despondence. ¡°Nina, are you still angry with me?" "I''m not. I really do think that way. Plus, your parents and family won''te here to look for me." Nina said the truth. When the Mallory family came to her door to chase her away yesterday, she was terrified. Percy was there to protect her at that time. However, if he was not there during that fight, she may have already been driven out by the Mallory family when there were still a bunch of reporters waiting outside the door. At that moment, Nina thought that if she actually got kicked out, she would have nowhere to go. She and Jean had a falling out, so if she were chased out, she would not have anywhere to stay. She would have to sleep at a hotel. Except, how could a hotel be a home? At that moment, Nina realized how insignificant she was if she was separated from Percy. She also understood why Bianca insisted on opening thepany a few years ago. It was to give herself an extra edge. "Percy, I''m doing well here. There are even three little kids keeping mepany here. You know that what I need most right now are peace and quiet. I won''t have any peaceful days if I go back," Nina added. She had a hunch that the Mallory family would continue harassing her if she went back. Yesterday, Madam Mallory got so angry she was admitted to the hospital. There was no telling who would go looking for her next. Whoever it was, if they got angry enough to be admitted to the hospital because of Percy''s persistence, then Percy would need to carry the title of a bad son. It would ruin his reputation. Although she already had a lot on her shoulders and one more thing to deal with would not make a difference, this was Percy''s family they were talking about. She did not want Percy to reach a deadlock with them. Percy took a deep breath and sighed. "Alright, you stay there for the time being. Tell me if you need anything. I''ll have Joanne send it over to you." "Can you have Joanne send some of my clothes over? I only have Luca''s clothes to wear right now..." said Nina. "Okay, I''ll ask her to send them over. Call me if anything happens, and don''t hide anything from me, okay?" Percy had topromise as she was right about some things. Even if the reporters could not get to her, the Mallory family could. However, his family would not dare go to Luke''s house to cause Nina trouble.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. "Don''t worry about me. Just go about your own business. I''m doing great here," Nina reassured him. "Alright. I''ve found the source of the report. You can rest assured that there''ll be results soon," said Percy. "Alright." Nina smiled bitterly without letting Percy notice how she felt. So what if he found the source? Everything reported in the news was true. Her past was hideous, and Percy deserved better. She could not change the past, but she could not let go of him either. After all these years, her love for Percy had grown so deep it had already seeped into her bones. However, her past was like scars reminding her that they were real and they existed. When the healed scars opened up again, all bloody for others to see, Nina realized that her scars had neverpletely healed. She still could not face her past head-on. Percy was the medicine that cured her and made her ignore the things in her past... After hanging up the phone, Nina forced a smile and nestled herself on the sofa. She looked out the window to see the snowstorm. It was just like the silent storm that was going on in her heart. Luca was busy all day at thepany. She did not call Nina, but she had asked Aunt Neile to find out how she was doing. Nina''s condition was quite good, although she would often be in a daze. Even so, she did not cry. Luca did not work overtime and went straight back to the vi after getting off work. She walked into the living room to see Nina sitting on the sofa, seemingly teaching the kids their homework. "I''m back," said Luca. Nina turned her head and smiled when she saw her. "You''re back." "Yup." Luca nodded as she took off her coat and ced her briefcase aside. When the three children saw Luca, they all greeted her, "Ms. Luca, you''re back." "Yes, are you all doing homework?" Luca walked over to see that they were indeed doing their homework. The children nodded and went back to burying their heads in their books. "What about you?" Luca smiled and looked at Nina who seemed calm, just as Aunt Neile had said. "I was trying to guide them in their homework, but they don''t need me at all." Nina shrugged resignedly. Chapter 2187 "Pfft." Luca looked at how helpless Nina was andughed. Tommy shook his head and deliberately lowered his voice, "Ms. Nina, it''s not like our homework is difficult." "I know it''s not difficult, but you all... I can only say that you''re too smart. There''s no need for me to get involved." Nina sighed. "Yeah, they don''t need tutoring, but they need someone to check their homeworkter. Nina, I''ll go help Aunt Neile in the kitchen. Can you check the kid''s homeworkter?" said Luca. "Alright, I''ll promise to get the job done." Nina gave her an OK gesture. Luca turned around and walked into the kitchen. Tommy whispered, "Great, we''ll have good food again tonight." Nina listened to the child and patted his head. She said, "Aunt Neile''s cooking is also very good." Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. "But Ms. Luca''s tastes even better!" Tommy handed his finished homework to Nina. "Ms. Nina, I''m done. Check it, please." Nina was d. She finally had something to do. She took the workbook and checked it while saying, "Do I need to sign at the back of the workbook?" "Let Ms. Luca do it. She can imitate Daddy''s handwriting," said Tommy as he picked up a cookie to eat. Nina raised her eyebrows. "She can do that?" "Yes, Ms. Luca is awesome," Tommy said with admiration. Ninaughed and shook her head. It was not unusual for a child to adore adults, but it was unusual for a child to adore someone other than their parents. Nina finished checking his homework. Lanie and Rainie finished theirs at the same time, so she helped check theirs too. At that moment, Luca and Aunt Neile had finished preparing dinner. At the dinner table, Luca asked Nina, "Did you ask Aunt Neile to prepare the daily essentials for you?" Yes, they''re all prepared, and.." Nina got a piece of meat and said, "Percy called today. I said I want to stay here to clear my mind for a while. He got Joanne to send over some clothes and skincare products, so I don''t reallyck anything." Luca was surprised. "Mr. Mallory agreed?" Percy used to want to cling to Nina all the time. Even if they disagreed on the matter of marriage, it was not to the extent that he would agree to have Nina here. "He''s busy right now and can''t protect me all the time. Ironically, this ce is safer than his house or a hotel. Even if the Mallory family wants to make trouble, they''ll still show some respect to Luke. They won''te over," she exined to her while forcing a smile. Luca instantly understood and nodded. Old Master Mallory was already guilty after everything Percy had done. Moreover, the Mallory family and the Crawford family had a good rtionship. No matter how much noise the Mallory family made, they would note here. Tommy listened to the adults talk and could not help but give a thumbs up while praising, "Daddy is awesome!" Lucaughed and shook her head. Nina patted Tommy''s head and asked, "Yes, your father is awesome. What do you want to eat? Ms. Nina will get some for you." "Ms. Nina, I''ll get it myself. I''m not a little kid anymore! I can eat by myself. I don''t need any help, just like my brother and sister!" Tommy said while standing up to get a piece of meat. "Why are Luke''s children all so obedient? It''s no fun." Nina pouted andined when she was in fact just livening up the atmosphere. "Let''s eat," said Luca. The children had matured a lot during the years she was not around them. Lanie''s nature was even colder, while Rainie became even more gentle and understanding. On the other hand, Tommy was still cheeky, but he had learned a lot of things. He had be more independent now instead of always relying on her. After dinner. Luca imitated Luke''s signature and signed the back of the kids'' workbooks. Nina looked at her signature and was secretly surprised. She had taken important documents for Luke to sign before, so she was familiar with his signature. At first nce, Luca''s signature was exactly the same as Luke''s. After Luca finished signing, she told them to put the books back in their school bags. Then, it was time for the kids to watch cartoons. Luca did not apany them this time. She went upstairs to do experiments after telling them. Nina was curious, so she followed her into the research room. After seeing all the experimental instruments, she could not help but say, "Goodness, there are so many instruments. This can already be considered a smallboratory, right?" "I prepared all of these myself. I would usually do some research here. The medicine you had yesterday and the medicine I usually carry with me were all made with the equipment here," exined Luca. "How brilliant!" Nina looked at Luca with deep admiration in her eyes. She did not know much about pharmaceuticals, but after seeing Luca''s privateb, she thought that there was definitely more advanced equipment at Watson Biopharmaceuticals, which made her respect Luca. She could even do suchplex research here. "It''s nothing." Luca took out an experimental sample from the small fridge. Nina asked curiously, "What are you researching right now? Is it the drug you''ve been working on?" ¡°No, that drug can only be researched at thepany and can''t be brought out. I''m just researching some drugs on my own. They''re not rigorous drugs because they didn''t go through clinical trials. They''re usually just for personal use, and if they''re effective, I''ll give them to the people around me." "That''s amazing," Nina eximed. Luca had no intention of having Nina leave. She was allowed to be here if she was curious. Besides, she was not a kid who might identally destroy her research. Knock, knock. There were knocks on the door after Luca just sat down, and Aunt Neile''s voice was heard. "Ms. Craw, are you there?" "I''m here. Come in." Luca nced at the time. Aunt Neile should be getting off work at this hour. Aunt Neile pushed the door open and came in with a ghastly look on her face. "Ms. Craw, this is bad..." Luca furrowed her brows instantly. "What''s wrong?" "People from the Mallory family are at the entrance. They said they want to see Ms. Nina.." said Aunt Neile as she nced at Nina. Luca frowned. The Mallory family really came? As soon as Nina heard that, her face turned pale. She turned to Luca and apologized, "I''m sorry, Luca. I didn''t know.." "It''s not your fault. Why are you apologizing? You didn''t do anything wrong." Luca''s face was stern. The Mallory family was here. If she did not let them in, they would cause a scene. If she let them in, Nina would have a hard time. "They''re insisting oning in, aren''t they?" asked Luca. "I just talked to them. I didn''t mention that Ms. Nina''s here, nor did I admit that she''s here. However, they''re very sure that she is, so they asked me to open the door," Aunt Neile said helplessly. Facing the overbearing Mallory family was not something a maid like her could handle. Chapter 2188 "Okay, got it. How did they know Nina was here?" Luca''s expression was stern. It seemed that the Mallory family was dead serious about wanting Nina to leave Percy. However, how was Nina at fault? She did not cause the misfortune that came upon her blood family nor did she have an option. Pierre was the one who caused all of Nina''s recent suffering. She was the victim! Nina sighed when she saw Luca''s sour expression. "It should be Joanne... They came for me. I''m sorry for putting you in such a difficult position, Luca. I''ll go out." "No, you stay here." Luca wanted to make a call but realized that her phone was not there. She then remembered that she left it in the bedroom. She said to Aunt Neile, "Aunt Neile, I''m going to make a call. In the meantime, please open the door for the Mallory family and have Lanie and the others go upstairs. I don''t want the Mallory family to scare them." "Okay, I''ll do it right now." Aunt Neile nodded and was about to leave the bedroom. "Another thing, Aunt Neile, please entertain them downstairs. You''ll have to leave work a littleter than usual today," Luca said. Aunt Neile replied, "Okay, no problem." After Aunt Neile left, Luca looked at Nina and said, "You haven''t done anything wrong, so you have nothing to apologize for. I''ll go meet them, and you can wait here. Don''te down if you don''t hear anything from me." "The Mallory family is very..." Nina hesitated to continue speaking. "Luca, I can''t let you face them alone. I''ll do it. You''re innocent." "Don''t worry. I''ll give a call to Mr. Crawford before I head down." After Luca finished speaking, she walked out of the bedroom and closed the door. She then went to her bedroom to grab her phone. She felt ufortable when she thought of how they had not been in contact for nearly two days. At that moment, she had no choice but to take the initiative to talk to him. She did not expect that the Mallory family would pay them a sudden visit. She knew she had to inform Luke about what was happening and get his opinion on how to manage this matter that involved Nina and deal with the Mallory family. No matter what Luke said, she was determined to protect Nina. Luca made up her mind and called Luke. Luke answered her call fairly quickly. Luca did not wait for him to speak before she said, "Mr. Crawford, I need to get your opinion on something." Luke stayed silent for a few seconds before he asked, "What''s the matter?" Luca could hear the hoarseness and exhaustion in his voice. She lowered her eyes, suppressed her worries about him, and said, "I assume you know about what happened to Nina?" It had caused a bigmotion, so even though Luke was not around, Luca assumed that he was aware as he had always kept a close eye on what was happening in A City. "Yeah." Luke''s response was short and simple. She blinked. If it were not for the silence on her end, she wondered if she had hallucinated his response because she missed him too much. "She''s staying at your vi now, but the Mallory family is at the door. I want to shield her from them. Do you have any concerns?" Luca made it clear that she wanted to help Nina. Nevertheless, it was Luke''s vi, after all. She was certain that the Mallory family knew that. As such, she still had to get his opinion. Otherwise, she might offend the Mallory family and they would me Luke. If that happened, their partnership would be affected. "Do what you think is right. If they don''t back off, deal with it however you deem fit." Luke said more words this time. Luca felt at ease when she heard what he said. She understood that he meant for her to protect Nina and not worry so much. "Mm." This time, she was the one who gave a brief one-syble response. Her voice was slightly trembling and contained a hint of helplessness. Luke noticed her emotions and sighed helplessly. He wanted nothing more but to take her into his arms, but he was facing some difficulties with the task at hand. He had to be here to take charge, which was why he had to go on this business trip. "I didn''t expect you to call me for someone else," he said. His hoarse voice passed through Luca''s eardrums. It was electrifying. She was at a loss, and her mind went nk as she was unsure what Luke meant when he said that. "Huh?" she said subconsciously, her brain a nk te. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. "Don''t worry about it. Remember, if Old Master Mallory is the one who came to visit and you aren''t able to manage him, call Grandpa and have him step in to deal with this matter. If it''s someone else from the Mallory family and you can''t have them settle down, call me." Luke urged. Old Master Crawford was the only one who could ease the situation if Old Master Mallory was involved. "Okay... But will Old Master Crawford be willing to help Nina?" Luca hesitated. She was unsure if she wanted to involve Old Master Crawford. There was already a rift between the Crawford and Mallory families. If Old Master Crawford stepped in, the rift would run deeper and it would lead to a negative impact on the Crawford family. "Don''t worry, he''ll help. Percy is my business partner. Grandpa will be annoyed at me if he finds out that I didn''t help Nina," Luke reassured her. "Okay, I see." Luca held the phone tightly in her hand and looked at the door. The kids were standing at the door. She could even hear the sounds from downstairs because the door was not closed. It seemed that the Mallory family had arrived. "I''ll deal with it now," Luca said. "Mm, I''ll help inform Grandpa and let him know what''s going on," Luke said. Luca hung up the phone, looked at the kids who were standing by the door of her bedroom, and walked out with a gentle smile on her face. Rainie said, "Ms. Luca, Old Master Mallory and the others are here." "Got it. Could you go to theboratory to get Aunt Nina and stay in one of the bedrooms with her?" Luca asked the kids to apany Nina so Nina would notunch herself into a state of overthinking. "Okay, Ms. Luca." Rainie nodded. Tommy''s chubby face was slightly wrinkled as he was worried. "Ms. Luca, they look so fierce. You have to be careful." "Okay, I know. If you don''t hear anything from me, you and Aunt Nina can''t go downstairs." Luca urged them. The children nodded, walked to theb, and brought Nina out. Nina walked out of the room and looked at Luca. Luca nodded, turned around, and went downstairs as she held her phone tightly in her hand. Even though she was no longer on a call with Luke, she knew that Luke would support her. Hence, she did not feel as panicked. At the same time, Rainie held Nina''s hand, and they went into her bedroom. Luca went downstairs. She saw Old Master Mallory, Pierre, and a middle-aged couple. She frowned. ''Who is this middle-aged couple? Are they Percy''s rtives? How do these people have anything to do with Nina?'' When Pierre saw Lucae downstairs, he looked her up and down with his sinister eyes. ''This woman is indeed dating Luke.'' Chapter 2189 Pierre was raving mad at Luca when he thought of the suffering he went through because of her. He wanted to take revenge right there, right then. However, he could not afford to act recklessly in that situation. After all, they were in Luke''s territory. The exnation that he promised Luke previously had not been made. No matter how much money he offered, no one in thepany was willing to be the scapegoat. Mr. Peralta knew what wasing and opted to resign immediately. Pierre looked stern as he sat beside Old Master Mallory. "Who is this?" Old Master Mallory''s tone was unfriendly. He looked at Luca with contempt. Luca frowned. She had met Madam Mallory and thought that her arrogant and domineering appearance was not at all like the demeanor of ady. After she met Old Master Mallory, she finally understood that Madam Mallory''s arrogance came from him. Old Master Mallory and Old Master Crawford were from the same era. They should be about the same age. However, the person in front of her had apletely different temperamentpared to Old Master Crawford. It did not matter how many crazy things someone did when they were young. If they looked kinder as they got older, it meant that they would have a good life. However, even in his old age, the fierceness on Old Master Mallory''s face and the gloom in his eyes remained. Luca nced at Pierre, who looked like he wanted to take her on, then at Old Master Mallory. The grandfather and grandson looked alike. It seemed that Percy was not like any of the Mallory family members. "Hello, Old Master Mallory. My name is Luca Craw." Luca sat on the sofa across from them. "Luca Craw?" Old Master Mallory frowned. The name seemed familiar. ''Isn''t this Luke''s residence? Who is this woman?'' He looked at Pierre and waited for him to speak. "Grandpa, she''s the woman who hurt me so badly that I ended up being hospitalized for a week. She seems to have an illicit rtionship with Luke," Pierre said, his tone filled with hatred. "It''s you." Old Master Mallory looked Luca up and down. He did not expect that a seemingly weak and harmless woman was able to put Pierre in so much pain that he had to go to the hospital. Back then, Pierre had gone through a living hell. It was deeply ingrained in Old Master Mallory''s memory. Regardless, they had no evidence that Luca caused it. "Me? Mr. Pierre ended up in the hospital because his body was in bad health and protested against his overdose. It has nothing to do with me." Luke had handled that mess, so she would not be dumb enough to admit it. "You!" Pierre clenched his fists. "Pierre." Old Master Mallory shook his head, indicating that he should not be impulsive. It was a long time ago, so they could not pursue it even if they wanted to. Luke had Luca''s back, so they could not do anything about it. They were there because of Percy. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Ms. Craw, we didn''te here today to talk about the past. After all, the police can''t find anything, so it''s useless for us to bring up the matter. I''ll get straight to the point. We know Nina is here. Hand her over and that''s where your involvement ends." Old Master Mallory''s tone was still somewhat polite. After all, the Mallory family still owed the Crawford family an exnation. No matter how this woman was involved with Luke, her living here meant that Luke would back her. He did not want any unnecessary trouble. "You''re not here to pick a fight? It''s hard to think so looking at your expression." Luca picked up the teacup and took a sip of the tea. Her expression was elegant. She did her best to look calm when faced with Old Master Mallory, who appeared strong and tough. She should not be afraid of anyone who Luke was not afraid of. Also, Luke was backing her, so they would not be able to take Nina. "Enough with the nonsense. Hand over that b*tch to me!" Pierre could not stand Luca. If it were not for Luke, Luca was no one! He thought of her as nothing but a woman whoy in bed with him. "B*tch? Mr. Pierre, tell me, how has Nina been a b*tch?" Luca''s expression changed. She was no longer calm and gave Pierre a death stare. "She''s a b*tch! Even if Luke is backing you, you should hand over Nina obediently. It''s already a stretch for him to protect you!" Pierre said. All he could think about was to bring Nina with him. He seemed to think that if he could get to her, Nina would be all his. "Mr. Pierre, please allow me to remind you that Nina''s unbearable past was caused by you. Everyone can say that she is unworthy of Percy, but you absolutely can''t!" Luca mocked him. "What nonsense are you talking about?" Pierre rolled up his sleeves and was about to make a move on Luca. Luca''s expression did not change as she knew that there were surveince cameras in the area even if he decided to hurt her. She could easily hospitalize Pierre once more and use the footage as evidence to keep herself scot-free. "I don''t know if I''m talking nonsense. Old Master Mallory, I''m not sure if you know about Nina''s past and who caused all the hurt that she had to go through?" Luca raised her hand and pointed at Pierre. "He colluded with Julian, kidnapped Nina, then imprisoned and tortured her inhumanly. He impregnated her but forced her to abort the child. Do you think that Nina went through all that willingly? The Mallory family has done bad things and paid people off to escape the punishment of thew. How can you stand in front of the public and join them in using Nina of being unworthy of Percy? Who was the one who ruined her life? It''s your good grandson, Pierre! Let me make this clear, Nina is here in this house, but no one is allowed to take her!" Luca spoke so passionately that she teared up. She stood up and fought for the injustice on behalf of Nina. She was not afraid to call out the Mallory family nor that they would take Nina by force. That was because she did not see any bodyguards with them. She was more than capable of managing an old man, two middle-aged people, and Pierre. Aunt Neile was shocked by Luca''s reaction. She thought that Luca would deny that Nina was there and make peace with the Mallory family. She did not expect Luca to condemn the Mallory family for what they did to Nina nor put on such a strong mentality. Although the Mallory family did not bring extra support, Pierre was around. Aunt Neile was worried if a seemingly weak woman like Luca could fight against him. Aunt Neile saw Pierre stand up, so she immediately stood in front of Luca and said, "Don''t try anything or I''ll call for the security team." "It''s okay, Aunt Neile. Step aside. He''s in the wrong but is trying to cover up his misdeeds with force. I''ll have to teach him a lesson so that he''ll understand that he can''t bear the consequences of doing so." Luca motioned her hand. Pierre''s expression turned ugly when he saw her gesture. It was this move thatnded him in the hospital for a week. Chapter 2190 Even after some time had passed, Pierre could not forget the pain that he suffered. He wanted the pain to end, but it felt like he was stuck in a bottomless pit of suffering. He took so many painkillers that his mouth was bitter and his stomach felt ufortable. He did not want to go through that once more. "Pierre." Old Master Mallory gave him a way out. Pierre sat down and red at Luca. He was fuming and swore to find an opportunity to teach this woman a lesson. "Ms. Craw, it''s the first time I''ve heard of it. Since the police didn''t bother Pierre about it, mind your words." Old Master Mallory knew about it, but he would never admit it in front of Luca. "Mind my words? Mr. Pierre is unwilling to admit what he did in the past, but Nina is innocent. How can you use her of being a b*tch?" Her gaze was cold as she stared at the man in front of her If Percy was not the only one who was nice to Nina, she thought that the entire Mallory family would go to hell because none of them were innocent! "You!" Pierre was annoyed by her sharp words. "Pierre, sit down!" Old Master Mallory frowned at his restlessness. Pierre had no choice but to sit still and hold back his anger. "Since you said that, it means that the news reports are inurate. I heard that you''re going to pick on her and even force her to leave Mr. Percy because of this fake news? That''s a bit far-fetched. Please leave. Nina won''t listen to you. She has a solid rtionship with Mr. Percy. Even if you don''t ept them, you won''t be able to break them up because they''ve been in love for so many years. You can choose to ept it. Even if you don''t ept it, I don''t think you need to do these things and say these words. After all, as their elder, there are a lot of things that you can''t solve. The decision is still on them," Luca said. The moment Pierre started speaking, she had already prepared this speech. "What a sharp tongue!" Old Master Mallory was raving mad. He mmed the crutches in his hand hard on the floor and said, "Ms. Craw, I wasted my time listening to your rant because I respect the Crawford family. However, it doesn''t mean that you have the right to use me or tell me how to do things. Now, I''ll leave with Nina. Even if you try, you won''t be able to do anything about it. Don''t force me to do things the hard way." Old Master Mallory had been wanting to find someone to grab Nina, but Percy protected her too well. There were bodyguards in the vi, so he could not take Nina away by force. He did not expect Nina to go to the Crawford family to avoid them. There were no bodyguards around, only some security guards. He knew the real estate developer, so he could get the security guards to stay away. Old Master Mallory was confident that he would get hold of Nina. "You want to bulldoze your way through? I don''t see any bodyguards with you. By the way, Old Master Mallory, I''ve practiced martial arts. If you don''t mind Mr. Pierre being hospitalized for a month or two, come for me. There are cameras here. It''ll be obvious who started it. The police can make their judgment based on the evidence." Luca pointed to the cameras. She made it clear that she would not be on the losing end even without Luke. If they fought, Pierre would be the one to suffer. Pierre knew his skills were not as good as Luca''s, so he whispered to Old Master Mallory, "Grandpa, let the men outsidee in. This crazy woman fights well." Old Master Mallory looked at the woman in front of him with a sullen expression. It did not seem like she was bragging... "I see," Luca murmured. ¡®They''ve prepared back up. No wonder they''re acting so tough.'' "There''s a video call that you should take before making any rash decisions," Luca said. No matter how good she was, she still could not handle more than a handful of men. On top of that, the kids were upstairs. If Nina was snatched by them, the children would be traumatized. Hence, she changed her mind about not bothering Old Master Crawford. After all, as a mother, she had to protect her children so that they would not be hurt the slightest. As Nina''s best friend, she also wanted to protect her. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Luca took out her phone and called Old Master Crawford. Old Master Crawford picked up the call after it rang once. He looked at Luca kindly and said, "Luca, leave it to me." Before she called him, Luke had called him and briefly exined the matter. He made it clear that he wanted Old Master Crawford to help Luca and protect Nina. Old Master Crawford agreed immediately. After these few incidents, his friendship with Old Master Mallory was no longer what it used to be. They were still in touch, but that was only because there were profits involved. "Okay, Old Master Crawford." Luca put her phone on the coffee table and used a cup to support it. The front camera was aimed at the Old Master Mallory. Old Master Mallory''s mood sank when he heard Old Master Crawford''s voice. "Yo, Mallory, it''s you! Shouldn''t you be resting at home? Why did you bring your grandson and rtives to Luke''s house?" Old Master Crawford teased. His expression was in a stark juxtaposition to Old Master Mallory''s. Old Master Mallory went straight to the point, "I don''t want to disturb the peace of the Crawfords. I came here so I could take someone who has nothing to do with the Crawfords with me." Old Master Crawford did not answer. Instead, he nced at Pierre, who was sitting next to Old Master Mallory. He asked with a smile on his face, "Pierre, why are you here? The matter you promised me and Luke isn''t resolved yet. Didn''t you promise that you''ll bring the culprit to the police station? How are you so free to visit Luke''s?" "I''ll get it done as soon as possible." Pierre was fuming and could not help himself from smashing his phone into pieces. "d to hear that. After all, Luke has never been very patient since he was a child. You should move faster. By the way, if all is well, you should make your departure so that you won''t disturb my greatgrandchildren from their rest. They have to go to school tomorrow. Also, Mallory, if you take things lightly, you might end up like me where you have four generations living together." Old Master Crawford smiled. He was amused by their gloomy expressions. He was not at all annoyed at having to deal with the Mallory family. After all, after he realized Old Master Mallor''s true colors, he found it amusing to see the other party''s stern expression Luca listened by the side and felt a little helpless. She thought that Old Master Crawford was a humorous and interesting man. "You don''t have to worry about us. I told you that I''m here for Nina. Have Ms. Craw release her and I''ll leave immediately so that I won''t disturb your precious great-grandchildren." Old Master Mallory insisted. He did not intend to return empty-handed this time. After all, it was rare that Percy was not around Nina to protect her. Chapter 2191 Old Master Crawford, who was on the other end of the call, shook his head. "That won''t work. You''re not disturbing my grandchildren, but you''re bothering my goddaughter." "Your goddaughter?" Old Master Mallory''s eyes were wide. He was unsure what Old Master Crawford was up to. He looked up at Luca and wondered if he was referring to her. ''Isn''t she involved with Luke? How could he take this woman as his goddaughter? Is it to cover up her and Luke''s shady rtionship?'' Luca was also stunned. ''Who''s his goddaughter?'' Old Master Crawford said with a smile, "Yeah, my goddaughter... Mallory, you haven''t heard? My goddaughter is Nina, the woman you''re looking for. She became my goddaughter some time ago, but we''ve been busy. Nina is a low-key person, so I didn''t tell the media about it. The Crawfords are the only ones that know. I didn''t inform others." "Nina is your goddaughter? Are you kidding me?" Old Master Mallory blew on his beard and thought that Old Master Crawford was making a fool of him. "I''m not joking. You should go. If I find out that someone wants to hurt Nina, I won''t hesitate to step in." Old Master Crawford''s smile disappeared, and his expression was indifferent. Like Old Master Mallory, he was not one to be provoked. "Crawford, are you going to stand in opposition to me?" Mallory stared at him coldly as he held his cane with both hands. "You''re the one picking a fight with the Crawfords. Mallory, take a look at your good grandson. He''s done so many things that have vited the interests of the Crawfords and owes us a lot of exnations, yet you came to trouble the Crawfords. Does he think I''m dead? How dare he try to harm Nina and act out in front of me? Do you think that the Mallories are the only ones with influence in this city?" Old Master Crawford said harshly. He had no fear when faced with Old Master Mallory. Pierre listened and could not help but interject, "Old Master Crawford, are you kidding me? Nina has done so many shameful things. How could you still take her as a goddaughter? Do you want the Crawfords to be pariahs in A City ?" "It''s all in the past. My goddaughter told me that she suffered because of Luke. It was horrible what she went through. She was never given a choice. The Crawfords owe it to her. I like how sweet she is, so I asked her to be my goddaughter. It''s a form ofpensation from the Crawfords to her. Besides, if one does something wrong, one must admit to it and make amends. It wasn''t Luke who made the mistake, but he was involved in it. What he''s doing is better than some immature kid who refuses to admit his mistakes and who avoids responsibility when he does something wrong." Old Master Crawford deliberately looked at Pierre as he said that. Luke briefly mentioned Nina''s past. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. It was because of Bianca that Julian joined forces with Pierre to do such absurd things to Nina. Julian was pissed that Bianca chose to be with Luke, so he used Nina to ckmail her. Whatever it was, the Crawfords had something to do with it. Old Master Crawford had always liked Luca. When he heard that she wanted to protect Nina and the reason behind it, he agreed without a second thought. Pierre listened to what Old Master Mallory said with a strange expression on his face. There was some hidden meaning behind what Old Master Crawford said, which the grandfather and grandson understood clearly. "What if I insist on taking Nina with me today?" Old Master Mallory did not bring up the past anymore. He could sense that there was more to it from Pierre''s expression. "That would mean you''re taking away the most important person in the Crawfords." Old Master Crawford was firm and said, "I don''t understand you. We''re in the 21st century. Why are you still so old- fashioned? Besides, Nina and Percy are in a loving and supportive rtionship. I remember a few years ago, you alwaysmented that Percy was not bothered to find a lifelong partner and you envied me very much. Now what? He has someone that he loves, but you''re getting in the way. Mallory, what a fool you are." "You''re an outsider, so you have no right toment on matters rting to the Mallory family''s matters. Let me be clear. Even if Nina is your goddaughter, she''s not worthy of Percy. You can try to protect her. We''ll see if Nina can stay indoors all day!" Old Master Mallory said in an angry tone and stood up. Pierre quickly stood up and supported Old Master Mallory. "Grandpa, are we going to leave just like that?" "What else can we do?" Old Master Mallory looked at Pierre in disgust and walked out angrily. He knew that Pierre had been making a fool out of himself. His reputation for being a yboy had be known over thest few years. Nevertheless, he had never caused any significant trouble and did not bring shame to his family, so Old Master Crawford just turned a blind eye. He was shocked when he found out that Pierre had done something as heinous to Nina. ¡°Bastard!¡± Nina messed up the two grandchildren he valued most. No wonder Pierre had always disagreed with Percy and Nina being together. It seemed that he has ulterior motives! Old Master Mallory was about to leave, so Pierre could only follow behind him. He red at Luca to warn her. Luca looked into his eyes and said, "Aunt Neile, please send our guests out." She showed dominance and made it clear that she was not afraid of Pierre taking revenge. "Yes." Aunt Neile breathed a sigh of relief when the matter was finally resolved. She sent the Mallory family members off. Luca picked up her phone and smiled at Old Master Crawford, who was on the other end of the call. "Old Master Crawford, thank you for your help. I''d like to thank you on behalf of Nina." If it were not for Old Master Crawford, it was likely that the Mallory family would have gotten the bodyguards waiting outside to forcefully take Nina away. "Luca, don''t worry about it. You did a great job today. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, all you have to do is let me know. I''ll help you," Old Master Crawford said. He liked Luca more and more after this incident. She was observant, straightforward, and showed the demeanor of ady of the house. If someone like her stayed by Luke''s side, she could make the Crawfords even better. After all, she was not one to be afraid and could rationally analyze and make decisions onplex issues. For example, if she helped Nina, although she would offend the Mallory family, Percy would owe her a favor. Old Master Crawford knew in his heart that even though Pierre had more means, his ability was nowhere near Percy''s. He believed that the Mallory family would eventually fall into Percy''s hands. The favor he owed her would guarantee a smooth partnership between T Corporation and Mallory Corporation in the future. Even if Percy did not get the inheritance rights of Mallory Corporation, such a capable person would excel anywhere he went so in the end. It would be beneficial to Luke, the Crawfords, and T Corporation. "I understand, Old Master Crawford." Luca nodded slightly. Chapter 2192 "Okay, it''s gettingte. I''ll hang up now. Luca, drop by to have a meal with me when you''re free." Old Master Crawford waved at the camera. "Old Master Crawford, rest well." Luca smiled, hung up the phone, and waited for Aunt Neile to return. Aunt Neile immediately returned to the house after she sent the Mallory family out the door. She noticed that Luca was sitting calmly on the sofa. She patted her chest and said, "Ms. Craw, I was almost scared to death! I''m d that they didn''t do anything." "It would''ve been fine even if they tried something. Aunt Neile, if you encounter this situation again, make sure you protect yourself." Luca was touched by how Aunt Neile put herself in front of her when she realized that there was danger. "That won''t work, Ms. Craw. I''m stronger than you and can take hits for you." Aunt Neile smiled. After the false rm, she rxed a little and cleaned up the cups on the coffee table. Luca stood up and said, "Aunt Neile, you can get off work when you''re done cleaning. It''s toote, so there are probably no buses. I''ll get you a ride and ask the driver to wait for you at the gate of the community." This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. With that, she picked up her phone and got a cab for Aunt Neile. "Thank you, Ms. Craw." Aunt Neile smiled gratefully and reminded her, "By the way, please inform Mr. Crawford. He''s probably worried sick." "I will," Luca said. She clicked in her chat with Luke, thought about it for a second, and sent him a voice note. "The matter has been resolved thanks to you and Old Master Crawford. Thank you." She was courteous. Luke''s expression turned sour when he heard the voice message. ''This woman... Can she not be so polite? Why is she treating me like an outsider after her face has changed?! I''m still her husband!'' After Aunt Neile left, Luca went upstairs. She did not know whose bedroom the children took Nina to, so she said, "Nina, the matter is resolved. Come out." Nina walked out of Rainie''s bedroom with the three children after they heard her. "Resolved?" Nina did not expect that the situation would be diffused so quickly... "Mm, they''re all gone," Luca nodded. Tommy gave her a thumbs-up as he said, "Ms. Luca, you''re amazing. You got the bad guys out of our home!" Lanie reluctantly patted the back of his brother''s hand and reminded him, "He''s Old Master Mallory. He''s not a bad guy." Tommy shook his head and responded, "They look fierce. It was like they were gonna beat someone up anytime. Great-grandpa said that we should run far away to avoid getting hurt when wee across gangsters like that. Our favorite TV shows tell us that those whoy their hands on others are bad guys that would be taken away by the police.¡± Lanie was speechless. When Old Master Mallory stepped in, they happened to see him before they went upstairs. Old Master Mallory looked fierce, so they were worried that Luca would suffer against them. "Okay. Old Master Mallory is like this because he encountered some unhappy things. Let''s leave it at that. Your favorite cartoon is ying. Do you want to go downstairs to finish it?" Luca asked. "Yes!" The mention of ''cartoon'' sessfully distracted Tommy, who took Lanie and Rainie by the hand and went downstairs. Nina waited for the children to leave before she stepped forward and asked worriedly, "Are you alright?" "They didn''t get toy their hands on me. Even so, I did hope that Pierre would do it. That would give me a reason to beat him up and send him to the hospital so that he can''te out and harm others." Luca could not hide her disgust toward Pierre. Ninaughed but she was not happy for too long before she asked curiously, "They left just like that? I thought..." "You thought they''d go upstairs to get you, didn''t you? They did want to go upstairs, and the Mallory family''s bodyguards were on standby outside. I called Old Master Crawford. They don''t respect me, but they would have to take a step back if Old Master Crawford gets involved." Luca told her about what happened. "Pierre did a lot of things against the Crawfords behind his back. Old Master Mallory knew that they had no defense against the Crawfords. Old Master Crawford told them that you''re his goddaughter and asked them to back off against the Crawfords. If they still made a move, it would disrupt the peace between the two families, so they won''te to trouble you for the time being." Nina''s eyes widened as she uttered, "Goddaughter?" "Yeah. Otherwise, Old Master Crawford would have no excuse to protect you," Luca said. "You don''t mind, yeah?" "Why would I mind... I should thank you all," Nina said. Her phone rang. "I''ll take a call." She said to Luca when she saw that it was Percy calling then stepped aside to answer the phone. Luca waited for her to finish the call. Luca could not hear what Percy said, but she heard Nina say, "Mm, I''m fine. It''s all sorted out. You don''t have toe over, I''m fine." Luca knew that it was likely Luke had told Percy that Old Master Mallory hade to the door, so he was concerned about Nina. After a while, Nina handed the phone to Luca and said, "Percy is looking for you." "Looking for me?" Luca was a little surprised. She took the phone and put it to her ear. "Hello, Mr. Mallory." "Dr. Craw, thank you for stepping in to help Nina. I roughly know what happened. I owe you one. If you need help in the future, all you have to do is ask. I''ll most definitely help you.'' Percy promised her. "I can''t take credit for what happened, but I ept your appreciation. Nina is safe here, don''t worry," Luca said. "Mm, I have to go on a business trip. I''d appreciate it if you can take good care of Nina while I''m gone," Percy said. He was worried that Nina might not be used to staying with Luca, but now it seemed that Luca had the ability to protect Nina. He waspletely at ease knowing that. "Okay, no problem. I''ll pass the phone back to Nina," Luca said as she handed the phone over. "What did you talk about?" Nina asked curiously. "He asked me to take good care of you." Luca smiled and walked into theboratory. It was not too late, and it was not time for the kids to go to sleep yet. Hence, she could continue working on her experiments for a while. Nina put the phone to her ear, and Percy told her that he was going on a business trip. He also told her not to worry and promised that he would deal with the media. Nina heard him and quickly acknowledged it. Percy heard her slightly hasty response and knew that she was shy. He chuckled. "Wait for my return." "Okay, I won''t keep you any longer. Make sure you take care of yourself during your business trip. I''m doing fine, so you don''t have to worry," Nina whispered. She was embarrassed to express her love for Pierre in front of Luca, so she lowered her voice so that Luca, who was in theb, would not hear her. "Okay," Percy replied. "Blow me a kiss and you can hang up after." "Why are you acting like a child? I have to go, bye." Nina said. She then hung up the phone, her face tomato red. Chapter 2193 After she hung up the phone, Nina walked into Luca''s study, leaned against the frame, and watched Luca conduct experiments with tubes of reagents. "Luca, you''re still conducting experiments?" She admired Luca''s calmness. "The matter is settled, and it''s not yet time for bed now. I want to attend to work when I still have the energy," Luca spoke but did not stop working. Nina stood there and knew that she would not be much of a help. After all, she did not understand what Luca was doing. "I won''t disturb you. I''ll go downstairs and spend time with the kids." "Mm, by the way, when it''s 9:30 p.m., have them turn off the TV and remind them to get ready for bed," Luca said. She was happy to hand over the task seeing that Nina was willing to take care of the kids. "Don''t worry, I''ll make you proud." Nina made an OK gesture, walked out of the room, and closed the door on her way out. Luca was relieved that Nina was watching the kids and continued to focus on her experiment. She wanted to rush her research Luca had a feeling that she did not have much time left... ... The next day. After breakfast, Luca received a call from Luke when she was about to go to the office. "Are you in the office already?" Luke went straight to the point. Luca was a little surprised that he would call her at this time, so she replied, "Mr. Crawford, I''m about to head to the office." "Marcos from M Group will be in A City today. I have a lot to attend to, so I may need your help," Luke said. He only knew in the early morning that Marcos was visiting A City. "Mr. Marcos?" Luca frowned. "Is he here for a site visit?" "Somewhat. I got thepany''s driver to pick him up from the airport, but I need your help," Luke said. Many in T Corporation werepetent for the task, but Marcos specifically asked for Luca as he had a good impression of her. "I''m afraid I won''t be able to handle it," Luca nced at Nina and said helplessly. She had not been involved with these sorts of tasks in more than three years. Thest time she could remember was a trip to Russia with Luke. ''He wants me to host someone like Marcos?!'' She was afraid that she would screw it up. Although M Group and T Corporation had signed a contract, it would affect their subsequent partnerships if she screwed up any part of his visit. Luke sensed her nervousness, so he calmed her down in a soft voice, "Luca, I believe that you can handle this. Believe in yourself. I have yet to wrap up the issues surrounding Pierre. You''re the only one that I can trust." He was trying to tell her that there was no one in the office he could trust, which was why he did not want the public rtions department to entertain Marcos. Luca smiled helplessly. ''It seems that Luke doesn''t know that I''m the one he should be most guarded against...'' However, she could not tell him that. After a few seconds of silence, Luca noticed Nina''s puzzled expression and decided topromise. "I''m afraid I won''t be able to do it well. I need another person to help me." "Okay, I''ll have Tina assist you all the way." Luke knew that Luca was somewhat close to Tina and the two had multiple topics of conversation. Tina had been working prudently by his side for many years. She took her work seriously, so he was happy to have her assist Luca on this matter. "Okay." Luca agreed. Although Tina could not speak Russian, Marcos could speak English. She would not be as panicked if Tina was there. Tina was more experienced than her in hosting business partners. "I''ll let Tina know. Thepany''s driver will arrive at the vi in 20 minutes. He''ll be in charge of driving Marcos around for the next few days," Luke said. He had made the necessary arrangements before he reached out to Luca. He did not expect that she would be a little flustered. "Okay, I see." Luca hung up the phone and looked down at her clothes. She had to wear ab coat when doing experiments, so she was dressed casually. However, it was too casual for picking up Marcos from the airport. "Why? Is there something you need to attend to?" Nina asked. "Mm, yes." Luca remembered that she had no makeup on so she stood up and said, "I''ll go upstairs to change and put on light makeup." Nina knew that Luca had a goodplexion and usually did not wear makeup to work, so she followed her curiously and asked, "Why are you dolling yourself up all of a sudden?" "The president of M Group ising here for a site visit, and I''ll be picking him up from the airport later," Luca exined helplessly. She was nning to spend 15 minutes getting ready since she was not in a hurry. After all, she did not need to put on heavy makeup to wee Marcos. She just needed something light. "How did this task fall on you?" Nina was a little surprised. Even if Luke was not avable, arge company like T Corporation would have a PR department to attend to important clients. Luca would not have to be involved in tasks as such. "Maybe it''s because I''ve been in contact with Marcos before, so Mr. Crawford thinks it''s more suitable for me to take up the task," Luca said. She walked into the bedroom and chose a formal work outfit. Nina did not follow her into her room. She did not want to disturb her when she was changing her clothes and doing her make-up. "I''ll leave you to it, then. I''ll head back to my bedroom and read a book." She just realized that Luca''s bookcase had a lot of books that she was interested in, so she decided to pass time reading these books since she could not go out anytime soon. Luca was quick. After she changed, she put on light makeup. After she was done, 15 minutes had passed. With five minutes left, she had to rush out of the door to wait for Luke''s driver. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. After Luca went downstairs, she walked straight to the gate of themunity. As soon as she opened the gate of themunity, the door of the Rolls-Royce parked on the side of the road was pushed open and a driver came down from it. Upon closer inspection, Luca recognized that it was Lliam, thepany''s driver. Lliam saw Luca and had a shy expression on his face as he said, "Dr. Craw, can we start the journey now?" "Did Mr. Crawford say what time Mr. Marcos''s ne wasnding?" Luca asked. Luke did not tell her these details. He was prudent, so she assumed he told the driver. "Yes, there''s still an hour and a half before Mr. Marcos''s ne willnd at A City International Airport," Lliam replied. "It''s not toote. Let''s go get Tina before we head to the airport," Luca said. "Okay," Lliam opened the car door and invited her to get into the car. Luca hurried into the car and closed the door. Although those living in themunity were all rich and even included some superstars, there were still very few Rolls-Royce owners. A dazzling Rolls-Royce as such parked at the gate of themunity attracted many car lovers to stop in their tracks to take a better look. Chapter 2194 Lliam drove off as soon as Luca got into the car. Luke had called Tina, so she knew what she had to do. As such, when the car arrived, she was already waiting by the side of the road. Lliam got out of the car and looked at Tina with a smile on his face. "Ms. Tina, there was some traffic on the road. Sorry that I''m a littlete." "It''s okay, let''s go to the airport," Tina said. After Lliam opened the car door, she got into the car and smiled at Luca. "Dr. Craw, I''m d we have a chance to work together again." "Yeah." Luca smiled and waited for Lliam to drive off before she said, "Tina, I''m not familiar with entertaining business partners. I''ll have to trouble you to help me outter..." "Dr. Craw, you don''t have to be so nervous. Although the other party is like a god to T Corporation, they''re just ordinary people. Mr. Crawford said that Mr. Marcos isn''t here specifically for a site visit. He''s on vacation. He reached out to Mr. Crawford, but he didn''t expect that Mr. Crawford wouldn''t be in A City. He mentioned you and said that you were also his good friend, so we arranged for you to spend some time with him in his few days in A City. That''s all you need to do. I''ll manage the other stuff." Tina comforted her seeing how nervous Luca was. Luca seemed to be worried that she would screw up. Luca believed in Tina''s capability. She had been working in T Corporation for so many years and had entertained many guests. She had rich experience in the job scope and would not disappoint Marcos and his guests. Luca thought of Marcos'' uncle, Matysh. Although it had been a while since she returned to A City and those in Russia no longer bothered her, she suddenly thought of the man with bad intentions and felt uneasy. She assumed that Matysh would not travel with Marcos, considering their rtionship. She hoped that her unease was unnecessary and nothing bad would happen. "Dr. Craw, have you had breakfast yet?" Tina asked since Luca did not respond. Luca snapped out of it and nodded. "I''ve already eaten. How about you?" This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "I''ve had breakfast too. We have to make sure that we are in a tip-top state in preparation to entertain someone of Marcos'' status," Tina said with a smile. Luca nodded in agreement, picked up the phone, and told Rhett that she would be working offsite. She asked him to assign the research tasks and to update her remotelyter that night. Tina saw that she was typing on her phone, so she said nothing more so as not to disturb her work. She did not understand why Luke asked Luca to host Marcos. After all, they had a public rtions department. They had hosted many executives, and she believed that they could do a good job hosting Marcos. However, Luke did not let the public rtions department take on the task but instead told her that she could ask the public rtions department for help if necessary. At other times, she would be mainly assisting Luca. Everyone in thepany knew that Luca had her hands full. There was no way Luke did not know about that. When her drug wasunched, it would bring huge profits for Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Watson Biopharmaceuticals had no profits for now, but their boss was not anxious at all. Rather, he got someone as crucial as Luca to do reception work After Luca put down her phone, she looked at Tina and asked, "What''s wrong?" Tina smiled. She could only carry out Luke''s arrangement, so she kept the questions she had in her heart. She asked Luca something that had been bothering her, "Dr. Craw, is Amur back?" "Have you been in contact with him?" Luca did not answer her question directly as she was unsure if Amur had gone with her advice and contacted Tina. If he did not contact Tina and she said that he was back, it would hurt Tina badly. "We''re in contact..." Tina nodded. There was some contact, but it was not much. He never once replied to the messages she sent him, including those of her inviting him for dinner. Tina wondered. Amur acted so indifferently, but she did not think she did anything wrong. He would at least reply to her before he left for Russia, even though it was not frequent. It was not the case now... Luca saw Tina''s expression and knew that Amur was keeping his distance. However, she was in no ce to say anything. Although she hoped that Amur could find what truly brought him joy, it would hurt Tina if Amur decided to get involved with her now. She had seen such an example on the Ind of Despair. There was a top assassin on the ind who fell in love with an ordinary woman when he was out on a mission. It was hard to control things once one fell in love. The assassin wanted to get rid of the Ind of Despair and steal a lot of antidotes in preparation to run away with the woman. In the end, the assassin''s sophisticated n failed. Abel took control of him and brought the woman back to the Ind of Despair. He asked those on the ind to slowly harm the woman in front of him. The woman eventually died after her wounds got infected after being tortured. The assassin was not released but trapped on the ind. He could not die even if he wanted to. He became a human flesh bag and lived the life of a peasant. Luca did not want that to happen to Amur, and she did not want Tina to suffer that inhuman treatment. She looked out the window and thought that Tina appeared too early. If she showed up after she developed an antidote, got rid of the Ind of Despair, and destroyed the Ind of Despair, then it would have been perfect. She was unsure if Tina would wait until then. If Amur did not respond, no matter how infatuated a woman was, her enthusiasm would die off soon enough. She would not let herself go there no matter how much she liked him. Seeing that Luca did not say anything, Tina asked, "Dr. Craw, has he been upiedtely?" Luca raised her gaze and looked at her with a hint of helplessness. Tina, who was shrewd and capable, could not do anything about Amur''s side. She even had to check in with Luca to know how he was doing. "I''ve been fairly upied with work, so I don''t know if Amur has been busy." "I see..." Tina knew it was not her ce toment any further. She had always felt that Luca was hiding something from her. Amur seemed to keep her at a distance as well. She was upset. Although she and Luca were somewhat close, they did not consider each other good friends. She could understand why Luca was unwilling to share more. However, Amur... If he was not interested, he should make it clear instead of using emotional abuse. It made her feel helpless. She did not enjoy being ghosted like this nor did she like to end rtionships by icing someone out. Chapter 2195 "If there''s anything on your mind that you can''t figure out, you can talk to him directly," Luca added. She could not make decisions for Amur. She believed it was better to have Tina face Amur directly than to involve her, the middleman. Tina understood what she meant and nodded. The atmosphere in the car was quiet, and Luca noticed that Tina seemed a little sad. She did not say anything else. After they arrived at the airport, Tina picked up her phone to check the flight that Marcos was on. He was about tond in about half an hour. The three rushed to the airport in a hurry. After they asked the staff, they waited at the designated exit point. The weather in A City was still a little cold. Tina could not help but shiver. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Luca said, "Tina, why don''t you go back to the car to warm yourself up? You cane backter." "There might be some dys. If Mr. Marcoses out and I''m in the car, it won''t look good for the company." Tina shook her head. She was confused at how calm Luca was. They were wearing simr numbers ofyers, but Luca did not shiver like the others. She did not bury her head in her clothes either. She was just standing there calmly with a neutral expression. "Dr. Craw, aren''t you cold?" Tina asked. "It''s okay. I''m wearing enoughyers." Luca shook her head. She did not feel much of the cold. The Ind of Despair was not hot all year round. In winter, it was extremely cold. After three years, she had adapted to the cold. She would wear feweryers if she was alone, but she did not want to raise suspicions when she was with others. As such, she would wear thickeryers as well. "You and Amur seem to be quitefortable in the cold," Tina murmured. Luca smiled and exined to her, "It probably has something to do with our previous living environment. This temperature is fine for us." "Yeah, Russia''s winters are colder." Tina nodded in agreement with what she said. When Luca was talking to Tina, she kept looking at the exit of the airport. When she saw Marcos, she reminded Tina, "Mr. Marcos is out." Tina looked around. Even if she had yet to meet Marcos, she knew who he was at a nce because of his handsome face and height. "Mr. Marcos is quite handsome," Tina whispered. She thought it was harmless saying such things to Luca seeing that they were somewhat close. Luca smiled as Lliam held up a wee sign. Marcos noticed the sign and waved at them. Luca stepped forward, waited for Marcos and his assistant toe out, then extended her hand and weed him. "Mr. Marcos, wee to A City." "Thank you, Ms. Craw. I haven''t seen you for a while, and you''ve be much more beautiful." Marcos gave her a gentle shake before letting go. Luca exined to him with a smile, "Mr. Marcos, you''re sweet. This is my colleague, Ms. Tina. She doesn''t speak Russian, so pleasemunicate with her in English. She''ll be in charge of all your activities in A City. This is your driver, Lliam." "Hello everyone," Marcos greeted them in English after knowing that not all of them understood Russian. "Mr. Marcos, hello. I have heard so much about you," Tina greeted him with respect and grace. "Hello. A City is indeed a wonderful ce. There are so many beautiful women here. Thank you for hosting me for the next few days," Marcos said. He acted gentlemanly. Lliam had to know basic entertaining skills since he served as a driver for T Corporation. However, he was not good at it, so he simply greeted Marcos and took the initiative to carry their luggage. Luca said, "Mr. Marcos, it''s cold here. Let''s get in the car." "Okay." Marcos smiled and followed them. He did not notify any media of his trip. M Group was not well-known, so Marcos enjoyed thefort and peace of that moment. "A City has a beautiful environment and good air quality," he said. "This is a more suburban part of A City. The air is good, but it might be a little different in the city," Luca exined. "I understand. The airport represents the image of a city. Since the headquarters of T Corporation is here, A City wouldn''t be too bad," Marcos nodded and said. Tina exined, "Mr. Marcos, have you been to A City before this trip?" "I visited once when I was young. A City was much more cultural, and there were not so many technological things as there are now," Marcos said. It was different from what he remembered about A City. His parents met in A City. In addition to wanting to see if there were more opportunities to cooperate with T Corporation, he also wanted to go to the ces where his parents went when they were dating. However, over the past 30 years, A City had undergone tremendous changes. Marcos did not dare to hold out hope for the ces mentioned by his parents before. He just wanted to go for a look and see if he would get lucky. If his mother was still alive as Luke''s information mentioned, his mother might be here. After all, his parents had a great rtionship. If his mother was still there, she would visit these ces and think about the good things she went through with his father. "A City has changed a lot. It''s been developed into an international metropolis. Mr. Marcos, if you have any nostalgia for the ces you went to when you were a child, you can tell me and I can help find out more. To manage your expectations, I have to say that those buildings might not still be around," Tina said. She sensed the nostalgic air that Marcos had when he mentioned his childhood. Luke mentioned that although Marcos said that he was here for a site visit, his priority was not to check on T Corporation. Rather, it was more of a vacation. Tina paid attention to every word Marcos said. Marcos heard Tina, smiled, and looked at her with his deep blue eyes. "The people around Mr. Crawford are something else. Thank you for your help, Ms. Tina." "No problem. I know everything about A City. If there are ces I don''t know about, it might be a building that existed a hundred years ago,¡± Tina said. Her grandfather was still alive and was also an A City local. He knew a lot about A City and the ces that used to be here. Luca smiled, walked to Rolls-Royce, and opened the car door. She said, "Mr. Marcos, please get in the car." "Okay." Marcos nced at the pick-up car and noticed that it was a Rolls-Royce. Even though Luke was not around, he was still able to show his wealth. M Group had made the right choice working with Luke. After they got into the car, Tina took out the tablet from her briefcase and said, "Mr. Marcos, we''ll go to the hotel that we''ve booked for you. Is that alright?" Chapter 2196 Marcos had no problem with her arrangement. He nodded and said, "Yes." Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Tina nodded and confirmed the itinerary with Lliam. Luca opened the mini bar in the car and asked Marcos, "Mr. Marcos, would you like something to drink?" "No, thank you." Marcos shook his head and looked at her with his deep-set eyes. Luca felt Marcos'' gaze, but she did not feel ufortable when he looked at her. She did not react to it and instead asked the assistant who was with him, "Andy, would you like something to drink?" "No, thank you for your hospitality," Andy said politely. Luca closed the door of the mini bar. Marcos asked, "Ms. Craw, do you mind if I ask a question?" "Go for it." Luca sat upright, looked at Marcos, and nodded politely. She knew that Marcos would not ask hard questions, so she felt casual about it. "Has everything been alright after you returned to A City?" Marcos'' slender legs were crossed. He was taller than the average person. The spacious car space was slightly cramped when he stretched his legs out. "Which aspect are you referring to?" Luca asked with a smile. Marcos nced at Tina before he said in Russian, "Do you feel like someone has been following you?" "I don''t think so." Luca shook her head. He asked in Russian, so she answered in Russian. Marcos smiled and said nothing else. Tina looked at the two of them, and it was as though they were miming. She did not understand Russian, so she did not know what they were talking about. However, since she did not understand their conversation, it must mean that it had nothing to do with her. She picked up the phone and arranged matters rted to Marcos'' visit. She booked Marcos into the most famous hotel in A City. The reason why she arranged it here was that T Corporation had taken charge of the design of this hotel. Tina was nning his meals when she paused and asked him, "Mr. Marcos, the hotel will provide your meals. Are you okay with having breakfast in the hotel?" "I heard that breakfast in A City is very good. I''d love to try it." Marcos was humorous, like a gentleman of European aristocracy. "Okay, I''ll have it sorted." Tina nodded and made arrangements on her tablet. Marcos added, "We''re here mainly to experience the culture of A City." Tina immediately understood what he meant and booked some local restaurants. "I understand. We''ll prepare local meals for your stay here." "Thank you." Marcos smiled slightly and nced at Luca. The smile on her face remained, but it was obvious that she was thinking about something. After they arrived at the hotel, Lliam was in charge of parking the car while Tina took the initiative to bring the luggage. Andy quickly took the luggage and said, "How can ady do these things?" Tina let him handle the bags as she started to introduce the hotel in front of them to Marcos. "Mr. Marcos, this is Traders Hotel. Although it doesn''t have a long history, after five years of development, it has be the most popr hotel in A City. The service is friendly and all the staff speaks English, so you don''t have to worry about thenguage barrier.¡± Marcos looked at the hotel in front of him. The exterior design was eye-catching. He could tell that the company that designed it was unusual. He retracted his gaze and looked at Tina. "I assume there''s something else that makes this hotel unique? " "You''re right." Tina replied with a smile, "T Corporation was responsible for the architectural design and construction of this hotel. Since you''re here for a site visit, I don''t think anything is more effective than seeing the actual building." Marcos nodded. The design of this hotel was wonderful. When he saw the exterior design, he knew that it would have an impressive interior to match. He said, "Ms. Tina, if you want to work in Russia one day, M Group wees you at any time." "Thank you, Mr. Marcos, for your affirmation." Tina had a big smile on her face. She forgot about Amur for a second and was overwhelmed with joy. They walked into the hotel together. Tina checked in for the two of them. She thought she had to stay with Marcos. After he went into his suite, Marcos told them that he was satisfied with the living environment here, so he asked them to leave because he nned to take a day off and rest at the hotel. Luca and Tina looked at each other, turned around, and left the hotel without saying anything. After they walked into the elevator, Tina waited until the elevator door was closed before she said, "Dr. Craw, what should we do now?" "Let''s go back to the office." Luca decided. They were not on leave just because Marcos did not need the two of them. "Okay," Tina said, picked up the phone, and told Lliam that they were heading back to the office. She had booked a single room for him so he could be on standby 24 hours a day as he was responsible for Marcos'' travels. After she told him about the arrangement, Tina asked curiously, "Dr. Craw, what did Mr. Marcos ask you in Russian in the car?" Luca did not expect Tina to be interested in this. She did not wonder why she was curious but instead asked, "Do you know about Mr. Marcos'' family?" "I studied a little when I was preparing the bidding documents, but most of it was about M Group. Before I got in the car, I checked for more information on the inte. Mr. Marcos'' family is very big. Although they seem calm on the surface, it''s not the case. However, due to their status, there isn''t a lot of negative coverage on them," Tina nodded and answered. She was unsure why Luca suddenly asked her that. Luca looked at the elevator numbers that kept going down and exined to her, "Mr. Marcos just asked me if I noticed that I was being followed after returning to A City and I told him no." She did not notice someone following her. However, if Matysh had hired someone to investigate her, he might not necessarily have her be followed. After all, she had been in A City for many months. They did not need to follow her to learn more about her. "Why did he ask that..." Tina was puzzled and had a bad premonition. "Maybe Mr. Marcos thinks I''m being targeted by bad guys." Luca smiled, her tone rxed. She was trying her best to ease Tina''s anxiety. "There must be a reason that Mr. Marcos asked. Dr. Craw, please stay safe." Tina was worried sick. "Don''t worry. If there is someone after me, they won''t be able to catch me," Luca said. Marcos'' question was like a reminder. It seemed that Matysh had not given up those evil thoughts. She felt a little speechless. It had to be a coboration that led to someone like Matysh being involved. Chapter 2197 Luca knew that Matysh would not be easy to deal with. He had a strong family backing him. Even if Marcos could help, Matysh did not take Marcos seriously. While Luca reassured Tina, she got a headache thinking about Matysh. She could not even imagine what she would have to face if Matysh was working with Abel. Maybe Abel would send her off to Matysh... However, she was confident that Matysh would not know her connection to the Ind of Despair. Even so, anything was possible... Luca lowered her gaze. When she thought of that, she made up her mind to quickly research the antidote and get rid of Abel''s control. In the suite. Andy walked up to Marcos and respectfully said, "Boss, Mr. Matysh seems to have ns to visit A City. He has already booked a flight ticket for three dayster." Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. "Three days?" Marcos frowned. He knew that Matysh must have taken action recently, so he came here one step ahead of him. However, he did not expect that Matysh would act so quickly. ¡®Did he make a move because he knows that I''m here?'' He was unsure of anything Marcos ordered, "Call Luke." "Yes.¡± Andy called Luke. After the call was connected, Marcos said, "Mr. Crawford, it''s Marcos." "Mr. Marcos, have you arrived at A City?" Luke nced at the time. Based on the information provided by the airline, Marcos should have been picked up by Luca and the others by now. "I''ve arrived, and I''m at the hotel. I have something to tell you," Marcos said. "Go for it." Luke raised his hand, signaling for the meeting to be paused. The surrounding sounds stopped in an instant. "My uncle, Matysh, booked a flight to A City. He''s arriving in three days," Marcos said. He did not need to say much. After all, Luke was a smart man. Luke''s mood sank. Marcos'' words rang a warning bell. After three days, he had to return to Luca''s side to ensure her safety so she would not be plotted against by Matysh. "Thank you, Mr. Marcos. I understand," Luke said. "Mr. Crawford, you''re indeed a smart person. Also, I''m satisfied with your subordinates¡¯ arrangement. I won''t disturb you any further. All the best for your current project." Marcos finished speaking and hung up the phone. Andy took his phone and could not help but ask, "Boss, you said it so obscurely. Would he understand?" "Luke is a smart man. He cares about Luca, so everyone who shows an interest in Luca is his enemy. He''s an excellent hunter. How could he not know who the enemy is? Although I was being vague, Luke is not stupid. He''ll be back in three days," Marcos looked out the window and said firmly. Andy nodded and said nothing. "You don''t believe me?" Marcos asked. "Boss, I trust your intuition, but I heard that the acquisition of Hilton Corporation by T Corporation doesn''t seem to be going well, so Mr. Crawford personally presided over it. He''s busy with the acquisition, so how could he have time to protect his beloved woman?" Andy asked. His boss made it seem like Luke would personallye back to protect Luca. However, he wondered if a man like Luke, whose career was far more important than his rtionship, would leave his career behind to protect his lover. Andy looked at Marcos'' tall back. Anyway, his boss was also someone with an outstanding career. He would never dy his career for the sake of love. "I know what you''re thinking about. You think that Luke won''t dy his career for the sake of love. He''s a strong man, one who can manage both love and career. He''ll definitely finish his work there and return home to Luca in three days," Marcos affirmed. He was also a strong man. He knew that it was tough to bnce love and career, so he was never interested in romantic rtionships. "Can a multinationalpany be acquired in three days?" Andy asked. When there was no one, his conversation with Marcos was a lot more casual. He was not as cautious and respectful as when he was in front of outsiders. "Want to bet?" Marcos looked at his assistant, who had been with him since he graduated from university. He knew exactly what Andy was thinking. Andy shook his head quickly and responded, "Boss, I can''t afford to gamble with you. I still need to save money to get myself a wife." "People in A City like to eat supper. There are a wide variety ofte-night snacks, and the price is not expensive. Whoever loses will buyte-night supper," Marcos said. Andy thought to himself. His boss was amazing, but it was unlikely for Luke to finish sorting things out ande back in three days. It would not cost him a lot even if he lost, so he nodded and said, "Okay, deal." Marcos smiled and said, "Get ready to bring out your wallet." "Boss, isn''t it you who''ll have to do so?" Andy''s eyes widened. "If Lukees back from the acquisition, I''ll go for supper with them. Andy, you can''t only invite me and not them, right?" Marcos patted him on the shoulder, walked to the sofa, and sat down. Andy turned around dumbly and looked at Marcos with a bitter expression. He did not expect that the bet covered more than one person. "Boss, can I pull out from the bet?" "No." Marcos shook his head. "If you shake on a bet, you have to go through with it. Besides, don''t you think that Luke won''t be able to handle the acquisition in three days?" Andy nodded as he thought so. "So if Luke gives up the project andes back, then you win. However, if he seeds in the acquisition, then I win, right?" Marcos looked at Andy''s sour expression and took a step back. Andy was energized. "Boss, that''s fine." The doorbell of the suite rang as soon as he finished speaking. Marcos said, "It should be someone bringing us breakfast." "Boss, do you want me to shoo them? You had something to eat on the ne. Do you still want food?" Andy knew him well, Marcos did not eat much for breakfast. "I''ll have some since they''ve brought it. The breakfast here is interesting. Let''s not put Tina''s efforts to waste,¡± Marcos said as he walked toward the dining table. Their suite was a family-style suite with everything that they would need. It was a good environment and a spacious ce. Andy went to open the door when he heard Marcos'' orders. Two staff members were standing outside the door with two dining carts. "Hello, sir, we''re the service staff of the hotel. You ordered a meal on the app and we have your meal here. Can we bring the meal in?" one of the staff members asked in fluent English. "Okay, go ahead," Andy said. The waiter pushed the dining cart in and ced the meal on the dining table. "Enjoy your meal. If you need anything, just press number one on the inte." Chapter 2198 Andy took a few banknotes out of his pocket and handed them to them as their tips. He did not exchange currency when he came here. Hence, he could only give them Russian rubles. However, the hotel was an international hotel. The hotel waiter would not be surprised to see different kinds of currency. He left the suite after receiving the tips. Marcos looked at the dishes served on the table. They were delicate and sumptuous. It was as expected from the local delicacies. He said, ¡°Looks good." Andy nodded and replied, "The food is delicate, indeed. But if you''d like to eat more, these wouldn''t be enough." Andy took the food poison detection kit out of the bag he brought along with him here. The kit was used to detect the safety of the food. It was because of Marcos'' special identity. As his assistant, Andy would prepare it just in case someone was trying to harm Marcos. Marcos patiently waited for Andy to finish testing the food. After making sure the food was safe to consume, Marcos picked up the spoon and said, "Sit down and try these." Andy sat on the chair as he watched Marcos skillfully pick up the spoon and take a bite of the breakfast. He frowned, "Boss, let me get another set of cutleries." As a member of the Abaza family, even though Marcos'' mother was not born into a wealthy family, which caused him to be unpopr among the rest, he was trained to learn social etiquette. Besides, his parents had met each other here. He was often brought to Western restaurants when he was young. That was why he knew the table etiquette here. He did not look like a foreigner at all. "There should be another set of cutleries in the kitchen," Marcos reminded him. Andy nodded, walked into the kitchen, and got a set of cutleries. He ate the breakfast served by the hotel together with Marcos. "It''s good," praised Marcos. Andy was not used to eating Western food, but he thought it tasted good too. He replied, "Boss, the food here tastes better than the Western restaurants in Russia." "Yeah." Marcos did not have the habit of talking while eating. Therefore, he did not talk much. T Corporation. Luca returned to the office and marched into theboratory after putting on her white coat. Rhett was surprised to see her walking in, and he asked, ¡°Dr. Craw, didn''t you tell us that you had something to do today and you weren''ting to the office?" "There''s been a change of n. Everyone, continue with your research as usual," replied Luca. She returned to her seat and began to do the research. On the other hand. Tina got back to the office. The others working in the secretaries'' office were surprised to see her back so early. Cheryl asked, "Tina, why are you back? Weren''t you going to pick someone up?" "It''s done." Tina returned to her seat and picked up her cup, nning to get herself some coffee. Amur had been giving Tina the cold shouldertely, and she had finished the medicine Luca gave her. She did not get enough restst night. However, the makeup she put on her face concealed her pale complexion, making her look energetic and spirited. "You came back as soon as you picked him up? He''s the CEO of M Group. Aren''t you supposed to stand by round the clock?" Cheryl frowned and disagreed with Tina''s practice. Everyone in the secretaries'' office knew that Luke had sent Tina to receive Marcos. Some of them were envious of Tina being fortunate enough to be able to entertain such a big shot. After all, there might be a chance for them to be a rich wife if they had the chance toe into contact with someone wealthy and influential like Marcos. Those who worked in the secretaries'' office wanted a chance like that, but Luke was the one who gave the instructions. They had no choice but to listen to him and let Tina do the job. That was why they were envious of Tina, and some of them were jealous of her too. Cheryl, who started working as a secretary at the same time as Tina clearly belonged to thetter group. "Mr. Marcos said that he''d like to get some rest, and he asked me toe back first. That''s why I''m back in the office. Is there any problem with that?" Tina said indifferently after she heard Cheryl talking to her in a disapproving manner. Tina knew what Cheryl and the others had in mind. Every guest the secretaries hade in contact with was rich and famous. Jason was the one who would make the arrangements and decide who would receive the guests. Then, the secretaries would be able to fight for the chance to meet the guests. Jason was easy to convince, after all. Those who were able to be Luke''s secretary were capable of the position. Hence, it did not matter who was sent to entertain the guests. However, they had no choice but to obey when Luke was the one who assigned the job. Besides, many wealthy men had visited their office, but not many of them were single and outstanding like Marcos. Cheryl secretly held a grudge against Tina when she heard the indifference in Tina''s tone. It would be great if she was the one who was assigned the job. Cheryl was pretty sure she knew how to grab the opportunity and do it better than Tina. She knew how to make Marcos happy with her too. "If I were you, I''d still book a room at the hotel and stand by around the clock even if he told me that there''s no need to wait for him there," said Cheryl. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "Isn''t that what a chauffeur should do? Ms. Lindsey, you don''t have to worry about that. Lliam will be there round the clock, and he''ll never neglect our honored guest," replied Tina. She rose to her feet and nced at the other secretaries. Tina and Cheryl were the secretaries from the earliest batch who came to work in the office. That was why Cheryl was the only one who dared to talk while the others kept silent. Cheryl sneered and said, "Lliam is just a chauffeur. He only knows how to drive. Do you think Boss is going to let you get away with it if you neglect his guest?" "That''ll be my business, then. I''m the one who''ll get lectured. It''s not your ce to tell me what to do, so why don''t you get your job done instead of thinking of getting a room in the hotel and waiting for our honored guest to knock on your door?" Tina was in a bad mood, and she was not close with Cheryl either. That was why she replied with a sharp retort. Cheryl''s face turned red when her wicked thoughts were exposed. She glowered at Tina and said, "What nonsense are you talking about?" "You know what I''m talking about. T Corporation is a legalpany. All partnerships and projects are legal. Thepany doesn''t get the projects through under-the-table deals. But if you''re interested in providing such services, I shall wait for Mr. Crawford to return and submit a proposal to him so that he knows what you''re really good at," Tina stomped out of the secretaries'' office. Cheryl was furious. She mmed the table hard and scowled. "Who does she think she is? How dare she taunt me?!" Secretary A, who was beside Cheryl said, "Ms. Cheryl, calm down. I can see Tina isn''t in a good mood today. She didn''t mean it." "She didn''t mean it? No, she did it on purpose. She''s taking advantage of the fact that Boss thinks highly of her, and that''s why she has the guts to insult me. I''m not going to let it slide." Cheryl stared at the door angrily. Tina had already disappeared behind the door. Secretary A dared not to say another word. Tina and Cheryl were the senior secretaries in this office, after all. It was a bad idea to offend either one of them. Although Tina was on good terms with everyone and she treated everyone with respect, they had this feeling that Tina was not someone who could be treated like a doormat either. There was a sudden dead silence in the secretary''s office. The only sound left was the ttering sound of typing on keyboards. Luca and Tina brought Marcos and Andy to do some sightseeing for the next few days. The ces Marcos wanted to visit were special, and the addresses he gave them were old addresses. Tina was only able to figure out where the locations were after asking her grandfather about the addresses. Then, she would ask Lliam to drive them there. However, Luca noticed the trace of disappointment in Marcos'' eyes whenever they reached each ce. It was as though the ces had failed to meet his expectations. Chapter 2199 After Luca and Tina apanied Marcos to another ce, Luca asked, ¡°Mr. Marcos, may I ask you a question?" "Yes. Go ahead and ask," replied Marcos. "You''ve been asking Andy to leave you alone every time you arrive at a certain ce. Are you looking for something?" Luca asked. Marcos was not nning to tell Luca about his family affairs. After all, if the elders in his family found out that his mother might be alive, his mother would probably be in danger. "I''m looking for my memories. It''s a pity that these ces have changed so much. They''re so much different from how they used to be," Marcos deliberately spoke in a regretful tone. Tina nodded while holding a cup of warm coffee in her hands. "Mr. Marcos, the ces we''ve been to for the past two days are different from how they used to be. And I heard the older generation say that many ces were reconstructed 20 years ago. In fact, they''ve been reconstructed many times so far. The old buildings were demolished, just like the park you''re at now. Many foreign friends woulde here to promote their country''s culture and traditions and look forpanions who came here to study before the reconstruction. They seldome here after that. Nothing is like it used to be." "How times have changed. I guess that''s what it means." Marcos could not help but secretly let out a sigh, realizing that there was a slim chance of finding his mother. Things were different from how he had remembered them. No matter how much Marcos'' mother had missed his father, looking at these reconstructed buildings would not remind her of his father. Andy said in a low voice, "Boss..." Marcos looked at the snow falling from above. The eagerness of finding his mother grew stronger as he replied, "It''s okay." Both of them spoke in Russian, and Luca could understand them. She got even more curious. What was Marcos looking for in these ces? After all, these ces had nothing to do with the project. It was the government''s jurisdiction to develop thesends, and they would not letpanies abroad participate in the development. Marcos should know about that. Luca became even more curious about what Marcos was truly looking for. However, Marcos did not tell her, and it would be inappropriate for her to ask him more about it. Luca and Tina had no choice but to apany Marcos to the ces he would like to go. Andy shook his head. There was helplessness in his blue eyes. Marcos turned around and said to Luca, ¡°The scenery is breathtaking. I''m honored to have two pretty ladies bringing me here for sightseeing today. Thank you for yourpany." "I''m sorry the ces didn''t meet your expectations," replied Luca. "It''s not your fault. The city changes. It''s difficult to find the traces of the past. It''s gettingte. Let me treat you to dinner." Marcos invited. Tina immediately replied, "Mr. Marcos, I''ve made arrangements for your dinner. Thank you, but you don''t have to buy us dinner." Marcos turned to look at Tina and said, "Ms. Tina, every meal you''ve arranged for us was perfect. They''re something I''ve never tried before. May I know what you''ve arranged for us this time?" "It''s a restaurant serving local dishes. Although it''s not a big restaurant, they serve good food. Mr. Marcos, would you like to try it? I can arrange some other cuisines for you if you don''t like it," said Tina. She made the arrangements ording to Marcos'' request. Marcos wanted to try the dishes he had never tried in Russia before. Hence, Tina was trying her best to choose the memorable restaurants that locals loved going to. However, delectable food was not all found in big and famous restaurants. That was why Tina asked for Marcos'' opinion first. "I must try the ones you''ve arranged for me. But this time, I''d like the two of you to dine with me too. Let me treat you. Please take it as a token of appreciation for being my tour guide for the past two days," Marcos said in a gentlemanly manner. Tina shot Luca a nce. Luca asked in confusion, "Mr. Marcos, do you mean you''re going back soon?" Marcos shook his head. He smiled and replied, "Not so soon. But I''m probably going to be busy for the next few days. A certain someone can''t wait to travel here. So, the two of you may get back to work after this. Of course, I''ll inform Mr. Crawford about it. Don''t worry. Plus, I''m not sure if I have the time to invite the two of you out for dinner some other day. Why don''t we make it today?" "Okay. Thank you, Mr. Marcos." Luca smiled. Tina heard Luca agree to it. She could notice that Marcos was friendly to Luca. Although they were not especially close, the friendliness Marcos had for her was different from what he showed her. Marcos was courteous to Tina, while he admired and respected Luca. However, it was not the kind of admiration with bad intentions. Hence, Tina nodded and agreed to it too. She said, "Thank you." "Don''t mention it." Marcos nced at the scenic spot and left together with them. He was destined to gain nothing from his travel here this time. Marcos climbed back into the car. The gleam in his eyes was gone as they darkened. He did not show his disappointment in front of the others, but the truth was he was indeed disappointed. Although he did not expect that he could find his mother this time, he still had hopes of finding her. Now, reality told him that it was all just his imagination. Marcos did not manage to find his mother. Besides, there was no way he could ask his men to look for his mother... It was because every move he made and every man he sent out would be investigated by the Abaza family. Therefore, he could not risk himself doing that. It seemed like he had to implement another n. Even though he could not find someone to investigate the matter, he could still ask someone to help him to look into it. However, he had no idea whether or not that person would agree to help him. The four of them got out of the car at the same time when they arrived at the farmhouse restaurant that Tina had reserved earlier. ¡°Mr. Marcos, this is the restaurant I''m talking about just now. Although it''s not a Michelin-starred restaurant, it''s acknowledged by everyone in A City as the best farmhouse restaurant. The taste of their food has never changed since they started the business 30 years ago. And they''ve never cut corners in their ingredients either," Tina introduced the restaurant to Marcos. Marcos smiled as he looked at the farmhouse restaurant in front of him and said, "The farmhouse looks chic. It''s one of a kind in a bustling city." "Yes. If it weren''t for this farmhouse restaurant, the buildings here would have been demolished. The local food served by the restaurant is too famous. And the government changed its mind and redeveloped this ce just to keep the restaurant. It was rare for the government to make such a decision and keep the specialty of this ce." Tina had gotten used to exining to Marcos the different architectural features of the buildings in A City for the past two days. Marcos showed great interest in her exnations too. "A farmhouse restaurant that could make the government change their mind. Well, I''m starting to look forward to it," Marcos confessed. He had heard his mother tell him that the local food in A City tasted good back then, and his father loved it too. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. If there was another chance, he and his family would surely head to A City to try the local food there again. However, he no longer had the chance to do so. Chapter 2200 Marcos looked at the yard in front of him. He had no idea if this was the farmhouse restaurant that her mother had told him about before. "I''m looking forward to it after all those things you''ve told me," said Marcos. ¡°Let''s go in. I''ve reserved a private room. It won''t be too noisy," replied Tina. She pushed the door open and invited them. Marcos said gentlemanly, ¡°Ladies first." Luca did not dy any longer and stepped into the restaurant first. Andy was holding the door, signaling Tina to enter the restaurant first. Tina knew they were gentlemen, so she did not say a word and followed behind Luca. After the two ladies entered the restaurant, Marcos stepped into the restaurant. Tina was close with the owner of the restaurant here. That was why she was able to reserve a private room at thest minute. The female owner came up and led the way when she saw Tina. She brought the four of them to the private room. The private room was nicely decorated. There were barely any green nts growing in A City as it was still the winter season. Hence, the green nts in the room were fake, but that did not affect the unique design of the interior. There was an indoor water fountain in the room, surrounded by stalks of bamboo. It made them feel like they were in an idyllic and beautiful paradise. The female owner asked Tina after she served them tea, ¡°You brought foreign friends this time, Ms. Tina. I don''t know how to speak othernguages, so I might need your help tranting what they say." ¡°No problem," replied Tina. ¡°Does everyone eat spicy food?" The female owner asked while holding a menu, but she did not hand the menu to them. Tina had dined with Luca several times before, and she knew Luca could handle spicy food. Hence, she did not ask Luca and just asked Marcos, ¡°Mr. Marcos, Mr. Andy, are you able to handle spicy food?" ¡°Yes," Andy nodded, and he added, ¡°Boss can take spicy food too." ¡°Everyone can take spicy food, and the budget is exactly how much I told you thest time," replied Tina after getting their answers. The female owner gave them a warm smile and replied, ¡°Okay. Let me prepare your dishes now. One moment, please." Although Marcos could not understand what she said, he could briefly understand what the female owner was talking about from her hand gestures. He asked Tina with curiosity, "Aren''t we going to order?" Tina smiled, shook her head, and exined, "The ingredients for restaurants like these usuallye from the owner''s farm. The owner of this restaurant owns a farm too, but it''s located in the suburbs. Fresh ingredients are delivered here every morning, but there are different ingredients throughout the year and it depends on the seasons too. Besides, the ingredients delivered might not be the same every day. That''s why the farmhouse restaurant doesn''t have a fixed menu. The owner will prepare random dishes for the customers based on the ingredients they get every day. They only have to figure out if we can take spicy food and our budget. Then, the owner will prepare the dishes for us." Luca added, "Authentic local foods are usually done like this. The dishes served will taste good as they use fresh and organic ingredients. They won''t look for suppliers who can supply a lot of ingredients for them like the restaurants in the city. That''s why it''s normal to run their business this way." "I see. I''ve learned something new today," said Marcos. He nodded, thinking that it was quite interesting to him. Then, he turned to look at Luca and asked, "Ms. Craw, are there any updates from Mr. Crawfordtely?" "Mr. Crawford is busy with the acquisition project. We haven''t received any news that he''sing back soon." Luca thought Marcos was asking when Luke would be back. After all, there were certain things he had to discuss with Luke. Luca and Tina were only here to entertain him. They could not decide anything on behalf of the company. "Well, I guess he''ll be back soon," Marcos said thoughtfully. Matysh would be traveling to A City soon if Luke was noting back yet. Something might happen to Luca by the time Luke arrived. Andy, who was sitting beside him, heard the conversation between them. He was secretly hoping that Luke would not return so soon. "Hmm, I''m not sure about that. Mr. Crawford wouldn''t mention his work progress to us." Luca smiled. Tina went along and asked, "Mr. Marcos, do you intend to meet our boss?" "No. I''m just asking. But I have a favor to ask him when he''s back here," said Marcos. The sun had gone down after the four of them finished their dinner. Marcos was different from other guests. He did not enjoy the nightlife, and that was why he rejected Tina''s offer when she made arrangements for him on the first day. Hence, Tina canceled all the arrangements for his nighttime entertainment. Lliam was responsible for sending Marcos and Andy back to the hotel, while Luca and Tina hailed a ride back home. "Dr. Craw, we''re supposed to go back to work as usual tomorrow, right?" Tina asked. "Yes. Let''s go back to the office tomorrow. Oh, although Mr. Marcos told us that he''ll exin it to Mr. Crawford, it''ll be better if you inform him too," replied Luca. She was not nning to contact Luke. After the intimacy they shared that night, she felt that she could not stand Luke being cold to her if she contacted him now. Everything was fine when he departed. He even told her where he was, but it ended up bing nothing. Luca shook her head. She feltyers of unsettling emotions in her at the thought of this, and she refused to think about it anymore. Although Tina wondered why Luca did not take the initiative to contact Luke, she agreed to it since Luca mentioned it to her. Then, she replied, ¡°Okay. I''ll inform Mr. Crawfordter. The taxi is here. Dr. Craw, hop in." "It''s okay. Aren''t you feeling cold?" Luca noticed that Tina was shivering when she came out of the farmhouse restaurant. It was obvious that Tina was feeling cold. "I''ll be fine." Tina shook her head, thinking of letting Luca take the taxi. Luca stopped the car, opened the door, and said to Tina, "Come on. Get in." "But..." Before Tina could say anything, Luca noticed that there was another empty taxiing in their direction from behind. She said, "There''s another taxiing. Hurry up."Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Tina turned around and nced at it. There was indeed an empty taxi. She bent down and got into the car without saying a word. Luca stopped the taxi behind, slipped into the car, and left. The kids already had their dinner after Luca arrived home. They were sitting on the sofa watching TV. Luca took off her coat, walked toward them, and sat down. The kids'' attention had always been on the TV, and they eximed with surprise when they saw Luca, "Ms. Luca, you''re back!" The three of them said in unison, and Tommy''s voice sounded the happiest. "Yes. Have you finished your homework?" Luca was concerned about their homework. After all, it would be hard for the kids to exin to their teachers if she did not check their homework and leave Luke''s signature on it. "Yes. We''ve finished our homework!" The kids replied as they took their books out of their school bags. "Okay. Leave it on the coffee table. I''m going to check Lanie''s homework first. You can continue to watch your cartoon show. After that, take a shower and get ready for bed," said Luca. "Okay." Lanie handed his book to Luca, while Rainie and Tommy left their books on the coffee table. The kids were smart. They seldom made mistakes when they were answering the questions. Luca picked up Rainie''s book as soon as she finished checking Lanie''s homework. Lanie and Rainie''s homework was the same, so Luca was able to go through it quickly. Lanie and Rainie answered all the questions correctly, and Luca signed the signature on thest page. Chapter 2201 Atst, Luca checked Tommy''s homework. Tommy got it all correct too. After she signed the exercise books, the kids put their books back into their bags. After Tommy kept his book in his bag, he could not help but ask, ¡°Ms. Luca, you''ve beening home late for the past two days. Did Daddy give you too much work?" Luca smiled and shook her head. She picked up a strawberry with a toothpick, handed it to him, and said, "I can get off work on time tomorrow." "That''s great." Tommy opened his mouth and took a bite of the strawberry. Luca had beening homete for the past few days as she needed to entertain Marcos. Hence, Aunt Neile had been looking after the kidstely. However, it was not totally because of Marcos. After Marcos ate his dinner, he would let Luca and Tina go back. After all, there were no scenic spots to be seen at night. Marcos did not enjoy nightlife entertainment either. However, Luca would return to T Corporation to check the experiment data after leaving. She would make sure that there was nothing wrong with it, then she would talk to Rhett about the next day''s research experiment on the phone. It waste at night after she finished doing her work. Tommy ate the strawberry as he watched the cartoon show, while Lanie and Rainie quietly watched it as well. Luca looked at the three of them, and she felt ashamed. It was not easy for her to return to them, but she was unable to spend time with her children because of the work she had to do... Luca wanted to apany them with another identity, but she did not have the time to keep them company. How ironic it was. Nina made her way down the stairs and realized Luca was already back home. She sat down on the sofa, smiled, and asked Luca, "Luca, have you eaten?" "I had dinner with Mr. Marcos and the others," replied Luca with a smile on her face. Nina nodded and said, "Oh, remember to check the kids'' homework. I thought of helping them to check their homework, but they told me that they''d like to wait for you toe back and check for them." Luca looked at the kids with a puzzled look on her face. Lanie pouted his mouth andined, "It''s because Ms. Nina didn''t check it properly. You didn''t realize Tommy got one answer wrong." Nina stood up and sat beside Lanie, lifted her hand, and pinched his face. "It was an ident. I did check Rainie''s and your homework correctly. I didn''t expect the math questions you kids are studying today to be soplicated." "Ms. Nina, you should sign yourself up for a lesson to figure out how to solve the math questions we''re studying these days. Mr. Percy is busy with work. You''ll be the one to tutor your child when you have one in the future. You''ll be embarrassing Mr. Percy and yourself if you make a mistake." Lanie became talkative at once. Nina narrowed her eyes and looked at Lanie. Lanie was quiet most of the time, but he would bring out his evil side once he spoke. He sounded like he was lecturing someone. Besides, why did Lanie sound like Luke? "Like father, like son. They even sound simr when they''re lecturing someone." Nina could not help but pinch his face again and said, "I''ll be more careful next time. It won''t be an issue." "That''d better be the case." Lanie rose to his feet and sat on the other side beside Luca after Nina pinched him on the face twice. "Hey, you little..." Nina was surprised to see the child''s reaction. She eventually turned to look at Rainie, who was beside her. Then, she let out a sigh and ced her hand on Rainie''s shoulder. She said, "Rainie is still the cutest." Rainie smiled and said, "Ms. Nina, stop pinching Lanie''s face. He hates it." "I do that because I think he''s cute, okay? I should seize the opportunity to pinch his face now. Otherwise, I won''t get the chance to do so when he grows up," replied Nina. She had an unknown sense of aplishment when she pinched Lanie''s face. Perhaps it was because he was Luke''s son. "Ms. Nina, Lanie doesn''t like getting pinched in the face. You can pinch my face next time." Tommy rolled his eyes and decided to ''sacrifice'' himself to protect his elder brother. "Okay, okay. I''ll just pinch your face next time. I won''t pinch Lanie''s face anymore." Nina nodded. She was envious of Bianca when she looked at the three cutie pies. How happy Bianca was to have such adorable kids. Nina could not understand why Bianca chose to travel abroad to further her studies. She had a good husband and three adorable children by her side. Even though she could not remember anything, it was blissful to live such a life surrounded by her loved ones. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. At night. After Luca headed to every child''s bedroom and pushed the door open to check if they were in bed, she returned to her bedroom andy down on the bed. It was quiet at night, but Luca tossed and turned in bed all night, thinking about Luke, who was still on a business trip abroad. It was Tina who contacted and reported to Luke for the past two days. Luke had never contacted her since Nina''s affairs were settled. She had no idea how Luke was doing there either. Luca sat on the bed and eventually decided to take some sleeping pills. There was no way she could fall asleep thinking about Luke. It would affect her work tomorrow. Lucay down on the bed again after taking the pills. She was in a daze and finally fell asleep. In the middle of the night. The vi''s gate opened. A Mercedes-Benz drove into the vi. Aunt Neile forgot to turn on the lights in the yard before she left. That was why it was dark in the yard. There were only two streaks of light from the car''s heamps lighting up the way for Luke. Luke climbed out of the car after he parked the car in the parking lot. Then, he looked at the vi in the dark. The woman he loved the most and his children were all in there, sleeping soundly. Luke sped up the acquisition process after knowing that Matysh would be traveling to A City today. He finally signed the contract and bought the Hilton family''spany yesterday afternoon. Although the price was higher than he had expected, it was eptable. After all, thepany had a bright future. Luke did not care what the others would say. He booked the earliest flight back to A City after he signed the contract with Brody. There were no other reasons. He came back only to protect Luca. Marcos told Luke that there was a reason why Matysh came to A City. Matysh refused to give up on Luca. Even though she was in A City, Matysh was still thinking about her, and that was why he decided to travel here. Therefore, after Lukepleted his work with high efficiency, he came back to Luca to be with her before Matysh arrived. No man would have the chance to covet his woman. The vi was dark without any lights on. Luke turned on the lights of the parking lot. Then, he switched on the sh on his phone under the dim light. He did not wake Luca up, and he walked back into the vi alone. Luke took off his coat. He did not go upstairs immediately. Instead, he sat in the living room for a while. He nned to warm himself up before going up. It was to prevent that woman from catching a cold. Luke sat in the living room for a few minutes. His body felt warmer after getting warmed by the heater. Then, he crept his way up the stairs, heading to the second floor. He did not return to his bedroom right away. He chose to enter Luca''s bedroom by pushing the door open. Although Nina was still staying in the vi, Aunt Neile had reported to Luke about the situation here. Nina slept in the guest room alone and was not sleeping with Luca. Hence, he was pretty sure that Luca was alone in her bedroom. Luke was nimble and quiet. He did not wake the woman up when he opened and closed the door. Chapter 2202 As Luke listened to Luca''s soft breathing, there was tenderness in his eyes while he looked at her. Luke had gotten used to the darkness in the room, and he was able to see the woman who was sleeping soundly on the bed while covered in the nket. ''You little devil,'' Luke could not help but secretly me Luca for a moment. Luca did not pick up his calls, nor did she return his calls. She only exined it to him once by sending him a message. She was behaving so indifferently, and she was not concerned about his situation either. If it were not for the Mallory family who came to the vi, Luke would not have had the chance to listen to Luca''s voice while he was out on the business trip. Heartless little woman. Luke was like a scorned woman,ining to Luca about how she was being cold to him. However, there was nothing he could do. Luca was the only one who could make him experience such helpless feelings. It felt awful. Luke tiptoed to the bedside and quietly climbed onto the bed. The moment Luca felt a weight on her bed. She noticed that something was wrong. However, it took her some time to regain her consciousness as she had taken the sleeping pills earlier. She opened her eyes wide when someone put his arms around her, and she eximed, ¡°Who are you?!" There was nothing Luke could do about Luca''s vignt behavior. He held her in his arms and said, "Don''t be afraid. It''s me." The familiar voice calmed Luca''s nerves right away, and she slowlyy down on the bed with her back facing Luke. Then, she said, "Mr. Crawford, how did you..." Luke felt a little guilty when he heard Luca''s sleepy voice. He could not bear to me her anymore and replied, "I''m back. Let''s sleep. We''ll talk tomorrow." Although Luca was deeply asleep, she came back to her senses the moment she woke up with a start. She was about to say something and struggle out of Luke''s embrace, but her heart melted when she heard the weariness in Luke''s voice. She dispelled the thought of struggling. Luca was confused anddy down on the bed. She listened to his breathing that came from behind. Why did Lukee back in the middle of the night? Furthermore, Tina had told her that Luke was facing some problems with the acquisition as there was another buyer interested in acquiring the company. Luke was fighting over the Hilton''spany with hispetitor. It sounded difficult, and Luke was supposed toe backter. However, Luke was back here so soon. Luca had so many questions to ask Luke, but she endured it as she noticed that Luke was tired. Therefore, she did not ask him about it. She could wait until tomorrow... ¡°Stop thinking about it. Get some sleep. I''ll exin to you tomorrow," said Luke as he rested hands on her waist. "Okay," Luca mumbled. She was wearing silk pajamas, and the temperatureing from Luke''s hands was burning hot. Luca listened to him and closed her eyes. Once she shut her eyes, her senses heightened. She could smell Luke''s scent in the air. The scent lingered between her nostrils. It was as though the air around her was filled with Luke''s scent. It was heart-warming, and she felt secure. It felt real too. Luca slowly fell into a deep slumber. The following day. Luca opened her eyes when she woke up. Luke''s chest came into sight first. She was startled for a moment. Before Luca fell asleepst night, she had gently touched Luke and noticed that he had clothes on him when he was on her bed. Why was he half-naked now? If someone saw them on the bed, no one would believe what Luca said even if she exined that they had just cuddled in bed all night. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Luca looked at the fine muscles in front of her. They were just like how they used to be. Waking up to the sight of him like this every morning was eye candy. Even though Luke was busy with his work, he kept his body well-built over the years. There were not many changes in his appearance. It was unfair, indeed. The sands of time had hardly left any marks on Luke. Luca remembered what had happenedst night. She was able to sleep peacefully after Luke came back. This was not the effects of the sleeping pills, but it was because Luke was by her side. That was why she was able to get a good night''s sleep. Luca longed for more. She wanted to cuddle with Luke and sleep as much as she could regardless of the consequences and everything else. However, it was impossible to do so. Her rationality told her that Luke would be waking up soon if she did not get out of bed now. Nina was still staying in the vi. She would overthink things if she found out that the two of them were sleeping in a room. Even though Nina was close to her now, Luca could differentiate what was right and wrong. She was not allowed to overindulge in the warmth she had now. Luca moved back a little as she attempted to break herself free from Luke''s arms. Luke woke up after she moved a little. He opened his eyes and stared at Luca. He did not seem surprised that Luca was in front of him. Instead, he pulled Luca back into his arms and said, "It''s still early. Let''s go back to sleep." It seemed like the silk pajamas were unable to stop the warmth of Luke''s skin from transferring to her face. Luca''s heart began to race, and she could not help but tilt her head backward. She said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, I have to get out of bed.¡± "Aunt Neile will prepare breakfast." Luke refused to let her go, and he wanted to cuddle with her and sleep for a while longer. Luke had barely slept for the past few days just toe back earlier. After all, hispetitor was strong, and he had to put in a lot of effort to acquire thepany. "Nina''s here. It''ll be difficult for me to exin to her if she sees us sleeping in the same bedroom if I get upte..." Luca lowered her head and muttered, "I''m getting up." Luke had no choice but to let her go since Luca insisted on getting up. There was nothing he could do as Luca was rejecting him, and he could only take one step at a time. They had plenty of time, and their rtionship would eventually be as sweet and affectionate as before. Luca let out a sigh of relief. She got out of bed immediately before Luke changed his mind. She walked into the bathroom, freshened up herself, and got changed. After that, she picked up her phone, briefcase, and her coat. Then, she left the bedroom. No one was at the bedroom door. Luca let out a sigh of relief. She was truly worried that she would run into Nina. Luca shot a nce behind her after she closed the bedroom door. She was worried that Luke might run into Nina when he woke up. It would be difficult to exin to her then. However, the man was still in bed, reluctant to get up. Luke seemed to be tired, and Luca could not bear to ask him to get out of thefortable, warm bed. She decided to let him rest a little longer. There was nothing she could do if the two of them ran into each other. What was meant to happen would happen. Luca headed downstairs and ced her coat and briefcase on the sofa. Aunt Neile was already preparing breakfast when she walked into the kitchen. "Aunt Neile, what kind of breakfast are you preparing today?" Luca asked. "I''m preparing Western food today," replied Aunt Neile with a smile on her face, "Ms. Craw, are you craving anything?" "No, but you''ll have to prepare another portion today," replied Luca. Aunt Neile was confused and she asked, "Why? Do we have a guesting?" "Mr. Crawford is back from his business trip. He came back in the middle of the night," exined Luca. She washed her hands, nced at the ingredients, and knew what Aunt Neile was preparing for breakfast. Then, she helped Aunt Neile out in the kitchen. Aunt Neile eximed in surprise, "Traveling back in the middle of the night? Did Mr. Crawford take the night flight back here? Why was he in such a hurry? He must be exhausted. Let me prepare some tonic for himter." Luca smiled as she listened to Aunt Neile chattering away, then she suggested, ¡°Prepare some American ginseng soup for Mr. Crawford. It''ll be good for him." Chapter 2203 Aunt Neile nodded and immediately took a bag out of the shelf. She took the American ginseng out and said, ¡°Yes, ginseng is good for health. The old master asked Uncle Zander to send the ginseng here. He said it''s to improve your health. I was thinking of making some ginseng soup when Mr. Crawford came back. I''ll prepare it tonight." Luca looked at the American ginseng in Aunt Neile''s hands and nced at it. It was a wild ginseng root over a hundred years old. Although the Crawford family was not short of supplements, Old Master Crawford was willing to spend a lot on these. Nina brought the kids downstairs when breakfast was almost ready. Nina had hardly slept in for the past few days. She followed the kids'' routine and would wake up once they were awake. Then, she would urge the kids to freshen themselves up and head downstairs together. Luca told Nina that she did not have to do that and she could sleep in as long as she liked. After all, she knew Nina used to sleep in a lot. However, Nina insisted on doing so. She told Luca that she wanted to get used to such a lifestyle. Luca knew that Nina had never stopped thinking about getting pregnant with Percy''s child. It was pointless to repeat her words over and over again since Luca could not convince her. That was why she let Nina do whatever she wanted. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Luca served breakfast on the table and let out a sigh of relief when she saw Nina and the kids making their way down the stairs. Fortunately, Luke woke upter than Nina and the kids. "Good morning, Ms. Luca," the three children greeted her in unison. "Good morning," Luca smiled and replied. Then, she remembered Luke, who was still in bed. She decided not to wake him up. He could sleep in for a little while. Aunt Neile would keep his breakfast warm, after all. It was fine if he had his breakfastter. Hence, she said to the children, "Breakfast''s ready. Hurry up. You''ll have to go to school after finishing your breakfast." "I can''t imagine how the kids can have such sumptuous breakfast every morning. I''m green with envy," said Nina as she pinched Tommy''s chubby face. "Ms. Nina, aren''t you eating breakfast too?" Tommy sat on the chair. He turned and gave Nina a puzzled look, while he took the croissant Luca handed to him. "Although I''m staying here at the moment, I''m probably going back soon," Nina answered thoughtfully and gave Luca a meaningful look. However, Luca was busy helping the kids with the croissants and did not notice that Nina was giving her that meaningful look. Luca made an assumption and asked, "Did Mr. Mallory find any clues as to who was the one who gave the information to the press yet?" "I''m not sure. He''s been on a business trip for the past few days. I''m guessing his subordinates are looking into it. But I''m not sure if there''s any news about it. I''ll have to go back home when hees back whether he finds the culprit or not. I can''t stay here all day and disturb you," answered Nina. She picked up the croissant that smelled good and thought that Luca was the one who made the croissant. Nina stared at the croissant as it reminded her of Bianca''s culinary skills. Before something happened to Bianca, her culinary skills were good. As Bianca''s friend, Nina felt happy to be able to taste Bianca''s homemade food often. Bianca thought Nina was too skinny at that time. She would prepare all kinds of scrumptious food for Nina to make her gain weight. However, Nina was troubled and having a tough time at that time. She barely gained any weight. "There''s no way Mr. Mallory can look after you if he travels so often. When you go back home, feel free toe over and spend a few nights here when Mr. Mallory isn''t in A City. The guest room is always here for you." After Luca helped the kids with their breakfast, she sat down and had her breakfast. Nina was moved and asked, "Really?" "Of course. Mr. Crawford and Mr. Mallory are close friends. He promised to help you back then, so he''s surely going to lend a hand in the future too. What matters the most now is to find out the person who spilled the tea," replied Luca. The hot topic about Nina in the news articles and forum discussions seemed to be calming down. Perhaps the people had enough of the story, the reporters had nothing new to write about, or Percy had asked someone to cover up the news. However, it did not matter what had happened as long as things were cooling down. It was good for Nina. Still, people had memories. It was the same with the Mallory family. They would remember what Nina had gone through before. Even though the dust had settled, they would bring this up again once there was any big news about Nina and Percy. There was no way they could make people forget about this. That was why Nina would have to make it through all these in the future. Nina getting married or getting pregnant would jog the people''s memories again and again. Luca felt sorry for her. Fortunately, Percy''s love was able to make Nina stay positive. Nina smiled and turned to look at Aunt Neile. "Aunt Neile, please keep the nket and pillow for me after I move out. I may be back to spend a few nights here." "Of course, I''ll clean them and keep them for you. I''ll be waiting for you toe over," Aunt Neile replied cheerfully. Although Nina had a miserable past, Aunt Neile was pretty fond of this positive and friendly woman after spending time with her for the past few days. After they finished eating breakfast, Luke was still asleep. There was no sign of himing downstairs. Luca did not say anything. She brought the kids to the door, and Uncle Zander''s car was already waiting there. Lanie''s eyes were sharp enough to notice the Mercedes car in the parking lot when they walked to the garden. He pointed at the car and said, ¡°That car wasn''t here yesterday." Lanie was looking at Luca when he said that. Luca had to admit that Lanie had a keen observation. He had Luke''s genes, indeed. He was able to notice there was another car in the parking lot. There were four to five cars parking in the vi''s parking lot. It was difficult to notice if one was missing or if there was another car parking there. Luca nodded and said, "Your daddy came back." "Daddy''s back?" Tommy jumped for joy as he was happy to hear that, "Is he upstairs?" "Yes. He looks tired and he''s still asleep. I was afraid that you might wake him up. That''s why I didn''t tell you. Off you go. You can meet Daddy after school, okay?" replied Luca. She did not tell the kids as she wanted Luke to rest a little longer. The three kids nodded. Rainie secretly thought that this proved that their mother cared for their father. Luca turned around and left after she made sure the kids got into Uncle Zander''s car. She did not head to the living room. Instead, she got into the car and left the vi. Marcos told her that there was no need to entertain them today, so Luca was going to go back to T Corporation for work. In the living room. Nina sat on the sofa in the living room watching the news after she finished her breakfast. Aunt Neile was getting ready to go out to get some groceries after cleaning up. After all, she could get fresh ingredients if she went to the supermarket earlier. Noises wereing from the stairs. Nina tilted her head and watched Luke make his way down the stairs. There was not even a surprised look on her face. Luke met Nina''s gaze. He put his hands in his pockets without saying a word. The two of them exchanged nces for half a minute. Atst, Nina spoke in azy tone, "Your breakfast should be in the kitchen. They kept it warm for you." "Okay." Luke was about to head to the kitchen. "Luca and Aunt Neile didn''t tell me that you were back, but do you know why I''m not surprised to see you here?" Nina picked up the remote control and turned off the TV. She rose to her feet as her gaze fell on Luke. Chapter 2204 Luke did not say a word as he stopped. His gaze was as sharp as a razor, piercing through the skinny woman in front of him. He had to admit that everything that Nina had gone through was because of him and Bianca. However, after Nina experienced all those things, Luke had done his best topensate her. He did everything he should have done. Although he owed her a favor, he would not take things too far. Nina saw Luke''s sharp gaze. What kind of gaze had she never seen after living together with Percy for such a long time? However, she felt an inexplicable fluster in her heart. She suppressed her emotions and said calmly, ¡°I wasn''t asleep when you came backst night. I was sitting on the balcony outside the house without the lights on. That''s why you didn''t notice I was there." Nina had been positive and calm for the past few days, but deep down in her heart, she felt like she was on pins and needles. She could hardly fall asleep at night without taking Luca''s medicine. It was the samest night... Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Nina was having trouble sleeping at night. She felt like the room was stuffy, so she put on her clothes and walked out of the guest room. It was quiet, and she did not make any noise. She open the balcony door and closed it behind her. Then, she sat on the cane chair outside the balcony and spent time alone on the balcony as the cold winter wind blew her anxieties away. However, she left the balcony door ajar. Therefore, she heard Luke''s footsteps and saw him entering Luca''s bedroom when she turned around and nced behind her. She did not see hime out after that. "And?" Luke was calm. He did not look like someone who was caught red-handed. "I saw you entering Luca''s bedroom, and you didn''te out after that." Nina frowned, but Luke''s expression was what she had expected to see. He would not be Luke Crawford if he was easily affected by such things. "Are you warning me?" Luke questioned her back as he stared at Nina. He believed that Percy must have told her something. Otherwise, Nina would not be as calm as she was now. Still, judging from the situation now, Luke was pretty sure that Nina had no idea that Luca''s true identity was Bianca. "Do I have the guts to do that? I only have a few questions for you." Nina looked at Luke. His aura was so powerful that it almost made her lose her breath. ¡°I may not answer your questions." Luke slipped his hands into his pockets. He was already dissatisfied. Not everyone could ask him questions. Nina was just Percy''s woman, and Luke did not have to show respect to her. After all, those things that the Mallory family had done were enough to make Percy feel guilty. "Are you still serious about being together with Bianca?" Nina asked. Luke frowned and nodded without hesitation. Nina''s heart, which was on tenterhooks, was slightly relieved. She was afraid to see Luke''s hesitation and denial. However, she seemed to have understood certain things after what she went throughtely. Not everyone was like Percy. He was willing to ept Nina''s past just because he loved her. It was just like Bianca after she had gone through all those things. That was why Nina could understand Luke if he had fallen for another woman. Although Nina felt sorry for Bianca, she did not think that Luke was wrong for falling for another woman. However, now that Luke nodded and admitted that he was serious about Bianca, Nina thought it was unbelievable. Her voice quivered as Luca came into her mind. "Then are you serious about Luca too?" she asked. Luke nodded again. Then, he walked into the dining room. That was all he could answer. He was not nning to answer the rest of her questions no matter how Nina asked him. Nina stood still. She did not go after him. Luke had not forgotten about Bianca, but he was serious about Luca... How could a man fall for two women at the same time? Nina could not believe that, but Luke had nodded and admitted it himself. How could he do this? It was irresponsible of him to do something like that to Luca. After all, Bianca could still honorably stand beside Luke if she came back one day. They were husband and wife, and she was Luke''s legal wife. In the end, Luca was still the one who got the short end of the stick. Luca had nothing. Once their rtionship was exposed, she would be called a mistress by the others. Nina let out a sigh, feeling sorry for what was happening to Luca. Although Luca seemed clear-headed, she was actually living in her dream world. Luke entered her bedroom and they slept together all night. They were adults, and something must have happened between them. Nina sat on the sofa without saying a word. She did not speak up for Bianca, but she sympathized with Luca instead. If she could, she was hoping that she could give Luca a hand, but she was caught in the mire now. Even though it was Luca who had been helping Nina to pull herself together, what did Nina have to lend a hand to Luca? Nina realized how foolish she was. After Luca returned to the office, she headed to theboratory and started to work on her research. If nothing dyed the research and the progress went on smoothly, the drug would be able to pass the third clinical trial after this month. They would be able to apply tounch the product in the market after making sure there was no problem with the drug. As for the negotiation with the Food and Drug Administration, that was not within Luca''s job scope. It would be left to the manager of Watson to deal with it. Luca could not help but frown at the thought of the manager. She did not know if Luke had taken her words seriously. Something was off with that manager... After an hour of doing experiments in theboratory, Zoey came in and walked toward Luca. She said in a soft voice, ¡°Dr. Craw, there are some documents that you need to deal with. Do you minding out for a while?" "Ah, sure. Hold on." Luca lifted her head. She was a little surprised. What kind of documents would she need to handle now? Were they unable to wait until she had finished her work? Luca took off her gloves, put the experiment data aside, and followed Zoey out. "Ms. Davis, what kind of documents are they?" Luca asked. "Dr. Craw, I''ve left the documents on your office desk. You''ll find out when you return to your office." Zoey did not reveal too much information. Luca immediately figured out that something was wrong and asked, "Is there someone in my office?" Zoey smiled and replied, "Dr. Craw, you''re smart." Luca, "..." She was not smart, but Zoey''s attitude made her think a lot. She could not help but suspect that someone was in her office. This person was probably Luke. Luca pushed the office door open, and before she realized it, she was pulled into his arms. "Uh." It hurt a little when she bumped into his strong muscles, but the familiar scent in the air stopped her from struggling. It was Luke. There was nothing she could do even if she struggled. Luke was much stronger than she was. "Why didn''t you wake me up today?" Luke asked. He slept in, but he thought Luca would prepare breakfast and wake him up. He did not expect that not only did Luca not wake him up, but she even let him sleep as long as he liked. He waste for work. Chapter 2205 It had been a long time since Luke had a lie-in. He med Luca''s scent that remained on the bed even after she had already gotten out of bed. Luke happened to fall asleep again when he closed his eyes. It was as though he was cuddling with her in bed. He unknowingly woke upte. ¡°I could see you were tired and needed more rest..." Luca said in a depressed tone. At the same time, she was confused. This man was cold to her when he was on his business trip, but he was hugging her now, refusing to let her go. Did he really treat her as a toy who was at his beck and call? Luca refused to think so, but it was the reality that made her forced her to think about it like this. "It was tiring," Luke held her in his arms, resting his jaw on her head. The distance between them was intimate. "I''ve been busy with the acquisition for the past few days. I worked day and night to finish everything, then I came back." Luca listened to Luke talking about what he did during his business trip. It sounded easy, but she knew that it was not an easy task. If T Corporation was the onlypany that wanted to acquire thepany, it would indeed be easy. Luke did not have to travel there for the acquisition. However, apetitor came out of nowhere and Luke had to travel there himself to acquire the company. It must have been a strongpetitor. Hence, Luke must have been busy for quite some time toplete everything. "I see." Luca knew him well. Luke would only carry the weight on his shoulders no matter how hard it was. He would never tell her about it. That was why she did not continue to ask him, but she said, "Mr. Crawford, I''d like to continue with my experiment." "Huh? Don''t you have anything to ask me?" Luke felt helpless with her silence and indifference. He had already taken the initiative to close the gap between them, but Luca was still rejecting him. She seemed unconcerned about his matters. Although Luke knew she was pretending to do so, it made his heart sink. "No." Luca''s mind was full of questions, but she denied Luke''s question without hesitation. Luke let go of her as the expression on his face turned gloomy. Luca met his gaze, then she had this feeling that something was wrong. Judging from the expression on Luke''s face, something must have happened. ¡°Mr. Crawford, what''s the matter?" she asked. "Matysh will be traveling from Russia to here today," replied Luke. He did not intend to conceal it from her. Luca was capable of protecting herself. If Luke blindly concealed this from her, that would only make Luca let down her guard. Telling her about this would protect her. Luca frowned. She had a bad feeling that something was going to happen, especially after Marcos asked her some questions previously. Disturbing thoughts squirmed at the back of her mind. It was Matysh, indeed... Marcos was reminding her. Luca hesitated as she dared not to confirm that that was what Marcos meant at that time. Now, Luke had proved that her doubts were true. "Is heing after me?" Luca asked. She was not dumb. The way Matysh looked at her was like he was staring at his prey. She could see that Matysh was interested in her. However, she did not expect Matysh toe after her even after she left Russia. "Yes," Luke nodded. "You have to protect yourself. Watch your back when you go out. Don''t let Matysh get you. I''ll send some people to protect you too. Just behave as usual." Luca nodded, but it was Matysh she was dealing with. How would Luke choose between M Group and her if things got out of hand? Luca felt a sudden stab of anxiety in her gut. She was troubled, and she could not believe that she would get into trouble when she was only apanying Luke on his business trip. Previously, it was Xavier, and now, Matysh showed up. There seemed to be endless troubles! Luke looked at the changes in Luca''s expression. Although it was subtle, he could sense Luca was irritated. Then, heforted her. "Live your life as usual but don''t try to get away from the men I''ve arranged to protect you. Just go with the flow." "You.." Before Luca could say anything, the phone''s ringtone interrupted her. It was Luke''s phone. Luca had no choice but to stop talking and let him answer the call. It was Jason who called. Luke answered the call, and as soon as he answered it, his gentle voice became cold all of a sudden. "Yes?" "Boss, Mr. Marcos is waiting downstairs. He says that he''d like to meet you," Jason informed Luke. Marcos was an important guest of T Corporation. Even though he did not make an appointment in advance, Luke had to meet him. However, Luke was not in his office now, so Jason had to call him to find out where he was. "Send Tina downstairs to bring him to the lounge," replied Luke. "Noted," Jason hung up the call and immediately followed Luke''s instructions. Luke put his phone back in his pocket. He looked at Luca and said, "Marcos is here." "You''d better hurry." Luca urged him. Although she had no idea why Marcos came here, he must have something important to discuss with Luke if he came looking for him now. Otherwise, he would not have chosen toe to T Corporation at such a time. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Luke nodded. He gazed at Luca and said, "I''ll see you tonight." He came here not because he had nothing to do. On the contrary, he had tons of work to do, but he wanted toe down and take a look at Luca. After he talked to Marcos, he would have to continue with his work. "See you." Luca watched Luke walk out of the office from behind. She felt lost as Luke''s figure went out of her sight. The distance between them was not as distant as before, but she kept on having the jitters. She had to deal with Abel, and now Matysh... There were too many things troubling her, and she was getting more and more restless. On the other hand. Luke came upstairs. At the same time, Tina was leading Marcos and Andy to the lounge. The two of them ran into each other in the elevator hall. "Mr. Marcos, it''s been a long time," Luke greeted him first. If it were not for Marcos, he would not have sped up his progress abroad, catching hispetitor off guard and defeating them. He was able to make it back to protect Luca. "Hello, Mr. Crawford. It''s been a long time. Let me introduce you to my assistant, Andy." Marcos greeted. Andy was on a business trip when M Group and T Corporation signed the contract. That was why Luke did not recognize Andy. "Nice to meet you," Luke greeted Andy. After all, he was Marcos'' subordinate who was here with Marcos. His status should be simr to Jason''s position. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Crawford." Andy recalled his bet with Marcos when he saw Luke in person. He was secretly screaming in his heart that he was screwed. He was going to be ughtered. "I heard that you''ve acquired Hampton. Congrattions." Marcos took the initiative to congratte Luke. Hampton was the Hilton family''spany. Brody''s parents were the founders of thepany. Thepany''s name came from the family name of the Hilton family and one of the words of Brody''s mother''s name. Marcos understood the international market and the background of thispany. Marcos was secretly surprised when he found out that thepany was looking for someone to acquire it to get through the hardships. However, M Group had nothing to do with Hampton''s management. Besides, thepany was not in Russia. That was why Marcos did not n to join the acquisition. Andy got even more puzzled when he heard what his boss said. Chapter 2206 Luke came back within three days, and he managed to acquire thepany. How did he do that? Andy finally realized that there was really someone as capable as his boss. ¡°Thank you." There was no arrogant look on Luke''s face. Neither did he show any cheerful expressions on his face. It was as though sessfully taking over thepany was in his ns, and it was nothing worth celebrating or something to be proud of. Marcos was impressed with how calm Luke was. After working in M Group for a long time, he had seen too many people who grewcent about their small achievements. They thought that a bright future awaited them regardless. They eventually became proud and ended up being devoured in the business world. A mature man like Luke Crawford could handle surprises and ovee challenges with confidence. He was the king. Tina pushed the lounge door open and Luke invited them, "Mr. Marcos, please." "Thank you." Marcos and Luke walked into the lounge together while Andy followed behind Marcos closely. He was not only Marcos'' assistant, but he was also his bodyguard. That was why he would follow wherever Marcos went when he went out. "Take a seat," Luke asked them to sit on the sofa. Marcos nodded and nced around the decorations in the lounge. The space was elegant yet luxurious. This was the best hospitality provided by T Corporation. Tina, who was standing beside him, asked in a soft voice, "Mr. Marcos, may I know what you''d like to drink?" "Coffee, please. Thank you," replied Marcos. Tina nodded, turned around, and walked out of the lounge to prepare the drinks for them. At the same time, she closed the door behind her. Although there was hardly anyone passing by on this floor, secretaries were walking around here. Hence, Tina closed the door to make sure that their conversation was kept private. After Tina closed the door, Andy took a small detector out of his pocket and asked Luke, "Mr. Crawford, this is to make sure that the conversation between us is kept private. You don''t mind, right?" "I don''t mind. Just go ahead." Even though Luke was not professional in this field, he recognized the detector in front of him. It was used to detect bugging devices and hidden cameras. The lounge was used to entertain important guests who came to the office. Therefore, there would be no bugging devices or hidden cameras. However, Marcos was cautious, so Luke did not stop him. Andy nodded. After he got Marcos'' permission, he turned on the detector and checked every corner of the lounge. Luke crossed his hands without starting a conversation. He nned to wait until Andy had finished checking. Noticing how prudent Marcos was, Luke knew Marcos came to talk about something important with him this time. Perhaps it was something confidential. Andy checked once and found nothing. He turned off the device and returned to stand behind Marcos. "I''m sorry, Mr. Crawford," apologized Marcos. ¡°No problem." Luke did not mind. Tina knocked on the door at this moment, and she brought two cups of coffee in. Then, she ced them on the coffee table, turned around, and left. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Luke only spoke after that, "Mr. Marcos, I don''t think you came here to have a simple chat with me, right?" "Mr. Crawford, you''re a smart person. I''m impressed." Marcos smiled as he picked up the cup of coffee and took a sip. The coffee left a pleasant aftertaste. It seemed like Tina had been diligent in her work for the past few days. She even figured out what kind of coffee Marcos liked. Luke did not say a word. He picked up the coffee and took a sip, waiting for Marcos to continue. Marcos said, "Previously, you mentioned that you were involved in the extermination of the Ind of Despair. I looked into it after that. What you did was more than just participate in it. If it weren''t for you, the Russian police wouldn''t have been able to wipe out the Ind of Despair sessfully. So, I believe you have armed forces in countries abroad, not to mention in this country or A City." "I''m ttered, but I''m just a businessman," replied Luke. He did not mean to deny it. Besides, even if Luke denied it, Marcos would be able to figure it out based on his capability. Luke indeed had his armed forces, but his team was unlike the Ind of Despair. They had never hurt anyone or done anything for the sake of money. They only helped Luke to figure out what obstacles he would be facing in the business world. There were people like Marcos'' family in this world. That was why Luke knew that even though he hated criminal organizations, he would not give up the idea of cooperating with them just because of his hatred toward them. "You''re too humble, Mr. Crawford. Let me be honest, I came here to ask for your help this time." Marcos went straight to the point. Luke had already expected it. He did not show a look of surprise on his face and just asked, "How may I help you?" "The information you''ve given me states that my mother is currently staying in A City. I''ve gone to several ces where my parents first met each other and fell in love over the past few days. I didn''t manage to find her. That''s why I''d like to ask for your help to look for my mother," said Marcos. He wanted to find out where his mother was, but he could not make it too obvious. "You want me to look for her? I can help, but I''ll need an exnation. Mr. Marcos, you have people at your service. Why don''t you look for her yourself?" Luke wanted to know the reason behind this. Furthermore, what mattered the most was Luke had a favor to ask of Marcos too. "It''s because my family thinks that my mother has already passed away. I don''t want them to find out that my mother is still alive and I''m looking for her. They''ll find out about this if I send my subordinates to look for her," exined Marcos. Although it was a skeleton in the closet, Luke knew about their family affairs. He did not conceal the fact that he knew about it either. Luke nodded and replied, "I can help you to look for her. Although it states that your mother is living in A City, there''s a chance that she might not be in A City anymore since the information hasn''t been updated for quite some time. I''ll expand the search area to the whole country." Marcos let out a sigh of relief when Luke promised to help him. Then, he asked, "Thank you for helping me. Is that anything I can do for you?" "Yes, indeed." Luke was waiting for him to say that. Marcos'' words carried a lot of weight in the business world. Rtionships and connections did not matter to him. He would only do things ording to his standards. He possessed the right personal values and strong determination. That was why Luke needed to get his permission. "In return for your kindness, I can do you a favor," replied Marcos. Luke raised his brows and asked, "Aren''t you afraid that you might lose out before you find out what I''m asking for your help on?" "I believe in you," answered Marcos. "Your uncle, Matysh, is traveling to A City. He''sing for Luca. I won''t allow him to think that he has the chance to steal my woman. I''ll be taking measures when necessary, but I can''t guarantee that the methods I use won''t hurt Matysh." A hint of malice shed across Luke''s eyes when he mentioned Matysh''s name. Marcos caught a glimpse of it and understood that the measures Luke would be using to stop Matysh were probably not simple ways. Matysh''s n was not going to seed in the end. Luke wanted to protect Luca. Chapter 2207 As for what kind of measures Luke was going to take, it would depend on how obsessed Matysh was with Luca. "What''s the worst that can happen?" Marcos asked. "He''ll not be able to return to Russia." Luke was not trying to deceive him. Since they were going to cooperate, then they should be honest. A trace of malevolence shed across Luke''s eyes. If any man had inappropriate ideas toward the woman he loved the most, he would make sure that the other party was doomed. Marcos frowned and replied, "Mr. Crawford, aren''t you afraid that I''ll stop you if you''re so honest? Old Master Abaza has high expectations of him among the others in the Abaza family." If it were not for Matysh, who showed no interest in running thepany, Marcos would not have had the chance to be the CEO of M Group. Besides, Marcos would have to give up everything he had done to develop thepany with just a word from Matysh. Luke understood Marcos was concerned about his family. Even though his family had forced everyone to think that his mother hadmitted suicide, Marcos cared about his family. He would never do anything that would destroy his family even if he was dissatisfied with them. "I''m not going to change my mind even if you stop me from making a move against Matysh after listening to what I say. But I''ll still help you to look for your mother," said Luke. "The outer side of the document that I gave you was wrapped with kraft paper, and there''s another document in there. I suppose you didn''t notice it," Luke said with confidence. If Marcos had seen that document, he would not be standing against Luke. Marcos furrowed his brows. He indeed did not notice it. "The document in there states the reason why your mother asked the doctor to fake her death certificate and im that she was missing. It also contains the reason why she left the family. After your father passed away, she found out that your father''s death wasn''t as simple as it seemed. She thought of staying to look further into it and figure things out. However, your family humiliated and oppressed her. Your uncle, Matysh, had his eyes on your mother. Once, he almost got what he wanted. Matysh wanted her dead after your mother fought against him many times. Your mother knew that she had no choice but to leave you here and leave. It was because she knew staying alive was the only way to find out the truth of your father''s death," said Luke. Ray had reminded him to look at the document on the kraft paper. Luke only handed it to Marcos after he read it. "That''s impossible..." Marcos frowned. A look of pained grimace appeared on his face while he listened to Luke. "You came here to look for your mother, right? You must have brought the document along with you. Go back and take a look at it and find out if it''s true. Then, you can give me an answer. I''ll keep my promise no matter how this works out," said Luke. He believed that Marcos would surely side with him after he saw the document. Marcos could no longer remain calm. If what Luke told him was true, that would be ridiculous! Although what Luke told him was something that would happen among the European nobles, as a new rising family, such things were not allowed to happen in the family. Marcos rose to his feet at the thought of the possibility that his mother might have gone through all those things. He spoke with a stern expression on his face, "I''m sorry, Mr. Crawford. I have something else to do. I shall leave now." "I''ll ask Tina to see you off." Luke did not say anything more. Marcos would certainly find out if what he said was true. The door to the lounge room was opened, and Luke instructed Tina to see Marcos and Andy off downstairs. Luke asked Jason toe into his office after he returned to his office. Jason walked into his office and waited for Luke''s instructions. "Has the flight Matsyh tooknded?" Luke''s face was gloomy. It was not because of Marcos, but it was Matysh. Luke did not intend to be an enemy of any families, but if it was for Luca''s sake, he would be willing to do it. Jason nced at his watch and replied, "Boss, there are 20 more minutes until Matyshnds. How did it go with Mr. Marcos?" "He hasn''t taken a stand yet," answered Luke. Although Marcos did not express his thoughts, Luke was assured that he would side with him. No matter how important his family was to him, Marcos would still side with his parents. Besides, there was evidence proving that Matysh had something to do with his father''s death. It was stated in the document. Marcos would know what he should do and which side he should choose after reading it. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Jason nodded. It was not his turn to worry about these matters. Luke''s gaze grew colder when he thought of Matysh, and he instructed, "Ask Gale''s men to keep an eye on him. I''d like to know everything Matysh does." "Yes, Boss." Jason nodded. Matysh having inappropriate ideas toward Luca meant that he had offended Luke. Judging from past experiences, those who had inappropriate ideas toward Luca would end up pretty badly. No matter if the person who harmed Luca was male or female, they would not go unpunished. Jason added, "Boss, do you have any other instructions?" ¡°Take these documents." Luke lifted his chin. There was a pile of documents on the desk that he had already finished handling. Jason picked up the documents and walked out of the office. On the other hand. Marcos got into Lliam''s car after he left T Corporation, and he asked Lliam to drive him back to the hotel. Andy dared not to say a word when he saw the gloomy look on his boss'' face. After all, he would be touching Marcos'' raw nerves no matter what he said now... Andy grew up in a slum. Fortunately, he ran into Marcos when he was a teenager, and he had been following Marcos since then. He became Marcos'' bodyguard, and he even followed him to school. Everything he had now was given by Marcos. At the same time, Andy knew what Marcos had gone through. His parents were the deepest pain in his heart. Andy still remembered how Marcos had shut himself inside his room on the day his family announced that Marcos'' mother had passed away. He did not leave his room for three days, nor did he eat anything. When the butler broke down the door, they realized that Marcos was lying on the bed, on the verge of death. That was when Andy found out Marcos'' mother''s death hit him hard. There was a change in his personality. He was not as yful as he was before. He became someone who took everything seriously. Andy knew why Marcos became like that. It was because he had no one to depend on in this family. Marcos'' father was supposed to be the sessor, but his rights to inherit his family''s business were taken away just because he married an ordinary woman. That was why Marcos wanted to take everything back with his efforts. Although Marcos intended to fight for the inheritance, he had never thought of doing anything to his uncle and grandfather. Marcos only thought of making achievements to impress his grandfather and to make him understand that an ordinary woman was capable of giving birth to a capable son even if her son had her genes. However, what Luke told him today had dealt a blow to Marcos. Andy frowned and looked at his boss. He had seen Marcos in this state before. It was the same expression he showed when he found out that his mother was dead. Chapter 2208 Lliam drove them back to the hotel. Marcos trotted into the elevator after he leaped out of the car. Andy remained silent as he kept pace with Marcos. He knew why Marcos was walking swiftly. When they returned to their room, Marcos took the document out of his luggage and opened it. He looked at the wrapped kraft paper and picked it up. He was about to take the document out of the kraft paper. Andy asked, ¡°Boss, do you really want to read it?" If Marcos read the document and it was exactly like what Luke had told him, there would be a drastic change in Marcos'' life. "I need to figure it out." Marcos'' hands were slightly trembling when he took the document out. If it was truly what Luke had told him, there would be a dramatic change in the truth of his father''s death and what had happened to his mother. Marcos had to face it... Andy no longer said anything. He stood there as he fixed his gaze on Marcos. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. The document was less than two pages. It was difficult to notice that it had been stacked and put into the kraft paper since it was not thick. Marcos quickly read through the document. He was sure that the document was his mother''s handwritten letter. Marcos had secretly kept his mother''s diary when the maids were clearing his mother''s things back then. No one knew about it, but Marcos was familiar with his mother''s handwriting after he read her diary again and again over the years. The contents written on the document were just like what Luke had told him. At the same time, Luke did not tell him one other thing. Marcos reckoned that Luke was guarding against Andy. The death of Marcos'' father was probably caused by Matysh. "Boss.." Andy looked at Marcos. He was worried about him. Although Marcos looked calm, the veins that were popping out on the back of his hands proved that Marcos was trying hard to suppress his emotions. The document was real. Marcos'' hands were trembling. Every word written in there was telling him how helpless his mother was at that time. It was a pity that Marcos was still young back then. He was unable to bear all of this on behalf of his parents. Marcos lifted his head and looked at Andy. Andy was surprised to see that Marcos'' eyes were as red as the devil''s. It was as though he was suppressing the sorrows in his heart, but he was unable to hold back the emotions that were showing on his face. "Andy, can I trust you?" Marcos asked. The tremor in his hands was getting stronger. ¡°Boss, you saved my life, and you''re the one who gave me everything I have now. If it wasn''t for you, I don''t know if I''d still be alive today. So, I pledge my loyalty to you. I''ll never betray you." Andy quickly bent down and showed his respect to Marcos. "Then I shall tell you that everything written in this letter is true," replied Marcos. Then, he added, "There''s one more thing Luke didn''t tell me. Matysh probably had something to do with my father''s death." No matter how mad Marcos was at Matysh, he would still personally address him as his uncle. However, Marcos had changed the way he addressed him now. He gritted his teeth when he mentioned Matysh''s name, and he said it with a resentful tone. He would avenge the death of his father and seek revenge for the humiliation his mother had suffered. Marcos and Matysh have sworn enemies from now on. "Boss, what would you like me to do for you?" Andy''s expression became serious. If Marcos instructed him to kill Matysh, he would do that even if he had to put himself at great risk. It was because Marcos was the one who gave him his life. "You don''t have to do anything. All you need to do is pretend as if nothing happened after everything you''ve seen or heard today. Just follow my instructions the next time I ask you to do something." Marcos stacked the documents and put them back on the kraft paper. "I understand, but I can do much more than that, Boss." Andy did not say those words directly, but he dropped a hint. Marcos shook his head and replied, "No. Even if you can put yourself and your fiancee aside, your behavior will implicate me in this. That''s why we need to depend on someone else..." "You mean.." Andy frowned. Was that man trustworthy? "Turn off your phone," said Marcos. He stood up and took another phone out of the drawer. The phone had been inserted with the SIM card he bought in A City. Andy heard him and turned off the two phones that were in his pocket. Marcos turned off the phone he brought along with him from Russia too. Although he was the CEO of M Group, his family did not fully trust him. Perhaps it was because of his mother, or it was because they were guilty. Therefore, there could be bugging devices installed on him anytime. They could wiretap his phone so that they could keep an eye on him and eavesdrop on his phone calls anytime they wanted. They would be able to find out that there was something unusual with him in the first instance. After turning off his phone, Marcos took a deep breath. He picked up another phone and dialed Luke''s number. ¡°Mr. Marcos?" Luke asked after answering the call. Even though it was an unfamiliar number, Luke knew who was calling him. "It''s me, Mr. Crawford. I can cooperate with you if there''s anything you need. But I have a request." Marcos was not surprised. He had changed his number, and before he could say anything, Luke already knew who was calling. After all, he was Luke Crawford. He was capable. If Marcos solicited him to murder Matysh and seek vengeance on behalf of his parents, the sess rate would be much higher. After all, they were in A City, not Russia. No matter how arrogant Matysh was, he was in another country. He did not have anyone backing him up like how it was in Russia. There was no one to protect him at all times. "I can''t promise that I can ept your request. Perhaps you can tell me what you need me to do first." Luke was typing on the keyboard. He had expected Marcos to call him. "Make it as ruthless as possible if you''re really dealing with him. And that includes not letting him go back to Russia." Marcos did not say it directly, but he knew that Luke would be able to understand what he meant. Even though he could not kill Matysh, he could at least make him pay for this heavy price. "No problem." Luke agreed to it. Marcos would not stop him, and Luke could do whatever he liked to Matysh... How dare Matysh set his eyes on his woman? He would let him have a taste of his own medicine. Marcos nced at the time after he ended the call. Matysh should havended by now. Marcos handed the phone to Andy and said, "Put the phone in the drawer." "Yes, Boss." Andy ced the phone back into the drawer and asked, "Boss, can we turn on our phones now?" "Yes," answered Marcos. He had nothing important to discuss with Luke anymore. Hence, it was fine if someone eavesdropped on their conversations. Moreover, Marcos and Andy would behave as usual starting from this moment, pretending that they did not know anything about that particr matter. Marcos would only cooperate with Luke when there was a need to teach Matysh a lesson. The moment Marcos turned on his phone, Matysh''s call came in. He answered the call with a grim look on his face. Chapter 2209 The moment Marcos answered the call, a deafening sound came from the other side of the line. Even though Marcos did not turn on the speaker, he and Andy could hear it loud and clear in the suite. ¡°Why was your phone turned off? Can you assure me that leaving M Group for you to manage is a wise choice?" Matysh''s voice was prating and ear-piercing. Marcos could even hear Matysh''s rage. As Marcos listened to him roaring with rage, it reminded him of all those dirty things that Matysh had done. His hands were trembling uncontrobly. He responded as usual and took his time to exin, "I''m sorry. My phone ran out of battery just now." "Fine. Your phone ran out of battery. Did Andy''s phone run out of battery too?" Matysh brought up the main point. He thought they knew that he wasing today. That was why they turned off their phones and refused to receive him. "Andy''s phone was low on battery too," replied Marcos as he shot Andy a nce. "How could there be such a coincidence? The two of you did it on purpose, right?" Matysh asked doubtfully. Marcos was running such a bigpany. It was fine if he did not notice that his phone was low on battery, but it was impossible that his assistant''s phone would run out of battery. "Uncle, what do you mean we did it on purpose?" Marcos asked. What Marcos said caught Matysh off guard. What did they intentionally do? Did they deliberately miss his calls and not pick him up at the airport? Perhaps not. Otherwise, they would not have chosen to answer his calls at this time. Hence, the best exnation would be that their phones had run out of battery. It was a coincidence that both their phones were low on battery.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Matysh was no longer fussing about it. He said to Marcos in a bossy manner, "I''m at A City''s airport now. Where are you?" "You''re at the airport?" Marcos deliberately replied in a surprised tone, "When did youe to A City?" "You have no idea about it?" Matysh frowned. "How can you not know about it? You deliberately don''t want to receive me, right? Did our family provide you with so much quality education to mold you into a proud and arrogant person?" "Did you inform me or Andy that you wereing?" Marcos questioned him back. Matysh kicked the railing beside him impatiently. He did not inform them, but he subconsciously thought that they knew that he wasing. There was apetitive rtionship between him and Marcos. Hence, how could Marcos not know that he wasing to A City? Marcos did not give him the chance to sort out his thoughts and said directly, ¡°Uncle, I would''ve sent someone to pick you up at the airport if you had informed me in advance. But now... It''s quite a distance from here to the airport. Why don''t you hail a ride outside the airport and I''ll book a suite for you in Traders Hotel." "Are you asking me to head to the hotel myself? Marcos, I''m your uncle. You have to arrange transport to pick me up at the airport now no matter what. And you can''t just pick any low-ss vehicles. It must be something on the same level as a Mercedes!" Matysh sneered. He would rather wait there than lose his face and seniority in the family. Marcos listened to his unreasonable requests and said without an expression on his face, "Then please wait for a while. Let me arrange transport for you." He hung up Matysh''s call after that. Andy was beside him. He frowned and asked, "Boss, are you really going to arrange transport for him?" "We still have to follow formalities," replied Marcos. It was difficult to look for a car to pick Matysh up now. He had no choice but to trouble Lliam. After Marcos informed Lliam about it, Lliam took a good look at Matysh''s photo and drove off to the airport. After all, Luke had told him that he would be Marcos'' chauffeur for these few days. Hence, Lliam followed Marcos'' instructions without a second thought. Lliam found Matysh at the entrance after he arrived at the airport. Matysh asked with dissatisfaction, "Where''s Marcos?" Lliam could not understand Russian, so he asked in English, "I''m sorry, sir. I can''t understand Russian. You were saying?" Matysh asked in English impatiently, "Where''s Marcos?" "Mr. Marcos is waiting for you at the hotel now. Please get into the car and let me send you to the hotel," Lliam answered with patience. He had been receiving and escorting guests of T Corporation numerous times. However, he had never met someone like this before. He thought this man in front of him was haughty and annoying. "Hmph," Matysh''s face was gloomy as he scowled with dissatisfaction. Marcos had arranged for a chauffeur who did not know how to speak Russian to serve him. Although Matysh was fluent in English, he always had a weird ent whenever he spoke English. There was nothing he could do to fix it. The doctor told him that it was because of his pronunciation and there was nothing he could do about it. However, the good thing was that others would be able to understand what he was saying. Still, they wouldugh at him when they heard his ent. That was why Matysh would never speak English unless it was necessary. Marcos knew about that, so how dare he send a chauffeur who could only speak English and not understand Russian? Was Marcos notughing at his misfortune that his English pronunciation was bad? After Matysh got into the car, he opened the fridge and took a bottle of red wine out. He drank it himself. Lliam was sitting in the driver''s seat and drove the car. He sent a message to Luke: [Boss, Mr. Marcos asked me to pick up Mr. Matysh at the airport. He should be staying at Traders Hotel.] Luke replied: [Okay.] Luke was not surprised to hear that. Gale was still following behind Lliam''s car. He reported to Luke after he saw Lliam pick Matysh up. Therefore, everything was under his control. It happened to be rush hour in A City now. Matysh sat in the car and cursed impatiently, "Everyone ims that A City is a metropolis. Is this all they have! Just how bad is the traffic congestion? Can''t you take a detour?" ¡°Mr. Matysh, every road is facing traffic congestion at this hour. Please be patient,¡± Lliam sat on the driver''s seat and said helplessly. The journey from the airport to the city was supposed to be smooth, but there was traffic congestion because of the snow and the huge vehicle flow. That was why there was a heavy traffic jam. There was nothing he could do either. "This ce is not even half of the suburbs of Russia," said Matysh with contempt. Lliam remained silent. His professionalism did not allow him to speak too much. It took them more than an hour to arrive at Traders Hotel. Matysh got out of the car and saw that Andy hade to receive him instead of Marcos. He frowned unhappily and asked, "Where''s Marcos?" "Hello, Mr. Matysh. Boss is booking the suite for you," replied Andy as he took Matysh''s luggage from Lliam and invited him to enter the hotel. "He''s helping me to book the suite? I guess he''s not showing any respect for his uncle, huh? He''s only been in A City for a few days and he''s already influenced by the culture here. He''s showing no respect to the elders. I must teach him a lesson." Matysh stomped off into the hotel. Andy frowned when he heard Matysh''s criticism. It upset him when he heard someone else criticizing the person he looked up to... He was enraged. However, he was not allowed to show his emotions. Chapter 2210 Andy brought Matysh to the suite Marcos had booked for him. Matysh looked around the suite. He frowned and asked, "Where''s Marcos?" ¡°Boss should be back in his suite after booking the suite for you," Andy assumed. Marcos did note down to receive Matysh because he had been doing things in this suite. Marcos had also given Matysh a taste of his own medicine by installing bugging devices in Matysh''s room. Marcos wanted to strike back, and he had to provide Luke with some information he needed. ¡°Hmph, how dare he?! Marcos isn''t taking me seriously at all. You! Ask him toe here now!" Matysh pointed at Andy''s nose and ranted. Saliva sprayed into the air andnded on Andy''s face. Andy quickly trotted out of the room and returned to Marcos'' room. ¡°Is he looking for me?" Marcos sat on the sofa, swirling the ss of wine in his hands. ¡°Boss, you were already listening?" Andy knew what he had done earlier. ¡°No. I can still figure it out without listening." Marcos deliberately sprinkled some wine on his shirt so that there was an alcohol smell on him. He pretended that he had been drinking a lot and said, ¡°I''m going over. Turn on the device." Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Yes, Boss," replied Andy. He had brought all these devices from Russia. Andy did not think of bringing these here, but after he came back from the business trip, Marcos told him to follow him to A City for a business trip. Therefore, he did not have the time to put these away yet. He did not expect that these devices that he had yet to put back could be of help to Marcos. There was no need to buy new ones. Andy quickly sat down and turned on theptop. He was ready to activate the program for the bugging devices. Marcos strolled his way to Matysh''s suite, and before Matysh could scold him, Marcos asked, ¡°Uncle, are you dissatisfied with this room?" Matysh sat on the sofa and looked at Marcos with a gloomy expression on his face. He could smell alcohol on his body. ¡°You''ve been drinking?" ¡°A little," replied Marcos. ¡°Drinking during the day... This is outrageous!" Matysh lectured Marcos with a stern look on his face, forgetting that he loved day drinking too. There was no expression on Marcos'' face. He looked at Matysh, who was about to lecture him with a scornful look on his face. There was a moment of silence before Marcos said, "I don''t usually drink during the day. I came here for a vacation. That''s why I drank some." "My father assigned you to be the CEO of M group. He didn''t ask you toe here for a vacation. Have you found more business opportunities to expand M Group''s market?" Matysh questioned him, hoping that Marcos could be more hardworking. It was because M Group belonged to him. If Marcos could manage M Group well, Matysh would have more ie in the future. "Almost there," Marcos did not tell him the details, nor did he give him the chance to lecture him. Instead, he questioned Matysh back, "Why did youe here this time?" Matysh was startled for a moment. Of course, he came here for Luca. Russian women were beautiful, but after meeting Luca, Matysh could even see her silhouette in his dreams. Her body lingered in his mind. No matter how pretty Russian women were, Matysh thought those women were boring and tasteless. He wanted to get his hands on Luca. He was now pursuing a woman of higher standards. Those other women were nothingpared to Luca. That was why there were hardly any women beside him for the past few days. The old master who had gotten used to seeing him be together with different women every day felt weird when he noticed that Matysh had not been bringing any woman back to spend the night for the past few days. He thought something was wrong with Matysh''s health. The old master asked the family''s private doctor to do a medical check-up on him after asking Matysh about it for a few days. A few days had passed, and there was still no news about Luca from his men in A City. He could not stand it any longer, so he decided toe here and get Luca himself. There was no woman in this world whom he could noty his hands on! Marcos looked at Matysh, who was speechless and had an angry look on his face. Matysh was unable to tell Marcos his purpose for traveling here. Then, Marcos asked, "You''ve always looked down on the people here and their country. Did youe here because of someone else?" What Marcos said rang true, but Matysh did not admit it or deny it. His face darkened as he growled. "Who are you to meddle in my affairs?" Previously, Marcos had warned him that Luke was M Group''s partner, and he told him not to have inappropriate ideas toward Luca. Hence, it was better not to let Marcos know about it. Matysh was not afraid of Luke. He did not exin it only because he did not want Marcos to ruin his ns. Even though Marcos looked respectful to the others, Matysh knew that he was not as gentlemanly as he looked. That was why Old Master Abaza and Matysh had been staying on guard. After all, someone who did not have a noble bloodline was bound to work and earn a living for the family. He did not deserve to get a piece of the pie. "We''re in A City, someone else''s territory. Uncle, if youe to travel, I hope you''ll enjoy your trip. This is a charming city. But if you came here for something else, I''d like to advise you to drop the idea." Marcos stared at him and said with a low voice. The alcohol smell was lingering in the air, crawling into Matysh''s nose. The alcohol smell on him had sessfully confused Matysh. "What nonsense are you talking about? Shoo, get lost." Matysh did not take Marcos'' warning seriously. Marcos turned around. An evil grin appeared on his face. He was not nning to deal with Matysh soon. After all, if he did not find out the truth today, he would still deal with Matysh for the family inheritance and interests in the future. He was doing this to keep his position, and it would not cost Matysh his life. Marcos had changed his mind. He was thinking about taking revenge now. How could he let Matysh spend the rest of his life livingfortably? Marcos left the suite and closed the door. He returned to his suite and listened to Andy reporting the situation to him, "Boss, I''ve activated the program. We can record everything that''s happening 24 hours and anytime we want." "We need someone to eavesdrop on him 24 hours to know what he''s up to, right?" Marcos asked. "Yes, Boss." Andy nodded. "I believe Luke has arranged his men in this hotel. The signals of the devices are so strong that we''re able to listen to everything going on in that room. Give the code to Luke and ask his men to eavesdrop on him," said Marcos. He had only one subordinate here, Andy. Andy had to follow Marcos around no matter where he headed. It was inconvenient for him to find out what was happening in Matysh''s room. Therefore, it would be better to leave it to Luke''s subordinates. He had many subordinates here, and it would be an easy task for them to take turns eavesdropping on Matysh. "Okay, Boss." Andy contacted Luke immediately. Luke was willing to help them after they told him about the situation. Marcos picked up the ss of wine and looked at it with disgust. It seemed that dust had gotten into the wine in the ss he left here... Drinking would only make him feel ufortable. That was why he had to get rid of it in time. It was just like a certain someone. Others would get hurt if that person was not dealt with as he would certainly cause trouble for others. That person should be gotten rid of. Chapter 2211 "Boss, are you really going to drink early in the morning?" Andy saw Marcos staring nkly at the ss of wine after he ended the call with Luke. Marcos was not the kind of person who would drink alcohol no matter whether it was a working day or the holidays, not to mention day drinking. Andy was worried about Marcos. After all, it must be hard for him to ept what had happened to his parents after finding out the truth. It was normal that he would behave oddly. ¡°Pour it out.¡± Marcos ced the wine ss back on the coffee table. Marcos would not drink dirty wine, and he would not have sympathy for sinners. He poured this ss of wine only to confuse Matysh. Pleasing him and reminding him was also another way of tricking him. "Okay." Andy picked up the wine ss and headed to the bathroom. T Corporation. After Luke answered Andy''s call, he immediately made arrangements for his men to follow and eavesdrop on Matysh. He assigned a few more men to help. It would not be difficult for him with Marcos helping him. After Luke finished making arrangements, the expression on his face was stern and cold as ice. It made his employees think that he was unhappy with their reports when he had a meeting with them. The managers asked for Jason''s help after the meeting ended. Jason knew why Luke was behaving like that. It was because of Luca...Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Luke fell in love with Luca when he was in high school, and he was still madly in love with her today. Everything had yet to return to how it was before. Now that there was another man who was up to no gooding to look for Luca, it was no surprise that Luke would be in a bad mood. "There''s nothing wrong with the reports. Boss has something else in mind. Don''t worry," Jason carried a pile of documents and left the meeting room afterforting them. Jason had worked for Luke and stayed by his side longer than anyone in this meeting room. That was why he understood Luke more than the others. Although the boss was in a bad mood today, he had gotten used to it. Jason walked to the elevator hall, while Luke had already gotten into his private elevator and was heading upstairs. Jason received a call from the office receptionist when he was about to go upstairs. ¡°Mr. Doyle, the second young master of the Mallory family is here, iming that he came here to see Boss. But he didn''t make an appointment with us..." the receptionist said as she reported to Jason. Jason had told them that Luke''s schedule was full today and he would not see anyone who did not make an appointment in advance. However, Pierre showed up at T Corporation''s entrance. He brought two men who were in police uniforms, and there was another person who was in between the two officers. The receptionist even noticed that the man was cuffed. Pierre Mallory? Jason raised his brows, walked into the elevator, and said, "Boss isn''t beside me now. Hold on a minute. Let me report to him." "Thank you, Mr. Doyle. This is an exceptional case. Mr. Pierre even brought police officers with him.." The receptionist shot a nce at Pierre, who was standing not far away from her. He looked impatient. Those who had been living in A City for a few years would know that the second young master of the Mallory family was a bad-tempered and vindictive man. The people who had offended him would not be able to live their livesfortably for the next ten years. Those who offended Pierre had either run away from the city or apologized to him until Pierre thought they were worthy of being forgiven. Only then were they able to live their lives peacefully. Hence, if Luke refused to see him, the receptionist was afraid that Pierre would put the me on her. If that happened, she would not be able to survive in A City any longer. Police officers? There was a hint of mockery in Jason''s eyes. What was Pierre up to? How dare he pick this time to see their boss? He was in a bad mood. There was no doubt that Pierre was walking into the lion''s den. If Luke agreed to meet him, it was certainly going to be a mess. At the same time, Jason noticed that the receptionist''s voice was trembling. Heforted her and said, "Don''t worry. Everything will be fine. You''re part of thepany. Boss won''t let anything happen to you." Previously, a receptionist who quit their job told Jason about something that happened. That was when Jason knew that Luke was someone who had the power to turn the world upside down in A City. Even though they were only receptionists, they would feel pressured to work for someone like him. At the same time, there were different kinds of people who came to find fault with Luke, so the receptionists and security guards were the ones responsible for stopping those people outside the door. Although these people were not as influential as Luke was, their social status was much higher than the receptionist working for Luke. Hence, the receptionists would be worried that these people would look for them to take revenge after the trouble was settled. Jason believed that the receptionist was worrying about the same thing too. "Don''t worry. Boss won''t leave you alone. Don''t let them in first." Jasonforted the receptionist. He knocked on Luke''s office door after he came out of the elevator. "Come in," Luke''s voice came from inside the office. His tone was still cold as usual... Jason pushed the door open and stood at the door. He looked at the awful expression on Luke''s face, and he thought that only Luca would be able tofort this man. Luke frowned and said, "Speak." Jason came back to his senses and immediately reported, "Boss, the second young master of the Mallory family is downstairs. He wants to see you, and he brought police officers along with him. He''s making a big deal out of it." "Pierre?" The expression on Luke''s face was as cold as ice. "Ask him to head to the lounge on the second floor." "Okay." Jason knew what to do. It was just like how he did itst time. Pierre was a scumbag. He would bite the hand that fed him when someone was kind to him. That was why not giving him better hospitality could only make him realize that he would not be able to get any benefits from Luke. "And ask someone to make tea for them. I need another half an hour to finish my work here. Entertain them for me first," said Luke. He was not nning to go downstairs now. The smile on Jason''s face disappeared. Was Luke asking him to deal with Pierre and look at his sulky face? Jason was not afraid that Pierre would seek revenge on him. After all, he was not someone who could be messed with. He also had his boss supporting him. However, judging from Pierre''s personality, he would throw a tantrum if he had to wait for Luke for half an hour. If Jason had to entertain Pierre for half an hour, he would rather read through 20 documents! "Is there any problem?" Luke raised his brows and asked when Jason did not reply to him and remained silent. "No, Boss. I''ll do it now." Jason made his way out of the office and closed the door behind him. It was not that he was unable to handle Pierre. He had his ways to deal with him too, but Pierre would definitely fly into a rage. It was alright if Jason had to endure him. The point was that Pierre''s personality was truly annoying. Jason was rendered speechless when he imagined Pierre sitting in front of him. He would have to wear a smile on his face and deal with him. Jason wondered if he had identally said anything wrong and offended his boss while he was on his way to the elevator. Otherwise, why was he assigned this task? Jason ran into Tina when he was walking toward the elevator. Tina took the initiative to ask him, "Mr. Doyle, what''s with that look on your face? Did something happen?" "Something''s going to happen soon," Jason replied helplessly. How great it would be if he did not have to follow his boss'' instructions. Chapter 2212 Tina could see how helpless Jason was, and she became more curious. ¡°What did Boss assign you to do? Do you need my help?" Of course, it would be great if someone could help him. However, it would be better for Tina not to come into contact with a man like Pierre. After all, a woman should not be getting too close with some street thug. She would be taken advantage of. It was not that Jason looked down on Tina. It was just that he did not trust Pierre. Jason shook his head and replied, "He''s a difficult man. Let me deal with him. Anyway, there are a few documents on my desk that you need to take care of. Head to my office and take them. I''m going down. I can''t bring them to you." "Okay, Mr. Doyle. I''m going now. You got this!" Tina made a cheer-up hand gesture to him, turned around, and headed to Jason''s office. Jason got into the elevator and came to the lobby on the first floor. He saw Pierre there. There were two police officers beside him, and there was a man with handcuffs standing in the middle of the two police officers. Jason did not know who he was. That man could not be one of the senior managers who worked for Pierre''spany. Jason walked toward them as he put on a professional smile and greeted Pierre, "Nice to see you, Mr. Pierre. I''m Mr. Crawford''s assistant. This way, please." Pierre shot a nce at Jason, who came to receive him. He sneered and nced at the two police officers who were in their uniforms. He stood up and asked, "Where''s your boss?" "Boss is still busy with work. Let me lead you and the two police officers upstairs," replied Jason. "Fine. Let''s go up, then." Pierre''s expression was puffed up with arrogance. It seemed like he brought the two police officers with him to look for trouble. Jason helped them to press the elevator button. After the elevator arrived, they walked into the elevator. Jason pressed the second-floor button after the elevator doors closed. "You''re bringing me to the second floor again? Two police officers came with me today. Is this how T Corporation receives their guests?" Pierre frowned. He thought he would be treated with courtesy as it was Jason who came to receive him. It turned out that it was all in his head. "The lounges in our office are the same. We have other guests in the other lounges, and the second- floor lounge is all we''re left with," replied Jason as he simply made up an excuse. "Are there only a few lounges in T Corporation? So much for a well-knownpany in A City. That''s all you have? If M Group knows that this is all yourpany has, I wonder what they would think about it?" Pierre took the chance and threw a nasty taunt at Jason. Jason was rendered speechless by his childish behavior. He did not show any respect to him either. He took the chance to say, "I''m sorry, Mr. Pierre. The office has more than 20 lounges, but we have many guests today. Unfortunately, they''re all full. We had no choice but to arrange for you toe to the lounge on the second floor. Plus, everyone in the office is busy now. You didn''t make an appointment with us earlier. That''s why you''ll have to wait no matter what time youe." Pierre''s face turned gloomy as he replied, ¡°I''m fine with that, but do you think the police officers can wait?¡± The elevator arrived on the second floor. Jason walked out of the elevator first. He smiled and guided them out of the elevator. Then, he looked at the two police officers and said, "Sir, may I know what brings you here? Are there any cases in which you need our boss to cooperate with you?" "No," one of the police officers replied. Jason shot a nce at Pierre, then he looked at the police officers and asked, "Since you don''t need Mr. Crawford''s cooperation, then may I know why the two of you are here?" Before the police officer could answer him, Pierre chimed in, "Your boss was the one who told me that I should inform him when I caught the culprit. I''ve brought him here now. Why? Isn''t it right for him to interrogate this man?" "It''s the police''s job to interrogate the suspects, not Mr. Crawford''s. The two of you may leave if you have something else to do," replied Jason. The two police officers exchanged nces with each other. They were informed to head to Pierre''s company early in the morning today. Then, they arrested the person Pierre identified as the suspect. Previously, Pierre did not file a police report at the police station. Hence, when the police officers wanted to ask what exactly had happened, they were suddenly brought to T Corporation along with Pierre. They had yet to figure out what was happening now. "Why are you talking nonsense? Aren''t you going to lead us the way?" Pierre glowered at him. "Yes." Jason gave an indifferent smile as he led them to the lounge. Jason could not be bothered that much. He was tied up with his work, but he had to finish his job since the police officers were here too. He said, "Please take a seat. I''ll make some coffee for you." "Hah, so this is how Luke Crawford treats his guests. T Corporation does make people reluctant to take a step in here aftering here once," Pierre sneered. Jason paused for a moment and went out of the lounge, pretending that he did not hear what he said. After all, the personality of a person decided what kind of courtesy he deserved. As for someone unlikable like Pierre, it was considered kind enough to let him stay in the second-floor lounge. One of the police officers who looked older looked around him and nced at the time. He could not help but ask, "Mr. Pierre, why did you ask us to bring the suspect here? We''ve got work to do, and we can''t waste our time here." Pierre red at him and replied, "Am I the one who''s wasting your time? You''ll have to keep in mind that it''s Luke Crawford who''s wasting your time. The person with the handcuffs used to work for my company. I found out that he was the one who stole T Corporation''s bidding document, and he pretended it was a document he made. He tried to set me up. Luke said that I have to bring the police officers and suspect here to give him an exnation after the suspect is caught. I know how the police do things. Do you think I brought the two of you and this man here for fun?" Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. The police officers exchanged nces with each other. They had nevere across such a situation. If Luke wanted to meet the suspect, he could head to the police station. After all, the case was rted to T Corporation, and they would not put him in a difficult position or refuse to let him see the suspect. The police officers followed Pierre here without knowing what happened. They were unable to just sit here when they still had tons of work to do in the police station. Jason brought a few cups of coffee into the lounge. When he heard Pierre passing the buck to Luke, he raised his eyebrows and said, "Mr. Pierre, coffee''s here." "No, thank you. Thepany can''t even afford to serve their guests premium coffee." Pierre looked at the cup of coffee disdainfully. "Sir, have a taste of the coffee. I heard what Mr. Pierre said just now, but our boss told him to bring the suspect to the police. It was up to the police how they would deal with him. That''s all," Jason rified. Although Luke was wealthy and had high social status, he was usually kind to thesew enforcement officials. Luke followed the police''s rules and regtions. The police officer who looked older listened to Jason''s words. He turned around and looked at Pierre, "Mr. Pierre, why is what he said different from what you told us?" Chapter 2213 Pierre''s expression remained the same. Even after Jason saw through his nonsense, he did not feel even the slightest bit of guilt. He turned to shout, ¡°How can you believe him? I summoned you guys here as witnesses to prove that the bidding document incident has nothing to do with me. In fact, I''m a victim as well. As police, aren''t you supposed to deal with such things?" The officers did not utter a word. Pierre added, "That guy, Luke, has been going to the Mallory family to give me a hard time. Now that I want to straighten things out with him face to face, he''s nowhere to be seen?" "Boss is still working," Jason stood aside and said. He thought to himself about how ruthless Pierre''s tactics were and how much of a drama queen he was. "How much longer will he take?" Pierre squinted his eyes with annoyance stered on his face. However, he did not pose a threat to Jason. A faint but polite smile could still be seen on Jason''s face. "I''m not sure about that either as Mr. Crawford is fully-booked today, but he''ll deal with the tasks at hand as soon as possible. He''ll thene down here to listen to your exnation." "Hmph." Pierre crossed his legs and red at the man being held by the police. He had spent a lot of money to get this man to agree to take the me. Jason sat down on an armchair and looked at the handcuffed man as he asked with great interest. "Mr. Pierre, what position does this person hold in yourpany?" Pierre rolled his eyes and took out a cigarette from his pocket while fumbling for a lighter. "It''s none of your business."Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "I''m just curious. Besides, he doesn''t look like one of the executives in yourpany..." Jason said thoughtfully while giving that man another look. The man who was being looked at lowered his head out of guilt. He was just a mere employee who got bribed by Pierre to be a scapegoat. He was short of money, so he did not think twice when he agreed. However, he now realized that not only did he have to face the police''s interrogation but also Luke and others. Just by looking at the assistant in front of him, he could tell that he was not to be trifled with. Pierre searched everywhere, yet he could not find a lighter. As if he did not hear a word Jason said, he sat up and asked the two police officers, "Do you have a lighter?" The two police officers shook their heads simultaneously. Pierre would not ask Jason for a lighter, so he put the cigarette back and looked at his phone screen. Jason noticed that he did not say anything, so he continued to stare at the handcuffed man and asked, "What''s your name?" "A-Archie Abbott," the man stuttered. Even though Jason had asked him the question with a smile, his aura was rather imposing. Archie felt like he would not be able to handle it if Jason asked more questions. "Mr. Abbott, what position do you hold in Mr. Pierre''spany?" Jason continued to ask. Archie bit his lip without answering. Instead, he looked at Pierre. Pierre had not exined to him what he should do beforehand, so he was not clear on what to say and what not to say. Pierre met his gaze and raised his eyebrows. "What are you looking at? Just answer his questions. Sooner orter, the police will ask you the same things anyway. Since someone''s curious, just answer." Archie nodded and looked at Jason as he replied, "I work in the nning department..." Jason nodded and had no intention of inquiring further. Archie let out a sigh of relief. It was a good thing that Jason did not ask any further, but he could not help but be a little worried. Jason was only an assistant, yet holding a conversation with him was already so stressful. Luke was well-known to be grim. How was he going to mask his guilt and fear when facing Luke''s interrogationter? Silence filled the reception room, and after 20 minutes, Pierre asked impatiently, "What is Luke putting on airs for? Is heing or not?" "Mr. Pierre, wait a moment. I''ll check with my boss. If he can''t make it, then I''ll have youe over some other time." Jason stood up. "Some other time?" Pierre was grim-faced. He had waited there for more than 20 minutes. Not only did Luke not show up, but he had toe over again? "Let me check for you," said Jason while ignoring Pierre''s anger. At that moment, the police officers stood up and looked at Pierre. "Mr. Pierre, we can''t stay for long as we have matters to take care of in the police station as well. If you have things to deal with, you can go to the police station to do them. We''re on standby 24 hours a day." Pierre was furious. Just as he was about to burst into a rage, the door of the reception room was pushed open. The few of them looked toward the door. Jason breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Luke walk in. He knew that facing Pierre alone would not be easy. "Boss!" Jason''s voice was resounding. Then, he exined the current situation to Luke, "Mr. Pierre brought two policemen over. He said that he wanted to exin to you about the theft of the bidding document." Luke nodded slightly with a cold expression. He did not even look at Pierre but at the two police officers andstly, he looked at Archie. "I only have five minutes to spare." Pierre snorted and turned to look at Archie. "Say it. Why did you steal T Corporation''s bidding document?" Archie trembled and said, ¡°I actually didn''t know it was T Corporation''s bidding document..." ¡°You didn''t know?" Pierre echoed his words. "After the manager assigned tasks, I was put in charge of the bidding document. But I have little experience, so I thought that buying a copy online would do. However, I couldn''t find a suitable one, so I offered a reward. Someone then came to me with that bidding document. After paying, I got it," Archie uttered the words Pierre had told him to say in a panic. Luke''s gaze was terrifying. After he finished, Luke still did not say a word. Archie spoke again, "There was no title that indicated it was T Corporation''s bidding document. It was empty. After purchasing it, all I had to do was fill in my company''s name to use it. I didn''t expect the manager to actually submit my bidding document, then submit it to M Group.." "The person who sold the bidding document to you, who was it?" asked Luke. Archie shook his head and said, "I''m not sure. The transaction was done online. That person gave me a QR code, and I scanned it to make the payment. It cost me almost 2,000 dors.." "Do you still have their contact information?" Luke continued to ask without exposing him. The person in front of him was not very well-dressed. He did not look like he would have 2,000 dors to spare to buy a bidding document. If Pierre''spany actually got M Group''s project, a chunk of thepany bonus would fall into his hands. However, the chances of getting the project were low, so there was no way that this wishy- washy man would risk spending 2,000 dors for Pierre''spany. Chapter 2214 Luke saw through him, yet he did not say a word. The police officers were here, and there was no way Pierre would admit it. Hence, he went along with Archie and continued to ask questions. Archie shook his head and lowered his gaze out of guilt. ¡°I don''t have the other party''s contact information. I didn''t know that the bidding document was from T Corporation..." Luke did not ask any further. He stood up and said to the police, "Please get to the bottom of this." "Got it. We know what to do. We''ll take the man back first." The two police officers stood up at the same time when they heard Luke''s orders. They grabbed Archie to get him to stand up. Compared to Pierre, Luke''s attitude made the police officers feel much more at ease. Archie was taken away and when he left the lounge. He looked back at Pierre with eyes full of pleas for help. Although Pierre had given him some pointers on how to lower the charges as much as possible, T Corporation may still file awsuit against him. Pierre had promised that he would hire the bestwyer for him if he got sued. After Archie was taken away, Luke said to Jason, "See them out." "Yes, Boss. Mr. Pierre, after you." Jason stepped forward and looked at Pierre with the same smile as before. Pierre grunted as he had intended to take this opportunity to taunt Luke and see if he could ckmail him. However, he did not expect the police officers to leave so quickly. He did not even get the chance to bring into y the lines he had prepared. Luke stood there while staring deeply at Pierre''s back as he walked away. If he did not have more important things to deal with, Pierre would not have it this easy. Since Percy had turned against Pierre too, it would be much easier to deal with him from now on. "Come back up after making sure he''s left," Luke turned around to leave the lounge after giving instructions. Jason followed Luke''s orders and walked behind Pierre into the elevator. "What? Did Luke send you to protect me?" The grim smile on Pierre''s face made Jason shake his head. "Nothing like that. It''s just that you''re a guest, so Boss asked me to see you out." Jason had twisted Luke''s words to make them more pleasing to the ears. Pierre rolled his eyes. He only somewhat knew about Jason''s situation, so he asked, ¡°I can see that you''re quiteid-back. Has your ex-wife not been giving you a hard time recently?" "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Pierre, but private matters like these shouldn''t be brought up at the company." Jason''s expression remained unchanged. Pierre''s lips curled upward as he said thoughtfully, "I can see that you''re rxed, but it''s just the calm before the storm. Savor this moment of peace." After listening to his words, Jason lowered his head and frowned. What did Pierre mean by this? It did not take long for the elevator to reach the first floor, and when the door opened, Pierre walked out without caring whether Jason would follow behind him. At the same time, he bumped into Luca who had just entered. Luca came downstairs because Amur hade over to hand her some data. She realized that she was missing a file while doing the experiment, and she recalled that she left it at Amur''s apartment before she was forced to move out. Thus, she called Amur to find the data and send it to her. After getting the data and making small talk with Amur, she returned to thepany and bumped into Pierre. Pierre looked at Luca, and his face turned gloomy as he recalled the incident at the mansion where she stopped them from taking Nina away. Nina was almost in his hands, but because of this woman, his ns were always ruined! "Now, isn''t this the canary that Luke has been holding captive?" Pierre walked up to her and deliberately amplified his voice so that other people could hear. Luca rolled her eyes and ignored him. Arguing with someone like Pierre would only make herself angry. Plus, she could not do anything in front of this many people. "Don''t leave." Pierre stopped her with one hand, he squinted and looked her up and down with a dirty look. "Mr. Pierre, do you need a ride from the security?" Luca held the document in her hands, not wanting to pay any attention to Pierre. "Huh, after getting together with a hotshot like Luke, you fear nothing and no one? You can even summon T Corporation''s security? How impressive, Luca," Pierre mocked her with no intention of moving aside. Luca held the document in one hand and tried to p Pierre with the other. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. She was not afraid of his revenge anyway. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, I''m assuming from your stance that you want to fight me? The two police officers just left not long ago. I can make them turn back if you want to go with them," Pierre said arrogantly, his loud voice already catching several people''s attention. Although everyone at T Corporation already knew about Luca and Luke, who would refuse more gossip and drama? Luca nced at the front desk. The two receptionists were looking at her, but the moment their eyes met with Luca''s, they instantly lowered their gaze. They dared not to look at her again. Luca had no heart to argue with Pierre here. Instead, she was worried about Luke. Why did the police come to find him? However, there was no way she would show her worries in front of Pierre. Showing her worries in front of him would mean exposing her weaknesses. Just as Luca was thinking of ways to get rid of Pierre''s pestering, she saw Jasone over. Jason said, ¡°Mr. Pierre, the exit is over there. This way, please." Pierre looked at him with a sinister expression, and at the same time, the security guards at the main entrance were already making their way over. "The hospitality at T Corporation is pretty good. Jason, you''ll regret working with Luke in the future." After saying those harsh words to Jason, he leaned toward Luca and whispered to her, "Do you think you can protect Nina by yourself? How naive. At the end of the day, the women I want will be mine." "Mr. Pierre, you''re being ridiculous. Are you not afraid that others willugh at you for falling for your sister-inw? How shameless..." After Luca mocked him, she turned a corner and walked toward the elevator entrance. At that moment, the security guards had already walked up beside Pierre. Jason ordered, "Both of you, send Mr. Pierre off." "Yes, Mr. Doyle. This way please, Mr. Mallory," said the security guards. Pierre snorted and walked toward the exit. He knew that if he refused to leave, Luke would have the security guards carry him out. Pierre would never allow such a thing to happen as he had to protect his pride from being ruined by these people. Chapter 2215 After Luca walked into the elevator, she did not close the doors right away. Jason was going to enterter, so she pressed the elevator button and waited for him toe in. ¡°Thank you," Jason thanked her politely when he saw Luca waiting for him. ¡°You''re wee. Are you going back to the office, Mr. Doyle?" Luca asked after pressing the elevator button to her floor. ¡°Yes." Jason nodded and examined Luca. She was calm when facing Pierre earlier, but a noticeable difference in emotion could be seen in her eyes now. ¡°Alright." Luca helped him press the button to his floor. ¡°Thank you." After Jason thanked her, he could not help but ask, ¡°Dr. Craw, is there something you want to ask me?" Since there were so many elevators, there was no need for Luca to wait for him. Since she waited for him to enter the same elevator as her, there must be something she wanted to ask. Hence, Jason took the initiative to see what he can help her with. ¡°Yes, Pierre mentioned the police just now. What''s that about?" Luca looked at Jason and asked without hesitation. ¡°Oh, that? It''s about the bidding document incident, Mr. Pierre said he''s caught the person who stole it, so he had the policee over to prove his innocence to the boss," said Jason. Luca frowned. Pierre was definitely involved in the bidding document incident, and Luke would not be fooled so easily. Finding someone to take his ce was understandable, but he did it so ostentatiously. Was he not afraid that someone would find out and expose him? Moreover, T Corporation had yet to announce the theft of the bidding document. It seemed like no investigations were taking ce either... Perhaps Luke was investigating secretly, but he could not find anything yet, so he did not announce it to the public. If Luke knew that she was the culprit, would he still hug her so intimately as he did before this? Luca''s silence made Jason think she was worried about Luke, so he said, ¡°Dr. Craw, the boss will handle this matter, so you don''t have to worry about it." ¡°By the way, what were you doing downstairs?" Jason continued the conversation by asking. It was not lunch break, so the employees would usually not go out of thepany at this time. However, it seemed like Luca was returning from outside just now. "There was a document I left in my old apartment, so I asked my brother to bring it to me." Luca held up the bag in her hand and pointed to it. "I see." Jason nodded as the elevator reached theboratory floor just in time. With the document in hand, Luca smiled at him and left to go back to theb to continue with the experiments, whereas Jason continued to ride the elevator upstairs. After walking out of the elevator, Jason did not return to his office straight away but walked up to the door of Luke''s office. The door was not shut, and Luke was sitting in his office chair. Jason knocked on the door. "Come in." Luke stared at fluctuations of the stock market disyed on theputer screen without raising his head. He had acquired Hampton, and the stock price had started to rise today. Hence, he was keeping an eye on the fluctuations, lest thepany be taken over by someone else. "What is it?" asked Luke. Jason cleared his throat and replied, "Boss, Pierre ran into Dr. Craw when he was about to leave the building, and he... taunted Dr. Craw with appalling insults..." Luke''s face fell when he heard Jason''s words. Pierre had once again rubbed him up the wrong way. "Does he have a death wish?" His voice got even deeper. Jason nodded in agreement. If Pierre dared to taunt Luca in front of so many people, he was basically asking for it. The lesson he was taught before did not seem to be enough. "Boss, do we need to deal with him?" Jason asked. Although Pierre had gotten stronger within these three years, to Luke, messing with him was like taking candy from a baby. It was just that all this while, Luke had never made a move for Percy''s sake. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "He won''t be so smug for long. What''s more important now is Matysh," said Luke. Jason nodded to show that he understood. They had too many enemies at the moment. Dealing with them all at once was risky. Besides, the enemy of one''s enemy was their friend. Luke did not deal with them to not cause even more trouble for himself, and he could not be bothered to spend unnecessary effort on tasks that did not require much effort at all. "Boss, I''ll go and continue my work, then," said Jason as he exited the office. Just as he was about to close the door, he recalled Luca''s matter. Hence, he said, "Boss, there''s still one more thing I haven''t reported to you." Luke looked up at him, signaling him to speak. Jason said, "Dr. Craw looked anxious when she found out Pierre brought the police here to find you. She was worried that something might''ve happened to you." Luke''s mood was instantly lifted. She may seem tough on the inside, but she was actually a soft-hearted woman. She clearly still cared about him, yet she acted like she did not. How confusing... However, Luke knew that she was acting difficult because she was being forced to. All would be fine in the future. Although Luke did not say a word, Jason could tell that he felt much better now because he knew that Luca cared for him. Without saying anything else, Jason closed the door and returned to his office. It was the evening. Luca finished her experiment smoothly with the assistance of the previous data. If they maintained this progress, the drug would soon be able to enter the market. All her fellow researchers could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. One of them even suggested getting together for dinner. Everyone else agreed, then they looked toward Luca. The researcher who brought it up asked, ¡°Dr. Craw, why don''t you join us?" ¡°No, thank you. You all have fun. I need to go home." Luca declined their invitation and shook her head. She was not very good at socializing with strangers. Plus, she was their senior, so agreeing to go with them would only make them ufortable. Luca was self-aware, and she wanted to spend more time with the children while she could. The researchers did not insist after she said no. Luca said, "I''ll be going home now." "Okay, Dr. Craw," said the researchers. Luca walked out of the office with the experiment data in her hands. A researcher in theboratory could not help but say, "Have you all ever noticed that Dr. Craw has never participated in any team-building activities? We''ve been working with her for so long, yet we have never had a single meal with her.." "You just don''t know anything, do you?" Another researcher smiled mysteriously. "Know what? Tell me!" The rest looked at him, and even Rhett was intrigued by his words. Chapter 2216 "Doesn''t Dr. Craw share that sort of rtionship with Mr. Crawford? She''s busy going on dates with Mr. Crawford after work. Why would she attend gatherings with us?" said the researcher. As soon as Rhett heard that they were gossiping about this, he instantly lost interest and walked out of theboratory. Several researchers were too engrossed in the gossip to notice Rhett''s behavior. "I''ve heard about this, but Dr. Craw seems to be quite nice. She''s not harsh on us and is a very capable person." Another researcher could not help but speak for Luca. "You''re not wrong, but one''s love life is a different story. I personally think that this isn''t relevant. There''s no issue if both of them love each other, but..." The person speaking paused for a moment and nced at the door before continuing, "You mustn''t forget that Mr. Crawford has a wife. They''ve been married for many years and even have three children together, so Dr. Craw is." He did not go on, but everyone understood what he meant. They did not say it explicitly because one, Luca was their boss. Two, they were at T Corporation. If they were caught bad-mouthing their boss, they could lose their jobs, so they did not dare mention it anymore. Luca was not aware of the conversation in theboratory. She did not greet Luke after leaving T Corporation and drove straight back. Besides, it did not matter whether she greeted him or not, since they would end up meeting at the mansion anyway. Luca recalled the hug this morning, and her face was flushed. Her skin was hot to the touch, higher than the temperature in the car. "What''s happening." Luca muttered, forcing herself to snap out of it and not think about what had happened during the day. There was not much traffic today as it was probably due to the snowstorm warning. Hence, many people chose to take public transport. If not for the fact that the closest subway stations from the mansion were all located half a mile away and that she had to walk, she would have chosen to take the public transport too as it was much more convenient. Luca drove carefully while keeping an eye on the road. Suddenly, she noticed something unusual. A ck sedan seemed to have been following behind her for some distance. Luca pursed her lips. The road in front of her was clear and unobstructed, so she mmed on the elerator and sped up the car. The ck sedan behind her also sped up and maintained a close distance from her. Luca could confirm that the car was catching up to her. The car had been keeping a certain distance from her car with no intention of overtaking her, so she wanted to see what the other party intended to do. In the ck sedan. Matysh watched the car in front of him and frowned as he asked in displeasure, ¡°Why aren''t you overtaking the car?" The driver barely understood Matysh''s awful pronunciation. He exined, "It''s not a good time. The road is slippery. If I overtake her, it''ll not only put us in danger but the woman in front of us too." Matysh stared at the car ahead. The woman sitting inside the car was the woman he had been thinking about day and night. The fact that he could not get his hands on her and could only watch her made him upset. "So, I can''t get her today?" The driver nodded. "Mr. Matysh, our boss has given us orders. We''ll try our best to help you get that woman, so there''s no need to be in a rush. We have a saying here, a watched pot never boils." "I can''t wait any longer." Matysh narrowed his eyes. Even if he had yet to acquire her, he could already imagine the taste of ecstasy at the thought of Luca''s beautiful face and amazing figure. He had seen countless women, yet none of them had made him this eager before. The driver acted as if he had not heard him. Besides, the timing was not right. For their safety, they had to act with caution even if that meant disgruntling Matysh. Moreover, this woman was acquainted with Luke. They dared not abduct her recklessly, lest they failed and got themselves exposed. Matysh''s eyes were bloodshot as the driver did not respond. "I told you to go after her, stop her car, tie her up, and bring her to me. Did you hear me?" "Mr. Matysh, that''s a risky request. I have the right to refuse." The driver could not pretend to not hear him this time. "How dare you refuse my request?" Matysh looked at him in disbelief. Back in Russia, no one dared to refuse his request, but someone dared to do so here. He squinted and clenched his fists. "I want to talk to your boss." "Talk to him, then. This was the boss'' orders anyway. We have to act with caution." The driver did not care about Matysh''s anger at all. He had stuck around his boss for a long time. What kind of bloody scene had he not seen before? Matysh was just a mere Russian man with his fists clenched. He had yet to feel afraid. Matysh noticed that the driver was still calm and not afraid of him. He was furious, but he had no choice. He was unfamiliar with the ce and had paid to hire them... Marcos cannot be trusted either. Matysh bit his lip. He had hired the organization that was considered to be the most powerful in A City''s underworld. It was said that the one who spent money was the boss, yet, he, the boss, could only watch the car in front of him drive into a neighborhood. ¡°This is where the woman lives," said the driver as he pulled up on the roadside. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Here? Follow her in. I need to know which house she lives in." Matysh started gesturing. "Do you think you can enter this ce as you wish?" The driver had a mocking smile on his face as he exined, "This is the most high-end neighborhood in A City. Without the consent of the owners, there''s no way outsiders are allowed to enter. Whether it be the entrance or the garage, there are security guards here 24 hours a day. They can stop a fly from entering, let alone people. The people who live here are all business celebrities and stars. I don''t know anyone here, so don''t waste your time." Even if his boss knew a few celebrities, there was no guarantee that he could enter, so how could a mere driver like him get in? "Only the owners can go in, right? I''ll buy a house right now. Take me to the real estate agency," Matysh said boldly. The driver looked at Matysh in bewilderment as if he was looking at a madman... He was willing to buy property here for a woman? One would need at least a hundred million dors to afford a mansion here. Even a single-room house would cost ten million. "What are you waiting for? I want to buy property here and not be obstructed." Matysh''s face took on a ghastly expression as he was very dissatisfied with his service. "Mr. Matysh, there are no vacant properties here. Moreover, a foreigner would need to go through procedures and wait for the government''s approval to buy a house here." the driver said resignedly. Chapter 2217 Matysh''s brows furrowed out of impatience after listening to the driver''s exnation. It was too long-winded and troublesome. How could he get Luca fast with that kind of progress? The driver noticed that he looked upset as he did not say a word. He knew that Matysh''s anger had not calmed down, but there was nothing he could do anyway. The neighborhood in front of him was an A-list neighborhood, and a lot of effort had been put into its security system. They would get caught if they were to break in. He was not that foolish. ¡°Mr. Matysh, let''s go back first. Usually, the woman would note out again after returning home," said the driver. Matysh stared at him fiercely. "If you knew that she wouldn''te out after going in, why didn''t you stop her?" "For the sake of your life and hers. As I''ve said before, if you want to get the woman in one piece, be patient. We need a detailed n to do so. Luca let out a sigh of relief after driving into the neighborhood. Those people would not be able to follow her after she entered, so her tense nerves instantly rxed. She was not afraid of anything, but her driving skills were not great. If the other party were to stop her abruptly, she would have no way to fight back. Not to mention, the road was slippery, so there would be a high risk of danger. Luca returned to the mansion, parked the car, and walked into the house. Coincidentally, Nina came out of the kitchen too. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Lucae back. Nina stood there for a while as she looked her up and down. "Is there something on my face?" Luca took off her coat. She was ufortable being stared at, so she subconsciously wiped her face with the back of her hand. "No." Nina shook her head while her gaze was still locked on her face. "Luca, you look pale. Are you not feeling well?" Luca shook her head. Nina did not pay much attention to these matters, so she could not tell Nina that she was being followed earlier. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Plus, she did not know whether it was Matysh or Pierre''s people... If it was Matysh who was after her, Nina would not be involved. But if it was Pierre, Nina would be worried and feel guilty if she found out. ¡°But you look so pale. If you''re not sick, did you encounter something on your way back?" Nina continued to ask out of concern as she knew that the Mallory family would not stop there. Although Old Master Crawford had already exined that he would protect her, if the Mallory family were to take revenge, they mighty a finger on Luca when she was least expecting it. Nina was not willing to see Luca get hurt because of her. "No, it''s just too cold outside." Luca shook her head and forced a smile to keep her from worrying. Nina saw that she refused to say anything and decided not to continue pestering her about it. "I''ll pour you a ss of warm water to warm up your body." "Thank you," Luca thanked her as she did need a ss of water to calm herself down. Besides, the kids knew how to read people''s faces. If they saw her in her current state, they would be worried. She walked into the living room to see the three kids doing their homework. After hearing footsteps, the three children turned around to see that it was her. They all greeted, "Ms. Luca, you''re back!" "Yes, are you all doing your homework? Good job." Luca did note too close in order to not let the kids notice her paleplexion. "Yup." Tommy nodded and turned to continue doing his homework. Rainie examined Luca''s face and noticed her paleplexion. "Ms. Luca, are you okay?" "I''m okay. It''s just a little cold outside, and I didn''t wear enough today. Hurry up and finish your homework," Luca coaxed the child. Rainie nodded. Before Luca walked into the kitchen, Nina brought a warm cup of water for her. "Quick, drink some warm water to warm up." "Thank you." Luca took a sip of hot tea. Her body warmed up, and she calmed herself down. "Is there really nothing wrong?" Nina whispered. Luca shook her head and looked back at the children. Rainie looked at her worriedly... "I''m fine, Nina. Can you watch the children? I need to go upstairs and carry out some experiments," said Luca as she used experiments as an excuse to avoid having them worry about her. "Okay.." Nina agreed. She watched her walk upstairs until she disappeared from her sight and sat down on the couch. Rainie looked up at Nina. "Ms. Nina, is Ms. Luca okay?" "She was just too cold. Don''t think too much about it." Nina smiled and patted her head. "Finish your homework. She''lle down when you''re done." Rainie shook her head. "Let''s not have here down. She seems to be in bad shape. Ms. Nina, you can help us check our homework instead?" Tommy looked up at Rainie and tried to recall how Luca looked just now. Was it that bad? Why did he not notice? Nina saw the curiosity in the child''s eyes and gently patted his shoulder. "Come on, finish your homework. You don''t want me to point out your mistakester, do you?" ¡°Ms. Nina, you''re not going to find my mistakes." Tommy stuck out his tongue at her and continued doing his homework. Upstairs. Luca sat in the study, staring at the samples in a daze. Should she tell Luke what she encountered just now? It would be better if she did... After Luke came back from his business trip, he seemed like apletely different person. Luca had a feeling that she would be entangled with Luke if she did not leave here one day. Therefore, she still had to tell him what happened. Besides, he had a lot of connections. If something were to happen in the future, it would be easier to deal with if he was aware of it. The moment Luca made up her mind, she frowned again. Luke seemed like he cared a lot about her. If he knew about this, would he be overly worried? She did not want to see Luke worry because of her. Luca had been sitting in her study. She said she was going to do experiments, but she had not been doing anything. Only after Aunt Neile knocked on her door to inform her that dinner was ready did shee back to her senses and stand up to open the door. "Aunt Neile, is Mr. Crawford back?" she asked as she walked out of her study. "Mr. Crawford is back. He said that he''d be back for dinner today, so he''s having dinner right now," exined Aunt Neile. "Oh, okay.." Luca hesitated for an hour, yet she had not made up her mind. Hence, she decided to wait until after dinner. After heading downstairs with Aunt Neile, she saw that the kids and Nina were no longer in the living room. She guessed that they were all in the dining room. Luca walked into the dining room, and as expected, everyone was already seated there. "Ms. Craw, have a seat. I''ll bring out the dishes," said Aunt Neile. Luca nodded. The only empty seat left at the table was next to Luke, so she went over and sat down. Tommy was the only one who was noisy at the dinner table. "Ms. Luca, what were you doing just now?" The moment Luca sat down, Tommy grabbed her sleeve and asked while pouting. "I was doing experiments. What''s wrong?" Luca could feel that Luke was looking at her, so she looked down to divert her attention. Chapter 2218 Tommy''s eyes were wide as he tilted his head sideways and stared at her for a long while before mumbling, ¡°It''s cold outside, Ms. Luca. You should dress more warmly before you head to work." "Alright." Luca felt warm and fuzzy inside when she saw how her son was concerned about her. The corners of her lips curled into a bright smile as she ruffled his hair. The fear she had felt before this was slowly fading away now that she had been ruminating over this for about an hour. She was no longer in the state she was when she returned. Now, the most important thing to do was find out if her stalker was one of Pierre or Matysh''s men. Luke did not say anything as he observed their interactions. Lanie and Rainie had pulled him aside when he returned and told him how Luca had been acting oddly when she returned. The children and Nina were still present, which made it unsuitable for him to get a better idea of what was happening. Thus, he was in no rush to do so. Aunt Neile brought the food over to the table. The three adults and children finished their meal. After that was the time for the children to watch TV. Naturally, the responsibility of checking each child''s homework fell on Luke now that he had returned. Luca chose to go upstairs after watching Luke sit in the living room and check each child''s homework. "The fruit tter is ready, Luca. Do you want some?" Nina asked as she helped Aunt Neile bring out a te of fruit. "It''s alright. You guys can enjoy it," Luca said as she walked upstairs. She wanted to experiment. A thoughtful look appeared in Nina''s eyes as she watched Luca walk off. She turned to look at Luke and saw that he was just about to walk upstairs after finishing checking each child''s homework. In a low voice, she said to him, "Luca wasn''t in the best state when she returned." "I know," Luke said calmly as he nced upstairs. Nina frowned. From the tone of his voice, those who were not in the know would have thought that he and Luca were strangers. However,st night, she had watched as he entered Luca''s room immediately after returning home. "Is it Pierre Mallory?" Nina asked. "No." Luke knew what she was worried about. He usually refused to answer such questions and only did so this time because Nina was Percy''s fiancee. ¡°Then..." Nina frowned. Who else would frighten Luca so much other than Pierre? She immediately corrected herself. No, Luca was not frightened. She was just distracted. Who was it? Who else had a grudge against Luca? ¡°Don''t get involved in this," Luke said. To him, Nina was a powerless woman who still needed Percy''s protection because she could not even face the Mallory family herself. If she got into Luca''s mess now, she would not even be able to protect herself. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Nina had had simr experiences in the past, which meant that she should not get involved no matter what. ¡°What do you mean by that?!" Nina protested, her jaw clenching when she noticed how Luke seemed to think she was in the way. ¡°You''ll be helping Luca by not getting involved," Luke said as he continued walking upstairs. It was something that even a child could understand, but Nina could not. If Nina got involved, there was no doubt Matysh would use the fact that Nina was Luca''s Achilles heel to force her into submission. Such incidents had happened in the past, and Luke did not want to go to the trouble of having to save Nina. The way he spoke helped Nina immediately understand what was going on. Hurrying forth, she caught up to him and said, ¡°I''m just worried about Luca. Friends should be concerned about one another. I don''t me you for failing to understand me, but you shouldn''t stop me." Luke paused and frowned as he looked at her. Had Percy protected her so well that she had begun thinking she could protect others? ¡°Keep worrying about the Mallory family''s issues. Ignore Luca''s problems," Luke repeated. It was good that Nina was concerned about Luca, but there was also no denying there were issues that she could not take care of. On the contrary, he could now understand why Luca had such agility after confirming that she had previously been captured by men from the Ind of Despair. Most people would be no match for her after she went through her training at the Ind of Despair. However, what he was most worried about was that Mathys would go to all ends and use despicable methods to attack her. He might send out even more men after her. So what if Luca was so physically agile that she could fight 10 people on her own? Luke was most worried that she would not be able to anticipate backstabbers. If Luca were to fall into Mathys'' hands, there was no way he would be like Pierre, who had captured Luca because he wanted information in exchange. Mathys had always wanted Luca. Nina''s brows furrowed together when she heard Luke mention the Mallory family. He was right. Her biggest problem now was the Mallory family. If she wanted to remain with Percy, she would have to face the Mallory family. Although there were signs of the news dying down now, there was still no way they would agree to their rtionship. They had never agreed to their rtionship in the first ce, so what were the chances they would agree after the media published such a story? Nina pouted as she walked upstairs. Then, she walked toward the guest room as Luke watched her. Luke''s mind was fully consumed with thoughts about Luca, and he had no ns to say anything else although Nina was Luca''s best friend. After all, Nina was Percy''s girl. She had someone to protect her, and there was no need for an outsider to worry about her. Luke first knocked on Luca''s bedroom door and guessed that she was conducting an experiment in the study when no one answered. Thus, he walked to the study and knocked on the door. "Nina?" Luca asked from inside the study. ¡°It''s me," Luke replied. Luca was stunned. She ced the test tubes on their corresponding racks before walking over to open the door. "Can I help you, Mr. Crawford?" Luke took the chance to walk into the study and close the door. The mansion might be his, but the study was Luca''s to use because she had moved in earlier. He had no objection to that as well. After all, there was no fixed rule that office work must be done in a study. However, Luca''s situation was different. She needed a dedicated space to conduct her experiments. He rarely entered this room. He took a look around the study. Lab equipment of all sizes was ced here, and it conjured up memories of theb Luca had previously rented. The equipment here was notpatible for conducting experiments on the fungus she was infected with before, which was why she rented anotherb to conduct her experiments. What experiment was she conducting now? "What happened today?" Luke did not ask her about her experiments because that was not a field that he belonged to. "I was stalked while on my way home from work," Luca replied. "Did they attack you?" Luke asked as he nced up and down Luca''s body. She seemed fine and uninjured. However, he did not trust what met his eyes after what had happened in the past. Luca had seemed perfectly fine in the past when in reality, there were tworge, infected knife wounds on her waist. Even so, she managed to act as if nothing had happened to her. "They didn''t attack me. All they did was follow my car from a distance." Luca shook her head as she began describing what had happened. Chapter 2219 ¡°Did you get a clear look at his face?" Luke asked. Luca might have managed to get a clear look at his face if the car had been close. After all, those who had undergone training at the Ind of Despair were no ordinary people. Luca might be a woman, but the people on the Ind of Despair would have needed to put in the effort to train Luca. "No. They were close but still distant enough that I could not get a good look. It looks like they''ve received professional training," Luca said as she shook her head. After confirming that she was indeed being stalked, she slowed down her car to try and get a better look at who was driving the car. However, they were on high alert and had immediately slowed down their car as well when she did so. Thus, the distance between the two cars never changed. That alone was enough for Luca to confirm that they had received professional training. After all, it was extremely difficult to ensure that a certain distance remained between them. At the very least, they would need to be good at driving and predicting what the driver in front of them was going to do. "Starting tomorrow, you''llmute to and from work in the car with me." Luke immediately knew that Mathys had hired someone else to work for him after hearing her story. However, the men who had been eavesdropping on Mathys had not heard him cing any calls that seemed out of ce. Thus, it meant that the party had been contacted before Mathys arrived in A City. "That''s quite inconvenient, Mr. Crawford..." Luca said as she shook her head. They might be able to leave for work together, but what about when they left work? It was extremely difficult for them to get off work together. "My experiments are going to be even more time-consuming, and I might have to work until midnight. Aunt Neile will have to get off workte if no adults are at home, and that''s not ideal." Luca said. After all, Aunt Neile had children of her own. Luke gazed at her for a long while before saying, "Alright." Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. His work hours were irregr, and he sometimes left workte too. The children would probably protest if he made Luca stay in the office with him until suchte hours. Thinking he hadplied, Luca was just about to heave a sigh of relief when he said, "I''ll arrange for you to have a chauffeur." "It''s alright, Mr. Crawford..." Luca said as she frowned. There was no doubt they would bump into people who worked at their building if they arrived and left work together. However, if he got her a chauffeur, she would always be dropped off at the main entrance. She would also bump into people there. She was just a research professor, but she had a chauffeur. When Luca imagined what things would look like, she knew it would cause more rumors to spread in T Corporation. All she wanted to do was keep a low profile. Luke knew she was against it, but he was not going to let her have her way this time. After all, her safety was even more important. "The roads now are all frozen. How long has it been since you started driving again? Do you think your driving skills can bepared to theirs? I''m afraid to imagine what would have happened if the driver had overtaken and obstructed you today.." Luca was thinking of the same thing. It was true that her driving skills were not up to par. After all, she had not had the chance toe into contact with cars during her time on the Ind of Despair, although everyone else did. That was because her driving techniques were not included in the n Abel had drawn up for her. "Fine." Luca had no choice but to agree. Luke hugged her and kissed her forehead. "Don''t worry. I''ll protect you. It was probably one of Mathys'' men stalking you today. If something simr happens in the future, you have to call me and let me know. It doesn''t matter if they attack you or not and whether anyone else was with you then." "Alright," Luca nodded and agreed. The ce where he had just kissed was ming. She knew him. What he had said was equivalent to amand, and Luke would find a way to make her agree even if she disagreed now. Even if she did not end up agreeing, he would still have full ess to her every movement. He would know whether she was being stalked or in danger. Thus, Luca decided to give her consent the minute he suggested it. When Luke realized she was submitting to him, Luke leaned over and pecked her on the lips. Luca felt like she had been electrocuted and could not help but flinch backward when their lips met. Luke noticed what she was doing and frowned as he ced a hand on her hips. "Am I that scary?" Luca hurriedly shook her head. He was not scary. It was just that the setting was inappropriate. "I''m worried that someone''s going toe in." "Even the children will knock beforeing in." The minute Luke finished speaking, someone began knocking on the door. Nina''s voice rang out. "Luca, are you inside?" Luca moved Luke''s hand aside and took two steps away from him before saying, "Yes, I am." Nina opened the door and frowned when she saw that Luke was in the room too. "You guys.." "Mr. Crawford had something he needed to discuss with me," Luca hurriedly exined so that Nina would not overthink things. "We''re done now." She turned to look at Luke when she finished speaking. ¡°Yes, we''re done," Luke said before walking past Nina and out of the study. Nina frowned and turned to look at Luke before turning back to stare at Luca. "Was I interrupting your conversation?" "No, we were done. What''s wrong?" Luca shook her head and changed the subject. Nina closed the door and gazed at Luca solemnly. "Luca, tell me, what on earth happened today?" "Nothing happened. You don''t have to worry," Luca said determinedly. Not telling Nina was the best course of action to take, whether it was for her protection or not. She did not want Nina to get dragged into the mess if anything were to happen. She owed Nina so much. Although Nina had now found the right person who loved her deeply, Luca knew that it would have been much easier for Nina to be with Percy if she had not gotten dragged into her problems. They might not have the same social standing, but at the very least, Nina would have been innocent in the Mallory family''s eyes. That would have caused her journey to be filled with fewer hurdles. Besides, her existence was the reason why Anna had lost her fortune and gone mad. Thus, in conclusion, she was why Nina was in such a miserable situation now. This time, Luca refused to allow Nina to get involved in any way. "I know for sure that something happened and you''re not telling me because you don''t want me to get involved. I understand, Luca, and thank you for everything you''ve done. Let me know if you''ve run into anything you can''t resolve... I might not be as capable as you guys are, but I have Percy. He''ll help you for sure.." Nina wanted to help others take care of their problems to the best of her ability too. However, her capabilities were limited. In the past, before she and Percy had confessed their feelings to each other, Nina was like a canary in a cage who had no chance of growing stronger. Now, although she had made her feelings clear, there was still no chance for her to be stronger. Everything seemed to being all at once all of a sudden. Thus, she envied Luca''s capabilities. However, all she could do was envy her. Nina felt disgruntled that she could not help Luca and that she had to rely on Percy if she wanted to offer any help. "I know, don''t worry. I''ll take care of it. No need to worry," Luca said to Ninafortingly. She knew Nina was concerned about her. Chapter 2220 On the other side of the door. When Luke returned to his bedroom, he immediately sat down and called Percy. ¡°When will you be back?" Since they were friends, he knew that Percy was not in A City at the moment. "I''ve still got a few days'' worth of work. What''s up? Miss me?" Percy joked. Luke had a foul expression on his face. Ignoring the jokes, he said unfeelingly, "Come and pick your woman up the minute you''re back." "What''s wrong? Did Nina spot you doing evil things?" "I''m going to kick Nina out if you continue spouting such nonsense," Luke said with a gloomy expression on his face. What Percy said reminded him of the questions Nina had asked him this morning. In his opinion, Nina was an ignorant woman whom Percy was pampering. She was bent on doing good for others without assessing her capabilities. Things would only be even more difficult if she were to get involved. After all, she was nothing but a drag to them! "Your beloved woman will never let you do that even if you have the guts to do so. Hang on. I''ll pick Nina up when I return in a few days," Percy replied. He did not want to be separated from Nina for such a long time either. For now, Nina was safest if she stayed at Luke''s mansion. Moreover, since Luca was there, Percy did not believe Luke would kick Nina out. "She''s nning to stick her head into Luca''s current problem. Hurry back so I don''t get more problems on my te." Luke had no choice but to tell him the truth. After all, Percy would not view the issue seriously if he did not speak the truth. "What?" Percy''s cavalier attitude disappeared. Luke had talked to him about Mathys before this. He had also conducted some additional research on that person. Mathys was not a force to be reckoned with. "I''ll beat Mathys to a pulp if he daresy a hand on Luca, so take your woman away as quickly as possible. She thinks she''s protecting Luca, but all she''s doing is getting in my way," Luke did not bother concealing his ns. After all, he trusted Percy. "Alright, I''ll return as quickly as possible," Percy replied. He did not want Nina to get involved in Luke''s n. She was nothing more than a powerless woman. It would be great if she did not get destroyed by Mathys, but she was even thinking of helping Luca? What a joke. Luke knew that Percy had started taking the matter seriously, thus he ended the call so he could turn on hisptop and begin working. He had a lot of tasks to take care of. His coboration with M Group was just about to begin, and thepany he had acquired was about to begin normal operations as well. There were so many things to take care of. Mathys had picked this time to appear and cause him even more trouble. Thus, Luke had no choice but to work at every chance he got and also protect Luca. In the evening. While watching cartoons, Rainie whispered to Lanie, "Big Bro, do you think that Ms. Luca and Daddy are hiding something from us?" Lanie continued watching the cartoon show. He had sensed that something was going on a long time ago. "Yes," he nodded. Rainie rested her chin on her hand, a thoughtful expression on her face as she said, "Do you think we should ask Daddy what''s going on?" "Is there anything we can do even if we know what''s going on?" Lanie had a mature answer ready. He was no longer as childish as he used to be and had matured greatly. They were only children. They could not help, nor know about the adults'' problems. Besides, it would not be helpful for them to know what was going on as it would only increase their worries. Thus, Lanie dispelled the idea from Rainie''s mind. "That''s right, Big Sis," Tommy said while nodding. "We just need to be good, obedient children so that Daddy and Ms. Luca won''t worry." Upon hearing her mischievous little brother say that, Rainie squeezed his chubby hand and said, "Alright then. We won''t ask anything." The three children got off the couch when the cartoon show ended. It was time for them to take a bath and go to bed. Although there were no adults to chide them, they were still obedient and did not indulge themselves in watching other cartoons. Luca walked out of the study and saw that the children were upstairs. "Did you guys finish watching your cartoons?" "Yes, Ms. Luca. We''re going to take a bath and go to bed now," Rainie said as she nodded. "Alright, that''s good. Go on." Luca had been nning to urge them toe upstairs to wash up and go to bed because she figured their cartoon show had ended. She did not expect them to be so obedient and disciplined. Just like Luke... Luca nced at Luke''s bedroom door, which was closed. She knew it was unlikely he was downstairs and that he was probably working in his bedroom. She returned to her study. She nned topile the data she had gotten from her experiment and make sure the children were tucked into bed after they were done with their bath before she returned to her room to wash up and go to bed. She continued working and did not stop until almost an hour had passed. Luca disposed of the reagents in the test tubes before leaving the study. She pushed the children''s bedroom door open and saw that they were asleep in bed. They had not kicked up a fuss and were extremely obedient. It was as if they knew that the adults were busy, which was why they had not caused them any more trouble. A fuzzy feeling washed over Luca. To her, it was enough that she had left these three precious babies to Luke. Luca closed Tommy''s bedroom door and walked to her room. However, when she opened the door, she saw Luke sitting and working at her makeup table. He had brought hisptop over and perched it on the surface of her makeup table. ¡°Mr. Crawford, you.." Luca was at a loss for words. When she remembered that Nina was staying here as well, she hurriedly closed the door as if she was feeling sheepish. Luke paused his work and turned around to look at her. "You''re finished with work?" "Yes," Luca said while nodding. She had no idea why Luke was working here. There was no desk here, and the makeup table and its chair had been customized based on her height. Additionally, the chair''s height could not be adjusted the way office chairs could. It would strain Luke''s body if he sat here and worked for a long time. "I''ll feel less worried if I work here," Luke seemed to be exining why he was working here. He was also trying to see what Luca thought of this. Luca frowned slightly. She still had not figured out what Luke meant when he closed hisptop, stacked his documents on top of theptop, and stood up. Luca had even more questions as she watched him. Luke walked to the door and opened it before turning around and saying, "It''ste. You should go to bed soon." "Alright.." Luca had no idea what he was doing, but he left her bedroom with his documents andptop after hearing her response. She remained rooted to the spot for another half minute, but Luke did not return. Luca had no idea what to make of it, but she felt herself starting to blush. Just now, she felt like she was back in the past. Heaving a long sigh, she took her pajamas out of the closet and walked into the bathroom. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She opened the bathroom door once she was done, but Luke had not returned. Luca''s head was filled with questions. Why did he bring his documents andptop over to work in her bedroom? Also, why did he gather his things and leave after she came in? Chapter 2221 She sat on the dressing chair, recalling the scene when Luke had juste in. Luke sat on this chair. It was ufortable as the height of the table and the chair was not suitable for a man who was almost 190cm tall to sit. Luca noticed that Luke was hunching when he sat on the chair. That was the only way to sit there and work, but such a sitting position was difficult for Luke, who had gotten used to sitting up straight while he was working. It was like correcting a man''s walking and sitting posture when he often did it the wrong way. It would be difficult and painful for him. It was the same for Luke to sit on a dressing chair. It must have been tiring for him... Luca''s mind was full of Luke. She could not help but shake her head, trying to stop herself from thinking about him. Luca took her skincare products out. After she put it on her face, she took a notebook and a pen out of the drawer. Then, she sat on the bed with the nket covering her legs. She ced a pillow behind her waist, adjusted herself into afortable sitting posture, and began to analyze the experimental data. She tried to focus, but there was no way she could do it. Luke''s silhouette lingered in her mind, and she was unable to get him off her mind. Her bedroom door was pushed open. Luca was so preupied that she was surprised by the sudden creaking sound of the door opening. She lifted her head and looked at the door. Luke was holding a pillow and a book. He walked into her room. ¡°Mr. Crawford, you''re.." Luca sat up straight and looked at him. Luke had changed into his pajamas. He walked to her bedside and signaled her to move over to the side of the bed. Then, he said, "I''m sleeping here tonight." "No!" Luca unconsciously answered him, "You can''t sleep here." "Reason." Luke noticed that Luca refused to move away and give him space. He could not be bothered that the remaining space on the bed was only enough for him toy down on the bed. He put his pillow on the bed and sat down on the bed. As Luca watched him getting onto the bed from behind, she immediately said, "Nina is still here." Luke raised his brows. He leaned on the headboard of the bed, like how Luca did just now. He looked at her, "Will she enter your bedroom in the middle of the night?" ¡°No..." Luca shook her head. Not even the kids would enter her bedroom in the middle of the night... Luke was the only one who would enter her bedroom in the middle of the night and cuddle with her in bed. ¡°What are you afraid of, then?" Luke ignored her astonishment. They both knew that they were a couple. However, Luca was still being manipted. That was why she could only use another identity to approach Luke. Hence, she was not Bianca to the others. Perhaps she might be called a mistress too. Luke knew that Luca still had feelings for him, but she was afraid that Nina would be imagining things given the circumstances now. Nina was Bianca''s best friend, after all. Luca was getting along well with Nina now. That was why she did not want to put her in a difficult position. "Well, it''ll affect us badly for now," Luca mumbled while she grasped the bedsheet. The intimacy they shared that night shed across her mind again. Every little gesture he did was imprinted in her mind. ¡°Luca, if you don''t move aside, I''ll fall off the bed while I''m sleeping at night. That''s how badly I''ll be affected," said Luke. He did not tell her that Nina had already found out about their rtionship. Luca looked at him, and she moved her pillow aside helplessly. She nced at the book he ced on his thigh. It was a book about business management in English. Luke moved toward her and leaned on the headboardfortably. ¡°Mr. Crawford, are you sure you want to sleep here? If Nina¡ª" Before Luca could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by Luke, ¡°If you mention Nina''s name again, I''ll ask her to move back to Percy''s ce tomorrow." Luca shut her mouth immediately once she heard that. Nina could not go back there now. Nina had told her that Percy was still on a business trip and there were only maids in the vi now. The Mallory family found out that she was staying in Luke''s vi after she asked the maid to bring her clothes and necessities here. That was how the Mallory family knew it and came looking for her. The consequences would be unimaginable if Nina was asked to move out of the house when Percy had note back yet. Luca knew Luke was being serious. After all, he would not be kind to other women. Hence, he would not care what Nina would be facing when she was forced to move back there. He would not give a damn even if Nina was Percy''s fiancee. Luca could only shift her gaze back to the notebook. She wrote and drew some chemical equations on it. Sometimes, she would nce at the notes on her phone. It was the data she recorded when she was experimenting. "Are you studying medicine?" Although Luke could not understand what she wrote, he recognized the chemical elements in the notebook. Luca replied, ¡°Yes." She was startled for a moment. Then, she exined to him, ¡°I''m doing research for my own drug. It''s not going to beunched in the market." ¡°I didn''t mean anything." Lukeforted her when he heard her exining to him with a nervous tone. He could sense that the research Luca was studying was not simple at all. However, he could not take the samples in the test tubes out and bring them to Johann for him to study them. He noticed that Luca hadbeled a serial number for every test tube. There was also graduation written on every test tube. She would notice it if he took some of it. If he took it and added some reagent in the test tube... Luke refused to do something like that. There must be a reason Luca was doing her research. He would only be causing trouble for her if he did that. Besides, Luca was seizing every moment to do the research. The research must be significant to her. Luca nodded and continued with her research. Luke remained silent to prevent himself from disturbing Luca''s thoughts. He took his phone out of his pajamas'' pocket and put it on the bedside table. He began to read his book after he charged his phone. Luca only realized that he had already moved his phone charger here after watching Luke. Her phone model was different from Luke''s. That was why it was unlikely Luke would be using her phone charger. "What are you looking at?" Luke noticed that Luca was staring at him, and he asked. "My phone charger.." "It''s on the bedside table on your side," said Luke. He pointed at the other side of the bedside table. He had already ced it there. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Luca quietly plugged the charger into the outlet. She was nning to charge her phone by sliding the other side of the cable into her phone when she was about to sleep. Luke held her in his arms when she had just sat down. Luca frowned and said, "Mr. Crawford, I can''t work like this." Luke let out a sigh. He had no choice but to let her go. "Is this okay, then?" "Yeah." Luca nodded. She could feel Luke''s thigh leaning closer to hers. Even though they had their pajamas on, they could feel each other''s temperature easily with the distance between them. Luke no longer said anything, and Luca continued to calcte the data and chemical equations. She thought she would not be able to study the research with Luke by her side, but she did not expect that she could truly calm down and focus on it. Her speed was twice as fast when she was studying the research data. Chapter 2222 After Luca finished calcting the data and equation, she realized that Luke did not affect her when he was by her side. Instead, his presence made her even more focused on what she was doing. The silhouette that kept on appearing in her mind and affecting her progress never showed up again with Luke by her side. Luca closed her notebook. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Luke noticed that and asked, "Done?" ¡°Yeah. I''ve concluded the experimental data for this stage." Luca ced the notebook on the bedside table. After that, she began to feel overwhelmed again. Luke closed his book, ced it on the bedside table, and said, ¡°Get some rest." ¡°Mr. Crawford..." Luca was afraid that Luke was dropping her a hint. She quickly said, ¡°It''s the time of the month..." ¡°Just sleep." Luke''s eyes darkened. He was not nning on verifying whether she was telling the truth or not. He only wanted to cuddle with her in bed. He could do nothing, but he had to cuddle with her. That way, he could have a good night''s sleep. Luca slightly frowned. Luke''s reaction was too calm, and it was unlike anything she had expected. She attempted to find some emotions in his eyes, even if it was disappointment. However, there was none. Was Luke not interested in her body? There should be a look of disappointment in his eyes when something like this happened, right? However, Luke was as cold as he had always been. She could hardly see any other emotions in his eyes. Luca was confused, and shey down on the bed. Luke turned off the lights andy on the bed after covering the nket on Luca. Luca slept in a fetal position on her side as her stomach was feeling ufortable. Luke''s hand reached out for her when she had just found afortable sleeping position. His hands fell right on her lower abdomen. He did not move his hands to feel her body. A wave of warmth rose from her lower abdomen and flowed into her heart. Previously, when she had her period, Luke used to help her to warm her stomach like this too. Although he seemed cold and heartless, his hands were warm. It felt warmer and morefortable to have him warm her up than ce a heating pack on her shirt no matter what season it was. Luke''s behavior and gestures had never changed after so many years. It warmed Luca''s heart, but her heart was aching at the same time. She thought Luke would only do something so sweet to Bianca. "Are you feeling morefortable now?" Luke asked. He knew it was the period pain that made Luca feel ufortable when he saw her lying that way. His kids had even told him that Luca went outside without putting warm clothes on. Her period pain would hurt even more. Not only was Luke warming her lower abdomen with his hands, but he was also gently massaging it. "Yes." Luca closed her eyes, feeling the tenderness of his hand. She could feel his breath on the back of her head when he spoke, and it was hot. "Get some rest. I''ll ask Aunt Neile to prepare some brown sugar tea for you tomorrow," said Luke. Luca closed her eyes. Her heart was trembling, but she did not say a word. She never thought that she would have the chance to enjoy Luke''s gentleness for the past three years. The only thing that helped her to relieve the pain was the painkillers that Shanks gave her when she was suffering from period pain back then. There was no brown sugar tea, no one was gentle to her, and no oneforted her. She had to continue her training after taking the painkillers. No one felt sorry for her. Luca thought she would be spending the rest of her life like this. She did not expect she would be treated like this after she met Luke again. She thought that she was still Bianca for a moment. Traders Hotel. Matysh sat on the sofa in his suite, looking at the visitor who sat in front of him with a gloomy look on his face. He said, "Why are you here?" "The driver told me that you''d like to meet me." The man took a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, and he handed one to Matysh out of courtesy. Matysh did not take the cigarette from him when he saw his gestures. Instead, he took a cigar out of the metal box beside him. He lit it and smoked. "I''m not used to smoking cheap cigarettes. I told your driver this evening, but you came here when it''s almost the middle of the night. I haven''t seen any businessman as arrogant as you are. You''re doing it on purpose, right?" After Matysh was sent back to the hotel, heined to the driver about his dissatisfaction. However, the person who was responsible for this had only just arrived. No matter how reluctant Matysh was to deal with these people, he knew they did not take him seriously. Not only did they not take care of his feelings, they even came to disturb him in the middle of the night. They killed his vibes and ruined his ns... Bill, who was sitting opposite Matysh, looked at the darkplexion on Matysh''s face and watched him. He took a cigarette out and let his subordinates lit the cigarette for him. His subordinate took the lighter and helped him to light his cigarette. Bill took a puff of a cigarette and slowly exined, "Mr. Matysh, don''t me me for beingte. You''re not in a hurry. I was handling some other matters just now. You know, gangs like us always get into a lot of trouble." Matysh smoked his cigar with a scowl on his face. ¡°I paid you, and I¡¯m your God. Give me back my money if you can¡¯t handle this well.¡± Matysh pointed at him with his cigar. Was he asking for a refund? Bill shook his head. It was impossible to refund his money. He said, "I believe my driver has already told you that this is a long game, and we need toe up with a n before we make our moves. Our organization is nothing like those gangs who only know how to cause trouble out there. We do business, and we''re handling your request at the moment. Of course, we''ll do it for you, but we''ve mentioned to you that it won''t be easy as the person involved is someone with high social status. That''s why we need toe up with a good n. I told you this myself. Didn''t you agree with me on the other end of the line that day?" Matysh¡¯s face darkened. The gang he looked for was certainly not an ordinary gang. He still needed a trantor tomunicate with those troublemakers. However, the man in front of him was a mobster of an organized crime. He could speak English, and they were able tomunicate with each other. However, the price to hire such a crime organization was usually higher than usual crime organizations. Therefore, Matysh was unhappy with their attitude and efficiency. ¡°I was still in Russia when I agreed with you. I¡¯m in A City now, and you¡¯re telling me you need toe up with a n? Did youe here to make me a fool?¡± Matysh took a deep puff of the cigar and blew a smoke ring in the air. Not only was their efficiency slow, but they also came to disturb him. Matysh thought he would be having a pleasant evening when he found a woman who looked like Luca on the inte and paid her toe over to sleep with him. He had no choice but to ask the woman to wait in the corridor when Bill brought his subordinates along with him here. Matysh recalled what his subordinate told him and what he did today when he saw Bill. Grievance rose in him like a tide, and it made him lose the desire to spend the night with that woman. "I''ve told you that your request was challenging. You agreed that you''d wait, and you didn''t give us a deadline. We need to make sure that our n is perfect. No mistakes are allowed. That''s why we need a lot of time to follow the target and look into it. Mr. Matysh, if you can''t understand our job, we can refund some of the money to you. But we''re taking the deposit. It''s non-refundable. What do you think?" said Bill while taking out his checkbook. Chapter 2223 Only some of the money could be refunded? Matysh was not thinking about getting back some of the money. He was not concerned about the money, but he wanted to get Luca. He wanted them to be efficient. After all, he had no patience. Bill asked him again when Matysh did not give him a reply, ¡°Mr. Matysh, what do you think? If you''re fine with it, I''m going to write a check." "I''m not short of money. I want her, and I need you to act faster. Money isn''t a problem. If you can make me happy, I''ll pay more," Matysh said arrogantly. He was a racist, and he thought that people with different color skin tones did not deserve to make friends with him. That was why he had no friends or connections here. He had to pay to get Luca. It was difficult for him to find another crime organization like Bill''s here. If he looked for others now, he would still need to find a trantor for him. That would mean letting another person know about his ns. There was a risk that his ns would be exposed. Hence, after Matysh took this into consideration, he refused to take the risk. He had no choice but to cooperate with Bill. Bill smiled when he heard Matysh say that he was going to pay more. He put out his cigarette and rose to his feet. He stretched his hand out and said, "Thank you for trusting us, Mr. Matysh. I look forward to working with you." "If you''re still making slow progress, don''t me me for making things difficult for you." Matysh stood up, quickly shook hands, and withdrew his hand in disgust. Normally, someone like Bill would not cooperate with anyone. Bill could not be bothered when he noticed that Matysh was disgusted. It was easy to scam someone like Matysh who was a stranger in an unfamiliar ce. Especially when the arrogant Matysh thought that he was superior to the others. That would be even easier to scam his money. Bill had seen different kinds of people before, and he would not get angry because of this. "There''s a saying that you can do all things with money. Since you''re generous enough, we''ll make sure that we speed up our progress. I''m sorry to disturb you. Time is gold, and it''s time for us to leave." After that, Bill left together with his subordinates. Matysh did not make them stay. He only responded in a cold voice, "Ask that woman toe back here." "Sure," Bill pushed the door open and looked at the woman who was standing outside the door. He sized her up and said, "Mr. Matysh asked you to go in." The woman nodded and headed into the suite. The subordinate watched the woman from behind. He could not help but say, "Boss, this woman looks exactly like the woman he mentioned." Although his subordinate did not make it clear who that woman was, Bill knew who he was talking about. Bill sneered and said, "This woman is just a substitute. Matysh can''t get his hands on Ms. Craw. That''s why he found someone who looks like her to quench his thirst." The woman who entered the suite just now was not worth his sympathy. After all, they were just doing it for the sake of money. These women would not mind if they were someone else''s substitute. Bill was in a good mood at the thought of getting another huge sum of money in the future. He whistled while he entered the elevator and left. On the other hand. In the suite. What Marcos heard was the moaning of a woman. He stopped listening and put it down. "Boss, how is it?" asked Andy. Andy informed Marcos as soon as he found out that someone had entered Matysh''s bedroom. Although Luke''s men were eavesdropping on their conversation, Marcos decided to eavesdrop on their conversation for a while too. That was why Andy set up another line for him. "We''ve got something. I believe Luke must have found out something too," replied Marcos. Luke was a local here. It was an easy task for him to investigate a crime organization. Andy nodded. He did not hear what they were talking about through the bugging devices. Hence, he did not know that person''s name. Marcos did not ask him to look into it either, and he reckoned that he must be someone easy to deal with. "I need you to send an invitation card to Luke tomorrow. Tell him that I''d like to invite him to supper," said Marcos. "Supper? Okay. Where?" Andy noted it down. He had yet to realize what was wrong. "Find out which food stall serves good food. Invite Luca and Tina too," Marcos added. He did not manage to find any traces of his mother this time, and it was time for him to return. Besides, Luke was going to deal with Matysh. If Marcos was here and Matysh got into trouble, it would be difficult for him to exin it when he returned to Russia. "Food stall..." Something came into Andy''s mind. He looked at his boss and asked, "Boss, are you asking me to buy them supper?" "I''ll pay first, but I''ll cut it from your sry after we get back to Russia. You lost the bet, after all." Marcos stood up. It waste, and he should get some rest. "Boss..." Andy struggled to shed a tear or two. "You lost. And prices at a food stall aren''t that expensive either," replied Marcos as he strolled to the bedroom. He let Andy stay in the suite to make it convenient for him. There was another room for Andy. Andy had no choice but to resign to his fate and said, "Okay." Andy sat on the sofa and began to brainstorm strategies. The next day. Luke woke up and opened his eyes. Luca was still asleep. He felt satisfied looking at her deeply asleep, and he had the urge to hold her in his arms. He gently embraced her. Still, Luca woke up. She could feel Luke''s hand on her waist. She looked up and met his gaze. "Good morning," Luke''s voice was deep and hoarse, but he sounded energetic. "Good morning..." Luca greeted him as she recalled the dreams she hadst night. They were PG-18 and not kid-friendly... "It''s still early," Luke pull her closer and held her in his arms. When he was about to ask her to sleep a little while more, she shook her head and got out of bed. "I''m getting up now. It''s gettingte." "Okay..." Luke had no choice but to get up too when he saw her insist on getting out of bed. Luke had no choice but to climb out of the bed and leave Luca''s room as his toiletries were in his bedroom. He did not bring his pillow along with him. Luca looked at the pillow on the bed, and before she could say anything, Luke had opened the door. She could only shut her mouth, shake her head, and walk into the bathroom. Luke had just left Luca''s bedroom when he happened to see Nina walking out of her room. Nina frowned and looked at him. Luke did not say a word as he returned to his bedroom. He did not seem anxious, and he could not be bothered to exin either. Nina widened her eyes as she watched him return to his bedroom. She eventually shut her mouth. There was nothing she could say about this. Percy called herst night. He told her that he would pick her up and asked her to ignore Luke and Luca''s affairs... Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Nina had no choice but to go along with Percy''s wish. She turned around and made her way down the stairs. After Luca freshened herself up, Luke pushed her bedroom door open when she was about to return Luke his pillow. He brought his toiletries along with him. "Why are you taking my pillow?" Luke frowned and asked when he saw Luca was carrying his pillow. "I was thinking of returning it to you," replied Luca. She looked at the toiletries in his hands, then she lowered her head and nced at the pillow. Chapter 2224 "Put it back, unless you''d like to sleep in my bedroom," said Luke. He brought the toiletries into the bathroom and ced them together with Luca''s. Luca watched him and knew Luke was moving to her room. If Nina saw this... Luke came out of the bathroom and said, "What are you waiting for? Go get your breakfast." Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "Ah, okay..." Luca walked out of the bedroom and unconsciously nced in the direction of the guest room. Nina did not walk out of the room. She quickly headed downstairs. Nina and the kids were already sitting at the dining table. Tommy saw her and Luke, who was following behind her. He teased, "Daddy and Ms. Luca are sleepy heads. You''re always sleeping in." Luca''s face reddened. Although Tommy did not mean that, she felt like she was being teased when she heard that. She was teased by a child. Luca cleared her throat and sat on the chair. Luke sat down beside her. He did not say anything when he heard Tommy say so. He deliberately slept in. It was because it feltfortable cuddling with Luca. It had been a long time since he cuddled with his wife in bed. Now that he had the chance to do so, it was fine for him to sleep for a while. Rainie lifted her head and gently knocked on Tommy''s head when she heard his younger brother say something like that. Then, she said, "Daddy and Ms. Luca are tired because of work. That''s why they slept longer. They''re different from you." Tommy waved his chubby hands and retorted, "It''s been a long time since I had a lie-in!" "You''re still azy little pig," Rainie smiled as she handed Tommy a ss of juice, "Lazy little pig, here''s your juice. Drink more to grow taller." "Daddy, Rainie is bullying me." Tommy acted cutely and looked at Luke. "She''s lecturing you," There was a hint of a smile shing across Luke''s eyes, but he said it with a cold expression on his face. Only the adults knew that he was making fun of the kids. Tommy thought his father was serious, so he pouted and said, "Daddy, you always side with Rainie. You don''t like me anymore. Sob, I''m a pitiful little boy." "Come on. You''re a good boy. Eat your breakfast. You have to go to school after breakfast," Luca shook her head helplessly and cheered Tommy up. Tommy nodded after Luca wheedled him. He ced his chubby hands on Luca''s hand and said, "Fortunately, Ms. Luca still cares about me. Hmph." Luca smiled and helped him with the scrambled eggs. Nina ate her breakfast while she listened to their conversation. Even if Bianca came back home and sat at the dining table, she would still have this feeling that Luca was part of the family. Things would be the same for Bianca and Nina. They were only irrelevant outsiders. Two cars stopped at the entrance after they finished breakfast. One of them was Uncle Zander''s car. He came here to send the children to school, while another car was arranged by Luke. It was meant to send Luca to the office. As for Luke, he was not nning to go back to the office yet. Luca stood at the door as she listened to Luke introducing the chauffeur, "He''s Warren Carlson. He''s responsible for sending you to the office and picking you up. You don''t have to worry that you''ll be troubling him. Just inform him when you need a ride. He''s not doing anything else. He''ll just be following you." Warren was chosen by Luke. He passed his training and was good at fighting. He was chosen by Gale for having good driving skills. Luke would not have to worry if Luca was protected by him. "Okay. Thank you," Luca smiled at Warren. Warren opened the door of the backseat and said, "Ms. Craw, please get into the car." "Thank you," Luca was about to get into the car, but she nced at Luke and asked, "Mr. Crawford, are youing along?" "I have something else to do. I''m not going to the office," answered Luke. Luca nodded. She bent down and climbed into the car. Luca came forward and closed the door for her. Then, he reminded Warren, "Inform Gale right away if anything happens." "Yes, Boss." Although Warren was Gale''s man, he was Luke''s subordinate too. After Warren drove off, Luke headed to Traders Hotel. He did not make his way to Marcos'' suite. After all, Marcos'' suite and Matysh''s suite were on the same floor. He headed to the room below that floor. Gale and the others had booked a room below Matysh''s suite. The bugging signal was the strongest there, and they would not arouse Matysh''s suspicion at the same time. Luke took the card out, swiped the card, and entered the room. Gale heard the noises of the door open. He stood up, realized that it was Luke who came in, and greeted, "Boss, you''re here." "How are things?" Luke asked. He noticed there were unread messages on his phone when he woke up. The messages were sent in the middle of the night. Gale did not disturb him as it was not urgent. "We''ve got something. We found out who''s working for Matysh. His name is Bill Lewis. We looked into his profile and found out that Bill is the founder of Bloodworth Mob. The mob was founded two years ago, and they''re different from street gangs. They have a stronghold for their mob, and they normally provide services for foreigners," Gale exined to him. Rain walked out of the kitchen with a bowl of fruits in her hands. She said, "Besides, the people in Bloodworth Mob are educated. Other than the fighters, the other members are university graduates. They''re good at othernguages too. That''s why they canmunicate with foreigners and the services they provide are much more expensive than other mobs. Although they hardly own any territory, their financial statements have been stable for the past two years. It''s because those foreigners think that they''ll be taking another risk if others find out what they''re up to. Hence, they prefer to cooperate with Bloodworth Mob. At least they don''t have to look for a trantor." Rain had nothing to dost night. Hence, she looked further into Bill Lewis and the situation of his mob. She identally found out about their financial statements too. "Who''s this Bill Lewis?" Luke asked. He was not too concerned with the mobs and gangs. After all, the local mobs would not dare to get themselves involved with the Crawford family either. Moreover, Luke did not need the mobs to support him. "He''s the son of a rich man. His father was previously a constructor, and he became rich overnight after he won the lottery. Then, his father made a few investments. I have to admit that his father has good insight. He made some money through the investments. Then, he sent Bill to New York to study. After Bill came back here, he did not follow his father''s line. He asked for a sum of money and founded a mob instead. Then, he started to invite those who are knowledgeable and good at fighting to join his mob. A City has be the first International trade metropolis in the country, and he made a lot of money by providing services to foreigners. I continued to look into them and found out that they''re different from the other mobs. They look like they abide by thew and follow the rules. That''s why the police don''t go looking for them," Rainie took a bite of the apple after she finished talking. Chapter 2225 "They''ve never done anything against thew?" Luke raises his brows. He refused to believe it. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "Only seemingly. They''re a bunch of smart people. It''s not that easy to investigate everything about them in a night. Boss, give me some time. I''ll figure it out," said Rain with a smile on her face. She loved digging into the things that people had done behind the scenes and exposing them all. Gale picked up the toothpick as he wanted to grab some fruits for himself, but Rainie stopped him and she said, "These are mine. Go get the fruits yourself if you want some." "You''re stingy." Gale put the toothpick down and looked at Luke, "Boss, are you nning to talk to Bill now?" "Don''t alert them first." Luke decided. Once he looked for Bill, he would alert Matysh too, regardless if they were able to make a deal with Bill. Bill cooperated with the foreigners only because it was easier to make money that way. That also indicated that if Luke paid them money, Bill would turn his back on Matysh and listen to Luke. However, Luke did not intend to cooperate with the mobs. Besides, he was not nning to find out who had more money¡ªhim or Matysh. After all, Marcos could get involved too. "Boss, what''s next?" Gale knew Luke had a better n in mind when he heard him tell them not to alert the enemy. "Bill''s men are following Luca. Ask your men to follow Bill''s men." Luke gave his instruction. He had other ns for Bill. "Understood. But there''s another thing. Matysh told Bill that he''s running out of patiencest night. He wants to pay more so that they can bring Dr. Craw to him as soon as possible." Gale reported to Luke. "Was he in such a hurry?" Luke frowned. "Yes, I heard that too. Charming beauty makes men fall. Boss, you should quickly deal with such a pervert. Tell me, do you want him dead or do you want his private parts cut off? " Rain excitedly made a throat-slitting gesture on her neck, then her lower part of the body. Before Luke could say anything, Gale saw what Rain was up to. He shuddered for a moment and shook his head helplessly. Rain would always get excited whenever she was dealing with perverts. It was as though she could not wait to kill all the perverts in this world. "It depends," replied Luke. Although Marcos had assured him that he could do whatever he liked to Matysh, he had to show some respect to him. If Matysh stopped what he was doing now, Luke would not do anything ruthless to him. However, if Matysh did not take the chance, then Luke would not be kind to him. "Plus, although we found out that Matysh is cooperating with Bill''s men, you''ll still have to eavesdrop on him and see if anyone elsees to look for him," said Luke. He was worried that the organization behind Luca would set eyes on Matysh''s wealth ande looking for him. Then, they would ask Luca to look for him. "Got it, Boss," Gale nodded. "Keep an eye on Pierre too. I need to know who gave him the bidding document," added Luke. Pierre did not mention Luca''s name, and he did not threaten her either. Hence, Luca probably stole the bidding document and handed it to the man who was manipting her. Then, the man sold the bidding document to Pierre. "We''ve been keeping an eye on that bastard," said Rain. If it were not for Luke who told them not toy a finger on him, she would have probably plotted against him. After all, she has seen it for herself how Pierre behaved like an *sshole while they were following him. He treated women like toys. He was the same as the man above. "You''ll have to work hardtely. I appreciate your efforts," said Luke. Gale and Rain had helped him a lot. "Boss, what''s that for? We''re great at our job," replied Gale. They had been doing these when they were on the Ind of Despair. Luke was the one who brought them out. If they were to do other things, they might not be able to do them well. Therefore, the job Luke had assigned them happened to be what they were good at. They did not feel pressured when they were doing this, and they even thought that the job suited them well. Besides, Luke would never let put them in danger. "Yes, Boss. Don''t say something like that. We''d still be puppets manipted by them if it weren''t for you. We''d have no freedom, and we wouldn''t be as rxed as we are now. Our hands would be stained with blood, and we''d have nightmares every night when we sleep." Raine put the fruit bowl aside. What she said was true. Previously, when Luke had not gotten onto the Ind of Despair, Gale and Rain were assigned by Robert to carry out different kinds of missions. Other than getting their hands stained with blood, they did not get to choose what they wanted to do. They were unable to sleep well at night. Although they were on the Ind of Despair, they were afraid of death too. The more they were afraid of it, the more often they would get nightmares. Even though they were famous killers in the organization, they were still able to experience the fear of being manipted by the Ind of Despair. That was why they were grateful and appreciated Luke for saving them from such lives. At least, they were free to do anything they wanted now. Luke would not bother them either. Furthermore, they believed that Luke would not stop them if they wanted to leave. "It''s all in the past. Just tell the hotel staff what you''d like to eat. I''m going back to the office," said Luke. He would never treat those who were capable at their job badly. "Okay, Boss. We''ll get whatever we want," Rain smiled and said. Gale nodded as tried to grab one of Rain''s fruits at the same time. Rain pped the back of his hand without hesitation when she found out that he was trying to steal her fruits. She said, "Did you even listen to me? Just tell the hotel receptionist what you want to eat. Let them bring another bowl of fruit up here. Stop thinking about stealing mine." "Don''t be so stingy. I won''t eat that much." Galeined. "If you can''t finish all, just ask them to bring you a smaller portion." Rain insisted on enjoying the fruits herself. Luke listened to their conversation. He was not worried that the two of them fighting with each other would affect their job. They were professionals. Gale told him that Matysh was having a great nightst night. That was why he was sure Matysh was still in bed. Luke pressed the elevator button. There was a woman standing in the elevator. Luke frowned when he saw the weariness on the woman''s face. He entered the elevator and closed the door. The woman who was in the elevator looked simr to Luca... However, when he looked closely at her, he noticed that her eyes looked simr to Luca''s, but her looks, body, and aura were nothing like Luca''s. Luke stood at the corner of the elevator, keeping a distance from the woman. He was good at judging someone''s character, and he was able to find out what the woman made for a living with just a nce. Chapter 2226 A wave of disgust came over him. Luke figured the woman came out of Matysh''s suite. The reason why he thought so was simple. It was because this woman looked a little like Luca. Only a pervert like Matysh would do such a thing. Luke retracted his gaze. He looked up to see the floor number going down. His mood was gloomy. The scent of the woman''s perfume was so strong that all he wanted was to stay away. The moment Mandy Sanders stepped into the elevator, her eyes were on him. He was handsome, dignified, and very different from other men she had met. Even Matysh, whom she spent the night with, did not have a memorable temperament. Mandy thought that the most important thing when it came to choosing a man was the amount of money they had. However, when she saw Luke, she was more willing to be this man¡¯s sugar mommy. Only the rich would show up at Traders Hotel. After being a socialite in a foreign country for some time, Mandy knew a lot about luxury brands and noticed at a nce that Luke''s clothes were those worn by any ordinary rich second generation. She was addicted to him at first nce... Mandy tucked her hair behind her ears and thought that Luke had his eyes on her the moment she stepped in. Although there was no warmth in his gaze, she felt that the man was curious about her. She was thinking about asking him for his number since she just got back and needed to broaden her network... Just when Mandy mustered the courage to speak to him, the elevator doors opened and Luke walked out of the elevator without any hesitation. Mandy sighed at missing her chance. She looked at him as he walked away and felt like she could not just let it go. Mandy went directly to the front desk to ask, "Hello, I¡¯d like to ask which floor does the gentleman who just walked past stay." The attendant at the front desk smiled and said, "Hello, Miss. We¡¯re not allowed to disclose the information of our guests." Mandy frowned. "Can''t you be amodating? It''s important to me." "Sorry, this is the hotel''s policy." The hotel staff turned down her request. Mandy had no other choice but to leave. When she walked out of the door, she saw a Mercedes-Benz sports car leaving the hotel. Mandy could not help but sigh when she saw the car model. She heard that Matysh came from a rich family and had a family business in Russia. However, she thought that Luke seemed to be worth a lot as well. Sure enough, A City was a ce full of rich men. She had to strategize now that she had decided to stay in A City. She was considering starting a family here. Mandy thought about it and took out her phone to make a call, "Honey, I''m in A City. Where are you now?" The person on the other end of the phone told her about something serious. Mandy was startled. "You''re in the hospital? Why are you in the hospital? Is it serious? Forget it, give me your ward number. I''ll go look for you." After she got to know the ward number, Mandy hung up the phone and stopped a taxi to go to the hospital. As soon as she got in the taxi, Matysh called her. "Where are you? Why were you gone when I woke up?" "Mister, didn''t you say that it was for one night? It''s already daytime..." Mandy said helplessly. Although Matysh was rich, she was not interested in him. She was certain that Matysh would not marry women like her. It was a business transaction for her. Although Matysh was generous, he was not the easiest to deal with. Mandy wanted to keep it one-off as she could not stand him for the longer term. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "This is your job. Do you think it is appropriate to leave without waiting for me to get up?" Matysh was harsh. Mandy frowned. Although she did not n to have him as a client again, she could not afford to offend him. She had no choice but to say, "I''m sorry. You didn''t tell me in advance, so I didn''t think too much of it. It just happened that my friend was hospitalized, so I left. You were still asleep, so I didn''t want to bother you." Matysh was still very dissatisfied. "To hell with the hospital. Come back and apany me. Don''t you want to make some money?" Mandy was in the mood when money was mentioned. Nevertheless, Matysh was a short-term client no matter how she saw it. Her priority at that moment was to maintain some long-term rtionships. Hence, she had to go to the hospital. "Why don''t Ie back to you after I visit my friend?" Matysh hated it when others bargained with him, but he did not seem to have any other choice. After all, there were not many who looked like Luca and couldmunicate in Russian. "Come as soon as possible." He hung up the phone after he said that. Mandy muttered to herself when she heard the busy tone on the other end of the phone. "How annoying. It''s just a little bit of money, tsk..." There were many rich people. If she had not just returned to A City, she might not have taken up Matysh''s offer. After all, her back was sore and felt ufortable. T Corporation. As soon as Luke got to the office, Jason walked in and reported, "Boss, Mr. Marcos'' assistant just called and he mentioned that Mr. Marcos wants to invite you and Tina for supper tonight." "Supper?" Luke raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, that''s what he said. He also said if you''re free, you should give him a reply. He''ll find a ce and let you know," Jason replied. "What''s on my schedule today?" Luke asked. He needed to know what he had to get done that day before deciding whether to agree to Marcos'' invitation. Jason told him about his schedule. "Let him know that we''ll be there. Do inform Tina, and I''ll inform Dr. Craw." Luke agreed although he was curious why Marcos invited them for supper instead of dinner. ''When in Rome, do as the Romans do?'' After all, Russians did not usually go for supper. "Okay," Jason replied, walked out, went back to his office, and grabbed two documents. Jason went into the secretaries'' office with the documents. He did not think too much about it. After he handed the documents to Tina, he said, "Tina, Mr. Marcos wants to invite you to supper tonight, but the location and time have not yet been decided. Will you be free tonight?" The entire secretaries'' office was looking at Tina as soon as he finished speaking. "Mr. Marcos invited me to supper?" Tina frowned. She thought that after that day, she would have nothing to do with Marcos. She was surprised that he suddenly invited her to supper. "He also invited Mr. Crawford and Dr. Craw. What do you think? I have to reply to his assistant now." Jason urged her for an answer. After all, he knew that Luke would be attending for Luca. As such, Tina was the only one that had yet to respond. When Tina heard that Luke and Luca were going as well, she nodded and agreed. "I''ll be there." "Okay, these two documents are urgent. Please prioritize them." After Jason finished his sentence, he turned around and left the secretaries'' office. Chapter 2227 Right after Jason left the secretary room, thedies started gossiping. Cheryl could not help herself and said, "Mr. Marcos is so nice. They just entertained them for a few days at the boss'' order and he invited them for supper? I wonder where they''ll go?" Secretary A immediately continued talking, "The other party is Mr. Marcos. They must be going to a high-end restaurant. Tina is so beautiful. Maybe he wants to confess to her by using the excuse of supper. Imagine if he showed up with flowers and wine! God, she''s so lucky." Cheryl red at Secretary A. "You''re thinking too much. Who would confess to someone during supper? You''re watching too many drama series." Secretary A was annoyed. ''Didn''t she start it?'' She looked at Tina and said, "It''s hard to say, after all. Mr. Marcos is a busy man. It''s possible that he would invite Tina for supper to confess to her. Besides, Mr. Marcos has been here for a while. Maybe he doesn''t want to leave any regrets before he has to leave..." Tina lowered her head to process the documents. She felt helpless and speechless when she heard that they had made up some story. ''We''re all Luke''s secretaries. Why are they acting like brainless women?'' "Didn''t you hear that Mr. Marcos invited the boss and Dr. Craw as well?" She could not help but interrupt their imagination. Secretary A was stunned. Tina sounded quite angry, so Secretary A said quickly, "Tina, don''t mind us. I didn''t think too much about it when I said what I said." "If you''re free, why don''t you go to Mr. Doyle''s office and see if there are any other documents that need to be processed?" Tina frowned as all the others knew was to gossip about her. She had nothing that they needed to be jealous of... They ignored the fact that Luke and Luca were also invited. Their gossip was a bad influence on the others... Tina''s words made Secretary A shut up. Cheryl sneered. Tina pretended not to hear that. She did not bother to pay any attention to Cheryl and walked out of the secretaries'' office with her mug. When Cheryl saw that, she said to Secretary A, "Moving forward, you need to be careful with your words. She''s acting like that because she''s interacted with Marcos. Marcos''pany is working with ours. She''ll only bully us further, so act smart. Don''t say anything that shouldn''t be said. She wants to act innocent, so let her be." Secretary A pursed her lips. ¡®Cheryl was the one that started it. Why was I scolded?'' Sure enough, juniors were the ones who had to take all the me. Secretary B could not help but say, "No way. I think Tina is nice." Cheryl rolled her eyes at her. She could not stand it when someone said something nice about Tina. "How long have you worked here? Don''t be fooled by her appearance." After she said that, everyone in the secretaries'' office kept silent. After work hours. Luca sat in Warren''s car and returned to the vi. She was surrounded by the children as usual. She did not see Nina in the living room so she asked the kids, "Where''s Aunt Nina?" "Aunt Nina is upstairs," Rainie said. "Uncle Percy called her and she didn''t want us to listen, so she went upstairs," Tommy added. Luca nodded. She guessed that Nina had something private to talk to Percy about, so she went upstairs. She put her briefcase aside and said, "I''ll be in the kitchen. Do your homework here. Don''t cause any trouble." "Okay, Ms. Luca." The three children agreed. Luca went into the kitchen to cook. With her help, Aunt Neile quickly had dinner ready when Luke was back. The two worked together to bring the dishes to the table. When she noticed that Nina was not downstairs yet, Luca said to Rainie, "Rainie, go upstairs and tell Aunt Nina that it''s time for dinner." "Okay." Rainie obediently walked out of the dining room and headed upstairs. After she got on the second floor, Rainie saw Nina sitting on the sofa in the living room, video chatting with Percy. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She said, "Aunt Nina, it''s time for dinner. Let''s go downstairs to eat. After dinner, you can continue chatting with Uncle Percy." Nina blushed. Although Rainie did not hear what Percy said to her, she became shy. She red at the person on the other side of the video call and said, "It''s all your fault that Rainie needs toe get me for dinner." "Okay, okay, it''s my fault. It''s because I miss you too much," Percy said dotingly. Nina immediately looked at Rainie. The little girl had covered her ears to show that she was not eavesdropping. "Okay, you cheeky man. I''ll head off for dinner now," Nina said shyly. "Okay, let''s talk after dinner." After Percy finished speaking, Nina hung up the call. She stood up and took Rainie''s hand. "Let''s go and have some dinner, shall we?" Rainie nodded, followed her, and asked curiously, "Aunt Nina, do adults say such silly things when they are in love?" Nina''s cheeks turned even redder... Although Rainie was still a child, Luke''s kids would never be stupid. Nina looked at Rainie''s curious eyes and had no choice but to bite the bullet. She said, "I guess so... Sweet words are like desserts. They make the heart feel warm. The sweet taste fills the stomach. Think about it, if the heart is warmed, won''t it improve the rtionship between two people?" "Yes, I get it now. Thank you, Aunt Nina." Rainie did not continue to ask further questions but remembered Nina''s every word. After they arrived downstairs, the two sat down. Luca handed the soup bowl to them and said, "Have some soup first." "Thank you, thank you. I''ll help myself." Nina was embarrassed. After all, she was a guest. She did not think it was appropriate to have Rainiee get her and Luca to serve her. Luke took a sip of the soup. "Did you talk to Percy just now?" "Yes, I''m his fiancee. Isn''t it normal to call him?" Nina said with a hint of provocation in her tone. When she talked to Percy, she tried to understand why he was standing on Luca''s side. However, Percy said that it was Luca and Luke''s matter, so even if she was curious, he could not tell her. She should hear it from them when they were ready. Nina was speechless. Luke ignored her provocation and asked, "When will Percy be back?" "I don''t know. He only told me to wait for him here toe back." Nina spoke louder when she said the words. Luke raised his eyebrows and said indifferently. "That''s great. Please watch the kids tonight." Nina nced at the kids. She was fine taking care of the kids, but Luke''s order made her feel like being rebellious. "Aren''t they your children?" Chapter 2228 "I have things to do tonight, and so does Luca," replied Luke. Aunt Neile must be tired after working for the whole day. Nina happened to be here. She could look after the kids so that Aunt Neile could get off work on time. Nina narrowed her eyes. She was willing to look after the kids, but she became reluctant once those words came out of Luke''s mouth. If Luca was the one who asked her to help, Nina would be happy to do so. After all, the kids were well- behaved, and it would not be difficult to take care of them. ¡°What are you doing tonight?¡± Nina asked. Luca heard Nina and looked at Luke. Why did she not know that she had something to do tonight? Luke did not look at Nina. Instead, he looked at Luca and exined, ¡°Marcos invited us and Tina for supper tonight.¡± ¡°Oh, Mr. Marcos invited us...¡± Luca nodded, but she had no idea about it before that. "Fine," Nina mumbled in dissatisfaction. Tommy raised his right hand as he would during sses and asked, "Daddy, I''d love to have supper too. Can I go with you?" ¡°No.¡± Luke rejected him heartlessly. ¡°Why?¡± Tommy was unconvinced. Was having supper something only adults could do? "We''ll be talking about work," Luke told him the reason. ¡°Children aren¡¯t allowed to join. Besides, Daddy and Ms. Luca will being homete. You¡¯re a sleepy head. You¡¯ll get sleepy,¡± Lanie added. Lanie and Rainie were often brought along by Luke to attend business dinners when they were young. They knew how boring it was. Lanie and Rainie were not like Tommy, who wanted to follow Luke to business dinners. It was boring! Tommy had no choice but to put his hand down. He pouted and replied, "I''d like to grow up quickly and be an adult. That way, I can have lots of suppers too." Luca leaned against him on his back and listened to him. She could not help but titter at his words. Children were always looking forward to growing up when they were young, but when they grew up, they would realize that being a child was way better. Luca asked for nothing and only hoped that Luke could have a bright future and live a peaceful life, while the kids could grow up happily and healthily. That way, all the suffering that she went through would be worth it. After Tommy stopped making a fuss, Lanie looked at Nina and called her, ¡°Ms. Nina." ¡°Yes? What''s the matter?" Nina looked at Lanie''s handsome face. People always said that a son usually resembled his mother, but Luke''s genes were stronger, so Lanie resembled him a lot. Although Nina was not a big fan of Luke, she was still fond of Lanie. After all, who would not like a good and obedient child? ¡°Please take care of my brotherter," said Lanie politely. Tommy was the one who needed someone to look after him the most. Lanie and Rainie were well-disciplined. They always followed their schedule and they knew what to do. ¡°Okay. I owe your father and you too." Nina smiled and agreed to it. After dinner, it was almost time to go out. Luke brought Luca along with him, and they left the house together. When they were in the car, Luca asked, ¡°Mr. Crawford, where''s the ce Mr. Marcos invited us to?" Luke set the navigation, nced at the destination, and replied, ¡°Uncle Roger''s food stall." "Uncle Roger''s... food stall?" Luca was slightly surprised. She thought Marcos would invite her to a fancy restaurant for supper. She did not expect it to be a food stall. Luca had heard about Uncle Roger''s food stall before. The owner came from another city, and his business there was booming. His children came to A City to further their studies, so the whole family moved here and opened another food stall. The food was so good and the locals loved it. However, no matter how good the food was, it was iparable to the environment in fancy restaurants. That was why she was surprised Marcos would choose to have supper at a food stall. Luke could see that Luca was surprised, so he said, ¡°I heard that Tina and you have been looking for restaurants that serve authentic local specialties when you were entertaining them." "Yes. Mr. Marcos was interested in the local specialties here. After Tina found out about it, she started to make arrangements. Not only was he interested in local specialties, but he was also interested in the old tourist attractions and buildings here," answered Luca. After Luca was reminded about it, it came to her that it was understandable that Marcos invited them to have supper at a food stall. ¡°Yes. Tina reported it to me," said Luke. Tina would report to him about Marcos'' schedule every day. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Although the ces Tina arranged were a little humble, most of them were Marcos'' requests. That was why he did not say anything about it. It was until Marcos asked him to help him to look for his mother that Luke knew the ces Marcos went had something to do with his parents. Luca gently nodded. She was not surprised at all. After all, Tina was attentive and responsible. Hence, she would report everything to Luke in detail. After that, they arrived near Uncle Roger''s food stall. The parking lots were limited, so Luke found a parking space nearby within a kilometer from the food stall. Luca climbed out of the car and looked at the few luxury cars that were parked there. She knew they all came for the famous food stall. It was a food stall, after all. The prices of the dishes were affordable. Even though the business was good, the owner would make less if he chose a better location that cost a higher rental fee. That was why the location of the food stall was considered remote, and the location was not ideal for business. However, it was fortunate that the food stall was famous and they were always full of customers. Still, it seemed to be putting those who drove here with a sedan car in a difficult position, just like Luke. They had to park their car a kilometer away from the food stall and walk there. Although the snow had stopped falling, it was still cold out there. Luca headed to the sidewalk and waited for Luke to get out of the car. It was icy-cold, and Luca rubbed her hands. Luke got out of the car carrying a big coat in his hands. He walked toward Luca, draped the coat over her shoulders, and said, "It''s cold. Put it on." Luca was wearing a coat, but she did not expect Marcos to invite them to a food stall. Hence, the coat she wore could only keep her warm for a while on such a cold night. After all, she thought they would be meeting in a restaurant and there were heaters in the restaurant. Even though there were heaters at the food stall, the coat she put on was still not warm enough. Fortunately, Luke came prepared... "Mr. Crawford, what about you.." Luca wondered if he could keep himself warm if he gave her the coat. "I''m warm," said Luke. He chose to put on something that could keep him warm after he knew where Marcos invited them to. Luca nced at the coat he wore and looked at the men''s coat draped over her shoulder. The long coat had almost reached her leg calves. Luke held her hand and said, "Let''s go. Marcos and Tina are already here." "Okay," Luca thought of pulling her hand away, but Luke gripped it so tightly that she would not be able to withdraw her hand without using some of her strength. However, it seemed like Luke did not want her to pull her hand away. Luca had no choice but to let him hold her hand. Uncle Roger''s food stall was located beside a twone road. Hence, it was easier to walk on the road. When the two of them arrived at the food stall, they saw Tina waving at them. She said, "Boss, Dr. Craw, we''re here." Chapter 2229 Marcos and Andy, the two foreign people, were sitting at the table. Even if Tina did not wave at them, they were able to see where they were sitting with just a nce. Luke held Luca''s hand and walked toward them. Then, they sat on the humble-looking red-colored stic chairs. Tina saw the two of them were holding hands, and she also noticed that the coat draped over Luca''s shoulders was a men''s coat. Even so, she did not say anything. It was as though she did not see it. After the two of them sat down, Marcos smiled and handed the menu to Luke. ¡°Mr. Crawford, here''s the menu." Luke nced at the paper clipped onto the menu. They had already ced their orders, and they had ordered many dishes. Luke did not choose anything. Instead, he lowered his head and asked Luca, "Is there anything you''d like to eat?" "These will be fine..." Luca replied and shook her head. She did not have the habit of eating supper at night, and she was not feeling hungry after having dinner. Luke put the menu down on the table when he heard Luca say that, then he said, "Mr. Marcos, these will be enough." "Mr. Crawford, don''t be shy. Ms. Tina rmended these dishes to us. These are the signatures and they taste good," replied Marcos. He picked up the cup of tea and took a sip of the warm tea. The tea leaves they used to make tea were of poor quality, but drinking such tea at the food stall was kind of interesting. Marcos liked living in a metropolis like A City. It had the prosperity and bright lights of a big city with old memories hidden in street alleys. All sorts of people would be able to find suitable ces for them to spend their time there. It was different from the capital of Russia. "I believe in what Tina says," replied Luke. He had no otherments on the dishes she ordered. Luca was amazed while listening to the conversation between them. After all, one of them was Luke Crawford, while the other one was Marcos Abaza. They were big shots in the business world, but they did not feel out of ce when they were sitting at a food stall beside the road. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. It was the winter season now. There were no tables or chairs outside the food stall. Hence, there were only a few tables in the shop. The old air conditioner kept blowing out warm air, but as people were going in and out of the shop, it could not actually be considered warm inside. However, Luca felt warm because she had Luke''s coat on her. Marcos turned to look at Luca and suddenly asked, ¡°Ms. Craw, have you been okay for the past few days?" "I''m fine," Luca replied with a faint smile on her face. She knew exactly why Marcos asked her that question. It was because of Matysh... Luca was not afraid of him. No matter how many people Matysh had on his side, she felt assured as long as Luke was beside her. It was probably because Luca trusted him, but Luca thought that it was not something bad either. Marcos noticed that Luca''s gaze had fallen on Luke for a moment when she was answering his question. There was a faint smile on Marcos'' face. He thought it was interesting. Luke had a wife, but the woman standing beside him was not his wife. At least, she lookedpletely different from the photo shown on the information he received. Marcos acknowledged himself as a person with a sensible and good outlook on life. Although his reaction was not as extreme when they were talking about topics such as mistresses and affairs, he was not impressed with married men who fooled around with other women. Usually, he would not work with men like them. He would feel disgusted when he saw these men interacting with their mistresses. However, Marcos did not feel disgusted when he saw Luke and Luca. It was as though he was looking at a true couple. There was nothing secretive going on between them. Luca noticed that Marcos was shifting his gaze from her to Luke and back to her. She could not help but ask, "I wonder why you invited us out for supper this time, Mr. Marcos?" Marcos grinned. His blue eyes were gleaming under the lights of the food stall. Then, he said, "I''m going back to Russia in two days. So, I wanted to treat everyone to a meal before I leave. I appreciate everything you''ve arranged for me while I''m here." Luca was surprised. Marcos was going back, so Matysh. Marcos seemed to read Luca''s mind, so he continued, "I''m going back alone." Luca was a little disappointed. Marcos was going back, but Matysh would still be here. The threat had not been gotten rid of yet. Luca felt troubled. What was so good about her that made her get into such trouble so often? Furthermore, it seemed like Luke was involved too. She looked at Marcos, then nced at Luke. It seemed like they were on good terms. She had no idea what they had discussed before this. How could they be so friendly with each other. "You''re leaving?" Luke was a little surprised. He thought Marcos would be staying here for a few more days. Although he had already sent his men to look for Marcos'' mother, it was not easy to find someone who had been missing for more than 20 years. That was why there was no news about her. Fortunately, Marcos'' mother was Russian. There were only a few foreign people who stayed in A City 20 years ago. Luke believed that there would be news about his mother soon. "There''s tons of work that I have to handle back home. I''m d you can help me with the affairs here. I don''t have to worry about that. That''s why I have to go back and deal with the matters there. Besides, things will be much more difficult for you if I''m here," replied Marcos. Tina listened to their conversation, and she knew there was something that she should not know about. She quickly rose to her feet and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, Mr. Marcos, may I know what you''d like to drink? Let me get the drinks for you.¡± "Mr. Crawford, would you like to have beer? I heard that the beer sold in food stalls tastes different. Drinking beer with some side dishes sounds like a great idea," Marcos asked. "Sure," replied Luke. Since Luca came with him, she could drive even if he drank a little. If Luca refused to drive, he could call a designated driver too. Marcos smiled and said to Luca, "Ms. Tina, we''ll have beer, then. Ms. Luca, feel free to drink anything you like." "I''m fine with water," Luca said to Tina. Tina nodded and ordered a few cans of beer at room temperature. After Tina left, Marcos spoke in Russian, "Mr. Crawford, your employees are outstanding." "So are yours," Luke replied in Russian. "If you confirm that you''re leaving and Matysh will be alone here, I''m going to do what we discussed earlier." "Things will be easier for you once I leave. Besides, if something happens to him when I''m still here, I''m the one who''ll get med for it." There was a sinister trace lurking in Marcos'' eyes. Hatred had been growing in his heart ever since he read his mother''s handwritten letter. It was the hatred he had for Matysh and his family. That was why he allowed Luke to do whatever he wanted to Matysh. He did not think it was a problem even if Matysh''s dead body ended uping back to Russia. Hatred could blind his eyes and drown the kinship that was left in his heart. Chapter 2230 After supper, Luca and Luke left together. Luke had drunk some beer, so Luca was the one who drove the car. Marcos and Andy got into Lliam''s car. Marcos leaned back on the chair to rest after drinking a few cans of beer. Andy picked up his phone and nced at it, then reported to Marcos, ¡°Boss, everyone in thepany already knows that you''ll be going back soon." "Okay." Marcos kept his eyes closed. That would mean Matysh also knew about it. There had always been the old master''s and Matysh''s subordinates in thepany. The purpose of doing that was simple. It was to keep an eye on Marcos and to see if he had any motive fo taking over thepany. Marcos thought it was nothing even though these people were watching him. After all, everything he did was for the sake of thepany. Hence, he had never done anything wrong to this family and the company. No matter how they watched him and reported everything he did, it would not affect him either. However, now... The gloominess in Marcos'' eyes was building up. Although there was hatred in his heart, he was not nning to fire all those men who were keeping an eye on him. He would alert his enemies if he did that. Keeping those people in thepany might make it hard for him to do his things and it would be inconvenient for him to carry out his ns, but he could use them. It was just like now. It had only been five minutes since Andy reported to Marcos when Marcos'' phone vibrated at this moment. Marcos opened his eyes. There was a mysterious trace of an enigma in his eyes. He looked at his phone and answered the call. "What''s the matter?" "Where have you been?" Matysh frowned with one of his hands around Mandy''s waist, while the other hand held his phone. "I''m still outside. I was hungry, so I came out to get supper." Marcos stared deeply outside the window as the city lights, which were reflected in his eyes. He had never hated someone so much in his life. Matysh... Marcos swore that he would make Matysh pay the price for what he did before. Matysh was unhappy, and he spoke in amanding voice, ¡°I want you back in the hotel now." "That''ll take 20 minutes," Marcos'' tone was calm as usual. However, it sounded much colder and more distant than before. Still, Matysh did not care about Marcos. That was why he did not notice the changes in his tone. ¡°Hurry up." Matysh hung up the call impatiently. Mandy could sense that Matysh was angry through his tone. She had no idea what happened to him. He flew into a rage after making a call. It was terrifying. Mandy was smart enough not to ask anything about it. As she watched Matysh pick up his cigar, she picked up the lighter and fell into his arms. She helped him to light the cigar. On the other hand. Marcos put down his phone. Andy asked, "Boss, was it Mr. Matysh who called?" "Yes," Marcos nodded. The reason he asked Andy to spread the news was to let Matysh and the old master know about it in advance. Marcos needed to head back to work, and that was why he had to return to Russia. Andy remained silent. Even though Andy did not ce his ear near the phone, he could still sense that Matysh was furious. Why was he mad? It was because he would be alone here if Marcos went back. No one would be there to help him run his errands. Matysh had always been treated like a king when he was in Russia. He had maids and servants to help him do everything at home. Now that Marcos was going back, there were so many things Matysh had yet to get used to. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. That was why he lost his temper. Andy secretly felt sorry for Marcos. He had been helping his enemy to do things the entire time. He might seem calm now, but. There was a raging storm in his heart. Lliam brought them back to the hotel safely. Marcos did not return to his suite. He headed to Matysh''s suite and pressed the doorbell. A woman came to open the door. Marcos frowned when he saw the woman''s face. The woman had a pair of eyes that looked like Luca''s. Andy, who was standing behind Marcos, said, "Boss, she''s Mr. Matysh''s guest. She was here yesterday too.." The so-called guest he meant was the courtesan. Marcos knew it deep in his heart. However, judging from Matysh''s personality, he would find different courtesans every day. He never slept with the same woman. He would not sleep with the same woman no matter how beautiful the courtesan was. Those who could stay by his side long enough had never worked as courtesans before. Marcos looked at the woman in front of him, thinking how interesting it was. He could see how much Matysh wanted Luca. Let Matysh have such thoughts in his mind. The greater his greed was, the harder he would fall. ¡°Who are you looking for?" The moment Mandy saw Marcos, her eyes brightened up. This man was so good-looking. He was young and ssy. She was fond of such men. "I''m looking for someone inside," replied Marcos. The woman in front of him was looking at him with greedy eyes. He did not like the way she looked at him, but he thought it was good that this kind of woman approached Matysh. After all, the greedier the woman was, the more she could push Matysh into the dark abyss. It was just that this woman looked like Luca. Hence, he had to remind Luke that the yearning Matysh felt for Luca was exceptionally strong to the point that he even found himself a substitute. "Oh, you came to see Mr. Matysh. He went to get a bottle of wine. Come in." Mandy pushed the door open and watched Marcos walk into the suite. Matysh walked out carrying a bottle of red wine in his hands. He frowned and asked when he saw Marcos, "I heard that you''re going back to Russia soon?" "Yes. I''ll probably leave tomorrow or the day after," answered Marcos. He stood there, not nning to take a seat. He refused to sit in the ces Matysh had sat before. It was dirty to him. Mandy''s eyes brightened when she heard their conversation. Matysh was Marcos'' uncle! That would mean Marcos had a share of Matysh''s wealth. It was a pity that such a handsome man would not be staying here any longer. She would not have the chance to get to know him more. She had already missed the chance this morning. Matysh did not say anything when Marcos refused to sit down. He frowned and asked, "What am I supposed to do here when you''re back there?" "I''ve already made arrangements for your suite with the hotel staff. I''ll be covering all the expenses. If there''s anything you need, just call the hotel staff to get it for you. Besides, I''ve already found you a chauffeur who knows how to speak Russian. He''ll stay put at the hotel so that he''ll always be ready to give you a ride whenever you need one," Marcos exined that he already had everything arranged. Matysh was dissatisfied and asked, "What about the previous chauffeur?" Changing a chauffeur meant changing another vehicle. He would not be able to get to sit in that Rolls- Royce anymore. Matysh was unwilling to change the chauffeur because he thought only such a luxurious car was good enough for his honorable status. "That chauffeur works for T Corporation. They only assigned him to me for a few days during my stay here. I''m leaving soon, so the chauffeur will have to go back and report to his own boss," exined Marcos. Chapter 2231 Matysh knew Luke was the one who sent the car, but he was unhappy with Marcos'' exnation. ¡°No way. Tell that kid that I want the chauffeur to follow me around," Matysh said in an overbearing manner. He was unconcerned that his target was Luca and she had something going on with Luke. Bill would take care of it, after all. Marcos knew why Matysh did not agree to his arrangements and said, "The chauffeur I''ve hired drives a Rolls-Royce too." As a big city with a booming economy, A City had never been short of wealthy people. That was why it was easy to rent a Rolls-Royce here. Mandy, who was listening to their conversation, was secretly surprised. How easy it was for them to rent a Rolls-Royce. It seemed like her Russian friend was right. Matysh''s family was rich. It was a pity that she could never have the chance to marry into such a wealthy family. She could only seize the chance to curry favor with Matysh. Matysh frowned. He wanted to throw a tantrum, but Marcos'' arrangements were perfect for him. He had no reason to be mad at him. "Miss, those eyes of yours look familiar to me^" Marcos'' gaze fell on Mandy. Mandy stood up straight and held her head up high. She even tucked her hair behind her ears. Her heart skipped a beat when the man''s gaze fell on her. "That''s just your imagination. Is there anything you want to tell me?" Matysh said impatiently. "No. I''m going back to pack my stuff." Marcos refused to stay for another second here. He hated the strong smell of the perfume on Mandy''s body. "Get lost. Stop bothering me," Matysh took a sip of the red wine with a dissatisfied look on his face. Marcos turned around and left without looking at Mandy. Mandy could not help but step forward, looking at his tall figure from behind. Matysh noticed Mandy''s gestures, then he frowned and asked, "What are you doing?" Mandy came back to her senses. She knew that Matysh was a ruthless man, so she dared not to admit that she was charmed by Marcos. She exined, "I''m going to close the door." Matysh did not say a word. Marcos left the suite, and Mandy quickly closed the door. She headed to the sofa, sat down, and snuggled up to Matysh. Then, she asked, ¡°Mr. Matysh, was he your nephew?" ¡°No," Matysh denied it. Mandy was startled for a moment, then asked, ¡°But I heard him calling you Uncle?" Although Mandy could not speak Russian, she could understand thenguage. After all, she had lived abroad for some time and could understand a fewnguages. However, she sounded weird when she spoke foreignnguages. That was why she seldom spoke in othernguages. Matysh narrowed his eyes and asked, ¡°You can understand Russian?" ¡°Yes, but I don''t know how to speak Russian. I know a lot of people..." Mandy spoke in a whiny manner. ¡°He has the blood of a lowlife in him and doesn''t deserve to be my nephew," Matysh said disdainfully. Marcos was nothing but a tool to his family. He did not deserve to be acknowledged. Mandy''s brows slightly furrowed. Why did it sound like things were way moreplicated than it was? At the same time, Marcos heard what Matysh said. Andy had heard it clearly as well as Marcos did not put on the earphones this time. He was worried as he looked at his boss, ¡°Boss." ¡°It''s nothing," replied Marcos. He slowly turned off the bugging device and returned to his bedroom. Matysh said that he had the blood of a lowlife in him. However, Matysh had inappropriate ideas toward his mother before. How dare he call her a lowlife. The day woulde when he would make them regret everything that they had done in the past. Andy watched his boss from behind and shook his head helplessly. Marcos had been enduring all these alone ever since. He truly hoped that someone could stand by Marcos'' side and keep him company. That way, he would not look lonely. "Andy," Marcos suddenly called his name. ¡°Boss, is there anything you need?" Andy immediately asked. ¡°Tell Luke about Matysh and the woman he invited to his suite who looks like Luca," Marcos instructed. ¡°Yes, Boss." Andy picked up his phone and immediately made a call. Luca drove back to the vi, parked the car, and got out of the car together with Luke. Although Luke enjoyed drinking with Marcos, he did not drink a lot. He did not need anyone to help him stand. Aunt Neile left the garden''s lights on as the two of them had gone out. It gave off an entirely different atmosphere to see the pale yellow lights on the white snow. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Luke slightly frowned. Luca thought it was because Luke had been drinking too much and that was why he felt ufortable. She asked in a soft voice, ¡°Mr. Crawford, are you feeling ufortable?" ¡°No. It''s just that I didn''t feel anything when I was drinking the beer. But I can smell the alcohol now and it''s disgusting," Luke frowned and exined. The beer was not expensive, but he enjoyed drinking it with Marcos and did not think much about it. He did not expect that he could not get used to the smell of it. ¡°You don''t usually drink beer. Let me make you some tea to relieve your difort," said Luca as she walked into the house together with him. It was warm in the house. Luca slightly narrowed her eyes, helped Luke to take off his coat, and hung it on the coat rack. After that, she took her coat off. Luke saw her gestures and imitated her. Luca did not say anything. She headed straight to the kitchen and prepared the tea for Luke. It warmed Luke''s heart when he saw Luca walk into the kitchen to prepare the tea for him. He sat down on the sofa and waited for her to finish preparing the tea. They would head upstairs together after he drank it. A message notification ringtone rang right after Luke sat down. Luke nced at his phone. It was a message from Andy. Andy told him that Matysh had found a courtesan who looked like Luca to keep himpany. [Noted.] Luke put his phone aside after replying to him with a simple message. What Andy told him reminded him of the woman he met in the elevator today. It was indeed Matysh who found that woman. She was a substitute to rece Luca. It looked like Matysh was deeply obsessed with Luca. Luke''s gaze darkened. He was unhappy to know that there was a man who had inappropriate ideas toward his woman. Perhaps he did not have to wait for Matysh to make his move after Marcos left. He should deal with him right away. After all, it was considered helping Marcos too... To be precise, Marcos owed him a favor. Although Marcos was well-mannered in front of the others, Luke knew they were the same kind of people. They would never let others hurt those who mattered to them and get away with it easily. Merciless was the right word to describe them when they sought revenge for their loved ones. Luca brought the tea out and saw Luke sitting on the sofa. A shadow was cast upon him under the dimly lit lights. She blinked her eyes, and she had this feeling that Luke was nning something evil. She walked toward him, ced the cup of tea on the coffee table, and said, "Mr. Crawford, tea is ready." Chapter 2232 The cup of tea ced in front of Luke smelled good. Luke knew the churning alcohol smell in his stomach would stop once he drank it. However, he was not in a hurry. Instead, he patted the seat beside him and said, ¡°Take a seat." Luca noticed that Luke had something to tell her. Hence, she sat down on another sofa. It waste at night. Nina and the kids were already in bed, and it was quiet. However, she still kept a suitable distance away from Luke. Luke did not force her to sit beside him. Her nerves would be on edge as long as Nina was still around. "Matysh found a woman to apany him. And that woman has a pair of eyes that look like yours," said Luke. Luca looked down, feeling helpless. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. It was not a good thing. That would only show how much Matysh desired and wanted Luca. She replied in a soft voice, "Okay." "If something happens to you, don''t hide it from me. You have to tell me. Although he''s not a local, he approached a criminal organization for help. That''s why it''s not easy to deal with him," Luke reminded her with a solemn look on his face. If he had been more careful and determined back then, Luca would not have ended up in this situation today. Therefore, Luke could not bear the pain of losing her again. Luke''s voice was stern and serious as he was trying to let her know how serious the matter was. Luca nodded and replied, "Don''t worry. I''m not a child. I know I can''t solve this all by myself. I''ll never hide anything from you." Luke let out a sigh of relief. He was unable to take the weight off his mind whenever it was something rted to Luca. Fortunately, Luca had given him her word. The tension in his heart was relieved a little. Luca shot a nce at the cup of tea that had almost cooled down and reminded him in a soft voice, "Mr. Crawford, drink the tea while it''s still warm. It won''t be that effective once it gets cold." Luke picked up the cup of tea and gulped it down. The warmth of the tea flowed into his stomach, warming up his heart too. Although it did not produce an immediate effect, Luke felt much better. After Luke finished drinking the tea, he ced the cup on the coffee table and nced at the time. It was gettingte. "Let''s go upstairs, clean ourselves up, and get some rest. Aunt Neile will clean up tomorrow," said Luke. ¡°Okay," Luca nodded. The two of them made their way up the stairs. It was quiet on the second floor. Nina and the kids had fallen asleep. They tiptoed their way to the bedroom when they reached the second floor. Although Luke had moved some of his toiletries to Luca''s bedroom this morning, his clothes were still in his room. Hence, he did not follow Luca back to her bedroom and returned to his bedroom first. Luca walked into her bedroom. She turned on the lights and unconsciously looked at the bed, only to realize that Aunt Neile had changed Luke''s pillowcase so that it was the same as hers when she cleaned up her room today. The pillow''s color no longer looked odd in her room. It was as though it was supposed to be in her bedroom. Luca''s face was slightly burning. That would only mean Aunt Neile had already found out about them... Luca closed the door. She was not worried that Aunt Neile would report it to Old Master Crawford. After all, Old Master Crawford had been using different methods such as giving her herbal tea and tonic to fix her up with Luke. If Old Master Crawford found out about it, he would not be mad. He would be happy to hear it. However. Luca looked at the color of the pillowcases which were the same as her bed sheet. She wondered how much Old Master Crawford knew about her and Luke. Why would he agree and why would he even have the thought of bringing her and Luke together? The old master had always kept an upright outlook on life, and family values were very important to him. He would never allow the younger generation to fool around with others after getting married. Although he adored Luke, his perspective on such matters was the same. That was why Luca was unable to figure it out. She took out a set of pajamas from her closet and walked into the bathroom. Luca was nning to wash her hair today. She remained in the bathroom for a while after taking a shower. After she dried her hair and did a hair treatment, she walked out of the bathroom. Then, she realized that Luke was already sitting on her bed, reading the book he was reading yesterday. Luca knew Luke would sit there and sleep with her regardless of how hard she tried to get him out of the bedroom. Thus, she did not say anything. She secretly prayed that Nina would not find out about them tomorrow. Luca did not get onto the bed. Instead, she sat on the dressing chair and began to slowly apply her skincare products on her face. The weather was cold, and the air was dry. If she did not apply skincare on her face, her skin would not be able to stand the dryness in the air. Previously, when she was on the Ind of Despair, the skincare she applied was made by Shanks. Even though she knew the recipe, she hardly had any time to make it herself after getting out of the ind. That was why she could only buy some skincare products for herself. Of course, the ones she bought outside were not as good as the ones she made. Luca took her time, and Luke did not rush her either. He turned the pages while waiting for her. No matter how slowly her skin absorbed the skincare, her skin would eventually absorb itpletely. Luca had no choice but to stand up and walk to the other side of the bed. She lifted the nket and said, "Mr. Crawford, I''m going to sleep first." "Don''t you find it strange?" Luke closed his book. After he watched hery down on the bed, he leaned over on the bed and said in a low voice. "What?" Luca was surprised, and she could not understand what he meant at that moment. Luke toyed with her hair. She had just washed it. Her hair was much smoother than it was this morning. Her hair would fall straight when he coiled her hair with his fingers. It was just like her. He was lying right next to her now, but it was as though he did not truly have her. He even had this feeling that she was uncatchable. "There''s only the two of us in this bedroom, but the way you''re calling me makes me feel like we''re in the office," Luke''s deep voice carried a hint of huskiness. His fingers continued to toy with her hair. Luca felt a numb feeling going down her spine. What Luke said forced her to open her eyes and look at the man in front of him. "Mr. Crawford." Her voice sounded a little hoarse too. "We''re not in the office or thepany. There''s no one else here," Lukeined with dissatisfaction as he ran his fingers through her hair. Hebed her hair for her. Luca fell silent. What else could she address him other than Mr. Crawford? Besides, did she have the privilege to do so? Luke replied with patience, "Call my name.." "L-Luke," Luca paused for a moment and called his name. Luke was still unhappy with it. The way she called him sounded distant, but it sounded much better than Mr. Crawford. Luke knew he should not be in a hurry. He had to slowly guide her and let her get used to it. Therefore, he nodded and said, "That sounds much better. Keep in mind that you''re not allowed to address me as Mr. Crawford when there''s no one else. Otherwise..." There was a hint of affection in his voice in thest few words he uttered, and he also gave her a warning. Luca had heard this tone before. She was still Bianca back then. If she refused to listen to him, he would make it difficult for her to get out of bed the next day. Luca''s face reddened when she recalled the intimacy they shared back then. She leaned over to the other side, turned her back to him, and said, "It''ste. Let''s call it a night. Good night." Chapter 2233 Luke smiled when he looked at Luca from behind. She was trying to avoid him. He turned off the lights andy down on the bed. There was a wave of warmth on Luca''s waist as Luke wrapped his arms around her. He said, "Good night." It was as though his deep and husky voice was expressing his gentleness. ¡®Good night..'' Luca muttered in her heart and quietly closed her eyes. Luca never had any problems with sleeping when Luke was by her side. She could sleep through the night. The following day. Luke had already gotten out of bed when Luca woke up in the morning. She sat up on the bed and listened carefully to her surroundings. No noises wereing from the bathroom. It looked like Luke had already left. Luca touched the mattress beside her. It was still warm. Luke had cuddled with herst night. The warmth on Luke''s body made her feel like her body was on fire. Luca was not overwhelmed by the warmth she feltst night. The uneasiness in her reminded her that she should not fall for it. After all, she might be forced to leave Luke at any moment. After Luca cleaned herself up, she walked out of the bedroom. She noticed that Luke''s bedroom door was left ajar. She nced at the room and happened to see Luke sitting behind his desk, busy handling the documents. It was probably because they had supperst night, so Luke did not get to finish his work. Luca slightly furrowed her brows. She fell deeply asleepst night, and she did not even notice what time Luke woke up to work. Luke could sense that Luca was staring at him and looked up. The moment their gazes met, there was a faint smile on his lips. He said, ¡°Good morning.¡± ¡°Good morning..." Luca paused for a moment. "I''m going downstairs to prepare breakfast." Although Luca slept wellst night, she woke up early. The kids were still in bed at this time, and Aunt Neile must be preparing breakfast downstairs. Luca shifted her gaze away and made her way down the stairs. Aunt Neile was busy making breakfast in the kitchen. Luca walked into the kitchen. When she was about to put on the apron and help Aunt Neile, her phone rang. She took her phone out of her pocket and noticed that it was Queenie calling her. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Luca''s heart skipped a beat. Something must have happened if Queenie was calling at this hour. "Aunt Neile, let me answer this call first," Luca said to Aunt Neile as she headed out. ¡°Okay, Ms. Craw. Go ahead." Aunt Neile took a quick look behind her and noticed that color was draining from Luca''s face. Luca trotted out of the kitchen and answered the call. "Good morning, Mrs. Norman. Why are you calling me early in the morning?" Queenie''s anxious voice came from the other side of the line as she said, "Oh, Luca. I''m sorry to bother you early in the morning. There''s something I need you to help me with." "Mrs. Norman, do tell." Luca tensed up when she heard Queenie sound so anxious. She replied immediately. "It''s Leia. She had a shock earlier before dawn. Her condition stabilized after the doctor rescued her, but..." Queenie sobbed. She could not utter thest few words at the end of the sentence. "What did the doctor say?" Luca frowned. If it was about Leia''s condition. It was also something Luca was worried about. After all, she was not by Queenie''s side now. Leia was her only emotional support. If anything happened to Leia, Luca was worried that Queenie would go down the wrong path. If that happened, it would bring the Norman family a disastrous series of events. After all, Jack was holding an important position in government now. His position was so high that it was easy to arouse the jealousy and attention of others. Once Queenie stepped on the wrong path, they might immediately get exposed. That was why Luca was worried if something had happened to Leia. "The doctor told me that Leia''s condition is getting worse every day. But there are limited liver donors in the country and she''s still on the waiting list. Based on her situation now, I''m not sure if she can wait until. The doctor said that although there are more liver donors abroad, Leia can''t travel on a ne because of her current situation. Luca, you''re the only one who can help her." Queenie sobbed. Luca frowned. Help? How was she going to help her? Leia was adopted. Everyone in the Norman family, including her, had different blood types from Leia. "Mrs. Norman, calm down. What I can do for you.." Luca softened her voice andforted her. Queenie took a deep breath and looked at Leia, who was surrounded by medical equipment in the ward. If Leia was not that stubborn, she would not have ended up in such a situation now. The doctor said that Leia''s condition had worsened too quickly, and it was Leia who asked for it. Queenie felt helpless when she heard what the doctor told her, but keeping Leia alive was her priority now. "The doctor who rescued Leiast night was Dr. Park. He said that you know how to perform dry needling. It might work on Leia. Luca, I beg you, please help Leia. I have only one daughter left now. I can''t just watch her die." Queenie begged. Queenie knew Luca had sensed that she was distancing herself from her because of Luke. Now, Queenie had to swallow her pride to ask for Luca''s help. She was worried that Luca would reject her. ¡°Is Ms. Norman relying on life support equipment to survive?" Luca asked. ¡°Yes, Dr. Park got her hooked up to the equipment sincest night. He said we''ll have to wait until her condition has stabilized the next day. After that, he''ll remove the equipment," Queenie sniffed. "There''s nothing I can do if she''s still depending on the life support equipment. How about this? I''ll go over thereter. I''ll need another two hours. Everything will be okay. The doctor is looking after her, so Ms. Norman will be fine." Lucaforted Queenie. She was worried that Queenie would get confused and her health would be affected. "Okay. I''ll be waiting at the hospital," replied Queenie. It all happened so suddenly, and the hospital even issued a notice of critical illness for her. That was why Queenie and Jack went to the hospital together. Jack was buying breakfast for her downstairs. "Don''t worry. Dr. Park is an experienced and skilled doctor." Luca ended the call afterforting her. She was no longer in the mood to help Aunt Neile to prepare breakfast. She walked into the kitchen and said to Aunt Neile, "Aunt Neile, can you please make me a cup of coffee?" "You''re having coffee today? Not milk?" Aunt asked surprisingly. "No," replied Luca as she shook her head. Although she had enough restst night, she needed to concentrate to handle Leia''s situation. After Luca informed Aunt Neile, she sent a message to Johann to ask him how Leia''s condition was now. Johann was the one who rescued Leia, after all. He should know her current condition. Aunt Neile had finished preparing breakfast while Luca was still busy texting Johann. Lanie and the others were awake and they came downstairs. Nina followed right after the kids. She was surprised to see Luca sitting alone in the living room. Where was Luke? "Breakfast is ready. You can have your breakfast now," said Aunt Neile. Luca got to know Leia''s current condition after chatting with Johann. She kept her phone and rose to her feet. Aunt Neile noticed that Luke had note down yet. She turned to look at Luca and asked, "Ms. Craw, is Mr. Crawford still in bed?" Chapter 2234 As soon as Aunt Neile finished her sentence, everyone in the dining room turned to look at Luca. Luca felt helpless for being in the spotlight. Aunt Neile had entered their bedroom and cleaned it up. Of course, she knew that Luke''s pillow was not in his own bedroom anymore and had been moved to her bedroom instead. Luca helped herself with a croissant, trying to look nonchnt as she exined, ¡°Mr. Crawford woke up early. He''s working in his bedroom. Aunt Neile, can you please bring breakfast upstairs?" Aunt Neile nodded, turned around, and strolled into the kitchen. After a while, she carried a tray that held the breakfast and a cup of coffee. She brought it upstairs for Luke. Nina, who was sitting at the dining table, shifted her gaze and ate her breakfast as though nothing had happened. The three kids were looking at Luca. The kids went to bed earlyst night and woke upte this morning. They had no idea Luke had been sleeping in Luca''s bedroom for the past few days. Luca cleared her throat when she noticed that the kids were staring at her. She said, "Hurry up and finish your breakfast. The weather forecast said that there''ll be heavy snow today. Finish your breakfast so that you can get to school earlier." "Okay." The three kids had their own thoughts. Although they did not wilfullyugh or grin, it was not difficult to see the curves on the corner of their lips. Nina could see the smiles on their faces. She felt helpless as there was nothing she could do. If Bianca was nevering back, the kids would treat Luca as their biological mother... However, Nina thought there was nothing wrong with it. At least, Luca was kind to the kids. She really liked them from the bottom of her heart, and it was not because their father was Luke. Upstairs. Aunt Neile carried the breakfast tray upstairs. When she was about to walk into Luca''s bedroom, she noticed that Luke''s bedroom door was left ajar. She made her way to his bedroom and nced inside. The man was indeed sitting inside and working. "Mr. Crawford, should I bring breakfast in?" She did not enter his bedroom. Instead, she stood at the door and asked. "Come in," Luke''s voice came from inside. Aunt Neile walked into his bedroom carrying the tray of breakfast. Then, she saw the documents on Luke''s desk. She carefully ced the tray on the other side so that it would not get in his way. ¡°Mr. Crawford, why are you working early in the morning?" Aunt Neile asked caringly, wondering how long Luke had been working with the pile of documents. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "I have more documents to work on," replied Luke. He picked up the cup of coffee and took a sip Luke followed Luca''s routine so that he would not bother Luca, but he woke up at four in the morning to work. The desk in his bedroom was morefortable, and he would not wake Luca up. That was why he had been working in his bedroom. "Then I''ll leave you to it. By the way, Ms. Craw answered a call just now and her face turned pale. I''m not sure what happened but the expression on her face told me that something was wrong," Aunt Neile reported to him. "Okay," Luke did not say another word. After Aunt Neile served his breakfast, she carried the tray away and left. Luke did not stop working, and he continued to handle the documents. Downstairs. After breakfast, Luca thought of sending the kids to school. After that, she would head to the hospital. However, she thought it would be better to head upstairs first when she remembered that Luke was still upstairs. Nina smiled when she looked at Luca from behind. She was holding Rainie''s hand on her left and Tommy''s hand on her right. She said, "Come on. Let me see you off and help you to get into the car." The kids turned around and took a quick look at Luca from behind without saying anything. Then, they followed Nina out of the house. Luca came upstairs. She stood at the door and slowly said, "Mr. Crawford, I''d like to take the morning off. I have to go to the hospital.." Luke lifted his head, stared at her with a hint of worry in his eyes, and asked, "Are you not feeling well?" "It''s not me. It''s... one of my friends. I''ll have to visit her," answered Luca. She could not mention Leia''s name in front of Luke. Hence, she could only tell him that it was a friend of hers. Even though she did not mean to hide it from him, she felt a little guilty for doing so. However, she had promised Queenie that she would not tell the others that Leia was receiving medical treatment here. "Okay. Ask Warren to go along with you." Luke did not stop her. Luca was heading to the hospital. It was probably because of Leia''s matter. Johann would always inform Luke about Leia''s health condition. Hence, Luke received a message from Johann this morning, telling him that something unexpected had happened to Leiast night. However, her condition was stable now. Still, it was Leia''s fault for putting herself in such a situation. Her health condition was worsening now. "Okay. I''ll go first." Luca let out a sigh of relief when Luke did not continue to question her. She headed downstairs and left the vi. After getting into Warren''s car, she told him to head to the hospital. Warren responded and said nothing more. He drove the car and headed in the direction of the hospital. Luca called Rhett and arranged the work they needed to do this morning. After she arrived at the hospital, she gave Queenie a call. ¡°Luca, are youing soon?" Queenie sounded anxious after she answered the call. ¡°Mrs. Norman, I''m currently downstairs at the inpatient department. Is Ms. Norman''s ward on the top floor now?" Luca asked. "Yes, yes. I''ll go get you," Queenie let out a sigh of relief. The doctor had removed the life support equipment half an hour ago. After checking on Leia, he told her that although Leia was stable now, he could not guarantee that she would be fine. Something might happen to her anytime. That was why Queenie had been waiting for Luca toe to the hospital. It seemed like she was only able to find peace of mind when Luca was here. After Queenie ended the call, she said to Jack, "Dear, Luca''s here. Why don''t you go pick her up at the elevator?" They were at the VIP ward. Luca would not be able toe in without the family''s permission. "Okay. I have to go to work. If anything happens to Leia, just call me. I''lle over," Jack reminded Queenie as he shot a nce at Leia, who was in the ward. Although Leia was in a critical condition now, Jack had work to do and could not possibly leave his work undone. He had to go to work. "Okay..." Queenie frowned. Leia was in such a bad condition now, yet Jack insisted on going to work. Although Queenie thought it was inappropriate to do so, there was nothing she could do about it. After all, what Leia did in the past had broken Jack''s heart. Luca took the elevator and came upstairs. She saw Jack once she walked out of the elevator. Jack looked tired. There were dark circles under his eyes. Luca reckoned that he must have stayed up all night because of Leia. A grown-up man like Jack was in such a condition, not to mention Queenie. "Mr. Norman." Luca''s voice was a little hoarse. She was heartbroken to see her parents spend so much time and energy dealing with these at their age. Jack looked at her and helplessly let out a sigh. His biological daughter was the most filial child, but he could not acknowledge her now. He was heartbroken, and he said, "Luca, you''re here. Sorry to trouble you again this time." "It''s okay. But Ms. Norman''s condition is worsening too quickly. I can only do my best," Luca dropped a hint that she could not be so sure about Leia''s health condition. Jack nodded, understanding what she meant. He was already disappointed in Leia. He only came here to take care of Queenie. As for Leia, she had been asking for it. It did not matter to him what would eventually happen to her. He replied, "I know. That''s why I''m not forcing you to do anything. But there''s one thing. I need you to do me a favor." Chapter 2235 ¡°Sure. I''ll do everything I can to help." Luca''s heart was wrenched. Although Jack and Queenie did not raise her, what happened at that time was involuntary. Luca could understand that. The kinship between them made her unable to reject Jack''s request. "My wife isn''t in great condition. Please look after her for me," said Jack. Queenie was the one he was most worried about. Luca felt even more upset when she heard that. As their daughter, what she hoped the most was her biological parents could live happily and stay healthy when they were in thetter years of their life. However, Queenie and Jack had to go back and forth to the hospital because of Leia. "Let me take a look at her." Luca nodded. She was afraid that Queenie would be even more anxious if she did not head there now. "Okay. Then I''m... going back to the provincial capital first. I have a lot of work to do," replied Jack. He was assured when Luca promised him to look out for Queenie. It was a pity Jack promised Luke that he would not reveal Luca''s true identity to Queenie. Otherwise, he would have told her earlier. Luca looked at the weariness on his face. She was heartbroken, so she said, "Sure. Don''t worry. Remember to get some rest when you have time." "Don''t worry. I''m still able to hold on for another few years. I only hope that Bea cane back earlier." Jack shot her a meaningful nce. The elevator doors were about to close. Jack quickly pressed the button and walked in. Then, he said, "Off you go. Do help me look out for Mrs. Norman." "Okay." Luca slowly let out a sigh of relief after the elevator doors closed. For a split second, Luca could feel that the way Jack looked at her was as if he was looking at Bianca. Perhaps it was all in her head. How could Jack possibly know about her true identity? Luca headed to Leia''s ward. Queenie was standing there waiting for her. Before Luca could say anything, Queenie came forward and held her hand. "Luca, you''re here. Can you please take a look at Leia?" Luca pulled back and held Queenie''s hand. She gently patted the back of her hand andforted her, "Mrs. Norman, calm down. Let me take a look at her first." "Okay, okay," Queenie repeated the same word twice as she pushed Leia''s ward door open. ¡°Leia was in pain just now, so Dr. Park gave her some painkillers. She''s asleep now. Besides, she doesn''t look too good to me. Even if someone makes noises beside her, it''s hard for her to wake up. I''m really worried... that she won''t be able to wake up after this..." Queenie wiped her tears off her face while looking at Leia, who was lying on the ward bed. "Leia will be fine. She''s asleep now, which means her body is recovering. Let me check her pulse," said Luca. To y it safe, Luca disinfected her hands and noticed the disposable gloves that the nurse left there. She put them on without a second thought. Then, she walked to the ward bed and checked Leia''s pulse. After a while, Luca frowned and rose to her feet. Queenie asked in a worried tone, ¡°How''s Leia doing?" Luca could not help but feel sorry for Queenie when she saw the worried look on her face, but she dared not to hide it from her. She had no choice but to tell her the truth, "Ms. Norman''s health isn''t doing well. Has the doctor given her a full medical check-up?" Leia''s situation had worsened so quickly. Luca reckoned that something must be wrong with her immune system. "Yes. The doctor immediately rescued her when she came herest night. After her situation stabilized, they gave her every health screening that she could do. It''s just that some of the results aren''t released yet. We''ll have to wait until all the staff in theboratory department have to work. Only then will the results be out." Queenie wiped her tears again when she heard Luca tell her that Leia was not doing well. What did Leia do to suffer all this pain? "I''m going to Dr. Park''s office to talk to him," said Luca. She thought Johann should have Leia''s health report. "You''re going to look for Dr. Park? Aren''t you going to perform dry needling?" Queenie thought that Luca''s dry needling skills were the only way to save Leia now. Luca slightly furrowed her brows and helped Queenie to sit down on the sofa. She said with a solemn look on her face, ¡°I need to fully understand Ms. Norman''s health condition before I make the decision whether or not to perform dry needling on her. If her body is too weak for that." Luca paused for a moment and bit her lower lip. ¡°What will happen to her if her body is too weak?" Queenie asked anxiously. The doctors were left with only one choice now, which was to wait for the liver transnt. However, how could there be so many suitable livers for her. Unless she got it through the ck market. Leia mentioned the illegal trade of organs in the ck market to Queenie several times before when she was still awake, but Queenie insisted on refusing to do so as it would put Jack in a difficult position. Queenie thought Leia would be fine in the hospital. Who would have known that something like this would happen to her so soon. ¡°My dry needling technique is different from the traditional acupuncture technique. If I perform the technique on someone with poor health, she might not be able to stand it.." Luca dared not to say anything ominous. She was worried Queenie would think that she was cursing Leia. ¡°That''s why I need to understand her condition before I make any judgments. It won''t take long. Mrs. Norman, sit here and wait for me to return, okay?" Luca''sforting words set Queenie''s mind at ease. She looked at the person in front of her with her red puffy eyes and said, ¡°Luca, Leia''s life is in your hands." Luca let go of her hands and secretly let out a sigh. What ability did she have to save Leia? Leia''s condition hade to the point that there was no way any herbal medicine or needling technique could help her recover. The only way was to depend on the life-supporting equipment to keep her alive and wait for the liver transnt... Luca left in a hurry and headed to Johann''s office. Johann was reading Leia''s medical report. "Dr. Craw, you''re here. Did youe to see Leia''s medical report?" Johann smiled and asked. "Yes. Is her medical report out yet?" Luca asked. Johann handed her Leia''s medical history record. Leia''s medical reports were clipped in the file. He answered, "They''re all out. This is the hard copy report. You need to take a look at her CT scans and some other reports. Let me show you. It''s on theputer." "Thank you." Luca took the medical records from him and read the reports. Although she never attended any professional medical schools, Shanks taught her a lot when she was on the Ind of Despair. "Leia''s health is in a critical condition now. Previously, she was still able to get discharged from the hospital when her condition was stable. I''m afraid she''ll have to stay in the hospital now. Otherwise, she might pass away when she''s on her way back home," said Johann. Luca frowned and asked, "Why did her condition worsen? Her liver is deteriorating way too fast. Is it because of some other reasons?" "She asked for it," Johann replied in azy tone while he leaned back in his chair. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Fortunately, it was him who was on dutyst night. If it were some other doctors, they might not be able to save Leia. Luca sensed that something must have happened, so she asked, "Did she not cooperate during her treatment?" "Nah, she did cooperate when she was receiving the treatment, but she made a big mistake yesterday morning," replied Johann. "A woman came to visit her yesterday, and she imed that she was her friend. Then, the two of them started smoking in the ward. The nurse told me about it. That woman wasn''t the only one holding a cigarette between her fingers. Leia was too." Chapter 2236 "Smoking?" Luca''s voice was raised a few pitches higher. If what Johann said was true, then Leia had really made a big mistake. Luca knew Leia had the habit of smoking, but she should have quit smoking after knowing that she was sick. She asked, "Hasn''t she quit smoking yet?" "Yes, but she smoked a cigarette after the woman convinced her to do so. That one cigarette almost took her life away. The nurse persuaded her not to smoke in a serious tone. She was unconvinced, but she stubbed out the cigarette when she had smoked half of it. The nurse took the rest of the cigarette out of her ward. The doctor on duty saw it and asked the nurse to keep the rest of the cigarette. If anything happened to the patient, this would be considered evidence. I bet you know why," Johann exined to her. For someone with a social status like Leia, if something happened to her and the doctor could not find out the reason, everything she did and every meal she took might be the reason. It was because the doctor on duty yesterday was attentive enough and that was why they were able to know why Leia''s condition worsened. "Was it because of that cigarette?" Luca wondered. She never heard that Leia had any friends here after she came back. Although Leia had left the entertainment industry, she took advantage of Jack''s fame. Hence, many men were willing to be in a rtionship with her. However, Leia secretly came back here this time. Luca never saw anyone visiting her. After all, it had been kept a secret when she was admitted to the hospital. "Yes. The head nurse mentioned this to me after she was rescued. Then, I took the cigarette to theb and asked them to examine it. Although the cigarette is avable in the market, two types of herbs were added to the cigarette. Here''s the result." Johann handed Luca another hard copy report. Luca knew about herbal medicine and pharmacology. She was able to understand it with just a nce, so Johann did not say anything much about it. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Luca frowned when she looked at the ingredients on the report. Many people were smoking cigarettes for kicks these days. They would add some herbal ingredients to the cigarettes too. People would usually get a thrill after smoking the cigarette, and it worked better than coffee in lifting one''s spirits. However... The ingredients of the herbs could damage the organs in the human body once they were taken excessively. Although they were herbal ingredients, they also contained poison. Leia ended up like this only because she smoked cigarettes that were added with the herbs. "Does that friend of hers intend to harm her?" Luca asked. "I''m not sure about that, but the nurse told me that Leia seems to know that something was added to the cigarette. She emphasized that it could lift someone''s spirits. She can''t get it in the market, and she even refused to surrender her cigarette to the nurse at first..." replied Johann. He had seen many patients who had made mistakes that affected their health, but he had never seen someone make such a big mistake. Luca put the report down and shook her head. The cigarette was not supposed to be so harmful, but Leia was a patient now. Her body''s reaction to such things was strong if she used them. "Dr. Park, do you think I can perform dry needling on her?" Luca asked. She wascking confidence. ¡°I think you can give it a try. Actually, other than performing dry needling on her and giving her medications, there''s no other way to treat her. Once she stops taking the medications, I assume that she''ll be transferred to the ICU right away,¡± answered Johann. He believed in Luca''s skills. "Let me give it a try, then.." Luca let out a sigh. "I requested this document from the director of the hospital. You''re allowed to perform the procedure on her now." Johann took the rted document out. He knew Luca would not decline Queenie''s request. Queenie wanted to save Leia, and Luca was her only hope. "You''re fully prepared for this," Luca said self-deprecatingly. It would be great if she could help Leia, but if things did not turn out well, she could not bear to see Queenie being sad. "These are the basics for a doctor." Johann put on his white coat and walked out of his office together with Luca. "I was about to get off work. There''s no operation today. Dr. Craw, you don''t mind if I learn some techniques from you, right?" "I don''t mind," replied Luca. She thought that she might be able to find some confidence in herself with Johann by her side. The two of them came to Leia''s ward. Queenie was not the only one in Leia''s ward. There was another woman there. Luca''s gaze fell on that woman, and she frowned. Johann looked at the woman who came and furrowed his brows. Then, he shot a nce at Luca. The woman looked simr to Luca. However, it was not a strange thing. There were many people in the country, and there could be people who bore a resemnce to another person, especially their eyes. Besides, this was not how Luca looked in the past. It seemed like that woman had done stic surgery before. That was why they look simr to each other. It was normal. "Mrs. Norman, this is." Luca frowned and asked. "Oh, she''s Leia''s friend. She came to visit her yesterday." Queenie sniffed. Queenie was worried when she saw Luca and Johanning here together. She was afraid that they would bring bad news to her. "Yesterday?" Johann frowned. Leia had been staying in the hospital for such a long time. Other than the Norman family, who was taking care of her, no one else came to visit her. Only one other woman hade to visit her, and that was yesterday. One cigarette from that woman made Leia end up in this situation. She could no longer easily get out of bed. Mandy looked at Johann. A hint of admiration shed across her eyes. She considered herself lucky these days as she kept running into handsome men. Furthermore, they were young, wealthy, and goodlooking men. ¡°Hello, I''m Leia''s friend. May I know what happened to her? Wasn''t she doing well yesterday? Why did ¡ª" Mandy expressed her concern for Leia. "You''re the one who gave Ms. Norman the cigarette, right?" Luca interrupted her with a cold voice. The woman did not leave a good impression on her. Mandy was startled for a moment, and she gave Luca a dirty look. Who was this woman? Why was she here questioning her? She was not wearing a white coat, so it looked like she was not a doctor. "What do you mean?" Queenie frowned and asked. She had no idea what happened yesterday. "Yesterday, Ms. Norman smoked a cigarette. The cigarette is the reason that caused her liver failure. You''re the one who gave it to her, right?" Luca looked at Mandy. This woman had this seductive aura on her as though she could easily charm a man. However, what Luca hated was not the alluring aura that she gave off but the troubles she had caused for the Norman family. Mandy was about to deny it when Johann chimed in, "Although there are no security cameras in the ward, cameras are everywhere outside the ward. The nurse who was on duty yesterday can prove it too. Miss, do you know that the cigarette you gave Ms. Norman is the reason why she became like this now?" Mandy took a step backward and immediately shook her head. "I don''t. The cigarette? Leia told me that she was craving a cigarette and she wanted to smoke. I didn''t know things would end up like this..." "You let Leia smoke?" Queenie widened her eyes, refusing to believe what she had heard. The gentleness she used to have was no longer on her pale-looking face, and she questioned Mandy, "How could you let Leia smoke a cigarette when she''s already in such a condition?!" Mandy did not expect a cigarette to put Leia on the verge of death. She slowly exined, "It was just an ordinary cigarette. Besides, cigarettes affect the lungs, not the organs in the human body. Is this the nonsense the doctors areing up with to shirk the responsibility of failing to save her?" Chapter 2237 Johann''s gaze became sharp at once, then he replied, "Miss, you''ll have to be responsible for what you said just now if the hospital looks into this matter. Half of the cigarette Ms. Norman smoked was taken away by the nurse yesterday. She did not throw it away. Theboratory test report came out today. The cigarette contains herbal ingredients that are not added to other cigarettes. It can harm every organ in the human body, which exins Ms. Norman''s situation now. It caused her liver to worsen when it was already not functioning properly. You''re the one who gave her the cigarette. Now, she''s lying on the bed, unconscious. You''re responsible for this." Mandy took a few steps backward, shook her head, and said, "I don''t know about that. It was Leia who said she wanted to smoke. Please excuse me. I should leave." She immediately left after that. Queenie stomped angrily. Leia told her that one of her best friends who lived abroad had returned yesterday. She had been abroad for many years, so she did not know the situation in the country. That was why she would not inform Luke about her whereabouts. Queenie thought that Leia would not fuss over getting discharged from the hospital if someone was here to keep Leiapany and talk to her. She did not expect the arrival of this woman to screw things up and put Leia in danger. As Luca watched Mandy leave from behind, she suddenly remembered what Luke had told her. She frowned and pondered. ¡°That should be her,¡± said Johann. Luca nodded. That woman should be the one who fled, but it was up to Queenie whether she wanted to get even with her for this. Queenie walked toward Leia''s ward bed with reddened eyes. She could not help but sob. ¡°Leia, look at the friends you''ve found. She''s the one who made you sick. What should I do..." Luca could not bear to hear Queenie sobbing like that. She nced at Leia, who was lying on the ward bed. It was as though Leia had nothing to do with this. It was her weak body that made her fall deeply asleep. "Dr. Park, I''d like to try.." said Luca. She hesitated at first, but she could not bear to see Queenie cry again. Queenie was her biological mother, after all. Luca hated to see her like this. "Okay. Did you bring the needles you usually use?" Johann knew Luca had a set of needles that was specially made for dry needling. Luca would feel morefortable using them. ¡°Yes..." Luca nodded as she walked toward the ward bed and looked at Leia. She had no confidence today, but she wanted to wake Leia up so that Queenie would not be worried about her. It was up to Johann how he was going to treat her. ¡°Luca.." Queenie lifted her head as her eyes welled up with tears. Luca looked at Queenie''s hair. As someone who was always concerned about her appearance, Queenie was worried about Leia to the extent that she could not be bothered about her looks. There were a few strands of gray hair at her temples. She was a senior official¡¯s wife. However, she was so pale and haggard now. ¡°Mrs. Norman, please step out for a moment," said Luca. She was worried that Queenie would pass out when she watched Luca perform the dry needling on Leia. Queenie was worried that she would affect Luca too. She wiped her tears, quickly walked out of the ward, and closed the door. Luca took the set of needles out of her briefcase. ¡°This is myst set of needles. I¡¯ll have to look for the craftsman to customize another set of needles after this," Luca muttered. She did not expect that the needle sets she brought along with her would finish so quickly. Besides, Luca dared not to ask for the needle sets from Shanks. If Abel found out that she was not carrying out the mission he had assigned her but was doing such things instead, she dared not to imagine what the consequences would be. However, the needles. Other than the thickness, she had requirements for the weight of the needles too. If the needles did not meet her requirements by a whisker, it would affect her sense of touch. The most important thing was no matter how good the craftsman was, there was no fixed mold. ¡°I know a craftsman. He can help to customize the needles. If you¡¯re looking for someone to make a new set of needles, you can pass the needle set to me after this. I¡¯ll ask him if he can make these," Johann suggested. ¡°Thank you." Luca nodded. Then, she put on the disposable medical gloves and unbuttoned the hospital gown Leia was wearing. There were no gender differences in front of the doctors. Luca did not ask Johann to go out. Instead, she picked up the disinfected needles and began to perform dry needling on Leia in front of him. Half an hourter, Luca removed all the needles on Leia''s body and carefully put them aside. She said, "Let''s see if she can wake up now." "Why didn¡¯t you wait until she''s awake before removing the needles?" Johann asked with confusion. Luca helped Leia to put on the hospital gown, looked at the monitoring equipment, and replied, "She''s too weak. I''m afraid she can''t take it." Johann nodded, indicating that he understood. There were times when Luca was bold enough. It was just like when she was performing dry needling on Tyronest time. She did not make any minor mistakes. However, Luca was also very careful at times. It was probably because the person in front of her was rted to Queenie. She was afraid that her boldness would make Queenie cry. That was why she was so careful, and she was not as efficient as she used to be when she was performing dry needling. Once someone had feelings and something to worry about, the way they handled things would change... Johann had seen too many of such situations. ¡°Dr. Park, sorry to trouble you." Luca handed the needle set to Johann after she disinfected the needles. "I''ll try my best. But if the craftsman is unable to make these, then I guess no one else in A City can make these. When the timees, you might need to ask your guy to look for someone else," said Johann as he took the needle set from her. Her guy. Luca''s face reddened as Johann teased her. She wondered if sharing secrets was something men would do too. Otherwise, why would Johann say something like that? "Please ask Mrs. Norman toe in. She must be worried," replied Luca. She made her way to the door and opened it. Queenie was waiting outside the door. She asked her immediately as soon as she saw her, "Luca, how''s Leia?" "We''ll have to wait now and see if the procedures have any effects on her," answered Luca. She nced at the time. They only needed half an hour to know if it worked on her. After all, Leia was weak now. It would take some time for her to wake up. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "If she wakes up, all she has to do is to receive treatments and wait for a liver donor. Then, she''ll be fine," Johann added. He mumbled to himself that the precondition was Leia should stop getting herself into trouble. Leia''s condition should not be deteriorating this quickly. If Leia had taken the medicine prescription Luca gave her or the medicine the hospital gave her back then, she would not have ended up like this today. After that, Leia constantly asked to be discharged from the hospital before her condition stabilized. This was another reason that aggravated her condition. In the end, this was what happened to her. Johann recalled everything she did. He could not help but shake his head. He had seen people who made such stupid mistakes, but Leia was the first one who put herself on the verge of death. Sure enough, Leia would still be the same despite her getting into the entertainment industry. "Okay, okay." Queenie listened to them and hurried over to the bed. She sat on the chair with a pale look on her face. She murmured, "Leia, you have to get better. I haven''t had the chance to see you get married yet. Hang in there.." Chapter 2238 Luca felt a twinge in her heart when she heard what Queenie said. A mother''s wish was to watch their children grow up, settle down, get married, and have children. As Luca watched Queenie murmur to herself beside Leia''s ward bed, she thought that she would probably never have the chance again... Johann shot a nce at Luca, then he turned to look at Queenie. He fell silent for a moment. It was only when his pager beeped did he stand up and say, ¡°Dr. Craw, call me if you need anything. I have something to do now." "Okay. Go ahead. Thank you." Luca thanked him for helping her reach out to a craftsman. Johann waved at her and exited the ward. Luca kept quiet while she looked at Queenie. She let out a sigh, stood up, and walked to the bedside. Sheforted her, "Mrs. Norman, don''t worry. I''m sure Ms. Norman will be fine." Queenie pulled some tissue out of the tissue box on the bedside table and wiped the tears on her face. She looked at Luca with tears in her eyes and said, "Luca, I''m sorry you have to see me like this." "You''re a mother. It''s normal to have such reactions," Luca replied and shook her head. She did not think it was embarrassing at all. She felt sorry for her instead. Queenie let out a sigh and began talking about her past, "My daughter, Luke''s wife, was taken away when she was born. We were told that our child didn''t make it. That''s why I began treating Leia like my biological daughter when Jack and I decided to adopt her. We raised her and gave everything to her. But I didn''t expect our daughter would end up like this. Sometimes, when I see Leia in pain, I would question myself if it''s because I''m not a good mother. That''s why." Luca''s heart ached when she heard Queenie ming herself for the mistakes Leia did and everything that happened to her. She shook her head. "If I were a better mother, Leia wouldn''t have been forced to get out of the country. She went through so much when she was out there, and she even got to know people like that. What did she do to suffer all this. And my daughter, Bea. There''s not even a piece of news from her, and she''s still out there wandering alone. I''ve failed as a parent." Queenie choked with sobs, ming herself for the suffering and pain Leia went through. There were a few words on the tip of Luca''s tongue, but she understood that as a mother, Queenie did not wish to see her children suffer. Although Leia was adopted, she had raised her and supported her for more than 20 years. The affection she had for her was true. Queenie was a kind person. She would not treat Leia differently just because she was an adopted child. She would treat Leia like her biological daughter. A strict father and a loving mother were the most important figures in a family. Leia was lucky enough to have such a family. Still, she became... Luca did not know how to answer if someone asked her why Leia had be such a person. Perhaps Leia became paranoid after getting into the entertainment industry, and that was why she became someone like this. ¡°Mrs. Norman, stop crying. It''ll break Ms. Norman''s heart if she sees you like this when she wakes up later," Lucaforted her with a gentle voice while cing her hand on Queenie''s back. If she was still Bianca, she would have many ways tofort her, but she could not reveal her true identity. Queenie grabbed a few tissues and wiped her face again. She let out a sigh, then she looked at Luca with her red, puffy eyes. She said, "Luca, I know my daughter of mine isn''t the same girl she used to be. She''s no longer kind and gentle. Besides, she hasn''t been nice to me. Time has gone, and she has changed." Luca was startled for a moment. Then, she looked at Queenie. Did Queenie find out something? Queenie continued, ¡°I paid too much attention to Leia and spoiled her when she was growing up, which made her what she is today. Perhaps I should''ve listened to what the others told me back then¡ªadopt another child to keep Leiapany. But I refused to listen to their advice. I thought that having one child was enough. I adored Leia, and I gave her all the affection I had for Bea. I gave her all my love. Bea came back after that, and Leia started being paranoid. It was my fault. I spoiled her. So, tell me, am I wrong." "There''s nothing wrong with loving her.." Luca replied in a calm voice. Leia was the one who chose this path. Queenie''s love had nothing to do with this. Although Leia was a spoiled child, Queenie''s and Jack''s affection for her only let her grow up in a healthy and happy environment. It would not have made her into this. Luca''s presence was not the main reason that caused Leia to be on this path ande to this. If Leia could have let go of her obsessive thoughts, she would feel much better. People said being paranoid would bring someone down, but Jack and Queenie were not such people. It seemed like Leia was born with it. Perhaps it was because she got dumped before, and that was why she reacted that way. Leia felt insecure, so she wanted to hold on to everything she had. "She''s no longer the person I used to know. She doesn''t respect me, and she even thought of ruining her father''s future to save her own life. I didn''t agree with it, so she med me for that and was mad at me. Luca, I''ve been together with Jack for so many years. How can I cause such trouble when he''s about to have a glorious retirement?" Queenie was torn between two choices, but she was conscious of what she was doing. After all, she could not let Jack do something wrong for the sake of Leia. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Jack was not an ordinary person. He was the governor of the province, and everyone in the provincial capital had their eye on his position. If Queenie did what Leia asked her to do, Jack''s future would be ruined. Not only would his future be ruined, but the Norman family and the rest of Jack''s life would be destroyed too. Jack would be caught, handcuffed, and sent to prison. Luke had exined the pros and cons to Queenie before. Hence, no matter how Leia fussed around, Queenie insisted on doing it legally. After all, Jack was not young anymore. If something happened to him at this time, Queenie would not be able to stand the blow. The Norman family would be in a mess. The Norman family would be broken even if Leia recovered. Judging from her current situation, she would not be able to work either. How was she going to survive? The doctor said that Leia made herself sick while she was living abroad for the past few years. If the Norman family was ruined, there was no one Leia could depend on. She would end up miserable without having any money. Queenie knew that Luke would take care of the two of them for Bianca''s sake, but he would not look after Leia. That was why she had been standing her ground after knowing the pros and cons of doing so. She would endure it even though Leia threw tantrums at her every day. Luca heaved a sigh of relief after she heard what Queenie said. She was worried that Queenie would agree with Leia''s idea and spend a huge sum of money to look for a liver for Leia. It set Luca''s mind at ease when Queenie said that. ¡°Don''t worry. Let''s wait until Ms. Norman gets better. Maybe then you can ask Mr. Norman to talk to Mr. Crawford about this. Just tell him that Ms. Norman isn''t feeling well now and she needs toe back here for treatment. If Mr. Crawford agrees with it, we can ask for help on the inte. Ms. Norman used to have many fans. Perhaps someone will be willing to help her," Lucaforted her. Chapter 2239

Chapter 2239 Used To Be Her Little Sweetheart

Many people were willing to donate their livers, after all. The liver was unlike any other organ such as the human heart. For a heart, the doctors would have to wait until the donor passed away. Only then was there a chance for the organ transnt to take ce. The most difficult thing for Leia now was that she was unable to ask anyone for help. ¡°I hope so..." Queenie wiped her tears away. Luca noticed that Leia¡¯s eyelids were moving, so she reminded Queenie, ¡°Ms. Norman is probably waking up soon.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Queenie shifted her gaze and looked at Leia, who was on the ward bed. Her eyeballs seemed to be moving under her eyelids. After a while, Leia opened her eyes. ¡°Leia, you''re awake! Let me call the doctor.¡± Queenie quickly wiped away the tears on her face and pressed the call bell. It seemed like Leia was feeling unwell. She frowned and looked at Queenie, ¡°Why are you here?¡± "You smoked yesterday, and something happened to you. Do you still remember? The hospital called your father in the middle of the night and said you needed to be sent into the emergency room. You were dying. We were terrified. That''s why we came. Fortunately, Dr. Park saved you from dying. Leia, you scared the life out of me." Queenie babbled on. It broke her heart to see Leia''s weak and pale face. If she could, she would rather bear the pain for Leia. Leia listened to Queenie¡¯s story. She did not remember much, and she could only remember that she felt a sudden, intense spike of pain in her body while she was asleepst night. After she woke the caretaker, she lost consciousness. Then, she woke up seeing Queenie and Luca here... Leia hated Luca. She had this feeling that Luca came to take everything away from her. Hence, she always had a hostile look on her face when she looked at her. Leia ignored the tears on Queenie''s face. She looked at Luca and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Luca came to perform dry needling on you. You couldn''t wake up after being rescued. Your body was too weak, so¡ª" Before Queenie could finish her words, Johann pushed the door open and came in. There was an anxious expression on his face at first, but when he realized that Leia was awake, he turned to look at Luca andplimented her, ¡°She''s awake. Dr. Craw, your dry needling skills are miraculous!¡± ¡°It''s just a coincidence,¡± Luca replied in a calm voice while noticing the disgusted look on Leia''s face. "Dr. Park, please take a look at the patient.¡± Johann slowly walked toward Leia. He looked at her and checked on her. Then, he said to Queenie, ¡°There''s not much we can do now except to wait for the liver transnt. As long as she doesn''t get herself into trouble and cooperates with the doctors during her treatment, there won''t be any serious problems for the time being. But...¡± He paused for a moment. Color drained from Queenie¡¯s face when Johann paused, ¡°Dr. Park, but what?¡± ¡°But if she wants to stay alive and wait for a suitable liver donor, other than cooperating with the doctors for the treatment, she has to break her bad habits such as smoking and drinking... Especially smoking. Not even secondhand smoking is allowed.¡± Johann looked at Leia. There was a hint of disdain in his eyes. Leia knew what he was talking about. There was a sharp pain on the back of her hand when she clenched her fists and tugged the needle on it. She loosened her grip without making any exnations. After all, she was caught red-handed by the nurse when she was smoking with Mandy. There was no point in exining. ¡°Thank you, Dr. Park. Leia knows it now. I''ll leave the matter of the liver transnt to the hospital.¡± Queenie thanked him and asked Johann to watch closely if there was any suitable liver for Leia. ¡°There''s nothing much I can do for you. After all, it''s a national transnt waiting list. There''s no way Ms. Norman can cut the line with just one word from me. As it stands now, it''s almost Ms. Norman''s turn.¡± Johann was not afraid that Leia would be mad at him. He continued to ridicule her. After all, Leia was the one who put her head in a noose. While Leia listened to Johann''s mockery, she looked down and said disrespectfully, ¡°I need to rest. And I''d like unrted people to get the hell out of here.¡± ¡°Leia!¡± Queenie felt awkward. She did not expect Leia to be so rude. Luca knew Leia was talking about her. She headed to the sofa, picked up her briefcase, and said, "Mrs. Norman, I shall leave since Ms. Norman is awake now." ¡°Luca, please stay for a little longer.¡± Queenie tried to make her stay. ¡°I have work to do. Goodbye, Mrs. Norman. Ms. Norman, get well soon.¡± Luca left the ward before Leia could say anything.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Luca knew Leia would always hate her no matter how she looked and what her identity was. Johann said, "Since Ms. Norman is fine now, I''m going to hand her over to the doctor who''s on duty in the morning and get off work. Mrs. Norman, you can text me if anything happens.¡± ¡°Alright. Thank you, Dr. Park.¡± After Queenie watched Johann leave, she took her phone out and informed Jack that Leia had woken up. "Why are you still here?¡± Although Leia was feeling sick and weak, she was still mad at Queenie. Queenie knew why Leia was behaving like that. She let out a sigh and said, ¡°Leia, aren''t you tired? I''ll stay by your side. Get some rest.¡± "Ask the caretaker toe back here. I''ll be fine with her here. Otherwise, Daddy is going to me me for making you tired. If he gets mad at me, he might not even pay the medical bills for me,¡± Leia stared at the ceiling and said in an enigmatic tone. It hurt Queenie¡¯s heart when she heard what Leia said. Leia was ming them for not giving her the money to look for a liver transnt.... "Leia, you''ve just recovered a little. Can you stop being mad at me?" Queenie was heartbroken. Her daughter used to be a good and obedient child. She was the apple of her eyes and her little sweetheart. How did she end up like this? ¡°Mad at you? You both want me dead! You refuse to give me the money for the liver! That''s why you don''t feel sorry for me no matter what happens to me in the hospital. Why should I be mad at you? Maybe you wish that I can die and be gone for good. You still have another daughter, after all.¡± Leia felt breathless after talking. She closed her eyes and stopped looking at Queenie. Leia had already found a liver for liver transnt through illicit trades. They were waiting for her to pay them. The liver was unlike other organs in the human body. The person who sold the liver could survive without the liver in their body. Jack and Queenie had talked about it, but they refused to give her the money. Leia knew they had the money. It was just that they did not want to give it to her... They wanted her dead. That way, she would not leave a stigma on her family. Tears flowed down Queenie¡¯s eyes when she saw Leia refusing tomunicate with her. She could not help but sob in a soft voice. ¡°I know you''re ming me and your father, but it''s something against thew. We can''t just sit here and watch you do something like that. Don''t worry, I promise I''ll save your life.¡± Leia thought Queenie was bragging and ignored her. Queenie was heartbroken to see Leia behaving like this. She had no choice but to ask the caretaker toe over and take care of Leia. Then, she left the ward. Otherwise, Leia would be angry at her if she kept seeing her in the ward. Chapter 2240 After Luca left the hospital, she got into Warren''s car and headed to T Corporation. Five minutester, Luca received a call from Queenie. ¡°Luca, you''ve already left the hospital?" Queenie could not find Luca anywhere in the hospital when she left the ward. Hence, she quickly called her. "Yes, Mrs. Norman. I have work to do..." Luca felt sorry for her when she heard the hoarseness in her voice. "Too many things happened just now. I didn''t get the chance to thank you yet. Luca, let me treat you to lunch," Queenie invited her out for lunch. Luca was Leia''s savior, after all. Even though Leia did not know how to be grateful, as her mother, she had to know how to show respect to others. "It''s nothing, Mrs. Norman. You don''t have to do this. Besides, Ms. Norman would eventually wake up even if I wasn''t there," Luca replied with her brows furrowed while she looked at the scenery outside the window that was moving backward. What Luca said was true. Judging from Leia''s situation, she would not be unconscious for long. Even if Luca did not perform dry needling on her, she would be able to wake up in a day. Although she was in a bad situation, she would not be asleep for that long. Moreover, the one who should be thanking Luca was supposed to be Leia. She was a grown-up, and she should not be letting Queenie do that for her. Queenie frowned on the other end of the line. After all, Luca seemed to refuse to ept her apology on behalf of Leia. She heaved a sigh and said, "Luca, Leia is sick. She''s feeling unwell. That''s why she behaves that way when she sees someone.." Luca closed her eyes and leaned back on the car seat. She replied, "Mrs. Norman, I know. Besides, it''s nothing. Stop thinking about it. Let Ms. Norman rest and recover her health." "Ah. Okay." Queenie was steeped in guilt. "Mrs. Norman, I have another calling in. I got to go." Luca broke the silence. Someone was really calling her. After Luca ended the call with Queenie, she answered Rhett''s call and answered a few questions regarding the experiment. Then, Warren drew up outside T Corporation. "Ms. Craw, we''re here." Warren shot a nce at Luca, who was behind him. ¡°Oh, okay." Luca was busy discussing the experiment data with Rhett. She did not notice that she had arrived at T Corporation. She said, "Rhett, let''s talkter. I arrived at the office. Let me deal with itter." "Okay, Dr. Craw," Rhett hung up the call when he heard her telling him that she was back at the office. Luca put her phone back in the briefcase. When she was about to get out of the car, Warren said, "Dr. Craw, the ck-colored Buick has been following us since we drove out of the vi." Warren had been keeping an eye on the car. He even tested the person in the car. However, the other party did not make any move, so he did not do anything about it Luca was startled for a moment. She was thinking about other stuff when she was in the car, and she did not notice that. She took her phone out and pretended to take a selfie. Then, she saw the ck Buick behind them. "You''re attentive," said Luca. She was not nning on alerting the enemies, but she reminded him, "Memorize the car te number and inform Mr. Crawford about it." "Yes." Warren did not show any happiness on his face because of Luca''spliment. It was his job, after all. After Luca left, Warren sent a message with the car te number to Gale. Gale was responsible for investigating the matter. In the hospital. Leia wanted to continue to sleep, but she was wide awake. Even though the caretaker did not make any noise, she was unable to fall asleep. Hence, she opened her eyes and asked the caretaker to adjust the height of the hospital bed. She would like to sit for a while. "What happenedst night?" Leia asked the caretaker. She had no idea what happened after she fainted. "Ms. Norman, you were sent to the emergency roomst night. I couldn''t decide for you. So I informed Mr. Norman and Mrs. Norman. They arrived at the hospital half an hourter after you were brought to the emergency room, and they signed various agreements..." The caretaker emphasized the time. She had seen the way Leia talked to her family and how their rtionship was. Queenie was kind to Leia, but the woman in front of her refused to ept her mother''s kindness. That was why the caretaker deliberately stressed it. Leia hated it when the caretaker mentioned Queenie in their conversation. She changed the subject of the conversation and asked, "Did I be like this just because I took a puff of a cigarette?" The caretaker shook her head and replied, "I''m not sure about that. The doctor only told Mr. Norman and Mrs. Norman about your condition.." The caretaker was asked to leave the ward when Leia''s friend came here yesterday. That was why she did not manage to stop Leia from smoking in time. The caretaker was worried that Queenie would put her in a difficult position. Fortunately, Queenie only asked her to return and take care of Leia. She did not me her for what happened yesterday. Leia could not help but let the resentment fill her heart when she thought about what Johann had said. She became like this just because she smoked. If Mandy had not smoked in front of her and told her that it was the cigarette they used to smoke the last time, Leia would not have wavered. The ward''s door was pushed open again. Leia frowned and turned to look in the direction of the door. She realized that it was not the doctor or nurse who came in. It was Mandy. "Why are you here?" Leia scowled at Mandy when she remembered that she was the one who made her condition worsen. If it were not for her being unable to get out of bed and walk now, she would have charged toward her, pulled her hair, and asked Mandy why she made things difficult for her. "Are you still hoping to see me lying on the bed and unable to get off?" Leia glowered at her. ¡°Don''t say that. I was worried about you. But I got kicked out of here. I only dared toe in after your mother left," Mandy exined. She left an impression on the nurse when she came in yesterday. That was why she coulde and go freely.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "It''s your fault I''m in such a state now!" Leia gritted her teeth. If it were not for her, she would not be on the verge of death. Now, her body could face organ failure at anytime... Mandy knew Leia became like this because of the cigarette. She quickly exined to her, "I didn''t know you couldn''t smoke a cigarette in such a condition. Besides, you''re the one who asked for the cigarette. I just gave it to you." Leia gave her a death stare without saying a word. Indeed, she had wanted to take a puff of the cigarette. That was why Mandy gave it to her. However, if it were not for Mandy, who smoked in front of her, how could she be tempted to smoke? "Come on. Stop being angry. It''s a blessing in disguise for you to be able to regain your consciousness.." Mandyforted her. "What nonsense are you talking about?!" Leia retorted. However, her body was weak, so her voice sounded weak too. Mandy did not exin anything. She shot a nce at the caretaker and raised her brows at Leia. Leia understood what she meant. Then, she said to the caretaker, "Please leave us alone.." "Ms. Norman, Mrs. Norman asked me to stay here and look after you.." The caretaker dared not to listen to her anymore. Leia smoked when she was asked to step out yesterday. What if something like that happened again today? Chapter 2241 "There''s something important we need to talk about. Get out." Leia gave her a piercing look as she asked the caretaker to leave. After the caretaker left, Mandy walked toward her hospital bed, pretending to worry about her. She said, "Leia, didn''t you say you''d like to get a liver transnt thest time? But your family refuses to do it. Look at you. Your skin is sallow and your body is weak. You look like you''re dying. That''s why you have to make yourself look miserable. They''ll certainly agree with it then." Leia bit her lip and red at her, "I ended up like this because of you!" "Don''t me me. We didn''t even know smoking would have such a great impact on your health. Besides, that was the cigarette you used to smoke. You were fine back then... So, it''s probably because the doctors can''t find the reason why your condition worsened and they med the cigarette. What matters most now is that you''ve survived. Although you''re in a worse condition now, your mother might have a soft spot for you if things don''t get better," Mandy whispered in her ears. "You were still unconscious when I came here just now, but your mother was crying her eyes out." "Enough. Stop talking about her," Leia replied angrily. She lost her status in the Norman family ever since her parents acknowledged Bianca. Jack did not like her, and Queenie''s attention was all on Bianca. She was trying to make up for losing Bianca for so many years. That was why the resentment Leia had for her parents was bing stronger and stronger. Mandy smiled and said, "By the way, do you know the name of the doctor who treated you?" "Which one?" Leia leaned on the pillow and sat for a while. Her body was unable to take it, and she wanted to lie down. However, she did not want to show her weakness and look flustered in front of Mandy. "The one who came to your ward today. He''s so handsome and young. Hey, do you think doctors like him make a lot of money?" Mandy''s eyes were gleaming. She would not have known that there were so many outstanding men in A City if she had not returned to her country. "You mean Johann." Leia looked at the overwhelmed look on Mandy''s face. She could not help but judge her for being so clingy to men. She continued, "I''m not sure how much young doctors earn these days, but he." "Yes? Isn''t he making a lot of money? If he''s able to visit patients like you who stay in VIP wards, he must be experienced and qualified enough. But he looks young." Mandy interrupted her without trying to conceal her interest in Johann. "Can you wait until I finish my sentence?" Leia chimed in querulously. Mandy smiled and stopped behaving in a spoony manner. She quickly nodded and replied, ¡°Oh, sorry. Please continue." Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "He''s a famous doctor in this country. Many famous businessmen and politicians who are sick would find ways to see him. They would rather pay expensive medical expenses to see him than head to those private hospitals for surgery," said Leia. Johann was capable, but he chose to work in a public hospital. However, there were limited resources in a public hospital. To consult a doctor like Johann, they would have to snatch up the chance to see him. Besides, Johann made his own rules. He wanted to make sure ordinary people were able to consult him too, so no one was allowed to make the reservation on behalf of anyone else. Once someone managed to make the reservation and receive treatment in the hospital, the surgery cost and medical expenses would be based on the hospital''s charges. That was why many wealthy men who wanted to consult Johann but did not manage to get the booking number had no choice but to head to a private hospital to consult the doctors there. Then, they would ask the director of the hospital to ask Johann toe over to treat them. Only a few managed to cut in Johann''s patient line. "Wow!" Mandy could not help but exim in admiration. "He''s really something." Based on what Leia had told her, Johann must be making a lot of money. After all, private hospitals were different from public hospitals. Johann was capable enough, and he was not afraid that he would starve. Although Johann was not a businessman, he was considered outstanding with such social status and reputation. "So what if he''s capable? Does it have anything to do with you?" Leia said sarcastically. Johann would never fall for someone like her. Mandy was dumbfounded for a moment. She sat beside the hospital bed and tried to please Leia. "He has nothing to do with me now. But you can help me. I''ll make sure you get a share of the pie after you recover." Leia frowned without saying anything. It was obvious what Mandy was up to. She wanted to win Johann''s heart, but Leia had never seen Johann being in a rtionship with anyone before even after staying in A City for so many years. Perhaps he was interested in men. As for why Leia knew Johann so much, it was because Jack had tried to set her up with Johann many years ago. However, Johann was not interested in her, and Leia had no feelings for Johann either. That was why Leia knew Johann''s rtionship history so well. Mandy noticed that Leia did not say anything, so she added, "Oh, my dear Leia, he''s your attending physician. The two of you must have a way to contact each other. Why don''t you give me his Facebook ount name?" "What if he''s not interested in you? You might betray me and tell him. I''d still be the unlucky one," Leia said slowly. "No. I promise I won''t betray you! I won''t even tell him you were the one who gave me his Facebook ount," Mandy swore as she made a swearing gesture. The door was pushed open, and the nurse came in. She recognized Mandy when she saw her sitting beside Leia. She was the one who gave Leia the cigarette yesterday. The nurse frowned and asked, ¡°What are you doing?" Mandy turned around and nced at the nurse. She was the one who came in yesterday. Then, Mandy rose to her feet. She did not like the nurse. "I came to visit the patient. Is there any problem with it?" "If you hadn''t taken the initiative to smoke in the ward, the patient wouldn''t have ended up like this." The nurse gave her a dirty look. She walked toward Leia''s bed and said, "I have to give you an injection now. Would you like to lie down?" "Yes please." Leia felt tired. There was weariness on her pale-yellowish face. After the nurse helped Leia to adjust the hospital bed, she gave her the injection quickly and skillfully. She warned Mandy before she left, "The patient can''t even inhale secondhand smoke right now. Don''t do anything silly." Mandy pouted her mouth. After the nurse left, Mandy stepped forward and looked at the IV fluid Leia was using. There were a few bags of them. She could not help but smack her lips and say, "There are so many of them." "Thanks to you," Leia replied in a cold voice. "Didn''t I tell you that it''s a blessing in disguise? Just wait for it. Your mother will give you the money to get the liver," Mandyforted her. She did not forget to ask for Johann''s contact from her. "Come on. Give me the doctor''s Facebook ount name." Leia was getting impatient with Mandy pestering her. She reckoned that Johann would not ept Mandy even if she threw herself at him. Hence, she said, "Note it down. His Facebook ount name is..." Mandy quickly noted down the name. After Leia gave her Johann''s contact, she asked her to leave. "Fine. You''ve got what you wanted from me. Stoping here for the time being so that my mother doesn''t see you. Please leave." "Then I won''t bother you. Do remember to tell me if anything happens. I''m worried about you." Mandy sent her a flying kiss. Leia did not take Mandy''s words seriously. She closed her eyes and said, "Ask the caretaker toe back here." "Got it." Mandy left happily after she got what she wanted. Chapter 2242 T Corporation. It was almost past lunchtime when Luca walked out of theboratory. Luca asked Zoey to order takeout for her. That was why she was nning to return to her office and eat her lunch. After that, she would continue to handle her work. Before she returned to her office, Zoey came forward and said, ¡°Dr. Craw, I''ve left your lunchbox on your office desk. And Mr. Crawford is in your office." Luca was startled for a moment. Zoey deliberately lowered her voice when she mentioned Luke''s name. "I got it." Luca''s voice was calm, and it carried a trace of coldness. Zoey watched Luca march back to her office from behind. She could not help but let out a sigh. If it was another woman who encountered such a situation, she would not be able to hide the joy and excitement in her voice. However, Luca... Her reaction was so calm, and she was not even surprised to hear that. She was different from the other women. Perhaps that was the reason why their boss was attracted to her. Luca pushed the door open and walked into her office. Luke was sitting on the sofa waiting for her. Luca closed the door, took off her white coat, and said, "Mr. Crawford, what brings you here?" "I came to eat lunch with you," replied Luke. Luca only came to notice that there were a few lunchboxes on the coffee table. One of them must be the one Zoey ordered for her, while Luke must have brought the others here. "This is too much.." Luca said awkwardly. "No, it''s not. Take a seat," replied Luke. He opened the lunch boxes one after another. Then, he took the disposable cutleries and helped Luca with some white bread. Luca had a smaller appetite. That was why Luke did not give her a lot of bread. Then, he helped her with the bacon and ced it on her te. "That''s enough, Mr. Crawford." Luca knew Luke was helping her with the food when she saw the bread on the te. As Luca watched the bacon fill up the te, she quickly stopped him and said, "I can''t eat that much." Luke lifted his head and put the te in front of Luca. Then, he said, "Come on. Eat your lunch. You can have some brown sugar tea that Aunt Neile had sent here." "Aunt Neile sent some brown sugar tea for me?" Luca was surprised. She took a bite of the bacon. It tasted familiar. "Don''t you think it tastes familiar to you?" Luke questioned her. He asked Aunt Neile to send the lunchboxes to the office since she was delivering the brown sugar tea here. "Aunt Neile prepared these." Luca took another bite. She knew it was Aunt Neile who prepared it. At first, she was wondering how there could be so many choices if Luke ordered takeout. The food looked sumptuous, smelled good, and tasted yummy... "You can have more. Your body needs more nutrients now," said Luke. Luca found it strange when she heard him saying that. Why did Luke make it sound like she was pregnant. Previously, when she was pregnant with Luke''s fourth child, she barely took any supplements and nutrients. In the end, she depended on Shanks''s nutrient injections. She was unable to get used to the food served on the Ind of Despair. After lunch, Luca drank the brown sugar tea Aunt Neile made for her. The warm brown sugar tea tasted good. There was the aroma of ginger. At the same time, the sweetness of the brown sugar covered up the spiciness of the ginger. The two vors went well together. "Is it good?" Luke asked when he saw the satisfied expression on Luca''s face. He felt content too. "It''s good." Luca pulled a tissue and wiped her mouth. Luke stared at her and asked, "Luca, can you tell me why you went to the hospital today?" Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "I thought I told you.." Luca replied in an awkward tone. "But you didn''t tell me who asked for your help. You don''t have many friends here. It''s not Sue or Nina, not the guy Jean injured. So, who is it?" Luke did not give her the chance to make up an excuse. "I think you already know who it is.." answered Luca. Leia hade back for quite some time, and she had been in the hospital receiving treatment. How could Luke, someone who was well-connected and resourceful, not know about it. Perhaps Leia was the only one who thought she could hide from him. "Found out about what?" Luke deliberately asked her. Luca frowned. She had no choice but to answer him, "You must''ve known about it." "Leia?" Luke gave her a mischievous smirk. He could not help but feel sorry for Luca when he saw how cautious she was. Luca was forced to go through all those things because of Leia. Now, she had to save Leia''s life for Queenie''s sake. No matter who it was, anyone would feel conflicted once they put themselves in her shoes. However, Luca chose not to tell him. Not only did she hide her true identity, but she also promised Queenie to help Leia. "You already know about it.." Luca could sense something was wrong. Luke hated Leia. He did not deal with her and sent her away after knowing she came back. Instead, he pretended like he did not know about it. Could it be Jack who asked him not to do so? ¡°I knew she came back the moment she entered the country." Luke held Luca''s hand. It was so soft. He could not help but squeeze her hands a few times. "You''re not nning to deal with her, right?" Luca asked. If he were to deal with Leia, he would not have let her stay in A City until now. "If I send Leia back to New York now, Mother-inw will be heartbroken. She might even faint. That''s why I didn''t do anything to Leia. Not only because Father-inw asked me to do so, but I''d like to learn more about something from her," replied Luke. "About what?" Luca asked. Luke stared at her without saying a word. Previously, Luca was taken away by the people of the Ind of Despair. Leia was the one who cooperated with them, but Luke was not able to make Leia talk and spill the beans about the organization. He was so furious that he had no choice but to send her to New York. Now, Leia was back in the country. He had to seize the chance to learn more about the Ind of Despair. However, he could not tell Luca about his ns. "Mr. Crawford?" Luca asked in confusion when Luke fell silent. "Leia did many dirty things before this. You don''t have to interfere with this. How is she doing now?" Luke asked. He had yet to ask Johann about her condition. "Dr. Park should''ve told you, right?" Luca was puzzled. She believed that Johann was siding with Luke. There was no such thing as medical ethics in Johann''s dictionary. He would tell Luke whatever he wanted to know. "He didn''t go into the details." "Ms. Norman is awake now, but things aren''t getting better for her. She... She has to undergo a liver transnt immediately if that''s possible," said Luca. She knew exactly what situation Leia was in now. It was like Kevin, who was anxiously waiting for a liver transnt back then. "She hasn''t given up the thought of getting a liver in the ck market?" Luke asked again. Luca shook her head. She knew Luke had been keeping an eye on Leia fro the very beginning. Queenie thought she would be able to hide it from Luke. However, no one could hide anything from Luke. "Ms. Norman has a strong survival instinct. I guess she won''t give up that easily," Luca said in a soft voice. Her voice was full of helplessness. Chapter 2243 Luke instantly knew what kind of person Leia was without needing Luca to exin to him. There was no way she would give up easily. She was still asking her so-called friends to help keep an eye on updates in the ck market. Although she was broke, that would not stop her from deceiving her father and the Norman family. ¡°What do you think?" Luke asked for her opinion. Luca was silent for some time and slowly said, "Actually, I think that since you already know that she''s back, why not just be frank with her so that she has more options to look for liver donors? Otherwise, she can only wait in the hospital or purchase it from the ck market..." She did not say this for the sake of Leia as she was not fond of her either. She just felt sorry for Queenie and Jack. She did not want the couple to be dragged down by Leia''s disease. Moreover, if Leia dragged down the Norman family, it would affect Luke too. Besides, he was still the Norman family''s son-inw to the outside world. "You''re saying we should let her openly look for liver donors?" Luke''s eyes smiled a little. "Yes." Luca nodded as Leia used to be a celebrity, so perhaps someone would be willing to help. "But Leia pretty much ruined her reputation entirely. Even if someone is willing to help, it''d be for Jack''s sake," said Luke. It was notpletely off the table, but the one who would be deeply indebted would be Jack and not Leia. Who would donate their liver to an over-the-hill celebrity with a bad image? Luca bit her lower lip as it did not ur to her that Jack was a governor. There would be many social climbers lining up to help him. It seemed like this was not a good solution either. Luke noticed that she was in a dilemma, and he also knew that she was not doing it for Leia''s sake but Queenie''s. He said, "But there is one person who might be able to give Leia a chance to get an operation." "Who?" Luca asked hurriedly without trying to mask her anxiousness. Besides, they were her parents. She could not bear to watch them be in a dilemma because of Leia. "Dexter," Luke mentioned a name. Luca frowned as the name sounded familiar to her, but she could not recall who it was. "That''s.." "He''s Leia''s biological father. When he almost sold her off, she escaped and was adopted by the Norman family, which led her to have afortable life. After that, Dexter recognized that Leia was his daughter at first nce. He went to her for money, but she refused to give him any. Hence, he thought of ways to use Leia in front of the media for things she didn''t do, which is why her reputation hit rock bottom," said Luke. Luca recalled who this Dexter guy was. He was one of the people whopletely ruined Leia''s chances of working in the entertainment industry ever again. However, when Dexter used Leia in front of the reporters, was Luke not the one manipting him? It was all in the past, but Luca still remembered that after the ruckus Dexter caused, he disappeared into thin air and was never seen again. He was nothing short of a vagrant. Although everyone had a bad impression of Leia, they could not care less about a tramp like him. After all these years, was Dexter still alive? Luca thought that the chances of finding Dexter were too low. "Can this person still be found?" She had intended to ask whether he was still alive, but she had just returned from overseas, so she was not supposed to know about this. Therefore, she had no choice but to ask whether he could be found and not whether he was still alive. "We can try," said Luke. After causing a scene, Dexter got a sum of money. If he did not squander it all, he should have enough to get by for a few years. He was just afraid that Dexter had not gotten rid of his habit of splurging and had starved himself to death on the streets. If that was the case, then the universe was just not on Leia''s side. "Then, will you help?" Luca asked with caution. "If Leia is willing to cooperate with me, I can help," said Luke as Leia had not told him what he wanted to know. If she told him what he wanted to know, then not only could he help find Dexter, but he could even use his connections to get her what she wanted. Of course, he would do so in a legal manner. Besides, if Leia sought help publicly in addition to Luke helping her, there was no doubt that there would be someone who would be willing to donate their liver. Luca fell silent as she reckoned that the thing Luke wanted to know was probably the identity of the person who worked with Leia to kidnap her. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Leia did not tell him at the time. Even after being sent abroad, her lips were sealed. Would she tell the truth about what had happened for the sake of getting a liver? Luca thought that she most likely would... because she was afraid of death. Luke nced at his watch, then he stood up and said, "Lunch break is over. I''m going up to work. Let Warren pick you up after work and don''t leave on your own." "I know.." Luca nodded. She believed that Warren had already told him about what had happened this morning. After Luke left, Luca packed up her lunch box. Aunt Neile had made a huge portion for lunch. There was no way two people could finish it, but she could not share it with others either because Luke was around. After throwing the lunch box into the trash, Luca nced at the time and returned to her office. It was evening. After Luca got off work, she got into Warren''s car and was about to head back home. At that moment, Luke sent her a text message. [I''m dropping by the Norman family''s ce.] [Did Mrs. Norman invite you over?] Luca asked as she could not suppress her curiosity. [Yes.] Luke replied. Luca did not say anything else. She put her phone in her briefcase and pretended to sleep. In the Norman family''s residence. Queenie had prepared a spread of food herself, and Jack was astonished to see the enticing food on the table when he came back. ¡°What day is it today?" ¡°I invited Luke over for dinner," said Queenie as she handed a bottle of red wine to the maid for her to decant it in advance. "Why did you invite Luke over for dinner? Did you ask him to bring the children with him?" Jack asked as he missed his adorable grandchildren very much. Queenie shook her head as she invited Luke over to ask him for a favor. If the grandkids were here, she could not say it out loud. Besides, Leia was not a good aunt in the eyes of the three kids. Jack put down his briefcase and took off his coat. He could not help but ask, "You have a favor to ask Luke, don''t you?" Queenie bit her lower lip and nodded resignedly. She did not consult Jack before inviting Luke over because she was afraid that he would object. "Does it have to do with Leia?" Jack asked while frowning. "I want to be frank with Luke about Leia returning here to receive treatment..." Queenie stepped forward and held Jack''s hand. "Dear, Leia''s condition is getting worse. I can''t just watch while she leaves us because she can''t find a donor, but I can''t condone her ruining the Norman family either. I have no other choice." Chapter 2244 ¡°Will telling Luke help Leia? Have you thought about the consequences of doing so?" Although Jack knew that Luke was already aware that Leia had returned, he still looked at Queenie seriously and told her the consequences she might have to face if she did so. "Of course, I know that! Dear, Leia is our daughter. You may be able to steel yourself, but I can''t. There''s a chance that Luke might send Leia back to New York if I tell him, but I won''t allow that to happen. If he insists on doing so, I''ll get down on my knees and beg him to spare Leia in consideration of me being Bea''s biological mother. As long as he''s willing to spare Leia, we can publicly look for volunteers for Leia..." Queenie''s eyes were bloodshot while talking. She was getting emotional because she knew that this was Leia''sst resort. Disappointment could be seen in Jack''s eyes as looking for voluntary donors for Leia may be useful, but would not he be the one to take the fall in the end? If Leia received someone else''s liver, he, as her father, would owe someone a favor that had to be returned someday! That person may even affect his decision-making in the future. He used to be secretly d that Leia''s problem was her liver, so she did not have to wait for the donor to die to get the organ. Someone could donate their liver even when they were alive and well. Now, he changed his mind. If he was indebted to a dead person, he would never be able to return the favor, but if he was indebted to someone alive, he may need to spend a whole lifetime paying off that debt. However, a parent''s love was unconditional. Even after everything Leia had done to Queenie, she was still not disappointed in Leia.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Jack was helpless. What else could he say under these circumstances? The maid walked over and told them, "Mr. and Mrs. Norman, Mr. Crawford is here." As soon as Queenie heard that, she hurriedly wiped away the tears in the corner of her eyes and nced at Jack as she said, "Even if you''re not willing to help Leia, I can''t just leave my daughter to die." Jack heaved a sigh. Luke walked in while carrying a bag of health supplements along with a bag of tea leaves. He did not have too big of a reaction when he saw the couple. Instead, he just habitually greeted them, "Father- iw, Mother-inw, these are the health supplements and tea I brought for you." Queenie chuckled and shook her head. "You could''ve juste here without bringing anything with you. Why did you bring over so many things?" "It''s been a while since I''vee over to visit, so I brought some things as a token of respect in ce of Bea." Luke handed the two bags to the maid. After receiving the bags, the maid looked at Jack and Queenie. "Mr. and Mrs. Norman, would you like to eat now?" "Not yet. Luke,e with me to my study," said Jack as he wanted to tell him about Queenie''s n in advance. "If you have something to talk about, do it after dinner. Let''s eat first. Otherwise, the food won''t taste good when it''s cold," Queenie said hurriedly as she was afraid that Jack would say something to Luke to make him not help Leia. Jack wanted to say something but did not. After assessing the situation, Luke knew what Queenie wanted to talk to him about. Unfortunately, Luca was right. He then nodded and said, "Mother-inw is right. Let''s eat first." Jack could not refuse. Since Luke had long known about Leia''s return, Leia was already considered lucky that Luke had yet to take any action. Besides, Bianca''s kidnapping and everything else Bianca had to suffer after that had something to do with Leia. Moreover, Bianca was his biological daughter. Even if he had raised Leia for more than 20 years, it still angered him. Needless to say, Bianca was the love of Luke''s life, while Leia was just a passerby to him. Therefore, he understood if Luke wanted to deal with Leia. Plus, after what Leia had done to Queenie, he would even be supportive of Luke''s decision. After the three of them walked into the dining room and sat down, Queenie then told Luke to help himself. The maid brought out the bottle of wine that had been decanted, so Queenie instructed, "Pour us a ss each." "Yes, Mrs. Norman." The maid then brought three wine sses. Luke said, "Mother-inw, I drove here, so I can''t drink." Queenie froze as she thought that it would be easier for her to talk if there was wine. However, after Luke''s statement, she had to drop the idea. "Since you can''t drink, then let''s put the wine away," she said resignedly. After receiving her orders, the maid took the wine back into the kitchen. Since no kids were there to make a fuss, the dinner table was rather quiet. Jack saw that Queenie was hesitant to talk, so he asked with concern, "Luke, I heard that you''ve bought the Hilton family''spany?" "I did. We''re going through the formalities right now," said Luke. "Good. Although the Hilton family can''t hold themselves up anymore, theirpany''s prospects are still pretty good," said Jack. When the Leia and Brody incident caused quite a ruckus, he had looked into them. The Hilton family was not bad, and they were a good match for Leia. Leia was the one being ridiculous, and she took them for granted. Moreover, the past two generations of the Hilton family were known to be shrewd businessmen. Now, with the ck sheep of the family, Brody, they were doomed. Jack could not help but sigh again. "It''s a shame that the Hilton family was ruined by Brody. Children should be educated correctly and not spoon-fed." Not only was his statement for Luke to hear but for Queenie as well. He believed that Leia turned out this way mainly because she was spoiled at home, not only by Queenie but by his parents too. "Thepany''s outlook is indeed great, but things started to head south after Brody was put in charge," said Luke. If Brody had been willing to delegate responsibilities and hire a manager to run the company, it would not have ended up in his hands. Now that the acquisition had been made, he could revive thepany and bring it back to life. "I believe in you." Jack expressed his confidence in Luke. "By the way, Luke, how are the three kids doing?" Queenie asked about her grandchildren as an excuse to take part in the conversation. Then, she intended to ask about Bianca before bringing up Leia. "Lanie and the others are very good kids. They''re doing well in school too," said Luke. The three children Bianca gave him would definitely be part of the elite when they grew up. "Good to hear that. Bea will be at ease even though she''s abroad..." Queenie nodded and took a sip of her soup, then asked again, "Have you heard from Bea recently? She would text me asionally, but every time I ask when she''lle back, she''ll stop replying to me.." "She''s still studying abroad in different ces, so she''s noting back for New Year''s," Luke lied through his teeth. Besides, he could not tell her that Luca was actually Bianca. Queenie was not good at pretending, so Jack could know about this, but not Queenie. Jack helped himself to a piece of meat. He did not think much of Luke''s words as he knew that their daughter was right by their side. Chapter 2245 After learning that Bianca was noting back, Queenie''s eyes grew dim. The reason why she put all her attention on Leia was because of Luca''s absence. She could not even worry about her if she wanted to. Besides, Bianca was not always reachable. ¡°I guess I won''t be able to see Bea this New Year''s again. Luke, Jack and I aren''t getting any younger. Who wouldn''t want to have their children by their side at this age? So, I want to tell you something." Queenie put down her utensils, and her face stiffened with dismay. Luke understood the situation and put down his utensils as well. "Yes, Mother-inw?" When Queenie nced at Jack to see him shake his head indicating that she should not say what she was about to say, she ignored him. Then, she looked at Luke and said, "There''s actually something we''ve been hiding from you... Leia is back." Luke remained silent. Queenie tried to decipher Luke''s expression, but no emotion could be seen on his face as he was too calm. She had no choice but to say, "Leia is critically ill. It''s so serious that if we keep it from you any longer, she might leave us any time now. Luke, I know that Leia made many mistakes in the past, but she got the punishment she deserved. I hope that you''ll let bygones be bygones. At least let her recover here for the time being. We can further discuss it after she''s fully recovered." "I understand," Luke said indifferently as he picked up his ss of water and took a sip. He could not say that he had fallen into a trap as he was aware of what Queenie wanted to talk to him about. Queenie noticed that he did not react badly, nor did he say that he would send Leia back to New York. She heaved a sigh of relief and said, "So, are you okay with Leia staying here to get treatment?" "Isn''t she sick?" Luke asked in reply. Queenie nodded. "It''s a liver disease, and the doctor said that the only way she can survive is to get a liver transnt. However, my blood type and Mr. Norman''s blood type are notpatible with Leia''s. So, we want to make it known to the public to see if there are any kind-hearted people out there who can help her¡ª" "You want to find a voluntary donor for Leia?" Luke then knew that Luca probably had the same idea. However, when she suggested it, she did not think about Jack. The thought of Jack did not ur to her most likely because she felt sorry for Queenie. Queenie nodded. ¡°If that''s the case, Father-inw''s career will be badly affected." Luke reckoned that Jack thought so too, but he did not speak up about it because of Queenie. Hence, he had Luke do his dirty work for him instead. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Queenie was taken aback, and she nced at Jack who was eating with his head down. "How..." They were just looking for voluntary donors, not purchasing a liver from the ck market. How would this affect his career? "Although Leia was a celebrity, she has already lost all her fans. If someone is willing to help her, they''d be doing it because of Father-inw," Luke exined to her in detail. There were still people who would asionally mention Leia''s name on the inte, but all of those people were her haters. Queenie was perplexed as Luke''s point never urred to her. She looked at Jack with guilt in her eyes. No wonder Jack was behaving unusually quietly. He must have thought the same but kept quiet because of her urgency to find a donor for Leia. He may not have much affection for Leia, but he still loved Queenie. He had sacrificed a lot for her after decades of being together. Queenie sighed, and all of a sudden, the dinner table grew much more silent after Luke''s revtion. "I didn''t think about that. So, all Leia can do is wait in line?" She was powerless. Having raised Leia for so long, this was the first time she had ever felt this way. No one knew how long she had to wait in line. Perhaps Leia would get lucky and find apatible donor soon, but she might be unlucky as well. It may never be her turn. The thought of it scared Queenie. Luke saw the look on their faces and thought of Luca. She must not want to see her parents in this state. Therefore, he said, "There''s actually another way. Although Leia''s biological mother has passed away, she still has a father¡ªDexter." Queenie suddenly looked up and recalled what had happened before. Dexter was willing to do anything for money. He even ruined Leia when he could not get any more money. He did not care how others looked at him. Besides, he was the one who wanted to sell Leia off, but he later wanted to take advantage of her. Thus, Queenie did not have a good impression of him at all. "How could he possibly help Leia after making her so miserable?" "Leia was the one asking for trouble," Jack could not resist correcting her. Although Dexter was at fault, Leia was not any better. Queenie opened her mouth but was unable to refute. "Despite what he did, he''s still Leia''s biological father. The chances of a sessful match between father and daughter are very high. Instead of using Father-inw''s reputation to seek voluntary donors, why not try looking for Dexter to donate his liver to her?" Luke told Queenie. Someone worthy of pity would also be worthy of detest, and as detestable as one might be, there would alsoe a time they became of use. Queenie nodded as Leia''s life was more important. She then opened her mouth to say, ¡°However, Dexter was never seen again after that incident. Can he still be found? Plus, it''smon for vagrants like him to die under bridges." Although the country''s welfare policies had gotten better, there were still reports of homeless people dying under bridges. "We can try, and if we can''t find him, we''ll think of another way," said Luke. He was not doing it for Leia but for Luca. "Luke, are you saying that you''ll help us?" A glimmer of hope flickered in Queenie''s eyes. Although Jack was a man of position, it was not a good idea for him to abuse his power and use the government''s resources to find someone. However, Luke was different. As long as Dexter was still alive, with the help of his people, there was a great possibility that he could be found. "I''m doing this for Bianca, not Leia. I believe that she won''t want to see you in this haggard state when shees back," Luke said frankly as all the pain Leia was causing Queenie made Luca''s heart ache. Others may not know it, but he knew all about it. Queenie nodded repeatedly as a delighted smile appeared on her face. This way, Leia did not have to hide anything. There was another way for her to live. There was no guarantee that Dexter could be found, and there was a chance that his blood type may not bepatible with Leia''s. Even so, they could worry about thatter. At least there was light at the end of the tunnel right now. After dinner, Luke followed Jack to the second floor. Jack closed the door to the study and pointed to a chair. "Have a seat, Luke." Luke sat on the chair. "Father-inw, what is it?" Chapter 2246 ¡°Let me ask you something. Did Lucae up with that idea?" Jack asked. ¡°Not entirely. I was the one who suggested looking for Dexter." Luke looked at Jack to see that he had aged a lot because of all the worrying about political affairs and family feuds. Although his heroic bearing was still apparent, Luke could feel that the person in front of him was getting on in years. ¡°Then, how sure are you of finding Dexter?" Jack asked again. ¡°It''s hard to say because Dexter disappeared without a trace ever since that incident, I can have people look for him right now, but I can''t say how sure I am of finding him. However, I do need you to help me confirm something." Luke folded his arms together. Dexter was just one of the chess pieces that tripped Leia up. When the chess piece became useless, he never bothered batting an eye at him. ¡°What is it?" Jack asked. ¡°I want to know if there''s any news of Dexter''s passing in the records," said Luke as there must be someone who would have called the police if something had happened to a homeless man. If a report was made, the police would try their best to identify the other party based on the information registered in the system. If someone with a past criminal record like Dexter died, his death would be recorded as long as someone made a report. Therefore, he needed Jack to find out for him. It was not a difficult task, nor did it require using many resources. Hence, Jack agreed. ¡°No problem, but you have to promise me one thing." ¡°Go ahead." Luke saw Jack''s haggard face, so he reckoned that he did not manage to sleep wellst night. ¡°If you manage to find Dexter but the blood types are notpatible, I want you to take this matter off your hands," said Jack. He was a man of high moral standards as he used to be in the military. If God took this chance away from Leia after everything she had done, it was a sign for her to pay the price she deserved for all the terrible things she had done. If she could not go to jail, then she should suffer from her illness. Even if she ended up losing her life, she was in no position toin. Luke looked at Jack''s stern expression and nodded in agreement. ¡°Alright." In Traders Hotel. Matysh was grim-faced as he looked at the photo in front of him. Bill''s people had sent him that photo. Luca had a designated chauffeur for traveling to and from work now. That chauffeur did not seem easy to deal with. After listening to what Bill''s subordinate had to say, it was obvious that he was asking for more money. Otherwise, Matysh would have to wait even longer. He was not going to pay more, nor was he willing to wait any longer... Matysh''s heart tickled as he looked at Luca in the photo. The more out of reach she was, the more he craved her with every fiber of his being. Mandy opened the door using the suite''s spare card to see Matysh drinking on the sofa again. She then chuckled and walked over there seductively. ¡°Mr. Matysh, why are you drinking alone again.." she said while throwing her bag aside. She pressed her voluptuous body tightly against his. Matysh pushed her away impatiently. Although Mandy and Luca looked somewhat alike. The more he looked at her, the more he realized that her ss was nowhere near Luca''s. After being pushed away by the man, Mandy inadvertently rolled her eyes. "Why are you treating me so coldly when you were the one who asked me toe over?" "Shut up!" Matysh snapped at her. Mandy realized that the man in front of her was in a bad mood, but she had already gotten used to his short temper after two days. No matter how well she served him, the man''s mood did not seem to get any better. Hence, she got used to it. She still stuck to him and paused for a moment when she saw the photo in Matysh''s hands. "This person." Matysh nced at her and noticed more differences afterparing her to the photo. If he had found a woman who looked more like Luca, this Mandy girl would have been chased out by now. "This is the woman I''ve always wanted." Matysh took a big gulp of wine all of a sudden without hiding the fact that he wanted Luca. Mandy squinted her eyes, but she was not jealous. Her rtionship with Matysh was strictly business anyway as he just paid her for her body. She knew that there was no chance she would be his girlfriend, so there was no such thing as jealousy. However, why did the woman in the photo look so simr to the woman she saw in Leia''s ward this morning? "So, you wanted me toe to keep youpany for the past three days because this woman looks like me.." Mandy smirked. "It''s you who look like her." Matysh corrected her snappishly. Mandy disregarded his words. "I''ve seen this woman before." "You''ve seen her before? How could you have seen her before?" Matysh did not believe her as Luca was on a whole different level than Mandy. Plus, she was not the type of woman who would go out and have fun, so there was no way she would mix with someone like Mandy. After seeing his disbelief, Mandy said, "I may have just seen her this morning when I was visiting my friend in the hospital. She was also in my friend''s ward, but I''m not sure what she was doing there." At that time, she did not think that she was anyone important, so she did not ask Leia who she was. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Hospital? Matysh recalled what Bill''s subordinate had reported to him today. Luca went to the hospital this morning before going back to T Corporation... He hurriedly asked, "Did you really see her?" "Yeah, but I didn''t ask why she was in my friend''s ward." "Ask why she''s in the hospital for me," said Matysh as he had been wondering why she went to the hospital after learning about it today. His gut told him that this might be a breakthrough. "Okay, I''ll ask tomorrow." Mandy leaned on the man again. She thought that she could use this woman to make a quick buck from Matysh. "Ask now." Matysh was so domineering that he could not even wait a day now that he had a new lead. "There''s no way I can ask now. My friend is in bad condition, so she rests very early. If we wait for tomorrow to ask her questions after she wakes up, we might get more information about that woman," Mandy was disdainful as she tried to calm his restlessness. She learned something new about him after seeing that he was all over the ce because of a mere woman. However, what did this have to do with her? All she needed was the money. Although Matysh was not happy with it, Mandy had a point. He nodded and went along with her. Then, he handed her the other wine ss. "Drink with me." "Fine, but let me fix my makeup first," said Mandy as she got up and walked into the bathroom. After closing the door, she took out her phone to check her notifications. There were quite a lot of messages from the rich kids who were pursuing her, yet the friend request she sent Johann had not been epted. Chapter 2247 Mandy frowned. Did Johann not see it yet? Why else would he not ept her friend request? While she was wondering, she opened her profile. Her photos and posts disyed her beauty and elegance, so all Johann had to do was click on her profile to see them. Mandy was not willing to give up, so she took a mirror selfie and posted it after photoshopping. She said how tired she was from work as the caption. Before she could enjoy all the likes andments, Matysh''s impatient voice could be heard from the outside. ¡°What are you doing in there? What''s taking you so long to fix your makeup?" "I''m almost done." Mandy took out her setting powder and used it to touch up the oily spots on her face before applying more lipstick. Finally, she walked out of the bathroom and sat next to Matysh. "Mr. Matysh, let''s have a drink." Mandy lifted the ss of wine to clink sses with him. Matysh looked at Luca''s photo and tilted his head back to finish his wine in one go. "You''re really good at drinking. Say, are all Russian men as good as drinking as you are?" Mandy rested her chin on his shoulder and teased him while she talked. The fire Matysh had for Luca had not died out. He put the wine ss on the coffee table and picked Mandy up to walk into the bedroom. "Drinking is not the only thing Russian men are good at." In the mansion. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. After putting the children to sleep, Luca returned to her bedroom. Percy came to pick Nina up after dinner, so she was in charge of looking after the children again. Good thing the kids were well-behaved enough to go to bed at bedtime. Plus, they had grown up quite a bit as they did not even need bedtime stories anymore. It gave her peace of mind. When she returned to her room, she took a shower and sat down at her dresser to start crunching numbers. She seemed to have broken down the ingredients, but she could not get the concentration right yet. Hence, rushing it would not get her anywhere... In times like this, the only way to develop the antidote was by analyzing the data in detail and doing meticulous experiments. Luca sighed. Sorting data was so tedious that she could not suppress a yawn. She nced at the time to see that it was already 11. Luke had yet to return from the Norman family''s residence. After entering thest of the data, Lucay in bed and closed her eyes after turning off the lights. She ced a pillow next to her and consciously left some space on the bed. However, because Luke was not beside her, she could not fall asleep even when she was feeling sleepy... Luca got up and fumbled around for her sleeping pills. The moment she opened the drawer, she heard the sound of the door being pushed open. She immediately switched on the bedsidemp. She could see everything inside the room with the faint light, including Luke who was walking in. ¡°Mr, Crawford, you''re back.." Luca said bashfully. She noticed that Luke had changed into pajamas, so she wondered when he returned to take a shower and why she did not hear anything when she was checking the data. Perhaps Luke''s footsteps were too light, so she did not hear him. "Did I wake you up?" Luke closed the door behind him and walked to the bedside. "No, I justid down." Lucay back down and pulled the nket over her nose, so her voice was muffled. Now that he was back, she could finally fall asleep. Even though she was still lying to him, it could not be denied that Luke was the one who made her feel most at ease. There was no need to use sleeping pills when she was with him. Luke walked over, lifted the corner of the nket, andy down as well. He naturally hugged Luca. "Go to sleep. It''ste." It was indeedte, but Luca had something to ask him. "Did Mrs. Norman talk to you about Leia?" Luca closed her eyes and felt his hands caressing her tummy before he rested them at a certain position. It made her feel all warm and cozy inside. "Yes, and I also mentioned Dexter to her." Luke shifted his head closer to the nape of her neck and sniffed the fragrance of her hair which smelled sweet even when she was about to sleep. He had not slept with Luca in his arms for a long time, and that period was excruciating for him. If sleep was not necessary, he would rather not sleep if it were not as sweet as this. When he was asleep, he would only dream of torture and torment. Only when he held her to sleep could he feel at ease and sleep without dreams. "Did she agree to look for Dexter?" Luca asked. "She''s very concerned about Leia''s illness, so she agreed even though she despises Dexter. I''ll help her look for him." Luke hugged Luca even tighter. "Okay.." Luca slowly closed her eyes. Even if Dexter was hiding in the dirtiest corners of this city, they would be able to find him with Luke''s help. After feeling a sense of relief, she fell into a deep sleep. She woke up the following day. Luke had already gotten out of bed. Luca listened carefully. There was no sound of Luke in the bathroom, so he must be working in the opposite bedroom. After getting out of bed and washing up, she walked out of the bedroom. The door of the opposite bedroom was not closed, so she peeked inside to see that Luke was indeed working. Luca did not say anything. She headed straight downstairs to help Aunt Neile prepare breakfast. Half an hourter, the kids got up. When the three children passed by Luke''s bedroom, they saw that their dad was working. Hence, they greeted him and left. Rainie suddenly thought of something. She turned around and stood at the door of Luke''s bedroom as she asked softly, ¡°Daddy, can Ie in?" Luke put down his pen and looked at his daughter. He nodded and said, e in." Rainie walked in. "What is it that you want to tell me?" Luke asked. He knew that his daughter would be understanding enough to know not to disturb him when he was working, so if she wanted toe in while he was working, there must be something she wanted to tell him. "Daddy, Ms. Nina has left. Mr. Percy took her away," said Rainie. "I know." Luke nodded slightly. Percy had informed him before picking her up. Now that Nina was gone, Luca would be morefortable being intimate with him. Rainie''s hands gripped the corner of the table as she added, "Daddy, do you know why Ms. Nina and Mr. Percy are so in love?" Luke raised his eyebrows and looked at his daughter. What was she trying to say? "No. Why?" He went along with it. "Because Mr. Percy often sweet-talks Ms. Nina. Ms. Nina said that sweet talk is like dessert. Dessert can sweeten one''s stomach, while sweet talk can sweeten one''s heart. Daddy, you should learn from Mr. Percy how to sweet-talk so that Ms. Luca will know that you like her," Rainie said seriously as she thought that Luca and Luke''s rtionship was not progressing at all because of Luke''s slow- wittedness. Chapter 2248 Rainie''s words left Luke speechless. "Who taught you to say that?" Luke''s mood darkened as he took Rainie''s hand. ¡®If I could say such sweet words to Luca, why wouldn''t I?'' If he did, he was afraid that he would scare Luca off. It would not be worth the loss if she opted to retreat and escape... Moreover, he did not like to use his words to show his affection. He believed that his actions spoke louder than words. However, the situation that Luca was in did not allow him to act so recklessly. After all, she still had some scruples holding her back. Luke did not act as he did before considering that she could not reveal her identity. Plus, there was still someone who was manipting her behind the scenes. "No... No one taught me to say that. I just think that what Aunt Nina said made sense..." Rainie shrank her neck and could not help but wonder. She overheard the adults speak, so she thought that that was how things should be. That was why she repeated it to Luke. "This does not apply to Ms. Luca. Anyway, she can''t run away. You''re a kid. You should be good and stay out of adult matters." Luke urged. He did not want the kids to overthink. "I know, Daddy..." Rainie nodded. "I still have some things to attend to. You should go downstairs," Luke said as he continued to work on the documents. His recent workload had increased due to the acquisition of Hampton Company on top of preparing to win over the development rights of the suburbannd. The busier he got, the more things he had to deal with. Luke could only squeeze some time here and there. He even asked Lliam to drive him to and from work so that he could work in the car. However, he did not feel tired. He slept with Luca in his arms every night, so no matter how little he slept, he would always wake up feeling full of energy. It was unlike before when he needed to rely on cups of coffee to keep his energy level up. Downstairs, Luca brought the breakfast she prepared to the table. She did not see Rainie, so she asked, "Has Rainie woken up yet?" "Rainie went to look for Daddy," Lanie sat in the chair and replied. Luca nodded in response. She guessed that the father and daughter had something to discuss in secret, so she did not say anything. She walked into the kitchen again and ced Luke''s breakfast on the tray. "Aunt Neile, please send this upstairs." Luke could eat breakfast while working. However, it would affect his digestion and it would not be good if the children modeled after his behavior. Hence, he never ate while working at the dining table. He would only do that in the study. "Okay." Aunt Neile picked up the tray and was about to head up when she thought of Luca''s health. She stopped in her tracks and asked, "By the way, Ms. Craw, do you want me to prepare some brown sugar tea for you today?"Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "I don''t need it today." Luca was stunned. Her body was not so fragile that she needed to drink brown sugar tea often. She only drank it because Luke asked Aunt Neile to prepare it. "Brown sugar tea is good for a woman''s body," Aunt Neile said. "My period is almost over, so I don''t need it." Luca shook her head, put on some mittens, and took the toasted bread out of the kitchen. Rainie had finished talking to Luke and was sitting in the chair by the dining table. "Let''s eat," Luca told them as she put the toasted bread on the table. The three children obediently ate the bread and milk. Aunt Neile brought the breakfast upstairs to Luke. After she put down the food, Aunt Neile asked with a smile on her face, "Sir, do you need me to bring lunch for you and Ms. Craw today?" "Yes." Luke''s gaze did not leave the document in front of him. He picked up a slice of bread and was taken back when he unexpectedly touched the fried egg next to it. Upon seeing this, Aunt Neile said, "This is the fried egg that Ms. Craw specially prepared for you. She said that you''ve been working hard and need more nutrients. I''ll send lunch to the office at noon today." Luke looked at the eggs and remembered that Luca used to fry eggs for him before she was kidnapped. Her fried eggs were delicious, but they were not as tempting for those like Luke who did not enjoy eating eggs. As such, Luca tried many different ways to get him to eat eggs back then. She even fried the eggs into the shape of a heart. When he refused to eat them, she would tell him that he was letting all her hard work and love go to waste. ''What an adorable woman...'' He looked at the eggs that were now fried to a round shape, and the corners of his mouth could not help but rise to a slight smile. He told Aunt Neile, "Prepare some brown sugar tea..." "Okay." Aunt Neile agreed. Although Luca said there was no need to prepare the tea, she decided to obey Luke. After all, he was her boss. After breakfast, Luca walked to the door of the vi and found that not only Warren was waiting for her in the car but Lliam was also there. She walked to Lliam''s car and asked, "Lliam, why are you here?" "The boss asked me to drive him to and from work," Lliam said with a smile. Although he was T Corporation''s chauffeur, his priority was to serve Luke. Luca nodded. She understood why Luke asked him to do that. In this way, he could save time and deal with some documents on the road. It was clear that he had his hands full with work. Luke had done the same in the past. He would ask the chauffeur to drive him while he would sit in the back seat handling variouspany documents. It was onlyter that Luke enjoyed spending time with her even more, so instead of having the chauffeur pick him up, he personally drove her. He would send her to Brilliant Architectural Design LLC before he drove himself to T Corporation. "Dr. Craw, are you getting in too?" Lliam asked as he got out of the car and opened the door for her. "No, I''m taking that car," Luca said. She then walked to the car beside and opened the door. Luca knew that Warren did not work for T Corporation. He was working under Gale. Warren was skilled in martial arts and had good driving skills, so he was asked by Luke to protect her to and from work. Warren did not know Lliam well. After Luca got into the car, he closed the door, nced at Lliam, got back in the driver''s seat, and drove off. When he saw that, Lliam could not help but murmur, "The chauffeur the boss got for Dr. Craw is so cool..." Not long after Luca left, Luke walked out of the house too. Aunt Neile walked behind him, holding a stack of folders. Lliam hurriedly got out of the car and opened the backseat door. "Good morning, Boss." "Morning." Luke was as taciturn as ever in front of his subordinates. He closed the car door after he got in. Lliam took the thick stack of documents from Aunt Neile, walked around the car, opened the door on the other side, and put the documents on the passenger seat. This would allow Luke to work on the documents on his way to the office. When he got everything sorted, Lliam closed the door, got in the driver''s seat, and drove off. Chapter 2249 In the hospital. Leia took a bite of the breakfast that the caretaker bought and thought it tasted terrible. She could not help but lose her temper. "What did you buy for me? Why is it so unptable? Didn''t my family pay? Did you steal the money?" The caretaker quickly shook her head. Her face was pale as she said, "I didn''t! Ms. Norman, I wouldn''t dare to steal your money..." "Why are these things so unptable? Exin yourself!" Leia was upset. Her face was sallow, and she squinted her eyes to look at the caretaker in front of her. "The Osborne isn''t open today. I had no choice, so I bought your breakfast from the restaurant downstairs..." The caretaker exined. Leia was a picky eater. Even though she was sick, had no appetite, and could not eat much, she still insisted on eating the best and most expensive food around. Fortunately, there was a famous breakfast ce near the hospital, The Osborne. As such, the caretaker would have to leave the ward half an hour earlier every day just to queue up to buy breakfast for her. However, The Osborne was closed for a day off. That was why she bought a croissant for Leia from the restaurant downstairs. She did not expect that Leia would still be so picky and could tell that it was different even if her appetite had been smalltely. Leia frowned. She was very dissatisfied with the caretaker making a decision on her behalf. She scolded, "Couldn''t you have gone farther away to look for something else even if they''re not open today? Is the food in the hospital restaurant for humans?" The caretaker shrank her neck in a grievance. ''Where would I have the time to do so? After all, Leia only gave me so much time.'' As a caretaker, she could not leave the patient alone for too long. She nced at the monitoring equipment and noticed that Leia''s blood pressure was rising. She quickly said, "Sorry, Ms. Norman. It won''t happen again." Leia''s scolding was heard in the corridor. Queenie was there with Leia''s breakfast and heard everything she said. She frowned and shook her head helplessly. ''Leia''s health isn''t the best, so she''s in a bad mood. It''s not her fault...'' "What''s wrong?" Queenie opened the door and gently checked in on the people inside. Leia rolled her eyes and turned away when she saw Queenie. The caretaker was a little surprised by Queenie''s sudden appearance. She said in a panic, "I bought breakfast which was unfortunately not to Ms. Norman''s taste..." Queenie did not react much. After all, Leia was the pickiest eater that she knew. She believed that the caretaker did not do it on purpose. She put the breakfast she brought on the side table and said, "Leia, I brought you breakfast. Do you want to have some?" "No, I''m not hungry." Leia closed her eyes and turned Queenie down. "Have a bite. I have some good news for you," Queenie knew that she was still throwing a tantrum, so she coaxed her patiently. Leia opened her eyes, and a sh of impatience appeared on her face. "I have half a foot in the coffin. What good news can there be?" Queenie waved at the caretaker. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The caretaker noticed, nodded, and left the ward. After the door of the ward closed, she said slowly, "I''ve told Luke about your return to A City." ¡°Luke?!¡± Fear rose in the bottom of Leia¡¯s heart when she heard Luke¡¯s name. Her blood pressure rose uncontrobly. "You told Luke about my return? Do you want me to die immediately?!" Queenie heard the rm in her voice and nced at her rising blood pressure. Queenie was pale as she said, "I didn''t. I¡¯m trying to help you! Leia, please calm down. Luke has no intentions of making you go back to New York!" The rm was triggered, so the nurse opened the door and rushed in. "What''s wrong with the patient?" Queenie took two steps back and said, "My daughter''s blood pressure has risen. Come and take a look." The nurse noticed that Leia''s blood pressure reached 160. She frowned and said, "Why is it so high? I''ll ask the doctor to prescribe a rapid antihypertensive drug. Don''t say anything else that will agitate her." Queenie nodded again and again in response. After the nurse left, Queenie looked at Leia worriedly. "Leia, don''t be nervous. You''ll be fine..." Leia felt dizzy all of a sudden, but what Queenie said caught her attention. She resisted the strong urge to vomit and asked, "Why did you tell him?!" "Cool down... Luke doesn¡¯t n to send you back to New York after he knew that you returned to A City. He¡¯s also agreed to help you find Dexter Shaw. There¡¯s hope for you if we can find Dexter Shaw," Queenie summarized her conversation with Luke as she was worried that Leia¡¯s blood pressure would continue to rise because Leia was scared of Luke. ¡®Dexter Shaw..¡¯ Leia''s eyes widened. She would never forget this name for the rest of her life. He made her the subject of everyone¡¯s hatred. Dexter ruined her childhood, wanted to sell her, and even ruined her life! "Why. are you looking for Dexter Shaw?!" Leia''s eyes were bloodshot red. It was as if she could shed blood from her eyes. Queenie took a step back in fright. The nurse hurried in. She held a pill and told Leia to open her mouth wide. "Open your mouth and lift your tongue. We need to help you lower your blood pressure." Leia stared straight at Queenie and refused to open her mouth. "Your blood pressure is very high. It must be forcibly lowered!" The nurse was worried. Leia has no history of high blood pressure, but she was in poor health, so many things could go wrong. Leia turned her head and looked sharply at the nurse. The nurse was startled. Leia''s gaze made her feel like she was staring the demon in the eye. "Leia, please, I beg you. Please take your medicine so we can bring your blood pressure down." Queenie could not hold back her tears and begged Leia. Leia opened her mouth slightly. The nurse pried her mouth open with her hands and put the medicine under her tongue. "Keep it in your mouth and let it melt. Don''t swallow it. Your blood pressure should drop shortly." Leia frowned. She could not stand the bitter taste of the medicine spreading from her saliva. "Don''t spit it out. This is a quick-acting medicine. It''ll help you stabilize your blood pressure. You can''t afford to have high blood pressure in your current situation. Otherwise, it''ll only increase the burden on your liver," the nurse threatened. Leia wanted to act miserable, but she did not want to die. As such, she obediently kept the medicine in her mouth. Queenie wiped her tears when she saw that Leia was willing to take the medicine. After the nurse left, she whispered, "What we know now is that he''s the only person who''s rted to you by blood, which is why we thought about finding him to save your life. Leia, your dad and I made this decision for your own good." Leia did not speak and continued to dissolve the medicine in her mouth. However, the look in her eyes grew more and more resentful. When Queenie adopted her, she already had memories of her childhood. All Dexter Shaw cared about was money. If she asked him for help, it was likely that he would extort her for money. She may not be able to get rid of him even if she recovered. Leia hated people like Dexter Shaw. Queenie understood what she was thinking about, so she patiently reassured Leia. "We don''t have many options. The most important thing now is to find a suitable liver source for you, so please stop making a fuss, okay?" Chapter 2250 The medicine under her tongue was quickly melted by saliva, and Leia was finally able to speak. She spoke with hatred, "He wanted to sell me and ruin my reputation! How can I not be angry at him?!" Queenie quickly reassured her when she saw that Leia was getting agitated once more. "Okay, that''s in the past. If we can find him and he''s willing to help, please give him a chance to make it up to you." Leia thought of what had happened back then. If Dexter had not disappeared into thin air, she certainly would not have ended things like that. "He disappeared so many years ago. How are you nning to find him? Maybe he already died at some random overpass." Queenie frowned. ''Her hatred is too deep...'' "Leia, Luke agreed to help us find him. Don''t get angry now. It''s more important that you take good care of yourself and wait for our good news, okay?" "Wait for Luke? How would he be so kind as to help me find Dexter? Also, if Dexter agrees to give me his liver, he''ll definitely ask for a lot of money. Since we have to pay anyway, why can''t I take that money to buy a liver from the ck market? I don''t want to use that filthy man''s liver." Leia was itching with hatred. She could not believe that Luke was helping her out of goodwill. She thought that it might be one of Luke''s tricks to drag her down. Queenie''s mood darkened when she heard that Leia was still thinking of buying a liver from the ck market. "Leia, everyone is trying to help you. No one can help you if you continue to be so stubborn." "Help me? You and Dad only care about Bianca. When have you ever helped me? You didn''t give me money when I needed it. Just let me die in this hospital." Leia was not in the best mood. She did not think that Queenie was helping her by asking Luke for help. Queenie frowned, and there were tears in her eyes. She woke up bright and early so that she could make breakfast for Leia and tell her the good news. However, Leia''s attitude brought chills to her heart. "Forget it. I know you''re not in good health and mood. Enjoy your breakfast. I''ll head off now." Queenie''s tone was filled with disappointment. She picked up the thermal bag and left. Leia did not ask her to stay. The caretaker walked in after Queenie left. Leia looked at the food on the table with a cold expression. It looked scrumptious, but she had no appetite. "Take these away." The caretaker was surprised and replied, "Ms. Norman, you haven''t even had a bite." "I don''t want to eat it. Throw it away." Leia stared at the caretaker. She was pissed at Queenie, so she did not want to touch the food she brought. The caretaker thought that it was a pity to throw the untouched food. Mandy''s voice came from the door just as she was about to clear the table. "What are you throwing out?" Leia frowned. "Why are you here?" Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "I came to visit you. I have some interesting proposals to discuss with you. Wow, your breakfast looks great!" Mandy saw the inviting breakfast on the table and gulped her saliva. "Mrs. Norman brought this," the caretaker said. She thought that the breakfast looked rich. It was a pity that Leia not only did not appreciate it but also wanted to throw it away. Wasting food was terrible. "Wow, your mother is so nice. How could you have her throw it away? I didn''t eat breakfast. If you''re not eating it, can I have it?" Mandy said. She was kicked out by Matysh as soon as she woke up. He asked her to go to the hospital to talk to Leia. There was money on the line, so she did not even bother to eat breakfast before she rushed over. "Whatever. I didn''t touch it," Leia said with a stern expression when she saw that Mandy was interested in her food. "I''ll help myself, then." Mandy took the breakfast from the table to the coffee table. She was not in a hurry to eat. She said to Leia, "I have something to discuss with you. Have your caretaker give us some space." "What do you want from me? Don''t involve me if you want me to help you get a man." Leia frowned. Her life still depended on Johann, so she did not want to offend him. Mandy held up her palm and said, "I promise that''s not the case, okay?" "Give us some space," Leia said to the caretaker. "I''ll be at the door. Ms. Norman, call me if you need anything," the caretaker said. After the caretaker left, Leia said impatiently, "If you have something to say, get straight to it." "Why are you so irritable? Do your parents still refuse to give you money even though you''re seriously ill?" Mandy was familiar with Leia''s situation. "What''s with the nonsense..." Leia''s anger rose when Leia mentioned Jack and Queenie. "Okay, calm down. I''m here today to share a profitable opportunity. If you''re willing to work with Mr. Matysh, he can give you a lot of money." Mandy got straight to the point, but Leia was confused. "Who''s Matysh? I''m a living dead who can do nothing but lie in a hospital bed. How can I help you?" Leia frowned. She was not interested in her proposal. "Matysh is a local baron in Russia. His family owns a multinationalpany. He''s the first heir and has a lot of money. He wants to work with you because he''s interested in the woman who stood beside Dr. Park yesterday." Mandy opened the box of croissants and took a greedy sniff of the baked goods. She could not wait to take a bite. "Are you talking about Luca Craw?" Leia frowned. Luca was the only person in the ward yesterday... However, she was not sure as she was still knocked out then. "It should be. She looks a little like me." Mandy pointed at her face. "Matysh is interested in her? Does he want me to work with him to kidnap Luca?" Leia looked a little lazy. She did not expect that Luca would seduce other men. "Kidnapping? That''s illegal. Mr. Matysh just wants to get her, so he asked me to tell you that if he seeds, you''ll get a sum of money. You won''t have to rely on your parents then." Mandy ate the croissant. "Is it a lot of money?" Leia frowned. "I promise you, it''s the number you want. The man is very generous," Mandy said. She asked for the rough number that Matysh was willing to give Leia the night before and was shocked when she heard his reply. It turned out that men could be very generous when there was a woman they wanted to get. Leia''s expression seemed a littleplicated. Luca and Luke seemed to be close. She needed some time to think about the matter. After all, she did not trust the man Mandy mentioned. "What do you think?" Seeing that Leia was deep in thought, Mandy hurriedly said, "Let me tell you, if you hesitate, you''ll miss this great opportunity. After all, he has also asked other people to help." "I have to think about it. That woman saved my mother''s life. On top of that, she has a strong backing." Although Leia did not want to admit it, it was the truth. "So what if she saved your mother? Your mother is just your adoptive mother, and she hasn''t been kind to you. Otherwise, you wouldn''t be lying on the hospital bed now." Mandy opened another container as she muttered. Chapter 2251 "Eat your croissant. Why are you talking so much?" Leia stared at her. She was not sure what to think. She did desperately need some money, but she was weak and defenseless. Leia knew that she could not afford to piss off Luke. Queenie paid a lot of attention to her since she got sick and might be angry if she made a move on Luca, her so-called savior. Even if she recovered, the Normans might not ept her. She had no money and no home. She would not know where to go if that happened... "I''ve never thought of you as someone hesitant," Mandy said. Leia lived an awe-inspiring life when she was abroad. Although she did not have much money, she was courageous, so she still led a pretty decent life. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. "I didn''t expect you to be so happy to be someone else''s substitute." Leia mocked her. Mandy was arrogant. She would never allow her prey to make use of her as a substitute. "Ugh, it''s just a work rtionship. I''m not stupid enough to want to get on his bed. If there''s money to be made, why not?" She would be bothered if it was someone she was interested in, but Mandy did not care about Matysh. "Tsk..." The ward door opened. Johann walked in, looked around the ward subconsciously, and got a little annoyed when he noticed Mandy. He recognized at a nce that this was the woman who added him as a Facebook friend yesterday because Mandy had used her selfie as her profile picture. She sent two verification messages in a row, but he did not approve the request. Leia nced at Johannnguidly. She did not n to greet him. Mandy''s eyes lit up when he saw Johann. She quickly took out a tissue, wiped her oily mouth, stood up, and said, "Dr. Park, good morning." Johann pretended not to hear her and walked to the hospital bed for his round. "How are you feeling today?" "None of your business." Leia did not respond well. If she could say that, Johann assumed that she was doing okay. He picked up the medical records on the side to nce at them. "Sudden high blood pressure?" Leia did not answer him. Johann nced at the monitor and said while he was writing, "It dropped after you took nifedipine, and there''s no sign of recurrence for the time being." Mandy looked at his side profile. Her heart could not help pounding like drums. The smile on her face made her seem more and more like a nymphomaniac. ''A man who works hard, how handsome!'' Leia rolled her eyes at Mandy. "Have you had breakfast yet?" Johann asked. "No," Leia replied to him this time. "You can''t skip breakfast considering your current condition. I''ll give you two options. One, eat breakfast. Two, get nutrient injections." Johann put down the case records as he ignored Mandy''s admiring gaze. Leia kept silent again. "The nurse wille inter to give you a nutrient injection." After being in contact with her for a bit, Johann understood what her response meant. He turned around and was about to leave the ward when Mandy stopped him. "Hello, Dr. Park, I''m Mandy Sanders. I''m a friend of Leia''s." A look of disgust shed in Johann''s eyes when he saw how eager Mandy was. "Excuse me, I have to continue my rounds." "Dr. Park, I won''t waste a lot of your time. I added you on Facebook yesterday but you haven''t approved me as a friend yet. Can you approve my request?" Her voice was trembling slightly. "Ms. Sanders, you can check into our hospital if you''re feeling unwell. You don''t need to add me as a friend on Facebook." Johann said indifferently. Sure enough, those who were friends with Leia had somewhat problematic IQs. He had made his stance clear, yet Mandy still pestered him. "I... Ah, isn''t it difficult to book you..." Mandy pretended to be weak in an attempt to arouse his sympathy. Johann went past her and said, "The other doctors in this hospital are wonderful. I suggest you go to another doctor." Mandy was taken aback. She stared at Johann as he left the ward. Leia, who was lying on the bed, could not help butugh at Mandy. "Stop looking at him. He won''t approve your friend request no matter how hard you stare." "Why is he so cold?" Mandy was upset but snapped out of it. She looked at the hospital bed and wanted an answer. "That''s because you''re not his type," Leia said as she leveled the bed. Johann could have a good rtionship with the patients, nurses, and even thedy who cleaned the toilet in the hospital. However, he would never be interested in women like Mandy. ¡°How unfortunate... A handsome man like him is my type..." Mandy murmured, "Did you see it? He looked so focused and handsome when he was checking up on you." "If that''s all, you can leave now. I want to rest." Leia kicked her out. Mandy did not have the mood to continue eating breakfast. She nced at the person on the hospital bed and said, "Think about what I just told you and give me an answer as soon as possible. Matysh is not a patient man." Leia did not answer her. Mandy knew that she had heard her, so she picked up her bag and left. When Mandy got to the nurse''s station, she saw Johann standing there chatting andughing with the nurse. He was handsome and had a gentle smile on his face, which was aplete 360 from when he faced her. She could not help but sigh. ¡®He looks so good when he smiles...'' Mandy forgot the setback from just now and stepped forward. "Dr. Park..." Johann''s smile disappeared immediately. He told the nurse, "Don''t forget about Leia Norman''s nutrient injection. Get it done early as you''ll be giving her medicine in half an hour. The nutrient injection should be kept up as much as possible." "Got it, Dr. Park." The head nurse nodded and handed Johann a document for him to sign. Johann signed his name. Mandy called out to him again, "Dr. Park..." Johann was taken back by this woman''s insistence, so he turned around and said with a frown on his face, "Can I help you with something?" "I..." Before Mandy could speak, the head nurse said, "Dr. Park, the patient in bed three needs your attention. It''s an emergency." Johann breathed a sigh of relief. He immediately bypassed Mandy and rushed to the ward. Mandy wanted to follow him. The head nurse stopped her in her tracks. "Sorry, Ma''am, it''s a VIP ward. If you don''t know anyone admitted in the ward, you''re not allowed to go in." "Can''t I just stand at the door and watch?" Mandy red at the head nurse as she wondered why Johann would smile at her kindly even though she was not as pretty as her. "No, we have to guarantee our patients'' privacy. If you''re done visiting Ms. Norman, please leave," the head nurse said unceremoniously. Mandy bit her lower lip, stomped her foot again, and turned around to leave. The head nurse shook her head. She had met many women who were obsessed with Johann. After a while, Johann returned to the nurse''s station. "The patient in bed three seems fine." "Dr. Park, I was trying to help you. That woman is gone now." The head nurse took Leia''s nutrient solution, winked at him, and walked to Leia''s ward. Johann smiled when he realized that Mandy was really gone and continued with his rounds. Chapter 2252 T Corporation. Jason took Gale to the entrance of Luke''s office and said, "Bro, the boss is waiting for you inside." "Thanks. I''ll head in to update Boss on what I found." Gale knocked on the door after he thanked Jason. "Come in." Luke''s voice sounded from the other side of the door. Gale pushed the door and walked in. After he closed the door, he sat directly across from Luke. "Boss, we found something." "Tell me," Luke said. Gale handed him a stack of papers. "This is everything I could find on Mandy Sanders. She and Leia met when they were in the United States. They were no longer in contact after Leia secretly returned to A City. Mandy only came to A City after she epted Matysh''s job. She reconnected with Leia and has visited Leia in the hospital for three consecutive days." "Three days?" Luke casually flipped through Mandy''s profile. She was just an ordinary woman. He would not pay much attention to her in normal circumstances. He only asked Gale to investigate her when he found out that the woman was with Matysh. "Yes." Gale picked up the phone and handed it to Luke. He came in a hurry, so he did not have the time to print out the photos that his subordinates sent him. "These are all photos that we took of her. She has been in and out of the VIP floor of the hospital for the past three days." Luke handed the file back to him and asked, "Is this woman suspicious?" "She''s suspicious. Based on what we found, she and Leia used topete with one another, so they were never close. However, she visited her for three days in a row, so I''m worried that she and Leia are plotting something." Gale expressed his doubts. His past experience told him that there must be something fishy if those who were not close met every day. Luke raised his gaze and asked, "How is Leia doing today?" "Uh, I can''t get through to Dr. Park. He''s probably busy, so I don''t know yet," Gale said. Johann had been updating them on Leia''s condition. As such, they knew about it the moment she was sent to the emergency room. "Call him again," Luke said. Gale responded and called Johann. Johann answered the phone this time, "What does your boss want to know?" "Leia''s condition." Gale did not even greet him as they were already familiar with each other because of Luke. "It''s stable at the moment," Johann said. "Reassure your boss that I''ll try my best to sustain her life until there''s a suitable liver source." "Thanks, Dr. Park." Gale was on loudspeaker, so Luke could hear every word of their conversation. After he hung up the call, he waited for the person in front of him to continue talking. Luke stood up and closed the file that he had read halfway. "Go with me to the hospital." Gale wailed and said, "Boss, can you let Mr. Doyle apany you? You know I hate hospitals the most." "If Mr. Doylees with me, are you going to help him with sorting out the documents?" Luke nced at him. He did not intend to let him off. It was ridiculous to him that Gale, a big man, was afraid of going to the hospital. Gale pouted. He would rather go to the hospital than deal with the documents. "I''m illiterate, so it''s best that we have Mr. Doyle do this kind of thing." He obediently epted his fate. An hourter, Luke arrived at the hospital. Luke notified Johann of their visit and took Gale to the VIP ward floor. The head nurse stepped forward to greet him when she saw him. "Mr. Crawford, good morning. Dr. Park has informed me about your arrival. Ms. Norman''s ward is on the left at the end." "Mm." Luke walked straight in. Gale sniffed the smell of disinfectant in the air and felt as though all the hair on his body was standing on end. He had been on the Ind of Despair since he was a child and had the unfortunate experience of being locked in a disinfectant room. As such, he absolutely hated spaces that had been sprayed with disinfectants. The two arrived at Leia''s ward. Gale was about to open the door when he heard Johann say, "You''re here." Luke turned around and noticed that Johann held a needle in his hand. He asked, "What are you doing?" "I knew you wereing, so I prepared for your arrival. I don''t want her to see you and get so scared that her blood pressure will soar. She''ll die of a stroke. Give me a minute." Johann went into Leia''s ward first. Leia was lying in bed watching TV. When she saw Johanne in, she rolled her eyes and closed them. Johann went to the head of the bed and confirmed with her. "What''s your name?" Leia stayed silent. Johann kicked the nightstand and said, "I''m talking to you. What''s your name?" "Don''t you know what my name is?" Leia snapped at him angrily, opened her eyes, and looked into his sly eyes. "I''m increasing your medication. This is a necessary step," Johann said. Although he had a good reputation in the hospital, he was still cautious and followed the hospital''s procedures. "Leia Norman," Leia replied sullenly. She frowned when she saw the needle in his hand. "Leia Norman, that''s right." Johann nced at the sticker on the syringe, then at Leia''s medical bracelet. Then, he slowly injected the medication into her flow control valve. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. He went slowly, and the medication went into her bloodstream little by little. However, Leia frowned in pain and said, "What did you inject me with?" "It''s to stabilize your blood pressure." Johann finished dispensing the medicine in the syringe, then reinserted the infusion bottle. "My blood pressure is fine now. Why did you give me medication that would stabilize my blood pressure?" Leia was pissed and looked at the person in front of her with resentment. She felt as though she was being tortured. "It''s fine now, but it might not be fer." Johann smiled and held the syringe in his hand. He turned around and said, "Come in. Her blood pressure should be stable." Leia was startled. She sat up and looked at the door. Luke opened the door and walked in. Leia''s eyes widened in horror. She noticed that Gale was behind him, and her body began to tremble uncontrobly. "You... You..." She recognized Gale and knew that he was Luke''s subordinate. He was the one who forced her to get on the ne to New York. Johann noticed that Leia''s raised hand kept shaking, and it affected the dripping of the infusion bag. Hence, he pressed her hand down. "Rx. He''s not here to send you back to New York." He felt that something was off when the nurse told him earlier that morning that the patient suddenly had high blood pressure. In the end, Johann asked Queenie about what happened and learned that Leia was emotionally unstable. Her blood pressure spiked because she found out Luke knew about her return to A City. As such, he had the injection ready when Luke called to tell him to take care of everything and that he had something to ask Leia. Leia''s expression was still full of fear. Her hateful eyes swept all over Luke. However, she did not dare to do anything. "This is my ward. You''re not weed here. Get out! Get out!" The nurse was frightened by Leia''s reaction. She stood up quickly and wanted to stand in front of Leia. "Dr. Park, who are these people?" Chapter 2253 Johann said with a smile, "Don''t worry, he''s not a bad guy. He won''t do anything to Ms. Norman. You can head off now." The nurse looked at how stern Luke seemed and could not help but shiver. She thought he looked as though he was here to collect debts. "Are you sure it''s okay for me to leave?" "Don''t worry about it. I''ll be here. You can get out," Johann said and shook his head helplessly. Luke''s expressionless face was indeed scary. He turned around and looked at Leia''s vitals on the monitor. There was no issue except for her slightly fastened heartbeat. The nurse thought that Luke was scary, but considering that Johann was here, she quickly walked out after weighing it over and over again. Leia felt deep despair in her heart. "Come back soon." The nurse pretended not to hear Leia and walked out the door. The injection to stabilize Leia''s blood pressure was not in line with the hospital''s standard procedure. As such, Johann reminded Luke. "If you want to ask, go for it. Don''t have Gale do anything that''ll trigger her. I don''t want to give her a sedative." Gale, who was on the side, assured him. "Don''t worry, Dr. Park. I''ll never cause you any trouble." "Johann, how can you call yourself my primary doctor?" Leia felt helpless and was close to breaking down. She could only yell at Johann. Johann sat on the sofa, and the smile on his face had vanished. "Do you think I want to be your primary doctor? I''m exhausted." Leia was about to yell at him when she suddenly realized what he meant... "You''re my primary doctor because of Lu¡ª" She nced at Luke, too frightened to say anything. If she could get on her feet, she would definitely be rolling and crawling out of the ward. Johann nodded and saidzily, "That''s somewhat right." He had to agree to Luke''s request to keep an eye on Leia, so he started working the night shift. The night shift was tiring, but he could never say no to Luke. Leia was in despair. She closed her eyes and wanted to faint, but she was somehow extremely alert. It was uncertain if it was because of the medicine Johann had just injected her with. She could feel the rapid beating of her heart and the fear flowing through every nerve and cell in her body. Nevertheless, she could not faint no matter how hard she tried. Luke spoke slowly, "Did you work with someone from the Ind of Despair to kidnap Bea?" Leia was stunned that Luke was not here to send her back to New York but rather, to interrogate her about what happened back then. Back then, she was sent off to New York because she tly denied it and told him that she did not know anything. The fear from the past overwhelmed her. Her body trembled even more. "I don''t know anything," she said tremblingly as a chill spread from her heart to the rest of her body. Johann frowned, walked to the side of her bed, picked up the quilt, and covered her. He jokingly said, "What are you afraid of? Luke is not Satan himself." Leia''s lips turned pale involuntarily. She rolled her eyes at Johann and grabbed the quilt on her body tightly. "I told you that it has nothing to do with me. No matter how many times you ask, the result is still the same." Gale could not help but frown when he saw how stubborn Leia was being. Back then in New York, he had interrogated her as per Luke''s orders. ¡®Hasn''t she learned her lesson?¡¯ Luke''s gaze was ruthless, it seemed that Leia enjoyed being tortured. She worked with those from the Ind of Despair to kidnap Bianca and caused her to go through so much pain and suffering. Luca was even forced to change her face. Leia¡¯s suffering was nothingpared to what Luca had gone through. Luke stood up slowly. Leia followed his movements and slowly raised her head. In the past, she had looked up at this man just like this, but at that time, she felt that she was looking up at a god. However, at that moment, she felt as though she was looking at a demon who controlled her life. "Leia, I¡¯ve given you a chance," Luke spoke slowly and warned her. His tone was cold, like an ice pick that was piercing through her chest. Leia clutched the quilt tightly as big drops of cold sweat broke out on her forehead. "Even if you kill me, I still don¡¯t know anything about what happened back then!" Gale frowned and replied, "Boss, this woman is being stubborn. Do you want me to teach her a lesson?" Luke''s gaze was sharp like knives, shing her face. In addition to shivering in fear, Leia felt her heart beating faster and faster. Johann noticed the rhythm of her heartbeat and frowned. "I don''t think you can find out anything from her today. If you continue to integrate her, she might die of heart failure before the liver source arrives." Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Luke snorted coldly and said calmly, "Leia, when you messed with Bea, I told you that I wouldn¡¯t let you have an easy life. Dexter Shaw is not dead. I¡¯ll find him. After your liver transnt, the real purgatory wille for you." Leia sat on the bed and watched the man leave. Her body trembled as she uttered, "Give up. I''d rather die than use that dirty man''s liver." Luke did not stop for a second. He left without any hesitation. When the door closed, Johann frowned and asked, "Do you think he''ll let you off?" Leia red at him and replied, "I can''t decide whose liver to use for my body?" "Others may be able to, but you can''t. Your life has been in Luke''s hand from the moment you stepped into the hospital. Why do you think I''m trying my best to save you? That''s because he said that you owe him. You''re not allowed to die until you''ve redeemed yourself." Johann adjusted the speed of the drip and shook his head as he watched her sweat profusely. If he had not given her the injection earlier, Leia might have fainted or she might have had to go to the emergency room again. He was a prescient man. "I''ll put in aint on you!" Leia calmed down a little and yelled at him in a sharp tone. "Tsk tsk, you''re afraid of Luke. You wouldn''t have acted this way just now when you were facing Luke. How embarrassing..." Johann heard that she wanted toin about him, but he was not afraid. After all, he had other options other than working in the hospital. "You!" Leia suddenly felt as if all her strength was being sucked out. "What''s happening..." Before she could finish her sentence, she fell limply on the bed. Her eyes were still open, but she did not have the strength to get up nor speak. "You don''t have the strength to talk anymore, yeah? I urge you to tell him what you know when Luke interrogates you next time. Otherwise..." Johann paused and continued speaking, "You should be thankful that something is wrong with your liver. Otherwise, there''d be 101 ways for Luke to get information from you." Leia shuddered at the thought of Luke''s face. Johann chuckled and said, "It''s not the means you learned about on TV. It''s a disy of true cruelty... There are not many people who can still keep secrets under Luke''s interrogation. You''re safe because you have a father like Mr. Norman. Oh yes, Mr. Norman doesn''t seem to care much about you anymore. Leia, you''d better watch out." Chapter 2254 At night. Luke had nothing nned for the day, so he returned to the vi after he left the office. As soon as he walked into the house, the children surrounded him and handed him their homework. "Daddy, we''ve finished our homework." Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Luke took their workbooks. He did not see Luca in the living room, so he asked the kids, "Where''s Ms. Luca?" Rainie replied obediently, "Ms. Luca is in the kitchen preparing dinner. Aunt Neile asked for some time off and just left, so Ms. Luca is busy cooking alone. Daddy, after you''re done checking our homework, go and help Ms. Luca." Luke put their workbooks down. "I''ll go take a look." He walked into the kitchen and saw Luca in an apron preparing dinner for the family. It reminded him of how she was always in the kitchen preparing dinner for him and the children three years ago. At that time, Luca would never let the maid cook since the children liked to eat the meals she prepared. At most, she would let the maid be her helper. "Stop it," Luke said softly when he saw how busy she was. Luca was startled by the sudden sound and turned back while holding a spat. ''It''s him...'' She was so immersed in cooking that she did not notice how long Luke had been standing at the door. "Mr. Crawford?" She looked at the man with some confusion. "Why isn''t Aunt Neile here?" Luke asked in a hoarse voice. A few years ago, he could still hold her when she was in an apron whenever he wanted. He would keep annoying her so that they could spend more time together. "Aunt Neile''s grandson is sick, and the adults can''t take care of her, so she asked for a day off," Luca said. Aunt Neile was a responsible woman. Even when her grandchild was sick, she waited until Luca returned and could take care of Lanie and the others before she asked to take some time off. As such, she told Warren to turn around and send Aunt Neile home. "Let''s go out for dinner," Luke said. He could not bear for Luca to overtire herself as she had been working in thepany during the day. Now, she had to prepare dinner for the family. "I''m almost done," Luca said. She did not forget to open the lid and put some vegetables into the noodles. Luke smelled the aroma of the noodles, and his appetite was whet. He could not wait to taste the noodles. "Forget it. The next time Aunt Neile asks for leave, let''s go out to eat. It''s tiring for you to prepare dinner alone," he said and let her continue to prepare dinner. Luca picked up the utensil and stirred the noodles. ''Is he... worried about me?'' She did not feel tired preparing dinner for him and the kids. However, she got off work a littlete and decided to cook something simple because she was afraid that the kids would be starving. "Mm, we can eat dinner soon. By the way, Lanie and the others should have finished their homework..." Luke felt a sense of happiness in his heart as he listened to her babble. He thought that even if he were an ordinary and poor office worker, he would live a life full of joy even as long as he had her as his wife like Luca. "I''m going to check their work now." With that, he returned to the living room. Luca smiled. ''What a great life..'' She brought the five bowls of hot noodles to the table. Before she could tell the children that dinner was ready, Tommy ran in and eximed, "Ms. Luca, are we eating noodles tonight?" "Yeah." Luca turned around and walked into the kitchen to bring out the two side dishes she prepared. She put them on the table, and a scrumptious dinner was ready. "It smells delicious, I love noodles prepared by Ms. Luca!" Tommy sat on the chair and looked as though he was waiting to dig in. Luca smiled and said, "Come, this is yours. You must finish this big bowl of noodles." Tommy held the insted bowl and did not think that the noodles were hot. He picked up his utensils and said, "The teacher said it''s a shame to waste food, so I promise that I''ll finish it." Lanie walked in and heard what his brother said. He teased him, "You''re the most gluttonous out of us three. You''ll definitely be able to finish it." "Lanie, am I not your brother?" Tommy pouted and said, "Why do you keep making fun of me?" "You''re a glutton, a little piggy." Lanie pinched Tommy''s chubby hand and sat down on the chair. "Hmph, Lanie is a meanie." Tommy nced at Luca and wanted her to stand up for him. Luca smiled and ced two tes of meat dishes in front of them. The children liked meat dishes, while she and Luke preferred vegetables. Luke walked into the dining room as well. When she saw him, Luca put thergest bowl on his usual spot and ced another bowl of noodles in a heat-insted bowl in front of Rainie. Thest bowl was for her. "I didn''t have much time to prepare dinner today, so I made something simple for us." "Ms. Luca, the noodles are delicious." Rainie took a small bite. There was a little soup on her tiny but shiny mouth. She continued to eat after she said that. Luke also praised, "It''s delicious." Luca''s gaze turned to Lanie, who was also eating fast. Although he did not say anything. His actions already exined everything. The happiness in her heart could not help but spread. Luke''s phone rang when they were about to finish eating. He nced at it and walked out with his phone in hand. After a while, he returned and said to Luca after he sat down, "I''ll be outter." "Okay." Luca did not ask him where he was going. After all, she was not in the position to ask. Luke telling her that he was going out was beyond the scope of her identity. Luke picked up the utensils and said, "They found Dexter Shaw." "They found him? That''s so fast..." Luca was surprised. Luke only offered to help find Dexter yesterday and he found him the very next day. The speed was impressive. After all, Dexter was homeless. It was sometimes easier to find a normal personpared to a homeless man. The homeless did not live in a fixed ce. Luke''s men worked so fast that Luca could not help but wonder if Dexter had been imprisoned by Luke all this time. However, it did not seem possible. Dexter posed no value to Luke, and he was rted to Leia. Luke was disgusted with anyone who was involved with Leia. He would not imprison Dexter. After all, it came with no benefits for him to do so. "He''s been in a homeless shelter. We found him as soon as we started looking," Luke said. After Dexter destroyed Leia, he knew that he could never get another penny from Leia. Hence, he kept his tail between his legs. The homeless welfare was getting better and better, so Dexter simply kept the money she gave him and went to a shelter. There would be a roof over his head and free meals. Luca nodded. After they were done with dinner, Luke told the children to stay home and be good before he left in a hurry. Luca stacked all the documents Luke brought back and nned to take them upstairs after he left. Lanie, who was on the side, asked, "Ms. Luca, who''s Dexter Shaw?" Luca sat on the sofa, put the documents on the coffee table, and answered Lanie''s question, "He''s your aunt''s biological father." Chapter 2255 Tommy, who was on the side, stared at the TV screen intently. When he heard what Luca said, he could not help but mutter to himself, "I don''t like Aunt Leia. Aunt Leia looks like she eats children. She''s scary." Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Luca knew that Leia hated her three kids because of Bianca. Although the children were innocent and somewhat ignorant, they still noticed her expression. As such, they were not only afraid of Leia but they also hated her. Although the adults had not told them any of the despicable things that Leia did, they all knew. Rainie asked, "Ms. Luca, is Aunt Leia ill?" "Yeah." Luca nodded and said, "Which is why she needs her biological father to help." Tommy put his head on Luca and looked up at her. "Ms. Luca, Aunt Leia is so bad. Will her daddy save her?" "He''ll likely agree if their blood type matches..." Luca guessed that there was a chance Dexter would say yes. Even though Dexter did not have much affection for Leia, he would not go against money. She could not buy a liver source from the ck market, but Dexter was Leia''s father, so it was legal to pay him to save Leia. "I''m terrified of seeing Aunt Leia," Tommy added. Luca was speechless. She was locked up on the Ind of Despair for the same duration as when Leia was abroad. Tommy was a baby before she left. How could he have so many memories of Leia? It seemed that fear could be deeply ingrained in people''s hearts. Tommy still remembered Leia''s stern expression. That memory seemed to be etched into the bottom of his heart. Luca was a little worried about N, who was still on the Ind of Despair. One day, she would rescue N from that horrible ce. She would show her the sun, the sea, and the grasnd. Luca wanted nothing more than to erase every memory she had on the Ind of Despair. However, could the deep-rooted memory be erased? Luca was worried sick. Luke did not head to the shelter immediately after he left the vi. Instead, he asked Lliam to send him to the Norman family''s ce. After all, he was not a rtive of Leia. Someone from the Norman family had toe forward for this. After Luke exined the situation to Jack, Jack agreed to go with him to the shelter to find Dexter. The two arrived at the Blue Skies Shelter together. After they exined the situation to the director of the shelter, he took them to Dexter''s dormitory and said, "This is Dexter''s dormitory. He has seven roommates. If you feel it''s inconvenient to talk in front of so many people, there''s a pantry you can go to behind here.¡± "Thank you." Jack nodded and opened the dormitory door. Although this kind of shelter was funded by the state, it was for the homeless, after all. The conditions were not very good. An overwhelming pungent smell overwhelmed their senses the moment they opened the door. Luke frowned. The director did not go in. He stood at the door and said, "Dexter, someone is looking for you." Dexter heard him, put on his slippers, and walked out slowly, "Who is it..." When he saw Luke, he recognized who was in front of him. Someone had shown him a video and asked him to talk to the reporters about it. They promised him a sum of money if he did so. After he agreed, he also saw the scene where the man returned to the car and reported to Luke Crawford, the richest man in A City. Dexter recognized him just by looking at his side profile. "It''s you!" He pointed at Luke, his fingers trembling slightly. Luke stared nkly at Dexter. He had always been a clean freak and could not stand such a messy environment. Jack nced at the two of them calmly and said, "Mr. Dexter, shall we go to the pantry in the back to talk?" "Okay." It was clear from Dexter''s tone that he was excited. He recognized Jack as well. He knew that there would be some moneying his way since an established businessman and a politician had come to look for him. The shelter director took the two to the pantry and left after he asked the homeless who gathered there to y cards to leave. Dexter squinted at the two men in suits, picked his nose, and asked, "What do you need my help for?" Jack said, "Leia is sick." ''Leia?'' Dexter frowned and responded, "What does her being sick have to do with me? You''ve raised her for more than 20 years. Don''t tell me that you''re asking me to cover her medical bills now? I don''t have the money." Jack frowned. He had investigated Dexter after Leia''s reputation was ruined by him. He was a gambling addict who sold his wife and daughter for money... However, that was all in the past. Jack said, "Only you can save Leia now." "Save her? Are you kidding me? That girl has nothing to do with me even if she''s dying. After all, she didn''t acknowledge me as her father when she was popr. Now that she''s sick, she wants my help? You''re her adoptive father, right? You can tell her to dream on." Dexter sneered. He was standing there with his arms crossed, and his legs shook like he had Parkinson''s. After he got some money from Luke, Dexter knew that Leia was worthless to him, so he had not shown up again. Sure enough, after he made such a fuss, there was no more of Leia''s work on TV or the inte. Therefore, he felt at ease staying in this shelter with poor conditions. At least the country was keeping him alive. Luke looked at his hooligan-like appearance and understood why Leia was such a terrible person. "You''ll be rewarded handsomely if you can save Leia," Luke said. He had discussed this with Jack in the car. Jack was the provincial governor and someone of special status. They would have to pay him off if Dexter had no conscience and refused to save Leia. After all, it made sense for Luke to pay someone to save his sister-inw, Leia. That would prevent Jack from having any ckmail material falling into the hands of his political enemies. Jack also agreed to Luke''s n, but he insisted that the money would not be paid by Luke. He would pay back Luke with some interest after his retirement. Dexter''s eyes lit up when money was mentioned. "Money makes the world go round. How can I save her? Do you want my blood? Skin? As long as it doesn''t involve my life, I can give it to her." Jack''s gaze turned cold seeing his greed for money and fear of death. He did not believe it when someone used to tell him that a child''s personality followed their parents. After all, children were young and could be taught about right and wrong. Even if the parents were terrible, there was a chance to avoid letting the same thing happen to the kid if there were proper measures in ce to educate them. However, it was clear through parts of their personalities that Dexter and Leia were carved out of the same mold. Dexter had never been involved in educating Leia nor had any contact with her when she was growing up. However, her bad qualities were exactly the same as Dexter''s. "She has a liver problem and needs a transnt," Jack said. Dexter shook his head immediately when he heard the word ''liver''. "I can''t live without a liver! No way!" "She doesn''t need a whole liver. It''ll just be a partial transnt. It won''t affect you much," Jack told him. Chapter 2256 Dexter thought about it for a moment. He was open to the idea now that he knew it would not kill him. However, he still had some reservations. "Why don''t you and your wife give your liver to her? Didn''t you say that you love her?" he asked. "Neither of us is a match. An immediate family member has the highest pairing sess rate, so we came to talk to you," Jack said. "I''ll think about it." Dexter was still a little scared. He was worried that they were lying to him. If he gave Leia his liver and died from it, it would not matter how much money he had. Luke noticed his hesitation and said coldly, "Leia is not doing well. If you need more time to think about it, we might not need youter." Dexter was shocked. Leia''s life or death had nothing to do with him. However, if he hesitated and Leia died, he would not get any money. Dexter gritted his teeth, pped his hands, and said, "Okay. However, I want to sign an agreement with you. If the transnt fails, you''ll still pay me. If the matching fails, you''ll also still pay me 10 percent of the money aspensation for my time." "No problem," Jack agreed. "Also, I want this number." Dexter stretched out five fingers. "Seven digits." ''Five million?'' He had no shame. Luke''s gaze was cold. He did not agree to his terms. "What you''re asking for is five times the ck market price. It seems like a better option for me to buy from the ck market. At least I would have a guarantee of the sess of matching." He just wanted to frighten the man in front of him and prevent him from demanding an exorbitant price. After all, they would never buy organs from the ck market. Dexter was stunned after hearing what he said. He frowned and replied, "Isn''t the best chance with immediate family members?" "It''s possible as long as the blood type is the same. You used to drink alcohol all the time and that has had a great impact on your liver. Maybe we''ll find something wrong with your liver during the examination and the transnt can''t happen. Even then, we''ll be at a loss since we still have to pay you 10 percent of the money." Luke used his business skills to start bargaining with him. The risks he mentioned may indeed exist. Dexter was an alcoholic. His liver may have been damaged by it. "In that case, I want this amount. Seven figures." He frowned and raised a finger. He asked them for a million. "200,000 dors. If the transnt happens, we''ll add 50,000 dors for the aftercare. If the matching is unsessful or your liver has problems and the transnt can''t happen, we''ll give you five percent of the sum aspensation. Otherwise, that''s the end of this conversation," Luke said. Ordinary people could get 200,000 dors from a year of working. They were being generous with their offer. Dexter calcted in his heart. If the transnt seeded, he would get 250,000 dors. 250,000 dors was enough for him tost for a long time. He could even use this to build a good rtionship with Leia. Maybe she might even take care of him in the future. He was happy with the offer. He pped his hands, nodded, and said, "Deal. I want a ten percent deposit. I don''t want a check, I want cash." "No problem. Someone will pick you up for a check-up at the hospital tomorrow. After signing the agreement, ten percent of the money will be given to you." Luke agreed on Jack''s behalf. The amount was close to what they agreed on. "Love the efficiency, tsk tsk. If Leia had gotten together with you, that amount would be much more. Tsk, what a dumb girl." Dexter knew a little about Leia. After all, she was his biological daughter. He was always on the lookout to see if there was a way for him to make money from her. As such, he knew all the stupid things Leia had done in an attempt to get together with Luke. If they had gotten together, he would not have to live in the shelter now. Luke''s expression darkened. He and Jack looked at each other. After the matter was discussed, there was no more they needed to discuss with Dexter. Hence, the two left directly. After half an hour, Jack returned to the Norman family''s residence. Queenie was waiting anxiously in the living room. She wanted to follow them to the shelter but was stopped by Luke and Jack. They said that the ce was not suitable for her. Queenie had no choice but to wait at home. When she saw Jack walk in, she quickly stood up to greet him. "Dear, how did it go? Did you find Dexter?" "We found him. Tomorrow, Luke''s men will send him to the hospital for a liver function test and a matching test." Jack noticed how anxious Queenie was and sighed. Leia did not deserve Queenie''s kindness. That girl was cruel and ungrateful. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She was a remake of Dexter... "That''s good. I hope the matching goes well so that Leia doesn''t have to suffer anymore," Queenie muttered. She noticed that Jack did not seem like he was in a good mood. She asked, "Were there any issues when you were there?" "Dexter wouldn''t dare to cause trouble. Money is all he cares about. Luke settled it straight away. If the match is sessful and the transnt goes through, I''ll give him 250,000 dors. I''ve discussed this amount with Luke so that I can avoid being caught by my political enemies. He''ll pay the money for me first. I''ll include some interest to pay him back after I retire," Jack said. "It should be the vase..." Queenie nodded, 250,000 dors was not too much. After all, Leia''s current treatment costs had umted to more than one million. The Norman family was still getting byfortably. "We have Luke to thank," Queenie said as she hung Jack''s coat on the hanger. "He''s heading home?" "The kids are waiting for him at home. He left after sending me back. Tomorrow, Dexter will go to the hospital. Maybe he''ll meet Leia. You should stay home. Leave it to Luke''s men," Jack said. Dexter was not a good man, so he did not want Queenie to meet him in case he triggered her. "But... I''m worried about Leia..." Queenie said reluctantly. "Why are you worried about her? She''s lucky to have someone to give her half their liver. You can''t handle Dexter. He''s a horrible man. Listen to me. Stay at home and don''t go," Jack said. He and Luke thought the same. "Okay..." Queenie frowned. She thought of how Leia resisted Dexter''s liver that morning... "Will the hospital tell her who the donor is?" she asked worriedly. "I don''t know. The hospital will follow the standard procedures. It''s useless to worry about so much. Leia isn''t stupid. If the matching is sessful, she should be able to guess who''s the donor." Jack analyzed. From Queenie''s question, he knew that Leia was unwilling to ept Dexter''s liver. "Uh..." Queenie was worried. "Luke will find a solution. We have a good son-inw..." Jack could not help but sigh. In the car, Luke told him that he would take care of everything so that he and Queenie did not need to worry about anything. Leia resisted their goodwill, but she was also afraid to die. If she insisted on being stubborn, he was more than happy for her to suffer for two more days. After that, she would most definitely agree to their n. However, Luke had his terms. After Leia recovered, Luke requested for him and Queenie to not intervene in whatever came next. He wanted her to tell him the truth about what happened. Chapter 2257 Jack agreed. No matter how long this adopted daughter had stayed by their side, she would never be a good daughter. As such, he had no problem with Luke wanting to teach Leia a lesson on behalf of Luca. Nevertheless, Queenie was soft-hearted, so he kept this part from her. "I trust Luke, but you have to tell him not to be too rough with her. Leia is a girl, after all," Queenie frowned from worry that Luke would be too harsh on Leia. "He knows what he¡¯s doing. You don''t need to worry. Promise me you''ll stay home tomorrow and not go to the hospital," Jack said. He did not want Queenie to be in contact and suffer with hooligans like Dexter. "Mm." Queenie nodded, but she was still a little worried. "Luke did so much for Bea''s sake. He doesn''t want to see Bea worry about us, so he''ll be mindful," Jack added. Leia would get to stay alive. As long as that was the case, he did not care about the means used to get there. They had done everything for Leia after they adopted her from the orphanage. In the vi. After Luca put the kids to sleep, she waited in the living room for Luke toe back. She was worried that Dexter would not agree to their proposal. After all, Leia was not doing well. If it dragged on, not only would her life be in danger but it would also drag Queenie down. There was a sound of a car parking outside the house. Luca stood up immediately and looked out of the house through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Luke had returned. She walked into the kitchen, brought out a ss of warm water, and waited at the entrance. When Luke opened the door and walked in, there was some cold wind. Luca was not wearing very thick clothes, so she shivered instantly. "Why are you standing here?" Seeing this, he quickly closed the door. The cold wind was blocked. "Drink some warm water." Luca handed the water over. The wind was stronger at night, so she knew that it must be cold outside since a snowstorm wasing. Luke took off his coat, took the water ss in her hand, and drank it. He finished the ss of water, and the cold he felt from being outside was dispelled immediately. "Thank you," Luke said. Luca took the empty cup in his hand, struggled for a moment, and then asked, "Well, did you find Dexter?" "We found him and finalized the price. I''ll pay first, so no one will be able to trace it back to the Norman family," Luke said as he put on his slippers. His few simple words dispelled all the doubts in Luca''s heart. She breathed a sigh of relief. "I''m d to hear that," Luca said. Although Dexter may not be able to sessfully match with Leia, at least there was hope. Queenie needed some hope that Leia could stay alive. Luke took the initiative to pay the money to avoid Jack being caught by his political opponents. She was grateful for what he had done for them. "Tomorrow, Dexter will go to the hospital for a check-up." Luke took her hand and walked into the house. "Don''t worry, Johann will notify me as soon as the resultes. If it''s a match, he''ll be hospitalized immediately. The operation can start as soon as possible." "Okay." Luca wanted to cry. She could not stay by his side with her real identity, but he had done so much for her parents. Luca counted her lucky stars that she had met Luke. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Luke took the cup from her hand, nced at the time, and said, "It''s gettingte. Let''s go to bed." "You..." Luca''s face blushed slightly. "I''ll take a shower first." Luke took her by the hand, and they went upstairs together. "By the way, I tidied your documents and put them on your desk," Luca told him when they were halfway through the stairs. "Mm, thank you." The two arrived upstairs. They were worried that they would wake up the children, so neither of them continued talking. Luke returned to his bedroom to shower. Luca walked into the master bedroom. She did not close the door because she knew Luke woulde overter. She went straight to the bed,id down, and waited for the man. In just a few days, she had gotten used to everything. Luke would sleep in the same bed as her and sometimes even hug her. She was used to it. It was as if the two had lived together for a long time and all these came naturally. Luca let out a soft sigh. They had lived together for a long time, but they were also separated for a long time. It was possible that it would not feel the same. However, since it was Luke, she was used to sleeping with him. After Luke took a shower, he saw that Luca did not close the door. A smile formed on the corner of his mouth as he knew that she was waiting for him. He walked in, closed the door, and locked it when he thought of how the kids mighte and make trouble. No one could disturb his time with Luca. He got into the bed, lifted a corner of the nket,y down, and turned off the lights. Luca felt his body heat, she could not help but turn over. She went from lying on her side to lying on her back. Luke''s hand rested naturally on her waist. Luca closed her eyes. She was moved thinking about what Luke did for the Normans. However, she was not Bianca. She could not thank him on behalf of the Normans. The more Luca thought about it, the more guilt she felt toward Luke. She could not help but turn to her side and lie face-to-face with him. Luke pulled her into his arms. Luca did not struggle. It was the first time she was awake when she was hugged into his arms. Even his slender legs were covering hers. The two bodies were close to each other, and Luke regretted it instantly... Even though they had their pajamas on, he could feel that the body in front of him was curvaceous and soft... She was no other woman. She was Bianca... Even with a different face, she was still the love of his life, Bianca. No one but Bianca could arouse his deep desire... "Luca..." Luke''s voice was hoarse, and he sounded helpless. "Huh?" Luca''s voice was also hoarse. The cells of her body quickly captured the subtle seduction that was happening between their two bodies. "I can''t help myself..." Luke made his desire for her clear. Luca''s face was flushed. She immediately put up some distance between them. "I can''t!" she said as she turned her back to him. "I know." Luke hugged her and pressed his chest against her back. It was betterpared to face-to- face. At least with his back to her, he could control himself. "I''m titited." "Then. what do you want me to do about it?" Luca bit her lower lip and buried half of her face in the nket, her voice bing muffled. "Don''t move. Go to sleep," Luke said as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He ordered himself to ignore the pain in his lower body and close his eyes. Luca did not dare to move and closed her eyes obediently. Before she fell asleep, she felt Luke''s hand move up slightly. Chapter 2258 The nerves in Luca''s head tightened, and her breathing became heavy. Luke moved his hand and ced it on his favorite spot. As he listened to her rapid breathing, he could not help but smile and say, "Time to sleep. I''ll stop moving." Luca opened her eyes. The more one could not see anything in the darkness, the more sensitive one''s sense of touch would be. She could feel the warmth of his palming through the fabric. The fric cells in her body were trembling uncontrobly. Luke said he would not move his hands anymore, and he really did not move them. Luca felt uneasy because of his gesture. It took her more than ten minutes to calm herself down and close her eyes. Luke''s hand never moved again. If Luca turned around now, she would be able to see the smile that was overflowing with happiness on his face. The next day. Jason drove to Blue Skies Shelter and picked Dexter up, just like what Luke had instructed him to do. Dexter was stunned when he looked at the luxury car that came to pick him up. He never had the chance to sit in such a luxurious car. He did not expect he would have this chance one day. ¡°Mr. Shaw, right? Please get into the car,¡± said Jason. He looked at the dirty clothes Dexter was wearing without changing his expression. He opened the rear door and invited him to get into the car. Dexter nodded with satisfaction. There was a private chauffeur too. He was satisfied with the arrangements. After Dexter climbed into the car, Jason closed the door, walked past the front of the car, and got into the passenger seat. Then, he headed to the hospital. In the hospital. Luke had already asked Johann to prepare everything. Once Dexter arrived at the hospital, the doctor and nurse would bring him for the blood test, X-rays, and several medical check-ups to see if he was a good match with Leia. Dexter sat in the back of the car, enjoying himself. He never expected that he would be able to enjoy such privileges just because Leia was sick. He asked Jason, "Am I going to the hospital immediately?" ¡°The doctor and nurse will arrange for you to undergo a few medical check-ups when you arrive at the hospital. You''ll be admitted to the hospital and wait for the surgery if you''re a good match," answered Jason. "Has your boss prepared the money he promised to give me?" That was what Dexter was concerned about. "The agreement has been prepared. You''ll sign the agreement once you arrive at the hospital. Then, the cash will be yours," replied Jason. Luke had already gotten all these prepared yesterday. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. He even told Jason the contents of the agreement and asked him to look for Mr. Zac to write the deal. "Good." Dexter was delighted. "I''d like to request a better ward if I have to be admitted to the hospital. I''m not used to sharing a bedroom with others. So, it has to be a private ward." "No problem," replied Jason. He could not help but secretly mumble to himself how dare Dexter request a private ward when it was customary for more than ten people to share a bedroom at Blue Skies Shelter. He seemed to be getting used to it well. The distance between Blue Skies Shelter and the hospital was a little far away. It was an hour''s drive to the hospital. After Jason parked the car, he took two copies of the agreement out of his briefcase and said, "Mr. Crawford has already signed the agreement. All you have to do is to sign your name and leave your inked thumbprint on it. Also, I''d like to remind you that this is a drafted agreement by a professional lawyer, and it has legal protection. You''re not allowed to breach the terms of agreement once you sign it." Dexter looked at the agreement and frowned. "Is there any problem with it?" Jason asked. Dexter pointed at the contents of the agreement and said, "I''ve only managed to finish primary school. Do you think I''m able to recognize all the words in the agreement?" "Do you mind if I read it for you once?" Jason said patiently. The agreement was not long, after all. "Sure. Don''t lie to me. If you lie to me, I''ll back out anytime. My life''s all I got. I''m not afraid of anything either." Dexter threatened him. "I will only read whatever is written in the agreement," Jason held one copy of the agreement and read it through for Dexter. Then, he handed the agreement to him and said, "If you have no problem with it, just sign and leave your thumbprint on it. Both of you will keep one copy of the agreement. The doctor and nurse are already waiting for you." Dexter scribbled his name at the end of the agreement and left his thumbprint on it. Then, he asked, "Where''s the money?" He could not wait to see a stack of cash. "Rx." Jason took the cash out of his briefcase and said, "Here''s 20,000 dors." "Why is it not 20,000?" Dexter frowned with dissatisfaction. He was promised 10 percent of the total amount. Was it not supposed to be 25,000 dors?" Jason exined to him, "50,000 dors is for thepensation. If you''re not a good match for the liver transnt, then you won''t have to be admitted to the hospital. There''ll be nopensation too. If you''re a sessful match, then the 50,000 dors will be given to you." ¡°Fine. Let me count it first." Dexter began to count the banknotes slowly. He had already forgotten how long it had been since he held a stack of cash in his hands. The cash felt real to him. He burst with joy, and the wrinkles on his face, a sign of all the hardships he had been through in his journey of life, deepened. Jason waited patiently for him to finish counting the cash. He was not worried that Dexter woulde up with some dirty tricks. After all, the banknotes were taken out at the bank counter. The serial number on the banknotes were connected. He would be able to find the banknotes even if Dexter swallowed them. Jason''s phone rang. He picked up the phone that he put aside earlier and nced at it. It was a message from Johann. [Are you here yet?] [Hold on. I''m at the hospital entrance. He''s counting the money.] Jason replied. It took some time for Dexter to finish counting the banknotes. "198, 199, 200..." Jason turned around and asked, "It''s the right amount, right?" "Yes. It''s just right." Dexter was smiling ear to ear. Jason pushed the car door open and said, "If you have no problem with it, then let''s go." Dexter put the money into his worn-out backpack. The only thing he had was his tattered clothes and the ragged bag. Now, the ragged bag had be valuable because of the banknotes in it. Dexter climbed out of the car and carried the bag in his arms. It was as though he was afraid that someone else would snatch it from him. Jason brought him to Johann and said, "This is Mr. Shaw." Johann sized Dexter up for a moment. He knew Dexter lived in the shelter. He had tanned skin and eyes full of greed. His body was covered with dirt. Johann could hardly imagine that he was Leia''s biological father. Although Leia was as thin as a stick with an awfully pale-looking face now, she used to be a pure and innocent-looking female star. She had amazing facial features, and she looked more beautiful than other women. "Hello, please fill in your details for the registration. The nurse will then lead you and you''ll have a blood test, X-ray, and several medical check-ups." Johann handed the form to Dexter. Dexter shot a nce at it. He frowned and said, "I can only write my name." Johann looked at the nurse who was beside her and said, "Help him fill in the form." "Okay, Dr. Park." The nurse nodded. Although the man looked dirty, the nurse came close to Dexter and taught him how to fill the form. Johann stepped away and waved at Jason. "What''s the matter?" Jason walked toward him and asked. "Are you sure he''s Leia''s biological father?" Johann looked at Dexter, who stood not far away from him. He wondered aloud, "Did Luke get it wrong?" Chapter 2259 ¡°No, he didn''t. It''s him. He''s the one who revealed Leia''s secrets to the press and ruined her life back then," Jason assured him. After all, he was in the know of this matter. Johann shook his head and said, "They say even tigers would look after their cubs. Leia''s father is more vicious than a tiger. What a misfortune to have such a father." "Dr. Park, what''s wrong with you? Are you starting to feel sorry for Leia?" Jason asked teasingly. "She doesn''t deserve my sympathy after everything she has done in the past. But having a father like him..." Johann heaved a sigh. Someone worth one''s sympathy was also worth one''s detest. It was probably what it meant. It was a misfortune for Leia to have such a father. However, everything she did and all the pain others had suffered because of her was detestable too. "But she has a pair of foster parents who were kind to her. To be fair, she''s much happier than the others," said Jason. However, Leia did not know how to appreciate and protect what she had now. That was why she ended up like this. "You''re right!" Johann agreed with him. Not every orphan was able to be adopted into such a wealthy family. Although Leia was born miserable, she grew up much happier than the other kids who were born in their biological families. After the nurse taught Dexter how to fill the form, she brought the information, walked toward Johann, and said, "Dr. Park, the form is filled. He can pay for the medical bills now, then he can proceed for the medical examinations." "Let me take it. I''ll be paying the bills." Jason took the form from her and headed to the payment counter. "Let''s go. Bring him to do the check-ups," Johann said in azy tone. Then, they brought Dexter to the examination room. There were many examinations to do on him. Considering that Dexter might be suffering from malnutrition as he had been homeless for such a long time and was addicted to alcohol in the past. Hence, other than having apatible blood type and liver anatomy, aprehensive assessment of his health had to be done too. They would have to check if his liver was functioning properly ande up with a conclusion to see if he was suitable for a liver transnt. Dexter was able to jump the queue for several examinations because of Johann. It only took them half an hour to finish all the examinations. The next thing was to wait for the results. Dexter sat on the bench in the hospital, waiting for his results. He could feel the uneasiness building up in him. After all, 250,000 was much more than 20,000. He was hoping that he could get that 250,000 without threatening his own life. However, Johann told him that his past experiences and habits might have affected his liver functions. That was why he told him not to be too positive about it. "Uh..." Dexter spoke to Jason. Jason looked at him and asked, "Mr. Shaw, what''s the matter?" "I''d like to meet that girl," said Dexter. He did not have sympathy for Leia, but it was normal for a father to see his daughter, right? Besides, it was Leia who gave Dexter the chance to make so much money. That was why he wanted to see how Leia was doing now. Jason shook his head and rejected him without a second thought. "No." "Why?" Dexter frowned. He was still carrying the bag and refused to let go of it. "Ms. Norman refuses to see you," Jason told him the truth. There was no need to ask Leia about it. Jason knew she would certainly be unwilling to see Dexter. After all, Dexter was the one who ruined her reputation. Judging from Leia''s personality, she must hate Dexter. Leia could even go as far as poisoning Queenie, who was always so kind to her. She was heartless. That was why her hatred for Dexter would never fade as time went by. Moreover, Jason also knew that Leia refused to have Dexter''s liver. "I''m her father!" Dexter argued querulously. "If you want everything to go smoothly, it''d be best not to see Ms. Norman now. She can''t handle any emotional shock now," Jason said in a stiff voice. He could not see the feelings and affection a father should have for his daughter in Dexter''s eyes. Even though they were in such a situation now, all Jason could see was greed. Leia was no more than a cash cow to Dexter. "Fine. How much longer do I have to wait for the results?" Dexter kept thinking about the 250,000 dors. "Dr. Park is rushing them. Please wait." Jason nced at the time. He reckoned that it would take at least another half an hour for the results to be released. Dexter fell silent again. Half an hourter, Johann brought the medical results with him and came to them. Jason stepped forward and asked, "How is it? Does he qualify for a liver transnt?" "Why are you more concerned about this than he is?" Johann seized the chance to make fun of him. Jason was not concerned about it. It was because Luke would have to find someone else if Dexter was not able to go for the transnt, and Jason would have a lot of things to follow up with. Who would like to handle troublesome matters? Jason rolled his eyes and said, "Looking at you, it should be a yes, right?" ¡°Yes. Leia is lucky enough. The screening results reveal that he''s healthy enough to ept the transnt. He can proceed with the hospital admission." Johann went straight to the point. Dexter, who stood beside him, smiled with satisfaction and asked Jason for the money, "Can you give me the remaining 50,000 now?" "Here you go." Jason took a stack of cash out when he noticed how eager Dexter was. Many people were walking down the corridor. Dexter quickly took the stack of money, stuffed it in his bag, and said, "Don''t you know you aren''t supposed to let others see this?" "You wanted it so badly." Jason was rendered speechless. How would he dare to give it to himter since he was so anxious about it? Johann shook his head helplessly when he saw the greedy look on Dexter''s face. Then, he handed the patient admission form to Jason and said, "Come on. Let''s go to the ward." "I''d like a private ward." Dexter did not forget about that. He was carrying so much money in his bag. It would be unsafe if he were to share the room with the others. "I''ve got it all arranged. Let''s go." Johann led him to the in-patient department himself. Jason headed to the payment counter and queued up with the patient admission form in his hands. He informed Luke about the news. Luke replied to him: [Don''t let Leia find out who the donor is.] [Noted.] Jason replied. After he paid the bill, he came to Dexter''s ward. Johann was standing at the door while a nurse brought the hospital gown, water bottles, and other necessities. The nurse even got him a fresh bouquet as he was staying in a private ward. Dexter picked up the hospital gown happily, strolled to the bathroom, and said, "I''ve never worn such new clothes before..." Jason and Johann were at a loss of words when they heard what he said. "Done with the admission procedures?" "Yeah. Should I pass the form to you or the nurse?" Jason asked. "Give it to the nurse. She knows what to do." Johann crossed his arms in front of his chest and replied in azy tone. "By the way, don''t tell Leia who''s the liver donor when you inform herter," Jason reminded him of what Luke said. "Leia''s not dumb. She''ll figure it out." Johann narrowed his eyes. He seemed to have something in mind. "Don''t take the initiative to tell her, then," replied Jason. "It''s troublesome to help Luke to do things." Johann looked at him. "Don''t you think so?" "But you''re still willing to help him, huh?" Jason handed the form to the nurse who had just finished tidying up the ward and said to her, "I''ve already paid for the admission fee. Just call the phone number written on it if there''s not enough money in his bank ount. Don''t ask him toe here himself." Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "Luke''s an interesting man," said Johann. Chapter 2260 Johann was able to know people from all walks of life as he was working in the hospital. Many of his patients who had recovered would send their greetings to him every festive season. Some of them would be his friends, and they would hang out and have dinner together. He got to know them through work. However, his encounter with Luke Crawford was slightly different. It all started 11 years ago. Johann was not a doctor yet but a student who was awarded a medical school schrship. He was the most talented and outstanding medical student acknowledged by every professor. It was nothing at first, but he stole another top student''s thunder because of his Western facial features when he just entered the school. Hence, the other students had been holding a grudge against him. He was obsessed with learning medical knowledge. He could not be bothered to waste his time dealing with others. All he had in his mind was to finish his studies and learn more medical knowledge. That was why he did not have any friends in medical school. He was a freak in that country where they discriminated against people based on their skin color. However, he did not care what people thought of him. He would avoid those who made things difficult for him. If he could not avoid them, he woulde face to face with them. After all, he was not someone who could be treated like a doormat. It was until one day... Johann apanied his tutor to visit a senior doctor in the medical field. He originally thought that they came for knowledge exchange, but he did not expect that they were going to a party. Many of the big cheese in the healthcare industry drank a toast to Johann when his tutor introduced him andplimented him in front of them. He was already drunk when he left the party. No one sent him back home. No one would have expected that a man like him would run into danger while he was on the way back home. The medical student who was previously the top student of the school before Johann came to steal his show came from a famous local mafia family. He was drinking with a few gangsters that night, and he ran into Johann while he was on his way back to his dormitory. A wicked idea crossed his mind when he saw that Johann was drunk and could fall anytime. He asked the other gangsters to join him to beat Johann up. They discriminated against him in the first ce. When they were under the influence of alcohol, the four of them surrounded Johann. Normally, Johann would have been able to escape, but he was drunk. One of the gangsters threw a punch at him and he fell on the spot. When Johann thought there was no way he could escape from getting beaten up tonight, Luke, who was also studying abroad, showed up in front of him. He finished them off in a jiffy. The medical student and gangsters surrounding him were knocked down to the ground. However, the gangsters were good at fighting too. They charged toward Luke. Even though they got knocked down earlier, Luke did not win the fight either. He got beaten up too and was stabbed in the arm. Although the wound was not deep, blood kept gushing out from the wound. After that, the local police officers showed up and stopped the fight. They were brought to the police station for interrogation. There were surveince cameras to prove that they were defending themselves. It was only then the police officers released them. By the time they were released, Luke''s wound had already stopped bleeding and the blooding out of the wound was clotted. Johann had sobered up too. Johann noticed the wound on Luke''s arm and insisted on bringing him back to the dormitory to help him to dress his wound and let him spend the night in his dormitory. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. That was how Johann and Luke got to know each other. ¡°Dr. Park, what''s on your mind?" Jason lifted his hand and waved in front of Johann when he noticed Johann was lost in his thoughts. "I was recalling how I met your boss," Johann stood up straight and nced at the ward. Dexter walked out of the bathroom after changing into the hospital gown. "I really have no idea about that. How did you meet our boss?"Jason asked with curiosity. "I never knew that you could be so gossipy. Ask your boss, then." Knowing that everything here was settled, Johann said, "I''m going to Leia''s ward. Are youing with me?" Jason shook his head. He did not have a good impression of Leia, so he did not want to see her. He replied, "No. I''m going back to the office first. Text me if anything happens." "Pray that everything goes well." Johann smiled and left. After he reminded the nurse about Dexter''s matters, he made his way up the stairs. Johann came to the nurses'' station. He was not in a hurry to look for Leia. Instead, he used the computer at the nurses'' station and requested another two infusion bottles. When the head nurse saw the name listed for the infusion bottle, she smiled and asked, "Is this for Ms. Leia?" "Yes," Johann nodded. He asked the hospital pharmacy downstairs to send them up here. "Is there a liver donor?" The head nurse asked again as she thought it was possible. She had seen many people who needed organ transnts after bing a nurse for so many years. There were many cases of a liver transnt as well. Some people sessfully got organ transnts, recovered their health, and got discharged from the hospital. However, those who managed to get the surgery done were not the ones waiting for organ donors. The organ transnted into their bodies came from their families. She had also seen those who were unable to get the transnt done because the organs of their families were ipatible with them. Most of them waited until the end of their lives as they could not afford to wait for the organ that could save their lives. Leia''s blood group was different from her parents'', so the head nurse was surprised to know that she had a liver donor. ¡°I can''t seem to hide anything from you." Johann smiled. He nned to wait for the infusion bottles to arrive before entering Leia''s ward. "Although I''m not as knowledgeable as doctors are, I''ve been working as a nurse for more than 20 years. If I don''t know what the solutions are used for, then I''m pretty sure I''m a failed nurse." The head nurse chuckled. "You''re way better than the medical interns who just came in," Johannplimented her. What he said was the truth. Sometimes, an experienced medical staff was more important than a knowledgeable doctor. Johann left a remark that he needed the infusion bottles now. That was why the bottles were sent up quickly. The head nurse picked up the infusion bottles and said, "You mind if I follow you in?" "Won''t asking you to give her the injection be a waste of your time?" Johann did not reject her offer. He teased the head nurse instead. The head nurse smiled, shook her head, and said, "Asking a doctor like you to give the patient an injection would be a waste of time." "I''m not as good as you are when ites to injection skills," replied Johann. The two of themughed and chatted with each other as they came to Leia''s ward. Johann did not push the door open immediately. Instead, he reminded the head nurse, "Try to stay calm if anything happenster." "Okay. Are there any situations that I''ve nevere across before? I can handle this," the head nurse replied. She thought Johann was talking about Leia being overjoyed after knowing that they had found a liver donor for her. Johann pushed the door open. Leia was lying on the hospital bed, hooked on an IV drip. She heard the sound of the door opening. Then, she turned to look in the direction of the door. A trace of impatience shed across her eyes as she asked. "Haven''t you finished doing the ward rounds? Why are you here again?" "Ms. Leia, I''ll have to put you on a drip for another two solutions," the head nurse smiled and replied. Leia frowned. After what happened yesterday, she was afraid to see Johann bringing the IV solution bottle into her ward. Johann had given her an injection to stabilize her blood pressure yesterday, and she ended up suffering from the side effects of the injection. She was only able to regain some of her strength in the evening. Leia was alerted and asked, ¡°Why am I taking so many injections today?" Chapter 2261 Although Leia was famous for being a difficult patient in their department, the head nurse felt happy for her to be able to get a liver transnt. "The injections are for yourte recovery, and you''ll have to get the injections for three days consecutively," the head nurse exined to her as she ced the infusion bottles in front of Leia. Following the code of practice, she needed to ask, "What''s your name?" ¡°Leia Norman,¡± answered Leia. She looked at Johann warily, who was standing behind faking a smile. She had this feeling that Johann was up to something. The nurse checked Leia''s patient wristband. The name was correct, so she hung the solution bottle on the IV stand. The bottle was not that huge. The nurse removed the solution bottle there and attached the new infusion bottle. Johann instructed her when he saw that the drip rate was a little slow, ¡°Speed it up." "Make it even faster?" The head nurse turned around and nced at Johann with a surprised look on her face. The patient might feel ufortable if the drip rate went too fast. "Yes." Johann was nning to tell her after she finished the injection. The head nurse adjusted the speed of the drop rate after confirming with Johann. Leia could feel a sharp pain in her arm and whined, "It hurts!" The head nurse nced at the solution bottle. It was still dripping. Johann did not say anything, so she did not do anything about it. "Dr. Park, I shall leave first," she said to Johann. Johann nodded. He sat on the sofa, quietly looking at Leia. Leia felt uneasy about being stared at. She felt like something was about to happen. She sat up on the bed and asked with a gloomy look on her face, "Why are you still here?" "Some of the patients will have bigger reactions when they''re given this infusion. I''m afraid that you might have allergic reactions." Johann smirked. The smile on his face failed to reach his eyes. Leia could feel a chill seeping down her spine when she looked at his fake smile. Although Johann was kind to his patients, he was always smiling no matter what. He seemed like a friendly person. However, Leia knew that Johann was not that kind of person. Johann''s smile was the same as Luke''s expressionless face. If Luke wanted her dead, he would have to find someone to harm her. However, it was different for Johann. If he truly wanted her dead, he did not have to look for someone else. He could carry out his ns in secret without anyone knowing about it. He was a doctor, after all. He knew a lot about medicine... "Don''t you do skin testing for allergies before giving injections?" Leia immediately lowered her head and looked at her arm when she heard that she might have an allergy reaction. She knew her condition well, and she was too weak to handle anything now. Johann answered indifferently, ¡°There''s no need to. Only some of them would have allergies. There are low chances of getting allergies. Besides, I''m here with you. What are you scared of?¡± Leia was rendered speechless. Many patients would have wanted Johann to stay in their ward for 24 hours. After all, having him there would be a guarantee of their life. However, Leia refused to face Johann because he was on Luke''s side. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of her health statistics and data that might have been given to Luke. The caretaker picked up the fruit bowl beside her and ced it in front of Johann. She said, "Dr. Park, would you like to have some fruits?¡± "Thank you, but I don''t eat when I''m working." Johann looked up without ncing at the fruit bowl. He then quietly looked at the infusion bottle that was dripping into Leia''s vein. Five minutester, the small infusion bottle had been fully injected into Leia''s vein. Johann rose to his feet and changed to another infusion bottle. He removed the empty bottle. Johann toyed with the small bottle in his hands. He was not in a hurry to leave the ward. However, Leia urged him, "I''m not allergic to it, can you leave now?" "Aren''t you curious about what the solution is?" Johann came forward and let her see the bottle. Leia was unable to understand the technical terms stated on the bottle, so she asked, "What is this?" "It''s to reduce the risks of transnt rejection after the surgery," Johann adjusted the speed back to normal and continued, "You''ll have to be injected with this for three days consecutively. And you''ll have the surgery in three days." Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. If it were a temporary liver, there was no need to receive these injections. However, in Leia''s case, the chances of the body rejecting it was much higher. Patients like Leia were able to decide the time of the transnt, and they would usually be given the shots in advance. "Transntation? Is there a donor?" Leia was exhrated, but she suddenly realized that something was wrong. If it was her turn to receive the transnt, she should be pushed into the surgery room immediately¡ª not after three days. Hence, the liver that would be transnted into her body must be taken from someone alive. She narrowed her eyes and looked at Johann. "Is Dexter the liver donor?" ¡°You should be grateful that Luke was able to find Dexter this quick. Besides, he''s agreed to donate half of his liver to you. At the same time, his body can still handle the surgery. Otherwise, I''m afraid that you won''t be able to wait until your turn," Johann said in a calm tone. He continued when he saw the twisted expression on Leia''s face, "Take it easy. You might find yourself getting wheeled into the emergency room if you don''t calm yourself down now. Even the transnt won''t be able to save your life." Leia sped the bedsheet tightly and questioned him in a hoarse voice, "Why isn''t Dexter dead yet?!" "Perhaps he knew that you couldn''t make it through. That''s why he''s still alive, to save you." Although Johann did not believe in fate, he had predicted that Dexter might not be able to meet the requirements to be the liver donor. Who would have known that his health stats met all the requirements? Therefore, Leia was destined to receive half of Dexter''s liver. "I don''t need it. Ask him to get lost. I don''t want his liver!" Leia exploded. She had made up her mind. She would rather take the risk to partner up with Matysh and get that money to buy the liver than to receive Dexter''s filthy liver. "You don''t have a choice." The smile on Johann''s face disappeared. "The injection we gave you is to activate the cells in your body so that they can ept a new liver better. There''s no turning back after the first injection." "What do you mean?!" Leia red at him. "What I mean is, if you don''t undergo the liver transnt after you finish taking the injections, it''ll speed up your liver metabolism, causing liver failure. Even if you only get one injection, it''ll have the same effect on you. After taking all injections and not getting a liver transnt, you might have half a month left if you''re lucky enough. Still, no matter how lucky you are after taking the first injection, you might only be able to make it to three weeks," said Johann. "I''ve never heard of any medicine like that." Leia thought Johann was fooling her to force her to get the liver transnt. "It''s a newly imported medicine. I don''t have to lie to you. If you still refuse to undergo the liver transnt a weekter, I''d suggest you get discharged from the hospital and go back home to wait. It''ll be useless when you wait until it''s your turn to get the liver transnt." After that, Johann turned around and walked out of the ward. Leia yelled at him from behind, "How could you make such a decision without my permission?!" "It''s because you signed the agreement. Your parents are the ones who make the decision for you. You''re not the one who makes the decision. Plus, you should consider whether or not you''re going to resume taking the injections tomorrow and if you should go for the liver transnt three dayster. Tell me after you''ve decided so that I can arrange the operating room for your surgery, or you can get discharged from the hospital." Johann left once he finished talking. He whistled after he closed the door. Chapter 2262 Johann was fooling Leia just now. The injection was given to her to prepare for the surgery. However, it was not like what he had told her. Johann knew Leia refused to take Dexter''s liver. That was why he used such a way to bluff her. After all, for her, staying alive was much more important than being stubborn. Still, Johann was not afraid that Leia would look into this. His tutor who was in New York told him that they were currently studying simr drugs to activate the cell activities in the human body, but there were also some simr side effects. They were doing the research to see if they could remove the side effects so that the patient would have more choices. Johann came to the nurses'' station and reminded the head nurse, ¡°Leia''s reluctant to undergo the surgery. Please keep an eye on the solution bottles that she''ll be taking these three days. It''ll be best if you can handle it yourself. Don''t answer her no matter what she asks." "No problem. But why is she rejecting the offer?" The head nurse was confused. There were so many patients out there who had been waiting for an organ transnt for so long that they eventually gave up hope. Leia was different from them. How weird was it for her to reject such an offer? "It''s the patient''s privacy. I can''t tell," replied Johann as he threw a wink at her. The head nurse pursed her lips andughed. "Fine, Dr. Park. I''m old enough, so don''t try to flirt with me. Anyway, you must have scared the hell out of her, right?" "Otherwise, should I watch her refuse to go for the surgery?" It was not the first time Johann scared his patients. The wealthier the patient was, the more stubborn they were. They were worried that their lives would be threatened, but most of them could not ept the doctor''s suggestions. It was because they were afraid that they would not be able to stay alive after entering the operating room. Johann could not guarantee that there was a 100 percent sess rate for the surgery. That was why it was something Johann would normally do to deal with the patients who refused to undergo the surgery and miss out on the chance to receive treatment just because they were worried and anxious about it. "That''s true. But you''ll have to report to the director about this. Otherwise, you''re going to get scolded again," the head nurse reminded him. Johann smiled and nodded. He was not nning to tell that old-fashioned man. After all, what mattered the most was that Leia ended up safe and alive. Furthermore, that old fogey was concerned about Leia''s situation too. After all, Leia''s father was Jack Norman. Hence, even though what Johann did was against the code of medical ethics, it did not matter as long as the final result was something the director wanted to see, right? All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. In the ward. Leia got so angry that she threw the pillow at the wall. The caretaker was shocked. She stood up andforted Leia, ¡°Ms. Norman, you have to calm down now." "Get lost!" Leia''s eyes reddened. She was boiling with anger, and she would not listen to anyone''s advice no matter who it was. The caretaker stiffened and stopped. She looked at her with a worried expression on her face. Leia could feel that her heart was pounding faster and faster. It was not a good sign. She took a deep breath, trying hard to calm herself down. "Where''s my phone?" Leia asked. She was blinded with rage, and it was as though her eyesight was affected by the anger in her. Everything she saw before her eyes cked out for a moment, then it was bright again. She narrowed her eyes and turned to look in the direction of the caretaker. "It''s on the bedside table," replied the caretaker. The caretaker was confused when she noticed that Leia was acting like someone who was short-sighted. "Bring it to me," Leia sat on the bed without moving, acting just like a statue. The caretaker walked there, picked up her phone, and ced it on Leia''s palm. "I have to make a call. Please leave me alone," Leia instructed. "Okay." The caretaker was worried that she might get angry again, so she quickly left the ward. Leia found Mandy''s phone number and called her. Mandy was shopping in the mall, choosing her new clothes. Her phone vibrated, and she immediately picked it up to nce at it. It was Leia who was calling her. Mandy answered the call and asked, "Leia, have you thought about it?" "Come to the hospital," said Leia. Mandy looked at the new designs of thetest season and said solicitously, "I''ve got something to do here. Just tell me through the phone and I''ll deliver the message to Mr. Matysh for you." "I''m afraid someone''s eavesdropping on our conversation on the phone. If you don''te, just take it as a no from me." "Fine. I''ll be on my way now. I''m at the mall. Would you like to grab something to drink?" Mandy asked. She immediately changed her attitude when she heard that Leia was going to reject her. "What else can I drink when I''m in such a state now?" Leia frowned, thinking that Mandy was deliberately touching her sore spot. Not only was she not allowed to drink beverages but she had to take care of her diet too. Everything she ate was tasteless now. She was fed up with spending her days like this. Mandy slowly replied, "I don''t know much about your illness. Hang in there. I''ll hail a ride and get there now." Leia hung up the call and threw her phone aside. Luke could be eavesdropping on her phone anytime now. That was why she had to be careful. Mandy hurried to the hospital. She pushed the door open and walked into Leia''s ward. Before she could greet her, she directly asked Leia, ¡°What''s your decision? You agree to work with us, right?" "Yes." Leia no longer hesitated. "Okay. I''ll tell Mr. Matysh your decision. Then we''lle up with a n. You''ll be able to get the sum of money and what you want after the n seeds," Mandy replied excitedly. She would receive another sum of money if Leia agreed. "The n can''t be implemented that quickly." Leia frowned. "I''m going to have a liver transnt surgery in three days." "What? You''ve already got a donor? Who''s donating it to you?" Mandy was surprised. "My biological father..." Leia clenched her teeth when she mentioned Dexter. There was hatred in her voice. "Then why did you agree to work with us when you''ve already got a donor? Didn''t you tell me that it''s risky?" Mandy noticed Leia''s hatred for her biological father when she mentioned him, and she changed the subject of the conversation. "I need money," said Leia. Was Luke not trying to get rid of her? Luca was so close to him. Hence, she should make Luke lose her. "Honestly, although I hope that you''ll agree to work with us, your foster parents aren''t short of money. Why are you so desperate?" asked Mandy. Leia''s family background was much better than the others. "They don''t treat me as their daughter anymore. I have to find a way to protect myself after I recover," said Leia. "I''ll be able to walk again once the surgery is done and after I''m out of the woods. What does Matysh want me to do?" "Uh, Mr. Matysh has mentioned it to me before. He wants you to lure that woman somewhere else. Then, his men will make their move. After it''s done, the money will be transferred into your bank ount," said Mandy. She sat on the sofa, picked up a bunch of grapes, and started eating. "That''s all?" Leia listened to their n. It sounded familiar to her. Leia had partnered up with someone else and used such a method to kidnap Bianca. That was how Luke lost his wife. This time, she wanted him to lose the woman he loved again! "What else can you do? You''re sick. If you agree to help, I''ll have to keep him steady for the time being. He''s desperate, after all," Mandy smiled and replied. The burning desire Matysh had for Luca was completely released on her. That was why it struck Mandy deeply. Leia had to wait until her surgery was done to be able to help them. So, Mandy had to calm Matysh down. Chapter 2263 "Sure." Leia and Mandy finally reached an agreement. ¡°Then I''m going back now. Wait for my good news. As your friend, I''ll help you to get the highest price. After all, life has been hard for you too." Mandy pretended to have sympathy for Leia, but honestly, did she have anything to do with Leia''s life or death? If it were not for the money, Mandy would not havee here again and again. After Mandy left, Leia shot a nce at the drip solution. It was almost done. Then, she pressed the patient call bell. The head nurse pushed the door open, came in, and asked, ¡°What''s the matter?" ¡°The solution has finished." Leia had already calmed herself down. ¡°Okay. Wait a minute." The head nurse turned around and left. After a while, she came back and removed the needle from Leia''s arm. Then, she injected some saline solution into the vein catheter and sealed it. ¡°Everything that Johann told me. Is it true?" Leia looked at the head nurse and asked. After the nurse disinfected the vein catheter, she smiled and looked at Leia. ¡°I have no idea what Dr. Park told you. I''m a nurse. I know nothing about professional medical knowledge." Leia did not continue to figure out whether what Johann said was true or not. After all, what mattered the most now was for her to recover her health. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. The only way to stop Luke''s revenge was to get well. ¡°Then please tell Johann that I''ve decided to have the surgery. Show me what he''s got. Bring it on." Leia gritted her teeth. She was unconvinced at the thought of getting fooled by Johann twice. ¡°Ms. Norman, are you listening to what you''re saying? Oh dear... Honestly, the surgery means alot to patients like you. It''s a good thing. After the transnt surgery is done, even if you''ve recovered, you''ll have to take your medicine on time ande back for check-ups. Only then will you not have to stay in the hospital anymore," replied the head nurse. There were so many people out there who wanted a chance like this, but they were not given the chance. However, the way Leia said it was as though she was going to the execution ground. Indeed, people who did not know how to appreciate could never learn how to appreciate. Leia curled her lips in disdain while she listened to what the head nurse said. The head nurse picked up the empty solution bottle and left. She told Johann that Leia had decided to undergo the surgery. At the same time, Luke found out that Leia was willing to ept the surgery. He put down his phone without an expression on his face. His cold gaze swept across the senior managers of thepany and he said, ¡°Continue the meeting." ¡°Yes, Boss." Jason took the proposal report from the nning department manager as he handed it to him. Then, he handed the report to Luke. On the other hand. Mandy was sitting on the poolside of the heated pool in the hotel, telling Matysh about Leia''s decision to cooperate with them. She let Matysh know about her current situation as well. Matysh was delighted at first, but he became impatient after knowing that he had to wait until Leia recovered. Only then could he work with her. "Why is she so meddlesome?" "Mr. Matysh, look at the bright side." Mandy, who was beside him, said in a dulcet voice, "Didn''t you say that they''re starting to suspect something? Let''s keep quiet for a few days and stop asking Bill''s men to follow her. Let them lower their guards. After Leia is done with her surgery, she''ll help us get that woman in one fell swoop. Isn''t that better?" Matysh fell silent, pondering the suggestion. Mandy added when she noticed that he was not saying anything, "Honestly, I truly think that this idea is much better than following that woman. Following her will only make them more alert and cautious. Then, they''ll send more men to protect that woman. How long will it take for someone overly cautious like Bill to kidnap that woman?" "We''ll do exactly what you suggested, but can you guarantee Leia can get out of the operating room alive?" Matysh decided. "How can I guarantee that? She''s having an organ transnt surgery. It''s a high risk surgery. But you won''t lose anything even if she dies during the surgery, right?" What Mandy said won his heart. "Yeah, you''re right." Matysh was satisfied. He jumped and dived into the pool. "One more thing. I think they''ve probably found out that Bill works for you. So, why don''t we take a few days off and go for a vacation? That can lower their guards too," Mandy suggested. A new holiday resort had opened in the neighbouring city. She wanted to head there to take some vacation photos. However, it was expensive there. She could barely afford it. That was why she wanted to bring Matysh along with her. That way, someone would be paying her expenses. "That makes sense too. But are you sure you''re not the one who wants to go for a vacation?" Matysh swam up to the surface. His sharp gaze seemed to have read her mind. "Fine. I''m the one who wants to go on a vacation, and I can go by myself. But isn''t it better for you to go with me so that they can lower their guards? Besides, that woman is working in A City. She can''t possibly run to somewhere else. That''s why I told you to ask Bill''s men to stop following her. We have someone to keep an eye on her. Are you still afraid that she''s going to escape?" Mandy dived into the water and swam toward him. Matysh was thinking about what she said. ¡°The holiday vi is just in the neighbouring city. If we both leave together, they''ll probably think that you''ve given up." Mandy smiled. There were no security cameras there. She could say whatever she wanted, and what she said had pleased him too. "Fine." Matysh agreed. "Great! I believe that woman will soon be delivered to you with her hands tied when wee back," Mandy kept on saying things Matysh liked to hear to fawn over him. Mandy was a clever woman. She was able to manipte the man after she knew what the man wanted. Not only was it good for Matysh''s ns, but she could also fulfil her wish of going on a vacation at the same time. She would receive a sum of money after she returned from the vacation. Mandy was delighted at the thought of this. The pain she felt after getting turned down by Johann was gone at once. The next day. Luke received news from Gale that Matysh had checked out from the suite, packed his luggages, and headed out together with Mandy. Now, his men were following Matysh to find out where he was heading to. Luke frowned after he heard the news. Did Matysh pack his luggages and leave? He even checked out from the hotel. "Follow him. Don''t lose track of him," Luke instructed. "Boss, don''t worry. I''ve sent Ross to follow him. He''s capable, and he won''t lose him," Gale assured him. After Luca helped the kids get into Zander''s car, she returned to the vi. She needed to get herself ready and head out. After putting on her coat, she looked at Luke, who was sitting on the sofa. He did not say anything, so she asked, "Mr. Crawford, do you have other arrangements today?" "No," Luke answered while his fingers were tapping rhythmically on the leather sofa. Tap, tap... Luca knew Luke had something in mind, and she decided not to disturb him. When she was about to leave after picking up her briefcase, she heard Luke saying, "Matysh checked out from the hotel. He took Mandy with him and left." "Ah." Luca paused as she was surprised to hear that. She turned around and looked at the man. "Is he going back to Russia?" Chapter 2264 However, Luke did not think he returned to Russia. ¡°He won''t bring Mandy along with him if he''s going back to Russia." He knew Matysh was a person who discriminated against people because of their race. Matysh knew what it meant to bring a foreign woman back to Russia. Mandy was merely a woman he paid to satisfy his desires. Rationally speaking, she did not deserve to stand beside Matysh. Luca bit her lower lip. She thought Matysh had given up the thought of getting her the moment she heard Matysh had checked out of the hotel. "Then, he''s..." Luca could not understand. "We don''t know his destination yet. My men are following him. Don''t worry. Everything will be fine," Lukeforted her. Luca believed in him. She nodded and said, "Mr. Crawford, I''m leaving for work." "Okay. Even though Matysh has checked out of the hotel and we haven''t tracked him down yet, don''t let your guard down," Luke reminded. He was worried that Matysh was distracting them, and his purpose was to make them lower their guards. "I know," replied Luca. She knew this was not a joke. Hence, she kept her guard up and said, "I''m going to the office." "Okay," replied Luke. He sat on the sofa, trying to figure out Matysh and the other matters. Gale had been eavesdropping on Matysh when he was in his suite, but he never heard anything about him leaving. Could it be that Matysh had already known that they were eavesdropping on him and that was why they checked out of that suite? However, they could have asked to change to another room instead of checking out. Matysh even changed the hotel. Luke opened the app on his phone. He had asked Adrian to help him to develop the app. As long as his subordinate''s phone signal was on, he only had to enter the code to track down the person''s exact location. Luke keyed in Ross'' code. Two secondster, Ross'' location appeared on his phone screen as a red dot. The red dot was still moving, which indicated that Ross was following Matysh. They were slowly moving toward his destination. Luke turned on hisptop and found A City''s map. Then, hepared Ross'' location to the map... Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. It only took a few minutes for him to figure out that Matysh seemed to be heading to the rail station. Luke immediately called Gale and said, ¡°Matysh should be heading to the rail station." ¡°Okay. Let me make some arrangements now," replied Gale. He immediately used Ross'' ID card to book a train ticket on the booking app just in case he had to get onto it. If Matysh and Mandy were going to the railway station, then Ross would need a train ticket to enter the station. That way, he would be able to find out where they were heading to. Luke hung up the call. He watched the red dot that indicated Ross'' location heading toward the railway station. Then, he turned off hisptop and phone app. He rose to his feet. He had to go back to T Corporation to work. Matysh wanted to get Luca? Dream on! Half an hourter, Luke was sitting in his office. He received thetest news from Gale. "Boss, you''re amazing. He''s really heading to the railway station. And the ticket I bought for Ross happens to be on the same train they''re taking. They''re heading directly to B City without stopping." Luke frowned when he heard Gale''s report. He said, "Ask Ross to meet our men in B City and find out what Matysh is doing there." "Yes, Boss." Gale hung up the call excitedly. Luke looked calm on the outside, and he did not feel happy just because he found out Matysh''s destination. Matysh was headed to B City instead of going back to Russia. That was why he was not very happy about it. He was just lucky. The train ticket Gale randomly booked happened to be the train that Matysh got into. Ross would be able to track him down to the next city. On the railway. Matysh frowned unhappily and asked, "The new transport you meant was this?" "Yes. This is the train. Russia should have these, right? But I heard that it''s not that popr yet. In our country, taking the train is much more convenient than traveling by ne," Mandy took the coffee from the waitress. After Matysh agreed to bring her to B City for a vacation, he gave her a credit card and told her that she could use the card to pay for the holiday expenses. When Mandy was choosing which mode of transport to take, she initially thought of taking the ne. However, there were hardly any flights going to B City, and there were no business ss seats for the remaining flights. Judging from Matysh''s personality, he would never get up on a ne if he was not sitting in the business ss section. Mandy had no choice but to book the premier seat on the train. After all, it was only a couple of hours. Although the premium seats of the train were not as luxurious as business ss seats on the ne, it was still eptable. However, Mandy did not expect that Matysh would be dissatisfied. ¡°How can someone with a high social status like me take the train? Trains are for the low social ss!" Matysh''s words caught the attention of the man who was sitting on the premier seat who was sitting near the aisle. Mandy felt awkward. The person could clearly understand what Matysh was saying. Mandy had no choice but tofort the man beside her, saying, "There are no business ss seats for the flight today. That''s why I chose the train. The premier seat of the train isfortable, and we''re only an hour away from our destination. Please bear with me." "If it weren''t for her, I wouldn''t give a damn about you." Matysh crossed his arms in front of his chest. Mandy smiled apologetically and said, "Come on. I''m sorry. Okay, I''ll book the return flight in advance later. We''ll take the ne to go back to A City." Matysh did not say a word. The train slowly began to move. At the same time, Ross talked to the crew. After he found out that there were premium seats avable, he paid the extra money and asked for a premium seat just to get closer to Matysh and Mandy. The only seat left was the one behind Matysh and Mandy''s seats. Ross was satisfied. That way, he would be able to eavesdrop on their conversation. An hourter. The train arrived at B City. Mandy happily walked arm in arm with Matysh and got out of the railway station. Then, she assured him, "Don''t worry. The holiday resort I booked is the most luxurious one. Their staff will be picking us up." Matysh was still keeping a poker face because he thought that someone with high social status like him should not be taking the train. It was unsuitable. "Have the people at the holiday resort ever seen their customers travel here by train?" "Why not? Let me tell you. The wealthier a person is, the more he''s afraid to get into an ident. The train is a safer transportpared to the others. It wasn''t a long journey, and the wealthy get to choose from so many options," Mandy exined to him. Matysh sneered disdainfully, refusing to believe what she said. Mandy knew Matysh was not convinced. She did not force him to believe in her either. Therefore, she directly contacted the person who was in charge of picking them up and found the car that came to pick them up. The car that came to pick them up was a Mercedes, but there was a logo of the holiday resort printed on the car. Everything looked cheap and vulgar to Matysh. Chapter 2265 Matysh was pushed into the car by Mandy. ¡°Is this the best transport the holiday resort could provide to its customers?" Matsyh looked at the chauffeur in front of them and asked disdainfully. "No, sir. If you''re dissatisfied with our transport, you may choose a more luxurious car. But you''ll have to pay more." The chauffeur could sense the contempt in his voice. Hence, he smiled and rmended another option for him. "Do I look like I can''t afford it?" Matysh asked querulously. He thought the chauffeur was being snobbish. The chauffeur followed the principle of ''the customers are always right'' and exined to him, "The car I''m driving now is only avable for the basic package as you''ve reserved a vi in our resort. If there are no upgrade requirements, we''ll provide our customers with the transport for the basic package. If you''d like to upgrade the package, you may inform the reception when you''re checking in." "What''s the best transportation provided?" Matysh shrugged off Mandy, who was leaning on his shoulder. He was unhappy with the arrangements she made. This woman did not know how to spend money. She was worse than Marcos. "Do you prefer to drive yourself or would you like a chauffeur? If you''re driving yourself, our most luxurious car will be a Bugatti, but if you need a chauffeur, the highest ss of transport will be a Rolls- Royce," the chauffeur exined to him patiently. "We''ll need a chauffeur," Mandy immediately replied. She had onlye up with such arrangements only because she was worried that she would be spending too much and Matysh would be unhappy about it. However, she did not expect Matysh to be asking for the best. He was nothing like a European noble, but he seemed like a parvenu. He was so much different from his nephew. The chauffeur nced at them through the rearview mirror. He could not help but wonder as this was his first time running into such a situation. No matter how wealthy a person was, they came here for a vacation. Enjoying the stay and having fun was all that mattered. However, this man had blown his mind. He wanted everything he used to be the best as though they were free. Mandy did not care what the chauffeur thought about them and whined, ¡°Hey, stop being mad. I only made such arrangements just because I thought of helping you to save some money." "Is this even considered expensive?" Matysh gave her a cold stare. The woman who imed to be helping him to save the money was also finding a way to bleed him dry. Women were the same! Mandy smiled and said, "It''s not expensive, indeed. Okay, I got it. Stop being mad." A hint of impatience shed across Matysh''s eyes as he said to her, "Everything I use must be the very best. I won''ty my eyes on something less than that." "Okay. I understand," If Matysh were not her sugar daddy, she would not have replied to him immediately. They headed to the holiday resort. Matysh did not notice that there was a taxi following behind them since they left the railway station. Ross was sitting in the taxi, watching their car drive into the holiday resort. Then, he reported to Gale the situation now. "Mr. Gale, they''ve entered Peace Valley Vi." "Peace Valley Vi? Why does that sound familiar to me?" Gale frowned. He could not remember it in the first instance. He had no choice but to give up and say, "Okay. Find a hotel nearby and keep an eye on them. Our men in B City will be following your instructions." "Got it, Mr. Gale," replied Ross. He took out a banknote and handed it to the taxi driver. He told him to keep the change and walked into the hotel opposite the holiday resort and booked a room for himself. A City. T Corporation. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Luke listened to Gale''s report and learned that Matysh had gone to Peace Valley View. His eyes darkened at once. After Gale finished reporting to him, he scratched the back of his head and asked, "Boss, why does the name of the resort, Peace Valley View, sound familiar to me?" "The ce was developed by Jim Holston," Luke reminded him. "Oh, yes. It''s him. That''s why it sounds familiar to me," Gale pped his hands once and he recalled it. Jim had even invited him to his resort for a holiday. However, he had been busy, so that was how the matter ended. The owner of the ce Matysh was vacationing in belonged to someone they knew, and he was one of Luke''s friends. Coincidences like this happened over and over again. Gale could not help but exim, "Boss, why do I have this feeling that even God is helping us? It''ll be easy to keep him under surveince if he''s staying in Mr. Holston''s resort this time." "Yeah," Luke nodded. He did not believe in fate, but such a coincidence made things much easier for him. "I''ll leave Jim to you," said Luke. "Got it, Boss. I promise to watch Matysh like a hawk," Gale assured him. After Gale left, Luke continued with his work. Matysh was gone for the time being. It gave Luke the chance to rx a little, and it also gave him more time to handle his work at the office. When it was noontime, hepared the time difference between his country and Russia. He thought that Marcos should have woken up by now, and he made a call. The call was answered in a few seconds. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Crawford." Marcos'' voice sounded a little shaky. Luke could hear it in his voice and said, "Good morning, Mr. Marcos. I have something to tell you." "Is it about my mother?" Marcos lowered his voice and asked. He sounded desperate as though he wanted to see his mother now. "My men have found some leads and they''re still investigating it. We''ll need some time. The reason I called you is to tell you something about Matysh." Luke went straight to the point. "Okay. Go ahead." Marcos was a little disappointed. He thought it was about his mother. "Matysh left A City, but he''s not going back to Russia. Instead, he brought the woman who looks like Luca with him and headed to B City for a vacation. You know him well, so I''d like to ask what he''s up to?" "I''m not sure either, but I can assure you that he hasn''t given up yet. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have brought that woman with him to B City. Stay alert," replied Marcos. "I know, but I''d like you to help me with something," Luke told him the purpose of making this call. "Yes, sure." "Help me to get in Matysh''s head. I''d like to find out how long he''ll be staying there," Luke requested. "I know what to do. I''ll call back an hourter." Marcos promised to help him. He paused for a moment and said, "Mr. Crawford," "Yes?" Luke did not say much as he knew Marcos had something to tell him. "I don''t want Matysh toe back alive. If he''s still alive, I hope hees back a disabled man," said Marcos. Throughout this time, he had been reading the letter his mother had left him. The hatred in his heart was growing stronger day after day. The whole family should feel sorry for what they had done to his parents. However, the man who went out of line was Matysh. Hence, Marcos thought of getting rid of Matysh first. "I''ll try my best." Luke did not promise him and responded that way. Chapter 2266 Noontime. Jason carried a lunchbox to Luke''s office. The door was left ajar. He knocked on the door and said, ¡°Boss, Aunt Neile came to deliver lunch for you and Dr. Craw." "Bring it in," said Luke. He was waiting for Marcos'' reply. Ten minutes ago, Marcos told him that he would call Matysh to find out what he was doing. Therefore, Luke was waiting for the result. Jason gently ced the lunchbox at the corner of the desk and said, "Boss, I''m going downstairs for lunch if there''s nothing else you''d like me to do." "Go ahead." Luke''s gaze had never left the phone screen. After Jason left his office, Luke''s phone vibrated. Luke unlocked his phone screen. It was a message from Marcos: [He''s not nning to go back to Russia yet. He''ll be staying for another half a month at least.] Luke''s eyes darkened. Matysh had not given up yet! Luke sneered. Since Matysh was not nning to go back home, then he would make sure Matysh could not go back. [Thanks. I''ll inform you once there''s any other news.] He could feel Marcos'' resentment, but some things could not be rushed. It worked the same for vengeance. Luke grabbed the lunchbox and headed downstairs to theboratory. He ran into Zoey when he walked out of the elevator. "Good afternoon, Boss," Zoey quickly put her phone aside and greeted him. "Is Dr. Craw in her office?" Luke asked. "Yes. Dr. Craw just came out of theb. She was carrying a pile of documents and heading to her office," Zoey borated. Luke headed toward Luca''s office with the lunchbox in his hands. He knocked on the door, and Luca''s voice came from inside, "Who''s there?" "It''s me." Luke was holding the door handle, and he did not immediately push the door open. A few secondster, Luca opened the door. ¡°Mr. Crawford?" ¡°Aunt Neile brought us lunch." Luke walked into her office carrying the lunchbox. Luca looked outside her office. No one was passing by her office door. She quickly closed the door. "Did you ask Aunt Neile to deliver it here?" Luca could not help but ask. Aunt Neile had been delivering their lunch to the office for three days consecutively. Although the distance between the vi and the office was not too far away, it was cold outside and there could be heavy snow anytime. It was inconvenient for Aunt Neile toe back and forth. Luke opened the lunchbox and denied it. "The old master thinks that it''s unhealthy to have takeouts. That''s why he asked Aunt Neile to bring our lunch here." Luca slightly frowned. It was Old Master Crawford who asked Aunt Neile to deliver lunch? Luke used to have takeouts back then, and Old Master Crawford did not say anything about it. "Stop thinking about it. It''s difficult to figure out what''s in the old master''s mind." Luke knew what Luca was thinking about. Even though they had been separated for three years, he was still able to guess what Luca was thinking from her gestures and expressions. Luca came back to her senses and sat down on the sofa. Luke ced a sandwich on the te in front of her and said, "Have some. Aunt Neile even made us soup." Luca unconsciously replied, "What soup did she prepare?" "I don''t know." Luke opened the thermos bottle and showed it to her. "What soup is this?" "Minestrone soup with beef." Luca recognized it when she looked at the ingredients added to the soup. There were carrots, leeks, and cannellini beans added to the soup. It was rich in fiber and cogen, which was good for the skin. "Okay. It''s suitable for you." Luke picked up the thermos bottle and poured some soup into a bowl. Although the weather was cold, the office was warm and the temperature was just right. Hence, the soup had to be left there to cool for a while. Luca reckoned that Aunt Neile had made this soup because she thought that Luca''s period would be over soon. That was why she needed a lot of nutrients. Drinking soup like this could provide nutrients for her body. After Luke took another sandwich, he closed the lid of the thermos bottle and put it aside. Then, he said, "I''ll leave the rest of the soup for you. You can drink it in the afternoon." "Mr. Crawford, you should have some more," Luca suggested when she noticed that Luke had only poured a bowl of soup for himself. Luke picked up his cutleries and helped Luca with the food instead of helping himself. He ced some other food on Luca''s te and said, "Isn''t the soup prepared for women?" "This soup can provide nutrients to your body. You can drink it too," Luca exined. She picked up the disposable bowl and poured the soup into it and ced it in front of Luke. Aunt Neile specially made this for them, and it was not only because of her. After all, the soup provided additional health benefits. Luca''s body would not be able to stand the heat if she finished all the soup. "Okay." Luke stared at the soup Luca filled up in the bowl for him, and he smiled. Luca picked up her te and began to eat. Luke had helped her with a few pieces of grilled chicken pieces, so she finished eating them first. "By the way, Mr. Crawford, where did Matysh go?" Luca asked the question that was on her mind the whole morning. "He took Mandy with me and headed to B City for a vacation," Luke did not hide it from her. Luca was surprised. Vacation? Matysh went on a vacation, and Luca was slightly surprised to hear that. "What the hell is he doing?" Luca could not help but mumble to herself. She was still on edge, worried that she would give Matysh the chance to get her once she lowered her guard. Now that he had gone for a vacation with someone else, he made it look like he was not concerned about her anymore. It would be great if he truly gave up on her. Luca furrowed her brows. She was worried that things were not as simple as they seemed. "He wants you," Luke answered on behalf of Matysh. Even though he was in B City now, he had no intention of giving up Luca. Luke was pretty sure about that. Luca slowly looked down. She did not want to be Matysh''s target either. If she knew this day woulde, she would have pretended to be sick and stayed in the hotel when Marcos invited them to his mansion for the celebration. Then, she would not have gotten herself into trouble. Luke noticed the troubled look on Luca''s face and made a promise. "I won''t let anything happen to you. Matysh isn''t going to seed no matter how precise his n is."All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ''I''ll protect you.'' Luke did not say that sentence. Some things were better left unsaid. It was not because Luke was unable to say that to her. He was just worried that Luca would keep her distance if he said so. "Okay... Thank you, Mr. Crawford," Luca felt much better. Luke continued to help her with the food. "Mr. Crawford, that''s enough. I won''t be able to finish them allter," said Luca. She did not have the habit of wasting food. She lifted her hand to stop him from helping her with the food. Luke had no choice but to ce it on his te. While he was eating, he said, "Do you know that Leia''s surgery will be performed the day after tomorrow?" "Yes," Luca nodded. Queenie had told her yesterday. Queenie called her and told her about it. Luca could sense the excitement in her voice at the other end of the line. After Leia had the surgery, everything would be back to normal like how it used to be. Other than going for the follow-ups and medication after the surgery, she could live like an ordinary person. Leia had been sick for so long. Not only was she worn out from being sick, but she was also hurting Queenie''s heart. How could she not be happy? "That''s great. Ms. Norman is getting well soon," said Luca. Queenie would be relieved when Leia finally recovered. Chapter 2267 ¡°Leia refused to ept the liver Dexter donated at first," said Luke. Luca looked at him. Queenie did not mention that to her. "Was it you and Dr. Park who made her ept it?" Luca reckoned that if Leia had refused to ept Dexter''s liver, there would be no transnt surgery on the day after tomorrow. "Not me. It was Johann''s idea." Luke ate his lunch. Previously, Johann had promised that as long as they found the liver, no matter how much Leia was against it, he always had a way to make her listen to him. Luke thought Johann was just bluffing. He did not expect Leia, who was reluctant in the beginning, would eventually agree to it. Not only was Johann a skilled doctor, but he was also full of ideas. Luke knew Luca would be worried about Queenie, so Luke asked, "Are you going to the hospital that day?" "I''ll see. Now that the research is entering the final stage of the clinical trials, I''m going to be busy," Luca was surprised that Luke would ask her such a question. She did not give him an exact answer. Luca would like to go, but she had no right to do so. "Leia''s surgery is a high-risk surgery," said Luke. After all, surgeries like this were usually high risk. Many unknown situations would ur during the surgery. Johann was the surgeon, but he dared not guarantee that the surgery would seed. Luca paused her hand that was reaching for the grilled chicken pieces for a moment. She was not worried about Leia. Although Leia was her so-called sister, there was no kinship between them. Besides, Leia had done so many despicable things to get Luke back then. She even partnered up with Abel to kidnap her and separated her from her husband and children. Hence, all she felt for Leia was only hatred. She did not think of her as one of her family members. She was just worried about Queenie. If anything happened to Leia during the surgery and Queenie found out about it outside the operating room, something might happen to her. If Luca was there, she could probably be of help... "Mr. Crawford, will you be going there?" Luca asked carefully. "I''ll go." Luke looked at her and took his stand. ¡°Then, perhaps, I should go too. After all, I''ve gotten to know Ms. Norman''s condition too. I''m curious about the level of organ transnt surgery in our country..." She was trying to find an excuse. ¡°Don''t you believe in Johann''s skills?" Luke could see that Luca was obviously worried about Queenie, but she was using this as an excuse. He could not help but think of making fun of her. ¡°..." Luca had no idea how to answer him. The world''s top doctors were nothingpared to Johann''s level. After all, Johann was a genius in the medical field. In all modesty, if the sess rate of a surgery was only 15 percent, the sess rate would increase to 75 percent if Johann was the surgeon who performed the surgery. That was why Luke would ask Johann to heal Luca every time she got injured. After every treatment, Johann would leave a message to Luke: [I''m too good for this.] ¡°I''m just curious." Luca could not help but wonder. Luke was usually a quiet person, but why did she have this feeling that he would not stop until she admitted that she was worried? ¡°I''ll head to the hospital with you tomorrow morning. Ask Warren to take the morning off. He doesn''t have to stay put at the vi." Luke stopped teasing her when he noticed the depressed expression on her face. ¡°Okay." Luca picked up a slice of grilled salmon with her fork. She pondered for a moment and ced the salmon on Luke''s te. It was Luke''s favorite dish. Aunt Neile''s home-cooked food tasted good. The dishes prepared were their favorites, and the grilled salmon with lemon sauce was one of Luke''s favorite dishes. Luke''s eyes brightened up when he saw the slice of salmon on his te. Luca took the initiative to help him with the food! Luke''s heart was trembling uncontrobly as he secretly rejoiced. He suppressed his emotions, looked up, and stared at Luca. ¡°Uh, I.." Luca noticed that Luke was not eating, and she thought Luke was ming her for not using the serving spoon. ¡°Why don''t I get you another sandwich?" Luca put down her te and acted flustered. Luke would never eat the food that the others helped him without using the serving spoon. ¡°No, thank you." Luke knew what Luca was concerned about. He quickly took a bite of the grilled salmon slice and tasted it in front of her. ¡°Aunt Neile is getting better at grilling the salmon." Then, he finished the remaining half of the salmon slice. Luca''s face turned red in an instant. There was a catch in Luke''s words. He was teasing her. ¡°Did Aunt Neile learn how to cook this from you?" Luke realized there was a familiar taste in it. ¡°No. I only made it once. Aunt Neile was helping me then," replied Luca. She picked up her te and cutleries and told him that she had never taught Aunt Neile. However, Aunt Neile realized the kids loved Luca''s home-cooked food. Therefore, she noted down the recipe and the steps of making them. ¡°That''s why." Luke picked up another slice of grilled salmon. After dipping it into the lemon sauce, he ced it on Luca''s te and said, "Have one too." "Thank you," Luca lowered her head and took a bite of the salmon slice. Although they were eating in the office, she felt like she was eating lunch at home. It was just like how it used to be. Luke would always help her with the food and ce them on her te first. The kids would make noises and ask for food, but Luke would take things slowly and let her enjoy the food first. At that time, their children seemed to be an ident but she was indeed his true love. After lunch, Luke went back upstairs and left Luca alone to enjoy her lunch break. Luca sat on her office chair, staring in the direction of the sofa. She reminisced the warmth she felt just now. Although it was only for a moment, her heart was filled with contentment. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Her phone rang. It was Amur who called. Luca answered the call and asked, "Amur?" "I''m going back," Amur replied with a deep voice. "You''re going back?" Luca was surprised, and she suddenly realized what Amur meant by going back. Where was he going? "He asked you to go back?" Luca could not say too much as she was in the office. "Yes, Abel wants me to go back," Amur replied helplessly. No matter how hard he tried to convince Abel, Abel would not agree with him. He had even suggested Abel assign him missions just so he could stay in A City. However, Abel wanted him to go back to the Ind of Despair and wait for his instructions. There was no way he could disobey Abel, so he had no choice but to inform Luca. He could not stay here and protect her anymore. Luca frowned and asked, "Why so sudden?" She knew Amur used to carry out the missions in exchange for the chance to stay in A City, but he was going back this time. What mattered the most was, he had justpleted his mission not long ago. He still had days off after completing the mission. "I''m not sure... Luca, be careful. Perhaps, he''s making a move..." said Amur. The reason Abel asked him toe back was certainly not because the Ind of Despair was shorthanded. Luca was thinking the same thing. Amur was Luca''s right-hand man when he was by her side. He could help her to handle a lot of things at critical moments. However, once Amur went back there, Luca would be alone and helpless in A City... Chapter 2268 If something happened to Luca, she would have no choice but to ask for help from the stronghold of the Ind of Despair in A City. However, that way, Abel would know everything she did. There was no doubt that it was a sign... Luca furrowed her brows as her nerves jangled. She rose to her feet and headed to the women''s toilet. Then, she said, ¡°Don''t worry about me." "I''ll try to get out of there again." Amur was worried about her being alone in A City. "It''s alright, Amur. If he wants you back on the Ind of Despair, just go back. Eler must miss you too," Luca shook her head. She did not want Amur to take the risk. If Abel really agreed to let Amur out, he would assign difficult missions for him. Luca did not want Amur to get injured again just because of her. "But.." Amur paused for a moment. He wanted to stay by her side. If he was asked to return to the Ind of Despair, he would miss Luca and worry about her. After all, Luca was not safe here. "Help me look after N after you''re back. She''s intellectually curious now. I''m worried that she might learn something bad from the people on the Ind of Despair." said Luca. Although Eler was looking after N, Eler had to work too, so she could not take care of N all day. If no one was keeping an eye on her, it would deprave a child''s character easily. Especially since Luke''s children were unusually smart. N learned how to speak when she was only nine months old. Not only that, N could speak Russian and English now. Russians were not the only ones on the Ind of Despair. That was why N could speak the languages of other countries. Although she could not speak fluently, she had no problem communicating with others. Luca never wanted N to have too much contact with the people on the Ind of Despair. However, even though she watched over her, things might not end up as she wished. After all, how could a child who was born on the Ind of Despair not be influenced by the people there? "I." Amur paused for a moment and eventually said, "Okay. I''ll look after N." ¡°Thank you. I''ll be relieved knowing that you''re looking after her," Luca thanked him. She knew things would be more difficult for her in the future without Amur helping her. However, Abel had always been such a person. He would appear and ce obstacles in her way when she thought things were getting better. That was why Luca did not depend on Amur too much. She would not ask for Amur''s help if it was something she could handle. Even though no one was helping her, she could depend on herself. She would not get knocked down by Abel easily. Luca let out a sigh when she noticed that her lunch break would be over soon. She said, "Okay, Amur. I''m going to work. Have a safe journey." "Okay..." Amur was reluctant to part with her. He did not want to see Luca together with Luke again, but it was useless no matter how hard he tried to stop them. Amur would not be able to know what was going on between Luca and Luke after he went back. He felt ufortable at the thought of it. It was as though countless tiny sandstones were churning in his heart. "N and I will be waiting for your good news on the Ind of Despair.." Amur hung up the call as soon as he finished his sentence. The Ind of Despair, huh. Luca was left in a daze. If it were not for N, who was still in there, she would never have thought of going back there in the future. However, N was their daughter! Hence, even if she found the antidote, she would still return to the Ind of Despair. She would save N, Eler, and her brother and get them out of there on her own. Luca walked out of the washroom holding her phone in her hands. She ran into Zoey who just walked in. "Good afternoon, Dr. Craw," Zoey smiled and greeted her. "Good afternoon," replied Luca. She remembered that there were documents that needed to be photocopied, so she said, "Oh, Ms. Davis, there''s a pile of documents on my desk that I need you to photocopy for me. Please get the documents from me when you''re avable. I need eight sets of them for each document." "Okay. No problem. I''ll head to your officeter," replied Zoey. Then, she entered the washroom. After Luca put on her white coat, she marched into theboratory and continued with her research. The following day. When Luca woke up in the morning, Luke had already gotten out of bed as usual. Luca sat up on her bed and looked at the closed bedroom door. If she got it right, Luke was already working in his bedroom which was right opposite her room. There were two bedrooms, but the bedroom seemed to have be Luke''s study after some time. Meanwhile, he shared her bedroom. After Luca cleaned herself up, she headed downstairs, nning to help Aunt Neile to prepare breakfast. Who would have known that the moment she made her way down the stairs, Aunt Neile had already served breakfast on the table? "Aunt Neile, why are you so early today?" Luca asked with surprise. ¡°Uh, Ms. Craw, I came here early today because I thought of picking up my grandson after making breakfast. Then I''ll head to the supermarket to get some groceries..." exined Aunt Neile. Luca remembered that Aunt Neile''s grandson was a year younger than Tommy, and he was already going to kindergarten. The child did not go to kindergarten today, so Aunt Neile would be bringing him along with her. Luca asked, "What''s wrong? Is your grandson still sick?" "Yes. He''s still having a fever. Sometimes, the fever is gone, but it woulde again. The teacher was worried that she couldn''t take care of him, so she suggested the child stay at home ande back to the kindergarten after he has recovered. You know, my son and daughter-inw have to work every day. Thepany didn''t approve their leave. That''s why I have no choice but to bring the child with me before they go to work. Ms. Craw, don''t worry. Even if I bring him here, I''ll carry him with me. He won''t make a mess of this ce. Besides, my daughter-inw will be getting off work early today. She''lle to pick him up after she gets off work. We won''t disturb your children," Aunt Neile assured. It was inappropriate to bring a child to work, but Aunt Neile was left with no choice. If it were not for her daughter-inw being unable to take the day off, she would not have done something like this. "Aunt Neile, don''t worry. If you bring the child here, just leave him here. He''s a good child. I believe he won''t mess things up. Plus, the maid room on the first floor has been tidied. If the child is tired or sleepy, let him rest in the room." Luca understood it was not easy for Aunt Neile, so she made the decision on behalf of Luke. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Luca knew Luke would say that too when he heard it. ¡°Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Craw!" Aunt Neile let out a sigh of relief when Luca agreed to let her bring her grandson here. ¡°Um, is Mr. Crawford up yet? I''ll have to inform him." ¡°He''s up and he''s working in his bedroom. Bring his breakfast upstairs," replied Luca. Although breakfast was ready, Luca was not nning to wake the children up. Children needed more time to rest. Getting more sleep was physically and mentally healthy for them. Chapter 2269 Luca turned around and walked into the kitchen when she remembered that Tommy was craving custard tarts yesterday. Luca took out the defrosted puff pastry that she had taken out yesterday. She made the custard paste to prepare yummy custard tarts for the kids. Luca took the custard tarts out and ced two of them on a small te. Those were for Luke. Although Luke did not like sweet food, he would always eat everything she made back then. Hence, she handed the small te to Aunt Neile and said, ¡°Aunt Neile, please bring this upstairs. Then leave the rest to me. Go and get the child." "Okay, Ms. Craw. Thank you!" Aunt Neile was delighted. She had already informed Luke and gotten his permission. If she went to get her grandson now, her daughter-inw would not bete for work. That would be for the best. Aunt Neile brought the custard tarts upstairs. She knocked on the bedroom door and entered, "Mr. Crawford, these custard tarts were prepared by Ms. Craw. Would you like to have some?" The nice buttery smell of the custard tarts lightened up a dull morning. "Put them down," replied Luke. "Okay, Mr. Crawford." Aunt Neile ced the te of custard tarts on the table and left the vi in a hurry to pick her grandson up. Luca had breakfast with the kids downstairs. "Ms. Luca, why is Daddy so busytely?" Tommy took a bite of the custard tart he had been craving and asked Luca. "Mr. Crawford has always been busy," replied Luca. She took another custard tart and ced it on Tommy''s te since Tommy liked it so much. Luke used to work overtime at night back then. He would only rest after finishing his work. By the time he finished everything, it was already before dawn. However, Luke would only work until half past 11 at night these days. He would climb onto the bed and cuddle with her to sleep. He would leave the rest of the documents for the next day. His break time did not increase or decrease, but his work time had changed. "Daddy wouldn''t wake up early to work back then. He would only work from night time till morning," Tommy mumbled. He could not help but wonder why after the past few days. Luca had no idea how to answer him. Hence, she turned to look at Rainie, ¡°Rainie, we''ll be receiving the photos of your performancest time. Where would you like to put them?" Luca had taken many photos of Rainiest time. Luca found someone on the inte who was professional in editing photos and asked him to process the photos in batches. Then, she went to the framing shop and framed a few photos. Rainie eximed happily, "Really? Then I''d like to have one in my bedroom. And one on Daddy''s desk. Oh, and another one on Ms. Luca''s desk!" "Can I?" Luca was surprised. She had a collection of Rainie''s photos, but she was in no position to put Rainie''s photo on her desk. "Ms. Luca, you were the one who helped me to take the photos. Of course, you can put it on your desk!" Rainie blinked her eyes. The little girl was so attentive. She could sense that it was not because Luca was unwilling to do so but she was just being careful. "Okay. Then I''ll put one on my desk too. If they ask me who the girl in the photo is, I''ll tell them she''s an outstanding little ballet dancer," Luca smiled. She picked up a custard tart and ced it in front of Rainie. "Have some more." Tommy immediately raised his hand when he heard her. "Ms. Luca, you''ll also have to put my photo on your desk. Lanie''s too. Put our photos on your desk. We''re the brothers of a ballet dancer!" "Okay. I''ll put your photos on my desk. Let me take another photo for you after youe back from school. Then I''ll send it to the shop and print it out, okay?" Luca gave him a bright smile when she looked at how excited Tommy was. It felt great to have them as herpany. "That''s great!" Tommy nodded and nced at his brother, Lanie. "Brother, what do you think? Let''s put the photo in our bedroom!" "Sure," Lanie nodded. There was a trace of excitement on his cool little face. Luca gave Lanie a gentle smile when she looked at him. Although Lanie looked cool, just like a mini version of Luke, he was still a child, after all. He longed for the warmth of family too. Children loved their families. After breakfast, Luca brought them to Zander''s car and watched them leave from behind. Then, she turned around and walked back into the house. Luke told her that Leia''s surgery was arranged to be performed at nine in the morning. That was why they did not have to go early. Leia would be frightened to see him. Luca could not be bothered that much. Leia did not like her, after all. She went there only to keep Queenie''spany. Queenie would be busyforting Leia if she went there too early. Luca did not want to see that. It was not because Luca would feel jealous when Queenie was concerned about Leia. She would feel sorry for her instead. After all, Queenie was already at the age of waiting for her children to fulfill their filial duties. She was so worried about Leia that strands of silver hair had started to show up on her head and her wrinkles had deepened. Mrs. Norman, who used to be elegant and graceful, had be old and hoary during this time. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Luca refused to see such a scene. Hence, she was not in a hurry to go there. Chapter 2270 The operating room was colder than the outside. Luca was worried that Queenie would catch a cold if she sat there for a few hours. Queenie shook her head, refusing to change her seat. She stared at the operating room and said, ¡°I''ll just sit here." "Mrs. Norman, Ms. Norman will need you to take care of her after the surgery. You have to take care of yourself. You''ll catch a cold easily..." Luca knew she was not easy to convince. She knew Queenie must be thinking of being the first to stand up when the doctor was calling for Leia''s family. Luca had no choice but to use Leia as an excuse. Sure enough, after Queenie listened to Luca''s reasonable words, she stood up and moved to the seat beside her. Jack, who stood far away, saw them and let out a helpless sigh. "Luca is the only one who can convince her." Luke was watching the two of them too. "Mother looks pale." "Although we''ve found the donor, Queenie was so nervous that she stayed up all night knowing that Leia was going for the surgery. She refused to take any sleeping pills too. How could she not look pale?" There was a hint of resentment in Jack''s voice. After all, the couple had lived a peaceful life at first, but after Leia came back, she messed everything up. It had been a long time since Queenie slept well. "Dr. Park said that the risk is higher this time because Leia is in poor health. He told me to be mentally prepared," said Jack. "Does Mother know about this?" asked Luke. "Dr. Park knows she''s not doing well. He only told me about this," replied Jack. Now that Queenie had devoted herself to Leia, she would break down if anything happened to her. Jack did not want the incident that happened 20 years ago to happen again. Luke slightly nodded. Nevertheless, he had confidence in Johann. "Luke, let me talk to you about something. It''s about Luca. Please settle it as soon as possible. If Leia can''t make it this time, I hope our biological daughter can reveal her identity and stay by her side. Otherwise, she''ll lose her mind," What Jack wanted to talk about was this matter. If Leia managed to survive, he would not stop Luke from getting his revenge. After all, Leia had to bear the consequences of everything she had done before. However, if Leia did not make it, he was hoping that Luca could prove that her true identity was Bianca in front of Queenie to soothe the pain in her heart. "It''ll take some time," said Luke. ¡°She has a big organization behind her. Besides, ording to the information I''ve obtained, the cases of famous people getting murdered around the world might have something to do with this organization. I have to be careful to keep her safe." ¡°I understand... I just hope that this can be settled as soon as possible," Jack nodded. The way he looked at Luca seemed helpless. He was a soldier when he was young, but the situation had gotten worse at that time. Something happened, and he was unable to apany them on the day she was born, which led to what happened next. Now, he had power and authority. His daughter was forced to hide her true identity and live as someone else. She was even threatened by a secret organization. Still, there was nothing he could do. Luca''s future was counting on Luke. The two of them looked at the two women from far away in silence. After a while, Jack broke the silence and said, ¡°Dexter and Leia entered the operating room at the same time." There was only one way to get into the operating room, which was through that door. Luke frowned and asked, ¡°Did Dexter and Leia meet each other?" ¡°Yes," Jack recalled what happened just now. Dexter kept on calling her when he saw Leia, and he told her that he would save her life no matter how much liver was cut from him. That kind look on Dexter''s face made Jack think that Dexter''s personality had switched to another person''s. After all, he only promised to donate part of his liver to Leia for the sake of money back then. Leia was smart. She did not say anything and just ignored Dexter when she faced him. She showed no gratitude to the person who donated the liver to her. Jack stood beside them like a person who had nothing to do with this. He watched them until the two of them were pushed into different operating rooms. ¡°Drama?" Luke did not ask much. He only knew that Leia would have ignored Dexter. She must have felt disgusted when the two of them met each other. It was because of that that Jack told Johann not to let Dexter see Leia and prevent him from upsetting her. That would bring no good to Leia''s health. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Yes." Jack understood what he meant and said, ¡°Let''s go back and apany them." ¡°Okay." Luke walked back. He sat down beside Luca while Jack sat beside Queenie. Queenie leaned on Jack''s shoulder and asked in a worried voice, ¡°Dear, it''s been an hour. Why isn''t there any news from the doctor?" Jack held Queenie''s cold hands. He frowned and replied, ¡°No news from the doctor means good news." "Yes, Mrs. Norman. Usually, the doctor has already started the surgery. He won''t send anyone out unless there''s an unexpected situation. Don''t worry." Lucaforted Queenie too. She ced the jacket in her hands on Queenie''s thigh and added, "It''s colder here. Keep yourself warm." Luca brought another jacket along with her before she left the vi. She was worried that Queenie did note prepared. That was why she had been carrying it along with her. ¡°Thank you.¡± Queenie felt cold, but it was not because she was not warm enough. It was because she was worried about Leia. It was the anxiety that made her feel cold. Luca smiled and continued to stare at the entrance of the operating room. Normally, a transnt surgery would need four to five hours toplete if there were no unexpected situations. That was why Leia would not be able toe out so quickly. Perhaps even Leia did not expect that there would be so many people waiting for her outside the operating room. Luca recalled the time she gave birth on the Ind of Despair. The medical resources on the Ind of Despair were sufficient, and an operating room was provided for Shanks to perform the surgery. Luca did everything she could to give birth to N, but she was anesthetized and her looks changed after that. Eler was the only one who stood outside the operating room and waited for her when Luca was pushed out of the room with her face wrapped with bandages. She was unable to see the man she loved and her family. However, Leia had done so many evil things and she still had family members waiting for her outside the operating room. In contrast, Leia was more fortunate than her. Luca sat on the chair, feeling a little thirsty. She rose to her feet, and Luke immediately asked, "Where are you going?¡± "I''m thirsty. I''d like to go downstairs and buy some beverages," answered Luca. Luke thought of apanying her, but he had to stay here just in case something happened to Leia. Hence, he nodded and did not follow Luca. Luca went to the vending machine downstairs and bought four bottles of drinking water. She saw Marie when she was about to leave. She stood there and frowned. They were not far away from each other. Luca noticed that there were ck and blue patches on Marie''s face. She had a gauze bandage on her forehead too, and some blood soaked through the gauze. Why was she in such a flustered state? "What''s wrong with you?" Luca arrived before her. Her brows furrowed deeper as she looked at her exsister. Judging from the wounds on Marie''s face, she knew it was not because of an ident. It was more like she got beaten up by someone. "It''s none of your business," Marie snapped at her impatiently when she saw Luca. Marie limped around and tried to bypass her. Chapter 2271 "You''re injured," Luca took a step back. She figured that it was unlikely that only her face was wounded. ¡°Those who have eyes would know that they should get out of the way. Excuse me." Marie ran out of patience. How she wished that she could throw a tantrum at the person in front of her. Marie was injured, and Jean was the one who beat her up. However, she could not call the police to report him for the sake of surviving. She thought of heading to the pharmacy to dress her wound, but the staff working in the pharmacy dared not to help her. She had no choice but toe to the hospital. The doctor asked her if she was facing domestic violence. She did not dare to admit it. If she admitted it, the medical staff in the hospital would call the police anytime. If Jean was caught and thrown into prison, she would not have anyone to depend on. That was why she had no choice but to say she was injured from a fall. The doctor did not expose her and suggested she take an X-ray to see if her bones were injured. However, she did not have the money, so she rejected the offer and asked the nurse to dress her wounds. She did not expect to run into Luca on such an unlucky day. Luca, who stood in front of her, was stylish and morous. She wore an expensive branded big coat. It was iparable to the one she was wearing that only cost a few hundred dors. Moreover, she was not as flustered as Marie was. Luca''s features were delicate, and she looked spirited. Marie could not help but be green with envy. They were both women, but she had be like this while Luca was living a wonderful life. Why?! ¡°Was it Jean who did this to you?" Luca asked again. Marie paused for a moment. She turned around and mocked her. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?" ¡°The wounds on your face were obviously caused by someone," Luca said with confidence. Her eyes were dark as she was preupied with something. ¡°You got it wrong. I identally fell and injured myself. Stop thinking that you know everything," jeered Marie as she sped the pills in her hand tightly. Luca knew why Marie was defending Jean, and she reminded her in a soft voice, ¡°A man who beats you up will beat you again. There''s always a second time. I think you should consider it." Luca reminded her only because she treated Marie as her sister before. After all, Kevin treated Luca like his biological daughter. ¡°What the hell are you talking about? Jean is always nice to me. Are you cursing me just because you can''t bear to see others being happy?" Marie red at her. "I''ll rip your lips into pieces if you dare to talk nonsense!" Luca shook her head helplessly. She had no choice but to leave her a message, "Take care." After that, Luca turned around and left. She carried the water bottles she bought and returned to the operating room. Luke sat on the chair, took the bottle she handed to him, and asked, "What took you so long?" "Nothing," Luca did not want to discuss Marie''s matter in front of Queenie and Jack. Two hourster, the door of the operating room was opened. "Dexter, where''s Dexter''s family?" A nurse pushed the hospital bed out, and Dexter was lying on it. After the anaesthetization, his tanned face was pale white. He was in severe pain after the anaesthetization and surgery. Dexter could hear the nurse calling his name while he was in a trance. He heard someone talking when he was about to tell the nurse that he did not have any family members. "How is he?" Luke came forward and asked. "Are you Dexter''s family member?" the nurse looked at him and asked. "No, but I''m the one who''s paying for his medical expenses. The caretaker went to the washroom," Luke made a simple exnation and looked at Dexter. He looked weak, but that was all. It was normal for patients who had just gone for surgery. "Okay. It''s fine to have a caretaker. The transnt surgery has been done. The surgery went well, and nothing unexpected happened. We''re transferring the patients upstairs now. If the caretaker is back, ask her to go upstairs to nurse him," said the nurse. She had seen patients who did not have any family members except for a caretaker. Hence, it was normal to her. "Yes." Luke was about to walk back to his seat. "M-Mr. Crawford." Dexter''s voice was weak. He had not had food and water sincest night. He was thirsty, and his voice was hoarse. Luke paused. "M-Money." Dexter did not forget the most important thing. Luke turned around and looked at Dexter. "Cash or check?" "C-Cash," Dexter opened his eyes and looked at him. He refused to pretend to be a kind father after the surgery. All he wanted was money. Luke paused. "200,000 dors isn''t a small amount of money. Are you sure you want cash?" Luke frowned. Dexter wanted cash, but it was only because cash could ease his mind. However, he had to stay in the hospital for at least a week. It was unsafe for him to bring so much cash along with him to the hospital. ¡°Then... I''ll take the check." Dexter thought it was inconvenient for him if he took so much cash with him. Besides, he was no longer staying in a private ward. A caretaker would be looking after him too. If the caretaker could not keep her hands out of his money, he would lose the money anytime. If the amount he received was 20,000 dors, he would still be able to keep the bills under his pillow, but there was no way he could keep 200,000 dors cash under it. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°I''ll ask my subordinate to deliver it to you in the afternoon," said Luke. He did not have the habit of bringing his checkbook along with him. ¡°Okay." Dexter closed his eyes and rested, feeling relieved. Queenie, who was standing beside him, watched as the nurse brought Dexter upstairs. She was feeling a little anxious. ¡°Dexter already came out. What about Leia?" "It''s normal. The doctor only wanted to take the liver out of Dexter''s body, but Ms. Norman''s surgery is to remove her liver from her body and rece it with a healthy liver. He has to be careful with every step he takes, and no mistakes are allowed," Lucaforted her. She could understand that Queenie was worried. ¡°I hope Leiaes back safe and sound," Queenie kept praying for Leia. Jack held her hand and gently patted the back of her hand. Four hourster, there was still no news of Leia. It was almost noontime. Luke went downstairs to get them some bread and beverages. Queenie was like a cat on a hot tin roof. He was worried sick about Leia. She was walking back and forth anxiously, no longer sitting on the bench. Luca did not know how tofort her either. However, she was not one of the medical staff. There was no way she could know Leia''s situation in the operating room now. However, the best news would be no news from them. If something really happened to Leia, the nurse would inform Leia''s family while the doctor was rescuing her. Hence, no one came out of the operating room calling for Mr. and Mrs. Norman. That would mean Leia''s surgery was still going on. Besides, the situation was still under the doctor''s control. Queenie understood that too, but she was still feeling anxious. Luca wanted to stand up andfort Queenie. Jack grabbed her hand, shook his head, and said, "Let her be." Luke walked in carrying a bag in his hands and asked, ¡°Any news yet?" "No." Luca shook her head. A four-hour of surgery was not long. Plus, Leia was in poor health. They probably needed another two to three hours. ¡°Have some bread first." Luke opened the bag. After handing the bread to Luca, he gave the rest to Jack. Chapter 2272 ¡°Okay, stop walking. Sit down and have some bread." Jack took the bag from Luke and put it aside. He grabbed Queenie''s hand, almost squeezing it. He asked her to sit down on the bench. Queenie''s face was pale white, and there was a worried look on her face. "I''m not hungry. Go ahead." "You haven''t eaten anything since morning. How are you going to have any energy if you don''t eat now?" Jack frowned unhappily. He did not say a word after everything she had done for Leia. However, Jack could not help but speak in a stern voice when he saw her not eating anything just because she was worried about Leia. The reason Jack allowed Leia to stay in his house was only that he had taken this situation into consideration. Queenie needed a daughter by her side tofort her anxiety. However, he did not expect that Leia could be such a hassle. "I..." Queenie looked at the bread and milk. Jack was already mad at her. Jack opened the bread packaging and said in a serious tone, "Eat it." Luca went along with him and said, "Mrs. Norman, you won''t have the energy to take care of Ms. Normanter if you don''t eat something. She needs your attentive care after she gets the surgery. At least eat something. If you don''t eat anything, you''ll feel dizzy once you get busy due to low blood sugar. Should the caretaker look after you or Ms. Norman then?" "Alright, I''ll eat some," Queenie had no appetite as she was worried. She did not feel hungry. However, what Luca said made sense. She had to take care of herself first to look after Leia. Queenie took the bread and milk from Jack and took a nibble. Queenie ate half of the bread and could no longer eat anymore. She said, "I''m done." Her appetite was usually small. Jack did not ask her to eat more. He took her bread and finished the rest of it for her. Luca shot a nce at Luke. He did not eat much. He was probably not used to it. Luke only took a bite or two of the bread. Luca said in a soft voice, "Mr. Crawford, there''s a restaurant near the hospital. Why don''t you have lunch there?" "No, thank you. I''m not hungry," Luke no longer forced himself to eat the bread and threw the bread into the trash bin. He had gotten used to eating Luca''s yummy home-cooked food. The bread was tasteless to him. It was hard for him to swallow it. "But.¡± Luke interrupted her, "I ate a lot for breakfast. That''s why I''m not hungry." Luca did not say anything more. Luke often skipped meals when he was busy with work. Hence, it was normal for him. Another half an hour had passed. Johann finally walked out of the operating room when Queenie was worried sick. "Dr. Park, how''s Leia?" Queenie was the first one to charge toward him and ask about Leia''s situation. Even though Johann was wearing a mask, Queenie''s eyes were sharp enough to recognize him. "The surgery is a sess, but she''s too weak. We''ll transfer her to the ICU for a night. If there''s nothing wrong with her tomorrow, we''ll transfer her back to the ordinary ward," said Johann. Luca let out a sigh of relief when she heard that the surgery went smoothly. Queenie was thrilled. Tears welled up in her eyes as she confirmed with him again, "Is Leia really okay?" "The surgery went well so far. Besides, nothing happened during the surgery, but she has to be under medical observation for some time. We''ll need to see if she develops anyplications after the surgery and whether or not her body can ept the liver. If her body doesn''t reject the transnt, she''ll be discharged from the hospital and allowed to go back home to rest," Johann provided a detailed exnation to her. "Doesn''t that mean Leia might still be in danger..." Queenie''s brows furrowed again after relieving them. "This is a situation that might ur to every patient. The hospital will keep her under observation, and treatments will be given to her based on different situations. So, don''t worry about that." Johann looked at it from an objective point of view and exined to her what the situation was now. "Then, can I see Leia now?" Queenie was upset. She thought everything would be fine after the surgery. She did not expect there were so many follow-ups that they had to pay attention to after the surgery. She was truly worried that Leia would not be able to survive this. "Sure, but you have only five minutes. Only one person is allowed to enter the ward. The ICU ward is on your left. Tell the nurse at the entrance and she''ll guide you," Johann pointed in the left direction. "Okay. Thank you, Dr. Park," Queenie immediately thanked him. "Thank you." Jack, who was standing beside her, expressed his gratitude to Johann too. "It''s my job." Johann returned to the operating room after that. He had not taken off the surgical gown on him. There were some post-surgery documents that he needed to sign and deal with. "Dear, let''s go and see Leia," said Queenie. "Okay." Jack helped Queenie up and they walked toward the ICU ward. "Then, we." Luca turned to look at Luke. She was not nning to visit Leia. She only showed up here today just because she was worried about Queenie. "Let''s go," said Luke. "Okay," Luke walked next to Luke. The two of them followed behind Jack and Queenie. Queenie put on the istion gown to take a look at Leia''s situation. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Jack stood at the entrance waiting for her. He would be the next one who was going in. He turned around and shot a nce at Luke and Luca. He asked, "Are you going in?" "No," Luke was answering on behalf of Luca when he was answering his question. Jack nodded without saying another word. Although he knew Luca''s true identity was Bianca, he did not expect there to be any sisterhood between Luca and Leia. After all, there were hardly any younger sisters who would harm and set their elder sisters up. Queenie was reluctant toe out of the ICU ward when she saw how weak Leia was. The nurse eventually asked her to leave. Only then did she weep and walk out of the ward. "Leia looks so pale. She''s still so young. Why does she have to go through this..." Luca and Luke exchanged nces with each other. Was Leia going through a lot? Luca thought it was nothing. Leia was initially healthy. She was the one who shot herself in the foot. Her body was just exhausted from carrying the burden and she ended up in such a condition today. Hence, she did it to herself. No one made her do this, and it was not God who let her suffer this. She brought everything upon herself. The so-called suffering was the pain that one did not deserve to bear. Therefore, Leia''s case was not one of them. Jack looked at Queenie, tears streaming down her pale-white face. It was as though she would pass out at any time. The look on his face was awful. He had no choice but to ask Luke and Luca, "Please help me look after her." "Don''t worry, Mr. Norman," replied Luca as she helped Queenie to take off the istion gown on her. Jack nodded and walked into the ward with the istion gown on him. He stood at Leia''s bedside and nced at her. The look on his face was indifferent. There was no sad expression on his face. His expression was as stern as a judge''s expression in the court. It was not an expression a father should have for his daughter. Chapter 2273 He just stood by the bed and looked at Leia indifferently without a trace of sorrow in his expression. His face was stern like a judge in a courtroom, not like a father''s. "You''ve been given another chance at life. If you get through this, I hope you''ll be a decent human and not betray your mother''s love for you." With that, he left the intensive care unit. The nurse who stood aside looked back at Leia after hearing his words. Jack soon came out. He took off his sterile clothing and said, "Let''s go." "I want to stay here with Leia longer," said Queenie, who was reluctant to leave. Although they were only separated by a door, she could not see what went on behind that door. "You can''t ease her pain by standing here. Plus, she doesn''t need your care right now. Go home and come back tomorrow when she''s out of the ICU," Jack said sternly. He was very calmpared to Queenie''s excessive worrying. He may evene off as heartless... Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Queenie looked at the door. There was nothing she could do to help Leia by standing here. "Mrs. Norman, go back and get some rest. Ms. Norman will be able to return to the general ward tomorrow," Luca consoled her softly. Finally, Queenie listened to Luca and went home with Jack. Luca also got in Luke''s car as they still had to return to work. "It''s a good thing you''re here," Luke said as he drove. "Huh?" Luca''s mind was wandering until Luke''s words brought her back to reality, but she did not know what he meant by that. "She only listens to you." The ''she'' that Luke was referring to was Queenie. A few moments ago, Queenie refused to listen to a word Jack said, but when Luca did the same, she listened. If not for her, Queenie might have insisted on staying in the hospital today. "Mrs. Norman is just worried about Leia''s condition. If you put yourself in her shoes, anyone would have done the same." Luca smiled. "The advice you give is always different from others." Luke held the steering wheel with both hands and turned on some music. Soft and slow music sounded from the stereo. Luke said meaningfully, ¡°Both of you seem to be connected." Luca froze, and a smile slowly appeared on her face. He was right. Queenie and she had a connection because they were mother and daughter. There would always be an inexplicable bond between a mother and her daughter. Moreover, she was a mother too, so she could talk to Queenie from a mother''s standpoint. Queenie was willing to listen to her because Luca had put herself in Queenie''s shoes. "By the way, when I was buying water, I came across something." Luca recalled seeing Marie, so she told Luke about it. "What is it?" said Luke as he knew that she must have encountered something while buying water for her toe back sote. Otherwise, knowing her, she would return to Queenie''s side right after buying water. "I saw Marie downstairs. She was injured. Judging from the bruises on her face, she seems to have been beaten," Luca said while frowning, but there was nothing unusual about this. The thing she found most unusual was that Marie was the type of person to fight back or even extort money from the other party by making a police report if she were beaten up. However, instead of doing so, she tried her best to cover up the fact that she got beaten. She was not just doing it to save face in front of Luca, but she was actually trying to hide it. "Do you want to help her with this?" Luke tried to find out what she was thinking. "No." Luca shook her head as she had no intention of helping Marie. The bruises on Marie''s face were most likely caused by Jean, but if Marie did not want to hold him ountable, there was no reason for Luca to help her either. Plus, she was in no position to help her. Luca thought that the Rayne family treated Marie pretty well. At least in the past, Marie was given priority for all the good food and nice clothes because of how bossy her biological mother was. Meanwhile, she had no one but her dad. On the other hand, Kevin had always been a henpecked man. He may have prioritized letting Luca study abroad, but he let Marie have everything else. "Then don''t worry about it," said Luke. Luca''s elbow was propped up on the car door while she rested her chin in her hand. She then spoke her mind, "I''m guessing that Jean was the one who did it, so I''m considering whether to tell Nina." "Let''s say you do tell her. Then what?" Luke did not give her unsolicited advice right away. "If Marie were to sue Jean, Nina would be the one to suffer in the end. So I''m thinking if I should tell her beforehand so she knows what''sing," Luca murmured. She sympathized with Nina''s hardships. "If you tell Nina, will she be able to cut ties with the Langdon family? Even if she publicly announces that, thew won''t allow it. If anything happens to Jean, he''ll eventuallye looking for Nina," said Luke as Nina''s family was destined to be a burden to her. However, there was still a solution, and it all depended on Percy. Before Luca returned to the Langdon family, things at the Rayne family were not looking too good. Although there was no brother who liked screwing things up for his sister, Marie and Jean still caused quite a bit of trouble for Bianca. Not to mention her so-called stepmother... Fortunately, he had them all taken care of. At that time, he could take action because Bianca had already given up on thempletely. Whereas Nina was still subject to the restrictions of Anna and Jean because she was too merciful. Nina''s and Bianca''s situations were different. In Bianca''s case, it was her stepmother she did not have much affection for, so she behaved scrupulously only because she did not want to give Kevin a hard time. However, in Nina''s case, Anna was her biological mother. No matter how much Anna preferred her son, Nina had never been treated badly when she was younger as the parent still had love for their child. Hence, Nina could not be merciless toward them. Nina would always have to face the consequences of whatever nonsense Jean did. She may be unlucky, but not only did she ask for it, butshe was helpless too. Besides, the country had yet to legalize severing rtionships with family. ¡°You''ve got a point.." Luca realized that it did not matter whether Nina knew as she would end up suffering anyway. There was no way Nina would bring money and gifts to seek forgiveness from Marie because of this Jean incident as this would only make it easier for Marie to target Nina. "Her problem can''t be solved overnight. Plus, whether this issue can be handled properly depends on Percy," Luke blurted out the truth. However, Luca did not get it. "Why Mr. Mallory..." Could it be that Nina and Percy were going to break up to destroy Anna and Jean''s dream of living luxuriously? Even if Nina were willing to do so, Anna and Jean would not let her off the hook that easily as they were both bloodsuckers. "You''ll find out in the future." Luke smiled. However, Luca fell silent. He mentioned the future. Would she really have the chance to find out in the future? Chapter 2274 Right now, Amur was forcibly summoned back to the Ind of Despair. There was no telling when Abel wouldunch a lethal attack on Luke. The future... Luca pursed her lips as she could only imagine having a future. Perhaps even before she would get the chance to find out why, she would have already been forced to harm Luke. Luca''s sudden silence made Luke nce sideways at her. He saw that she did not look so well. She must have thought of something bad. It seemed like he had to get a move on things. After they arrived at thepany, Luca got out of the car and hurried back to theboratory to continue working on her experiments. Meanwhile, Luke returned to his office to work on documents. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Just like that, Leia''s problem was settled in a sh. It was the following day. Luca received news that Leia was out of the ICU. It was a Saturday, so she did not rush to the hospital. Instead, she stayed in the mansion to take care of the children. She could choose not to go, but Luke had no choice. No matter what, Luke was still the son-inw of the Norman family. Even though he loathed Leia, he still had to put on a facade. Tommy was watching TV on the sofa when he noticed Luke leaving. He then turned around to look at Luca. ¡°Ms. Luca, where''s Daddy going?" ¡°The hospital. Your Aunt Leia had surgery yesterday and is out of the ICU today, so he''s going over to visit." Luca patted the child''s head and then handed him some cut fruit. "But Daddy doesn''t even like Aunt Leia. He still has to visit her? Being an adult must be exhausting," said Tommy while pouting. Luca chuckled. Being an adult was indeed tiring, but that was just the way it was. Jack did not like Leia, and he knew that Luke did not like her either, but it was not an excuse for them to not show up. He was Leia''s brother-inw... Rainie pointed to the gift bag next to her and said, ¡°Ms. Luca, isn''t Daddy supposed to bring this with him?" After the child''s reminder, she realized that Luke did not bring the health supplements with him. She immediately stood up and ran out with the gift bag in her hand. Tommy looked at Luca andughed. "Ms. Luca seems to be anxious." "That''s a good thing!" Rainie noticed it too. "It''s a good thing!" Tommy repeated her words. Luca carried the bag and ran to the parking lot just as Luke was about to leave. After seeing her run out without putting on a coat, he frowned and opened the car door. "It''s cold out. Why are you here?" "You forgot this." Luca sniffed and handed the bag to him with a smile on her face. After walking just a short distance, her nose had already turned red and runny from the cold. "You ran out just to deliver this? Look at what you''re wearing. Hurry up and go back in." Luke took to the bag from her and thought that there was no need for her to suffer in the cold. Even if he had forgotten to bring it, he could just get it somewhere near the hospital. Plus, Jack and Queenie would not say anything even if he were to go empty-handed. "It''smon courtesy, and you can''t get this anywhere near the hospital. Well, I''ll head back in now," said Luca as she rubbed her hands together. She did not feel the cold when she was rushing out. Only when she stood still did she realize how cold it was, so she quickly ran back. Luke looked at the bag in his hands. He then frowned when he saw Luca running in the snow while thinly dressed. The health supplements in this gift bag were expensive and ''specially prepared'' for Leia, so they indeed could not be found at nearby gift stores. However, this gift was not worth having Luca be out in the freezing weather just to deliver it to him. Leia was not worth it! When Luca went back inside, Aunt Neile came out with a cup of hot tea as she was shocked to see Luca walk outside in such thin clothing. "Ms. Craw, quick, have some hot tea to warm up." She handed her the tea. "Thanks, Aunt Neile." Luca held the teacup in her hands to warm them up, but it was too hot to drink. Hence, she let it sit for a while before drinking it. Aunt Neile could not help but nag at her after seeing her tremble from the cold. "It''s so cold outside. You need to put on more clothes even if you''re in a rush. Plus, it''s not like Mr. Crawford can''t turn back. You shouldn''t catch a cold because of this." "It''s okay. I have a good immune system, so I won''t catch a cold." After saying that, Luca sneezed. It was almost as if she manifested it. Luca could kind of tell that she had caught a chill. ¡°Ms. Luca, won''t you catch a cold?" Rainie said worriedly. Luca smiled. "I won''t. I''ll be fine after having some ginger tea. I''ll go make some now." Aunt Neile hurriedly said, "Let me do it. Have a seat and drink some warm water while you rest to warm yourself up." "Okay, thank you, Aunt Neile," thanked Luca while she fell into deep thought. It was just a matter of a few minutes. Her immune system should not be so weak that she could not even handle a few minutes of cold. However, she felt chills all over her body which gave her a bad feeling. "Ms. Luca, have some tea," advised Rainie as she saw Luca holding the cup without drinking. Luca came back to her senses and took small sips of the tea. After finishing the tea, Rainie asked with concern, "Ms. Luca, are you feeling better?" "Yes, much better. Don''t worry about me." Luca patted Rainie''s head. "Ms. Luca, why don''t you go upstairs and lie down? It''s much morefortableying under a nket," Rainie said worriedly as Luca was looking pale. "No need, I''m feeling fine. Don''t worry." Luca smiled. Aunt Niele brought out some ginger tea and carefully ced it on the coffee table. "Ms. Craw, drink it while it''s still hot. I added ginger root, so it should be more effective at curing amon cold." "Thanks, Aunt Neile." Luca picked up the ginger tea and took a sip. The ginger had been boiled in hot water, which enhanced its aroma so much it packed a huge punch. Even so, Luca still forced herself to down it all. She did not want to catch a cold. Once she had a cold, she would not be able to focus on her work, which would affect the progress of her research. Aunt Neile noticed her taking small sips of the ginger tea and sighed. "The weather is getting colder lately, even with indoor heaters. Many people are still catching colds. My daughter-inw also caught a cold from her children, and now, both of her kids have to go see a doctor. So, Ms. Craw, be careful." "I''ll be fine, don''t you worry." Luca felt all warm inside after Aunt Neile repeatedly warned her. After finishing the ginger tea, she sneezed again. Tommy sat next to her and asked worriedly, "Ms. Luca, do you need to take medicine?" "It''s just a sneeze, and it''s not even a symptom of a cold. There''s no need for all of you to worry. I''ve just finished the ginger tea, so I''ll be fine once my body warms up," Luca said with a smile. Chapter 2275 Luca was optimistic as she thought that her immune system was good and it was unlikely for her to catch a cold. In the afternoon, she noticed that Aunt Neile was starting to prepare lunch, so she stood up to help her. Before she could even take a step, she felt a sudden wave of dizziness. Her vision cked out. She instantly fell back onto the couch. Tommy rushed over after noticing it and looked at her worriedly. ¡°Ms. Luca, are you not feeling well?" "Maybe..." Luca leaned against the sofa with her eyes closed. She could feel her entire body burning, and when she stood up, all she could see was ck. She had a cold. It was not just amon cold either. She even had a fever. The sickness suddenly hit her hard, and she felt weak all over. Tommy noticed her scarlet red face and immediately climbed onto the sofa. He reached out his chubby hand to cover her forehead like she used to do for him when he was sick to check his temperature. "Ms. Luca, your forehead is burning!" he eximed as he felt like his little hands were about to get burned. "Yeah.." Luca then knew that she was down with a fever. She opened her eyes and felt like her eyes were also affected by the fever as her vision was blurry. "Tommy, go get Aunt Neile." "Okay." Tommy hastily climbed off the couch and went into the kitchen to get Aunt Neile. As soon as Aunt Neile heard that Luca had a fever, she immediately turned off the stove and came out. "Ms. Craw, are you sick?" "I''ve got a cold and a mild fever..." Luca thought that she would be able to ovee it, but it all happened so fast that she was caught off guard. "I''ll go inform Mr. Crawford!" Aunt Neile hurriedly took out her phone to notify Luke. "Aunt Neile, there''s no need to!" Luca stopped her as Luke said that he was going back to work after texting her about Leia''s condition earlier. Hence, she did not want to disturb him while he was working. Aunt Neile gauged Luca''s temperature by cing her hand on her forehead. She then frowned and said, "You''re running a high fever. You definitely need to go to the hospital. If you don''t want to disturb Mr. Crawford, should I call your driver?" She did not know how to drive, and Luca was not in good shape to drive either. Hence, someone else had to take her to the hospital. "Aunt Neile, it''s just a small matter. I don''t need to go to the hospital." Luca shook her head slightly which made her feel even dizzier. "No way, you''re burning!" Aunt Neile frowned. If her fever did not go down anytime soon, her lips may even dry up. "I ced a small medical kit under the TV cab. Can you get it for me? I''ll feel better once I get some rest after having medicine," said Luca. Before she left the ind, she got some medicine from Shanks for colds and fevers. Those medicines were very effective, but she did not bring them over from the old apartment because she did not think she would need them as she was not one to get sick often. Hence, the medicine in the medical kit was store-bought. When she found out that Luke and the kids would move in together, she went to the pharmacy to buy some medicine that she needed to keep on hand and kept them in the medical kit. Aunt Neile quickly went to the TV cab, and she opened the drawer to find where the medical kit was. "Water..." Luca''s voice was muffled. She did not feel it just now, but once she realized she had a fever, her throat felt so ufortable as if someone was burning it from the inside. After Luca managed to sit up straight with great difficulty, she opened the medical kit and took out an antipyretic and cold medicine. Aunt Neile brought her a ss of warm water. After checking that the water was at the right temperature, she drank the water and swallowed the medicine. Then, she closed the medical kit and held onto the sofa for support as she stood up. Aunt Neile rushed forward to hold her arm. "Ms. Craw, where are you going?" "I just had some medicine, so I want to go upstairs and rest for a while," said Luca as she finally gave in. She just wanted to sleep under her nket until the sun went down. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "I''ll help you up," said Aunt Neile as she helped her up step by step toward the top of the stairs. On the other hand, Tommy followed behind them worriedly. Halfway up the stairs, Aunt Neile felt that Luca''s footsteps were a little wobbly, so she said, "Ms. Craw, you can lean on me. It''s okay, I''m very strong." "Thank you." Luca gritted her teeth and persevered as she walked up to the second floor. Aunt Neile was drenched in sweat and panting by the time she got to the second floor as she had used all her might to assist Luca. She said, "Mr. Crawford should really install an elevator here." If there was an elevator in situations like these, Luca would not need to have a hard time walking up the stairs. Aunt Neile would not have to exhaust herself by assisting her up either. Luca sessfullyy on her bed with the help of Aunt Neile. Aunt Neile bent down to help her take off her slippers and then tucked her in with the nket. At that moment, Luca had already closed her eyes without saying a word. "Aunt Neile, is Ms. Luca going to be okay?" Tommy said worriedly as he stood by the bed. ¡°She''ll be fine after taking medication. Don''t worry, Young Master Tommy. Ms. Craw will be fine soon," said Aunt Neile. "Then I''ll keep watch over Ms. Luca." Tommy was worried about her. Although Luca had her eyes shut, she was not asleep. When she heard what the child said, she opened her eyes and looked at him. "Tommy, be good and go y with your brother and sister. Don''t stay here." "But Ms. Luca, I''m worried about you!" Tommy refused. Luca shook her head. "I''ll be fine after resting for a while. I have a cold now. I can''t pass it on to you, so stay outside." Children''s immune systems were weak, so Luca was doing it for his good. "I don''t want to..." Tommy wanted to stay there. ¡°Aunt Neile, take him out. I don''t want to pass it to him." Luca''s voice sounded hoarse, but her tone was still tough. Aunt Neile immediately responded and took Tommy out of Luca''s room. ¡°Aunt Neile!" Tommy raised his hands in protest. Aunt Neile held up her finger over her mouth, signaling him to be quiet. ¡°That''s enough, Young Master Tommy. Stop making noise and let Ms. Craw get some rest." ¡°Would I interfere with her rest?" Tommy pouted as he felt wronged. He may be rowdy all the time, but when there came a time he needed to be quiet, he could be just like his brother! ¡°Young Master Tommy, colds are contagious, and children like you are easily infected. If you get sick, Ms. Craw would need to take care of you. How will she get better then?" Aunt Neile had a sudden idea and gave an excuse that was guaranteed to persuade him. The reason why Tommy wanted to stay by Luca''s side in the first ce was to take care of her, so this was a good excuse. Sure enough, Tommy was convinced. He pouted and said, ¡°Then I''ll go y with my brother and sister." ¡°Go ahead and don''t worry. I''ll watch over Ms. Craw. I''lle up in a bit after making lunch to check if her fever has gone down. She''ll be fine!" Aunt Neile assured him. Tommy nodded and walked into Lanie''s room. Lanie and Rainie were both reading in their rooms. On the other hand, Aunt Neile was afraid that the children would be hungry, so she rushed downstairs to cook. She thought that sick people would not have much of an appetite, so she made some porridge specifically for Luca. During that period, she went upstairs to check on Luca. Little did she know, when she opened the door, Luca had already fallen asleep. Chapter 2276 Without making much noise, Aunt Neile tiptoed to the bedside and touched Luca''s forehead. It was still hot to the touch. She looked at Luca''s red face and frowned. If her fever still would not go down after 30 minutes, she nned to inform Luke to send her to the hospital. After Aunt Neile left, Luca slowly opened her eyes. Someone came in just now. Was it Luke? Luca turned sideways and looked at the other side of the bed to see that no one was there... Luke was at thepany. How could he be here? She was thinking too much. Luca rolled over and had her back facing the empty spot beside her as if someone was hugging her from behind and whispering softly tofort her. Sick people were usually much weaker than normal. There was no denying that what Luca needed most right now was Luke''s whisper offort and attentive care. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. She snapped her eyes shut at the thought of that. ¡°Don''t think about it.." Luca constantly hypnotized herself to not fall too hard as she was about to leave anytime. The thing Luke hated the most was deception and betrayal, and she had already done the former. Although it was painful to do so, there was no turning back after lying to him. As for thetter. She would be forced tomit a greater betrayal at any moment. Luca got drowsier as she was lost in thought. The side effects of the medicine were starting to appear, and she just wanted to fall into a deep sleep. She would feel better after getting some sleep. After Luca closed her eyes, shepletely lost contact with the outside world and was not even aware that Aunt Neile hade in twice to take her temperature. She fell asleep in a daze and had many dreams. Not only did she dream of Luke, but she dreamt of the children as well. She was holding N''s hand at one end, whereas Luke was with the three children at the other end. Between them was a bottomless abyss. Luke reached out his hand to her, but she did not have the courage to cross it with the child. In the end, Luke was disappointed in her, and a beautiful woman appeared by his side. He and the children then left with the woman without giving her any time to yearn... All she could do was hold N in her arms as she got on her knees and watched him walk farther away. She shouted silently, "Don''t go..." N, who watched all of this happen in her arms, let out a smile. She looked down at the child in panic and wondered when the child in her arms had transformed to look like Abel. He cruelly pointed at Luke''s figure as he left and said deceitfully, "Look, that''s the man you love the most. He left you behind and ran away with another woman. Now, he''s no longer yours, and the children won''t recognize you as their mother anymore. What are you going to do?" She let go in panic and shook her head repeatedly. No other words of rebuttal came out of her mouth except for the words, "No, no, no." Abel stood up and pulled at her hand. Despite her struggle to escape, he would not let go. He deluded her, saying, "Your man is gone, and your children are gone. What''s the point of staying here? Come on, jump down with me and stay in the abyss forever. Come. Come.." "No! I don''t want to!" She cried out as she watched Abel transform into a demon and pull her into the great abyss. Luke stood by the bed. He looked at Luca''s red face and frowned. She was still spitting nonsense and saying no. What was she resisting? "Why hasn''t her fever gone down?" Luke looked at Johann who was sitting at the side. After Aunt Neile informed him, he asked Jason to bring Johann over. Luke did not care whether he was busy with work or not. Johann sighed as Luke had asked this question three times in the past five minutes. A few other times, he had asked why Luca was not getting any better. "Calm down. It hasn''t even been ten minutes since the acetaminophen injection. How can the fever come down so quickly?" Once again, he answered Luke''s question. "It''s too slow. She''s in pain right now." Luke frowned as he was not satisfied with the speed of the fever reduction. "The effects of the acetaminophen injection need time to work too. If you want her fever to go down quicker, ce two bags of ice under her armpits. I guarantee that it''ll go down in no time." Johann spoke nonsense. "Are you treating her body as a joke?" Luke looked at him with a warning look. "How could I dare? I was just giving you a suggestion. This is indeed a physical method of reducing fever," exined Johann as he was afraid of being shot dead by his deadly gaze. "Do you want to try?" said Luke. It was in the middle of winter and Luca caught a cold from freezing, yet he still wanted to stuff ice under her armpits. Was he trying to kill her? ¡°Okay, okay. I was just trying to liven up the atmosphere after seeing you so anxious. If you really find it too slow, I''ll apply some ethanol on her so that the fever will subside quicker." Johann took out a bottle of ethanol from the box. He was confident in his medicine, but Luke was not patient enough to wait for the medicine to take effect, so this was the only way. Johann walked over to the bedside and lifted Luca''s nket. "What are you doing?" Luke grew even more upset after seeing his gesture. Although Luca was appropriately dressed, the sight of a man lifting the nket like that made him mad. Johann exaggeratedly raised his hands as a sign of surrender and handed him the ethanol. "I just wanted to apply this for her, but I guess you should do it." Luke kept hisposure as he took the ethanol from him. "Where do I apply it?" Johann pushed his sses. "Neck, stomach, underarms, anywhere." Luke looked at him coldly without moving an inch. "What are you looking at me for? Aren''t you trying to get her fever to go down?" Johann was puzzled by his look and took a step back as he felt like he was going to be eaten by Luke''s gaze. "How am I supposed to apply it when you''re here?" Luke frowned as he was not willing to let other men look at Luca''s body even for a minute unless absolutely necessary. He was a man too, so he understood just how fine she was. He was fatally attracted to her every minute and every second of the day. "Fine, I''ll go out." Johann could not help but shake his head as he wondered how Luca could stand him. If he were a woman, he might go crazy if he was possessed by such a possessive man. Johann pushed the room door open and walked out. The three children who stood at the doorway looked at him simultaneously. After closing the door, Johann bent down slightly and looked at the children. "Are you standing here because your father punished you?" "Uncle Park, your words are not funny at all." Lanie frowned coolly and looked at the door behind him as they were worried after learning that Luca had fallen sick. However, Aunt Neile did not let them in the bedroom as she said that children would easily be infected because their bodies were weak. "Jeez, sorry. It''s just that your faces were so serious and a little tragic even..." Johann could not hold in hisughter as Luca had just gotten a cold. It was just a minor illness. Chapter 2277 However, both the older kids and the little one had such serious looks on their faces as if Luca was critically ill. He just could not help it. Tommy saw the corners of his mouth curl up, and his tiny face scrunched up. ¡°Uncle Park, do you think Ms. Luca''s sickness is funny?" Johann realized that if he continued tough, not only would he be taught a lesson by the adult inside, but these three little ones woulde after him too. He hurriedly shook his head and said, "Fine, fine, it''s not funny." Rainie stared at him with concern. "Uncle Park, how is Ms. Luca doing?" "She just caught a cold and a fever. I''ve given her medicine, so the fever should subside in half an hour. She should be fully recovered after two or three days if she takes her medicine ordingly." Johann tried to sound as rxed as possible to avoid worrying the children. However, the children still became worried. Rainie''s eyes were filled with tears. They looked as if they were going to fall anytime now. Johann''s heart melted at the sight of it, so he quickly added, "Nothing will happen to her. It''s just like the cold you used to have. She''ll get better soon." "But she must be in pain. If I had not reminded Ms. Luca, she would not have rushed out." Tears streamed down Rainie''s face. Luca would not have caught a cold if she had not rushed out in the first ce. Lanie sighed when he heard his sister me herself. He then took up his responsibility as an older brother. "Don''t cry, nobody is ming you." "I was the one who made Ms. Luca sick." Rainie took all the me for Luca''s cold. Johann could not bare watching a child like Rainie cry, so he quickly calmed her down. "That''s enough, Rainie. It''s not your fault. Catching a cold isn''t necessarily caused by being in the cold." "So, Ms. Luca didn''t fall sick because she was cold?" Rainie looked blearily at him with teary eyes. Johann was smart enough to make something up. "Catching a chill is just one of the factors. If she caught a cold after just running out for a short while, that would mean that her body was already weak to begin with. That''s why she caught a cold so easily." "What does that mean?" Tommy was also affected by Rainie as his eyes were watery. "I''m saying that perhaps she had too much fried or spicy foods, which produced a lot of heat in her body and caused her to catch a cold. If the heat produced is not cleared in time, she would fall sick even without being out in the cold," Johann quickly exined because he was afraid that they would cry again. "So, even if Ms. Luca didn''t fall sick now, she would still fall sick in the future?" Lanie asked as he sort of made sense of Johann''s words. "Yes, that''s right. Lanie is so smart." Johann patted his head as he favored Lanie the most out of all three of Luke''s children. He seemed to have an aptitude for medicine, but unfortunately, not only was he born into the Crawford family, he was even the eldest son. Hence, he only had one path when he grew up¡ªLuke''s path. There would not be any other choice for him. "Johann." Luke''s voice came from the bedroom. "Your father is calling me. Don''t cry. I''ll go in and take a look." Johannforted the children before pushing the door to walk in. To not make the children worry, he closed the door behind him. "What is it?" "Take her temperature," Luke said with a poker face. "You don''t even know how to take someone''s temperature?" Johann''s eyes widened. "Cut the crap. I feel like her forehead isn''t that hot anymore." Luke rolled his eyes at him, then his gaze fell on Luca. Johann looked at him and shook his head as Luca had never left his sight for more than three seconds. "Let me take a look," he said while picking up the thermometer to take Luca''s temperature. "It''s close to 38 degrees. It''s lower than before. It seems like the acetaminophen injection and ethanol worked," Johann turned to tell Luke after checking the number on the thermometer. "Why is she still asleep?" Luke frowned. Although he was gentle when he wiped the ethanol on her, he still moved her around for a good while. Yet, she did not wake up at all. She even held onto his arm while muttering the words, "Don''t go... Don''t go." "She''s sick, and it''s morefortable for her when she''s asleep, so let her get more sleep while she can," Johann answered his question while putting the thermometer aside. People usually felt dizzy and lethargic when they had a fever, but everyone behaved differently. As for people like Luca who slept when they had a fever, they would recover quicker. "Do you have a nutrient injection?" Luke asked as Luca did not look like she would be able to get up to have some porridge. She could only rely on nutrient injections. Otherwise, her body would be malnourished, which was not good for recovery. "I brought it with me. I''ll give her an IVter when her temperature drops a bit more." When Johann knew that he had toe over to treat Luca, he studied Luca''s condition and prepared everything. "Okay." Luke nodded and sat on the edge of the bed. He then ced his hand next to Luca''s. She held it tightly as if she sensed it there. Johann saw it happen. All of a sudden, he caught a whiff of a repulsive smell. "I came here to treat patients, yet I have to be the third wheel as well. How pitiful.." Luke did not pay any attention to him, nor did he withdraw his hand. He let her hold his hand while he stayed there, motionless. Johann shook his head and sat on a chair, waiting for Luca''s fever to go down. It was better to stay here and be a third wheel than to stand outsideforting the children. Every one of Luke and Luca''s children was clever and mischievous. He did not want to deal with them again. Luca would asionally whisper something, but it would be in a tone of fear. She would seem very afraid as well. Luke could not help but frown when he listened to her talk in her sleep. Johann noticed and said, ¡°When a patient is asleep, they''ll dream because their body is in pain. Dr. Craw may be having nightmares now." Luke did not look at him. He noticed that Luca''s forehead was sweating, so he single-handedly pulled out a wet tissue to wipe away the sweat. Johann watched from aside. All the while, there had only been one person who could make Luke put his work aside and attentively care for them. Even if she had changed her appearance and was no longer the innocent Bianca she was before, Luke still loved her. His love for her extended to the depths of her soul, not just her appearance. Johann could not help but be envious. He wondered when would he meet such a woman. He shivered at the thought of it. What was he thinking? Did he want to fall in love? He had met many couples, yet he had never desired a rtionship. Having freedom was better anyway. Plus, being in a rtionship would only affect his career in the medical field. Luke was also affecting him. He was supposed to be in the hospital''s outpatient department, and he wanted to see if there was any chance for him to encounter some intractable diseases there so that it would help him conduct his research better. However, before he could meet any peculiar patients, his post was reced by another attending physician while he was sent over here by Jason. Johann shook his head after seeing those two over there being all lovey-dovey. It was for the best that he did not get into a rtionship. His heart would be affected if he did, and he would lose his focus on many things.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Chapter 2278 An hourter. Luca''s fever subsidedpletely. Although she was still asleep, she stopped babbling. "I told you so." Johann rolled up his sleeves, pulled Luca''s sleeves up a little, and quickly found her blood vessel. He then inserted the needle into her blood vessel. Then, the solution slowly dripped into her veins. Luke noticed that Luca''splexion got a little better. His heart felt as though it was tugged as he saw what Johann was doing. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Luca would not have to suffer as much if he had been remembered to bring that bag. With the needle in ce, Johann secured the pillow and nced at Luke. He saw his expression. Luke was looking at him like he had stabbed Luca too many times. He quickly said, "I jabbed her once, that''s all. It went well. She''s asleep, so she won''t feel any pain." "You can get out now," Luke said. "How could you kick me out after you used me? It''s not only overkill but it''s quite unconscionable," Johann muttered as he put away his medical supplies. "Aunt Neile prepared lunch for you downstairs," Luke said. He was not unscrupulous. He just wanted Johann, the third wheel, to leave the room. "That''s nice of you. Call out to me if something happens. I''ll go grab a bite now." Johann did not n to leave the vi. After all, he did not need to go to the outpatient clinic that day. He also handed Leia to another doctor so he did not need to go to the hospital as well. As such, he decided to stay there and be on standby. He wanted to avoid having to run back and forth in case Luca''s fever came back. Luke did not say anything, Johann did not wait for him to reply before he headed downstairs. It was past mealtime, so the children, under the care of Aunt Neile, had finished their meal and went upstairs to take a nap. Aunt Neile was the only one left in the entire living room. She was cleaning. "Dr. Park, you haven''t eaten yet, yeah? There''s some food in the kitchen. Do you want to eat now?" Aunt Neile hurriedly put down her tools and asked Johann. "That''d be great. Thank you." Johann nodded. He had been hungry for some time now. Aunt Neile brought his meal to the dining room. Johann sat down and thought of Luke, who was upstairs, as he was about to eat. Luca was getting a nutrient injection, so she would not be hungry even if she did not eat. However, it was different for Luke. "Aunt Neile," Johann called out to Aunt Neile, who was heading to the kitchen. "Yes, Dr. Park? What else can I do for you?" Aunt Neile asked with a smile. ¡°Luke probably hasn''t eaten yet. You should bring him something to eat," Johann reminded her. "Thank you for your reminder. I''ve indeed forgotten about it. Can Ms. Craw eat some oats now?" Aunt Neile had been upied and overlooked the matter. "She''s on nutrient injection and doesn''t need to eat," Johann said. "Thank you for the reminder. I''ll go have something prepared now." Aunt Neile walked into the kitchen, put the lunch she prepared on the tray in a clean motion, and brought it upstairs. She knocked on the door. Luke''s voice came from the bedroom. "Come in." Aunt Neile cautiously opened the door and walked in. "Sir, I brought you some lunch." Luke did not have an appetite. "I don''t want it. Take it out." "Sir, you''d better have some. It''s not good for your health to skip meals. If you don''t have the appetite, I have some oats here. Would you like to have some?" Aunt Neile was worried about Luke. Seeing that Aunt Neile was insistent, Luke lifted his chin and said, "Put it there." "Okay." Aunt Neile put the tray on the dresser and then tidied up the bedside table a little before she put the tray on top. She did so so that Luke could eat easily. She looked at the two''s tightly held hands, smiled, turned around, and walked out. She believed that one could see one''s true colors when the person one loved was sick. When someone was sick, it was clear who would stay by the other''s side and who the sick wanted to rely on. After Aunt Neile left, Luke looked at Luca. His gaze softened. She was still babbling just now, but it was not the same as the babbling when she had a high fever. Her voice became gentle, and she kept calling his name lingeringly. "Luke... Luke..." Hearing her whisper, his stone heart softened. It brought him back to the time they lived together. She always used various tones to call his name. They were always lovey-dovey with one another no matter the asion. Luke brushed Luca''s hair with his hand. He did not know when they would be able to return to the days when they could live happily together once more. Luca was not sure how long she had slept, but it was already dim when she opened her eyes. She realized that it was the room''s lights. Her bedroom was very well lit. If it was daytime, there was no need to turn on the lights. Hence, she knew it was already nighttime... Luca was surprised that she slept through the day after taking some cold and antipyretic medicine. After a long sleep, her body was a little tired. When she wanted to turn around, she realized that she was holding arge warm palm. Luca turned her head and saw Luke. He was sitting against the head of the bed and looking at her sideways. In the dim lights, she seemed to see the worry and tenderness in his eyes. "You''re awake..." Luke spoke slowly, his voice hoarse. He felt a little helpless when he saw Luca''s confused gaze. "You slept for the entire day." "How did I. sleep for so long..." Luca opened her mouth. Her throat hurt a little, and her voice sounded a little hoarse. Sure enough, after the fever, she had a runny nose and a coughing her way. This was an inescapable urrence. "The medicine you took didn''t reduce your fever, so I asked Johann to give you a fever reducer and a nutrient injection. That''s why you were able to sleep so well," Luke replied. Luca gave a hum. Maybe Aunt Neile saw that her fever did not subside after some time, so she got worried and made up her mind to inform Luke. She expected Johann''s arrival when she notified Luke. Luca connected the dots. Johann''s medicines were strong and could quickly reduce fever, but the side effects of drowsiness were fairly strong as well. As such, she was knocked out for the entire day as soon as she fell asleep. ''Did Luke watch over me for the entire day?'' Luca could not believe it, but she did not dare to confirm it with him. "Are you hungry?" Luke asked. It was ten o''clock at night. Johann waited for a while after she fell asleep and noted that the fever did not reur. He then prescribed her some medicine and left. At that hour, the kids were already asleep. Luke thought she would not wake up until the next morning, but she woke up earlier than unexpected. "I''m not particrly hungry, but I want to eat something," Luca said. She did not have anything to eat after breakfast. Although she was not very hungry, she knew that her body needed nourishment. Otherwise, the symptoms of nasal congestion, runny nose, and cough wouldst for several days. "Aunt Neile made some oats for you before she left. It''s still hot. I''ll bring you a bowl," Luke said. He then pulled out his hand and got out of bed. Chapter 2279 Luca felt that her palm was empty after he did that. She realized that she might have been holding Luke''s hand the entire time she was asleep. Therefore, she was unused to it when Luke pulled out his hand. "Okay." She clenched her fists and smiled at the man. The weak smile made Luke feel a little pity for her. "Wait for me." Luca made a hum and closed her eyes. Her nose was blocked, so she could only breathe through her mouth. Luke went downstairs, headed for the kitchen, and scooped Luca a bowl of oats. Aunt Neile set the temperature so that the oats were perfectly warm. Luke remembered that Luca would have to take her medicer, so he put the oats on the tray, took a ss of water, put it on the tray, and walked upstairs with the tray. When he opened the door, Luca had already sat up on the bed. Luke put the tray on the bedside table. "Why did you sit up?" He picked up the oats and gently stirred them with a spoon. "I''ve been lying down all day and am a little tired. It''s already sote." Luca nced at the time on the phone. It was already past ten o''clock. No wonder it was dark. "Come, have some oats." Luke held the spoon up to feed her. Luca opened her mouth, drank the oats that he served her, and asked, "Are they all asleep, Lanie and the others?" "They''re all asleep. They were angels today. They didn''t make a fuss," Luke said as he continued to feed her. Luca did not resist him feeding her. "They were all worried about you, but since you didn''t let them in the bedroom, they waited for news on the second floor," Luke said. The children thought that they could visit Luca when Luke was back. However, he respected Luca''s decision and did not let them in. They no longer had a 24-hour nanny at home. If any of the kids caught a cold, he would not be able to handle them alone. "I''m worried that I''ll infect them," Luca exined. "Mm, they know that you''re doing it for their own good," Luke said. The kids realized they could not take care of Luca, so they did not bother the adults. Even Tommy, the noisiest one who liked to run up and down the stairs, was quiet and obedient that day. "When you''re feeling better, I''ll get an elevatorpany toe and install an elevator," Luke said. Luca responded in surprise, "Why do you want to install an elevator all of a sudden?" There was space to install an elevator in the vi, but Luke never made use of it. Luca felt that they were fine without an elevator. After all, their ce was not like Crawford Manor. There were no elderly people in the house. It was only young people and children, so it was quite convenient for them to go up and down the stairs. "Aunt Neile told me that you almost couldn''t stand today and you didn''t allow her to inform me. It''ll be more convenient to have an elevator to go upstairs," Luke said. His gaze sank. He was a little angry when he heard that Luca would not let Aunt Neile inform him, but he could not bring himself to be angry at her when he saw how weak she appeared. She was so sick that all he could feel was distress. Luca drank thest sip of the oats and exined, embarrassed, "I thought I would be fine after taking the medicine, so I asked Aunt Neile not to inform you. I know that you''re busy..." Luke grabbed a tissue and wiped her mouth. He was busy, but Luca was more important to him than work. "I''ll be there when you need me, so don''t push me away," he said slowly, hoping that every word could be engraved in her heart. They were husband and wife. They had always supported each other. He would never think of her as a drag. "I know..." Luca was shocked, but her head was buzzing. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. She was not sure what to say when faced with his deep-felt confession, so she just uttered a simple reply to acknowledge him... Luke did not expect her to say or do anything earth-shattering. All he wanted was for her not to push him away. He asked, "Do you still want to eat?" "No." Luca shook her head. She did not have any appetite. She just ate to keep her stomach from being empty. "Mm, rest for a little and take your medicer." Luke thought of Johann''s reminder when he was about to leave. Johann told him that after Luca woke up and if she ate something, she should take a break before taking her medicine. If she did not want to eat, he should feed her some light salt water and then her medicine. He remembered it all. "Where''s the medicine?" Luca asked. She had a hunch that she would sleep all night after she took the medicine. "In front of your dresser. However, Johann said that you have to take a break before you eat it." Luke put the cup from the tray on the bedside table, then put her bowl on the tray. He then put it by the door and turned back to look at Luca. "Okay. How''s Ms. Norman doing?" Luca realized that if Johann had been treating her, she assumed that there was another doctor by Leia''s side. She was unsure if Jack and the others were aware of it. If they were, they might be dissatisfied with her. Luca prayed in her heart that Johann would not be a big mouth and tell Jack and Queenie about what happened to her. "You''re also weak. Why do you bother with her?" Luke was worried and put his palm on her forehead. The temperature was normal. Fortunately, there was no fever. "I''m just asking... After all, Dr. Park was here. If something had happened to Ms. Norman..." Luca exined. "Bad people have gued the world for thousands of years. Leia will be fine," Luke said. Based on what Johann told him, Leia getting surgery done in her current poor condition would lead to higherplicationspared to other patients. However, her condition seemed to improve when she stayed in the ICU for one night. It was like magic. Some of the symptoms they expected to see after the surgery appeared in Leia, which proved that her organs were working well. If there was no ident, she could be discharged after staying in the hospital for a while more. Luca pursed her lips slightly. Luke did not usually say such things. Nevertheless, she thought that he was cute when he said such things. She lifted the nket so she could get out of bed. "What are you doing?" Luke asked. "I want to take a shower. I sweated a fair bit. My body feels sticky and ufortable..." Luca exined. "Don''t take too long." Luke knew that she was a clean person. If she was made to sleep for a night without bathing, it would probably be a sleepless night for her. When she had a fever, they covered her with a thick nket so that she could sweat it out. As such, she must have sweated a lot. "Yeah." Luca opened the closet, took the pajamas and a change of underwear, then walked into the bathroom. She was worried that her body could not take it, so she took a quick shower. After she dried her body with a bath towel, she changed into a fresh set of pajamas and nced in the mirror. Her hair was messy. She looked like a mad woman... Chapter 2280 Luca scratched her hair. She was not sure how she slept which led to her hair being so messy. Her hair was like a cockb when she was eating the oats and chatting with Luke... ''How embarrassing!'' Luca picked up ab and quickly brushed her hair before she walked out of the bathroom. Luke sat at the dresser and looked at the prescription for Luca that Johann left. After he sorted out her medicine, he looked back at her and said, "Come and take your medicine." "Okay." Luca picked up the cup on the bedside table and walked to the dresser. She then picked up three pills, put the pills in her mouth, and took a sip of water. After she swallowed the medicine, she finished the rest of the water. Luke frowned and said, "Is it bitter?" "All medicines are bitter. They''re not too bad," Luca said as she put the cup down. "I''ll give you candy tomorrow. It''s gettingte. Get some rest." Luke coaxed her like she was a child. Luca''s cheeks were slightly flushed. ''He''s going to give me candy? Does he see me as a child?'' She thought about it and felt that it was not the worst idea to be his kid. "What about you?" Luca sat on the edge of the bed and looked at him. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "I''ll go take a shower. Go to bed," Luke said. He pulled the nket back and gestured for her to lie down. Luca hesitated for a while before she looked up at him. "Mr. Crawford, why don''t you go back to your bedroom to sleep tonight?" "Why?" Luke was not angry at her. He raised his eyebrows and tried to understand where she was coming from. "I have a cold. I''ll infect you if you get too close to me." Luca''s voice was a little muffled because of her blocked nose. "It''s alright." Luke shook his head and said, "If it''s meant to happen, I would have been infected long ago. Luca, I''ve been watching you all day and I''m alright. Don''t overthink it. Lie down." He had indeed been watching over her the entire day... Luca''s heart trembled slightly. She had no choice but to lie down obediently when faced with Luke''s insistence. Luke tucked her in before he walked to the opposite bedroom. Luca heard the sound of the door closing. She slowly closed her eyes. She thought that the medicine would not take effect as fast, but the medicine prescribed by Johann was strong. She felt sleepy after shey down for less than five minutes. She closed her eyes slowly. When she was drowsy, Luca heard the door open and knew that the person who came in was Luk. Hence, she did not open her eyes. Instead, she moved her body to the side subconsciously before she turned sideways and continued to sleep. Luke watched her subconsciously reserve a ce for him and smiled. His movements were light as he got on the bed. After he covered them with the nket, he took her into his arms and closed his eyes in peace. He felt wonderful with Luca in his arms and fell into a deep sleep within a few minutes of lying down. ... The next day. Luca felt much better after she woke up and subconsciously nced at the space next to her. Luke was also up. Her heart felt inexplicably warm when she thought about being taken care of by him all day yesterday. Luca got up. As soon as she opened her mouth, she knew that her voice was gone. Her throat felt very ufortable as if it had been scalded. She touched her throat and found that it was inmed. It happened every time she caught a cold. Her voice would be hoarse for a few days... Luca sighed and changed into her home clothes after she washed up. It was Sunday, so Luke allowed the kids to stay in bed for a while longer than they would on a school day. She thought that the children were still asleep. She opened the door only to find the kids standing in line at the door. She subconsciously took a step back for fear that her cold would spread to them. "Ms. Luca, are you feeling better?" Rainie was the first to ask. Luca felt a little guilty when she saw the children''s worried eyes. She smiled and said to them, "I''m doing much better. Don''t worry." Lanie frowned when he heard her hoarse voice and asked, "Ms. Luca, are your tonsils inmed?" Luca knew that he liked to read a lot of books, including some medical books. Hence, he had some understanding of the human body. She nodded and said, "Mm, it''s normal to sound like this after a cold. I''ll be fine in a few days." "Ms. Luca, you should stop talking to protect your throat," Tommy said in a boyish voice. Luca smiled. She did not think of herself as fragile, but her heart warmed with the knowledge that the kids were worried about her. She asked, "Isn''t it Sunday? Why did you get up so early?" "That''s because we were worried about you, Ms. Luca," Tommy answered on behalf of all the siblings. Rainie nodded too. They were all worried sick about Luca. "You have nothing to worry about. I''m fine. Let''s go downstairs!" Luca said as she nced at the bedroom opposite her. The door to the bedroom was open, but no one was inside. ''Where''s Luke?'' Luca was surprised and wondered if he was downstairs... Lanie noticed what Luca was doing and said, "Daddy saw that you didn''t have a fever today, so he went back to the office to deal with work." "Mm, I see." Luca was stunned. It turned out that Luke had gone to work. He put work aside yesterday to take care of her. He must not have finished his work, so it made sense that he had to go to the office. "Daddy told us to not disturb you and for us to remind you to take your medicine on time," Tommy added. "Oh? In that case, do you remember when I should take my medicine?" Luca could not help but tease her younger son. "Daddy said that you should take your medicine within half an hour after breakfast and lunch," Tommy remembered everything clearly. "Okay." Luca smiled at Tommy''s cute appearance. "However, don''t get too close to me." "Ms. Luca, I''m very strong!" Tommy knew that she wanted the best for them but was still a little unhappy. He loved to be with her, but he was now forced to keep his distance because of a cold. He pouted and flexed his little arms again to indicate that he was very strong. Luca did not know whether tough or cry. She said with a smile on her face, "Yes, you''re the strongest. However, I''m still notpletely healed from my cold. It''s all for your own good. Otherwise, you''ll feel terrible if you catch a cold. I''ll be sad too." "Okay..." Tommy had to take a step forward and kept a safe distance from her. Luca smiled. Aunt Neile overheard their conversation and walked out of the kitchen. She saw that Luca looked like she was doing better and asked, "Ms. Craw, are you feeling better?" "I''m doing much better, Aunt Neile. Thank you for taking care of me yesterday." Luca smiled. Aunt Neile waved her hand and said quickly, "Actually, I didn''t do anything. It''s all thanks to Mr. Crawford. He took care of you as soon as he got home." "Yeah, Daddy didn''t leave Ms. Luca''s bedroom since he came back. He kept us outside and kept himself inside. He wouldn''t let us see you." Tommyined about Luke. Chapter 2281 Lanie pinched Tommy''s face and corrected him, "Daddy was afraid that we would catch a cold." "Yeah, don''t me it on Daddy," Rainie chimed in. "Hmph, both of you stood at the door and waited with me yesterday. Why are you siding with Daddy today?" Tommy said, dissatisfied. He liked his Mommy better. After all, their mommy was much more gentle than Daddy. Luca smiled and looked at the kids with her gleaming eyes. "Okay, my young masters and youngdy, that''s enough. Let''s go have some breakfast." Aunt Neile looked at Luca and said, "Ms. Craw, you must be hungry. You didn''t have much of the oats that I prepared for you yesterday. Do you want to eat oats or noodles today?" "Oats, please." Luca decided. Her mouth tasted bitter because of the medicine. "Okay, give me a minute." Aunt Neile walked into the kitchen, brought them breakfast, and ced the specially prepared oats in front of Luca. "Dr. Park said you need to eat more nutritious food, so I made oats and added some nuts on top so that it would be tastier. Ms. Craw, eat it while it''s hot. The nuts taste best when they''re a little crispy." "Thank you." Luca enjoyed the aroma of the oats and realized that she was hungry. After all, she only had a bowl of oats to eat since the previous day. No matter how much she ate on a daily basis, a bowl of oats was far from enough. Luca quickly finished the bowl of oats and headed into the kitchen for another. When she saw that, Aunt Neile said with a smile, "Eat more. When your appetite increases, your body will recover faster." "Aunt Neile, the oats you made are so fragrant. I''ll eat them for lunch as well. I don''t feel like eating anything else," Luca said. She did not intend to help Aunt Neile cook. With her current body, even if Aunt Neile agreed to help her, she would not dare. She still had germs in her body and did not want the food she cooked for children to be a medium of infection. "Okay, no problem. I''ll make you anything that you want to eat!" Aunt Neile said. She liked Luca from the bottom of her heart. When she was a maid at Crawford Manor, every mistress had been arrogant to her. If she was a little careless, she risked being fired at any time. However, Luca had a good personality, high education, good looks, and a great attitude. Luca was always very sympathetic to Aunt Neile. As such, she liked Luca very much. "I just want oats. Please check what Lanie and the others want to eat and cook them whatever they want," Luca said. She thought of Luke and asked, "Will Mr. Crawford be home for lunch today?" "Mr. Crawford seems to be very busy. He said he won''t be back for dinner, but he left a message." Aunt Neile replied with a smile. "What did he say?" Luca was a little curious. "Sir told me to keep an eye on you and make sure that you''re eating enough." Aunt Neile cheerfully ced some nuts on her porridge oats bowl and said, "You''re the person that Mr. Crawford worries about most." "Nah. I''m going to have my oats now." Luca blushed, walked out of the kitchen, and sat on a chair. Tommy was two seats away from her but could see the flush on Luca''s face. He remembered that Luca''s face was the same when she was feeling ufortable the day prior. He suddenly became worried and asked, "Ms. Luca, your face is so red. Do you have a fever again?" "Huh?" Luca touched her face only to realize that it was a little warm. However, the warmth that she was feeling was different from the warmth she felt when she had a fever. She was blushing because of what Aunt Neile said... When she had a fever, the skin all over her body was hot. As such, she was sure that she did not have a fever. She shook her head and said, "I''m okay. It''s not a fever. The temperature in the kitchen is a little high, so it''s a little hot. I''ll be fine in a while." After that, she remembered what Luke told Aunt Neile. She hurriedly lowered her head and ate the oats. "Is Ms. Luca really all right?" Tommy looked at his brother worriedly. "She''s blushing. She doesn''t have a fever." Lanie was a smart little kid. He could tell at a nce that Luca was just blushing and it had nothing to do with her being sick. Tommy trusted Lanie. At the same time, he said impatiently, "Brother, why do you know everything?!" "I''ve told you to read more books. Reading books can increase your knowledge." Lanie nced at his brother. Although he was younger than them, he and Rainie liked to read books when they were his age. In stark contrast, Tommy''s favorite pastime was ying puzzle games and watching cartoons. He waspletely different from the twins. He would have thought that Tommy was adopted if their Mommy was not watched by a lot of people and Tommy looked more and more like their daddy the older he got. "I do read. I''ll readter," Tommy said immediately. "You''d better read the whole book. I''ll reward you if you finish it," Lanie looked at his brother, pursed his lips, and said coolly. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "Okay, Brother. Remember what you said. You''re a bad guy if I don''t get my reward after I finish a book!" Tommy''s eyes lit up when he heard the word ''reward''. Luca listened to their conversation but did not get involved. It was also a kind of happiness to listen to them talk without saying a word. After breakfast, Tommy did what he said and took Lanie by the hand before they went upstairs. New Year''s was approaching, and the weather has not been the best. Hence, all the extracurricr activities they signed up for had been suspended. As such, the kids did not have to go to school. Tommy was the happiest about not having to go to school. He thought he could enjoy some time off, but Tommy did not dare to make a fuss yesterday because Luca was sick. He took the initiative to read when he was triggered by Lanie. The three children were reading upstairs, and Luca was left alone. She sat in the living room watching the news reports. When it was time for entertainment news, she saw that news that Leia was sick had broken out. Luca could not help but frown. ''The Normans had always kept a low profile. How did the reporters know that Leia is sick?'' Luca watched the news. Although Leia used to be a star, the TV channels did not seem to be very interested in her being sick. News about her was mentioned in a hurry before they quickly moved on to talk about thetest developments in a pop star and his new girlfriend. Luca smiled. Aunt Neile walked to her with a fruit bowl and put it in front of Luca. "Ms. Craw, eat some fruits. They''re rich with vitamins." "Okay, thank you, Aunt Neile." Luca thanked her. She thought of the three children who were reading books upstairs and said, "Aunt Neile, please bring some fruits and other snacks to Lanie and the others so that they would have something to snack on as they read." "It''s all ready. I''ll send it to themter," Aunt Neile replied. She praised Luca in her heart for being so kind to the children. If she had not caught a cold, she would have been upstairs reading with the children. Chapter 2282 "Mm, sounds great. Thank you for your hard work." Luca smiled at her. "No worries, no worries at all," Aunt Neile said as she returned to the kitchen. After the news broadcast, Luca switched to another channel and wanted to watch international news. The phone beside her rang. She picked her phone up and looked at it. It was Tina calling. Luca looked at the shing screen, and her mood sank. She did not answer immediately because she knew that it was likely that Tina called to talk about Amur. ''Amur just left. How would Tina know?'' Luca still decided to answer Tina''s call. "Dr. Craw, how''s your schedule today?" Tina, who was on the other end of the phone, asked. Luca could hear that Tina''s tone was a little hesitant. She guessed that she must have struggled for a while before she called her. "I''m not busy. What''s the matter?" she asked in a hoarse voice. "Why is your voice so hoarse?" Tina noticed that something was wrong with her voice. "Mm, I identally caught a cold yesterday and my throat is a little inmed. Is everything okay, Tina?" Luca picked up the remote control and turned down the volume of the TV. "You have a cold? In that case, forget about it. It''s nothing important. I''ll hang up now. You have a good rest and get well soon." Tina did not dare to disturb her when she learned that Luca was ill. Both she and Jason knew how important Luca was to Luke. What Luca needed most was rest. She should not be disturbed. "Tina, wait a minute." Luca nced in the direction of the dining room. Aunt Neile walked out from there and went upstairs with a tray. "What''s wrong?" Tina asked slowly. "You want to talk about Amur, right?" Luca probed. Tina rarely bothered her. Every time she talked to her privately, it was about Amur. "Mm, it''s not something important. Dr. Craw, you should get some rest." Tina admitted to it but did not continue to pursue the matter. There were some things that she wanted to rify face-to-face, but Luca was clearly not in the best state to head out. Tina worried that Luke would give her trouble if Luca''s condition got worse because of her. "It''s okay. Just ask me what you want to." Luca said, "I''m not sure how Amur managed the situation with you, but if there are some things that he didn''t give you an answer for, I''ll answer you on his behalf." "I''m not sure if it''s best to discuss this on the phone." Tina sounded a little depressed. "Why don''t youe here, then? I can''t go out in my current condition." Luca felt bad when she heard Tina''s tone. "Are you sure that you''re okay with that?" Tina hesitated. She did not feel good disturbing Luca''s rest for a crush. It was not like her to do something like that. "Don''t worry about it. Dr. Craw, you have a good rest." "It''s okay. Do you know my address?" Luca asked. "I do..." Tina thought about it for a while and decided to visit Luca. Amur refused to tell her why he had to leave, so she wanted to try her luck with Luca. At the very least, she wanted to put an end to her crush. "I''ll wait for you, then." Luca hung up the phone for fear that Tina would continue to hesitate. Aunt Neile came down after she brought some fruits and snacks upstairs. When Luca saw her, she said, "Aunt Neile, can I trouble you to prepare some refreshments? We''ll have a guestter." "Okay, Ms. Craw. Is it a mister or a miss who would be visiting?" Aunt Neile asked. She was deciding what tea to make based on the gender of the guest. "It''s ady," Luca said. "However, she doesn''t seem to like drinking floral tea, so you can prepare a pot of coffee instead." "Understood." Aunt Neile walked into the kitchen and began to grind coffee beans. Luca turned up the volume on the TV and continued to watch the news. The doorbell rang almost an hourter. Luca picked up the handset of the videophone and confirmed that Tina had arrived at the gate of the community before she pressed the button to allow her toe in. Tina had been here before, so she knew which household to head to. Luca walked to the kitchen door and said to Aunt Neile, "Aunt Neile, the guest is arriving." "Okay, I''ll take the coffee out right away." Aunt Neile nced back at her before she put the coffee for Tina and the fruit tea for Luca on the tray. She carried it to the living room. After she ced them on the coffee table, Aunt Neile said, "Ms. Craw, do you need me to prepare some fruits?" "We can decideter," Luca said. She guessed that Tina would not be in the mood to eat. She was more curious about how Tina found out that Amur had left. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only After a while, the doorbell rang. This time, Tina had arrived at the door of the vi, so Luca went to open the door and then stood at the entrance to wait for Tina. After a while, she saw Tina slowly walking in with an umbre in her hand. It was not a working day, so Tina did not wear formal clothes but instead wore a ck coat that highlighted her exquisite figure. Her hair was loose. She appearedzy but noble. Luca sighed in her heart about what a pity it was that Amur and Tina could not end up together... Someone like Tina would have many suitors. Unfortunately, Amur was not the lucky man. "Dr. Craw..." Tina walked into the room to greet her. She had used delicate makeup to cover up her haggardness, but the sorrows in her voice could not be concealed. "You didn''t rest well yesterday?" Luca took a step back to keep her distance. "How did you know?" Tina''s mouth twitched. Luca could see that her smile was bitter. Tina did not look well. If she did not know her, she would not be able to imagine what she usually looked like in the workce. "Although you put on makeup, it can''t hide your haggardness." Luca said, "I asked Aunt Neile to prepare some refreshments for you. Let''s have your shoes changed." Tina nodded, took off her high heels, and put on a pair of t-bottomed disposable slippers. She followed Luca inside. Since she had been here, she did not care much for the decorations. She was led by Luca to sit on the sofa. Luca was sitting a little far away from her. "I have a cold. I won''t infect you if I keep some distance." "It''s okay, Dr. Craw." Tina heard her hoarse voice and felt a little guilty. "Have some coffee. Let me know what you think of Aunt Neile''s skills." Luca did not rush Tina to express her thoughts. After all, she had juste in from outside and needed to warm herself up. Tina took a sip of coffee and looked at Luca. "You know about Amur?" Luca probed. "I know he left A City." Tina put down her coffee cup and folded her hands. "He told you that in person?" Luca asked. She was somewhat surprised that Amur would tell Tina before he left. If he did that, it meant that Amur likely had feelings for Tina... "Not really but somewhat..." Tina shook her head. Chapter 2283 "Uh..." Luca frowned. "I received a package sent from A City yesterday. It contained a gift from him and a simple message. He said that he was leaving A City and would nevere back. He asked me to take care." Tina told Luca word for word what Amur wrote to her. It was brief and did not carry a hint of emotion. She read it twice and remembered every single word in her heart. Luca took a sip of the fruit tea and stared straight at Tina. Even though she tried her best to conceal it, she could still see the sadness in Tina''s eyes. Tina had caught feelings for him. Luca sighed, shook her head, and said, "Mm, if there''s no special situation, he''ll unlikely return ever again." "Why... is he leaving so suddenly?" Tina''s brows furrowed. It all happened so suddenly. Most importantly, Amur left when she was still processing how she felt. She had been debating with herself on whether she should profess her feelings to him. Nevertheless, in a blink of an eye, Amur left without even giving her a chance to say goodbye in person. Tina thought to herself that she should not have hesitated in the first ce if she knew that he was leaving. Even if she was rejected, she would have had the chance to tell him about her feelings. "Something bad happened over in Russia, so he needs to go back..." Luca said as she thought of what excuse to make up. "Can hee back after he deals with the situation?" Tina asked. ''Hasn''t that been the case?'' "It''s different this time. He went back to take care of his father''s affairs. If nothing extraordinary happens, he''ll settle down in Russia and won''te back to A City ever again," Luca lied to her. She was suddenly d that her voice was hoarse. Otherwise, it would sound unnatural when she lied and Tina would be able to tell. "Is that so..." Tina pursed her lips and looked sad. It seemed that she had no chance to confess to him. Tina was a rational woman. When she was in college, she decided to break up with her boyfriend whom she dated for four years because they were going on different paths after college. She had never met someone she was romantically interested in since then. The reason for the breakup was simple. Her ex-boyfriend, who grew up out of town, wanted to go back to his hometown after college. She did not want to endure the pain of a long-distance rtionship, and she also had her parents take care of. As such, even though she was deeply in love, she decided to break things off. In the following years, she missed him and had not developed a new romantic rtionship. It took some time to find someone who made her heart skip a beat, but it was unfortunate that things did not work out for her. She did not have the courage like others to follow someone to a foreign country for love. She did not believe that she could make a long-distance rtionship between states work, let alone a long-distance rtionship that involved two countries. Moreover, even though Amur had said goodbye to her in this way, there was no reluctance or emotion in his farewell. As such, even if she liked him, she did not have the courage to follow Amur to a foreign country. Luca did not know how tofort Tina either. ''Should I ask her to wait? That doesn''t seem possible either.'' Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Although she nned to rescue Eler and Amur, she was unsure when it would be realized. Even if it was realized, it was unknown whether they would be able to escape safely. She could not bring herself to give Tina hope and have her spend her youth waiting for a highly variable possibility. "I''m sorry, Tina." Luca did not know what else to say. Tina shook her head and smiled. "Dr. Craw, what are you apologizing for? It''s nothing to do with you. It''s just a fruitless crush. Things might not always happen your way, and it''s not anyone''s fault that we''re not fated for each other." "If only one can let go just like that," Luca murmured. "It''ll take some time, but I''ll be able to let go eventually. Dr. Craw, since I''m here, can you give me some more sleeping pills? Although I have no man, life still has to go on. I want to start by getting a good rest." Tina sniffed. She knew that she would not be able to forget about Amur for some time. Nevertheless, she did not want to be so depressed because of Amur. "Okay, give me a minute. I''ll go up and get them for you." Luca stood up and walked upstairs. Tina sat quietly on the sofa. At least she found out why Amur left and that he would never return to A City. It was worth the trip. She could tell herself to give up on hoping for more. Tina''s hands clenched into fists as sheforted herself. Nevertheless, she was still upset. Luca took a bottle of medicine, went downstairs to the sofa, and handed it to Tina. "Although there''s no dependence or side effects, you shouldn''t take too much of this. Take it when you can''t sleep. Let me know if you need more." "Thank you, Dr. Craw." Tina took it and thanked Luca. The medicine that she got from Luca was the only thing that could help her sleep. Otherwise, she would lie in bed all night and spend the entire time thinking about Amur. Her insomnia would lead to her being in bad condition. Subsequently, she would be unable to perform at full capacity. She could not afford to lose her job. "Why are you being so polite? By the way, it''s almost time for lunch. Do you want to have a meal together?" Luca invited her. "No, I don''t want to be a third wheel." Tina smiled at her. She did not focus the conversation on Amur anymore. "What are you talking about? Mr. Crawford won''t be back today. He''ll be in the office working overtime. Don''t you know?" Luca blushed slightly when she mentioned Luke. Her face looked like white snow dyed with peach blossoms in spring. This was what love should look like. Tina looked at her with admiration and shook her head. "I didn''t know. It''s been really busy recently. We have a lot of staff in the secretaries'' office so we can take turns to rest. Yesterday, I worked overtime. Today, it''s Cheryl and another secretary who are working overtime in the office. As such, I don''t know where the boss is." "He said that he won''t be home for lunch as he has to work overtime. Why don''t you stay? It''s almost lunchtime anyway." Luca asked her to stay. She was not being polite. Luca just thought that if she did not ask Tina to have a mealter, in her current condition, Tina might just skip the meal and sit in a daze after she returned home. It was because of her that Tina met Amur. She felt like she had to do something considering how the situation turned out. She would not be able to get over it if she did not at least try. "Uh..." "I''ll take that as a yes. I''ll go tell Aunt Neile." Luca stood up, walked to the kitchen, and asked Aunt Neile to prepare extra food. Luca came out only after Aunt Neile agreed to her request. Tina looked at her with a helpless expression. "Since you''re already here, don''t be embarrassed. If I hadn''t caught a cold, I would have cooked for you myself. I remember that you enjoy my cooking," Luca said. "Mm, your cooking is delicious." Tina nodded and admitted. She suddenly remembered that Amur had told her that Luca''s cooking was delicious. He liked her cooking so much but he had the heart to go back to Russia... ¡®Doesn''t that mean he won''t be able to eat her food anymore?'' Chapter 2284 Tina could not help butin in her heart that men were truly cruel creatures. They could just leave without any hesitation. The more they showed their love for a city, the more heartless they were when they had to leave. Tina''s eyes teared a little when she thought of what Amur had said about A City. Her infatuation was only from her first impression of him when he saved her. It was only after that she got to know him that she realized how well their values aligned. That was when she fell in love with that handsome face. In the end, it was just her alone who was hurting. Oh, the irony... Tina thought about Amur and was in a trance as she took a sip of coffee. Coffee without a little sugar was bitter, but it was nothingpared to the bitterness she felt in her heart... She was bitter about not having the chance to express her love. "Tina?" Luca was worried when she saw her drinking her coffee in a trance. Tina snapped out of it and forced a smile. "Dr. Craw, what''s wrong?" "Are you okay?" Luca asked softly. "I''m fine. Nothing to worry about." Tina smiled and shook her head. "You know that I''m optimistic. These negative emotions will soon pass. There''ll be nothing left but a tiny sense of regret." Luca was stunned. If others had any regrets, they could solve the problem with a phone call. However, she could not even call Amur to talk about her regrets because Amur had already returned to the Ind of Despair, where they were not allowed to bring cell phones. She could not contact Amur and could only wait for Amur to contact her. "Dr. Craw, I''m fine..." Tina could not stand the pity in Luca''s eyes, so she quickly stood up and took a deep breath as she paced around. "How can a rtionship that hasn''t even started hurt me? No one will believe it. Don''t you think so?" "Maybe..." Luca shook her head. She had used such methods to numb her feelings. It still did not relieve her pain effectively. Tina left in a hurry after lunch. Luca had a cold and did not want to risk it getting worse, so Aunt Neile sent Tina off. Tommy looked at Luca and asked softly, "Ms. Luca, why does Aunt Tina look so unhappy?" "Yeah..." Luca smiled helplessly. Even the child could see that Tina''s happiness was a mask that hid her true feelings. "Why is she upset? Also, why does she force herself tough when she''s upset? I pout when I''m upset..." Tommy asked another series of questions. Luca did not know how to exin Tina''s situation to him. ''They love each other but can''t be together... Or does she regret not being able to express her love?'' Nevertheless, the kids would not understand. Lanie noticed that she seemed distressed, so he stepped in and said, "Not only do you like to pout, but you''re a little crybaby as well." "I''m not! I just pout. The TV told me that a man should never shed his tears. Why would I cry?" Tommy was distracted by Lanie and waved his hand in protest. "You''re the biggest crybaby in this home." Lanie''s tease sessfully diverted Tommy''s attention. Aunt Neile returned from outside the house. She could not help but rub her hands because of the cold weather. "It''s almost New Year''s. The weather is getting colder and colder." "Yeah, the weather is the coldest during New Year''s," Luca agreed. "Ms. Craw, are you going to prepare New Year''s goods?" Aunt Neile asked. In two weeks, it would be New Year''s Eve. Luca was stunned. ''New Year''s goods?'' The madam of the family was usually the one who purchased New Year''s goods. She was not the madam, so she said, "You should ask Mr. Crawford about this. He should know a little better than me since I''ve been abroad. We celebrate New Year''s differently than in Russia." Aunt Neile nodded and said nothing more. After lunch, Luca took another round of medicine under Tommy''s watchful eyes. She felt drowsy almost immediately and kept yawning. She was even tearing a little. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "Ms. Luca, go take a nap if you''re sleepy," Rainie, who was sitting on the other sofa, said. "What about you?" Luca looked at Rainie. Lanie and Tommy went back upstairs to read after lunch, leaving Rainie alone in the living room with her. "Lanie and Tommy are both reading. They''ll go take a nap if they''re tired," Rainie said. Although she also liked to read, she was not as addicted to reading as Lanie. "Okay, let''s go take a nap, then." Luca stood up and walked up the stairs. Rainie followed behind her, and they slowly walked up to the second floor. Luca did not head to her bedroom immediately. Instead, she walked to Lanie''s bedroom, knocked on the door, looked at the two children who were seriously reading books, and reminded them, "It''s nap time. Take a break from reading and go to sleep. Give your eyes a rest." "Okay, Ms. Luca." Lanie put away his book obediently. Tommy followed suit and looked at Luca. "Ms. Luca, can I take a nap here with Lanie?" "Of course. Make sure you''re tucked in tight so you don''t catch a cold." After Luca finished speaking, she watched as the kids climbed into the bed. They tucked themselves in after theyid down. Luca smiled, closed the door for them, and looked at Rainie, who was standing not far away. She intended to keep a distance from the children so she did not think too much of it. She said, "Rainie, you should also take your nap." "Okay, Ms. Luca." Rainie walked back to her bedroom and closed the door. Luca let out a sigh of relief and went to her bedroom. After she caught a cold and fever, she felt that her strength had yet to recover. It seemed like a minor illness could also seriously affect various mechanisms of her body. Luca slept for almost an afternoon. When she woke up, she nced at the time with a nk expression. She thought that it was a short nap but saw that it was already past four o''clock in the afternoon when she fixed her eyes on the time on the phone. There were even unread messages. Luca hurriedly opened them. They were both from Luke. He was checking in on her. Luca replied to him. [I''m fine. I took some medicine and slept until now...] [Mm, I see.] Luke replied almost in seconds. Luca did not know what to reply to him. After all, it was not suitable for her to bring up topics that were too intimate. She put down the phone, put her hands under her chin, and stared at the snow outside the window in a daze. She thought of what Aunt Neile said about getting some goods to prepare for New Year''s. In the previous years, she used to take the kids to the department store to buy new clothes and ask Luke to apany her to buy some goods. To save Luke''s time, she would always prepare a list and buy everything all at once so that Luke had more time to deal with work. Chapter 2285 At that time, although there was a maid at home, she insisted on being hands-on during the festivities. She had not celebrated New Year''s since she was kidnapped to the Ind of Despair. As such, she was taken back when Aunt Neile asked her if she wanted to go get some New Year''s goods. She had almost forgotten about New Year''s after three years. Moreover, she had nothing to do with getting the New Year''s goods ready. After all, it was not her ce to do so. Luca got up and went downstairs. The children had already gotten up and were ying with each other. When he saw here downstairs, Tommy wanted to rush to her side but thought of her warning, so he could only stand there and say, "Ms. Luca, you''re awake!" "Mm, are you ying games?" Luca nced at the toys they were ying with. They were the educational toys gifted by Old Master Crawford. They were helpful for the children''s intellectual development. "Yeah, we didn''t y with them when the Great-grandpa got it for us, so we thought of ying with them for a bit. This is a four-yer game, so Lanie is ying for two yers," Rainie said with a smile. A four-yer game...'' If N were here, she would be able to y the game with them. She would even be a little rascal and ask her brothers and sisters to y nice. Luca''s mood turned gloomy when she thought of Little N. She was fortunate that Amur was now back on the Ind of Despair, so there was one more person to help him take care of her. Aunt Neile came out, saw that Luca had woken up, and said with a smile on her face, "Ms. Craw, you''re finally up." "Mm, the side effects of the drug are a little strong, so I slept for longer," Luca replied with a smile. "Yeah, you were asleep for too long and didn''t reply Mr. Crawford. He got worried and asked me to check on you to see if you were feeling unwell," Aunt Neile replied. Luke did not hear back from Luca, so he called Aunt Neile to check up on her. Aunt Neile went up to check in on her three times in the few short hours. "You went into the bedroom?" Luca was surprised that she did not notice. She had always been a light sleeper, but she was not at all aware that Aunt Neile came in. "Yeah, you were sound asleep, so you didn''t notice that I went. I even took your temperature. Your body temperature was normal and you were sleeping soundly, so I didn''t bother you," Aunt Neile said. She took Luca''s temperature under Luke''s orders. However, Luca did not wake up. "It may be because of the medicine that I was dead asleep," Luca said. She did not expect three cold medicines to make her fall asleep for so long. It seemed to be more powerful than her sleeping pills. However, she believed that there was nothing better than her sleeping pills. The only reason that she was in deep sleep was that Luke''s scent was still in the bedroom. She felt at ease breathing in his scent, so she slept more soundly. "You''ve been working too hard. It''s good that you paid off some sleep debt," Aunt Neile said as she ced the afternoon tea in her hand. "Ms. Craw, let''s have afternoon tea first. After all, dinner will take ce two hourster." Luke would be back for dinner, so they all had to wait for him toe back before they could eat. "Thank you." Luca took a bite of the snack. It was sweet, soft, and delicious. "By the way, did you reply to Mr. Crawford''s message? He said you never replied to him," Aunt Neile asked. "I''ve already replied to him. I didn''t pay attention when the phone rang because I was sleeping so..." Luca exined. She walked away with the snacks in her hands. "Is that so? Mr. Crawford cares deeply about you." Aunt Neile smiled and said. Luca bows her head slightly. ¡®Yeah, Luke cares about me.'' Nevertheless, now that she had changed her identity, there was no way that she could repay his kindness. ... T Corporation. Jason walked into Luke''s office and reported, "Boss, Mr. Mallory is here." "Let him in." Luke closed the file he was attending to. Jason smiled and looked at Percy, who was behind him. "Mr. Mallory,e with me." "There''s so many SOPs here. I''m already in front of the door. Why do you need to let him know that I''m here? You''re afraid that your boss will me you for not performing as per expectations? You have nothing to worry about. You''re wee in Mallory Corporation anytime." Percy smiled at Jason. They went to college together. Jason had always been impressive. Originally, he wanted to recruit Jason to Mallory Corporation after they graduated. He was surprised that Jason wanted to take up the challenge and choose to work under Luke in T Corporation. "Mr. Mallory, don''t you have something to discuss with the boss?" Jason did not answer him straight. Although he knew Percy was joking, he was still at work, after all. "You''re getting more and more old-fashioned after spending time with Luke." Percy shook his head at him. "I''ll have a chat with him. Let''s have a drink together when we''re free." "Mr. Mallory, the boss is waiting for you inside." Jason raised a smile and repeated the same sentence. It seemed that Percy wanted him to be out of a job and go to work at Mallory Corporation. However, he was not at all interested. After all, although Percy was in power at the Mallory Corporation, there was Pierre, who had the ambition of a wolf. Since Percy insisted on being with Nina, his path as the future heir would be difficult. Percy walked into Luke''s office smiling. "Are you here to talk to me or are you here to poach my employees?" Luke said to Percy as he raised his hand to signal Jason to close the door. Jason nodded and closed the door. "I wanted to, but he''s not interested. If I could have him, it would''ve happened long ago." Percy sat lazily on the chair. "What do you want to talk about face-to-face?" Luke asked. "Okay, I''ll get straight to the point. I need your and Jim''s help," Percy said. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Luke raised his eyebrows and replied, "What do you need help with?" "Recently, I found out that someone has been secretly buying Mallory Corporation''s shares. I think Pierre is behind it," Percy said. When they tracked the ount, they found that the ount holder was not Pierre. Nevertheless, it was easy for him to use someone else''s ount to buy shares of Mallory Corporation. "Is he conspiring to usurp the throne?" Luke was sure of the answer but still asked. The rtionship between Percy and Pierre was no more. Pierre must be secretly doing that to win the right to speak in Mallory Corporation. Whoever owned more shares was eligible to overturn the other party''s right to speak in Mallory Corporation. "What an unfilial brother." Percy was still in the mood to joke around. "If he has the ability, I''m more than happy to give thepany to him. It''s a pity that he can''t handle the weight on his shoulder." Based on what Pierre has done recently, anyone with a bit ofmon sense would see that Pierre could not run thepany. He had always been an executor, but the difference in ability was clear when he suddenly became the decision maker. Although hispany seemed like it was doing fine, it was only because he was dumping tons of money into it to put out fires. Chapter 2286 Percy knew that Pierre would no longer be able to sustain hispany if his cash flow was removed. Luke''s gaze deepened. He knew that Pierre was not as capable as Percy when it came to managing a company. "Where did his moneye from?" He was aware of Pierre''spany''s current situation, so he wondered where Pierre got so much money to acquire the shares. "There are many in the Mallory family who are helping him right now," Percy said in a calm tone. "Old Master Mallory, as well as my mother and father, are probably providing him with funds to buy the shares." The entire Mallory family was supporting Pierre because of the choice that Percy made. On top of some rtives of his, Old Master Mallory, Madam Mallory, and the others were silently providing funds to Pierre. They could not take thepany back from Percy and hand it over to Pierre. It would cause a lot of public opinion and would be detrimental to thepany''s development. As such, they supported Pierre and wanted him to take over Mallory Corporation in the right way. "You''re sidelined," Luke said. The Mallory family was much simpler than the Crawford family. At least Percy''s father did not invite a few morepetitors for the family fortune. Percy and Pierre were brothers from the same mother and father. In theory, that kind of power struggle should not happen. However, it was what it was. The reason they wanted him out was that Percy had chosen a woman he loved to be with for the rest of his life. Pierre was still interested in her. He went from helping her at the beginning to bing what they were now. The two brothers, although they had not had any direct confrontations, were already not seeing eye to eye behind the scenes. "That''s why I need foreign aid." Percy crossed his arms around his chest and looked at the man in front of him. "Actually, I''m happy to fight with him if he has the capability to take over Mallory Corporation, but I won''t let him get it from me so easily." He did not care about Mallory Corporation. Since everyone in the Mallory family was in favor of allowing Pierre to bring down thepany, he was fine with it as well. Percy knew that his abilities were not reflected by his ownership of Mallory Corporation. As long as Luke and Jim agreed to help, even if everyone from the Mallory family helped Pierre, he would not lose easily. Even if he lost, he would not make it easy for Pierre to get what he wanted. "With your attitude, you''re not afraid that Mallory Corporation will eventually fall into his hands and you''ll have no money?" Luke could not help but tease him. As Percy had a stake in Mallory Corporation, he would still get arge sum of dividends even if he did not have decision-making power. Of course, that was under the premise that Mallory Corporation was operating under the leadership of Percy. The dividends were considerable, so many people were scrambling for them. They wanted to get the shares of Mallory Corporation to get a piece of the pie. However, if the person making the business decisions was Pierre... If thepany was run down to the ground by Pierre, his shares would turn into waste paper. "If he can do it, I''ll either sell my shares to start a business, or I''ll find a job at T Corporation. I''m capable, right? I''m definitely better than Jason. You can let Jason be my subordinate and I''ll be your subordinate," Percy joked. He did not care much about the future of Mallory Corporation. All he cared about was Nina. If the price of getting Mallory Corporation was to give up Nina, he would never agree to it. In the past, Percy did not understand how one could fall head over heels for someone, but now, he did. Even if the ss of wine that Nina handed to him was poisoned, he would drink it unequivocally. "T Corporation is too small of a pond for you. Tell me, how can I help?" Luke took a sip of his coffee and looked at Percy''s unconcerned attitude. It was as if Percy was not under any pressure. "I need to open a few stock ounts in your name. They''re buying shares. I can too, but I can''t buy them in person," Percy said. He did not want to fight against them in person yet. "You want me to get the shares?" Luke raised an eyebrow. "You can transfer them to me or keep them for yourself. It doesn''t matter." Percy nodded. His main priority was to gather more stocks. He wanted the Mallory Corporation''s shares to be owned by him or someone he trusted. Someone like Luke was perfect. That was because he would never work with Pierre. "You''re quite smart. I have an investment ount. I''ll buy the shares for you. Whenever you need them, let me know. I''ll transfer as many as I have." Luke agreed. He was not short of money and was more than happy to do this favor for Percy. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Moreover, he also wanted to dim Pierre''s spirit. "Easy! What a great friend you are." Percy smacked the table and smiled. "Are you still going to ask Jim for help?" Luke asked. "Yeah." Percy nodded and responded, "He''s in the office today. I''m going to visit himter at night." "Ask him out for drinks tonight," Luke said. He also happened to have something to ask Jim for help. Percy frowned. "He''s enjoying his family life and is happy. Will he say yes to drinks?" "I also want to ask him for help with something. Tell him that this is about the suburban development project and ask him if he''s interested," Luke said. He believed Jim would be interested in having his entertainment facilities in the suburban development project. Even if he was enjoying family life, his wife and children had to eat. "Okay, I''ll make an appointment with him." Percy took out his phone and opted to text Jim instead of making a call. Luke also took out his phone to text Luca, telling her that he had something on for tonight and would not be back for dinner. Luca replied quickly: [Okay.] There were no sweet nothings between them. In the past, when he was going to events on his own, Luca would always tell him to drink less and not drive after drinking. However, all he could get now was one simple word¡ªokay. Luke frowned. "We''re on for tonight. He''s interested, and I told him to meet us at our usual spot at seven o''clock," Percy said. He saw that Luke was frowning when he looked up. He guessed that the reason someone like Luke, who always had a stern expression, would frown was not because of work. "What''s the matter? Haven''t got Dr. Craw yet?" Percy could not help but tease him. Luke gave him a cold stare and replied, "You''re not doing much better." "I''m doing much better than you. At least I can tell Nina sweet nothings every day and we can love each other loud and proud. You have to work harder." Percy deliberately triggered him. Although his rtionship with Nina has not been approved by the family, their current situation was indeed better than Luke''s. "You''re so long-winded." Luke put his phone down and said, "Aren''t you leaving?" "Nah, you''re going to get off work soon, right? It''s closer to go from here. Let''s head there together. It''ll save me some time." Percy shook his head and looked at Luke jokingly. "How''s it going? Haven''t your men found out more about the situation?" Chapter 2287 "It''s not that easy to find out more about the situation. Our best entry point is Pierre," Luke said. However, Pierre wanted nothing to do with him. He would not tell him anything about the Ind of Despair. "I can''t help in this matter although he''s my younger brother," Percy said helplessly. Pierre''s whereabouts were erratic. Percy had not paid attention to the people he knew and what he was doing. After all, Pierre''s rebelliousness was not obvious at that time. "He''s your brother but even you don''t know. It''s making it more difficult for me to investigate," Luke said. All he knew now was that Luca was being controlled by someone from the Ind of Despair. However, he had no idea where the base of the Ind of Despair was. The fake Bianca did not leave any useful clues before she died from the poison. The earth was huge. He was not sure where to even start. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "Don''t worry. At least Luca is by your side now. There''s still time." Percy did not know what to say, so he could onlyfort Luke. Luke frowned. ''Do we have time? ''No, we don''t have much time.'' He felt that their progress was far from enough. He could only save Luca from the hell she was in if he could get rid of the control of the Ind of Despair. As such, he needed to hurry up. "Let''s go." Seeing that it was almost time, Luke turned off hisputer and stuffed some documents into the briefcase. "Okay." Percy stood upzily. The two walked out of the office. Luke went to Jason''s office. "Boss, what can I help you with?" Jason saw him and stood up. "Let''s go for a drink." Luke invited Jason. Jason nced at Percy and guessed that they were going for a drink together. He wanted to go home to apany Sue and the kids, so he said, "Boss, you need me for drinks too?" "Of course." Luke nodded and presented himself as though Jason could not refuse him. "Okay, give me a second." Jason could only agree. Percy leaned on the door frame, watched Jason''s neat movement of packing up the documents, and said, "How can you be like this? You want to drink but insist on bringing Mr. Doyle with you. It''s obviously because you can''t go home and hug your beauty so you want Mr. Doyle to be in the same situation." "You talk too much." Luke rolled his eyes at Percy. Jason knew about what Matysh was up to and was fully involved with the suburban development project, which was why Luke asked him along. "I''m happy." Percy was not a talkative person, but he started sharing more after he met Nina. After Jason packed up his stuff, he went to Bibbler''s Tale with Luke and Percy. Jim had not arrived yet. When he arrived, Percy had already booked a VIP private room. It was the one they often used for gatherings. When the floor manager saw them, his eyes lit up and he took them to the reserved private room. Percy frowned and said, "Is this the private room I booked?" "Yes, Mr. Mallory." The floor manager''s smile stiffened. "You think we''re a fool just because we haven''t been here for a while?" Percy frowned. "The private room I booked with your manager is the VIP room, the same room that we''ve always booked before. Is this the VIP Room?" They were not dead set on the VIP room. However, when they were making the booking, the manager mentioned that the VIP room was avable, which was why they ended up booking that room. As such, he was a little dissatisfied when he was treated like a fool and taken to another private room by the floor manager. Seeing this, the floor manager quickly exined, "Mr. Mallory, I''m sorry. It''s an honest mistake on our part..." "..." Percy looked at him. The floor manager felt pressured and continued talking, "We''ve reserved the VIP room for you, but the other Mr. Mallory showed up. He asked for the VIP room, so our staff thought that you came together and gave him the room." "The other Mr. Mallory?" Percy frowned. "It''s your younger brother, Mr. Pierre," the floor manager said. All the servers knew that they were brothers, which was why they gave him the room without questioning it when Pierre insisted that he wanted the VIP room as he had brought his friends over. It was only after chatting for a bit that they realized he did note with Percy. They knew they had made a mistake, but the issue was that Pierre insisted on getting the VIP room. If they refused to give it to him, he threatened to demolish their establishment. "We''ll take this room." Luke was not bothered with making a scene. The floor manager breathed a sigh of relief. It was the best-case scenario if they were fine with the arrangement. After all, they were not the same group. He could not make them crowd together. "Okay,e with me, please," he said. They had a room for them and even gave them a fruit bowl. "Mr. Crawford, Mr. Mallory, Mr. Doyle, it''s our fault, so we prepared some drinks and fruits for you. Please enjoy yourselves." the floor manager said. Percy nced at what they had prepared. The things were not cheap. Nevertheless, he and Luke were not at all interested. "Take them out," he said. "These are given to you for free. Please consider it as our apology." The floor manager was stunned. He stressed that no payment was expected of them. "We don''t drink such cheap alcohol. Remove these as well. Bring all the bottles I have stored here," Percy said. When the floor manager heard this, he asked the server to take away all the drinks and food they had prepared for them. Percy was upset. He sat on the sofa and said to Luke, "Let''s finish all the bottles we have here and go to Alumbra from now on." Alumbra was an up-anding upscale nightclub. "As you wish," Luke said. Since he found out that Luca was Bianca, he once again had something dependable in his life. Hence, he did not enjoy nightclubs and bars very much. He would sometimes go to these kinds of ces just for work. He heard that Alumbra was good, so it was the same wherever he went. The floor manager stood by and served them. His heart tightened as he had heard every one of Percy''s words clearly. He did not expect that one mistake would cost the establishment big shots like Luke and Percy. The floor manager quickly stepped forward and said enthusiastically, "Mr. Mallory, Mr. Crawford, some time ago, our bar imported a batch of wines from some French estates. They''re of good quality. I can open a bottle for you to taste. " "No need." Percy''s tone was cold. Luke did not respond either. The floor manager got nervous and said quickly, "Are you sure you don''t want to give it a go? Don''t you like to store wine here? The quality of this batch of wine is wonderful. I highly rmend it." The waiter came in with several bottles of booze that Percy had kept here and put them on the table. "Mr. Mallory, do you want to open all of them?" "No need. Bring in three A-meals and some snacks." Percy looked at the table full of booze. He did not remember storing so many bottles there. Chapter 2288 "Alright, one moment, please." The waiter who brought in the wine went back out to prepare the A- meals and snacks. Meanwhile, the floor manager was at a loss on how to salvage the situation with a long face. What else could he do if Percy refused to have any of the food and beverages he served? It was not like he could vacate the room for them by chasing Percy out while he was in the middle of drinking. The waiter served all the food Percy wanted in swift motions. "Alright, you can all go out now." Percy made a gesture, indicating that their service was no longer needed here. "Mr. Mallory." The floor manager had something to say. "Get out," Percy ordered once again with an annoyed expression. The floor manager had no choice but to follow the waiter out of the private room. Jason frowned at the sight of the amount of alcohol. "Mr. Mallory, will you be able to finish this much wine?" "Who said anything about finishing everything? I''ll open one bottle at a time, and I''ll just bring the leftovers back home if I can''t finish everything. I have no intention ofing back to Bibbler''s Tale anyway," said Percy. Whenever a new batch of high-quality wine was brought into Bibbler''s Tale, he was the first to be informed. Hence, he had bought all these wines beforehand and stored them here. Not only did wine storagee with charges of its own, but the cost of all this wine was expensive too. Percy had no intention of letting them off lightly as he was dissatisfied with the service here. Jason did not want to drink on an empty stomach, so he picked up the A-meal and started eating. "Mr. Mallory, I know they''re at fault, but I don''t think it''s necessary..." He noticed that the floor manager had hung his head low and looked as though he was about to cry just now. "You might not know this, but Mr. Mallory is not someone to be trifled with." Luke picked up another A- meal too. Bianca used to urge him to eat something before drinking so that he would not drink on an empty stomach. Although Luca would not say anything if she found out he did it again, she would still be angry at him. "Nonsense." The reason why Percy was upset was that the private room he had reserved was given to Pierre. He was not one to be petty, but he could not help it when it came to his brother as he hated his guts. The door of the private room was pushed open, and Jim walked in. He looked at the three people eating and asked, ¡°Why are you in this room? Aren''t you supposed to be in the VIP private room?" When the waiter brought him to this room, he thought that they had made a mistake. Moreover, the waiter had even confirmed with him whether he was going to Percy''s or Pierre''s room. He said Percy''s name confusedly. Jim noticed that Percy was not looking too good, so he said with a smile, "Mr. Holston, someone took away the private room that Mr. Mallory booked." "Are you for real?" Jimughed. Who in A City would dare disrespect Percy? "That''s enough. Don''t bring it up anymore. We can talk about other things." Percy looked mad. "Who did it?" asked Jim as if he did not hear a word Percy said. "Pierre," Jason said in a softer voice. Although the loud music in the room could drown out all the other soft noises, Jim could still read his lips. "Him? No wonder the waiter asked me if it was Pierre or Percy." Jim sat on the couch and teased Percy, "Haven''t you been tolerating your brother all this while? Are you not able to tolerate him any longer?" "Tolerate? It''s the waiter who made a mistake," Percy said with a frown. "They didn''t do it on purpose." Jim understood how he felt. In the past, whenever Pierre was mentioned, everyone would be reminded that he had Percy behind him. "Enough. Have you eaten? Should I order some food for you too?" Percy asked. "No, thanks. I had dinner at home beforeing here. Home-cooked food is always the best," Jim bragged on purpose. "You sound as if we don''t have home-cooked meals too," Percy muttered. He came out with Luke, so he did not go home for dinner. "Does Nina know how to cook?" Jim asked as Nina''s cooking had left asting impression on him. When he brought Scarlett and Simon to Percy''s house as guests, the maid just so happened to be on leave, so Nina had to prepare lunch on a whim. In the end, they had to order takeout. "Not being able to cook doesn''t mean I can''t eat home-cooked meals. I can go to your ce or Luke''s ce. His woman''s cooking is delicious too," Percy said like a rascal. "If he doesn''t chase you out, that is." Jim nced at the wine on the table and said with a frown, "Why did you order so much wine? Are you having trouble with your love life?" "Bah, watch your mouth! These are the wines I stored here. I''ll take them away if I can''t finish them, so just open up whichever bottle you''d like to drink." Percy was being generous. "Well, don''t mind if I do," said Jim. Scarlett did not like it when he drank, so he would usually stay away from it unless necessary. However, which man did not enjoy drinking? He even informed Scarlett of the name of the bar on purpose. He only came after she agreed. Otherwise, he would have to talk to them while drinking something else. Jim chose a foreign wine and picked up the wine opener, but he could not get it to open. Percy said, ¡°This wine requires them to use a professional wine opener. Let them do it." ¡°I''ll go out," said Jim as he stood up and walked out with the wine bottle. Percy looked at him walking away and muttered, ¡°Married men are indeed different. He was even going to open the wine bottle himself." Jim turned around to make a gesture at him, then he walked out of the private room. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only There was no waiter standing at the door, so he had to walk farther away. He decided to ask the bartender at the bar to open it for him. After the bartender helped him, Jim noticed Jean walking into the VIP private room while he was on his way back. He was somewhat aware of the things Jean had done to Nina. Now, he knew that Pierre was in the VIP private room. He raised his eyebrows and walked back to their room. ¡°Is it open?" Percy asked as he was almost done with his meal. ¡°It''s open, and I just saw that brother-inw of yours outside, Jean," said Jim while he gathered four wine sses to pour the wine. "Jean? Are you sure you''re not mistaken? How could he spend money here?" Percy frowned. ¡°He doesn''t have the money to spend here, but he entered the VIP private room, and..." Jim paused for a moment as he recalled. Then, he said, ¡°The way he''s dressed is different from before as if he''s gotten rich. It can''t be that your brother is cooking up a scheme to get your woman again, right?" ¡°I won''t let him get away with it," said Percy as he picked up a ss of wine and took a sip. ¡°I remember seeing him wear a thousand-dor watch. Could it be that he has really gotten rich?" Jim knew little about Jean''s situation, but how could someone who lived off his parents wear a thousand- dor watch? Chapter 2289 ¡°Mr. Holston, you''re quite observant," Jason mocked him before the other two said anything. ¡°I was just looking out for Mr. Mallory by spying on them," Jim said joyfully. "You could recognize a thousand-dor watch? Has your taste in fashion downgraded after getting married?" Percy seized the opportunity and dealt him a mighty blow to get revenge on him for making fun of Nina for not being able to cook. Even if Nina did not know how to cook, she was still the best. They could just leave the cooking to the maid. As long as she stayed by his side, that would be way better than mastering any skill. "The year is ending soon, so I did my research because of employee benefits." Jim noticed his uninterested expression and asked, "Are you really not going over there to take a look?" "After what happened between him and Pierre, there''s no way he would go over there." Luke picked up his wine ss and slowly swirled it unlike the other two who downed theirs. Percy took a sip of wine and rolled his eyes at Luke. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Why was he such a bbermouth? "Did you two really cut ties?" Jim did not know much about it as all his attention was focused on Scarlett. "Sort of, which is why I called you here today to ask you a favor," Percy said bluntly. "What favor?" Jim turned serious as Percy was not one to ask someone else for help easily. If those words came out of his mouth, it must be a very serious situation. "I need your investment ount to purchase the rest of Mallory Corporation''s odd lots circting in the stock market. Pierre is also doing the same right now, and if he ends up with more shares than me, there''ll be a change of hands in Mallory Corporation." "That''s it? I''d still help you even if you told me this over the phone. No problem. You have my word." Jim agreed immediately without asking about the reasoning behind it. When the time came, it did not matter whether Percy wanted to take back the shares or let him keep them. As long as Percy was in charge of Mallory Corporation, a huge crisis would not ur. hence, it would not be a big deal even if Percy decided not to take the shares back as there would be continuous dividends anyway. "Thank you." Percy expressed his gratitude. ¡°Mr. Mallory, I want to be a minor shareholder of Mallory Corporation too," said Jason all of a sudden as he had always made investments. He obtained a lot of information from following Luke around, so he would know about the market dynamics way earlier than others, which was why he had excellent timing in buying stocks. Over the years, he had earned a hefty sum from his investments. "Sure, you can buy some shares with your boss and Jim." Percy did not care who bought those shares as long as they were in the hands of people he knew and trusted. "But do you have a chance of winning? If the Mallory family decides to support Pierre, it won''t work even if we''ve purchased the majority of the shares. Old Master Mallory and your parent''s shares combined will definitely surpass yours." "As of right now, they''re just temporarily providing Pierre financial support. It''s not yet clear whether they''ll support him with the shares in their hands. It''s only a test, and if he passes, I''ll need to give up Mallory Corporation; but if Pierre fails the test, Mallory Corporation will still be in my hands." Percy understood the consequences. Although Old Master Mallory was against his rtionship with Nina, he did not act rashly by using his power to support Pierre. Besides, Mallory Corporation was a big deal. If it fell into the hands of someone ipetent, the consequences would be disastrous. Percy wanted Old Master Mallory to realize that even if he yed dirty and the entire Mallory family was on Percy''s side, he would never be able to get more shares. "It seems like Old Master Mallory hasn''tpletely lost his senses. He''s still very shrewd," Jim praised him. If Old Master Mallory was not shrewd, he would have just handed thepany over to Pierre. He would not need to go through all of this. "He''s the founder of Mallory Corporation, so of course, he won''t take such big risks," said Percy. Old Master Mallory had gone through blood, sweat, and tears to establish Mallory Corporation, so he would not let it fall that easily. Even though he had been abdicated, he still followed Mallory Corporation''s status closely. If Percy had done a bad job in operating thepany in the early years, thepany would have been in Pierre''s hands right now. Likewise, if Pierre did a bad job, Old Master Mallory would run it himself. Therefore, in Old Master Mallory''s eyes, Mallory Corporation was as precious as life itself. "I look forward to cooperating with you all." Jim raised his ss. The remaining three raised their sses to clink them too. Luke added, "Jim, I have something to tell you too." "Is it about Peace Valley Vi?" Jim guessed it at once. "Yup." Luke nodded. He had told Jim to inform him immediately if Matysh were to check out of his room there. "What about it?" Jim asked. "I want to know who he met at the vi," said Luke as this was not a difficult task for Jim. "That''s not too hard. It just involves breaching the privacy of the guests, so you owe me one after this," Jim said jokingly, when in fact, they would help each other whenever anyone was in trouble. Their rtionship was much better than superficial friends. "Sure," said Luke. It did not matter how deeply indebted he was to others, as long as Luca was safe. "Cheers to that, and you have to finish this ss." Jim filled Luke''s ss to the brim. "No problem." After clinking sses, Luke downed his entire ss. Percy lit a cigarette and held it in his hand without smoking it. "Now that we''re done talking about this, let''s talk business." Luke and Jim looked at him at the same time. "Mr. Mallory must be talking about the development in the suburbs." Jason understood right away. After being by Luke''s side for so long, he could roughly guess what these big bosses were going to say next. "Only you get me. Are you really not going to considering over to Mallory Corporation?" Percy grinned. "Mr. Mallory, I think it''s better for me to stay out of yourpany''s conflict." Jason rejected him outright. "I guarantee that you won''t lose your job. I''ll have more confidence to win if you''re here," said Percy. "Don''t you mess with my people," warned Luke as he swirled his winess. He was deep in thought. He was not thinking about the development of the suburbs but Luca. "Luca is your person, and Jason is Ms. Carter''s person," Percy said deliberately. Luke rolled his eyes at him. Jim brought the conversation back to the main topic. "Has the development of the suburbs been decided for real this time?" "It''s been decided that an announcement will be made after the new year, and it''ll be done through bidding," said Luke. If the word came from Jack himself, then it could be confirmed that the development would indeed be carried out. Chapter 2290 ¡°If it''s not an internal decision, our chances of winning will be greater if we work together with the bidding. We have to secure the bid this time," said Jim after analyzing the situation. "When the detailed announcement is out, we need to have a meeting to discuss it, and if there are no problems, thepany will start working on the bidding document." Luke took a sip of wine. Once the three of theirpanies joined forces, got their quotations, and T Corporation put together a proposal, the other participatingpanies would not stand a chance against them, whether it be in terms of price or quality of the project. Moreover, the otherpanies would have greaterpetition in finding partneringpanies after the three of them joined forces. "Sure." Jim nodded as Luke would alwayse to him when hispany needed entertainment for his development projects. Vice versa, when he needed construction for his entertainment projects, he would also go to Luke''s company to conduct business. They drank for a while longer, and when it was time to go home, Percy had the waiters bring over a few bags to bring back the rest of the unopened wine. After paying the bill, they headed out. They had already called chauffeurs beforehand when they were in the room, and they were about to leave after they got to the door, but they saw Jean hugging a tree on the side of the road while throwing up. "Look at that guy." Jim patted Percy''s shoulder as he was the first to notice Jean. "Jean?" The street lights were very bright, so Percy recognized at first nce that the guy throwing up was Jean. "He''s vomiting so much. Just how much did he drink?" Percy could not help but wonder as a thug like Jean would definitely be good at drinking, so to be in this shape... "He''s even holding a wad of cash in his hands." Percy was not fond of Jean at all Without Jean, perhaps it would have been a lot easier for him and Nina. They fixed their eyes on Jean, who was holding onto the green tree with one hand and a wad of cash in the other. The wad of cash was estimated to be worth a couple of thousand dors. He was drinking with Pierre earlier, so it was very likely that Pierre gave the money to him. "Let''s go." Percy intended to ignore him as he was not finished with Pierre, so he did not want to meddle with other matters. "I''ll be going." After noticing that Percy did not say anything, Jim walked up to his car as he did not enjoy rubbernecking either. Then, he told the chauffeur his address and got into the backseat. Luke and Jason did the same and left respectively in their chauffeur''s cars. Percy returned to the car, and after the chauffeur confirmed the address with him, Percy slowly said, "Wait a moment." "Yes, sir." The chauffeur remained silent and waited in the driver''s seat. Percy looked out the window to observe Jean''s condition. After vomiting for quite a while, he stood up straight and leaned against the tree while looking halfdead. Percy still did not leave after that. The staff member who stood at the door walked over to hand him a towel and seemingly told him something. After Jean wiped his face with the towel, he just stood there with no intention of leaving. After waiting a while, Percy saw Pierree out and walk toward Jean. It seemed like they were talking about something. Percy was grim-faced as he watched Pierre smile and return to Bibbler''s Tale after he finished talking, whereas Jean left drunkenly. Although there was a distance between them, Percy could still tell that Jean left with a big smile on his face while gripping the cash in his hands like it was a treasure. "Let''s go." Percy withdrew his gaze and let the chauffeur driver away. "Yes, sir." The chauffeur drove away. After Luke returned to the mansion, the lights were still on in the garden and living room. The pale yellow light added a nice warm color to the nket of white snow. It also gave his heart a touch of warmth. Luke walked into the house and took off his coat. He then walked up to the second floor and took a shower in the other bedroom as he knew that Luca did not like the smell of alcohol. After taking a shower and changing into clean pajamas, he sniffed himself again. He made sure that he did not reek of alcohol before walking into Luca''s bedroom. Luca had already fallen asleep by now. Luke''s movements were light as he knew that she slept with the help of medication, so hey down on the bed as gently as possible. Then, he reached his hand out to wrap Luca around the waist. "You''re back..." Luca murmured. "I''m back. Go to sleep," Luke gently pressed against her face and whispered. He waited several seconds before confirming that Luca was asleep, but she was not in a deep sleep, so he leaned closer to say those words. He could not help but smile at how adorable she was. His warm breath exhaled on Luca''s face as she turned around to lie next to him face-to-face. Her unconscious approach made Luke pleasantly surprised, so he held her in his arms quietly as he listened to their heart beating in between each other. What a peaceful and beautiful night... On the other hand. Jean returned home in a drunken state. The living room lights were still on, and he made a face of disgust. Marie was still living at his ce. Ever since he made money, he had zero feelings for Marie, and he tried everything to chase her out. However, she kept pestering him by staying here. He was tired of her. He kicked the door open and staggered inside. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°You''re back." Marie stood up immediately, and in the next second, she looked at the money in his hands. "Where did you get so much money?" Marie said in surprise. There must be at least a couple thousand dors there, right? Did Jean not spend most of the money he got from betraying Nina already? Why was there still so much money left? "It''s none of your business. I earned this money myself. Why, do you want it?" Jean asked with a smile as he did not forget what Pierre said. He must not let anyone know about the money he gave him. "Can you give it to me?" Marie''s eyes opened wide with greed. She was penniless. If she had left Jean, she might have already starved to death on the streets. Besides, Jean was just using her as a punching bag. It was not just in bed as she had to endure beatings when he was in a bad mood too. The injuries on her body still hurt. "Are you dreaming? You should be thankful that I gave you a ce to sleep, yet you still dare ask me for money? If you want money, go ask that rich grandfather of yours. Oh yeah, you and your mother even stole a house from our family. How could you not have money?" "I really don''t have money!" Marie frowned. It was only the day before yesterday when she found out the reason why Jean got together with her again. It was for the money she took at that time. Chapter 2291 She had sold that house a long time ago, but the money was squandered before she was even put in jail. Hence, she had no money left at all. ¡°You don''t have money? Then shut up!" Jean bent down with a sinister look on his face and pped Marie''s face a few times with the cash in his hands. "In my house, I''m in charge. If you don''t have money, just shut the f*ck up!" His breath reeked of alcohol, and Marie looked at him full of hatred. "What''s with that look? Just looking at you makes me lose my appetite! If you don''t want to live here, get out. With that run-down body of yours, no one will take pity on you and give you a ce to live!" Jean showed no mercy as he pinched her chin forcefully. Instantly, Marie''s face was bruised by the pinch. "It hurts!" She was in so much pain that her tears started overflowing. Jean grunted and let go. He was put in a good mood again upon seeing the cash in his hand. "If you still want to live here, be more honest with me. For old times'' sake, I won''t let you starve to death." After saying those cruel words, Jean turned around and went back to his room. Marie massaged her chin in silence while tears streamed down her face and hatred filled her eyes. She hated Bianca, she hated Jean, and she hated it all! Jean had spent almost all the money he took from her, but he still had enough to splurge for quite some time now with the stack of money he got from who knew where! All he cared about was money, right? Then, she would turn him into a poor wretch! Marie sat on the sofa and looked at the clock hanging on the wall with dead eyes. After drinking, Jean would usually beat people up violently and go to sleep afterward. Not to mention, he was the type to sleep like a log. She waited until he had fallen into a deep sleep. The clock on the wall ticked away. After an hour, Marie slowly got up. Her legs were still sore, so she had to hold on to the furniture as she made her way to the room. Jean slept soundly after drinking wine. His snores were so loud that they even drowned out the sound of her walking in. The corners of Marie''s mouth curled up into an ominous smile. When she had money, Jean treated her like a treasure; now that she had no money, he treated her like dirt. She was going to give him a taste of his own medicine! Marie knew about Jean''s habit of tucking cash under his pillow when he was asleep so that he would wake up immediately if someone were to take his money. However, Jean was drunk at the moment and sleeping like a dead pig. The smile on Marie''s face grew wider and wider as she lifted the corner of the pillow with one hand. She reached under it with the other. She instantly pulled out the thick wad of money, and her heart started racing. She got it! Marie stuffed the money in her pocket. The wad of cash was so thick that it formed a bulge in her pocket. A dim light shone through the doorway, so she could see the room clearly. The money was already in her hands, yet Jean was still unconscious with his mouth wide open. Hatred shed through Marie''s eyes. If it were not for him, the rest of her life would not have been ruined. She was even naive enough to think that she would have a stable home this time. Who knew... Marie wanted to murder Jean! However, she could not do it as murdering was against thew. She did not want to go back to prison and suffer the consequences again. Marie squinted as she looked at the watch on his wrists. How eye-catching. She remembered that he bought this watch the day after he got the money from selling Nina''s information. Jean was just a poor loser, yet he splurged on a thousand-dor watch just to show off! Marie carefully undid the strap and took the watch with her. This watch could be sold for a lot of money too! After Marie got what she wanted, she looked contemptuously at Jean lying on the bed. He should be d that this was A City, a ce with a well-established legal system. Otherwise, he would have been dead by now. After feeling her bulging pocket, she turned to leave the room. She took out the suitcase she had packed two days ago from the storage room and walked out of Jean''s house. She had thought about leaving after being beaten two days ago, and she had packed her bags as well. However, she realized that she had no money, so she had nowhere to go at the time. However, she could finally leave now. Marie got a taxi by the road and had the driver bring her to the station so that Jean would not be able to find her. With this few thousand dors, she could live outside for a good while. It would not be toote toe back if she ran out of money, and she had a backup n if Jean were to ever ask her for money. Hence, she had nothing to be afraid of. It was the following day. After Jean woke up, he sat up and reached under his pillow only to find out that the money he put under the pillow was gone, along with his watch. ¡°Marie, you b*tch!" He stormed out of the room and realized that the house was empty. Even the lights fromst night were still on. At that moment, Jean panicked and fumbled around for his phone to call Marie''s hooligan friends one by one. After making a round of calls, all of them said that they had not seen Marie. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Marie had run away with his money! Jean rummaged through the house, yet there was no sign of Marie''s luggage, so he sat on the floor as he realized that she actually ran away with his money this time. He was penniless right now... Jean touched his famished stomach. He had too much fun yesterday, and drinking was the only thing on his mind. Hence, he ended up vomiting everything he ate along with the alcohol. He had nothing left on him, not even money to buy breakfast. Jean had no choice but to call Anna. "Mom, have you had breakfast yet?" Jean asked the person on the other end of the call. Anna sounded a little weak but still in good spirits. "I''ve had breakfast. Why?" "Mom, I don''t have any money for breakfast. Can you transfer some money to me?" asked Jean. If he had money, he would usually turn it into cash as he had offended too many people. He might get caught by someone anytime, so the money in his phone was not safe. "Why are you out of money again? Didn''t you say you had money a few days ago?" Anna''s tone changed when she heard Jean asking her for money. Nina had her money under tight regtion right now. Even the money in the hospital could not be taken out. Plus, all her previous savings had been given to Jean, so she had no money. "Won''t I eventually spend all my money? Quick, transfer me some money. I have no cash on hand right now and I''m starving," Jean urged. "I don''t have money in my card either. How about this? I still have a hundred dors of cash on me. You cane and get it," said Anna as she could not bear seeing her precious son go hungry. "Did Nina not give you any money? Why don''t you have money in your card?" Jean did not believe it. Even if Nina was ruthless to him, Anna was her mother, so Nina would never do the same to her. "That stupid girl just left me a bit of cash for food. How would I have any money in my card?" Anna gnashed her teeth in frustration as Nina did it on purpose. She would not be able to support Jean without money in her card. Chapter 2292 Jean did not likeing to the hospital because of the germs. If there was money in her card, it would be more convenient for her to give money to Jean. ¡°I don''t even have money for a taxi right now. Do you want me to walk to the hospital?" said Jean. Previously, when he ran out of money, he even sold his motorcycle. Now, he did not even have a way of getting around. "So what can you do? You can''t starve either. How about this? I''ll go ask that stupid girl for some money. Give me a moment," said Anna. "Okay, I''ll be waiting to hear from you." Jean hung up after that. Nina might not care if he were dead or alive, but there was no way she would ignore Anna. In the mansion. Nina was getting ready to go to work when she received a call from Anna. Nothing good came from Anna''s calls, so Nina sat in the car with a slight headache. She waited for the phone to ring several times before she answered it. "Yes?" "Add a few hundred dors to my card. I need to use it," Anna asked her for money directly without beating about the bush. "What do you need so much money for? I just transferred money to the hospital ount the other day." Nina frowned. A few hundred dors was not a lot of money, but giving it to Anna would be the same as giving it to Jean. She did not want to give her hard-earned money to Jean. "Why do you care? I said I need to use it, so give it to me. Everything in the hospital requires money." Anna was being rude. Nina frowned. Although Anna''s health had been in bad condition, she was already able to be discharged. The doctor said that her situation did not look too good, but if she just stayed at home to recuperate, took her medicine regrly, and went to the hospital for check-ups, there would not be too big of an issue. However, Anna was reluctant to be discharged from the hospital as she believed that her body was not in good shape to go home. Hence, she continued to stay in the hospital for several hundred dors a day. Whenever there was a minor problem, she would call the doctor and nurses. The treatment would cost another thousand. Basically, all the money she earned was spent on Anna. However, Anna still did not care about her. Instead, she asked her for more money. ¡°I don''t have any money. If the hospital needs to make a deduction for something, they''ll deduct it directly from the ount. Don''t think of lying to me. Did Jean ask you for money?" "So what if he did? He''s your brother. You taking care of your brother is the right thing to do!" Anna did not try to cover it up after she was exposed. Instead, she used her own logic to pressure Nina. Nina''s exasperation boiled over intoughter after Anna told her that it was the right thing to do. She gripped the steering wheel tightly. "It''s my obligation to support you, but it''s not my obligation to support Jean. He''s over 30 years old, yet he still needs to depend on someone else? Not only is he not taking care of you, he even asked you for money, but you''re still spoiling him? Make all the noise you want. I don''t have money anyway!" "You stupid girl, how could you say such outrageous things. He''s your brother, and I''m your mother!" Anna put her hand on her hips while her face turned red from anger. "I paid for your medical fees and hired a caregiver for you because you''re my mom, and I even spent money to make sure Jean is okay because he''s my brother, but what about you? The hospital said you can be discharged, but you insist on being hospitalized to make yourself at ease. He has hands and feet. He can earn a few thousand dors a month if he''s willing to work, but all he does is loaf about. Yet, you still want me to provide for him for the rest of his life? Dream on! I''ve warned you before. If you ever give me a hard time, I won''t care about either of you ever again!" Nina said with bloodshot eyes. She had met biased people before, but she had never met anyone as biased as Anna. "You damned girl! How dare you? If you don''t care about me, I''ll just jump off his hospital building and die," Anna threatened. "Jump, then. Jean can extort money from the hospital after you do that. He might evenugh at your funeral after getting that sum of money." Nina had be apathetic. If it were not for their blood rtion, she would have simply just ignored the pair of mother and son. She was a little envious of her father who had long foreseen this happening and was now living in a different city. "You... You!" Nina lowered her gaze and said, "By the way, you said that Jean has no money. But he''s wearing a thousand-dor watch. Plus, he got several thousand dors from Pierre in cash yesterday. He lied to you. No wonder he''s your son." After saying that, she hung up the phone. After Percy came back yesterday, he told her everything he saw at Bibbler''s Tale so that she would keep an eye out for Jean. Perhaps he might even help Pierre for money. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Percy had intended to arrange a designated driver for her who could also serve as a bodyguard so that she would be safer when going out. However, she refused. Although Jean was capable of betraying her for money, the chances of him doing so would note by often. As long as she was a little more careful, she would be fine. Anna listened to the busy tone on the other end of the call in dismay and hurriedly called Jean. "Mom, did you get the money?" Jean put his hands on his stomach as he was about to starve to death. ¡°You bastard, why did you tell me you have no money when you do? What are you going on about?" Anna started cursing at him after hearing his voice. She knew how Nina was. If she wanted to get more money from Nina, she would have toy low for the time being. If not for Jean who came crying and telling her he had no money, she had intended to call Nina a monthter. Perhaps when Nina was in a better mood, she would be able to get more money without even trying. Now, her n waspletely ruined by Jean. "Mom, who told you I had money? Would I still ask you if I had money?" Jean frowned in frustration. He had a headache and an upset stomach. All he wanted right now was something to eat to end his suffering. He had opened the refrigerator earlier, only to see that Marie did not even leave any food for him¡ªnot even a slice of bread. "Your sister said that you received money from Mr. Pierre yesterday and you''re even wearing a thousand-dor watch. How can you not have money?" Anna questioned. She was not asking Jean for money as Nina had taken care of everything in the hospital, so there was not much she needed to spend. "How does she know that?" Jean was dumbfounded. Pierre invited him to Bibbler''s Tale for a drink yesterday, and he even gave him some money, saying that they would be rtives in the future. He was not asked to do anything, yet he still got paid. Of course, Jean epted it as he was in a tight spot. Hepletely forgot the meaning of the phrase, ''no pain, no gain''. However, the people at Bibbler''s Tale all belonged to the upper ss, and Nina was not the type of person who would go there for a drink. How did she find out? "So, it''s true? You''re going to be the death of me. I intended to stay quiet for the entire month before asking her for more money. Now, not only will I not get any money, but I even got cussed out. If she decides to not pay for my medical bills anymore, you''re on your own," said Anna. She nned to stay in the hospital for as long as she could. She had no intention of going home. Chapter 2293 Besides, their home was as messy as a doghouse. Anna was not a fool. She knew that the hospital had a better environment than her home. Plus, she did not have to worry about food or clothing in the hospital. No matter how unhappy Nina was, she still had to pay. Jean could not help but fret. Not only did he not get any money, but he even got nagged at by Anna. Then, he said, ¡°I don''t know how she saw me¡ª" ¡°So, you do have money?" Anna interrupted him. She always thought that Jean did not have much money, so he could not take care of her. However, he had the money right now. Not only did he not spend a single penny on her, he still asked her for money, which made Anna extremely unhappy. "I had moneyst night, but the money is all gone now. Mom, I don''t have money!" Jean said as he switched his phone to a different hand. When he saw his empty wrist, his rage started burning again. "How did you lose all the money in one night? Did you gamble it away? Or did you spend it on a woman?" Anna asked as there were only two possible reasons for spending the money so quickly. She did not expect Jean to say that he spent it on her anyway. "No, it was stolen..." Jean said embarrassedly. "What? Did a burr enter the house? Did they take anything other than the money?" Anna said nervously as she had hidden some gold jewelry in a secretpartment that even Jean did not know about. "Only my money was stolen, everything else is fine. Mom, why don''t youe back home? If this goes on, I''ll starve to death." Jean frowned. As he had made a name for himself in this area, none of the shops would put him on a tab. Nina had told them before that whoever put Jean on a tab should look for him to receive payment, not her. Hence, they were unwilling to put him on a tab, making it impossible for him to even go out and buy some instant noodles. "Why was only your money stolen? This won''t do. You have to go to the police station at the end of the street to make a report. There are surveince cameras on the street, so you can find out who stole your money." Anna tensed up. Although it was Jean''s money that got stolen, it was still money. "Forget it.." Jean frowned. He just wanted to solve the problem of food right now. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. As for Marie, he would definitely get back at her for this, so he had no intention of making a police report. If Marie was caught by the police, she would be under their control. They would get in his way if he wanted to deal with her, which would be very inconvenient for him. Moreover, they were a couple before, so perhaps the police would not even file the case. He did not even have proof that the money belonged to him. ¡°Forget it? The girl even said that you have quite a lot of money. How could you say that after getting your money stolen? Is it because you have a lot of money now? Or is it because your family is rich?" Anna said relentlessly. "I just want some food right now!" Jean roared. Anna realized that something was not right, so she asked with a frown, "Jean, be honest with me. The person who took your money isn''t a thief, right?" "What are you thinking? If you don''t have money, I''ll figure it out myself." Jean grew impatient and wanted to hang up. Anna''s thoughts were like a mirror that had been polished by Jean''s demeanor. "The one who stole your money was a woman, right? Is that woman someone I know?" Anna asked as there could only be one exnation for Jean''s evasiveness. He was hiding something from her. If he was hiding it from her, then it must be someone she knew. Jean remained silent. "Jean, who else is living with you?" Anna asked. She did not object to Jean living with another woman as she wanted to hold her grandchildren as soon as possible too. However, she could not ept him living with some dubious woman. If such a woman got pregnant, she would not even be able to confirm whether the child belonged to Jean. At the thought of this, Marie came to mind. It seemed about time that b*tch came out of jail. "If you don''t say it, I''ll go ask Nina then," threatened Anna. Nina would tell her everything if Anna asked her, so Jean had no choice but to say, "Fine, I''ll tell you. It''s Marie. She stole my money and watch!" Anna was stupefied. Marie! The criminal who turned their family into what they were today! "Are you stupid? Why did you get yourself involved with Marie? Have you forgotten how much trouble she caused our family?" Anna gritted her teeth and scolded Jean. "When I first approached her, it was to get back the money for the house!" Jean exined. "Get back the money for the house? We would''ve gotten it back long ago if we could. Why wait until she got out of jail? Now that your money has been stolen by Marie, you''re still not making a police report? Jean, I don''t care if you don''t do it. I''ll do it for you!" Anna hated Marie''s guts as she was the person who took away her life savings. If not for her, she would still be living a good life, unlike now. She would not have to think about how she could earn the money back for her coffin after her death either. ¡°Fine, fine. I''ll go make a police report. I''m hanging up." Jean still did not intend to call the police. He just wanted to cate Anna. After hanging up the phone, he sat on the sofa. He picked up hisst cigarette. If he still could not get his hands on any money after this, he would have nothing left to smoke, nor would he have any food to eat. After lighting the cigarette, Jean took a puff and blew a cloud of smoke. In the end, he decided to call Nina. Nina was on the way to Brilliant Architectural Design LLC. "What is it?" She answered the call even though she knew that Jean was calling to ask her for money because she knew that if she did not pick up his call, Jean would keep on harassing her by calling nonstop. She did not want to put herself through that trouble. "All my money was stolen by that b*tch, Marie. Can you give me some money for food? I''ll pay you back once I get my money back." This time, Jean was a man of ''integrity'' as he did not directly ask her for money. "Marie stole all the money you took from Pierre?" Nina was a little surprised. As expected from Marie, she just stayed by Jean''s side for the money. She had long known that what they had was not true love. Jean froze and said embarrassedly, "Yes..." "Then, you go ask her for it." Nina did show any sympathy for him as she had already warned him beforehand. "I can''t find her right now. Can''t you just give me a little bit? Do you want me to starve to death?" Jean said in frustration. "Mom won''t let you starve to death. Go ask her for money. Will you really pay me back if I lend you money? If you can''t look for Marie now, do you think you''ll be able to get your money back when you find herter? Marie''s as good as spending money as you are." Nina rejected him as the money she gave Jean and Anna was like a one-way ticket trip. Once the money was gone, there was no way of getting it back. "If you refuse to transfer money to Mom, how is she going to give me money?" Jean had no intention of asking Anna for money because as soon as he opened his mouth, she would definitely bring up Marie. Chapter 2294 "That''s your own problem. My only obligation is to take care of Mom, not you." Nina hung up the phone and told him firmly that it was impossible for him to try to get money from her. Jean gripped the phone in his hands tightly with murderous eyes as he listened to the busy tone on the other end of the call. With his stomach in constant pain, he had no other choice but to call Pierre. After the phone rang six times, Pierre''s tirade could be heard. "What''s the matter with you? Why are you calling so early?" Jean recoiled and apologized in a hurry. "I''m sorry, Mr. Pierre, but I have a favor to ask you." "If you have something to say, spit it out." Pierre was impatient. If he were not Nina''s brother, he would not even go close to people like him. "Uhh. All my money got stolen. Can you lend me some temporarily?" Jean bit the bullet and asked him for money, hoping that he would help him solve this urgent matter for the sake of Nina. "It''s none of my f*cking business if your money got stolen. Was the thousands of dors I gave you yesterday not enough?" After asking him, Pierre hung up the phone right away without waiting for him to answer. He did not even give Jean time to exin. Jean frowned upon hearing the busy tone, and he put the phone aside dispiritedly. He never would have thought that Marie would be able to humiliate him to this extent. There was not an ounce of mercy left in Jean. Since Marie ran away after stealing his money, he had to find her. However, the brothers he met on the streets were not very reliable, and they charged too much. Hence, it was better for him to get help elsewhere, but not from the police. Jean had a candidate in mind, so he picked his phone up to make a call. "Who is this?" Percy''s cold voice rang from the other end of the phone. "Mr. Mallory, it''s me, Jean. There''s something I''d like to talk to you about," said Jean. He knew that Percy would not easily forgive the person who sold Nina''s information to the reporters, so he wanted to use Percy as a means of finding Marie. At the same time, he wanted to get some money from him. "Oh, It''s you? Say it." No change of emotion was heard in Pierre''s voice. Jean said, "It''s about my sister. I know who disclosed her information to the reporters." ¡°Who?" Percy asked. Jean was beating around the bush because if he told Percy right now, there was no chance of him getting his money back. He needed the money. ¡°I need to tell you in person." Percy fell silent for a moment and asked, ¡°Why? Did you not tell Pierre beforeing to me?" Jean was stunned, and he finally realized how Nina found out that he received money from Pierre. It turned out to be Percy. Nina would not go to ces like Bibbler''s Tale, but Percy would often show up at ces like that. ¡°I went to have a drink with Mr. Pierre, and he gave me some money after seeing how well I drank, but I didn''t mention a single thing to him about Nina. Plus, I never promised to help him with anything. You have to believe me." Jean immediately rified that he did not have much to do with Pierre. ¡°Whatever deal you have with him is none of my business." Percy was not interested in his conversations with Pierre. Jean was stunned as he had long known that the brothers were at odds, so he stopped mentioning it. ¡°Mr. Mallory, the reason why I''m calling is that I genuinely want to tell you what I know." He expressed his sincerity. Percy said impatiently, ¡°I''ll wait for you at Mallory Corporation." There was quite a distance between him and Mallory Corporation, but he had no money to take public transport. At the thought of that, he quickly said, ¡°Mr. Mallory, can you get me a ride? I''m kind of facing a financial crisis right now..." This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°Didn''t you just get a sum of money?" Percy asked. ¡°Unfortunately, the money was stolen, and I don''t even have money to take the bus." Jean left out the part with Marie as he did not want Percy to think that he was exposing her just because she stole his money. ¡°I''ll send a car over. Wait there." Percy finished speaking and hung up the phone. If Jean were not Nina''s brother, he would have just hung up without listening. After the call, Jean smiled as if his scheme had seeded. ¡°Marie, are you thinking of trying to escape with my money? You''ll never be able to escape from my clutches!" He tidied himself up a bit as he was going to a bigpany like Mallory Corporation, so he could not let himself look too sloppy. After changing into a clean set of clothes, Jean waited for the driver Percy had arranged for him. After a while, the driver called him. ¡°Hello, sir. I''m at the entrance right now as I can''t drive into the area in your address, so I''m afraid you''ll have to walk out." Jean''s mood brightened up a little, and he walked out the door to find a taxi parked at the entrance. He was stunned and stood by the roadside for a few seconds. The taxi driver pushed open the door and asked, ¡°Are you Mr. Langdon?" ¡°Yes." Jean nodded absent-mindedly. Did Percy not send someone toe pick him up? Why was there a taxi? He had thought that it would be one of Percy''s luxury cars. ¡°Please get in the car. I''ll take you to your destination," said the driver. Jean got in the car anyway. After 40 minutes or so, the taxi stopped downstairs at Mallory Corporation. The driver turned back and said, "Sir, we''re here. You may get off now." "The cab fare..." Jean frowned as he had no money in his pocket. "Oh, you booked the taxi on the app, so the fee will be deducted from it automatically,"'' said the driver. Jean heaved a sigh of relief as he did not have to pay himself. Otherwise, he would have to inform Percy to send over some money. He pushed open the door and got down the car. Then, he stood at the entrance of Mallory Corporation and tilted his head up to look at the imposing skyscraper. If Marie and Bianca had not done him wrong in the past, with his educational background, perhaps he would have already made his way up to the top of a building like this and be an elite member of the upper ss. Unlike how he was now. Jean was educated and knowledgeable. He had even studied abroad. If he had not gone to prison, he would not have fallen to rock bottom. When those so-called interviewers found out that he had been sentenced to prison before through a background check, they had him leave without asking him anything, Jean clenched his fists at the thought of that. He could not get his revenge on Bianca as Luke was protecting her, but Marie alone was more than enough! Jean walked into the lobby of Mallory Corporation. The staff at the front desk had been informed in advance, so when they saw Jean approaching, they straight away took him upstairs to the reception room. "Please wait a moment, Mr. Langdon. Mr. Mallory is having a short meeting right now, so he might take a while," said the receptionist. "Sure." Jean looked at thevishly decorated reception room and thought to himself if Percy would offer him a job at Mallory Corporation, working in such a luxurious building was not such a bad idea. Chapter 2295 It was just a thought, though. Jean still refused to work. He crossed his legs while sitting on the couch, then he looked at the receptionist and asked, ¡°Do you have anything to eat or drink here?" "Yes, Mr. Langdon. Have a seat while I go prepare something for you," the receptionist said politely. Jean nodded arrogantly as he was just here for the money, but unexpectedly, he could freeload on some food too. After a while, the receptionist brought a cup of coffee and some snacks over. Jean ignored the receptionist''s gaze as he grabbed the snacks and ate them right away. Although they were small, they still tasted great. Just a few more of these would be enough to fill him up. When the receptionist saw Jean wolfing down the food as if he had not eaten for days, she frowned slightly and brought more snacks over after some consideration. Thepany''s purchasing department had bought these snacks to entertain the guests. They were quite pricey because practically everyone who came here was of honorable status. The refreshments were usually just for disy. Those guests would not reach for them either. Jean was the first... "Just put them down." Jean''s eyes brightened up upon seeing her bring in more snacks. The snacks just now barely filled his stomach, but he could stuff himself now that he had more. The receptionist put the snacks down while Jean continued to eat. Five minutester, he finished all of the snacks and burped as he made ament to the receptionist, "Thispany''s snacks are not bad." The receptionist felt a little awkward. He ate those snacks without any regard for his image as if he lived here. He even gavements afterward. She went up to clear all the packaging of the snacks. After throwing them into the trash, she heard voicesing from outside the door. The receptionist walked out to take a look before turning back to tell Jean, "Mr. Langdon, Mr. Mallory is done with his meeting and is on his way here." Upon hearing this, Jean hurriedly wiped away the crumbs on the corner of his mouth and sat up straight. Percy walked in, and with a cold expression, he looked at Jean sitting on the couch pretentiously. ¡°I was in a meeting just now. Sorry to keep you waiting." "You''re a busy man. It''s my pleasure to wait for you." Jean sucked up to him. Percy sat on another sofa. When he raised his hand, everyone who followed behind him, including the receptionist who entertained Jean earlier, left the reception room. The moment the door closed, Jean could not resist and said, "Mr. Mallory, I..." "I know who sold the information to the reporters," said Percy bluntly. Jean was dumbfounded. He knew? If he knew, why did he not do anything? Instead, he let Marie stay in A City all this time? This was not like him as the Mallory family was known to be revengeful. Jean cautiously asked, "Who do you think did it?" "Marie Rayne," said Percy as he could not help but feel disgusted by Jean''s foolish look. Was Jean really Nina''s brother? He even suspected that Nina was adopted. Besides, Jean had inherited Anna''s greed entirely, whereas Nina was unlike them at all. Jean''s right hand suddenly twitched, and upon realizing it, his left hand immediately reached over to stop it. "Mr. Mallory, how do you know.." "If I want to investigate something, who can stop me?" said Percy. He went on a business trip right after the incident happened, but the investigation never stopped even while he was away. His people found out that it was Marie who made a deal with the reporters under the table, and he also knew that the money Marie got from selling the information was taken by Jean. Therefore, Jean was the first to know about it. However, before he ran out of money, he never intended to confess to him. "So that''s how.." Jean was chagrined as he should have told him earlier so that he might still have a chance. He refused to give up. Even if Percy already knew who did it, he might not know that he knew from earlier on as well. "Mr. Mallory, I only learned about it today, so I thought of telling you. But I didn''t think that you would find out so soon." He lied to show his loyalty to Percy. "Today? So, you didn''t know about it when you were spending the money Marie got by disclosing Nina''s information?" Percy''s sharp eyes stared at him intently. Jean felt like prey being watched by a falcon. His palms got mmy from the nervousness. He rubbed his hands together and said, "I didn''t know before this. The woman was unwilling to tell me how she got the money. I never looked into it until today as she just said that it was from her rtives before this. When I saw the contract she signed with the reporters today, I thought of telling you at the first minute." "Contract? Where is it?" Percy asked him for the contract. Jean noticed that he was not as furious as he imagined he would be and was very calm. He even asked him for the contract, which made him wonder about his intentions. Since he could not tell what was on his mind, he grew even more afraid. Jean smiled embarrassedly and exined, ¡°I got really angry after finding out that it was her, so I tore up the contract..." "Marie is your girlfriend, right?" Instead of talking about the contract, Percy skipped the subject entirely and asked him directly. Jean shook his head. "There''s no way we''re dating. We''re only together in times of need. I only took her in and gave her a ce to stay out of pity. I didn''t expect her to be so ungrateful and sell information about Nina. Mr. Mallory, you mustn''t let her get away with it." "I won''t spare anyone who has done Nina wrong, whether it be Marie or anyone who''s blood-rted to Nina," said Pierre as his fingers rhythmically tapped on the leather couch while he gazed at Jean. Jean lowered his head out of guilt, worrying that Percy might even get revenge on him too. "You must believe that I never intended on harboring Marie, and you''re the first person I wanted to tell after learning about this. I should''ve kept her under control, but she ran away the second she realized she made a mistake. So, I immediately called you because only you can find her," said Jean earnestly in hopes that he would believe him. "Ran away?" Percy frowned. Why would Marie run? R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only It most likely was not because of the Nina incident as he still had yet to make a move after the investigation so that they would think that he was unaware. When in reality, he had not made a move as the timing was not right yet. "She knew that I would tell you, so she ran away with all my money, leaving me penniless. Mr. Mallory, since you and my sister are going strong, you''ll be able to ovee all the obstacles thate your way and walk into the marriage hall one day. That''ll make us family in the future. So, can you lend me some money? All my money was stolen by Marie." Jean pleaded. Percy looked at him with a stern gaze. Chapter 2296 ¡°Lend you money?" Percy raised his eyebrows. It turned out that this was Jean''s true motive. His tone sounded like he was reluctant to lend him money, so Jean had to summon up the courage and say, "Mr. Mallory, even if one provides clues to the police, one will still get an informer''s fee. Although you already know that Marie was the one who betrayed Nina, I still intended to tell you anyway, so there has to be an informer''s fee, right?" "How much do you want?" Percy did not agree. Instead, he answered him with a question. "Isn''t that up to you? How much do you think Nina is worth?" Jean rubbed his hands together and gestured to Percy. "Nina is a priceless treasure. She can''t bepared to a woman like Marie," said Percy with a cold gaze. He picked up his phone and instructed his assistant, "Come in." The door to the reception room was pushed open. Jean was worried that Percy was going to chase him out until he heard him say, "Give Mr. Langdon a hundred dors in cash." A hundred dors? He came all the way here to show his goodwill, yet it was only worth a hundred dors? Jean thought Percy was too stingy, but he dared not say anything. He was afraid that if he said something, he would not even have the hundred dors. Besides, the hundred dors would be able to solve his urgent needs right now. At least it would allow him to survive here for the next few days and figure out how to get money. The assistant was at a loss. "Boss, I don''t have any cash on me. Who still carries cash on them nowadays?" Jean''s expression changed as he quickly said, "It doesn''t have to be cash. You can transfer it to me too." The assistant looked at Percy. "Give it to him," said Percy. He had no ns of doing it himself as Jean was not worthy. "Yes, Boss." The assistant took out his phone to scan Jean''s QR code and transferred a hundred dors to him. [You have received one hundred dors.] A notification rang on Jean''s phone. He looked at Percy with a smile on his face. "Thank you, Mr. Percy." Percy stood up, looked at the receptionist, and said, "See him off downstairs." ¡°Yes, sir." The receptionist nodded. Jean hurriedly stood up and said, "Mr. Mallory, can I ask you for a favor?" "What?" Percy''s words were brief as usual. "If your people manage to find Marie, please tell me immediately," Jean requested. Percy turned around to look at him and smirked. "So you can get your money and watch back?" When he came in, he noticed that Jean was no longer wearing the watch Jim mentioned. If nothing else, it must have been stolen along with the money. "Marie, that thief! I''ll make her pay!" Jean said with gritted teeth. Percy warned him, "Do you think that Marie will still have the money when you find her?" Marie and Jean were two of a kind. They would spend their moneyvishly if they had any. Once he found her, Jean''s money would be almost gone. Jean lowered his head in shock. He and Nina said the same thing. Even if he found Marie, he might not be able to get the money back... Besides, there would not be much left after passing through the hands of Marie. After Percy returned to his office, he told Nina about today''s events. When Nina learned that he gave Jean a hundred dors, she eximed, "Why did you give him money?" "All his money was taken by Marie. Are you sure you can ept the fact that he may starve to death on the streets at any time?" Percy asked. Although Nina loathed Jean, she still could notpletely cut off blood rtions. Otherwise, she would not have taken on the responsibility for Anna''s living expenses and medical fees. Percy knew that the money Nina gave Anna was enough to support Jean if Anna spent it consciously. However, Anna had no idea how to save her money. It could be because it was not her hard-earned money, so it was easy for her to spend it all in one go. Hence, she could not care for Jean either. Nina fell silent. "Jean won''t be able to find the money in such a short time no matter how many different methods he tries. The hundred dors isn''t much." Percy sighed. A hundred dors is indeed not a lot, but if Jean spent it mindfully, he could survive in A city for several days. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. With a nature like his, he would definitely find a way to get money. "I know.." Nina did not expect Jean to look for Percy after she refused to give him money. He even told him about what Marie did. She was helpless. "Let''s leave it at that for now. I''ll be going to work," said Nina while feeling low-spirited. After hanging up, she stood up and looked at the view outside the window. She had told Percy many times to not pity her family and give them any money because there was no limit to their greed. No matter how much money they had, it would not be able to satisfy their greed. Nina did not want her birth family to be a burden to Percy. However, it seemed like situations like these were unavoidable as long as she was with Percy. Nina sighed as she was at a loss... There was a knock on her office door, and Nina sat back down after gathering her emotions. ¡°Come in." The assistant pushed the door open and came in with a stack of documents in her arms while informing, "Ms. Langdon, the headquarters called for a meeting, so you''ll need to go over there." "Okay, I got it." Nina took the document handed over by her assistant and nced at it before putting on her coat to rush over to T Corporation. The meeting was to discuss the development of the suburbs, and Nina only realized after the meeting that Luke wanted Brilliant Architectural Design LLC to participate in the bidding project as well. Nina agreed right away upon hearing the good news. Although there were many orders at Brilliant Architectural Design LLC, with a headquarters like T Corporation, their orders would usually lean toward small or medium-sized projects. The profits may be considerable, butpared to T Corporation, even the profit of 10 Brilliant Architectural Design LLC would have nothing on them. With this opportunity, theirpany''s profits and employee benefits would be much better for the next year. After the meeting, Nina took the elevator downstairs and ran into Luca who had juste to work. "Luca, why are you onlying to work now?" Nina was surprised. She saw a briefcase in Luca''s hands, so she guessed that she had just arrived. "I caught a cold, so I went to the hospital to get some medicine," exined Luca. When she finished her medicine, Luke intended to have Johann send it over, but she felt bad for always bothering Johann, so she offered to get it from the hospital herself. She returned to the officete just because she had to get medicine from the hospital, so she asked Zoey to help her take a leave of absence. Nina frowned upon hearing Luca''s hoarse voice. "Are you okay?" "It''s nothing. I just got a cold, and I''m almost all better now," said Luca as she knew best about her body. "Good to hear that. It must be ufortable for you after catching a cold. Get more rest. It''s almost New Year''s, so it''ll get even more chilly outside. Make sure to keep yourself warm." Nina sighed. Chapter 2297 ¡°Okay, I will." Luca nodded. She looked closely at Nina''s expression and asked, ¡°Nina, did something happen?" Nina asked in surprise, ¡°How did you know?" ¡°It''s written all over your face." Luca gestured at her by pointing to her own face. Nina had been frowning since just now, so she must have encountered something unpleasant. When Luca observed her face, she was able to tell. Moreover, she had been friends with Nina for so many years. How could she not know? ¡°Yeah, something happened." Nina forced a smile. ¡°How about we make a trip to the cafe next door?" Luca invited her as she reckoned that Nina needed a ce to vent her feelings right now. ¡°No, I shouldn''t disturb your work..." Nina shook her head. Even though she did have the urge to get it off her chest, how could she hold up Luca''s work? ¡°I took a leave, and my throat is aching, so I want some lemon tea," said Luca as she held Nina''s hand and walked out. Nina had no choice but to follow her. Both of them made it to the cafe, and because they went during office hours, it was quite empty. Luca and Nina sat in the corner of the cafe, and when the waiter came to get their order, Luca ordered a cup of lemon tea while Nina ordered a cup of fruit tea. Only after the waiter left did Luca ask, ¡°Tell me what happened." ¡°I. It''s Jean." Nina sighed and told Luca everything from Pierre giving Jean money, to the money getting stolen by Marie, and finally about Jean borrowing money from Percy. Luca''s eyebrows furrowed slightly while listening to her talk. Once people turned bad, it would be difficult for them to be good again. Even if Jean were to completely change his ways, he would still be the same. ¡°So, did Mr. Mallory lend him the money?" asked Luca. ¡°Percy said he couldn''t bear seeing him starve to death on the streets, so he lent him a hundred dors. It may not be much, but I just feel awful." said Nina. It was not because of losing the hundred dors. She just felt helpless. Jean was already past 30, yet he still had to beg others for money to the extent that he even had to ask others for a hundred dors. Was that what a person in his 30s should be doing? ¡°Your brother is really a loafer. Nina, have you ever thought about finding him a job?" Luca asked as she thought that perhaps it would be better for him to have a job since he had not been doing anything since he was released from prison. "He has a criminal record, and the people in A City are not very kind to people with criminal records. What''s the use of him having a degree? For higher-paying jobs, once they find out about his past crimes, there''s no way they''d hire him. His arrogant *ss won''t settle for the lower-paying ones either!" So what if he studied abroad? He failed every interview anyway. With a criminal record, having studied abroad was not a bonus point. It gave him negative points instead. After two tries, Jeanpletely gave up on the idea of finding a job. Nina had advised him before that he could get a job with lower requirements. He was capable, and his boss would eventually be able to see that too. Hence, he could get promoted then. However, Jean refused. When he was presented with an interview opportunity, he would reject it. "In that case..." Luca frowned as this Jean matter might drag on for Nina''s entire life. "I remember that Brilliant Architectural Design LLC..." The moment she spoke, Nina immediately shook her head. "Not there." "Why?" Luca asked as Jean also majored in this field, so why not? "I''m afraid that he''ll bring down thepany if he joins, to be honest. You know Bianca, right?" Nina whispered and started muttering when Bianca was mentioned. Luca nodded to indicate that she knew her. "Although Brilliant Architectural Design LLC is under Mr. Crawford''s management, Bianca was the one who established thepany. Jean and her. sort of had a thing, but Jean was the one who took her for granted. After some things Jean did, they both had a falling out and they finally broke up. So, he holds a grudge against Bianca and Luke. If he were to work in Brilliant, it''ll only be a matter of time before the company falls apart," Nina exined the reason why she did not dare take this risk. Screwing up a constructionpany was not a hard task. Leaking a blueprint alone would cause thepany to lose a hefty amount of money. If Jean were to work there, he could easily get hold of a blueprint. Luca fell silent as she did not expect the past to leave such a huge impact on the present. "I''m even more reluctant to let him work at Mallory Corporation as he''s the type of person to take words to heart and make a big fuss out of it. If he pisses Percy off, I dare not take the me," said Nina as Percy had brought it up before. He mentioned that Jean could be a bodyguard or whatever, but Nina knew that Jean would never be Mallory Corporation''s bodyguard. If he were to enter any other department, he would mess things up for thepany. Even if he did not, Percy would still somehow face trouble because of Jean. The best way to keep clear of trouble was to steer away from the source. When Percy proposed the idea, she refused to ept it. "It''s not easy, I see," Luca muttered. Nina nodded. She only had connections to Brilliant Architectural Design LLC, but she was afraid to let Jean in as it was too big of a risk. Luca sighed. "So what now?" "I don''t know either. I had intended to not give him any financial support and keep the resources on my mom''s side in control so that he would turn over a new leaf and find a job, but little did I know..." Nina was utterly helpless. The waiter served the drinks they ordered. Nina bit the straw as if she was taking out her anger on it. Jean did not have a job, nor did he have any money, but he sure knew how to make things up. Ever since she got together with Percy, he felt like he had a backer supporting him. Everywhere he went, he used her and Percy''s name to buy stuff on credit. Although not many people believed him, he still gave Percy a headache because of this. "Didn''t Jean use to love studying? Why not send him abroad to further his studies?" Luca suggested. If Jean had a higher level of education, perhaps the people here would ignore his criminal record and hire him. "Does he look like an academic person now? But Luca.." Nina paused and looked at her. "Don''t you hate him a lot? How do you know so much about him? How do you know he majored in architecture?" Luca was stunned. Did she slip up? She hurriedly said, "I remember you''ve mentioned all of this to me before." Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Nina held her chin and furrowed her brows while she tried to recall the time she mentioned such things to Luca. "Ha I?" Chapter 2298 ¡°Yes, you told me. How else would I know?" Luca insisted and took a sip of her lemon tea to hide her guilt. "Really? Maybe I forgot..." Nina had no recollection of her telling Luca those things. However, she hadined to her about Jean a lot, so she suspected that she had said so much that she forgot what she even said. "I guess so. You''ve been working too hardtely, so it''s only normal that you don''t remember little details like these," Luca said as she sipped on her lemon tea with her straw while lowering her gaze. The two of them continued to sit there and sip on their tea. Nina told Luca about many other things until someone''s phone rang, which made their conversation come to an abrupt end. Luca nced at the caller to see that it was Queenie. "I''ll take this call," she said to Nina before answering the phone. "What is it, Mrs. Norman?" "Luca, what''s wrong with your voice?" Queenie noticed that her voice was a little raspy. "I have a cold. Is everything alright?" Luca knew that Queenie must be calling her to talk about Leia. Leia was in stable condition right now, so there should not be anyplications. Why was Queenie calling her? "Sorry, I didn''t know you had a cold.." Queenie felt bad when she heard that Luca had caught a cold. She nced at the door of the ward and asked out of concern, "Are you feeling any better?" "I''ve gotten much better. It''s not that serious anymore. Don''t worry, Mrs. Norman, you can speak now." Luca noticed how cautious she was, which convinced her that it was about Leia. Leia heard her talk and was a little uncertain. Was that Jack''s wife? "Here''s the thing. Leia just had the operation, right? A little problem urred, but Dr. Park said it''s normal and she''ll be fine if she takes good care of her body. However, I''m still a bit worried, so I want to ask you toe over to see if you can do anything to help Leia recuperate," Queenie said slowly. She intended to let the doctors at the hospital do it, but after bringing it up to Leia, Leia suggested letting Luca help her. Queenie felt embarrassed to bother Luca as she had put Luca through so much trouble in the past because of Leia. Helping patients recuperate was not her specialty, but Jack mentioned that Luca was great at it. Leia even insisted on having Luca help her because she was better and even Johann said so. For the sake of Leia''s health, Queenie had to shamelessly make this call to Luca. "Recuperate?" Luca was stunned as she was a little hesitant to help Leia, not because she was selfish but because Leia would never ept her good intentions. If Leia was willing to ept her kindness, perhaps she would not need to get a liver transnt in the first ce. "Yes. If you''re not free, then that''s fine." Queenie heard the reluctance in Luca''s tone. "Mrs. Norman, it''s not that I don''t want to. It''s just that I don''t know if I can do a good job. Plus, Ms. Norman was quite opposed to me treating her before. I''m afraid of making a fool of myself..." said LucaAll text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. as Leia had hated her for a long time. Luca recalled thest time she gave Leia dry needling. If not for the fact that Leia had trouble getting up, she might have chased her out of the ce. "It''s different this time. Leia was the one who suggested it. Luca, can you help Leia, please?" Queenie pleaded as she was confident about Luca''s skills too. With the help of Luca and Johann, Leia might be able to recover in a couple of weeks. Luca could not turn her down, so she had no choice but to say, "I''ll try, but only after a few days. I haven''tpletely recovered from my cold yet, and Ms. Norman is still fragile." "It''s okay. You should get better soon." Queenie sighed after she agreed and said, "Then I won''t bother you anymore, Luca." "Okay." Luca ended the call and put the phone aside. "Was that Jack''s wife?" Nina asked out of curiosity. "Yes." Luca nodded. "I heard that Leia came back secretly and was even hospitalized. The situation doesn''t seem to be going well?" Nina had also seen the entertainment news reports. "Yeah, but she had an operation and is currently recovering." Luca bit the straw and sipped her lemon tea. "She already went for the surgery, yet she''s still asking you to help her recover. That girl, Leia, is really something." Nina did not have a good impression of Leia. To her, she was cunning and full of craft. "It''s because she had the surgery that she needs to undergo post-op treatment. It''s not that difficult anyway," said Luca as she would never refuse Queenie''s request. "You just don''t know how to say no. Leia is not that decent of a person. Be careful," Nina urged because even if she ignored the past, Leia''s character itself was problematic. If Luca helped her, she could bite back at Luca at any time. "It''s okay. Don''t worry about it too much." Luca smiled and shook her head. So what if Leia caused her more trouble? She was no longer the old Bianca anyway. "I get a bad feeling every time I hear her name and think about when.." Nina paused as she thought that she should not mention Bianca in front of Luca that much. Besides, Bianca was Luke''s wife, and Luca''s identity was a little. "I know you''re saying it for my own good, but with Ms. Norman''s current state, she won''t be the same as before once she recovers. Don''t worry," Luca reassured her so that she would stop worrying about these things. "You''ll be in touch with her anyhow, so just be extra careful. You said Jean is a troublemaker. Well, Leia and Jean are the same people." Nina had seen through them. Jean had done so many misdeeds just to get Bianca, but in the end, he still fell into the hands of Marie. On the other hand, Leia had done a lot of absurd things just to get Luke. She was lucky that her family was well-off and she had money from her celebrity days, so she could pay someone else to take the me. In the end, the worst punishment she got was just getting sent abroad. If Leia''s living conditions were the same as Jean''s, perhaps she would still be in jail after all the bad things she had done. "Fine, I''ll be careful. Don''t worry," said Luca. Both of them sat in the cafe for a while longer before going their separate ways. After Luca returned to her office and put down her phone and briefcase, she changed into herb coat. Before entering theboratory, she put on a mask and a face shield as a barrier from germs as she had a cold. When Rhett saw her walk in, he stepped forward and said, "Dr, Craw, you should get more rest if you''re not feeling well. It''ll be okay to just have the other researchers here." "It''s alright. I''ve been sick for two days already, so it''s bearable now," said Luca as her cold symptoms had reduced a lot, her nose was longer blocked, and her throat was not sore anymore. Chapter 2299 Rhett noticed that other than her voice being a little hoarse, she seemed perfectly fine, so he did not say anything. Besides, Luca was their superior. If she said it was fine, as subordinates, they only had to follow orders. After taking a seat, Luca was about to check the data when a researcher came into theboratory with a thick stack of documents. The researcher walked up to her. ¡°Dr. Craw, the data from phase three of the clinical trials is out." "So soon?" Luca took the stack. She thought that the data would only be done after the new year. "Yes, they''re speeding things up because it''s the end of the year, which is why they sent us the data now," said the researcher. "Okay, I''ll look at itter. If possible, let''s have a meeting at three o''clock." Luca put the documents aside and nned to look through them during lunch. If there was nothing wrong with the data, they could start preparing for theunching of the drug. "Alright, I''ll have Ms. Davis prepare the meeting room," said Rhett. Luca picked up the documents and added, "Then, have Ms. Davis make copies of these documents for everyone as well." "Yes, Dr. Craw," said Rhett as he left with the documents. Luca leaned back in her chair and breathed a sigh of relief as the research hade to an end... Since the experiment is over, did that mean that she and her team would need to return to Watson Biopharmaceuticals? Luke moved them over here to protect the results of the experiment because the security over here was much more advanced than Watson Biopharmaceuticals''. If she went back, her interactions with Luke would be reduced by at least half. Luca''s heart told her toe in contact with Luke more so that they could make more memories together. However, her mind told her that the more she came in contact with Luke, the harder it would be for her to let go when she had to go back to the Ind of Despair. Luca sighed. She looked at the row of test tubes in front of her and suddenly felt like she was at a loss. Zoey walked over with copies of the documents while cing the original copy next to Luca. ¡°Dr. Craw, when I passed by your office, I heard your phone ringing." "Okay, I''ll go check it out." Luca stood up. She walked out of theb and returned to her office. Just as she pushed the door open, the phone rang again. Luca frowned as the urgent ringtone gave her a bad feeling. She walked over to her desk and picked up her phone. When she realized that it was from Watson Biopharmaceuticals'' general manager, she let out a sigh of relief. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. As long as it was not Abel. On second thought, she found it strange as Watson would usually contact Zoey if there was a meeting to be held or an important notice. However, this time, they were calling her directly. It was the first time the general manager ever called her. Luca answered the phone. "General Manager, what''s the matter?" "Dr. Craw, what took you so long to pick up the phone?" the general manager asked with dissatisfaction in his tone. "I was in theboratory just now and I left my phone in the office. Is there a problem?" Luca asked him with a cold tone. "I heard that the data for phase three of the clinical trials is out. Send me the digital files," said the general manager. Luca frowned as she had just gotten the data report of the clinical trials. How did the people at Watson know about it already? Her gut told her something was not right. "I don''t have the digital files with me right now," said Luca. "You''re a research professor. How can you not have them?" The general manager was in disbelief. "My subordinates are in charge of that. Besides, you''re in charge of thepany. Why are you meddling with the data?" Luca questioned. This general manager was not originally in charge of the drug research either. After the Dr. Cole incident, Luke had the HR department recruit a general manager to manage the company''s day-to-day affairs. How could those managing daily affairs know about research? Luca had never heard of such a thing. The general manager did not expect Luca to ask him that question. He cleared his throat and said, "I''m just concerned about thepany''s performance. Dr. Craw, just send me the documents." Luca grunted lightly. Although she did not who this general manager was, his intentions were too obvious. "General Manager, even if I give you the data, you won''t be able to understand them. Is there anyone on your end who can read the data?" The general manager''s voice turned serious. "There are so many professors in thepany. Who wouldn''t be able to read the data? The situation with Dr. Albus has already cost us a lot, so I''m just trying to be more cautious to recover the losses." ¡°Which is exactly why the data information should be kept confidential. If Dr. Albus really did betray the research data, there''s no guarantee that others won''t betray me too if I make the data public. If something goes wrong with my research, as someone who''s seen the data, you''ll be the biggest suspect," said Luca. "What do you mean by that?" the general manager questioned. Although she could not see him, Luca could guess that the general manager''s expression had changed. She said indifferently, "Before the drug enters the market, I''ll keep the documents and data safe with me. If you insist on seeing the data, you can make an application with Mr. Crawford. As long as Mr. Crawford approves, I''ll definitely give all the documents to you." The general manager did not reply and hung up the phone with a bang. Luca frowned as this general manager was really problematic, but Luke had no intention of getting rid of him... She had hinted at it more than once. She believed that Luke understood what she was trying to say but. What was Luke thinking? Why had he not done anything to this problematic general manager? Could he be messing with him? No matter how much she thought about it, she still could not figure it out. Then, there was a knock on her door. When she opened the door, Luke was standing outside. She noticed that it was already lunchtime after seeing the lunch box in his hands. "Time to eat," said Luke as he walked in. Luca closed the door behind him and looked at him, then she sat on the sofa thoughtfully. "What are you thinking about?" Luke could tell that something was on her mind at first nce. "Mr. Crawford, have you investigated the general manager of Watson?" Luca asked. "Why do you ask?" Luke opened the lunch box bag and took out the food Aunt Neile made. After eating with him for the past few days, Luca was no longer averse to eating lunch with him. "I''ve mentioned before that I think there''s something wrong with him. When I just got the data for the phase three clinical trials earlier, he called to ask me for it. I just got the data, so how could he know about it when he''s at Watson?" Luca asked as the clinical trial data was not directly tied to Watson but to her. Hence, she and her research group should be the first to know. After thinking about it, Luca guessed that there may be someone in her research group who was on the general manager''s side. Chapter 2300 Luke handed her the rice. "Don''t think too much about it. Eat first." Luca looked at him properly. "Mr. Crawford, aren''t you worried?" Although she was the one who betrayed the data and information in Dr. Albus'' case, this general manager did not seem to have good intentions at the time either. However, she was quicker to make a move, so it did not have much to do with him. "When the timees, some people will let the cat out of the bag, but until then, what do you think he''ll do?" Luke asked. "Oh no..." Luca stood up. "What is it?" Luke tilted his head slightly to look at her nervous expression. "I suspect that someone in my research group is helping the general manager, but I already had Ms. Davis print out the data report of phase three of the clinical trials. Now, everyone has a copy in their hands," Luca said. Luke put down his utensils slowly. He was not concerned about the data at first, but after seeing how concerned Luca was, she would not be able to eat in peace if he did not do anything about it. He stood up and walked out. "Mr. Crawford?" Luca was startled, and she called his name while looking at him walk out. "Aren''t you worried? Come on. Let''s have a short meeting with them," Luke said while opening the door. "Right away." Luca did not forget that Luke was picky. If the food got cold, it would affect the taste and texture. Hence, she put the lid back on before hurrying out of her office. Luke walked into the assistant office and saw that only Zoey was there. She jumped up upon seeing Luke. "Good afternoon, Mr. Crawford." R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only "Good afternoon. Inform everyone in this department that there''ll be a short meeting." After finishing his words, Luke nced back. Luca caught up to him. "Right now?" Zoey was bbergasted as it was lunchtime, so all the people in the department had already gone downstairs to eat except for her because she was watching her weight. "Yes, I''ll give them ten minutes. Ten minutester, I want everyone in the meeting room," said Luke while looking at the time on his watch. "Yes, sir." Zoey hurriedly picked up the phone on her desk to ry Luke''s message to everyone. After notifying Zoey, Luke walked toward theboratory. Luca walked up to Zoey and whispered, ¡°Ms. Davis, can you order an A-meal for all of them, please? I''ll pay you backter." She reckoned that they probably did not have enough time to get takeout because of Luke''s sudden call for a meeting, so she had Zoey order food for them. "Alright, Dr. Craw," Zoey agreed. 10 minutester, all of the researchers gathered in the meeting room. They dared not chatter with Luke in the chairman''s seat and Luca next to him. They just sat quietly around the meeting table. "Mr. Crawford, everyone''s here," Luca told him. Luke''s cold gaze scanned everyone present, and he slowly spoke, "ording to Dr. Craw, the research data for phase three of the clinical trials is out and each one of you has a copy, is that correct?" "Yes," a few researchers said simultaneously. "Very well. This data is a top-secret document, and it''s directly tied to whether the drug will sessfully enter the market. So, I would like for all of you to do your job in guarding the information. Don''t let any outsider who has nothing to do with the research get their hands on it, not even the higher-ups of Watson Biopharmaceuticals. If the leakage of data affects the drugunching, I''ll have no tolerance for the person responsible no matter who it is." Cruel words came out of Luke''s mouth. The researchers looked at each other without making any sound. "Do you understand?" Luke asked. "Understood," the researchers answered. Luke looked at Luca. This should have done it, right? Luca nodded slightly and added, "Mr. Crawford, is there anything else you''d like to add?" "No, you may continue." Luke knew that she had something to tell the researchers, so he stood up and left. After Luke left the meeting room, several researchers were obviously relieved as Luke''s presence was too overwhelming. Being under his watch, their nerves were tense and their bodies were stiff. They were in fear that they would be called out and criticized. Luca looked at them. "There''s a reason why Mr. Crawford said so. The general manager of Watson Biopharmaceuticals asked me for the clinical trial data. He knew about it the moment it came out, and I think a non-researcher asking me for this information is viting the rules and regtions. I want everyone to avoid making such mistakes. Mr. Crawford only said so much because I reported it to him. We''re not trying to target anyone, so don''t worry." A researcher raised his hand and spoke, "Dr. Craw, are you saying that even if other research professors ask us for it, we can''t give it to them?" "Yes. After our experience with Dr. Albus, we should be more cautious. If the data leaks and it affects the drugunch, it''ll affect thepany''s profits. I think everyone will be in trouble by then," said Luca. Everyone at T Corporation knew how well Luke''s people were at investigating. "Understood, Dr. Craw." The researchers agreed one after another. "Alright, the meeting is adjourned. I''ve asked Tina to order A-meals for you all, so you don''t have to go downstairs to eat." After Luca was done speaking, she walked out of the meeting room. After returning to the office, she pushed open the door to see Luke waiting for her on the couch. Luca walked in and closed the door behind her. After sitting on the couch, she saw that Luke had filled her te with food and knew instantly that the te was hers. ¡°Time to eat." Luke handed her the te filled with food. As expected, Luca had no choice but to ept it after he handed it over. She picked up her utensils and started eating slowly. "Did you notice anything just now?" Luke asked as he noticed that she kept looking toward the researchers when he was talking as if she was trying to see through their expressions. "Nothing. Maybe I was just overthinking," said Luca. It would be better if she was just overthinking. At least they would not make that mistake after warning them. If the general manager asked them for the phase three clinical trial data, they would definitely pass the matter on to her, so there would not be a problem. "You''ll know if you''re thinking too much soon enough." Luke picked up a piece of fish. Luca saw him meticulously get rid of the fish bones and quickly said, "Mr. Crawford, you don''t have to give me more food. I can''t finish everything." "You eat too little." Luke had no choice but to stop feeding her. While eating, Luca looked at him and something suddenly urred to her. "Have you already investigated the real identity of the general manager?" "Why do you say so?" Luke asked her back while eating. "I guessed it," Luca said. Luke looked very calm as if he already had everything under control. On second thought, there were not many people who could make Luke act out of character, so his calm and collected manner did not mean anything anyway. Chapter 2301 ¡°Your worries have been settled now, so just eat," said Luke. Luca had to stop bringing it up as she knew that talking about it more did not mean that he would take action. The lunch break was over. Luca then prepared for the meeting about the drugunch with the researchers. Before the meeting started, she scanned through the data and found out that it was much better than expected. Most of it was Shank''s blood, sweat, and tears, so of course, it would work out well. Just as Luca entered the meeting room, Zoey came over to report, "Dr. Craw, there''s an important meeting at Watson that you have to attend." "When?" She asked. "An hour from now," Zoey replied. "So urgent?" Luca frowned as one hour was just enough time for her to get there. If it was really an important meeting, they would have notified her in advance. Without any advance notice, it was just an urgent meeting at most. Luca then linked this meeting to the phone call she received from the general manager this afternoon. "Yes, I told you right after I received Ms. Stone''s notice," Zoey said resignedly. Watson seemed to be all over the ce, unlike T Corporation which was always orderly whether it be work or other misceneous things. "Alright, I got it," said Luca as she looked at the researchers in the meeting room. "My apologies, everyone. You can work on other stuff for the time being. The meeting will have to be dyed, and I''ll have Ms. Davis notify you all then." The researchers nodded their heads and left with their files. Luca said to Rhett, "Mr. Link,e with me." "Okay, Dr. Craw." Rhett nodded. Luca and Rhett went downstairs together, and when they got to the parking lot, Warren was already waiting for them in the car. Luca was surprised as she had just informed Warren. He said that he would arrive in 10 minutes, but it has not even been 10 minutes yet. Had he always been close by? ¡°Dr. Craw, please get in." Warren saw her and Rhett walking over, and he opened the door to the backseat. Luca sat in the car and noticed the seat was warm unlike the freezing weather outside as if the heater in the car had been turned on for a while. After Rhett sat in the passenger seat, the three of them rushed to Watson. After they reached Watson, Luca and Rhett went up to theboratory floor. She walked in and noticed that Dr. Linwood and the others were already inside waiting for them. Luca nced at the time on her watch. She was notte. "Good afternoon," she subtly greeted the people in the meeting room. "Dr. Craw, you''re here." Dr. Linwood greeted her first, and when she sat down, he sat beside her smilingly. "Dr. Craw, we heard that the data for phase three of clinical trials for your research is out?" "Yes, it came out today." Luca opened theptop. "How are the results?" Dr. Linwood showed concern. "It''s much better than predicted," Luca answered his question without telling him any additional information. "That''s impressive. The drug must be really effective. Once it''s on the market, it''ll be really beneficial to mankind," Dr. Linwood praised. Many of their clinical trial data were far from their expectations, and they barely met the listing requirements. However, Luca''s research had surpassed expectations. All the professors present knew about the prediction as they had been secretly discussing Luca''s report since the very beginning. They thought this research would not seed. Now, not only did she develop the drug, but it passed all three phases of the clinical trials and even exceeded the expected digits. Luca listened to hispliments while unfazed. Thesepliments came with a bit of sincerity, a touch of envy, and even some jealousy. She did not think it was anything impressive as all the early efforts came from Shanks anyway. She only joined afterward to lead the team in the research. With the groundworkid out, it made everything after it much easier. Hence, Luca did not think there was anything to be proud of. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Her skills were far from Shanks. Dr. Linwood added, "Dr. Craw, did you bring the report for phase three of clinical trials? I''m really curious about the data in it." "Dr. Linwood, are you the one who''s curious, or is the general manager who''s curious?" Luca asked. While they were talking, the rest of the professors had entered the meeting room, but the general manager was nowhere to be seen. Luca reckoned that he was observing from afar. Dr. Linwood was taken aback. "Isn''t that the same? Everyone is curious about how excellent your report is. We''ve been doing research for so many years, but we''ve never seen a report as outstanding as yours, so we want to take a look at it." "I''m sorry, Dr. Linwood. Just think of me as overly cautious, but I won''t disclose the report until the drug has been patented and listed," Luca outright rejected him. Dr. Linwood was a little upset. Although he had not achieved much in thepany, he was much more well-known in the industrypared to Luca. Yet, she dared to reject him. The report was not an important top-secret document either. "Dr. Craw, if you don''t want to, forget it. We were just curious," said Dr. Linwood. "It''s just a phase three clinical trials report, so it''s indeed not some top-secret document. After the Dr. Albus case, I''m worried the drug will fail to apply for a patent and can''t be marketed, so it''s best to keep the data a secret for now. Otherwise, if something happens, we need to expand the scope of the investigation," Luca said to Dr. Linwood. What happened to Dr. Albus was a lesson for them too. Dr. Albus had shown the data to several of them because he was facing difficulties, and during that time, all of them became suspects. It made everyone panic. Dr. Linwood was stunned as she had a point. She kept the data confidential not because she was petty but because it was a safety measure to prevent it from getting stolen. He was the one to me for listening to the advice of others. Dr. Linwood hurriedly said, "You''re right. I shouldn''t have asked you for it no matter how curious I was. I''ll ask you again after you''ve applied for the patent." "By then, I can even show you the whole research report," Luca said while looking toward the surveince camera in the meeting room. "Okay, it''s a deal." After finishing his words, Dr. Linwood returned to his seat. There were not many people around Luca, so Rhett leaned closer and whispered, "Dr. Craw, it seems like many people are interested in the clinical trials data..." "That''s not it. In fact, it has always been just one person," Luca said. The general manager came in late. Chapter 2302 Before Rhett could ask any further, the general manager walked in with his gaze locked on Luca. Luca met his eyes for a moment, then averted her gaze to look at theputer screen. Dr. Linwood looked at the general manager with a frown on his face. The reason why he asked Luca about phase three of clinical trials data was because of the general manager. His clinical research always did not perform well, so the general manager talked to him alone and asked him to learn from Luca''s clinical research data. Although it was a different type of drug, he thought that he could still learn something from it, so he agreed. Dr. Linwood was quite happy at first as he had one more piece of data to learn from, which would help him in his research. However, after Luca''s reminder, Dr. Linwood felt that something was not right as the data was crucial for the drugunch. The general manager sat on the chairman''s seat and discussed the meeting agenda. ¡°I gathered everyone here because the year is ending and I''d like to gather the opinions of the professors about where we should go for the team bonding trip at the beginning of the year. The professors are the main force of thepany, and the future of Watson depends on all of you. The final decision will be based on the professors'' opinion." The professors looked at each other. They came for a meeting for such a trivial matter? The corner of Luca''s lips curled up. The general manager painstakingly did this just to see her phase three clinical trials data... He even used this excuse to make here to Watson. Did he really think that she would show the data to Dr. Linwood because he was a senior? Dr. Jackson spoke, "General Manager, you can just let the other departments decide. There''s no need to waste our time on this when we could be doing research." "Yes, yes," the other professors echoed. Except for Luca, everyone there had a reputation in the pharmaceutical and education industry. At this point, fame and riches were what they were after. They could not care less about where to travel to. The professors were not interested in team bonding. They would rather earn more money. If they wanted to travel, they would bring their wives and children along for the trip. The general manager lifted his hands and pressed them down, gesturing for them to calm down. ¡°Professors, this is just one of the matters. Since everyone is not interested in the team bonding trip, I''ll let the other employees decide on the location. We''ll move on to the second matter." Luca looked up and stared deeply at the meeting minutes the general manager put up. The general manager looked at Luca and said, "First of all, please give Dr. Craw a round of apuse." Then, a scatter of apuse sounded. Luca nodded in every direction to express her gratitude. Then, the general manager said, "Dr. Craw''s research is nearing the end, and her drug''s phase three of the clinical trials data is out. The next step is to prepare for the patent application and the market launch. This will be ourpany''s first drug. Thanks to Dr. Craw, we''ll have a head start for the rest of ourpany''s research." Luca listened to the general manager''s impassioned statement with a poker face. "Thank you, General Manager." "Dr. Craw, why don''t youe over and tell the professors about your research?" The general manager wanted to put Luca front and center. Luca sat on the chair without moving. "The professors here are all well-known in the industry, General Manager. Aren''t you making me show off in front of them by going up there? I''m not the one who should go up there and speak, so forget it. Continue with your meeting. I believe the professors also want to finish quickly so that they can go back to theboratory." Admiration filled Dr. Linwood''s eyes as he listened to her words. She was really something. Capable, modest, and not humble nor arrogant. She knew that the general manager was stirring something up, so she fought back with just a few words to not offend anyone present. The general manager''s face was grim as he said, "Then it should be okay for you to show the data for phase three of the clinical trials to the professors, right?" "General Manager, I''ve said this before. You can see my data if you make an application with Mr. Crawford. If he agrees, I''ll make it public in front of all the professors," said Luca. "There are only our own people here..." The general manager did not expect Luca to be like this. He still could not get his hands on the data even after asking Dr. Linwood for help. She was not easily persuaded. Luca smiled. "I''m just avoiding unnecessary trouble. I''m sure the professors present will be able to understand." The general manager saw how she refused to hand over the phase three clinical trials data, yet he could not say anything else in front of so many people. He had no choice but to give up. After the meeting, the general manager left with a nasty expression. Luca sat in her chair and watched him leave with a serious look on her face, There were not many key points in today''s meeting. All of the general manager''s topics revolved around her as he tried to get her to show the data of phase three of the clinical trials. Rhett was packing up hisputer and files as he asked, "Dr. Craw, are we going back now?" Luca nced at the time. She could still make it to the meeting if she went back now, so she stood up and gathered the documents in front of her. "Yes." Dr. Linwood walked over with a look of admiration as he admired her for her humility andcency. "Dr. Craw, good thing you''re aware." "Dr. Linwood, does the general manager usually ask for your research data like this?" Luca pretended to ask casually. Dr. Linwood shook his head. "Not at all. Our research is not progressing as fast as yours anyway." "Okay, got it. I have another meeting to attend, so I''ll be going." Luca held herputer and documents while bidding farewell to Dr. Linwood. "Thank you for your hard work. It must be tiring for you tomute back and forth," Dr. Linwood said. It must be tiring for her. There was nothing important in today''s meeting, yet the general manager still needed her to be present. Traveling back and forth like this was indeed exhausting. "It''s okay. I''ll be going now." Luca left with Rhett. The two of them returned to the car, and as usual, Warren was in charge of driving Rhett sat in the passenger seat and nced back at Luca. "Dr. Craw, the person you were talking about is the general manager, right?" The general manager''s intent was so obvious during the meeting earlier that even the professors who were unaware of the situation felt that something was off. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "Yes." Luca looked at the copy she brought over, which was also the document that the general manager wanted to see so badly. She brought it with her with no intention of giving it to him. It was so that she could look at it in the car and do some simple analysis. Chapter 2303 When she returned to the office, there was only half an hour left before it was time to get off work. Luca called for a quick meeting to make rough arrangements for the next step. Half an hourter, the meeting ended. She received a message from Tommy after returning to the office. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. [Ms. Luca, our teacher said we''re on holiday now. When will you be on holiday?] Luca was surprised when she saw the message as the kids'' winter break had started early this year. When she was still Bianca, she would go home as early as possible to spend time with her children even if she had work. She would asionally bring them along with her too and let them y in the office. That way, it would be easier for the nanny at home as she would not have to do house chores while taking care of the children. Now... Luca could not take the children with her, and her leave from work was not until next week. She replied: [I have to wait until next week for my holiday. You have to listen to Aunt Neile while you''re at home during vacation. Don''t cause any trouble and do your homework.] [I know, we''ll be good.] Tommy replied quickly. Luca''s lips curled up into a smile. She put her phone in her briefcase and turned around to leave the office. Now, all that was left to do was make the application so that they could all get off work on time. After returning to the vi in Warren''s car, Luca noticed that Old Master Crawford was there. She put down her briefcase hastily and walked in. ¡°Old Master Crawford, what brings you here?" ¡°Isn''t it New Year''s soon? Although Luke won''t be at Crawford Manor this new year, I still had to prepare some things, so I let Mr. Griffin pack everything up and send them over. I coulde to visit my three lovely grandchildren too." Old Master Crawford showed a kind smile and raised his hand to pat Tommy who was doing his winter break homework next to him. Tommy looked up and smiled at Old Master Crawford before greeting her, "Ms. Luca, you''re back!" ¡°Yeah, I just got off work," said Luca. She did not see Lanie and Rainie in the living room, so she guessed that they were upstairs doing their winter break homework. The kids had a lot of homework for winter break, so they went upstairs to avoid getting distracted by Aunt Neile moving around. "Old Master Crawford, stay for dinner," Luca invited. "I can''t. A friend invited me to his grandson''s one-month-old celebration, so next time." Old Master Crawford noticed Mr. Griffin hade out, so he asked, "Has everything been put away nicely?" "Old Master Crawford, it has been put away," Mr. Griffin answered. When he saw Luca, he greeted her respectfully, "Good evening, Ms. Craw." "Good evening." Luca looked at Mr. Griffin, who had juste from the storage room. It seemed like the things that they had brought over were kept in the storage room "Ms. Craw, Crawford Manor bought some New Year''s goods this year. Old Master Crawford had me send them over, so I put them all in the storage room," said Mr, Griffin. "Alright, thank you," Luca nodded and said with a smile. She was not expecting Old Master Crawford to prepare anything for her. She was still deciding whether to go buy New Year''s goods. Old Master Crawford looked at the time and stood up with the help of his cane. Luca hurriedly went up to support him. "Well, it''s about time. I''ll leave now," Old Master Crawford said as he walked out of the house. Mr. Griffin also stepped forward. "Ms. Craw, let me." "Okay." Luca let Mr. Griffin assist him and followed behind them as they walked to the foyer until Old Master Crawford said, "Luca, it''s cold out here and you''re still sick, so head inside." "Yes, Old Master Crawford. Walk slowly and watch your step," urged Luca. She watched as Old Master Crawford left. Her nose was indeed stinging. Time and tide waited for no man. Old Master Crawford had reached old age. Although he was stronger than most people, he was still old. Hence, his legs and feet were worn out. The back view of the person who had looked after Luke for so many years was mighty. If not for him, Luke would have struggled to survive at Crawford Manor... Luca knew that although Allison was arrogant, domineering, and had cruel methods, he would not have the heart to go up against Susan. Besides, Susan was born to the purple. Not only had she seen much more than Allison, but she was also more courageous too. How could Allison, who was only after money, go up against Susan? Luke only got to where he was today entirely because of Old Master Crawford''spassion. After seeing Old Master Crawford leave, Luca returned to the house and sat beside Tommy. "Tommy, do you have a lot of homework for winter break?" "Yes, but Brother and Sister have even more," Tommy said with a pout as if he was not happy with the amount of homework. "I used to always hope to go to school and do homework with my brother and sister, but now, I find that not having to go to school is the happiest thing." Luca smiled at his cool adult-like remark. "The winter break homework is not for you to finish in a day, so take it slow. I''ll go see what New Year''s goods your grandfather sent us." "There''s a lot of stuff. I saw Mr. Griffin carrying two big bags over," Tommy said before going back to his homework. Luca stood up and walked to the storage room. She saw two red bags and knew they were from Mr. Griffin. As Tommy said, the two big red bags were filled with New Year''s goods. In A City, the most eye-catching color during the new year was red, which would definitely look great. Luca opened the bag to see that Old Master Crawford had sent some ornaments and decorations that would look great on the tree in the front yard. She even took out some fairy lights from the bag and remembered the time she spent New Year''s with Luke. He had hung these lights on trees and the roof. From the outside, their house looked like a star shining in the snowte at night. It was beautiful. Luca took out everything in the two bags and realized there was nothing else other than these decorations. She thought that Old Master Crawford had brought over some food instead. She put everything away and returned to the living room to see that Tommy had gone upstairs. She walked into the kitchen to help Aunt Neile with dinner. "Ms. Craw, you''re back?" Aunt Neile was surprised to see Luca. "Yes," said Luca as she picked up an apron. While washing the vegetables, Aunt Neile said, "I thought you''d be working overtime with Mr. Crawford today." "Mr. Crawford is working overtime?" Luca was surprised as she did not know Luke was working overtime. "Yes, he called at four in the afternoon saying that he wouldn''t be home for dinner," Aunt Neile said as she put the cleaned vegetables to the side. Since Luca was here, she let her be the chef. Chapter 2304 ¡°Well, there''ll be more work and business at the end of the year," said Luca as her heart ached when she found out that he was busy. He was busy for the sake of the Crawford family, yet she could not do anything to help. Right now, she could only take care of the children for him... Aunt Neile picked up a piece of beef and cut it while asking, "By the way, what kind of New Year''s goods did Old Master Crawford bring?" "Some decorations and ornaments," Luca answered. "The New Year''s atmosphere is very important to Old Master Crawford. When I used to work in Crawford Manor, I would clean the house inside out and decorate it with festive lights, ornaments, and more. Old Master Crawford would also have us prepare a huge feast on the first two days of the new year. The must-have dishes were essential. Otherwise, he would be mad," Aunt Neil said smilingly. "Really? I haven''t spent New Year''s in the country for some time," said Luca as she did not expect to have this opportunity. "By the way, I remember that it''s Madam Susan''s birthday tomorrow. I reckon they''ve prepared a lot at Crawford Manor," Aunt Neile said. She had been moved here this year, so she was not as busy, but it was also less lively. She looked at Luca cooking and wondered if she should remind her what foods to prepare. Although Luca was good at cooking, she was raised abroad, so she would certainly not know about the traditional culture here. "Oh." Luca paused. It was Susan''s birthday soon. When she was still in the country, Allison had yet to be sent to prison, so there would a huge argument whenever it was Susan''s birthday. The only was reason because Allison enjoyed ruffling Susan''s feathers. Aunt Neile asked again, "Ms. Craw, will you go?" "What?" Luca then realized that she was talking about Susan''s birthday party, so she said, "I''m an outsider, and I wasn''t invited either, so I won''t go." Aunt Neile wondered aloud, "Not invited?" "Yes. Every time the Crawford family has a party, they''ll always invite important and prestigious people, so how could they invite me?" Luca said. Although she had attended a wedding ceremony by the Crawford family, it was not a pleasant experience. If she showed up with Luke, she would definitely be a topic of discussion. Especially right now, when she had no official title. She would rather not be invited and befortable in her own little space than get stares from people. ¡°Ms. Craw, you''re belittling yourself," said Aunt Neile cheerfully as she put the meat on her left-hand side. "You''re just unaware of how famous you are in the upper ss society." "Huh? Why?" Luca was shocked. Why had she never heard of this? Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "I have a few friends who work as helpers in upper ss homes, and they would mention you. Of course, they don''t know that you''re the one they''re talking about," Aunt Neile said. Those words confused Luca. Aunt Neile continued to exin, "Although Mr. Crawford didn''t say anything, Old Master Crawford had said something that made me guess the person who helped with the detoxification of Mrs. Norman was you. Your medical skills are exquisite if you could tell what poison was in Mrs. Norman''s body from her pulse alone. This matter had long spread in the upper ss society, and a lot of people want to look for you to help check their pulse, but Mr. Crawford has protected you well. Hence, they''ve been unable to look for you. Those rich people could only give up." Only then did Luca find out it was because of that incident. It had been almost half a year. Why was the story still going around? She thought that it had already been forgotten that she saved Queenie''s life. "There are still people bringing this up now?" Luca asked. If not for Luke hiding her identity, she could not imagine how much these people would bother her. "Everyone would get sick at some point. When they get sick, especially if it''s a chronic disease, they''ll think about you when they still don''t get better with surgery or modern medication. However, nobody has been able to find you. Their maids would eventually know about this, and I''d feel proud whenever they mentioned it to me as I know someone as great as you¡ªeven though I can''t say it." "I''m not that great. It''s all just medicine," said Luca. The most ironic thing was that only Shanks, a foreigner, knew the old mastery of medicine that was on the verge of being extinct. However, it was linked to Shanks'' childhood. Although she was not clear about what he had experienced, she heard some rumors on the ind about where Shanks'' medical knowledge came from. "But many old doctors are no match for you," said Aunt Neile. Many people used medicine to cheat, and many rich people had fallen for it before. In the minds of many others, it was rare to meet a skilled practitioner. "Aunt Neile, please continue to help me keep this a secret. I just want to live a peaceful life and do research," said Luca as she no longer wanted to bring up this topic. "Of course, I''ll help you keep it a secret!" Aunt Neile made a promise to her. Luca knew that Aunt Neile would not tell others, so she was at ease. After dinner was ready, she went upstairs to call the three children who were diligently doing their homework. The children came downstairs after learning that dinner was ready. Upon seeing the spread of scrumptious dishes yet no sight of Luke, Rainie asked, ¡°Ms. Luca, is daddy working overtime?" "Yes, I''ve already left some food for him. Let''s eat first." Luca scooped up food for the kids. Tommy stared nkly at the bowl in Luca''s hands and said, "Daddy is always busy at the end of the year." "You''re right, Daddy is too busy. Good thing we have Ms. Luca with us. Otherwise, we would''ve been sent back to Crawford Manor," said Rainie. The reason why she was so reluctant to go back there was not because of Old Master Crawford but Susan. It was Susan''s birthday at the end of the year, so things would be chaotic at the Crawford Manor at this time of the year. Susan would reprimand the maids for not doing a good job with a nasty look on her face. In Rainie''s eyes, they already did a great job, yet they still got scolded. How pitiful. Luca ced the bowl in front of the three kids. She knew that the kids did not want to go back because of the atmosphere, so she did not say anything. After dinner, the kids had some fruit. For the first time, nobody watched cartoons. They just went upstairs to do their homework instead. Chapter 2305 Luca wanted to let the kids rx for a bit and not rush to finish their homework. However, she thought that she might kill their motivation to do homework and perhaps bezy in the future, so she let them go upstairs and do their homework. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. The kids did not need her to stick with them to guide them, so she went into her study and continued her research. The antidote she was researching was almost ready, and when she was free during the new year, she would be able to analyze all the ingredients and do the rationing. Time passed quickly when she was busy. The timed rm on her phone rang, and only then did she realize that it was half-past ten. After standing up and stretching, she quickly left the study. Luca first walked up to Luke''s bedroom to take a look. He had note back yet. It seemed like he was still working at T Corporation. She then walked to each of the kids'' bedrooms and gently pushed the door open. After seeing that they were all in bed, she returned to her room. After washing up, she opened the bedroom door once again to take a look at the opposite bedroom. Luke was not back yet. Luca sighed softly and went downstairs to check on the food in the kitchen. Although she kept it insted, it still got a bit cold. She did not dare heat it up again because she did not know when Luke would return. If she heated it too much, it would affect the taste. Luca sat on the couch and watched the midnight news report while waiting for Luke to return. An hourter, she heard the sound of a caring from the front yard. Luca stood up and looked toward the window to see Luke slowly making his way to the house. She hurried back to the kitchen and heated the food she had left for him in the microwave. When Luke walked into the living room, he heard soundsing from the kitchen. He looked at the TV and the cups on the coffee table, then realized that Luca had been waiting for him. He walked into the kitchen to see that she was busy. Luke stepped forward to put his arms around her waist and rest his chin gently on top of her head while letting out a satisfying sigh. ¡°What are you doing?" Luca could not help but tense up while being held like this. "I''m warming up the food..." "I already ate," said Luke. She did not like when he skipped meals to work overtime, so when Jason was ordering food, he had him order a meal for him too. "Do you want some soup?" Luca said. The soup Aunt Neile made today was nutritious and good for his health. After all, he often worked overtime. "Okay," Luke said as he hugged her. "Mr. Crawford, let go." Luca told him. She could not do anything when she was being hugged like this. As soon as she said that, Luke let go while smiling. Luca put on oven mitts and took out the soup that was heated in the microwave. She ced it on a tray, along with the dishes. "Although you''ve already eaten, you can still eat a bit more. The food Aunt Neile made today was quite nice." "Okay." Luke looked at the soup and dishes on the tray and started to feel a little hungry. Luca brought the tray to the dining table and turned back to get utensils before cing them in front of Luke. "Thank you." Luke picked up the utensils and took a bite of the dish. After tasting it, he looked at Luca and smiled. "What is it?" Luca was confused by the look on his face. "Is this Aunt Neile''s cooking? It doesn''t taste like it to me," said Luke. "You have sharp taste buds. I made it." Luca had to admit. "Thank you for leaving this food for me. I''ll finish it all," said Luke. In the past, when he had no choice but to work overtime, she would do the same and prepare a meal for him. After eating the food she made, he would always feel much better. Perhaps it was the power of love. Luca smiled and sat aside while watching him finish the food before standing up to clean. "Clean itter," Luke said as he lifted his hand to hold hers. She sat down and looked at him. Luke said, "It''s Louis'' mother''s birthday tomorrow. Go to the party with me." Luca frowned as she thought that it had nothing to do with her, but now, Luke was asking her to go along. "Mr. Crawford, can I not go?" She was hesitant. "Why?" Luke asked. "I don''t like loud ces, and I don''t know many people there, so I''d rather not go to avoid awkwardness," Luca said. Moreover, Susan did not like her. If she appeared, it would just fuel Susan''s anger. Luca thought that it would be better to give Susan some peace at her birthday party. ¡°This is an invitation from Old Master Crawford." Luke knew what she was worried about, so he brought up Old Master Crawford. Luca fell silent. Did she have to go? She would rather not be invited. Besides, it had been three years since she attended an event like that. It would be hard for her to adapt. "Louis and the others will be the stars of the show, so I can stay by your side," Luke said. Luca was stressed out. Although the main characters would be Susan and Louis'' side of the family, she would naturally be the focus of everyone if he stayed by her side. "The kids want you to go too," Luke continued after she did not say a word. "Mr. Crawford..." Luca wanted to refuse. She did not want to be on tomorrow''s headlines or be a table talk topic of discussion for the rich and famous. "Nina will also be there," said Luke. "Why would Nina go?" Luca was surprised. Was it because Percy was invited? Was that why Nina would go with him? However, the Mallory family was opposed to them being together, so would they not give her a hard time if she appeared? "Grandpa has taken Nina in as his goddaughter. Although it was just a show for the Mallory family, he has to y the role till the end. If we don''t invite Nina this time, what will the Mallory family think?" Luke exined to her why Nina would attend Susan''s birthday party. Luca nodded as he had a point. Although it was fake, Old Master Crawford had to put on a show in front of Nina and the Mallory family. That way, the Mallory family would have no reason or excuse to hurt Nina. "If you apany Nina, she''ll be much more at ease," said Luke. Although Nina and Percy would attend Susan''s birthday party, he had specifically instructed Louis not to have them sit together. Although Percy had fought a lot with the Mallory family, during asions like these, the families still had to sit together. Nina would suffer if she were to sit with them. "Okay.." Luca finally agreed because of Nina. She could not bear seeing Nina getting bullied by the Mallory family, and she knew that Nina was the same as her. Although their past lives were wonderful, whenever they had conflicts with the upper ss people, they would not want to get involved. Chapter 2306 On the other hand. In Percy''s mansion. Percy held Nina''s hand and went to the cloakroom. ¡°What are you doing bringing me to the cloakroom in the middle of the night?" Nina looked at him smilingly with a tender look in her eyes. "To pick out clothes for you," said Percy as he opened the closet. Nina noticed that there were many new clothes inside, so she asked in surprise, "Did you buy these for me?" "Yes, these clothes are suitable for more special asions, so I had someone send a few pieces over. Have a look and see which one you like?" Percy said. He understood Nina''s style. If she was not working, she would wear more casual andfortable clothing. However, those clothes were not suitable for a dinner party. "What special asion..." Nina looked through the clothes. The clothes he filled the closet with were festive and seemed like they were for more formal asions. "A birthday party," said Percy as he picked a pink one and held it in front of Nina. The pink color made her features even more delicate and beautiful. When their eyes met, his heart skipped a beat. "What birthday party? Is it your friend''s?" Nina took the clothes and held them close to her body, thinking that it was for his friend''s birthday party. "No, it''s the Crawford family. It''s Louis'' mother''s birthday," Percy said. Nina suddenly shoved the clothes at him. "You can go alone. I''m not going." She remembered Susan''s arrogance and how she had made things difficult for Bianca, which was why she did not have a good impression of her. Plus, they must have invited the Mallory family. If she attended with Percy and bumped into the other members of the Mallory family, it would not go down well. The Mallory family would think of their reputation and not say anything on the spot, but they would secretly make her suffer. Nina did not want to give Percy a hard time either. ¡°They invited me and you." Percy took out the other clothes and handed them to Nina. ¡°So, you can pick one. ¡°Why did they invite me? I''m not close to Susan..." Nina wondered without moving an inch. ¡°Because Old Master Mallory had said before that you''re his goddaughter, so he has to put up a facade even if it''s fake. Old Master Mallory had mentioned to me beforehand that it''s a separate invitation." Percy held each garment up in front of her after seeing her not move at all. Nina understood that separate invitations and attending with Percy were two different things. Old Master Mallory admitted to her being his goddaughter in front of so many people just to save her from some trouble. It would not make sense for her to not go. Even if that meant bumping into the Mallory family. If she chose not to go, she would embarrass Old Master Mallory. Old Master Mallory had done so much to help her, so she should return the favor too. Nina took the light pink one Percy held just now and asked him, ¡°What do you think of this one?" Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. ¡°It''s nice. This color suits you." Percy''s eyes sparkled as heplimented her. In his eyes, Nina was the prettiest woman and no one couldpare to her. ¡°Really?" Nina looked in the mirror. It was simple and nice. It was a festive color too, perfect for a party. ¡°How fitting. I had the staff pair some essories too," said Percy as he held her hand and walked to the dresser. Then, he opened a jewelry box. Nina was usually pretty careless. She came into the cloakroom twice today, yet she did not realize that there were so many new things in it. The pearl essories caught her eye at first nce. ¡°So pretty," she said. ¡°Yup, they suit you. Wear them to the birthday party tomorrow," said Percy as he lifted an essory and put it on Nina. It was a new style of pearl ne, so it was suitable for young people. The more Nina looked at it in the mirror, the more she liked it. ¡°I like it even more now." She kissed Percy''s lips. Percy''s eyes became deep as he held onto her waist tightly, and his voice became hoarse as well. ¡°Nina, I haven''t bought anything for you in a while because I was busy. I''m sorry." ¡°It hasn''t been long. You bought me a lot of snacks the other time," Nina remembered everything he had ever done for her. Each time was worth remembering. ¡°Those were just some small stuff." Percy touched her neck and the white pearls that made her delicate swan-like neck even more exquisite. He had the urge to kiss her and leave a mark. ¡°It''s gettingte." He lightly blew beside her ear. Nina felt ticklish all over and shrunk her neck as her body temperature kept rising. ¡°Help me take off the ne. I''m afraid of destroying it in my sleep." Her face was flushed as she touched the pearl ne. "It''s indeed really easy fragile. Let me help you." Percy took off the ne and carried the woman in front of him. "Ah..." Nina did not expect his actions to be so direct. "Let''s go rest," Percy carried Nina into the bedroom. It was nighttime. The wind and snow outside were making a racket. However, the temperature inside kept rising. Two people in love were whispering their love for each other into each other''s ears in their own ways. It was the following afternoon. Luca was busy arranging the documents in her office. Once she was done with the files, she could submit them to the relevant organizations for patent application. Zoey was familiar with the process, so she did not have Mo help her. She could do it with just Rhett and Zoey''s help. Her phone rang with Aunt Neile''s name disyed on the caller ID. "Aunt Neile, what is it?" Luca picked up the phone and asked. "Ms. Craw, we have a problem here. Can youe back home for a moment?" Aunt Neile sounded anxious. "What problem? Are the kids okay?" Luca thought of the three children at home first thing and asked worriedly. "I can''t tell you on the phone. It''s better if youe back.." Aunt Neile was stammering as if she was hiding something. Luca had a bad feeling, so she immediately put the documents back into the safe. "I''ll go there right now." She immediately hung up and called Warren. "Warren, can youe to T Corporation? I need to use the car." "Ms. Craw, I''m in the downstairs parking lot," Warren replied. Luca frowned. Was Warren always in the parking lot? However, every time she got out of the car, he would drive away. "Okay, I''ming down now." Luca put on her coat and walked out of her office. She walked to the assistants'' office and said to Zoey, "Ms. Davis, I need to go out for a while. Please apply leave for me." Chapter 2307 Zoey put down the work at hand and asked, ¡°How long?" ¡°I probably won''t be back today," Luca said. Aunt Neile did not exin to her clearly, so she did not know what was going on at home too. "Okay, I''ll apply for leave for you, don''t worry," said Zoey as she flipped open the leave of absence form. Luca nodded and went downstairs When she got to the parking lot, Warren was waiting in the car. Luca opened the door herself without waiting for him to open it. The car was already warm, which seemed to show that he had not just arrived. "Ms. Craw, are you going back home?" Warren asked. "Yes, how did you know?" Luca was surprised. Warren drove away without saying anything. Luca did not continue asking either. Warren drove Luca back to the vi. She quickly walked into the house and was shocked to see the people sitting in the living room. She subconsciously looked for someone to ask what was going on. "Aunt Neile, this is..." Luca saw the makeup kit on the coffee table and could roughly guess who these people were. "These are the makeup artists Mr. Crawford hired for you to give you a makeover," Aunt Neile said with a smile. This was all Luke''s n. She was just in charge of making mee here. Luca frowned. "Is this really necessary.." The main character tonight was Susan, not her. The people who should dress up were the Crawford family. It had nothing to do with her. "Ms. Craw, let the makeup artists help you do your makeup. This is what Mr. Crawford wants," Aunt Neile advised her. ording to her observations, Luca was not the type to like makeup. She would usually keep it simple and go to work barefaced unless she needed to put makeup on. "But there''s no need." Luca said as she had never thought of making herself more morous. If she did not attract any attention and could even be ignored, that would be the best. Besides, it was Susan''s special day. She did not want to steal her spotlight. ¡°Ms. Luca, this is a gift from Daddy. Just do it..." Rainie said. She had already changed into a new dress and tied up her long hair. There was a little tiara on her head. She was pretty like a princess in a fairy tale. Rainie had always been praised for her looks, so Luca could not resist saying no when she told her to do it. She nodded and said, "Fine." The stylist smiled and stood up. "Hello, Ms. Craw. I''m the stylist, Andy. These two are my assistants. Shall we start now?" "Okay," said Luca. Of course, they would need to do the makeup upstairs. On the way up, she paused and looked at Aunt Neile. "Aunt Neile, can you please cut some fruits and send them up?" "Okay, Ms. Craw," Aunt Neile answered. Luca brought the makeup artists upstairs, and when she sat down, they started doing her skincare. She was familiar with these things, so she estimated that she would have to sit at the table for over two hours, which made her helpless. If she were still Bianca, she would willingly waste this time for the sake of Luke. However, now that she was Luca, a nobody, there was no need to look so nice. Rainie brought a small stool and watched at the side. Little girls liked dressing up too, so it was not a surprise that she would be interested in makeup. However, she was not talkative like Tommy. She just sat quietly and watched. After skincare, the makeup artistplimented her, "Ms. Craw, your skin is so nice. What face mask do you use?" "I just use a lotion," Luca replied as she rarely used masks. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. When she was on the Ind of Despair, Shanks would do skincare on her for fun. After she left, she had not done it anymore. She waszy too, so she just put on some lotion to maintain her skin condition. "Wow, so your skin is just naturally this good, then. How lucky!" the makeup artist said while starting her makeup. Rainie said proudly, "Ms. Luca''s skin has always been good." "It truly is. I''ve done makeup on so many people. Some of them have good skin, but they spent a lot of money to achieve that. Not many people have good skin even when they don''t even use face masks, unlike Ms. Craw" the makeup artist said as she believed Luca''s words. She knew that she was telling the truth when she saw her dresser. Luca''s dresser only had one branded cream, one bottle of eye cream, and some basic makeup products. There was nothing else. Unlike the dressing table of celebrities that had a whole pile of every skincare product imaginable and even makeup. Only high school students had such a simple dresser, not a working woman like Luca. Aunt Neile sent up the cut fruit and Luca said, "Aunt Neile, just put them on the coffee table." "Okay." Aunt Neile knew that the fruits were for the makeup artists, so after putting the te down, she told them, "Let me know if you want anything to drink." "Thank you," the makeup artist and her assistant thanked Aunt Neile. After Aunt Neile left, the makeup artist continued with Luca''s makeup. Her movements were fast, and Luca had a good base to begin with, so she could finish it quickly. ¡°Ms. Craw, what do you think of this look?" The makeup artist asked for her opinion. ¡°It''s very nice." Luca looked at her reflection. The look was light and natural,pletely different from a heavy makeup look. It looked much better than her bare face too. Herplexion improved as well. Luca was satisfied as this makeup look was not too overpowering, perfect for her to attend the party and keep a low profile. "It''s so pretty," Rainieplimented. The makeup artist smiled. "If you''re satisfied,e pick an outfit." "Okay, nothing too fancy. I want to keep it low-key." Luca stood up and turned around to see the makeup artist take out some clothes and ce them on hangers for her to choose "Of course. The clothes I chose for you suit your makeup look," the makeup artist said as she picked up the clothes one by one. Finally, she picked a light blue dress and asked for Luca''s opinion, "Ms. Craw, what about this one?" "Not bad, but you need to have a nice figure..." Luca said. The dress was fitting. Would she be able to pull it off? "Your figure is great. I think you''ll look great in it. Want to try?" the makeup artist said as she thought that this dress suited Luca the best among all the dresses here. "Okay," Luca answered, then she took the dress to the bathroom. After changing into it, she looked at herself in the mirror. The dress was nice, and it did not look awkward on her. Even after being fed well by Luke during this period, the dress did not make her look fat. Chapter 2308 The dress was stunning, and Luca thought she looked beautiful in it as well. The stylist always had a keen eye for things like this. While she found the dress fine, she believed that the dress did not truly entuate Luca''s curves. Even as a woman, the stylist had to admit that Luca had a fantastic body. Seeing how Luca had yet toe out, the stylist walked over to the bathroom door and asked, ¡°Have you finished changing yet, Ms. Luca?" "I have, but something about the dress feels weird..." Luca replied. "Weird? Is the dress too big? We can have it tailored to fit your figure." The stylist thought that the dress was too big for Luca, considering how skinny Luca was. "It''s not that.." Luca opened the door. The stylist''s gaze brightened. "It looks so good! This dress was made for you!" "It''s too form-fitting for me," Luca replied. Sure, the dress was fitting, but it clung to her curves too much. She had a bad history with clothes like this. Thest time she wore something so form-fitting, the incident with Matysh urred. Hence, she wanted to wear something looser. "The dress was made to show off the wearer''s figure. There''s no better dress than this for you," the stylist said. Luca was no model, yet no model''s body couldpare to hers. "I''d like to look at the other dresses." Luca truly did not want to wear this dress out. The stylist looked uneasy. "Mr. Luca, if you think that this dress is too form-fitting for you, it''ll be the same with the other dresses. You can take a look for yourself if you want. You have a great body, Ms. Luca, so all the dresses we brought for you are form-fitting ones. The dresses have different designs, but they were all made with the goal of entuating the wearer''s curves. They''ll still hug tightly to your skin." She handed the dresses to Luca while speaking. Indeed, all the dresses were form-fitting ones. Luca was speechless. Rainie walked over and took her hand. "You look so pretty in this dress, Ms. Luca, and the color matches mine too. Won''t you wear it?" Luca looked over to the dress Rainie was wearing. They were of the same color palette. Luca agreed reluctantly. ¡°This dress it''ll be, then." "That''s wonderful, Ms. Luca. Will you be picking essories from our shop or will you be wearing your own?" the stylist asked next. Luca originally wanted to decline the stylist since the dress itself already made her stand out enough. She would not get to keep a low profile if she were to wear additional essories. Not to mention that she did not have any appropriate essories either. The essories Luke gave her were too luxurious and expensive. They did not match her makeup today. Rainie replied before Luca could, "Daddy already prepared essories for you, Ms. Luca." "Did he?" Luca looked at Rainie in surprise. She had no idea. "Daddy told me to keep them safe for him first." Rainie left the bedroom for a short while before returning with a jewelry box in hand. "Daddy got these for you." Luca opened the jewelry box and found a diamond ne inside as well as a diamond bracelet and two diamond melee earrings. The ne was a simple tinum chain with a small diamond pendant. The diamond itself was rather small, and the ne looked delicate but not ostentatious. The bracelet came with the ne as a set. It was a tinum chain with diamond melees embedded on the chain. The chain itself was fine and narrow, and the diamond melee shone under the light like twinkling stars of the night sky. It was a nice set of jewelry; the ne, bracelet, and earrings. Luca felt conflicted looking at the essories. The set may appear simple, but it must have cost a fortune considering it came from Luke. The stylist eximed beside them, "They match perfectly with the dress! Let me help you put them on, Ms. Luca." "Thank you." Luca nodded. The jewelry was not mboyant, so she could still ept seeing them on herself. After putting the jewelry on, the stylist moved to help Luca with her hair. Instead of tying it up, the stylist thought that having her hair down would better suit today''s look, so she took a hair curler and slightly curled Luca''s hair. She gave Luca big curls that were slightly wavy, and the hairstyle added to Luca''s charm. It was a clean and simple look, yet also sexy and electrifying as it entuated the beauty of Luca''s features. The stylist could not help but admire. "What a breathtaking look." "Indeed." The assistant agreed beside them. "Imagine if we used this look to advertise our services." "It''s a shame Mr. Crawford said no photos are allowed. Alright, Ms. Luca. What do you think?" the stylist asked. "It''s good. Thank you," Luca replied. She was feeling tired from sitting at the vanity for so long. "You''re wee. It''s our job to make sure you''re satisfied with the look," the stylist replied with a crescent-eyed smile. She eximed internally that if not for Luca''s status and identity, she would surely have tried to persuade her to let them take photos of her to advertise their shop. "You look so pretty, Ms. Luca," Rainie looked up and said happily. Luca caressed the younger one''s cheek. The stylist saw the interaction. ¡°Well then, Ms. Luca, since we''re done here, we''ll be leaving first." "Alright. Let me walk you downstairs," Luca replied and sent them downstairs. Aunt Neile saw theme down from where she sat in the living room. Her eyes lit up when she saw how pretty Luca looked. "Aunt Neile, can you walk them out?" Luca said. She had already changed out of her clothes but her jacket was still upstairs. After what happened thest time, she did not really dare to leave the house without her jacket. "Alright, Ms. Luca." Aunt Neile nodded and walked the stylist out. Luca looked at Rainie beside her and asked, "Rainie, where''s Lanie and Tommy?" "Great-grandpa brought Lanie and Tommy back to the manor," Rainie replied. "You didn''t go with them?" Luca asked. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "Nope, because I wanted Ms. Stylist to do my look," Rainie replied. She knew Luke had requested a stylist today, so she purposefully told her great-grandfather that she would be staying. "Did the stylist help you with your hair?" Luca asked. "Yeah!" Rainie nodded before continuing, "But Ms. Luca, I don''t want to tie my hair up." "Why not?" Luca asked. "Because I want to look like you. Your hair looks so pretty curled like that." In truth, Rainie wanted just wanted to match her look with her mother. They could not admit their mother-daughter rtionship yet, but it should still be fine to match their looks. "You want to curl your hair?" Luca gave it some thought before agreeing. "Alright. I''ll help you curl it this once, but only once, alright? The curler is bad for your hair." "Okay! Thank you, Ms. Luca." Rainie smiled sweetly and took Luca''s hand before pulling her up the stairs. Luca had Rainie sit before the vanity and carefully undid the stylist''s hairdo. Taking into consideration the fact that Rainie was still a child, the stylist did not create a too complicated hairdo. Luca was able to take it off easily. Luca was secretly relieved that the stylist had not used any hairspray or wax on Rainie''s hair. Otherwise, she would have to wash it first before curling it. Chapter 2309 After taking down the hairdo, Luca took the curler and carefully curled Rainie''s hair. Rainie''s hair was long but thin, so it did not take long before Luca was done curling. She let go of the lock of hair in her hand and reached for a hairpin to clip Rainie''s hair in ce. ¡°What do you think?" Luca asked. Rainie looked at the mirror and saw how gentle Luca was with her. She felt doted on by her mother and nodded with a smile. "It''s so pretty, Ms. Luca. You have very skilled hands." "You''re just very pretty, Rainie," Luca replied. "No, no, it''s thanks to you, Ms. Luca." Rainie was overjoyed when she saw herself in the mirror. Luca looked at herself and Rainie in the mirror. She could not stop herself from putting her hand on Rainie''s shoulder gently. She did Rainie''s hair all the time when her daughter was still young. Then, she was abducted to the Ind of Despair. Her children grew up while she was away. Now that she had returned, her children no longer needed her help to tie their hair nor did she have any excuses to do so. This time, she could finally help her daughter with her hair. Luca felt remorseful. Every girl in school had their mothers to help them with their hair, yet Rainie only had her maid and her own hands to do hers. Luca was remorseful to her children for not fulfilling her role as their mother, and as for Luke... Aunt Neile walked in and smiled mirthfully when she saw the two. "You''re here with Ms. Rainie, Ms. Luca. Oh, you changed your hairstyle, Ms. Rainie. It looks great on you." Rainie smiled sweetly and replied, "Ms. Luca did it for me." "It looks great. With that tiara, you look just like the princess from a fairytale," Aunt Neile praised and ced the tray on the vanity table. "Ms. Luca, Ms. Rainie, I heard that a lot of people were invited to the banquet, so it might be a long while before food is served. I prepared some snacks for you so that you won''t go hungry waiting for the food." "Thank you, Aunt Neile," Luca thanked Aunt Neile for her thoughtfulness. The Crawford family was big, and every considerably powerful person in A City would surely attend the banquet as long as they received an invitation. Some foreign entrepreneurs might attend as well, and with so many attendants, the banquet was sure to beginte. Not to mention that the attendants were all people of status. They might not arrive on time either. If they ate what Aunt Neile prepared now, then they would not have to wait in hunger for the banquet to start. Luca wondered if Lanie and Tommy were also snacking in advance at the manor. After Aunt Neile left, Luca took the tray and went to the living room on the second floor to eat the snacks. ¡°Oh, right, Rainie. Did Mr. Crawford say anything else?" Luca asked. She realized that Luke had already gone to the office and the children were ying around downstairs when she woke up this morning. She thought that she had woken upte today, but after looking at the time, she realized that she had not. "Daddy? Daddy told me to be good and wait at home. He''ll fetch us to the hotel after hees back," Rainie ryed Luke''s message. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "Do you know which hotel we''re going to?" Luca asked. "Traders Hotel." Rainie had overheard the adults confirming where to hold the banquet, so she knew where it was. "Traders Hotel, huh..." Luca suddenly remembered that Matysh used to stay there, though he no longer did. This meant that she would note across the man even if she went to that hotel. "Yeah, Traders Hotel. Great-grandmother likes grandeur, so Uncle Louis chose that hotel," Rainie replied. She was still young, but she already understood such things. Luca nodded. Traders Hotel had the most luxurious banquet hall in A City, and it could fit tables for around 300 attendants. Louis must have chosen this hotel for its grandeur and capacity. Such a banquet must have cost a lot of money. After eating, Luca and Rainie decided to y with puzzles since their outfits were unsuited for conducting experiments. Luke only returned to the vi around six-thirty. Rainie looked up and smiled at Luke. "You''re back, Daddy." Luca looked up when she heard Rainie. "Mr. Crawford." Luke felt an irrepressible urge rise when he saw Luca. She looked too stunning. He walked over to them instinctively. "What are you two doing?" "Ms. Luca and I were bored, so we''re ying puzzles," Rainie answered with a crescent-eyed smile. Her smile deepened when she saw that her dad''s eyes were pinned on Luca. "I see. Luca, go upstairs and help me pick something to wear," Luke said, his gaze drilling straight at her. "Huh?" Luca looked at him confusedly. Luke''s wardrobe was filled with expensive suits. Not to mention that the man was tall and lean. He would look handsome in whatever he wore. There was no need to pick what to wear. "I don''t know what to wear," Luke said again when Luca did not move. "Uh, I''ll go take a look, then." Luca put down the puzzle pieces in her hand and went upstairs with Luke. She walked into Luke''s bedroom on the second floor. Luke followed her in and closed the door behind him. Luca opened the wardrobe and solemnly looked through the suits. After a while, she picked a suit out and turned to ask, ¡°What do you think of this, Mr. Crawford?" Luke continued staring at her, his gaze never averting as he replied, "Looks good." Luca smiled exasperatedly. "You didn''t even look at it." "I trust you." Then, he grabbed the suit in Luca''s hand and hung it back in the wardrobe. "What are you¡ª" Before Luca couldprehend what Luke was doing, the man closed the distance between them and wrapped an arm around her waist as he leaned down to kiss her lips. "Hmmf..." The kiss was sudden and passionate. Luca felt her body go weak. They had some close and intimate interactions these days, but this degree of passion was rare. Like a young man in his early 20s, Luke delved deep into her beauty. Luca slowly lost herself in the sensation. Luke''s lips slowly made their way down as he praised, "You''re so pretty, Luca." "Mmph..." Luca felt herself going crazy under Luke''s ministration. She ced her palms on his chest to create distance. "We still need to leave, Mr. Crawford." Luke paused before signing and softly pecking her neck. He did not want to leave the house, but he concurred. He let go of Luca, and his eyes darkened as he took in the mess his lips had made of her makeup. "So pretty." There was a hint of something more in his raspy tone, and Luca felt her control over her body slip through her fingers. "You should change, Mr. Crawford. I''ll go fix my makeup." Then, she quickly walked out of Luke''s bedroom. Chapter 2310 Luca returned to her bedroom. She sat down and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Luke had pretty much smudged her lipstick, and her lips were slightly puffy. Her eyes were dazed too as if she was hinting at something. She looked like she had just slept with someone. It was only a kiss, yet she had lost herself in it. Luca did not dare to entertain that thought further and picked up the lipstick left for her by the stylist. She put it on. Her newly drawn lips covered some of the puffiness. She looked at herself through the mirror. After ensuring that she had covered all traces of what had happened in Luke''s bedroom, she grabbed her purse and threw on a jacket before leaving the bedroom. Luke had already changed and was waiting for her outside the door. Luca tightened her grip on her purse. She felt her body grow hot when she saw him, and the heat crept up her cheeks, flushing them enchantingly in a way makeup blush could not replicate. The adoration in Luke''s eyes grew when he saw her. He did not want to leave the house at all as his desire for Luca kept growing. "Are we leaving now, Mr. Crawford?" Luca looked up at him slightly before directing her gaze back to the floor. She was worried that the man would push her back into the bedroom and have his way with her if she kept staring. "Let''s go." Luke''s voice was raspy, even more so than hers even though Luca was the one with a cold. Rather than illness, Luke''s raspiness was more desire-derived. The two descended the stairs together. Rainie was waiting for them at the base of the stairs, and when she saw Luke and Luca descend the stairs. She could not help but exim, "You look so handsome, Daddy! A perfect match with Ms. Luca!" "Who taught you those things, hmm?" Luca berated softly. ''Perfect match'' sounded weird to her for some reason. "That''s what they say on TV." Rainie stuck her tongue out. She did not think she spoke wrongly, not when her parents looked very good-looking standing next to each other. "You''re watching too much TV," Luke said. He agreed with Rainie, but if Luca did not want their children to say such things, then he would not allow their children to say those things. ¡°Okay..." Rainie replied. She felt indignant, especially when her parents were truly a perfect match. She said, ¡°Daddy, Ms. Luca, can we all take a photo when wee back from dinner? You promised me thest time, Ms. Luca, but you fell sick and we didn''t get to take any photos." ¡°Alright," Luke agreed. The couple had taken many photos together when Luca was still Bianca, including family photos as well. Luca might have apletely different appearance, but she was still his wife. Hence, the photos taken before were no longer suitable. Rainie turned to Luca once she heard Luke agree. ¡°Can we, Ms. Luca?" ¡°Sure. Let''s get going, then," Luca replied. ¡°I''ll go get Aunt Neile, then!" Rainie said. There was a specific table for the maids and caretakers of the Crawford family, considering the banquet was held by the Crawford family. Rainie called for Aunt Neile, and the four of them departed. Luke sat in the driver''s seat while Luca sat beside him in the front passenger seat, leaving Aunt Neile and Rainie to sit in the back seats. Half an hourter, the four of them arrived at Traders Hotel. The hotel entrance was decorated with red as well as champagne-colored roses and oriental lilies. The word ''birthday'' was hung up on top as well. The entrance decoration was extremely grandiose, and one could only imagine how the banquet hall would be decorated. Luca held Rainie''s hand and waited with Aunt Neile by the side for Luke to park the car so they could go in together. Aunt Neile eximed, ¡°What pretty decorations." ¡°Yeah," Luca agreed. If not for the word ''birthday'', one might assume that someone was holding a wedding. She was more inclined to believe that the hotel''s decoration was as per Susan''s request instead of Louis'' and Yuri''s. However, she could not help but wonder when Susan had grown such ostentatious tastes. It was too mboyant and unlike a birthday celebration. Rainie tilted her head and looked up at Luca. ¡°Ms. Luca, it looks like a wedding ceremony." ¡°Shh. It''s your Grandmother Susan''s birthday," Luca chuckled softly and squeezed Rainie''s hand. Children tended to speak without much thought, yet Rainie had hit the bullseye with her remark. Luke parked the car and walked over to stand beside Luca. ¡°Let''s go inside." ¡°Alright." Luca pulled out an envelope from her purse that had a thick stack of cash. While it was tacky to gift money, it would not be inappropriate for an invited attendee to arrive at a birthday celebration empty-handed. She did not have the time to choose a present either, so money was the next best option. ¡°Why that?" Luke frowned when he saw what she was holding. ¡°I was invited individually," Luca emphasized the word ''individually''. Being invited individually meant that her gift had to be individual and she could not give her gift with Luke. Luke did not say anything. He would make sure that this was thest time she would be invited individually. They entered the hotel and arrived at the banquet hall on the third floor where Louis and Yuri were standing beside Susan, weing guests. As the main character of the evening, Susan had a wide smile on her face and was donned in an elegant outfit. The set of jewelry she wore shone brightly and beautifully under the hotel''s lighting. Quite a few wealthy housewives were attracted by the ne on Susan''s neck when they came to send their wishes. ¡°Let''s go over," Luke said. Luca and Rainie followed hand-in-hand. Susan''s smile felt slightly forced when she saw Luke and Luca arriving together. "You''re here." "Happy birthday, Mother." Luke''s blessing was as curt and concise as he usually spoke. "Thank you." Susan''s eyes trailed over Luca before she finally said, "There aren''t any extra seats at the main table, Luke. Since you brought her over, you''ll have to arrange where she sits." What she meant was that Luca had no ce at the main table. Luke''s gaze sharpened. "Grandfather was the one who invited Luca. I''m sure she already has her own seat." Beside them, Louis quickly added, "Yes, she does. I''ve already arranged a seat for Dr. Craw. Let me show you to your table." Susan red at Louis. It was obvious that she was unaware of this. If she was aware of it, she would never have allowed Luca a seat. If Luca and Luke were to get together, there would be no room left for Susan and her son in the family. Not when Luca could help Luke even more than Bianca. Besides, her ability to feel pulses easily got her into the good graces of the elderly. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Luca knew that Susan did not like her. Honestly speaking, she would not havee at all if not for Old Master Crawford''s invitation and the need to apany Nina. Still, she was already here, so she handed Susan the envelope. "Happy birthday, Madam Crawford." "Thank you." Susan nced at the envelope but did not ept it. Luca felt awkward. Susan''s actions reflected how unweing she was of Luca. It was to the point of declining Luca''s gift with disdain. Chapter 2311 / / Chapter 2311 Vixen Twins in Her Womb: Sir President, Please be Gentle Chapter 2311 Vixen Luke''s expression darkened when he saw how unweing Susan was. It was not that Susan disliked Luca as a person but rather showed hostility because he was close with Luca. As such, Luke refused to let this matter be. He was about to say something when Louis took the envelope from Luca and ced it with the rest of the gifts. ¡°Thank you, Dr. Craw. Follow me." "Alright." Luca smiled at Louis with gratitude. She would surely garner the curious gazes of everyone should she hold the red packet for too long. The man had helped her out of the awkward situation. "Let''s go, Brother." Louis knew that Luke would not stand at the door to wee other guests, so he showed his brother inside. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "Alright." Luke nodded. Louis greeted Aunt Neile as well and brought everyone into the banquet hall. Susan watched them leave and cursed softy, "Vixen." Yuri heard what Susan called Luca clearly but chose to ignore it. Susan then turned to Yuri. "Keep a close watch on your husband, lest that vixen manages to steal his heart too." "Yes, Mother," Yuri acknowledged superficially but paid her no mind. After all, Luca''s target was Luke and not Louis, who had decided to open his own small workshop when he could have taken advantage of his family background. Louis brought Luca to a table and said, "This is your seat, Dr. Craw. Nina will sit with you when she arrives shortly." "Alright, thank you." Luca sat down elegantly. Louis then turned to Luke. "Grandfather''s waiting for you at the main table, Brother. He said to go over once you''re here." "Alright," Luke replied without averting his gaze from Luca. Their close distance gathered the curious and guessing gazes of many people around them. "Go, Mr. Crawford," Luca said. She knew that if Luke stayed any longer, they would only attract even more gazes. "Are you alright sitting here alone?" Luke asked. They had arrived rather early, so the table was still empty. "I''ll be alright." Luca shook her head to appease him. Hence, Luke took Rainie''s hand and walked over to the main table. Luca looked around. When she looked up, she realized that there were much fewer people looking at her now. Still, that did not mean people would stop talking about her. It was very likely that the crowd would manage to find out about her background information in a moment. Luca felt lightheaded. She had set off and arrived at the hotel with Luke, so she had already predicted such turns of events. Not that it made being stared at and guessed about any morefortable. Luca picked up her phone. If she could not face the gazes, then the alternative would be to escape. She scrolled through social media to ignore the questioning gazes around her. Luke brought Rainie over to Old Master Crawford''s side. "Grandfather, you were looking for me?" "Hello, Great-grandfather," Rainie greeted Old Master Crawford with Luke. "Oh my, let me take a look! Whose little princess is this, hmm?" Old Master Crawford put down the teacup and looked at Rainie. He was ted by what he saw. "The Crawfords'' little princess!" Rainie smiled sweetly and responded ording to the cue. "Oh, it''s my little princess! No wonder she''s so pretty, hmm?" Old Master Crawford did not hold back as he praised Rainie. However, his praises stirred jealousy within Thea. None of the elderly had praised her like this when she arrived, yet Rainie easily gathered the praises of their great-grandfather. It was unfair. Thea was also wearing an expensive little dress with a small tiara. She was just as pretty as Rainie. Despite her indignance, Thea did not dare to do anything in front of the elderly. Rainie smiled and leaned against Old Master Crawford. "Great-grandfather, did you know Ms. Luca was the one who did my hair? It looks nice, right? It''s just like her hairstyle!" "No wonder you''re even prettier than you used to be! Luca did it for you, hmm? Where is she, by the way?" Old Master Crawford looked up at Luke and asked. "Over there," Luke pointed in a direction. Old Master Crawford narrowed his eyes slightly. "Why isn''t she sitting with us?" "There''s no space," Luke replied. A table had 10 seats, and there were nine of them and one butler. "She''s sitting there with Nina." "I see. Still, Luca should''vee to say hi." Despite his words, Old Master Crawford showed no displeasure on his face. "Luca prefers to keep a low profile. She''lle and say hi after dinner," Luke said as he sat on his chair. Not seeing his two sons, he asked, "Where''s Lanie and Tommy?" "There''s a children''s yground in the banquet hall, so they''re there ying. Don''t worry, the butler''s there with them," Old Master Crawford replied. Boys tended to have more energy to burn, so when he saw how the two boys wanted to y, Old Master Crawford had the butler bring them to the yground. Luke nodded. "Oh, right. I heard there''s good news with Watson recently?" Old Master Crawford asked. "Yeah. It''s Luca''s research. Clinical data for phase three is out and results are better than predicted. We should be able to apply for a patent and have it in the market after the new year," Luke replied. This meant that Watson Pharmaceuticals was formally about to make gains. "Luca''s a smart girl," Old Master Crawford praised. Luke nodded in agreement. She had always been this smart. As long as she put her mind to it, she would give it her all and never give up until she achieved her goal. This was something that persisted from when she was still Bianca. Over at Luca''s table. Percy sent Nina to her respective table and turned to Luca. "Dr. Craw, I''ll be leaving Nina in your care for now." "Don''t worry. As long as I''m here, no one will get to bully her." Luca smiled and put her phone back in her purse. With Nina here, she no longer needed to busy herself with her phone. "Oh my God, stop. Go back to your seat already." Nina pushed Percy away. She had already gained the attention of a lot of people bying with Percy. She was unused to being stared at by so many people. It reminded her of a wedding ceremony in the church. If she truly got married, she would openly ept those gazes on herself. However, she was not getting married now and the questioning gazes thrown at her made her feel very ufortable. "Alright. Look for me if anything happens," Percy said. "Don''t worry about me. I have Luca here." Nina then wrapped her arm around Luca''s. Percy shook his head with a smile and left. Nina let out a sigh of relief. "He''s finally gone." "What''s this? Do you dislike Mr. Mallory?" Luca teased her. "What? No, of course not. But didn''t you see the looks everyone was giving me? Everyone''s been looking at me from the moment I walked in. It''s like they''re pointing guns at me. All that staring is giving me goosebumps," Ninained. Chapter 2312 ¡°Maybe they think you''re beautiful, so they want to keep looking at you," Lucaforted her with a joke. "Don''t joke around. I know they''re staring because of that news headline." Nina was well aware that even if the news was kept under wraps, everyone else still knew of her dark past. Not to mention that she was still together with Percy. This banquet was the perfect time for everyone to gossip about her. "That didn''t affect your rtionship with Mr. Mallory, so why does it matter what other people think?" Luca consoled. "Thank you." Nina smiled at Luca gratefully. It was thanks to Luca''sforting words that she managed to recover from that incident so quickly. She wanted to live for her own sake and not care about what other people thought. Luca looked around. More people have arrived since she sat down, and most of the seats in the banquet hall were filled. It should be another half an hour before the banquet began. "What a splendid banquet," Nina eximed beside her. "Mhmm. It''s Young Master Louis'' mother, after all. It''s only right to have grander decorations," Luca replied. "Did you see the ne she was wearing?" Nina''s eyes lit up as she started to gossip. "I did. It''s a very pretty set." Luca thought back to the ne she saw Susan wear. The light reflected off it beautifully. It must have cost a fortune. "The set was only releasedst month. It''s limited, and there are only three sets worldwide," Nina told her. To improve herself and better match Percy, Nina fostered the habit of reading fashion magazines frequently. Among the magazines was an article introducing the set of jewelry, and it reported how two duchesses had physically fought each other over it. She was shocked to read such a thing, so she kept in mind the design of the jewelry set. "Only three worldwide?" Luca frowned. Sure, Louis was a Crawford and held shares of T Corporation. He also had his ownpany. However, his ownpany was more of a workshop than a corporation. Louis might earn more than ordinary srymen, but he was far from being extremely wealthy. Since Louis'' business was under his own name and not his family''s, the money he earned from his own company was about the same as the dividends he earned from T Corporation. Where did Louis get his hands on so much money to buy this set of jewelry from someone else? ¡°Yeah, and this incident urred overseas too. I think Susan put in a lot of effort just to get her hands on this set of jewelry," Nina said. She saw a lot of wealthy housewives surrounding Susan when she arrived, so she looked over and happened to see the jewelry Susan wore. The fact that she allowed so many people to take a closer look meant Susan was wearing the real deal. Nina could not help but exim how wealthy Susan must be to spend so much money on just a jewelry set. "Young Master Louis has many connections," Luca replied. She had never heard Luke say anything about the jewelry, so it must have been from Louis. "Regardless, she''s truly be the spotlight of all the wealthy housewives tonight. Thank goodness Luke''s mother isn''t here, or she might faint from anger." Nina knew a considerable amount about infighting within the Crawford family. After all, when Susan and Allison used to fight, her best friend Bianca was the one who ended up suffering the most. As Bianca''s good friend, it was only normal for Nina to know more about it. Luca nodded. She was not interested in Susan''s matters, but Nina had brought Allison up. Luca felt ufortable. Susan was holding a banquet happily while Allison was undergoing treatment for her face outside the country. It was certain that any treatment was just a stopgap measure and no amount of treatment could truly fix the issue. Meanwhile, Luke was alone and silently suffering. Luca looked over to the man sitting at the main table. More attendants started to fill the banquet hall, including the other members of the Mallory family. Madam Mallory had no idea that Nina had arrived too, not when Percy was the only one sitting at their family table. She only saw Nina when someone at the adjacent table brought it up. Madam Mallory frowned. Not wanting to cause a scene, she whispered to Percy, "What''s going on? This is an important event. How could you bring her here? Are you trying to turn against the whole Mallory family in public?" Percy looked up cooly and irony shed in his eyes. "Nina was invited." "Why would the Crawford family invite her? Who does she think she is?" Madam Mallory refused to believe him. Then, she recognized Luca who was sitting beside Nina. In Madam Mallory''s eyes, both of them did not have the status to be in the banquet hall. She believed that Luca was only invited because of Luke. However, she knew that Luca was not the kind to invite Nina, so she assumed that Nina was here because of Percy. "Nina is Old Master Crawford''s god-granddaughter," Percy reminded her coldly. Madam Mallory red at him. When they went to ask for an exnation, Old Master Crawford had admitted Nina as his god-granddaughter on a video call. Then, there were no further updates on the matter. Madam Mallory initially believed that the news was fake and something Luca had asked for from Luke, so she did not pay it any mind. ¡°What kind of nonsense are you spewing?" Madam Mallory did not believe him. ¡°If you don''t believe me, you can see for yourselfter. Old Master Crawford personally invited Nina," Percy stated. On the other end, the butler walked over to Old Master Crawford and whispered in his ear. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Old Master Crawford stood up with the help of his walking cane. He had been entertaining people of high status from various industries and was rather tired, but there was still something important that he had yet to do. "Where are you going, Grandfather?" Luke asked. "Off to do something good," Old Master Crawford said with a mysterious smile. He waved off the people who approached to greet him and made his way to Luca and Nina''s table. Everyone watched the old man make his way through the hall before stopping at Luca and Nina''s table. Guests who arrived early knew that Luca had arrived with Luke. "Old Master Crawford!" When Luca saw the man stand by their table, she quickly stood up to support him. Old Master Crawford waved her off and quickly said, "There''s no need to be so nervous. I just decided toe and say hi since I saw that you''ve arrived. How are you doing, Nina?" Nina stood up as well and smiled at Old Master Crawford. "I''m doing great, Old Master Crawford. Quick,e sit." "No need, it''s alright. I just came to greet the two of you. You''re both extremely beautiful today," Old Master Crawford praised the two of them. Nina knew that the man was helping her and looked at him with gratitude. "Nina, you muste more often to the Crawford Manor when you''re free. Spend more time with your god-grandfather, hmm?" Old Master Crawford continued. "I promise," Nina replied. Their conversation was heard by the few tables around them. "Alright. The banquet''s about to begin, so I''ll go back first. Eat more tonight, alright? We''ve got a lot of good food in store." Old Master Crawford winked at them mischievously before he made his way back to the main table. Chapter 2313 From afar, Madam Mallory was infuriated by the sight she saw. She gripped the silk table cloth as she tried to suppress her emotions. She thought that Percy was lying. She was so sure that Nina''s attendance today was Percy''s doing. Yet Old Master Crawford''s behavior made it clear that she had assumed wrongly. Today was an important event, and countless people were trying to find a chance to talk to Old Master Crawford. Still, the old man did not even smile at most of them. Instead, he opted to respond superficially and leave Luke to entertain them. Even so, he was smiling at Nina now. Percy naturally deduced what his mother was feeling and said calmly, ¡°So, now do you believe that I say is the truth?" "Even if Old Master Crawford admits her as his god-granddaughter, your grandfather still won''t ever allow your rtionship." Madam Mallory wore a slightly wretched expression on her face. Percy replied calmly, "I don''t need anyone''s allowance. This is my marriage. I''ll choose who I marry myself. Force me again and what happened to the Johnston family will happen again." Percy reminded Madam Mallory of what he had done before. The once powerful Johnston family was now in shambles, unable to even sustain the business of one company under their name. Madison had also gone crazy after what he did. Percy''s actions had caused Madam Mallory to be the target of discussion andmentary. People believed that she suggested a marriage union with the Johnston family just to slowly acquire all the Johnston''s assets. As such, no one else agreed to marry their daughters to Pierre. Madam Mallory''s expression soured greatly. With Pierre''s support, Old Master Mallory returned to his seat. The old master had wanted to use the bathroom just now, and Pierre saw it as a great opportunity to prove himself. Hence, he volunteered to guide his grandfather there. As such, neither of them saw the scene regarding Old Master Crawford and Nina. Old Master Mallory took in his daughter-inw''s sour expression and asked, "What happened?" "I''ll tell you when we get home, Father," Madam Mallory replied. There was no guarantee if her father- iw would make a ruckus if he found out now. A ruckus would not reflect well on their family. Old Master Mallory did not press further and merely nced at Percy in response. Ever since what happened with Nina, the grandfather-grandson had stopped talking to each other. Pierre was curious, though. Hence, he leaned over to his mother''s ear and whispered, "What happened, Mother?" "I''ll tell you when we get home. No more asking about this now." Madam Mallory waved her hand in annoyance and moved her chair slightly away. Pierre was even more curious when he saw his mother''s indignant expression. However, he did not pester her further. The guests had mostly arrived. With the emcee''s opening speech, the banquet officially began. It was as Old Master Crawford said. The dishes were vorful and rich, though Luca herself could not eat too much. Nina saw how little Luca ate and asked softly, "Are the dishes not to your liking, Luca?" "It''s not that. My dress is too tight. My stomach will be bloated if I eat too much, and I''ll look weird when I leave," Luca replied softly. The two did not know anyone else at the table, so they did not speak too loudly when they conversed. "What''re you worried about? You''re so skinny. Eat more. Don''t starve yourself," Nina replied. The situation with the news made her extremely anxious. While her anxiety did not affect her diet, her sleep quality did get affected and she lost some weight because of it. As such, Nina decided that she would eat more and gain back what she had lost. "You should be the one eating more. Look, Mr. Mallory''s watching you." Luca happened to nce over at Percy''s table and saw the man smiling over at them. "Stop. What are you saying that for? Eat your food." Nina tugged on her sleeve, not daring to look over in Percy''s direction. She was afraid of seeing the facial expressions of the other members of the Mallory family. The rest of the family was maddeningly against her rtionship with Percy. If not for Old Master Crawford, Nina would surely have faced even more of their wrath. As a result, Nina was afraid of the other members of the Mallory family. She finally understood where Pierre learned his behavior. It was because everyone else in the Mallory family acted like that, so Pierre grew up in such an environment. It was an environment that nurtured a fearless individual who would do suchpulsive things. From kidnapping to abuse, to even stealing confidential documents. "You''re embarrassed," Luca teased. She did not doubt that Old Master Crawford''s visit was his way of helping Nina. Luca could not help but admire how smart Old Master Crawford''s strategy was. He went all out even for a small matter like this. By visiting their table, the Mallory family naturally would not suspect the truth of whether Nina was Old Master Crawford''s god-granddaughter. ¡°What? No, why would I be? Stop talking nonsense," Nina raised her ss of red wine and took a sip. ¡°Oh, right. Are you staying in the country for the new year?" "Where else would I go?" Luca asked. ¡°I was just curious if you''d take the opportunity of the long holiday and go back to visit your parents," Nina replied. Only then did Luca recall that as far as everyone else was concerned, she came from Russia. It was only natural for her to visit her parents during the holidays. However, Luca was the only one who knew that everyone on that document was fake. Her parents were here, so there was nowhere for her to go. Luca shook her head. ¡°I''m not, it''s too much of a hassle to travel to and fro." ¡°Makes sense. They don''t make such a big deal out of New Year''s there anyway, right? If you''re staying for the holiday, then we could probably meet up more often. Percy always has a bunch of dinners to go to by the end of the year, and they''re all too boring for me. We can meet up and do something together during the holidays, yeah?" Nina proposed. She did not like going to work dinners with Percy. She had never liked going to those dinners with Percy, and her dread for them only grew after what had happened recently. ¡°Sure," Luca agreed. With Luca''spany, Nina spent the rest of the banquet in high spirits and did not face any especially embarrassing situations. By the time the banquet ended, Percy walked over and left with Nina in tow. Luca, on the other hand, had to wait for Luke and their children before she could leave. They hade in the same car and would be leaving in the same one as well. As the Crawfords were hosting tonight''s banquet, decorum insisted that Luke stand by the door and see the guests out even if he had not stood at the entrance to wee guests earlier. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Not to mention, many people wanted to make connections with Luke. Those who had not had the chance to do so before the banquet took this opportunity to crowd him and leave an impression in hopes to foster a good opportunity for business cooperation. Thus, Luke ended up busier than Susan and the others. Luca sat on the chair and watched Luke who was standing outside. He was surrounded by a crowd. The scene reminded her of die-hard fans swarming their idol for a signature and photo. Chapter 2314 Luca could not help but chuckle at the thought. Luke was very busy, so she waited patiently for all the guests to leave. Once he was done, Luke walked over to her. Beside him, Susan was sporting a huge frown on her face. Her expression was filled with distaste when she watched Luke''s retreating figure. ¡°Mother, I''ll go and pay the hotel the rest of the fees." Louis watched the guests leave and decided to pay the outstanding figure. "All you have in mind is matters like this. You''re really going to infuriate me to death one day." Susan looked at him with disappointment. Louis had also stood at the door to wave the guests off, but there were considerably fewer people who wanted to talk to Louis than those who wanted to talk to Luke. In fact, Louis'' presence at the door did not seem to make any difference at all, since everyone only wanted to talk to Luke. Her birthday celebration had easily be Luke''s banquet. Louis saw how Old Master Crawford was still within earshot and whispered, "Why are you angry again, Mother?" He did not understand what his mother was dissatisfied with considering everything had already gone ording to her standards. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "Can you not tell why I''m angry? You''re both Crawfords, yet Luke''s the one being surrounded by everyone else. What about you, hmm? Today is my birthday, not Allison''s birthday!" Susan was disappointed at the fact that Louis did not even show the desire to mingle when the crowd swarmed Luke. Instead, her son continued to wave the other guests off with a smile. She did not understand why her son was so hopeless inparison. Louis was no stranger toments like this. He usually responded with a smile and some constion. However, hearing Susanin again today ignited and med the annoyance within him. In truth, he knew that there was noparing himself to Luke. Louis understood why so many people liked talking to Luke. After all, it was only normal for people to want more profit-making opportunities. As such, Louis had never gotten envious of Luke. He knew he could not manage a business as big as T Corporation, especially not when thepany was only getting busier each year. However, Louis was also braver than Luke in the sense that he dared to chase after his dreams. As such, Louis had always seen himself as someone who lived a happier life than Luke since he could do what he wanted to do. The life he lived was an easy and carefree one. Sure, there were asionally some obstacles and difficulties, but having the support of the Crawford family made it so that even if his business failed, he would still be the respected second master of the Crawford family instead of a bankrupt man with nothing to his name. He liked the life he was living. However, Susan kept seeing his disinterest in the family business as hopelessness. He had already arranged the birthday celebration for her ording to her requests, yet she still picked on him. Louis found himself irked by her harsh words and wanted nothing more than to toss everything down and leave. Yuri saw the shift in the expression on his face and summed up the courage to defend her husband. ¡°Louis is already doing his best, Mother. Don''t get angry at him. Let Louis pay the hotel manager first and then we''ll go home, okay?" Susan harrumphed, still displeased that Luke had stolen her limelight. It was just further proof to her that Louis was not aspetent as Luke. Thisparison only made Susan feel even more at lost. More than once, she had spoken of her desire for Louis to close his business or hire a professional manager to take over so that he could return to work for T Corporation. She wanted her son to work in one of the managerial levels in T Corporation so that Luke would not hold full control over it. Louis never agreed. Susan harrumphed again. Yuri took Thea''s hand and turned to Louis. "Go pay first. I''ll be right here." Louis'' expression did not brighten, but he nodded and left. "Mother, today''s your birthday. Don''t get angry today, alright?" Yuri consoled. She did not want to be the one to console Susan, but they were in public, and Susan''s frown would only garner unruly discussions from other people. "Does it look like I can be happy? Tell your husband to do better. Tell him to work harder or else he won''t be able to afford Thea''s expenses," Susan started berating when she heard Yuri. Susan believed that the wife was to me for her husband''sck of motivation,pletely forgetting the fact that Louis had grown up in a carefree environment where he had never experienced any difficulties. Louis had not even experienced starvation or had to worry about not being able to afford his next meal. This was that fostered his personality now. Not to mention that Susan had already started fighting Allison for her husband''s attention back then. As such, she missed out on many opportunities to educate her son. This was why Louis acted the way he did now. Yuri''s expression soured as well when she heard Susan''s remarks. "Mother, I''m sure Louis has his own reasonings. He''s able to pay for Thea''s education too." It was not that she had never tried to talk to Louis about this, but every time she brought it up, Louis would refute her and his expression would darken. Their marriage was an arranged one. While she had feelings for him, Louis treated her more as a family member than as a romantic partner. Therefore, with her experience, Yuri no longer dared to bring up the topic. Even if Louis did not appear to be high-achieving, he was still doing his best. He was no longer as yful as he used to be too. That was enough for her. Not to mention that the Crawford family was very wealthy and Louis'' shares were enough to promise her afortable life. Sure, she would feel regretful sometimes over the fact that her husband was not standing on the top of the power chain, but there was no point fussing over such a matter. ¡°Children must be spoilt. Look at Thea. She doesn''t even have the chance to be admitted to her dream academy by way of connections. Imagine if it was Ranie. All anyone had to say is that she''s Luke''s daughter and she was admitted into the academy Thea''s been wanting to get into for so long. Thea had to go through interviews twice and she still didn''t make it. Do you not feel remorseful toward your daughter?" Susan''s words were straightforward. She showed no regard for how her words would affect the children''s feelings. Most of the guests had left already, so she did not care if others would hear her. Even Old Master Crawford had long left with the butler. Yuri was exasperated. Susan was talking about the academy where Ranie was learning dance. Thea had applied a few times but had not passed or gotten enrolled in the academy. An indignant look shed through Thea''s eyes. On the other hand, Luke was slowly walking to the exit with Luca and their children. He saw the frown on Susan''s face. However, out of politeness, he still greeted her. "I''m bringing the children back first, Mother." "Go. Thank you for helping Louis bid the guests farewell. You sure worked hard today." Despite thanking Luke, Susan''s tone was rather ambiguous. Everyone present could easily understand what she was intending to say. Luca frowned slightly and nced at Susan. However, if Luke said nothing, then it was not her ce to make any remarks either. Chapter 2315 Luke''s gaze darkened when he heard Susan''s ambiguous tone. Susan felt the strong and angry aura from Luke and took an instinctive small step backward. Only then did she realize that she was afraid of Luke. Luke quirked his lips. From Susan''s ambiguous tone and harsh appearance, Luke knew that Louis must have gotten an earful moments ago. ¡°We''ll be going back first." ¡°Drive safe, Brother," Yuri quickly said. After Luke and Luca left with their children, Susan turned to re at Yuri with displeasure. ¡°Even you''re so ready to chummy up to him, huh?" ¡°Mother, I''m not..." Yuri defended. She did not understand how her act ofmon courtesy had be chumming up to Luke in her mother''s eyes. After all, an act was only believable when one kept it up. ¡°Cut the attitude in front of children, lest they take after your bad example." Susan harrumphed. She did not like it when people tried to get in Luke''s good graces. Yuri listened exasperatedly to Susan, unable to defend herself. Luke, Luca, and the children took the lift to the lobby on the first floor and happened to stumble into Louis who had just finished paying. ¡°You''re leaving already, Brother?" Louis greeted Luke first. ¡°Yeah." Luke saw the receipt still in Louis'' hand and asked, ¡°Did you just pay?" ¡°Yeah. I only paid the deposit before, so I came to pay the outstanding amount once the banquet ended." Louis smiled. Despite how harsh Susan''s words were, Louis harbored no resentment toward Luke. ¡°Are you free tomorrow?" Luke asked. ¡°I am. Why?" Louis assumed that Luke needed his help with something. ¡°Could youe over to T Corporation?" Luke asked. ¡°Sure. I''ll arrive around 10, then. My mother and Yuri are still upstairs, so I''ll be going first." Louis put the bill away. Susan''s birthday celebration cost him a lot of money, but he did not dare to tell Susan so. He was certain that if he did, Susan would only use it as fuel to scold him for being too ipetent to compete with Luke for T Corporation. ¡°Alright." Luke nodded. Louis smiled at Luca and said, "I''ll be going first, Dr. Craw. By the way, you look truly stunning today. You''re a great match with my brother." Then, he went to the lift. "Bye..." Luca waved. Thepliment made her feel rather shy. It was not because she was embarrassed over Louis saying that she looked stunning but because he said she was a great match with Luke. Beside them stood Tommy who was rubbing his eyes after standing for a while. He turned to tell Luke, "I''m sleepy, Daddy." The little boy had exerted most of his energy ying with the other children. Luke looked down at his son. Tommy and Lanie had gone wild in the children''s yground today, so it was only natural that they were running out of energy. Luke replied, "We''re going home right now." "Up, Daddy. I''m too sleepy to walk." Tommy reached out. He originally wanted to ask Luca to carry him, but she might not agree, so he turned to ask Luke instead. Luke was not the type to spoil his children too much, but Tommy looked truly pitiful at the moment. Luke nced at Luca and realized that if he declined Tommy, Luca might end up carrying Tommy instead. However, Tommy was no longer the same young toddler he used to be and the boy was considerably heavy now. Luca might suffer if she were to carry their son. As such, Luke bent down to carry Tommy before turning to look at Lanie and Rainie. "Let''s go home." "Okay, Daddy," the siblings replied. Luca stepped forward and took both Lanie and Rainie''s hands, holding one in each of her hands as they walked out of the hotel. They looked like a happy family of five. In the car, Tommy fell asleep where he sat between his siblings. Luke had drunk tonight, so Luca took over the driver''s seat on their way home. It waste at night and snow was falling, so Luca made sure to drive carefully and slowly. It was almost ten-thirty by the time they arrived back at the vi. She let out a sigh of relief once the car was parked. Tommy was napping, so the interior of the car remained especially quiet throughout the drive. Luke smiled at her before pushing open the car door and getting out. Then, he opened the backseat door. Rainie was the first to get off. She whispered, "Tommy''s asleep, Daddy. Will you carry him upstairs?" "I will." Then, Luke crouched into the car and picked Tommy up before walking toward the vi. Luca entered the vi with the other two in tow as well. After putting Tommy in his bedroom and closing the door, Luke turned to Lanie and Rainie. "It''s getting late. Go wash up and sleep." "Okay, Daddy," Lanie replied before retiring to his bedroom. Rainie nodded as well and went to her bedroom. Thus, Luke and Luca were the only ones left in the second corridor. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. "I''m going to open a bottle of red wine. There''s something I''d like to discuss with you," Luke said. ¡°Sure, but let me wash up first," Luca agreed. Her makeup look was exquisite, but wearing makeup for long hours blocked her pores. It did not feelfortable on her face. ¡°Alright. I''ll sober up as well," Luke replied. Luca nodded and pushed open the door to her bedroom. She took her makeup off first and then took a shower and washed her hair. She let out a long sigh of relief when she took off her tight-fitting dress. She much preferred loose clothing. While she busied herself in the bathroom, Luke opened a bottle of red wine and washed up. After washing off the smell of food from the banquet, he changed into somethingfortable and waited downstairs for Luca. After all, women had more to do than men did. Luke ced the bottle on the coffee table and took out two wine sses. Then, he dimmed the living room lights and yed some music. In an instant, the atmosphere turned romantic. Luca was stunned when she saw the scene after descending the stairs. Luke sat on the sofa. The two sses and bottle of red wine were still ced on the coffee table in front of him. It reminded Luca of the past when they would share a drink during their leisure time and chat about what was happening around themtely as they drank. The children were all asleep by then, and without the disruption of their children, all they heard was music and sweet nothings from each other. The atmosphere also quickly led to them doing something else other than talking. ¡°What are you doing just standing there?" Luke looked at her and asked. Luca snapped back to reality and sat on the sofa next to his. ¡°What did you want to talk about, Mr. Crawford?" She felt rather nervous as the atmosphere was starting to feel like a date to her. Luke did not respond, instead opting to pick up the wine bottle and pour the two of them a ss of red wine. Then, he handed one to Luca. ¡°Have some." Luca wanted to decline, but she had already recovered from her cold and had no reason to reject the wine. She took the ss, thanked him, and clinked sses with him. Clink. The two wine sses made a crisp sound upon contact. Chapter 2316 Luca''s heart skipped a beat at the sound. If not for the ambiguous and warm atmosphere of the living room, she might have thought that Luke realized something and wanted to question her under the excuse of drinking. The gentle sound of the piano drifted from the speakers, and Luca felt herself rxing. She did not ask Luke what he wanted to talk about and opted to listen to the music instead. With her emotions calmed, she started drinking more wine without realizing it. The red wine was tasty and quickly made her lightheaded. Luke stared at Luca''s flushed cheeks and decided that she looked much more enchanting like this than she did with the makeup blush. He wanted nothing more than to engrave this enchanting look in his mind forever. Luke''s gaze darkened. His desire for Luca was growing, but he forced himself to rein it in. He did not want this woman to feel afraid of him. Up until this moment, Luke had yet to find out why Luca was so willing to stay under the control of the Ind of Despair. He knew that she would not allow herself to be controlled unless the Ind of Despair had a very important token in their hands. As such, Luke did not dare to act rashly, not even if the woman in front was someone he was most familiar and intimate with. Luca saw the burning desire in his eyes and put down the wine ss, straightening her posture in the process. The music and the wine had her almost forgetting what they were here for in the beginning. ¡°Mr. Crawford, there was something you wanted to talk about?" Luke frowned with displeasure when he heard her call him ''Mr. Crawford''. However, upon remembering that she was being forced, he could only sigh and ept her distancing herself from him. "Are you going back to Russia for New Year''s this year?" Luke asked. "I''m not," Luca replied without much thought. Everyone else could spend New Year''s at home with their family, but it was different for her. She was with her family, but she had apletely different identity now. "That''s nice. So you''ll be spending the holidays in A City, right?" Luke confirmed. "Yeah." Luca nodded. "Let''s go buy gifts this weekend, then," Luke suggested. Luca did not expect such an invitation from Luke, since gift purchasing was usually done by Aunt Neile. Luca had no choice but to brave on. ¡°Mr. Crawford, I don''t believe I''m well versed with the practices of New Year''s here." Luke watched her try to lie with exasperation but knew that he could not expose her. "Then we''ll have Aunt Neilee with us." Luca''s lips parted. She originally wanted to offer to leave the preparations to Aunt Neile, but the man''s decision had destroyed all chances to raise such an offer. "Don''t you want to experience the Thanksgiving atmosphere?" Luke looked at her. "Lanie and the others look forward to this holiday a lot. Buying gifts is a crucial part of this festivity." "Alright, then..." Luca wanted to spend New Year''s with her children as well. Luke put down the ss. As they chatted, they managed to drink more than half a bottle of red wine. Luca herself had finished the other half. He raised his gaze to look at the time. It was already past 11. They had both drank and were slightly tipsy. To retire to bed now guaranteed the best sleeping quality. Luke took Luca''s hand and stood. "Time to sleep." "Hmm?" Luca let him pull her up. She was confused since Luke said that there was something he wanted to discuss. ''Was gift purchasing all he wanted to discuss?'' "We''ve already discussed everything," Luke said as he walked toward the stairs. Luca followed him to the second floor. Luke pushed open Luca''s bedroom door and walked in. Then, he took off his jacket to reveal sleepwear underneath. Luca made noment when she saw his actions. She took her jacket off to reveal her sleepwear as well. Then, the two of them climbed into bed. Luke shuffled around until he found afortable position and wrapped his arms around her to sleep. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Luca was used to sleeping in his arms as well, so she did not move around and fell asleep too. The following day at Crawford Manor. Susan sat on the sofa as she scrolled through the photos sent to her by the photographer. It was the photographer Louis had employed to take photos of the banquet the night before. The photographer was rather famous in A City, and Susan scrolled through the photos projected on the TV screen with satisfaction. The photographer was skilled, and she looked beautiful in his photos. The photographer continued to show her the photos seeing as Susan made noments about them. That was until Susan saw a photo of Luca and Luke entering the venue. She frowned. "Why''d you take photos of them?" The photographer looked at the photo and exined, "I take photos of essentially every guest, but because they''re candid pictures, I can''t guarantee that every photo is of good quality. So I usually save photos that are rtively well taken." He was an experienced photographer and knew that many hosts liked to have photos of their guests taken for reference. Not to mention that the photographer recognized Luke. Besides, a good-looking couple was always nice to take photos of, so he snapped a few more shots of them. He did not expect the photos to garner Susan''s displeasure. ¡°I was the main character of the night. Why were you taking photos of unrted people?" They were on the second floor, so Susan had no fear that Old Master Crawford would hear what she was saying. As such, Susan''s choice of words was harsh and implied that Luke was not part of her family. "Unrted..." The photographer was confused. Luke was a Crawford too, so he did not understand why Luke was suddenly ''someone unrted''. "Every photo that contains Luke is to be deleted. I don''t want to see any photos I''m not in," Susan said as she scrolled through them, only to realize that the next few photos were all of Luke. Three of them had Luca too. The woman was dressed simply that night. When Susan saw the ne Luca was wearing yesterday, she found it rather in and did not understand why the photographer took photos of her. "Alright. I''ll delete them right away." The photographer did not understand what Susan was thinking, but since the customer was always right, he immediately deleted the pictures on hisputer. Susan was still displeased. She felt insulted to know that Luke''s photos were taken along with hers. After all, Luke was Allison''s son, and Allison was a mistress her husband cheated on her with. Susan had never been able to throw either of them out of the Crawford family. She took it as a personal attack on her status as her husband''s legal wife. She had endured the humiliation for years, and it built resentment deep within her. The photographer arrived at the next photo after deleting the photos of Luke. It was a family photo, so he decided to ask Susan first before deleting it. "Do you want this deleted too, Madam Crawford?" It was a family photo, meaning Luke was in it too. Susan red at the photo and was about to tell the photographer to delete it when she suddenly thought about Old Master Crawford. Old Master Crawford was the one who asked for a family photo as he said that it had been years since the one at home wasst updated. Hence, he wanted to take the chance to update it. If she deleted this photo, she did not know how she should exin it to Old Master Crawford. "Leave it." Susan finally decided after much thought. Old Master Crawford was still the head of the family, so it was not her ce to decide whether to delete the photo or not. The photographer nodded and continued to scroll through the photos. Since Louis had selected the most expensive photo-taking service, many photos ended up being saved and left for Susan to decide whether to refine the photos or leave them be. Chapter 2317 Half an hourter, Susan had already made her selections for which photos she wanted to refine. Excluding the family photo, every other photo was of herself. The photographer could not help butin internally. He had taken photos of so many guests and business big shots, yet Susan only chose the photos she was in. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. After her selection, the photographer kept hisputer and stood up. ¡°Madam Crawford, now that the photos have already been selected, I should be able to finish editing and refining them within a week. We can decide on a date then for you toe and take a look at the photos. I''ll further refine them if need be." "Alright. There''s no rush. Just make sure that the photos look great in the end," Susan replied. "Of course. I''ll make sure to further heighten your looks." The photographer knew what Susan wanted to hear, so he promised her as he walked down the stairs. "That will be best." Susan was very pleased with his business attitude and stood to walk him downstairs. Then, she had the butler send him out when they arrived on the first floor. Old Master Crawford was currently having tea on the sofa when he asked, "Have you chosen the photos already?" "I have, Father. They should be edited within a week. If they look alright, we should be able to update the family photo before the new year." Susan turned to look at the family photo on the wall and smiled ambiguously. It would be nice to change the family photo since the new one did not have Allison on it. She had dressed elegantly for her birthday yesterday and looked perfect as the madam of the house. "Alright. I''ll leave it to you to make sure that the photo''s changed before the new year," Old Master Crawford said. Susan''s heart soar. Old Master Crawford was the one who suggested updating the family photo. This meant that he no longer cared about Allison anymore. This was the best oue since it meant that there would only be one madam of the Crawford family. The Ind of Despair. Abel pushed opened the door and walked into Shanks''b with his phone in hand. "Is my cigar done?" ¡°Left cab, second drawer, firstpartment." Shanks was currently preparing medicine and did not look up at Abel. Abel found two boxes of modified cigars and sat in front of Shanks pleasedly. "Aren''t you bored studying medicine here all day? You won''t even help me teach or train those people either." "Those people are hopeless. There''s no point in training them," Shanks replied without looking up. Abel took his phone and tapped on the image he received. "As far as you''re concerned, she''s the only person who has any degree of talent." Shanks knew who Abel was talking about. Luca was indeed the most hardworking woman he met. She did not have much talent for medicine, but she was smart and willing to work hard, so she learned quickly. "It''s a shame, though. What do you think? Should I have her stay permanently on the Ind of Despair to learn medicine and save the people on this ind, or should I have her continue her mission and dirty her hands with blood?" Abel asked. Shanks frowned and finally looked up at him. "You''re nning to call her back?" Abel did not respond, opting to show Shanks the photos on his phone instead. "Look at these photos. What emotion do you see on her face?" The photos of Luca and Luke were taken during Susan''s birthday banquet. Shanks replied indifferently without thinking, "Happiness." "Yeah, happiness." Abel''s gaze darkened. Despite being someonepletely different, Luca could still stay at Luke''s side happily. This irked him. It was unfair that they could still be so happy when his Kassy... "You have great skills, you know. You managed to change her appearance so well to the point where Luke, someone so devoted to his wife, couldn''t hold himself back from her." Abel pulled out a cigar impatiently only to recall Shanks telling him not to smoke in theb. Hence, Abel suppressed the desire to smoke and continued, "If we were to have Luca destroy this happiness right now and destroy everything Luke possesses, how pitiful would the two of them be?" Shanks handed the phone back to him and replied calmly. "Very, but how certain are you that you''ll manage to destroy both Luke and Ivana?" "Notpletely, but I''d say I''m around 60 to 70 percent certain? Which is enough. Ivana''s the most important weapon I want, actually. Once Luke knows that the woman who betrayed him is actually the Bianca he''s been yearning for. Oh, I can already anticipate the tion I''ll feel!" Abel eximed. He and Kassy did not get their happily ever after, so he would not allow Luke and Bianca to have theirs. "What do you have in mind?" Shanks asked again. Whether the n was in action or not mattered little to him. As long as Abel continued to pay for his research, nothing truly mattered to him. "I''m thinking probably after the new year," Abel said. Shanks frowned and opposed immediately. "No." "Why not?" Abel did not like his ns being opposed. He pped the desk in anger. "Don''t tell me you''re pitying Ivana. You can''t possibly have fallen for her during those three years together, have you? And even if you have, so what? All she thinks about is that man. You''d better act quickly if you really want her. Destroy Luke so she no longer finds him outstanding. Once she no longer thinks about him, then only will you have any semnce of a chance." ¡°You think you much. My issue is that your recruits have yet to find the ingredients I want. If you call Ivana back now, who''s going to distinguish the real ones from the fakes?" Shanks asked. ¡°Hmph. If we find out that they''re all fake when they get back, then they''ll just have to go out and look again," Abel replied without a care. "Are you sure? The outside world already knows that the Ind of Despair''s forces is bouncing back. Everyone is looking for us. If you keep sending people out, they''ll manage to trace us in no time. I''d like to remind you as well that the Russian air force frequently circles above our ind because of this," Shanks tells him. The outside world was growing nervous now that they could confirm the existence of the Ind of Despair. Some forces were even trying to locate the ind as well. However, no one seemed to have guessed that they were just underground. In fact, in an attempt to avoid being detected or traced by all sorts of instruments, they were also using various anti-detection and anti-tracking instruments of their own underground. "Hmph." Abel had to admit that Shanks made a point. Not to mention that the medicine Shanks was currently studying was going to be very useful for the Ind of Despair, so Abel needed his help. "Fine. I''ll let Ivana spend another year with her dearest husband, then." Abel agreed to it. Chapter 2318 Shanks did not say anything more. After all, he would fulfill whatever he had promised Abel. Shanks looked at the microscope on the table that was not far away from him after Abel left. That was the microscope Luca used to do her research. Ever since she left the Ind of Despair, the microscope had never been used again. The dust had begun to settle on it. His words just now made it seem like it was only for the sake of his experiment, but he was also giving Luca a chance. Shanks had been to A City before. The people there took New Year''s seriously. They thought it was an important day to reunite with their family members. All the students who went to study abroad and those who were working elsewhere would return to their hometowns and celebrate New Year''s with their families. It was probably Luca''sst chance to celebrate New Year''s with that man. In that photo just now, Luca looked so happy when she was looking at Luke. Shanks looked at the microscope. He could still remember the happiness of seeing his family members during New Year''s. Regardless if one was rich or poor, New Year''s would be one''s happiest moment. ¡°Ivana, appreciate what you have now..." Shanks shifted his gaze away and continued to mix the solutions. It was 10 o''clock in the morning. Louis arrived at the T Corporation on time. The receptionist recognized him as Young Master Louis of the Crawford family. She did not stop him and greeted him instead, "Good morning, Mr. Louis." "Good morning. Is Mr. Crawford upstairs?" Louis asked. He did not intend to distance himself from Luke, but he was in the office now, so he should be formal. Although he was T Corporation''s shareholder, he was not an employee of thepany. He was hoping that his presence was not too noticeable in the office. "Yes. Boss hasn''t left the office," replied the receptionist. "I''d like to go upstairs for a while. Please help me to inform him," said Louis. Although it was Luke who asked him toe, Louis still followed the procedures. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only "Okay. Please go upstairs first. I''ll inform him," the receptionist smiled and replied. Louis got into the elevator and headed to the top floor. He did not head straight to Luke''s office. Instead, he came to Jason''s office first. Knock, knock. Louis knocked on the door. Jason lifted his head and noticed that it was Louis. He smiled and said, "Mr. Louis, you''re here." "Yes. I came to look for Mr. Crawford. Is he busy now?" Louis asked. "Boss is in the office. He told us that you should just head to his office right away when you''ve arrived," Jason delivered the message as told by Luke. "Okay. I''ll head to his office, then," replied Louis as he nodded. He marched toward Luke''s office door and knocked on the door. "Come in," Luke''s voice came from inside the office. Louis pushed the door open and walked into the office. He sat down on the chair opposite Luke. No one else was there, so the way he addressed him was not as distant as it was just now. "Brother, what''s the matter?" "How much did you spend on Mother''s birthday dinner?" Luke asked. "Why are you asking me this?" Louis smiled. He knew Luke would like to share the burden with him when he heard him asking. "Do you need me to call the hotel''s manager?" Luke questioned him. "No. There''s no need to. I know you''d like to help me, but I have my own career now. It''s not a big deal," replied Louis. He refused to ept Luke''s offer. After all, it was Susan''s expenditure. Besides, Susan wanted nothing to do with Luke. He would feel sorry for him if Luke really helped him. "She''s also my mother," said Luke. "I should make some contributions to her birthday," "But you''ve already lent me the money, and your gift was expensive. You''ve done enough, Brother," Louis pointed out. The first thing Susan did was unwrap Luke''s gift. She initially thought of ridiculing his gift in front of the old master. However, she did not expect Luke to give her such an expensive gift. Even though Susan meant to nitpick, there was nothing much she could say about it. "Do you think I''m not aware of what''s happening to yourpany?" Luke shook his head. "I didn''t mean to investigate yourpany, but one of your partners is one of mypany''s customers. He told me everything about it." "Everything?" Louis frowned. One of hispany''s clients was dered bankrupt not long ago. It was a big client, and there was no way Louis could im the payment that the client owed him. It almost affected the cash flow of hispany back then. The problem was only solved when the other clients took the initiative to make their final payments after that. However, Louis had also secretly put arge sum of money to fund thepany and stabilize it. That was why he was broke now. "I roughly know the size of yourpany. That''s why I understand the situation you''re facing now. Stop denying it," said Luke. He took a check out of his drawer and handed it to Louis. ¡°Brother, I can''t take your money. You know that well. Although she''s also your mother, she has never treated you kindly. That''s why it''s not your obligation and responsibility to spend money on her. You''re already helping me by not urging me to pay you back so soon,¡± Louis insisted. "Why are you insisting on doing this? How are you going to pay for Thea''s school fees, then?" Luke asked. It would be the new school semester after New Year''s. The school fees of the school Thea would be attending were expensive. "I''m Thea''s father. I''ll handle her school fees myself. Besides, I''ll ask for your help if I really can''t hang on anymore," replied Louis. Luke had no choice but to take the check back. Then, he said, "Okay. Remember to tell me if you really need help. I''m your brother. I care for you more than the others." "Brother, you''re being talkative," Louis smiled. Although he did not ept Luke''s help, he appreciated his kindness. "What nonsense are you talking about?" Luke rolled his eyes. "You''ve be talkative after you got together with Dr. Craw. It feels like the man who was in love in the past has returned," Louis teased him. No one else was in the office, so Louis spoke without hesitation. After Bianca was kidnapped, Luke became quiet and this changested even after she came back. He would never say another word unless he had to. It was just like before he got married. He seemed to be more alive now. "Don''t be ridiculous," said Luke. "I know. I''m not going to tell anyone. But the photographer sent me some of the photos. I thought maybe you''ll like them," said Louis. "Photos?" Luke asked. "Let me send them to you," answered Louis. The photographer told him about what had happened when they were selecting the photos. He recovered the photos that he deleted after Louis requested him to do so. Then, the photographer sent them to Louis'' phone. "Okay. Take a look at the photos," Louis sent the photos to Luke. Luke''s phone notification rang. He picked his phone up and tapped on the screen to open the photos. A few photos of him standing and walking with Luca came into sight. He smiled. "They look great, right? Do you like them?" Louis asked. Chapter 2319 Luke saved the photos and said in a calm voice, ¡°You talked too much today." ¡°When do I not?" Louis said, "I''ve always been chattering away while following behind you since I was young. You should''ve gotten used to it, right?" Luke was already Louis'' brother when he was born. Although Susan had always told Louis that Luke was his enemy, it did not affect his admiration for Luke. Louis loved following behind Luke since he was young. He was naughty and yful too. Thus, he did not learn much from Luke and his strengths. "That''s true. You''re as talkative as an old woman. Oh, give me the photographer''s contact details. I''d like to print some photos too," answered Luke. "Nonsense. Don''t you ruin my tall and masculine image," Louisughed jokingly. Then, he gave the photographer''s contact number to Luke. Louis nced at the time, then he rose to his feet and said, "Brother, I''ve sent you his contact number. I shouldn''t be bothering you anymore. I''m leaving now." "Stay for a while more. Let''s have lunchter," Luke invited him. "No, thanks. I have a meeting to attend at 11. I''ll be just in time if I go back and prepare for it now," replied Louis. Although the crisis had been ovee at the moment, that incident also showed that his company was not strong enough to handle the crisis. Louis had toe up with a n and prepare himself so that he would not be at his wit''s end when he met such clients in the future. Luke did not make him stay when he sensed that Louis was preupied with his work. After Louis left, Luke picked up his phone and stared at the photos. A warm smile appeared on his cold and expressionless face. Luke looked at the photos of Luca and himself. A thought came into his mind, ''We''re made for each other.'' Luca looked stunning in that dress that night. One of the photos was taken from behind them. Luca''s face could not be seen, but he could see that she was just like before just by looking at her silhouette. She was still Bianca. Luke missed the old days, but at the same time, he knew it was useless to reminisce. He had to investigate the background of the Ind of Despair as soon as possible. However, it was easier said than done. Back then, it only took him a while to wipe out the Ind of Despair because he had been taken there. He kept his mind clear when they tried to brainwash him, and he was able to figure things out quickly. Now, it seemed that other than Luca and the people from the Ind of Despair, no one else was familiar with the organization. Many forces in Russia were currently looking for the stronghold of the Ind of Despair. Theeback of the Ind of Despair had caused them to be taken advantage of. That was why they were working together to find out where their stronghold was. They hoped to turn the tide. However, they had yet to find anything until today. Luke''s brows furrowed. He felt helpless about Luca''s matter this time. He had spent a long time looking for the Ind of Despair, but he had no idea where their hideout was. Hisputer screen lit up, notifying him that he had received an email. Luke clicked on it. It was an email in Russian. He quickly opened the email. It was an email from Ray. Ray stated in the email that his men had not found the stronghold of the Ind of Despair. At the same time, he would bring Vivian to his country for a vacation during New Year''s. He wanted Vivian to get familiar with the environment there. Vivian was offered admission to the Capital University in A City. There was a slight trace of disappointment in Luke''s eyes. There was still no sign of the stronghold. He replied to Ray in Russian: [You''re always wee here.] The moment Luke sent the email, Ray sent another email to him and reminded him not to tell Gordan about their schedule. Luke frowned. What did this have anything to do with Gordan? He had been investigating the Ind of Despair and instructing people to keep an eye on Matysh after he returned. That was why he did not pay attention to what had been going on with Gordan and Vivian after they divorced. However, Vivian seemed to have moved on. Was Gordan unable to let go? Luke did not think Gordan would be looking for Vivian, so he just replied: [Don''t worry. I won''t mention anything about it.] Aunt Neile delivered the lunchbox to the office when it was noontime. Luke headed downstairs carrying the lunchbox in his hands. Jason called him when he walked out of his office, ¡°Boss, are you going to have lunch now?" "Yes." Luke turned around and looked at him. "There''s an unscheduled international video conference around 1:30 p.m. Will you be able to make it? The branch office in New York requested it," Jason discussed with him. "Yes," Luke agreed to attend the meeting. He should have finished eating lunch with Luca by then. "Okay. Then let me have it arranged," said Jason. Luke arrived at theboratory downstairs with the lunchbox in his hands, and he directly walked into Luca''s office. Zoey saw him passing by when she was in her office. She did not stop him. After all, who would have the guts to stop their boss? Zoey shot a nce and lowered her head to continue her work. Rhett got out of theboratory and returned to the office. He noticed that Zoey was still working and asked, ¡°Aren''t you going out for lunch today?" ¡°I''ve ordered takeout. It''s too cold out there. I don''t feel like moving at all," answered Zoey. Rhett nodded. He picked up the document on his table and nced at it. Then, he asked, "Is this for Dr. Craw to sign?" "I think so. Let me see," Zoey took the document from him and nced at it. She confirmed and said, "Yes, Dr. Craw has to sign on thest page of the document." "Let me take this to her office," said Rhett. He was about to walk out of the office. Zoey quickly stopped him, "Mr. Link, it''s not urgent. Why don''t you wait until after lunch break..." "Why? Dr. Craw has just returned to her office. She hasn''t left yet," Rhett asked with confusion. Zoey shook her head and replied, "You''re too busy to notice that Boss has been bringing lunch boxes into Dr. Craw''s office every day. Won''t you be the third wheel if you head there now?" "Boss. Mr. Crawford? He''s in Dr. Craw''s office?" Rhett widened his eyes. He was a little lost as he had never seen him here. "Yes. This has been going on for the past few days. Just wait until lunch break is over. You can ask Dr. Craw to sign the document after that. It''s not urgent anyway," Zoey returned to her seat calmly. Would they not be getting themselves into trouble if they knocked on Luca''s office door now? Everyone knew Luke''s character. Usually, they would not bother him if it had nothing to do with work. Sometimes, they even had to be careful when they needed to see him to discuss work. They had to be careful around him if they wanted to avoid getting into trouble. "Okay," Rhett put the document back on the table and left a note to remind himself that he must bring the document to Luca and have her sign it. "Has Mr. Crawford been having lunch with Dr. Craw these days?" he asked.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only "Yes. Every day. And it seems like his maid is the one who delivers the lunchboxes," Zoey answered. She happened to see his housemaid delivering the lunch boxes when she was buying lunch downstairs. "Fortunately, you told me earlier. Otherwise, I could have gotten myself in trouble," Rhett said calmly. He seldom stayed in the office. That was why he did not see who came in. If it were not for Zoey reminding him, it would not be as simple as bing the third wheel. Chapter 2320 Zoey gave a snort ofughter and said nothing more. Luca''s office. After Luca watched Luke fill up her te for her, she took it from him and thanked him, ¡°Thank you." ¡°My pleasure," replied Luke. He was not in a hurry to have lunch. Instead, he picked up his phone and sent their photos to Luca. "I''ve attached three photos in the message and sent it to you. Take a look at them." Luca put down her te, picked up her phone, and saw the message. The photos of Luke and her came into sight. Luca looked at him with surprise and said, "The photos..." "They were taken by the photographerst night," replied Luke, "Louis thought they looked good, so he sent them to me." "They do," Luca gently touched the photos on her phone screen as though she was caressing the people in the photos. The photos were just of the two of them. They were candid shots. Their truest moments were captured in every photo. One of the photos was taken from behind them. Luca could see that her silhouette was still the same as before, and there were hardly any changes.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Although she did not put her hand on Luke''s arm, the distance between them was very close. Anyone would have known that Luke and Luca came to the dinner together with just a nce. They stood close to each other like they were a loving couple. The photographer had captured the other two photos well too. One of them was of Luca looking at Luke, while the other one was of Luke staring at her. Although they were only photos, she could feel the sweet sentiments between them in the photos. Luca could not help but feel surprised. Before seeing the photos, she never knew that the way she looked at Luke was so tender. Luke was smart. He must have noticed that too. "They''re great photos," she mumbled. "It''s a pity that we didn''t get to take a photo with the kids." Luca had promised Rainie that they would take a photo together after she came back. They did not get the chance to take one as Tommy had already fallen asleep. "I''ve already contacted the photo studio the photographer is working at. Let''s bring the kids to the photo studio for a photoshoot session after we get some stuff this Saturday," said Luke. He had already made the appointment with the photographer. "Photoshoot session?" Luca clicked her tongue. She had promised Rainie to take a photo yesterday, but was there a need to head to the photo studio? Besides, Luca had a tripod stand and a camera. "Lanie and the others have grown up a lot this year. It''s almost New Year''s, and I think we should take some photos of them so we can look back on this time. That''s why I got them a portrait photography package," said Luke. He even booked a portrait photography package for Luca. Also, he did not tell Luca that he had already contacted the person who did her makeupst night. The makeup artist would head to the photo studio and doll her up this Saturday. After all, Luke liked how she dressed Luca up for the birthday dinner. "Okay," Luca nodded. She thought Luke''s idea was great. The children were still young, but they would grow up soon. If they could take some portrait photos every year when they were growing up, they would be able to look back at the photos when they grew up in the future. It was meaningful. Luca picked up her te and spoon while saying, "Let''s go to the photo studio this Saturday, then." "Okay," Luke picked up his te as well and began eating. Luke left Luca''s office after lunch. Then, Luca sat on her office chair while holding her phone. She had been looking at the three photos. When lunch break was over, someone knocked on the door. Only then did Luca put down her phone and say, "Come in." Rhett pushed the door open. Even though he saw Luke leaving Luca''s office when he was in the assistant''s office, he still acted carefully as he was scared by the thought of getting into trouble. "Dr. Craw, this is a document that you need to sign," Rhett looked around the office to make sure that there was no one else there. Only then did he hand the document to Luca. "Okay." Luca took it from him, nced at the contents, and said, "I''ll have to read through the document first. I''ll hand it to you after I sign it." "Take your time. Just inform me toe over and take the document from you after you sign it," Rhett quickly got out of Luca''s office and closed the door behind him after that. Luca was dumbfounded. Were there any monsters in her office? Why did Luca feel that Rhett was not asfortable as usual when he was facing her just now? Luca stopped thinking about it. She opened the file and read the document. Her phone rang when she was about to finish reading the document. Luca picked it up and nced at her phone. It was an international call, and the calling code seemed to be from Russia. Could it be Amur who was calling her? Luca immediately answered the call and spoke in Russian fluently, "Hello." ¡°Is this Luca?" Vivian''s voice came from the other end of the line. Luca recognized her voice. She was a little disappointed as she thought it was Amur. Although he had returned to the ind, he would be assigned to carry out missions anytime. Hence, she thought it was Amur who called. ¡°Yes, it''s Luca. Vivian, how are you doing these days?" Luca asked. ¡°I''m fine. Thank you," Vivian sounded gentle. Luca was listening to her from the other end of the line. She had always thought that if she had never seen Vivian in person, she would imagine her to be a gentle and beautiful woman through her voice alone. "Luca, there''s something I''d like to tell you. I''ve been officially epted by Capital University. I''ll be heading there for my studies in February," said Vivian. She was admitted to the university as a transferred student. Capital University had made an exception to take Vivian in. It was not only because Vivian''s application report was well-written but also because Ray had talked to a senior executive working at Capital University about sponsoring a library. Hence, one of the slots for transfer students was reserved for her. "Congrattions, Vivian! You''re one step closer to your dreams," Luca knew applying for Capital University was Vivian''s first step toward her dreams. ¡°Thank you. Oh, Ray told me that we''ll be going there for a holiday around New Year''s so that I can get familiar with the culture and weather in A City as soon as possible. Luca, you should be around during New Year''s, right?" Vivian confirmed with her. Luca had left quite an impression on Vivian after she came to Russia for a short business trip. ¡°Yes, I''ll be here. We can celebrate New Year''s together if you''reing here together with Mr. Lacroix," replied Luca. ¡°That''s great. I love the culture there. We''ll celebrate New Year''s together, then," replied Vivian. ¡°Sure," Luca agreed with it. ¡°Luca, I''d still like to thank you." Vivian paused for a moment and expressed her gratitude. If it were not for Luca who ran into her on the street andforted her in the hotel, Vivian would not have made her decision so soon. Crying was not the best choice to say goodbye to her past. It would be better if she could start to live the life she had always wanted. The dreams she had never achieved were her motivation to start a new life. Luca was the one who told her all this. Chapter 2321 Luca smiled and said in a soft voice, ¡°It was you who moved on. There''s no need to thank me." ¡°No, I still have to thank you because I''ll need your help after this. I have no friends in A City. So, there are many things that I might need to trouble you and Mr. Crawford with," replied Vivian. She had already told Ray to keep it low-key about her going there to further her studies this time. Vivian did not want her ssmates to know that her family donated the library. Also, she did not want a bodyguard to follow her around as it would make her ssmates find out about her family background. Ray disagreed with her at first, and he insisted on keeping a few bodyguards beside her. Then, he would also arrange for two maids to take care of her there. It took a lot of effort for Vivian to convince him. The reason why she wanted to go to A City was to experience life in a ce without her family''s influence. She wanted to start a new life in a new country. Besides, Luke was staying in A City. He was a trusted friend of Ray''s. Thus, Vivian eventually managed to convince Ray. ¡°It''s nothing. Just tell me if you need anything in the future. I''ll be willing to help you as long as I''m in A City," replied Luca. Vivian was sensitive enough to get the hint in her words. ¡°Will you be leaving A City?" Luca was startled for a moment. She did not expect that she would spill the beans. Vivian''s voice was so gentle that Luca was unconsciously letting her guard down. It made her feel like she was talking to a psychiatrist, and she identally revealed the deepest secret that she had been keeping at the bottom of her heart. ¡°I mean, I''ll be away for business trips asionally. I won''t always be in A City. But don''t worry, I''d be d to help you as long as I''m here," Luca quickly exined. Vivian chuckled and replied, ¡°Okay, then I''ll leave you to your work. I''ll see you on New Year''s." ¡°See you." Luca let out a sigh of relief after the call ended. She almost told Vivian her deepest secret that was kept in her heart... Vivian might tell Luke about it if she found out that Luca would be leaving. She had to stay alert when she talked to her in the future. Luca looked down and picked up her phone again. New Year''s was just around the corner. She promised Luke that she would go shopping with him for the new year. Also, she reckoned that she would be busy handling the kids'' matters like how things used to be in the previous years. Therefore, she had to take care of everything at hand. Luca sent a message to Queenie, asking about Leia''s situation. Queenie called her after a while. ¡°Luca, I saw your message. I thought I should give you a call to exin it to you." "Okay, Mrs. Norman. I''m listening," Luca looked down and turned on the phone''s speaker. Although Queenie sounded like Leia was seriously ill, she knew that Luke would certainly know about it if she was really in a bad condition. Besides, Johann would have told her too. Hence, Luca was not anxious about it. She read the document and listened to Queenie talking on the phone at the same time. "The doctor said that Leia can be discharged from the hospital after some time. Her vital signs are fine after the surgery as they''re improving. But her vitals have stopped improving in the past two days. Although Dr. Park told me that it''s normal and Leia''s body needs a long time to recover as there''s no way she can recover so quickly, I''m still worried about her. You know she doesn''t have much patience as well, so if she''s not recovering fast enough, I''m worried that Leia will get anxious and her health will be affected too," said Queenie even though she thought troubling Luca again was not a good idea. Leia was the only child she left now. She had no choice but to bite the bullet and ask for Luca''s help. Luca paused for a moment and replied in a soft voice, "Ms. Norman''s body has to recover slowly. Her body can''t be fully recovered in such a short time. She''ll be fine as long as she takes her medicine and goes for her injections." "Dr. Park said so too, but Leia hates it. There''s nothing I can do now. Luca, you do have a way to make her body recover faster, right?" Queenie asked. She had heard that herbal medicine was good for the body and was not as toxic as synthetic drugs. Although the naturopathic doctors in the hospital were professionals, Queenie had witnessed Luca''s ability herself. Luca was still the one she trusted the most. "Yes. I''ll go over tonight," Luca agreed to help her. If she did not go to the hospital tonight, she would be too busy to go in the next few days. Hence, she nned to solve Leia''s problem when she had the time to do so. After all, she had promised Queenie that she would help. "Okay. I''ll be waiting for you at the hospital tonight," Queenie was delighted when she heard Luca was coming over. "You don''t have to be there. I''m just going there to check her pulse and prescribe the medicine for her. It''ll be fine as long as the doctor''s there," replied Luca. She was not a doctor, so there was no way she could ask the hospital to prescribe the medicine. "Sure. I''ll inform the doctor," Queenie imed that she would get the doctor, but she secretly decided to wait for Luca. After all, it had been some time since she saw Luca, and she missed her. Queenie seemed to have a very keen interest in Luca. She was always d to see her, and she would also miss her when they had not seen each other for a while. It was as though she was thinking of her biological daughter. It was like before she knew Bianca. She had the same feeling for Bianca too. Luca continued with her work after she ended the call. Luca had been working until it was time to get off work. She got into Warren''s car and returned to the vi, then she helped Aunt Neile to prepare dinner. Luca initially thought that Luke would stay in the office and work overtime, but when she heard the kids calling Luke in the living room, she was startled for a moment. Luke did not work overtime today. After they finished preparing dinner, Luca and Aunt Neile served the dinner on the table. Luke brought the kids along with him to the dining room. ¡°Time for dinner," Luca nodded when she saw Luke and shifted her gaze. She picked up thedle as she was about to fill the bowls with soup for Luke and the kids. After Aunt Neile served thest dish, she took thedle that Luca was holding in her hands and said, "Ms. Craw, leave it to me. Please take a seat." "Thank you," Luca sat beside Luke. Tommy smiled, looked at her, and said, "Ms. Luca, you made buffalo wings today!" "Yes. A greedy little cat was talking in his sleep, saying that he was craving buffalo wings after he fell asleepst night," Luca teased Tommy. After Tommy fell asleep while leaning on Lanie in the backseat last night, he was mumbling in his sleep. Everyone in the car heard him. Tommy''s face reddened as he replied, "Ms. Luca, the greedy little cat you''re talking about, is it me¡ª" "Ms. Luca is talking about you. Tommy, you fell asleep when we were on our way home, and you mumbled about buffalo wings in your sleep five times," Rainie smiled and made fun of her younger brother. "So that''s how it happened. I was wondering why there were buffalo wings before I even told Ms. Luca and Aunt Neile I was craving them," Tommy gently scratched his face with his fingers. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only "Have some more," Luca helped Tommy with the buffalo wings and ced them on his te, then she helped Lanie and Rainie with the food. The buffalo wings were not deep fried with flour like how people did it out there. She baked the buffalo wings in the oven. Luca mentioned it to Aunt Neile this morning and told her to marinate them ording to her recipe with special seasonings. Then, she woulde back to bake them in the evening. Hence, the buffalo wings tasted just as good as the ones they ate outside. Chapter 2322 Tommy picked up the buffalo wings and took a bite. Then, he made a thumbs-up gesture and complimented, "Yummy." ¡°Have some more if they taste good,¡± Luca helped Tommy with another one. Then, she saw Luke pick up his cutleries, but he had yet to help himself with the food. She said, "Mr. Crawford, try some?" "Sure." Luke had never been interested in the kids'' favorite dishes, but since Luca was the one who cooked them... Luke lifted his fork and helped himself with one buffalo wing. Then, he ced it on his te and slowly tasted it. Luca looked away and helped herself with a piece of fish filet. She slowly took a bite and began eating. She ate and said at the same time, "I''m going to the hospitalter." "Leia?" Luke immediately got it right. "Yes. I''m going to be busy for the next few days, so I''d like to see if I can prescribe medicine for her while I have the time to do so today," replied Luca. "Let me send you there." Luke offered her a ride. Luca turned to look at him and hesitated for a few seconds. She eventually agreed with it and said, "Okay..." "Don''t worry. I''m not going to go upstairs," added Luke. "Alright.." Luca nodded. It would be fine if Luke did not go upstairs. If Leia saw Luke, her vital signs might be affected as she was afraid of him. Tommy, who was sitting beside them, heard their conversation. He tilted his head, stopped eating, and pondered. Luca noticed that and asked, "What''s wrong? Do the buffalo wings taste bad?" Tommy shook his head, pouted, and said, "The buffalo wings you prepared are the best. I was wondering if Aunt Leia has a doctor? Why does she need you to take care of her if she already has a doctor?" "I''m not taking care of her. I''m only going there to visit her," Luca corrected him. She knew the kids did not like Leia, but there were hardly any hardships and struggles in a child''s world. That was why Tommy could not understand. "But Aunt Leia is scary," said Tommy. They all knew Luca''s true identity, and that was why they thought she should not be going. Although Luke and Old Master Crawford had never told them about Leia having something to do with their mother being kidnapped, they eventually found out about it when the maids were talking about it. Luca stroked Tommy''s head and said, "I''ve asked Aunt Neile to stay longer to look after you today. Be good, okay?" "Okay, Ms. Luca. I''ll listen to Aunt Neile," Tommy had no choice but nod and say, "Besides, Lanie will be keeping an eye on me too." Other than getting scolded by Luke, Tommy was afraid of Lanie lecturing him too. Although Lanie was only a few years older than him, he had a knack for lecturing him. He could make Tommy unable to refute him and apologize for his mistakes. Luca helped Tommy with another buffalo wing while listening to him, "Have some more." "Thank you, Ms. Luca," Tommy smiled sweetly at her, then lowered his head to continue eating his dinner. After dinner, Luke drove Luca to the hospital to prevent her froming homete. In the hospital. Leia kept ncing at the time and staring at the door after she finished eating the oats delivered by the maid. Queenieforted her in a soft voice when she saw Leia was so anxious. "Leia, Luca told me that she''ll be here. Don''t worry." "How can I not be anxious? It took a few days to see the effects when you asked her toe here to nurse my health. I don''t think she sincerely wants to help me. Perhaps she won''t evene today," Leia mumbled. She could not help but feel annoyed when no one wasing in through the door. Queenie shook her head and heaved a sigh. "She was that day? She didn''te because she was worried that she might spread the virus to you. Don''t worry. She''ll definitelye here." "If she''sing, then why isn''t she here yet? Mom, why are you always speaking up for others?" Leia frowned unhappily. As her mother, she was always speaking up for people who were not rted to her! Queenie thought that the reason why Leia was on edge was that her health had not fully recovered. After all, the nurse told her that a patient''s emotions were usually unstable. "Luca has her own job. She can onlye to the hospital after she gets off work and has her dinner. Don''t be anxious. Take the pills." Queenie nced at the time. Half an hour had passed after Leia took the oats. It was time for her to eat her medicine. Hence, she handed the pills and the ss of water that had been left to cool down to her. Leia looked at the pills and frowned. "The pills taste bitter." "You have to take these. Try to get used to synthetic drugs. Herbal medicine tastes much more bitter than these. Come on. Listen to the doctor''s advice," Queenie convinced her patiently. She would keep an eye on Leia every time she had to take her medicine as she was afraid that Leia would refuse to take them. Leia finally had her liver transnt. If she did not take her medicine, everything would have been in vain. All the suffering she went through would be for nothing too. Leia bit the bullet and swallowed the pills. Although she alwaysined, she knew the pills were the only thing that could save her life. Leia would not allow the pain she had gone through to be in vain. She wanted to stay alive, and she wanted those who hurt her dead. That included Luke Crawford... Leia thought to herself that how deeply she was in love with Luke back then, that was how much she hated him now. 10 minutester, Luca had still yet to show up. Leia could not help but urge, ¡°Mom, give her a call and ask her if she''s unwilling to nurse my health." ¡°Perhaps she got dyed. We''re not in a rush. We still have two hours before the visiting hours are over, right?" Queenieforted her in a soft voice. They were already asking for Luca''s help. How could she call her to ask if she wasing? ¡°She only promised you to help just because she wants to leave a good impression on you," Leia gritted her teeth and nced at the phone beside her. ¡°Luca promised toe. She''ll be here," replied Queenie. Although she was not very close to Luca, she did not think Luca was such an unreliable person. She would definitely do something once she promised to. Leia sneered. Queenie kept on calling Luca by her name, sounding so intimate. Those who did not know would think that Luca was her daughter. The door was pushed open when Leia was about to say something. Luca stepped into the ward with a thick, warm coat on her. ¡°Mrs. Norman, I''m sorry I camete," said Luca. Luke''s car broke down while they were on their way here. They could not start the car engine, so they had no choice but to wait in the car for Warren to drive another car over. After Warren drove the car over, Luke drove it to the hospital and asked Warren to stay there and wait for the tow truck toe. Then, they hurried to the hospital. Leia said in an enigmatic manner with a gloomy expression on her face, ¡°You''re early. The nurse wouldn''t have let you in if you were another hourte." All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Luca pursed her lips. She walked to the hospital bed and took her medical records out to read. Queenie looked at Leia and shook her head to stop her from talking nonsense. Leia was even more annoyed and said, ¡°Why aren''t you saying anything? If you werete for another hour, you wouldn''t have to nurse my health anymore. You would''vee, but you wouldn''t be allowed toe in after the visiting hours. You''d still be considered to have kept your promise, right?" Chapter 2323 Luca thought of putting up with Leia and letting her say anything she wanted. However, she could no longer stand it. Luca put the medical records back to where they were. She stared at Leia with a cold expression on her face, ¡°Ms. Norman, I camete, but I didn''t expect the car would break down while I was on my way here. If you think I''m wasting your time, I shall leave." Queenie frowned. She quickly grabbed Luca''s hand and said, "Luca, don''t mind her. Leia has a bad temper..." Luca turned to nce at Queenie, then looked at Leia again. What she said just now managed to shut Leia''s mouth, but Leia was unconvinced. She turned her face away, refusing to look at Luca. "I think Ms. Norman is doing well. Just follow the hospital''s instructions for the post-op procedures. Mrs. Norman, I''m sorry. There''s nothing I can do to help her. Even if I can, she has a problem with me. If I were to prescribe medicine for her, she''ll secretly throw the medicine away just like she did thest time. It''s gettingte. I''m not going to stay here and bother Ms. Norman anymore," Luca pulled her hand back. She was about to leave the ward. "Luca, please don''t mind her words.." Queenie felt irritated. Queenie did not think Luca was wrong. She thought it was Leia''s fault. Even if Luca''s car did not break down and she came herete on purpose, Leia should not have said something like that. "Mrs. Norman, Ms. Norman is an adult. If she''s unwilling to, I''d better not stay here and get in her hair," Luca pushed the door open and left after that. Leia was left dumbfounded as she watched Luca leave. She could not believe that Luca left like that just to express her dissatisfaction with her. Luca was supposed to show respect to Queenie, right? Leia turned around and looked at Queenie who was upset and annoyed. "Leia, why did you say those things to her? I was finally able to ask Luca toe here and nurse your health. But you pissed her off without thinking about the situation. You were rude to her. Is that how I taught you?" Queenie could no longer suppress her emotions and med Leia for stepping over the line. Leia had driven Luca away this time. It would be difficult for Queenie to ask Luca toe over and nurse Leia''s health the next time. Although Leia''s vital signs were stable now, who would know what would happen next? Leia''s attending physician and Johann told her that she was stable for the time being, but there would be changes in the future depending on her lifestyle and habits. That was why she would have toe back for follow-ups and nurse her health. ¡°It''s her honor toe here and nurse me. Mom, you''d better get it right. She''s the one who''s acting like a diva." Leia refused to take responsibility for her misbehavior. "Leia, how can you say that? You''re getting more and more unreasonable," Queenie was disappointed. She felt sorry for Luca too. "Hah, you think Luca''s the best. Let me tell you, things aren''t as simple as they seem. Perhaps she''s in a hurry to go back to get onto Luke''s bed!" Leia mocked. Her heartbeat was slightly faster as she was annoyed. Queenie noticed the vital signs on the monitor and calmed herself down a little. She dared not to refute her anymore. "Fine. Stop talking nonsense. It''s gettingte. Get some rest." "I''m telling the truth, but you refuse to believe me. Everyone knows about it except for you and Bianca," Leia yelled at her. "Leia!" Queenie glowered at her. "What''s wrong with you?" "You''re my mother, not Luca''s. You don''t have to speak up for her." Leia jeered, "Others will think that Luca''s your illegitimate daughter." p! A loud p sounded after Leia finished talking. Queenie''s palm fell right on Leia''s face. The loud, ringing pping sound in her ears made Queeniee back to her senses. She looked at Leia, whose face was turned away. Her cheek was burning red. Queenie did not expect that she would lose control and p Leia in her face. Queenie took a step back. She seldom scolded and hit Leia since she was young as she could not bear to do so. However, what Leia said today was way too ridiculous. She secretly thought that Luca did not deserve to be judged like this, and that was why she pped Leia. The p turned Leia''s face away. She could feel the burning sensation on her cheek, then she sneered and looked at Queenie resentfully. How dare Queenie p her for someone else... "Get out of here!" Leia pointed at the door. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Queenie looked at Leia for a while with aplicated expression on her face. She spoke slowly, "Leia ¡ª" "I never want to see you again!" There was hatred in Leia''s eyes. She was not treating Queenie as her mother. Queenie had no choice but to leave when she saw that Leia''s heartbeat and blood pressure were increasing. If she stayed here any longer, Leia''s vital signs would take a drastic turn. Leia took a few deep breaths after Queenie left. She picked up the phone she left on the bedside table and looked at the phone screen with a gloomy face. It was a spare phone. She had left it on video call after dinner. "Why did you piss her off?" Matysh, who was on the other end of the video, was dissatisfied. After knowing that Luca would be going to the hospital to nurse Leia''s health, he requested a video call just to see Luca and satisfy his longing for her. However, before Matysh could see her long enough, Leia pissed her off by saying harsh things to her. Although he had no idea what they were talking about, he could see that Luca was mad from the expression on her face. ¡°She gave me an attitude, so why couldn''t I do that too?¡± Leia rolled her eyes. Luca was just a woman. Why was she so popr? Luke defended her, Queenie let her have her way, and even Matysh wanted her. She was merely a woman. ¡°Leia, she''s not going toe here again if you behave like that.¡± Mandy, who was beside Matysh, spoke in English. Matysh could not understand what she was talking about, but Leia could. How could she ask for Luca''s help if she offended her and pissed Queenie off? If she could not ask Luca toe over, that would mean Leia would not be able to help Matysh. Leia frowned. What Mandy said made her panic. If Luca was truly mad at her and refused toe again, the chances of getting Luca alone would be fewer. Matysh listened to the two of them speaking in anguage he could not understand, then he said unhappily, "You''re speaking English." Leia suppressed the nervous feeling that was churning in her stomach. She needed Matysh''s money. That was why she could not let him notice that. "Don''t worry. What are you afraid of? She''lle back when you need her. We''ll work together at that time and kidnap her." "Are you sure about that?" Mandy frowned. She had watched everything that happened just now. What Leia said earlier was indeed out of line. It was not Luca''s obligation toe to the hospital to nurse her health. She did it out of kindness, but Leia behaved condescendingly and disapproved of her. Luca was neither her maid nor her doctor. She did not even charge her... Luca only came here for the sake of Leia''s mother. Everything that Leia did and every word she said was absurd. "I have faith. Don''t worry. After New Year''s, your dreams wille true, Mr. Matysh. You''ll get what you want." Leia assured Matysh, who was on the other end of the call. Chapter 2324 Matysh looked at Leia with confusion, refusing to believe what she said. Could someone who could not even stop themselves from being mean to Luca be able to help him? Mandy had been staying by Matysh''s side for some time now, and she knew Matysh did not trust Leia. Mandy was the one who rmended Leia to carry out the mission, so she said, ¡°Mr. Matysh, if Leia says she can do it, she''ll certainly seed. I believe in her." Matysh stared at Mandy for a few seconds and shifted his gaze back to his phone. Atst, he nodded and said, "Fine. I''ll trust you this time." "Don''t worry. I won''t take your money if I fail. You have nothing to lose either. Enjoy your holiday in the vi," replied Leia. The hatred she felt for Luca in her heart was getting stronger. It was like a rising yeasted dough in a high-temperature oven. Leia put her phone aside after she ended the video call. Her eyes darkened like a deep bottomless hole. On the other hand. Luca had already dealt with her emotions after she left the ward. She was on her way back to the parking lot. Luca had only got into the car after she thought there was nothing wrong with her. "That fast?" Luke nced at the time. It only took 20 minutes for Luca to get it done. He secretly made some rough calctions. It would take 15 minutes for one to head to Leia''s ward and come back here. "There''s nothing much. Ms. Norman doesn''t need my help, so I came back," Luca replied with a smile on her face. She did not tell Luke those awful things she heard in the ward. Luke frowned. "Mr. Crawford, let''s go home. That way, Aunt Neile can go home earlier too," said Luca. She felt much better with the car heater warming her up. "What did Leia say?" Luke did not intend to leave yet. He turned around and stared at her. "Nothing..." Luca did not want to say anything, and she never thought of telling anyone about it either. After all, if Luke truly stood up for her, Leia would be in trouble. That would only make Queenie worried. "Luca, I can go upstairs and ask if you don''t tell me." Luke insisted on knowing what Leia had said to her. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Although Luca looked fine, she must have heard something terrible from Leia. Luke was protective of the people he loved. Although Luca had not revealed her true identity, he could not bear to see her being wronged. ¡°Mr. Crawford..." Luca hesitated as she knew he was being serious. Leia''s condition might seem stable now, but Luca had noticed that Leia''s heartbeat and blood pressure changed when her emotions surged earlier. If Luke went upstairs now, Leia might be sent into the emergency room if she was frightened out of her wits upon seeing Luke. Luca had no choice but to tell him how Leia took her for granted and the mean and harsh words she said to her. "Is that everything she said?" Luke asked. Luca thought Luke would think that she was making a big deal out of it. She had no choice but to nod and say, "She''s always been like that. I guess things just aren''t going well for me today. That''s why I''m in a bad mood. I left right after I tossed her medical records aside. Now that I''m recalling it, I shouldn''t have done that. After all, I had promised Mrs. Norman, but I didn''t keep my promise." "You did do something wrong." Luke looked at her with his fiery eyes, seemingly ming her for everything she did. Luca''s heart sank. Sure enough. No one would side with her when she was not Bianca. Even if she was still Bianca, Luke, who was in front of her, and Queenie would not favor her because her looks and identity had changed. "You shouldn''t have helped her to nurse her health in the first ce. Let''s go home. Don''t ever mind Leia''s business again," said Luke. Then, he started the car engine. Luca looked at Luke in surprise. Luke was defending her. A heart-touching feeling aroused in her chest. She could sense that Luke was defending her in his tone. Luca looked down, her voice slightly trembling as she was moved by Luke''s words. "Okay. Let''s go home." Luke drove back to the vi. Everything went smoothly when they were on their way back. It waste, and there were hardly any cars on the road. The car did not break down either. The kids were already asleep when they returned to the vi. Aunt Neile saw theme back. It waste at night, and she had not returned home yet, so she headed to the maid''s room to rest. "Go upstairs to clean yourself up first," said Luke. He took Luca''s handbag to hang it on the stand hanger. Luca nodded and made her way up the stairs. She walked into her bedroom, nning to clean herself up and go to sleep. Luca took her phone out of her pocket. She saw Queenie''s message when she was about to put her phone on the dressing table. She had switched it to night mode. Hence, the phone would not ring no matter if it was a message unless someone made a phone call. Luca unlocked her phone screen and nced at her phone. The message Queenie sent her was about asking her to go easy on Leia. Luca let out a sigh. Perhaps Queenie did not understand that it was Leia who was putting her in a difficult position. Otherwise, something like that would not have happened today. However, Luca did not me Queenie for defending Leia. It was because Leia was her daughter, while she was merely a stranger to her now. Luca pondered for a moment. She could not help but feel jealous of Leia. It was not because of some other reasons. It was only because Leia had such a good mother like Queenie. It was not easy for her to acknowledge Queenie as her mother, but things had be like this just because of Leia... Luca did not even dare to acknowledge Queenie. She thought about it and replied to Queenie in a magnanimous manner: [It''s okay. It''s gettingte. Rest earlier, Mrs. Norman.] Luca put down her phone after she sessfully sent the message. She brought her pajamas into the bathroom. Meanwhile, Luke, who was in the room opposite Luca''s bedroom, called Johann. ¡°Why are you calling me at this hour?" Johann answered his call. He was bbergasted. Did Luke ever look at the time before he made a call? Luke could hear the drowsiness in Johann''s voice, but he was not nning to let him sleep. He said, "I need you to do me a favor." "Can''t you tell me tomorrow if it''s not urgent." Johann closed his eyes. All he wanted to do now was to sleep. "It''s urgent." Luke was stubborn, and he insisted on telling him today. Johann opened his eyes as he thought Luke really had something urgent to tell him. "I''m awake. Tell me." "Dexter is getting discharged tomorrow, right?" Luke asked. "Yes. Did you call just because of this.." Johann was rendered speechless. "No. The person Leia doesn''t want to see the most is Dexter. Please make an arrangement and let her have a chance to meet him," said Luke. He would never let anyone who put Luca in a difficult position get away with it. "Do you know what will happen to Leia if she sees Dexter?" Johann frowned. Leia detested her biological father, Dexter. It seemed like Luke wanted her to meet the person she hated the most. That would trigger Leia. Previously, Luke had even reminded him not to let Dexter visit Leia to prevent stirring up her emotions and causing the surgery to fail. However, now. What did Leia do to offend Luke again? Chapter 2325 Although Luke was not a doctor, he knew Leia could not be triggered now. "Are you sure you want to do that?" Johann confirmed with him and wondered what Leia did to get herself into trouble. Otherwise, Luke could not be bothered to deal with her. "Leia has been living toofortably since she came back," said Luke. Since Leia liked to take advantage of the fact that she was one of the Norman family members and messed with the others until even the good-tempered Luca could not stand her harsh words, then Luke should remind her of her standing. "..." Johann was bbergasted. Leia had hardly spent her daysfortably ever since she returned here... She was always in pain, tortured by sickness. She was on the verge of death twice. Hence, it was nothing like what Luke said. Still, if he thought Leia was livingfortably, then Leia had no choice but to resign herself to fate. "Okay. I''ll arrange for it," Johann promised him. It was not a big deal for him either. "Don''t make it too obvious," Luke added. He could not let Queenie and Jack find out about what he did. "I know what to do. Don''t worry," replied Johann. He was not a fool. There was an easy way to make such arrangements, but Leia and the others would find out about it. Therefore, he had toe up with a n. Johann smiled. There was always a way to do it, right? Luke knew Johann had something in his mind when he heard him say so. He immediately hung up the phone without saying a word. Johann''s face darkened when he heard the busy tone from the other end of the line. Luke woke him up when he was about to sleep. Now that he had agreed to help him, Luke hung up the call instead. He was just a tool, indeed. Johann was unconvinced. He picked up his phone and called Luke. "Anything else?" Luke asked. "No. I''d like to ask you if it''s appropriate to disturb someone who''s sleeping without apologizing?" Johann questioned him. It was inappropriate, indeed, but Luke did not feel guilty at all. He replied right away, ¡°Dr. Park, it''ste. Please don''t disturb me. I''m going to cuddle my wife to sleep." "You..." Johann gritted his teeth. "You can find someone else if you''re feeling lonely," Luke hung up the call as soon as he finished talking. Johann''s face darkened. How heartless Luke was. Not only did Luke disturb his sleep, but he even mocked him for being single. If it were not for their friendship, Johann would have stabbed Luke on his body with the scalpel. Women? Why did Luke make it sound like he was not popr with women. Johann paused for a moment. He could not help but yawn. He truly did not have a girlfriend. However, it was not because no women were pursuing him but he had no intention of getting into a rtionship. There were many female patients in the hospital who wanted to marry him. Also, there were also those who wanted to introduce their rtives to him. Hence, he was popr with women. Johann shook his head. It looked like he had been provoked by Luke, which made him think about this topic. He tucked himself in bed and stopped thinking about it. He was single but happy. On the other hand. After Luke ended the call, he took a shower and headed to Luca''s bedroom. She was still taking her shower in the bathroom. Luke sat on the bed. He picked up the book beside the bed after pulling up the nket. Luca''s heart uncontrobly skipped a beat when she saw Luke reading on the bed after walking out of the bathroom. Luca realized that, and she could not help but secretly mock herself. It was not the first time she was seeing this. Also, why would her heart always skip a beat even though she had been together with Luke for such a long time? Luca concealed her feelings and headed to the dressing table and sat down. She opened the lids of her skincare products and began applying them to her face. Luke lifted his head and looked at her pretty face, watching every move she did. Luca knew he was looking at her, but she did not say anything. She did not have many skincare products, and there were only a few steps to apply the skincare. After massaging her face, she turned off the lights on the dressing table and climbed onto the bed. Luca pulled the covers off and sat down on the bed. She shot a nce at the man beside her. Luke had already put the book aside and was getting ready to sleep. Lukey down on the bed after Lucay down t. He reached out and turned off the lights. Just like before, his hand would reach for the spot and hold her tight in his arms. Luca did not struggle, and she closed her eyes. When she was about to fall asleep, Luke broke the silence. ¡°I asked Johann to do me a favor." Luca opened her eyes. Darkness came into sight. Her eyes'' retina had yet to get used to the darkness as the lights were turned off not long ago. She replied, "What favor?" Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. ¡°Dexter will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow. I asked him to find a way to let Leia meet Dexter," answered Luke. Luca''s heart quivered for a moment. Luke was not doing this to reunite Leia''s family. He wanted to upset Leia. The grudge Leia harbored against her biological father, Dexter, was stronger than expected... Luca felt slightly uneasy. She eventually turned around and faced Luke. Luca was unable to see Luke''s facial expression in the dark. She could feel his breathing. Meanwhile, she was breathing rapidly. Luca realized that, so she quickly stabilized her breathing. She said, "Mr. Crawford, that''ll upset Leia." "She''s been living her life toofortably seeing as she dares to mess with you," replied Luke as he forcefully pulled Luca into his arms. He said, "Since she doesn''t want to live in peace anymore, then let her have a taste of despair." Previously, Leia had tried so hard to get rid of Dexter, her worst nightmare. Dexter only went into hiding after he realized how big of a mess he made. Leia did not know how to appreciate the peaceful moments given to her now and even said such harsh things to Luca, thinking that it was Luca''s obligation to help her. Hence, Luke would teach her a lesson and tell her how to respect others. Of course, in order to do that, Luke would have to begin with Leia learning that she was not ady of the Norman family. "All she did was say something harsh to me," said Luca. Anyone could see that Leia was a spoiled child as she sounded like an arrogant snob. "What she did was not as simple as just saying harsh things to you. Besides, it doesn''t matter if she wants to speak in such an arrogant and condescending way to others, but she can''t do the same to you," said Luke. It was clear that he was defending Luca. It warmed Luca''s heart to hear that. She did not expect Luke to side with her and defend her after she told him about those harsh words Leia said to her. It felt great to have someone to defend her. "Then you''ll have to make sure not to cross the line. Leia can''t handle too much judging from her condition now," Luca was worried. The surgery might be for nothing if Leia could not take it. "Johann knows what to do. Besides, Leia can get out of bed now. Her condition isn''t that bad," replied Luke. He roughly knew about Leia''s condition. Although Johann would not tell him theplicated health statistics, he knew Leia was not as vulnerable as the others thought. "Okay.." Luca replied in a soft voice. Luke did not want to deal with Leia that soon, but she offended Luca today. She was doomed to have a hard time. Chapter 2326 ¡°Get to sleep. Stop overthinking. Either way, don¡¯t worry about it." Luke knew her all too well. The reason why Luke told her was that Luca would find out about it after he provoked Leia. It would be better to tell Luca in advance so that she would not be worried. Luca was not worried about Leia, but she was worried about Queenie. Queenie might look for Luca if Leia got triggered. Luke did not want Luca to mind Leia¡¯s business. "Alright." Luca was relieved. She leaned against Luke in his arms as the heart-touching feeling lingered in her heart. Luke held her tight. Luca could feel that she was melting into his body, bing one with him. Luke was always capable of soothing the anxiety in her heart. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Luke was slowly breaking down the anxiety in her heart that had umted in her heart for years little by little. Luca even thought how nice it would be if she could be more selfish. That way, Abel would not be able to use her child to threaten her. Still, how could she be so selfish? She loved Luke, and she loved everything about him. The child had her father¡¯s good genes. How could she leave her child alone? The following day, In the hospital. The nurse walked into Leia''s ward based on Johann''s name list. Then, she said, "Leia, time for a checkup." Leia was sitting on the sofa, eating the breakfast the caretaker had brought her. She frowned when she heard there was a medical check-up. She asked, "Why is there suddenly a check-up?" "It''s the doctor''s instructions. Come with me." The nurse nced at the name list and confirmed that Leia had to go for a check-up. "Why didn¡¯t Johann tell me when he was doing his ward round?" Leia was puzzled. She had been doing well these days. That was why there had been no special treatments or check-ups. Besides, judging from her past experiences, the doctor would always mention to her if there would be a check-up. "I have no idea. I''m just doing my job. You may ask your attending physician if you have any questions about it," replied the nurse. She was getting impatient as there were many patients on the name list that she had to bring downstairs for the check-up. Leia frowned, stood up, and took the name list from her. She had to go for a blood test, urine test, and CT scan... Leia looked at the tests while she picked up her phone, about to ask Johann what was going on. The nurse said, ¡°If you refuse to do the check-up, I''ll bring other patients downstairs first. No one happens to be doing the tests now.¡± The caretaker, who was beside Leia, said, "Ms. Norman, why don''t you go ahead with it? There must be a reason why the doctor made such arrangements." "How troublesome. Why didn''t they draw my blood when I haven''t eaten anything in the morning? Now, they want me to go for a blood test." Leiained while she picked up the jacket and draped it over her shoulder. Then, she followed the nurse out of the ward. The caretaker followed behind her. The nurse headed to the nurses'' station and nodded at the head nurse, saying, "I''m bringing the patient downstairs for a check-up." "Okay. Got it," replied the head nurse. She ced a note on Leia''s fluid bag. It would let the nurse who was going to give her the injection know that Leia was doing her check-up now. Leia followed the nurse into the elevator and saw her pressing the button. She frowned and asked, "Why are we going to this floor?" "You''re heading for a check-up," the nurse shot her a nce and exined. "I usually do my check-ups on the 12th floor," said Leia. Before the surgery, she was sent to do several health screenings. She always headed to the 12th floor. However, the nurse was bringing her to the 13th floor this time. "The 12th floor is for hospitalized patients to do their check-ups, but we have to disinfect it today. It''ll only be open tomorrow. That''s why we''ll be heading to the outpatient department for the check-up," exined the nurse. Leia pulled the jacket that was draped over her shoulder impatiently and looked at the numbers that gradually went down as the elevator descended. Leia was in a mess now. She was not as morous as she appeared back then. Besides, she had no makeup on now, and her face was pale white. She wondered if she would run into someone she knew. Although she had already stepped away from the entertainment industry, she had starred in many TV shows before. Hence, the public might recognize her. Leia immediately said, "No way. I have to go back and get my cap and mask." The nurse thought Leia was troublesome. She could understand why Leia wanted to put on a mask, but a cap? Then, she asked, "You''re just doing a check-up. Why do you need a cap?" "Do you have any idea who I am?" Leia pointed at herself and said in a querulous tone. Every nurse on the VIP floor knew who she was. How could the nurse not know her? However, Leia also noticed that she had never seen this nurse before. Perhaps she was not from the VIP floor. The nurse chuckled and replied, ¡°It doesn''t matter who you are. You''re just a patient here, and you should listen to the doctor''s instructions and the nurse''s arrangements." "I''m..." Leia paused for a moment, then continued, "I was a celebrity before." The nurse took a close look at her face and nced at her nametag. That was why she looked familiar. It was her. "So you''re.." said the nurse. "Yes. That''s me," Leia said proudly. "I''ll need a mask and a cap. Otherwise, don''t me me for causing chaos in the hospital hallway. The nurse scoffed. However, she had a mask covering her face. That was why Leia did not notice it. Did Leia think that she was still the innocent angel that everyone knew a few years ago? Her reputation was ruined before she retired from the entertainment industry. Also, she had disappeared without a trace for a few years. People had already forgotten about her. However, as a nurse, she was not allowed to say such things. Otherwise, she would be reported and lose her job. The nurse took a mask out of her pocket and said, "I only have a mask. You''ll be runningte if you go upstairs to get a cap. There''s hardly anyone at the outpatient department now. It''s hard to tell if it''ll be crowdedter." Leia was afraid of the ce being crowded too. She had no choice but to take the mask from the nurse and put it on. The elevator door slowly opened. Leia followed behind the nurse and got out of the elevator. "Wait a minute. Let me get a wheelchair," said the nurse. She pushed a wheelchair toward her at the end of the hallway. Leia was out of breath after walking for some time. Her body was not fully recovered yet. Thus, she sat in the wheelchair and let the caretaker push the wheelchair. The nurse followed the instructions on the list and did the tests for her one after another. Finally, there was one blood test left. The nurse said, "Let''s head to the second floor for the blood test." Leia was exhausted after going through all the examinations. She needed some rest now. That was why she did not answer the nurse and just let the caretaker push the wheelchair. After they arrived on the second floor, the caretaker pushed her and headed to the blood test room. Suddenly, a voice came from behind them, "Leia, is that you? Leia." Leia''s body trembled as she felt a tremor. It had been years since she heard that voice, but it was still her worst nightmare until today. She quickly said, "Go. Faster." The nurse and caretaker had yet to figure out what was wrong. Dexter dashed toward her and stopped in front of her. Tears welled up in his eyes as he said, "Leia, I finally get to see you." "Go away. I don''t know who you are." Leia hissed. She shot a nce at Dexter, her eyes filled with hatred. Chapter 2327 Dexter pulled down his mask, bent down, and leaned closer to Leia. "It''s me. I''m your father!" Leia gave him a murderous look. Even if the man in front of her had be ashes, she would be able to recognize him, not to mention that he was just wearing a face mask now. However, the man in front of her was definitely not her father! ¡°My father is a senior official, not some shameless pervert like you!¡± Leia scowled with her body leaning backward. She wanted to stay away from him. Dexter was unhappy when he heard Leia refusing to acknowledge him as her father. "He''s your foster father, and I''m your biological father. I gave you my liver. How can you say something so unfilial to me?" Leia wanted to stay away from the man in front of her. She wanted to stand up and leave, but she fell back into the wheelchair as she had no stamina. She identally pulled her wound. It was so painful that she furrowed her brows. "Oh Leia, my good daughter. What''s wrong with you?" Dexter immediatelyforted her. Dexter was getting older, and he was all alone. Although Luke had given him a sum of money, the money would be gone if he spent it extravagantly. Dexter had been thinking about it for the past few days. Since Leia hade back, he should seize the chance to look for Leia and ask her to look after him. However, he had been in the hospital for a couple of days. He could not find out where Leia''s ward was no matter how hard he tried to find out. The doctor told him that he could get discharged from the hospital after doing a final check-up. Therefore, Dexter had given up the idea of looking for Leia. Today, he followed the nurse for a check-up. He never expected that he would run into Leia. Dexter was able to recognize Leia with just a nce at her from the back. The person sitting in the wheelchair was Leia. The nurse who brought Leia for the check-up could not figure out the current situation, so she asked, "What''s going on?" Leia did not care if Dexter showed concern for her. She shot a cold nce at the nurse and said, "Bring me upstairs. I don''t know this man." "Leia, how can you be so heartless?" Before the nurse could say anything, Dexter stood up straight and looked around him. Then, he raised his voice, "I know I wasn''t a good father and I didn''t take care of you back then, but you were lucky enough to have wealthy foster parents. You grew up happily. I was wrong. Now that I''m old, my only wish is to acknowledge you. But you still refuse to admit that I''m your father. I even let the doctor cut half of my liver to save you for the sake of your health. What more do you want from me to be able to forgive me?" His voice was loud and clear. Many people hade to the outpatient department to do their medical check-us. He caught their attention, and people were staring at them. Leia was disgusted at the thought of his liver being in her body. A queasy feeling churned in her stomach, and her body temperature was dropping! She wished that she could cut off all the ties with this man, which included blood ties and genes. Hence, she would not have epted Dexter''s liver if it were not because she was left with no choice! Leia retorted, ¡°Get lost. I''ll never forgive you. All you knew was to sell your wife and daughter. You don''t deserve to be my father!" Dexter knew Leia hated him, and he knew that he would not have another chance to ask for her forgiveness. He noticed that the people around him were looking at them. Thud! He kneeled on the floor. "Leia, I''m sorry. I''ve spent my days living in the shelter. I really wanted to see you again. I prayed to God, hoping that I could do something for you. And you''re finally back here, but you were sick. I knew God was giving me the chance to make it up to you. That''s why I donated half of my liver to you. I hope that I can ask for your forgiveness and hear you call me ''Dad''." Tears streamed down Dexter''s face. An old man was kneeling before her. Those who did not know what had happened felt sorry for him. However, Leia was not one of them. The man''s blood was flowing in her body, and she was using his liver too. She knew why he was saying these things to her. He was thinking of exploiting her, like a vampire craving her blood. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Leia was not silly. If she let him get what he wanted, she would have to bear another burden in the future. She needed someone like Jack to change her life, instead of someone who would hold her back like Dexter. "Leave me alone. I''m not going to forgive you for everything that you did in the past just because you donated half of your liver to me. Besides, you were paid for this!" Leia knew that if she did not say anything, those people would speak up for Dexter. "Leia, how can you be so heartless?! I took the money because half of my liver is gone and it might affect my daily life in the future. I couldn''t hope for you to take care of me, and that''s why I took the money. At least I can make sure that I won''t live a miserable life when I have no one to depend on." Dexter sniffled in between words. He was crying his lungs out. The nurse had already given Dexter a haircut and shaved his beard when he was admitted to the hospital. He no longer looked like a tramp now. He just looked like a skinny, old man. Outsiders would only think that he was just an old father who had risked his life to save his daughter. "Don''t you ever think that I''ll have sympathy for you just because of your words. Perhaps you''re just trying to gain sympathy. Go away. I never want to see you again!" Leia yelled at the caretaker, "Why are you still standing there? Bring me upstairs." The caretaker came back to her senses. Dexter rose to his feet when she was about to reverse the wheelchair. He stood in front of Leia and blocked her. His hands were sping the wheelchair, refusing to let go. "Leia, I never asked for anything when I donated my liver to you. All I want is to hear you call me ''Dad'' again. Can''t you do that for me?" Leia was so furious that her body was trembling, and her body temperature was quickly dropping as well. ¡°You don''t deserve it!" Right after she said that, one of the bystanders said, "I remember her. She''s the female celebrity who left the entertainment industry, Leia." "Really? The name doesn''t ring a bell. But she''s wearing a mask. How are you able to recognize her?" Another person went along with that man. "The news stated that she got admitted to the hospital for treatment. I think that''s her. I remember that before she ended her career as an actress, a man imed that he was her biological father and used her of being unfilial..." "That should be her. I remember reading that news. Tsk-tsk. How can this woman be so heartless? Even if her father had done something terrible to her, it''s all over now. He took the risk to donate his liver to her at his age. How could she be so ungrateful.." Another bystander criticized her. Leia''s eyes reddened as she yelled at those people, "You know nothing!" They did not know that Dexter was unworthy of being called a father. Never mind all the things he did in the past. A man like him without any background and social status did not deserve to be her father! "My father is Jack Norman, not this tramp in front of me!" Leia screamed. She lifted her leg and gave a brutal kick to Dexter''s body. Dexter did not expect that Leia would kick him. It sent him flying to the floor. He noticed that many people were speaking up for him. He remained on the floor and mumbled, "My daughter doesn''t want to acknowledge me. She even kicked me. I''m better off dead!" Chapter 2328 ¡°Oh my goodness. How could she do that to him?" The crowd started chattering away again. "That''s true. It doesn''t matter what terrible things he did in the past. He intends to turn over a new leaf. Not only does not forgive him, but she also kicked him..." "Isn''t she afraid of getting punished for kicking her father?" "Yeah. She''s gone too far. He''s her biological father, after all. He even donated his liver to her." "That''s right. She has no idea how difficult it is to find an organ. My nephew is still waiting for a donor to save his life. He''s been waiting for a year. The doctor said that he only has six months left. He might not be able to make it. But there''s no donor, and his parents'' liver is ipatible with his. There''s nothing his parents can do but continue to wait. They''re crying and waiting every day. How pitiful. Even though her father did something wrong, it was in the past. He didn''t fulfill his duties as a father, but at least he donated his liver. He gave her another chance to live. How could she do that to him?" Leia''s face became gloomy listening to theirments. "Do you know anything about me? Where were you when he beat my mother up? Why didn''t you say anything when he sold my mother and me? He ruined my career after that. You only have sympathy for him and think that he''s miserable. What about me? All you do is judge me and scold me. Are you f*cking blind? He took money for helping me. He owes me!" Leia took off her face mask and yelled at those people. Those who were not sure whether she was Leia before were able to confirm that the woman in front of them was indeed Leia. Some of them lifted their phones and zoomed in on her at that moment. Dexter heard Leia. He was worried that what she said would affect him. He quickly kneeled before her and said, "Leia, I took the money to make sure that you could survive in the future. Your foster parents didn''t give me the money. I thought I''d have some money to buy you some supplements when you recovered, but you have to acknowledge me as your father. I was wrong back then, but I''ve been living with regrets for the past few years. I''ve gotten what I deserve. Now that I''m old, I just want to acknowledge you as my daughter. I''ll be satisfied as long as you''re willing to call me ''Dad''." "Look at him. He''s already admitted that he made mistakes in the past. It''s never toote to admit one''s mistakes. Just forgive him. It''s better to have a family member than to lose one. He even donated his liver to you." A woman who stood not far away from them was moved by Dexter''s words. She could not help but stand out and speak up for him. Leia sneered. She was so enraged that her face turned red. Then, she pointed at Dexter''s nose and scolded, "You wish! Jack Norman is the only father I have. You''re just a tramp. Who are you to deserve my acknowledgment?" This made the crowd gossip again. One of them said in an unfriendly tone, ¡°Why does Mr. Norman have such a daughter?" "She''s adopted. It''s normal for her to have an evil nature in her. But isn''t she ruining Mr. Norman''s reputation if she does this?" "My neighbor''s daughter is working in the provincial capital. Stop talking nonsense. Mr. Norman is a good man. She told me that Mr. Norman cares for the citizens. He''s nning to implement more social policies for the welfare of the citizens. I heard that Leia was previously sent abroad to further her studies. Perhaps she developed these bad habits when she was abroad. Mr. Norman was kind enough to adopt her, but look at what she''s doing to ruin Mr. Norman''s reputation. I feel heartache for him to have raised such an ungrateful daughter." "Yes. Mr. Norman is a kind person. I don''t think he wanted Leia to be like this either. Poor thing." The crowd was talking about Leia at first, then they started talking about Jack. However, Jack''s reputation was not ruined because of what Leia said. Luke''s men were among the crowd, but they would only deal with Leia. If Jack''s reputation was ruined because of Leia, it would do no good to the Crawford family either. "She''s just an adopted child, after all. And she''s definitely not as good as his biological daughter." Another person concluded. "Shut up!" Leia snapped. After yelling at them, she realized that Dexter had worsened the situation, making it hard to clean up the mess now. Leia bit her lip. She rolled her eyes and pretended to faint. The caretaker shrieked, "Ms. Norman passed out! Oh my goodness, Ms. Norman has passed out!" The nurse frowned and shouted, "Excuse me. Please make way for her. Help! We need a wheeled stretcher. A patient has passed out." The medical staff who were busy with their work heard that someone fainted. They immediately brought the wheeled stretcher and hurried over to save Leia. Dexter cried out, "Leia, what''s wrong with you? Don''t scare me like this. It''s my fault. I know that you don''t want to see me. I won''t look for you the next time... Leia, please, hang in there." Leia was moved from the wheelchair to the wheeled stretcher. Then, she was sent to the emergency room. Johann, who was standing there, smiled and sent the video he recorded to Luke. Luke should be satisfied now. Johann slowly walked through the crowd. However, the sharp-eyed caretaker was able to recognize him. The caretaker tugged on his sleeve and said, "Dr. Park, here you are. Hurry up and take a look at Ms. Norman. She just fainted." R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only "Fainted? That serious? Where is she?" Johann pretended to ask in surprise. "She''s in the emergency room now," replied the caretaker. She was worried that she might lose her job if the Norman family med her for this. "Okay. I''ll take a look at her. Calm down," said Johann. "Should I inform her family?" the caretaker asked. "Let me check on her first." Johann did not let the caretaker inform Leia''s family. He had been secretly watching Leia. Although he was recording the video for Luke, he was also observing Leia''s condition. Although Leia had to sit in the wheelchair as she felt exhausted, judging from the situation just now, Leia was just pretending to faint. Hence, it was not a big deal. Johann walked into the emergency room and asked, "What''s wrong?" ¡°The patient suddenly fainted. Dr. Park, she''s your patient, right?" the doctor in the emergency room asked. ¡°Yes. She''s my patient," answered Johann. He walked toward Leia, and he saw Leia''s twitching eyelids when he was about to check on her. Johann smiled and said, ¡°Ms. Norman, stop wasting the hospital''s resources if you''re still conscious." Leia opened her eyes and gave him a mean look. Then, she asked, ¡°Why are you here?" ¡°I was passing by, then I ran into your caretaker. She told me that you were in the emergency room. I came here to check on you," Johann lied. "I''ve only passed out for a while and you''re here already? I ran into Dexter. Did you make such arrangements on purpose?" Leia narrowed her eyes. She never ran into Dexter in the past few days. After all, she was staying in the VIP ward. The floor she went to for check-ups was higher than the regr patients. There was no way Dexter could enjoy such preferential treatment. Therefore, the check-up Johann had arranged for her this time was probably designed to let Leia and Dexter see each other. Chapter 2329 ¡°Dexter? Did you pass out because of Dexter?" Johann gave her a confused look and asked, ¡°What happened?" "Stop pretending that you don''t know about it. You arranged for Dexter to be here," Leia sat up on the bed. Her hair was messy, and her eyes were filled with hatred. Johann knew the person Leia did not want to see the most was Dexter. That was why he set this up. "Ms. Norman, you need evidence to prove that. The Norman family is concerned about your health. That''s why I''m Dexter''s attending physician too. The purpose was to increase the sess rate of the surgery. I was the surgeon who removed Dexter''s liver from him and transnted it into your body. Dexter is getting discharged today. That''s why I asked him to do a final check-up to make sure that he''s fine. Who''d expect that you''d run into him here?" Johann asked. "You did it on purpose. You knew Dexter was going for a check-up. That''s why you arranged for me to go for a check-up too." Leia could not be bothered about the other doctors. She med Johann for what happened just now. "You''re pushing the me on me." The smile on Johann''s face disappeared, reced with a sneer. "I knew the instruments on the 12th floor are unusable as they''re doing disinfection works today. That''s why I specifically arranged your schedule for the check-up to be different from Dexter''s. Why don''t you ask yourself or Dexter why the two of you would run into each other?" "You..." Leia refused to believe that Johann had nothing to do with this. "Perhaps you can ask Dexter toe over here and show you the checklist. Then you can see that the schedule I''ve arranged for Dexter and yours is different," Johann added. "I don''t want to see him!" Leia scowled. How she wished that she could rip Dexter into pieces, chew him up, and swallow him down her stomach. It seemed like that was the only way to get rid of her hatred for him. Johann sneered and said, "Since there''s nothing wrong with you, please go back to your ward and stop wasting the hospital''s resources." Johann showed no remorse. Leia gritted her teeth and said, "Johann Park, I''m going to file aint about you." "Go ahead," replied Johann. He was not afraid of her filing aint against him. Everything he arranged was perfect. The schedule he arranged for Dexter was supposed to take ce half an hourter. It was Dexter who wanted to desperately get out of the hospital. That was why he came here earlier for the check-up and ran into Leia. As for why Dexter woulde for his health check-up in advance, was it not because of Leia? Johann smiled. Johann deliberately got someone to mention that Leia was doing her check-up on the second floor when Dexter was queuing up to get his medicine. Dexter had always wanted to see Leia since he got admitted into the hospital, but Leia was being protected well. There was no way he could find out where her ward was. That was why he never got to see her. However, now that there was a chance to see Leia, of course, Dexter would take it. Leia looked at Johann from behind. Anger stirred within her. She grabbed something beside her and threw it at him. ¡°Ms. Norman, don''t mess around with that. That''s a mercury thermometer." A doctor was sharp-eyed enough to notice what Leia was trying to do and reminded her. Leia nced at the thermometer she was holding in her hands. Then, she put down the thermometer resentfully. She was burning with anger! The doctor said, "Since there''s nothing wrong with you, I''ll ask your caretaker toe in and get you back to your ward." "Ask her toe in," Leia demanded. The doctor called the caretaker over. The caretaker pushed the wheelchair into the emergency room and asked in a worried tone, "Ms. Norman, are you okay?" "Dumb*ss, why did you stand there like a statue when I asked you to leave?" Leia glowered at her and scolded. Leia was sensitive to Dexter''s voice. She knew that it was him even though she had not seen him. If the caretaker had responded sooner, Leia would not have run into Dexter. "I... I didn''t know something like that would happen..." The caretaker did not realize what was going on and who that man was. Dexter was already sping the wheelchair when she came back to his senses. If the caretaker forcefully pushed the wheelchair when Dexter was in front, it would hurt him. What would she do if someone asked her to pay thepensation? Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. That was why the caretaker did not do anything. "Useless piece of sh*t!" Leia had no choice but to vent her anger on the caretaker. The doctor could no longer stand her. He had been working in the hospital for a long time, and he had met celebrities who came to the hospital. However, no matter how popr that celebrity was, none of them was as bad-tempered as Leia was. Celebrities cared about their images, but the woman in front of him. The doctor shook his head helplessly. Could it be that she had nothing to lose, so she stopped taking care of her image just because she had quit the entertainment industry? "Ms. Norman, please go back to your ward if there''s nothing else. I''ve looked at the checklist the nurse gave me just now. You need a blood test. Let me draw the blood for you," the doctor said. He quickly drew Leia''s blood and asked her to leave. The caretaker helped Leia to get in the wheelchair and left. The crowd was gone. After all, they were in the hospital, not the market. No one would continue to stay here just to gossip about her. Still, Leia had lost her reputation. Luke and Luca were having lunch together when it was noontime. He took his phone out and yed the video of Leia being stopped by Dexter in the hospital. Luca frowned after she finished watching the video. ¡°Did she pass out?" "It''s fake," replied Luke. Johann had told him that Leia was fine. "She''s good at acting," said Luca. Leia pretended to faint to avoid being surrounded and talked about. It was a good idea. Leia was pretty clever, but she was foolish too. The way Leia fainted was too slow. There would not be so many negativements if she had pretended to pass out before Dexter spilled everything. After all, the crowd was obviously siding with Dexter. Still, Leia was Dexter''s biological daughter, after all. Dexter was so good at acting. That was why Leia was good at it too. She got it from her father... Luca watched Dexter''s performance in the video. If she did not know what kind of person he was, she would have thought that Dexter had turned over a new leaf and he was merely a father who was begging for his daughter''s forgiveness. "It''s the heredity," Luke kept his phone away andmented. Leia did not inherit her skills from Queenie. After all, Queenie and Leia had no blood ties. Luca nodded and continued eating her lunch. Leia had just put on a show, so Luca did not have to worry about it anymore. After all, someone would step forward and start a discussion about how Leia had mentioned Jack Norman, but she would not be able to drag Jack into this. It should be fine as long as she did not get Jack and Queenie into trouble. Luca had nothing to do with how unfortunate and miserable Leia would end up. Luca was not that generous to be able to forgive everything Leia had done, but she also could not take revenge on Leia for what she did to her in the past for Queenie''s sake. The video on Luke''s phone was already on the inte. Not only was Luke''s version posted on the inte, but those who recorded the scene had also uploaded their videos. Many onlookers had been watching them in the hospital, after all. Jack had seen the video too. Mr. Lucas sent the video to Jack the moment he saw the video on the inte. Jack frowned when he saw Leia in the video. Chapter 2330 Leia was like a shrew. Not only was she sharp-tongued, but she also kicked Dexter. Dexter even kneeled before her to ask for her forgiveness in the video. If Jack was a passerby who knew nothing about this, he would have thought something was wrong with Leia too. Leia had just finished her surgery, yet she had already gotten herself into trouble. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Leia has gone too far!" Jack was so angry that he mmed the table with his palm. Mr. Lucas, who was standing beside Jack, trembled with fear. He immediately said, "Mr. Norman, calm down." "She said terrible things. How am I supposed to calm down?" Jack''s face was red with anger. If he had not taken the antihypertensive medication this morning, his blood pressure would have shot up because of the video. Not only was Leia ruining her image, but she even tried to drag Jack into this. Leia mentioned Jack Norman''s name many times in the video. Although Leia was only emphasizing that she was Jack''s daughter, it was the parents'' responsibility to educate their children. It seemed like Leia did not think it was enough to cause trouble herself and wanted to drag Jack into this. Mr. Lucas said in a soft voice, "Don''t worry, I''ve already read thements online. Even though your name is mentioned in thements, most of them are only talking about Ms. Norman, saying that she doesn''t deserve to be your daughter. They''replimenting what you''ve done for the citizens. That''s why Ms. Norman isn''t unworthy of such a good father..." "Is that really so?" Jack frowned. He thought thements online would speak ill of him and im that he had failed to educate his daughter. "Yes. The witnesses at the scene spoke up for you. If you continue watching the video, you''ll realize that thements about you were mostly talking about this. Someone evenmented that you were strict with Ms. Norman, but she was born rebellious. That''s why this has nothing to do with you. Someone also." Mr. Lucas paused for a moment and dared not to continue. "What else?" Jack wanted to know what the public thought about this. "Mr. Norman, I''m sorry but I dare not to tell you about this." Mr. Lucas lowered his head. "I''ll have to waste my time reading theirments if you refuse to tell me," said Jack. "Tell me. I won''t me you." "Those people suggested you sever ties with Leia. The two of you are not rted to each other anyway. You''ve fulfilled your obligations to her for so many years. This time, you spent so much money on her to save her life. But Ms. Norman is being ungrateful for treating her biological father this way. She might do the same thing to you in the future..." Mr. Lucas conveyed the messages that were speaking up for Jack. Some of thementers were paid by Luke to lead public opinion. After all, Leia could not affect Jack. Even if Jack was affected, it had to be something positive. Once thementers startedmenting, thements after that were the deepest thoughts of the netizens. All of them thought that Jack should not be supporting Leia anymore. Leia had grown up long ago, yet she had never fulfilled her duties as a daughter. Instead, she kept getting herself into trouble. The surgery had cost the Norman family a fortune. There were tons of suchments. Mr. Lucas could not help but think it made sense too. ¡°Did theizens really write something like that?¡± Jack was surprised. He thought the public would make a big deal out of it and scold him for failing to educate his daughter. ¡°Everyone is talking about the same thing. I''ve been reading theirments. Most of thementers feel bad for you.." said Mr. Lucas. Jack nodded and closed the video. What Leia did in the video annoyed him. She was behaving like a shrew, making a scene in the hospital hallway. She even kicked Dexter. If it were not for Leia''s weak body, would she have beat Dexter to death? Would she only stop after that? Jack could sense how scary Leia was. His hatred for Leia was no longer as little as it was before. What Leia did in the past had already used up all his patience and kindness that he could shower on his child. Now that Leia had gotten herself into trouble again, what was left was only hatred and disgust. If it were not for Queenie, who was reluctant to part with Leia, Jack would have severed ties with Leia. Even if he could not do that, he would send her abroad and leave her there to die. "Keep an eye on thosements online. Inform me immediately if there''s anything wrong." Jack did not let his guard down. He was worried that his opponent would use this to start a rumor. "Okay. Leave it to me," replied Mr. Lucas. He would be attentive in handling such things. "Do I have a meetingter?" asked Jack. "Yes, Mr. Norman. You have 10 minutes to rest before the meeting," Mr. Lucas confirmed with him after ncing at the time. "Okay. Please excuse me. I''d like to make a call." Jack picked up the phone beside him. After Mr. Lucas left, Jack gave Luke a call. The call was answered soon after, and Jack asked, "Luke, am I bothering you?" "No. Are you calling me because of Leia''s matter?" Luke guessed. Jack was a senior official, after all. He would find out about it as soon as something happened. "It seems like you''ve already watched the video," said Jack. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the family photo on his office desk. The photo was taken before Bianca got kidnapped. The more Jack looked at Leia in the photo, the more she became an eyesore to him. ¡°Johann told me what happened in the hospital at the first instance. Leia pretended to pass out to avoid things from getting bigger," replied Luke. He was telling Jack that he was not concerned about Leia, but it was Johann who told him about it. "Did Dr. Park say that?" Jack wanted to find out what happened. Luke replied, "It''s roughly like what happened in the videos posted on the inte. Johann had no idea why Leia ran into Dexter either. The hospital''s 12th floor is getting disinfected today. Leia had to head downstairs for the check-up. He even scheduled Dexter''s check-up for half an hourter, but Dexter still ran into Leia." Luke exined it on behalf of Johann. It was also to let Jack think that Johann had nothing to do with this. "Such a coincidence still happened?" Jack frowned. "Dexter has always wanted to meet Leia," said Luke. He would not let Jack find out that it was Johann''s and his arrangement. After all, Leia was out of her mind. She spoke without thinking twice and considering where she was. This time, she even dragged Jack into this mess. Jack might be mad at him if he found out that it was their n. "I know. At least everything is still under control now. Luke, you''re closer to Dr. Park. Remind him to pay more attention to Leia''s health and don''t give her the chance to make a scene," Jack said in a serious tone. He was very unhappy with what had happened today. "Okay. I know what to do," replied Luke. Jack nced at the time and said, "I''ll also need you to follow up on this matter. As for Dexter, he might make a big deal out of it after what happened today. I don''t want to let this mess continue." "Okay." Luke understood what he meant. Dexter was just a tool. He could be thrown away after he had yed his role. Hence, Luke did not feel sorry for losing Dexter as his tool. Chapter 2331 ¡°Okay. I have an important meeting to attendter. That''s all for today. Bring Luca to my house for dinner when you''re avable," said Jack. He already heard Queenie mention it to himst night. It was about how Leia got on Luca''s nerves in the hospital, causing Luca to toss the medical records aside before leaving the hospital. What would Luca think about Leia''s ignorance and Queenie''s doting? "Okay." Luke did not take his words seriously. After all, Queenie was on her guard now. If Luke brought Luca to their house, Queenie might suspect them. Luke was not afraid of Queenie suspecting him, but Luca was concerned about Queenie''s thoughts. He looked at theputer screen. Thementators he paid had been guiding public opinion. Luke closed the website and continued with his work. In the hospital. Leia''s face turned gloomy when she watched the videos on the inte. People who had seen the videos were criticizing her. Her haters took the chance to expose the skeletons in the closet. The rumors about her that had faded away appeared in front of the public once again. Leia''s eyes were burning with anger. How she wished that she could register a few ounts to speak up for herself. However, she knew there was nothing she could do. If someone really stood out and defended her, the others would think that person was Leia herself. Then, that person would be a target of online abuse. Leia had been in the entertainment industry for such a long time. She knew these people well. They wished to make a big deal out of it, and some even forced her to step out and say something about it. However, Leia was not silly. She would never get affected that easily. Leia sped her phone tight. She told herself that she had to endure it if she wanted things to quiet down as soon as possible. She could not act impulsively again. The caretaker served the fruits that she had cleaned earlier and said, "Ms. Norman, have some fruits." "All you know is to ask me to eat. Would I have ended up like this if it weren''t for you?" Leia glowered at her. The caretaker opened her mouth but said nothing. She dared not to refute Leia. Although she felt wronged, who would be able to react quickly when something like that happened? Besides, someone was blocking the way. The old man looked pale and sick. She dared not to do anything to him. However, she knew Leia''s temper after taking care of her for some time. If she spoke up for herself, it would only make Leia angrier, so she might as well not say anything. "Are you dumb?" Leia got even more furious when the caretaker did not say a word. She was nothingpared to the Norman family''s maids. At least those maids were smarter than her. Queenie had suggested a maid from their family take care of her back then. However, Leia thought that the maid was working for the Norman family. She might tip Jack off what she did. It would be inconvenient for her, and she would feel as though someone was watching her. Hence, she chose to hire this caretaker who was not as professional as their maid and rejected Queenie''s offer. The caretaker was truly iparable to the maids... "Ms. Norman, have some fruits to calm yourself down. They''ll stop talking about it after two days." The caretaker had seen the videos andments too. Leia threw the fruit bowl away. ng! The fruit bowl fell on the floor, and the fruits scattered all over. "I won''t make things any easier for you." Leia gave the caretaker a murderous look, wishing that she could rip her into pieces. The caretaker held her breath. If it were not for Queenie, who knew that it was difficult to take care of Leia and offered her double pay, she definitely would have given up the job. She could not help but feel sorry when she looked at the fruits scattered on the floor. These were imported fruits. Leia was picky and wanted the freshest imported fruits. The fruits in the fruit bowl cost a few hundred dors, yet they were thrown on the floor just like that. The caretaker squatted down. She felt bad while she was picking up the fruits. Leia would never eat them after they had fallen on the floor. However, Leia would not let the caretaker eat them if she refused to have them. She would only shut her mouth after she saw the caretaker throw them into the trash bin. Leia frowned while watching the caretaker clean up the floor. The anger stirring within her had yet to be released even though she had already thrown the fruit bowl. The door was pushed open just as she was about to scold the caretaker. Leia saw three nursese walking into the ward. One of them was the head nurse, but she had never seen the other two nurses before. They did not look like the nurses who worked on this floor. One of the nurses was pushing the wheelchair. "What are you doing?" Leia looked at them. It was not the time for ward rounds now. Besides, Leia had not pressed the patient call bell either. Something must be wrong since so many nurses came in. Could it be that her results were out and something was wrong with them? "Leia?" The head nurse was the one in the lead. She nced at her wristband and confirmed, "She''s Leia." This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°Why are you here?" Leia had a bad feeling about this. Even if the nurses hated her, they had always shown respect to her. After all, the patients who stayed on this floor were either wealthy or influential. However, the respect shown on their faces was gone now. Especially the head nurse. The expression on her face was cold without a smile. "Your family has changed wards for you. They''re nurses who work in the hepatobiliary department downstairs. They''re responsible for bringing you there," said the head nurse. Then, she turned around and said to the nurses, "She''s the one who needs to be transferred. The doctor has already given her the IV drip today. Just bring her downstairs." "Okay, Head Nurse," one of the nurses replied. She came forward and confirmed Leia''s name before saying, "Leia, we''re bringing you to the ward downstairs now." "Why am I transferring to the ward downstairs? I''m fine staying in this ward. What are you doing?" Leia widened her eyes. She knew the ward management of this hospital. Not every department had a VIP ward. All VIP wards were on the top floor. It was easier for the hospital to protect the patient''s privacy this way. Besides, this hospital was the most popr in the whole country. Many people would travel here to see the doctors here. It was difficult to get a slot here. That was why there were no private wards in the department downstairs. In other words, at least two hospital beds were ced in the normal wards downstairs. "Your family requested it, so we''re just doing our job," replied the nurse. She was about to help Leia get off the bed. Leia pped the nurse''s hands away and said, "What are you doing? Who gave the order?" "Your father, the one who adopted you," answered the nurse. Jack was the one who asked the hospital to make such arrangements. Every medical staff member in the hospital had already known what Leia did on the second floor. They also knew that Leia had a biological father. Jack was just someone who adopted her. Furthermore, her biological father had donated his liver to her, but it seemed like Leia had no intention of acknowledging her father even after she epted his liver. Although the nurses in the hospital had already gotten used to the ways of the world and their hearts were numb about life, when they saw the mess Leia had made, they still thought that it was Leia''s fault. They felt sorry for Dexter. "Jack? Why would he do that? Besides, I''m the one staying in the hospital, not him. Who does he think he is to ask you to transfer me to another ward?" Leia widened her eyes. There was only one thing in her mind¡ªJack had found out about it. Chapter 2332 Another nurse helped Leia to pack the things on the bedside table. These would be taken to be disinfectedter. Leia noticed that the nurses did not answer her. Instead, they began to take her stuff away. She immediately said, ¡°You have no right to touch my stuff!" ¡°These belong to the hospital," said the head nurse. The water bottle and some other items belonged to the hospital. They were for the patients in the VIP wards. The water bottles downstairs were not the same design. ¡°I''m not moving." Leia insisted. The head nurse did not know if she should beughing or crying when she saw Leia behaving like this. She had no choice but to exin to her, ¡°Ms. Norman, Mr. Norman is the one who''s paying for your medical expenses. Now, he''s requesting to transfer you to a normal ward. We have no choice but to follow his instructions." "Don''t touch anything. I''m calling my Dad," said Leia. She was disgusted at the thought of moving downstairs. She was a person with high social status. Why should she move downstairs and stay in the same ward with the lower ss? Leia picked up her phone. Her hand that was pressing the phone screen was trembling. After Leia pressed the call button, she put her phone near her ears and waited for Jack to answer. It rang a dozen times, but no one answered. Leia made another call, but no one was answering. Leia refused to give up. She had no choice but to call Queenie. Although Jack was paying for her medical expenses, Queenie held a special ce in Jack''s heart. Hence, Queenie would be able to convince him. Queenie answered the call and asked, ¡°Leia, are you feeling better now?" ¡°Mom, Dad asked the nurse to transfer me to a normal ward. What happened?" Leia ignored Queenie''s concern and asked her right away. Leia was afraid that the two nurses would push her downstairs together with the hospital bed if she waited a little longer. ¡°Leia, go along with your father''s arrangement this time. The environment downstairs isn''t that bad either." Queenie let out a sigh. Jack had already mentioned it to her before he made such a request. Queenie disagreed with him at first. After all, Leia grew up being treated like a princess. How would she be able to ept staying in a normal ward? However, Jack was determined to do so. He also told her that Leia had tried to ruin his future by getting herself into trouble. Everyone had their eyes on him now, waiting to see what he would do next. Jack could no longer take the risk for Leia''s sake. If Leia disagreed with it, the moment Leia got discharged from the hospital would be the moment she was sent back to New York. Queenie was reluctant to send Leia back to New York when she had not fully recovered yet. After all, no one would be taking care of her there. That was why she got seriously ill after she came back. How could she livefortably if she was sent abroad just like that? Besides, the maid had also shown Queenie the video. Although Queenie did not like Dexter, Dexter was Leia''s biological father no matter what. Even though Dexter had made a lot of mistakes in the past and Leia could choose not to forgive him, kicking Dexter and mentioning Jack''s name was her mistake. Therefore, Queenie finally agreed with it. ¡°No way. How can I stay in the same ward with those in the lower ss?" Leia yelled at her. The nurse stopped packing her stuff for a moment when they heard her. They could not help but roll their eyes. What did Leia mean by higher ss and lower ss? The reason why the hospital had VIP wards was that they needed to provide good services to those who needed privacy. There was no such thing as higher or lower social status. Everyone was a patient in the hospital. Now that the matter had been made known to the public, there was no need for someone like Leia to protect her privacy anymore. "Leia! You''ve crossed the line this time. Do you have any idea about that?" Queenie was a little angry when she heard Leia mention the words ''lower ss''. Ever since Queenie quit the entertainment industry, she had stayed by Jack''s side. Not only had she be Jack''s better half, but she also often attended charity events. Queenie went to charity events not only because she had to maintain her image but because she was truly kind people. She wanted to do something more for those who were in need. After they adopted Leia, she often brought her children along with her to do charity work. Jack was working in the government sector to serve the people, after all. As his wife, she needed to live up to the people''s expectation to serve them. She thought bringing her children along with her could influence them to be a kind person in the future. However, it seemed like she never seeded. Queenie fell back into the sofa after she scolded Leia, realizing that she had failed to educate her child. Queenie had never mentioned those words in front of Leia when she was young. However, Leia was able to utter those words fluently now. Queenie was heartbroken. How did her daughter be like this when she was the one who educated her? ¡°Dexter was the one who started it. You can''t me me for that. Anyway, Mom, did I say something wrong? I''m your daughter. How am I rted to that tramp?" Leia was still unable to figure out what she had done wrong. She was just telling the truth. If those people who judged her had experienced the same thing, would they still be able to stand on the moral high ground to criticize her? "Dexter was wrong, but at least he donated his liver to you. You could''ve just left. Why did you have to say such things and drag your father into it? Anyway, I''ll listen to your father this time. You need to stop looking down on others. Besides, your father said if you refuse to move downstairs, you''ll be sent back to New York right after you get discharged from the hospital," said Queenie. She did not want to deal with Leia anymore. Everything that had happened in the past few days had exhausted her. Now, Queenie knew that her daughter who used to be good and kind was gone. It was not because of Luke, and it was not because her image as a star was ruined. It was just that she had never learned how to be kind since she was young. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Leia had been livingfortably in the past, and that was why she managed to go for so long without showing her unpresentable side. Once life got hard for her, Leia would start causing trouble. "Fine. You''re refusing to help me too. Then I''m going to call Grandpa and Grandma," said Leia. Queenie could feel her forehead throbbing. She rested her hand on her forehead and took a deep breath. Then, she said, "Leia, stop the nonsense. Your grandpa is also mad at you for saying such things. He''s not going to help you even if you look for him. Your father will also punish you severely if he finds out. If you behave yourself and transfer to the ward downstairs to recuperate your health, you''ll still be able toe back home when you''ve recovered. If you''d like to go back to New York and live there, you can do whatever you want. Your father might even sever ties with you." "No. You can''t." Leia panicked when she heard that Jack would sever ties with her. Even if Leia had the money, she refused to let go of the position of being a senior official''s daughter. She could not let Jack sever ties with her. "Then listen to us and get your health back on track. Stop causing trouble. Don''t give the reporters and your father''s opponents the chance to have something on him," said Queenie. Jack''s journey to bing an official had not been easy or smooth. Fortunately, everything Jack did was for the sake of the people. That was why he was able to ovee the obstacles that were in his way. However, Leia had be the biggest obstacle in Jack''s political career now... Chapter 2333 ¡°I don''t..." Leia still wanted to resist as the thought of living downstairs made her feel ashamed. Moreover, she was the talk of the town. If she went downstairs, she would be surrounded by spectators. Leia wanted to plead with Jack. "That''s the final decision, and don''t disturb your father. He''ll get even angrier if you look for him now. Just focus on recovering in the hospital." After Queenie finished speaking, she hung up. She did not care if Leia would go to her grandparents. Anyway, the old master was pissed after seeing the video anyway. If Leia knew better, she would not bother the two old people and bring about her own destruction. In the hospital ward. Leiay down and tossed her phone aside. After listening to her long conversation with Queenie without interrupting, the nurse finally said, "Pack up and we''ll help you move downstairs." "Don''t touch me." Leia widened her eyes and red at the nurse in front of her. The nurse was unfazed and said, "Ms. Norman, please cooperate. This ward needs to be disinfected as soon as possible because another patient will be admittedter." The nurse threw away the fruit and whispered, "Ms. Norman, I''ll pack your things. You can go downstairs with the nurse first." "Shut up!" Leia sat on the hospital bed. Never in a million years would she have thought that Jack would punish her like this. The nurse shut her mouth embarrassedly. The head nurse said, "Nurse Lyon, send Ms. Norman to the ward downstairs first and have the ward assistant help carry all of these down." "Okay." The nurse who was called stepped forward to assist Leia. Leia sat on the bed motionless. The nurse had no choice but to say, "Ms. Norman, sitting here won''t solve the problem. Another patient had already booked this ward of yours. If you have other needs, you can have Mr. Norman talk to the people at the hospital." Leia knew that even if she insisted on staying here, she would be sent down and forced to cooperate. Plus, she could not stay here even if she pretended to faint. Jack really had no mercy as if he wanted her to die! Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Leia got out of bed and sat in the wheelchair with the help of the nurse. Nurse Lyon was worried that she would cop out, so she quickly pushed the wheelchair to the hepatobiliary surgery department. Then, she gave her a bed and went through some formalities. Afterward, the ward assistant arrived and ced her things in the cab. Leia was in a double room, and a middle-aged woman was on the other bed. She looked around the ward and was clearly not used to it. From the VIP ward to the double ward, this drop was uneptable to her, just like when she was in New York. She took the money Jack gave her and rented a high-ss apartment. When the money was almost gone, she realized that it was her living expenses for half a year. Hence, she could only sell off her valuable items to keep her afloat. At the same time, she was evicted by herndlord for not paying rent. She went from living in a fancy apartment to living in the slums with several other people. The feeling of dropping to such lows brought back her memories of when she was in New York. The helplessness, the fear, and her hatred for Jack! When she poisoned Queenie, she should have poisoned Jack as well. She should not have kept him healthy. The reason why she had mercy on Jack was that she needed a father who was a government official. Plus, without Jack, the Norman family would have no ie. Therefore, she showed him mercy and only took out her anger on Queenie. Now, Leia regretted her decision. If Jack was dead, then everything in the Norman family would be hers. Who would be able toy a finger on her then? After the ward assistant tidied everything up, she said, ¡°Ms. Norman, would you like to have some fruit now?" "I want to beat you up right now." Leia red at the ward assistant to express her resentment. The ward assistant was taken aback by her terrifying re, so she quickly said, "It''s noon. I''ll go outside and buy some food for you. If anything happens, you can call me." After saying that, she hastily ran away. The middle-aged woman lying on the bed beside her thought that Leia was in a bad mood because she was sick, so she spoke up, "Girl, what kind of disease did you get at such a young age?" "What do you care?" Leia rolled her eyes at her and pulled the curtain. How noisy. Everything here was not to her liking. "How could you say that?" The person taking care of the woman got upset and wanted to argue with Leia. The middle-aged woman instantly waved her hand, signaling her to stop. In Norman Residence. After ending the call with Leia, Queenie sat down for a while, but she still felt stuffy and ufortable. The maid handed her a ss of warm water. ¡°Mrs. Norman, are you still not feeling well? Why don''t I take you to the hospital?" "It''s fine, I''m not sick." Queenie shook her head. Although her chest was ufortable, she knew that it was because of Leia. "If anything happens, Mr. Norman will me me. Why don''t you take some painkillers?" the maid said. Queenie did not look very well just now, so she went up to her and asked, only to find out that her chest was feeling ufortable. However, she was in the kitchen the whole time, so she was not aware that it was caused by Leia. "Fine, bring them to me. I''ll have some," said Queenie. She felt really ufortable. Perhaps it was because she got too angry. "Okay." The maid nodded and took out the painkillers from the medicine box. The medicine box was well-equipped as Luca had written a note about the medicines to keep on hand. She shook out some pills and handed them to Queenie. "Luca requested for this specific brand of painkillers to keep on hand because she said it''s the most effective, but it''s a little bitter. You can''t swallow the pills all at once and have to put the pills under your tongue first." When Luca was mentioned, Queenie felt even guiltier. She prepared all the necessary medicines for her family and even promised to help her, but Leia was so hostile to her. Leia''s words were so mean that she even made such a kind-hearted person toss the medical records aside and leave. Queenie felt bad as she was the one who asked Luca for help, but all Leia did was piss her off... After getting the painkillers, she kept them under her tongue. The bitter taste instantly filled her mouth, and she frowned. The maid whispered a reminder, "Make sure you keep them there." Queenie nodded, indicating she understood. She was the type of person who hated bitter-tasting foods. When she had to drink bitter tonic, Jack would always bring over a piece of candy before he could make her drink it. After marrying him, she had always been pampered in this household, so she never had a reason to get angry. Even though Jack had a bad temper, he had never let her suffer. However, as Leia grew older, she gradually felt that life was not as sweet anymore. Chapter 2334 A mother would always worry about her child, and Queenie was no exception. It was just that Leia made her worry too much. When Leia was still in the entertainment industry, Queenie constantly used her connections in the industry to help develop her career so that she would not sell herself to get resources like most celebrities. However, Leia still went astray and did everything she could to get what did not belong to her. In the end, she even drugged Queenie to take revenge on her. At the thought of this, Queenie felt that the bitterness in her mouth could neverpare to the bitterness in her heart. ¡°Mrs. Norman, is the medicine really bitter?" The maid noticed her frown and asked worriedly. "It''s fine." After the pills had disintegrated under her tongue, Queenie drank a big ss of water. The maid brought over candy and said, "Mrs. Norman, have some candy." Queenie shook her head and nced out the window to see that it had stopped snowing. Then, she asked, "How many more days until the new year?" "Mrs. Norman, the new year is next Thursday," answered the maid. "So soon? We haven''t bought any New Year''s goods and food, right?" Queenie looked at the maid. "Not yet. Give me a list of what you want to buy and I''ll go get everything," the maid said as she had always been in charge of getting the groceries when Queenie was ill. In the past, Queenie would remember the date and give her a list for her to prepare everything in advance. Queenie chuckled while she stood up and said, "Before, I made you prepare everything because I was ill. Now that I''m better, I can go get the shopping done myself. It seems about time I need to go shopping. If I go anyter, the youngsters will be on holiday and the supermarket will be crowded." "Mrs. Norman, it''s cold out. You should stay at home." The maid was being considerate of her. "It''s alright. No need to cook dinner tonight. Mr. Norman has an important meeting, so he won''t be back for dinner. You cane with me and we''ll eat outside," said Queenie as she nned to go shopping. It had been a long time since shest went shopping due to her health. In the past, Jack rejected many rtives froming over to visit because of her health. She would have difficulty breathing and be restless in crowded situations because of the toxins in her body at that time. "Alright, I''ll go bring your coat down," said the maid before heading upstairs. Queenie stared out the window and started getting lost in her thoughts. She wondered if Bianca was doing well abroad. She could not believe that she was ruthless enough to leave her husband and children alone this New Year''s. She even forgot about her and Jack while studying abroad. She was still her daughter, but at the moment, they were no different from strangers. She just lost her memory. Queenie could ept the fact that she was different from before, but Bianca left because she could not ept her past being a nk te... After the maid brought her coat and helped her put it on, she said, "Mrs. Norman, the driver is waiting at the door." "Alright." Queenie tightly wrapped the clothes around her body and took the scarf on the hanger. After wrapping it around her and making sure that she was warm enough, she walked out of the mansion. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. There was already a patient in this family, Leia. She could not afford to get sick again. The maid followed her closely, and the two sat together in the car as the driver drove to arge mall downtown. "We''re going shopping first. You cane backter to pick up the stuff," Queenie said to the driver before getting out of the car. The maid followed her, and they went to the clothing section first. "Mrs. Norman, do you want to buy clothes?" the maid asked. Queenie nodded and walked toward the clothing store. "Isn''t it New Year''s? Wearing new clothes in the new year is a must. I need to buy some clothes for Mr. Norman and Leia." The maid did not understand why she had to buy new clothes for Leia as the doctor had already mentioned that in Leia''s current condition, she would have to be hospitalized during New Year''s, so she reminded Queenie, "Mrs. Norman, Ms. Leia still has to be hospitalized during the new year, so she can''t wear other clothes." Queenie froze after her reminder. Leia was required to wear a hospital gown in the hospital. "Then I''ll buy her two coats instead. Although she can only wear a hospital gown, she still has to wear new clothes on New Year''s, right?" Queenie said while walking into the women''s section first. "Right." The maid sighed internally after seeing how nice Queenie was to Leia. She had been working for the Norman family for over a decade, so she would naturallye to learn about the things Leia had done. After doing so many unspeakable things, including poisoning Queenie, Queenie still treated Leia the same. Her maternal love was really something. She never treated Leia differently despite her being adopted. Unfortunately, Leia still took it for granted. Queenie picked out two coats. One was pink, and the other was bright red. ¡°Leia should wear the bright red one on the first day of the new year. The striking color looks like it can uplift her spirits. I hope that she''ll be able to get better soon." The maid looked at the two expensive coats in the salesperson''s hands and eximed, "Mrs. Norman, you''re so nice to Ms. Leia." "I''m her mother. How can I not be nice to her? If only Bea was in the country." Queenie sighed. Her wish for a family reunion was so hard toe true. The maid knew that she was missing Bianca again, so she quickly picked up another coat and said, "Mrs. Norman, don''t forget to buy some for yourself too." "No need. Luke brought two new coats for me thest time, and they''re foreign brands as well. He said that Bea bought them for me and delivered them here," Queenie shook her head with a smile. "That''s no good. It only counts if you buy clothes for yourself. This piece seems to suit you well. Why don''t you go try it on?" the maid said. Of course, a salesperson would not miss the opportunity to earn amission, so she agreed, "She''s right, Miss. This is one of the new pieces this season, and it just arrived two days ago. It suits you very well, and I''m sure it''ll look great on you. Plus it''s also a festive color suitable for New Year''s." Queenie looked at the coat. She did like it very much, so she took it to the fitting room to try it on. It fit her well, so she bought it. Then, she walked to the men''s section with the maid intending to pick out a few pieces of clothing for Jack. Jack''s clothes are usually picked out by her. Moreover, he had just returned to the government to work this year, so there would definitely be many peopleing over to pay respects during New Year''s. Queenie thought that he must dress appropriately this New Year''s. "Aunt Queenie?" Nina had just walked into the men''s section. She called out to Queenie as soon as she saw her. Queenie looked back and smiled when she saw that it was Nina. Then, she said, "Nina, are you here to buy clothes too?" "Yes, the new year is almost here and Percy is busy this year, so I came here to have a look and pick out some New Year''s clothes for him." Nina smiled and walked up to her. Chapter 2335 In the past, all of Percy''s clothes were custom-made. However, he did not have the time to customize his clothes as he was busy with work this year, so Nina decided to pick out some clothes for him at the mall for New Year''s. Besides, wearing new clothes in the new year was good luck for the year ahead. ¡°Mr. Mallory is so lucky to have a girlfriend like you," Queenie said with a smile. Nina was Bianca''s best friend. Regardless of what the news reports say, she still admired the candid person in front of her. "Aunt Queenie, it seems like you''ve bought quite some stuff. Did you get clothes for Mr. Norman and Ms. Norman?" Nina noticed that the salesperson beside her was already holding a bunch of clothes. Some even had bright colors. Although she could not see the style, she guessed that some were meant for someone younger. Queenie probably bought the clothes for Leia. Bianca had gone through so much because of Leia, and Leia had done so much to hurt Queenie and Jack, yet Queenie still treated her like she was her own daughter. Nina could not help but feel envy, but she also had mixed feelings... No matter how wicked their adopted daughters were, some mothers could still treat them as if they were their own. No matter how much harm they caused, as long as they called them ''Mom'', some mothers would still forgive them unconditionally and take care of them like they always had. For example, Queenie was one of them. Whereas some mothers only had eyes for their sons. No matter how much harm their sons caused, they would still be the best in their eyes. In fact, it would even be the other party''s fault. Meanwhile, their daughters were just tools. Tools that would keep the mother and son afloat. The person she had in mind was Anna. Comparison was indeed the thief of joy. "Yes, it''s going to be New Year''s soon, so I prepared some new clothes for them," said Queenie with a smile as she picked up a shirt and nced at the size. It was the size that Jack usually wore, so she handed it to the salesperson and continued selecting. Nina was also browsing, but she picked something that was more suited for younger people. Percy and Jack were different, so there would be different criteria in the choice of shirts. After selecting Percy''s new clothes, Nina nced at the salesperson following Queenie. It reminded her of Anna who was in the hospital. Although she had to stay in the hospital during the new year, perhaps she would feel better with a couple of new clothes. Therefore, she walked toward the women''s section and picked out two pieces for Anna. After that, she took the clothes and walked toward the cashier. At the same time, Queenie was also done selecting clothes and paying for them. After paying, she looked toward Nina and smiled, ¡°Why didn''t you buy some for yourself?" ¡°Percy bought me a lot of new clothes the other day. I can even wear them throughout the new year without repetition, so I don''t need anymore," replied Nina while she admired Queenie''s attention to detail. She could even tell that the women''s clothes were not for her. How amazing... Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. "Aunt Queenie, do you have anything to doter?" Nina took out her bank card for the cashier to settle the bill. "I don''t. Why?" Queenie smiled gently and was very polite to Nina. "It''s almost dinner time. Why don''t you join me for dinner? I''ve even invited Luca." Nina invited. Queenie nodded in agreement after she mentioned Luca as she wanted to apologize to Luca face-to- face after Leia went overboard with her wordsst night. "Okay, but it''s on me," she said as she wanted this meal to be an apology to Luca. "Sure." Nina smiled without refusing her offer. "But we agreed to meet an hourter. Aunt Queenie, why don''t we stroll around the rest of the mall?" "Great. I just so happen to need some New Year''s goods. Do you need any, Nina?" Queenie roughly knew about her situation with Percy, and she also knew that they were living together. She might need to prepare some New Year''s goods as well. "New Year''s goods? The maid at home is in charge of preparing everything, so I''m not quite sure," Nina said. After being with Percy all these years, she never had to worry about these things. "Then you can just shop around with me," Queenie put her arm around Nina''s as she was delighted to see her. Looking at Nina was like looking at Bianca. They were best friends, so they shared some simrities. "Okay, Aunt Queenie." Nina followed her to the supermarket to buy some New Year''s goods. When it was about time, Queenie had the drivere to pick up the goods for the new year. Then, she gave the driver and the maid some money for them to have dinner before following Nina to the restaurant on the top floor. They chose a rather isted corner. Queenie saw the restaurant''syout and sighed. "Bea used to love this restaurant." "Yes, the food here is great, and it''s Luca''s choice too," said Nina. After her reminder, she realized that Bianca and Luca both seemed to like this restaurant a lot. "Luca chose this ce?" Queenie was a little taken aback. Nina nodded while she picked up the menu and said, "Aunt Queenie, Luca asked us to order first. What would you like to have?" "Is Luca not able toe yet?" Queenie took the menu from her and asked. "It''s peak hour, so she''s stuck in traffic," exined Nina. Queenie thought about how busy Luca was with work. She had to eat and rest after work too, yet she still made a trip to the hospital to help Leia with her recovery. The thought of this made her feel even guiltier, so she said, "Nina, why not we order a drink first and wait for her to arrive? I don''t know what she likes..." "Luca doesn''t seem to be a picky eater, and her taste is somewhat simr to Bianca''s. But it''s up to you. What would you like to drink?" Nina asked smilingly. "I''ll just have some fruit juice." "Okay, we''ll have two sses of fruit juice for now," Nina said to the staff beside her. After the staff left with the menu, Queenie asked again, "Nina, I remember that your mother suffers from liver disease, right?" "Yes, and she''s still receiving treatment." Nina''s smile faded at the mention of Anna. "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to bring up a sad topic." Queenie just wanted to know what to look out for after surgery for liver disease patients as Leia was experiencing the same thing, but she did not think that she would bring up Nina''s sore spot. "It''s nothing, Aunt Queenie. After the doctor''s treatment, her condition is much more stable now," Nina said with a smile. "Really? I''m sure you know that Leia also has liver problems, so she had a liver transnt. The doctor also mentioned the future risks, which makes me worry that she''ll face more problems in the future.." Queenie said sadly. "Aunt Queenie, you need to trust the doctor. Medicine is well-developed nowadays. As long as she receives treatment, there shouldn''t be a problem. My mother didn''t follow medical advice to take her medications ordingly, which led to the recurrence of her liver disease.." Nina reassured her. Chapter 2336 Queenie recalled that Leia did not like taking the doctor''s advice either, so she shook her head in distress. "Aunt Queenie, what''s wrong?" Nina said with concern. ¡°Nothing, I just hope that everything will get better after the new year," Queenie expressed her wishes. Although Nina loathed Leia to the point that she would not even pity her if she were to die, Queenie would be sad if Leia died. Bianca cared the most about her biological mother, so she stillforted her, "Don''t worry, Ms. Norman will be able to recover and be discharged soon. Plus, there''s still Luca. She''s great at treating patients, so she can help Ms. Norman anytime." Queenie could no longer smile at the mention of this. After seeing the smile on her face disappear, Nina realized that she had said the wrong thing, so she asked with caution, "Aunt Queenie, did I say something wrong?" Queenie shook her head and frowned as she told Nina aboutst night''s events. Although Luca had sent her a message afterward saying that it was okay, Queenie knew that Luca was still angry. Hence, she told Nina about it in hopes that she would put in a good word for herter. She had no other choice but to rely on someone younger than her... At the thought of this, Queenie felt utterly helpless. Nina furrowed her brows after listening to her story. Luca was not one to get angry easily, so if Leia could make her toss the medical records aside and leave, then it proved that that mouth of Leia''s was really something. Queenie sighed and said, "Leia has always been bad-tempered, and her temper got even worse after getting sick. She has no patience at all. This time, she really went overboard, so I wanted to use this meal as an opportunity to apologize to Luca." It suddenly hit Nina. No wonder Queenie offered to pay for the meal before this. It turned out that she was trying to make amends to Luca by paying for the meal. "Aunt Queenie, don''t worry. Luca isn''t a petty person. She may have been a little angry at that time, but she must''ve let off all the steam by now. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have been d that you''re buying dinner." Nina reassured her. "Luca knows?" Queenie was stunned, then became worried that Luca might note. ¡°Yup, she just sent a message saying that she has arrived downstairs." Nina dispelled her doubts. She was worried that Percy would not be able to reach her, so she put her phone by her side to not miss any messages¡ªeven when she was dining with an elder like Queenie. Therefore, she read Luca''s message first thing. "It''s good that she''s here. I was worried that she might not want toe after finding out that I''m here." Queenie breathed a sigh of relief. "Aunt Queenie, how could she¡ª" Nina''s gut told her that Luca was not that kind of person as she also seemed to respect Queenie a lot. Just then, her phone rang. Nina picked it up and said with a smile, "Aunt Queenie, Luca asked us to order first and that we can order anything for her. She wants to go to the supermarket to buy something first."Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "Alright then. You''re closer to Luca, so you choose." Queenie raised her hand to summon the waiter. They received the menu handed over by the waiter. Nina looked at the menu while saying, "I''m actually not too sure what Luca likes to eat, but I''ve had a few meals with her before. She usually orders things that Bianca likes." "Her preference is simr to Bea''s?" This time, Queenie was bbergasted. After Nina finished ordering, she handed the menu over to Queenie. "Aunt Queenie, order some dishes too." "Alright." Queenie was influenced by Nina''s words, so she chose two dishes that Bianca liked. "That''s it for now." "Okay, please wait a moment. I''ll go ce your order." The waiter took the menu and turned around to leave. Queenie noticed that Nina did not answer her question, so she asked once again, "Nina, are Luca''s food preferences simr to Bea''s?" "I haven''t eaten with her a lot, but every meal we have, she''d order something Bianca likes. It''s just a coincidence. There''s only so much local food that''s delicious in A City anyway," Nina said with a smile. "You''re right." Queenie nodded in agreement. On the other hand. When Luca arrived at the mall, she remembered that it was New Year''s soon... During New Year''s, Luke would definitely bring the children to Norman Residence to visit the elders there, but she was not acquainted with the Norman family, so who was she to visit them? Hence, she nned to buy some gifts and use this opportunity to gift them to Queenie and Jack. Luca first went to the gift store to buy some tea leaves and an expensive bottle of red wine. Although the wine was not as good as the ones in Luke''s cer, it was already one of the high-grade wines avable in the market. She bought some supplements for Queenie as well. However, these weremon gifts, so Jack and Queenie would certainly receive a lot of them. They would not stand out. Luca thought to herself that although she could not reveal her identity, she did not want to be like everyone else. She recalled Queenie''s favorite exquisite decorations, so she walked into another store that specialized in selling decorations. ording to her knowledge of Queenie, she selected some decorations that matched her taste. Finally, she chose a set of clothes for Jack and Queenie. She walked into the restaurant while carrying several bags full of things. After telling them Nina''s table number, the waiter led her to the table. Nina saw the things in her hand and said with astonishment, ¡°Luca, you said you were just buying some stuff. Why did you buy so much?" "Are these a lot? I think they''re a reasonable amount." Luca sat in the other seat and greeted Queenie with a smile, "Good evening, Aunt Queenie." "Good evening..." Queenie noticed Luca''s nd expression. The absence of surprise and annoyance made her relieved. She thought that Luca dyed her arrival to avoid seeing her. After seeing the bags in her hand, Queenie knew that Nina was not lying to her and Luca had really gone shopping. After Luca sat down, Queenie felt the need to apologize for what had happenedst night, so she opened her mouth and said, "Luca, yesterday¡ª" Luca knew what she was about to say, so she quickly interrupted her, "Aunt Queenie, it''s New Year''s soon, so I bought some gifts for you and Mr. Norman. Here, take all of these." She handed all the bags in her hand to Queenie. Queenie was taken aback. "So many?" "I didn''t buy a lot. It''s just that there are many bags. There''s nothing expensive inside them. Just take them and think of them as New Year''s gifts for you two." Luca put the bags by Queenie''s side. Queenie looked at the bags full of things. She recognized all the logos on them as they were all well- known brands. The cheapest things sold at these stores were still considered expensive for the average family. "Luca, these." "Aunt Queenie, they''re Luca''s token of appreciation. Just ept them. If you don''t, Luca will feel bad." Nina suddenly helped Luca out. Chapter 2337 Queenie was still hesitant because after what Luca had done for their family, they should be the ones thanking her. Now, it was the other way around, which was inappropriate. After noticing Queenie''s hesitation, Luca said, ¡°Aunt Queenie, this is just a token of appreciation. You know there''s no hidden meaning to it. Since it''s New Year''s, I wanted to gift you two some things to show my gratitude." Nina also said, "She''s right, Aunt Queenie. If it makes you ufortable, you can just gift Luca an envelope with money when the new year is here." Queenie looked at Luca with her lips slightly open as she nodded. "Okay. Thank you, Luca." "You''re wee, Aunt Queenie." Luca smiled faintly after Queenie epted the gifts. Queenie saw that Luca was not angry in the slightest bit. She even gifted her a whole bunch of things. It would be rude of her to continue dwelling on what had happened yesterday. Her heart softened after seeing Luca''s smiling face as if the bitterness in her heart that was caused by Leia had been washed away. After dinner, Luca and Nina both helped Queenie with the bags as they went to the underground parking lot of the mall. Then, they sent Queenie to her car and watched her leave. Nina looked at her face and said thoughtfully, "Luca, you seem to care a lot about Aunt Queenie." "Is that so? Perhaps it''s because Aunt Queenie reminds me of my mother who suffered a lot to raise me." Luca smiled. "Your mother is amazing." Nina''s eyes grew gloomy when she mentioned her mother. Other mothers could do such things for their children, yet her mother... "It''s gettingte. Did you drive here?" Luca asked. Nina shook her head. "No, I came in the driver''s car, but I knew I was going to have dinner here, so I let him go back first. I have to inform him to pick me up now." "No need to go through so much trouble. Just take my car. I''ll go home after sending you back," said Luca as she estimated Percy''s mansion to be quite far from the mall. She was notfortable letting Nina wait here. Although the Mallory family now believed that Nina was Old Master Crawford''s goddaughter, there was no guarantee that they would not have something up their sleeve. "Sure." Nina liked Luca''spany, so she did not refuse. Warren drove up in front of them and got down from the car to open the door for them. Luca and Nina got into the car. When Warren sat back in the driver''s seat, Luca said, "Let''s send Percy''s girlfriend home first." ¡°Yes, Ms. Craw." Warren did not ask them for the address as he had driven Luke there before, so he knew where Percy''s home was. After dropping Nina off, Warren then sent Luca home. It was nighttime. Queenie nced at the clock on the wall to see that it was already 10 o''clock. Half an hour ago, Jack called to say that his meeting had ended and he was rushing home. Queenie guessed that he was almost home, so she stood up and walked into the kitchen to make supper for Jack. She made soup with some vegetables and meat. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. When the soup was done, Jack returned home. He took off his coat and nced at the bags sitting on the coffee table before walking into the kitchen. ¡°I''m back." ¡°Dear, I made you a bowl of soup. Want some?" Queenie asked. ¡°Yes, please. I''m not used to the food they ordered. Home-cooked food tastes the best." Jack walked over and took it from Queenie''s hands. ¡°I''ll do it. Careful, it''s hot." ¡°I''ll bring out side dishes for you." Queenie''s heart ached because he was so tired from working overtime every day recently. Jack carried the bowl to the dining table and sat down. Queenie handed him a spoon and set the side dishes aside before saying softly, ¡°You can eat now." ¡°Thank you." Jack took a sip of the soup and slowly asked, ¡°Did you go to the mall today?" ¡°Yeah. Are you asking because of the bags on the coffee table?" Queenie asked as all the bags on the coffee table were gifted by Luca. She had kept the ones she bought herself way before this. ¡°I saw quite a lot of things. Are they all for the new year?" Jack asked as Queenie was not one to enjoy strolling around in malls because she thought that she had to keep a low profile as his wife. The maid would always prepare everything unless it was necessary for her to do it herself. ¡°The stuff I bought has been kept away. I just bought some new clothes for the new year and some goods to entertain guests and rtives. The bags on the coffee table are gifts from Luca," said Queenie. ¡°Luca gifted them?" Jack was surprised. ¡°Yes, I ran into Nina at the mall today, and she invited me to dinner, which I agreed to. Luca was there too. She rushed over after work, but she still gifted me so many bags of stuff. I refused, but the two youngsters persuaded me to ept them." Queenie told him about today''s events with a sense of resignation. ¡°Great." Jack chuckled as his daughter was considerate enough to give them gifts. "What''s so great about that? Everything was bought in the mall, and the shops in that mall are all branded. Just imagine how much those bags of goods must have cost. I really didn''t want to ept them, and I was also embarrassed..." Queenie sighed. Jack''s had a special status, so gifts between rtives had to be given with caution. Luca was not their rtive, but she gifted them such expensive gifts. epting the gifts concerned her. "What are you afraid of? Luca has been so helpful to our family. How could she harm me? If she gifted them, we should just ept them. Otherwise, she''ll be upset." Jack calmly drank his soup. Although Luca could not recognize them as her parents, the gifts she gave them already showed her appreciation for them. "You''re right, but I''m still a little worried. Besides, Luca has helped us so much, and now, she even gifted us so many things. She said they''re New Year''s gifts, but how can I ept them?" Queenie said in low spirits. "What did she give us?" Jack''s eyes lit up as he was interested in the gifts Luca had given them. Queenie saw the look on his face. Leia had given him many things in the past, but she had never seen such an expression on his face. Facing Luca''s gifts, he had this look on his face before even finding out what she had given him. "They''re all on the coffee table. You can go see for yourselfter." Queenie had seen them all. Some were for her, and some were for him. The gifts given to them were expensive and not biased toward anyone. "Okay, I''ll go take a look when I''m done eating." Jack was very interested. "Since Luca has helped our family so much and even sent so many gifts, what do you think we should send back?" Queenie was distressed. "No need to send anything." Jack shook his head and took a bite of colew. "No need? How can we not?" Queenie wrinkled her brows in disapproval. Chapter 2338 Jack put down his utensils in his hands and looked at Queenie. He was the only Norman family member who knew that Luca was Bianca. As such, Queenie would not be able to understand a lot of what he was talking about. "We''ll just get Luca something for New Year''s," Jack said. After all, Luca was their daughter. It was normal to give presents to one''s kids during the new year. That was the best blessing parents could give to their children during the festivities. "Would it seem too tacky?" Queenie was hesitant. Although it wasmon for elders to give gifts to juniors, Luca did not seem like the kind who would get them so many gifts to get something in return from them. On top of that, she heard from Luke that Luca grew up abroad with her mother. They might not practice the same traditions, she was worried that it might seem too casual if she went to get a return gift. "That''s the most sincere blessing we can give to someone. How can it be tacky?" Jack picked up his fork and continued to eat his noodles. He was also thinking about how Luca might have to be a little lonely this New Year''s. She was not Bianca, so she would not be apanying Luke to visit family and friends, nor would she visit Crawford Manor. She had to spend New Year''s Eve all alone... Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Jack felt terrible when he thought about how his biological daughter would have to spend New Year''s by herself. He could invite Luca over, but he could not have her stay in Norman Residence the entire time. Otherwise, Queenie would get suspicious. "I''ll send Luca a gift from the two of us." Queenie had no choice but to agree when she saw how Jack felt about the matter. "It should be a gift with special meaning. Write a card and tell Luca the things we would say to Bianca and Leia," Jack said. Queenie had a habit of sending her kids a long text full of blessings after midnight on New Year''s Eve no matter where the children were. Leia had received it even when she was in the United States. Bianca would also get a text. "Okay." Queenie agreed despite the questions she had in her head. "I heard that Luca won''t be back in Russia for the festivities this year. Don''t overthink it. I just think that it''d be nice of us to help a girl in a foreign country feel more at home," Jack exined in detail as he knew that Queenie had doubts. "I thought you were careless. I didn''t expect you to be so considerate." Queenie pursed her lips and smiled. Jack seemed to care more about Luca than he did with Leia. "She helped me keep you healthy and alive so that you can continue to be by my side. If I don''t thank her, who should I thank?" Jack said. Even if Luca was not Bianca, he would still be extremely thankful to Luca. Without her, Queenie''s health would have gotten worse and worse. He would not be able to serve the people with the peace of mind that he had now. Queenie was his wife, and they had been together for more than 30 years. He loved her deeply and did not want to see her suffer from illness. Luca was the one who helped him achieve that. Johann mentioned that Queenie''s body would have been eroded by toxins and she would not have survived for more than two years if it were not for Luca''s discovery. Therefore, apart from Luca being his child, his gratitude toward her for what she did was beyond anyone''s understanding. "You''re right. We should thank Luca." Queenie nodded. If it were not for Luca, she probably would not have much time to spend with Jack. She was doing much better now and could continue to be by Jack''s side, allowing him to do what he wanted to do with peace of mind. What Luca had done for their family could not be repaid with a few words of thanks. Queenie could understand why Jack was going out of the way for Luca. In juxtaposition, she felt that she had not been doing enough. She wanted to repay Luca''s kindness. Jack put down his utensils after he finished eating. Queenie handed him some tissues and said, "Wipe your mouth." "Okay," Jack stood up and walked to the living room while he wiped his mouth. "I want to see what Luca brought me." "There are some that I''m sure you can guess, but there are some items that I didn''t expect," Queenie said. She had already checked the contents of each bag. Many people would give tobo, alcohol, and tea, which Luca also included. However, to her surprise, Luca had also bought her and Jack a new set of clothes. The point was that the sizing of these new clothes was just right for her and Jack. They did not meet often, and she was certain that Luca had not measured her and Jack. As such, she was surprised that the clothes she bought for them were so suitable... On top of that, she also bought them some small decorative items. She did not expect any of those. "I''m getting more and more curious." Jack picked up one of the bags and found that it was tonic and tea. He smiled and said, "Were these what you guessed?" "Yeah, these are what people usually give for New Year''s. Also, there''s a bottle of red wine in that bag. I don''t know much about wine, but I think that bottle should be quite expensive," Queenie said. Although she was not a connoisseur of wine, she knew some of the well-known brands. Jack picked up the bag with the wine and said with a smile, "This girl is so thoughtful. This is the best wine you can buy from the shops. It has a great collection value as well." "She understands you." Queenie smiled. Although she often restricted Jack''s drinking, she knew that he loved wine. Even if he could not drink it, he could still collect them. Luca had given him a collectible wine, showing that she understood Jack. "What about the others?" Jack put down the wine and picked up another bag, which was full of small decorative items. He looked at Queenie. "She bought them for you?" "Yeah, she knows that I like decorations. We can use these for New Year''s. They match the style of our house. Be careful when you put them down so as not to break them," Queenie said. She cherished these decorative items a lot. "You look so nervous. I promise I''ll be careful. The remaining two bags..." Jack opened them and asked, "Are they clothes?" ¡°Yeah, and they''re in the size that you usually wear. The sizing for mine is perfect as well. Luca is so thoughtful. She has never taken our measurements but knows our sizes. She''s so observant..." Queenie could not help but sigh. In the past, Leia would ask them for their sizes every time she bought them clothes. It was as if she could never remember them. Sometimes, if she did not bother to ask, she would just buy Jack clothes that he could not fit in. In juxtaposition, Luca was indeed more attentive than Leia. Chapter 2339 As he listened to Queenie''s chatter, Jack picked up the shirt and put it on. "It''s not only the right size, but it''s also the right color and style. I''ll wear this on the first day of the new year!" Queenie noticed how happy Jack seemed. Leia had also bought a lot of clothes for the two of them before. Jack would always react calmly to Leia''s gifts. He had never been so happy as when he received gifts from Luca. Luca was better at picking clothes than Leia. The size, style, and color of the clothes she bought were suitable for their age. However, at this moment, Jack looked as happy as a father receiving a carefully selected gift from his daughter. Jack carefully put his clothes on the sofa, picked up the other set of clothes, and ced it on Queenie. "Mm, they''re perfect for you. This color is so festive. It''s suitable to wear during the new year. We''ll wear these on the first day of the new year." "Okay, you can do whatever you want." Queenie went along with his wishes. "Dear, it''s the first time I''ve seen you so happy to receive a gift." "It''s a well-thought-out gift." Jack wanted to put the clothes back into the bag. He tried to fold them but could not. He looked at Queenie for help. "This kind of thing isn''t something that a high-ranking official like you would do. I''ll do it," Queenie said with a smile. "I have an idea." Jack looked at Queenie, who was folding the clothes. Over the years, Queenie had taken care of everything in the house. Without Queenie, his devoted better half, he would not have been able to dedicate himself to serving the people wholeheartedly. "What do you have in mind?" Queenie folded their clothes with a wide smile on her face. She then put them aside and looked at him. Jack took her hand, brought her to the sofa to sit, and said slowly, "What do you think about having Luca over for a couple of days for the new year?" "You want to have her stay here? I don''t think that''s the best idea..." Queenie frowned. She never had someone other than her own family over to celebrate the new year. "What''s wrong with that? She won''t be here for long, just a day or two. Besides, we have plenty of guest rooms. It''s tough being alone in a foreign country. She''s helped our family. What does it matter even if shees and stays with us for a few days?" Jack said. He had been thinking about having Lucae over and spend the new year with them. "Even so, how do you know if Luca will agree?" Queenie asked. Although she did not agree immediately, she was tempted. She thought that it was a great proposal. "We can just invite her. Besides, there are only two of us at home for this New Year''s. Won''t it be nice to have Lucae over to celebrate it with us?" Jack said. Luca would be alone for New Year''s too. He also wanted to have his daughter by his side during the festivities. That was why he thought of asking her over. "That''s a good idea, but it''ste now. I''ll ask Luca in a few days." Queenie nodded and agreed with his proposal. Jack believed that Luca would agree. The fact that she bought them so many gifts before the new year meant that she was thinking about them. However, for some special reasons, she could not acknowledge them as their parents. As such, she would agree without a second thought if there was a chance for them to celebrate the new year together. After they were done talking about Luca, Queenie asked, "By the way, when will you arrange for Leia to get back to the VIP ward?" The nurse who took care of Leia told her about how Leia had been throwing her temper after she moved to the normal ward downstairs. Within three hours, she made things difficult for the nurse twice, lost her temper twice, and even threatened to go on a hunger strike. Queenie knew that she could not soften her heart immediately. When she knew that Leia was upset, she did not call to check in or go to the hospital. She knew that if she went soft-hearted, Jack''s ns would be in vain. Leia had to learn her lesson this time. Therefore, Queenie intended to listen to Jack and be crueler. She believed that it would benefit Leia as well. The smile on Jack''s face sank when he heard Leia''s name. He was in a good mood because of Luca, but it turned sour when Leia was mentioned. "Okay, don''t be angry. Leia did something wrong, but she''s being punished now. Don''t hurt yourself by being angry." Queenie knew that he was in a bad mood and immediatelyforted him softly. "She didn''t receive the punishment she deserved. She just moved wards to the hepatobiliary department. Is that considered punishment?" Jack asked. When normal people were sick, saw a doctor, and were hospitalized, they were all admitted to the corresponding departments. Leia was not staying in the VIP ward now, but she was still living a good life in the ordinary ward. It was normal, after all. "Yes, yes, it''s not a punishment. She''s spoiled, so she''s now making a fuss." Queenie stroked Jack''s back lightly, hoping that he would calm down. "Who does she think she is? The things she did almost dragged my name through the mud! Although public opinion is now against Leia, one day, they might say that I''m a terrible father. I''m making her stay in the normal ward to let her know that although she''s my daughter, I''m an ordinary person. She shouldn''t expect special treatment. Don''t be soft-hearted. If this goes on, Leia''s good as done." Jack had a stern expression as he looked at Queenie. She had always been soft-hearted. If her stance was not firm enough, Leia would cry in front of her in hopes of returning to the VIP ward. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. As such, Jack warned her again. "Okay, I know..." Queenie felt helpless. It seemed that Leia could not return to the VIP ward. It was not because Jack was angry. It was because Leia and Dexter made such a scene that it put the spotlight on the entire Norman family. Although Jack held a high position, he had always been low-key in his conduct. The car he drove was only a hundred thousand dors. The vi they were staying in was bought by Jack''s parents as a gift to them. They lived ordinary lives and were far from being luxurious. Jack spent most on wine. Even so, he had never epted fine wine from others. Jack lived an honest life. As such, for so many years, others had been unable to find ckmail material on him. After Leia made such a scene, it would be detrimental to Jack if others decided to use that incident against him. It would bring about a lot of unnecessary trouble. That was why Jack was so angry that he transferred Leia to the normal ward. "You mustn''t be soft-hearted. Half of her life is already over. I want her to realize that life will never always go her way. She got her liver and is given a new chance at life, but there''s no point if she continues to live like this for the rest of her life." Jack looked at Queenie seriously. Chapter 2340 "Okay, I get it. We''ll have Leia stay in the normal ward until she''s discharged." Queenie made up her mind. ''No matter the fuss Leia kicks up, we''ll neverpromise.'' Moreover, she had decided to reduce her visits to the hospital so Leia could not try to change her mind. "After she gets discharged, I''ll arrange a ce for Leia to stay in," Jack said. After the incident, he was fuming and nned the next steps immediately. "Dear, what are you going to do?" Queenie frowned, unsure of why Jack made such a decision. Although Leia would soon be discharged, it did not mean she would recoverpletely. Johann mentioned that Leia would have to take medicines and take care of herself well so that her body could ept the liver transnt. ''If Leia lives somewhere else, how will I take care of her?'' "I''ve thought about it. Our home is far from the hospital, so I''ll rent a two-room apartment near the hospital for her to live in. We''ll get a maid to take care of her. It''ll also be convenient for her to go to the hospital for uing check-ups," Jack said. Of course, he still had feelings for the daughter he had been raising for more than 20 years. However, Leia had wiped out the affection he had for her in his heart again and again. That was why Jack did not want to let Leia return to Norman Residence after she was discharged from the hospital. "Dear, are you sure?" Queenie knew that Leia had done a lot of things that ticked Jack off. She did not expect that he had already arranged everything. "Otherwise, do you want her to go back to the United States?" Jack asked. At first, he said that he wanted Leia to go to school in New York, so he sent her off regardless of her objection. He even sorted out her enrollment. However, Leia did not go to school. Instead, she came back sick and continued to make a scene. Queenie stayed silent for a few seconds. She knew that Leia did not have a good life in New York, so she said, "Leia can live in an apartment, then." Queenie could visit and ask the maid to take care of her if Leia stayed in an apartment. She could be there for Leia if anything happened to her as long as they were both in A City. She would not be able to do that if Leia were to return to New York. Leia went to New York for a few years and had liver failure. If she went back to New York, Queenie was unsure what would happen to Leia. Jack knew earlier on that she would choose this option. After all, Queenie was still a little reluctant to part with Leia. "I''ll make the arrangements after the new year, so don''t worry. It''s gettingte. Let''s go upstairs to get some rest," Jack said. There was still some time before Leia was discharged from the hospital, so he was not in a rush. "Dear, what about Dexter?" Queenie mentioned Dexter. After all, what happened not only pushed the Norman family and Leia to the spotlight of public opinion. Dexter had also attracted the attention of many people. Most of the public opinion sided with Dexter, the father who donated his liver for his daughter. They believed that Leia should take up her filial duties as she was his daughter. However, Queenie knew that Leia would never do that. She hated Dexter with everything she had. "Dexter? That''s Leia''s biological father. What she ns to do with him has nothing to do with the Norman family," Jack said without a care in the world. If Leia chose to go with Dexter, he would not say anything and even cooperate with them to change Leia''s documentation. Nevertheless, Leia would never care about Dexter. Dexter would never be able to gain something from the Norman family through Leia either. "Leia won''t go with Dexter, but I''m afraid that Dexter will cause trouble for the Norman family..." Queenie expressed her concern. "He won''t dare," Jack said. They had adopted Leia by legal means. Dexter had no reason to sue the Norman family. The most he could do was use Leia of being unfilial. "Okay, don''t worry about these. I''ll manage these. You just need to focus on being my wife. The maid said that your heart wasn''t doing the best today. Why don''t we rest early?" Jack was carrying the bag of clothes with one hand, and his other hand was holding Queenie''s. They were about to go upstairs. "Why does the maid tell you everything?" Queenie was speechless. "You didn''t feel well and took painkillers, right?" Jack asked her. "It wasn''t physical difort. I was mad at Leia, so I wanted to be on the safe side and took a few quick-acting painkillers," Queenie said. "Leave Leia''s matter to me. Don''t be angry. You should be focusing on taking good care of your health." Jack held her hand tightly. They were in the same boat. It was better for him to deal with these troubles. After all, Leia knew how to win Queenie''s heart. Hence, he could not let her handle Leia. Jack remembered that he had promised Luke that Leia would have to suffer in the future. If Queenie dealt with the situation, she might make Leia''s life morefortable. He was not a cruel person, but he could never be kind to those who had hurt his wife and his biological daughter. ... In the vi. Luke had his arms around Luca as he looked at thements online. He invited her to read them together, so Luca was also looking at thements on the inte. She was frowning slightly. The inte was criticizing Leia and pitying Dexter. Someizens even expressed sympathy for Jack.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Not a singlement used Jack of being a terrible father. "How do you think I handled this matter?" Luke lowered his head and kissed Luca''s forehead. The ce where she was kissed felt hot. She looked at her phone screen and whispered, "You handled it well. It''s just that this has given Dexter a chance to make a scene." She had known Dexter''s character a long time ago. He sold his wife and daughter for money, so there was an excusable reason why Leia hated him so much. Moreover, Dexter did not donate his liver to save Leia. He just needed some money. Luke was the one who gave him the money. It was not an exaggeration to say that the deal was fair and done. Those who did not know the inside story, or who knew the inside story but deliberately attacked Leia, just enjoyed the drama. "The Norman family can''t be implicated even by Dexter''s efforts. They adopted Leia legally and raised Leia unconditionally, giving her the best education and resources. If Dexter is so stupid and wants to take on the Norman family, he won''t yield any results. If he''s smarter, he''ll only attack Leia and not use the Norman family. We have nothing to worry about since there''s a signed agreement." Luke gave her a long analysis. Luca was just worried that the Norman family would be in trouble. However, Luke had thought of that as well. It was Leia, not the Norman family, who handled the situation badly. The Norman family did not wrong Dexter. What Leia did not know was that they had signed an agreement with Dexter which stated that Dexter could not find fault with the Norman family nor make them pay any more expenses and take responsibility. Chapter 2341 Luca knew that Luke had managed the situation well. He did a wonderful job. Dexter could not do anything to the Norman family even if he was eyeing their fortune. Luke dealt with the situation in a way that would not affect Jack''s work, nor would it affect Queenie. Luca opened her lips slightly and could not help but praise him, "You did a great job." Luke could not help but smile when he heard her praise. He closed the page and put his phone on the wireless charging stand on the bedside table. "It''s getting late. Let''s go to bed." "Okay." Luca was sleepy too. Whenever it was at this hour, she would feel sleepy if Luke was by her side. Lucay down and Lukey beside her, hugging her tightly. After they turned off the lights, there was only the sound of them breathing in the bedroom. Gradually, Luca fell asleep while being hugged by Luke. She had a pretty good dream. ... Late at night. The streets of A City were no longer lively because of the blizzard. In the alley of a bar street, Jean Langdon was beaten and kicked by several big men who stank of alcohol. He curled up beside the garbage dump, hugged his head, and begged, "Boss, please, stop hitting me. I''m going to die." The gangster standing behind took a puff of his cigarette and said fiercely, "If you don''t pay us back, we''ll beat you up every day. Hit him until he pays back the money!" "Boss, please spare me! I have the money to pay you back," Jean pleaded. His face and body were already bruised all over. However, no matter how loud his pleas were, they did not arouse the sympathy of passersby. They were in a hurry because they did not want to get involved. "If you have money, pay us back!" The lead gangster saw him being beaten but felt that it was not enough, so he stepped forward and kicked him. "Ah!" Jean cried out in pain. "Boss, if you kill me, no one will pay you back." "Since you don''t have any money anyway, you can be a punching bag for my associates. Hit him hard. If you encounter someone who doesn''t pay back the money in the future, this is how you can teach them a lesson!" The gangster did not take pity on him. He was not worried that his associates would kill Jean. It was fair to ask for repayment when money was borrowed. "Stop hitting me, please. I''ll give you the money tomorrow afternoon," Jean pleaded. He had no money because Marie Rayne had taken everything from him. After he finished the 500 dors Percy gave him, he could only borrow money from others. However, the money he borrowed was all gone in a blink of an eye because of gambling. "You''re taking so long to return the 3,000 dors. Can I trust you?" The gangster threw his cigarette on the ground and stepped on it. Jean watched and feared that the man''s foot was about to step on his head at any moment. "I don''t have any money, but my sister has. You should know that my sister is engaged to Percy Mallory!" Jean held his head, begged for mercy, and exined. He had bruises all over his head and could taste blood in his mouth. "Your sister?" The gangster frowned. The associate knew about Jean''s background and said, "Boss, his sister was in the news a while ago. She''s indeed Percy''s fiance." "Percy Mallory? Oh, I remember. That woman is his sister?" The gangster realized the connection. "Yeah, it''s his sister." "They had made such a scene, yet Percy still chose to be with his sister?" The gangster narrowed his eyes. He was in disbelief. "They''re still together. They have no intention of breaking up. I''ll be able to return the money to you in half a day." Jean said quickly. The gangster looked at his associate. His associate nodded and said, "I heard that they haven''t broken up yet and are quite affectionate with each other." "How do you know so much?" The gangster squinted. He still did not believe what Jean said. "Boss, my girlfriend gossips a lot. She pays attention to the drama between these rich people all day long, so she told me about it," the associate exined. The gangster thought about it for half a minute and eventually said, "Stop." The fists and feet that were constantly raining down on Jean stopped instantly. Jean leaned against the trash with difficulty. He squinted and looked at the gangster in front of him. "B- Boss, I''ll get the money to pay you back." "If you don''t pay me back, I''ll go look for your sister and mother. You''d better keep your word!" The gangster leaned over and patted his face hard. Jean was in pain. "Let''s go." The gangster ignored him and left with several of his associates. Jean''s eyes were swollen. He could only squint in the direction they were leaving. He tried to get up but struggled for a bit. He did not have the strength to get up. He could only continue to lean on the garbage heap. The rubbish around him gave off a stench, but Jean had no choice but to fumble around for his phone. He wanted to call someone for help. He tried for several rounds but did not find his phone. Jean felt his energy gradually being drained. He stopped looking and leaned against the garbage heap to pant. The pain and exhaustion made him suffer physically and mentally... He was in pain and freezing... Jean could not get up. He could only grab two bags of rubbish and ce them in front of him. He hoped to block the cold wind with the rubbish... He closed his eyes and thought about how to ask Nina for money tomorrow. 3,000 dors was not a big amount. Nina would never give it to him, though, especially if she knew that he borrowed money to gamble. It seemed impossible to get the money from her... It was also impossible to get money from Anna... Nina was controlling Anna''s money tightly... ¡®How do I get the money?'' Jean felt a sharp pain in his body. He could only take a deep breath as he did not even have the strength to call for help. He slowly closed his eyes and lost consciousness. The next day. When Nina woke up, she was about to get out of bed when she was grabbed by Percy. She leaned on him with a smile and said, "Don''t cause trouble. It''s time to get up." "Let''s sleep in. Let me hold you and sleep a little longer." Percy buried his nose in her hair and enjoyed her scent. "It''s gettingte. I''ll bete to work." Nina smiled and wanted to get him off her. It was the end of the year. Thepany was busy, and she had to work with the finance department to sort some stuff out. "You won''t bete. It''ll just be five minutes." Percy would not let her go. Nina had no choice but to let him hold her. The same would happen every morning. Percy had been working overtime, so when he was done with work, she was already asleep in bed. When he got up, he would act a little more clingy. Nina could only let him act like a child. He would hug her for five minutes before he got up. After all, these five minutes were short but sweet. However, something was different that day. Nina''s phone rang before five minutes passed.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Chapter 2342 Nina frowned. ''Who''s calling so early in the morning?'' She turned over and tried to get her phone. Percy grabbed her hand and muttered, "Don''t worry about it." Nina was not sure whether tough or cry. Outsiders would be shocked if they knew that the CEO of Mallory Corporation acted like this when he woke up in the morning. "I''m getting a call so early. Something must have happened." Nina removed his hands, picked up the phone, and nced at the iing call. It was an unfamiliar number. Some time ago, some random numbers kept calling her, so she had to change her phone number. Therefore, she was annoyed with random numbers. She would hang up straight and refuse to answer their calls. She put down the phone. Percy asked, "Who''s calling?" "Some random number. It might be to harass me," Nina said. Her phone number was maliciously exposed when her past was put in the spotlight. Some reporters would call to interview her. At the same time, many called to scream at her, saying that she was shameless and unworthy of Percy. She had just changed her number, so Nina wondered who exposed it again... The phone rang as soon as she put it down. "Do I need to change my number again?" Nina turned to her side and asked Percy. "Answer first and see who it is." Percy patted the back of her hand. Nina gave a hum and turned around to pick up the phone. It was the same number as just now. She answered it and asked, "Who is it?" "Are you Ms. Nina Langdon?" An unknown female voice came from the other end of the phone. Nina frowned. Just when she was about to deny it, she heard the other person say, "This is the emergency department of the hospital. Is Jean Langdon your brother?" Ninay t on the bed. She looked at Percy when she heard Jean''s name. She knew that nothing good could happen whenever she heard about Jean from someone else''s mouth. What was worse, it was the hospital calling. The previous issue involving Jean thest time had not been resolved. Tyrone Hugh had not been discharged from the hospital. ''What did he do again?'' "Jean was found passed out next to the garbage dump today. He was injured and left to freeze on the street for a night. The hospital is resuscitating him now. Pleasee to the hospital immediately," the hospital staff member said. "Okay, I see." Nina hung up the phone and looked at Percy dully. "What''s wrong?" Percy asked softly when he realized that she must have been notified of some bad news. "Jean is in the hospital," Nina said. "I''ll take you there." Percy did not intend toze in bed anymore and sat up immediately. He helped Nina to sit up as well. "The staff at the hospital said that he was found next to a garbage dump. He''s covered in bruises and was freezing all night beside the garbage dump," Nina said dully. Her mind was nk. She realized that the temperaturest night was around minus 10 degrees. Someone who spent the night outdoors when it was minus 10 degrees would be in life-threatening danger even if they wore a thick coat. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. On top of that, Jean was injured. ''Can they save him?'' Nina could not control herself as her eyes filled with tears. "Don''t overthink it. Wash up and change into a fresh set of clothes," Percy pursed his lips and said. He knew the seriousness of the matter. An injured person who was left to freeze outside for a whole night had a low chance of being rescued. Nina was pushed out of bed by Percy. She walked into the bathroom with a dumbfounded expression. She brushed her teeth and washed her face. She moved like she was on autopilot mode... It was her primal consciousness that supported her doing so. Nina went downstairs after she washed up. Percy had prepared everything. He asked the nanny to pack a few pieces of bread and milk. After he put on a coat, he put a scarf around Nina''s neck and said, "Come on. Let''s go to the hospital to see what''s going on." "Mm..." Nina was pulled to the car by him. The two got into the car. Percy was in charge of driving. After he buckled his seat belt, he stuffed the bread and milk into her hands. "Have something to eat. Don''t go hungry." "I''m worried about Jean..." Nina said. Although she hated Jean, blood was thicker than water. She could not treat him like a stranger when she heard that something happened to him. "The doctor will help him. You should have breakfast first," Percy said. "I''ve asked Johann to go over and find out what''s going on." Nina did not seem to hear his arrangement. She clutched the bread tightly and said, "It''s so cold. Why would he be outside? He was beaten up, so why didn''t he call the police?" Percy did not feel good as he listened to her mumble. Nevertheless, they did not know what had happened to Jean. "I''ll find out." He could only promise her that he would take care of it. "If Jean dies, how am I going to tell our mother?" Nina asked, She was dumbfounded and suddenly panicked when she thought of that. Anna cared most about her son. If Jean was gone, Anna might go crazy. If she went crazy, Nina would never have a peaceful life. "Don''t worry, everything will be fine..." Percy was unsure how tofort her. Johann called when they were still on the way to the hospital. Percy knew that Nina was worried about Jean, so he turned on the loudspeaker. "How''s Jean doing now?" "I just learned that he froze for more than four hours. He was found next to the dump by an old garbage man in the morning. He didn''t respond to the old man no matter how hard he tried to wake him, so he called the police and the ambnce," Johann said. "Is he..." "The doctor is still resuscitating him. There are many injuries on his body. It seems that he was beaten up. He''s being observed in the emergency room. He just had a CT scan of the whole body. It''s hard to say whether he has any internal injury. His body temperature has risen a little now. He should be fine if they continue to attend to him. However, he was left to freeze for a bit. I don''t know if there will be any after-effects..." Johann said. Many people who were left to freeze outside overnight could not be rescued. There were many such cases. Jean was lucky. In extremely cold weather, ordinary people would get delusions and take off their clothes. Many of them froze to death because of it. Jean was injured and did not have the strength to take off his coat, so he managed to keep warm throughout the night. When the ambnce arrived, his breathing and heartbeat were weak. A series of rescues were immediately carried out as soon as he got onto the ambnce, and his breathing and heartbeat slowly rose. "Dr. Park, will he be alright?" Nina asked in a trembling voice as her tears fell. "He''s rtively stable, but you have to be mentally prepared. After all, we don''t know the extent of the injuries in his body. Also, people with frostbite may have seque," Johann told her. Chapter 2343 "As long as he doesn''t die." Nina took a deep breath. She was worried about Jean but said such mean words. Johann, who was on the other end of the phone, froze. Percy was the only one that understood what she was thinking about. He stretched out his hand, touched the back of Nina''s hand, and said, "Please help me to keep an eye on him. I''ll rush over now." "No problem." Johann said, "By the way, the police are already investigating. They say they found some surveince footage. I trust that they''ll find who did this to Jean soon." "It''s whoever lent him money," Nina said dully, but her tone was affirmative. Johann was stunned and asked subconsciously, "How do you know?" Nina did not say anything, so Percy just said, "Okay, I''ll hang up now. We''re about 10 minutes away. See you at the hospital." "Okay." Johann hung up the phone without asking further questions. Nina grabbed some bread, took a bite, and drank a sip of milk before she said slowly, "The people who beat up Jean must be the ones who lent him money.¡± Money was what Jeancked the most at that moment, and he owed a lot of debt. Whoever lent him money would never let Jean off easily as they knew it would likely turn into unpaid debt. "The police willunch an investigation," Percy said. Although he had a rough idea of what had happened, he did not want to decide on a conclusion since they had yet to see Jean. Nina adjusted her breathing and remained silent. She ate half a piece of bread and put it down. Percy noticed that and said helplessly, "Nina, eat more. I don''t want you to be hungry." "I''m not hungry. Jean has made mepletely lose my appetite," Nina said. When she heard what Johann said, she was not sure if she should thank those people who beat up Jean to the point where he did not have the strength to stand up, or if she should feel bad that he was badly injured. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Don''t punish yourself because of him. You did nothing wrong," Percy said. He had been taking good care of Nina, so he was pissed as she was back in a bad mood because of Jean, especially when he had put in so much effort to get her to put on more weight. He would protect her. He would not allow anyone to piss her off. She knew that he cared about her, so Nina looked at him with a smile that looked uglier than her crying face. Percy frowned and said, "You look ugly. Eat some more. You''re too thin. You won''t look good like this.¡± "I''ll eat more." Nina knew that he did not like it when she was too thin. The previous check-up also showed that she was underweight, so she needed to gain some weight. Percy had been putting in a lot of effort to make it happen. "Good." Percy said nothing more when he saw her obediently eating breakfast. After they arrived at the hospital, Percy and Nina rushed straight to the emergency room. Two police officers stood at the door of the emergency room. Without asking, Nina walked over and said calmly to the police, "I''m Jean Langdon''s family." "You''re Jean''s family member, huh? Pleasee with us." The officers looked at Nina from top to bottom and said. Percy stepped forward and said, "I''ll do it." "Are you a family member of the victim?" The police thought that the man in front of him looked familiar. In the next second, he realized that he was Percy. "I''m her fiance." Percy took Nina''s hand and said, "You can contact me directly if you need anything." Nina looked at him from the side and said, "Percy..." "Let me handle this." Percyforted Nina and looked at the police. "I want to know the specifics of this matter." "Okay, Mr. Mallory. There are a lot of people here. Pleasee with us to somewhere a little more private," the officer said. They had a general understanding of Jean''s issue, but they needed some time to find some witnesses. "I''ll find out more. Stay here and go through the formalities. If you have any problems, call me." Percy took out his credit card and put it in Nina''s hand. "You know the passcode." Nina looked at the credit card in her hand and put it back into his hand. "I have money on my card. I don''t need this yet." "Okay, I''ll head off now." Seeing that she would not ept his card, Percy took it back and followed the police to a small room on the same floor. "Mr. Mallory, please take a seat." The police knew who he was, so they were a little more polite. Police officers often cooperated with Percy. After all, he had a securitypany that was full of talented people. Sometimes, when the police encountered some problems that could not be solved on their own, they would talk to those from Percy''spany and hire them as technical consultants. "Thank you. What did you find out?" Percy sat on the chair, and his gaze was sharp. "After we received the report, we immediately retrieved the surveince footage near the incident site and found out that Jean was brought out of the bar by a local gangster nicknamed Cobra. He was brought to the site, and Cobra and his men left after half an hour. However, the victim was nowhere to be seen. The scene of the incident took ce in a dead end. The victim couldn''t leave and go back. Therefore, after Cobra and his men beat him up, the victim remained at the scene of the incident until he was discovered this morning," the officer informed Percy of their findings. "Cobra?" Percy squinted slightly. He did not recall hearing this name before. All the people he knew were somewhat known in A City. Although Cobra had associates, he was just a small-time gangster. "Our police station has Cobra on file. He''s a loan shark. He''s been in this situation more than once. His victims are all half-crippled now because of him, but he''s never personallyid his hands on anyone, so we''ve only been able to arrest his subordinates," the officer said helplessly. They needed evidence to arrest him, but Cobra always said that he did not do it nor did anyone see him take action. As such, they had to let him be. "Who''s the guy above him?" Percy asked. "It''s not clear, but Cobra has been collecting debts in A City for half a year. Every time something goes wrong, someone will step in to be the scapegoat so..." The officer bowed his head slightly and did not continue talking. "Okay, please continue to follow up on this matter." Percy stood up. He understood the matter and wanted to go back to Nina''s side to guard her. Although she could handle these things, Percy was not willing to let her bear it alone. Johann had already helped with the formalities, so Nina did not need to do anything else. She stood in front of the emergency room, waiting for the doctor toe out. Johann walked over to her after he was done with his rounds. "When did you arrive?" Nina nced at the time and said, "It''s been 10 minutes. Dr. Park, what''s the matter with him?" "The results of the CT are out. There are many minor bone fractures on his body caused by external forces. It''s not a big problem, and he doesn''t need surgery for these. He''ll be fine after resting for a bit, but he needs to be hospitalized for a few more days. He''ll be sent to the general ward when his body temperature and other indicators have stabilized,¡± Johann replied. Chapter 2344 Johann''s words were not difficult to understand. Nina knew that Jean would be mostly fine as long as he survived this. "Thank you." She thanked him. "Oh, give me the receipt. I''ll transfer the money to you." "I''ve already sent the receipt to Percy," Johann said. It was the same no matter if he sent it to her or Percy. Nina nodded and said nothing. Johann said, "Jean was lucky this time around. He was beaten, but they didn''t hurt any of his vital organs." "Those people are used to beating up others. They have experience and won''t beat people to death," Nina said. "Yeah, but he was beaten so much that he didn''t even have the strength to ask for help. He justy in the snow. If he still had the strength, he would have hallucinated and taken off his clothes. He didn''t because he was beaten up so badly that he lost all his strength. I heard that he moved the garbage and ced it in front of him to shield him from the wind. However, when the medical staff arrived, he was half-covered by snow. Fortunately, the snowst night was not heavy. Otherwise...." Johann hesitated. If the snowst night was a bit heavier or if those gangsters had not beaten him up so badly and he still had a little bit of strength, maybe he would be dead. "He''s lucky." Nina smiled weakly. "Dr. Park, you mentioned that bad people would cause trouble for others. Is this what you meant?" She hated Jean, but when she knew what had happened to him, she could not help herself from caring. She was even worried that he would die. Nina hated this feeling so much. It consumed her affection, sticking to her like a band-aid that she could not get rid of. "Don''t say that." Johann knew about what had happened to her. Her brother was a troublemaker. Nina''s mother was entric. She was biased and forgot about righteousness as soon as money was involved. To get money from Nina, even though she could be discharged from the hospital, she still opted to stay in the hospital as if it was free to be hospitalized. Johann was speechless toward Nina''s family members. Percy went over and asked, "What''s up with Jean?" "It''s not a big problem. We just need to get his body temperature up and have him hospitalized for two days. This is for you." Although Johann had sent photos of the documents to Percy, he still had to give him the physical copy of the receipt. After all, he would need it when he admitted Jean to the hospital. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Percy took the receipt and stuffed it into his pocket without looking at it. "It''ll probably take another half an hour. Wait here. When the doctores out, a nurse will take you through the formalities," Johann said as he nced at the time. "I have another operation to attend to. I''ll have to head off now." "Thank you, Dr. Park," Nina thanked him. Percy nodded at him too. After Johann left, Nina looked at Percy and said, "You''ve been busy recently. There''s nothing for you to do here. I''ll be fine here alone. You can go." "I''m staying here with you." Percy did not n to leave. "You can''t leave your job because of such a small thing. Your colleagues will be dissatisfied." Nina was worried about him. Although the Mallory family had not publicly said that they supported Pierre, there were some rumors. Many were waiting for Percy to be fired. Regardless, he was still the CEO of Mallory Corporation. He had to do what the CEO should do. He had to avoid others picking on him. "It''s okay. I''ll just ask my assistant to send me the documents that need to be processed via email later." Percy was worried. He did not want Nina to stay in the hospital alone. He could put work aside for Nina. Nina frowned. Percy had done enough for her, so she did not want to see him sacrifice more for her. "But..." Percy''s phone rang before she could finish her sentence. "Answer the phone first," she said. Percy nced at his phone and found that it was his assistant calling. He had no choice but to answer. "What''s up?" "Boss, when will you arrive at the office? There''s ast-minute meeting that you need to attend," the assistant asked. "It can''t be postponed?" Percy frowned. He did not expect to be dragged into a meeting at this hour. He did not feel at ease leaving Nina to deal with Jean''s affairs alone in the hospital. "It can''t be postponed. It''s about the coboration with Party B..." The assistant heard Percy''s tone and could not help but speak softly. He wondered if he was disturbing the boss. "I see." Percy hung up. Nina smiled, shook her head, and said, "Your work is important. You should go attend to it." "But you..." "Jean''s life isn''t in danger. I''ve dealt with this kind of thing a fair few times. I''ll be fine," Nina reassured him that she was capable of handling such small matters. Jean had caused trouble many times. asionally, when Percy was busy, she would go to the hospital to deal with it first. Speaking of which, it was ironic that she had so much experience dealing with such incidents. "Okay, if you need anything, just call me and I''lle right over." Percy hugged her and nted a kiss on her forehead. Nina felt a warmth on her forehead. However, the hottest thing was the gaze of others. They were all looking at them. Nina pushed him gently and said, "You should get going." "Yeah." Percy stood up, left the emergency room, and rushed to the parking lot. He was still worried about leaving Nina there alone. He was concerned that the Mallory family might make a scene if they found out that Nina was in the hospital alone. He called Luke when he thought of that. "What''s the matter?" Luke answered the call. He skipped the small talk. "I need Luca to do me a favor," Percy said. "Jean is injured, and Nina is now alone in the hospital. I have an impromptu meeting that I need to attend. I''d like Luca to watch over her." "I''ll let her know," Luke agreed without hesitation. "Thank you," Percy thanked him. After Luke ended the call with Percy, he called Luca but no one answered. He guessed that Luca must have left her phone in the office and she was in theboratory. As such, he called Zoey Davis. "Please have Ms. Luca return to her office and give me a call," Luke said. "Okay, Boss," Zoey replied. She then hung up the phone to go inform Luca. Luca returned to her office and saw that there was a missed call from Luke. She called him back. "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Davis said you were looking for me?" "Jean is injured, and Nina is alone in the hospital now. You should go check in on her. Percy asked you to watch over her," Luke ryed Percy''s words. "Okay, I''ll rush to the hospital now," Luca agreed. "Let Warren take you. I''ve informed him. He''s waiting in the parking lot now." Luke had asked Warren to wait in the parking lot when Zoey went looking for Luca. "Okay, I see." Luca hung up the phone, took off her white robe, put on her coat, and left in a hurry. Chapter 2345 Zoey watched her leave with a slight smile on the corner of her mouth. She could not help but sigh in her heart about the great rtionship between Dr. Craw and their boss... Luca went to the underground parking lot, and sure enough, Warren was already sitting in the car. The car was running. She opened the door, and the heater inside was on. "Warren, send me to the hospital," she said. "I know, Ms. Luca. The boss told me." Warren started the car and hurried to the hospital. After the car left the parking lot, Luca remembered that she had left without a word, so she took out her phone and texted Zoey to ask her to take a one-day leave on her behalf. After that, she assigned Rhett some work. After the two replied to her, she put the phone back in her pocket and sighed as she looked at the receding scenery from the car window. When it involved Nina, she would certainly leave her job and help her deal with the matter. After all, Nina''s suffering has something to do with what she did in the past. ¡®What happened to Jean this time?'' Warren''s driving was fast and steady. After a while, they arrived at the hospital. Luca called Nina and asked when she picked up the phone, "Nina, where are you?" "I''m in the hospital. Something happened. Luca, what''s wrong?" Nina asked. She was a little surprised that Luca would call her at this time. "I''m also in the hospital. Where are you?" Luca asked. "Why are you..." Nina paused. She did not tell anyone about what had happened, so she was sure that Luca was there because Percy asked her to. She said, "I''m in Ward 102 on the eighth floor of the inpatient department." "Okay, wait for me." Luca opened the car door, thought about it for a while, and then said, "I''ll be here for a while. Warren. Please attend to your work. You don''t have to wait for me in the hospital parking lot." "Got it." Warren nodded. Luca closed the car door and rushed to the inpatient department. She took the elevator to the eighth floor and found Ward 102. She opened the door and found Nina sitting in a chair for patients'' families. She nced at Jean, who was still lying on the hospital bed. Then, she looked away and walked toward Nina. "I''m here." "Why did youe here for such a trivial matter..." Nina smiled helplessly and moved to the side to give Luca a little space. "Come on, sit down." Luca nodded and sat on the chair. The chair was wide enough that she and Nina did not feel crowded sitting side by side. "Mr. Mallory was worried that you''d get into trouble in the hospital, so he asked me toe over." Luca looked at the hospital bed. She noticed that Jean''s nose was bruised. She had a rough idea of what happened. She asked, "What''s going on?" "He was beaten by a debt collector, and his bones are slightly fractured. His injuries aren''t serious, but after freezing in the snow all night, he might''ve died if he hadn''t been beaten and rendered immobile," Nina said calmly. Luca nodded. Freezing for a night was the most deadly to the human body. "Has anyone been caught?" "The police are investigating and have some clues, but isn''t this what he deserves?" Nina looked at Jean with hatred in her eyes. ¡®If he didn''t owe people money, this wouldn''t have happened. If he worked hard, he would have money to eat. Jean asked for it!'' "Don''t be angry. He was taught a lesson," Luca hugged her arm andforted her gently. "Jean has learned his lesson, but what did I do wrong?" Nina asked. She looked at the device connected to Jean''s body. The disy showed his vital signs. She wanted so much to step forward and give him two tight ps. He was the one in the wrong, but she got dragged along and even had to take responsibility for it. Luca kept silent. She did not know what to say in response. After all, Nina had done nothing wrong. She was a good but unlucky person... "Tyrone''s matter hasn''t beenpletely resolved, and he even got involved with Marie again. She stole all of his money, so he went to borrow some. Now...." Nina clenched her fist. She had to work hard to restrain her urge to p Jean. "Okay, don''t overthink it. He''s lying here now. It''s useless to say anything else. Have you eaten breakfast?" Luca asked. She was worried that Nina had not had breakfast. She was so frail that she was likely to faint if her blood sugar got too low. "I ate on the way here." Nina looked at Jean, her gaze never moving away. However, there was no worry or sadness in her eyes, only hatred. "Did the doctor say anything?" Luca asked. Although Jean''s vital signs were stable, he was left to freeze outdoors all night... If the temperature of the organs in his body was too low, even if he was rescued, there may be seque. However, these would only be known after he woke up and they observed his day-to-day life. It would be difficult to judge just from the results of the medical examinations. "The doctor said that there may be seque, but he can''t be certain of anything yet," Nina said. When the patient in the same ward as Jean heard what she said, he could not help but say in horror, "It turns out that it''s so bad to freeze for a night?" Nina ignored him. Luca said, "Let''s discuss further when he wakes up." Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "The doctor said that he doesn''t know when he''ll wake up. I n to stay here for another half an hour. If he still doesn''t wake up, I''ll hire a nurse." Nina did not want to waste time on him. He and Anna were both hospitalized. She had two hospitalized patients at home. For her, these treatment fees made up a huge chunk of her expenses. Nina did not want to rely on Percy, so she wanted to earn and pay for the fees herself. "I''m going to check his pulse." Luca stood up and walked to Jean''s side. She looked at the IV drip attached to his hand and was a little disgusted. She did not want to touch him when she thought of what Jean had done before. She thought about it, looked at the person in the hospital bed next door, and said, "Hello, can I have a tissue?" "Of course," the man said. Luca took out a tissue and put it on Jean''s wrist. She would not have to touch him directly if there was ayer of tissue in between. Then, she began to feel his pulse. Nina watched her movements and did not say anything even though she knew her disgust for Jean. Two minutester, Luca picked up the tissue and threw it in the trash can. "It should be another two hours before he wakes up." Before Nina could speak, the man next to the hospital bed stared at Luca and uttered, "Can you tell by just taking his pulse?" "One''s pulse tells a lot of things." Luca returned to her original position. "If it''s true, you''re amazing! Ma''am, can you check my pulse?" the man asked. He wanted her to help. "I''m not that great. The doctor will treat your illness." Luca politely turned him down. She came to apany Nina, not to show off. She might get into trouble if she checked the pulse of random strangers. Chapter 2346 Seeing her reluctance, the man did not say anything. After all, he could not force others to do something. The ward was a little stuffy, so Luca stood up again and said, "I''m going to get a cup of coffee. Nina, do you want a drink?" "Okay." Nina nodded. Her gaze was still on Jean, who was on the hospital bed. Luca left the ward, went to the restaurant to buy two cups of Americano, and was about to walk upstairs when she was stopped by someone. "Dr. Craw, why are you at the hospital?" She turned around and found that it was Dr. Wood who had called out to her. "Dr. Wood, good morning," Luca said with a smile. "Morning. Are you not feeling well?" Dr. Wood also held a cup of coffee, and he walked to her side. "No, it''s my friend who''s in trouble," Luca said. She thought of Tyrone and took advantage of the situation to check in about his situation. "By the way, Dr. Wood, how''s Tyrone doing?" "After your dry needling treatment as well as physical therapy, his condition has improved a lot. His family members have agreed to have him be discharged from the hospital. I heard the director say that he''ll be discharged tomorrow. He''lle back regrly for rehabilitation treatment," Dr. Wood said. Tyrone''s road to recovery would not have been as smooth without Luca. "Any seque?" Luca asked. "There are some seque, but the improvements in his condition are visible to the naked eye. As long as he continues to do physical therapy and go for dry needling sessions, he''ll be fine. By the way, Dr. Craw, do you want to go see him?" Dr. Wood asked. After all, Tyrone was a special patient and was treated with non-traditional dry needling. "No, since the dry needling is useful, you can continue to use it on him," Luca said. Nina should be less stressed now that Tyrone was going to be discharged from the hospital. They could continue with the follow-up. The negotiation and payment would be transferred to the Tyrone family. Nina would not have to worry about it anymore. "Okay." Dr. Wood had respect for Luca, so he added, "Your acupuncture method is very special. I originally wanted to use it on people in the same situation, but I don''t dare to. Dr. Craw, I''ve always wanted to ask. Can this method be used on other patients?" "It''s best not to. In the traditional sense, dry needling methods are flexible. I adjusted the method ording to Tyrone''s condition. Although other patients may be in the same situation as him, there are always some differences. I don''t rmend it..." Luca said. Dr. Wood understood what she meant. Even if different patients had the same disease, the acupuncture points of dry needling had to be adjusted based on their respective conditions. What was more, the dry needling method taught by Luca was not recorded in any book. Therefore, he did not dare to adjust the technique at will. Dr. Wood could not help but sigh and say, "Dr. Craw, if only you coulde and work in our hospital." "I''m not interested in being a doctor, I''m sorry." Luca smiled lightly. It was too overwhelming to be a doctor. Moreover, the task Abel assigned her was not to be a doctor. If she went for it, it was uncertain what punishment she would face. Luca frowned slightly when she thought of Abel. He seemed to be quiet recently, but the quieter he was, the more uneasy she felt. Luca walked into the elevator with Dr. Wood, but they were going to different floors. When they reached the eighth floor, she stepped out of the elevator and walked to Jean''s ward. Nina was still sitting in the escort chair, staring at Jean. If she did not know Nina, she would have thought that she was thinking about Jean. Luca knew that Nina hated Jean so much that she would never miss him. She walked into the ward, handed over the coffee in her hand, and said, "It''s an Americano with a little milk." Luca knew how Nina liked her coffee. She liked it with 30% of milk. "Thank you." Nina took it, putting on a smile that looked even uglier than her crying face. "Don''t smile if you don''t feel like smiling." Luca sat down. "I just told Anna the news of Jean''s hospitalization." Nina took a sip of coffee. She talked about Anna with a t tone like she was talking about a stranger. Luca frowned and said, "How..." "I should let her know what the proud son of hers is like," Nina said indifferently. Luca decided to keep quiet. She looked at Jean, who was still in the hospital bed. Nina said, "Luca, why don''t you leave first? Anna wille overter." "She''s going to kick up a fuss, isn''t she?" Luca looked at Nina, distressed. Even if Anna had not arrived yet, she knew exactly the fuss that Anna would throw. She would use Nina of not taking good care of Jean. She would say that none of these would have happened if she had given Jean money. "Yes, she''ll yell at me and maybe even at you as well. You should make a move." Nina asked Luca to leave once again. "I won''t leave. I want to be here with you. If your mother dares to scold you, I''ll scold her back on your behalf." Luca shook her head. She did not want to let Nina suffer abusive hurls from her mother alone. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "That''s because you haven''t seen my mother cursing at someone..." Nina felt helpless. She knew that it was pointless to reason with an unreasonable person like Anna. Luca thought to herself that she had seen Anna act out before. Luca had not only seen Anna swearing but she had also seen Anna hit someone. When she thought she had wronged Jean, she pped her firmly in the face. Her face was swollen for two days. "What are you afraid of? If she weren''t your mother, I would certainly not let her off," Luca said as she put the empty coffee cup aside. Sure enough, after two minutes, a voice came from the other side of the door. "This is 102." As soon as the voice fell, Anna''s voice sounded, "My son, poor Jean. What happened to you?" As soon as Anna was pushed in by the nurse, she began to cry mournfully. The sound was harsh to anyone''s ears. Luca and Nina looked at each other, then at the door. As if she did not see them, Anna controlled the wheelchair and went to the bedside. She cried even louder when she saw Jean''s bruised face. "Who beat you up so badly, my poor son... Boo-hoo, if something happens to you, I won''t want to live anymore..." These words were exactly what Luca had imagined. She watched her with indifference. Nina felt ashamed to have a mother like Anna. "Don''t cry, the doctor saved him." She stood up and stopped Anna from continuing to cry. Anna''s eyes were red. She felt bad seeing her son like that. She cried and could not help but feel angry when she saw how calm Nina was. "Your brother was doing fine! Nina, it''s you! It''s you, you unlucky bastard! You turned him into this!" Nina thought to herself. ¡®Me? Did I force Jean to borrow money from loan sharks?'' Chapter 2347 "He borrowed money from loan sharks and couldn''t pay it back, so he got beaten up. What does it have to do with me?" Nina frowned. She thought that Anna was being ridiculous. Her bias toward Jean was driving Nina into a corner. "If you had given him money, he wouldn''t have to borrow money from loan sharks. You made him do this. My poor boy... If something happens to him, I''ll leave this world too." Anna hugged Jean. Her heart ached when she saw her son hurt. She was prepared to give up on her life. The patient on the bed beside them noticed themotion and walked out of the ward in silence. After all, Anna''s cry was irritating. Nina sneered and said, "You''re my mother. I need to support you and give you living expenses every month, so my burden is already heavy enough. Why do you want me to be responsible for Jean''s living expenses? He''s my brother, not my father nor my son. Why should I be responsible for him?" "He''s your brother, you should be responsible for him! My poor boy, it''s your sister who caused you to be lying on the bed. If you don''t make it, I''ll die with you. After we die, we''ll make sure that she doesn''t find peace," Anna scolded Nina while she cried. Luca felt ufortable as she listened to Anna rant... She could not help but get angry. "Ms. O''Reilly, Nina has no obligation to support her brother. This incident was caused by Jean. Nina is not to me. If you continue talking nonsense, I''ll leave with Nina." When Anna heard that Luca wanted to leave with Nina, she immediately stood up and yelled, "Who do you think you are?! How dare you get involved with our family affairs? Nina is Jean''s younger sister. Younger sisters are supposed to take care of their brothers. It''s only right! If she dares to leave today, I''ll jump from here!" "That''s a threat." Luca''s expression sank. She was fuming. "What?! I''m talking to my daughter. Why is an outsider interrupting us?!" Anna put her hands on her hips. She was still in a wheelchair when she came in. Now, she had stood up and looked like a shrew. Luca still wanted to say something, but Nina tugged on her sleeve, so she forced herself to stay silent. "If you dare to jump, go for it. Go jump now. I''ll jump with you. Let''s see how Jean will live without you!" Nina said in despair. Anna was shocked. She did not really n to jump off the building. After all, if she was dead, she would no longer receive a pension. How would Jean survive then? Although Anna was biased toward Jean, she knew Jean well. If she died, Jean would not be able to survive and would be waiting to die. He would either starve to death, be beaten to death, or be imprisoned. Anna knew that Nina would not care about Jean, so she decided to sit on the floor. "I don''t want to live anymore! Look at the kind of good daughter that I gave birth to. You actually asked me to go die? I want to expose you! I want the media to know how unfilial you are!" Nina was raving mad when she heard what Anna said. "Be my guest. Do you need me to contact the biggest newspaper in the city for you?" Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "I''ll call them now. Just you wait, Nina! You won''t have a good time if I''m not having a good time!" Anna wentpletely mad. She picked up her phone and was about to make a call. Luca reminded her, "If you ruin Nina''s life, you won''t have a good life as well." Anna was startled. Although Nina had her career, she still had to rely on Percy. If she destroyed Nina, it would be impossible for them to ask her for favors in the future. Luca knew what she was thinking about and said, "You''ve caused so much trouble so many times before, yet Nina is still looking out for you. Do you think she''ll continue to look after you if you continue to make a scene?" Anna made up her mind, dialed 114, and asked for the reporter''s number. "If you expose this to reporters and ckmail Nina further, the Mallory family will never ept her. If she breaks up with Mr. Mallory, she''ll have to start over in another city. She''s gone to university and has a good few years of experience under her belt, so she''ll be able to find a good job to support herself. On the contrary, if Nina leaves, do you think that your pension, plus Jean''s sry as a security guard, will be able to cover your medical expenses?¡± Luca was indifferent as she looked at Anna trying to make a call. Although she was fuming, she reminded Anna in a cold tone. On the other end of the call, the automated voice said, "Hello, please press one for inquiries..." Anna did not press any buttons. She took a deep breath to toughen herself and said, "Don''t threaten me." "Luca isn''t threatening you. You can tell the reporters and media that I''m unfilial and bad-mouth me. Even if I break up with Percy, I''ll just be like my dad and move to another city." Nina was tearing up. She felt extremely helpless. Without Luca, Anna would have gone off on her. Anna hung up the phone and cried holding Jean in her arms. "Son, wake up. These two are bullying your mother, my poor son..." "Aunt, the doctor said that Jean''s body has multiple fractures. Do you want to break more of his bones?" Luca deliberately frightened her. Anna jumped back immediately. Her movements were agile. She did not look like someone who needed to be hospitalized. She stared at Luca, then at Nina. "I don''t care. You''ll give your brother 5,000 dors in living expenses every month moving forward." "In A City, the monthly sry of a security guard is 5,000 dors. If that doesn''t work out, he can deliver food. When he recovers, I can buy a bike for him, but I won''t give him 5,000 dors in allowance every month." Nina''s attitude was firm. She knew in her heart that even if she bought a bike for Jean, he would sell it and squander the money. "Your brother is a graduate of a famous university and has studied abroad, but you''re asking him to go be a security guard? No, absolutely not! You can arrange a senior management position for him in your company. I''ll be off your back then.¡± Anna disagreed. In her opinion, Jean was a graduate of a famous university and had gone abroad. She believed that his status was precious. She would never let him work a job like a security guard. "Mypany doesn''t have any vacancies, and there won''t be one anytime soon!" Nina''s attitude was tough. If Jean joined Brilliant Architectural Design LLC, the office would be turned upside down. Luke and Old Master Crawford had helped her a lot. She could never bring herself to hurt them. "Then you''ll pay for his living expenses. You make so much money a month, and Percy gives you money to spend. Don''t tell me you can''t give him 5,000 dors per month?" Anna looked at Nina and forced her to bend to her will. "If Jean had broken his hands and feet, I''ll give him 5,000 dors. However, if his hands and feet still work, don''t even think about it!" Nina''s attitude was firm. Her eyes were red because she was holding back her tears. Chapter 2348 ¡°Nina! B*tch, how dare you curse your brother?!" Anna was trembling with rage. Nina did not agree with her, and Anna refused to give up either. "Am I cursing him?" Nina sneered, "His arms and legs are still fine now. Why don''t you chop off his arms and legs for him? I''d be willing to pay for his living expenses until he''s dead, not to mention a monthly allowance of just 5,000 dors!" Nina hated the two of them who were her so-called family. That was why she said such things. "H-How dare you to say something like that?!" Nina''s words pissed Anna off. Anna''s blood pressure would have shot up high if it was in the past. However, her blood pressure was stable because she was in the hospital and the doctors took good care of her. "I''ll only support the handicapped," Nina said in a cold voice. Anna rested her hand on her heart as she thought of pretending to be weak. She was so angry that her face reddened. The caretaker immediately said to Nina when she saw this, "Ms. Nina, please stop." "It''s alright. Let her continue. She wants to annoy the hell out of me," said Anna. "Ms. Anna, please calm down. Don''t be mad," said the caretaker. She had already seen such disputes a few times, but it was nothing like what was happening today. Normally, it was Anna who was doing the scolding. Nina would just keep silent and leave after she finished handling the matters. However, it seemed like something was wrong with Nina today. She kept on retorting. It scared the caretaker when she saw such a situation. "She wants me dead. Nina, I''m cutting off ties with you!" Anna pointed at Nina''s nose and exploded. "Fine. Go ahead and do it. I''m not afraid of you." Nina did not expect it was Anna who suggested this first. She was a little surprised, but she immediately agreed as rage overtook her. "Sure. Give me two million dors, then we''ll stay out of each other''s way next time!" Anna demanded. Two million dors? Nina sneered, "Seriously? I''ve already spent half a million dors on your treatment. Plus, the medical expenses of the person Jean injured have also cost me another half a million dors. Adding them up, the total would be one million dors. Are you going to pay me?" "You''re obliged to pay for that. I brought you up. It''s not too much to ask for two million dors. Haven''t you always wanted to get rid of this family? I''m giving you the chance now. Just pay two million dors and help your brother deal with that problem. You can get out of the Langdon family after that," replied Anna. She was reminded of the mess Jean had left behind as Nina mentioned it, so she quickly added another condition. After all, she had no idea when the person would recover. They would have topensate him after that, and she was not sure how much they would have to pay. If that person asked for a huge sum of money and Anna refused to give them the money, Jean might need to get to prison. If Anna gave that person the money after receiving money from Nina, there might not be much left. That was why Anna decided to make Nina agree with the two conditions. Nina''s eyes reddened. She could not believe that the greedy person in front of her was actually her mother. Not to mention that Anna was her biological mother. Nina was not an adopted child like Leia. Luca frowned. Although Nina did not mention it, she had to spend a lot of money on their living expenses. There was not much left in her savings ount after paying Anna''s medical expenses. How would she be able to get two million dors? However, if Nina had two million dors and signed a contract with Anna and Jean, she could probably live a better life in the future. Nina could not bring herself to cut off ties with her mother, but there was a chance to do so now. Luca wanted to help, but she did not have two million dors either... Nina glowered at the person in front of her. Sorrow shed across her eyes, then disappointment and hatred took over her. "Fine. I''ll give you two million dors, but I''ll need some time," replied Nina. "No. I want it today." Anna thought she was not asking for too much when Nina agreed with her without hesitation. "You''ve gone too far!" Nina red at her. Was the person in front of her still the mother she remembered in her childhood memory? Although Anna had favored Jean over her since back then, at least she would still give Nina her share. Even though Jean had more, Nina had been taught that things were supposed to be like that since she was young. That was why she could understand Anna showed a bias against him. Although Anna favored him more, she never went go too far with it. When did Anna be the person she was now? "You''ll have to give me two million dors today. Otherwise, don''t even think about cutting off ties with us!" Anna thought that Nina must have more than that if she could agree to it. After all, there was no turning back after fighting with Nina. Anna had to find a way to get more money. That way, she would not have to worry about living together with Jean in the future. If Nina could not give her the money today, she could mark up the price tomorrow. Nina''s eyes were red. When she was thinking about how she could get two million dors for Anna, Percy''s voice came from behind, "Fine. Two million dors. I''ll give it to you now." Anna looked at Percy in surprise. Why was he here? Even though she had gone through many things in her life, she could not help but feel frightened when she saw Percy. Nina turned around and looked behind her. Percy walked through the door and stepped into the ward. He was like her savior who came to rescue her. When did Percye here? What had he heard? Would Percy think she was terrible when he heard her saying that she would only support Jean if he was handicapped? The look on Nina''s face wasplicated and she said, ¡°Why are you¡ª" ¡°Let me handle this," Percy interrupted. Anna looked at Percy greedily. Then, she thought if it was Percy who gave her the money, it could be solved in a few minutes. She wanted more money, so she deliberately made things difficult for him, "I''m not taking checks, only cash." "Two million dors in cash, are you sure about that?" Percy frowned. Anna truly had the guts to ask for money from him. They were some distance away from the bank. Was she not afraid of holding on to two million dors in cash? "Businessmen are always shrewd and cunning. You love to y tricks on people. It''s not going to ease my mind until I see the cash," said Anna while resting her hands on her hips. "Sure." Percy turned to look at Nina and said, "I can handle this. Wait for me." After that, he walked out of the ward. After Percy left, Nina felt like she had lost all her strength. She could not be bothered to argue with Anna anymore. It was exhausting for her... Luca held Nina''s arm to help her up and said in a soft voice, "Take a seat." Nina pursed her lips and sat down on the chair. She turned her face away, refusing to look at Anna and Jean. Anna sat in the wheelchair as she gazed at Jean. From the look on her face, she looked like a mother who was worried about her son. Luca could not help but feel sorry for Nina when she saw that. Anna had a strong bias against Jean. Would she look like this if Nina was the one who was lying on the hospital bed? Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Fortunately, it was not Nina lying on the bed. After a while, Percy came in and shot Anna a cold nce. Then, he said, "My men are on their way now. They''ll bring the money here in half an hour. I''ll give you the money after you sign the contract." "What contract?" Anna frowned. "Words alone aren''t enough. You said you''re cutting off ties with Nina, so we''ll have to make it formal. Signing a contract can protect Nina''s rights. Otherwise, you might back out after you take the money. Then, you''lle looking for trouble with Jean. Won''t we lose out by then?" Percy shot a nce at Nina, then looked at Anna. His gaze became cold and heartless. Chapter 2349 Malice shed across Anna''s eyes. She was in a dilemma. They were being straightforward when they agreed to it. If Nina was the one negotiating with Anna right now, Anna might be able to get more from her. However, there was a risk that Nina would refuse to give her more money. Deep down in Anna''s heart, she knew Nina had no obligation to look after Jean. It was her who was being stubborn, thinking that Nina should take care of Jean. There was no turning back this time. It was impossible for Jean to depend on Nina anymore. Hence, even though Anna thought the amount she asked for was not enough, she chose to sign the contract and get the two million dors. "Fine." Anna agreed to it after consideration. "Okay. Thewyer will be the witness to the contract signing. I''ll give you 2.5 million dors in cash after signing the contract," said Percy. An extra half a million was added to the amount they decided just now. "Sure." Anna''s eyes brightened when she heard that. She did not expect there to be another half a million. However, Nina was reluctant to do so. When she was about to speak, Luca squeezed her hand. Nina turned around and saw Luca shaking her head. She had no choice but to swallow the words that were on the tip of her tongue. Nina could not understand why Percy would give Anna another half a million to satisfy her greed. Anna had never spent two million on her to support Nina since she was young, even after taking into consideration intion and other expenses. Percy walked toward Nina and stood beside her when Anna agreed to it. Luca rose to her feet and offered her seat to him. Then, she said, "Mr. Mallory, take a seat." "It''s okay. You can have the seat." Percy nced at Nina with his dark eyes. Then, he walked to the caretaker''s chair on the bed next to Jean''s. He sat down on the chair and waited for his assistant. A heavy silence fell upon the ward. Only the medical instrument Jean was using was beeping rhythmically. Half an hourter, Percy''s assistant arrived together with Mr. Zac. "Boss, I''ve got the money. Mr. Zac is here too," the assistant reported. "Hello, Mr. Mallory and Ms. Nina. Ms. Craw, you''re here too," Mr. Zac greeted everyone. He was surprised to see Luca here. ¡°Yes. I happened to be watching a show." Luca smiled as she mocked Anna. It was an exciting show, indeed. Anna was even cutting off ties with her daughter. Mr. Zac took the contract out and looked at Percy. "Mr. Mallory, I''ve prepared the contract. You can sign it anytime." "Nina, sign it," said Percy. He did not even take a look at the contract. He believed in Mr. Zac. Nina nodded. She signed her name where Mr. Zac was pointing at. Luca noticed that Nina''s hands were trembling when she was holding the pen. Was she excited or upset... Perhaps it was thetter. Luca reckoned that Nina was not a heartless person. After Nina signed her signature, she pressed her thumb on the ink pad and stamped her thumbprint on top of her signature. Mr. Zac handed the contract to Anna and said, "Please sign it." Anna became alert and said, "Why should I sign when you asked me to? No way. I need to see the money." The assistant, who was carrying bags of cash in his hands, turned to look at Percy. "Open them and let her see," Percy instructed. The assistant unzipped the bags and let Anna take a look at the cash inside. Anna''s eyes brightened when she saw stacks of cash in the bags. She wanted to hold the money in her arms. The assistant took a step back, zipped the bags, and said, "Please sign first." "No. I haven''t read the contract yet. Nina will be responsible for Mr. Hugh. Is that added in the contract terms?" Anna asked cautiously. She did not want more than half of the money she would receive to be deducted. "It''s on the 11th page," Mr. Zac reminded her. The look on Nina''s face turned even moreplicated when she heard that. Percy had even heard them talking about this. If he hade earlier than that, what more had he heard? "Fine. I''ll sign it." After Anna read the contract terms, Mr. Zac guided her as she signed her signature and stamped her fingerprint. Mr. Zac nodded and said, "Mr. Mallory, the contract has been signed." "Okay. Hand the contract to my assistant and give her the money," Percy instructed. The assistant took the contract from Mr. Zac, nced at it for a while, and confirmed that two signatures were signed. Then, he handed Anna the bags of money. Anna unzipped the bags and looked at the stacks of cash, feeling satisfied. The caretaker who was standing beside her widened her eyes. She had never seen so much money in her whole life. Percy rose to his feet. He was about to leave with Nina, but he heard Anna say, ¡°Wait. Don''t leave first. How am I supposed to know if the amount is correct? What if hundreds of thousands are missing? I won''t be able to tell you if you leave now." The assistant fell speechless. He was wondering why the woman was shrewd when it was about money. How could she be so ignorant of other things? Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. However, she was foolish enough to cut off ties with Nina for 2.5 million. If Nina and Percy got married, her worth would not be as low as 2.5 million... Mr. Zac noticed that Anna had begun to count. He could not help but say, "How long are you going to take to finish counting them?" "I don''t care. Will you give me the bnce if I tell you something''s missing?" Anna could not be bothered. The assistant took four currency-counting machines out of a bag beside him. He had borrowed them from the financial department of Mallory Corporation. It was Percy''s instruction too. "Ms. Anna, we have four currency-counting machines here. Do you need them?" Anna saw the currency-counting machines and thought that they could save some time. She nodded and answered, "Yes." The assistant helped her to connect the machines to the power supply and said, "The money was taken out from the bank. You have the full amount." "Hah, I''m not going to let my guard down," replied Anna. She took the money and put it into the currency-counting machines. Nina looked at the scene without an expression on her face. Those green-colored banknotes were evidence that Anna wanted to cut off ties with her. With the help of the four currency-counting machines, it took her 10 minutes to finish counting all the money. The assistant saw Anna calcting the total and asked, "There''s no problem with it, right?" "No problem. 2.5 million dors, just right," Anna was excited. She had never seen so much money in her whole life. The house that she gave Marie was around one million dors, but the house was bought earlier. Hence, she truly had never seen so much money before. The assistant smiled and kept the currency-counting machines. He would have to return the machines to the financial departmentter. Percy stepped forward and took 500 dors from Anna''s hands. Anna gripped the rest of the banknotes tightly and asked, "What are you doing?" "Previously, your son came to Grant Corporation and borrowed 500 dors from my assistant. Since you''re being petty, you should return the 500 dors to my assistant, right?" said Percy. Then, he handed the banknotes to his assistant. The assistant was confused. Did Percy not return the 500 dors to him after that? However, he might as well take it from Percy since Percy was already doing this. He also said, "Yes, that did happen." Chapter 2350 Before this, 500 dors meant a lot to Anna, but it did not seem much when she had 2.5 million in front of her. Anna said indifferently, ¡°Just take it. The CEO of Mallory Corporation taking 500 dors... How ridiculous..." Percy''s eyes darkened. He turned to look at Nina and asked, "Is her public services card with you?" "Yes," replied Nina. Just in case the hospital wanted her to pay for medical expenses, Nina brought the public services card with her wherever she went. "Return the card to her. You have nothing to do with her no matter what happens to her in the future," said Percy. Nina pursed her lips. She took the public services card out of her purse and ced it on Jean''s bed instead of handing it to Anna. Anna only cared about the money now. The public services card was nothing to her. The bags of money she held in her arms were the most important thing. Nina could see how happy Anna was with the smile on her face. It seemed like she was not upset about losing her daughter. Nina held Percy''s hand and said, "Let''s go." "Okay." Percy and the others left together. The door was closed. After they entered the elevator, Mr. Zac asked, "Mr. Mallory, you know that there''s no such thing as legally cutting off ties with family in our country. Even if they''ve signed the contract, it''s not going to be legally epted." "I know. That''s why I asked you to add so many terms on it," replied Percy. Mr. Zac finally understood why Percy did that after he was reminded of it. Brilliant. What Percy did was brilliant. "What terms?" Nina asked with curiosity. She knew Percy would not harm her. That was why she did not read the terms. "When Mr. Mallory asked me to draft the contract, he asked me to add that the two and half a million is for you. Ahem, it''s Ms. Anna''s arrears. If Ms. Anna and her son continue to pester you, you have the right to take the money back. At the same time, Ms. Anna will have to pay a 20 percent interest rate. If the other party is unable to pay the money, Mr. Mallory has the right to freeze the fixed assets under their name. Then, he''s allowed to hold an auction to get the money back," exined Mr. Zac. The so-called contract of cutting off ties between them was actually a loan agreement. However, no date was stated on the contract when Anna should return the money. She was only given a precondition. They did not have to return the money as long as they stopped pestering Nina. Luca and Nina finally understood. Nina turned to look at Percy and asked, ¡°How did you know she wasn''t going to take a close look at the contract?" Anna would not have agreed if she read the details of the contract. "She wouldn''t read it. She''d only want to see what she wanted to. Now that both contracts are in my hands, she wouldn''t even notice anything," said Percy. Luca could not help but mumble to herself when she heard that. Anna was right about one thing¡ª Percy was a businessman. A businessman was never easy to fool. Instead, he could y tricks on others. However, if Anna did note looking for Nina, nothing would happen to her. "You know her well..." Nina''s eyes turned gloomy, and she asked again, "But she asked for two million. Why did you give her 2.5 million dors?" "That way, she wouldn''t even be bothered to look at the contract," said Percy. Anna was blinded by the extra 500,000 dors, which made Percy''s n easier to seed. "Mr. Mallory, you''re pretty good at dealing with people like these," Luca had remained silent all this time. She could no longer hold it back and began to speak. What Anna did was foolish. She had fallen into Percy''s trap. The corner of Nina''s lips was curling up. She could not help butugh. Percy said calmly, "Luke taught me that. He''s better at this." Luca raised her brows. Would Luke insult someone in that way? She did not think so. Luke would make a move immediately if he was dealing with someone else. He would note up with these tricks. The elevator doors opened. Mr. Zac walked out of the elevator and said, "Mr. Mallory, I''m going back to thew firm if there''s nothing more." "Sure. You have to keep this a secret. My assistant will transfer the payment to youter," replied Percy. "Okay. I''ll follow my professional ethics," Mr. Zac smiled and left. After Mr. Zac left, the assistant left too. He did note here together with Percy using the car. That was why they would not be leaving together. Luca said, "I''m leaving too." "Nina, let Percy give you a ride," said Nina while turning around to look at her. "It''s okay. Warren is waiting here. I''m going back to the office," said Luca. She walked toward the parking slot where Warren had parked the car. Nina and Percy headed to the car. After both of them got into the car, Nina fastened her seatbelt and said, "Don''t start the engine first. I''d like to talk to you." ¡°You want to talk about the money, right? That''s your dowry. You''re destined to be my wife in this life,¡± replied Percy. "Percy..." Nina did not expect he would say that. 2.5 million of dowry was too much... Although many of the wealthy people in A City would pay more than 10 million for their wife''s dowry, they were marrying someone of equal status. Nina knew Percy was way out of her league. How could she deserve such a big dowry? "You must be thinking that you aren''t worth that much, right? I don''t think it''s enough. The amount of dowry is based on how much someone means to you. You''re a priceless treasure to me," said Percy. Nina let out a snort ofughter and replied, "When did you learn to sweet talk?" "It''s the truth, and I mean it. Sincerity isn''t sweet talk," Percy held her hands and leaned closer to her lips. He kissed her gently on the lips. He just could not bear to see Nina being wronged. That was why he agreed with what Anna said, and he yed a trick on her too. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. After all, the country did not acknowledge cutting off ties with family. Nina could feel Percy''s tenderness. Who would have thought that Percy, who was always cold and cool to the others, would have such a gentle side? She suddenly thought of making fun of him, and she said, "But.." "But?" Percy caught a trace of yfulness shing across her eyes. "You told me my dowry is 2.5 million, but who would call their future wife an idiot?" Nina deliberately pulled a long face. "It''s not 2.5 million. I took back 500 dors," Percy squabbled. It only took a while for him to shut her up. He would not easily fall into her trap. "You took that money back on purpose, huh? You were afraid that I''d say something like this." Nina was amused. "No. I noticed that she was carefully holding the bags of money in her arms as though she was holding her baby. That''s why I took the money from her. Jean owes me, after all," replied Percy. "They owe you more than 500 dors now." Nina sighed. If Anna did not spend the money extravagantly and got Jean under control at the same time, 2.5 million was enough for them to live a comfortable life. If they knew about financial nning and investments, the interest they would earn from the money monthly would be enough for them to survive. Chapter 2351 However, if Anna let Jean spend the moneyvishly, it would only take a while for them to spend 2.5 million dors. Nina and Percy had done everything they could for them. It was up to Anna how she would spend the rest of her life... She could choose to spoil her son or keep a close eye on her money.. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Stop thinking about them. Think about our future." Percy lifted his hand and gently smoothened out her furrowed brows. Nina just realized that she would still be worried about Anna. "Did you hear what I told her?" Nina asked. "Yes." Percy had been standing at the door. That was why he had heard their conversation. Percy initially thought of telling Nina that he was going back to attend a meeting, but his assistant called him when he was on his way, iming that the other party had something else to do. Hence, the meeting was postponed to the afternoon. Although Nina had Luca by her side, Percy was still worried about her. Thus, he made a detour and headed back to the hospital. Percy asked the nurse and found out Jean¡¯s ward number. When he arrived at the door, he heard the noises that came from inside. That was when he heard their conversation. Nina let out a sigh. She wanted to know what Percy thought about it. Hence, she asked, "Do you think I¡¯m a horrible person after you heard what I said.." "Why would I find you horrible? My wife is the prettiest, cutest, most kind-hearted little fairy." Percy held Nina in his arms, saying sweet little things he had never said to her before. If it was in the past, he would never have believed that he would say something like that to her. "Stop being silly." Nina listened to his sweet talk while leaning against his chest. She listened to his heartbeat. She could not help but tease him, "I even mentioned chopping one''s arms and legs off. But you''re saying that I''m pretty and kind-hearted? I don''t think there''s anything wrong with it even if you call me a witch." "That¡¯s not true. I think what you said makes sense," replied Percy. "Does that make sense? Why don¡¯t you tell me about it?" Nina wanted to see what Percy would say. "A kind person would lend a hand to the handicapped. They¡¯d even be willing to support them for the rest of their life. Tell me, if that¡¯s not kindness, then what is it?" Percy pinched Nina¡¯s jaw and teased her. Nina sat up straight and said helplessly, ¡°You win. I realize that you''ll always think about what I''ll say next when you say something. That''s why you can shut me up." "No. What I said was reasonable. Being reasonable can shut someone''s mouth. Wifey, is there anything else you''d like to ask?" Percy smiled and said. "We''re not married yet," Nina rolled her eyes at him. "Your family epted the dowry. You''re mine now," replied Percy. It was fine if Nina refused to admit it. It was just a matter of time. "I''m not arguing with you. Send me back to my office." Nina smiled. "Okay. Let''s have lunch together at the restaurant below your office," said Percy as he started the car engine and left. Nina nced at the time, only to realize that it was almost noontime... She had unconsciously spent all morning just dealing with Jean''s matter. Luca said that Jean would wake up in two hours. Nina believed that. Hence, looking at the time now, Jean should be waking up soon. However, it did not matter whether Jean woke up or not. She had nothing to do with him anymore. In the ward. Anna took the money and her public services card. She headed to the hospital''s ATM. She asked the hospital''s security guard to escort her. Then, she deposited all the cash into her card. The public services card was linked to banks nowadays. Therefore, it could be used as a bank card. There was a reason why Percy had asked Nina to return Anna her card. Another reason was that they had nothing to do with each other anymore. That was why Nina did not have to help Anna to keep her card. Anna smiled satisfyingly when she looked at the numbers on the ATM. She turned around and said to the caretaker, "Come on, let''s go back to my son''s ward. I have to look after him." The caretaker looked at Anna with confusion. How could she be so happy when she had just severed ties with her daughter? Two million dors in exchange for severing ties with a family member. After Anna deposited the money, she only thought about Jean. The caretaker was truly unable to understand her. Nina was the one who had been taking care of Anna when she was sick and in bed for such a long time. Although Nina did not look after her, she had done everything else. The caretaker had looked after many patients before. It was rare to see someone as filial as Nina. Besides, the caretaker could see that it was Anna who started all the fights with Nina. Nina was the innocent one. Giving up a filial daughter and favoring her son, Jean, who only came to the hospital to ask for money. The caretaker could not understand what Anna was thinking about. Anna narrowed her eyes and asked when she saw the caretaker standing still there. "Why are you standing there?" The caretaker came back to her senses and caught up with Anna. Then, Anna said, "I''m rich now. Tell the doctor that I''m getting discharged tomorrow. I don''t know how much longer my son is going to stay here. I''ll leave him to you to look after. Just take care of him until the doctor says he can get discharged from the hospital." Anna only roughly heard what Nina said. That was why she had no idea about Jean''s condition now. She did not manage to ask the doctor yet. Anna was hoping that Jean''s condition was not that serious. That way, he could get discharged from the hospital as soon as possible. Moreover, she did not have to spend so much money on Jean''s medical expenses. She knew the hospital''s rules. She would have to pay 20,000 dors when it was confirmed that Jean had to be admitted to the hospital. The 20,000 dors did not include surgery fees. If Jean did not go for the surgery, the money would be able tost for some time. "Okay..." replied the caretaker. As long as she got paid, it did not matter who she was taking care of. Anna returned to Jean''s ward. The patient who was next to Jean''s ward bed came back, and he was sitting on his bed. He saw Anna walking in and asked, "Where''s your daughter?" "I don''t have a daughter," Anna rolled her eyes at him and answered in a cold voice. She thought that this person was nosy. Besides, why did he have to mention this? If Anna knew Percy was outside the ward earlier, she would have asked for three million dors. The man did not say anything more. Anna said to the caretaker, "Look after my son. I''m going to look for the doctor and find out what his condition is." "Okay." The caretaker pulled a chair and walked toward the ward bed. Then, she sat on the chair, staring at Jean. Anna found out that Jean was not seriously injured after asking the doctor about his condition. It was just a minor bone fracture. Although he fractured many of his bones, there was no need to perform surgery on him. Hence, everything was fine. Jean had to stay in the hospital for two days for observation, then he would be able to get discharged from the hospital. Anna was delighted. She returned to Jean''s ward. The caretaker saw Anna walking in and said, "Ms. Anna, he''s awake." "Awake?" Anna hurried over and looked at Jean, who was lying on the bed. There were a few teardrops streaming down her cheek. "My son, you''re finally awake." "Mom, why are you here?" Jean was still feeling dizzy. He closed his eyes again when he saw Anna dashing toward him. "You''ve been admitted to the hospital. How could I not be here to take a look at you? Do you really believe that your mother is a heartless person?" Anna wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes while looking at how flustered Jean was. It hurt her heart, making it throb. Chapter 2352 Anna was wiping her tears beside the ward bed and looking at Jean, who said nothing. She thought Jean was in pain, so she asked in a worried tone, ¡°Are you in pain? Let me ask the doctor toe over and give you an injection for the pain. After that, Anna pressed the patient call bell beside the bed. Jean did not stop her. He closed his eyes and recalled what had happened yesterday. Jean was beaten up by Cobra. His body felt weak, and he could not find where his phone was. There was no way he could ask for help. He ended up sleeping beside a pile of trash. He was in pain and freezing at that time. Slowly, he began to feel drowsy and fell asleep. He forgot what happened next. Anna''s face came into sight when he opened his eyes. There was no memory of what had happened to him in between... The nurse walked into Jean''s ward when she heard the patient call bell. She asked, "What''s wrong with Patient No. 1?" "He''s awake," answered the caretaker. "Okay. Let me call the doctor," replied the nurse. She went out and called Jean''s attending physician to come over. The doctor gave Jean a preliminary examination and found out that Jean was fine. Then, he asked, "Do you feel ufortable?" "It hurts. I''m feeling a little dizzy," Jean replied weakly. The doctor picked up Jean''s medical report, nced at it to confirm, and said, "You have minor bone fractures all over your body. They were caused by getting beaten up. It''ll definitely hurt. Did those people hit your head when they were beating you up?" "I forgot." Jean felt embarrassed for being asked such a question in front of so many people. "ording to the test results, there''s no sign of bleeding in your brain, so I assume that it''s just a concussion. It''s normal to feel dizzy. Do press the bell and call the nurse if you feel very dizzy," said the doctor as he ced the report back to where it was. Anna looked at the doctor in surprise and asked, "Is that all? Aren''t you giving him any medications or injections?" "It''s stated in the records that he was already given some IV fluids when he was in the emergency room. If he can''t stand the pain, I can give him some painkillers," replied the doctor. ¡°Please give him the painkillers. It breaks my heart to see him like this." Anna felt sorry for Jean. The doctor nodded and said, "The nurse will arrange for itter." Jean opened his eyes again after the doctor left. An ominous cloud hovered over him. He did not expect Cobra to be so heartless. He even got his men to fracture his bones. That was why he did not even have the strength to stand upst night... "Son, are you feeling better now?" Anna looked at him worryingly. Anna repeated her words over and over again as she was worried about him. It made Jean feel annoyed. Jean looked at Anna, who was still in her hospital gown, and said impatiently, "Mom, aren''t you still sick? Don''t worry about me. Go back to your ward." Anna replied, "I''m fine. I''m telling the doctor that I''m getting discharged tomorrow." Jean was surprised and asked, "You''re getting discharged?" Previously, she refused to get discharged from the hospital just because she could get more money from Nina. The doctor had told her that she could go home and recuperate her health. There was no need to continue to stay in the hospital and spend the money. However, Anna refused to listen to him. She did whatever it took for her to stay in the hospital. Now that Anna was getting discharged from the hospital, would she be able to find more excuses to ask for money from Nina? "Mom, that b*tch must be happy to hear that. She doesn''t have to give you so much money anymore," replied Jean. He disagreed with Anna wanting to get discharged from the hospital. "It''s okay if she doesn''t want to give me any money. I''ve got money now. I don''t need her alms and sympathy," said Anna. She held a ss of water. After she wet a cotton swab, she gently applied it to Jean''s dry lips. "Mom, what are you thinking? Your pension isn''t enough for us. We''ll run out of money just from buying your medications every month," said Jean. If Jean was not feeling ufortable now, he really wanted to sit up straight and see what had gotten into Anna''s head. "Where''s Nina? I''m admitted to the hospital. Why isn''t she here?" "It''s better that she''s not here. I''ll just assume that I''ve never had a daughter like Nina. You too. Just pretend that you never had a younger sister," Anna said delightfully. The caretaker took the chance to roll her eyes when the two of them did not notice her. Sure enough, Anna did not even want to acknowledge her daughter after taking the money. There were no other words that could best describe Anna. She was just greedy as f*ck. However, there was another sentence that could describe her. She could go as far as to not acknowledge her daughter for the sake of money. "Are you out of your mind? How am I supposed to live if Nina doesn''t give you money? No way. I have to ask Nina toe here," Jean struggled to get out of bed, thinking that Anna must be out of her mind. There was no doubt that Anna was worried about spending too much money if she got discharged from the hospital. Jean had to pay a few thousand dors for his medical bills. He became furious at the thought of getting beaten up because of a few thousand dors. If he had money, he would have kicked their *sses for what he had suffered today. "You''re the one who''s out of your mind. Lay down," Anna quickly pressed him down on the bed when she saw Jean getting up. Anna nced at the patient beside them and lowered her voice to tell Jean that she had severed ties with Nina, and Percy gave her 2.5 million dors for it. Jean widened his eyes and said, "Did he really..." Realizing that there were other patients in the ward, Jean paused for a moment and said, "Did he really give us that much money?" "Yes. I''ve deposited the money into my bank ount. The two of us can livefortably without Nina now," Anna smiled and said. She was not even feeling upset when she mentioned Nina. It was as though Nina was not her biological daughter. "How could you agree to it even if it''s a lot of money? We''ll run out of money if we spend it," Jean thought that even though 2.5 million dors sounded a lot, it was not enough for him to spend. Jean wanted to start a business. 2.5 million dors was probably not enough for him. "What are you thinking? I''m going to deposit the money into the bank and invest it. We''ll profit from the monthly returns. Coupled with my pension, it''ll be enough for the two of us." Anna had it all nned. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. They could earn a lot in a month if Anna invested the money. They owned a house, and with Anna''s pension, she would be able to support Jean even if he refused to work. Jean narrowed his eyes and realized that Anna would not give him the money easily for him to start a business. Hence, Jean could not mention it to her now. Otherwise, Anna would be even determined to watch over that sum of money. Jean smiled. He was no longer in pain all of a sudden, and he said, "Yes. That''s great. Even if the two of you have signed the contract, thew isn''t going to acknowledge such contracts about cutting off ties with family. We can continue to ask for money from Nina in the future." "Why should I ask for her money when I''m rich? Am I crazy?" said Anna. She had enough of asking Nina for money every day. Nina acted like someone who gave alms to Anna when she gave her the money. Now that Anna was rich, she felt that she could lift her head proudly now. She never thought about where she got the money from. Jean was thrown into confusion when he looked at how delighted Anna was. Although Jean had gotten into prison before, he had read many books too. He knew that such a contractcked legal recognition. Chapter 2353 Even if Nina had no idea about it, how could Percy not know about it? Percy had even asked hiswyer to draft the contract. Jean looked at the satisfied smile on Anna''s face. He had this feeling that there was something wrong, so he frowned. Anna noticed that and said, ¡°Son, we don''t have to depend on others anymore in the future. Why are you still frowning?" Jean asked, "Mom, let me take a look at the contract." "Contract? What contract?" Anna was startled for a moment. Then, she realized what Jean was talking about and immediately said, "I don''t have the contract." Earlier, Anna was disgusted when she looked at Nina. That was why she did not take the contract. She had a feeling that it would bring bad luck to her when she saw Nina''s name. "Why didn''t you take it?" Jean''s voice was rising uncontrobly. "Why should I take it? She agreed to sever ties with her family and they gave me the money. She has nothing to do with us anymore," said Anna. "Aren''t you afraid that they''ll set you up?" Jean frowned. Anna used to be smart. Why had she be so foolish? Jean woke up toote. "What are you afraid of? I''ve got nothing to lose as long as the money''s already in my hands. Son, stop overthinking. Get well soon and we can get discharged from the hospital. Then, we''ll go home and live our livesfortably," said Anna. Their family was initially a middle-ss family. However, since they were set up by Marie and Bianca, life had never been easy for them. Jean even got into prison. Anna realized that it had been a long time since she could live the life she wanted. Now, as long as the Raynes were not around, she could live her lifefortably. Jean suddenly thought that what Anna said was right when he saw her being so positive. After all, they had nothing to lose. What could Nina and Percy get from them even if they worked together to set them up? It was all a fuss over nothing. Jean''s mood lightened up, but he reminded Anna, "Mom, you must take a close look at the terms and conditions when you''re signing a contract with the others. Besides, you''ll have to keep a copy of the document with you. Otherwise, you''ll be fooled by others." ¡°It''s a must if I''m signing contracts with others, but I couldn''t be bothered about that contract. It brings bad luck. Besides, I''ve already asked them to add in the term that Percy and Nina will be responsible for the person you injured back then. We don''t have to bother about it.¡± The nurse came in right after Anna finished her sentence. She stood in front of Jean''s ward bed. ¡°What''s your name?¡± the nurse asked. "Jean Langdon,¡± replied Jean. "The doctor has ordered to give you an injection for your pain. I''m going to give you an injection now. It might hurt. Please endure it. Turn around and we''ll start now,¡± the nurse said expressionlessly. She waited for Jean to turn around. Then, she pulled Jean''s patient gown up and gave him the injection. Jean grunted in pain. After the injection, the nurse said, "It''s done. Just press the patient bell if there''s anything you need.¡± Anna asked in a distressed tone after the nurse left, "Did it hurt...¡± "Pain injections hurt." Jean massaged the back of his back. It hurt like hell when the needle stabbed into him. Anna let out a sigh and said, ¡°Okay. It''s time for you to tell me what happenedst night.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jean''s gaze wandered. ¡°Why were you beaten?¡± Anna asked. ¡°It''s about underworld affairs..¡± Jean turned his face away, refusing to look at Anna. "Just be honest. I heard that you ran out of money and borrowed money from them,¡± said Anna. She sat beside the bed and looked at him helplessly. Jean suddenly ran out of patience and said, "It''s not much, only a few thousand dors. Nina has already given you the money, after all. Just help me to return the money to them. We don''t have to borrow money from anyone in the future." ¡°Return them the money? Impossible!¡± Anna sneered. She could not bear to see Jean being injured, so she said, ¡°I would''ve returned them the money if they hadn''t beaten you up. Look at what they''ve done to you. Son, don''t worry. I won''t give you the money and let you return the money to them. I want them topensate us instead!¡± ¡°How can that be possible..¡± Jean frowned. ¡°This is already a criminal case. If those people don''t want to go to prison, they''ll have topensate,¡± said Anna. She thought Jean was in the same situation as the person he injured back then. ¡°Mom..¡± Jean wanted to tell her not to mess with Cobra. Cobra was a loan shark. He would beat that person up if he refused to return the money. This was not Jean''s first time, but he always came back unharmed. If Jean refused to return the money and asked him topensate. Was that even possible? ¡°Okay. Let''s stop talking about this. You''ve called the police, after all. The police officers will deal with it. We''ll hire awyer if they can''t do anything. Stop talking so much and get some rest. I''m going to inform the doctor about getting discharged from the hospital. The caretaker will stay here and look after you. Call me if anything happens," said Anna. Nothing was a big deal to her when she had money. Jean replied embarrassingly, ¡°I don''t know where my phone is..." ¡°Let me go online shopping and get you a new er. Rest well. Don''t do anything to exhaust yourself," said Anna caringly. The caretaker watched how Anna had treated Jean so kindly. She could not help but secretly let out a sigh. It was her first time seeing such a thing. Nina was kind to Anna, yet Anna said Nina brought her bad luck and treated her indifferently. On the other hand, anyone could see that Jean was an unfilial son, but Anna favored him over her daughter. They had the same mother and the same upbringing, but the results were such a big difference. The caretaker suddenly realized that Jean was unfilial because Anna had been spoiling and pampering him. "Take good care of my son," Anna said to the caretaker with a sulky face. She was rude to the caretaker. There was no other reason. It was only because the caretaker was hired by Nina. The caretaker would inform Nina at the first instance if anything happened to her. She was like a security camera. That was why Anna was unhappy with her. However, she could not afford to pay for a caretaker at that time. Hence, it was useless to look for another caretaker to rece her. She did not ask the caretaker to leave now because Jean needed to stay in the hospital for two days. Thus, it did not matter if it was the same caretaker. "I''ll take care of the patient," replied the caretaker. Anna snorted and left the ward. Jean shot a nce at the caretaker. Then, he closed his eyes and said nothing more. The patient in the next bed mocked Jean, "Hey you, did that sister of yours give your mother a sum of money to sever ties with her?" Jean did not open his eyes and replied, "Stop being nosy when you''re sick." "I''m not. I just noticed that your sister was wearing expensive clothes. I''m curious about how much money she gave your mother to convince your mother to sever ties with her willingly," the man asked with curiosity. Jean ended the conversation by remaining silent. He was not that silly to tell others how much money Nina had given them. After all, one should not show off one''s wealth. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. The man stopped asking him when Jean did not answer him. Jean closed his eyes, thinking about how he should get the money from Anna. He wanted to start a business. Jean wanted all those who looked down on him to bow their heads and apologize to him. He wanted them to kneel before him and lick his boots. Chapter 2354 When Luca got into Warren''s car and headed back to T Corporation, it was already lunchtime. Luca hurried upstairs, assuming that Luke must have finished eating his lunch by now. She nned to head downstairs to grab something to eat after she put her briefcase in her office. Luca walked out of the elevator and shot a nce at the assistants'' office first. Zoey and Rhett were not in the office. She reckoned that they had gone out for lunch. Then, Luca walked back to her office, pushed the door open, and saw Luke, who was sitting on the sofa. She was startled for a moment. ¡°Mr. Crawford, why are you..." Luca nced at the lunch boxes on the coffee table. They were unopened. Luke had been waiting for her toe back and have lunch with her. "Come over here. Let''s have lunch together," said Luke as he opened the lids of the lunch boxes. Luca put down her briefcase and walked toward the sofa before sitting down. Then, she said, "You didn''t take your lunch first. You even waited for me.." "I knew you wereing back," replied Luke. Warren had reported to him when Luca left the hospital. Luca did not ask more as she knew it was Warren who informed him. Luca did not have to drive anymore as Luke had assigned Warren beside her to be her chauffeur. Even if someone was following them, she did not have to worry that her driving skills were not as good as her enemy''s. However, at the same time, it was a little more troublesome. She had not gotten used to it. After all, Luke would be able to know her whereabouts no matter where she went. As usual, Luke helped her with lots of food on her te and handed it to her. Luca took the te from him and took the initiative to mention what had happened at the hospital. "Jean''s fine, but Nina fell out with her mother because of this," Luca slowly exined. She felt sorry for Nina. If it were not for her, Marie and Jean would not have known each other. If she had firmly rejected Jean back then, perhaps Jean would have met someone better. At that time, even if Anna favored Jean over Nina, she would not be as twisted as she was now. What happened after that caused Nina to suffer more in her family. "How did things turn out like that?" Luke asked while he took a bite. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "They signed a contract to sever ties with each other. Although the contract agreementcks legal recognition, Mr. Mallory asked Mr. Zac to add many terms to the contract. In short, with an amount of 2.5 million dors in exchange for Nina''s peace, Anna and Jean can never bother her anymore. They''ll have to return the money and pay a high interest rate at the same time if they dare to look for Nina," Luca briefly exined. Luke paused for a moment while he was helping himself with the food and said, ¡°Percy never loses out.¡± "Yeah..." replied Luca. Previously, she thought that Percy would only satisfy Anna''s and Jean''s greed by doing that. After all, giving 2.5 million dors at once was not a big deal for businessmen like Percy. However, the huge sum of money was a lot for Anna and Jean. That was why she thought Percy lost out, but she did not expect that his defensive position was incredible. Fortunately, Percy loved Nina. Otherwise, Nina would be the one losing out. "Have your lunch." Luke was not interested in Nina''s affairs. After all, she was Percy''s woman. Percy had asked Luke for his permission to get Luca to apany Nina today. Luke agreed, but it was not for Nina''s sake. He did it for Luca. Although Luca did not say anything, Luke knew that Luca had always felt sorry for Nina. That was why she wanted to repay Nina. However, she was not Bianca now; she was Luca. There were many things she could not do for Nina compared to Bianca when she was using this identity. After all, it would arouse Nina''s suspicion if she did too much for her. Hence, he agreed to let Luca apany Nina without hesitation. "Okay." Luca nodded. Luke''s phone rang after they finished eating lunch. He picked it up and nced at it, then his brows furrowed. Luca noticed that and said, "Mr. Crawford, please go ahead. Let me clean this up." "Okay." Luke strode out of the office with his phone in his hands. Luca watched him leave and closed the door. She felt a little anxious. Luke frowned when he saw the caller ID on his phone screen. Luke, who was always calm whenever something happened, seldom furrowed his brows. Did something bad happen? Luca shook her head. She cleaned up the lunch boxes and disposable cutleries on the table. Then, she sat on her office chair and looked at the data files. A lot of her work was dyed as she did not manage to work in the morning. Luke got into the elevator and returned upstairs with his phone in his hands. The phone stopped ringing while he was on his way upstairs. However, the person started calling again the next second. Luke returned to the president''s office and closed the door behind him. Only then did he answer the call. "What''s the matter?" "So, you still know how to answer my call." Allison''s sharp voice came from the other end of the line. Luke frowned. He knew Allison hade to look for trouble with that tone of hers. However, Allison would not look for him if nothing had happened. Luke knew that. ¡°I have a meetingter. Tell me what''s the matter." Even though it was Luke''s mother who was on the other end of the line, Luke''s voice sounded cold and distant. "Luke, listen to me even if you''re busy. What kind of stic surgery hospital have you arranged for me? I''ve been here for quite some time, but they have yet to make any arrangements for my surgery. They keep on giving me medical treatment instead. Plus, they''re ineffective. You don''t want me to go back, right? That''s why you arranged for the hospital staff to fool me?" Allison questioned him. She was never a patient person to begin with, but she forced herself to listen to the doctor and received treatment for a few months just to change her appearance back to how it was before. However, she could hardly see any effects for the past few months. She could no longer stay put. ¡°I didn''t get involved in the doctor''s medical treatment. Talk to the doctor if you have any questions," said Luke. There was no warmth in his voice. Luke had longed for his mother''s love when he was still young. However, when Luke finally realized that he was merely a tool for Allison to gain wealth and power, he no longer longed for his mother''s love. Listening to her and fulfilling what she wanted was only to repay her for giving birth to him. As for raising him... Luke''s eyes darkened at the thought of this. Allison was the one who gave birth to him, but the orphanage and the Crawford family had brought him up. Allison had nothing to do with this. Luke thought he had done enough for Allison after all these years. "I''ve had enough of the doctor here. All he tells me is to be patient and cooperate with him to receive the treatment. They can''t do anything. I don''t care. Arrange another hospital for me. I''m getting stic surgery. Otherwise, when will my face recover?" Allison was furious. The doctor asked her to wait, and Luke asked her to listen to the doctor. No matter how dumb she was, she knew the reason Luke sent her there for treatment was only to seek momentary peace. Since Allison was having a tough life, she did not want Luke to live afortable life either. "The hospital you''re staying in now is one of the world''s best stic surgery hospitals in Seoul. If you''d like to transfer to another hospital, you have no choice but to head to other countries. After all, that''s the only top stic surgery hospital in Seoul," said Luke as he frowned. He chose the one in Seoul among all the top stic surgery hospitals he could find globally. The reason was that Allison could not understand Korean. Chapter 2355 Although Luke had arranged for a trantor to be by her side, Allison could cause less trouble when she was in a country she did not speak thenguage of. However, the hospital could only hold Allison for a few months only. Allison replied with dissatisfaction, "Other countries? I heard that Seoul has the world''s best stic surgery technology. Are you thinking of sending me to a different country? The farther the better? It''s just like how you treated Bianca, huh? You sent her abroad and found a new girlfriend for yourself. Why? Are you trying to do the same thing to me so that you can acknowledge Susan as your biological mother?" Allison had seen their so-called family photo. Susan had sent it to her to show off. It was as though Susan was dropping her a hint that her son was no longer hers. Allison was pissed when she saw the family photo. If it were not for the nurses who stopped her, she might have smashed everything on the floor. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Luke was disgusted with Allison''s tone. She sounded like a shrew cursing someone. ¡°Perhaps you think I have no idea that all of you took a so-called family photo on Susan''s birthday. Luke, I''m the mother who gave birth to you and raised you, but you took a family photo with someone else''s mother. Aren''t you ashamed of yourself?¡± A wave of fury rose inside her as she mentioned this. ¡°You ungrateful bastard. That''s why you sent Bianca abroad so you can cuddle with your mistress on the bed, huh? Do you think I don''t know any of these things? I know everything!¡± Susan was the one who told her all this. Susan did not do that with good intentions. It seemed like she was showing off to her. Luke, whom others called a loyal and faithful man, had a mistress. How embarrassing! Luke knitted his brows together. He did not want to ask her who told her about these. Those who told Allison about it must have wanted to make things difficult for him. Luke hung up the call. Allison called again. Luke answered and said, ¡°I don''t have all day to talk nonsense with you. I''ll arrange for you to transfer to another hospital and it''ll still be in Seoul.¡± He ended the call as soon as he finished talking. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Since Allison wanted to transfer to another hospital and stay in Seoul at the same time, then he would let her get what she wanted. There was no need for her to head to other countries. He would not have to make so many arrangements for her either. Luca and Johann had told him before that the wrinkles on Allison''s face were irreversible. Getting stic surgery would not make her look youthful again. That was why the professional doctors could only give her medical treatment. However, Allison insisted on having surgery. She wanted to bear the pain she did not have to suffer, so Luke would just fulfill her wish. Luke picked up the inte phone with a gloomy face. He pressed a number, then the call was put through. He said, "Come to my office." After a while, Jason knocked on his door. He walked into his office after getting Luke''s permission. He was startled for a moment when he saw Luke''s gloomy expression. Who had offended their boss? Was it Luca? Luke said, ¡°Do you still have the file of the rankings of the most popr stic surgery hospitals in the world that I asked you to sort out thest time?¡± "Yes, Boss," replied Jason. No matter what document it was, as long as it was Luke who asked him to sort it out, Jason would keep it for a year even if it had nothing to do with thepany. It was to prevent him from sorting out the information again if Luke needed it in the future. "Pick one stic surgery hospital in Seoul. Then, contact the trantor who''s with Allison and ask her to help Allison with the hospital transfer procedures," Luke instructed. He was not nning to do this himself. Allison was no longer worthy of Luke wasting his time on her. Jason immediately understood that Allison was the one who had gotten on Luke''s nerves. He still remembered the list of stic surgery hospitals, "Boss, I remember that there''s only one stic surgery hospital in Seoul on the top 10 list. Are you sure you want her to be transferred to another hospital in Seoul? The rankings of the other hospitals are probably not that high." "It doesn''t matter as long as it''s in Seoul," replied Luke. He was not the one who chose Seoul. It was Allison''s decision. Since she was worried that she would be sent to countries farther away and she would not be able to come back, then Luke might as well give her what she wanted. Many were guessing that the reason why Bianca was noting back to the country was not that she refused toe back but that she could not. Even Allison thought so too. Was that even possible? Luke had only made it mandatory for Leia to stay abroad, disallowing her toe back. However, if Bianca was truly living abroad, would he be able to stop her? It was only a matter of buying a flight ticket if she wanted to return. How could an adult not have the money to get a flight ticket? Allison was truly making wild guesses. The real Bianca was right beside him, but the others who knew nothing about it wereing up with all sorts of conspiracy theories. However, they dared not to talk about these because of his social status. "Okay. I''ll arrange it immediately," answered Jason. Then, he walked out of Luke''s office. Although Luke did not tell him why, Jason already got it right. Allison was a pain in the neck. Allison''s face was ruined, but she was trying to restore it. She was stupid and naive... Jason frowned. He returned to his office and opened the rted file. He found the second top stic surgery hospital in Seoul ording to the order. Then, he contacted the trantor. He only had to tell the trantor the hospital''s name and she would be able to handle the rest. After Allison got transferred to another hospital, Luke never received a call from her again. Two dayster, Luke received a message from the trantor. The trantor told him that Allison requested the hospital to perform the facelift surgery on her. She wanted to smoothen out the wrinkles on her face. The stic surgery hospital told her that they could perform the surgery, but the expenses were slightly higher. That was why the trantor came to ask for Luke''s opinion. After all, she heard that the stic surgeons expert in their country told them that it was not rmended. Although Allison came to Seoul, the chances of getting the surgery were still low. After all, the stic surgery technology in their country was as good as the ones abroad. Many surgeries based on certain areas of the face had emerged in their country''s stic surgery technology now. They could not even be found abroad. Why could she do it abroad when it was not rmended in their country? Luke stared at the message. The trantor sent another one to him before he could reply to her message. [Mr. Crawford, I think this hospital isn''t that reliable. Ms. Tanner''s facial condition isn''t doing well now, but the hospital still wants to perform the surgery. What do you think? Do I have to stop her?] [No. Let her do whatever she wants.] Luke replied to her. He would let Allison have it her own way. He had nothing to do with it if the situation worsened. After a while, the trantor said: [Okay. Ms. Tanner wants me to talk to the hospital staff now. She wants to talk about the details of the surgery.] [It''s her face. Let her do whatever makes her happy.] Luke put on a thick coat after that. Today was Saturday. He had made an appointment with the photo studio for a photoshoot session. He would have to go shopping with Luca. It was a family day that he was looking forward to. He was not nning to let Allison ruin his day. After Luke changed his clothes, he walked out of his bedroom. Luca happened to be walking out of her bedroom at the same time either. She smiled at him when she saw Luke in his casual clothes and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, the kids are waiting downstairs.¡± After the kids found out that they were having a photoshoot session today, they were exhrated. Tommy refused to sleep when they were going to bedst night. He said that he was too excited. Then, Luca said to him, "If you don''t get a good night''s sleep, you''ll have dark circles under your eyes tomorrow. You''re not going to look good in the photos if you have those under your eyes." That was when Tommy finally went to bed willingly. Chapter 2356 ¡°Okay. Let''s go." Luke held Luca''s hand. They were about to make their way down the stairs. Luca paused. She gently withdrew her hand, shook her head, and said, "Go." She was worried that the kids would feel ufortable if they saw her being too close to Luke. After all, they already had a mother. If they saw their father holding another woman''s hand, what would they think about it? The kids were attentive. Luca did not want them to have such negative thoughts. Even though she slept with Luke every night, the kids were already asleep at that hour. They would not see them sleeping together. That was why Luca did not say anything about it. However, every time she woke up earlier, she would carefully close the door. That way, the kids would not enter her bedroom without her permission. Luke knew something was holding her back. He felt helpless as there was nothing he could do about it. The kids had found out that Luca was their mother earlier than he did, but Luca was still being extra careful. She had scruples over the tiniest matters. Luke heaved a sigh. He listened to her and made his way down the stairs. The three kids were sitting on the sofa, waiting for them. They rose to their feet when they saw them coming downstairs. They could not hide the happy expressions on their faces. Even Lanie, who was usually cool, put a smile on his face. ¡°Daddy, can we go now?" Tommy asked. "Yes," answered Luke. He looked at Aunt Neile and said, "Aunt Neile,e with us." "Mr. Crawford, why am I going too? Aren''t you going to take a family photo..." Aunt Neile thought she was only a maid. They were going to take family photos, so she could not possibly join them. "We''re going shoppingter. Luca will only know what to buy if youe with us," said Luke. Since Luca wanted to pretend that she grew up abroad, then he should just go along with it. "Okay. Let me get ready," replied Aunt Neile. She walked into the maid''s room and changed into another set of clothes. Then, she put on her coat. Luke''s car could not fit everyone as Aunt Neile wasing along with them. He called Warren over to drive another car. Aunt Neile consciously climbed into Warren''s car. When Tommy was about to get into Luke''s car, Rainie grabbed him by the hand and said, "Tommy!" "What?" Tommy lifted his head and looked at her, confused. Rainie shook her head. Then, she looked at Luke and Luca, "Daddy, Ms. Luca, we''ll ride the car Aunt Neile got into." After that, Rainie dragged Tommy along with her and got into the other car, while Lanie took the initiative to get into the same car too. The car Luke was driving was supposed to be full at first, but Luca was the only one left in the passenger seat now. Luke did not say anything when he saw the kids doing that. He got into the car, fastened the seatbelt, and drove off. Warren followed behind them. After Tommy was forced to get into the car, he looked at the car in front of them. He could not help but pout his mouth and say, "Rainie, why did you pull me into this car? I''d like to be in the same car as Daddy." "Silly. Daddy wants to spend some time together with Ms. Luca alone. Why should we be their third wheel?" Rainie gently flicked her finger on Tommy''s forehead without using any strength. Tommy covered his forehead after being flicked and said unconvincingly, "Daddy didn''t even say that. How do you know that?" Lanie looked at his younger brother and shook his head helplessly. "Is this really our younger brother?" "Perhaps the nurse got the wrong baby when Mommy gave birth to him," replied Rainie. She felt helpless too. The two of them could see that Luca was intentionally trying to keep her distance from Luke. How could their younger brother not see that? Aunt Neile sat in the passenger seat, listening to their conversation. She could not help but snort. "Lanie, Rainie, stop bullying me. Are you still my brother and sister?" Tommy pouted. He felt like Lanie and Rainie were showing contempt for him. "Anyway, you''re not allowed to be the third wheel," Rainie stroked his head. It was considered a warning. Tommy still could not understand and said, "I like Ms. Luca. Why can''t I stick to her?" "No. Listen to us today," Rainie replied and shook her head. They had to help Daddy. Otherwise, they had no idea when they would be able to acknowledge their mother. "Fine..." Tommy felt like he was unfairly treated. In the other car. Luca asked, "Mr. Crawford, does the photo studio open early in the morning?" "I booked the whole studio today. They''ll be opening early today," replied Luke. Photo studios usually opened around 10 in the morning. However, Luke had booked the entire studio for today. That was why they were opening early today. After they arrived at the studio, Luke told the receptionist his name. The receptionist had already been waiting for them earlier in the morning. After he brought them to the VIP room, he began to take the photo album samples out to figure out what themes they wanted. Luke booked portrait packages for each of his children. Hence, the kids were busy choosing their themes. Luca did notment on anything while she looked at the photo albums. ¡°What theme do you like?" Luke asked. He did not open the photo album in front of him and just turned to look at Luca. Luca pointed at the vintage-themed photos and said, "I think the 1930s vintage theme is a great idea." "Okay." Luke turned around, looked at the receptionist who received them, and said, "I''d like the 1930s vintage theme." "Okay. Ms. Luca, please follow us. We''ll dress you up. The makeup artist is already waiting for you," Woody, the receptionist, replied. "Me? Dress up?" Luca thought she was onlying along with them for the photoshoot and she did not have to dress up for it... "Yes. Didn''t you choose the 1930s vintage-themed photoshoot? This way, please," Woody smiled and said. Luca looked at Luke. She did not understand what arrangements he had made. "Just go," said Luke. Other than the kids'' portrait photoshoot, he also booked a family photoshoot package and another couple package for the two of them. Now, they had to take their portrait photos first, then change back into their clothes for the family photos. Luca put down the photo album and followed Woody out. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. When Luca came to the makeup room, she could recognize the makeup artist. She was the one who helped her with her makeup thest time. "Ms. Luca, good to see you again," the makeup artist smiled and greeted her. Luca had left an impression on her. Luca had outstanding facial features. There was no need to touch up a lot to make her look amazing. She was the perfect candidate to be her model. It was a pity that Luca would never be a model. "Hello. Nice to see you again. Thank you for helping," said Luca. "Take a seat." The makeup artist pulled the chair out of the dressing table and asked Luca to sit down. Luca nodded. After she sat down on the chair, she took the cup of tea the assistant handed to her. Luca did not drink it but put it on the dressing table. Woody said, "She picked the 1930s vintage theme. The photo with the warlord and his wife." The sample photo Luca chose earlier was not of the young schoolgirl in the 1930s but of a charming wife who wore a silk gown. Chapter 2357 The makeup artist smiled and said, "A wife in the 1930s? It does suit your looks." Luca looked at herself in the mirror. The makeup artist had already started to get ready before doing her makeup. She had never thought that Luke would ask her to choose the theme she liked for her photoshoot. If she knew she would be taking photos too, she would have chosen something simple. After all, she would have to put on a silk gown to dress up like a wife in the 1930s. Silk gowns were close-fitting and would show the contours of the body... Luca''s face reddened at the thought of Luke losing control when he saw her in a close-fitting dress. "Uh, can I change to another theme?" Luca asked the makeup artist. The makeup artist could not understand why Luca wanted to change the theme, so she said, "Ms. Luca, the vintage look will look great on you. Why would you like to change?" "I think it''s tooplicated. The silk gown is a bit too much," said Luca. The makeup artist smiled and said, "You came here for a photo shoot. Of course, it''ll be better for you to choose something you like. You''ll look gorgeous in a vintage gown." Luca pondered for a moment. She had to admit that what the makeup artist said made sense. Love at first sight would usuallyst forever, while one would lose interest in something that was carefully chosen before. It did not matter if it was people or things. Lucapromised and said, "Okay. I''ll go for this, then." "Sure," the makeup artist replied happily. She began to do Luca''s makeup and dress her up. The makeup was more delicate to suit the look of a warlord''s wife in the 1930s. Luca''s hair needed to be tied up too. It took a while for the makeup artist to do her hairstyle before she finished Luca''s look. "Ms. Luca, what do you think?" the makeup artist asked. Luca looked at herself in the mirror. She thought she had transmigrated to the 1930s for a moment. The makeup artist had great skills. No matter if it was the previous look or how she had dressed her up now, Luca looked beautiful. The assistantplimented, "Miss, you did a great job." "Ms. Luca''s features are naturally beautiful. One can only be this gorgeous if one has her features,¡± the makeup artist replied humbly, but what she said was the truth. Luca''s facial features were delicate. There was a hint of femininity on her face if one looked closely at her. It was different from the ordinary pretty faces those inte celebrities had. Luca''s face was recognizable. That was why she looked beautiful when she dressed up. "Miss, should we help Ms. Luca to pick out her silk gown?" the assistant asked. ¡°Okay. Let''s pick one for her. She can start the photo shoot once she gets changed. Ask the photographer to get ready," said the makeup artist. Then, she said to Luca, "Ms. Luca, let''s pick your silk gown." It was all about affinity when it came to picking clothes like silk gowns. That was why Luca had to go together with them. The makeup artist would not be the one who decided for her. "Okay." Luca rose to her feet and followed her to the room where the clothes were. There was a closet full of silk gowns. Luca could not help but feel dazzled by so many fancy dresses in front of her. She said, "There are so many of them." "Yes. Our studio is the biggest photo studio in A City. We also have the most costumes and dresses," said the assistant. She pulled out the finest-looking silk gowns that were hanging on the hanging rack and said, "Ms. Luca, take a look at these." The details of these gowns were the best among all the gowns. The package Luke bought was the most luxurious in the studio. That was why Luca could choose these gowns. Luca watched the assistant take the gowns out one after another. Her gaze was fixed on the leftmost gown after seeing them all. It was a ruby red silk gown. It matched the color of her lipstick. The exquisite-looking embroidery on the silk gown had sophisticated stitches. Luca stepped forward and touched the gown. She was pretty sure that it was hand-embroidered. It was exquisite. Before Luca put it on, she could already imagine how charming she would look with it on... "Ms. Luca, you have good taste. This silk gown will certainly look good on you. Would you like to try?" the makeup artist asked. She already had this gown in mind when she was doing Luca''s makeup. "I''m afraid I can''t fit into it." Luca told the makeup artist what she was worried about when she noticed that the waistline of the gown looked small. "I think you can. Why don''t you give it a try?" she asked. "Okay." Luca looked at herself in the mirror. Her makeup was done. Since she was going to take photos, then she might as well pick something that suited her. After all, she might not have the chance to do so after this. The assistant took the gown and led Luca to the fitting room. The makeup artist did not follow them. Instead, her eyes were wandering to the pieces of jewelry and essories on the rack beside another row of gowns. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Finally, she took a pair of pearl earrings, a ne, and a fine gold-ted bracelet. Then, she took a faux fur coat as a matching essory to go with the gown. Only then did she head to the fitting room. Luca put on the gown with the assistant''s help. It was just like what the makeup artist had told her. Luca could fit into the dress. She was a little overwhelmed when she looked at how the silk gown fitted her. The assistant cheered, ¡°Ms. Luca, you''ve got a nice figure! But the waistline of the silk gown needs some alteration. "Do we have to alter it? It looks fine," replied Luca. She was worried that it would show her belly. After all, she did not know she would be taking photos today. She did not expect that she would be wearing a silk gown. That was why she did not stop herself from eating when she had breakfast this morning. "The silk gown has to be close-fitting to look beautiful. Why don''t we alter it since it needs some alteration?" said the assistant. She picked up the needle at the side and began to alter the waistline on the side of the gown. ¡°Is it going to ruin the gown?¡± Luca was worried when she watched the assistant squat down to alter the waistline of the silk gown. The silk was genuine. It would be a waste to ruin the silk gown. After all, the gown was the studio''s belongings. Others would be trying out the gowns too. This was the standard size of the gowns, so it was not allowed to be changed or altered. The assistant was startled for a moment. She lifted her head and looked at Luca, ¡°Ms. Luca, do you have any idea what''s in the photoshoot package?¡± ¡°I don''t." Of course, Luca did not know. Luke was the one who bought the package. ¡°No matter what theme you choose, the dresses provided are all brand new. The same goes for this silk gown. We''ll even help you to look for a professional tailor to modify the gown ording to your figure. Then, we''ll send it to your house," exined the assistant. The photoshoot package was expensive. Therefore, the dresses and gowns were included. After all, many wealthy wives did not like to wear clothes that had been worn by others before... Hence, the clothes were included in the best package the studio offered. The dresses worn had to be new, and no one else had worn them before. Also, they would not let others wear the dresses the customers had worn previously. The package was user-friendly. The wealthy customers who came for photoshoots would choose this package. ¡°So that''s how it works.." Luca nodded. She still felt sorry for ruining such a beautiful gown, so she said, ¡°Be careful. I like this gown a lot.." The assistant replied, "Let me look for the tailor. I''m afraid that I''ll ruin it too. It only needs some alteration on the gown''s waistline. It''ll be quick." After that, she went to look for the studio''s tailor. Chapter 2358 The makeup artist came in and looked at Luca''s slim figure. Her eyes shone with admiration. "Ms. Luca, you look gorgeous in this silk gown." "You did a great job at dressing me up." Luca felt embarrassed to receive suchpliments. "We just bought this silk gown yesterday. It was designed and sewn by the best tailor in our country. Speaking of that, you''re lucky to be able to have this beautiful gown. It''s just that the waistline of the gown is a little wider. It needs some altering." The makeup artist sized her up and found out what was wrong with just a nce. Luca''s waist was too small. The gown was in the smallest size, but Luca''s waist was still too small for the gown. ¡°Your assistant has already gone looking for the tailor,¡± said Luca. "Okay. It''s better to look for the tailor. It won''t take long to alter this. Besides, I don''t dare to do anything to such good material," said the makeup artist. Then, she put the faux fur coat and pieces of jewelry aside. After a while, the assistant brought the tailor along with her and came in. "Ms. Reeves, please help us to alter the gown''s waistline. It''s too big." The makeup artist was polite to the tailor. "Okay. Let me measure her size first. Otherwise, it''ll be difficult for me to alter it." The tailor named Ms. Reeves immediately picked up the measuring tape and measured Luca''s body size. After Ms. Reeves noted down the measurements, she said to Luca, ¡°Miss, please take off the gown first. Let me alter it for you. Give me 10 minutes.¡± "Okay." Luca walked back into the fitting room. After she took off the gown, she put on the coat and waited in the fitting room. The assistant took the gown out and handed it to Ms. Reeves. Ms. Reeves was agile and quick. She immediately began to alter the gown with the sewing machine beside the fitting room. At that moment, Luke came in. He was already dressed up. Another makeup artist had dressed him up like a warlord in the 1930s. Men''s makeup was much easier than women''s. They only needed to touch up a little and the man was good to go. The makeup artist was stunned when she looked at Luke. Luke was wearing a militarymander''s uniform from the 1930s. His tall figure was like a model, which made him look really good in the uniform. He looked like a young marshal who had transmigrated from the 1930s. He was sexy, handsome, noble, and mysterious. He also had his usually cold and expressionless face. His mysterious aura made people curious yet fascinated by him. Sure enough, a handsome man would be even more good-looking after getting dressed up. The makeup artist even thought that if directors were filming a movie or TV show with the background set in the 1930s, would they still choose other male actors to be the male lead when they saw Luke in this uniform? He was exactly like a domineering young marshal in the 1930s... She had seen couples who chose the same theme before, but none of those men could look so good in that uniform. It was as though this uniform was designed for him. However, the military uniform was different from the silk gown. After all, a variety of colors and patterns were avable for the silk gowns, but men''s clothing in the 1930s basically all looked like this. Luke looked at the makeup artist who remained silent. He frowned and asked, "Hasn''t she finished dressing up yet?" "The waistline of the gown that Ms. Luca chose is a little too big for her. The tailor is altering it for her now. It''ll be quick," the makeup artist came back to her senses and replied. Luke nodded. There was a look of overbearing pride in his eyes. The makeup artist could not help but secretly shout, ¡°Oh my goodness, he''s handsome. Luca stood in the fitting room. Her face reddened when she heard Luke''s voice. He should be taking the photos together with her. Hence, he should be dressed up like a military marshal now. She wondered what he looked like in that uniform. Even though Luca had not seen Luke in the uniform, she believed that he must look good in it. He looked good no matter what he wore. He was born with a model figure. Previously, Luca heard Percy and Jim mention it when they were talking to him. There was once a model scout who tried to sign Luke up to be a model when Luke was still in university. They even told Luke that they would spend all the money on him to make him popr. Luke did not stay in Crawford Manor when he was in university. He did not reveal his identity either. He chose to rent an apartment outside. The model scout waited for him every day at his apartment after Luke rejected him. He wanted to get in Luke''s way, and he kept on persuading Luke, trying to convince him to agree with it. However, Luke was not interested in bing a celebrity. He was not interested in female celebrities either. The agent pestered him for the whole semester. He even tried different ways to tempt Luke to agree with him, but he still failed. He had no choice but to give up. Besides, Luke even moved to other apartments twice just to avoid the agent... Luca thought it was funny when she heard that. That was when she found out that Luke, who was never afraid of anyone or anything, would go as far as moving to another ce to avoid someone. Moreover, that person was a man. Luca could not help but chuckle when she recalled it. She looked at herself in the mirror and was startled for a moment. She was smiling happily. Luca felt blissful whenever she thought about him. The smile on her face slowly faded. The happier she was, the more she could feel the greed in her. She hoped that she could stay by Luke''s side and never part with him. The assistant took the gown from Ms. Reeves after she finished altering it. She walked into the fitting room and said, ¡°Ms. Luca, it''s done." Luca came back to her senses. Her smile faded. She nodded and said, "Okay." "Let me help you," said the assistant as she helped her to put on the gown. The makeup artist came walking into the fitting room too. After Luca changed, she helped Luca to put on the jewelry. Then, she eventually wrapped the faux fur coat around Luca''s arm, making it look like a shawl. "It''s a faux fur wrap. Don''t worry," said the makeup artist. Many people hated real fur. "Okay." Luca looked at herself in the mirror. It was finally done. The assistant took a pair of new heels and came in. Then, she handed them to the makeup artist and asked, "Miss, what do you think about this?" "Great. This pair of high heels suits her. Ms. Luca, please put on the heels. They''re new," said the makeup artist. She took them out, squatted down, and helped Luca put on the heels. After Luca put on the stiletto heels, she walked on the spot. The friction between the heels and the floor made a ttering sound. "Your appearanceplements Mr. Crawford''s. Shall we head to the photography studio?" the makeup artist asked. "Alright." Luca walked out of the fitting room. Her gaze met Luke, who was standing outside. Luke''s eyes were full of amazement. The silk gown made the contours of Luca''s body even more beautiful. The vintage makeup on her face made her delicate facial features even more mature and feminine. However, that was not all of it. She had this tender look on her that made him want to hold her in his arms and protect her. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "Do I look ugly.." Luca thought Luke did not like her dressed like this when she noticed that Luke did not say anything. Although Luca thought she looked great, Luke''s aesthetic standards were different from hers. ¡°You look stunning." Luke came forward and held her hands, sounding sincere. ¡°I don''t even want you to take the gown off you, and the makeup..." Chapter 2359 "I''ve never worn a silk gown. I don''t know if it''ll suit me." Luca felt a little embarrassed. It was as though Luke''s burning gaze could light the cells in her body on fire. "It looks good on you. Don''t doubt what I said. If I say you look great, you do. It suits you perfectly," Luke assured her and gently squeezed her hands. If it were not for the outsiders around them, Luke would have pulled her into his arms and murmured to her how beautiful she was in a soft voice. Luca smiled and replied, "Mr. Crawford, you look handsome in this military uniform too." She finally understood why couples loved wearing silk gowns and military uniforms to take couple photoshoots. Wearing this for the photoshoot would make it seem like their love hadsted for a century. The moment she saw Luke in the uniform, she fell into a daze and seemed to see their past lives. Luca held Luke''s hands, interlocking her fingers with him. The assistant stood beside the makeup artist, looking at them from behind. She could not help but exim, "Miss, I feel like I''m in the 1930s when I look at them." "Who doesn''t? Let''s go. Off to the photography studio," replied the makeup artist. She had styled many people with this vintage look, but Luca was her best work. The assistant nodded and kept up with her pace. Luke had already been to the photography studio. Since the children''s styling was simple and they were very cooperative, they had finished taking their portrait photos. Rainie had chosen a ballet-themed portrait. She was thest to take the photos among the three of them. After the photography session, she noticed Luca and Lukeing in. She came forward happily and said, "Daddy, you look handsome. Ms. Luca, you''re so beautiful!" Luca smiled and let go of Luke''s hands. She held Rainie''s hands and said, "Let me guess. You chose a ballet-themed for your portrait photo, right?" "Yes. The makeup artist even put a pair of angel wings on me. Ms. Luca, do I look pretty?" Rainie spun around in front of her. It was obvious that she liked this style. "You look beautiful. I''m looking forward to seeing your photos. Anyway, where''s Lanie and Tommy?" Luca asked. "Lanie and Tommy have already finished their photography sessions. They''re going to get changed now. Aunt Neile is watching over them," replied Rainie. As Luke had requested the best photographer in the studio, their photos were taken by the same photographer. That was why they did not take photos at the same time. Luca set her worries aside when she heard that Aunt Neile was looking after the kids. The makeup artist''s assistant walked toward them and led them over. ¡°Mr. Crawford, Ms. Luca, this way to the studio with the 1930s backdrop.¡± ¡°Daddy, Ms. Luca, I''m going to get changed first. I''lle overter,¡± said Rainie. They still had to take some photos of Rainie in casual attire. There was no way Rainie was going to wear the ballet costume throughout. "Okay." Luca nodded. Luke wrapped his hand around Luca''s waist and headed to the photography studio with her. The photographer was already waiting inside. His eyes brightened up when he saw Luke and Luca come in. He had enjoyed taking photos of Luke and Luca at Susan''s birthday dinner. It was a pity that they were not sitting together when the birthday party was ending, and that was why he did not take more photos of them. "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Luca, nice to meet you. I''m your photographer. My name''s Ken. We can start now if you''re ready. Is that okay?" Ken asked for their opinions after introducing himself. Ken had high expectations when it came to photography. He could not wait to start taking photos of them when he saw such a good-looking couple. "Sure," replied Luke as he put his hand on Luca''s waist. The two of them stood close to each other, looking at the camera. Ken quickly asked the assistant to adjust the lighting before starting to take photos. After taking a few photos of them doing freestyle posing, Ken thought it was not enough. Hence, he instructed Luke and Luca to do a few gestures. "Ms. Luca, move a little to your side with your body facing Mr. Crawford''s chest," said Ken. Luca did what she was told to do. "Great. Mr. Crawford, lift your head a little. Ms. Luca, try to lift your head more with your lips facing Mr. Crawford''s Adam''s apple. That''s right. Make it look like you''re going to kiss him," instructed Ken. Ken guided them with their poses, closing the distance between them. They were so close to each other. Ken continued to shoot photos. He kept on guiding them to do new photo poses. He also changed the props and backdrop. Ken secretly thought that it was a pity that the weather was cold and it was freezing outside. Luke did not like the idea of going outdoors for the photoshoots. It would be great if he could take some photos outdoors too. Ken was constantly taking photos of them. He even forgot how long he had been taking photos of them. It was until his assistant reminded him in a low voice that the photos he took had exceeded the number of photos stated in the package that Ken stopped taking photos of them. Then, he said in an embarrassed tone, "I''m sorry. It''s taking longer than expected..." "It''s okay," replied Luca. She enjoyed the photo shooting session. Most importantly, she could have an excuse to stand so close to Luke in front of so many people. The makeup artist nced at the time and said, "We still have time. Ms. Luca, let''s get changed now." "Is there more?" Luca was surprised. "There''s one more for casual attire together with the kids," replied the makeup artist. Luca nodded and looked at the three kids who had changed into their casual attire. Then, she followed behind the makeup artist and left. Luke walked toward the kids, looked at them, and said, "Remember to behave yourselvester. Ask her to take more photos together." "I got it, Daddy." Tommy was the first one to answer him. Then, heplimented Luke, "Daddy, you''re handsome." "Daddy''s always handsome, right?" Rainie smiled and asked. When she was watching Daddy and Mommy taking photos just now, all she thought about was how great they looked together. "Daddy always looks good. Don''t worry, we know what to doter," said Tommy. It only took a while for the makeup artist to put on a daily makeup look on Luca''s face. The makeup artist took the curling iron and curled Luca''s hair as her hair was tied up and styled with hair gel just now. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca had never tried curling her hair for a daily look, but she thought it looked great on her when she saw it. After she changed into her casual attire, she was brought to another photo studio. Luke and the three kids were already here waiting for her. Ken was still the photographer. After he took a few photos of them as a family, he asked to take photos of just the three kids. After the three of them took a few photos, theyined that they felt tired and did not want to take more photos. The rest of the session was just Luke and Luca. Tommy looked at the two adults who were busy posing for photos. He could not help but ask, "Lanie, Rainie, am I doing well?" "You''re not a drag on Daddy this time," Rainie assured him. "Of course not. I''m the apple of Daddy''s eye," Tommy replied proudly. Luke had already reminded them before they began the photo shoot. Hence, the kids knew what to do when they were taking the family photos by letting them take more photos together. They felt content just being able to take photos with them. Chapter 2360 "I''ll never hold Daddy back," Tommy mumbled. While the three kids were chattering away, thest photoshoot session had ended. Before Luca could talk to the kids, the makeup artist''s assistant asked her to get changed and remove her makeup. Luke was not in a hurry. He walked toward the kids and said, ¡°All of you did well today.¡± ¡°Daddy, I think we did great too,¡± Tommy replied proudly. Luke stroked the kids'' heads topliment them. Then, he turned to look at Aune Neile and said, "Aunt Neile, after they remove their makeup, get them into Warren''s car and go back home." "Okay, Mr. Crawford.¡± Aunt Neile was confused after she agreed with Luke. Then, she asked, "Mr. Crawford, didn''t you say that Ms. Luca doesn''t know what to prepare for New Year''s and that''s why you asked me toe along with you?¡± "We still have time. List down the things that we should buy for New Year''s,¡± said Luke. Aunt Neile would not have to list down everything if Luke was not putting on a show. "Okay. I''ll text you," replied Aunt Neile with a nod. Then, she picked up her phone and began to list it down. Normally, Aunt Neile was responsible for buying things in the vi. She knew what to buy. Rainie asked, ¡°Daddy, aren''t you bringing us along with you?¡± ¡°Be good and go home together with Aunt Neile,¡± said Luke as he stroked Rainie''s head. It was merrier to bring the kids along, but it was troublesome. Although the kids would listen to him, Luke wanted to spend some time alone with Luca. He treasured every moment he could spend with Luca alone. Tommy was unhappy when he heard that. He pouted and said, ¡°Daddy, you promised us that you''d bring us along with you...¡± ¡°Be good,¡± Luke looked at him with a stern expression on his face. Lanie understood why Luke did not bring them along with him. Sometimes, there were many things he could do when there were children around them. Their father wanted to go on a date with their mother. If Luke brought them along with him, it would not be a date anymore. It would be a family activity instead. ¡°Rainie, Tommy, listen to Daddy." As the elder brother, Lanie made the decision. He agreed to leave first, setting a good example for his younger sister and brother. Rainie heard him and nodded. Since Lanie wanted to go home, then she would follow him back. Tommy still wanted to follow Luke. Rainie knew what Tommy was thinking about. She whispered to him in his ears in a soft voice, "Tommy, Daddy wants to go on a date with Ms. Luca. We can''t be their third wheel." Her voice was so soft that even Aunt Neile could not hear her. Tommy refused to give in when he heard they wanted to go on a date, but he eventually nodded and said, "Daddy, we''ll go home, but you have to buy a lot of snacks for us." "No problem," Luke agreed. Tommy knew how to negotiate and deal with others now. He would not lose out in the future. Tommy got it from his father. After Luke agreed to buy them snacks, the three kids went to remove their makeup happily and changed back into their clothes. The kids did not have much makeup on their faces. Hence, they were able to get changed quickly with the assistant''s help. Then, they left together with Aunt Neile. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. After Luca removed her makeup and changed into her own clothes, she noticed that Luke was already standing at the entrance. There was no sign of the three kids, so she asked with confusion, "Aren''t Lanie and the others done yet?" "They''re tired, so Aunt Neile brought them back home," replied Luke. "Is that so?" Luca did not doubt what Luke said. After all, taking photos was tiring. Hence, she said, "Aunt Neile isn''t here. I don''t know what to buy..." Luke stared at her. Luca was being careful. She knew how to put on a show. "It''s okay. She has already sent me the shopping list. Let''s get whatever on the list," said Luke. "Okay." Luca did not say anything more. She did not mind buying things to prepare for New Year''s, but it was too noticeable for Luke to show up in a shopping mall. Luca noticed the boutique beside them. They had spent all morning taking photos. Even the boutique beside the studio had opened. "Mr. Crawford, give me a minute," said Luca. After that, she walked into the boutique. The shop assistant in the boutique greeted her passionately and was about to entertain her. However, Luca knew what she wanted to get, so she was quick and straightforward. She bought a baseball cap for men, paid for it, and walked out of the boutique. Then, Luca handed the baseball cap to Luke and said, "Mr. Crawford, I don''t want to get surrounded by people when I''m shopping." Although Luke was not a celebrity, his influence in A City was bigger than the top stars. Many people admired Luke instead of the celebrities. If Luke got recognized by someone else, Luca and he would show up in the headlines of newspapers with her standing beside him. Her situation would be worse than Nina''s. Besides, those who would be scolding her would be greater in number than those who scolded Nina. It was due to her current identity. She had no status or position. Even though they slept together every night, nothing had happened between them. She could not be considered a true mistress, but would the others know about this? People would only think that she was a mistress if she walked together with Luke. The public was way too powerful nowadays. If they were to dig into it, they would definitely find out that they were staying together. Luca did not want to cause such trouble. "Okay." Luke took the cap from her without hesitation. Then, he put on the cap. Luca looked at him and said, "Something''s missing." "The masks are in the car''s drawer. Let''s go get something to eat first," said Luke. He had already booked a table to have lunch at the French restaurant on the top floor of the shopping mall. He heard that the food there was good. Luca nodded and followed him into the car. The two of them came to the shopping mall in the city center. They could find anything they wanted here, and they could get everything on the shopping list Aunt Neile sent to Luke. Luca thought of getting some clothes for the kids. Although she knew what sizes the children wore, it would be better to buy their clothes based on their preferences. However, the kids had already gone back home. Luke parked the car and noticed that Luca was lost in her thoughts. He asked in a low voice, "What''s in your mind?" "I was thinking that the kids would need new clothes for the new year, but they''re not here with us. What should I do if I buy something they don''t like..." said Luca. She knew her kids well. Her kids were the kindest sweethearts. Even if they did not like the clothes Luca chose for them, they would tell her they liked them. Luca was unwilling to see that happen if they really did not like the clothes they got. Luca hoped the kids could get what they truly wanted instead of forcing themselves to like the things given to them. "Let''s video call them and let them chooseter," Luke suggested. Luke had sent the kids away just to spend more time together with Luca alone. He did not expect that Luca would be thinking about the kids. Luke understood that Luca cared for her children. "Sounds like a good idea." Luca nodded. After they arrived at the French restaurant, Luke give them thest few digits of his phone number, then the waiter led them to their private room. Chapter 2361 := Categories Search... / / Chapter 2361 Couple''s Lunch Set Twins in Her Womb: Sir President, Please be Gentle Chapter 2361 Couple''s Lunch Set After they were seated, the waiter asked, ¡°Mr. Crawford, should we serve the dishes now?" "Yes." Luke nodded. He had already ced the order when he was booking the private room. After all, there were a ton of things they needed to buy, so doing this would save some time. He did not want to see Luca being tired. Luca did not say anything after knowing that Luke had ced the order for them. She picked up the ss of lemonade and took a few sips. She was wearing lipstick during the photoshoot. It would trouble the makeup artist to touch up her lipstick whenever she drank some water. That was why she did not drink anything. She was thirsty now. The waiter nodded. When he was about to leave, Luke said, "I''d like to have a ss of grape juice, please." "Okay, Mr. Crawford. Just a moment," replied the waiter. After the waiter left, there were only two of them in the private room. Luca sat right opposite Luke. She felt embarrassed. Then, she picked up the ss of lemonade and took another few sips. She soon finished it. When Luca thought of saying something to break the silence, her phone rang. Luca took her phone out of her bag and nced at it. It was Tommy who called. She turned to look at Luke and exined to him, "Tommy is making a video call." "Answer it," replied Luke. Luca ced the ss on the center of the table, making it a temporary phone holder. She leaned her phone on the ss, then pressed the answer button. "Hey Tommy, what''s the matter?" Tommy''s dark, big eyes blinked as he said in a childish voice, "Ms. Luca, have you eaten?" "I''m about to eat now," replied Luca as she shot a nce at Luke. She did not know what Tommy was going to tell her. Luke was still in front of her. "Where''s Daddy?" Tommy asked. Luca was about to pick up her phone, but Luke reached out and held her wrist. "Huh?" Luca looked at Luke in surprise. Luke rose to his feet and walked toward her back. Then, he pulled the chair beside them and sat down on the chair. He was slightly behind her. Then, he asked Tommy, who was on the other end of the video, "Yes?" Luca could feel her ears burning all of a sudden. She slightly turned her face back and looked at the distance between Luke and her. They were so close that she only had to turn around to be able to lean on Luke''s shoulder. Tommy looked at the two of them, smiled, and said, "I called to remind Daddy to get me my snacks. I want choctes and cookies. Oh yes, please get some strawberry candy too. I''m not eating those. I just want to share them with my ssmates when school reopens." ¡°Tommy, you can''t be too greedy.¡± Luke raised his brows. This little boy had gone too far. Tommy chose to make a video call to Luca just to remind Luke to buy these for him in front of Luca. That way, Luke had no choice but to agree with him. Otherwise, this little boy would tell Luca that his father deliberately sent them away just to go on a date with Luca. "And nougats. I''d like to have those too. By the way, Daddy, there must be almonds in the chocte. If you don''t know how to choose them, leave this task to Ms. Luca. The ones she buy taste good," Tommy continued chattering away. Luke''s face turned a little gloomy. Rainie, who was nearby, heard Tommy talking to the tablet. She came forward and nced at the tablet with curiosity. Their father''s face had be gloomy. Tommy would be lectured if Rainie did not stop him. Thus, Rainie pulled Tommy away and said, "That''s enough, Tommy. Daddy and Ms. Luca will get them for you. Stop it. Besides, many people will be coming for the New Year''s celebration. There''ll be tons of snacks.¡± "I don''t care. Daddy promised me." Tommy turned his face and said to Rainie. Then, he turned to look at Luke and asked, "Daddy, have you memorized them?" "Yes," Luke replied in a deep voice. There was a trace of shrewdness in Tommy''s eyes. How dared this little boy set him up. "Great. Daddy, Ms. Luca, we''re going to have lunch now. Goodbye." Tommy waved his hand and hung up the call before Luke and Luca could respond. "You promised Tommy?" Luca asked. Usually, they would always have snacks at home, but most of them were healthy snacks like fruits. As for cookies, they would choose certain brands that were healthy for the kids, but the kids loved eating choctes. Still, Luke would not buy too many choctes for them for the sake of their health. "Yes." Luke put the chair back and returned to his seat that was opposite her. Their gazes met. Luca nodded and said, "I know how to make them, and they can be quite healthy too." "You know how to make them?" Luke asked. "Apart from strawberry candy, I know how to make the others..." replied Luca. The ingredients for cookies were butter and flour, while marshmallows and almonds would be needed to make nougats. Making chocte was easy too. She only had to buy cocoa beans to make them. "Let''s go get some ingredientster. Can you make those for them?" Luke asked. The ones he bought outside would not be as good as homemade ones. Luke refused to let the kids have too many snacks like those. He thought they were unhealthy for them. That was why Tommy seized the chance to ask him to buy more snacks this time. However, he was reluctant to buy them for the children. It was not because he was unwilling to spend money but it was for their own good. Aunt Neile did not know how to make these snacks due to her age. ¡°Okay. It''s healthier for the kids if I can make them myself too. We don''t have to worry about their health either." Luca agreed with him and promised to make the snacks for the kids. There would be no additives added to the snacks if she made them herself. She could make anything the kids were craving that day. It was healthy and good for them. "Thank you," said Luke. Thepany would only give the employees their holidays starting on Monday. Holidays were for them to rx and take a break from work, but it seemed like Luca would be busy taking care of the kids during the holidays. "They''re not difficult to make, but I''m worried that the kids will be unhappy when they realized we only bought the ingredients back," replied Luca. Even if home-cooked food tasted good, it would not taste as good as the ones sold outside. It was the same for snacks. Even though she could make delicious snacks, the snacks sold outside always tasted better than the homemade ones. Hence, Luca was worried that the kids would feel disappointed. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. "They won''t. They love everything you make," Luke assured her. The three kids loved everything that Luca made for them. Food prepared by others did not taste as good as Luca''s homemade food. Hence, the idea of home-cooked food not tasting as good as the foods sold outside was inapplicable to Luca. Luca nodded. She was good at making food and snacks for the kids. There was a knock on the door. The next second, the waiter pushed the dining cart in, walked into the room, and served the dishes on the table. After serving them, the waiter asked, "May I know who''s having the grape juice..." "It''s for her," answered Luke. He noticed that Luca was drinking a lot of water earlier, and he knew she was thirsty. That was why he ordered a ss of grape juice for her. "Miss, here''s your ss of grape juice," said the waiter. He ced the ss beside Luca and said, "The couple''s lunch set has been served. Please press the bell if you need anything." Chapter 2362 Luca was surprised, then she turned to look at Luke. Couple¡¯s lunch set? Luca nced at the dishes on the table. They were indeed a couple¡¯s meal set. She noticed that the foie gras was in a heart shape too. The same went with the straw of the grape juice. Luke noticed that Luca was surprised, but he did not make any exnation. There was nothing much to exin. They were on a date, after all. Of course, it had to be romantic. It was normal to order a couple¡¯s meal set. After the waiter left and closed the door, Luke ced the appetizer and main course in front of her. He said, "Try them and see if you like them." Luca nodded. Then, she had a taste of the appetizer. It tasted like authentic French cuisine. She nodded and said, "It tastes good." ¡°Have some more,¡± said Luke. He picked up the cutleries and tasted the food as well. As expected from a restaurant rmended by a food magazine. The food tasted good. Luke tasted the food while sizing Luca up at the same time. Luca was having some foie gras. She touched her face with some confusion when Luke stared at her. She asked, "Mr. Crawford, is there something on my face?" "No," replied Luke. The corner of his lips curled up a little. He did not expect to act like a little boy when eating his lunch while looking at the woman he loved. However, it had been a long time since he went on a date with Luca alone. He almost forgot how it felt. Luke felt like a teenager in love with a girl when he looked at Luca. Even though Luca''s appearance had changed, he could still remember the moments he spent with her in their high school years. A nce at her could make his heart race and spark his soul. Luca¡¯s face reddened a little with Luke staring at her like this. She already had four children, but she would still blush when Luke was looking at her like that. It was as though she was still a young girl facing someone she loved. Even though she was socially inexperienced back then, she could not help but fall for him. "Mr. Crawford, the food in front of you is more tempting." Luca cleared her throat, and she could not stop herself from saying that. Her heart would continue to beat faster if Luke looked at her like this while she was eating her lunch. ¡°You taste better than the food." Luke was being honest and admitted how alluring Luca was to him. Luca widened her eyes. She could not believe what she had heard. A man who had always been cold and arrogant actually said something like this. Luca suddenly recalled that many years ago before they had children, they had once sat on the rattan chairs on the balcony. They whispered to each other and told each other how much they had fallen in with each other in a soft voice. Love was in the air, and they eventually... Luca''s face reddened like a tomato. "What''s on your mind?" Luke smiled when he looked at her reddened face. "Nothing." Luca shook her head. There was no way she could tell him what she was thinking about. Luke did not force her to tell him when Luca refused to tell him. Her reddened face had already exined everything to him. "Have some more." "Okay." Luca looked down and forced herself to try her best not to look at Luke. She was afraid that she would lose control and think of other stuff when she looked at him. It would eventually be revealed on her face. Luke was smart. She could not hide anything from him. The waiter came in again after they finished their lunch. He cleaned up the table and brought two mousse cakes in. The cakes were heart-shaped too. He smiled, looked at the two of them, and asked, "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Luca, we help take photos for our customers as a souvenir. You may take the photo with you or leave it in the restaurant. Would you like to take one?" Before Luke could say anything, Luca immediately replied, "No, thank you." Luke did not say a word. He knew why she refused to take the photo, and he did not force her either. After all, they had just taken so many photos together. If Luca was unwilling to take more photos now, then he would just let her be. "The food magazine stated that there''s a daily limited supply for this dessert. You won''t be able to have this if youete. Try this." Luke handed one of them to her. "Thank you." Luca picked up the dessert fork and took a small piece of it. She put it in her mouth and tasted it. There was a rich aroma, and the sweetness was just perfect. It melted in her mouth. It glided down her throat before she could chew it. It was silky-smooth. Luca smiled and thought of the kids. She said, "If Rainie and Tommy were here, they would love it." "I''ve already ordered takeouts for them," replied Luke. He ordered six of them, and he was nning to give one to Aunt Neile too. Although Luke was on a date with Luca, he was still a thoughtful father. The ingredients of the restaurant were fresh. He ced his order when he saw the mousse cake. Luca gave him a gentle smile and said, "The kids will be delighted to see it." "Yes. They love desserts," replied Luke. Lanie had the least interest in desserts among the three of them. However, Luca agreed that the dessert tasted good. Therefore, Lanie should like it too. Lanie was Luca''s son. There were always many simrities between a mother and her son, such as their taste preferences. Luca and Lanie shared the same preferences. After lunch, Luke and Luca left the restaurant. They came to the biggest supermarket in the shopping mall, Walmart. Then, they started buying the things needed for the New Year''s celebration based on the list given by Aunt Neile. The most important thing to get in a supermarket was food and other ingredients. After all, the dishes served during New Year were more sumptuous than usual. Hence, after Luca bought all the ingredients and things on the list, she bought other ingredients that she thought she might use. Of course, she did not forget about the ingredients used to make the kids'' snacks.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. After she bought everything, the two ended up with three big bags. Luke was carrying two of them while Luca carried one in her hands. Luke looked at the things they bought for the New Year''s celebration and said, ¡°Why don''t we put these back in the car first?" "Sure," Luca nodded. There were many other things they needed to buy. There was no way they could carry these while they continued shopping. The shopping mall belonged to T Corporation. However, if Luke revealed his identity, it would cause an uproar. That was why Luke was wearing the cap and mask, keeping a low profile. They got into the elevator and headed to the basement parking lot. After Luke put the two bags into his car trunk, he took the bag in Luca''s hand. He noticed that her hands were pale white from carrying the heavy bag. After Luke put the bag into the car trunk, he locked the car. Then, he took Luca''s hand and looked closely at her fingers. He frowned and said, "Your fingers..." "They''ll go back to normal soon," said Luca. She wanted to withdraw her hand, but Luke held it tight. He did not intend to let her hand go. "I should''ve asked someone to carry it for you," Luke said. He could not bear to see Luca get hurt. However, the bag was really big. It would be inconvenient for him to walk while carrying three big bags alone. That was why Luca suggested carrying one of them, and Luke agreed. He did not expect the lightest bag to leave a mark on her long, slim fingers. "It''s nothing. I''m not hurt. The mark will be gone soon. Mr. Crawford, don''t make a big deal out of it," said Luca. She looked indifferently at the mark on her fingers after carrying something heavy. It was not a big deal. Besides, her fingers were not as smooth as before after training for a few years. They were no longer soft and smooth. Chapter 2363 Luke pouted as he could not wait to tell the world that his beloved Bianca had returned. However, he could onlyply with her orders as of right now to keep a low profile and not expose her identity, which made him feel helpless. He liked to be in control of everything, and he felt a sense of aplishment knowing that everything was going ording to his n. This situation with Luca gave him a sense of frustration. Luke tried his best to grasp more about Luca''s situation, but he still felt powerless in the end. ¡°Mr. Crawford?" When Luca noticed his grim expression, she thought that her previous statement had upset him. The mall belonged to him, so having someone follow them around while carrying their bags was normal. However, they had no choice but to carry their own bags because of her request to keep a low profile. Hence, they lost preferential treatment. "Okay, we can make a few trips so you don''t need to carry so much." Luke came to his senses and made this decision. He could only carry so much with both his hands, so he had to make a few trips as he could not bear seeing Luca carrying things. "Oh, alright." Luca was a little surprised as she nodded. After cing the groceries into the car, Luca brought Luke to the gift shop to help choose gifts for Old Master Crawford, the Norman family, and the Rayne family, They were not just any rtives, so she carefully picked out their gifts as they could not be casual about it. Luke silently watched herpare different supplements as he believed that her choice was the best. She understood the condition of Old Master Crawford, the Normans, Old Master Rayne, and even Wanda''s health. Thus, she would pick the ones that suited them the best to nourish their body. Luca selected several products and looked at Luke. "I think these would be suitable." "Then buy them all." Luke handed the bank card to the staff member. The staff member''s eyes lit up. "Sir, do you want all of these?" "Yes." Luke nodded. Luca''s original intention was to pick options and let Luke choose from them. She did not expect him to buy everything. ¡°Mr. Crawford, it''s too many..." ¡°We can''t visit them often because we''re usually busy with work, and we only go during New Year''s to send them some supplements, so these aren''t much," said Luke. Her family was family to him as well, so it was not much in his eyes. "I''ll take them all." "Okay, you''re gifting them, right?" The staff member confirmed with them as they would include better packaging if they were giving them away. "Yes." Luke nodded. "Alright, sir, Madam. It may take some time for us to finish packing, so perhaps you can take a seat in the resting area?" the staff member said smilingly as she swiped Luke''s card and handed it back respectfully. Luke took it back and walked over to the resting area to take a seat while holding Luca''s hand. They waited for the staff members to finish packing their items. The two staff members worked efficiently as they were done wrapping the gifts after five minutes. "Sir, Madam, your gifts are ready. Here''s a shopping voucher for you. You can drop by anytime in the future. Have a nice day." Luke took the initiative to carry all the bags. When Luca was ready to carry them, she saw that he had already taken everything. "You sit here first. I''ll go put these in the car." "There are so many. Let me help you." She stood up. "No need." Luke refused, not wanting to burden her hands. The staff noticed and instantly said, "Sir, our staff can help you carry them, but you''ll need to lead the way." "Alright." Luke put down the bags. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. The staff member summoned a strong male colleague and said, "Help this gentleman bring these to his car." "Alright, Ms. N." The male staff member lifted all the bags. Luke looked at Luca. "Wait for me here. I''ll be back in a bit." "Okay." Luca realized that Luke did not want her to get tired from running around, so she agreed to sit there. Luke left with the male staff member. Afterward, the remaining staff member said with a smile, "Madam, I''ll go serve the other customers now." "Alright, don''t mind me," said Luca as she took out her phone and scrolled. A momentter, new customers entered the store. Luca did not pay much attention to them as she was on her phone, but she froze the moment she heard their voice. Mavis looked at the dazzling array of goods and frowned as she asked her good friend, Molly, "Why do you alwayse here to buy things before New Year''s? You''ve been giving gifts for years, yet you still haven''t impressed them. I think you should just save your money and live your own life. He doesn''t care about his rtionship with his family anyway." Molly stopped selecting supplements and looked at her. ¡°Marriage isn''t a simple family matter. It''s complicated. You''re single, so you won''t understand." "Howplicated could it be? He doesn''t care about his family and has already married you. You can just take care of your own family." Mavis did not think that it was thatplicated. What could they not solve with money? She thought that Molly was too soft. She gave up her career for her small family, which was why she was looked down on by her husband''s family. "I want him to get along better with his family. We want children in the future, and we''d need his family''s help. By the way, how has your love life beentely? I heard that some rich guy is pursuing you. Did you give him a chance?" Molly asked with a smile. "What rich guy? He just works in a bank. Forget it, we''re notpatible." The smile on Mavis'' face disappeared at the mention of that person. The person pursuing her was a vice president. His family must be influential and have connections for him to be able to achieve that position at such a young age. The way he pursued her was also very brazen. It was in line with what all women would consider romantic, but she just did not like him... Besides, all these qualities were not outstanding enough in her eyes. "Even a vice president isn''t good enough for you? He''s young and sessful," said Molly as she did not understand why Mavis was so picky. She knew that man as well. He was a handsome man who came from a good family and had a good job. He was good enough to be paired up with a strong woman like Mavis. "How did you even find out about this?" Mavis did not expect that man to be so high profile. She wondered if everyone who knew her was already aware of this man''s existence. Going to such lengths to make her say yes was foolish. "Does he not know your preferences?" Molly asked. "That''s what I''m saying. Were you the one who told him?" Mavis had previously wondered how he knew her preferences so well. "He approached me to ask, but I didn''t say much. Perhaps he asked your other friends too." Molly picked two packets of vitamins and continued to browse other nutritional products. Chapter 2364 ¡°His actions made me even more annoyed." Mavis frowned as she felt even more disgust for that person. Molly shook her head and bought two boxes of calcium tablets. "You just hate when people make a move on you first. I think he''s not bad, but you''re disgusted just because he took the initiative. Don''t tell me that after so many years, you''re still hanging onto that cold Mr. Crawford?" Luca was looking at a magazine, but as soon as she heard ''Mr. Crawford'', her attention was diverted over there. At the mention of Luke, Mavis'' eyes showed emotions of a broken heart as she was bound to be at the mercy of Luke. Although she had not met Luke for a long time, every dream she had was rted to him. Her longing and love kept increasing with every news report about him. Many people had pursued her over the years, but none of them were as outstanding as Luke. Mavis would not settle for just anyone, so she regarded all those men as yboys and ignored them. Her heart was already upied. Although she was aware thatparing those guys to Luke was a bit unfair, she could not help it. Ever since she met him, all she could think about was how great he was. This was despite him being cold and never showing her any affection. Was the perfect teamwork they had at work not much more meaningful than love? Mavis liked strong characters who rose above everyone else, unlike her admirers, who thought highly of themselves after achieving a little sess in their respective fields. They thought that they were worthy of her. However, they were not worthy of her at all! After noticing Mavis'' silence, Molly knew the answer and let out a long sigh. She handed her selected supplements and credit card to the staff member and said, "I want to gift them, so please wrap them up nicely." "No problem. Please wait in the resting area for a while." The staff member took the supplements and swiped the card before proceeding to wrap the gifts. Molly nodded and took Mavis'' hand as they sat at the table next to Luca. "Mavis, it''s been five or six years. Why are you still so deadset on this?" She looked at her best friend resignedly. Over the years, she had seen many young talents pursue her best friend, yet she only had eyes for Luke as if she was stuck in a trap. She had nothing to do with that man, yet Mavis still liked him so much even though she never got a response from him. Besides, it had been a long time since the two met. Mavis held her phone and stared at her chat history with Luke while in a daze, Molly thought that they used to have something going on between them other than work, which was why she wanted to see the chat logs. If Luke had really done something bad to her, then as her best friend, she would definitely help her. However, when she saw the chat logs, she realized that the content was all work-rted. Luke had never said anything remotely flirtatious to Mavis. Moreover, he never gave Mavis a chance to say anything flirtatious too. He would ignore her whenever she brought up even the tiniest private matter. Molly had to admit that Luke handled this very well without taking advantage of Mavis. Even then, Mavis still could not stop thinking about him after so long. Molly could notprehend it as other than them being in a supervisor and subordinate rtionship, there were no romantic memories or flirtatious conversations between them. Yet, Mavis had wasted almost a decade of her life just like that. How many years of youth did a woman have? Mavis started working at T Corporation ever since she graduated. She was very capable, so she was promoted early and became Luke''s right-hand woman. ording to her, that was when she developed feelings for Luke. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Molly did the math in her head. It had indeed been a decade. A decade of youth was wasted. Mavis was still pretty and attractive, so she had a lot of admirers, but they all could not get her approval. As great of a man they were, they would go for other women after getting rejected by her. Molly wanted to persuade her to consider those men. Although they were not as outstanding as Luke, their conditions were much better than the average person''s. ¡°Molly, it''s not a matter of time anymore. Don''t try to persuade me." Mavis knew what she was going to say. Molly was one of the few people who were close to her and treated her with sincerity. It was understandable that she wanted to persuade her to open up her mind. However, it was easier said than done as giving up her love for Luke was too difficult. "He and his wife already have three children, yet you''re still like this. You''ll suffer in the future," said Molly as everyone knew that Luke had three kids with his wife. Other women who wanted to be the stepmother to those children did not stand a chance. "So what? I just can''t let go. Plus, Molly, don''t you know that his wife is no longer in the country? I heard that they''re having rtionship problems and that his wife is no longer worthy of Luke after suffering those things," Mavis mentioned Bianca with hatred. She believed the rumors of Luke and Bianca not getting along. After all, Bianca was kidnapped and forced to sell her body. She even suffered from amnesia and lost her mind. So many men hadid their hands on her. How could a clean freak like Luke be able to ept having someone like her sleeping next to his pillow? Hence, Mavis saw a glimmer of hope. She just needed to meet Luke to get a chance. Luca dropped her gaze and was speechless. The woman who reced her had really tarnished her reputation. If she returned to her old identity... Luca curled her lips. What was she thinking? Even if she got rid of Abel, how could she face Luke and reveal her true identity? She had done so many things to hurt him. As much as she loved him, she did not have the heart nor the reason to tell him. After hearing their conversation, she thought that it was time for her to go out. Otherwise, Mavis might recognize Luke if she waited here. She had worked with Luke for so many years, and her love for him was so deep it had reached her bones. She may even be able to recognize him even when he was wearing a hat and mask. Luca stood up and saw Luke walk into the store. The resting area was close to the entrance, so she hurriedly walked over and said, "Let''s go." She did not even call his name for fear of being heard by Mavis. She was not afraid that Luke would develop feelings after meeting Mavis, but she was worried that Mavis would recognize Luke and stir up trouble that involved her. Plus, it was better for Mavis not to see Luke in this state. She was not worried about other things, but from a woman''s perspective, if she could not let go, seeing him again would make it even harder. "Okay." Luke''s eyes were focused on Luca as he held her hand and left without noticing Mavis and Molly. However, his faint response made Mavis jolt out of her seat. "Mavis, why are you.." Molly looked at Mavis in surprise. Chapter 2365 ¡°Molly, I think that person was him," said Mavis as she was about to walk out. Molly tugged on her hand and said with a frown, "Did you mistake him for someone else? How could there be such a coincidence? Plus, I think he was with a woman. Isn''t his wife abroad?" "I would''ve mistaken anyone else but not him. Wait here." Mavis withdrew her hand and ran out. She spotted his figure not far away. Mavis ran in front of them, and tears welled up in her eyes. Although the man in front of her was wearing a cap and mask, she could tell that it was Luke from his physique and voice. "Is it you?" Her voice could not help but tremble. Luca did not expect Mavis to recognize Luke from one single word. Well, they did work together closely in their previous cooperations. Luke frowned when he saw Mavis in front of him. It had been three years since hest saw her. At that time, she used her ownpany to snatch the opportunity to cooperate with Brilliant Architectural Design LLC. Now, she still had the guts to show up in front of him. Luke did not want to cause unnecessary trouble, so he said in a hoarse voice, "You have the wrong person." "How could I be mistaken? Even if you fake your voice, I know it''s you..." Mavis looked at the two of them holding hands tightly. This woman was obviously not Bianca. He really did encounter problems with Bianca, and had found a new love now. What gave him the right to find someone new when she had been waiting for him here all this time? She did not even cross his mind when he found another woman. She pointed at Luca and asked, "Who''s this?" Luke intended to ignore her as it had always just been Mavis''s wishful thinking. He had never made any promise to her. "Lu¡ª" Mavis saw that he was about to leave with Luca and immediately blocked his path. "I''ve missed you all these years," she told him about her obsession with him without any regard for the bystanders looking at her. Luca was getting anxious as Mavis had attracted the eyes of many passersby. If she called out Luke''s name, it would cause amotion. Ordinary people may not know who Luke was, but the people who frequented this mall were either senior white-cors or from a noble family, so they would know Luke''s name for sure. She looked at Mavis and could tell that she was heartbroken from her eyes. Now, Mavis knew for a fact that Luke and Bianca had broken up. However, Luke got together with her instead of Mavis, so she must feel wronged. Having such feelings along with the long period of torment, there was no saying if she might do something stupid. Luca was a little worried. Luke did not say a word. He pulled Luca away as he wanted to leave. Mavis watched as their shoulders brushed against hers, and she could not bear looking at their interlocked hands. She hissed at Luke. ¡°I liked you for so many years, and now that you''re finally... You''re finally.." She paused and added, "Why didn''t you give me a chance? Why did you choose someone else instead." Luke stopped in his steps, and Luca followed suit. Luca sensed that Luke was annoyed. She looked at the side of his face with concern. "Miss, I don''t know you. You have the wrong person. Why are you butting in other people''s business?" Every single word Luke said stabbed Mavis in her heart like sharp des. Mavis took a step backward and was in disbelief that the man in front of her could be so heartless. He was once very devoted to Bianca, and he had always been this heartless to her. Although she was still unconvinced, she could not do anything as he had someone else. It did not seem like he had any intention of cheating either. Hence, no matter how much she liked him, what could she do? However, now that she saw the light at the end of the tunnel, Luke destroyed it by getting together with another woman. Mavis was hurt. Why was it not her? Molly rushed out with a few bags in her hands and realized that Mavis had already caused a scene as several people were pointing at her, so she hurried forward. "Mavis, stop it. Let''s go back." Mavis shook off her hand and looked at Luke leaving with Luca as she said, "You''ll regret being so heartless to me one day!" "That''s enough, Mavis. You got the wrong person. Don''t dwell on it. Let''s go." Molly saw that some people had already pulled their phones out, so she hurriedly pulled Mavis away. Mavis was also rtively known in the business industry. Although she was still in love with Luke, it did not mean that she could not pick someone else. Molly still had hope that there would be someone who could untie the knot in Mavis'' heart one day. If this matter was made public, then there would not be many people pursuing Mavis anymore. Those men loved that Mavis reigned the industry and she was straight to the point. If they knew that Mavis lost her senses for a man, they would lose interest. Mavis might have to grow old alone. Luca nced back slightly and saw that Mavis and Molly were not following them. She heaved a sigh of relief. "You''re not a thief. Why are you acting so guilty." Luke noticed her small movements and teased her as the Mavis situation did not faze him at all. "I was afraid that she would cause a scene and call out your name.." Luca said bluntly. "I didn''t expect to meet her." Luke frowned as he recalled her unusual behavior when he walked into the store. He deliberately asked, "But how did you know that she recognized me?" Luca''s mind spun fast. Of course, she knew Mavis. She had gone through several conflicts with Luke because of that woman. However, she was not Bianca, so she could not talk about the past. Luca said, "They mentioned you when they were waiting for their items, so I found out that the woman has liked you for many years." "Really? Howe I don''t know that?" Luke asked her. Luca was speechless. He was pretty smart. How could he not know? He had known since long ago. Otherwise, how could Mavis be transferred away from the headquarters of T Corporation which left her no choice but to leave her post? Saying that he did not know was too unbelievable. "I heard that it''s been ten years. I even heard from her best friend that she still thinks about you all the time. I didn''t want to be treated as an onlooker, so I was going to leave, but I didn''t expect you toe in at that moment," said Luca. "She used to be a senior executive at T Corporation. If she had stuck to her duties as a senior executive, perhaps she would be in the same position as Jason by now. Too bad she had other ideas, and I could no longer tolerate it," said Luke. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. There were too many people trying to make a move on him. He could not cut everyone off. However, the woman he loved the most would be jealous when other women hit on him, so he would not allow such a thing to happen. When Mavis volunteered to leave, he did not object. He happily agreed, but he did not expect that after all these years, she could still get herself into trouble. Chapter 2366 Luca nodded and said thoughtfully, ¡°I overheard their conversation earlier. She seems to have an unhealthy obsession." "She''s left her post for many years. When she left, we didn''t have any form of contact at all," said Luke. After Mavis proposed to resign, he deleted her contact. Besides, there was no reason for them to keep in contact. Luca thought to herself that she was aware that Luke had really cut all ties with Mavis at the time. However, no one expected that even after a few years, the love Mavis had for him still had not died down. Luca said, "I also heard¡À" "I''m not interested in her affairs." Luke squeezed her hand tightly. This woman kept bringing Mavis up. "Are you jealous?" Luca blinked and said resignedly, "Of course not..." She trusted Luke, so she would not let such trivial things ruin her mood. "Stop mentioning irrelevant people. What else do you need to buy?" Luke did not notice anything strange in her expression, which made him disappointed. How nice would it be if she got jealous over him? He did not continue the conversation and had no intention of letting the trip end just like this. It was just Mavis. How could she interrupt his date with Luca? Although they were just out to buy New Year''s goods, it was still considered a date as long as they were together. "Just some clothes. Mr. Crawford, you didn''t custom-make any clothes this year, right?" Luca lived with him, so she could recall that he had not ordered any clothes. "I didn''t. You can pick some out for me." Luke did not custom-make any clothes as he was busy. Plus, there were still some unworn clothes in his closet at home, as well as in Crawford Manor. Whether or not he bought clothes, there would still be new clothes for him to wear. However, if Luca picked out some clothes for him, it would hold a different meaning. "Okay." Luca did not think much of it. The only thing that urred to her was that he should wear new clothes in the new year. If he had not made any clothes, then they should go buy some. The moment Luke walked into the men''s clothing store, he became a human clothing rack as Luca picked out all the clothes she wanted him to wear during New Year''s. After coordinating some outfits, she let him take his pick. ¡°Everything you chose looks nice. I''ll take them all. I want new ones, not these," Luke said to the staff member after making up his mind. "Yes, sir. There are so many clothes. Are you sure you don''t want to try them on? It would be troublesome toe back if the size doesn''t fit," asked the staff member. They were all picked out by Luca. Luke did not even try them on after she matched the outfits. "Just give me these. There won''t be any mistake." Luca knew his size. How could there be a mistake? Moreover, other men might have worn these before. He was especially particr about cleanliness, so he would not try them on. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Alright, I''ll go get you new ones, then." The staff member said with delight as they were all high-end brands, and with the amount Luke bought, her year-end bonus would be much higher. Luca looked at him. "Mr. Crawford, are you sure you don''t want to pick some out?" "You have a good eye. Plus, it''s not like I can only wear these during New Year''s. The ones you picked out are suitable for everyday wear too," Luke said with certainty. He had a point. Luca nodded and was secretly d that she had learned from her previous experience, so she did not pick out a lot. Otherwise, Luke would have bought them all, and he would have to make a trip to the car once again. After the staff member had wrapped all the clothes, Luca and Luke went to the children''s clothing store for her to pick out New Year''s clothes for the kids as well. She intended to gift the clothes to them on New Year''s Eve. After seeing her do so, Luke followed suit and picked some out for the kids too. All this while, he would just give the kids some pocket money. Although they did notin and were rather pleased, a handpicked gift would make them even happier. After picking the gifts, Luke praised her, "You know them the best." Luca smiled and called the kids but to no avail. Luke looked at the time and guessed, "They could be taking a nap." "Perhaps..." Luca was helpless as the children fell asleep when all they had left to buy was the kid''s clothes. "They''ll like everything you buy. Just choose for them," Luke said as she was the mother of the kids, so naturally, she would know better than him although he was the father. ''"M-Me?" Luca looked at him "You do it." Luke nodded as he did not know much about kid''s clothing. Luca picked out a few clothes in a row. As they were gifts from Luke for the kids, she did not have to be thrifty. When she was choosing, Luke said, "I''ll go out for a while." "Okay." Luca did not think much of it. She picked out several clothes for the kids, not just New Year''s clothes but also new pajamas. Everything had to be new for the new year. It was a sign of good luck for the children. After a while, Luke walked in with several bags in his hands. Luca noticed and she said without question, ¡°Mr. Crawford, I''m done choosing." ¡°Okay, I''ll go pay." Luke handed his credit card to the staff. After checking out, they carried several bags in their hands, but they were not heavy. Moreover, Luca insisted on carrying them, so Luke did not stop her. Both of them went back to the vi after a sessful shopping trip. Aunt Neile knew that they had bought many things, so when she heard the car, she rushed out to help them carry their things. "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, you bought this much?" Aunt Neile said in shock as she did not think that she had this many things on her checklist. "Well, we bought some stuff for the kids," Luca exined. As she was about to carry the things, Luke went forward and handed the bags filled with clothes to Luca. They were the lightest bags. Luca took them and saw Luke hand some other rtively light ones to Aunt Neile. "Aunt Neile, you can carry these." "Yes, Mr. Crawford." Aunt Neile lifted them and felt like they were light, so she said, "Mr. Crawford, you can give me more. These are quite light." "It''s okay, I''ll take care of the rest. You can go in first," said Luke. Although Aunt Neile was the maid, he was a man, so it only made sense for him to carry more. Aunt Neile had toply, and she looked toward Luca to say, "Ms. Craw, let''s go in." "Okay." Luca nodded and walked into the vi with Aunt Neile. They ced the bags on the sofa, and there was no sight of the children, so she asked, "By the way, Aunt Neile, where are the kids?" "The young masters and Ms. Rainie are taking a nap as they were exhausted from this morning''s photoshoot," said Aunt Neile as they did not usually nap this long. However, they had used up all their energy today after working hard all morning, so they needed sleep to recharge their battery. "You''re right, they must be tired." Luca sighed softly and decided to go help Luke carry the bags. However, she saw that he had taken them all in one go. "Let me do it."Luca went up to help. The bags were heavy, but this weight was nothing to her. Chapter 2367 They ced the bags on the coffee table and Luca began to sort the things. She was able to distinguish the items in the bag by the branding on the bags. Luca took out the bag that contained dessert and handed it to Aunt Neile. ¡°Aunt Neile, this is the cake Mr. Crawford bought for you and your family." "There''s something for me too?" Aunt Neile said in surprise, then looked at Luke to thank him. "Thank you, Mr. Crawford and Ms. Craw." "You''re wee," said Luke. He looked at his phone screen and noticed some unread messages, so he said to Luca, "I need to go take care of some things." "Okay." Luca nodded, and after seeing him go upstairs, she picked up a few supermarket bags and unloaded the things. Some were kept at room temperature, whereas some had to be refrigerated. After Luca sorted the ones that had to go in the refrigerator, she said to Aunt Neile, "Aunt Neile, these need to be kept in the refrigerator. Could you please help me store them?" "Okay, Ms. Craw. " Aunt Neile went forward to help store them and noticed several ingredients for making snacks, so she asked, "Ms. Craw, why did you buy so many ingredients?" "Mr. Crawford said that store-bought snacks aren''t healthy, so I''m going to make some myself," Luca exined with a smile as it was all for the children''s best interest. "Right, making them yourself is much healthier for the kids as children love eating junk food these days. Store-bought snacks contain too many additives and preservatives, which are bad for a child''s growth. It''s great that you know how to make them. My daughter-inw doesn''t, so she has to buy some outside when the kid demands it. He caught a mild fever from eating too much, so he had to go see a doctor." Aunt Neile sighed resignedly as her grandson had a fever again. However, it was not as bad asst time as her daughter-inw and her son had taken leave. Luca smiled, Aunt Neile was right, but she wondered if the kids would like the snacks she made. Besides, kids only had one philosophy, store-bought would always taste better than homemade. Perhaps her kids would think the same. After keeping everything she bought from the mall, she carefully ced the more expensive gifts in the storage room as these were for Luke to gift to others. They could not be broken. After thinking about it, she lifted them again and ced them on a shelf so that the kids would not identally break them when they came in to get stuff. These gifts were for his and her parents anyway. Luke was respectful to his elders, which meant that he was respectful to her parents, grandfather, and aunt as well. After putting everything away, Luca heaved a sigh of relief. When she returned to the kitchen, Aunt Neile said to her, ¡°Ms. Craw, Mr. Crawford wants you to go upstairs for a while." "Okay." Luca went up without hesitation. She walked to Luke''s bedroom door and knocked on it. She whispered so as to not wake up the children, "Mr. Crawford, are you looking for me?" Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. "The photographer has sent the photos. Come choose." Luke gestured for her toe closer. Luca went over. She did not expect the photographer''s work to be so efficient. She looked at the computer screen, which disyed the vintage-themed photos she took with Luke. "They turned out well!" she eximed. Although she had a feeling that the final product would turn out well, she did not expect even the raw photos to be this good. "The photographer suggested editing them all. Take a look for any ones you don''t like," said Luke. He wanted every single photo of Luca, but he decided to respect her decision. Hence, he let her pick. If there was one she did not like, he would not get the photographer to edit it. "Alright." Luca bent down to hold the mouse to choose, but Luke wrapped his arms around her and she instantly fell into his arms. "Mr. Crawford!" Luca lost her bnce, and her hands were subconsciously ced on his shoulders. "There are many photos. Sit down and see." The corner of Luke''s lips curled up into a smile as he held her thin waist in his arms. Luke''s chest was glued to Luca''s back. This intimate sitting position made her blush. "Mr. Crawford, I''ll bring over a chair." Luca wanted to get up, but her body was being held tightly by him on purpose. Through the thin shirt, she could feel the constant heat radiating off of Luke''s body. "Just sit here," Luke said in her ear. Luca felt every cell in her body heat up. If this continued, she would be in torture... The distance between the two was so intimate that it seemed like anything inappropriate for child audiences could happen at any time. Her whole body tensed up as she stammered. "I. I''m heavy." "You''re not heavy, don''t worry. Look." Luke held her hand and ced it on the mouse. "I''ll look with you." "Haven''t you already gone through them?" Luca subconsciously clicked the mouse, and the next portrait appeared in front of her, but her mind was not on the portrait at all. She wanted to slowly break free, yet the hands wrapped around her waist had too strong of a grip, which stopped her from going anywhere. ¡°I only roughly looked through them. I didn''t pay attention to detail." Luke noticed her little movements but had no intention of letting go. He lifted his right hand to ce it on top of hers to move the mouse with her. "Your gaze in this photo looks great," he said. Luca looked at the portrait and remembered that the photographer asked her to have this posture and expression. Everything from the outfit to the expression was great, but if she were to describe herself in the photo, it would be flirtatious. "It''s great, but I think the expression is a bit too much." "No, it''s just right, but nobody else can look at this photo," said Luke as he was not willing to show other men other sides of Luca''s beauty. When she was Bianca, he had many love rivals. Now that she was Luca, she had different sides to her. He was reluctant for others to see her flirty side. Luca listened to how possessive he was and blushed. She gave up trying to escape as she knew that there was no point, so she just sat in hisp obediently. Tommy woke up in a daze and opened the door as he wanted to go downstairs to get a ss of water from Aunt Neile. When he passed by Luke''s bedroom door, he took a double take and saw Luca sitting intimately on Luke''sp. He then said, "Oops." Luca was in shock when she suddenly realized that when she came in, she had forgotten to close the door! She had a bad feeling as she turned to look toward the door with a dull expression. It was Tommy. He instantly covered his eyes and yelled, "I didn''t see anything! I didn''t see anything! I was sleepwalking! Dad and Ms. Luca, pretend I was never here..." He said as he ran back to his bedroom. Luca closed her eyes and thought to herself that she was doomed. She had always kept a distance from Luke in front of the children, but she had been caught by Tommy. How could she exin her intimacy with Luke? Would the children think that she was an evil person recing her mom? Chapter 2368 "Here are your photos. Pick your favorites." Luke handed him the remote. Lanie took it and started going through his photos. He flipped through all the photos but did not have many thoughts, so he looked at Luke, unsure of which to choose. "I think they''re all good," Luca said when she saw his expression. They had looked through all the photos. She did not see much of an issue for Lanie to pick everything. Rainie chimed in, "Yeah, Lanie is so handsome. If you can''t choose, let''s have them all?" Lanie looked at Luke. He was unsure of which to choose. "Let''s take them all." Luke knew that his eldest son was not good at choosing photos, so he stopped embarrassing him and helped him make a decision. Luca smiled, looked at Rainie, and said, "It''s Rainie''s turn." "I''ll choose carefully!" Rainie gave a victory gesture. Luke started to show Rainie''s photos. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. She loved to look at the details, and each of her photos was selected with special care. Aunt Neile, who was on the side, could not help but sigh in admiration. "Ms. Rainie is so beautiful. When she was doing her makeup, I overheard the makeup artist mention that she wanted to hire Ms. Rainie to be a child model for her studio." "Really?" Luca knew that Rainie liked taking pictures. She looked over at her. Rainie seemed to know what Luca wanted to ask her. She shook her head and said, "I don''t agree. Daddy says that I should focus on my studies." Luca smiled when she saw that the child was so sensible. The Crawfords did not need Rainie to earn a living as a child model. It was a waste of time for those people to try. After all, Rainie had to learn ballet in addition to her daily studies. Her schedule was full. She did not have the time to do these things. She felt that Rainie had made the right choice. Rainie took a look at the photos and eliminated a few where she felt that her movements were not perfect. She wanted all the rest. Finally, it was Tommy''s turn. Tommy put down his fork, sat next to Luca, and said yfully, "Ms. Luca, I''m like Lanie. I''m not very good at picking photos. Can you help me choose mine?" "Okay. If they all look good, let''s take them all," Luca said. After all, she was more than happy to have more photos that marked the memories they made that year. Luke helped put up the photos while Luca chose them. Tommy was like Lanie. Both did not have strict requirements for photos. They would not look at them as meticulously as Rainie. After Tommy finished looking at the photos, he did not spot any that he thought seemed bad. Luke decided to go with all the photos. The rest was family portraits. "Onest set," Luke said. Luca nodded. She knew he was talking about their family portrait... When Luke disyed the photos, Tommy said, "I think we can take all of these because they all look good." "Yeah, Daddy, we don''t need to pick much. Let''s choose a group photo and have the photographer erge it." Rainie said. She wanted to hang the family portrait in the living room. That way, if someone visited their house, they would know that they were a happy family. ¡®Erge it?'' Luca could not help but wonder if the photo was going to be hung in the living room. The kids had photos of them and Luke, but she could tell that Rainie was talking about erging another photo. It was a photo of her with them... Luca looked at Luke. He nodded and closed theputer. "Okay, I''m going to talk to the photographer. Stay here and don''t make any noise. In the evening, there''ll be some important guests over for dinner." "Important guests?" Luca looked at him in shock. She had not heard him mention that they were expecting any guests. "Mm, Ray and Vivian are about to get off the ne. They''ll arrive in an hour and a half. I''ve asked Lliam to pick them up," Luke said. He had forgotten to tell Luca. "So soon? Do you need me to clean up the guest room?" Luca asked. There were a few guest rooms in the vi, but no one usually stayed overnight. Although they were cleaned daily, there were only some simple decorations in the room. Even the mattress was covered with a dust cloth to minimize Aunt Neile''s workload. "No, they''re just here for dinner. I''ve booked a hotel for them," Luke said. His vi was smallpared to Ray''s family vi. As such, Luke decided to book a hotel for them so that they could be morefortable. After all, Aunt Neile could not serve them because there was anguage barrier. "Is it Uncle Ray and Aunt Vivian? Great! I haven''t seen them in a long time. I miss them so much!" Tommy pped. Bianca had brought him to Russia when he was a kid, so he was particrly impressed with the siblings. Lanie and Rainie did not feel any different about them. "Okay, do you want me to prepare Western or Russian food for dinner tonight?" Luca asked. After all, Ray was important to Luke. He had saved Luke and helped with a lot of things, so she paid special attention to hosting Ray and Vivian. "Local food. You don''t have to prepare anything special. They love home-cooked food," Luke said. He nced at the time. "I have a meeting to attend. Promise me you''ll be good, okay?" "I promise, Daddy." Tommy was the first to respond. Luke went upstairs with hisputer. Luca frowned. Luke did not tell her about Ray and Vivian''s visit to A City before this, so she did not know if Aunt Neile had enough ingredients. "Aunt Neile, what do we have in the fridge?" she asked. "Ms. Craw, don''t worry. Mr. Crawford told mest night, so we''re all set for tonight," Aunt Neile said with a smile. She bought the groceries from the nearby supermarket this morning. "I''m d that we''re prepared." Luca breathed a sigh of relief. Although Ray and Vivian requested home- cooked food, they had to have enough ingredients. After all, they already had six people to feed. If dinner tonight included Ray and Vivian, it would not look great if they did not have enough food. "Aunt Neile, let''s start preparing for dinner now. Vivian likes sweet foods. I can make a cake for her," Luca said. "How wonderful! We''re getting a cake for dessert!" Tommy overheard her and pped happily. "Okay, Ms. Craw. Let''s start now." Aunt Neile nodded and walked into the kitchen. Luca told the three children, "Be good. We have guestsingter, so don''t make a mess of the house." "Ms. Luca, don''t worry. We n to go upstairs to read some books. We won''t cause trouble," Rainie said sweetly. Luca patted their heads respectively and said, "By the way, I put all the clothes I bought for you in my bedroom. You can go take them, try them out, and let me know if you like them. I''ll make you some snacks, so go read your books." "Okay, Ms. Luca." The children nodded and ran upstairs. Luca took out some snack molds from the storage room and went into the kitchen. Chapter 2369 Aunt Neile knew Luca was going to make a cake and had the cake molds ready. Luca started making cakes and some snacks for the children. Since it was Luke who promised to give them snacks, it was only natural for her to fulfill it. After all, they were also her kids... An hour and a halfter. Luca''s cakes and snacks were ready. She then started to help Aunt Neile prepare a sumptuous dinner. She nced at the heavy snow that fell outside the window and could not help but sigh. "It''s snowing again." "That''s what the weather is like. The snow is beautiful. If it wasn''t too cold, the kids would all want to go out for snowball fights," Aunt Neile said with a smile. "Kids do love to y with snow." Luca smiled and cut the washed meat into thin slices. "This weather isn''t the best for driving, I wonder how our guests are doing." Aunt Neile was worried. "It''s alright, Lliam is a good driver. Mr. Crawford is there as well. We don''t have to worry about that. Let''s focus on getting dinner ready." Luca trusted in Luke''s arrangement. Ray was Luke''s best friend. Luke would definitely have prepared everything in advance and be ready for anything. "Okay," Aunt Neile responded and sped up. After Luca cut all the meat, she put it aside, took out the snacks from the oven, and said to Aunt Neile, "Aunt Neile, please take some of these upstairs." "Okay, Ms. Craw." Aunt Neile took a sniff of the snacks. She knew that the kids upstairs would be delighted when they saw these. After she washed her hands, she put some in a small bowl while the rest was put in a sealed bag for Lanie and the others to eatter. Aunt Neile went upstairs with a few small bowls. Luca prepared a pot of oil to start cooking dinner. After half an hour. The vi gate opened, and Lliam drove in. Luca heard some noises from the garden. She smiled and said, "Mr. Ray and Miss Vivian should be here." "Ms. Craw, you should go out to wee them. I can handle things here," Aunt Neile said. Luca nodded, took off her apron, and walked out of the kitchen. Luke was already waiting at the entrance, and behind him stood the three children. When he saw her, Tommy stepped forward and took her hand. "Ms. Luca, Uncle Ray and Aunt Vivian are here!" "Mm, I know." Luca touched Tommy''s hand, looked up, and met Luke''s eyes. She smiled slightly as she was happy to see Vivian again. After all, Vivian had a likable character. Lliam brought Ray and Vivian in. There were also two bodyguards following behind them who were carrying tworge bags. "Ray, Vivian, wee to A City." Luke stepped forward and gave Ray a friendly hug. "Long time no see, Luke," Ray said. He was not too surprised when he saw Luca. After all, he already knew what was going on. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. "Ms. Craw, long time no see." "Mr. Ray, Vivian, long time no see," Luca greeted them with a smile. "Luca, you''re here too! That''s great! I missed you so much." Vivian enthusiastically expressed how much she missed Luca. Although she only met Luca for the first time in Russia, her gut told her that Luca was a good person. Vivian liked kind people. "Aunt Vivian, did you miss me?" Tommy hopped to her front. "I did. Tommy, you''re so cute. Of course, I would miss you!" Vivian squatted down and hugged Tommy. "I haven''t seen you for a few years. You''re all grown up now." "Yeah, we eat all of our meals, so we''ve all grown up." Tommypared his size. He used to only reach Vivian''s calf, but now he was at her thigh. "Hello, Uncle Ray, Aunt Vivian," Lanie and Rainie also greeted them. Ray looked at the kids with a hint of tenderness in his blue eyes. "Your children are very cute. I''ve prepared gifts for them." With that said, the two bodyguards handed over the bags. Vivian took out the gifts that they prepared from the bag and handed them to the recipients respectively. "Thank you, Uncle Ray. Thank you, Aunt Vivian." Lanie, Rainie, and Tommy thanked them in unison. "You''re wee. You guys are so adorable." Vivian could not help herself from touching the children''s heads as she liked them very much. "It''s cold outside. Come in and take a seat," Luke invited them in. Ray nodded, nced at his bodyguards, and said in Russian, "Go to the hotel." "Okay, Boss." The two bodyguards turned around and walked out. Luke said, "Lliam, take them to the hotel." "Okay, Boss." Lliam also left the vi. The rest of them walked into the living room together. Aunt Neile had already prepared hot tea. She knew that the guests did not speak the localnguage, so she made a wee gesture and said, "Hello, Mr. Ray, Miss Vivian." Luca tranted for Vivian. "This is Aunt Neile. She''s weing you two." "Hello, Aunt Neile," Vivian responded to Aunt Neile''s wee in unpolished English. Luca was surprised and asked, "You''ve picked up English?¡± Vivian smiled a little embarrassedly. She replied in Russian, "I signed up for an online course, but I''m not good at it yet. I still have to take anguage ss." "You''re pretty good," Luca said. ''She won''t think about the past if her schedule is packed.'' She kept her thoughts to herself to prevent Vivian from thinking of her sorrowful past. Luke said, "I found an apartment near Capital University for you. They''ve just started with renovation. You can move in after the new year." "Thank you, Mr. Crawford." Vivian thanked him. She was worried that she would not be able to get along with her ssmates, so she asked Luke to help her find a single apartment. That way, she would have a home here in A City. "You''re wee. I''ll have Lliam take you there tomorrow. If you need anything, we can get them for you any time," Luke said. He had shown Ray the generalyout of the apartment. Ray thought it seemed nice and bought it. However, the renovation was still underway. Russians had a different lifestylepared to A City locals, so there were many differences in what one would need during a move-in. Luke did not ask the renovationpany to get too much done. After they were done with the renovation, he asked Aunt Neile to buy some items and put them there. Vivian would have to choose and buy some other items that she needed. "Okay, tomorrow is Sunday, right?" Vivian asked. "Yeah, it''s Sunday," Luca replied. She smelled the tea, bent slightly, and poured them a cup of hot tea each. "Thank you." Ray took the tea she handed to him, nodded, and thanked her. "Vivian, try it. This is an award-winning ck tea." Luca handed another cup to Vivian. Chapter 2370 "Thank you." Vivian picked up the teacup Luca handed her, took a sip, and shed a smile. "The taste is so mellow. I''ve never tried such good tea in Russia." Luca smiled and brought another cup to Luke. "Thank you." He took a sip. Vivian put down the teacup and looked at Luca. "Luca, are you free tomorrow? Can you apany me to the apartment to have a look?" "Okay, I could do that." Luca agreed without hesitation. Tommy listened, raised his hand, and shouted, "I want to go too! Aunt Vivian, I want to visit your apartment too." Seeing his enthusiasm, Vivian smiled and said, "Okay, no problem." Luke shook his head and said, "Don''t get in the way of the adults." Tommy pouted and protested, "Daddy, I can help too." "Don''t cause any trouble and stay at home," Luke said with a stern expression. He did not allow him to be reckless. Vivian went to Luca to ask for help because she trusted Luca. If the children were over, the two of them would be distracted taking care of them. Tommy suddenly teared up. He looked like he was about to cry. Luke knew that he would not cry. Tommy was merely acting in front of him. Vivian wanted to step in and say that she would not mind Tommying over. She was confident that two adults could take care of a child. Besides, Tommy was a sensible kid and would never trouble them. Lanie whispered in Tommy''s ear, "Tommy, don''t make trouble. We can visit her ce when Aunt Vivian settles down." "Okay..." Tommy agreed, although not very willingly. Luca touched his head and whispered, "Don''t be sad. There''s caketer." Tommy''s eyes lit up, and he felt better at the mention of food. Vivian looked at him and could not help but sigh in her heart. ¡®Children are so cute. If I hadn''t been so stubborn and chosen the man Ray wanted me to, I might''ve given birth to a kid too. It''s just that... I''m so ugly. Can I give birth to such a beautiful child?'' Vivian was envious. Tommy noticed Vivian''s change in expression and stepped forward. Hey on Vivian''sp and looked at her with bright eyes and a cute smile on his face. "Aunt Vivian, let''s have dinner togetherter! Ms. Luca did the cooking and she made your favorite¡ªcake!" Vivian touched his head and was warmed by his smile. She said, "Okay, let''s have dinner together later." Luke nced at Luca. Luca also smiled. She thought that Tommy was more sensible than many other children. He liked being at the center of attention, but he was attentive. Tommy had noticed the subtle changes in Vivian''s expression and knew toe forward tofort her. Ray said, "When he has free time, Tommy can go spend it with Vivian." "Can he?" Vivian looked at Luke. He was the child''s dad, so she needed his approval for anything rted to the kids. "No problem. Now that the kids are on winter vacation, they have a lot of time." Luke was more than happy to agree. "Tommy, what do you think?" Vivian asked for Tommy''s opinion cautiously. "I''d like to spend time with Aunt Vivian! Whenever she wants to see me, I''ll be there!" Tommy promised. Outsiders thought that Ray was cool and difficult to approach while Vivian was ugly, so they did not want to approach them. However, Tommy did not think so. He thought that Ray was a good man who had a sense of justice. Ray had also saved his daddy, so he liked him very much. Although Vivian was not the best-looking, she was gentle and kind, so Tommy also liked to be around her. "That''s great! I thought that I would be bored and lonely once I start my studies here, but I have someone to apany me now." Vivian liked Tommy a lot. She took him into her arms. Tommy was sitting on herp. He had a wide smile on his face. They chatted for a while before they went to the dining room for dinner. During dinner, Vivian kept on praising the food prepared by Luca and Aunt Neile. Luca smiled. She was relieved to see that the guests were enjoying her cooking. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. This was Ray and Vivian''s first meal in A City. She wanted to make sure to treat Luke''s guests well. When she was preparing the food, she was worried that they would not be used to her cooking. After all, Russian food was different from local food. After dinner, Aunt Neile brought Luca''s cake out. She sliced the cake and passed the slices around. The adults paired their cakes with champagne, while the children ate the cakes with some soda. After they were done, they returned to the sofa in the living room. They were talking while digesting. Ray and Vivian left around nine-thirty at night. Lliam sent them back to the hotel. Luke trusted Lliam to pick up and drop them off. After he walked them out, the children went upstairs to wash up and get ready for bed. Luke picked up his phone and took a nce. He had not looked at his phone out of respect for the guests. He just had the time to check his notifications now. He raised his brows after he went through them. "I need to go upstairs to reply to a text," Luke said. "Okay." Luca nodded, tidied up the cups and fruit bowl on the coffee table, and brought them to the kitchen. When she saw what Luca was doing, Aunt Neile hurried over and said, "Ms. Craw, let me do it." "Aunt Neile, why are you still here?" Luca was surprised. She had been chatting with Ray and Vivian and did not notice that Aunt Neile had not gotten off work. After all, Aunt Neile would have already gone home around this time. "The guests were still here. How could I get off work? If the guests needed anything, I should be ready to attend to their requests," Aunt Neile said. Luca smiled and said, "Aunt Neile, it''s gettingte. You should head home now. It''s snowing heavily today. I''ll put these into the dishwasher." "No, no, I''ll do it. It''s not troublesome," Aunt Neile quickly said. "It''s okay, you should head back. I''ll sort it out," Luca said as she unbuttoned Aunt Neile''s apron. Aunt Neile gave in and got off work. Luca put the cups and fruit bowl in the sink before starting to wash them. It was not too difficult to wash them with warm water. She remembered Luke''s expression after he looked at his phone just now. There seemed to be a significant update because he was slightly surprised. Luca wondered who texted him. Upstairs. Luke sat on his office chair and said to Gordan after calling him back, ¡°I was upied.¡± Gordan had sent him a bunch of messages, both text and voice notes. However, he did not see them just now. He did not pick up thest two calls either because he had muted his phone. Chapter 2371 Gordan called him the moment he replied to him. "Brother, isn''t it Sunday in A City today?" Gordan asked the moment Luke answered the phone. "It''s Saturday," Luke corrected him softly as he turned on hisputer and looked at his unread work emails. "You don''t look at your phone on a Saturday? I''ve been looking for you all day." Gordan''s tone was a little impatient, but he respected Luke, so he did not throw a tantrum despite his frustrations being umted all day. "I had some work to deal with, so I put my phone on mute. I didn''t pay much attention to it afterward." Luke read his emails one after another patiently. He noticed Gordan''s anxious voice but did not ask him what it was about. He did not need to ask Gordan to know why he was looking for him. If he had known it woulde to this, he would not have acted that way. "Ahem, are you that busy?" Gordan wanted to immediately ask what was on his mind, but he held back. "It''s the end of the year," Luke continued with his short replies. Since Gordan did not ask, he did not intend to mention anything. "Uh, did Vivian arrive at A City?" Gordan could not help and finally asked. "I don''t know." Luke stopped typing on the keyboard for a second, then he continued typing loudly as if nothing had happened. "I''ve checked. She''s flown over. Brother, just tell me the truth." Gordan frowned and wondered why Luke would not tell him. After all, they had gone through hell together before. ''He was almost tortured to death by those from the Ind of Despair because of Vivian. Why is he still siding with her?'' "I really don''t know." Luke did not react. He had promised Ray to lie for Vivian. However, he did not expect Gordan to check where Vivian had gone. "The ne she boarded with Ray went to A City. You''re telling me that Ray went over and didn''t look for you?" Although Gordan knew that Luke was helping them, he could not do anything. "Have you signed them?" Luke asked. "What?" Gordan did not understand what he was talking about. Luke said, "The divorce papers." He did not follow up on their divorce, so he did not know whether they were divorced or not. "We''re divorced." Gordan''s voice revealed slight frustration. He had insisted that he would not sign anything until he could talk to Vivian about it face-to-face. In the end, Ray brought awyer to his door and forced him to sign the document. He was unprepared and was beaten up so badly that he had bruises all over his face. Thewyer grabbed his hand and stamped his finger on the agreement, so the divorce document took effect. After that, Ray had his men keep watch of him and sent hiswyer to officiate the divorce agreement. In the end, he was divorced and there was no way for him to reverse it. Since Vivian filed for divorce, he had not seen her. He wanted to talk to her but could not find her. "Since you''re divorced, go live your own life. You''re still you; she''s still her. Why does it matter to you where she is?" Luke sensed his frustration and broke it down for him. "We got married because she wanted to and now we''re divorced because she wanted to as well. Don''t I have the right to choose?" Gordan was a little angry. Vivian relied on Ray to force him topromise both times. It was the same for their marriage and divorce! "Didn''t you always want a divorce? She fulfilled your wish. Why are you bothered now?" Luke asked. Gordan froze, and his hands clenched into fists. He wanted to get a divorce, but he was pissed that it happened this way... Gordan was overthinking the situation. Vivian wanted him more than anything, but in the end, she still filed for divorce. He was fuming as he thought she was ying tricks on him! "Yes, I want this divorce, but I also have something to say!" "What?" Luke asked. He heard Gordan''s unwilling tone and was unclear if it was because he liked Vivian or whether he was pissed for being dumped like this. No matter which it was, Gordan did not seem to understand that Vivian was determined to cut him out. Vivian was avoiding him because she wanted to quickly move on. ''What?'' Gordan was taken back. What did he want to say to Vivian? Call her disrespectful for coercing him into marriage and divorce? Perhaps he wanted to scold her for leaving the house without his consent? Would he tell her that he did not need a dime of their family''s money? "I''m a man. Even if we get divorced, the division of properties between husband and wife should be negotiated. Did she leave the vi to me out of pity?" ''Was Vivian trying to pay me off? ''After we broke up, she gave me a property worth millions. Does she think of me as a prostitute? I don''t need her money. It''s not a lot anyway!'' "You feel like you''ve been given a handout?" Luke said. "Yes, I want to talk to her and divide our properties properly. I don''t need her charity. Brother, if you were treated like this by a woman, wouldn''t you be upset?" Gordan gritted his teeth. "Bea wouldn''t treat me like that," Luke said. He nced at the door. Luca seemed to still be upstairs. "I didn''t mean that!" Gordan was exasperated. "What Vivian gave you is yours. If you think she''s insulting you by doing this, you can sell the house and donate the money. You won''t have to benefit her like this. Gordan, there are many ways to deal with the situation. It''s not necessary to find someone who doesn''t want to see you," Luke borated. Luke was not sure if Gordan reacted as such because he was pissed about the vi or if he wanted to see Vivian. Luke hoped that Gordan would think about it. "I..." Gordan was a little frustrated. There was no way he could refute Luke. "Perhaps Vivian isn''t asplicated as you think. Maybe she thought that you liked the vi, so she wanted to leave it to you," Luke expressed Vivian''s original intention. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. She only bought the vi because Gordan liked it. The renovation was based on his preferences, so even when they divorced, she just wanted to leave him with what he liked. Gordan stayed silent for half a minute. In the end, he would rather stubbornly believe that Vivian acted as such to humiliate him. ¡®She must be taking revenge. I treated her badly, so she''s using money to humiliate me!'' "I can buy whatever I like. Brother, are you sure you don''t want to help me contact her?" Gordan was sure Luke knew where Vivian and Ray were. "There''s nothing I can do about your issue," Luke said. He was once willing to trade an arm for Gordan''s freedom. However, at that moment, he could not make a sacrifice to have them deal with their affairs. After all, it was between him and Vivian. No one could intervene. Chapter 2372 Gordan did not force him, nor did he me Luke for his response. He knew that Vivian had tipped Luke off in advance, so he did not press further. Gordon said, "I see." "Sorry." That was all Luke could say. "You didn''t do anything..." Gordan was not that irrational to me Luke for Vivian divorcing him. After they ended the call, Luke put his phone aside. He looked toward the door when he heard footsteps. Luca was heading upstairs. "Luca." Luke stopped Luca, who was just about to walk into the bedroom. "Huh?" Luca turned around to look at him. The memory of sitting on hisp to look at the photos was vivid. She could not help herself from blushing. "I have something to tell you," Luke said. He was worried that Gordan would find Luca and she would tell him about Vivian. Although Luca was not someone who gossiped, he thought that anything could happen if he did not specifically warn her. "Can I go see the kids first?" Luca asked. Luke did not look too serious, so she guessed it was not something important. "We''ll talk about itter, then." Luke thought that they couldy in bed and talk about it. "Okay." Luca nodded, walked to Tommy''s bedroom, gently opened the door, and saw that Tommy was about to climb into bed. When he saw her, he said, "Ms. Luca?" "It''s okay. Go to sleep." Luca smiled andforted him. "Okay, Ms. Luca." Tommy nodded, climbed into his bed, and tucked himself in. Luca helped him turn off the lights and then closed the door. She gently opened the door to Rainie and Lanie''s bedroom. Both of them had washed up and were lying on their respective beds. She then returned to her bedroom, took her pajamas into the bathroom, and started to wash up. After she was done getting ready for bed, Luke was already sitting on the bed with a book he had not finished on hisp. Luca did not ask him what he wanted to talk about. She sat in front of the dresser and applied some skincare products. After her skin absorbed them, she walked to the bed and got in. Luke closed the book and lifted a corner of the nket. After Luca got in, he covered her with the nket and said, "If Gordan asks you about Vivian, tell him that you don''t know anything." Luca was surprised that he wanted to talk about Gordan. She could not help but ask, "Did Mr. Norton reach out to you?" "Yeah, he wants to know where Vivian is." Luke nodded, put the book on the bedside table, and put his arms around her. Luca rested her head on his chest. When they were out of the children''s sight, she was used to being intimate with Luke. She said, "Mr. Norton has connections and skills. How can he not know where she is?" "He knows. He even knows about Vivian and Ray getting on the ne to A City." Luke rubbed her arm lightly and said, "He wanted to confirm it with me." "Maybe Mr. Norton just wants to sort out how he feels and is unsure if he should go look for Vivian." Luca analyzed Gordan''s current state of mind. If he loved Vivian, he should be having a difficult time. However, before this, he had always acted like he was extremely disgusted with Vivian. Luca, as a bystander, could not tell what Gordan was thinking about. After all, many reasons might have contributed to Gordan''s current state. It could be that he had fallen in love with Vivian or maybe he felt like his ego was bruised because Vivian initiated the divorce. Whichever it was, it was not great for Vivian. If it was love, Gordan''s love came toote. He did not acknowledge his feelings for Vivian in the past and caused her a lot of damage. It would be ironic for him to speak of love at this time. He might hurt Vivian if this was about his ego. As such, even if Luke did not say anything, Luca would not help Gordan. "I don''t know." Luke thought that most people did not understand Gordan''s feelings. Otherwise, he would not have had girlfriends all around Russia. After he married Vivian, even though Ray was around to keep watch, he seemed to be restless and broke Vivian''s heart often. "I won''t say anything if Mr. Nortones to me. Mr. Crawford, I''m feeling sleepy." Luca yawned. She noticed that Luke''s hands were getting closer and closer to the center. She quicklyy down with her back to him. Luke smiled. ¡®She thinks that this will stop me from making a move?'' Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. If he wanted to be intimate with her, he could still seed when she was asleep. He did not want to take action just because he did not want to embarrass her. Luke turned off the bedroom lights andid down. "Good night." "Good night." Luca closed her eyes. As usual, Luke settled down after he found a suitable spot around her. She breathed a sigh of relief. In the hotel. After Vivian washed up, she sat on the sofa. She was not sleepy because of the jetg. She picked up her phone and saw that her friend, Jones, had sent her a message. She clicked on the notification and frowned. Jones said: [Gordan came to me to talk about you again.] Vivian sighed. She knew that Gordan had been asking around for her whereabouts... Before she flew to A City, she stayed in the vi and never went out to avoid Gordan. She asionally went out only to buy items to prepare for her move to A City. Ray would always ask a lot of bodyguards to follow her and surround her so that others could not get close to her at all. That included Gordan. Vivian''s heart would still ache when she heard his name. After all, she truly loved him, and it hurt a lot when she filed for divorce... How could she not be in pain? Nevertheless, she was determined not to be involved with Gordan anymore. Otherwise, she would never be able to move on from the rtionship. Vivian did not understand why he was acting as such. She regretted asking Ray to help force him to be with her in the first ce. She had enough of his coldness after so many years. She had already done her best to make up for what she did, so she did not know why Gordan refused to let go of her. He did not love her, but he was making her life unnecessarily difficult... [Jones, please don''t tell him my whereabouts.] Vivian replied. She was typing with trembling fingers. After a while, Jones replied: [I won''t tell him anything, but it seems that he has something important to talk to you about. I understand that you don''t want to see him, but why not give him a call and see what he wants to say.] Vivian said: [No, even if I can''t see him, I''ll still be ufortable hearing his voice.] After she mentioned the divorce to Gordan, she quickly changed her number. Gordan did not know her new number. Ray had done a good job of keeping it a secret. The number she was using was sorted out by Ray''s subordinates. Even if Gordan hired someone to investigate it, he would not be able to find anything. Chapter 2373 Unless someone disclosed it to him. However, Gordan had never bothered to get to know her, so he had no idea who her friends were. He only knew Jones, whom he was closest to among the bunch. [Okay, take care of yourself in A City!] Jones replied within minutes. Vivian looked at the hotel''s decoration. She was in a family apartment suite that Luke booked for her and Ray. Everything here was of A City''s style. Everything here was great. [A City is great. Jones, I''m sorry for getting you involved with Gor...] Vivian typed. When she got to Gordan''s name, she paused and felt a little guilty. She then typed: [I''m sorry that Gordan is harassing you. You can block him. Tell him that you don''t know about me.] [Don''t worry, I know what to do. No matter what he says, I won''t tell him anything about you.] Jones assured her. Vivian breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Jones'' reply. She put down her phone and opened the curtains. It was still snowing outside. This was A City, so it looked different from Russia. It was not as cold, and the snow was beautiful. Vivian ced her slender fingers on the window and said softly, "Today is the start of my new life. Vivian, you have to live for yourself. You can''t think about him and spend all your effort on him anymore." The next day. The snow had stopped. Luke received a call from Jason and wanted to head back to the office to work overtime. After Luca made breakfast for the children, she sat in Warren''s car and arrived at the hotel to wait for Vivian. Vivian rushed down as soon as she got Luca''s call. Ray went down with her as well. Luca got out of the car, saw the two of them, and asked with a smile, "Mr. Ray, are youing with us as well?" "Ray is going to meet someone. He has something to discuss with that person, so he came downstairs with me." Vivian looked at Ray and said, "I''ll head off now." Ray nodded. There was a faint smile on his cold expression. He looked at Luca and said, "Ms. Craw, thank you for taking care of Vivian." "No worries. Vivian is my friend." Luca smiled lightly. ''Sure enough, Ray''s smile is only for Vivian.'' Luca felt that it was fortunate for someone to have such a great younger brother. She suddenly remembered that she also had a younger brother but they were not rted by blood. She wondered how Amur was doing. Luca opened the car door and said to Vivian, "Vivian, get in the car. Mr. Crawford has given me the address and room key. Let''s go there now." "Okay." Vivian smiled softly. Although she did not have nice facial features, the smile on her face could drive away the cold winter a little, making people feel warm. After she got into the car, Luca looked at Ray, who was still standing on the side of the road. He seemed to be worried about Vivian. "Mr. Ray, Vivian and I are going to make a move now." "Mm, thank you." Ray did not say much. He trusted Luca to take care of Vivian. After all, she was Luke''s associate. Luca got into the car, and Warren drove the two to an apartmentplex next to Capital University. Warren nced at the navigation app and confirmed with Luca. "Ms. Craw, this is the location that Mr. Crawford sent me." "This is the ess card." Luca took out a card from her bag and handed it to him. Warren took it and swiped his card to enter the building. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Vivian looked at the apartment building. Along the way, she saw the beautiful views of A City. She thought that the city was developing fast. There were new developments from thest time when she was here, which was more than three years ago. She had a deep affection for A City since the first time she visited with Gordan and Ray. She sat in the car, watched Warren drive into the building, and began to think about her new future. Warren was unfamiliar with the propertyyout, so he drove around twice to find the building where Vivian''s apartment was. After he parked in the visitor parking space, Luca said to Vivian, "This is it. Let''s get out of the car." "Okay." Vivian opened the car door. Luca said to Warren, "Please wait here. We may need to go to a supermarketter." "Okay, Ms. Craw." Warren sat in the car and waited for their instructions. Luca took Vivian upstairs, swiped the card, and took the elevator to the third floor. She handed the card to Vivian and said, "Mr. Crawford chose the third floor because Mr. Ray said that you don''t like high floors. This is your new house. You should be the first to open the door and walk in. Also, this lock is a threeyer lock with a keycard and fingerprint. After you enter, you can set your fingerprint and password at the back." Vivian was moved by her attention to detail. She nodded, took the room card, and said, "Thank you." She put the card on the sensor. A long beep sounded, and the door unlocked itself automatically. Vivian took a deep breath, opened the door, and weed her new future. The apartment was fully furnished and was decorated in Western European style as per the blueprint given by the designer. Vivian walked into the door, took a deep sniff of her new ce, then turned around and said with a smile, "Mr. Crawford''s people did a good job with the design of the ce." "Do you like this style?" After Vivian walked in, Luca put on the shoe covers ced at the door. "I like it. I also like the interior design style of A City, but it doesn''t seem to match the apartment. I''m happy with the arrangements," Vivian said. She also liked the style of the hotel that Luke arranged for her. "I''m d that you like it. Mr. Crawford mentioned that the ce is fully furnished, but for the kitchen, you have toplete it yourself. Take a look around. If you need anything, we''ll go to the supermarket to buy them," Luca said. She found the main switch, then turned on all the lights. The lights in the living room all lit up. The natural lighting in the apartment was great, and the space was well lit together with the lights in the living room. Vivian loved it. "I''ll go and check out the bedroom," she said. "The bedroom? It should be there." Luca said. She had studied architectural design and knew the basic layout of these apartments. She sessfully found the master bedroom, opened the door, and showed it to Vivian. "It''s so beautifully decorated." Vivian walked into the bedroom and could not help but feel touched. Her wardrobe, bed, dresser, and other essentials were all ready. She opened the wardrobe, nced at it, and said, "This wardrobe is big enough." "The bedroom next door should be the second bedroom. Mr. Crawford asked the designer to convert the second bedroom into abination of a guest room and a study so that you don''t need to study in the living room. You can go directly to the study, and Mr. Ray can use it as a bedroom when he visits too. He wouldn''t need to go to a hotel,¡± Luca told Vivian. Luke had roughly informed her about the apartment''s renovation during breakfast that morning. Chapter 2374 "The interior was well thought out..." Vivian sighed, walked out of the master bedroom, and opened the door of the bedroom opposite. Luca said, "If you don''t like living alone, the desk can also be set up in the master bedroom. The designer has reserved enough space for it. Of course, you can also rent out the second bedroom to a girl, making the apartment more lively." "Mr. Crawford is so thoughtful." Vivian smiled as she looked at the furnishings of the guest bedroom. The designer did not take it less seriously just because it was the guest bedroom. She also liked the decorations of the guest bedroom. "I prefer to have a space to myself. I n to live alone for the time being." Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. She did not have many friends when she was in Russia, so Vivian did not n to rent her room out. She was used to being alone. Moreover, Vivian did not want others to know about Ray and their family. "Mm, it''s better to live alone. It¡¯ll be quieter." Luca knew Vivian¡¯s temperament so she did not say anything regarding that. Vivian was still young, so she would be fine living alone. If she encountered any challenges, there was still Luke... He was close to Ray, so he would be sure to keep watch on Vivian. Vivian turned around and shed a smile at Luca. "Can I go and see the kitchen? I''ve made ns. After school, I''ll cook and make desserts at home to improve my cooking skills." "The kitchen should be here." Luca took her to the kitchen, nced at it, and said, "In A City, as long as there¡¯s enough space in the house, the designers will design wet and dry kitchens. The dry kitchen was on the outside. You can bake some desserts here. The wet kitchen inside, and you can prepare your favorite foods there if you are interested." Vivian looked around. There was some basic equipment though the ce was missing a few tableware and cooking utensils. "I want to learn to cook the local food here. Your cookingst night was delicious." After she praised Luca, she said, "I don''t know what utensils and seasonings to buy." "Let''s go to the supermarket together. Also, I notice that there are still a lot of things missing here. Why don''t we do this? I''ll check the whole house and make a list. If anything is missing, we can go buy itter." "Luca, you''re so kind." Vivian hugged her and excitedly said, "If we can get everything ready, Ray and I don''t have to stay in the hotel anymore!" "Yeah, spending the new year here would be much more comfortable than staying in a hotel," Luca said. That was what she truly felt. "Great, I can''t wait to experience New Year''s in A City! Luca, thank you for helping out." Vivian thanked her. Luca smiled, picked up the phone, and started from the kitchen to see what they needed to buy. If Vivian wanted to learn to cook local food, the seasonings were essential. They needed kitchen utensils and sponges for cleaning too. Then, she headed to the bathroom and found that there was nothing there. Luca included toiletries and cleaning supplies on the list, as well as some other items for the bedroom. After half an hour, she had a full list of items. Vivian saw it and said in surprise, "There''s so much that we need to buy!" "Yeah, there''ll be more things that we need for your new home. Since you didn''t bring anything with you, let''s buy everything in one go. It''s better than buying things as you find out what you''re missing," Luca exined. The things on her list were all that Vivian could use in the future. "Luca, you''re so thoughtful." Vivian thanked her once more. Luca smiled softly and took her arm. "I remember that there''s a huge supermarket nearby. You can buy everything you need there. Let''s go." "Okay." Vivian agreed. The two went downstairs, got into Warren''s car, and got to the supermarket. There were a lot of things to buy, so Luca asked Warren to park the car and help them with the shopping in case she and Vivian could not carry everything. Warren readily agreed. The three of them each pushed a shopping cart. Luca took the lead and started shopping. She was thoughtful and would consult Vivian for advice. Domestic products were not the same as Russian products. She would exin patiently if Vivian did not understand what it was. Warren was on the side, carrying and putting things away for them. Looking at the dazzling shelves of goods, Vivian could not help but sigh in admiration. "There are so many things in the supermarkets of A City. If you weren''t here, I wouldn''t even know what to choose." "Choose what you like best. Let''s go buy your bedding products, shall we?" Luca suggested that since the bedding area was not far away. "Okay, let''s choose one more set for Ray." Vivian thought to herself that she would need two sets to use alternately. If Ray were to stay with her, she would have to prepare one more set. "I wrote down three sets. Let''s go." Luca walked to the area where four-piece sets were sold. Just as they were ready to browse around, a voice came from behind. "It''s you." Luca thought the voice was a little familiar, so she looked back. It was Mavis Laviere, whom she had bumped into yesterday. She frowned. ''I haven''t seen her in a while but bumped into her two days in a row. Why is my luck so bad?'' Mavis nced at Vivian, then at Warren, who was standing beside Luca. She stepped forward, picked up her phone, and took a photo of her standing beside Warren. "I didn''t expect you to be a ygirl." Luca raised an eyebrow and said, "What do you mean?" She did not understand how she looked like a ygirl. Mavis, as expected, liked to spew usations. "You went shopping with Mr. Crawford yesterday and you''re shopping with other men in the supermarket today. I wonder how miserable would you be if Mr. Crawford finds out?" Mavis stubbornly believed that Luca was romantically involved with Warren. "Go tell him, then," Luca turned around and said. She was not at all bothered. Mavis was not telling the truth, and Luke would not believe her even if she sent him the photo. After all, Warren was his subordinate. Luke was also the one who asked Warren to help. There was nothing unusual about them standing together. Mavis could not help but feel irritated when she saw Luca''s attitude. ''Did I misunderstand the situation? ''The woman in front of me has a charming, vixen-like face. How could this possibly be a misunderstanding?'' Mavis raised her phone again. Warren could not stand her any longer. He covered her rear phone camera and said, "Ms. Laviere, please don''t take photos of us without our consent." "You know who I am?" Mavis asked. She was taken back. ''Could he be my former suitor? I have no impression of him, though...'' "I''m Mr. Crawford''s subordinate. Mr. Crawford asked me to be here. If you continue to take photos of us, I''ll have to take action," Warren said with a cold expression on his face. Of course, he knew about Mavis. Chapter 2375 ''Luke''s subordinate?'' Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Mavis was stunned. She thought that Luca was cheating on Luke and rejoiced that she caught her in the act. She knew that Luke hated being deceived and betrayed the most... Warren shouted at her when he saw her stand there dumbfoundedly, "Aren''t you going to leave? Do you want Mr. Crawford toe to the scene and ask you for an exnation in person?" Mavis snorted coldly. It was the weekend, so there was arge crowd in the supermarket. Her actions had attracted the attention of many. Mavis said, "Don''t be toocent. You''re not worthy of him." "Are you worthy of him?" Luca asked. Mavis was taken back. She stomped her foot and turned around to leave. Vivian waited for Mavis to leave before she asked softly, "Luca, thatdy just now..." "She should be Mr. Crawford''s former subordinate. She might''ve thought I was somehow involved with Warren," Luca said helplessly as she chose the four-piece bedding set for Vivian. "She thought that you..." Vivian was surprised and could not help butugh. "She likes Mr. Crawford?" "I don''t know. What color do you like?" Luca chose the best for Vivian. It would be better to buy them in a specialty store, but they had to buy many things, so it was more convenient to shop here. "I like light colors," Vivian said. Since Luca did not want to talk about it, she would not press further. Nevertheless, anyone could tell that Mavis was hostile toward Luca. When a woman was hostile to another woman, it was usually because of a man. She was familiar with the feeling. In the past, Gordan had shown up with many women to piss her off. She had seen how they were jealous and would try topete with her. Although these women were nothing but props for Gordan to force her to back off, she would still be sad every time she encountered such a situation... "This brand of home textiles is pretty good. Look at the quality of the samples here. If you like this quality, we''ll choose this one." Luca was not affected by Mavis. She had not gotten together with Luke, and even if she kept thinking about it, she still could not be with him. As such, Luca thought that she had no reason to be sad. "This one is of good quality. I''ll go with this one for all three sets. I remember that Ray also likes pure cotton sheets." Vivian touched the sample and knew that it was pure cotton. "Okay, we''ll take one in light pink and another in light yellow. As for the second bedroom, let''s go with gray?" Luca helped her decide. "Luca, you''re wonderful. I like both of these colors!" Vivian was a little surprised that Luca knew that about her. She was attentive. Sure enough, the women who could stand beside Luke were not your average Janes. Vivian thought of Bianca. When Luke was captured by those from the Ind of Despair, she not only took care of the children but also stabilized the family while managing a multinational business like T Corporation. Under everyone''s doubts and pressures, Bianca supported the entire Crawford family without breaking a sweat. She heard Ray mention that Bianca did not even get Old Master Crawford involved to manage the situation. Luca, although she had not done anything like Bianca, also seemed like a tough cookie. With admiration in her heart, Vivian and Luca continued to pick the items on the list. Two hourster, after some shopping, the backseat of the car that Warren drove was full of supermarket bags filled with household items. "We''re finally done! Luca, you''re so impressive." Vivian gave her a thumbs up. The supermarket was huge, but they followed Luca''s footsteps and took the most efficient path. Luca smiled and said, "It''s nothing. Let''s go back to your ce and put these where they should be." "Okay!" Vivian was influenced by Luca. She was looking forward to her new life more and more. After the two got into the car, Warren drove the car off. Mavis opened the car door and looked at their car with resentment in her eyes. Sure enough, it was Luke''s car. ¡®Well, the man was right. He''s Luke''s driver and was there to drive Luca around. This woman is something else if she can get Luke to give her a driver...'' Mavis clenched her fists in jealousy. ''Why her? After Bianca left, another woman appeared in front of him! If any woman can do it, why can''t I be together with him?!'' Half an hourter, with the help of Warren and the property manager, Luca and Vivian sessfully moved everything into the apartment. Luca started to sort the items out. She put the four-piece bed set in the washing machine to wash and dry, then put the other items in their respective ces. Of course, this was Vivian''s home. She was just helping. In the end, Vivian decided where to ce everything based on her habits. At noon, the two were finally done. Vivian slumped on the sofa. She was drained when she said, "I used to have a maid at home do all these chores. I''ve never been so tired." Luca smiled. The Lacroix family was affluent, so they had maids for everything. "How does it feel to do it yourself now?" Luca asked. "I feel tired... However, I''m full of hope for my uing life. After all, many things here were chosen by me. I can understand why Ray didn''t agree to it when I proposed to study in A City on my own." Vivian sat up and handed Luca one of the milk bottles. "Thank you." Luca took it and asked, "Why didn''t he agree?" "We had maids to do everything that we just did. Ray was probably worried that I wouldn''t survive living alone, so he didn''t agree." Vivian smiled bitterly. She was so well-protected. Ray had disagreed instantly when she mentioned she wanted to study abroad. They were in a headlock because she refused to let the family''s maid and bodyguarde with her. "How did you persuade Mr. Ray, then?" Luca wondered. Ray loved Vivian with all his heart. She was curious how she ended up persuading him. "I told him that I want to start a new life and I don''t want to live being protected for the rest of my life," Vivian said as she drank a mouthful of milk. "After he heard me say that, he locked himself in the study for a long time. I thought he would continue to disagree, but unexpectedly, he came out after a while and agreed." "Mr. Ray loves you very much." Luca put the straw into the milk and took a sip. Ray must have taken that half a day to think about every possibility. Vivian wanted to start a new life, but he did not want to let her out of his protection. "Yeah, I also want to try to leave the family and start a new life on my own. Look, I did it!" Vivian smiled, her eyes gentle. Luca could see how excited she was for her new life and said, "Give me a call if you need anything." Chapter 2376 "If I get into trouble, I''ll be sure to ask you for help. I hope I won''t annoy you too much," Vivian said yfully. "No." Luca smiled and took a sip of milk to ease her thirst. Vivian nced at the time. It was noon. She stood up and said, "Luca, you did me a big favor today. Let me treat you to lunch." Luca nced at the time and stood up as well. She epted Vivian''s kindness. "Okay, I''ll pick the location?" "No problem!" Vivian said cheerfully, "You''re familiar with the ce. I''m sure whatever you pick will be delicious." Luca smiled and shook her head. "I don''t eat out very often. I arrived in A City just half a year earlier than you. Let''s go, I''ll take you to experience your college life in advance. The students are currently on vacation, so we might not have many options.¡± "Where are we going?" Vivian was curious. "You''ll know when we get there," Luca said as she led Vivian downstairs. After getting in the car, Luca asked Warren to drive to the food street near Capital University. There were universities nearby, so there were many business opportunities. The municipality set up one of the streets as the area''s food street so that college students could spend time on this street instead of going to the city. After they arrived, Vivian followed Luca out of the car. She looked at the street in front of her and wondered, "Where are we?" "Food street. Do you see it? If you turn left at the end of this ce, you''ll arrive at the university you''ll soon be studying in, Capital University. Students here don''t have to go to the city. They can find everything they need here. The students are on vacation now, so many shops are closed. I''m sure some are still open, though. Let''s pick a ce to eat," Luca said. She held Vivian''s hand and walked inside. In the end, the two chose a restaurant that sold burgers and sat down inside. They decided to have lunch there. Vivian said softly, "Luca, this is the first time I''ve been to this kind of shop." "There''ll be many opportunities in the future. Let''s try this," Luca said. Wherever Vivian was, she ate in only high-end restaurants. Things were going to be different at Capital University. She did not live at home as she did in college. She was now in a country far from Russia and had to change her living habits. Luca brought her here so that she could adapt to the ordinary life in A City. Luca picked up the menu and tranted it for Vivian because it was in English. Vivian chose some foods she wanted to try, and Luca ordered some more. Then, she handed the menu to the boss. After a while, Luca''s phone rang after the boss brought out their order. "I''ll take a call." Luca picked up the phone, saw that it was Luke calling, and pressed to answer it. "Mr. Crawford, what''s the matter?" "Where are you?" Luke asked. "I''m having lunch with Vivian on the food street of Capital University," Luca replied. She nced at Vivian. She was drinking a milkshake. She was happy to drink a milkshake that cost three or four dors. "Mm, just making sure that you''re eating on time." Luke knew she was eating with Vivian, so he did not say much. Luca was surprised that he called her to make sure that she was eating on time. "Okay..." She paused and asked, "Mr. Crawford, do you have anything else that you want to talk about?" "No, I still have work to attend to. I''ll hang up now." Luke finished speaking and hung up the call. Luca listened to the busy tone and felt an indescribable feeling of happiness. He called her because it was meal time and he wanted to remind her to eat. "Was it Mr. Crawford?" Vivian asked. "How did you know?" Luca put the phone down. "Your face is a little red, so I thought..." Vivian smiled. She no longer had any doubt that Luke and Luca were dating. Ray had told her that things were not as simple as they seemed. Although he did not share any details, Vivian was not bothered with it anymore. Moreover, she felt that Luca was a good person. "Don''t make fun of me," Luca said helplessly. "Is this called milkshake? It''s nice!" Vivian took a sip of the milkshake with a smile and praised it. It was something that she had never tasted before. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. "This is a local shop that has been around for more than 20 years. If you like their milkshake, let''s order another," Luca said as she handed her some utensils. "I want to leave some space for the food. Everything looks delicious." Vivian took the utensils Luca handed her and started eating. Luca said, "They sell burgers, which are very popr with the locals here." "I''ll taste the foodter carefully." Vivian started with the veggie burger. The roasted vegetables were crispy and delicious. Her eyes lit up as she said, "It''s so delicious! I''m going to bring Ray here to try the food here!" "If you want to bring him here, do it as soon as possible. It''s mentioned there that they''re only open until tomorrow." Luca pointed to the announcement posted on the wall by the boss. Vivian asked in surprise, "Why?" "The boss wants to go home to celebrate the new year," Luca said. Most of the shop owners here came from elsewhere. "They earn a year''s money and go back to their hometowns to reunite with their families during the new year." "Is that so? The festivals in A City are interesting. Festive traditions all have to do with family. Then I''ll bring Ray here tomorrow." Vivian said, "Tomorrow, I n to check out of the hotel with Ray and move to the apartment. There''s a hotel next to my apartment, right?" After all, only two people could fit in the apartment. They had bodyguards with them this time round. "Yes, there''s one near the apartmentplex," Luca said. "Okay, I''ll move in with Ray tomorrow and we''ll spend the new year there." Vivian said, "By the way, Luca, you and Mr. Crawford wille over for the new year too, right?" "I can do that, but Mr. Crawford will likely be back in Crawford Manor with the children for the new year." Luca agreed since she had nowhere to go anyway. "I''m looking forward to celebrating the new year with you!" Vivian said, picked up the skewers, and took another bite. Two college students came into the shop and sat at the table next to them. "Do you want some juice? These burgers will make you feel full, but the juice can relieve the greasiness," Luca asked her. Vivian''s eyes lit up as she nodded quickly. Luca raised her hand to the female shop owner and said, "We want two bottles of grape juice." "Alright!" The owner moved quickly and immediately served them the grape juice. "The grape juice you asked for. Enjoy." "Thank you," Luca thanked her. Vivian also thanked her, "Thank you." The college students at the table beside them looked at the two and gossiped with each other. Although they tried to be quiet, Luca could hear them clearly. They were talking about her and Vivian''s appearance. Chapter 2377 Luca lowered her gaze and was d that Vivian did not understand English. Otherwise, she would be sad to hear what they were saying about her even if she was used to others pointing and looking. "Luca, why aren''t you eating?" Vivian asked when she saw that Luca had stopped eating. "Nothing to worry about." Luca picked up a burger and took a bite. The boy at the next table could not stop himself. He picked up his phone, walked over, and looked at Luca with a smile. "Hello, ssmate. Do you want to add me on Facebook?" "I''m not your ssmate." Luca did not look at the boy. She acted coldly. "We can be friends even if we''re not from the same university. Besides, you don''t know what university I''m from. How are you so sure that we''re not from the same college?" The boy did not give up when faced with her indifference. "I''m old enough to be your aunt. Besides, I''m not interested in people who like to talk about other people''s appearances," Luca said coolly and took a sip of her grape juice. He was an ignorant little boy who had not experienced the world. She found him annoying. The boy blushed as if he had been caught doing something bad and hurriedly returned to his seat. They had spoken softly when they were talking about Luca and Vivian. He was impressed that she heard theirughter and discussion. Vivian teased her, "Luca, you''re so charming that even a little boy is asking for your contact details." "Don''t make fun of me." Luca shook her head. If Vivian knew what they were talking about, she might not be as happy as she was. "I didn''t mean it as a tease. It was apliment," Vivian said. Time was unfair. Luca was about her age, but there was no sign of aging on Luca''s face. Her beautiful face would make any man fall in love with her with one look. Vivian looked at her with admiration. No one would doubt it if Luca walked into a college and said that she was a college student. "Have more of the fries." Luca put more fries on her te. "Thank you." Vivian took them, took a sip of grape juice, and continued to eat. After the meal, Luca took Vivian around Capital University and the surrounding area to familiarize her with the environment. After that, Warren sent them back to Vivian''s hotel. When they got to the hotel, Vivian invited her. "Luca, do you want to go in and rx for a little?" "No, I''ll have to head off." Luca turned her down. She wanted to go back to the office toplete the final report since she had some time. This way, after New Year''s holiday, they could apply for the drug to be listed. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. After Vivian got out of the car and went back to the hotel, Warren asked, "Ms. Craw, do you want to go back to the vi now?" "No, drop me off at T Corporation. I need to attend to some work," Luca said. Although she was exhausted after two days of shopping, she still nned to sort out the matter at hand as soon as possible. That was because she did not know when Abel would give out a new mission or a new threat. Luca had been very careful with everything, including her drug research. Although it was based on Shanks'' research, she had made some changes. Even if Abel''s pharmaceuticalpanyunched the same drug, it was not going to be the same as the result of her final research. Therefore, as long as it was not leaked, her research would create high profits for Watson Biopharmaceuticals. "Okay, Ms. Craw. Please fasten your seat belt. We''ll go now," Warren said and drove to T Corporation. Luca buckled her seat belt and closed her eyes. "I''ll take a short nap. Let me know when we get there." "Yes." Warren nced at the back seat and started driving. After they arrived at T Corporation, Luca headed to her floor. There was no notice to work overtime, so she was the only one on the entire floor. The surroundings were quiet and even a little creepy. Luca walked back to the office after she punched in. She took out the thick stacks of documents from the safe and sat in her office chair to work on them. Luca went through the documents for about an hour when someone knocked on her office door. "Come in." She did not look up as she was certain that it was Luke. "Why are you here?" Luke opened the door and looked at Luca, who seemed to be working hard at her desk. Half an hour ago, Warren texted him saying that Luca went to the office to work after she sent Vivian back to the hotel. However, he was in a meeting at the time. "I want to sort these documents out before the vacation so that we can apply for the permit right after the new year," Luca said. "Mm. Come with me upstairs?" Luke asked as he picked up the papers she had left on the side of the table. The ones on the left had not been processed while the ones on the right had been processed. He knew about her habit and grabbed the unprocessed files. "Mr. Crawford?" Luca watched him take away all the unprocessed documents without waiting for her answer. "I''m bored. Come with me," Luke said cheekily. ''He''s bored? How could he be bored with work?!'' Luca sighed and closed herptop. "Okay, Mr. Crawford." She stood up. When Luke wanted herpany, she could only obey. After all, Luke had so many excuses and reasons. Luca followed Luke to the top floor. They bumped into Jason when they got out of the elevator. "Boss, Dr. Craw, good afternoon." When Jason saw them, he took the initiative to greet them with a slight smile on his face. He then lowered his head and walked away. He did not stop for a second for fear of being med. Jason left before Luca had the time to say hello to him. Luke walked into the office with the thick stack of documents, put it beside the desk, pulled over a chair, and ced it opposite his chair. "Is it okay for you to sit here and process your documents?" he asked. "Okay." Luca knew that she could not say no. She was d that at least there was a table here for her to do her work. She did not want to sit on the sofa to keep her distance from Luke. She sat on the chair, turned on theptop, and resumed her work. Luke''s eyes were locked on her. He did not look like he was going to attend to his work. Luca went through a few pages and could not stand it anymore. She looked up at the person opposite her and said, "Mr. Crawford, don''t you have something that you need to do?" "I''m pretty much done with my work for today," Luke said. He got through his work rather quickly. Luca was taken back by his words. "If you''re done, why don''t you get off work? Go home to spend time with Lanie and Rainie." "I want to be with you," Luke said. "They don''t like being watched by me." Luca felt helpless. Although she liked being watched by Luke, she felt guilty. She would also think that he might know what she was thinking in her mind. She said, "Mr. Crawford, if you don''t want to go back home, why don''t you find something to do? I can''t work with you staring at me like this." Chapter 2378 The corner of Luke''s lips curled up a little as he gave a mocking smile. ¡°Leave me alone," said Luke. ¡°I''ve already finished handling the documents." There came the sound of someone knocking on his door after he said that. The smile on Luke''s face disappeared. Every time there was a knock on the door, that would mean he had work to do. Luca knew about that too, so she said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, there''s work to do." ¡°It seems like it." Luke ced his hand on the mouse and moved it. Theputer screen lit up. Only then did he say, ¡°Come in." Tina pushed the door open and walked into the office. She was startled for a moment when she saw Luca sitting right opposite her boss. She wondered if she hade in at the wrong time. This was why Jason asked her to send the documents into the office herself. It turned out that this was happening. She happened to find out the truth of the rumors surrounding her boss, but at the same time, she had disturbed her boss while he was spending time with Luca. She was lucky enough not to get fired for doing such a thing. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. ¡°Boss, there are a few documents that you need to read through. And there''ll be a video conference 10 minutester. Mr. Wright will go into details with you about the cooperation." Tina bit the bullet and handed the documents to him. She also noticed that Luca''sptop screen showed that she was working. It seemed like Luca was initially working overtime downstairs, and their boss found out about it. That was why he brought her here. ¡°Where''s Mr. Doyle?" Luke asked. Jason should be the one informing him about these. ¡°Mr. Doyle said he had something to do. That''s why he asked me to inform you," replied Tina. She covered Jason''s *ss instead of betraying him. ¡°Got it. You may leave now," replied Luke. "Okay." Tina immediately hurried out of his office. After the office door was closed, Luca rose to her feet, preparing to tidy up her documents. ¡°What are you doing?" Luke pressed her hands that were about to pick up the documents. "Aren''t you having a meetingter?" Luca asked. It would be inappropriate to stay here if Luke was having a meeting. She was afraid of knowing too much confidential information about T Corporation now. What Abel had asked her to do thest time was like a nightmare that would never go away. ¡°It''s not an important meeting. You can stay." Luke knew that she was worried and said indifferently. It was just some minor issues that the partner wanted to make things clear to him. "Okay..." Luca knew that Luke was not nning to let her leave. She had no choice but to sit down and continue with her work. Luke let go of her. Then, he began to handle the documents Tina had just handed to him. After Tina left Luke''s office, she went straight to Jason''s office. She looked at Jason, who was drinking his cup of coffee behind his office desk. She could not help but roll her eyes at him. "Tina, have you handed the documents?" Jason smiled. He knew Luca was in Luke''s office, and that was why he asked Tina to do the job. "How dare I refuse to do what you asked me to?" Tina stepped forward and picked up the documents beside his desk. Those were the documents she had to handle. "Don''t be harsh to me. I just wanted you to enjoy the show," replied Jason. He knew Tina would not really get mad at him. He smiled and slid another copy of the document into the ones she was carrying in her arms. "Oh, it was fun watching what was going on in there. Thank you for that. If Boss mes me for anything, you''ll have to look for someone else to do this for you." Tina wondered why Jason did not enter the office himself when he told her that something good was happening. Fortunately, Luke would not me them for such petty things. Luca and Luke were not doing anything that could not be seen by others in the office, after all. "He''s not such a mean person. Besides, you''re a woman. Even if you stumbled into a scene you shouldn''t have, Boss wouldn''t fuss about it with you. But if I''m the one who went in and I happened to see something that I shouldn''t, what do you think he''ll do to me?" Jason made a throat-slitting gesture across his throat. Judging from how Luke valued Luca, if Jason truly saw Luca doing anything with Luke, he would be gotten rid of right away. "You''d better not ask me to do this again. My heart won''t be able to stand it. Isn''t there another secretary who''s in the same batch as me in the secretaries'' office? Ask her to go," replied Tina. If Tina were not that close with Jason, she would have thought that Jason was pranking her. "Fine. I''ll ask someone else to do this next time, but their lips aren''t as secure as yours," Jason spoke the truth. If the others in the secretaries'' office saw such a scene, they would probably not be able to keep it to themselves. "Fine. I know I''m good at keeping secrets. Are there any other documents I need to work on?" Tina pouted. Her love life was already not working out well. If anything happened to her career, she would end her life. "No. I''ll hand it to you myself if there''s any," replied Jason. ¡°Okay. Give me some more work to do," said Tina. She had to depend on Luca''s medicine to sleep at night. This also meant she could work well in the daytime. However, she would still think about Amur. To stop herself from overthinking, she had to focus on work. Tina also found out that concentrating on work could distract her from what she felt about Amur. That was why she had be a workaholic these days. "What''s wrong with youtely? Why are you behaving like a workaholic? You''re going to finish all the work on hand if you continue to work so hard. The other secretaries in the secretaries'' office will be losing their jobs soon," Jason teased her, but he noticed that something was wrong with Tina. However, he had no idea what was in the woman''s mind. Besides, he had a wife, Sue. It would be inappropriate for him to express his concern for Tina. It was to prevent others from misunderstanding him. "Come on, the number of secretaries in the secretaries'' office will only increase as long as Boss is still here. There''s a bunch of projectsing after the new year," said Tina. After that, she carried the documents and left. Jason stroked his jaw, lost in his thoughts. Tina had built a friendly rtionship with everyone in T Corporation. However, she had set boundaries for workce friendships. She would not intervene in other people''s matters, and the others would not know about her private matters either. If he were to look for someone to get to know about Tina''s matter, there was only one person¡ªLuca. However, Luca was still in Luke''s office now, and there was no way he could tell Luca about it right away. Moreover, it looked like there was something wrong with Tina, but there was nothing wrong with her work. It made it even more difficult for Jason to exin the situation to Luca. Jason pondered for a moment. He had no choice but to put this behind him. In Luke''s office. 10 minutes had passed. There was indeed a video call request. After Luke answered the call, he immediately discussed the details of the project with the other party. Luca was handling her documents beside him. After Luke started the video conference, she slowed down her typing speed, lowering the noise from the keyboard. She tried her best not to disturb Luke and the person on the other end of the line. Luke hung up the call after handling the problem. Then, he continued with his work. The two of them sat opposite each other doing their work without disturbing each other. When Luke finished his work and it was time to get off work, he reminded Luca. Luca reckoned that she could finish the rest of the documents tomorrow. After she told him about it, she ced the documents back into the safe and returned to the vi together with him. Chapter 2379 When they arrived at the vi, the kids came forward and surrounded them. It lightened up the atmosphere. ¡°Daddy, does your holiday start tomorrow?" Tommy held Luke''s hands and looked at him eagerly. The kids hoped that the adults could start their holidays earlier. That way, they could have time to apany them. It had been a long time since their family celebrated New Year''s together happily. The kids hardly felt any festive cheer during New Year''s celebrations when the impostor Bianca was still here with them. The impostor Bianca would turn Crawford Manor upside down and ruin the festive mood. She argued with Susan every day. It was just like when their grandmother was still living in the house with them. It was chaotic. Now, their mother had finallye back. That was why they hoped that they could start the holidays earlier and spend the rest of the time with them. "I still have to work tomorrow," replied Luke. T Corporation would let the employees start their holidays after tomorrow. However, that did not mean that Luke would go on holiday as well. "Ah, there''s one more day to go." Tommy pouted. He thought he would be able to keep his parents by his side tomorrow. Then, he lifted his head and looked at Luca. "I''ll be working too." Luca smiled and looked at the child. She took off her coat and hung it on the hanger stand. "Daddy, you''re the boss. Why can''t you take a day off earlier to apany us?" Tommy swung Luke''s hands and whined. Rainie, who was standing beside them, could no longer stand it. She quickly came forward and pulled her younger brother away. Then, she said, "Tommy, Daddy''s busy with his work. He''ll be able to keep yourpany once the holiday starts." "It''s unlikely that Daddy will be avable during the holidays," Lanie said calmly. They all knew how busy Luke was during the holidays every year. It was especially so during New Year''s. People would drop by their house with different kinds of excuses. Some of them could not be turned down. Luke would be much busier than he usually was. ¡°Why don''t we go on vacation to Maxwell City thising New Year?" Luke suggested after he noticed that the kids wereining. It was not easy for the family to reunite again, and Luke did not want to spend his festive holidays entertaining the guests. "Yes! Yes!" Tommy immediately pped his hands and agreed to it. Lanie let out a sigh and looked at his father. "Daddy, you haven''t called Great-grandpa back, have you?" "Why?" Luke indeed had not returned Old Master Crawford''s call. "Great-grandpa came looking for you today. He said he tried to reach you but he couldn''t get through. That''s why he called the house phone number. Aunt Neile was the one who answered the call. He told Aunt Neile something," said Lanie. Aunt Neile had put him on the speaker, so Lanie heard what Old Master Crawford said too. Luke picked up his phone and nced at it. He had muted his phone before he attended the meeting. "What did he say?" Luke asked. Judging from the look on Lanie''s face, Luke knew that Old Master Crawford must have bad news to bring him. "You can ask Aunt Neile," replied Lanie. Aunt Neile happened to be walking out of the kitchen at this time. When she saw Luke, she came forward and said, "Mr. Crawford, you''re back." "Did Old Master Crawford call?" Luke asked. He held Tommy''s hands that were tugging on his sleeve restlessly. Aunt Neile nodded and told Luke what Old Master Crawford had told her, "He said your mother couldn''t reach you. That''s why she contacted Old Master Crawford and said that she wanted toe back here to celebrate New Year''s. He wants you to get ready for it." "She''sing back?" Luke frowned. He had muted Allison''s text messages as she kept on sending him dozens of messages every day. He would only read them when he had the time to do so. Naturally, he would not answer her calls either. Even if he knew Allison called, he would not return her calls either. After all, she would only be talking about getting stic surgery. However, there was no cure for her face. She was the only one who had not realized that. "Yes, that''s what Old Master Crawford told me. He also meant to say that he had no way of stopping her, so he''s going to leave it to you," said Aunt Neile. If Old Master Crawford stopped Allison froming back, people would speak ill of him if this spread out. Luke frowned with a disgusted expression on his face. He had just transferred Allison to another hospital, yet she was starting to make a mess of his ns by insisting oning back to celebrate New Year''s. He was worried that her return this time was not truly to celebrate the new year. Instead, she might being back to cause trouble! The peaceful days of the Crawford family would be gone again. "Okay. I got it," replied Luke as he turned to look at Luca. Luca knew Allison''s return would cause chaos this time, but it was impossible to let her stay abroad for a long time. It was not easy to handle Allison''s matter. She could not ept that her face was disfigured, and she thought that there was a way to make her face normal again. ¡°Mr. Crawford, would you like to deal with it first?" Luca thought Luke would have to deal with this first. "I''m going upstairs to handle this. Don''t wait for me for dinner." After Luke said that, he let go of Tommy''s hand, turned around, and made his way up the stairs. Tommy walked toward Luca and asked in a soft voice, "Ms. Luca, Daddy doesn''t want Grandma to come back, right?" "That''s not true. It''s just that it''s a little difficult to deal with this matter." Luca stroked Tommy''s head. If it were not for Allison being such a troublemaker, Luke would not be so cold and heartless to her. If she could behave like an ordinary mother, things would not have ended up like this where the two shared a broken mother-son rtionship. Tommy nodded even though he could hardly understand what Luca meant. He did not like Grandma either. After Lanie watched Luke head upstairs, he said, "If Grandma ising back, will she be staying at Crawford Manor or here with us?" "Grandma has a scary face..." Rainie paused for a moment. She had seen Allison''s face a few times before. She got frightened every time she saw her. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Besides, she would have nightmares in her sleep every time she saw her face. "Mr. Crawford will make the arrangements," replied Luca. Even though she had no idea how Luke would be arranging it, no one could stop Allison froming back here to celebrate New Year''s. "Let''s have dinner first," said Luca. She held Tommy''s and Rainie''s hands, shot a nce at Lanie, and brought them to the dining room. Upstairs. Luke gave Mr. Griffin a call. "Mr. Griffin, send someone to clean up my mother''s vi," Luke instructed. "Young Master Luke, you''re nning to let Madam Allison stay there when she''s back?" Mr. Griffin asked. "Yes," answered Luke. If he let Allison stay in Crawford Manor, no one in Crawford Manor would be able to live in peace during the new year. It would be impossible for him too. He would not let Allison ruin his ns. "Okay. I''ll send someone over to clean up the vi and buy some daily necessities, alright?" replied Mr.Griffin. "Yeah. I''ll leave it to you, then. Also, send one of the maids there to the vi," added Luke. If he wanted Allison to stay in that small vi, he had to get everything ready for her. Otherwise, she would nitpick and try to find a way to return to Crawford Manor. ¡°Okay. I understand. Young Master Luke, Old Master Crawford intends to leave this matter to you to handle." Mr. Griffin delivered Old Master Crawford''s message. The old master was not nning to bother himself with Allison''s matters. Given the circumstances now, no one could get her under control. She was Luke''s mother, so Luke should be the one dealing with her. Chapter 2380 "Is there anything else the old master wanted to tell me?" Luke asked. Old Master Crawford''s attitude toward Allison was clear enough when he let Luke deal with the matter. The old master did not want Allison back here. However, since she was Luke''s biological mother, he should let Luke make the decision. Still, who would be able to stop Allison if she wanted toe back? Allison would only cause trouble if they stopped her froming back. ¡°Old Master Crawford didn''t say much about Madam Allison. But he was hoping that you could bring the kids back to Crawford Manor to spend New Year''s Eve together with him,¡± said Mr. Griffin. The old master was thinking of having a family reunion and celebrating the new year together with them. "Okay." Luke ended the call. Then, he called the interpreter he hired for Allison in Seoul. "Mr. Crawford, I''m sorry. I didn''t get to stop Ms. Allison from booking her flight back." Once the call was put through and before Luke could say anything, the interpreter took the initiative to admit her mistake. "When''s her flight?" Luke massaged his temples that were hurting. Although Allison had not returned, Luke already had a feeling that she would certainly make a scene. "I only saw her flight information 10 minutes ago. The flight will take ce the day after tomorrow. She''ll arrive there around three o''clock in the afternoon," replied the interpreter. The moment she found out about the flight, she thought of stopping Allison, but Allison was determined to return. When she was about to call Luke, her phone rang. "Okay. I got it," said Luke. "Mr. Crawford, there''s one more thing I need to report to you," said the interpreter. "Go ahead," replied Luke. "I just checked Ms. Allison''s flight information. All the flight tickets are sold out. I won''t be able to take the same flight as Ms. Allison," exined the interpreter. She was paid to be Allison''s interpreter and also to take care of her. However, Allison did not inform her when she was booking her flight. The reason was that she always reported to Luke. "She''s insisting oning back. It''ll be her problem if she can''tmunicate with others," said Luke. Allison was not someone who was highly educated. She only depended on her pretty looks to get together with Luke''s father. She did not know any Korean. However, since Allison had the galls to act like this, it would be her problem. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Mr. Crawford, after she was transferred to this hospital, Ms. Allison got closer with one of the beauticians here. The beautician ims that she''s from Imperial Capital too. Although this isn''t a big deal, I think I need to report to you about this," said the interpreter. "Okay," Luke did not take it seriously. Before Allison caused so much trouble, she had many friends too. However, after she got herself into trouble, those friends turned their backs on her. Perhaps the beautician only made friends with Allison because of her money. Luke hung up the call without keeping what the interpreter said in mind. Luca carried the tray upstairs and headed to Luke''s bedroom. Even though Luke did not close the door, she still knocked on the door. "Come in." Luke put down his phone when he realized it was Luca. Luca ced the tray on his desk and said, "Mr. Crawford, please have your dinner first." "Why did you bring my dinner upstairs?" Luke nced at the dishes on the tray and looked at the woman in front of him. "I thought Ms. Allison''s matter would be troublesome to deal with and you might not think of going downstairs to have your dinner," answered Luca. Then, she waited for his reply. "Yeah. It''s troublesome," Luke admitted. There were only two women who could make him frown in his life. One of them was Luca, who was in front of him. The other one would be Allison. The troubles Luca gave him were about love. On the other hand, Allison only annoyed him with the trouble she caused. "Are you sure she''ll being back for the new year?" Luca asked. "It''s been confirmed. The flight ticket has been booked too. She''ll arrive here the day after tomorrow," answered Luke. Luca knew what kind of person Allison was too. Luca let out a sigh. "Where will she be staying? I don''t mean anything. It''s just that the kids sounded like they were overwhelmed..." "I''ve asked Mr. Griffin to send someone to tidy up her vi," replied Luke. He knew Allison''s appearance would frighten the kids. That was why he made such arrangements. Luca nodded. That was the best arrangement. At least Allison would not be staying at Crawford Manor, and they would still be able to live peacefully as well. "I''m bringing the kids to Crawford Manor to celebrate New Year''s Eve. Why don''t youe with us?" Luke invited her. Although there were a few days to go before it was New Year''s Eve, he wanted to know if she woulde along with him. "I won''t be joining you on New Year''s Eve. It''s an important day for family reunions. It''s inappropriate for an outsider like me to join you," Luca declined. Even though Allison would not be there, there was still another woman, Susan, who did not like her. Luke wanted to tell Luca that she was not an outsider. They all knew her true identity. However, he could not tell her now. Since Luca refused to go, he might as well just let her spend New Year''s Eve here quietly. "Okay," replied Luke. Although Luca refused to go back now, after Luke got rid of the Ind of Despair, he would be able to make her stay by his side. "It''s not going to be a peaceful new year this year," eximed Luke. He deliberately said that in front of Luca. If it were not for Luca''s current situation that was unsuitable for traveling, he would certainly bring Luca and the kids for a vacation abroad. It did not matter where they would be going as long as they could stay away from Allison and Susan''s war. It was a pity that staying in A City was the best choice to ensure Luca''s safety. Although Matysh was not in A City now, if he found out that Luke had taken Luca on vacation, he might make a move. A City was the safest ce for her. "Mr. Crawford, it''d be better not to get the kids involved in such things." Luca felt sorry for the kids. They already knew how to read one''s expressions at such a young age due to frequent family disputes. "They''re from the Crawford family, and they''re destined to be extraordinary. I''ll try my best. That''s all I can say," replied Luke. He could not protect his kids well all the time. After all, he had apany to manage. Luca smiled. She was not nning to continue to disturb him and said, "Mr. Crawford, please excuse me. I''m going downstairs for dinner." She brought Luke''s dinner upstairs first before she had her dinner. "Okay," replied Luke. Luca made her way down the stairs and headed to the dining room. Then, she sat down at the dining table. Tommy could not wait and asked, "Ms. Luca, is Grandma reallying back?" "Yes. Your grandma will be back the day after tomorrow." Luca picked up the bowl and took a sip of the soup. Only then did she reply to Tommy. "Ah..." Tommy shook his head. "But she''s not going to stay here this time. She won''t be staying at Crawford Manor either. She''ll be staying in her own vi," Luca told the kids about Luke''s arrangement. "But Grandma will go back to Crawford Manor if shees back. She''ll argue with Grandma Susan once she returns to Crawford Manor. Then, Great-grandpa will be mad again," said Rainie. She had already figured out what would happen on New Year''s Day. Chapter 2381 ¡°Can we not celebrate the new year in Crawford Manor this year?" Lanie, who had always been quiet, suddenly spoke. Lanie was not afraid of Allison''s appearance, but he did not like noisy ces. Luca shook her head and replied, "I''m afraid not. Old Master Crawford already asked all of you to go back on New Year''s Eve." "Ah..." Rainie cried out and lowered her head. They loved their great-grandpa, but they did not like it when Susan and Allison were at each other''s throats. The kids were not as innocent and naive as they were before. They knew once Allison came back, she would definitely return to Crawford Manor. "Rainie.." Tommy looked at her, asking for help. They lost their appetite when they heard that their grandmother would being back and they would have to return to Crawford Manor on New Year''s Eve. "Eat your dinner first. Perhaps it''s not as bad as you think." Luca convinced them. The kids were no longer in the mood for their dinner anymore. They did not hate Allison. It was just that as they grew up, they could remember more things for a longer period of time. All those things Allison had done were imprinted in their minds. They naturally knew that Allison had done many over-the-top things, which was why they were afraid of their grandmother. Luca looked at how depressed the kids were and let out a sigh helplessly. When she was away in the past few years, Allison was in prison, but it seemed like she had left an impression on the kids before she got into prison. Luca had no idea what she could do for them with Allison''s return this time. She felt sorry seeing the kids like that. Two dayster. All of the employees of T Corporation were officially on a holiday. That included Luke and Luca. However, the kids were unhappy with it. As Tommy watched Luke, who was putting on his clothes and getting ready to depart, he asked, "Daddy, are you really going to pick Grandma up?" "Yes." Luke nodded. The ne Allison boarded would be arriving in an hour. If Luke did not pick Allison up, she would hail a ride herself. It would be bad if she headed straight to the vi or Crawford Manor. That was why Luke had to pick her up himself so that he could drop Allison at her own vi. "Stay at home and behave yourself." Luke stroked Tommy''s head and nced at Luca. Luca nodded and said, "Mr. Crawford, drive safely." "I will," replied Luke. Then, he walked out of the vi and headed in the direction of the parking lot. Tommy sat on the sofa and watched the cartoon show ying on the TV. He showed no interest and heaved a sigh. "Sigh..." Luca walked toward him when she heard him sigh. She pinched his chubby little face and said, "Tommy, perhaps it''s something good this time." "Ms. Luca, do you mean Grandma will turn over a new leaf when shees back?" Tommy looked at her with a stern expression on his face. Would Allison turn over a new leaf? Even prison could not make her change. Would her personality change after she went to Seoul? She thought it was impossible. "The teacher said that a fault confessed is half redressed. But I don''t think Grandma will change. Ms. Luca, do you think Daddy can bring us on vacation? That way, we won''t have to face Grandma." Tommy shifted his eyes and suggested. Luca smiled. If they could go on a vacation, Luke would have mentioned it. However, she. Although Matysh was not in A City now, Luke told her that he was still eyeing her. Still, she did not know why he had not made any moves yet. If they were to go on a vacation, they would have to hire bodyguards, and it would be troublesome. Besides, they might even get the kids involved in danger. That was why she refused to do so. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Come on. She''s your Grandma. She won''t hurt you no matter what," Lucaforted the kid. Allison had always been keeping an eye on the Crawford family, waiting for the best time she could act so that she could get some benefits and interests. The kids were her bargaining chips. Hence, even if Allison looked down on Luca, she was the one who bored the children. Still, Allison was satisfied with the kids'' performances. She was not too demanding, and sometimes, she would even feel proud of their achievements. Tommy did not say another word as he looked at the TV screen. Luke arrived at the airport. He checked Allison''s flight information with the app on his phone. There was another half an hour until the nended. Luke sat in the car and waited. The snow was falling heavily outside the car. Luke got bent out of shape about Allison choosing to come back at this time. He did not even know if she could arrange for her to travel abroad for treatment again after the new year. After all, the best stic surgery hospital in Seoul had told her that there was no way surgery could help her change the state of her face. Besides, the surgery was high-risk. The wounds could be easily infected. That was why they gave her conservative treatment instead. Allison had certainly heard the doctor say the same things. She was just not easily convinced. Half an hourter. Luke''s phone rang. He picked up and confirmed that it was Allison''s phone number. Then, he answered the call. ¡°Luke, I just got off the ne. Where are you?" Allison''s voice was a little croaky. It was totally different from before she went to prison. g Allison had been pretentious back then. She would pretend to be an elegant wealthy madam, but now... Luke listened to her loud voice and replied in a cold voice, "I''m at Entrance B." "Why are you at Entrance B? Aren''t youing in to help me with the luggage?" Allison was dissatisfied. "You can push them yourself." Luke was not nning to get out of the car. He turned up the volume of the radio that was broadcasting the news. "I can''t push so much stuff on my own. I bought a lot of things for the kids. Come in, quick!" Allison stopped pushing the luggage. Luke was her son. She took him for granted and expected him to help her push the luggage out. "You could push your luggage when you arrived in Seoul, but you can''t push them now that you''re back?" Luke made a valid point. If it were not for him being worried about Allison hailing a ride back to Crawford Manor, he would not havee to the airport. "You! What''s wrong with you? I''m your mother. How can you say such things to me?" Allison stomped her feet, ignoring how the others were looking at her. Luke hung up the call right away without saying anything to her. Allison was so angry that her face reddened when she heard the busy tone on the other end of the line. Sophian, who stood beside Allison, immediately asked caringly, "Ms. Allison, what''s the matter? Where''s your son?" "He''s waiting for us at Entrance B," replied Allison. She put her phone back into her pocket while she clenched her hands tightly. She was thrown into prison, then sent to Seoul for treatment. Everything changed ever since. Luke, who used to help Allison to lighten her burdens back then, was sitting in the car waiting for her to come out. It must be Susan who had brainwashed Luke! Allisonid the me on Susan without thinking about what she had done. All she thought was she would not let Susan get away with it. Sophian could see that Allison was angry. She reckoned that a wealthy madam like Allison used to be apanied by assistants and helpers no matter where she went. She must have been proud of it. Her son hade to pick her up, but he refused toe in to help her with the luggage. That was probably why she was mad, right? Chapter 2382 Sophian had already figured out what kind of person Allison was, so she said, ¡°Ms. Allison, you have such a good son." Allison got even more furious when she heard such ttering words. She said, "How is he good? He doesn''t even want toe here and help me with my luggage. Someone in the family must have had a bad influence on him. This is driving me crazy! I must lecture him this time." Allison called herself a mother. However, she had forgotten that she had never done anything a mother should. Sophian immediately replied, "Perhaps he couldn''t find a ce to park. You know that there''s limited parking at the airport. That''s why he can''te in. Ms. Allison, don''t you have me with you? I can help." Allison managed to calm down after listening to her. She rested her rough hands on Sophian''s smooth hands and said, "You''re so thoughtful." "Ms. Allison, what are you saying? You''re an elder. Shouldn''t I be considerate of you?" Sophian smiled sweetly, trying to please Allison. Sophian met Allison in the stic surgery hospital. The doctor of the surgery hospital imed that there was a customer who came from A City. Sophian was from A City too. She would be able tomunicate with Allison, and that was why she was assigned to take care of her. Sophian was merely a skincare expert and a personal nurse. She had a low ie, and she only came to Seoul to make herself look prettier. That way, no matter if she was in Seoul or A City, she would have the chance to marry a wealthy man. She used up all the money she earned for her surgery costs. Now that she was an ethereal beauty, however, she did not have the chance to know any wealthy men. Then, she was assigned to take care of Allison. That was when she realized the chance she had been looking for was here. Hence, she quickly built a good rtionship with Allison. Women were always interested in topics on how to make themselves prettier, especially for someone like Allison, who was in a hurry to be pretty again. They naturally had more topics of conversation. Therefore, Allison became fond of Sophian. When Allison said that she wanted to go back to A City to celebrate the new year, she took Sophian along with her. Sophian''s wordsforted Allison. She needed someone thoughtful and who cared for her, so she said, "You''re so kind to me." ¡°Ms. Allison, I practically see you as my mother,¡± Sophian deliberately tried to close the distance between them. Allison did not deny it. After all, Sophian told her that she had a way to get rid of the wrinkles on her face. Hence, she agreed to anything Sophian said. Allison would even agree to let Sophian be her goddaughter. As long as Allison could regain her youthful appearance, she would do anything for it! "How sweet of you," said Allison. "Ms. Allison, that''s your luggage, right?" Sophian noticed the luggage that was about to pass by on the baggage carousel and asked. Allison nced at it, nodded, and replied, "Yes." "Let me help you to get it." Sophian took a step forward, picked up the luggage, and ced it on the floor. Allison''s luggage was heavy. Sophian smiled and picked up the luggage beside her. She said, "Ms. Allison, we''ve gotten our luggage. Let''s go." "Okay." Allison watched Sophian helping her carry her luggage and smiled in satisfaction. She needed someone as thoughtful as Sophian to serve her. Sophian asked, "Your son is waiting at Entrance B, right?" "Yes." Allison nced around her, looking for the exit sign in the airport. Then, she immediately said, "The exit''s there." "Okay. Let''s go." Sophian dragged the luggage and headed in the direction of the exit. She did not forget to ask Allison, "Ms. Allison, I just checked the temperature outside. It seems to be freezing out there. Would you like to put on something warm?" "It''s alright. That''s nothing. It''ll be warm in the car once we get in," replied Allison. She was not afraid of the cold. Although there were wrinkles on her face, she still wanted to look pretty. "You''re right. Look, your son is being considerate too. He''d have to turn off the car engine if he got out of the car. You won''t feel warm in the car once you get in," said Sophian. She had dug into Allison''s details before. Although there was hardly any information about Allison in Imperial Capital. She found out an important piece of information. She was Luke Crawford''s mother. Sophian found out that Allison was a super rich madam. Sophian knew who Luke Crawford was. Before she came to Seoul, she already knew of a man like that in A City. Sophian had a target, and she was ambitious. However, the social ss she initially targeted was still far away from where Luke stood. That was why she was buttering up to Allison. If she climb her way up to the highest social ss through Allison, she would have nothing to worry about for the rest of her life. "How can I not know what he''s thinking about? Enough. Stop speaking up for him." Allison was not blinded by Sophian''s ttery. ¡°Okay, Ms. Allison." Sophian stopped talking when she realized she had said something wrong. Although Allison''s luggage was heavy, she could easily move it around when she was at Seoul''s airport. Sophian was pulling along Allison''s luggage behind her, and it was actually easy to pull such a heavy suitcase. The two of them walked out of the airport. A cold gust of wind swept across their faces. There were no changes in Allison''s expression. She looked at Luke''s car. Although Luke did not mention what car he was driving today, Allison knew Luke''s car te number. "Ms. Allison, have you seen your son''s car?" Sophian asked. She knew she would be meeting Luke, and she nned to leave a good impression on him. Hence, she did not put on many clothes. Putting on too many clothes would make her look fat. Allison saw a ck-colored Mercedes car and said, ¡°I saw it. Let''s go." "Which one?" Sophian kept pace with her. "That ck Mercedes." Allison headed right to the car. Luke sat in the car and watched Allison walking toward him. He frowned when he noticed that another woman wasing along with her. She was not the interpreter he arranged for Allison. When Allison was almost near the car''s backseat, Luke opened the car trunk without thinking of getting out of the car to help them. Allison walked toward him. After confirming that it was Luke in the car, she knocked on the car window. Luke slowly rolled down the car window and said, "Put the luggage in the car trunk. I''ve opened it." "Can''t you get out of the car to lift the luggage? The suitcases are heavy!" Allison frowned and glowered at him. What surprised her was that Luke was the one driving. He did not ask the chauffeur to drive him here. "It''s cold outside," replied Luke as he closed the window. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Sophian, who stood beside Allison, was stunned when she saw Luke''s face. Her heart was beating fast. That was Luke Crawford! Although she had seen a lot of his information and photos on the inte, he was more handsome than he was in the photos online! This man was good-looking and wealthy. Luke was the man of her dreams! Sophian secretly made a decision. She had to seize the chance to be Luke''s woman this time! Allison was furious when she realized that Luke did not intend to get out of the car. When she was about to pull the passenger door open and scold him, Sophian grabbed her hand. Chapter 2383 "Ms. Allison, please get into the car first. Let me put the luggage in the car trunk," said Sophian. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Allison was satisfied with Sophian''s performance. She nodded, then she opened the rear door and got into the car. Sophian dragged the two big and heavy suitcases to the back of the car. She lifted her luggage and put it in the car trunk first. Although the suitcase was big, there was not much important stuff in it. Hence, she could put it in easily. Sophian was nning to put Allison''s luggage in the car trunk too. Sophian was well prepared as she had experienced the weight of it earlier. She took a deep breath, bent down, and was about to lift the suitcase. However, she staggered and almost scratched the car with the suitcase. Sophian was so bbergasted that she broke into a cold sweat. It was nothing if she scratched the car, but it would be a big deal if she left a bad impression on Luke. Sophian looked at Allison, who was sitting in the car and warming herself up. She took everything for granted. Although she was still smiling, she was secretlyining that Allison had no idea how to be grateful. Allison was dissatisfied with Sophian being slow. She rolled down the window, stuck her head out, and said, "Sophian, hurry up." ¡°Okay, Ms. Allison. In a second,¡± replied Sophian. Then, she clenched her teeth, lifted Allison''s luggage, and ced it in the car trunk. There was a loud thud, and Sophian was out of her breath. Allison was unhappy and said, ¡°Sophian, there are many expensive items in my luggage. Be careful with it.¡± "Don''t worry, Ms. Allison. I''ve already ced it in the car trunk." Sophian was upset, but she could not say anything about it. After she closed the car trunk, she got into the backseat from the other side. Luke had never looked her in the eye. Allison watched Sophian get into the car. Only then did she say to Luke, "Let''s go back home." Luke remained silent and drove off. While they were on their way back, Allison realized that it was not the way to Crawford Manor. Hence, she asked, "Luke, where are you taking me?" "I''ve already asked Mr. Griffin to clean up your vi. I''m sending you there now," replied Luke. He did not give her a choice. "Vi? No, I want to go back to Crawford Manor. I came back to celebrate the new year. What''s the point of sending me to that small vi to spend the new year there? Besides, there''s nothing in the vi. No maids will be there to take care of me. I''m not going there." Allison was against the idea of going to the vi. She thought something had happened to Luke back then. That was why she bought the small vi. After all, her son went missing. She would lose her status in the Crawford family. Moreover, she did not want Old Master Crawford to keep an eye on her. She was even more unwilling to see the gloating expression on Susan''s face. That was why she moved out of Crawford Manor. After all, Old Master Crawford would not give her anything if not for Luke. Although there was Lanie and the others, the kids had a mother, and they were not close with her either. Allison would naturally not cut the branch she was sitting on. However, things were different now. Luke was still around. Her son was still here, and she could stillpete with Susan in the Crawford family. Allison had to show up and let Susan know she was thedy of the Crawford family. "Mr. Griffin has already arranged a maid for you at the vi. The maid will get you everything you need. Just stay there first." Luke did not give Allison a chance to argue with him. He was not nning to make a detour. Allison frowned and looked at the street view that was constantly passing by. She could not help but throw a tantrum. She cried out, "Luke, do you even think of me as your mother?" "Would you like to return to Seoul now?" Luke mmed the brake. The car came to a halt on the road. There was no car behind him. Hence, he did not have to worry that he would cause traffic congestion. "I¡ª" Allison was about to speak. "I''ve already made arrangements. If you''re unhappy with them, I can book your flight back to Seoul now. The hospital in Seoul gave me a call. They told me that they''ve alreadye up with a detailed surgery n," Luke interrupted. What Allison was concerned about was mentioned in thetter half. Her eyes lit up as her body leaned forward. Then, she asked, "Really?" "Yes. The hospital just called me this morning," replied Luke. "Don''t lie to me." Allison kept her guard up. Even though the hospital did not tell her that they could not perform the surgery on her, they did not tell her about their ns either. "I didn''t hear anything about it either..." Sophian sat beside Allison, trying her best to let Luke notice her. At the same time, she did not want Allison to return to Seoul now. Otherwise, she would not have the chance to get closer to Luke. "You can ask them if you don''t believe me," replied Luke. He looked at Allison in the rearview mirror and asked, "Would you like to return now? I''ve checked. There''s another flight to Seoul in two hours." "Not at the moment. I told you I want to celebrate the new year here. I''ll go back there for the surgery after the new year," replied Allison. Her problem would be solved if the surgery hospital truly had a surgery nned for her. Hence, she was not in a hurry to go back. Luke continued to drive and headed straight. Then, he said, ¡°In this case, listen to me." Allison heard that and stopped insisting on going back to Crawford Manor. Even though returning to Crawford Manor was a bad decision, Allison wanted to fight for the chance to return there. If Luke did not give her the chance to do so, then she should think of a way herself. She replied, "Fine. Then arrange a chauffeur for me. It''s been a long time since I''ve driven. How will I go out if I don''t have a chauffeur?" Luke nced at her face wrapped in bandages. Was she thinking of going out in such a state? "Sure," Luke agreed. It would be great if Allison was willing to use the chauffeur he arranged for her. He would be able to know her whereabouts. However, his subordinate would have to put up with Allison. His subordinate would have to stay put and wait for Allison''s orders during the new year. After Luke arrived at Allison''s vi entrance, he said, "We''re here. Get out of the car." Allison widened her eyes and asked, "Aren''t you sending us in?" "The fingerprint door lock still has your fingerprint saved in it. Just go in. The servant is waiting for you. Just look for her if you need anything," Luke said coldly. There were barely any changes in his gaze. It was calm. However, there was a hint of impatience for Allison in the bottom of his eyes. "You''ve alreadye this far. What''s wrong with sending us in? Besides, it''s snowing heavily. Do you want to see me freezing in the snow?" Allison sat in the car, refusing to get out. Luke tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, trying to be patient. Then, he said, "I need to go back to the office to handle some work matters." "Do you think I have no idea that everyone in the office is taking a break now?" Allison refuted. "Have I ever taken a break?" Luke questioned her. Allison was rendered speechless. Previously, no matter what kind of festive holidays it was, there were always documents on Luke''s office desk. After all, those festive holidays were celebrated in A City and not in other countries. T Corporation''s business had connections with numerous enterprises in the country as well as the countries abroad. Even though it was a holiday in Imperial Capital, the same could not be said for every other country. Luke noticed that Allison was still reluctant to get out of the car. He picked up his phone and made a call. "Take a nket with you ande to the entrance." Chapter 2384 Before Allison could ask anything, the vi''s door slowly opened. She turned to look at the door. After a while, she saw Mr. Griffin''s figure appear behind the door. He was carrying a nket in her hands. Allison turned to look at Luke. ¡°Get out of the car." Luke''s voice was cold. There was not even a trace of warmth or affection in his voice. Allison probably did not notice that Luke had not addressed her as his mother since she got into the car at the airport until now... Mr. Griffin walked toward Allison. She smiled and opened the door for her. Then, she handed the nket to Allison and said, "Wee back, Ms. Allison." Allison pulled a sulky face, covered herself tightly with the nket, and got out of the car. When she noticed that Sophian was still sitting in the car, she snarled, "Get out of the car." "Okay, Ms. Allison." Sophian was fascinated when she was looking at Luke from behind. After she was reminded by Allison, she hurried out of the car with her face blushing red. No nket was prepared for her. When she got out of the car, the cold gust of wind took her by surprise. Sophian hid her face under her scarf. Allison said to Mr. Griffin, "My luggage is in the car trunk. Take it out." "Okay, Ms. Allison." Mr. Griffin nodded and walked toward the car trunk. Luke opened the car trunk. Mr. Griffin lifted the luggage out of the car trunk. Sophian let out a sigh of relief when she saw him carrying the luggage. Fortunately, she was not the one who had to carry it out. Otherwise, she would not be able to stand it. Allison''s luggage was so heavy as though a person who weighed 100 pounds was hiding in it. It was too heavy. After Mr. Griffin took the two suitcases out of the car trunk, he said respectfully, "Ms. Allison, the vi has been tidied up. Please go in." "Why are you calling me Ms. Allison? This is my vi. I''m the madam." Allison was dissatisfied. It had been some time since she came back. These people did not even know how to address her now. Mr. Griffin understood what she meant. He immediately corrected himself and said, ¡°Madam, please go in." Allison sneered at him, turned around, and said to Sophian, "Sophian, let''s go in." "Okay, Ms. Allison." Sophian shot a nce at the man in the driver''s seat. He was cold, and he did not get out of the car. It was as though Allison was not his mother. Sophian pulled back her gaze reluctantly. Allison noticed Sophian''s small gestures and headed straight into the vi. Sophian kept up with her. Luke watched the two of them enter the vi, then he slowly rolled down the window and said to Mr. Griffin, "Tell me if she makes any move." "I got it, Young Master Luke." Mr. Griffin nodded and dragged one of the suitcases inside while the maid who stood beside him dragged the other one. Luke drove away and left. Allison marched into the vi. It had been three years since she stepped into this ce. There were no changes to the interior after three years. Besides, the sofa and the furniture were the ones she had used before. Allison was unhappy with it. She pointed at the sofa and asked Mr. Griffin, "Didn''t you say everything has been cleaned? What''s with this old furniture?" "Madam, would you like to change them all to new ones?" Mr. Griffin asked. "Of course. These are the designs from three years ago. They''re outdated. Shouldn''t you change them?" Allison gave a disdainful look. She thought that the sofa set that cost her a huge amount of money was not worthy of her status now. "Indeed." Mr. Griffin knew Allison was a spendthrift and went along with her. "It''s just that the furniture stores are already closed for the new year. We can''t find anyone to move the sofa away now. Madam, we''ll have to wait until it''s after the new year to change the sofa." "What? After the new year? I came back to celebrate the new year, but I''ll have to until after the new year?" Allison was upset and scolded Mr. Griffin in a sharp voice. "Don''t you know how to carry out your duties? The Crawford family is so wealthy. Would there be anyone who doesn''t want to move the old furniture away?" "Uh..." Mr. Griffin felt awkward. Although the Crawford family was wealthy, they could not stop people from having their holidays. If he pulled some strings to ask a furniture store to open their shop and send a new sofa here, it would involve many people. They would have to make a big deal out of it. If Old Master Crawford found out about it, he would surelyin. Sophian thought the furniture was still new, and there was no need to change them. It was such a waste. Hence, she said, "Ms. Allison, you''ll be fine with this furniture. Although the sofa''s design is outdated, it''s still good for you." Allison put on a gloomy expression. Although she was tired, she would rather stand there than sit on the sofa with an outdated design. She asked, "What do you mean?" "No matter how eco-friendly the materials of new furniture are, some formaldehyde can still be found in them. But it''s different with old furniture. They''ve been ced here for years. The formaldehyde would have gone away. Your skin is still sensitive. If the formaldehyde content in the air is too high, even if there''s only a little bit of it in the air, it''ll still affect your health and skin condition," exined Sophian. She nced at Mr. Griffin at the same time. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Sophian was speaking up for Mr. Griffin, hoping that she could leave a good impression on him. That way, he would put in a good word for her in front of Luke. Allison nodded, thinking what Sophian said made sense. However, she changed her mind on second thought and said, "All the furniture here has been here for so long and no one has cleaned them up. There must be bacteria on them. Didn''t you say my face can''t get in contact with mites and bacteria now?" ¡°Yes, indeed. But didn''t they clean the ce up for you? If you''re still worried about it, ask them to spray acaricide on the furniture and clean it up again,¡± Sophian smiled and said. She rested her hands on Allison''s shoulders and gently massaged them. "Ms. Allison, you must be tired after being on the ne for such a long time. Are you only going to rest after waiting for your new furniture to arrive?¡± ¡°Fine. What you said makes sense too," Allison agreed with her. Then, she instructed Mr. Griffin, "Get someone to bring over some acaricide and clean the furniture again." "Madam, we''ve already sprayed acaricide on the furniture three times. We even dried them under a UV machine for up to five hours. Don''t worry. Please sit down and take a rest," replied Mr. Griffin. Mr. Griffin was fully prepared for this as he knew that Allison was always nitpicking. He did not give her a chance to return to Crawford Manor. He had assigned three maids toe over here to clean up the ce. Every step taken was based on his instructions. He even had video recordings to prove it. "Are you so detail-oriented?" Allison asked in confusion. "You''re very concerned about hygiene and cleanliness of the house. That''s why the maids took their duties seriously. We even recorded some videos as evidence if you''d like to check if what I said is true," answered Mr. Griffin. The maid beside him took a memory card out of her pocket. "It''s alright. Fine, you''re good at this." Allison had to admit that there was nothing she could nitpick on. Mr. Griffin had everything done so perfectly. What else could shein about? "This is Ms. Thomas, a skincare expert I got to know when I was in Seoul. Arrange a guest room for her," added Allison. "Yes. We''ll arrange it now," replied Mr. Griffin. Then, he turned around and headed upstairs. Sophian, who was beside Allison, let go of her shoulders. She smiled and said, "Ms. Allison, take a seat first." Allison nced at Sophian and shook her head helplessly. Sophian could not see Allison''s expression. She unconsciously asked Allison when she noticed that she was shaking her head, "Ms. Allison, what''s the matter?" Chapter 2385 "Sophian, if you hadn''t said anything just now, we probably wouldn''t have to stay here anymore." Allison let out a sigh. She was trying hard to find an excuse and see if she could move to Crawford Manor just now. However, what Sophian said made her give up hope. ¡°Huh? Ms. Allison, did I say something wrong?¡± Sophian was confused. What she said was right. It was indeed unsuitable for Allison to use new furniture now. She already had a poor skin condition. If her skin was affected, she might need to head to the hospital for hormone therapy. ¡°I thought of using the furniture as an excuse to move back to Crawford Manor.¡± Allison looked at the interior of the living room. After she bought this vi, she spent a huge amount of money to renovate it. She was satisfied with the renovation back then. However, no matter how she looked at it now, she could not get used to it. ¡°Crawford Manor?" Sophian asked in confusion. Was that where Luke was staying? "The value of that house can buy ten vis like this," said Allison. Sophian understood at once. Crawford Manor was a mansion, and it was a few times more luxurious than this vi. She quickly lowered her head and apologized, "I''m sorry, Ms. Allison. I didn''t know." "It''s okay. They arranged for me to stay here just because they don''t want me to disturb their peaceful lives. Are they hoping that they can celebrate the new year peacefully? No way! Sophian, be honest with me." Allison looked at her with a stern expression on her face. Sophian immediately replied, "Yes, Ms. Allison." "Are you in love with my son, Luke?" Allison asked. Although she only cared about herself, she still noticed those small gestures of Sophian''s. "Ms. Allison, your son is out of my league. I''m just..." Sophian sounded nervous. Was she that obvious? Allison discriminated against the poor. If it were not for Sophian being useful to her, she would not have given her the chance. Allison lifted her hand and said, "Don''t rush to exin it to me. I understand." "Ms. Allison." Sophian''s face reddened. She did not expect her thoughts to be easily read. She continued, "Any woman would fall for Mr. Crawford when they see him, right?" She wanted Allison to know that it was normal for women to admire Luke. "Of course, but you do know my son has a wife, right?" Allison asked. ¡°I know. Of course, I know. Is there anyone in A City who doesn''t know that your daughter-inw is the luckiest woman in the whole world? I''ll just watch someone like Mr. Crawford from far away. I''ve never had any other thoughts." Sophian tried to hide her wild ambition. "You can''t say that. It''s just that Old Master Crawford is still in the Crawford family now. It''s unlikely that Luke will be getting a divorce. That woman isn''t here now, and she''s noting back to celebrate the new year either. Luke will be all by himself. It breaks my heart to see him like that..." Allison took off her mask and sunsses. The wrinkles on her face were red as they had been covered for a long time. "Ms. Allison, you mean.." Sophian saw a glimmer of hope. Could it be that Allison was dropping her a hint? "Nothing. I just wanted to tell you that Luke''s rtionship isn''t working out," replied Allison. She was not that silly to promise Sophian anything. After all, she had looked into Sophian''s family background before. Sophian was just an ordinary person. Previously, she was not pretty at all. Her genes were not good enough, and she did not deserve Luke. If it were not for Sohpian''s good skills, Allison would not be bothered to talk to her at all. Sophian pondered for a moment, smiled, and said, "Ms. Allison, your skin is red. Let me give you a facial treatment to soothe your skin." "Really? That''s why it feels tight." Allison touched her face. She immediately felt frustrated once she could feel the wrinkles on her face. Then, she stood up and said, "Let''s go. I have a beauty room in this vi. There''s some esthetician equipment in there. Take a look and see if you can use them." "Okay. Let me get my tools first," replied Sophian. She grabbed her luggage, opened it, and took a set of facial tools and some medications out of it. Those were for Allison''s facial treatment. Allison led Sophian up the stairs, and they ran into Mr. Griffin. Allison asked, "Is the guest room ready?" "Madam, the guest room has been cleaned up. Mnie will stay here to take care of you. Just inform me if you need anything. I''ll get it ready for you," Mr. Griffin answered respectfully. "You''re going back to Crawford Manor now?" Allison frowned and asked. "Yes, Madam. Old Master Crawford is looking for me," replied Mr. Griffin. He could only leave the ce using Old Master Crawford''s name. "How troublesome. Ask Mnie to carry the luggage up here. My suitcase is heavier. The lighter one is Sophian''s." Allison was dissatisfied. However, she also knew that it was unlikely that Mr. Griffin would be here 24 hours. She waved her hand and said to Sophian, "Sophian,e on." "Okay, Ms. Allison." Sophian followed behind her. She smiled politely at Mr. Griffin when she walked past him. Mr. Griffin smiled back. After he told Mnie what Allison had instructed her to do, he left in a hurry. When Mr. Griffin was back in Crawford Manor, he took the initiative to report to Old Master Crawford, "Old Master Crawford, Madam Allison is back. Young Master Luke has arranged for her to stay in the small vi." "Okay." Old Master Crawford took a sip of the tea and studied the chessboard without saying anything. Susan sneered when she heard that and said, ¡°Luke is such a good son. Allison came back here to celebrate the new year with him, but he sent her to the small vi instead. Hah, the others will gossip about this if they find out about it." Old Master Crawford looked up. There was a hint of warning in his cloudy eyes as he said, "You''re the most talkative one here." Susan wanted to refute, but she did not say anything due to the old master''s imposing manner. Then, she stood up and headed upstairs while secretly cursing the old master. What she said was the truth, yet she got reprimanded because of it. After Susan left, Mr. Griffin continued to report to him, "Old Master Crawford, there''s one more thing. A young woman returned together with Madam Allison." "A young woman? Is she the interpreter Luke arranged for her?" Old Master Crawford asked. "I don''t think so, but Madam Allison seems to be very fond of her," replied Mr. Griffin. "What do you think about that woman?" Old Master Crawford asked. Mr. Griffin had been following him for years. He would have learned how to judge someone''s personality with just a nce. "I think we need to keep an eye out on her," Mr. Griffin did not make it clear. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Although Sophian acted like she was sensible in front of him and even convinced Allison to stop causing trouble, his guts told him that this woman was not as simple as he thought. "Alright. Keep an eye on her, then," replied Old Master Crawford. He pointed at the seat opposite him and asked, "Why don''t you y with me?" "Old Master Crawford, I''ve never won after ying chess with you for so many years. Please stop embarrassing me." Mr. Griffin smiled. He was never good at ying chess. Chapter 2386 Old Master Crawford shook his head and said, ¡°How boring. I guess I''ll have to wait for Luke toe over on New Year''s Eve to y chess with me." Mr. Griffin smiled. Luke was the only one in this family who could y chess with Old Master Crawford. Old Master Crawford spoke again, "Give me my phone. I''d better figure out what the woman Allison brought back here is up to." "Old Master Crawford, wait a minute." Mr. Griffin headed to Old Master Crawford''s bedroom, picked up his phone, and handed it to him. Old Master Crawford called Luke. After a while, Luke answered the call, "Grandpa, what''s the matter?" "I heard that Allison brought someone else back with her? Isn''t she the interpreter you hired?" Old Master Crawford asked. "The interpreter is still in Seoul. She''s not nning toe back." Luke paused for a moment and said, "That woman is one of the personal nurses from the stic surgery hospital." "Why did she bring a personal nurse back here?" Old Master Crawford could not understand why Allison did that. "I''m not sure," answered Luke. He confirmed the woman''s identity after he asked the interpreter in Seoul. She was the personal nurse who was close with Allison. "Fine. I don''t want anything to do with her matters. You''re her son. Do as you see fit," said Old Master Crawford. Although Allison was acting strangely, he had no interest in finding out about her matters. "Okay," replied Luke. Old Master Crawford asked again, "Oh, will youe back here on New Year''s Eve?" "Mr. Griffin has already informed me," replied Luke. "Ask Luca toe along too. She''s alone here without any family or rtives. Bring her here so we can celebrate the new year together," said Old Master Crawford. Although Luca was not thinking of getting married to Luke yet, Old Master Crawford was very fond of her. That was why he thought of asking her toe along. "I mentioned it to her. She rejected my offer." Luke paused for a moment and said, "Let''s not ask her if she''s reluctant to go over. I don''t think New Year''s this year will be as good as the previous years either." Old Master Crawford thought what Luke said was true. Even though Allison was staying at the small vi now, she would certainlye back on New Year''s Eve. If Allison came back, Susan and she would be constantly arguing with each other. It was wise of Luca to choose not toe over. Old Master Crawford understood that one should not air their dirtyundry in public. Luca had made the right choice. "Fine. Remember to bring the kids along with you. It''s been a long time since I saw my precious greatgrandchildren," Old Master Crawford reminded him. What he said happened to be heard by Susan, who was downstairs. His precious great-grandchildren? How dare he call Allison''s grandchildren his precious great-grandchildren when Thea was nothing to him! Susan secretly harbored resentment against Old Master Crawford. She pretended as though nothing happened, walked to the living room, and sat down. Old Master Crawford ended the call with Luke and handed his phone to Mr. Griffin, signaling him to put it away. Then, he continued to look at the chessboard. This was an endgame. He was still unable to find a way to crack the puzzle. Susan cleared her throat and asked, ¡°Father, were you talking to Luke on the phone just now?¡± "Yes." Old Master Crawford did not lift his head. He stroked his chin as his thoughts were all on the chess game. Susan took the chance to question him, "Allison''s back. Will she being over here to celebrate New Year''s Eve with us?" "Why? Are you nning to start a fight with her when she''s back?" Old Master Crawford shifted his gaze away from the chess board and rolled his eyes at her. Susan gave an awkward smile and said, "Father, I don''t wish to argue with her as well. But she''s the one who always starts it." "It doesn''t matter who starts it first. Both of you always end up fighting with each other, never letting the Crawford family have a moment''s peace." Old Master Crawford sneered. "Everything will be fine if she doesn''t start anything. I can''t be bothered to argue with her. It''s the new year." Susan rolled her eyes. How could the grudges held between her and Allison be let go of that easily? Old Master Crawford did not reply to her. Susan''s im that she would not argue with Allison could not be trusted. Susan realized that the old master was no longer replying to her. She stopped talking either. Otherwise, she might piss the old master off. In a blink of an eye, it was already New Year''s Eve. Luca knew Luke would be taking the kids to Crawford Manor in the afternoon. Hence, she woke up early and cleaned up the vi together with Aunt Neile. Although no one would being during the new year, it was going to be the start of another year and symbolized new hope. It was a must to clean everything up. Aunt Neile had almost finished cleaning up the vi after taking two days to do it. They only had to do some tidying up today. They also needed to put up the decorations and decorate the outside of the house with some pretty decorative lights. Luca took the decorative lights out. She was nning to decorate the house before Aunt Neile went on her holiday. The kids knew that they would be decorating the house today. They all woke up early and helped with the decorations. Two hourster, they finished decorating the whole vi. Luca smiled when she looked at the decorations that livened up the vi and brought a festive mood into their home. She loved such festive seasons, especially when she could celebrate them with Luke. "Ms. Craw, I saw this in the storage room. Should we hang this?" Aunt Neile carried a bag of decorative lights while walking toward her and asked. Luca nced at them. The decorative lights were meant to be hung on the tree in the garden. It would look nice at night if they hung it on the tree. Although Luke would not be staying in the vi tonight, he would be back tomorrow. Luca nodded and answered, ¡°Yes. Let me hang it now.¡± ¡°Okay. I''ll get thedder.¡± Aunt Neile nodded and returned to the storage room. Rainie, who stood beside Luca, asked, ¡°Ms. Luca, are you going to hang these?¡± ¡°Yes. The decorative lights will look pretty on the tree,¡± replied Luca. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°But it''s dangerous for you to climb thedder. Let Daddy do it,¡± suggested Rainie. ¡°It''s okay. It''s better not to trouble Mr. Crawford with such small matters.¡± Luca shook her head. After Luke woke up and had his breakfast, he had been working in his bedroom. Luca did not want to disturb him. ¡°Ms. Luca, isn''t this easy? Daddy is perfect for this job. Let me ask him.¡± Tommy shifted his eyes and hurried up the stairs. Luca did not even get to stop Tommy in time. After a while, Tommy held Luke''s hand and walked down the stairs. He said, ¡°Ms. Luca, you should let Daddy do this.¡± ¡°Yeah. I should be the one doing it,¡± said Luke. He saw Aunt Neile carrying thedder out of the storage room. Then, he walked toward her and took thedder from her. He looked at Luca and said, ¡°You''ll guide me on where I should hang the decorative lights.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Luca nodded. She grabbed the coat on the hanger shelf and handed it to him. Luke put thedder aside and put on the coat. Rainie picked up the scarf and gloves, saying to Luke, ¡°Daddy, it''s cold out there. Keep yourself warm.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Luke smiled. He felt blessed to have his wife and daughter caring for him. After Luke put on the scarf and gloves, he lifted thedder and headed outside with Luca. Luca carried a heavy bag in her hands. The length of the decorative lights in the bag was long enough to surround the whole vi. Hence, she had toe up with a good n on how they should hang these decorative lights. Chapter 2387 As Luke looked at how troubled Luca was, he ced thedder beside the osmanthus tree. ¡°Have you thought of how we should hang the lights?" Luke smiled and asked. Luca shook her head, telling him that she was in a dilemma. Luke squeezed her hand and said, "Thendscapers did leave us a spot to hang these back then." Luca eximed in surprise, "Really?" Luca was definitely not as professional as thendscapers when it came to decorating the garden. If thendscapers had left them a spot, then hanging the decorative lights there would definitely look good. "Aunt Neile, connect the power plug to the socket outside the entrance." Luke took a bunch of colored decorative lights out of the bag and handed the plug to Aunt Neile. "Okay, Mr. Crawford." Aunt Neile took the plug from him and walked away to connect it to the socket. Luca noticed that there were small hooks on the outside of the wall. She thought they were for other decorations, but she did not expect that they could hang the decorative lights here. She could already imagine how wonderful the ce would look when the decorative lights were lit up at night. After Aunt Neile hung the first bunch of decorative lights, she continued with the second one. She followed the hooks that thendscaper had ced there and hung the decorative lights on them. When she arrived at the garden, she stopped and left the rest to Luke. Luke took the decorative lights from her and looked at Luca. Then, he said, "Hold thedder for me." "Okay." Luca stepped forward to hold thedder. Luke climbed up thedder. Luca reminded him in a soft voice, "Mr. Crawford, be careful." "Nothing''s going to happen to me if you''re the one holding thedder," replied Luke. He found the small hook that thendscaper had left on the osmanthus tree. Then, he hung the decorative lights on them. Half an hourter, they finished decorating the garden. Aunt Neile turned on the switch. Even though it was still daytime, the colorful decorative lights were already shining. They looked dim, but everyone could see how beautiful and festive it was. "They look great. Daddy, you''re awesome!" Rainie turned around and gave Luke a thumbs-up gesture. ¡°Daddy is amazing!" Tommy looked at Luke with admiration. Luke basked in his achievements when he looked at the garden that was beautifully lit. When Luke asked thendscapers to design the yard back then, he took into consideration that Luca would like these small decorations, especially during the new year. She loved putting up decorative lights to liven up the atmosphere. That was why he asked thendscapers to make such designs to make it convenient for him to hang the decorative lights. Luke looked at Luca, who was slowly walking toward him. The snowkes that fell on her shoulder embellished her beauty with pure white color. He asked, "Do you like it?" "I like it. The ce looks beautiful." Luca smiled. Thendscapers'' meticulous thought allowed them to make the ce look absolutely beautiful. Aunt Neile looked at them, and she smiled too. Then, she said, "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, I''m off to prepare lunch first." "Aunt Neile, let me prepare lunch. You can go home early and apany your family," replied Luca as she shook her head. Aunt Neile should go on her holiday after finishing her work this morning. "Can I?" Aunt Neile was a little surprised. "It''s already New Year''s Eve. I believe your family members are waiting for you too. Just get off work, Aunt Neile," replied Luca with a gentle smile on her face. "Off you go, Aunt Neile. Thank you for your hard work." Luke took a small envelope out of his pocket. Luke prepared the envelope when he woke up in the morning. He was nning to give it to Aunt Neile before she got off work. It was a token of appreciation. Aunt Neile immediately shook her head when she saw Luke handing her the envelope. She said, "Boss, I''m sorry. I shouldn''t be receiving this." "You''ve been working for the Crawford family for the whole year. You should take the envelope. This is your New Year''s gift," replied Luke. The maids in Crawford Manor had a rotating shift schedule. However, Luke had discussed this with Luca and they agreed that there was nothing important going on during the new year. That was why they let Aunt Neile go back home and apany her family. "Mr. Crawford, you''ve already given me a bonus." Aunt Neile was too embarrassed to receive Luke''s envelope. "Aunt Neile, just take it. This isn''t a bonus. This is a gift. I heard Mr. Crawford say that every maid working for the Crawford family will receive one every New Year," said Luca. That was Old Master Crawford''s tradition. Aunt Neile finally received the envelope and thanked them, "Thank you, Mr. Crawford. Thank you, Ms. Luca." "Lliam is already outside waiting for you. He''ll be sending you home. Aunt Neile, happy new year." Luke had made arrangements for everything. Luke had always appreciated people who worked hard. Someone like Aunt Neile truly treated Luca and his kids well, so he would treat her well too. "Thank you, Mr. Crawford. I shall leave first." After that, Aunt Neile headed outside. Luca breathed out some air and said, "It''s too cold out here. Shall we go in?'' "Sure." Luke nodded. He held Lanie''s and Rainie''s hands, while Tommy took the initiative to hold Luca''s hand. He walked back into the house with a spring in his steps. The first thing they did when they entered the house was to take off their coats. It was to prevent the snow on their shoulders from melting and wetting their shirt. Luca looked at the three kids and asked, ¡°What would you like to have for lunch today?¡± ¡°Ms. Luca, we always have Hoppin'' John on New Year''s Eve. I''d like to have it today!¡± Tommy raised his hand. Although they could have Hoppin'' John when they returned to Crawford Manor, it was not made by Luca. It would not taste like home. Tommy wanted to eat Luca''s homemade Hoppin'' John. "Ah, Hoppin'' John. Sure." Luca agreed with him. Previously, Aunt Neile mentioned that they would be having Hoppin'' John on New Year''s Eve. That was why she bought ck-eyed peas and bacon. Luca nced at the time. She still had enough time to prepare lunch. Then, she said, ¡°You can watch cartoons first. I''ll be preparing Hoppin'' John in the kitchen." ¡°Great!" Tommy pped his hands. Lanie and Rainie smiled too. They loved the Hoppin'' John that Luca made. Luke followed Luca into the kitchen. He rolled up his sleeves and walked toward Luca. She was cooking the bacon. Luke asked, "Is there anything I can help with?" Luca was startled for a moment and looked at him, "Mr. Crawford, do you know how to cook?" ¡°Not really. Should I just stir it?¡± Luke asked. Luca, ¡°...¡± Then, Luca added the celery, onion, and green pepper into the pan. She said, "It''s okay. I can handle this." ¡°The kids will get hungry if you take too long. Is there anything I can do for you?¡± Luke tried to tell her that he could be of help even though he was not good at cooking. Since Luke insisted on helping, Luca said, ¡°Then can you please help me mince the garlic?¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Is this the right knife to mince the garlic?¡± Luke had eaten garlic before, but this was his first time touching a clove of garlic. Luca nced at it and confirmed with him, ¡°Yes. Mince them finely. Like... those on Hoppin'' John.¡± ¡°I''ve eaten Hoppin'' John before,¡± replied Luke. Luca tried to exin it in detail to him as she was worried that he would not be able to mince it properly. Although Luke had never seen a clove of garlic before, he had eaten it minced. Luke had eaten Hoppin'' John before. He knew exactly what the garlic was supposed to look like. Chapter 2388 Luke prepared the rice, while Luca did the cooking. They teamed up and divided their work. It was quick. Lanie held his phone in his hands. Tommy and Rainie urged Lanie to record it down with his phone. Lanie stood at the kitchen door, recording the sweet and cute moment between Luke and Luca. After Lanie finished recording, he tiptoed his way back to the living room and sat on the sofa. Tommy asked excitedly, ¡°Lanie, did you record it?" Rainie took Lanie''s phone from him and said, "You don''t have to worry if Lanie recorded it. He must have. Let me see." Rainie opened the phone gallery and saw that thetest video recorded showed the scene in the kitchen. Tommy eximed, "Daddy is actually helping out in the kitchen. How fascinating..." "That''s not the main point. The point is, Daddy and Mom¡ªMs. Luca, they''re a match made in heaven!" Rainie looked at the phone, feeling envious. Would she meet a perfect match meant for her in the future? Rainie turned to look at Lanie and handed him the phone. Then, she asked, "Right, Lanie?" "They''re meant to be together," replied Lanie. He was not as surprised as they were. "Lanie, could it be that you''re the kind of guy who doesn''t know how to be romantic?" Rainie rested her hand on her cheek and looked at the cool-headed Lanie. Lanie heard her and kept his phone away. Then, Rainie said, "Lanie, I want the video. Send it to me." "No," replied Lanie. He remembered how Rainie had described him just now. "Lanie, don''t be so petty. I''m just saying that my elder brother has such a high IQ, so how could he be someone who doesn''t know how to be romantic?" Rainie bragged. Tommy, who was sitting beside her, said in a disdainful tone, "Rainie, you''re lying." "Do you want the video?" Rainie glowered at Tommy. Tommy nodded. He wanted the video too. "Then praise him!" Rainie smiled and looked at Lanie. Tommy understood at once and immediatelyplimented, ¡°Lanie, you''re incredible!" Lanie was rendered speechless by his younger brother and sister. His little face was slightly red as he asked, ¡°That''s enough." "Lanie~" Rainie whined and acted cutely. Lanie picked up his phone and sent the video to her. Rainie held her phone and watched the video twice. She smiled with satisfaction. "Don''t let Daddy and Ms. Luca know about it," said Lanie. He would feel embarrassed if they found out that he was forced to record the video secretly. ¡°I promise not to tell!" Rainie assured him. Tommy promised too. ¡°I won''t tell them either. Don''t worry, Lanie." ¡°What do you promise not to tell?" asked Luca. Luca happened to being out from the kitchen when Tommy said that. Tommy was surprised. He turned around, smiled, and shook his head. Then, he said, "Ms. Luca, we''re not talking about anything." ¡°The kids have grown up. They have their own secrets now," Luca let out a sigh and said. ¡°Heh-heh." Tommy refused to tell her. He turned around and winked at Lanie and Rainie. After the Hoppin'' Jack was prepared, Luke helped Luca to serve it on the dining table. Tommy could smell the fragrance of the Hoppin'' Jack in the air. He ran toward the dining table happily, looking at the dish hungrily, and said, ¡°It smells good." ¡°Sit properly and get ready to eat your Hoppin'' Jack," said Luke. He helped to make the Hoppin'' Jack this time. It was rare for him to go into the kitchen and help out. He wanted to listen to the kids'' reviews even though he only helped to do some easy tasks while Luca was the one who did most of the work. Luca carried a bowl of warm chowder from the kitchen and said, ¡°It''s too simple to just have Hoppin'' Jack for lunch, so I made some creamy seafood chowder." ¡°That''s great, Ms. Luca. How did you know I wanted to have some chowder?" Tommy smiled. ¡°Ms. Luca can read your mind." Rainie took a bite of the Hoppin'' Jack. It tasted good, and she said contentedly, ¡°It''s yummy. Ms. Luca, teach me how to make Hoppin'' Jack next time." ¡°Sure. I''ll teach you if you''re willing to learn." Even though Luca thought that Rainie was too young to learn cooking now, if Rainie was willing to learn, Luca would not discourage her. ¡°Okay!" Rainie smiled and took a sip of the creamy seafood chowder. ¡°I''m going to learn how to cook from Ms. Luca!" ¡°Sure. You''re such a clever girl. You''ll be a fast learner," Luca assured. Her child would naturally inherit her cooking talent too. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Rainie nodded. She was confident in herself. Luke asked, ¡°Have you all packed your stuff?" ¡°Daddy, don''t we have our clothes at Crawford Manor? Why should we pack?" Tommy was puzzled. ¡°Silly Tommy. We should be wearing the new clothes Ms. Luca bought us on New Year''s Day. We don''t have any new clothes at Crawford Manor," Lanie reminded him. Tommy patted the table and said, ¡°Oh. I haven''t started packing!" Tommy stood up as he was about to pack his stuff. Luca said, "It''s not toote to pack after lunch." "Yes, Tommy. We''re not in a hurry. Daddy won''t leave you alone here," said Rainie. Tommy looked at Luke. He smiled and said, "If Daddy leaves me here, I won''t have to go to Crawford Manor. I can keep Ms. Lucapany and ring in the new year with her." "Your great-grandpa asked all of you to go back." Luke ate a mouthful of Hoppin'' John. It tasted better than the ones made outside. The ingredients were fresher too. "Ah, okay. Then I''ll apany my great-grandpa after I finish packing," said Tommy. After lunch, Luca headed to Tommy''s bedroom and helped him to pack a set of new clothes and pajamas. He would be able to put on the new pajamas when he celebrated the new year at Crawford Manor. Then, he could put on the new clothes on the second day. She could not help but get emotional when she ced Tommy''s new clothes and shoes into Tommy''s backpack. Luca wanted to celebrate the new year with the kids too, but given the circumstances now... It had been so many years, and she could finally spend the new year together with Luke and the children. After that, it was either she or Luke were busy or something came up. "Done packing?" Luke''s voice came from outside the door. Luca came back to her senses. She picked up Tommy''s backpack and walked to the door. She smiled and replied, "We''re done packing. Here''s the backpack." Luke took the backpack from Luca, looked at her, and asked, "Are you really not going over?" "I shouldn''t be going. Besides, Madam Susan doesn''t wee me either. I''ll stay here. You''ll be coming back after lunch tomorrow anyway," said Luca. "I''ve already told the kids we''re not having lunch there. We''ll being back on New Year''s day," said Luke. They did not want Luca to be alone here. That was why they nned toe back on New Year''s Day after having their breakfast there. "Old Master Crawford won''t be happy if youe back so early." Luca was worried. Elders always looked forward to family reunions during the new year. "He''ll being along with us too. If he doesn''t want to go back, you might have to clean up a guest room for him," replied Luke. Allison hade back, and she would surely head to Crawford Manor on New Year''s Day. Chapter 2389 Crawford Manor would be like a battlefield if Allison was there. The old master would definitely be willing toe over. ¡°No problem," replied Luca. There was another guest room upstairs. It was just that there was no elevator in the vi. It might be slightly difficult for the old master to climb the stairs. "Alright, I''ll bring them over first," said Luke. "Okay." Luca nodded and followed him downstairs. After she watched them leave, she sat on the sofa. After Luke took the kids away, Luca felt an emptiness in her heart. Luca looked around the living room, only to realize that after she moved here, there had never been a quiet moment. She could hear the noises of the kids ying around happily. She could not get used to the sudden silence. Luca picked up her phone and looked at her contacts. Sue''s name showed up. Luca reckoned that she was probably busy preparing for the new year with Jason. Luca saw Nina''s phone number and made a call. The phone rang twice, and it was put through. Nina greeted, "Good afternoon, Luca." "Good afternoon. Have you eaten lunch?" Luca crossed her legs on the sofa. No one was here, so she did not have to maintain her image. Besides, it wasfortable to sit like this. "Yes. Why do you have free time to look for me? Aren''t you busy preparing for the new year?" Nina asked happily. "There''s nothing much to prepare. You know I''ve been living abroad previously. These traditional festivals aren''t that important to me." Luca was being ironic. Then, she said, "I was wondering if you were avable. Perhaps we can look for a restaurant, enjoy a rxing afternoon tea together, and have a chat?" Nina was startled for a moment, then she replied helplessly, "Luca, I''m sorry. I''m overseas now. I can''t apany you." "Did you go on a vacation with Mr. Mallory?" Luca was surprised. She had been busy for the past few days and had not been paying attention to what was going on with Nina. "Yes. He said that it''s boring to celebrate New Year''s back home. That''s why he took me on a vacation," replied Nina. She was considered homeless since she had severed ties with Anna. Hence, celebrating the new year this way seemed like a holiday for her. Percy was not on good terms with the Mallory family either. That was why after his holidays started, he took Nina on vacation to Europe. "That''s wonderful. Enjoy your vacation. I''m hanging up." Luca quickly ended the call. If Luca knew Nina and Percy were abroad, she would never have made the call. That would make her look lonely. Luca put her phone aside, then she picked up the remote control and turned on the TV. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. The TV was broadcasting the preparations for the channel''s New Year''s programs. Luca recalled those years when she celebrated the new year with Luke. They would be at Crawford Manor, watching the New Year''s Eve show on TV. The family would be watching the show together tonight. As the TV live show counted down to the new year, they would ring in the new year and wish each other a happy new year. Luca smiled faintly. She was envious of them. Her phone rang again. Luca nced at it and realized it was Queenie who called. She was lost in thoughts for a few seconds and eventually answered the call. "Happy New Year, Mrs. Norman." "Happy New Year, Luca." Queenie''s gentle voice came from the other end of the line. It warmed Luca''s heart. "Mrs. Norman, what''s the matter?" Luca asked. Even though it was heartwarming, Luca knew that Queenie must have something to tell her if she called her now. However, she did not know if it was about Leia. After Leia said those harsh and bitter things to her, Queenie should be too ashamed to ask for her help... "Luca, aren''t you alone? Mr. Norman and I would like to invite you toe over and celebrate the new year together," Queenie invited. "Thank you for the invitation, Mrs. Norman. But I''m sorry, I won''t be going. Nevertheless, I wish you a happy new year and good health," Luca wished her. They might be the simplest words, but they were the most sincere words. Luca wished her parents, Grandpa Rayne, and her Aunt Rayne good health and happiness. "Do you have other ns?" Queenie was a little surprised. Jack and Queenie initially thought of inviting her over to ring in the new year with them. After all, the Norman family owed her a favor. Besides, they felt sorry for her as she was alone in Imperial Capital. "No. I just don''t have the habit of celebrating the new year, so." Luca exined. "Oh, okay. That''s true. The Russians don''t really celebrate New Year''s Eve. I''m sorry, we didn''t take that into ount," said Queenie. Jack and Queenie thought Luca would be d toe over. They thought that even though she was a foreign friend, she would be interested in celebrating the new year. Besides, Luca was originally a citizen of A City. Even though she had been living abroad, there were a few families of citizens from Imperial Capital who would celebrate the new year there. They thought Luca would have been influenced by them too. "It''s okay. It''s just that the new year celebration this time is just like a holiday from work to me. Besides, I don''t know much about the new year and the festivities," exined Luca. It was not that Luca did not understand these. She was just afraid that she would make too many memories if she joined the celebration and would be reluctant to leave when she had to. Queenie and Jack were rted to her. If she spent time and created more memories with them, it would be more difficult for her when she left. Every piece of memory was unique and precious to her. They were so precious that they bore a heavy weight. Queenie thought to herself that since Luca had rejected her, she should not be trying to persuade her again. She should hang up the call. However, Queenie recalled the weather forecast she saw this morning. She could not help but remind Luca, "Okay. I saw the weather forecast stating that it''ll be colder than usual these few days. Remember to keep yourself warm if you''re going out." "Okay, Mrs. Norman. Take care and keep yourself warm too," replied Luca. She suddenly felt a lump in her throat. "Mrs. Norman, someone is calling me. I''m sorry. I got to go," said Luca. "Okay. Goodbye," replied Queenie. After Luca hung up on Queenie''s call, she leaned on the sofa. She did not want to celebrate the new year alone, but she rejected Queenie''s invitation. "What am I thinking..." Luca mumbled to herself. She turned up the TV''s volume to make it seem like there were others in the house. She would feel not as lonely that way. Crawford Manor. Mr. Griffin gave Luke a call. When Luke answered the call, he asked in a low voice, "Young Master Luke, where are you now?" "I''m on the way back to Crawford Manor. What''s the matter?" Luke already had an idea about what could be happening. Something must have happened in Crawford Manor if Mr. Griffin was calling him now. "Old Master Crawford is asking you to hurry up ande back." Mr. Griffin sounded helpless. "My mom went to Crawford Manor, right?" Luke asked even though he knew. "Yes. Madam Allison brought the woman along with her too, and she started picking fights once she entered the house." said Mr. Griffin. Old Master Crawford walked into his study and closed the door behind him once he saw Allison. Nevertheless, Allison made a big fuss, taking away Old Master Crawford''s peace of mind. Now, the only person who could stop Allison was Luke. "I''m ten minutes away from Crawford Manor." Luke nced at the street sign and said to Mr. Griffin. Chapter 2390 ¡°Okay, Young Master Luke." Mr. Griffin sounded helpless. Luke hung up the call. Lanie, who sat on the passenger seat asked, "Daddy, Grandma''s doing it again, right?" "Yes." Luke sped the steering wheel tightly and reminded the kids, "Look for Great-grandpater when we arrive. Remember to greet him. He''s in the study. Don''te out after you go in. Got it?" "Okay, Daddy," the three kids replied in unison. They were afraid of Allison too. It would be better if they could stay far away from her. Luke stopped talking. Allison could be crazy and do whatever she wanted as long as she did not influence the kids. As a father, he had the desire to protect his kids. 10 minutester, Luke arrived at Crawford Manor. He drove into the housepound, and after he parked the car, he was not in a hurry to get out of the car. "Daddy?" Rainie gave him a confused look. "If you see the elderster, greet them. Then, look for Great-grandpa," Luke reminded them again. "Daddy, don''t worry. We know what to do," Rainie nodded and replied. Luke pushed the car door open. Mr. Griffin knew Luke hade back. He opened the umbre and quickly walked out of the house. Then, he covered the kids under the umbre and said, "Young Master Luke, children, you''re finally back." "Is Grandpa still in his study?" Luke asked. "Yes. Old Master Crawford hasn''t stepped out of the study since Madam Allison came back," replied Mr. Griffin. "What about the other woman?" Luke asked again. "Madam Allison fought with Madam Crawford just now. They''ve stopped arguing for now. The maid is currently cleaning up her bedroom and preparing another room for the guest. She should be on the third floor now," answered Mr. Griffin. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Of course, Susan would not want to see Allisone back for the new year. Before the two of them even exchanged any words with each other, they began to quarrel. It was so intense that if it were not for Yuri stopping them, they would have started to fight. Old Master Crawford did not intend to stop them from arguing. Instead, he listened to ssical music in his study. He turned up the volume and closed the door. That way, the noisesing from downstairs would not be able to disturb him. However, Mr. Griffin was troubled. He could not hide and leave them alone like what Old Master Crawford was doing, but he was in no position to stop this ridiculous family argument. "Okay." Luke nodded without asking the reason Allison and Susan fought. ¡°Mr. Griffin, let''s go in." Rainie took the initiative to hold the butler''s hand. "Okay." Mr. Griffin held the umbre and covered the kids so that the snow would not fall on them. Luke followed beside them. When they entered the living room, Susan was sitting on the sofa. Her face was still red. The big argument between her and Allison had made her blood pressure rise. Louis was taking her blood pressure. Then, he saw Lukeing in. He smiled and greeted, ¡°Brother, you''re back." ¡°Yes." Luke nodded. He knew what had happened when he saw Louis helping Susan measure her blood pressure. Then, Luke greeted, ¡°Mother." Susan sneered. She could not say anything as Louis was still taking her blood pressure. That was why she did not talk or insult him. The three kids stood in a row and greeted Susan and Louis politely, ¡°Hello Grandma Susan. Hello, Uncle Louis." ¡°You''re such good children." Louis could not help but secretly let out a sigh when he looked at the three kids who were so polite. How well-mannered they were. His daughter, Thea, was unable to behave like that. She would hide whenever she saw someone else, and she would keep quiet as well. She refused to take the initiative to greet the others. Even if it was someone close to her, it would still depend on her mood. The doctor said it was normal for her as Thea was mentally unhealthy. She would slowly recover under her parent''s guidance. However, Louis thought that other than Thea being mentally unhealthy, another possibility was that she was being spoiled. Thea thought she was the little princess in the Crawford family. That was why she did not have to be polite. She believed that she was superior and thought highly of herself no matter who she met. Thea would only speak more with the people she was close to. Louis felt helpless as there was nothing he could do. Luke said to the kids, ¡°Off you go. Say hello to Great-grandpa." ¡°Yes, Daddy," replied Lanie. Then, Lanie led his younger brother and sister and left. Susan''s blood pressure results came out. Louis nced at the sphygmomanometer and said, ¡°Your blood pressure is slightly high. Mom, sit there and rest for a while." "How could it be not? New Year''s isn''t even here yet and that woman is already getting on my nerves," Susan said in a hostile manner. She withdrew her hand, looked at Luke, and ranted, "Luke, what''s wrong with your mother? It doesn''t matter if she came back to celebrate the new year, but she even brought a stranger here. That woman has nothing to do with the Crawford family. What''s her purpose for doing so?" ¡°I''m sorry. That woman is her personal nurse working in the stic surgery hospital in Seoul,¡± answered Luke. It was indeed inappropriate for Allison to do such a thing. It was a day for the family to reunite, yet Allison brought an outsider here. Although she brought the woman back to Imperial Capital, the woman could stay at the vi. There was no need to bring her here. ¡°Did she say that? Do you believe her? Do you even know her?¡± Susan threw three questions at Luke, then she mentioned an event that had happened in the past. ¡°Previously, Allison brought an outsider into the house to steal things. Perhaps she has other ns this time. Luke, you should know that Old Master Crawford doesn''t like us bringing strangers back here to spend the night, especially women with an unknown identity. What the hell is she thinking?¡± ¡°Mom, stop bringing up the past.¡± Louis was a little embarrassed. It had been so long and Allison had already gotten what she deserved. It was pointless for Susan to bring it up. ¡°I''m sorry. I''ll talk to her,¡± replied Luke in a cold voice. He was thinking of sending that woman back to the vi. "You can''t do anything either. It''s obvious that Old Master Crawford doesn''t want that woman in his house, but your mother insists on letting that woman spend the night here and celebrate the new year with us. Are you better at convincing her than Old Master Crawford?" Susan asked with a disgusted look on her face, and she continued, "It seems like I have to lock all the cabs where I store my jewelry. Otherwise, someone might steal it. We have to beware of someone who has a criminal record, after all. Birds of a feather flock together. I''m afraid that woman is up to no good." Luke remained silent while Louis tugged on Susan''s sleeve. Susan pulled back her sleeve and glowered at him. It did not matter if Louis was not helping her, but he was even acting like this. ¡°Anyway, Luke, you know what kind of person your mom used to be. I have to be straightforward with you. If anything happens when your Mom and that woman are here in our house, don''t me me for calling the police,¡± said Susan. She rose to her feet and staggered for a moment because of her high blood pressure. ¡°Mom, let me help you. Let''s go back to your room.¡± Louis quickly helped her up. Susan sneered and said, ¡°I''m going to my room to keep my expensive jewelry and designer handbags before an unknown person sees them and tries to steal them.¡± Chapter 2391 Louis turned around when he was helping Susan up. He silently mouthed the word ''sorry'' to Luke. Luke shook his head to tell him that he did not mind it. It was wrong to bring a stranger into the house. Even if Susan was deliberately finding an excuse to start the fight, he could not say that she was being unreasonable this time. Allison did not think twice before doing something, and it had made everyone unhappy. After Louis helped Susan and returned to her room, Mr. Griffin came forward and said, ¡°Young Master Luke, Madam Allison is in her bedroom now." Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. "I know." Luke headed in the direction of the stairs. Upstairs. When Lanie headed to Old Master Crawford''s study with Rainie and Tommy, they ran into Sophian. "Miss, may I know who you are?" Lanie had a good memory. He remembered that no maid in Crawford Manor looked like her. "I''m a guest of the Crawford family. You''re..." Sophian looked at the three little children in front of her. They looked familiar, especially the two boys. Were they the children of the Crawford family? Sophian suddenly remembered that Luke was married and had children. Could they be Luke''s kids? Sophian looked at how pretty those little kids were. She could not help but ponder. Although the kids resembled Luke, they probably did not just inherit Luke''s genes. It seemed like their mother was a beautiful woman too. Would she be able to defeat her? Sophian touched her face. Although she had stic surgery, it looked natural on her. If she did not tell anyone about it, no one would know that she had gotten stic surgery. She should be confident! "Miss, you''re a guest of the Crawford family, but why don''t you recognize us?" Tommy smiled and asked, but there was a hint of mockery in his words. Tommy was a little child. Tommy relied on his instincts and how much he liked someone to figure out what kind of person they were. He was not fond of the person in front of him, Sophian. "I''m sorry. I''m not familiar with the Crawford family members. Your father..." Sophian squatted down and got down to the kids'' eye level. That trick could win the children''s favor. If they were really Luke''s kids, then Sophian should build a good rtionship with them. She would be able to leave a good impression on Luke by being kind to the kids. Carrying the family lineage meant a lot to a big and wealthy family like the Crawford family. If she sessfully became Luke''s wife, she would have to raise Luke''s children. It would make things easier for her in the future if she could build a good rtionship with the kids now. Sophian did not have to please these little kids once she was pregnant with Luke''s baby. Lanie took a step back and said to Rainie and Tommy, "Let''s look for Great-grandpa." "Okay, Lanie." Rainie nodded. Lanie and Rainie were more experienced. When their mother was still studying abroad and did not know they existed, many women tried to please them. They were just like the woman in front of them. They wanted to rece her mother and be their father''s wife. Lanie and Rainie would never let such a thing happen. That was why they were experienced in handling such situations. They could not be fooled easily when they were young back then. Now that they had grown up, people were still using the same way to fool them. However, it had be even more difficult to fool them. Their mother could only be Bianca, who was also Luca. Sophian was surprised that the kids were not buying it. They were being rude for wanting to leave right away. The great-grandpa they mentioned just now should be Luke''s grandpa. Sophian looked at them from behind. She suddenly recalled that there was a family photo hanging on the wall in the main hall when she followed Allison into the house just now. The three kids were in the photo too. The three kids were standing in front of Luke. They were probably his children. Sophian rose to her feet. When she was wondering if she should go after them, she remembered that the kids mentioned they were looking for Old Master Crawford. Although the old master had a pair of cloudy eyes, she could see how deep his gaze was. It was as though he could see through everything. Besides, the old master treated her coldly. It was not how he would treat his guests. Sophian dared not to put herself in trouble and piss him off. She had no choice but to head upstairs at the thought of this. Allison''s bedroom. Luke pushed the door open and walked into her bedroom. Allison was giving instructions to the maid to ce the things she had brought here. Allison heard the door open. She turned around and saw Luke. She said, "You''re here." Her voice was as cold as ice. It sounded nothing like a mother who was surprised to see her son. Luke''s gaze fell on Allison''s face. Allison was not wearing a hat and a mask. The wrinkles on her face could be clearly seen under the light. The deep creases on her face were like the folds on a witch''s face in those cartoon shows. They were so deep that they were like valleys. Allison was unhappy that Luke was staring at her like that even though Luke had seen her skin condition when it was worse. She said, ¡°It''s rude to stare at people like that." ¡°How did youe over here?" Luke withdrew his gaze and looked at the maid who was helping Allison to tidy things up. Then, he nced at the bed full of clothes. It was a mess. Allison liked to mess things up and leave her mess for others to clean up. "This is my home. I''m the madam of the house too. Why? Am I not allowed toe back here?" Allison sat on the dressing chair and deliberately crossed her legs gracefully. The only thing was that her image had nothing to do with elegance now. "I''ve already arranged everything for you at the small vi. Grandpa isn''t happy to see you here." A trace of iciness shed across Luke''s eyes. If someone were to say they were mother and son, no one would believe it when they heard their conversation. "I came back to celebrate the new year and spend some time with your grandpa. What''s the point of staying at the small vi alone? I still care about Old Master Crawford, and I want to fulfill my duties as his daughter-inw. Am I not allowed to do that?" Allison toyed with the skincare products on the dressing table. Sophian had rmended these skin care products to her. Allison''s skin condition was much better after she used them, but it had no effects on her dry skin. "You can celebrate the new year here, but you brought a stranger into the house. There are so many maids in Crawford Manor. Are they not enough to serve you? I''m arranging a chauffeur to send that woman back to the small vi now," said Luke. He took his phone out and was about to make arrangements. Allison snatched Luke''s phone from him and yelled at him, "You have no idea that Sophian can save my life!" Save her life? Luke raised his brows. Her face was already terrible enough, but it did not put her life in danger. It was merely a facial treatment. How could that woman save Allison''s life? "Nonsense." Luke refused to believe it. Johann had also told him that as long as Allison''s face did not continue to deteriorate, she would not have the risk of getting an infection. It would not threaten her life if she was not infected. "Sophian can do the facial treatment for me to calm my allergies. What should I do about my skin if you send her back to the small vi? Besides, she came back alone to celebrate the new year with me. She came to save my life, but you''re sending her back to the vi and letting her celebrate the new year alone. Does that make any sense to you?" Chapter 2392 Mr. Crawford Refuses To ¡°She has to go back. You can apany her if you want. Perhaps you can ask the chauffeur to send you back when you need a facial treatment." Luke insisted and left no room for negotiation. "No way. It''ll be so troublesome for me to go back and forth." Allison immediately skipped Luke''s first suggestion and rejected the second one. "There are so many guest rooms in Crawford Manor. Why can''t you let Sophian stay here?" Luke''s voice was deep, and the expression on his face was as cold as ice. "Crawford Manor isn''t some kind of shelter. Not just anyone is allowed toe in here." "What do you mean? Sophian is my personal nurse. She''s not a refugee." Allison furrowed her brows and mmed the dressing table. "Bringing an unknown person into the house during the new year isn''t allowed. I''ve given you two options. You''d better consider them." Luke stood up. He was not nning to let her continue with her nonsense. Allison leaped to her feet and said, "How dare you say my subordinate is a refugee while it''s totally fine for you to let a woman stay in your vi?! Luke Crawford, I''m your mother. I''m going to jump from here if you kick Sophian out." The maid, who was tidying up the room, dared not to gasp for air while they were arguing. She was so frightened that she identally dropped the bag on the floor when she heard Allison say something like that. Allison''s eyes were red when she turned around and looked at the maid. She shouted, "My bags are expensive. Can you afford topensate me if you ruin one?" "I''m sorry, Madam Allison. I''ll be careful." The maid immediately picked up the bag. Luke chimed in, "There are many antiques in Crawford Manor. There are many important documents in the safe too. Are you going to be responsible for them if they go missing?" "What do you mean? The woman I brought back here is a personal nurse. She''s a professional, not any Tom, Dick, or Harry. She''s not a thief either. How could you say something so mean?'' Allison''s voice was sharp. Luke looked at her and replied, "It''s not the first time you brought a thief into the house." Allison was so furious that her hands were quivering with anger when she heard Luke''s insult. "Luke Crawford, I''m your biological mother, not Susan Armstrong!" "You should be grateful that you''re my mother. Otherwise, you''d still be in prison now," replied Luke. If it were not for Luke''s sake, Old Master Crawford would not have let Allison get away with it easily. Otherwise, her term of imprisonment would not have been shortened. If it had not been for Allison giving birth to Luke, perhaps she would have to be in prison for another few years. "You!" Allison burned with anger. She got so angry that she fell back into her chair. Luke watched everything without an expression on his face. He said, "You''d better keep an eye on the person you brought here." After that, he pushed the door open and walked out of the room. He saw Sophian, who was standing outside the door with a gloomy face. Although the soundproofing here was good, it would not lower the volume of the person speaking inside. The person standing outside the door could still hear what was being said. Sophian had heard their conversation. She lowered her head when she saw Luke walking out of the room. Then, she exined to Luke with a reddened face, "Mr. Crawford, I''m not a thief. I apanied Ms. Allison here just because I need to help her with the facial treatment. Otherwise, with her skin condition, she won''t be able to hold on until the surgery." Luke did not say anything. His long legs stepped forward as he strode off. He had no evidence to prove that Sophian was up to no good. After all, he did not get someone to look into her background. Sophian was under Allison, and Luke did not think there was any involvement between him and her. That was why he felt there was no need to look into it. A hint of dissatisfaction shed across Sophian''s eyes as she watched him leave. However, she eventually decided not to follow him. She lowered her head and walked into Allison''s room instead. "Ms. Allison..." Her voice was filled with grievance. Allison had fought with Susan, and this time, she fought with Luke. The look on her face was even more awful. She asked, "You heard us?" "Ms. Allison, I didn''t expect that Mr. Crawford would misunderstand me. I think I should go back to your vi. If I''m not allowed, I can find a hotel and stay there for a few nights. You can call me if you need facial treatment. I''lle over to help you." Sophian made concessions. Sophian did not want to leave here. That was why she intentionally said something like that. Judging from how well she knew Allison, the more she said such words, the higher the chances of Allison insisting she stayed. It had taken her a lot of effort to stay in Crawford Manor. How could she leave that easily? It was a great chance to get closer to Luke! However, Sophian did not expect that what Allison did in the past would ruin such a good chance. Now, the impression she left on Luke must be so bad! "No!" Allison pulled a sulky face. "You''re my nurse. Why should you leave? Won''t you be proving what they said is true if you leave? You''re a personal nurse, and it''s not a disgraceful job. Stay here. Don''t leave if I''m not leaving." "But Mr. Crawford refuses to.." Sophian deliberately said that. She could see that Luke and Allison were not on good terms when she met him at the airport. Although they were mother and son, there was not even a bit of familial love between them. Allison only cared about her interests, while Luke had no emotional attachment to his mother. "He''s not the one paying you. Why should you care about him? Crawford Manor isn''t his yet. He''s not in such a position to kick you out. Besides, Old Master Crawford didn''t say anything either," replied Allison. She could not understand why Luke hated Sophian so much. Allison would never be able to figure out that it was because of her. Sophian put on a troubled expression. Allison waved her hand in dissatisfaction and said, "It''s alright. Just listen to me. Don''t leave. This isn''t up to him." "Okay. Thank you, Ms. Allison." Sophian let out a sigh of relief. She did not have to leave as long as Allison was willing to ask her to stay. Sophian had not taken enough photos of this magnificent and luxurious mansion. She showed off to her friends by posting them on her Instagram. Furthermore, Luke, her target, was here as well... Hence, she did not want to leave. Allison''s vi was luxurious enough to her, her vi paled into insignificance when it waspared to this mansion. It was not worth mentioning. Sophian had only posted a few photos stating that she was on a vacation, and it had already attracted a lot of attention andments. Many were green with envious of her having such a wonderful vacation. Of course, she kept her social media hidden from Allison. "It''s nothing. All you have to do is to treat my face." Allison touched her face and withdrew her hand with disgust. Her skin was smoother than before, but the creases were still there. She could feel them whenever she touched her face. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. These could only be removed through surgery. "Oh yes, Ms. Allison, my colleague just sent me a message. Would you like to know what she told me?" Sophian changed the subject of the conversation. Chapter 2393 ¡°What news?" Allison picked up a bottle of cream and started applying it to her face in the mirror. Her skin was losing moisture several times faster than the average person, so she had to apply products like these from time to time. Skincare products like these were costly, yet she applied them generously. Sophian nced at the maid. Allison got the hint and said to the maid, who was still tidying up, "I''d like to talk to her in private." "Yes, Madam Allison." The maid put down Allison''s clothes and walked out hurriedly before closing the door behind her. "My colleague said that the doctor who''s going to operate on you is Dr. Steve, but he returned to his home country a few days ago, so no one can get a hold of him. Thus, no one is aware of the surgery. Dr. Steve returned to the hospital today and my colleague found out that he''ll use new foreign technology to operate on your face. It''ll mainly be to remove the wrinkles on your skin and also to inject some stem cells for your skin to regain its youth," Sophian said. "New technology? Will it be unsafe?" Allison said with a frown. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. "Of course, he''ll only use it on you if he''s confident. The condition of your face can''t be cured with the previous methods. Your only hope is the new technology. Besides, Ms. Allison, our hospital has spent a lot of money to have Dr. Steve on board with us. He''s a reputable person in the stic surgery industry and has helped many patients in situations simr to yours. So, don''t worry, there are many simr cases abroad." "That''s nice to hear, but I still find your institution''s system to be a bit strange. If he''s a doctor who''s receiving high pay, there''s no way he can''t be contacted even if he''s abroad on leave, right?" Allison raised her suspicions. "Things like this happen all the time because our hospital employs quite a number of foreign doctors, and they have several phones. For example, they might have a Korean number, but they won''t necessarily use that number in other countries. In the hospital''s record, Dr. Steve filled in a Korean number, so that''s why we weren''t able to contact him," Sophian exined. "In that case, tell him that I''ll go back to operate after the new year. Tell him to arrange the operation as soon as possible." Allison decided. After Sophian''s brief, she became very interested in the new technology. It even gave her a glimmer of hope. "Ms. Allison, this surgery is going to cost a lot more..." Sophian said politely. "My son has plenty of money. The reason why he sent me to your institution is to cure my face, so money is not a problem," Allison said without a second thought. "That''s great! Ms. Allison, your skin will be cured soon." Sophian smiled. Allison looked at herself in the mirror and touched her face. It still felt dry. Hence, she said, "Sophian, please do a facial treatment for me now." "Sure, Ms. Allison." Sophian picked up the set of lotions on the dresser and was about to help her with her treatment. Allison stood up and said, "Let''s do it on the bed. It''s annoying how there''s no facial room here." "Huh, there''s no facial room here?" Sophian was surprised as there was no room for facials in a mansion this huge. "Why would Susan prepare these things when she doesn''t pay attention to self-care at all? Plus, I''ve been abroad all these years, so, of course, there isn''t one." Allisony on the bed and covered herself with a nket as she closed her eyes. Sophian had witnessed the quarrel between them and knew that she and Susan did not get along. She poured and massaged some of the essence in her palm while continuing Allison''s words. "The woman in the living room has a badplexion, and her skin is even worse. Her pores are so big. You can tell at one nce that she doesn''t have a good skincare routine." Although her words were exaggerated and unrealistic, the corners of Allison''s lips curled up as she was still d to hear someone badmouthing Susan. "You think so too? That''s what I''m saying. That unsophisticated appearance of hers makes her unworthy of being the madam of the Crawford family." Sophian covered Allison''s face with her palm full of essence. "I''m speaking from a skincare expert''s perspective. Thatdy''s skin condition is very bad and in dire need of help." "Even then, you''re my person, so if shees to you, don''t promise her anything," said Allison as she did not allow her people to attend to Susan. "Ms. Allison, you can rest assured that I''m not that kind of person," Sophian reassured her. She was not interested in doing Susan a service as she and Allison did not get along. She was not even Luke''s biological mother. "Okay." Allison closed her eyes as she felt Sophian''s hands massaging her face. A whileter, she said, "Sophian, I know what''s on your mind." "Ms, Allison?" Sophian was taken aback as she did not quite understand what she meant. She had a lot on her mind. "Luke. I know you have a crush on him. I can tell from your eyes." Allison''s eyes remained closed. "Ms. Allison..." Sophian blushed. She did have a crush on Luke, but would she have a chance? "But he has a wife, and it''s impossible for him to get a divorce now. If you do have feelings for him. It''s not that I can''t help you, but it''ll be hard for the time being. Whether Luke epts you or not is another matter as well," Allison enjoyed the massage on her face as she said slowly. "I know Mr. Crawford has a wife, and I ran into his kids just now. They''re very cute. Mr. Crawford''s wife must be very beautiful, right?" Sophian probed. "Beautiful? He was just dead-set on choosing that woman. When I introduced many beautiful women for him to choose from, he still wanted that useless woman who''s not even pretty." Allison''s words were full of disgust for Bianca. "I see.." Sophian did not fully believe Allison''s words. Besides, most mother and daughter-inw rtionships were like that. Mothers-inw would look down on their daughters-inw, thinking that they were no match for their sons. Apparently, Allison had the same thoughts. ¡°That woman is no good. Luke must have been blind at that time. They might not be divorced yet, but he has another woman now, so he must''ve finally seen her for what she is. It''s only a matter of time before they get divorced, so Sophian, don''t be discouraged. If someone else has the chance, you''ll have a chance too." Allison patted Sophian''s hand. Sophian was stunned. She picked up the cotton pad and said, "Ms. Allison, I''ll do a wetpress for you now, so it might be a little cold." Chapter 2394 "Alright." Allison was already used to the skincare routine. Sophian ced cotton pads drenched in toner on Allison''s face before slowly asking, "So, Ms. Allison, does Luke have another woman now?" "The others think I don''t know about this, but I do. The fact that he has another woman now means that he and his dad share the same morals. No matter how deeply in love they were before, their true nature will be revealed in the end. Sophian, I brought you here to open a new door for you. It''s up to you to grasp it. You''re pretty, so if other women can approach him, you can too." "I''ll try, Ms. Allison..." Sophian was outwardly calm, but she was shocked. She had never seen a mother encouraging a woman to seduce her son who was already married with children of his own. However, Allison''s words gave her a boost of confidence. At least when she tried to hook up with Luke, she would not have to worry about Allison being against it. After Luke left Allison''s bedroom, he went to Old Master Crawford''s study and knocked on the door. The old master''s voice sounded from inside. "Is that you, Luke?" "It''s me, Grandpa," Luke replied. "Come in," said Old Master Crawford. Luke pushed open the door and frowned when he saw the situation inside. Tommy was standing on the old master''s chair while writing with a brush in his hand. "What''s going on here?" Luke closed the door behind him and went up to watch Tommy practice calligraphy. Rainie exined from the side, "Great-grandpa said he wanted to check Tommy''s progress to see if he''s been cking off because it''s the holidays." "Oh?" Luke looked toward Old Master Crawford. "I enrolled Tommy into calligraphy ss, so it''s not too much to ask him to turn in his homework, right?" Old Master Crawford stroked his beard and said cheerfully. He seemed to be unaffected by what was going on with Allison. ¡°Great-grandpa, I''m done." Tommy followed the old master''s orders and wrote a couplet on paper. "Alright, let me take a look." Old Master Crawford was even more delighted when he saw Tommy''s calligraphy. He took after Luke. He may not be particrly interested in calligraphy, but he was quite talented when it came to learning. No wonder the calligraphy teacher told him that his great-grandson had no interest in learning the craft but had a lot of potential. Now, he could see that he indeed had the potential. "How is it, Great-grandpa?" Tommy asked while looking at the smile on Old Master Crawford''s face. "Not bad. Another year and a half of practice and you can write letters for the family," said Old Master Crawford. Tommy pouted and said, "I don''t want to continue learning calligraphy." "Oh? What do you want to learn, then?" Old Master Crawford ced the paper aside as he intended to roll it up and put it away when it dried up. It was Tommy''s handwriting, after all. The fact that this little guy could write such words was quite impressive, considering he was still wet behind the ears. "I want to learn the same thing as my brother. Calligraphy is boring," Tommy protested as he did not mind learning, but he did not want to learn something so tedious. "You''re not old enough to sign up for my ss," Lanie said indifferently from the sidelines. Tommy looked over at him and pouted in protest. Old Master Crawford pped his hands. "In that case, just continue learning calligraphy. When you''re old enough, you can go study the same ss as Lanie." "Great-grandpa!" Tommy was unhappy. Old Master Crawford added, "If you think calligraphy is boring, you can enroll in a few more sports sses like swimming and basketball, or even research sses for little kids." When Tommy heard that the old master wanted to enroll him in so many sses, he could only keep silent. Although these sounded interesting, he still was not willing to learn calligraphy. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. However, his great-grandpa still seemed very keen on getting him to learn calligraphy... "Enough. I have something to tell your Great-grandpa. Go y in the toy room." After assessing the situation, Luke saved Tommy just in time. Otherwise, Tommy might cry on the spot. The old master would not want to see him cry and wail on New Year''s Eve. "Okay, Daddy." The three kids left the study together without lingering. When the door closed, the smile on Old Master Crawford''s face disappeared. He was in a bad mood today, but he only smiled because having the kids around cheered him up. "Did you talk to Allison?" he asked. ¡°Yes. She won''t go back, and she refuses to let that woman go back too," said Luke. ¡°Forget it. She''s your mother. It''s still the new year, so you can''t chase her away to Korea, right?" Old Master Crawford sat in his office chair with a cane in his hands. No matter how much Luke forced her to stop, he still could not do anything about her behavior. After being released from prison, Allison turned into another person. She was no longer afraid of him, and she no longer tried to get on his good side. ¡°I''m going to ask the chauffeur to send that woman back," said Luke as having a stranger in Crawford Manor during New Year''s would be ack of decency. Besides, a lot of people woulde to pay respects to the old master during this period. Sophian was not in a maid''s uniform either. It would provoke controversy when the time came. It would be fine if she just stayed in the bedroom, but Luke could tell that Sophian was not the type to stay in the bedroom without moving, so warning her would be useless. If it were not useless, it would have worked when he was talking to Allison. ¡°I don''t want to see Allison make a scene and embarrass the Crawford family on New Year''s Day," said Old Master Crawford. Luke kept silent as Allison might make a scene if he sent Sophian to the mansion. ¡°Forget it. Let''s wait until after the New Year''s Eve vigil." Old Master Crawford decided. He was a bit superstitious as he thought that if the manor was not peaceful during New Year''s, then the rest of the year would not go smoothly. Hence, he had topromise. ¡°Grandpa, I''ll take the kids back after breakfast on the first day of the new year," said Luke. ¡°That fast?" Old Master Crawford was surprised. No matter how much Luke wanted to avoid Allison, he would still have dinner on New Year''s Day at Crawford Manor before leaving. It had always been like this. He would take the kids and leave after dinner, but at the time, it was to avoid visitors. ¡°Luca is alone in the vi, so she''ll feel lonely. But I n to bring you over too. Luca will prepare a bedroom for you to rest in, so you can stay there for a while and return once my mother goes back to Korea," said Luke. Old Master Crawford hated Allison and Susan''s quarreling the most. He could avoid all the bickering if he moved in with Luke. ¡°You''re doing it for Luca, right? Luke, is Luca really an ordinary person? If she''s an ordinary woman, you shouldn''t care so much." Old Master Crawford raised his doubts once again. Chapter 2395 Luke knew that the old master was curious as to why he favored Luca. However, he still chose to hide it as the fewer people who knew about it, the better. Plus, Old Master Crawford would not be able to help Luca anyway. What happened in the future might only make him worry. Luke shook his head and said, ¡°There are many things I can''t tell you in detail right now, but you''ll know later." "It''s always this excuse. I feel like Luca isn''t just anyone. Perhaps it''s like what I guessed? Old Master Crawford continued to probe. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. "Grandpa, you just need to know that Luca won''t hurt you," said Luke. "Will she hurt you, then?" Old Master Crawford asked him in reply. Luca had done many things to harm the interests of T Corporation, but Luke knew that she was forced to do so. She did not want to, but she was just being controlled. Luke said firmly, "She won''t hurt me." Deep inside, she was still the same old Bianca. Luke could tell that every time Luca had done something wrong to T Corporation, she would feel guilty for a long time and be absent-minded. She would even look at him with guilt in her eyes. She would not have that expression if she had done it on purpose. Luke believed that Luca had no choice and was forced to do everything. Old Master Crawford looked at Luke and felt like he was hiding something, but he could not bring himself to ask. Even the children would shake their heads and say they did not know when he asked, let alone Aunt Neile. "Fine, I''ve already retired. Whether it''s T Corporation or the Crawford family, the future of this family will depend on you and your brother. Don''t let me down," said Old Master Crawford. Zachary''s dissolute life had made him feel like a failure until he raised Luke. Only then did he have a sense of achievement. In the past, he was strict with Luke because he failed to educate Zachary. Now, he only hoped that Luke could push the Crawford family and T Corporation to greater heights. He did not want Luke to be dragged down by a woman. "Don''t worry, Grandpa," said Luke. Luca was Bianca, so he trusted her unconditionally. A knock on the door sounded, and the butler''s voice could be heard. "Old Master Crawford, dinner is ready." "This early?" Old Master Crawford was stunned. It took two seconds for the butler''s voice to sound again. "Didn''t you request an early dinner?" Luke looked at Old Master Crawford. The old master thought before saying, "Oh, yes, I did say that. I got too distracted and I forgot. Inform everyone to go have dinner, then." "Yes, Old Master Crawford." The butler did not ask whether it included Allison and Sophian. He definitely had to inform Allison, and informing her would be the same as informing Sophian. Old Master Crawford looked at Luke and said, "Let''s go. Help me out. My legs aren''t too welltely." "Are you not feeling well? Go over to the vi tomorrow and have Luca take your pulse." Luke held him in concern. The old master''splexion looked good, and he spoke with a lot of energy, but he said he was not feeling well. Perhaps there was really something wrong with his body. "No need. I''m just tired these days because the memorial hall in the countryside is being rebuilt and many people havee to ask for my opinion," said Old Master Crawford. The Crawford family''s ancestors had always been in the countryside. They only came to A City to work when the old master was younger. Hence, he had a ce in the memorial hall in the countryside too. "Just let them take care of this matter," said Luke as those people only went to the old master for money. There was no need for bloodshed as long as he gave them money. "That''s what I said, but then they said that the Crawford family is the representative of their memorial hall, so they have to ask for my opinion. I''m getting old. Tell me, how would I have the energy for this?" Old Master Crawford said helplessly. Those people were too enthusiastic, so he had to entertain them by listening to their ns and giving them his opinion. "You can let Louis attend to these things." Luke pushed open the door and helped him out. "Louis? He''s the first to run away when he hears such things. Young people don''t have much opinion about these things. Since I heard that they''re trying to renovate it, you should give them some ideas or even a blueprint if you''re free," said Old Master Crawford. Luke did have the talent, after all. Luke raised his eyebrow. Designing a blueprint was not a difficult task. He could finish it in one night. It was just that he had to do a field study. "I may not be free, but I''ll go to the countryside and take a look if I have the time." Luke did not make a promise. "There''s no hurry. They still have a long time to think about it." Old Master Crawford made it to the dining room and sat down with the help of Luke. Susan, Louis, and the others were already seated. Only Allison and Sophian were left. Luke helped Old Master Crawford to the main seat, then sat beside him. Susan said to the butler, "Everyone''s here, you can serve the food." The butler said, "Madam Crawford, there''s still Madam Allison and Ms. Sophian." "Huh, is she eating at the table too? Is she not afraid that her horrendous face will scare the children?" Susan was discontented when she heard that Allison wasing. Thea would cry when she saw her scary face. Once she cried, she would get scolded by Old Master Crawford again. The butler kept silent as Allison was Luke''s mother. It would not be right to not call her down. "Enough. Since she''s back, it''ll be unreasonable not to call her down." Old Master Crawford reprimanded Susan for her sarcasm. Susan said unhappily, "Father, she never came down to eat before. Let''s just send food up to her room. Don''t scare the children by letting here down. Her grandchildren might be mentally strong, but that doesn''t mean that Thea won''t be afraid. She''s timid and will have nightmares. Later, you''ll get mad when she cries." Old Master Crawford nced at Thea. She pouted, and her eyes grew red. She had a cowardly expression on her face at the mention of Allison. Luke made the decision. "Serve dinner and bring a tray up to them." ''Them'' included Sophian. She was invited by Allison, not the Crawford family, so there was no need to be too polite. "Alright," the butler answered. He was about to walk into the kitchen to get a tray when Allison walked into the dining room with Sophian. She looked at them and said in a provocative tone, "Oh, am Ite?" Yuri immediately held Thea in her arms to prevent her from seeing Allison''s horrifying face. "What are you doing down here? Do you want everyone to lose their appetite by seeing your rotten face?" Susan''s tone was sharp as if she wanted to chase her out of Crawford Manor with a broomstick. Chapter 2396 Allison was not one to be trampled on just like that. She sat down on the chair and said to Susan, ¡°This is my house. I can go wherever I want. Old Master Crawford is still here, yet you wish to dominate the manor yourself?" "The one who wants to take over the manor is you. You brought a stranger into the house and even appeared at the dinner table to disgust people." Susan shook off Louis'' hand and let herself loose as Allison''s words had angered her. "If you think I''m disgusting, you can go back to your room to eat. Plus, Ms. Sophian is a guest I invited. Is this how you treat a guest?" Allison pulled Sophian''s hand, gesturing her to sit down. Sophian watched their family dispute and forced herself to sit down without saying a word. "My *ss! If anyone has to leave, it should be you. You''re just a mistress. You don''t belong in this family, so scram!" Susan was vicious. Her tone was harsh like she wanted to spit venom on Allison''s face. Every time she saw Allison, she would be reminded of all that she had to suffer throughout the years. Her husband cheated on her and brought Luke back home, leaving Louis in her hands. It was a good thing that Zachary was already buried underground, but she was left to face Allison alone. Susan was filled with hatred. "Scram? My son is still here and is the authority figure of T Corporation. You should scram. Staying here with that zombie face of yours will bring bad luck for the new year." Allison did not spare Susan, and she went head to head with her without holding back. These words were all taboo to Old Master Crawford.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. They had always been taboo to him, but even more so during the new year. Thea listened to the two of them quarreling. She looked up at Allison''s face and instantly cried out loud, "Mommy, the witch is here." Yuri immediately covered her face and hastily tried to calm her down. Allison''s face turned red with anger when she heard Thea''s words. "You damned kid, what did you say?" Susan was even more furious. "Allison, shut up! That devil face of yours is scaring the kids. Aren''t you going to leave?" "Your granddaughter is just a coward. Who do you have to me? What a wimp. Look at my grandchildren. Do they look scared?" Allison grabbed Lanie''s hand. "Lanie, tell them, is Grandma scary?" Lanie listened to the two of them quarrel and could not care less. He forcibly withdrew his hand and said, "Grandma, you''re hurting me." ¡°Look, even your grandson can''t stand you. You''re the most humiliating one in this family. If I were you, I would just go back to Korea and stop embarrassing myself here." Susan drew out some tissues to wipe away Thea''s tears. "You..." Allison''s voice ended abruptly with Old Master Crawford''s rebuke. Old Master Crawford stood up with his cane, and his gaze swept sharply over his two daughters-inw. "It seems like there''s no need for us to have this meal. There''s no need to serve the food. Everyone, go back to your respective rooms and eat. You can go out and eat too. Just don''t stay here and talk nonsense. How disappointing." "Grandpa." Luke stood up. Old Master Crawford raised his hand to stop him from continuing his words. He looked toward Allison. "Are you satisfied now that you''ve ruined a perfectly good family dinner? Go back. The Crawford family doesn''t owe you anything." After he ordered her to leave, Allison changed her expression and stood up in protest. "Father, I wasn''t the one who started this. Why should I leave?" "Shut up." Old Master Crawford fiercely looked at his second daughter-inw in front of him. He should not have let her off the hook in the first ce. He only let her in at the time as she was Luke''s mother. It was because of that that this house never had peace. "I won''t. Father, you''re biased because Susan is your first daughter-inw. Her words were so harsh, yet no one helped me retort them. Why should I leave? She should be the one to leave." Allison lost her mind in anger as she bombarded straight into the muzzle of someone else''s gun. "Allison, how can you be so shameless? Husband and wife are supposed to be monogamous. What are you? The Crawford family has been kind enough to let you stay here for 20 years when you''re just a mistress, yet you consider yourself a legal wife?" Susan thought that Old Master Crawford was on her side, so her words became ever harsher. "Zachary and I were genuinely in love. We''re not as dirty as you think. If you weren''t such a dog in the manger, would I be here now? Susan, you''re the shameless one. I¡ª" Luke could not help but interrupt out of anger before Allison could finish. "Enough." Susan''s face had turned purple in anger from Allison''s words, but the corners of her lips curled up after Luke''s interruption. See, Allison was only a mistress. Even her own son was not on her side. She was in no ce to argue with her. "Allison, even your son is saying the same thing. Just shut up." Susan mocked her coldly. "What''s it to you?" Allison clenched her fists and resisted the urge to go up and scratch her. Old Master Crawford watched the two daughters-inw cause a huge scene on New Year''s Eve while there was a guest. He left with his cane in his hands from the humiliation. When the three kids noticed, they also immediately followed Old Master Crawford. Susan snorted coldly. "Allison, you should have just died in prison. That way, Father wouldn''t have to be angry with you over and over again." "Susan, you b*tch!" Her past was brought up, so Allison lunged at her without a word. Luke yanked her hand. "That''s enough. You''re going back to Korea tomorrow." Allison could not believe it. She stared at him with wide eyes. ¡°Luke, I''m your mother!" ¡°With a mother like you, I wouldn''t acknowledge you either." Susan held her hands in front of her chest and said as she watched the show. ¡°Mother, let''s go." Louis pulled Susan to leave. ¡°Why? I still want to watch this go down and see how Luke betrays his loyalty toward his family." Susan drew her hand back and was unwilling to leave. Louis was helpless as this mess was caused by her words. Allison would not let herself lose, so naturally, the two of them would quarrel. New Year''s Eve was ruined. ¡°Mother, Thea needs you tofort her." Louis pulled her away without warning. In the dining room, only the butler, Luke, Allison, and Sophian were left. Sophian dared not say a word about the scene in front of her as she did not want to leave a bad impression on Luke. ¡°It''s because you''re my mom that I''m letting you go back to Korea. Go back tomorrow and prepare for your surgery. Mr. Griffin, put away the food and keep it warm." Luke left the dinner table. ¡°Yes. Young Master Luke," answered the butler as he kept away the served food. Arge sumptuous feast had been prepared in the kitchen, but now that a fuss was made, he walked into the kitchen and shook his head resignedly as he said to the chef, ¡°Keep the food warm first." ¡°Okay." The chef had heard themotion from outside the kitchen and understood the situation. Chapter 2397 After Luke left the dining room, he did not see Old Master Crawford nor the kids, so he went up to the study. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Sure enough, they were there. Tommy was telling jokes that were popr among children in an effort to make Old Master Crawford cheer up. Old Master Crawford was grim-faced. When he saw Luke walk in, he asked, "Are they done arguing?" ¡°Not quite." Luke shook his head as he was the one who forcibly put the war to rest. "So, they''re still arguing?" Old Master Crawford asked. Although he had already foreseen it happening, he was still upset that a nice New Year''s Eve dinner was ruined. "No, I''ll have someone book flight tickets to send her back to Korea tomorrow," Luke said. Old Master Crawford shook his head. "Luke, you know that she won''t leave so quickly. Don''t waste your money. There''s no need to book the ticket." It would not be easy for him to send Allison away if she did not want to leave. Luke frowned. It was easier to invite the devil in than to send it away. Not to mention, Allison came back on her own, so it would be even harder to send her back. Even if the cosmetic surgery facility in Korea arranged surgery for her, she might not go at this point. "Let the butler bring the food in here. I want to eat here with the kids," Old Master Crawford ordered. He could go hungry, but the kids could not. When Allison entered the dining room, Susan started to pick on her. Before the kids could have a bite of hot food, they were forced to watch an argument that taught them bad things. "Grandpa, let''s eat outside," Luke advised as Allison would note down and stir up trouble again after themotion she caused, especially after he mentioned her returning to Korea. "What''s the point of going out? To continue watching the show? I''ve seen this drama for more than 20 years. No matter how interesting it is, I''m sick of it. Plus, what''s so interesting about those two shrews? They just ruin the mood and affect the children''s mindset." Old Master Crawford used taboo words. He did not favor either daughter-inw and scolded both of them at once. Allison was wrong and talked harshly, but Susan was not any better. They both took the initiative to stir trouble and cause amotion for the Crawford family. After Luke picked up his phone and gave the butler the word to bring the food in, he said, ¡°Grandpa, come back to the mansion with me tomorrow." "That''s what I intend to do, but only for one day on the second day of the new year," said Old Master Crawford. "But she won''t leave that soon." Luke frowned. "This is my house. How can I stay at your ce all year round just to avoid them quarreling? Plus, many people wille over to pay their respects after the new year. Do you think Susan will be able to entertain the guests? Or will your own mother do such a thing?" Old Master Crawford asked him as this household still had to rely on him. Neither Susan nor Allison could be trusted. They were jealous of each other, so whoever was to be in charge of receiving the guests would cause amotion. Besides, having someone like Allison entertain the guests would just disgrace the Crawford family. Having two of them entertain visitors together would be worse. Old Master Crawford had never seen them be at peace for more than half an hour. Whichever one it was, they were destined to humiliate the Crawford family, so it would be better for him to attend to these matters personally so that he could be at ease. Besides, neither Luke nor Louis were willing to do such things. "Great-grandpa is right," Lanie mentioned. Luke lowered his gaze. Mr. Griffin knocked on the door. "Old Master Crawford, the food is here." "Open the door and send it in. My great-grandchildren are hungry," Old Master Crawford said toward the door. The butler opened the door and walked in with the maid. They were both carrying the food. He ced the tray on the coffee table, and upon seeing that, the maid ced the other trays that contained the dishes on top of the coffee table as well. Old Master Crawford leaned on his cane, then held Tommy''s hand as he walked to the coffee table. He sat on the sofa. "Come, let''s have dinner." The butler looked at the old master and felt helpless as it was supposed to be a family dinner, but now, he had to have this meal in his study because of the argument. "Luke, what are you doing standing there? Bring a chair over and eat," Old Master Crawford said. Upon hearing that, Luke nodded and dragged a chair over to sit down. Old Master Crawford and the three kids sat on the sofa and started eating. The butler asked, "Old Master Crawford, the two madams and the guest... and Young Master Louis..." "There''s still food in the kitchen. They can eat it if they want. After Louis is done eating, tell him toe to the study. I need to talk to him," said Old Master Crawford. "Got it, Old Master Crawford. Enjoy your meal and call me if you need anything." The butler exited the study. The study lit with sandalwood incense was now filled with the aroma of food. It smelled like New Year''s. Old Master Crawford sighed. ¡°I remember when I first came to A City to work. I had no money, so I would go to a little house smaller than this study to eat and celebrate with my coworkers. That meal would be the best meal of the year." Although the three kids lived a privileged life, the old master would often talk to them about the old days when he struggled to make a living. Thus, they were different from other kids born into rich families as they were aware of the hard times the old master had to go through. "Great-grandpa, why don''t we watch the New Year G after dinner?" Tommy suggested. "Sure, let''s watch the New Year G together." Old Master Crawford looked at the child, and his mind was more at ease. Upstairs. Allison stomped back to her room while Sophian followed behind. After closing the door, Allison vented her anger. "I''m livid! What gives Susan the right to talk about me like that? One day, I''m going to chase her out of this house." Sophian dared not talk loudly after seeing her behavior, so she could onlyfort her softly. "Ms. Allison, don''t get angry with that kind of woman. Why don''t we think about tomorrow..." She heard with her own ears that Luke was sending Allison back to Korea tomorrow. If Allison went back to Korea, that meant she would have to go back to Korea too. However, she did not want to leave just like that. She had not even gotten any benefits, nor had she shown herself in front of Luke. Sophian smiled anxiously as she saw that Allison was only scolding Susan, so she bit the bullet and reminded her of the seriousness of the situation. "Didn''t youe back to consolidate your position in this family? If you go back now, your trip here will be for nothing. After your surgery, you need at least a month to recover, so you don''t know when you''ll be back." "Of course, I know that, but what''s there to be afraid of?" Allison did not take Luke''s words to heart. Chapter 2398 "Ms. Allison, aren''t you worried?" Sophian noticed that Allison and Luke did not share a good rtionship. Nevertheless, all of Allison''s expenses were paid for by Luke. Although it was natural for a son to take care of his mother, Luke seemed to act like whoever was paying was the boss. On top of that, Luke did not care much about his mother. "Do you think I''ve spent all these years having learned nothing? I''m Luke''s mother. Although he said that, he won¡¯t do anything to me. He told me not toe back, but I¡¯m back anyway. If I''m not willing to leave, no one can shoo me away." Allison sat on the sofa with her legs folded together. She wanted to act like ady. Seeing how confident she was, Sophian nodded and felt a little more relieved. She hoped that Allison would not be afraid of Luke''s coercion as she imed. After all, she did not want to return to Korea. She would wake upughing every day if she could be Luke¡¯s woman and live in such a big mansion. Allison touched her stomach. She was focused on arguing with Susan and forgot that she was hungry. She said to Sophian, "Sophian, go to the kitchen and bring me some food." "Ms. Allison, don¡¯t you want to go down to eat?" Sophian asked. She was a little unhappy. She was a nurse, not a nanny. Allison pursed her lips and said disdainfully, "We caused such a scene. Why would I want to go down? Go tell Mrs. Nancy that I''m hungry. She¡¯ll know what to do. Also, have her prepare more for you. You can eat with me." "Okay, Ms. Allison. Give me a moment." Sophian showed no displeasure on her face even though she was annoyed. She went downstairs to get food for Allison. Sophian went into the kitchen and found that Yuri was also there. Although no one had talked to her about the Crawfords, she got a general understanding from the situation in the dining room just now that the woman in front of her was likely the wife of Luke''s younger brother. "Hello, Mrs. Crawford," Sophian greeted Yuri politely. Although Luke and Louis were brothers, they did not share the same mother. Hence, she assumed that the two shared apetitive rtionship. Nevertheless, she was not dating Luke yet, so she did not want to make things awkward with Yuri. Yuri tilted her head, nced at her, and held up a ss of water. "Are you the specialist that Ms. Tanner brought back with her from Korea?" "Yes, I''m a skincare specialist attending to Ms. Allison." Sophian was a little nervous, but she kept her head held high. "Ms. Allison?" Yuri raised her lips and smiled mockingly. Sophian noticed her contempt. She knew that rich women like that often looked down on others, so she secretly vowed to step back now and take her revenge when the time came. Luke was much better than her husband, Louis. Yuri took a sip of tea and said, "Since you''re a skincare expert, I''d like for you to do a facial for me when you have the time. The weather has been fairly dry recently and my face feels it as well. I''ve been so busy with work that I don''t have the time to go to my usual beauty salon. I''d like to think that the skincare technology in Korea should be better than that in A City, right?" "The skincare technology in A City is almost the same as that in foreign countries. Many Korean technologies are imported from A City," Sophian replied. She would not have stayed in Korea for so long if it was not for the stic surgery that she wanted to do. "Is that so? It was nice chatting with you. Do a facial for me when you have time." Yuri finished speaking and left the kitchen. Thea was triggered after she saw Allison''s face and was still making a fuss in the room. Sophian watched Yuri leave with a deep gaze. ''Do a facial for her? She dares to say that now, but will she dare to speak to me the same way in the future?!'' Mrs. Nancy noticed that Sophian was staring dumbly in the direction that Yuri left, so she asked, "Ms. Thomas, can I help you with anything?" "Oh yes, Ms. Allison is a little hungry, so she asked for you to help prepare something for her and me. We''re eating together," Sophian snapped out of it and replied to Mrs. Nancy. "Okay, give me a moment. I''ll prepare something now." Mrs. Nancy moved quickly and put their meals on the tray. Sophian noticed that there were only a few dishes. They were different from the dishes that were served just now, so she asked, "Why are there only so few dishes? Weren''t there a lot of dishes on the dining table just now?" Mrs. Nancy smiled awkwardly and exined, "Before you came, the butler had already brought some food to the study for Old Master Crawford and Young Master Luke. Madam Susan had also sent someone to get her meal, so this is all that''s left." Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Allison was thest in the mansion to send someone over to collect the food. She was lucky that there were some leftovers. "They move so fast..." Sophian was puzzled. ''Didn''t Old Master Crawford storm off after his two daughters-inw pissed him off? How did he have the appetite to eat in a blink of an eye...'' "There are children. They should never go hungry," Mrs. Nancy exined. Sophian looked at the dishes on the tray and asked, "Is there any soup left?" "There are still two bowls, but Madam Allison isn''t a big fan of soup. She thinks it''s greasy and fattening." Mrs. Nancy said. Sophian shook her head. She noticed earlier that expensive ingredients were used to prepare the soup. She said, "Ms. Allison needs to drink more soup. It''s good for the skin. Please hand me the remaining two bowls." She thought it was stupid that Allison did not want to drink such a good soup. Sophian was greedy. She knew that it was good for her body and skin. If Allison did not want to drink it, she could have both bowls. "Okay, Ms. Thomas. Just a second." Mrs. Nancy turned around and scooped the soup. She carefully ced the two bowls on the tray. "It''s quite heavy. Can a maid help me carry it upstairs?" Sophian asked. She frowned while looking at the tter full of food. "I''ll help you." Mrs. Nancy took the tray and went upstairs with Sophian. When they were about to reach Allison''s bedroom, Sophian took the tray in Mrs. Nancy''s hand and said, "It''s okay, you can pass it to me now. I''ll bring it in." Mrs. Nancy was a woman over 50 years old. She had seen this situation a lot of times. She opted to keep quiet. With a smile, she turned around to leave. ''It seems that Sophian is not a simple person. Otherwise, how could she be serving by Madam Allison''s side?'' Mrs. Nancy was not clear about what Sophian''s intentions were. Sophian cautiously walked into Allison''s bedroom with the tray and said, "Ms. Allison, your food is here." "Why did you take so long?" Allison asked angrily. ¡°I bumped into Young Master Louis'' wife in the kitchen. She asked Mrs. Nancy to do something, so it took some time," Sophian said, justifying her procrastination. After all, if she mentioned that it was because she had a chat with Yuri, Allison would surely me her. As such, she med Yuri for it. It would not make a difference since Allison did not have a good rtionship with Susan anyway. Chapter 2399 "Yuri, huh... Her husband isn''t all that. How dare she act as such?" Allison hated everyone who was rted to Susan. She did not like Yuri although Yuri had not offended or argued with her publicly. After all, Yuri could help Louispete with Luke with her family''s money in the future. "Ms. Allison, let''s eat. The food won''t taste good if it gets cold." Sophian did not dare to continue on that topic. After all, Allison had the character of a mad woman. If she overstimted her, she would inadvertently be involved. At that time, if she went to trouble Yuri, it would be exposed that she spoke ill of her behind her back. Allison looked at the dishes on the tray and frowned. "Why are there only these few dishes? You didn''t just pick the ones you liked to serve them to me, right?" "I would never! Ms. Allison, this is all that was left when I arrived at the kitchen," Sophian exined quickly. "This is all that was left? They all took the rest?!" Allison realized what had happened. All of them acted like they were fuming, but they would never let themselves starve. They were faster than her to get dinner for themselves. Sophian nodded, sat beside her, and handed her the utensils. "Ms. Allison, I asked Mrs. Nancy for two bowls of soup. You should drink it." All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "I don''t like soup. It''s fattening." Allison frowned and said, "You can have mine." "Okay." Sophian seeded in getting what she wanted. She thought that Allison did not cherish good food. On the other hand. After Susan coaxed Thea, she went to have dinner with Yuri. They, too, ate in the bedroom. After all, there was no need to go out of the room to eat after such a drastic scene. "Mom, I bumped into Ms. Thomas just now," Yuri mentioned. "Ms. Thomas?" Susan sipped some soup before she remembered who Ms. Thomas was. "Oh, Sophian. What was she doing?" "She was getting food for Allison," Yuri said. "Hmph! She still has the mood to eat?" Susan was fuming. She thought that Allison was a terrible person who could initiate fights wherever she was. "Mom, Grandpa is really displeased with what happened. After dinner, let''s bring him some tea and snacks, then apologize to him." Although Allison did go too far, Yuri thought that Susan started the fight when she mocked her. If she had just shut up, there would not be so much drama. "I don''t want to go. I didn''t do anything wrong! He knew that Allison''s return would cause many issues, but he still let her move in! How could he!" Susan was stubborn and did not think she did anything wrong. Yuri hesitated and let out a long sigh. Louis took a few mouthfuls of food before he hurried to Old Master Crawford''s study to make sure that he was not still fuming. In Old Master Crawford''s study. After dinner, Louis went into the study and had tea with them. "Grandpa, I''m sorry." Louis saw that there was no smile on Old Master Crawford''s face. After he thought about it, he decided to apologize. "What are you talking about?" Old Master Crawford was not an unreasonable man. He believed that the fault was all on Susan and Allison. It had nothing to do with Louis or with Luke. Louis sighed. Luke had a handle over Allison, but he could not do anything about Susan. After all, Susan was exceedingly controlling. He felt like a powerless little brat who never knew how to fight back. "It''s almost time. Let''s go to the living room to watch the New Year G." Old Master Crawford nced at the show time and knew that this year''s New Year G was about to start. "Grandpa, you''re going to the living room to watch the show?" Louis was a little surprised. He thought that Old Master Crawford would want to watch it in the study. "There''s a big TV in the living room. Let''s watch it in the living room," Old Master Crawford said. He thought that his two daughters-inw would unlikely go to the living room to cause any trouble at this time. Luke stood up and supported Old Master Crawford to do so. They left the study together and went to the living room. The butler had already prepared all the refreshments so they could have something to snack on when they were watching the New Year G. After the New Year G started, Sophian went downstairs and saw them watching the New Year G. She was slightly surprised, and her gaze fell on Luke once again. She did not expect that he would watch the New Year G. ''If only I could sit next to him and put my head in his arms as we watch the New Year G together.'' Sophian thought about it and got excited. It was as if she could foresee that happening. "Ms. Thomas?" Louis raised his eyebrows and called out to her when he noticed that Sophian had been staring at Luke. Sophian came back to her senses and responded, "Huh?" "Ms. Thomas, what''s the matter?" Louis asked. The three children immediately looked at Sophian. "I was just about to take these back to the kitchen," Sophian said awkwardly. She was still holding the tray in her hand, which she held up slightly on purpose. She wanted it to be seen by Luke and show him that she was not the kind of woman who would order people around. She could attend to house chores herself. "Oh, if you need something, you can just ask the maid to do it." Louis shifted his gaze back to the TV screen. He did not invite Sophian to sit down and watch the New Year G together. Sophian was a little disappointed. She thought he would ask her to take a seat out of politeness. She thought too much. If they invited her, she would sit down without any second thought and would be more than happy to watch the New Year G with Luke. She felt weird if she sat there without being invited. After all, she was Allison''s guest, not Old Master Crawford''s nor Luke''s. Lanie continued staring at her without saying anything. Sophian met Lanie''s gaze and thought that he looked like Luke. They were so simr even in the way they looked at other people. She felt like she was about to be seen through by a child. Sophian took the tray and walked to the kitchen. Only then did Lanie return his gaze to the TV screen. He could tell that this woman, like all the women in the past, was interested in his father. After Sophian gave the tray to Mrs. Nancy, she returned to the living room. At that moment, Louis and the others did not seem like they were going to engage in a conversation with her. Sophian stood there for a few seconds but still, no one spoke. In the living room, there was the sound of the New Year G program. She had no choice but to go back to Allison''s bedroom awkwardly. Allison opened her skincare bag and asked when she saw Sophian return, "Why did it take you so long?" "I had a chat with Mr. Crawford in the living room," Sophian exined. "Luke?" Allison asked, surprised. Sophian shook her head and said, "Mr. Louis." "Oh, him. That''s normal." Allison took out all the masks and looked at the effects on the packaging. "Louis is a talker. He''ll talk to everyone. I thought Luke had talked to you. That would be a shocker." Chapter 2400 "Ms. Allison..." Sophian walked over to Allison and looked at the rows of masks. It was Allison''s mask time. She had to spend a lot more time on skincare than normal people in a day because of the special nature of her skin. Otherwise, if there was any negligence, her face may return to its original form. All her efforts during this period would be in vain if that happened. Allison raised her head, saw Sophian''s aggrieved expression, and continued choosing her mask. "Why do you look like that? You''ve only met him twice. You can''t be that into him." "Ms. Allison, don''t tease me." Sophian put her hands on Allison''s shoulders and started to massage her. Allison enjoyed it very much. Sophian was a beautician, so her shoulders and neck massages were topnotch. "It''s the truth. I''m sure you used to have a lot of handsome guys in Korea pursuing you, right? I saw that you receive flowers almost every day." "They''re nothing," Sophian said helplessly. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. The men who pursued her were good-looking but they had an ordinary family background. In Korea, there were a lot of handsome guys but very few rich ones. If she had to choose between looks and wealth, she would go for thetter. Good looks were nothing to her. In Korea, one would not look too bad as long as they had money and were willing to go through stic surgery. Luke had not gone through stic surgery and was wealthy and young. He was very rare, so it was not her fault that she fell in love at first sight. Allison knew what she was thinking about, so Sophian opted to be straightforward. "You know how great Mr. Crawford is. Don''t make fun of me." "Yes, Luke is popr. I''ve introduced him to many women with good looks and families, but he didn''t like any of them." Allison said slowly. She got mad thinking of the past. He was not interested no matter how good the other party was. All Luke wanted was Bianca. Even though Bianca was Jack and Queenie''s biological daughter, Allison still could not bring herself to like her. After all, Bianca reminded her of the dirty things she did in the past that she just wanted to get rid of. "Why?" Sophian''s heart tightened. She wondered if Luke''s requirements for his partner were that high. "He loves Bianca. No matter what I said or how much I paved the way for him, he still chose Bianca. He pissed me off so much at that time! Bianca is no longer in his heart, so Sophian, you still have a chance." Susan patted her hand andforted her. Although she looked down on Sophian, it did not prevent her from encouraging her. After all, Luke seemed like he was ying around with everyone, so she was certain that he would not take this fling seriously. It would make Sophian want to stay by her side even more, which would benefit her. "Ms. Allison, I don''t understand what you mean..." Sophian blushed and lowered her voice. "You know what I''m talking about. You''re not getting any younger. You have to fight for some opportunities yourself." Allison hinted. She did noty it all out and decided to change the subject. "Okay, help me choose one. What kind of mask should I use now?" Sophian absent-mindedly observed the state of Allison''s skin. Allison was a little dissatisfied and said, "Sophian, do you think that I should give you a hand?" Sophian shook her head quickly and said, "No, Ms. Allison, you''re right. I should fight for it myself." "It''s not that I don''t want to help you. It''s just that Luke never listens to me. If I help you, it might hurt you. Whatever happens next is up to you. Besides, Luke is not who he used to be." Allison picked up one of the hydrating masks as she thought that her skin felt dry. "Ms. Allison..." "He hasn''t divorced Bianca, but he has other women outside. Since he can do this, it means that you can stand by his side if you fight for it. Old Master Crawford is not against what he''s doing, and neither am I. If you can win his heart, he''s all yours," Allison handed the mask to Sophian and asked, "Can I use this?" Sophian seemed to believe that if other women could stand by Luke''s side, so could she. She took Allison''s mask, nodded, and said, "Yes, your skin is dehydrated. You can use this." "Mm, I want to do this on the bed." Allison stood up, walked over to the bed, andy down. Sophian unpacked the mask and carefully applied it to her face. "By the way, Ms. Allison, will they all stay up tonight?" Sophian asked. After all, she was from A City and knew about the local tradition of staying up to wee the new year. However, customs varied from ce to ce. She had to understand the situation clearly before she could act. "They won''t stay up. They''ll go back to their bedrooms after the New Year G," Allison closed her eyes and said. Although the Crawford family still adhered to many traditional customs, the custom of staying up was long abandoned because there were many children at home. They and Old Master Crawford could not stay upte. They would usually return to their bedrooms and go to bed around midnight. "Okay, I see." Sophian''s mouth twitched slightly. She had to seize the opportunity that night. If Allison was sent back to Korea tomorrow, she would never have the chance to take action again. Midnight. The countdown was over, and the New Year G officially came to an end. The butler helped Old Master Crawford back to the bedroom so he could rest while Luke walked upstairs with the three sleepy children. The children usually went to bed around 10 o''clock. It was normal for them to be sleepy since it was midnight now. Fortunately, they had already washed up and changed into their new pajamas. They could go to bed as soon as they returned to the bedroom. Luke watched the three children get into their respective beds before he returned to his bedroom. He picked up the phone and nced at it. At midnight, he wished Luca a happy new year and she wished him the same. Luke smiled and looked at his screen tenderly. He wanted to get rid of the Ind of Despair as soon as possible so that he could be reunited with Luca. Luke took the new pajamas that Luca prepared for him, walked into the bathroom, washed up, and put on new pajamas. Hey on the bed and was ready to fall asleep. Tomorrow, he had to get up early and apany Old Master Crawford to the family''s ancestral hall for prayers before he brought the children home. He had not seen Luca for a long time, so he missed her. His bedroom door was opened as soon as Lukey down. The sound was very soft, but he caught it with his sharp hearing. He sat up and stretched out his hand to turn on the lights. "Who is it?" Sophian was stunned and just stood there. She looked at Luke, who was on the bed, and said awkwardly, "Mr. Crawford..." "Get out." Luke noticed that Sophian was wearing a sexy nightgown. Her skin was almost bare. He turned his head away and stopped looking at her. Chapter 2401 His indifferent voice made Sophian shiver. There was heating everywhere in the house, so it felt like a warm spring. However, at that moment, she felt as though she was outside where the wind and snow were falling on her body. It absorbed the temperature from her body little by little. Sophian opened her mouth and breathed hard. She tried to make herself look calmer, but her legs were shaking involuntarily. She looked at the man whose head was turned away. There was fear in her eyes but also greed. "I''m sorry, Mr. Crawford, I... I''m lost. Can you help me?" she said and took a step inside. "Scram," Luke said without turning his head to take a second look. His voice was like a beast dormant in the night, warning the creatures that intruded into its territory. Sophian took a step back in an instant. "I. I can''t find my bedroom..." Sophian told a clumsy lie. She was so panicked that she felt as though she was about to cry. She thought that Luke would want her when he saw her dressed as such. What was happening was beyond her expectations. She was dressed in sexy lingerie and thought that no man could not hold back when they saw her. Sophian did not expect that he would react so indifferently. ¡®Could it be that he''s interested but he''s choosing to push his desires down?'' Sophian could not figure him out. Her whole body was shaking, but she tried her best to control it. She did not want Luke to notice her fear. ¡®I have to be his woman. I have to.'' Sophian had only one belief in her heart, so she stood there firmly and said, "Mr. Crawford, can you take me back to my bedroom?" Seeing that Sophian refused to leave, Luke got out of bed and walked to the door. "Mr. Crawford..." When she saw him walk toward her, Sophian took a deep breath and could not stop her heartbeat from beating like a drum. She saw hope when the man she had been dreaming of was getting closer. The next second, Luke mmed the door mercilessly and locked it. The tip of Sophian''s nose was less than a centimeter away from the door. If she were just a step closer, the tip of her nose would have hit the door. She immediately teared up. Men could not refuse beautiful women, but at this moment, she was turned down by Luke even though she was dressed so sexily. She felt like she had lost her dignity. "What are you doing standing here dressed like this?" Yuri walked up from the first floor to the second floor and walked over when she heard some sounds, only to see Sophian in a nightgown. Her mood turned gloomy in an instant. She was standing in front of Luke''s bedroom dressed so sexily. She seemed to forget that there were other men in the house. ¡®Is she trying to seduce Luke?¡¯ Yuri did not care that she was trying to seduce Luke, but she was pissed because Louis also lived in the house. She instantly saw Sophian as an unwee and shameless guest. Sophian panicked when she saw Yuri. "I-I''m lost..." "Lost?" Yuri squinted her eyes and looked at her with disdain. She taunted her for going so far to seduce a man. "You¡¯re lost at Luke''s bedroom door? Wow. However, the door¡¯s closed shut but you''re still standing here wearing such revealing clothes. Why? Are you trying to seduce someone else?" "No, no! I wanted to go downstairs to get some water, but I forgot... I..." Sophian hurriedly exined herself. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. "Okay, I didn''t want to expose your little lie, but since you¡¯re being stubborn. Crawford Manor is big, but it¡¯s not so big that someone can get lost here. Do you think that this is a castle? I heard the sound of the door closing just now. You were kicked out, right? Also, Luke is picky with his women. Not all women can climb into his bed. Here¡¯s some advice. Put away your ill intentions and go back to Korea," Yuri said, disgusted. Previously, she did not like Sophian but could not say that she disliked her. She was now disgusted with her when she saw what she was up to. After all, a lot of men and children were walking around Crawford Manor. What would the others think if they saw her dressed as such? Many women had wanted to seduce Louis over the years, so Yuri hated this kind of shameless woman. "I. Mrs. Crawford, this is a misunderstanding..." Sophian panicked and tried to exin herself. "Scram back to your room! How are you going to exin yourself if the children see you dressed like this? Also, besides Luke and Louis, Crawford Manor has male servants walking around too. If you¡¯re interested in the servants, by all means. But forget about it if you¡¯re trying to go for Luke. My advice to you is to pack your bags tonight, return to South Korea tomorrow, and go for more stic surgery. Maybe then your tricks will be useful to other men." Yuri sneered and returned to her bedroom. Sophian covered her face and ran to the guest room for fear that a third person would see her at that moment. Two people had seen through her. She could not help but hate Allison. If it were not for her instigation, she would not have crossed the line and done what she did. She closed the door of the guest room and held her cold hands. She was so frightened that her body temperature went down when she was standing in front of Luke''s bedroom. At that moment, her heart felt like it had fallen to the bottom of an ice cave. Sophian covered her face to hide the despair it would show. She felt like she had lost all hope... ''Maybe Luke will kick me out tomorrow...'' Sophian was unwilling to give up when she thought of Luke''s indifferent gaze. She did not want to let go of the opportunity after she had waited so long to meet such a handsome and wealthy man... ''You can''t just give up. You can''t, you can''t! You have to be Luke''s woman!'' Sophian said to herself. On the other hand. Yuri went back to the bedroom. Louis was still awake. He was leaning on the bed and reading a book. "Weren''t you lying down? Why are you reading now?" Yuri could not help but ask. "I couldn''t fall asleep, so I started reading," Louis said as he flipped through the book and continued to read. Yuri frowned. Although their bedroom was some distance from Luke''s, there was no guarantee that Louis did not see Sophian. All men like to y. Louis used to like to fool around, so Yuri could not help but worry and ask, "Did you go out of the bedroom just now?" "No," Louis said. "If you didn''t go out of the bedroom, where did you get the book?" Yuri wanted the details. "This book has been on the bedside table." Louis held up the book and showed her the cover. Yuri recognized that it was the book that he kept on the bedside table and asionally read before going to bed. She was relieved and said, "Do you know who I bumped into just now?" Chapter 2402 Louis did not try to guess. He continued to read his book and replied casually, "Ms. Thomas?" "How did you know? You left the room?" Yuri instantly became suspicious. "I didn''t go out. Ms. Thomas is the only outsider in our home. Since you asked the question that way, anyone can tell that you''re talking about her," Louis exined. If she had bumped into someone else, she would not have phrased it that way. From what he knew of her, if Yuri had bumped into someone at Crawford Manor who did something wrong, she would tell him directly who was doing what instead of having him guess. Yuri thought about it for a few seconds and thought that what he said made sense. "What did Ms. Thomas do?" Louis asked. "She wore ck sexy lingerie and went to Luke''s bedroom but was kicked out." Yuri did not dare to make up stories about Luke''s interest in Sophian, so she told Louis the truth. Louis frowned when he heard that. He could not help but say in disgust, "That''s outrageous." "Mom is right. That woman has bad intentions. How dare she seduce Luke and do such an outrageous thing!" Yuri smeared hand cream on her hands and mocked Sophian. Louis remembered how Sophian was staring at Luke when she came down with the tray while they were watching the New Year G. "It''s not the first time this kind of thing has happened," he said. "Yes, but there''s never been a woman who tried to seduce Luke in the manor. If Grandpa finds out, he''ll be raving mad," Yuri said. Those other women who were interested in Luke were not like Sophian. Allison was being ridiculous for bringing such a woman to the manor. Louis kept quiet. Yuri guessed aloud, "Do you think that Luke''s mother asked her to do this?" "Enough with the nonsense. You''re overthinking this." Louis did not want her to specte. "Otherwise, how could she be so bold?" Yuri got into bed after she put on her skincare. "Don''t specte, and don''t tell Mom about this," Louis said. If Susan heard about this, there would definitely be another war. He wanted to spend the new year peacefully. "Why can''t we let Mom know?" Yuri lifted the nket andy down in bed. Louis put his bookmark in the book and reminded her, "Do you want to start a family war on New Year''s Day?" Yuri pouted and said nothing. The next day. The Crawfords would go to the ancestral hall in the backyard to pay their respects to their ancestors and Zachary on the first day of the new year. After Luke got up, he was annoyed when he thought of what Sophian had donest night. "What an annoying woman." If the woman standing at the door of his bedroom in sexy pajamas was Luca, he would be more than happy to wee her into the room. He was not at all interested in other women. Luke got up and nced at his phone. Luca had not texted him. He picked up his phone, put on the new slippers that Luca had prepared for him, and went into the bathroom to wash up. After he was done, he changed into new clothes and shoes, which were all prepared for him by Luca. From N?velDrama.Org. He then went downstairs. The children had woken up. They stood in front of Old Master Crawford and took turns wishing him a happy new year. Old Master Crawford''s displeasure yesterday disappeared without a trace after a night''s rest. Luke stepped forward and respectfully said to Old Master Crawford, "Grandpa, happy new year. I wish you good health and everything you wish toe true." "Okay, okay." Old Master Crawford happily handed Luke an envelope with money inside. Luke took it. This was their family tradition. Old Master Crawford might not be pleased if he did not ept it. After a while, Louis and his family also came downstairs to greet Old Master Crawford. Seeing that almost everyone was in the living room, Old Master Crawford stood up with the help of his cane and said, "Let''s go to the backyard to pay our respects to our ancestors and Zachary." "Yes, Great-grandpa," Tommy said. The butler stepped forward to support Old Master Crawford. He whispered, "Old Master Crawford, Madam Allison..." Old Master Crawford nced around, and sure enough, Allison had note downstairs yet. Susan said disdainfully, "What are we waiting for? She''s not married to Zachary. On top of that, her face might scare the ancestors!" "What nonsense!" Old Master Crawford scolded her when he heard her speaking recklessly. Susan shut up, but she was telling the truth. If a ghost saw Allison''s face, it would be afraid too. "Let''s go. She must be sleeping in. If we wait for her, we won''t have time for breakfast." Old Master Crawford did not n to wait for Allison. She could do what she liked. Old Master Crawford was toozy to care now. Otherwise, he would get angry. Old Master Crawford led everyone to the backyard. The maid opened the door of the ancestral hall, and the smell of sandalwood wafted into their noses. People cleaned the area every day. The ancestral hall was well maintained. The butler lit up candles for them. Old Master Crawford took one and offered his respects to his ancestors. He then looked at his son''s memorial tablet and shook his head helplessly. He put the other candle in front of Zachary''s tablet. Susan followed behind him. Susan was the legal wife. She took the candle handed over by the butler, said some prayers, and then ced the candle in front of the tablet. She turned her head to look at Louis and said, "Louis, Yuri,e. Pay your respects to our ancestors and your father." Old Master Crawford said, "Follow the seniority." Susan paused. She understood that Old Master Crawford wanted Luke to go first. She had to give up her ce. Luke and the kids took the candles from the butler''s hand and ced the candles in order. He did not say anything. After all, he did not remember much about Zachary. After all, he had been with Old Master Crawford since he was brought back to the Crawfords. When Luke was done, Louis followed behind. After that, everyone bowed to the tablet. When they were about to leave, Allison''s voice came from behind the door. "Hey, are you guys leaving now? Why didn''t anyone wait for me? You don''t think of me as a Crawford? My biological son also has the Crawford surname!" Allison said. Everyone turned around and saw her walking in with Sophian. Luke frowned even more. He should not have listened to Old Master Crawford and should have just sent Allison off on a ne back to Korea. "What? Is there something wrong with what I said? When Luke stepped into Crawford Manor, you told me that I''m also a part of the Crawfords. You only agreed after Luke and Zachary did DNA tests that proved that they''re father and son. I still have the DNA report. Do you want to see it?" Allison put her hands on her hips. Everyone in the vi had seen her face, so she did not bother to wear a hat and mask. That was to allow her skin to breathe. Nevertheless, it was horrifying. Susan looked at her annoyed expression and could not help herself from scolding, "Ugly people often do bizarre things to gain others'' attention." Chapter 2403 "Susan, you''re not any better, you biddy." Allison would not back off as she took the candle handed over by the butler. "You..." Susan was about to make a scene when Old Master Crawford scolded angrily, "Was yesterday not enough? Do you want to argue in front of the ancestors today too?" Allison looked at Susan provocatively. Susan clenched her fists and wished she could p Allison in front of the ancestors'' and Zachary''s tablets. After Allison ced the candle in front of the ancestors'' tablet, she put the remaining candles in front of Zachary''s tablet. The people around her were watching, so she wiped away her crocodile tears and said, "Zachary, how have you been?" Susan frowned. Zachary had been gone for so many years. She did not understand why Allison chose to put on a show now. ''No one will believe you. Stop humiliating yourself. When Allison saw that no one intended to talk to her, she continued her performance andy on the table before she started crying. "You left such a mess for me. I''ve been having a hard time all these years. I had to raise Luke and face all kinds of pressure. Sigh, I wish you had taken me with you when you left." Old Master Crawford saw Allison crying to Zachary with tears and snot on her face. He asked sternly, "Do you feel that you''ve been wronged during your time at the Crawfords? Did we starve you or something?" Allison was startled and stopped crying. "Dad..." "Over the years, you''ve always gotten everything that Susan would get. Luke has been treating you well. But you did so many things to harm our family. Others might think that you''re an enemy of the Crawfords instead of my daughter-inw! Do you think that the Crawfords have anything to do with what you''ve be?!" Old Master Crawford continued to ask, and his expression was ugly. He had always treated them as equals, but Allison seemed to believe that he was biased and mean. Old Master Crawford could not believe that she chose such a day toin to Zachary. Old Master Crawford felt like his tolerance of her in the past all went down the dumps. Allison realized that she went too far. Although she was annoyed with Old Master Crawford, he was now acting up in front of everyone. She quickly exined, "Dad, I don''t mean that. I just don''t feel like this family wants me. I''m being challenged for everything that I do. I''m so sad..." She was hinting that it was Susan who made her life difficult. Old Master Crawford snorted coldly. "Go back to your vi if you feel ufortable. Don''t disrupt the peace of the ancestors. Butler, get the chauffeur to take her back to the vi after breakfast." Allison was stunned. She did not expect that her little speech had turned into a self-defeating act. She hurriedly shook her head and said, "Dad, I don''t want to go back. I''ll stay here to serve you and honor you this new year. Don''t send me back." "I don''t want you here." Old Master Crawford was not soft-hearted at all. In the past, he tolerated all kinds of things because of Luke. However, he did not hold back now that she had said such things in front of the whole family. Luke understood why Old Master Crawford did so. "Butler, let the chauffeur know and have him wait at the door." "Yes, Old Master Crawford." The butler walked out of the ancestral hall to make the necessary arrangements. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Dad..." Allison wanted to chase after him but was frightened by the look in Old Master Crawford''s eyes, so she stopped abruptly. She knew that if she said anything more, she would be thrown out of the Crawford family by Old Master Crawford. If that happened, she would have nothing. Allison did not think that things would turn out this way. She just wanted to let Old Master Crawford know that she had been leading a hard life and have him give her some ck. She looked at Luke and said, "Luke, help me." Luke looked cold. She nced at Sophian and said indifferently, "Grandpa is right. You should go back to the vi." "Luke, I''m your mother. Why are you saying that?!" Allison was raving mad. She did not dare to disobey Old Master Crawford, but she still dared to say such things to Luke while taking advantage of their rtionship. Luke walked out. Her presence would only stir up disputes. Since Old Master Crawford had ordered her to go back to the vi, he was more than happy to go along with it. "Luke!" Allison stamped her feet anxiously and stepped forward to stop him. "You''re my son! You should side with me. How dare you go against me in front of everyone?!" Luke walked around her without stopping. "You..." Allison wanted to start swearing at Luke when she heard Susan say, "Why? Do you want to continue acting like a shrew here for the new year?" Allison stared at the woman who was not far away. ''If she wasn''t around, I wouldn''t be shamed like this! It''s all her fault!¡± "What are you so proud of? Sooner orter, you''ll be kicked out of Crawford Manor like me!" she cursed Susan. "I''m not as brainless as you. You never learned your lesson and continued to work with outsiders to harm the Crawfords. Look, even your son is not on your side now." Susan deliberately nced at Luke. She was overjoyed. "I''ll tear your mouth apart if you keep talking nonsense!" Allison gritted her teeth and was about to launch her attack. Sophian stopped her right away. Allison was kicked out of the Crawford Manor, but she was not being chased back to Korea. However, if Allison kept on making a fuss, she might be sent to a ne heading to Korea right away. "Ms. Allison, don''t be angry." Allison stared at Sophian, who held her back. "Let go." Sophian was worried that Allison would disce her anger at her, so she bit her lip, struggled for a few seconds, and eventually let go. Susanughed and said arrogantly, "Allison, who do you think you are? Look at the kind of person you''ve brought to our house. You even got a woman like her to seduce your son. How entertaining. Is Luke really your biological son? How could a mother defraud her son like that?" Allison was confused. ''What does she mean? Seduce and defraud Luke?'' She did not understand the nonsense that Susan was spewing. Sophian heard Susan, and her expression instantly changed. She knew that Susan had found out that Yuri had bumped into herst night, so she hurriedly took Allison''s hand and said, "Ms. Allison, stop wasting your time. If this goes any further, we might not be able to deal with the consequences." Allison pulled out her hand and asked with a frown, "Susan, what did you say?" "Oh? Didn''t you ask this woman to wear sexy lingerie and stand at the door of Luke''s bedroom?" Susan raised her eyebrows. She noticed Sophian''s expression and guessed that Sophian did everything herself. It could be possible that Allison knew nothing. However, Sophian was brought into the house by Allison. Even if she did not know anything about it, she had to bear the responsibility. Allison could not believe what she heard. She stared at Sophian with wide eyes and uttered, "You did... what?!" Chapter 2404 Sophian looked anxious and awkward. She opened her mouth to exin. "Ms. Allison, didn''t you¡ª" Allison looked stern and scolded her coldly, "I didn''t tell you to seduce Luke!" Sophian was interrupted and dared not speak again. She felt wronged! After all, Allison had hinted at her to take her chance. Although she did not think it through, she took the initiative to show Luke that she was interested. She thought that it was what Allison hinted for her to do! How could she be Luke''s woman if she did not take action? Susan was enjoying the show. She said, "Allison, stop acting innocent. If you hadn''t agreed to it, how could the person you brought here dare to do this? If Old Master Crawford finds out, I wonder what he''ll think of you?" Old Master Crawford had always been strict with Luke, including the matters of his private life. He did not allow the sessor he had cultivated to have a bad lifestyle. If Old Master Crawford found out that Allison allowed Sophian to go to Luke''s room in sexy pajamas to seduce him, he would be furious. "I can''t be bothered to waste time with you," Allison said and left looking pissed. She realized that she was in the wrong. If Old Master Crawford found out, she would be scolded. At that time, they would not just send her back to the vi. Sophian quickly followed behind her. After what Susan said, she realized the seriousness of the matter and did not dare to say anything. She followed Allison to the entrance of the Crawford Manor. Seeing that she was about to open the door to leave, she braced herself to ask, "Ms. Allison, don''t you want to have breakfast and pack up before we leave?" Allison stopped and stared at her fiercely. "Do you dare to go pack up? If we go in, that b*tch will tell Old Master Crawford about what happened and I''ll have to go back to Korea. There''ll be no chance of meing back. I didn''t think that you would do such a mindless thing and let her find out! Sophian, did you do it on purpose?" She knew that even if Luke rejected Sophian, he would not tell others about it. Therefore, what Sophian did must have been seen by others. She thought that it was dumb for Sophian to be seen by others when she was trying to seduce Luke. Sophian shook her head and exined, "Ms. Allison, I didn''t expect there would be people walking around at that time. I thought that everyone in the vi was sleeping..." "If everyone was sleeping, how did Susan find out?" Allison red at her. ¡®How stupid is she? She didn''t even bother to n it properly!'' Sophian felt even more aggrieved. If Allison had not hinted to her to do so, she would not have been so bold. "Ms. Allison¡ª" "I don''t want to hear you speak! I brought you back so you could help me. Now, I can never hold my head up high in this house." Allison opened the door angrily. The chauffeur was already waiting outside. Sophian followed behind her and asked, "Ms. Allison, what will you do in the future?" "Shut up and get in the car." Allison did not have the best tone. After all, she had some room to refute before. Now, Susan had this against her. If she said anything, she would be attacked. Allison knew that the best option was to keep a low profile. Sophian had no choice but to follow her and get into the car. The chauffeur did not say anything and drove them straight to the vi. On the other hand. Susan smiled as she watched Allison leave. She had won the battle. Louis stood on the side, frowned, and asked Yuri, "Why did you tell Mom about this?" "She had to tell me! Otherwise, how would we know that Allison had done something so outrageous?" Susan protected Yuri. "Mom, are you trying to make things worse?" Louis said helplessly. "You don''t understand. You treat her as a family member, but she doesn''t! If she''s allowed to live here, this house will be hers sooner orter. You''re kind, but I can''t be," Susan said as she moved toward the main house. Louis looked at her. He was speechless and looked at Yuri. "Don''t look at me like that. I support Mom''s decision. Luke hates that woman. We''re somewhat helping Luke too," Yuri said. If Allison had not made such a fuss at the ancestral hall, Susan would have mentioned it when they had breakfast together. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Old Master Crawford would surely be pissed that Allison supported a random woman to do such a ridiculous thing. Louis thought that what she said made some sense. It was better that Susan brought it up instead of them. At least it solved a big problem for Luke. Yuri said, "Although Grandpa has already made the decision, do you think she would''ve obediently taken that woman and left if Mom hadn''t stepped in?" "No," Louis replied. He knew that Allison had never been obedient. "Isn''t it good that things happened the way they did? Like Mom said, we can avoid war and make Grandpa feel better." Yuri exined her logic in case he med her for telling Susan. Louis kept silent. In the dining room. Old Master Crawford sat in his seat. The others took their seats one after another. They were ready for breakfast. The butler walked in and whispered to Old Master Crawford, "Old Master Crawford, Madam Allison and Ms. Thomas have left." Old Master Crawford frowned. ¡®They left without eating breakfast?'' That was beyond what he expected. He thought that Allison would make a fuss and only leave when she could not get what she wanted. "Let her be. Have the kitchen serve the dishes." Old Master Crawford did not show much of a reaction. After all, what Allison said earlier had made him quite angry. The butler nodded and asked the kitchen staff to serve breakfast. Susan had good timing, so she did not take advantage of the situation and reveal what Sophian did. After all, Old Master Crawford was in a bad mood right now. Since Allison was not here, she would not be so stupid to tick him off for nothing. As such, breakfast was fairly peaceful. After they were done eating, the children went upstairs to get their school bags. They waited for the others to head back to the vi. Louis asked, "Brother, are all of you going back to the vi?" "Mm." Luke nodded. Tommy added, "Great-grandpa wille with us too." "Grandpa is going with you?" Louis was surprised. He thought that Old Master Crawford would be at home. After all, many guests would visit starting the second day of the new year. "He''s going to stay there for one day ande back the next day," Luke said. Although Old Master Crawford said he wanted to escape the strife, there was no issue now that Allison had been sent back to the vi. Nevertheless, he still wanted to spend New Year''s with Luca, so Luke did not turn him down. Chapter 2405 Louis nodded. It was fine as long as Old Master Crawford came back on the second day of the new year. After all, many would be visiting. All of them wanted to build a good rtionship to obtain corresponding benefits in T Corporation. Since Luke was not at Crawford Manor, Old Master Crawford had to be there. After about five minutes, Old Master Crawford walked slowly to the living room with the help of his cane. The butler stood beside him and carried a travel bag containing Old Master Crawford''s clothes and other personal items. "Did you pack everything?" Luke asked the butler. The butler nodded and replied, "Yes, I got everything." "I don¡¯t need a lot of things. After all, I¡¯m only spending a night there. I¡¯ll be back the next day. Nothing to worry about," Old Master Crawford said. He did not think that they needed to prepare everything. "Great-grandpa, let''s go." Rainie stepped forward and grabbed Old Master Crawford''s free hand. "Okay, let''s go." Old Master Crawford smiled. He felt much better. Louis sent them off and sat on the sofa. No guests would visit that day, and he felt rxed since the customary ceremonies had beenpleted as well. Susan went downstairs and saw that Louis was the only one in the living room, so she asked, "Where''s your grandfather? Is he in the study?" "Grandpa went to Luke''s ce," Louis replied casually while he watched the news. "He went to Luke''s house?" Susan raised her voice in surprise and walked to his side. "Why didn''t you stop him?" Louis could not watch the TV as she was blocking it. He moved and replied, "Why should I stop him? Grandpa wants to have a change in environment to improve his mood for the new year. What''s the problem?" "You..." Susan could not help but throw a tantrum when she saw how calm he was. "You should stop him! He¡¯s going to Luke''s ce on such an important day. Isn¡¯t he making it clear that he doesn¡¯t like us and that¡¯s why he¡¯s going there? I originally nned to find some business for your stupid studio during the new year. Now, everyone will be going to Luke¡¯s side! Since you don¡¯t want to put up a fight, you can go to the streets to eat dust.¡± Old Master Crawford wanted to spend some time with Luke. It was normal no matter how many days he wanted to stay at Luke''s ce. Susan''s reaction was dramatic. He did not think that it would make a difference even if those potential partners went to Luke''s ce because Old Master Crawford was there and did not visit Crawford Manor for the new year. After all, it was T Corporation who picked the partner, not them who picked T Corporation. "What is in your head? It''s fine if you don''t live up to my expectations on a normal day, but you didn''t even seize this opportunity during the new year. Why do I have a son like you?" Louis stood up. He was more than a head taller than her. He said impatiently, "Grandpa will be at Luke''s house for one day and wille back tomorrow. Even if he lives there for a whole year, so what? What reason do I have to stop him?" After he said that, he turned around to go upstairs. His New Year''s started unpleasantly. Susan stood there, baffled. ¡®Old Master Crawford is just going there to stay for a day?'' She did not believe it and thought that Luke lied because he wanted to curry favor with Old Master Crawford so he would be able to get more benefits in the future. The butler returned after he walked Old Master Crawford to the car. He had been standing at the entrance where he overheard Susan and Louis'' conversation. He did not walk in to avoid the awkwardness. He only stepped in after they were done fighting. Susan looked at the butler and asked with a frown, "You didn''t go with him?" "Madam Susan, Old Master Crawford will only be there for a day, so he didn''t ask me to follow," the butler said. Susan''s heart felt a little more settled when she heard what he said. ''Since he didn''t bring along the butler, it seems that Old Master Crawford won''t stay with Luke for a long time.'' "Why did Old Master Crawford suddenly decide to stay with him for a day?" She still wanted to know why. The butler said, "Old Master Crawford made the decision. I..." "There''s no reason to hide this from me. Tell me." Susan did not intend to let the butler go easily. She wanted to know the reason why Old Master Crawford made such a decision. After all, Old Master Crawford did mention that he wanted Louis, Yuri, and Thea to move to the newly renovated vi after the new year. He also asked for Susan to move in with them. If she did not want to, he would move out and have her live alone in Crawford Manor. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Susan had such a big reaction because she was worried that Old Master Crawford would note back after he went to Luke''s vi. "Cough, cough..." The butler cleared his throat. He had no choice but to inform her of the reason why Old Master Crawford went there. "Old Master Crawford mentioned that Ms. Craw''s cooking is wonderful and he misses it very much. He''s staying for one day so he can have three meals prepared by Ms. Craw before hees back.¡± "Ms. Craw''s cooking is delicious." The butler nodded and repeated Old Master Crawford''s words. Susan snorted and replied, "Why didn''t I know that Old Master Crawford was a glutton?" The butler wanted to reply that there were many things she did not know. After all, she, the daughter- iw, did not even know what Old Master Crawford liked to eat. However, he could not say that no matter how much he wanted to, so he just said, "Old Master Crawford loves good food. He was too busy when he was young and didn''t have much time to eat, so it''s not as obvious." Susan snorted coldly. She was still suspicious. "Tomorrow, make sure you remember to pick up Old Master Crawford yourself. If he doesn''te back, tell him that many guests are waiting for him at home." "Okay, Madam Susan," the butler replied. He could tell that she was afraid that Old Master Crawford would note back. Even if she did not remind him, Old Master Crawford would surely be back tomorrow. He liked living with Luke and the others, but if those guests knew that he was there, they would flock there. It would only cause trouble for Luke. Old Master Crawford would not do that to them. Susan thought that he was annoying and scolded him, "I''m the legal wife of Zachary. Call me Madam Crawford!" The butler was taken back. He did not take too much notice of such details as Allison had just left. "Sorry, Madam Crawford," he said quickly. When she heard him call her ''Madam Crawford'', Susan felt a little better and left. On the other hand... Allison, who had just been driven back to the vi by the Crawfords'' chauffeur, received a message from a maid at Crawford Manor. She told her that Luke went home after she left and Old Master Crawford went to his ce to spend the new year together. Allison frowned. Since Luke and Old Master Crawford were not there, it would be Susan''s world over at Crawford Manor! If that was the case, she should have lingered until Old Master Crawford and Luke left so she would not have toe back here for the new year. "I was sloppy," Allison whispered and gripped her phone tightly. Chapter 2406 Sophian noticed her acting odd and asked curiously, "Ms. Allison, what happened?" Allison ignored her, turned around, stopped the chauffeur who was about to leave, and said, "I want to go back to Crawford Manor. Take me back." "Madam Allison, I''m sorry. Old Master Crawford said that you have to stay here for now. I need to make a move now." The driver stuck his head out of the car and told her. The road ahead was blocked, so he backed up and left. Allison watched the car leave and stomped. "I''m pissed off!" "Ms. Allison, don''t be angry..." Sophian hurriedly soothed her temper. Allison red at her. ¡®If it weren''t for her, I wouldn''t have been kicked out of Crawford Manor in such an embarrassing manner!'' She finally got the opportunity to go back, but she only stayed for a night before she was shooed back. Allison looked at the vi in front of her. She used to think that it was luxurious, but now, she thought it looked like a dumpster. She pressed her thumb against the fingerprint lock. After the door opened, she walked in without looking back. Sophian knew that Allison was angry, so she had better not piss her off even further. After all, she still needed Allison. It would be very difficult to survive alone in A City. Sophian quickly followed. The maid was already waiting inside. When she saw Allison, she respectfully said, "Madam. Allison, wee back." "Go to Crawford Manor," Allison ordered her. "Sure. What do you need me to do there?" The maid was a little surprised, but she had heard about what happened from the butler. "Go and get my things," Allison said. She was worried that Susan would pick a fight if she walked in, so she did not take her face mask and skincare products. She needed those items for her treatment. "Got it." The maid nodded. Sophian said, "Uh, please bring my items as well. They''re all needed for the treatment." The maid nodded and agreed. She looked at Allison and said, "Madam Allison, shall I make a move now?" "Wait a minute." Allison stopped the maid. "What can I help you with?" the maid asked. "Make some breakfast before you go," Allison said. She was hungry as she left the manor without having breakfast. She did not enjoy dinnerst night as most of the nicer dishes were gone and the ones that Sophian served her were not to her taste. She just simply ate a few bites and did not finish everything, so she was very hungry now. "Okay. I didn''t expect you toe back so soon, so there''s only pot pie in the refrigerator. Is that okay?" the maid asked cautiously. She had prepared those pot pies for herself. No one would being over to take the shift, so she prepared pot pies as her New Year''s dinner. She did not expect that Allison would be shooed back after spending a day at Crawford Manor. "Pot pie?" Allison frowned. She was really hungry and did not have the patience to wait for the maid to go to the supermarket to buy groceries, so she said, "I''ll take the pot pies. Just hurry up." "Okay, Madam Allison." The maid walked into the kitchen and prepared breakfast for Allison. Allison sat on the sofa. Her expression was cold, and her wrinkled face was even uglier because she was unhappy. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Sophian said softly, "Ms. Allison, I''m sorry. Don''t be angry. It''s not good for your health." "Sophian, if you want me to be better, you shouldn''t be so dumb." Allison was frantic. She felt ufortable when she thought of how Susan now had ckmail material on them. She needed a n to get back to Crawford Manor. However, would Susan give her the chance to? "I''m sorry, Ms. Allison. I know what I did was wrong. I''ll never do that kind of thing again." Sophian crouched beside her and begged for her forgiveness. She did not expect that Luke would reject her since he had other women outside. Sophian was very confident in her body, so she thought that all would go well before she made a move. She thought that Luke''s coldness was an act. After all, no men could say no to temptations that showed up at their doors. Until now, Sophian still could not believe that she was rejected by Luke. He closed the door and did not bother to look nor speak to her. He did not even look at her face and body... Allison''s expression was ugly, and her mood was gloomy. She was even more upset that Sophian was kneeling next to her. "Get up." Sophian stood up obediently. She was standing up straight like a child who had done something wrong and was waiting for Allison''s punishment. "Do you know why I brought you back?" Allison asked. Sophian nodded and replied, "Ms. Allison, you want me to be by your side so I can take care of you and do treatment for you anytime..." She was not so stupid to think Allison brought her back to seduce Luke. It was an ident that she fell for Luke. "Yes, I brought you back for the new year as a borrowed staff member so you could take care of me anytime. After all, I don''t trust anyone except you now," Allison said. She did not dare to employ local talent considering what had happened before. She brought Sophian to A City because her beauty care skills were among the best. Sophian replied with a hum. Everyone regarded her as a beautician, but only she knew that she did not want to be a beautician for the rest of her life. Otherwise, she would not have done something like that with Allison''s tacit approval. That was the most convenient way. If Luke had spent the night with her, she would not have to beg Allison to stay by her side. "Your job is to take care of me. I didn''t expect you to be like this..." Allison was annoyed at the fact that Sophian had not seeded in seducing Luke. "Tell me honestly. Did Luke even look at you?" "No..." Sophian said, frustrated. "Ms. Allison, I like Mr. Crawford. It doesn''t matter if I can''t be with him. I just wanted to try my luck. Ms. Allison, I know now that I made a mistake. Please forgive me and allow me to stay by your side." She would not have the money to buy a ne ticket to Korea if Allison kicked her out. "Okay, let me think about it." Allison''s mind was everywhere. She was angry that Sophian tried to seduce Luke. However, she was angrier that Sophian failed. Although Sophian did stic surgery from top to toe, she was truly beautiful. A woman as such had a high sess rate in seducing men. However, those men did not seem to include Luke. ''Could it be that Sophian isn''t Luke''s cup of tea?'' Chapter 2407 Sophian did not dare to speak when she saw that Allison was frowning. 10 minutester, the maid brought the instant pot pie and put it on the coffee table. "Madam Allison, breakfast is ready." Allison looked at the ready-to-eat pot pie in front of her. She frowned and said, "Is this the pot pie you bought at the supermarket? I want to eat fresh ones made by you." The maid felt cornered and replied, "Madam Allison, we have no ingredients in the vi to make pot pies. If you want to eat fresh ones, I''d need to go to the supermarket to buy ingredients." "Why didn''t you prepare for anything?!" Allison scolded her. She was dissatisfied with the maid''s efficiency. "Madam Allison, I thought that you would be spending the new year at Crawford Manor, so I didn''t prepare much. If you''re not satisfied with what we have, I''ll go to the supermarket to buy groceries now," the maid said quickly. She was scared of Allison''s reprimand and her horrifying face. Her face was terrifying. It had wrinkles all over, and it looked like she wanted to kill her. She was scared out of her mind. "You''re only going to buy them now? Do you want to starve me to death?" Allison scolded her. She did not want to wait that long. The maid felt helpless and looked at Sophian to ask for help. Sophian pretended not to see her. After all, Allison was angry, and she had just offended her. Hence, she did not dare to help the maid. Allison said, "Never mind! Go to Crawford Manor to help me get my stuff back, then go to the supermarket and get some groceries." She did not intend to mistreat herself. When she was in Korea, she was aggrieved because she did not enjoy the food there. Since she had returned to A City, she wanted to treat her stomach. The maid nodded and quickly left. She could not stand facing Allison for one more second. It felt like her heart would stop beating. After the maid left, Allison looked at Sophian, who was still standing there. She snorted coldly. "What are you still standing here for?" "Ms. Allison, I..." "Sit down and eat. Aren''t you hungry?" Allison picked up a fork and ate one of the pies. After she heard that, Sophian sat down quickly. She knew that Allison would not yell at her anymore, so she started eating. Allison ate a few pot pies. She felt a little more stuffed and felt slightly better. She put down her fork, picked up her phone, and texted the maid at Crawford Manor. After she found out that Old Master Crawford had gone to Luke''s ce for the new year, she realized that she did not even know where Luke stayed. As a mother, she felt that it was messed up that she did not know where her son lived. After a while, the maid gave her the address. Although it was not very detailed, she knew the area they were in. Allison put the phone away and had a smug smile on her face. She did not intend to disturb Luke yet. She could decide what she wanted to do when she sorted out everything. Going to Luke''s ce was herst resort. After all, she was Luke''s mother. No matter how terrible their rtionship was, he would never ignore her. Allison thought of that and looked at Sophian. "Ms. Allison, do you want to do the treatment? My kit is still at the manor." Sophian''s eyes met Allison''s. She was not sure what to do. "Do you want to be Luke''s woman?" Allison asked. "Ms. Allison..." Sophian dared not admit it. After what happened, she dragged Allison through the mud. If she said yes to Allison, she might be scolded. "Yes or no. Spit it out," Allison asked as she pushed the rest of the pot pie aside. She did not enjoy quick-frozen pot pie as such. If she had another choice, she would never touch it. "Mr. Crawford is wonderful, but he doesn''t seem to be interested in me..." Sophian said. She lowered her gaze, her expression disappointed. "It''s hard to say if he''s interested, but you made the wrong move by doing it in Crawford Manor. There are many people around. Even if Luke is interested in you, he won''t spend the night with you at Crawford Manor. The timing isn''t right." Allison shared her analysis. It was not that she wanted to rush it and make Luke more of a yboy. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. It was because she could control him better with a woman by Luke''s side who reported to her. That was what was in Allison''s mind. Her rtionship with Luke was getting worse. It was time to do something to maintain it. Otherwise, Luke might not take care of her when she got older. "Ms. Allison, you mean..." Sophian''s eyes lit up as Allison''s words gave her hope. Allison adjusted her posture and said proudly, "I''m just guessing. Since you were already rejected once, the worst that can happen if my guess is wrong is that you''ll be rejected a second time. It can also prove that you''re just not Luke''s type. I''ll give you a chance, but you have to make use of it. If you make a mistake, don''t involve me. Can you do it?¡± Sophian''s head was spinning fast. If Luke did not want her in the room because they were in Crawford Manor, she still had a chance. However, this opportunity still had to be provided by Allison. After all, Luke and she were not in the same house. She had no reason to ask him out. She was very tempted by Allison¡¯s suggestion. If Luke was not interested in her, there was no need for her to persist after this. If she gave it a try, maybe she would have a chance to win him over! Sophian nodded and said, "Ms. Allison, as long as you¡¯re willing to give me a chance, I¡¯ll give it a try. I won¡¯t involve you no matter what happens." "Okay." Allison nodded and said, "I''ll make arrangements for you in two days. Don''t let me down." "Ms. Allison, I won''t let you down." Sophian was confident. Allison''s phone rang. She picked it up and saw that it was a text from the maid in Crawford Manor. She gave her the name of the woman Luke was with now. Luca Craw... Allison clicked on her browser and searched for the name to see if she could find anything. There was no news about ¡®Luca Craw¡¯ online. Allison did not give up. She wanted to know Luke¡¯s type. After all, Sophian could still go for stic surgery to adjust to his taste. She asked the maid what Luca looked like and how she dressed. The maid did not reply right away. Allison put down the phone. Sophian seized the opportunity and asked, "Ms. Allison, can I ask you what Mr. Crawford''s ex-wife looks like?" Since she could be Luke''s wife, she must be his cup of tea. She had to learn about her enemy to win the war. Allison was unhappy when Bianca was mentioned. She said, "She looks innocent, but in fact, hmph, she¡¯s a scheming woman who has a lot of tricks up her sleeve." Chapter 2408 Sophian was surprised when she heard how Allison described Bianca. Sophian had always thought that sessful men like Luke preferred sexy and alluring women. She did not expect he would like women who were pure and innocent. From N?velDrama.Org. She lowered her head and looked at her body figure. There was no way her curvy figure could look innocent. She could only change her makeup style to make her look that way. ¡°I got it," replied Sophian. Allison raised her brows, looked at her, and asked, "Although Bianca looks innocent, her tricks aren''t innocent at all. She found ways to get closer to Luke and gave birth to two children. Only then was she acknowledged as his wife. So, let me tell you, he might not like pure and innocent women. It''s just that her tricks happened to work on him." Sophian wanted to tell her that being good at wheedling was considered amazing too as long as she could attract Luke. However, Sophian dared not to say such things in front of Allison when she had shown so much hatred and disdain for Bianca. Then, Allison added, "I know there''s another woman with Luke now. I know what the woman looks like. I assume that''s the kind of woman Luke likes. Let''s talk about it again when the timees." Sophian cheered up a little. It would be much easier with Allison''s help. "Thank you, Ms. Allison." Sophian gave Allison a sweet smile. Allison pulled a long face and reminded her, "Keep in mind how I''m helping you now. Don''t let Luke find out about this no matter whether you seed or not." "Okay, Ms. Allison." Sophian understood why she would remind her of this. Allison said, "If you seed, remember that I''m your mother-inw. You''ll have to think about me no matter what you do in the future. If you fail, remember that I''m your senior. I helped you to achieve your dream, so don''t burn your bridges." Sophian nodded vigorously. She thought that it would be easier for her to seed with Allison helping her. Allison looked at Sophian''s face. She could not help but let out a sigh. A face full of cogen sure looked pretty. When would her face be able to go back to how it looked before? Allison touched her face wistfully. Sophian noticed a hint of mncholy shing across Allison''s eyes. Allison often had this expression on her face when she was in Seoul. She walked toward her and said in a soft voice, ¡°Ms. Allison, don''t worry. The doctor is good at his job. Many celebrities have gone to look for him to get their faces done. He has a lot of clinical experience. I''ll apany you back to Seoul after the new year to get the surgery done. You''ll be able to be beautiful again after the surgery." "You sure know how to say nice things. Everything you say is what I want to hear, and your words are pleasing to the ears," replied Allison. She liked people who were honey-tongued. Previously, Bianca would only say what she should be saying. She would behave submissively when she did not say anything. However, she would refuse to listen to what someone told her, which was annoying. Sophian slightly pursed her lips. She concealed her feelings and secretly rejoiced. After spending some time with Allison, she knew Allison was the kind of person who did not like making a fuss over petty things. That was why Sophian did not reveal her joy. In the vi. After Luca knew Luke would be taking Old Master Crawford and the kids here this morning, she prepared some homemade snacks and dessert early in the morning. She used sugar substitutes to make the desserts so that the old master could eat them, and it was also to ensure Old Master Crawford could enjoy himself without worrying. Luca still remembered that Old Master Crawford liked the desserts she made when they went to the Rayne family''s house. That was why she prepared these for him. Luca let out a sigh of relief after she was done preparing everything. She picked up a croissant and took a bite of it. She enjoyed the buttery taste of it. She had been busy all morning, so she had yet to have breakfast. She made the croissantsst night, and it was her dinner. She could not finish them all, so she left some for today. Although the croissant was not freshly baked, it tasted fine. She took a few bites of it and poured herself a ss of milk. Luca took a bite of croissant and took a sip of the milk. She had enough for her breakfast. Then, she ced the other croissants back into the fridge. She sat on the sofa in the living room with the TV turned on. The channel was reying the showst night. She watched it yesterday. Luca fell asleep on the sofa while she watched TV. When she woke up, the New Year G had just finished counting down. She received a message from Luke, and it was a New Year''s greeting. After she replied to Luke, she found out that he would being back tomorrow morning and did not ask too much about it. Then, she took a shower and went to bed. Hence, she missed out on a lot of interesting performances. Luca watched the New Year G and suddenly heaved a sigh. What she had missed out on was not only this year''s New Year G. She had not had the chance to watch it for the past few years. Then, she heard some noisesing from outside while she wasmenting. Luca immediately picked up the remote control and turned down the volume. She put on her cotton slippers and walked to the door. She saw that Luke was helping Old Master Crawford wa over, and the three kids were following beside Luke. Luke noticed that Luca was standing at the door waiting for them. It warmed his heart. It felt like home when Luca was here. Luca stood at the door, weing them back. Luke could not wait to run toward her and give her a warm hug. ¡°Luke, I can walk by myself." Old Master Crawford teased him when he noticed the slight change in Luke''s emotions. "Grandpa, it''s snowing heavily. Be careful." Luke put on a cold expression on his face. Even though he got teased, he kept himself calm. Old Master Crawford shook his head and mumbled to himself, "Let''s see how much longer he can hold on." Tommy was the fastest. He ran swiftly toward Luca and said, "Ms. Luca, we''re back. I missed you." Then, he grabbed Luca''s hand and constantly rubbed it, showing how much he had missed her. Luca did not know if she should cry orugh when she looked at what Tommy was doing. She stroked his head and said, "Hey, aren''t you back now? Get in there. I made your favorite snacks." "Really?" Tommy''s eyes lit up as he ran into the house happily. After Lanie and Rainie greeted Luca, they headed to the living room too. They were children, after all. No matter how mature they were, they would not be able to resist good food. Old Master Crawford looked at the children. He secretly felt happy for them. Luca was the only one who could make the kids happy other than Bianca. "Old Master Crawford, Happy New Year." Luca carefully helped Old Master Crawford up by holding another side of his hand. Old Master Crawford was delighted when the two of them were by his side, helping him. Then, he said in a cheerful tone, "Happy New Year, Luca." Luca nced at Luke and blinked her eyes as a greeting to him. After Luke saw it, Luca shifted her gaze and helped Old Master Crawford to the living room. The living room wasfortable with the heater on. Old Master Crawford sat on the sofa. Luca said, "Old Master Crawford, why don''t you take off your jacket? It''ll be too warm for youter." "Okay." Old Master Crawford leaned his walking cane on the sofa and took off his jacket. Luca took the jacket he handed to her. After she hung the jacket, Tommy, who could not find the snacks, came running toward her. Then, he lifted his head and asked, "Ms. Luca, where are the snacks? I can''t find them." Chapter 2409 "Sit down. Let me get it for you," replied Luca. She did not put the snacks she made this morning at the usual spot where the children took their snacks. Tommy nodded. He returned to the living room and sat on the sofa. Rainie lifted her hand, tapped on Tommy''s nose with her fingers, andughed at him, "Tommy, you''re a greedy little boy." "I''m not. Ms. Luca makes good and tasty snacks.¡± Tommy stuck out his tongue. "That''s true. Ms. Luca makes the best snacks." Rainie nodded and agreed with him. She could not me Tommy for being greedy. Their mother was too good at making their snacks. Tommy nodded and replied, "Great-grandpa loves them too." "Tommy, I don''t like to eat snacks." Old Master Crawford shook his head and exined. "But Great-grandpa, I heard you telling Mr. Griffin that you like eating Ms. Luca''s homemade food. That''s why you came here to have a taste of Ms. Luca''s homemade food." Tommy tilted his head. He had heard what the old master told Mr. Griffin when they were talking. Besides, he heard it loud and clear. "That''s not true," denied Old Master Crawford with a stern expression on his face. He would be embarrassed if the kids knew that he was craving Luca''s homemade food. "I heard it. Mr. Griffin asked you why you wereing here when Grandma had already left, and you told him that Ms. Luca''s homemade food tasted good. You wanted to have a few meals before going back home. After all, there wouldn''t be so many ignorant peopleing to visit you this year." Tommy shook his head and said everything he heard. Old Master Crawford cleared his throat awkwardly. Although everyone there was his closest family member, he was the eldest in the family. He felt awkward about getting exposed by a junior. However, that was indeed what the old master had said. Tommy said everything exactly as it was. Old Master Crawford was ashamed to let his juniors know that he was craving Luca''s homemade food. "Luca''s homemade food does taste good." One sentence from Luke broke the ice. Lanie was smart. He gave Old Master Crawford an out too and said, "It''s great to be able to have Ms. Luca''s homemade food on the New Year." Old Master Crawford was happy to hear that and gave him a thumbs-up gesture. Luca carried the snacks out of the kitchen. They did not intentionally lower their volume, which was why Luca had heard everything they said. An indescribable blissful feeling aroused in her chest. Luca ced the snacks on the coffee table and said, ¡°Try these first. Let me make some juice for everyone." Luca knew the kids would be celebrating New Year here, hence she bought some fresh fruits through the new grocery delivery app she downloaded on her phone. After all, the kids would need to take vitamins and supplements every day. Luca returned to the kitchen. Rainie rose to her feet and said, "I''m going to help Ms. Luca." Tommy looked at the snacks greedily and picked up a cookie. However, he did not eat it first. He handed the cookie to Old Master Crawford instead. Then, he said, "Great-grandpa, you first." Old Master Crawford took the cookie from Tommy and said happily, "Tommy, you''ve grown up. Good. Very good." "Of course. Daddy said I''m another year older after New Year. I have to be good and stop being naughty." Tommy kept what Luke had told him in mind. Old Master Crawford agreed with what Tommy said. He felt d that the kids had grown up well. Even though their mother was not by their side, the children had grown up healthily. They became more considerate as they grew up. They showed respect to the elders. They did not be rebellious and undisciplined because they only had a father by their side. From N?velDrama.Org. Old Master Crawford felt thankful for that. The best gift Zachary had left for him in this world was his two children, Luke and Louis. He was in thetter years of his life. Although his son was no longer by his side and his daughters-in- law were a mess, he was fortunate to have two good grandsons. Tommy took another piece of cookie, handed it to Luke, and said, "Daddy, although you don''t like eating sweet food, you like Ms. Luca''s homemade desserts. Here you go." "Thank you." Luke took the cookie from him and took a bite. It was exactly like what Tommy said. Luke did not have a sweet tooth, but he liked everything that Luca made. Hence, even though it was something sweet, Luke would enjoy eating it. "The juice is ready," said Luca. She carried a tray with a few sses of juice on it and walked toward the sofa. Then, she ced a ss of vegetable juice in front of Old Master Crawford and exined to him, "Old Master Crawford, this ss of juice is good for your blood lipids and blood pressure. Is it okay for you to have this?" "Of course. It looks healthy." Old Master Crawford looked at the green-colored liquid in the ss. He knew Luca made the juice for him for the sake of his health. After all, he was an elderly man. He could no longer eat sweets like young people. Luca smiled. Then, she distributed the juice to Luke and the kids. Thest ss of juice was hers. After that, Luca sat on the other sofa, picked up the ss of juice, and took a sip of it. Tommy was eating the cookie. He was so sensitive that he could taste that the cookie tasted slightly different from the ones he had eaten before. Hence, he came to Luca''s side, smiled, and asked, "Ms. Luca, why does the cookie taste different from the previous ones?" "I used a sugar substitute. Old Master Crawford can''t take too much sugar. It''s healthier if I use a sugar substitute," replied Luca. She did not have enough time, so she did not separate the old master''s and the kids'' snacks. Therefore, she used the sugar substitute for all the snacks. "Why? Does it taste a lot different from the previous one?" ¡°No. It''s just slightly different.¡± Tommy shook his head. Then, he smiled and said, ¡°It still tastes good.¡± ¡°Luca, that''s very thoughtful of you," said Old Master Crawford when he heard what Luca said. Snacks made with sugar substitutes would not affect his health, and he could have more. Luca smiled and replied, ¡°The health of the elderly and kids are both weak. It''s only right I pay more attention to it." Old Master Crawford looked at her in admiration, then he nced at Luke. Luke was holding a cookie in his hands. How many cookies had Luke eaten? When Luke was young, Old Master Crawford had never given Luke snacks for the sake of his health. This included cookies and other snacks. After all, those snacks came from a unified production process. There were too many additives in the snacks if they were not homemade. They were bad for a child''s health, which was why he did not allow Luke to take too many snacks and sweets. As time passed, Luke no longer liked eating snacks or sweets anymore. Did Luke look like someone who hated sweet food now? Old Master Crawford then began to eat Luca''s homemade snacks. "Sure enough, I made the right choice bying here. There are good food and drinks here. It''s peaceful too. Staying here is much better than in Crawford Manor," said Old Master Crawford. He picked up the ss of juice and took a sip of it. It tasted surprisingly good. He thought vegetable juice would not taste as good as fruit juice. However, it seemed like every food or drink that Luca made would taste good. After all, she was good at this, and it was unlikely that the juice would taste awful. Old Master Crawford took another two sips. Luca smiled. She did not ask what the old master meant. She knew Allison must have gone to Crawford Manor and started a war. Allison was always looking for trouble, especially when she encountered Susan. Even though Luke and Louis'' father had passed away, they never got along with each other. It was normal for them to fight with each other. Chapter 2410 Old Master Crawford put down the vegetable juice and turned to look at the TV. It was reying the New Year G fromst night, so he asked, "Isn''t thisst night''s New Year G?" Luca nodded. She smiled and exined, "I fell asleep when I was watching itst night. I didn''t manage to finish the show. I turned on the TV and watched the rey when I was bored just now." "The New Year Gst night was interesting," Old Master Crawford said. Then, he picked up another snack. It was not a cookie this time but Luca''s homemade nougat. Although it was a nougat, Luca had used a sugar substitute and sugar-free marshmallows. "Yes. It was awesome. Ms. Luca, how could you have fallen asleep?" Tommy grinned and looked at Luca, waiting for her reply. Luca was rendered speechless. There was no way she could tell him that she fell asleep while watching the show because it was too quiet. "It was probably because I did some exercise, so I was tired." Luca found an excuse to brush him off. Old Master Crawford looked at the TV and said, "Let''s watch it again. I don''t mind watching such an interesting New Year G again." "Great-grandpa, I''m not watching this. I''d like to go upstairs and y." Tommy was not very interested in the show he had watched before. "Off you go." Old Master Crawford waved his hand. Tommy looked at Lanie and Rainie, then he asked, "Lanie, Rainie, are youing together?" "Let''s go." Lanie rose to his feet. After he was taken to Crawford Manor yesterday, he had yet to touch any books. He wanted to return to his bedroom to read some books. The three kids left together. Old Master Crawford stroked his beard and said, "Luke, I''ve asked Mr. Griffin to bring my chessboard here. Please take it for me. Let''s y chess and watch the show together." "Okay." Luke shifted his gaze that was on Luca and took the chessboard out. He ced the chessboard on the table and yed chess with the old master. "Luca, don''t sit that far. Come nearer. Sit beside Luke and watch how I defeat him," said Old Master Crawford when he read his grandson''s mind. Luca had no choice but to stand up after Old Master Crawford asked her to do so. She sat on the sofa beside Luke and pretended to watch TV to cool down the heat on her face. Luke smiled, showing how happy he was. It was just that Luca was pretending to watch TV, so she missed out on the joyful expression on his face. ¡°Come on. I''m going to teach you a lesson today." Old Master Crawford rolled his sleeves as though he would be winning this game. Luke replied calmly, "Grandpa, I know your strategies well." "So what? It''s been a while since you went back to Crawford Manor. I''ve alreadye up with many other tactics," Old Master Crawford said confidently. He used to y chess with Luke, and Luke eventually had all his strategies figured out. That was why he always got defeated after that. This time, the old master was confident. "Lanie has been studying chess tactics too. Grandpa, you can bring him to Crawford Manor to y chess with you if you''re bored next time," said Luke, while ying chess with him. "You little brat, are you trying to trick me? You just want me to look after your children, huh? No way," Old Master Crawford replied delightedly. "Didn''t you tell me that you''d like to see your great-grandchildren often?" Luke took his time to defend himself from the old master''s attack move. "I meant seeing them, not taking care of them. I''ve had enough of taking care of you and Louis back then. It''s time for me to enjoy myself. Come back more often and y chess with me if you care for me." Old Master Crawford paused for a moment, and continued, "Or you can let mee over here more often." Luke replied, "I''ve never stopped you froming here." Old Master Crawford nodded and said with a smile on his face, "You haven''t, but it''s inappropriate for me toe here often and disturb the two of you." Then, the old master shot a nce at Luca. Luca was sitting together with Luke, and they were sitting very close to each other. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. They both looked great sitting together, and it gave the others a feeling that they were close like a family. Old Master Crawford was rest assured when he remembered how much the kids liked Luca. After what happened to Bianca, Old Master Crawford was always worried that Luke would remain single and never choose to be with another woman for the rest of his life. Now, he knew there was nothing to worry about. After all, Luca was by Luke''s side. "Old Master Crawford, Lanie and the others will be very happy if you cane here more often," said Luca. When the children were young, Luke and her would take the kids back to Crawford Manor for dinner during the weekends even though they were not staying there. The kids had grown up now. They would prefer to learn more and find out about their hobbies when they had spare time. That was why they seldom went back to Crawford Manor now. Even if they went back, they only ate dinner together. They hardly had any time to apany the old master. Old Master Crawford shook his head and asked, "Are the kids the only ones who are happy? Luca, will you be happy if Ie here?" Luca was dumbfounded for a moment. Who was she to express her opinions on whether she liked him coming over or not? The vi belonged to Luke. Did Old Master Crawford intentionally ask her such a question? Luca could not figure out what the old master meant at that moment. She could only give him a faint smile and reply, ¡°Old Master Crawford, this is your home too." Old Master Crawford was slightly disappointed. Luca did not straightforwardly answer his question. It seemed like she had not treated it as her home yet. The old master zoned out for a second and made the wrong move. Old Master Crawford Lowered his head and looked at the chessboard. He immediately blurted out, "Oh no, I made the wrong move." Then, he was about to move the pawn to another ce. Luke grabbed the old master''s hand, shook his head, and said, "Grandpa, no take-backs allowed." "It was an ident." Old Master Crawford looked at him and objected. The two of them were neck and neck. Now that the old master had made a wrong move, it put him in a disadvantageous position. Old Master Crawford was unwilling to. After all, he said that he would defeat Luke just now. "It was your choice," Luke insisted. Then, he made his move and his pawn was pointing straight at the old master''s king pawn. Old Master Crawford got angry and looked at Luke who took the game too seriously. Luke only knew how to bully him when he had yet to get himself a wife. How could he win the game so easily? What a brat. "You little brat. I''m your Grandpa. What''s wrong with me undoing my moves?" Old Master Crawford was counting on his seniority in the family and requested to undo his move. "Grandpa, there''s another game after this. You can try again if you lose this time. Besides, don''t bring up our family rtionship. There''s only winning and losing when ites to chess," Luke insisted. Then, he shot a nce at Luca, who was beside him. Luca had been a big help. She knocked it out of the park. If it were not for her, Old Master Crawford would not have gotten distracted and made the wrong move. "Kid, you have such a burning desire to win," mumbled Old Master Crawford. He had no choice but to admit that he had been defeated. "You''re the one who taught me this." Luke gave him an innocent smile, and it pissed Old Master Crawford even more. He had indeed taught him to never lose out, but he had also taught Luke to respect his elders. How could Luke not get that? "Let''s start another round. I''m going to be serious this time." Old Master Crawford rearranged the chess set and thought he would look for the chance to lecture Luke for being unsophisticated. Chapter 2411 Luca watched the two of them y chess for a while. She nced at the time, and when it was almost time to prepare lunch, she stood up and said, ¡°Old Master Crawford, Mr. Crawford, please excuse me. I''m going to prepare lunch now." "Do you need help?" Luke asked. Aunt Neile usually helped Luca out when she was busy preparing meals in the kitchen. Now, she had to prepare lunch for six of them. Luke was worried that she would not be able to handle it herself. Luca shook her head, pursed her lips, and said in a gentle voice, "It''s okay. I can handle this. You can y chess with Old Master Crawford." After that, Luca walked to the kitchen. Before she walked into the kitchen, she heard Old Master Crawford making fun of Luke, "Hah, I didn''t know you''d step into the kitchen." Luca smiled without turning around. She headed straight to the kitchen. Luke did not look like someone who would enter the kitchen, but there were times when he would help her in the kitchen. Her heart pounded faster when she recalled him standing beside her and helping out in the kitchen. No one had ever said that the kitchen was only meant for women. Luca was happy that Luke could understand that and was willing to help her. In the living room. Luke arranged the pawns on the chess and slowly replied, "I sometimes help her out in the kitchen." "That''s great. I didn''t expect you to be the sort who helped out. That''s something I just found out today," eximed Old Master Crawford. Luke had always thought that men should stay away from the kitchen. Besides, it was indeed unsuitable if Luke smelled like food and oil. "I''ll let you have the opening move this time," said Luke. Old Master Crawford could not be bothered about it and said, "How is this considered making concessions? Making a concession means letting me undo my move in front of Luca." "I won''t be able to impress Luca if I had let you do that," said Luke calmly. He immediately made his move after he watched Old Master Crawford make his first move. "So, you care about Luca, but it seems like she doesn''t think of this as her home yet," Old Master Crawford deliberately drawled and looked in the direction of the kitchen. Luke did not show an unhappy expression on his face and continued to y chess. Old Master Crawford got restless when Luke did not say anything about it. He immediately asked, ¡°What are you thinking? Why are you taking your time?" ¡°She''ll make herself at home sooner orter." Although Luke''s voice was cold, he sounded affirmative. "How can you be so sure about that? Hurry up. This woman is about to be taken by some other men," said Old Master Crawford with sincerity. It was not to trigger Luke, but it was to remind him. Luke said in a firm voice, "What''s mine will be mine. No one can take her away." Old Master Crawford could not help but mock him when he saw how confident Luke was, "Oh, look at how confident you are. Take things slowly as you wish and you''ll regret it in the future." Luke looked up and saw the mocking expression on Old Master Crawford''s face. He reminded him in a calm voice, "Grandpa, you''re going to lose if you don''t take this game seriously." Old Master Crawford lowered his head and looked at the chessboard. Only then did he realize that Luke had taken a few of his pawns. He could not help butin, "You little brat. You always make me look bad!" "You taught me well," replied Luke. Then, he shot a nce in the direction of the kitchen. The woman he loved was preparing lunch for him. Luke kept Old Master Crawfordpany for the rest of the day since Mr. Griffin was not here to apany him. Old Master Crawford enjoyed living a life like this. It was not as noisy as it was in Crawford Manor. The atmosphere was rxing and he was happy with it. However, he could only enjoy such happiness for a short while. He had to return to Crawford Manor the next day. The next morning, after Old Master Crawford had Luca''s homemade breakfast. Then, he asked his chauffeur to send him back to Crawford Manor. Luke initially thought of sending him back himself, but Old Master Crawford rejected his offer. He gave Luca a meaningful look before he left. He was truly fond of this woman. From N?velDrama.Org. It would be best if she could stay by Luke''s side. "Luke, opportunity waits for no one. You have to seize the chance." Old Master Crawford said something meaningful to Luke before leaving. Then, he got into the car and returned to Crawford Manor. Luca frowned and asked, "Mr. Crawford, what does Old Master Crawford mean?" "He''s telling me to jump at the chance," replied Luke. Today was the second day after New Year''s Day. He had to get prepared to pay a visit and prepare some gifts for the Norman family and Rayne family on behalf of Bianca. "Huh?" Luca was even more confused. She did not hear Luke mention that something was wrong lately. Why did he have to seize the chance? Luke saw the confused look on Luca''s face and thought to himself that he was waiting for the chance too. It was not that he did not seize the chance, but the chance had yet toe! Crawford Manor... Susan woke up early in the morning and instructed the maids to prepare tea, refreshments, and spring water bottles for the guests. Old Master Crawford should be back soon. Old Master Crawford''s arrival meant the guests would being soon too. Louis did not know how to seize the chance. Susan had no choice but to worry about the preparations. She was hoping that she could get more opportunities for Louis. That way, he would be able to live a morefortable life this year. At least she could help Louis to make a good impression on Old Master Crawford. After everything was prepared by the maids, Susan asked, ¡°Have you prepared the tea Old Master Crawford drinks every morning?" Mr. Griffin nodded and replied, "Madam Crawford, they''re all ready. We can brew the tea once Old Master Crawford arrives." The tea leaves could not be brewed in advance. Otherwise, it would affect the taste of the tea. Otherwise, Susan would have brewed the tea herself. "Okay. Good." Susan nodded. She dared not to be careless in preparing something for Old Master Crawford. Louis yawned and made his way down the stairs slowly. He was surprised to see Susan sitting properly on the sofa. He asked, "Mom, why are you so early today?" "Is it still early now?" Susan frowned. She noticed the tired look on Louis'' face and asked, "Why are you so tired? Did you sleeptest night?" "Yes." Louis nodded and yawned. He felt tired from sleepingte and waking up early. ''What''s wrong with you?" Susan looked at what a mess Louis was. Old Master Crawford might be unhappy to see Louis in such a state when he came backter. "Mom, it''s the New Year. I was gaming with my friends," replied Louis. He seldom yed games these days. It was just that his friends had invited him to y together, so he agreed. "You''re already married and you have a child, yet you''re still ying games. Look at you. You didn''t just sleepte but you stayed up all night, right?" Susan frowned. She was extremely unhappy about it. "It''s only once in a while. It''s fine." Louis stretched. "Look at you. You''re such a mess. The guests will beughing at you when theyeter. Your grandfather won''t be happy to see you in such a state. Hurry up and go freshen yourself up," urged Susan. She could not help but secretly me Yuri for being lenient toward her husband. Chapter 2412 "I''ve already cleaned myself up. I''ll feel better after eating breakfast," said Louis as he walked to the dining room. Susan shook her head helplessly. How could Louis ck off during the New Year? It seemed like she had to talk to Yuri about it and asked her to keep an eye on Louis. "This child..." She could not help but mutter. After a while, Susan noticed that Louis had not finished his breakfast yet. She walked into the dining room and saw him eating breakfast while looking at his phone at the same time. The burning rage in her exploded uncontrobly. She snatched Louis'' phone and said, "Don''t look at your phone when you''re eating. Your grandpa will be mad at you if he sees you like this." "Mom, Grandpa''s not here." Louis felt helpless. Old Master Crawford did not allow them to look at their phones while having meals. However, Louis could not be bothered since Old Master Crawford was not around. "Does that mean you can rx when he''s not here? Your grandpa isn''t back yet. You didn''t even call him to ask if he''s fine there. All you''ve done was y games and watch videos. Let''s see how you''ll end up in the future!" Susan exited the video app on his phone. Louis frowned. He put down the spoon and said, "It''s not thatte now. Grandpa will being back soon." "Soon? I''ve already gotten everything prepared but he hasn''te back yet. What if he doesn''t remember toe backter?" Susan was anxious. She was worried Old Master Crawford was enjoying his stay at Luke''s vi so much that he would forget to return. "He won''t." Louis knew what Susan was worried about. She even made a fuss about itst night. He knew what she was worried about. "Do you dare to guarantee that? Call him now," ordered Susan as she handed the phone to him. She would have called him if she could. Susan was worried that Old Master Crawford would be disgusted if she called him. That was why he asked Louis to make the call while pretending to care for the old master, using it as an excuse to call him. That way, the old master would not be mad at Louis. Louis picked up his phone. Mr. Griffin happened to be walking in when he was about to make the call. He reported, "Madam Crawford, Young Master Louis, the old master is back." Louis kept his phone away, nning to finish the rest of his breakfast. However, Susan turned around, grabbed Louis'' hand, and said, ¡°Stop thinking about eating. Go and help your grandpa in." Louis was dragged along with her. He almost choked on the food that was stuck in his throat. "Hang on." Louis took a step back, picked up the ss of milk, and drank a mouthful. Then, he swallowed it. Susan was even more pissed when she looked at what a mess Louis was. She urged him, "Are you done?" Louis took a deep breath, nodded, and replied, "Yes." "Stop dilly-dallying or Old Master Crawford will be unhappy." Susan let go of Louis and headed out together with him. Louis felt helpless. Old Master Crawford was not that kind of person. These efforts were little more than window dressing to the old master, and he did not like it either. Old Master Crawford''s chauffeur helped him out of the car. He raised his eyebrows when he saw Susan and Louise out to wee him. "Grandpa, Happy New Year." Louis took the initiative to greet him first. "Happy New Year. Why are you standing outside? Let''s get into the house," said Old Master Crawford. He was justing back home as usual, and he thought there was no need to make such a grand entrance. "Father, let Louis help you." Susan smiled and winked at Louis to remind him. "It''s alright. Leave it to Mr. Griffin." Old Master Crawford smiled. He was obviously in a good mood. The moment he said that Mr. Griffin had alreadye forward to help him up. Although it was a simple rejection, it did not mean anything in Old Master Crawford''s heart. However, it was different for Susan. A warning rm rang in Susan''s head. Old Master Crawford had only spent one night at Luke''s vi, and now he did not even want Louis to go near him. Her expression was gloomy as she followed behind the old master. A strong sense of dissatisfaction was churning in Susan''s heart while she looked at his old figure from behind. Mr. Griffin helped Old Master Crawford to the living room and had him sit on the sofa. Then, he asked in a low voice, "Old Master Crawford, have you had breakfast?" "I had breakfast at Luke''s ce," replied Old Master Crawford happily. He recalled how delicious Luca''s homemade breakfast was. Luca knew the old master liked having Western breakfast, so she made it for him. He enjoyed his breakfast. "That''s great. Let me get you a cup of tea," said Mr. Griffin. From N?velDrama.Org. "Yes. I''d like to have some tea. It helps with digestion." Old Master Crawford nodded. He had a little too much for breakfast. It would be good to have some tea. Louis did not think about it further. He teased Old Master Crawford instead, ¡°Grandpa, it seems like Brother fed you well." "Yes. If it weren''t for the guestsing to visit today, I would''ve liked to spend a few nights there." Luca''s cooking had earned recognition from Old Master Crawford. Louis was amused by what the old master said. He could not help but reply, "Grandpa, I''ll be moving there after New Year. Let''s go to Brother''s house and scrounge free meals from him. I''ve heard that Dr. Craw is good at cooking. Even you''ve tried it, and I''d like to have a taste too." "Sure. I can assure you Luca''s cooking is good." Old Master Crawford made a thumbs-up gesture and praised Luca. Susan could not help but say, "Dad, Luke is unsociable. Tell me if you''d like to have good food. Let me take you to those Michelin-starred restaurants. The food served by the chefs there is truly amazing. After all, they''re world-ss restaurants." The smile on Old Master Crawford''s face slowly faded. Michelin-starred restaurants? He had worked hard his whole life, and he became wealthy long before he got old. Was there any good food he had never tried before? "The food served at those Michelin-starred restaurants doesn''t suit my taste. I still prefer Luca''s homemade food. I was thinking of sending our cook there to learn some skills from Luca." What Old Master Crawford said was an acknowledgment of Luca''s cooking skills. His words made Susan even more upset, and she said, "Old Master Crawford, you''re saying that just because you''ve gotten used to eating freshly made food. Does Luca''s homemade food really taste that good? Our cook has been serving us for more than 30 years. She was a chef in some big, famous hotels before this. What kind of cuisine does she not know how to make?" "Susan, if you refuse to believe me, you can try her homemade food when you move there together with Louis. Luke''s house is right beside yours. It''s convenient for you to go there." Old Master Crawford could not be bothered to exin it to her. He had already figured out what kind of person his daughter-inw was over the years. That was why there was no need to exin it to her. Susan was rendered speechless. She did not want to move out, but Old Master Crawford had been mentioning it until now. She had to move out of the Crawford Manor with Louis. Susan had this feeling that many things would not be under her control after she moved out of Crawford Manor. She would lose her status in the Crawford family. Susan was reluctant to move out, but she was not that silly to mention it now. After all, Old Master Crawford would be mad if she told him now. There would be guestsing to visitter, so it would be better if she did not ruin the old master''s mood. Chapter 2413 After a while, Mr. Griffin brought the brewed tea over and said, ¡°Old Master Crawford, the tea is ready." "Okay." Old Master Crawford took a sip of the tea. He could not help but exim, "The tea smells good." "I should''ve brought some tea leaves to Luke''s ce." Then, he took another sip of tea. "Grandpa, why are you craving for tea? Didn''t you have any tea yesterday?" Louis asked with curiosity and poured a cup for himself too. "Luke doesn''t like drinking tea. How could I expect him to have good tea leaves there?" said Old Master Crawford. After all, Luke did not entertain guests there, so he would not have prepared tea leaves. Some tea leaves were meant to be gifts for the guests. Old Master Crawford knew about that, so that was why he did not say that he wanted to have some tea. "You always drink a pot of tea in the morning. Won''t you get upset if there''s no tea?" Louis knew the old master''s habits well. Old Master Crawford loved drinking tea. "It''s still fine. The vegetable juice Luca made for me was good. It''s good to have something else to rece tea every once in a while. But I''ve thought about it. Drinking tea helps to lift my mood." Old Master Crawford toyed with the vintage cup. The vintage cup and saucer were given by Luke. As the old master loved drinking tea, there were many vintage tea sets in the house. However, his favorite was the one he was holding now. "Grandpa, the more you talk about it, the more I wanted to try Dr. Craw''s homemade food," said Louis as he refilled the old master''s cup. Susan was on pins and needles while she listened to their conversation. She could not help but feel depressed. It seemed like Louis was trying to please Old Master Crawford, but they kept talking about Luke and Luca. There was no way Louis had no idea that the two of them were his biggest enemies in taking over the family business! Her eyes slightly darkened, but she dared not to cause trouble. Mr. Griffin walked toward them, smiled, and said, "Old Master Crawford, the Wright family hase to visit." "The Wright family? Which one?" Old Master Crawford was confused. He knew many people who had the same family name, so which Wright family was outside the door? Susan answered, "They''re my rtives." ¡°Your rtives..." Old Master Crawford nodded. Although they were Susan''s rtives, they did not stay in A City. Besides, they were her distant rtives. However, they had been bringing gifts to them every year since they started their business. This had gone on for over a decade. They could not be considered the Crawford family''s friends. They imed to be rted to the Crawford family, but they were only their distant rtives. However, Old Master Crawford did not feel weird as they had been doing this for the past 10 years. After all, no friendship couldst forever in the business world. There were only benefits and interests. The reason they did this was that they wanted to tell others that they were rted to the Crawford family. It would bring advantages for them when they cooperated with others in the business world. "Yes, Old Master Crawford. Theye every year," said Susan. Her rtives on her mother''s side would always bring some people to visit them during New Year as she was one of the Crawford family members. More and more people started iming to be her rtives when T Corporation grew bigger over the past 20 years. Susan was d that they came. It made her look good, after all. "Ask them toe in. Prepare some refreshments for them," Old Master Crawford said to Mr. Griffin. He did not expect Susan''s distant rtives toe so early. After all, it was only the second day of the New Year. Most of the rtives who were closer to them would pay a visit first. However, distant rtives like them were already showing up on the second day. Were they in such a hurry? Susan did not notice Old Master Crawford''s dissatisfaction and immediately said, "I''ve gotten everything prepared. The maid will serve them. Mr. Griffin, please bring them in." "Yes, Madam Crawford." Mr. Griffin nodded and walked out to bring the guests in. Old Master Crawford looked at Louis and asked, "Where''s Yuri and Thea?" "Grandpa, Yuri should be putting on her makeup now. Thea refused to sleepst night, so I''m letting her sleep for a while more," answered Louis. "Parents are children''s role models. Look at the dark circles under your eyes. You stayed up all night, huh?" Old Master Crawford was attentive and observative. Although Louis had freshened himself, the old master could still see that he had not gotten enough rest. "Grandpa, it''s the New Year." Louis scratched his head embarrassingly. "You''ll be going to Thea''s maternal grandfather''s house in the afternoon, right?" Old Master Crawford asked. Based on the traditional customs, Louis would take Yuri back to her home on the second day of the New Year. "Yes." Louis nodded and looked at Susan. "But I''m going to my maternal grandfather''s home first. I''ll visit Thea''s maternal grandfather after that. Then, we might be having dinner at the Dunn family''s house." "Okay. The schedule is well-arranged. If it''s toote for you toe home after dinner, you can spend the night there. I heard the weather forecast broadcasted that there''ll be heavy snow tonight. It''s dangerous to drive in heavy snow at night," said Old Master Crawford as he was worried about their safety. ¡°Okay, Grandpa. Don''t worry. I''ll know what to do," replied Louis. His schedule would be slightly packed today as he had to visit his maternal grandfather. Susan initially thought of saying that they could visit the Armstrong family first ande back to have dinner with the old master. However, she dispelled the thought of it when she remembered that Old Master Crawford was concerned about these etiquettes. They had to return to their maternal family''s home on the second day of the New Year. However, how many guests would they miss out on if they were not here for the rest of the day? Guests woulde to visit the Crawford family to show respect to Old Master Crawford. This did not just include the Wright family. Judging from past years, some families who owned businesses would pay a visit on the second day of the New Year to show their respect to the Crawford family too. Susan was a little anxious. If they were not here in the afternoon and nighttime, Louis would miss out on many opportunities. The maid served the refreshments on the table for the guests, while Mr. Griffin brought the Wright family in. After some pleasantries, a few of them sat down. The Wright family was constantly looking for topics of conversation to butter up Old Master Crawford. Susan sat beside them. She was not in the mood to talk to the others. After all, the Wright family''s business had nothing much to do with the Crawford family and Louis. That was why she could not be bothered to talk to them. Furthermore, they were merely distant rtives. They had never paid a visit before their family started their business back then. In the end, they came to visit just for the sake of their interests. Susan was not nning to talk to them. After all, there was nothing she could gain from them. On the other hand. Luke walked into the storage room after Old Master Crawford left. Luca knew he was going to visit the Norman and Rayne families. It did not matter if it was the Norman family or the Rayne family, Luke treated them fairly. He would stay there for a meal and keep her familypany. Luca walked into the storage room too. "Mr. Crawford, are you looking for the gifts?" Luca asked. From N?velDrama.Org. "Yes. Please help me look for them. You were the one who put them here, so you know where they are. The gifts are for the Norman family and Rayne family." Luke left the task to her. Luca walked toward the storage rack and found the gifts for both families. She had carefully selected the gifts for them and ensured they were suitable for them. "These are for the Norman family, and these are for the Rayne family," Luca said to Luke. Luke raised his brows and replied, "You don''t have to say all this. You''reing along with us." Chapter 2414 Luca gently shook her head and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, it''s inappropriate for me to go along with you. They''re your wife''s family." Luke stared at her with his deep eyes. Wife? Was she not his wife? She clearly wanted to see her family at this time, but she was unable to visit them due to her identity and the forces behind her... Luke did not expose her and said, "If you''d like to visit them but you''re worried that they''ll overthink, you can go after us. Lliam is on duty today." Luca looked down and pondered for a moment. She still thought it was inappropriate to do so and said, "Mr. Crawford, I heard Nina say that locals here always visit the wife''s family on the second day of New Year. I shouldn''t do this." She was actually the most suitable person to visit them, but she had no choice but to tell Luke that it was inappropriate for her to do so in a soft voice. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Luke knew what she was thinking about. He did not force her. He carried the two bags and headed outside. Then, he asked, "Are there fruits in the fridge?" "Yes. I''ve prepared two fruit baskets." Luca followed him out of the storage room too. She had everything well-prepared. Although the Rayne family did not know about her true identity, Jack knew about it. He probably wanted to celebrate the New Year with Luca. However, Luca had rejected his invitation and he was helpless. "Okay. Then I''ll take the kids along with me first. We won''t be back for lunch and dinner," replied Luke. He noticed a hint of sadness shing across Luca''s eyes. Even though her parents, grandfather, and aunt were here, she had no choice but to stay in the vi and wait for them toe home during festive seasons like the New Year. Luke felt sorry for her. He felt helpless. If Luke could find out where the base of the Ind of Despair was, he could confidently question Luca about who was manipting her. That was the only way to solve Luca''s problem at its root. Even though there was no way her appearance could change back to how it was before, she was still the woman he loved. Luke hoped that she could be truly happy soon. ¡°Okay. I got it." Luca nodded. She felt terrible for not being able to bring gifts back to her home on this special day. After Luca watched Luke and the kids leave, an air of gloom fell over her as she returned to the house. She had nothing to do. Hence, she made her way up the stairs, headed to the study, and began to work on her experiments. If she was fortunate enough to seed, there would be a slim chance of surviving. Otherwise, she could only spend the rest of her life on the Ind of Despair.... In the car. Luke was driving, and the three kids were sitting in the backseat of the car. Tommy pouted and asked, "Daddy, why isn''t Ms. Lucaing along with us? Does she not like Grandpa and Grandma or Great-grandpa Norman anymore?" "She loves them," replied Luke. Luca respected and cared for them more than anyone else. She knew it was inconvenient for her to disturb them during the New Year. That was why she just sent some gifts to the Norman family. Although she did not send the gifts to the Rayne family, the gifts Luke was sending over were much heavier than the gifts for the Norman family. Luca still loved them, and she did not show favoritism toward any of them. It was just that she could not find a good reason or excuse to send the gifts to them herself. "Then why," "Ms. Luca is in no position to do that now," Lanie interrupted Tommy. Tommy did not understand, but everyone else understood why. Lanie knew what these New Year traditions meant. Tommy nodded stiffly and asked, "Daddy, when will Ms. Luca acknowledge us and when will we be able to call her Mommy? She''s alone at home during New Year. She must be lonely." Luke felt upset listening to what Tommy said. He wanted to keep Lucapany too. However, there were some things he needed to do or others would have things to use against him. Luke could choose not to visit Allison, but he had to visit the Norman family and Rayne family. They were Luca''s family. She was in no position to visit them now, and that was why he had to do this on behalf of her. "Just wait for a little while more. It''ll be soon," replied Luke. Tommy realized he might have said the wrong thing. Everyone wanted Luca to acknowledge them too, including Luke. Hence, Luke had been working hard to make it happen. His brother told him that the organization behind their mother that was manipting her was strong. Their father had to look further into it, and it was a little difficult to investigate them. Their father was already trying his best. There was dead silence in the car. Luke was just like the kids. He wanted to help Luca get rid of that organization as soon as possible too. However, being anxious could not help them with anything. Jack and his wife would have to visit Jack''s father in the afternoon. Therefore, Luke came to visit the Norman family first. After they arrived at Norman Residence, Luke took the gifts out and let the kids carry the gifts into the house. Queenie and Jack were already waiting for them in the living room. Queenie immediately came forward when she saw her grandchildren, and said, ¡°Oh my, why are you carrying so many things?" ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, these are for you. We''d like to wish you a happy new year. May the new year bless you with health, wealth, and happiness," Lanie took the lead and said. Then, Rainie and Tommy sent them their wishes too. "Oh, good boy, good girl. Where''s your father?" Queenie asked in confusion when she did not see Luke. "Daddy''s behind us," answered Tommy. Luke carried a fruit basket and walked into the house. Then, he said, "Dad, Mom, Happy New Year." "Happy New Year," replied Queenie. She slightly furrowed her eyebrows and said, "Luke, why did you bring so many gifts here? They''re too many of them. Please take them back." "Grandma, it''s the thought that counts. Please take them," said Rainie. She knew Luca had prepared these for them. Since Luca was unable to give them herself, they would give them to them on behalf of her. Hence, Rainie convinced Queenie to ept the gifts. "Thank you. You must be tired of carrying these. Put them down first." Queenie immediately took the gifts from the kids and ced them on the coffee table. Luke ced the fruit basket on the coffee table too. Jack was hesitant to speak when he realized that Luca did note along with Luke. Luke met his gaze and shook his head. Jack knew Luca''s true identity. He must want her to visit them during New Year, but she thought she was in no position to do so. That was why she would note. Queenie saw Luke shaking his head at Jack and asked in confusion, "Luke, what''s the matter?" "Nothing," replied Luke. "Come on. Stop standing there. Take a seat. Will you be staying for lunch?" Queenie was delighted to see her grandchildren. Although Bianca did note back to celebrate New Year with them, it felt wonderful to have three kids to apany her. Besides, Leia''s health was getting better every day. Queenie''s mood had brightened up too. ¡°Yes. We''ll be staying for lunch," replied Luke. "Okay. Sit down. Let me go get the kids'' gifts," said Queenie. She had to give the kids gifts based on their customs. ¡°Grandma, it''s okay. We''ve grown up," said Lanie. "What nonsense are you talking about? All of you are still little children. You have to take the gifts. They bring good luck," said Queenie. She headed upstairs to get the gifts that she had prepared earlier and distributed them to the kids. Each child received two gifts. One was from Queenie, and another one was from Jack. Then, she handed the rest of the four gifts to Luke and said, "Luke, these are for you and Bianca. She''s noting back this year, so you should keep them for her." Chapter 2415 ¡°Thank you, Mom." Luke did not reject her. This was the elderly''s blessing. He epted the gifts on behalf of Bianca. "Mom, there''s a box of vitamins in the bag. It''s for Old Master Norman. Please give it to him when you head there," said Luke. He did wish to visit Old Master Norman, but he had to prepare something for him. That was why he reminded Luca to get something for them. That way, Queenie could bring the gifts along with her when she visited him. Luke did not have to socialize that much either. Queenie nodded. She smiled and said, "Thank you for being thoughtful." "It was Bianca who reminded me," said Luke. Luca was reminded of her grandparents who were rted to her. That was why she mentioned it to Luke. Luke was allowed to use being busy as an excuse to escape from socializing, but one had to prepare gifts and send regards to them. "Bianca reminded you?" Queenie was surprised. She said excitedly, "Is Bianca starting to remember things now?" Queenie had been texting with Biancately. Bianca was still as busy as usual. She would have to wait until the next day to receive a reply from Bianca if she sent a message today. It was already considered fast. Sometimes, she would have to wait until the third day. "No. She mentioned it when I told her about preparing New Year gifts." Luke lied to her. He knew Queenie would get excited when she heard Bianca''s name. Hence, before he mentioned it to her, he had already found an excuse. Queenie was slightly disappointed and muttered, "She hasn''t gotten her memories back..." "After everything that she''s gone through, I guess it''s better for her not to remember those things," said Luke. He did not have many feelings when he said that as Bianca was just right beside him, and she did not lose her memory. She still loved him and the kids. That was why there was not much emotion on his face. Queenie nodded, agreeing with what Luke said. It was almost time for lunch. She did not continue to ask Luke about Bianca. Instead, she stood up and said, "Okay. Wait here. I''m going to prepare lunch." Tommy looked at Jack and asked, ¡°Grandpa, can we y with toys?" ¡°Of course. Your grandma bought some new toys for you. Off you go," Jack replied happily. His grandchildren were different from the other children. The other children at their age could not be bothered to y with toys. Most of them yed mobile games. However, Luke''s kids preferred reading and ying puzzle games. He did not have to worry about them. ¡°Grandpa and Grandma are the best!" Tommy pped his hands excitedly. He grabbed Lanie''s and Rainie''s hands and headed upstairs. They came to visit their grandparents, but they were not interested in the conversation between the adults. That was why Tommy suggested going upstairs to y games. Luke did not stop them either. Luke shifted his gaze after watching the kids head upstairs and disappear from his sight. "Luke, I have something to discuss with you. Let''s go to my study," Jack stood up and said. ¡°Sure." Luke rose to his feet and headed to Jack''s study upstairs. After Jack closed the door behind him, he sat on the sofa. He knew Luke would be taking the kids here to visit them. Thus, he ced a pot of tea on the coffee table in front of the sofa earlier. ¡°Would you like to have some tea?" Jack asked. ¡°Okay. Let me do it." Luke waited for Jack to start talking while he poured two cups of tea. Luke handed one of the cups to Jack and said, ¡°Dad, here''s your tea." ¡°Thank you." Jack admired Luke''s sophistication. Then, he said, ¡°I asked you toe up here to discuss a few things with you." ¡°Go ahead." Luke waited for him to go straight to the point. ¡°Why didn''t Lucae along with you?" Luca''s situation was what Jack was most concerned about. Jack had two daughters. He had already given up on Leia and no longer cared about her. He only had Luca left. Even though Luca had been kidnapped and went missing for three years, she still cared for them. That was the reason Jack cared so much about Luca. Luca cared about her parents. As a father, Jack would also be concerned about his daughter. ¡°She thinks that she''s in no position toe, and she was worried that she''d cause misunderstandings if she came," said Luke. ¡°How could she..." Jack wanted to me her, but he realized that he could not continue with the rest of the sentence. There was a reason that Luca was worried. Queenie had no idea about Luca''s true identity by far. It was to protect her. If Luca came here together with Luke, Queenie would have suspected them. Luca chose not toe together with him as it could avoid many troubles indeed. ¡°She rejected our invitation when we asked her toe here to countdown to the new year together." ack sounded a little depressed. Even though he was a senior official, that did not change anything. Jack could only protect the citizens, but he failed to protect his daughter. Regarding this matter, he had no choice but to wait for Luke to investigate the matter because of his status and identity. "Luca doesn''t want to cause any trouble now," Luke exined on behalf of Luca. He knew why she would make such a decision too. The more memories she created with them, the harder it was for her to leave them. If Luca had something holding her back, she would have more weaknesses that could be used against her. Luke understood it well. If it were not for him who offended the Ind of Despair back then, the woman he loved would not have suffered for so many years. Hence, it all boiled down to one thing. He was the one who caused Luca to end up like this today. Even so, he would not let go of her easily. From N?velDrama.Org. He had to be the one who protected the woman he loved the most. ¡°I hope that your men can find out something as soon as possible and help her to escape from those sufferings.¡± Jack heaved a sigh. Luke nodded. There were many things he had yet to tell Jack, like how others could not help him on this matter. "One more thing. The decision to develop the suburban areas was made before the holidays started. The government had decided to develop thend. They didn''t appoint anypanies to do their project. Thepanies will have to join the tender and win the bid. And they''ll probably release the notice after the new year. Plus, the conference should be held around the end of March or April," said Jack. Luke was not surprised to hear that. He had already found out about the development of the suburban areas. He just did not expect the decision to be made so quickly. Previously, the Environmental Protection Agency had been opposing it, iming that the development would ruin the ecosystem. It was on the news, so he did not expect the government to convince them so quickly. "There must be some special conditions for the development this time," said Luke. Jack picked up his cup of tea and took a sip. Then, he looked at Luke in admiration and said, "Yes. There are special conditions, indeed. They proposed high requirements for a green environment to convince those environmentalists to ept thend development in that area. You have to be prepared for it. Given the conditions, you''re not allowed to ruin the ecosystem there. You also have to make sure the greening rate there is higher than before." "As expected..." Luke took a sip of the tea. ¡°Why? Do you think it''s difficult?" Jack asked. He thought such a small issue would not be difficult for Luke to handle. Chapter 2416 "No." Luke promised he would take this project. He had to win the construction bid. T Corporation had worked on many projects before. They also had been working on a few projects that required a high greening rate. "How''s the project of T Corporation and M Group going?" Jack asked with concern. "Everything''s going smoothly," replied Luke. "Okay. That''s great. Other than the contents of the bidding document, they''ll be focusing on another requirement for the bid this time¡ªthepletion status and quality of the previous projects of the company. The cooperation between T Corporation and M Group has attracted a lot of attention now. You have to make sure everything''s going well. No mistakes are allowed. Otherwise, your chance of winning the bid will be gone," Jack revealed the requirements of the bid and reminded Luke. After all, everything was going well for T Corporation now. It was lonely at the top. Luke had to be extra careful. If anything happened, he would lose to hispetitors. "Okay. Thank you, Dad." Luke nodded. Jack could only reveal inside information, while Luke would still have to depend on himself to win the bid. Jack finished drinking the cup of tea and said, "I''ve already bought an apartment in Sunnydale Garden for Leia near the hospital. She''ll be able to get discharged from the hospital after New Year. She''ll move there right away." "Is she willing to?" Luke raised his brows. Leia''s character was like Allison''s. She would refuse to be separated just like that. A gloomy cloud shadowed Jack''s eyes. His voice turned cold when he mentioned Leia''s name. "She has to stay there no matter whether she''s willing to do so or not. I''ve already told her that I''ll send her back to New York if she refuses to stay at the apartment there. Her health is stable now. She might be able to get better treatment in New York." Luke did not say anything. Leia was not dumb either. Her life would be more miserable if she insisted on doing it her way and ended up being sent to New York. She only came back because life was tough on her. "She has no other choice," said Jack. The whole family became restless when she got sick. The news of what Leia said to Dexter and what she did to him was still all over the inte now. Jack might have been able to help her to clean up the mess back then, but he had lost confidence in this daughter of his. That was why he did not handle the mess she had caused this time and let it be. Now that the rumors had be worse, she only had herself to me for it. Fortunately, the discussion online did not affect him. That was why Jack let the fallout continue over Leia''s matter online. Luke nodded, agreeing with him. He reminded Jack too, ¡°Leia has never been an easy person to deal with." "I know your men are keeping an eye on her," said Jack. He also knew that it was Luke''s men who were leading the discussion on the inte. Leia''s reputation was ruined, but nothing happened to Jack. There was a saying that it was the father''s fault for not educating his children, but the public did not think so. Hence, there must be someone who was helping behind. There were so many pairs of eyes watching Jack like a predator looking at its prey. After all, it was lonely to be sitting in such a high position. Jack was not allowed to make any mistakes, and he had to serve his people wholeheartedly. Not only did Jack have to serve the people, but his whole family carried that weight on their shoulders too. Therefore, if no one was there to steer public opinion, Jack would end up losing everything. "Dad," Luke called him without saying anything else. He was the one behind it, but he did not think that Jack would find out about it. Jack hade so far from being a military soldier to where he was today. His capability was much stronger than others. A child born in a military family could not be easily fooled. "I''m relieved knowing that your men are watching her," Jack imed that he would not me Luke for doing this. Luke loved Luca, and Luca was Jack''s biological daughter. Luke would never break Luca''s heart. That was why Jack was calm. Then, the two of them talked about politics and businesses. After a while, someone knocked on the door. Tommy''s voice came from outside the door, "Daddy, Grandpa, are you in there?" Luke stood up and went to open the door. "What''s the matter?" "Grandma asked me to tell you that lunch is ready," Tommy told him what Queenie said to him. "That was fast." Jack rose to his feet and nced at the clock on the wall, only to realize that they had been talking for more than an hour. "Grandpa, you always lose track of time when you talk to Daddy." Tommy grinned. "I always have a lot to talk with your Daddy." Jack walked toward him and held his grandson''s hand. Tommy was right. He would always lose track of time whenever he talked to Luke. Luke was knowledgeable. He did not stop reading and learning about thetest news despite his busy schedule. It was interesting to talk to him, and he would not feel bored. Sometimes, Jack thought that if his subordinates who only knew how to butter him up were as knowledgeable as Luke was, his job would not be so boring either. Most of the people around him did not know as much as Luke, and they were not the kind who would take the long view. However, they were always discussing problems with him. They were ignorant. Jack admired Luke as he was a prominent and outstanding man. Luke did not continue to stay there after lunch. After all, Jack and Queenie had to visit Old Master Norman in the afternoon. Hence, Luke and the kids left and headed to the Rayne family''s house right away. Luke''s phone rang when he was driving. He nced at his phone and found out that it was Allison who called. He did not answer the call. Rainie asked with curiosity, ¡°Daddy, aren''t you answering the call?" ¡°Don''t mind it." Luke was not nning to answer Allison''s call. She never had anything important to look for him. The phone finally quieted down after it had rung a dozen times. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. The phone rang again after a few seconds. Lanie slowly said, ¡°Daddy, answer the call. Otherwise, Grandma will keep calling you." Luke nced at his son by looking in the rearview mirror, then he asked, ¡°How did you know it was her?" ¡°The only person who would be calling at this hour and whom you''d refuse to take the call is Grandma." Lanie crossed his arms in front of his chest and sat on his seat. Luke nodded, agreeing with what his son said. Allison was the only one who could be so annoying. Then, Luke answered the call. ¡°What''s the matter?" Luke''s voice was cold even though it was his mother on the other end of the line. Allison''s voice came from the other end of the line, ¡°Luke, what time will you being over to eat today?" ¡°I''ve never said that I was going over for a meal," replied Luke. ¡°Isn''t today the second day of the New Year? Aren''t youing over to eat with me?" Allison sounded surprised. ¡°I''m busy, and I''m driving now. I''m hanging up if you have nothing else to say." Luke only thought of hanging up the call. Allison was trying to please him, but that did not make him like her more. He felt frustrated instead. ¡°Hang on. It''s the New Year. How can you be busy? Besides, it''s the second day of the New Year. What are you busy with? I''ve already asked the maid to make your favorite dishes. Come over and let''s eat together." Allison pestered him, insisting on seeing him. Chapter 2417 "I''m not avable." Luke rejected her with a cold voice. Although she was his mother, Luke and she hated each other. Perhaps she had an ulterior motive seeing as how she insisted Luke go over for dinner. Allison was pissed when she heard Luke giving her such a cold response, so she threatened him, ¡°Fine. You''re noting, right? Then I''ll go back to Crawford Manor. If Old Master Crawford asks about it, I''ll tell him the truth.¡± Although Old Master Crawford was mad at her for fighting with Susan on New Year''s Eve, what he did not want to see the most was his children and grandchildren not respecting their elders. It was a sin to disrespect their elders. Luke was not afraid of Allison even if she used Old Master Crawford to threaten him. However, if Allison truly did this, the old master would have to endure the noise and trouble she caused. It was not easy for them toe up with an excuse to let her leave Crawford Manor. If she seized the chance to return so that she couldin about Luke and also spend the night there... Luke replied, "Not today. I''ll go tomorrow." "Tomorrow? Come for dinner, then. I''m probably still in bed around noon time," said Allison. She always woke upte, and it would be convenient for Sophian to do things at night too. "Okay." Luke hung up the call. The three kids who were sitting in the backseat of the car heard their conversation. Rainie carefully asked, "Daddy, we don''t have to go back, right?" "Daddy, I don''t want to go to Grandma''s ce. You can go alone," Tommy said straightforwardly, expressing his hatred for Allison. He was different from Lanie and Rainie. Allison had taken care of Lanie and Rainie. Hence, they were closer to her. However, Allison''s face was too scary now, and that was why Rainie was reluctant to go near her. Bianca had been taking care of Tommy since he was born. After Allison thought something happened to Luke, she no longer pretended to be a good daughter-inw. She moved out of Crawford Manor. That was why he was not close with his grandmother. Moreover, he thought Allison was scary and it was hard to get along with her. "You don''t have to go there." Luke was hesitant as well. Although Allison would not hurt him and the kids, it would be difficult for him to deal with her if the kids were there. Luke waited for the traffic light to turn green. He stared at the road junction in front of him while his fingers were constantly tapping on the steering wheel. He had toe up with a n. Allison might want to scheme against Luke. He could not let her get away with it. The red light turned green, and Luke continued to drive to Rayne''s family house. After he sent the gifts to the Rayne family, Luke and the kids stayed for dinner. He yed chess with Old Man Rayne as well. Before they left, Old Man Rayne held Luke''s hand and said, ¡°Luke, take Luca with you next time you come here. She''s a kind and interesting person. I miss her." Luke gave Old Man Rayne a deep stare and nodded. "Okay, Grandpa. I''ll bring Luca the next time I come here." "Okay. Go home. It''ll be difficult to drive on the road if you go back anyter." Old Man Rayne waved his hand as he knew it would be snowing heavily. Hence, he did not make them stay. Luke gave him a response, then he talked to Wanda for a while. They left after that. In the vi. Luca was cutting some fruits, waiting for Luke and the kids toe home. The winter storm was getting stronger out there. Luca stood beside the window, pursing her lips. Although Luke was good at driving, it was snowing heavily... Luca shook her head and said in a low voice, "What am I thinking about? They''re going to be fine." However, Luca was still worried about them. She was afraid that something would happen to them. Luca did not turn on the TV, so it was quiet in the house. She held her arms and sat on the sofa. After a while, she heard the sound of a car driving into thepound from outside. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Luca immediately stood up and headed to the entrance. She opened the door. The colorful decorative lights gleamed brilliantly in the garden, lighting up the yard with a warm pale-yellow color. It was dazzling with the white snow silhouetted against the light. It moved Luca''s heart to see Luke holding the kids'' hands while walking toward her. She gave a faint smile. The dimly lit lights made everything look warm. Luca wanted to run toward them and embrace them, telling them how worried she was. However, she held back the urge. Luke and the kids walked toward her. Luca weed them back, "You''re back." "Yes." Luke nodded. "Ms. Luca, Grandpa Rayne gave us these. Take it!" Tommy handed the bag he was carrying to Luca. "What''s this?" Luca was surprised. Had they not delivered all the gifts? Why did they bring something back? Luke answered, "Aunt Wanda made these. The kids enjoyed having them, so she gave us some." Tommy nodded, lifted his head, and looked at Luca. "Ms. Luca, the sausages are yummy." ¡°Okay. Did you thank Aunt Wanda?" Luca stroked Tommy''s face. It was cold. She quickly pulled the child into the house. "I did." Tommy smiled and walked into the house. Luca turned to look at them and said, "It''ste. Take a shower and get changed." Luke walked into the house. He could feel that the temperature in the room was not as warm as before. It felt colder instead. Then, he asked, "The temperature doesn''t feel warm. Did the heater break down?" "No. It''s probably because I left the door open for quite some time," Luca replied immediately. The heater did not break down. It was just that she was constantly opening the door while waiting for them toe back. She kept on thinking about them, and she missed them. Luke nodded and urged the kids, "It''s gettingte. Hurry up and go upstairs. Get yourselves cleaned up before going to bed." "Yes, Daddy," the three kids replied at the same time. They hurried upstairs after they took off their coats. Luke turned to look at Luca and said, "Let''s go upstairs." Luke did not head to the bathroom first. Instead, he walked into the bedroom together with Luca and took a few gifts out before handing them to her. "This is..." "The gifts that the Norman and Rayne families gave to you," replied Luke. Luca''s face reddened a little. It was normal for elders to give their juniors gifts, but she had no blood ties with them now. Why did they give her gifts? "Keep them. They said it was very kind of you to prepare gifts for them," said Luke. "You told them that I was the one who chose the gifts?" Luca was surprised. If Luke really said that, what would Queenie and Wanda think of her?! Luke shook his head and said, "No. You''ve already sent your gifts to the Norman family. As for the Rayne family, I told them that you asked me to send them the ones you put inside." Luca let out a sigh of relief, took the gifts from him, and said, "Thank you." "Old Man Rayne asked me to take you along with me the next time I visit him. He''s very fond of you," Luke delivered the old man''s message. Luca gave him a faint smile. Their fondness for her was not based on kinship. It was due to the favor they owned her. That was why they were fond of her. If they found out that she was together with Luke now, they would certainly stand up for Bianca. When the time came, they would no longer like her. They would be disgusted by her. Chapter 2418 Luke no longer questioned her when she saw the meaningful smile on her face. "I''m going to take a shower now," said Luke as he stood up. ¡°Okay." Luca nodded. Luca opened the gifts when Luke went to take a shower. There were stacks of cash inside. There was not much expression on Luca''s face. Luca took off her cardigan. She was wearing her pajamas inside. Luca put the gifts on the bedside table. Although it was a lot of money, it did no matter how much she had received. It was the thought that counted. She leaned against the headboard and picked up the data document beside her. It was the experiment data for the experiments she did today. Luca turned to the first page. She could not help but let out a sigh. The data she collected was too little. It was a pity that theboratory she rentedst time was no longer avable. The owner of the laboratory told her that anotherpany had rented theboratory for the long term. She could not rent it anymore. Luca massaged her temples which were hurting. She had to rent aboratory if she wanted to speed up the progress. While she was lost in her thoughts, Luke had already finished showering. He returned to the bedroom and noticed that Luca was holding a file. Then, he asked with curiosity, ¡°What are you looking at?" ¡°Some research data," replied Luca heedlessly. The research data she was talking about could save lives. Luke replied, "Okay." Then, he lifted the nket and climbed into bed. He was not nning to sleep if Luca was still awake. He picked up the book on the bedside table and began reading. Luca did not avoid him either. Luke was smart, but he was unfamiliar with medical research. That was why she could read the data in front of him. Luca read the pile of data for a while until she was feeling sleepy. That was when she closed the file. Luke asked, ¡°Are you going to sleep?" ¡°Yes. I''m a little sleepy," replied Luca. She had already gotten used to him sleeping together with her. Luke had spent the night in Crawford Manor the day before yesterday. Hence, Luca tossed and turned on the bed the night before. It took her a long time to fall asleep. Luca gave all her sleeping pills to Tina as she had been able to sleep well recently. She did not make new pills either, so she had no choice but to endure a sleepless night. Old Master Crawford had spent the night herest night, so Luca did not let Luke sleep in the same bedroom as her. Hence, she did not get enough rest either. Luca had not been able to get a good sleep for two nights. She felt sleepy after reading the documents for a while. Luke put the book back. He waited for Luca to find afortable sleeping position, and only then did he turn off the lights in the bedroom. He said, ¡°Good night." Luca closed her eyes. After she waited for Luke to hold her in his arms habitually, she took a breath and rxed. When she was about to fall asleep, she heard Luke speaking, "I won''t be having dinner at home tomorrow night." "Okay." Luca did not question him where he would be going for dinner. He would naturally tell her if he wanted to. "Aren''t you going to ask me where I''m going?" Luke was unhappy to hear her giving such an indifferent response. He hugged her tighter. Luca had no choice but to ask, "Mr. Crawford, where will you be going?" "My mother called to invite me for dinner at her ce tomorrow night. I promised her I''d go tomorrow." Luke held her in his arms satisfyingly. He took in the scent of her body and enjoyed how soft her body was. Allison? Luca furrowed her brows with her eyes closed. Something bad would always happen whenever Allison''s name was mentioned. The name Allison Tanner was trouble. She was also a time bomb, a ticking bomb that would drag Luke along with her. Luca asked, "Will the kids be following you?" "They refuse to go," replied Luke. He pondered for a moment and told her what had happened on New Year''s Eve and New Year''s Day. Of course, Luke did not tell her that Sophian had worn a sexy nightgown to seduce him that night. Luca would get insanely jealous if he told her about it. However, she would think that she had no right to be jealous. Therefore, she would only keep it to herself. The less trouble the better. "So much happened in two days..." Although Luca was not there to see what had happened, she sounded helpless too. That exined why she could sense Old Master Crawford was in a good mood yesterday. How could he not be happy to escape from such a situation? It was just that Luke had yed chess and talked to Old Master Crawford most of the time yesterday. That was why he did not tell her what had happened. Then, Luca said, "I''ll look after the kids since they refuse to go to her ce." ¡°Okay." Luke hugged her, feeling satisfied. "Let''s sleep." "Okay. Good night, Mr. Crawford." ¡°Goodnight." The following day. Other than preparing meals for the kids, Luca spent most of the time apanying the kids. She yed games with them, read books, and watched them practice their calligraphy. In thete evening, she realized Luke was still sitting on the sofa when she came to the first floor. She was thinking of warming up the pot pies that she prepared during noon time for the kids. Luca nced at the clock on the wall and asked, ¡°Mr. Crawford, aren''t you going yet?" ¡°I''m not in a hurry." Luke was watching the evening news. ¡°I''m preparing some pot pies. Would you like to have some.." Luca knew Luke did not want to go to Allison''s ce. That was why he was taking his time. ¡°It''s alright. I have to go thereter," replied Luke. If he did not set off now, Allison would call him when she did not see him. Luke had to go today. Even if Allison set a trap for Luke, he still had to meet her. Otherwise, she would go to Crawford Manor and make a mess there. There would be groups of guests visiting the Crawford Manor now. Allison would be embarrassing the old master if she went back now. ¡°Okay, I''m going to prepare the pot pies first. Tommy''s hungry," replied Luca as she walked into the kitchen. ¡°Okay." Luke watched her walk into the kitchen and continued watching TV. After a few minutes, Luke''s phone rang. Luke picked up his phone. It was Allison who called. He slowly answered the call. Before he could say anything, Allison asked, ¡°Luke, are you on the way? You didn''t forget your promise, right?" ¡°I''m getting ready to set off now," replied Luke. Allison was dissatisfied, ¡°I can hear the sound of the news broadcast. Do you even know what time it is now? Why aren''t you on your way yet?" ¡°You can have dinner first if you think it''ste. You don''t have to wait for me." Luke picked up the remote control and turned off the TV. Allison paused for a moment. Then, she eventually spoke sheepishly, ¡°How can that be considered having dinner together? Fine. I''ll wait for you. Hurry up." Luke hung up the call, put on his coat, and headed out. Gale was waiting for him in the car outside the vi. He immediately got out of the car and opened the back door when he saw Luke walking out. Then, he said, ¡°Boss, you''re here." ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting," said Luke. He decided to head to Allison''s ce at ater time on a whim. However, when he had such a thought, Gale was already waiting outside the house. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. That was why Luke was not in time to inform Gale toeter. Luke was bringing Gale along with him to prevent Allison from scheming against him. No one would be able toy a finger on him with Gale by his side. ¡°Boss, why are you saying such things? I''ve just been waiting for a while. Come on, get in the car. Otherwise, the warm air will flow out of the car." Gale smiled and urged Luke to get into the car. Chapter 2419 "Okay." Luke bent down and got into the car. Gale closed the car door, quickly returned to the driver''s seat, and closed the door. After he fastened the seat belt, he asked, "Boss, are we still going there?" "Yes." Luke muted his phone. Judging from Allison''s personality, he would receive at least three to four calls from her while he was on his way to her vi. The more Allison behaved that way, the more suspicious she was. It would mean that she was up to something. "Wait for me outside the houseter. If I give you a call, juste in. You must take me away no matter what happens," said Luke. Gale was puzzled. Was he not going to Allison''s house? Why did he sound like he was going to some gangster''s hideaway? "Boss, what would happen to you? Isn''t that your mother?" Gale asked in a careful tone. Gale knew Luke was not on good terms with Allison, but no parent was capable of hurting their children. It was unlikely that Allison would harm Luke, right? "So?" Luke''s voice was a little cold. Gale was startled for a moment. Then, he kept silent. He drove Luke to Allison''s vi. In the meantime, Allison called Luke four times. When Luke arrived at her ce, he nced at the missed calls on his phone with deep eyes. "Boss, we''re here," said Gale. Luke pushed the door open. Gale said, "Boss, I''ll be waiting for you here. Remember to call me if anything happens." "The house uses a digital door lock. The passcode for the digital door lock is 553139. Just break into the house right away after I call you,"manded Luke. "Okay. I got it." Gale nodded. It was just a passcode. It would not be difficult for him. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Luke got out of the car. He did not press the doorbell. He keyed in the passcode and walked into the house right away. Allison was sitting in the living room. She nced at the phone and asked, "Why isn''t he here yet?" Sophian sat beside her. Although she was even more anxious than her, the expression on her face was calm. Sheforted Allison, saying, ¡°Ms. Allison, don''t worry. Mr. Crawford said he''lle, so he''ll come for sure." "How do you know him so well?" Allison turned to look at her. Her son was indeed a person who kept promises, but that was only to outsiders. There was still a chance that he would not keep the promises he made to her. Sophian smiled gently and said, "Isn''t Mr. Crawford a businessman? Businessmen always keep their promises." "He does keep his promises, but not to me... Sophian, you know how bad our rtionship is. I''m telling you, I''m only doing this to help you. If you seed, make sure you remember that I helped you before. Help me find a way to patch things up with him," said Allison. The reason she agreed to let Sophian seduce Luke was that she wanted to use this against Luke and manipte him. "Ms. Allison, don''t worry. If I be Mr. Crawford''s wife, you''ll be my mother-inw," Sophian smiled and assured her. What she wanted was not only as simple as bing Luke''s wife. If Sophian seeded in her first step, she would find a way to get pregnant with Luke''s child. Then, she would be Luke''s wife. Sophian had alreadye up with a n in her mind, and she knew what to do next. She mustered her courage and cheered for herself. Tonight would be an important night for her. Mnie hurried over and said in a low voice, "Madam, Young Master Luke is here. He''s at the door." Allison stood up in surprise and looked at the door. Sure enough, after half a minute, Luke walked in with snow on his shoulder. Allison immediately instructed Sophian, "Sophian, go and pour a cup of warm tea for Luke to warm him up." There was no expression on Luke''s face when he saw that Sophian was there too. It was as though nothing had happened between them that night. Sophian''s face reddened the moment she saw Luke''s tall figure. If she could cuddle with such a handsome man on the bed, how happy she would be. Sophian was suddenly jealous of Bianca. She could not help but mock her. It was stupid of her to leave such a good husband alone and travel abroad. However, her ignorance had given Sophian the chance to approach Luke. Since that was the case, Sophian thought she should thank Bianca for that. Sophian followed Allison''s instructions. She poured a cup of warm tea for Luke and handed i to him with some embarrassment. "Mr. Crawford, have some tea." Luke ignored the admiration Sophian showed on her face. He headed to the dining room and asked, "Aren''t we having dinner together?" Allison red at Sophian. She could not help but me her. If Sophian had not taken things into her hands previously, Luke would not be reacting this way now. Allison followed Luke into the dining room and said, "Yes, let''s have dinner. Serve the dishes." Sophian was dumbfounded as she remained rooted to the spot, still holding the cup of tea. She felt upset for getting ignored by Luke. Allison turned around to look at Sophian, who was spacing out, and urged her, "What are you doing there? Let''s go to the dining room for dinner." Sophian gave her a grateful smile. Fortunately, Allison was here to rescue her. Otherwise, it would be awkward... Sophian ced the cup of tea on the coffee table and kept up with them. In the dining room. Allison sat on the hostess'' seat while Luke and Sophian sat opposite each other. ¡°Mr. Crawford, why don''t you have some soup first? Ms. Allison spent three hours preparing this soup. It''s good for your health.¡± Even though Sophian''s feelings were hurt, she continued to curry favor with him. Luke looked down and said in a cold voice, "She never goes to the kitchen." Sophian paused for a moment while she was holding the bowl of soup. Luke knew Allison too well. Allison had never entered the kitchen, so how could she have prepared the soup? "Luke, the soup was prepared by me. Try some." Allison felt slightly aggrieved. Although Sophian did it out of kindness, her lie was exposed in a second. Allison could not help but feel awkward for her. "No, thank you. My body is heaty these days. I can''t drink too much soup." Luke took the te from Mnie who helped him with the food and began eating. Sophian had no choice but to put the bowl of soup in front of her. She made the soup for Luke. The soup was good for his health, but Sophian did not expect Luke to not ept it. Sophian could not help but feel disappointed. His body would be too heaty if he drank the soup. However, she was not nning to give up like that. After all, tonight would be the night she slept with Luke. Allison was smoothing things over. It did not matter if Luke drank the soup or not. The soup would not have any effects on him either. "Drink some wine since you''re not taking the soup. I''ve just decanted a bottle of red wine. Bring it here," Allison instructed Mnie. The bottle of red wine was the secret weapon. Even Mnie had no idea that Sophian had already secretly made some preparations. "Yes. How could we not drink some red wine during the New Year?" Sophian received the hint and put the three wine sses beside her in front of the three of them. "I''m not drinking it. I''ll have to go hometer," Luke rejected. "You didn''t drive here yourself. Even if you did drive here, there''s nothing wrong with spending a night here, right?" Allison insisted Luke drink some wine. She took the bottle of wine from Mnie and said, "It''s the New Year. Enjoy a ss of wine with me since you''re already here having dinner with me." Chapter 2420 ¡°Ms. Allison, let me pour the wine for you," said Sophian excitedly. The negative feelings from being ignored by Luke turned into excitement. She took the bottle of red wine from Allison and poured wine into the three wine sses. Luke frowned when he saw the dark red color liquid flowing into the ss. Then, he turned to look at Allison. Allison had already picked up the ss and was ready to make a toast with him. "Son, cheers. It''s been a long time since I had dinner with you. Stop turning me down." Luke had no choice but to pick up his wine ss and toast with her. Allison took a sip of the red wine and noticed that Luke had not drunk any of it. Then, she convinced him, "Luke, why aren''t you drinking it?" Luke had no choice but to take a sip of the wine. Allison smiled and said, "What''s wrong with youtely? You only took a small sip of the wine. I knew I did many things that made you hate me back then, but I truly want to patch things up with you now. It wasn''t easy for me to raise you and survive in the Crawford family. You should be understanding and forgive me. It was my first time bing a mother too. Let me raise my ss as an apology for everything I''ve done wrong in the past. I hope you can stay healthy and happy for the rest of your life." Allison pretended to drink the wine in her ss, showing remorse and regret. Sophian could not help but be impressed with her. Allison did not even feel sorry at all. After spending time with her for some time, Sophian knew Allison only remembered everything the others had done to her. It was impressive for her to be able to express regret even though she did not truly feel that way... Sophian looked at the wine in Luke''s ss. She had taken a few sips of the wine too, and she could not help but secretly hope that Luke could drink more of it.. Allison noticed that Luke was frowning and did not intend to drink the wine. She wondered if she had made a big deal out of it that Luke now refused to believe in her. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. She pretended to be in distress and said, "Luke, I''m going to Seoul after the New Year for the surgery. If I''m lucky enough, I cane back with my face recovered. I''ll appreciate the chance given to me this time. I promise to be a good mother and a nice grandmother. If it fails." Allison hesitated. Sophian immediately continued, "Ms. Allison, don''t worry. The surgery will be a sess." Allison deliberately shook her head and turned to look at Luke. "I''ve said so many things. Why can''t you forgive me? I made many mistakes in the past, but I need a chance to make things up to you. I''ll apologize to everyone I''ve hurt after my face recovers. Is that okay, Luke?" Luke did not answer her. He refused to believe a word that Allison said. It was ear-piercing to listen to such insincere words... Luke drank a mouthful of wine impatiently. Although Allison did not get his reply, she got what she wanted. There were no drugs added to the wine, but Sophian had done something to the wine ss. She had sprinkled some transparent powder in the ss. Both men and women would be enamored after taking the powder. Allison took another sip of the wine. That was all she could do to help, and she would leave the rest to Sophian. If Sophian could not even deal with Luke, who had been drugged, Allison would consider her a worthless person. Sophian could not help but feel thrilled when she watched Luke swallowing the wine. She had seeded, and she would be Luke''s woman tonight! Luke put down the ss of wine and ate even faster. Allison noticed that Luke was only eating the pasta. She picked up the serving spoon and helped him with the grilled chicken. "Luke, have some grilled chicken. Don''t just eat the pasta." Luke put the grilled chicken aside and frowned, "I don''t like grilled chicken." Allison was surprised and tried to convince Luke to eat more, "You''re always working so hard. You have to eat something else apart from just pasta." Luke remained silent. Sophian diffused the awkward situation and tried to show how virtuous she was in front of Luke. "Ms. Allison, perhaps the food I prepared doesn''t suit Mr. Crawford''s taste.." Luke did not respond. He ced his te on the table. He had already finished the pasta. "I''m done. Enjoy your dinner." Luke was about to stand up as he said that. Allison noticed that Luke was about to leave and immediately said, "Luke, you''re going back now?" "I''ve had dinner. Is there anything else?" Luke frowned. He could feel a burning sensation in his body. Was it because of the red wine? It had been some time since he drank wine. He reckoned that his body might not have gotten used to it. Sophian quickly put down her cutleries. Although the drug had instant effects, they would need another 10 minutes to reap its full effects. Then, she said, "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Allison prepared some fruits for you." "I hate eating fruits." Luke gave Allison a stern look. The two of them were trying to make him stay. "You know that." ¡°Yes. I know you hate fruits, but I want you to stay for a while more." Allison furrowed her brows, pretending to be upset. She had no idea that the expression on her face made her look ugly as hell. "You invited me over for dinner, and I''ve already finished eating dinner. You''d better not head to Crawford Manor. Otherwise, you won''t get the chance to travel to Seoul if you cause any trouble," said Luke. Luke had noted down every penny he spent on Allison. Allison was penniless when she came out of prison. Luke was the one who paid for her expenses. Hence, Allison had no savings now after spending all the money. It would be toote if Allison pissed him off when she wanted to return to Seoul for the surgery. Allison was bbergasted. She suddenly thought that she might be doomed for helping Sophian. However, Luke had already drunk that ss of wine. There was no turning back for her. "Luke, I just want to patch things up with you. I don''t mean to..." Allison wiped the tears she squeezed out at the corner of her eyes. She could not lose her only financial support! Allison pretending to y the victim did not arouse Luke''s sympathy for her. Luke rose to his feet. Suddenly, a hot sh spread throughout his brain. He fell back into the chair as his legs felt weak. Sophian was delighted to see the drug working on him. Luke had lost his strength now. He would pounce on her like a hungry wolf anytime soon. Sophian and Allison exchanged nces with each other. Sophian immediately asked, "Mr. Crawford, are you drunk? Why don''t I help you to the bedroom to get some rest?" Sophian came forward to help Luke up. The warning bell in Luke''s mind was ringing loudly. He used up all the strength left in him and pushed Sophian away from him, "Go away!" "Ah!" Sophian did not expect Luke to still have the strength to resist her. She stepped back to find her bnce back. "Mr. Crawford, you''re drunk.." Sophian said in an aggrieved manner. Men loved pitiful and fragile women. Luke was not an exception, right? Luke glowered at her and asked, "Did you add something to the wine?" Alcohol was the only liquid that could quickly dissolve various types of drugs. That was why Luke was sure something was wrong with the wine instead of the food. Chapter 2421 Allison pretended to be surprised and said, "Luke, what nonsense are you talking about? Nothing was added to the wine. It''s fine. I think you''re just drunk. Sophian, help him to the bedroom. Let him spend the night here." Sophian nodded. However, Luke was looking daggers at her when she was about to step forward. Sophian was so frightened that she remained rooted to the spot. Allison was rendered speechless when she saw that, and she urged Sophian, ¡°What are you doing there? Can''t you see that my son is feeling ufortable? Help him up and bring him to the room.¡± "Okay." Sophian mustered her courage and came near Luke. She thought there was no need to be afraid of him after tonight. Luke took his phone out and stared at Sophian with his icy cold gaze while she came closer to him. Then, he said, "I''ll kill you if youe near me." "Mr. Crawford..." Sophian was horrified. Although they were living under the rule ofw, Luke''s gaze was terrifying. His gaze was like a knife. It was so sharp that it could slit the carotid artery in her throat. Allison sneered. She did not expect Luke to have such strong willpower. It seemed like Luke truly hated Sophian. Otherwise, how would he be able to stop Sophian approaching him while under the influence of the aphrodisiac? "Useless. You, go help him." Allison turned to look at Mnie beside her. Mnie was overwhelmed with astonishment upon seeing Luke in such a state. It was obvious that Luke had been drugged. As for what kind of drug Luke had been given, Mnie was not sure about it. However, she was sure that it was Allison who drugged Luke. A mother drugging her son. How ridiculous! "Madam, I''m sorry. I dare not. Young Master Luke looks awful. Why don''t we call the ambnce.." Mnie replied in a shaking voice. Allison red at her and said, "Ambnce? Are you trying to bring bad luck to me during the New Year? He''s drunk. I''m the owner of this house. Help him go upstairs." Luke stared at Allison with his reddened eyes. He had already called Gale''s phone number. Although he did not say anything, Gale had heard their conversation. Luke believed that he would be coming to save him soon. Mnie submissively walked toward Luke and said in a low voice, ¡°Young Master Luke, it wasn''t me. I''m sorry..." An ominous dark cloud shadowed Luke''s eyes when he heard Mnie being in such a hurry to rify that she had nothing to do with this. She was just a maid who was sent here from Crawford Manor. She would not have the guts to set him up. "Why are you dawdling there? Hurry up." Allison was worried something might change her n when she saw Luke slumped on the chair without struggling. Even though Allison knew Luke hated Sophian, she insisted on carrying out the n. Luke was not the kind of person who would be irresponsible for what he had done. Allison had asked Sophian if she had slept with anyone before. Sophian had never slept with anyone else to keep herself pure. Hence, once Luke found out about it, he would certainly be responsible for Sophian. It would be toote to change anything by then. Luke would have to take responsibility for her and take care of her! N?velDrama.Org content rights. Mnie trembled with fear while she walked toward Luke and helped him up. "Young Master Luke, I''m sorry. Please don''t me me after you''re sober." Luke looked down. The moment Mnie helped him up, his gaze was sharp and intense. Sophian took a step back as she was horrified. The drug''s effects had kicked in now. Luke should be weak now, and there should be lust burning in his eyes. However, Luke''s gaze was clear and sharp at this moment. If his stare could kill someone, she would have died a million times for being stared at like that. Mnie made strenuous efforts to help Luke up, and when they were about to walk to the living room, Gale broke into the house. Mnie was shocked. "Who are you? How did youe in?!" "I''m Boss'' bodyguard. Give him to me." Gale figured out what was going on when he saw Luke lean against the maid weakly. It was as expected. Allison was trying to set Luke up. "Madam! Madam! Someone broke into the house!" Mnie did not know who the man in front of her was. She dared not to let the man take Luke away. Hence, she called Allison for help. Allison initially thought of scolding Sophian when she heard her. She immediately dashed out of the dining room and saw that Gale was already carrying Luke. She frowned and asked, "Who are you?" "I''m Gale, his bodyguard. I''m taking him away now. Do you have a problem with it?" Gale spoke arrogantly. It rang a bell when Allison heard Gale''s name, but she had never met him before. She clenched her fists and said, "This is Luke''s house. Where are you taking him?" "Boss told me that this isn''t his home. I''m just following his orders. Ms. Allison, I''m taking him away first." Gale smirked. He was about to carry Luke and head out. "His orders? He''s feeling ufortable now. I order you to leave him here. Otherwise, I''m calling the police!" Allison threatened him. She did not expect Luke to have made such arrangements in advance. Her ne would be ruined if Gale took Luke away. However, there was no way Allison could fight the man in front of her. "It''s up to you." Gale was not afraid of her. He nced at Luke and sensed that his boss had already reached his limits. They could not stay here any longer. Then, he said, "Do exin to the police officers what kind of drug you gave Boss and who''s the one who drugged him when you call them." Mnie was afraid that she would be suspected. She quickly exined, "It wasn''t me. I didn''t do anything!" Gale smirked as his gaze fell on Allison. Sophian, the woman who stood behind her, was trembling in fear. "Just wait for it. Boss wille looking for you when he''s sober." After that, he supported Luke on his shoulder and left. Allison turned around and realized Sophian was shaking. She could not help but scold her, "What the hell are you doing here? Someone''s taking him away. Why aren''t you going to take him back?" Sophian was too afraid to cry and said, "Ms. Allison, I can''t fight that man..." "You piece of sh*t!" Allison chided. She walked to the window and watched Gale support Luke on his shoulder and leave. There was no way Gale coulde in without someone telling him the passcode earlier. Hence, the only exnation that would make sense was Luke had told him the passcode earlier, and that was why he coulde in. She did not expect Luke toe prepared. Allison gritted her teeth with anger. She had said so much to please him but in the end, it was for nothing! She was burning with resentment! Gale helped Luke to get into the car after he carried Luke and left the vi in a hurry. He was worried that Luke would do something reckless due to the drug''s effects. Hence, he helped Luke to fasten his seatbelt. "Boss, hang in there. I''m sending you to the hospital now," said Gale. "Don''t go to the hospital.." Although Luke was weak, he was still conscious. "Boss, you have to go to the hospital.." "I know what''s wrong with me.." It took Luke a lot of effort to say it to him. The burning sensation in his body had used up all his strength. All he had in mind now was to hold Luca in his arms and make her his woman. Perhaps, this was the chance he had been waiting for. "Boss.." Gale was sitting in the driver''s seat. He turned around to check on Luke. Luke''s cheeks were flushed red. Gale instantly knew what was wrong with him. "Send me back.." Luke instructed. Chapter 2422 Gale clenched his teeth and said, ¡°Boss, hang in there." Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Then, he hit the elerator and sped off. In the vi. Allison watched Gale drive off with Luke in the car through the security camera. She gritted her teeth in anger and stared angrily at Sophian. Sophian was frightened. Allison was looking as though she wanted to devour her. A chill went down her spine, and she could not help but shudder for a moment. Then, she said in a soft voice, "Ms. Allison¡ª" "Shut up!" Allison interrupted her menacingly, "If it weren''t for you dawdling there, how could Gale have brought him away?" If Sophian had mustered her courage and brought Luke upstairs, Allison would have had a way to stop Gale. They would not have ended up with Luke being taken away by someone else when they were carrying out their n. "Mr. Crawford was so frightening. I was scared..." Sophian quibbled for her cowardice with embarrassment. It was normal for her to feel frightened when Luke stared at her like he would skin her alive. After all, she had nevere into contact with someone like him. "He was almost yours, yet you were still afraid of him. Great. Our mission has failed. He''ll never believe in me again. He won''t trust you either," Allison spoke without hesitation since the maid was not around. Sophian almost cried after getting scolded by her. She replied, "Didn''t the maid dy things too. Ms. Allison, please stop ming me." "Does the maid have anything to do with yourck of courage? Besides, is she the one who wants to sleep with him or you?" Allison was harsh. Sophian had always been putting all her eggs in one basket. It ended up aplete failure now. She had no idea what Luke would do to her when he sobered up. Allison became restless at the thought of this. She warned Sophian, "I told you that you had to bear the responsibility if you failed this time. Don''t drag me into this." "Ms. Allison, I." Sophian was afraid. She was worried Luke would take revenge. Sophian would be staying here for a few more days. Luke would have enough time to take revenge on her. ¡°Stop that. You promised me after I said that to you. That''s how things ended up now. Plus, the security camera recorded the moment you sprinkled the powder into the wine ss. That''ll be the evidence. I can still prove my innocence to him. You''ll only be safe if I''m fine," said Allison. Sophian remembered that she had to depend on Allison to return to Seoul. She had to make sure nothing happened to her. Hence, she nodded and agreed with Allison. "Okay. Ms. Allison. If Mr. Crawfordes after us, just tell him that it was my idea." "It''ll be best if you say that. If something happens to me, you won''t be able to get away with it either." Allison turned off theputer screen of the security camera. Then, she turned around and left. Sophian looked at Allison from behind. She felt like crying. She was so close to getting Luke, but she was frightened by his piercing stare. She had gotten herself in trouble now, and she lost. Besides, Allison was shifting all the responsibility to her. Sophian had no idea what she would have to face tomorrow... Perhaps Allison would sacrifice her to save herself. She would be left with no choice at that time. Gale was flying down the highway. The driving skills he had been practicing came in handy now. He drove his way past the cars without concern about the situation of the road and the cars on the road. He cut lines and overtook the other cars right away. It was because the man in the car seemed to be on the verge of breaking down. Gale noticed that Luke''s face was red. If Luke did not soak himself in water or take the antidote now, his organs might not be able to take it. "Urgh." Luke groaned in pain. He clenched his fists, trying to control himself from unfastening the seat belt and thinking of Gale as a woman. Gale shivered. He had seen such drugs on the Ind of Despair. They were given to the women. Those women would submit to the men after taking the drugs. Then, they would be forced to be the ves of the Ind of Despair. "Boss, hang in there. We''re almost there. Besides, I''m a man," said Gale. "Shut up!" Luke used up all his strength and scolded him. The burning desire in his body made him uncontrobly twist his body. Luca, Luca. Every cell in his body was thirsty for Luca''s body. "Boss, are you going there like this?" Gale asked. It was not toote yet. The kids might be frightened to see him in such a state. "I''ll pretend. as if nothing happened." replied Luke. Gale bit his lip. Would Luke be able to act as if nothing had happened? This kind of drug had strong effects. Gale could say that he was drunk if he did not do anything to Luca. He was afraid that Luke would lose control the moment he touched Luca. Then, he would make some gestures. The kids would be confused if they saw him doing that. It would be a bad influence on the kids. Luke had the same thing on his mind as Gale. He could endure it for a short while, but he would not be able tost long. Besides, the night was still young. Even if Luca was willing to help him, the kids were there... ¡°Take the kids with you. Let them spend the night at your ce." Luke''s strength wasing back, but the desire in his body was not gone yet. That was the scariest thing about the drug. He needed Luca. Gale pondered for a moment. The three kids were good and obedient, and they would not cause any trouble. Hence, he agreed to it, "Okay, Boss. We''ll be arriving in five minutes. Hang in there." The car was moving fast on the road. They arrived at the vi''s entrance four minutester. Gale got out of the car first. He entered the passcode and drove the car into thepound. He had already informed Luca while they were on the way back so that she would be prepared for this. The moment the car came to a halt, Luca hurried over with a gloomy face. She pulled the car door open and saw Luke in such a state. Her face turned darker as she asked, "He''s been drugged?" "Yes, Dr. Craw. Please find a way to save him," Gale replied anxiously. He bent down and unfastened Luke''s seat belt. Then, Gale and Luca helped Luke up. "Boss, can you walk yourself?" Gale asked. It was difficult for him and Luca to help him walk. Gale was nning to carry Luke on his shoulder and take him to the bedroom right away if he could not walk. "Luca.." Luke did not answer his question. He opened his eyes and stared at Luca with his face red. "Mr. Crawford, I''m here. It''s cold out here. Let''s go into the house first." Luca held onto his waist to help him up. Gale did not help him to put on the coat when he sent him back. Luke was only wearing twoyers of clothes on him. He would catch a cold if he stood outside in the cold. Luca turned to look at Gale. Gale took the hint and said helplessly, "Boss has been calling your name since we got into the car just now." Chapter 2423 He called out her name the entire drive here. Luca''s face turned red upon hearing that. Luke was wide awake, but he used the drug as an excuse to hug Luca like a roon and bury his face in her neck. Then, he repeated softly, "Luca..." Luca was not wearing a scarf, so she could feel his hot breath as he exhaled directly on her neck. Luke had ced his entire weight on her body. Luca could not hold him up much longer, so she looked at Gale and said, "Carry Mr. Crawford inside." Gale nodded, and when he was about to pull Luke away from clinging to Luca, he heard his objection. "Just support me." "Boss.." Gale was speechless. Did he fake his loss of self-control just now? Doing this in an open-air garden in the middle of winter was not a good idea. The drug may have raised his body temperature, but he and Luca were freezing right now. "Prop me up." Luke said with his eyes closed. The kids were in the living room, so he did not want to embarrass himself by letting Gale carry him. "Okay." Gale nodded and looked toward Luca as he needed extra help to support him. Luca nodded after receiving a look from Gale and was ready to help him, but Luke stopped her. "Just let Gale do it," he said. She had a light fragrance that was usually faintly discernible. Only when he went up close would he be able to smell her addictive fragrance. However, after being stimted by the drug, his sense of smell had been amplified by a hundred times. If she came close, her charming scent would repeatedly attack his sensory nerves. Luke felt like he would not be able to hold it in if she came any closer. Luca was stunned, and she just nodded. Gale had no choice but to strenuously support Luke. It was a good thing he was consistently working out, so he was able to persevere despite it being hard. Luca followed behind them to help support Luke, just in case Gale could no longer hold him up. Besides, Luke was in a state where every muscle of his body was weak. The three of them walked into the living room while the three children stood by the couch and looked at them in unison. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°Daddy, are you okay?" Rainie looked at Luke worriedly as she felt like something was off. Luke did not say a word. Gale exined, "Boss is drunk because he had too much to drink." Tommy wondered, "Is Daddy that bad at drinking? And didn''t he go to Grandma''s house for dinner? Why did he drink?" Gale sighed internally as they undoubtedly shared the same genes as Luke. Although they were kids, they were not easy to fool. Luca went forward and exined, "It''smon for adults to drink among ourselves during the New Year." After finishing, she looked toward Gale. "Mr. Gale, please send Mr. Crawford upstairs." "Alright." Gale nodded and helped Luke upstairs. Although Luke''s mind and body were being controlled by the drug, he still gripped the handrail tightly as he took the first step of the stairs. Luca was relieved to see that he was still somewhat conscious. Otherwise, Gale would have to carry him up. The three children looked at Luke worriedly. "Is Daddy going to be okay?" Tommy said out of concern. "Ms. Luca is here, so he''ll be fine..." Rainie replied. In her eyes, Luca''s medical skills were miraculous, so anything was possible. Luca turned to look at them after hearing their words and said, "I''ll go up to take a look. You all be good and stay in the living room." "Ms. Luca, don''t worry. I''ll look after my younger siblings." Lanie, who had not said a word since just now, suddenly spoke. Luca nodded. He was the most mature and understanding of the three children. She walked upstairs quickly. Gale had already ced Luke on the bed in her bedroom. "Dr. Craw, look at him. Boss seems to be suffering. Why don''t you help him?" He dared not be overly straightforward as he did not want to embarrass her. "I''ll figure it out. By the way, was he drugged by someone there?" Although Luca already knew the answer, she still wanted to make sure so as not to wrongfully use the innocent. Gale nodded and nced at Luke, who was tossing and turning restlessly in bed. If Luca would not help him, he might have to give him an ice bath. Taking an ice-cold bath in the middle of winter was going to be the death of him. "How could his mother drug him? Not to mention with this kind of drug." Luca could hardly believe it. ¡°There was also another woman. She probably did it to help the woman, but I''m not sure who she is. Dr. Craw, I think it''s better for you to ask the boss yourself." Gale dared not guess the woman''s identity. "Boss expected that something bad would happen, which was why he asked me to drive him there. He also asked me to take the kids home for Rain to take care of them for the night and bring them back tomorrow as he doesn''t want to leave a bad impression on the children." When the drug kicked in, it would indeed leave a bad impression on the children... Luca did not know if she had a way of eliminating the effects of the drug. Thest resort would be to be his woman once again. If the children were there, it would affect them badly. "Okay, sorry for the trouble." Luca nodded. "Then, I''ll go downstairs to tell the kids that Boss is having a hard time and that you''ll have to help him because he refuses to go to the hospital. You can keep an eye on him." He was going to take the children away. Luke knew that Gale was leaving and could no longer restrain himself, so he reached to undo his clothes. Luca bit the bullet and walked in as she closed the door behind her. "Mr. Crawford, I''ll go and fill the tub for you. You''ll feel better after a bath," she said as she walked toward the bathroom. Luca was not opposed to bing Luke''s woman as she was once his woman anyway. It was just that the more memories they had, the harder it would be for her to leave at the end. "Luca, are you trying to kill me?" Luke had already undone his shirt, revealing his well-defined chest. "Mr. Crawford.." Luca walked to the bedside, and before she could sit down, his hand pulled her toward him. "Ah!" She cried out as she fell directly on top of Luke. There was a powerful impact on Luke''s chest, and he muffled a grunt before begging her, "Help me, Luca. Help me." "Mr. Crawford, we can''t." Luca looked at the dark look in his eyes and wailed internally. Was she going to go so far? If it happened once, it could happen again. "I beg you, I''m suffering. Just like the old times. That''s all I need.." Luke held her tightly. "I.." Luca took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She had long said yes in her heart, but her mind was still racing. When she heard a muffled grunt, she opened her eyes with trembling eyshes. "Okay.." Chapter 2424 Two hourster, the room quieted down. Luca closed her eyes and leaned against Luke''s chest. Allison drugged him so hard that she had to sacrifice herself in the end. The scent of their breaths intertwined and made Luca''s heart flutter uncontrobly as she had be his woman once again. "Luca..." Luke wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly like he wanted to be one with her body. "Mhm," she answered dreamily. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Luke hugged her close without saying a word. This hug was more real than a thousand-word-long profession of love. The next day. Gale sent the three children back to the mansion. Luca was preparing breakfast, and when she saw that Gale had brought the children back. She walked out in her apron to wee them. "Mr. Gale, have you had breakfast yet?" Gale shook his head with a smile and looked at Luke. "Boss, I did what you ordered me to do." "Okay." Luke closed the newspaper. He was a man of few words as usual, but he was in a good mood today. Gale also sensed it, so he looked at Luca. It seemed like the boss got what he wantedst night. He finally got to hold his woman to sleep. Luca''s face turned red from Gale''s gaze, but she invited him in, "Mr. Gale, I was just about to make breakfast. Why don''t you stay and have some?" "Sure, I want to try Dr. Craw''s cooking too." Gale immediately agreed without checking Luke''s expression. He had long heard that Luca''s cooking skills were superb. Plus, he had helped Luke a great deal yesterday. He even snatched him away from another woman''s hands and brought him home safely. Not to mention, he also helped preserve Luke''s chastity. Hence, having a meal at their ce should not be a problem. Luke did not voice his opinion, so Luca turned around and walked back to the kitchen to make breakfast. Upon seeing that, Lanie weed him. ¡°Uncle Gale, have a seat." ¡°Okay." Gale happily sat down on the chair. Tommy went beside Luke and said with concern, ¡°Daddy, do you feel better now?" Luke reached out with his big palm and pat his head, ¡°I''m okay now." ¡°Ms. Luca is the best. Uncle Gale was right. Daddy will be fine as long as Ms. Luca is around," Tommy recalled what Gale said yesterday and repeated it out loud. ¡°Tommy..." Although he was not wrong, Tommy had betrayed him. Luke gave Gale a death stare. Tommy said with an innocent look, ¡°Uncle Gale, isn''t that what you said? You were praising Ms. Luca. You even said that she''s as good as a firefighter!" Gale facepalmed himself in regret. He should not have said such things when the kids were worried about Luke, and he should not have stayed for breakfast. Tommy was a traitor to his own teammate. ¡°You said such things to the children?" Luke frowned as the kids were still young, so they would not be able to understand the meaning behind those words. However, adults would be able to understand. He was being a bad influence on the kids! What if curiosity got the better of them and they looked it up on the inte? ¡°Boss, I was just giving an example.." Gale tried to exin with a guilty look on his face. ¡°Although your vocabry is limited, you shouldn''t say such things." Luke held Tommy on the sofa and thought to himself to not let the kidse in contact with someone as unreliable as Gale that often from now on. ¡°Boss, Tommy''s questions rendered me speechless. That''s why I said that." Tommy listened to Luke lecturing Gale and said confusedly, ¡°Daddy, what''s wrong? Firefighters are awesome. Uncle Gale was just saying how great Ms. Luca''s skills are!" ¡°Yeah." Luke gave Gale a warning look. Gale shut his mouth after that. He could not say anything, nor should he say anything. Luca was not aware of what went down in the living room. After preparing breakfast and serving it on the table, she made her way to the living room and said to them, ¡°Breakfast is ready." When it came to food, Tommy would always be the first to hop off the sofa. He pped his hands together and said, ¡°Finally, I can have breakfast. What are we having today, Ms. Luca?" ¡°You''ll know it when you see it." Luca was all smiles. Her body was sore and tired, but making breakfast for her loved ones was something to be happy about. She looked at Gale and said, ¡°Mr. Gale, breakfast is ready." Gale jumped up as he was too embarrassed to stay for breakfast after Luke gave him a death stare when Tommy exposed him, so he said, ¡°Sorry, Dr. Craw. I''d better go, Rain is looking for me." ¡°Mr. Gale, breakfast won''t take long. Plus, I prepared your portion too. It''ll be a waste if you don''t eat it." Luca found it odd that Gale wanted to leave in a hurry, so she thought that it must have something to do with Luke. With that in mind, she nced at Luke. Luke stood up and looked at Gale. ¡°Breakfast won''t hold you up for long." Gale only felt chills down his spine, and it urred to him that Luke would not do anything to him with Luca around. Hence, he said with a smile, ¡°Alright, I''ll try Dr. Craw''s cooking, then." The few of them entered the dining room. On the dining table were six steaming hot bowls of macaroni. There was not much macaroni in each of the bowls because there were also meatballs, bread, and egg. Luca walked into the kitchen and brought out the milk. ¡°Since both of you aren''t going to work, I didn''t prepare any coffee. Is that okay?" she asked. ¡°It''s fine," said Luke. He loved any food or drink that Luca made. ¡°The macaroni smells great, Dr. Craw. what macaroni is this?" Gale asked while seated on the chair. ¡°Just in macaroni. I added some butter in it to make it taste better," Luca exined. ¡°I see. I''ll be helping myself, then." Gale picked up the utensils and took a bite. Then, his eyes lit up when he tasted the food. It was absolutely scrumptious! ¡°It''s delicious!" Tommy picked up a piece of bread and ate it together with the macaroni. After hearing Gale''s words, he said, ¡°Uncle Gale, everything Ms. Luca makes is delicious. The bread and meatballs are delicious too." ¡°Dr. Craw, your cooking is amazing. I should bring Rain over here sometime to learn from you," said Gale as Luca''s cooking was like heaven whereas Rain''s cooking was even more horrifying than hell. ¡°Boss, why don''t you force Rain to learn how to cook from Luca? Her cooking will be the death of me." ¡°Those hands of hers aren''t meant for cooking in the first ce." Luke reached out to grab a piece of bread and handed it to Luca. ¡°You''ve got a point..." Gale nodded as Rain was indeed not suited for the role of a housewife, but she just so happened to have fallen in love with cooking recently. ¡°Then, tell her not to enter the kitchen!" Chapter 2425 ¡°I can''t do anything about it." Luke''s expression was dull, indicating that he could not care less about Rain''s hobbies. She was doing it for fun after work, and it would not affect her efficiency at work at all. Gale grimaced. Comparison was indeed the thief of joy. Both were women, yet Luca made delicious food, whereas Rain''s cooking would require him to get gastricvage. The point was that every time Rain cooked, she would let him try first, and he would get a punch in the face if he refused. He had to be a gentleman, so he had no choice but to eat those unappetizing dishes after taking a beating. Gale felt bitter. If not for the fact that he had known Rain for so many years and she had never tried to hurt him, he would suspect that Rain was trying to poison him. "Boss..." Gale looked at him pitifully. Rain obeyed Luke the most. If he asked her not to cook, she would listen to him. "You have your own house. If you don''t want to be treated as ab rat by Rain, you can move back home." Luke took a bite of macaroni and thought about how lucky he was. Luca made amazing food that not just anyone had the chance to try. "Boss, we were in the same squad on the ind, so we''re used to being together. She lives on the third floor and I live on the second, so we don''t disturb each other. It''s more convenient when we''re working as well," said Gale. Luke had given them a mansion each, but all this while, he had been living at Rain''s ce. "Your mansion is right next door." Luke coldly looked up, then gave Luca another piece of bread. "Thank you." Luca ate the bread while listening to their conversation. "Fine. It looks like I have to deal with it myself. After this meal, I have to go prepare some more Pepto- Bismol and Smecta." Gale pouted. Luca smiled after his statement. Rain was never interested in cooking. Why had she suddenly taken interest in it? Perhaps. She looked at Gale, then at Luke. Men were careless, and only women know each other the best. Rain must have developed feelings for someone. Otherwise, why would she suddenly experiment with cooking? Women learned how to cook to make a meal for the man they loved most. Who did Rain want to cook for? After eating, the children left the dining room. Without the children around, Luke slowly opened his mouth to ask, ¡°Did you investigate the matter I asked you to yesterday?" Gale looked at him and put on a puzzled face on purpose. "Boss, who did you ask me to investigate?" "Do you want to eat Rain''s food every day?" Luke asked with a sullen face. If he gave Rain less work, she would have more time to cook. Gale hurriedly shook his head and picked up his phone to send the information he had found to Luke. "Boss, although you didn''t order me to, I knew what to do. This is Sophian Thomas'' information." After confirming that the message had been sessfully sent, Gale put down his phone and continued eating breakfast. Sophian? Luca was puzzled. That was the woman in Allison''s residence? Luke looked through the information. There was nothing that stood out, so he frowned and said, "That''s it?" "Boss, not everyone who approaches you and Ms. Tanneres from a strong background. That woman is just an ordinary person who wishes to be rich overnight. Of course, as to why Ms. Tanner would cooperate with her, you''ll have to ask her that yourself..." said Gale. Sophian was just an average woman. If not for stic surgery, no one would even notice her walking in the street. She would just be a normal passerby. If she had not gone to Korea for stic surgery, no one would do a double-take at her. Luke pursed his lips. They raised Luca''s curiosity. Who was Sophian? What identity did she have that made Allison support her? The women that Allison introduced to Luke before were either born with silver spoons or children of the political elite. If Sophian was as average as they said and led an ordinary life, why would Allison do that? Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. If things did not go ording to their n, she would be implicated too. "Take a look." Luke handed the phone to Luca for her to see Sophian''s profile. "Okay." Luca took the phone and roughly looked through Sophian''s information. Gale was really something. He dug up photos of Sophian before her stic surgery and even put together before and after photos, which showed a stark contrast. He showed her no mercy. Luca calmly handed the phone back to Luke. "Ms. Tanner must have something else in mind for her to do that." She spected that Allison wanted to use this woman to control Luke. However, she was doomed to fail. Luke was not a yboy who would be with just any woman, and he would not easily be controlled by a woman either... Even Luca was aware of this fact, but as his mother, Allison knew nothing. She guessed that the mother and son had grown further apart these few years, so Allison did not understand Luke. Luke took the phone back and saw that Luca was calm without any sign of jealousy. He said, ¡°After breakfast, why don''t you follow me there?" "There?" Luca looked at him in surprise. He was looking at her when he spoke, so he obviously said it to her. Luke nodded. "Yes." "Mr. Crawford, I don''t think it''s appropriate for me to go." Luca was hesitant as she disliked Allison. She used to be respectful toward Allison as she was Luke''s mother. However, she refused to face Allison now because of her bad personality. "There''s nothing inappropriate about it. I just want an exnation," said Luke. Gale could not help but ask, "Boss, what if she won''t admit that it has something to do with her?" Luke frowned as it was also a possibility. Allison loved running away from her responsibilities, after all. Luke said coldly, "If she won''t admit it, she''ll have to suffer the consequences." Luca wanted to stay something but stopped. Suffer the consequences? What was Luke going to do? Gale said, "But she''s your mother. You can''t take revenge on her..." Luke looked at him. "You, follow me there too." "Me? What for?" Gale pointed at himself with a stunned expression as he was not interested in getting involved in a family war. "You''re a witness, so you''reing with me." Luke finished thest of his macaroni and pulled out a tissue to wipe his mouth elegantly. Gale frowned and said, " Boss, can I not go?" "No." Luke rejected him coolly. Chapter 2426 Luca furrowed her brows as she was not the only one who was not willing to go. Gale refused to go as well. ¡°Mr. Crawford, if all of us go, what about the children at home?" she asked. There would be many guests at Crawford Manor as it was the new year, so Luke would not send the kids there. He had a hard time convincing those people not to visit his ce, so he would not send the children back there to suffer. "Don''t worry, Aunt Neile wille over to workter," said Luke. "Aunt Neile? Isn''t sheing back to work next week?" Luca was surprised. "Her son and daughter-inw took their children on a trip but she didn''t go as she was tired, so she said she cane work anytime," said Luke. He had arranged for Aunt Neile toe back to work this morning. Either way, he would still have to make a trip to Allison''s ce. "In that case..." Luca knew that she had no more excuses to stay at home. The children had someone to watch over them, and no one could change Luke''s mind once he had made up his mind. However, Luke was bringing her to face Allison. Luca sighed internally. Half an hourter, Aunt Neile showed up at the mansion on time. The three children were taken by surprise, and they went up to her to wish her a happy new year while Aunt Neile smiled from ear to ear. Luca had put on her coat and was looking at Aunt Neile in the living room. She did not know how long it would take for Luke to settle everything, so she informed her, "Aunt Neile, there are still some leftover groceries in the fridge, so you don''t need to go to the supermarket." "Okay, Ms. Craw. Don''t worry. You can go get your things done," Aunt Neile nodded and said cheerfully. Luca nodded and left with Luke. Gale sat in the driver''s seat and was in charge of driving. She and Luke sat in the backseat. "Let''s go," said Luke. He still insisted on going to Allison''s ce even though he knew that both of them were unwilling to go. "Okay, Boss." Gale nodded and drove off. Luca looked at the scenery outside the car window and felt a little anxious. In a way, him taking her to see Allison was the same as announcing their rtionship... If Abel knew about it, he might speed up his n. Abel had failed to take Luke down twice. What would he do next? Luca could not help but worry. ¡°What are you thinking?" Luke noticed her silence and frown, which meant that something was off. ¡°Nothing. I''m just a little confused as to why Ms. Tanner would do that.." Luca gave an excuse. Luke did not say anything as what Allison did was indeed outrageous, but she did it to help him. Even so, he had no intention of letting her off the hook. If he did not teach her a lesson right now, she would just be more brazen with her tactics in the future. Adults were like children. They had to be educated and punished when they did something wrong. It was just that the punishment for adults would be way crueler. After a while, the car arrived at the gate of the mansion. After Gale parked the car, he entered the password on the door, but it showed that it was the wrong password. Gale walked to the car window and said to Luke, "Boss, I can''t open the door. The password is wrong." Luke pushed the door open and got out. He entered the password once more with a frown. The password he entered was incorrect too. "Boss, maybe they changed the password," said Gale. Perhaps Allison was afraid that Luke would come to look for her, so she changed the password. "Yeah," said Luke before he opened the fingerprint lock on the side. Allison was guilty, which was why she was afraid that he would show up at the door and cause her trouble. However, what she did not know was that after she went to jail, the mansion fell into his hands. At that time, he registered his fingerprint on the lock for convenience''s sake. As long as Allison did not erase it, he would be able to enter. Sure enough, as soon as it scanned his fingerprint, an unlocking sound was heard and the door opened. Gale gasped, "Boss, I didn''t know you still had something up your sleeve." "This was originally a fingerprint lock," Luke said ndly. After Allison was sent to prison, he had someone change the lock to prevent those messy friends of Allison''s from living there. When changing the locks, Jason had reminded him to register his fingerprint at the mansion. He never thought that it woulde in handy now. Gale gave him a big thumbs up before pushing the door open. "Boss, this way." Luke turned around to look at Luca. When she saw the door open, she got out of the car. "Come on." Luke walked over and held her hand before walking into the mansion together. Gale locked the car and followed behind them. He looked at them and thought that if not for the fact that they were trying to get back at Allison right now, it seemed like they were really in love. He shook his head in disbelief as he had somehow be the third wheel once again. In the living room. Allison was drinking the beautifying tea that Sophian had made her. The maid hurriedly came and reported, ¡°Madam Allison, Master Luke is here." ¡°What?" Allison put down her teacup in panic and looked toward the door, but Luke was not there. ¡°Where is he now?" ¡°The rm just rang, so they should be in the garden right now," said the maid. She did not follow up on yesterday''s events. All she knew was that Allison hastily had her change the lock password. ¡°Didn''t I change the password? How does he know the new password? Did you open the door for him or tell him the password?" Allison questioned. She changed the password to keep Luke from taking his revenge on her. The maid shook her head repeatedly. ¡°I didn''t, Madam Allison. Young Master Luke didn''t even ring the doorbell. If the rm hadn''t shown that someone hade in, I wouldn''t have known." Allison grew suspicious. ¡°If he doesn''t know the password and you didn''t open the door for him, how did he get in?" ¡°Madam Allison, I have no idea..." The maid grew panicky from her questions. She wanted to know how Luke got in too. Allison would certainly not have told him the new password, and Sophian would not be that foolish. If he came with a locksmith, then the rm would not show that someone hade in. It would send a police report instead. Sophian came downstairs with the mask she prepared and said in a hurry, ¡°Ms. Allison, I''ve just mixed a hydrating mask. Do you want to try it?" Allison looked gloomy. She looked at Sophian who was still in high spirits and said, ¡°Try what? Luke is here." ¡°Lu¡ªMr. Crawford is here?" The smile on Sophian''s face faded as she took a step back. ording to their agreement yesterday, if Luke were toe and stir up trouble, she would take all the me. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Sophian was panicking. ¡°Ms. Allison, you can''t let him in." She immediately pleaded with Allison for help. Chapter 2427 Allison rolled her eyes at her. ¡°He already came in." Sophina felt like there was thunder and lightning above her head. She had only one thought¡ªshe was doomed... Allison would certainly not protect her. "Ms. Allison, didn''t we change the password? How did he get in.." Before Allison could even answer her, Luke''s voice came from outside the door. "Fingerprint lock." ng! Sophian was so frightened that the bowl in her hands fell to the floor, and white mask liquid spilled all over, staining her long skirt. Luke pushed the door open and walked in while holding Luca''s hand. He even had Gale behind him. Allison looked toward the door and noticed that they were holding hands, so she looked Luca up and down. Was this the woman Susan was talking about? The reason why Allison knew that Luke had another woman was that Susan had mentioned it while quarreling with her. She used Luke of being ungrateful like her. That was how she found out. Allison frowned and asked, "You came in with the fingerprint lock?" "I was the one who changed the door lock, so my fingerprint is in the record," Luke said unhurriedly. He felt that Luca''s hands were ice-cold, so he interlocked his fingers with hers to give her warmth. Allison was not aware that his fingerprint was in the record, so she did not erase it. She could not help but take a step back after her eyes met his deathly stare. "Master Luke, Ms. Craw, have a seat. I''ll make you tea." The maid was transferred here from Crawford Manor, so she knew Luca. "No need. I''ll leave once I settle things," said Luke. The maid froze. She felt unsafe as if the ce was filled with the fumes of gunpowder, so she hastily said, "Then, I''ll be in the kitchen." After saying that, she immediately retreated. Sophian looked at Luke shamefully. She had noticed the woman beside him from the moment he came in. She worked in a stic surgery agency, so it was only natural for her to form an opinion on someone else''s appearance. The woman in front of her was very pretty and not the innocent type that Allison described but the elegant and charming type that all men would go crazy for. She was probably the woman Allison mentioned that Luke was cheating with. Allison snorted as she recognized Luca as the woman who gave her medical consultation in prison. ¡°So this is the woman. I always thought that there was something between you two, but I didn''t expect her to be able to make you abandon Bianca and climb into her bed." "Watch your mouth." Luke scowled at her. Allison looked nothing like a noblewoman. Even hernguage toward him was vicious and mocking. Luke had enough of it. "What? Did I say something wrong? I''m telling the truth. Don''t you have an unspeakable rtionship with her? When Susan was mocking me, I didn''t believe it at first. I didn''t expect you to cheat, but you''re just like your father. It seems like one woman isn''t enough to satisfy you. I''m disappointed in you, Luke." Allison posed as a mother to lecture Luke. Luca listened to her mockery, and her brows furrowed. If Luke had really cheated, anyone would have the right to use him except for her. Allison was the least qualified to do so... Gale could not listen any longer, so he said, "Ms. Tanner, didn''t you drug the boss yesterday? Were you trying to make that girl boss'' woman? Now that the n didn''t work, you''re using him of infidelity? You''re putting up too much of a show." Sophian lowered her head from guilt and dared not say a word after he exposed them. She was worried that Allison would me her once she spoke. N?velDrama.Org content rights. "What nonsense is this? Luke was drunk yesterday." Allison red at Gale as she wanted to rip his mouth apart. "Who are you anyway? How dare you speak like that when you''re just a chauffeur? Believe it or not, I''ll fire you." "He''s my savior," Luke said coldly. He was right. If not for Gale and the others, he would not have survived on the Ind of Despair. Allison snorted. "Savior, my *ss. He''s just a lousy chauffeur." Gale clenched his fist. If she were not Luke''s mother, he would have thrown a punch at her by now. "Ms. Tanner, don''t try to change the topic. The boss came here today to ask why you drugged him yesterday. Did you really think that boss would fall for those stic-faced women after taking a drug like that?" Sophian took another step back after his mocking words. "Drug him? I''ve told you, he was drunk yesterday!" Allison refused to admit anything. "I took the boss to the hospital for a blood test, Ms. Tanner. Do you need me to shove the report in your face before you''re willing to admit it?" Gale continued to deceive her. Allison was Luke''s mother, so he had to be the one to do the questioning. Otherwise, it was likely that Allison would make Luke a subject of ridicule. Allison did not think that he would go for a check-up. Now that her n fell through, she had no choice but to look to Sophian. "Wasn''t he drunk? Sophian, what''s going on here?!" Sophian closed her eyes in despair and dared not look at Luke. ¡°Ms. Allison, I don''t know..." ¡°What do you mean you don''t know when you were the one who prepared everything? I have security cameras in my house. Do you want me to go through the footage?" Allison asked forcefully as she had to push the me onto Sophian to save herself. ¡°I. I was wrong." Sophian knew that she had no way of escaping, so she kneeled on the floor and cried, ¡°Mr, Crawford, it''s my fault. I like you too much and want to be your woman, so I. I''m sorry, it''s all my fault. Please forgive me." ¡°It''s all your fault?" Luke frowned and looked at Allison as he refused to believe it Sophian would not be foolish enough tomit such a thing without her permission as it was Allison''s home, not a hotel. Even if she was the one who drugged him, she would need Allison''s permission before she could do it. ¡°Yes, it''s all me. Don''t me Ms. Allison.." Sophian cried, and her makeup melted from the tears. ¡°Huh.." Luke looked at Allison. Allison knew that he was not convinced, so she took out her so-called evidence. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? This has nothing to do with me. I''m your mother. Do you think I would hurt you and lie to you like that? If you don''t believe me, you can check the surveince cameras yourself. Won''t it be obvious then?" Chapter 2428 Luke looked indifferently at Allison. There was no trace of affection. It was as if he was looking at a stranger. He knew that Allison said that to wash her hands off the matter. However, she brought Sophian back, and she would not dare to do anything without Allison''s permission. "Since you say that, you''re telling me that she did it of her own volition?" Luke gave Allison another chance to admit to what she did although he knew that she would never. "I didn''t do it. I thought you were just drunkst night." Allison crossed her hands in front of her chest to try to make herself look more assertive. Luke''s gaze turned cold, and he did not bother to look at Sophian. "Gale." "Boss, what do you need?" Gale stepped forward and knew that he was about to be given instructions. He knew that Luke would not have brought him along for no reason. "Send her to the police station," Luke said. Allison frowned. ¡®Why is he involving the police?'' Sophian was taken aback. She staggered and uttered, "Mr. Crawford, I drugged you, but you didn''t lose anything. Why do you want to send me to the police station?" Allison was a little flustered and stood in front of Sophian. If Luke sent Sophian to the police station, she might be dragged through the mud. "What are you doing? She gave you some drugs and you want to send her to the police station? What are you going to tell the police? Sophian didn''t do anything to you." "Possession of drugs. The police will detain and investigate you for it," Luke said. His right hand still held Luca''s tightly. "Luke, are you crazy? It''s not a big deal. The drug can be found in any bar. The police won''t be bothered even if you go to them," Allison said. She knew that he was using Sophian to make a point, but she still opted to protect Sophian. "The police will find out if it''s illegal. My blood sample is still in the hospital." Luke threatened. He had to teach Allison a lesson so that she would stop causing trouble. He wanted to start the new year peacefully before sending her back to Korea. "Mr. Crawford, please don''t involve the police. I promise you that the drug you consumed yesterday isn''t illegal. It won''t have any side effects. I''m sorry, please give me a chance. I won''t bother you ever again." Sophian was at a loss. She was worried sick that Luke would really send her to the police station. If she had a criminal record, her visa to South Korea may not be approved. She did not seed in hooking up with Luke, so she had to go back and work to pay back the money she owed for the stic surgery she did. "Take her." Luke ignored her plea for mercy and gave Gale an order. Gale responded and stepped forward. Allison red at Gale viciously, the folds on her face deepening. "Who dares to take her away in front of me?" "You''re protecting her?" Luke stared at Allison. She must be guilty if she insisted on siding with an outsider. He remembered that Allison had never protected him for as long as he could remember. Luke could not help but feel amused when he saw how she acted. "I brought her from South Korea so, of course, I have to protect her. She''s a poor girl who finally visited her hometown for the new year. How could you send her to the police station? The drug isn''t illegal, and you look perfectly fine. Since she apologized, let it go," Allison said. She was scared that she would be dragged into the mire if she did not help Sophian. "Are you sure you want to protect her?" Luke asked once more as a warning. "Yes, it was just a spiked drink. It can''t kill anyone." Allison crossed her hands in disdain. Luca could not believe what he just heard. Allison wanted to let the matter slide just because Luke looked fine? He was her son! How could she defend a random stranger who hurt him? With a mother like Allison, it was no wonder why Luke acted so cold. "I hope you won''t regret siding with her." Luke looked at her coldly with a hint of warning in his eyes. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. "Gale, let''s go." "Boss, you no longer want to send her to the police station?" Gale wanted the drama to go on. "Who would dare?!" Allison stared at Gale. Gale shrugged indifferently. He did not care. He simply turned around and walked behind Luke. Sophian took a step forward from behind Allison, her resentful eyes watching Luke leave. ''The woman beside him is gorgeous, but I''m not too bad myself... Men usually wouldn''t mind having many women around them. Why did Luke reject me? Doesn''t he like how I look?'' Sophian was cursing at Luca in her heart. After Luke and Luca left, Allison breathed a sigh of relief and nced at the mask liquid spilled on the floor. It was slightly dried due to the room temperature. "Hurry up and clean up the floor!" "Ms. Allison..." Sophian teared up because she was scared and unwilling. "Why do you look like that? You''re alright. You don''t have to worry that someone will send you to the police station," Allison said. She felt suppressed by Luke''s aura just now and needed to sit down to take a breather. "Ms. Allison, thank you." Sophian walked over to her and massaged her neck. "I wouldn''t have helped you if I weren''t worried that you''d drag me through the mud if you were sent to the police station. This didn''t work out because of your hesitation." Allisonined about Sophian for the same few things. Sophian was dissatisfied. She felt as though she was not the one to me. She would never have done such a thing if it were not for Allison''s encouragement. Even if she helped him upstairs, the driver would still find Luke and take him away. From the very beginning, Luke had his guard up. They would never have seeded. Nevertheless, Allison med it all on her... "Why are you so quiet? Are you angry?" Allison raised her head slightly and tried to look at Sophian''s expression. ¡®Let''s see if she dares to get angry at me!'' Luke''s expression when he left was ugly. As his mother, she knew that there would be more to this. Allison was not sure what else he would do. However, at least Sophian did not have to go to the police station. "No, Ms. Allison. Thank you for keeping me. Mr. Crawford is fuming at us. Why don''t we go back to Korea first?" Sophian was nervous when she thought of how Luke had looked at her before he left. He might not let go of the matter easily. Sophian was worried that Luke would take revenge on her, so she wanted to go back to Korea. ¡®A busy man like Luke wouldn''t travel all the way to Korea to mess with me... right?'' Chapter 2429 Allison picked up the nail file on the coffee table and filed her nails. She rolled her eyes when she heard what Sophian said. "New Year holidays aren''t over yet. Why are you rushing to go back?" "I''m worried that Mr. Crawford will retaliate against me..." Sophian had no choice but to express her worries. "If I can save you once, I can save you the second time. You weren''t sent to the police station today, and you won''t be sent to the police station any time soon. The living conditions in A City are much better than in South Korea. I don''t want to go back so soon." Allison did not intend to give up celebrating the new year in A City. Moreover, she had a much morefortable life here than abroad as she had a maid to take care of her. Since Allison was unwilling to return to Korea, Sophian had to give up the idea as she had no extra money to buy the expensive international airline ticket. Allison touched her dry face andmanded Sophian, "Go and prepare a mask for me. My skin feels dry after staying in the heating room for too long." "Okay, Ms. Allison. Give me a moment." Sophian stopped massaging her, pulled out a few tissues, picked up the bowl on the floor, and wiped the semi-solidified mask liquid. Sophian did not care if it was clean and walked upstairs with the bowl in hand. On the other hand. Luke left the vi with Luca. Luca nced back the moment the vi door closed. "What are you looking at?" Luke noticed her actions. Luca shook her head and replied, "It''s nothing. I just don''t think she looks like your mother." "She changed a long time ago," Luke said. Gale opened the backseat door and asked, "Boss, do you want to go back now?" All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. "Mm." Luke protected Luca''s forehead and asked her to get in the car before he got in from the other side of the car. After the two got into the car, Gale started the drive back. Luke took out his phone and called the butler. "Master Luke, what can I do for you?" the butler asked after the call was connected. Luke had put his phone on loudspeaker, so Luca could hear the butler. She looked at him, confused. She felt that what he was about to say had something to do with Allison. "Have the maid in Allison''s vi move back to Crawford Manor," Luke said. "Master Luke, is there something wrong with the maid serving Madam Allison?" the butler asked. He did not question Luke as Allison was notoriously difficult to serve. When Luke was in an ident, Allison bought the vi and Old Master Crawford assigned her two maids. In the end, both maids were returned to Crawford Manor because Allison felt that their service was unprofessional. Both maids were professionally trained and had worked at Crawford Manor for many years. No one had everined about them. The maids told them that they could not serve Allison and that they would resign and find another workce if they could not return to Crawford Manor. The maids went back to work at Crawford Manor, and Allison''s reputation for being difficult also spread like wildfire. He had to ask several maids before he found one who was willing to serve Allison. "The maid is great, but Allison doesn''t need one." Luke reached out and grabbed Luca''s hand. After being outside for a while, her hands, which were previously warmed by him, had turned cold once more. Luke spread out his palm and tucked her hand into it. "Okay, I get it, Master Luke. I''ll call the maid now." The butler knew something must have happened with Allison. Nevertheless, he was not in the position to ask Luke what was going on. "Have the maid keep it to herself for now," Luke said. "Okay, I know what to do." After he said that, the butler was even more sure that Luke was having the maid go back to Crawford Manor because Allison had pissed him off. She asked for it. The butler did not know what was going on, but he knew that nothing could go wrong if he listened to Luke. After Luke ended the call, Luca asked softly, "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Tanner will be mad if you remove the maid. Aren''t you worried that she''ll harass you?" "She won''t be able to find me," Luke said. He was certain that Allison did not know where he lived. "However, she could go to Crawford Manor and disturb Old Master Crawford," Luca said. That was the worse option. Allison was a woman who would do such a thing. She would do anything for money andfortable life. "She won''t dare. If she dares, Sophian will go to jail." A hint of viciousness shed through Luke''s eyes. If Allison wanted to protect Sophian, she would have to sacrifice herfortable life in A City. She would not have a maid to serve her nor a chauffeur to pick her up, but she would not starve to death. After all, he had already transferred her monthly expenses into her ount. Luke picked up his phone and informed Lliam that he would no longer be responsible for driving Allison around. Gale was driving and could not help butugh. "Boss, you''re so wise. Because of what went down, she doesn''t dare to let Sophian talk to the police. She knows that things will go down if she does." Luca pursed her lips. ''Can this matter with Sophian stop Allison?'' She was worried that Allison would get upset and turn Crawford Manor upside down... Allison soon discovered that the maid had left. The maid said that she was going to the supermarket to buy groceries but did note back even after two hours. Allison asked Sophian to call the maid. Sophian picked up thendline and dialed the maid''s number, but the call was not connected. There was a cold female voice who said that the caller was on the phone and for her to call againter. "Ms. Allison, the call didn''t get through.¡± She turned around and told Allison, who was eating fruit. "Dial again." Allison did not take her eyes off the TV. "Dial until she answers. I''m starving!" "Okay." Sophian called the number back, but it still did not go through. She reluctantly put down the handset, picked up her phone, and called the maid. It was still the same. Sophian said, "Ms. Allison, the maid is still on a call. Should I wait five minutes and call again?" "Mm." Allison was not too bothered. Five minutester, Sophian picked up the phone and called the maid again. It still did not go through. She frowned and asked Allison, "Ms. Allison, can I borrow your phone?" "What for?" Allison turned around to look at her, but she did not hand her the phone immediately. "She''s still on the phone. I think the maid blocked my number," Sophian said. She guessed that the maid was not happy with her, so she deliberately blocked her number. After all, she was not one of the Crawfords and had even spiked Luke''s drink. Luke almost med the maid, so it was possible that she would block Sophian. "How troublesome! How dare she block you..." Allison''s face had minor changes every day, so she could not use the face ID to unlock her phone. She took out a tissue, wiped her fingers, and pressed her thumb on the fingerprint sensor. Chapter 2430 Allison handed the phone to Sophian after she unlocked it. Sophian took it and dialed the maid''s number. The call did not get through... Sophian felt awkward and handed the phone back to Allison. "What''s wrong?" Allison frowned when she saw Sophian''s expression. "Ms. Allison, your number seems to have been blocked too,¡± Sophian said cautiously. The phone in her hand was like a hot potato. Allison did not take it, so she put it on the sofa. "I got blocked too? How is that possible?!" Allison could not believe it. She wiped her hands on a tissue, picked up her phone, and called the maid. She finally believed that she was blocked when she heard a mechanical female voice. Sophian did not speak. She was waiting for Allison''s next order. Allison called the butler. The butler did not block her number, so he answered. "Madam Allison, good afternoon." "What happened to the maid you sent over? Did she block me? Does she not want her job anymore?" Allison was frustrated. "Master Luke asked the maid to go back to Crawford Manor. She won''t be going to your vi anymore from now on." When the butler exined the situation to her, he made it clear that it was Luke''s decision. He did not have the power to make decisions as such, so he did not attempt to hide that Luke was the one who did it. Allison looked at Sophian awkwardly. "How could he do this to me? Wasn''t that maid assigned to me?" she shouted. She knew that her life would be a mess if she was without a maid. "You''d better ask Master Luke about this. We''re only acting as per his instructions." The butler was distressed by her yelling and pulled the phone away from his ear. Allison knew why Luke did that. It was because she was protecting Sophian at all costs. However, how could a son punish his mother?! Allison acted like a shrew. She was no longer the elegantdy she pretended to be. "I don''t care! I''m Madam Crawford, the daughter-inw of Old Master Crawford. You have to arrange a maid for me." "Master Luke said that if you need a maid, you can hire one yourself. The maids from Crawford Manor are no longer avable to you," the butler said. Allison clenched her fist and nearly threw her phone when she heard the butler ry Luke''s words. Her chest rose and fell. She was breathing hard to manage her emotions. "Do you think I won''t go to Old Master Crawford?" The butler knew she would say that, so he added, "Master Luke also said that if youe back to Crawford Manor, he''ll go to Old Master Crawford and tell him everything that you and Ms. Thomas did. The police will be notified to arrest her as well... He has evidence in his hand." Sophian heard that and turned pale in an instant. Luke did not want to let her go! "How dare he?!" Allison got even angrier, but the feeling of powerlessness in her heart was growing. She knew Luke''s temperament. There was nothing he was afraid of. If Old Master Crawford knew she had let a woman seduce Luke, he would flip on the spot. "Madam Allison, don''t try to mess with Master Luke. I''m sorry, but Old Master Crawford is asking for me. I have to hang up now." The butler hung up Allison''s call without hesitation. He had fully ryed Luke''s message. If he did not hang up, he would have to endure Allison''s wrath. The butler was not willing to bear that since he did not cause the ordeal. Allison wanted to smash things in anger. Sophian quickly grabbed her hand when she saw that Allison was about to throw her phone. "Ms. Allison, don''t be angry. It''ll be difficult to get a new phone if you break it now." Many shopping malls were closed for the New Year, including mobile phone stores. They would then have to buy it online, and since the courier service was also on holiday, they would have to wait quite a while for the delivery to arrive. Allison mmed her phone on the coffee table and shouted, "How dare he..." "Ms. Allison, calm down." Sophian pursed her lips. She was unsure of what to say. She did not dare to speak on behalf of Luke nor im that she was innocent. After all, Allison would find some way to me her anyway. Sophian put her hands on her shoulders and wanted to give her a massage to soothe her. Allison shrugged and shook her hands off. Sophian did not dare to let out a breath. She looked at Allison with her teary eyes and said, "Ms. Allison, are you hungry? I''ll cook for you." "I''m so angry that I feel full now!" Allison stood up, her face contorting with rage. Sophian did not dare to say another word. Allison paced around in anger and shouted, "He asked me to hire a maid myself?! Where can I get a maid now? He''s making it impossible for me to live in A City!" Sophian still did not dare to say anything. If it were someone else, they would still be able to live without a maid. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. However, it might not be the case for Allison. She was used to being pampered. Even in Korea, Allison had hired a senior nurse who could speak hernguage even when she had Sophian and the trantor taking turns to take care of her. She did not know how to do anything. When she wanted to eat a piece of fruit, she had to ask others to wash it before she would eat it. Allison did not even know how to peel fruits. "Are you dumb? Why are you keeping quiet?" Allison put her hands on her hips. Her face was flushed because she was angry. "Ms. Allison, you have me," Sophian said. "No, I can''t let this go." Allison paced back and forth before she picked up the phone and called Lliam. The call could not get through. It was still the cold female voice that greeted her. "Damn it." Allison did not call again because it was pointless. She knew that Lliam had blocked her. Sophian was about to speak when Allison said, "Come on, put on your coat. Let''s get a taxi." "Ms. Allison, where are we going?" Sophian picked up the new coat hanging at the entrance and handed it to Allison. After Allison put on her coat, she said, "We''re going to find Luke." She would not be so stupid as to go to Old Master Crawford, so she could only go to Luke. She already knew where Luke lived. "Ms. Allison, Mr. Crawford just left not long ago. Are you sure you want to look for him now?" Sophian grimaced. She was reluctant to go. She was screwed if Luke continued to throw his temper and me her. "Why? What are you afraid of when I''m here next to you? Put on your coat," Allison said. She felt fortunate that she had a backup n. After Luke transferred her the living expenses for that month, she transferred them to a private ount that Luke did not know about. She had money temporarily, and it was money that Luke could not touch. Sophian had no choice but to slowly put on her coat. Even so, it did not stop Allison''s determination to find Luke. The two left the vi and walked for a while before they got to the main road. It was New Year, and they were in the residential area. Everyone had a car, so there were no taxis passing by. Chapter 2431 Allison stood on the side of the road and waited for more than 20 minutes before she got a taxi. After Allison and Sophian got into the car, Allison told the driver the destination and the taxi headed toward Luke''s viplex. "Ms. Allison, are you sure that we''ll be fine?" Sophian picked up her phone and looked for Luke''s neighborhood. It was a high-endmunity. No one could enter without the consent of the tenant. Therefore, many celebrities and wealthy businessmen loved to live in the area as their privacy was guaranteed. "What''s wrong with me going to look for my son?" Allison said. The taxi seat was notfortable, so she leaned against the seat and closed her eyes. She was fuming on the inside. Sophian kept quiet for the rest of the journey. After half an hour, the taxi arrived at the gate of themunity. Allison paid and they got out of the car. They were stopped by the security guard before they could walk in. "No idlers are allowed to enter." "How do you know I''m not a tenant here?" Allison gnash her teeth with hatred as she looked at the woman walking in ahead. She had wanted to follow her. "You look nothing like a tenant here. Are you a reporter?" The security guard was alert. He closed the gate immediately. "Have you ever seen a reporter like me?" Allison pointed to herself. She was wearing a hat, sunsses, and a mask. Her face was tightly covered for fear that the wrinkles on her face would be seen. Those who usually dressed as such were movie stars. Nevertheless, the security guard stopped her as he did not think that she looked like one. "Enough with the nonsense. If you''re a tenant, swipe your card to enter. If you''re not, leave." Allison looked at the security guard blocking her who was built like a tank. She frowned and said, "Don''t you act like a snob with me. Listen carefully, my son is a tenant here. His name is Luke Crawford." The security guard was familiar with Luke. Throughout the past few years, many had pretended to be rted to Luke. Luke was not the only victim. Many tried to impersonate various stars and celebrities to get into the property. The security guard would not be fooled as easily. He pointed to the pager next to him and said, "You said that you''re Mr. Crawford''s family member right? You can call him and he''ll open the gate for you if he allows you toe in." "Why is it so troublesome? I''ve told you that I''m Luke''s mother. You can just open the gate." Allison was carrying an LV bag. She crossed her hands in front of her chest to show her dissatisfaction. ''Is he blind? I''m carrying such an expensive bag. How can he not believe that I''m Luke''s mother?'' "This is the rule." The security guard gave her a contemptuous look. Usually, visitors would just press the call bell to reach out to the respective resident. They would not waste their time going on and on while refusing to press the call bell. "Also, there are a lot of people pretending to be Mr. Crawford''s rtives and friends. How would I know if you''re not one of them?" "You!" Allison bit her lip and walked over to the pager. If she called Luke, there was a 100 percent chance that she would not be let inside. Allison stomped her feet and was about to give up when she saw a familiar figure walking out. "Aunt Neile?" She stopped the woman who was holding a vegetable basket and stepped forward to confirm if it was Aunt Neile. Aunt Neile had worked in Crawford Manor as a maid for over a decade, so Allison recognized her. "You''re..." Allison''s face was wrapped so tightly that Aunt Neile did not recognize her at first nce. "I''m Madam Allison." Allison did not take off her mask, and her tone was a little arrogant. Aunt Neile immediately recognized that the voice belonged to Luke''s mother. She said in surprise, "Madam Allison, it''s you. Why are you here?" "It''s the New Year, so I''m here to visit Lanie and the others. After all, they''re my grandchildren. I haven''t seen them for some time, so I miss them a lot. By the way, you have an ess card, right? Let me in. I told the security guard that I''m Luke''s mother but he doesn''t believe me." Allison saw hope and rolled her eyes at the security guard. Aunt Neile was taken back. They had to swipe an ess card to enter, but they did not need to swipe their cards to go out. She had a card with her, and when she was about to take it out, she thought of what Luke said to Luca before she left the house. Allison seemed to be plotting against Luke. Fortunately, Luke was prepared, so she did not seed. The two of them went out earlier to understand the matter better. Aunt Neile also just saw a maid mention in their group chat that she no longer had to serve Madam Allison and could finally return to work at Crawford Manor. All in all, Aunt Neile believed that Allison wanted to go in to cause trouble for Luke. It was easy to let her in, but it would be difficult to get her out. There might be a lot of trouble if she let her in... Aunt Neile pretended to look around her body before saying, "Madam Allison, I forgot to bring the ess card..." Allison''s smile disappeared as she took off her sunsses. Her eyes, which looked like they were surrounded by ravines, stared at Aunt Neile. "How could you''ve forgotten to bring the card?" "I changed into a fresh set of clothes and might''ve left the ess card at home. Madam Allison, you don''t need the ess card to leave the property. I really did forget to bring the card just now," Aunt Neile exined to her. She shivered from fright when she looked into Allison''s eyes. She finally understood why the maid who got to return to Crawford Manor was so happy. Allison was picky, and it would take a long time for anyone to get used to a face like hers. Aunt Neile averted her gaze and nced at the security guard. The security guard noticed and nodded slightly. "Ring the bell and have Luke open the door. I want to go in," Allison ordered Aunt Neile. Aunt Neile nced at the time and said anxiously, "Oh no, Madam Allison, you can ring the bell if you want to visit Mr. Crawford. But I have to rush to the market as there''s no meat in the refrigerator at home. They''ll run out of the good stuff if I''mte. Young Master Tommy won''t be happy about that. I have to go. Madam Allison, you''re staying here for dinner, right? I''ll buy more meat." She quickly left after she finished her sentence. From N?velDrama.Org. Allison could not stop her. She looked at Aunt Neile as she walked off and turned to look at Sophian, who had a dull expression. "Why didn''t you stop her just now?" "I..." Sophian hesitated to speak. She did not expect that the maid had respectfully greeted Allison but dared to disobey her... After all, no one wanted to lose their job, but she did not expect Aunt Neile to disobey Allison without a second thought. She walked off as though a wild beast was chasing her. She did not know how to respond. "Are you done sleepwalking?!" Allison was annoyed that Sophian was always slow. She thought that things might not end up as such if she had moved faster. She looked at the security guard and said, "Now do you believe I''m Luke''s mother? Open the door for me." "You''ll need Mr. Crawford''s approval to enter even if you''re his mother." The security guard made a gesture toward the pager. Chapter 2432 "You!" Allison was not so stupid as to ring the inte and inform Luke that she was at the door. The security guard noticed her sharp gaze and wondered. ¡®Mr. Crawford¡¯s so outstanding, but why does his mother look so old?¡¯ Allison snorted coldly and put on her sunsses. Sophian''s lips were pale from being in the cold, so she said softly, "Ms. Allison, I''m afraid we won''t be able to get in today. Why don''t we go back? You haven''t had lunch yet." Allison crossed her hands in front of her chest. ¡®When have I been so embarrassed?! If I leave now, the security guard will look down on me!¡¯ She insisted on getting her way. "Didn''t she go get groceries? I''ll wait for her toe back. I don''t believe that she won''te back." The security guard could not help but chuckle when he heard what she said. Allison heard him and turned to stare at the security guard with an arrogant expression. "What are you laughing at?" "Nothing." The security guard did not say anything more. Their property had a total of four entrance from the south, east, and northwest, plus two exits in the underground parking lot. If Aunt Neile wanted to hide from Allison, she could go in from another entrance and would not have to run into Allison at all. Seeing that Allison insisted on waiting, Sophian wanted to remind her that properties as such would have more than one entrance. However, Allison¡¯s attitude was firm as she stood waiting. If Sophian said something, Allison might reprimand her. Sophian pulled her cor up as the weather in A City was cold that day... Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ... Aunt Neile hurried away, nced back, and made sure that Allison was not following her before she took out her phone and called Luke. "Mr. Crawford, I bumped into Madam Allison at the gate of themunity just now. She wanted to come in to look for you but she didn''t have an ess card, so she was stopped by security. I didn''t give her ess either," Aunt Neile said. "I see." Luke was not too surprised. He already knew that Allison would be visiting sooner orter. "Mr. Crawford, I think Madam Allison is still waiting at the entrance. Do you want to inform the management office?" Aunt Neile asked. Allison was like a crocodile that would not let go of her prey. She was iparable to ordinary people. "I know what to do. Enter through another entrance when youe backter," Luke said. The kids want to eat fruits, but the fruits at home had all been juiced by Luca. They forgot to get some fresh ones, so Aunt Neile went to get groceries. "Okay, got it, Mr. Crawford." Aunt Neile responded. After he hung up the call, Luca asked, "Ms. Tanner is at the gate?" "Yeah, she''s likely still there now." Luke picked up thendline, called the management office, and exined the situation to them. He made it clear that he did not want any visitors. Luca frowned as she listened to Luke''s instructions to the property''s management office. Even if they did not allow Allison in, it would still be vexing to leave her at the gate as she was bound to make a fuss. Moreover, there was no rest for those who worked in the media. There were always reporters waiting at the entrance of high-endmunities as such where celebrities came and went. It would not look good for Luke if Allison made a fuss and was photographed by reporters. Luca could not help but worry. After Luke finished instructing the management office on the next steps, he put down the phone and noticed that Luca was frowning. He said, "I''ll take care of this." "Mr. Crawford, I don''t think you should fight her head-on. Ms. Tanner has nothing. She might fight like Kilkenny cats," Luca said to him. Luke shook his head and affirmed to her, "She won''t." Luca frowned and wondered why Luke would say that. "Her living expenses are still funded by me. She''s free to continue making a scene if she doesn''t want any more money from me," Luke said. He believed that it would be her loss even if he backed off from the fight. Luca nodded in acknowledgment when she realized that Luke had notpletely cut off Allison. If she were Allison, she would opt to keep a low profile so she could enjoy the rest of her life... She was worried that Allison would not think the same. "I think you should talk to Ms. Tanner. Otherwise, she might make a big fuss at the entrance and embarrass the Crawfords. Old Master Crawford won''t be happy about that," Luca said. Allison became Madam Crawford by scheming her way through. Although she did a lot of bad things, she managed to avoid a lot of punishment by virtue of her wisdom. However, in the past few years, she seemed to have lost it. She no longer worked smart and did things that hurt her interests. Luca was worried that if no one talked to Allison, she might do something that would hurt Luke and herself. "Let''s see how it goes tomorrow," Luke said as he amplified the volume of the TV. After lunch, the children went back to their respective bedrooms, so he and Luca sat on the sofa in the living room and watched a movie together. He intended to enjoy the rare alone time between the two. He did not expect that Allison woulde to ruin it. ¡°Mm." Luca nodded. Luke knew Allison better than she did, so she did not continue the topic. Allison stood at the gate and waited for more than an hour, but Aunt Neile did not return. Her legs became sore and she stomped her feet. She muttered, "Why hasn''t shee back yet?" "Ms. Allison, there might be more than one entrance..." Sophian could not stand the cold. She said directly at the risk of being scolded. "Of course, I know that! But she can''t possibly know that much..." Allison frowned. Luke was not the type to share everything. Aunt Neile was just a maid, after all. Allison believed that she could not possibly know so many things, which was why she insisted on waiting for Aunt Neile toe back. "Ms. Allison, she may have gone in from another entrance. She''s a professional maid. How could she have made such a low-level mistake of forgetting to bring the ess card?" Sophian said. She would not apany Allison to wait in vain if she did not still need her. They had been waiting forever for Aunt Neile in the cold. The security guard on the side chimed in, "Ma''am, you should leave. The property manager just informed me that Mr. Crawford has told the management office that he won''t be epting any visitors. Even if you press the pager now, he has turned his off and won''t be able to receive your message." "What?!" Allison could not believe it, so she stepped forward and pressed the number corresponding to Luke''s vi. It was a busy tone. Aunt Neile must have informed him. Otherwise, he would not have known that she was waiting at the entrance. The security guard said, "Look, I didn''t lie to you. If you still want to go in, all you can do is call him and ask him to let you in." Allison did not need to call Luke to know that he must have blocked her. "What a scoundrel!" Allison could not help but shout, "I gave birth to him for nothing! I shouldn''t have brought him back from the orphanage in the first ce!" She was so angry that she did not care that the security guard was next to her. Sophian hurriedly grabbed her hand and said softly, "Ms. Allison, let''s figure out another way. We should keep the drama within the family. Let''s go back first." Chapter 2433 Allison was fuming, but she eventually left while cursing at Luke. She had not had lunch, so she brought Sophian to a nearby restaurant. Allison did not want to be watched like a monkey, so she booked a private room. In the private room. Sophian handed her a ss of lemonade and said, "Ms. Allison, don''t be mad." "How can I not be mad? I''m his mother, yet he''s treating me like this. I..." Allison took a sip of the lemonade that Sophian handed her. Her quality of life was getting worse by the day. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Sophian listened to her speak in silence. After the past few interactions, she found that their mother-son rtionship was not the best. Sophian wondered if she had made the wrong move by choosing to listen to Allison. ''I should''ve curried favor with Old Master Crawford when I first arrived at Crawford Manor. After all, it seems that Luke respects Old Master Crawford more than he does Allison. If I had managed to please Old Master Crawford, I may have benefited from it and left a good impression on Luke. Things would surely be better than they are now.'' Sophian thought that she had lost her chance and felt a little down. She was in her zone for a while. "Are you listening to me?" Allison noticed that she was distracted and tapped the table with her fingers slightly bent. Sophian came back to her senses and smiled apologetically. "Ms. Allison, I''m listening to you. Mr. Crawford may have misunderstood you. I believe that blood is thicker than water and that these issues can be resolved. " Allison thought that what she said made sense. ''Luke has been spending too much time with people like Susan. When I was in prison, our rtionship dropped to a freezing point, which is why things are the way they are now.'' "What do you think I should do?" she asked. Sophian thought about it and replied, "If there''s a misunderstanding between the two of you, resolve the misunderstanding and all will be well. The rtionship can still be saved since you two are rted by blood. I feel like Mr. Crawford will understand your perspective if you treat him sincerely and talk about it with an open heart." Allison frowned as she thought about what Sophian said. "Then I..." She thought that Sophian made some good points. "Ms. Allison, why don''t we wait and see if there are any telmunication shops open tomorrow? If so, you can apply for a new SIM card, call Mr. Crawford, and tell him that you''re waiting at the entrance to have a chat with him. If he doesn''te out, tell him that you''ll be standing by the door waiting." Sophian knew Allison was not sure what to do, so she proposed an idea. She would benefit from it if Allison had a better rtionship with Luke. "Wait at the entrance? How shameful!" Allison subconsciously resented the idea as she was not the type to do such a thing. "Ms. Allison, don''t you want to clear up the misunderstanding with Mr. Crawford? This is the best way to show your sincerity," Sophian advised. Allison thought about it for a while but still could not make a decision. "Give me some time to think about it." Sophian knew what she was struggling with. Allison could not let go of the fact that she was Luke''s mother yet had to apologize to him. She had to wait at the entrance until he showed up so that he would not cut her off. It was embarrassing. There were not many parents who could apologize to their children... ... The next day. Allison went with Sophian''s advice and bought some snacks that children liked to eat as well as toys. She appeared in front of the entrance of Luke''s vi and intended to admit to her mistake. The security guard was the same one on duty the day prior, so he was a little surprised to see Allison returning with bags in her hands. However, Luke had told the management office that he did not wee any visitors. As such, Allison would not be able to gain ess no matter how many things she brought over. Allison ignored the security guard standing at the security booth. She did not pester him like she did the day before and instead pressed on the inte. She pressed it twice but there was no response from the other end. Allison frowned and looked at the security guard. "Is your bell broken?" "No, it''s working fine. Yesterday, Mr. Crawford told us to turn off the inte. You won''t get any response no matter how many times you press it," the security guard said. "How can this be?!" Allison screeched. "It''s the owner''s choice," the security guard exined to her. Allison shoved the bags into Sophian''s hand and shouted to the security guard, "I know for a fact that you can get in touch with him. Help me reach out to him and I''ll pay you." "Sorry, Ma''am. There are rules that I have to abide by. I can''t help you." The security guard shook his head and turned her down. "You!" Allison turned around to look at Sophian. Sophian reminded her, "Ms. Allison, don''t you have a new SIM card?" Allison took out her phone from her LV bag. She already got someone in the telco store to put the new SIM card in her phone. She called Luke. Luke answered the call after a few seconds. "Who is this?" Allison went straight to the point, "Luke, I''m your mother. I have something to talk to you about. Can you let me in?" "It''s not a good time," Luke replied. "You''re already at home. What do you mean by it''s not a good time..." Allison almost lost it when he turned her down. However, she was here to apologize. She was certain that Luke would hang up the call and block her if she lost her temper. By then, the new SIM card would be useless. "Luke, I know that I crossed the line with what I did before. I''m right at your door. Come out and I''ll exin it all to you. I''ll do whatever you want after you hear me out," she spoke in a gentle tone in hopes of coaxing him. Nevertheless, Luke was no longer a youngd. He knew what she was up to. "I don''t have time." Luke refused. He would not sympathize with her even if he faced Allison and she went on and on about how miserable she was. The main reason why he did not want to see her was simply that he found interacting with her irritable. Allison would always apologize and do a 360 immediately after messing things up. He had seen it happen many times and was not interested in seeing it again as he felt that it was a waste of time. He did not want to hear her false promises. Allison was annoyed that he had rejected her twice in a row. When she saw Sophian shaking her head, she held back her anger and said, "It''s fine if you don''t want to talk to me, but I bought snacks and toys for the children. Why don''t youe out and get them?" "I''m not free," Luke continued to reply to her with the same words and tone as if the lines were prerecorded on a tape recorder. "How busy can you be during the New Year?!" Allison questioned him. Those at Crawford Manor were busy, but Luke was hiding at his ce during the New Year, allowing Susan and Louis to build theirwork. Luke kept silent. Allison took a deep breath. She did not dare to stay silent for too long as she was worried that Luke would just hang up the phone. She said, "Well if you don''t have time, you can ask the maid toe out and get it. These are gifts I bought for the children as their grandmother. You can''t refuse them on behalf of the children." "Leave them at the security booth. Aunt Neile isn''t home right now." Luke did not give Allison any chance to step into their home. Chapter 2434 "Is it that hard for me to catch a glimpse of my grandkids?" Allison asked grumpily. However, Luke had hung up. Sophian was struggling to carry the two bags in her hands. She knew what had happened when she saw Allison''s expression. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. "Ms. Allison, why don''t we go back first?" She suggested. Her hands felt like they were about to be snapped by the content of the bags. Allison spent a lot of money and bought a lot of high-quality children''s things to please Luke. She and Allison had no use for the goods. If Allison went to get a refund, she could get their money back. "What about these two bags?" Allison looked at the bags that Sophian was holding. "We can..." Sophian paused and asked, "Did Mr. Crawford say anything?" "He told me to leave these in the security booth." Allison was annoyed at Luke''sck of appreciation. Sophian pursed her lips and tried to persuade her, "In that case, Ms. Allison, let''s leave these at the security booth. I''m sure that Mr. Crawford will send someone out to get them." "Why should I put these here for him? I bought them all with my money. Why do I have to lose money when he doesn''t want to ept my kind will?" Allison said. She then turned around to leave. Sophian quickly followed behind her. "Ms. Allison, aren''t you trying to mend your rtionship with Mr. Crawford? This is also an opportunity to show your concern for his children..." Allison stopped, looked down, thought about it for a while, andmanded Sophian, "Okay fine. Put them in the security booth, then." Sophian nodded and handed the two bags to the security guard at the booth. "These are for Mr. Crawford. He''lle to pick them upter." "Did Mr. Crawford say that?" The security guard confirmed with her. After all, they looked more like they were going to harass Luke. "Yes, of course. If Mr. Crawford doesn''te to pick them up, you can do whatever you want with them," Sophian said. She reminded him, "The things inside are very expensive. Don''t touch them if you don''t need to." With that, she turned around and left with Allison. The security guard looked at them as they were leaving, then at the two bags. In the end, he picked up the walkie-talkie and told his line manager about what happened. After Luke hung up on Allison, he walked to the kitchen entrance and said to Aunt Neile, who was preparing lunch, "Aunt Neile, you can go home to rest this afternoon. You don''t have toe over these next couple of days." Aunt Neile stopped what she was doing and looked at Luke in surprise. "Mr. Crawford?" "Luca and I will take the kids out for a few days, so you don''t have toe to work," Luke said. It was the New Year''s holiday, and Aunt Neile was not expected to work anyway. "Okay, Mr. Crawford. I understand. Nevertheless, I''ll stille here every two days. If the house isn''t cleaned up, dust might umte. It''ll be toote to clean the ce up when you''re back," Aunt Neile thought about it and said. "Mm, also, there are two bags that Ms. Tanner brought over in the security booth. Go and get them when you''re free." Luke nodded, turned around, and walked upstairs. The kids were doing their things in their respective bedrooms when Luke walked in to tell them about theirst-minute trip. The children cheered when they heard about the trip. All of them stood up, took out their suitcases, and started packing. Luke arrived at the study''s entrance and knocked on the door. Luca went into the study early in the morning and said that she wanted to correct some experimental data, but she had not been out yet. "Come in." Luca''s voice came from inside the study. Luke opened the door and looked at Luca, who was sitting at the desk typing away on the keyboard. He did not go in but instead stood at the door and watched her work for a while. After a while, Luca remembered that someone had knocked on the door just now, so she looked up at the entrance, only to meet his gaze. "Mr. Crawford, what''s the matter?" "Mm, are you busy?" Luke said. He did not want to disturb Luca when she was busy. Luca shook her head and replied, "I''m not too busy. You can talk to me." "Are you done with work?" Luke asked without revealing his ns. "I''m almost done..." Luca saved the file without telling him about the problem that she encountered. She did not have enough research equipment to go into deep analysis of every data point of the medicine. She did not want to take the risk of trying things blindly, so she intended to rent aboratory. However, she could only use her ID card since no one could help her when it came to renting a laboratory. She was worried that it would arouse Abel''s suspicions. As such, Luca had no idea how to advance her research progress. "Mm." Luke nodded and went straight to the point. "Let''s go on a trip. We''ll leave this afternoon." "Okay." Luca did not turn him down. She thought about it and asked, "Where to?" "It''s a secret for now. Pack your bags," Luke informed her and left the study. ''Pack my bags?'' Luca was taken back. She rushed out, looked at Luke, and asked, "Mr. Crawford, why do I have to pack my bags? Are we going to be away for some time?" "Mm, we''lle back the day before work," Luke said. Allison would stoping to him if he left the house. Luca frowned. ''He didn''t have any ns to travel before. Why does he suddenly feel like going on a trip? Is it because of Allison? There''re many ways to avoid her. We don''t have to go on a trip just because of that...'' Luca returned to the study and turned off herputer. She then went into the bedroom, opened the closet, and started packing. There were still several days before she had to go to work, so she packed up a few sets of her favorite clothes, zipped the suitcase, and nced at the time. It was time for lunch. She went downstairs and bumped into Aunt Neile, who had juste in from the outside. "Aunt Neile, why are you carrying two bags?" Luca noticed Aunt Neile''s movements and guessed that the bags were quite heavy, so she stepped forward to help carry one. "Thank you." Aunt Neile breathed a sigh of relief. "They''re from Madam Allison. Oh, I mean Ms. Tanner. They were in the security booth, and Mr. Crawford asked me to go get them. I didn''t expect them to be so heavy." "Ms. Tanner was here?" Luca was surprised. She had been in the study all morning, so she did not know about what happened. "She was here but she couldn''t get in. I heard from the security guard that she put down the two bags and left," Aunt Neile exined as she walked to the storage room with her. "Was Ms. Thomas here too?" Luca asked. She remained neutral when she mentioned Sophian. Many people adored Luke, so she was used to it. Luke would never interact with those women unnecessarily, so she did not find the need to be jealous. She would be green with envy if she was resentful of all the women who admired Luke. "Ms. Thomas was also here, but it was the same case. She didn''t get toe inside." Aunt Neile put the bags on the shelf, nced at them, and said in surprise, "These are all children''s toys and snacks." Chapter 2435 "Mm." Luca saw them too and immediately knew Allison''s intentions. She wanted to mend her rtionship with Luke in the name of pleasing the children. However, Luke would never trust her again considering that she had done such a ridiculous thing. Tommy happily ran in and held Luca''s hand. "Ms. Luca, Ms. Luca! Did you know that Daddy is taking us on vacationter this afternoon?" "I know." Luca stroked his head gently and smiled. "This is wonderful! I didn''t expect the wish I made during the New Year toe true!" Tommy said with a wide smile on his face. Luca was curious and asked him, "Wish? What wish did you make?" "I made a wish that Daddy would take us on a trip, and..." He paused, almost saying what he wanted to say. "What else?" Luca wanted to know his wishes and see if there was a chance to make theme true. Tommy smiled and shook his head. His other wish was that Luca would soon admit her true identity and assume her rightful ce as their Mommy. "Ms. Luca, if I tell you, my wish won''te true," he quipped. "That''s true. You have to keep your wish well and it''lle true one day." Luca touched Tommy''s head. Tommy nodded hard as he believed that his wish woulde true someday and their family would be reunited. "Ms. Luca, have you packed your bags?" Tommy asked. "I''m all packed. Let''s go and have lunch." Luca took Tommy''s hand and was about to leave. Tommy looked at the two bags and asked, "What are these?" "These are gifts from your grandma. Do you want to see them?" Luca said as she let go of Tommy''s hand and ced the two bags on the floor. After all, Allison bought them for the kids. Even if she had an ulterior movie, the kids should still take a look at them. Tommy took a nce at the contents of the bag but did not move. N?velDrama.Org content rights. "There''s a lot more at the bottom of the bag. Why don''t you take a look?" Luca asked when she saw his reaction. Tommy picked up the toy at the top with a detested expression and said, "I don''t even like to y with these toys. I bet Lanie and Rainie wouldn''t be interested either." Luca felt a little resigned when she heard Tommy''s antipathy words. These toys that Allison bought were indeed suitable for children of Tommy''s age, but it did not mean that Tommy would like to y with them. Although he was not as motivated to learn as Lanie, he was more interested in puzzle games. They did not have any games that required no thinking at home. Even the Normans'' yroom did not have these types of toys. The children''s favorite toys, like the ones in the Normans'' toy room, were mostly educational-type toys. They would buy those for them if they shopped for new toys for the kids. The kids were not interested in Superman or Barbie dolls... "You don''t like these?" Luca sighed in embarrassment. "Ms. Luca, you know that we don''t like to y with these kinds of toys. Why don''t we donate these to the children in the orphanage after the New Year? Our teacher said that the orphans are poor and need our Daddy and Mommy to support them," Tommy said. "Okay, we''ll send them over when wee back from our trip." Luca nodded and returned the bags to the shelf. "Young Master Tommy is so kind." Aunt Neile sighed when she overheard their conversation. The Crawfords put a lot of thought into the children''s education. Luke''s three kids would never act selfish and hoard everything. Take the toys that Allison got them as an example. They kept quiet and left them where they were even if they did not like them. They would think of the people in need when it came to things that they did not use. It was a wonderful family life education. Tommy grinned and took Luca''s hand. "Ms. Luca, I''m so hungry. Shall we go eat?" "Okay, Aunt Neile. Is it time to eat?" Luca asked. Aunt Neile nodded and responded, "Lunch is ready. You can eat anytime." "Come on, let''s eat." Luca took Tommy''s hand, and they left the storage room to go to the dining room. Luke, Lanie, and Rainie were already sitting at the dining table waiting for them. Aunt Neile immediately went into the kitchen and served them their lunch. Luca and Tommy sat down. Before they started eating, Tommy looked at Luke and said, "Daddy, Grandma sent us a lot of toys. Will you and Ms. Luca give them to the children in the orphanage?" "You don''t like them?" Luke looked at his youngest son. "We don''t like to y with whatever Grandma gave us." Tommy shook his head and looked at his siblings. "Lanie, Rainie, do you want to take a look?" "Not interested," Lanie said coolly. He trusted Tommy when he said that they were not toys that they would be interested in. Since Tommy did not like them, he and Rainie would not either. Tommy looked at Luke. Luke said, "In half a month, T Corporation will hold a charity event and will be sending a batch of goods to the orphanage in the city. We''ll send the toys there together." "Okay, Daddy," Rainie said. She would always go along and participate in these activities. She felt sympathetic when she saw the orphans. Rainie was happy to be able to help them. After they ate, Luke put the children''s packed luggage into the car. Luke took Lliam along because the four of them had a lot of luggage. They left in two cars and officially set off. Luca nced at the navigation and saw that Luke''s input destination was X City. She looked at him and asked, "Mr. Crawford, are we going to X City?" Luke nodded and responded, "Yeah." Old Master Crawford was actually from X City. He followed the call of the country, brought his wife and children to A City to build a life, and finally settled down in A City. He originally nned to go back to X City after the New Year to check out the terrain over the ancestral hall and then remodel it. It was Allison who moved his n forward. Luca long knew that the Crawfords were from X City, but she asked, "Why are you going back to X City?" "The tourism industry in X City has developed, and the Crawfords'' ancestral hall is going to be rebuilt. The elders of the ancestral hall proposed to have T Corporation help design a drawing so that they can rebuild it ording to the drawing and make it one of the local tourist attractions. Old Master Crawford asked me to go back when I had time to spare for a site visit and thene up with a design drawing. I n to go there since we have some time now. After the site visit, we can treat it as a vacation and spend the rest of our days there in a carefree manner," Luke exined. Luca nodded. She knew that Old Master Crawford deeply valued his roots. She had seen Old Master Crawford hosting people from X City during her years at Crawford Manor. Those people looked for Old Master Crawford to discuss the construction of ancestral halls and vige development. Old Master Crawford would warmly wee them every single time. It was clear as day that Old Master Crawford attached great importance to the development of X City. Luke taking on this job would make Old Master Crawford look good. Chapter 2436 "Dad, where will we be staying?" Tommy asked curiously. He was sitting in the backseat, listening to the conversation between the two adults. It was his first visit to X City. "Old Master Crawford built a small vi on the grounds of his ancestral home in X City. It''s looked after all year round. We''ll be staying there," Luke said. He had no ns to stay in a hotel. X City was a unique city. He was the chief designer of the Crawford Ancestral Home that was built before by Old Master Crawford. The architecture of the Crawford Ancestral Home integrated the landscape of X City. It was distinctive. If it wasn''t because Old Master Crawford did not allow it to be open to the public, that building would have be a must-see location for tourists. ording to the butler who managed the Crawford Ancestral Home, there were still groups of tourists who would check out the outer wall every day although it was not open to the public. Crawford Ancestral Home was popr. A businessman once contacted Old Master Crawford to purchase the Crawford Ancestral Home, but he did not agree. He said it was reserved for the Crawfords'' younger generation. Lanie and Rainie had not been there either, so Luke nned to stay at Crawford Ancestral Home to let them experience the beautifulndscape of X City. "Fantastic!" Rainie raised her hands and pped. She had long heard about the beauty and poprity of the Crawford Ancestral Home, but their Daddy never took them there. It took more than three hours by car to get from A City to X City. They took a full four hours to reach their destination because of the snow. It was dark when they arrived. The butler of Crawford Ancestral Home had long been waiting for their arrival at the door. When he saw the car stop, he stepped forward and warmly weed them, "Master Crawford, young masters, and youngdy, wee to X City. I''m Otto Muller, the butler for the Crawford Ancestral Home." "Hello, Mr. Muller," the kids greeted him obediently. Luca looked at Otto. He was a kind-looking middle-aged man who looked like an X City folk. Otto was looking at her too. Luke had never brought Bianca here, but Otto knew that Luke was married. He greeted Luca, "Hello, Mrs. Crawford." "Hello, I''m not..." Luca was embarrassed. She was probably the first person pretending to be herself. She was about to exin herself when Luke interrupted her, "Mr. Muller, is dinner ready?" "Master Crawford, dinner is ready. Do you want to park the car outside?" Mr. Muller asked. "Lliam and I will drive the cars in. Please take the kids inside," Luke looked at Luca. Luca nodded, took Tommy''s and Rainie''s hands, then looked at Lanie and said, "Let''s go." The children nodded and followed Luca into the Crawford Ancestral Home. Luca took the children through the front yard of Crawford Ancestral Home and praised the design of the ce. The courtyard alone highlighted the city''sndscape features. The ce was even more beautiful after the blossoms of the spring snow. "Ms. Luca, this ce is so beautiful! Did you know that Daddy designed the ce? Great-grandpa told us that he gave Daddy thisnd when he just graduated and asked him to design a vi. After Daddy looked at it, he mentioned that thend was not suitable for building a vi but was perfect for the Crawfords'' ancestral home. Great-grandpa asked him to do as he pleased and this is what we ended up with," Rainie said softly. She heard about the history of the Crawford Ancestral Home from Old Master Crawford. "Your Daddy is awe-inspiring." Luca nodded in agreement. Based on what Rainie said, Luke had just graduated at that time, and his design skills would likely be indistinct. Nevertheless, it was impressive that he was able to design such a beautiful ce. Luca and the children walked along the long courtyard path and arrived at the main house. She got them to go in first because she was worried that they would be cold. She stood at the entrance to wait for Luke. She assumed that three men should be able to carry all their luggage into the house... Just as Luca thought about it, Luke walked over carrying her suitcase. "Mr. Crawford." She stepped forward and wanted to take her suitcase. Luke shook his head and held it close to him. "Why are you standing here?" "I''m waiting to carry the luggage into the house," Luca said. "We can do it. Hurry up and go in. It''s cold." Luke took Luca''s hand and walked inside. They passed through the hallway. Luke put the suitcase down temporarily and looked around.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. He would send an interior designer to inspect the ce and update all the furniture and styles every few years. Therefore, the decoration was very different from when it was firstpleted. Otto walked in with the kids'' luggage and said, "Master Crawford, this ce was renovatedst year." "I know." Luke was fairly satisfied with the interior design. It was not the most popr European interior style at the moment, but it was the most suitable and sought-after style here. The designer had worked hard and did not dare to fool him. Otto said with a smile, "The Crawford Ancestral Home is a must-visit for many social media influencers. Many of them wanted toe in and visit, but I didn''t let them in. It''s overbearing sometimes, so I set up a disy wall on the outer wall with some photos of the interior decoration. As soon as the disy was out, many local designers came here and mentioned that they wanted to observe and learn. Some even said that they wanted to pay toe in and visit. Oh, I identally said too much. Now, everyone, please follow me to the dining room." Otto took them to the dining room. After dinner, he allocated them their rooms. The master bedroom belonged to Luke and Luca. The children chose their favorite bedroom among what remained to sleep in. Lliam did not want to disturb them, so he chose a first-floor guest room to sleep in. After the bedrooms were allocated, the children returned to their respective bedrooms to wash up and rest. They were also tired after more than four hours in the car. Luca helped the child put away the toiletries and clothing before she returned to their bedroom. Luke had already unpacked his suitcase. He sat by the desk, working on hisptop. "They''re all unpacked?" Luke asked while looking at her. "Mm, they''re probably taking a shower now." Luca walked to her suitcase and wanted to unpack. After she put her stuff away, she picked up her toiletries, walked into the bathroom, and found that Luke had put his toiletries inside. However, she did not see any body wash or shampoo. After she put her stuff inside, she walked out and asked, "Mr. Crawford, didn''t you bring any body wash and shampoo?" "I''ll just use yours," Luke replied but did not look at her. "Okay." Luca had no objection as if she foresaw that Luke would not bring them. She had a travel-sized bottle but she brought arge bottle. Chapter 2437 After she took a shower, Luca draped arge towel around her neck to avoid getting her pajamas wet because of her hair. There were no power sockets in the bathroom. She then walked out of the bathroom, sat on the rattan chair nearby, and wiped her hair. The rattan chair was covered with a thick cushion. It was warmed by the heating, so she did not feel cold when she sat on it. Luke saw her and waved. "Come here." "Mm?" Luca asked. Luke opened the desk drawer and took out the hair dryer inside. "I''ll blow dry your hair for you." Luca got up and walked over. The chair was a long bench, so it did not feel crowded when she sat down. Luke picked up the towel and carefully helped her dry the excess moisture from her hair. He then picked up the hair dryer to dry the roots while his other hand brushed through her long hair to make it dry faster. Luca lowered her head slightly. There was a static current when his fingers rubbed against her scalp. Her body softened. Luca''s hair was a little long, but Luke patiently blow-dried it for some time before it was finally dry. He then took theb from the dresser and brushed her hair lightly. Luke was focused. When she was Bianca, he would do this sort of thing whenever he could. However, after she was kidnapped, he never did this kind of thing even with the fake Bianca. Luke could not help but appreciate the warm-hearted feeling since he had the chance to dry her hair for her once more. The meaning of his existence was to be able to do everything for her. After hebed her hair, Luca stood up and touched the ends of her hair that were still slightly hot. Her face was red as she said, "Thank you." "You''re wee." Luke put the hairdryer in the small drawer of the dresser. "I''ll read for a bit," Luca said. She was not like Luke, who had a lot of work to attend to even if they were on a holiday. She did not bring the data files as she wanted to fully embrace her vacation, let herself gopletely, and spend the next few days with her children exploring X City. There were still quite a few attractions in X City although there were not many outdoor ces that they could visit in winter and the scenery was not as beautiful as in spring, summer, and autumn. "I''m going to take a shower." Luke nodded, picked up the pajamas he had just put on the bed, and walked into the bathroom. After a while, the sound of water came out of the bathroom. Luca blushed even more. The master bedroom had its own balcony. She put down the book, pulled down the curtains, and looked at the scenery outside the balcony. Although the Crawford Ancestral Home was uninhabited all year round, the butler and the designer hired by the Crawfords had taken care of it very well. She could see the warm light in the garden through the window. The garden lights were covered with snow but still glowed brightly, adding a glimmer of color to the garden at night. Luca felt like she was in a homestay. Every corner was exquisite. Luke walked out of the bathroom after he took a shower and saw Luca standing in front of the balcony door, looking at the garden. He stepped forward and hugged her waist. "What are you looking at?" Luca''s body could not help but stiffen when she was grabbed out of nowhere. She pointed to the garden outside and said, "I''m looking at the garden." "We arrived toote today. Let''s go take a walk in the garden tomorrow morning. It''s full of unique features," Luke said and kissed Luca''s cheek. A burst of fiery heat aroused where his lips touched. "Okay," Luca replied. All she could think about was how the house was designed entirely by Luke. She wanted to feel the charm of this house because it was all done by him. Luke held her tighter. Luca leaned her entire body against his chest as they looked at the snowy scenery outside the window. The atmosphere in the room was getting amorous. Luke sniffed the fragrance on her body and was even more tempted. He could not help but whisper in her ear, "It''s gettingte. Shall we go to bed?" Luca lowered her gaze and looked at his big palm that was pressed against her stomach. She and Luke had already rolled in the hay. She knew what it meant when he said that. Luca nodded, her voice trembling slightly as she said, "Okay." Luke held her hand and walked over to the bed. Luca lifted the nket and was ready to lie down. Luke grabbed her into his arms quickly. She did not stand still and fell on the bed with him. The mattress was soft, so she did not feel any pain from falling. Before she could react, Luke''s lips were already on hers. ¡°Mm, Mr. Crawford..." Luca grabbed the sheet with both hands nervously as she was feeling a little overwhelmed. Luke gently kissed her soft lips and could tell that she was nervous. He raised his head slightly and said softly, "Be good. Call my name." "Lu... Luke..." Luca''s face was flushed red, and before she could react, Luke was already kissing her passionately. Before she had time to think, she fell deep into the feelings of pleasure. Luke''s kiss was passionate and possessive. He seemed to want to devour every part of Luca. Luca was out of breath, and her mind went nk. They did it thest time because Luke was drugged and they did not have a choice. This time, it was different. He was sober and in control of the situation. The temperature in the room was getting hotter and hotter, and the two became more and more turned on. When Luke was about to go further with Luca, there was a knock on the door. The two were startled. N?velDrama.Org content rights. It was just a second, so Luke decided to ignore the knock on the door and continue with what he was doing. "There was a knock on the door." Luca panted and held her hand against his shoulder. Luke bit his lip. He was like an arrow on the string, ready to fire. He did not want to be interrupted, so he gritted his teeth and said, "Let it be." "It might be the kids." Luca said, "Maybe something happened to them." The children were the only ones who would knock on the door at this hour. Neither the butler nor Lliam would dare. The possessiveness in Luke''s eyes that had overflowed could not be retracted. There was another knock on the door, and Rainie''s voice came from the outside, "Dad, Ms. Luca, are you asleep?" "Rainie, what''s the matter?" Luke covered Luca''s mouth and asked. "Daddy, I''m scared. Can I sleep with you tonight?" Rainie asked. Luca''s heart softened when she heard her little girl''s voice. Rainie was timid, so it was normal that she could not fall asleep in an unfamiliar environment. She pushed Luke aside, sat up, and straightened up her wrinkled clothing. Lukey on the bed with his eyes covered. He was motionless and seemed unwilling. She could not help but smile and said, "Mr. Crawford, it''s your daughter." He spoiled his daughter. Luke reluctantly put on his pajamas. Luca waited for him to get dressed before she opened the door. Rainie stood at the door and held her little pillow. She looked at her pitifully and said, "Ms. Luca..." Chapter 2438 ¡°Come in." Luca smiled. The bed in the master bedroom was big enough. Even if Tommy and Lanie slept here, the bed would be able to fit them. "Thank you, Ms. Luca." Rainie stuck out her head and looked around. Then, she walked into the bedroom. She turned to look at Luke and asked, "Daddy, can I sleep here? I''m scared..." Luke looked at Rainie. He knew she had always been timid. She had to sleep with someone else whenever she was in an unfamiliar environment. The beds in Lanie''s and Rainie''s bedrooms were for children. Now that the kids had grown up, those beds were naturally a little too small for them. Hence, Luke had no choice but to admit that his ns were ruined tonight. He said, "Sure. The bed is big enough for everyone." "Thank you, Daddy!" Rainie gave him a sweet smile. "Come here. Give me the pillow." Luca took the pillow Rainie was holding in her arms from her. She noticed that it was the pillow Rainie used when she was at home, and she brought it along with her. Luca''s heart skipped a beat. Rainie was not like this when she was young. It seemed like the older she grew, the more insecure she was. Luca ced her pillow in the middle of the bed and said, "It''ste. Rainie. Go to sleep." "Thank you, Ms. Luca." Rainie took off her slippers and climbed onto the bed. Shey down in the middle of the bed. Luca noticed that Luke''s face had turned gloomy. She reckoned that it was because Rainie was sleeping in the middle of the bed and Luke would not be able to cuddle with her. Luca recalled Luke''s overbearing behavior a moment ago. He did not give her any chance to reject him. However, he had no choice but to endure it in front of the kids. Luca could not help but feel a chill going down her spine. At the same time, she was also reflecting if she had taken things too far. However, Rainie was their child. It was normal for them to do this. Thus, she said, "Go to bed first. I''m going to check on Lanie and Tommy." Then, Luca walked out of the bedroom and closed the door behind her. Luke stared at Rainie. Rainie was staring at him too. She noticed that Luke seemed to be in a bad mood. Therefore, she asked, "Daddy, did I do something wrong?" "No. Go to sleep." Luke covered her with the nket. His daughter was still young, so he could not me her for this. Rainie closed her eyes. When she was about to fall asleep, she heard Luke say, ¡°Rainie, I''d like to discuss something with you." "I know. Daddy, you''d like to sleep with Ms. Luca, right? I''ll sleep on the edge of the bed, then." Rainie smiled and sat up on the bed. She picked up her pillow and got out of bed. "Daddy, can I sleep here?" Rainie asked. "Sure. You can sleep there." Luke waited for Rainie to lie down before helping to cover her with the nket. Luke thought about it. The bed was spacious enough. Even if the kid were to sleep close to the edge of the bed, she would not fall off. That was why he asked Rainie to sleep on the edge of the bed. Luca only returned to the bedroom after she made sure that Lanie and Tommy were asleep. She walked near the bed only to realize that Rainie was sleeping close to the edge of the bed. Then, she looked at Luke, who was on the other side of the bed. She asked in a soft voice, "Why is Rainie sleeping near the edge of the bed?" "She said she wanted to sleep there because she didn''t want to sleep between us," replied Luke. "But it''s not safe like that." Luca frowned. "Rainie won''t toss and turn when she''s asleep. She''s quiet. Besides, the bed is big enough. She won''t fall," said Luke. He got out of bed and made way for Luca to get on the bed. "It''ste. Rest earlier." Luca looked after Rainie while Luke hugged her from behind. "..." Luca wondered if it was Luke who requested Rainie to sleep on the edge of the bed. However, the child had already fallen asleep. She could not say anything now as it would wake her up. She thought of carrying Rainie to the middle of the bed and she would sleep on the edge of the bed instead. Luke pulled her hand and said, "Rainie''s a light sleeper. She''ll wake up if you touch her." Luca felt a little helpless as she replied, "It''s too dangerous for her to sleep here." "It''s okay. You can put your arms around her. She''ll be fine," said Luke. If they let Rainie sleep in the middle of the bed, who was Luke going to cuddle with? "But..." Luca was worried. Would Rainie fall off the bed if she identally let go of her? What if she tossed and turned on the bed? "If you''re still worried, I''ll ce some nket on the edge of the bed. She won''t fall off the bed that way," said Luke. He opened the closet, took a few spare thick nkets, folded them into long rolls, and ced them at the edge of the bed. "This will work," said Luke. Luca had no choice but to nod when she saw how Luke insisted on doing so. She climbed onto the bed andy down. Lukey down on the bed on the other side and turned off the lights. It was as though Rainie could sense that Luca was on the bed, so she leaned toward Luca''s chest. Luca held Rainie in her arms. From N?velDrama.Org. Rainie mumbled, "Mommy." Luca was startled for a moment. Then, she pursed her lips and quietly covered the child with the nket. Luke whispered in Luca''s ears, ¡°Rainie used to love sleeping together with her mother." ¡°I see." Luca felt sorry for Rainie. She had failed as a mother. Luke put his arm around Luca''s waist. Even though the fric desires in him had yet to calm down, he tried his best to suppress them. After all, their child was with them, and he could not do anything. ¡°Go to sleep. Take your mind off it," Luke muttered softly in her ears. Luca was slightly surprised. How did Luke know that she was thinking about her and her children''s matters... The next day. Luke and Luca were still deeply asleep. They had a good night''s sleep all night. Although Rainie was by their side, it did not affect their sleep. It was only when Tommy came running into the room did they wake up. Tommy saw Rainie lying on the bed and asked in confusion, ¡°Rainie, why are you here?" ¡°Nothing. I had a good night''s sleep." Rainie smiled at Tommy. "Oh, Rainie, you couldn''t fall asleep in an unfamiliar environment. That''s why you came here to be the third wheel, right?" Tommy hit the mark. ¡°I didn''t. I just missed Daddy and Ms. Luca." Rainie''s little face turned red. She did not want her younger brother to think that she was timid. Tommy stuck out his tongue. Luke looked at his youngest son. He pulled a straight face and asked, ¡°Have you washed your face?" ¡°No." Tommy lifted his head and saw Luke''s stern expression. He ran out of the room with his little short legs and said, ¡°I''m going to wash my face now." Rainie got out of bed and said, ¡°Daddy, Ms. Luca, I''m going to wash my face too." "Okay. Off you go." Lucabed her messy hair with her fingers. She watched Rainie leave the room, then she got out of bed. "Mr. Crawford, freshen yourself up. I''ll fold the nkets." ¡°Okay." Luke shook his head helplessly when Luca was still addressing him as Mr. Crawford. He climbed out of bed and headed to the bathroom. Luca was truly stubborn. She would not call his name affectionately when there was no need to. It made him speechless and feel helpless. Luca folded all the nkets that were on the edge of the bed. Rainie slept really quietly. There was no sign of the nkets being moved. Luca smiled. She was fortunate that it was Rainie who slept with her. If it was Tommy who slept on the edge of the bed, he might have fallen off the bed when no one was paying attention to him. She knew the kids'' sleeping habits well. After Luca folded the nkets, she put them back into the closet. Then, she took her clothes out of the suitcase. She nned to change into them after freshening herself up. Chapter 2439 After Luke cleaned himself up, Luca walked into the bathroom, freshened herself up, and changed into a fresh set of clothes. When Luca walked out of the bathroom, Luke had already put on his clothes. He was talking on the phone. She unconsciously treaded lightly across the room. Luke nodded at her and turned on the speaker. It was Percy on the other end of the line. Percy asked, "You''re not in A City now, huh?" ¡°Yeah. I''m in X City," answered Luke. "Why did you go there?" ¡°Same as you. I''m running away from someone." Luke walked toward Luca and held her in his arms. The fresh and nice scent on his body greeted Luca. It was the lemon scent left on him after he shaved and put on clean clothes. ¡°Running away from someone?" Percy let out a chuckle. ¡°Could it be that you''ve gotten yourself into trouble for having a love affair?" ¡°Shut up," Luke replied with a deep voice. He lowered his head and nced at Luca. How could he have any love affairs? He had only been in love with Luca his whole life. She was now Luca, but she was Bianca back then. Nina''s voice came from the other end of the line. ¡°What are you talking about? Hurry up and get straight to the point. Otherwise, we''ll have to go back to A City." Percy, who was on the other end of the line, had no choice but to say, ¡°Okay. Since you''re there, we should head to X City for a vacation too. Let''s talk about this after the New Year." Luke raised his brows and asked, ¡°Aren''t you overseas?" ¡°Nah, don''t even mention it. I got tricked intoing back here, and I''m looking for somewhere to go for a vacation. You''re staying at the Crawford Ancestral Home, right?" Percy asked. Percy was enjoying their vacation abroad at first, and they were not nning toe back after the new year. The new year was the peak period when rumors flew around in the Mallory family. However, Old Master Mallory came up with something crazy when Percy refused toe back. The old man said he was dying. Percy believed it. He came back only to realize that it was nothing like what they said. Old Master Mallory was not ill or dying because of sickness. Percy wanted to take Nina somewhere else now and get away from A City, the hotbed of rumors. ¡°Yes. There''s a guest room here for the two of you," said Luke. ¡°Okay. I''ll change the route now." After Percy said that, he stopped the car on the roadside and changed the destination of the navigation. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. As Luca watched Luke put his phone back in his pocket, she asked, ¡°Is Mr. Mallorying here?" ¡°Yes." Luke nodded and nced at the time. He spected, ¡°He''ll probably arrive in the afternoon." ¡°Okay. Remember to inform Mr. Muller to clean up the guest room for them," said Luca. Although she was surprised that they wereing, she was happy that Nina would being. She stopped when she was walking out of the bedroom at the thought of Ninaing here. She turned around, looked at Luke with a stern expression on her face, and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford," ¡°Yes?" Luke walked toward Luca. ¡°Nina''sing. I think I should move out of this bedroom..." said Luca. She did not want Nina to overthink. After all, there were many rooms in the Crawford Ancestral Home. ¡°No." Luke rejected her suggestion. Luca had to sleep with him no matter what. Otherwise, he would not be able to fall asleep alone as he had gotten used to her sleeping by his side. ¡°Mr. Crawford.." Luca was helpless. She did not know what to say. Luke turned to look at her and said, ¡°Do you think Nina doesn''t know that we''re sleeping together in the same bedroom?'' ¡°What do you mean." Luca looked at him in surprise. ¡°She already saw me going in and out of your bedroom when you took her in back then." Luke pointed out to her as he refused to let Lucae up with any excuses to not sleep with him. ¡°Nina saw me? I was being careful.." Luca wondered if Luke was lying to her just to make her stay. ¡°She was anxious at that time, and she sleptter than anyone else," replied Luke. He put his hands around Luca''s waist as they made their way down the stairs. ¡°The kids know that we''re sleeping together in the same bedroom. Is there anything you have to hide from them? Nina isn''t an outsider either." Nina was indeed not an outsider to Bianca. However, she was an outsider to this identity Luca was using now. Luke''s words made Luca deeply suspicious about whether or not Nina had found out about them. Luke held her in his arms as they headed downstairs. The kids were awake now. Luca noticed that Otto was in the living room, so she said politely, ¡°Mr. Muller, we have guestsing here for a vacation this afternoon. Please clean up a guest room for them." ¡°Yes, Madam," replied Otto. Then, he asked, ¡°Is the room facing the west on the second floor okay for them?" ¡°Sure," said Luke. That way, it could guarantee Percy and Nina''s privacy. ¡°Okay. I''ll go tidy up the room now. Breakfast is ready. Please head to the dining room for breakfast," said Otto. Luke held Luca''s hand and walked to the dining room. The three kids followed behind them. Tommy muttered, "Rainie, are you still going to Daddy and Ms. Luca''s room to sleep tonight?" Rainie looked at her younger brother, shook her head, and replied, "Why are you asking this?" "I''d like to sleep with them too." Tommy smiled. If he knew he could sleep with Luca, he would not have slept alone. "Don''t even think about it. Daddy isn''t going to allow you to sleep in their bedroom." Lanie dampened Tommy''s enthusiasm. "Why? I''m Daddy''s kid too," Tommyined querulously. "Rainie is afraid of an unfamiliar environment. Are you?" Lanie asked. "No..." Tommy replied helplessly. Lanie and Tommy were brave, and they could adapt to new environments quickly. Even if they were in an unfamiliar environment, as long as it was safe, they would be able to fall asleep. Rainie was the only one who was afraid. Luca walked in front of them and heard the kids discussing it. She wondered if she should ask Mr. Mullen to move another bed to their bedroom. Their bedroom was big enough, after all. The kids could move in and sleep in the same bedroom as them too. While Luca was lost in thought, Luke turned around and said to the kids, "Lanie''s right." "Daddy!" Tommy stomped his feet in dissatisfaction. "Let''s have a barbecue tonight," suggested Luke. "Really?" Tommy immediately put his dissatisfaction out of his mind. He loved such things the most. "Yeah. We''ll do it at the gazebo outdoors," said Luke. Since Percy and Nina wereing, he could not just have nothing prepared. It was inexcusable. After all, the vi belonged to the Crawford family. They were considered the hosts here. "Awesome! We''re going to have a barbecue." Tommy pped and cheered. Lanie asked, "Daddy, who are the guests?" "Mr. Percy and Ms. Nina," answered Luke as he pulled the chairs and let the kids sit on them. Then, he sat on the host''s seat while Luca sat beside him. "Mr. Percy and Ms. Nina areing!" Rainie eximed. She liked Nina a lot. Luke turned to look at Luca and said, "Let''s have a walk together around here after breakfast. Then, we''ll take the kids out to try the local dishes of X City. After that, we''ll head to the supermarket to get some groceries for tonight''s barbecue." "Sure." Luca nodded. She had noments on his arrangements. Luca also thought they had to organize something to wee Percy and Nina since they wereing. Chapter 2440 The three kids agreed with the adult''s arrangements too. After Mr. Muller tidied the room, he came to the dining room. Luke asked him about the famous restaurants in X City. Otto pondered for a moment and rmended some farm-to-table restaurants that were still operating. There happened to be one a few miles away, and the reviews of the restaurant were good. After Luke listened to him, he asked, ¡°Do we need to make a reservation first?" ¡°Yes, Young Master Luke. I can help you to reserve a table if you''ve decided to go there for lunch," replied Otto. "Please reserve a private room for me," said Luke. "Okay. I''ll make the call now. This farm-to-table restaurant is popr. You''ll have to make a reservation in advance if you''d like a private room," replied Otto. He picked up his phone and called the owner of the restaurant who he was familiar with. Otto reserved a private room. Then, he informed Luke, "Young Master Luke, the reservation has been made." "Okay." Luke nodded and took a sip of the coffee. Then, he thought of tonight''s arrangement and asked, "Are there any barbecue utensils in the vi?" "Yes. We have a barbecue grill. There''s a bonfire pit outside the gazebo. You can use them for the barbecue." Otto reckoned that Luke was nning to have a barbecue. It was the winter season now. Barbecuing at the gazebo sounded like a good idea. "We''ll be having a barbecue tonight. Please take the grill outter to clean it and disinfect it when you''re avable," said Luke. Luke paid a lot of attention to hygiene. The butler had been the only one staying here for the past few years. The equipment must be covered in dust. "Okay. I got it." Otto smiled. It had been a long time since someone came to the mansion. Things were finally livening up here. As a butler, he felt happy that there were people finally staying here. After breakfast, Luke held Lanie''s hand while Luca held Rainie''s and Tommy''s hands. They went for a walk in the garden. Luca saw the design of the courtyard and the exterior wall design of the Crawford Ancestral Home. She could not help but exim, "It''s breathtaking." Luca could see a smaller version of X City in this vi. ¡°Thendscaper of this courtyard visited all the famous attractions in X City before he started designing the garden. He was inspired by the most noteworthy attractions. He rose to fame because of this. Many people went looking for him to ask him to design their courtyard," said Luke. He did not look for T Corporation''s designer to design the courtyard back then. Instead, he chose a local designer in X City. Local designers understood more about the customs and cultures in X City than T Corporation''s designers. Of course, the designer was able toe up with something that was more to his liking. Luca nodded. She could see how much effort was put into every corner here. Rainie loved this ce too. She lifted her head and said to Luke, "Daddy, can you take us here during our holidays? I''d like to see what it''s like when it''s summertime here." "Of course." Luke nodded. He would always try his best to fulfill his children''s wishes. It was just that he had been busy for the past few years. After the Crawford Ancestral Home was built, he did not have the time toe here himself. He only sent someone else to check on the mansion. "Ms. Luca, let''se here again. I heard Great-grandpa say that the scenery in X City during summertime is beautiful!" Rainie held Luca''s hand and invited her. Luca lowered her head and looked at Rainie''s smiling face. Luca was smiling too, but she could not help but feel mncholic. Summer... It was unlikely that Abel would allow her to stay here until summer. There was no news from Abel now, but that did not make her let her guard down. It was as though this was just the calm before the storm. The peace she got to enjoy now did not mean that Abel had given up on taking revenge. Perhaps, he already had a n in mind. After a walk in the garden, Luke took them out for a drive to the ces nearby. Luca noticed that a few people were standing outside the wall when the car drove out of the mansion. They were all dressed up, but everyone was holding a camera in their hands. "Daddy, why are they standing here?" Tommy leaned on the car window and looked at the people outside the window. Luke could not be bothered to look at them as he answered, "They came to take photos." "Are those people working in the architecture industry?" Luca suddenly asked. Luke nced at the people outside the window and replied, "Some of them are. I''m guessing the others are influencers." Luca nodded. Luke could judge a person''s upation by looking at their attire. She looked outside the window. The moment their car drove out of the mansion, everyone''s gaze fell on their car. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Some of them were discussing, "It''s a car with a foreign car te number. I thought they said the mansion isn''t open to the public, right? What''s going on now.." "It''s open to foreigners but we don''t even have the chance to visit the mansion. That''s too much." Another person went along with it. ¡°I heard they say that it''s beautiful inside. I really want to take a look inside and take some photos. I''m going to have tons of likes if I post the photos online." An influencer looked at the car driving away enviously and eximed, "But I don''t have that much money either. Look at that car. How many people can afford a car that costs ten million?" "Is that person an ultra-rich millionaire?" "What? I heard that the richest man in X City had thought of buying this mansion, but the owner of the mansion had no intention to sell it. I wonder who that person is. How can he go in and out of the mansion as he wishes?" "Didn''t you notice the car te number? It''s the car te number from A City. The owner of this mansion lives in A City, and he owns a big financial group. Rental and entrance fees are nothing to him. That''s why the public isn''t allowed to go in. He''s obviously the owner of the mansion," another person spoke reasonably. Everyone nodded. It turned out that this was the case. Then, that person added, "There''s a reason why the public isn''t allowed to go in. It cost a lot of money to build and maintain this mansion. If they let the public in, they might ruin or break something. The entrance fee won''t be enough for the repair fees. The owner isn''t that dumb." Luke took Luca and the kids to the attractions nearby for sightseeing for a few hours. Then, they headed to the restaurant they had reserved earlier to have lunch. Otto was right. The dishes here were special and delicious. They enjoyed their lunch. After lunch, Luke received a call from Old Master Crawford. "Grandpa, what''s the matter?" Luke asked. "Where are you now?" Old Master Crawford asked. His voice sounded normal. "I''m in X City." Luke paused for a moment and added, "Luca and the kids are here with me too." "That''s why..." Old Master Crawford chuckled. "That''s great. Enjoy your vacation with Luca and the kids. You worked hardst year. Going on a vacation and recharging yourself sounds great. You''re staying in Crawford Ancestral Home, right?" "Yes." Luke asked the old master why he called, "Grandpa, did anything happen?" "It''s your mother. She hasn''t been able to contact you, and they told her that you''re not at the vi. She thought you took the kids back to Crawford Manor. That''s why she called to ask," answered Old Master Crawford. Allison called him, and only then did he find out that Luke was not at his vi. Chapter 2441 ¡°She went looking for you?" Luke frowned. He thought Allison dared not to look for Old Master Crawford. He did not expect that Allison would have the guts to do so. "She can''t cause any trouble with just a call. Enjoy your vacation. I''m hanging up." Old Master Crawford set his worries aside after knowing where Luke had gone. Even though Luke did not tell him why he had headed to X City, the old master knew it was mostly because of Allison. Old Master Crawford also knew that Luke had been working hard and that he should take a break from work. That was why he decided to help him to deal with Allison. Luke''s face turned gloomy after the call ended. ¡°Daddy, what''s wrong?" Lanie asked first. "Nothing." Luke was not nning to tell the kids about Allison''s matter. She was their grandmother, after all. He was trying to ensure that the kids still had somewhat of a good impression of Allison. The three kids exchanged nces with each other and thought something must have happened. It was just that their father refused to tell them about it. Luke unblocked Allison''s phone number and gave her onest warning: [I''m not going to pay for your surgery costs if you disturb Grandpa.] Luke had not deducted Allison''s allowance. It was the money she deserved. Allison would make a big deal out of it if Luke deducted her allowance, and it would eventually affect the Crawford family and T Corporation. However, Luke could choose not to pay for her surgery costs. Allison''s surgery was meaningless. If she dared to make a big deal out of it, Luke could always counterattack. Before Allison could reply to Luke''s message, Luke blocked her again. Then, he stood up and said, "I''m going to pay for lunch." The moment Luke left the private room, the three kids whispered to one another in front of Luca, "Something''s wrong with Daddy." "And it must be rted to the family." They nodded and turned to look at Luca. With the three of them staring at her, Luca exined helplessly, "Just like you, I know nothing." Luca had her guesses, but she would not tell the kids since Luke did not intend to let them know about it. ¡°Perhaps it''s Grandma causing trouble again." Tommy was smart and hit the mark right away. ¡°When is Grandma going back to Seoul?" Rainie asked and frowned. Although Allison was their grandmother, they were more worried about their father. If it were not for their Daddy being strong enough, he would have been screwed over by their grandmother countless times. ¡°Probably after the New Year," Lanie guessed. He heard the adults talking about it before. They said Allison would being back for the New Year. Hence, she should be going back after the New Year. ¡°Oh," replied Rainie. Then, she did not say anything more. After Luke paid for the lunch and left the restaurant with Luca and the kids, they headed to the supermarket to get some ingredients and seasonings for the barbecue tonight. Luca was the one who was responsible for choosing the ingredients. Luke noticed that Luca had been choosing the ingredients that were not marinated. Therefore, Luca would have to marinate the ingredients herself after going back home. Luke said, ¡°Just buy the marinated ingredients. It saves trouble." The cook would onlye to work when her shift started. It would take two to three hours to marinate the ingredients. Hence, the job of marinating the ingredients would be left to Luca. Luke did not want her to be too tired. Luca smiled and replied, ¡°The marinated ingredients here don''t taste as good as the ones marinated at home. Besides, there''s a huge difference in taste preferences between A City and X City. I think it''d be better to go for something we''re familiar with since we''re going to receive guests like Mr. Mallory and Nina." ¡°I agree. The ingredients Ms. Luca prepared will taste better than the ones in the supermarket." Tommy was a greedy little kid. He went along with Luca''s words, knowing that Luca''s homemade food would certainly taste better than the ones in the supermarket. ¡°You little greedy cat." Luke could not help but shake his head when he looked at the child. Tommy grinned and looked at them. After getting the ingredients, Luke carried two big bags and left. Luca was responsible for holding the kids'' hands and followed him. Luke ced the ingredients in the car. Just then, he received a message from Percy. After Luke saw the message, he said to Luca, ¡°They''ve already arrived in X City. They''ll be reaching the ancestral home in half an hour." Luca nodded, fastened her seat belt, and replied, "Let''s hurry back home." ¡°Okay." After Luke fastened his seat belt, he drove back to the ancestral home. There was another batch of people surrounding outside the wall of the mansion, and there were more people at this hour. Luca could not help but ask, ¡°Has this ce be one of the attractions in X City?" ¡°I guess so," replied Luke. The designs of this vi, including the exterior wall, made a beautiful scenery. Thendscaper and Luke had spent a lot of effort on the designs of the exterior wall. Although the exterior wall was special, they made sure the security system was working too. They were hidden by the beautiful scenes. However, once someone tried to climb over the wall or do something suspicious, the security system would send out a warning. Many constructionpanies woulde to observe and imitate what they had done to the exterior walls because of this. Luca was not very surprised to see the people outside the wall. After all, Luke''s architectural design was recognized globally. The car drove into the vi with those people looking at it. It attracted another bunch of onlookers. Luca kept on looking behind her. She was worried that someone would break in. Only when the gate waspletely closed did she let out a sigh of relief. After Luke parked the car in the parking lot, Otto walked toward the car and opened the car trunk. He took two bags of ingredients out of it. ¡°Young Master Luke, Madam, please go into the vi. Leave these to me," said Otto. Although he was the butler, he gave the others the impression of the simplicity and honesty of the citizens in X City. As he said that, he carried the two bags of ingredients and headed into the vi. Luca and the kids walked past the courtyard and returned to the vi too. After she got changed, she said to Luke, who was beside her, ¡°I''m going to the kitchen to marinate the ingredients first." ¡°Okay." Luke nodded and looked at the three kids. ¡°Daddy, you can leave us be. We brought our calligraphy homework here. I''m going to do my homework," Tommy spoke first. Luke stroked his head and replied, ¡°Okay. Off you go." The three kids headed upstairs to finish their calligraphy homework. Luca bought a lot of ingredients. Luke thought it would be tiring for Luca to marinate all the ingredients all by herself. Hence, he walked into the kitchen and said, ¡°Let me help you." ¡°Mr. Crawford?" Luca turned around and looked at him, only to see him walk straight toward her while rolling up his sleeves. ¡°Is there anything I can do?" Luke asked. Luca frowned and reminded him, ¡°Mr. Crawford, you might dirty your shirt." Every shirt Luke wore was expensive. It would be hard to wash it off if he stained his shirt. Luke saw a sky-blue colored apron beside. He took it and put it on right away. Luca raised her brows after furrowing them. Was he not afraid of getting dirty? ¡°What''s wrong?" Luke noticed the changes in her expression. He lowered his head and nced at the apron. It was a normal apron, and it was a unisex apron. Besides, Luke had already tied it around himself. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. "Aren''t you worried that someone has used the apron before?" asked Luca. She took a bag of chicken wings out of the bag beside her. She remembered Nina loved eating barbecued chicken wings. Chapter 2442 "I''ll get changedter," replied Luke. He would always put his principles and habits aside in front of her. What mattered was that she was happy. Luca ced the chicken wings in front of him and asked, "Do you know how to cut small crosswise slits?" "Huh?" Luke seldom entered the kitchen. He did not know how to cook either. It was his first time hearing the words she said. Luca picked up one of the chicken wings and a knife. Then, she cut small crosswise slits on the front and back of the chicken wing and said, "Something like this. It''ll let the marinade cover more of the surface of the meat." "Easy." Luke took the knife from Luca and began to do his job seriously. Luca watched Luke cut the slits on the chicken wing. After making sure he had no problem with it, she started cleaning the beef ribs and marinating them. It was supposed to take around an hour to finish marinating the ingredients, but Luca was able to finish it in half an hour with Luke''s help. Luca let out a sigh of relief after she ced all the marinated ingredients into the fridge. Luca leaned against the kitchen countertop and watched Luke wash his hands. Then, he took off the apron and hung it back. Then, he washed his hands again. She could not help but smile. The man who said he did not mind getting dirty a moment ago was unable to stand the dirtiness now. Luca lowered her voice and said, "Mr. Crawford, go get changed. I''m guessing Mr. Mallory and Nina will be here soon." "Okay. I''ll go get changed first." Luke walked out of the kitchen and headed upstairs to get changed. After Luca washed her hands, she left the kitchen and came upstairs too. She needed to get changed as well. Luca pushed the bedroom door open. Only then did she realize Luke was getting changed. Luke had taken off his shirt, revealing his muscr chest. Luca''s face turned red at once. She turned away and said, "I''m sorry. I didn''t know you were getting changed here..." Luke gave an evilugh and walked toward her. He closed the door behind her and looked at her reddened face. A desire to tease her aroused within him as he asked, "Are you embarrassed?" Luca bit her lips as Luke closed the distance between them. She could hear her heart pounding. "Haven''t you seen it and touched it before?" Luke chucked in a low voice. His deep, hoarse voice rang in her ears, and it made her burn with embarrassment. Even her ears were red now. "Mr. Crawford..." The moment Luca called his name, Luke leaned closer to her earlobe and gently kissed it. Luca remained rooted in the spot. Her body trembled as Luke moved closer to her, and her hands were pressing against his chest. It was as though the skin on his chest was burning with fire. It was so warm that it burned her palms. "Don''t be shy," teased Luke. He grabbed Luca by the waist and pulled her into his arms. It was such an aggressive move. A hint of danger swept across his words. Luca knew things would get out of hand if she did not stop him now. Luca''s cheeks were red, and when she was about to push him away, there came a knock on the door behind her. Luca was dumbfounded for a moment. She was worried that the kids would enter the bedroom right away. The nerves in her body immediately tensed up. Luke blocked the door from inside with one of his arms and asked, "Who''s there?" "Young Master Luke, the guests are here." Otto''s voice came from outside the door. "Okay. I''ll head down after getting changed," replied Luke as he let go of Luca. Luca quickly ran away from him like a rabbit. "I''m getting changed too," said Luca. She opened the closet, took a shirt out, and walked into the bathroom. Luke was getting changed outside the bathroom, so she put on her clothes in the bathroom. After Luca put on her shirt, she was worried that she might see something she should not see if she opened the door now. She waited for a while behind the bathroom door. She secretly counted to 100, and only then did she open the door. Luca met Luke''s yful smile right away, and he said, "I thought you were going to stay in there forever." "No way. Mr. Mallory and Nina are here. Mr. Crawford, let''s go down," said Luca as she walked toward the door. The smile on Luke''s face was happy. Although he did not get to satisfy his desires, it amused him to see Luca being shy. The two of them made their way down the stairs. They saw Percy and Nina sitting on the sofa in the living room with four suitcases beside them. Percy gave Luke a mocking smile when he saw himing down. "Hey, Mr. Crawford is finallying downstairs." "I didn''t keep you waiting that long." Luke''s smile disappeared from his face as he replied with an expressionless face. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Yeah, but it usually doesn''t take you that long toe downstairs. Could it be that you were doing something embarrassing upstairs?" Percy shot him a meaningful look. The mocking smile on his face was getting wider. "No matter what embarrassing things I was doing, I''m still better than you." Luke rolled his eyes at him. "You got tricked toe back here. I couldn''t believe you''d believe such a thing." The smile on Percy''s face disappeared when Luke mentioned this. He clicked his tongue helplessly. "Ts." He said, "Honestly, I didn''t know Old Master Mallory would go as far as cursing himself." Nina nudged Percy''s arm with her elbow, signaling him to stop talking about it. After all, Old Master Mallory was willing to go as far as embarrassing himself to do such a thing. Percy was ashamed, but it was also shameful for Old Master Mallory to do such a thing too. They should not talk about it. Percy understood what Nina meant. He changed the subject of the conversation. He held Nina''s hand, lifted it, and said, "Besides, there''s one more thing you''re wrong about. We''re now officially married." Luca noticed that the diamond ring on Nina''s finger was different from the previous one. Besides, Nina wore the ring on her middle finger back then. Now, she was wearing the ring on her ring finger. Luca asked in surprise, "You''re married?" "Yes. We registered our marriage abroad." Speaking of marriage, Nina put on a happy and blissful smile on her face. Nina thought it was merely a vacation. She only realized that Percy had already gotten everything prepared in advance when he brought her to the city hall and took out the documents they needed. Nina was alone without other family members. Hence, she nodded and agreed to marry Percy. She wanted to marry Percy badly and have a child of their own. "All we have to do is take the marriage certificate we got from abroad to the city hall in A City. Then, our marriage will be legal in our country too." Percy was on cloud nine. This time, he was much faster than Luke. Luke was annoyed looking at how happy Percy was. This guy knew that there were obstacles between Luca and Luke''s rtionship. That was why he came here to show how happy he was to be able to get married. Luke could not be bothered to talk to him anymore. Luca noticed that and said, "Let me help you to get your suitcases to the guest room." Then, she rose to her feet as she was about to help them. Luke grabbed her hand and said, "Leave it to Percy." "But there are so many suitcases. How can he do it alone..." Luca hesitated. "Luke''s here to help, right?" Percy turned to look at Luke. There were four suitcases, and the two of them could carry two each. Chapter 2443 Luke sat on the sofa and shot him a cold nce. Percy was still showing off to him that he and Nina were officially married. It was clearly an act of provocation. Luke was very unhappy with that. "Mr. Crawford, you should do what a host should do. You weren''t thinking of letting Dr. Craw help me, right? The suitcases are quite heavy." Percy smiled and looked at him with that scheming look on his face. Of course, Luke would not let Luca do such things. He immediately stood up and said, "I''ll do it." Percy picked up two suitcases and said, "As your friend, I''m thoughtful enough to carry the heavy ones for you. You can carry the lighter ones." Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Luke picked up the rest of the suitcases. The suitcases were not that heavy either. Hence, it was easy for him to pick them up. Percy turned to look at him and said, "Let''s go. Lead the way." Luke headed upstairs without saying a word. Nina watched the two of them make their way up the stairs until they went out of sight. Then, she looked at Luca with embarrassment. "Luca, I''m sorry. We didn''t mean to disturb you and Mr. Crawford." "Why are you saying this..." Luca looked at the diamond ring on her finger and Nina''s eyes that were filled with joy. Nina must be happy now. She must be happy to be able to marry the man she loved the most. Luca was married to the man she loved before, and she also had a ring that represented Luke''s sincerity and love for her. However, Abel had taken her ring off. She had no idea where the ring was now. Perhaps it was still with Abel. Still, the chances of Able throwing it into the ocean were high too. It was almost impossible to look for a diamond ring in the ocean. Luca said, "Congrattions, you''ve be Mrs. Mallory." "Thank you." Nina shed a blissful smile when Luca mentioned her marriage. It made others envious of their happiness. Luca loved seeing Nina smiling so happily. She sincerely wished that the happy smile on Nina''s face couldst forever. Nina nced at the stairs. Percy and Luke had not gotten down yet. Then, she asked Luca ¡°Luca, you didn''t agree to help me to nurse my health when I asked you to help me back then. Can you help me now?" Previously, Nina wanted to get pregnant. She even went to see the doctor. The doctor told her that her previous miscarriage had affected her health badly. Even though many years had passed, Nina did not nurse her health when the miscarriage first happened. Hence, it would be hard for her to get pregnant with her current health condition. However, that did not mean she could not get pregnant. ording to the doctor, she had to nurse her health. Besides, it would be best if she could nurse her health with naturopathic medicine, and Nina knew someone who knew naturopathy well. Nina trusted Luca fully. "I promised you that I''d be sure to help you once you were married and you wanted to have a baby," replied Luca. She signaled Nina to roll her sleeves. Luca knew what had happened to Nina back then. That was why she knew what her condition was even without checking her pulse. Nina rolled her sleeve and ced her hand on the coffee table. Then, she said, "Uh, I had a miscarriage before..." "Okay. That was in the past. Our goal is to nurse your health now and get you pregnant," Luca pretended to be rxed as she ced her fingers on Nina''s pulse. Naturopathy focused on providing a holistic approach to treating health problems. If Luca could figure out Nina''s health problems by checking her pulse, she would be able to nurse her health. After a while, Luca asked Nina to change to another hand. Atst, she said, "Your body is weak. It''s probably caused by emotional stress and staying upte for work. Besides, you have some hormone issues. You didn''t nurse your health back then, right?" "Many things had happened to my family back then. I didn''t get to nurse my health." Nina recalled the time when Pierre forced her to abort the baby. She insisted on going to work before her body had recovered. Nina thought she was still young, so it was nothing to her. Now she realized that she was too naive. She had no idea her stubbornness would affect her health to this extent. "It''s okay. It''s not toote to nurse your health." Luca picked up her phone and began to write down the prescription. "You''re still young now. Anyway, you''ve gone to see a doctor, right?" "Yes. I went through a lot of examinations," answered Nina. What the doctor said was almost the same thing Luca told her. Luca asked, "The doctor gave you folic acid, right?" "Yes." Nina was a little nervous. She believed in Luca, but Luca was too serious when she was checking Nina''s pulse. Nina thought she could not get pregnant anymore. Luca wrote the prescription and sent it to Nina. Then, she said, "I''ve sent it to you. Take a look at it. The medicines can be found in pharmacies. It''s just that you''ll have to spend some time decocting it. Plus, it''ll taste bitter..." Luca knew Nina did not like bitter foods, so she reminded her. "It''s okay. I can do this." Nina secretly made up her mind. She had to strive hard for the sake of her baby. "And continue to take the folic acid. It takes a month for a course of treatment. I''ll check on you again after a month. You''ll be ready to get pregnant once your health has recovered," reminded Luca. She was envious of Nina. She took things one step at a time. Now, she was married and preparing to get pregnant. Luca recalled everything that had happened between her and Luke. She still felt that her rtionship with Luke was like a dream. It was as though she was dreaming. It felt like she was watching a TV drama and a movie. It was just like a dream. "A month?" Nina was slightly surprised. She thought it would take half a year or a whole year to nurse her health. Chapter 2444 Percy turned to look at Luca worriedly and said, ¡°Dr. Craw, is she alright?" ¡°It''s not a big deal. That''s what white-cor workers face these days. If she nurses her health, nothing bad is going to happen to her." Luca knew what Nina was thinking about. Hence, she helped Nina to conceal it. Percy let out a sigh of relief. He held Nina''s hands and said in a low voice, ¡°It''s my fault. I didn''t take good care of you." Nina shook her head. She could not me him for that. If she were to me someone, she only had herself to me. She did not take good care of herself back then, and that was why she had health issues now. Fortunately, Luca said her health could be nursed. Nina was no longer afraid. Luke looked at the two of them. He cleared his throat and reminded them that they were not in a private space now. Nina''s face reddened. She withdrew her hands and said, ¡°Besides, Luca gave me a prescription. My health will recover after I take the medicine." ¡°That''s great." Percy set his worries aside. If it were another doctor, Percy would have taken Nina to see Johann and ask him to do the check-up for her. However, it was Luca who checked on her this time, so he was assured. The organization behind Luca was the Ind of Despair. She was trained for three years on the ind. The medical skills of the people on the Ind of Despair, ording to what Luke told Gale and Rain, were the top of the world. Hence, Luca''s skills must be good too. Besides, based on what she had done before, Percy had confidence in her medical skills. Percy looked at Luca and thanked her, ¡°Dr. Craw, thank you." ¡°My pleasure." Luca gave him a faint smile and looked at how happy the newlyweds were. She suddenly turned to look at Luke, and only then did she realize Luke was staring at her too. Nina turned to look at Luca and gave her a thankful smile. Percy stood up and patted Luke''s shoulder while saying, ¡°I saw a pool table when I went upstairs. Come on, let''s y a game." Luke did not move and teased Percy instead, ¡°Pool? Don''t you have to keep your wifepany?" "It''s been a long time since I yed. I''d like to y a game of pool." Percy turned to look at Nina and winked at her. Nina smiled and said, "Mr. Crawford, do apany him to y a round. He couldn''t find anyone to y with him when he was abroad." Percy loved ying pool when he was not busy with his work. The vi they stayed in when they traveled abroad had a pool table, but no one could y with Percy. Nina knew nothing about ying pool. That was why Percy would y pool alone sometimes. Luke turned to look at Luca. She did not say anything. Hence, he rose to his feet and patted Percy''s shoulder. "I haven''t yed for a while too. Let''s go. The loser will buy the drinks for tonight." "Isn''t this your home? There must be a wine cer here, yet you''re asking someone else to buy drinks?" Percy asked as they made their way up the stairs together. "If you lose, you''ll pay me cash for the drinks you drink at my ce at a discounted price," said Luke. Then, he added, "There must be a bet since you want to y." "How petty. Fine. It''s a deal," Percy agreed with him. Nina listened to their conversation. Percy and Luke were talking childishly to each other like they were kids. She could not help but burst outughing. "Sometimes, men always have childish sides to them. They sound like children who never grew up," said Nina. Luca nodded as she agreed with what she said. It had been a long time since she saw this side of Luke. Luke had always been the independent man who was the head of the family in front of the public. He was responsible for supporting T Corporation and the Crawford family. After making sure the two men had gone upstairs, Luca looked at Nina and asked, "Are you sure you''re not nning on telling Mr. Mallory that you''re nursing your health to get pregnant?" "I have a weak body. I have no idea when I''m going to get pregnant. I don''t want to see Percy disappointed," Nina assured. Instead of letting Percy look forward to the birth of their child together only to end up disappointed, she would rather give him a surprise. Luca wanted to say something but she hesitated. Nina''s health was not as bad as it seemed. It was just that the miscarriage had traumatized her, and her stressful life caused her to worry that she would be unable to get pregnant. Fortunately, Percy and Nina eventually confessed to each other about their feelings. The two of them understood each other and were able to forgive each other. Nina''s mental health had improved since then. Nina looked at Luca. She smiled and said, "Don''t worry. I''m better at dealing with great pressure now. It''s just that Percy''s busy with work, and I don''t want him to worry about this." Luca wanted to say if this was truly something to be worried about. However, Nina had such thoughts, so there was nothing more Luca could say. After all, this was between the couple. Therefore, Luca changed the subject of the conversation and asked, "By the way, did the mother and sone looking for trouble after you gave them the money?" Although one could not legally cut off ties with family, Luca truly thought that Anna and Jean did not deserve to be Nina''s mother and brother. Hence, she used the words ¡®mother and son¡¯ to refer to them. Nina knew who Luca was talking about right away. She smiled and said, ¡°Everything became quiet after they took the money. They never came to disturb me again." "Good for you." Luca nodded. However, she had a feeling that they would not give up that easily. A person¡¯s greed could be infinite. Even so, Anna and Jean had arge amount of money now. It was easy for them able to live comfortably as long as they did not waste or splurge their money. They would be able to live a better life than others. However, Anna and Jean spent money extravagantly... Luca knew it. That was why she thought it was not over yet. As their family, of course, Nina would know about that. Nina chuckled andughed at herself, "Previously, Ms. Anna refused to get discharged from the hospital. She would always bring up some health issues whenever the doctor mentioned getting discharged from the hospital. She would im that she was feeling unwell and was in pain. But she immediately got discharged from the hospital once she got the money. She told the doctor that she wanted to get discharged. The doctor suggested doing a check-up on her to make sure that she was fine before she was permitted to get discharged. But she actually told the doctor that she knew her condition well and there was no need to do check-ups as there was nothing wrong with her. After that, she got discharged from the hospital right away." Johann told Nina about this after he heard Anna¡¯s attending physician tell him about it. Nina felt ironic when she heard that. Anna did not feel sorry for Nina when she spent her hard-earned money. Staying in the hospital for another day meant someone would be serving her for another day. However, Anna was reluctant to spend a single cent of her own money. She immediately got discharged from the hospital. Howughable. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Nina grew up in the Langdon family. Her family name was Langdon too, but she was like an outsider. The mother and son treated her like their personal ATM. Luca let out a sigh when she looked at the expression on Nina''s face. She initially thought of changing the subject of the conversation, but it made Nina reminisce about her past. Luca held Nina''s hands and said, "Hey, everything''s fine now. Look, they''re no longer pestering you, and you''re married to Mr. Mallory now. It''s wonderful. You have a perfect ending now." "Yes. It¡¯s a perfect ending, indeed." Nina smiled. The shadow that clouded her heart went away when she heard Percy¡¯s name. Chapter 2445 Fortunately, there was a person like him in Nina''s life to soothe her pain and drive away the shadows in her life. Living a life like this was not that bad. Nina was an easily satisfied person. It was enough for her as long as she could spend the rest of her life with Percy and live in peace. Luca looked at the blissful smile on Nina''s face, and she could not help but smile too. She hoped Nina could live happily forever. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Luca had this feeling that even though Nina was already married to Percy, their together would not be an easy road. Nina must continue to live happily. The two of them talked about other stuff and chatted with each other for a while. Two hourster, Tommy ran downstairs looking for them. He grabbed Luca''s hand with one of his hands while he took Nina''s hand with another hand. He said helplessly, "Ms. Luca, Ms. Nina, hurry up upstairs. Daddy and Mr. Percy are about to fight." Luca raised her brows. Were Luke and Percy fighting with each other? She refused to believe it. That was why she did not stand up. She saw Nina stand up, then she grabbed Nina''s arm and turned to look at Tommy. "What''s happening upstairs?" "Daddy and Mr. Percy said they were going to beat each other in pool. They yed a few rounds of pool games and neither of them was willing to take a step back. Ms. Luca, there''ll be smokeing out of the pool table soon if they don''t stop," Tommy exaggerated. Nina heard him and sat down calmly. Fortunately, they were not actually fighting with each other. It was normal for men to bepetitive. However, Nina could not help but feel surprised at how well Luca knew Luke. Nina had been staying by Percy''s side for so many years. She thought Percy had truly gotten into a fight with Luke when she heard the kid say that. Tommy became anxious when he noticed that the two of them had no intention of stopping them. He asked, ¡°Ms. Luca, Ms. Nina, aren''t you afraid that they''ll get into a real fight?¡± Nina shook her head. She smiled and replied, "Let them fight for an oue. They''ll stop after that." Tommy looked troubled and said, "But Lanie and I have been watching them for an hour now. They haven''t figured out who''s the winner yet." Nina raised her brows. It was just a pool game, yet there had yet to be a winner after an hour? "How''s that possible?" Percy was pretty good at ying pool. ¡°They said they can''t decide the winner with just a round. That''s why they yed another two rounds, but Daddy and Mr. Mallory took turns to win. There''s no way they can figure out who the winner is like this..." replied Tommy. ¡°Don''t they know about the best two out of three?" Nina asked. Even children would know that whoever got two out of three won. How could the two adults not know about it? Not to mention that it was just a game to them. ¡°Oh my, I don''t know either. Come on, let''s go upstairs," said Tommy. He stroked his belly and said, ¡°I''m hungry. If Daddy and Mr. Mallory won''t stop ying this boring pool game, we won''t be able to have dinner tonight." "Who told you that? Ask Lanie and Rainie toe down. We''ll start barbecuing now." Luca was not nning on getting involved in thepetition between the two men. Then, she added, "Oh, remember to put on a few moreyers to keep yourself warm." ¡°Okay, Ms. Luca!" Tommy''s eyes brightened up. The biggest reason why Tommy wanted Percy and Luke to stop ying was that he wanted to enjoy the barbecue as soon as possible. He thought they would not start the barbecue if the two of them did not stop ying. Tommy became energetic when he found out Luca was nning to start the barbecue without waiting for them to finish thepetition. He could not be bothered whether they ended thepetition or not. Luca knew Otto had already ced the barbecue equipment at the gazebo after he cleaned and left them to dry under the sun. Luca only had to add some charcoal and start a fire. Luca rose to her feet and turned to look at Nina. She smiled and said, ¡°Nina, put on your coat and help me to carry things out. There are too many of them. I can''t carry them all myself." Nina immediately stood up, picked up the coat beside her, put it on, and said, "Sure." After the two of them put on their coats, they walked into the kitchen and took the marinated ingredients out of the fridge. Nina could not help but feel surprised when she saw the ingredients. She asked, ¡°Why did you buy so much?" ¡°There are many of us here. It won''t be enough if I bought any less," Luca exined with a smile on her face. ¡°The kids can''t eat that much," replied Nina. She thought they would not be able to finish the food this time. ¡°Just have fun and enjoy it. Besides, the remaining ingredients can be cooked for the next meal. The chicken wings and some other foods were marinated. I can make some other dishes with these ingredients," said Luca. She took the vegetables out too. "Take these two," said Luca. ¡°Okay. Leave it to me." Nina picked up the two tes. Otto walked into the kitchen. He smiled and said, ¡°Madam, I''ve already started a fire in the barbecue pit. The tea and milk are still warm. And I''ve turned on the heater in the gazebo for you." Luke decided to host an outdoor barbecue because he had previously told thendscaper to install a heater in the garden''s gazebo. There wererge ss screens around the gazebo to protect them from the winter wind. They could sit in the gazebo to barbecue and enjoy the night scenery at the same time without feeling cold. It might look cold, but it would feel warm. Luca unconsciously nced at Nina. There was no unusual expression on her face. This must be her first time hearing Otto calling her ''Madam''... Luca thought of asking Otto to change the way he addressed him, but Luke would stop her every time she tried to tell him that. It seemed like he did it on purpose, and he was satisfied with Otto addressing her that way. ¡°That''s great. There''s warm tea and milk and so much food. Luca, you have no idea how much I miss the taste of the food here. I''ve had enough of Italian and French cuisine after traveling abroad. They taste good, but I still prefer our local food. Besides, it''s been a long time since I had barbecue food. Thank you." Nina looked at Luca and thanked her. She knew the barbecue dinner was hosted for her and Percy to wee them back. "Then you should have more tonight." Luca picked up another two tes of beef ribs and said to Otto, "Mr. Muller, please help to carry some." "Okay." Otto picked up the tes filled with vegetables and headed to the garden with Luca and Nina. The garden was covered with ayer of snow. The snowfall this time around was not as heavy as it was during the winter, but the temperature was sub-zero. They walked into the gazebo. Nina ced the tes on the table and said, "I didn''t expect it to still be snowing when it''s already springtime. Besides, it''s freezing out here. "Climate change is getting serious now. It''s normal," said Luca as she took the tes from Otto and ced them on the table. Then, she reminded, "Mr. Muller, please head to the wine cer and bring a bottle of wine here. We''ll have." Luca paused for a moment. She wanted to decant the wine as soon as possible. That way, Luke and Percy would be able to have some drinks after they finished ying. However, what kind of wine would they prefer today? "Please ask Mr. Crawford and Mr. Mallory and find out what they''d like to drink," said Luca. Otto nodded. He smiled and said, "Don''t worry. Young Master Luke and Mr. Mallory have already picked their wine." Nina asked with curiosity, "Are they drinking something expensive?" "Yes. It''s from the wine collection that has been kept in the wine cer for years. You might not be able to find it in the market even if you can afford it," replied Otto. The wine was meant to be tasted and drunk. They kept it only to make it taste better with age. That was why even though the wine was expensive, people would still drink it. Chapter 2446 Nina smacked her tongue. She could not help but mumble, ¡°The two of them are truly prodigal." "Wine is meant to be drunk. Of course, it''s perfect to enjoy a ss of good wine during happy times. Besides, Mr. Crawford and Mr. Mallory are people who can afford the wine," said Luca with a smile. She shot a nce at Otto and nodded at him. Otto nodded and left. Nina could not help but exim, "That makes sense." "Are you worried that there''ll be a dent in Mr. Mallory''s wallet?" Luca could not help but tease her. She picked up the cattail leaf fan and fanned the grill so that the charcoal could burn evenly. Luca turned on the ventting fan in the gazebo too. It was to prevent the concentration of carbon monoxide from getting too high. Luca would not have chosen a charcoal grill if it were not for the kids who wanted to try the traditional way of barbecuing. Nina blushed. She immediately shook her head and said, "No. Stop talking nonsense." From N?velDrama.Org. "You''re blushing. Even so, you''re Mrs. Mallory now. It''s normal for you to be worried about Mr. Mallory''s expenses." Luca smiled. She saw the three kids holding hands together and walking toward them when she looked up. Luca pushed the ss door open and said, "Hurry up. Come in." "Wow. It''s a feast." Tommy was the first toe in. He could not help but cheer happily when he saw the food ced on the table. After Lanie and Rainie came in, Luca asked, "We can start barbecuing. What would you like to have?" "I''d like to have barbecued chicken wings," Tommy spoke first. Luca took two chicken wings and looked at Lanie and Rainie. "Ms. Luca, I''d like to have steak," said Rainie. "Okay. What about Lanie?" Luca picked up the steak Rainie wanted to eat. Then, she asked Lanie. Lanie was the eldest brother. He always let his younger brother and sister choose first. It made Luca cherish him more for being sensible. "I''ll have some ribs. Ms. Luca, can I barbecue them myself?" Lanie asked. "Of course. Ribs for you. Here you go," replied Luca. She handed Lanie take some ribs. "If you''d like to barbecue the food yourself, just grab anything you''d like to eat." "Thank you, Ms. Luca." Lanie took the te of ribs from her. He sat on a chair and ced the ribs on the grill. Then, he looked at Nina and said, "Ms. Nina, what would you like to have? I''ll help you grill them." ¡°Thank you, but I can do it myself,¡± replied Nina. She picked up the chicken wings and ced them on the grill. When Tommy and Rainie saw Lanie grilling the food himself, they wanted to grill the food themselves too. They took the ingredients from Luca, sat down, and began to grill their food. Luca was overwhelmed with mixed feelings when she saw that. Her kids had grown up. Barbecuing was all about enjoying the fun of grilling your own food. Luca picked up a piece of steak, sat down, and ced it on the grill. Luke''s favorite food was probably still steak. He did not have to spit out any bones or eat with his hands. On the second floor of the vi. Luke finally won two consecutive rounds. Percy was unconvinced as he cried out, "One more. You''re just lucky." "Again? Your wife would''ve finished her dinner if we y another round," said Luke. He walked toward the window wall and stared at the garden. He could see what was happening in the garden gazebo. The others were already barbecuing there. "What do you mean?" Percy walked toward the window wall and noticed that Nina and the others were already barbecuing. He raised his eyebrows and asked, "They started barbecuing without telling us?" "It was to satisfy your desire to win." Luke ced the cue stick on the table and said, "You lost. I''m going down for dinner now." He believed Luca had already grilled some food for him. "Fine. I lost. It''s not like I can''t afford the wine," Percy replied unconcernedly. Percy did not y with Luke for the sake of deciding who would be paying for the wine. He only wanted to y with Luke and learn some skills from him. The two of them came to the garden. Tommy saw them and said, "Daddy and Mr. Percy have finished ying." Luca turned around and looked behind her. Luke and Percy were walking toward them. She used a pair of poultry shears to cut the cooked steak into smaller pieces. "Are these for Mr. Crawford?" Nina asked. She ced all the grilled chicken wings on a te. Luca looked at Nina''s gesture. She smiled and asked, "Are these for Mr. Mallory?" Nina''s face reddened. Luke and Percy walked into the gazebo. Each of them voluntarily walked toward the women they loved and sat down beside them. Luca handed Luke the te filled with the steak bites and asked, "Mr. Crawford, would you like to have some steak bites?" "Yes. Thank you." Luke took it from her and shot Percy a dirty look. Nina handed Percy the te filled with chicken wings. The two of them ended in a draw. Tommy rolled his eyes and after he took a bite of the chicken wing. He asked, ¡°Daddy, who''s the winner?" "I won." Luke smiled. Percy let out a snort and said querulously, "That''s because you cheated. You wouldn''t have won if we yed another two rounds." "Just ept the fact that you lost. Stop whining." Luke took a bite of the steak bites Luca had prepared for him. A blissful feeling overflowed in his heart. The food Luca grilled for him tasted heavenly good. "Let''s continue tomorrow," Percy said with dissatisfaction. "I''m unavable tomorrow." Luke rejected him without a second thought. "Why? Are you afraid?" Percy goaded. "I''m going to scope out the ancestral hall." Luke was not afraid. He did not forget what the old master had assigned him to do. Since he was already here, he might as well justplete his mission. "Why are you going there?" "The ancestral hall needs to be reconstructed. I''ve been assigned to design it," exined Luke. He nced at the table and realized there was no wine on it. Then, he asked Luca, "Aren''t we having some wine?" "Mr. Muller has already decanted the wine," answered Luca. She put down the food she was about to grill and stood up. "Where are you going?" Luke grabbed her hand. "Didn''t you ask for the wine? Let me go take a look at it." Luca withdrew her hand and caught a glimpse of the opposite direction out of the corner of her eyes. "I''m not in a hurry. He''ll send the wine here after it''s decanted," said Luke. He put down his te and asked her, "What would you like to have? Let me grill it for you." "It''s okay. I can handle it myself." Luca randomly picked some ingredients and began grilling the food. "You''ll be the one designing the building? No way. Perhaps it''ll be another attraction in X City after the reconstruction is done. It''s going to attract a lot of people," said Percy. There were many architectural designers in T Corporation, but their achievements were not as good as Luke''s. Luke could still depend on his capabilities and shine in the architectural industry even if he was not working at T Corporation. If he was not running T Corporation and had more free time, he would have had a lot more achievements in the architectural industry. Luke would only design things himself when there were some international architecturepetitions and some other big projects. He would leave the other projects to hispany''s architects. If Luke were to design the reconstruction of the ancestral hall... Percy could foreseerge crowdsing in and out of the ancestral hall at that time. ¡°The old master made a promise," said Luke. Fortunately, the area of the ancestral hall was not that big. It would not be difficult for him toe up with a design. The features of X City had to be included in the design of the ancestral hall. Luke had already figured out the features of X City when he was designing the vi back then. Chapter 2447 Luca heard what Luke said and turned to look at him. Her heart skipped a beat as she asked, ¡°Mr. Crawford, are you going to scope out the location tomorrow?" "Yes. I''ll try my best toe up with a design," said Luke as he spread ayer of BBQ sauce on the grilled meat. "Do you mind taking me along with you when you''re going there? I''m interested in such things," said Luca. Although she had learned many things over the past few years, it seemed like architectural design was still her favorite. She would like to participate in the process of designing the ancestral hall. Even though she could not show that she knew architectural design in front of Luke, at least she could show that she was interested in it. "Sure." Luke agreed to it. Then, he turned around to look at Percy and Nina, "Mrs. Mallory, do you have any ns tomorrow?" Luke addressing Nina as ¡®Mrs. Mallory'' made Nina''s face turn red again. It took a while for the redness on her cheek to go away. Although she had already registered her marriage with Percy, it was her first time hearing someone calling her like that. Not to mention that it was Luke... "Mr. Crawford, stop teasing me. You can call me by my name," Nina quickly replied. "No way. Mrs. Mallory sounds good. That''s what he''ll call you in the future. It''s pleasing to the ears," Percy continued. Nina gently nudged Percy''s hand with her elbow and said, "You''d better eat your dinner." "Honey, here''s the chicken wing I grilled for you. Have a taste of it. Does it taste good?" Percy said with a hint of ttery in his voice as he handed the chicken wing he grilled to Nina. Nina took a bite and furrowed her brows. "How is it?" It was the first time Percy grilled a chicken wing himself. The Mallory family seldom hosted barbecue dinners like this. Besides, Percy did not like eating grilled food. That was why he seldom had the chance to barbecue. Nina''s features were contorted. Percy frowned and said, "Does it taste bad? That''s impossible. I watched Lanie and the others grill it like this." Lanie could no longer stand it as he reminded Percy, ¡°Mr. Percy, maybe the chicken wing isn''t fully cooked yet." "Really?" Percy frowned. The skin of the chicken wing was burnt. "It''s not fully cooked..." Nina showed Percy the chicken wing. It was still a little red on the bone. Percy grabbed the chicken wing from her and threw it in the trash bin. Then, he said, "Stop eating it. I''ll grill another one for you." Nina looked at the man who had never done something like this but was fumbling to grill a chicken wing for her. She suddenly thought it was amusing. Then, she stopped him and said, "It''s okay. Let me do it." "Then what should I do?" Percy mumbled in her ears. He did not expect his first attempt to grill a chicken wing to fail. Nina noticed Otto was bringing the decanted wine over. He was walking toward them. She said, "Have a drink and wait for your food." "Okay." Percy felt helpless. He was not good at cooking. His gaze fell on Luke. Luke was grilling the food seriously. Hence, he poured a ss of wine and handed it to him. "Here. Have a drink." "Thanks." Luke took the wine ss from him. He took a sip of the wine and ced it on the table. "It''s nothing. It''s your wine." Percy took a sip of the wine. It was indeed good. No one had lived in the mansion for a long time, but Luke stored so many good wines here. If no one drank them, was he nning to keep them and only drink them when he was old? Luke raised his brows and reminded Percy, "You''ll be paying for the wine." "..." Percy was bbergasted. Based on what Luke said, he should be thanking him for the wine. Nina handed Percy the grilled steak and said, "Here''s your food." "Honey, you''re still the best," Percy whined. Luca looked at their interaction and eximed. Love could truly change someone. Luca looked at the way Percy treated Nina now and recalled how impressive he was when he picked up a weapon and wiped out the Ind of Despair back then. She could not believe he was the same person. "Don''t say those things in front of the kids," Nina blushed and replied to him. Since Nina got married to him, she seemed to be blushing a lot. Moreover, after they registered their marriage, Percy had gotten even clingier. "What are you afraid of? Luke''s kids can handle these sorts of stuff well," said Percy unconcernedly. The three kids quietly grilled their food. They did not retort Percy''s words. Nina shook his head. Look at how wild Percy was. Was he still the noble young master of the Mallory family? She turned to look at Luke and asked, "Mr. Crawford, what were you saying just now?" "If you don''t have anything nned, would you mind helping us to take care of our kids?" Luke said. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Tommy heard Luke and before Nina could say anything, he asked, "Daddy, can''t you take us along with you?" "It''s inconvenient for me to do so," replied Luke. Not only was he going to the ancestral hall to scope out the area, but there were many things he had to measure. There were some measuring tools and drawing tools in his car trunk. "Daddy, Ms. Luca ising with you. Please take us..." Tommy acted cute, trying to persuade Luke to bring them along with him. "There''s no room for discussion." Tommy looked at Luke and mumbled, "Daddy, Mr. Percy and Ms. Nina are enjoying their honeymoon now. How can you leave your kids to them? We''ll be intruding!" "Pfft." Percy could not help but snort when he heard what the kid said. "Luke, your son is truly talented." Luke looked at his son. He could feel the cold sweat on his forehead as he said, "If they''re going out, the three of you should stay in the vi and I''ll ask Mr. Muller to take care of you. I''ll bring you out after I''ve finished scoping the area." Luca could help him if she went with him. However, what could the children do if they went there with him? Were they going to y and run around in the ancestral hall? People coulde into the ancestral hall. If something happened to the kids or some people intended to harm them, Luke would not be able to be there for them. "Daddy''s going to work." Although Rainie would like to go with them, she understood that it would be troublesome for their father to bring them along as he was going there to work. Luke used to bring Lanie and Rainie along with him to work back then. Sometimes, they would even head to the construction site. Luke would have to find someone to look after them when they were at the site. He had to make sure they were far away from the construction site. He never allowed them to enter. It was dangerous. Tommy refused to give up. He turned to look at Lanie and said, "Lanie, don''t you want to go along too? I heard that it''s going to be fun at the ancestral hall." "What''s so interesting about a ce that''s going to be reconstructed? I''d prefer to stay at home," Lanie said in a cool and chilled manner. Tommy had no choice but to shut up. His brother and sister were not siding with him. He knew it was hopeless. Nina looked at the kids and spoke, "Mr. Crawford, we''re not nning to go anywhere tomorrow. Leave the kids to us. We can look after them." "Luke, don''t you think you should give me a bottle of wine to thank me for taking care of your kids?" Percy had no problem taking care of the kids. After all, the three kids were more obedient than other kids, and they were not naughty at all. "You''ll have to thank me for giving you the chance to learn," Luke took a sip of the wine and said calmly. "Huh?" Percy could not understand what he meant. Chapter 2448 "I''m giving you the chance to learn how to take care of the kids," exined Luke. Percy and Nina were married. The two of them would have a baby soon. It finally dawned on Percy. He nodded and looked at Nina while pretending to put on a stern expression. He said, "Looks like we''ve got a lot to learn." "We haven''t even held a wedding ceremony. Don''t even think of it," Nina smiled and pretended to reject him. It did not matter to her whether Percy held a wedding ceremony for her or not. She once imagined herself putting on a wedding dress to marry the man she loved when she was in high school back then. However, she realized that it was difficult for them to hold a wedding ceremony. That was why she would not expect too much as long as she could stand beside him legitimately. She was already satisfied with that. "We''ll hold a wedding ceremony after the New Year," Percy promised her. Although the Mallory family did not allow them to be together, Percy could still hold a wedding ceremony for her. Sometimes, there was no need to hold a grand wedding ceremony. It was the thought that counted. "I''m just joking. I''m still nursing my health and taking medicine. Let''s talk about having a baby next time." Nina was shocked when she heard that he was going to hold a wedding ceremony. Nina had not forgotten how the Mallory family reacted when they got engaged at the churchst time. An engagement ceremony was as simple as making an appointment with the priest. However, a wedding ceremony was different from that. They could not get married right away after making an appointment with the church. No matter how small the wedding ceremony was, they would have to prepare a few things. "Okay. Anything you say. But it''s a must to hold the wedding ceremony." Percy promised her in front of Luke and Luca. They would be his witnesses. Even though something was holding Nina back, she could not say anything in front of the others when Percy insisted on doing so. Hence, she nodded and replied, "Okay." Luca could sense something was wrong with Nina, and she kept it in mind. She shot a nce at Percy. It seemed like Percy did not notice it. Sure enough, the IQ of a man who was madly in love would be on the decline. The barbecue ended around 10:30 at night. Tommy stroked his round belly, looked at Luca satisfyingly, and said, "Ms. Luca, it''s fun to have a barbecue. I enjoyed the food." "Really? Let''s have a barbecue again when we have the chance to do so in the future," replied Luca. She knew the kids seldom had the chance to have such activities. She smiled and promised Tommy. Tommy behaved like he had learned something new. He refused to let Luca help him. He grilled his food and helped the others barbecue their food too. Besides, Tommy was much better at grilling food than Percy was. It was already 11 o''clock after they cleaned the ce up. Luca and Nina headed upstairs together. ¡°Luca, do you think he''s really going to hold a wedding ceremony for me?" Nina was anxious. She unconsciously asked Luca when they were making their way up the stairs. "You know Mr. Mallory better than anyone else. He won''t let you down," said Luca. Any woman would feel aggrieved if they got married without a wedding ceremony. After all, most women looked forward to putting on a wedding dress since they were young. They would wait until they grew up and met the right man. Then, they would wear a wedding dress and get married to him. Nina had been dreaming of this day. Luca still remembered that Nina could not take her eyes off the haute couture wedding dresses in the magazine when she read it back then. She swore that she would save some money to make her very own wedding dress. That way, even if her future husband was not wealthy, she would be able to wear her favorite wedding dress and get married to him. That was her dream, and Percy would certainly fulfill it for her. "But given the situation now, it''s not a good idea to hold a wedding ceremony," replied Nina. They had secretly gotten married to each other. If they were to hold a wedding ceremony now, it would be telling everyone in the Mallory family that they were married. Although there was no way they could deny that Percy and Nina were legally married, there were many other things that they could do. "Believe in Mr. Mallory. He''ll deal with it. Besides, you''re not alone now. You have the Crawford family to back you up. Old Master Crawford has acknowledged you as his god-granddaughter. He''d have to protect you no matter what happens. If the Mallory family makes a move on you, you can mention the old master''s name. The Mallory family has to show respect to the Crawford family," Luca analyzed the situation for her. Nina could only take it one step at a time. She had already be a couple with Percy. Hence, Nina would not be fighting alone for every step she took next. "Okay. I''ll stand by his side no matter what happens," said Nina. Even if the path ahead was tough, she would keep moving forward courageously. "I''m lucky to have you around so you can give me advice. Otherwise, I would argue with Percy when we got back to our bedroomter," Nina smiled and said. The two of them had been arguing over the Mallory family and their rtionship many times. Although it would not affect their feelings for each other, it was indeed tiring after each argument. "Enjoy your married life," said Luca. That was why Luke arranged their bedroom to be on the west wing of the vi. There were two bedrooms on the west side of the vi. The other room was empty. Hence, no one would be disturbing them. The two of them came upstairs. Nina pointed in the direction of the west corridor and said, "I''m going back to my bedroom first." "Okay." Luca nodded. She returned to the master bedroom too. Luca did not push the door open right away when she arrived at the bedroom door. She shot a nce at the corridor on the west. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Nina did not turn around to look at her. Luca pushed the door open and walked into the master bedroom. Luke was tidying his toolbox. He had to bring all the measuring tools along with him tomorrow as he would have to measure the area. "Mr. Crawford, do you need my help?" Luca looked at the tools she was familiar with in the toolbox. She used to depend on these tools to catch up with Luke. "I''ve almost finished packing," said Luke. He put the drawing sheet into the toolbox and closed it "Go clean yourself up. We''re setting off early tomorrow." Luke put the box behind the door and said to Luca. Luke did not bring his team along to measure the area this time. Even if Luca helped him, it would take a long time for the two of them to measure the area of the ancestral hall. "Okay. I''ll take a shower first." Luca picked up her pajamas and headed to the bathroom. She took a quick shower considering that Luke would want to take a shower too. Then, she walked out of the bathroom. Luke was sitting on his office chair, replying to emails. "Mr. Crawford, it''s your turn to take a shower," reminded Luca. Luke would not be able to endure the smell of barbecue on his clothes. "Okay." Luke clicked on the send button. Then, he picked up his pajamas and strolled into the bathroom. Luca had juste out of the bathroom. The bathroom was filled with steam and mist. Luke hung his clothes and washed the smell off his body. Luca sat on the bed. Her heart pounded faster uncontrobly as she listened to the sshing sound of the water in the bathroom. The kids would not being over tonight... Luke would not let her go easily in the still of the night. Lucay down on the bed at the thought of this. She hid under the nket and pulled the nket over her head, covering the redness on her face. Chapter 2449 Luke walked out of the bathroom to see Luca hiding under the nket like an ostrich. He could not even see her head. Luke chuckled and asked, "Isn''t it hard to breathe under the nket?" It was suffocating. Luca could hear her heart pounding fast under the nket. She was nervous, like a child who was about to do something bad. She could not get used to it. Luke noticed that she was pretending to sleep, so he said, "Don''t worry, I won''t do anything to you tonight." They had work to do tomorrow, and Luca had to help him. If he indulged himself tonight, she would be tired tomorrow. Luke could not bear to see her tired. Luca slowly stuck out her head and looked at him, "Is that true?" "I''ve never lied to you," said Luke. He picked up the hair dryer and dried his hair. Luca listened to the whirring sound of the hairdryer. It reminded her of the past. Luke would not let her go that easily. However, it seemed like Luke would still seed in conquering her heart when she tried to push him away every time. Luca found afortable sleeping position andy down on the bed. She listened to the sound of the hairdryer and recalled the intimacy they shared back then. Her face turned slightly red. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Luke''s hair was short, and it only took him a while to dry his hair. He put the hairdryer back andy down on the bed. Luca could feel the warmth of his body leaning close to her. She could not help but tense up. Then, she felt his palm crossing her waist before she was pulled into his arms. "You''re tensing up." She could hear Luke''s breath in her ears. "Why are you so nervous?" "No, I''m not. Good night," replied Luca. She thought of reaching out to turn off the lights. Luke held Luca''s hand that was reaching out of the nket and said, "Let me do it." Then, he reached out and turned off the lights. Darkness fell upon the room. Luke''s hand was on her waist, and with her leaning against him, it made her feel secure. Luca slept through the night without dreaming. Luke told her that he would not do anything to her, and he kept his word. The man beside her was already awake when Luca woke up the next day. Luca habitually listened to the noises around her to check if anyone was in the bathroom. After making sure no one was in the bathroom, she picked up her phonezily and nced at the time. It was still early. She headed downstairs after freshening herself up. Percy, Nina, and the kids were still asleep. Luke sat at the dining table, reading the local magazine. Luca walked toward him. She noticed the magazine in Luke''s hands was on the traditional customs and practices in X City. ¡°Mr. Crawford, are you trying to understand the culture of X City?" asked Luca. "Yes." Luke had asked the butler to get him two local magazines that were on the customs and cultures. Although Luke''s ancestors had settled in X City, he was born in A City. Hence, he did not know much about the customs here. The ancestral hall was rted to the local cultures and religions. That was why he wanted to know more about the customs here before he started designing. Otto walked toward them and said respectfully, "Good morning, Young Master Luke. Good morning, Madam. The kitchen has finished preparing breakfast. Would you like to have your breakfast now?" "Yes, please. Thank you." Luca nodded. She dispelled the thought of asking Otto to stop calling her ''Madam''. Luke would interrupt her if he heard that. "Should I wake the kids up?" Otto asked. "It''s okay. Let the kids sleep for a while more." Luke closed the magazine, rose to his feet, and said, "We''re going out to work today. They''ll be staying in the vi." "Okay. I got it." Otto smiled and nodded. After Luke and Luca had their breakfast, they set off to the ancestral hall. It was a 20-minute drive from the vi to the ancestral hall. After Luke drove out of the Crawford Ancestral Home, Luca nced at the people who were standing outside. She could not help but shake her head. "What''s the matter?" Luke asked. "It''s still the New Year holidays, right? They don''t look like they''re celebrating New Year when they keep coming here," said Luca. She was talking about the people wandering outside the wall. When Otto told her that there was a disy board out there, it aroused Luca''s curiosity and she wanted to take a look at it. However, she gave up the thought of looking at it when she saw the crowd. "Holidays are the best time for architects to visit and look at various kinds of architectural designs. Plus, Influencers never get to enjoy their holidays." Luke was being honest. ¡°But there are so many people..." Luca looked at those people. Some of them even picked up a selfie stick and did a live stream under the snow. She could not understand them. "It''s normal to have so many people out here as they''re not allowed to go in. Besides.." Luke paused for a moment. Luca turned to look at him with curiosity and asked, "Besides?" "The Crawford Ancestral Home won some awards. Be it the architectural design or the courtyard and interior design, the ce has won all sorts of awards," said Luke. Luca was surprised. Luke had never mentioned it to her. An ancestral home that won so many awards. That exined why so many people came here. Sure enough, holidays were the best time for the designers who strived to gain higher achievements to gain inspiration. It was difficult for a building to win three such awards. "Are they international awards?" Luca carefully asked. Although it was difficult to gain such an achievement, it seemed not too hard if it was Luke''s work. Even though Luke was an architect, he knew a lot about other stuff. "Yes." Luke nodded. Luca smiled. Since Luke had brought up those awards to her, they must be internationally recognized awards. After all, he had already won many local awards. Luca made a wild guess and asked, "Is it the Pritzker Architecture Prize.." "Bingo. You''re smart. Let me reward you with something. What would you like to have for lunch?" Luke asked. He was nning to have lunch with Luca outside so that they did not have toe back and forth. Luca did not know whether she shouldugh or cry when she heard him telling her that he was going to reward her like he was rewarding a kid. She said, "Mr. Crawford, are you sure we have time to enjoy some good food? We can just order takeouts." "We might have some time," said Luke. "The two of us will be measuring everything and recording the data ourselves. We don''t have so much time." said Luca. If they took a day to finish the foundation work, they might have to work until midnight. Judging from Luke''s workaholic personality, he would not be distracted when he was at work. He would not waste his time on other things either. Luke raised his brows and said, "Trust me." "Okay. I believe you. Let''s have some seafood, then. I heard that there''s a seafood restaurant nearby where we can get takeouts from. Mr. Muller told me that their business is doing well too. We can order takeouts," said Luca. She had already asked Otto yesterday. She knew Luke was a picky eater. They would not have time to hunt for good restaurants too. That was why Luca asked Otto about the restaurants that were open during this period that served good food while providing takeouts too. Luke could not help but exim when he heard herst sentence. ¡°It seems like you''ve done some homework." "As your assistant, I thought I should figure out these things in advance. Am I right?" Luca said yfully. "I think I''ll have to fire Mr. Doyle, then," Luke replied with a calm voice when he heard Luca tease him yfully Chapter 2450 ¡°Mr. Doyle didn''t do anything wrong." Luca knew Luke was joking. Her lips curled up into a smile. She liked rxed and happy conversations like this. From N?velDrama.Org. "I don''t need anyone as long as you''re here," said Luke. Luca was more important than anyone else. Luca''s face reddened. She could sense the hidden meaning in Luke''s words. Then, she touched her face. She could feel her face burning. She turned to look at the streets, and only then did she realize they had passed by an ancestral hall. "Mr. Crawford, isn''t that the ancestral hall?" Luca asked. She nced at the navigation to make sure that the ancestral hall she saw was their destination. "Yes. I''m looking for the parking lot," replied Luke. The main road outside the ancestral hall was a two-way street. They could not park their car here, and there were no parking lots in the ancestral hall either. There happened to be a parking lot a couple of hundred feet away. Luke parked the car there. After he got out of the car, he opened his car trunk and took his tools out. Luke brought many tools, and Luca helped him to pick up one of the measuring tools. "Let me carry it." Luke was unwilling to tire Luca out even though she used to do such things back then. "I''m your assistant today. Let me carry it. Besides, it''s not heavy at all," replied Luca. She was not a weak person back then, and neither was she now. She could do what a man could do, and she did not need any help. Luke picked up the rest of the tools, and the two of them slowly walked in the direction of the ancestral hall. It waste. Some vigers who stayed nearby had alreadye out. They gave Luke and Luca peculiar looks when they saw them. Luke and Luca ignored the way they looked at them. They came to the ancestral hall. The chief of the vige was waiting for them as they had informed him in advance. The vige chief saw them carrying so many things. He quickly asked the young people beside him to help carry the things for Luke and Luca. He came forward, looked at Luke with a smile on his face, and said, "You must be Luke. Old Master Crawford has already informed me. Thank you for agreeing to design the reconstruction of the ancestral hall for us." ¡°It''s Crawfords¡¯ ancestral hall. It¡¯s my job," Luke¡¯s voice was cold, but he did not give the vige chief an attitude. After all, the old master offered to take the job. As Old Master Crawford''s grandson, he had toplete the job on his behalf. "I¡¯m d you agreed to help. At least we can save some budget for the design fees. Thank you, Luke." The vige chief deliberately said so to make sure that it was free of charge. "No problem." Luke put down the toolbox and looked around the ancestral hall that was in front of him. "By the way, this is Brian, and he¡¯s Austin. They¡¯re the students who are studying architecture in our vige. I knew you¡¯d being to measure the area today, so they came to learn from you and help you out," the vige chief introduced the two young men who stood beside him. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Crawford," Brian was a little too excited. He was a second-year university student and he knew who Luke was. His professors called Luke a genius architect. However, this genius had to run a multinational corporation. That was why he did not have many architectural works in this industry. However, every work he designed was a masterpiece. "Nice to meet you," Luke replied in a cold voice. He looked at his surroundings. The ancestral hall was in ruins. If it was left here like that, it might end up copsing. It was dangerous. That was why the vige chief wanted to reconstruct it. What the vige chief said proved that Luke was right about it. "The construction of the ancestral hall is unsafe. Many people woulde here to show their respects to their ancestors during the festive seasons. If the building copses, it might cause deadly idents. If we don''t reconstruct it, the fire department will close the building. I was left with no choice. That''s why I thought of asking you toe over and redesign the building. I''d like the ancestral hall to have features of X City with some characteristics of the Crawford family. I wonder if Old Master Crawford mentioned it to you before?" "Yes, he did," replied Luke. The vige chief had told the old master what he wanted. He wanted the ancestral hall to be a building like the Crawford Ancestral Home, an iconic building in X City. That way, the ancestral hall could be open to the public as a tourist attraction and it would be able to generate some ie for the vige. "I¡¯m d he told you," said the vige chief with a smile on his face. Old Master Crawford had already told Luke. At least he did not have to repeat himself. Luke said, "I¡¯m going to start measuring now." "Okay. I¡¯ll leave you to it," said the vige chief. He did not know anything about architecture, so he sent two students who were studying architecture to help him out. Austin sized Luke up for a moment. He was a first-year university student. He agreed to help when the vige chief asked him to. After all, he wanted to gain more experience so that his resume would look better in the future. However, the man in front of him... Austin looked at Luke¡¯s handsome face. This man looked ssy, and he showed elegance in his gestures. Was he truly an architect? Austin pulled Brian aside when he saw Luke putting the box on the floor and taking the tools out. "Brian, let''s go. I don''t think we''re going to learn anything from this man," said Austin. Brian looked at him in surprise and asked, ¡°Don''t you know who he is?¡± "The vige chief introduced him just now. He''s some owner of a corporation. Isn''t it ridiculous for an owner of a corporation to do architectural designing?¡± Austin mocked. He wanted to learn something, but what could he learn from this wealthy man? Was he going to learn how to spend money extravagantly and mess around with women? He even brought a beautiful woman with him... Was he thinking of having apanion when he was lonely? Brian exined to Austin after he heard how dismissive he sounded, "It''s T Corporation. Your lecturer will tell you who he is when you proceed to your second year." "Nah.." "Stop doing that. Just leave if you don''t want to do this. Exin it to the vige chief yourself. Listen, the famous ancestral home in our vige was designed by Mr. Crawford. He''s the main designer. That building won a few international awards. You probably know about that. It was his and his team''s efforts. Besides, it''s not like the owner of an architectural designpany wouldn''t know anything about architecture. He''s been busy running hispany. That''s why he doesn''t have many architectural works. But ack of architectural work doesn''t mean he''s not capable of doing it. A capable architect doesn''t need to need so much architectural work to prove himself," said Brian. This was what Brian''s lecturer told him. After all, architecture was the art of designing buildings. It was the quality that mattered in art. Austin immediately took his phone out to search online when he heard Brian say that. Luca, who was helping Luke to arrange his tools, could vaguely hear their discussion. She could not help but feel amused. Luke''s good-looking face was indeed deceiving. Those who did not know him would only see him as a useless rich heir. However, no matter whether it was in terms of architectural design or running thepany, Luke was the best at it. Chapter 2451 ¡°Put it on. Be careful." Luke handed Luca a new safety helmet. Luca put on the helmet after she thanked Luke. She could not help but let out a sigh. It had been a long time since Luke did foundation work. However, he was still as attentive as he was before when he got the job. It was dangerous to walk in the old ancestral hall. There never had been any injuries or idents caused by the building copsing, but the ce was in ruins. It could copse anytime. Luca put on the safety helmet while Brian walked toward them and said respectfully, "Mr. Crawford, is there anything I can help with?" "What year are you in?" Luke asked. It would be fine if they could help him to carry the tools. If they could not, Luke would rather ask them to leave than stay here and cause trouble for him. "I''m in my second year. I''ve learned the basics of how to measure the area. Austin is in his first year," answered Brian. The surname for most of the vigers was Crawford, followed by the surname Hart. "The first-year student can go back home. We don''t need him here," said Luke. He did not need someone who could not be of help here. Besides, Luca was more capable than these two college students. Even though it had been years since she engaged in the architectural industry, she was still capable. Austin had already found out Luke''s identity. After he knew that Luke had won many international awards, he quickly came forward and said, "Mr. Crawford, please take me along with you. I can help." "..." Luke did not say a word. He picked up the measuring tool. Luca was beside him to help him. Then, Austin spoke again, "Mr. Crawford, I''ll do whatever you want me to do. I won''t cause any trouble for you and your assistant." Luca shot a nce at Austin. She reckoned that he must have found out about Luke''s identity. After all, many wanted to learn from Luke, but not everyone had the chance to do so. "Mr. Crawford, I think he wants to learn. Let him stay," said Luca. They were just students. It was considered a good opportunity to have a chance like this that the others would never get. Luca used to be an architect too. She understood how honorable it was to be able to learn from Luke. At least, they could add something interesting to their resume in the future. ¡°Rearrange the design drawings with Brian," said Luke. The old design drawings were brought by the vige chief. However, after years of refurbishing and rebuilding the ancestral hall, it was already different from the original drawing. Luke wanted the drawings to be arranged and updated to see if there was anything he could remodel so that they did not have to tear down the whole building. After all, this ancestral hall was initially T Corporation''s featured building. Moreover, the vige chief told him that there was a limited budget for the reconstruction. If there was anything they could save on, they would try their best to save the budget. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Luke intended to help the vige to save more money. "Okay, Mr. Crawford!" Austin became energetic. He picked up the drawings and began to study them with Brian. "Let''s start." Luke set up the machine and turned to look at Luca. "Okay." Luca adjusted her safety helmet and began to help him to record the measurements. Although it had been a long time since Luca did this, the tasks were easy for Luca as she had done this many times. Luke could measure quickly, and Luca was able to record the measurements with him. Austin sat on the stone bench far away and was working with Brian to take notes. He looked in their direction. Austin realized Luca was not holding Luke back. He could not help but mumble, "I thought she only had a pretty face..." Brian heard him mumbling. He shook his head and said, "That''s why we shouldn''t look down on others. He looks like a rich heir, and she looks like she can''t do anything except have a pretty face. But the two of them are more capable than us." Austin withdrew his gaze and replied, "We shouldn''t look down on others, but we can''t underestimate ourselves too. We''ll be as sessful as he is in the future." Brian had never underestimated himself, but he was nothing like Austin. Austin looked up at himself and looked down on others. "I''ll strive to travel to A City and work in T Corporation after I graduate," Brian made up his mind. "Don''t expect him to hire you when you''ve onlye in contact with him once," Austin tried to dampen his enthusiasm. "That''s not what I mean. It''s just a goal. Besides, there''s no way you can pull the strings to get into T Corporation, but you''ll learn many things about architecture when you get there. T Corporation has created many champions who won architecturalpetitions!" Brian said with admiration. Those who were able to get into T Corporation were famous among the students who studied architecture in their college. Brian wanted to be a student their college would be proud of. He also wanted to learn more about architecture in a better environment. "Look at how much you admire him. Do tell me when you get in there." Austin thought Brian was just trying to butter Luke up. It was past morning. The measuring progress was going well as Luke was there. They would be able to enter the hall to measure the area and look at the situation there in the afternoon. As Austin and Brian were there with them, so Luca thought it would be inappropriate for them to order takeouts. Although Luke did not ask them to help, they had been arranging the drawings all morning. It would make them look stingy if they bought takeouts for them. Therefore, Luca suggested they head to a restaurant nearby for lunch. Brian rmended a local restaurant that served good food to them. Hence, the four of them got into the car and came to the restaurant. There was no private room in the restaurant. They picked a table in the corner and sat down. After they ordered their dishes, Brian said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, you work fast. That''s impressive." Brian had gone out with his lecturer to take measurements a couple of times before. However, his lecturer could not work as fast as Luke. Luke could finish so much work in the morning. His speed and efficiency were so much higher than the others. "Not really," replied Luke. He was efficient but made sure of the quality and uracy too. "You''re too humble. Our lecturer can''t take the measurements as fast as you. Are we going to visit the main structure of the ancestral hall in the afternoon?" Brian asked. Luke nodded. It seemed like although Brian was only in his second year, he knew a lot. Then, Luke replied, "We''re going to see if there are any structures we can keep." Brianplimented, "Honestly, the vige chief had asked for the fees of a few architects before he looked for you. They imed that the building had to be torn down. Not only were the design fees expensive, but the construction would also cost a lot of money too after summing everything up. That''s why the vige chief thought of reaching you to see if you can help." Luke nodded. Brian noticed that Luke probably did not talk much. He smiled and said nothing more. Austin, who sat beside Brian, was secretly rejoicing. Brian was so busy fawning over Luke but failed to get what he wanted after being stubborn, huh? Luca shot a nce at Luke and started a conversation with Brian, "Brian, which college you are studying now?" Brian scratched the back of his head embarrassingly and answered, "It''s just a normal college, the National University." Chapter 2452 ¡°I remember that the National University is one of the top five universities in architectural design," Luca recalled. Then, the expression on her face changed. Only after she finished saying that did she realize what she had said. Luca turned to look at Luke. He was calm, and he was not as surprised as she thought. Normally, a ''foreigner'' like her should not know so much about the local universities. N?velDrama.Org content rights. She thought it was unbelievable when there was no surprised expression on Luke''s face. Brian''s face reddened as he was embarrassed to hear Lucaplimenting his university. He shook his head and replied, "Even though it''s in the top five, the faculty of architecture in our college is iparable to Mr. Crawford''s college. I''m nning to sit for the entrance exam for that college and see if I can take my master''s there in my fourth year." Luca withdrew her gaze. She smiled and replied, "Good luck to you." Brian nodded. Then, he changed the subject of the conversation, "Ms. Craw, did you graduate from university with a degree in architecture?" Luca should be nodding her head, but she graduated with a degree in biopharmaceutics in the information she submitted to Luke. Luca shook her head and answered, "No." "I thought you were studying architecture. You looked like you didn''t have a problem with it when you were working together with Mr. Crawford," said Brian. "Those are the basics. I studied some subjects rted to architecture when I was in university." Luca had no choice but to bite the bullet and lie to him. Luke took a sip of the tea and gave a faint smile. Luca was bad at lying. Luke could even feel Luca had reached her limits lying to someone when he sat beside her. Luca had no choice but to keep on lying if he did not say anything. Luca would not be able to hold on any longer. "I see. Ms. Craw, you''re pretty impressive too." Brian began to admire Luca too. Sure enough, the people around Luke were as outstanding as he was. Brian told himself that he had to put in more effort too. Although Austin could not be bothered to listen to their conversation, he felt like he could not fit in. Hence, he asked, "Ms. Craw, what did you study in college?" Luca was startled for a moment. She could not help but wonder how much longer they were going to talk about this. ¡°I studied biopharmaceutics, and I studied abroad." Luca had no choice but to answer him. Then, she turned to look at Luke. Luke was still drinking his tea. There seemed to be a slight curve on the corner of his lips. Was Luke happy? Luca tried to think about what made Luke happy when they were talking to each other. She pondered for a moment and the interesting part of their conversation was Brianplimenting the faculty of architecture of his university. However, Luke was not someone who would be happy to receivepliments about his university. Many peopleplimented him on the regr, so he would not be happy just to hear someone compleminting his university. Hence, what amused Luke so much that made him smile? Austin began to doubt her when he heard that she studied biopharmaceutics abroad. Would someone who graduated abroade back to work for Luke? Besides, it was somethingpletely different from her profession. There must be something going on between the two of them. After all, Austin noticed that the family name of Luke''s wife was Rayne when he was looking up Luke''s information, while the family name of the woman in front of him was Craw. Austin was secretly excited as though he had found out something shocking. The waitress served their dishes on the table. "Let''s eat. We have a lot of work to do in the afternoon." Luke''s words saved Luca from the awkward situation. Brian nodded and had lunch with them. Luke only ate the dish ced in front of him as he was unfamiliar with the two boys sitting in front of him. It seemed like they were unaware of using the serving spoon either. Luca noticed that, but the two boys in front of them were inexperienced too. She was too embarrassed to remind them. She called the waitress and ordered a set meal. It did not take long for the waitress to serve the meal. Luca looked at the meal set and frowned, "Why did they add thetro..." Brian was not sure about the situation. He looked at her set meal and said, "Ms. Craw, just take the cntro away if you don''t eat it." "But the smell of thetro will remain in the dish. It''s a waste if no one eats it. Mr. Crawford, why don''t you eat some?" Luca ced the set meal in front of Luke. "Okay." Luke knew what Luca meant and did not reject her offer. Even though Luke only helped him with the food in front of him, the two boys would help themselves with the food too. Luca noticed that, and that was why she deliberately ordered another set meal and found an excuse for him. Luca was as attentive as before. After lunch, the four of them returned to the ancestral hall. The vige chief stood in the ancestral hall and asked with confusion, ¡°Where did you go?" ¡°Chief, we went out for lunch just now," said Brian. ¡°You''re already eaten? I brought lunch for you." The vige chief shook his head. Luke came here to help them without charging them. That was why he asked his wife to prepare more when she was preparing lunch. ¡°I''ve eaten," said Luke. He headed to the machine and began to work. ¡°What about these..." The vige chief looked at the lunch boxes and said helplessly. ¡°Chief, you can take them back," replied Brian. He sat down and continued to arrange the drawings. ¡°Okay. It''s better than wasting them. I''ll leave you to work." The vige chief picked up the lunchboxes and headed out. Austin said disdainfully, "I didn''t expect the chief to prepare lunch for us when he has always been tightfisted." ¡°Chief is just trying to save money," replied Brian as he shook his head. Austin truly had a sharp tongue. Austin would be losing out if he behaved like that after he came out to work. Austin did not say anything. He thought Brian said so just to please the vige chief. The rest needed to have a good rtionship with the vige chief, but he did not need that. Austin thought he would be leaving X City sooner orter. He would not have anything to do with X City when the time came. Luca did not say anything when she heard the conversation between the two young boys. She continued to assist Luke. Their work went smoothly as two people were there to help them. They thought they would be working until midnight. However, theypleted their work and were done taking all the measurements by seven in the evening. Now, Luke had to draw the designs himself. Brian watched Luke keep the tools back in his toolbox, and he asked excitedly, ¡°Mr. Crawford, do you mind taking me along with you when you''re designing?" Luke paused for a moment. He shook his head and said, ¡°I''m going back to A City in two days." What he meant was that even though he took Brian along with him, he would not be able to participate in the whole process. That was why there was no need to do so. Brian was disappointed when he heard that. However, his college was in X City, and the holidays were almost over. There was no way he could head to A City. "Okay, Mr. Crawford. I''m looking forward to seeing your design," Brian smiled and replied. Luke left there with Luca after he packed his stuff. Austin blew a whistle and nced at Brian, who was disappointed and mocked, ¡°Even if he were staying in X City, he wouldn''t ask you to go along with him. Just give up." "How do you know that?" Brian rolled his eyes at Austin. The two of them were not that close. If it were not for the task this time, Brian could not be bothered to talk to Austin for another second. Chapter 2453 "He''spleted most of the designs, so you wouldn''t be much of a help anyway. Plus, he would need to credit you if you partake in the designing. He wouldn''t be that stupid," said Austin "I just want to learn. I never expected him to credit me in the first ce, so don''t jump to conclusions." Brian was filled with disgust for him. He left without looking back. Austin watched him leave as he spat on the floor. "What is he putting on an act for? He didn''t even gain anything from pretending to be polite to Luke for the whole day. Serves him right." He turned to leave after finishing his words as well Luke drove back to the Crawford Ancestral Home. The Crawford Ancestral Home was still brightly lit up, and when they both walked in, Tommy went over to hold their hands. "Daddy, Ms. Luca, you''re back!" "Yeah, have you eaten?" Luca took off her jacket and hung it before patting his head. Tommy nodded and said, "I''ve eaten. Have Daddy and Ms. Luca ate yet?" "Not yet." Luke put the toolbox aside. It was around seven o''clock after they settled everything, which was when he usually had dinner. Upon hearing this, Otto stood up from the sofa and said, "Mr. Crawford, Ms.Craw, I''ll make you some food." Otto had informed the kitchen to not leave leftovers for them as that was what Luke ordered. However, the chefs had already gotten off work, so he had to cook. Luca immediately said, "Mr. Muller, let me do it." "How could I..." Otto shook his head as mistresses from wealthy families would never enter the kitchen. "It''s okay. I''ll do it," said Luca as she released Tommy''s hand and walked into the kitchen. "But.." Otto was at a loss as Luca took the initiative to cook, so he looked at Luke helplessly. "Let her do it. Are there ingredients in the kitchen?" Luke asked. Although Luca had had a long day like him, at times when he was most hungry, he wanted to eat something Luca made for him. "Yes, there are." "I''ll go take a look," said Luke as he headed toward the kitchen. He was exhausted, but so was Luca, so he decided to help her out. After entering the kitchen, Luke saw Luca holding the ingredients next to the refrigerator. He said, "Should we have pasta?" Luca turned to look at him, and she nodded. "Sure." At times like this, it would be easiest to make pasta. Since Luke was willing to eat pasta, that would be the best option. She took out the vegetables and protein, as well as a bag of spaghetti, with a simple pasta dish in mind. "It''s ready-made pasta, are you okay with that?" "Yup, you make the best sauce," said Luke. Making and kneading pasta dough would take a lot of effort, so to speed things up, ready-made pasta would make things much easier. The reason why Luca''s pasta tasted good was all because of the sauce anyway. "Then, I''ll make bolognese pasta," Luca decided. "I''ll help." Luke picked up the vegetables Luca took out from the refrigerator earlier to wash them. Luca took it away from him. "Mr. Crawford, let me do it. You can go do other work." "I don''t have anything to do for now," Luke said. She was busy in the kitchen because of him, so he could not bear to leave her alone. "Making pasta is an easy task, I''ll do it myself. If you really have nothing to do, tidy up the tools in the toolbox, in case Tommy opens it up to yter," said Luca. Tommy was not that naughty, but the tools inside were expensive. In the eyes of an architect, they were not just mere tools as just using the right tools alone was like getting half the job done. Even so, Luke did not move an inch. Luca looked at him as she tried to tell him that making pasta was not tiring, nor would it take up much time. "The pasta will be ready to eat in 15 minutes." Luke had no choice but to nod. Luca poured water into the pot and turned on the stove. After washing all the vegetables in the sink, she heated up a pan to cook the minced meat. After leaving the kitchen, Luke asked Tommy, who was reading a book in the living room, "Where are the others?" "You mean my brother and sister?" Tommy put his book down and looked at him. Luke nodded. He did not see the two older kids when he came back. The three of them were usually inseparable. "Mr. Percy is teaching them maths upstairs. I couldn''t understand, so I came down." Tommy pouted to express how upset he was. "The math problem Mr. Percy taught was too difficult, and I haven''t learned it yet, so I couldn''t understand a thing." "Percy is teaching them math?" Luke had an odd look on his face. Tommy nodded and ryed Percy''s words, ¡°Mr. Percy said that he''ll tutor his kids himself in the future and not leave it to the maid like Daddy, so he''s practicing with Lanie and Rainie right now." Luke''s face was sullen. How dare Percy used his kids to practice... The point was that Lanie and Rainie were smart. They did not need tutoring. Luke picked up the toolbox and headed upstairs. Tommy put down his book and shouted, "Daddy, I wanna go too." The father and son went upstairs together. Percy was exining math problems to Lanie and Rainie on the second floor as he drew on a ckboard that he got from who knew where with a piece of chalk. Rainie and Lanie each had a book in front of them, whereas Nina was on her phone. If the person in front of the ckboard were not Percy, Luke reckoned that the atmosphere would be much more harmonious. Percy was not cut out for teaching. Percy heard footsteps while he was teaching, so he looked toward the stairs and saw Luke. He raised his eyebrows and said, "Don''t disturb your kids'' ss." "What can you teach them?" Luke ced the toolbox on the stairway and walked toward Lanie and Rainie. "Daddy," Lanie and Rainie called out to him in unison. From N?velDrama.Org. "Hey, they don''t understand the math problem I''m teaching them right now. Am I supposed to just not teach them?" Percy tossed the chalk aside. He hade up with many ways to entertain the children while he was looking after them for Luke. Who knew all they could think about were their parents. In the end, the only thing that could pique Lanie and Rainie''s interest was math problems. Moreover, he found teaching to be fun too, so he taught them more and more topics. "They don''t understand because they haven''t learned it yet." Luke looked at the question on the ckboard. Because he usually checked their homework, he knew at first nce that they had yet to learn the topic Percy was teaching. "Isn''t this an elementary school topic?" Percy frowned. Nina pursed her lips and smiled, then she said, "See, I told you that they hadn''t learned it yet in their grade." Chapter 2454 ¡°Forget it, then. It''ll be hard for them to learn if they don''t have the basic knowledge." Percy did not expect to hit a wall while practicing with Luke''s children. "Mr. Percy, I understand it," Lanie tilted his head up and said. Percy blinked and could not believe what he had just heard. "Didn''t you say you haven''t learned it yet?" "I just learned it," Lanie said frankly. "Mr. Percy, don''t underestimate Lanie. He''s really smart. Rainie''s math is very good too," Tommy said proudly as he recalled Percy''s words, saying that they could not learn it because the problems were too hard. Rainie put down the pencil and said, "Mr. Percy, I''ve solved it too." "You too..." Percy looked at Luke. Luke said boastfully, "They''re my children." "Pfft, let me take a look." Percy picked up the children''s books and looked at their solutions. Lanie''s solution was rtively straightforward like the one in the textbook, but without prior knowledge of the topic, there was no way he could solve the problem with a solution like that. On the other hand, Rainie''s solution was much moreplex as it seemed like she solved it using all her math knowledge. Percy put down the book. "Mr, Percy, did we do it right?" Rainie took a look at Lanie''s book just now and the answer was the same. It was just that his solution was much simpler. "It''s correct, but why do both of you have different solutions?" Percy said. As expected, Luke''s children were different from other kids. "Lanie reads more books, so the solutions he knows are much simpler. I haven''t learned this, so I can only use what I''ve learned in books to solve the problem," Rainie said as she rested her chin in her hand. "How smart." Percy could not help but look at Luke. Luke was also looking at Lanie while he recalled what his teacher said. With Lanie''s current ability, he could definitely skip grades. However, he thought about how he had always been together with Rainie. If Lanie were to skip grades, Rainie would be lonely. Plus, skipping grades might not necessarily be good for the child, so he rejected the teacher''s suggestion without much consideration. Now, after seeing Lanie solve the problem easily, Luke felt that perhaps skipping a grade would be beneficial for Lanie. Plus, if Lanie had already mastered all the knowledge, he would not be able to learn much if he continued to stay in his current grade. ¡°I heard that Mr. Crawford used to have good grades when he was in school too, so it''s no surprise that his children are as smart as he is," said Nina. Furthermore, their birth mother had also done well in school. She heard Jean mention before that when Bianca was studying abroad, she studied very hard and would bag several schrships every year. On top of the money she got from part-time jobs, she did not need to receive any allowance from home at all. Percy was impressed. He nodded and muttered, "Then, our child must be smart too." Nina smiled. The parents would not need to worry so much if their child was smart. Now that she wanted to get pregnant, she wished that her child would be smart so that her job would be easier and she would not have to worry. Luke''s phone vibrated. He took it out and nced at it. It was Luca. She had finished making dinner and called him down to eat. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Luke ced his phone back into his pocket and said, "I''ll go eat dinner first." Nina was surprised. "Mr. Crawford, you haven''t had dinner yet? But Mr. Muller didn''t order them to leave dinner for you." "Well, Luca made pasta," Luke said as he walked downstairs. As soon as he walked into the dining room, Luca served up two hot bowls of pasta. After smelling the aroma, he could not help but say, "It smells familiar. Is it the same sauce?" "Time was limited, so I just made a simple sauce with the usual ingredients." Luca handed him utensils. Luke took it and had the first bite. The pasta tasted delicious, so he praised, "How could something you whipped up casually taste so good?" "Do you want more? I have too much in my bowl..." Luca said. Her appetite was not big, but Luke''s bowl was already loaded, so she had no choice but to put it into hers. "You eat first. I''ll take the leftovers." Luke took a big bite of pasta. Luca was slightly stunned. He was not used to sharing utensils with strangers, yet he still offered to help finish the rest of her pasta. She looked at Luke. He was eating elegantly, but she could tell that he really liked eating the pasta she made. Plus, he basically inhaled it all, so he was clearly starving. Survey work was pretty physically demanding, so it was only natural that he would get hungry since he did not eat much in the afternoon. Luca stood up. ¡°Where are you going?" Luca instantly looked at her. ¡°I''m going to get a small bowl. The pasta is too hot, so I want to cool it down a bit," exined Luca as she walked into the kitchen. She rinsed a small bowl and brought it out. Then, she scooped some of the pasta into the small bowl. After that, she ate it slowly. Tommy walked into the dining room, and his eyes lit up when he smelled the aroma of the pasta. ¡°Ms. Luca, the pasta you made smells so good." Luke nced at his son and asked, ¡°Want some?" Tommy nodded. Luca thought that there would be enough. Since the kid had eaten dinner, he would not eat much anyway. When she was about to get another bowl, she heard Luke ask Tommy, "Are you not full from dinner?" ¡°I''m full!" Tommy answered. ¡°You''ve already eaten, yet you still want to eat. Do you want to get a stomachache at night?" It was not that Luke did not want the child to eat. It was just that Tommy could be a bit greedy at times and had no limit when it came to eating. If he overate, he would suffer from the consequencester. Tommy pouted. ¡°But Ms. Luca''s pasta smells too good..." Luca thought about how his tummy would feel ufortable if he ate too much. It was not that she did not want to give him the pasta, but she was just afraid that he might go out of control and get a stomach acheter, so she said, ¡°Wait until tomorrow morning. I''ll make you breakfast tomorrow." ¡°Really? Ms. Luca, don''t you have stuff to do tomorrow?" Tommy''s eyes instantly lit up. ¡°Nope. We''re done with everything we need to do outside, so we don''t need to go out tomorrow," Luca exined to the child. "Awesome! In that case, you''ll have to make breakfast for me tomorrow, Ms. Luca," Tommy said while nodding. ¡°No problem," replied Luca as she smiled while seeing him run out to the living room. Luke frowned and said, ¡°You''re spoiling him." ¡°I''m just feeding him what he wants to eat, and the kid is growing, so isn''t giving him nutritious food that he wants to eat a good thing?" Luca did not think that she was spoiling Tommy. In fact, this was how she expressed her love for her son as a mother. Luke nodded as Luca''s food was indeed delicious and nutritious at the same time. He took another big bite, and it tasted incredible. Chapter 2455 He liked Luca''s cooking despite being an adult. Tommy was just a child, so of course, he would like it too. Luca saw how much he liked it, so she picked up a new spoon and scooped some more into his bowl. ¡°That''s enough for me," said Luke. ¡°These are the leftovers." Luca considered Luke''srge appetite and made a bigger portion specially for him. A smile appeared on his face while he ate contentedly. After having two small bowls of pasta, she could not finish the rest. Luke made sure that she could not eat anymore before he took the bowl and cleaned it off. Only then did he take a satisfying sip of water from the cup at the side. ¡°This pasta is even better than the meal this afternoon." ¡°Some of the dishes in the restaurant this afternoon were not bad. We should bring the kids there when we have the chance." Luca suggested. Brian''s rmendation was great, but Luke missed out on a number of dishes because of his mysophobia. ¡°Sure," Luke agreed. He could not miss out on good food, and he wanted to take the kids out to eat too, so there was no reason for him to say no. After having the pasta, Luca did the dishes. Luke went upstairs and made use of his time by designing the blueprint for the ancestral hall. After the New Year, T Corporation would get more projects. If he dyed the work, he would be snowed under. Luca walked out after doing the dishes and saw that the living room was empty. She went upstairs and saw that the children were in the second-floor living room ying a puzzle game. She went over to take a look. ¡°Ms. Luca, do you want to y with us?" Rainie invited her Luca shook her head. ¡°You all go ahead. I''ll just watch." ¡°Okay." Rainie turned her head back and continued to y with them. Luca watched for some time before asking, ¡°Where did Nina go?" Tommy scrambled to answer, ¡°Ms. Luca, Ms. Nina and Mr. Percy went back to their bedroom." Luca responded. Since they had gone back to their bedroom, she would not disturb them. "Ms. Luca, if you''re bored, go talk to Daddy," Tommy suggested as adults might feel bored watching kids y with kid toys. "Mr. Crawford should be working on the blueprint right now. I''d better not disturb him," said Luca. When Luke was designing, it was better for her to not interrupt him. "Ms. Luca, are you going back to your bedroom tonight, then?" Rainie turned around to look at her. "I don''t know." Luca brushed her bangs aside and sighed. "Rainie, I think your bangs are getting a little too long." "They are." Rainie nodded. "How about I help you cut your hair tomorrow?" said Luca. The little girl loved having bangs, but her bangs had almost grown to her eyes. "But Ms. Luca, isn''t it said that you can''t cut your hair in the first month of the new year?" Rainie also felt that the bangs were poking her eyes, but she recalled the old wives'' tales she had heard before. Lanie said, "That''s an old wives'' tale. What are you afraid of?" Luca was stunned. He was right. "Help me cut my hair then, Ms. Luca." Rainie looked toward Luca. "Okay." Luca nodded and agreed to help the child cut her hair. She yed games with the kids until it was bedtime before walking to the master bedroom. Luke had been sitting behind his desk and drawing the entire time. Luca went up to take a look. Although she could not see the full design, she could tell that he had designed every corner attentively. She withdrew her gaze and said softly, "Mr. Crawford, I''ll go take a shower." "Okay." Luke''s gaze never left theputer screen. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Luca walked into the bathroom with her pajamas, and not long after, the sound of water sshing came from the inside. Luke paused, and the corners of his mouth brimmed with happiness. Half an hour ago, he was standing at the bedroom door, which was already open. He heard movement in the living room. Luca''s conversation with the children was just like how she used to care for the kids. The children''s moods were also lifted after talking to her. Luke knew that Luca loved the children. Otherwise, she would not go through so much for them. Everything she did, she would have them in mind. He had to try harder to make her admit her true identity in front of him and her children soon. When Luca walked out of the bathroom after showering, Luke had already put away the blueprint and computer. He would typically work until two or three in the morning if he was busy drawing and designing. Luke stood up and exined, "I''m a bit tired today." Luca nodded. They did stand for a long time today, so she quickly said, ¡°Hurry up and take a shower, then go to sleep." "Okay." Luke got his pajamas and walked into the bathroom. Luca applied skincare products on her face and could not help but overthink when she heard water soundsing from the bathroom. When she learned that Abel decided to locate her here to carry out the mission, she did not think that she would have such intimate contact with Luke... The thought of spring almost passing made Luca''s anxiousness grow. Ring, ring. Luke''s phone on the desk rang. Luca walked to the bathroom door and shouted inside, "Mr, Crawford, your phone is ringing." "Who''s calling?" Luke turned the water down a bit and asked. "I don''t know.." Luca did not look at Luke''s phone as it held much private and confidential information like thepany''s safe. "Answer it for me," said Luke. "Okay.." The phone rang non-stop, so Luca had no choice but to answer. She picked up the phone and nced at it. It was an unfamiliar number. She pressed to answer, "Hello?" "You are.." On the other end of the phone, a woman''s voice could be heard. The other party was hesitant, but Luca could tell who was calling Luke from those two words. The person on the other end of the phone was Allison. "Who are you?" Luca pretended not to know and continued to ask. There was silence from the other end of the phone as if she was checking the phone number. After a few seconds, Allison''s voice sounded again. "I should be the one to ask this question. Who are you? What are you doing with my son?" "..." Luca listened to Allison''s arrogant tone and was somewhat helpless. No matter what she had gone through, Allison still did not know how to give in. If she had turned over a new leaf and decided to be a good mother, her future would not be so difficult. Luke would not have to run away to X City to avoid her. Luca knew that it was not easy for Luke, so when Allison asked her who she was, she replied, "Mr. Crawford is busy. You''re Ms. Tanner, right? He''ll call you backter." "Oh, I know who you are. You''re my son''s lover, right?" Allison could finally tell whose voice it was. She kept thinking that the voice was somewhat simr to Bianca''s. However, her people had told her that after Bianca''s throat was shed, her voice was ruined and had be rather hoarse now. If she did not know this, she would have thought that the person on the other end of the phone was Bianca. Chapter 2456 Luca was filled with disgust after hearing Allison''s words. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Luke despised her to this extent, yet words like this could stille out of her mouth. What lover... If she had not been kidnapped, she would still be Luke''s wife. Allison noticed that she did not say anything, so she shouted, ¡°Where''s Luke? Put him on the phone." ¡°Ms. Tanner, Mr. Crawford is busy right now." Luca did not mention that Luke was in the shower as that would be too ambiguous. "It''s the holidays. What could he possibly be busy with? Tell him to answer the phone." Allison was rather aggressive. She might be a little afraid of Luke, but she was not afraid of Luca at all. She reckoned that Luca would want to get on her good side after bing Luke''s lover. Luca could not do anything with Allison. She knew that she would call non-stop if she hung up, so she had no choice but to say, "Mr. Crawford is really not avable right now. I''ll let him know when he''s done and have him call you back, okay?" Allison did not appreciate her kind words. Her piercing voice hurt Luca''s ears. "Who the hell are you to talk to me like that? I''m his mother. Put him on the phone immediately! Right now!" Luca put the phone farther away She could still clearly hear Allison''s shrill voice. "You think that after sleeping with my son, you''ve be a member of the Crawford family? You''re nothing without my consent. I advise you to get on my good side while you still have the chance. Otherwise, I''ll make my son break up with you!" Luca was growing impatient as Allison thought too highly of herself. She was stubborn, arrogant, and refused to listen to what anyone had to say, so she could only keep quiet. "I see you''re not taking me seriously. I''ll make Luke break up with you now. Do you think you''re so great just because you''re pretty? If I make Luke dump you. He''ll definitely do as I say." Luca was about to say something to calm Allison''s rage when the phone she was holding got snatched away. She nced back. Luke had already walked out of the shower and was holding the phone in his hand. Allison''s voice was loud, so her words could be heard even if he did not hold the phone close to his ear. Luca looked at Luke resignedly. All those harsh words Allison said just now... How much of it did Luke hear? Luca was about to say something. Luke put his index finger in front of his lips, signaling her to keep quiet. Then, he took her into his arms in one swift motion. Luca was taken aback, and by the time she could react, she was already fully embraced by him. Allison could not hear anything on the other end of the phone, so she was in a fury. ¡°How dare you ignore me? You''re just a doxy with the face of a vixen. You only know how to seduce men by taking off your clothes. When I tell Old Master Crawford, you won''t even be able to live in A City!" Luke''s eyes grew deep. Allison had been quarreling with Susan all these years, so her arguing skills had been constantly improving, and her words grew harsher. Words like these would onlye from the mouths of women on the street at best. However, it was Allison who said these filthy words. Luca dropped her gaze. The words were indeed harsh, but she could not do anything about it. She was Luke''s mother. What could she do? If it were someone else, she would have pped them twice already. Luke suppressed his anger and opened his mouth, "You called me to curse at people?" Allison froze. All the words in her mind that she wanted to use to scold Luca had disappeared, and she was in fear. "Luke, you.." She stuttered uncontrobly. "The words you just said¡ª" Luke said slowly. Allison immediately interrupted, "That woman wouldn''t let you answer the phone. That''s why I said those things." Luke did not want to listen to her exnation and directly touched on her sore sport. "Back then, what did you do to crawl into my father''s bed and have me?" Allison''s tone instantly sharpened as she could not ept this mockery. Back then, she had also relied on her looks to seduce Zachary. Then, she found a way to get pregnant with Luke. This reminded her that everything that she had now was from climbing into someone else''s bed. It was just like the words she used to scold Luca. "What are you trying to say? I''m your mother! Did that woman tell you to say such things?" "..." Luke did not answer. He straight away hung up and blocked her number. This was Allison''s new number, so she was able to call him. "Mr. Crawford.." Luca saw that he was acting cold and had a sinister look on his face, so she knew that he was really angry. "Don''t take her words to heart," said Luke as he knew that Allison''s mouth was vicious. Luke was even a little upset that he let Luca pick up the call and made her sit through Allison''s malicious words. "I''m fine." Luca shook her head. She knew that she was not actually a mistress. It was just that her current identity did not allow her to say a lot of things, and many truths had to be buried by lies. Luke did not say anything more about the Allison situation after seeing Luca''s calm expression. She was Bianca. She knew how Allison was. ¡°It''s gettingte. Let''s go to sleep," said Luke. Luca''s eyebrows furrowed as themotion Allison caused made her feel uneasy. "Mr. Crawford, why don''t you have a good talk with Ms. Tanner..." "Talk about what?" Luke lifted the corner of the nket and sat on the bed before looking at her. Luca said, "She changed her number to call you. She might have something important to tell you." They did not touch on anything important during the call, nor did they bring up the subject. Before Allison could make her appeal, Luke hung up and even blocked her number. SIM cards were not unlimited as they were tied to identity cards, so it would be hard for Allison to get more SIM cards to call Luke. "If she had something important to say, she wouldn''t have wasted her time on such vituperation." Luke stood up and took her hand, then he walked to the bedside with his other hand gently stroking the back of her neck. Luke knew that this move could easily make her tremble, so he did it on purpose. "Mr. Crawford.." Luca''s mind went ck with his touch, and she could no longer think of words to help Allison. Her body subconsciously shivered as the man''s movements sent a signal into the depths of her marrow, her cells, and her nerves. Her body could not help but tremble with Luke''s movements. "Don''t reject me." Luke''s voice was low and hoarse like a demon luring her into an abyss with him to feel the pleasure of indulging themselves. Chapter 2457 "Luca..." Luke whispered in her ear, and an enchanting melody circled in the air. Luca felt like she was going to melt from his passion. "Mr. Crawford, I.." Her voice was hoarse, and her mind went nk. She hadpletely forgotten what she wanted to say, and she could only feel her legs go limp. Then, she and Luke both fell onto the bed. The mattress was soft, so it did not hurt. The surrounding temperature kept rising as Luke''s kiss grew deeper and deeper. Luca gave up struggling and sank in with him. The night grew darker. Some were in love, and some were exasperated. Allison threw her phone onto the sofa and paced back and forth in front of the coffee table. "Ms. Allison, if the call can''t go through, then stop calling. Mr. Crawford may be busy right now," Sophian advised her kindly after seeing the state she was in. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Allison crossed both her arms in front of her, and the wrinkles on her face deepened with anger. It made her look even more terrifying. "He hung up on me for that woman!" Sophian listened to her helplessly. She had been here persuading Allison for almost an hour. Allison was unwilling to give up and kept calling Luke but to no avail as Luke had blocked her after the first call. Sophian reminded her to calm down before she was about to call Luke. Who knew that the woman would answer the phone, and the moment she picked up, Allison began to spit out insults. Although Sophian disliked Luca and was even jealous of her, she put herself in his shoes. Would he be okay with his woman getting insulted like that? It made sense for Luke to hang up on Allison. However, Allison was so angry this time because Luke hung up on her for an irrelevant woman. For a moment, Sophian had no idea what to say. Allison was still furious at the thought of Luke getting charmed by a woman and falling head over heels for her, just like how he did with Bianca. ¡°No, I have to do something!" She picked up her phone. Allison opened her messages and looked through her contacts to find Bianca''s number. Sophian looked at her searching for an unnamed contact and asked curiously, "Ms. Allison, who''s this?" "Luke''s wife!" Allison said and sent a message to Bianca. [Are you there?] After she was released from prison, she was aware of all the things that had happened to Bianca. The rtionship between the mother-inw and daughter-inw was not good in the first ce, so when she found out that Bianca lost her memory and left the country in disgrace, she had no intention of contacting her. Besides, Bianca was also somewhat working against her. Therefore, Allison did not feel the need to contact her. Luke did not care about Bianca now anyway. After seeing the empty chat history, Sophian knew that Allison did not have a good rtionship with Luke''s wife. There was not even a single chat log. Although it was a new phone, they did not even wish each other a happy new year. Allison held the phone and sat on the sofa, waiting for Bianca to reply. "If not for the fact that I have something urgent to tell her, I wouldn''t contact this woman." Sophian listened to the tone of her speech and could tell that she seemed to be dissatisfied with Luke''s wife. She was secretly surprised, but she could also understand why. One would be incredibly unlucky to have a mother-inw with a temper like Allison''s. If Allison did not look for her, it was only natural that she would not approach her too. Five minutester, Allison still did not receive anything from Bianca. She frowned, and the displeasure in her heart grew bigger. Sophian said, "Ms. Allison, I heard you mention before that your daughter-inw has lost her memory, right?" "So what if she has?" Allison looked at the message she sent. It was delivered, which meant that Bianca did not delete her number. "Then she probably doesn''t know who you are. Why don''t you give her a call?" Sophian suggested. The reason why Allison was so anxious to get in touch with Luke was that she had a problem. Allison had an old friend who said that he was going to help her invest in a low-risk, high-return investment. If it were someone else, she would not have believed them. However, this was an old friend of Allison''s, and it urred to her that she had to use a lot of money in the future, so she agreed and invested all of her money into it. Not even two dayster, the man ran away with her money. He blocked her everywhere. She even went to his home, but no one was there. Allison had given her entire fortune to that man, and now, it was all gone. Instead of making a police report, she thought of looking for Luke and telling him about it. She wanted Luke to help her get the money back and solve her current dilemma at the same time. Allison was used to splurging, but now that she did not have much money left on her, she could only last a few days. Allison thought that Sophian was right, so she nodded and called Bianca. Bianca did not answer, and it kept going to voicemail. ¡°How dare she not answer my calls?!" Allison''s face grew sullen. Sophian said, "Perhaps she didn''t check her phone, or maybe it''s the timezone difference." It was close to midnight where they lived, and it waste at night in many other ces. "Ms. Allison, why don''t we try again during the daytime?" Sophian had stayed up with her until now and could not stand it any longer. She wanted to go rest. "No way, this matter can''t be resolved in one day. My heart feels like it''s been burned by mes. You don''t know this, but Luke no longer sees me as his mother, so I need to solve this problem." Allison was restless. "Other than the Crawford family, who else can contact Mr. Crawford?" Sophian understood that Allison refused to call the police for the sake of her ridiculous reputation. If she called the police and the Crawford family found out about it, Allison would be ashamed. "Now that you''ve said it, there is one person... Luke''s assistant." Allison thought of Jason. She immediately called Jason. Sophian wanted to stop her, but it was toote. She nced at the time. It was already midnight. Most people would have already gone to bed by now. However, Allison still had an arrogant look on her face. She did not care whether the other party was sleeping or not. The call went through and Jason''s voice was heard. "Hello, who''s this?" "This is Allison Tanner." Allison was not embarrassed to hear the muddled voice on the other end of the phone at all. Besides, Jason worked for Luke, which meant that he worked for her too. Jason instantly came to his senses. He nced at the number to see that it was an unknown number. He hurriedly said, "Ms. Tanner, Happy New Year." "Don''t talk nonsense with me. Help me contact Luke and tell him I have a very urgent matter to talk to him about. I need him to call me right now." Allison instructed him to ry the message in a commanding tone. Chapter 2458 Jason felt a tingling feeling on his scalp when he heard what Allison said. Hermanding tone was the same as before. From N?velDrama.Org. He did not agree to her request right away but instead asked her, "Ms. Tanner, is there any reason you''re looking for the boss so urgently?" Allison did not want to tell him that someone scammed her out of all of her money. After all, Jason had a decent rtionship with Luke. She said with a firm tone, "It''s none of your business. It''s something important, so tell him to give me a call now." Jason was not that stupid to ask her why she needed him to ry the message. From what he knew of Luke''s temperament, he would not be bothered to talk to Allison if he could block her number. What was more, Allison would never reach out to Luke through him. She would only reach out to him every time she could not get in contact with Luke. Jason nced at Sue, who was next to him. She rolled over as if their conversation miffed her. He lifted the nket, got out of bed, walked out of the bedroom, and closed the door before he said to Allison, "Ms. Tanner, it''s likely that Mr. Crawford has already gone to bed at this hour. I''ll pass him the message tomorrow morning." "I said now!" Allison was driven up the wall. ''How dare a mere employee bargain with me?!'' "I''m sorry. Not only is it the holidays but it''s also after hours. I can''t help you convey your message to Mr. Crawford now. If you need to talk to him urgently, you can contact him yourself." Jason had a good temper, but his attitude became unweing considering how poorly Allison acted. "You..." Allison did not expect Jason to turn her down. It was driving her up the wall. Sophian knew that something was wrong. It would be impossible to contact Luke if she offended Jason. She threw caution to the wind and said loudly, "Mr. Doyle, hello. Please pass the message to Mr. Crawford tomorrow morning, then. Thank you and rest well." Allison red at her. Sophian had no choice but to hang up the phone. She exined, "Ms. Allison, if you offend Mr. Crawford''s assistant now, no one will be able to contact Mr. Crawford for you." Allison threw the phone on the coffee table. Sophian sighed, picked up the phone, and said, "Ms. Allison, it''s fairlyte. We''ll just wait until tomorrow." Allison snorted coldly to express her dissatisfaction. "He''s just an assistant. How dare he speak to me like that?!" Sophian felt helpless and cast down. ¡®How did Allison survive in Crawford Manor before I met her? How did she fight against the Crawfords and Madam Susan with her violent temper? Could it be that she always used Luke as a shield to survive in Crawford Manor?'' "Ms. Allison, you''re asking him for a favor. It''s not that he doesn''t want to help, but you need to consider that he''s Mr. Crawford''s assistant. It''ste. If Mr. Crawford has gone to bed and he disturbs him, he''ll have pissed off his boss... That''s why he turned you down." Sophian persuaded her patiently. Everyone would understand the logic. Allison did not pay Jason his sry. He would not offend Luke for Allison''s sake! Allison finally calmed down as she processed what Sophian said. Sophian was right. Even so, the anxiety she felt did not allow her to calm down. Sophian knew that Allison would not be able to sleep tonight, so she suggested, "Didn''t you bring the sleeping pills prescribed by the doctor when you came back? Why don''t you take one, rest well, and talk to Mr. Doyle again tomorrow?" "Okay." Allison was persuaded by her and gradually calmed down. Although she still could not calm down in her heart, she knew that she could not do anything but rest. Sophian breathed a sigh of relief seeing that Allison had stopped throwing a tantrum. She was afraid that Allison would go all out and burn the bridge with the Crawfords and everyone rted to them. ... Jason frowned at the busy tone on the other end of the phone. When he was about to return to the bedroom, Sue came out and looked at him, confused. "Who called you at this hour?" "It''s the boss'' mother." Jason said helplessly, "I woke you up?" Sue shook her head and said, "I''m thirsty and want to go get some water." "I''ll get it for you," Jason said. He then walked to the kitchen to bring her a ss of water. "Thank you." Sue took a sip and said, "Mr. Crawford''s mother called you to reach out to Mr. Crawford?" "Mm." Jason nodded. Sue knew that Allison would only contact Jason when she could not reach Luke. Sue nced at the time and could not help butin, "Is there something wrong with her? She called you at this hour because she wanted you to contact Mr. Crawford? Come on." "Never mind her. I''ll talk to my boss tomorrow." Jason yawned and put his arms around Sue''s waist. "My love, let''s go back to bed." "Mm." Sue put the ss on the table. She was not in a hurry to clean it up and went to the bedroom with Jason. Before hey down, Jason took another look at his phone, thinking whether he should mute it. He never had the habit of muting his phone. With Luke, there was no real rest even during vacations and breaks. If the boss and T Corporation needed him, he must return to his post immediately. "What are you thinking about?" Sue asked after seeing that he did not lie down. "I was wondering if I should mute my phone." Jason did not want to be disturbed by Allison again. "Did you hang up or did she?" Sue asked. "She hung up. Why?" Jason looked at her suspiciously. Sue yawned. She knew why he was struggling. It was because he was worried about missing Luke''s texts and calls. However, Luke had been pretty quiet these past few days. He probably did not need Jason for anything, so it would not be a problem even if he muted his phone. "Since she hung up, you don''t have to worry. She won''t call you again," Sue affirmed. "How do you know?" Jason was surprised. ¡®She knows about Allison''s stubbornness better than me?'' "Don''t forget, I used to be close to Bianca. Women hang out and talk about their families, husbands, and troublesome mothers-inw. I know about how horrible Allison is." Sue did not have a good impression of Allison because of her ability to cause drama. "Okay." Jason believed her, put the phone on the wireless charging station to charge, theny down and continued to sleep with his arms around Sue. The next day. X City. Luke was content both physically and mentally when he woke up. As he was satisfied, he felt that the air in the room and life was sweet. He took a look at Luca, who was beside him. She rolled over and was still sleeping... Luke nced at the time. Even though she had promised to prepare breakfast for the children, it was still early. He did not n to wake her up yet. Chapter 2459 Luke got out of bed lightly to not wake Luca. However, while he was washing up in the bathroom, Luca opened her eyes when she heard the sound of water. She picked up the phone on the bedside table, nced at the time, and then put the phone down. It was still early. Luca remembered that she had promised to prepare breakfast for the children, so she immediately sat up. The difort came instantly. Even the previous time when Luke was drugged, he seemed to have restrained himself and did not go too far. However, this time, Luke was in a sober state but acted recklessly with her. She could not say no and eventually fell asleep. She did not know when she fell asleep, but when she opened her eyes, the sun had already risen. Luca looked out the window. Although there was a day curtain to block it, the faint sunlight that shone into the room showed that the weather was great. After a few days of snow, they finally got a day of good weather. Luke came out of the bathroom. He stepped forward and nted a wet kiss on her forehead when he saw that she had sat up. "Did I wake you up?" From N?velDrama.Org. His wet lips pressed against her forehead, causing her to feel a scorching heat. Luca shook her head and said, "It''s about time to wake up anyway." "Sleep for a little longer." Luke did not forget the passionate night that they shared. As she used to say, all her strength was exhausted. "I''d better get up. I can''t sleep anymore." Luca shook her head, her feet feeling weak the moment she stood up. Luke had expected it and immediately supported her. Luca looked at Luke helplessly. His intemperance from the night prior made her body feel sore and weak... "Sit down." Luke helped her sit on the edge of the bed. Luca rubbed her sore waist and said, "It''s gettingte. I promised to make breakfast for the kids today." "They''ll understand if you can''t cook for them," Luke said. He did not want to overwork Luca. Luca shook her head and insisted. "I made a promise to them, so I have to do it. Let me try to take a few steps. I''ll get used to it." Luke frowned and did not make a move. Seeing this, Luca stood up by holding onto the bedside table. Her hands were on her waist as she slowly took several steps forward. After getting used to the difort in her body, she slowly paced to the bathroom and closed the door. Luke could not do anything with Luca''s stubbornness. She had always been stubborn since he met her. All he wanted was for her to rest more. However, just because she had promised the children and did not want to disappoint them, she insisted on getting up and even refused to let him help. Luke was a little jealous of the kids. Luca cared about their children more than she did about him. Luke stood up, opened the closet, grabbed a change of clothes for Luca, and walked out of the bedroom. He saw Tommy squatting beside their door after he opened it. He was reading a book without bothering them. When he heard the door open, he looked up at Luke and asked, "Daddy, is Ms. Luca awake?" "She''s awake. Why did you get up so early?" Luke knew his son was waiting for Luca instead of him when he saw Tommy squatting in front of their door. However, Luke was surprised that Tommy did not storm into the bedroom as soon as he woke up. "I''m waiting for Ms. Luca," Tommy said as he nced at the bedroom. He saw no one around and asked, "Where''s Ms. Luca?" "She''s washing up in the bathroom. What time did you get up?" Luke looked at his son. Even if it was for school, Tommy would never be up this early. Although the kids were responsible, each of them had difficulty getting out of bed. In the past, the nanny had to set at least two rm clocks for them. They would not get up until the second rm went off. During the holidays, they would sleep for half an hour more than usual. He also set a rule that the kids were allowed to get upte, but they could only get up an hourter than usual. The children epted his rules. "I got up not long ago." Tommy turned his head sideways. He had a nightmarest night that Luca left them without a second thought. As such, he woke up early and waited there. Luca walked out of the bathroom and heard Tommy''s voice. She looked toward the door and said, "Tommy?" "Ms. Luca!" Tommy closed the book he was reading and ran straight to her. "Ms. Luca! I''m so d that you''re still here. I thought Daddy lied to me!" Luke stood at the door and had a lot of questions when he saw their son holding Luca''s hand. "What did I lie to you about?" Luca looked at Tommy with confusion. ''What did Luke lie to him about?'' "I dreamt that Ms. Luca left usst night. I thought Daddy was lying to me..." Tommy exined, disgruntled. "..." Luke was left speechless. Those who did not know the context might think that he had done something to Tommy. Luca''s heart throbbed when she heard what Tommy said, but she still pretended to be calm and comforted him, saying, "Tommy dear, I didn''t leave. Dreams and reality are the opposite." "I was scared, so I squatted at the door waiting for you as soon as I woke up." Tommy pouted aggrievedly, and there were tears in his eyes. Luca could not help but feel distressed when she saw his expression. ''He''s insecure.'' When he was younger, she did everything she could to take care of him, but she did not expect to be kidnapped when he could start remembering things. That affected him and made him more sensitive and fragile. Luca changed the subject as she did not want Tommy to think of such an ominous dream. "Have you washed your face?" Tommy sniffed his nose and shook his head. He was in front of the master bedroom as soon as he woke up but did not go in. He was worried that he would affect their rest. "Go wash your face and brush your teeth. I''ll go downstairs and make you a delicious breakfast," Luca said. "Okay." Tommy pressed his face against the back of Luca''s hand to feel her body temperature. When he confirmed that she was indeed there, he slowly released her hand and returned to his bedroom. Luke watched as Tommy walked into the bedroom before he looked at Luca. Luca picked up the clothes on the side, smiled at Luke, and said, "I''m going to change before I go downstairs to make breakfast." "Okay," Luke said with a low voice. What Tommy said made his heart feel heavy. If he could not resolve Luca''s matter, she would be forced to leave at any time and there were great unknowns about what would happen in the future. He had to move faster. After Luca changed her clothes, she walked out of the bathroom and found that Luke was no longer in the bedroom. She walked out of the bedroom door and noticed Luke standing on the balcony. It seemed like he was smoking... Luca stared at his back for a few seconds before she looked back. She took the elevator to the first floor because her body was weak and sore. She bumped into Nina just as she was about to walk into the kitchen. "Nina, why did you get up so early?" "I slept earlyst night. Are you going to prepare breakfast yourself today?" Nina was in a good mood. The corners of her mouth could not help but rise into a smile when she spoke. Chapter 2460 Luca saw how happy Nina seemed. ''People will be in good spirits when they''re happy.'' She nodded and said, "Yes, I promised the kids yesterday, so I have to honor it." Nina heard the faint hoarseness in her voice and immediately noticed her exhausted demeanor. She quickly asked, "Luca, did you catch a cold? Your voice is a little hoarse..." N?velDrama.Org content rights. "No, I''m just tired from working yesterday." Luca made up a random excuse. ''My voice is hoarse all because of Luke...'' "No wonder. You must have been tired from being an assistant yesterday. You''re so tired but still insist on making breakfast for the children. Why don''t you take a break..." Nina followed her into the kitchen. Luca touched her face. ''Do I look that bad..'' She did not pay much attention when she was washing up. "It was snowing lightly yesterday and I stood outside for a long time. I was sitting and working most of the time, so it''s normal that I feel a little tired," Luca exined in a casual tone. Nina nodded in agreement. "Making breakfast isn''t aplicated matter. It''ll take me about half an hour," Luca said as she opened the refrigerator to take out the ingredients. "I''ll help you. I''m not very good at cooking, but I''ve be interested in it recently," Nina said. Percy got a maid to take good care of all aspects of her life over thest few years, so she had not made any progress in her amateur cooking skills over the years. Nina wanted to learn how to cook with Luca seeing how amazing of a cook she was. She wanted to prepare a sumptuous dinner for Percy herself. Luca smiled at her and said, "Are you thinking of cooking for Mr. Percy?" "Yeah, I haven''t cooked a meal for him yet, so I want to learn how to cook." Nina admitted to her feelings openly. She used to be shy about their rtionship, but now that they were legally married, she would unabashedly acknowledge their loving rtionship. "Cooking isn''t difficult. If you want to learn, I''ll share some recipes with you, all of which are my secret recipes," Luca said. "Will the food taste the same as when you make it?¡± Nina thoroughly enjoyed Luca''s cooking. Percy had also praised how delicious it was. "Yes." Luca nodded. She came up with all the recipes on her own. When she lived with the Rayne family, her life was difficult although her grandfather and father loved her with everything that they had. She would asionally go hungry. She had to study and cook by herself. She was very talented at cooking, so over time, she developed a set of recipes that suited her taste. "That''s great, Luca. Thank you!" Nina thanked her. "I''ll pass you the recipester. Let''s start with 10. Try to figure it out for yourself and let me know if you don''t understand anything," Luca said. Nina was not stupid. Luca believed that she could figure it out with some detailed instructions. "Okay, thank you!" Nina thanked her once more. With Luca''s help, she believed that she would be able to prepare a sumptuous dinner for Percy when she returned to A City. "What can I help you with now?" she asked. "Help me wash the greens," Luca said. She nned to cook a rich breakfast since it was breakfast and Percy and Nina were around. "Okay." Nina put on an apron, rolled up her sleeves, and helped with washing the vegetables. On the balcony. When Percy was about to go downstairs, he saw Luke on the balcony, so he went back to his bedroom, put on his coat, and opened the ss door of the balcony. "What are you doing?" he asked, only to see Luke smoking when he got close. Although the sun was out, Luke was smoking in the cold, so Percy thought that something was wrong with him. "There''s something on my mind." Luke put out the cigarette. The ash fell on the snow and was instantly extinguished. Percy raised an eyebrow and said, "Dr. Craw?" Luke nced around to see if Luca was around. "Don''t worry. My wife just texted me that she''s downstairs learning how to cook from Dr. Craw." Percy knew why he was looking around. Neither Luca nor Nina could be there for their conversation. When Luke learned that Luca would note up, he said in a neutral tone, "I haven''t found the location of the Ind of Despair." "They''ve be more alert since you joined hands with the Russian police to eliminate them thest time. It''s normal that we can''t find them for the time being." Percy analyzed. Not only were Luke''s men looking, but Percy was also mobilizing his forces to search for them. There were also foreign forces involved. They were all looking for the Ind of Despair. However, the person in charge of the Ind of Despair was cunning. Even though there were many forces after them, they were not able to find any trace. Luca was the only one that knew where the Ind of Despair is. However, she could not tell them about it. Luke was unsure how the other party was controlling her to the point where she still did not reveal anything to Luke even in such a situation. "I have a hunch that the Ind of Despair is still where it was." Luke narrowed his eyes. He was a businessman, and it was taboo for any businessman to act on a hunch. However, Luke''s hunch was inexplicable, and he was firm with it, which was why he got someone to monitor the former site of the Ind of Despair. "Although there are still several inds near the old site of the Ind of Despair, your men are monitoring the area day and night. It''s impossible that your men wouldn''t notice them if they''re still there. So, do you want to change..." Percy suggested. He had already suggested that to Jim Holston. Instead of having a group of people monitor a deserted ind, they should be searching elsewhere. "I''m not giving up," Luke said. He insisted on monitoring the site. Ray''s men had conducted investigations. They parked every case around the world that was not imed by any organization under the Ind of Despair. With so many cases, the Ind of Despair was definitely growing in terms of manpower. Therefore, they need arge base to amodate these people. The Ind of Despair was different from other crime organizations. Those working under other crime organizations were bold and did not have to worry about their family members being affected. They had free space and time to live like normal people. However, the Ind of Despair''s management style was strict. Only those who were high-ranking could contact the outside world. As such, the Ind of Despair needed a big ce to keep these people in captivity. Percy patted him on the shoulder. He was unsure of how tofort him at that moment. "We have so many people. I don''t believe that we can''t find them. We''ll search all over the world. It''s just a matter of time." Percy said. If time permitted, they could indeed run a global search. However, they did not have that kind of time. Luke had been carefully watching Luca''s expression whenever Luca listened to the children speak. He could tell that she had a lot on her mind. There was not much time left for them. He had to move faster. Chapter 2461 Categories (jQ Search... X Login / / Chapter 2461 The Boss Can''t Escape Twins in Her Womb: Sir President, Please be Gentle Chapter 2461 The Boss Can''t Escape Percy knew how determined he was and opted to support him. "I¡¯ll help you with anything you need." "Let¡¯s go in," Luke said. His head felt clearer after being out in the cold for so long. Since he had determined his next step, Luke had to double his efforts to get Luca back to his side. The two brought some cold wind with them as they walked into the living room on the second floor. After Percy closed the door, he could not help butin, "I¡¯mcking training." When he went under special training, he was forced to wear a singlet as he did various drills in the snow. At that time, he did not feel cold at all. Now, he was unable to bear the cold when he stood outside on the balcony for a while. Luke gave him a cool look and reminded him, "You¡¯re weak." "Nonsense, I''m not weak at all. If you don''t believe me, ask Nina." Percy corrected him sternly since it was a matter involving his male ego. "I¡¯m sure Nina will protect your ego, but to be honest, if you feel weak, you can ask Luca to prepare some medicines for you. After you take them, I¡¯m sure that your body will be as good as new," Luke said. "Let¡¯s go for a run outside. I¡¯ll show you what a real man is." Percy tugged on Luke''s sleeve. He had to prove that he was not a weakling. He felt cold standing there, but he believed that it would not affect him if he was active. "Let go." Luke shook his arm off. "What? You don¡¯t dare to? Is there anything that Mr. Luke Crawford doesn''t dare to do?" Percy provoked him. Luke looked at him and thought he was acting childish. It seemed that love would make a person stupid. Percy was the perfect example. Seeing that Luke did not respond, Percy took the opportunity to say with certainty, "You¡¯re a coward." Luke was not bothered. He was about to go down when the phone in his pocket rang. He took the phone out and found that Jason was calling. "What''s the matter?" Luke answered the call and held the phone to his ear. "Boss, Happy New Year. Ms. Tanner called me in the middle of the nightst night and asked you to call her back. It seems like it''s something urgent..." Jason''s tone was full of helplessness. "She called you?" Luke raised his eyebrows. After he blocked Allison''s number, he did not expect her to go straight to Jason. "Yes, she didn''t tell me any details. Boss, do you think she got into trouble again..." Jason could not think of another reason. After all, Luke had him transfer money to Allison every month. The money was just transferred to her ount at the beginning of the month. It was impossible that Allison ran out of money so soon. Although Luke was impatient with Allison, he did not pay her a single cent lesspared to before. That amount of money was enough to cover a full year''s expenses for an ordinary family. "I see." Luke did not make a stance. He did not want to make guesses about Allison. No matter whether it was a good or a bad possibility, it would end up being worse than expected. "Boss, you won''t call Ms. Tanner back, will you?" Jason took note of his nd tone. Any other son would not react as such when they hear that something had happened to their mother. However, he could not bring himself to me his boss. After all, Allison was a troublemaker. Over the years, she had rubbed off every bit of Luke''s patience and love for her. Anyone who had a mother as such had bad luck. "If you''re annoyed with her, feel free to block her," Luke said and hung up the call. He would never return Allison''s call. Luke was certain that she would look for Jason if he did not respond to her, which was why Luke advised him to block her number. Jason put down the phone helplessly when he heard the busy tone on the other end of the phone. Sue served breakfast for Kari and Teri. When she saw Jason''s expression, she asked, "Mr. Crawford won''t call Ms. Tanner back?" "He even asked me to block Ms. Tanner''s number," Jason said. He did not dare to do so since she was his boss'' mother. Allison could not get in touch with Luke anymore, and if she could not reach him as well, the me would fall on him if something happened. Sueughed out loud when she saw how stressed he looked. "Since Luke told you to do it, just block that woman. We''ll end up being entangled in this mess even further if she can''t reach Luke and you don''t block her." "That''s true..." Jason hesitated. After all, it was Luke who gave him the option to block her. "Also, Luke went as far as to hide in X City just to get away from her..." Sue learned from Nina that Luke was not in A City but in X City. She paused and said, "By the way, does Allison know where our house is?" "Don''t worry. She''s not interested in our family." After some persuasion, Jason thought about it and sent Allison a text message. He told her that he had ryed her message to Luke and asked her to stop interrupting his vacation. Jason blocked Allison''s number after the text message was sessfully sent. He blocked her new number, the old number, and thendline. When all that was done, Jason breathed a sigh of relief. He woke up to Allison''s callst night and this morning. He was in a good mood now that he had blocked her. "Blocked?" Sue served him his breakfast. "Blocked," Jason said. He picked up the knife and fork and smiled at her. "Thank you, my love." "How could Luke involve you in his family affairs..." Sueined. She wanted to sleep in, but Allison called Jason first thing in the morning and disturbed their sleep. She told Jason not to mute his phone yesterday because she thought Allison would stay quiet and stop making a fuss. After all, Allison was the kind of person who slept until the sun was shining brightly. She did not expect that she would wake up earlier than anyone else just to call him. Sue''s n to stay in bed was ruined, so she could not help but feel a little resentful. "There''s no other way. I have to attend to the things that the boss doesn''t want to take care of," Jason said. He was not just Luke''s work assistant. "We should be able to get some peace for the next few days," Jason added. "What do you think Allison will do if she can''t contact you or Mr. Crawford?" Sue felt that Allison must have something urgent to talk to Luke about. Otherwise, she would not be looking for Jason during odd hours.N?velDrama.Org content rights. "The boss can''t escape if she goes to Crawford Manor." Jason could not stop himself from gloating. He had dealt with so many matters rting to Allison for Luke. Since Allison could not get to him, she would likely head to Crawford Manor. In the end, Luke would still be involved. Kari looked at the expression on Jason''s face, and she was puzzled. "Dad, what are youughing about?" Jason touched the corner of his mouth, shook his head, and said, "I didn''tugh." "Who''s the Allison that you''re talking about?" Teri asked. Chapter 2462 "Uncle Luke''s mother," Sue answered for Jason. "Let''s eat." Jason urged the children. It was best for the children not to be involved with adults'' matters... On the other hand. Allison called Jason the moment she received his text. The call could not get through, and she realized that she had been blocked again. She threw the spoon on the table. Sophian, who was sitting across from her, was startled. "Ms. Allison, what''s wrong?" "Jason blocked me!" Allison had a stern expression. She could not get over her being scammed and would not have a peaceful sleep if she could not resolve it. That was why she called Jason first thing in the morning. After that, she waited for an answer. She was not satisfied with Jason''s answer, so she asked Sophian, "Where''s the SIM card we bought earlier?" "You said that the blocked number was useless, so I canceled the number and threw the SIM card away." Sophian took out a napkin and wiped her mouth. Allison reached out her hand and said, "Give me your phone. I''m going to ask him if he doesn''t want his job anymore!" Sophian handed Allison her phone. Allison called Jason without a second thought. The call rang twice before it was hung up. "D*mn..." Allison gripped the phone tightly, and Sophian noticed the displeasure on her face. Allison would always throw her phone when she was upset, so Sophian quickly said, "Ms. Allison, that''s my phone. I don''t have the money to buy a new phone..." Allison mmed the phone on the table. Sophian took her phone in distress and checked it. Fortunately, she did not throw it on the floor, so her phone did not break. Allison leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest. "I''m pissed off!" "Ms. Allison, you should have something to eat." Sophian coaxed her with aplicated mood. Unexpectedly, even Luke''s subordinates did not take Allison seriously. If this continued, her remaining hundreds of dors would be squandered in less than two days. At that time, they would have to live like paupers. She did note back to A City with Allison to be poor. "What did you make? It tastes horrible." Allison looked at the cereal on the table with disgust. Sophian said in an aggrieved tone, "Ms. Allison, I have no money, so this is all I can afford..." ¡®Allison only has a few hundred dors left. What good food is she expecting to eat? She should count her blessings that we have food on the table.¡¯ "You don''t have any money? That¡¯s impossible. You worked in Korea for so many years! How could you not have saved a penny?" Allison suspected that Sophian was just making an excuse by saying that she had no money. From N?velDrama.Org. "Ms. Allison, my sry is used for my surgeries. Didn''t I tell you before? If a woman wants to have good skin, she must be willing to spend money..." Sophian exined to her. Even if she had money, she would not give all her money to Allison. Although her son was rich, Luke did not share a good rtionship with Allison. "No, I have to find a way." Allison was anxious when she thought about the money she had left. She picked up his phone. "Ms. Allison, what are you doing?" Sophian had a hunch that Allison was about to get into trouble when she saw her act. "He doesn''t want to answer my call, right? There¡¯s someone that he¡¯ll most definitely listen to. Pack up. I''ll order a ride. Let¡¯s head out," Allison stood up. Hearing that, Sophian immediately brought the bowl to her mouth and quickly finished the cereal. She was not sure when Allison''s farce woulde to an end, and she did not want to starve herself. Allison turned around and saw that Sophian was still eating, so she frowned and urged her, "Hurry up." "I¡¯ming, Ms. Allison." Sophian took out a tissue, wiped her mouth, and followed behind Allison immediately. They went to Crawford Manor. Sophian felt like backing out when she thought of Susan. They stood outside the door of Crawford Manor, and Sophian asked, "Ms. Allison, are we really going to go in?" "Of course! He can only be contacted through his grandfather now." Allison took out the key and unlocked the door. "If Old Master Crawford asks why you¡¯re in a rush to contact Mr. Crawford..." Sophian asked cautiously. She was still worried that Susan would tell everyone about how she tried to seduce Luke, so she wanted to stop Allison. "I don''t have money now. I can''t live without it. What can''t I say at this point?" Allison hurried to the main house. Sophian bit the bullet and kept up, hoping not to bump into Susan. She was worried that the Crawfords, known as one of the rich and famous families in A City, would exact retribution. Allison walked into the living room and found that there was no one in the living room, not even the butler. She asked aloud, "Where''s everyone?" The butler came out of the kitchen and greeted Allison respectfully, "Madam Allison, why are you here?" "This is my home too. Why can''t I be here?" Allison red at the butler, her face full of resentment. She thought that Old Master Crawford did not like her because the butler must have spoken ill of her to him. "Nothing. Take a seat. I''ll make you a cup of coffee." The butler did not forget that Allison did not like tea. She drank only coffee. "No need. Is Dad in the bedroom?" Allison was not in the mood for coffee. She just wanted to get in touch with Luke through Old Master Crawford. "Old Master Crawford went to church early in the morning. He probably won''t be back until noon," The butler replied. "Why didn''t you follow him to church?" Allison asked suspiciously. She also recalled that Old Master Crawford would go to church for prayers around this time. However, it did not seem right to her that Old Master Crawford went to the church without the butler. "Madam Susan and Master Louis went with him, so Old Master Crawford didn''t ask me to go along. I''m in charge of getting the vegetarian meal ready at home," the butler replied. Every New Year, Old Master Crawford would go to the church to worship. At the same time, the whole family would have to eat vegetarian food for one day. The butler was checking the ingredients in the kitchen just now to make sure that all the ingredients were vegetarian. Allison nodded, still looking stern. "Madam Allison, do you have anything urgent to talk to the old master about?¡± the butler asked cautiously. Old Master Crawford had verbally told Allison not toe back, but she still did. He knew that something must have happened. Otherwise, she would not brashly go against Old Master Crawford''s orders like this. "What does that have to do with you? I''m hungry, send some breakfast to my bedroom." Allison rolled her eyes. It was pointless for her to do anything else since Old Master Crawford was not home. She was facing Old Master Crawford, so she would not dare to call him and urge him toe back. "Okay, Ma''am. However, today''s breakfast may not be to your liking," the butler said. He had worked at the Crawford Manor for so many years and knew everyone''s food preferences. "What''s for breakfast?" Allison asked. "Porridge oatmeal, in croissant, and some muffins,¡± the butler replied. He knew that Allison would not enjoy any of these options. Chapter 2463 Sure enough, Allison frowned as she was repulsed. "It''s so in. Others might think that we can''t afford to eat meat." "Madam Allison, we only have vegetarian food at home today. This is all we have," the butler whispered. He could not do anything even though Allison was dissatisfied. There were other ingredients in the refrigerator, but Old Master Crawford made it clear that they all had to eat vegetarian food today. He could not make an exception for her as Old Master Crawford would be furious when he found out. The Crawfords could eat meat, just not at Crawford Manor. Allison could not help but mutter, "I chose a bad time toe back." "Madam Allison, do you still want to eat breakfast?" the butler asked. He did not give her other choices. She could either choose to eat or not. "Of course! I''m starving. Bring it to my room," Allison said. "Okay, Madam Allison." The butler looked at Sophian. He had to treat her like a guest even though what she did had spread throughout Crawford Manor. Old Master Crawford had heard about it as well. "Ms. Thomas, do you want breakfast?" Sophian regretted finishing the rest of the cereal. She would not have done that if she knew that Allison would head back to Crawford Manor. After all, the food prepared by Crawford Manor''s cook was quite different from that of cereal. "No, thank you. I''ve already eaten." Sophian tried to be as polite as possible. Although she knew that her reputation here could not be worse, she still had to maintain her image. "Okay." The butler turned around and walked into the kitchen to prepare breakfast for Allison. Allison took off her scarf, nced at Sophian, and said, "Come on. Let''s go upstairs." "Okay, Ms. Allison." Sophian followed her upstairs. When they arrived on the second floor, Allison walked to her bedroom. There was no change in her bedroom. It was the same as when she left. It seemed that no one had cleaned it since... Nevertheless, it did not make a difference. Crawford Manor was spotless, so there would not be much dust even if the room was not cleaned for a few days. "Ms. Allison, are we going to spend the night here?" Sophian asked. She could not help but feel a little excited and got some ideas when she thought of spending another night at Crawford Manor. "We''re leaving right after the goal is achieved. I don''t know if that b*tch Susan cursed my room when I was away. I can''t sleep well if I stay here tonight," Allison said. She did not n to fight for anything. After all, the important guests had already visited over thest few days. Crawford Manor would be quiet for the next few days. If she stayed, all she could do was fight with Susan, which she could not be bothered to do at that moment. She did not want to risk angering Old Master Crawford any more than she already had. "Okay. I''m just worried that your body will be overwhelmed by running around too much." Sophian''s eyes shed with disappointment when she found out that she could not spend the night at Crawford Manor... She had uploaded the photos she tookst time on social media. Those photos made her popr among her circle of friends. Many expressed their envy and asked her if she had met a rich man. Sophian thought that if she could stay there for another night, she would be able to take a lot of photos and continue to show off on social media. Allison knew what she had in mind and said, "Why? You want to stay here?" "Ms. Allison, I didn''t..." Sophian shook her head. "If it wasn''t for my son, Luke, this family wouldn''t have reserved a bedroom for me. Your guest room was cleaned up long ago. The rest of the Crawford don''t wee you. If you don''t believe it, wait and see." Allison sat on the couch. She crossed her legs gracefully. She sat like ady, but her hideous face was not at alldylike. "Ms. Allison, it was just a casual question," Sophian exined immediately. She was frustrated at herself for not hiding her intentions well enough that Allison took notice. Allison smiled, and the folds on her face crumpled together. The butler brought Allison breakfast and a cup of coffee for Sophian. After he put it down, he did not say anything and was about to leave. Allison said, "Let me know when Dades backter." "Okay, Madam Allison," the butler responded and turned around to leave. Allison gestured for Sophian to close the bedroom door. After doing that, Sophian sat across from her. "Ms. Allison, are you just going to wait here?" Sophian took a sip of her coffee. Although she could not judge the quality of the coffee beans, she thought that the coffee that she was served was the best that she had ever had. "What else can I do?" Allison picked up a in croissant and took a bite. Although it did not taste like meat, it was much better than cereal. "Won''t it be boring for you? If only I brought over some skincare products, then I could do a facial for you to pass the time," Sophian said. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Allison yawned and said, "It''s boring, but for now, I don''t have the headspace to think about getting a facial. I''ll be taking a nap after breakfast. Stay right here and don''t make any noises that''ll disturb me." She was worried that Sophian would wander around and cause more trouble for her. Allison''s only way out was Old Master Crawford. She did not want to cause any trouble. "Ms. Allison, can''t I walk around?" Sophian felt that Allison was trying to keep her captive. She was a little unhappy but did not dare to show it. "It''s not the time toplicate things. Didn''t you wake up early today? Why don''t you sleep for a bit more? You''re petite, so you''ll fit on the sofa perfectly," Allison said. She took a sip of coffee and wiped her mouth before she stood up and walked to the bed. Sophian watched Allisony down and tuck herself in before she nced at the leftover breakfast on the coffee table. She sighed helplessly and cleaned up the table before she brought it outside the door. She then closed the door. Since Allison said so, she did not dare to walk around the house and could only sit on the sofa to y with her phone. Since she could not make a sound and she did not bring headphones, Sophian could only read a novel to kill time. Old Master Crawford and the others returned to Crawford Manor at noon. When the butler saw Old Master Crawford, he stepped forward to support him. Old Master Crawford changed his shoes and asked, "Is lunch ready?" "It''s ready, but Old Master Crawford, Madam Allison is back. She said that she has something urgent to talk to you about," the butler said. "She''s back? What for?" Allison had called him toin about Luke, but he ignored what she said after he learned more about the situation. He was annoyed that his daughter-inw hade back. Susan heard Allison''s name mentioned and eavesdropped on their conversation. "She didn''t tell me anything. She just said that she has something important to talk to you about. Do you want me to tell her toe downstairs now?" the butler asked. "She''s upstairs now?" Old Master Crawford asked. "Yes, she said to let her know immediately when you''re back," the butler nodded and repeated what Allison said. Chapter 2464 "Don''t tell her yet," Old Master Crawford said immediately. He then nced at Susan, who was next to him. He wanted to have a peaceful lunch. "Will do." The butler knew what Old Master Crawford meant. Susan raised the corner of her mouth with pride. Her efforts had paid off. During the past few days, many guests came by the house. As the hostess of Crawford Manor, she entertained each guest in good taste and many praised her. It had shifted Old Master Crawford¡¯s opinion of her. It was clear that he now favored her... "Is lunch ready?" Old Master Crawford asked. He intended to leave Allison¡¯s matter aside until he had lunch. "The cook has gotten everything ready. She prepared all vegetarian dishes as per your instructions. You can have lunch anytime." the butler said. "Inform the kitchen to serve lunch now." Old Master Crawford walked into the dining room with the help of his cane. "Got it." The butler hurried to the kitchen. When Thea heard that they were eating vegetarian food, she shook Yuri''s hand and said, "Mom, I want to eat meat." Yuri was fully aware of Thea''s eating habits. She squatted down to look her in the eye. "Dear, everyone at home is eating vegetarian food today. It¡¯s just for today. There¡¯ll be meat tomorrow." "Ah, we also have to eat vegetarian food for dinner?" Thea frowned deeper. She did not want to eat vegetarian food for dinner as well. "It was like this before as well." Yuri looked at her daughter with some doubts in her heart. It was the same every year, but Thea had never raised much concern. ¡®Why is she so against it now?¡¯ It was the Crawfords'' rule to eat vegetarian food for the day, so she did not dare to prepare anything with meat for her daughter. Children were not good at keeping secrets, and the Crawfords would find out what she did. At that time, a scolding was inevitable. Seeing that Thea was about to cry, Yuri sighed in her heart that children were inconstant. In the past, Thea would eat anything as long as the food was delicious, even if it did not have any meat. However, she was now moring for meat. "Be good. I''ll take you out to eat some delicious food tomorrow." Yuri was afraid that her daughter would cry. After all, thest thing Old Master Crawford wanted to see was someone in the family crying and making trouble during the New Year, so she hurriedly coaxed her. Thea thought about it for a while and reluctantly agreed. Yuri walked into the dining room with her daughter. Allison was upstairs catching up on sleep and did not know that Old Master Crawford had returned. As such, they had a peaceful meal. After he ate, Old Master Crawford slowly stood up with the help of his cane and said to the butler, "Hold me. I want to go to the study." Susan, who was on the side, wanted to watch the drama unfold. If Old Master Crawford talked to Allison in the study, she would miss out on it, so she immediately said, "Dad, you don''t need to go to the study. We''re all family here. If Allison has something to say, she can say it in the living room, no?" Old Master Crawford knew what she had in mind when she suggested that. He red at her and pointed out, "Don''t even think about causing any trouble. Everyone, control yourselves today. No one is allowed to make a scene." Susan pursed her lips contemptuously. She wanted to see how far Allison would go. She thought that Allison was not looking for Old Master Crawford because of her but it was likely to do with Luke. The mother and son were at odds. Susan would never get tired of such theatrics. "Mom, let''s go. It''s time for Thea''s nap," Louis said for fear that Susan would dare to go to the study to snoop on their conversation. "What does it have to do with me? You''re her father. Why do you want me to go?" Susan looked at him, dissatisfied. She was certain that he knew that she wanted to see how it would y out. ''He''s using Thea as an excuse. He just doesn''t want me involved!'' Susan was dissatisfied. ''Did Louis forget that I''m his biological mother?!'' Old Master Crawford ignored Susan and went upstairs with the help of the butler. Susan looked at the back of Old Master Crawford and red at Louis. "You useless thing! Why can''t I be there to see it when Allison is distressed?" Louis frowned and asked, "Mom, how do you know she''s in trouble?" Susan took a deep breath, rolled her eyes, and scolded, "Why else would shee look for your grandfather in desperation? Maybe she can''t even afford to eat now!" Louis was still skeptical. ''Could Allison be in distress?'' Although her rtionship with Luke was terrible, Luke would never leave her to die. He had heard that Luke was giving Allison arge sum of allowance to cover her living expenses every month. As long as she did not spend it particrly extravagantly, it was enough for her to splurge. ''How does Mom know that Allison is desperate?'' In the study. Susan was not allowed in. Old Master Crawford sat in the executive chair to wait for Allison. Knock, knock. There was a knock on the door followed by the butler saying, "Old Master Crawford, Madam Allison is here." "Come in." Old Master Crawford''s was loud like a bell, full of power. Allison''s heart trembled inexplicably when she heard Old Master Crawford''s voice. She had a hunch that Old Master Crawford would criticize her for what she was about to tell him... She instantly regretted her decision.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. However, if she left, she would have to live in hunger and cold... Allison gritted her teeth and nced at Susan, who was standing far away in the corridor. Even from a distance, she could see the schadenfreude on her face. She pushed the door and walked in. Susan leaned against the wall and said in azy tone, "Ugh, no soap drama for me today." The butler looked her way. Susan had no intention of leaving although she was far away and the study was soundproofed. She knew that she could not hear anything at this distance. However, she just wanted to see what would happen next, so she stayed here. In the study. Allison closed the door, took a deep breath, and walked over to the chair opposite Old Master Crawford. She sat down and greeted him awkwardly, "Happy New Year, Dad." "Get on with it," Old Master Crawford said ruthlessly. He had already learned from the maids about what happened from New Year''s Eve to New Year''s Day. He believed that if Allison had not allowed it, a stranger would not have dared to do such an outrageous act. "Dad, I have no other options. Please help me," Allison said as her tears fell. Old Master Crawford was indifferent to her tears. He looked at her coldly, waiting for her to get to the point. Seeing that Old Master Crawford had no intention offorting her, Allison knew that her trick would not work. She cut to the subject and told him all about her being scammed. "What were you thinking?" Old Master Crawford. He did not expect that Allison, who had always been nimble-witted, would be scammed out of all of her money. Allison was taken aback. She said, "Dad, I''m desperate. If it weren''t for my rtionship with Luke falling to bits, I wouldn''t have thought about investing all my money." Chapter 2465 "Don''t me Luke for getting scammed. Luke didn''t make you invest your money with dubious people." Old Master Crawford felt repulsed by what she said. Allison was startled. It felt like her throat was stuffed with a mouthful of phlegm that she could not cough out. It felt ufortable. She did not expect Old Master Crawford to speak up for Luke like that. "I¡ª" "Although Luke and you don''t have the best rtionship, he has never skimmed on your daily expenses as well as your treatment in South Korea. You had so much money to invest because Luke gave you that money. Don''t me others for your stupidity," Old Master Crawford lectured Allison with a stern expression. "Dad, I know that it''s my fault..." Allison realized that ming it on Luke would not work. It would not work even if she wanted to shift some of the me to Luke. Old Master Crawford was too smart and partial to Luke for that. "I won''t help you." Old Master Crawford said. Luke did not short Allison on her food and clothing. He held no responsibility for Allison''s being scammed. Allison could not help but feel resentment in her heart. ¡®If it were not for him behaving like this every time, I wouldn''t have gone to jail!'' She believed that she would not have ended up where she was if it were not for him. "Dad, I know what you mean. I just want you to help me get in touch with Luke," Allison said. Old Master Crawford suddenly thought of a very serious issue. "Did you borrow money from others to invest in this scam?" "No, but I just received my living expenses two days before the New Year and now I have no money to get me through this month..." Allison shook her head quickly. Her living expenses for one month were enough for her to invest. There was no need for her to borrow money from others. It was just that that month''s living expenses were just paid out and there were more than 20 days until the next month. In these 20 days, she had to go back to South Korea for treatment, so a few hundred dors was not enough to cover her airfare and living expenses. "You know I won''t give you any money," Old Master Crawford said indifferently. Although Allison was his daughter-inw, what she had done was outrageous. He disliked her more and more each day "Dad, I didn''t even think of asking you for money. I just want you to contact Luke for me. Otherwise..." Allison hesitated, but her tone was a little threatening. "Otherwise what?" Old Master Crawford knew that Luke had blocked Allison. He noticed her threat, and his cloudy eyes narrowed slightly. He had not looked at others like this in a long time. In the past, when he looked at others like this, that person would see the end of their business within two months. Allison was terrified by his stare. She had no other choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Otherwise, I can only live at home. I know you don''t want to see me, and I also want to go back to Korea for treatment, but I have no money. If you can''t help me contact Luke, I can only stay here until next month before I can go back to Korea.¡± Although Old Master Crawford did not like her living here, she did not have to worry about food if she stayed in Crawford Manor. If she did not shop, she would not have to spend a penny. Old Master Crawford''s mood sank. She sounded helpless, but it was clear that she had nned it out carefully. There would be no peace if Allison stayed here for another month. "Go back first. I''ll contact Luke for youter," Old Master Crawford said. Although he did not enjoy being threatened by Allison, he did not want there to be any drama at home. She and Susan would not get tired even if they argued for a month. "Dad, why don''t you contact him now?" Allison would only feel relieved if Old Master Crawford called Luke in front of her. "It''s lunchtime. Can''t you let Luke eat in peace?" Old Master Crawford asked. She, the mother, did not know how to take pity on her son, but he, the grandfather, would still make sure that his grandson was taken care of. Allison pursed her lips and stood up. When she got to the door, Old Master Crawford asked, "You brought that woman back, didn''t you?" "Yes, Dad. She''s helping me with my skin. I can''t live without her." Allison looked at him. She was worried that he would bring up what happened on New Year''s Eve. "This woman is sneaky. Make sure you keep a close eye on her. Louis is at home, and I don''t want to see that kind of thing happen again." Old Master Crawford warned her. Allison breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Old Master Crawford did note after her even though he knew what had happened. She quickly agreed. "Don''t worry, she won''t dare to." "Go out. I''ll call Luke when it''s almost time." Old Master Crawford leaned on the executive chair and closed his eyes. Allison hurriedly left. As soon as the study door closed, Old Master Crawford opened his eyes and took out his phone. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. He did not call Luke in front of Allison because he knew her temperament. Allison was respectful toward him but had never been kind to Luke. She treated him as if Luke owed her. As such, he deliberately made up an excuse and did not call Luke in front of her. There were still a few days of holiday left for the New Year, but now that Allison made such a mess, Old Master Crawford had no choice but to inform Luke. He could not afford to get involved as the head of the family. Susan would call him out for being unfair if he got involved. Old Master Crawford chose to text Luke all about Allison being scammed and expressed his stance. He received a reply from Luke soon after. [Grandpa, I''lle back tomorrow to deal with it.] Old Master Crawford put his phone down and sighed. If it were not for the impending feud at home, he would want Luke to let Allison be. ''How can a mother drag her son down like this?'' Outside the study. When Susan saw Allisone out, she stepped forward and gloated on purpose. "Why are you back?" Allison rolled her eyes and ignored Susan. She was well aware that she could not afford to annoy Old Master Crawford now or she would not even be able to stay in Crawford Manor. After all, Old Master Crawford has made it clear that he would not help her marily but would help her contact Luke. If she got into a big fight with Susan, she may be kicked out of Crawford Manor again. Old Master Crawford only helped her reach out to Luke because he did not want her to stay in Crawford Manor for the long term. Quarrels were inevitable as long as she and Susan lived under the same roof. Allison thought of that and forced herself to ignore Susan''s disgusting face. "Tsk tsk tsk, the wrinkles on your face are so horrifying. I didn''t expect that you''d dare toe back," Susan mocked her viciously. Allison went past her and continued to ignore her. Susan followed behind Allison and continued to make fun of her, "I heard that you came back after causing trouble outside. What are you thinking? All you do is cause trouble for your son all day." Chapter 2466 "It''s none of your business. Get out!" Allison was ticked off by Susan. She stared at Susan with her bloodshot eyes. Susan was taken aback by her indignant expression. When she snapped out of it, Susan sprayed her saliva all over as she shouted, "If anyone''s to leave the mansion, it''ll be you! You''re the shameless mistress. You''re someone who destroys families!" Allison raised her hand and wanted to p Susan. Susan took a step back and looked at the butler next to her. "Go and get Dad here to throw this crazy woman out!" When she heard that she was going to be kicked out, Allison withdrew her hand as she knew that she could not leave the house just yet. "Madam Susan, Old Master Crawford has allowed Madam Allison toe back to live here. Why don''t you leave the matter alone?" The butler bit the bullet and reminded her. ''It makes sense why Old Master Crawford asked Susan to move to Louis'' vi after the New Year. As long as Allison was around, Crawford Manor would never find peace. Even without Allison, Susan could pick on things to fuss about. The two Mrs. Crawfords were not to be messed around with. "When did you hear Old Master Crawford agree to her moving back here?" Susan red at her. Allison, who was on the side, was pumped. She said proudly, "Dad didn''t drive me away, which means that he has agreed to let mee back. After all, my son is more capable than your son. He manages T Corporation so well that thepany has grown rapidly and steadily. If it were your son in his ce, thepany might have even gone out of business. I gave birth to such an excellent son as Luke. It makes sense that Dad is allowing me to stay here." Luke''s existence irked Susan. She clenched her fist, and the blue veins on the back of her hand bulged. "So what if you gave birth to Luke? Didn''t you leave him in the orphanage to fend for himself? Maybe Luke isn''t even Zachary''s son. After all, you left him at the orphanage for so many years. It could be that you found some random kid and imed that he''s Zachary''s son knowing that the Crawfords wanted a child..." "What nonsense are you talking about? Luke is Zachary''s son. When he was brought back to the Crawfords, we did a DNA test. I have you to thank for that. If it weren''t for you not being able to get pregnant, Luke and I wouldn''t have been able to return to Crawford Manor," Allison continued taunting her. After fighting with Susan for so many years, she already knew what provoked her. If Susan had been able to get pregnant sooner, the Crawfords would not have known about Luke''s existence and brought him back. "DNA test? Maybe you used some tricks to fool us. After all, you stole someone''s daughter and sent her to the countryside. You made the daughter of the Normans live in the countryside and suffer years of hardship. I wonder why the Normans haven''te for you?" Susan was triggered and went all out. The butler could not let it go on anymore or they might get into a fight. He stepped forward and said, "Madams, today is a special day. Please stop arguing. If Old Master Crawford gets angry, It won''t be good news for anyone." Susan turned her face away and snorted. "There''s a saying, ''ugly people get into more trouble''. Sl*ts will also turn ugly if they do too many bad things. I believe in karma!" Allison stared at Susan, wanting to scratch her face with sharp fingernails so she could experience her pain. "Susan, do you believe that I''ll sh your face right now and let you experience how it feels?" Susan was horrified as Allison looked like she was going to hurt her. It was as if she could pick up a knife and sh her face at any time. She took a step back and scolded, "Madwoman! It seems that you not only need a cosmetician but also a psychiatrist. Have your precious son hire one for you." Susan left after she said that for fear that Allison would pick up a knife and sh her face if she was any slower. Yuri told Susan that Allison was disfigured and likely to act rashly, so she should be on guard. The butler was speechless as he looked at Susan leaving. He then looked at Allison and said softly, "Madam Allison, you should go back to your bedroom. If Old Master Crawfordes out..." "Go back to my bedroom?!" Allison interrupted him impatiently. "I haven''t eaten yet. When are we having lunch?'' The butler was taken aback. The whole family but Allison had already eaten lunch because of the request of Old Master Crawford... "Madam Allison, the rest of the family has already had lunch." "Didn''t Old Master Crawford juste back?" As soon as Allison finished speaking, she understood what had happened. She squinted her eyes at the butler and said, "Did you inform mete on purpose?" The butler said, "It was at Old Master Crawford''s request..." Allison froze, thinking that the butler would not dare lie nor me Old Master Crawford for his mistakes. If he acted on Old Master Crawford''s orders, she could only pretend that nothing happened. "What about me and Ms. Thomas, then? Did you leave anything for us?" Allison asked. Although there were only vegetarian dishes, the food cooked by the chef at Crawford Manor was not too bad. "The kitchen didn''t keep anything. How about this? I''ll ask the kitchen to make you a bowl of in noodles." The butler did not think that far ahead. After all, he thought that Allison would leave after she spoke to Old Master Crawford. He did not expect that she would stay in the mansion for that long. Allison waved her hand impatiently. "Hurry up!" "Okay, I''ll get it sorted now," the butler said and went downstairs. Allison looked in the direction of the study. The soundproofing was good, but she was surprised that Old Master Crawford did note out when she quarreled with Susan. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡®It seems that he doesn''t favor Susan that much.'' Thinking of this, Allison felt that she would be able to regain her ce in the Crawfords with Luke. However, she had to fix their rtionship to get Luke''s support. Her rtionship with Luke was getting worse day by day. It was going to be hard to get things straight. Allison realized that and thought that she would have to please Luke after he came back. She snorted in dismay as she knew that as long as she could firm up her ce in the Crawfords'', she would be the mistress inmand of the Crawfords'' when Old Master Crawford passed away. ''Susan would be no one then.'' Allison thought about it as she walked away. X City. After Luke received Old Master Crawford''s text, he said to Luca and the children, "Pack up tonight. We''ll head back to A City tomorrow." Rainie was puzzled. "Daddy, why are we going back so soon? Don''t you still have a few days off?" Chapter 2467 "Something happened at Crawford Manor." Luke did not tell the kid about what happened with Allison. He just made up an excuse. "Did something happen to Great-grandpa?" Tommy asked nervously. "No, it''s just some things have happened at home, so we''ll go back tomorrow." Luke''s expression was serious. If it was not thatte, he would surely head back to A City on the same day. He did not expect Allison to act so foolishly... The children stopped talking when they saw Luke''s expression. Percy exchanged nces with Nina, but neither of them said anything. Luke said to Percy, "Percy, feel free to continue staying here. Just let Mr. Muller know when you want to leave." "Okay, thank you. If you have anything that you need help with, I''m a call away." "It''s not a big deal," Luke said. He did not need anyone else to be involved with Allison-rted matters. Her problems could only be solved with money. Luca looked at Luke worriedly. If it were not because of Old Master Crawford that they had to rush back, it likely had to do with Allison. She pursed her lips until he looked at her and shook his head. She smiled and gave Tommy a piece of beef. "Come on, let''s eat." Tommy nodded. He was still worried about what had happened in Crawford Manor. After dinner, the children were in the living room on the second floor to discuss what they thought happened at Crawford Manor. Rainie and Tommy expressed concern about Old Master Crawford''s health. Lanie stopped them when Rainie and Tommy were about to call their great-grandpa to inquire about the situation. "I''m certain that nothing happened to Great-grandpa." Rainie and Tommy looked at him and asked, "Lanie, how are you so sure?" "If something had happened to Great-grandpa, Daddy would''ve taken us back now. He won''t wait until tomorrow. If I''m right, it''s something to do with Grandma..." Lanie said. His hunch was reasonable. Rainie thought about it for a while before she nodded affirmatively. "It should be Grandma. The expression on Daddy''s face was not one of worry. Rather, he seemed mad. Grandma must''ve done something, so Great-grandpa asked Daddy toe back to deal with it." "I''m d that it has nothing to do with Great-grandpa." Tommy felt nothing for Allison since he was a child, so he was relieved to know that Old Master Crawford was fine. "Grandma is such a troubled soul. Daddy''s life is so miserable because of her..." Rainie said. She had seen Allison swindle Luke many times as she grew up. They felt for him, but they were too young to be of much help. Luke and Luca, on the other hand, went back to their bedroom after dinner. Luca took out the clothes she was going to change into that night before she packed the rest of her luggage. After that, she looked at Luke, who was sitting by the desk. He was sketching. What happened with the Crawfords did not seem to affect his work. "Is it something to do with Ms. Tanner?" Luca asked. She was worried at first, but after seeing Luke''s expression, she calmed down and analyzed the situation. She felt that it was not something to do with Old Master Crawford. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Since it was not Old Master Crawford, the only other person who could unsettle Luke was Allison. "Mm, all her money got scammed in an investment." Luke''s tone was cold and did not contain too much emotion. He used the pen in his hand to scribble and draw on the paper. Luca walked in and looked at his designs. It was a rough draft. He could draw it digitally once he had decided on the facade She could not help but sigh with admiration at Luke''s designs, which were always surprising. "Old Master Crawford asked you to go back to deal with her?" Luca wanted to know what Old Master Crawford said to Luke. "Mm, he can''t handle this matter. If he intervenes, Louis'' mother will be pissed," Luke said. Although Allison was deceived, at the end of the day, money could solve all her problems. She would stay out of trouble if he paid her off. Old Master Crawford could handle it, but Susan was watching closely. If he helped Allison with this matter and Susan found out, the Crawfords would never have peace. "Yes." Luca felt his helplessness. Luke had no choice but to get involved whenever Allison got into trouble. She could not help him with anything. "I''ll check on the kids and see if there''s anything I can do to help them pack," Luca said. She was worried that the kids would be careless and leave some of their things here. She did not want to trouble the butler or Percy to get it. "Mm." Luke sped up his drawing, intending to finish the first draft that day. If the vige chief was happy with it, he could start drawing the details. Luca walked out of the bedroom and headed to Tommy''s room. "Tommy, are you packing?" She saw Tommy squatting on the floor and dragging the suitcase. She stepped forward, helped put the suitcase down, and then unzipped it. "Ms. Luca, I don''t want to go back. Daddy finally has some time off, but it''s only been a few days." Tommy vented to Luca. Luca sighed. They were having a great vacation. It was a great opportunity for Luke to rx. All the trivial problems would soon surface when Luke returned to A City. Luke would not have a chance to take a break anymore. "We have no choice. Something happened at Crawford Manor. Daddy is the head of the family, so he has to go back and deal with the matter." Luca put Tommy''s clothes in the suitcase before she ced the books on the side into the suitcase as well. "Daddy is working too hard." Tommy pouted. Luca patted his head when he saw how Tommy felt sorry for Luke. She thought of what Luke had once said. He hoped that the children would grow up as soon as possible and take the burden off his shoulders. When that time came, he would be able to apany her every day and they could travel around the world. However, that was in the past. After Luca helped Tommy pack up, she stood up and said, "I''m going to see if Rainie needs help." "Ms. Luca... can you stop Daddy from going back?" Tommy asked. Luca knew that Tommy did not ask that because he wanted to stay longer for fun. At a young age, he understood how hard Luke''s life was. She smiled and said, "Why? Do you feel sorry for your Daddy?" "Yeah!" Tommy nodded in acknowledgment. "Good boy. But he must go back. There''s no other way," Luca said as she knew that no one could change Luke''s mind. After she left Tommy''s bedroom, Luca went to look for Rainie and Lanie, who had already packed their bags. Moreover, neither of them said anything simr to what Tommy said as if they knew that Luke would definitely go back. The next day. Luke and Lliam each drove a car. Percy watched the two cars leave as he rubbed his chin. Nina took his hand and asked, "Did something happen with the Crawfords?" "It shouldn''t be a big deal. If something serious happened, the media wouldn''t be so quiet. I believe that it''s Luke''s mother..." Percy analyzed. Nina understood that it was Allison who made Luke''s life hard. If it was about Allison, she would understand. After all, Allison was an oundish mother. Chapter 2468 Percy''s hands fell on her waist and pulled her toward him. "You''re holding too tight. What''s wrong?" Nina could feel Percy''s strength on her waist. She could not help but lower her head and nce at his hand. N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°You''re not allowed to have sympathy for other men in front of me,¡± Percy said in a domineering manner. Nina did not know whether she should cry orugh. She replied, "He''s Luke, your friend! Besides, I''m not feeling sorry for him. I''m just letting out a sigh.¡± She had no idea what Percy was jealous of. "I won''t allow you to even let out a sigh. If you continue to do this, he''ll no longer be my friend.¡± Jealousy filled Percy''s heart, and even his expression showed that he was jealous. Nina found it rare to see Percy in such a state. She picked up her phone and seized the chance to focus her phone camera on his face. There was a click. "What are you doing..." Percy could not help but feel puzzled when he saw Nina do that. "It''s rare to see you getting jealous. I have to keep it as a memory." Nina looked down and saved the photo on her phone. "This is how the director of the Mallory Corporation looks when he gets jealous. I wonder how surprised your employees will be when they see this." "You''re only allowed to keep the photo on your phone. Don''t show it to others." Percy put his hand on Nina''s waist and headed into the house when Luke''s car was out of sight. "Okay. I''ll look at it every day. You jealous little boo." Nina smiled. In the afternoon. Luke and Lliam drove back to A City respectively. They did not head straight to Crawford Manor. Instead, they chose to park the car at the vi first. After all, Luke did not want to drag Luca into his family matters. Luca helped them to carry the suitcases out of the car. Aunt Neile walked out of the house when she heard noises. When she saw theme back, she asked in surprise, "Mr. Crawford, I thought you said you would be going on a vacation in X City for some time. Why are you back so early?" "I have something to do.¡± Luke picked up his toolbox. The tools in the box were much heavier than the suitcases. Luca carried the suitcases out. Aunt Neile immediately came forward to help. She looked at Luke, who was walking in front of the group, and asked Luca in a soft voice, ¡°Ms. Craw, what happened?" ¡°Something came up at Crawford Manor," said Luca. Aunt Neile nodded and stopped asking. After everything was moved into the living room, Luke turned to look at Luca and said, ¡°I have to take the kids along with me and go back there. Can you stay here?" ¡°Mr. Crawford, don''t mind me. Please go ahead." Luca slightly nodded. She did not understand why Luke had to take the kids with him. The three kids did not like Allison at all. Luke nodded and left with the kids. That was when Aunt Neile asked, ¡°Ms. Craw, what happened at Crawford Manor?" ¡°I''m not sure about the details either. It has to do with Ms. Allison," replied Luca. Aunt Neile was not a big-mouthed person, so it was fine to tell her about it. Besides, if Aunt Neile wanted to know about it, she would figure it out even if Luca had no idea what happened. ¡°Oh, it''s about Madam Allison..." Aunt Neile nodded and understood what was going on. ¡°Ms. Craw, are you hungry? Let me prepare something for you." ¡°It''s okay. Are there any noodles in the kitchen?" Luca recalled that they had not eaten anything since they departed. The kids were fine as they had some snacks in the backseat of the car when they were on the way back. They would not be hungry, but Luke and Luca had not eaten anything yet. Luke hurried to Crawford Manor after dropping her off, and he did not get to eat anything. Luca felt sorry for him. ¡°Yes. If it''s too troublesome for you, you can have some tacos that I prepared this morning. Would you like to have some?" Aunt Neile asked. ¡°I''ll have tacos, then. It''ll save me the trouble of cooking some noodles." Luca decided at once. ¡°Okay. Let me get them for you." Aunt Neile walked into the kitchen. Luca walked toward the entrance and looked outside the door. Luke had already left with the kids. Luke and the kids returned to Crawford Manor. The kids surrounded Old Master Crawford and talked about their experiences as well as what they saw in the past few days once they arrived. Old Master Crawford was delighted to hear them talk about those things and said, ¡°X City is a nice ce. I''d like to visit there too when it''s not that cold after the New Year." Susan immediately replied, ¡°Father, I''d like to follow you there too. I''m also interested in taking a look at the beautiful scenery of X City. I can take care of you at the same time." Old Master Crawford knew what Susan was up to for being so enthusiastic, but he still nodded his head. He was not in a hurry to visit X City, and he had something more important to do now. Allison, who was upstairs, had received the news that Luke hade back. She hurried down the stairs. Allison squeezed tears out of her eyes when she saw Luke standing there. Then, she came forward and said, ¡°Luke, you''re finally back. I missed you." Luke took a step sideways and another step back when he saw Allisoning toward him. He said in a cold voice, "Let''s talk in the study." "I..." Allison did not expect that she would not get the chance to say a word of the speech she had prepared earlier. Old Master Crawford held his walking cane and rose to his feet. He agreed with Luke and said, "Let''s head to the study." "Father, what are you all discussing? Why are you going to the study? Luke juste back, right? Isn''t it better for him to sit in the living room? We''ll get something for him to drink?" Susan asked with dissatisfaction. She would be missing out on a lot if they headed to the study. "He can have itter after we''ve settled the matter," Old Master Crawford spoke on behalf of Luke. He shot Susan a warning nce to signal her to be quiet and not to cause trouble. Susan secretly snorted when she saw the way the old master looked at her. Even if they headed to the study, she would be able to know what had happened. Was it not because Allison got cheated again? Susan sneered when she watched the three of them walk into the elevator. Lanie frowned when he saw the expression on Susan''s face. Lanie knew Susan was not on good terms with their grandmother, but the expression on her face seemed like she was gloating over Allison''s misfortune. Could it be that she already found out what trouble their grandmother had gotten herself into? In the study. The three of them walked into the study. They immediately closed the door behind them. Mr. Griffin stood outside the door and guarded it. Old Master Crawford sat in the executive office chair with Luke''s help. He remained silent. Luke sat in another armchair. Allison noticed that the pair of grandfather and grandson were not nning to speak. Her heart twitched uncontrobly for a moment. Then, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and break the silence, "Uh, Father, Luke." "Grandpa has already told me what happened," Luke interrupted her. Allison let out a sigh of relief when she heard that Old Master Crawford had told Luke her situation. She immediately confessed, "Luke, I thought of earning some money for myself to lighten your burden. I didn''t expect that person to be a scammer. I know I did something wrong. Please help me." "Lighten my burden?" Luke raised his brows. Of course, he would not believe what she said. Old Master Crawford could not help but sneer. She was really bad at putting on an act. Zachary was the only one who would get fooled by her. As Luke repeated what Allison said, guilt and nervousness aroused within her. She had no choice but to reply, "Yes." Chapter 2469 ¡°How much did you give that person?" Luke asked. ¡°I invested the living expenses you gave me." Allison said embarrassingly. The person told her that she would be able to get her capital and interest back in a week. Then, she thought of investing more to gain more interest. However, Allison did not have any savings. She only had the money that was given to her as her monthly expenses. Luke roughly knew how much it was. His eyes darkened as he asked, "Did you call the police?" "No..." Allison replied shamefully. The amount of money meant nothing to Luke, and she thought there was no need to call the police. "Call the police. Leave it to them," Luke decided right away. Allison was surprised. It would not be a problem to call the police, but what about the money? Luke only mentioned calling the police, but he did not say anything about the money. Allison immediately stood up and said, "Luke, uh, I''m broke now.." "What are you nning to do?" Luke deliberately asked her such a question. "Give me an advance for next month''s living expenses. It''ll help mest during this time while the police officers get the money back. I have to return to Seoul for surgery. I need the money now." Allison stated that she would return to Seoul. They had done so many things to get Allison to return to Seoul and receive treatment so that she would not be here as they could not stand the sight of her. "Have the police get the money back?" Luke stared at Allison. How naive she was. She was so naive that she looked like a fool. That exined why she became a victim of fraud. Old Master Crawford could no longer stand it. He questioned her, "Do you think you''ll be able to im the money back after the police officers arrest that person?" Allison kept quiet. Was she not supposed to hope to get the money back? "Father, I.." "I gave you a fixed amount of money for your monthly living expenses. It''s my responsibility to support you. Now that you lost the money, I shouldn''t be the one who''s responsible for it," Luke said in a cold and heartless voice. Once Allison heard that, she understood what Luke meant. He was refusing to give her more money. She became anxious and said, ¡°I didn''t mean to get cheated by someone else. I''m being fooled now. As my son, can''t you lend me a hand? At least pay for my flight ticket and the surgery fees, alright?" Allison heard Sophian mention that it was difficult to make an appointment with the cosmetic surgeon. If she missed the appointment, they could not guarantee that the cosmetic surgeon would have time to perform the surgery on her. Hence, Allison''s priority was to buy a flight ticket and return to Seoul at this moment. A hint of impatience shed across Luke''s cold eyes. It annoyed him when Allison used the blood ties between them against him. "I can give you the money to return to Seoul and pay for your surgery fees, but I need something in exchange," said Luke. Allison''s eyes lit up when she heard there was a chance to receive the money from him. There was nothing valuable on her, so she reckoned that Luke was just saying so. The terms and conditions made between the two of them would not have any legal effect. She would agree to his request and follow his instructions for some time. Then, they would talk about it again in the future. She asked, "Tell me. What do you want me to do?" Luke took a document out of his briefcase when Allison agreed with him. He said, "I''ve already found someone to appraise the vi under your name. Once you sign the property deed, your rights of ownership will be transferred to me. Then, I can transfer you the amount ording to the appraised value, but the vi will be mine. I''ll go through the procedures myself, and I''ll pay the taxes too. You can take the money and return to Seoul for your surgery." "What? You want my vi?" Allison grimaced. "That''s mine! How can I give you that?!" "Everything has to be exchanged in equal value. You can choose not to ept it, but you''ll have to wait until next month to travel to Seoul for your surgery," Luke said with a cold expression on his face. He had no sympathy for Allison who got cheated. If she had kept the money and did not cause trouble, the amount of money given to her was more than enough for her to return to Seoul and pay for the surgery cost. "Can''t you give me an advance first?" Allison was reluctant to transfer the property ownership to Luke. The vi was her only fixed asset. She would not have a ce to stay if she returned here. She said, "Where am I supposed to stay the next time Ie back here if I give you the vi? Will I be staying here? I know the Crawford family doesn''t wee me just because I''m not part of the family." Old Master Crawford could not help but feel annoyed when he heard what Allison said. m! He mmed his palm on the table and asked, "What the hell are you saying?" Allison was taken aback, but she sent the helve after the hatchet. She said, "Father, you know what I mean. You favor Susan, that b*tch, and refuse to let me stay here. If Luke takes the ownership rights of the property, does that mean I''m not allowed toe back here anymore? I won''t even have a home when I''m back!" Luke furrowed his brows. He took a step back and said, "You can still stay in the vi if youe back here. It''s just that the property won''t be under your name." Allison was still unwilling to do so. She finally had a property of her own after staying in Crawford Manor for so many years. Then, she said, "Sell it to you? I''d rather sell it to someone else!" "You can sell it to someone else. Since you think Crawford Manor doesn''t have a ce for you, don''t come back here when you return here after you''ve recovered from your surgery. In the meantime, you won''t be able to sell the property at such a fair price if someone else is buying it. Besides, you''ll have to wait until the property ownership is transferred to the buyer. It won''t take long. You''ll only have to wait until next month." Luke was confident that Allison would eventually transfer the ownership rights of the property to him. Luke was not short of properties. It was just that Allison would get cheated again and the vi would be taken by someone else sooner or later if it was in her hands. Luke might as well gain ownership of the property himself. After all, money did not grow on trees. Luke''s money and the wealth of the Crawford family were their hard-earned money. A trace of anxiety shed across Allison''s face, and she said, "No. You can''t do this to me^" Luke threw the contract on the coffee table and said, ¡°You can take a look at the contract and think about it." Allison picked up the contract and stomped out of the study with a gloomy face. Bang! The door mmed hard behind her. "Grandpa, I''m sorry." Luke apologized on behalf of his mother for saying those harsh words. The Crawford family had never treated Allison badly. If it were not for what she said and what she had done during the New Year, Old Master Crawford would not have kicked her out of the house right away. N?velDrama.Org content rights. "It was your mother who said those things, but you''re the one who''s apologizing to me. Luke, that''s not how I taught you back then," replied Old Master Crawford as he shook his head. Luke cast his eyes down. Old Master Crawford noticed that and continued to ask, "Anyway, why did youe up with such a n?" "If she could let someone take her money for investment, she might mortgage the property for investment in the future. The money she used to purchase the property was the Crawford family''s. I''d rather gain ownership of the property than let her have it." Luke expressed his thoughts to the old master. Allison was unreliable. It would be best if she did not have any cash or assets. Old Master Crawford nodded and agreed with him. Then, he said, "That''s a great idea. But are you sure that she''ll give you the vi?" Chapter 2470 "She''ll agree to it," Luke assured the old master. Luke came up with a n after he received the old master''s message. He immediately carried it out. He found someone to appraise the value of the vi. Besides, the price he offered was currently the highest. Allison would agree to it as long as the price was reasonable, and she could get the money right away. Besides, it was just that the ownership rights of the vi were under a different name. If Allison would like to stay there, Luke would still allow her to. Old Master Crawford knew Luke had already made preparations in advance before he came back here when he saw how confident Luke was. He nodded and said, "Luke, you''ve worked hard these days. Thank you." "It''s nothing, Grandpa. Please excuse me. I''m off to draw the design." Luke rose to his feet. He had replied to the vige chief when he was on his way back here. The vige chief was satisfied with the exterior design of the building. "Is it the ancestral hall''s design?" Old Master Crawford asked. "Yes." "The overall designs look great. The vige chief showed me your designs. Luke, thank you for your hard work," said Old Master Crawford. Assigning Luke the job was more reassuring than giving it to any other architect. Luke turned around, looked at Old Master Crawford, and replied, "It''s my duty." Although the old master had moved to A City for a few decades now, he was born in X City. He missed his hometown. The old master would grab the opportunity to return to X City when he was young back then. Now, he was old and he would feel ufortable sitting in the car for too long. Besides, his health condition would not allow him to travel by air. Otherwise, he would love to go back there. After Luke left the study, Old Master Crawford grabbed the walking stick and stood up. He called out to Mr. Griffin, who was outside the door, "Are you out there?" Mr. Griffin immediately pushed the door open and walked in, "Old Master Crawford, are you going to rest?" It was already lunch hour. Old Master Crawford nodded and replied, "Yes. I''m getting old. I''ll feel tired if I don''t take a rest. Help me back to my bedroom." ¡°Okay, Old Master Crawford." Mr. Griffin came forward and helped him. Old Master Crawford reminded him at the thought of Luke. "Luke must have set off early in the morning. He probably hasn''t eaten anything yet. Ask Mrs. Nancy to prepare Luke''s favorite refreshments and send them to his study. Otherwise, he''ll forget to eat when he''s busy drawing the designs." "Okay. That''s very attentive of you, Old Master Crawford." Mr. Griffin could not help but exim. Then, he helped the old master back to his bedroom. Old Master Crawford sat by the bed and sighed, "Luke''s father passed away too early, and his mother only sees him as a tool. What a poor little kid he''ll be if I don''t love him." Although Luke had never felt sorry for himself, the old master knew he was just being stubborn. If it were someone with a fragile heart, they might not be able to handle the pressure. The tougher Luke was, the more it proved that he had the bloodline of the Crawford family. One who had the bloodline of the Crawford family would never give up easily. "Old Master Crawford, take a rest first. I''m going to the kitchen to inform them." Mr. Griffn agreed with what the old master said. Old Master Crawford had kept Luke by his side over the years. Although the old master was strict with him, he doted on Luke too. "Okay. I''m taking a nap. Wake me up an hourter. Otherwise, I won''t be able to sleep at night." Old Master Crawford yawned. Mr. Griffin helped the old master toy down on the bed and said, "Old Master Crawford, haven''t you been having better sleep at night after taking the medicine prescribed by Ms. Craw?" N?velDrama.Org content rights. "Just in case." Old Master Crawford covered himself under the nket and closed his eyes. Mr. Griffin walked out of his bedroom quietly and closed the door behind him. Then, he headed downstairs and asked Mrs. Nancy prepares some refreshments for Luke and the kids. On the other hand. Allison returned to her bedroom angrily with the property deed in her hands. Sophian immediately kept her phone and stood up when she saw Allisoning back. Then, she said, "Ms. Allison, how is..." Before Sophian could finish her sentence, she realized something was wrong with Allison''s expression. She immediately stopped talking. It seemed like Luke did not give her what she wanted. "This is driving me crazy!" Allison threw the agreement on the sofa. Sophian picked it up with confusion. She immediately understood what happened when she saw that it was a property deed. "Mr. Crawford wants your vi?" "Yes. He told me that he found an appraiser to appraise the vi. He said he can give me the money, but it''s the money to purchase the vi. How did I fail myself and give birth to such an unfilial son?!" Allison was so furious that the veins on her face could pop out of her wrinkled face anytime soon. Sophian roughly read through the property deed. Luke had written the property price in an eyecatching manner. Even though Sophian had no idea how much the vi cost, the price would be high in A City where an inch ofnd was worth an inch of gold. Allison continued to vent her anger, "It wasn''t easy for me to raise him for so many years. I only wanted to ask for an advance for my living expenses next month, but he told me that the money couldn''t be imed even if I called the police. He set his eyes on my property instead. No way. I can''t let him get what he wants. It''s too much!" Sophian shot a nce at the terms. Even though it was a property deed, Allison was given the right to live in the vi. She reminded, "Ms. Allison, it states that you''re given the right to live in the vi in this contract, which means even if you''re not the owner of the property, you have the right to live there in the future. You can live there for the rest of your life. Even if Mr. Crawford transfers the ownership of the property to someone else, you can live there and no one can kick you out." Sophian could not help but wonder. Allison and Luke were mother and son, and Luke would not transfer the ownership of the property to someone else either. Was it not the same no matter who had ownership of the vi? Besides, Allison could get a huge amount of money. It was considered a good deal. There was nothing to lose out on. ¡°So? He''s been working for such a long time, but he wants my property now. Does that make any sense?¡± Allison widened her bloodshot eyes. Sophian was surprised to see how insane Allison had be. She asked obsequiously, ¡°If you refuse to agree to it, how are you going to return to Seoul? I asked the hospital just now. The surgeon will only work in the hospital for half a month. Then, he''ll continue with his business and head to New York to further his studies.¡± Allison frowned when she heard the surgeon would only be working in the hospital for half a month. She said, "I''ll either borrow some money from others or sell the property to someone else. I''m not going to let Luke take advantage of me." Sophian was rendered speechless. Was this even considered Luke exploiting her? ¡°Ms. Allison, are you sure you''ll be able to get a better price?" Sophian asked. "I don''t even know how much it is!" said Allison. ¡°But I''m calling the property agent now to see how much is the property''s value." Sophian handed her the property deed and said, ¡°This is the price Mr. Crawford offered." Allison nced at the price. It was double the price when she first bought the vi back then. The price might be tempting for ordinary people, but the property was a vi. It was normal for a vi''s value to increase after a few years. Allison thought the price could go higher. Hence, she said, "I''m going to ask the property agent." Chapter 2471 Sophian stopped talking when Allison insisted on doing so. Allison picked up her phone and called the property agent she knew. Five minutester, she received the news about how much her property would be worth. Sophian heard the price from the other end of the line. The price given was way lower than Luke''s price. She thought that even though Allison was not on good terms with Luke, it turned out that Luke was not so heartless after all. Otherwise, how could he offer a price that was much higher than the market price? Allison refused to believe what she heard and questioned, "The location of my vi is good. You actually offered me such a price? Are you trying to fool me? Do you have any idea who I am?" "Ms. Tanner, I''m not trying to fool you. A customer of mine sold a vi like yours at such a price two days ago. The area of his vi is much bigger than yours. The vis in the urban district aren''t that popr now. Wealthy people prefer vis in the suburbs. The air is clean and fresh there. Besides, if they''re investing in property, they would never choose to get a vi. They would pick condominiums or apartments. After all, there''s a higher chance to rent and sell those properties to others," the property agent quickly exined to her. He did not mean to lower the price, but that was how much the market price was. Allison knew in her bones that the price would be lower. Previously, when she was purchasing the vi, the property agent had roughly told her all this. However, Allison bought the vi to move out of Crawford Manor. She would not sell it easily. That was why she did not take what he said to her into consideration. She only thought that it was affordable and the location of the vi was good. That was why she immediately bought it. ¡°I got it.¡± Although Allison understood what he meant, she sounded harsh. The property agent carefully asked, "Ms. Tanner, since you''re asking about the price, are you nning to sell the vi?" "Who told you that I''m going to sell the property? I just want to know the market price and purchase another one," Allison boasted as she refused to be looked down on by the property agent. "Really? I have a few properties that are waiting to be purchased. Ms. Tanner, why don''t we meet up? Let me bring you to take a look at them." The property agent was delighted to hear that. "They''re all investments that make me lose money! Why should I buy them?" Allison hung up the call after that. Sophian wanted to say something but hesitated. Allison noticed that and immediately said, ¡°Spit it out." "Ms. Allison, why don''t you just sign this? You can''t dy the surgery. Besides, the skincare products we brought here can''tst for another month. If we finish them, your skin will..." Sophian stopped talking. The skincare products Allison was using were only avable in Seoul as it was the hospital''s products. They would not be able to find them here. "Why should I do that? I''d rather mortgage the vi to the bank than sign the property deed." Allison gritted her teeth hatefully. Sophian reminded her in a helpless voice when Allison insisted on doing so, "Ms. Allison, if you mortgage the vi to the bank, you''ll need some money to pay for. your surgery expenses. Besides, you still have the treatment cost to pay for. Even if Mr. Crawford continues to support you after that, the amount of money you receive might not be able to cover the amount that has to be paid to the bank. Plus, if Mr. Crawford finds out about this, he might get angry and refuse to pay for your living expenses." "How dare he?!" Allison burst into anger, but she could not help but think about what she said. "He''s my son. He has to pay for my living expenses." "But the amount he gave you to pay for your living expenses has already exceeded the usual amount." Sophian added. Allison fell silent. What Sophian said made sense. "Ms. Allison, think about it," said Sophian. "Did he pay you to convince me and speak up for him?" Allison narrowed her eyes and became suspicious of her. "No!" Sophian immediately shook her head. "Mr. Crawford hates me so much. I don''t even dare to see him." Allison thought what Sophian said was true. Judging from how Sophian had provoked Luke back then, Luke must be disgusted with her now. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Allison replied, "Let me think about it first. I have a few more days left. Oh, you''ll be staying in Crawford Manor these few days. I''ve asked Mr. Griffin to arrange a guest room for you. Don''t walk around the house at night. Even if Luke isn''t staying here, Susan''s son is still here. Besides, although you don''t intend to do anything, if Susan mes you for something, you''ll be dragging me into trouble when the timees." "Okay, Ms. Tanner. I won''t loiter around." Sophian was excited when she heard Allison ask her to stay in Crawford Manor. She would be staying in a guest room here! Allison and Sophian slept in Crawford Manorst night, but there was no room for her. Allison asked her to sleep on the sofa. Although the sofa was expensive, Sophian''s back hurt after sleeping on it. "That''s all. Look for Mr. Griffin. He''ll bring you to your room," said Allison. She had already told the butler. Mr. Griffin would not dare to disobey her instructions considering it was Madam Allison of the Crawford family who asked him to do so. Sophian responded and left the bedroom with a smile on her face. She ran into Luke when she was about to look for Mr. Griffin. The powerful aura came upon her, and Sophian was so frightened that she recoiled with a shudder. Luke only shot her a nce. It was just a nce but it could make her tremble with fear. The powerful aura that he gave off was terrifying... Sophian''s heart was filled with remorse when she recalled what she did to him. She should not have messed with Luke Crawford. Sophian might be dead if this were in ancient times. Fortunately, Luke could not do anything to her even though he hated her. Luke shot a nce at Sophian and shifted his gaze away. Allison was here. He would have expected Sophian to be here too. Luke slightly turned sideways when they were about to pass by each other. Sophian noticed that Luke was trying to avoid her, and it hurt her feelings. She mustered her courage and said, "Mr. Crawford." Luke did not intend to stop as he continued marching forward. Sophian continued to please him. ¡°Mr. Crawford, there''s a high chance that Ms. Allison will sign the contract. You don''t have to worry about it.¡± ¡°I''ve never worried about it,¡± Luke replied with a cold voice and left as he turned around the corner. Sophian felt like crying when she heard his tone of voice. Luke was so cold to her. There was even a hint of hatred in his voice. Sophian felt helpless. Mr. Griffin made his way up the stairs and saw Sophian standing at the stairs. He asked with confusion, ¡°Ms. Thomas, why are you here?¡± ¡°Oh, Mr. Griffin. I was looking for you. Ms. Allison told me that you''ve arranged a guest room for me, right?¡± Sophian came back to her senses and looked at him. "Yes. Madam Allison has indeed instructed me to do so, but do you mind waiting for a while? I''ll make the arrangements after serving this soup to Young Master Luke," Mr. Griffin said politely. Sophian was the Crawford family''s guest, after all. Even though she had done something embarrassing, she was a guest. He should treat her like one. Chapter 2472 ¡°Is this for Mr. Crawford? Let me bring it to him for you." Sophian thought that even though Luke was scary, she wanted to make it up to him. At least she could change the impression she had left on him. Sophian thought she could fight for a chance to exin to him by serving him the soup. She thought of shifting all the responsibility to Allison if she could. The rtionship between them was already bad. It did not matter if their rtionship got worse. A trace of astonishment shed across Mr. Griffin''s eyes. He grasped the bowl of soup tight, smiled, and said, "How can I trouble a guest with such things? Let me serve him the soup first. Ms. Thomas, just a minute." After that, he walked past Sophian and headed to the study. "Let me follow you there. I have something to discuss with Mr. Crawford." Sophian kept pace with Mr. Griffin. Sophian was shocked by the aura Luke gave off when she ran into him just now. That was why she dared not to say anything, let alone exin to him... Besides, she would get caught by Allison for passing the buck to her if she talked to him here. She could not exin to him in such a situation. Mr. Griffin stopped, gave her a stern look, and said, "Ms. Thomas, no one is allowed to enter the study without Young Master Luke''s permission." "I.." Sophian blinked her eyes in surprise. "Please stay here." That was thest sentence Mr. Griffin said to her. If this personcked sophistication, it would be difficult for him to express what he wanted to say indirectly. "Okay.." Sophian understood what Mr. Griffin meant. Outsiders like her were forbidden from entering the study. Moreover, she was someone who had tried to seduce Luke before. Sophian watched Mr. Griffin enter one of the rooms, and she found out that it was Luke''s study. However, Mr. Griffin closed the door behind him after he walked in. Thus, Sophian did not hear anything. Mr. Griffin ced the bowl of soup on Luke''s desk and reported to him. "Young Master Luke, Ms. Thomas wanted toe in just now." "Stop her," replied Luke. He was unwilling to see that woman. "I''ve already stopped her. Young Master Luke, Madam Allison has decided to stay in Crawford Manor. That means Ms. Thomas will be staying here too..." Mr. Griffin lowered his voice and hinted to Luke to be careful. He was not afraid that Luke would have inappropriate ideas toward Sophian, but he was afraid that Sophian would get away with her wicked intentions. After all, it was many women''s dream to be Luke''s woman. Even though Luke already had a family, many women were still dreaming of bing his woman. "I''m not going to spend the night here tonight," replied Luke. He decided to draw his designs here as he was worried journeying back and forth would make the kids tired. Hence, he decided to let them rest in Crawford Manor for a while. After they finished dinner, Luke would take the kids back to the vi. N?velDrama.Org content rights. He would not want to spend the night here losing his sleep when he could cuddle with Luca in bed. "Okay. You''ll have dinner first before you leave, right?" Mr. Griffin asked. If Luke and the kids would not stay for dinner, he had to inform the cook not to prepare their portions. "Yes," answered Luke. Mr. Griffin slightly bowed to him. Then, he turned around and left the study. Mr. Griffin closed the study room and noticed that Sophian was still rooted in the same spot. He walked toward her, smiled, and said, "Ms. Thomas, I''ll arrange the guest room for you now. It''ll still be the same room you stayed in before. Is that fine?" "Sure. Thank you." Sophian''s eyes lit up when she heard that she would be staying in the previous guest room. The guest room she previously stayed in was first-ss, be it the decorations or the furniture. She heard the maid say that the room she was staying in was the most luxurious guest room in Crawford Manor. "This way, please," invited Mr. Griffin. Sophian turned around and nced in the direction of Luke''s study. Only then did she leave with Mr. Griffin. After Mr. Griffin asked the maid to clean up the room, he said to Sophian, who stood beside him, "Ms. Thomas, just pick up the phone if you need anything else. Everyone is on 24-hour standby." "Okay. I got it." Sophian walked into the guest room. It lightened up her mood a little after being down in the dumps because of Luke. Mr. Griffin emphasized, "If you feel hungry or thirsty at night, we can send it up here to your room. It''s one of our responsibilities." The smile on Sophian''s face froze immediately. Mr. Griffin''s implication was obvious. He was reminding her not to hang about in Crawford Manor in the middle of the night. Her intention in walking around in the house was to seduce Luke back then. It was the same as telling her not to try to do anything. "What great service," Sophian forced herself to say that sentence. "It''s our responsibility. Ms. Thomas, please excuse us. We''ll let you rest." Mr. Griffin led the maid out of the guest room after that. Sophian sat by the bed, sping the bedsheet tightly. They were nothing more than people working for the Crawford family. How could they ridicule her?! The anger in Sophian''s heart would not go away unless she did something. Still, was there anything she could do? Sophian hesitated. She wanted to take revenge on Mr. Griffin, but she was worried that she would make a big scene and affect Allison. She needed Allison''s money to return to Seoul now. The holidays wereing to an end. The hospital would have a reason to fire her if she could not return to Seoul. Sophian would end up miserably if she lost her job while still having to pay the hospital for her surgery fees. "Humph, snobbish b*stard!" After Sophian pondered for a moment, she realized there was nothing she could do except hold a grudge. At night. Crawford Manor was brightly lit. Old Master Crawford sat in the host''s seat, getting ready for dinner. Luke led the three kids downstairs. They sat at the dining table, but the others had yet to arrive. Old Master Crawford asked, ¡°Luke, you''re going back tonight, right?¡± ¡°Yes. The kids'' calligraphy homework is still at the vi. We have to go back." Luke found an excuse to go back. The kids could do their homework tomorrow too, but Sophian was here, so he had to go back. Allison heard Luke say that when she walked into the dining room. She deliberately said, "Isn''t it tiring to journey back and forth? My grandchildren must be tired even if you''re not. Why don''t you spend the night here?" "Grandma, we''re not tired," Lanie spoke at the right time. He had heard what had happened, and it made him dislike his grandmother even more. Allison was startled for a moment. Why were the kids suddenly speaking up today? They were usually quiet when the adults were talking. Nevertheless, they were speaking on behalf of Luke. "Lanie, I just feel sorry for you. Coming here from X City and going back after dinner... You''re still young. How can you take it?" Allison pretended to be kind. However, she did not look like a kind person with those wrinkles on her face. Chapter 2473 ¡°Grandma, Daddy''s the one who''s driving. We''re not tired. Daddy''s more tired than us. Besides, if it weren''t for some family matters, Daddy wouldn''t have had to hurry back here," said Lanie, pretending not to know it was Allison''s matter. Allison''s smile froze. This little kid did not intend to say something like that. Even so, why did it sound so unpleasant to the ears? Allison felt it was inappropriate to criticize Lanie for what he said. After all, it would make her look bad if she really held him ountable for what he said. Besides, she was secretly disgusted after hearing things like Luke had been working hard. She could hardly say a word. Allison had no choice but to look at Tommy with a smile on her face, "Tommy, did you receive the snacks and toys I bought for you?" "Yes, Grandma. The children at the orphanage will be delighted to receive them." Tommy nodded and said, "I''d like to thank you on behalf of the orphaned children." "Orphanage...?" That was the word Allison hated to hear the most. It constantly reminded Allison that she left Luke alone at the entrance of the orphanage back then. It was like a thorn in her heart. Every time someone mentioned the word, it would make her feel disturbed. She was unable to move on from this after so many years. Moreover, she almost gave up living a wealthy life when she sent Luke to the orphanage. Luke was not close to her because of what he had experienced. Old Master Crawford got curious when he heard that and asked, "Tommy, what about the orphaned children?" "We didn''t like the toys Grandma gave us. They''re too childish for us. We didn''t like those snacks either, but we didn''t want to disappoint Grandma. That''s why we''re nning to donate them to the orphaned children," Tommy replied with a smile. Even though the adults did not like what he said, the innocent look on his face made them reluctant to me him for being naive. The look on Allison''s face turned awful. She bought the toys ording to their age. Why were they unsuitable for them? There was no way it could be wrong when it was the shop assistant who rmended her to buy these. She was afraid that the children''s hearts had grown apart from her. Even though they still addressed her as their grandmother, they probably did not see her as their grandmother anymore. Lanie noticed the changes in Allison''s expression and said, "Thepany will usually donate money and necessities to the orphanage. Rainie, Tommy, and I like to y with educational toys. So, we can only donate the toys you bought us. Otherwise, it would be a waste to leave them there." Rainie went along with him, ¡°Yes. Great-grandpa has always taught us not to waste anything. That''s why we nned to do so.¡± "Good. Well done. Even though all of you are living afortable life, you haven''t forgotten those who are in need. Instead, you''re willing to help them. Well, that''s wonderful," eximed Old Master Crawford as he shot a nce at Luke. If it were not for the social groups who volunteered to help the orphanage, he would not have known whether or not his great-grandson would be able to wait until the day the Crawford family found him. Louis held Thea''s hands and walked into the dining room together. He asked with curiosity when he heard the old master eximing, "Grandpa, why are you eximing?" N?velDrama.Org owns this text. "It''s a relief to know how sensible the kids are. They are willing to donate to the orphaned children at the orphanage,¡± Old Master Crawford grinned and replied. It reminded Louis of the annual charity event that was about to start when the old master mentioned it to him. Then, he asked, "Brother, are we still donating to the orphanage this time?" "Yes. It''s still the orphanage," said Luke. Donating to the orphanage was a charity event T Corporation would do every year. "That''s great. Brother, count me in. Oh, there are tons of clothes Thea has never worn before. I can donate them to the orphanage," said Louis. Everything the Crawford family donated was new. "Daddy!" Thea was unwilling to do so when she heard Louis was nning to donate her clothes. "Those are mine." "You''re growing up fast. You can no longer fit in some of the clothes. Good girl, let''s donate them to the children who need them. Otherwise, it would be a waste to leave them there." Louis stroked the child''s head. Thea shot a nce at Old Master Crawford and fell silent. Thea knew what Louis said was right. She did not even get to wear some of the clothes. It was a waste to leave them aside. However, she was reluctant to donate the things that belonged to her. Those were her belongings! "Thea, you should learn from your cousins. You have to remember that you''re lucky enough to be born into such a good family. That''s why you should help those who are in need. That''s how a good girl should behave," Old Master Crawford advised Thea as he could see Thea was reluctant to do so. Although Thea''s clothes were expensive, she could no longer wear them. Besides, Louis was not nning to get a second child. It would be a waste to leave the clothes there. Since it was a waste to leave them aside, was it not better to donate them to the children who needed them? "Okay, Great-grandpa," Thea replied unwillingly. "Alright. Let''s pack those clothes after dinner, okay?" Louis stroked Thea''s head. Yuri doted on her daughter. She always bought her clothes and dressed her up like a little princess. However, she had so many clothes that she could not even wear them all. "Okay," Thea replied in a depressed tone. She felt ufortable as she had no idea why she should donate her clothes to others. Susan walked into the dining room and rolled her eyes at Allison. Then, she sat down beside Thea. The moment she sat down beside Thea, she noticed the gloomy look on Thea''s face and immediately asked, "Thea, what''s with the look on your face? Are you frightened?" After that, Susan lifted her head and nced at Allison with a disgusted look. "That''s terrifying." "Hmph." Allison turned away, nning to ignore her. Usually, she would have argued with Susan now. Perhaps they might even start a fight. However, she needed money now. Therefore, she could not do so. Otherwise, she would be the unlucky one. "Grandma, Daddy says I should donate my clothes to the orphanage." Thea held Susan''s arms and clung to her. "Donate to the orphanage?" Susan knew T Corporation would organize such an event every year, but what did it have to do with Louis? After all, the money used for the donation was umted through the interests earned, which meant Louis'' share had already been counted in. Why did Thea have to donate her clothes? "Mom, I was nning to donate the clothes Thea can''t wear," Louis exined. "Thea''s clothes are expensive. I don''t think it''s a good idea to donate such expensive clothes, right?" Susan replied without a second thought. Other than Yuri who would always buy new clothes for Thea, Susan also adored her granddaughter and often bought new clothes for Thea too. "Mom, she can''t wear those. It''s a waste to leave them here," Louis tried to convince her. Then, he shot a nce at Old Master Crawford. Chapter 2474 ¡°What? I''m telling you, you''re getting a second child this year. Thea will be happy to have a younger brother or sister to apany her," Susan urged Louis despite being in front of so many people. Old Master Crawford loved having his children and grandchildren around. The old master was thrilled when Luke and Bianca gave birth to three kids. Hence, Susan hoped that Louis and Yuri could put in some effort to get another child. At least they could fight against Allison''s side for the inheritance. "Mom..." Louis was speechless. He had told her that he was not nning to get a second child back then. However, he felt embarrassed when Susan urged him to have another baby in front of so many people. "Stop giving me excuses. You just have to. Thea is all alone by herself." Susan became overbearing. She shot a nce at Old Master Crawford, hoping that he could speak up for her. After all, he must want Louis and Yuri to have another child too. "Even if you''re having another child, the clothes can be donated. Who''ll know when we''re going to have our second child? The designs of the clothes will probably be outdated at that time," Louis immediately changed the subject of the conversation. "Yuri and you are both healthy. Why should you wait much longer? You''re just trying to brush me off!" Susan insisted on talking about them having a second child. She forced Louis to promise her in front of others. Allison could not help but let out augh. Susan furrowed her brows and turned to look at her. Then, she said, "Does this have anything to do with you? What are youughing at?" "He doesn''t even want to have a second child, but you''re forcing him to have one. Why don''t you get pregnant with a baby since you want a child so much?" Allison stroked her hand. Her face was wrinkled, but the skin on her hands was still fine. At least they did not look that bad. "What''s it got to do with you? Mind your own business. Stop poking your nose into someone else''s business." Susan glowered at her and turned to look at Louis. Louis felt helpless. He did not know what triggered Susan to make her behave like this today. Previously, when they talked about having a second child, Susan would only nag him when Louis refused to agree with her. It was nothing like what was happening today. It was as though Susan was holding a knife to his throat, and she would not stop until she forced him to agree to her. ¡°I didn''t mean to meddle in your affairs. Aren''t you trying to get someone to speak up for you by by urging Louis to have a second child in front of everyone?" Allison pretended to cover her mouth and smiled. The implication was that Susan should not be ming others for interrupting when she discussed this in front of so many people. Susan was dying to ask Louis and Yuri to get another child. That way, their family could get more inheritance when Old Master Crawford passed away. Although Allison and Luke were not on good terms, as Luke''s mother, it would benefit her if he could get more inheritance. Susan sped the spoon. How she wished that she could thrust the spoon into Allison''s eyes. "That''s enough. Louis, what your mother said makes sense too. Consider it with Yuri." Old Master Crawford defused the awkward situation in time. He knew things would get out of hand if he let thingsN?velDrama.Org content rights. slide. "Okay. Grandpa, I got it." It would be inappropriate for Louis to say no to the old master in front of others since he already said so. Louis had no choice but to tell him that he would consider it submissively. However, it was not easy to raise a child. It would be more difficult to raise two. This was not just about money. Louis and Yuri had different opinions on educating their child. They had argued with each other many times before because of Thea. If they had a second child, Louis could not imagine how his rtionship with Yuri would turn out. Yuri came inte. They had already ended the subject of conversation when she sat down at the table. Yuri noticed something was wrong with the look on Thea''s face, so she lowered her voice and asked, "Sweetie, what''s wrong with you?" Thea remained silent. She was worried she would get criticized if she continued to speak. She grabbed her spoon and shook her head. Old Master Crawford said to Mr. Griffin, "Serve the dishes now." "Yes..." Mr. Griffin hesitated for a moment. Everyone in the Crawford family was sitting there, but there was one more person, the Crawford family''s guest. Where was Sophian? Was she not joining them for dinner? Mr. Griffin''s hesitation shed across his mind for a second. Then, he walked into the kitchen and asked Mrs. Nancy to serve the dishes. Susan knew it would piss Old Master Crawford off if she continued to argue with Allison. Susan was not nning to start a fight with Allison today. Hence, she did not deliberately provoke her at the dining table. Allison knew she should behave herself. After all, she wanted money now. That was why she did not try to start a fight either. Although the atmosphere was not considered harmonious, at least they did not argue with each other. Old Master Crawford could have his dinner peacefully. Luke and the kids left after dinner. Old Master Crawford did not make him stay. Allison had no choice but to watch Luke leave as a trace of annoyance shed across her eyes. Susan sat in the living room, holding a cup of floral tea. She took a sip of the tea. Then, she sneered at Allison and ignored her. Allison rolled her eyes at her and made her way up the stairs. Allison returned to her bedroom, only to realize Sophian was there too. She asked, ¡°Have you eaten?" ¡°Yes, Ms. Allison," answered Sophian. She did not go downstairs for dinner as Allison had instructed her not to. Luke would be having dinner too. Allison was worried it would piss him off to see Sophian at the dining table. Hence, she asked Sophian to have her dinner in the bedroom, and she asked Mr. Griffin to bring her dinner upstairs too. "Okay. Why are you here, then?" Allison walked toward the full-length mirror and looked at her skin condition in the mirror. ¡°Ms. Allison, it''s time for your treatment," reminded Sophian. ¡°Oh, I would''ve forgotten about that if you didn''t mention it. Alright. Let me take a shower first. You should go back to your room to take a shower too. Come here to give me the facial treatment after taking your shower," said Allison. ¡°Okay, Ms. Allison." Sophian nodded. She turned around to nce at Allison when she was about to leave. She asked carefully, ¡°Ms. Allison, has Mr. Crawford left?" ¡°Yes," Allison replied impatiently when she mentioned Luke''s name. ¡°What are you nning to do?" Sophian asked again. ¡°What? Don''t I have another few days to think about it? I don''t believe that the police officers can''t arrest that person." Allison was still hoping that after the police officers arrested the swindler, she might be able to im her money back. Sophian heard what Allison said. Then, she walked out of the bedroom, closed the door behind her, and shook her head. That was very dumb of her. Even if the swindler was caught, how many victims were able to im their money back? Besides, the amount she got scammed was a huge amount of money. The swindler would have expected that he might get arrested. Of course, he would have transferred the money elsewhere. The police would not be able to track them down after the money was transferred to other ounts. Allison would eventually have to bear the losses. If she were Allison, she would seize the chance to sign the property deed when Luke was still nning to clean up the mess for her. Getting the money was the priority. Luke drove on the road, rushing to get home. Lanie sat in the passenger seat with his hands grabbing the seat belt. He waited until the car stopped at the traffic light before asking, "Daddy, is Grandma''s matter settled yet?" Chapter 2475 "No," replied Luke. The kids were smart. The old master asked to head to the study once they arrived at Crawford Manor. Hence, it was no surprise to know that it had something to do with Allison. "Daddy, what kind of trouble has Grandma gotten herself into?" Tommy tilted his head and asked. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Luke fell silent. Tommy added, "Got it. Kids shouldn''t be meddling in the adult''s affairs." Luke''s phone rang. He put on the wireless earphones and answered the call, "Who is this?" "Good evening, Mr. Crawford. We''re calling from the Federal Trade Commission. You filed a police report this afternoon iming that a swindler has scammed your mother''s money by asking her to make some investments. Is it true?" A man''s voice came from the other end of the line. "Yes." Luke raised his brows. They were calling at this hour. Did they manage to arrest the swindler? "ording to the lead you''ve provided us, we''ve already arrested the person at the station. Can you please head to the police station to make a statement and im your losses back now?" the police officer asked. "I wasn''t the one who got cheated. I don''t know the details of the situation. You can call the one whose money got cheated." Luke was not nning to go to the police station. He would not be able to tell them anything even if he went there. After all, he had only briefly exined to them how she got cheated. The main point was that Allison provided some information about the swindler to the police officer on the other end of the line. "Is your mother Ms. Allison Tanner?" The police officer confirmed with him. "Yes." "There''s one more thing we have to tell you. Although you want to im back the money, we''ve looked into the suspect''s bank ount. There isn''t much money in it, so we specte that he has already transferred the money somewhere else. But it''s hard to tell where he transferred the money to and how many people are involved in this. We need you to be prepared for this," added the police officer. What the police said was what Luke had already expected, so he replied, "I got it. Please contact her. I''m not going to follow up on this case." "Okay, Mr. Crawford." The police officer felt strange when Luke talked to him in such an indifferent voice. He thought that if it was some ordinary person whose money got scammed, he would have been anxious about it. Luke took off the earphones after the call ended. Tommy sat in the backseat and sighed, ¡°Grandma never fails to startle the police." "Have you ever seen it happen?" Lanie questioned. Ever since Lanie could remember things, the troubles Allison got herself into would always startle the police officers. They had toe as it was within their scope of work. However, the Crawford family held on to their principle that they should not wash their dirty linens in public. They solved the problems themselves... Luke did not say anything. The kids had good memories, and they could remember everything they experienced when they were young back then. There was nothing he could do even if he spoke up for Allison. Besides, Luke was not nning to speak for her either. They arrived at the vi and noticed that there was no one in the living room. Tommy turned to look at Luke and asked, "Daddy, where''s Ms. Luca?" "She''s probably in bed now." Luke nced at the time. It waste. Luca should be on the second floor. He carried the toolbox, headed to the stairs, and reminded the kids, "It''s gettingte. Get yourselves washed up and get ready to go to bed." "Daddy, can I sleep after I finish my calligraphy homework?" Tommy asked, "It''s up to you." Luke and the three kids made their way up the stairs. The three of them returned to their own bedrooms when they arrived on the second floor. They thought Luca was already asleep, so no one went to disturb her. Luke pushed the master bedroom''s door open. Luca was not there. He had already figured out where she was, and that was why he was not anxious about it. After Luke put the toolbox in the bedroom opposite the master bedroom, he walked to the study and gently knocked on the door. "Come in," Luca''s voice came from inside. Luke pushed the door open and saw Luca sitting on the chair. There was an apparatus on the table. She was holding a test tube in her hands, mixing the medicine in there. Luke had no idea what Luca was studying, but he had a feeling that the research she was doing had something to do with the Ind of Despair. "You''re still doing your research at this hour?" Luke asked. "I had nothing to do, so I came here to work on my research," Luca exined with a calm voice. She ced the diluted solution into the small fridge to keep it chilled. The research data that came outst time was slightly inurate, and it affected the medicine badly. That was why Luca had to adjust the proportion of the antidote again. "I see. You''ve been working on this for quite some time. Are you stuck?" Luke deliberately asked. "It''s the equipment," Luca shook her head calmly and changed the subject of the conversation. "Mr. Crawford, have you settled Ms. Tanner''s problem?" "Not really. The police officers have found the suspect. She should be on her way to the police station to make a statement now." Luke nced at his watch and reminded her, "It''ste. Get yourself cleaned up and go to bed. The research can wait." "Okay." Luca had already nned to stop doing her research when she knew Luke was back. The equipment was not advanced enough. Hence, she could not rush it. Luca arranged the papers and piled them up. Then, she walked out of the study and closed the door. The two of them walked toward the master bedroom. Luke spoke, "Take a shower first. I''m going to arrange the drawings." "Okay, Mr. Crawford." Luca gently nodded. It had be a habit for Luke to take a shower in the master bedroom without her realizing it. On the other hand. After Allison received the call from the police officer, she asked the driver to send her to the police station. In the police station. Allison was asked to make a statement by the police after she pointed out the man who scammed her of her money. After going through all the procedures, Allison could not wait and asked, "Can I im the money back now?" The police officer shook his head, let out a sigh, and replied, "I''m sorry, Ms. Tanner. We''ve looked into every bank ount he has. There''s not much money in them. So, we assume that he has already transferred all the money somewhere before this. We''ll have to investigate where the money has been transferred." "How much longer is it going to take? I need the money," Allison pulled her mask up and frowned. She thought she could im her money back when the police officer arrested him. Allison could not help but be anxious when she heard that the police officers had further investigations to do. "Ms. Tanner, we can''t give you a specific time. The convict might have taken the money out and asked someone to keep it for him. It''s hard to tell if that''s really the case. We need some time to look into it too. Don''t worry, we''ll try our best to im your money back, but you have to be prepared that you won''t get it back. Judging from our past experiences, these people are criminals with high IQs. It''s unlikely that you''ll get the money back," exined the police officer. He knew Allison did not want to hear it, so he secretly mumbled to himself that this would be the case unless the culprit had a conscience and revealed where the money was himself. However, was there any conscience in people like him? They would rather get imprisoned for a longer time than tell the authorities where the money was. That was why they could not figure out where these scammers hid the money. It was a chance in a million for Allison to get her money back. Chapter 2476 Allison understood what the police officer meant. It was unlikely that she could im her money back. Even though she was lucky enough to im it, no one knew when it would happen. Besides, the longer it took, the lower the chances of iming it back. ¡°Then what can I do now?" Allison asked. She could not wait to urge the police officer in front of her to investigate the case now. "Ms. Tanner, you should go home and wait for our call," said the police officer. Allison had signed and pressed her fingerprint on the document. That was all she had to do. Now, she had to wait for the police to further investigate it. "Okay..." Allison was unhappy. However, it was useless even if she urged the police to look into her case. Besides, Luke had already told her that he would not help her. After Allison left the police station, she got into the Crawford family''s car and returned to Crawford Manor. It was almost midnight. Sophian was still up. She was waiting for Allison toe back. Allison pushed the door open and walked into her bedroom. She frowned when she saw that Sophian was still there. Then, she asked, "Why are you not in bed at this hour?" "Ms. Allison, my colleague who''s working at the hospital called me just now." replied Allison. She had to inform Allison as soon as possible. Otherwise, she might get scolded for not telling her earlier. "The look on your face. Is it about the surgeon?" Allison had a bad feeling. She took off her mask and threw it into the trash bin. "Yes, Ms. Allison. The surgeon said he''ll only be working at the hospital for 10 days instead of half a month. That means if you don''t go back to Seoul this week, you''ll have to wait until he finishes his refresher course," said Sophian. It was too sudden, but it might be a good thing. "That soon?" Allison frowned. The police had only arrested the swindler. They would need some time to make him talk, and they needed time for investigation too. She could not wait until the police got her money back. There was only one way that would work now. Allison had to go for surgery. She had been receiving treatment for so long, and there was only one surgeon who said that her face could recover through surgery. She had to seize the chance this time. "It''s not up to us to decide the surgeon''s schedule. Ms. Allison, the police have arrested the swindler. You should''ve imed your money, right?" Sophian could see something was wrong from the look on Allison''s face, but she knowingly asked. ¡°No. The police said that he refuses to say anything.¡± Allison frowned. She only had 10 days. Even if she could go for the surgery now, she could not return to Seoul. Her credit card... She had already maxed it out. There was no way she could travel there. Besides, even if she had her credit card with her, the credit limit would not be enough to pay for the surgery fees. Allison turned to look at the property deed on the coffee table. The papers had been crumpled into a ball by her. She had topromise. Only then she could get the money. Sophian looked in the direction where Allison was staring and saw the property deed. "Go to sleep. Come along with me to see him tomorrow." Allison did not mention who that person was, but Sophian knew who she was talking about. "Okay, Ms. Allison." Sophian nodded and left Allison''s bedroom. The following day. Luca got out of bed and prepared breakfast for Luke and the kids with Aunt Neile. After breakfast, Luke said to Aunt Neile, "Prepare a pot of warm tea and some refreshments." "Okay, Mr. Crawford. How many people will there be?" Aunt Neile asked. Luke pondered for a moment and replied, "Four." "Mr. Crawford, are there guestsingter?" Luca could not help but ask in surprise. If guests were coming, Luca had to know who they were. She had to avoid them if she needed to. "Yes. You know them too," answered Luke. He had already informed Mr. Zac and asked the notary to do some extra work for him today. Allison would beingter. Since Luke said Luca knew them too, she thought there was no need for her to avoid them either. She turned to look at Luke and wondered if it was Allison. Luke did not talk much about what happened to Allison yesterday. Luca did not ask him either. Half an hourter, Mr. Zac and the notary arrived at the vi. Luca stood in the living room. She understood what was going on when she saw Mr. Zac arrive. It was someone she was familiar with, indeed. After she greeted Mr. Zac, she walked into the kitchen, nning to serve the tea and refreshments to the guests. Aunt Neile heard the noisesing from the living room and asked in a low voice, "Ms. Craw, who''s coming today?" Luca remembered that Aunt Neile had never met Mr. Zac before, so she replied, "He''s Mr. Zac. He brought someone along with him, but I have no idea who he is." "Oh, awyer. Why did Mr. Crawford ask thewyer toe over?" Aunt Neile got even more curious. People like them seldom showed up in the vi. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. "I''m not sure..." Luca shook her head, picked up the tray with the teapot and cups, and walked out of the kitchen. Aunt Neile picked up the tray filled with refreshments and quickly followed Luca. "Please have some tea." Luca gently ced the tray on the coffee table. Then, she ced two clean cups in front of the two of them and filled their cups with tea. "Ms. Craw, it''s okay. We can do it ourselves," Mr. Zac immediately spoke. How could he ask Luke''s woman to serve them? He would not have the guts to do so! Luca put down the teapot, smiled at them, and said, "Mr. Crawford is upstairs. One moment, please." "Ms. Craw, we came here to help Mr. Crawford deals with some matters. Don''t mind us," Mr. Zac immediately said. "Okay. I''m going upstairs first." Luca smiled. It would be inappropriate for her to entertain Luke''s guests. It would be better for her to head upstairs and continue with her research. Luca came upstairs and ran into Luke. Then, she said, "Mr. Crawford, Mr. Zac is here. He brought someone along with him." "That''s the notary public from the Department of State," said Luke. "Department of State?" Luca was surprised. "I have a property deed to be notarized. That''s why I requested the notary to work today," exined Luke. "I see. I''ll leave you to it first. I''m going to do some experiments." Luca smiled. The property deed might have something to do with Allison. However, Luca did not give a second thought to the details. Downstairs. After the notary waited until Aunt Neile returned to the kitchen, he could no longer stand it and asked Mr. Zac, "Mr. Zac, who''s Ms. Craw? She doesn''t look like a maid to me." "Of course not. But it''d be better if you stop minding Mr. Crawford''s business," Mr. Zac reminded the notary with a stern voice. If they were too concerned with Luke''s affairs, they would eventuallye to a bad end. Hence, even if they saw Luca and Luca staying in the same room or living together, rumors would not spread. They were not reporters, and they knew what they should say and what they should not do. That was why they did not tell anyone about what they saw today. It was the same for the employees in T Corporation. No one had spread the gossip that Luca had gone on a business trip with Luke to Russiast time. Therefore, hardly anyone knew something was going on between Luke and Luca. Chapter 2477 The notary immediately understood what was going on once he heard that. He nodded and stopped gossiping about Luke. After all, he had met people like Luke before. Who would truly live like a saint? The notary smiled and forgot about it at the thought of this. He was instructed by his superior to deal with some matters. All he had to do was get his job done. There was no need for him to lose his job for gossip. "I''m sorry to have kept you waiting." Luke''s voice rang in their ears. Mr. Zac stood up and looked at the stairs. He smiled and replied, "Happy New Year, Mr. Crawford." "Mr. Crawford, Happy New Year," the notary immediately greeted him too. "Happy New Year. Do you mind waiting for a while?" Luke asked. He called Mr. Griffin before he headed downstairs. Luke had instructed Mr. Griffinst night. He wanted him to report Allison''s whereabouts to him. Allison woke up one and a half an hour ago, and she left Crawford Manor an hour ago. Only after Allison left the house did Luke inform Mr. Zac toe here with the notary. Luke did not expect them to arrive here earlier. "It''s okay. We''re avable today. Right, James?" Mr. Zac turned to look at the notary. "Yeah, right." James secretly mumbled to himself that it was not up to him to decide whether or not he had to work today. He had no choice but to wait. "Here. Have some tea." Luke entertained them. 15 minutester, the doorbell rang. Aunt Neile went to answer the door. When she realized it was Allison who was outside the neighborhood''s entrance, she immediately informed Luke, "Mr. Crawford, it''s Madam Allison." "Yeah. I asked the property manager to let her in," said Luke. He asked the management to remove Allison''s name from the cklist. That way, he would be able to know she was here. "Then..." Aunt Neile heard Luca mention that Allison had gotten herself into some trouble. That was why they ended the vacation and came back earlier. Besides, thewyer and notary were here too. It seemed like they were here to deal with Allison''s affair. "Let her in," said Luke. ¡°Okay, Mr. Crawford." Aunt Neile quickly went to open the door. Luke said, "She hasn''t been to this neighborhood yet. Lead the way." "I got it, Mr. Crawford." Aunt Neile took her coat out of the cab and walked out of the house. Mr. Zac did not say anything. He roughly knew what was going on when he heard what Luke said. As awyer, he had seen too many disputes between wealthy families. Hence, he knew it would be a wise choice to keep quiet when encountering such situations. 15 minutester, Aunt Neile led Allison and Sophian to the vi. "Madam, Mr. Crawford is right in there. Please go in," Aunt Neile said respectfully. Allison scorned with disdain and walked into the living room right away. An ominous cloud shadowed her eyes when she saw that Mr. Zac was here too. She realized that Luke already knew that she woulde. Otherwise, Mr. Zac would not be here. Mr. Zac stood up and greeted Allison politely, "Ms. Tanner, Happy New Year." "How long have you been here?" Allison gave a rude reply. After all, he was just someone who served the Crawford family. She was one of the Crawford family. That was why she did not have to show any respect to him. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. "I just arrived not long ago." Mr. Zac smiled. Allison had always behaved that way. She was the most disrespectful one to him in the Crawford family. Mr. Zac had gotten used to it. After all, it was the privilege of being wealthy. That was how society worked. Even though Luke was the one who paid for his legal fees and the way he treated Mr. Zac was not as arrogant as Allison, the woman in front of him was Luke''s mother. Mr. Zac had no choice but to put up with Allison''s temper. After all, bing Luke''swyer would mean gaining more resources in A City. "Sit down." The look on Luke''s face was icy-cold. He shot a nce at Allison, and he could not be bothered to look at Sophian, who stood behind Allison. Allison sneered again and sat in an armchair. Sophian remained rooted in the spot, looking anxious. Allison looked up and said, "Sophian, take a seat." "Okay, Ms. Allison." Sophian sat on another armchair, carefully looking around the living room in the vi. The interior here waspletely different from Crawford Manor. Although it was simple, it gave people the impression that the renovation cost a lot of money. It was the favorite interior style of the upper ss these days. Sophian could not help but imagine how lucky she would be if she became thedy of the house. All of them were seated. Luke did not say a word, and Allison did not say anything either. There was an awkward silence in the air. James nudged Mr. Zac, who sat beside him, with his elbow. Mr. Zac bit the bullet and broke the silence in the living room. He said, "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Tanner, aren''t the both of you going to proceed with the transfer of the ownership of the property?" "Yes," replied Luke. That was all he said. Allison sat there, on pins and needles. She was worried that Luke would take advantage of her and seize the chance to reduce the price. Since Luke was expecting her today, that would mean the police had already informed him that they had arrested the suspect. Otherwise, Luke would not have seen thising. Thewyer even arrived earlier than her. Allison took the property deed out and said in a cold voice, "I can sign the deed, but you have to transfer me the money right away." "Two hours is needed to transfer such a huge amount of money," said Luke. "Fine." Allison sneered. Then, she signed her name on the property deed. Mr. Zac quickly handed her the ink pad and said, "Ms. Tanner, please affix your thumbprint on it too." Allison heard him and pressed her thumb on the document. Luke signed his name on top of the signature line on the document and did the same, leaving his thumbprint on it. Mr. Zac kept the two documents and let James handle the rest. Allison turned to look at Luke and said, "Transfer the money to me now." Luke picked up his phone, looked down at it, and worked on it. Atst, he handed Allison his phone to show her the transfer receipt. "Done." After Allison made sure the amount was correct, she mocked, "Never have I ever thought that my son, who lives in such a big vi, would do whatever it takes to own my property. The more capable he is, the more cunning he bes. I finally realized that." Mr. Zac felt awkward when he heard Allison mocking Luke. She deliberately said that in front of Luke and the others. However, they should not be listening to such things! Mr. Zac asked James, "Is everythingplete?" "Yes. We''ll have to wait for everyone in the department to get back to work, then we can proceed with the transfer of the ownership." James nodded. He had recorded a video of them signing the document with a camera just now. There was no way Allison could deny it after she received the money. "Okay." Mr. Zac and James stood up at the same time. Then, he said to Luke, "Mr. Crawford, we shall leave first. We might need you to head to the Department of Housing when we process the document. Then, we''ll inform you to get the certificate of title after going through all the procedures." Chapter 2478 "Okay." Luke nodded. After Mr. Zac got Luke''s permission, James and Mr. Zac left in a hurry. After Mr. Zac left, Luke looked up and stared at Allison coldly. "You can go back to the vi now. Don''t go to Crawford Manor anymore." "Don''t worry. I''ve got my money. I won''t stay even if you ask me to, and I''m not going to Crawford Manor anymore." Allison nned to book the flight ticket right away after she got the money. She refused to stay here for another second. She did not leave now only because she was afraid Luke would cancel the transaction before she received the money. "It''s not going to be a penny less." Luke rose to his feet and made his way up the stairs. There was not even a trace of familial love between the mother and son''s conversation. As Allison watched Luke go up the stairs, she gritted her teeth angrily and scolded, "You have such a nice house, yet you still want my vi. You bastard." Sophian took her eyes off Luke andforted Allison, saying, "Ms. Allison, stop being mad. Mr. Crawford didn''t say that he''s not going to allow you to stay in the house once he takes it. You have the right to live in the house. It doesn''t sound that bad." "But that would mean I''m losing the asset." Allison was unconvinced. Although the value of the vi was increasing at a slower speed, it was considered an investment too. The value of the asset would grow in the future. Now, the vi belonged to Luke. Although Allison had received a huge amount of money, it would be lesser as time passed. It would not increase in value... Sophian was puzzled when she saw that Allison''s face was red with anger. She would not be able to bring the house along with her when she passed away. If Allison passed away, the house would still belong to Luke. Was it not better to have money now? Luke would not treat Allison badly. Hence, it was nothing to Sophian. However, Allison was still mad about it. Sophian dared not to reason with her now. "Ms. Allison, are we going to wait here until you receive the money?" Sophian asked carefully. It usually took some time for a huge amount of money to be transferred to another ount. Besides, the banks were closed during the holidays. Things would be dyed a little. "Of course. What am I supposed to do if I don''t receive the money? I''m going to Seoul tomorrow," said Allison. She picked up her phone and checked for tomorrow''s flight. Allison was in a hurry to return to Seoul to get her surgery done. Thus, she decided to book the morning flight. She only had to wait until Luke''s money was transferred into her bank ount, then she would be able to book the flight. When Sophian heard Allison had decided to return to Seoul, she was reluctant to leave. Although Luke hated her, she had fallen in love with him. How she wished she could marry such an outstanding man. "Okay, Ms. Allison. You''ll be able toe back here once your surgery has seeded," replied Sophian. She wondered if she would be able to follow her back here if Allison''s surgery was a sess. It seemed like she had to serve Allison well if she wanted to return. Perhaps she could grab a chance to return here. Although Allison was bad-tempered, staying by her side and serving her was much better than serving the patients in the hospital. The two of them sat there for a while. Other than Aunt Neile, who came to refill their tea, no one else was moving around in the living room. Half an hourter, noises came from the stairs. Sophian immediately turned to look at the staircase. Was it Luke? However, the voices that she heard woke her up from her daydream. It was the children''s voices instead of Luke''s. ¡°Ms. Luca, Ms. Luca, I''m craving cookies. Please bake some cookies for us..." Tommy''s voice came from the stairs. A few secondster, Sophian saw Tommy holding Luca''s hand while they walked down the stairs. Luke actually shacked up with this woman?! Besides, the children were living with them. It seemed like the child was close to Luca. Jealousy started to fill Sophian''s heart. Luca noticed that Allison and Sophian were sitting in the living room downstairs. She was startled for a moment, then she remained rooted in the spot. Luca had seen Luke heading to the second floor to continue with his drawings. She thought he had finally settled Allison''s matter. Therefore, she did not expect Allison to still be here. "Good morning, Ms. Tanner," Luca greeted her embarrassedly. Luca was not Bianca now. As she had been ying this new role for quite some time, she would get nervous when she met Allison. "Why are you here?" Allison was surprised too. Even though she knew something was going on between Luke and Luca, she did not expect she would move in here. She was living with the kids too. Previously, Lanie and Rainie would be unhappy with any woman who tried to seduce Luke regardless of whether they seeded or not. Luke would not let those women get what they wanted either. Then, Biana showed up... Now, however, Lanie and Rainie did not mention anything about this. Tommy was even so close to her. It seemed like they had epted Luca. Allison thought it was unbelievable. She narrowed her eyes and mumbled to herself, wondering what spell Luca had cast on Luke and the three kids. ¡°Good morning, Grandma." Before Luca could answer, Tommy gave a witty response and greeted Allison. Then, he changed the subject of conversation, "Grandma, why are you here?" "I came to see you. Come here, Tommy. Come to me." Allison shifted her gaze away from Luca. No matter what, she would like to seize the chance to build a good rtionship with the kids when she had the chance. Tommy was reluctant to go closer to Allison, but he knew Allison would throw a tantrum at Luca if he refused to do so. Tommy had no choice but to let go of Luca''s hand. He bit the bullet and walked toward her. "Grandma, what''s the matter?" "I heard you saying that you want to have cookies, right? I remember that I bought you some cookies last time. Tommy, why don''t you try them? The snacks I bought for you are expensive, and they taste good too." Allison held his hand, trying to tell the kids that she was kind. No one would have expected that right after she said that, Tommy would pull his hand back and take a step back. Allison looked at him in surprise. "What''s wrong?" "Grandma, the snacks sold outside contain a lot of additives. They''re bad for the children''s health. That''s why we only eat the cookies Ms. Luca bakes." Tommy turned around and shot a nce at Luca. She was still standing at the stairs, and she seemed to be at a loss when she was facing Allison. "How can that be? The snacks are imported. Children can eat them." Allison secretly mumbled and wondered if the child had fallen under Luca''s spell. "I think Ms. Luca''s homemade cookies taste better," Tommy insisted. Luca felt helpless listening to what the child said. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. This child was helping her but putting her into a different mess. Luca wanted to tell Tommy to stop talking. Allison was a person who got jealous easily. If Tommy said the cookies she bought did not taste good, it might make her explode with anger. Sure enough, the look on Allison''s face turned awful when she heard what Tommy said. She could not help but refute, "So what if it tastes better? Who knows if she added anything to the cookies to make them tastier? She knows so much about medicine. She might have drugged you without your knowledge!" Chapter 2479 Luca was already at a loss. After she heard Allison speak ill of her, her face darkened. What Allison meant was she would drug the kids. Although the kids did not understand the implication of her words, they did not like taking medicine. Allison said that to make the kids dislike her. Luca really wanted to refute what Allison said. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. However, there was no way she could do so. She was in no position to use Allison of saying such things. Tommy turned around and nced at Luca. Then, he smiled and looked at Allison. ¡°Grandma, Ms. Luca knows we don''t like taking medicine. She won''t add drugs to the food she makes. Besides, even if Ms. Luca gives us medicine, it''s for the sake of our health." Tommy knew that their mother would never hurt them. Allison''s face turned livid with rage. Luca could not help but mutter to herself. She was moved by Tommy, who spoke up for her. However, his words were pissing Allison off. Tommy rolled his eyes. His gaze was shifting from side to side between the two of them. Something came into his mind and he immediately said, "Grandma, why don''t you try Ms. Luca''s homemade cookies too?" "I dare not to," Allison rejected him right away. The hatred she felt for Luca was getting stronger. Thest time she met someone she hated so much was Bianca. She did not expect another woman, Luca, to show up beside Luke after Bianca was gone. Every woman who approached Luke was tougher to deal with than the next. Still, every woman Allison arranged to approach Luke would fail miserably. After she said that, her phone notification rang. Allison''s heart skipped a beat when she heard her notification. She picked up her phone and nced at it. The money had been transferred into her ount. She finally received such a huge amount of money. It took a load off Allison''s mind the moment she received the money. She stood up and said, "I don''t want to stay here any longer. It''s ufortable. Sophian, let''s go." Sophian was surprised. She thought Allison would continue picking on Luca, but she decided to leave instead. Then, she immediately replied and kept up with Allison. "Okay, Ms. Allison." After that, they left together. Tommy turned to look at Luca, ¡°Ms. Luca, did I say something wrong?" ¡°No. Would you like to have some cookies?" Luca felt sorry for the child that he had to live in such an environment and learn how to read people''s emotions. Kids should be innocent and naive, but as Luke''s kids, they were bound to be more precocious than the other kids. ¡°Yes!" Tommy''s mood was lifted as he quickly nodded when he heard Luca mention cookies. ¡°I''m going to prepare the ingredients now," said Luke. She turned to look at the entrance. Allison and Sophian had already left. Luca had always known that Allison had a sharp tongue. Hence, her rationality told her not to keep her words in mind. If it were not for her bad rtionship with Luke and even if there were times when she was kind, she did not show any possessiveness over him. Otherwise, Luca would have thought Allison had a personality disorder. ¡°Ms. Luca is the best!" Tommy followed behind Luca like a lost puppy, waiting for her to finish baking the cookies. On the other hand. Allison took Sophian along with her and left Luke''s vi. When they closed the door, Sophian was still looking behind her. Allison knew how Sophian felt, so she asked, ¡°Why? Are you reluctant to leave?" "No, Ms. Allison. It''s a pity that you left without teaching that woman a lesson," replied Sophian. Allison had received her money now. She did not have to be afraid that Luke would threaten Allison and not give her the money when she caused some trouble. ¡°Do you think I don''t want to do it? But what kind of excuse should Ie up with? Should I me her for seducing my son? Many women have done the same thing. If I really use this as an excuse, I''ll have to scold every single one of those women as well." Allison put on her coat. Although her mood was affected by Luke and Luca, at least the money in her bank ount had solved her urgent matter. Sophian paused for a moment. She could not help but wonder if Allison was mocking her. ¡°Ms. Allison, you''re right." Sophian had no choice but to bite the bullet and go along with Allison. Allison shot her a nce and said, ¡°I wasn''t talking about you." ¡°I know." Sophian forced a smile. "It''s my fault. I shouldn''t have given you so many chances. Luke has always hated the women I arranged for him. Your style and behavior are the same as that woman''s. You''re not that bad either. Perhaps you can get a chance if you depend on yourself." Allison walked toward the entrance of the neighborhood. The driver was not allowed to drive in, which was why she had to walk out. ¡°Ms. Allison, it''s not your fault.." Sophian said embarrassingly, but she was secretly ming Allison for it. Allison knew Luke would rebel against Luke, but she still made such arrangements for her, which made her fail. It was just like what she said. If Sophian created the chance to run into Luke, it might work on him. Now, however, Luke hated her so much. There was no way she would have the chance... The only chance she could get was by helping Luke and Allison mend their broken rtionship. That way, she would have a chance to win his heart after that. ¡°Come on. Hurry up. It''s freezing out here. What kind of sh*tty neighborhood is this? How can they not allow cars toe in?" Allison urged Sophian to walk faster. When Allison came in, she was nning to ask the driver to drive into the neighborhood, but the security guard at the entrance stopped them and told them that vehicles belonging to outsiders were not allowed to enter the neighborhood without the tenant''s permission. Many celebrities and famous entrepreneurs were living in this neighborhood. It was to protect their privacy. It blew Allison''s top when she found out about it. She was part of the Crawford family. Could it be that she would go around spreading rumors like what those reporters did? However, even though she was mad, she knew what mattered the most. That was why she got out of the car and walked in. Now, it was a long walk to get out of here. "Okay, Ms. Allison." Sophian immediately kept up with her. She caught a glimpse of someone on the ground floor of the apartment in the corner of her eye. Then, she widened her eyes in surprise, "That''s Ca..." Allison turned around and saw how astonished Sophian looked. She looked in the direction of Sophian''s gaze and saw a handsome man put his hand around the waist of a sexily dressed woman. They both walked into the apartment together. Allison pouted. She must be a woman of easy virtue for dressing like that on a winter day. "Ms. Allison, she''s a celebrity, right? She''s the hottest celebrity now. What''s her name again?" Sophian was unfamiliar with the celebrities in the country, but she had some time to watch a few TV shows when she came back here. The celebrity was the main lead in one of the TV shows she watched. "What''s so surprising about it? Tons of celebrities live here." Allison had no interest in such things. "Ms. Allison, you''re so calm," eximed Sophian. "As the daughter-inw of the Crawford family, I have to act like this. Let''s go." Allison also understood why the guard did not allow outsiders toe in. If someone saw what these celebrities were doing, they would make it to the headlines anytime. However, even if they were in the headlines, it would not be as surprising as the headline of Luke living together with that woman. Chapter 2480 Sophian could not help but secretly heave a sigh. How she wished she could be part of the Crawford family. She quickly kept up with Allison. After they got into the car, she helped Allison to book the flight. ¡°Ms. Allison, we''ll have to set off to the airport early in the morning tomorrow. Why don''t we go back to the vi to tidy our stuff today and move them to Crawford Manor?" Sophian told Allison her n. "Yeah, sure." Allison agreed with her. There would be a driver sending them to the airport tomorrow if they stayed in Crawford Manor. No one would be picking them up if she stayed in the vi that no longer belonged to her. "Okay. It''s a deal." Sophian gave instructions to the driver after Allison agreed to it. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. The driver dared not to go against them and sent them back to the vi. The next day. Allison and Sophian boarded the ne and traveled to Seoul. Peace finally returned to the Crawford family. Luke sat on the executive chair, staring at theputer screen with his brows furrowed. The phone beside him rang. Luke answered the call, and Mr. Griffin''s voice came from the other end of the line. "Young Master Luke, Madam Allison and Ms. Thomas have boarded the ne to Seoul." "Okay. I got it," replied Luke. Allison would leave once she received the money. He was pretty sure about that. Besides, the interpreter who was in Seoul told him that the surgeon who would be performing Allison''s surgery had reduced his days working in Seoul. That was why Luke could be so sure that Allison would certainly agree to his n. Allison had to transfer the ownership of the property to him for the sake of the money she needed to travel to Seoul and her surgery fees. The vi was nothing to Luke. It was just that it could let Allison have a sense of crisis. "By the way, Young Master Luke, Young Master Louis and his family will be moving to your neighborhood in two days. Remember to get him a housewarming gift," reminded Mr. Griffin. Although Luke and Louis were brothers, some courtesies were still needed to maintain the brothers'' rtionship. As a brother, Luke should prepare a housewarming gift for Louis when he moved into a new house. However, Luke had not been living in Crawford Manor for some time. Mr. Griffin was worried that he might forget about it, and that was why he reminded him. ¡°In two days?" Luke recalled the old master telling Louis to move out of Crawford Manor after the New Year. If Louis was moving out, what about Susan? "Yes," replied Mr. Griffin. "Okay. I''ll prepare a housewarming gift. Is Mother moving out too?" Luke asked again. Susan would rather die than move out of Crawford Manor. "Madam Crawford hasn''t made up her mind yet. I didn''t see her packing her stufftely. She''s probably not moving..." Mr. Griffin assumed. Even though Allison was no longer here, Susan would continue to stay here. Susan had always seen Luke as a threat. Even if Luke was not staying in Crawford Manor, she would think that he intended to im all the inheritance of the Crawford family. Hence, it was likely that she would stay in Crawford Manor. "Alright. I got it," replied Luke. He ced his phone aside after he ended the call. Luca walked to the door with a cup of coffee in her arms and knocked on the door. "Mr. Crawford, here''s your cup of coffee." "Come in." Luke pushed his chair back. Luca ced the coffee near his hands on the table. When she was about to leave, Luke grabbed her on the waist and pulled her back. She lost her bnce and fell on hisp. "Ah." Luca cried out. "Shh. Stay with me for a moment." Luke held her waist so that she could sit on hispfortably. It was as though they were doing something that should not be seen by the kids when she sat so close to Luke. Luca''s face reddened, and she felt anxious. "Take a look at this for me. Which element is better for the drawing?" Luke held Luca''s waist with his left hand while he moved the mouse with his right hand. "Is this the design for the ancestral hall?" Luca looked at the design elements on the drawing and understood them immediately. Although she was asking a question, she sounded confident. "Yes. I''ve been thinking of using rococo style or baroque style as the element," said Luke. This was the main question he had to think about today. Be it the rococo style or the baroque style, both of them were the characteristics of X City. It was difficult to choose between them. Luca pondered for a moment and answered, "Mr. Crawford, I think the baroque style is more suitable." "Why?" Luke wanted to know why Luca would choose the baroque style. "It''s magnificent." Luca forgot that she was still sitting on Luke''sp. She analyzed, "An ancestral hall is a ce for people to pay respects and remember the ancestors of the Crawford family. It''s open to the public too. The baroque element is more majestic and imposing than rococo. From the perspective of developing the culture, the ancestors would have preferred to keep the characteristics of the great buildings they had built." Luke agreed with what Luca said. He nted a kiss on her cheek and said, "That''s my baby." ¡°Mr. Crawford, you would''ve preferred using baroque style too, right?" Luca''s face was red. "What makes you say so?" Luke did not admit or deny it. "I noticed that your overall design has baroque elements in it," replied Luca. Since Luke had added baroque elements to the exterior, it proved that he preferred the baroque style more. It was just that the details of the interior of the building could be changed. Luke should be wondering if he should add some other elements to it. ¡°Yes. Baroque fits well, just like what you said," Luke agreed with her. Then, he added at the thought of what Mr. Griffin told him, ¡°I''d like to ask you a favor." ¡°Yes, Mr. Crawford." Although Luca had no idea what Luke would request, she agreed to help him. ¡°Louis will be moving here in two days. I''d like you to prepare a housewarming gift," said Luke. If it were someone else, he could get something more simple, but he could not randomly pick something for Louis. Hence, it would be best to leave it to Luca. ¡°Sure. Leave it to me. Vivian invited me to hang out with her at the shopping mall today. I''ll choose something since I''m going there," Luca promised. It was not a difficult task to choose a housewarming gift. After years of being the daughter-inw of the Crawford family, she had handled such things before. The gift represented Luke''s thoughts. She knew how to choose the perfect gift. Luke opened the drawer beside him, took his wallet out, withdrew a card, and handed it to her. "Take the card. The password is Lanie''s and Rainie''s birthdays." ¡°Okay." Luca took the card from him without rejecting him. It cost a lot to buy such gifts. She could not afford to buy them. Luca nced at the time on the bottom right corner of theputer screen and gently ced her hand on the back of Luke''s palm. She reminded, ¡°Mr. Crawford, I''ll bete if I don''t go now." Luke chuckled. The way she reminded him was so indirect and helpless. It made his heart melt. He wanted to cuddle with her as long as he could without giving her the chance to leave. Luke let go of her and held her hand. Luca rose to her feet, but Luke was holding her hand. She could not leave. ¡°Mr. Crawford?" ¡°Come back earlier," reminded Luke, ¡°Don''t keep me missing you for too long." Luca could feel the warmth at the tips of Luke''s fingers. Her face was burning red. She nodded and said, ¡°Okay." Chapter 2481 After Luca left the bedroom, she headed downstairs and got ready to leave. She would bete if she did not set off now. Tommy immediately kept up with Luca when he saw her going out. ¡°Ms. Luca, are you going out?" "Yes. I''m going shopping with Vivian," replied Luca. She picked up the scarf beside her and put it on her while looking at herself in the mirror. "Ms. Vivian!" Tommy''s eyes lit up and clung to Luca, "Ms. Luca, I miss Ms. Vivian too. Take me with you, please." "Be good. I''m going to apany Ms. Vivian to get the stuff she needs for her next semester. It''s inconvenient for us to have kidse along with us. Can you stay at home? I''ll make something good for you when Ie back." It was not that Luca refused to take the kids along with her, but it was inconvenient to do so. "But I wanted to meet Ms. Vivian too." Tommy tugged on Luca''s sleeve while acting cute. He tried to convince her to take him along with her. "What about inviting Ms. Vivian over to be our guest?" Luca discussed it with the child. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. "Ms. Luca..." Tommy was aggrieved. Before he could finish his words, Lanie pulled him away and said, "Ms. Luca has something to do. We shouldn''t disturb her." "Ms. Luca is going shopping." Tommy turned around and looked at Luca. Luca could not bear Tommy staring at her like that. When she was about to say something, Lanie said, "Ms. Luca is going to get some gifts. You''ll only cause trouble if you go with her." "Lanie, how do you know about that?" Tommy gave him a confused look. What gifts was Luca buying? "I heard Uncle Louis is going to move to a new ce. Daddy asked Ms. Luca to prepare a housewarming gift. So, you''d better be good and stay at home. Don''t cause any trouble for Ms. Luca," said Lanie with a cool look on his face. Luca heard what the child said. The redness on Luca''s face that took some time to fade away appeared on her face again. Lanie had heard their conversation. Did he also see the two of them sitting so close together, then? Luca could not help but mumble to herself that she should remind Luke to be more careful at home. After all, the kids were around. The adults being intimate would have a bad influence on the kids'' mental health, After Tommy heard that, he had no choice but to reply in a baby voice, ¡°Fine. Ms. Luca, pleasee back home early." "Okay. I''lle back as soon as possible." Luca could not help but let out augh when she saw Tommy acting like a young married woman who was waiting for her husband toe home and how pitiful he looked when he reminded her toe home earlier. Luca noticed that she was runningte. She turned around and left after that. Tommy could not help but let out a sigh while he watched Luca leave decisively from behind. He acted like a little old man and said, "Ms. Luca isn''t reluctant to leave us at all." "Ms. Luca is runningte. That''s why she''s in a hurry," exined Rainie after she nced at the time. Tommy turned to look at her and asked, "Rainie, how do you know that?" "I heard her talking to Ms. Vivian on the phone. It''s almost time for them to meet each other." Rainie had heard Luca and Vivian talk to each other in Russian and English when they were on the phone. Not only did she know what time they were meeting up, but she also knew where they were going. Tommy sat on the sofa and wondered, "Lanie, Rainie, why do you know everything?" "You''re a greedy little child. That''s why you missed out on these things," Rainie replied with a smile. Tommy pouted unhappily, "Lanie and Rainie always bully me!" "We don''t. Come on. Let''s y chess. I can''t beat Lanie." Rainie held Tommy''s hands, nning to team up with Tommy to y against Lanie. "Come on. I''m not afraid even if there are two of you," Lanie replied indifferently. Old Master Crawford always took him along with him when he was little. As he watched the old master y chess with others, Lanie learned more and more strategies. Tommy said querulously, "Lanie''s too proud. Why don''t we ask for Daddy''s help?" "Daddy''s busy with the drawings. He doesn''t have time for you," said Lanie in a cold voice. Tommy stuck his tongue out at Lanie. On the other hand. Luca waste even though she tried her best to meet Vivian at the ce they had agreed upon on time. She walked into the cafe and saw Vivian, who was sitting in the corner. Hence, she came forward and apologized to her. "I''m sorry, Vivian. I''mte." "It''s okay." Vivian turned around and smiled. Then, she handed Luca the menu and said, "You haven''t eaten anything, right? Order something first." Luca saw her face. She could not help but frown. Even though Vivian''s smile was as gentle as before, Luca could sense the misery and the subtle emotions in her heart. Luca stayed calm. She talked to the waitress beside her and ced her order. She ordered a cup of coffee and a slice of cake. It was only after the waitress left did she say, "You dolled yourself up today." "Yes. I''ve been watching makeup tutorials on the inte these days. I''m learning how to put on makeup," replied Vivian. She seldom put on makeup back then. Gordon said she was ugly and she would still look the same even if she had makeup on. Hence, there was no need for her to waste makeup products. Besides, she looked like a clown in the circus who was getting all dressed up for a performance. It was ridiculous. That was why she hardly put on makeup. However, Vivian wished to look beautiful too. Since she hade here and started a new life, she decided to take the initiative to make a change. ¡°You look good with makeup on, and the makeup fits you well," said Luca. Vivian''splexion looked better after putting makeup on. It was just that the misery in the bottom of her eyes was unconceble. Luca could see it with just a nce. "Really?" Vivian smiled and touched her face. Her smile faded as she recalled what Gordan had told her before. "I thought it was bad." "How could it be? You look amazing," replied Luca. The waitress served the coffee and cake Luca ordered on the table. After Luca thanked her, she carefully asked Vivian, "Vivian, did something happen to you?" "No. Isn''t it still the New Year? I was going around to see if there was any event I could join to experience the festive atmosphere. I''ve been busy." There was a trace of anxiety in Vivian''s eyes. She quickly found an excuse to hide her feelings. Luca felt helpless. That excuse of hers was really bad. Many events were held during the New Year, but almost all of the events would involve one''s family and friends. Vivian was alone here. How was she going to celebrate it alone? Luca said, "You skillfully covered the dark circles under your eyes with your makeup, but the misery in your eyes..." She paused for a moment and took a sip of the coffee. "Vivian, what happened?" "You can tell." Vivian massaged her temples and let out a sigh. "Is it because of him?" Luca did not mention Gordan''s name. The only person who could make Vivian like this but try her best to conceal it was Gordan Norton. Vivian had been in love with Gordan for years. Although she was eventually disappointed in him and left him, leaving him did not mean she had no more feelings for him. Gordon would always be someone Vivian could never forget. "Yes." Vivian nodded. She thought she might as well tell Luca what happened over the past few days. "Ray has limited subordinates here. And it seems like he has some sort of superpower. There''s nothing in this world he doesn''t know about. He came to A City, and he knows my address." Chapter 2482 "And then what?" Luca was not surprised to know Gordan was here. Gordan was well-connected all over the world. Was there anyone who could stop him if he wanted to travel to another country? After all, she had seen Gordan swapping faces to help Luke solve his problem before. "And then..." Vivian smiled bitterly. If Gordan pestered her just because he could not let her go, she might have been moved by him, and she would probably forgive him. However, Gordan pestered her only because he thought Vivian had deliberately humiliated him and he wanted an exnation. It was not his obsession for her or that he could not get over her, but it was the anger he felt after being humiliated. Vivian felt helpless and anxious. At the same time, she realized even though she appeared as if everything was fine, she knew she had not gotten over him yet. She felt worthless. That was why she had been losing sleep for the past few days. She was not feeling herselftely. Luca immediately understood. Even though Gordan hade looking for Vivian, it was not about their rtionship. He came to look for her because what Vivian did hurt his pride and dignity as a man. It was torture for Vivian. It was not easy for Vivian to give up her previous life. All of her efforts would be in vain with Gordan showing up in front of her now. "Where''s Mr. Lacroix?" Luca asked. There was no way Ray would let Gordan disturb Vivian''s life that way. "Okay." Vivian looked down. "He has to deal with some family stuff. That''s why he went back on the first day of the New Year." "You didn''t tell Mr. Lacroix about it?" Luca made a wild guess. If Ray intervened with this matter, he could definitely stop Gordan from disturbing Vivian even if he did not have many men here. "It''s better not to trouble Ray with such petty things. It''s tiring for him to deal with our family matters." Vivian shook her head. Vivian knew if Ray were to make a move, she could stop receiving the messages Gordan sent to her and stop him from disturbing her. However, if Ray got involved in this, Gordan would certainly get hurt. Vivian''s was subconsciously reluctant to see Gordan getting injured. Even if Gordan did not love her or treated her nicely back then, the affection she had for him back then and herck of courage to face her feelings now could not make her harden her heart against him. Luca knew what Vivian had in mind. It all boiled down to one thing. Vivian could not bear to see Gordan being injured. ¡°Does he look for you every day?" Luca asked. "Not every day. Just sometimes. Otherwise, how can I be hanging out with you today?" Vivian gave a bitter smile. She would disguise herself when she went out every day as she was afraid she would run into Gordan and he would recognize her. Vivian realized Gordan was not waiting for her at the gate entrance when she went out to buy breakfast this morning. Judging from past experiences, he would not show up for the rest of the day if he did not come in the morning. That was why she asked Luca out to hang out. The semester was about to start. Vivian had to get her preparations done. "Then..." Luca felt a little helpless. Was Gordan in love with Vivian? No one could sense that he was in love with her. However, it was confusing for him to pester Vivian like this. It seemed like he was unwilling to ept it. Still, was he so unconvinced to go as far as to travel here to look for Vivian? Luca could not help but feel puzzled. Was he truly refusing to resign himself to the fact that his marriage was over? "I''m afraid of going out now. I initially nned to stay in the apartment. It''s near to my college and it''ll be convenient for me to go to sses. I thought of buying a bicycle too. It''ll be more convenient for me, but I''m thinking that maybe I should apply to stay in the student dorms now," said Vivian in a helpless tone. She was worried Gordan could still recognize her even if she disguised herself. Vivian would feel upset and awkward when the time came. "Colleges nowadays allow the public to enter. Do you think he can''t enter your college and wait for you even if you stay in the dorms." said Luca. Gordan was an expert. Even if the college had a curfew, Vivian probably could not stop Gordan either. "Then what should I do? I only want to live in peace. I don''t want him to disturb me again." Vivian took a sip of the coffee. The bitter taste of the coffee could not wash the bitterness in her heart away. Vivian thought time would heal her wounds as long as she stayed away from him. However, Gordan refused to let her do so. Instead, he kept on approaching her and reminding her that he was the man she was madly in love with before. "You have a couple of days until the semester starts. Why don''t you stay at Mr. Crawford''s house these few days?" Luca could not figure a way out, so she came up with a suggestion. After all, Vivian only wanted to avoid Gordan. If Ray could not get involved in this, getting Luke involved should not be a problem. If Gordan had not helped Luke before, he would not have met Vivian in the first ce. He would not have had anything to do with her after that either. However, Luke had gotten himself into danger because of Gordan and Vivian''s matter. Itsted until today. Luca came out with such an analysis, and the helplessness in her heart was a few times stronger. They got involved too deeply in the rtionship between Gordan and Vivian. Luca was still affected by it until now. ¡°Can I?" Vivian wanted to find a ce to avoid Gordan too, but it was unsuitable for her to stay in hotels and inns. Gordon had many connections in A City as well. He had many connections here. Vivian could not stay in a hotel to avoid him. "Mr. Crawford enjoys having guests at home. You''re wee." Luca did not ask for Luke''s permission. She agreed to let her stay on behalf of Luke. Perhaps Luke was the only one who could convince Gordan to stop looking for trouble. "That''s great." Vivian smiled gratefully. She stayed in a luxury apartment. Every block of the apartment was detached from the other blocks. That was why there was only one exit. Vivian might not be that troubled if there were a few exits in the apartment. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Okay. Let''s get some stuff after we finish our coffee. Mr. Crawford happened to ask me to do something for him," said Luca. "What did Mr. Crawford assign you to do?" Vivian could not help but feel curious. "It''s nothing. Mr. Crawford''s younger brother is about to move to a new house. He asked me to pick a gift for him," exined Luca. She could not help Vivian to solve her problem with Gordan, so she changed the subject of the conversation to make her feel morefortable. "Then let''s set off after we finish eating," Vivian replied with a smile. "Sure. We''ll just do some shopping in this mall." Luca nodded. Many international brand stores could be found in this shopping mall. It would be appropriate to pick a gift for Louis and his family here. After the two of them finished their coffee and cake, they left the cafe together. Luca and Vivian walked out of the cafe and headed to the garment store. The clothes Vivian brought here were not very suitable to wear in college. She thought of picking some college outfits. That was why she asked Luca to help her pick them. Vivian was tall. The local brands in A City did not suit her. Hence, Luca brought her to international brand stores. Luca helped her to pick a few sets of clothes. She said, "This store has an online shop too. You can get clothes online when you''re busy with your studies next time." Chapter 2483 ¡°I only remembered when you mentioned it. Online shopping is way more convenient here in A City." Vivian smiled and massaged her forehead. All this while, she had fully integrated herself into life here. However, she had no one to guide her, so she missed out on many conveniences. Vivian took the several sets of clothes that Luca had picked out for her and walked into the fitting room to try all of them on. On the other hand, Luca sat on the sofa in the store and waited for Vivian to finish changing. While waiting, she nced toward the door, and her eyes flicked upward when a figure passed by it. The figure seemed familiar. Luca put the magazine aside and kept looking at the door to see how long the person would stay at the door. "Luca, does this look good on me?" Only when Vivian''s voice sounded did she slowly withdraw her gaze. After looking her up and down, Luca gave an affirmative answer, "Youthful and beautiful. It looks great on you." Vivian smiled bashfully. "I''m old now, so I''m nowhere near youthful nor beautiful." "Says who? It depends on how one dresses and presents themselves, not age. This outfit suits you, and you can wear it to school too." Luca disagreed with her words and tried to boost her confidence. "Luca, you have such a way with words. I''m clumsy. If only I was as articte as you, I wouldn''t have a problem getting along with my ssmates in the new semester," Vivian said enviously. She never had a strong sense of self-confidence to begin with, especially throughout those years when she was constantly criticized by Gordan''s wicked tongue. She had no self-esteem at all. "It''ll be okay, and I''m telling the truth. There are two more sets. Let me have a look after you change into them. If they suit you, let''s buy them all," said Luca as her eyes subconsciously traveled to the door. "Okay, but what are you looking at?" Vivian asked out of curiosity. "Nothing. Go on and change. We still need to buy some stationeryter as universities here are different from universities in Russia. "Alright." Vivian nced at the door and saw peopleing and going, but nobody entered this store as it was a rtively expensive brand. Who was Luca looking at? She walked into the fitting room in doubt and proceeded to try on the other two outfits. Luca''s gaze was fixated on the door. She did not even look sideways when the staff member handed her a cup of tea as she was focused on every single movement by the door. Vivian tried on the rest of the clothes and was satisfied with them. After praising Luca''s good taste in fashion, she took the clothes to the counter. After checking out, they left the store. Luca nced left and right. After making sure that the person hovering around the doorway was no longer there, she smiled at Vivian and said, ¡°Let''s go. You still need a pencil case and a bag." ¡°Can''t I use my usual bag?" Vivian asked. ¡°I''ve seen your bag, and it looks quite small. It might be able to hold some stationery, but for books and test papers you get from the teachers? That simply won''t cut it," Luca said while shaking her head before asking her, ¡°Do you want to use a shopping bag to carry your stuff, then?" ¡°No, good thing you mentioned it. Otherwise, I would''ve just used my old bag." Vivian pulled her into the Louis Vuitton store. They had a clear and precise objective, so Vivian picked out a shoulder bag and a backpack before asking Luca for her opinion. ¡°What do you think about these two bags?" ¡°They''re good. You''ll be able to fit a lot of things in them." Luca took a look at the size of the bags and continued to stare at the entrance. Vivian was even more curious now, so she asked, ¡°Luca, did you see someone you know? Why do you keep looking at the door?" ¡°No, I was looking at the outfits of the people passing by." Luca gave a random excuse. If someone was following them, she guessed two possibilities. If they were following Vivian, it could only be Gordan, which was not that bad. However, if they were following Luca, it would be someone from the Ind of Despair, which was not a good sign at all. Especially since Abel had been quiet for so long. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Is that so?" Vivian was still suspicious. Why would Luca observe what people were wearing? It seemed more like she was observing her surroundings. After Vivian got everything she needed, Luca went to the gift store. She chose a small set of appliances as Louis''s mansion had been furnished, so his house would already be well-equipped with furniture. Thus, she bought some misceneous electronic appliances that were not often used but would stille in handy. Then, she bought quite a number of decorations as well. Although she got many things, the gift store offered delivery service, so Luca left her address and left with Vivian. Luca went back with Vivan to her ce and waited for her to pack some clothes before going over to Luke''s mansion to stay a few days to avoid Gordan. While waiting for Vivian to pack her clothes, Luca sent a message to Luke and briefly told him about the situation. Not long after, Luke replied saying that he had already asked Aunt Neile to tidy up the guest room. Luca smiled, and when Vivian dragged a small suitcase out, she stood up and said, "Let''s go. I''ve called us a ride. The driver is waiting at the door." "Luca, you''re so thoughtful. If you were a guy, I''d definitely marry you!" Vivian said with a smile. "Oh, shut up. Come on." Luca took Vivian''s hand, and they left. When they got to the entrance, she purposefully looked around. Vivian seemed to have figured out what she was looking out for, so she said wryly, "Don''t worry. If he doesn''t show up in the day, he certainly won''t show up now." Luca''s expression was odd. "Are you sure?" "Yup, it''s been like this for days." Vivian nodded as Gordan may not understand her, but she understood Gordan well. Luca''s expression remained the same as the person following them earlier seemed more like Gordan than someone from the Ind of Despair. Not to mention, the figure was also simr to his... Luca saw the driver''s car parked at the curb. She walked over there after wrapping her arm around Vivian''s. "Come on, get in." "Okay." Vivian smiled and followed. After Luca helped put her suitcase in, she opened the door and said, "You get in first." "Okay." Vivian bent down and got on. The moment Luca closed the door, she looked back and saw a ck BMW parked on the side of the road. She raised her eyebrows and walked over to the other side to get in the car. After giving him the address, the driver started driving to the mansion. "By the way, I haven''t told Mr. Crawford yet. It wouldn''t be nice of me to show up uninvited like this." Vivian took out her phone to inform Luke when it urred to her. Chapter 2484 "I''ve already told him, and Mr. Crawford has asked Aunt Neile to tidy up the guest room, so you can go rest when we get there if you want," said Luca, indicating that she did not have to ask Luke. "Luca..." Vivan was touched by her nning. She leaned her head on her shoulder and said, "Teach me how to speak the localnguage." "I can onlymunicate with you in the localnguage. I can''t teach you because I don''t have the complete sybus for teaching, so I''ll just leave it to thenguage teacher in your school." Luca patted Vivian''s hand to reassure her. "Alright." Vivian was reassured by her words. Both she and Luke had the same magic power to make her feel at peace. Luca let Vivian lean on her, and when she adjusted herself to afortable position, she purposely nced back to see that there was a ck BMW trailing them. Although she had forgotten to look at the car te, the car model was the exact same. She guessed that the people in that car would not make any moves for the time being, so she just let them be. When they arrived at the neighborhood, Luca and Vivian decided to get out of the car and walk in as the security there was strict. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. After taking the suitcase out of the car, Luca nced at the BMW that hade to a stop on the side of the road and walked straight to the mansion without looking back. "Luca, why do I feel like someone was following us on the way here?" Vivian spoke to her inartictely in the localnguage. "Is that so? No, I didn''t notice anything." Luca did not tell her about the BMW, but she was quite surprised. With a brother like Ray, Vivian''s observation skills must not be bad either. It was just that her mind was on something else, so she did not notice that there was a BMW following them the entire time. "Perhaps I''m just overly sensitive." Vivian smiled and did not dwell on it as she thought that she was mistaken because all she could think about was Gordan. She was still imagining Gordan silently following her, protecting her, and showing up when she needed him. However, the harshness of reality was telling her that it was just all in her head. After walking for quite a while, they arrived at the door of the mansion. Luca pressed her fingerprint before opening the door and weing her in. "You''ll be staying here for the next few days. We can talk about those things afterward." "Sure!" Vivian had peace of mind. If Gordan could not find her after a few days, perhaps he would give up. The two of them walked into the mansion as they passed by the front yard and entered the living room. "Ms. Luca, you''re back!" Tommy ran over and hugged Luca''s thighs. Then, he looked at them in surprise. "Ms. Vivian, you''re here too." "Yup, I''vee to stay for a few days. Am I wee?" Vivian put her suitcase aside and squatted down to meet the kid''s eye level. "Of course, wee in! Ms. Vivian, you can stay as long as you like. I like you very much." Tommy''s words were sweet. He hugged Vivian and whispered in her ear, "Ms. Vivian, it''s only been a few days since Ist saw you, but you''ve be even prettier." Vivian pinched Tommy''s face. "Little kid, you''re handsome and have such a way with words. I wonder how many girls will be charmed by you when you grow up." "Ms. Vivian, I''m already very popr right now!" Tommy proudly puffed out his chest to indicate that he was a popr kid. He was indeed very popr in school, but he found his female ssmates to be too talkative, so he would usually y with the boys. He knew a lot of games, and all the games he knew were of high difficulty level, so the boys in his school admired him a lot. Tommy lived up to his name in school. Luca knew that her child would be popr in school ever since she was Bianca. The kids did have Luke''s genes, after all. Luke used to be a popr kid in school. Although he was low-key, his looks and skills outshone everyone else. It was hard for him to keep a low profile. Luca was also proud of herself that she could be with such an outstanding man. She even had three adorable kids with him! "Really? You''re amazing," Vivianplimented. She loved children, but she had been muddling along all these years, so she had no kids of her own. "Hehe." Tommy took her hand as he sensed her fondness for him and said, "Ms. Vivian, Aunt Neile has finished tidying up the guest room. Let me take you there." "Okay. Thank you, Tommy." Vivian carried her suitcase and winked at Luca before following Tommy upstairs. Luca also went up while carrying two bags. After arriving on the second floor, Luca asked, "Tommy, are Lanie and Rainie in their bedrooms?" Since they were not in the living room, she guessed that they were in the bedroom reading books. "Yes, Ms. Luca." Tommy nodded and walked to the guest room while holding Vivian''s hand. Luca said to him, "Then, you bring Ms. Vivian to the guest room first. I''ll go put some stuff away." ¡°Roger that, Ms. Luca!" Tommy was very d that Vivian coulde over because he had known her since he was little. Plus, Vivian was soft and gentle, so Tommy had a good impression of her. Luca carried the bags into Lanie''s room, and sure enough, the two kids were in there with a book in each of their hands. "Lanie, Rainie, I bought some toys while shopping. Do you want to take a look?" The children''s eyes lit up upon hearing that, so they ran to her. Then, Rainie said, "Ms. Luca, did you buy these for us?'' "Yeah, and Tommy, let''s see..." Luca sat on the chair at the side and took out the stuff she bought for them judging by the packaging. "This is Lanie''s." She took out a sky-blue gift box and handed it to Lanie. "Thank you, Ms. Luca. Can I open it?" Lanie''s expression was indifferent, but he was very excited about the gift Luca gave him. "Sure, and this is for Rainie." Luca nodded and handed another pink gift box to Rainie. "Wow, thank you, Ms. Luca." Rainie nced at Lanie and saw him unwrapping the gift, so she did the same. The two of them unwrapped the gift and saw that it was a set of stationery. "When I saw this while shopping, I thought that it woulde in handy since you''re starting school soon, so I bought it," Luca exined. Every parent would prepare stationery for their kid during back- to- school season. The Crawford family had many maids, and Luca could leave it to them if she wanted to, but she still wanted to give stationery to them herself. They were her kids, after all. She may be hiding her identity now, but she still wanted to fulfill her role as a mother, even if it was just a small gesture. It was all because of her love for them. "Thank you, Ms. Luca. Pink is my favorite!" There was a delighted smile on Rainie''s face as she kissed Luca on the cheek. Chapter 2485 Lanie''s face remained cool as he looked at the entire set of stationery in front of him, but he was reminded of the past. Before their mother was kidnapped, she would prepare all their stationery for them before each school year. All the colors and designs were chosen to their liking. Tommy had yet to start school at the time. Every time he saw them receive a full set of stationery, his round eyes would be filled with envy, and he would make noise about wanting to grow up quickly so he could go to school. Since that incident, even with the fake Bianca, they never received a full set of stationery again. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Luca. I love it." Lanie''s little heart was overwhelmed. ¡°Good that you like it. I saw theplete set and thought of buying it. There''s also a light green one for Tommy." Luca took out thest gift box from the bag, which was a gift for Tommy. "Tommy will love it," said Lanie. Tommy had always wanted to receive a full set of stationery for school, but even after he started going to school, no one ever prepared it for him after their mommy was kidnapped. At longst, his long-standing wish was going to be fulfilled. "Really?" Luca smiled faintly, hoping that Tommy would love it too. "Tommy had always wanted to receive a stationery set like this for school," said Rainie while touching her stationery case. Rainie''s words reminded Luca of when Tommy was little. He would watch his brother and sister get new stationery and get ready for school while saying he wanted to go to school too. At that time, Tommy was only old enough for preschool. However, she wanted to make up for not being able to see Lanie and Rainie grow up, so she took care of Tommy herself instead of sending him to preschool. However, she could not even give Tommy a stationery case. Luca was filled with guilt at the thought of that. Tommy skipped into the room, and his eyes lit up when he saw Lanie and Rainie holding stationery sets in their hands. Then, he looked at Luca with eyes full of expectations. "Ms. Luca." "This is for you." Luca handed a light green gift box to Tommy. ¡°Ms. Luca, can I open it?" Tommy''s eyes twinkled like there were stars in his pupils. ¡°Of course. All of you have the same one," said Luca, and when she saw the kid''s eyes filled with excitement, she knew she did the right thing. When she was helping Vivian pick out items for school, she just so happened to see stationery sets for children, so she bought them without a second thought. She did not expect the kids to like them so much. She gave birth to them, yet she had not been carrying out her job as a mother all these years. The guilt in her heart grew bigger and bigger, but she could not do anything about it. Tommy tore the wrapping paper and cheerfully hugged Luca when she saw the stationery set. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Luca, I love it." ¡°If you like it that much, you''d better study hard," Luca admonished. ¡°I will study hard! I''ll be the first ce in ss... No, I''ll be the first ce in school. Just wait and see, Ms. Luca," Tommy said with a smile. Lanie said in a rxed manner, ¡°You''re already first ce in the school." Tommy turned to look at his brother. ¡°Then I''ll get a perfect score!" ¡°Very well, Tommy!" Luca praised after hearing his words. Tommy was ttered. He looked at Lanie and said, ¡°You hear that, Lanie? Ms. Luca is praising me!" ¡°I heard that." Lanie nodded and carefully ced the stationery set in his drawer. ¡°By the way, where''s Ms. Vivian?" Luca asked Tommy as he was the one who said he was going to bring her to the guest room. ¡°Ms. Vivian is in the guest room. she said she was going to wash up, so I came out," Tommy replied. He actually did what he had to do! ¡°Okay, are you all done with your homework? There''s only a week before school starts." Luca touched Tommy beside her, concerned about her children''s studies. ¡°Ms. Luca, we''vepleted all of them. We only have some writing exercises left that the teacher asked us to do every day," Tommy answered obediently. The three of them did their homework together most of the time, so they knew about each other''s homework situation well. ¡°Good boy. You all read your books first. I have some stuff to take care of." Luca patted Tommy''s head and stood up. ¡°Okay, Ms. Luca," the three children answered in unison.N?velDrama.Org owns this text. After leaving the children''s bedroom, Luca went to Luke''s bedroom. He was still doing designs inside. Luca knocked on the door. Luke looked up, and a faint smile appeared on his face when he saw that it was her. ¡°Come in." Luca nodded. She learned her lesson from the incident earlier today, so she closed the door before sitting in front of his desk. ¡°Mr. Crawford, I think Mr. Norton found out that Vivian is staying here." ¡°What made you think that?" Asked Luke. ¡°There was a ck BMW following us all the way back," Luca said to him. ¡°Yup, it''s him." Luke withdrew his gaze and continued to draw. Gordan had called him earlier to say that he wanted to see Vivian, but he disagreed. It was Vivian''s decision whether to meet him or not. It was not something he could just say yes to. "So, he looked for you..." Luca asked carefully. Luke was sensible enough to not help Gordan out no matter what his request was. "Help me tell Vivian I said no." Luke put away his drawing before standing up to wrap his arms around her waist. "I knew you wouldn''t agree to it." Luca smiled faintly in his embrace, she might as well just lean on his broad chest and feel a moment of peace. "I won''t interfere in Vivian''s affairs no matter how much Gordan has helped me." Luke had said a lot for Luca to convey. "Okay." Luca understood what he meant and intended to tell all of this to Vivian so that she could have peace of mind while staying here. "Did Mr. Norton mention why he wants to meet Vivian?" she asked. "No, he never tells anyone about his personal affairs." Luke rested his head on her forehead and sniffed her faint fragrance. He could not help but daydream at the smell of her fragrance. Luca felt the hand around her waist gradually move up, and her breathing grew uncontrobly rapid. She ced her hands on top of his. "Mr. Crawford, don''t.." "Luca, you''re too attractive." Luke inhaled the scent of her hair, and the temperature of his body could not stop rising. He could not control himself with her around. The urge he had been suppressing for so long was unleashed ever since that night, and he could barely control it now. "Mr. Crawford, it''s still early. Let''s not.." Luca''s breathing grew rapid, and while she was still talking, Luke flipped her over and locked lips with her. The steamy kisses poured down like heavy rain, stopping her from continuing her words and disrupting her breathing. Luca''s body could not help but go limp in his strong embrace. Chapter 2486 The room was getting hotter and hotter, and the two were about to sink into one another when they heard a knock on the door. Luca broke away from Luke''s embrace as if she hade to her senses. ¡°Mr. Crawford, someone''s at the door." Luca''s face was scarlet red when she turned to look at Luke, who seemed cross. He had a look of discontent on his face. "I heard." Luke could not wait to chase away the person at the door who interrupted them. "Who is it?" "Mr. Crawford, Mr. Mallory is here. Would you like to meet him?" Aunt Neile''s voice came from outside. Luca listened carefully and could hear the anxiousness in her voice. She reckoned that it was because she heard Luke''s annoyed tone. The man was usually calm and steady, but when he could not get what he wanted, he simply could not hide it. Luca thought that this side of Luke was funny and kind of adorable at the same time. "What''s he here for?" Luke asked. Ultimately, Percy was the one who interrupted his time with Luca, not Aunt Neile. Now that he was married, was he so overly happy that he thought he coulde and disturb others as he pleased? "I... I don''t know, Mr. Mallory said you didn''t pick up your phone, so he sent me up to inform you..." Aunt Neile trembled as she ryed Percy''s words. Percy and Luke were best friends, so when he rang the bell, Aunt Neile let him in without a second thought. However, Luke sounded upset from the other side of the door. That was when Aunt Neile knew that she had interrupted something. "Tell him to wait." Luke''s tone was still stiff. "Okay." After Aunt Neile replied, there was no sound at the door. Luca looked at Luke''s dissatisfied face, and her lips curled up as she found his defeated face to be quite amusing. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Mr. Crawford, you''re scaring Aunt Neile," she said deliberately. Luke reached out and took her into his long arms. Then, he lowered his head to meet her delicate lips. He kissed her hard. Luca''s mind went nk. She did not even tease him, yet Luke still made a retaliatory move on her. She tried to push him away, but Luke''s hold was too strong. Only when Luca''s lips went red and numb did Luke let her go. Then, in his low and husky voice, he said while suppressing himself, ¡°I''ll settle youter tonight." Luca watched dumbfoundedly as he opened the door and staggered out of the room. After that revenge kiss, Luke left a warning and left... Luca touched her numb lips and could tell that they were swollen from his firm kiss just now. The thought of the makeout made Luca''s mind go nk again. So, tonight. The thought of this made her face go red. Downstairs. Luke went downstairs looking grim, and when he saw Percy drinking coffee while leisurely sitting on the sofa, he snapped, "Why didn''t you stay longer in X City?" "A City is my home. I came back to look for you. Why? Am I not wee?" Percy crossed his legs and put down his coffee cup. Then, he noticed the displeased look on his face and pretended to be surprised. "What''s with that look? I''m not interrupting anything, am I?" "Quit the nonsense. Just spit it out." Luke sat on the other chair. "Be patient and put your emotions aside for now. Otherwise, I might think that you''re interested in me." Percy was being sarcastic. Luke looked at his coffee cup. He almost picked it up and sshed the coffee on him. "Shut up." Percy sensed his intention, so he picked up the cup and nced at the stairway. Luca did note down, so he must have interrupted their alone time. He smiled and asked, "Where''s Dr. Craw?" "What are you looking for her for?" Luke was already unhappy, but hearing him mention Luca made him even more upset. If not for him, he would be tangled up with Luca right now. "Don''t be jealous. I only have eyes for Nina. It''s just that what I''m about to say has something to do with Dr. Craw." Percy''s smile faded, and his expression became stern. Luke gazed deeply. With that look on Percy''s face, it seemed like he had something important to say. "Let''s go to the garden," said Luke. If they talked here, Luca mighte down anytime, and she might hear them. "The garden is so cold. Is this the way you treat your guests?" Percy said helplessly as Luke was the one at fault. "We can only talk in the garden." Luke stood up and walked to the entrance before putting on his coat. Percy shook his head resignedly and had no choice but to follow him to the garden. He chose not to say this on the phone for fear of being monitored, which was why he came here himself. The two came to the gazebo in the garden. Although it was already spring, it was even colder than winter because of the melting snow and ice around them. Percy rubbed his hands together and exhaled a breath of warm air. "It''s cold, so I''ll make it short." After looking around the garden, he said, ¡°My people have news. They noticed some ships hovering around the old site of the Ind of Despair." ¡°Ships?" Luke frowned. ¡°Yes, ships, but there aren''t any buildings on the surface of this ind and the jungle is thick. It doesn''t look like the stronghold of the Ind of Despair. However, if the ships are used to transport people, then the stronghold of the Ind of Despair must be on this ind," said Percy while he nodded. His people had been observing for half a month. They made sure that it was not just anyone''s ships that were docked there before reporting to him. ¡°If there''s nothing on the surface, it can only be underground," said Luke. The ind had not been maintained for a long time, so trees and weeds grew everywhere, which was the best barrier for people going in and out. If not for Percy''s people observing day and night, they might not have been able to spot the ships. ¡°But didn''t we search underground from the surface before? We didn''t manage to find anything." Percy was puzzled at first until he thought of another possibility. ¡°When you were captured, were there any buildings under the Ind of Despair?" ¡°Robert didn''t fully trust me at that time, so I don''t know, but Gale and Rain did mention that everything was carried out on the ind. They were on the Ind for so long, but they''ve never heard of an underground building," replied Luke. When they first suspected it, they had asked Gale and Rain. After Gale and Rain said they had never heard of it, they investigated it using some tools but found nothing. That was why they gave up on the underground hypothesis. ¡°I just thought of another possibility. What if they used a new type of material as a barricade? That would exin why the tools weren''t able to detect that there was a building underground." Percy raised his doubts. There were many new materials nowadays, as well as materials that couldpletely block out signals. However, the technology for these materials was not mature yet, so it was not widely used in the market. Chapter 2487 Luke nodded as Percy''s hypothesis seemed possible. Otherwise, there would not be ships going in and out there. Winter had just passed, so it was still freezing over there. The weeds on the ind had withered and leaves had fallen off the trees. That was how his people discovered them. As for the new materials Percy mentioned, there may not be a lot in the market right now and the technology may not be particrly advanced, but they could tell from Luca''s medical skills that the level of technology on the Ind of Despair was much higher than the technology avable to them, so it might be possible... Besides, Johann had mentioned before that the person who taught Luca medicine must be a medical guru, and that even he was no match for him in certain aspects. ¡°We''ve found the ce, so what are you going to do now?" Percy crossed his hands in front of his chest enthusiastically. If Luke asked him to sweep the Ind of Despair, he would be able to do so, even if the stronghold was underground. "Don''t make any moves for now. We still have to continue observing," said Luke. "Why?" Percy asked with his eyebrows raised. He did not understand what he was trying to do. Was he going to wait until the enemy made the first move? "Luca won''t obey their instructions for no reason, so they must have something up their sleeve. I need to dig deeper, and.." Luke''s gaze grew deeper. He wanted to rip those who hurt Luca apart with his own bare hands, but he had to suppress it. "You know the fake Bianca?" "Yeah." Percy nodded. "The fake Bianca died of poisoning because she didn''t take the antidote in time. Until now, Gale and Rain still can''t collect the poison sample from fake Bianca''s blood, let alone develop an antidote. I''m worried that Luca is also controlled by this drug," said Luke. If they acted rashly without an antidote, they would only put Luca in danger. He had already lost her once. He could not bear the pain of losing her again, Destroying the Ind of Despair was a precise but crude procedure. He could not predict whether he would be able to find a sample of the antidote for Luca while attacking the ind. If there was no antidote, Luca would only have a month left to live. Luke secretly felt like the research Luca was doing now may be the antidote. ¡°When you put it that way, I guess acting rashly is not the way to go." Percy nodded in understanding. It seemed like they had to continue mapping out a n. "Continue observing," said Luke. As long as they did not alert the enemy, everything would be fine. "Okay, that''s all I have to tell you. I''ll let you know if we find anything else. I''ll head back now. Nina is waiting for me," Percy said. After returning to A City, he sent Nina home first before hurrying over here to tell Luke about this. "Alright, thank you." Luke walked out of the gazebo with him and uttered his heartfelt thanks. Percy was stunned and looked back at him in surprise. "This is one of the few times you thanked me, and every time, you sound weirdly excited. "I do?" Luke knew why. Apart from Luca''s matter, every time Percy helped him, he would only keep it in mind and find a chance to repay himter. He would only say thank you when it came to Luca as this favor was so huge that he did not know what else to do to show his gratitude. That was because Luca was more important to him than his own life. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. "Yes, you''re always more serious when the matter involves Luca." Percy smiled and patted his shoulder before turning to leave. Luke looked inside the mansion, and his gaze traveled upward to his study because coincidentally, the garden could be seen from that room. Was Luca still there? The thought of her delicate face made the fire inside Luke start to burn up. She was like poison, sweet and addictive. Luke quickly walked back inside. Just as he was about to go to Luca, he saw hering downstairs with Vivian. Vivian saw Luke and said smilingly, "Mr. Crawford, thank you for taking me in." "You''re wee. This is your home now. By the way, what are you two doing?" Luke felt a little helpless when he saw Luca with her. It was not like he could carry Luca up to the bedroom in front of Vivian... "I want Luca to teach me how to make some tasty little snacks," Vivian said with a smile. "Okay, go ahead." Luke looked at Luca meaningfully. If she was the one who suggested it, she might be able to hide for now, but at night, she would still have to surrender to him. It was only the afternoon. He just had to endure a little while longer. After Percy left Luke''s house, he rushed back to his house. He was only away for a short time, but he missed Nina already. It was not yet time for work, so the maid was not there yet. After parking the car, he walked into the house as his Nina was waiting for him inside. ¡°Honey, I''m home!" Percy yelled loudly as he was worried that Nina could not hear him from the second floor. When he got to the entrance, he noticed the strange atmosphere and stared straight at Madam Mallory, who was sitting on the sofa. Nina was standing not far across from her. The atmosphere was solemn, and when Percy''s and Nina''s eyes met, he could see her uneasiness. He cast her a look to reassure her. It was just Madam Mallory. He had never feltfortable around her anyway. "Why are you here?" Percy took off his coat and simply hung it up. He then changed his shoes before walking into the living room. "This is your mansion, and I''m your mother. Why can''t Ie?" Madam Mallory looked up and asked unenthusiastically. Percy frowned. The security here was not as tightly regted as in Luke''s neighborhood. Even if he had instructed them before, the security guards recognized Madam Mallory, so they would just let her in. Perhaps he should consider moving. Being neighbors with Luke was not such a bad idea. Although all the properties in Luke''s neighborhood were upied, what could he not buy with money? He did not like the idea of staying in a second-hand house, but if he did not move now, Nina might face the same situation in the future. He did not want to make things difficult for Nina. Percy walked over to hold Nina''s hand, and he said, "What do you want?" "During the New Year, your grandfather tried all sorts of methods, yet he still couldn''t get you to go back. I even thought that someone had lured your soul away. If I don''te to visit you, you might forget who your own mother is, right?" Madam Mallory said gloomily. Percy smirked as her mockery did not trigger him at all. Instead, he said coldly, "Old Master Mallory had said before that I''m not wee back home. If I go back, won''t I upset the Old Master?" "You know not to upset the old master, but you still insist on being with this woman? Also, what did you call her just now? Do you think you can just call anyone that? She''ll never be the daughter-inw of the Mallory family," Madam Mallory said coldly. If the property management did not recognize her, she would not have been able to enter at all. Chapter 2488 Nina had deliberately ignored it when Madam Mallory rang the doorbell earlier. ''Did she think she could stop me? How foolish of her! The Mallories'' influence is far beyond what this b*tch can imagine!'' Nina lowered her head. She was well aware of the wide gap between her and Percy. Nevertheless, she did not intend to let go just like that. She only acknowledged and epted her feelings for him after so many years. Although their rtionship came with hardships, she still wanted to give it her best shot. After all, she had no other attachments to this world, nor any worries or burdens. Falling in love with Percy was the only way she could save herself. ''Since there''s no way out and nothing to lose, why should I let go of my soul mate?'' Percy held Nina''s hand tightly as they faced Madam Mallory''s imposing manner. He was calm. "You''re right on something you just said. We should indeed refer to others with the appropriate title. I called Nina that because we''re already legally married," Percy said as he raised her hand and showed Madam Mallory the ring on Nina''s ring finger. He put the ring on her when they got their marriage license abroad. Nina would never take off the ring. "What? You''re married?!" Madam Mallory was surprised, but she calmed down after a second. She said smugly, "So what? You married abroad, so your marriage is only recognized abroad. In A City, you don''t have the documents to go through the relevant formalities with her. Your marriage is not recognized here." "I have my documents," Percy said calmly. He got everything ready long before Nina epted his love. At that time, he had already decided that Nina was the only one he wanted to stand by his side for the rest of his life. He chose to get married abroad out of convenience. They nned to get it notarized in A City so even if Old Master Mallory tried anything with the Civil Affairs Bureau employees, they would have a legally binding marriage license. No one could change the fact that he and Nina were husband and wife. "What a joke! Your passport is still in Mallory Manor. Where did you get the necessary documents to get a marriage license?" Madam Mallory did not believe Percy because Old Master Mallory had them lock up his passport after he announced that he had gotten together with Nina. There would be no way for Percy to get married even if he wanted to. After all, they could not get married in A City if he did not have his passport. "Are you sure?" Percy looked at her indifferently as if he was looking at a stranger, not at his biological mother. "What do you mean..." Madam Mallory was a little stunned when she saw Percy''s reaction. She thought of something and immediately picked up her phone to call the Mallory family''s butler, Mr. Be. "Go confirm something for me. Ask Pierre to check if Percy''s passport is still in the safe," she said with a hurried tone. The password to the safe was only known to Old Master Mallory, her, and Pierre. The servants working at the manor had no clue. The three of them would never steal the passport to help Percy and Nina. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. If Percy wanted to get his passport, he had no other choice but to destroy the safe. An rm would sound if the safe at home was damaged. They did not hear the rm go off as far as they could remember, and the safe was still in good condition. "Don''t bother. My passport is still in the safe," Percy said calmly. Madam Mallory frowned and looked at him, "What do you mean by that?" "That''s my old passport. I got a new one when you tried to arrange a marriage with the Johnstons for me," Percy said. He had nned everything out to be with Nina. Nina was surprised to hear that he prepared everything ahead of time just to be with her. She remembered the sweet words that Percy often whispered in her ear, telling her that she was his the first time heid eyes on her. Nina did not believe him at the time. However, after she heard Percy''s confession, she began to believe that Percy had nned everything a long time ago just to be with her. "What did you say?" Madam Mallory did not believe what she heard. Percy kept quiet. Pierre''s voice came from the other end of the phone, "Mom, what did you ask me to find? The safe hasn''t been opened for a while." "I see. Let''s talk about it when I get back." Madam Mallory hung up the phone and stood up. "Percy, are you sure you want to go against your grandfather to the end to marry this woman?" "Nina is my choice. If you ept it, great. If you refuse to ept it, it has nothing to do with me." Percy said with a cold expression. Since the cat was out of the bag, he did not feel the need to hide anything anymore. "Since you already know, I''ll contact reporters tomorrow and tell them the good news." "You... How dare you?!" Madam Mallory''s body swayed. She was a little dizzy from the anger. "I''ll make the necessary arrangements. All you and grandpa have to do is wait and watch the news tomorrow." Percy maintained a cold expression, not taking Madam Mallory''s reaction to heart. Nina pulled his hand and motioned for him to stop talking. "You wouldn''t dare. If you do that, you''ll no longer be the CEO of Mallory Corporation!" Madam Mallory threatened. The only thing that she had left to use against him was his role in Mallory Corporation. Percy was born to be God''s favored one. She did not believe that he would give up a bright future for Nina. "Whatever, I don''t care." After Percy finished speaking, he nced at Nina to make it clear that she was the only one that he cared about. "You, you..." Madam Mallory felt as though it was a stranger standing in front of her. Out of nowhere, she cked out and fell on the sofa. "Aunt Karen..." Nina was the first to notice that something was wrong. She wanted to step forward to help her, but she was not as fast as the speed at which Madam Mallory fell. "Call an ambnce!" Nina turned around and shouted at Percy. Her hands supported Madam Mallory''s shoulders to prevent her from falling to the ground while she was unconscious. Percy frowned. He did not think that his mother was acting, so he took out his phone and hurriedly called for an ambnce. Madam Mallory was sent to the emergency room in a panic. She was attended to behind the blinds for half an hour before Johann came out and said to them, "The patient suddenly fainted due to high blood pressure. Her blood pressure is stable now, but she still needs to be hospitalized for observation. Does she have hypertension?" Percy shook his head and responded, "Her blood pressure alwayses out normal in the annual physical examination." "In that case, she fainted due to external stimuli," Johann confirmed and jotted it down on the medical record. "Although her blood pressure had been normal, this sudden high blood pressure caused her to faint. To be on the safe side, she should monitor her blood pressure so as not to have this happen again. There are manyplications of hypertension. Her hospitalization is also to avoid any seque.¡± "Okay." Percy nodded. Nina was worried. "Dr. Park, will Aunt Karen be alright?" Chapter 2489 "She¡¯s fine for the time being, but we need her ID to admit her to the hospital," Johann looked at Percy. "I don''t have her ID. Send her to the VIP ward first. I¡¯ll notify someone to bring it over." Percy said. He had rummaged through Madam Mallory''s bag but could not find any of the relevant documents. It was likely that she went straight to them after hearing the news about their return and did not bring her ID. "Okay." Johann could do them this favor as long as theypleted the formalitiester. "I¡¯ll sort it out." "Thank you." Percy took out his phone and called the Mallory residence¡¯sndline. He briefly exined Madam Mallory''s situation and asked them to get someone to send Madam Mallory''s documents over. Nina lowered her gaze. Madam Mallory was Percy''s biological mother. She felt an obligation to stay and take care of her. However, Madam Mallory fainted because of her. Madam Mallory¡¯s blood pressure might spike if she saw that Nina was still around when she woke up. After Percy hung up the phone, she said to him, "I¡¯ll head off first?" "Okay." Percy knew what was in her mind. He touched her shoulder andforted her. "Don''t overthink this. This matter has nothing to do with you." "I¡¯m not overthinking, don''t worry. I''ll leave the car for you and take a taxi back." Nina smiled. When she came, she followed the ambnce to the hospital while Percy drove the car behind the ambnce. She left him the car considering that Percy would need the carter. "I''ll ask the driver toe to pick you up." Percy was worried about her going home alone. After all, the situation with Madam Mallory was a hot mess. "No need. It''s troublesome for the driver toe. I can take a taxi from the hospital entrance. Bye! Take good care of Aunt Karen," Nina shook her hand and said goodbye. She was legally married to Percy, but she knew that the Mallories did not like to see her. As such, she would not take the initiative to bond with them and call Madam Mallory ¡®Mom¡¯. She seemed cursed. Except for Percy, there was no one around who treated her like a family member, be it her biological parents, siblings, or rtives on Percy''s side. None of them liked her. Nina walked out of the hospital. She was used to the feeling of loneliness. Percy watched Nina leave. He was a little worried, so he called Luca, "Dr. Craw, something happened and I need your help." Luca swiftly put down the butter in her hand and asked, "Mr. Percy, what can I do for you?" "My mother is in the hospital now and Nina is ming herself for it. Can she spend some time with you at yours for a while? I''ll pick her up when I''m done here," Percy said. He only trusted Luca and Luke to take care of Nina. "No problem, I''ll call her now." Luca agreed. She guessed that Madam Mallory''s fainting had something to do with Nina. Although she did not ask for the details, she believed that Nina would never hurt anyone. ¡®That silly girl will only hurt herself.'' "Pretend that you don''t know anything," Percy said. Nina was prideful, so he was worried that she would not ept his kind gesture if she found out that he had asked Luca to apany her. Nina needed someone by her side at that moment. Although Bianca had changed her face and be Luca, she was still Bianca, Nina''s best friend. "I understand," Luca called Nina after she hung up Percy''s call. The phone rang about five times before Nina answered. "Luca, what''s happened?" "Mr. Percy came over today. You''re back to A City, right?" Luca did not ask her over right away. She did the groundwork to make her invitation seem more natural. "Mm, yes, we just got back today." Nina did not question anything. After all, Percy did mention that he wanted to talk to Luke face-to-face. As such, Luca must have seen Percy. "Vivian came over to throw a tea party. Are you free to join us?" Luca invited her. "Vivian?" Nina thought about it for a while. ''If I head back now, I''ll have to face an empty house all by myself. It''s a better option to have some tea while I chat with Luca and Vivian.'' "Okay, I''lle over now," she agreed. "We''ll wait for you." Luca hung up the call and put down the phone. She thought that the snacks she just taught Vivian to make could be served as refreshments. Vivian asked, "Is Ninaing?" "Yes, she''sing over. Let''s not mention anything about the Mallories. We''ll enjoy the snacks, drink some tea, and talk about life." Luca urged. Vivian nodded in agreement and added, "I''ll be happy as long as I canmunicate with Nina." "Don''t worry. Although Nina doesn''t understand Russian, she''s fluent in English. You''ll have no problem communicating with her," Luca said. The Langdon family could only support one kid to go to school. Needless to say, Anna O''Reilly chose Jean. Otherwise, with Nina''smand of English, she could easily pass the IELTS test to study abroad. "Yes, the threenguage switch would be interesting," Vivian said with a smile. After all, she was not very proficient in the local dialect. "We can speak English." Luca nodded, nced at the snacks in the oven, and thought about what else she could serve to her guests. She asked Vivian, "Vivian, do you want to eat skewers?" "Skewers? Can we eat them now?" Vivian asked in surprise. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "You''re in A City. You can eat them whenever you want," Luca replied as she took out the ingredients from the refrigerator. "Yes, I would love skewers! You''re so skilled at cooking. The skewers you make must be delicious. By the way, can I learn how to make them from you?" Vivian''s eyes lit up. She wanted to learn to cook more dishes from Luca so she could cook for herself when she had the time after school started. "Okay. Skewers aren''t difficult to make. As long as the seasoning is done well, the skewers will be delicious. Let''s start making them." Luca said as she began to prepare the ingredients and the skewers. She knew what Nina liked to eat, so she prepared more vegetables and meat that suit her taste. Luca got the skewers ready much quicker than she usually would, all thanks to the help of Vivian and Aunt Neile. They were done before Nina arrived. "I didn''t know that skewers are so easy to make. I want to buy a machine like this and make them for myself when I have the time." Vivian muttered. She kept her notes on Luca''s recipe. When Luca was making the skewers, she shared the proportions of the ingredients with Vivian. Vivian jotted down every single key point that she said. The doorbell rang just as they got everything ready. "Aunt Neile, it must be Nina. Please open the door for her," Luca said. "Okay, I''ll go now." Aunt Neile took off her apron and went to greet Nina. 15 minutester, Nina walked into the living room where the strong aroma of the food wafted. She looked toward the dining room and asked, "Aren''t we having a tea party? Why are there skewers?" Luca came out with a tray full of skewers and smiled. "Who said that we can''t have skewers at a tea party?" Chapter 2490 "That''s wonderful!" Nina looked at the skewers on the tray and saw that there were many vegetables and meat, all of which were her favorites. "We''re having a tea party between friends. We''re not richdies getting together, so it feels natural to eat some down-to-earth food." Luca winked yfully at Nina. "There are a lot of things here that I like to eat! Luca, you''re too good to be true." Nina sighed with joy. She only had a few meals with Luca and had not expressed her preferences openly but Luca just seemed to know. "I''m d that you like them. Vivian helped too." Luca looked at Vivian, who was beside her smiling shyly. Nina gave Vivian a hug and thanked her, "Vivian, thank you." "Nina, you''re wee." Vivian hugged her back. Luca put the tray on the table, looked at Aunt Neile, and said, "Aunt Neile, there are some skewers in the kitchen. Please bring them to Mr. Crawford and get the children toe down for some snacks." "Okay, Ms. Craw." Aunt Neile smiled and went upstairs. Luca brought out the coffee, milk tea, and various baked snacks. It was a tea party between adults, so she put some snacks for the children on another te and asked them to watch TV in the living room. The three adults sat on chairs in the dining room, chatting and tasting the delicious food. "Mm, it''s appetizing! Luca, I love all the food you cook!" Nina picked a skewer and took a bite. Her taste buds were instantly conquered. "Yeah, it''s so vourful!" Vivian echoed. Having tasted the skewers made by Luca, she felt that the skewers in the school food street were not all that. Luca''s skewers were much better. "Eat more if you like them." Luca poured some milk tea for Nina and looked at Vivian. "Vivian, do you want to have some?" "Try it. Don''t just drink coffee. Milk tea and skewers is the perfectbination!" Nina was distracted by the delicious food in front of her and temporarily forgot about the Mallory family. She found that no matter when and where, the sadness in her heart could always temporarily melt away when Luca was around. Luca seemed to have a magical ability that made her misery disappear for the time being. "Okay, I''ll try some. Thank you." Vivian smiled shyly as Luca poured her a cup of milk tea. She took a sip and fell in love with the taste. "I thought that you have to have tea or coffee at a tea party. I didn''t expect that milk tea would taste so good!" "The milk tea made by Luca is top-notch." Nina praised. She knew that it was not a takeaway as soon as she tasted it. "Luca, you''re great! Anyone who lives with you will have a wonderful life." Vivian could not help but sigh with admiration. "What nonsense are you talking about?" Luca smiled awkwardly as the two praised her to the high heavens. "We''re not talking nonsense. The milk tea, skewers, and baked goods are really delicious," Nina said with a smile. She asked Vivian''s opinion, "Vivian, what do you think?" ¡°Mm, you''re right. They''re mouth-watering," Vivian nodded in agreement. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Tommy came over with two cups in his hands and said in a childish voice, "Ms. Luca, can you give us some more milk tea? Lanie and I both want another cup." "Of course. Come here and give me your cups." Luca agreed. After all, she made this milk tea herself. It was made with organic ingredients and did not include any additives, so it was great for the children. She poured two cups of milk tea and served it to them instead of letting Tommy do it. Vivian could not help but say, "Luca is so kind to the children." "Yeah, she treats the kids just like her own. She said children have no bad intentions. They''ll treat whoever treats them well just as much. Luca takes good care of the children, both in front of and behind people. The kids love her." Nina sighed. Vivian grinned and could not help but wonder how great it would be if she had a child too. ''Who can I have children with...?'' After Luca brought the milk tea to the living room, she returned and continued to hang out with them. On the other hand. In the hospital. After Pierre sent Madam Mallory''s ID card to the hospital, he paid the deposit and went through the admission procedures under the guidance of the nurse. After that, he went to her ward. Madam Mallory had not woken up yet. Percy sat on the sofa in the ward. He nodded slightly when he saw Pierre walk in. His gaze was cold as he said, "You''re here." "What did you do? You made Mom like this!" Pierre said indiscriminately and stepped forward to confront the person sitting on the sofa. Percy exined in a cold tone, "She has high blood pressure." "You''re talking nonsense. Mom has never had high blood pressure. I asked the doctor. Her blood pressure rose because she was triggered. You know that she doesn''t agree with you being with Nina, but you still pissed her off so badly! The Mallory family doesn''t wee you!" Pierre''s mood darkened as he tried to grab Percy''s cor. The two were about the same height, so Percy swatted his hand away when he noticed his intentions. "Don''t think I don''t know what you''re up to." Pierre snorted coldly and replied, "You''re cornered, Percy. After this incident, do you think you can still run amok at Mallory Corporation? When you''re fired, you can''t even protect Nina!" "Even if I''m not at the Mallory Corporation, I won''t make your life easy. Also, Nina is my woman. Don''t even think about touching her. She''s your sister-inw no matter if I''m running Mallory Corporation or not. Pierre, you''ll have to call her your sister-inw for the rest of your life." Percy knew what he was thinking. Pierre''s desire for Nina was inexplicable. He could not understand it. Nevertheless, he would not let Nina go without a fight. ''It doesn''t matter even if I''m no longer the CEO of Mallory Corporation. I''ve prepared for a long time to protect Nina.'' "Hoho, brother. This may be thest time I refer to you as my brother. I''ll own everything that you care about, including Mallory Corporation and Nina. Do you know why? That''s because I''m smarter than you. I''ll make Nina leave you to be my mistress. When you have nothing, maybe I can give you a bite to eat if you beg me." Pierre''s tone was gloomy. The corners of his mouth were raised slightly as he imagined how it would be when he had everything he wanted. At that time, he would be zed in eternal glory. ''Percy would be worse off than what I have to go through now!'' When he thought of having Percy beg for mercy at his feet, the smile on Pierre''s mouth became even more wanton. It revealed his inner thoughts. Percy calmly replied, "You''ll never seed." After that, he nced at Madam Mallory, who was still lying on the hospital bed. He turned around to leave. It would only make Madam Mallory angry if he was there when she woke up. He preferred to have Johann keep him posted on her condition. Chapter 2491 Pierre''s deep gaze stared at Percy as he left. "You''ll have iting." Although the Mallory family was pissed that Percy and Nina were together, they had never thought of forcing him to submit. After all, everyone at the Mallory Corporation looked up to Percy. Old Master Mallory realized that and would not change the CEO at will. Pierre was waiting for his opportunity. A chance to shake Percy''s ce in the Mallory family. The opportunity hade. Pierre looked at Madam Mallory, who was lying on the bed. He picked up his phone, walked out of the ward, and called Old Master Mallory. "Grandpa, I just arrived at the hospital. The doctor said that her condition is terrible. She was so angry that she had a hypertensive crisis. She''ll have to take antihypertensive drugs in the long run. She can''t get mad, or she might end up in another crisis and risk bursting her blood vessels," he updated Old Master Mallory on Madam Mallory. He did not make up anything. The doctor said those words exactly. Although, the doctor also said that it was not dangerous as long as she took her medicine on time and got tested yearly. However, he did not mention any of that to Old Master Mallory. "Mm, I''m going to head to the hospital now." Old Master Mallory said calmly when he heard that his daughter-inw was in a seemingly critical condition. "Grandpa, the weather outside is not the best. You don''t have to run around. I''ll be here to take care of her." Pierre did not want Old Master Mallory toe. "Okay, tell me right away if something happens." Old Master Mallory thought to himself that Piere was right. He would not be much help even if he went to the hospital. "Okay, I will," Pierre replied. "Is Percy at the hospital?" Old Master Mallory asked. "He left when I arrived. Mom hasn''t woken up yet. I have to stay in the hospital. When she wakes up, I''ll get her professional care." Pierre deliberately downyed Percy''s situation because he knew that it would get Old Master Mallory even angrier. "Hmph, I see." Old Master Mallory was even angrier, just as he expected. Pierre smiled after he finished the call. ''No one cares about Percy anymore. He has nothing to fight against me! Mallory Corporation, Nina... They''re all mine!'' Pierre went to the nurse''s station and arranged a caregiver for Madam Mallory. He did not intend to take care of Madam Mallory wholeheartedly. After all, it was more convenient to pay for a caregiver. The nurse nced at theputer screen and said with a smile, "Hello, Mr. Percy has arranged a caregiver for Madam Mallory." "He already did it?" Pierre frowned and then said, "Rece whoever he hired! I want the best caregiver in this hospital. I''m happy to pay." "The caregiver that Mr. Percy hired is the best in our hospital. Are you sure you want to rece her?" The nurse confirmed with him. She was puzzled. A haze of anger shed in Pierre''s eyes. ''Percy may think that he''s meticulous, but does he think that he can grasp onto everything that he has now? How innocent!'' "Sir, do you still want to change to another caregiver?" The nurse confirmed with him again seeing that he did not answer. Pierre said coldly, "No, we''ll keep her." "Okay, the caregiver will arrive at the ward in half an hour. Please stay in the ward with the patient until then," the nurse said. The caregiver was the best and most popr in the hospital, she could only come after she was done attending to her previous patient. "Okay." Pierre returned to the ward and as soon as he sat down, he heard Madam Mallory moaning, "Ugh..." He immediately stood up and walked to the side of the hospital bed. "Mom, you''re awake!" Madam Mallory opened her eyes slightly. She closed her eyes when she saw that it was Pierre. "Pierre..." "Mom, I''m here," Pierre remembered the doctor''s instructions and pressed the nursing bell. "Pierre..." Madam Mallory was feeling unwell and called out his name again. "Mom, don''t worry. The doctor is on his way." Pierre felt that Madam Mallory had something to say to him, but she was not in the best condition to talk. Madam Mallory listened to him and fell silent. The doctor on duty came in and saw that the patient had woken up, so he gave her a simple examination. "The patient''s blood pressure is stable, and all the indicators are normal. There''s nothing to be concerned about." "She looks like she''s feeling ufortable. Are you sure that she''s fine?" Pierre asked skeptically. "I''m worried. Ask Dr. Park toe to examine her." "Dr. Park is in an operation," the doctor said helplessly. His expression was a little unsightly as he took pride in being a manager-level doctor. Although his medical skills and poprity were not as high as Johann''s, he was more than qualified to check and examine these patients in the VIP wards. Pierre''s mood suddenly turned ugly. Johann did nothing but treat Madam Mallory while Percy was around. When Percy was absent, Johann was in the operating room and arranged for a doctor as such for his mother. "The patient has never had high blood pressure before, so it''s normal for her body to feel weak and experience a little dizziness after a hypertensive crisis. The symptoms usually disappear within an hour, so we''ll keep her under observation. There''s nothing to worry about," the doctor continued to exin. He could not afford to offend a wealthy family like the Mallory family and could only exin the situation to him patiently. "Pierre, help me up..." Madam Mallory did not feel ufortable anywhere in her body except that she felt as though she had been drained of all her energy. Pierre frowned and looked at the doctor. "Did you hear that?" The doctor sighed helplessly and shook the bed. "Madam Mallory, if you feel dizzy, you have to tell me." Madam Mallory leaned against the pillow until she sat up by grabbing the side railings along the bed. She opened her eyes slightly and said, "Pierre, pour me a ss of water." Pierre quickly poured her a ss of water, handed it over, and said, "Mom, be careful. Don''t choke on it." N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Madam Mallory took a sip of water and felt that it was not enough, so she took the ss in his hand and finished everything. Pierre took the empty water ss and asked with concern, "Mom, are you feeling better?" "Mm, I feel much better now," Madam Mallory leaned on the pillow and nced at the doctor. It was inconvenient to speak openly with outsiders around, so she said to the doctor, "Please leave the ward. We''ll ring the bell if there''s anything." "Okay, Madam Mallory. Good day." The doctor left the ward. "Mom, have a good rest. The caregiver will arriveter." Percy saw how weak Madam Mallory seemed and made sure that he did his window dressing. "How can I rest..." Madam Mallory paused and looked at him. "Where''s your brother?" "He left when he saw me." Pierre tucked the quilt up a little as he said, "Maybe something happened." "What can happen to him..." Madam Mallory''s tone was full of disgust. Although Percy was one of her own, she was utterly disappointed with him after the few incidents. "Mom, what''s going on? Why did you suddenly faint and have a hypertensive crisis? The doctor said that you have to closely monitor your blood pressure moving forward. Otherwise, you''ll be prone to cardiovascr and cerebrovascr diseases." Pierre asked on purpose. Chapter 2492 After she was reminded, Madam Mallory thought of what Percy had said before she fainted. She grabbed Pierre''s arm and asked in a serious tone, "Did you see your brother''s passport in the safe just now?" "What''s so interesting about his passport?" Pierre took it casually. "Stupid! Your brother..." Madam Mallory was apprehensive and said after she took a pause, "Your brother is married to Nina! I threatened him with his passport and told him that he can''t be married in A City without it. However, he said that he did something to his passport long ago, which was why I asked you if the passport is any different!" "What?!" Pierre stood up and pulled out his hand. "You said that he and Nina are married?!" "I don''t think he''s lying. I''ll never let that woman be part of the Mallory family! Pierre, go home and see if it''s your brother''s valid passport in the safe," Madam Mallory said anxiously. Her blood pressure rose again. The thought of letting Nina be part of the Mallory family made her restless. She felt that all her ns were about to fall apart! "Mom, don''t worry. Maybe he''s bluffing. Grandpa kept the passport in the safe. It''s impossible that he would have it." Pierre still did not believe that Percy coulde to have his passport and marry Nina. "I think he''s nned this for some time. It doesn''t seem like he was deceiving me. Pierre, go and confirm now. The relevant departments are still on holiday. We may be able to prevent them from officiating it by using the Mallory family''s connections. Hurry up!" Madam Mallory urged. She had to know as soon as possible! "Mom, no matter what, we have to wait for the caregiver toe before I feelfortable leaving." Pierre felt uneasy and wanted to confirm whether what Madam Mallory said was true or not. However, he could not leave Madam Mallory alone considering her situation. Someone opened the door as soon as he finished speaking. The caregiver walked in and introduced herself, "Hello, Madam Mallory. I''m the caregiver, Ms. Lynn. I''m ere to take care of you." "Why are you here only now?!" Pierre was dissatisfied with her service thus far. The caregiver was in shock and she replied, "My previous patient took a little longer than expected to be discharged from the hospital..." "Take care of my mom and call me if anything happens." Pierre took out a card from his wallet and stuffed it into the caregiver''s hand. He then turned to Madam Mallory and said, "Mom, I''ll go home now to make sure." "Okay, go. Make sure you keep me updated," Madam Mallory said. "Mom, you don''t have to worry. Even if they''re married, we can..." Pierre paused. The caregiver was still around, so there were some things that he could not say out loud. Although he was connected to the mafias, the Mallory family had a good image to maintain, so he could not afford to be caught. "Go on, hurry," Madam Mallory urged him. She felt a headacheing when she imagined Percy really married to Nina. She would never allow that to happen! Pierre nodded. He headed straight to the Mallory family''s residence without any dy as soon as he walked out of the ward. Old Master Mallory was sitting in the living room when he saw Pierree back. He asked, "Why are you back so soon? Is your mother still in the hospital?" "Yes, Grandpa. The doctor said that she''ll be hospitalized for a day to be observed. If everything is fine, she''ll be discharged the day after tomorrow. I hired the best caregiver to take care of Mom. I came back to pack some things for her stay," Pierre said. He did not dare to mention anything to Old Master Mallory before he had confirmation. After all, although Old Master Mallory had a bad impression of Percy because he insisted on being with Nina, he was not doing much better himself. After all, Luke had put him on the line. Old Master Mallory still remembered that he stole T Corporation''s proposal. Although he had sessfully dumped the me on his subordinates, Old Master Mallory was ashamed of him, so his impression of Pierre was not much better. He had to be sure. "Has she woken up?" Old Master Mallory asked. "She''s awake." Pierre had no choice but to stand in the living room and try his best to be patient. He had to wait for the Old Master Mallory to finish his questions before he could go open the safe. "Did she say why she fainted?" Old Master Mallory asked. All he knew was that Madam Mallory went to Percy''s ce. Percy and Nina had been together for some time, but Madam Mallory had never fainted. He wondered what was different this time. "It''s because of Percy... I have to verify something on the matter. Grandpa, can I go upstairs?" Pierre said. "Yeah." Old Master Mallory noticed how nervous he seemed and nodded. Pierre went upstairs as soon as he got the green light. Old Master Mallory lifted his chin, looked at the butler, andmanded, "Find out what''s making him anxious." "Yes, Old Master Mallory." The butler briskly followed behind Pierre. Pierre went to the second floor and opened the door of the study without any hesitation. The safe was inside. He squatted in front of the safe, entered the password again, and took out Percy''s passport. Two hours ago, he did the same thing but it was only to confirm that his passport was there. At that moment, he needed to verify whether the passport was still valid. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Pierre opened his passport, flipped through it, and his mood darkened. It was clear that the copy on hand was no longer valid. It showed that the passport expiredst year, way before Percy announced that he was dating Nina. He had nned so far ahead to be with Nina... Pierre squeezed the passport tightly. The butler watched from the door, frowned, and left. "Percy, I didn''t expect you to be so cunning!" Pierre gritted his teeth. When the family arranged for Percy to marry Madison Johnston, he not only took over the Johnstons but also renewed his passport. At that time, no one expected that he would go so far for a woman! "So what if you and Nina are married? If I can get to her for the first time, I can get to her the second time. I won''t lose to you!" Pierre said viciously. He looked at the crumpled passport in his hand and put it back in the safe. He still had to put it back even though there was no longer a point to hold this passport hostage. Pierre closed the safe and went downstairs. As he got to thest step, Old Master Mallory asked, "What did your brother do?" "Grandpa..." "You don''t look like you''re going to cover for him. The butler saw you holding his passport. What''s going on?" Old Master Mallory knew that the brothers were already at odds. "He got married to Nina, and his passport is long expired," Pierre said. "What?!" Old Master Mallory''s eyes widened. He stood up with the help of his cane and said, "He''s married to that woman?" "He admitted it himself. That''s why Mom got so mad that she passed out and had to be hospitalized," Pierre said. "When did he get married? What happened to his passport?" Old Master Mallory could not believe that Percy would do such a thing. They locked up his passport on purpose to prevent him from getting married to Nina. ¡®How did he get his passport to marry a woman everyone did not approve of?'' Chapter 2493 "The passport had already expired when you arranged for him to marry Madison Johnston." Pierre had to ignore his annoyance and pretend to be calm as he exined the situation to Old Master Mallory. Old Master Mallory''s face had blue veins throbbing with anger. He looked at the butler and said, "Ask Percy toe over." "Got it." The butler realized that something was terribly wrong. Before the butler could make a move, Pierre added fuel to the situation by saying, "Grandpa, you won''t be able to get him here. His marriage has made Mom very angry. He won''t dare toe home now." Old Master Mallory knew what Pierre was up to, but he had to gain rity on the matter. "No. Even if he doesn''t want toe back, I''ll make him!" Old Master Mallory was fuming. Pierre was happy with how things were and wanted to make things worse for Percy. He stepped forward and helped Old Master Mallory to sit down. "Grandpa, let''s wait until Mom is discharged from the hospital. I guess that Percy and the woman registered their marriage abroad. They''ll have to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau in A City to go through the formalities. You can ask someone from the inside to stop them..." Old Master Mallory''s mood sank. He knew someone who could help, but since Percy''s passport expired, his contact could not do much! After all, Percy had a legally binding passport in his hand. "Grandpa, if you don''t want to do this, the two of them are going to be a real couple," Pierre reminded him. ''Nina is mine! I must stop them from registering their marriage in A City!''Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. The topic of them bing husband and wife was taboo. Old Master Mallory stood up and walked to the study with his cane. "Grandpa?" Pierre called out to him on purpose. "Master Pierre, don''t say anything else that might annoy Old Master Mallory. He knows what to do," the butler said. He was concerned about Old Master Mallory''s health. He knew that Old Master Mallory''s blood pressure shot up when he heard what Pierre had shared. The butler believed that Pierre should not have said those to irritate Old Master Mallory. After all, Old Master Mallory''s health was of the utmost importance. Pierre red at the butler and said in a cold tone, "Don''t think I don''t know your stance. I can say whatever I like. You still have a chance to change sides. Percy''s status in the Mallory family is about to copse. I won''t do anything to you if you stay by Grandfather''s side and take good care of him. However, if I find out that you''re still acting in Percy''s interest, don''t me me for firing you even though you''ve worked for the Mallory family for more than 20 years!" The butler was stunned and did not expect Pierre to say such harsh words. For more than 20 years, he had been working diligently in the Mallory family, serving Old Master Mallory and making sure that everything in the Mallory family''s residence ran well. He had never favored anyone. He thought that Percy did not have things easy. When something happened at home, he would be notified first. The butler did not expect Pierre to think of him as such. He shook his head and looked at the person in front of him. "I work for Old Master Mallory. What I say and do is for the sake of Old Master Mallory''s health. Master Pierre, if you think what I''ve done is harming Old Master Mallory, feel free to bring it up at any time and even tell Old Master Mallory. I believe he''ll decide whether I go or stay.¡± After he said that, he followed Old Master Mallory and walked into the study. He wanted to test his blood pressure. Pierre snorted coldly and went back to his bedroom. His phone rang as soon as he sat down. It was Madam Mallory calling. Pierre did not answer and instead dropped her a text. [Percy''s passport expired some time ago. We didn''t guard ourselves against Nina at that time. But you don''t have to worry, Grandpa will take care of this matter.] After sending the text, he threw his phone to the side and sank into the sofa. ¡®Percy, Nina... Even if they''re officially married, I won''t let them be happy!'' Nevertheless, he knew that his key priority was to take over Mallory Corporation. Pierre thought of that, and a n came to his mind. He picked up his phone and made a call. After he exined the matter in detail to the person on the other end of the phone, the corners of his lips twitched slyly. He could have his dreamse true soon if his n was sessful! That way, everything he wanted would be his. ... After Percy left the hospital, he did not go pick up Nina right away. After all, Luca was apanying Nina and he trusted her. He made a trip back to Mallory Corporation first. He kept some important documents in the safe at Mallory Corporation. He had them prepared long ago. Once his marriage to Nina was made public, his life may undergo earth-shaking changes. Therefore, he could not afford to wait passively as the situation developed. He had to guarantee a good life for Nina! Percy checked the documents and made sure no one had touched them before he left with the documents and headed to Luke''s vi. When he arrived at the vi, Nina was chatting with Vivian. "Mr. Percy is here." Vivian could see the door where she was seated. She notified Nina when Percy walked in. Nina heard her, turned her head, and stood up immediately. "Is everything sorted out?" "It''s done," Percy said as he walked to her side. Nina felt a chill. He seemed to be covered in wind and frost as he came to her side. "Is Aunt Karen awake?" she asked with some remorse in her voice. After all, Madam Mallory fainted because of her. "She''s awake." Percy held her hand. He did not want her to be remorseful, so he said, "Don''t worry, she¡¯s well taken care of in the hospital." "Mm." Nina nodded. After Nina saw Percy, she started to think about the issues that she had been avoiding just now. She was d that Madam Mallory was fine. Otherwise, it would be awkward for her to be around the Mallory family. "I''m going to talk to Luke. We''ll head home together when I''m done," Percy said. The ns that he had made must now be acted upon. After all, he could not allow himself to be powerless. Otherwise, Luke would be dragged through the mud when all his influence was hollowed out. They were in the same boat and would never give up on each other! Luca came out with a fruit bowl and gave Percy directions when she heard what he said, "Mr. Percy, Mr. Crawford is upstairs. Go up the stairs and turn left. It''s the first room that you''ll see." "Thank you." Percy thanked her and went upstairs to find Luke. After she watched Percy leave, Luca handed the fruit bowl to Nina and said, "Come on, have some." "I can''t eat anymore. Vivian, have some." Nina shook her head. Luca''s constant feeding made her stomachpletely surrender. Luca handed the fruit bowl to Vivian. She was smiling slightly. Vivian took a piece of fruit to be polite and said, "Luca, I can''t eat anymore too. Why don''t you give it to Mr. Crawford and Mr. Percy?" "They''re likely going to talk about something serious. It''s better not to disturb them," Luca said, deep in thought. When Percy turned his back to Nina just now, his expression was solemn. Chapter 2494 Percy rarely disyed such a stern expression. Luca knew that something had happened when she saw it. "That''s fair." Vivian nodded in agreement with what she said. Upstairs. Percy found Luke and briefly exined the matter to him. Luke looked solemn. After he heard about Percy''s n, he knew that Mallory Corporation would be going through a reshuffle. "Mm. Let me know if there''s anything you need my help with." "I need your help this time. You just need to stand firm on my side," Percy said. With Luke''s support, Mallory Corporation would be able to turn the corner. The shareholders of Mallory Corporation would act based on their interests even if they had some respect for Old Master Mallory. The partnership with T Corporation was one of the most important ie sources for Mallory Corporation and one of the important contributors to the dividends that the shareholders received. "I''m definitely on your side. Hold on." Luke knew that without Percy, a lot of projects in his hand would be affected. In addition, he and Percy had known each other since they were kids. They were close, and he would never leave him stranded. He stood up and walked over to the safe. After he entered the code, he found a document that he kept in a kraft paper bag and handed it to Percy. "This is the first round of my support. The procedure was done before New Year''s, but it has been with me. I also have some shares of Mallory Corporation in my other ounts. If necessary, I can transfer them to you when the market opens," Luke said. The document contained all the shares of Mallory Corporation he had helped acquire. Pierre had to operate secretly, so he followed suit. Mallory Corporation''s prospects were great, so even if they kept a close eye on the market, the shares they got were not a lot. "Thanks. I''ll ask my assistant to transfer the money into your ountter." Percy nced at the share transfer document and thanked Luke. These were all bargaining chips to increase his standing at Mallory Corporation. "No hurry. I''m sure you''ll be busy in theing weeks," Luke said. Mallory Corporation would turn chaotic soon enough, and Pierre would not miss the opportunity to grab power. ¡°Make sure you protect Nina as well," he reminded Percy. Pierre had more than Mallory Corporation in mind. "I know. I''m not going to let Nina get hurt this time," Percy said. After they were done talking business, Percy went downstairs and left with Nina. The two were walking on the road after the snow melted. Nina was hugged by him and could not help but get closer to him. "Were you talking to Mr. Crawford about Mallory Corporation?" "How are you so smart?" Percy could not help but pinch her cheeks lightly. He sighed because he noticed that Nina had lost weight again, even after he had put in so much effort to fatten her up. When Nina was worried, she would lose weight no matter how much she ate. What happened with Madam Mallory was like a fuse that would soon erupt the buried conflicts. Nina would be dragged into the center of the storm. He had to deal with the matter well and take care of Nina''s well-being. "I guess they don''t agree with us being together. Now that we''re married, I''m sure they''re going to make a move. Percy, we''re husband and wife, but I don''t want to drag you down." Nina held his hand. She seemed to be able to feel the heat of his body through the gloves. "Don''t be silly. You won''t drag me down." Percy walked to the side of the car but did not get in the car immediately. Instead, he got close to Nina and nted a kiss on her forehead. Nina lowered her gaze. His lips felt wet and were slightly cold. The snow had melted, so the weather was much cooler than usual. However, their hearts were burning with passion. Before, she would never have the courage to face the Mallory family, nor would she be confident that she could handle these trivial matters. However, Percy''s love strengthened her resolve to stay by his side. "Percy..." Nina muttered. "I''ll always be here for you," Percy hugged her. "Let me know if there''s anything that I can help with. Although I''m not as smart as others, I''ll be by your side and help you," Nina said. They were husband and wife. She firmly believed that they should go through everything together as a pledge of their abiding love. "Mm, get in the car. Let''s go home," Percy said as he opened the car door. Nina got into the car. He put his hand on her, carefully protecting the top of her head. He looked at her frail body and thought to himself that he had to give Nina a grand wedding when all these setbacks were dealt with. Two dayster, the New Year''s holiday officially ended. Into the night. Luca organized her work clothes in Luke''s bedroom. She did not get to wear formal clothes for the past few days as it was New Year''s, so she had put away all the suits for work. Luca took them out carefully and observed if they needed ironing. Luke finished his shower and did not see Luca around when he returned. He guessed that she was in his room, so he went over and saw that she was next to his closet, helping him organize his clothes. "Let Aunt Neile do it." He noticed that Luca had the iron next to her, so he walked over and wrapped his arms around her waist. Luca leaned against his chest slightly and said, "I''m almost done. We don''t need to bother Aunt Neile for this." "Aunt Neile has beenining," Luke said and then bit her earlobe lightly. Luca got a cold shiver. She wondered what Aunt Neile said, so she asked, "What''s Aunt Neile comining about?" "Aunt Neile said that since you''ve been home on holiday recently and doing everything for her, she has nothing to do." Luke chuckled. In thest few days when Luca was at home, apart from taking care of the children, she also did all the chores in the vi no matter big or small. Luca did all the housework and even prepared breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which left Aunt Neile with nothing to do. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. After a few days of resting, she felt embarrassed and brought it up to him. "Aunt Neile is supposed to be on holiday. If there wasn''t something going on here, she wouldn''t have to come back to work so early." Luca smiled. Aunt Neile had a few days of free time, but she would have to go back to work the next day. The housework in the vi would all be taken care of by Aunt Neile then. Luca felt a little reluctant to let go of the peace she felt thest few days when she thought of returning to work. Moreover, the holiday was too quiet as though Abel was showing her some pity on purpose. The smile on Luca''s face disappeared instantly when she thought of his face. She closed the closet door after she hung thest ironed suit jacket in it. Luke released her, sat on the office chair, and beckoned to her. "Come here, I want to show you my design." "You''re done?" Luca dragged a chair over to his side to avoid Luke grabbing her to sit on hisp again. "Mm, I''ll sort out the details of the data today and then I can send it to the vige chief. He''ll carry out the inspection work with the housing construction department. Then I can have the construction team build ording to the drawing." Luke disyed his design drawing. He did not exin much as he knew that she understood it. Chapter 2495 Luca looked at the blueprint in detail. Luke has not been somitted to sketching an architectural design since the M Group bid. She could not help but be amazed at the intricate details included in the design. "Mr. Crawford, this is amazing!" Luca sighed. She thought of something but did not manage to hold back in time. She was an expert in biopharmaceuticals but was praising Luke''s designs... Luke would either suspect that she was an apple polisher or he might get suspicious as to how she understood architectural design. Luca looked at the man beside her anxiously. "d to hear that you like it. I''ll send it to the chief now," Luke said. However, he did not send it right away. After all, the document was so big that he needed to print it out, burn it onto a CD, and mail it to the chief. Luca smiled as Luke did not seem to realize the problem. "Mr. Crawford, I''m sure that the vige chief will be happy with your design," she said. Luke smiled slightly. He was in a happy mood. He was praised by the woman he loved, so, of course, he was on cloud nine. The printer on the side started running, so Luca stood up. She knew that he was going to print the drawings and that these drawings could not be printed by ordinary printers. She said, "I''ll go take a shower first..." "Okay, wait for me," Luke replied with a few words that were enough to make Luca blush and have her overthink. ¡®How embarrassing!'' Luca hurried out of the bedroom. Luke put the drawing paper on the printer and started the machine. His phone, which was on the side, vibrated, but he did not notice it. After a few seconds, his phone rang. Luke nced at the caller ID and saw that Gale was trying to reach him. He knew that it would not be good news if Gale was calling at this hour. He frowned and answered the phone, "What''s the matter?" "Boss, our men who have been following Matysh for a while now just updated us that Matysh has booked a flight back to A City tomorrow with Mandy Sanders," Gale said. The news was ryed by Jim Holston''s subordinate after he confirmed it with Mandy. "Matysh?" Luke tapped his fingers on the table, lost in thought. "Yes, Boss. Do you want us to do anything?" Gale asked. Matysh returned to A City for one reason and one reason only, Luca. They did not expect that he still held on to his ideas even after a holiday break. ¡®It seems like the Boss'' love rivals are plentiful.'' "Yes, keep watch of Matysh," Luke said. Although he would protect Luca, it was an eventful period for them. They had the Ind of Despair and Matysh on their tail... "Okay, Boss. I''ll have someone watch Matysh 24/7. What about Dr. Craw..." Gale paused and waited for Luke''s instructions. "I''ll have the driver take her to and from work," Luke said. Luca was skilled inbat. All would be fine as long as they were prepared and if Matysh had his men kidnap her when she went to and fro work. His men were also working with Marcos to investigate Matysh. If they found evidence that he had engaged in criminal activity prior, they would hand it over to the corresponding department so that Matysh would be deported. They would have solved one problem then. When he thought of Marcos, he said to Gale, "Have the investigation team find a way to locate Marcos'' biological mother." "Yes, Boss." After Gale hung up the phone, Luke checked on the printed drawings. Everything was good, so he printed a few more copies. He would take these to thepany to be chopped with the official stamp of T Corporation the next day. After all, these drawings were used for construction and were designed by him, so they must be stamped with thepany''s seal. Luke loaded the drawings into the disk again and then put everything into his bag. After he was done with everything, he guessed that Luca should be done with her shower. He walked out of the room and opened the door to Luca''s bedroom. She had already taken a shower and was sitting in front of the dresser. She was applying her skin care products with care. Luca turned around to look at him. "Mr. Crawford, have all the documents been printed?" "Mm, it''s done," Luke said. He stepped forward to hug her seeing that she stood up. "Luca, Gale called me just now." "What..." Luca felt a faint sense of unease in her heart. Something bad must have happened for Gale to call at this hour. "Matysh has booked a flight back to A City and will arrive tomorrow," Luke said. Luca was in a daze when she heard that. Although she felt a little nervous during the New Year holiday, she subconsciously attributed the unease to the Ind of Despair. She almost forgot about Matysh Abaza... Luca said, "He hasn''t given up yet..." "Based on the situation, yes, he hasn''t given up. In the future, Warren will drive you to and fro work," Luke said. He had notified Warren to be on call during daylight. His only duty was to escort Luca to and get off work and asionally, to other ces. "Okay." Luca did not try to act tough. After all, her driving skills were not the best. She had to be careful with Matysh to not cause trouble for Luke. "One more thing," Luke said as he pulled her over to the bed and sat down. "Mr. Crawford, what else do you want to talk about?" Luca stared at him. The lights were scattered on his handsome face. He barely had any visible signs of aging. In a trance, she seemed to be back in high school at the basketball court where many boys were ying their hearts out. He was the most eye-catching among all the boys. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. "There are many researchers at Watson Biopharmaceuticals who have great ideas. I want to open two laboratories for all the staff in the research department to use. It''s mainly to provide them with equipment for research. That way, they won''t be limited to working only on thepany''s pharmaceutical projects. People other than the few professors can explore their personal projects too. What do you think of the idea?" Luke said. He had thought about it for some time before he decided to go for it. Although this project would increase the expenses of Watson Biopharmaceuticals, he was happy to do it for Luca. He could see that her research was bogged down and the equipment she had on hand was not the most advanced. "Mr. Crawford, it''s a good idea but it''ll lead to an increase in thepany''s operating expenses." Luca frowned. She thought that it was a good idea. If implemented, it would benefit many researchers. Their qualifications, education, and achievements in pharmaceuticals were not as many as those of the professors. They became researchers because they still needed to umte experience. However, they also had ideas of their own. Even so, their ideas were often limited by equipment and thepany''s development projects. In doing this, Luke was helping them, and at the same time, strengthening thepany''s future earnings. Nevertheless, she did not agree with it from the standpoint of management. Opening theboratories to everyone was a huge expense for thepany. It included the loss of experimental equipment and the consumption of experimental materials... Watson Biopharmaceuticals was not profitable yet because of what had happened with Dr. Albus. Chapter 2496 "This is a long-term investment. I''m certain no one will object. Besides, it''s about time for your research to go public," Luke whispered in her ear. He was a little emotional. Luca''s research was well-received after several clinical trials. Thepany''s marketing department conducted a survey and found that if they priced it right, most medical institutions expressed interest in purchasing the drug in bulk for their patients. As such, they did not have to worry that it would not sell. Luca hummed softly. Her mind went nk as Luke approached her. "Mr. Crawford, are you sure you want to do this?" "Mm, this decision is right for thepany''s future." Luke pressed his lips on her neck. Luca followed his movements and fell onto the bed. She went soft as she felt his tender and fiery kisses. As they rolled in the hay, no one noticed that Luca''s phone lit up and then dimmed again. The night was dark, and the fiery heat that went on in their room was in stark juxtaposition with the cold weather outside. The next day. Luca woke up feeling unwell, only to find that Luke was already up. After she washed up, she picked up her phone to see an unread text. The long number made her vignt. The length of the number was like garbled characters. She nced at the messy bed and lost the mood to clean up. Luca turned her gaze back to her phone screen. The text message was likely from someone on the Ind of Despair. Luca bit her lip and clicked on the text with her trembling fingers. It was the familiar garbled code. After she quickly tranted it, she understood the text that Abel sent. [Did you have a good New Year?] Although it was a question, she saw through his ridicule and malicious intent... Luca took a deep breath, her body still shaking uncontrobly. She nced at the time and found that Abel had sent her the textst night. She was in bed with Luke at that time... Fortunately, Abel did not call her when she did not reply. Otherwise, she would not know how to act calm and natural if she had to answer the call in front of Luke. Luca replied with a string of codes. She asked him what was the matter. She deleted the text after she saw that it was sent sessfully. She looked at the mirror and found that her ruddyplexion from a second ago was no longer. She had turned pale and looked worried. Luca sighed. Abel was a nightmare that would never go away. She could never be calm whenever she received texts or calls from him. She gathered herself and walked out of the bedroom. She went downstairs, and Luke was the only one in the living room because Vivian and the children had not started school yet. "Mr. Crawford, good morning." After Luca went closer to greet him, she sat down on the chair with her eyes looking down. "Good morning." Luke noticed that the smile on her face contained some sense of dread. He could not help but frown and wondered if he went too far and too hard on her the previous night. "Did you have a good restst night?" He had to ask. Luca looked like she got enough rest but had a forced smile on her face. Luke was a little concerned when he saw it and wanted to know what was going on. "All good." Luca shook her head. She always slept well and did not need sleeping pills when he was by her side. "What happened?" Luke continued to ask. "It''s alright, I''m just used to being on holiday. I think it''ll just take some time to adapt to going back to work. " Luca smiled although she knew that it was her expression that betrayed her. She could not pretend as if nothing happened in front of him "You don''t want to go back to work?" Luke continued to ask and acted like he believed her excuse. He knew that Luca was not a cker. She would not have prepared for work yesterday if she was not used to it as she said. Something bad must have happened. ¡®It''s early in the morning. What could have happened?'' While Luke probed, he did not let her know that he was onto her. Luca could never lie in front of him. He thought that it would be fine if he did not reveal what he knew. "No, I don''t know how to say it. Maybe it''s because the drug is about tounch, so I feel a little nervous," Luca said. She felt like she could give more details, so she continued talking, "I haven''t been involved in aunch for some time. I don''t feel confident. I''m worried that something will happen." Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Nothing bad will happen," Luke said as he took a sip of his coffee. The coffee tasted good, but the one prepared by Aunt Neile was not as good as the coffee made by Luca. She went to bedte yesterday, so she woke upte today. Luke would never ask her to get up early just because he wanted to drink the coffee she brewed. He put down the coffee cup and said, "We''re almost done with the listing documents. We just need to submit the final report and wait for the results." "What happened to Dr. Albus is making me a little nervous," Luca said. She got worried thinking about the drug. Although part of the research came from Shanks, most of it was from her and the team''s efforts. She was concerned that Abel might ask her to hand over the form so he could make a move on Luke''spany. ''Does he n on doing that after he texted me yesterday?'' Luca guessed so and became more and more uneasy. She wanted to call Abel immediately to ask him what he wanted to do. The more anxious she was, the more control Abel had over her. She could not have him know too much about her. "Dr. Albus is an exception. Don''t worry." Luke felt her anxiousness, and his heart sank. It seemed to be rted to the Ind of Despair. The Ind of Despair was behind what had happened to Dr. Albus. They wanted to hurt Watson Biopharmaceuticals and have it affect T Corporation. He had other things prepared so that the shareholders of T Corporation would not have anything to say about the matter. "Yeah." Luca listened to his constion but did not feel relieved this time. ''What''s Abel''s next move?'' After breakfast, the two left for work together. They set off at the same time and went to T Corporation in Lliam''s car. When they were about to get off the car, Luke said, "Warren is already on standby in thepany''s parking lot. If you need to head out, let him know." "Okay." Luca nodded and opened the door. She nced at the parking space not far away and sure enough, the familiar ck car was parked there. Luca thought that Warren would not show up since she went to work in Luke''s car. Unexpectedly, he had been waiting there for some time. It was clear that Luke had be more cautious upon hearing about Matysh''s return. When they arrived at the elevator, Luca deliberately avoided walking toward Luke''s private elevator. Luke shook his head helplessly but did not say anything when he saw her walking toward the elevators for ordinary employees. He walked straight into his private elevator. One day, she would walk with him into this elevator and no one would gossip about them. At that time, everyone would know that she was the wife of the CEO of T Corporation. Chapter 2497 Luca took the elevator to her floor and walked into the assistants'' office after she clocked in. It was the first day of work after the New Year, so both Zoey and Rhett arrived at the office earlier. "Dr. Craw, good morning." When Zoey saw Luca walk in, she stood up and greeted her with a slight smile. "Good morning. How was your New Year?" Luca chatted with them. "It''s all good. It''s just for everyone to have a break. How about you, Dr. Craw?" Zoey asked. During the New Year, everyone posted on social media, even those who did not usually like to do so. Luca was the only one that Zoey did not see posting anything about the New Year on social media. "It was great." Luca smiled. The past few days were her happiest days in the past three or four years. "Ms. Davis, please help to inform the others that we''ll have a meeting in the conference room in about an hour." Since she was back in the office, she wanted to push forward the process ofunching the drug. Luca had tounch the drug as soon as possible before Abel tried anything. "Okay, Dr. Craw. I''ll go inform them." Zoey nodded and walked out of the assistants'' office. Luca looked at Rhett and instructed, "Mr. Link, bring the relevant documents about the clinical trials and come to my office." "Okay, Dr. Craw," Rhett replied. He took the key from his briefcase and unlocked his drawer. Many of the trial documents have been locked up in the office for the holiday. These documents were not particrly confidential, so they were ced at Rhett''s table. Rhett picked up the thick stack of papers and followed Luca into her office. "Have a seat." Luca pointed to the seat opposite the desk and motioned for him to sit down. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Okay." Rhett sat across from her. After Luca put down her briefcase, she turned around and took out some other documents from the safe. "There''s still an hour before we start the meeting. Let''s take advantage of this time to go through the documents. If there are no concerns, please head to Watson Biopharmaceuticals tomorrow and complete the rest of the formalities with Ms. Stone." "Okay, Dr. Craw." Rhett nodded. Their files were almost ready for the drug to go public. "Then let''s get started." Luca opened the file and began to go through it line by line with Rhett. After an hour. After she had read through all the documents, Luca rubbed her aching temples and breathed a sigh of relief. "There''s no problem with the documents. It''s almost time, so let''s go to the conference room now." "Mm, Dr. Craw, are you okay? You look tired," Rhett said. "I''m okay. There''s nothing wrong. I just didn''t rest wellst night." Luca stood up while holding the stack of documents. "Dr. Craw, let me do it." Rhett hurriedly moved the documents from her side to his and carried everything. The two went into the conference room one after the other. The researchers were already waiting in the conference room. They greeted Luca when they saw her come in. The greetings came one after another, and Luca chose to reply with a nod and a smile. She sat on the chair and said to everyone, "Today''s meeting is about theunch of our drug. It''ll take some time. I hope you can understand." "No problem, Dr. Craw," two voices said simultaneously. They had waited for a long time for the drug tounch. If the drug was approved for use, they would receive a fat bonus. Luca started the meeting seeing that no one had objections. On the other hand. A City International Airport. After Matysh and Mandy got off the ne, they took the car arranged by the hotel and headed straight to the hotel. Mandy leaned on Matysh coquettishly, "Mr. Matysh, are you sure you don''t need me to apany you tonight?" "I have a meeting tonight. I don''t need you tonight," Matysh said. During this time, Mandy had been by his side, and to be honest, he was a little bored. He would have dumped her long ago if her face did not look like Luca''s. After all, no woman could stay by his side for such a long time. "I can go out when you guys are talking and cane back when you''re done. I''ve gotten used to sleeping by your side. I can''t go to bed without you." Mandy acted coquettish. She would be homeless if Matysh did not let her stay in the hotel with him. Her only choice would be to spend a lot of money staying in a hotel. After all, she has been by Matysh''s side for some time, so she felt that the house she was renting previously was a waste of her money. Hence, she moved out before the New Year. "No need. When I get back to the hotel, have the driver take you back to your ce. Also, it''s been a while since your friendst contacted us. Go and find out what happened. I need her help," Matysh said. When she heard that, Mandy knew he was not nning to let go of Luca. In the end, no matter how long she stayed with Matysh, she would still just be Luca''s recement. Mandy was discontented but did not dare to show it. She continued to smile coquettishly and said, "She should''ve been discharged from the hospital by now. I''ll go and look for her." "Mm," Matysh said with a sullen expression. As he looked at the streets of A City, he did not expect to stay in the country for such a long time because of Luca. He swore to get Luca within half a month. After all, he had been here for too long. His old man was unhappy and thought that he had lost his focus on many things. If he was forced to go back without Luca, his heart would be itching. He would still find a way to get her. After all, Mandy''s facial features were different from Luca''s. Shecked the cold temperament that Luca had, which made him less interested in her. Mandy took out her phone and contacted Leia. After Matysh got back to the hotel, she gave the driver Leia''s address. Soon enough, she arrived at the destination and looked at the apartment in front of her. Although she had never been to Norman Residence, she knew that Norman Residence was a vi, not an apartment. However, Leia gave her this address. Mandy had no choice but to go upstairs, find the floor that Leia mentioned, and ring the doorbell. It was a middle-aged woman who opened the door for her. Mandy knew Queenie and knew that the person who opened the door was obviously not Leia''s mother... "Is this Leia Norman''s home?" she asked. "Ah, you''re looking for Ms. Norman! You''re Ms. Sanders, right? Ms. Norman told me about your visit. Pleasee in." The maid opened the door wider to let Mandy in. There was a reason she was so cautious. Since Leia kicked Dexter Shaw and he was hospitalized, there were still many who cursed Leia on the inte. Some people even made memes about her andughed at them. The apartment''s management office was not particrly strict. Some reporters who ran out of topics to write about woulde to the door to take a photo of Leia and try to get some information to write news on it. Chapter 2498 Mandy walked into the apartment with a puzzled look. She saw Leia sitting on the sofa and strolled toward her, asking, "Why is your housemaid being extra careful?" ¡°me those reporters who are fanning the mes!¡± Leia gritted her teeth angrily when she mentioned those reporters who would not stop pestering her. "Reporters? You''ve retired for quite some time, right? Why are the reporters still hounding you?¡± Mandy seldom read the news on the inte. That was why she did not know the news about Leia kicking Dexter. She wondered why there were reporters still trying to hound Leia when she did not have any great shows or impressive acting skills. Could it be that it was simply because she was Jack Norman''s daughter? "Don''t mention it. What an unlucky day." Leia did not expect that kicking Dexter out of anxiety would affect her so much. Someone told her that some teachers even used her incident with Dexter as an example in educating their students, exining that it was wrong to do so. Even the teachers were talking about it, not to mention the parents. Hence, not only was she a bad person in everyone''s mind, but she was also a bad person to those innocent kids. Thest time she went to the hospital for a follow-up examination, she was recognized by a little child. He pointed at her and said she was a bad woman who showed no respect to her parents. The child cried out so loudly. It got Leia in the spotlight, and she was instantly surrounded by onlookers. Atst, it was the hospital''s security guard who took her away to prevent her from getting scolded by the public. Mandy saw the gloomy look on Leia''s face and knew that it must be something bad. Previously, when Leia was still a celebrity, she loved interacting with reporters. She would constantly build her public persona in front of the reporters just to be in the headlines. Leia looked like she wanted to cut those reporters into pieces now. "Fine. Let''s not talk about it, then. How are you feeling now?" Mandy quickly changed the subject of the conversation. Although she had partnered up with Leia, she did not want to get jinxed by Leia. "It''s the same. I thought my health would improve after the transnt. Who would have known that I''d have to eat more pills than before? My mouth is full of a bitter taste from taking so much medicine every day," Leia said with disgust. She nced at the time. It was time for her to take her medicine now. The maid carried a ss of water and a dozen pills. She walked toward her, "Ms. Norman, it''s time to take your medicine." ¡°Can I not take them?¡± Leia frowned. She felt nauseous when she saw so many pills. The maid replied awkwardly, ¡°These are the pills the doctor prescribed for you. They''re good for your health. It''d be better for you to take them..." When Leia went to the hospital for a follow-up two days ago, the doctor found out that she had inmmation in her body. He gave her tons of medicines and told her that she had to take these for a course of treatment. Then, she had toe back for a check-up again. "That''s a lot." Mandy was surprised to see that. She knew one had to take a lot of medicine after going through an organ transnt, but she had never seen anyone take so many medicine pills. "Yes. I think the doctor did it on purpose," Leiained, but she took the pills and swallowed them one by one. Leia had been on the verge of death, so she appreciated her life now. What concerned her the most was that the transnt would fail and she would have to look for another liver. After everything that happened, she knew that it was not only Jack who was not siding her with now but also Queenie. Even though they were wealthy, they would not spend the money on her to look for a liver donor. That was why she could not fall ill anymore. "You can''t say that. There must be a reason why the doctor gave you so many medicines," replied Mandy. She recalled how Leia had lived her life in New York, then saw how miserable she was now. She could see that it was Leia who abused her health and ended up like this today with just a nce. Mandy remembered that she had advised Leia not to go to extremes in having fun as it would exhaust her body. Leia did not take her advice seriously, and it sounded like a joke to her at that time. s, Leia ended up like this today. She ignored what Mandy said. After all, the medicine tasted bitter. She had to swallow them slowly. Mandy was not in a hurry either. She had time, and she could wait until Leia finished swallowing all the pills. After Leia finished swallowing the pills, she gulped down a ss of warm water to cleanse the bitter taste in her mouth. "It hurts me to see you like this." Mandy could not help but heave a sigh. ¡°Why did youe here?" Leia asked. She knew she was not that close with Mandy to the extent that Mandy woulde to visit her and care for her health. The friendship between Leia and Mandy was built on mutual interests and benefits. Frankly, if it were not for Leia''s father who had a high social status, Mandy would not have visited her in the first ce. They would not be in contact with each other either. Mandy smiled and turned to look at the maid. Leia immediately understood and said to the maid, ¡°Ms. Sanders will be staying for dinner tonight. Go get some ingredients at the supermarket." "Ingredients? Ms. Norman, there are enough ingredients in the fridge." Of course, the maid was aware of that. However, Jack had told her before that no matter who came looking for Leia, she had to keep an eye on them. Otherwise, Leia might cause trouble again. Leia frowned. She deliberately put the maid, who refused to leave, in a difficult position. "Can you receive the guests with those ingredients? It''s fine if I''m the one who''s taking a clean diet, but you can''t entertain guests with such food, right? Ms. Sanders loves steak. Go get some and prepare it for her. If you don''t know how to prepare steaks, go to the Michelin restaurant nearby to get one for her." "Uh..." The maid did not expect Leia to demand so much. "Are you going or not? Ms. Sanders has just returned from overseas. She can''t get used to eating such nd and tasteless meals." Leia glowered at her. She knew Jack sent the maid here to take care of her and to keep a close watch over her. It was inconvenient for Leia to talk to Mandy if the maid was there. "Okay, Ms. Norman." The maid felt aggrieved. The meal she prepared did not taste that bad. It was just that Leia''s health had yet to fully recover. She needed to follow the doctor''s instructions. Leia could not take food that was too sweet or too salty. Otherwise, it would be bad for her health. The meals she prepared were based on the healthy meal ns the hospital prepared. The maid asked in an aggrieved tone, "Ms. Sanders, how do you like your steak?" "Medium rare, please." Mandy had been influenced by Matyshtely. She did not like steak that was well done. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Okay. I''ll go now," replied the maid. She picked up her coat and purse, then left the apartment. Leia could not help but mock Mandy, "I thought you didn''t like rare steak back then? I didn''t expect you to have changed your taste." "It''s thanks to Matysh," Mandy replied helplessly. Matysh wanted to maintain hisvish lifestyle no matter where he went. Everything had to be based on a set of standards. Matysh would despise her if her standards were different from his. Hence, her lifestyle and living standard changed a lot after some time. Leia could not help but mock her. "I didn''t know you''re so close with your sugar daddy. You even got influenced by him. Is he still nning to get that woman?" Chapter 2499 Leia knew that Mandy was merely Luca''s substitute. Someone like Matysh who always had women around him would not make himself feel lonely before he had Luca. Hence, Mandy became a recement. However, she would always be a recement. Mandy could never truly rece Luca to satisfy Matysh''s desires. After all, men who were smart enough would choose Luca. Women like Mandy were not the ones who could be good wives. In the end, if any of those wealthy men married Mandy, it must be because he was blinded by her. ¡°If he has already put it behind him, I wouldn''t have had to send your maid away." Mandy rolled her eyes. Leia knew exactly what she wanted to say, but she deliberately mentioned it. Was she not mocking her for not being able to win a man''s heart? "It''s been quite some time since I received any messages from you. I thought he had given up on that woman. Didn''t you go on a vacation with himst time? I saw that you were enjoying yourself and having fun when I saw your Stories. Why didn''t you seize the chance to make him fall for you?" Leia deliberately mentioned it, reminding Mandy that she had failed to seduce a man. "All he thinks about is that woman! Stop talking about it. It''s frustrating." Mandy frowned. Nine times out of ten, Matysh would take her as that woman when they were making love. It made her lose interest when he called Luca''s name every time. "Come on, you had the whole month. Why didn''t you think of a way to get pregnant with his baby? He might be yours after you have his baby. You could probably be a nobledy." Leia continued to mock her, but she was pretty sure that Mandy did not have the chance to marry into a wealthy family. "Say no more. There''s not even a chance for someone like me. Even if it''s Luca or you, his family will turn their noses up at us. If I scheme against him to get pregnant with his baby, I''ll end up aborting it or I''ll get killed by his men. I won''t even have the chance to give birth to his child. After all, not everyone is lucky enough to give birth to a rich man''s baby after getting pregnant. Besides, if I really get pregnant, it''s hard to guarantee whether the child will be healthy or not. I''d rather not think that much. Otherwise, my brain will explode," replied Mandy, inadvertently mocking Leia. Previously, Leia was trying to marry into the Hilton family with a child that was not Brody''s. However, even God did not help her. She failed to seize the chance. It reminded Leia of what happened between her and Brody. Everything was going well at first, but fate did not allow her n to unfold. Something happened to the baby that was not part of the Hilton family... ¡°Fine. You did the right thing by not getting pregnant. Tell me, what does he want from me?" Leia sounded stiff. If it were not for the baby, she would probably be the honorabledy of the Hilton family now. She would not have to suffer so much either. "What else can he ask from you? He wants you to cooperate with him. When it''s time to make a move, just ask Luca out so that his men can take her away," said Mandy. She had no idea how Matysh was going to do it. After all, Matysh must be discussing this with the person he would be meeting tonight. Hence, Mandy could roughly tell Leia about his n. Then, she could make a move when it was the right time. Leia frowned. The n was the same as the one back then where she helped the other party kidnap Bianca. The seemingly familiar feeling upset her. Although the n had seeded back then, Luke did not let her get away with it easily. That was how she ended up like this. This time, if she got involved in such a n again, Luke might make a move on her. After all, she was pretty sure that something was going on between Luke and that woman. That was why she was a little terrified now. When Leia agreed to help Matysh back then, she wanted a sum of money to get a liver on the ck market. Her health was slowly recovering now. Although Jack was no longer kind to her, he would not go as far as ignoring her. Leia wanted to reject it. She refused to agree to do such a thing. Mandy noticed that Leia was not saying anything. She immediately said, "Leia, you''re not thinking of rejecting, right? You promised Mr. Matysh back then, and you can''t bail on him now. Otherwise, we''re going to end up badly." If Matysh found out that Leia was backing out now and did not intend to lend him a hand, he would fly into a rage. After all, Leia was included in all the ns. In the end, Mandy would have to suffer. Mandy did not want to give Matysh a chance to punish her just because of Leia. "Leia, there''s no turning back now." "I didn''t take his money, so it''s not considered a promise. Besides, no matter how strong his family background is, keep in mind that this is A City. This isn''t a ce where he can do whatever he wants and stir up trouble. He can''t do anything to me either. Why should I be afraid of him?" Leia pouted and said unconcernedly. Even if Matysh was mad, she was not the one he would deal with. Mandy would have to deal with him instead. What did it have to do with her? "Leia, you can''t throw me under the bus like that. Think about it. Even though you''re recovering now, there are still tons of expenses. Didn''t you tell me that Mr. Norman is no longer concerned about you? Are you expecting your father to pay for your living expenses and yourvish lifestyle after you''ve recovered? Don''t be silly. No one will be as generous as Mr. Matysh. You''d better agree with it. Plus, you don''t have to do much either." Mandy convinced her patiently. Who would not want money? Although Leia''s family was wealthy, it seemed like the Norman family had nothing much to do with her now. Leia fell silent for a few seconds. The future ahead would not be easy for her, but it was mainly because of money. She could get a hefty sum of money for helping Matysh to get Luca. She could spend the money extravagantly without anyone stopping her. Leia replied awkwardly, "Don''t you know that Luca is together with Luke now? The reason why I was sent to New York was that Luke thought I had something to do with his wife being kidnapped, but I was a victim too. I just happened to be at the scene. If you ask me to cooperate with him and invite Luca out, Luke wille after me when the timees. Who''s going to help me then? Even if I have money, I''m no match for Luke Crawford!" Mandy frowned. She could not help but secretly judge Leia for being a coward. ¡°Plus, after what happenedst time, Luca doesn''t even talk to me now. Not even my mother can convince her. There''s really nothing I can do for Mr. Matysh,¡± said Leia. Previously, it was not only for money that Leia promised to help Matysh. She wanted to risk her life to take revenge on Luke too. Her life was no longer at risk now, though. Why should she risk her life to take revenge on Luke? She was not that dumb. "Stop giving excuses. I know you''ll think of a way to ask Luca out. I''ve got an idea to let you help Mr. Matysh without showing your face. Luke won''t even doubt you even after you receive the money." Mandy was sharp enough toe up with an idea in the blink of an eye.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Chapter 2500 A cunning look appeared in Leia''s eyes. She could not help but wonder what Mandy had in mind, so she asked, ¡°What is it?" Mandy smiled. She leaned closer to her and whispered in Leia''s ears. Leia''s eyes lit up, and she replied, "If we''re going to do it this way, I can help." "I''ll take that as a yes, then. Don''t go back on your word this time," said Mandy. She picked up her phone, pretending to search for something, but she was actually keeping evidence. "If I don''t have to show my face but I can help him get Luca, that won''t be a problem." Leia paused for a moment. "But will I still receive the same amount of money?" "Of course. That amount of money is just a drop in the ocean for Mr. Matysh." Mandy tapped the save button on her phone screen satisfyingly. When Mandy found out Luke was not someone who could be messed with, she was extra careful. Mandy took the evidence to prevent Leia from ndering her if their plot got exposed. It was also to prove that Leia had agreed to do so and Mandy was not alone in this. Even if Mandy were to be held ountable, she had to drag someone into this too. "Fine. It''s a deal. You should stop helping Matysh to find a way to get his hands on that woman. You have to look out for yourself too. If that man has Luca, you''re going to get kicked out. Fish for a quick buck while you can," Leia deliberately said to Mandy to remind her that she was merely a recement. It was to take revenge on Mandy for twisting the knife in her wound. "I''ve always been nning to do so. You don''t have to worry about it. I''m not that dumb." Mandy could not be bothered by her mockery. Although Mandy was unhappy that Matysh only saw her as Luca''s recement, she had such feelings not because she had fallen in love with Matysh. Mandy and Leia were people who would put their own interests first. Speaking of being independent, Mandy thought she was the most special onepared to others. She was not anyone''s recement. If they were really talking about recements, Luca was her recement. However, Matysh did not think so. Mandy did not continue to argue with him for the sake of money. Matysh had money, and that was why Mandy clung to him. There was no other reason other than that. She knew deals that involved money would notst forever. Hence, she had been seizing every chance to get more money from Matysh when she could. For instance, when they went on vacation at Peace Valley Vi, not only was she enjoying the vacation and having fun, but she had also been filling up her bank ount with money whenever she had the chance to do so. Hence, even though Matysh would get Luca, the money in her bank ount would be enough for her to continue living avish lifestyle until she found her next sugar daddy. Leia could not help but feel jealous of Mandy when she saw the unconcerned look on her face. Just look at how carefree she was. The two of them had the same job when they were in New York back then. However, Mandy was still living her life carefreely. Not only had Leia''s health worsened, but she also did not even have someone to support her... Leia clenched her fists and demanded Mandy leave. "Fine. Just text me if you need me to do anything in the future. Don''t call. I''m afraid someone will be eavesdropping. Besides, don''te that often. My father sent the maid here to keep an eye on me. He''ll suspect something if youe here often. Mandy blinked her eyes and asked, ¡°Didn''t you say that I''ll be having dinner here? Kicking me out like that will make you look bad.¡± "Did you really think you were staying for dinner? I have to go to the hospitalter. I don''t have time for you." Leia came up with an excuse and asked her to leave. She did ask the maid to get a steak, but she did not have to let Mandy have it. It had been a long time since Leia had steak. She had almost forgotten how it tasted. Mandy knew Leia was being stingy. She deliberately smiled and mocked her, "Leia, you call yourself a friend for treating me like this? I was the one who introduced you to such a great deal." "It''s not considered a sess before I receive the money. Let''s talk about it after I get it. I''m going to tidy up my medical records. You may leave." Leia waved at Mandy, telling her that she was busy. Mandy secretly cursed Leia, but she had no choice but to leave. She initially thought of spending the night here at Leia''s ce. That way, she could save some money by not staying in a five-star hotel. However, there was nowhere she could go now. She had no choice but to stay in a hotel. Mandy left the apartment. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Someone in the car that was parked beside the road opposite the apartment nced at the time. Then, he said to his partner, "This woman was in there for one and a half hours." "They were talking for such a long time. I guess they''ve probably finished talking," replied the other man. "Yes. What a pity. Boss should''ve let us enter the apartment to install some bugging devices or recording equipment. That way, we can find out what they were talking about." "Even if there''s no equipment, we can still find out what they talked about. Don''t worry, let''s report to him first." "Okay." The man picked up his phone and reported it to his superior. They were Gale''s subordinates, and they were responsible for keeping an eye on Matysh. After the people in the car that was parked beside the road saw Mandy get into a taxi, they immediately followed her. The maid carried the steak back to the apartment, only to see Leia sitting on the sofa. She said, ¡°Ms. Norman, here''s the steak." "Okay. Put it in the fridge first. Cook it wellter," Leia replied in azy tone. She preferred her steak medium well, unlike Mandy who liked it less cooked. "It''ll taste different if I put it in the fridge. Anyway, where''s Ms. Sanders?" the maid asked with confusion. It was unlikely that Leia did not know about this. "Something came up and she left. I''m going to have the steak. I''m not used to having it medium. Please cook it for a longer time for me." Leia changed TV channels with a bored look. "Ah... Ms. Norman, you can''t have steak," the maid immediately reminded Leia. "The doctor said you''re only allowed to have clean food. Steak is oily and salty, and the seasonings areplicated. It''s bad for your health." Leia could not help but stand up when she listened to the maid nagging. "Shut up!" "I''m just concerned about your health," the maid exined helplessly. She could not understand why Leia did not know how to appreciate the precious liver donated to her after spending so much money to do the transnt and receive treatment. The other patients would have taken good care of their livers. Why was Leia doing the opposite instead? "It''s just a piece of steak!" Leia replied impatiently, "Why? You just want to have a taste of such an expensive steak, right? Is that something you''re allowed to eat? Can you even afford it?" The maid felt like she had been grievously wronged. Her face reddened. It was not because she wanted to have it but because Leia was not allowed to have it. If something happened to Leia after having it, how was she supposed to exin it to the Norman family? "Ms. Norman, that''s not true. But the steak." "How frustrating!" Leia raised her voice and interrupted her. Her body was still weak. Throwing a tantrum made her gasp for air. Chapter 2501 The maid noticed that Leia was feeling weak. She came forward to help her up and said, ¡°Ms. Norman, don''t be mad. I don''t intend to have the steak..." Leia pushed the maid''s hand away and snatched the packaging that contained the steak in her hands. "Ms. Leia!" The maid let out a cry as Leia stepped on her foot when she was snatching the food from her. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Leia sneered at her and threw the steak into the trash bin. "You refuse to let me have it, huh?! Don''t even think of having it for yourself. Is that something people like you can afford?" The maid''s face turned pale as her foot hurt. The maid felt grievously wronged for what Leia said to her. The steak was initially for her guest. The guest had left, but she was not nning on having it. However, Leia was not allowed to have it either, and that was why she stopped her. Still, not only was Leia humiliating her, but she even intentionally stepped on her foot. The maid felt hard done by her. Leia let out a sneer when she saw the maid''s reddened eyes and said, "Go back to the kitchen. Don''t stay here and be an eyesore." The maid frowned and turned around. She recalled what Queenie told her on the phone just now. She had no choice but to turn around again, "Ms. Norman." "Did I not make myself clear?" Leia scowled as hatred filled her eyes. Although the maid came here to serve her, it was obvious that she came here to keep an eye on her too! The maid summarized everything and said, "Ms. Norman, Mrs. Norman called and said that the Light Festival will be held in two days. She wondered if you were going back home for dinner." "No. I don''t have time." Leia rejected it without a second thought. Even though it was Jack''s arrangement for Leia to stay here and Queenie had nothing to do with it, Leia held a grudge in her heart. Leia hated Queenie for being worthless. She would not have had to ept Dexter''s liver if Queenie was willing to pay for a liver. She would not have to stay in this small and narrow apartment without being allowed to go home. Leia could have lived her life as Ms. Norman without having to worry about money. It was all because of Queenie. If Queenie could be more firm, Leia would still be living in Norman Residence while enjoying the ttery of others. "Okay." The maid did not persuade her. After she got the answer, she hurried to the kitchen as though she was running away from a monster. Leia sneered and scolded, ¡°Coward.¡± The maid did not stop as though she did not hear what she said. When she returned to the kitchen, the maid told Queenie about Leia''s response. Leia refused to talk to Queenie now. Hence, the maid conveyed the message. Queenie could not help but let out a sigh when she heard what the maid said. ¡°I got it. By the way, is Leia able to sleep well these days?" Queenie heard that Leia was unable to sleep well at the apartment after she got discharged from the hospital. She thought of asking Leia to stay in Norman Residence for a while, leaving the other matters to be discussedter after she recovered. However, Jack did not allow that. Hence, Leia was sent to the apartment right after she got discharged. Therefore, Leia had been feeling dissatisfied with their arrangement since then. "It''s still the same. I informed the doctor about her situation when she went for a check-up two days ago, but the doctor doesn''t n to give Ms. Norman any sleeping pills. It''s to prevent the side effects of the medicine," answered the maid. She could feel the throbbing pain in her foot, so she moved a chair and sat down on it. "Sigh, what the doctor said makes sense too..." Queenie felt sorry for Leia. She felt helpless as well. If it were not for Jack, who wanted to send Leia back to New York like he did back then, being determined in forbidding Leia to move back here, Queenie could have convinced him. However, Queenie could sense Jack''s persistence. She could not say much. Otherwise, Leia would be sent to New York before her health had fully recovered. "Mrs. Norman, don''t worry. Ms. Norman''s health is getting better day by day. She''ll regain her health as long as she continues to take the medicines,"forted the maid. The way Leia yelled at her a moment ago did not seem like someone ill. The maid would have thought that Leia was just pretending to be sick if she had not gotten the transnt surgery. "Okay. Please inform me in the first instance if anything happens." Queenie hung up the call after that. The maid put her phone back in her pocket and heaved a sigh. Were they not mother and daughter? Why was there such a big difference in their temperament? However, the maid had seen it on the news. Leia was adopted at the orphanage. She was an adopted daughter, and they did not share the same bloodline. That was why it was normal that there was such a big difference in the two''s personalities and behaviors. Leia was given such a good education by the Norman family, yet she was rotten to the core. The maid felt helpless. She secretly let out a sigh. Some people were born evil. What changes did it make even if she grew up in such a good environment? Did it do her any good even though she was well-educated? She was still as evil as her father! A trace of resentment shed across the maid''s eyes at the thought of it. Something had happened between the maid and Leia''s biological father, Dexter, back then. That was why the maid knew Leia was Dexter''s biological daughter after she saw their news on the inte. Then, she saw that Jack was recruiting a maid at the home servicespany. After those people found out that he was hiring someone to look after Leia, they retreated right away. The maid working for the Norman family was from the samepany. Hence, everyone there knew how hard it was to serve Leia and how bad-tempered she was. As a result, she was the one who volunteered to apply for the job. Even though she did not have much experience in taking care of someone, Jack hired her. The reason was simple, Jack had no other choice. The maid massaged her foot and mumbled in a low voice, "I''ll endure everything now. Then, I''ll pay you back double." "What are you mumbling about?" Leia stood at the kitchen door. The maid''s voice was so soft that she could not hear what she said. However, it sounded like she was angry and resentful. Leia narrowed her eyes and asked, "Were you cursing me just now?" The maid was anxious at first. After she heard what Leia said, she realized Leia did not hear what she said. Hence, she immediately replied, "No, Ms. Norman. Is there anything I can help with?" "Were you touching your foot just now?" Leia frowned with a disgusted look on her face. "Uh... My foot was hurting." The maid rose to her feet and exined embarrassedly. "How disgusting." Leia cringed. "I wonder how someone as unhygienic as you could be a maid." The maid pursed her lips and said nothing. Leia walked into the kitchen, poured a ss of water, and left. The maid watched her from behind. If it were not for her and Dexter, she could have lived a better life! How she wished Leia could experience what she had gone through in the past one day. The maid clenched her fists. She would make sure that she put the saddle on the right horse. Even if the father and daughter were not on good terms, she wanted the two of them to pay the price! After all, she had to try to let Leia have a taste of the pain she went through. It was engraved on her bones. Even though she lived a peaceful life now, she could never be able to forget it! Chapter 2502 T Corporation. Luca and the research team had a meeting for a few hours. They even had lunch in the meeting room. The meetingsted until four in the afternoon. That was when they finally finished arranging everything. Luca''s voice was already a little hoarse. She could not stand talking for such a long time. Luca took a sip of the water and looked at the researchers who were discussing with each other, waiting for them to give her a final answer. After a while, one of the researchers represented the others and said, ¡°Dr. Craw, we believe that the n and price are just right. We can submit the price to them when the employees are dealing with the Food and Drug Administration." "Okay. It''s settled then since there are no other problems. Other than that, I have good news for everyone." Luca paused for a moment. "Mr. Crawford is nning to open aboratory in Watson Biopharmaceuticals for everyone. Every researcher and assistant is allowed to do experiments there. There''s no limit to what kind of drugs you study. As long as you have an idea in mind, you''re allowed to give it a try. If there''s progress with your research, it can be listed in the research projects. Everyone can be like the professors, leading a research project." "Is it true?" The researchers were excited to hear the news. Their knowledge of biopharmaceuticals was not any less than the professors. The reason they became researchers was due to the universities they went to. As a result, their experience was not as good as the professors. Hence, even though they had ideas in mind, they would have to wait for thepany''s approval to know if they could do the research. Everyone had research ideas of their own, but they could not carry them out due to theck of equipment. "Yes. I''ve already confirmed with Mr. Crawford. He should be announcing it in a few days. Besides, after our drug is sessfullyunched in the market, we''ll return to the office in Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Everyone can do their own research when the timees. Of course, we have to be focused on thepany''s existing research projects. We have toplete the projects assigned to us first to be able to work on our research." Luca could see how excited they were by looking into their eyes. The lights in theboratory of Watson Biopharmaceuticals would probably be on all night once theb opened. They were people who had dreams to pursue, after all. "That''s great, Dr. Craw. I''ve worked for a few pharmaceuticalpanies before, but none of them are like Watson Biopharmaceuticals. They give their employees such a good dividend policy," said one of the elder researchers. Based on his experience, they were merelymanders who couldplete the research projects their superiors had assigned them. As for the research they wanted to do, there was no room for them to work on them. Now that Watson Biopharmaceuticals had given them a chance to work on the research they wanted to study, it was good news to them. What Luca said made many of them exhrated. Luca thought about the research she was working on. She would be able to develop the antidote soon with the equipment in Watson Biopharmaceuticals. However, would Abel give her the time and chance to do so? Luca picked up her phone and nced at it. She muted her phone as she was attending the meeting. Hence, she had no idea if Abel had replied to her message. She unlocked her phone screen. There were no messages or missed calls. She could not help but let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Abel did not reply to her. Perhaps Abel just acted on a whim yesterday. Luca noticed the date. She should be taking her antidote soon... It was just that Warren was the one who sent her to the office and back home every day. What could she do to stop Warren from following her? If she asked Warren to send her to such ces, it would arouse his suspicion. Luca pondered for a moment and said to them, "That''s all for today. We''ll leave the application to the company." "Okay, Dr. Craw," they replied. Luca picked up the documents and rose to her feet. Then, she left the meeting room. Rhett carried his documents and followed behind her. After they walked out of the meeting room, Rhett carefully asked, "Dr. Craw, has what you mentioned just now been confirmed?" "What?" Luca was thinking about the antidote. She did not pay attention to what Rhett was saying to her. "About theb," replied Rhett. "Oh, that. Since Mr. Crawford already mentioned it, he probably won''t back out on it," said Luca. The matters Luke discussed with her were mostly confirmed. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. She only had to wait for Luke to inform the general manager working in Watson Biopharmaceuticals to carry out the n immediately. "Great!" Rhett whooped with excitement. He had something he wanted to study too, but he was just an assistant. He did not have the chance to do so before this. Theboratories out there were too expensive to rent. Besides, he had to work overtime. It was not worth it if he rented aboratory. "Good luck!" Luca cheered for him as she knew Rhett had something he wanted to study too. Then, she added, ¡°Oh, I''m going outter. But it won''t look good to ask for a leave on the first day of work. Can you do me a favor? Tell Ms. Davis that I''m going out to handle some work matters. I''lle back before getting off work." Rhett was a little surprised. Luca was not that kind of person, but she wanted him to cover up for her now. Something must havee up. He nodded and replied, "No problem, Dr. Craw. You''re going to deal with your personal matters, right? Do you need any help?" "Thanks but it''s just a small matter," said Luca as she shook her head. Rhett nodded and no longer said anything. Luca''s matters were not something he could intervene in. Luca left the office after she ced all the documents properly. Rhett had informed Zoey earlier, so she watched Luca leave without reporting it to Luke. Luca got into the elevator and headed downstairs. She knew Warren would be waiting at the parking lot, so she got out of the elevator instead of going to the parking lot. After Luca left T Corporation''s building, she hailed a taxi and headed to the stronghold of Ind of Despair in A City. Everything went smoothly when she took the antidote. Luca finished the antidote and walked out of the building after they checked on her. She pushed the door open. A cold gust of wind swept across her face. Luca could not help but shiver. The location was slightly remote, and she could not hail a ride here. She had to walk toward the main road. Luca pulled her coat tight and walked in the wind toward the street. Luca had her head lowered a little when she bumped into someone by ident. "I''m sorry." The moment their shoulders touched, Luca lifted her head and realized she had run into a middle-aged woman. It was a woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. Luca immediately bent down and helped the woman up. She spoke Russian, "I''m sorry. Are you okay?" "I''m fine." The woman shook her head and replied in fluent English. Luca realized the woman could speak thenguage, so she no longer spoke in Russian. "I''m sorry. I didn''t notice you when I was walking. Do you need me to bring you to the hospital?" Although the woman in front of her did not seem to be intentionally looking for trouble, Luca found it unbelievable that she actually bumped into someone and made that person fall. Chapter 2503 Although the woman in front of her was skinny, she was tall. She was a foot taller than Luca, and she did not seem like the type who one would fall easily. The woman shook her head and replied, ¡°No, thanks. I was in a hurry. It''s not your fault." After that, she headed straight and kept going. She was slightly limping after she fell just now. Luca felt sorry for her and came forward to help her up. "It''s my fault. Where are you going? Let me help you." ¡°I''m going home. It''s not far away from here. Youngdy, go ahead. I''ll be fine." The woman did not intend to me Luca for it. It was not a big deal. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Since it''s not far away, let me send you home. You don''t want to head to the hospital for a check-up, so at least let me send you home. That way, I won''t worry about you," Luca insisted. "Okay. Thank you." The woman did not insist on walking back herself. She let Luca help her home. Fortunately, the weather was cold but she wore enoughyers to keep herself warm. Hence, it only hurt a little. "It''s nothing." Luca carefully helped the woman up. Even though she woreyers of clothes, Luca could still feel how skinny and weak the woman was. Foreigners were tall and big-boned. That was why the woman looked taller than Luca, but she was skinny. Luca immediately understood why the woman fell after she bumped into her. Luca could not help but wonder at the thought of this. Foreigners usually could get a good job in A City. Many parents were willing to send their children to foreign teachers to teach them othernguages. Hence, they were able to live afortable life with such a job. However, the woman in front of her... Other than her blonde hair and blue eyes, the way she dressed and herplexion were the same as the people living on this street. She looked poor. Luca could not help but get even more confused. She was good at judging someone''s character. Even though the woman fell after being bumped into, she did not pester Luca. All she wanted was to go home. The woman''s gentle aura made Luca feel like the woman in front of her was a well-educated middle-aged woman. "We''ve arrived. Thank you, youngdy." The woman interrupted Luca''s thoughts. Luca lifted her head and nced at the shabby house. The lower ss in A City would usually stay in ces like this. Normally, it was hard to see foreigners staying on this street. "Okay. Oh, I''ll leave you my name card. Feel free to call me anytime when you need help," said Luca as she took her name card out of her pocket and handed it to her. The woman took the name card from Luca, smiled, and replied, "Don''t worry. I won''te looking for trouble." "I shall leave." Luca gave her a polite nod, turned around, and wondered which country the woman came from. She could speak English well, and she did not have a foreign ent. While Luca pondered, she nced at the time. She would not make it to the office before getting off work if she did not hail a ride soon. She quickly walked out of the alley and hailed a taxi back to T Corporation. Luca managed to return to her office before it was time to get off work. She pushed her office door open, only to notice that there was a basket of fruits on her coffee table. Luca blinked her eyes. She left in a hurry just now. That was why she did not notice whether the fruits were already on the table or not. She turned around, headed to the assistants'' office, and asked Zoey, who was busy photocopying the documents, ¡°Ms. Davis, what''s with the fruit basket in my office?¡± "Dr. Craw, it''s the fruit basket Boss asked Mr. Doyle to get for you." Zoey smiled. Zoey already knew something was going on between Luca and their boss, so she chuckled. "When was it sent here?" Luca asked as she became alert. If Jason had sent the fruits to her office while she went out, then she probably could not hide the fact that she had gone out during office hours from Luke. Now, Matysh still had his eyes on her. Luca would certainly get scolded by Luke for hiding things from him and not asking Warren to send her around. "It was around noon. You already had lunch at that time, and it was inappropriate to deliver the fruit basket Boss got you to the meeting room. So, he left it in your office. Didn''t you see it just now? The fruit basket has always been there," answered Zoey while she arranged the photocopied documents. Luca let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, it was sent around noon time. "I was in a hurry, so I didn''t notice. Thanks." After Luca thanked her, she turned around and returned to her office. Luca sat on the sofa and stared at the fruit basket. Even though it was left there for an afternoon, the temperature was low, and that was why the fruits still looked fresh. They were all imported fruits. Luke had prepared this fruit basket for her. Luca nced at the time. It was time to get off work. She tidied her stuff and carried the fruit basket along with her. After she punched out of work, she headed to the basement parking lot. Warren was waiting beside the car for her. ¡°Ms. Craw, you''ve finished work?" Warren asked and opened the rear door of the car. ¡°Yes. Thank you." Luca bent down and got into the car. Then, she closed the car door. The fruit basket was ced on her thighs steadily. Warren sat in the driver''s seat. He fastened the seat belt and asked, "Would you like to go home now?" Home... Luca''s lips curled a little. That was her home. "Yes. Send me home please," said Luca. The adults had started working, but the schools were not open yet. The kids must miss her. Besides, Vivian would be waiting for her too. She wondered what Vivian would do to kill time. The phone in her pocket vibrated for a moment. Luca picked it up and nced at it. It was a message from Luke. [Have you gotten off work?] [Yes. I just got into the car.] Luca gently tapped on the phone screen and replied. [Stay safe. I''ll be working overtime at the office today. Don''t wait for me for dinner.] Luke replied to her message soon. [Okay.] Luca ced her phone back into her pocket after the message was sessfully sent. It seemed like they had a bond of understanding between them. When Luca knew Luke would not reply to her message, he truly would not reply. Hence, the phone that was in her pocket no longer rang while she was on her way back. When she arrived at the gate and Warren was about to swipe the card to enter, Luca noticed a man standing beside the car. She quickly said, "Warren, wait!" "Ms. Craw, what''s the matter?" Warren looked at her with confusion through the rearview mirror. Nothing had happened when they were on the way here, but Luca''s tone of voice made him worried. "I saw someone familiar. Park the car beside the road first. Don''t block the entrance," said Luca. "Okay, Ms. Craw." Warren reversed the car and parked the car at the temporary parking lot beside the street. Luca ced the fruit basket on the empty seat beside her, pushed the door open, and prepared to get out of the car. "Ms. Craw, be careful," reminded Warren. "It''s okay. He''s someone I know. He won''t hurt me." Luca smiled and bent down to get out of the car. Chapter 2504 Warren nodded. Even though Luca said so, his gaze followed her as she went. Gordan stood at the entrance. He saw Luca getting out of the car and came closer to her. Then, he said, ¡°It seems like Luke treats you well. He even got a driver for you." Luca nodded and replied, "I''ve gotten into some trouble. That''s why he got me a driver. Aren''t you cold standing here?" Gordan''s gaze shifted away from her as he shot a meaningful nce at the neighborhood. Luca waited for his reply patiently and said, "It''s going to be cold when the snow melts. The weather forecast said there''s going to be a cold snap tonight. You won''t be able to stand the cold with theyers you have on now." Luca noticed that Gordan was not wearing enoughyers to keep himself warm. It matched his personality too. Gordan was good-looking. He was particr about dressing himself up too. He was someone who would rather be fashionable than befortable. Even though he was standing here waiting for Vivian, he was as outstanding as ever and attracted a lot of attention. Some of the people even made a wild guess, wondering if he was one of those people getting ready to debut in the entertainment industry. "I''m not afraid of the cold. Go home. Luke will me me for it if you catch a cold." Gordan refused to say anything more. Even Luke refused to help him, so he did not expect Luca to help. Luca was close with Vivian. Hence, she would only side with Vivian. Besides, what he had done in the past few years was unforgivable to them. "You can''t meet the person you want to see even though you stand here. Mr. Norton, why are you being stubborn?" Luca had been secretly suspecting if Gordan''s persistence was because of his affection for Vivian. Although Vivian did not look appealing, she had many strengths that made her personality shine despite her ugly appearance. No matter how much Gordan hated her, after years of living together, he should have noticed Vivian''s strengths. Her strengths were enough to make up for her imperfect appearance. "This is a public street. I''m standing here enjoying the scenery." Even though they both knew what each other was thinking, Gordan insisted oning up with an excuse. Luca shook her head. What a stubborn man. Sometimes, Luca thought the two of them should clear the air between them. However, Vivian was sure that she had made herself pretty clear in the agreement. There was no need to see each other and talk about it anymore. That was why the two of them ended up like this. Luca said, ¡°Yes. This is a public street, and no one will care about how long you''ve been standing here. Besides, you don''t look like a bad guy either. Even the security guards won''t drive you out. But will you be able to meet the person you''ve been longing for by standing at the entrance like this? Mr. Norton, there are many exits in this neighborhood.¡± Then, Luca turned around and climbed into the car. She only said that to tell Gordan that he would not run into Vivian by standing there. Furthermore, what he did would not touch Vivian either. Vivian would only feel troubled if she found out about it. Gordan watched Luca get into the car from behind. He could not help but feel irritated. He felt like his secret had been found out by Luca, and it seemed like it was hard to keep certain things a secret. Gordan was startled for a moment as he watched Luca leave. However, was there anything he had to hide? It seemed like... there was none... Gordan took a cigarette out of his pocket. He lit the cigarette and took a puff of it. Then, he frowned in disgust. The cigarette he used to smoke was bought in the Nordic countries of Europe. Vivian was the one who sent someone to get them for him. The smell of those cigarettes was pungent, and Gordan enjoyed them. The cigarettes he smoked now were no longer the ones Vivian bought for him. Gordan stubbed out the cigarette and threw it into the trash bin. He did not enjoy the cigarette, so he might as well not smoke it. ¡°What cigarettes did that woman buy for me?!¡± Gordan said in a depressed tone. Vivian would always keep the cigarettes in a delicate cigarette case when she bought them for him. That was why Gordan had no idea which cigarettes they were. However, he enjoyed smoking the cigarettes, and he had always stuck to the same brand. Vivian was willing to prepare those for him. Gordan did not have to worry that he would run out of cigarettes. When he finished all the cigarettes in the cigarette case, he would always see a few new cigarette cases in his drawer when he opened it. Luca returned to the vi. The three kids immediately came forward and surrounded her, talking excitedly. Most of them were about how much they had missed her. Luca felt d that the kids loved clinging to her, but she felt sorry for them at the same time. After Luca spent some time with the kids, she realized she could not see Vivian anywhere in the house. Hence, she asked, "Where''s Ms. Vivian?" ¡°Ms. Vivian is in the kitchen. She said she''d like to learn how to cook from Aunt Neile," answered Rainie. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Luca smiled. After she put down her briefcase, she let the kids watch a television show while she headed to the kitchen. Vivian was helping Aunt Neile out. ¡°Vivian, you don''t have to do this," said Luca. Vivian was Ray''s elder sister, and she was Luke''s honorable guest. How could she let the guest cook? ¡°Come on. The semester hasn''t started yet. I was bored after finishing my online course, so I came here to learn some cooking skills with Aunt Neile. Aunt Neile, I''m quite talented in cooking, right?" Vivian spoke in ineloquent English. ¡°Yes. Ms. Vivian is a fast learner. It''s just that the recipe might not taste as good as Ms. Craw''s," replied Aunt Neile with a smile. Luca was puzzled, then she asked, ¡°How do the two of youmunicate with each other?" Vivian could not speak fluent English, and she had difficulty pronouncing some words. She could only speak Russian and some English to express herself. However, Aunt Neile did not know how to speak any foreignnguages. "The samenguage every human share is gestures and signs," said Vivian. "Besides, don''t we have Tommy here? He''s good at it. He can be our trantor!" Luca smiled. She forgot Tommy couldmunicate with others in Russian. ¡°Hang on, let me get changed and help too," said Luca. Although she usually helped to prepare dinner, sometimes, she would let Aunt Neile prepare it if she was feeling tired. Her guest was already helping out in the kitchen. It would be inappropriate if she did note to help. "Luca, it''s okay. Leave it to me and Aunt Neile!" Vivian immediately replied. She could not wait to spend 24 hours doing something else other than bedtime. That way, she would not think of Gordan. "Mr. Crawford will me me for being unsophisticated and for letting the guest help out in the kitchen while I sit here and rx." Luca smiled jokingly. She walked out of the kitchen, headed to the second floor, and got changed. Luca nced at her phone and hurried downstairs. Luca walked into the kitchen and saw Vivian busy in the kitchen. She hesitated for a moment and wondered if she should tell Vivian that Gordan was waiting for her at the entrance. However, Luca eventually thought that it would be better not to tell her. Hence, she put the thought behind her and decided not to tell her. Gordan had to clean up his own mess. Let him face the consequences of what he had done. After all, Gordan had let Vivian down for the past few years. He should have a taste of his own medicine. No one could help him. It was up to them to decide whaty in the future ahead. Chapter 2505 "I''m here to help." Luca smiled and walked into the kitchen. She picked up the apron and put it on. Aunt Neile smiled and replied, "Luckily, the kitchen is spacious enough. Otherwise, there''s no space for the two of you to stand in here and help." "Aunt Neile, what should I do?" Luca asked. "I prepared soup today, but I haven''t added the seasonings into it. Why don''t you handle the seasoning?" said Aunt Neile. Vivian was here, so she prepared a few more dishes. "Okay." Luca opened the lid of the pot and realized Aunt Neile had prepared butternut squash soup. It was good for health, especially for people like Luke, who always worked overtime and was busy with work. Luca said, "Aunt Neile, save some in the pot to keep it warm. Mr. Crawford can have some when he''s back." Aunt Neile immediately asked, "Mr. Crawford isn''ting back for dinner tonight?" "Didn''t he tell you? He''s working overtime." Luca was a little surprised. Luke would inform Aunt Neile that he was not going home for dinner back then to prevent the wastage of food. Aunt Neile was a little surprised too, but she immediately understood. She smiled and said, "He didn''t, but Mr. Crawford informed you. So, I guess that''s considered telling someone." Luca''s face slightly reddened when Aunt Neile teased her. After she seasoned the soup, she said, "Aunt Neile, are there any dishes you haven''t cooked? Let me do it." "Young Master Tommy said he''d like to have spaghetti bolognese today. I was about to prepare it. Ms. Craw, why don''t you prepare it? They love your homemade food." Aunt Neile decided to let Luca take over the chef''s position, while she would help her out with Vivian. After all, Luca''s cooking skills were truly good. Both adults and children loved her homemade food. Luca took the spat from Aunt Neile without a second thought and prepared spaghetti bolognese for the kids. Half an hourter, all the dishes were ready. Aunt Neile saved some for Luke, while the rest were served on the dining table. They started having their dinner. The three kids quickly finished the spaghetti bolognese made by Luca, and they ate some of the other dishes too. It was time for the kids to watch their cartoon show after dinner. Luca picked up her phone and nced at the temperature outside, then she said to Aunt Neile, ¡°Aunt Neile, stop cleaning up. Go home now. There''ll be a cold snap tonight. You should go home earlier." Aunt Neile looked at the dining table awkwardly and said, "Ms. Craw, it''d be better for me to clean up the dining table before I leave." "Aunt Neile, leave it to me. It''s gettingte, and it''ll grow colder. It might rain too. You can''t tell if it''s going to snow and rain at the same time." Luca took the tablecloth from Aunt Neile and urged her to go home. Vivian managed to figure out what they were talking about, and she asked with confusion, "The temperature''s dropping tonight?" "Yes. Extreme and sudden temperature drops often happen this month. Ms. Craw, I''ll leave it to you, then." Aunt Neile took off her apron. She refused to suffer the horrendous weather condition as well. Vivian shot a thoughtful nce outside the window and asked, "But it was warm this morning. Luca, did the weather forecast make a mistake?" "I don''t think so. The cold snap often happens out of the blue. Is the heating in your room warm enough? Let me give you another nket if you''re afraid of the cold." Luca noticed Vivian was looking outside the window. Vivian probably knew Gordan was waiting outside the entrance... It waste. Gordan should have left. He would not be that silly, standing there waiting for Vivian. Gordan did not look like the kind of person who would be willing to lose out on anything. Vivian fell silent, and she was lost in thoughts. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Luca called out for her again, "Vivian?" "Huh?" Vivian came back to her senses. She was thinking about Gordan just now. Was he still standing out there? Vivian knew Gordan was standing outside. It was Aunt Neile who told her about it. Gordan had pressed the doorbell and wanted toe in, but Luke had already informed Aunt Neile about it. That was why he could note in. An hour passed after that, and the security guard came looking for Aunt Neile. he told her that the visitor had been standing at the entrance all day. Although he did not do anything strange or affect the image of the neighborhood, it was weird to see him standing there. Aunt Neile told the guard that since Gordan did not do anything, they should just let him stand there. They thought Vivian could not understand what it meant, but she actually understood what they were talking about. Luca said patiently, "There''s going to be a cold snap tonight. Let me grab you another nket if the heating in your room isn''t warm enough." Vivian shook her head and replied, "No, thank you. It''s warm enough for me. Don''t forget that I''m a Russian. I grew up in such an environment. I''m not afraid of the cold!" "Yeah. You''re one of the toughest people on Earth.." Luca replied with a smile. Vivian set her worries aside, came forward, and said, "Let me help you to clean this up." "It''s okay. Take a rest. Leave it to me." Luca was embarrassed to let the guest do the cleaning. "I''ve been resting all day! Let me help!" Vivian did not give Luca the chance to reject her. She immediately picked up the tes Luca had piled up, marched into the kitchen, and ced them in the dishwasher. Luca had no choice but to let Vivian help with it since she was willing to help. T Corporation. Luke and Jason sat opposite each other handling the pile of documents on the table. There was a sudden knock on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Luke did not lift his head. Everyone on the same floor was working overtime. Hence, it was normal for people toe in to deliver the documents. Tina pushed the door open and walked into the office. She ced two documents on Luke''s desk and said, ¡°Boss, here are two urgent documents.¡± "Okay." Luke did not look up. Most of the documents on his table were urgent. No matter howte he had to work tonight, he had to finish handling all the documents. After all, he had given himself a break during the New Year. Hence, he had been cking off, putting those documents aside. As time passed, those documents became urgent documents that needed to be handled immediately. Tina could see how busy Luke and Jason were. She pondered for a moment and said, "Boss, the security guard gave me a call just now. He imed that Mr. Norton would like to see you. Would you like to meet him?" Something probably came up if Gordan hade to look for Luke at this hour. Tina dared not to stop him. "Mr. Norton? He''s here?" Luke knew who it was without having to ask for his name. He only knew one person with the family name Norton. "Yes..." Tina let out a sigh of relief. It seemed like reporting to Luke was the right thing to do. "Let him in," said Luke. Luke was not Vivian. There was no need to make Gordan stand outside the T Corporation''s entrance. Although Luke was not nning to help Gordan with Vivian''s matter, they were still good friends. The two of them would not get into a fight which would affect their rtionship even though he refused to lend him a hand. "Okay, Boss." Tina left the office and delivered Luke''s message to the security guard. Chapter 2506 Gordan got into T Corporation smoothly. It was not his first timeing here. Besides, there were no changes to T Corporation''s building structure. Gordan confirmed with the security guard the floor where Luke''s office was. Then, he got into the elevator and came to Luke''s office. Tina stood at the elevator to receive him. The elevator door slowly opened. She took a deep breath and said, ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Norton. Boss is already waiting for you in his office. This way, please." ¡°I know where his office is. You may go back to work." The look on Gordan''s face was gloomy. He went straight ahead. Tina secretly mumbled to herself. Was he really Boss'' friend? Why did he look like he came to seek revenge? Gordan marched forward with his long legs and arrived at Luke''s office. He looked up and nced at the signage, confirming that it was the CEO''s office. He did not knock on the door but walked right into his office instead. "Let''s go for a drink," Gordan said straightforwardly. The moment he pushed the door open, he realized Jason was there too. He frowned and said, "Why don''t you join us too?" Jason turned around and shot a nce at him. He stood up and greeted, "Good evening, Mr. Norton." "Knock it off. It''s not like we don''t know each other." Gordan''s gaze swept across the documents on the table. He pulled a chair and sat down, "Why are you still working at this hour? Let''s go out for a drink." "No, thanks." Luke continued to turn the pages of another document after he signed his name on the last page of the previous document. Gordan raised his brows and said, "Come on. I''m counting on you!" "I''m busy," Luke replied in simple and short words, but Gordan was dissatisfied with it. "You can never finish your work. You only live once. I want to get some drinks tonight. Tell me, are you going with me or not?" "If you''re bored, I can arrange a job for you in T Corporation so that you can get busy." Luke finally looked at him. Gordan was a little disappointed with the attitude Luke gave him. "Luke, we''ve been friends for years. It''s fine if you refuse to lend me a hand, but you don''t even care to spend some time drinking with me now. And you call yourself a friend?" Luke raised his brows and questioned, "We''ve been friends for so many years. I''m busy with my work. Would you like to help?" ¡°No way. I just jumped out of the frying pan. I''m definitely not going into the fire again. Don''t try to trap me in this again." Gordan shook his head. Being carefree suited him more. Into the fire? It did not matter if he described T Corporation as a living hell, but he even said living together with Vivian was a torture. Luke questioned him, "Since you described it that way, why do you want to drown yourself in your sorrows when you''ve just gotten out of trouble?" "I..." Gordan hesitated. His mouth was open, and the words were on the tip of his tongue. A few secondster, he said embarrassingly, "I''m just happy, you know? People would want to have a drink when they''re happy. And they''ll look for their friends to have a drink with!" Jason could not help but let out augh. The way Gordan stubbornly refused to admit his thoughts was amusing. No one would have believed the glorious deeds he had done in the past. "You have to move on after getting out of trouble. Why did you stand outside the entrance of my neighborhood for the whole day?" Luke exposed him straight from the shoulder. Gordan was stunned for a moment. How did he know about that? Luke said, "The security guard and property management told me that you''re bing a scenic statue in the neighborhood if you continue to stand there all day." "Can they mind their own business?!" Gordan felt irritated. He did not expect Luke to find out that he had spent the whole day waiting without getting any results. He felt embarrassed. "Then were you the one who informed the property management not to let me in?" Something suddenly came across Gordan''s mind. "I told them to stop any strangers who came to visit and inform me. You know Luca''s situation now," said Luke. He turned the pages of another document. Talking to Gordan did not affect his work at all. Gordan knew what situation Luca was in. After all, he was also investigating what Matysh had done in the past. "I''m your friend. You can stop anyone else but not me!" Gordan gritted his teeth. He thought it was Vivian''s idea. He certainly did not expect that it was Luke''s idea after standing there all day. If he had known about it earlier, he would havee here to look for him instead! "Why do you want to go in?" The sound of an email notification came from theputer. Luke looked up at the screen and stopped looking at Gordan. "..." Gordan fell silent. He did not know how to answer the rhetorical question. Did he have to say that he went looking for Vivian? Luke knew the answer, but Gordan was too ashamed to admit it. "Since you think it was nothing but trouble and it has ended, there''s no need for you to go back to it," said Luke. Gordan experienced a deep sense of defeat as he replied, "I want to sort things out with her." "She thinks there''s no need to do so," Luke replied to the email he received. After he edited the simple and short sentences, he pressed the send button. Gordan furrowed his brows and said, "It was her and her brother who forced us to get married. It''s the same with the divorce now too. Is she the only one who can make decisions about our marriage? She got a divorce when she wanted to. Do I not have the right to decide? Jason sat beside him, listening to Gordan. He cleared his throat. Gordan''s gaze fell on him as he asked, ¡°Do you disagree?¡± ¡°Mr. Norton, it''s just my itchy throat,¡± said Jason. He picked up the cup beside him and took a swig of coffee. He continued to work on the documents after pulling himself together.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Gordan crossed his legs and said, ¡°You know how miserable my life was in the past few years. That''s why I want to sort things out with her. But she doesn''t even give me the chance to do so. I don''t believe that she''s going to hide in your house forever." Luke continued looking at the documents and said, ¡°She has decided to move on. You should get over it too." ¡°I..." Gordan paused for a moment, realizing what his words meant. He immediately replied, ¡°This has nothing to do with moving on. I was never serious about this rtionship. Who is she to make me do this?" After he said that, no one bothered to answer him. There was only the sound of the pages turning in the big office. ¡°Say something. Can''t you talk to me if you can''t drink with me?" Luke kept silent. Jason did not say anything either. After all, Jason was still being pestered by his ex-wife, and it was inappropriate for him toment on someone else''s rtionship. ¡°Hey, hey, hey!" Gordan tapped on the desktop. A hint of piercing cold shed across Luke''s eyes, and he shot him a nce to warn Gordan. Gordan was not afraid of him, and he continued, ¡°Luke, please help me. I need to see her and talk to her. 30 minutes is all I need." "She doesn''t want to see you, even if it''s only for one minute," Luke told him the truth in a cold voice. Gordan felt as though someone had stuffed a few bricks into his heart. His heart sank after he heard that. Then, he said, ¡°Hey, we''re friends who went through fire and water. You can do anything to help Ray to protect that woman, but you can''t help me. Is that really the right thing to do?" Chapter 2507 ¡°I have to do as Vivian wishes," replied Luke. Although Luke being kidnapped to the Ind of Despair was indirectly rted to Vivian, he had never med her for it. Vivian was visually unappealing, but she had a kind heart, and she deserved to be treated better. However, Gordan did not know how to appreciate her inner beauty. That was why it was good for the two of them to separate. Since they had separated, they should not see each other anymore. "If I didn''t know how much you loved Sis, I''d have suspected that ugly woman cast a spell on you and made you fall for her," Gordan mumbled in a depressed tone. He could not understand why everyone was siding with Vivian. Luke and Luca were on her side. He was the true victim, okay?! Not only had he wasted a couple of years, but he also had to be humiliated when he got divorced. Luke gave Gordan a death stare. He should not have said such nonsense. Although Luca would not misunderstand him, they were at the office now. Those who had bad intentions might start a rumor about it in the office if they heard it. Gordan retracted his neck and said, "I didn''t mean to say that. Besides, there''s no one here. Jason won''t tell others about it either. Don''t worry, Sis won''t hear those rumors and misunderstand you." "You should zip your mouth," Luke warned him in a cold voice. Gordan would get into trouble sooner orter with that mouth of his. Gordan could feel the temperature in the air abruptly drop. He secretly mumbled that it must be because he was sitting beside Luke. He turned to look at Jason and asked, "Jason, don''t you feel cold working here?" Jason understood what Gordan meant, but it was not him who made Luke unhappy. Hence, he might as well pretend not to know about it. "Mr. Norton, do you mean the temperature in the office isn''t warm enough? Do you need me to raise the temperature for you?" "Luke, if you don''t make arrangements for me, I''lle to your office and sit here every day," said Gordan. Luke was fine with it, and he said unconcernedly, "Sure. I happen to need a bodyguard. Although you''re not as good as Gale, it''ll be enough." ¡°You..." Gordan paused for a moment. He was afraid that he would get kicked out by Luke if he swore at him. Therefore, he corrected himself embarrassedly, ¡°I''m a guest, your guest." Luke ignored him and continued to work on the documents. Two hourster. Everyone in the T Corporation who was working overtime had gotten off work. Luke and Jason had almost finished handling all the documents as well. ¡°Boss, I''m leaving first." Jason closed thest file and said to Luke. ¡°Okay. You can arrive an hourte tomorrow." Luke gave Jason more time to rest. ¡°Thank you, Boss." Jason nodded. Luke looked up at the sofa. Gordan, who was sitting there a moment ago, was already feeling sleepy. He leaned on the sofa and yawned. Luke walked toward Gordan and kicked the leg off the sofa, saying, "Wake up." Gordan woke up in a daze. He picked up the phone, nced at the time, and mumbled, ¡°It''s already thiste." ¡°Wake up. I''m going back." Luke looked at Gordan, who slept like a log. Did he really think this was a hotel? How could Gordan sleep like that? He did not feel embarrassed at all. ¡°I don''t feel like moving, Luke. Your sofa isfortable. Let me spend the night here." Gordan turned over. Luke frowned when Gordan seemed like he wanted to stay here. ¡°I''m a neat freak. Besides, this is not a refugee shelter. Which hotel are you staying in? I''ll send you back." Luke did not want to see Gordan lying here when he came back to work tomorrow. It was difficult for Luke to ept a man who did not take a shower lying here in his office. Gordan sat up on the sofa. He initially thought of spending the night here, but he was worried that he might cross Luke''s line. After all, everyone knew that Luke was a neat freak. Gordan rose to his feet, shook his head, and said, "I''m staying in the hotel nearby. You don''t have to send me back. I drove here." After that, he left the office. Luke carried the briefcase with him and left together. The two of them walked into the elevator. Luke asked, ¡°Are you sure you''re not going to work?" Gordan mocked himself and said, ¡°I''ve divorced. My worth has skyrocketed. Why should I work? Do you have any idea how much the value of that vi is? It cost a hundred of millions. How much work do I have to do to get so much money? How should I put this? I''m a billionaire now. Are you envious of me?" Luke remained silent while listening to him speaking in a slovenly manner. Then, Gordan said in a distressed voice, ¡°But that''s not what I asked for, and no one believes it." Gordan had been looking for Vivian to talk to her about the vi that was worth over a hundred million. The elevator came to the first floor. Luke said in a cold voice, "Many people would like to buy that vi of yours. If you really don''t want it, you can donate the money to charity after selling it. You can donate it in your or her name. There''s always a way to get rid of that vi. Gordan, you''d better think carefully. Are you doing all this because you don''t want the vi, or is it because you don''t want your rtionship to end that easily?¡± Gordan was startled for a moment. His face turned red as he immediately denied it. ¡°No, that''s not true. Luke, don''t talk nonsense. I have nothing to do with her now!¡± "Really?" Luke''s voice was still cold. The elevator door slowly opened when the elevator arrived on the first floor. Then, he said, "You parked your car at the outdoor parking lot, right? We''ve arrived on the first floor." ¡°Yeah. See you tomorrow." Gordan left the elevator in a hurry. It was as though he had been exposed, so he was in a hurry to escape. Luke watched him leave from behind and pressed the elevator button. After he arrived at the basement parking lot, he drove back to the vi. It was already two in the morning when he arrived at the vi. There was dead silence in the vi. Luca and the kids must be asleep... Luke walked into the foyer. There was amp lit up for him. The corner of his thin lips curled up. There was a faint smile on his face. Luke took off his coat and his scarf and hung them on the hanging stand. He noticed the note on top of the shoe shelf in the foyer that Luca left for him. He picked it up and saw Luca''s beautiful handwriting on it: [There''s warm butternut squash soup in the kitchen. Remember to drink it.] Luca even left some soup for him. Luke''s smile widened. He put his briefcase on the sofa and walked into the kitchen. He found the bowl of soup Luca left for him. She had been keeping it warm, and it really was warm. After Luke finished the soup, he carried the briefcase upstairs. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. When Luke came to the second floor and saw a litmp, he frowned. Vivian was sitting on the sofa. He walked toward her and asked, "Vivian, why aren''t you asleep?" "Mr. Crawford, you''re back.." Vivian stood up and exined, "I''m having jetg. I can''t sleep." "You''ve arrived at A City for some time now. You haven''t gotten rid of it?" Luke refused to believe her. "..." There was a gleam in Vivian''s eyes. She did not know how to lie to others, especially Luke and Ray. Chapter 2508 "Your semester is going to start soon. You have to cure your jetg as soon as possible. Otherwise, you won''t be able to focus when you''re in ss." Luke knew what was bothering her, but he did not expose her. He reminded her and sounded like her big brother. Vivian nodded. Her worries eventually took over her hesitation. She could not help but ask, ¡°Mr. Crawford, did you see anyone at the entrance when you came back here?¡± She did not mention Gordan''s name, but she knew Luke would know who she was asking about even if she did not say his name. "No one is at the entrance at this hour. It''ste. Rest early." Luke knew Vivian wanted to ask about Gordan. After all, he had been standing at the entrance all day like a security guard. "Okay." Vivian let out a sigh of relief when she heard no one was at the entrance. She had walked out to the balcony a moment ago. A gust of cold wind swept across her face. It was much colder than it was in the morning. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Gordan was only concerned about his demeanor. He would not care about the temperature. Vivian was sure that he did not put on enoughyers to keep himself warm. Vivian was relieved to know that he was not at the entrance. However, a sour and bitter feeling aroused within her. What was she anticipating? Was she hoping that Gordan would constantly wait at the entrance just to see her? However, he was not in love with her. Why would he do such a thing? Vivian was sure she had been overthinking. Vivian pulled herself together and put the disappointing feelings at the back of her mind. She stood up and said, "Mr. Crawford, I''m going back to my bedroom. Rest early, and goodnight." "Goodnight." Luke waited for Vivian to return to her bedroom, and only then did he go back to his room. Luke did not head to Luca''s bedroom right away. He did not want to wake her up. After he took a shower, he pushed Luca''s bedroom door open and walked into it. The lights were turned off. There was not even a streak of light in the room. Although it was dark, Luke walked toward the bed skillfully without knocking on anything. When he was about to sit down on the bed, Luca, who was on the bed, woke up with a start. The moment she sat up on the bed, she turned on the lights and said, "Who is it?!" Luke caught a glimpse of alertness in her eyes, and he said helplessly, "It''s me." Luca''s fear slowly went away. She had a dream about Abel just now, then she heard the noises in the bedroom. She was unable to differentiate if the noises were from her dream or reality. That was why she was so alert. She set her worries aside when she realized it was Luke. "Mr. Crawford, you''re back." There was a hint of drowsiness in her words. Luke felt guilty for waking her up. He should have slept in the other bedroom since he came homete. That way, he would not have woken Luca up, but he felt insecure sleeping alone. He wanted to cuddle with Luca in bed. That was why he came over. "I''m sorry to have woken you up." Luke sat on the bed and put his arm around her waist. He said, "Go back to sleep. It''s still early." "Okay." Luca did not tell him about the nightmare she had. Even though she was in a safe environment, she could not sleep peacefully without Luke by her side. The anxiety in her heart was uncontroble. She had this feeling that no matter how safe she was, Abel would always have a way to take her away. She was reluctant to leave... The two of themy down on the bed. Luca rested her head on Luke''s chest peacefully and fell deeply asleep. She felt secure having him by her side. When Luca opened her eyes again, it was already in the morning. Luca could feel the warmth behind her. Luke was still asleep. He came backtest night. It was normal for him to wake upte. Luca gently pushed his hand away to get out of bed. A mumbling voice came from behind her, "Don''t get up. Apany me for a while more." "I have to get up to prepare breakfast for you," Luca''s cheeks blushed as she said in a soft voice. Luke did not say anything. It was as though he was choosing between breakfast and Luca''spany. Both sounded tempting to him. Luca was not in a hurry to get out of bed. She waited for his answer. "I''d like to have coffee. I want to bring it to the office." Luca understood what he meant with just those few words. Luke wanted her to prepare some coffee for him. It was not just a cup of coffee. He wanted it to be filled in a thermos bottle so that he could bring it to the office. Luke must have tons of work to do. Otherwise, he would not need a bottle of coffee to give himself a lift. "Okay." Luca agreed. Luke slowly let go of her. It was obvious that he was reluctant to do so. Luca got out of bed. After she freshened herself up, she came to the kitchen. Aunt Neile was already preparing breakfast in the kitchen. "Good morning, Ms. Craw." Aunt Neile greeted her with a smile. ¡°Good morning, Aunt Neile." After Luca greeted her, she took the sealed coffee beans out of the cab. ''Are you making coffee for Mr. Crawford?" Aunt Neile asked. "Yes. Mr. Crawford said he''d like to bring it to the office. Besides, there''s Vivian too. Russians like having a cup of coffee and hot chocte in the morning. I''m going to prepare more." Luca washed her hands and dried her hands with tissue. Then, she started to prepare coffee for Luke. "Mr. Crawford loves the coffee you make. I''ve never seen him bringing anyone''s coffee to work after so many years," eximed Aunt Neile. After all, many people in T Corporation knew how to prepare coffee, but it seemed like Luke was only fond of the coffee Luca made. Luca smiled and said nothing. She knew everything that Aunt Neile told her. Luke loved drinking her homemade coffee back then, but Luca was worried that he would take too much caffeine every day. Hence, she would limit Luke from drinking too much coffee. Therefore, Luke would always drink coffee only in the morning. Luca asked while she made the coffee, "By the way, did Mr. Crawford drink his soupst night?" "Yes. The bowl was left in the sink this morning," replied Aunt Neile. Luca nodded. It seemed like Luke had seen the note she left for him. She could have sent him a text to remind him, but she thought it would be better not to disturb him if he was busy with work at the office. That was why she left a note in the foyer. Luke would change his shoes when he came back. He would see the note when he changed into slippers. After Luca made the coffee, she began to prepare breakfast. Today''s breakfast was more simple. Aunt Neile had prepared a lot, so she only had to prepare some side dishes. Breakfast was ready. "Ms. Craw, is there anything you need to prepare?" Aunt Neile cleaned the bowl and asked. "That''s all. Oh, Mr. Crawford might wake upte today. If you''re going to do some cleaning, don''t go upstairs so that you won''t wake him up. As for the kids, let them stay on the first floor after they wake up. Don''t let them wake Mr. Crawford up." Luca felt sorry for Luke. He did not have much time to rest, and he was always working. Hence, it was rare to see him sleeping in. Luca did not want him to be disturbed. "Okay, Ms. Craw. That''s very thoughtful of you." Aunt Neile agreed with her and smiled. Luca quickly ate her breakfast. After she told Aunt Neile about the coffee in the thermos bottle, she got into Warren''s car and headed to T Corporation. After she returned to the office, she ran into Rhett and Zoey. Luca knew they were going to Watson Biopharmaceuticals to get the paperwork for the productunch ready. Thus, she nodded and greeted them, "Good morning. Thanks for getting this done." Chapter 2509 "It''s our job, Dr. Craw. We''re heading to Watson Biopharmaceuticals first," said Zoey. She was carrying a thick file. It contained all the information for the application of the drugunch. "Sure. Off you go." Luca nodded. After Luca watched Zoey and Rhett leave from behind, she withdrew her gaze, looked down, and pondered for a moment. The phone in her pocket vibrated for a moment. Luca picked it up and nced at her phone. She saw the number on the screen was not a string of numbers but Tina''s phone number. She let out a sigh of relief. "Tina, what''s the matter?" Luca answered the call. "Dr. Craw, Boss, and Mr. Doyle haven''te to the office yet. I can only look for you." Tina did not go straight to the point. She expressed how helpless she was at first. Luca replied embarrassedly, "Mr. Crawford worked overtimest night. He should be at home now. You can call him if it''s about work." There was no way Luca could handle T Corporation''s matters. She was in no position to handle them either. Tina immediately said, "It''s not about work. The man who came looking for Bossst night when he was working overtime came here again. Boss isn''t in the office now. I don''t dare to let others in easily." "A man came when he was working overtimest night?" Luca was surprised. She thought it would not have been T Corporation''s partner. Otherwise, Tina would not be at such a loss. Luca asked, "May I know the man''s family name?" "Mr. Norton. He was in the CEO''s officest night. He''s here again today," Tina said helplessly. She even served him a beverage before she got off work yesterday. That was why she knew Gordan was there untilte at night. He was still in the office when she got off work. "Gordan Norton..." It finally dawned on Luca. Was Gordon in Luke''s office for a long timest night? However, Luca had already fallen asleep when Luke came back home. Thus, he did not mention it to her. "Yes. That''s his name. The guard said he''s already downstairs. Dr. Craw, what should I do now?" Tina knew Boss and Mr. Doyle wouldete to the office because they worked untilte at night yesterday. Tina did not want to disturb Boss and Mr. Doyle because of this man. It would make her look unprofessional. However, she had no idea how she should deal with Gordan. Generally speaking, her boss'' friend came to visit him, but he was not there. The visitor should leave, but Gordan was different from the others. The guard told him that Luke was not in the office yet, but Gordan still insisted on going upstairs. Of course, the guard had to stop him. However, it troubled Tina to use such a method. She should not be offending Luke''s friends, but Luke was not here. She could not let him in without permission either. She thought about it over and over again, and she had no choice but to ask Luca. "Ask him toe to my office." Luca pondered for a moment and came up with such a solution. If they did not let Gordan in, he might stand at T Corporation''s entrance as though he was a statue like what he did yesterday. Besides, Luke owed Gordan a favor. Although Vivian refused to see him, it was fine if he was in T Corporation. Vivian was not here, after all. "Okay, Dr. Craw." Tina let out a sigh of relief. After she hung up the call, she quickly headed downstairs to receive Gordan. Gordan raised his brows and asked when he saw Tina, "Has your boss arrived?" Tina replied helplessly, "Mr. Norton, Boss isn''t here yet. Let me take you to Dr. Craw''s office first." "He''s not here yet?" Gordan waited for Tina to swipe her employee card and followed her into the building. He initially thought that Luke was avoiding him on purpose. That was why he asked the guard to stop him froming in. "Yes. Boss got off worktest night. He''s probably still at home or on his way here," replied Tina as she pressed the elevator button. "Yeah. He went hometest night, but I''ve already woken up. You''re telling me he hasn''te to the office yet? He''s cking off," Gordanmented. Tina smiled helplessly. She dared not to go along with what he said. After all, many other bosses arrived at the officeter than Luke did. It was rare to see Lukee to the officete, and she had been working at T Corporation for such a long time. Tina led Gordan the way to Luca''s office and said, "Mr. Norton, this is Dr. Craw''s office. Please sit here for a while. I''ll inform Boss that you came when hees to work." "Sure," replied Gordan. Tina knocked on Luca''s office door and said, "Dr. Craw, Mr. Norton is here." "Come in." Luca''s voice came from inside the office. Tina pushed the door open and turned to look at Gordan, "Mr. Norton, please head in." "Thank you." Gordon walked into the office slovenly and saw Luca sitting behind her office desk. He smiled and said, "Sis, why are you in the office when Luke isn''t here yet?" The look on Luca''s face changed when Gordan called her ''Sis''. He nced at the door behind him. Tina had already closed the door. "Mr. Norton, you can just call my name," said Luca. She was not Bianca now. It was inappropriate to address her as Sis. "Aren''t you together with him?" Gordon deliberately said that. He knew Luca''s true identity was Bianca, and he knew the reason behind the situation now too. He was displeased when Vivian refused to see him. Besides, Luke and Luca refused to help him as well. That was why he intentionally mocked her. Luca could sense Gordan was unhappy, so she asked, "Mr. Norton, what would you like to drink?" Gordon waved his hand and thought that he should not be ming others for Vivian''s and his matter. Hence, he said, "No, thanks. What time is heing to the office?" "He was still in bed when I came to work," Luca told him she had no idea. It was normal for Luke to sleep in when he got off work sote. "Why don''t you call and ask him? Sitting here and waiting for him isn''t the solution," said Gordan as he sat on the sofa. Then, he patted the sofa and said, "Luke isn''t thoughtful enough. The sofa in your office isn''t as good as the one in his office." Luca felt awkward. The way Gordan vented his emotions looked like a vexatious kid. However, not everyone had to spoil the kid. "Mr. Norton, you can call Mr. Crawford as well since you have something to discuss with him," said Luca. She was telling him that she would not make the call for him. Gordon frowned. She was indeed Luke''s woman, tough and strong. He replied, "He''s not answering my calls, but if you call him, he''ll certainly answer. Just make the call for me. It''s better than me being here disturbing your work." Luca said unconcernedly, "You won''t be disturbing me even if you''re here. Mr. Norton, I''m going to the lab to do some experiments. Take your time. If you''d like to drink something, the office assistants have already headed to the branch office for work, so you''ll have to get it yourself. After you get out of the office, turn left and then turn right. That''s where the office pantry is." After that, Luca picked up a pile of documents and stood up. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. "Are you going to leave me hanging here?" Gordan was startled. Luca smiled and replied, "We''ve got the radiator here. It''s better than leaving you out there." Chapter 2510 Gordan''s face darkened. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Luca and Luke were a couple, indeed. They could say sarcastic things to him with a straight face. There was no way he could refute it. ¡°Don''t worry. I know this ce. Don''t mind me. I''ll leave you to work." Gordan had no choice but to pretend as though her words did not emotionally set him off. He turned around and slouched on the sofa. Luca stopped, turned around, and nced at Gordan who had fused with the sofa. She said, "Mr. Norton, are you nning to wait in T Corporation all day?" "I''ve already informed your boss. I''m going to stay here all day before the matter is settled," Gordon replied with a smile. He thought Luca was panicking. After all, Luca''s true identity was Bianca. Bianca had always loved protecting Luke. Although Luke did not need her protection, she took it seriously when it was about protecting him. Luca slowly nodded and replied, "Sounds great. Mr. Crawford happens to need a bodyguard anyway." "You..." Gordon was triggered by her words, but Luca did not give him the chance to refute them. She quickly walked out of the office. Gordon''s expression turned gloomy. He was gloating as he initially thought he had the upper hand. Now, he felt upset all of a sudden. A sentence suddenly came into his mind. Birds of a feather flocked together. Luke was a scheming person. How could he have a naive wife who was ignorant of world affairs? The husband and wife were bullies! Luca carried the documents to theboratory. A few researchers were talking in theboratory as if they had nothing to do. Luca had just entered theboratory and she heard them talking about the research they would like to study. It seemed like they were preparing for the newb that was about to be introduced in a couple of days. "Dr. Craw." The researchers saw Luca walk in and greeted her. "Hi everyone." Luca sat down with the documents in her hands. A researcher felt strange seeing her sitting there, so he asked, "Dr. Craw, is there something wrong with the drug?" "There''s no problem. We''ve done everything we can. Next, we''ll wait for thepany to deal with the Food and Drug Administration," said Luca. She nced at the office desk which was clean and tidy. She felt a little bored all of a sudden. Luca initially thought of bringing the antidote''s research data to the office to analyze when she set off today. However, she gave up the thought when she recalled that she had left the documents in the bedroom. Luke was still sleeping in the bedroom, and he was a light sleeper. Any noise could wake him up. She refused to disturb him. ¡°Then why are you..." The researcher hesitated as he thought Luca was acting weird. It was strange for her to stay here when she had an office of her own. "Oh, my office is being upied by someone. That''s why I came here to read the data. I heard your conversation when I entered just now. All of you were talking about the research you''re going to study, right?" Luca made conversation with them. This was her first time talking about something other than the research project with them. After she came back, Luca decided that there was no need for her to socialize with the others. That was why she was always only talking about work with them. She would not participate in anything other than work, including group activities. However, Luca did her part too. She would give Rhett some money for the expenses of the group activities. Therefore, even though she was a loner, the researchers did not mind it. "Yes, but we were just discussing it. After all, it''s hard to tell if it''s feasible," said one of the researchers. "Yeah. It has always been the professors who guided us to do the research. We actually have no idea how we should get started when we''re suddenly allowed to work on our own research. We won''t know if it''s going to work either." Another researcher went along with him. "Why don''t you tell me your opinions? And what do you think about the feasibility of the research? After all, a lot of information is gathered within or outside the country. We can''t read them all. So, we might get some inspiration if we discuss it here," suggested Luca. Since she had nothing to do, she might as well talk about academics with them. Luca''s suggestion gained their support. A few of them started to discuss several topics in theboratory. Luca shared some of the medical knowledge she learned on the Ind of Despair with them to help them to solve their problems. That was how a brainstorming session started. Meanwhile, Gordan, who was in Luca''s office, got bored. He crossed his legs and scrolled his phone for a while. Then, he stood up and walked out of the office. Gordan initially thought of disturbing Luca, but he stopped in front of a door. He could not push it open no matter how hard he tried. Only then did he realize that outsiders were not allowed to enter. One would need T Corporation''s employee card to unlock the door. Gordan lifted his head and shot a nce at the signage with the word boratory'' written on it. Luca should be in theboratory. She sessfully ran away from him by going there. Gordan''s face grew darker. He strolled back and forth on the same floor a few times, then he returned to Luca''s office. There was nowhere he could go! Gordan gave Luke a call with a sulky expression on his face. This time, the call went through. "Yes." Luke''s voice came from the other end of the line. He made it clear and short. ¡°You''re really a man of few words. Do you treat Luca that way too?" Gordan mocked him. "Spit it out." Luke''s voice still sounded cold. ¡°When are youing back?" Gordan asked. ¡°I''m on my way to the office." Luke paused for a moment and immediately asked, ¡°Where are you?" ¡°I''m in your wife''s office. Anyway, how could you do that to your wife? You have such a luxurious office, but Sis'' office... The sofa is simply a no-no,"ined Gordan. The sofa in Luca''s office was not as comfortable as the one in Luke''s office. ¡°..." An ominous cloud hovered over Luke''s eyes. "Why aren''t you talking?" It dawned on Gordan after asking that, and he immediately said, "Don''t worry, Sis is in theb. I''m alone in the office. Not only is the office empty, but I didn''t even see her outside the office!" ¡°She''s hiding in theboratory just to run away from you." Luke chuckled. He easily figured out why Luca headed to theboratory. Their research wasplete. She must have gone to theboratory to run away from someone. "Luke, save some dignity for me and don''t expose it. Hurry up ande back here. The sofa in your office is morefortable," Gordan protested. His sense of pride was almost thrown away because of the couple. Fortunately, no one knew about it. The couple was not big-mouthed either. Luke hung up the call. Gordan listened to the busy toneing from the other end of the line and said unconcernedly, "Tsk. It''s no use ying cool with me. I''m not a woman. I don''t buy that, okay?" 10 minutester, Tina walked into Luca''s office and saw Gordan but not Luca. She asked with confusion, ¡°Mr. Norton, where''s Dr. Craw?" "She probably went to theb. I have something to discuss with her. Can you open theb''s doors for me?" Gordan asked. If this ce was not Luke''s office, he could have unlocked the doors himself. Not even those doors could stop him. Chapter 2511 Tina knew Gordan was talking about theboratory''s doors. She replied awkwardly, ¡°My employee card doesn''t have ess to those doors." "You don''t have ess to those doors too?" Gordon had the urge to break down the doors. However, if he broke those doors, Luke would not let him get away with it easily. "Yes. Although it''s in T Corporation, this floor is only essible by Dr. Craw and her research team who work at Watsons Biopharmaceuticals. You''ll need the authorization to open the doors. Other than the staff in the relevant department, the others don''t have ess to those doors," replied Tina. "She picked the right ce." Gordon walked toward the doors and stared at theboratory doors. He was toying with an iron wire in his hands. Tina could not help but wonder where he got that iron wire. "Mr. Norton, Boss is already waiting for you in his office," said Tina. Luke arrived at his office a moment ago, and he asked Tina to bring Gordan there. "He''s here?" Gordon raised his brows. "He even sent you to inform me. Isn''t it troublesome?" Tina smiled and invited, "Mr. Norton, please go upstairs." "Fine. Let''s go." Gordon and Tina headed upstairs. Gordon caught a whiff of the fragrance of the coffee in the air when he arrived at Luke''s office. "Brother Luke, your coffee smells good." Gordon''s eyes lit up. He leaned forward to sniff the fragrance of the coffee. Luke covered the lid of the thermos bottle. Gordon protested with a look of protest. "I''m not gonna drink your coffee. I just wanted to take a whiff of the coffee. How petty." "Get one for yourself if you want to take a whiff of it," replied Luke. He refused to share the coffee Luca made for him. "That''s mean. Where did you get it? I''ll get it delivered." Gordan picked up his phone and was about to tap on the food delivery app. The cup of coffee was tempting. "It''s homemade," Luke opened the lid of the thermos bottle, took a sip of the coffee, and said calmly. Gordon was green with envy. Judging from Luke''s attitude, he knew it was Luca who made the coffee for him. "Oh, Sis made it..." Gordan drawled as he put his phone back in his pocket. Then, he turned around and was about to leave the office. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Luke asked. "Sis is just right downstairs. I''d like her to make me a cup of coffee," said Gordan. He turned back and grinned at Luke. "No." Luke reminded. "She''s mine." "Well, she''s my sister-inw. Why are you so stingy?" Gordan was upset with Luke being overbearing. It seemed like it had been a long time since he had coffee that smelled so good. Since Gordan broke up with Vivian, he could only drink the coffee served in the hotel and coffee shop. No one made coffee for him. "She has nothing to do with you. And if you dare to disturb her next time, you''re going back to Russia to keep an eye on the previous address of the Ind of Despair." Luke turned on theputer on his desk. The coffee Luca prepared him gave him a much-needed boost. It gave him the energy to work immediately. "..." Gordan stared at him. This was probably what they meant by choosing women over friends, right? "Some men prioritize women over friends," Gordan said in an enigmatic manner. He dispelled the thought of looking for Luca and asking her to make a cup of coffee for her. Then, he sat on the sofa. "I was kind enough not to hand you to Ray," said Luke. Vivian did not tell Ray that Gordan was pestering her, nor did Luke. Ray would have put everything aside ande to A City to teach Gordan a lesson if anyone told him about it. Gordan sneered when he mentioned Ray. It was not that Gordan could not win against Ray, but Ray''s subordinates were elites who were good at fighting. He could beat Ray, but he could not win his subordinates. That was why people thought that he was afraid of Ray. Vivian came into Gordan''s mind at the thought of Ray. Even though they were divorced, that woman could still cause him trouble! Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Luke dialed the inte as he watched Gordan fall silent. "Boss, is there anything you''d like me to do?" Tina''s voice came from the other end of the line through the speaker. "Make a cup of coffee for Mr. Norton," instructed Luke. "Okay, Boss." Tina cut off the call. 10 minutester, she carried two cups of coffee and knocked on Luke''s office door. "Come in." Luke''s voice came from inside the office. Tina brought two cups of coffee. She ced one of them on the coffee table in front of Gordan, then she carried another cup of coffee and walked toward Luke. "Give him both," Luke immediately said. "Okay." Tina turned around and ced the second cup of coffee on the coffee table. ¡°Thank you, prettydy." Gordan gave Tina a smile. Then, he turned to look at Luke with dissatisfaction, ¡°Why are you getting me two cups of coffee?" Gordan was a picky eater. He would not finish the coffee if it tasted bad. Although the people working with Luke were good at making coffee, Gordan thought the coffee in Luke''s thermos bottle would taste better. He did not know whether it was the way Tina made the coffee or the coffee beans used to make the coffee, Luke''s coffee smelled better than the coffee Tina made. Tina smiled, turned around, and exited Luke''s office. She closed the door behind her after she walked out of the office. Luke said, ¡°You need to be clear-headed and figure out what you really need." "I need a ss of beer and liquor. Perhaps just one ss each isn''t enough..." Gordan picked up the cup of coffee and took a sip. It was made using the coffee beans T Corporation served to their guests. The coffee would not taste that bad. However, there was still a differencepared to Luke''s coffee. Gordan put down the cup of coffee and waited for Luke to say something. However, Luke just stared at theputer screen. It looked like he did not intend to reply to him. Gordan said with dissatisfaction, ¡°Luke, are you listening to me?" ¡°Go ahead. I''m working." Luke could not be bothered. Gordan was in a meaningless struggle now only because Vivian was ignoring him. However, it did not affect Luke if Gordan sat here struggling with it. Gordan let out a sigh and shot a nce at Luke. He did not continue to talk. Then, he picked up the cup and took a sip of the coffee again impatiently. He still had inappropriate ideas about the coffee in Luke''s thermos bottle. However, Gordan gave up the thought of it at the thought of Luke drinking it. Gordan''s phone rang. He took his phone out of his pocket and realized it was not his phone that was ringing. He turned to look at Luke. Luke picked up the phone and turned on the speaker, ¡°Vige Chief, have you received the package?" ¡°Luke, I received it yesterday. The young people in the vige took it and headed to the municipal office for the permit application. They said the application will take up to one month, then we''re allowed to start the reconstruction. I gave your design to the construction foreman. He said the design is good. It''s been years since he started working on the construction site, and it''s his first time seeing such a good design drawing. He said our ancestral hall will be one of the attractions in X City for sure." ¡°d to hear that there''s no problem with it." Luke listened as the vige chief chattered away. He had never stopped replying to emails while he was on the phone, and he was still typing on the keyboard. "Luke, you did a great job. Your designs are always so good. After the construction foreman''s comments spread, even the professor of the local university who teaches architecture wanted to take a look at the drawings. By the way, when are youing back to X City? We''re nning to treat you to a meal," added the vige chief. Chapter 2512 ¡°Chief, it¡¯s my honor. If there¡¯s any problem with the drawing, just call me," said Luke. It was the old master¡¯s promise. Hence, Luke had never thought of receiving any reward for it. "Okay. Luke, thank you. Send my regards to your great-grandfather. I¡¯ll leave you to your work," said the chief as he ended the call. Gordon had already finished a cup of coffee. He nced at the empty cup and rose to his feet. "Where are you going?" Luke did not lift his head, but he stopped Gordan from doing what he was doing next. "I¡¯m bored sitting here. I¡¯m going out for a walk," exined Gordan. Spending a night here was fine, but he could no longer sit here all day. "Didn¡¯t you say my sofa isfortable? Continue to sit there." Luke lifted his head and shot him a nce to warn him. Gordan was not the kind of person who would hang around the office. Therefore, he would only look for someone he knew to chat with if he went out. The person he was familiar with the most in T Corporation was Luca. "Luke, it¡¯s boring here," Gordon said helplessly. He wanted to go downstairs and have a chat with Luca. Spending time in the same space with a man was boring if there were no drinks. Sitting here and doing nothing was even more meaningless. "You can go to other ces to kill your time if you think it¡¯s boring here. It¡¯s been a long time since you came to A City. There¡¯s been a lot of changes here," said Luke as his phone vibrated. Luke picked up his phone and nced at it. It was a message from Luca. [Mr. Crawford, is Mr. Norton with you?] Luke¡¯s eyes darkened. The way she talked to him was still polite and careful. She even addressed him as ¡®Mr. Crawford¡¯. [Yes. I¡¯ve arrived at the office.] Luke replied to her. [Okay.] Luca quickly replied. Luke felt helpless looking at it. Gordon had no choice but to sit down on the sofa again. He sized Luke up and shook his head. With that gloomy expression on Luke¡¯s face, he wondered who had offended him. Luke put down his phone and continued with his work. Meanwhile, Jason and other secretaries came in and out of the office. Gordon remained silent. He would spend some time on his phone, while other times, he would slouch on the sofa without caring about his image. It was uncertain what he had on his mind. In the secretaries'' office. Cheryl had juste back from the CEO''s office. The moment she returned to her seat, she could not wait to gossip with the other secretaries. "Do you know who the man in Boss'' office is? He''s cute. And his eyes seem simr to Boss''.¡± "Yes. I saw him too. Although he doesn''t look as ssy as Boss, he''s way better-looking than those popr influencers these days. I thought he was a celebrity when I first saw him!" Another secretary went along with her. ¡°Is he that good-looking? Let me send the documents to Boss'' office if there''s any you need to hand in.¡± Another secretary heard their conversation and became curious. She wanted to enter Luke''s office to check out the hot guy. Cheryl asked, ¡°Don''t you have any documents to hand in?" "Ms. Cheryl, I hand in my documents to Mr. Doyle. How would I have the chance to enter Boss'' office? Give me a chance, please," the secretary whined. "Fine. You''re here feeling excited when you haven''t even figured out who that person is. How embarrassing." Cheryl shook her head at the two of them. "Isn''t it easy to find out who he is? We have Ms. Tina here," said one of the secretaries. Then, she immediately turned to look at Tina and asked, "Ms. Tina, do you know who that man is?" "I''m not sure." Tina knew they wanted to gossip about it, but she showed no interest in gossiping about such things with them. She brushed them off with three words. However, it was not easy to dismiss women who loved gossiping. One of the secretaries suggested, "Ms. Tina, you''re closer to Mr. Doyle. Why don''t you go and find out? Mr. Doyle would know who he is." Tina stared at herputer screen without any changes in the expression on her face. She replied, "Since you''re so curious about it, it''d be better for you to figure it out." "Come on, Tina. Why are you saying something like that? If we''re closer to Mr. Doyle, would we ask you such a favor? It''s rare to see such a handsome man showing up here. We just want to find out who he is. That''s not too much, right?" Cheryl noticed Tina''s attitude and said in an enigmatic manner. Tina stopped typing, lifted her head, and nced at Cheryl. Then, she said, "You''re close to Mr. Doyle too. Besides, you''re the one who''s curious about his identity. Isn''t it the same if you ask him?" "How could it be the same?" Cheryl frowned and secretly mumbled to herself that Tina was a difficult woman. Cheryl wondered what ways did Tina use to be so close to Jason. Perhaps something was going on between her and Jason! "The one who''s curious about it should be the one asking." Tina withdrew her gaze. She was not nning to help them ask. Where there were women, there would be gossip and rumors. They even thought of dragging Tina into this just to find out who Gordan was... Tina was speechless. There was dead silence in the office after she said that. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. The secretaries exchanged nces with each other. They did not expect Tina would be so straightforward and reject them. They were curious, but they dared not to ask Jason about Boss'' friend. After all, they had to fulfill their own duties as a secretary. They shouldn''t ask too much about the boss'' matters. When Cheryl saw Tina refusing to help, she sneered. ¡°Tina, they''re just joking. You''re taking it seriously." ¡°Ms. Cheryl, judging from how long we''ve joined thepany, you''re more experienced than me. If they''re curious about Boss'' matters, shouldn''t you be the one to find out about it?" Tina turned to look at Cheryl. They would not have passed the buck to her if it was that easy to find out about it. Cheryl was at a loss for words. Tina felt that the secretaries'' office was not a pleasant ce to stay for long. She rose to her feet and thought of hiding in the office pantry for a while. At this moment, Jason came into the office and said, "Tina, I need you to follow up with these documents." "Okay, Mr. Doyle." Tina heaved a sigh. More work to do. It seemed like there was no way she could get out of this office and get some fresh air. Jason noticed that Tina was sighing, so he asked, "What''s wrong? Are you too busy to handle these?" "Not really." Tina shook her head and took the documents Jason handed to her. She returned to her seat again, and her gaze swept across everyone in the office. The others lowered their heads without looking at her. Tina suddenly came up with an idea. Were they not trying to pass the buck to her? She should make the first move as well. Hence, she called out to Jason, who was heading out, "Oh, Mr. Doyle." "Yes?" Jason turned around. "They have a question they''d like to ask you." Tina pointed at the secretaries in the office and eventually pointed at Cheryl. "What''s the matter?" Jason looked at them. There was a heavy silence in the office. They did not expect Tina to do such a thing. "What''s wrong?" Jason asked again and shot Tina a confused look. Tina shrugged her shoulders. Jason had no choice but to ask Cheryl, "Ms. Lindsey, what''s wrong with everyone?" Chapter 2513 When Cheryl''s name was called out, she red at Tina and said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Doyle, there''s no problem." "Are you sure there''s no problem?" Tina interrupted Jason and said, "Weren''t you all curious to know the identity of the man in the boss'' office? Didn''t you say you wanted to ask Mr. Doyle?" "Tina!" Cheryl did not expect Tina to be so direct, so she hurriedly called out her name. "Didn''t you want me to ask Mr. Doyle? Here, Ms. Cheryl, I''ve asked him." Tina smiled with a look of innocence. Jason understood what was going on from Tina''s words. Cheryl and the others must have pissed her off. Otherwise, she would not have disrespected and exposed them like this. Jason was also aware that Cheryl and the others'' behaviors could get quite annoying at times. However, Tina was never like this before. She seemed to have be irritabletely as if something had happened. Jason looked at Cheryl. "Ms. Lindsey, do you want to know who the guest in the boss'' office is?" Cheryl was not foolish. She noticed Jason''s gloomy expression, so she hurriedly shook her head and said, "Not at all." "So, it must be you all who are curious." The moment Jason looked at the other secretaries, each one of them lowered their head and pretended to be upied. "If no one wants to know, then forget it. It doesn''t matter who it is. You''re not supposed to be eavesdropping. Your job in the secretaries'' office is to assist the boss in handling thepany''s affairs, not chit-chatting and gossiping about the boss." Jason knew that if rumors about the boss spread in the company, they would most likely be from the secretaries'' office. Since they were on the same floor as Luke, they would always be the first to know stuff. If not for convenience''s sake, the secretaries'' office would not be on this floor. Perhaps he should propose it to the boss. "Yes, Mr. Doyle," said a few voices, and the secretaries dared not to say anything more now. Jason turned to leave. Cheryl looked at Tina scornfully. Although they entered T Corporation around the same time, she still entered a little earlier than her, so they currently had the exact same status. Moreover, Tina was much closer to Jason, so she said sarcastically, ¡°Tina, you take things too seriously. Now you got us all scolded by Mr. Doyle." Tina paused the work at hand as she knew that if she did not talk to Cheryl, this matter was not going to be settled. "Ms. Cheryl, I didn''t know you were joking. Since you made me go to the boss'' office to ask about the guest with such a serious look on your face, I thought you were serious. When Mr. Doyle came, I asked for all of you." She pretended to be surprised. Cheryl''s face grew darker and sullen. "You just did it on purpose." Tina stopped pretending as she did not have the patience to deal with anyone right now. The only bit of motivation she had left was for work, so she had no intention of putting on a facade to interact with them. "You''re right. I did it on purpose. If you want to gossip in the future, do it among yourselves and don''t drag me into it. Otherwise, I won''t be nice enough to ask Mr. Doyle for you, I''ll be asking the boss instead!" The crowd was dumbstruck. They did not expect Tina to be so merciless. There was a pin-drop silence in the secretaries'' office. After snapping at them, Tina assumed that they would not bother her with such trivial things anymore for the time being. Her mood was lifted at the thought of that. She nced at the other people in the secretaries'' office who usually stuck to Cheryl. Now that Cheryl dared not speak, the others dared not say a word too. Tina continued her work. In the afternoon. Luca tidied up her office and was about to head downstairs for lunch when there was a knock on her door. "Come in." She sat back in her office chair. Luke opened the door with lunch boxes in his hand. Luca then knew that Luke wanted to eat the lunch boxes that Aunt Neile brought over with her, just like how they didst year. The lunch boxes Aunt Neile made were indeed better than the food in stores. She was smiling at Luke, but when she noticed Gordan behind him, her smile disappeared. Was he being stalked by Gordan? "Dr. Craw, I''vee to freeload on food," Gordon said with a smile. Beforeing here, Luke had warned him not to address her as his sister-inw to avoid arousing suspicion, so he changed the way he addressed Luca on the spot. "I..." Luca did not know what to say, so she just looked at Luke. On the contrary, he looked rather calm. Luke was not the type to easily let Gordan have his way, so Luca was in disbelief that he would let him tag along now. The three of them sat on the sofa together. Luke sat in the middle with Luca on his left and Gordan on his right. After opening the lunch boxes, Gordan inhaled deeply upon seeing the array of dishes. ¡°Wow, what a feast!" Neither Luke nor Luca said anything. Gordan felt a little awkward and knew that they were doing it on purpose, so he added, "Luke, your maid is an amazing cook." Luke handed one of the lunch boxes to Luca. They used to share one lunch box, but with Gordan here today, they had Aunt Neile prepare three lunch boxes. "Aunt Neile made this for you." "Thank you." Luca took it. The dishes inside the lunch box were all her favorites. Luke handed the other one to Gordan. "This is yours." "Thank you, Luke." Gordan could not wait to open it up, but when he saw the dishes in it, hepared it to Luca''s and asked, "Why is mine so little?" "Aunt Neile didn''t know that there was an extra mouth to be fed today, so be thankful that there''s a portion for you," said Luke. When he informed Aunt Neile, she had already finished preparing lunch and it was toote to buy more groceries, so Gordan''s portion was cobbled together with what was left. "Fine, don''t forget to tell the maid to make steak tomorrow. That''s my favorite," said Gordon as he picked up the utensils and ate. "We don''t get to decide what to eat. It''s up to the maid. There''s a restaurant downstairs where you can order what you want," Luke said coldly while opening his lunch box. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Gordan almost choked. He coughed twice and muttered, "What happened to pals before gals?" Luke looked at him coldly. "Don''t eat, then." "No way, I came to you without having breakfast. I''m starving. Give me a bigger portion tomorrow and I won''t be picky about the dishes." Gordon scooched away from him while gripping the lunch box tightly. Luca ate gracefully while listening to their conversation. She assumed that Gordan would be here again tomorrow. She could not help but wonder why he was doing this. No matter how much he pestered Luke, he would not be able to get him to help. He would be better off standing in front of the gate and suffering in the cold. Perhaps Vivian would show some sympathy then. Chapter 2514 Luke ignored his request and gave Luca a piece of steak instead. ¡°No, thank you, Mr. Crawford." Luca turned to the side with her lunch box as it was already filled to the brim. She was afraid that she might not be able to finish if he kept giving her more. Not to mention, Gordan was here. Although he knew about her rtionship with Luke, she was not used to PDA. "I have too much. I can''t finish. Help eat some of mine." Luke thought that Luca should eat more as gaining a little more weight would make her nicer to hug. "Mr. Crawford, I won''t be able to finish it either. it''ll be a waste." Luca protested as her neck turned red. She knew how big Luke''s appetite was. If he kept giving her his food, there would not be enough left for him. His workload was much heavier than hers. She could not let him go hungry! Gordan shook his head in disdain at their lovey-dovey interaction. After seeing how Luca refused to ept the food Luke gave her, Gordan pushed his lunch box closer and smiled, "Luke, this isn''t enough for me. If you think you have too much, you can give me some." Luke red at him as a warning. Gordan then awkwardly took back his lunch box. "I''m just kidding, hahaha. I have enough. Plus, I don''t usually share food with others!" Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Luca could not contain herughter upon seeing Gordan''s reaction. Compared to the times heshed out at Vivian, he was like a mouse encountering a cat in front of Luke. She could not help but be d at the sight of it, served him right! If Vivian were here to witness this, would she haveughed too? Luca''s smile vanished at the thought of Vivian. Perhaps Vivian would be the only person who would not find joy in this. Since he was someone she loved dearly, she would only feel heartbroken, right? Hopefully, her wounds would heal over time, so she could clear her mind and get on with her life. "What are you thinking about?" Luke interrupted her train of thought with a frown after noticing that she was so deep in thought that she did not even eat. "Nothing." Luca came to her senses. Luke raised his chin slightly and told her, ¡°Focus on eating and don''t get distracted." ¡°Okay." Luca obeyed his orders and took another bite. Gordan trembled as he mourned his misery. What did he do to deserve being the third wheel? The sight of them sent chills down Gordan''s spine. Was he... jealous? No, it could not be! He always loved freedom, and he hated the idea of being tied down. How could he be jealous of their rtionship? Being handcuffed to someone did not suit him, let alone after losing contact for over three years. There was no way he was jealous. Luca noticed that this time, Gordan was the one staring into space with his lunch box in one hand and his utensils in the other. She said, ¡°Mr. Norton?" ¡°Huh?" Gordan came back to his senses. ¡°Why are you zoning out?" Luca asked. ¡°I was just thinking about work, hahaha." Gordan let out a hollowugh to eliminate his embarrassment. ¡°Don''t mind him. Just eat." Luke urged Luca as he did not like it when Luca gave another man attention. Even if that man was a good friend of his who had no ill intentions. Luca noticed that Luke was jealous by reading between the lines, so she stopped talking and just ate instead. After lunch, Luke took Gordan back upstairs. On the other hand, Luca had walked severalps around her office to digest the food. When she thought of Gordan, Vivian woulde to mind, so she decided to just ignore the two. They had bitter feelings toward each other, especially Vivian. Perhaps not knowing about his whereabouts was best for her as ignorance was bliss. However, would Vivian be able to walk away just because they were no longer involved? There was no guarantee, but the good thing was that it was Vivian''s choice to make. In Luca''s opinion, if two people were meant to be, they would end up together no matter what obstacles came their way. Love was a practice based on fate and the decisions made by two people. It depended on them whether their efforts would pay off or not, so it was best for onlookers like her to not meddle in their affairs so much. Luca sat on the sofa and made up her mind to ignore them. No matter what Gordan did, she had no intention of telling Vivian, but not doing so would be a hassle for Luke. Besides, Gordan had been pestering Luke non-stop by following him everywhere he went. Luca nced at the time and decided to rest for half an hour, but there was a knock on the door. ¡°Come in." It seemed like resting was not in the cards for her. Tina pushed the door open and walked in. ¡°Dr. Craw, are you free?" ¡°I am. Have a seat," said Luca as she knew that Tina had something to tell her and it was about Amur. Tina smiled gratefully and closed the door behind her. Then, she sat on the sofa with her hands folded, seemingly ill at ease. Luca noticed and said with concern, "Tina, are you okay?" "I''m fine. I just wanted someone to talk to," said Tina. She had always been one to stick to the rules and regtions of thepany without letting her private affairs intervene in her work, and neither was she one to take sides. Hence, the people in other departments liked her very much, but at the same time, they would not get too close to her. Thus, she had no one to talk to. Moreover, Tina knew that if she told anyone about her troubles, there was a high chance of it being spread throughout thepany in no time. Hence, she could not tell them anything. Luca was an exception. She trusted Luca the most in the entirepany. This sort of trust was hard to put into words. She knew that Luca would not tell anyone after listening to her, so she wanted toe over for a chat. "You don''t look so good." Luca pointed out. She knew that it was because of Amur. Truthfully, she knew that Tina and Amur had only met a few times, but Tina had be so deeply invested... Luca did not see thating. "Do I look that bad?" Tina touched her face instantly. She had been going to bed early recently with the help of Luca''s sleeping pills. As long as she took them, she would fall asleep the moment shey down. Although she would often dream of Amur, at least she got sufficient sleep. Plus, she would put makeup on every morning, so herplexion should not look too bad. "No, you look great. You must have taken the sleeping pills. However, your overall energy doesn''t seem too good. Are you still thinking about him?" Luca touched on the topic first. She may not be a counselor, but she knew that to untie the knot in Tina''s heart, the elephant in the room had to be addressed. Chapter 2515 Tina put her hands together at the mention of him. She looked at Luca with her panic-stricken eyes as if she was pleading for help. ¡°I don''t know what happened, I just can''t let him go. Do you think Amur and I... We''ve only met a few times, but why does he appear in my dreams? I''ve never dreamt before no matter how long I slept, but I dream every day now and I don''t know what to do. Dr. Craw, I know he won''t return, so I want to forget him. However, the more I try to forget him, the more he appears in my dreams. Do you know what that feels like? I thought that his face would slowly fade away from my memories after not seeing him for some time, but Iter realized that wasn''t the case. He''s still stuck in my mind. Not only that, but he''s engraved in my memory. What do you think I should do?" she said helplessly. Luca sighed as she had been through what Tina was experiencing. In the three years when she was on the Ind of Despair after being kidnapped, Luke''s face had never faded from her memories because she dreamt of him every night. asionally, she was fortunate enough to have sweet dreams, but most of the time, the dreams were about parting with Luke in various ways. The feeling of being controlled by dreams was not fun. People could not control their dreams, yet dreams could control the subconscious minds of the ones sleeping. They constantly carved an image of a person or a thing in their minds. That was what Tina was going through now. She wanted to forget someone by not seeing or hearing them, but her subconscious mind refused to do so, which was why she often dreamt of Amur. A duel between a person''s conscious and subconscious mind could be very tiring. "Tina, I think you need to see a therapist," said Luca. She was almost driven crazy by her dreams in those three years, but fortunately, her faith was strong and she had support from the people around her. There were also many things for her to do there and courses for her to release her tension, so she was able to ovee it. However, Tina''s circumstances were different. Luca had her daughter by her side, so she could vent out when she was upset, but Tina could only distract herself with work. It seemed that distracting herself with work was no longer working for her, so it would be better for her to receive therapy from a professional. Merely venting her feelings to someone would not cut it. She knew she needed therapy too, but she also knew that she was not one to trust easily. Perhaps seeing a therapist would not be much of a help. She may not be able to pour her heart out to the therapist as she had always kept her image of a cold but capable secretary no matter whom she was talking to. ¡°Being busy is not an excuse. You still have the weekends, and two sessions a month won''t take up much of your time. Tina, you can''t just find an excuse because you think you can''t go through with it. You may not be able to open up to the therapist at first, but you have to trust them. They''re professionals, so they''ll guide you and help you every step of the way. Give them a chance, and give yourself a chance to be free," said Luca. She knew that there was only so much a therapist could do to help her, and in the end, it would all come down to her. As for Nina, she had seen countless therapists before, but none of them helped with her depression. Only after she had a heart-to-heart with Percy did her depression get better. One could only help oneself. Therapy was merely a tool, a tool that had little effect. Luca suggested Tina see a therapist because she was on the verge of having a breakdown and needed some professional guidance. "I..." Tina hesitated. "Tina, you''re in very bad shape, and it''ll affect your life and your work," said Luca as the same thing had happened to Nina. Although Tina''splexion was good, she could tell that she had lost weight. She should be taking care of her health during the new year, but she lost weight instead. It indicated that her mental state was starting to affect her physical health. "Okay, I''ll think about it.." Tina felt a little better after telling Luca about how she felt. However, she knew that this feeling was only temporary. Luca did not give her much advice. She mostly just yed the role of a listener. Unlike others who would give her unsolicited advice when consoling her, Luca just suggested she see a therapist. Conversations like this did not make her feel worse. "You need to get better. No one knows what the future holds, but you have to take care of yourself." Luca looked at Tina with a tingly sensation in her nose. She was partly responsible for making Tina like this. Luke was about to announce the opening of theboratory for the researchers to use freely, and she was confident that she would be able to develop an antidote with thepany''s facilities. When the time came, Amur and Eler would not be controlled by the poison. They would have a chance to escape the Ind of Despair. She did not know whether the two people would be able to start their rtionship anew by then, but at this moment, she could not let Tina crumble. "Okay, I will." Tina looked at Luca with mncholic eyes. Although Luca and Amur looked nothing alike, sometimes, she could see Amur in Luca. Perhaps even though they were siblings from different parents, they had lived together for many years. ¡°No, not even on New Year''s." Luca shook her head. Tina smiled faintly but looked dismal. "He really is distant in front of everyone. Dr. Craw, can I ask you something?" "What is it?" said Luca. "The sleeping pills you gave are effective, but do they have any side effects?" Tina asked as she felt like she had be rather irritable and grumpiertely She used to value peace and harmony the most. She would never openly condemn someone in the office, but she had changed. Now, she found that doing so was the most efficient way. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. "Side effects? I used to take them regrly, but I never noticed any side effects. A few people who suffered from insomnia have tested them out for me too. They didn''t experience any side effects either. However, everyone''s body reacts differently, so I can''t guarantee it," said Luca. She was certain that the pills would not cause any side effects, but she was a little more cautious with Tina. Who would believe that there were no side effects? However, the drugs that Shanks developed were indeed miraculous. "Despite what I said, I can guarantee that the side effects of these pills are much milder than other sleeping pills on the market," Luca added. Tina smiled and tucked her fine hair behind her ears before saying, "I see..." "Why? Do you feel sick after taking the pills?" Luca asked with concern while checking Tina''s pulse with her fingers. Chapter 2516 ¡°Not at all. I just feel a little grumpytely, and it seems like I''ve no patience for troublesome people and situations," said Tina. She knew that it was not the drug that made her like this. In fact, it was Amur. Tina only asked Luca in an attempt to find an excuse unrted to Amur so that she could feel less like a loser. "There seems to be a problem with your liver. I''m guessing it''s because of work." Luca knew that Tina was making an excuse for her unusual behavior, so she gave her an excuse as well. "Yeah." Tina lowered her gaze and smiled bitterly. "Drink more water, and if you need it, I can prescribe you a dose of medicine. It''s rather bitter though, so it''s a little hard to have it regrly." Luca looked at herpassionately. However, she knew that Tina did not need herpassion. "I should just drink more water. I can''t take anything bitter except for coffee," said Tina before she looked at the time and stood up. "Dr. Craw, I should get back to work now. I''ll go upstairs and do some paperwork." "Okay, I can help you if you''re not feeling well, but you''ll need someone professional for your mental health." Luca stood up and sent her out. "I''ll consider it." Tina was rather helpless. She knew how stressed society was these days. Everyone needed a therapist. However, it was the first time she had ever been defeated by stress after working at T Corporation for so many years. Moreover, the stress did note from work or life. It was because of love. She had thought that her work had forged her to be invincible, but just because of Amur... Amur, who never gave her a proper farewell or made any promise to her. That made her feel defeated. After Tina left, Luca sat on the office chair with her phone in her hand and fell into deep thought. What could she do now that Amur had captured Tina''s heart? A few dayster, good news came from Watson Biopharmaceuticals. The department in charge had applied for a patent for the drug form and arranged a meeting with the FDA to talk about the market price. Luca finally heaved a sigh of relief. Abel never called during this period, nor did he give any instructions. The drug that everyone in Watson Biopharmaceuticals had pinned their hope on had finally made it to the market. Now that they had a patent, Abel could not do anything. Luca breathed another sigh of relief upon seeing the messages in the group chat. It was not a dream; it was the real thing. [Mr, Crawford, the parent for the drug has been applied for, and a meeting with the FDA has been arranged as well.] She picked up her phone and sent Luke a message. A few secondster, Luke replied to her: [I know. Look at the group chat.] Luca opened the group chat and saw that the general manager had announced Luke''s decision to open up ab on one of the floors to let the researchers do their research. Luca felt a surge of excitement. She went back to her chat with Luke. [Mr. Crawford, now that the project research is done, can my group and I go back to Watson Biopharmaceuticals now?] Although she had gotten used to T Corporation, if she did not return to Watson Biopharmaceuticals, she would not be able to use theb at all. Luca looked at her phone screen and waited for Luke''s reply. In the president''s office. Luke looked at the phone screen in deep thought. If Luca returned to Watson Biopharmaceuticals, they would not be able to see each other much. They would only see each other at home. However, the new program was also for Luca''s convenience. If she stayed at T Corporation, the new program would not be useful for her at all. Luke replied: [Yes, when would you like to move? I''ll contact the movingpany.] Luca replied: [Tomorrow, I''ll notify the others and have them pack up their things.] She was in a rush to use the facilities back at Watson Biopharmaceuticals and further analyze theponents of the antidote to develop a form. "Sure." Upon seeing how anxious she was, he knew he made the right decision. He put down the phone and pressed the inte to ask Jason to arrange things with the moving company. Then, he let out a sigh. Gordan, who was ying games heard the sigh, so he looked up and asked, "What''s wrong?" "Nothing." Luke opened a document. "Luke, you never sigh. It must be a big deal for you to sigh. Let me guess, the several notifications you got just now were about Dr. Craw?" Gordan started guessing presumptuously. "She''s moving back to Watson Biopharmaceuticals," said Luke. "Oh, I see, and you don''t want her to leave. Both of you live together anyway, and better days are coming. Once the Ind of Despair matter is resolved, things won''t be bad. If outsiders find out that the president is so clingy to the point that you have to work together, will they believe it?" Gordan ridiculed. Luke ignored his teasing. "Don''t ignore me." Gordan felt bored as he had been here for a few days. This was the case every time. The conversation would juste to an abrupt end when Luke ignored him. What a party pooper. "If you''re bored, the grandpas in the park will talk to you. If that''s not enough, there are still grandmas," said Luke with his eyes never leaving his document. "Pfft, the grandpas and grandmas in the park are not as interesting as you," Gordan said shamelessly. Luke closed the file and stared at him coldly. Gordan shivered and hurriedly made a gesture around his mouth, signaling that he would no longer talk. In the vi. Aunt Neile was preparing the lunchbox. Vivian saw that it was time to prepare lunch, so she went into the kitchen to help. She saw that there were threerge lunch boxes on the kitchen counter, so she asked the question that had been lingering in her mind for days. "Aunt Neile, are you preparing three lunch boxes again?" she asked in the local dialect. "Yup. Ms. Vivian, let me do it. You''re the guest, so go and rest," said Aunt Neile cheerfully. Vivian wanted to ask further, but she did not know how to say it in the local dialect, so she opened up the trantion app on her phone to trante the words she wanted to say. "Aren''t you making lunch for Mr. Crawford and Luca? Why have you been making three lunch boxes these days?" Aunt Neile exined, "Mr. Crawford said that there''s a guest, so this is for the guest." Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "I see." Aunt Neile''s reply did not reassure Vivian. It made her puzzled instead. How could there be a guest for several days in a row. Although many people frequented a bigpany like T Corporation, dining together with a guest for a few days was a little strange. Even if there was a guest, Luke would not be that reckless. He would not have a guest eat from a lunch box. Chapter 2517 Vivian thought that if it were really a guest, they would go to a restaurant. "Aunt Neile, why don''t you let me deliver the lunch box today?" Vivian continued to reply with the help of the trantor. She felt like this guest of Luke''s might be Gordan. If it were him, why did Luke not say anything? Could it be that he did not want her to be upset? If it were Gordan, he must be bothering Luke at T Corporation because of her. In that case, she would be the bad guy now. Although Luke never said anything, Vivian did not want to trouble others because of her, so she wanted to find out. "Ms. Vivian, the driver will send this. You don''t have to do it," Aunt Neile said with a smile. Every time lunch was ready, Lliam woulde and get it before sending it to T Corporation. There was no need for her to deliver it. "I have to see Mr. Crawford, and since the lunch boxes need to be delivered, let me go. It''s convenient anyway since there''s a driver." Vivian used the trantor to tell Aunt Neile. "In that case, okay. You can follow Lliam''s car to T Corporation when hees," Aunt Neile agreed without much hesitation. "Okay." Vivian helped Aunt Neile wash the dishes. She just wanted to go and confirm her doubts. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. However, if it were really Gordan, would she want to see him? Was Gordan following Luke around to get her toe out? Vivian felt uneasy at the thought of this. She had been feeling uneasy ever since Gordan stopped standing in front of the entrance, but at the same time, she felt relieved. Fortunately, he gave up, because if he had persisted, she would be the first to give in. However, she did not feel any better now that she knew that he had been pestering Luke. Was she really going to give him another chance to hurt her? Vivian was in a dilemma. After washing the vegetables, Aunt Neile started grilling the steak. "You''re making steak today?" Vivian saw her cooking it and asked curiously. ¡°Yup. Mr. Crawford said that the guest likes steak, so he asked me to prepare some, but making steak is not my forte," Aunt Neile said resignedly as she had no choice but to obey Luke''s orders. "I''m good at making steak. Let me do it," said Vivian. Gordan liked eating steak too. She even enrolled in a cooking ss to have a Michelin chef teach her how to cook steak. She knew Gordan''s taste as well, but he was grossed out by her steak before he even took a bite. He treated her cooking like how he treated her. "Really?" Aunt Neile was surprised to hear her say that as she had been struggling to cook steak before this. She had even considered getting steak from a five-star restaurant and pretending she was the one who prepared it. "Have you forgotten where I came from? Let me do it, Aunt Neile." Vivian took the pan from Aunt Neile''s hands and started grilling the steak. Although Gordan liked steak, she still could not confirm that the guest was him, so she asked deliberately, "By the way, what sauce should I use for the steak? Tomato sauce? I remember that Luca likes tomatoes a lot." "No. Mr. Crawford says that the guest hates tomato sauce. Any sauce is fine, as long as it''s not tomato," Aunt Neile quickly said. Luke had made his instructions clear. "I see... Alright." Vivian smiled bitterly. The guest did not eat tomatoes. It was Gordan. He hated tomatoes the most. No matter what dish it was, he never liked tomatoes. Even if it were a fancy dish with tomatoes as a decoration, as long as the tomato had been cut open, he would not eat it as he believed that the smell of the tomatoes would affect the taste of the dish. She knew him very well, so she asked Aunt Neile. She did not expect to have confirmed it before she even got to T Corporation. Vivian finished making the steak as well as the sauce. She left the rest to Aunt Neile. "Aunt Neile, I''m not in a rush to see Mr. Crawford, so I''ll just wait for him toe back. I won''t be going to T Corporation with the driver," said Vivian. ''Alright." Aunt Neile did not think much of her sudden change of mind. "You can finish the rest, I''ll go upstairs. No need to call me down for lunch. I''m not hungry." Vivian smiled faintly before leaving the kitchen. She had to calm herself down after confirming that it was Gordan. Vivian dragged her tired body to her bedroom and closed the door before burying herself under the covers. "What should I do.." she muttered. She knew that they would not get back together even if she met up with him to talk. Gordan did not like her at all. The reason why he was like this was that her act of kindness had hurt his ego. Therefore, even if they met up and talked, she would get hurt in the end and would need a longer time to forget him. That was why Vivian avoided seeing him. She did not expect that her cowardly behavior would bring such great trouble to Luke. Luke was a good person, but she had put him in a dangerous position before. Hence, Vivian did not want him to suffer from Gordan''s torment. ¡°Gordan, when will you let me go..." Tears fell from Vivian''s eyes. In the evening. Luca returned to the mansion first as Luke had to work overtime. As soon as she walked into the living room, Aunt Neile came to her with an anxious look on her face. "Ms. Craw, you''re back. Why don''t you go upstairs and see what''s going on with Ms. Vivian?" "What''s wrong with Vivian?" Luca wondered. "After Ms. Vivian helped make lunch, she went to her room to rest and said that she wasn''t hungry, so she skipped lunch. She didn''te down until three o''clock, so I went up to knock on her door, but Ms. Vivian didn''t open the door for me. She just said that she was tired and asked me to not disturb her. She hasn''t eaten or drunk anything since this afternoon. I''m worried that something has happened to her, but I don''t dare to open the door..." Aunt Neile said. "I''ll go have a look." Luca touched the three children''s heads and said, "You three go read. I''ll go check on Ms. Vivian." "Ms. Luca, I''lle too." Tommy raised his hand as he also heard what Aunt Neile said just now. He wanted to knock on the door, but Aunt Neile said not to disturb Vivian as she was resting, so he did not bother her. "Good boy, I''m going to talk to her for a while. You go read your book, okay?" Luca could roughly guess why Vivian was like this. It must be because of Gordan. In order to make Vivian open up, she would have to bring up Gordan, but she was afraid that the children would be confused if they heard her. She did not want to let them know about the troubles of the adult world. They had to keep their innocence. "Alright." Tommy listened to her and sat back down on the couch to read. After changing her shoes and taking off her coat and scarf, Luca headed upstairs. Knock, knock. "Vivian, are you there?" she said while knocking on the door of the guest room. Chapter 2518 "Luca, I''m here." Vivian''s voice came from behind the door. "Can Ie in?" Luca heard her muffled voice and guessed that she had probably been crying. "Luca, I want to be alone right now." Vivian turned her down. Luca sighed and said, "Aunt Neile told me that you''ve been in your bedroom since noon and haven''t stepped out since. Let me in and tell me what''s on your mind, alright?" "Luca, it''s alright. I''m just sleepy." It took several seconds for Vivian to reply. Luca felt helpless, but she did not feel great leaving Vivian by herself. She toughened up and said, "If you don''t open the door for me, my only option would be to ask Aunt Neile toe and open the door." Vivian stayed on the sofa. After she heard what Luca said, she knew that she had to let her in, so she went to open the door. "Luca, I''m fine..." Luca saw her puffy eyes and shook her head helplessly. "Your eyes are all red and you want me to think that you''re okay?" "My eyes are just a little itchy today," Vivian said. "Do you already know?" Luca walked into the guest room and closed the door. She pulled Vivian to sit on the sofa. "Huh?" Vivian looked at her in surprise as she did not expect Luca to know what was on her mind even before she said anything... "We had steaks, but they didn''t taste like the ones that Aunt Neile usually makes. It was more of a Russian technique. Vivian, what did you find out?" Luca probed. Vivian''s mood had been stable the past few days, but she suddenly lost it on that day. Luca knew that it must be rted to Gordan. Vivian nodded and replied, "He doesn''t eat anything that has tomato in it. I suspected something when Aunt Neile mentioned that she had to prepare three portions of lunch because you had a guest. I offered to help Aunt Neile prepare the steaks, and I knew for sure when Aunt Neile said that the guest didn''t like tomato sauce..." Luca did not expect that she would find out in this way... "Luca, is it him?" Vivian asked. "Okay, I won''t hide it from you anymore. It''s him. He''s been at T Corporation thesest couple of days." Luca had to confess. In that situation, there was no need to hide from Vivian any longer. "It''s really him... He''s been going to T Corporation because of me?" Vivian was inexplicably flustered. She had a lot of questions on her mind when she did not ask, but she did not feel great after the topic was initiated. "I don''t know about that. Mr. Crawford didn''t tell me anything. Vivian, don''t overthink it." Luca rubbed her shoulder. Vivian''s eyes were red. She looked like she could break down into tears at any moment. "Luca, I feel very guilty that my issue with him has affected so many people. Do you know about Mr. Crawford''s past?" Vivian curled up on the sofa and folded her arms. Of course, Luca knew about Luke''s past. "I don''t..." she said even though it was a lie. "If I hadn''t insisted on being with Gordan, Mr. Crawford wouldn''t have been in so many dangerous situations. He almost couldn''te back to A City. Ray made a lot of concessions because of my willfulness. Now, I thought I could see everything clearly, but I didn''t expect that it would cause trouble to Mr. Crawford..." Vivian was a shy person to begin with. What she feared most was causing trouble to others. "Nothing of that sort! Don''t overthink it. Besides, based on Mr. Crawford''s character, if he thinks Mr. Norton is in the way, he''ll never let him step foot into thepany. Maybe they have something to discuss, which exins why they''ve been spending thest few days together. It hasn''t affected anyone, so don''t stress about it." Luca touched her head tofort her. "Luca, you won''t lie to me, right?" Vivian knew Luca was trying tofort her. "You can ask Mr. Crawford if you don''t believe what I said. Besides, you know Mr. Crawford. No one can disturb him when he''s working," Luca broke it down for her. Vivian nodded. Luca took her hand and stood up. "Okay, Aunt Neile should have dinner ready. Let''s go downstairs to eat. You haven''t been downstairs all afternoon, and the kids are worried sick about you." Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "I didn''t mean to..." Vivian was even more embarrassed when she learned that the children were worried about her. Luke and Bianca''s children were all little angels that Vivian liked very much. She looked at Luca, who was holding her hand, and inexplicably felt fond of her. The two went downstairs. Tommy jumped up and hugged Vivian''s thigh as he said, "Aunt Vivian, are you okay?" "I''m fine. I''ve rested for an afternoon, and I feel much better now." Vivian touched Tommy''s head. ¡®Who wouldn''t like a kid like him?'' "Oh, I''m d to hear that. I was worried about you!" Tommy put a sticker on the back of her hand as he expressed his concern. Vivian smiled. "Okay, Mr. Crawford has to work overtime today. Shall we eat first?" Luca said. She guessed that Aunt Neile had dinner ready. Kids need to eat regrly to promote their health and development. "Okay." Vivian nodded and walked with Tommy toward the dining room. Luca waved to Lanie and Rainie. The two children walked over obediently and each held her hand on either side. Rainie asked softly when she saw Vivian walk into the dining room, "Ms. Luca, Aunt Vivian seems to be in a much better mood." "Yeah, she''s doing much better." Luca took their hands and walked into the dining room. She did not share much about the troubles among the adults. At the same time, she understood that Lanie and Rainie knew a lot better than Tommy about the drama going on with the adults. Otherwise, they would not be so restrained when Vivian came downstairs. Only Tommy rushed toward Vivian and expressed his worries, while Lanie and Rainie were still standing there. They were worried that expressing their worries would make Vivian think of unpleasant things. The two children who were carefully cared for by the Crawford family grew up in a carefree environment, but they knew so much. Luca felt distressed when she thought of that. After they were done eating, Vivian no longer had any negative emotions. She watched cartoons with the children. Luca breathed a sigh of relief seeing her getting along so well with the kids. Whether she was in a good mood or she was faking it, at least she no longer shut herself down. "Vivian, Lanie, Rainie, Tommy, enjoy the cartoon. I''ll be working in the study. Drop me a text if you need me," Luca said to them. She would be back in Watson Biopharmaceuticals tomorrow, so she wanted to make the best use of her time to rush the analysis for the ingredients of the antidote. "Okay, get to your work. I''ll watch the kids." Vivian smiled sweetly. Luca smiled and walked up to the second floor. She felt at ease with Vivian''s help watching the children. Also, the kids did not make a fuss. Chapter 2519 Luca walked into the study and was about to pack up the experimental samples and data when she suddenly realized that had not told Luke about what happened with Vivian. She picked up her phone and texted Luke: [Vivian found out that Mr. Norton has been at T Corporation.] [How is she feeling now?] Luke replied within minutes. Luca replied: [Her emotions have stabilized and she seems fine. It''s just that... Mr. Norton''s presence has a great impact on her.] She felt helpless in this situation. Although Gordan being in T Corporation all day long did not affect Luke much, Vivian would inevitably have a bee in one''s bo. Vivian would suffer more damage if the two went on as such. After all, in a rtionship that was not of mutual liking, whoever fell for the other first would be the biggest loser. Clearly, Vivian was the loser. [Mm, I see.] Luke replied to Luca''s message and looked at Gordan after it was sent. Gordan came back to his senses after being stared at for several seconds. He frowned and asked, "What are you looking at me like that for?" "Vivian knows you''ve been harassing me for days," Luke said. Gordan got excited. Based on what he knew of Vivian''s temperament, thest thing she wanted was to trouble others because of her matters. His goal had been achieved now that she knew about his presence. He just needed to wait for her toe to look for him. "Hmph, so what if she knows? I''m not harassing you. Even though I''m sitting here, your work efficiency is still as per usual. Also, I''ve handled a lot of things for you. You can''t say that I''m harassing you," Gordan said. He was helping out with managing Gale and Rain. Luke kept silent. Gordan felt bored. He looked at the documents on his desktop, which were not as many as usual. He suggested, "Brother Luke, why don''t we go to the nightclub for a drink? I''ll pay." "No." Luke relentlessly turned him down. Gordan insisted, saying, "You don''t have much work today." "Only lonely people go to bars to drink. I''ll go home after I go through the rest of the documents. There are people waiting for me at home." Luke took a sip of water and did not bother to look up. "Tsk, there''s a sour smell here." Gordan yed with the phone, feeling bored. Luke and Jason were always thinking about their respective partners, Luca and Sue. Thest few days could be said to be the most depressing time in his life. He could only watch others show affection for their partners while he was not interested in anything except drinking. Even though Luke''s secretaries were good-looking, Gordan changed his usual attitude and did not even bother to flirt with them. He swiped the news on his phone, bored. A notification popped up on the screen. He nced at it quickly and said in surprise, "Hey, the Mallories are making a move." Luke looked up at him and said, "What?" "Look at the news that just came out. Old Master Mallory contacted the reporter and said that Mallory Corporation will hold a shareholder general meeting in three days to announce the new adjustments for the development of Mallory Corporation in the new year." Gordan smiled. He knew that Percy being with Nina upset Old Master Mallory, so he knew the intention behind the general meeting that Old Master Mallory called for. It was a warning to Percy! If he kept going his own way and stayed with Nina, he would be the abandoned son of the Mallory Corporation. "They''re taking action," Luke said as he picked up thendline and pressed the inte. "Come in for a second." "Okay, Boss." Jason''s voice came from the phone. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Gordan smiled and said, "Percy was also born with a silver spoon. Do you think he can beat Old Master Mallory?" Old Master Mallory had been in the corporate world for so many years. He had gone through the rough waves and survived the financial turmoil. He would not be easy to deal with. No matter how strong Percy was, it would be difficult for him to face Old Master Mallory, who was known to be an old but sly fox. Luke did not answer his question. After all, it was hard to tell until thest minute. It was up to Percy how he wanted to deal with it. Nevertheless, he was certain that Percy would not give up on Nina. His life path would be much harder than before since he decided to marry Nina. Jason knocked on the door and walked in, "Boss, what can I do for you?" "Mallory Corporation will hold a shareholder general meeting in two days. Pierre has already spread the news, and many people will not have confidence in the decision made by Old Master Mallory. Therefore, there''ll be a lot of people selling Mallory Corporation''s shares when the market opens tomorrow. Pierre will also take advantage of this to buy and own more of Mallory Corporation''s shares. Find a few people andpete with him to acquire the scattered shares in the market. Get as many as you can," Luke said. He was nning to go all out since he had agreed to help Percy. "Okay, Boss." Jason nodded. "Don''t stop acquiring shares until the shareholders'' meeting is held. In the next few days, hand over your work to Tina and focus on buying shares. You must find people you can trust. You know what I mean?¡± Luke instructed him carefully. "Boss, I understand." Jason nodded. "Mm, if you have no concerns, that would be it," Luke said as he stood up. His work for the day was done. "Okay, Boss." Jason nodded and left the CEO''s office. Gordan asked, "Are you done with work?" "Go home." Luke expressed his determination that Gordan would not be following him. Gordan wailed, "For the sake of the trivial things I''ve handled for you, help me too!" "You want to drink?" Luke looked at Gordan only after he put on his coat. Gordan nodded. "Help me with one more thing, then. I''ll buy you a drink in return. It can be as expensive as you want," Luke said. "Really? The favor must be a difficult one." Gordan stood upzily. He did not enjoy being in any office due to the atmosphere. He would not have stayed at T Corporation for so many days if he did not want to force Vivian to see him. "It''s not a difficult task for you." Luke picked up his briefcase and packed up hisptop. "You know Matysh Abaza, right?" "Matysh Abaza from M Group?" Gordan knew of Matysh but had never bothered to make friends with him. After all, the fact that he liked to fool around with women had spread in the Russian upper ss. Despite that, Matysh had never bothered to restrain himself. Those who were desperate to rise to prominence were happy to offer their wives and daughters to spend a night with him to get rich. There were also people like him who were reluctant to get close to Matysh because they thought he was dirty and despicable. Luke nodded and continued talking, "He fell in love with Luca and came to A City to get her. I need your help to get rid of him." Chapter 2520 "No wonder Gale and Rain have been reporting about Matysh for the past few days. I didn''t think that he was hitting on Luca!" Gordan pretended to be suddenly enlightened. He knew that Luke was going to make a move on Matysh, but he did not expect Luca to be involved. After all, T Corporation was in partnership with M Group, and the president of M Group was Marcos for the time being. The rtionship between Matysh and Marcos had not been great all along, so Gordan thought that it was because of Marcos that Luke investigated and wanted to take action against Matysh. After all, helping the partner to solve a problem could consolidate the cooperation between T Corporation and M Group moving forward. Gordan now knew that Luke did it because of Luca. It seemed that Luca was more important to Luke than his career. "Are you going to help or not?" Luke asked while he leaned against the desk. Gordon''s involvement was a matter of a one-sentence reply. "Of course, I''ll help. I have nothing to do anyway. You owe me a drink after this." Gordan agreed. He owed Luke and Luca, so he had to help when it involved getting the couple back together. He would have agreed even if Luke did not offer to buy him a drink. "Mm, I''ll leave the next steps to you. Matysh should be taking action soon," Luke said. Gale mentioned that Matysh recently met with the head of the biggest crime family in A City. Marcos also mentioned his family''s dissatisfaction with Matysh as he had been in A City for the past two months. As such, he knew that it was a matter of time before Matysh struck. "Okay, I''ll head back to the hotel first so that I won''t get in the way of those who have partners to go home to." Gordanzily walked out of the CEO''s office and bumped into Cheryl. Cheryl blushed when she saw Gordan''s handsome face. "Mr. Norton, good evening." "Good evening." Gordan did not notice the shy look on Cheryl''s face. He just leftzily. Cheryl looked at Gordan''s tall frame and could not help but fall into a fascination. Although she worked by Luke''s side all year round, she knew after some time that her boss was not interested in her. As such, Cheryl had no interest in Luke even though she thought he was handsome. However, Gordan was different... Although all she knew was his name and that he was Luke''s friend, she could not help but be interested in him. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ''Such a handsome man...On top of that, he''s Mr. Crawford''s friend. He''s dressed in branded goods and oh, his bad boy temperament..'' Cheryl knew that she had fallen for him. "Ms. Lindsey, what are you doing standing here?" Luke frowned when he came out and saw Cheryl standing in the doorway of his office. She was looking in the direction of the elevator, so he wondered if she was looking at Gordan. "Ah, Boss." Cheryl snapped out of it and lowered her head in panic. ''Mr. Crawford didn''t see my nympho look just now, did he?'' As his secretary, Cheryl knew how much Luke hated nympho women. There was a junior secretary who had just graduated and joined thepany previously. She was somewhat smart and knew that she could not date her colleagues, so she had a crush on a client who was working with T Corporation instead. She made frequent mistakes at work when she was in a daze and Luke eventually fired the junior secretary. The reason was that nymphos affected thepany''s image. "What are you looking at?" Luke looked in the direction of the elevator. Gordan had already left, and not even a shadow could be seen. "I''m here to drop some documents off to you," Cheryl said quickly. She noticed that Luke was carrying a briefcase in his hand, so she asked, "Boss, are you leaving now?" "Mm, are the documents urgent?" Luke nced at her hand. Sure enough, she was holding a few documents. "None of them need to be rushed," Cheryl said. "Put them on my table. I''ll deal with them tomorrow," Luke said. It was not early, and all he wanted was to go home and hug Luca to sleep. If it were not for the fact that there were too many documents and it was inconvenient to move them around, he would have chosen to work overtime at home. That was because Luca, his favorite woman, was at home. "Okay, Boss." Cheryl lowered her gaze and breathed a sigh of relief when Luke left. She knew she had to be more alert. After all, she felt a sense of pride working at T Corporationpared to working at otherpanies. The sry was high and the culture was great. She could not afford to lose her job. Cheryl ced the documents on Luke''s desk, looked over at the couch, and thought of the scene of Gordan lounging on the couch. ''That man is so handsome...It''s a pity that I can''t find any information about him on the inte. I don''t know his real identity.'' The kids were asleep when Luke got home. Luca was not in the living room on the first floor. Vivian was the only one there. Usually, when there was no one in the living room on the first floor, Vivian would also return to the guest room. However, she was sitting in the living room, and it seemed that she was waiting for him. "Vivian, why aren''t you resting upstairs?" Luke asked. Vivian stood up and said somewhat restrainedly, "Mr. Crawford, I was waiting for you. Can I take five minutes of your time? It won''t take long. I just want to confirm something." "Gordan has indeed been at T Corporation for thest couple of days." Luke knew what she wanted to confirm. "He must have disturbed you..." Vivian lowered her eyes, she was a little sad. "No, he''s helping me with something. Didn''t Luca tell you?" Luke knew that Vivian did not want to see Gordan, so he said that on purpose. Even if Gordan was there, he would never bother anyone with their work, so it did not matter. "She said she didn''t know because she''s not on the same floor. Is he really helping you with your work?" Vivian looked at him, wanting to confirm something from his eyes. "Mm, yes." Luke nodded. "I don''t have any reason to lie to you." "Mr. Crawford, can you help me with one more thing?" Vivian made up her mind. She was about to start school. It would be inconvenient to live at Luke''s when school starts. From her conversation with Luca, she knew that Gordan would be able to harass her even if she chose to live on campus. No matter where Gordan stood, his outstanding handsome face was a beautiful sight that attracted the attention of countless women. She did not want to be caught by him at her new school. She wanted to spend her next few years studying abroad in a low-key manner. If she wanted to enjoy her peace, she had to face the person she did not want to face the most. "Tell me." Luke saw that she seemed to have made up her mind. Gordon''s n worked after he hung around hispany for the past few days. "I want to meet Gordan at T Corporation. I need to borrow your subordinates, Rain and Gale." Vivian said. Although Gordan would not drag it on any further, he would inevitably lose his temper if they could not get on the same page. She was his wife before, so she was okay to bear with his temper. However, at that moment, Vivian did not want to deal with it any longer. Chapter 2521 Luke made a guess at why Vivian wanted Gale and Rain by her side. "Gordan won''t hurt you." "I just want to protect myself. Just take my word for it..." Vivian lowered her gaze. She did not want to be alone with Gordan, so she used it as an excuse to ask Gale and Rain to protect her. She just wanted to have more people around when she met him. "Okay. When?" Luke agreed without a second thought. "Let''s do it tomorrow morning. I''ll go with Luca when she leaves for the office tomorrow," Vivian said. She wanted to sort things out as soon as possible so that Gordan could stop disturbing Luke. "Mm, I''ll let Luca know." Luke nced at his watch and thought that Luca should still be awake at this hour. "Thank you." Vivian thanked Luke. "It''s gettingte. Go get some rest," Luke reminded her before he headed upstairs. Vivian followed him up to the second floor. The two arrived on the second floor and returned to their respective bedrooms. After Luke washed up, he walked out of his bedroom and opened the door to Luca''s bedroom. Luca was sitting in front of the dresser going through the data files. She looked up when she heard the door open. "Mr. Crawford, you''re back. I''ll make you ate-night snack." Luke shook his head, indicating that Luca did not need to do so. "I''m not hungry. Don''t worry about it. What are you looking at?" "I''m looking at my research data. Since I''m moving back to Watson Biopharmaceuticals tomorrow, I''m thinking about doing my own research before the new research project starts. If it goes well, maybe it can be listed on the market." Luca lied with her eyes looking down. While theb now offered the opportunity for employees to run their experiments, she could not make the research too personal. Luke decided to open theb for everyone to encourage the researchers to do experiments and get better drug research projects. "Mm. You''ll still be going to T Corporation tomorrow, right?" Luke confirmed with her. "Yes, there are some important documents that I don''t trust the movingpany to move," Luca said. She nned to carry those more important documents over herself. "That''s perfect. Vivian will meet Gordan tomorrow. Take her with you when you head to the office." Luke said. Luca asked in surprise, "Vivian has already decided?" "Mm, she''s decided to face him." Luke nodded. He believed that it would be good for Vivian. "It''s not an easy decision to make..." Luca could not help but murmur. "I''m surprised that she made a decision so quickly." She thought that Vivian would need more time to think about how to deal with Gordan. "It''s considered a long time." Luke saw that there was some stray hair near her ear, so he reached out his hand to help her sweep them behind her ear. "She''s Ray''s older sister, but she doesn''t have much of Ray''s thunder-like vigor and wind-like swiftness. As such, her problems with Gordan dragged on until now." Hearing hisment, Luca could not help but look up at him. She felt like she was about to be sucked into the vortex as she looked into his mesmerizing eyes. "Vivian is well protected by Mr. Ray, so they don''t seem like siblings at all. In terms of rtionships, it is not easy for a woman to break things off no matter how bad things are. It hurts her every time she sees Gordan, so it''s understandable that things have dragged on until now. I just hope that their matter can bepletely resolved tomorrow. If Mr. Norton doesn''t love Vivian, he shouldn''t keep hurting her," she said with a sigh. Luca, like Vivian, was timid when it came to romantic rtionships as well. Although their scenarios were different, she was not much better. She could not even bring herself to be entirely honest when faced with the man she loved the most. "You think Gordan doesn''t like her?" Luke asked. "Mr. Norton may seem very persistent, but I don''t feel like he likes her. However, sometimes what we see is not necessarily the truth, such as with Nina and Mr. Percy..." Luca said. When she was Bianca Rayne, she thought that Percy did not like Nina and that they were only together because of a deal. Nina had no choice but to suffer in silence. As her friend, since Luca could not solve the situation, she could only choose to keep her opinion to herself. After she was kidnapped and came back three yearster, she still felt that Percy did not like Nina. It was only a littleter that she realized that what she assumed had always been wrong. Percy was head over heels for Nina, but he expressed it in the wrong way. ''Will Gordan be another Percy? It''s hard to say...'' Luca did not know if that could be true either. After all, Gordan, like Percy, was too stubborn and too good at disguising himself. ''It could be that capable men are more stubborn.'' "It''s gettingte. Let them deal with their matter their way. We should go to bed..." Luke hugged Luca''s waist and stroked it back and forth. Every single stroke was full of his desire for her. "Mr. Crawford..." Luca whispered while blushing. "Shall we go to bed?" Luke whispered in her ear. His maic raspy voice was seductive. "Okay..." Luca opened her mouth slightly. Her mouth felt dry, so her voice could not help but tighten... It was a long night of lovemaking. The next day. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Vivian, as Luke said, followed Luca to T Corporation. When she saw Luca holding a sealed box and carrying a briefcase in her hand, Vivian said, "Luca, let me carry it for you." "No, Warren is right outside the door. We don''t have to go too far. I can do it myself." Luca shook her head and walked through the garden with Vivian. Vivian opened the door and found Warren standing there. "Warren, please open the trunk of the car," Luca said. The box contained the experimental specimens and some important files. "Okay, Dr. Craw." Warren opened the trunk quickly. Luca carefully ced the box in the trunk and made sure that it was stable before she closed it. "Vivian, let''s go." Luca looked at Vivian, who had a timid expression. ¡®We just left the house and she already looks like this...'' She could not imagine how nervous Vivian would be when she met Gordanter. "Okay!" Vivian took a deep breath. Warren opened the door for her, and she got into the car. Luca got on the other side of the car. Warren drove them to T Corporation. Luca took Vivian''s hand and said, "Rain and Gale will be by your side. You have nothing to worry about." "I''m fine. By the way, Luca, when will Gale and Rain arrive?" Vivian asked. "I''m not sure, but I know that Mr. Crawford has already passed the message. I believe that they won''t bete. They should be there before work starts." Luca guessed. The two of them were not the kind who were oftente. ¡°Mm, can I stay in your office before they arrive?" Vivian took a deep breath. Ultimately, she did not want to face Gordan alone. Chapter 2522 "Sure thing! My office is a bit messy in preparation for the move. I hope you don''t mind it," Luca said. She was moving back to Watson Biopharmaceuticals, so her office in T Corporation was a mess. There were many documents randomly stacked on the coffee table and desk. "I don''t mind as long as you let me stay until Gale and Raine. I won''t disturb you for too long." Vivian was worried that she would affect Luca¡¯s work by staying in her office. "You have nothing to worry about. I¡¯ll just be sorting some documents today, so your presence won¡¯t affect me," Luca smiled and exined to her. "In this case, you won''t be working in the same building as Mr. Crawford moving forward?" Vivian asked. "I¡¯m not a staff member of T Corporation to begin with. The experimental team moved here because something happened at Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Now that things have been sorted out and our research project is ready to go to the market, we¡¯ll have to run here and there if we stay here. It¡¯s more convenient to move back,¡± Luca exined to her. "Luca, you¡¯re so capable. I want to be like you! You¡¯re not mediocre, and neither do you revolve your life around a person. You only work hard to fight for your future," Vivian said with adoration in her voice. After spending some time together, she realized that Luca was an amazing woman. Few women could live their lives like Luca. That included her, who wasted years on a man. She would not be where she was if she had not been so obsessed with Gordan. She had been self-aware since she was a child. Vivian knew that she was not good-looking and as such, not liked by excellent men. Whenever a good man showed any interest in her, she would think that it was because the other party wanted to benefit from her family. As such, she had always lived a ¡®safe¡¯ life. It was until she met Gordan that her self-aware heart suddenly awoke. No matter how many times he refused her, she just wanted to be with him. She even begged Ray to help her. She thought that they would be able to live a life of peace and happiness if she could lock Gordan in with marriage. However, she eventually learned that the happiness she sought and her wishful thinking meant nothing to him. Vivian had already wasted a couple of years when she finally woke up from that dream. "It''s not toote to start now." Luca looked at her sad expression and instantly understood what she was thinking about. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Vivian was taken back and looked at Luca as she uttered, "Luca..." "It''s never toote. You start school in a few days. How about I take a day off work to send you to school?" Luca said. After Vivian and Gordan talked it out, their marriage would be over. Ray was still in Russia, and going to a new school for the first time was important for Vivian. As such, Luca wanted to send her off to school since her family was not around. Vivian showed a smile and pointed to the driveway. "Yes, but can I ask for a more low-key car? This car is too high-profile for school." Luca nodded. The car that Luke assigned her was high-profile. She thought about it for a while before she said, "Mr. Crawford happens to have a rtively low-key Volkswagen. Warren, please drive that car on that day." She opted for Warren to send them there because these were extraordinary times, and they could not afford to be sloppy. She was unsure of when Matysh''s men would make a move. Luca felt a little downcast. Trouble had beening for her one after another. She had not enjoyed much peace recently. "Okay, Ms. Craw," Warren responded. He would switch cars as per their request. Luke had already instructed him to do so. He did not need to ask for Luke''s permission to do that. Warren drove to the underground parking lot of T Corporation, turned off the engine, and said to them, "Ms. Craw, Miss Vivian, we''ve arrived at T Corporation." "Okay, I won''t take the stuff in the trunk as it''s going to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Please help me keep it safe." Luca told Warren. "Okay, Ms. Craw," Warren responded. Luca looked at Vivian and said, "Let''s go upstairs?" Vivian took a deep breath, nodded, and followed Luca out of the car. The two got on the elevator together. The elevator stopped when it reached the first floor, and the doors opened slowly. Vivian was inexplicably nervous. Her breathing became hurried as she stared at the elevator doors. She was afraid of running into Gordan in such a small ce as the elevator! The doors opened slowly and two people walked in. Vivian was relieved when she did not see Gordan. She could not face Gordan calmly. She wanted to meet him in a rush only because she did not want him to continue to disturb others with his unrelenting attitude. She did not want to see him, but many reasons forced her to. "Dr. Craw, is she a new employee?" Cheryl asked curiously when she saw a woman standing beside Luca in the elevator on the first floor. She was curious because she thought that Vivian did not look like she belonged here. Besides, she was in close contact with the Human Resources Department and she has never heard of T Corporation hiring new employees. "No," Luca said in a calm tone. Among those in the secretaries'' office, she was only close to Tina and felt indifferent about the others. "Then, this is..." Cheryl could not help but be curious. She pretended to be friendly and reminded Luca, "Dr. Craw, you need to register at the front desk if you want to bring a friend to the office." She knew about Luca and Luke''s rtionship, so she deliberately mentioned it. Although she was not romantically interested in Luke, Cheryl was still upset with Luca because of jealousy. Over the years, she had seen many women who wanted to rece Bianca, but no one had ever seeded. Luca took no time to capture the heart of her boss. Cheryl could not help but despise Luca. "Is that so? Are all of Mr. Crawford''s friends registered?" Luca looked at Cheryl. In T Corporation, although she did not interact with other departments, she still knew about the gossip that went around. That included the ones about Cheryl. "Is she the boss'' friend?" Cheryl looked at Vivian in surprise and wondered if Luca was making a fool of her. ¡®How could our boss have such a... um, weird-looking female friend?'' "Do they need to be registered, Ms. Lindsey?" Luca asked again. "If it''s a friend of the boss, of course not. However, I don''t seem to have heard the boss say that he would have friendsing over today..." Cheryl said. She quickly made it clear that she was unsure. "It''s too troublesome to go downstairs now. If you don''t believe me, you can ask Mr. Crawford directly. If Mr. Crawford says there''s no such thing, I''ll take his guest down to register," Luca said. She did not want any special treatment, but if they went downstairs at this hour, many people would crowd into the elevatorter. It was official working hours in 10 minutes. Chapter 2523 "Dr. Craw, don''t get me wrong. I don''t mean it that way. Since she''s the boss'' guest, I''ll bring her up." Cheryl thought that it was likely that Luca was bluffing her and trying to warm up to Vivian. "Ms. Lindsey, this friend of Mr. Crawford only understands Russian..." Luca did not n for Cheryl to bring Vivian up. If Cheryl brought her up, Vivian might bump into Gordan at any time. "Ah, Russian..." Cheryl had wondered why Luca was bringing Luke''s friend around. She instantly understood why when she heard that the other party only knew Russian. She smiled awkwardly and said, "Dr. Craw, you should bring her with you, then. I only know English and Italian. My Russian is not the best." After she finished speaking, the elevator doors slowly opened. Luca led Vivian out of the elevator. After they got further from the elevator, Vivian asked curiously, "Luca, who was..." "Mr. Crawford''s secretary. If she takes you up, you might bump into Mr. Norton before Gale arrives," Luca exined. "No wonder. Thank you, Luca." Vivian thanked her. She felt ufortable when she saw Cheryl. She rarely had such emotions for a stranger, so she was not sure what was going on but did not take it to heart. After Luca clocked in for work, she brought Vivian to her office, opened the door, and saw that the only seat avable in the room was the sofa. She smiled and said, "Fortunately, there''s still room on the sofa. Take a seat. I''ll go make two cups of coffee." "Okay." Vivian nodded and sat down on the sofa. After a while, Luca walked in with two cups of coffee and handed one of them to Vivian. "The quality of thepany''s coffee beans is not as good as Mr. Crawford''s, but you can try it. If you don''t like it, I''ll get you some juice. " "Thank you." Vivian grabbed the coffee, thanked Luca, and took a sip. The mellow taste reminded her of Aunt Neile''s note about Luca''s first-ss coffee-making skills. Even though the coffee beans in the office were not as good as those in the vi, Luca''s technique and control of the water temperature allowed the aroma of the coffee beans to be fully disyed. "It''s delicious. No wonder Mr. Crawford likes it so much." Vivian could not help but sigh in admiration. "Huh?" Luca was surprised. "Aunt Neile mentioned that Mr. Crawford''s favorite drink is the coffee that you brew. Didn''t you save a cup for mest time? It tastes very good. I think that if you ever get sick of your job and want to go for something more simple, you would do great if you open a coffee shop since the coffee you make is so delicious." Vivian took another sip. She had drunk coffee prepared by world-ss coffee masters using the best coffee beans recognized by the world. She regarded herself as a coffee connoisseur. The coffee brewed by Luca was more than decent. "That''s so exaggerated. It''s just an ordinary cup of coffee. It''s not as good as you said." Luca thought she was simpering her. After all, Luke liked to drink her coffee. That was because she made the coffee the way she used to. What Luke liked was that it reminded him of Bianca. It was not because the coffee she brewed was good. "There''s no reason for me to lie to you. It''s truly delicious!" Vivian took another sip to prove that she really liked it. Luca smiled and said, "Enjoy it. I''ll go pack up the documents." She looked at the mess in the office and did not expect that there were so many things to be moved back even though she had only spent a short time in T Corporation. Many of them were research data on her drug. She could not throw these data away as they would still be of great use in the future. It made sense that there would be more stuffpared to when she first came over. "Okay, do you need any help?" Vivian asked. She looked around the messy office and guessed that Luca had a lot to clean up. "No, these documents are numbered. They may confuse you," Luca said. These numbers were only understood by researchers in their group. "Okay, I won''t cause any more trouble for you, then." Vivian smiled and looked at Luca getting busy as she sipped her coffee. After she finished her studies, she vowed to be a strong woman like Luca. Luca''s phone rang after she had been packing up for a while. She looked at her phone and said, "Maybe it''s for you." "What?" Vivian looked at her in confusion. "It''s an unknown local number. It''s probably Gale and the others," Luca said. She picked up the call and found that the person on the other end was indeed Gale. "Ms. Craw, is Miss Vivian in your office?" "Yes. Have you arrived at T Corporation?" Luca looked at Vivian and turned on the phone''s speaker function. "Yes, Rain will pick up Ms. Vivian from your office right away," Gale said. "Okay, no problem." Luca hung up the phone and said to Vivian, "Gale and Rain are already at T Corporation. They''ll take you upstairster." "What about Gordan?" Vivian''s heart could not help but tremble at the mention of his name. "Uh, he didn''t say anything about it. We''ll ask Rainter," Luca said with a frown. Five minutester, Rain appeared at Luca''s office. The office door was not closed, so she knocked on the door to alert them before she walked in. "Ms. Craw, I''m here to pick up Ms. Vivian." "Vivian?" Luca looked at Vivian, who was deep in thought. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. "Ah? Oh, I want to ask... if he''s here yet?" Vivian came back to her senses and looked at Rain. Rain knew who she was referring to. She shook her head and said, "He''s not here yet, but I''m sure he''s not too far away." Vivian put on a forced smile as she said, "Let''s go upstairs." "Okay, let''s go," Rain said. They were there to apany Vivian. They obeyed their boss'' instructions although they did not understand why. "Mm." Vivian stood up. "Vivian." Luca stopped Vivian, who was about to leave. "Huh?" Vivian turned around to look at her. "Vent out all your emotions and say whatever you want to say. That way, you''ll walk away as the winner," Luca said. She knew that Vivian had a thousand words in her heart because of Gordan, so she hoped she couldy it all out. "Okay, I''ll definitely do that." Vivian took a deep breath and left with Rain as if she was marching to the battlefield. Luca watched them walk off and let out a long sigh. She hoped that the conversation between Vivian and Gordan wouldpletely unravel Vivian''s sorrows. She lowered her gaze and continued to organize the documents at hand. She and Luke could only help so much when it came to Vivian''s problems. Outsiders did not have a ce to say or do anything about their rtionship. Rhett walked in with a thick stack of documents and said, "Dr. Craw, I think it''s better to send these over with your carter." Chapter 2524 "Okay." Luca nodded and asked about theboratory, "Has the equipment been packed?" "There''s still some equipment that''s getting packed into boxes, Dr. Craw. Everyone got excited when they found out that we were going back to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. They all said they would take this opportunity to do their research." Rhett smiled. Luke''s decision raised the enthusiasm of a lot of people. After all, everyone wanted to run their own research. Their resume would look better than others whether they stayed at Watson Biopharmaceuticals or went looking for other jobs in the future. Luca smiled. "Are all of your boxesbeled?" "It''s already done." Rhett nced at the box in his arms which had been sealed with clear tape and had abel on it. "You can put it here first. I''ll bring them to the car once I''m done packing up here," Luca said as she continued to pack up her documents. She sorted and packed the documents ahead of time so she could unpack them quickly when she returned to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. "Okay." Rhett put the box on the ground, saw the documents on Luca''s desk, and asked, "Dr. Craw, do you need my help?" "No, I''m about to be done sorting these things out. You should go to theb and help them. The transportationpany will be here soon. It''s not good if we make them wait too long. You''re detail- oriented, so make sure that nothing goes wrong." Luca shook her head. She did not ask him to help. "Okay." Rhett smiled and walked out of her office. Luca continued to pack up. At the same time, Vivian was brought to the top floor office by Rain. "Ms. Vivian, we''ll wait inside, okay?" Rain opened the door of the meeting room and asked for her opinion. "Okay, thank you." Vivian walked into the reception room. Gale was the only one there, so her uneasy heart could rx once more. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. However, she knew that it was only temporary relief. She would not be rxed once Gordan appeared. "Miss Vivian, good morning. Have you had breakfast yet?" Gale smiled warmly. He remembered Luke''s instructions. No matter what happened and what Gordan said, they had to be on Vivian''s side. If Gordan went too far, he and Rain were allowed to take action against Gordan. As a man, Gale sympathized with Gordan''s situation, but there was no other way. They listened to the boss''s orders, not Gordan''s. "I''ve eaten. I''m sorry to call you both here so early..." Vivian said. Her voice was buzzing toward the end of her sentence as she was embarrassed. Among all of Luke''s subordinates, she was most familiar with Gale and Rain. She had even conversed with Rain before. She thought of involving them to keep up appearances so that things would not be too awkward when she saw Gordan. "It''s okay. Take a seat. I''ll ask a secretary to pour you a cup of coffee," Gale said. He picked up the phone in the reception room and asked someone from the secretaries'' office to bring them three cups of coffee. After five minutes, the door to the reception room was pushed open. Vivian''s heart skipped a beat. It was almost like a nervous reflex as she looked up at the door. Cheryl came in with their coffee. Vivian breathed a sigh of relief. She was d that it was not Gordan because she was not prepared mentally to face him! Cheryl ced the coffee in front of the three of them respectively. She knew Rain and Gale but did not expect that Vivian would be with them. ¡®Wasn''t she just downstairs with Luca?'' "Ms. Lindsey, thank you. You can get back to your work." Rain saw Cheryl staring at Vivian and thought that Cheryl was being rude, so she cleared her throat to remind her. "Okay. The three of you, please enjoy your coffee and call me if you need anything." Cheryl retracted her gaze and walked out with the tray in her hand. Gale was familiar with the ce, so he did not feel restrained. After finding afortable sitting position, he took a sip of coffee and said, "Tsk, the coffee made by Ms. Lindsey is average." "Just be happy that someone served you coffee. Don''t be picky." Rain rolled her eyes at him. "I''m just telling the truth. Coffee made by Tina or Mr. Doyle is decent. Look at how picky the boss is, yet he would still drink coffee made by the two of them. However, Ms. Lindsey''s " Gale did not go on. After all, Cheryl was not part of their team at T Corporation. He knew when to stop talking. Vivian took a sip of coffee and said softly, "Luca''s coffee is delicious too." Gale and Rain exchanged nces. Of course, they knew the coffee brewed by Luca was wonderful, but they could not drink it either... Their boss was possessive, so it would be like the sun rising from the west if they could one day taste Luca''s cooking and brewed coffee again. It was something that neither one of them could imagine. Vivian looked at them and said, "Why aren''t you saying anything? You don''t believe me?" "No, we believe you." Rain smiled. ¡®It''s just that... the coffee brewed by our boss'' lover is not something we have easy ess to.'' They had not had much contact with Luca so as to not arouse the suspicion of Luca and those from the Ind of Despair. The chance of them drinking a cup of coffee brewed by Luca was equal to zero. The door to the conference room was pushed open again, and Gordan walked in. Vivian held the cup in her hand in a daze. The coffee was still hot, but she did not feel it. She was so anxious that she forgot that her hand was burning. ''Gordan has lost a lot of weight since Ist saw him...'' Nevertheless, he was still the same bad boy. Vivian looked at the jewelry hanging from his neck, and her eyes got inexplicably moist. Gordan wore jewelry around his neck all year round. She was the one who helped to choose and buy him jewelry in the years that they were together. Vivian did not like him wearing other essories and would secretly put them away. Gordan found out but did not say anything and continued to wear the essories she had chosen for him. At that time, Vivian was overjoyed thinking that Gordan did not hate her as much as she thought. Otherwise, he would not wear the essories that she bought. At this moment, the ne around Gordan''s neck was no longer the one that she got. It seemed that he hated her very much, so everything on him had nothing to do with her. Gale stood up, looked at Gordan, and said, "You''re here? Want some coffee?" "No, I''ve had mine." Gordan chose to sit opposite Vivian. He looked at the two people around her and could not help but tease, "What are they doing here? Are they your bodyguards?" "I asked them toe. They''ll be here for the entire conversation." Vivian summoned the courage and said the first sentence of her dialogue with Gordan. That was the first sentence she said to him after she signed the divorce agreement. Vivian lowered her gaze. She was overwhelmed with sadness. If things had not boiled down to this, she would never throw in the towel on Gordan. She forced herself to let go and stopped stalking him, but Gordan cornered her time and time again, leaving her nowhere to run. Chapter 2525 Gordan sneered and replied, "I can¡¯t believe you brought bodyguards. What''s the matter? Do you think I¡¯ll hurt you?" Vivian did not speak. She looked up at him and then lowered her head again. Seeing Gordan being so aggressive, Rain could not help but say, "Don''t you have something to talk about? Get straight to it. Enough with the nonsense." "Gordan, please mind your words," Gale also said. Although their marriage was unfortunate, it was too cruel for him to speak to Vivian like that. Even if they could not be husband and wife, they did not need to be enemies. Gordan''s slender legs were folded together. He felt inexplicably unhappy when he saw Vivian''s submissive appearance. After so many years, she was still the same as before. She was obedient like a mouse seeing a cat in front of it. It annoyed him. He thought that something would have changed since she could summon the courage to file for a divorce and even leave the property to him to humiliate him. He was disappointed... She was meant for more in life. Although her looks may be unsatisfactory, her other qualities were thousands of times better than others. However, she looked like a coward whenever she faced him. Even after their divorce, she was still the same. "Okay, let¡¯s talk." Gordan opened the briefcase, took out a stack of documents, and threw them on the coffee table. "This is your vi. Sign it and take it back. Then we''re done." Vivian looked away. She knew that Gordan only insisted on talking to her because of the vi. He thought she was humiliating him by leaving him a vi that she paid for. However, she simply wanted to give him things that he liked. The vi was designed ording to Gordan''s preferences. After the divorce, he would travel frequently to attend to tasks, so she thought there was no need to transfer the vi since he would not be there much either. Vivian''s heart felt sour. Gordan started the conversation by talking about the house. There were no unexpected topics. ¡®Why does he hate everything that I left him...¡¯ She smiled bitterly as he seemed to hate her present. "The house is yours. If you don''t want it, just dispose of it. You don''t have to give it back to me," Vivian said. She was unwilling to sign the agreement. "Hmph, we''re divorced but you still have so many tricks up your sleeve. Even if I dispose of the house, it''ll still be under my name. It''ll still be a humiliation to me. Okay, since you don''t want the house, just sign the auction agreement. The final auction price will be donated to charity," Gordan said as he took another document from his briefcase. He had already asked hiswyer friends to help prepare these two documents. No matter what others or Vivian said, he did not want the vi. Rain sat aside and could not help but wonder what was wrong with her leaving the house for him since they bought it together as a husband and wife. It was many men''s dream vi, but Gordan scorned it. Vivian did not want the vi either. Rain thought that the two of them were weird. Vivian raised her gaze and looked at the two documents on the coffee table. She felt inexplicably sad. Even if he wanted to dispose of the vi, he wanted it to be under her name. He would wait for the auction of the vi and then donate the auction funds. He would not participate in the whole process. That was how Gordan distanced himself from her... Vivian was sad but also helpless. Neither of the two said a word. The atmosphere in the reception room turned awkward. In the end, Gale had to clear his throat and persuade him, "Gordan, can''t you handle it yourself?" "I didn''t want this thing to begin with. Why should I handle it?" Gordan''s expression was full of disgust, and his tone of voice carried a hint of contempt. His words shattered Vivian''s already broken heart even more. She caressed her arm helplessly. She had no other choice since Gordan''s attitude was firm. "Okay, I''ll handle it." Gordan''s eyes shed with surprise when he heard her.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡®How is she so obedient? Is she plotting something?'' Just as Gordan got suspicious, Vivian picked up the folder that he mmed on the coffee table and signed her name on the back without reading the contents of the document. She was not worried that Gordan would trick her. ''He doesn''t want the vi and is eager to cut off all contact with me. I doubt he''ll cheat me.'' He would only try his best to cut off all ties with her. "The document has been signed. I''ll personally send it to our Russianwyer and let him deal with the house. Are you satisfied now?" Vivian tried her best to control the trembling in her voice. Gordan was unlikely to look for her again after the matter of the vi was settled. She thought that it was fine. She needed a new life, and Gordan needed to get rid of the trauma that she left him. If Gordan had not seen her sign the agreement, he would not have believed that the matter could be solved so easily. He nodded slightly. He had a cold and arrogant expression on his face. Gale, who was on the side, said, "Gordan, anything else that you want to say?" "No," Gordan said. Things went too smoothly. He thought Vivian would use the vi against him and never let him go. It was not like her to be so clear-cut. ''Is Vivian actually going to let go of our rtionship?'' Gordan suddenly felt a little ufortable, but it was only for a second. He returned to a cold mood as he thought it was better for her to let go. He did not want to have anything to do with her anymore. Gale nodded, then his eyes fell on Vivian. "Ms. Vivian, if all is well from your end, Rain will take you home now." "Okay." Vivian lowered her gaze and stood up. Since Gordan had nothing to say to her, she could not say anything about the matter anymore. Even if she had a thousand words in her heart, she was in no position to say them. Since she decided to give up, those words would have to rot in her heart rather than be told to that man. Rain followed her and got up. When they were about to leave, she gave Gordan a look of contempt. Women were often the ones who suffered in a marriage, and women were also the ones who hurt more after a divorce. Rain thought that Gordon had a responsibility to bear for how Vivian was. Gordan noticed Rain''s disdain and frowned. He knew it had something to do with Vivian. ''How can such an ugly woman win everyone''s hearts wherever she goes? I really can''t understand why Luke and Luca both defend her like that.'' "Wait a minute," Gordan said slowly. Vivian, who was about to open the door, froze. Her hand stayed put on the metal door handle but she said nothing. Rain turned around and said to Gordan impatiently, "Didn''t you say you were done talking?" "It has nothing to do with you." Gordan gave Rain a warning look. Even if Gale was there, he was not afraid to fight the two of them since he had experience doing so. He was fine being beaten up and having to hide at home. He looked at Vivian''s frail body and asked "What cigarette brand did you buy before?" Chapter 2526 Before Vivian could answer, Rain could not help but make fun of Gordan, "Aren''t you very capable? Can''t you find out yourself?" Gordan frowned as he was displeased that Rain stood up for Vivian, even if it was because she empathized with her as a woman. Nevertheless, Rain worked for Luke, so he could not say anything. All he could do was stare at Vivian''s back. After a few seconds, Vivian took a deep breath and replied, "It''s a Nordic brand, Maslikon. The most expensive one." "Okay," Gordan responded simply but frowned. Vivian seemed to have lost a lot of weight. As he continued to stare at her, he thought that her appearance had changed after this major event. Vivian put on a sad smile. She did not dare to turn around and look at Gordan again, so she pulled on the door handle and walked out of the reception room. Cheryl was walking toward the room when she saw Vivian and Rain. She stepped to the side of the corridor and greeted them respectfully, "Are you leaving?" "Yes, please clean up the cups in the reception room," Rain said. "Okay." Cheryl lowered her gaze. She waited for the two to leave, walked into the pantry, and picked up the tray before she reentered the reception room. She was stunned when she saw Gordan there. ¡®Does Gordan know the woman from just now? What''s the rtionship between the two?'' Cheryl could not help but imagine. ''The two of them don''t look like they''re rted, so... could it be a working rtionship? After all, a handsome man like Gordan would never be interested in that ugly woman.'' "What are you doing?" Gale frowned when he saw Cheryl standing in the doorway. "Mr. Gale, I''m here to clean up the room," Cheryl said as she nced at the coffee cups on the coffee table. The coffee was not great, so Gale nodded and said, "Go for it." "Yes." Cheryl put all the coffee cups on the tray. Her heartbeat could not help speeding up when she saw Gordan frowning. She thought that he looked amazing even when he frowned and that she would be proud to bring him out as her boyfriend! "Mr. Norton, do you want coffee?" Cheryl asked shyly. Gordan''s mood was gloomy, and he firmly refused her, "No." "Okay." Cheryl was a little disappointed. Tina had made him coffee when he was in Luke''s office. She wanted to make him a cup of coffee herself, but unfortunately, the man in front of her did not seem to be in a good mood. She left with the tray. Gale picked up the transfer agreement that remained, flipped through it, and tsked. "This vi is expensive." "So what?" Gordan leaned against the sofa and looked at him. "This is a house that other people dream of, but you want absolutely nothing to do with it. You can handle the sales of the vi yourself, so why must you have Miss Vivian handle it herself?" Gale did not understand what was on their minds. The two of them did not want that house and treated it like it was a hot potato. Gordan wanted to throw it away immediately. It had been dealt with now, but Gale felt that Gordan was still not in a good mood. "That''s her vi, of course, she should be the one handling it." Gordan frowned, snorted coldly, and stood up. "Where are you going?" Gale stood up. "I''m heading to the CEO''s office. Do you want toe along?" Gordan wanted to talk to Luke. "Boss'' office? I''ll go with you. I have something to report to him." Gale walked out the door with Gordan. "How much did that woman pay you two to be her bodyguards and for Rain to speak for her?" Gordan was a little unhappy, so his voice was muffled. ''Why was I attacked by Rain?'' "She didn''t pay us anything. The boss asked us to do it. As for Rain, maybe it''s because they''re both women, so she''s not happy with your behavior." Gale guessed. Even if he was a man, he felt Gordan should not have done that and was acting stupid. "How could Luke be like this? I don''t know what that woman did to him. He''s not taking my side at all." Gordan could not help but feel resentful. He hated women talking back to him. It bruised his ego. However, his supposedly gentlemanly demeanor did not allow him to hit women for no reason. "If you think about it, the boss is on your side." Gale frowned and spoke for Luke. Gordan rolled his eyes at him before he said, "You''re his subordinate. Of course, you would say such things." "If the boss isn''t on your side, he wouldn''t let you be in his office every day. He would be sure to kick you out if you were someone else, even if you sat without a word for a whole day. The boss didn''t do that no matter how much noise you created in his office. Isn''t he helping you? If it weren''t for you disturbing his work, Ms. Vivian probably wouldn''t have agreed to see you and the house would still be under your name," Gale said. Gordan frowned. ''It seems like he has a point.'' Luke was helping him indirectly. After all, Vivian''s temperament did not allow her to trouble others because of her matters. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. As such, hanging around Luke''s office was a hundred times better than waiting at the gate of the community. Luke prepared a meal for him likely because he knew that Vivian would help with cooking and would eventually find out that he had been frequenting Luke''s office. Gordan was speechless when he thought of the steak he prepared the other day. Luke was the one that proposed for them to have steak... It seemed that his arrangement was clever and natural. Even he did not notice his true intentions for a while. Gale patted him on the shoulder seeing that Gordan did not say a word. "Now you realize that the boss has made the appropriate arrangements." After he said that, he knocked on the door of Luke''s office, got a response, opened the door, and walked in. "Boss, Rain and I havepleted the task you assigned us," Gale said. Luke nodded and looked at Gordan, who walked in from behind Gale. His expression was neither happy nor rxed, so Luke asked, "Things didn''t go how you wanted it to?" "No, the hot potato is gone." Gordan likened the house to a hot potato. Luke shook his head and did not continue talking. Gale closed the office door and went straight to it. "Boss, when our men were monitoring Matysh yesterday, they found several more people entering and leaving his guest room. It seems that he''ll be making a move soon enough." "How''s the investigation going?" Luke looked at Gordan. He did not only ask Ray and the others to investigate ckmail material on Matysh in Russia, but he also asked Gordan to help on the matter. After all, the two had fundamentally different investigation methods. "We''re getting somewhere. Give me another day. Maybe he''ll be deported before he can do anything," Gordan said. "That fast?" Gale could not help but wonder. "Of course. I have my intelligencework. Once the information is verified, it can be handed over to the relevant departments. However, we may be against Marcos'' wishes if we deal with the matter as such," Gordan said. Chapter 2527 Marcos knew what Matysh had done to his parents in the past, so he wanted him ughtered. He said he was happy to leave it to Luke. He would not intervene and would even help. However, if Matysh was deported, Luke and the others would not be able to take revenge on Matysh, which went against Marcos'' wishes. Luke thought about it for a while before he said, "Continue with your search. Get all the evidence, then we''ll discuss the next steps." Gordan nodded. Conducting investigations was his forte. Gale added, "Boss, Rain and I will continue to follow Matysh as well as those from the organized crime family." "Yeah." Luke nodded. Even if the enemy did not make a move, they could not afford not to. He had to protect Luca before Matysh did anything to her. After Gale updated him on Matysh, Luke looked at Gordan and asked, "Where''s Vivian now?" "Rain took her home," Gale said and looked at Gordan. Gordan noticed that they were both looking at him, so he touched his face. He frowned and said, "What are you two looking at me for?" "Nothing. Boss, if all is well, I''ll head off now." Gale retracted his gaze and reported to Luke. "Mm." Luke did not stop him. After Gale left, Gordan continued to slump on the sofa. He patted the leather cushion beside him and sighedfortably. ¡°Luke, when my apartment is ready, send me a sofa from this brand." "Your apartment? Are you going to settle down in A City?" Luke raised his eyebrows. Before Gordan got married, he lived all over the world and had no real estate. It was not that he had no money. He simply did not like to buy real estate because even if he did, he would not stay for more than a few days due to the nature of his work. Gordan did not buy properties to leave them vacant in hopes that they would appreciate in value. "I''m not settling down here, but my work will probably not be too far from here. I''m used to living in a house, so I''m not used to living in hotels now," Gordan said. He picked up the phone to ask his Nordic friends to help him buy cigarettes. He had not been smoking that brand since Vivian left, so he felt as though something was missing. "Vivian will be here for four or five years." Luke opened a file and reminded him. "So what? Can''t I be here if she''s in A City? A City isn''t hers," Gordan said indifferently. He was a little puzzled as to why they kept talking about Vivian today. He kept hearing so much about her! Whenever they mentioned Vivian, he could not help but think of her frail back, and he would feel irritable. He wanted nothing more than the name ''Vivian'' to disappear from his life. "Others might think that you suddenly have feelings for Vivian," Luke said something intriguing. "How is that possible?!" Gordan''s reaction became a little bigger. "Huh." Luke stopped talking. Gordan suddenly felt ufortable as though his heart was being scratched. He said, "Enough with the nonsense. If I hear any rumors going around, I''ll make sure you get what''sing for you." "Feel free." Luke was not afraid that Gordan would cause him trouble. "I really will." Gordan knew Luke was not one to gossip, but he was still worried that he would be involved with Vivian once more. He finally got rid of her after she gave up on her own initiative. The situation that Luke mentioned would never happen. "Who knows?" Luke said, his gaze still cold. Gordan thought that Luke did not believe him. He got more and more irritated. He could not sit still and stood up. "That''s it. After my apartment is ready, you''ll buy me a sofa just like this one.¡± "No problem," Luke agreed. He could afford a sofa. Gordan had been helpful with the matter surrounding Matysh. "I''m heading off. Go buy it now," Gordan said. He had been looking at real estate online for the past few days and finally had time to make a decision. When he got to the door, he stopped and turned around to look at Luke. "I almost forgot the other thing. You asked me to find Marcos'' mother and we''re getting there. Someone has seen a woman like that in the suburbs, but the suburbs arerge and people move around a lot. It''ll still take some time to find her.¡± "Got it," Luke said. It was good news, but he was not nning to tell Marcos anything yet. There were a lot of people in the suburbs who came and went every day. Some people may have seen her before, but she may not be there now. Luke nned to wait until Gordan had definite news before he would tell Marcos. Luke watched Gordan leave, and his gaze was deep. His men had been looking for so long, but there has been no news. When Gordan came in to help, they made progress. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Gordan was great at finding people. Even if he had been trapped in Russia for a few years, he had never lost his skills or channels. Gordan''s decision to stay in A City, whether it was because of Vivian or not, was good news for Luke. Luke lowered his gaze and continued to scan through the documents. Gordan walked into the elevator and suddenly thought of Luca, so he pressed the button to get to the floor where theboratory was. The elevator doors opened slowly, and he walked casually to Luca''s office. "Why is everything so messy?" Gordan looked at the boxes piled on the ground. There were several cardboard boxes on the desk, and Luca was loading documents into them. When she heard Gordan''s voice, Luca raised her eyebrows and asked, "Mr. Norton, are you done talking with Vivian?" "There was nothing to talk about. She''s willing to take the vi back, so there''s nothing else that we need to talk about." Gordan smiled. Luca could think of how cold he acted based on his tone even if she was not there. She frowned and said, "I can''t believe you don''t want such a nice vi." "I don''t need a woman to support me. Are you nning to move offices?" Gordan asked. He was in Luke''s office when he was arranging for the movingpany toe. He could clearly see the displeasure on the other''s face. Nevertheless, even if he was unhappy, he still made the necessary arrangements for them. "Yeah." Luca put thest document into the corresponding cardboard box before she picked up the transparent tape next to it and started to seal the boxes. "There are so many documents here. Do you need help?" Gordan asked. Luca looked Gordan up and down for a while. Even though he and Vivian had divorced, he was still bullying her. Perhaps she could avenge Vivian. "I''m d to hear that you''re free. I have to move not only these boxes but also a lot of the equipment in theboratory. Thanks for the trouble, Mr. Norton," Luca said with a smile. Gordan looked at the smile on her face and suddenly had a bad feeling. ''Maybe I shouldn''t have offered to help...'' "Isn''t there a movingpany hired to move these?" Gordan asked. He thought that Luke must have arranged for someone to move the boxes as he would not be so stingy. Chapter 2528 ¡°Yes. But there''s a saying in A City that many hands make light work. The workers of the moving company will be helping, and so will be the ones working in theb. Thank you, Mr. Norton." Luca did not give him the chance to reject her. It was all because he kept forcing Vivian when she had already given in. Gordon noticed the smirk on Luca''s face and realized he would get into trouble just for trying to be helpful. The reason Gordan got himself in trouble was that Luca was siding with Vivian, and she thought he was bullying her. Gordan could not help but wonder. Was he not the one who got bullied pretty badly for the past few years? Even though Vivian listened to everything he said, Ray had never gone soft on him. Ray was not the only one. There were also his subordinates. As a man, Gordan felt hard done by them for living his life that way for thest couple of years. ¡°I might as well go the extra mile since I''m already here,¡± replied Gordan. He refused to believe the equipment would be that heavy. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Furthermore, there were so many boxes filled with documents here. He could carry the lighter ones first. Half of the equipment in theboratory had probably been moved away. Luca smiled, nodded, and sealed thest box with transparent scotch tape. Rhett was about to walk into Luca''s office when he noticed that Gordan was there. Hence, he stopped at the door and informed Luca, ¡°Dr. Craw, everything in theb has been packed. We''re going to carry them downstairs now.¡± ¡°Okay. This is Mr. Norton. He came to help us move the things. After everything has been moved into the car, any researcher who has an empty seat in their car can give Mr. Norton a lift. He''ll help us to carry the equipment upstairster,¡± said Luca. ¡°I didn''t say..." Gordan was about to say that he only told her that he would help them to carry the things downstairs, but he did not promise to carry them upstairs at the new ce. ¡°Mr. Link, please take Mr. Norton to theb to help out," Luca interrupted him heartlessly. Gordan should not have bullied Vivian. Luca would use him as freebor today! Gordan was hesitant to speak. He felt dissatisfied, but he let go of his clenched fists at the thought of Luca being the woman Luke loved. He had no choice but to resign to his fate. What could he do to Luca? Luca did noty a finger on him. He could not do anything to her. Sure enough, men should stay away from women. Otherwise, they would be unfortunate. Rhett was confused. He felt like something was wrong with Luca today. There were workers from the movingpany here to move theboratory equipment, and the researchers were here to help too. There was no need to ask someone else to help. Besides, the man in front of him did not look like an ordinary person. Could he really help to carry things? ¡°Dr. Craw..." Rhett wanted to confirm with her. Was she really not joking with him? Luca knew what Rhett wanted to say. She nodded and replied, "Mr. Norton was trained before. He can carry heavy stuff. He found out that I''ll be moving back to Watson. That''s why he took the initiative to offer some help. Don''t worry about it. He told me he''ll take it as an exercise, right, Mr. Norton?" Gordan forced a smile. He had never said such things before! However, he was being pushed to do something that was entirely beyond his capability now. Gordan had no choice but to go along with what Luca said. "Whatever you say." "Mr. Link, bring Mr. Norton there." Luca turned to look at Rhett. Rhett nodded and said to Gordan, "Mr. Norton, this way, please." Gordan stomped out of the office angrily. Luca watched the two of them leave. She pondered for a moment and decided to report to Luke about it. [Mr. Crawford, I''m asking Mr. Norton to assist me for a while.] [What did you ask him to do?] Luke replied with confusion. Was she not supposed to be busy packing her documents? Why would she need Gordan''s help? [There''s a lot of equipment here, and they''re heavy. So I asked Mr. Norton to help us to move the equipment. Is that alright?] Luca asked. She knew Gordan currently worked for Luke now. Hence, she thought of asking for his permission. After all, Luke''s matters were more important. Luca did not want to hold Luke up just because she was intentionally winding Gordan up. [As you wish.] Luke replied unconcernedly after he found out that Luca was standing up for Vivian. Gordan did not have anything to do today. Otherwise, he would not have thought of buying a property here. Not only could he satisfy Luca''s desire for revenge by providing freebor, but it could also be the remuneration for the sofa at the same time. It was a great idea. Luca smiled since Luke was fine with it. She piled up two paper boxes and was ready to carry them downstairs, They had already started moving things in theboratory. She should be making a move too. After Rhett brought Gordan to theboratory, he chose a box and carried it quietly. A few researchers noticed a stranger in theboratory. However, the way Gordan dressed looked expensive and ssy. They could not help but wonder who the man was. Rhett did not exin anything either. He said to Gordan, ¡°Mr. Norton, please follow the workers from the movingpany downstairs. I''ll help Dr. Craw with her stuff first." There were many boxes in Luca''s office. If Rhett did not help her, Luca would have to go back and forth a few times. The box Gordan was carrying in his hands was a little heavy, but it was fine for him as he had been training for a long time. Thus, he nodded to tell Rhett he heard him. Rhett immediately left. Rhett came to Luca''s office. Then, he saw her piling two boxes together and was about to carry them downstairs. He quickly said, "Dr. Craw, let me help you." "Help me carry some of these." Luca did not put the boxes she carried down. She headed straight to the elevator. Zoey was waiting in the elevator hall, helping them to press the elevator button. Zoey eximed when she saw Luca carrying two boxes as she walked toward her, "Dr. Craw, why are you carrying these too? Leave it to the men." "These are just documents. They''re not heavy. Ms. Davis, please press the elevator button for me. I''m heading to the basement parking lot. Thanks," replied Luca. The concept of what men should do or what women should not do did not exist in Luca''s world. She only knew that everyone should do things to the best of their ability. Hence, the weight training she had received when she was on the Ind of Despair came in handy now. "Okay." Zoey quickly pressed the elevator button. Luca got into the elevator and came to the basement parking lot. Then, she put all the important documents into the car trunk. Warren was about to help Luca when he saw her carrying the boxes, but Luca stopped him and said, "These are important documents. I need you to stay put and keep an eye on me." That was why the movingpany was not responsible for carrying these documents and moving them to Watsons Biopharmaceuticals. "Okay..." Warren had no choice but to agree with her. Luca and Rhett went up and down five times. Only then did they move all the boxes downstairs. After that, Rhett went back to theboratory to check on the others, while Luca asked Warren to drive her to Watson Biopharmaceuticals first. The car slowly left T Corporation. Luca could not help but turn around and nce at the building a few times. Luca had been working at T Corporation for some time, and she was reluctant to leave. Chapter 2529 There were lots of memories in T Corporation. Most of them were the moments she spent with Luke. Luca was weak yet greedy. She was worried the others would spread rumors when they saw her together with Luke. She was also afraid that her affection for Luke would put them in a difficult situation eventually. That was why she previously tried to push him away. However, she wanted to stay by Luke''s side day and night. The two of them got together again in T Corporation... Luca slowly withdrew her gaze and stared outside the car window. The street view outside the window streamed by as they fell behind. She wondered what could be waiting for her once she returned to her office in Watson Biopharmaceuticals. "Warren," Luca called out with a faint voice. ¡°Yes, Ms. Craw. Is there anything I can help with?" Warren was focused on the situation on the street while he drove. This way, he could find out if someone was following behind them at the first instance. "Drive another car that doesn''t attract so much attention when you send me to work and pick me up next time," said Luca. Watson Biopharmaceuticals was different from T Corporation. Other than the seniors who drove luxury cars, the other cars were low-profile and less eye-catching. Especially the cars of those few research professors. They did academic research too, so they were not allowed to drive cars that were too luxurious when heading to the office. Hence, Luca did not want to attract the others'' attention either. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. "Okay, Ms. Craw," replied Warren. There were many cars in Luke''s garage, and there were also modified cars that were used for unexpected situations. Luca closed her eyes and said, "I''m getting some rest. Wake me up when we arrive at Watson Biopharmaceuticals." "Okay, Ms. Craw. Don''t worry." Warren slowed down the car to drive more steadily. On the other hand. Gordon was feeling tired after he helped to move all the equipment in theboratory. Although he had trained a lot, it was more tiring than exercising as he had toe back and forth several times to carry the things. However, Rhett did not intend to let him leave. He arranged for one of the researchers to take Gordan to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Gordon gritted his teeth at the thought of Luca''s face. There was no doubt that Luca was taking revenge! Luca would continue to be mad at him if he did not help out till the very end. She mighte up with another way to torture him in the future. Besides, Luke was taking her side... People often said that a man should not offend any woman, especially his girlfriend, wife, or best friend. It was true. Gordon''s ex-wife had many women siding with her. It upset Gordan even more when he thought of Vivian still having people supporting her despite being alone in A City, somewhere she was not familiar with. Gordan had no choice but to listen to Luca''s arrangement to calm her nerves and stop her from looking for trouble with him. Hence, Gordan followed one of the researchers into a car. A researcher took a bottle of water out and handed it to Gordan. ¡°Mr. Norton, there''s no beverage in the car. Have some water." Even though the weather was cold, Gordan had sweated a lot when he was carrying things up and down. He took the bottle of water from the researcher, opened the lid, and gulped half of the bottle down. The researcher started the car engine and headed to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. "Is it tiring to work for Luca?" Gordan asked in azy tone. He thought since Luca tended to hold grudges against people and she waspletely different from how she used to be, it must be tiring to work for her. "No," answered the researcher. Gordan narrowed his eyes with confusion and said, "There''s no one here except us. You can be honest. I''m not going to tell her." "Mr. Norton, I''m telling the truth. Dr. Craw is a kind person. Besides, her scientific research level is high. We usually don''t encounter any problems when we''re working for her. Most of the research process and research data would pass sessfully in one attempt. It''spletely different from what the other teams are facing," said the researcher. His former ssmate was in the same batch as him. That friend was assigned to a different team guided by another professor. Everything was difficult when they were doing their research. Something was always wrong with the research data. That was why they had to repeat the experiment and analysis a few times. Sometimes, they would be stuck with a problem for a week or two. Their research was not going well, so their superior would get stressed out and pressure them too. Eventually, they were asked to work overtime. They had to get scolded by the professor too. It was a misfortune. Gordan let out a tsk when he heard what he said. He knew the woman Luke was in love with was not an easy person, but he did not expect Luca to be more capable after she got kidnapped by the Ind of Despair. She even studied drugs now. It seemed like Luke had great taste in women. Gordan had heard someone talking about Luke and Luca''s rtionship before. It looked like they were pretty much meant for each other since high school... Luke could decide the right woman he was going to marry so quickly. He was shrewd, indeed! Still, it sent a shiver down Gordan''s spine when he recalled how Luca would still stand up for others. Women were scary. One would rather fight with ten men than piss a woman off. The researcher thought Gordan did not believe it and repeated, ¡°Mr. Norton, I''m telling the truth. Dr. Craw is much easier to talk topared to other professors. Even if someone encounters a problem during the research, she wouldn''t get angry at them. Instead, she would think of a way to solve the problem with us. Sometimes, she does much more than what the researchers do." "Alright, alright. I know you''re telling the truth." Gordan was not interested in Luke''s woman. He only asked about Luca only because he thought she was not someone to be messed with. Especially since she was a woman who had been on the Ind of Despair before. Luca had been there, and so had Rain. The researcher noticed that Gordan seemed uninterested in Luca''s matter. Hence, he asked with curiosity, "Oh, Mr. Norton, why would you offer to help us move?" "I was asked to," replied Gordan. "I see.." The researcher nced sideways and sized Gordan up. He did not look like someone who would help others to carry things. Gordan added when he noticed the researcher refusing to believe what he said, "Your boss asked me to help. Not Dr. Craw, but your boss." "Mr. Crawford?" the researcher asked. "Yes." Luke sent him a message to ask him to do his job and not mess up Luca''s arrangement after Gordan carried one of the boxes downstairs. The moment he saw the message, he only wanted to scold Luke for putting rtionships before his friend. However, the message Luke sent to him after that calmed him down. Luke told him that he would give him a bed that had the same quality as the sofa. The sofa was expensive, and the bed would certainly be even more expensive. That was why Gordan stopped himself from scolding him on impulse. "I see." It dawned on the researcher as he showed his expression. It was their boss'' arrangement. That was why this ssy-looking man was willing to work so hard. Gordan took his phone out and realized the agent had sent him a few messages. There were also a few missed calls. He did not notice his phone ringing as he was carrying things. Gordan replied to the message and postponed the appointment to four in the afternoon. It would be almost noontime when he finished helping carry the equipment. Chapter 2530 Gordan began to carry the equipment again after they arrived at Watson Biopharmaceuticals. It was already noon when they finished moving everything. Gordon nced at the time and thought to himself, no matter what that Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. This time, he had to rip Luca off for once! Gordon asked the researcher who sent him here just now to find out where Luca''s office was. The office door was not closed, and the office was as messy as it was in T Corporation. Several boxes were on the floor, while Luca stood beside the office, opening the boxes one after another. ¡°Dr. Craw." Gordon smiled, walked into Luca''s office, and greeted her as though his resentment for her for arranging him to be aborer had dissipated. Luca frowned. She did not expect Gordan to reallye. She thought he would run away. "Mr. Norton, I didn''t expect to see you here. How dedicated. I''m impressed," Luca said ironically. Gordon was not angry and he replied, "Oh no, none of the movers are as highly paid as I am, after all. So, a little dedication is a must." "Paid? I''m not nning on paying you," said Luca. She withdrew her gaze without stopping what she was doing. "I didn''t ask you to pay me either. Dr. Craw, it''s noontime. I''ve helped your team to move the things here all morning. It''s not too much to ask for, right?" Gordon said cheekily. He would not feel comfortable if he did not ask Luca to treat him to lunch. After all, Gordon seldom lost out on anything in front of women. Luca nced at the time. It was indeed noontime. If it were not for Gordan who reminded her, she would not have known when she would stop being so busy. After all, Luca had already gotten used to Luke bringing lunch boxes to her office to have lunch together every day during noontime. That was why she did not have to worry about what to eat, and it became a habit for her not to be concerned about lunch break. "Sure. Thank you for helping today, Mr. Norton. Let''s go out for lunch after I finish unpacking and arranging the documents in this box," replied Luca. Gordon gave a satisfying smile and requested, saying, "Dr. Craw, I''d like to have farm-to-table cuisine." ¡°Okay. There''s a farm-to-table restaurant nearby," said Luca. Although the dishes of farm-to-table restaurants were not as sumptuous as other restaurants, they were one of the best cuisines. Luca only had a limited time for her lunch break. She would not be able to make it for the afternoon meeting if they went somewhere farther away. "Sure." Gordan sat on the sofa and waited for her. Mo Stone walked to Luca''s office door and saw Gordan sitting on the sofa. She was slightly surprised, but she immediately came back to her senses. It seemed like this man had helped to carry the laboratory equipment a moment ago. Could he be one of the movers? Mo Stone immediately denied it. Which house mover would dress up that way? "Dr. Craw." She knocked on the door that was against the wall beside her. Luca turned around and shot Mo a nce. Then, she said, "Yes, Ms. Stone?" "Thepany changed their badge when you were working in T Corporation. I came here to give it to you. Here are some stationeries too." Mo was carrying a small paper box in her hands. "Ah, okay. Thank you." Luca took it from her. There was a new badge and some stationeries in the paper box. However, Luca would not be using the stationeries now. She had brought some over from T Corporation. "And, Dr. Craw, we have a meeting at 2:30 in the afternoon," Mo reminded her again, afraid that Luca would forget about it. "Okay. I got it." Luca ced the small paper box on the desk and continued to tidy up the documents. "Alright. I''m going out for lunch first. Oh, Dr. Craw, do you need me to buy lunch for you?" Mo asked. Luca had achieved something great for Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Many professorsplimented her forunching the drug. Thepany''s cash flow would return once the drug was sessfully launched in the market. Luca was the first professor toplete drug research andunch the product in the market since Watson Biopharmaceuticals was established. She had a bright future ahead. Hence, Mo wanted to seize the chance to leave a good impression on Luca. "It''s okay. I''m going..." Luca nced at Gordan. He was smiling cunningly like a fox. "I''m going out for lunch with Mr. Norton." "Okay, Dr. Craw." Mo nced at Gordan. What a handsome man. Luca was a beautiful woman, and good-looking men were always around her. It was enviable. After Mo left, Gordan teased, "Dr. Craw, I helped you to carry so many things. Besides, Luke and you.." Luca glowered at him. Some words were better left unsaid here. Once someone heard what he said, it would spread around in Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Gordan received the hint in her eyes, smiled, and continued, "After all, we''re considered friends, right? Isn''t it a little strange to address me as Mr. Norton?" "If I don''t address you as Mr. Norton, should I call you Ms. Norton instead?" Luca replied sarcastically. Gordan opened his mouth. He did not expect Luca to be such a smart mouth, and he replied embarrassedly, ¡°No. Judging from how close I am with Luke, it''s okay if you see me as your younger brother too." "Mr. Norton." Luca tapped on the desk and reminded him, "You''re the same age as Mr. Crawford, right?" "Yes," replied Gordan. Although they were born in the same year, he was a few months younger than Luke. "I''m younger than Mr. Crawford, so you''re not younger than me," said Luca. She was not nning to treat Gordan like her younger brother. Luca would be pissed if she had a younger brother who could not understand that he was in love with someone. It reminded Luca of Tina and Amur at the thought of this, and she let out a sigh helplessly. "You''re right. I don''t want to be your younger brother either," Gordan said unconcernedly. Luca picked up thest document in the box. After she ced it in the drawer, she picked up the coat beside her and put it on. Then, she said, "Let''s go, Mr. Norton. Let me treat you to lunch." "Sure. Let''s go." Gordan rose to his feet. The two of them left Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Someone took a few photos of Luca and Gordan with the phone while they were heading toward the farm-to-table restaurant for lunch. Gordan saw the restaurant Luca took him to and opposed it. "Dr. Craw, is this the farm-to-table restaurant you told me about? Don''t try to fool me. I''ve eaten a lot of farm-to-table restaurants before." "There''s only one farm-to-table restaurant nearby. Their ingredients are fresh. Sit down and order your food." Luca smiled and handed the menu to Gordan. Other than tomatoes, everything was fine for Gordan. Luca had heard Luke mention Gordan''s matter before. Gordan had gone on missions. Sometimes, it was difficult to survive in extreme situations. Those who could survive through them were usually not picky eaters. "Gah, I should''ve picked a Western restaurant earlier," said Gordan. He initially thought of ordering a dozen dishes to burn a hole in Luca''s pocket. Gordan nced at the menu. The dishes listed were not expensive at all. "We''re at a ce which is considered as the suburb of A City. How can there be so many restaurants in the suburban area? Besides, you heard that I''ll be having a meeting at 2:30ter. We don''t have time to go anywhere farther," replied Luca. Chapter 2531 This ce was remote. If it were not for the cheapnd prices, thepanies would not have chosen this ce. There would probably be no restaurants here. Gordon picked up the menu. He was not such a picky eater. He ordered many dishes without considering if they could finish them all. After all, all he thought about was wanting to rip Luca off. The two of them could not finish everything Gordan had ordered. Luca knew Gordan did it on purpose. She did not stop him. Instead, she sent a message to Rhett: [Where are you?] [Dr. Craw, I''m still in the office.] Rhett replied. [There''s a farm-to-table restaurant near our office. Come over here.] Luca reckoned that Rhett was still in the office now. He was probably tidying things up and did not have time for lunch. [Okay, Dr. Craw.] Rhett replied to her message. Gordon continued to order a few dishes. The waiter beside him could not help but ask, ¡°Sir, may I know how many people will be eating?" ¡°Just the two of us. Why?" Gordan turned to look at the young waiter. The waiter''s face reddened as he kindly reminded him, "The portion of the dishes served in our restaurant is quiterge. I''m worried that the two of you might not be able to finish them all." Gordan turned to look at Luca. She was holding her cup of tea without saying anything. Since the one who was going to pay for the lunch did not say anything, it would be fine if he ordered some more. Then, he said, "It''s okay. I''m a big eater. Besides, we can wrap them up and take them home." After that, Gordon ordered another two portions of chicken parmesan. Luca was still indifferent. After Gordan ordered two sds, he turned to look at Luca. Then, he smiled and asked, "Dr. Craw, you don''t mind, right?" "No. We''re not going to waste the food anyway." Luca took a sip of the tea. "Besides, I should thank you for helping." Gordon closed the menu. There was a trace of slyness in his smile. "Actually, someone has already paid me on behalf of you." "Huh?" Luca blinked her eyes as she put down her cup. Was it Luke? ¡°I''m getting ready to move. He promised me that he''ll get me a sofa and a bed. They''ll be of the same brand as the sofa in his office," Gordon replied with a smile. He was pleased to get the best deal from both Luke and Luca at the same time. It dawned on Luca that was why Gordan had been behaving submissively by following her to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. It also exined the cunning smirk on his face now. ¡°Mr. Crawford has always been generous." Luca gave him an answer that she thought Gordan could not agree with more. ¡°Don''t you feel sorry for him?" Gordan asked. Although Luke was wealthy, money did not grow on trees. It was his hard-earned money. ¡°Mr. Crawford gave those things to you. Why should I feel sorry?" Luca questioned. It was not like Luke could not afford them. Besides, even though Gordan looked like he was disturbing Luke, Luca knew Gordan had helped him to handle many situations. They would talk about it during lunchtime when they had lunch together. Hence, Luca knew all about it. ¡°Fine." Gordan thought Luca''s response was uninteresting. Luca smiled at him. Rhett walked into the restaurant and went straight to their table. Then, he said, ¡°Dr. Craw, what''s the matter?" ¡°Mr. Link, sit down and have lunch." Luca signaled Rhett to sit beside Gordan. ¡°Ah, that''s probably not a good idea..." Rhett nced at Gordan, then he turned to look at Luca again. It seemed inappropriate for him to join them when they were having lunch together. ¡°It''s nothing. Mr. Norton ordered many dishes. The two of us won''t be able to finish them all. It''ll be a waste if there are any remaining dishes. Plus, you haven''t eaten lunch, right?" Luca turned to look at Gordan. ¡°Mr. Norton, what say you?" ¡°Yes. you''re right. It''s enough for the three of us." Gordan secretly mumbled to himself that was why Luca did not say anything about it. Gordan wondered if he ordered more, would Luca ask all of those working in Watson Biopharmaceuticals toe over here? It would probably be a social event. Rhett had no choice but to sit down. After the dishes were served, the three of them enjoyed the meal. Gordan could not help but tease Rhett. ¡°Mr. Link, do you mind if I ask you some questions?" Rhett grabbed a tissue and wiped his mouth. He nodded and replied, ¡°Go ahead, Mr. Norton." ¡°Is it tiring to work in the biopharmaceutical industry?" Gordan asked. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Honestly, as far as I''m concerned, it''s tiring no matter what job or industry you''re working in, so it''s okay for me," answered Rhett. The reason he thought it was alright for him was simple. Working for Luca was not that troublesome. Moreover, the pay for those who worked in the biopharmaceutical industry was not too bad, especially since he was working for apany rted to T Corporation. Watson Biopharmaceuticals was slightly better than theirpetitors. Gordan asked another question, ¡°Is it difficult to work for Dr. Craw?" ¡°It feels great to work for Dr. Craw." Rhett threw Gordan a confused look. Why was he asking such weird questions? "Mr. Norton, even if Mr. Link isn''t happy to work for me, he probably can''t say that in front of me, right?" Luca could not help but ask jokingly. Was Gordan trying to make conversation when the food could not shut his mouth? Gordan took a bite of the steak and took a sip of the juice. "Fine. I''m just asking random questions. Don''t take it seriously." "Dr. Craw, Mr. Norton..." Rhett put down his cutleries. He was at a loss of what to say as he felt like he was stuck between Luca and Gordan. "Just eat. Mr. Norton is just bored." Luca knew what kind of person Gordan was. Gordan was also talkative when he had lunch with Luke for the past few days. It made Luke have the urge to stuff all the food into his mouth to shut him up. Rhett gave an awkward smile, lowered his head, and continued eating. After they finished lunch, Luca picked up her phone and went to pay the bill. Gordan took hisst sip of the juice, enjoying the sweetness of it. Then, he muttered, "It seems like cheap juices taste good too." Rhett heard him and asked, "Mr. Norton, do you like the juice? Would you like me to get you another bottle?" "No, thank you. I''ve had enough." Gordan patted Rhett''s shoulder. Fresh graduates like him who had juste out from college seemed interesting. Vivian suddenly came across Gordan''s mind at the thought of college students. Her school semester would bemencing in a few days. After Luca paid for the lunch, she walked toward them and heard their conversation. Then, she said, "I thought you''ve had it before?" "If it were in the past, I''d rather just have a ss of water. Dr. Craw, the meal was good. Thanks for the treat. It''s gettingte. I''ve got something else to do. See you around." Gordan nced at the time. He would make it on time if he set off to the agency now. "Warren''s here. You can ask him to give you a ride," said Luca. "That''s the chauffeur Luke arranged for you. I wouldn''t dare to ask him." Gordan waved his hand, turned around, and left. Rhett watched Gordan leave from behind. He could not help but exim, "Mr. Norton is an interesting person." "Interesting?" Luca asked. She did not think Gordan was interesting at all. Sometimes, what was shown on the outside and what the others could see was just a disguise to protect one. Gordan Norton was absolutely uninteresting. Chapter 2532 For someone like Gordan who usually wore a smile on his face to conceal his feelings, it would be harder to find out what was in his mind. ¡°Mr. Link, let''s go back to the office," said Luca. She wanted to continue arranging the documents before the meeting started. The documents should be categorized well. The two of them returned to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Luca saw the general manager standing outside her office door. She raised her brows and noticed that his hand was resting on the doorknob of the door. "General Manager, are you looking for me?" Luca walked toward him and stopped him when he was about to push the door open and enter the office. The general manager was surprised when a voice suddenly rang out. He unconsciously turned the doorknob, but the door was locked. The expression on his face changed. He turned around and looked at Luca with a smile on his face. "Dr. Craw, where have you been? I''ve been knocking on the door but no one answered." "I went out for lunch just now. General Manager, is there anything I can help you with?" Luca asked. She locked the door when she went out. Hence, there was no way the manager could enter the office unless he broke the door. "So that''s why no one answered no matter how hard I knocked on it," replied the general manager. There was a hint of awkwardness in the embarrassed smile on his face as though he had been caught red-handed. "There''s still time before the meeting. General Manager, why are you looking for me?" It was the third time Luca repeated the same question. She was forcing him to find an excuse for his suspicious behavior. "Oh, yes, I heard you''ve just moved back here. I thought ofing here to say hello." The general manager realized if he did not give Luca an exnation, she would not let him go easily. Hence, he came up with an excuse to brush her off. "That''s very kind of you. Don''t we have a meeting to attendter? I''ll see you there, General Manager." Luca took her keys out and opened the door as she replied. "Ah, okay..." The general manager knew his n had failed. He left with embarrassment. Rhett followed Luca into the office. After they got out of the general manager''s sight, Rhett could not help but mutter, ¡°Could it be that the general manager hasn''t given up the thought of looking at the documents?" Luca headed to her office desk. The office here wasn''t as good as the one in T Corporation. The desk was smaller, and there was no sofa either. She could only lean forward on the desk and rest for a while during lunch break. "Probably," replied Luca. "We''ve already applied for the patent for our drug research. There''s nothing he can do even if he sees those documents..." Before Rhett could finish his words, he immediately shut his mouth. In hindsight, he realized he was unconsciously thinking that the general manager must be up to no good for wanting to secretly read the research data. "Let''s talk about itter. Hurry up and find your two boxes. Let''s tidy up a little. Then we''ll attend the meeting." Luca urged him. Luca quietly thought about the general manager. She had hinted to Luke that something was wrong with the general manager before, but Luke had yet to handle this matter. Hence, Luca was sure that Luke was trying to lure the mastermind behind the general manager. The mastermind was probably not Abel, so who could it be? Could it be Pierre Mallory? Luca pondered for a moment. She carried another box and was about to unseal it, only to realize there was a remark left by Rhett on the box. Then, she said, "Mr. Link, it''s your box." "Thank you, Dr. Craw." Rhett took the box from her and put it aside. He had only ced two boxes here. There was only one left. "Dr. Craw, it''s fortunate that you locked the door," said Rhett. "Although the drugunching is a done deal, these documents are confidential. If the information gets leaked, someone can change the form and dosage to pass it off as their own research. That''s why we need to be careful," said Luca. The general manager had no ess to this floor, so she wondered if someone forgot to close the door or if someone had intentionally let him in. "Dr. Craw, that''s very attentive of you," eximed Rhett. After he found the second box, he ced it on the first one and carried the two boxes. He said, "Dr. Craw, I''m going back to my office." "Okay." Luca nodded. Watson Biopharmaceuticals had recruited new employees not too long ago. Luca heard that a new professor would be joining them in two days. She could not be bothered by it. After all, all she had to do was to do her job. Luca arrived at the meeting room at 2:30 sharp in the afternoon. Since Luca''s newly developed drug was about to beunched on the market, there were people in the company extolling her for doing such a great job. Luca was not used to it. Thus, she chose to enter the meeting room on time so that the other professors would not take the chance to talk to her. "Dr. Craw, you''re here." Although Luca arrived at the meeting room on time, the general manager was not there yet. Hence, there were still people who greeted her. Luca nodded and smiled at them. Then, she sat on the seat next to the corner. ¡°Dr. Craw, why are you still sitting there? It used to be Dr. Albus'' seat. And no one''s sitting here either. Come over and sit here," said Dr. Jackson. Luca nced at the empty seat. She shook her head and said, "It''s okay. I''m fine sitting here." N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Dr. Jackson did not say anything more seeing as Luca preferred to stay low. The general manager pushed the door open and walked into the meeting room after Luca said that. His gaze swept across the meeting room to check if everyone had arrived. "Everyone''s here. Professors, let''s start the meeting." "Okay," the professors replied. Luca looked at the meeting agenda and read through the contents. The general manager sat on the chairperson''s seat and looked at Luca, who sat in the corner. He smiled and said, "Before we start the meeting, I''d like to congratte Dr. Craw. The project that her research team is working on is ready tounch." After that, he initiated apuse. The professors and assistants followed him and gave Luca a big round of apuse. Luca thought of staying low, but she did not expect the general manager to mention her before the meeting started. She had no choice but to look around the meeting room, nodding and smiling at everyone to thank them. The general manager thought it was not enough. Therefore, he asked, "Dr. Craw, why don''t youe up here to give a speech?" Luca sat on her chair with no intention of standing up. She shook her head and replied, "General Manager, thank you, but I think we should start the meeting." The general manager did not expect Luca to reject him in front of the others. He had no choice but to go along with what Luca said. He smiled and said, "In this case, let''s start the meeting." There were many things to be discussed during the meeting. After they were done discussing, it was already a quarter past five in the evening. It had been a long time since Luca had such a long meeting. She felt tired. When she thought the meeting was ending soon, the general manager added, "Fellow professors, here''s onest thing. I received a call from the chancellor of Capital University yesterday. He''d like us to rmend a professor to be a part-time lecturer at the university. I wonder if any professor is interested in taking up the job. The pay is quite good, and you only have to teach a course each semester. If the ss is on Monday, you''ll only have to teach on Mondays." The professors exchanged nces with each other. Some of them had taught in their previous colleges, and some were currently teaching at other universities. Hence, they had no intention of going for the job. Chapter 2533 There was dead silence in the meeting room. The general manager broke the silence and said, "I know every professor is busy with their project at hand. But HQ has signed a contract about talent ns with Capital University. So, the university is hoping that we can send a professor there to be a lecturer. Everyone here is a talent in drug development. I hope you can pick a professor among you to take this job. You only have to teach once a week." After that, the professors whispered to each other and turned to look in Luca''s direction. Luca frowned. She had a bad feeling about this. Sure enough, after a while, Dr. Jackson spoke, ¡°General Manager, our projects are still developing. We don''t have time to head to the university to give lectures. Besides, some of the professors are lecturing at other universities too. They wouldn''t be able to do it either. I guess the most suitable candidate who can take on the job would be Dr. Craw." Luca secretly let out a sigh. It was as expected... Luca was the person who had the most spare time in the whole office now. She hadpleted her project, and there was no new projecting in. Besides, she was not teaching in other universities too. "Dr. Craw, since everyone thinks you''re the most suitable candidate, why don''t you go?" The general manager turned to look at Luca. "General Manager, I don''t think it''s a great idea. Firstly, I''m not as experienced as the other professors. Besides, I don''t know how to teach either. I don''t think I can handle it." Luca tried to reject it. She truly was not fit for the job! Furthermore, would the students listen to her if she taught them? Luca was aware that her age and experience could not convince the students, especially when it came to good universities like Capital University. The older the professors were, the more popr they would be. Luca would merely be ignored if she was sent there. "Dr. Craw, it''s not hard to teach. You''re knowledgeable and resourceful. The students can learn a lot of things from you even if you simply tell them whatever you know. Besides, it''ll only take up one day a week. It''s not going to affect you from preparing for the development of your new research," the general manager replied with a smile as though he did not hear Luca had rejected the offer. He immediately made the decision and said, "Then it''s a deal. I''ll provide your information to the academic department of Capital University. The students will be choosing their sses in two days. I''ll ask them to send the teaching materials tomorrow so that you can prepare for your lecture." Luca was speechless when she heard him taking the initiative to make arrangements for her. She even had a feeling that the general manager had already nned to let her take the job. Asking the professors about their opinions was just a formality. Luca turned to look at the other professors. They remained silent, using such a method to agree with the general manager''s decision. Luca was not close to them, so she could not do anything. She bit the bullet and replied, "Okay..." ¡°That''s great. By the way, there''s one more thing. Dr. Craw, your research is about to beunched in the market now. Do you mind sharing your research data with everyone so that we can take a look at it?" the general manager asked. After he found out Luca went out for lunch today, he initially thought of entering her office to see if he could find anything. However, he did not expect Luca to lock the door. When he thought of grabbing something to unlock the door, Luca came back. Luca secretly sneered. He had not given up. "General Manager, those are thepany''s ssified documents," replied Luca. "I know they''re confidential. But we''re all working in the sameboratory. The drug isunching soon anyway. Sharing the data might help the others, right?" The general manager tried to convince her by dragging the other professors into this and forcing Luca to reveal the research data. Luca could not help but fall silent. The research the other professors were working on had nothing to do with her research. There was no need for them to refer to it. "Of course, I can share the data with the other professors for guideline purposes, but it''s strictly for those who are working in the same department only," Luca stressed thest few words in her sentence. That would mean the general manager was not allowed to see the data. The smile on the general manager''s face froze. Luca had given in, but notpletely. She could let the other professors see the document, but not the general manager. The general manager looked around the meeting room. Every professor was busy with their research, and none of them were close to him either. Although he was the general manager, he could not intervene in the matters of those who worked in the research department. These researchers had their own tempers, and thepany could not afford to lose these talents.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. If the professors wrote down that they were dissatisfied with his management in their resignation letters, he might even lose his job. Luca noticed that the general manager did not say anything. Then, she added, "General Manager, please understand that if I make it essible to everyone in the office, no one will be able to bear the responsibility if information is leaked and it results in losses for thepany. If you think this isn''t going to work, we can ask for Mr. Crawford''s opinion and we''ll let him decide. What do you think?" Luca realized the general manager would notpromise easily, so she had no choice but to mention Luke''s name. The general manager forced a smile when he heard Luca mention Luke''s name, and he replied, "It''s okay, Dr. Craw. Anything you say." Luca nodded. She kept quiet after she stopped him. The general manager tidied the documents on the table and said, "We''re done discussing everything on the meeting agenda. That''s all for today." Then, he turned around and left. After he left the meeting room, the smile on his face immediately disappeared. He grimaced with disgust on his face. Then, he handed the documents in his hands to his secretary and said, "Take these." The secretary dared not to ask anything. She took the documents from him and followed behind him. The general manager took his phone out and sent a message to the number: [I''m sorry, I still can''t get the research data.] After a while, his phone vibrated. He picked it up and nced at it. He was being scolded through the message on the screen. [You''re a good-for-nothing. Get ready to quit your job if you can''t get your hands on the document.] The general manager''s hand trembled for a moment. Quit his job? If he quit his job there, would he be able to keep his job here? Where could he go if he lost his job here as well? The secretary asked with confusion when the general manager stopped there without moving forward, "General Manager? What''s wrong?" "Nothing. Ask Mr. Link, Dr. Craw''s subordinate, toe to my office." The general manager kept his phone. He knew even if he quit his job there, that person would not let him remain in his job position here. If Luke found out that he was one of them, he would not let him go easily. Eventually, he would lose everything in A City and his efforts would be in vain. No way. He would not let this happen to him. "Dr. Craw''s assistant? Okay." The secretary confirmed with him. Even though she was puzzled, she agreed to it. After the meeting ended, Luca was forced to have small talk with a few professors there. She was able to leave after that. Rhett had stayed by her side the entire time, and he said, "Dr. Craw, I think something''s wrong with the general manager." "Yes. He''s been acting weird. That''s why I asked someone to deliver the safe box from T Corporation here," replied Luca. When she found out the general manager had tried to open her office door, she informed Warren to bring T Corporation''s safe box here. Chapter 2534 The safe box Luke bought for Luca back then had the most advanced safe lock in the whole world. It came with fingerprint recognition and iris recognition technology. No one would be able to unlock the safe box except Luca. Besides, if someone tried to break or unlock the safe box, it would sound an rm. The relevant research data showed that the person might need a day and a night to disassemble it even if the power was cut off and they tried to disassemble it violently. Hence, the safe box was more advanced than the safe boxes in Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Rhett widened his eyes and said unbelievably, ¡°You actually asked someone to move the safe box here?" ¡°Yes. I''ve already informed Mr. Crawford." Luca nodded. Before she asked Warren to move the safe box here, she had informed Luke about it. Luke told her that she could do anything she wanted. "Dr. Craw, I remember that safe box isn''t avable in our country yet. I didn''t expect Mr. Crawford to permit you to move it here," Rhett said with disbelief. All confidential research data were kept in the safe box where it was safe and sound due to T Corporation''s strong protective measures. ¡°Watson Biopharmaceuticals is starting to gain some profits now. Our research is one of the profitable projects of thepany. That''s why Mr. Crawford allowed me to do so," exined Luca. She said that although she refused to believe that was the reason why Luke let her take the safe box. After all, there was a high chance that it was for her sake that Luke agreed to let her take the safe box. However, Luca had toe up with something to fool Rhett. Otherwise, the others would suspect something was going on between her and Luke. Luca nced at the time. It was time to get off work. She promised the kids that she would make hamburgers for them tonight. Thus, she said, ¡°Rhett, follow me back to my office first. Open all the boxes and put the documents in the safe box." ¡°Okay." Rhett nodded and agreed with her. The two of them returned to the office. Luca handed Rhett the knife cutter and said, ¡°Open the boxes. I''ll ce the categorized documents into the safe box." "Alright, Dr. Craw," replied Rhett. The documents were arranged properly when they were ced in the boxes. Hence, Luca only had to put them into the safe box just like that. The two of them worked together, and it only took them five minutes to take out all the documents in the boxes and ce them in the safe box. Luca reset the lock of the safe box and closed it. ¡°Okay. It''s gettingte. You may get off work early today," Luca said to Rhett. ¡°Sure, Dr. Craw. I''m leaving now." The moment Rhett finished his sentence, there was a knock on Luca''s office door. ¡°Who is it?" Luca frowned. It could not be those professors again. ¡°Hello, Dr. Craw. I''m the general manager''s secretary. Is Mr. Link here?" There came a woman''s voice from outside the door. ¡°Come in," said Luca. She stood beside her office desk as she watched the door being pushed open. A woman stood outside the door. Luca recognized the woman at the door. She was the secretary who had taken the meeting minutes in the meeting room just now. ¡°Dr. Craw, the general manager wishes to see Mr. Link," said the secretary. Luca knew Rhett was on her side, so she was not worried the general manager would secretly y dirty tricks on the people around her. Moreover, Luca would not have to worry about Rhett being persuaded by the general manager. After all, she had already figured out what kind of person Rhett was. Besides, Luca did not rely too much on Rhett when it came to doing research. Thus, she was not worried. ¡°Okay, Dr. Craw. I shall head to his office first." Rhett nodded. He knew the general manager must be up to no good when he was looking for him now. However, Rhett was not worried either. The general manager was not the one who would be informing him whether he was fired or not. Luca nodded. She picked up the briefcase beside her and got ready to get off work. The secretary led Rhett up the stairs. After they entered the elevator, there were only two of them as it was time to get off work. Their elevator was ascending. ¡°I heard that you''ve been learning from Dr. Craw since you entered thepany, right?" The secretary asked. ¡°Um, yes." Rhett nodded. The secretary sized Rhett up and asked another question, ¡°I saw a safe box in Dr. Craw''s office just now. Did she bring it here herself?" ¡°Dr. Craw has been using the safe box since she was stationed at T Corporation. That''s why she brought it here," answered Rhett. It was not something to be kept a secret either. ¡°Oh, no wonder I thought that it didn''t look like it belonged to thepany." The secretary nodded. She had been working for the general manager, and she could smell that something fishy was going on. Still, it would be better for her to keep quiet. After all, she had to keep her job too. Therefore, she did everything she was instructed to do that was not against thepany''s rules and regtions. For instance, the general manager wanted to enter Luca''s office this afternoon, but he had no ess to that floor. Hence, he looked for her to find a way to get to the floor. The secretary had no choice but to look for Mo and talk to her about work matters. She asked her to make an exception for her to get onto the floor where Luca''s office was. That was how she let the general manager in. "Yeah." Rhett was not a talkative person. Besides, he had been working under Luca at T Corporation for quite some time. He was not familiar with the people here. That was why he had been quiet. The secretary led him to the general manager¡¯s office. "General Manager, Mr. Link is here." The secretary knocked on the general manager¡¯s office door. "Come in." The general manager put down his phone and smiled at Rhett. Rhett could not help but be cautious when he saw the smile on his face. If Luca encountered some situations, she would be able to mention Luke¡¯s name to protect herself. However, Rhett was in no position. He did not have the status to do that. He could only be careful and prevent himself from falling into the trap. "General Manager, may I know why you¡¯re looking for me?" Rhett walked into the office and stood opposite the office desk cautiously. "Mr. Link, take a seat." The general manager lifted his hand and signaled Rhett to sit opposite him. Rhett pulled the chair and sat down. The general manager looked at the secretary and nodded. The secretary knew what he meant. She immediately closed the door. That was when the general manager started to draw Rhett in. "Mr. Link, I heard that you¡¯ve been Dr. Craw¡¯s assistant from the moment the project first began. You¡¯ve been working for her and learning from her, right?" "Yes. I entered thepany when Watson Biopharmaceuticals was just established. After that, we had to choose to be a professor''s assistant, and I chose Dr. Craw." Rhett nodded. Rhett never thought he had picked the wrong person from the very beginning. The general manager had heard about it too. He sized up the young man, who was sitting in front of him, as he pondered. If it were someone else, they would have chosen an experienced professor to learn from for the sake of future project rewards instead of a young professor like Luca. Rhett¡¯s choice was different from the others. It turned out that he picked the right person. It was a risky and bold choice, but it was beneficial at the same time. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "Well, you made the right choice. Dr. Craw''s research project is doing well. It''sunching soon. Your research team will receive arge bonus when the timees." Chapter 2535 What the general manager said got Rhett at a loss for words. It was not about picking the right person or not. The research had only gone smoothly because of Luca and the research team''s efforts. The general manager noticed the subtle change in Rhett''s expression. He cleared his throat and continued, ¡°Since you''re always with Dr. Craw, you must have participated in the whole process of the research, right?" "Yes." Rhett nodded, waiting for his next sentence. The general manager cleared his throat, lowered his voice, and said, "Then you must have seen all the research data?" "General Manager?" Rhett pretended to be confused, but he knew what the general manager was up to. The general manager smiled and replied, "Mr. Link, you''ve seen all the data, right?" "Yes, but there''s arge amount of data. I can''t remember them all." Rhett had no choice but to nod and admit it. He was responsible for helping Luca to handle the data files. Hence, he had seen all the documents. However, that did not mean Rhett could remember them all. Even if he could remember them, he had to say that he was not able to remember everything. The general manager shot him a suspicious look and asked, "Can you try your best to recall them?" "General Manager, why should I recall them? I can ask Dr. Craw for the information if you need it." Rhett understood what the general manager meant. He wanted him to steal the documents for him. However, Rhett was not going to do that. The general manager misunderstood what Rhett meant and immediately replied, "Really? Can you help me get the information from Dr. Craw? Oh, but you can''t mention that it''s my orders." "No, General Manager. The information is only avable to those working in the department. I''m sorry." Rhett had to disappoint the general manager just when he was secretly rejoicing. The general manager was dumbfounded. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. After that, anger was written all over his face. "Rhett, I''m the general manager of thispany. I can give you whatever you want, but at the same time, I can make you lose your job too." "Are you nning to fire me?" asked Rhett. Even if he were to be fired, he would not betray Luca. Besides, Luca would stand up for him too. "If you bring the document to me, not only will I not fire you but I''ll also give you a sum of money." The general manager tried both the soft and hard approach. He refused to believe that a subordinate would be so loyal. Rhett shook his head and replied, ¡°Although I have no idea why you''d like to get your hands on those documents, you''ll have to discuss it with Dr. Craw first before you fire me. If Dr. Craw doesn''t agree to it, you can''t fire me either. As for money, I''m not short of it. I can learn more about what I''d like to learn by staying with Dr. Craw." "You''re not going to help me?" The general manager did not expect that his methods would not work on Rhett. "I''m sorry, General Manager." Rhett stood up. "If there''s nothing more, please excuse me. I''m leaving first." "You..." The general manager got terribly angry that his face reddened. Rhett, the person in front of him, was the one who helped Luca the most at work. "I''ll forget everything you said to me today once I walk out of this door. Of course, I''ll also ept it if you decide to punish me." Rhett bowed to him, turned around, and left. The general manager mmed the desk! What Rhett said to him in the end deeply affected him. There was nothing he could do to the employees in the research department, including researchers like Rhett. Even though he could use his rights, Luca would certainly stand up for such a loyal subordinate and mention Luke''s name. That would make him look insignificant as a general manager. Luca got into Warren''s car and headed home. Her phone vibrated for a while. Luca lowered her head and nced at her phone. It was a message from Rhett. He told Luca everything that happened to him in the general manager''s office. Luca knew the general manager called Rhett to his office to get the document he wanted. She was not stupid. However, why did the general manager go to such great lengths just to get his hands on the document even if it would arouse suspicion? Luca frowned. She could not figure out what the mastermind behind the general manager was up to. "Dr. Craw, we''ve arrived." Warren''s voice rang out. "Okay. Thanks." Luca pushed the door open and got out of the car. The moment Luca took off her coat when she returned to the vi, Tommy stepped forward and said, "Ms. Luca, hurry up and stop Ms. Vivian. She''s moving out." "Vivian''s moving away?" Luca''s heart skipped a beat. Could it be that what Gordan said had gone too far? Was that why Vivian wanted to leave? Luca put down her briefcase and hurried upstairs. As Luca''s silhouette disappeared at the staircase, Lanie, who was beside Tommy, spoke, "Ms. Vivian already exined it to us, but you''re still making a big deal out of it." ¡°I heard that Ms. Vivian went to see the bad guy, Mr. Gordan, today. Even though she didn''t say anything about it, I''m pretty sure the reason Ms. Vivian wants to move out is because of Mr. Gordan. I like Ms. Vivian so much. I don''t want her to move out!" Tommy pouted his mouth and said. Lanie was rendered speechless. Vivian wanted to move out only because she was about to start her semester soon. Their home was far away from the school. Besides, she had her own amodation. After things had been settled, she would be able to move back there. That was why she would not stay here and disturb them. However, what Tommy said had made their motherpletely misunderstood... "Tommy." Lanie suddenly gave his younger brother a stern look. "Lanie, what''s wrong?" Tommy gave him a confused look and he felt a little frightened. That look on Lanie''s face was exactly like their father''s. He would make that icy cold expression whenever he wanted to throw a tantrum. "How did you know Ms. Vivian had gone to see Mr. Gordan?" Lanie asked. They were not living in Crawford Manor anymore, so there were no maids and servants around to gossip about matters such as this. Moreover, Aunt Neile and Vivian could notmunicate with each other due to thenguage barrier. The adults would not tell Tommy about these things either. Hence, how did Tommy find out about it? "I have my own intelligencework!" Tommy blinked as he refused to tell Lanie how he knew about it. "Intelligencework?" Lanie raised his brows. "Yes, Lanie. I''m telling the truth. Ms. Vivian and Mr. Gordan did meet today. Otherwise, Ms. Luca wouldn''t be so anxious." Tommy raised his fingers and swore to Lanie. He really found out about it through his little intelligencework. Lanie shook his head helplessly while he looked at his younger brother who had secretly created an ''intelligencework''. It seemed like Tommy was close to someone working in thepany, and this employee must be working by their father''s side. His job position must be high too. Otherwise, how could they know about it? "Fine." Lanie gave up. Those people in the office would please Tommy only because he was their boss'' son. It was up to them if they would like to indulge him, but they would not go along with Tommy and fool around. "Lanie, you don''t believe that I have an intelligencework?" Tommy blinked his eyes. He could not help but ask Lanie when he showed no interest in it. "I do, but even if I ask you about it, you won''t tell me anyway." Lanie stroked Tommy''s head and went along with him. "Of course! Intelligenceworks are mysterious!" Tommy nodded vigorously. Chapter 2536 Lanie added, ¡°If Ms. Luca finds out that you were just exaggerating, be careful as you might get beaten up." "What are you talking about, Lanie? Ms. Luca isn''t going to beat me up! No, Ms. Luca will never beat us!" Tommy swung his little fists and said. He had never been beaten by their mother before since he was young. It was the same for Lanie and Rainie. Her mother treated them like treasure. How could she beat them? Lanie shook his head helplessly when he looked at the smug look on Tommy''s face. People always said that Lanie resembled their father while Rainie resembled their mother. What about Tommy? His smugness did not resemble either of their parents. If it were not for Lanie seeing their mother get pregnant and give birth to Tommy, he would have suspected his younger brother was adopted and he had nothing to do with them. Upstairs. Luca came to the guest room. Vivian did not lock the door. She peeped through the door and saw Vivian packing her stuff. "Vivian, why are you packing?" Luca immediately entered the room. Vivian stopped and smiled at Luca. "I''ve been disturbing you for too long. Besides, isn''t the school semester starting soon? It''ll be more convenient for me to move back." "Vivian..." Luca could see that the smile on Vivian''s face was slightly reluctant. She could not help but frown. "Hey, I''ve settled the matter. He''s not going to disturb me anymore once I go back there. Besides, it''s an hour''s drive from here to the college. I wouldn''t want to waste most of my time in the car." Vivian forced a smile as she did not want Luca to worry about her. "Have you really let it go?" Luca''s brows furrowed even deeper. The brighter the smile on Vivian''s face, the more upset her heart would be. "To be honest, I haven''t, but it''s over." Women knew each other the most. Vivian knew she could not conceal her feelings from Luca. "Then." Luca paused for a moment. ¡°After I left T Corporation today, I went to the courier express store and mailed the signed agreement back to Russia. I even contacted mywyer and told him to handle the procedure of auctioning the vi and the donation after he receives the agreement," said Vivian. Her family was wealthy. Hence, Vivian was not nning to take the money gained from auctioning the vi. Vivian did not want to keep the things that Gordan refused to keep. After all, it would remind her how much Gordan, the man she fell in love with, despised her. After Vivian ced thest shirt into the suitcase, she smiled and said to Luca, "Luca, I''m officially starting a new life. Wish me luck." "I wish you live a life without worries one that''s filled with happiness," replied Luca. What Vivian needed the most was happiness now. A sentence came across Luca''s mind. When all the wrong people left one''s life, the right things would start to happen and a better life would be waiting for one. Vivian was about to start her new chapter of life. "Thank you." Vivian gave Luca a hug. Luca had helped her a lot the entire time. Vivian was truly grateful for everything she had done for her. "Okay. Don''t get all mushy on me. You''re just going back to your apartment. You''re not leaving A City." Luca patted Vivian''s shoulder and looked at the packed suitcase. Then, she said, "Spend another night here. You can go back tomorrow. I''ll let Warren send you back when he sends me to work tomorrow." "That''s not a good idea. It''s going to trouble you." Vivian shook her head. "Tommy doesn''t want you to leave. He might be upset all night if you leave tonight." Luca recalled how anxious Tommy looked just now. He was not putting on a show. He probably thought Vivian was upset, which was why she was in a hurry to leave. That was why Tommy was like a cat on hot bricks. Tommy was attentive, and he was sensitive to the adults'' emotions. However, he was still young, and he would not know what to do in some situations. That was why he eagerly asked for help when Luca came back. "I see..." Vivian was slightly wavering. She thought of Tommy''s cute little face, and she was reluctant to upset him. "I have no idea how Tommy found out that you met that person today. He''s worried that you got bullied. He thought you were in a bad mood, and that''s why you want to move out. The kid is still young, so he didn''t know what to do either. There was nothing he could do but feel anxious as he waited downstairs. Maybe you should stay another night and talk to him. Tell him that you''re fine. Then, let me give you a lift back to your apartment tomorrow morning. The semester hasn''t started yet. There''s no need to hurry, right?" Luca convinced her. "Okay." Vivian did not want to see Tommy upset either. She was touched to know from Luca that the child cared so much about her. Luca smiled as she had sessfully convinced Vivian. Then, she said, "Come on, let''s go down. Dinner will be ready soon." "Oh my, it''ste. I was nning to help Aunt Neile in the kitchen after packing!" Vivian eximed. She nced at the time. It was already seven o''clock in the evening. ¡°Aunt Neile has probably finished preparing dinner," replied Luca as they made their way down the stairs. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "I didn''t notice it was already thatte. Is Mr. Crawfording home for dinner tonight?" Vivian asked. She thought she should thank Luke too. If it were not for him who let her stay here, she would have suffered from depression from staying alone in the apartment. Although Vivian¡¯s mood had not improved much these days, she had a few kids to keep herpany. It made her feel much better. Vivian loved children, especially obedient children like Luke¡¯s kids. "No. Mr. Crawford is busy with work these days," said Luca. She received a text from Luke telling her that he had to work overtime today. "I see." Vivian nodded. The two of them headed downstairs. Tommy came up to them. He stared at Luca and Vivian with his ck, round eyes. "Ms. Vivian, are you still moving out?" "Yes. I¡¯m moving out tomorrow. The semester is about to start." Vivian squatted down to Tommy¡¯s eye level and looked him in the eye. She smiled and said, "I¡¯m getting ready for school. Tommy, isn¡¯t your school reopening soon as well?" "But I don¡¯t want you to leave. Can¡¯t you continue to stay here?" Tommy tugged on Vivian¡¯s sleeves, telling her how reluctant he was to see her leave. Vivian exchanged nces with Luca. She did not know if she should cry orugh. The child really did not want her to leave. "I have to go to school every day. That''s why I have to move out and return to my apartment. Besides, we can see each other during the holidays," said Vivian. Vivian remembered the first time she saw Tommy. He was still a baby in Luca''s arms. Although the child was still young back then, he had already revealed his talents innguages. He was nice as pie. "Ms. Vivian, when will you be having your holidays?" Tommy asked again. His little brows were furrowed as he was worried Vivian would get depressed. "The same time you have your school holidays." Vivian lifted her hand and smoothened out Tommy''s furrowed brows. "Hey, I''ll still be in A City. It''s not like we''re not going to see each other again." Chapter 2537 "Okay..." Tommy did not continue to pester her when he noticed that Vivian seemed to be fine. Vivian liked Tommy so much. She pinched his chubby little face. Tommy waved his hand and said, "Ms. Vivian, if anyone bullies you, you must tell me. I''ll beat them up for you!" "Okay. If someone bullies me, you''ll beat them up for me, okay?" Vivian held Tommy''s hand. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Tommy nodded vigorously. "Okay. I''m going to the kitchen to check on Aunt Neile and see if dinner''s ready." Luca saw how close Tommy and Vivian were. She smiled and headed to the kitchen. Aunt Neile was about to serve the soup on the dining table. She asked Luca when she saw hering in. "Ms. Craw, is Mr. Crawford working overtime again today?" Aunt Neile made a guess when she saw that Luke had yet toe back. "Yes. I forgot to inform you just now," Luca replied embarrassedly. She was supposed to tell Aunt Neile about it, but she hurried upstairs to look for Vivian when she came back and forgot about it. "It''s alright. I''ll save some soup for Mr. Crawford, then," Aunt Neile replied with a smile. "Leave it to me. Please serve the soup first," said Luca. She thought there must be some soup left in the pot. Luca picked up thedle and carefully filled the thermos bottle with the soup left in the pot. Then, she put it aside. Filling the thermos bottle with the soup could make sure that Luke would be able to have some warm soup when he came back. After Aunt Neile ced the soup bowl on the dining table, she returned to the kitchen and served the other dishes on the dining table with Luca. After dinner, it was time for the kids to watch their cartoon show. Luca and Vivian apanied the kids to watch the show. When the advertisements were ying, Luca clicked on the push notifications to see the news preview. Luca frowned when she saw the news pinned on top. She rose to her feet and headed upstairs. Rainie watched Luca from behind and asked, "What''s wrong with Ms. Luca?" "She probably has something to deal with," said Vivian. She stared at Luca from behind with an envious gaze. Although it seemed inappropriate for Luca to stay by Luke''s side, Luca had never used this to get anything she wanted. Luca put in effort for everything she did. It made her who she was today, and all the achievements she earned were hers. Vivian was envious of that. She wondered when she could be someone like Luca. Luca was sessful and stunning. ¡°That''s true. Ms. Luca has always been busy," said Rainie. Rainie could feel that after their mother returned, she became busier than she was back then. She seemed to always have something on her mind too. However, there was nothing the kids could do to help her. Luca came upstairs and called Nina. The phone rang a few times, and only then did Nina answer the call. "Luca, why are you calling at this hour? What''s the matter?" Luca could hear that Nina was out as it was a little noisy. It did not sound like she was at home. Luca was worried that she might have disturbed Nina, so she made it short. "I saw the news. Are you both okay?" Luca went straight to the point, but she asked tactfully too. Luca had just seen the press conference held by Old Master Mallory. He was forcing Percy to choose between the Mallory Corporation and Nina. "You saw it too..." Nina sounded helpless. She turned around and nced at the meeting room. She was at Mallory Corporation now. Percy was attending a meeting. He was worried about leaving Nina alone at home. That was why he asked the chauffeur to pick her up and bring her to the office. Nina had been waiting until now since Percy was still in the meeting. "What does Mr. Mallory n to do next?" Luca asked. Although there was nothing Luca could do to help them, she cared about Nina. It was not easy for Nina to live a happy life again. She could not let it be destroyed easily. "Don''t worry. We''re fine. Percy isn''t nning to give up on me. He''s having a meeting now. I''m at Mallory Corporation too. Everything''s fine." Nina knew what Luca was worried about. Nina did not realize she would be reminded of Bianca whenever Luca showed her concern. Compared to Bianca, who had lost her memory, Nina thought the person in front of her was simr to the Bianca she used to know. "Okay. I''m d to hear that." Luca let out a sigh of relief. Although she knew Percy was not that kind of person, she had to find out the details. Luca did not want to see Nina getting hurt again. "Luca, don''t worry. He''ll never let go of my hands no matter what awaits us in the future. Besides, we''ve already gone through the marriage registration formalities in the country. Our names are listed in the country''s marriage records now. Percy said that after the shareholder''s meeting, we''ll hold a wedding," said Nina. Percy had promised Nina that he would give her a grand wedding. Old Master Mallory held the press conference to give Percy an ultimatum. However, Percy told her that he wanted both thepany and her. Since it had been announced to the public, he would do it thoroughly. Once he was done dealing with all the problems, he would hold a grand wedding for Nina. Luca could sense how happy Nina was just by listening to her voice. She let out a sigh of relief and said, "That''s great. I''ll be waiting for you to invite me to your wedding." ¡°Yeah. I hope everything goes smoothly." Nina turned around and shot a nce at the man in the meeting room. Even though Nina was standing outside the window, her gaze caught the attention of the man in front of her. The moment she looked at Percy, Percy looked up and fixed his gaze on her too. It was as though their hearts were linked together. Nina''s face reddened as she quickly withdrew her gaze. "Mr. Mallory is capable and smart. I''m sure he can deal with it. Trust him," said Luca. Percy was just as capable as Luke was. He was not someone who could be underestimated. Perhaps the Mallory family was shooting themselves in the foot by doing such a thing. Percy might seize the chance to get rid of the people in Mallory Corporation who did not side with him. Of course, this was just Luca''s spection. It had been more than three years. Luca no longer had anything to do with the business world of A City. Nina was about to say something, but noises wereing from the meeting room. She looked up and nced at the meeting room. Some of them had already stood up. It seemed like the meeting had ended. She immediately said, "Luca, I got to go. His meeting has ended." "Okay, Nina. Take care," replied Luca. She recalled those days when she and Nina gave each other support. Luca truly hoped that Nina could live happily. "I will." Nina smiled sweetly. She waited until all the employees left. Only then did she walk into the meeting room. She said, "Mr. Mallory, is that all for today?" "You''re making fun of me again." Percy gave her a gentle smile. "Who were you talking to on the phone just now?" "It''s Luca. She saw the news of Old Master Mallory holding the press conference. That''s why she called to ask me if I''m fine." Nina sat down on the seat beside Percy. She maintained a distance from Percy as they were at the office. It was to prevent Percy from hugging her as well. They had to watch their behavior in public. "Huh?" Percy raised his brows. "What did she ask?" "She asked whether I''m your choice or not, and I told her I was." Nina''s smile was so beautiful like a ray of glowing sunshine. She was so deeply in love with the man in front of her. Chapter 2538 If they were really forced to separate from each other, she would go against her will for Percy''s sake no matter how reluctant she was. Percy was born into a wealthy family. Nina thought Percy should not give up his future for her. That was why Nina had made up her mind after Old Master Mallory held the press conference. If Percy eventually had to face so many enemies alone, Nina would take the initiative to leave him and return him to the Mallory family. Nina loved him, and she knew she was unwilling to see Percy suffer for the choice he made. ¡°You take up every corner of my life," said Percy with affection in his eyes. They had already registered their marriage. Percy only had to wait until he had finished dealing with Mallory Corporation''s matter, then he would be able to fulfill his promise and hold a grand wedding for Nina. When the time came, Percy would announce to the world that the woman he chose to be his wife was Nina. He was the one who got to decide who his wife was, not his family. Nina gave him a faint smile and asked, "How did the meeting go?" "Nothing can change my decision. Don''t worry about this. There are still people who are supporting us," said Percy. "Do you mean Mr. Crawford? And Mr. Holston?" Nina asked. They were the closest to Percy. When it came to the people standing on his side, both of them came to her mind first. "Yes." Percy nodded. "There are others too. Anyway, those who are supporting us are more than you can imagine." In all his years of roaming the business world, most people valued the interests they could gain. Percy could give them immeasurable benefits and interests, so those people would naturally take his side. Moreover, they also knew what was best for them. If Percy were incapable, the Mallory family would not have left Mallory Corporation for him to manage. They knew it well. Besides, Percy had another string to his bow. On the day of the shareholder''s meeting, he would announce the information he had prepared to the public. At that time, even those who sided with Old Master Mallory would probably not support Pierre any longer. Nina looked at how calm Percy was and recalled there were no changes in his expression when the news was published. Nina thought maybe she should have more confidence in Percy. He could handle it well. Furthermore, Percy had been preparing since he was arranged to marry someone else. There might be a chance that he could win this time. However, Nina still felt uneasy at the thought of the consequence behind his sess¡ªhis family turning their backs on him. "Let''s head to my office. We can leave after I keep my things," said Percy. Nina came back to her senses and nced at the time. "Are you getting off work so early today?" "Yes. I''ve finished handling my work. I''d like to keep my wifepany for the rest of the day." Percy picked up the documents, held Nina''s hand, and walked upstairs. They left Mallory Corporation after Percy packed his stuff. Percy drove the car while Nina sat in the passenger seat. "Oh, your mother..." Nina remembered what had happened to Madam Mallory. "She''s stable and was discharged from the hospital. She''s at home now," answered Percy. Johann and his butler had informed him about Madam Mallory''s situation. The only difference was Johann told Percy not to worry about it. Many people had the same condition. There would not be a problem if Madam Mallory paid attention to her blood pressure and took care of her health. On the contrary, the butler asked Percy to return to Mallory Manor to sort things out with Old Master Mallory and Madam Mallory. It was the best time to clear the air between him and Madam Mallory. However, Percy was reluctant to do so. What they did to Nina was out of line. Now, they were still against the thought of them being together. Even so, Percy was confident that he could get what he wanted even with Nina by his side. "I bought some supplements that are good for patients with high blood pressure when I went to the pharmacy yesterday. Why don''t you send the supplements to her tomorrow?" Nina asked gently. She refused to see the rtionship between Percy and Madam Mallory worsen. They were the ones who caused Madam Mallory''s blood pressure to fluctuate. However, Percy had not gone back home to visit his mother. He did not even call to ask if she was okay. If others knew about it, they would have something on him. Perhaps Percy would be called a son who failed to show respect and honor his mother. "If I go back now, they''ll just be angry at me. Let''s wait until this matter has been solved," said Percy. He had no intention of going back to Mallory Manor. His family would take that as Percy giving in to them. Now, Percy and the Mallory family were standing against each other. They were also in a hostile rtionship. Once a party gave in, the other side would only attack more fiercely. The stakes were high, so they would do anything they could. Even though Percy knew Madam Mallory had been discharged from the hospital and returned home, he did not intend to go home and visit her. Nina fell silent. What Percy said made sense too. However, would he be able to go home peacefully after this ended? No matter which side won, Percy would only be reprimanded by them when he went home. Percy was in the same situation as Nina now. They could no longer think about the familial love they had back then. The only way to make them stronger was to be cold and heartless. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Hence, the couple shared many things inmon. The two of them were in the same boat. "That''s true..." Nina had no choice but to agree with Percy''s thoughts. On the other hand. Mallory Manor. "Madam, it''s time to take your medicine." The maid carried the tray and walked toward Madam Mallory''s bedside. After she ced the ss of warm water and pills on the bedside table, she picked up the pills and handed them to her. Madam Mallory frowned. She had to take medicine twice every day, and she had been taking them for two days. Her lips were dry and her mouth was parched. It was torturing. "Madam, please take the medicine. You can only recover quickly after eating them." The maid noticed that Madam Mallory was reluctant to take the medicine. She had no choice but to persuade her. "What''s the point of taking these?" Madam Mallory picked up the pills. After she put them in her mouth, she took the ss of water the maid handed to her and swallowed the pills with the water. The maid let out a sigh of relief when she saw Madam Mallory take the medicine. "Madam, you must take care of your health," advised the maid. The doctor gave Madam Mallory some medicine. The number of pills she had to take would slowly decrease over time as it was to reduce and control her blood pressure. "You don''t have to tell me that. I know what''s wrong with my health. Any news from Percy today?" Madam Mallory asked. Percy had not shown up in front of her since she passed out and was sent to the hospital. It was the caretaker Percy hired who had been taking care of her. Percy did not even appear even after Madam Mallory got discharged from the hospital. It was outrageous. The maid put on an awkward expression and shook her head. "Not even a call, huh?" Madam Mallory asked with a cold expression. "Madam, Master Percy is probably busy with work. That''s why." The maid hesitated. It was unusual to anyone who knew about this. Percy was not abroad. He was in A City the entire time, but he never came to visit Madam Mallory. It seemed like the mother-and-son rtionship was going downhill. Chapter 2539 ¡°If it weren''t for that b*tch who seduced him, would he be so busy? Old Master Mallory has made a move to deal with him, but he still refuses to give in. Well, I can see that he doesn''t care about the Mallory family, and he doesn''t care about me either!" Madam Mallory clenched the nket. Anger rose in her as Nina''s face came across her mind. Such an ordinary woman could make Percy fall so deeply in love with her. Madam Mallory wondered where Nina learned those seduction techniques from. She could make Percy fall head over heels for her. Not only was Percy in love with her, but it seemed like Pierre was crazy over her too. She was just a woman! Those women Madam Mallory had arranged for the brothers were much better in terms of looks, figures, family background, and education. Nina was nothingpared to them! If Percy still cared about his family, he would have visited her when she got discharged from the hospital. He did note to visit her, and he did not even call her! Previously, Percy would not have done such rebellious things when Old Master Mallory was strict with him. Old Master Mallory was the one who taught Percy to be a decent person. Then, he taught him how to do things well. Hence, Percy had always shown respect to his elders. The brothers were close to each other too, and they managed Mallory Corporation well. However, things were different now...All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Madam Mallory closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. "It''s that woman who changed him into another person." Pierre, who stood outside the door, heard what his mother said. A hint of gloominess lurked in his eyes. Even though it seemed like Madam Mallory favored him over Percy, she put most of her hopes on Percy. Was he not better than Percy? Percy pushed the door that was left ajar and said, "Mom, have you taken your medicine?" Madam Mallory opened her eyes and realized it was Pierre. She heaved a sigh and said, "It doesn''t matter whether I''ve taken the medicine or not. I have to live with this sick body in the future. I can''t do anything. Life will be boring." Pierre frowned when he heard those depressing words. "Mom, what are you talking about? You can manage your condition by taking the medicine. It''s not as serious as you think. Besides, Grandpa has been having high blood pressure for almost 30 years, right? He''s still healthy and strong." Madam Mallory did not say anything. Her sickness, Percy''s rebellion, and the Mallory family tearing apart made her feel depressed. Pierre asked the maid, ¡°Has she taken her medicine?" ¡°Master Pierre, Madam has already taken her medicine," the maid immediately said. "You may leave," said Pierre. The maid responded and bowed to them. Then, she closed the door behind her when she left. "Mom, the shareholder¡¯s meeting is just around the corner. As a shareholder, you have to get well soon and attend the meeting," said Percy. Percy needed Madam Mallory¡¯s support during the meeting. "I¡¯m not attending the meeting," replied Madam Mallory. She knew her health. If she saw Percy standing against the Mallory family before she fully recovered, she might pass out from being angry. It would be better for her to stay home. After all, there was no way Percy could win Old Master Mallory. Old Master Mallory had been sorting things out as he was mad at how things were turning out. Many shareholders had already shown their support for him, which meant they would be supporting Pierre too. As a mother, although she favored Percy more, she refused to see the two brothers turn their backs on each other because of a woman. "Mom?" Pierre had a bad feeling about this. He recalled how she had been asking for Percy these days, and he said anxiously, "Are you no longer supporting me? Have you changed your mind?" "Mr. Be has already asked me to sign the agreement. My decision lies in your Grandpa''s hands. He''ll decide on behalf of me," said Madam Mallory. Old Master Mallory had asked Mr. Be to prepare the agreement early in the morning. Pierre let out a sigh of relief. It was fortunate that things were how they were supposed to be. Madam Mallory did not intend to support Percy. ¡°Take a good rest, then. Mom, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make Percy regret his decision and let him know that the choices you make for him are the best." Pierre held her hand tight. Pierre knew what Madam Mallory had in mind. She did not want to see the brothers be enemies. That was why Pierre chose his words carefully. Madam Mallory heaved a sigh when she listened to him. She sat up on the bed and held Pierre¡¯s hand. "The two of you are brothers. Don¡¯t make a scene." It was just a reminder from Madam Mallory, but Pierre could sense the implication in her words. He frowned and asked, "Mom, are you asking me not to fight with him? Do you ept Percy and Nina¡¯s rtionship?" "How is that possible?! I¡¯ll never acknowledge that woman as the daughter-inw of the Mallory family even if I die. Not a chance!" Madam Mallory went hysterical when he mentioned Nina¡¯s name. There was hatred in her voice. Pierre was satisfied with his mother''s reaction and said, "That''s why I want Percy to have a taste of losing everything. That''s the only way to make him realize how absurd and how wrong it is for him to make such a choice. He''lle back home when he''s unable to survive out there. Besides, isn''t that woman after Percy''s money? I have to make Percy go broke. Only then will the woman leave him alone. Percy will be able to figure things out then." What Pierre said was reasonable. Everyone in the Mallory family thought Nina refused to let Percy go for the sake of money. Once Percy went broke, Nina would not hold on to him any longer. "You''re right. We must let Percy know that woman''s true colors. Their rtionship won''tst without money!" Madam Mallory turned to look at Pierre. "Pierre, you must fight for the management right of Mallory Corporation during the shareholder''s meeting. Let Percy leave the Mallory Corporation for a while. Only then can we move on from all of this." Old Master Mallory nned to make Percy leave Mallory Corporation. Then, he would make use of his power and influence in A City and even the whole country so that Percy would not be able to get a job. The couple would notst long if Percy had no money and no job. Nina would leave him too. Pierre noticed that there was a trace of resentment in her eyes when she said that. Even though Percy disobeyed them and refused to ept their arrangements, they were waiting for Percy toe back to them and let him run Mallory Corporation again. Pierre would never let this happen. After Mallory Corporation fell into his hands, no one could take it away from him, not even Percy! There was not only one sessor in the Mallory family. Why did everyone have high expectations of Percy? Pierre wanted them to know that he could take up the position too! Moreover, not only was Pierre going to get Mallory Corporation, but he was also going to make Nina his woman. When Percy lost everything, Nina would stille to him for the sake of money. "Pierre, promise me." Madam Mallory held Pierre''s hand. Chapter 2540 Pierre quickly concealed his feelings, nodded, and replied, "Mom, don''t worry. I''ll do as I''m told." Madam Mallory was still worried about it at the thought of Pierre pursuing Nina back then. She thought it would be inappropriate to mention it directly, so she had no choice but to say, ¡°Pierre, go over to the Chambein family¡¯s ce to have a meal with their daughter,¡± said Madam Mallory. She immediately picked up her phone, thinking of contacting the Chambeins. Before the New Year, Madam Mallory intended to arrange a marriage for Pierre. It was to pave the way for Pierre¡¯s future. "Mom, I''m busy with the shareholder¡¯s meeting." Pierre knew what Madam Mallory had in mind. Although the Chambein family did not have many assets in A City, they were one of the top asset holders in M City. Besides, Pierre had heard the news that the Chambein family was nning to move their assets to A City. After they moved all their assets here, their social status in A City would grow higher. Hence, a marriage of convenience with the Chambein family was indeed beneficial to him. However, Pierre did not want to gain more support with his marriage. Percy did not have a woman behind him to support him, so he would not either. "It¡¯s just a meal. How long is it going to take? The daughter of the Chambein family is prettier than your ex-fianc¨¦e. The two of you only have to have dinner together. It¡¯ll be great if it works out, but if things don¡¯t work out between the two of you, you have nothing to lose either.¡± Madam Mallory tried to convince him. If it were not for Pierre¡¯s ex-fianc¨¦e who misunderstood Pierre and asked her family to break off their engagement, she would not have to worry about Pierre¡¯s marriage now. Madam Mallory could not help but be on alert at the thought of Pierre trying to pursue Nina. If Percy separated from Nina in the future, would Pierre... Madam Mallory could not let this happen. That was why she wanted to settle the matter of Pierre¡¯s marriage before Percy fell from grace. "Mom." Pierre knew who the daughter of the Chambein family was, but he was not interested in her. He was not interested in his ex-fianc¨¦e either. Still, it was Madam Mallory¡¯s arrangement, and he had to obey. "Okay. That¡¯s it. Meet her once. Don¡¯t let me worry about you. I¡¯ve informed Mrs. Chambein." Madam Mallory persuaded Pierre. "Your brother has let me down. Pierre, be good and listen to me. It¡¯s better to listen to the elders when ites to marriage. I don¡¯t care how yful you usually are, but you have to listen to me when it''s about choosing your wife." ¡°Fine. Make it tomorrow at noon. She can decide which restaurant to go to. Just inform me when she has reserved the restaurant." Pierre had no choice but topromise. He could not disobey Madam Mallory now. After all, Pierre could sense that she was still wavering a little between him and Percy. If Pierre refused to listen to her, she might side with Percy. ¡°I know all you think about is your career, but please be kind to her when you meet her tomorrow, okay?" Madam Mallory reminded him. ¡°Mom, I won''t try to please anyone," Pierre replied with a gloomy face. It had always been women who tried to please him. He had never buttered anyone up. The only exception was that stupid woman, Nina. Madam Mallory was worried that Pierre would mess things up. She let out a tsk and said, "I didn''t ask you to please her. Just be more gentlemanly, okay? I''ll send Belle''s information to youter. Take a good look at it and leave a good impression on her. Even if things don''t work out between you two or the two of you aren''t interested in each other, we''ll still have the chance to cooperate with the Chambein family in the future." Madam Mallory had looked into the assets owned by the Chambein family in other cities. They could work together with Mallory Corporation. In the future, the Chambein family could be a partner of the Mallory family. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Got it," replied Pierre. Even though he did not like the idea of a marriage of convenience, he was not against the arrangements Madam Mallory had made for him. Pierre did not want the others to think that it was the Chambein''s family that helped him get Mallory Corporation! Pierre left after that. Madam Mallory discussed with Mrs. Chambein the time. After she received Belle''s answer, she sent Pierre the time and venue that Belle had decided. Then, Madam Mallory sent another file to Pierre. The file had all the information about Belle''s family background and her favorite things. The information was provided by the private detective Madam Mallory hired. After Madam Mallory saw that the message was sessfully sent to Pierre, she opened Belle''s information. The more she read it, the more satisfied she was. After Percy and Madison broke off their engagement, Madam Mallory initially nned to make him marry Belle Chambein. However, she did not expect Percy to be so rebellious by insisting on being together with Nina. Madam Mallory felt a pain in her chest at the thought of this. She found it difficult to breathe as she gasped for air. Belle Chambein was a million times better than Nina. The more Madam Mallory thought about it, the more her heart hurt. She put her phone aside and stopped looking at it. Belle Chambein was an outstanding woman. It upset Madam Mallory at the thought of Percy choosing Nina over Belle. On the other hand... Percy saw the message Madam Mallory sent to him. He raised his brows. The venue Belle had decided was near the suburbs. Why did she choose to go there? [Mom, are you sure you got it right? The address you gave me is near the suburbs.] Pierre sent Madam Mallory a message. [It''s correct. Mrs. Chambein said that Belle has been looking for a building for theirpany''s branch. She happens to be in that area tomorrow. That''s why she set the venue there. You''re driving anyway. It''s convenient. Just head there.] Madam Mallory knew Pierre was impatient, so she convinced him. [It''s too far away.] Pierre replied. He was trying to beat the clock and finish reading all the documents of Mallory Corporation now. Previously, Pierre was the one who managed Mallory Corporation. Pierre did not even think of fighting for it back then. That was why he missed out on a lot of documents. The documents that he was supposed to read were eventually handed to his assistant. He had no idea about Mallory Corporation''s decisions and their annual development ns. Now, although Pierre had Old Master Mallory''s support, he could not show that he knew nothing about thepany. Otherwise, he would be bbergasted if the shareholders asked him about the company''s matters during Mallory Corporation''s shareholder''s meeting. However, there were so many documents Pierre had to read. He was running out of time. Still, he had to follow his mother''s arrangement to have a meal with Belle Chambein, not to mention that he had to travel some distance to meet her. Pierre could not help feeling resentful. [It''s not going to take a long time for you to drive there. If you think it''s troublesome, ask the chauffeur to send you there tomorrow. Dress well. Remember to put on formal attire. Belle likes elite-looking men," reminded Madam Mallory. Elite? Pierre raised his brows. That was not his style. Wearing a suit with a tie all day was something only Percy and Luke would insist on doing. Putting on a suit was Pierre''s highest show of respect. He replied impatiently: [Okay.] Madam Mallory was still worried about it. After a while, she walked into Pierre''s study. ¡°Mom, why aren''t you resting on the bed? Why did youe here?" Pierre rose to his feet and helped Madam Mallory up. Madam Mallory frowned and gently pushed him away. "I''m not that weak. You don''t have to help me up. Let''s go." "Where are we going?" Pierre asked with confusion. "I''m worried. It''s an important lunch date tomorrow. Let me pick your suit and tie for you," said Madam Mallory. Belle had mentioned in one of the interviews that she admired such men the most. Chapter 2541 Pierre frowned and said, "Don''t bother about it. I''m going to the office tomorrow. I''ll put on a suit and a tie." "No. Only women understand what a woman wants and what a woman likes. Just listen to me," said Madam Mallory as she walked toward Pierre''s dressing room. Pierre could see how worried Madam Mallory was. He leaned against the door and let her pick his outfit for him. Madam Mallory opened the wardrobe door and frowned. What came into her sight were not rows of expensive customized suits but lots of leather clothing and striking colors of cored shirts. Pierre used to love wearing these back then. It matched his high-profile personality, but they were unsuitable for him now. Madam Mallory said disdainfully, "Oh dear, look at these. You''re the future CEO of Mallory Corporation. Throw these away." "It''s a waste to throw them away. Just leave them there," Pierre repliedzily. He spent a lot of money to buy these imported clothes. Previously, when he went drag racing with the others, these clothes were eye-catching and suited his personality the most. Madam Mallory put the clothes aside with a look of despise on her face. She took the suits out and said, "These are the suits tailor-made for you. They''re all made by the world''s best tailor. And you just left them here. What a waste." "They''re old-fashioned and don''t suit me." Pierre lifted his head and nced at the suits in Madam Mallory''s hands, then he immediately lowered his head and continued to look at his phone. Ever since Old Master Mallory held the press conference, many were making wild guesses about their purpose of holding an urgent shareholder''s meeting. The old master had also arranged for people to lead the media on the inte. Now, more and more people believed that Pierre would rece Percy and be the new CEO of Mallory Corporation. "They''re not. They''re perfect for you to go to work." Madam Mallory picked a suit and took a white cored shirt to match it. Then, she chose a necktie to match the outfit. "Wear this to the lunch date tomorrow. Trust me. You''re tall and handsome, so you''ll look good in it." Pierre did not want Madam Mallory to continue chattering. Besides, Madam Mallory''s health had not fully recovered yet. He was worried it would affect her mood if he rejected her. Thus, he nodded and said, "Okay. I got it." Madam Mallory held up the outfit she had picked for Pierre and said with satisfaction, "This looks good. Belle will like it when she sees you." ¡°Mom, please believe in your son''s charm," said Pierre. He could win over any woman with his charm except for Nina. Madam Mallory could not help but helplessly shake her head when she saw how confident Pierre was. She was worried that Pierre would not take it seriously, so she reminded her, ¡°Do you think Belle is just like any other woman? Seize the chance. It''s going to benefit you in the future." ¡°Okay, I know. It''s gettingte. Hurry up and go back to your room to rest." Pierre could no longer stand Madam Mallory nagging at him. He helped Madam Mallory up by holding her arm and headed out resignedly. Madam Mallory shook her head helplessly and reminded Pierre again, ¡°I''ve been looking forward to having a grandchild. Pierre, don''t let me down." ¡°I know. Don''t worry. I''ll have a nice lunch with Ms. Chambein tomorrow." Pierre helped Madam Mallory up. He looked down as a surge of emotions welled up inside him. Grandchild? She had a grandchild back then. However, Nina was left with no choice but to pick up the knife and stab the baby in her belly when Pierre forced her. Pierre did not feel anything at that time, but he would feel ufortable whenever he thought of that baby now. If he had kept the child, Nina would not have be Percy''s woman and he would have been the winner! Pierre headed back to his study and sat on his office chair. He took his phone out, scrolled to the top of his photo gallery, and found Nina''s photo. Even so, what difference would keeping the child have made? He would still be the biggest winner! Nina would also eventually be his. The following day. Luca realized Luke had already gotten out of bed when she woke up in the morning. She stared nkly at the space beside her for a while. It seemed like Luke came hometest night. When he got onto the bedst night, she could feel the iciness of the cold weather out there. Luca was not sure if it was just her imagination, but she could not sleep well in the middle of the night. It was only when Luke came back home after work did she sleep soundly. Luca stroked the empty side of the bed. There was no warmth lingering on it. She reckoned Luke must have woken up early. ¡°He woke up so early in the morning. He probably didn''t have enough rest," Luca mumbled to herself. She suddenly remembered the conversation between her and Luke back then. Luca felt sorry for him going out early anding homete at the time. Luke had spent all day dealing with T Corporation''s matters. Hence, Luca took the chance to cuddle with him in bed when he slept early that day. She felt sorry for him as she gently stroked his forehead and eyebrows, telling him how heartbroken she was. Luke listened to what Luca said patiently and held her hand. He leaned closer to her and kissed her gently on the lips. The soft kissforted Luca''s heart. Luke told her that Lanie would take over the family business once he hadpleted his studies. When the time came, he would have time to rest, and he could go on vacations with her. Luke told her that judging from how smart Lanie was, if the school allowed him to skip grades, he would be able to finish his education soon. He said it would take 10 more years. He said their time would slow down at that time. Luca still remembered she was moved to tears while she listened to him talk about their future. However, she shook her head and told him that she hoped Lanie could have a happy childhood and teenage years. She did not want him to spend all his time studying. That was why Luke did not let Lanie skip grades even though he thought the lessons were too easy for him. It was because Luke had always kept in mind what Luca had told him before. After Luca freshened herself up, she walked out of the bedroom. The door of the bedroom opposite her was left open. Luca walked to the door and saw Luke sitting at his desk, busy with his work. ¡°Mr. Crawford, you woke up early today," Luca said in a soft voice. She was worried she would wake the kids up. "I slept wellst night. That''s why I woke up early," replied Luke. "..." Luca looked at Luke. He did not look tired, but the man in front of her had stayed up for two to three days without any sleep in the past. He might have looked a little dispirited, but he was not that tired. Hence, what he said was unlikely to be true. Luke had only slept for two to three hours. How could he have had enough rest? Luca did not say anything. Then, she said, "I''m going downstairs to prepare breakfast." "Please make some coffee for me," said Luke. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Okay." Luca nodded and agreed. When Luca arrived downstairs, Aunt Neile was already preparing breakfast. Luca took the coffee beans out and made some coffee for Luke and Vivian. "Ms. Craw, did Mr. Crawford not have enough rest again?" Aunt Neile saw Luca take the thermos bottle out and figured it out. "Yes. Mr. Crawford came hometest night. He only slept for two to three hours. Then, he woke up early to work again," said Luca. Hence, she was nning to make a pot of coffee for him so that it could give him a lift when he went to work. "It''s difficult for Mr. Crawford to manage such a bigpany. He can''t rest well at all." Aunt Neile let out a sigh. Chapter 2542 What Aunt Neile said was exactly what Luca had in mind. She was right. Luke was working too hard. Even though Luke was healthy and strong now, if he continued to work like this, his body would not be able to take it. Although he was still young, the nights he stayed up to work would damage his health and have him end up falling sick when he got older. Something suddenly came into Luca''s mind, and she said, ¡°Aunt Neile, I''ll write down a few diet ns for youter. Why don''t you make the food ording to them for Mr. Crawford when he has dinner at home?" "Diet ns? Ms. Craw, is something wrong with Mr. Crawford''s health?" Aunt Neile asked anxiously. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Aunt Neile knew Luca studied naturopathy, so after she heard Luca mention diet ns, she panicked as she was worried Luke was having some health issues. Luca shook her head and replied, "Mr. Crawford is healthy. I just think that he should take special care of his diet since he''s been working so hard. That way, his health won''t be affected when he gets older." "Is that really the case?" Aunt Neile was still doubting it. She was worried Luca was just trying to comfort her. If anything happened to Luke''s health, Aunt Neile had to report to Old Master Crawford and let him know about it. "Aunt Neile, it''s true. Besides, the recipes are for people who work long hours and stay up at night. They''re not only for Mr. Crawford." Luca could tell Aunt Neile refused to believe her. Luca immediately laid her anxious heart to rest to prevent her from making a big deal out of it. Although Aunt Neile was still a little suspicious, she chose to believe what Luca said. "Okay. Ms. Craw, give me the recipes. I''ll prepare the food for Mr. Crawford this weekend," said Aunt Neile. "Okay. I''ll give them to you tonight." Luca nodded. "You said these recipes are good for those who stay upte for work, right? My son and daughter-iw work hard too..." Aunt Neile turned to look at her. "Yes. The herbal medicine in the recipes is mild. Everyone can take it," said Luca. Then, she added, "But it''d be better for children not to have it." "Okay. I got it. Thank you, Ms. Craw," Aunt Neile thanked Luca. She had always wanted to make something for her son and daughter-inw who had been working hard too. However, she did not have enough money to get those expensive supplements for them. After knowing that Luca''s recipes were good for health, Aunt Neile thought of preparing extra portions if her son and daughter-inw could have some too. Herbal medicine was considered cheappared to those expensive supplements. ¡°What are you two talking about?" Vivian entered the kitchen with a smile on her face. Vivian would be moving back today, so she woke up earlier. "We''re talking about diet ns." Luca had just finished making coffee, and she asked, "Vivian, would you like to have some?" Vivian noticed the thermos bottle beside her. She smiled and shook her head. "The coffee is for Mr. Crawford, right? It''d be better to keep it for him." "I made two extra sses. Are you sure you don''t want some?" Luca filled the ss with coffee and handed it to Vivian. Luca''s homemade coffee tasted good. Vivian took the ss from Luca without a second thought when she remembered that she would no longer be able to drink the coffee Luca made after she moved out. "Then I''ll have one. Thank you." "Don''t be shy," said Luca as she filled another ss with coffee and ced it on the tray. Then, she poured the rest into the thermos bottle and reminded Aunt Neile, "Aunt Neile, please take the coffee along with you when you''re serving Mr. Crawford breakfastter." "Okay, Ms. Luca," replied Aunt Neile. After breakfast, Vivian and Luca walked out of the vi together. Vivian dragged her suitcase with her. She could not help but exim, "It''s a new day today, and it''s also the beginning of another chapter of my life. Honestly, I never thought that this day woulde." Luca stared at Vivian''s side profile. She smiled and replied, "What do you think about the air around you on your new day?" "Of course, it''s refreshing. It''s sofortable. I''ll live my life to the fullest every day in the future. Oh yes, Luca, do remember toe to the opening ceremony on my first day of school," said Vivian. Luca nodded and agreed. The opening ceremonies held abroad were for students and their parents to tour the college and participate in different activities. asions like that were not popr in A City, but Luca did not tell Vivian about it. Instead, she nodded and promised that she woulde. "I have something to tell you," said Luca. Vivian opened the door, nced at Luca sideways, and asked, "Yes?" "I might need to head to the Capital University to be a part-time lecturer. I''ll be teaching every Monday," said Luca. She walked out of the door and saw the car Warren drove today. It was more low- profile. Luca said to Warren, "Please send me to the office first. After that, send Ms. Vivian back to her apartment." "Okay, Dr. Craw." Warren carried the suitcase Vivian was dragging behind her and put it in the car trunk. After Vivian got into the car, she continued their conversation. ¡°Really? Then will I be able to take your ss?" Luca shook her head and said, "I don''t think so. You''re studyingnguage at Capital University. I would¡¯ve probablypleted the job assigned to me by the time you can take professional courses. Besides, they don''t usually support the idea of students taking subjects outside their majors." "That¡¯s too bad." Vivian felt it was a pity when she heard that she was not allowed to take Luca¡¯s ss. "But if you have nothing to do when I¡¯m having ss, you can sneak into the ssroom and listen to my lectures. There should be empty seats in the ss," said Luca. She reckoned that the lectures of experienced lecturers would usually be more popr. As for someone like her who would be able to pretend to be one of the students if she dressed more youthfully, the students would not be as convinced by her ability. Hence, it was likely only a few students would be interested in listening to her lectures. However, it did not matter to her how many students attended her lectures. After all, Luca had never thought of taking the job. "Really? That¡¯s great. I¡¯m sure that you¡¯ll be a great lecturer," said Vivian. Although she did not know what industry Luca was working in now, she knew Luca was someone who could do anything. She was someone whom Vivian admired a lot. "I prefer to work in theb." Luca smiled. She had never thought of bing a teacher since she was young. Luca loved attending sses, but she did not like to teach. "After all, theb is where you¡¯re supposed to work." Vivian did not pay much attention to Luca¡¯s emotions. She just went along with what Luca said. After Warren arrived at Watson Biopharmaceuticals, he did not drive into the parking lot as he had to send Vivian back to her apartmentter. He stopped the car at the office entrance and dropped Luca off there. "I¡¯m going to work first. I¡¯ll ask for leave on the first day of your school," Luca said to Vivian. Then, she pushed the car door open and got out of the car. After Luca closed the car door, she headed into the office. Warren made sure Luca had entered the office and only then did he drive away. Luca swiped the card and walked toward the elevator. Mo, who stood not far away from her, came forward and greeted her, "Good morning, Dr. Craw." "Good morning, Ms. Stone," Luca greeted her calmly. Chapter 2543 Mo was already used to Luca''s cold treatment, so she took the initiative to ask, ¡°Dr. Craw, was the person who sent you here just now your boyfriend?" Based on her previous observations, the car Luca came in today was not the one she usually used. She could tell from the car te alone that the car she usually used was Luke''s car, but the car she came in today was moremon, and so was the car te. Mo guessed that it was not Luke''s car. If it were not Luke''s car, it would be worth finding out the identity of the person who sent her to work. Luca nced at the descending number shown on the elevator panel and said indifferently, "Ms. Stone, do you sit in the backseat of your boyfriend''s car?" "Of course not, I''ll be in the passenger seat..." Mo stopped in her tracks when she understood what she was trying to imply. If it were not her boyfriend''s car, did she take a taxi? It seemed like she was thinking too much. She did not stand in the doorway just now, and there was quite a distance between her and the car, so she could not see the driver''s face. Thus, she stopped being nosy. Mo realized that she had crossed the line because of her curiosity, so she apologized embarrassedly, "I''m sorry, Dr. Craw." "It''s okay. Oh and please apply for a parking spot for me," said Luca as higher-ups like her had designated parking spaces. She was in T Corporation before this, so she did not apply for a parking space when it was open for application. Now that she had to work here long-term, she had to apply for one so that Warren would not have to look for one every time. "Okay, Dr. Craw," Mo agreed, but she dared not ask why. When the elevator reached the first floor, Luca got on first. Mo then walked in and swiped her card before pressing the button. Neither of them spoke in the elevator. The atmosphere was silent and slightly awkward. Mo looked at the numbers go up and was silently praying that her words just now did not upset Luca. Otherwise, there was no telling how this would end. After the elevator had reached the floor, Luca did not leave in a hurry. Instead, she waited for Mo to leave before getting out of the elevator slowly. After that, she walked back to her office. There should not be any work for her today, so... Luca opened the mini refrigerator in her office. For convenience''s sake, every professor had a mini refrigerator in their office. The sample she extracted previously was ced here. She wanted to use Watson Biopharmaceuticals'' advanced technology to study the sample''s data, then make the antidote. Shanks developed the drug as well as the antidote, so if she just followed the method he used to prescribe the drug, she would be able to develop it. With the help of the advanced facilities here, Luca was confident in her research. She was about to go to theboratory with the sample when her phone on the desk rang. Luca put the sample down and picked up her phone. She noticed that it was Amur''s number, so she hurriedly epted the call. "Amur?" ¡°It''s me." A familiar voice sounded from the other end of the call. It was Amur! Luca''s nose tingled as thest time he called was when he went back, and it had been a few months since then. Not only had she not gotten a call from Amur since then, but she never received a call from Eler either. Sometimes, no news was good news. Luca may be longing for N, but she did not show her anxiousness. If she showed how worried she was, it meant that Abel would get his way. She had never been willing to let Abel get his way from the beginning. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Are you okay?" Luca had a lot to say and ask like the situation on the ind, how N was doing, how he and Eler were doing on the ind, and so on. "I''m on a mission, so I''m out of the ind now. The destination of the mission is in A City, so let''s meet up and talk," said Amur. He knew what she was worried about, but it was not safe to talk about some things over the phone. "Okay, when will you arrive in A City?" Luca asked. "I''ll be there by this afternoon," replied Amur as he nced at the scenery out the window. He was on a train to A City right now. "Amur, is the target of your mission someone I know?" Luca asked euphemistically, worried that Amur''s mission had something to do with Luke. She felt anxious and was reluctant to see that happen as she did not want to see Luke get hurt, nor was she willing to let Amur fail his mission. Moreover, if his mission was rted to Luke, she would be involved too. She would not need to think twice about whose side she would be on. In the end, she and Amur would have to sumb to Abel''s punishment. Luca did not want that to happen. Her research was not done yet, so she could not let Amur escape. Amur paused for a while on the other end of the line and replied, "It''s someone you know but not who you think it is." Luca was relieved to hear that response. Amur knew who she cared about the most, so he knew what she was most worried about too. Although she did not know who Amur''s target was, she was at least relieved to know that it was not Luke. "Okay, Amur. Let''s have dinner tonight." Luca invited him out. "I want to eat the burgers you make," said Amur. He wanted to eat her cooking to satisfy his longing for her. "Just burgers?" Luca chuckled, knowing that Amur liked her cooking the most. Not just Amur, but even N and Eler liked her cooking. "Ahem..." Amur blushed when he heard herugh, and the redness spread behind his ears. "If you have time, you can prepare a few more dishes." "I''m free, so I''ll see you at the apartment tonight," said Luca. "Okay, see you tonight," After saying that, Amur hung up. Luca let out a sigh of relief and her anxiousness calmed down a little. As long as it was not Luke. As long as the target was not him. Luca put the phone into herb coat pocket so she could know first thing in case anything happened, then she took the sample to theboratory. There were a few other researchers in the publicboratory, and they were all from her team. Now that the drug project was past the research stage, the people in her team were the freest in the entirepany. The researchers greeted Luca when they saw her walking over. "Dr. Craw, are you here to do some experiments too?" "Yup." Luca nodded as she ced the file and sample on an empty seat. The researcher came over out of curiosity. Although they were in theboratory, they were still in the theoretical stage whichprised checking information. They were merely getting ready to do something big. Luca was the only one who brought over a sample. "Dr. Craw, is this an experiment sample?" The researcher looked at the liquid in the test tube and asked curiously. Chapter 2544 ¡°Sort of." Luca nodded and sat down on a chair. When the other two researchers heard her, they started gathering around her. "Dr. Craw, you''re brilliant. It''s only been a while, but you''ve already got a sample. Is this the next research project for our team?" "If it goes well, perhaps..." Luca was overwhelmed with questions. She knew that there would be people she recognized in theboratory, but she did not expect them to be so curious. "That''s awesome!" The researcher eximed at how fast she was, so she continued to ask, "Dr. Craw, can you tell us what this research is about?" "I''ll have to keep that confidential for now. I don''t have high hopes for this experiment either. You all can hurry up with your experiments. I believe that I''ll be able to apply for a new research project soon, so everyone will be busy by then," Luca hinted that they should seize the opportunity and time now as they would be busy in the future. The researchers looked at the liquid in the sample and said enviously, "Dr. Craw, if only we had as many research ideas as you, then we would not have to sit here scratching our heads." "Good luck, everyone," said Luca as she picked up a test tube that had been sterilized. They were still standing there, so she told them, "I''m about to start my experiment, so you all should hurry up and think about what experiment you want to do too." The researchers understood what she meant, so they nodded and returned to their seats. After they left, Luca calmed down and began to do her research.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Luca did her research the entire morning. The researchers had already left for lunch break, but she still had not noticed the time. That was until Rhett walked in. "Dr. Craw, have you had lunch?" Rhett was surprised to see Luca, who was concentrating on her experiment. Hence, he asked. "Lunch?" Only then did Luca think of looking at the time. It was already half past 12. "So, you haven''t." Rhett said resignedly. If he had not received a call from Luke toe and ask her about lunch, he was afraid that she would not even realize after lunchtime had passed. "I was doing my experiment, so I didn''t realize." Luca exined embarrassedly. Rhett was speechless. Luca nced at the machine that was still operating and analyzing theposition of the drug. She put the rest of the samples away and said, "I''ll go eat now." Rhett nodded. "It''s a good thing Mr. Crawford asked me to remind you. Otherwise, you would''ve starved." "Mr. Crawford?" Luca was surprised. After stacking up all the files, she stood up while holding them in her arms. When she heard him say that, she realized that Luke was the one who told Rhett to remind her to eat. "Mr. Crawford called me and told me to remind you to eat lunch," Rhett reported truthfully. Luca could not suppress her smile as she walked out of theboratory. Luke knew her well. He knew that she had gotten used to being fed by him, so now that there was no one there to feed her, she would easily forget to eat. After walking back to her office, Luca ced the samples in the mini refrigerator and ced the data files on the table before leaving. Luca took the elevator downstairs and walked around the nearby restaurants. She came downte, so thepany''s cafeteria would have run out of tasty dishes, which was why she chose to eat outside. The only thing was that she came down at an awkward time, so the restaurants were overcrowded. Finding a seat was difficult enough, let alone a nice quiet spot. Luca was not used to sharing a table with someone else either. Just as she was about to go back and order takeout, Luca noticed a well-decorated high-end restaurant. The decor of the restaurant was rathervish. Anyone could tell from the storefront alone that this ce was not cheap. Due to the price, she could see through the floor-to-ceiling window that there were not many people inside. Luca thought to herself that perhaps having some high-end food once in a while was not such a bad idea. With that, she pushed open the door of the high-end restaurant and walked in. The waiter entertained her enthusiastically. Luca chose a seat in a corner as she preferred a peaceful and quiet environment. After picking up the menu, Luca nced at the price and saw that she was right. Most of the office workers around here worked inpanies that coveted the cheap rent of office buildings here, so the sry atpanies like those was not that highpared to others. Therefore, they would onlye to restaurants like these once in a while. If they were here every day, even if they got the cheapest item on the menu, their wallets would not be able to withstand it. As a result, the restaurant was not crowded. Luca ordered a set meal. Then, the waiter went to ce her order. After waiting for almost 20 minutes, the waiter served the menu she ordered. While Luca was eating her meal, the bell at the door rang as someone walked in. The waiter standing at the door said enthusiastically, "Sir, Madam, wee. Do you have a reservation?" ¡°We don''t have a reservation. Is there a private room here?" The woman''s voice sounded. ¡°Sorry, our private rooms have been booked. If you would like to have some privacy, you can choose a corner seat," the waiter suggested. Pierre looked gloomy and said impatiently, ¡°Lead the way." Luca, who was sitting in the corner, frowned at the sound of his voice. This voice... sounded familiar. She looked up toward the door, and sure enough, it was Pierre. The woman standing beside him. Luca did not know who she was, but she could tell that she was not Pierre''s ex-fianc¨¦e. She heard that even after she sent Pierre to the hospital, the doctor could not find out what the cause of his pain was. They could only give him painkillers. Rumors of Pierre having a disease or an addiction started to spread, and that was when he and his fianc¨¦e of many years broke it off. Luca knew that Pierre did notck women in his life, but the woman standing next to him did not look like she belonged on the streets. The things she wore were not things one could afford by just gold-digging. They followed the waiter''s lead, and Pierre noticed Luca as well. He became manic as he recalled the humiliation she had caused him before. If not for her, he would not be forced by Madam Mallory to go on a date with a pretentiousdy like Belle. He knew that a woman like Belle was suitable for marriage, but he did not like her. Even if he did not get Nina, he still had plenty of women around him. All those women were flirty and sexy. Perhaps they were not as pretty as Belle, but their figures were a hundred times better and they knew how to have fun. Pierre saw that Luca noticed him, but he did not try to hide at all. Instead, he stared at her provocatively, and his already gloomy face looked even worse. Chapter 2545 The corner of Luca''s lips curled up in glee at the sight of his grim face. She was honored to be able to cause post-traumatic stress to someone as sly and cunning as Pierre. Pierre had traumatized many people in A City, and the fact that she gave the devil incarnate a taste of his own medicine made her appear like a savior. She helped everyone punish the defiant bully, Pierre. The waiter led Pierre and Belle to a corner seat. ¡°Sir, Madam, is this table okay with you?" ¡°This is fine." Belle looked at Pierre. Only then did she realize that his gaze had been fixed on one spot the entire time. She followed his line of sight and saw Luca. Belle looked at Pierre suspiciously and asked, "Mr. Mallory, did you see someone you know?" "Not really." Pierre withdrew his gaze and was about to sit down until he recalled Madam Mallory''s words. He had to be a gentleman to Belle. To avoid getting into such trouble, Pierre gently pulled back the chair behind Belle. "Thank you." Belle was very satisfied with Pierre''s gentlemanly behavior. Even though he sounded serious as if he was not trying to impress her, his cold face exuded a different kind of charm. When she first returned to A City, she learned about the situation of high society through some close friends. There were two brothers in the Mallory family, and they used to get along well, but their rtionship took a turn for the worse after deciding who had the say in Mallory Corporation. Everyone said that the second son was not as good as the eldest in every aspect, but she had heard the story of the Mallory family before. Thus, Belle never intended to marry into the Mallory family. Plus, the eldest son had devoted himself to a mediocre woman, so she did not bother using her family''s influence to marry him either. After hearing from others, Belle thought that Pierre would be the same. However, after meeting him in person, she found out that he was not as bad as people said he was. Even if she really married Pierre, who was seen as less than Percy, it did not seem like a bad choice at all. Even if he was not the CEO of Mallory Corporation''s, Pierre would have extra leverage after the marriage between the Mallory and Chambein families. Moreover, this leverage was not something a mere few percent of shares would be able to ovee. Belle admired Pierre''s face as he looked quite handsome too. If they did end up together, she would help him be the CEO of Mallory Corporation. Pierre sat across from her. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. The waiter handed over the menu. Pierre was not in the mood to order and gestured to pass the menu to Belle. ¡°Ladies first." Belle gave him a few more brownie points for his gesture and smiled while ordering appetizers, mains, and desserts. Then, she asked the person across the table, "Mr. Mallory, since we both have somewhere to beter, let''s not drink." "That''s what I was thinking." Pierre''s gaze remained on Luca. She was no longer looking this way, and she did not seem the least bit interested in what was going on over here. Belle ordered two cups of coffee and looked up to ask him if there was anything he wanted to add, but she noticed that he was still focusing on the woman across from them. She could not help but be curious. There was something sinister in his gaze as if there was a deep hatred in him. It was not at all like the kind of gaze a man would have when looking at beautiful women. Belle could not help but wonder what that woman did to Pierre. "Mr. Mallory, have a look at what else you''d like to order," she asked softly. "That''s all." Pierre had no idea what Belle ordered, but girls like her would usually order the same thing. Whether it tasted good was another matter. As long as the quality was there, it was good enough. Belle smiled and handed the menu back to the waiter. "Please serve the food quickly." "Yes, Madam." The waiter took the menu and left. After the waiter left, Belle took a sip of the lemon water and shot a nce at Luca in the corner. Then, she asked thoughtfully, "Why do you hate thatdy so much?" Pierre withdrew his gaze and stared straight at her Was his hatred for her so obvious? Ever since he was a kid, everyone would say that he had deep eyes. When he looked at someone, very few people would dare to meet his eyes. When he looked at someone with a poker face, they would feel like he had sinister intent. People were only terrified of him. Not many would try to find out what he was actually feeling inside. However, Belle was able to detect his hatred for Luca although it was their first meeting. "Why would a man look at a woman hatefully?" Pierre asked without admitting his hatred for Luca. He was ashamed to bring up the past. A woman easily took down a grown man like him. "She''s gorgeous. Other guys would''ve either admired her beauty or desired her. Those emotions could be seen in their eyes, but I only see hatred in yours. So, I think that you know that woman and that she did something to make you hate her so much." Belle swirled her wine ss while analyzing his feelings. "Ms. Chambein, you have a way with words." Pierre smiled slightly as he was in disbelief that she saw through him. "Mr. Mallory, you must not know me very well. I took a master''s degree in psychology abroad. Others may find it hard to read your emotions, but I can tell. For example, you weren''t willing to meet me at first. I believe that you were forced by your parents, like me," said Belle. She did not want to meet him because the second son of the Mallory family was not good enough for her. However, she had to make time to meet him just to please her parents. It seemed like being forced to meet was not such a bad idea, after all. At least Pierre had piqued her interest a little. "Ms. Chambein, you''re different from other girls." Pierre smiled as he was suddenly interested in Belle. Perhaps she was not just eye candy who liked splurging her family''s fortune. "Everyone''s different. I don''t know what your impression of me was before, but I confess that I didn''t think much of you either," said Belle. "What about now?" Pierre slowly became intrigued. This woman seemed quite interesting. When they met earlier, she was wearing sneakers while looking at buildings with the real estate agent. Only before she came to the restaurant did she change to heels in the car. Other girls would not dress so casually when they had a date to go to. Chapter 2546 ¡°Right now..." The corner of Belle''s lips was raised slightly. "Let''s not talk about that now. I heard that Mallory Corporation will hold a shareholder''s meeting in a few days, right?" "So?" Pierre raised his eyebrows. After the woman in front of him piqued his interest, he was no longer looking at Luca hatefully. Whether it be Luca or Luke, he would take his revenge on them for what they did to him, so there was no need to do anything right now. Luca was calm. She would not be intimidated by his gaze anyway. "I''ve also heard some rumors that this shareholder''s meeting is to recall your brother, Percy, from the position of CEO. Thus, you''ll be electing a new CEO for Mallory Corporation. If the rumors are true, then I guess that person will be you, right?" Belle asked him. The moment the news of the shareholder''s meeting was made public, rumors started spreading like wildfire. Percy''s dark past had also been exposed without regard to whether they were true or not. When Belle saw this news, she found it interesting. It was interesting to see a fratricidal fight between brothers of the same parents. "If the rumors turn out to be true, the shareholders will elect the candidate they think is most suitable to be the CEO of Mallory Corporation. I don''t think there''s any reason for you to be curious about this, Ms. Chambein, unless." Pierre paused and picked up his ss to swirl the water inside. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. "What?" Belle''s red lips opened slightly as she looked at the man in front of her up and down. "Unless, Chambein Corporation also has Mallory Corporation''s shares," said Pierre. After Mallory Corporation''s listing, the shares were a big hit with investors. More and more investors started snapping up shares. Hence, they were not too sure who exactly had bought the odd lots. "The Chambein family had just returned to A City. We don''t have shares in Mallory Corporation. However, if you wish to stand at the top of Mallory Corporation, I believe that support from the Chambein family will help you a lot," said Belle. "Are you saying we should get married?" Pierre raised his eyebrows at how straightforward this woman was. Sure enough, she was different from other girls. Belle shook her head and smiled. ¡°I don''t want to be in a marriage where I''m controlled by my elders. I just think that you''re different from other rich kids, but that doesn''t mean I want to marry you after meeting just once. It''s just that Mallory Corporation and Chambein Corporation have many opportunities to cooperate in the future. I want the CEO of Mallory Corporation to be someone I know so that the twopanies can have shared profits in the future. As for marriage, I prefer to let nature take its course." After listening to what Belle had to say, the corner of Pierre''s mouth curled up into a smile. He intended to never see her again after today''s meal. Now, it seemed like Belle was not just a typical bimbo. Working with a woman like her would be interesting. "I have no thoughts of letting Chambein Corporation help out with the shareholder''s meeting, but as you said, there''ll be many chances for us to cooperate in the future," said Pierre. The Chambein family''s business scope was the same as T Corporation''s. He had also heard that Chambein Corporation was going to slowly move their business back to A City. During the old master''s generation, Chambein Corporation built their fortune in A City. However, Old Master Chambein realized that no matter how thepany operated, most of the market in A City would be dominated by T Corporation. Hence, it was difficult for them to survive here, which was why they moved to another city to find a different path. It was a wise decision for them to move at the time. Now that Chambein Corporation had grown, they had the ability to go up against T Corporation. Now, they had decided to move back to fight another war with T Corporation to show who was the boss in the industry. Chambein Corporation wanted to seize the market and business partners. Mallory Corporation had always been their desired business partner, but Percy had a good rtionship with Luke, so if Percy continued to be the CEO of Mallory Corporation, there was no chance for Chambein Corporation to cooperate with them. Therefore, Belle''s reason for wanting to help him was simple. Belle was not fazed by his refusal as she heard that he had always been beneath Percy. It was understandable that someone like him, who had always been seen as less-than, wanted to show what he was made of. "Mr. Mallory, I admire you." Belle graciously expressed her admiration and stared straight at him. "Mallory Corporation and Chambein Corporation will have many opportunities to cooperate in the future. I know that you''re capable, but I also hope that you understand that I''m helping you for the sake of Chambein Corporation, not you." "Understood." Pierre nodded. After the brief exchange, he realized that the woman in front of him was not easy to deal with. He heard that the Chambein family only had one daughter as their heir, and many believed that Belle would eventually have to depend on her husband''s family for Chambein Corporation to continue growing. However, that might not be the case. Teaming up with Belle? It could be a good way out. ¡°Ms. Chambein, I admire you too." Pierre contemted for just a few seconds, but he did not say yes. He did not need to rely on women to prove himself. Plus, the preparations he made were enough to make Percy step down. The waiter served their dishes, and the two brought their conversation to a halt. Luca, who was sitting in the other corner, had just finished her meal. After finishing thest sip of tea, she silently paid the check. Pierre and Belle''s conversation was not very loud, and there was a distance between them and Luca, so no one would be able to hear them from Luca''s seat. However, Luca had heard the entire conversation word for word. When she was on the Ind of Despair, Abel had given her professional listening training. The results were average, so Abel had Shanks use acupuncture to develop her hearing nerves. Now, her hearing was several times better than the average person''s. Therefore, she could still hear them from a distance. Luca did not expect the woman in front of Pierre to be his new marriage partner. Chambein? Luca quickly rummaged through her memories. She was familiar with the high society of A City when she was with Luke. However, the name Chambein did not ring a bell. After paying, she stood up and headed straight for the door. Pierre looked up at Luca leaving with his deep gaze. After making things clear, Belle smiled and said, "The way you look at her looks like you want to eat her up." "I don''t eat people," Pierre exined to her. He may not eat people, but he wanted to kill them with his bare hands. The existence of this woman in A City was humiliating for him. Belle looked at his gaze and smiled. She would not change her mind even after he refused. She had never second-guessed her own judgments and observations. Chapter 2547 After Luca left the restaurant, she headed back to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. She came downstairs for lunchte, so lunchtime was almost over by the time she finished, which was why there were not many people around. The employees in nearbypanies had already returned to work, so the streets were rtively empty. Other than the parked cars, not many people were walking around. Luca rushed back to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. She was too focused on Pierre''s conversation while eating, so she ate slowly. If she did not hurry back now, she would bete. When she got to the entrance, a ray of light shed in the corner of her eyes. Luca stopped in her tracks and looked across the street. At the same time, a ck car on the opposite side of the road caught her attention. When she looked up, the people in the car ducked down. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. They were fast to react, but Luca still caught sight of their shadows. Luca''s eyesight was sharp, so she saw them duck down. If they had not tried to hide, perhaps she might have just thought that they were normal people... She quickly walked into thepany. These people would not dare do anything now that she was inside. ¡°Dr. Craw, you''re back from lunch?" The security guard greeted her warmly when he saw here in. Luca was a celebrity in thepany now. Luca nodded and contemted for a second, then she waved at the security guard. "Hi, can you do me a favor?" The security guard walked over to her. "What is it, Dr. Craw?" "Help me keep an eye on the ck Coro parked across the street and see when they leave." After Luca finished talking, she noticed that the security guard was thinking of going over to check it out, so she stopped him. "Don''t go over there." The security guard immediately withdrew his gaze. Having been in this business for some time, he knew that it was not a simple matter, so he asked, "Dr. Craw, are you in danger? Do I need to report to the police?" ¡°No need, I just think that car is a little suspicious, and a shy thing even swept past just now, so I want you to help keep an eye on them for me," said Luca. The entire road was full of parked cars, but only the ck Coro had people on it. Moreover, the people inside were trying to hide. The security guard nodded. "Alright, I''ll help you keep an eye on them. Do I need to inform you when they leave?" "I''lle to ask you when I get off work. There''s no need to specially inform me of this. Thank you," Luca thanked him with a smile. Even if they were Matysh''s people, she did not want to make the atmosphere tense. She had Luke to protect her, so she did not have to worry about Matysh at all. She just had to be extra careful. If she could avoid causing him trouble, she would. "No problem," the security guard nodded in response. Luca asked again, "I also want to ask if you noticed when that car was parked across the street?" "I''m sorry, I didn''t notice. My shift just started an hour ago, so I don''t know," said the security guard. He would not check when the cars were parked on the road if no one told him to. There were manypanies here but limited parking, and big parking lots were quite far from here. Hence, roadside parking spaces had be the favorite of those without underground parking. These parking spaces would already be full in the early morning. "Okay, I got it. Thank you again," said Luca as she nced back naturally. The ck Coro was still there. The security guard hastily shook his head and said, "It''s no big deal, Dr. Craw. I''m the one who should thank you." "Thank me?" Luca was surprised as she had not been working here, so why would the security guard thank her? "You don''t know? Rhett is my nephew. He said that he has learned a lot of things from you. Thank you for thinking so highly of him," the security guard said with a smile. Luca just realized that he was the uncle Rhett had mentioned before. Rhett''s uncle worked as a security guard at thepany, so when they were hiring professional assistants, he told Rhett toe and try. "That''s all because of Rhett''s capability. I''ll go up now. Thank you for helping me keep an eye," said Luca. Rhett did not enter thepany from connections, and neither did his uncle. Both of them were hired through interviews with their own skills. "Alright, Dr. Craw." The security guard smiled and went back to his post. Luca returned to her office. She was not in a rush to theb to get the data, so she opened herptop and searched for the Chambein family. She searched on a local forum, so she instantly found out who they were. After taking a look at the Chambein family''s business and their business scope, she knew why Belle insisted on helping Pierre. If the head of Mallory Corporation changed, Chambein Corporation would be able to get more benefits and engage in a war with T Corporation. Luca ced her hand on her forehead. No wonder. Luke was going to help Percy this time as it was also beneficial for T Corporation. T Corporation and Mallory Corporation''s partnership was beneficial for both parties. If Mallory Corporation and T Corporation broke off their partnership, T Corporation would have less edge internationally. It would be like a person missing their left hand... After finding out who Belle was, Luca sent a message to Luke. She was concerned about this matter because it involved Nina''s happiness, and she wanted Nina and Percy to live happily ever after. However, Pierre would be the obstruction to their happiness, so she wanted Luke to tell Percy for him to get ready. Even if there was no way to ovee it, at least they would be mentally prepared. Besides, Nina''s background was far from Belle''s. She could not help Percy with anything. After a while, Luke replied: [I''ve let him know.] Luca could tell that he was busy from the four words, and she thought that as long as Percy knew about it, there was no need to borate. She put her phone back into her pocket and walked out of the office. She walked back to theb, and several researchers in the team were already sitting there figuring out their experiments. When they noticed Luca walking in, a researcher said, ¡°Dr. Craw, your sample analysis hase out. I thought it wasn''t a good idea to leave it at the printer, so I put it where you sat this morning." "Okay, thank you," thanked Luca. She did not expect the analysis data toe out so fast. Advanced technology was indeed different. She walked back to the table and sat down. The researcher then said, " Dr. Craw, I didn''t mean to look at your data. I just nced at it. But why is there a toxic substance in it?" "Well, this is just a sample, not a drug. Don''t forget that this is all confidential. I hope you don''t tell anyone about the information in this data." Luca did not answer in detail as she did not expect her data to be seen by others. Chapter 2548 The researcher smiled awkwardly and exined, "Dr. Craw, I didn''t look at your analysis on purpose. I was bringing it to your seat and I identally..." He paused for a second and assured her, "Don''t worry, I won¡¯t mention anything to anyone." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. After all, before the initiation of every research project, thepany would have to review the study¡¯s theoretical support. If he wanted to keep his job, he had to do what Luca said. He just thought that it was a little strange. The data he saw in her analysis did not seem like any ordinary virus. ¡®Luca''s research is not on ordinary viruses?¡¯ Thepany may not approve the project if it were too niche. The profits may be high, but the investments would be excessive as there would not be much existing research and data on the topic. The researcher was worried that Luca''s efforts would be in vain. The other researchers looked at each other and were not sure what to say. Luca sat there and was focused on her data set. After a while, Luca left with the documents. The researcher who asked the question just now breathed a sigh of relief. "Based on Dr. Craw''s tone, I thought I was going to be fired." "You just took a nce. It''s not that serious. Dr. Craw isn¡¯t that kind of person." Another researcher comforted him. "Even so, if Dr. Craw''s next project is rted to this sample, it''s likely an unsought-after disease." The researcher sighed. "Manypanies won¡¯t spend their money to support drug research for unpopr diseases as it takes time and a lot of money. Thepany won¡¯t go for it if she really proposes it. By then, we¡¯ll have more time to do nothing.¡± "Yeah, the experimental environment here and abroad is different. Dr. Craw may get support if she went for this topic abroad, but here in A City..." Another researcher shook his head. They had been in doubt when they heard about one of the data sets. "I think it¡¯s fine if it¡¯ll take more time. If our research ispleted before hers, we can make it a group project." The researcher who had been looking at some documents said out of the blue. "That''s true, but everyone has no clue." "We''re looking at past research now? Don''t overthink it. Anyway, whether or not Dr. Craw''s project is happening, we need to have full attention on our projects." "You seem close to Mr. Link. Why don''t you ask him? He works closely with Dr. Craw and might know something," The researcher who asked Luca the question earlier said. "Yeah, can you help us ask?" Another researcher urged him. Rhett''s voice came from the door as soon as he said that. "What do you want to ask me?" Theboratory was suddenly quiet. "Why is it so quiet all of a sudden?" Rhett smiled and looked at his colleagues. They were usually chatty but seemed extra quiet at that moment. All of them looked at him with surprised expressions, so he asked, "Is there something on my face?" "No, no." The researcher who just spoke earlier hurriedly shook his head. "Were you guys talking about me? What do you want to ask?" Rhett asked. He heard them mention ¡®Mr. Link'' before he even got to the door. He knew that their conversation must have something to do with him. "Oh." The researcher looked at another researcher who was closer to Rhett, but the other party was focused on his documents and did not pay any attention to him. He had no choice but to say, "We want to ask you if you know what drug Dr. Craw is going to study in her next research project?" "I don''t. Dr. Craw hasn''t mentioned anything yet. If she has set a direction, she''ll let us get started on the next steps. Don''t worry." Rhett was a little curious about their question. ¡®Thest project just ended not too long ago. But they''re not making use of the opportunity to run their own research and are curious about Luca''s research?'' "That makes sense." The researcher smiled awkwardly and let the topic pass. Luca was sitting in the office and staring at the sample data in a daze. This data was more precise. She wondered if she could formte an antidote if she based it on this data. Luca felt that she had to draw a tube of her blood for further verification. She would not dare to consume a sample of the antidote without a second thought even if it was developed. If it seeded, all was fine, but she may die if it failed. She may get lucky and would not die, but Abel would also find out that she was secretly researching the antidote. She could not afford to act rashly. She had drunk the poison, so her blood should have the same toxin. She could use her blood to do experiments on mice. If it was sessful, it would prove that the antidote she prepared was effective. At that time, they would not have to rely on the antidote issued by Abel to live. Luca decided to take action immediately. She returned to theb, grabbed two clean needles, and went back to her office. Luca quickly drew blood for herself after she locked the door. She had not done it for too long, so she stabbed the wrong spot. Luca poked until there were bruises across her skin for a tube of blood. After the blood was drawn, she put the sample in the freezer. She looked at her bruised skin and sighed. These bruises would likely hurt for several hours. Fortunately, she could cover them with long-sleeved clothes so that no one could see them. After she was done, it was almost time to get off work. Luca thought of what she had agreed with Amur and told Aunt Neile that she would not be back at the vi for dinner that night. After she was done processing the documents on the desk, she clocked out and got off work. When she was in the elevator, Luca texted Luke to tell him that Amur was on a business trip to A City and she was going to have dinner with him. Soon enough, Luke replied: [Okay.] He did not ask where she was dining or said anything else. Luke respected her decision and expressed his trust in her. Luca smiled lightly and asked Warren to stop near the building entrance. She wanted to talk to security and did not n to go to the underground parking lot. The elevator stopped on the first floor. Luca walked out and went to the security guard. "Hello." "Dr. Craw, are you off work? Look at that car. It hasn''t moved since lunch. I noticed people getting down from the driver and the front passenger seat earlier. They''re likely out shopping. I''m sure they''ll be back soon. Nothing to worry about." The security guard updated her with a smile on his face. "Okay, I see. Thank you." Luca thanked the security guard and walked out the door. Warren pulled up in the car and waited for her. Luca looked at where Coro had parked and saw that it was still there. She got into the car and said, "Warren, I won''t be heading to the vi." "Okay, Dr. Craw. Where are you going?" Warren opened the navigation app. Luca remembered what Amur said and told Warren the name of the supermarket near the apartment. Chapter 2549 Warren did not ask for more details. After he entered the address, he followed the navigation app and started driving. As soon as the car pulled out to the roadside, Luca noticed that a ck Coro was following them. She put on a faint smile and reminded Warren, "There''s a ck Coro following us." "Yes." Warren nced through the rear mirror and saw the ck Coro she was referring to. "This car has been parked near the office," he said. Warren would wander around and inspect while he was waiting for Luca. He was Gale''s subordinate and had undergone special training, so he was alert to his surrounding environment. "Mm." Luca nodded. ¡®It seems that Gale''s subordinates are not bad.¡¯ "How did you know that they¡¯re after you?" Warren asked. "When I was eating lunch, they were taking photos and the sh went off," Luca exined. She was not a movie star who was used to the camera, so she was sensitive to shes as such. She would not necessarily have noticed if the sh had not gone off. Of course, if they were following her, Warren and her would find out sooner orter. "You still went downstairs alone?" Warren''s tone became serious. "I was just having lunch, and there were so many people around during lunchtime. They wouldn''t dare to do anything to me in front of so many people," Luca exined. "You still have to pay attention. They can take action at any time," Warren said. The Coro behind was still following them. Whenever he sped up slightly, the other party would also speed up. If he slowed down a little bit, the other party would also slow down immediately. The car was deliberately maintaining a certain distance from them. "Okay, I''ll pay more attention," Luca promised. Although those men would not make a move on her in public, there was no harm in being extra careful. Luke mentioned that Matysh did not have much time to waste because his family was already annoyed with him being in A City for so long. Moreover, Gordan seemed to have found some ckmail material on Matysh. He might be detained by the relevant departments and deported before he could do anything to her. As such, she had to be more careful and not allow them any chance to make a move. It was entirely possible that the matter would resolve on its own. Warren drove to the location designated by the navigation. He found a parking spot, parked the car, and said, "Ms. Craw, we''re here." Luca nced out the window and noticed that the Coro was still around. It was looking for a parking space. She lowered her gaze and was amazed that these men went as far as to follow her here. "Warren, can youe with me to get groceries?" "Okay." Warren unbuckled his seat belt and agreed to apany her to go shopping to better ensure her safety. After Luca got out of the car, she walked into the supermarket with Warren. She wanted to cook for Amur, so she bought a lot of ingredients. She thought that the seasonings in the apartment would have expired after so long, so she bought new seasonings and then walked back to the parking lot with two big bags of groceries. The car was still there. "Did they follow us into the supermarket just now?" Luca asked. "Probably not," Warren said. Those men would probably not get out of the car if they were not about to make a move. They would just follow behind their car. "Drive into the apartment buildingter so that they won''t be able toe in," Luca said and instructed Warren to drive to her apartment. After they arrived at the apartment, Luca made a note to the security guard at the door, then Warren drove into the apartment without a hitch. The ck Coro could only park near the entrance. They could not get in since they did not have a key card. Warren stopped the car in a parking space and said, "Ms. Craw, I''ll wait here for you." "I''lle downstairs after I finish dinner with my brother. You can go to the nearby restaurant to get something to eat," Luca said. She and Amur needed some time to catch up. If she did not have something to discuss with Amur, she would have invited Warren upstairs. However, their conversation could not be heard by Warren, so Luca could not invite him to dinner. "Okay, Ms. Craw." Warren nodded and got out of the car. He watched Luca from the car. He left only after she walked into the apartment building with the two bags. Warren did not drive the car off. On the way to Luca''s apartment, he noticed that there were several restaurants nearby. He was happy to have dinner in one of those ces. Luca walked into the elevator with the bags and happened to see Mrs. Selley, the neighbor across her ce. "Are you Ms. Craw?" Mrs. Selley looked her up and down several times before she asked to confirm. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Yes." Luca looked at the woman who was talking and recognized that she lived across from her. "Hello." "Long time no see. Are you moving back?" Mrs. Selley asked. "No, my brother is back and I''m having dinner with him," Luca exined. Mrs. Selley stroked her arm. She had met Amur. She could not help but sigh as she said, "Foreigners like yourself are too bold. A security guard died in that house and your brother dares to step in? It¡¯s a jinxed house." Luca remembered the security guard who lost his life tragically because of her. "We don''t believe in these," she said as the feeling of guilt grew stronger at the thought of the poor security guard who was just at the wrong ce at the wrong time. "This is A City. We have an old saying here. It¡¯s better to believe something¡¯s real than to believe it¡¯s nonexistent. Your ce has been vacant, but I sometimes hear noises inside when I stand in the corridor. You should move out as soon as you can!" Mrs. Selley said. She got goosebumps on her arm when she thought of Luca¡¯s scary house. After she heard what Mrs. Selley mentioned, the otherdy in the elevator said, "Yeah, I feel terrible every time I take the elevator past your floor. The elevator sometimes opens and there would be a weird breeze. It''s horrifying! I would¡¯ve moved out long ago if I had the money." "Isn''t it? Speaking of which, our family is also unlucky. If this incident hadn''t happened, we could have sold the house for a little more and swapped it for a bigger house. Now that this has happened, my house no longer holds its value. I can''t afford to move either. All I can do is wear a talisman to keep myself safe." Mrs. Selley said as she touched the talisman hanging in front of her chest. Luca sighed to herself. She sent a sum of money to the security guard''s family but did not manage to visit his family as she got too busy. She wondered how they were doing. Life should not be easy since they had lost their breadwinner... Luca felt guilty and decided to visit them that weekend. When the elevator reached their floor, Mrs. Selley saw that Luca did not seem to intend to get off the elevator, so she said, "Ms. Craw, we¡¯re here." Luca came to her senses, nodded, and stepped out of the elevator. Mrs. Selley thought she was frightened by what she said just now, so sheforted her. "Ms. Craw, don''t worry about what I said just now. Even if there were sounds, I only hear them early in the morning. You¡¯ll be fine as long as you¡¯re not around after midnight." Chapter 2550 "I''ll head home to cook now." Luca made an excuse, hurriedly unlocked the door, and walked into the apartment. As she stared at the closed apartment door, Mrs. Selley shuddered and sighed as she said, "Youngsters today are so bold. They dare to live anywhere." Mrs. Selley thought of the gust of wind that blew when the door closed just now and shuddered again. "That house is spine-chilling." Luca walked into the apartment and found that the lights were on, indicating that Amur had returned. "Amur?" she called out to him. The apartment was empty, and her voice was the only thing that proved that someone was there. Luca was puzzled, so she picked up the phone and called him. Amur answered as soon as the call was connected. "Amur, why aren''t you in the apartment?" Luca asked. "I''m doing some shopping," Amur replied. Luca could hear that the background on his end was a bit noisy. He seemed to be on the street, so she said, "Okay, I''ll start cooking now. Come after you''re done shopping." "Mm," Amur replied. After Luca hung up the call, she walked into the kitchen with the bags to prepare dinner. The apartment, which had been unupied for several months, had been cleaned by Amur. The kitchen was spotless. It seemed that Amur had cleaned everything to prepare for her arrival. Luca opened the bag, took out the ingredients, and got busy. As she was halfway through preparing dinner, Amur returned to the apartment and heard some sounds from the kitchen. A faint smile appeared on his chilly face. He liked days like this when he could see her or hear the noises that she made as soon as he opened the door. Days like this felt like how life should be and gave him hope. Amur thought of the gloom on the Ind of Despair and sighed. Sure enough, no one wanted to live their whole lives underground. However, they had no choice but to ept it considering the environment that they were in. After he had experienced such a life full of fireworks, he would dream back to those times when he was on the Ind of Despair. "Amur, are you back?" Luca asked from the kitchen. She seemed to have heard the door open, but she asked since she did not hear Amur''s voice. "It''s me," Amur replied. "Mm, go wash your hands. Dinner is ready," Luca said as she ced the burgers that she cooked on a te. Amur had arge appetite, so she packed a full te for him. After that, she took some roasted fish out of the oven. She prepared several dishes for him on top of the burgers he requested. Amur walked into the kitchen, and the aroma of the food stimted his taste buds. "It smells delicious." "They''re all your favorite dishes! Will you help me carry them out?" Luca nced at him. ''Sure enough, he lost weight again.'' Amur, who finally gained some weight in A City, lost weight after he returned to the Ind of Despair. The food on the Ind of Despair was not great, and he had to go through a lot of training every day. It made sense that he would lose weight. Amur nodded and walked out carrying the dishes she prepared. Luca filled two bowls of soup and walked to the dining room. "You lost weight. You should eat more for dinner." "I have to train every day I''m on the Ind of Despair, and the food they cook is extremely unptable," Amur said with disgust in his tone. "Eat more." Luca handed him the utensils. "Thank you." Amur was not shy and dug in right away. After he had several burgers, he slowly breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It feels good." "Mm?" Luca looked at him with some confusion. "I''ve been thinking about having your food for a few months now. When I took the first bite, I felt like I was dreaming. It wasn''t until I took several bites that it felt real. It turns out that I wasn''t dreaming." Amur let out a long sigh of relief. Luca smiled and replied, "That''s exaggerated. Try the other dishes." Amur took a piece of roasted fish and put it in his mouth, then gave Luca a thumbs up. "It''s delicious." "Eat slowly. We''re not in a hurry." Seeing the speed at which he chewed, Luca wondered if Abel had put him in some refugee area in thest few months, one where he could not eat nor live well. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. "You''re not nning to have me finish everything, right?" Amur raised his eyebrows when he saw her stop eating. Luca smiled and picked up her utensils to eat some burgers. When she saw how Amur ate, she swore to herself that she would develop the antidote so that he and Eler could eat whatever they want in the future and no longer have to survive in that kind of environment. After dinner, Amur took the initiative to clean up the dishes. Luca put her phone on the coffee table and walked out to the balcony to get some fresh air. The weather had warmed up a bit, but the temperature at night was still low. She felt cold whenever the wind blew. However, she wanted the cold wind to make her mind clearer. After dinner, it was time to talk business. For example, Amur mentioned that the target of his mission was someone she was familiar with. ''Who is this familiar person?'' After Amur washed the dishes, he walked out to the balcony and the cold wind blew in his face. He sighed and said, "The cold wind is morefortable than a warm breeze." ¡°At least it clears your head," Luca said as she looked at him. "Do you have your phone and the other items safe?" "Yeah." Amur nodded. He knew what Luca wanted to talk about. "My target is Pierre Mallory," he said. Luca was a little surprised. She had thought that it could be several others. For example, Gale or Rain... After all, they had betrayed the Ind of Despair. It was normal for Abel to abolish Luke''s left and righthand men as revenge. It also could be Percy. After all, he had a part in destroying the Ind of Despair. She never expected it to be Pierre. "How could it be him?" Luca asked in surprise. "It''s him," Amur said. "He was warned once or twice but continued to challenge Abel." His ungratefulness hadpletely angered Abel and turned him into the target of Amur''s mission. "Wasn''t he working with Abel before?" Luca knew that Abel would not usually assassinate his clients. Being credible was important in his industry. He wouldplete the task, collect his money, and the transaction was done. He would no longer care about the other party. If the other party''s nemesis ced an order to have him hurt, he would build on their previous rtionship and turn down the order. He would even drop a gentle reminder to the other party and be paid an intelligence fee. As such, the Ind of Despair was having more and more orders in recent years, leading to the growth in its power. "Pierre only has himself to me. He keeps challenging the boss'' patience," Amur said. He was told the reason why when they announced that Pierre was the mission target. As such, Amur knew everything. Luca stayed silent, waiting for Amur to continue talking. "The proposal he bought previously was a backup copy set up as a trap by Luke. The n didn''t work and he seems to think Abel yed him. He''s been asking for the money back," Amur said. Chapter 2551 Luca nodded. Pierre could not bear themon risks that came with transactions as such. She did not expect him to go so far. "The boss was so annoyed by him that he taught him a lesson in Russia, thinking he would learn his lesson. However, after Pierre left Russia, he''s been using hiswork to investigate Abel. He has the boss'' contact number, and Boss felt that things would go down if he let Pierre be. As such, he asked me to deal with the matter," Amur said. If Pierre had been obedient, this would not have happened. "He asked for it..." Luca said softly. "Yes, if he hadn''t continued to dig into Abel, the deal would have ended as such and the boss wouldn''t have done anything," Amur said as he believed that the deal was fair as it was mutually consensual. All transactions involved risk. Abel took the risk, and so did Pierre. The money and the goods had changed hands but Pierre constantly bothered Abel to get a refund, screaming that the proposal was fake. The money was in Abel''s pocket. It would not be easy to get it back. Pierre crossed a line. "I see." Luca nodded. She was rxed to hear that it was Pierre. After all, Pierre had done a lot of terrible things but got through life scot-free using the Mallory name. He had not been taking responsibility for his bad behavior. It made sense that many would hate a man like him... If Pierre was assassinated under the orders of Abel, the obstacles between Percy and Nina would not be reduced much but the Mallories would no longer use Mallory Corporation to threaten their rtionship. After all, the Mallories could not cede Mallory Corporation to outsiders or rtives. "When I arrived at A City, I briefly browsed thetest news so there may be no action taken for the time being. I have to wait." Amur said. "Did Abel set a deadline for the mission?" Luca asked. "No, the Mallories have a great influence in A City. The boss just asked me to handle everything well and not leave a trail," Amur said. Luca nodded. She was deep in thought. It was not the best time to make a move on Pierre. However, if Amur hurt Pierre, it would be like him pissing off half of the Mallories. "Are you the only one assigned to this mission?" "Yeah." Amur nodded. His heart softened as he stared at Luca''s face which was flushed red because of the cold wind. When he thought of what Abel had said before, he reminded her, "Also, you have to be careful." "Huh?" Luca withdrew her gaze and turned to look at him. "Abel is plotting something. It seems to have something to do with you and Luke," Amur said. He heard whispers here and there, so the information was notplete. He did not know the specifics of Abel''s n. "Mm, I will." Luca lowered her gaze slightly. It did not mean Abel had no ns when he was quiet and did not reach out. She knew that very well. "I tried to find out, but I didn''t hear anything useful." Although Amur did not want to see Luca and Luke together, he was always on alert when it came to her. It was just that Abel was a secretive man. It was as though he deliberately revealed a bit of information to let him know so that he could tip off Luca. However, he did not reveal the specific task. He was like a cat catching a mouse, acting like the person in front of him was a toy to tease. Luca knew that very well too. "You won''t find out anything. You''ll never know if he doesn''t want you to know," she said. Luca was not disappointed that Amur could not find out more. "Just be careful." Amur looked at her. He thought that Luca''s feelings for Luke should have gotten deeper with his absence for the past few months. He thought that Eler was right. Luke and Luca were husband and wife. Even though Luca had changed her appearance, the bond would still be there. Luca would still care about Luke. Luke would also be unconsciously attracted to Luca. That was thew of mutual attraction. No one could stop it. "I know." Luca let out a long sigh. She felt a sense of relief knowing what Abel was up to. She looked at him and said, "Tina hasn''t been doing well." Amur frowned and let out a long sigh when he heard Tina''s name. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "What''s up with her?" When she heard Amur''s cold tone, Luca knew that he was not overthinking like Tina was. "Her mood has been terrible because you left without saying goodbye," Luca said politely. She wanted to let him know that Tina was going through a rough patch because of him. The decision rests with Amur on whether he would go see her. Amur was not that stupid. He must have noticed something. He should know about Tina''s feelings toward him. "Don''t tell her that I''m back in A City." Amur kept silent for a while and finally made a decision. "Okay." Luca sighed. She already knew that Amur''s decision would be such. Even if she spoke on behalf of Tina, he would not go soft-hearted. Maybe Amur just saw Tina as a friend... If he simply thought of her as a friend and had no romantic feelings for her, it was best not to meet each other so that Tina could move on from it sooner. People like him would have more weak spots the more they cared. It was only by making himself invincible that he would not be controlled by Abel in the end. Luca nced at the time and noticed that it was gettingte, so she said, "If all is well, I''ll go home now." "Okay, I''ll drive you." Seeing that it waste, Amur opened the balcony door and said. "No need. The driver is waiting for me downstairs," Luca shook her head and said. Amur frowned and replied, "The driver? He assigned you a driver to watch over you?" "No..." Luca shook her head and told him, "I''ve been in a bit of trouble recently from the Russians. He''s protecting me by assigning me a driver." "Who''s bothering you?" Amur clenched his hands into fists. He wanted to take care of the matter for her. "Amur, Abel will know if you make a move. I''m afraid that he''ll cooperate with the other party once he finds out. Those Russians have a big influence over there," Luca reminded him. The Abazas had nothing but money. She was the entry point for Abel to hurt Luke. If Abel knew about Matysh''s interest in her, he might ask for money from him and send her to Matysh. Therefore, Amur must not be involved. "How could I let someone hurt you?" Amur clenched his fist and mmed it into the wall. ''She''s in danger, but I can''t even help her.'' He hated himself for not being able to protect Luca. He would have made a move if he were not worried about Abel''s influence on the matter. "Trust me. Trust him." Luca patted him on the shoulder and said, "I''ll be heading off now." Chapter 2552 "Wait," Amur said. He walked to the living room, picked up two full bags, and handed them to her. "What''s this?" Luca nced at the bags with a supermarket logo printed on them. "Snacks for the kids..." Amur exined, "I just so happened to buy them when I was at the supermarket." "Thank you." Luca did not reject his kind offer. When he deliberately emphasized the phrase ¡®just so happened to buy them'', she thought that the awkward Amur was a little cute. As she looked back on the past three years, he had matured a lot and could take on responsibility. She knew that Amur rejected Luke because of her previous experience. Nevertheless, he knew that the three children were innocent. "I''ll be making a move, then." Luca picked up the two bags and left. "I''ll send you off." Amur walked quickly to the door and opened it. Luca shook her head and said, "You''ve been on the road for a few days. I''m sure you''re tired. Rest early. The driver is downstairs. I won''t be in any danger." "Okay, I''ll be in A City for some time. If anything happens, call me immediately." Amur had to give in when she said that. "Mm, I will. Take good care of yourself. Pierre won''t make it easy for you, so you must be careful," Luca told him. She hoped that Amur would stay safe every time he went for a task. They had spent three years together, and she had long regarded Amur as her younger brother. "I know." Amur''s eyes shed with reluctance. Nevertheless, he would eventually have to go back. Out of the Ind of Despair, he and Luca could not live together as they did on the ind. Luca went downstairs with the two bags, walked out of the elevator, and headed to where Warren had parked. Warren had been waiting in the car. He opened the car door when he saw Lucaing and took the two bags in her hand. "Ms. Craw, are you heading home now?" "Yeah." Luca nodded and got into the car. Warren put the two bags in the trunk and got into the driver''s seat. He then fastened his seat belt and was ready to send Luca home. "Have you had dinner yet?" Luca asked. Warren would not usually get off work sote, but today was an exception. She felt a little guilty for making him get off work sote. "I ate at a nearby restaurant. The ck Coro was parked in a temporary parking space on the side of the road when I was walking back. I don''t know if it''s still there," Warren replied. He was always paying attention to his surroundings, staying vignt so he could protect Luca. "It should still be there," Luca murmured. She knew that they would give up easily since it was paid work. They had to at least make it seem like they did something. Warren drove to themunity entrance. He did not choose any other exit. He left through whichever exit he entered. Sure enough, the ck Coro was still parked on the side of the road. The car followed closely the moment they left. Luca snorted. ''When will these people stop haunting me?'' She would have asked Amur for help if she was not worried that Abel would find out. "Ms. Craw, don''t worry. I checked when I came back from dinner. There are only two people in the car, so they won''t act rashly. I guess they''re just here to follow you." Warren thought she made a sound because she was worried, so he reassured her. "Just two men? I thought there would be five people in that car," Luca said in a casual tone. She was not worried if there were only two of them. If they dared to make a move, Warren alone would be enough to sort them out. Not to mention she could handle two people on her own. "They won''t make a move until they find an opportunity. That''s why there won''t be many people in the car," Warren exined. He had learned about the organization''s structure. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. They owned many bars and dance halls in A City, so the bosses behind them also had certain business acumen. Unlike other organized crime organizations, they would not act recklessly even if they were paid. They would seize the best opportunity toplete the paid task using the least human and material resources. "Hmm." Luca lowered her gaze as she thought about what Amur said. She thought about Pierre''s assassination and Abel''s ns to hurt Luke... The more she thought about it, the messier her heart felt. Luke''s revenge on Pierre only caused him to have an ident and he temporarily lost his lower body function. Eventually, Johann cured him. However, with Amur involved, it would not be as simple as his hands and feet being broken... Even so, what would happen to Pierre had nothing to do with her. Luca was worried that after Pierre was dealt with, Abel would then make a move on Luke. ''What am I going to do then?'' Thinking of this, Luca grabbed the corners of her clothes tightly. She hoped to develop the antidote before Abel could do anything. Even if she could not save herself, she hoped that Eler and Amur could get out of that terrible situation. Seeing that Luca stayed silent, Warren stopped talking and drove to the vi. The car behind followed them all the way and made Warren wonder. ''Aren''t they afraid of being discovered by following us so obviously?'' They did not even change their cars. Their work was terrible. It was as though they were deliberately reminding them that someone was following them... After they arrived at the vi, Luca got out of the car with the two bags. "Warren, it''s gettingte. You should go back as soon as possible. Thanks for waiting for me for so long." Luca bent over and thanked Warren, who was in the driver''s seat. "Ms. Craw, this is my job," Warren said and backed away. Luca walked into the living room. The three children immediately gathered around her. "Ms. Luca, why didn''t youe back for dinner today?" It was Tommy who spoke first. He was looking at Luca eagerly. "My brother came back, so I had dinner with him," Luca exined with a smile. She could feel the children''s love for her every time she was home. Although she was not their mother, they all loved to be around her. They acted like children who loved to be around their mother. "Your brother? Is that the uncle we metst time?" Rainie immediately thought of Amur. "Mm, yes, he bought all of you a lot of snacks. Here, they''re all in these bags." Luca ced the two bags of snacks on the coffee table. Tommy eximed, "Wow, that uncle is so nice!" He opened the bags that contained some healthy snacks for children. Luca noticed that the snacks were additive-free and suitable for the kids. Amur said he just happened to buy them, but she could tell that he put a lot of thought into it. She smiled and said, "You can eat all of these snacks." "Yeah, Aunt Neile would usually get these for us too. The snacks that Ms. Luca and Uncle buy are much better than the snacks that Grandma bought usst time," Tommy said with a smile. His eyes were glowing when he saw the snacks. Chapter 2553 The grandma he referred to was Allison. The child''s words reminded Luca of Allison. She had been to Korea for a while, and she was not sure how the operation went. She did not hear Luke mention it either. However, she caused such a scene when she went back to Crawford Manor for the New Year, so it was likely that no one cared about her surgery. "Is Mr. Crawford back?" Luca asked the child. "Daddy knows that you were going to have dinner with Uncle, so he came back early. He''s now working upstairs," Tommy said. Luca picked up the two bags of snacks, went into the pantry, and kept the treats out of the child''s reach. Tommy loved to eat. She was worried that they would overeat, so she put them up a little higher. When they wanted to eat them, Aunt Neile could take the snacks for them and control the amount so that the children would not overeat. "Are you done with your cartoons?" After she put away the snacks, she asked Tommy who was following behind. "Yeah, the show''s over." Tommy looked at the two bags of snacks with gluttony in his eyes. "You can''t eat tonight. You''re going to sleep soon, and you can''t sleep if you''re too full. Let''s go upstairs so you can take a bath and get ready to sleep." Luca touched the child''s head. She knew what he was thinking about at a nce, but for the sake of his health, she could not satisfy his wishful thinking. "Okay." Tommy said nothing else and just nodded. He took her hand and they left together. After she walked out of the storage room, Luca saw Lanie and Rainie. She reminded softly, "It''s getting late. Let''s go upstairs to wash up and then go to sleep, shall we?" "Okay, Ms. Luca," the siblings replied at the same time and went upstairs with her. When they arrived upstairs, the three children walked softly to their respective bedrooms. Luca stood in the corridor between her and Luke''s bedroom. After she thought about it, she still chose to knock on Luke''s bedroom. "Come in." Luke''s voice came from inside. Luca opened the door and looked at the man in the executive chair who was working on some documents. Themp on the table was on, and the golden light shone on the ck table. The documents that the man brought back were stacked on top of each other. Luke sat there working tirelessly on the files. Luca noticed the colors of the folders and knew that the files might all be about the future of T Corporation. "Mr. Crawford, I''m back," she said, her voice hoarse. She felt distressed at how hard he worked when she thought of him running the entire T Corporation on his own. "I''d be happier if you called me by my name." Luke looked up at her. The warmth in his eyes was a kind of tenderness that no one else had the chance to see. His gaze was tender only for her. Luca''s face turned red. Her emotions overflowed when she looked him in the eye. "Luke..." She could not resist his tenderness. His tenderness would only appear when there was no one around them. "Mm, that''s nice to hear." Luke stood up and walked to her side. He pulled her into his arms and closed the door with one hand. With a bang, she was also pushed against the door the moment it was closed. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, leaned down, and his thin lips touched her soft lips. "Hmm..." Luca hummed, her mind was nk. She looked for him to tell him to rest early, but she did not expect to be kissed like this... It was even behind his bedroom door... The kids were not asleep yet... Luca''s hand was tightly controlled by his big palm. She could only be at his mercy as she leaned against the door. "M-Mr. Crawford," she called out to him softly, her body feeling like it was about to be drained. Luke punitively bit her neck when he heard her call him ¡®Mr. Crawford.'' "Hmm." Luca''s body froze. She was getting less and less rational. Every cell in her body was cheering as he touched her. "The bedroom is soundproofed, so they can''t hear anything." Luke knew what she was worried about. He leaned gently against her neck, kissing every inch of her skin. He was upset when he found out that she was going to have dinner with Amur. Although Luca thought of Amur as a younger brother, he did not regard her as his sister. Luke was wary of his woman being coveted by such an interesting man. Luca did not seem to realize it and even ate with him. Worst of all, he could not stop her! He had a tormented night. Luca and Amur would never be involved romantically, but Luke was so possessive that he had to end his overtime early and go home with his work. It did not matter that he brought work home as he could not sit still to work. Therefore, Luca''s call of ''Luke'' triggered the jealousy and possessiveness in his heart. All he wanted was to hold and possess her. Luca''s tense nerves slowly loosened with Luke''s guidance, and the nerves on her skin were branded with hot kisses. More than an hourter. The atmosphere in the bedroom calmed down eventually. Luke massaged Luca''s shoulders gently to help her rx further. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. His behavior was domineering and direct. Luca''s repeated refusal was overlooked by him. "Um..." Luca curled up in his chest and found afortable ce to lie down. She did not have much strength and did not care if the children had gone to bed. She just wanted to lie on his chest and take a good rest. Luke pulled the nket up and kissed her on the forehead. "I haven''t showered yet..." Luca said in a blur. Although she was tired and sleepy, she had sweated a lot just now. She wanted to wash it off. "I''ll carry you there." Luke looked at her sleepy appearance and could not bear to have her move even a little. He got up, tucked her in, and walked into the bathroom. He let the water pour into the bathtub after he adjusted the water temperature. When the tub was almost full, he returned to the bedroom and picked Luca up. "Huh?" Luca was in a daze as she had almost fallen asleep. "I''m taking you to the bathroom," Luke said. He carried her into the bathroom and gently ced her in the tub. Luca was a little more awake after she was submerged in the water. She looked up at Luke, who was about to enter the bathtub. She immediately said, "Mr. Crawford, I''ll clean myself." "Hmm." Luke''s mood darkened when he heard her calling him ''Mr. Crawford'' again. She kept screaming out ''Luke'' affectionately when they were rolling in the hay earlier. However, she had reverted to calling him ''Mr. Crawford.'' It seemed that he needed to fix this. He walked out of the bathroom as he thought about it. Luca breathed a sigh of relief. She was thankful that he did not continue staring at her. She enjoyed thefortable water temperature as her mind was filled with what just happened. Luke''s possessiveness overwhelmed every inch of her body. She could not help herself from indulging in it. Chapter 2554 The water temperature was getting colder. After Luca washed up, she stood up and realized that it was not her bathroom. She had no bath towel and pajamas here, so she had to pick up Luke''s bath towel to wrap herself with. By this hour, the children should have fallen asleep. They would not notice if she went back to her room to get her pajamas. With that thought, Luca walked out of the bathroom. Luke was not in the bedroom, so she guessed that he had gone to take a shower in the toilet opposite. Luca opened the bedroom door and found that the corridor waspletely silent. She quickly walked back to her bedroom and opened the door when Luke happened toe out of the bathroom. "Mr. Crawford, you''re done washing up," she said before realizing it was nonsense. Luca was so ashamed that she wanted to dig a hole and put her head in it. "Mm." Unlike her, Luke had brought his pajamas with him before he went to take a shower. He was wearing pajamas while she was wrapped in a bath towel. "I didn''t expect you to be so fast," he said. He thought Luca would take a long bath to relieve the fatigue. He did not expect her to shower as fast as him. "I took a quick shower. Mm, I''ll wash your bath towel tomorrow. I''ll go change into my pajamas..." Luca said as she opened the closet and took out a set of pajamas. "I don''t mind," Luke said and walked behind her. "Huh?" Luca turned around and almost hit him in the chest. "I don''t mind if you use my bath towel," Luke said softly against her ear. "Did I make myself clear this time?" "U-Understood," Luca whispered. She did not need to look in the mirror to know that her ears were red at that moment. Luke said, "I have one thing to say. Listen carefully." "Tell me." Luca slowed her breathing. The skin on her neck was exposed, so she could feel the breath he exhaled. It was hot, and her body could not help but tremble slightly. Luke noticed her shudder, and the corners of his mouth curved into a smile because of his good mood. "In the future, don''t call me ¡®Mr. Crawford'' in private. Call me by my name, just like before." As soon as he finished speaking, Luca took a step back, her face blushing red. She wanted to go to the bathroom with her pajamas in her hands. "You have to promise me." Luke blocked her way and took her into his arms. "I..." Luca felt his strong arms blocking her. She could not move forward, and behind her was his chest. "Promise me. Otherwise, I won''t let you go." Luke hugged her tightly. He wanted to hear his expected answer. Luca shivered. She had already exceeded her limit just now, but he was getting closer and closer. If it went on, she wondered if she would still be able to go to work tomorrow. She did not think too much and immediately agreed, "Okay, I promise you." "I want to hear you say it," Luke said. "Luke..." Luca had topromise. She did not expect that he would insist so much on how she addressed him. "Good." Luke let go of her. "Put on your pajamas. Don''t catch a cold." "Okay." Luca was walking to the bathroom when she heard him tease her. "We''ve been together for so long. It doesn''t matter if you change here." She was as red as a tomato. Luca then dashed to the bathroom and closed the door. Luke was in a good mood as he watched her rush to escape. She was a treasure that he was reluctant to let go of since the first contact. After Luca changed into her pajamas, she put Luke''s bath towel in theundry tub and returned to the bedroom at a leisurely pace. She walked to the bed with small steps and lifted the nket. She was too shy to look at Luke. "Mr..." Luca paused as she thought of what he said. "Luke, I''m sleepy. I''m going to bed." "Mm, I''m going to bed too." Luke got into bed on the other side. Lucay down, covered herself with the nket, and closed her eyes with her back to him. Almost at the same time, Luke turned off the lights and pulled her into his arms. He felt morefortable sleeping with his arms around her. His inner unease would go away for just a little bit. ''I wonder what she talked about with Amur. Could it be about the Ind of Despair? Does it have anything to do with him?'' After he found out that she was Bianca and confirmed that she was being controlled by the Ind of Despair, Luke stopped listening to her calls. First, he knew who was controlling her. Secondly, the Ind of Despair was cautious and he could not find out anything from her calls. Therefore, he did not monitor anything when she met Amur for dinner. However, Luke could feel that when Luca walked into the opposite bedroom, her mood was different like something was about to happen. She just could not say anything and could only deal with it on her own. It was a night without dreams. Luca always rested well when she was beside Luke. When she woke up, the space beside her was empty. Luca sighed when she thought of the stacks of papers on Luke''s deskst night. ¡®Poor thing.'' The two had been in bed for so longst night that Luca felt ufortable when she woke up. It took her a while to get used to it before she got out of bed and went into the bathroom. After she washed up, Luca walked out of the bedroom and saw that the door of the bedroom opposite was open, so she gently pushed it. Luke was working inside and was on a voice call. The conversation was in English. When she was going to close the door and head downstairs, he looked at the door. They looked at each other, and Luca pointed downstairs embarrassedly to signal that she was going downstairs to make breakfast. Luke understood what she meant and nodded. Luca closed the door, lest the kids woke upter to see the door open. They mighte in and interrupt Luke''s call. She arrived on the first floor. Aunt Neile was already preparing breakfast. Luca, as usual, made Luke a thermos of coffee. Then, she poured another cup for him to drink for breakfastter. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Aunt Neile got breakfast ready and brought the coffee and breakfast to Luke. Luca was sitting at the dining table, eating breakfast by herself. After breakfast, she was about to go to work when Aunt Neile walked over and said, "Ms. Craw, I almost forgot one thing." "What''s the matter?" Luca asked while she put on her coat. "Can I ask for a day off next Monday? My daughter-inw is on a business trip and no one is taking care of the child. School starts next Monday, so I have to send the kid to school because he has to go through the enrollment procedures. Parents have to be there as there are all kinds of expenses to be paid. My grandkid might lose the money if I give it to him. As such, I can''t prepare breakfast for you, Mr. Crawford, and the kids...." Aunt Neile told her. If Luca did not agree, she had to ask the neighbors to help her grandson go through the admission procedures when they dropped off their child. "There''s no issue from my end. My memory is not very good recently, so please remind me a day in advance." Luca agreed to her request. Chapter 2555 Next Monday was also the first day of school for the kids. Zander would be in charge of taking the children to school, so the only thing that needed to be done in the morning was to prepare breakfast for them. Luca figured that she could do it alone, so she agreed to Aunt Neile¡¯s ask. "Okay, thank you, Dr. Craw." Aunt Neile breathed a sigh of relief. "It''s nothing. If there¡¯s nothing else you want to talk about, I have to head to the office now. By the way, when Mr. Crawford goes to work, please remind him to bring along his coffee," Luca reminded her. "Okay, Ms. Craw." Aunt Neile watched Luca leave, and the corners of her mouth rose slightly. She was d that Luca agreed. Otherwise, she would have to trouble others to send her grandson to school. After she stepped out of the vi, Luca got into Warren''s car and headed to the office. It was a big day for Watson Biopharmaceuticals. The drug developed was ssified as medical insurance drugs, so they would discuss the price with the relevant government departments so it could be listed. The final price of the drug would affect thepany''s operating profit and the bonus her research group ultimately received. After she arrived at the office, Luca returned to the office and put down the briefcase. She then went to theboratory and waited to know the final price of the drug with the research team. The drug pricing and listing were all done by other departments, so everyone in the research team could only wait for their colleagues to announce the final price. Finally, the price was decided after some discussion. The crowd cheered. The price was very reasonable. The government did not set it too low, so the bonus they would receive would be quite generous. "Great, it''s a fair price," Rhett said. He had been exposed to drug pricing, so he knew the reasonable price range. He looked at Luca. Everyone was smiling, but she was silently looking at a document. Her mood was not influenced by the announcement of the price of the drug. Rhett could not help but sigh in his heart at how Luca was different from the others. No matter how experienced professors were, they would smile with satisfaction when the drugs they researched got a reasonable price. It was a kind of affirmation for their drug research. Few were like Luca, who had an indifferent expression. "Dr. Craw, congrattions." A researcher leaned over and congratted her. Luca closed the document and nodded lightly. "This is a drug developed by everyone on the team. Congrattions to everyone for getting confirmation from the government and relevant departments." Her research was built on Shanks'' research. Although the drugs developed by Shankscked a lot of clinical steps, most of them were reliable and their efficacy was better than many drugs on the market. Therefore, her research was much better than other drugs and the clinical data was also positive, so the price was higher than theirpetitors in the market. After the patent application gets approved, Watson Biopharmaceuticals would obtain significant profits. Luca looked at the contract being signed on the screen and breathed a sigh of relief. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. This time, Abel could not hurt Watson Biopharmaceuticals. As she thought of that, Luca could not help but wonder why Abel insisted on having her research this project. She knew that there were biopharmaceuticalpanies under Abel''s name. They were a lot bigger than Watson Biopharmaceuticals. If he had kept the project for hispanies, the profits would have been umpteen. Instead, he gave the project to Watson Biopharmaceuticals and did not sabotage it. What in the world was he plotting? ¡®Isn''t he going to take Luke on?¡¯ At how things went, he was not messing with Luke. Rather, he was promoting the stable growth of Watson Biopharmaceuticals and T Corporation. Luca could not help but wonder what Abel had up his sleeves. She stood up and walked out. The researchers in theb looked at each other. One of them could not help but wonder, "Is Dr. Craw dissatisfied with the price of the drug?" "No, it''s a bit higher than we expected. Dr. Craw doesn''t look dissatisfied," another researcher said. "Is it? Why isn¡¯t she smiling, then? She¡¯s as indifferent as a bystander..." "You''re wrong. If she were a bystander, she would be jealous, not indifferent. We have the highest price for simr drugs in the market. If others hear about it, how can they not be jealous?" "Yes, and the data effect is also the best," another person echoed. "Then, Dr. Craw is..." "Dr. Craw is used to scenes as such, so this is nothing to her at all." Rhett could not stay quiet any further and chimed in. All the researchers looked at Rhett. "By the way, Mr. Link, I heard that Dr. Craw used to work in an overseas biopharmaceuticalpany. Does she still have any other patents? Is that why she thinks nothing of this price?" one of the researchers asked curiously. Thepany had all of the professors'' employee profiles. The other professors had a long list of achievements. Luca''s was short and simple. She did not mention any of her achievements. When she first joined the group, the researchers had no hope for her at all. When they heard that other projects needed more manpower, they even had the idea of jumping over. They were d they did not hop on to other projects. Luca''s CV was simple, but when she was running experiments with them, her direction and ideas were clear. The experiment waspleted with almost little to no thinking. "I don''t know either." Rhett shook his head. He did not know what Luca was thinking about either. "How is that possible? I heard that you chose to be Dr. Craw''s assistant. You should know Dr. Craw''s abilities before you chose to be her assistant, right?" The researcher did not believe Rhett. They joined thepany a little after Rhett, so they thought that he knew a lot about what was happening. Rhett stood up and emphasized to them with a stern expression on his face, "What I know about Dr. Craw is from her profile. I chose to be Dr. Craw''s assistant because I was interested in her project. There''s an elder in my family who passed away because of this disease, so I wanted to work with Dr. Craw to develop a drug with a better therapeutic effect." Seeing that Rhett''s expression was serious, the researchers did not dare to ask any more questions. Luca went back to her office. Thendline on the desk rang. Mo was usually the one calling this number, so she answered the call. "What''s the matter?" "Dr. Craw, Mr. Whitlock asked you to go up." Mo conveyed the general manager''s message. "Okay, I''ll head up now." Luca left the office after she locked the documents in the drawer. Chapter 2556 Luca arrived at Mr. Whitlock''s office and knocked on the door. "Come in." Mr. Whitlock''s voice came from inside. Luca opened the door and looked at the office. She noticed that Mr. Whitlock''s secretary was reporting on some work, so she stood at the door to wait for them to finish their conversation before she entered. After the secretary was done, she turned around and left the office. Mr. Whitlock greeted Luca, "Come in, Dr. Craw. Take a seat." Luca nodded slightly and walked in without closing the door. She sat directly opposite him. Mr. Whitlock nced at the open door, then withdrew his gaze. Her action was like a warning to him. The door was open, so he had to be careful with what he said. Mr. Whitlock had been working in corporate for so long that he would not be threatened by Luca''s actions. He stood up and closed the door. Luca leaned back in the chair and watched Mr. Whitlock sit back in the chair indifferently. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. "Dr. Craw, the final price of your project has been set. Congrattions," Mr. Whitlock said with a smile on his face. "Thank you. This is thanks to the efforts of all the researchers and the sea of support from the company." Luca''s tone sounded alienated. Mr. Whitlock looked at her suspiciously. If someone else heard happy news like that, they would have a big smile on their face. They would not be indifferent like her... She acted as if the project had nothing to do with her. "Yeah, thepany has given you a lot of resources. Dr. Craw, I don''t think you''ve given enough back to thepany for this project," Mr. Whitlock continued talking. Luca''s indifference was beyond his expectation, but no matter what, he had to force Luca to hand over the data on hand that same day. "Mr. Whitlock, you should''ve read the market analysis of the project and know this project will bring huge profits to thepany sooner orter. The final price of the project in the market is higher than expected. Why do you think the project''s returns to thepany aren''t enough?" Luca knew what he wanted and simply pretended to be confused. She silently tapped the back of the phone twice as she spoke. "I''m not talking about the project. I''m talking about you." Mr. Whitlock stood up and paced in front of the desk, trying to make it seem like he was on the right. "Thepany has given you a lot of resources. We gave you an office and all kinds of money and resources. Yet you''re still keeping the data to yourself at this time. Dr. Craw, do you think you''re worthy of the resources thepany has given you?" "I said that I''ll make the data public as long as the professors need it but only within the department. Mr. Whitlock, although the drug is on the market now, the research data is also apany secret. Do you think what I''ve disclosed is not enough?" Luca asked. "Of course, it''s not enough! Your department is not the only one in thepany." Mr. Whitlock said, "Well, if you don''t want to disclose everything, you can choose to release it for a limited time so that everyone can see the data. You can also ce restrictions so that they can''t bring in a camera or phone.¡± "Mr. Whitlock, don''t you think this is absurd? Why would staff from other departments of thepany, who aren''t graduates of biopharmaceuticals, be interested in this data? Are you the one who''s interested in the data?" Luca stood up and did not let him bother her. Mr. Whitlock''s expression changed. "I''m not from biopharmaceuticals and don''t understand the data. What do I want your data for? Dr. Craw, if I hadn''t received the request from the person below, I wouldn''t have asked you this three or four times." "Really? Who requested it?" Luca asked. "There are many people and departments that asked for it. Anyway, I''m using my role as the general manager to order you to disclose this data. If you don''t disclose it, don''t me me for taking action." Mr. Whitlock was almost roaring toward the end. His eyes were also a little red because of his terrifying expression. Luca crossed her hands in front of her chest indifferently and said, "Mr. Whitlock, who do you work for?" "What?" "On the surface, your boss is Mr. Crawford, but who''s the boss behind you?" Luca asked in a casual tone as she looked down at her phone screen. "The boss behind me? What? Don''t be nuts. I don''t know what you''re talking about," Mr. Whitlock snapped at her. Luca smiled and replied, "I know there''s another person behind you. They asked you to get the data, right? What? They want to copy my data tounch a simr drug andunch a price war to harm Watson Biopharmaceuticals and T Corporation?" Mr. Whitlock took a step forward with a dark expression on his face. "What nonsense are you talking about?" "It doesn''t matter if you won''t admit it, but you should know that I''ve recorded our conversation just now. You''re indeed trying to get your hands on our project data. If my project data is leaked, it must have something to do with you. Also, if you want to try anything with me, go for it. Let''s see if you can seed." Luca lowered her voice and warned him. She was certain that the man behind Mr. Whitlock was not Abel. If it were Abel, he would just ask her for the data. He did not have the kind of temperament to take such a troublesome route. "You!" Mr. Whitlock did not expect her to be so straightforward. Although he had done a lot of things to get the data before, he did not expect that Luca would shed all pretenses of cordiality. He narrowed his eyes. Luca put on a faint smile and continued talking, "Mr. Whitlock, what do you want to do to me?" "I can''t fire you, but I won''t give you any budget for your next project!" Mr. Whitlock gritted his teeth with hatred. He hated thepany''s rules because he could not fire Luca. He managed all departments except Luca''s. Luca nodded and pretended to be enlightened. She then turned things around and said, "Mr. Whitlock, do you think that you have a say in my budget? You''ve done so many things behind Mr. Crawford''s back. I wonder why he hasn''t fired you yet?" "What do you mean?" Mr. Whitlock''s hands trembled when Luke''s name was mentioned. He was afraid of the man behind him but also of Luke. No matter who he offended, he would no longer be able to stay in A City, so he must please one party to seek asylum. Obviously, he would not get anything even if he pleased Luke, so he could only bite the bullet and continue with the mission. "Does what happened to Dr. Albus have anything to do with you?" Luca continued to misguide him. Even though she knew that he had nothing to do with the matter, she still said that on purpose. She wanted him to panic. "Enough with the nonsense. I''ll sue you for defamation!" Mr. Whitlock felt as though his veins were about to burst. He had wanted to use force to make herpromise. Unexpectedly, she managed to turn the situation around so easily. Moreover, her neither soft nor hard attitude made him panic inexplicably. He thought of how the power behind him had warned him not to look down on Luca just because she was a woman. He finally understood what the other party meant. Chapter 2557 "Mr. Whitlock, defamation is not a word that you can just throw out." Luca saved the recording and put her phone in her pocket. "You have no evidence, but what you just said is evidence that you did it if my project data is leaked." She did not want to do this kind of thing, but Mr. Whitlock''s harassment annoyed her. Mr. Whitlock''s expression was ugly, and his mood was gloomy. He could not say anything because he was so angry. Without the data, the man would fire him. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. T Corporation would not allow him to stay for long as well. Luca was right. Luke would not let him fool around. Luke still did not fire him after he made so many mistakes. It seemed that Luke wanted to find out who was behind him. Luca put away her smile and said with a nk expression, "If it''s all right, I''ll be back in my office. I still have documents to attend to." Mr. Whitlock watched her leave before he mmed on the table with his big palm. After Luca left his office, she shook her head helplessly when she heard the sound. She did not want to go that far, but she knew that Mr. Whitlock would walk all over her if she did not make it seem serious. Luca had a headache. ¡®When will Luke deal with Mr. Whitlock?'' She returned to her office. She continued to work after she uploaded the recording on her phone to the cloud. It was soon after work hours, and Mr. Whitlock had not bothered her since theirst interaction. Luca nced at the time. She got a text from Luke when she stood up to leave. [Aunt Wanda invited you to the Rayne family''s house for dinner.] ''Aunt Wanda?'' Luca thought of Wanda. During the New Year, she could not visit them because of her identity, so it had been a long time since they met. She remembered that thest time she met was because Marie took Jean to the Rayne family''s house to make trouble, so she had the chance to see her grandpa and Aunt Wanda. Luca was happy to have a chance to see them, so she agreed. [Okay, I''ll ask Warren to send me there.] Luke replied quickly: [Mm, I''ll be thereter.] Luca tidied up her desk briefly, clocked out, and took Warren''s car to Wanda''s house. The maid opened the door for her and led her through the garden. It was spring, so the nts that had been dormant in winter were slowly sprouting under Wanda''s care. It was the breath of spring, and Luca liked it very much. They had arrived at the entrance, so Luca changed into slippers before she entered the house. She saw Wanda sitting on the sofa and moving the tea set on the coffee table around. She walked over to greet her, "Aunt Wanda." "Luca, you''re here. Come and sit here. I just made some herbal tea. Do you want to have some?" Wanda greeted her with a smile when she saw Luca. Luca nodded and sat on the sofa across from her. "Yes, thank you." Wanda poured her a cup of hot tea. "My friend sent me this flower tea. They said it''s the first batch of spring flowers in the greenhouse and tastes good when made into tea. Come and try some." Luca took the teacup she handed over and identally grazed Wanda''s hand with her fingertips. Her fingertips felt cold as soon as they came into contact. She could not help but wonder what went wrong. The heating in the house was constant, and the temperature was suitable, so she wondered why Wanda''s hands were so cold. ''Was she outside just now and just entered the house?'' "Why don''t you have some?" Wanda saw that she was holding the teacup but did not move, so she asked, "You don''t like drinking floral tea?" "No, I like it." Luca shook her head and took a sip of the tea. She was in no mood to enjoy the tea. She looked at Wanda and asked, "Aunt Wanda, did you juste in from outside?" "What?" Wanda blinked. It took a while for her to process Luca''s question. She smiled and shook her head. "No, I''ve been in the house." "Why are your hands so cold..." Luca frowned. ''Since she''s been inside the whole time, her hands shouldn''t be cold since the heating is sufficient.'' "Oh, my hands have always been like this. I went for a physical examination and they told me that I''m anemic, so my hands and feet get cold easily. I''m used to it." Wanda touched her hand. It was cold, but she had always been like this, so she did not think much of it. After all, even in summer, the temperature of her palms was lower than that of ordinary people. "Aunt Wanda, although this may happen to patients with anemia, you''re in a heated room now. This shouldn''t happen..." Luca was even more puzzled as that was not in line with the human body''s mechanism. Wanda rubbed her hands and frowned. "Hmm, I do seem to feel a little different than before. Although my hands and feet get cold easily, it''s usually when Ie back from being outside. They slowly warm up after I get close to the heater. However, sincest winter, I''ve been having to wear thick socks to bed. Otherwise, my feet would feel frozen and I wouldn''t be able to sleep..." The maid on the side heard what Wanda said and interjected in their conversation, "Ms. Rayne, your hands are extra cold during winter. Your hands are still cold even if you stay in a heated room for a few hours. It''s always as though you just came back from outside." "Yeah, maybe it''s because my body''s weak. I''m used to it. If you didn''t tell me, I wouldn''t have noticed." Wanda smiled. Her health had not been the best since she returned to A City. She got sick but a specialist cured her after surgery. However, there were still a lot of minor problems in her body that Wanda did not pay much attention to. "Aunt Wanda, you can''t afford to ignore these symptoms. Why don''t you go to the hospital for a checkup?" Luca had a bad feeling. As soon as she heard the word ''hospital'', Wanda looked at her phone and said, "I just did one in June last year. Is it too early for another check-up now?" "The body temperature of normal people is not that low, even if it is anemia. I think you still have to go for aprehensive physical examination," Luca said. She knew about Wanda''s previous condition. She was worried about the recurrence of her breast cancer and also about other conditions. After all, there are so many diseases that could cause that. "Luca, why don''t you check my pulse?" Since Luca helped Old Man Rayne to improve his health, he had been doing much better. Wanda believed in Luca''s medical skills. She stretched out her hand after she said that. Luca shook her head and said, "There are too many reasons for what''s happening to you. I''d still rmend that you go to a hospital for aprehensive examination before we discuss further." It was not that Luca did not want to check Wanda''s pulse but that her ability was limited. She was worried that she would not be able to do anything and end up dying Wanda''s treatment. When she saw Luca''s serious expression, Wanda thought that something was wrong. It seemed that she should take it seriously. She picked up her phone and said, "I''ll make an appointment with the doctor now." Luca took a sip of the floral tea, and the sweet smell spread in her mouth. However, she was not in the mood to savor it. Wanda may not be doing well, but she could not confirm anything from her end. Chapter 2558 Wanda wanted to make an appointment with the doctor, but the doctor called to ask about her health condition in the first instance. ¡°Ms. Rayne, I read the documents. Thest time you came for a medical examination wasst year around June. It isn''t time for you to do another check-up. Are you feeling ufortable? Is that why you want to do a medical check-up?" the doctor asked. Luke was the one who arranged for the doctor. The doctor was responsible, and he dared not to let anything go wrong with Wanda''s health. "Well, I haven''t been getting enough rest these days. And my hands and legs are always cold. That''s why I thought of heading to the hospital for a check-up," Wanda said in a rxed tone. She thought it was merely her health getting worse, and it was not such a big deal. However, Wanda consciously listened to Luca''s advice. "I see. Let me make an appointment for your health screening tomorrow at 8:30 in the morning. The hospital will send someone to pick you up. Is that okay for you?" the doctor asked. Luca, who stood beside Wanda, heard what the doctor said. She knew it was Luke who arranged for the doctor to be in charge of Wanda''s check-ups. Otherwise, one would only have to make an appointment for a normal medical check-up. How would the hospital send someone over to pick the patient up? It was not the first time Wanda had such an experience. She had already gotten used to such thoughtful services. "Sure. Thank you." "By the way, I can see that it''s almost time for Old Man Rayne to do his semi-annual health screening. Perhaps he cane to the hospital for the health screening with you this time?" The doctor suggested. It was all Luke''s arrangements. Old Man Rayne was older. Hence, he had to go for health screening semi-annually, while Wanda only had to do it once a year. "Sounds great. It''s decided, then." Wanda nodded. She picked up her cup of tea and took a sip. "Okay. I''ve already registered your appointment here. See you tomorrow," replied the doctor. The appointment was done. Luca waited for Wanda to hang up the call. Only then did she ask, "Ms. Rayne, may I know which hospital the doctor is working at? That''s very kind of him." "The doctor works in the health clinic. It''s Luke who bought the VIP health package for us. That''s why the service is good andprehensive. We''re lucky to have Luke helping us. Otherwise, I''d have to drive back and forth to the hospital," replied Wanda. Even though Bianca was staying abroad now and the couple''s rtionship was nothing but an empty shell, Luke had always been kind to the Rayne family. Luca smiled and nodded. She reckoned that the health clinic only provided services for those who could afford them. It was just like how it was in other countries. These health clinics had advanced facilities, and the doctors were professional. If the doctors found out there was something wrong with their patient''s health, they would cooperate with the top hospitals in the country to provide the best services for their patients. There was no doubt that Luke was treating Luca''s family well. ¡°Ms. Rayne, why did you ask me toe over today?" Luca set her worries aside when she knew Wanda was willing to go for a medical check-up. No matter what the issue was, they had to wait until Wanda''s medical report came out. Besides, if Wanda truly needed to nurse her health, Luke would tell Luca about it. "It''s nothing. It''s just that you''ve been helping my father to nurse his health for such a long time. He''s feeling much better now, so we thought of inviting you over for a meal," exined Wanda. Old Man Rayne''s state of mind had been improving these days. He would like to thank Luca for helping him to nurse his health. "I''m d I could help Old Man Rayne. Ms. Rayne, is Grandpa Rayne upstairs now?" Luca asked. She assumed that Old Man Rayne was probably not taking a rest now. "Yes. He''s much more energetic now. He spends a lot of time reading books and watching TV shows. Let me go upstairs and get him." Wanda smiled as she rose to her feet. Old Man Rayne could do many things himself now. He hardly needed anyone''s help. It was a good sign. "Okay." Luca did not follow Wanda upstairs due to her identity. After a while, Wanda pushed the wheelchair Old Man Rayne was sitting in out of the elevator. Old Man Rayne was delighted to see Luca and said, "Luca, you finally came." "Grandpa Rayne." Luca rose to her feet. Old Man Rayne looked so energetic now. His cheeks were rosy and he was in high spirits. He was no longer the sick old man he used to be. "You look great. Are you feeling better now?" "Yes. Aren''t you the one who helped me to recover my health? I feel much better now. I eat well and sleep well these days." Old Man Rayne felt connected and close to Luca when he saw her. He signaled Wanda to push the wheelchair near the sofa. Wanda pushed Old Man Rayne, who was in a wheelchair, to the living area. Old Man Rayne was old, and even though his health improved a lot, some health issues were irreversible. That was why he had to sit in a wheelchair. "Dad, have a chat with Luca. I''m going to make dinner," said Wanda. "Sure." Old Man Rayne waved his hand. His gaze had never left Luca. The more Old Man Rayne looked at the woman in front of him, the more he became fond of her. Although she lookedpletely different from Bianca, she gave him the feeling that he was talking to Bianca. Perhaps it was the sweet smile on Luca''s face or the dulcet tone of her voice that sounded like Bianca. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Old Man Rayne felt like he was talking to his biological granddaughter. ¡°Grandpa Rayne, may I check your pulse for you?" Luca felt a lump in her throat when she saw Old Man Rayne''s wrinkled hands that were scattered with lines and sun spots. Old Man Rayne had worked hard to raise and support Luca when she was young. Luca had no choice but to use a different identity to take care of him now. Luca hated Abel, yet there was nothing she could do to him. The reason Luca felt helpless about Abel was that Abel had taught her a lot of things, and he let her learn medicine from Shanks. That was why she could nurse and prescribe medicine for Old Man Rayne based on his health condition. However, Luca hated Abel for making her live around the people she loved with another identity. "I''m feeling so much better. There''s no need to trouble you. I invited you here today to thank you and treat you to a meal. You didn''te to visit me during the New Year. I missed you a lot," said Old Man Rayne. He initially thought of inviting Luca over for a meal during the New Year. However, Wanda told him that Luca was busy and it would be better not to disturb her. That was why he put it off. Then, Old Man Rayne thought about Luca today. Hence, he asked Wanda to help him invite her over. "Checking your pulse won''t affect you treating me to a meal, right?" Luca blinked her eyes. Old Man Rayne smiled. He leaned forward and ced his hand on the coffee table for Luca to check his pulse. Luca ced her fingers on his wrist. After a while, Old Man Rayne let her check his other hand. Half a minuteter, Luca withdrew her hands and said with a smile on her face, "Your pulse is stronger than before. Keep on doing the herbal foot bath and take some herbal medicine to nurse your health. I''m sure you''ll be stronger and healthier." "Youngdy, you sure know how to make me happy. I love hearing those words, but I''m getting older. I''ll be satisfied as long as my health stops getting worse. The medicine you prescribed for me was amazing. I only took it for some time and I no longer feel tired when I''m talking. Besides, my hands work better than they used to. I can breathe easier too. You deserve all the credit," Old Man Rayne complimented. Chapter 2559 "This isn''t to my credit. Grandpa Rayne, it was you who was willing to cooperate with me," Luca replied with a smile. She felt assured after knowing that his health had improved. Old Man Rayne said proudly, "Yes. Not everyone is as lucky as I am to have someone to treat me so effectively." Yesterday, Old Man Rayne had a video call with his friends who lived in the countryside. His friends were astonished to see how energetic he looked and how he looked so much better than before. They even asked what supplements did Old Man Rayne take. Old Man Rayne proudly imed that he had his own secret weapon, but it was not supplements. His friends kept asking him, trying to find out what the secret weapon Old Man Rayne mentioned was. However, Old Man Rayne did not tell them. He did not forget what Luke had told him. Luca''s job was to do drug research and development instead of helping others to nurse their health. She was usually busy with work. Thus, no matter how hard his friends tried to convince him, Old Man Rayne refused to tell them. He unknowingly sided with Luca, whom he had only met not long ago when he was facing his old friends whom he had known for years. Luca smiled when she heard how satisfied Old Man Rayne was. The old man who loved to make her laugh had returned. ¡°Grandpa Rayne, remember to take your medicine every day and give your feet a herbal foot bath. You''ll certainly feel much better.¡± Luca''s hand gently rested on the old man''s hands. "Of course, I''ll continue to take the medicine. Look at me. I''ve only taken it for some time and my health has recovered a lot. I''ll definitely continue taking the medicine. Don''t worry about it,¡± Old Man Rayne promised. "Okay. Let me make some adjustments to the medical prescription for you." Luca asked. Then, she turned to look at the maid, Lucy. "Hi there, can you please get me a pen and a piece of paper?" "Okay. A moment, please." Lucy turned around and took a piece of paper and pen out of the TV drawer and handed them to Luca. Luca wrote the adjusted dosage strength of the prescribed medicine on the paper and handed it to Lucy. "Please follow the instructions on the paper after Old Man Rayne has finished his current batch of medicine." "Okay. I''ll keep it properly." Lucy took the paper from Luca and put the paper in the pill box so that they would not lose it. ¡°Luca, have some tea," said Old Man Rayne. Luca picked up the cup of tea and took a sip. Old Man Rayne smiled and looked at Luca, "Luca, why don''t you y a game of chess with me?" "Sure, but I''m not good at it," replied Luca. Her chess skills were the same as how they used to be. Little progress had been made, and there was almost no improvement. "Young people these days are humble. They im that they''re bad at ying chess, but they''re better than old men who have been ying chess for more than 10 years," said Old Man Rayne. He turned to look at Lucy and said, "Please get the chessboard for me." "Okay, Old Man Rayne. You have someone to y chess with today," Lucy replied with a smile. They were not good at ying chess. However, when Old Man Rayne was bored, he would ask them to y chess with him. Wanda and Lucy were so bad at ying chess that Old Man Rayne thought it was not challenging at all. Wanda had no choice but to teach Old Man Rayne to y chess online, but the old ma had only started to learn how to use aputer when he was this old. His responses were slower, and he could hardly make his move within the time limit. Hence, Old Man Rayne often lost. Old Man Rayne wouldin that ying chess online was boring and unfair after he lost many times. He insisted on asking Wanda and Lucy to y chess with him. It just so happened that Luca was here today. She could y chess with Old Man Rayne to kill time. Lucy brought the chessboard down and ced it on the coffee table. Luca and Old Man Rayne quickly set up the chessboard. Old Man Rayne looked at the way Luca set up the pawns and smiled. "Luca, the way you set up the pawns is the same as how my granddaughter sets them up." Luca''s heart skipped a beat. She had been living with Old Man Rayne since she was young. She even learned how to y chess from him. It was just that Luca could not master it, but she had her own habit of setting up the chessboard. Old Man Rayne was familiar with that habit of hers. Luca pretended as if it was nothing and said, "Really? I learned how to y chess online. The teacher taught us to set it up this way." "Yes. It''s really alike. It''s been a long time since I met her." Old Man Rayne heaved a sigh. After Luca lost her memories, she seldom came to visit him. He heard that she was still living abroad, so there was no way he could see her. He could not even keep in touch with her. Even though Bianca was his granddaughter, judging from how kind and generous Luke was with them, Luke seemed more like his grandchild. "Isn''t Ms. Wanda around here to keep youpany..." Luca pretended not to understand what he meant. "I''m not talking about Wanda. It''s Bianca, my good granddaughter, whom I''m talking about." Old Man Rayne ced thest pawn on the chessboard and started ying chess with Luca. Luca focused on the chess game. She knew that Old Man Rayne was familiar with her chess strategies and habits. She thought she might as well change her style and strategies of ying chess. However, the consequence of changing her strategies was that she ended up losing quickly. After the game, Old Man Rayne''s smile deepened. ¡°One more." ¡°Grandpa Rayne, I''m not good at it," said Luca. How she wished Luke was here. Luke was better at ying chess. He would take time to make a move and y long hours of chess with Old Man Rayne. "It''s okay. I heard Luke say that you were living abroad back then. It''s normal for you to not understand the game. You''ll get familiar with it after ying for another few rounds," replied Old Man Rayne. He was pleased to have Luca y chess with him. It did not matter how long it took for them to finish ying one round. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Old Man Rayne even had a feeling that he was back in the old days when he would ask the young Bianca to y chess with him after she was done doing her homework. Old Man Rayne could not help but let out a sigh. He had be old, indeed. ying chess with a youngdy had made him reminisce. ¡°Okay..." Luca did not want to be a buzzkill when she saw how happy Old Man Rayne was. When they had just finished setting up the pawns, Luke''s voice came into their ears. "Are you ying chess?" Luca turned around happily and saw that it was Luke. She immediately stood up and said, "Mr. Crawford, you''re here." Luke frowned with dissatisfaction when he heard Luca calling him Mr. Crawford, but he thought it was reasonable for her to call him that way when he remembered that they were at the Rayne family''s house. Hence, Luke took off his coat and walked toward them. "Yes." The Rayne family''s house had his fingerprint in the fingerprint lock. Thus, Luke coulde in right away without pressing the doorbell and informing Lucy. "Mr. Crawford, why don''t you y chess with Grandpa Rayne? I''m not good at it. The game ends quickly. It''s not that enjoyable to y with me," said Luca. She was afraid she would give herself away if she continued to y chess with him. Besides, Luca did not want Old Man Rayne to reminisce about their past. After all, he knew Bianca could not remember anything now. She could not stay by his side to apany him. Taking a trip down memoryne would upset him. "That''s not true. It''s fun to y chess with you," Old Man Rayne immediately said. "Grandpa Rayne, I''ll leave it to you and Mr. Crawford. Let me head to the kitchen to see if there''s anything I can help with." Luca walked into the kitchen as she said that. Luke watched Luca leave from behind, then turned to look at Old Man Rayne, "Grandpa." "Yes?" ¡°How long did the previous roundst?" Luke asked. "It only took a few minutes." Old Man Rayne pondered for a moment and nced at the time. "I had no idea she didn''t know how to y chess. Otherwise, I''d have thrown the game." ¡°You don''t have to throw the game for her." Luke waved his hands. "I''ll let you start first." Chapter 2560 Old Man Rayne made the first move and said jokingly, ¡°How did you know about that?" ¡°Grandpa, she''s apetitive person." It did not take long for Luke to make his move. "You seem to know her well," muttered Old Man Rayne. Then, he said, "But her personality is simr to Bianca. It reminded me of the past when I used to y chess with Bianca. She always loses the game, but she refused to let me throw the game and let her win. If she found out that I lost the game on purpose, she''d be in a bad mood for a long time." Luke''s thin lips curved into a faint smile. Old Man Rayne mentioned Bianca''s name. He missed his granddaughter. He had no idea that he had already met Bianca. It was just that Luca could not tell him about it. That was why she had to hide it from him. "Luke," Old Man Rayne uttered his name. "Yes," replied Luke. "How''s Bianca doing now?" Old Man Rayne asked. "She''s living a happy life now." Luke turned to look at the kitchen. Luca was visiting her grandfather, and she was preparing dinner with her aunt now. It was a happy life for her. "d to hear that." Old Man Rayne let out a sigh. "What I want to see the most is her being happy. Luke, sometimes, love can''t be forced. You have to move on and find your happiness." "I know." Old Man Rayne did not make it clear, but Luke could understand what he meant. Although he was Bianca''s grandfather, he was an understanding person. On the other hand... Luca walked into the kitchen, thinking of helping out. However, Wanda shook her head and said, "Luca, you''re our guest. How can I let you help us?" "Ms. Wanda, I have nothing to do. Let me help." Luca saw the apron beside her and took the initiative to put it on. "Oh dear, you shouldn''t be helping out. Is Luke here?" Wanda heard Luke''s voiceing from the living room. "Mr. Crawford''s here. That''s why I don''t have to y chess with Old Man Rayne anymore," exined Luca. She was bad at ying chess, but she was good at cooking. ¡°You can watch them y and have some tea. Don''te to the kitchen to help out." Wanda was busy preparing dinner, and it was enough with Lucy helping her out. "Ms. Wanda, I can''t really understand the strategies. Let me help," said Luca helplessly. She could feel the man''s fiery gaze on her if she sat beside Luke. She would not be able to take it. Luca recalled every moment she spent with Lukest night. Her heart was still racing at the thought of it. That man was too overbearing, and she was unable to resist it. Wanda noticed how determined Luca was. She had no choice but to say, "Then please help me to clean the vegetables." "Okay." Luca agreed happily. It was much better to have something to do than to sit beside Luke and watch them y chess. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. After all, Luke''s gaze was affectionate and fiery. Luca was worried Old Man Rayne would see through it. After they were done preparing dinner, Wanda and Luca served the dishes on the dining table. Wanda walked to the living and saw Old Man Rayne having fun ying chess with Luke. She smiled and reminded them, "Dad, Luke, dinner''s ready." "Just a moment. Let us finish this round. It''ll end soon." Old Man Rayne stroked his chin. It was fun to y chess with Luke. He would not intentionally lose the game either. The chess game was more interesting. Although Old Man Rayne lost many times, it was obvious that he had fun ying chess with Luke. "Okay. Hurry up." Wanda could see there were not many pawns left on Old Man Rayne''s side. She pursed her lips, walked to the dining table, and waited for them. Luca turned to look at them. It was as though Luca''s and Luke''s hearts were connected. Luke lifted his head and shot a nce at her at the same time. Luca immediately shifted her gaze away. Five minutester, Old Man Rayne gave up. Then, he eximed, "It''s fun to y chess with you. You''re better than Old Master Crawford." Luke kept the chessboard away and replied, "Grandpa, Old Master Crawford was the one who taught me how to y chess." "The student has be the master. Old Master Crawford wasn''t convinced when I told him thatst time," said Old Man Rayne. He waved at Wanda and signaled her toe over to push the wheelchair. After Old Man Rayne was feeling better, Old Master Crawford woulde over to his ce and y chess with him asionally. The two of them would spend the whole afternoon ying chess and drinking a few pots of tea. Luke finally understood why Old Master Crawford was always asking him toe to Crawford Manor for dinner when he heard what Old Man Rayne said. Old Master Crawford was thinking of ying chess with Luke to learn from each other by exchanging views when he came back for dinner. Wanda walked toward him and pushed Old Man Rayne to the dining table. Then, she adjusted the height of the wheelchair and asked, ¡°Dad, is it tall enough for you?" "Yes. It''s perfect." Old Man Rayne smiled and looked at Luca. "Luca, Wanda''s the one who prepared dinner today. It''s a home-cooked meal. It''s different from the cuisines abroad. I hope you don''t mind." "Grandpa Rayne, Ms. Wanda is good at cooking. I don''t mind having it. I''ll enjoy the dinner. Besides, I think that home-cooked meals taste better than other cuisines," replied Luca. She had learned some cooking skills from Wanda back then. Hence, Luca knew the meal Wanda prepared would taste good. "No, no. It''s just an ordinary home-cooked meal. Come on. Let''s eat," Wanda smiled as she replied. Then, she nced at Luke, who sat opposite Luca. She said, "Luke, have some." "Okay, Aunt Wanda." Luke addressed Wanda just like how Bianca addressed them. They enjoyed their dinner. Luca was satisfied after tasting the food she had longed for. After dinner, Old Man Rayne did not make them stay as the weather was still cold. Luca and Luke left the Rayne family''s house together. When Luca was about to look for Warren and ask him to send her back home, Luke spoke, "I asked Warren to get off work first. I''ll give you a ride." "Okay." Luca did not reject him. She got into Luke''s car and they left. The heater in the car was warming up the car, slowly driving away the chilliness in the air. Luca stared at the street view that kept going backward. Wanda''s health came to her mind. She looked sideways at the man who was sitting in the driver''s seat and driving seriously. "Mr. Crawford." "Did you forget what I saidst night?" Luke raised his brows without looking at her. Instead, he focused on driving on the road and watching out for the road''s situation. What he saidst night... Luca''s face reddened as she recalled what Luke told herst night. "Luke." Lucapromised. She was worried that he would stop the car all of a sudden and kiss her. Luke had done something like that before. It was also because of something she had done that made him unhappy. "Yes." Luke was satisfied now. He knew he would need some time to change the way Luca addressed him and her cautiousness. "I''d like to ask you a favor," said Luca. "I can do everything you need me to help you with." Luke immediately promised that he would help her without asking her what it was. Luke was not worried that Luca would not get herself into trouble. At the same time, he knew Luca would noty out a trap for him. Chapter 2561 Luca was startled for a moment. She did not expect Luke to be so straightforward. It took Luca a few seconds toe back to her senses. After she tried to put her thoughts into words, she said, ¡°I realized Ms. Rayne''s hands were cold today. It''s unusual for her hands to be freezing in a warm space. I asked her to make an appointment for a medical examination tomorrow. I''d like to know the results of her medical examination." Luke nodded after he heard what Luca said. "Sure. I''ll ask the doctor working at the health clinic to send a copy of the report to your email." "Okay." Luca paused for a moment. "I''ll help her improve her health if there''s something wrong with her." "She''ll be grateful if you can help her with that," said Luke. The doctor would always inform him of their health condition after their medical examination. Wanda had always had issues with her health. Sometimes, she had to take some medicine to nurse her health. The issues recurred on and off again. It had been three years since. Luca replied in a soft voice. She nned to wait until the medical report was released before deciding if it was necessary to help Wanda nurse her health. Luke drove back home. Aunt Neile had gotten off work by the time Luke and Luca arrived home. The three kids immediately surrounded the two of them. "Daddy, Ms. Luca, both of you went to Grandpa Rayne''s ce for dinner. How could you not bring us along with you? That''s too much!" Tommy stood with arms akimbo and pouted, expressing his dissatisfaction. Luke shot a cold nce at his son. There was no way Tommy''s angry protest could work on him. "Your Grandpa Rayne needs some rest. You''ll make a lot of noise if you go over to his ce," said Luke. Tommy widened his eyes. He noticed that his daddy mentioned only him instead of all the children. His daddy was saying that he was the noisiest kid. "Daddy, how am I noisy? I''m a good boy. I can massage Grandpa Rayne''s legs and shoulders for him. Besides, Grandpa Rayne must have missed me since it has been a while since he saw me." Tommy swung his little fists and protested. Luke took off his coat. He showed no expression toward his son''s protest and replied, "Let''s see how it goes." "What does that mean?" Tommy nced at Lanie and Rainie. They were smiling while watching him fool around. "I''ll take you there next time." Luke nced at the time. It was already past nine. He turned to look at the three kids and said, "It''s gettingte. Aren''t you going to clean yourselves up and go to bed yet?" "Okay, Daddy," Lanie suddenly spoke. He held Rainie''s hand and made their way up the stairs. Tommy stared at Lanie and Rainie, who were going upstairs. Then, he turned to look at Luke, "Daddy, pinky promise." "Huh?" Luke raised his brows. Was this little kid afraid that he would not keep his word? "Pinky promise. You promised me that you''ll bring me there next time." Tommy stood on tiptoes and lifted his little thumb. Luke did not know what to do with Tommy. He had no choice but to lock his pinky finger with Tommy''s. "Pinky promise, cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." Tommy made a pinky promise with Luke happily. Then, he let go of Luke''s finger and headed upstairs. Luke watched Tommy slip his way up the stairs from behind and shook his head helplessly. Then, he turned to look at Luca, "I wonder where he learned that from." Adults could not seem to understand the children''s world. Luca smiled and replied, "Weren''t we like that too when we were young back then? Although times have changed, some things never change. He probably learned it at school." "I never did that when I was young." Luke raised his brows, put his arms around Luca, and walked into the house. Luca asked in surprise, "You didn''t?" "Grandpa told me that these things are just deceitful tricks. In the adult world, one can break one''s promise and agreement even after one has signed a contract. Although one has to pay the price, there are no such promises that can be kept forever," said Luke. Luke had understood this since he was young. Old Master Crawford was determined to make him his sessor. Luke had already known that these things that only children would believe in could not be trusted since he was young. Luca nodded and secretly let out a sigh. Luke never had a proper childhood. When an adult said such a cruel thing to children, the children would only give the adult a confused look. The children would have no idea what the adult was talking about and what it meant. However, Luke had already understood theseplicated thoughts when he was still young. Hence, the children''s little tricks did not make any sense to him. Even if the child who yed the trick was his own son. Luke would not be able to understand it either. He even wanted his children to understand what he had learned since he was a child. Sure enough, children raised by a father were different from others. Lanie and Rainie were more mature than the other kids who were of the same age. It was partly because Luca was not there by their side when they were young back then. Theycked a mother''s love and care. However, things were different for Tommy. At least, Luca got to stay by his side for a few years. That was why he still had the innocence and the mind of a child. Luke and Luca came to the second floor. Luke gently ran his fingers through Luca''s hair when he noticed how quiet Luca was. He asked, ¡°What''s on your mind?" "Your childhood," Luca was so lost in thoughts that she blurted out what she had on her mind. She immediately realized what she said and exined, "I didn''t mean that." "It''s true that I didn''t have a childhood," replied Luke. He spent a few years living in the orphanage when he was young back then. After that, Luke was taken back to the Crawford family where he started living his life as the young master of the Crawford family which everyone was envious of. However, Susan was not pregnant at that time. That was why Luke was trained to be Old Master Crawford''s sessor. He was destined to not have a childhood in order to be a qualified sessor. When the other children were having fun and ying around, Luke had to learn all kinds of things, such as calligraphy and piano. Other than that, he had to excel in his studies too. After Louis was born, Allison felt intimidated. Allison focused on training Luke to make him even better and to please Old Master Crawford. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. However, instead of training Luke properly, Allison was just very strict with him and trained him based on Old Master Crawford''s standards. Hence, Luke had no idea about the cartoon shows that the children his age talked about. However, he was much better than the others when it came to calligraphy and piano. Luke also read more books than any other child. He became a tool for Allison to remain in the Crawford family, and he became something that made her look good too. Luca could not help but hold Luke''s hand tight when she listened to him. Luke was about to say something, but his phone rang. After Luke answered the call, he spoke in French with the person on the other end of the line for a while. Then, he said to Luca, "I have to attend a video conference now." "Okay." Luca nodded. After she watched Luke enter the bedroom opposite them and close the door behind him, only then did Luca turn around and walk into her bedroom. She picked up her clothes and entered the bathroom to wash away the tiredness. After taking a shower, Luca walked out of the bedroom. However, she was not nning to disturb Luke. Instead, she pushed the bedroom door of the three kids to check if they had gone to bed. She would help them with their nkets as well. Luca returned to her bedroom door after that. She stared at Luke''s bedroom. The door was left ajar. Luca could hear Luke''s deep voiceing out from the room once in a while. Luke was speaking in French. It seemed like he was handling some matters rted to the subsidiary companies abroad. Chapter 2562 Luca did not disturb him. She turned around and returned to her bedroom. Luca sat on the edge of the bed. She picked up a book left on the bedside table and began reading. The book was ced here by Luke. It was a book written in English. The contents of the book were about the current trends in architecture. Luca was surprised when she read it. Even though Luke was managing T Corporation, he had never given up learning more professional knowledge about architecture. Luke was a leader, and he was an architect too. Luca turned the pages. She even spotted an architect''s name that looked familiar to her in one of the cases mentioned in the book. It was Luke''s name. Luca saw the design and the signature under the photo below. It was the name she was familiar with. A proud feeling aroused within her. That was how outstanding the man she was in love with was. Luca continued to turn the pages until the drowsiness kicked in. She nced at her phone. It was already midnight. It seemed like Luke had not finished his meeting yet. Luca looked at the door and let out a sigh. She did not expect Luke to attend a meeting for such a long time. Luca put the book away and left themp on the bedside table turned on. Then, she slowlyy down on the bed. The space beside her was where Luke slept. His scent lingered on his pillow. Luca turned around and sniffed Luke''s scent that lingered on the pillow. Then, she closed her eyes peacefully. The meetingsted until 1:30 a.m. Luke quickly took a shower and returned to the master bedroom after the meeting ended. He pushed the door open only to realize that Luca had left a tablemp beside the bed turned on. The dim light of themp shone on the bed in the darkness. The bedroom was not pitch-ck. Luke stared at the woman who was deeply asleep on the bed. His gaze was gentle. Luke walked toward her and noticed that she was sleeping while holding his pillow in her arms. The woman who was sleeping on her side with her face on the edge of his pillow was sleeping soundly. There was a faint smile on Luke''s face. Luca was asleep. She fell asleep with Luke''s pillow in her arms as there was the scent she was familiar with on the pillow. However, there was no way Luke could sleep if she kept on holding the pillow. Luke gently took the pillow from her. It did not wake Luca up. Luca let out a soft moan, turned around, and continued to sleep. It melted Luke''s heart to hear Luca moan so adorably. The way she slept like a baby was so lovable. The burning desire was surging within him. Luke got onto the bed quietly. After he turned off the light on the bedside table, hey down on the bed. The moment hey down, Luca tossed and turned around. Her hand rested on Luke''s waist as she held him. She mumbled, "Luke..." N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Luke stopped breathing for a moment. The way Luca blurted his name with her sweet voice that caught him off guard was a deadly seduction to him. However, it waste at night. Luke could not bear to see her tired. He had no choice but to suppress the urge in his heart and gently patted Luca''s back. "I''m here. Go to sleep." "Good. night," Luca spoke to him in her dreams. "Goodnight." Luke lowered his head and nted a kiss on her forehead. He held her in his arms and closed his eyes, nning to get some sleep. In the afternoon of the next day. Luca received a message from Luke, asking her to check her email. It reminded Luca of Wanda''s medical report. She quickly kept the experiment samples away and walked out of theboratory. One of the researchers noticed that and said to the researcher who sat beside him, "You read Dr. Craw''s report before right? She''s being extra careful to the extent that she keeps everything away before she leaves. She''s watching out for you now." "Dr. Craw is just being cautious," The other researcher rolled his eyes at him. "You''d better believe it. We won''t be allowed to read the documents that aren''t rted to the research project next time." The researcher who started the conversation babbled, trying to make a big deal out of it. Rhett walked into theboratory and overheard their conversation. He shook his head helplessly. "Mr. Link, am I right?" "I know nothing. Besides, Dr. Craw said that we''ll be preparing for a new project today. She has gotten the materials ready and applied for the research funding. You''ll have to speed up if you''d like to start your own research project. Otherwise, everyone will be busy once the new projectmences," replied Rhett. They were Luca''s subordinates. Once they were given a new research project, all of them had to focus on the new project. They were only allowed to work on their own research in theboratory when they had free time to do so. "That''s fast!" The researchers were taken by surprise by the news. They had been working on their research in theboratory just like Luca in the past few days. They did not expect the new research project toe so quickly. ¡°Previously, Dr. Craw was given a few research projects when she had juste to work here. There were two projects and she chose one of them. Now, she has to get ready to start another research project. It''s normal for her to do so," replied Rhett as he walked to an emptyb bench and sat down on the chair. Rhett was hoping that the research project could start as soon as possible. His qualifications and experience were far from enough. He would be able to learn more if he worked on another research project. Hence, Rhett needed a lot of chances to umte experience. "Dr. Craw is really something," eximed one of the researchers. They were still thinking about what research they should be working on and how they should start, but Luca was already prepared to work on the second research project. If the second research project was a sess, it would generate a huge amount of profit for the company. "Exactly. If youpare Dr. Craw to the other professors working in thepany, they''re nothing..." A researcher could not help but blurt out. He had looked into the two research projects assigned to Luca. The areas covered in the research were new. If the drug research went well and the drug wasunched in the market, it would be good news for the patients who had been suffering from this sickness. On the other hand. Luca trotted back to her office and turned on herputer, which was in sleep mode. Then, she logged into her email. There was a new email in her inbox, and the subject line was ''Wanda''s medical report''. Luca downloaded the attachment file and opened the medical report. She began looking at the vital signs and diagnostic test results. Luca was not a doctor. She needed to look at the data attentively to be able to understand them. When Luca saw the mammogram report, she clicked on the CT scan and frowned. She picked up her phone and contacted Johann. Johann did not have any surgeries to perform today. The moment Johann''s phone rang, he raised his brows when he saw Luca''s name appear on the phone. Luca seldom called him. Johann answered the call and said, "Good afternoon, Dr. Craw." "Good afternoon, Dr. Park. Are you busy now?" Luca asked as she kept on scrolling. She could not figure out what it was, so she could only look at the conclusion of the report. Luca had a bad feeling about it when she saw the image. She read thest part of the report and finally figured it out. "No. What''s the matter?" Johann gave a signal to the intern who was beside him to keep quiet. The intern immediately fell silent. ¡°I have a breast CT scan and color doppler here. I''d like you to help me to figure this out," Luca requested. She needed Johann''s help. "Is it yours?" Johann frowned. He could sense the seriousness in Luca''s tone even though she was on the other end of the line. It seemed like the result was bad. "It''s not mine. It''s... It''s a friend''s. I''m not a professional, so I''d like you to help me to take a look at it," replied Luca. She wanted to protect Wanda''s privacy. Chapter 2563 ¡°Okay. Send me the image. Here''s my email. 423******," Johann gave Luca his email. "Alright. I''ll send it to you now. Thank you, Dr. Park." After Luca noted down Johann''s email, she ended the call and saved the CT result and color doppler before sending them to Johann. Johann immediately received the email. After he downloaded the result, he opened the image and raised his eyebrows. The intern who stood beside Johann noticed that something was wrong too. "Dr. Park, isn''t this cancer?" The intern asked. He was the rtive of the assistant medical director of the hospital. He pulled some strings to be Johann''s intern as he admired him a lot. "Yes," Johann replied and zoomed in to read the result of the report. "Breast cancer." "Is this patient a friend of yours?" The intern could not help but ask. Johann rolled his eyes at him and said, "What did I tell you?" "Don''t ask questions..." the intern replied embarrassingly. Johann no longer said anything. If it were not for the medical director''s request, Johann would not have wanted to guide the intern. It was troublesome to keep an intern beside him. "Please step out for a second," Johann asked him to leave. The intern rubbed his nose, knowing that he had been asking too many questions, which pissed Johann off. He stood up and walked out of the room. Johann looked at the results several times. He eventually sent a message to Luca: [It''s breast cancer. The situation doesn''t look so good. There are signs of the cancer spreading. But a biopsy test is needed to find out what the specific situation is. How old is the patient?] [She''s in her 50s.] Luca''s heart sank when she saw Johann''s reply. Wanda''s cancer cells had spread. [Is this the medical examination report? Are there any other CT scans and color doppler for the other parts of the body?] Johann sent another message to ask Luca. If the patient was in her 50s, was she not Bianca''s aunt? Johann remembered Wanda was diagnosed with breast cancerst time. However, she preferred to receive a conservative treatment. Thus, she found a naturopathic doctor who specialized in nursing health without getting any surgery. After that, Wanda woulde to the hospital for medical examinations every year. There was no news from Luke telling him about Wanda''s situation either. Why did things suddenly turn out this way? Luca sent the rest of the medical report to Johann. Johann carefully went over the medical report and sent a message to Luke: [Does the medical report belong to your wife''s aunt?] [Yes.] Luke replied to Johann''s message. Although Luke had not seen the report, the doctor working at the health care center had contacted him and told him that Wanda''s health was in a pretty bad condition. Perhaps she could no longer receive conservative treatment. [Dr. Craw sent me the medical report. The conservative treatment isn''t working anymore. The patient''s condition has taken a turn for the worse in such a short time. She needs to undergo surgery, and she needs to receive chemotherapy.] Johann replied to his message. Luke would always send Wanda''s and Old Man Rayne''s medical reports to him for him to take a look at them. Hence, Johann knew their health condition well. [Can you be her surgeon?] Luke asked. Johann stroked his chin. He was not an expert in this field. He could perform the surgery, but he was afraid that he would not be able to do it well. [I can''t be her surgeon, but I heard my mentor in New York say that there''ll be a few professorsing here to give seminars in half a month. There might be someone who''s an expert in this field. If there''s someone, you''ll have to counsel her first and convince her to be admitted to the hospital. She needs to cooperate with us to do some physical examinations and receive treatment. She can take half a course of chemotherapy first. We''ll then see how the results are and decide if it''s necessary for her to continue. The surgery will be arranged once the expert has arrived. If there''s no expert in this field, I''ll look for someone else. Dr. Barlowe is one of the experts in this field. There are many cases of surgeries like this, and the survival rate of patients suffering from breast cancer for the past five years is more than 80 percent.] Johann replied to Luke. Luke replied: [Okay. I''ll leave it to you.] Wanda''s health condition could not be dyed any longer. The doctor working at the health care center told him that fortunately, Wanda came for the medical examination in time. If Wanda only came for the medical examination once a year like in the past, it would have been toote. Johann had Luke''s permission, so he replied to Luca: [I''ve read the medical report. The cancer hasn''t spread to the other organs at the moment, but I''d suggest the patient be admitted to the hospital to get a detailed health examination as soon as possible so that she can be treated in time.] Luca''s mind went nk when she saw Johann''s reply. She had no idea how she replied to his message: [Okay. Thank you.] Wanda''s health was pretty bad, but Luca had no idea how she was supposed to tell her about this. Luca recalled how hard Wanda had tried to keep her breasts many years ago. She was willing to drink bowls of herbal medicine that tasted bitter to keep them. Now, Luca had to tell her such cruel news. All the treatments she had received did not work, and she had to undergo breast removal surgery. She did not know if Wanda could ept it. Luca let out a sigh. She did not have the courage to tell Wanda about this. She was down in the dumps as she stared at Wanda''s medical report. The phone she left on the table vibrated for a second. Luca picked up her phone and noticed that she had received a message from Luke. [I''ve read the medical report. Johann suggests she gets admitted to the hospital to do a check-up and receive treatment. I''ll tell her about it.] There was a hint of sorrow in Luca''s eyes. It sounded like a good idea for Luke to tell Wanda about it. After all, Luca was in no position tofort Wanda now. Then, she replied to his message: [Okay.] Luke replied: [I''ll talk to her in person. And I''ll go homete tonight. Tell Aunt Neile not to prepare my dinner.] [Okay.] Luca felt her reply sounded a little hopeless. Luca had no idea what she should do when she found out Wanda was sick. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Nighttime. After Luke was done with his work, he came to the Rayne family''s house. Wanda was surprised when the maid informed her that Luke was here. She recalled the medical examination she had done this morning, and she had a bad feeling about it. Was there something wrong with the medical report that made Lukee here at this hour? Wanda immediately headed downstairs. ¡°Luke, why are you here?" The anxiety in Wanda''s heart grew when she saw that the man hade here in a hurry. She wondered if it was something wrong with her or Old Man Rayne''s medical report. "Aunt Wanda, where''s Grandpa Rayne?" Luke nced at the stairs. "He''s taking a rest upstairs. Is there something wrong with the medical report?" Wanda sped her hands anxiously, waiting for Luke to tell her the bad news. If there was nothing wrong with the medical report, Luke would not have toe here in person. "Aunt Wanda, your medical report states that your breast cancer has worsened. You can''t take herbal medicine to treat it anymore. I''ve already contacted the doctor. Please get ready to be admitted to the hospital tomorrow." Luke did not hide it from her. Wanda was not someone easy to fool either, hence he just decided to be honest. That way, Wanda would be able to know her condition too, and she would stop taking herbal medicine to treat it. "How can it be? Everything was fine thest time I went for a medical examination..." Wanda shook her head in disbelief. The report stated that the herbal medicine had nursed her health well and got the situation under control. How could it worsen in just a few months? Chapter 2564 Wanda sped her hands anxiously and said, ¡°I always take my medicine." "Aunt Wanda, the most important thing to do now is to get admitted to the hospital to do a check-up. Conservative treatment isn''t working anymore. You have to listen to the doctor''s arrangement," Luke said with a stern expression on his face. He was worried Wanda would try to run away from it again. If the conservative treatment worked for her, then there would be no problem for her to choose any kind of treatment. However, Wanda was left with no choice now. Wanda took a deep breath, trying to ept reality. It happened all of a sudden. Her medical report stated that she had the cancer cells under control, and there was no sign of it getting worse. Yet, there was such a drastic change in her body in just a few months... "Aunt Wanda, Bianca doesn''t want anything to happen to you. So, you must listen to the doctor''s advice this time. Dr. Park has already contacted another doctor, and he''s going to get in touch with the professor who''s a breast cancer specialist to be your surgeon," said Luke in a deep voice. Wanda slowly nodded and said, "I''ll pack tonight and head to the hospital tomorrow." "Okay." Luke let out a sigh of relief when Wanda agreed to receive treatment. Wanda did not want to lose her breasts back then, and she had been looking for other ways to cure the cancer. That was why Luke was worried Wanda was unable to ept it and run away. Fortunately. Wanda said, "I wouldn''t want to get any treatment if it were just me. I''d rather die elegantly than live in pain. Luke, Bianca is still abroad and I''m the only one who''s looking after Grandpa Rayne. I can''t let anything happen to me. Who would have known that such a thing would happen to me? Please do me a favor." "Aunt Wanda, you''ll be fine." Luke''s eyes darkened. What Wanda said was as though those were her last words. Luke would not let anything happen to the Rayne family. Luca could not appear in front of her family with her true identity yet, so he had to protect everything she had. Wanda shook her head and replied, "Luke, no one knows what''s going to happen next. If anything happens to me, please take care of my father." Wanda had been prepared for this over the years. Although taking herbal medicine could control the cancer cells, no one knew if her condition would be serious all of a sudden. Hence, Wanda was mentally prepared for this. She was able to ept it quickly. ¡°Bianca is living abroad now, and she doesn''t remember us anymore. So, I need your help to take care of things here..." "Aunt Wanda, Grandpa Rayne is your father, and you should be taking care of him. I can only help you to look after him now. You''ll still have toe back to take care of him when you''ve recovered," Luke replied in a hoarse voice. How he wished he could tell them that Bianca still remembered them. However, it was not the time now. Wanda smiled. She knew Luke wanted her to stay alive. Bianca had not picked the wrong man to marry. Even if Wanda passed away, Luke would not leave Old Man Rayne alone. Then, Wanda replied, "Okay. I''ll leave it to you for the time being. Also, don''t tell him I''m getting admitted to the hospital. I''m afraid he''ll be worried." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Okay. I''ll tell him that you''re going to travel with a tour group that I''ve arranged for you. Then, I''ll send another maid here to take care of Grandpa Rayne," said Luke. Wanda and Lucy were the ones who usually took care of Grandpa Rayne. Now that Wanda had to head to the hospital to receive treatment, Luke had to send another person here. "Thank you. It''ste. You should go home. I''ll head to the hospital tomorrow." Wanda thanked Luke. She had to pack her daily necessities and tell Old Man Rayne that she would be going on a vacation. "I''ll ask Zander to pick you up around 7:30 in the morning." Luke was not nning to let Wanda head to the hospital alone. "Okay." Wanda nodded and agreed to Luke''s arrangement. After Luke left, Wanda headed upstairs and walked into Old Man Rayne''s bedroom. Old Man Rayne was taking a foot bath. Wanda made sure there was nothing wrong with the expression on her face. She wore a smile and walked into the bedroom. "Dad." "Where''s Luke? I thought Luke came just now." Old Man Rayne looked behind Wanda. Luke was nowhere to be seen. Lucy had informed Old Man Rayne that Luca came over, and Wanda was discussing matters with him downstairs. Thus, Lucy came to prepare the herbal foot bath for him. "Yes. He went back after we finished discussing some matters." Wanda squatted beside Old Man Rayne. She lifted her head and looked at him. "Dad, Luke signed me up to travel with a tour group. I''d like to travel." "Travel? That''s great. You didn''t get the chance to travel for the past few years because you had to take care of me. Spring hase. Seize the chance to have some fun and enjoy yourself." Old Man Rayne''s legs feltfortable being warmed with the herbal foot bath, and he narrowed his eyes with satisfaction. "Okay. You have to take your medicine and take a foot bath every day when I''m not around," replied Wanda. "Don''t worry about that. These are good for my health. I''ll take the medicine and soak my feet every day." Old Man Rayne patted the back of Wanda''s palm. He suddenly focused on staring at Wanda. "Great. Plus, Luke is worried that Lucy won''t be able to take good care of you all by herself. He''ll send another maid here tomorrow." Wanda was still smiling. "Why do I need another maid? One is enough." Old Man Rayne did not want to trouble the others. He was not a difficult person to take care of. Even if Wanda was away on travels, Lucy would be able to look after him. Then, he suddenly realized something and asked, "Are you setting off tomorrow?" "Yes. Luke only saw the tour group advertisement today. He has already signed me up for it," answered Wanda. "I''m going back to my bedroom to packter." Old Man Rayne sensed that something was wrong. He frowned and asked, "Wanda, are you hiding something from me?" "Dad, nothing happened. Could it be that you don''t want me to travel?" Wanda pretended to be happy. No one would look depressed on the day before they went on vacation. "No. You should go travel when you''re young. Since you''re going on vacation, go and enjoy yourself. Take some photos and send them to me. Anyway, how long will you be traveling for?" Old Man Rayne stroked Wanda''s cold face. He only had a daughter left, so, of course, he wanted her to be happy. "I don''t know how long it''s going to take. The tour group will be going to several tourist attractions. It''s going to take a longer time, but I''ll take nice photos and show you when I''m back." Wanda could feel Old Man Rayne''s rough palm skin on her face. She secretly swore to herself that she had to get well soon. Wanda could not bear to let Old Man Rayne experience the loss of a loved one. No parent should have to bury their child. She had to stay by his side... "Okay. Aren''t you going to pack your stuff? Go ahead. Even though it''s spring now, it''s cold out there. Remember to bring more clothes to keep yourself warm," reminded Old Man Rayne. "Dad, I''m not in a hurry. I''ll wait until you''re done soaking your feet," said Wanda as she shook her head. She was only heading to the hospital. There were only a few daily necessities she had to pack. Wanda nned to wait for Old Man Rayne to finish soaking his feet and help him up to the bed. Chapter 2565 ¡°Leave it to Lucy. Just go ahead and pack your stuff." Old Master Rayne gently pushed Wanda''s hands. The maid Luke hired was responsible. There were many things Wanda did not have to worry about. It was just that she was used to worrying about these things, and she could not get used to leaving them to someone else to do. Wanda nodded and rose to her feet when she saw how dutiful Lucy was. She reminded Lucy, "Please take good care of Old Master Rayne." "I will, Ms. Rayne." Lucy who stood beside her nodded. After Wanda left, Old Master Rayne asked Lucy, "Do you know what Luke said to her just now?" Lucy shook her head. "Old Master Rayne, I came upstairs to look after you when Mr. Crawford came. I didn''t hear what they were talking about." Old Master Rayne''s eyes darkened. He could sense a hint of sadness in Wanda''s eyes. Wanda should be happy to go on a vacation. What happened? Did something happen to Bianca? It was unlikely that something would happen to her. Even though she could not remember anyone else, Luke would never let anything happen to Bianca. "Old Master Rayne, the water''s getting cold. Do you need me to add some warm water?" Lucy asked in a soft voice when she saw Old Master Rayne sitting there in a daze. Old Master Rayne came back to his senses and lifted his legs. He shook his head and replied, "It''s alright. That''s all for today." "Okay. Let me dry your feet for you." Lucy picked up the towel beside him. She wiped the droplets on Old Master Rayne''s feet and dried them. Then, she helped him to get into bed. "Old Master Rayne, would you like to rest now?" Lucy asked caringly after she kept the foot bathtub and towel away. Old Master Rayne was still thinking about the expression on Wanda''s face. Wanda was his daughter. He could sense her emotions even if she tried to conceal them. Wanda was not looking forward to the trip. She must be concealing something from him. However, even if she was facing a problem, there was nothing he could do to help her with his weak body and poor legs. Hence, it was normal for Wanda to hide something from him. Old Master Rayne could not help but feel worried, but he knew he would not be able to find out what happened even if he went to ask her now. He had no choice but to give up. ¡°Old Master Rayne?" Lucy noticed that he was lost in thoughts. She called him in a soft voice. Old Master Rayne let out a sigh, nodded, and replied, "Yes. I''ll go to sleep." "Okay." Lucy nodded. After she helped Old Master Rayne toy down on his bed and covered him with the nket, she walked out of the bedroom and closed the door. Wanda stood outside the bedroom door, waiting for her. Lucy was taken by surprise, "Why are you..." "Let''s talk in the living room," Wanda said in a low voice. Lucy nodded and followed Wanda to the living room on the first floor. "Did my father ask you anything?" Wanda asked. "Old Master Rayne asked me if I heard your conversation with Mr. Crawford. After I told him that I didn''t hear anything, he seemed preupied," Lucy answered honestly. "Please take good care of him when I''m not around. Call me immediately if anything happens. If you can''t reach me, call Luke," reminded Wanda. Since Old Master Rayne''s health worsened, Wanda had never left him and had always been taking care of him. If it were not for her sickness that did not allow her to dy the treatment, she could not bear to leave Old Master Rayne alone at home and just let Lucy take care of him. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. "Okay. Don''t worry. I''ll look after Old Master Rayne," promised Lucy. Wanda nodded. Then, she turned around and headed upstairs. Lucy followed behind her and asked, "Are you packing your stuff? Do you need help?" "It''s okay. I can do it myself. You can rest early." Wanda shook her head. She could not let Lucy find out that she was heading to the hospital. Otherwise, Lucy might spill the beans and Old Master Rayne would find out about it. Although Old Master Rayne''s health had improved, he would not be able to take it if he found out about it. If he was anxious and worried about her, it might affect his sleep. "Okay." Lucy returned upstairs. Her bedroom was right beside Old Master Rayne''s bedroom to make it convenient for her to look after him. Wanda returned to her room and packed some necessities she would be using during her stay in the hospital. Then, she zipped the suitcase. She heaved a sigh while staring at the suitcase. Could being admitted to the hospital change anything? Wanda had no idea if she could survive this. On the other hand. Luke returned to the vi. The kids were already asleep. Luca was waiting for him in the living room. Luca immediately rose to her feet and looked in the direction of the foyer when she heard footsteps. ¡°Mister... Luke, how''s Ms. Rayne doing now?" Luke changed his shoes and walked toward the sofa. Then, he held Luca''s hands. Luca must be the person who was worried about Wanda the most. However, she could not show her concerns and how worried she was due to her identity now. It must be difficult for her. ¡°I''ve already told her. Zander will send her to the hospital tomorrow. She''ll take the physical examination and receive treatment." Luke gently stroked Luca''s hands. Luca''s hands were cold as she was worried about Wanda. ¡°I knew something was wrong." Luca looked down and recalled the moment when she had physical contact with Wanda. She thought Wanda was just weak, but she did not expect things to be so serious. ¡°Johann is already contacting the experts. She''ll be fine." Lukeforted her in a soft voice, knowing that Luca was worried about Wanda. ¡°Can I visit her when she''s in the hospital?" Luca asked. Even though Luke knew Luca and Wanda knew each other well, she was worried and she could not bear to see Wanda get admitted to the hospital and undergo the surgery alone. She wanted to know the whole progress of Wanda''s treatment. It was not that Luca did not trust Johann, but she wanted to make sure Wanda received the best treatment. ¡°Sure. You can visit her anytime you want, but take Rain along with you," replied Luke. Many people came in and out of the hospital every day. It was hard to say that Matysh''s men would not make a move in the hospital. ¡°Okay." Luca did not reject him as she knew Luke made such an arrangement to make sure that she was safe. If Matysh made a move at this time and she got kidnapped by his men, she would be causing more trouble for Luke. The following day, Wanda got into Zander''s car and came to the hospital. Johann had already got everything arranged in the hospital. After Wanda ced her suitcase in the VIP ward, a nurse came in and imed that she would be taking Wanda for a medical check-up. Wanda nodded and followed the nurse. When Wanda returned to her ward, she saw Luca sitting in the ward waiting for her. It warmed Wanda''s heart to see Luca here. She did not expect her to be here. If it were not for her, she might feel more depressed. In line with the past practices, if there was nothing wrong with Wanda''s health, she would onlye to the hospital for a check-up once every year. Luca''s reminder saved her life this time. At least she would get to receive treatment in time before the cancer cells spread to the other parts of the body. Johann was the one who told Wanda about this. ¡°Luca, why are you here?" Wanda asked. "It''s Saturday. I came to visit you," replied Luca. She looked at Wanda''s pale face and secretly hoped that she could have noticed that something was wrong with Wanda earlier. Chapter 2566 ¡°You should rest on Saturdays. Why did youe all the way here? It''s troublesome." Wanda smiled. She felt a little embarrassed when she found out that Luca came to visit her. "I heard you got admitted to the hospital to receive treatment. I''d like to see if there''s anything I can help with," replied Luca. Although naturopathy did not work for Wanda, the techniques Luca learned from Shanks might be useful. "Thank you..." Wanda sincerely thanked Luca knowing that she would like to help. Wanda also realized she had not thanked Luca for reminding her that she should head for a medical check-up. Hence, she said, "And thank you for reminding me back then. Otherwise, it would''ve been toote when I went for a medical examination next time." "Ms. Rayne, stop thinking too much. Listen to the doctor''s advice and receive the treatment given to you. Let''s talk about the other stuff next time." Luca knew Wanda was feeling upset. Wanda had spent her life living gracefully. Even though she got divorced and returned home, she had never stopped living gracefully. Now, she had to undergo the surgery. Her body would never beplete anymore. Wanda refused to take the surgery back then due to this reason. "I know." Wanda lowered her head and nced at herself. Then, she immediately lifted her head and smiled helplessly. "I thought of keeping them with me at that time. That''s why I refused to undergo the surgery. I didn''t expect to lose them after a few years. They''ll stay if they''re meant to be. But I''ve reached the age where they''re of no use to me anymore." Luca felt sorry for her when she saw the miserable look in Wanda''s eyes. "Ms. Rayne, let me help you nurse your health," suggested Luca. Luke had told her the treatment Johann was nning to give Wanda. The surgery would not be scheduled anytime soon. Thus, the main treatment would be chemotherapy. Undergoing chemotherapy was painful. Luca wanted to help Wanda reduce the pain with her knowledge and capabilities. After all, it was the only thing she could do for Wanda. "Huh?" Wanda did not understand what Luca meant. "The doctor might give you chemotherapy sessions to control the lesion. It''s difficult for a patient to undergo chemotherapy. Let me help you to nurse your health. Naturopathy can help to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy. You won''t be in as much pain and you''ll feel better," exined Luca. Wanda saw many cancer patients suffering from side effects after undergoing chemotherapy. This was also another reason why she was afraid of going for surgery. A patient might not recover after undergoing the surgery. The doctor would arrange chemotherapy sessions for the patient just to be on the safe side. Many patients suffered from shooting pains in the body. This was also another reason why Wanda began to reject taking modern medicine. ¡°Luca, thank you." Wanda came forward and stared at Luca. Luca''s eyes looked simr to Bianca''s. The moment they looked each other in the eyes, Wanda felt like she was talking to Bianca. "Ms. Rayne, it''s nothing. You must get well soon," Luca said in a voice choked with sobs. Luca wondered if it was because of the sickness that made Wanda look restless, but Wanda looked paler than two days ago. Wanda could hear the sobs in Luca''s voice. She could not help but feel a lump in her throat. She said, "I''ll get well soon. I still have to look after my father." Luca almost burst into tears. She thought she was able to control her emotions well after she was trained on the Ind of Despair for three years. However, Luca could not help but get emotional when she was facing someone whom she was close with and at the thought of losing her anytime because of her sickness. "Ms. Rayne, it''s time for you to head for another check-up," said another nurse who pushed the door open and entered the ward. Wanda wiped the tears in the corners of her eyes. Then, she asked with confusion, "Why is there a second check-up? Didn''t I just go for one?" "You went for a maic resonance imaging just now, and you''re going for a blood test now. The indices for the blood test in the hospital and healthcare center are different. That''s why we need to draw your blood and undergo the blood test again," exined the nurse. "Okay." Wanda turned to look at Luca and said, "Please excuse me." "Go ahead. I''m leaving too," replied Luca. She followed Wanda out of the ward. The two of them came to the elevator. Rain was waiting for Luca where the elevators were. She nodded at Luca when she saw here out of the ward. Luca gently nodded too. Then, she parted with Wanda at the elevator hall. Luca did not leave the hospital. She went to look for Johann. Luca walked into the elevator and pressed the button heading to the floor where Johann''s office was. She had already asked if Johann was seeing any patients this morning. Johann had postponed his surgery to the afternoon as Wanda got admitted to the hospital. "Ms. Craw, are we going to Dr. Park''s office?" Rain asked. "Yes. I''d like to find out more about Aunt... Ms. Rayne''s condition," replied Luca in a depressed tone. Rain did not know what to say, and she had no idea how tofort Luca either. The two of them came to Johann''s office entrance. Rain said, ¡°Ms. Craw, go ahead. I''ll stay here." ¡°Okay." Luca knocked at the office door. "Come in," Johann''s voice came from inside. Luca pushed the door open and walked into Johann''s office. "Dr. Park." "Ms. Craw, you''re here." Johann knew Luca would being. He was not surprised to see her here, and he looked for Wanda''s examination result that had juste out for Luca. "I came to see Ms. Rayne''s examination report. Is it still processing?" Luca sat on the chair where Johann''s patients had always sat. "I informed them earlier. The results of the MRI came out. Take a look at these." Johann opened the examination results. Luca looked at the images of the examination result, but she could not understand them. Shanks was the surgeon. All Luca did was stand beside him and hand him the medical equipment needed for the surgery as well as provide some treatment to the patient. She never had to see any blood. Shanks told Luca that her knowledge was not enough for her to perform the surgery on others. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Hence, Luca could only understand written reports. Johann noticed the puzzled look on Luca''s face and exined the results to her considering that she might not be able to understand the report. He moved the mouse, drew a circle, and said, "This is the breast lesion. From what we can see now, there are signs of cancer cells spreading. Still, she''s fortunate enough that they haven''t spread to the other organs in the body. It''ll be best for her to undergo the surgery." "Does that mean she''ll be losing her breasts?" Luca asked. ¡°It seems like it now. But there''s nothing else she can do to stay alive. If the patient is bothered by it, she may go for cosmetic surgery after she has recovered. Others won''t be able to tell," said Johann. Doctors like him usually put saving one''s life as their priority. "Okay." Luca looked down and stared at the lesion, feeling helpless. "I''ve already contacted an expert in New York. They''ll being here in half a month. My professor knows the expert well, and they''ve agreed to spend two days observing the patient before performing the surgery." Johann told Luca his treatment ns. It was the treatment n that Johann came up with after spending some time discussing it with the breast surgeon. Chapter 2567 ¡°Dr. Park, I''d like to nurse Ms. Rayne''s health when she''s receiving chemotherapy to reduce her pain," suggested Luca. Johann was Wanda''s attending physician. Luca had to get his permission to nurse Wanda''s health. Furthermore, Luca did not have a medical license. She was not allowed to practice anything in the hospital without Johann''s permission. "Sure. No problem," Johann agreed without a second thought. Johann knew how capable Luca was. Her skills would be more than enough if she were to work in the naturopathy department in the hospital and be a specialist. "Thank you. I didn''t expect you to agree to it." Luca did not expect Johann would agree to it quickly. She wondered if Luke had told him something. "Why should I go against it when your practice can reduce the patient''s pain?" replied Johann. Many patients would pick naturopathy treatment when they were receiving chemotherapy. However, the effects of reducing the pain were insignificant. "Let me help you to apply for it," added Johann. Then, he looked for the application form on the computer. Luca would have to sign her name on the form so that he could hand it to the hospital director to stamp on it. "Okay." Luca nodded as she waited for Johann to print the form out. Johann printed the form. When he was about to fill in the nks, the intern knocked at the door and came in. The office''s door was left open, so the intern came in right away after he knocked. "Dr. Park." Johann was filling out the form. He lifted his hand and signaled him not to say anything. The intern immediately fell silent. After Johann filled the form, he handed the pen to Luca and said, "Dr. Craw, sign your name here." Luca nodded, picked up the pen, and signed her name on the application form. "Stamp your fingerprint on it. It''s essential for the procedure. The hospital is afraid of getting into trouble." Johann handed the ink pad to Luca. He believed in Luca''s capability, but not the hospital''s. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Hence, the procedure and signature should be done properly just in case the hospital director had a problem with it. "I understand." Luca stamped her fingerprint on it. The intern shot a nce at the application form and put a strange expression on his face. He could not help but wonder who the woman was. Why would Johann give her permission to practice medicine? The privilege of practicing medicine usually did not apply to senior doctors. Since the woman in front of him was not a senior doctor working in another hospital, then she was probably not as capable as Johann was. Why would Johann behave this way? Johann took the application form that Luca had signed from her, then handed it to the intern. He said, "Send this to the hospital director''s office." "Huh?" The intern blinked his eyes. Johann asked expressionlessly, "You don''t know where the hospital director''s office is?" "I do. I''ll go now." The intern dared not be negligent. Even though he was confused, he took the papers and immediately walked out of the office. Luca nced at the intern, then she turned around and looked at Johann. She asked with curiosity, "Is he the intern you''re guiding?" "Yes." Johann furrowed his brows for a moment. "You''re hard on him," replied Luca. Johann usually smiled at everyone in the hospital no matter if that person was a doctor, nurse, or patient. It was an eye-opener to see Johann being mean to an intern today. It turned out that Dr. Park had a temper too. "I never wanted to guide any interns. It''s too troublesome," replied Johann. The other doctors thought having interns meant getting help for some trivial matters. However, Johann thought interns would only cause him trouble. "With your status, you can choose not to guide one, right?" Luca spoke her mind. Johann was a talent every hospital would fight for to hire him. He could do anything he wanted in this hospital. Was it not an easy task for him to decline the request of guiding an intern? "That kid is a rtive of the hospital director and the assistant director," Johann said helplessly, "The two old men bought me drinks and prodded me to sign the agreement when I was feeling tipsy. And if I refused to abide by the agreement, I''d have to be the head of the department..." Johann enjoyed being a doctor, but that did not mean he wanted to get promoted. It was enough for Johann when his words and opinions carried weight in this hospital. There was no need for him to seek a higher position. If Johann became the head of the department, many responsibilities and matters would fall within his job scope. There would be tons of troublesome matters he had to handle, and he would be too busy to perform surgeries then. Johann preferred to stay in the clinic and operating rooms instead of an office. Bing the head of the department was something permanent if he was unlucky enough. However, guiding an intern would only take him two to three years. Besides, who knew what would happen in the future? Luca snickered. She did not expect a clever man like Johann would be fooled by two senior doctors. After a while, the intern returned to the office with the application form that had been permitted by the hospital director. He said, ¡°Dr. Park, the hospital director has approved it. ¡± When the hospital director signed the form, the intern asked about Luca''s matter. Once he asked about Luca, he realized that although Luca was not an expert from another hospital, she was even more capable and knowledgeable than an expert. What she had done to the patients in the VIP ward, naturopathy department, and the rehabilitation department was already getting around the hospital. "Wow, it''s definitely quicker when someone''s pulling the strings.¡± Johann nced at the application form and handed it to Luca. The intern could sense the implication in Johann''s words and scratched the back of his head embarrassingly. "Dr. Park, stop teasing me. I''ve heard about Dr. Craw''s matters. Even if it wasn''t me who went to hand in the form, the hospital director would''ve agreed to it all the same.¡± "That''s true. She''s a talent. What a pity. Dr. Craw is a talent the hospital director can''t get. I feel depressed at the mention of this. How did Luke manage to hire all the talents?¡± Johann wondered. If Luca was willing to be a doctor, the contribution she could make in the medical industry would definitely be bigger than the contributions she could make to the biopharmaceutical industry. Luca shook her head helplessly and nced at the application form to check if there was anything wrong with it. Then, she rose to her feet and said, "Dr. Park, I should leave. I''ve got something else to do. Oh, I''ll go home to look up some information. I''ll send you the prescription for the medicine. Please arrange it for me. Ms. Rayne can take the medicine before she starts receiving chemotherapy.¡± "Okay. Off you go. I have to prepare to enter the operating room soon.¡± Johann nced at the time. It was almost time for the operation. He reckoned that the nurse had already sent the patient to the operating room and the assistant surgeon was probably getting everything prepared before the operation started. It was time for Johann to head there. Hence, he stood up. Luca nodded and walked out of Johann''s office. The intern stared nkly in the direction where Luca left. Johann said impatiently, "Why are you standing there? Get ready to head to the operation room.¡± "Ah, yes.¡± The intern came back to his senses as he was still thinking about Luca. If Luca was as capable as what the hospital director had told him, why did she not be a doctor? He heard the hospital director say that Luca was a professor who studied biopharmaceuticals. Although it was a good industry to work in, bing a doctor was way more meaningful. Chapter 2568 After Luca left Johann''s office, she left the hospital together with Rain. They ran into Queenie while they waited for Warren to drive the car to the pick-up point. Queenie was startled for a moment when she saw the two of them standing together. Luke had asked Rain to help her before, and that was why Queenie recognized Rain. ¡°Luca, Rain, why are you... at the hospital?" Queenie remembered that Luca was working for Luke too. It was very likely for her to know Rain. Hence, she changed the topic of the conversation abruptly and immediately asked them why they were at the hospital. "Mrs. Norman?" Luca immediately became worried when she saw Queenie. "Why did youe to the hospital?" "Oh, I came with Leia for her follow-up. The doctor said she hasn''t recovered much. That''s why I came with her to listen to the doctor''s advice. You.." Queenie sized Rain up and looked at Luca. Luke would not send Rain if it was a normal situation. However, Rain and Luca were standing together now. Queenie could not help but doubt if the rtionship between Luca and Luke was as simple as a superior-subordinate rtionship. "Mrs. Norman, Boss sent me to protect Ms. Craw," Rain spoke honestly. Queenie became more confused, "Protect?" "Ms. Craw has gotten into some troubletely." Rain could not reveal anything more about it. Luca felt helpless when she saw the confused look on Queenie''s face. As long as she was not Bianca, she would always arouse Queenie''s suspicion no matter what she did. Queenie looked at Luca in surprise and said, "Luca, remember to look for Mr. Norman if you need any help. His words carry weight in A City." Luca knew Queenie had misunderstood her. She thought Luca had pissed some big cheese off. If that person was from A City, it would be easier to settle the dispute with Jack intervening in the matter and speaking up for Luca. However, Matysh was the one Luca had messed with. He was a man who would not show any respect to others. "Okay. Thank you, Mrs. Norman," replied Luca. ¡°What are you talking about?" Leia asked in a grumpy tone. She could not help but feel intimidated when she saw Luca and Queenie talking to each other. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Nothing. Have you finished doing your check-up?" Queenie knew Leia was hostile to Luca. That was why she did not tell Leia what Rain told her. "Why am I here if I haven''t done the check-up?" Leia retorted. She mentioned to Queenie that she wished to return to the Normans'' residence when they were on their way to the hospital, but Queenie rejected her. Queenie did not behave like that in the past. She was soft-hearted and always fulfilled Leia''s requests. However, after something went wrong with Leia''s liver, Luca had been standing in their way. Queenie no longer adored and pampered Leia like how she used to. Hence, Leia hated Luca from the bottom of her heart. She thought Luca had been talking to Queenie a lot, and that was why Queenie refused to pay for a liver in the ck market. Leia was eventually left with no choice but to ept Dexter''s liver. Queenie knew Leia was unhappy when she heard her tone. She frowned helplessly. She was at her wit''s end with Leia. "How''s the result?" Queenie asked caringly. "I''ve juste out from the MRI room. How am I supposed to know that? Didn''t you get the results for me?" Leia questioned her. The hatred she felt for Luca grew whenever she saw her. She wondered if Matysh was blind. How did he fall for such a woman? "Well, you were busy talking to those who have nothing to do with you. You don''t care about me. Of course, you didn''t get them for me." After that, Leia turned around and left. "Ah, Leia, where are you going?" Queenie immediately followed behind her, and she did not remember to say goodbye Luca. "It''s none of your business. I''ll take the results myself." Leia trotted away without waiting for Queenie. Queenie had no choice but to hurry up and catch up to her. Rain shook her head helplessly and said, "No one can stand that temper of hers." "Yeah." Luca nodded. Queenie and Jack were people with good tempers, but Leia was the most bad- tempered person in the Norman family. Rain shot Luca a meaningful nce and mumbled, "After all, she''s not their biological daughter. She doesn''t have their temper or personality. I wonder why she has the guts to behave this way. If it were my daughter, I''d..." Rain paused for a moment. Considering that Luca had to suffer in silence now, she did not continue talking about it. "Ms. Norman has always behaved like that, right?" Although Luca was asking a question, she sounded more like she was certain about it. Her true identity was Bianca. She had always known how Leia''s temper was. "Yes. She''s like this all the time. She has always been like that since I came to A City." Rain knew Luca knowingly asked that, and she stopped talking about it. "Okay." Luca nodded. Rain pulled the car door open, then Luca bent down and entered the car. After Rain closed the car door, she got into the car through the door on the other side. Warren asked, "Ms. Craw, where would you like to go now?" "Please send me home," answered Luca. The kids would be going back to school in two days. She had been busy these days and did not get to keep thempany. Therefore, Luca was nning to spend some time with the kids this weekend. Warren drove the car and headed to the vi. After the man with the mask saw Luca get into the car, he picked up his phone and reported to Matysh about the situation. Matysh, who was at the hotel, could not help but ask after answering the phone, "Why did she go to the hospital?" "I''m not sure about that..." replied the man. He had been following Luca the entire time, but he did not have ess to the highest floor of the hospital. Thus, he had been standing at the door waiting for Luca after seeing that the chauffeur who dropped Luca at the hospital had parked the car in the outdoor parking lot. "You stupid *sshole. I asked you to spy on her just to understand what''s going on with her. You don''t even know the answer when I ask you a simple question like that. The only reason I spent so much money hiring you is to find out everything that''s going on with her. So, go and find out now," Matysh yelled at the man on the other end of the line. The man who got yelled at pulled a long face. He had no choice but to call the others when he listened to the busy tone from the other end of the line. He was not an expert in stalking and investigating people, but he was assigned this job only because he could understand Russian. At least he was able tomunicate with Matysh. The man realized the job he was assigned needed to be done more professionally, and he had to look for an expert in this. He made a call and gave his instructions about the mission assigned to him. In the hotel. After Matysh hung up the call, he picked up the wine ss and gulped down the whole ss of wine with a gloomy expression on his face. Mandy, who was sitting beside him, had heard their conversation. She gave Matysh a seductive look and took his wine ss from him. She asked, "What''s the matter?" "They''re all useless. I hired them to spy on Luca, but they don''t even know why Luca went to the hospital. Tell me, aren''t they as useless as a ss hammer?" Matysh ranted. Matysh was running out of patience at the thought of him spending so much money when he had yet toy a finger on Luca. Mandy raised her brows and asked, "What could happen to her when she only headed to the hospital once? By any chance, are you worried about her?" Chapter 2569 "How''s that possible? All I think about is how to get my hands on her." The expression on Matysh''s face was hideous. The longer it took, the more impatient he got. "Why don''t we ask them to make a move tomorrow?" Mandy mocked him. Mandy knew that she would not be staying by Matysh''s side for long. Hence, she only wanted to get a huge amount of money from him and end the meaningless rtionship. After all, Mandy would not force anything when she knew she would not be able to get Matysh. It would be better for her to get an amount of money and look for another guy. Matysh frowned when he heard Mandy''s suggestion. He clearly disagreed with her. "That''s too hasty." "She''s just a woman. Isn''t she something that you can get any time you want? Why would you listen to what those people say? Their ns need time. Your family must be dissatisfied with the fact that you''ve been staying here and refusing to go back, right?" Mandy''s advice went unheeded. Mandy had been staying by Matysh''s side these few days. She had heard his conversation with those people. His family kept asking him to go back. However, Matysh would not leave when he had not gotten Luca. That was why he had been brushing them off. Still, Matysh''s family was not silly either. They urged him more often day after day. "You''re right." Matysh lit up his cigar and eventually decided. He said, "Tell Leia to get ready to take action." "Okay." Mandy could not help but feel excited when she saw that Matysh had finally let his guard down and decided to make a move. On the other hand... Queenie managed to keep pace with Leia, who was heading to the doctor''s office. In the office. The doctor could not help but frown when he looked at Leia''s medical report. After he read the report, he gave Leia a serious look. "Ms. Norman, have you been following the medical advice?" he asked. Leia had already gotten used to the stern expression on the doctor''s face when she came for follow-up sessions every time. She rolled her eyes and replied, "The maid keeps an eye on everything I eat and drink, including the time I go to bed. What do you think?" Queenie immediately asked when she saw the expression on the doctor''s face, ¡°Doc, how''s Leia''s test results?" "Her recovery isn''t going as well as we expected. We don''t know the reason either. How about this? I''ll continue to adjust the dosage of her medicine. She still has to follow the diet restrictions. She needs to eat clean, and no greasy food is allowed. Don''t let her have any seafood either. She must get enough rest and take her medicine on time..." Leia listened as the doctor rambled on. She felt discontented in her heart. How many times had he said all these? However, the results of Leia''s physical examination always seemed to end up bad. It was as though Dexter''s liver was deliberately going against her. Her recovery progress was not as good as the doctor expected. "That''s enough. What''ll be different even if I do follow your advice? I still ended up like this. Are you even able to heal me?" Leia interrupted the doctor and questioned him. Queenie felt surprised and awkward at the same time. She lowered her voice and scolded Leia, "Leia, what nonsense are you talking about?" The doctor was rendered speechless. He was puzzled. Leia was just like what the others had said about her on the inte. She was ill-mannered. "I''m telling the truth. The medicine he prescribed isn''t working at all. And he''s ming me for not following his advice. The maid is the one who''s responsible for my meals. If there''s nothing wrong with the doctor, then it must be the maid you hired." Leia deliberately gave the maid a dirty look. Leia did not like the maid. She was always keeping an eye on her and asking her not to do this and that while using Jack''s name. Leia''s life became dull. The maid, who stood beside her, immediately denied, "The meals I prepare for Ms. Norman are all based on the doctor''s advice. Besides, I set the rm clock to remind myself of the time for Ms. Norman to take her medicine. I also record everything she eats and the time she takes her medicine every day. There''s basically no room for error." Queenie felt even more helpless. She knew Leia was unhappy and intentionally nitpicking on the maid. The doctor did not know what to say. He had no choice but to say, "It''s normal for such cases to happen. The recovery speed depends on the person''s physique. Previously, Ms. Norman was been sick for a long time before she got her new liver. That''s why her physique isn''t good enough and her recovery is slow." Leia became more impatient when she heard what the doctor said, "Come on, stop talking about these. Is there a way to help me to nurse my health or not?" The doctor felt helpless with Leia being so harsh to him. Doctors like him would encounter such patients every year, but there was nothing they could do about it. If they replied to the patient in a slightly angry tone, they would getined about. The doctor had no choice but to say, "Why don''t you try receiving naturopathy treatment?" Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Are you the doctor or am I the doctor? Why are you asking me instead? Where''s Dr. Park? Ask him to treat me." Leia was dissatisfied, and she asked to see Johann. Johann was the surgeon who performed the surgery. However, Leia did not know why this doctor was the one who came to give her the physical examination every time she came back to the hospital for a follow-up. "Dr. Park is in the operating room performing surgery now. I''m afraid he''s unable toe out of the operating room now..." replied the doctor. The wealthy and influential always wanted to see Johann and have him cure them. However, Johann had to perform many surgeries. There were at least two surgeries he had to perform every day. How would he have the time to satisfy all his patients'' requests? Therefore, Johann would ask the other doctors to take over his patients who did not have any major health issues after the surgery. The patients would follow Johann''s arrangements as well. After all, they had gone through the hardest part, which was the surgery. There should not be any big problems after the surgery. Leia was the only one who wanted to see Johann. The doctor thought it was embarrassing and made him look bad. After all, he was in the same batch as Johann. ¡°Operating room? He knows I''ming for a follow-up session today but he still went into the operating room?¡± Leia raised her pitch. "Leia!" Queenie felt embarrassed. Leia causing trouble would not only embarrass Queenie, but she would also affect Jack''s reputation. Leia was totally unsophisticated. Leia turned around and stared at Queenie with hatred. Not only was Queenie not helping her now, but she was scolding her. Queenie could not help but go into a flurry when she met Leia''s eyes. The way Leia looked at her resentfully was nothing like how a daughter should be looking at her mother. It was more like she was staring at her enemy. Even so, Queenie was her mother. "Doctor, do you suggest receiving naturopathy treatment too?" Queenie asked. The doctor nodded and replied, "Yes. If Ms. Norman doesn''t believe in my professionalism, she can choose to head to the naturopathy department in our hospital. The head of the naturopathy department is an experienced and famous naturopathist in our country." Leia rolled her eyes and said, "Stop bragging. I know that Johann is the most famous doctor in your hospital." "Leia, shut up!" Queenie thought Leia was being too rude to the doctor. Although Johann was the most famous doctor in the hospital, the other doctors were good as well. Otherwise, the hospital would not have taken them in and given them professional titles. Chapter 2570 Leia was stubborn. She sneered, rose to her feet, and walked out. The maid immediately followed behind her. Queenie remained rooted to the spot. Although the doctor had his own office, there was an awkward silence in the air. "I''m sorry. Leia was being rude." As a mother, Queenie apologized to the doctor on behalf of Leia. Although the doctor was pissed off by what Leia said to him, it was inappropriate for him to throw a tantrum at Queenie. He had no choice but to be considerate. "It''s okay. People who are sick get upset easily." Queenie let out a sigh and asked the doctor, "Doc, do you mean Leia can receive naturopathy treatment to nurse her health if she''d like to recover faster?" "Yes. Receiving naturopathy treatment at this stage will help her. It won''t affect her liver and kidney either." The doctor nodded and replied, "I can contact the head of the naturopathy department for you now if you''d like to see him. But Ms. Norman has to go there. After all, the doctor has to check her pulse to find out about her situation." However, Leia dashed out of the room just now. She was probably on her way to the hospital''s entrance. "Okay. I got it. Thank you. We won''t proceed with it at the moment. I''ll think of a way. Please prescribe the medicine for her. I''ll go and take the medicine." Queenie rose to her feet. She uttered each word politely, and her good manners calmed the doctor down. The doctor prescribed the medicine for Leia. After Queenie thanked him, she walked out of the office to pay for the medical bills. The doctor could not help but sigh as he watched Queenie leave. People said that parents were their children''s role models, but it did not seem entirely like it. Even if the parents were well-mannered and sophisticated, it did not mean these traits would be passed on to their children. The doctor had the urge to stop giving consultation to Leia and let Johann handle her himself at the thought of Leia questioning and scolding him every time she came here. After Queenie paid the bills, she took the medicine and called the maid. She found out that Leia was already on her way back to the apartment when she asked the maid. Queenie had no choice but to hang up the call and looked at the packs of medicine in her hands. Every medicine had its side effects. Leia had just gotten a liver transnt, but her recovery was not as good as it was expected. Perhaps she was taking too much medicine. What the doctor said came across her mind again. Queenie heaved a sigh, picked up her phone, and called Luca. She wanted to ask Luca to cure Leia. Although their rtionship worsened after Leia threw a tantrum at Luca back then, Luca was the only one who could help her now. Queenie thought of acting on Leia''s behalf to ask for Luca''s help. Luca was a kind person. As long as Queenie was nice to her, it was likely that she would let bygones be bygones and help Leia to nurse her health. The phone rang twice before the call was answered. "Mrs. Norman, what''s the matter?" Luca was a little surprised. They had just run into each other at the hospital just now, but Queenie was calling her now. Luca reckoned that Queenie called not to ask about her, and there was a high chance that she called her for Leia''s sake. "Luca..." Queenie called her name and paused for a moment. It was hard for her to say it. After all, Leia said such harsh things to her back then. When Luca realized Queenie paused for a few seconds, she said, "Mrs. Norman, just tell me what''s the matter directly." Queenie took a deep breath. She had no choice but to ask Luca a favor for Leia''s sake. "Luca, Leia went for her physical examination today. The results aren''t great. Her recovery progress isn''t going well as expected. The doctor suggested she try naturopathy treatment. So, I''d like to ask you." Queenie could hardly utter the next few words. She sped her phone tight and looked helplessly at the families who apanied the patients here walking back and forth in the hospital. She was drowned in a helpless feeling. She even started to doubt whether she did the right thing to adopt Leia back then. It seemed like she had done a lot for Leia for her whole life, but she felt like it was the other way round when she saw Leia in this state now. Luca secretly let out a sigh when Queenie stumbled over her words, unable to say the rest of her sentence. Queenie had always been gentle. She was bashful and embarrassed to face such situations. However, Queenie was willing to bite the bullet and call her for Leia''s sake. How could Luca turn her down? A child would never be able to reject their parents'' requests. Luca was also one of them. Luca had no choice but to say, "Will Ms. Norman agree to it?" "I haven''t discussed it with her. Luca, can you put what happened between you and Leia aside and help me this once? Mr. Norman and I will be grateful to you," said Queenie. Before Queenie finished her sentence, Luca could already figure out what she meant. ¡°If Ms. Norman agrees to it, I''ll be willing to nurse her health. But I''ve been a little busytely, and I''m only avable tomorrow," said Luca. Even though Leia was ill-mannered, Queenie was the one asking for a favor now. There was no way Luca could reject her. "Okay. I''ll inform Leia. And I''ll call you tomorrow. Let me bring Leia to your ce," Queenie immediately replied when Luca agreed to help. To her ce? Luca immediately said, "Mrs. Norman, I''ll go over to your ce." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "No. How can we do that? We''re thankful that you''re willing to help her. We can''t let youe back and forth. So be it, then. I''ll call you tomorrow," said Queenie. Leia needed Luca''s help, so it should be Leia who headed to Luca''s ce. "Okay..." Luca thought it would be fine since Amur hade back. If Leia agreed to let her help her, she could ask her to head to her apartment. There were traces of people living in the apartment, so they would not doubt anything. After the call ended, Rain asked, "You''re going to help Ms. Norman to nurse her health?" "She might not agree to it," replied Luca. Leia hated her so much. Even if Queenie was the one who asked Luca, Leia would not easily agree to it either. Leia might even think Luca was trying to harm her. "Okay. Remember to inform me if you''re going out tomorrow," said Rain. "Matysh..." Luca frowned. "Yes. He''s meeting those people more often these days. They must be up to something. You should be more careful when you''re going out. Besides, Leia''s friend, the one who looks like you, has been staying by Matysh''s side. Our men saw her going to Leia''s apartment to meet Leia. Perhaps they''re nning something. Just to be on the safe side, I''ll be protecting you whenever you''re going out for the next few days," Rain exined to her. "Okay." Luca was not against the idea that someone would be staying by her side to protect her. As long as it was not rted to the Ind of Despair, having someone by her side would not affect her. On the other hand. Leia returned to the apartment. After she put her things, she returned to her bedroom. Mandy had given her a call when she was in the car. The maid was beside her at that time, so it was inconvenient for her to answer the call. Luca called her back when she was back in her bedroom. "What''s wrong?" Leia sat on the sofa and asked in a grumpy tone. "Hey, who offended you? Why do you sound angry?" Mandy could sense Leia was in a bad mood by listening to her tone and she deliberately mocked her. "Who else could it be?" Leia changed into a morefortable sitting position. Then, Luca came across her mind. She asked, "By the way, when is that sugar daddy of yours making a move? I need money." Chapter 2571 "That''s the reason why I called you today. We n to make a move soon. We''re waiting for you to see if there''s any chance." Mandy asked. "I can do it anytime, but I need to prepare before it..." Leia recalled what the doctor said today. Was it not a good chance? "He''s running out of patience," Mandy reminded. "I haven''t finished talking yet. There''s a good chance now," Leia said in azy tone. What the doctor said in front of Queenie had given her a good opportunity. Mandy''s spirits were lifted at once, and she replied, "Really? When?" "Let me confirm again first. Ask your sugar daddy to be patient. It''ll be in the next few days. He''ll be able to sleep with that woman he has longed for soon." Leia smirked. Thinking of Luca being taken away by Matysh and what would happen to her after that boosted her mood. The pleasure came from the hatred she felt for Luca. "He isn''t the only one who''s in a hurry. I want to end this too. Life has been boring these days," Mandy could not help butin. Matysh was not in the hotel room now, so she could b*tch about him as much as she wanted to. "Why? Is he not good enough? He can''t satisfy you?" Leia deliberately ridiculed Mandy as she knew she had a high sexual desire. "Not really. I just want to find someone who''s more stable. I know things won''t be stable with him, and it isn''t going to be a long-term rtionship. So, I''m thinking about ending it as soon as possible. This shouldn''t dy me from looking for another guy. You need money, and I need it too," Mandy replied. She had the same thought as Leia about her sugar daddy. The two of them depended on men to survive when they were broke in New York back then. Leia could not help but let out augh. "You''re right. Still, you''ve been mooching off him these days. You should be thankful." "He''s generous, but that doesn''t mean I''ve gotten something out of it. I deserved all those things. Let''s not talk about this. You''d better confirm it fast. We can slice the pie when the timees." Mandy had been dreaming of this moment as Matysh had promised to give them a huge amount of money. Mandy would be able to live an extravagant lifestyle for a while with that money. "Okay." There was a knock on the door once Leia said that. She added, "Talk to youter." After that, Leia hung up the call without waiting for Mandy to reply. "Yes?" Leia asked while looking in the direction of the door. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Leia, it''s me. Can you open the door?" Queenie''s gentle voice came from outside the room. Frustration aroused in Leia''s heart. Everyone was criticizing and talking about her on the inte now. They stated that Leia had grown up in such a wealthy family but was ill-mannered and bad-tempered. Also, they mentioned how nice Jack and Queenie were, yet Leia had learned nothing from them, not in the slightest. They were belittling her, but they wereplimenting Jack and Queenie at the same time. Leia refused to believe that no one was behind this. Leia did not want to open the door, but she remembered the mission she was assigned. She stood up and walked to the door, then pulled the door open. She asked, ¡°What''s the matter?" ¡°The maid told me that you haven''t taken your medicine this morning. It''s time to take your medicine." Queenie held the tray that contained a ss of water, medicine, and a piece of honey taffy on it. Leia had to take medicine frequently, so she had to find ways to endure the bitterness. The honey taffies were given by her grandparents. Leia looked at the pills, and she could feel the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had taken a lot of medicine these days to the extent that she felt sick whenever she saw the pills. ¡°Come in." Leia behaved submissively when she thought of what she had to do. Queenie carried the medicine and entered her bedroom. The apartment was a bachelor''s apartment. Every unit of the apartment was about the same size. It was small, even though an apartment unit of about 200 to 400 square feet would suffice for ordinary people. However, there was a huge difference in the size of the bedroom here and Leia''s bedroom in Norman Residence. Queenie could understand why Leia wanted to return there. The interior design of the bedroom in the vi was done based on Leia''s requests. Leia had always been pampered since she was young. Now, she was staying in such a small room with an interior design she did not like. Of course, she wanted to go home. It was just that Jack was still angry. Heined that Leia had caused a lot of trouble for him at work just two days ago. Therefore, when Leia mentioned that she wanted to move out of the apartment, Queenie had no choice but to reject her instead of telling her that she would discuss it with Jack. Jack would not agree to it no matter what she said. Queenie ced the tray on the coffee table and stared at Leia. Leia''s sallowplexion made her look terrible. It was as if she had not recovered. Queenie recalled how Leia used to be before she quit the entertainment industry. Leia was confident, beautiful, and morous. She was a shining star no matter where she went. It was as though Leia could shine for the rest of her life at that time. However, now... Queenie could not figure out why Leia had be like this. The fact that Leia ended up like this today could be attributed to the actions of others. However, if Leia had not done those things, Jack would have certainly stood up for her and protected her. Things would not have turned out like this. ¡°Leia, take your medicine," Queenie convinced her in a soft voice. Leia knew Queenie had something to tell her. Hence, she quietly swallowed the pills. She took a sip of water and swallowed another pill. She repeated this five to six times before she finally took all the pills. Queenie picked up the honey taffy and handed it to her. Leia took the honey taffy from her and put it into her mouth. Queenie let out a sigh. It seemed like every pill was bitter when she watched Leia take her medicine. Leia was frowning when she took the pills, and it looked like she was suffering. "Leia, the doctor suggested you try naturopathy today. I think it''s a good idea too. After all, it''s not harmful to the body. Why don''t we try it?" Queenie persuaded her, thinking of asking Leia to receive naturopathy treatment. After that, she would make her ept Luca''s treatment. "That medicine tastes even more bitterpared to modern medicine..." Leia mumbled. She only had to belittle the doctor at the hospital, then Queenie would contact Luca to make her receive the treatment. "What if I found you a professional naturopathist? Leia, you''re still young. You can''t let your body deteriorate like this," replied Queenie. She was worried, and she rested her hand on the back of Leia''s palm. "Listen to me. Be good and receive the treatment, okay?" "Could it be that the naturopathist you''re mentioning is Luca?" Leia deliberately raised her pitch. No matter who Queenie had in mind, she had to lead the conversation around to Luca. "Yes. Luca is good at naturopathy. Leia, we have to give it a try. If taking a course of naturopathy treatment doesn''t work for you, we''ll continue to use modern medicine for treatment," said Queenie. She was worried that Leia would disagree with it, so she promised Leia. "But I''ve fought with her!" Leia frowned, withdrew her hand, and pretended that she was reluctant to do so. That was the only way for Leia to not arouse anyone''s suspicion and me when something happened to Luca. "She''s not the kind of person who won''t forgive others. She''ll help nurse your health once you say yes. Perhaps your health will improve after taking the medicine," Queenie convinced her while worrying that she would turn her down. Chapter 2572 Leia looked down as a hint of malice shed across her eyes. Leia did not expect things to go so smoothly. Queenie was really nning to ask Luca to help her nurse her health. It seemed like she would be able to get Matysh''s money soon. "Leia?" Queenie was worried Leia would disagree with it when she saw that Leia had fallen silent. She nned to convince Leia again. This would be good for her health, so it had to be taken seriously. "I''m worried that she''ll y a prank on me after what I''ve done to her. She might even harm me." said Leia. She did not immediately agree to it as she thought of speaking ill of Luca in passing. Luca should not hold such an important position in Queenie''s heart. Queenie heaved a sigh, shook her head, and said, "Luca isn''t that kind of person. She''ll try her best to help you since she''s promised to help." "How can you be so sure about that?" Leia could not help but feel jealous. How long had Luca stayed in A City? What did Luca do to make Queenie speak up for her? She even spoke up for her in such a situation. There was no way Queenie had no idea how much Leia hated Luca, and she knew Leia was someone who got jealous easily. Queenie was still speaking up for Luca even though she wanted Leia to agree to her suggestion... Leia frowned and pondered. How could Queenie be so sure? Queenie seldom talked to Luca, but it was her intuition that told her that Luca was not that kind of person. Even though Luca looked like she was preupied, she was kind from the bottom of her heart. She would not harm anyone. Hence, Queenie believed in her. Leia was furious. After Queenie defended Luca, she fell silent again. Leia clenched her fists and tried her best to suppress the surge of anger in her. She needed money, so she could not mess this up. Queenie noticed that Leia was unhappy. Then, she slowly opened her mouth and said, ¡°Leia, let''s not doubt her. Can you please agree to it?" "Fine. I''ll go. But let me tell you first if my health doesn''t improve after receiving a course of treatment, don''t me me for being disrespectful," said Leia. "Okay. Don''t worry. We''ll continue to take modern medicine if there''s no improvement after a course of treatment." Queenie gave her word after Leia agreed to seek treatment from Luca. Leia sneered and said, "Plus, if it doesn''t work, tell Dad to ask Johann to nurse my health." Leia only trusted Johann''s medical skills now. "No problem. We surely have to get another doctor if there''s no improvement." Queenie had confidence in Luca, so she agreed. With Luca helping to nurse Leia''s nurse, Leia might not have to go back to the hospital for follow-up sessions that often. After all, patients who were in such a condition did not have to go to the hospital often once their condition stabilized. "I''ll leave it to her, then," Leia replied in azy tone and yawned. Leia did not know what medicine the doctor gave her. She always felt sleepy after taking the medicine. "I''ll ask the chauffeur to pick you up and take you to her ce tomorrow." Queenie gently stroked Leia''s hair. Even though Leia was spoiled and had done many things that broke Queenie''s heart, she still doted on Leia like her daughter. After all, when they lost their biological daughter, Leia showed up and took the couple''s pain away. "Pick me up? Where am I going?" Luca looked up and nced sideways, avoiding looking at Queenie''s hands that were stroking her dearly. Queenie had no choice but to withdraw her hands. She said, "To Luca''s ce. Didn''t you agree to let her nurse your health?" "Why should I go over to her ce? Isn''t she supposed toe here and help me nurse my health?" Leia raised her brows. Matysh''s men could have the chance to make a move only if Luca came here. Queenie frowned. Previously, she asked Luca to head to the hospital to help Leia nurse her health only because Leia was weak and could not walk. Even though Leia''s condition was bad now, she had no problem walking around. They were already asking for someone''s help, so how could they ask her toe over to their ce? Queenie recalled that Jack had brought her to see several doctors when she was ill back then. There were many naturopathist who stayed in the suburbs. Jack did not ask them toe over to their ce even though he had the power and status to do so. Instead, Jack took Queenie along with him and went to find them. "Leia, you can''t do that. Besides, it''s not like you can''t walk around now," Queenie tried to convince Leia. "Mom, I know..." Leia understood what Queenie meant. She rolled her eyes and immediately came up with an idea. "But she''s helping me to nurse my health. To be fair, we should invite her over and treat her to a meal, right?" Queenie was startled for a moment. What Leia said made sense too. Luca was willing to put what happened between them aside and help Leia. Besides, Luca was saving her life. They should repay her kindness by at least treating her to a meal. ¡°Let me make a reservation at the restaurant," said Queenie. ¡°Mom, I can''t eat the food there even if you make a reservation at a restaurant. I''m supposed to show my gratitude. It''ll be inappropriate if we go to a restaurant and I can''t eat anything there. Won''t I be a buzzkill?" Leia quickly stopped Queenie from thinking of making a reservation at a restaurant. Queenie thought what Leia said was reasonable. It seemed like even though Leia was arrogant, she was meticulous when handling matters. ¡°Then..." ¡°Mom, let''s prepare a feast at the vi. Let me spend the night there. If Dad refuses, I''lle back once Luca checks my pulse and prescribes the medicine for me at the vi tomorrow." Leia knew Jack did not want to see her at home, so she was not nning to stay longer. Leia had figured things out thoroughly now. Even though she wanted to stay there, Jack would not agree to it either. He woulde up with several excuses to send her back here. Hence, Leia only suggested spending a night there. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. She was their daughter, after all. It would not be a problem for her to spend a night there, right? ''Lmm... Queenie had just spoken when Leia interrupted, ¡°Mom, perhaps it''s a good idea I go over to her ce tomorrow. It''s just a little troublesome. After all, I can''t let here to the apartment. The kitchen is small, and the living room is small too. It''s embarrassing to receive guests here." ¡°It''ll be tiring to go back and forth in a day. What about this? Follow me back home today and we''ll talk about it tomorrow," said Queenie. ¡°Okay." Leia agreed. Although she was not really satisfied with the arrangements, she secretly rejoiced. Queenie kept defending Luca and taking her side. After something happened to Luca, how guilty would Queenie feel when she found out that Leia was involved in this? The guiltier Queenie felt, the better it was. She would not be able to take a blow at her age and with that personality of hers. She might be drowned in guilt as it could be too difficult for her to ept reality and she would die. Then, Jack would be the only one left in the Norman family. Work and family were Jack''s everything. He loved Queenie so much that he might not be able to hold on much longer if Queenie died. Furthermore, Bianca, who had lost her memory, was still living abroad. Would everything the Norman family possess fall into her hands then? Leia lowered her hand and looked down. Her eyes gleamed with malice. There was an evil grin on her face at the thought of everything that she might possess. ¡°Let me ask the maid to prepare the medicine for tonight and tomorrow first." Queenie did not notice the expression on Leia''s face. She walked out of the room and asked the maid to prepare Leia''s medicine. Chapter 2573 Queenie waited until after the maid finished dividing Leia''s medicine to call Jack. She decided to tell him about her decision. Although it was a Saturday, Jack still had to work overtime. She had to tell him in advance that Leia wasing home to stay for the night so that he would not put on a long face after realizing that Leia was there when he returned. People tended to be sensitive when they were sick. Leia''s condition was already bad to begin with, and now Jack''s blood pressure was not looking too good either. Hence, she did not want to see the father and daughter quarrel. Queenie waited for quite some time, but Jack did not pick up. Then, she recalled that Jack mentioned that he had a meeting to attend today before he left. Queenie guessed that Jack was in the meeting right now and his phone was muted, which was why he could not answer. Therefore, she left him a short message. By the time the message was sent, the maid finished packing two days'' worth of medicine for Leia too. Queenie picked up the medicine and walked to Leia''s bedroom. Leia was dozing off whileying on the sofa. ¡°Leia, wake up." Queenie went up to her to shake her shoulder. "Hm... Go away, let me sleep." Leia was in a daze and thought that the maid was shaking her, so she lifted her arms and pped the hand that was disturbing her sleep. "Hiss." Queenie withdrew her hand. Leia was quite strong, and she instantly left a red mark on the back of her hand. "Leia, did you not sleepst night?" Queenie looked helplessly at Leia, who was dozing off. Only then did Leia slowly wake up. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. "No, I just feel sleepy after taking the medicine." "The medicine makes you sleepy?" Queenie frowned. How could the side effects of the medicine be so strong? These pills were made for patients with liver disease, and because they had to rely on these pills for a long period, there should not be any huge side effects. Otherwise, they would affect their daily lives. ¡°What else could it be? I go to sleep every night ording to the schedule set by the maid, so don''t you say I stay upte." Leia nced at the bag in Queenie''s hands and her pills inside of it. "Are they all packed up? Then let''s go." "Let''s go, then." Queenie did not argue any further. The two of them went home together. After returning to the mansion, Leia took it upon herself to go upstairs. She said she was going back to her bedroom to rest, but she was actually going to tell Mandy about the situation so that they would have the whole evening and night to prepare. Afterying down on the bed and telling Mandy about Luca''s schedule, she hung up and tucked herself into sleep. On the other hand, Queenie made ns with Luca. Luca was actually relieved to find out that Queenie let Leia return to the mansion. That way, she would not have to go to the apartment in advance to prepare. Otherwise, it would be troublesome if Amur had no home to return to. After Luca made ns with her, she joined Aunt Neile in preparing lunch for the children. At nightfall, Luke had just returned from T Corporation. Luca waited for him on the sofa, and when she saw hime back, she stood up to take the briefcase in his hand. "Mr... Luke, I left some soup for you. Do you want some?" She was still not used to calling him Luke, but she was trying. "Did you make the soup?" Luke asked. He would not drink it if she was not the one who made it. "Yeah, I made it just now." Luca nodded. It was not good to have soup at night, but considering that Luke would onlye back at night and the soup would go off if she made it in the afternoon, she chose to make it while preparing dinner. "I''ll have some," said Luke. As long as she made the soup, no matter what ingredients were in it, he would drink it. "I''ll go get some for you." Luca ced the briefcase on the sofa and turned around. She then walked into the kitchen to bring over the soup she had kept warm. Luke sat at the dining table. Luca put the hot soup in front of him and walked into the kitchen to get some dipping sauce. After handing him the cutlery and sauce, she said, "There are some ingredients in the soup. You can dip them in the sauce and eat them. They''re all meat, but I''ve skimmed the fat off the top so that the soup isn''t greasy." She knew that Luke did not like greasy food, so she did an extra step before boiling the soup to remove the grease. She learned all of this from Wanda. "Have some with me." Luke looked at therge bowl filled with soup. It was enough for two people. Luca shook her head. "I''ve already had some, and I''m preparing to go to bed, so I don''t want any." Luke had no choice but to drink it himself. The dinner he ate at T Corporation was not to his liking, so he did not have much, but this bowl of soup would be able to fill him up. He slowly sipped the soup and ate the meat in it. Luca was watching him. He still looked gentle and elegant even when he was eating. At the thought of going over to Norman Residence tomorrow, she said, ¡°By the way, I''m going to the Norman family''s ce tomorrow." "The Norman family?" Luke nced at her while stuffing a piece of meat into his mouth. "Yeah, Mrs. Norman said that Ms. Norman is not recovering well after the surgery and that the doctor suggested using herbal medicine as a treatment..." Luca did not continue. If it were anyone else, there was no way they would help Leia after she made them so angry. Who would be willing to be treated as a bad person when they had good intentions? Nobody was a saint. However, she did not refuse Queenie''s request. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. It was because Queenie was her birth mother, and as a child at her age, it was time she repaid her mother. Hence, when Queenie made that request, she agreed without thinking twice. Luke did not find it strange that Luca agreed. Besides, Queenie was the only one who would make such a request, not Leia. Even if Queenie was not part of her childhood, blood was thicker than water to Luca. He was curious about Leia. "Leia actually agreed to it?" Luke raised his eyebrows, and there was a hint of surprise in his words. "Yeah, she agreed. Mrs. Norman invited me to stay at their ce for lunch." Luca nodded "Ms. Norman doesn''t seem like she would ept your help," Luke said frankly. Then, he recalled that Leia and Mandy knew each other, so he said, "I''ll have Rain follow you tomorrow." "Okay, Rain already agreed." Luca nodded. When Queenie was asking her earlier, Rain came to know of it in the car. Even before they agreed on a time, she said that she would follow them. "Rain alone is not enough," Luke murmured. "Huh? Did you find out something?" Luca felt uneasy. "I have news about Matysh. His family wants him to go back, and if he doesn''t, they''ll be using brute force," said Luke. The fact that Matysh stayed in A City for so long showed how obsessed he was with Luca. Now that he was forced to return to his home country, he would certainly make a big move before leaving. Given what Leia had done before and that Luca was seeing her tomorrow, he had to be extra careful. Chapter 2574 After listening to what he had to say, Luca still could notprehend why Matysh was so desperate for her. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. There were many better-looking women out there with nicer bodies than her, yet he still wasted so much time and effort on her. Luke had to be on guard at all times to prevent him from getting his hands on her, and the same went for her. She had to be on alert every time she went out in case she fell into Matysh''s hands. The scariest part was that she had no idea when Matysh would make a move. ¡°Maybe they''ll make a move tomorrow," Luke guessed as Matysh was not the type to be patient. ording to Matysh, Luca was the only woman he could not get his hands on even after plotting for so long. Luke had a gloomy look on his face. Luca was his. She was his woman, so there was no way he would let him have her. "So, tomorrow..." Luca frowned. If he was going to make a move, should she go or not? If she decided not to go, hiding in the mansion was not the way to go either as she still had a life to live. She could not stay in the mansion forever, right? Moreover, would Matysh give up if she just stayed at home? No, he would not. Hence, she had no choice but to go even though she knew that it was dangerous. "Don''t worry about tomorrow. I''ll make the arrangements," Luke told her not to worry as he would ensure her safety tomorrow for sure. Not only tomorrow, but as long as Matysh was around, he would protect her. Luca felt at ease with Luke protecting her, but would Matysh give up after one failure? He hired an organization to do such a thing, which meant that he would not appear during the abduction. If he failed the first time, would he try a second time or a third time? As long as Matysh was in A City, she was not safe. The thought of bing Matysh''s prey yet not being able to do anything about it in fear of rming Abel, made Luca feel restless. If not for fear that Abel would join hands with Matysh, she and Amur would have been over and done with Matysh in a matter of minutes. ¡°If he fails this time, there''ll be a next time, right? I don''t think he''ll appear because he hired someone else to abduct mest time, which means that we can only catch them all in one fell swoop when he makes an appearance..." Luca had something in mind. "No." Luke knew what she was thinking. She wanted to use herself as bait to get the police to catch Matysh red-handed, but it was too dangerous. He had to protect his woman and not let other meny their hands on her. "But he might pull something.." Luca did not want to trouble others for her own affairs. Luke never hired idlers, so everyone who worked under him was an elite, and each of them worked in their own areas of expertise. Now, they all had to take time out because of her issue. "Then I''ll keep you safe." Luke put down his cutlery and said with a stern expression, "Listen to Rain''s orders tomorrow, and don''t have any other ideas. Have you ever wondered what are the consequences of falling into the hands of someone as cunning as Matysh?" Luca dropped her gaze. She had thought about it before, and she was certain that she would be chewed up until no crumbs were left. However, she also believed that Luke would find her first thing if she were ever caught. It was a risky move, but if they seeded, Matysh would be settled once and for all. Thews in A City would never allow someone like Matysh tomit crimes. Even if he was Russian, he would have to do time in prison here if he were ever convicted before being deported back to his country. If Matysh was kept under control here, it would be beneficial for Marcos as well. "Don''t worry, he won''t be in A City for long, and he won''t be able to do anything when he leaves. Plus, I''ve dug up all the crimes he hasmitted here in A City. Once it''s put into effect, even if he returned to Russia, he won''t be able to escape sanction." Luke knew that she had such thoughts because she did not want to give him any trouble. However, he would not allow it. "Okay." After what he said, Luca had no choice but to give up on that idea. Then, she looked at him and said, "Hurry up and finish the soup. It won''t taste good when it''s cold." "Your soup tastes good even when it''s cold." Luke picked up the spoon and took a sip of the soup. He felt the warm soup travel down from his mouth all the way to his stomach. It was a pleasant feeling. Then, he finished the soup hurriedly. In Norman Residence. When Jack returned home from his meeting, it was already 11 o''clock in the evening. Queenie was still waiting for him in the living room. "It''ste. Why are you still awake?" Jack frowned when he saw her sitting on the sofa alone. Although Queenie had almost fully recovered and the examinations showed that the toxins had completely left her body, it was still not good for her to stay upte. "I''m waiting for you. Why did your meeting end sote?" Queenie stood up and walked behind him to help him take off his coat. "Thend in the western suburbs is ready to be developed, so there''s a lot to do," said Jack. He had to be there for all the decision-making, so the meeting went on until after 10 o''clock. Even then, only the basic development n had been settled. The next step would be the bidding. "Did you see the message I sent you?" Queenie held his coat in her arms. Jack never replied to her text. Although he most likely read it, she still wanted to make sure. "I did." Jack sounded stiffer at the thought of Leia. He did not think that she dared toe back. "It''s that tone again." Queenie sighed with her eyebrows furrowed. "You''re still father and daughter no matter what Leia did to our family before. How can there be a feud between father and daughter?" "You want her to move back?" Jack''s eyebrows furrowed as well. It was true that feuds did not exist between father and daughter. However, he and Leia was not father and daughter. After all the absurd things she had done, including ruining the reputation of the Norman family, he felt like Leia was only here as a debt collector. After collecting the debt, she should get lost. However, it had been several years, yet Leia was still here. She even put their dear Bianca through so much... However, Queenie was still in the dark. No matter how generous of a person Jack was, he could never forgive her. "It was mentioned when we went to the hospital for a check-up today but I knew that you wouldn''t allow it, so I said no. I just told her to recover quickly and that we would talk about it when she has fully recovered." Queenie felt helpless because of his objection. "So why is she here?" Jack asked. In Jack''s opinion, every move Leia made was to poke around in his business. "Didn''t I tell you through text? Leia will go back tomorrow." Queenie made it clear when she texted him earlier, so there was no way he did not know the reason. Jack paused for a moment. Although he despised Leia, he liked Luca a lot. Hence, his mood was lifted at the thought of Lucaing over tomorrow. Chapter 2575 ¡°In that case, we should have a nice meal tomorrow. We can''t slight Luca," said Jack. He favored Luca, but Queenie thought that he was nice to Luca in Leia''s interest. "I know. Don''t worry about it. I''ve informed the supermarket regarding the ingredients. They''ll send someone over first thing in the morning, and I''ve asked for the freshest," said Queenie. The supermarket near their ce had a delivery service, so it was convenient for them. "Okay, send Leia back after the meal," said Jack as he picked up his briefcase. "Oh, okay." Queenie''s heart ached upon seeing how Jack was unwilling to let Leia stay. She was then reminded of the old days. When Leia was a popr celebrity, they would look forward to Leiaing back to have a meal with them during the New Year holidays. At that time, Jack thought highly of Leia. Even though he did not like the idea of her entering the entertainment industry, he still silently supported her from afar. However, it seemed like Jack really hated Leia now. "Also, let me know when she gets better." Jack had no intention of knowing about Leia''s condition in detail. "Why?" Queenie asked curiously. "She''s not getting any younger. Look at Bea. She''s only a few years older than her, but she already has three kids. When she gets better, arrange some dates for her," said Jack. He did not want to raise Leia for the rest of his life. He would not mind raising the old Leia forever if she did not get married. However, after finding out about her true nature, Jack just wanted her to stay away so that she would not harm Queenie. Besides, someone who imed to love him and his family would not tamper with the supplements and cause chronic poisoning to their own mother. "Dates?" Queenie recalled Leia''s previous scandal with Brody and Wayne. It had caused public outrage. Basically, Leia had be theughing stock of high society. They just did notugh in her face because of Luke. She was afraid that it would be hard to marry Leia off through arranged dates... "Do you have anyone in mind?" she asked. "All that crap she did before has caused amotion in A City, so it definitely won''t be someone from A City," said Jack. Even an average family in A City would not want a daughter-inw like Leia, so he felt apprehensive about matchmaking her with someone in A City. He was worried that the other party would do so just for his power and influence, so he had no intention of matchmaking her with someone local. "That''s what I thought, dear. If it doesn''t work out, just let Leia stay with us. We have enough resources to raise her in this lifetime anyway." Queenie was worried that Leia would suffer if she got married off. Those who came from well-off families would definitely look down on Leia''s past. As for the middle-ss families, Leia''s spending habits and ill health would only burden the other family. Plus, Queenie was not willing to let Leia live a harsh life. "She''s not a kid anymore. If she''s not capable of earning a living for herself, is she not capable of marrying someone too? If people outside of this city won''t do either, then let''s find a foreigner," Jack said with a frown. He intended to let Leia live far away from home so that she would no longer disturb their peaceful life again. It was not that he had nopassion but that Leia was no longer worthy of being treated as family. "No way. If she gets married to someone outside of the city, we won''t know what troubles she might face and we won''t be able to be there for her first thing. As for foreigners, do you think she can get married to someone overseas with your status?" Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. "As long as she''s under Dexter''s custody." Jack had thought it through. Leia''s identity was indeed special. If she could not leave the country, she could do so by cutting ties with the Norman family and returning to Dexter. "That''s not a good idea. Dexter is..." Queenie was not willing to let Dexter get custody of Leia. "I''m not asking her to take care of Dexter, nor am I asking Dexter to take care of her. I''m just giving him custody of Leia so that it''ll be easier for her to get married overseas." Jack was unwilling to budge. "Hm. Let''s not talk about this first. Let''s wait until Leia gets better." Queenie did not want Leia to move far away, so she put off the topic for now. She intended to persuade Jack when he was in a better mood. "It''s gettingte. Go sleep." The conversation between the two was overheard by Leia, who was standing in the corner of the stairs. She felt thirsty in the middle of her sleep and came downstairs to grab a ss of water. She did not expect to hear the conversation between Jack and Queenie. Get married? Overseas? Give Dexter custody? What a great father he was. He might not be her birth father, but how could he send her away so easily? Leia turned around and tiptoed back upstairs, then she locked herself in her room. Her eyes took on a sinister look. Since Jack was so heartless, he should not me her for being ungrateful. He was more attentive toward Lucapared to the daughter he had raised for more than 20 years. Was he not afraid that others wouldugh at him if they found out? If that was the case, there was no need for her to be considerate. The most important thing was for her to have the Norman family in her hands. She had nothing to lose anyway, so what was she afraid of? Leia''s lips curled upward as she read her conversation with Mandy. If their interception did not work out, they may need her help, so she might as well get this over with. Leia typed in the chat: [Since you''re breaking into the Norman Residence anyway, please take care of Jack and Queenie as well. If they''re not dead, at least scare them out of their wits.] Mandy was still awake, so when she saw the message, she replied: [You want to mess with your parents?] Leia said ruthlessly: [Parents? They don''t deserve to be called that.] Mandy confirmed with her: [You''re heartless. They''ve raised you for so many years even though you''re not blood-rted. Are you sure about this?] She knew that all of Leia''s expenses were paid by Jack. Yet, Leia wanted to get rid of Jack and Queenie, which she was surprised to hear. [I''m sure.] Leia sent those two words to her without hesitation. After a while, Mandy replied: [I''ve asked Mr. Matysh, and he agreed. But if any ident happens, you can''t me him.] [If any ident does happen, I''d have to thank him.] Leia smiled sinisterly. The next day. Warren''s car pulled up in front of the mansion on time, and Rain was sitting in the backseat waiting for Luca. She fiddled with her earphones and said, "I''m picking up Ms. Craw, and we''ll leave from Exit A of the neighborhood. Don''t forget to follow us." Warren looked at Rain from the rearview mirror. They had an urgent meeting at midnight as there was a high chance that Matysh would make a move today, so everyone was being extra serious. Moreover, the order that Luke gave was that Matysh could noty a finger on Luca. Chapter 2576 After Rain ended the conversation, Warren asked all of a sudden, ¡°Ms. Rain, are you nervous?" Rain was caught off guard, so she just blinked. "Nervous about what?" "I''ve been working with you and Mr. Gale for so long, and it''s the first time where my mission is to protect someone, so I''m a little nervous," said Warren. When he was driving Luca to ces, all he had to do was check his surroundings, so he was not nervous about it at all. Now, the situation was different. The meetingst night made him anxious about what could go wrong and potentially put Luca''s life in danger. Although he had good driving skills, he was still nervous about protecting the woman Luke cared about most. Rain shook her head and leaned forward to pat his shoulder. "Don''t be nervous. Believe in yourself. Your driving skills are the best on our team. Just drive like you normally do and leave the rest to us." Warren nodded, and he seemed to calm down a little after Rain reassured him. "By the way, do you remember the route we set yesterday?" Rain asked again as they had worked out a route to Norman Residence. If they followed that route, Matysh''s people were less likely to make a move. She actually hoped that Matysh''s people would make a move today as they had been in hiding for a long time, and it was time they ended it once and for all. If Matysh made a move today, they could just turn them over to the police and it would all be settled. However, Luke''s orders were to ensure Luca''s safety. Therefore, the route they chose was mostly on main roads so that Matysh''s people would have a lesser chance to make a move. "I do. It''s already in my head," said Warren as they had decided which route to takest night. The car following behind them would follow that route as well. In order to lower Matysh''s guard, only one car would follow them from the mansion to Norman Residence, but there would be a backup car waiting for them every few miles. Even the president of the country might not even have this kind of treatment. "Okay." Rain saw Luca open the door, so she hurriedly opened the car door and rushed out. "Good morning, Ms. Craw." ¡°Good morning, Rain. I''m sorry to trouble you today," said Luca as today was supposed to be their day off, but they had toe to protect her, so she felt a little bad. "Don''t worry about it. Come on, get in." Rain opened the car door. Luca bent down and got in. After Rain closed the car door, she spoke into her earphones, "We''re ready to go. The car at the entrance, prepare to follow." Then, she got in the car from the other side. After buckling up, Rain said to warren, "Let''s go." "Alright." Warren drove off. After leaving the neighborhood, Luca noticed a car following behind them. She knew that it was Luke''s people and that they were following behind them to keep her safe. After finishing the soup yesterday, Luke did not go to sleep right away. Instead, he called for a short meeting. She guessed that the meeting was for today''s ns. Luca asked, "How many cars were prepared today?" Rain was slightly shocked that Luca seemed well aware of their ns, so she said, "Except for the car behind us, there are five others, and they''ll follow us one by one every few miles." Luca nodded. As expected, Luke had spent a lot of money on her. Although she was Luca now, she received the same treatment she got when she was Bianca. "Ms. Craw, why aren''t you surprised?" asked Rain when she saw how calm Luca was. "I had already guessed that Luke would hire quite a number of people," said Luca. If Luke did not value her, he would not have objected to her using herself as bait to capture Matysh. Besides, getting rid of Matysh was beneficial for Marcos, which in turn would benefit T Corporation''s future coborations with M Group. "You know our boss very well." Rain sighed externally and internally. Of course, Luca knew Luke well. There was no doubt that they were a married couple. Although they had been apart for three years, they still knew each other inside out. The car had passed by two intersections, but nothing had happened yet. They did not notice anyone following them either. Rain could not help but wonder. "Now is a good chance. Why aren''t they making a move?" Luca was observing her surroundings as well. They did not notice anyone on their tail, and neither did she. The vehicles around them came and went, except for the ones arranged by Luke. It was all too strange. Were they wrong about Leia? Did Matysh really not have anything to do with her? Luca shook her head. She did not believe it. Besides, Leia had worked with people from the Ind of Despair, and she was the one who made her like this... Thus, she did not believe that Leia was not evil. Plus, Leia knew Mandy. There was no way it was all coincidence. Something must have gone on behind the scenes. The phone in Luca''s hand rang. She looked down and saw that it was Luke. ¡°Mr. Crawford.." Luca picked up the phone and called him Mr. Crawford respectfully as Rain was sitting next to her. Luke did notment on it. "How are things over there?" "We''re almost at Norman Residence, but it''s been quiet so far, and we didn''t notice anyone following us," Luca reported. "Don''t let your guard down," said Luke. "Okay," Luca responded. After ending the call, Rain asked, "Was that Boss? What did he say?" "He said not to let our guard down.." Luca ryed the message. "He''s right. The people spying on Matysh had called to inform that Matysh had left his hotel alone early this morning without his lover, Mandy. Plus, he caught us tracking him down, so he shook us off his tail. That''s not normal. I''m guessing that he must be up to something," said Rain casually. During this period, they had been keeping an eye on Matysh. He rarely left his hotel, and even if he did, he would bring Mandy with him because of thenguage barrier. It was unusual that he left the hotel without Mandy and even got rid of their people today. Luca frowned. It seemed like their suspicions were right. Rain just finished speaking when Luca''s phone rang again, but this time, it was Queenie who called. She answered the phone, "Good morning, Mrs. Norman." "Good morning, Luca. Where are you now? Are youing?" Queenie''s voice was as gentle as ever like a spring breeze brushing against her ears. "Yes, I''m on the way. I''ll be there in about 10 minutes," Luca estimated.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Okay, then I''ll have the maid wait for you at the door." Queenie was relieved to know that Luca was coming over as she had not called all morning, and with Leia rambling non-stop, she almost thought that Luca was noting. Chapter 2577 When Queenie ended the call, Leia was eager to know what she said. ¡°Mom, is sheing?" "She''s almost here," said Queenie. Then, she proceeded to frown and nag at her when she recalled what Leia said earlier. "Leia, you shouldn''t say the things you said just now in front of her. You''re asking someone for a favor right now, so don''t say those things." They had been waiting in the living room for some time, but Luca had yet to arrive, so Leia began to suspect that Luca made an empty promise to Queenie. Thus, she kept badmouthing Luca. Finally, Queenie had to call Luca to confirm after Leia urged her to. Leia grunted and criticized her, "How pretentious of her. Do you really think she wants to help me? She''s just doing it to please you and dad because it might be beneficial to her in the future." Queenie went pale and looked toward the stairway. Fortunately, Jack was noting downstairs. He would have thrown a fit if he heard thate out of her mouth. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Ever since Luca saved her, Jack thought highly of Luca, so he would not tolerate Queenie and Leia talking badly about Luca. "Enough, stop it. Your father will be mad if he hears this. Besides, Luca is here to help you. She won''t have any other intentions." Queenie hurriedly pressed Leia''s hand to signal her to stop talking. Otherwise, she may be kicked out if Jack heard her. Leia pouted as Queenie was still siding with Luca. What a joke. She was just asking for it at this point. Leia stood up. Upon seeing that, Queenie said, "Leia, don''t make a scene. Luca will be here soon. Just sit down quietly." "I''ll go upstairs for a while," Leia said and headed upstairs. Queenie watched as Leia went upstairs and sighed resignedly. Then, she stood up and walked to the kitchen. She saw the maid preparing the ingredients for lunch, so she put on her apron and said, "Ms. Craw will be here soon, so go wee her at the door." The maid nodded and washed her hands before walking to the door. Leia had locked herself in her bedroom upstairs. She picked up her phone to call Mandy. "She''s almost here. Why haven''t you all made a move yet?" "I''m in themand car. I heard that Luke sent people to protect Luca and that the route they''re taking is hard for us to take action, so we haven''t done anything until now," Mandy exined. She wanted to get a move on and kidnap Luca too. However, these people were afraid that their n would go south, so they had yet to make a move. Leia was displeased to hear that Luke''s people were protecting Luca. If Luke sent so many people to protect her, it seemed like there was something going on between them after all. Leia''s heart sank at the thought of them hiding their rtionship in front of Queenie previously. When he rejected Leia before, it made her plummet into an abyss, but he was dating amoner now. That made Leia ball up her hand into a fist. Leia could not help but mutter, "B*tch." Mandy, who was on the other end of the call, was taken aback. "Who did you just call a bitch?" "Not you." Leia snapped herself out of her resentment and asked, "So what now? Now is a good chance. Are you not going to do anything? It''ll be hard for me to invite her over again in the future." "I know, so we n to take action at your ce," said Mandy. She was just about to call Leia but did not expect Leia to call her first. "At my ce?" Leia had thought of this before, but she did not think that it would actually happen. "What? Didn''t you say we could do it at your housest night and that we should teach your biased parents a good lesson?" Mandy asked. She had agreed to do sost night, so she mentioned it to Matysh. Having more ces for them to make a move would give them more options. "Yes, but you can''t expose me," Leia reminded. She wanted Queenie and Jack to have a little ident while Luca was getting kidnapped by Matysh. "Don''t worry about that, but we might need you to open the door to make it easier for them." Mandy nced at the words typed by the man beside her and ryed the message. "Won''t you expose me like this?" Leia frowned as she could not take such risks. Luke cared about the couple. If investigations found out that she was the one who let them in, she would not be able to stay in A City anymore. "What are you afraid of? I just need you to open the door slightly. Getting them to open the door themselves would waste time, and they might get caught even before they make a move... I remember you have a backdoor at your ce. You can just open the backdoor. There''s no need to open the front door," said Mandy. "Okay.." Leia had no choice but to say yes. "It''s a n, then. You go open the door first, and be careful," Mandy reminded her. Leia hung up the phone and took a deep breath. She then nced at her phone screen. The call was five-minutes-long, which meant that Luca would be here in five minutes. She had to avoid the security cameras in the backyard to unlock the door in order to let them in within five minutes. Then, she had to go back to her bedroom before Luca came. Otherwise, she would get caught. After giving it some thought, Leia immediately put on a jacket to go to the backyard. Although she had not lived here for a few years, the security camera positions here had not changed. Wayne had her study the blind spots of the security cameras in the house, so she was familiar with them. When she reached downstairs. Queenie was in the kitchen preparing lunch, and the maid was not there. Leia tiptoed out to the foyer and walked through the blind spot before reaching the backyard and opening the door. No one was outside the door yet, so she figured that they were still following Luca''s car. Leia did not dy any further and hurried back in. When she was about to head upstairs, she ran into Queenie walking out of the kitchen, who noticed her wearing a jacket. She asked Leia, ¡°Leia, are you cold? Why are you wearing a jacket in the house?" Leia turned around and pretended that she had juste down from upstairs. "No. Didn''t you say the woman wasing? I was going to wee her in so that Dad wouldn''t say I''m rude." A smile appeared on Queenie''s face when she heard that. Leia was finally a little more understanding. "Great, but it''s cold out, so put on moreyers." "Okay..." Leia thought that she would stop her. Thus, she picked up a scarf and walked out of the house. When she reached the door, the maid looked at her and asked in confusion, "Ms. Leia, are you going out?" "No, I''m waiting for someone." Leia stared at the road with a gloomy face. This district was full of mansions, but their neighborhood was different from the other neighborhoods. The mansions here were self-built in the early days, so there was no security system here like in the other neighborhoods. Therefore, anyone could walk around here. Chapter 2578 "Are you here to wait for Ms. Craw too?" the maid smiled and said. She nced at the time and presumed that Luca should be arriving soon. Leia did not respond to her and just stomped her feet on the side. She then took out her phone and called Mandy, "I''ve opened the backdoor. It''s covered but not locked. Make sure the men pretend to hurt me when theye in. I don''t want Luke to suspect anything after he sees the surveince footage." "Will do," Mandy replied. "Also,e in only after I send you some numbers. I¡¯ll connect to the surveince system at home and delete the footage of me opening the door," Leia said. She was familiar with doing this sort of thing because of Wayne tt. "You¡¯re asking for so much but okay." Mandy could not help butin. Leia lowered her gaze and deleted all of their chats. After that, she nced at the time before she exhaled hot air andined, "Why is she taking so long?" "It¡¯s a Sunday. There might be a traffic jam on the road." When she saw how impatient Leia was, the maid said, "Ms. Leia, it''s cold outside. You should head in." "Okay, make sure you keep watch." Leia hurriedly went inside. She had to go make a copy of the surveince video and then fill the gap with the footage of when she was in the back garden. She would inevitably be exposed to the surveince camera at the door when she opened it. As such, she had to take care of it. She had been sent off to New York once by Luke and did not want to be sent off to America by him again for any excuse. Leia crossed the living room and trotted upstairs. Jack happened to be heading downstairs and frowned with dissatisfaction when he saw her rushing around. "Why are you in such a hurry?" "Dad..." Leia was startled. She was scared to face Jack. She knew that she could no longer be conceited when she found out that he no longer loved her as her father. As such, she was a little afraid when she saw Jack''s serious expression. "You¡¯re so flustered even at home. What if you bump into someone?!" Jack intended to discipline her. He came hometest night, so he did not see Leia. He was annoyed when he saw her nervous state, which was not at alldylike. "Sorry, Dad. Luca..." Leia noticed that Jack''s expression became even more displeased when she mentioned ''Luca.'' She quickly said, "Ms. Craw ising, so I''m going to change and head downstairs. I didn''t realize that I was rushing..." "Be careful. Don''t bump into your mother." Jack was not bothered by Leia when he learned that Luca wasing. He walked downstairs quickly. Leia looked at him as he walked off. She snorted to herself and returned to her bedroom. After she closed the door, Leia turned on theputer, connected to the vi''s surveince system, and quickly modified the surveince footage of when she went to open the door. She heard the maid''s voiceing from the door just as she was done. "Ms. Leia, Ms. Craw is here. Mr. and Mrs. asked you to go downstairs." "Mm, I''ming." Leia lowered her gaze, picked up her phone, and sent a number to Mandy before she carefully deleted their chat history. She had be extra cautious due to what Wayne did to her prior. After she got everything sorted, Leia walked over to the dresser and put on some lipstick. ''So what if Luke is having an affair with Luca? So what if Jack values Luca? She''s about to be someone else''s ything soon enough.'' Leia smiled. Her lips were covered in bright red lipstick as if smeared with human blood. She turned around and walked out of the bedroom. In the living room, Luca was sitting on the sofa with some hot tea and snacks ced in front of her. It was as though they were entertaining their most important guests. Leia lowered her gaze and walked toward them. Luca noticed Leiaing, nced at her lipstick, and frowned slightly. The sallow color on her face did not pair well with the brightly colored lipstick... Leia could have put on lipstick to make her face look rosier, but it was superfluous and made her a little ugly. "Leia,e, sit here." Queenie saw Leia approaching and was taken aback when she noticed Leia''s bright red lips. She quickly returned to normal and asked Leia to sit next to her. The seat was near Luca and was reserved for Leia on purpose. Leia walked over and sat down. As Queenie and Jack were watching, she had no choice but to say hello to Luca, "Ms. Craw, thank you for agreeing to heal my body. To be honest, I was surprised." "Nothing to worry about." Luca did not ask her what she was surprised about but instead motioned for her to roll up her sleeves. "I''ll check your pulse. Also, I need the results of thest few tests as well as the doctor''s order." "Okay, I''ll go get it." Queenie knew she needed these documents, so she stood up to get them. She took them with her when she brought Leia home yesterday. Leia rolled up her sleeves to allow Luca to check her pulse. Luca put her fingers on Leia''s pulse. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. After a while, she knew that Queenie did not exaggerate Leia''s physical condition. She knew that Leia''s health was terrible by taking her pulse. "Luca, here. These are the inspection reports from the past few visits." Queenie handed Luca the folder with the reports. "Thank you, Mrs. Norman." Luca took it and was about to take a look when she heard Leia say, "Why do you need to look at my medical records? Don''t you know how to check someone''s pulse?" "I''m just making sure." She did not expect Leia to start picking on things in front of so many people. After all, Leia was not only afraid of Luke but also Jack. Jack was sitting on the sofa beside her, so Luca did not expect her to dare say such a thing. Leia put one hand on the medical record and said, "There''s nothing special about my situation. Since you took my pulse just now, why don''t we talk about what''s wrong with my body first?" Luca ced the medical records on the table. It seemed that Leia would not let Luca treat her if she did not give her a reasonable exnation. Regardless, she did not n to win over Leia with her medical knowledge. She was helping Leia to take care of her body as a courtesy to Queenie and Jack. She was no longer Bianca, so she could not do the same thing as Bianca. Leia could at least divert their longing for Bianca by being by their side. Therefore, she chose to help her condition her body. Queenie would not be worried all day if Leia''s health was better. At that moment, Luca felt that there was no need for conditioning. "Ms. Norman''s body is immensely weak. If she doesn''t take medicine to condition her body, the liver transnt operation would''ve been done in vain," Luca said in a casual tone. Leia snorted and was about to say that she had not mentioned anything about her health issues when Luca stood up. She looked down at Leia and said, "Since Ms. Norman doesn''t believe in me, I think it would be best to get another respected medicine practitioner to attend to her. Also, Ms. Norman, yourplexion is sallow. You need to pay attention to your health. Mr. and Mrs. Norman, I''m sorry I wasn''t of much help today. I''ll be heading off now." Chapter 2579 "Luca?" Queenie hurriedly stood up and looked at Leia reproachfully. She did not expect Leia to make trouble at such a time. Luca was about to leave, but she paused and eventually turned around to say, "Mrs. Norman, I''m sorry. Ms. Norman doesn''t have any trust in me, so I think she should go to the doctors in the hospital. After all, they''re registered professionals with the license to practice." Leia watched her leave and hurriedly called out to her, "Stop! Who told you to leave?" Jack also stood up and said loudly, "I told her to." "Dear!" Queenie looked at him quickly. She expected him to say something to help with the situation or force Leia to apologize. However, she did not expect that he would support Luca leaving. "Luca is right." Jack walked up to Luca. He could not bear to see his biological daughter being bullied by Leia. Leia was the one who needed help, yet her ridicule and suspicion made it ufortable for anyone to listen to her. "Come on, Luca. I''ll send you home," Jack said. He intended to drive her as he did not know that Luke''s men were standing guard on the outside. "No need, Mr. Norman. Get some rest. My friends are waiting for me outside," Luca said. Jack raised his eyebrows and realized that the friends she was talking about were probably arranged by Luke. He nodded and said, "In that case, I''ll send you off." "Dad!" Leia fretted and stomped her feet. Her eyes wandered back and forth between the door and Luca. "What? Are you not satisfied even after offending our guest?" Jack was angry. If Leia were not ill, he would not have been able to control himself from giving her a tight p. ¡®How could I have adopted such a good-for-nothing?'' "I''m your daughter!" Leia said, her eyes teary. She did not need to stop Luca from leaving. She was just trying to drag it out. ¡®Damn it, why haven''t those men stormed in yet?'' "My daughter would never be as ill-mannered as you!" Jack was furious and wanted nothing more than to kick Leia out of the house. His daughter was Luca, and she was a daughter who made her father proud. Luca was unlike Leia, who would only bring shame to the family. "You..." Leia''s sentence came to an abrupt end when she saw some men barging in from the door. Those men had weapons in their hands, so she quickly ducked aside to avoid getting hurt in the process. Jack also heard the footsteps. He looked at the men who rushed in and noticed that they held daggers and iron bars in their hands. He frowned and asked, "Who are you? Do you know where this is?" "Let''s go. Grab that woman!" The man in the leadmanded his subordinates and acted as though he did not hear Jack. Luca knew that they came for her the moment she saw the men. Luke''s subordinates, like her, did not expect the thugs to be so bold and rush in without any regard. She called Rain in an instant. She was unsure whether the call was connected. She held her phone tightly in her hand and looked at the men who rushed over. She took advantage of the situation and pulled Jack, who was beside her, to hide. The group of men immediately chased after Luca. "Mr. Norman, protect Mrs. Norman." Luca pushed Jack away and ran straight out. Luke''s men were outside. She would be safe if she could get outside. "This woman wants to run. Chase her!" The leading man realized Luca''s intention and immediately shouted. Leia hid in the corner and screamed with displeasure to get the men''s attention when she noticed that they were so focused on their pursuit of Luca that they forgot about Jack and Queenie. "Ah!" A scream pierced through the roof. The leader then remembered their extra task and rushed over to Queenie and Jack with a dagger in his hand. "Hmph, I didn''t expect a bumper harvest today." Luca had already got to the entrance. She turned around and found that those men were also heading toward Jack and Queenie, so she bit her lower lip and said, "Didn''t you want to catch me?" The man stopped in his tracks. He was wearing a mask, so she could not see the expression on his face. However, she felt his sinister and vicious gaze. "Do you care about them?" The man seemed to have discovered new information. Meanwhile, Luca was surrounded by several men. She closed her eyes and did a quick analysis in her head. There were four men in total. Two of them had knives in their hands, and the other two men also had iron rods in their hands. If she grabbed the dagger, she might be stabbed. However, if she instead grabbed the iron bar, the worst that could happen was that she would be hit. Luca clenched her fists and tried to distract them by talking, "Your target is just me, and now I''m surrounded by your men. Don''t you want to have me delivered to whoever hired you and get your pay?" "That sounds right..." Before the man finished speaking, Leia, who was on the side, said, "Yes, you must never hurt my parents! Do you know who my father is? If something happens, you''ll never get away with it!" As soon as she finished speaking, the man raised his head and howled to the skies. He looked at Queenie, who was being protected by Jack. He said gloomily, "Is that so? I''m going to kidnap Mr. Norman and his wife today. What are you going to do about it?" He took a step forward as he said that. Jack frowned and guarded Queenie. "Don''t hurt my wife." Luca frowned. The scene seemed familiar as Leia once tried to use this method to get the viin to let go of Queenie. ¡®How stupid.'' The people around her were also distracted by Leia. Luca took advantage of them not paying attention and grabbed someone''s rod. With a loud smack, the iron rodnded on the man closest to her. The sound caught the attention of the others. The man who was assaulted by Luca fell to the ground and yelped in pain. "Get this woman under control first!" The man realized that Luca had some skills and quickly commanded his subordinates. Jack and Queenie were not part of the n. The most important thing for them was to get Luca. Leia watched all the men crowd around Luca. She gritted her teeth and looked at Queenie and Jack with resentment. They were alright. Queenie hid behind Jack, pale and overwhelmed with fright. When he saw them acting as such, Jack roared angrily and shouted, "What''s the point of you going at a woman? Come at me instead!" "Dear!" Queenie understood that Jack did that because Luca had helped their family. She looked at the phone beside the table, reached out tremblingly, and wanted to call the police. The leader turned around and pointed the dagger at Jack''s body. "Don''t worry, we''ll give you a knife as soon as we subdue this woman." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Queenie was reaching for the phone. At this moment, Luca was waving a rod and taking a defensive posture. It was a little difficult for her to face so many men by herself. No matter how difficult it was, Luca would never allow these men to hurt Jack and Queenie! Leia noticed Queenie''s actions and knew she was about to call the police, so she deliberately acted frightened and called out to her, "Mom!" Chapter 2580 Leia''s voice caught the leader''s attention once more. He looked at Queenie and noticed the phone on the coffee table. The man walked over quickly, smashed the phone on the ground, and stepped on it with his foot before he pped Queenie. "B*tch, you want to call the police?" "Ah!" Queenie did not expect that they would notice. She shouted from the shock. Jack quickly got between the man and Queenie, so the pnded on his head. The man snorted coldly and pushed him away. Jack fell to the ground in pain. "Ah, dear! Dear, are you alright?" Queenie also fell to the ground in shock and wanted to climb over to check on Jack, but she lost all strength. Leia hid behind the sofa and smiled slightly when she saw how miserable the couple was. She looked toward Luca but could not see how Luca was doing because she was squatting. There were bursts of fighting. Although they were all men''s voices, Leia believed that Luca could never beat 10 people on her own no matter how strong she was! "Mind yourself!" The man''s dagger pointed toward Queenie, then at Jack. As soon as his words fell, Rain rushed in with a group of people. The man realized that those who were assigned to protect Luca were there. He was sharp-witted and dragged Queenie up from the ground. He put the dagger on her neck. "Stop where you are!" Rain and the others eliminated the remaining men who surrounded Luca. The crisis around Luca was resolved, and it was only then that she realized that Queenie was being held against her will with a dagger on her neck. She was apprehensive when she saw Queenie''s pale face and Jack, who was lying on the ground. His condition was unknown. The man pushed the knife closer to Queenie''s neck. An indentation appeared on Queenie''s neck. Luca took a deep breath. She was worried that this situation would affect the couple''s blood pressure, so she dropped the rod. Her hands were trembling slightly. "We can discuss it. Let them go..." The man nced at the bunch who rushed in and beat his people up so badly that they were all lying on the ground. ''This is the only way to get Luca now.'' The man looked at Queenie, then at Luca. Luca''s panicked look made it seem as though she was the couple''s biological daughter. ''It''s funny. The actual daughter hired us to deal with her parents, but a person who''s not blood-rted to them is the one who''s so nervous about them.'' The man opened his mouth and said, "Our boss wants you. If you want to save them, you cane and rece them." "Okay." Luca agreed without a second thought. "No, Ms. Craw, you can''t make yourself hostage!" Rain immediately took Luca''s hand and shook her head. If the knife were on Luca''s neck, none of them would have a satisfactory exnation for Luke. Luca pulled out her hand and said, "I''ll be your hostage." "Ms. Craw!" Rain could only watch her as Luca walked over. She wanted to stop her but could not. Luca was Queenie''s biological daughter, and Rain knew that she would not let anything happen to Queenie. "Remember to call the ambnceter." Luca looked at Leia from the corners of her eyes and noticed that there was a wry smile on the corner of her mouth. She thought nobody noticed her reaction, but Luca did. It was unlikely for her smile to appear in such a situation unless everything the gangster was doing now was as she wished. As such, Luca did not expect Leia to call Jack and Queenie an ambnce after she was kidnapped. "Ms. Craw..." Rain could only helplessly watch her walk over. The man moved quickly and pushed Queenie away. "Mmph..." Queenie groaned and fell to the ground. Rain''s subordinates immediately stepped forward to help her. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. The dagger was quickly ced on Luca''s neck. "Don''t move. The dagger has no eyes." Luca lowered her gaze calmly and looked at the sharpened dagger. She did not struggle but instead asked leisurely, "Have you heard of this saying?" "What saying?" The man was startled that Luca was acting so calm even when she was under his control. It was as though she was trying to lure him into a trap. "Justice has long arms," Luca said in a casual tone. The man clenched the dagger in his hand and said, "You''re going to die anyway. Is there a point in saying such a thing?" "Are you sure that the person who hired you to kidnap me wants me to die?" Luca raised her gaze, looked at Rain calmly, and hinted at her with her eyes. "Oh, that''s not my business. My task isplete once I kidnap and deliver you." The man kicked another subordinate who was on the ground not far from him and said, "What are you still doing lying on the ground? The task ispleted. Hurry up." He believed that he could retreat safely with Luca''s neck in his hand. "You''re still thinking about retreating? Have you heard another saying?" Luca asked. The man was startled. "You can cop a plea if you choose to be honest. Tell me, how did youe in?" Luca asked. Although she was asking this, she knew in her heart that Leia had something to do with what happened. "Of course, I came in through the door swaggeringly." The man thought she was stalling for time. After all his subordinates stood up, he held onto her more tightly and walked out. "Get out of the way or this woman''s neck will see blood." Rain had no choice but to help Queenie up and step to the side. Queenie looked at Luca weakly as tears welled up in her eyes. "Luca..." The man was satisfied seeing that they were all afraid of the dagger in his hand. He continued to bring Luca out. When he was about to reach the entrance, Luca''s hand that had been down suddenly lifted up. Her right hand held the sharp de while her left hand went straight to the man''s lower abdomen. Almost instantly, she grasped the knife with her right hand while her left hand probed back and exerted force. The man yelled out in pain, "Ahhhhh..." Luca bent down deftly, and when the man was in pain, she lifted her leg and kicked him to the ground. He did not clench the knife in his hand tightly because of the pain, and she was already holding it in her hand. Seeing this, Rain''s subordinates immediately knocked the other men to the ground again. The leader who held Luca hostage was also pressed to the ground by two tall and strong men. "Ms. Craw, your hand..." Rain looked at the dark red blood that was slowly flowing down Luca''s palm and dripping onto the ground. Luca felt the pain in her hand, but her sharp gaze turned to Leia, who was hiding beside the sofa. Leia shuddered when she met her gaze. ¡®How terrifying...'' It seemed as though Luca saw through her at a nce. Leia felt like she was being judged. "How are Mr. and Mrs. Norman?" Luca asked. Rain nced at Queenie, whom she was holding, and Jack, who was carefully being helped by her subordinates to the sofa. She said, "They have to go to the hospital immediately." Queenie had fainted, while Jack was frowning and seemed a little confused. She was unsure if he hurt his head. "Call an ambnce," Luca said as she took one step at a time toward Leia. Chapter 2581 "Yeah." Rain picked up the phone and dialed for the ambnce. Luca still did not let go of the dagger in her hand. She walked toward the direction Leia was hiding. A drop of blood fell with every step she took. Leia was so frightened by Luca¡¯s appearance that she did not dare to breathe. She fell to the ground. "I know you let these people in." Luca stood up straight and looked down at her. "I don''t know these people." Leia frowned. The fear in Leia¡¯s heart was infinitely magnified when she saw that Luca did not seem to feel any pain even though her hand was still dripping blood. "You''re a savage." Luca did not expect her to be so cruel. ¡®She shouldn¡¯t do this no matter how much she hates Jack and Queenie. After all, Jack has been covering all of her medical expenses and Queenie has been all hands on deck taking care of her. In return, Leia opted to find someone to hurt them...¡¯ Luca felt chills when she thought of how Leia repaid their kindness with vengeance. Leia was unsure why Luca suspected her. Even though those men were caught, her n was seamless, so she was confident that they would not involve her. As long as she refused to admit anything, Luca could not do anything to her. "I don''t know what you¡¯re talking about. Stop acting crazy!" she scolded. "You¡¯ll pay for what happened." Luca looked straight at her, and at that moment, she wanted to murder Leia. She felt the same toward anyone who wanted to hurt anyone she cared about. She did not have the ability to fight against Abel for the time being, but taking on Leia would be a piece of cake. After all, Leia and Abel were not on the same level... "Ms. Craw, the ambnce is here." As soon as Rain''s voice fell, the sound of the ambnce came from outside the door. A few paramedics walked in soon after with a stretcher and asked, "Where¡¯s the patient?" "Here." Rain greeted them so that they could get Queenie and Jack in the ambnce. The paramedics acted swiftly and moved the couple into the ambnce. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. One of the paramedics said, "Thedy with the injured hand, do you want to go to the hospital to bandage it up?" Luca knew he was talking to her, but she did not find a need to do as he said. She just wanted to keep watch of Leia and wait for the police toe to make sure that she would not cause any more trouble. Seeing that Luca did not respond, Rain said, "Ms. Craw, your hand is bleeding a lot. You should go to the hospital to bandage it to prevent the wound from getting infected. I''ll keep watch here. The police have already been informed of the situation. We need someone to look after Mr. and Mrs. Norman at the hospital." Hearing this, Luca knew that thought that Luke would be unhappy if he learned that she did not take care of herself. She said, "Keep an eye on her. Don''t let her make a fool of herself more than she already has." "Okay." Rain agreed. Luca left with the paramedics. Rain looked at the men under control and snorted coldly. They hurt her boss'' favorite woman, and she knew that they had iting for them. Moreover, they dared to hurt Mr. and Mrs. Norman. Even if Luke did not put pressure on the police, they would still take it seriously. After all, Jack was injured, which proved that there was a problem with thew and order in the area. The police would surely crack down on their organization, which would probablye to an end soon enough. Rain walked up to Leia and asked, "You''re working with these men?" Leia stood up by grabbing onto the sofa. She patted the dust off her body while pretending to be calm and nned to make a move. Rain raised her hand and blocked her way. "You can''t leave." Leia red at her and said, "What''s wrong with you?! This is my home, and I''m also a victim here. Why can''t I leave? This is my house. I can go wherever I want." "Even if you don''t admit it, you''re an eyewitness at the scene. You have to wait for the police toe and record your statement. Also, Mr. and Mrs. Norman are injured, yet you''re still so calm. Sure enough, those who are adopted will never be loyal. Animals that have been raised as pets know how to be grateful and repay their master, yet you..." Rain rolled her eyes at Leia. Rain had no evidence to prove that this matter had anything to do with Leia, but in the chaos, she, too, noticed that Leia had behaved abnormally. It seemed like she was deliberately trying to divert the attention of those men to Jack and Queenie. "We''ll wait for the police toe, then. The atmosphere here is foul. How unlucky." Leia nced at the blood from Luca''s hand on the ground. Leia thought about how Luca walked slowly toward her like a messenger from hell while her body carried the stench of blood... Leia could not help but shudder. "Okay, this is still your home for the time being. I don''t have the right to restrict you from moving around in this house." Rain retracted her hand, turned around, pressed her foot on a subdued man, and said to her subordinate, "I''ll keep watch of this man. You can go and ''protect'' Ms. Norman to make sure that no one else is hiding in this house to hurt her, the witness." "Yes." The subordinate understood what she meant. He followed along when he saw Leia going upstairs. "How dare you?!" Leia turned her head around and gave the man a vicious look before she stared at Rain. "What''s wrong with that? This is all to protect Mr. Norman''s daughter..." Rain sneered, smiled innocently, then picked up the phone and updated Luke on the situation. After another five minutes, the police arrived in a hurry. When Rain called the police, she provided the address and mentioned that it was Jack Norman''s home. The police department attached great importance to the case, so the chief led the team to the Norman Residence. The police chief frowned when he saw the mess in the living room. "Where''s Mr. Norman now?" "On the way to the hospital. These people are the ones who hurt Mr. and Mrs. Norman. I''ll leave them to you." Rain''s expression was a little gloomy because Luke med her after he heard that Luca''s hand was injured. However, she did not me Luca. On the contrary... She looked upstairs at Leia, whom she thought was a double dealer. She hated her. "What? Are Mr. and Mrs. Norman injured? Is it serious?" the police chief asked hastily. "You need to ask the doctor in the hospital, not me. Also, we would appreciate it if you can proceed with cuffing these people up as soon as possible. By the way, there''s another one upstairs. She ims that she''s a victim and this matter has nothing to do with her, but nevertheless, she''s a witness to the whole incident. We only came in afterward to protect ourdy of the house," Rain said. The police chief made a gesture, and the police behind him immediately went to work. He asked again, "Who''s yourdy of the house?" "You''ll know who she is soon enough. I''ll head to the police station with you and record a statement by the way. In that case, my friends won''t have toe along, right?" Rain said. The police chief hesitated. Although he did not know who thedy she was talking about was, he knew that someone who had a rtionship with Jack must be something else. Rain said, "They can just go to the station if you need them to take a statement. We''re all good citizens who won''t run away." Chapter 2582 The police chief looked at the handcuffed trespassers and then at the colleagues that Rain spoke of. All of those who invaded the house had bruised noses and swollen eyes. Their faces were injured to certain extents, while Rain''s subordinates were not injured at all, at least not on the surface. "Would good citizens beat up others so badly?" The police chief did not believe her. "They were all armed with daggers and rods. We acted in self-defense," Rain exined while she looked at the stairs. Leia hade downstairs. Rain pointed to the direction of the stairs and said, "That''s Mr. Norman''s daughter in A City and behind her is the colleague we assigned to protect her." The police chief looked in the direction she was pointing, saw Leia, and nodded. He knew of Leia, naturally. After all, everyone knew of what happened previously. There were still ongoing gossip materials about her on the inte. Therefore, the police chief was familiar with such a ''superstar.'' He looked at Leia''s sallow face and could not help but sigh when he thought about all that Jack had done for the people. He was worthy of admiration by those in the political world. However, his only failure was having a daughter like Leia. Even though public opinion on the inte did not me Jack for not disciplining his ill-mannered daughter, everyone knew that Leia was not only bad-natured. She was who she was because she was spoiled. The police chief stepped forward and said, "Ms. Norman, pleasee to the police station with us. We need your cooperation to record your statement." Leia ignored him and went downstairs. She nced at the smile on Rain''s face and felt that her mockery was because she was able to see through her. Leia even felt that she might not be able toe out if she went to the police station with them. Leia refused. "I''m not going." "You''re a witness. You have to work with us for our investigation," the police chief said. "I''m not feeling well right now. I can record a statement, but it''ll have to be done at the hospital." Leia sat on the sofa and pretended to be weak. Before Leia could answer, Rain mockingly said, "How is it possible? She was hiding in the corner behind the sofa while Mr. Norman and the others were being held hostage. She did nothing but scream a few times. Those people didn''t even notice her." Luca called her the moment those men stormed into Norman Residence. Even if she was not there when it started, she could roughly estimate the situation by listening to the sound. "What nonsense are you talking about? Be careful of what you say. Otherwise, I''ll tear your mouth apart!" Leia''s tone was vicious and full of anger. The police chief frowned. Leia added, "I just had a liver transnt. I was frightened today and now I feel like something is wrong. Please call an ambnce for me." The police chief shook his head helplessly and thought that the matter at hand was troublesome. However, since the incident happened at Jack''s house, he had to deal with it well or his future would be bleak. Some time ago, the police management emphasized ensuring the safety of the citizens. Now that such a thing happens in an official''s house, he would be held ountable by various parties if it was not handled properly. "Call an ambnce," the police chief said. At the same time, Rain said to the subordinate who followed Leia, "Go to the hospital with the ambnceter to ensure the safety of Ms. Norman." She deliberately dragged the word ''safety.'' "No need, I don''t trust your people." Leia tried to call Mandy Sanders just now to inform her that the mission had failed. However, Rain''s subordinate was by her side, so she could only hide in the bathroom to send a text to notify Mandy that she and others should not wait around the area. That was because the men working for them have all been detained by the police. "You can trust my people. Besides, we can''t be sure about the ambnce that''ll beingter." Seeing that she was worried, Rain turned to look at the police chief and said, "Chief, I''m worried that those from the same gang will hide in the ambnce. Why don''t you send two police officers to go to the hospital along with Ms. Norman? Thedy of our house is also there, and her condition isn''t serious, so the police can record a statement at any time. She''s also one of the witnesses who were present. " "Okay." The police chief agreed. At the same time, a policeman said, "Chief, I think there are surveince cameras here, so I want to have a look through. Can I apply for it now?" "Make a copy of the surveince footage and fill out the application form when the timees." The police chief was worried that someone would switch the surveince footage after they left, so he nned to take the footage with them and fill in the applicationter. "Okay." The policeman nodded and looked at Leia. "Ms. Norman, where''s the security room?" "How would I know?" Leia rolled her eyes and looked uncooperative. The policeman was speechless and looked at the police chief. Rain smiled and said, "Ms. Norman, didn''t you just say that this is your home? How could you not know where the security room is? Are you a fake?" "What nonsense are you talking about?! I''m Leia Norman. What''s wrong with you?!" Leia crossed her legs and shouted at Rain. "In that case, why don''t you know where it is? If you obstruct the police in their investigation, you''ll be held ountable. The vi is so big. They can surely find the security room if they open each room to check. Whether you cooperate or not, the police will be able to obtain the footage. However, what''s the reason for your non-cooperation? Could it have something to do with you?" Rain usually opted to keep quiet. However, it was when she was upset that she would talk a lot. "If you go on with this nonsense, I''ll sue you for nder." Leia raised her hand and pointed at Rain, her arm trembling uncontrobly. Rain shrugged nonchntly. Seeing that the situation was getting out of hand, the police chief had no choice but to ask, "Ms. Norman, where''s the security room of the vi?" "The first room on the left," Leia had no choice but to blurt it out. When they heard that, the police followed the direction she said and saw the room, so they pushed the door and went in. They used their professional equipment and copied the surveince footage covering the entire vi. It included footage from the surveince cameras installed by the Normans outside the house. At the same time, another ambnce arrived at Norman Residence. The paramedics saw that everyone seemed fine, so they asked curiously, "Did someone call an ambnce? Where''s the patient?" "Here." Leia stood up. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. The paramedics frowned. "Where are you feeling unwell?" "My liver is not feeling well. Take me to the hospital," Leia said as she walked out. The paramedics were slightly taken aback as they had not seen anyone who could walk by themselves call an ambnce. Rain looked at Leia as she walked away and nodded to her subordinates. Her subordinates followed immediately behind Leia. The police chief also assigned two officers to follow Leia to the hospital. After the paramedics and Leia left, the police chief asked, "Ma''am, now can you tell me who is your lady of the house?" "She''s not exactly ady..." Rain said, "I was just trying to scare them." She was referring to the men who tried to kidnap Luca. Chapter 2583 Rain exined it to him since the men were brought into the police cars. After all, in the eyes of these uninformed people, Luke was not single. His wife was abroad. No one knew Luca was Bianca. The police chief was taken aback by what she said. ''What is this all about?'' Rain knew he did not understand the situation, so she said, "The target of these people is Luca. Ms. Craw is our boss'' subordinate. He knew that her life was being threatened, so he asked us to protect her." "So that woman is just your boss'' employee?" The police chief understood. "Mm, I work for Mr. Luke Crawford. Ms. Craw came over today because she was invited by Mr. and Mrs. Norman. We didn''t expect those gangsters to dare to make a move here," Rain said. The police chief now fully understood the situation. He nodded and said, "Mm, follow us to the police station to record your statement in person." "Not a problem." Rain nodded in agreement. In the hospital... Jack and Queenie got out of the ambnce, and Johann was already waiting at the entrance of the emergency room. Luca exined the situation, and Johann immediately asked the intern to conduct a brain examination for the two. He was worried that the two bruised their heads when they fell to the ground. The intern followed through immediately. "They didn''t have any cushioning when they fell to the ground. I''m worried something would be wrong with their bones too," Luca said. "Don''t worry, I''ll do a detailed CT examination and prioritize the brain. After all, the brain is more important," Johann said and opened the eyelids of Queenie and Jack. He was unsure if it was because they hit their brains or were frightened, but both of them had passed out. "Hurry up, get them checked first," Johann instructed the paramedics. The paramedics hurriedly pushed them in. Johann looked at Luca and said, "Dr. Craw, let me take care of your wounds." "It''s okay, it''s been treated in the ambnce." Luca shook her head. When the ambnce rushed to the hospital, the paramedics sterilized her wound with iodine and made a simple bandage. "That treatment is too simple, and it''s easy for your wound to get infected. Let me see. If you need stitches, I''ll stitch it up for you. The scar won''t be obvious after it heals," Johann said. Luke asked him to do it. Luca shook her head. Although Johann was skilled at stitching wounds and she believed she would not get a scar, she was more worried about Queenie and Jack. She said, "Let other doctors help me. You should go attend to Mr. and Mrs. Norman." Johann knew that she was worried about Jack and Queenie, so he said with a smile, "If you keep going on and on, I won''t be able to check in on them. Someone told me to treat your wound in person and they''ll check the results. It''ll take about ten minutes for the couple''s test results toe out. I can treat your wound during this time." Luca knew who he was talking about and had no choice but to follow Johann into the hospital. She sat in the consultation room while Johann took apart the gauze and checked her wound. "You held the de directly?" "Yeah." Luca nodded stiffly. At that time, that was the only way for her to escape from danger. She would rather fight for her life rather than be caught by those people and sent to Matysh. "You''re so hard on yourself. You need stitches. Wait a minute," Johann said and walked out of the room. After a while, he walked in with a suture bag and said, "It''ll hurt a little bit. Do you need anesthetics?" "No, it''s too troublesome to apply anesthetics. Just stitch me up." Luca shook her head. She wanted Johann to deal with the wound quickly so that he could go treat Jack and Queenie. "You''re so tough on yourself. Okay, take deep breaths." Johann started stitching her wound after he cleaned it. After the sutures, he bandaged her up once more and noticed her pale face due to the pain. "I gave you a tetanus shot just in case. Go pay the fee and get the medicine. I also prescribed some solutions for you to clean the wound, If you think it''s troublesome to make another trip here, you can wash and bandage it yourself after. If you have the time, you can alsoe to the hospital to clean your wound." "Okay." Luca nodded and stood up. Johann''s intern walked in and reminded, "Dr. Park, the CT results of the two patients who were admitted just now havee out." "I see." Johann scanned through the report on theputer without dy. Luca wanted to pay the bill, but she heard what the intern said. She stopped and waited for Johann to review the report and provide a diagnosis. Johann looked at the two reports carefully and eventually said, "The CT scan shows no bleeding in their heads, but we still need to observe and wait for 24 hours to conduct another examination. Have them admitted to the hospital for now." "Yes." The intern hurried off. He knew that Jack and Queenie were no ordinary patients so he did not dare to cause any dy. Luca asked, "What about the rest of their bodies?" Aside from the head, she was also worried about Jack and Queenie''s bones. After all, the two were not young. There might be an issue if they fell. "I took a look and there''s no problem for the time being. Issues with the bones are much easier to solve than problems involving the head and internal organs. We''ll see what they say when they wake up," Johann said. Luca nodded. Since there was no problem with the CT scan, there was a high probability that there would not be a significant problem. Nevertheless, they still needed to be hospitalized for observation. "Dr. Park, can you put them in the same ward?" she asked. After all, they must be worried about each other. If they were both in the same ward, they could feel more rest assured. "I''ll arrange a family-style VIP ward." Johann nodded and agreed to her request. "I''ll go get the bill first," Luca said and walked out of the clinic with the medical order. When she walked to the cashier, she chose to stand in the back line. She felt a little helpless as she stared at the long line. Unexpectedly, all three of her rtives were hospitalized. Wanda, Queenie, Jack... As she thought of that, Luca was reminded of Leia''s face again. Her smile was the joy after a sessful n, and the joy after seeing Jack and Queenie injured... Luca thought that Leia was the most beloved adopted daughter of her biological parents and that she would be filial and take care of them. Now, however, she knew that she thought wrong. Since Leia was such a terrible person, Luca did not want her to get better. Luca thought about it, and after she paid the fee, she went to get the medicine. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. She held the tetanus needle and walked to the injection room. She jabbed herself with the help of the nurse. Luke called when she was about to leave. "Luca, where are you?" "I''m at the outpatient injection room. I just had a tetanus shot," Luca said. "I''lle to you," Luke said and hung up the call. Luca stayed where she was and waited for him toe to her. Chapter 2584 Luke hurried over, and before she could speak, he picked up her bandaged hand and had a look. Luca blushed. Luke''s outstanding appearance immediately attracted the attention of many people. "Mr. Crawford, let''s go over there..." Luca pointed to a corner where no one was around. Luke took her hand and walked over with a stern expression on his face. "Does it hurt?" They stood in the corner. He did not look too good as he looked at her hand that was tightly bound by gauze. "It doesn''t hurt anymore," Luca said. Johann''s stitching skills were top-notch. There was almost no blood oozing out after the sutures. "You took too big of a risk." Luke frowned. Rain had already told him about what happened on the phone. She used herself as bait to keep Jack and Queenie safe. "In that situation, I had no other choice. They wereing for me. If something were to wrong with Mr. and Mrs. Norman, I''d..." Luca paused and did not continue to speak. She thought that it was her fault for putting her parents in danger. If she had not stepped forward, she would likely have felt guilty for a lifetime. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Regardless, you shouldn''t have held the dagger with your hand." Luke frowned and felt sorry that she got injured. He did not expect that the trespassers would enter Norman Residence without triggering the rm. He did not know how they did it. He had hired someone to upgrade Norman Residence''s rm system a few years ago. The rm would be triggered whenever someone forcefully unlocked the lock or if the fingerprint lock was entered incorrectly three times. However, Rain and the others did not hear the rm when they were waiting outside. It seemed that Leia was the most suspicious out of the bunch. It was also possible that the group of people decided to make a move on the Norman Residence a long time ago. "As you said, I couldn''t put myself in such passive danger, so this was the best way." Luca nced at her gauze-wrapped hand. It did not matter if she was a little injured as long as she could save Queenie. It would have been better not to put her in that kind of danger in the first ce. Luke kept silent. He did say that, but at the time, he did not expect Luca to do such a thing. When she saw his gloomy expression, Luca pretended to be rxed and said, "Everything is fine now. Rain and the others quickly controlled the situation. I''m just a little injured. The stitches can be removed in seven days." "It''s still going to take seven days," Luke said. "Be mentally prepared. In theing week, there''ll be someone taking care of you." He knew that Luca did not like being taken care of by others. However, she only had one good hand now. Since her right hand was injured, she would need some help. As such, it was destined that someone would have to take care of her... Luca was speechless. She thought that she should have held the de with her left hand. Maybe it would have been more convenient... "When the timees, I''ll have Crawford Manor send a maid over," Luke said. After two seconds, he added, "She''ll focus on taking care of you." "Mr. Crawford, I still have one hand that I can use..." Luca shook her left hand. "I''ll be busy during this time and won''t be able to help you with many things. Do you want the three children to help you?" Luke asked. It was all hands on deck in T Corporation. The bidding for the government project was ready to start, so the wholepany was upied. He wanted to spend all his time in the office to make sure that he won the project. ''Have the kids take care of me.'' Luca shook his head and said, "I prefer having the maid." "Come on, let''s go to the ward." Luke took her left hand and walked toward the inpatient department. "Okay." Luca nodded. "There are police over there in the ward. They''ll likely record a statement. You just need to tell them what you saw," Luke added. "Should I tell them about Leia''s reaction? Do you want me to tell them?" Luca did not know whether to tell the police about Leia''s reaction. "There''s no need for the time being. I''m certain the police will investigate further. Rain asked them to make a copy of the vi''s surveince footage, so if there''s a problem, it won''t be toote to deal with Leia then," Luke said. Leia imed that she was a victim. Although they knew that she was a suspect, the police would not do anything without evidence. Moreover, Leia would also be making a statement, and she would definitely position it in her favor. Luke did not need Luca to tell the police what they suspected of Leia. He would investigate it secretly. "Okay, I got it." Luca believed he could handle it. Moreover, Leia refused to admit anything when she was at the scene. She had likely taken actions to cover her grounds, so even if the police investigated, they would not suspect her. Luke took Luca''s hand, and they stepped into the elevator. There were many people in the hospital, but there were no people in the elevator just after they got in. It was only after they stepped in that the crowd flooded in. Luke and Luca were cornered. "Mm..." The person next to Luca identally touched her right hand, and she could not help but groan in pain. Luke heard it and reminded the person next to her, "Be careful." The man next to her noticed that Luca''s hand was injured and knew that he was in the wrong, so he apologized quickly, "I''m sorry, I didn''t see it. I hope I didn''t hurt you." Luca shook her head and responded, "It''s fine." Luke did not speak anymore. There were not many asions like this that he would speak to a stranger in such a tone. She was his only exception. Luke picked up her hand and put it on his chest. He then reached out his hand and shielded her as she stood in the corner of the elevator. His strong arms encircled a protective space for her. The distance between the two was very close, and despite the noise of the surrounding people, Luca seems to be able to hear his strong heartbeat as well as his breath. The temperature between the two was rising. The elevator was going higher and higher, so more and more people got in. Eventually, there was more space in the elevator. Only then did Luke drop his arm. Luca breathed a sigh of relief. She felt like she could choke at any moment if he kept getting so close. "Does your hand hurt? Let me see if the wound is open," Luke asked and was about to pick up her hand to check for bleeding. Luca shook her head slightly and pulled out her hand at the same time. "It doesn''t hurt. The cut isn''t too deep, so the stitches wouldn''t break so easily." After a quick inspection, he found that her gauze was still white. He was relieved when it seemed that there was no cracking and bleeding. The elevator reached the top floor, and the two walked out of the elevator together. The nurses in the VIP ward knew Luke and Luca, so they walked to the corridor without a hitch. Two policemen were standing at the door of one of the wards. Luca guessed it was Jack''s and Queenie''s ward. They walked over together. "You can go to visit Mr. and Mrs. Norman while I''ll record a statement," Luca said to Luke, who was beside her. "Okay." Luke opened the door and walked in. Luca said to the two police officers, "I''m Luca, a witness and a victim." "Ms. Craw, please go to the nurse''s lounge with us to record your statement," the police officer said. Chapter 2585 "Okay." Luca followed the police officers to the nurse''s lounge and made a detailed statement about what happened. The police officers listened to what Luca said and wrote the statement at the same time. The victims involved in this case were Mr. Norman and Mrs. Norman, and that was why he took it seriously. In the ward. Jack had already woken up. Luke came forward and asked caringly, "Dad, are you feeling better?" "I''m a little light-headed..." Jack narrowed his eyes and looked at his environment. After making sure that he was in the hospital, he recalled what happened before he passed out. When he saw Luca make herself a hostage to save Queenie, he became anxious and wanted to get out of bed right away. "Dad, please lie still." Luke pressed the call bell. "How''s Queenie doing? What about Luca? She became a hostage. Was she taken away by them?" Jack asked anxiously. Queenie was his wife, and Luca was his biological daughter. How could he not be worried? "Luca is slightly injured. She''s fine. As for Mom, look to your right." Luke nced to the left. Queenie was lying on another ward bed, and she was still unconscious. Johann said it was Luca''s request. She knew Jack and Queenie would certainly be concerned about one another. That was why she might as well let the two of them stay in the same ward. Jack heard Luke and turned around. Even though he felt dizzy, he could see Queenie on the other ward bed. "Queenie," Jack called out. Queenie, who was on the bed, did not respond. "Mom is still unconscious. The doctor did a CT scan, and she''s not suffering from any brain injury at the moment. She was too frightened that she passed out. The two of you have to stay in the hospital for observation. You''ll have to undergo another CT scan tomorrow. You''ll be able to go back home and rest if you''re fine. Remember to tell the doctor if you''re not feeling well when hees hereter," Luke said a lot to set Jack''s mind at ease. "Luca is injured? Which part of her body is injured? Were those men caught?" Jack questioned. His wife was fine, but what about his precious daughter? "She has a hand injury. It''ll take half a month for it to recover. Don''t worry, the police officers have arrested those men. Luca is on this floor, but she''s giving a statement to the police now," Luke continued to exin. ¡°d to hear that..." Jack let out a sigh of relief. Jack passed out when he saw Luca being held hostage. He did not know what happened after that. Johann pushed the ward door open and walked into the ward. He noticed Jack had woken up, so he came near the bed and asked, "Mr. Norman, how are you feeling?" "I feel light-headed." A sudden feeling of dizziness hit Jack. He closed his eyes and frowned. "Okay. The CT scan shows that there''s no bleeding in your brain. It might be the concussion after an impact on your head. It''ll take two days for you to recover from a concussion. Other than that, do you feel unwell anywhere else?" Johann picked up his ophthalmoscope and shed the light into Jack''s eyes to observe them. The responses of his pupils and cornea were normal. "I feel pain," Jack added. "Your body''s CT scan is normal too. There are no fractured bones. It''s probably muscle strain after falling. Don''t worry, you''ll recover soon," said Johann. A middle-aged man like Jack was considered lucky to not have gotten any bone fractures or brain injuries after a heavy fall. "What about my wife?" Jack was not concerned about his condition. He only wanted to find out how Queenie was doing. Queenie was physically weak. He was afraid that her heart and blood pressure would not be able to deal with the psychological shock. "Mrs. Norman''s CT scan is the same as yours. There''s no problem with it. The bruises on her body will slowly recover too. Don''t worry about it," replied Johann. He walked toward Queenie''s ward. Then, he opened Queenie''s eyes to examine them. Her eyes were fine. "Why is she still unconscious?" Jack questioned again. He was worried about Queenie losing consciousness. "Mr. Norman, rest assured. It''s normal for different people to wake up at different times after passing out. You''re in a better condition than Mrs. Norman, and that''s why you woke up earlier. Mrs. Norman isContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. physically weaker, so it takes a longer time for her to wake up. Don''t worry, Mrs. Norman will wake up within the next three hours." Johann turned around andforted him. The fact that Jack was admitted to the hospital had caught the hospital director''s attention. He instructed Johann to be Jack''s and Queenie''s attending physician while they were in the hospital before Johann could even put in the request. "That''s good to hear.." Jack then fell silent. No one knew if Jack was feeling unwell or if he was worried about Queenie and Luca. He seemed reluctant to speak. "Oh, by the way, Ms. Norman was admitted to the hospital too, but we don''t have any more VIP wards. Do we need to add another bed here?" Johann asked for his opinion. Other patients took the single VIP wards in the hospital. Moreover, they were seriously ill, and there was no way they could be moved to other wards. The ward Jack was currently staying in was the family VIP ward. It could amodate two to three beds. ¡°Let her stay in the general ward," Jack said in an annoyed tone with his eyes closed. ¡°Okay," replied Johann. "Dr. Craw is considerate. She arranged a family ward for Mrs. Norman and you when the two of you were admitted to the hospital. That way, the two of you can be together and you won''t have to worry about each other." "Luca requested this?" Jack asked in surprise. He thought the hospital did not have any other wards and that was why they made such arrangements for him. "Yes. It''s the family VIP ward." Johann stopped mentioning Leia when he noticed Jack was not concerned about her condition. "It''s a great idea," replied Jack. "Okay. Please press the call bell if there''s anything you need." After examining both of them, Johann turned around, looked at Luke, and said, "Have you hired the caretaker?" "No." Luke came here in a hurry. The first thing he did when he arrived at the hospital was to check on Luca''s injury, and he had yet to make such arrangements. "I got you an experienced caretaker. I can call her toe up here right away if there''s a need," Johann asked for Luke''s opinion. "Sure." Luke nodded. Even though the Norman family hired maids, the caretaker was better at her job when it was about looking after someone. Besides, the couple was admitted to the hospital together. The Norman family''s maids were up to their necks, and they might not be able to handle so many matters. It would be better to hire a caretaker to share the workload. "Okay. Please excuse me. I have to get ready to perform surgeryter," said Johann as he was about to leave. Jack spoke again, "Dr. Park." "Yes, Mr. Norman? Is there anything you need?" Johann paused. "Please tell the nurse to stop Leia froming up here," said Jack. Speaking of Leia, he did not ask the reason Leia got admitted to the hospital. Jack refused to see Leia now, and he was reluctant to let her disturb him and Queenie. "Okay, sure," replied Johann with a smile. After he left the ward, he instructed the head nurse to watch out for Leia and forbade her from entering the ward to stop her from disturbing Mr. Norman and Mrs. Norman. Chapter 2586 There was dead silence in the ward. Jack waited for a while for Luca, but she did note in. He spoke, ¡°Luke, can you please check on Luca to see if she''s done giving the statement?" Luke did not move as he replied, "Father, she''lle here after it''s done." Jack kept quiet. "Luca has to make a detailed statement. That''s why she''s taking a long time. She''s worried about you. She''ll be hereter," added Luke. "Okay." Jack closed his eyes and recalled what had happened. Leia and Luca were both their daughters. Luca tried her best to protect Jack and Queenie, while Leia... Jack remembered Leia screaming weirdly. It was because of Leia''s scream that made him and Queenie suffer. Leia was hiding behind the sofa. She was safe. However, judging from the way she screamed and how she caught those men''s attention, it seemed like she did it on purpose... "The security rm went off when that happened," said Jack. To make sure that the rm system would still work when there was no electricity supply, not only was the rm system connected to the wires but they were connected to the sr panel system too. The sr panel system would start working once the power was cut off. That was why there was no way the rm system would malfunction or fail to restart after the power was cut. "Father, stop thinking about it. Gale and Rain will look into it." Luke knew Jack was recalling what happened just now. He said in a low voice, "Get some rest." Jack fell silent again. It was probably because of the dizziness, but it also seemed like the medicine''s effects had kicked in. Jack felt sleepy, and his thoughts were sluggish and fuzzy. He could not figure things out now. Jack closed his eyes and fell deeply asleep. 10 minutester, the ward door was pushed open as Luca came in. "Mr. Crawford, is Mr. and Mrs. Norman awake?" Luca spoke in a soft voice as she was afraid that she would wake Jack and Queenie up. "Dad woke up just now, but he fell asleep again." Luke was sure that Jack was asleep. Luca heard him. She stepped forward to Jack''s ward bed and gently ced her fingers on Jack''s wrist to check his pulse. His pulse was stable. She turned around and walked toward Queenie. She checked her pulse too. ¡°Johann said they''re fine, but there are signs of them suffering from a concussion. They have to stay in the hospital for further observation." Luke knew Luca was worried. He told her Johann''s diagnosis. "d to hear that." Luca walked toward the sofa and sat down. Jack''s and Queenie''s pulses were stable, and it did not seem like they were suffering from internal injuries. "Have you finished giving the statement?" Luke asked. "Yes. I''ve told the police everything in detail. But they''d like to take a statement from Mr. and Mrs. Norman too. They''re waiting outside the door." Luca crossed her legs with a troubled expression on her face. Luca thought Matysh was after her, and that was why she came up with a scheme with Rain and the others. She did not expect things to not go as they nned. It was supposed to take ce on the street, but they took action on her at the Normans'' residence instead. Thus, it resulted in her biological parents getting injured. This was not something Luca wanted to see happening. Luke saw the guilt in Luca''s expression. He held her left hand without saying anything. He was constantly giving her his warmth through this gesture. Luca looked down and stared at her hand that was being held. How she wished that Luke could be by her side every time she was upset. However, it was a dream that was unlikely toe true. She was still under Abel''s control. "Let''s go downstairs for lunch after the caretaker arrives." It was already noon time. Luke was worried Luca would starve. "I''m not hungry." Luca wanted to look after Mr. and Mrs. Norman herself. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Even though Luca could not tell them her true identity, she wanted to stay by their side. At least they would not feel lonely when they woke up and could see someone familiar by their side. "You have to eat something even if you''re not hungry," said Luke. He understood what she had in mind and added, "What would you like to eat? Let me order takeout food for you." Luca turned to look at him and nodded. "Thank you. I''ll have whatever you order." "I''ll leave you here to look after them." Luke rose to his feet and was about to leave. "Okay." Luca nodded. She let out a sigh after Luke left. Then, she continued to stare at Queenie''s and Jack''s ward beds. Although she was in no position to take care of them, she would at least wait until they woke up. She would leave after that. After Luke left the ward, he was about to head to the restaurant downstairs to buy lunch when he ran into Wanda, who came out to refill some water, in the corridor. "Luke? Why are you here?" Wanda recognized him with just a nce. Luke stopped and saw the water bottle Wanda held in her hands. He frowned and asked, "Aunt Wanda, where''s the caretaker? Why did she let you refill the bottle yourself?" "She went downstairs to buy lunch. I thought of getting some warm water and leaving it to cool down so that I could drink it when I take my medicer. What''s the matter? Who got admitted to the hospital?" Wanda exined. She did not want to leave everything to the caretaker to handle. That was why she chose to do the simple tasks herself when she had the strength to walk around. It was also to prevent herself from overthinking on the bed. ¡°My parents-inw,¡± answered Luke. ¡°The Norman family? What happened to them?¡± Wanda was surprised. The Rayne family and the Norman family would visit each other during the New Year and some other festivals because of Bianca. Even though Bianca was living abroad now, the two families still kept in touch with each other. Wanda remembered that Queenie''s condition was getting better every day. Why did she get admitted to the hospital all of a sudden? Furthermore, based on what Luke told her, Queenie was not the only one admitted to the hospital. Jack was here too. "Some thugs broke into the Normans'' residence and injured the two of them. But they''re fine. They''ll just be staying in the hospital for a couple of days for further observation. They can be discharged if nothing''s wrong with them. By the way, Aunt Wanda, I''m going downstairs to buy lunch. Is there anything you''d like to eat?" Luke asked. "Thanks, but it''s okay. The caretaker has gone to buy lunch for me." Wanda tidied herself up. She could not help but heave a sigh. "They''ve got some nerves, huh? Were they caught?" ¡°They were arrested. Don''t worry,¡± replied Luke. "Then can I visit them? Are they in the ward where the police officers are standing outside?" Wanda had noticed the two police officers standing outside a ward earlier. She reckoned that it was the ward Mr. and Mrs. Norman were in. "Aunt Wanda, you can goter. They''re still recovering from the traumatic event and getting some rest now.¡± Luke stopped her from visiting them. Luca was still inside the ward. She wanted to stay by Mr. and Mrs. Norman''s side alone. Luke let her do as she wished. "Ah, I see. Okay. I''ll pay a visitter. Are you going to buy lunch for them? Hurry up. I''ll return to my ward as soon as I refill the water bottle.¡± Wanda did not hold him up. Luke nodded and headed toward the elevator. He arrived at the nurses'' station and saw Leia. Leia was pestering the nurse, iming that she wanted to visit Jack and Queenie, but the head nurse stopped her and forbade her from going into the ward. "Are you crazy? They''re my parents. What makes you think that you have the right to stop me from going in? If you continue to stop me, I''m going to make aint to the hospital administration department and tell your director," Leia was being rude and unreasonable. After she was admitted to the hospital, she was arranged to stay in the ward of the Department of Hepatobiliary. No matter what Leia said, the doctor refused to let her move to the VIP ward. She was told that the VIP wards were fully upied. Chapter 2587 Leia had no choice but to stay in the general ward at the Department of Hepatobiliary. However, Leia had no idea about Jack''s and Queenie''s current conditions. Leia could not help but hope that Jack and Queenie had injured their brains and were suffering from a cerebral hemorrhage. It would be better if something else happened to them. She wanted the two of them to experience how it felt like to be in pain from sickness. Still, she could not find out anything while staying in the general ward. No one informed her about her parents'' condition either. Johann turned a deaf ear to her questions whenever she asked him. It was as though everything about Jack and Queenie was kept in the dark from her. There was nothing Leia could do. She could onlye upstairs and im that she wanted to visit them to find out how they were doing. However, she did not expect to be stopped the moment she stepped out of the elevator. The head nurse was left with no choice. Leia was known for her bad behavior in the hospital. If it were not for the patients'' request, she would never dare to stop Leia. "I''m sorry, Ms. Norman. You can file a comint or give a review to the hospital administration if there''s anything that upsets you. Please don''t make a scene and disturb the other patients. If you insist on doing so, I have no choice but to ask the guards to send you back to the Department of Hepatobiliary.¡± ¡°Just you wait! I won''t stopining until you get fired!¡± Leia growled. When she turned around, Luke came into her sight. The moment their gazes met, a hint of fear shed across her eyes as though a mouse had run into a cat. No matter what kind of situation it was, whenever she ran into Luke, she was reminded of how cold and heartless the man was to her. She would also recall the tricks he used that made her fall from grace and her life end up a mess. Therefore, Leia was afraid of Luke, especially since she had done something bad today. Leia wanted to walk away quickly. She immediately pressed the elevator button. The elevator doors opened. A police officer and Rain''s subordinate walked out of the elevator. Leia frowned when she saw them. "Are you a ghost? Why are you haunting me wherever I go? Stop following me. I''m a victim, not a criminal!" The police officer pulled a long face. He had followed Leia to the hospital. After he waited for her to check into the hospital, the doctor came to examine her and told him that she was fine and could make a statement. Only then did he prepare to take a statement from her. Who would have known that Leia would sidestep his questions? She even secretly slipped out of her ward and came here. The police officer ended up looking for Leia in the hospital for an hour. He eventually found out that Leia headed to the top floor of the hospital after he went to the security room and checked the hospital''s surveince cameras. The police officer had spent the whole morning in the hospital, but he had not gotten a statement from Leia. He felt helpless. ¡°Ms. Norman, since you''re one of the victims, you have to be cooperative and give me a statement," said the police officer. "I''m not feeling well now. I can''t make the statement," replied Leia as she walked into the elevator. Even though she did not look at Luke in his eyes, she could feel his eyes on her. It was a malicious and ruthless stare... The police officer was rendered speechless as he followed Leia into the elevator. She did not look like she was feeling unwell. He could see it from the way Leia ran around in the hospital. If it were not for the hospital gown she was wearing, she was no different from a normal person. Luke followed them into the elevator too. Leia could not help but hold her breath when she saw his tall figure. Her hands trembled in fear uncontrobly. She was terrified. Leia was afraid that Luke would ask her about what happened and she would let the cat out of the bag because of her fear. Leia looked down, trying her best to ignore the powerful aura around Luke. Luke stood in the corner of the elevator. Even though he said nothing and no matter how hard Leia tried to ignore his presence, she was afraid of the pressure that Luke''s presence exerted on her. Her hand tremor was getting severe. When they finally arrived at the floor where the Department of Hepatobiliary was, Leia strode out of the elevator as though she was running away. The second her left foot stepped out of the elevator, Luke spoke, "Agent Three." Rain''s subordinate responded, "Yes, Boss." "Protect Ms. Norman well." Luke looked up and shot a nce at Leia. A chill went down her spine, and it gave Leia the creeps when Luke mentioned her name. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Leia did not stay. She trotted away in a hurry. Agent Three added, "Okay, Boss. I''ll be by her side, keeping her safe." He meant what he said. Leia had walked away and put some distance between them, but Agent Three quickly moved his long legs and kept up with her. Leia could feel someone following behind her. She felt like crying. The reason she could get rid of the police officer and the man back then was tha she stayed in a three- bed ward. There were only female patients in the ward. Agent Three was too embarrassed to enter the ward, so he walked back and forth outside her ward. Leia had a feeling that after Luke gave his instructions, Agent Three would not care if there were only women in the ward and woulde in to keep a close watch on her. In the VIP ward. Luca sat on the sofa and heard some noises. She immediately rose to her feet and went to the ward bed. Jack was the one who woke up. Luca hurried over and said, ¡°Mr. Norman, you''re awake." Jack''s eyes lit up when he heard Luca''s voice. He looked in the direction where the voice came from and saw Luca standing beside his bed. He said, "Luca, are you done with the statement?" He uttered each word slowly due to the concussion. Luca knew what was affecting him. Although the concussion would recover in two days, the guilt in her heart was growing rapidly at this moment. "Yes, Mr. Norman. How do you feel?" Luca asked. Jack dared not to shake his head. He was afraid that he would puke if he shook his head, so he just said, "I''m alright. I still feel dizzy like how it was just now. I''ll be fine in two days." "Okay." Luca felt a lump in her throat. She knew she would choke with sobs if she said something now. "Luke told me that your hand is injured..." "I''ll be fine. It''s just a minor injury," Luca replied immediately. "You got injured when you were saving Mrs. Norman, right? Let me take a look at it." Jack was lying on the bed, so his field of vision was limited. Luca knew Jack would not give up if she refused to let him see where she was hurt. Hence, she raised her hand and said, "Look, it''s just a minor injury. It''s all bandaged and I''ll be fine." "Have you gotten the tetanus vine?" Jack asked caringly. "Yes, I have. Don''t worry." Luca''s eyes welled up with tears uncontrobly. "The wound must be deep, and it must have hurt. Child, you don''t have to be strong in front of me. It was us who dragged you into this," Jack babbled. If he could have protected Queenie, she would not have been held hostage. That way, Luca would not have injured herself to save Queenie. Luca shook her head and replied, "Those men were after me. It''s my fault." "If it weren''t for Mrs. Norman who asked you toe over to nurse Leia''s health, you wouldn''t have ended up like this. You can''t be med for this. What it all boils down to is the misfortune of our family." Even though the police officer had yet to find out anything, Jack suspected that this had something to do with Leia. Judging from how much Leia had hated Luca, how could she be easily convinced by Queenie having Lucae over to nurse her health? Furthermore, it was also Leia''s suggestion for Luca toe to Norman Residence. Chapter 2588 When Luca heard Jack say it was the misfortune of the family, Luca pursed her lips. She held a grudge against Leia. Everything pointed to Leia... ¡°Mr. Norman, say no more. Get some rest. I¡¯ll be here," said Luca. Jack continued, "Luca, you''re injured too. You don''t have to stay here. Ask Luke to find us a caretaker. You have to take care of yourself too." Luca felt a lump in her throat, and she could not help but choke with sobs. "Don''t worry, Mr. Crawford has everything arranged. The caretaker will being soon." Jack blinked his eyes and slowly closed them. Johann was worried that the concussion would cause some difort, so he added some painkillers to the IV drip. Luca nced at the two IV fluid bags. They were running out of liquid. Thus, she pressed the call bell. The head nurse walked into the ward and asked, "What''s wrong with the patients?" "The IV fluids are running out." Luca pointed at the two IV fluid bags beside both beds. The head nurse walked toward Jack''s bedside and replied, "Okay. Let me change them. What''s the patient''s name?" "Jack Norman," Luca answered on behalf of Jack as he was asleep. "Okay. Jack Norman." The head nurse checked the patient''s name on the IV fluid bags and confirmed that it was the same person. After that, she changed the IV fluid bags and walked to Queenie''s ward bed, she asked, "What''s the patient''s name?" "Queenie Zeigler," Luca answered her questions patiently as she knew it was a procedure the medical staff had to go through. The head nurse checked the name on the IV fluid bags and made sure that there was nothing wrong with it. Then, she changed the IV fluid bags for Queenie. Then, she turned to look at Luca, "Ms. Craw, are you staying here to take care of Mr. Norman and his wife?" "No, I''m just staying here for a while. The caretaker will be here soon," replied Luca as she shook her head. She would like to look after Jack and Queenie too, but she was in no position to do that. "I see. Please press the call bell if anything happens," said the head nurse. Then, she left the ward without saying another word. ¡°Okay. Thank you." Luca was polite to the head nurse. Not long after the nurse left, Luke came back carrying two lunch boxes in his hands. "Did they wake up?" Luca shot a nce at Jack and shifted her gaze to Queenie. Then, she replied in an upset tone, "Mr. Norman woke up for a while. Mrs. Norman hasn''t woken up yet." "Okay. Johann said they''ll be fine. Don''t worry." That was all Luke could say. After all, the CT scan results showed that the two of them were fine at the moment. Hence, there was nothing the hospital could do now. The ward door was pushed open again. A middle-aged woman in the hospital''s caretaker uniform walked into the ward and greeted, "Good afternoon. I''m the caretaker who''s here to take care of the patients." "Okay. Remember to inform the doctor when they''re awake," said Luke. The caretaker nodded and replied, "Don''t worry. The doctor has already informed me about the patients'' condition. I know what to do." "Let''s eat." Luke turned to look at Luca. It was already almost one o''clock in the afternoon, and Luca had not had her lunch yet. "Let''s go outside," said Luca in a soft voice. Although she wanted to stay by Queenie''s side, she did not bear to disturb them. The smell of food was too strong. "Okay." Luke knew there was a rooftop garden outside the ward, and there were tables and chairs ced in the garden, providing the patients a ce to rest. The two of them walked out of the ward. Luca walked beside Luke. They strolled down the hallway and came to the rooftop balcony. The weather was still cold. That was why no one was hanging around the rooftop garden. They walked toward the gazebo and sat down at the table. The weather was chilly. Luke frowned. He should not have let Lucae out here to have lunch. "Are you cold?" Luke took his coat off. Luca shook her head and replied, "No. Hurry up and put it on." Luke saw that Luca did not feel cold at all. He had no choice but to put his coat back on. Then, he handed one of the lunch boxes to her and said, "The food served at the cafeteria downstairs doesn''t taste good. Only the steak is. Have some." "How did you know the food in the cafeteria doesn''t taste good..." Luca could not help but ask with curiosity. Although Luke would sometimese to the hospital, he had never eaten the food in the cafeteria. "The waiter rmended this." Luke helped Luca to open the lunch box. He then handed the cutleries to her and said, "I know it''s inconvenient for you to cut the steak, so I asked the waiter to cut it into strips. If you''re not used to it, I don''t mind feeding you. Come on, eat it. It''ll easily go cold out here." "Thanks." Luca took the cutleries from Luke with her left hand. She was so worried about Queenie and Jack that she lost her appetite, but she forced herself to take a few bites so that Luke would not be worried. The steak tasted better than she expected. Luca turned to look at Luke. There was a steak in his lunchbox too. "It''s not that bad," Lucamented. ¡°Okay. Have more then.¡± Luke picked up some steak bites and put them in Luca''s lunch box. He knew how the food served in the cafeteria tasted. The steak was not rmended by the waiter either. Luke knew that Luca might lose her appetite, which was why he picked something that tasted better. Luke asked the waiter to serve every dish they had prepared today and took a bite of each dish to taste it. Finally, he thought the steak tasted much better than the other dishes. Only then did he order two pieces of steak and asked the waiter to wrap them up. With all the efforts he put into his rtionship with Luca, he only wanted her to have another mouthful of lunch. He did not want her to starve. ¡°I have enough..." Luca looked at the steak bites and shook her head. She wanted to pick them up and put them back into Luke''s lunch box, but Luke stopped her and said, "Finish the steak bites." Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Luca had no choice but to listen to him. She ate them all. After that, she put down her cutleries and said, "Mr. Crawford, can I return to the ward to see them?" They had only left for a while, but Luca was worried that she would miss the chance of seeing Jack and Queenie waking up. Even though she knew the caretaker was professional and she could take good care of the couple, she was still worried about them. "Okay." Luke did not ask her to have more. Luca was not in the mood to eat. She had already done a great job eating. Luca picked up the tissue and wiped her mouth. She rose to her feet and headed to the ward. Luke took another two bites of steak. He received a call from Rain when he was about to throw the lunchboxes away after putting them in the stic bag. "Boss, I''m sorry. It''s my fault. I failed to protect Ms. Craw." Rain apologized to him. She had already apologized once back then. However, if it were not for her and her subordinates'' negligence, thinking that Luca would be safe at Norman Residence, Luca and the Norman couple would not have encountered such a situation. Hence, it was their fault for taking things easy and underestimating their enemy. "You''ve already apologized to me," replied Luke. He recalled how harsh he was to Rain and what he had said to her when he found out that Luca''s hand was injured and she was admitted to the hospital. He could not me Rain. He did not expect those men to lose their minds and take things to the extreme. Moreover, Norman Residence had a secure home security system. Under normal circumstances, there was no way Rain could not have noticed the men breaking into the house. She would not have let Luca be injured. "Be more attentive next time," said Luke. "Yes, Boss. I''ve already given my statement, but the police officers want the others to make a statement too. If they have to head to the police station to give their statements, then I can only arrange for them to do so first. The crime scene investigation will have to be dyed," reported Rain. Chapter 2589 ¡°Tell them to cooperate with the police officers. I''ll ask Gale to head to the crime scene," said Luke. Although all his subordinates had undergone special training before, Rain and Gale were more professional when it came to handling matters and investigating. There was a higher chance to find out something if he sent Gale to look into the case. "Got it, Boss," replied Rain. After Luke ended the call, he walked back toward the ward. He headed to the ward after he threw the lunch boxes in the trash bin along the hallway. Queenie had already woken up. Luca sat by her bedside and listened to her as she talked. Queenie''s speech was slurred due to the concussion, but she was able to speak fluently. There was nothing wrong with her sentences. She was probably talking about Luca being injured and how she felt sorry for her. Luca felt suffocated when she heard that. It was she who made the couple suffer, but the two of them apologized to her when they woke up. "Mrs. Norman, rest well. Get more sleep. You''ll feel better when you wake up tomorrow," replied Luca. If it was only a concussion, their condition would get better by the day. "I heard the door opening. Who came in?" Queenie asked. Luca lifted her head and turned to look at Luke. "It''s Mr. Crawford." "Oh, it''s Luke..." Queenie paused for a moment and called his name, "Luke." "Yes, Mom." Luke walked toward them and stood behind Luca. Then, he looked at Queenie. "Luke, your father and I are in the hospital. Can you please handle the matter for us.." said Queenie. Luca had told her what the current situation was just now. "Don''t worry. Leave it to me." Luke frowned when he saw the depressed look on Queenie''s face. Luca would feel upset too when she saw how upset Queenie was. "Mom, get some rest. You''ll be able to get discharged from the hospital soon." "How can I have a good rest." Queenie shot another nce at Luca''s bandaged hand. She could still vividly remember the scene of Luca choosing to be the hostage to save her. She had no blood ties with Luca, but when she was in such a dangerous situation, Luca stepped forward and said that she would rece Queenie and be the hostage instead. Even though those men hade for Luca from the start... Luca helped Queenie to get out of danger.] Queenie remembered what Jack had told her before in a daze. Perhaps she should not have been so defensive toward Luca. She would never hurt them. Luca''s presence and everything she did was for the couple''s sake. ¡°Mrs. Norman, let''s talk about it when you''re feeling better." Luca convinced her in a soft voice, knowing that Queenie was worried. "Where''s Leia? Is she alright?" Queenie immediately asked when she remembered her only daughter who was by her side. Luke sneered, and when Luca was about to say something, he said, "How could something happen to the person who was hiding behind the sofa the entire time?" Queenie closed her eyes. It set her mind at ease when she found out that Leia was fine, but she suddenly remembered that Leia had been hiding behind the sofa all along when it happened. She was constantly screaming, which caught those men''s attention. Besides, she even told them her and Jack''s identity. Queenie suddenly felt upset again. If Leia had not screamed and stayed calm, Jack would not have had to experience this. Although Jack had served in the army before, it was a long time ago, and he had been busy with government affairs. All the skills he had learned when he was in the army had beenpletely forgotten. Besides, Jack only got injured because he wanted to protect her. Luca, someone who had no blood ties with them, was willing to put herself in danger to save them. On the contrary, Leia, who was adopted and raised by them for years despite them sharing no blood ties. Queenie came to realize that that was how much their mother-and-daughter rtionship was worth at this moment. Luca gave Luke a helpless look. They both knew that this had something to do with Leia. Hence, Luke got even more upset at Leia when Luca got injured. Luca could understand why, but Queenie was a sensitive person. It would upset her if he said something like that in front of her. "Mrs. Norman, Ms. Norman isn''t injured. Don''t worry." Luca kept her in the dark about Leia being admitted to the hospital and the fact that she was downstairs. It would be better not to let Queenie worry about Leia. Overthinking would not make her feel any better and recover faster. "Okay. Luke, Luca, we''re fine. Both of you don''t have to stay here. Go home." Queenie could feel the drowsiness hitting her. She fell deeply asleep after a while. Luca noticed that Queenie had fallen asleep. She turned around and said to Luke in a soft voice, "Mr. Crawford, I''d like to have a word with you." "Let''s go to the balcony," Luke suggested. Luke opened the door leading to the balcony in the ward. Luca followed him out to the balcony. After the door was closed, no one in the ward could hear their conversation. ¡°What do you want to tell me?" Luke asked. ¡°Don''t let Mrs. Norman know that Ms. Norman is admitted to the hospital." Even though Luca knew Leia deliberately said that she was feeling unwell as she wanted to get admitted to the hospital to escape from the crime scene and avoid giving a statement to the police, Luca did not want Leia''s matter to affect Jack and Queenie. ¡°I''ve informed the caretaker. Don''t worry. The first thing Dad said when he woke up was to remind the doctors and nurses on this floor not to let Leiae in and disturb them," said Luke. Jack was the only clear-headed person in the Norman family. He could see Leia''s true colors. ¡°Okay." Luca nodded. The doctors and nurses would surely listen to Jack''s instructions. They dared not to upset him. "Let''s go in. It''s cold out here." Luke did not mention going home. He knew Luca wanted to stay here for a little longer and keep Jack and Queeniepany. If Luca were still Bianca, she might even spend a few nights at the hospital to take care of them. It was just that she was in no position to do that now. Hence, she could only stay here for a while. "Alright." Luca nodded and returned to the ward. The caretaker saw theming in. She came forward and asked, ¡°Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, are you leaving now?" ¡°No. Why?" Luca asked. ¡°I just realized that Mr. and Mrs. Norman''s family members didn''t bring their belongings to the hospital. I was nning to head to the supermarket downstairs to get them some, but I won''t be able to look after the two of them for a while. I was wondering if you could go downstairs and get some daily necessities for them, or maybe I''ll go get them and you can help me to take care of them for half an hour or so," said the caretaker. She was attentive enough to notice that Jack and Queenie had not brought anything here. That was why she suggested getting the necessities for them. ¡°We''ll stay here. You can go get them." Luca was worried that she might miss out on something if she went to buy the necessities. Thus, she asked the caretaker to buy them instead. Luke took his wallet out. He took a stack of cash out of his wallet and handed it to the caretaker. Then, he said, ¡°Get something better for them." ¡°I don''t need that much." The caretaker shook her head and took three banknotes while replying, ¡°There''s not much that I have to get for the patients. This will be enough. I''ll send the receipt to you later."Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chapter 2590 After the caretaker left the ward, Luca and Luke sat on the sofa, keeping Jack and Queeniepany. Luke held his phone and got busy handling thepany''s matters. Even though he was not in the office now, there were piles of documents that he had to review. Jason sent him the electronic version of the documents to him. Then, Jason worked together with Luke to handle the documents through a virtual meeting while Jason remained at the office. Luca knew Luke was busy attending to thepany''s matters. That was why she did not disturb him. She looked down as she tried to figure out everything that happened today. If it were not for Leia, her biological parents would not have gotten injured. Even if the police officers could not figure out what happened, she would not let Leia get away with it easily. Luca looked at the thick bandage around her hand. Matysh was another person whom Luca would not let get away easily either... If Matysh''s men had only injured her, she would wait for the justice system to take its course. However, his men even injured her parents. She could never allow this to slide. She would not allow the people she loved the most to get hurt because of her. A stern look shed across Luca''s eyes. She pursed her lips and thought quietly about how she should handle the matter. Luke''s phone rang. It was Gale who called. ¡°Let me answer a call." Luke rose to his feet and said to Luca. "Okay." Luca looked at him. The moment their gazes met, her eyes were calm and peaceful. Luca had already learned how to conceal the emotions deep down in her heart that had nothing to do with Luke when she was facing him. Luke pushed the ward door open. After he walked out of the ward, he answered the call, "Anything?" "Boss, Rain sent me the surveince footage a moment ago. I''ve gone through the footage that was recorded a few days ago and I found out that a part of the footage appears to be the same as the one recorded two days ago. I think someone must have done something to it," said Gale. "Can you recover it?" Luke leaned against the wall at the end of the hallway with one of his hands in his pocket. The way he did it casually caught the attention of the patients'' family members and the nurses who were passing by. "I think so, but I''ll need the CPU in Norman Residence. I''m not sure if the police officers have taken it away. Besides, we can''t enter the house either," Gale made a guess. After all, the police officers had sealed the house with barricade tape. "They shouldn''t have found out that quickly," said Luke. "It''s not a murder case. The tapes will be taken down soon. I''ll ask Dad to give you permission to enter the house and take the CPU when he''s feeling better tomorrow." ¡°Got it, Boss,¡± replied Gale. It would be an easy task for him to retrieve the CPU with Jack''s help. "One more thing, send another female bodyguard to the hospital to keep an eye on Leia," instructed Luke. Since Leia could escape the police officer and the bodyguard ande upstairs, Luke had to arrange for another person to watch over her. The ward Leia was staying in was a female ward. It would be inconvenient for a male bodyguard to stay in the female ward. That was why it would be best to arrange a female bodyguard for her. "Leia? She''s so cunning. Why don''t we get her a female bodyguard who''s disguised as a caretaker?" suggested Gale. The bodyguard who was responsible for keeping an eye on Leia had already reported to Gale that he had failed to do his job today, and he told Gale that Boss ran into her. That was why Gale thought Leia was a difficult person. It would be best if they could arrange a female bodyguard disguised as a caretaker for Leia. "I''ll leave it to you.¡± Luke had noment about it. "Okay, Boss. I''m getting back to work now," replied Gale. He had special skills when it came to checking surveince footage, and he could y different footage on different screens at the same time. Besides, he could find the key to something odd in the footage almost immediately. Now, he only had topare the footage today with the footage from a few days ago to make sure that he was right. After Luke ended the call, he walked into the ward and continued to apany Luca. The caretaker returned to the ward as soon as she had bought Jack''s and Queenie''s necessities for their stay in the hospital. Luca was not nning to leave yet. She was nning to stay until nighttime. It was quiet in the ward. The caretaker was knitting a sweater while Luca kept looking at the two of them on the beds with a worried expression on her face. Even though they were asleep, she was constantly checking their pulse. Luke sat on the sofa, handling his work. Rain would send him messages to report to him what was going on at the police station once in a while. Everything was going smoothly so far. On the other hand... Matysh was throwing a tantrum after knowing that the mission had failed. He pointed his finger at Mandy, whose hair was a mess. He questioned her, "What did you tell me back then? You were certain that the mission would seed. The mission has failed now. Tell me, what should we do about it? How am I supposed to get Luca?" Mandy covered the other side of her face with her palm. Matysh had given her a merciless p in the face a moment ago. She failed to dodge, and now the side of her face was swollen red. "There''s always a chance that the mission would fail. Did I ever guarantee that it would be a sess. Plus, we did everything you told us to do. We even opened the door for those thugs. It was them who didn''t manage to get Luca. What it''s got to do with me?" She gave the man who was almost going insane a resentful re. How could he still think about how to get Luca when things were at this point? Was he not afraid of those thugs turning him in? If something like that happened within the borders of A City, he had to bear the legal responsibilities and go to prison no matter how wealthy and how influential he was in Russia. Besides, the mission failed because of their ipetence! How could he me it on her and Leia? Mandy had purposely pulled the strings to make Leia help them. They did a good job, but she had to get scolded and beaten up by Matysh. Mandy felt resentful. ¡°This has nothing to do with you? This has nothing to do with you, huh?" Matysh repeated the same sentence twice. He suddenly dashed toward her and grabbed her messy hair. He was about to m her against the table. "If it weren''t for you encouraging me to do what I did today and if we had been careful enough, the mission wouldn''t have failed!" Mandy realized what he was about to do to her. She immediately struggled and escaped. Matysh did not expect her to fight back. He was pushed and almost fell after losing his bnce. "Matysh, are you crazy? If we didn''t make a move today, how much time will there be left for you to seize the chance and take action? The men you found were useless. They''re pieces of sh*t. They couldn''t even handle a woman. So, stop ming me. You know what? I''m done pleasing you. Remember to give us the money that you promised to give me and Leia. Otherwise, I''ll drag you down to hell with me!" Mandy warned him. The two of them would be held ountable for this. She had recorded the conversation between her and Matysh when they were talking about kidnapping Luca. It was to prevent him from going back on his word and denying it. Matysh frowned and stared at the woman in front of him. She used to be gentle and submissive. He was fond of her as she was the kind of woman he wanted. However, she was behaving like a shrew who did not care about anything now. "Hah, don''t even think about getting the money when I haven''t gotten Luca." Matysh''s obsession with Luca was unbelievably crazy. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. It was not that he was reluctant to spend the money. He just thought people who could not do their jobs well did not deserve the money. "You mean you''re not giving us the money?" Mandy narrowed her eyes. Her swollen face made her look terrible and flustered. "You want money? Sure. Get Luca on my bed. Otherwise, you won''t be getting a penny!" Matysh demanded. The more he wanted Luca, the more anxious he felt when he could not get her. Chapter 2591 Mandy stood straight and looked at how hrious Matysh looked when he was so desperate to get Luca. Lust was destructive to men. Matysh thought he had everything under his control when, in fact, he would only be getting himself killed by a woman. Luca was the one who would get him killed. She was in the same boat... Mandy sneered. "Matysh, if you''re going to prison with me, which one of us is going to suffer a much greater loss?" Matysh red at her and asked, ¡°What are you up to?¡± Mandy picked up her phone on the floor with a cold expression on her face. Her phone was protected by the phone cover. It was still fine after being thrown on the floor. She turned on her phone, pressed the button, and showed Matysh her phone screen. "This is the voice recording of you discussing with those men how to kidnap Luca and how you wanted me to cooperate with you. If this recording falls into the police''s hands, you''re definitely going to prison. Think about it. I''ve got nothing to lose. Going to prison means nothing to me. But your nephew will take over your family business in Russia if you go to prison. Kidnapping is a serious crime. Will you be able to deal with your lust and sexual desires when you''re in prison?" "B*tch, how dare you do this to me?!" Matysh clenched his fists. When he doubted whether the voice recording was true or not, he saw Mandy pressing a button. "I''ve already set a scheduled send for this recording. If you don''t deposit the money into my bank ount within an hour, the recording will be sent to the police station. Those useless men you found even got Jack and his wife injured. The police officers will get things done real quick. It''ll be toote even if you manage to book a flight ticket now or buy a helicopter to leave A City immediately. Before you can leave the borders of A City, you''ll be arrested and sent to prison. Well, would you like to listen to it?" Mandy smirked. She could feel the sharp paining from her swollen face when she smiled, but she did not care. She yed the voice recording. It started with the conversation between Matysh and the mob boss. "B*tch!" Matysh snatched the phone away from her. When he was about to destroy the phone, he heard her saying, "Go ahead and destroy it. Even if you give me the money after destroying my phone, the recording is still going to be sent to the police." Matysh was stunned for a moment. Mandy was pleased. ¡°You don''t know the password even if you have the phone. You can''t do anything with it." Matysh sped the phone tight. His face turned livid with rage knowing that Mandy had something on him. "You have 45 minutes left to think about it," reminded Mandy as she nced at the clock on the wall. "B*tch! I won''t let you get away with this," threatened Matysh. Those who offended him had never ended up well. Mandy was not afraid of him threatening her. After spending some time together with Matysh, she realized that he was only wealthy. He did not wield any influence in A City. "You''re in A City now, not Russia, where you can do whatever you want. Have you decided?" asked Mandy. Mandy knew he would give her the money. Matysh would not risk getting thrown into prison. Judging from his personality as well as how arrogant and condescending he was, he would go insane if he was sent to prison. Matysh''s face turned gloomy. He had slept with so many women, and he finally knew that a woman''s heart was the deadliest poison. Matysh was able to wield his family''s power and influence to get rid of those women back then. This was the only time when he could not wield his family''s influence as he was in A City. After all, A City was different from Russia. He could not bring his power and influence to Russia here. Hence, his fate was in Mandy''s hands, and he had no choice but topromise. "Cancel it," Matysh instructed her in a stiff voice and handed the phone to her. Mandy took the phone from him. The way she looked at him was no longer gentle. It was full of disdain instead. "Deposit the money into my bank ount, then. As for Leia''s share, I''ll transfer the money to her bank ount. Keep in mind that it must be an instant transfer. Once the money is deposited into my bank ount, I''ll cancel the scheduled send." The reason why Mandy was concerned about Leia was that Leia was still useful to her. Hence, she wanted to help Leia to get her share. Matysh had no choice but to take it lying down. He picked up his phone and transferred the amount of money he promised he would give her through instant transfer. After Mandy made sure that it was an instant transfer, she took her time to cancel the scheduled send. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. "Alright, you don''t have to go to prison now." Mandy stared at the man expressionlessly. Even though she managed to make some money after staying by his side for such a long time, she suffered a lot for it. Hence, even though Matysh did not get what he wanted this time, Mandy thought she deserved to get paid for it. "Delete the voice recording!" Matysh''s face turned livid with rage. He did not expect to be betrayed by a woman after living for such a long time. Mandy looked at the money in her bank ount. She raised her brows and said, "Delete it? No way. I''ll keep the voice recording for myself. Just in case someonees after me one day, the voice recording can be..." "Are you threatening me?" Matysh raised his brows. He did not expect Mandy, who used to be one call away, to be so shrewd now. He had been fooled! "I dare not to. You''re the mighty Matysh Abaza. Even though you don''t wield any power or influence in A City, you''ve got money. As long as you''ve got enough money, there''ll be a lot of people who are willing to do things for you. You said I was threatening you. Well, if I don''t have the voice recording, I''m truly afraid I''ll be killed in reprisal." Mandy was not silly. She had met so many men before, and she knew how to deal with them well. Matysh was considered unfortunate. He always had his guard up against her. The more defensive he was, the more Mandy thought that she needed to have something on him to keep herself safe. That was why the voice recording existed. Mandy saw the look on his face and said, "Don''t worry, I won''t give it to the police or the others. There''s also the conversation between us recorded on the phone. If you''re arrested because of the recording, I''ll be caught too. Now that I have the money, I''m not that silly to get us into trouble. You don''t have to worry about it in the future either. I''ve received the money, so we should go our separate ways. We shouldn''t keep in touch with each other anymore. I won''te to you even if you miss me. That''s all." After that, Mandy turned around and walked out of the hotel room. Then, there were noises of ss shatteringing from the hotel room along with Matysh''s rage-filled roars, "B*tch! F*cking b*tch!" "Hah." Mandy stroked her face. If it were not for Matysh giving her a huge amount of money back then, she would have gotten even with him for pping her. However, she was happy when she nced at the amount in her bank ount. Mandy put on a mask. After she left the hotel, she hailed a ride and headed to the hospital. She went to check her face at a medical aesthetic clinic and applied the medicine to her face. After making sure everything was fine, she called Leia. "Where are you?" "I''m at the hospital," Leia replied in an impatient tone. Mandy was startled for a moment, then she asked, "I''m at the hospital too. Where are you?" "I''m at the Department of Hepatobiliary, Ward 254," answered Leia as she shot a nce at the police officer and Luke''s subordinate who was sitting on the sofa. As long as she refused to cooperate and give a statement, the police officer would not leave. She reckoned that she would not be able to kick Luke''s subordinate out of here either. What was Mandy up to by wanting to look for her now? Chapter 2592 10 minutester, Mandy came to the ward that Leia told her on the phone earlier. She was startled for a moment when she saw a police officer sitting there. Then, she immediately took two steps backward. After everything that she did, she had the feeling that the police were after her whenever she saw an officer. Mandy pretended that she came to the wrong ce. After she left the ward and headed to a quiet ce, she gave Leia a call. ¡°What''s going on? Why is there a police officer in your ward?" ¡°He''s here to take my statement. What brings you here?" Leia nced at the police officer, feeling guilty. Could it be that Luke had already found out something and that was why Mandy came here looking for her in a hurry? "I''m here to give you the money. But there are so many people there. I think it''ll be better for me not to enter the ward," replied Mandy. She was afraid she would wear an unnatural expression on her face in front of the police officer and arouse his suspicion. She had done something bad. That was why she was afraid to see any police officers. Leia was dumbfounded for a moment. She initially wanted to ask Mandy since they had failed the mission, why were they still able to get the money. However, Leia dared not to say anything in front of the police officer. She tried to fool the officer by saying, "Sure. No problem. Thank you." Mandy knew it was inconvenient for Leia to talk and that was why she said something like that. She did not say anything. After she hung up the call, Mandy deposited an amount of money into Leia''s bank ount. However, the amount deposited into Leia''s bank ount was less than expected. Then, Mandy sent a message to Leia: [That''s all I can get for you since things didn''t go well.] Mandy knew Leia dared not to contact Matysh. Leia had agreed with Matysh''s n, and she also requested those thugs to harm Mr. and Mrs. Norman. That was why it caused such a big scene. Matysh was kind enough to give her the money. How would she dare to look for Matysh and ask for the remainder? Leia saw Mandy''s message, then she nced at her bank ount. She pursed her lips. It was less than she expected, but things had gotten bigger and worse. It was not easy for her to get such an amount of money. Leia put her phone down and looked at the police officer with a gloomy expression on her face. The police officer and Luke''s subordinate were both in the ward. The other two patients in the ward were staring at her, but they dared not say anything about it. ¡°I feel much better now. I can make the statement." Leia wanted the police officer to leave, so she had no choice but to cooperate with him. The police officer was a little surprised. Leia had finally agreed to make the statement. He said, "Why don''t we head to the nurses'' lounge?" The hospital had made it convenient for the police officers to do their job. A nurses'' lounge was provided in every department, and the police officers could use the lounges to take statements from the patients. Leia got out of bedzily. She rolled her eyes at Luke''s subordinate and followed the police officer out of the ward. Luke''s subordinate knew the police officer would not let him listen in while Leia was giving her statement. Therefore, he thought he might as well stay in the ward first. After that, he would wait outside the nurses'' lounge. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. After Leia left, the patient staying in the same ward as her asked, "Hey, what did that woman do?" "I have no idea," the man replied with a cold expression on his face. The patient asked with curiosity, "I notice that the police officer kept staring at her. She must''ve committed a serious crime, right? But why is she still in this ward if she really did something wrong? Doesn''t the hospital have a custodial ward?" The man kept silent. A horrified look suddenly appeared on the patient''s face, and she said, "Could it be a murder case? Oh my, patients like her are scary." The man ran out of patience as the patient was constantly babbling and making wild guesses. He immediately walked out of the ward and came to the door of the nurses'' lounge. The door was closed. The man shot a nce to see the situation inside and saw Leia giving her statement. He could see the impatient look on Leia''s face when she was facing the police officer. Five minutester, the man received a message. It was an instruction from Gale. He continued to stand outside the nurses'' lounge after reading the message. 15 minutester, the police officer came out of the room with a sullen look on his face. "Have you finished taking her statement?" the man asked. "Yeah..." The police officer was rendered speechless. When Leia was giving her statement, it was as though her brain was not working at all. She did not answer his questions, and everything she told him was messy and unorganized. When the police officer asked Leia why she behaved that way, she told him that she was traumatized and could hardly remember what happened. That would only mean the police officer had wasted so much time waiting for her to take the statement. He would certainly be scolded by his superior if he went back to the office with such a statement. "Judging from the look on your face, it didn''t go well, huh?" the man asked. The police officer nodded, but the statements were confidential information. He could not let anyone else read them either. "I''ll go back to the office to report about it." He would not be able to find any new leads in Leia''s statement if he continued to stay here. Thus, he thought he might as well take the statement with him and head back to the office where he would be scolded. The man then turned to look at Leia, who came out of the lounge. It seemed like she was in a good mood after dealing with the police officer. She was even humming a tune. "There''ll be a caretakering here to take care of youter," said the man. Leia stopped. She raised her brows and asked, "Caretaker? Who arranged a caretaker for me?" The man would not tell her that Luke was the one who made such arrangements. After all, he was told not to arouse Leia''s suspicion. "It''s probably your family. The nurse walked into the ward and told me a moment ago." "Them? That''s impossible!" Leia frowned. Mr. and Mrs. Norman would not even let her enter the VIP ward on the top floor to visit them. How could they arrange a caretaker for her? The man replied indifferently when Leia refused to believe it, "Return to your ward and ask them." After that, he walked back to the ward. Leia returned to her ward while feeling suspicious. There was indeed a middle-aged woman sitting on the chair beside her ward bed. "Who sent you here? Was it Luke Crawford?" Leia looked at the caretaker vigntly. This was a female ward. It was inconvenient for Luke''s male subordinate toe here and keep an eye on her. "C-Crawford?" The middle-aged woman asked with an ent while she looked at Leia in confusion. She exined, "Old Madam Norman sent me here. She told me toe here to take care of you." Old Madam Norman? Leia raised her brows. She picked up her phone and called Old Madam Norman. "Grandma, did you send a caretaker over?" Leia asked. "Yes, Leia. You must be frightened after what happened, right?" Old Madam Norman asked caringly. "I''m okay..." Leia found it strange, then she asked, "How did you know I was admitted to the hospital?" "Something big happened to your family, so, naturally, your grandpa and I found out about it. I know your parents are in the hospital too. That''s why I sent a caretaker for you," answered Old Madam Norman. She felt sorry for her granddaughter. Hence, she arranged for a caretaker to look after her. The caretaker who was initially sent here to take care of Leia was then reced with another person by Gale. "Grandma, that''s very kind of you." Leia stopped staring at the caretaker suspiciously when she heard Old Madam Norman say so. Then, she asked, "Grandma, do you know how my parents are doing now? The nurse doesn''t allow me to enter their ward. She told me that they don''t allow me to visit them. I don''t know what''s going on in there. I''m worried." Chapter 2593 Madam Norman paused for a moment, then she said, "I''m not sure about their situation either. I''ve been calling them all morning. No one''s answering the phone. But Leia, you don''t have to worry about your parents. I''m sure they''re going to be fine. Everything will be fine." Madam Norman specially persuaded her, thinking that Leia must be worried. Leia rolled her eyes. That was pretty helpful. Then, Leia replied, "Grandma, if you happen to know how Dad and Mom are doing, please tell me right away. I''m worried about them." "Okay, I will. You''re a good child. I''m counting on you to take care of my son and my daughter-inw," said Old Madam Norman. She thought Leia was doing her duties as a daughter well. Old Madam Norman had no idea what Leia did to Queenie back then. Jack did not want to piss the elders off, so he deliberately did not mention it. Therefore, Old Master Norman and his wife still adored Leia a lot, especially when they were in such a situation. Old Madam Norman heard how worried Leia was, and she became furious when she remembered Bianca, who lost her memory and was currently abroad. "Grandma, don''t say that..." Leia looked down as she secretly became more impatient. What the hell happened to Jack and Queenie? Deep down in her heart, Leia was hoping something had really happened to the two of them. That way, she did not have to pretend to be nice to anyone in the Norman family and no one would meddle in her affairs. "Sometimes, a biological child isn''t that dutiful either. You''re so much better. Your parents made the right choice to adopt you at the orphanage." Old Madam Norman recalled the scene when they adopted Leia at that time. Leia smirked disdainfully. What was the use of saying these at this point? Leia wanted to pretend to be a good daughter and butter Jack up, but he hated her so much. She could not please him no matter what she did. That was why Leia was not nning to continue with it. "Grandma, I''m really worried about Dad and Mom. Remember to tell me when you have any news of them," Leia sweet-talked her. "Alright, alright. You''re such a good child." Old Madam Norman grew even fonder of Leia. The caretaker, who stood beside Leia, heard their conversation. She could not help but suppress the helplessness in her heart as she poured a ss of water for Leia. Leia hung up the call and took the ss of water that was handed to her. She immediately threw it on the floor and cried out, "It''s so hot! Are you trying to boil me alive?" "I''m sorry, Ms. Norman. The doctor told me that you can''t drink any cold water..." "Must I drink hot water if I can''t have cold water? Do you call yourself a caretaker?" Leia red at her. The caretaker was the only person on whom Leia could vent her emotions now. That was why she vented her anger on her. "I''m sorry. Let me get you another ss of water." The caretaker picked up the disposable cup and poured some hot water into the cup before adding some cold water to it. Then, she handed it to Leia again. Leia took a sip of water and frowned. "The water in the hospital tastes bad. It has an off-putting disinfectant smell. Those who don''t know would think that the disinfectant had been added to the water dispenser.'' The patient lying on the bed beside her heard what Leia said and took a sip of the water. She said, "There''s no disinfectant smell in it." Leia rolled her eyes, turned to look at the patient on the bed beside her, and mocked her. "Water tastes the same for poor people like you. I''m not used to drinking this water. You, go to the supermarket downstairs and get me a few bottles of imported mountain spring water." Leia hated the hospital the most. However, she had to pretend that she was injured to hide in the hospital. Otherwise, there would be more and more troubles that she had to deal with. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The caretaker squatted down and picked up the shattered pieces of ss on the floor. After she took the tissue and dried the water sshed on the floor, she stood up and said, "Ms. Norman, you can''t have any cold water." "I''m not used to the water provided by the hospital. What should I drink if you won''t get the water I want for me? Do you want me to die from thirst?" Leia sat with arms akimbo. "My grandma must''ve paid you a lot of money. If you don''t want the job, give me the money and I''ll hire another caretaker." The caretaker was left with no choice. She heaved a sigh and replied, "I''ll go downstairs to get the water for you now." "Get the most expensive bottles," added Leia. The patient on the other bed was pretty upset after getting mocked by Leia. She could not help but say in an enigmatic manner when she heard that Leia wanted the most expensive bottles of water, "Why are you squeezing with us in this three-bed ward when you''re so rich? Stop pretending to be rich." "You know nothing." Leia turned around and red fiercely at her. "If it weren''t for theck of wards, would I have to squeeze in this small ward with people like you? I have a caretaker and a bodyguard. What do you have?" The middle-aged woman on the ward bed was rendered speechless after Leia said that to her. She immediately pulled the hospital curtains. "Hmph. Don''t talk to me if you''re poor." Leia sneered at her and turned to look at the door. She did not see Luke''s subordinate anywhere. Leia raised her brows. Where was the man who was standing outside the door a moment ago? Leia got out of bed and came to the door. She looked to her left and right. There was no sign of the man. Could it be that he had left? Leia stood at the door for a few minutes, and there was still no sign of him. She was sure that the man had left. Perhaps he was sent to make sure that she cooperated with the police officer to make the statement. Did that man finish the task Luke assigned him after Leia made her statement? Leia forgot what Luke said to the man when they were in the elevator. She suddenly felt so much better. Then, she picked up her phone and called Mandy. She immediately asked a question when the call was answered, ¡°Where are you now?" ¡°I''m still at the hospital, but I''m about to leave. What''s the matter? Didn''t you get the money?" Mandy asked. After she deposited the money to Leia, she headed to the stic surgery department in the hospital for consultation. Mandy was worried that the wound on her face would affect her nose job. That was why she consulted the doctor. She even went for an imaging test. After knowing that it would not affect her nose, she set her worries aside. "I received it. Don''t ever mention this again next time. I''m afraid I''m being eavesdropped on," said Leia in a low voice. "Can youe to the ward now?" ¡°No. There''s a police officer and a bodyguard there. It scares me seeing them there." Mandy recalled what she saw just now. She almost gave herself away when she was facing the police officer. "They''re gone now. Come here and talk to me. I''m bored," Leia talked to her more intimately. Leia was convinced when Mandy still managed to get so much money from Matysh after the mission failed. She even helped Leia to get her share. It seemed like Mandy was worthy of being friends with, after all. ¡°Okay. Wait for me there." Mandy turned around. Mandy stood on the first floor, waiting for the elevator. She moved to the side when the elevator arrived on the first floor and let those who were in the elevator out first. Mandy noticed that the man who had been watching Leia was walking out of the elevator. She looked at the man from behind. He was walking out of the hospital. It seemed like he was really leaving. Mandy hurried into the elevator. When the elevator arrived at the floor, Mandy walked toward the ward number that Leia told her. Sure enough, the police officer in the ward was gone too. "Are they gone?" Mandy walked into the ward and sat on the chair beside Leia''s ward bed. ¡°They left after I finished making the statement." Leia frowned and asked when she saw Mandy wearing a mask, ¡°Why are you wearing a mask? No one knows you. Isn''t it suffocating?" Chapter 2594 Mandy pulled her mask up and said in a low voice, "I''m injured." ¡°You''re injured?" Leia stared at Mandy''s face. She reckoned that Mandy''s wound had been concealed under the mask. Mandy noticed that the other two patients in the ward were looking at her too. Hence, she asked, "Why aren''t you staying in a single-room ward?" "Do you think I wanted to stay here? There''s no single-room ward in the Department of Hepatobiliary. The wards upstairs are full too." Leia rolled her eyes. Mandy rose to her feet and said, ¡°Why don''t we go out for a walk?" ¡°Sure." Leia knew Mandy did not want the other patients in the ward to stare at her. Thus, they walked out of the ward together. The two patients in the ward exchanged nces with each other. The patient who fought with Leia said, "I just recalled who she is. I kept wondering why she looked so familiar to me^" ¡°Who is she? I think I''ve seen her somewhere before too," asked another patient. ¡°Oh, she''s Leia Norman. A celebrity has-been who got involved in scandalous affairs. I went online searching for her just now. Tsk, tsk. You can''t imagine how shocking it was. How dare she show her face in front of others? If I were involved in so many scandalous affairs, I would hit my head against the wall and end my life," she said maliciously. She had been bottling up her anger after arguing with Leia just now. ¡°So she''s Leia Norman. No wonder she looks familiar. You''re right. She has done so many bad things. How could she scold someone else without feeling embarrassed? Even if she''s wealthy, she''s just a child adopted by the Norman family. Who does she think she is to judge the poor? She''s nothing but an outsider once the Norman family''s biological childes back. I heard that her biological father is a homeless scumbag. She was born to be poor. Even if she was adopted into a wealthy family, she''s still a poor person deep down. How dare she mock others? Rumor has it that she has a bad attitude. I finally got to see what she truly is like today." Another patient went along with her. ¡°I know, right?" Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Leia, who stood at the door, wore a sullen look on her face. She realized she forgot to bring her phone when she walked out of the ward. She initially thought of heading back to take it, but she identally heard those people talking about her. Mandy heard them too. She patted Leia''s shoulders and pointed at the corner of the hallway with her fingers. Leia could not be bothered to argue with the two patients in the ward. She immediately headed in the direction where Mandy pointed. They headed to the corner of the hallway where there was no one around. Only then did Mandy pull her mask down. Leia noticed the redness and how swollen Mandy''s face was. She asked in surprise, "What''s wrong? Did he beat you?" "I risked my life to get that money." Mandy stroked her face. She did not feel any pain in her face when she was pped. All she felt was numbness. It was only after an hour did she start to feel the pain. The stic surgeon told her that judging from how swollen her face was, it might take up to a week for it to recover and the pain would ease after the swelling was gone. Although Mandy did not answer her question directly, Leia was sure that it was Matysh who did this to her. "He''s so cruel." Leia saw how swollen Mandy''s face was, and she thought Mandy got beaten up asking for money from Matysh. "Fortunately, I got the money. That p didn''t end up in vain." Mandy put on her mask and asked, "How are your parents now?" Leia was the one who told Mandy that the mission had failed. Matysh still could not contact those men who were arrested by the police when Mandy left the hotel. Their superior seemed to be handling this matter too. However, Mandy also heard that A City was currently the center of the country''s anti-organized crime. It seemed like things were going to be more difficult to handle. "I don''t know what their situation is now." Leia clenched her teeth resentfully and cursed, "I hope there''s bleeding in their brains and they''ll die." Mandy shook her head. Mr. and Mrs. Norman were her adoptive parents, after all. How could she be so heartless... "What''s Matysh nning to do now?" Leia asked. Mandy shrugged her shoulders and replied, "I have no idea. He vented his anger on me after knowing that we failed the mission. But I didn''t let him get away with venting his emotions on me. I left as soon as I got the money. We have nothing to do with anything that happens next. You''re considered a rich woman now. With the money, you can make a living by starting a business in A City. It won''t matter even when the Norman family doesn''t care about you anymore in the future." "I want more than that." Leia narrowed her eyes. Even though Jack had always beenw-abiding, clean, and honest since he served in the military, the Norman family''s wealth only started to umte when Old Master Norman began doing business back then. Although Jack had no intention of taking over Old Master Norman''s businesses, Old Master Norman had given him full rights to thepany. Thepany was still earning a considerable amount of profits now. Would that money not be hers when Jack was no longer alive? Hence, what Leia truly wanted was the assets of the Norman family. Mandy knew what Leia had in mind. She patted her shoulder and said, "That''s all I can do for you. Things have gotten much bigger, and the biggest reason for it is probably because your parents were injured. That''s why you have to be extra careful. You can''t let them suspect you." ¡°Don''t worry. I can distance myself from this matter. I''ve finished my job, after all.¡± Leia smirked. She did it so well and left no clues behind. No matter how capable Luke''s men were and no matter how many police officers came, they would not be able to find out that she had something to do with this case. "Although you did the job well, you still have to be careful. Besides, don''t forget me when you''ve be a super rich woman." Mandy stroked her face, trying to remind Leia that she sacrificed her beauty in exchange for the money. "I got it. Have you seen the doctor yet? Let me ask Johann to take a look at it," said Leia. Even though Johann did not study stic surgery, she heard that Johann was skilled at it. Mandy''s eyes lit up when she recalled Johann''s handsome face. She asked, "Really? But he''s not working in the stic surgery department, right?" "Even though he''s not, he''s an expert. Even stic surgeons aren''t as highly skilled as he is. If he''d like to change his job, all the cosmetic hospitals would wee him to join them with open arms," answered Leia. "That''s so impressive..." Mandy could not help but exim with admiration. However, the injury on her face affected her appearance badly. She eventually shook her head and said, "It''s alright. I''ll be leaving a bad impression on him if I see him in such a state now. Do create chances for me to meet him in the future if it''s possible." "Sure. No problem. You helped me a lot this time." Leia was talking about hurting Jack and Queenie, as well as the money Mandy got for her. "We should help each other. And we should make those who look down on us apologize to us!" said Mandy. On the other hand... The caretaker Luke sent to look after Leia followed her instructions and bought bottles of the most expensive imported water. She realized Leia was gone when she returned to the ward. Then, she walked to the washroom and nced around. Leia was nowhere to be seen. Hence, she asked the other patients who were on their beds with curiosity, "Excuse me, do any of you know where Ms. Norman went?" The two patients stared at their phones while lying on the bed. It was as though they did not hear her talking to them. "I''m sorry, but I didn''t do anything wrong to offend the two of you. Do you know where she is?" The caretaker knew they hated Leia, and that was why they were deliberately ignoring what she said. Chapter 2595 The middle-aged woman who was mocked by Leia earlier thought what the caretaker said made sense. The caretaker was only doing her job, and she did not mock them. Therefore, she said, ¡°She went out with a disreputable-looking woman. They''re probably talking about something others shouldn''t be listening to. That''s why they went looking for a quiet ce to talk." "Thank you." The caretaker immediately picked up the bag filled with a few water bottles and went looking for Leia based on what the middle-aged woman had told her. She eventually saw Leia and Mandy at the end of the corridor in the hospital. Even though Mandy was wearing a mask, the caretaker had memorized the faces of the people who often appeared around Leia before she came here. That was why she recognized Mandy with just a nce. She was the woman who was with Matysh. It seemed like what the middle-aged woman said was true. Their conversation had to be kept secret. The caretaker pretended to be anxious and headed in their direction. "Ms. Norman." Leia turned around and nced at the caretaker when she heard her voice. She pulled a long face and exined to Mandy, "She''s the caretaker my grandma sent." "Oh." Mandy nodded. She had said what she wanted to say to Leia, so she did not think that the caretaker''s appearance was a big deal. Then, she watched the caretaker walk toward them and size her up. "Ms. Norman, I got you the water you wanted." The caretaker deliberately breathed heavily as though she was in a hurry. "What took you so long? Are you trying to make me die from dehydration?" Leia raged. "I''m sorry. It was crowded in the supermarket." The caretaker handed a bottle of water to Leia. "How am I supposed to drink this if you don''t open the bottle cap for me?" Leia did not take the water bottle from her. "I wonder what made Grandma send you here. How dumb." "I''m sorry." The caretaker unscrewed the bottle cap and handed Leia the water bottle. "That''s better," mumbled Leia. She noticed that the caretaker stood there stiffly without thinking of handing a bottle of water to Mandy. Then, Leia added, "Haven''t you noticed that I have a visitor here? Aren''t you supposed to hand her a bottle of water too?" "Oh, okay." The caretaker immediately nodded, unscrewed another bottle of water, and handed it to Mandy. "Miss, have some water please." Mandy took the water bottle from her and turned to look at Leia. ¡°Okay, I guess that''s all for today. I''ll visit you again some other day." "Okay. Be careful when you''re on your way home." Leia treated Mandy so much better due to the money she received. After Mandy left, Leia was constantly rolling her eyes at the caretaker, and she had no intention of returning to the ward. It annoyed Leia when she was reminded of the two middle-aged women who spoke ill of her behind her back. "Ms. Norman, aren''t you going back? It''s almost time for your IV drip," said the caretaker. She happened to see the nurses at the nurses'' station mixing the IV solutions, and one of them mentioned Leia''s name when she walked out of the elevator. "Why are you rushing me? Can''t you just let me take another sip of water?" Leia took a sip of water and threw the half-full water bottle into the trash bin right away. The caretaker saw what Leia did and quietly shook her head behind her. What a waste. If she were to continue to pretend to be a caretaker to keep an eye on Leia, she would be at a loss for words... Leia slowly walked back to the ward. When she entered the ward, the woman on the first ward bed smiled and asked, "Did you manage to get your water?" Leia let out a snort and ignored her. The caretaker replied, "Yes, would you like to have some?" Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "I can''t afford to drink such expensive water." The patient on the first ward bed immediately rejected the offer. Leia replied in an enigmatic manner, "d that you''re aware of that. These bottles of water can probably cover the cost of a day''s meals for you." The expression on the patient''s face turned sullen when she heard that. The caretaker pretended like nothing had happened as she ced the water bottles in the cab. She was secretlyining and asking why her boss assigned her such a mission. The other patients were considered kind and good-tempered. If it were not for her being on a mission now, she might have pped Leia in the face if she said such things to her. She would not have cared whose daughter she was! In the VIP ward. It was already six o''clock in the evening. Jack and Queenie woke up feeling confused and foggy a few times, but before they could say anything much, they would fall asleep again because of the medication''s effects. Luca knew what it felt like to have a concussion. It felt awful. Luca truly wanted to share her parents'' pain and burden when she saw how much they were going through. Luca let out a sigh while staring at the couple on their ward bed. "Let''s go home." As Luke watched Jack fall asleep again, he turned around and said to Luca. Jack had woken up earlier and asked how Queenie was doing. Then, he asked for the time. Thest sentence he said was to ask Luke and Luca to go home earlier. "Okay." Luca nodded. The Norman family''s maid had finished giving her statement in the afternoon, and she hurried over to the hospital to take care of Jack and Queenie. Luca rose to her feet and said to the maid, "If anything happens to Mr. and Mrs. Norman, please call me immediately no matter what time it is." "Okay, Ms. Craw. Don''t worry. I''ll take good care of Mr. and Mrs. Norman." The maid nodded. "Don''t forget what I''ve told you," Luke reminded her. Luke told the maid not to tell Leia or any outsiders about Mr. and Mrs. Norman''s situation. Although the maid found it strange, she promised Luke not to tell the others. Besides, she would never tell Leia about it even if she threatened her. After all, she had been serving the Norman family for such a long time. The maid knew very well whom Jack was fond of and whom he hated. "Yes. Don''t worry." The maid assured him. After they left the hospital, Luca realized it was raining. The weather that had yet to turn warm became colder. Luca''s body temperature was lower than usual because of the drug she took. A cold gust of wind met them, and Luke held Luca''s hand. He frowned, took his coat off, and draped it over Luca''s shoulder. "Mr. Crawford, I..." Luca wanted to reject him. "You''ll be warm when we get into the car." Luke held her hand and headed to the parking lot where he had parked his car. Luca had no choice but to follow behind him. Luke was right. They would feel warm again if they hurried and got into the car. Luke would not have to lend his coat to Luca either. The two of them got into the car. Luca handed the coat to Luke and said, "Mr. Crawford, it''s warm now. Put it on." "Put it on the backseat of the car," replied Luke as he adjusted the air heater in the car to make it warmer. Luca heard him and ced the coat on the backseat of the car. Then, she heard him saying, "There''s no one here now. How should you address me?" "Luke," Luca responded quickly this time. Luke nodded satisfyingly and started the car engine. Luca''s phone rang the moment she fastened her seat belt. She nced at her phone and noticed that it was thendline from home. "Hello?" Luca had no idea who was calling her. Tommy''s voice came from the other end of the line. "Ms. Luca, when are you and Daddying back home?" "We''re on our way back. It''s half an hour''s drive from here. Be good and wait at home. Wait for us to come back, okay?" Luca nced at the man beside her. Luke was driving out of the hospital. It would take 20 minutes to drive from the hospital to the vi. However, it was rush hour now as people were getting off work. Besides, it was raining. There might be traffic congestion too. Chapter 2596 ¡°Okay, Ms. Luca. How''s Grandpa and Grandma doing?" Tommy asked again and nced at Lanie and Rainie, who were beside him. They were worried about Jack and Queenie''s health. Luca was startled for a moment, and she asked, "How do you know about that?" "It''s on the news. We saw it," replied Tommy. "But those people only said that Grandpa and Grandma are injured. They didn''t go into the details." "They''re fine. Besides, the doctors and nurses in the hospital will be taking care of them. Don''t worry," said Luca. Tommy replied, then said to Lanie and Rainie, "Lanie, Rainie, did you hear that?" "Yes." Lanie nodded. Luca then found out that the kids were listening to their conversation beside the telephone. They cared about Jack and Queenie. "Stay at home and be good. Have your dinner first. I..." Luca nced at the man who was busy driving beside her and said, "Your daddy and I will be home soon." "Okay, Ms. Luca. Daddy, drive safe," reminded Tommy. "Okay." Luca waited for the other end of the line to hang up the call, and only then did she put down her phone. "They know their grandparents were admitted to the hospital?" It was quiet in the car, so Luke could hear the voiceing from the other end of the phone. "Yes. The news was reported on the TV," replied Luca. She knew Luke had been handling the matters. She added, "But the reporter didn''t mention the details." "Yeah. The hospital didn''t reveal anything," said Luke. The hospital Johann was currently working in protected the VIP patients'' privacy well. Not everyone could enter the wards, and the patients in the wards would not disturb each other. Most of them were from the upper ss. They could not afford to be exposed by others. They were not interested in delving into someone''s private life either. Hence, Luke did not have to worry about Jack and Queenie, who were staying in a VIP ward. Leia was not allowed to enter the ward, and neither were the reporters. "I wonder when they''ll be able to recover and get discharged from the hospital," said Luca. Even if a young man was healthy enough, it would take at least a few days for all the symptoms of the concussion to go away. Old people were much weaker. They might need a longer time to get enough rest and recover when they had a concussion. "I''m not sure. Leave it to Johann," said Luke. Even though Jack and Queenie had recovered, Luke was nning to let them stay in the VIP ward for a few more days before getting discharged. It was not because he wanted to attract the public''s attention. He wanted to give Leia the impression that Jack and Queenie were in a bad shape. The more Leia thought her parents'' health was in a bad state, the happier she would be. One would show the cloven hoof when one was happy. Luke wanted Queenie to see what kind of person Leia was. Jack had a soft spot for Queenie. Queenie would feel upset if she found out about it. That was why he had been concealing these things from her, and he did not let her know how many ridiculous things Leia had done behind their backs. Luke did not stop Jack from doing that as he had nothing to do with Leia. However, he knew he had to get rid of Leia. Moreover, to stop Queenie from worrying too much, he had to let her know Leia''s true colors and see how evil Leia was. Luke drove on the road whileing up with a n at the same time. He had been pondering about it for quite some time, and they eventually arrived at the vi. After Luke met the kids, he made his way up the stairs. Tommy held Luca''s hand, turned around, and watched Luke head upstairs from behind. Then, he asked, "Ms. Luca, why does Daddy look so serious?" "Does he?" Luca smiled and shook her head,forting the anxious child. "Isn''t your Daddy always like that?" "I know, right..." Tommy pouted. Their father had always been stern and serious. He was strict with them too! He still liked his mother the most. Then, Tommy rested his face on the back of Luca''s left hand and gazed at her bandaged right hand. He asked, "Ms. Luca, does it hurt?" Luca noticed that the three kids were staring at her hand. She smiled and shook her head. "It''s not anymore." It did not hurt when her kids cared so much for her. "Ms. Luca, Aunt Neile made dinner for you. Would you like to have some?" Tommy asked again. He wanted to hold her injured hand and blow on her wound. It would not hurt that much after blowing on it. However, Tommy dared not to do so. He was worried that he would hurt her. Hence, Tommy gave up the thought of doing so. ¡°Okay. I''ll head to the kitchen to take a look," replied Luca. She let the child hold her hand as she walked into the kitchen. Aunt Neile was busy preparing the ingredients for tomorrow''s breakfast, which would be pie, as she would be taking a day off. She was worried that Luca might not be able to handle it alone. That was why she prepared the filling and seasoned it in advance. Then, she prepared the dough to make the pie crusts. "Aunt Neile, what are you preparing?" Luca noticed that Aunt Neile was making the dough and asked with confusion. "Ms. Craw, you''re back," Aunt Neile replied with a smile. "I''m making pie crusts. I''ll ce the fillings in the pie crust. You only have to take it out and bake it tomorrow." "You''ll be on leave tomorrow, right?" Luca remembered Aunt Neile mentioning that she had to send her grandchild to school on the first day of school. That was why she would not be able toe here in the morning. "Yes. That''s why I''m preparing breakfast in advance. That way, you can get more rest too." Aunt Neile kneaded the dough. "Thank you." Luca could not help but thank her. "Don''t mention it. Oh, you haven''t had dinner, right? It''s in the microwave. I kept it warm for you," replied Aunt Neile. She knew they could not make it to dinner on time, so she saved some food for them and warmed them in the microwave. "Okay." Luca opened the microwave. Their dinner was kept in the microwave. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. She took a tray out and ced the dishes on the tray. Aunt Neile asked, "Oh, is Mr. Crawford back?" "Yes, but he has something to do and went upstairs. I''ll bring his dinner upstairs," said Luca. She divided the dishes into two portions and gave more to Luke. "Stop moving around. Leave it to me. Let me wash my hands first." Aunt Neile noticed that Luca''s right hand was bandaged. "I''m fine. It''s just a minor injury. It''s not a big deal for me to carry a tray. Plus, it won''t affect the wound." Luca was not being dramatic. Her hand injury was not hurting anymore. She thought it would be fine. "Besides, you''re halfway kneading the dough. You''ll have to wash your hands again. How troublesome. Let me do it." "Okay, then. Thank you, Ms. Craw." Aunt Neile''s hands were full of flour now. It was inconvenient for her to bring dinner upstairs. She gave up the thought of helping Luca since she insisted on doing it. Luca prepared two portions. After she filled the bowl with soup, she carried the tray upstairs. She arrived at Luke''s bedroom door. Even though the door was not shut, she knocked on the door before going in. "Come in." Luke saw Luca carrying the tray and frowned. Then, he said, "Why are you doing this when you''re injured?" "It''s just a cut on my hand. It''s not like my bones are broken or I''m handicapped. I''m still able to carry a tray. Besides, Aunt Neile is busy preparing tomorrow''s breakfast. The tray is quite heavy. I can''t let the kids carry it, right?" replied Luca as she ced the tray on the table. "Why don''t you have your dinner first? You can get back to work afterward." Chapter 2597 Luke sighed helplessly. It seemed that it was necessary to temporarily transfer a maid over from Crawford Manor. When she noticed that he did not move, Luca said softly, "The soup won''t taste as good once it''s cold." "Give me your hand." Luke held out his palm to motion for her to put her hand in his own. Luca deliberately handed him her left hand. Luke was not annoyed. He picked up her right hand, kissed the back of it, and stretched out another hand. "Give me your right hand too." Luca blushed. She put her hand in his palm and exined, "I''m fine." Luke checked the gauze carefully and found no bleeding. He lowered his head slightly and kissed the gauze with his cold lips. Luca''s fingers curled slightly, and the blush on her face spread. His affectionate actions pulled at her heartstrings. The gauze rubbed against Luke''s lips, and he let out a long sigh. "You still have to be careful. The maid from Crawford Manor wille over tomorrow. You don''t have to prepare breakfast for the kids. The maid will." "Mm..." Luca wanted to tell him that there was no need to send the maid over because Aunt Neile had even prepared pies. All she had to do was put them in the oven. However, on second thought, she knew that Luke''s decision was not in her control, so she could only agree with what he said. Luca pulled out her hand gently and said, "You should eat. I''ll go downstairs to eat too." "Mm, let Aunt Neile do the other things." Luke urged and banned Luca from doing other things. She replied with a hum. She understood the meaning behind his warm concern. If she continued to do her own thing and attend to household chores, he would reprimand Aunt Neile. "I''ll go downstairs first," Luca said. Luke did not want to let her go downstairs so easily, but he was also reluctant to let Luca go hungry. After Luca left the bedroom, she went downstairs blushing. The three children were sitting on the sofa watching cartoons. They gathered around her when they saw that she hade downstairs. Rainie said with concern, "Ms. Luca, did you hurt your hand?" N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. "No, it''s fine." Luca showed them her right hand and said, "Look, there''s no bleeding. The gauze is still white." "Ms. Luca, you should grab something to eat." Rainie thought to herself that Luca must be hungry after being in the hospital all day. "Okay," Luca said and walked into the dining room. Lanie followed behind her with a hint of concern on his cool face. "Ms. Luca, do you want me to feed you?" Although these things were not what a little man like him should do, he cared about his mother, so he believed that it was something that he should do. Luca was a little surprised and immediately realized Lanie''s concern for her. She smiled, shook her head, and said, "No, I''ll be fine. Go watch cartoons. I''ll eat with a spoon." "Ms. Luca..." Lanie was still worried. ¡®How can someone who has been using their right hand their whole life get used to using their left hand?'' A ssmate of his was left-handed. His teacher tried to make him write with his right hand, but he still insisted on using his left hand. That was because it was easier for him to write with his left hand than his right. Some mischieveous ssmates mimicked him and tried to learn to write with their left hands, but their writing was indecipherable. As such, he knew that using one''s dominant hand was the most agile. "It''s okay, it''s easy to use my left hand to maneuver the spoon," Luca said. She walked into the kitchen and took out a clean spoon. She knew that Lanie was worried about her, but she did not feel great about letting him feed her. She sat at the dining table and showed Lanie that she could eat with a spoon in her left hand without any issues. Lanie sat on the side and saw her using the spoon to drink the soup and put the vegetables and meat in her mouth. He knew then that she was not faking it. Her left hand was just as nimble. "Look, it''s not difficult at all. Don''t worry and go watch cartoons," Luca said. She had received the relevant training on the Ind of Despair, so her left hand was more agilepared to others. She had no problem eating with a spoon at all. Not only spoons, but she felt that she would have no problem using a fork and a knife to eat as well. She would use her right hand to block the knife because the position she wanted to pinch was on the left. As such, she could only use her left hand to pinch and her right hand to block the knife. Lanie nodded and knew that it was impolite to sit here and watch her eat, so he left the dining room and went back to the living room to watch cartoons with his younger siblings. Upstairs... Luke was dealing with work when the police department called. "What''s the matter?" Luke nced at the caller ID and found that it was the police chief calling. "Mr. Crawford, is Ms. Craw with you?" the police chief asked. He knew that Luca had an unusual rtionship with Luke, so he called Luke before he reached out to Luca. "Is there something wrong?" Luke did not intend for the police chief to bother Luca. "Well, the prisoner who was caught today keptining that he has a stomach ache. My colleague checked him and found nothing wrong with him. He said that Ms. Craw pinched him once and it''s been hurting since. I just want to ask Ms. Craw if she knows what''s going on," the police chief said. Luke knew what was going on when he heard him mention a stomach ache. Luca must have pinched the man''s weak points when she broke herself free. He had seen that move in Russia. It could make anyone weak in an instant, and the pain would get worseter. There were no wounds or internal injuries, but it was excruciatingly painful. "Why would you ask Ms. Craw? Shecks the strength even to truss a chicken and didn''t even have a weapon when she was held hostage. You should be interrogating that person on why he''s pretending to be in pain." Luke knew what Luca did to the man who held her hostage but did not n to reveal anything. Anyway, he would not die. They just needed to give him painkillers in time. The pain would increase toward the end and then reduce. It would be as though the person had gone through hell, but he would not have a scratch on him. "Okay!" The police chief wanted to say that the man did not seem like he was acting... If he was, he surely deserved an Oscar. After all, his grimacing expression was not the kind that ordinary pain could cause. However, what Luke said also made sense. Luca was just a helpless woman who escaped by blocking the dagger with her hand. How could she hurt a man? "Anything else?" Luke''s attitude was not the best. "That''s it, sorry." The police chief apologized for trusting the suspect''s words. He should have never doubted Luca. After all, she was a victim. Even if Luca had stabbed the suspect, it would be considered self-defense and she would not have broken thew. "If he''s in pain, take him to the hospital and let the doctor check him to see if there''s any internal injury. Don''t disturb Luca again," Luke reminded him. He had seen those tortured by Luca''s method. The person would have a tough time if they did not have any painkillers and great willpower. "You''re right, Mr. Crawford. I won''t bother you anymore. Goodbye." The police chief hung up the phone. He let out a slow sigh of relief. He could feel Luke''s powerful aura even across the phone. The pressure made it difficult for him to continue asking Luke questions. Chapter 2598 There was a knock on his office door before the police chief could gather his thoughts. "Come in." A policewoman walked in in a hurry looking flustered. "Sir, the suspect isining that he''s in pain again. His face is pale and his facial features are distorted. It doesn''t look like he''s faking it. Should we send him to the hospital?" "Send him over. Contact the hospital to arrange a detention ward." The police chief had a headache. ''He doesn''t appear injured on the surface but is screaming in pain. Could it be an internal injury?'' However, the statement that he recorded stated that the man was themander of the operation. He held Queenie and Luca hostage but did not participate in the fight at all. ''How could he have internal injuries if no one has touched him?'' The chief of police was not at ease. After all, the suspect had yet to be convicted. If something went wrong, he would not be able to sit firmly in his position. When the policewoman was about to step out of the office door, he urged her, "Make sure the hospital gives him a detailed examination. I want to know what''s wrong with him." "Will do." The policewoman hurriedly left. After a while, the man who was curled up in pain was taken to the hospital by an ambnce. Several policemen apanied the man to the hospital. On the other hand... After Luca had a leisurely dinner, she watched cartoons with the kids for a while. The kids were starting school the next day, so the time they had to watch cartoons would be reduced soon after. Luca looked at their childish faces. Abel had not told her what to do nor instructed her to take on any tasks. However, she did not know how long she could be with her children. In any case, she did not want to be Abel''s tool nor did she want N to grow up in that kind of environment. After the cartoons ended, Luca said, "You''ll start school tomorrow. Have you finished your winter vacation homework?" She was not worried that the kids had not finished their winter homework because they had promised Luke that they would finish their homework on time every day. Therefore, she was certain that the children hadpleted all their homework. After all, they were Luke''s children and had the same self-discipline as Luke. "We''re all set," the three children answered in unison. Luca nodded and stood up with them, "Let''s go double-check?" "Okay, Ms. Luca." Tommy stood up, excitedly took Luca''s hand, and headed upstairs. The four of them arrived upstairs and slowed down when they passed Luke''s bedroom as they all heard him talking to someone inside. Tommy pulled Luca into his bedroom and handed her his bag. "Ms. Luca, look!" Luca looked at the homework list and checked the homework in Tommy''s school bag. Everything was there, and his stationery box was neatly ced as well. She was satisfied and said, "It''s allplete. Great job." "Hehe." When he saw that she was about to zip up his school bag, Tommy took over and said, "Ms. Luca, let me do this kind of heavy work." Luca looked at her right hand with a faint smile. Considering that she was injured, Tommy felt that it was heavy work even if it was just pulling a zipper. Luca''s heart was warm. She felt very lucky to be loved so dearly by the father and son. For the children, she was here to take their mother''s ce. However, they did not reject her too much. They even knew how to care for and take care of her. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. If she stood with the children and told others that they were all her children, no one would doubt it. They were close-knit and acted just like any mother and children. They were rted by blood, so it was natural for the kids to want to be close to her. Luca then checked Lanie''s and Rainie''s school bags. They were neatly packed, and all their homework was in the school bag. Likewise, the stationery boxes she prepared for them were also in the school bags. She handed them their school bags. "You''ll start school tomorrow." Luca sighed leisurely as she counted the time since she left the ind. She had apanied the children through summer, autumn, winter, and spring. It had almost been a whole year. "I would prefer to apany Ms. Luca." Tommy turned to hug Luca''s uninjured hand and moved up to hug her entire arm. "I don''t like going to school." "What are you talking about? You go to school, I go to work. Youe back from school and I get off work. It''s no different." Luca was worried that Tommy would dislike going to school, so she quickly coaxed him. "Ms. Luca is right." Lanie nodded in agreement. As Crawford''s first-born great-grandchild, he was taught the importance of learning at an early age. Therefore, he felt that there was no need for holidays. It was better to learn more at school. "Brother is the same as Daddy," Rainie muttered and sat on the other side of Luca. "Daddy is a workaholic, and Lanie is a studyholic. It''s enough that we have both of them in the Crawford family. Tommy and I want to rx. " "What are you talking about?" Lanie picked up his school bag, zipped it up, and said to Luca, "Ms. Luca, I''m going back to my bedroom." "Okay, wash up and then rest early." Luca nodded. She noticed that the children''s bedtime wasing and could not help but sigh about how time flew so fast. She wanted to take advantage of thest two days of their vacation to apany the children at home this weekend. She had nned to cook something they liked and y games with them. Unexpectedly, so much happened... Seeing that it was gettingte, Rainie stood up and said, "Ms. Luca, I''ll also be going to my bedroom." "Okay, go on." Luca nodded with a smile. She did not want the children to notice her shift in mood. After Rainie left the bedroom, Luca stood up and said to Tommy, "Okay, go take a shower too and then go to bed early." "Okay, Ms. Luca." Tommy nodded, got out of bed, and opened the closet. The kids could clean up after themselves, so Luca left the bedroom. She closed the bedroom door for Tommy and nced at her injured right hand. ''How do I take a shower without getting my hand wet?'' Luca thought of using stic wrap, so she went downstairs, found the stic wrap in the kitchen, and took it upstairs. When she was about to walk into her bedroom, Luke stepped out from the opposite bedroom and asked, "Have you taken a shower?" Luca stopped, shook her head, and said, "Not yet, but I''m going to." Luke knew how she nned to go about showering when he saw that she was holding the stic wrap in her hand. He frowned and said, "I''ll help you." "Help... me?" Luca blinked. Her face turned red, thinking that Luke might help her take a bath. Although the two had made love, this kind of contact was still very intimate to her. "What are you thinking about?" Luke noticed that she was blushing. He felt as if 10,000 ants were gnawing in his heart, causing it to itch. His rationality gradually went out the window. However, he had an important international meetingter. Chapter 2599 "Nothing." As he approached her, Luca could not help but take two steps back. Luke took another step forward and narrowed the distance between them. Luca could not resist the charm he exuded, so she could only blush and slowly lower her head. She might be unable to control herself if she continued looking at him. The two walked one after another into the bedroom. Luke stepped forward to hug her, his maic hoarse voice whispering in her ear, "If I didn''t have an important meetingter, I''d definitely help you shower." "Huh?" Luca blinked and looked at his white shirt. ''He wasn''t thinking what I thought he was? ''I misunderstood the situation!'' Luca''s face turned even redder. All she thought about just now was something that would be inappropriate for children... Clearly, Luke knew what she was thinking about. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Luke noticed that her cheeks were getting redder, and all he wanted was to kiss her. However, he knew that if he kissed her, he would not be able to attend the meetingter. He could only hold back. He smiled as he pulled out the stic wrap she was holding and yed with it. "I''ll help you bandage it up." Luca''s face was so red as if it were bleeding. She nodded slowly and raised her right hand. Luke opened the stic wrap and carefully wrapped it for her. "You thought that I was going to help you take a shower?" "No!" Luca''s denial was forceful. It seemed that she was hiding something. "Mm, no." Luke went with her, his tone full of teasing. His movements were meticulous as he carefully wrapped her hands with the stic wrap, leaving no gaps, lest the water wet the gauze and cause the wound to be infected. "Bring your phone into the bedroomter and call me if there''s anything you need." He urged. "Okay..." Luca answered with a voice as soft as a mosquito. She thought of how she was teased and could not even think of the words to refute it. Her mind went nk. Luke knew her well. "If you need help, make sure you call me. Don''t be stubborn. It''ll be more troublesome to go to the hospital if something happens." Luke did not think that she was troublesome. He just hoped that she would not be afraid to trouble him. "Mm, I know." Luca looked at her hands which were tightly wrapped in stic wrap. ''He''s so thoughtful.'' In the naked eye, there was no gap to allow the water to prate. However, he used up most of the stic wrap. She hoped that the stitches on her hand could be removed as soon as possible so it would not be so troublesome moving forward. Luke left the stic wrap casually on the dresser because she would still need it when she showered. He said, "Go take a shower first. I have to attend a meeting." After he said that, he strode out of the bedroom. He closed the door of the master bedroom, sighed, andined about the time difference in his heart. Luca would be lying in his arms if it were not for the fact that he could not afford to be absent from this meeting or push it back. Lukeined in his heart as he walked into the opposite bedroom. Nheless, he still connected to the overseas call, adjusted his mood within a few seconds, and started the meeting. On the other hand... Luca did not have much concern when she showered because of the stic wrap. After she was done, she put on a fresh set of pajamas before she removed the stic wrap. More than half of the long roll of stic wrap had been used. After she took it apart, the gauze had not gotten wet and was still bone dry. Luca sat in front of the dresser and nced at the door. She pursed her lips and took off the gauze with one hand. Although Johann had helped to sterilize her wound, stitch her up, and wrap the gauze in the hospital, it was not enough. She had to apply the medicine herself if she wanted the wound to heal quickly. Luca sighed after she took off the gauze and looked at the stitched wound. She sighed. She knew that the wound would not leave scars. She sighed because Jack and Queenie were still lying in the hospital. She took out a small medicine bottle from the drawer and sprinkled the medicine powder on the wound. It was a new wound, so she could only use her hands to make sure the medicine powder was applied uniformly before she put on a new gauze. Her dressing method was different from Johann''s. She was one-handed, so her dressing was a bit sloppy but at least it was done. Luca nced at the time. It had long passed the hospital''s visiting hours. Nheless, she could not help but send a message to the Norman family''s maid to check in on Jack and Queenie. The maid quickly replied to her and told her that after they left, Jack and Queenie woke up again. They were awake for a longer time, and the couple also chatted a little before they fell asleep again under the influence of the drugs. Luca was relieved to know that Jack and Queenie had woken up. She stood up and opened the bedroom door to find that the door on the opposite side was shut. Luca knew he was in a meeting and closed the door because he was worried that the sound of his conversation would disturb the children resting. She walked to Tommy''s bedroom, opened the door gently, and made sure that Tommy had fallen asleep and covered himself with the nket before she closed the door and went to Rainie''s bedroom. Rainie was asleep too and had tucked herself in tightly. Luca closed the door and went to Lanie''s bedroom. She opened the door and found that Lanie had turned on the readingmp on the bedside and was reading. "Lanie, it''s gettingte. Stop reading." Luca walked in and reminded him gently. Lanie looked up at her and said, "Ms. Luca, I can''t sleep..." "Why can''t you fall asleep?" Luca frowned as Lanie never had sleep problems. Lanie put down the book and talked about what was on his mind, "I''m thinking about the start of school tomorrow." "Mm, what are you thinking about?" Luca stepped forward and sat beside the bed. She noticed that the book he was reading was a children''s book about medical knowledge. He seemed to be particrly interested in medical books. ¡®Will he take this path in the future?'' She would not object to him going on this route. However, Luke was thinking of handing over T Corporation to them after the kids graduated. If Lanie did study medicine, Luke would have to wait several years before he could retire. Luca had mixed feelings when she thought of the future because she did not know if she would have a chance to be there for it. "I understand all the knowledge taught by the teachers in the school, so I find the sses quite boring. I want to read books of higher grades, but some teachers will scold me when they find out. However, I already know everything that they''re teaching me. I only need to read the book once and I''ll already understand it..." Lanie expressed the troubles he faced. He knew early on that he was different from other kids his age. They would sometimes have to learn something for a long time, but he could understand it just by reading a book. This was all thanks to the extracurricr tutor that Luke hired for him and Rainie when they were younger. Although that teacher no longer tutored them, Lanie had formed a set of his own learning system early on thanks to the teacher. He could instantly understand a lot through this personalized system of his. Therefore, what the teachers in school were teaching him now was too simple for him. Chapter 2600 Luca knew what he meant. Lanie was academically talented, and he had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. That meant he could understand everything the teacher taught in ss. Other than that, Lanie felt bored and unchallenged by his current curriculum at school. Luca looked at Lanie''s bookshelf. One of the shelves was specially left to ce Lanie''s trophies and certificates. It was already full of rows of trophies and certificates. He participated in both internationalpetitions and nationalpetitions. Luca''s child definitely got his high IQ from Luke. It would be a pity for Lanie to not skip grades. Luca had discussed this with Luke before she got kidnapped by the Ind of Despair back then. They were talking about whether or not they should let Lanie skip grades if he excelled in his studies in the future and if his teacher suggested they do so too. At that time, Luca thought it was important to keep her kids happy. Hence, she preferred not to let Lanie elerate his education and let the child learn what he should be learning at his age. That way, the kids would not feel pressured when they studied. They would have more time to join extra-curriculums and discover their hobbies too. Luca did not expect that her decision would make Lanie feel so distressed now. Lanie already understood everything he was learning, and he could not learn something more advanced. He felt depressed because of that. Luca turned around and stroked Lanie''s hair. His fine hair touched her palm, and she said in a gentle voice, ¡°So, Lanie, would you like to skip grades?" "I''d love to, but I have to take care of Rainie. If I skip a grade, what should Rainie do when those boys bully her?" replied Lanie. Even though Rainie was smart, her eagerness for knowledge was not as strong as Lanie''s. Thus, it was better for Rainie to follow the school''s arrangement to learn at an appropriate level. Luca knew that very well. Rainie could not skip her grades like Lanie. She had to practice ballet too. Besides, the Crawford family seemed to be nning to give Rainie piano lessons starting this semester. If she skipped grades, she would not be able to keep up with her studies. Luca said, ¡°Lanie, you''ve grown up well. You know that you have to protect your sister. But Rainie is growing up too. No one will dare bully her. Besides, you''re still at the same school even if you skip grades. You can still protect her, right?" ¡°Simon Holston always bullies Rainie." Lanie frowned. He could not help butin. Simon Holston? Jim Holston''s son? Luca replied, ¡°Don''t worry. He''s Uncle Jim''s son. He won''t hurt Rainie." Lanie fell silent for a moment and spoke, ¡°But Daddy..." ¡°I''ll talk to him when he''s avable. Rest early. You have school tomorrow," replied Luca. She lifted the nket and signaled Lanie to tuck himself in. Lanie looked at her. He knew she was their mother. Even though her appearance had changed, she still loved them like how she used to. Lanie hugged Luca andy on the bed. Then, he said, "Goodnight, Ms. Luca." ¡°Goodnight. Rest early and stop reading," replied Luca. After she helped him to cover the nket, she ced a bookmark inside his book and put the book on the bedside table. Lanie closed his eyes. Luca stared at her eldest son gently. She was still in university when she gave birth to Lanie back then. Lanie had grown up well in a blink of an eye. Would all parents think the same when they watched their kids grow up so fast? Luca stared at Lanie for quite a while. Only then did she stand up and turn off the readingmp on the bedside table. Then, she walked out of the bedroom and closed the door. She headed to the master bedroom and nced at the bedroom opposite her. Luca pondered for a moment. She made her way down the stairs and headed to the kitchen. She poured Luke a ss of milk. Luca knew Luke did not like drinking milk, but it was unhealthy for him to drink coffee at night. Hence, she poured another ss of warm water for him. That way, he could drink the warm water if he did not feel like drinking the milk. Luca ced the sses on a small tray and carried them upstairs carefully. She came to the bedroom door and gently knocked on the door with her elbow. ¡°Come in." Luke''s voice came from inside the room. Luca carefully supported the tray with her wrist and pushed the door open with her left hand. Then, she walked into the bedroom. Luke muted the sound, lifted his head, and looked at Luca. He noticed that she was carrying a tray and asked, "Why didn''t you listen to me?" "I just wanted to pour you a ss of water." Luca knew he was upset that she was doing such things when she was still injured. However, these were not difficult tasks for her. Luca knew Luke was in the middle of a video conference. She walked toward Luke and carefully ced the tray on the table. ¡°I poured you a ss of milk. If you don''t feel like having it, there''s a ss of warm water here too." Luke let out a sigh. He usually appreciated Luca''s gentleness and her concern. However, her hand was still injured. Instead of getting some rest, she did such things for him. If the wound opened up again, things could get serious. Luke noticed that the way Luca wrapped the bandage was different, so he asked anxiously, "Did you wet your bandage when you were taking a shower?" "No. I changed the dressing." Luca shook her head, telling him that she was fine. "I wrapped my hand with stic wrap, so the bandage was still dry even after I was done showering." "Okay." Luke set his worries aside and took the ss filled with milk. Then, he took a sip of it. Luca''s hand was injured, yet she still cared about him. Even though Luke did not like drinking milk, he chose to drink the ss filled with milk. "This will take a while. Go and rest first," said Luke. "Okay... Goodnight." Luca turned around and left. Luke fixed his gaze on her. The voice of his subordinates reporting to him wasing through the earphones, but all he had was Luca in his mind. This was the best time to carefully hold Luca in his arms and sleep together. The subordinates in the video conference noticed that Luke was speaking, but no voice wasing from the earphones. That was why they knew he was talking to someone else. Moreover, the expression on Luke''s face was different from the one he had whenever he had a meeting with them. Even though Luke was frowning, they could figure out that it was different. Luke would frown at them because he was dissatisfied with their report and work progress, but he was expressing his worries and showing his concern for whoever he was talking to now. They could feel Luke''s gentleness and concern even if they were on the other side of theputer screen. All the employees were secretly surprised. They could not help but wonder who that person was to make their boss express so many emotions on his face when he was famous for maintaining his poker face. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. After Luke watched Luca leave, he withdrew his gaze and unmuted his microphone. Luke cleared his throat when his subordinates were still reporting absent-mindedly. He reminded them that he was listening to their report. Everyone immediately pulled themselves together and stopped making guesses about the person who managed to change their boss'' facial expression. Instead, they focused on the meeting. After Luca left Luke''s bedroom, she returned to her bedroom and nced at the time. It was almost midnight. Luca yawnedzily and could not help but feel sorry for Luke at the thought of him still being stuck in a meeting. Lucay down on the bed and covered herself under the nket. She turned around in bed to face Luke''s side of the bed. The air was thick with Luke''s scent. Drowsiness hit Luca as she breathed in the scent, and she unconsciously fell asleep. Chapter 2601 It was two a.m. Luke ended the international video conference and took a shower in his bedroom''s bathroom. Then, he headed to the master bedroom. It waste at night, and every corner of the vi was silent. Luke gently pushed the bedroom door open. Luca had left the deskmp turned on for him. The dim light lit up the darkness of the night, washing away all his weariness at that moment. Luke gently got onto the bed and carefullyy down sideways so that he would not press on Luca''s hand. "Mhm, Luke?" Even though Luke had tried his best not to wake her up, Luca still woke up and looked at him drowsily. ¡°It''s me. Go to sleep," Luke replied in a low voice. Luca subconsciously leaned closer to the heat source and buried her face in Luke''s chest. Luke could feel an uncontroble desire arousing in him as her soft body leaned closer to him. He remembered those emotions he had been suppressing. Luke slipped his arms around Luca''s waist and asked in a low voice, "Are you busy tomorrow?" Luca, who had yet to go back to sleep, heard Luke asking her a question. She opened her eyes slightly and pondered for a moment. Then, she closed her eyes and replied, "No." "You''re not busy, huh..." Luke drawled. He was satisfied with her answer. Then, he turned around and pinned her to the bed. Luca opened her eyes as her heat source moved from her side to above her. She gave the man in front of her a confused look. Luke could not bear to see the way she looked at him confusingly and the drowsiness in her eyes. However, the emotions within him urged him. "Luke, my hand is injured." Luca waspletely awake now, and her cheeks began to turn red. "It''s okay. I''ll be careful. I won''t hurt you." After that, Luke immediately sealed her lips with a kiss to stop her from talking. The night sky was aglow with bright shining stars. The couple was softly whispering their love to each other. The next day. The maid who was transferred here from Crawford Manor had arrived at the vi when Luca woke up in the morning. The maid ced the pot pie prepared earlier by Aunt Neile into the oven and baked it. The soy milk maker was making soy milk as well. Everything that needed to be done in the kitchen had been done. Luca noticed that there was nothing she could help with. ¡°Ms. Craw, you''re awake. Breakfast will be ready in 15 minutes. Why don''t you wait in the living room?" The maid smiled and greeted Luca when she saw her standing at the kitchen door. "Okay." Luca nodded and walked out of the kitchen. Luca did not expect Luke, who was busy working the whole day yesterday, to have already arranged for a maid toe over. She woke up early in the morning without having to do anything. Luca dragged herself to the living room wearily and sat on the sofa. She only found out why Luke asked her if she was busy or not when she woke up today. If Luca was not busy, then he could have his way with her. Luca picked up her phone and asked the maid working for the Norman family how Jack and Queenie were doing, She let out a sigh of relief when the maid replied to her that everything was fine. Luca picked up the remote control next to her, turned on the television, and switched to the news. The news broadcast was reporting about the morning financial news. As usual, they reported the stock market news on Friday. After in-depth analyses of the current market, they reported financial news. "Today, an extraordinary general meeting of Mallory Corporation will be held at their corporate building. Based on the official announcement given by Mallory Corporation, the general meeting will mainly discuss the development of Mallory Corporation in the year ahead. The meeting agenda has been published on Mallory Corporation''s official website this time. ording to an expert..." Luca frowned while she listened to the news. Luca had not been paying attention to the situation of Mallory Corporation as she had been busy dealing with Matysh. She had not contacted Nina either as she was worried that Matysh would do something to Nina.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Now that she saw the news, it reminded her that today was the day Mallory Corporation would be holding the general meeting. Luca listened to the news and noted down the meeting time. The meeting would start around a quarter to 10. Luca frowned. They did not want the general meeting to affect theirpany''s stock price today, which was why they chose to hold the meeting at this hour. Those cunning foxes hiding in Mallory Corporation would not let Percy continue to sit in the position of CEO. The reason was that Percy did not listen to them and chose Nina instead. Luca picked up her phone and searched online for the news of the general meeting. Most of them supported Pierre. The Mallory family was just helping Pierre gain some momentum and support from the movement. They knew if Pierre did not have any support after he took the position of CEO, it would certainly affect the investors'' confidence and it would have an influence on the stock price of Mallory Corporation. That was why they made a show of power for Pierre on the inte. It was to build the investors'' confidence in Pierre. Luca frowned as she read those exaggeratedments. She could not help but wonder if Percy had made a move. Why were there so fewments on the inte about him? Even though Pierre had the Mallory family backing him up, some people supported Percy too. T Corporation was one of them. Hence, it was impossible for Percy to keep quiet and do nothing. When Luca was scrolling through the forum on her phone, the maid walked out of the kitchen and said, ¡°Ms. Craw, breakfast is ready. Would you like to have breakfast now?" Luca nced at the time and rose to her feet. Then, she replied, "Serve it on the table. I''ll wake the kids up." Lanie and the others had yet toe downstairs. Luca reckoned that they had not gotten back into the swing of things, so she headed upstairs right away. Luca pushed Tommy''s bedroom door open. Tommy was still in bed. If it were during the holidays, the kids would wake up an hourter than usual. Hence, the kids had kept the habit of waking up one hourter than usual even after the holidays. Luca walked into Tommy''s room and gently patted the child''s shoulder. "Tommy, it''s time to get out of bed." "Um, Ms. Luca..." Tommy opened his eyes and nced at her. Then he closed his eyes again. "You''re going back to school today. Did you forget about that?" Luca reminded her youngest son in a soft voice. She realized how adorable he looked sleeping in. Tommy immediately opened his eyes when he heard that. "Back to school?" "Yes. Hurry up and get out of bed. Wash up and go downstairs for breakfast," replied Luca. She stood up, opened the closet, and took Tommy''s uniform as well as some warm clothes out. Tommy sat up on the bed and rubbed his eyes. "I forgot to set the rmst time before I went to bed. Ms. Luca, luckily you woke me up. Otherwise, I would''ve beente." "It''s still early. Go and wash yourself up." Luca smiled and held Tommy''s hand as he got out of bed. "Let me check on Lanie and Rainie." "Okay." Tommy was wide awake. He walked into the bathroom to take a shower. Luca headed to Rainie''s bedroom. Rainie had already woken up, and she was about to head downstairs. "Good morning, Ms. Luca." Rainie gave Luca a sweet smile and greeted her when she saw her open the door. "Good morning. Hurry up. Go downstairs and have your breakfast." Luca smiled. She could not help but exim how good her kids were when she saw them behaving themselves. At the same time, Lanie walked out of his bedroom. He saw Luca standing at Rainie''s bedroom door and asked, ¡°Ms. Luca, did Rainie sleep in?" Chapter 2602 ¡°No, I didn''t!" Rainie heard Lanie, and before Luca could answer him, she walked out of the room carrying her school bag on her back. "Tommy''s the only one who slept in." "Is Tommy still in bed?" Lanie frowned. As the eldest brother, he was responsible for waking his sister and brother up. However, Rainie and Tommy were usually on time. That was why he did not wake them up today. "He''s up and showering. The two of you head downstairs for breakfast first. Uncle Zander will send you to school after breakfast," said Luca as she urged them to go downstairs to have breakfast. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. The kids nodded. Lanie asked caringly when he walked past Luca, "Ms. Luca, is your hand alright?" "I''m fine." Luca gave a faint smile. Lanie said, "It''s written in books that wounds easily get inmed on the second day. Remember to head to the hospital if there''s inmmation." "Okay. I''ll pay attention to it." Luca nodded. The child''s concern warmed her heart. "And don''t get your wound wet," added Lanie. These were what he learned from reading the bookst night. "Thank you, Lanie. That''s very kind of you." Luca let out a sigh and looked at her hand. Even though she got cut on the hand, she was chuffed to bits with her kids caring for her like this. "Lanie intentionally looked for the book yesterday," Rainie, who stood beside her, spoke. She went to Lanie''s room before she sleptst night, and she saw him squatting down in front of the bookcase searching for books. Lanie told her that he was looking for a handbook about basic medical knowledge. Some things needed to be given attention after getting injured. Luca was a little surprised. Lanie did not read the book because he was interested in medical knowledge but because she was injured. He wanted to learn from the book. Lanie''s face turned red when he saw how surprised Luca was. He took a step forward and said, "Come on. It''s time for breakfast." Rainie turned around and gave Luca a yful wink. "Lanie is embarrassed!" "Stop talking nonsense." Lanie heard what Rainie said and refuted it without turning around. Rainie kept up with him happily and replied, "I wasn''t!" "You just don''t understand." Lanie''s face turned even redder. ''''Lanie, I''m your twin sister. We have telepathy. Just say it if you''re worried about Ms. Luca. No one is going tough at you." Rainie followed Lanie down the stairs, and their voices were fading away as they walked further. Luca looked at her bandaged hand. She smiled and shook her head. Then, she pushed the door open and walked into Tommy''s bedroom. ¡°Tommy, are you done yet?" Tommy pushed the bathroom door open and walked out of the bathroom. He had finished showering and had changed into his school uniform. ¡°Ms. Luca, I''m done." ¡°Great. Let''s head downstairs for breakfast," replied Luca. ¡°Okay," answered Tommy. After he set the clock rm, he carried his backpack and headed downstairs. Luca and Tommy made their way down the stairs. When they walked past the master bedroom, Luke pushed the door open and walked out of the bedroom. Tommy smiled and greeted him, ¡°Good morning, Daddy." ¡°Good morning." Luke turned to look at Luca. She did not wake him up when she woke up earlier. "Breakfast''s ready. Let''s go downstairs to have breakfast." Luca knew what Luke meant with the look in his eyes. She was being careful when she got out of bed. Besides, Luke was deeply asleep, which was why he did not notice it. Luca just wanted him to get a little more rest. After they headed downstairs, the maid had alreadyid out the pot pie and sses of soy milk on the dining table. Lanie and Rainie sat at the dining table, waiting for the rest toe down to have breakfast together. ¡°Good morning, Daddy." Lanie and Rainie greeted Luke at the same time. ¡°Good morning." Luke sat on the head seat and looked at the pot pie and soy milk. He raised his brows and turned to look at Luca. ¡°Aunt Neile made itst night. The maid took it out to bake it today." Luca exined to him that she did not do anything and that the maid was the one who did everything. ¡°Okay. Have your breakfast," replied Luke. The kids picked up the cutleries and took a slice of pot pie for themselves. The maid handed the newspapers today to Luke like how she usually did at Crawford Manor. ¡°Mr. Crawford, today''s newspaper." ¡°Thank you." Luke immediately turned the pages to the economic section. Luca recalled what she saw on the financial news today, and she asked a question to test him, ¡°Oh, I saw that Mallory Corporation is about to hold an extraordinary general meeting today on the financial news broadcast just now." ¡°Yes. It''s today," answered Luke. He owned some shares of Mallory Corporation too, and he did not manage to transfer them to Percy in time. However, he had already signed the authorization letter to let Percy handle his shareholder rights. ¡°Does Mr. Mallory have confidence in dealing with this?" Luca asked again. "I''m not sure about that." Luke took a bite of the pot pie. It did not taste as good as the one Luca made. Although it tasted good, Luke preferred Luca''s version. It was just that Luca''s hand was injured now. There was no way she could cook. Hence, Luke could not be so picky either. Luke finished a slice of pot pie and turned to the other page. Luca became worried when she heard him say that. She initially thought that what Percy had now would not be taken away by Pierre with Luke backing him up. However, Luke told her that he was not sure... Luca asked in a soft voice, "Will you attend the extraordinary general meeting, then?" "I''ve signed the authorization letter. I won''t be attending the meeting," replied Luke. He could only support Percy behind everyone''s back. He could not show that Percy and he supported each other in front of everyone. Therefore, Luke was only holding Mallory Corporation''s shares while appearing as if he would not interfere in theirpany''s decision. "Then." Luca could not help but worry. Although Nina did the right choice in choosing Percy, would it be hard for Nina if Percy lost everything he had? Luca knew what kind of person Nina was. She was the same as Luca, and she would not give up the person she loved just because he was in deep waters. However, if everything Percy had was taken away by Pierre, Nina would think that she was the person who caused this. After all, the reason Old Master Mallory did this was that Percy announced to the public that he would be marrying Nina. Nina would probably feel mentally exhausted. Luke shifted his gaze away from the newspaper and stared at Luca. Luca had her worries written all over her face. If he did not know that she was actually worried about her best friend, Nina, he would think she was worried about Percy. Luke would have gotten jealous of him. "Believe in him," replied Luke calmly. Even though Luca was not really worried about Percy, he would still feel unhappy about it. Luca should not be paying too much attention to other men. "Theizens on online forums are all talking about Pierre.." Luca said helplessly. This would affect the shareholders'' confidence in Percy. "Percy is preparing to bring out the big guns. By the way, you can watch the meeting live on Mallory Corporation''s official website," said Luke. "I see.." Luca did not continue to ask. She was not curious whether or not Percy had a card up his sleeve. Everything else did not matter as long as Percy won. She just wanted Nina to stay with him happily without getting her emotions affected. Tommy, who sat beside them, heard their conversation and asked with curiosity, ¡°Daddy, what''s Uncle Percy''s ultimate move?" "Kids like you should be minding your own business." Before Luke could say anything, Lanie spoke first. Tommy refuted unhappily, "Lanie, you''re also a kid!" "That''s why I didn''t ask." Lanie picked up his ss and finished the soy milk. Then, he stood up and said, "Daddy, Ms. Luca, I''ve finished eating breakfast." Chapter 2603 Rainie was wiping her mouth with the napkin. She slightly moved the table and rose to her feet. ¡°Daddy, Ms. Luca, I''ve finished breakfast too." Tommy realized that he was thest one again. After he stuffed thest bite of pot pie into his mouth and took another two sips of soy milk, he stood up and said, "I''m done too." "Uncle Zander is waiting outside," said Luke, telling the kids that they should head to school now that they were done with their breakfast. "Okay. Goodbye, Daddy. Goodbye, Ms. Luca." After the three kids said goodbye to Luke and Luca, they left the vi. Luca finished her breakfast too. She wiped her mouth, and when she was about to stand up and head to work, she heard Luke saying, "There''ll be a live broadcast during the extraordinary general meeting this time. You can watch it on the inte." "Sure." Luca nodded. The only reason she was concerned about Mallory Corporation was because of Nina. Besides, Pierre was also Amur''s target now. If Pierre truly became the CEO of Mallory Corporation, it might be difficult for Amur to make a move. Luca knew ever since Old Master Mallory found Mallory Corporation, he had created his own investigation and management team. This team had always been in the hands of the CEO of Mallory Corporation. The people in this team only listened to the head of Mallory Corporation. They would only serve the person sitting in that position no matter who it was. If Pierre had the system in his hands, it might be difficult for Amur to carry out his mission. Luca picked up her phone and nced at the time. Then, she said, "Luke, you don''t have to ask Warren to pick me up to work next time..." "He has to." Luke shook his head. "Why?" Luca was surprised. Were they not finished dealing with Matysh yet? The police officers were already investigating the matter. Those people who worked together with Matysh dared not to act rashly. "Matysh is a crazy man. Plus, he''s still here." Luke turned to look at Luca''s injured hand. He recalled how carefully he tried to avoid touching her hand when he made love to herst night. Luke treasured her so much. Of course, he would never give Matysh the chance to hurt her again¡ªnot even in a million lifetimes. "And you have an injured hand now. You can''t drive." What Luke said made sense. Luca nodded and replied, "Okay." ¡°Warren is already waiting for you out there," reminded Luke. "I should leave for work," replied Luca. She picked up her briefcase and headed out. Luca came to the vi''s entrance. Warren was waiting for her. When he saw her walk out of the vi, he opened the rear door and said, ¡°Ms. Craw, please get in." Luca bent down and got into the car. Warren started the car engine and left. After Luca arrived at Watson Biopharmaceuticals, she noticed that it was still early, and it was not time to watch the live broadcast yet. She brought the samples of her experimental research to the Luca realized she was having some difficulties while sitting in front of theboratory desk. She could not wear the gloves with one of her hands bandaged. It might cause contamination of the samples. At the same time, it would be difficult for her to move around and perform such meticulous experiments. Rhett walked into the experiment and noticed that Luca was already sitting in front of theboratory desk. He was slightly surprised and said, ¡°Dr. Craw, you came in early today." "Yeah," replied Luca casually. She was wondering if she should cut some of the bandages away to make it thinner so that she could fit into the glove. However, reducing theyers of the bandage meant not much left would be protecting the wound. Luca did not take any painkillers. It would hurt if she identally touched her wound. ¡°Dr. Craw, are you injured?" Rhett''s eagle eye noticed one of Luca''s hands was bandaged. ¡°I identally cut my hand when I was cooking at homest weekend." Luca made up a lie. She read the news on the inte yesterday. There was no news posted online about her getting injured at Norman Residence. Luke must have asked someone to cover it up. That was why there was only news about Mr. and Mrs. Norman getting injured. ¡°You identally cut your hand..." Rhett wondered as he stared at her bandaged hand. Luca must have identally cut either the back of her hand or her palm. He could not understand how it happened. It was not like Luca was using her hand as the cutting board. How did Luca cut those parts of her hand if she was just chopping vegetables? "Dr. Craw, you''re injured. It must be inconvenient for you to wear gloves." said Rhett. They would always wear a pair of gloves to protect their skin and the samples when they were doing experiments in theboratory. The gloves were the same grade as medical gloves. They could provide excellent chemical resistance. ¡°Yes.." Luca had no choice but to turn and look at Rhett. ¡°Mr. Link, can you help me?" ¡°Of course." Rhett heard Luca and walked toward her. Luca stood up, signaling to him that she was letting him have her seat. Rhett suppressed his excitement and sat on the chair. Helping Luca handle her tasks indicated that he could learn something new. Rhett was dissatisfied with what he had learned so far. He was eager to gain more knowledge. ¡°Dr. Craw, how can I help you?" "Make a 1000-fold dilution for this sample." Luca pointed at the sample. Rhett carefully extracted a drop out of the sample and diluted it ording to the standard operating procedure. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°ce it here." Luca pointed at the chemical analysis equipment beside her. Rhett nodded and ced the diluted sample into the equipment. Then, Luca set up the program of the equipment. Next, they only had to wait for the equipment to finish its analysis. Luca pointed at another tube and said, "This one. Please extract half of the liquid from the tube." Rhett opened the tube Luca was pointing at. He realized it was a dark red-colored solution when he extracted it. Then, he asked, "Is this blood?" "Yes." Luca nodded. It was her blood. "Is it the blood of theb''s mice?" Rhett extracted half of the blood from the test tube. "It''s mine," answered Luca. "Your... blood?" Rhett was startled. He did not expect Luca to use her own blood to experiment. "I didn''t want to perform any unnecessary steps. That''s why I used my blood for the experiment. You have to keep today''s experiment a secret," said Luca while she picked up a straw with her left hand and extracted some of the solution from the sample that had not been diluted. She put it in the test tube filled with blood. "Okay, I will," Rhett promised. However, he still thought that it was unbelievable when Luca used her blood to do experiments. Luca skipped the step to experiment on animals. She performed human experimentation right away. The point was, the blood she drew from her body would be wasted if the experiment failed. That was why they had to apply for human blood experimentation with thepany when they needed to use it for experiments. Thepany would send an application to the blood bank and get the samples from there. Luca simply skipped the procedures by using her own blood. Luca noticed Rhett was in a daze. She frowned and asked, "Mr. Link, what''s on your mind?" "No, Dr. Craw. I was thinking that your blood will be wasted if the experiment doesn''t go well," said Rhett in a low voice. Luca knew what he meant. However, this time, the experiment needed her blood. No poison would be found in other people''s blood. Other than that, she needed Amur''s blood for her experiment too. Luca felt troubled at the thought of this. What reason should she use to get Amur''s blood? The experiment had not seeded yet. She did not want Amur to find out about it first. That was why she was not nning to tell him that she was doing this experiment. Chapter 2604 Luca felt troubled, and she said, ¡°Make a 1000-fold dilution for this sample and ce it in another piece of equipment." "Okay." Rhett thought it would be better for him to keep quiet when he noticed Luca pulling a long face. Hepleted everything as he was told. Luca watched the two pieces of equipment that were running. She just had to wait for the results now. "Dr. Craw, is there anything else I can help with?" Rhett asked. "No. That''s all," answered Luca. She noticed there were a few samples on theboratory table Rhett had chosen just now. Then, she asked, "Are you doing some research too?" "Yes. I''d like to try doing some research before we take up a new project." Rhett took the gloves off and scratched the back of his head while smiling embarrassingly. His research was not on Luca''s levelpared. Even so, Rhett still wanted to give it a try. "Great. Then you''ll be in theb the entire time, right?" Luca asked again. She nced at the time. The extraordinary general meeting of Mallory Corporation would begin soon. "Yes." Rhett nodded and waited for her next instruction. "Please send the report to my office right away after the result is out," instructed Luca. She had be more cautious when the previous analysis report was seen by the other researchers. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Still, Rhett was someone she could still trust. "Sure. No problem." Rhett nodded and promised her. "I''ll leave you to your work. I''m going back to the office to do some paperwork," said Luca as she left theboratory. Luca strode across the hallway outside theboratory. After she returned to her office, she closed the door and turned on theputer. Then, she went to Mallory Corporation''s website and found the live broadcast. The live broadcast of the extraordinary general meeting happened to be broadcasting now. Luca leaned on the office chair. A nervous feeling crept in as she stared at theputer screen. It was as though she was Percy Mallory. Mallory Corporation. The conference hall was full of shareholders. Even though the shareholders were on camera, the meeting had yet to begin. They were whispering in each other''s ears as they had received the proposal for today''s meeting. Although rumors had been flying around the city, it was only the moment they saw the proposal did they truly realize Mallory Corporation was serious about bringing a new CEO on board. However, would it be that easy to rece the CEO of apany? The shareholders were in doubt, especially those small-time shareholders who relied on Percy for benefits. Now, thepany wanted to rece Percy and bring in a new CEO. They started to worry about thepany''s profitability if Pierre were to take over the CEO position. They all knew the young master of the Mallory family, Percy, was capable enough. However, the second young master of the Mallory family had always just been helping Percy handle some matters that were inconvenient for him to deal with himself. ¡°Mr. Percy is here." The greeter of the extraordinary general meeting announced. Everyone in the conference hall immediately fell silent and turned to look at the entrance. The ck-colored solid wooden door was pushed open. All eyes were on Percy as he entered the conference hall and came to his seat. He was not the chairman of the shareholders'' meeting today, but where he was sitting was the seat Pierre had his eyes on. Percy had just sat down when some of the shareholders wanted toe forward to greet him, but they heard the greeter announcing, "Mr. Rowan Mallory and Mr. Pierre are here." Rowan Mallory was Old Master Mallory''s name. Percy stared coldly at the entrance, watching Pierre help Old Master Mallory as they slowly walked into the hall. There was a confident smile on the corner of Pierre''s lips. Percy looked down and nced at the time. It was already 9:44 a.m. Their arrival was well-timed. The greeter led Old Master Mallory and Pierre to the seat beside Percy. Old Master Mallory was still mad at Percy. Hence, he sat down on the chair that was one seat away from Percy, leaving the seat between them empty. Pierre was indifferent about it. He sat right beside Percy. "It''s been a long time, Brother," Pierre smirked. Since Madam Mallory was admitted to the hospital, the brothers did not see each other again after they met in the hospitalst time. Madam Mallory was in bad condition. Percy never came back home either. He wanted to fight against the Mallory family for Nina''s sake. "It''s all thanks to the shareholders'' meeting. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have been able to see me." Percy gave Old Master Mallory a cold look. Looking at Old Master Mallory from the side, he saw that the old man was pulling a long face. The wrinkles on his face grew deeper when he wore a stern expression. He must be very unhappy about it. After he announced that he would be holding an extraordinary general meeting, Percy still did note back home and submit to him. ¡°I guess so. I''ll probably be able to see you at the shareholders'' meeting in the future. You''ll be sitting in my seat, listening to me giving speeches on stage." There was a hint of slyness in Pierre''s eyes. After this, Mallory Corporation would belong to him. No matter how many shares Percy owned in Mallory Corporation, he would only be one of the company''s shareholders next time. Pierre swore that he would take everything from Percy bit by bit. Thepany and his wife would eventually belong to him. "Who knows? Are you so sure about that?" Percy looked down. His phone vibrated for a second, and he received a text message. [Done.] There was only one word written in the message. Percy ced his phone into his suit pocket. "I have confidence in everything I do. In the end, your position and your woman will belong to me," Pierre slowly uttered the words in Percy''s ears. Even though Pierre said it in a soft hushed tone, Old Master Mallory heard what he said. He cleared his throat and said, "Pierre." "Yes, Grandpa." Pierre sat up straight. Old Master Mallory knew how ambitious Pierre was, including how much he wanted Nina. Old Master Mallory admitted that the two sessors of the Mallory family had been bewitched by that witch, Nina. Fortunately, Pierre was not as blinded as Percy was to marry Nina and make her his wife. He knew Pierre was just fooling around. He was not nning to stop Pierre either. Then, he asked, "Do you have confidence this time?" "Of course," Pierre replied confidently. He would definitely make Percy suffer a crushing defeat this time. A quarter to 10 in the morning... The host of the shareholders'' meeting stood on the podium. He was the manager of the PR department at Mallory Corporation. After he adjusted the microphone, he began to speak. "A very good morning to all fellow shareholders! Thank you for taking the time to attend Mallory Corporation''s extraordinary general meeting today. Now, let us all wee the chairman of the board and the CEO of the company, Mr. Percy Mallory, toe forward to give his speech and chair the meeting." Percy rose to his feet and made his way to the stage while everyone fixed their gazes on him. Percy adjusted the height of the microphone calmly. He was not holding any scripts in his hands. He nced at the so-called extraordinary general meeting and started to speak, "Good morning, fellow shareholders. Ourpany has been expanding into new markets with your support. We were able to achieve and even surpass the goals the board of directors had set for various production and business operations of thepany every year. All our employees have poured in their efforts to bring in huge projects. We''ve also gained some great achievements. Next, let''s get down to business. I''ll start with discussing the first proposal of the shareholders'' meeting about dismissing Percy Mallory from his post as CEO and nominating Pierre Mallory to be the new CEO of Mallory Corporation." Chapter 2605 Percy was expressionless when he mentioned his own name. The shareholders could not help but wonder what Percy had in mind when they saw him like that. It did not look like he was getting dismissed at all. To be able to read the proposal out loud in such a calm voice, it was either Percy had a well-thought- out n that would ensure the proposal would be voted down, or he was giving up his position. The minor shareholders could not figure it out. The major shareholders who owned more shares were even more confused. Old Master Mallory had already informed them in advance, and they had made known their position on this. Some people supported Percy, but most of the shareholders showed respect to Old Master Mallory by supporting Pierre... That was why Percy would definitely lose time. Even so, Percy, who had never lost in anypetition, could still keep himself so calm. Was he waiting for a miracle to happen? Everyone was secretly curious about it. After giving his speech, Percy returned to his seat and sat down. Even though the seats were arranged side by side, there was the title of the chairman of the board on Percy''s seat. Pierre was green with envy when he saw that. Previously, before Percy was together with Nina, Pierre had never been so desperate nor longed for the position. He never expected he would be going up against Percy one day. Percy was the one who took away everything he had. Now, all Pierre wanted was to sit in that position that was supposed to belong to him! "Soon." Pierre muttered to himself. After Percy gave his speech, the manager of the PR department walked to the podium and continued to chair the meeting. "Let''s proceed to the first and only proposal of the meeting, which is to dismiss Percy Mallory from his post as CEO and nominate Pierre as the CEO of Mallory Corporation. I''d like to invite Mr. Pierre up here to share his thoughts with us." Pierre rose to his feet and stood up straight. He looked at everyone in the hall with a victorious smile. Among the numerous shareholders of thepany, most of the shareholders were supporting him. Pierre walked up to the podium and began giving his speech, "Good morning, dear shareholders. My name is Pierre Mallory. It''s a great honor to be nominated as a candidate to be the next CEO. If I..." Percy listened to Pierre''s speech calmly. He looked down and took out his phone under the table. Then, he nced at the local online forum on the inte. The news Percy had asked his men to post on the inte was already on the homepage. Percy kept his phone away. The only thing left now was to let these people know. Pierre''s speech was lengthy. It was all about how he would be leading Mallory Corporation to sess after he became the CEO and how he would develop Mallory Corporation''s business. His speechsted for 20 minutes, and he still had not stopped talking. Luca listened to Pierre''s speech in her office. She also noticed the changes in the live chat of the broadcast. The speech sounded professional at the beginning. However, the public eventually startedining Pierre for being so long-winded. What he said sounded like a pie in the sky. Eventually, people commented and urged others to head to the online forum. Luca immediately picked up her phone and opened the local online forum. She smiled after staring at her phone for a while. Percy was finally starting to bring out the big guns. She continued to watch the live broadcast on theputer. Five minutester, Pierre was done giving his speech. Pierre walked down the podium with a provocative look on his face and turned to look at Percy. Then, he returned to his seat. The manager of the PR department continued to walk up to the podium and said, ¡°Next, let''s invite the chairman of Mallory Corporation toe forward.¡± Percy stood up and strode toward the podium. Pierre looked at him from behind and secretly sneered at him. ''It''s pointless.'' If he was Percy, he would have given up. Percy knew he would lose, but he was still struggling to fight. It was embarrassing. Percy came to the podium. He tidied his suit coat, then his tie. Nina had chosen the tie for him this morning, and she tied it for him. She even kissed him and wished him all the best. Everything would go well with Nina by his side. "Thank you, Mr. Pierre, for the enlightening speech. He mentioned thepany''s development just now, which is also the vision of Mallory Corporation. So, there''s no need for me to repeat that. I''ve been working in Mallory Corporation ever since I graduated from university. I eventually became the chairman of the board and the person in charge of thepany. The profitability of Mallory Corporation has been gradually increasing during this period. We also found our long-term business partner during this time. If the CEO of the corporation is reced, thepany''s partners might change their minds too. I believe everyone knows this well." Percy paused a few times, observing the reactions of the shareholders. His implication was that if Mallory Corporation fell into Pierre''s hands, T Corporation would no longer be a close partner of Mallory Corporation anymore. When Percy stopped talking, some of the shareholders could not help but start to discuss with each other in a low voice. They were optimistic about the business partnership between Mallory Corporation and T Corporation. If a new CEO was brought in, the partnership would immediately end. Thepany might lose some business while looking for a new partner. It also might affect thepany''s profits. "And, onest thing, I believe all the shareholders have heard some of the rumors about Mr. Pierre on the inte. There''s some news posted on the online forum today, and it''s about something Mr. Pierre did back then. Please take a look at it. That''s all I''ve got to say." Percy did not make long-winded exnations. He only reminded the shareholders what the effects were after bringing in a new chairman, and the big news he posted on the forum. The shareholders picked up their phones once they heard him. They opened the local online forum. Percy stepped down from the podium. Pierre''s face turned pale white as he had a bad feeling about this. He could not help but take his phone out. Old Master Mallory, who sat beside him, stopped him and said, ¡°Calm down.¡± Pierre stopped his gesture stiffly and stared at Percy, who was walking back to his seat. What did he prepare? Percy returned to his chairman seat and looked in front of him calmly. There were noises of people crying out in surprise behind him. No one was talking about it, but there were sounds of people continuously gasping with astonishment. Pierre could not calm himself down when he heard those noises. However, he could not show that he was nervous in front of Old Master Mallory. The manager of the PR department gave Percy a confused look when he saw the situation. Should he proceed to the next stage now? N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Percy signaled his assistant toe over and talked to him in a low voice. His assistant nodded at the manager and made a gesture signaling him to proceed to the next step. The manager of the PR department spoke at once, "Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, Mr. Percy. Next, we''ll begin the next session, which is the voting session. Every shareholder present has a ballot paper. Please write down whether you''ll be supporting the decision or not. You may exercise your rights and choose to abstain from voting too. Then, our staff members will collect the ballots from all of you and ce them in a ballot drop box. The notary public working for the government of A City will count the votes based on the shareholding ratio of every shareholder." After that, there were staff members distributing the ballot papers to the shareholders. Percy was the first one to get the ballot paper. After he ticked the disagree box on the ballot paper, he stood up and dropped off his ballot into the ballot drop box. Pierre took Old Master Mallory''s and his ballot papers and dropped them into the box immediately after that too. Chapter 2606 The voting sessionsted for half an hour. After that, the notary public of A City began to count the votes. Percy sat on the chairman''s seat calmly. Pierre, who sat beside him, was on pins and needles. Pierre wanted to stand up and head to the washroom to take a look at his phone. He wanted to see what was the news on the online forum that Percy mentioned. Pierre knew it must be something advantageous to him when Percy mentioned it. Anything advantageous to Percy would put Pierre in a disadvantageous position. Old Master Mallory grabbed Pierre''s hand and asked, ¡°Where are you going?" ¡°To the washroom," replied Pierre. "How can you do great things when you can''t remain calm?" Even though Old Master Mallory was curious about what Percy had posted on the online forum, he was confident about the proposal this time. Old Master Mallory had met up with many of the shareholders before he called for the shareholders'' meeting, telling them that he would be supporting Pierre. He hoped that they could do him a favor and support Pierre too. He convinced them courageously that even if Pierre took over the position of chairman and CEO of the company, Mallory Corporation would still be the same and there would not be many changes. Most of the shareholders were close to him, and they told him that they would agree to the proposal during the meeting. Percy would not be able to defeat him no matter what ns he came up with. Pierre heard him and continued to remain seated. He nced sideways to look at Percy. He was as calm as a millpond. The vote counting was a cumbersome job. The shareholders were waiting for the results. An hourter, the notary public stepped up to the podium with the results in his hands. Seeing as everyone was waiting for him, he announced the voting results. "Regarding the proposal of dismissing Percy Mallory from his CEO position and nominating Pierre Mallory as the CEO of Mallory Corporation, I hereby announce the voting results. A total of three percent of the shareholders gave up their rights to vote. 36 percent of the shareholders agree with the proposal, and 61 percent disagree with the proposal. The final result is that the proposal has been rejected." Percy listened to the announcement with a calm expression on his face. He already knew the oue of this extraordinary general meeting. Pierre had always thought that he was meticulous at work, but when he started nning to take over Mallory Corporation back then, Luke''s men had already begun to investigate him. Pierre got himself involved in so many dirty businesses behind everyone''s back to make sure that he could start his ownpany. Moreover, he made a whole lot of deals under the table to support hispany and gain more business. He had done so many things that Pierre could hardly remember each of them. After Old Master Mallory found out what he did, Madam Mallory helped Pierre to clean up the mess and handled many matters for him. She even destroyed all the evidence. However, many things that he did in his early days were not covered up yet. Madam Mallory thought she had everything settled, but there were some things she did not handle well. Percy had been holding the unfavorable proof against Pierre, and he had been waiting for this day. Percy wanted to take their brotherhood into ount too, but Pierre kept hurting Nina again and again. He even thought of snatching his lover. His rtionship with Pierre was no longer a concern or reason for him to hold back. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. The news on the online forum was all about what Pierre did. Other than the dirty businesses Pierre was involved in back then, there was also news about him purchasing anotherpany''s bidding document through illicit channels. All the other things he did were posted online too. It was Percy who asked Adrian to schedule the post on the online forum. That way, he could avoid what Old Master Mallory had done earlier. All the news contained detailed information and evidence. It was difficult for everyone to not believe it. Even though the shareholders had promised Old Master Mallory to show their support, they could not risk letting thepany fall into the wrong hands after seeing the news. Otherwise, Mallory Corporation would face a crisis the moment Pierre became the CEO. After all, the information Percy had disclosed could allow rted departments to investigate Pierre. Although Old Master Mallory could cover for Pierre, he had made the shareholders lose their confidence in him. Pierre was the first to raise a question when he heard that the proposal had been rejected. ¡°Objection. How could the proposal be rejected? I own more shares than him!" He pointed at Percy and questioned. Pierre had the most number of the Mallory family''s shares, and it was unlikely that Percy owned more than that. He also had some shareholders who were on Old Master Mallory''s side. It could not have ended up like this. "I''m sorry, Mr. Pierre. There''s nothing wrong with the final result," replied the notary public. He worked for the government, and he dared not cheat on such an asion. "You may watch the footage of the surveince camera and take a look at the ballots that have been counted if you suspect me." They recorded everything down when they were counting the votes, and they never left the scene to make sure that the result was fair and honest. "..." Pierre knew there was nothing wrong with the final result. He was the one who appointed the notary public toe here. Even though he would not help them cheat, he would not help Percy either. "I have more shares than you do," said Percy. He showed the shares he owned and Luke''s authorization letter. He reckoned that the total amount of the shares he had in his hands was more than anyone else in the Mallory family. Pierre looked at the amount of shares Percy owned. He was down in the dumps as he sat on the chair. Percy rose to his feet victoriously and said to all the shareholders behind him, "Thank you for trusting me. I''ll continue to lead Mallory Corporation to sess in the future." After that, he left the conference hall. An ominous cloud hovered over Old Master Mallory. He remained seated on the chair. The other shareholders understood that the meeting had ended. They stood up and prepared to leave. "Grandpa..." Pierre gritted his teeth as frustration filled up his heart. "He actually did it.." said Old Master Mallory. He thought it would be difficult for Percy to make it without the Mallory family''s support. However, he defeated Pierre while having an absolute advantage. "Old Master Mallory, Pierre, I''m sorry." A middle-aged man approached them. He was one of the biggest shareholders of Mallory Corporation, Hector nton. Old Master Mallory watched the man walk toward him. He frowned as he thought Hector was feeling sorry for him over Pierre failing to be the CEO. Hence, he said, "I appreciate it." Hector shook his head and replied, "Old Master Mallory, your men will certainly check the voting results later. Let me just be honest and say that I didn''t choose Pierre." Pierre stood up, refusing to believe what he said. Among all the shareholders who promised to show their support to Old Master Mallory, Hector was the one who would least likely go back on his words. Besides, the nton family owed Old Master Mallory a favor. "Uncle Hector, why did you suddenly go back on your word?" Pierre questioned him angrily. Hector had be an ungrateful person in his eyes. He promised that he would support Pierre in front of Old Master Mallory, but he eventually cast his vote for Percy. "Pierre, you should take a look at the local online forum. I''m an investor. Of course, I have to value the company''s future development. If I had chosen you, there was a chance Mallory Corporation might face a crisis in the future. I did it for the sake of thepany''s future. Old Master Mallory, I''m sorry I didn''t help this time," Hector apologized. He would have been unwilling to tell them about this if it were not for the reveal of the final results. After all, his family owed Old Master Mallory a favor. If it were not for the sake of benefits and interests, he would not have chosen Percy either. Chapter 2607 Hector noticed the expression on Old Master Mallory''s face as Pierre''s face hardened and had no choice but to excuse himself. ¡°Old Master Mallory, let me know if you need any help in the future. Mr. Pierre will probably have some troubles to deal with soon. Perhaps I can be of help. Please excuse me, I have to leave first." Hector immediately took his leave, leaving Pierre with a sullen expressio on his face. Pierre has had a bad feeling about it since the moment Percy had asked the shareholders to take a look at the online forum. A few shareholders who were closer to Old Master Mallory came forward immediately after that. They each had a look of remorse on their face when they apologized to him. "I''m sorry, Old Mster Mallory. We''re left with no choice. If we choose Piere, we''d lose all the money invested in thepany at any point. We broke our promise, and we''re truly sorry for that." Before this, Old Master Mallory had visited all of them, where they all had promised the Old Master that they would support Pierre. Yet, they now changed their mind. Old Master Mallory could not stand this any longer. He instructed Pierre, "Take a look at what it was all about on that online forum now!" He wanted to see what kind of nonsense Percy posted on the website. Pierre had wanted to see it long ago. If it were not for Old Master Mallory, who kept asking him to calm his nerves ¡ª reminding him that a CEO of apany was meant to be calm and reassuring, he would have already taken his phone out to see what Percy posted on the forum. Pierre''s face turned livid with rage when he saw the homepage of the online forum. He did not expect Percy would know about his past! Pierre sped his phone tight and quickly browsed through the website. The news posted on the online forum about him was true. He had even totally forgotten all about it. However, the forum served as evidence and a reminder of his actions. Pierre was so busy back then. He hadpletely forgotten all these trivial things. One or two trivial matters might not affect him much, but when they were gathered and shown to the investors, they would certainly lose confidence in him indeed. As Pierre continued browsing through the website, investigating how much dirt Percy had leaked to the public about his past, a notification regarding thetest news popped up at the top of the website. Pierre clicked on it and his eyes could not help but twitch. Percy had gone to great lengths to expose this matter to the public just to defeat him. Pierre already sent someone to deal with the matter before this, but he would have to be under investigation once this came to light. Pierre finally understood what Hector meant just now. "What''s on the inte?" asked Old Master Mallory, noticing a hint of panic sh across Pierre''s face. Old Master Mallory had a sinking feeling when he saw that. When did Pierre ever hit the panic button? There was only one time when Old Master Mallory saw Pierre panic and it was when he found out that Pierre had secretly built apany of his own and had taken some of Mallory Corporation''s resources. ¡°Nothing. They''re just some tidbits,¡± lied Pierre. "Could some tidbits make the investors lose confidence in you? Is there any rich kid who doesn''t fool around with women? Pierre, tell me the truth." Old Master Mallory came on strong. He knew the news posted by Percy was true by looking at Pierre''s reaction. It was definitely the truth. Otherwise, Pierre would not have reacted that way. ¡°Grandpa, it''s nothing. Let''s go home." Pierre stood up. He knew he was in trouble, but he knew Old Master Mallory would not be helping him after his failure this time. Hence, he had to look for Madam Mallory to discuss about thister. It was not that he could not handle this alone, but he needed time. Moreover, he needed to cooperate with the investigations. It would be difficult for him to deal with it himself. "I''ll find out what it is even if you refuse to tell me. Pierre, don''t let me down." cautioned Old Master Mallory as he rose to his feet and walked away with his walking stick without the help of Pierre. Pierre''s brows were furrowed deeper. Everyone in the conference hall had left. Pierre fell back onto the chair and his eyes fell to his phone screen, alight with the pinned news on the website. His face imemdiately darkened. Percy was heartless indeed. He could not be bothered about their rtionship and posted news about him on the inte. He was not nning to give Pierre a second chance! Percy would not care even if in the worst case scenario that Pierre would eventually end up in prison! "Nina, what spell did you cast on him to make him lose his mind!" groaned Pierre as he clenched his teeth and med Nina. The cleaners from the cleaning department came into the conference hall with the cleaning tools in their hands. They were startled for a moment when they saw someone else was still in there. Then, one of them asked, "Mr. Pierre, would you like us toe inter?" The news of the shareholders'' meeting had already spread like wildfire across the office. Every employee knew they were still under the same boss. Thus, Pierre, who had left thepany, was just Mr. Pierre from the Mallory family. Pierre rose to his feet with a sullen expression on his face. He left the conference hall without turning back. The two cleaners shook their heads. ¡°Mr. Pierre looks mad..." One of them could not help but mention. ¡°Of course. Previously, everyone was talking about him recing our boss. He doesn''t get to sit in that position now. Anyone would be mad knowing about that." ¡°Yes. It''s such a bigpany, and he didn''t get to be the boss. But I''ve always sided with Mr. Percy more. He''s best fit to run thepany." ¡°You''re just someone from the cleaning department who''s responsible for cleaning up. Are you able to judge someone''s character well? It''d be better to do our job and mind our own business. It doesn''t matter who the boss is. We''re not going to get a pay raise anyway." Pierre did not walk far away. He leaned against the wall along the hallway, smoking a cigarette and listening to their conversation. He had always thought that victory would be his once he stepped into the conference hall ¡ªthat he would be able to achieve one of his life goals today. Pierre threw the cigarette on the floor and stomped on it, as though he was trampling on Percy. While he refused to resign himself to the fact that he had failed, he could not ept how the office''s cleaners had dared mock him. He trotted to the elevator, thinking of going upstairs to look for Percy. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. His secretary called as he was waiting for the elevator. "Boss, pleasee back to the office. A few people who imed to be from the attorney''s office and the police department came here and said they were here to search our office." Ms. Malone sounded anxious as she had never seen such a big scene before. ¡°Tell them not to step into my office!" exploded Pierre irritatedly. He did not expect these people to come looking for him so soon. It had been only less than 2 hours since Percy posted the news. ¡°They''re from the authorities. And they said they''re looking for you. What should I do now?" whispered Ms. Malone. Everyone was at the office door now. It was impossible to close the office now. Hence, the only way was to wait for Pierre to return to the office and deal with it. ¡°You''re good for nothing. All of you! I pay you well, yet you''re asking me what to do when you''re dealing with such things." Pierre mmed the elevator door violently. Ms. Malone, on the other end of the line, was taken aback. Her job was to handle the documents. She had no choice but to rece Pierre''s assistant at the time after he was suddenly sent to prison. She had no experience in dealing with such matters! "Ask them to wait for me. Don''t let them search the office!" ordered Pierre, quickly hanging up after that. Ms. Malone pulled a long face. Not only were they from the authorities, they even had warrants to search the office. Was that something she could stop? Chapter 2608 The elevator arrived at the floor. Pierre walked into the elevator, pressed the button, and headed straight to Percy''s office. Percy''s assistant, who was sitting in the office, saw Pierre flouncing into the office. He immediately stood up, trying to stop him. ¡°Mr. Pierre..." ¡°Move out of my way." ordered Pierre, his eyes glowing with rage. He immediately pushed the assistant away and burst through Percy''s office door, "Percy, you''re a b*stard!" Nina immediately let go of Percy when the door sted open without warning. They were happily hugging each other in the office. Now, the two of them frowned, looking at the uninvited guest in front of them. Pierre did not expect Nina to be here either. A tinge of embarrassment shed across his eyes. Instead, he questioned, "Why are you here?" Percy looked at the assistant who followed behind him. The assistant cradled the hand that Pierre pushed away and winced, ¡°Mr. Mallory, I''m sorry I couldn''t stop him." ¡°Get out." ordered Percy, instinctively grabbing Nina''s hand. Nina was surprised. Then, she came back to her senses and held Percy''s hand tight too. It hurt Pierre''s eyes to see the two of them interlocking fingers. ¡°You.." ¡°We''re legally married," Percy said calmly, ¡°What''s wrong with my wifeing here to celebrate with me?" ¡°Percy Mallory, how nasty of you!" Pierre went ballistic, charging forward towards the couple to separate them. Then, he would take her away. ¡°Even though you''re one of Mallory Corporation''s shareholders, you''re no longer part of the management. I have the right to ask security to send you off if you cause any trouble." Percy raised his brows and gave the man in front of him a cold stare. Even though Pierre was his younger brother, the two brother''s rtionship was already broken after what he had done to Nina. What Percy did today was not something a brother would do indeed. However, what Percy did was nothingpared to what Pierre did back then. ¡°Hah, if it weren''t for your dirty tricks, the position you''re sitting in should''ve been mine!" Pierre clenched his fists, thinking of punching him in the face. ¡°What dirty tricks? Are you talking about the news on the online forum? That''s what you did. How could they not be disclosed to the public?" retaliated Percy. Percy''s words pissed Pierre off so much that he could feel his chest heave with rage. Pierre initially thought of cursing Percy to release his anguish, but he had flown into a fit of rage when he heard Percy''s words and the sight of Nina and him together. There was no way he could calm himself down, and venting his emotions would not make him feel any better. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. The two things that he wanted the most¡ªMallory Corporation and Nina, all belonged to Percy. Pierre swore that he would get everything he wanted before, but he was facing his biggest challenge yet. The way the couple held each other''s hands tight was like a fist, punching and shattering everything he had. "You admitted it. You''re the one who disclosed it!" gritted Pierre, dashing towards them. Percy was fast. He held Nina in his arms and swiftly turned, dodging Pierre He did not expect Pierre to have the guts to attack them. Thus, he picked up his phone and called his assistant. "Someone''s causing trouble here. Send the guard up here." "Percy, how dare you!" Pierre widened his eyes in shock. Although he trained to fight before, Percy must have gone through the training too. Hence, it would not do him any good if he really got into a fight with Percy at Mallory Corporation. "What you did back then was more despicable than what I''ve done today," replied Percy. Nina saw the nasty look in Pierre''s eyes. It frightened her. However, the thought of Percy standing right beside her took all her fears away. "Pierre, there''s an old saying that goes, you reap what you sow." said Nina, pausing to stare at Pierre. "And there''s another one, a true man is responsible for his actions. You deserve to be punished for all the things you''ve done." In the past, Pierre had violently abused her and mistreated her. Percy had kept silent and endured it each time, only because Pierre was his younger brother. Nina was truly suffering under his abuse. Now that Percy had disclosed everything Pierre did to the public, Nina finally understood that Percy has always been on her side. Percy was giving his brother a chance to reflect on his actions, and that was why he did not make a move earlier. However, Pierre was not someone who could change easily. Eventually, Percy ran out of patience and he stopped giving him another chance. It was Pierre who insisted on standing against him. To be kind to one''s enemy was to be cruel to himself. Pierre widened his eyes. He did not expect Nina, who had always been timid and afraid of getting into trouble, to lecture him. ¡°Nina, you''re not getting away with this!" swore Pierre, swearing to himself that he must get his hands on Nina and make her suffer. He would make her kneel before him, begging for mercy, and make her his very own ything. What he said annoyed Percy. He took a step forward and shielded Nina to protect her. "She''s your sisterinw! I''ll make you fall from grace if you dare toy a finger on her!" "Sister-inw? That''s hrious. Did you ever treat me like your younger brother?" sneered Pierre. "Then have you ever seen me as your elder brother and her as your sister-inw?" questioned Percy back. He was getting impatient, wondering why the security guard was not here yet. "She''s a whore. Does she deserve that? Percy, you have no idea that you''ve been fooled by this woman!" mocked Pierre. Nina was struck cold when she heard the word ''whore''. When she had gotten together with Percy, she was already not the best version of herself, and the person who had caused all this to happen was the man in front of her who dared call her a whore! Nina broke free of Percy''s hold and stepped forward to p Pierre across the face. The p resounded loud and clear. Percy was stunned for a moment. When did Nina be so bold? Pierre was even more astonished. He just got pped by Nina in the face... The only person who dared treat him this was Luca. Pierre felt humiliated. He lifted his hand, thinking of returning the favor. Percy grabbed Nina''s hand, pulled her back, and shielded her. "If you dare touch her, I''ll never give you a second chance!" Pierre paused with his hand in the air. He was afraid. Percy''s eyes served as a warning, threatening him with an ice-cold re. Pierre had no idea how much dirt Percy had on him. He might have to spend the rest of his life in prison if any more of his scandals were disclosed to the public. When the time came, he would never have what he wanted the most¡ªMallory Corporation and Nina! "Pierre, what''s so great about you being part of the Mallory family? You''re just a despicable and filthy rapist!" Nina''s body shook with rage, one p was simply not enough. A p could not make up for what Pierre had done to her in the past. Nina had valued her virginity the most, and it was taken away by Pierre. It was because of him, she was unable to give it to the man she loved the most. She did not manage to give birth to that poor baby of hers either. That baby was not even given the chance to see the world. Nina had struggled through the lowest point of her life and it was all because of Pierre, who cast a dark shadow to loom over her life. Nina thought that there was no way she could let it go as long as Pierre was alive.. The moment she finished her sentence, there was a knock on the office door. The door pushed open to reveal Percy''s assistant and three security guards behind him. "Boss." Chapter 2609 ¡°Take him away."manded Percy, cutting straight to the chase. He defended Nina and leveled Pierre with a cold stare. He knew Pierre woulde looking for him and cause trouble after the investor''s decisions broke. However, he did not expect Pierre to lose his cool so soon. "Yes, sir." The security guards stepped forward. While they felt a little awkward that it was Pierre they had to escort out, Percy was nheless the one who paid. Hence, they had no choice but to listen to Percy''s instructions. "How dare you! I''m one of the shareholders of thispany!" glowered Pierre at the security guards behind him. He was standing in his family''spany, but he was asked to leave, taken away by the security guards. It would be humiliating if the others found out about this! The three security guards hesitated for a moment. "I''ll call the police if you refuse to leave. I believe they''re still looking for you now," warned Percy. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. He had given Pierre an option ¡ª be kicked out by security or be arrested by the police officers. Pierre frowned. Not only did he get pped in the face this time, but he also came here to get himself humiliated. He would remember all these! Pierre''s menacing eyes swept across Pierre and Nina''s faces. He snatched his arms from the security guard''s grip, turned around, and left. Percy red after Pierre''s back and instructed his assistant, "Tell the technical department to set up an elevator ess control system." "Yes, boss." nodded the assistant, immediately leaving to do as he was instructed. Usually, there was no elevator ess control system to this floor. After all, no one would normally walk into here to cause trouble. The ordinary employees would not dare toe to this floor to make trouble. In the past, Percy never said anything about it, so the technical department never did anything about it either. Now, they had set up the elevator ess control system to prevent Pierre froming up here to stir up trouble again. After all, Pierre was one of thepany''s shareholders, and he was the second master of the Mallory family. As his subordinate, there was nothing they could do to stop Pierre from getting in. After Pierre left, the security guards and Percy''s assistant turned to leave too, leaving Percy and Nina in the office. ¡°He''s finally gone," muttered Nina as she heaved a sigh. "Are you frightened?" Percy knew Pierre was Nina''s worst nightmare. Even though Percy had been by her side for many years, he still could not help Nina ovee her fear for Pierre. "No. I even pped him in the face just now!" eximed Nina as she shook her head. If she was facing Pierre alone, she would never have the guts to do that. It was only when she was behind Percy, only then was she empowered to dare p Pierre across his face. She had made up her mind to do something terrible to him, which was to p him across his face with all her strength. Percy looked at Nina''s reddened palm. He imagine how hard the p had to be to make Nina''s palm so red. Percy held her hand, feeling sorry for her. He did not feel sorry for Pierre getting pped in the face, but he was concerned about Nina. "Don''t p someone with your palm next time. Use something else," said Percy. Pierre was in pain, but Nina''s palm hurt too. Nina understood what he meant. She could not help but mumble, "There was nothing I could grab at that moment." "Then let me do it." Percy kissed all her ten fingertips. "No. It felt better to do it myself. Hitting him with a brick was what I wanted to do the most just now," mumbled Nina. How she wished she could crush Pierre''s bones. Of course, it was just her imagination. She dared not to do either. "Sounds like a great idea," beamed Percy with joy. "Hey, physical assault is against thew." chastised Nina as she withdrew her hand, Her fingers were no longer in pain, it seemed like Percy''s kisses worked magic on them. "It''s not a human you pped." Percy could not be bothered whether or not Pierre was his younger brother, he was a beast. "You''re so mean. He''d be pissed if he heard that." said Nina, hugging Percy and cing a gentle kiss on his lips. Percy held her in his arms. "He''s in a bad fix now. He wouldn''t daree looking for trouble." He even pondered that maybe he should not have saved Pierre when Luke had secretly sent someone to deal with Pierre at the time. Would Nina feel better that way? "Hey, you''ve won a great victory today. We shouldn''t be wasting time talking about someone like him. Why don''t we talk about how we are going to celebrate your victory tonight?" Nina rested her head on Percy''s chest, listening to his heart beat strongly. She felt satisfied. What came after the feeling of satisfaction was happiness and joy. Fortunately, Percy did not give up the career that he had spent his life on just because he chose her. Fortunately, she did not be his burden this time. "How are we going to celebrate..." Percy paused for a moment. He lowered his voice, teasing her yfully, "Why don''t I book a suite tonight and celebrate there." Nina immediately understood what Percy meant. Her face reddened, ¡°How can you think of such things?¡± ¡°What else?¡± Percy lowered his head and looked at Nina. "Isn''t it something good that''s worth celebrating?¡± ¡°It is, but your friends have been a great help in this matter. We should treat them to dinner tonight and thank them.¡± Nina was talking about Luke and Jim. They had been so much help to Percy today. Although they did not show up to the conference meeting, they entrusted all their shares to Percy ¡ª their shares which were bought from individual investors using their subordinate''s ounts. Coupled with their careful yet steady and calcted purchase of these shares each day, Old Master Mallory and Pierre were none the wiser. That was why Percy could win the war. ¡°You''re right.¡± Percy pondered for a moment. ¡°Let me book a restaurant and invite them to dinner.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± nodded Nina. Though Percy would eventually pay Luke and Jim the shares they entrusted ording to the share prices on the market, Percy and Nina nevertheless had to express their gratitude to them for their help. If Percy did not win the war this time, Nina would have felt uneasy for the rest of her life. She would even feel guilty. On the other hand, Luca let out a sigh of relief after she finished watching the live broadcast. Percy won. That would mean Percy won the war while he insisted on being together with Nina. There were no longer any obstacles between them. They would probably be holding a wedding ceremony after this. Luca hoped she could attend their wedding ceremony. If she could see how happy Nina was, it might be able to make her feel less guilty despite everything she owed Nina. Knock-knock. There was a knock on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± said Luca. She reckoned that it was Rhett outside the door. The door pushed open to reveal Rhett as he entered her office with a few sheets of paper in his hand. "Dr. Craw, your sample analysis report is out." ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡± Luca rose to her feet and took the report from Rhett. ¡°No one else saw it, right?¡± "No, not even me. Don''t worry," answered Rhett. He knew Luca did not want others to look at the report. He had been paying close attention to the equipment. He took the report and came here immediately after it was printed out. ¡°Thank you. I''ll leave you to work.¡± Luca was satisfied with his fast working efficiency. "Okay. Please excuse me." said Rhett, before walking out of her office and closing the door behind him. Chapter 2610 After Rhett left her office, Luca turned her attention to the report. Ten minutester, Luca could not help but rejoice. The sample she made and the data of the previous samples were more or less the same. Moreover, she could see the efficacy of the sample neutralizing the poison in her blood. The indexes of the blood that had been neutralized were more positive. Luca had a feeling that she only had to change the form of the solution to be able to produce the antidote. She would also need Amur''s blood for her research. Her phone rang while she was lost in her thoughts, wondering how she could collect Amur''s blood sample without letting him know about her research. She nced at her phone. It was Luke. Luca picked up her phone and answered the call. She greeted him respectfully as she was at her workce, "Mr. Crawford." ¡°Did you watch the live broadcast of Mallory Corporation?¡± asked Luke. He regretted not exhausting herst night when he heard her address him in such an estranged formal manner. Otherwise, why was this woman not keeping his words in mind? ¡°I did.¡± Luca had no idea why Luke would ask her such a question. ¡°Percy is treating us to dinner tonight. Tell Warren to send you to Traders Hotel after work," said Luke. Percy had just called him and told him that he had reserved a private room at Traders Hotel. He had told Luke that he would like to thank him for his help, but it was also meant to be a celebration dinner. "But the kids..." Luca knew why Percy invited Luke to the dinner, but she had not offered Percy any help so it felt weird for her to be invited. That was why Luca had used her kids as an excuse. "Aunt Neile and the maid will be there. You don''t have to worry about them. Plus, Nina personally invited you," interrupted Luke, not giving her the chance to reject his invitation. Percy would certainly be taking Nina along with him to the dinner, and Jim''s wife would being along too. There was no way Luke was going alone. Their wives had no idea about Luca''s situation, but Percy and Jim knew about Luca''s true identity ¡ª that she was Bianca. Hence, given Luca''s identity and their rtionship, there was nothing wrong with going with Luke. ¡°Okay..." Luca knew she had no choice but to go to dinner with Luke. "I''ll see you after work," Luke hung up the call after Luca promised that she woulde along. He had a lot of work to do. Luca let out a sigh, listening to the busy tone from the other end of the line. Then, she put her phone aside. Luca pondered for a moment and picked up her phone again. She sent a message to Amur: [You there?] [Yes.] Amur replied instantly. [Mallory Corporation''s shareholders'' meeting has ended. Things didn''t work out for Pierre and he failed to be the CEO of Mallory Corporation. You can make your move anytime now.] wrote Luca. She was worried that Amur had not paid attention to this. Therefore, she made sure to inform him in the first instance, [Okay. I have toe up with a n.] replied Amur. He had been keeping an eye on Pierre and started to devise a n two days ago. However, he was not nning to tell Luca about it. If Amur let Luca know what his n was, she might get herself involved in this. Amur did not want Luca to get involved. Lately, he had a strong feeling that Luca would be able to free herself from Abel''s maniption one day and live a normal life again when the time came. Hence, it would be better for Luca to not have blood on her hands. The people from the Ind of Despair were either heartless or suffering from emotional stress. They had blood on their hands. Those who were able to bear the guilt of someone''s death had be cold and heartless people. They would not feel distressed when they were carrying out their mission. Instead, they might even feel excited. It was because murdering someone had be something they loved. However, for those who were unable to stand it, it would be extremely painful for them every time they carried out a mission. After they aplished the mission of murdering someone they had nothing to do with, it would haunt them for the rest of the days, recalling how they murdered that person, and how the gleam of light in their target''s eyes dimmed at the end of their life. It was a painful process for them. He did not wish to see Luca end up like that. Luca pondered for a moment and asked: [Oh, can you do me a favor?] [Sure.] Amur did not ask what help Luca needed. He would still do it even if he had to go through fire and water to help her. [I''m working on research these days and I need some human blood, but our country only allows us to apply for local blood samples for research purposes. I was wondering if you can draw some blood of yours for me for the experiment. I need a foreigner''s blood sample." Luca came up with a bad excuse. [No problem. When do you need it?] Amur did not suspect anything. He immediately said yes. It was just drawing some blood. He was willing to help Luca as long as it was not beyond his capabilities. [Anytime when it''s convenient to do so. I''m not in a hurry.] replied Luca. [I can do it anytime. It''s up to you.] Amur replied. [How about tomorrow? I''ll meet you at the apartment.] Luca pondered and immediately replied. If she could get Amur''s blood sample, she would have another sample for her research. It would greatly help in her research of producing the antidote. [Okay.] Amur agreed. Luca put down her phone. Amur promised to help her. The thought that had been troubling her had been solved. She felt her worries drain, Half an hourter, the telephone on Luca''s desk rang. ¡°What''s the matter?" asked Luca. ¡°Dr. Craw, you have a foreign friend who has just arrived at the office. He said he''d like to see you. He''s at the first floor''s entrance." Mo Stone''s voice came from the other end of the line. Foreign friend? Luca''s heart skipped a beat. Abel''s face came into her mind in the first instance. Still, would Abele looking for her? Was he not afraid of exposing himself? Luca suddenly remembered how Abel approached Luke by telling him that he was working in the same industry back then. He was not afraid of getting exposed. She felt her stomach churn with dread. Her hands could not help but shiver. Mo Stone, who was on the other end of the line, called her name, "Dr. Craw?" Luca took a deep breath, looked down, and asked, "What''s his name?" "I think it''s A." Mo Stone paused for a moment. "I forgot, but the front desk said that he''s your younger brother..." "Okay. I got it. I''ll be right there in a moment." Luca hung up the call. She reckoned that it was Amur when she heard Mo Stone saying that that person was her younger brother. However, did she not tell Amur that they would be seeing each other tomorrow? Why did hee? Luca picked up her phone and called Amur. The call was answered and Luca asked, "Amur, are you downstairs?" N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "Yes. I''m downstairs," replied Amur. He already knew Luca had moved from T Corporation to Watson Biopharmaceuticals earlier. "Okay. I''ming," said Luca. Luca put on her coat and hurried downstairs. She saw Amur in the hall on the first floor indeed. "Amur, didn''t I tell you we''ll meet tomorrow? Why did youe here today?" asked Luca, trotting towards him. It set her mind at ease when she saw it was Amur. "I was worried that it''d dy your research. That''s why I came here." simpered Amur. He rolled his sleeves up, signaling her to draw his blood. Chapter 2611 Luca rested her hand on her arm and shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be in such a hurry. By the way, this is not the ce to draw your blood either. Follow me." Amur nodded and followed behind Luca. Luca requested a visitor pass from the receptionist and asked Amur to put it around his neck. Then, she led him upstairs. The receptionist watched as the two of them entered the elevator. She could not help but gossip, "Is he really Dr. Craw¡¯s younger brother? Why is he a foreigner?" "Who knows? There are so manyplicated sibling rtionships these days. It¡¯s hard to tell." smiled another receptionist, dropping her a hint. "Do you mean..." the first receptionist trailed off, unable to mask her surprise. "I didn¡¯t say anything about it. It¡¯d be better not to make wild guesses when ites to someone like Dr. Craw." On the other hand, Luca had brought Amur upstairs, leading him to the administrative office¡¯s lounge as not everyone could enter theboratory. The administrative manager knew Luca was here. She quickly came to the lounge. "Dr. Craw, I heard that you brought a guest up here. Do you need us to attend to him?" The manager could not help but size Amur up. She was pretty sure that this man had never shown up in Watson Biopharmaceuticals before. "It¡¯s okay. He came looking for me. Let me attend to him. I¡¯ll leave you to your work," replied Luca as she shook her head. "Okay. Please excuse me first." The administrative manager swiftly turned to leave, closing the door behind her to give the two of them some space. Luca walked toward the pantry and asked, "Is there anything would you like to drink? Juice or milk?" "What about coffee?" asked Amur. He never had juice and milk. Ever since he carried out his first mission, he has only had beer and coffee since. Both of them tasted bitter. Every sip of which reminded Amur to be more alert and cautious. "Aren¡¯t you drawing bloodter? Taking coffee is bad for your health." Luca took the initiative to pour him a ss of orange juice. "Just have some orange juice since we don¡¯t have what you¡¯d like to drink here." Luca handed Amur a ss of orange juice. Amur stared at the ss of orange juice before he eventually relented and took it from her, taking a sip. ¡°Thank you." He did not like the sour-sweet taste indeed. "Let me inform my assistant to bring the tools down here. Give me a minute," said Luca. "Okay." Amur asked curiously, "What kind of research are you working on?" "It''s an antiviral drug. But you probably can''t understand it even if I exin it to you. The virus has different reactions in different races. That''s why I thought of drawing your blood and transmitting the virus into the blood sample to analyze it," lied Luca as she secretly rejoiced. It was fortunate that Amur did not like such training when he was training on the Ind of Despair in the past. Amur and Eler were not interested in medical research. Perhaps it was some kind of heredity? "I see. Luca, I''m d I could help," said Amur. "Don''t be. Let me ask my assistant to bring the phlebotomy equipment downstairs." It was inconvenient for her to take Amur upstairs. That was why she had no choice but to ask Rhett to bring the tools here. Luca dialed Rhett''s phone number. "Mr. Link, please bring the phlebotomy equipment to the administration department''s lounge for me." "Okay, Dr. Craw," replied Rhett. Luca hung up the call and sat on the sofa. She looked at Amur and said, "When are you nning to..." She trailed off and paused for a moment as she almost forgot there was a surveince camera in the room. "Nevermind. It''s nothing." "Okay." Amur knew what Luca wanted to ask. However, this was not a ce to talk about that. "What''s wrong with your hand?" Amur stared at Luca''s bandaged hand with a darkened expression. He had noticed that Luca''s hand was injured when they were downstairs, but he did not have a chance to ask her about it given the circumstances. "I identally cut myself with a knife." lied Luca, choosing to keep what happened to the Norman family a secret. It was to prevent Amur from looking for trouble. Now that those men had been arrested by the police officers, Luke''s men were looking into the case too. Hence, there was no need for Amur to get involved in it. "You identally cut yourself?" Amur raised his brows. If it were not for the bandage on her hand, which had no extra gauze bandages, he would have unwrapped the bandage and taken a closer look at Luca''s wound. After all, there was no way Luca could cut that part of her hand if it was just an ident. He was afraid that the cut on Luca''s hand was caused by someone else. Besides, it must have been a deep cut. Otherwise, there was no need for her to dress her wound with such a thick bandage. Luca kept silent. She knew there was no way she could lie to Amur, so she had no choice but toe clean. "There was an incident, but the police officers are already investigating the case. You don''t have to be concerned about it. You should focus on whatever you need to do." ¡°Did you get in touch with Tina?" asked Luca, shooting a nce down at her hand before shifting her gaze back to Amur, swiftly changing the topic. "No." Amur knew that Tina had feelings for him, but he was destined to be out of her league. Hence, it would be better not to contact her. Given that Tina thought Amur had returned to Russia, perhaps it was best to let her continue to think so. "Okay." Luca did not intend to force Amur to see Tina. It was a rtionship between the two of them and she would not be interfering with it. Someone knocked on the lounge''s door and pushed open the door, revealing Rhett. He walked in to ce the equipment on the coffee table. "Dr. Craw, here''s the phlebotomy equipment you needed." "Okay. Thank you." Luca inspected the equipment. There was the tourniquet, some iodine for disinfection, cotton swabs, needles, and a blood collection tube. Rhett prepared everything well. "Let''s go for it." Amur rolled up his sleeves, signaling Luca to draw his blood. Luca nced at her right hand. While she could handle some easy work herself, there was no way she could handle something as meticulous like drawing someone''s blood. She turned to Rhett and asked, "I''m afraid that I''d puncture your blood vessel. Mr. Link, do you know how to draw blood?" "I practiced a few times when I was in college," answered Rhett. He did not specialize in medicine. Drawing bood was never included in his assessment. "Dr. Craw, I might not be able to do it well..." Luca felt helpless. She had no choice but to say, "It''s difficult for me to do it with my hand injured. How about this, let me insert the needle with you helping me out. If I can''t do it, I''ll leave it to you. Is that okay?" Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "Sure." Rhett relented, picking up the tourniquet. "Tie it here. Make it tight." Luca pointed at Amur''s arms. Rhett did what he was instructed. "Amur, clench your fist," said Luca as she took the needle out. Amur did follow Luca''s instructions and made a fist. Rhett picked up the cotton swab and dipped it in some iodine. Then, he watched Luca insert the needle into Amur''s arm using her left hand. Previously, Luca had used her right hand to insert the needle into her left arm and draw her blood. Using her left hand now left her looking clumsy. She carefully inserted the needle into the skin and stopped when she felt where the vein was. "This should be fine. Let''s draw the blood." Luca let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, she made it on the first try. Otherwise, Amur would need to get another shot. Chapter 2612 Rhett nodded. Then, there was a pop. Pa-tah! Amur¡¯s blood then started to flow into the blood collection tube. Luca seeded in inserting the needle with her left hand. ¡°Dr. Craw, how much blood do you need?" asked Rhett. ¡°One tube would be enough." "Make it two." Luca and Amur spoke at the same time. Rhett nced at Luca and then turned to look at Amur. He would only listen to Luca''s instructions. After one tube of blood had been drawn, Rhett picked up the cotton swab and immediately pressed it on the wound after removing the needle. "It¡¯s okay. You can draw more." frowned Amur. He wanted to try his best to help Luca. "This is enough, Amur." Luca shook her head. "One tube of blood is enough for many experiments." Amur had no choice but to nod and listen to her. "Press the wound with the cotton swab. My hand wasn''t very stable when I inserted the needle. The wound might swellter. If it''s swollen, buy an antibiotic ointment and apply it. You hear me?" Luca reminded him. Even though they could heal faster than others due to the drugs given by the Ind of Despair. Once the wound started to swell, it would take at least 2 days for the swelling to subside. "Okay." It warmed Amur''s heart to hear Luca fussing over him. ¡°Rhett, take the blood sample and put it in the fridge of my office," instructed Luca. "Okay, Dr. Craw." Rhett left the lounge with the blood collection tube. Amur looked around him and asked, "Will you be working here after this?" "Probably." nodded Luca. "You don¡¯t have to go back there?" asked Amur again. "I don''t think so. Oh, by the way, my research project has been released on the market," said Luca. Amur knew what kind of research Luca was doing. When Amur found out about it, a gleam appeared in his eyes. He realized that once Luca no longer stayed together with him, there were many things he did not know about. He did not know who was the one who injured her either. Amur wanted to protect her, but he did not know where to start. He looked into Luca''s gentle eyes and said sheepishly, ¡°Congrattions. I should leave you to work first." ¡°Okay. Let me walk you downstairs." Luca went along with him. After the analysis report came out, all she had in mind was to conduct another experiment. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. "It''s okay. You can go back to work. I''m not going to cause any trouble for you." Amur shook his head and declined her offer. "Alright. Be careful. Remember to buy antibiotics ointment when you''re on your way home. The wound might really swell," added Luca. Luca treated Amur like her younger brother. That was why she could not help but worry about him. "Okay. I got it." Amur and Luca left the lounge together. After Luca watched him enter the elevator and leave, only then did she enter another elevator to go upstairs. Luca walked into her office, only to realize Rhett was still in there. He was standing in front of her small fridge. "Mr. Link?" "Dr. Craw." Rhett came back to his senses and closed the fridge door. "Is there anything you''d like to ask?" Luca noticed Rhett''s confusion. "Why are there so many blood samples in your fridge?" Rhett''s first thought was to ask whose blood samples were in the fridge. If Luca applied for some human blood samples from thepany, the procedures should have been done by him. However, Rhett had not helped Luca handle any documents in the past few days. "They''re all mine, and I didn''t get them through illicit channels." Luca knew what Rhett was worried about. After she exnation, she asked, "Mr. Link, is there anything else you''d like to ask?" "No... Dr. Craw, I should be leaving." Rhett left Luca''s office. After he closed the door behind him, he could not help but heave a sigh. Luca was way too strict with herself! She actually drew so much of her own blood. Even if one went to the hospital for a health examination, there was no need to draw so much blood. It seemed like the research Luca was working on now was very important to her. Rhett could not help but wonder what kind of research Luca was doing. "Mr. Link, what''s on your mind?" A researcher who was on the same team as Rhett walked toward him. He could help but be curious when he saw Rhett so preupied, so much so that he had not even noticed his presence. Rhett shook his head. He did not tell him about Luca''s matter. "Nothing. How''s your research?" "Don''t mention it. It''s terrible." The researcher lifted the ss in his hands and said, "That''s why I''m going to the pantry to get some coffee. Would you like to have some?" "It''s okay. Thank you." Rhett shook his head. He was nning to return to theboratory to continue with his experiment. "By the way, your analysis report seemed to have been printed out before I came out. Go and take a look at it," reminded the researcher. "Okay. Thank you." Rhett made his way to theboratory. Meanwhile, Luca remained in her office, taking out the list of drugs she bought. Luca simultaneously referred to the previous data collected and continued to mix the drug dosages. Without realizing, it was almost time to get off work. Luca was worried she would bete. She even set an rm to remind herself. The rm rang and she let out a sigh. Time flew so quickly. Luca cleaned up and put the drugs away. She had yet to finish her making it but it was time to depart to Traders Hotel now. She would have to leave it until tomorrow. After Luca cleaned up her desk, she punched out and got off work. Warren was already waiting at the basement parking lot of Watson Biopharmaceuticals. "Ms. Craw, please get into the car." Luca nodde and bent down to get into the car. After Warren closed the door, he returned to the driver''s seat and asked, "Ms. Craw, are you heading to Traders Hotel now?" Luke had told Warren about their schedule earlier, but he had to confirm with Luca first. "Yes. Please send me there." Luca took the documents out of her briefcase and continued with her research. Through the rearview mirror, Warren saw Luca beating the clock, trying to finish her work. It reminded him of his boss. The way Luca worked in the car was exactly like Luke. The two of them liked to read documents in the car, seizing every minute and second to work while they were on their way somewhere else. "Ms. Craw, it''s bad for your eyes to read documents in the car," reminded Warren. "It''s okay. I got used to it." Luca was surprised, lifting her head to shoot Warren a nce before looking down again. Sure, it was bad for her eyes if she read the documents in the car, but the road was not bumpy, so it should be fine to read it for a while. Warren could not help but sigh. "You''re the same as boss. Both of you are always working even if it''s a short trip." Luca was stunned for a moment as she recalled how focused Luke was when he worked in the car. He was like that indeed. However, she could notpare to Luke. She only did this asionally in situations like this, but Luke seldom drove and he usually always handled his work in the backseat of the car... Luca continued to look down at the documents. Upon arriving at Traders Hotel, Luca ced her documents back into her briefcase before stepping out of the car. Luca paused for a moment as she was about to close the door. She bent down and asked Warren, ¡°Do you know which private room did Mr. Mallory reserve?" "I''m not sure about that. You can ask the hotel staff. They''ll probably know about it," informed Warren. Luca secretly thought what he said was true too. Who would not know Percy Mallory when one mentioned his name? It was especially true when the live broadcast went viral and Percy became popr again. However, it was a pity that Percy was no longer one of the rich bachelors in A City. He had already be her best friend and Nina''s husband. Luca strode into the hotel and mentioned Percy''s name to the hotel doorman. Chapter 2613 The hotel doorman was being careful. After he asked for Luca''s name and made sure that her name was on the guest list, he enthusiastically brought her upstairs. The doormoon pushed the door open when they arrived at the private room, ¡°Ms. Craw, you came early. Please take a rest first." Luca frowned and asked, "No one''s here yet?" "Yes. You''re the first to arrive," replied the doorman. Luca nodded. If she had known she would be the first to arrive, she would not have left the office so early. Luca walked into the room. A waiter immediately entered the room to serve a fruit te and pour Luca a ss of water. The service provided was swift and attentive. "Miss, may I know if you need anything else?" asked the waiter in a soft voice. "I''m fine. Thank you." Luca shook her head. The waiter''s attitude was friendly and she was simply not used to it. Luca had experienced all kinds of hospitality when she apanied Luke in the past. Now however, it had been a long time since she had stepped into the social circle of the upper ss. The warm hospitality was no longer familiar. Still, it was fine. Her past experiences allowed her to take things in stride. "Okay. Just ring the bell if you need anything." The waiter pushed the door open and exited the room. Luca was then left alone in the private room. She counted the chairs. There were a total of six chairs. There would be Percy and Nina, Luke and her, then the rest of the chairs should be for Jim and Scarlett. Luca picked up her phone and began to scroll the news on the online forum. The decision of the shareholders'' meeting had been announced by Mallory Corporation. Many investors andizens were optimistic about it, but at the same time, they were ndering Pierre. Some of were even discussing how the people from the Department of Justice and the police officers were looking for Pierre now, but Pierre had yet to show up. It seemed like he was trying to escape. Luca raised her brows. Would Pierre run away? Pierre was a cunning man. It was unlikely that he would just try to escape. He was probably trying to put it off and figure out a way to deal with it. The people who helped him to handle these problems were from the Mallory family. The Mallory family would not sit and watch Pierre him sent to prison without doing anything to stop it. They could not afford the shame. Luca continued to scroll through the news. After a while, the door was pushed open by the waiter. "Mr. and Mrs. Mallory, this way." Nina and Percy walked into the room, hand in hand. She saw Luca and smiled, ¡°Luca, you''re here.¡± ¡°Yes. Congrattions, Mr. Mallory.¡± Luca rose to her feet and congratted Percy. Percy kept his job in Mallory Corporation and sessfully registered for marriage with Nina. It was two simultaneous happy events to him indeed. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Percy gave her a faint smile and nodded. "Thank you. Let''s sit down." Luca sat down again. The waiter pulled out two chairs for them. Nina turned sideways and said to Percy, ¡°I''d like to have a chat with Luca." ¡°Okay. Then I''ll go outside to return a call,¡± replied Percy. He then turned around and walked out of the private room. Nina pulled out the chair beside Luca and sat down. She apologized, ¡°You must have waited for a long time, right?¡± ¡°No. I just arrived here not long ago.¡± Luca noticed that Nina was wearing another ring on her finger. Then, she asked, ¡°When are the two of you nning to hold the wedding ceremony?¡± ¡°How did you know about that...¡± Nina trailed off. ¡°You''re wearing your engagement ring and wedding ring on your fingers. How can I not know that?¡± Luca winked at her to hint that she saw the two big rings on her fingers. The size of the diamond ring Percy chose was big, but it was modern and stylish. It looked beautiful on Nina''s long fingers. ¡°He gave me the ring yesterday. He told me that I''d have to wear it if he''s still sitting in that position, and I agreed to do so,¡± exined Nina. Nina did not go to Brilliant today, but she followed Percy to Mallory Corporation. When he was attending the shareholders'' meeting downstairs, she was watching the live broadcast upstairs. Nina immediately put on the ring after the result was announced. ¡°That''s great!¡± eximed Luca. It had been so many years and Nina was finally living a happy life. ¡°We''re nning to wait until it''s warmer, and only then we''ll hold the wedding ceremony. Perhaps two monthster, when the springes and flowers bloom. I won''t feel cold even if I''m wearing the wedding dress,¡± Nina told Luca about Percy and her ns. As for the wedding ceremony, Percy was hoping that they could make it sooner. The sooner, the better. He could not wait to see how beautiful Nina would look in her wedding dress. However, to make it perfect, they would need time to prepare. The weather would be perfect for the wedding ceremony in two month. It would be warm and flowers would be blooming. Nina could put on her beautiful wedding dress and hold their wedding ceremony on a sunny day. ¡°Two monthster sounds great. It''ll be warmer then." nodded Luca. Nina psed Luca''s hands in hers and asked, "Would you be able toe? To be my bridesmaid." Luca was startled for a moment. She thought Nina never let her guard down. After all, she was closer to her when she was still Bianca. She did not expect Nina to ask her to be her bridesmaid. It would be in two months... Luca had no idea if she would still be in A City. "What''s the matter? You can''t make it?" asked Nina again when Luca remained silent. Luca shook her head and smiled. "Okay. No problem. I''ll be your bridesmaid. It''s just that I''m not familiar with the wedding ceremony procedures here.." "It''s not a big deal. We''ll have rehearsals before the wedding." Nina smiled sweetly when Luca promised to be her bridesmaid. Even though she had only known Luca for a short time, she wanted Luca to witness her happy moments. "Oh yes, I''ve been taking herbal medicine these days. Can you help me to check my pulse? See if there are any changes to it?" asked Nina. "Did you feel ufortable after taking the medicine?" asked Luca. She took the initiative to roll up Nina''s sleeves and rested her fingers on her pulse. Nina shook her head and replied, "No. I felt great after taking the medicine. I didn''t feel unwell either. Besides, I''ve been sleeping welltely. You know that I won''t be able to sleep well when Percy''s matters aren''t settled yet. But I was able to sleep well at night after taking the medicine you prescribed. I could breathe well." Luca nodded silently. She checked Nina''s pulse attentively. After a while, she switched to check Nina''s other hand. After that, Luca said, "You''re doing great. Your condition is much better than thest time I checked your pulse. You''re not that weak anymore, but you''ll have to continue to nurse your health and take herbal medicine until you''ve held your wedding ceremony. That''s when you can stop taking it and prepare to get pregnant." "Really?" Nina''s eyes brightened when she heard that she would be able to prepare to get pregnant soon. She loved children, and she hoped that she could have a baby with Percy. After Percy and Nina told each other how they felt for each other, Nina would still feel depressed for some time. She was mainly concerned about her past and if it would affect her from getting pregnant. It set Nina''s mind at ease when she heard Luca say that. Her dream of having a baby with Percy would soone true. "Yes. Let''s see. Getting pregnant during the spring season, and giving birth during the winter. The baby will be able to learn how to walk around next year''s autumn. I heard that babies who are born during winter are fast learners. They can learn how to walk real fast." Luca was nning for her. Chapter 2614 "All I ask is for my baby to grow healthily." Nina only wanted her baby to be healthy. ¡°You''ll have a strong and healthy baby after nursing your health.¡± Luca held Nina''s hands. Percy pushed the door open and came in. He noticed that they were having a moment, and he could not help but ask, "What are you two talking about?¡± Nina smiled and paraphrased what Luca said to her, "I asked Luca to check my pulse just now. She told me that my condition was much better now. We can have a baby after our wedding ceremony." "Really?" Percy was not in a hurry to have a baby. However, he thought it would be interesting to have a daughter who resembled Nina. "Dr. Craw, are there any ways to make Nina get pregnant with a baby girl?" "There''s no way I can decide the gender of the baby. Let nature take its course." Luca could not help but secretly exim that Percy was a man who would dote on his daughter. "He has always thought of getting a baby girl who resembles me if we were to have a baby. But everyone says daughters would always resemble their fathers. I think it''s a good idea if I''m really pregnant with a baby girl who resembles him too." Nina thought Percy''s genes were better. "Our daughter can''t resemble me. She must look like you." Percy shook his head. He only wanted a little Nina. Luca smiled as she listened to their conversation. The private room''s door was pushed open, and Luke came walking in. "All of you came early." "Dr. Craw was the earliest to arrive." Percy smiled as he stared at Luca. Luke nodded. He walked toward the seat beside Luca and sat down. "Where''s Jim?" "I called him. He''s on his way here. He said his kids were making a fuss, refusing to leave. It took him a while to convince them," answered Percy. "Okay." Luke did not say anything more. He changed the subject of conversation and asked Percy, "Did Pierre return to Mallory Manor?" "I guess so. Otherwise, where could he go? The Department of Justice and the police officers are looking for him everywhere," replied Percy. Now that things had turned into such a big deal, the Department of Justice and the police officers would not let it slide. Everyone had their eyes on the matter. Once Percy disclosed the news to the public, other than catching the attention of the citizens, those who lost out on their money doing business with Pierre were posting their experiences on the inte. They talked about how they got cheated by Pierre and posted their evidence. Percy had found himself in a difficult situation now. ¡°Will the people from the Department of Justice find him?" Luke asked again. Previously, Pierre had already pissed Luke off forying a finger on Luca. If it were not for Percy, who asked him to be patient, Pierre would have been out of luck. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. He would not havee so far while not knowing what was best for him and fighting over thepany with Percy. "They will." Percy nodded and added, "Unless he''s not at Mallory Manor." "He''ll have to show up sooner orter." The private room''s door was pushed open again. Jim and Scarlett came in together. "I''m sorry we''re late. The kids were causing trouble, and we were stuck in traffic. I''m really sorry." "It''s okay. You can have two more drinks tonight." Percy smiled casually. Percy was truly happy today. His blood ties with Pierre had been holding him back from doing things, and that was why Nina had been hard done by him. Now, his mind was finally at ease. "I will. Today''s your big day. I''ve already called my chauffeur to drive the car. It doesn''t matter if I go home drunk today." Jim pulled the chair out. After he let Scarlett sit down on the chair, he sat down beside her. "No restrictions today?" Percy teased. Scarlett''s face turned red. She did not like Jim drinking too much. That was why Jim would either take a few drinks or not have any whenever they went out for a drink. In other words, it was vibe-killing. "No restrictions today, right, honey?" Jim smiled as he turned to look at Scarlett. "Yeah. You can drink more. It''s Mr. Mallory''s big day today. We should celebrate." Scarlett nodded and went along with him. Percy nodded and rang the bell, signaling the waiters to serve the dishes he ordered earlier. The private room''s door was pushed open once more. A few waiters lined up in order and marched into the room, serving the dishes on the table. It was a feast, and there were also bottles of red wine that had been decanted. Luca secretly mumbled to herself that fortunately, Warren would be waiting for them downstairs tonight. She could ask him to send them back hometer. As excitement filled the air, it was full ofughter and joy in the private room. On the other hand, the man with a gloomy expression on his face could not wait to kill the person in front of him. Pierre red at the secretary who came to report the situation to him. He asked, "You let them enter the office?" Ms. Malone trembled and reported to him with a shivering voice, "Mr. Pierre, they came with a warrant. There was no way I could stop them..." She had beening up with excuses at the office today, waiting for Pierre toe back. In the end, the people from the Department of Justice and the police officers ran out of patience and told her that if she continued to obstruct them, they would have her on obstruction of justice. Ms. Malone dared not face such a charge. She had no choice but to let them search the office. A man with a scar on his face walked toward Percy with a ss of liquor and handed it to him. He gazed at Ms. Malone, checking her out. ¡°Mr. Pierre, have a drink." Pierre took the ss from him and gulped down the ss of liquor. Then, he asked Ms. Malone, "What did they take?" "They took many documents away, as well as theputer in your office. They also took the executives''puter cases, but they didn''t take away the documents in your safebox," answered Ms. Malone. Pierre frowned. Even though they did not take the documents in the safebox, there was a lot of secret information in the official documents andputers that should be kept secret. "Mr. Pierre, I tried my best. They initially thought of taking the safebox away..." Ms. Malone carefully uttered, "But.." "What else?" Pierre reeked of alcohol. He slightly bent down,ing up close to Ms. Malone. He grabbed her by the chin. "Tell me everything at once." "They sealed the safebox and locked it with a lock. They said no one is allowed to touch it. After you return, you''ll have to open the safebox yourself and they''ll take a look at the contents." Ms. Malone''s body was shaking. Her chin was in pain as Pierre was gripping it violently, but she dared not to move. Rumor had it that Pierre had blood on his hands. It seemed like what they said was well-founded and true. Ms. Malone was pretty sure that Pierre was a man who hadmitted murder now. She dared not to move as she was afraid that Pierre would kill her. "You''re a good-for-nothing!" Pierre pped Ms. Malone on the face. Ms. Malone fell back into the sofa getting pped violently by him. She covered her face with her hand as a metallic and slightly sweet scent hung at the back of her throat. The man beside him saw what Pierre did and shook his head continuously. He could not help but wonder why Pierre was not considerate of his secretary. How could he treat such a pretty secretary badly? "Mr. Pierre, now that things have turned out this way, pping her isn''t going to help anything. Why don''t we think of a way to deal with this?" The man noticed that Ms. Malone''s face had be swollen, and he spoke to save her. "We can''t let those people have the documents in the safebox." Pierre gripped the ss tight and said in a grim voice. Chapter 2615 The man raised his brows and asked, ¡°Then what should we do?" Pierre did not say anything. He stared at his secretary, who fell back onto the sofa. "Mr. Pierre?" The man waited for him to say something. He was considered Pierre''s sidekick, and he was usually supported by Pierre to help him run some errands. "Steal the safe box," Pierre spoke. "Steal it? Sure thing. I''m pretty good at things like this." The man nodded. He was good at handling these things. Stealing a safe box and increasing some manpower was not difficult for him. Moreover, that was Pierre''spany. Taking the safe box away was not considered stealing it. Ms. Malone heard their conversation and stopped crying. She reminded embarrassingly, "Mr. Pierre, but the safe box in your office is mounted..." A hint of oddness shed across Pierre''s eyes. How did the secretary get hired? Could it be that the HR department hired her for her looks? Why could she not think wisely? The man shook his head continuously. They said attractive people were less intelligent. Pierre''s secretary did not look smart at all. Ms. Malone fell silent when the two of them stared at her. Did she say something wrong? "Mr. Pierre, if the safe box is mounted, perhaps I can steal the documents in there and destroy them?" The man was talking to Pierre, but he was staring at Ms. Malone. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Even though attractive people were less intelligent, the teary-eyed and innocent look on Ms. Malone''s face managed to evoke his emotions. Every man would want to sleep with a beautiful woman. "Yes," answered Pierre. His malicious gaze fell on Ms. Malone, and he said, "You, go and help him." Ms. Malone shivered for a moment. The finger Pierre was pointing at her looked like he would give her another p on the face anytime. Then, she replied, "Mr. Pierre, I don''t know how. I''m afraid that I''ll be a drag on him." "I didn''t ask you to steal. You only have to work together with him and remind him where the surveince cameras in the office are installed. Try to not let him appear in front of the surveince cameras. Then, you''ll call the police the next day. Tell them someone broke into thepany and stole something," said Pierre with his eyes narrowed. "Okay.." Ms. Malone understood what he meant. It would be fine if she did not have to do it herself. ¡°Boss, should I steal the other documents since I''m stealing something from the office? It''ll make it look real." The man smirked at the thought that Pierre''spany had many valuable things. He would get rich by stealing things from the finance department. "Suit yourself." Pierre threw the bottle of alcohol at the wall. There was a smashing sound, and the ss shattered, breaking into a million pieces. "Bring me another bottle." "I''ll get you one." The man was excited. He was in a good mood when he was given the chance to take anything he wanted in Pierre''s office. The man brought the whole bottle of liquor and handed another ss to Pierre, "Mr. Pierre, these are thest two sses I have here. Don''t throw them." Pierre grabbed the sses from him and poured himself a ss of liquor. He noticed Ms. Malone was still on the sofa. She had yet to recover from the shock, and he chastised, "What are you doing here? You''d better handle this well. Otherwise, you''re going to suffer!" Ms. Malone immediately stood up. Her body was trembling with fear uncontrobly. "I''ll go now." The man followed behind Ms. Malone and left. Pierre lifted his head and gulped down a mouthful of liquor. After he watched the two of them leave, he picked up the telephone receiver. He was worried that the police would track his phone''s location if he left it turned on. That was why he turned off his phone after he left Mallory Corporation. No one would be able to find him. Pierre dialed Madam Mallory''s phone number. "Is this Pierre?" Madam Mallory saw that the call wasing from andline telephone number. She immediately guessed that it was Pierre calling. After finding out about the posts on the online forum, Madam Mallory immediately called Pierre, but his phone was turned off. Madam Mallory knew Pierre would take the initiative to contact her. Even so, she was on pins and needles waiting for his call. "Mom, it''s me." As Pierre listened to the voice of the person he was closest to, there was a hint of gloom in his voice. "Pierre, where are you now?" Madam Mallory asked. "I''m in one of my subordinate''s homes. It''s safe here. Don''t worry." Pierre looked at how dirty his surroundings were. It was safe, indeed. The people from the Department of Justice and those police officers would never expect to find him here. "The people from the Department of Justice and the police officers are looking for you. They even came here today, but your grandpa stopped them. If you can''t survive out there,e home. Your grandpa''s here. They won''t dare to do anything to you..." Madam Mallory felt sorry for Pierre. Her youngest son, who had been living like a prince since he was young, had to stay in his subordinate''s house. Madam Mallory could imagine the conditions and environment of his subordinate''s house. Therefore, she knew the ce Pierre was staying now must be awful. "I can''t go back now. Grandpa already knows about it," replied Pierre. Madam Mallory let out a sigh and said, ¡°What can he do even though he knows about it? Even if everything posted on the inte is true, no matter how angry your grandpa is, he''ll never let you get imprisoned. He can''t afford to bring such disgrace to the family. We only need toe up with a solution to deal with this." "Mom, you''ll help me, right?" Pierre asked again. "I''d like to help you, but you told me that you got everything settled when I asked you if there was anything else you hadn''t dealt with back then. What''s with those things on the inte now?" "They''re true. I had so much to deal with at that time, so I forgot about some of them." Pierre did not expect Percy to secretly have another card up his sleeve. Hence, after Pierre settled everything that could be done on the surface, he did not want to continue to be nagged at. That was why he told Madam Mallory that everything was settled. After that, Pierre started getting busy with work, and he forgot that he had done those things before. He did not promptly handle them, which made things turn out this way now. "Pierre, you''re too careless. Things have finally be a big deal." Madam Mallory heaved a sigh. She initially had high hopes for Pierre, but she did not expect things to get out of hand because of his carelessness. Pierre could not go home, and he could not turn on his phone either. "If it weren''t for Percy, who became so heartless, I wouldn''t have ended up like this now. Mom, what a good son you have!" Pierre med Percy for everything. If it were not for Percy, who disregarded their rtionship and pushed him over the edge, things would not have gone so wrong. Madam Mallory listened to what Pierre said. She could not help but frown. Previously, her youngest son used to be considerate and thoughtful. He would always remember to come back home for family dinners on special asions no matter how busy he was. Hence, she favored Pierre more. As for the trouble Pierre had gotten himself into, even though it was Percy''s fault for being so heartless, if Pierre had not done such things in the first ce, he would not have ended up like this now. It did not matter who was right and who was wrong now... The most important thing was that she would have to take responsibility for everything Pierre had done on his behalf. There was no way a prisoner could remain in the Mallory family! Chapter 2616 ¡°Pierre, your grandpa and I will help you to handle this. The thing that matters the most now is that you can''t let the people from the Department of Justice and the police officers find you. Otherwise, it''s inconvenient for us to speak up for you," said Madam Mallory. She could not expect the others to help them out. Now, the CEO of Mallory Corporation was still Percy. The news of the two brothers not being on good terms had already spread. That was why Mallory Corporation was not affected by Pierre''s matter at the moment. It set Madam Mallory''s mind at ease knowing that thepany was fine. At least she did not have to be up to her neck in problems while handling both sides. Pierre narrowed his eyes. His mother only said that she would be helping him, but he could sense that there was no longer bias toward him in her voice. This implied that she approved of what Percy did. It was Percy''s fault that he was in such a mess, but they said nothing about it. They imed that they only came to help him. Was it because the shareholders sided with Percy, and that was why they were not nning to deal with him? Given the circumstances now, Pierre understood that this matter had to be put aside first. What mattered the most was to deal with the trouble he was involved in. "Okay." There was unwillingness and anger in his voice. "Your grandpa''s still mad at you. Don''t contact him at the moment. Give me all the rted documents and information about the things posted on the inte," said Madam Mallory. She was forcing herself to deal with this matter now even though she was unwilling to. She had no choice. Old Master Mallory was in a fit of anger. Although Madam Mallory knew Old Master Mallory would not let things get worse, she dared not to ask him to personally deal with this matter. "The rted documents and contracts are kept in the office''s safe box, but the people from the Department of Justice came today. Even though they failed to open the safe box, they sealed it, and I''d already sent someone to steal the documents. Once I have the documents, I''ll ask someone to send them back home," replied Pierre. He hade to a point that he had to ask someone to steal something that belonged to him. It was Percy''s fault for making him end up in such a mess! Madam Mallory heaved a sigh. If the safe box was sealed, then the only way to get the documents was to ask someone to steal them. However, it was ridiculous for Pierre to ask someone to steal his own things. Then, she replied, ¡°Okay. Tell your men to be careful. Since they''re going to be stealing something, then they can''t just steal what''s in the safe box. Do you get what I mean?" "Understood. My subordinates know what to do." Pierre gulped down another mouthful of liquor. "Okay. You don''t have to worry about this. I can assure you I''ll get everything settled. It''s just that I''m afraid it''ll be difficult for you to have your grandfather''s support in the future," added Madam Mallory. Old Master Mallory initially took a fancy to Percy for his capabilities. If it were not for him being rebellious and insisting on marrying Nina, the grandfather and grandson would not have turned against each other. Percy would not have had the chance to run for the position of CEO either. Now, Pierre had lost, and he even got himself in such big trouble. After Old Master Mallory helped him to solve the problem, he would never take his side anymore. "I know." A burning sensation went down Pierre''s throat as he drank another mouthful of liquor. His voice became hoarse. "But you can achieve something that can impress your grandfather to gain his support in the future. Now let''s deal with this first. If you need anything, don''t hesitate to call me. And don''t let too many people know where you are now," Madam Mallory reminded him again. She was worried that someone would secretly inform the people from the Department of Justice where Pierre was. Pierre could not get locked up by them. Otherwise, someone would be listening to their conversation every time they talked to each other. It would be difficult to handle things if this happened. "Got it." Pierre heard her reminded and replied impatiently. After that, he hung up the call. Madam Mallory listened to the busy tone on the other end of the line and let out a long sigh. Pierre was her son. How could she not know what he had in mind now? He wanted to make Percy''s life a mess... Other than that, he thought they were biased. It was Percy who disclosed this matter to the public. That was why Pierre got into so much trouble and he had to hide for some time. However, Madam Mallory did not sound like she was ming Percy. She did not give him a hard time either. That was why Pierre was so unhappy about it. Madam Mallory and Old Master Mallory saw eye to eye on this matter. Now that Pierre had gotten himself in such big trouble, they no longer had any energy left for Percy. After all, what troubled them the most now was the mess Pierre had made. Besides, if Pierre had never done something like that, Percy would not have had the information to disclose to the public. Standing on a moral point of view, Percy was wrong for doing this. However, from a legal point of view, Pierre was the one who did something wrong. What mattered the most to them now was not finding a way to make Percy submit to them but thinking of a way to get Pierre out of trouble. This was what Madam Mallory was worried about. Percy''s initiative had put Pierre and the Mallory family in a disadvantageous position. There was not much time left for them to deal with these matters. Madam Mallory massaged her aching forehead. The maid carried a tray of a ss of water and medicine into her room. She reminded her, "Mrs. Mallory, it''s time to eat your medicine." Madam Mallory put the pills into her mouth. Then, she took a ss of water, took two sips of water, and swallowed the pills. "They taste bitter." Madam Mallory frowned. She had to take medicine every day. It was harsh to the taste and made her mouth bitter. ¡°Mrs. Mallory, good medicine tastes bitter. Didn''t the doctor who came to check on you today tell you about it? Your blood pressure is well-controlled now. You only have to take the medicine for another week, then they''ll change your medicine to normal antihypertensive drugs. They''re not as bitter as the pills you''re taking now. Hang in there,¡± the maid advised her in a soft voice. The doctor was still giving Madam Mallory the imported antihypertensive drugs to stabilize her blood pressure. Even though the special antihypertensive drugs were effective, they tasted more bitter than usual. Bitterness would fill the mouth after taking it. Madam Mallory frowned. The maid handed her a te of honey taffy and said, "Mrs. Mallory, would you like to have some honey taffies?" "No, thank you. I''m not in the mood to have some." Madam Mallory waved her hand and looked at the honey taffies with disgust. All she had in mind now was Pierre''s matter. The maid put the te of honey taffies back onto the tray. "Oh, how''s Old Master Mallory doing now?" Madam Mallory asked. After Pierre''s matter had be a big deal, Old Master Mallory flew into a rage when he was at home, iming that he would rip Pierre into pieces. Madam Mallory dared not to tell Pierre about it just now. She was worried Pierre would act recklessly knowing that Old Master Mallory refused to help him. "Old Master Mallory doesn''t look very happy. He even asked Mr. Bet to look for Mr. Pierre," answered the maid. "This is a real headache." Madam Mallory massaged her forehead as a throbbing headache developed beneath her temples. She had no idea what to do for a moment. "Did Old Master Mallory eat anything today?" she asked again. "Old Master Mallory has been feeling angry the whole afternoon. He refuses to eat. He didn''t even touch the meal Mr. Bet served him in his room," the maid carefully reported to her. Now that everyone in the Mallory family knew about the two big events that happened today, no one dared to piss the old master off as they might suffer another stroke of bad luck. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "Prepare the dishes. I''ll serve the old master myself." Madam Mallory rose to her feet. Chapter 2617 ¡°Yes, Mrs. Mallory." The maid immediately went to prepare. After a while, Madam Mallory carried a tray and walked toward Old Master Mallory''s bedroom door. She knocked on the door. The old master''s voice came from inside the room. "Who is it?" "Father, it''s me," said Madam Mallory in a soft voice. "Mr. Bet said that you haven''t eaten anything today. I made supper for you." "I''m not eating. You can have it." Old Master Mallory did not open the door. His voice that came from the room sounded stiff. Madam Mallory heard the old master''s voice and knew he was still in a rage. "Father, let''s talk." She stood outside the door, pleading. Even if she was able to deal with Pierre''s matter without the old master''s help, it would take some time for her to settle it. Pierre would not be able to be patient and wait that long. Besides, this matter could not be dyed for too long either. Madam Mallory stood there, waiting for Old Master Mallory to say something. "Come in." After a while, Old Master Mallory''s voice came from inside the room. Madam Mallory pushed the door open and entered the room. She ced the tray on the coffee table beside her. She knew the old master was still angry, and she did not mention Pierre''s matter right away. Instead, she showed some concern. "Father, have some oatmeal even if you don''t feel like eating anything. How can you not eat anything for the whole day?" The old master watched Madam Mallory fill up a bowl of oatmeal for him, and he asked expressionlessly, "Is he back yet?" Madam Mallory''s heart skipped a beat. The old master had even changed the way he addressed Pierre. It proved that he was truly angry now. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "Father, he didn''te back. Have some oatmeal." She picked up the bowl of oatmeal and served it to the old master. Old Master Mallory did not take it from her, and he asked, "He didn''te back? Where is he now?" "I''m not sure." Madam Mallory could feel the heat of the oatmeal from the bowl, but she dared not move. There was no way Percy could kneel before Old Master Mallory and repent. Hence, as Percy''s mother, she had to calm Old Master Mallory down. Madam Mallory had married into the Mallory family for 30 years. Her husband was in charge of the companies abroad for years. She was left to manage the whole Mallory family, except Old Master Mallory. Apologizing on behalf of someone and calming the old master down was also part of her job. Madam Mallory felt helpless. Old Master Mallory red at her and scoffed. ¡°How did you be a mother? Your eldest son and youngest son are both misbehaving." Madam Mallory looked down without saying anything. Old Master Mallory forcefully requested, "Ask Pierre to get his *ss back here. He only knows how to run away whenever something happens. What kind of man is he?" "Father, Pierre can''te back now. He''ll be taken away if hees home..." Madam Mallory looked at him with red, teary eyes. "The people from the Department of Justice and the police officers are outside the vi now. They''ve been waiting for Pierre to show up. Won''t he be walking right into a trap if you insist on himing back now?" "Shouldn''t he be taken away after all those things he did?" Old Master Mallory was so mad that his face was twisted in anger. Old Master Mallory initially thought that he could get rid of Percy after the shareholders'' meeting this time. He did not expect that they would fail and Pierre would end up getting himself in trouble. He recalled how he had brought Pierre along with him to visit the shareholders. He relied on his power and status, asking them to support Pierre. He promised them that Mallory Corporation would continue to grow and be taken to greater heights once Pierre took over the positions of chairman and CEO. How assured he was when he promised the shareholders back then was how embarrassed he was now. Many called him to ask about his matter after what had happened to Pierre. On the surface, they seemed to be concerned about him, but they were actuallyughing at how the Mallory family had brought shame to themselves. The two brothers were fighting against each other. The more they fought, the more ridiculous it was. Old Master Mallory was mad at Percy, but he was even madder at Pierre. "Father." Madam Mallory uttered helplessly. She was Pierre''s mother. Even though she was reasonable, she could not agree with Old Master Mallory saying that Pierre should be taken away. If she agreed with him, there would be no other way out for Pierre. "He embarrassed me! You''ve already cleaned up his mess for him back then. Why? Are you still siding with him now? Since he thinks he has what it takes to do businesses in the legal gray area, then he should be able to deal with this mess himself." Old Master Mallory knocked the ground with his walking cane in frustration. There was a thump, and Madam Mallory was startled. "Father, you''re right, but Pierre is incapable of dealing with this now. Let''s help him.." Madam Mallory pleaded while secretly wondering to herself if she should ask Pierre''s father to plead for him too. "Stop it. Get out of here." Old Master Mallory was in a bad mood. He did not know what sin hemitted to have his sessor, whom he had been training for years, betray the whole family for a woman. The other sessor was even more outrageous. He did so many absurd things for the sake of those little interests! Madam Mallory saw the hard look on the old master''s face. She knew it was not the right time to speak up for Pierre now. She had no choice but to nod and reply, ¡°Father, I''ll leave the oatmeal here. Have some. Don''t starve yourself." After that, she left the old master''s bedroom. The door was closed. Old Master Mallory''s face was still gloomy. He moved the mouse, and the computer screen lit up right away. He looked at the news shown on theputer screen. Old Master Mallory had already asked his men to buy the trending topics this afternoon, but there was no sign of them getting Pierre''s news off the trending list. No matter what kind of trending topic it was, there was no way it could rece the poprity of the news posted by Percy on the inte. Other than that, he also contacted the owner of the online forum, but they told him that they could not delete the post. It would cause chaos if they deleted the post, and they could not afford to bear such responsibility. Old Master Mallory let out a sigh. He had to admit that he was getting old. He had given power and authority away for too long, and his words were no longer powerful. If it were in the past, would they say no to him? Old Master Mallory''s eyes darkened as he looked at the negative articles that were constantly popping up. He did not mean what he said just now. He was angry, and that was why he said something like that. The truth was, how could he leave Pierre to himself? If he truly did not care about Pierre, he would not have bought the trending topics or contacted the person in charge of the online forum. He was in the heat of the moment when he said those things just now. There was no way one of the family members of the Mallory family could be a prisoner. Old Master Mallory had to cover up for Pierre. It was just that Pierre had yet to contact him after he got into trouble. He did not even apologize to him... Old Master Mallory picked up thendline telephone on his desk and pressed the butler''s calling code. "Yes, Old Master Mallory. Is there anything you need?" Mr. Bet asked after he answered the call. "Come to my room." Old Master Mallory hung up the call. After a while, Mr. Bet knocked on the door. Then, he pushed the door open and came in. "Old Master Mallory." "Have you found him?" asked Old Master Mallory. He asked Mr. Bet looked for someone else to find out where Pierre was after he could not reach him. "Not yet, Old Master Mallory." Mr. Bet shook his head. "What''s wrong?" Old Master Mallory frowned. His men were never inefficient in doing their job. Why was it so difficult to find out where Pierre was? "Your men have been to ces Mr. Pierre often goes to. They''ve also contacted his friends. There was no sign of Mr. Pierre anywhere," answered Mr. Bet. "He''s hiding very well," said Old Master Mallory, "He must be hiding in one of his friends'' ces. Ask them to look for him there." Chapter 2618 ¡°Yes, Old Master Mallory." Mr. Bet looked down and answered, but he secretly thought that it was still a little difficult to find out where Pierre was. Pierre knew too many scumbags. Besides, there were a few hiding ces for him to hide. They might not be able to find him at all. However, when Mr. Bet saw how desperate Old Master Mallory was to find Pierre and seeing that he had no other instructions, he asked in a low voice, "Old Master Mallory, is there anything else I need to do?" Old Master Mallory replied with a long face, "No, you may leave." "Okay, Old Master Mallory. Call me if you need anything." Mr. Bet looked down and left the room. After leaving Old Master Mallory''s bedroom, Mr. Bet picked up his phone and did what he was told. He informed those men to continue looking for Pierre. Mr. Bet did think that Pierre might be hiding in one of his friends'' ces. That was why he sent some of the men there. However, it was not that easy to find out where these people lived. Pierre sat there, asking the man who served him the liquor, "Is Oswald back yet?" "Mr. Pierre, Oswald isn''t back yet," replied the man. Oswald was the man Pierre sent to steal his documents at his office. "He''s pretty slow in stealing something. What a useless guy," Pierreined. Then, he took another sip of liquor and frowned, "What''s this?" "Absolu..." replied the man who brought him the liquor. "Are you nuts? Why did you give me such bad liquor?" Pierre rose to his feet, picked up the bottle, and poured the liquor on top of the man''s head. The gurgling sound of liquid was heard as the contents were poured out of the bottle. The man felt an icy chill on his head, but he dared not to say anything. Now, no one dared not to piss Pierre off. "Go and get some good liquor for me!" demanded Pierre. The man shivered for a moment and replied in a low voice, "Mr. Pierre, you''ve finished drinking all the good ones here. This is all we have left." "Can''t you go out and get some for me?!" Pierre glowered at the man. He could not help but feel irritated. When did he ever drink such bad liquor? If it were not for Percy, he would be drinking good wine, holding a pretty woman in his arms, and celebrating his sess of bing the chairman and CEO of Mallory Corporation. "I-I have no money. Mr. Pierre, why don''t you give me some money? I''ll go get some for you!" replied the man. The liquor Pierre drank was expensive, and he could hardly afford them. Furthermore, even if he had the money, he dared not help Pierre to pay first. Pierre was in trouble now. It was hard to tell if he could still be the second young master of the Mallory family. If he could not pay for the liquor they bought him, would they not be in trouble, then? "Ask Oswald to give you the money." Pierre threw the bottle on the ground and sat slumped on the sofa. "Oswald went out to run some errands for you..." The man reminded Pierre. He saw Pierre narrowing his eyes, and he knew he was drunk. He asked if Oswald returned a moment ago. Now, he wanted him to ask for some money from Oswald. Pierre slightly opened his eyes and pondered what the man said to him. It seemed like Oswald was out running some errands for him. Pierre took his wallet out. He opened his wallet and looked at it. There was not even a banknote in it. Heughed at himself and muttered, "Well, who uses cash these days?" Then, he took his phone out and tapped on the screen. There was no response. Only then did he realize that his phone was turned off. He could not turn on his phone, not even for a short period. There was a chance his location might be tracked. Even if it was not the people from the Department of Justice who were tracking him, it might be Percy''s men. Percy, a brother who had blood ties with him, made him end up in such a mess. The man saw Pierre take out his phone and said, "Mr. Pierre, why don''t you send me some money to my bank ount and I''ll get the liquor for you?" Pierre flew into a rage and snapped. "Get lost. Do you want me to expose where I am now?" The man rubbed his nose and left embarrassedly. He was secretly cursing Pierre. Pierre was in distress, indeed. He did not even dare to turn on his phone. Pierre continued to sit on the sofa without saying anything. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Two hourster, Oswald hurried back. He was pressing Pierre''s secretary''s head when he walked in. "Mr. Pierre, I''m back," said Oswald. Pierre opened his eyes and looked at Oswald. Then, he asked drunkenly, "How did it go?" "As long as I''m the one on the mission, I''ll definitely seed. Look, these are the documents that I took from the safe box. There are some other things too. Uh, the things in your office." Oswald put the stic bag that he used to keep the documents on the sofa. Pierre picked up the stic bag. ¡°Mr. Pierre, do we need to burn the bag of documents now?" Oswald asked. ¡°I still need them." Pierre shook his head. He narrowed his eyes as he stared at the woman who was tied up with rope and lifted his jaw. Then, he asked, ¡°What''s the matter?" ¡°This woman tried to call the police. Fortunately, I was fast enough to stop her and tied her up. Otherwise, we would''ve been in trouble. Mr. Pierre, you must teach this woman a lesson. Don''t let her go easily," replied Oswald as he pointed at the woman''s forehead, waiting for Pierre''s instructions. Pierre raised his brows and turned to look at Ms. Malone. Ms. Malone cried as she shook her head. ¡°Mr. Pierre, that''s not the truth. I saw them stealing the cash kept at the financial department. I wanted to stop them, but they ignored me. That''s why I thought of calling the police. I didn''t mean to do anything else!" "Hah, you just wanted to call the police. Once the police officers arrived, not only would they arrest us, but they''d be able to find out Mr. Pierre''s location too. Mr. Pierre, what a vicious woman she is." Oswald narrowed his eyes, staring at Ms. Malone''s swollen face. He could no longer suppress the burning desire within him. Another side of Ms. Malone''s face was red and swollen. Oswald had pped her face when he noticed that she was trying to call the police. However, even though her face was red and swollen, she had a good figure. The office wear on her showed off her curvy body figure well. She could steal any man''s heart away. Pierre turned to look at Ms. Malone, and he asked, ¡°You wanted to call the police?" Ms. Malone begged for mercy. ¡°Mr. Pierre, the cash in the office belongs to you. They were trying to steal it..." ¡°How could they hide from the police if they didn''t steal it?!" Pierre picked up the empty bottle on the coffee table and smashed it on the floor. "Ah!" Ms. Malone cried out in surprise. The ss broke and shattered into pieces on the ground. A shard of broken ss scratched Ms. Malone''s face. Oswald, who stood beside Pierre, muttered, ¡°Tsk, tsk." He felt sorry for her. Pierre did not know how to treat women. How could he disfigure such a pretty face? Ms. Malone covered her bleeding face and begged for mercy, ¡°Mr. Pierre, I''m sorry. I''ll never do something like that again." ¡°You want me to be imprisoned, huh? I''ll send you to hell first!" Pierre''s eyes reddened. Oswald immediately stopped him and said, ¡°Mr. Pierre, calm down. At least this woman didn''t mess things up." Pierre turned to look at him. ¡°She has mostly behaved herself. She even told us how to stay away from the surveince cameras. The police officers probably can''t find anything there. We''re in a sensitive situation now. You have to control your emotions. You can''t have someone''s blood on your hands now," advised Oswald. ¡°Then are we letting her get away with this?" Pierre narrowed his eyes. A wave of violent fury rose in him at the thought of being betrayed by someone. ¡°Why don''t you let me take care of her? I promise I''ll make her regret betraying you!" Oswald rubbed his hand and turned to look at Ms. Malone while secretly mumbling to himself, ¡°Tsk, she still looks good even though she''s been disfigured." Chapter 2619 "Don''t let her have the chance to tell others about this." Pierre knew what Oswald was thinking about. He did not think of stopping him. Now, Ms. Malone already knew about Pierre''s secret. There was no way he would let her go. This was to prevent her from telling the police that he was here. Ms. Malone could not be trusted. She was not one of his trustworthy subordinates. "Got it, Mr. Pierre." Oswald handed another stic bag to Pierre and said, "Mr. Pierre, this is the cash we found at the finance department in your office. Look..." "Take it. I''m staying at your ce now, and I''ll be having my meals here. I''ll leave everything to you to arrange. I can''t turn on my phone at the moment, and I can''t use my credit cards either. I''ll need you to pay for me." After that, Pierrey down on the sofa. Oswald responded, "Okay, Mr. Pierre. I''ll ask someone to clean up a room for you. I''ll make sure the room''s clean and tidy so that you can have afortable stay." Pierre waved his hand with his eyes closed, signaling Oswald to do what he should do and stop bothering him. Oswald gave him a response and immediately grabbed Ms. Malone''s arm. He headed to one of the rooms. "Ah, what are you doing?" Ms. Malone knew what Oswald was up to. She tried her best to struggle, but she was not as strong as Oswald. "B*tch, you''d better be obedient. Otherwise, I''m gonna cut you to pieces and feed the dogs!" Oswald smiledsciviously. He had already figured out how he would treat Pierre''s pretty secretary. Ms. Malone was at her wit''s end. She would rather hit her head against the wall and die than be raped by this man. "Mr. Pierre, please save me. I promise I''ll do anything you want me to do no matter what it is." Oswald heard her. He lifted his hand and. p! He pped Ms. Malone''s face. Then, he turned to look at Pierre nervously. He was worried Pierre would go back on his word. After all, if this secretary became Pierre''s woman, he would never have the chance to touch her anymore! Pierre was lying on the sofa. He shouted impatiently, "Leave!" Oswald replied happily, "Mr. Pierre, I''ll get rid of this trouble right now." Then, he immediately dragged Ms. Malone to the room without giving her the chance to exin to Pierre. The room''s door was closed behind them. Right as Ms. Malone''s screams stopped, everyone could hear moaning and groaninging out of that room. Another man who went to steal Pierre''s documents with Oswald said enviously, ¡°How lucky Oswald is." "Where''s my room?" Pierre sat up on the sofa impatiently as he listened to them chattering and the noisesing out from the room. ¡°There." The man pointed at the room along the corridor. "Lead the way." Pierre picked up the documents and headed to the room. The man led the way, and Pierre walked into the room that had been cleaned up. Then, he mmed the door behind him. Bang! Pierre mmed the door so hard that the vibration made ayer of dust fall off the door. The man touched his face and turned to look at Oswald''s room enviously. He thought it would be perfect if he could sleep with that pretty secretary too. However, Pierre did not say he could sleep with that woman. The man could not help but feel depressed. They both worked for Pierre. Why did he give Oswald such a good chance but not him? The following day. Luca applied for a half day''s leave because today was Vivian''s first day of school. She did not forget what she had promised Vivian. Hence, after she mentioned to Luke about this matter, she got into Warren''s car and headed to Vivian''s apartment. After Luca went upstairs, Vivian was still packing the things she needed to bring on her first day of school. "Luca, you''re here!" Vivian opened the door for her and nced at the time. She did not expect Luca to be here so soon. "I haven''t finished packing my stuff. Come in and have a seat." Luca walked into her apartment and saw the clothes and documents left on the sofa and coffee table. She looked at Vivian with curiosity, "Didn''t you packst night?" "I identally fell asleep when I was readingst night," Vivian replied embarrassingly. "I initially thought of packing after I read for a while. I didn''t expect to fall asleep at the table. See, there''s a mark on my face today. I put on some concealer, and it could cover it up a little." Luca looked at Vivian''s face closely. Even though the concealer concealed the mark, there was still a faint red mark on her face. "It''s alright. It''s still early now. Take your time." Vivian scratched her hair and looked at how messy everything was. She said helplessly, "I seem to understand why Ray insisted on hiring a maid for me." Previously, Ray insisted on hiring a full-time maid for Vivian. In the end, after Vivian negotiated with him several times, he let the maide to her apartment once every two days. Vivian, who had been taken good care of by her maids in Russia, was overwhelmed as she looked at the pile of documents and the clothes she was nning to bring to her school. ¡°Calm down." Luca knew why Vivian said something like that. She pointed at the clothes on the sofa and asked, "The clothes are for..." "I thought about it and applied to stay in the dormitory. I can stay in the school dorm if my sses endte. I''m nning to bring some clothes, but I have no idea what I should bring.." answered Vivian. Luca nodded and said, "Let me help you." "Really?" Vivian''s eyes brightened up. "You''re only staying at the dormitory asionally, so there''s no need to bring so many things there. There''s a supermarket in the school. You can buy the daily necessities you need there. Besides, it''s near your apartment. You don''t have to bring so many clothes. You can bring your clothes back here to wash them even if you only stay for a night, right?" Luca asked. "Yes, yes, yes. You''re right, but I don''t know how many sets of clothes I should bring.." said Vivian helplessly. "Four will be enough. Do you mind if I choose them for you? Remember to keep the documents well based on the list of items your school gave you. Otherwise, you''ll have toe back here to get them if you forget to bring them when you''re checking in. And you''ll have to queue up again. You''ll be busier," Luca reminded her. "Okay." Vivian picked up the list of items given by the school and began to pack her documents. In the meantime, Luca helped Vivian to fold her clothes and put them in the suitcase. Then, Luca walked into the storage room. She had helped Vivian to clean up her apartment back then. That was why she was familiar with where she ced her stuff. Luca took some daily necessities out and ced them in the suitcase. After that, she pushed the suitcase and came walking out. "Done. I packed some toiletries and a skincare set." This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Vivian was so moved that she came forward and hugged Luca. "Thank you so much." "Come on. Let''s go to school," Luca said with a smile on her face. "Okay. Do I look good in this?" Vivian asked. Luca looked at her outfit. Vivian was wearing a light-colored dress under her coat. It could keep her warm and make her look youthful at the same time. "You look great." Luca gave her a thumbs up. "Really?" Vivian felt a little nervous. It had been a few years since she graduated from university in Russia. Now, she would be going back to university. She was worried she would not be able to get used to it. "It''s true. You look youthful. You''re like a young, pretty college student." Luca smiled andplimented her. Chapter 2620 Vivian''s face reddened as she felt embarrassed for receiving such apliment from Luca. She said, ¡°Hey, you''re exaggerating it. How am I pretty with these looks..." ¡°Beauty is confidence. Come on. Stand up straight. Be confident." Luca patted Vivian''s shoulders, signaling her to stand tall. Vivian stood straight. "Vivian, did you realize your skin condition has improved aftering to A City." Luca sized her up and suddenly said this to her. Vivian touched her face and asked, "Is that so? It''s probably because I have makeup on." "No. I''m looking at the skin on your neck and hands." Luca pointed at Vivian''s neck. Vivian had not put on her scarf since they were not going out yet. She could see that Vivian''s skin was fairer and more hydrated than before. "Really? I didn''t notice that." Vivian stood in the foyer and looked at herself in the mirror for some time. Still, she did not notice that her skin had be fairer. ¡°You''ve been looking at yourself in the mirror all day. Of course, you don''t notice it. It''s been a few days since I saw you. That''s why I noticed it, and that''s what I really think," Luca said in a serious tone. "Perhaps the environment in A City is better." Vivian thought Luca wasforting her and building her confidence. She smiled and put on her scarf. Then, she dragged her suitcase and walked out of the apartment. The two of them headed downstairs. Warren''s car was parked along the curbs of the street. Warren saw them walking toward the car. He immediately got out of the car and opened the car trunk. ¡°Ms. Vivian, all the best to you." ¡°Thank you," Vivian thanked him. After Warren put her suitcase into the car trunk, she followed Luca and got into the car. The apartment was near the university. Luca asked Warren to stop the car when they were about to arrive at Vivian''s university. It would be difficult to drive on the road if they continued to move forward. Many parents were sending their kids to school now. There were vehicles everywhere. Not only was there a traffic jam on the road, but it was difficult to find a parking spot. Hence, Luca discussed with Vivian that they should get out of the car and walk to the university. Vivian agreed to do so. The two of them walked on the path outside the schoolpound. Vivian saw peopleing in and out of the school. She could not help but exim, ¡°There are so many people." Vivian had been staying in her apartment reading books. She had her meals by ordering food deliveries to her apartment. Sometimes, she would ask the maid to bring some ingredients along with her when she came to her apartment. That way, she would not need to go out. This was her first time seeing so many people after she left Luke''s house. ¡°This is the college town. All the universities will be starting a new semester these two days. That''s why there''s a lot of people," exined Luca. "The atmosphere is different here. I like it here. It''s beautiful during the spring season, and the city epts everyone here," said Vivian. Vivian learned more about the history of A City after spending a few days reading about it. She was in love with the city now. She even thought of staying here to work after she graduated. Even though Ray might not like the thought of it, it would take a few years before she graduated. "Here''s your university." Luca pointed at the building as they walked together, heading to the university entrance. "Yes, I know that. You brought me here before." Vivian smiled and walked into the university. "Wee. May I know which course you are majoring in?" There were a few students who stood at the entrance, weing the new students. One of the girls came forward and greeted Vivian. "Hello, I''m a postgraduate student majoring in international finance. May I know where I''m supposed to register?" Vivian replied. She was not used to speakingnguages she was not familiar with in front of strangers. "So you''re a senior studying for a master''s degree at our university. What about you?" The student turned to look at Luca. "I came to apany her," replied Luca. "Okay. Nice to meet you. Are you going straight to register for the master''s degree or are you going to participate in our university''snguage ss?" The student knew many foreigners who came to further their studies would join anguage ss. "I''ll be participating in thenguage ss," answered Vivian as she showed the student her admission letter. "Okay. This way, please." The student led the way. "Although you''re a master''s degree student, your first-year studies are mostly rted tonguages. You''ll be in the same building as the students who''ll be joining the English ss. As for the registration, you''ll have to check in yourself for the Englishnguage course, then you may head to the postgraduate booth to apply for your dormitory''s room key," the student exined enthusiastically. She asked, "Did you book a dormitory room in advance?" "Yes." Vivian nodded. The student nodded to tell her that she understood. Then, she led the way for Vivian to check-in. The check-in progress was a little cumbersome. They were in the queue for quite some time, and only then did they finish all the procedures. Then, the student led Vivian to the postgraduate booth and said, "I''m not sure about the procedures for the postgraduate side. Perhaps I need to find a senior to guide youter." ¡°Thank you." Luca thanked her. Vivian thanked her too. "Sorry to bother you." The student led them to the booth where postgraduate students could check-in. "Senior, she''s an international postgraduate student. She''s enroled in thenguage ss for a year. She has finished going through the procedures for the course. Can I leave her to you to guide her?" The student noticed that only one of the male students was avable, so she went to ask him. "No problem. Leave it to me. You may go back to your work." The male student smiled and turned around. He saw Luca first. He was amazed as a hint of surprise shed across his eyes. Then, he saw Vivian beside her and frowned. Luca was standing beside Vivian, watching the student''s expression. A disgusted feeling aroused within her. In a world obsessed with appearance and vanity, even students were the same as everyone else. Moreover, these unsophisticated students did not know how to conceal their feelings. Luca took a step back when he walked toward her. The male student smiled and said, "Hello,dies. Are you both foreigners? Are you from America?" He asked Luca because Luca had the facial features of a caucasian. "I apanied her here." Luca put her arms around Vivian''s and told him that she was not a student. The male student was stunned for a moment. He was secretly disappointed as he thought he would be able to be in the same school with such a pretty girl... N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "Okay. This way, please." He changed the subject of the conversation and led the way. "Vivian, let''s go," Luca spoke in Russian. "Okay." Vivian nodded and followed behind the male student. The male student guided them to go through the formalities. Then, he led them to the girls'' dormitory ording to the university''s allocation of amodation. "This is the postgraduate students'' dormitory. Let''s go upstairs," said the male student. He led the way and entered the dormitory. After he greeted the dormitory manager, he led them into the elevator and headed to the eighth floor. "This is your dorm," said the male student. "Thank you." Vivian gave a faint smile. The male student was not interested in Vivian. Instead, he asked Luca, "Hey, which university are you in?" Luca frowned, but before she could answer him, the male student added, "Why don''t we exchange our contact details? Even though we''re not in the same school, we can hang out and go out for dinner or a movie date. Besides, your friend''s staying here. You can contact me if anything happens." Chapter 2624 / / Chapter 2624 Acknowledging His Biological Daughter As His God-Daughter Twins in Her Womb: Sir President, Please be Gentle Chapter 2624 Acknowledging His Biological Daughter As His God-Daughter Leia''s current behavior was a pain in the neck. The hospital was nning to improve the security of the VIP floor. The head nurse hadined to Jack before. Even the most difficult news reporter she met was not as difficult as Leia. The security guards and nurses on duty dared not to take her lightly. They were worried that they would identally let Leia slip into the ward. Johann even said that they would include Leia''s name in the hospital''s cklist if they could. Queenie heaved a sigh and said, ¡°That''s true..." Luca listened to their conversation. She suddenly felt sorry for them. Leia had gone over the top and done so many bad things. She did not deserve Queenie''s love! "Come on, stop sighing. She''s not young anymore. Besides, she gets an allowance every month. She''ll be fine." Jackforted her. Was Leia''s health not the reason why Queenie wanted to go home so badly? They could not let Leia know their condition now. That was why they could only stay in the hospital. Even though they were taking up public resources, Jack would rather stay in the hospital and wait for Leia to show the cloven foot. "But I''d like to give Leia a call. I can''t seem to reach her," added Queenie. "Didn''t the caretaker say her phone isn''t working? You''ve called the caretaker. She''s safe now, and she can eat and drink well," Jack said in a helpless tone. Luke had already asked his men to install software on Jack and Queenie''s phones. It did not matter if it was them who called Leia or it was Leia who called them, they would not be able to reach each other. Queenie had been calling Leia''s number all the while. However, she failed to get through every time she called. Hence, she could only call the caretaker to find out how Leia was doing. Jack had already informed the caretaker in advance. He was the one who hired the caretaker. Of course, the caretaker listened to his instructions. She did not side with Leia either. "You''re not worried about your daughter at all." Queenie shot Jack a nce as though she was comining about him. "She''s all grown up, and she doesn''t need me to worry about her. I''m more concerned about you. It''s time to take your medicine," Jack reminded Queenie. "Fine. You should take your medicine too," replied Queenie. The caretaker and the maid took out their medicines and handed them to Jack and Queenie. The couple took the pills at the same time as though they were in sync with each other. Then, they drank some water and swallowed the pills. Luca had mixed feelings while looking at her biological parents. Jack put down his ss and turned to look at Luca. "Luca, does your hand still hurt?" "No. Dr. Park is skillful. He sutured the wound well. It doesn''t hurt," answered Luca. Queenie let out a sigh while looking at the white bandage wrapped in Luca''s hand. "You got your right hand injured. It must be inconvenient for you. I really have to thank you, Luca." Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "Mrs. Norman, don''t say something like that. It was me who ced the two of you in danger. I should be the one apologizing." Luca shook her head. Although Leia was involved in the n, their only target was Luca. It was obvious those men had underestimated her. They only caught Queenie and held her hostage when they realized they could not hurt Luca or even try to control her. "That''s enough. Stop saying things like that. The police officers are still investigating the case now. After they find out something, we''ll know who should be the one apologizing." Jack''s eyes darkened. Jack had joined the army previously and had been a politician for a number of years. It was his first time encountering such a situation. He would never spare the person who injured his wife and daughter. "Dear, what do you mean?" Queenie gave him a confused look. Luca immediately spoke, "What Mr. Norman meant was, those men should be punished. Besides, there''s no way they can escape from getting thrown into prison." "Yeah, I heard that the man who held you hostage is pretending to have a stomach ache now. He''s in the hospital''s custodial ward, being watched. Even though he''s pretending to be in pain, there''s no way he can be a fugitive from justice. The police officers have made some new progress in their investigation," added Jack. Luca fell silent when she heard Jack saying that the man was having a stomach ache. She knew what was wrong with him. However, if she did not do that at that time, she would not have been able to escape. If Luca did not hurt that man, it might not have only been her hand that got injured. "How do you know so much?" Queenie asked with curiosity. Jack never told her about these. She even thought that he would not have spoken so much if Luca did note. "I know the police chief. They''re paying attention to this matter too," replied Jack. "That''s why your phone is constantly ringing." Queenie turned to look at Luca. "Luca, don''t worry. The police will be able to find out who''s trying to harm you." "Yeah. I believe the police will handle it well." Luca nodded. Even if the police officers were not involved in this, she believed that Luke''s men would be able to find out something. Luca apanied them for a while. Then, she rose to her feet and said, ¡°Mr. Norman, Mrs. Norman, I should be leaving now. Take good care of yourself. I''lle to visit again when I have the time." "Why don''t you stay for a while longer? Perhaps you can have some fruits before you leave?" Jack asked. "It''ll be the hospital''s lunch break soon. I''d like to visit Ms. Rayne too," said Luca. Jack knew Wanda was admitted to the hospital too. Thus, he nodded and said, "Sure. Off you go. Be safe when you''re on your way back." "Yeah, I will. Goodbye, Mr. and Mrs. Norman." Luca pushed the door open after she said goodbye to them. Jack stared at the door for quite some time before he shifted his gaze away. "Dear, you''re not being yourself." Queenie could not help but say so when she noticed Jack''s oddness. Jack withdrew his gaze and turned to look at Queenie. "What''s the matter?" "Your eyes never left Luca ever since she came in here. Plus, there''s kindness in your eyes when you look at her..." Queenie did not suspect Jack of being interested in Luca. After all, the way he looked at Luca was gentle and kind. It was as though a father was looking at his daughter. When they acknowledged Bianca back then, the way he looked at Bianca was like how he looked at Luca now. He refused to shift his gaze for a long time. There were not many terms of endearment used, but his eyes were filled with familial love. Jack was looking at Luca in such a way too. "This girl, Luca, has saved us twice." Jack let out a sigh. Luca saved them twice. Even though it seemed like she had just saved Queenie, she had saved Jack''s life too. Jack could not imagine how he would be able to live his life without Queenie beside him. Hence, Luca also saved him when she saved Queenie''s life. Queenie pursed her lips. What Jack said was right. Luca had saved the Norman family twice. Queenie suggested, "Dear, I think it''s written in the stars that we''re meant to meet Luca. Why don''t we acknowledge her as our god-daughter when we''re discharged from the hospital?" "No way." Jack shook his head and rejected. Queenie was confused, and she asked, "Why? Don''t you like her?" Jack did not say anything. Acknowledging his biological daughter as his god-daughter? That did not make any sense. Besides, Luke was trying hard to set Luca free too. Luca would be able to return to her true identity soon. Therefore, it was unnecessary for him to acknowledge her as his god-daughter. "Let''s talk about thister." Jack brushed her off. Chapter 2625 Queenie could not help but wonder when she saw Jack''s attitude. "Aren''t you fond of Luca? What''s with your reaction now that I''m suggesting her bing our god-daughter?" "Perhaps Luca won''t want to? Besides, Leia gets jealous easily. If we acknowledge Luca as our goddaughter, what will she think?" Jack immediately brought up the subject of Leia getting jealous when he noticed Queenie''s intentions. Queenie fell silent when he mentioned Leia. If they really acknowledged Luca as their god-daughter, Leia would be jealous of Luca judging from her personality. Queenie shook her head and said, "Forget about it." It set Jack''s mind at ease when Queenie gave up on the idea. After all, Luca was their biological daughter. There was no need to acknowledge her as their god-daughter. "I didn''t know you still cared about Leia." Queenie heaved a sigh. Jack was stunned for a moment. He was overwhelmed withplicated feelings for a minute or two. He initially thought of making an excuse for Luca. Queenie misunderstood him and thought he did it for Leia''s sake. A disgusted feeling set in as he recalled what Leia had done in the past. "That''s all. Let''s put this behind us." Queenie nodded. Jack picked up the remote control and turned up the volume of the afternoon news. The couple watched the news together. After Luca walked out of Mr. and Mrs. Norman''s ward, she took the remaining two bags from Warren and headed to Wanda''s ward. Luca knocked on the door. "Come in." Wanda''s voice came from inside the room. Luca pushed the door open and went in. "Ms. Rayne, have you had lunch?" Wanda was a little surprised to see Luca. Her pale white lips curled up as she said, "I''m not hungry." The caretaker beside her stood up and said, "Ms. Rayne had her first chemotherapy session today. She hasn''t gotten used to it. That''s why she didn''t have lunch." Luca frowned. No wonder Wanda looked so pale. Many things had happened these days, and Luca forgot Wanda''s chemotherapy schedule. She ced the two bags on the coffee table and said, ¡°I bought some fruits and supplements for you." ¡°Oh, you shouldn''t have..." Wanda was about to get out of bed. Luca stopped her. "Ms. Rayne, don''t get out of bed if you''re feeling unwell. Sit down." "You too. Take a seat." Wanda was surprised Luca woulde to visit her. Wanda thought no one would being to visit her in the hospital except for Luke. After all, the rtives of Rayne''s family were in their hometown. She did not inform anyone else about her admission to the hospital and receiving treatment. She had to hide it from Old Master Rayne, after all. Luca sat on the chair beside the bed. Wanda asked, "Have you eaten? I bought some food at the cafeteria downstairs. Why don''t you have some?" "Ms. Rayne, I''ve had lunch." Luca looked at Wanda''s paleplexion. Wanda had only received the chemotherapy session once, and she already had such a big reaction. How was she able to hold on for the next few sessions? This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Furthermore, even though Wanda would be undergoing the surgery, judging from the deterioration of the tumor in her body, she would need to take a long course of chemotherapy treatment. "What about some fruits?" Wanda asked again. "It''s okay, Ms. Rayne. They''re for you." Luca looked at the lunchbox on the coffee table. It was left there. Then, Luca asked, "How does it feel to have your first chemotherapy session today?" "I feel like vomiting. And I''ve lost my appetite." Wanda smiled bitterly. She knew it was painful to receive chemotherapy treatment, but she did not expect to have such serious side effects. Wanda immediately grabbed the trash bin and vomited in it the moment she finished her first session. The nurse who gave her the treatment said she was one of the few people who had such serious side effects. It was only her first time. Hence, they might need to do some adjustments after this. "That''s serious.." Luca frowned and asked, "Did the doctor give you any herbal medicine?" Luca had sent a prescription to Johann and asked him to give it to Wanda. "No." Wanda shook her head. "How''s that possible?" Luca''s brows furrowed deeper. Could it be that Johann had forgotten about it? That was when the caretaker spoke, "I nced at Ms. Rayne''s medication notes this morning. They did prepare herbal medicine for Ms. Rayne, but they''ll only give it to her at night." "Is there really herbal medicine included in it?" Wanda asked. "Yes. But it''s my first time seeing someone taking herbal medicine and chemotherapy treatment. Could it be abination treatment?" said the caretaker. She had taken care of many cancer patients before. Hence, she slowly became familiar with their treatment and remedies. "Luca, you''re the one who prescribed the medicine, right?" Wanda turned to look at her. "Yeah. I prescribed the medicine ording to your condition. The herbal medicine will be able to ease your pain when you''re receiving chemotherapy treatment." Luca nodded and admitted it. "Thank you." Wanda never thought that Luca would prescribe medicine for her. ¡°I saw the prescription in a book. I''ve never prescribed it to others before either. Ms. Rayne, please tell me right away if you feel unwell after taking the medicine. I''ll change the prescription for you," Luca reminded her. She had faith in Shanks'' prescription, but she had never prescribed it to others before. Perhaps some adjustments needed to be made. "Okay, I trust you." Wanda nodded. Even though Luca told her that she had never prescribed it to others before, what happened in the past made her believe in Luca unconditionally. Luca smiled and said, "Why don''t you eat a little?" "I can''t..." Wanda shook her head. "I vomited right after the chemotherapy session. I''m worried I''ll feel sick again if I eat something." "You can''t be sure about that. Why don''t you give it a try?" said Luca. "Yes, Ms. Rayne. I''ve seen many patients vomit after the chemotherapy treatment, but they''d be fine when having their meals. They were able to eat well." The caretaker persuaded Wanda too. If Wanda refused to eat anything and only relied on the nutrient injection the doctor gave her, how could that work? She would be exhausted from receiving the chemotherapy treatment before she could get her surgery done. "Okay then. Let me try.." Wanda looked at Luca''s worried expression. She had an indescribable urge not to make Luca worry about her. The caretaker handed the lunchbox to Wanda and said, "Ms. Rayne, I assumed you wouldn''t feel like eating too. That''s why I bought some oatmeal for you. Have some. You''ll feel better after filling your stomach." "Thank you." Wanda opened the cover of the lunchbox. The oatmeal was kept warm. Wanda took two sips of the oatmeal. She did not feel nauseous as she thought she would. Luca persuaded, "Have some more. You have to eat more to improve your health. You can''t feel weak anymore." If Wanda''s body became weak, it would be troublesome to treat her during theter period. Besides, she needed time. Old Master Rayne was all alone at the vi, waiting for her to return. Luca hoped Wanda could stay healthy and get through this. "Okay. I''ll have more." Wanda finished the oatmeal slowly. "That''s great." The caretaker smiled when she saw that. "Ms. Craw, you''re good at this." No matter how hard she tried to convince Wanda, she refused to listen to her. Luca gave her a faint smile and said, "Does Ms. Rayne need to take any medicine after lunch?" "Yes. It''s just that she refused to have the oatmeal just now. I was worried it''d harm her stomach if she took the medicine on an empty stomach. That''s why I haven''t given it to her," the caretaker nodded and replied. Chapter 2626 ¡°Okay. Then remember to remind her to take the medicine half an hourter," said Luca attentively. ¡°I will," replied the caretaker as she kept the empty lunchbox away. "Ms. Rayne, I should leave and go back to work. Cooperate with the doctors and receive your treatment. Don''t be afraid. Medical technology is advanced now. You''ll be fine." Luca knew what Wanda had in mind. Hence, every word she said was tofort her. "Okay. Off you go." Wanda''s heart was warm. She did not know why Luca cared for her so much. After Luca left, the caretaker could not help but ask, "Ms. Rayne, is she your rtive? Your niece?" "No, she''s not." Wanda shook her head. She had mentioned to the caretaker that she had a niece. However, her niece was currently abroad. She could note back. That was why Wanda thought no one woulde to visit her. Therefore, when Luca showed up and showed Wanda some concern, the caretaker thought Luca was Wanda''s niece. Still, Luca had indeed warmed Wanda''s heart... "Look at how much she cares about you. I thought she was your niece," muttered the caretaker. ¡°My niece is living abroad. Something bad happened to her back then, and she lost her memories. She can''t remember any of us. The bond we shared is gone too," said Wanda in a low voice. ¡°How unfortunate.." the caretaker could not help but mutter. Wanda did not say anything. She wondered if the caretaker felt sorry for her or Bianca. Was the caretaker feeling sorry for Bianca, who lost her memories, for living a miserable life. Or was she feeling sorry for Wanda for receiving treatment here all alone without anyoneing to visit her in the hospital? After Luca left the hospital, she hurried back to Watson Biopharmaceuticals. She arrived there right on time after the lunch break. Then, she returned to her office and started to mix the formted medications. It was inconvenient for her to do it in theboratory. Mixing formted medications was a meticulous job. Luca looked at the precision scale and carefully mixed them. Sometimes, adding a gram more or a gram lesser in the medication would affect its effectiveness. Hence, she could not be careless. Luca mixed the medicine ording to the previous data she had collected. She noted down everything while she was mixing them. Before she got off work, she finally prepared two new medications. Now, she only had to mix the two formted medications with Amur''s blood and her blood. Then she would be able to know if they worked. Luca carefully stored the medicines, nning to analyze them tomorrow morning. Even if the medications did not work this time, she believed she was not far away from finding out the form for the antidote. Luca got off work on time after she kept the medicines well. After Luca arrived home, the maid told her that the three kids were upstairs, doing their homework. Luke had gotten off work ande home too. Luca quickly made her way up the stairs. Luca went to greet the three kids first. She knocked on the door when she arrived at Lanie''s bedroom door. Lanie turned around and saw that it was Luca. There was a smile on his nonchnt little face. ¡°Ms. Luca, you''re back." "Yeah. How was school today?" Luca asked caringly. "It was great," answered Lanie as he handed the homework he had finished to her. He said, "Ms. Luca, Daddy''s busy with work. Please help me check it." "Sure. No problem." Luca sat on another chair to check his homework. Lanie was smart, and he was thorough when he was doing his homework. Luca quickly went through his homework. There was no mistake. "You got it all correct." "This grade is too easy for me," Lanie said coolly. Then, he spoke again at the thought of Luke''s reminder, "Ms. Luca, Daddy wants you to head to his bedroom after you get off work." "Huh? Okay." Luca could not help but wonder how Luke could know her so well. Even though Luca knew he had gotten off work, she would still check in on the kids first. Lanie asked Luca to bring his exercise book along with her. "Ms. Luca, can you please help me hand in the exercise book to Daddy and let him sign it? That way, I won''t have to disturb him when he''s working." "Sure. I''ll hand it to him now." Luca took Lanie''s exercise book and went looking for Luke. Knock, knock. Luca knocked on the bedroom door. "Come in." Luke''s voice came from inside the room. Luca pushed the door open and entered the room. "Lanie told me that you''d like to see me." "Yes. I have something to show you." Luke''s gaze was gentle when he met her eyes. Luca walked toward him with curiosity. Luke pointed at his thigh and asked, "How about sitting here?" "I''d prefer sitting on a chair. The kids mighte in to ask you to check their homeworkter." Luca had not gotten used to letting the kids see Luke and her being too intimate. Luca grabbed a chair beside her and sat down. Then, she ced Lanie''s exercise book in front of Luke and said, "Why don''t you sign Lanie''s homework first? I''ve checked it for you. There are no mistakes." Luke picked up the fountain pen beside him and signed his name on it. Luca took the exercise book from him and kept it. Then, she asked, "Found anything?" "Yes." Luke clicked and opened a video file. The Norman residence''s backyard garden was shown in the video. Luca knew it was the surveince footage when she saw it. "Rain noticed that something was wrong with the footage. She noticed that someone had done something to the surveince footage when she received theputer case connected to the surveince cameras. The data was recovered by the IT team." Luke clicked on the y button.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca stayed focused and watched the video. As the surveince footage yed, Luca could see Leia sneaking into the backyard garden. She opened the back door. She did not go out, but she pretended as if nothing happened and went back the way she came. Luca looked up and nced at the time shown on the surveince footage. It was just before she arrived at the residence. Leia was the one who opened the door for those people. Those men did not break the lock because the door was opened for them. That was why the rm was not triggered. Consequently, they only managed to find out something was wrong when those men broke into the house. "Are we giving this to the police?" Luca asked. "I think this is the Norman family''s matter. Even if we hand it to the police, things won''t turn out like what we expect." Even though Luke refused to let Leia get away with this, Leia had reced Bianca''s position now. She had be the apple of Queenie''s eyes. If they acted recklessly and sent Leia to prison, they were afraid that Queenie would not be able to take it. Luca pursed her lips. She was thinking about the same thing as Luke. However, she had more to worry about. If Queenie found out Leia''s true colors and chose not to send Leia to prison, she might be another Pierre. She would be someone who would not hesitate to harm the people around her for the sake of her interest, just like Pierre... "Also, Rain found out that a huge amount of money was deposited into Leia''s bank ount. She tracked where the money came from and noticed that it was Mandy Sanders who transferred the amount of money to her. Mandy showed up in the hospital and met Leia on the day of the incident," added Luke. "Mandy?" Luca frowned. "She bears some resemnce to you. Matysh has been keeping her by his side. Given the transaction history and the surveince footage, I''m afraid Leia might not be sent to prison even if we hand this to the police," Luke analyzed it and exined to her. Leia did not directly make a deal with those people. There was no evidence to prove that she had something to do with those men either. Leia could say that she went to open the door but forgot to close it, which gave those men the chance to break into the house. It was a mistake, and that did not make her a conspirator. Chapter 2627 Therefore, it did not matter if they were looking at it from Luca''s or Queenie''s perspective. Handing the recovered surveince footage to the police was not a good idea. Luca agreed with him and nodded. ¡°Would you like to follow me to the hospital tonight?" Luke asked her. Luca wanted to know why he wanted to head to the hospital. "Is it that urgent?" "Queenie is looking for Leia all day long. I think we should let her know what kind of person Leia is as soon as possible." Luke leaned back in his chair and looked at her. Today, Jack texted Luke andined to him that he was running out of ideas to stop Queenie from looking for Leia. Leia was unreachable by phone, so Queenie wanted to get discharged from the hospital as soon as possible. What Luca and Jack said to her today was useless. "But the kids..." Luca did not want to see Queenie upset. "Aunt Neile is only getting off workter. The maid can stay a little longer. We''ll head to the hospital after dinner. Tommy and Rainie would''ve finished their homework at that time." Luke arranged the schedule. Luca could not find an excuse not to go to the hospital. She had no choice but to agree. "Let''s ask Dr. Park to work overtime today. I''m worried Mrs. Norman won''t be able to take it." "Alright." Luke agreed to it. He picked up his phone and contacted Johann. As long as he was there, Queenie''s life would not be in danger even if she passed out from shock. Luca secretly thought to herself that it was not enough. She thought of bringing her set of needles along with her, just in case. After dinner, Luke checked the kids'' homework for them. Then, after he signed their homework, he reminded the kids to be good and went out with Luca. Tommy sat on the sofa and said grumpily, "Daddy always refuses to bring me along with him when he goes out." "Daddy and Ms. Luca aren''t going out to have fun." Lanie sat straight on the sofa, listening to his younger brotherin about their father. He frowned and thought to himself, ''Tommy is a boy. Is it appropriate for him to be so clingy?'' As a brother, should he teach his younger brother to be more independent? Tommy watched the cartoon show and said, "But Daddy and Ms. Luca are going to visit Grandpa and Grandma. I''d like to visit them too." ¡°They''re out to handle some matters. And they''ll be back soon.¡± Lanie shook his head. Although the adults did not tell the kids about it, Lanie understood what was going on. He seemed to know a lot. Tommy turned around and looked at him with confusion. How did he know? "Have some fruits.¡± Lanie picked up a slice of fruit with a fork and handed it to Tommy. Tommy took it from him and took a bite of the fruit. Then, he said embarrassedly, "Lanie, you''re bossy, just like Daddy." Lanie acted as though he did not hear what Tommy said. He picked up the book beside him and continued reading. He was not interested in watching cartoon shows now. It was just that it was convenient for him to look after Tommy and read his book here. Rainie and Tommy were watching TV, while Lanie read his book. A heavy silence fell upon the living room. On the other hand... Luca and Luke came to the hospital. They got into the elevator and headed to the VIP floor. They saw Leia standing there when they walked out of the elevator. Two security guards had stopped her, and they carried baton sticks in their hands, preventing her from getting past them. "My parents are there. Who are you to stop me from getting in?!" Leia yelled at the two guards, "I''m going to deliver these fruits to them no matter what it takes. I''ll call the police if the two of you keep on stopping me. I''ll charge you with false imprisonment!" The security guards pulled a long face. They felt like Leia''s saliva was all over their faces as she had been yelling at them for such a long time. "Ms. Norman, we can help you to pass the fruits to them. You''re not allowed to enter." "Are you kidding me?" Leia''splexion was sallow, and her eyes were red. "I''m calling the police now. I''ll have the police officers arrest you all!" "Excuse me." Luke stood beside Leia and looked at her without an expression on his face. "You''re blocking the way." Leia initially thought of blowing a fuse, but the moment she turned around and saw him, her face turned pale with fear. "You." "Are you really going to call the police?" Luke asked. Leia did something wrong, so she dared not to call the police. The reason she said that was because she wanted to scare the bodyguards and take the chance to go in to see what happened to Jack and Queenie. Leia had asked Old Madam Norman and the caretaker who bought her meals about Jack and Queenie''s situation before. They told her that the hospital did not tell them anything. Hence, Leia had no idea if Jack and Queenie were healthy or in bad condition now. Leia became more uneasy because of this. Hence, she kept trying to go into Jack and Queenie''s ward to check on them again and again. Leia woulde here whenever she had the chance to do so. However, there were always security guards keeping watch every time she came here. There were guards on duty even if it was in the middle of the night. Leia was depressed. Why was it not heavily guarded when she got admitted to the hospitalst time? "I..." Leia was at a loss for words. ¡°I can help you to call the police. I heard that the statement you gave them was a mess. The police officers will be willing toe here to take your statement again," Luke said with a cold expression on his face. He was not intimidating her. The police were indeed dissatisfied with the statement Leia gave them. "What''s wrong with the statement? These people aren''t allowing me to visit my parents. That''s imprisonment." Leia knew Luke was threatening her. She said, "I know you''re the one who instructed them to do so. Don''t forget they''re my parents. If you keep them in captivity, I''ll make sure that you''ll go to prison." Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Luke raised his brows. Prison? Leia became even more confident after taking Matysh''s money. Luke nodded and replied, "You speak so eloquently now. It should be fine for you to make a police statement." After that, Luke said to the guards, "Call the police. Tell them someone is making a scene here. Get the police officers toe here and settle this." "Yes, sir." The security guards were annoyed with Leia''s behavior. They really wanted to call the police after hearing Luke say that. "Who''s making a scene here?! I came to see my parents!" The expression on Leia''s face changed when she heard that. If Leia was taken to the police station and watched under the eyes of so many police officers, she would not be able to take it. Luke walked straight past her. Leia dared not to follow behind him. She saw one of the security guards pick up the walkie-talkie. She immediately snatched it from him and warned him, "I''ll sue you for harassing me if you dare call the police!" The security guard gave her a dirty look and said, "Ms. Norman, I''d suggest you go downstairs if you don''t want the police toe here and make yourself look bad." "Hmph, I''ll be back. You''re all doomed when my parents get better!" Leia glowered at Luke viciously from behind. Leia was convinced that all the problems she was facing now was Luke''s n. What was he nning? Leia felt even more uneasy about it. It had been a while since the police officers came to look for her. She had no idea how the investigation was going on. Leia walked into the elevator. After she arrived at the hepatobiliary department, she called the phone number of the police officer who took her statementst time. The police officer had given her his phone number. He told her to contact him right away when she recalled any details when the incident happened. Leia introduced herself after the call was answered. "I''m Leia Norman." It took a few seconds for the police officer on the other end of the line to recall who Leia was. Hence, he asked, ¡°Ms. Norman, did you recall something?¡± "No. I told you everything thest time," replied Leia. Chapter 2628 ¡°Then why did you call me^" asked the police officer, helplessly trailing off. "I''m wondering what the progress is with my parents'' assault case. Has there been any evidence on who they were and what their move was?" Leia needed to deduce if the police officers had found out that Matysh was behind this. Matysh had already given her the money. Leia no longer wanted anything to do with him, She was worried that Matysh would tell on her if they caught Matysh. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "We''re still looking into it, and I''m not supposed to share any details. Once we find something, we''ll announce it to the public," answered the police officer. "Again "Again..." Leia rolled her eyes. "Do you think I''m a fool?" "I''m sorry but it''s the rules," said the police officer. "I don''t care about the rules. The fact of the matter is, my parents are injured and it''s because of these people, right? Now you''re telling me that you can''t tell me anything, even though you''re looking into it. How am I supposed to exin to them what happened?" sighed Leia. "How about this, I''ll throw you a bone. I suspect Luca was the one behind this. While it looked like those men were going after her, they were actually targeting my parents. I think she''s the one behind it if you ask me. Arrest her before she has the chance to hurt my parents again." fumed Leia. She was pissed, pissed at the thought of Luca standing beside Luke. While she no longer had feelings for Luke, she thought that Luca did not deserve him. Seeing Luca standing next to Luke, it was as if she was unting her new-found status. Luca had even followed Luke to the VIP floor! As Jack and Queenie''s daughter, she knew nothing about her parents'' situation, but Luca knew how they were doing! Therefore, Leia thought of asking the police officers to arrest Luca when they were here giving her the runaround. Of course, Leia knew Luca was not the one who was behind this. Still, she did not want to make things easy for Luca. The police officer did not know whether tough or cry. He could not help but wonder how ridiculous it was for Leia to be ordering them around while she refused to cooperate with them. ¡°Ms. Norman, leave it to us. All your need to do is rest and wait for our announcement. If there should be nothing else, I''ll need to be getting back to work." hung up the police officer. There had not been much progress in Jack and Queenie''s case. The police officers were working day and night to investigate it. All you have to do is nurse your health and wait for our news. If there''s nothing else, I need to get back to work." The police officer hung up the call after that. The police officer had hung up on Leia. A stormy cloud immediately consumed Leia as she walked to her wardroom. Her caretaker was sitting on the chair, watching the evening soap opera. Leia stomped into the ward and yelled, "Stop watching the television. Peel an apple for me." The caretaker knew that Leia''s n of getting into the VIP room had failed when she entered the room fuming with eyes aze. She picked up the apple and took her time to peel it. Leia was ready to kick up a storm when she noticed the caretaker remained unbothered. "You''re too slow. Are you trying to starve me to death?" "Ms. Norman, if you think I''m slow, you can peel it yourself. Apple peels are packed with nutrients," replied the caretaker calmly, peeling the apple slowly. The patient beside Leia''s ward bed could not help but let out a snigger when she heard what the caretaker said. This caretaker was something else indeed. Leia was rendered speechless. Leia was embarrassed after realizing that there was a spectator to her little spectacle, "I''m going to fire if you continue to treat me like this." "Ms. Norman, you''re already famous in the hospital. I''m afraid it''ll be difficult to find you a caretaker no matter how much you try to pay them. If you''d like to fire me, you''ll have to buy breakfast yourself and take your medicine on time without anyone reminding you. No one will be here to serve you. Well, it sounds difficult for you, especially when you''re used to being treated like a princess. Would you be able to get used to it when you have to do everything yourself?" asked the caretaker. Although Luke had sent her here to keep an eye on Leia, she would not go easy on her. If she was sent to watch over anybody else, she would have been conscientious. She would have followed any orders given. However, Leia was very bad-tempered. She decided to help Mr. and Mrs. Norman tame Leia''s temper for free. Unexpectedly, it takes one to know one, and it worked on her. Leia''s cheeks med with anger as the caretaker handed her the apple. "Ms. Norman, I''ve peeled the apple for you. Eat." Leia refused to take it from her. Then, the caretaker added, "It''s going to oxidizeter if you don''t eat it now. Look at you. You''re probably mad because the people upstairs don''t let you in. Have an apple to cool your temper." The caretaker stuffed the apple into Leia''s hand. "Argh!" shouted Leia as she took a bite of the apple. After spending a day together with the caretaker, she realized that the caretaker was not someone who would bow down to Leia. After, Leia mentioned to Grandma Norman about recing the caretaker. However, Grandma Norman told Leia that the other caretakers in the hospital were reluctant to take the job. She asked her to put up with it and not to be picky. That was why the caretaker was not reced with someone else. The caretaker smiled when she saw Leia take a bite of the apple. "Fruits are good for you. The doctor said that eating fruits is good for your health." On the other hand. Luke and Luca walked into Mr. and Mrs. Norman''s wardroom. "Luke? Luca? Why are you here at this hour?" asked Jack, surprised to see them. After all, Luke would normally inform them in advance if he would being to visit. "Rain sent me a video just now. I think it''d be better for the two of you to take a look at it," exined Luke as he took hisptop out. Then, he said to the caretaker, "You may leave now." The caretaker nodded and stepped out of the wardroom. Jack and Queenie''s condition was stable. It would be fine if no caretakers were looking after them at night. "What is it?" asked Queenie. She was curious. Luke remained silent. Then, Jack realized what they would be watching when he noticed Luke''s behavior. Jack instructed Rain to retrieve hisputer case. Theputer was connected to the surveince cameras of the Norman residence. Jack''s face darkened. If Luke was showing them the footage, it meant he found something. It was probably what they spected. Queenie was quick to notice the changes in Jack''s expression and Luke turned on theptop without saying anything. She could not help but feel anxious, "What happened?" "Mrs. Norman, take it easy."forted Luca. She could not bear to see Queenie so anxious before she watched the footage. Queenie pursed her lips and looked at them. The door was being pushed open, and Johann came in. "I''m here." "Okay." nodded Luke and ced theptop on the coffee table. Before Luke could say anything, Queenie questioned again, "Why is Dr. Park here too?" Queenie suddenly realized that the reason why Johann hade was probably because of her... Perhaps there was something that could overwhelm her with shock in the video. Jack turned to look at Queenie, "Don''t watch if you don''t feel like watching the video. Let me handle this." Queenie tugged at his sleeves and shook her head. She stood with determination, "Dear, I''d like to watch the video." "Then be prepared for it." Jack held her hands, walked toward the sofa, and sat down. Luke pressed the y button with his lips pursed. In the video, there was footage of Leia walking out of the vi, heading to the backyard garden, opening the door, pretending as if nothing happened, then returning to the house. Chapter 2629 "Was it Leia who opened the door for them?" Queenie was stunned as she watched the video footage. Then, she nced at the time shown in the image. Her face turned pale white. She looked up at Luke to ask for his confirmation. "Yes." nodded Luke. Queenie shook her head, refusing to believe what she just saw. While Leia had hurt her before, she promised she would never do it again. They must stay together as a family. However, as Luke showed her the video, showing her that the rm was not triggered because Leia had weed them in. Not only was Leia trying to harm Luca, but she intended to hurt both of them too. "How could it be Leia..." mumbled Queenie. "The police have the surveince footage on the day of the incident, but it''s different from this one," uttered Luke, observing Queenie''s reaction attentively. "The surveince footage that the police have has been doctored. Rain noticed the footage on that day was the exact same as the days before. Even the sprouts were moving at the same frequency. That was why she suspected that the clip had been doctored." "Then?" asked Jack. His right hand was clutching Queenie''s left hand. He could feel her palms turning cold. "Some surveince clips remain in theputer case taken from Norman''s residence. If Leia forgot to close the door, there''s no need to delete this part from the footage." Luke wanted Queenie to face the truth. Queenie was not a fool, but she was too soft-hearted. She refused to believe her daughter, the apple of her eye, would cross the line again. Queenie pursed her lips. She thought about what Luke said to them. She was reluctant to face it, knowing that the daughter she had brought up would actually do such a ridiculous thing. "Call the police," instructed Jack. Queenie did not say anything. Luke spoke with a cold expression on his face, "We don''t have enough evidence." Jack frowned. He initially thought of teaching Leia a lesson while Queenie was drowning in disappointment. ¡°Continue to look for evidence. This is outrageous. She even wanted to harm us. I must teach her a lesson this time!" Jack gripped Queenie''s hand tight. At the same time, he was telling Queenie that he would not let Leia get away with this easily. "Dear," sighed Queenie. Everyone in the wardroom turned to look at her. Queenie let go of Jack''s hand. She rose to her feet. Then, she staggered. The caretaker beside her was fast to help Queenie up. "Mrs. Norman, are you alright?" Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Johann immediately came forward. "Mrs. Norman, let''s get you to bed. Let me check on you." Queenie shook her head. "I lost my bnce. Don''t worry." Luca pursed her lips. It broke her heart to see Queenie in such a state. "Luca." Queenie turned to look at Luca and saw the worried look in her eyes. She felt inexplicably upset. Why was her daughter not Luca, but Leia? It was Leia who poisoned her, opened the door, and wanted her dead. "Mrs. Norman, go and sit on the bed." Luca stepped forward to help her. Queenie, who initially refused to get back onto the bed, acquiesced and returned to her bed with Luca''s help. "Luca, I''m sorry," apologized Queenie. "Mrs. Norman, you didn''t do anything wrong." Luca shook her head. It was Leia and Matysh who worked together to plot against her. It was not her fault. "No. It''s my fault for bringing up such an evil child. I was wrong to listen to her. It was also my mistake to ask you toe to the Norman Residence to nurse her health. Luca, I''ve made a big mistake. I''m sorry. The Norman family owes you one," apologized Queenie, but this time, she was no longer apologizing on behalf of Leia. There was a faint smile on Johann''s face. He was wrapping the blood pressure cuff around Queenie''s arm when he heard that. When Johann was treating Queenie these days, what he saw the most was Queenie''s good temper and how much she adored Leia. Most of the time, Queenie was the one who apologized on behalf of Leia when she scolded the doctors. This time, Queenie personally apologized to Luca because of what she did. Johann thought that she had finally made some progress. At least, Queenie did not have to stoop so low and kneel for Leia''s sake. It proved that her state of mind had changed because of the incident. "Mrs. Norman..." Luca felt a lump in her throat. She had no idea what Leia was thinking about. Queenie was a good mother. She did not fail as a mother. When a child bes an adult, one''s parents would no longer determine who they would be. Therefore, Queenie did not have to bear any responsibility for how Leia ended up like this. ¡°Her blood pressure is normal. The heart rate is normal too. Go on." said Johann suddenly, cutting through the sadness lingering in the air between the two of them. Luca sniffed. Queenie turned to look at Jack. He had worked really hard for the family. He gave her and Leia a life without worries. She did not expect that Leia would be such a person. "Dear, just do what should be done. It must have been difficult for you," uttered Quennie slowly. Jack let out a sigh of relief and turned to look at Luke. "Luke, tell us everything you know. Let your mother-inw know the ins and outs of the matter." Luke nodded. He began telling Queenie about Matysh''s interest in Luca and how he was trying to get her. Then, he told her how Mandy had acted as the middle-man for Leia and Matysh. Moreover, a huge amount of money was deposited into Leia''s bank ount after the incident happened. The person who transferred her the money was Mandy. Queenie''s brows furrowed even deeper when she heard what Luke told her. Queenie thought Leia had been nursing her health the entire time. She did not expect a conspiracy behind this. "I remembered the maid at the apartment told me that a woman called Ms. Sanders had visited Leia before. Leia even asked the maid to get some steak for them and sent her away. After she bought the steak and went back, Ms. Sanders had already left." muttered Queenie, recalling what the maid had told her. Queenie asked the maid to keep an eye on her to stop Leia from getting in touch with her bad friends when she was unable to watch herself. She also reminded the maid to inform her when someone visited Leia. "I knew about this," said Luke. He knew Mandy and Leia knew each other. His men had been watching them downstairs at Leia''s apartment. Queenie gently lifted her head. "One more thing. The reason why you can''t reach Leia is that I''ve installed a software in your phone," admitted Luke. Queenie was stunned for a moment. "No wonder..." Even though Leia pretended to care for her, she would have to continue to put up a show, and she would not have behaved indifferently. "Leia is in the hospital now. She deliberately came to the hospital to avoid getting involved in the investigation. She''s currently in the wardroom downstairs. Besides, she intended toe to visit the two of you regrly. But she was stopped by the security guards," continued Luke. Since he did not have to hide anything anymore, he might as welly everything on the table. Jack did not have to try so hard to hide it from her anymore. "Stopped by the security guards?" asked Queenie in surprised. "Why would the guards stop her?" Chapter 2630 ¡°It was my request." admitted Jack, clearing his throat. ¡°On the first day we were admitted to the hospital, I woke up and asked Dr. Park not to let her in. I was worried she''d disturb you." ¡°Dear, you knew Leia had something to do with this on the first day, didn''t you?" spected Quennie. ¡°Yes." nodded Jack. ¡°That''s why I asked them to stop her froming in. I was worried she''d continue to hurt you." Queenie let out a long, deep sigh. ¡°I understand. I''ll leave this to you." Jack and Luke exchanged nces with each other. Queenie seemed to have dealt with it better than they had expected. ¡°I''m tired," said Queenie. Luke nodded. He had told her everything and told her everything she should have known too. ¡°Have a good rest. We''re leaving." Luke turned to look at Luca. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "Drive safe." Jack walked them to the wardroom door and watched them leave, only then did he turn around to look at Queenie, who was lost in her thoughts. Queenie appeared to be calm in front of Luke and Luca before, but as her husband, Jack knew her well. ¡°I''m getting off work. Rest well," said Johann, leaving the room too. After Johann left, Queenie turned to the caretaker, ¡°You don''t have to stay here tonight. Go back and rest." ¡°Mrs. Norman..." The caretaker hesitated. ¡°Bring me some peanut butter oatmeal tomorrow. The oatmeal in the hospital doesn''t taste good," said Queenie to the caretaker. ¡°Sure. Mr. Norman, Mrs. Norman, rest well." The maid left the wardroom and closed the door. There were only the two of them left in the wardroom. ¡°Queen, are you mad?" asked Jack. After all, there were so many things he kept from her. Jack promised her that he would never lie on the day he married her. However, he had been hiding many things from her for her own good. There was Leia''s matter, and Bianca''s. ¡°Dear, you did it for me, right?" There was sadness in Queenie''s eyes. She tried so hard to be calm in front of the others, but she could no longer stay calm in front of the man she loved the most. "Yes. There''s so much I didn''t tell you. They''re for your own good. Queen, you shouldn''t worry so much." Jack walked toward her and wrapped his arms around her shoulder. Queenie rested her head on his shoulder. "In the end, I''ve failed as a mother. I''ve never thought of harming Leia, but Leia... Forget about it. I''ll leave it to you, and I''ll cooperate with you all." Now, she had finally understood why Jack refused to leave the hospital. It was because the VIP wardroom could hide them well, shielding their condition from the eyes of others. Leia could note in here. She could only wait anxiously. The move that Jack and Luke had made was a big but smart one. "Queen, everything will be fine." Jack knew what Queenie had in mind. Only Luca could make Queenie feel better now. He hoped Luke would settle all these troubles soon. Then, Luca could confess her true identity and come back to them. "I hope so," replied Queenie. Something came across her mind and she turned to look at him, "Is there something else you''re still hiding from me?" "Yes." nodded Jack. "But I promise I''ll tell you in the future." "Alright. You must tell me after everything''s settled." Queenie knew there must be a reason why Jack chose not to tell her. Queenie was not as capable as they were. The only thing she could do was to not cause any more trouble. Hence, Jack chose to hide these from her to stop her from overthinking. She understood. On the other hand. After Luke and Luca left the hospital, they did not head home right away. Instead, he sat in the driver''s seat and asked Luca, "Would you like to have supper?" "Huh?" Luca was surprised. Luke did not have the habit of having supper back then. "Are you hungry?" "I didn''t have enough for dinner." Luke made an excuse. It was not that he did not have enough, but he wanted to spend some time alone with her. It was a rare opportunity. The maid was looking after the kids. They did not have to rush back home. Thus, they should seize the chance to spend some time together. "Are you craving anything?" Luca picked up her phone and opened the map. She wanted to see if there was anything they could eat nearby. "Let me see." Luke paused for a moment. The first thing that came into his mind was Luca''s homemade burger. However, the kids were not in bed yet. If they went back home, it would not be only the two of them. Not to mention Lanie and Rainie, Tommy was the clingiest one among the three of them. Luca looked at the rmendations on her phone, "There''s a French restaurant in front of us. I heard that the food there tasted good. Why don''t we give it a try?" "Sure." nodded Luke and took Luca''s phone from her to see where the location was. Then, he drove in the direction of the French restaurant. After they parked the car, the two of them walked into the French restaurant. Many people were dining in the restaurant. The waiter led them to a table in the corner of the restaurant and had them seated. Luke took the menu from the waiter and handed it to Luca. "See if there''s anything you''d like to order." Luca took it from him. She could not help but ask, "Aren''t you hungry? You''re the one who''s supposed to order." "I''m fine with anything. Order something you like." Luke knew Luca would always prefer something light. French cuisine would suit her well. Luca ticked a few dishes that seemed promising on the menu with a pencil. Taking Luke''s taste preferences into ount, she ordered a few sauces and creams. "Done. Take a look and see if there''s anything you''d like to order?" Luca handed the menu to him. Luke noticed that Luca ordered some sauces and asked, "Why did you order the sauces?" "French dishes are usually more healthy and lighter. I''m worried that you can''t get used to it," answered Luca. Luke gave her a faint smile and let her order anything she wished. Then, he ordered some dessert. The waiter sized the two of them up. He could not help but secretly exim how pleased he was to see a handsome man sitting together with a gorgeous woman. Besides, the woman was such a considerate woman. How could one not love her? They were a well-matched couple. "That''s all." Luke handed the menu to the waiter. "Okay. Monsieur, Madame, please have some water. Let me send your orders to the kitchen." The waiter took the menu from them and strode off. Twenty minutester, the waiter served the dishes they ordered. They ordered some ssic French dishes. They looked fancy and appetizing. Luke poured her a ss of lemonade, "Try this." Luca nodded. She picked up the spoon, grabbed a piece of chicken cordon bleu, and ced it on Luke''s te. "You too." "Sure." Luke picked up his fork and knife and took a bite. The waiter who stood beside them smiled and asked, "Monsieur, Madame, our restaurant is new in the city. We''d like to know some customer reviews about the taste preferences here. What do you think about our food?" "Authentic," replied Luke. He went on a business trip to France before and had authentic French cuisine there. The food served was good indeed. At least it was authentic French cuisine. They did not make any changes to the food recipe to cater to the taste preferences of the people here. Chapter 2631 The waiter turned to Luca, ¡°Madame, what do you think?" ¡°It''s good," replied Luca. ¡°Okay. Thank you for your reviews. Here are some souffle ces for you. I wish the two of you much love and happiness." The waiter picked up the te of souffle ces on the tray and ced it on the table. Then, he turned around and left. Luca was lost in her thoughts as she stared at the souffle ces on the table. Would she and Luke be able to live a happy life together? Should she tell Luke the truth after she finds the antidote? Would she be able to attack Abel with Luke''s help? However, if things turned out that way, what would happen to Eler and N, who were on the Ind of Despair? Luca felt crushed. She had done so many things that were detrimental to the interests of T Corporation and Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Would Luke forgive her if he found out about that? ¡°What''s on your mind?" Luke picked up a souffle ce and ced it on her te. ¡°Nothing," said Luca,ing back to her senses. ¡°Have some. It tastes better while it''s warm." Luke noticed that Luca was preupied while staring at the souffle ce. He knew Luca must be thinking about the future. ¡°Alright." Luca took a bite of the souffle ce and recalled what the waiter said to them. She secretly muttered to herself that she hoped so too. She hoped that she could still be together with Luke after what they would be going through and after they overcame the obstacles. She also hoped that N coulde back to her father and grow up happily. On the Ind of Despair. Eler was teaching N to read. The alphabet cards that she used were the ones Amur brought back here from the off-ind. ¡°Ms. Eler, isn''t my mother a citizen of A City? Why am I learning Russian?" asked N in confusion, holding the Russian alphabet card in her hand. Eler stroked the little girl''s head, ¡°It''s because we''re in Russia now. Besides, I only know how to speak English, but I can''t read." Eler learned how to speak English from Luca, after knowing her for three years. Yet, she had no idea how to read nor write English words. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. She would not teach N something she did not know so that she would not mislead her. ¡°Umm, but I''d like to learn English." N toyed with the card. ¡°Learning Russian isn''t fun at all. I know how to speak Russian." Eler heaved a sigh. N was smart, and she could speak Russian eloquently. She also knew how to speak English. Even though the kid knew how to speak, she did not know how to write or recognize letters. Luca was not on the ind either. Hence, Eler could only teach N Russian, but she could not teach her English as Eler did not understand the letters either... ¡°N, let''s wait for Mommy toe back and teach you English, okay? Let''s learn Russian first. See, you don''t even know how to spell these yet," persuaded Eler patiently. Now that Luca and Amur were out there. She was the only one looking after N. Thus, she had to take good care of herself. N rolled her eyes and suddenly rose to her feet. She wrapped her chubby arms around Eler''s neck, ¡°Ms. Eler, Uncle Shanks knows how to speak English. Why don''t we go look for him?" Eler let out a helpless sigh as she looked at N''s little round eyes. ¡°You wanted to y games with Uncle Shanks, right?" N smiled at her and pped her hands. "Ms. Eler, you''re pretty smart. It''s boring to sit here and look at the cards. There''s so much interesting stuff at Uncle Shank''s ce. Why don''t we head there?" ¡°No, Mr. Shanks is busy with his researchtely. We shouldn''t disturb him." Eler shook her head and stopped N. Even though N did not spend much time together with Shanks, the little girl seemed to be fond of him. She would always look for Shanks when she had the chance. Although Eler could stop her, the little girl would be unhappy about it. ¡°Ms. Eler." N heaved a sigh. ¡°I''m bored." ¡°Then let''s stop learning. Why don''t we y some board games?" Eler took a board game out. It was also something that Amur got for the child when he was out there. There were no toys on the ind. When Amur brought them back, they checked the toys and made sure that there were no signaling devices, surveince cameras, or any other devices, only then they allowed him to bring them into the ind. ¡°Nah, this isn''t fun at all." N was already tired of it. Eler forced a smile. Sure enough, no matter how interesting a toy was, the kids would always get tired of it after ying with it for a while. It was more suitable for N to grow up in the outside world. Still, would N be able to get out of here? Eler let out a sigh. ¡°Ms. Eler, why don''t we bring the board game along with us and look for Uncle Shanks? There''s nothing fun on this ind. I''m sure he has never yed this before." N blinked her eyes. All she had in mind was Shanks. Eler wanted to say yes, but they would probably run into someone else if they went out. Those people were up to no good. Furthermore, those people were always training and striving to reach higher. It would be a bad influence on N to see those people carrying knives, guns, or any other weapons with them. Besides, Eler was afraid of running into Abel... Abel reminded Eler of Luca whenever N saw him. "Ms. Eler..." "Be good. They''re training out there. If we go out, we might.." Eler stroked the child''s head. N noticed the fear in Eler''s eyes. She had no choice but topromise. She often wondered why Eler was afraid of those people. They were just training. Moreover, it seemed interesting to see those men carrying weapons in their hands. Eler smiled when N chose to acquiesce. She then suggested, "Why don''t we make it more interesting?" "How?" N''s big eyes were filled with confusion. "Let''s y Candy Land. The person who loses the game will have to get flicked in the forehead as punishment. What do you think?" asked Eler, raising her eyebrows. N nodded immediately. "Ms. Eler, you''re going to lose! You always lose when ites to such games." "We don''t know who''s the winner yet. Bring it on." Eler set up the board game and began to y with N. A bet had finally pulled N to join the game. Eler was ying with her while she secretly wondered when Luca and Amur would return. Eler was alone on the ind. She was scared and worried, and she could not stand it for much longer. Eler knew she was not strong enough. She could not even protect herself, not to mention protecting N. She was afraid something would happen to them if this continued. She needed to seize the chance to give Luca a call or a video call. It did noot matter if she would end up stuck on the Ind of Despair for the rest of her life. After all, she has been here since she was little. She was already resigned to her fate. However, things were different for N. Eler was hoping that Luca could get N out of here. The environment on the Ind of Despair was nothing but a bad influence on the little girl. ''Ms. Luca, pleasee back soon.'' Eler secretly thought to herself. Chapter 2632 Next morning. Luca woke up in Luke''s arms. The moment she opened her eyes, Luke''s phone rang. ¡°Um, Luke, your phone." Luca rubbed her head. After they had supperst night, the kids were already in bed when they reached home. Luke decided to take out a bottle of red wine and drank a few sses alone. Then, he used being drunk as an excuse to hold Luca in his arms and made love with her into the night. It was already daylight when he opened his eyes again. Luke picked up his incessantly buzzing phone. He nced at the phone screen to see who was calling. Then, he turned on the speaker and ced it beside his pillow, only then did he answer the call. ¡°Yes?" ¡°Good morning, Mr. Crawford. I''m the police officer on duty. My badge number is XXXXXXXX. I''m sorry to disturb you early in the morning." There came a man''s voice from the other end of the call. Luke turned around and held Luca''s soft body in his arms. He buried his face in Luca''s hair. ¡°What''s the matter?" "Are you able to reach Ms. Craw?" The police officer asked. Luca was a little surprised, but she could feel Luke''s hands touching her body. She pushed Luke away with her left hand and met his eyes. She mouthed the words and asked him what was going on. Luke understood what she was talking about. He bent down, lowered his head, and nted a gentle kiss on her lips. ¡°Mr. Crawford?" The police officer had no choice but to continue to ask when he was met with silence. "Just tell me what you want." Luke was running out of patience. He had been woken up early in the morning, and he would like to spend some time alone with Luca, but the police officer was ruining his ns. ¡°Earlier, the chief of police contacted you. The suspect who held Ms. Craw hostage said that he was in pain. Now that he is in the custodial ward. The doctor couldn''t figure out what was wrong with him after examining him. But he couldn''t stand the pain. We heard that Ms. Craw has some medical knowledge. So, we''d like to contact her and ask if she has the time toe here and see what''s wrong with him," The police officer chose his words carefully as he exined. The hospital had already called him twicest night, telling him that the patient was in bad condition. There was an unbearable pain in his stomach. However, there were no wounds on the man''s body. There was no internal bleeding too. It was an unknown severe pain. Still, the police officers saw how the patient suffered in pain. It did not look like he was putting on a show indeed. The suspect would roll and writhe in bed. If it were not for the bedside rails and the handcuffs, he would have rolled out of the bed and fallen on the ground. In less than 5 minutes, the suspect was covered in sweat. His body would start twitching. The doctor had no choice but to give him painkillers. It was just that the effects of the painkillers were getting less effective. The doctor on duty said that the suspect might get addicted to the painkillers if he took them repeatedly in such a short period. That was why the police thought of contacting Luca to find out what was going on. However, Luke mentioned to them that they had to contact him first before contacting Luca. Otherwise, no one was allowed to call Luca. The suspect was having an episode of severe pain right now. Besides, the doctor dared not to give him any more painkillers. The police officer had no choice but to call Luke. ¡°She doesn''t know anything about medicine." Luke was unhappy with Luca pushing him away when he wanted some intimacy. He had no choice but to pinch her cheeks to vent his emotions. "But..." The police officer hesitated. "Do you spend your time worrying about the suspect?" Luke interrupted him, while his hand was slowly sliding down on Luca''s face. He could feel Luca breathing nervously. "No." "Ask the doctor to give him some painkillers if he''s in pain. Ms. Craw is not a doctor. She has no idea why he''s in pain. And, did the police find anything?" questioned Luke. "Not yet." The police officer sounded frustrated. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Even though he was not talking to Luke in person, he felt nervous when Luke was stern. He had a strong imposing vibe. Luke frowned. They all knew that Matysh had something to do with this, but the police had been looking into the case, and they had yet to contact Matysh. He could not drop them a hint either. Besides, the police needed evidence, but they were making slow progress in looking for the evidence. "Go and look for it. I hope that it will be you telling me that you''ve made some progress the next time I receive a call from the police." Luke hung up the call after that. Then, he wrapped his arms around Luca. "I had no choice," said Luca. She would never have mercy on those who intended to harm her and her family. Luca had learned many skills on the Ind of Despair. She knew she had to use the strongest method to protect herself from those who were unkind to her. Previously, she was defenseless. That was why she could not protect herself, and she caused so much trouble for Luke. Now, she was capable of defending herself. She would not let those people hurt her anymore. After all, she could not burden Luke with her problems... ¡°I know." Luke gently stroked her back. Where his fingers touched made her cower, and he said, "You did a great job." Luca was defending herself. Moreover, that person would only be in pain for a few days. It was not lifethreatening, and Luca was considered kind to let him live. Luke believed that Luca could have taken the man''s life, but she chose not to. She did not want to get Luke in trouble. Now, the suspect was in pain. His life was not in danger. That was why the police listened to him, and they only called to ask about his condition. If the suspect was dead, the police would have arrested Luca and taken her away. Lucay in his arms with her eyes narrowed, enjoying the warmth of his embrace. After a while, her phone vibrated. She opened her eyes and met his eyes "I''m getting out of bed." "Stay with me a little longer." Luke did not want her to leave. Ever since Luca came back, he wished that she could stay beside him every moment, so that she could make up the time they had lost for the past three years. "The kids will be waking up soon. They''lle in if they can''t find meter." sighed Luca. She remembered that she did not lock the door before they sleptst night. Tommy woulde in anytime if they continued to stay in bed. "They''ve grown up. It''s not like they can''t see things like this." When Luke saw her getting out of bed, he sat up on the bed too. Luca watched the skin below her neck, and her face slowly turned red. Could the kids see something like this? Luca''s face reddened. She hurried into the bathroom to clean herself up. Luke smiledzily while he listened to the noisesing from the bathroom. She looked pretty when she blushed. Luke had the urge to hold her in his arms and take her for his own. He did not want her to leave whenever he saw her blushing like that. After Luca cleaned herself up, she changed into her office wear. Then, she asked Luke, who was shaving in the bathroom, "Why did the police call you first? Why didn''t they call me right away?" "I told them to call me if anything happens. I didn''t want them to disturb you," answered Luke. Chapter 2633 "That''s why they contacted you." Luca was wondering a moment ago. Did she not give the police her contact number? Why did they have to call Luke first before reaching her? It was Luke who told them to do so. No wonder there were hardly any callsing in these days. It had been quiet. Luca sat down in front of the dressing table. She took the bandage and medicine out of the drawer, preparing to change her wound dressing. She did not get to change itst night as Luke was teasing her. "Are you changing the wound dressing?" Luke put on a cored shirt and understood what Luca was doing when he saw the bandage. "Yes." Luca nodded and untied the gauze bandage. Round and round, the bandage covering her wound was slowly unfastened. The wound with stitches was exposed to the air. Luca carefully observed her wound. The sutured wound was already full of scabs because of the poison in Luca''s body that sped up the healing of the wound. Also, she applied some medicine to it. "There are scabs already." Luke grabbed her hand and nced at it. Some of the dark red scabs on her hand were already falling off. An ordinary person would not have been able to heal that fast.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Luke asked, "Did I overlook yesterday?" "No, you didn''t. It''s almost healed." Luca knew Luke was talking about the scabs that were almost falling off. After all, her wounds heal faster than the others. Luca withdrew her hand and applied some medicine to it. "This isn''t what the hospital gave you," said Luke. He saw the medicine Johann prescribed for Luca to clean her wound that day. It was not what Luca was using now. "I made this." Luca picked up the gauze bandage after applying the medicine. "Let me help you." Luke grabbed the gauze bandage in Luca''s hands and helped her to bandage her hand. Luke was worried that he would identally press on her wound. He observed the expressions on Luca''s face when he was bandaging it. After that, he tied a bow with the bandage. Luca could not help butugh when she saw such a pretty bow, ¡°I didn''t know you could tie such a pretty bow. It looks so much prettier than the way I bandage my hand single-handedly." "Rainie loves to wear dresses. She refused to let the others tie her bow on her dress back then. She insisted on asking me to tie it for her. Practice makes perfect. The bow gets prettier as I get familiar with it," exined Luke. Luke remembered that something had happened to Bianca at that time. Rainie was feeling depressed all day. She insisted on Luke helping her to tie the bow when she wore a dress back then. If the bow was not pretty enough, she would put on a gloomy expression on her face that resembled Bianca. Therefore, Luke would put in some effort when he was tying the bow on Rainie''s dress even though he was in a bad mood. That was why the bow he tied now looked perfect and pretty. Luca walked out of the bedroom after she changed her wound dressing. She went to the kids'' room to check on them. After making sure that they were awake, she headed downstairs. Aunt Neile and the maid had breakfast prepared downstairs in the kitchen. "Good morning, Mr. Crawford. Good morning, Ms. Craw. Breakfast is ready." Aunt Neile smiled and greeted them when she saw theming down the stairs. "Good morning, Aunt Neile. Thank you for preparing breakfast for us." Luca looked at the dishes served on the dining table. It must have taken Aunt Neile and the maid a long time to prepare these. Luca''s hand was injured. It was right for Luke to ask one of the maids in Crawford manor toe over and assist Aunt Neile. "It''s my job. What would you like to drink?" Aunt Neile asked. "Please get me a ss of soy milk please," answered Luca. Even though she did not have enough rest yesterday, she could not drink coffee now. "I''d like to have a cup of coffee," said Luke. "Alright. Have your breakfast first. Let me prepare them for you," replied Aunt Neile. She walked into the kitchen and prepared the soy milk and coffee for them. After a while, the three kids who had cleaned themselves up made their way down the stairs. They sat at the dining table, having their breakfast. Tommy asked, "Daddy, you went to visit grandpa and grandmast night, right?" "Yes." Luke tore off a bite-sized piece of bread and slowly chewed it. "How are they?" Tommy asked again. He initially thought of waiting for Luke and Luca toe home before he went to sleepst night, but they came homete. Tommy was urged to go to bed. There was no sign of theming back even after he fell asleep. "They are getting well. Don''t worry. I''ll take you to visit them when they get discharged from the hospital," replied Luke. He took a sip of the coffee. Aunt Neile learned how to make coffee from the barista working in a cafe. The coffee she made tasted good, but the coffee Luca made was much better than hers. "The adults love to tell us to wait." Tommy took a bite of his bread and turned to look at Luca. "Ms. Luca, we''re worried about grandpa and grandma. Can you take us to the hospital?" Luca would usually fulfill the kids'' requests. However, it was not the time to do so. She replied awkwardly, ¡°They need more rest now. I''ll take you there when they get discharged from the hospital and return home." "Ms. Luca, you must have discussed it with Daddy, right!" Tommy thought Luca would say yes when he asked for her help. He did not expect to get rejected. Luca smiled helplessly. Rainie ced a piece of bread in front of Tommy, and said, "Tommy, your favorite homemade ham and cheese bread." "Rainie..." "Great-grandpa said that we shouldn''t talk when we''re having meals at the dining table. Tommy, if you make it a habit, you''ll get lectured by Great-grandpa when you return to Crawford Manor." Lanie suddenly spoke. Tommy shut his mouth embarrassingly. He was afraid of Great-grandpa when he was strict with him! "Daddy, if you''re busytely, send us back to Crawford Manor. We miss Great-grandpa so much," suggested Lanie. Although no one told Lanie what was going on, he knew something serious must be happening. "I''ll send you back to Crawford Manor for two days to keep Great-grandpa''spany this weekend," replied Luke. Even though they were busy, Luke believed that Luca would like her kids to stay beside her more. That was why Luke did not send Lanie and the others to Crawford Manor right away. The three kids headed to school after breakfast. Luca watched them from behind. She could not help but mutter, "I think Lanie should skip a grade." "Skip a grade?" Luke and Luca walked toward the garden. He was getting ready to go to work, and his chauffeur was already waiting at the entrance. "Yeah," Luca told Luke what Lanie said to her. "He can skip a grade indeed." Luke nodded. He decided not to let Lanie skip grades because he wanted Lanie to enjoy his childhood and not let him feel pressured by his studies. This was what Bianca wanted back then. He did not expect her to change her mind now. Skipping a grade was something good for the child. After all, the difficulty of his current grade level curriculum was not hard at all. "Perhaps you should think about it. I respect the child''s decision. His teacher mentioned it to me before, but you rejected it." Luca walked to the back of the door. She stopped and turned to look at him. Even though it was not the time to discuss the kids'' academic issues, Luke had been busy the entire time, and they could only discuss it in such a situation. "It was his mother''s wish not to let him skip grades. She wanted him to have a happy childhood, but it seemed like Lanie should skip a grade. It was what he wanted after all. I''ll inform the teacher to arrange for it." Luke turned to look at Luca. She almost drowned in the tenderness in his eyes. Chapter 2634 "Alright." Luca turned her gaze away and opened the door. Two cars were parked in front of the entrance, waiting for them. "I''m going to work," said Luca. Luke watched Luca get into the car and after she left, only then did he get into his car. "Boss, are we heading straight to the office?" asked the chauffeur. "To the police station, please," replied Luke. He was dissatisfied with their progress on the case. He had to intervene when necessary. The police officer on duty recognized Luke the moment he stepped into the police station. He quickly invited him to the chief of police''s office. "Mr. Crawford, the chief is in a meeting now. It''ll take some time for the meeting to end." said the police officer while pouring him a cup of tea. Luke took a sh drive out of his briefcase, "I didn''te looking for your chief. I came to report a case." "A case? This way, please." The police officer''s anxiety immediately spiked. After all, they had not solved the Norman family''s case yet, and now Luke hade to report another case. It seemed like there were endless cases for them to deal with. They had been working overtime for a few days now. They watched the surveince footage many times yet they found nothing. Luke followed him to the interview room. The police officer sat opposite him and turned on the video recorder. "Mr. Crawford, please tell me about it." "When mypany was dealing with foreign trade deals, I found out that they have been doing some uwful things. The evidence is in the sh disk." Luke handed the police officer the sh disk. "Foreign trade? We might need the other departments to deal with this." The police officer took the sh disk from him. Luke mentioned foreign trade, and that would mean international trading. The suspect was probably a foreigner. "He''s still in the country." Luke knew what he meant. "And he''s in A City." If the suspect was in the country, then the police officer would be responsible for it. "Understood. We''ll immediately check the data in the sh disk and proceed with the next step," answered the police officer. Luke nodded and rose to his feet. ¡°I hope the police can take this seriously." The sh disk had information on what Matysh had done in A City back then. However, the person had let it slide due to Matysh''s identity in recent years. That was why he was why he still roamed free in A City. Once the information in the sh disk was disclosed to the public, Matysh had to be investigated for his crimes in A City. If he was lucky enough to run back to Russia, he would never be permitted to enter A City again. No matter what the final oue was, he could never have scheme and plot towards Luca anymore. "Yes. Definitely. We won''t let any criminal escape from their crimes," answered the police officer righteously. At the same time, he opened the door for Luke. There, the chief of police officer met Luke, greeting him enthusiastically. "Mr. Crawford, why are you here?" "I came to report a case," replied Luke coldly. The chief of police was startled for a moment. He thought something was wrong with the Norman family''s case again. Hence, he asked, "Is this about the Norman family''s case?" "No." denied Luke. However, the information he provided them could lead them to investigate Matysh. Still, it was hard to tell if the police officers were efficient enough. Luke only hoped that they could arrest Matysh and not give him the chance to escape after they saw the evidence. "Alright. Don''t worry. We''ll take the case seriously." promised the chief of police as he walked Luke out of the police station. Luke paused for a moment and gave the chief of police a meaningful look. "Will you?" The chief of police was dumbfounded. He thought Luke was disbelieving of his promise. He immediately assured him, "Yes. I promise I''ll try my best to investigate every case." Luke continued to stride off to the entrance. After the chief of police walked him out, he turned around and asked the police officer who interviewed him, "What''s the matter? What case did Mr. Crawford report?" "He didn''t mention the details. He gave me a sh disk and told me that the evidence is in there. The suspect seems to be a foreigner," answered the police officer. "A foreigner?" The chief of police frowned and took the sh disk from him. "You, and you,e with me." Then, he walked into his office. The two police officers who were called immediately followed him into the office. The three of them stood in front of aputer, looking at the evidence Luke had given. The chief of police frowned upon seeing the evidence. "This happened a few years ago. Besides, the suspect is a foreigner. It''s not easy for us to look into it..." "Chief, Mr. Crawford said that the suspect is in A City now." said the police officer, rying what Luke had told him. "He''s in A City?" The chief of police immediately picked up his phone. ¡°Then it''s our case now. Look into this person''s background. And you, go to the Department of States to get his information and inform the CPBs not to let this person out the city." The chief of police took the case even more seriously because it was Luke who came to report the case himself. They were at a critical moment now and something like this happened to the Norman family. It had caused such a big fiasco, but fortunately, Jack and the authorities has yet to announce anything to the public. The reporters who were curious about the case dared not to report on it either. They could only leave the investigation to the police. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Now that Luke had reported another case. They had to get it done and arrest the suspect first. ¡°Chief, I''ve got an idea..." said the police officer who interviewed Luke. ¡°What you''ve got?" The chief of police saved the information in the sh disk. "Well, does the case have something to do with Norman''s family case since Mr. Crawford came to report it himself? Why did he dredge up the cases that happened in the past all of a sudden?" said the police officer, sharing his thoughts. The chief of police furrowed his brow, ¡°I know. Luke has men who have been looking into these." ¡°Yes. Those men copied the surveince footage when we were at the crime scene. It''s just that she told us that she''s keeping the evidence. We can''t stop her either," said the police officer. Those men copied the data in front of them. Furthermore, they were not suspects either, so he did not stop them. ¡°Perhaps we should look into this!" The chief of police mmed the table and thought there might be some connection between the two cases. ¡°Any news from the hospital?" ¡°Yes. The suspect suffered from his pain episodes twice. One of our colleagues went to find Mr. Crawford and got lectured for that. There''s nothing much the doctor can do for him. They can only continue to give the suspect some painkillers, but it might affect the suspect''s health if he takes too many painkillers. It''s hard to tell." "How troublesome. Is he really not faking it?" The chief frowned. ¡°Doesn''t seem like it. The doctor thinks he''s not." said the police officer, shaking his head. ¡°What about his organization?" ¡°We''ve already brought them here to interview them. The leader of the organization insisted that it was the suspect who did this alone. They have nothing to do with this," replied the police officer. They knew which organization the suspect belonged to, but the leader of the organization had a perfect alibi that he was not at the scene. They wanted to detain those men, but they did not have the evidence to do so. Chapter 2635 "How troublesome. Then it would be best if you looked into it too. Let''s see what these people have to do with that foreigner called..." The chief of police paused for a moment. "Matysh," one of the police officers reminded him in a low voice. ¡°Yes, Matysh. Look into it and find out if there''s any connection between them," continued the chief of police. He thought the police officer was right about it. After all, the case Luke reported happenedst year. Perhaps Luke came to drop them a hint when he came to report the case at this time. "Alright, Chief. I''ll look into this right now." The police officer turned around and left the office. On the other hand. Luke got back into the car and asked his chauffeur to drive him to T Corporation. He called Gale when he was on the way to the office. "Boss, what''s the matter?" Gale was up all night investigating, and he had just fallen asleep. When he received a call from Luke, he sounded a little confused. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "I need you to do something for me," said Luke, "I''ve already given the evidence to the police. They''ll start investigating Matysh. Send someone to keep an eye on him. Don''t give him a chance to leave the borders. Also, try to lead the police to look into Matysh''s rtionship with those men." Luke was still worried about the police''s efficiency. They were not like him. He knew who was behind this from the very beginning. However, he could not tell the police officers that he suspected Matysh. "Okay, Boss. I know what to do," replied Gale. He secretly mumbled that the police were truly slow in their progress. They had just found a piece of new evidence. In reality, however, it had been in Luke''s hand for a while. It was handed to the police so that they could investigate Matysh. "Get some rest." Luke hung up the call after that. Gale was in a daze on the other end of the line. Did Luke just tell him to get some rest. He immediately jumped out of bed and ran downstairs, looking for Rain. "Rain, Rain." Rain walked out of the kitchen with a cup of coffee in her hands. "What''s the matter? You sound creepy. Didn''t you tell me that you were going to bed?" ¡°I received a call from Boss a moment ago," Gale said excitedly. ¡°What mission did Boss assign to you?" Rain could not help but wonder if Gale had gone crazy from staying up all night when she saw him. "Boss asked me to get some rest!" Gale thought saying it once was not enough. He repeated, "He actually asked me to get some rest!" "Are you okay... Isn''t that normal?" Rain could not understand why Gale was hyped up about it. Gale noticed that Rain did not realize what he was talking about. Then, he asked in a serious tone, "Has Boss ever said something like that to us before?" Rain frowned and pondered. When she thought about it. No! Luke only gave them instructions and assigned missions to them back then. He would also tell them to be careful when they were on missions, but he had never told them to get some rest before. "Boss is a changed man," Rain could not help but mutter to herself when she realized that. "Yes. I don''t know why, but I feel like Boss has been kinder to us. Perhaps Ms. Craw''s return has changed him," Gale assured. "Ms. Craw is his wife, after all," replied Rain. They recalled how bad-tempered Luke was those years when the imposter Bianca was around. Luke''s face was gloomy all day. At that time, they thought Luke behaved that way because the impostor was in bad condition. Now, they realized it was because the impostor was not the woman Luke loved. Even though the impostor was ced beside him, there was no way she could heal Luke''s heart Even though Luca could not tell anyone her true identity now, everyone could see Luke''s changes. His heart had been warmed. Gale yawned and said, "Continue to ask our men to keep an eye on Matysh. You can''t let your guard down. You have to keep watching over Leia too. Tell Hadley not to piss Leia off. It''s troublesome to arrange for someone else to take the job." Hadley was the caretaker who was sent to look after Leia. ¡°Okay. You should rest." Rain nodded. She took a sip of coffee and continued with her work. T Corporation had been developing well these years. Thepany was getting bigger, and their job was not only to assist Luke in dealing with these trivial matters. There was so much more Rain and Gale had to do. One of them was intelligence gathering. Rain received some information about Marcos'' biological mother, but the information was scattered and messy. She needed to sort them out and look through them. Gale turned around and headed upstairs. Rain walked into her office too. They were people who never bothered with trivial matters in life. That was why Luke did not provide them with a proper office. He bought two side-by-side vis and provided them with amodation as well as a ce to work. Rain and Gale enjoyed working in such an environment. Watson Biopharmaceuticals. The moment Luca arrived at the office, Mo Stone informed her that there was an urgent meeting she needed to attend. Moreover, it was a video conference. Luca walked toward the meeting room. A few professors were already sitting there, waiting for the meeting to start. ¡°Dr. Craw, you''re here," Dr. Jackson smiled and greeted her when he saw hering in. ¡°I heard that you''ve been busy doing experiments in theboratory. Are you preparing for the next research project?" ¡°Yes." Luca nodded. Even though the research she was doing now had nothing to do with the next research project, she could start the next project anytime now. Shanks had given her two assignments when she left the Ind of Despair. The two research projects were prepared ording to the procedures of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. They could bring great profits to thepany. At the same time, it was good news for people who suffered from sickness in this world. However, she had to focus on the antidote now. Besides, Luca did not know if Abel would give her time to continue with the research. ¡°You''ve be sessful at such a young age. We haven''t finished our projects yet, and you''re already preparing for your next project. How impressive." Dr. Jackson could not help but exim. Dr. Jackson had been working in this industry for years. He had never seen anyone more efficient than Luca. At the same time, she also ensured the drug was safe and did what it was supposed to. Luca was a talent in this industry. ¡°I''m ttered." Luca did not feel happy when someoneplimented her. It was all Shanks'' credit. Shanks was the one who was sessful at such a young age. He was talented too. If Luca could turn back time, she would rather not have all this knowledge. She would give anything to not ever have been trapped on the Ind of Despair. That way, she would not have been treated by Abel either. Dr. Linwood, who sat beside Dr. Jackson, could not help but agree. ¡°Yes, Dr. Craw. Thepany made the right choice to hire a person like you." Thepany had made a handsome profit even though it was established just less than a year ago. There were very fewpanies that could achieve such an achievement. Developing drugs was a long process. Many pharmaceuticalpanies would not make any profits in their first year, and some did not see profits even after two to three years. Luca was rendered speechless by theirpliments. She had no choice but to change the subject of the conversation, ¡°Professors, do you know what''s the agenda today?" "Ms. Stone informed me that there was an urgent meeting when I arrived here. I don''t know about the details either. Besides, there''s no meeting agenda distributed to us..." Dr. Jackson shook his head. The company would usually distribute the meeting agenda to them in advance. It was to let those who were attending the meeting know what they would be discussing. Chapter 2636 Dr. Linwood nced at the time. It was already time. However, the meeting had yet to start. Mr. Whitlock was nowhere to be seen either. ¡°Oh, where''s Mr. Whitlock?" "Yes. We''re having a meeting. Isn''t Mr. Whitlocking?" Dr. Jackson found it odd too. He happened to see Mo Stone pushing the food trolley into the room to pour some coffee for everyone. He asked, "Ms. Stone, where''s Mr. Whitlock?" "Dr. Jackson, I''m not sure where Mr. Whitlock is." Mo Stone shook her head and served everyone a cup of coffee. "Wasn''t it Mr. Whitlock who asked us to attend the meeting?" Dr. Jackson asked with curiosity. "No. It was Mr. Crawford who informed me about the meeting. He didn''t ask me to inform Mr. Whitlock toe for the meeting," replied Mo Stone. She was only following Luke''s instructions and doing her job. "I see. That''s weird." The big screen lit up as soon as Dr. Jackson finished his sentence. "The meeting is about to start," said Mo Stone. She quickly handed the coffee to all the professors in the meeting room and left with the food trolley. Mo Stone was not informed to attend the meeting, and she did not receive any instructions to prepare the meeting agenda in advance. Only the professors were asked to attend the meeting, so she should not be there. The door was closed. Luke''s face appeared on the big screen. Luca''s heart skipped a beat. Even though they had just parted this morning, she could still feel her heart fluttering when she saw him. "Good morning, professors." Luke''s voice slowly came from the speakers. His deep, rich voice came into Luca''s ears. She slightly clenched her fists. Her heart pounded faster uncontrobly. "Good morning, Mr. Crawford." The professors in the meeting expressed their respect to Luke and greeted him. "Today, I gathered everyone here to attend a short meeting. It''s about Watson Biopharmaceuticals'' general manager. Based on our investigation, we found out that Mr. Whitlock is a corporate spy sent by Pierre Mallory. He has been fired by thepany. Contact me in private if anyone here has revealed ourpany''s ssified research projects to him. This concerns every professor''s research findings. I hope everyone can take this seriously," Luke announced the matter expressionlessly. Luca looked down. The corner of her lips slightly curled up. Luke did listen to what she said. Otherwise, he would not have fired the general manager after Pierre got into trouble. Dr. Jackson''s expression turned serious without him noticing it. ¡°Mr. Crawford, what are you going to do to Mr. Whitlock?¡± ¡°I''ve already sent him to the police station. I''m not going to look into the professors and researchers who have already revealed any confidential information to him. But I don''t want to see anything like this happen again in the future,¡± answered Luke. He had already asked Jason to call the police. The reason why he did not call the police himself was that he did not have to deal with such matters himself. Also, if Luke was the one who called the police, the police officers might misunderstand him. There was dead silence in the meeting room. Luca briefly knew what the situation was now. After all, Mr. Whitlock had the right to manage the funds for their research projects. That was why there were a few professors among them who were close to Mr. Whitlock. Even if the professors did not reveal the information, the researchers might have told him about it. Luca realized that Pierre might have found out about all their research. However, it was not toote yet. Pierre was running away from the police and the authorities. He was too busy to plot something evil. Luke continued, ¡°There''s one more thing. Ourpany will be holding a team-building event this Friday. It''s a celebration party for Dr. Craw''s sessful drugunch." Luca suddenly lifted her head when her name was mentioned. A party? Luca had no idea why Luke would do such a thing. She suddenly felt a tingling sensation on her scalp at the thought of being surrounded by everyone in thepany. ¡°Sure. We got it," Dr. Jackson took the initiative to reply to him. ¡°That''s all for today." Luke ended the video conference after that. Luca was the first to rise to her feet. Dr. Jackson called, ¡°Dr. Craw." ¡°Yes, Dr. Jackson?" Luca turned around and looked at him. Dr. Jackson asked, ¡°Mr. Whitlock had asked you for some information back then. You didn''t give it to him, right?" ¡°No," replied Luca. ¡°Previously, Mr. Whitlock even asked Mr. Link to give him the information. He didn''t reveal anything to him either. I''ve reminded everyone in my team not to do so." ¡°That''s great." Dr. Jackson nodded. Mr. Whitlock had tried to take a hard line on Luca previously, forcing her to give him the information. Luca appeared to be reluctant to give him, but Dr. Jackson was worried that Luca had given it to him on a separate asion. He did not expect her to be so determined. Did she know that there was something wrong with Mr. Whitlock from the very beginning? Dr. Jackson turned to look at other professors. He was sitting in the team leader''s position at the moment. Hence, there were things he needed to say. ¡°Fellow professors, you all heard what Mr. Crawford said. Please get to the bottom of this. Remember to report to Mr. Crawford if you''ve encountered anything that was mentioned." "Yes. Dr. Jackson is right. Mr. Crawford said that he wouldn''t look into it this time. Besides, no one knew Mr. Whitlock was a corporate spy. It''s understandable. Remember to exin Mr. Crawford," added Dr. Linwood. "Got it," replied the professors. Luca''s gaze swept across the expressions on their faces. There were different expressions on their faces. It seemed like Mr. Whitlock had secretly bribed some of the professors. However, it had not been long since Dr. Albus'' case. Luca reckoned that the professors would not have disclosed all the confidential information to Mr. Whitlock. They might have revealed some of it, but it would not be too big of a problem. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. After Luca left the meeting room, she returned to her office. She asked Rhett to inform all the researchers toe into her office. Her office was big, but it looked a little crowded when all the researchers, including Rhett, were in her office. "Dr. Craw, everyone''s here," said Rhett as he checked if everyone was present. Luca looked up and went straight to the point, "I attended a short meeting just now, and I need to tell everyone about what I heard. First, Mr. Crawford has already confirmed that Mr. Whitlock was a corporate spy. Has anyone ever revealed our research data to him?" "No," replied the researchers. Luca added, "Mr. Crawford said that he wouldn''t hold anyone ountable even if someone has revealed any information to Mr. Whitlock. After all, no one knew that Mr. Whitlock was a corporate spy, but you must be honest and tell us if you''ve ever given him any information." "Dr. Craw, Mr. Whitlock has never personally talked to me," said one of the researchers. "Same here," added the other researchers. Rhett slowly spoke, "Mr. Whitlock talked to me before, but I reported to you about it. I didn''t give him any information either." "Alright. Good job." Luca nodded. She knew the researchers would not disobey her if she told them not to do something. "Secondly, ourpany will be holding a team-building event this Friday. The venue isn''t confirmed yet, but it''s mainly to throw a celebration party for our research team. Be sure to watch out for the company''s announcement when the timees," added Luca. There was excitement in everyone''s eyes when they heard that there would be a team-building event. Luca waved her hand and said, "I''ll leave you to your work if there''s nothing else." Chapter 2637 "Yes." Rhett and the researchers left the office together. Rhett did not return to theboratory. He returned to his office instead. Mo Stone noticed a group of people walking into Luca''s office a moment ago. She could not help but ask with curiosity, "Mr. Link, what happened? Why did Dr. Craw and the other professors gather all their researchers and assistants in their respective offices?" Luca was not the only one who did that in the whole building. That was why Mo Stone was curious about it. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "Do you know about Mr. Whitlock being a corporate spy?" asked Rhett. There was no need to conceal the matter. Thepany would announce it when the time came. "He was a corporate spy?" Mo Stone widened her eyes. She never thought about it. "Yes. Mr. Crawford told the professors. That''s why the professors gathered their researchers and assistants to ask them whether or not they''ve ever revealed confidential information to Mr. Whitlock," added Rhett. "That''s scary. Thepany has just started, and there was already a corporate spy among us." Mo Stone adjusted her spectacles. She thought only big pharmaceuticalpanies had some espionage going on. She did not expect a corporate spy to be sent here to steal ssified information from apany that was only established less than a year ago. Still, thepany''s director was Luke Crawford. It was an industry Luke had just gotten into. Even though it was still a smallpany, Luke was at the peak of his career now. He made a huge profit no matter what he invested in. There was no doubt that people would be green with envy. "Yes. No one would have thought that either," said Rhett. He did not think there was anything wrong with it when Mr. Whitlock asked for the research data from Luca. After all, Mr. Whitlock was thepany''s leader. It was understandable that he was concerned with such matters. Luca did not give him the information he requested at that time. Rhett could not understand why Luca was reluctant to do so. After that, Rhett started to know something was off when Mr. Whitlock urged Luca to hand in the data to him again and again. Now that everything hade to light, Rhett thought it was fortunate that Luca had been careful at that time. ¡°So, your team..." Mo Stone looked at him. ¡°No one in our team has revealed anything." Rhett shook his head. "Didn''t Mr. Whitlock personally talk to you before?" Mo Stone remembered that Mr. Whitlock had personallye down to look for Rhett at that time. "Yes, but I didn''t tell him anything." Rhett was being magnanimous. He told Luca about it before. That was why he was not afraid now. "Dr. Craw instructed us not to reveal the information to anyone. That''s why we didn''t hand in the document to him." "Dr. Craw has some extraordinary sense," eximed Mo Stone. She would be in big trouble if she gave him the information. Mo Stone asked another question with curiosity, "What does Mr. Crawford n to do to those people who have revealed confidential information?" "He might take urgent measures, but they won''t be held ountable for this as they didn''t know that Mr. Whitlock was a corporate spy. Mr. Crawford told us that he wouldn''t punish us because of this, but nothing like this should ever happen again," answered Rhett. Even though the research data was ssified, thepany''s rules did not mention that no sharing was allowed between colleagues who worked in the samepany. "That''s fine, then," muttered Mo Stone. Previously, Mr. Whitlock had told everyone that he had the right to manage the research funds distributed to every research team, hinting to the professors that they needed to build a good rtionship with him. At that time, some of the professors were close to Mr. Whitlock. Luca was the only one who dared to reject Mr. Whitlock''s request in front of the others. Many thought that pissing Mr. Whitlock off would end badly for them. Everyone in thepany was talking about it when Luca rejected him. What they talked about the most was that Luca had Luke''s support, which was why she was not afraid of Mr. Whitlock. Who would have expected things to turn out this way? No matter whether Luca had anyone supporting her or not, she saved thepany a lot of trouble when she rejected Mr. Whitlock''s requests back then. "You didn''t disclose any information to him, right?" Rhett suddenly thought that Mo Stone would sometimese into contact with the team''s research documents. "What could I have revealed to him? You also know that ever since Dr. Albus'' incident, every professor has made sure that they kept their research documents well. They would even ask their assistants to photocopy the documents themselves. They hardly asked for my help. I''m only responsible for doing odds and ends for them. I don''t even have the chance to look at those documents." What Mo Stone said was true. Now, when she was asked to photocopy some documents, the documents were mostly about administrative information. She was not able toe into contact with those research data. Mr. Whitlock knew about it. That was why he never tried to win her over. "Oh yes, I heard that thepany will be holding a celebration party. It''s for your team," added Mo Stone. ¡°Yes, Dr. Craw mentioned to us." Rhett nodded. He was not really interested in the celebration party. It was Luca''s credit, after all. She was the one who led the team and sessfully developed the drug. "Alright. I should leave first," said Mo Stone. The administrative department would help n the celebration party. She had to confirm the number of employees who would be attending the party and hand in the name list to the administrative department. Rhett picked up the power bank on his office desk and charged his phone. When he saw how busy Mo Stone was dealing with the trivial matters of the administrative department, he was d that he chose to follow Luca. The reason he chose to follow Luca was simple too. Luca was the youngest and the most inexperienced among the professors. That was why she was less demanding, and she would not have high expectations of her assistant. There was a high chance that an inexperienced assistant like him would be her research assistant. Now, it seemed like he had made the right choice. In the office... Luca took out the two antidote samples and carefully ced them in the test tube rack. Then, she walked out of her office and headed to theboratory. "Dr. Craw." Rhett noticed that Luca was heading to theboratory. He quickly kept pace with her. "Yes." Luca headed straight. She stood in front of theboratory entrance and swiped her ess card. "Are you continuing with the experiment?" Rhett noticed that Luca was holding a test tube rack, and there were test tubes in it. One of them contained Amur''s blood. "Yes." Luca walked toward the seat she usually sat in. "Let me help you," Rhett suggested. Luca''s hand was injured. It was inconvenient for her to do such a fiddly job. "Sure. Thank you." Luca did not reject him. It could save her a lot of trouble if someone was willing to help her. Rhett sat in front of the experiment table. Hepleted every step ording to Luca''s instructions. After that, they only had to wait for the analyzed result of the equipment. "Dr. Craw, is that all?" Rhett asked. "Yes." Luca nodded. "Mr. Link, please deliver the report to my office when it''s outter." "Okay, no problem." Rhett nodded. Even though he had no idea what Luca was working on, he would do everything she instructed him to. Luca walked out of theboratory. She returned to her office. When she was about to pick up some research papers and read them, her phone suddenly rang. Luca picked up her phone and saw an unknown number from the same city calling her. It was a landline number. "Hello?" Luca answered the call while she secretly wondered who it could be. ¡°Ms. Luca, it''s me." Tommy''s voice came from the other end of the line. ¡°Tommy?" Luca was surprised. Was Tommy not in school now? "Ms. Luca, can youe to school now?" Tommy hesitated for a few seconds and asked. Chapter 2638 Tommy was Luca''s child. She knew what it meant when she heard that. Luca noticed the hesitancy in his voice. She could not help but keep a straight face. ¡°Did you get yourself into trouble?" "I didn''t..." Tommy sounded a little upset. He did not want to make this call, but the teacher insisted on asking his guardian toe to school. If Tommy asked his father toe to school, it was inevitable that he would be lectured when he went back home. Besides, his father was busy with work. Hence, Tommy discussed it with his teacher. His teacher knew who his father was too. Thus, the teacher agreed that it would be fine as long as it was his guardian. Tommy dared not to look for his great-grandpa either. He had no choice but to call her. After all, Luca was his mother! "Tell your teacher that I''ll be there in 30 minutes." Luca nced at the time and assumed that it would take 20 minutes for her to reach Tommy''s school. "Okay, Ms. Luca. I''ll be waiting for you." Something crossed Tommy''s mind as he added, "Oh, Ms. Luca, don''t tell Daddy." Tommy was afraid of getting lectured. "Let me see what''s going on at school first." Luca did not promise him. Even though Tommy was her son, Luca''s identity was not Bianca now. If Tommy did something wrong, she would still have to lecture him. It was just that she was in no position to do that now. Luke had to be the one educating and lecturing the kids. That was why Luca did not agree to Tommy''s request. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "Alright. I''ll be waiting for you." Tommy hung up the call. Luca gave Warren a call. "Ms. Craw, I''m at the parking lot. If you need me to drive you somewhere else, juste down." Warren did not wait for Luca to speak and went straight to the point. Luca was startled for a moment. "Okay, I''ming down now." After that, Luca took off herb coat, put on her winter coat, and left the office. Luca did not know how long she would take. Hence, she walked into the assistant''s office and said, ¡°Ms. Stone, I''d like to take some time off." "Sure, Dr. Craw. How long?" Mo Stone took the leave slip out. "Just one morning. Let me sign it. Please help me write down that I''m applying for a personal leave," answered Luca as she wrote down her name on the leave slip. Then, she turned around and left. Mo Stone looked at Luca''s leave slip and shook her head. She immediately wrote down the reason Luca took the leave¡ª''temporarily away.'' After she filled in the time, she kept the slip in the file. She would have to wait until the end of the month before handing it to the HR department. Luca went into the elevator and came to the basement parking lot. Warren was waiting beside the car. He opened the car door when he saw her walking toward him and let her get into the car. Luca bent down and got into the car. Then, she said to Warren, "Head to Tommy''s school." "Okay, Ms. Luca." Warren fastened his seatbelt and headed straight to the school. "Anyway, have you been here the whole while?" Luca asked. "Yes. I''m your chauffeur now. Ms. Rain didn''t assign me other jobs either. My job is to stay put and send you to your destination at any time," answered Warren. He dared not to leave the spot as he was worried that such situations would ur when Luca was at work. Sometimes, he would go farther away, but he woulde back within five minutes. Moreover, what Luca did not know was that Luke had even set up an office for Warren in Watson Biopharmaceuticals. It was for Luca''s convenience whenever she needed to head somewhere else. Hence, it was also convenient for Warren. "I hope Matysh''s matter can be settled soon..." Luca mumbled to herself. She had brought a lot of trouble to the people around her because of it. Once the matter was settled, they would not be so busy dealing with it anymore. Warren knew what Luca had in mind. He deliberately changed the subject of the conversation. "Ms. Luca, why are you suddenly heading to Young Master Tommy''s school? Is he in trouble?" "I''m not sure either. Tommy told me that his teacher would like to meet his guardian. He dares not disturb Mr. Crawford. That''s why he called me," answered Luca. "Even though Young Master Tommy is a little naughty, he seldom causes any trouble," said Warren. "Let''s see what the teacher says. It''s normal for kids to have disagreements and fight with each other." Luca smiled. Although Tommy was active and yful, he knew he should not cause any trouble. There must be a misunderstanding. The car drew to a halt as they arrived at Tommy''s school. Luca told the security guard standing at the entrance her identity. Then, the guard led her toward the teacher''s office. Luca was d that she had seen what ss Tommy was in when she was looking through Tommy''s homework. Otherwise, she would not have known how to answer the guard when he asked her some questions. "Miss, here''s Mrs. Tuffey''s office," said the guard. Mrs. Tuffey was Tommy''s homeroom teacher. ¡°Okay. Thank you." Luca pushed the office door open. Mrs. Tuffey and another parent were there. ¡°You''re..." Mrs. Tuffey could not help but ask with confusion when she saw Luca. "Hello, Mrs. Tuffey. I''m Tommy''s rtive. His father couldn''t make it. That''s why I''m here." As Luca walked into the office, she noticed the annoyed expression on the parent''s face. It seemed like Tommy had fought with that person''s child. Luca frowned slightly. She knew this would be difficult to deal with just by looking at the expression on the parent''s face. ¡°Oh, you''re Tommy''s guardian. Please take a seat." Mrs. Tuffey pointed at another chair that was a distance away from where the other parent was seated. She was probably worried that they might argue with each other. ¡°Alright. Thank you." Luca thanked her and sat up straight in the chair. Mrs. Tuffey asked with curiosity, ¡°I''ve never seen you before. You''re Tommy''s.." ¡°Aunt." Luca made up an excuse. "Oh, I see. You''re his aunt. Here''s the thing, the reason why I asked you toe today is that Tommy and Charlie fought with each other during ss. Charlie knocked his forehead on the desk when Tommy pushed him," exined Mrs. Tuffey. ¡°Is the child seriously injured?" Luca asked. ¡°No. The school nurse examined him and said that it was just a graze." Mrs. Hudson yelped immediately after Mrs. Tuffey said that. ¡°What do you mean by it''s not serious? Mrs. Tuffey, you can''t say something like that. He was bleeding! Besides, the school nurse said that it might affect his brain. Isn''t that serious enough?" Mrs. Tuffey exined to her patiently, ¡°Madam, the school nurse said that it''d take a few days for the wound to heal. As for whether or not Charlie''s brain is injured, isn''t Charlie in the hospital having a medical examination now? Let''s wait until the test results are out and we''ll discuss this." ¡°Charlie is in the hospital now. I think that this is all very fishy. Do you know each other? Are both of you, by any chance, rted? Why are you taking her side?" Mrs. Hudson had a loud voice. Her saliva sprayed out as she talked. Luca frowned and said, ¡°Mrs. Tuffey, is it really Tommy who hurt him?" Before Mrs. Tuffey could say anything, Mrs. Hudson piped in, "If it wasn''t your child, then who could have hurt Charlie? You''re responsible for this. The child is already doing such terrible things at such a young age. He might grow up a murderer or a criminal. I don''t care. Charlie is still in the hospital now. We''re waiting for you to pay for Charlie''s medical examination. You have topensate for his injury." "I believe the child would never hurt anyone," Luca spoke in a serious tone when Mrs. Hudson acted like an unreasonable shrew. She turned to look at Mrs. Tuffey. "Mrs. Tuffey, are there any surveince cameras at the scene?" Chapter 2639 Mrs. Tuffey shook her head and apologized. ¡°The surveince cameras stopped working yesterday. That¡¯s why there¡¯s no recorded footage of what happened in the ssroom." "My child has never lied to anyone before. He said it was Tommy who pushed him. His statement is the best evidence," yelled Mrs. Hudson. Luca ignored her and questioned Mrs. Tuffey, "Mrs. Tuffey, did you ask the other kids?" "They''re still having ss now," replied Mrs. Tuffey. The incident happened during recess. The kids were having ss now. Mrs. Tuffey thought of making the decision after the two child¡¯s guardiansmunicated with each other. "Mrs. Hudson chooses to believe her child, and I believe Tommy isn¡¯t a child who¡¯d hurt others. Mrs. Tuffey, I¡¯d like to talk to Tommy." Luca made a request. Now, the only way was to ask Tommy what had happened. Only then would she find out the truth. "Let me bring Tommy here. Please wait for a while." Mrs. Tuffey rose to her feet and marched out of the office. Mrs. Hudson sneered at Luca and went outside to make a call, asking how her child was doing in the hospital. Tommy was brought to the office by Mrs. Tuffey. He stepped forward and hugged Luca¡¯s waist with an aggrieved expression on his face when he saw Luca. "Ms. Luca, I didn¡¯t push him." Mrs. Tuffey was surprised when she heard that. ¡®Ms. Luca? ¡®Isn¡¯t she Tommy¡¯s aunt?¡¯ "I know. You¡¯d never do something like that." Luca stroked the child¡¯s face. The aggrieved look on his face broke her heart. As a parent, who would be willing to see their child be wronged? "I''m d that you believe me." Tommy''s eyes shimmered in the light as tears welled up in his eyes. When Mrs. Tuffey asked Tommy what happened just now, no matter what Tommy said, Mrs. Tuffey had this incredulous look on her face. Tommy felt deeply wronged. "Then can you tell me what really happened?" Luca wanted a blow-by-blow ount of what happened. Tommy sniffed and repeated what he had told Mrs. Tuffey before in front of Luca. ¡°When we were having a break, Charlie was bullying my ssmate, Ashley. He was trying to lift her skirt. As a man, I stood in front of Ashley to protect her. Charlie backed away and lost his bnce. Then, he tripped over the foot of the desk and knocked his head on the desk." Luca raised her brows and turned to look at Mrs. Tuffey. Mrs. Tuffey cleared her throat and said, "Tommy said the same thing to me just now. Charlie knocked his head on the desk after he tripped." Mrs. Hudson pushed the door open and came in with the phone in her hands. "Nonsense. If you didn''t push Charlie, how could he have fallen?" Tommy drew his neck back and leaned closer to Luca, but he mustered his courage to speak up for himself, "I didn''t push him. Charlie was doing something bad. He was afraid. That''s why he stepped backward without noticing and fell."N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "I didn''t expect a young child like you to lie to others to cover up your mistake. Mrs. Tuffey, is this how you teach your students?!" Mrs. Hudson refused to budge an inch. Before Mrs. Tuffey could say anything, Mrs. Hudson turned to look at Luca. "It was your child who pushed Charlie. You should be the one paying for Charlie''s medical expenses no matter what. Transfer the money to my bank ount. Charlie is still in the hospital, waiting for his medical expenses to be paid!" Luca frowned. The school Tommy attended was an elite school. She did not expect the parents to behave this way. The students who attended the school were from wealthy and respectable families. Most of them were well-educated. Even if one was not well-educated, that person would act like it to avoid losing face in front of others. They would not act like Mrs. Hudson. Luca held the child in her arms and said, "If it was Tommy who pushed Charlie, I''d be willing to pay for your child''s medical expenses. I''d alsopensate for moral damages. But what if it wasn''t Tommy?" "Hah, nice try. Don''t try to deny it. I''m sure it was Tommy who did it. Why? You''re not willing to pay for it?" Mrs. Hudson rested her hands on her hips, acting like a shrew. "Madam, calm down. What matters the most now is Charlie taking the medical examination. Why don''t you tell the hospital to check on him first?" Mrs. Tuffey wondered if Mrs. Hudson was doing it for Charlie''s sake or if it was for the money. Was money more important than her child''s life? "Shut up. I''m not going to pay for the medical expenses. If I pay for it, won''t I be the ridiculous one?" Mrs. Hudson glowered at her. Luca took her phone out, pressed the audio recording button, and ced it on the coffee table. "How about this? I can pay for the medical expenses first, but let the students tell us what the situation was at that time after their ss. If it was really Tommy who did it, I''ll apologize andpensate for the ident no matter how much you want. But if it wasn''t Tommy''s fault, then you''ll have to apologize to him instead. You''ll also have to admit that you''ve failed to educate your son. What do you think? I''ve recorded our conversation down. If you agree to it, I''ll transfer the money to you now." Mrs. Hudson widened her eyes and replied, "What makes you think that you can make me apologize? And you want me to admit that I failed to educate my child?" "It all happened because Charlie wanted to lift a girl''s skirt. Tommy did it out of the protectiveness he had for his friends. That''s why he stood in front of her to protect her. The kids are at the age where they''ve learned about gender differences. Yet your child is still lifting a girl''s skirt. Isn''t that a sign that his parents have failed to educate him about gender differences?" Luca was clear and logical. Tommy stood beside her, nodding his head. When Tommy was young, his great-grandpa taught him that he should not bully girls and he should not lift a girl''s skirt either. As a man, they should be protecting girls. That was why Tommy stood in front of Ashley when he saw her being bullied. He wanted to stop Charlie from causing trouble. Mrs. Hudson''s cheeks were med with anger. There was no doubt that Luca was mocking her for failing to educate her child. No matter whether or not it was really Tommy who pushed Charlie, it was undeniable that Charlie had tried to lift a girl''s skirt. It was the parents'' fault for failing to educate the child. ¡°The kids were just fighting with each other. How did it be my fault? Don''t even think about it. It''s Tommy who hurt someone this time. Pay me now!¡± "Kids fighting with each other? Even Tommy knows about gender differences, and he also knows that boys shouldn''t lift a girl''s skirt. But your child..." Luca paused for a moment and stroked Tommy''s head. "Madam, I''ll protect Tommy. If you im that Tommy''s the one who hurt Charlie again but someone proves that it''s not the case, I''ll be suing you for defamation." Luca was not someone to be messed with. She needed to protect Tommy. The expression on Mrs. Hudson''s face changed. Mrs. Tuffey did not expect Luca to be so tough even though she looked gentle. "There are five more minutes until ss ends." Luca nced at the time when none of them spoke. "Well, let''s see what their ssmates say after ss. If it was really Tommy who pushed Charlie, regardless of why Charlie wanted to lift a girl''s skirt at his age, I''ll transfer the money to you for your child''s treatment. But if it wasn''t Tommy''s fault, please apologize to him." Chapter 2640 ¡°Why should I listen to you? I''m going to call the police if you don''t transfer the money to me. I''ll let the police officers arrest this little bastard." Mrs. Hudson was anxious. Luca frowned and covered Tommy''s ears. "Madam, I''m recording our conversation. What you said is enough for me to look for awyer and file a comint," warned Luca with a serious tone. Who could ept their child being called a little bastard when the child had done nothing wrong? The look on Mrs. Hudson''s face changed. However, she remembered that looking for awyer was something someone did just to threaten the other party. Oftentimes, they would just let the matter be. She replied boldly, "Go ahead and look for awyer, then. I''ll call the police too." "Fine. Go ahead. I believe in Tommy anyway. I''m sure he didn''t do anything wrong." Luca had faith in him. Tommy would not lie to her to evade responsibility. Mrs. Tuffey could sense the tension in the air, and she immediately interrupted, "Mrs. Hudson, Ms. Luca, please calm down." The school bell rang right after she said that. Luca turned to look at Mrs. Tuffey and said, "Mrs. Tuffey, the ss has ended. Please bring Ashley and the other ssmates who witnessed the incident here. Let''s see what really happened." Mrs. Tuffey nodded. She had no choice but to ask the students toe here. Otherwise, this was never going to end. "Mrs. Hudson, calm down. I''ll go ask the kids toe in." Mrs. Tuffey hurried out of the office. Mrs. Hudson sneered. Luca let go of her hands that were covering Tommy''s ears. Then, she said in a soft voice, "Come. Take a seat." Tommy sat on the chair and stayed close to her. After a while, Mrs. Tuffey and a few students came into the office. Mrs.Tuffey said, "This is Ashley. The others were seated near Tommy in the ssroom. They saw what had happened. Ashley, go ahead." Ashley nced at Mrs. Hudson cowardly. Mrs. Hudson looked fierce. She took a step backward. Luca noticed that Mrs. Hudson looked scary to the kids. Hence, she said in a gentle voice, "Ashley, don''t be afraid. Tell us what happened." Ashley turned to look at Luca and nced at Tommy, who was beside her. She uttered her words slowly and told the truth, ¡°During recess, Charlie tore my stickers, and he also tried to lift my skirt. I screamed and stepped back. Tommy happened to be walking into the ssroom and saw what happened. He immediately stood in front of me and protected me. I don''t know what happened to Charlie. He was so frightened that he fell to the ground. He hit his head on the edge of a desk." "Nonsense!" Mrs. Hudson immediately rose to her feet. She frowned and threw Ashley a hard look. "That''s not what Charlie told me. Are you lying to us?" Ashley took another step back and immediately shook her head. "I''m not lying. I saw everything. Charlie is always bullying the girls, but he''s afraid of male students who are taller than him. That''s why he got scared and backed away when Tommy stood in front of me to protect me. He tripped and fell. I saw that myself. Tommy didn''t push Charlie."N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "Yes, Mrs. Tuffey. We saw that too. There was a huge distance between Tommy and Charlie. Tommy didn''t even touch him." A male student stepped out and spread his arms wide to show how far the distance between Tommy and Charlie was. "Yes. Tommy didn''t push anyone." The other students went along with him. Ashley''s voice was trembling when she spoke again, "Charlie lied. He was worried he would be in trouble. That''s why he said Tommy pushed him." "How do your parents educate you? You''re telling lies at such a young age!" Mrs. Hudson read her the riot act. Luca reminded her calmly, "Yes, kids wouldn''t know how to lie if their parents had educated them well." Mrs. Hudson''s face reddened. "Madam, is this how you educate your child? How could he tell lies?" questioned Luca. "You b*tch. Believe it or not, I''ll rip your lips off if you continue to talk nonsense." Mrs. Hudson''s eyes were red as she was annoyed. Luca saved the recorded conversation on her phone calmly. Then, she said to Mrs. Tuffey, "Mrs. Tuffey, since the students said that this has nothing to do with Tommy, he can go back to ss and get ready to attend the next lesson, right?" "Of course." Mrs. Tuffey nodded and said to the kids, "Back to ss." The kids immediately walked out of the office. Luca stroked Tommy''s face and said, "Off you go. Stay focused in ss." "Okay." Tommy nodded and exited the office. There were three adults left in Mrs. Tuffey''s office. Luca looked at Mrs. Hudson and said, "Madam, I know you won''t apologize to Tommy." "Hmph." Mrs. Hudson sneered. Mrs. Tuffey quickly smoothed things over and said, "Alright, Ms. Luca, Mrs. Hudson, since this is a misunderstanding, let''s put this behind us and stop talking about it. Mrs. Hudson, Charlie is still in the hospital. It''d be best if you head to the hospital to take a look at him." Mrs. Hudson did not expect her child to be used of lying when she initially had the upper hand. She picked up her bag and walked out of the office. Luca noticed that Mrs. Hudson was carrying an Hermes bag. She was someone who could afford to carry a designer bag, but she had such bad behavior. After Luca watched her leave, she turned to look at Mrs. Tuffey again. Mrs. Tuffey apologized, ¡°It happened so suddenly. I''m sorry for wasting your time." ¡°Mrs. Tuffey." Luca paused for a moment and continued, "I''d like you to do me a favor." "I''ll be d to help." Mrs. Tuffey knew she was in the wrong too. She did not ask the other students about the incident earlier due to the time and asion, which caused Tommy to be wronged. "I''d like to know about Mrs. Hudson''s personal information. It doesn''t have to be in detail. I only want to know her name and address," said Luca. "Are you..." Mrs. Tuffey paused for a moment. Was Luca making a move? If the principal found out that Mrs. Tuffey had failed to deal with the matter, it might make it hard for her to exin things to him. "Don''t worry. I''m not nning to do anything harmful to her. I''m taking legal action against her to make her take responsibility after refusing to apologize to Tommy," replied Luca calmly. She had the conversation recorded on her phone, and she was not afraid of losing. Mrs. Tuffey smiled and said, "Ms. Luca, about this, Mrs. Hudson is indeed in the wrong. And I didn''t handle it well. But there''s no need to take legal action against her. You''ll still have to meet her in the future. Falling out with each other might not be a good idea." "Tommy will remember what she said to him a moment ago. A child''s heart is fragile. Mrs. Tuffey, I need to do something for him. Otherwise, the child won''t dare to stand up for what''s right and will be an obsequious child. What should I do then?" asked Luca. She deliberately made it sound serious. Even though it was unlikely that Tommy would be affected by the incident, it was something he would remember for the rest of his life. "Kids remember everything now. How much impact will this incident have on him?" asked Luca. ¡°Well." Mrs. Tuffey frowned. Chapter 2641 ¡°Mrs. Tuffey, I can understand if you''re reluctant to give me the information, but I''m guessing you know who Tommy''s father is. It''s a simple task for him to look into Mrs. Hudson''s background if he wants to. Besides, I have the audio recording on my phone. I''m not afraid of losing thewsuit." Luca made up her mind to sue Charlie''s mother. She could not stand others bullying her son that way. Mrs. Tuffey knew Tommy was Luke''s son. She dared not offend Luke. Hence, she said, "Let me look for it. But I''ll only give you her name and address." ¡°Thank you. We''ll look into her background to search for the remaining information." Luca sat there, waiting for Mrs. Tuffey to give her the information. Mrs. Tuffey opened the student handbook. Each student''s parent''s information was written down in it. She found Mrs. Hudson''s information and copied it down on a paper for Luca. "I can only provide you with this information." Luca nced at the address and name. With these two pieces of information, Rain could easily look into her identity and background. She smiled and thanked Mrs. Tuffey, "Thank you, Mrs. Tuffey. I''ll inform Tommy''s father to exin this to the principal. This will have nothing to do with you." "Thank you." Mrs. Tuffey quickly thanked her when she heard Luca did not intend to me her. After Luca left the office, she headed to the school''s entrance. Warren''s car was parked at the temporary parking lot beside the entrance. Luca walked toward the car and noticed that there was a gray-colored Mercedes stopped beside it. The moment Luca opened the car door, the gray-colored Mercedes'' car door opened as well. Mrs. Hudson got out of the car and looked at Luca''s car. She mocked, "You kept on mentioning looking for a lawyer. I thought you were from a wealthy family that owned a big corporation. What an ordinary car you have there. You''re such a big talker. Listen, I''m going to make things difficult for your child while he''s in school. He''ll be left with no choice but to quit." Luca frowned. Some people just refused to give up until they faced a grim reality. Warren was about to speak when he heard what Mrs. Hudson said, but Luca stopped him. She shook her head, turned to look at Mrs. Hudson, and smiled at her. "What are you nning to do? Are you going to make things difficult for my child at school?" Tommy was Luke''s son. Only the teachers and principal knew about that. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Besides, Luke had gone to see the principal when he chose to let Tommy attend this school back then. Luke told him not to treat him differently. If Tommy was not behaving himself, he needed to be lectured too. He told the principal not to spoil Tommy just because he was his son. After that, Luke hardly attended the school''s parent-teacher conferences. Old Master Crawford was the one who attended it. When Luke came, he would only greet the teachers before leaving for work right away. Hence, the parents had no idea that Tommy was Luke Crawford''s son. Mrs. Hudson sneered at Luca. "You must have spent a huge amount of money to let your child enter such a prestigious school with high requirements, huh? Perhaps you''ve already spent every penny you have to let him attend this school. Tsk, tsk. If your child gets expelled, the money spent on him will be in vain. I''m close with a few superintendents working in the school. Just wait and see. I''m going to give him a hard time at school!" The more Warren listened to her, the deeper the furrow on his brows was. He could hardly suppress his emotions, but Luca could still remain calm. He reckoned that it was this woman''s child who had beef with Tommy. She probably failed to take advantage of Luca when they were in the school. That was why she was mocking Luca when she came out of the school. Warren wondered why Luca was enduring all this when she had a strong backer. If Luke was unhappy, he could buy the private school anytime he wanted. He could get that woman''s child out of school permanently. ¡°Really? I didn''t know you were so capable,¡± Luca mocked. "Then why did you try to scam my money to pay for your child''s medical expenses? Those who don''t know will think you can''t even afford to pay for your son''s medical expenses.¡± "You..." Mrs. Hudson did not expect Luca to not ask for her forgiveness when they had alreadye this far. Instead, Luca even mocked her. "You''ll see!" "Warren, let''s go." Luca bent down, got into the car, and instructed Warren to leave. Luca did not expect choosing amon car to stay low-key would make this woman feel superior. It was only a means of transport. Still, there could be so muchpetition. Luca was secretly unhappy about it, and she muttered to herself that it was just an unlucky day. "Ms. Luca, is that the parent of the child Tommy had a conflict with?" Warren asked. "It''s not considered a conflict." Luca shook her head. "Tommy was just trying to protect his ssmate, but the child got scared and fell. He was worried that he might get scolded, so he deliberately told a lie and shirked his responsibility to Tommy. The other kids testified that it had nothing to do with Tommy." "Do kids nowadays behave like scoundrels?" Warren frowned. It was eye-opening. "The parents'' behavior is bound to influence their child," said Luca. Luca could understand why Charlie lied and passed the buck to Tommy after seeing Mrs. Hudson''s behavior. Tommy grew up with her love and affection. Besides, Tommy had seen how Luke kept protecting her when she was in dangerous situations back then. That was why he knew that as a man, he had to protect the weak and defenseless. He was unlike Charlie, who was always bullying girls. Luca was pissed at the thought of what Mrs. Hudson said to her just now. She said to Warren, ¡°We won''t be going back to Watsons just yet." "Ms. Craw, where would you like to go?" asked Warren. "T Corporation," replied Luca. Their son had been bullied. Now, as a person who had no blood ties with Tommy, there was not much she could do for Tommy. She should leave the rest to Luke to deal with. Even though Tommy did not want Luke to know about this, he did not do anything wrong as he was just trying to protect his ssmate. Hence, Luke had to be involved in this. He should be the one dealing with this. Luca would not let anyone who bullied her child get away with it. "Okay!" Warren snapped out of it. He had the urge to p that woman in her face when she spoke out of turn earlier. If it were not Luca who stopped him, he would have shut her up and she would not have dared to utter another word. Luca was looking for Luke now. She was probably nning to ask Luke to stand up for them. Warren made a detour at the intersection in front and headed straight to T Corporation. Luca got out of the car when they arrived at T Corporation. She walked into the office''s lobby. Even though she had moved out of there, the employees still recognized her. "Dr. Craw, you''re here," the receptionist greeted Luca enthusiastically. "Is Mr. Crawford upstairs?" asked Luca. "Just a minute, please." The receptionist picked up the receiver and dialed the inte number for Jason''s office. No one answered the call. The receptionist had no choice but to call the secretary''s office inte number. Chapter 2642 It was Tina who answered the call in the secretary''s office. ¡°Hello, it''s Tina here." "Hello, Ms. Tina. Dr. Craw is at the front desk, asking to see Mr. Crawford. May I know if Mr. Crawford is avable now?" the receptionist asked. Visitors who came to the office seldom looked for Luke. They usually would only look for Jason and the secretaries working in the secretary''s office. "Dr. Craw? Let her in," replied Tina. Even though Luke was not in his office now, Tina dared not to stop Luca. "Alright. Got it." The receptionist hung up the call. She smiled and looked at Luca, "Dr. Craw, Ms. Tina is upstairs waiting for you." "Okay, thank you." After Luca thanked her, she immediately headed upstairs and arrived at the floor where the president''s office was. Tina was waiting for her in the elevator hall. "Dr. Craw, you''re here," Tina smiled and greeted Luca when she saw her walking out of the elevator. "Yes. I have something to discuss with Mr. Crawford," replied Luca. "He''s having a meeting now. Mr. Doyle isn''t here either. How about this? Let me take you to Boss'' office first. You can wait there. There are ten minutes left until the meeting ends." Tina nced at the time and spected. "It''d be better for me to wait at the lounge." Luca shook her head when Tina suggested taking her to Luke''s office. Not everyone was allowed to enter Luke''s office. Besides, she was not Bianca now. She had to avoid arousing any suspicion. "I think it''ll be better for you to head to Boss'' office right away. Let''s go." Tina led Luca to Luke''s office. She pushed the door open and said, "Come in. Let me get you something. Do you prefer coffee or milk?" "I''d like a ss of milk, please." Luca had no choice but to enter the office. Then, she stiffened as she sat on the sofa. "Sure. Just a moment." Tina left the office and strode off to the pantry. Tina knew Luca did not like packaged milk. That was why she prepared the ss of milk with milk powder. Cheryl noticed that Luke''s office door was left open when she walked past Luke''s office while carrying some documents in her hands. Hence, she knocked on the door and entered the office. Then, Cheryl and Luca happened to look at each other. ¡°Dr. Craw?" Cheryl raised her brows. ¡°Why are you here? Didn''t you move back to Watson Biopharmaceuticals?" Luca frowned. Cheryl sounded like she was questioning why she suddenly showed up in Luke''s office. What she meant between the lines was that Luke''s office was not a ce Luca could enter as she liked. "I have something to discuss with Mr. Crawford," Luca answered out of politeness. ¡°Mr. Crawford is in a meeting now. How could you sit in his office alone? Let me take you to the lounge." Cheryl hated Luca, especially now when she saw Luca breaking thepany''s rules. She found it disgusting that Luca was waiting for Luke in his office alone. Cheryl could not help but wonder if Luca really thought that something was going on between her and Luke. Did that give her permission to enter Luke''s office as she wished? Luca rose to her feet. Before she could say anything, she heard Tina saying, ¡°I was the one who led Dr. Craw here." Cheryl turned around and saw Tina carrying a ss of milk. She then walked into Luke''s office. Cheryl deliberately spoke in a serious tone, ¡°How could you let someone into Boss'' office without his permission?" ¡°What if that''s what he asked for?" Tina ced the ss of milk on the coffee table and said, ¡°Dr. Craw, here''s your milk." ¡°Boss?" Cheryl refused to believe what Tina said. Everyone working on the same floor knew that Luke was in a meeting. Even the secretaries who wanted to deliver the documents here would be stopped as Luke was not in the office. Even his secretaries could not enter his office without his permission. ¡°It was Boss'' request." Tina took her phone out and showed Cheryl her conversation with Luke. Tina had texted Luke and reported to him that Luca was here. Luke replied to her with two simple words: [My office.] Hence, it was not Tina who took the liberty to do so. ¡°I didn''t know it was Boss'' instruction. Now please excuse me, I still have work to do." Cheryl tucked her hair behind her ear to ease her awkwardness. Before Cheryl left, Tina added, ¡°Ms. Lindsey, we''re professional secretaries. Please don''t doubt my professionalism." Cheryl did not reply to her. Her footsteps quickened as though she did not hear what Tina said to her. Tina let out a sigh of relief and apologized, ¡°That was odd. I''m sorry, Dr. Craw." ¡°It''s okay." Luca shook her head. Cheryl was trying to single her out, but what she said was right. If Tina had not informed Luke in advance, Luca should not be waiting for Luke in his office. "Take a seat. The meeting will probably end soon. I have to make an international call. Please excuse me," said Tina. Then, she picked up a te of delicate-looking cookies and ced it on the coffee table. ¡°Can you make the call here?" asked Luca. Cheryl was right. This was Luke''s office. Important confidential information was kept here. Hence, Luca was reluctant to be alone in his office as people might misunderstand her. Abel had not instructed her to do anything, and she would not do anything bad to Luke either. Even so, that did not mean the others would not suspect her even if she would not do something like that. ¡°Dr. Craw, don''t worry. You can stay here. You''ll be fine." Tina knew what Luca had in mind, and she comforted her in a soft voice. "Alright. I''ll leave you to your work, then." Luca had no choice but to say so. "Okay. Just text me if you need anything." Tina smiled and walked out of Luke''s office. Luca sat on the sofa. She picked up the finance magazine beside her and read it. There were several finance magazines and business newspapers ced here every day. Luke would take some time to read the important news every day no matter how busy he was. Luca looked up and saw the piles of documents ced on his office desk. She heaved a sigh. Then, she picked up the ss and took a sip of the milk. Luke was the third-generation son of an affluent family. However, he was nothing like the others from wealthy families, who werezy and lived avish lifestyle. Managing a huge corporation alone must be tiring for Luke. Luca turned the pages of the finance magazine and realized Luke''s portrait was printed on one of the pages. It was an article about Luke. The whole article was talking about how T Corporation did a good job in making strategic decisions in developing their market in foreign countries. Thepany''s innovative business model was worth learning from. Luca gently touched the photo printed on the page. He had made her proud. Luca carefully read the article. Even though it was not an interview, the content of the article was profound. Not only did Luke develop the business in the country steadily, but he got a piece of the pie in the foreign market too. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. A proud feeling filled Luca''s heart. This was her man... He was the center of attention no matter where he went. As Luca continued to turn the pages, she heard footsteps. It was not a woman''s heels, and it sounded more like the leather shoes of a man. Hence, Luca reckoned that Luke was returning to his office after the meeting. Chapter 2644 ¡°Have it your way." Luke sounded helpless. He did not head out right away. Instead, he discussed with Luca, "It''s okay not to hold hands, but you have to promise me something." Luca did not expect him to set a condition. Hence, she asked, "What is it?" "Don''t reject me tonight." There was a touch of intimacy colored in Luke''s deep voice. He noticed the fine hair beside her ears. Then, he lifted his hand and tucked her hair behind her ears. Luca''s ears were burning red after being touched. She lowered her head, took a few steps forward, and headed out. "Let''s go out for lunch." Even though Luke did not get a response, he was in a good mood. Luca''s silence meant that she agreed to it. Luke secretly rejoiced as he watched Luca''s ears turn red. They had been married for years, yet she was still very shy. They had been married for many years, and they were blessed with three kids. They could have lived happily together for the rest of their lives. It was just that someone was always there to impede their happy life. As Luke watched Luca''s beautiful back from behind, he secretly swore to himself that he would not spare those who stopped him from living a happy life. Gale and Rain were busy looking into Matysh''s matter, but they had never stopped investigating this. They were getting close. A little longer and Luca could reveal her true identity. She could be Bianca again. She would return to being his wife and the kids'' mother. The two of them headed downstairs. Luke did what he promised earlier. He did not hold Luca''s hand. They kept a distance from each other, and they did not get too close. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Both of them strode off to the restaurant. There were still empty private rooms at the restaurant as it was not lunchtime yet. Luke asked for a private room for two people. The waiter led the two of them into the private room and said, "Sir, Madam, this is our private room for two people. Is this okay for you?" "Yes." Luke walked into the room. Luke chose to dine in a private room because of Luca. She did not like being surrounded and looked at. A private room was the best choice. Luke walked toward the chair, pulled it out, and signaled Luca to sit on the chair. Luca nodded and sat on it. Luke sat opposite her. The waiter handed the menu to them. Luca closed the menu and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, I''ll leave you to it." Luke ordered a few dishes that were Luca''s favorite. Then, he ordered a cup of coffee and a ss of milk. The ss of milk was for Luca, while the coffee was for himself. Luke closed the menu and put it aside. "That''s all for now." "Alright. Please wait a moment. We''ll prepare your lunch." The waiter replied in a low voice, took the menu, and walked out of the private room. The door was closed. Luke stared at Luca with his fiery gaze. "Where do you want the celebration party to be held?" Luke asked for her opinion. Even though it was a team-building event, it was mostly to celebrate the achievement of Luca''s team. That was why Luke wanted to ask for her opinion. "I''ll let thepany decide it." Luca had never liked to participate in such activities. Other than ttering others, it was all about getting extolled to the skies. She would rather spend some quality time with the kids than join the event. It was just that her team''s researchers might not think so. Hence, she had noment. "Okay. Then I''ll let the employees working at Watson Biopharmaceuticals decide the venue." Luke respected her decision. Luca was reminded of Mr. Whitlock''s matter. She asked, "Mr. Crawford, Mr. Whitlock..." "I''ve left it to Jason to deal with it. The police have already filed the case and arrested him this morning. He''ll be embarking on legal proceedings after this. I''ll also arrange for another person to take over the position of the general manager in Watson," said Luke. Hispany had never been short of talent. He would let Jason select one of them to take the job. "Is Mr. Whitlock working for Pierre?" Luca asked. "Yes. You''re smart,"plimented Luke. Luca did not show how happy she was just because she got it right. After all, she already knew that Mr. Whitlock was a corporate spy a long time ago. "Is Pierre still hiding?" asked Luca. She had nced at the forum''s news today. The news was about the police searching for Pierre to investigate the case, but they had yet to find out where he was. The Mallory family was reluctant to cooperate with them. Now, everyone in the city was watching out for him, waiting for Pierre to show up. Some people even suggested listing Pierre as a wanted man. As long as the cash reward was enough, many people would tip the police off. It was fortunate that Mallory Corporation''s president was still Percy. Even though Pierre''s news was all over the city, it did not have much of an impact on thepany''s stock price. ¡°Pierre is hiding in Oswald''s house." Luke took a sip of the lemonade. The police did not know where he was, and the Mallory family could not find him either. Still, that did not mean Luke could not find out where he was. It was because Luke had sent someone to follow Pierre when it happened. His men followed him all the way and watched Pierre carefully get in and out of three cars while heading to his destination. Then, he eventually entered Oswald''s house. "They can''t find him anywhere," said Luca in a soft voice. Luca was not surprised to know that Luke knew where Pierre was. She knew Luke was always nning ahead. "Are you nning on exposing his location?" asked Luca. Even though the Mallory family would find out where Pierre was sooner orter, if Luke was willing to drop them a hint, both the Mallory family and the police would be able to locate him. "That depends on what Pierre is going to do." Luke pondered. Pierre bought the document after Luca stole itst time. Even though Pierre''s assistant became the scapegoat, Luke knew that Pierre had worked together with the Ind of Despair to buy the bidding document. It was just that Pierre refused to admit it. There was no way Luke could get more information about the Ind of Despair from him. It was time to make a move now. If Pierre wanted to hide at Oswald''s house peacefully and not be found by the police, Luke would like to see how far Pierre would go to keep himself safe. If Pierre could give him more information about the Ind of Despair, he might consider not telling the police about his whereabouts. Percy had permitted Luke to do so. Luca realized Luke was trying to get something from Pierre. However, what would Luke want from him? Luca knew Luke would not tell her no matter how hard she tried to make him talk. If Luke had wanted to tell her, he would have done it earlier. Luca was preupied while having lunch. After lunch, Luca got into Warren''s car as she nned to return to Watson to work. Luca pondered for a moment when she was in the car. She sent a message to Amur: [The Department of Justice, the police officers, and the Mallory family are looking for Pierre. He''s hiding in Oswald''s house now.] Once Luca saw that the message had been sent sessfully, she deleted it. It was as though she had never sent the message. If the police found out where Pierre was hiding before Amur, there was no way Amur could carry out his mission. If Amur made his move, it might affect Luke and stop him from getting what he wanted. However, if Amur did not do anything and failed to aplish the mission, he might end up facing severe punishment. Chapter 2657 Gale could not help but ask with curiosity, ¡°Boss, are you picking up someone from the airport?" ¡°We''re going there to stop someone from leaving," replied Luke. Gale understood at once. He knew that Luke was on a call with the police not long ago. He was probably heading to the airport to stop Matysh. "Alright, Boss. Do we need to bring more men with us?" "The police will be arresting him. We''re heading there to be onlookers." Luke''s eyes darkened. He was not nning to get himself involved in the police''s arrest. However, if the police failed to catch Matysh, Gale and Rain could help. "Got it, Boss. I''ll have a few men arranged in front of the airport security to wait for him," replied Gale as he immediately understood what Luke meant. Gale and Rain would follow Luke to the airport. Their main purpose was to watch them, and those men who were guarding the airport would also stop Matysh from escaping. "Okay." Luke hung up the call. He continued to go through the document. There was a soft knock on the door, and Luke said, "Come in." Aunt Neile gently pushed the door open and reminded Luke, "Mr. Crawford, it''s time for dinner." "Is Luca back yet?" asked Luke. "Ms. Craw just came back. She''s checking the kids'' homework downstairs," Aunt Neile replied happily. Then, she noticed Luke was still looking at theputer screen. She asked, "Mr. Crawford, do you need me to bring your dinner upstairs?" "It''s okay. I''ll go downstairs to have dinner after I finish reading the document. Tell them to have dinner first." Luke turned the page. He could not keep the kids waiting with an empty stomach, but he assumed that he needed ten more minutes to finish going through the document before he could have dinner. "Alright, Mr. Crawford." Aunt Neile turned around and headed downstairs. When Aunt Neile came down to the first floor, Luca looked up and asked, "Is Mr. Crawfording down for dinner?" This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "Yes. Mr. Crawford said he''ll being downter. He told me to ask the kids to have dinner first. Ms. Craw, should I serve dinner so that you and the kids can have dinner first?" Aunt Neile asked for her opinion. "Sure." Luca nodded. Even though she wanted to wait for Luke, she could not bear to see the kids go hungry. Luca came homete today, but the kids insisted on waiting for her to return and have dinner with her. That was why they were having dinnerter than usual. The kids were already starving when she was checking Tommy''s homework for him. Luca got to Lanie''s homework and confirmed that there was no problem with it. She ced it on the table. Then, she said to the three kids, ¡°You must be hungry. Let''s have dinner." "Alright, Ms. Luca." The three of them walked into the dining room together. After they sat down at the table, they waited for Aunt Neile and the maid to serve dinner. Tommy was hungry. Thus, he looked more gluttonous than usual as he watched Aunt Neile serve every dish on the table. Luca noticed that and reminded the children, "No matter howte your father and I, you have to eat your dinner on time. Don''t repeat what you did today, waiting for me toe back with empty stomachs." Rainie looked at Luca, who had a stern expression on her face, and replied, "Ms. Luca, we want to have dinner with you. Besides, we had some refreshments when we came back from school. We''re not that hungry." "Yes. We''re not really that hungry." Tommy agreed with her. It was just that the kids could not hide their thoughts and Luca could see through them very clearly. Then, she said, "You''ll have to maintain a good habit of having your dinner on time, okay? Are you going to eat fruitster after having dinner? Won''t you feel stuffed when you go to bedter?" Tommy shifted his eyes and thought what Luca said made sense. However, the kids put that all together really fast. They immediately thought of a solution to solve the problem. "Ms. Luca, we won''t have to eat a lot for dinner. That way, we won''t feel stuffed after we have fruitster!" Luca did not know whether tough or cry when she saw how quick-witted the kids were. Aunt Neile and the maid served all the dishes on the dining table and said to them, "Ms. Luca, Young Master nche, Ms. Rainie, Young Master Tommy, dinner is served. You may have your dinner now." "Thank you, Aunt Neile," Luca and the three kids happened to reply to her at the same time. Aunt Neile returned to the kitchen. Rainie nced at Luca, who was eating her dinner with one hand. She asked thoughtfully, "Ms. Luca, when will you be able to remove the stitches?" "Probably within these two days," answered Luca. She could feel that her wound was almost healed, but she had to see how it was after changing the dressing. If her wound was almost healed after changing the dressing tonight, she would head to the hospital to remove the stitches tomorrow. Lanie, who had been quiet, piped in, "The medical book states that it takes at least seven days to remove the stitches. Ms. Luca, it''s not even seven days yet." Lanie was even counting the days for Luca. When he heard Luca say that she would be removing the stitches in these two days, he was worried Luca was being too hasty. Her wound would get infected easily if she removed the stitches when the wound was not healed yet. "The knowledge in medical books is usually based on clinical experiences. Some patients have poor selfhealing ability, and their cells have poor regeneration ability. They might need ten days to heal before they can remove the stitches, but some people heal faster. They don''t need seven days for their wounds to heal. Sometimes, they can remove the stitches on the fourth day or the fifth day. Besides, the size and depth of the wound will affect how long the stitches stay in. So, there''s no uniform standard for this," Luca exined to Luca while having her dinner. Tommy asked, ¡°Ms. Luca, are you someone who can heal faster than others?¡± ¡°I think so. My self-healing ability is good. That''s why my wound is almost healed.¡± Luca turned to look at Lanie. She smiled and said, ¡°Even though it''s inconvenient for me to have my hand bandaged, I take my injury very seriously. Don''t worry." "Yes, Lanie. Did you forget Ms. Luca is a medical expert? She must know when to remove the stitches. Don''t worry about it." Rainie knew Lanie was worried about Luca, and sheforted him too. Lanie''s face reddened, and he immediately lowered his head to eat his dinner. Rainie smiled and mouthed her words, ¡°Ms. Luca, Lanie''s being shy.¡± Even though Rainie uttered her words indistinctly, Lanie could still hear them. He lectured his younger sister with a serious expression on his face, "Daddy told us not to speak when we''re having our meal." ¡°Lanie, you were talking too!¡± Rainie refuted. Luca did not know whether tough or cry as she watched the two of them bicker. After a while, Luke came downstairs. Aunt Neile immediately served him a warm bowl of soup and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, please have dinner.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Luke nodded and shot a nce at Luca. He noticed that she was still eating with one hand. He said, ¡°I''ll take you to the hospital four dayster and let Johann take a look at your wound. If your wound is healed, then you can remove the stitches.¡± Before Luca could say anything, Tommy replied, ¡°Ms. Luca said she can remove the stitches tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.¡± ¡°That soon?¡± Luke frowned. ¡°Yes. My body has a better self-healing ability. That''s why I heal quickly,¡± exined Luca. ¡°Let Johann take a look at it. Don''t force yourself to remove the stitches if the wound isn''t healed yet.¡± Luke was still worried and asked her to listen to Johann''s advice. ¡°Alright...¡± Luca promised. She initially nned to look for Johann to help her remove the stitches anyway. The three kids returned to the living room to watch a cartoon show after dinner. Luca was about to stand up, but she heard Luke saying, ¡°I have to go out tonight, and I mighte homete.¡± Chapter 2658 Luca nodded. She did not ask where Luke was going and replied, "Okay. I''ll turn the lights on for you." ¡°Okay. Don''t wait for me. Go to bed early,¡± reminded Luke. He could not stand to see her staying up late for his sake. After all, he would probably onlye back home around 3:00 a.m. ¡°What time are you heading out?¡± asked Luca. "Half an hourter.¡± Luke nced at the time. They had to arrive at the airport earlier than Matysh. Only then they would not be discovered. They only had to wait for the police to deal with Matysh after hiding. "Yes. The weather forecast says the temperature will drop tonight. Put on a few moreyers of clothes,¡± reminded Luca. It was colder at night. She did not know what Luke would be doing, and she had no idea if he would be staying indoors or outdoors. Hence, she reminded him to put on moreyers and keep himself warm. "Alright," replied Luke. How he wished Luca could ask him where he was going and what he was up to. However, she did not ask him. Luca was still deliberately forcing herself to keep her distance. It made Luke feel even more helpless. They had to act faster so that Luca could be who she was before. Half an hourter, Luke drove the car and left the house. Luca stood at the foyer and watched him slowly drive his car out of the vi. Tommy, who stood beside her, said, ¡°Ms. Luca, did Daddy go out to work?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Luca nodded and stroked the child''s head. ¡°Then how much longer are you going to stand here?¡± Tommy stretched his neck and nced at the scene outside the window. He could no longer see his father''s car. ¡°Huh?¡± Luca could not understand why the child would suddenly say something like that. Tommy reminded her, ¡°Daddy''s car has left the house. Ms. Luca, what are you looking at?¡± Luca''s face reddened. Tommy looked innocent, but it was as though he wasughing at her for gazing earnestly. He saw through her with just a nce. ¡°I was looking at the garden. Spring hase and green leaves are sprouting." Luca pretended to exim. "Ms. Luca, it''s cold out here. Let''s go in." Tommy held her hand and dragged her into the house. If it were not for him who dragged her in, no one would know how much longer she would be standing there. Luca withdrew her gaze and headed back into the house. She followed Tommy and came to the sofa. She sat down on it. Rainie asked, "Ms. Luca, do you know when is Daddying home?" Luca shook her head and replied, "He didn''t tell me, but he''s probablying homete tonight. What''s the matter?" Rainie pointed at the exercise books beside her and said, "Daddy hasn''t signed our homework." Luca was speechless as she looked at the exercise books. The moment Luke said he was going out, she was busy thinking about where he was going. She made a few guesses and thought they were not the reasons. Then, she eventually forgot about this matter. "Ms. Luca, you''ll probably be asleep when Daddyes back, right?" said Tommy. Rainie turned to look at Luca, "Daddy would wake up an hourter whenever he sleepste. I''m worried that Daddy won''t be up yet when we go to school tomorrow morning. Ms. Luca, why don''t you imitate his handwriting and sign for us?" It was not the first time Luca had done it. Luca nodded and looked at her hand. Her hand was injured. Would she be able to imitate Luke''s handwriting well? Lanie realized that too and said, "Ms. Luca injured her hand. Let''s just ask Daddy to wake up early and sign the books for us." "It''s okay. Let me try," replied Luca. She had seen how Luke signed his name many times. Hence, it only took her a while to sessfully imitate his signature with a simrity score of 70 to 80%. "Ms. Luca, you don''t have to force yourself..." Rainie was worried about her wound. "It''s okay. It should be fine even if the signature looks a little different. If your teacher asks about it, you''ll know how to exin it to them," replied Luca as she knew telling the kids to lie to their teacher was not good behavior. However, asking her to sign on behalf of Luke was deceiving. She did not want the kids to wake Luke up early in the morning tomorrow. Even though Luke had a strong body, she had to make sure he had enough rest. Tommy smiled and said, "I know what to say. I''ll just say Daddy had a business dinner and was drunk, so he couldn''t hold his pen properly when he was signing my homework. That''s why it doesn''t look like his signature." Rainie could not help but shake her head and replied, "Those stupid ideas of yours." "Hey, I have no choice. We have to let Daddy rest a little longer." Tommy stuck his tongue out yfully. Luca picked up the pen and tried doing Luke''s signature on a sheet of white paper. Even though it was not as smooth as her hand was bandaged, she was able to hold the pen by applying some force. Moreover, she could still imitate Luke''s signature. The signature used to look 80% simr to Luke''s. It was 70% alike now. Tommy looked at how Luca imitated his father''s signature. He could not help butpliment her, ¡°Ms. Luca, that''s impressive. This looks like Daddy''s signature too." Luca pursed her lips and smiled. She signed Luke''s name on each of their exercise books. "Alright. Remember to keep them in your bags." Luca let out a sigh of relief when she signed thest one. Rainie held her exercise book and asked caringly, "Ms. Luca, does it hurt?" "No. It''s almost healed." Luca stroked Rainie''s head with the other hand. "Your cartoon show has started. Go upstairs and take a shower after this. Then, get ready to go to bed." "Okay," the three of them replied at the same time. Luca apanied them to watch the cartoon show. Vivian sent her a message when she was watching halfway through. She was excitedly telling Luca the interesting stuff that had happened at her university. Luca smiled as she read Vivian''s message, sharing her happiness with her. The schools in A City were different from the ones in Russia. Luca initially thought Vivian would not be able to get used to it, but it seemed like she was well-adapted to the new environment. Furthermore, everything in the school seemed great to her. After Vivian shared her school life, she told Luca about the lecturers too. Luca chatted with her patiently on the phone. When the cartoon show ended and the three kids headed upstairs, Luca kept her phone away. She turned on the lights in the garden and left one of the lights in the living room on. Then, she headed upstairs with the kids. "Ms. Luca, who were you chatting with just now?" Tommy asked with curiosity, holding her other hand that was uninjured as they stepped on the staircase. "I was talking to Ms. Vivian. She was telling me about her school life," answered Luca. "Wow, is it interesting? When will I be able to be like Ms. Vivian and study at a university?" Tommy blinked his eyes with eagerness. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "You''ll be able to go to university when you grow up. Probably when you''re 18 years old, but you have to get good grades to get into a university," said Luca. The academicpetition between students was intense in local high schools and universities these days. Luca knew even though her kids did not study hard, they would still be able to get into a university. Luke only had to make some arrangements and they could get into one. However, she hoped her kids could get into the university on their own and be great people. "18 years old. That''s too far away. I''ll eat more so that I can grow up fast!" Tommy muttered as he was sent to his bedroom by Luca. ¡°Not only do you have to eat more, but you also need to get more rest to grow up healthily. Go and take a shower." Luca nced at Lanie and Rainie. They had already returned to their bedrooms. Chapter 2659 ¡°Yes, Madam!" Tommy saluted Luca. She could not help but smile when she saw how cute Tommy was. After she watched Tommy take his pajamas and walk into the bathroom, she returned to her bedroom and sat at the dressing table. She looked at the stic wrap and stared nkly at herself in the mirror. Luke was the one who had been helping her to wrap the stic wrap on her hand for the past few days before she took a shower. She had to do it herself today. Luca picked up the stic wrap. When she was about to wrap the stic wrap on her hand, there was a knock on the door. "Who is it?" Luca went to open the door and realized it was Lanie. "Lanie, what''s wrong?" "I received a call from Daddy before I went to shower. He asked me to do something," said Lanie in a cool manner. "Huh?" Luca did not understand what the child meant. Lanie walked into the bedroom and picked up the stic wrap on the table. "Daddy told me it was inconvenient for you to wrap it yourself, so he asked me to help." Luca smiled in realization and shook her head. She did not expect Luke to remember this when he was busy with work. "It''s okay. I can do it myself." "No way. Daddy said you can''t wrap it well yourself. You''ll get your wound wet if you don''t wrap it properly. If that happens, your wound will get infected easily. Let me help you." Lanie tore the stic wrap. Luca had no choice but to sit on the chair and lift her hand. Lanie wrapped her hand with the stic wrap and repeated, "Ms. Luca, it''s my first time wrapping this. Remember to tell me if it hurts." Lanie wrapped it nicely. Other kids would have most probably just wrapped it carelessly. Lanie was worried that it would not be tight enough to keep Luca''s hand dry, but he was also worried he would hurt her if he wrapped it too tightly. Lanie even started to think if he should try to wrap his hand with the stic wrap first to test how tight it should be and how much pressure he should exert. "No. You''re doing fine," encouraged Luca. Even though Lanie did not say anything, Luca knew he was nervous. He was so focused and nervous to the extent that there were beads of sweat appearing on his nose. After a while, Lanie did not hear Luca saying that it hurt, and he thought it was almost done. He looked up and asked seriously, ¡°Is this alright? Will it get wet?" ¡°It''s fine." Luca looked at her hand that was wrapped tightly and said, "You did a good job. The water won''t be able to get in. Well done, Lanie." Lanie''s face reddened a little because of Luca''spliments. Then, he said seriously, "I can wrap it a few more times if it''s not enough." ¡°It''s okay. I promise it won''t get wet. Go and take a shower." Luca stroked his head. This child resembled his father in personality. He was cool, yet he was not as indifferent as he looked. He would even blush when he receivedpliments from her. The mini version of Luke was too adorable! "Okay." Before Lanie left Luca''s bedroom, he reminded Luca, "Ms. Luca, I didn''t wrap it as well as Daddy did. Be careful not to wet your wound when you''re taking a shower." ¡°Alright. I will." Luca waited for Lanie to close the door. Only then did she take the clean pajamas out of the wardrobe and walk into the bathroom to take a shower. Lanie did a good job wrapping her hand. After taking a shower, Luca took off the stic wrap. Her bandage was still dry. Luca unwrapped the bandage and observed her wound. It was almost healed. She would be able to remove the stitches the day after tomorrow at thetest. Luca applied some medicine powder to her wound and wrapped her hand with the bandage. After she bandaged her hand, she remembered how adorable Lanie was when he was wrapping the stic wrap on her hand. She smiled, picked up the used bandage, and walked out of her bedroom. Luca came to Lanie''s bedroom first. Lanie had already cleaned himself up and was leaning against the bed, reading a book. Lanie lifted his head and turned to look at the door when he heard the noises of the door opening. He put his book away when he saw it was Luca at the door. Then, he greeted her, "Ms. Luca." ¡°Are you reading?" Luca walked into his bedroom and hid the bandage behind her. ¡°Yes." Lanie nodded. Then, he was reminded of her wound and he asked, ¡°Did the water get into the wound?" ¡°I knew you''d be worried about this. Look, this is the previous bandage I used. It''s dry, and I didn''t get my wound wet." Luca showed him the bandage she hid behind her. Lanie noticed there was some light yellow medicine left on the bandage. He knew Luca did not use a new bandage to fool him. He could not help but feel excited.¡°That''s great. I can help you to bandage your hand from now on too." Luca smiled and stroked his head. ¡°Yes. Lanie''s a smart boy." Lanie''s face turned red again when he received apliment. ¡°Are you shy?" Luca deliberately asked him. Lanie shook his head and denied, "No, I''m like Daddy. We don''t feel shy." ¡°Your daddy wasn''t like this from the beginning. It''s just that he learned how to cover it up after he grew up. Being shy isn''t something embarrassing." Luca taught him. Lanie really looked like Luke. That was why many people said that since he was little. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca could understand his mindset. When the child heard something like that when he was young, he would think that he should learn from Luke. Besides, they were father and son. They had a lot in common. Hence, it made Lanie want to look up to Luke more. Still, he was just a child. A child should have a childlike innocence and show his emotions. He should not be like an adult, always trying to remain calm. He even mimicked Luke''s indifference. Luca hoped that he could be like Luke in some ways, but she wanted him to keep the innocence of a child within him too. A child should behave like a child. Luca looked at Lanie. When she got kidnapped and sent to the Ind of Despair, the child who was still innocent back then seemed to have matured a lot during these three years. It was probably because of the impostor Bianca, who changed the child. After all, he was only able to have maternal love when he was five years old. Then, there was a drastic change in his life all of a sudden. Lanie had to stay calm to protect his younger sister and brother well. That was why he became like this. Lanie looked at Luca and deliberately acted stubbornly. "Ms. Luca, I''m not." "Fine. You''re not." Luca nced at the time and said, "Okay. You have another half an hour left to read your book. You have to go to bed half an hourter. Otherwise, you''ll feel sleepy tomorrow." "Okay. I''ll go to bed on time," Lanie nodded and promised. Luca left his bedroom without going to the other kids'' bedroom to see them. All of them were the same. They would take a shower after watching the cartoon show. After showering, they would spend some time reading. Then, they would go to bed. It was a fixed pattern, and even their sleeping time was fixed. This was Luke''s parenting style. Even though Luke was busy with work, he was strict with his kids when educating them. Besides, the kids listened to him. They would sleep when it was time to go to bed, and they would not cry or refuse to sleep. The kids did not need anyone to put them to sleep at their age now. Luca could not help but secretly heave a sigh. Even though Luke was strict with his kids, the behavior of the three kids was the best proof that his parenting style worked. It was good for the kids too. Hence, she had no problem with it. Also, she was in no position to have any problem with it based on her circumstances now. Luca returned to her bedroom and picked up the book on her bedside table. She set an rm for half an hourter. She was nning to see the kids and check if they covered themselves with their nketster. Chapter 2660 After an hour''s drive, Luke arrived at the airport. He met Gale and Rain there. "All set?" Luke asked. Gale and Rain made arrangements to send some men to the airport after he ended the call. They spent ten minutes deploying their men for tonight''s n. They were ready for it. Their men were professionals. Luke could recognize some of the faces. Some of them dressed up as the airline''s ground crew. "I have it all arranged. Our men will be positioned at every exit door. They''re sure who their target is, and they won''t get the wrong person." Gale handed the mask and cap to Luke and said, "Boss, you''ll have to disguise your identity too." Luke looked at the cap Gale handed to him with contempt. Gale understood what he meant. He immediately pointed at the shop nearby and said, "These are new. I bought them here. They''re from the warehouse, and no one has worn them before." Luke took the cap from him and put it on. Then, he put on the mask too. Gale nodded continuously. Even though Luke was still noticeable, at least no one knew he was Luke Crawford. "Boss, when are you able to get rid of your mysophobia?" Gale could not help but ask. "I can''t." Luke rolled his eyes at him and walked into the airport. Rain smiled and added, "There''s only one person who can make Boss forget about it." "Who?" Gale could not think of who it was at that moment. "Ms. Craw. Are you even awake? Why are you asking this?" Rain rolled her eyes at him with disdain and followed behind Luke. "Oh, yes..." Gale agreed. Even though Matysh did not know them, the two of them still disguised themselves just in case. Gale''s phone rang for a second when they stepped into the airport. After he nced at his phone, he said, "Boss, I arranged for some men to pretend to be taxi drivers at the hotel entrance to see if we could spot Matysh there. Our men managed to find him. They''re driving Matysh to the airport now, and he''ll arrive at the airport in half an hour." Luke stopped when he heard what Gale said. He was surprised. "Matysh took a taxi?" Marcos mentioned to him before that his uncle, Matysh, would not go out without a Rolls-Royce picking him up. He would keepining if he got into a lower-ss vehicle. "Yes. I was surprised too. Besides, he chose to book a flight at night instead of daytime. It was ast- minute flight he booked. Perhaps he has already received news that he has to leave here as soon as possible," spected Gale. ¡°The police can''t be trusted.¡± Rain could not help butin. They refused to believe in the police. That was why they had to make such arrangements for tonight. They knew that if Matysh really heard something and ran back to Russia, then it must be someone working at the police station who informed him. However, it was hard to tell who tipped him off. After all, Matysh had no connections with the police officers here. Moreover, the case was left for the chief of police to deal with. Matysh would have chosen someone he trusted. Rain was bewildered at the thought of this. Which bastard tipped Matysh off? ¡°Matysh booked a first-ss seat. He''ll be here in half an hour. Even when he arrived, the ne won''t depart just yet. He''ll be waiting in the VIP lounge. Let''s head there," said Luke. "Huh?" Gale and Rain exchanged nces with each other. "I''ve already booked first-ss flight tickets for the two of you," exined Luke. They would be able to enter the first-ss once they checked in. ¡°Boss, that''s very generous of you." Gale could not help butpliment. First-ss flight tickets were not cheap. Luke was spending a lot of money just to catch Matysh. Luke remained silent and headed straight in the direction of the check-in counter. He was spending a lot of manpower and financial resources just to catch Matysh. The three flight tickets were considered a small amount among all the expenditures. After the three of them checked in, they came to the VIP lounge. They chose to sit in the corner and wait. Half an hourter, Gale''s phone vibrated. He picked it up and nced at it. Then, he reported, ¡°He''s at the airport." ¡°Okay." Luke closed his eyes to rest. The brim of the cap he wore covered the area the mask did not cover. No one could see his eyes, and no one could figure out what he had in mind now. It would take some time for Matysh to check in at the airport. Gale looked at his watch quietly, calcting the time needed. After a while, Gale said, ¡°One more minute left and he''ll be here." Rain nodded without doubting Gale''s ability to calcte. Gale was good at calcting, especially when it was about calcting a person''s pace. He knew how much time was needed to cover a particr distance to head to the destination. He would be able to calcte the pace ording to the person''s height. As long as the person did not deliberately stop moving, his calction was always right. Matysh was someone who was in a hurry to escape the country. He would definitely not stop anywhere else. One minuteter, Matysh appeared in the VIP lounge. Rainplimented, "Impressive." Gale''s lips slightly curled up as he pulled the luggage in front of him forward and replied, "Of course." Matysh walked into the lounge and slowly let out a sigh of relief. He was finally here. He would be able to depart in a few hours. The police would not be able to do anything to him once the ne departed. After all, the police could not stop international flights from leaving the country.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Rain leaned against Gale, and theymunicated with each other through the phone: [The police aren''t doing anything yet. Are they nning to wait until boarding time?] Rain carefully observed her surroundings. The police officers were nowhere to be seen. The police did not deploy their men to the lounge, so they were not going to arrest him here. [It must be. There are people in the lounge now. It''d look bad to cause a scene. It''s a good chance to arrest him during boarding time.] Gale assumed. There was hardly anyone who could afford to buy first- ss seats on an international flight. Hence, there would not be many tourists there when they boarded the ne earlier than the others. Only the airline''s ground crew would be there. It was the best chance for the police to arrest him. Furthermore, every checkpoint had security. The police officers could disguise themselves as security, and Matysh would be like a sitting duck. Rain eximed in her message: [The police officers aren''t stupid at all. They know their chances.] Gale sent her a helpless emoji and replied to her: [Even though they''ve got a point, we''ll have to wait for a long time if that''s their n. It''s boring.] Meanwhile, he had to stay alert and keep an eye on Matysh. Thus, there was no way he could rest. Rain took a magazine out of the magazine rack beside her and handed it to Gale when she saw what he wrote in the message. Gale gave her a confused look. "Aren''t you bored? Look at some hot girls and you''ll be able to stay awake." Rain deliberately mocked him. "F*ck you!" Gale could not help but roll his eyes at her. He leaned forward and put the magazine back. Chapter 2661 The two of them mocked each other on the phone, but it did not stop them from observing Matysh. Matysh looked rxed after walking into the VIP lounge. He was not as anxious as he was just now. Instead, he was enjoying himself in the lounge. He drank some coffee and had some red wine. However, they were not to his liking. Then, he called the staff toe over. He used his poor English and started toment on what he was dissatisfied with. "He''s hard to please," Rain could not help but mutter when she saw that. Gale agreed to it and nodded. Rain turned to look at Luke. He was holding a magazine, but the brim of the cap covered his face. She had no idea if he was reading the magazine or looking at Matysh. She withdrew her gaze and continued to keep an eye on Matsyh. Then, she saw Maytsh touching the staff member. "What a pervert. How could he do such a thing?" Rain continued to judge him. If someone dared to treat her that way, she would p him in the face. However, she was not the airport staff. Even though the staff member felt she had been taken advantage of, she had no choice but to smile apologetically and make different gestures to keep his hands away from her. "How shameless," added Gale. As a man, he despised Matysh for his behavior. "That''s what men are like, right?" Rain rolled her eyes at him. "Don''t tar someone with the same brush. I''m not that kind of person. Boss isn''t either." Gale deliberately mentioned Luke''s name. "I''m sure Boss isn''t that kind of person, but it''s hard to tell if you''re one." Rain partially agreed with what he said. After all, Luke was faithful to Luca. Although other women had offered themselves to sleep with him, they would only end up getting kicked out of his bedroom once he waved his hand. At the same time, the bed and the things on the bed would be thrown out of the room as well. Rain had seen it happen. Before the real Bianca was back, the impostor Bianca was insane, and Tia, her hypnotist, had been treating her the whole time. Therefore, she had the chance to go in and out of Crawford Manor. There was once Luke came back home and saw Tia lying on his bed. Tia exined that she was too sleepy after giving the impostor Bianca psychological counseling, so she decided to take a nap in the study. She did not expect Luke toe back at this hour. No matter how good Tia was in counseling, Luke waved his hand and kicked Tia out of the study. He then asked the butler to get a new bed and move the bed out of the study to throw it away. The new bed was moved into the study. Rain happened to be at Crawford Manor that day as she was going to report her job to Luke. She could never forget how Tia was there, watching everything. The look on her face was constantly changing. Her expression was awkward and upset.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. As Rain watched Matysh cross the line, she could no longer stand it. She turned around and asked in a low voice, "Boss, can I help her?" Luke noticed that someone was walking toward the VIP lounge. He answered in a low voice, ¡°No, don''t alert the enemy.¡± "Okay." Rain suppressed the urge to get the airport staff member out of this jam. "We''re at the airport. He can''t do anything here. He can only do something lowly and despicable like this. Besides, there''ll be only men around him for a long time in the future," Gale reminded Rain not to act recklessly. Matysh would get what he deserved. Being surrounded by men in the many years toe was the greatest torment for someone like him, a man who could not live without women. Rain nodded and watched the other airport staff member walk toward the lounge, helping the woman who was getting harassed get out of the difficult situation. Rain sat back in her chair and gave Matysh a cold stare from behind. Matysh watched the female staff member leave, and a male staff member was left here to stay put. He secretly cursed, "What a lousy airport. I''m nevering here anymore." Three hourster, an announcement was made in the VIP lounge. Matysh nced at the time. He was about to board the ne. Matysh rose to his feetzily and looked disdainfully at the food and drinks served in the VIP lounge. Then, he walked out of the lounge with an arrogant look on his face. Rain nced at her phone and said, "Boss, Matysh is the only one taking the first-ss seat on this ne." "Follow him," instructed Luke. He bought first-ss seats on an international flight. Hence, they would be departing from the same ce. Gale and Rain followed behind him. Luke looked at Matysh from behind coldly. There were many people at the boarding gate. He could recognize that those were the police officers in disguise. They were pretending to be the staff members working at the airport. When Matysh handed his flight ticket to one of them, the police officer pretended to check his ticket. However, he immediately grabbed Matysh''s hand while he used the other to quickly reach out to his back to get the handcuffs. ¡°Damn it!" Matysh was quick to react. He pushed the police officer who was about to cuff his hands and ran toward the exit. "Rain, here''s your chance." Luke knew how much Rain wanted to punch Matysh in the face. "Thanks, Boss." As Rain watched Matysh run toward her, she put on a meaningful smile. She did not expect to have the chance to teach this old pervert a lesson on behalf of the staff member who got harassed by him. Rain seized the chance and pretended to be a passerby. When Matysh was about to run past her, she came face-to-face with him. Right after that, she cried out in surprise and grabbed Matysh''s arm with a backhand. "You!" Matysh initially thought she was just a tourist and that was why he ran past her without worrying too much. He had only just brushed past her but was caught. Before he could finish his sentence, she threw him over her shoulder and he fell on the floor. Then, she spoke to him in Russian fluently, "You old pervert. It''s time for you to go to prison." Matysh felt a sharp pain as though his bones were falling apart when he went down with one hell of a bang. Before he could cry in pain, the police officers around him had already surrounded him. "Miss, thank you for cooperating with the police to arrest the suspect." After Matysh''s hands were cuffed, one of the police officers walked toward Rain and thanked her sincerely. Rain took off her mask and cap. Then, she replied, "No problem. This is what a good citizen should do." "It''s you!" The police officer recognized Rain with just a nce. He was the one who took Rain''s statement when he was handling the Norman family''s case back then. A moment ago, he was still surprised that a woman could throw a foreign man who was six feet tall on the floor. How scary it was! However, when he saw Rain''s face, he immediately understood. She was capable of doing that. "Do you know me?" Rain could not remember the police officer. "Have I been going in and out of the police station so much that I''ve left an impression on you?" The police officer replied excitedly, "I was the one who took your statement when we were handling the Norman family''s case. You''re good." "Oh, it''s you." Rain stayed calm as she received thepliment. She was secretly rejoicing because she had taught Matysh a lesson. It was not because of thepliment. "I''m good because I train a lot. I think police officers working in the police station need to train hard too." Chapter 2662 The smile on the police officer''s face disappeared, and he looked awkward. Rain must have seen his colleague getting pushed by Matysh and letting him escape. It was embarrassing. If it were not for Rain who threw Matysh over her shoulder, it would probably take some time for them to chase Matysh. Also, they would alert the other passengers at the airport, damaging A City''s reputation. Luke took off his cap and mask too. The police officer recognized Luke with just a nce and said, "Mr. Crawford, it''ste. Are you traveling somewhere?" Luke stared coldly at Matysh from behind as he was taken away, and he replied, ¡°I came here to witness this." The police officer was dumbfounded. Did hee here to see Matysh get arrested? However, it seemed like their operation did not go smoothly, and they needed help from the citizens who were not involved in this. If his superiors found out about this, the other police officers would probably be criticized. The police officer shivered, nodded at Luke, and said, "Mr. Crawford, I''ll get back to work if there''s nothing else." "Okay." Luke walked out of the hall as well. It was almost 1:00 a.m. when the mission was finallyplete. Luca came across Luke''s mind. She should be in bed at this hour now. "Boss, what are we going to do now?" Gale followed behind him and asked. "Go back home and get some sleep," replied Luke as he walked out of the airport. Gale was happy to get off work. Hence, he exchanged nces with Rain and asked, "Are we having supperter?" There were many snacks in the VIP lounge just now, but they had their masks on. Besides, they did not eat anything to prevent Matysh from noticing them. They had been working until now, and they must be hungry. "Boss, are youing?" asked Gale. "No." Luke marched out of the airport entrance and looked at Matysh, who had a spit hood on as he was pushed into the police''s car. He was in a good mood. "You can have supper and I''ll pay for it." ¡°Thanks, Boss." Rain and Gale were excited. They could have something better if Luke was paying for it. After all, it would be a shame if they did not have something better when someone was generous enough to pay for it. "What about some seafood?" Gale strode off to the parking lot. "Sure. I remember there''s a new restaurant nearby, and I heard many good reviews. Leroy had it before and told me about it," said Rain. The three of them came to the parking lot and got into their own cars. Gale and Rain headed to the restaurant while Luke went back home. He had finally gotten rid of Matysh, and he fulfilled Marcos'' request as well. This meant Luca would be safer from now on. After they left the airport, there were fewer cars on the road. Luke hit the gas and drove back home. A journey that took an hour or more was shortened to an hour. He came home safely. The lights in the garden were lit, and there was a dim lighting from one of the windows of the vi. It was the light Luca left on. After Luke parked the car, he hurried to the second floor. Then, he quickly headed to the other bathroom to clean himself up, getting rid of the dust and smell on him before returning to the master bedroom. Luca was deeply asleep with the nightmp turned on. She was facing in the direction where Luke''s pillow was, with one of her hands resting on his pillow. Luke remembered what he promised Luca today. He smiled helplessly, thinking of holding her in his arms. Who would have known that he would waste such a good chance just to deal with Matysh''s matter? Still, they would have many chances in the future. Luke gently lifted the nket and sat on the bed. Before he could lie down, Luca woke up and asked drowsily, "Luke?" "It''s me." Lukey down on the bed and carefully ced her injured hand aside. Then, he wrapped her in his arms. "Go to sleep." "Mhm." Luca did not open her eyes to make sure it was him. The scent in the air was the scent she was familiar with. Luca felt tired from sleeping on her side for a few hours. Hence, she turned around and asked, "Have you finished handling the matter?" "Yes. Matysh was sent to the police station." Luke closed his eyes with satisfaction as he smelled the fragrance of her hair. Matysh? Luca opened her eyes. Luke had already turned off the nightmp in the room, so she could only see darkness. Did Luke go out to deal with Matysh''s matter? Was Matysh arrested and sent to prison? Luca wanted to ask him more questions, but as she listened to Luke''s steady breathing, she pondered for a moment. It would be better for her to ask him after they woke up in the morning. The following day. After Luca woke up, she nced at Luke, who was still sleeping soundly. Then, she remembered their conversation when he came homest night. Was Matysh at the police station now? Luca quietly got out of bed and tiptoed her way to the bathroom. She headed downstairs after cleaning herself up. The three kids were already awake, and they were sitting in the living room, waiting for breakfast to be served. ¡°Good morning, Ms. Luca!" Tommy skipped happily to her side. ¡°Good morning, kids." Luca nodded. "Oh yes, Ms. Luca, I forgot something..." Tommy held her hand and acted cute. He should have told her yesterday, but he forgot about it. He only remembered it when he woke up this morning. ¡°What''s the matter?" Luca stroked the child''s head. "There''s a parent-teacher conference this evening. Mrs. Tuffey told us to inform our parents. She also informed every parent in the parent''s group, but I''m not sure if Daddy saw it." Tommy pouted his mouth. Luke was busy with work, and he often missed out on the announcements in the parent''s group. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. However, he would not miss the children''s events. The kids knew he was busy and would take the initiative to remind him. However, too many things happened at school yesterday. That was why Tommy identally forgot about it. "Parent-teacher conference." Luca hesitated. She had no idea if Luke could attend the meeting. If he could not attend the meeting, Old Master Crawford had to represent him. "Yes. Is Daddy awake?" asked Tommy. "No." Luca shook her head. "But Daddy doesn''t like to attend parent-teacher conferences. Great-grandpa and Mr. Griffin would attend the conferences most of the time. Should I inform Great-grandpa?" asked Tommy. The parentteacher conference required one of the child''s guardians to attend. "Can''t you go?" Rainie smiled and asked Ms. Luca when she heard what Tommy said. Tommy''s eyes brightened up as he turned to look at Luca. "Ms. Luca, can you attend the conference on behalf of Daddy?" "I.." Luca hesitated for a moment. It was the child''s parent-teacher conference. She was not Bianca now. Could she go? Rainie said, ¡°You helped Tommy solve the problem at school, no? Now that his teacher knows you, I think it shouldn''t be a problem, right?" "Yes, Ms. Luca. You can go too. Mrs. Tuffey knows who you are. Great-grandpa is old, and he has difficulty walking. Mr. Griffin has to take care of Great-grandpa. Plus, Daddy is busy with his work. Ms. Luca, you''re the only one who can attend the conference on their behalf." Tommy looked at her with puppy-dog eyes and spoke in a pitiful tone. It was as if he would be an abandoned child if Luca disagreed with him. Chapter 2663 ¡°Fine. Just once." Luca could not bear to see her child pleading with her. She also med herself for being useless. If it were not for Abel, who was manipting her, she would not have to use her current identity to attend her child''s parent-teacher conference. She would not have to trouble Old Master Crawford to take care of the kids for her either. Other than that, Luca wondered why the school was holding a parent-teacher conference at this time. Luca had only confronted Mrs. Hudson yesterday, and before Luke could do anything, the school was already organizing this conference. She thought it was troublesome. "That''s great. I don''t have to trouble Great-grandpa this time!" said Tommy, putting on a smile as a hint ofcency shed across his eyes. After breakfast, Zander sent the three kids to school. Luca sat at the dining table, thinking about the parent-teacher conference. While Aunt Neile cleaned the table, she asked with curiosity, "Ms. Luca, are you having a day off today?" "No. I''m going to workter." Luca shook her head. It was just that Tommy''s parent-teacher conference was bothering her. If she argued with Mrs. Hudson in front of the other parents, it would have a bad effect on the kids. It seemed like Mrs. Hudson did not care if her behavior would be a bad influence on her child. Judging from her vindictive personality, she would certainly make things difficult for Luca in front of everyone. "I notice that you''re sitting here and staring nkly. Is something bothering you?" Aunt Neile asked caringly. Luca nodded and replied, "I''m going to attend Tommy''s parent-teacher conference. I''m just doing it to help out Mr. Crawford, but Tommy was falsely used of doing something wrong yesterday. I confronted the child''s mother at the teacher''s office, and the child''s mother is a vengeful person. I''m certain that she''ll make things difficult for me in front of everyone if I attend the parent-teacher conference today." Aunt Neile nodded. Then, Luca asked, "Aunt Neile, if she picks on me, do you I think should mention Tommy''s father, Mr. Crawford, to back us up, or should I just ignore her and let her make a scene? Or should I y on her nerves when she makes a move?" Luca pondered for a moment and thought that all those did not sound like a good idea. After all, many students and parents would be there watching them. ¡°Ms. Luca, I''m not a wise person, but I know if my child is being treated unfairly, I''m pretty sure I''ll go looking for trouble. We can''t just let the child be wronged, right?" said Aunt Neile. Luca nodded. Yes, she could not let Tommy be treated unfairly. No matter if it was in front of everyone or in private, if Mrs. Hudson insisted on getting even with Luca for this, she would try her best to defend Tommy even if things got out of control. "Alright. I know what to do now. Thank you, Aunt Neile. I''m leaving for work. Please inform Mr. Crawford that I''ll be attending Tommy''s parent-teacher conference when he wakes up." Luca rose to her feet. She was sure that she wanted to defend Tommy and not let him be unfairly treated. She no longer hesitated to use which method to deal with it. It would be good as long as she could defend Tommy regardless of what kind of methods she used. "Okay, Ms. Luca," replied Aunt Neile. Half an hour after Luca left for work, Luke woke up and headed downstairs. He came to the dining room and noticed Luca and the three kids were not there. "Good morning, Mr. Crawford. Would you like to have breakfast now?" Aunt Neile heard noises and walked out of the kitchen. She saw that Luke was awake and asked passionately. "Sure." Luke nodded. "Have they finished breakfast already?" "Yes, Mr. Crawford. You woke upte today." Aunt Neile smiled and served breakfast. Then, she informed Luke of what Luca said to her. "Oh yes, Mr. Crawford. Ms. Luca wanted me to inform you that she''ll be attending Young Master Tommy''s parent-teacher conference on behalf of you today." "Parent-teacher conference?" Luke picked up his phone and nced at the parent-teacher group on his phone. There was an announcement indeed, and it was about the parent-teacher conference this afternoon. "Okay. I got it." It would be best if Luca could go. Tommy had always wanted to get closer to Luca. If it were not for Luke, who told them to pretend they did not know about Luca''s true identity, the three kids would have probably addressed her as their mother. "By the way, Mr. Crawford, Ms. Luca seemed to be bothered by the parent-teacher conference." Aunt Neile pondered for a moment and decided to tell Luke what Luca was worried about. Luke was the child''s father, after all. He could solve the problem that was bothering her with just a lift of his finger. "Bothered?" Luke put his spoon down. Aunt Neile continued, "Ms. Luca told me that she confronted one of the parents when she went to the school to handle Young Master Tommy''s matter. The student''s mother is a vindictive person. Luca was worried that she might pick on her when she met her during the parent-teacher conferenceter." "Okay." After Luke heard what Aunt Neile say, he picked up his phone and called Mr. Zac. "Good morning, Mr. Crawford," greeted Mr. Zac after he answered the call. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Luke did not exchange pleasantries with him. He went straight to the point instead. "Mr. Zac, when will you be able to finish drafting theint I requested?" After Luca left his office yesterday, he found the person''s true identity and background based on the name and address given by Mrs. Tuffey. Charlie''s parents were the owners of West Elms Lighting. West Elms Lighting was famous in the local lighting industry. However, it was only famous in A City. Luke contacted Mr. Zac after he found out who it was. Then, he sent Luca''s recording to him and asked him to draft aint and deliver it to the Hudsons. ¡°Probably before noontime," Mr. Zac immediately replied. "I''ll give you two hours. Deliver theint to the owners of West Elms Lighting." Luke was not patient enough to wait until noontime. He wanted them to receive theint before noon. Then, they would be able to find out who Tommy was. Luca was the woman he loved the most, and Tommy was his youngest son. How could he let others bully them? Especially when that woman threatened Luca. Luke wanted them to know the consequences of threatening the person he cared about the most. "Yes, Sir. I''ll do it right now." Mr. Zac dared not to say no to him. He had no choice but to agree with him. He immediately dropped everything and drafted theint. When Luke requested him to draft theint yesterday, he did not tell him when he needed it. He happened to be working on some other cases. That was why he had yet to start drafting theint. Mr. Zac turned on hisputer and heaved a sigh. It looked like Luke''s matter had to be his priority in the future. Luke was his big client, after all. The amount of money Luke paid theirw firm annually was enough to support everyone who was working there. Many attorneys wanted a big client like him. Some were even jealous of him, and they could not wait to see Mr. Zac make a mistake and lose a big client like Luke. That way, they would have the chance to make Luke their client. Mr. Zac dialed the inte number and asked his assistant toe in. "Hurry,e to my office and draft aint with me." After Mr. Zac hung up the call, his assistant came to his office while carrying aptop. The two of them started drafting theint nervously. Chapter 2664 Luke finished his breakfast and left the house after he hung up Mr. Zac''s call. Luke got into the car. He did not leave right away. Instead, he gave Jason a call. The phone rang twice, and Jason answered the call. ¡°Good morning, Boss." "I''ll be an hourte for work today. Please rearrange my schedule," said Luke. He was not nning to head to T Corporation now. "Alright, Boss," replied Jason. After Luke hung up the call, he drove the car out and headed to the police station. He parked his car after he arrived at the police station. Then, he walked straight into the police station. The police officer who was responsible for arresting Matysh immediately recognized him. He immediately came forward and greeted, "Good morning, Mr. Crawford. Is there anything I can help you with?" "Where''s your chief?" asked Luke. "He''s in the office. This way, please." The police officer led him to the chief of police''s office and knocked on the door. His voice came from inside the room. "Come in." The police officer pushed the door open and said, "Chief, Mr. Crawford would like to see you." The chief of police put his documents aside and stood up when he heard Luke was here. "Mr. Crawford, what brings you here?" "Where are the police with the Normans'' case and the teen rape case now?" Luke deliberately mentioned the two cases. The chief of police knew they were on the right track when they suspected Matysh had something to do with the Normans'' case when Luke asked him such a question. "Come in, Mr. Crawford. I''ll get you a cup of tea. Let''s have a chat." The chief of police invited Luke to come in and sit down on the sofa. Luke walked into his office and sat on his sofa. It was a ck leather sofa. Even though it was not made of genuine leather, it was slightly wrinkled because people had sat on it for a long time. It did not affect Luke''s ssy and domineering aura that surrounded him when he sat on it. The chief of police could not help but feel that Luke''s aura would get people to take him more seriously compared to Jack''s solemnity and righteousness. He prepared some tea while Luke stared at him. "Mr. Crawford, I heard what happened before dawn. My subordinates told me about it. I''d like to thank you. Your subordinate caught the suspect for us." The chief of police thanked Luke. He was in charge of the patrol deployment outside the airportst night. He was not at the airport, but he eventually found out what really happened through the police officers and the surveince cameras in the airport. The chief of police even knew that Luke was at the scenest night. He knew he had to handle the case well since Luke was so concerned about Matysh being arrested. Besides, he had no idea if it was Luke''s intention, but there were many posts about the teen''s suicide case on the inte early in the morning. Now, not only was Pierre''s news all over the inte, but there were alsoizens bringing up the news about the teen''s suicide note on the inte. There was a heated discussion among theizens, and everyone was paying attention to the progress of the case. It had gone so far that the public had forced the police to release a notice. The notice was about the police officers receiving cases reported by the public and how they had found evidence about the teen''s suicide case. The case was reopened, and the police would look into it again. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. The police''s response receivedpliments from the public. Many of them hoped that the police could find out the truth as soon as possible and seek justice for the teenage girl who died. ¡°Don''t mention it. It was just a coincidence,¡± Luke replied coldly. The chief of police felt a little uneasy. The coincidence Luke mentioned had made the police''s deployment and operation look inadequate. The chief of police poured the tea into a cup and handed it to Luke. "Try this. I heard Mr. Norman likes the taste of it.¡± Luke picked up the cup and showed some respect as he took a sip of the tea. Then, he said, "Chief, I''ve drunk the tea. Can you tell me what''s the police''s progress now?" "After we brought that foreigner back to the police stationst night, we started taking his statement. But he refused to say anything, and he asked for awyer whenever he spoke. We had no choice but to let him call hiswyer. Even though he said he''s called hiswyer, we haven''t seen anyoneing to the police station since then." The chief of police smiled bitterly. They had no choice but to take their time to deal with a suspect who refused to cooperate with them. However, Luke''s appearance at the police station was pressuring them a lot. It was difficult for them to quickly resolve the case now. They needed more evidence. It would take some time for them to look for more. Luke said, "I''d like to talk to him." The chief of police shook his head and replied, "It''s difficult for us to do that. You know it doesn''tply with the rules." Luke took a file out of his briefcase and put it on the coffee table. Then, he pushed it toward the chief of police and said, "I think what''s inside the file may help you resolve the case." The chief of police was secretly pleased, and he wanted to pick up the file. However, Luke pressed the file with his hand and added, "There''s a precondition for me to cooperate with the police. I need to talk to Matysh." The chief of police hesitated for a moment. His superiors were pushing him to quickly investigate the case now. He was worried that he would not be able to take responsibility if something happened to Matysh. "Mr. Crawford, I..." Luke interrupted him and said, "Don''t worry. You maye with me when I go to see him. I have nothing to hide, so you can listen to our conversation. Listening to our conversation might help you to resolve the case too." The chief of police was tempted for a moment when he heard that. His superiors were asking him to resolve the Normans'' case as soon as possible, but they barely made any progress. He had been suffering from hair loss and could hardly sleep well these days. He kept dreaming of being questioned before eventually getting fired after failing to handle the case well. "Okay, but we need to record a video." The chief of police negotiated with him. "No problem," agreed Luke. He was not nning to hurt Matysh. Hence, it did not matter if the police recorded a video. Even though Matysh deserved to die, the thought of Matysh getting his punishment, which was to spend the rest of his life in A City''s prison and away from his family''s power in Russia, sounded like a good idea to Luke. Luke let go of the file and leaned against the sofa. The chief of police picked up the file and rose to his feet. Then, he said, "Let me make the arrangements." "Do you have anyone who understands Russian here?" asked Luke. "No, we don''t. We talked to the foreigner in English when we took his statement." The chief of police stopped and gave Luke a confused look. "He has a strange English ent. I''ll talk to him in Russian. It''d be better for you to find a Russian trantor after recording the video," reminded Luke. "Okay.." The chief of police was a little troubled. He had to find a Russian trantor now. He dared not to look for a Russian trantor out there. After all, the police were still investigating the case. He was worried that the details of the case would be exposed to the public if he looked for an outsider. The chief of police thought that he could look for a tranting app to trante the sentences one by one. He quickly left the office when he finally thought of a solution. Then, he found his subordinate to make some arrangements for Luke to meet the suspect. Luke was still sitting on the sofa. He took a sip of the tea and suddenly thought of what the chief had told him earlier. Jack was still in the hospital. He picked up his phone and sent a message to Johann: [Is Mr. Norman able to drink tea now?] Chapter 2665 [Yes.] Johann quickly replied to Luke''s message. [Give him a tea set and some quality tea leaves.] Luke sounded calm in the message, and he did not intend to plead with Johann to do it for him. Johann was willing to help him to do these things, after all. [Sure. Send me the money.] Johann immediately replied to his message. Luke stared at his phone coldly and transferred 10,000 dors to Johann''s bank ount. Then, he reminded Johann: [Pick some quality tea leaves. My father-inw is a picky drinker.] Johann received the money. He could not help but exim: [How lucky Mr. Norman is to have such a good son-inw.] [How''s Leia doing?] asked Luke. [As usual. The nurse caught her trying to sneak into the VIP ward room this morning.] Johann sent the surveince footage to Luke after he replied to his message. Luke tapped on the video, and he could see Leia sneakily walking out of the elevator, trying to break into the VIP wardroom when the nurses were taking a break. However, the nurses were not asleep. They were just leaning on the table, resting their eyes. They immediately opened their eyes when they heard footsteps. The nurses and Leia happened to look into each other''s eyes at that moment. Then, Leia swore and cursed. In the end, she was driven out and sent back to her ward. Luke turned off the video. If Leia had such acting skills, she would not have failed in her career when she had so many resources back then. He kept his phone away. The chief of police walked into the office with a smile on his face. He already opened the file a moment ago, and the information Luke gave him could indeed help him to resolve the case. Even though he had no idea why Luke had his reservations about the case, the police already had enough evidence to bring Matysh''s case to court. ¡°Mr. Crawford, it''s done." There was a cheerful smile on his face. He was happy that he could resolve the case. Not only was he able to seek justice for the teenage girl whomitted suicide, but he could also give the public an exnation about it. Luke rose to his feet. A police officer led him to the interrogation room and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, this is the only room installed with surveince cameras. You can only talk to Matysh here." "Okay." It did not matter to Luke. He could talk to Matysh anywhere. All he wanted was to meet him for a while. The police officer nodded at his colleague. Then, his colleague and Matysh entered the room through another door. Matysh frowned when he saw Luke. At first, there was a surprised look on his face that eventually changed to confusion. Then, he immediately understood that Luke had something to do with this. After Matysh was arrested and sent back to the police station, he finally knew that he got it right. The police arrested him because of that teenage girl who got raped andmitted suicide. The police could only take action after they found evidence. It had been so many years, and Matysh thought the case was closed. He did not expect the truth to be brought to light. Other than denying that it was he who did it, Matysh refused to cooperate with the police to make the statement. He spent the rest of the time thinking about it. He had no idea who tipped the police off. The moment he saw Luke, he finally knew who was the one trying to arrest him. "It''s you!" Matysh became hysterical. He wanted to charge at Luke, but his hands were cuffed to the table. The stainless steel table was welded to the floor. He could not move. Matysh did not expect he would be defeated by Luke after he got away with his crime for so many years. Matysh suddenly recalled what Marcos had warned him. Luke was not an ordinary person. He had told Matysh not to mess with him and not to have inappropriate designs toward the people around him. Luke gave him a cold-eyed stare. When he saw how furious Matysh was, he slowly uttered and asked, "I heard that you need awyer. You probably don''t know anywyers in A City, right? Do you need me to provide some rmendations?" "Stop pretending. I know it was you who gave the police the information!" replied Matysh.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "I was just doing what a good citizen should do." Luke did not deny it. Instead, he tried to make him talk. "I know you have something to do with the Normans'' case, right?" Matysh initially thought of saying something, but he noticed that the surveince cameras in the interrogation room were turned on. Even though he did not know how the criminal litigation process worked in A City, he knew if he said anything in front of the surveince cameras, it would be used as evidence. Matyshughed mockingly and replied, "Do you think you can trap me here?" "It''s enough to keep you in prison for a few years and change that lecherous personality of yours." Luke did not care if it was the teen suicide case or the Normans'' case. Matysh would have to spend eight to ten years in prison if he was sentenced. "You''re in your 50s, right?" Luke suddenly asked. Matysh''s eyes darkened and replied, "What do you want?" "ording to thew in A City, the criminal will usually be sentenced to three to ten years imprisonment for the charges of rape and sexual assault of a teenager. The innocent teenage girlmitted suicide because of what you did to her. That''s bad enough. I''m sure you''ll be in prison for ten years for that. Besides, the police will eventually solve the Normans'' case. And that''s going to be at least three years of imprisonment. You''ll be spending 13 years in total behind bars, and you''ll be released from prison when you''re in your 60s. No woman will be by your side for more than a decade, only men. Matysh, it''s not going to be easy for you." Luke crossed his long legs as he watched Matysh''s face darken. It made him feel good. The chief of police and a few police officers were holding their phones outside the interrogation room. They were using the phone''s app to trante the voicesing from the surveince footage. One of them was responsible for tranting what Luke said, while the other police officer tranted what Matysh said. Another police officer took photos of every sentence that was being tranted. ¡°That''s a lot of information.¡± The police officer who was responsible for taking note of the content of their conversation could not help but exim. Even though the tranted sentences shown on the trantion app were not fluent, they could roughly understand the meaning. He could not help but sigh. "Take note. Don''t miss anything.¡± The chief of police reminded him. "Yes, Sir." In the interrogation room. Luke''s words made Matysh realize that the rest of his life was ruined if he was trapped there. The legal system in A City waspletely different from Russia''s. Moreover, his family did not have any influence or power in A City. If there was evidence to prove everything he had done, he might really have to be in prison for more than ten years. ording to internationalw and thew in Russia, he would be extradited and returned to Russia to stand trial. His life would be ruined. Matysh started to regret what he had done in the past. Why did he target Luca to satisfy his desires? Still, it was not the time to regret it now. Matysh deliberately sneered and said, "Solve the case? Who do you think you are? I''ve never done anything like that before. No matter how strict thews are in A City, the police have to release me if there''s no evidence to prove that I''m the one who did it. It''s too early for me to give up. Luke Crawford, I know about you and Marcos. What did he offer you to listen to him and go as far as to ruin my life? By doing this, he thinks he''ll be able to inherit the family''s inheritance, right? That''s impossible! He''ll never get it!" "Who told you that the police don''t have any evidence?" Luke lowered his voice. "Matysh, they found more evidence today. Even if you can''t exin to the police, you''d better find the best attorney in the city. You''re going to jail for sure." Chapter 2666 "You!" Matysh became nervous when he saw the confident look on Luke''s face. He was at a loss for words all of a sudden. Luke added, "Perhaps they''ll be able to find out that you have something to do with the Normans'' case. They''ll also figure out who''s working for you. I won''t let the person who hurt Luca get away with it. Go to prison and be a changed man. Mr. Abaza, your family is going to abandon you." The noble families in Russia would not allow any of their family members to bring shame to the family. Marcos had told Luke that when they were sure that Matysh would be found guilty, which had also be a fact. Even though the elders of the Abaza family had appointed Matysh to be their sessor, he would be abandoned by them the moment he was sentenced to imprisonment. "Luke Crawford, you''re not gonna get away with this!" Matysh rose to his feet and kicked the table. "What are you doing? Sit down!" The police officer beside him pressed him down and made him sit on the chair. "Behave yourself. There are cameras everywhere." Matysh''s bloodshot eyes were looking at him dead in the eyes. His life was going to be ruined by Luke! If he was sentenced to imprisonment, his family would abandon him. Everything he possessed would fall into Marcos'' hands. How could he not do anything when he was going to end up behind the bars? Luke rose to his feet and sneered, "Oh, onest thing, the legal system in A City allows the offender to voluntarily turn himself in and take the initiative to expose his aplice. It might affect the judge''s sentencing decision and reduce the offender''s sentence for his sake. Perhaps you can reduce your sentence if you tell them about the Normans'' case. You might reduce your sentence by a year or two." After that, Luke turned around and left. Matysh stood up. He wished he could stab Luke in the heart, but his hands were cuffed and there were no tools around him. There was nothing he could do. He watched Luke leave the room with a hideous expression on his face. Matysh suddenly had a feeling that he would be a prisoner soon. "Damn it, Luke Crawford. My family won''t let you get away with it for setting me up!" snarled Matysh. There was a hint of dissatisfaction in his voice. There was also fear of facing the future in it. Luke left without stopping. The chief of police slowly let out a sigh of relief and said, "It seems like we have to look further into this." "Chief, what are we investigating? Didn''t Mr. Crawford provide you with some information just now?" One of the police officers did not get it and he asked. ¡°It was about the teen suicide case, but I''m talking about the Normans'' case. Matysh is probably the one behind this. Didn''t you hear what he said? It looks like the main target of the Normans'' case wasn''t Mr. and Mrs. Norman, it was Ms. Luca,¡± replied the chief. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Although the name tranted on the phone app was not Luca''s name, judging from the homonyms and how Luke had shown his favoritism toward Luca, the chief of police figured out that Luca was the target in a minute. ¡°You''re right.¡± Luke walked toward them and saw them using the trantion app on their phones. He knew they had briefly tranted and understood the contents of his conversation with Matysh. "Mr. Crawford, does that mean you''ve already known that Matysh was trying to hurt Ms. Luca?" asked the chief. ¡°Yes. His target has always been Luca. As for the reason for getting the Normans involved in this, I guess you''ll have to look into it.¡± Luke put his hands in his pockets. He knew what he did on purpose had taken the intended effect when he noticed that they were not surprised to hear that. Before they arrested Matysh, they had already suspected that Matysh had something to do with the Normans'' case. It was just that they did not have strong evidence. The chief of police understood the implications of Luke''s words. Furthermore, taking into consideration what Luke said to Matysh about taking the initiative to turn himself in, the chief said with a stern look on his face, ¡°Mr. Crawford, I wonder if I can just take a few minutes of your time to invite you to my office and have some tea.¡± ¡°I have 15 minutes left.¡± Luke nced at the watch and confirmed with him. The chief of police instructed his subordinates to arrange the notes and quickly brought Luke to his office. The expression on the chief''s face turned serious at once. The two of them sat opposite each other, and he asked, ¡°When did you know Matysh was trying to hurt Ms. Luca?¡± ¡°Is that important?¡± Luke questioned him. The chief was rendered speechless. It was not important. What he wanted was the evidence that Matysh had something to do with the Normans'' case. He was pretty sure that Luke had evidence. As long as it was irrefutable evidence, the problems troubling him would be gone, and he would be able to retire happily. "Sure enough, that''s not important. Mr. Crawford, I need your help. Since you knew Matysh was after Ms. Luca from the beginning, you would have sent your men to follow him. I need evidence," said the chief. ¡°I can give it to you, but on one condition.¡± Luke looked at the tea that was no longer warm. The chief was so anxious that he did not even pour him another cup of warm tea. It seemed like his superiors were putting him under a lot of pressure because of the Normans'' case. If he failed to resolve the case, he might not be able to sleep or eat well. After all, no one would believe that those mobsters dared to hurt Mr. and Mrs. Norman. Everyone believed that a mastermind was behind this, someone who nned the break-in and assault case. "Alright!" The chief saw a glimpse of hope. "The materials that I provide can prove that Matysh might be rted to the case, but it''ll be much easier for you to get your job done with the evidence you find on your own." Luke paused for a moment and continued, "You heard what I said just now. Mr. Norman just happened to be involved in it. Those men didn''t dare to hurt him, but he suddenly became a target. Someone must be behind them, egging them on to use him as a hostage. I need you to promise me that you''ll find the evidence and this person. Don''t let those who are involved in this get away with it." "Of course. I dare not cut corners when it''s about the Normans'' case." The chief agreed to it without hesitation. If he failed to investigate the Normans'' case, he would be the one facing the consequences if Mr. Norman was dissatisfied with him. Luke took another file out of his briefcase. There were photos in the file. They were taken by Gale and Rain when the two of them were following Matysh. The photos showed the hotel Matysh was staying in, the people who went to the hotel frequently, and those who came in and out of his room. The chief opened the file and nced at the photos. He recognized one of them who was in the hospital now. It was the man who led the others and made a scene at the Norman family''s residence. "These photos are extremely important to us. Thank you, Mr. Crawford." The chief did not expect Luke to have such important evidence in his hands. He could not help but wonder why Luke did not take them out in the first ce. "And this." Luke took a voice recording pen out and handed it to him. "I''m not nning to interfere in the police''s business, but I didn''t expect the police to find nothing. That''s why I''m giving this information to you. These are the information my men inadvertently obtained while following him." Luke stressed the word inadvertently. The chief knew what Luke meant. He stood up and reached out his hand. "Mr. Crawford, the information you''ve provided to the police will be of great help in solving the case. I''d like to thank you for your assistance on behalf of all of us here." Chapter 2667 Luke was indifferent. He did not reach out to hold the chief''s hand. "Time''s up. I should leave," said Luke. He had already said the things he needed to and given the information he had to without reservations. "Alright. Let me see you off." The chief of police ced the file and voice recording pen on his office desk before leaving the room with Luke. The police officers who were on duty saw him off too. The news of Luke helping to solve the case spread like wildfire in the police station. All the police officers appreciated Luke''s help in solving the case. After all, he saved them a lot of trouble by assisting them. Once they figured out whether or not the evidence was true, they would be able to proceed to the next step. This was a great help to them as they had been working overtime for the past few days but still barely made any progress in solving the case. After Luke left, the police officer who stood beside the chief of police asked, "Chief, did Mr. Crawford provides any useful evidence?" "Of course. Not only did he give us the photos but also a recording," muttered the chief. Even though he had yet to listen to the recording, he knew it would help them to solve the case. "That''s great. Why don''t we make a pennant and give it to Mr. Crawford as a gift?" suggested the police officer. The police station would usually award a pennant and some cash reward to righteous citizens and those who provided them with important clues about a case. Luke might not care about the cash reward. After all, the amount of the cash reward was not even one- tenth of his daily ie... It might be less than that. The chief rolled his eyes at him and reminded him, "Does Mr. Crawford need such bells and whistles? We only have to get our job done and solve the Normans'' case." He did not forget what Luke told him. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. The mastermind had encouraged those men to be bold. That was why the number of victims became three when Luca, who was supposed to be the only victim, got Mr. and Mrs. Norman involved in this. Judging from the look on Luke''s face, the person who urged them to do so did not seem like Matysh, who was being detained at the police station. After all, there were no grudges between that foreigner and Mr. and Mrs. Norman. They had never even talked to each other. The chief supposed that there should be another person behind this. Otherwise, Luke would not have said something like that. "That''s true," replied the police officer embarrassedly. He was too excited to the extent that he forgot certain things when he saw that they had made some progress in the case that had been troubling them. "Oh yes, you have to think of a way. No matter if it''s about cooperating with the Interpol or the other departments, take a look at Matysh''s bank ount transactions," instructed the chief. Matysh would have left some evidence when he made a deal with the mobsters he hired tomit the crime. They thought they were safe, but who would have known that there was an unfathomable man like Luke Crawford who was intercepting them? The chief looked at the sky and secretly heaved a sigh. It served them right. They messed with Luke and the woman he loved. It was just their luck. "Yes, Sir," replied the police officer beside him. "I''m going back to my office to listen to the recording. Once I find out anything, bring that mob boss back to the police station right away." The chief slowly walked into the police station. His steps were no longer anxious. He was confident that he would be able to solve the case soon. "Yes, Sir." Luke drove to T Corporation after he left the police station. Jason was waiting for him when he had juste out of the elevator. He followed behind Luke and reported to him about his schedule today. Luke came to the office an hourter than usual today. Besides that, he had many meetings to attend today. Hence, Jason did not have a moment to lose, and he reported his schedule to Luke. "So many meetings today?" Luke frowned and asked. "Yes, Boss. You have many meetings to attend today," Jason replied helplessly. Luke usually came to the office on time, but he was an hourte today. The meetings held in the morning had to be postponed. As a result, he did not have much time left today. Jason had already informed the departments that had to work overtime to attend the meeting today. "Get me a cup of coffee," instructed Luke. "Tina has already poured it for you. And Mr. Zac called just now. He couldn''t reach you, so he wanted me to tell you that he has finished drafting theint letter. His assistant is on his way to deliver it to the party." Jason continued to report to him. "Okay." Luke nced at his phone. His phone had run out of battery. That was why Mr. Zac could not reach him. Luke charged his phone. ¡°Boss, should I inform them to get ready for the meeting now?" Jason asked for Luke''s opinion. "Yes. I''ll head to the meeting room in five minutes." Luke pressed the button on the phone. After he turned on his phone, he sent a long message to Luca. [Mr. Zac has already sent theint letter to the parent. Don''t worry about the parent-teacher conference today. She won''t dare toe looking for trouble. She might even apologize to you. Don''t you worry. I''ll protect you and keep you safe. Plus, Matysh has been detained by the police. The police have enough evidence to take him to court. The Norman family''s case will be solved soon, so don''t worry.] After Luke tapped on the send button, Tina served him a cup of coffee. "Boss, your coffee." "Okay." Luke took a sip of the coffee and said, "Bring it to the meeting room. "Yes, Boss." Tina covered the cup with a lid and carried it in her hands as she walked out of his office. Luke brought hisptop and phone along with him. When he was about to leave, Luca replied to his message. [Got it. Thank you.] She sounded polite in her message. Luke shook his head and put his phone in his pocket. He walked out of his office and was ready to head downstairs to attend the meeting. Watsons Biopharmaceuticals. Luca kept her phone away and could not help but scratch her palm. The wound on her hand was much itchier than usual when she woke up today. It was a kind of reminder. The stitches could be removed. Luca pondered for a moment. She walked out of the office carrying the two samples that were mixed with Amur and her blood. She came to theboratory. Rhett and the researchers in her team were all here. Even though theboratory was open to all the research teams, only her research team was using it. After all, they had alreadypleted their research. Luca had yet to start her new research project. "Dr. Craw, are you here to do experiments?" one of the researchers smiled and asked. "Yes." Luca came to the seat where she used to sit and said to Rhett, "Mr. Link, please help me." "Sure." Rhett immediately dropped everything and changed into a new pair of gloves. He sat on a chair and said, "Dr. Craw, are the steps still the same as yesterday?" "Yes." Luca nodded. "Okay." Rhett was swift and agile after having done the same thing for the past two days. He was able to ce the sample that had been mixed well into the analytical instrument quickly. "Thank you. Please bring the report to my office after the results are out." Luca left theboratory after that, carrying the rest of the blood samples with her. The researchers exchanged nces with each other and waited for Luca to leave. One of them could not help but ask with curiosity, ¡°Mr. Link, do you have any idea what Dr. Craw is working on? Today''s the third day." "I don''t know." Rhett shook his head and returned to his seat. He put on another pair of gloves and continued with his research. "You''re the one taking the report for her. How can you not know about it?" asked one of the researchers. Chapter 2668 Rhett secretly rolled his eyes. These people were curious about someone else''s affairs. He was rendered speechless. Did they not know that curiosity killed the cat? ¡°I''ve never read any of the reports. Can we go through Dr. Craw''s documents without her permission?" Rhett refuted. He was not like them. Luca told him not to look at the reports, so he never read them. The researcher who asked the question could sense the impatience in Rhett''s tone, and he stopped talking. However, the researchers found it strange as they noticed Luca had been repeating the same experiment for the past few days. Rhett refused to tell them anything, and they dared not to ask Luca either. Therefore, they could only be curious. Previously, Luca criticized a researcher after he went through her data information without her permission. They dared not to peep at the data documents. After Luca left theboratory, she looked at her hand and told Mo Stone that she wanted a leave of absence from work. Luca was nning to head to the hospital to look for Johann and remove the stitches. At the same time, could drop by to deliver some fresh fruits to Mr. and Mrs. Norman as well as Wanda. Luca was more worried about Wanda''s condition now. Wanda''s body had an overwhelming reaction when she was receiving her first chemotherapy treatment. Even if Wanda took the prescription Luca gave her, she had no idea if Wanda would be able to hold up following the next few sessions. After Luca filled in the form, she asked Warren to send her to the hospital. Luca bought some fruits at the supermarket downstairs after she arrived at the hospital. Then, she contacted Johann. Knowing that Johann was not currently in the operation room, Luca carried the bag of fruits and walked toward the elevator. Before she entered the elevator, she ran into Leia. Luca noticed that Leia seemed to be in a good mental state, but her sallowplexion seemed to be getting serious. Leia saw Luca too. She sneered at her and noticed that Luca was carrying a bag of fruits in her hands. She said enigmatically, "Why? Are you here to curry favor with someone?" Leia was green with envy when she was reminded of Luke taking Luca into the VIP wardroom that day. Then, Leia added, ¡°It''s hrious to see you trying to please my parents. Those who don''t know would think you''re their biological daughter!¡± ''I am?.'' Luca secretly muttered, but what she said was not what she thought in her mind. ¡°I came here to remove my stitches.¡± After that, she raised her injured hand. ¡°I''m not as lucky as you, after all. So many men broke into the house that day. Those who were present were attacked, but you''re the only one who was safe and sound. Come to think of it, it''s pretty strange." A hint of guilt shed across Leia''s eyes. She gritted her teeth and scoffed. "It''s you who was unlucky. What does it have to do with me? We call that a jinx here. You''re a jinx. That''s what you are, right?" Luca felt helpless when she saw how Leia wished to use the most offensive words to abuse her. Sure enough, no matter who Luca was, Leia was born to be hostile toward her. She was always showing so much hatred. Leia even wanted to get others to do the dirty work and get rid of her. "Is that so? Let''s see who''s going to make it till the end and who exactly is the unlucky one. Are you taking your medicely?" Luca was not pissed. She had gotten used to Leia being mean to her. Leia could not help but clench her fists when she noticed that Luca was not mad at her. Then, she replied, "Why do you care?" There was a faint smile at the corner of Luca''s lips, and she replied, "It''s none of my business, indeed. It''s just that you don''t look so good. Mrs. Norman was willing to risk her life to protect you and take care of you. She even put her pride aside and went around asking for help. Ms. Norman, take good care of your health. Don''t let your body reject the liver and let everyone''s effort be in vain." A wave of fury rose inside Leia when she looked at the mocking smile on Luca''s face. It made her blood boil. Leia thought Luca was mocking her and ignored what she said in thetter sentence. ¡°Stop putting on a show. And my body''s working fine. I''m not like you. Tsk tsk, you''ve done so many evil things. How could you be shameless enough toe out here and roam around?" Luca did not ask Leia what evil things she had done. She had done many evil things, but they were not what Leia thought. Luca was only following Abel''s instructions when she did those things. Even though it was not what she wanted, she had no choice. The elevator arrived on the first floor. Luca could not be bothered to refute what she said and replied, "What I said is true. You should pay attention to it." After that, she walked into the elevator. Leia rolled her eyes at her and walked toward another elevator. She refused to get into the same elevator as Luca. The doctor had told Leia to get a medical check-up, and she could get discharged from the hospital if there was nothing wrong with her. However, Leia refused to do so. It was not that she was unwilling to do the check-up, but she was reluctant to get discharged from the hospital. She was worried that those police officers woulde looking for her again after she was discharged from the hospital. If she was in the hospital, she could pretend she was feeling unwell ande up with different excuses to fool the police officers when they came looking for her. Hence, she did not go for a medical check-up. She took medicine and got jabbed every day. Even though it was ufortable for her to stay in a three-bed ward, it was better than living in the apartment. After all, she would be on pins and needles if she got discharged from the hospital. Luca arrived at the floor where Johann''s office was. She came to his office and knocked on the door. ¡°Dr. Craw, you''re here. Come in," said Johann as he squeezed some sanitizer on his hands and rubbed them. Then, he put on clean medical gloves. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "Is there a problem with the wound?" asked Johann. Luca did not make it clear when she told him she wasing here. "No, I came to remove the stitches," exined Luca as she unwrapped her bandage. "Remove the... stitches?" Johann was surprised. He counted the days and realized it had not been a week. Luca nodded. "I can feel that my wound is a few times itchier than yesterday. It''s probably healed. That''s why I came to find you." After that, the bandage on her hand was removed. She thrust out her hand and said, "The stitches can be removed, right?" Johann took a close look at her wound. He was surprised to see that her wound was already healed! "That''s fast. Dr. Craw, how?" He could not help but be serious. Luca had no choice but toe up with an excuse. "It''s probably because I''ve been using my own medicine powder. Even though you gave me the medicine to clean my wound, I didn''t use it. I was using the medicine powder I made myself. The effects are good, so my wound healed quickly." If Johann had not seen it for himself, he would not have believed that. Then, he questioned, "Is there such a good medicine powder? Dr. Craw, are you selling it? I sometimes run into patients who heal much slower than others after I perform surgery on them. Your medicine powder will be a great help to them." Luca shook her head and replied, "My medicine powder isn''t FDA-approved. The hospital won''t allow you to use it even if you dare to do so. The patients won''t trust the product either." Her medicine powder could heal wounds faster, but it had not been through clinical trials. Hence, there was no way the product could beunched in the market. Besides, it was Shanks'' recipe. Shanks did not agree to let Luca use it, so she could not just give it to someone else. ¡°Well, you can make it legal with your identity. Perhaps you can apply for a patent too." Johann reminded her, and he sent a message to the intern in passing, asking him to bring a suture removal kit into his office. Chapter 2669 He thought Luca came here to check her wound and change the dressing, but he did not expect her to come to remove the stitches. That was why he did not prepare for it. ¡°Besides that, my next research project has been confirmed," said Luca as she swayed her hand. ¡°Can you help me remove the stitches?" ¡°I''ve asked the intern to bring the suture removal kit in here." The moment Johann finished his sentence, the intern brought the suture removal kit in and said, ¡°Dr. Park, I''ve brought it here." ¡°Thanks." Johann opened the package and took the sterilized cotton ball out. He cleaned the stitches on the wound. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. He did it gently. Even though the wound looked like it had healed, he was afraid that he would hurt Luca. The intern saw Luca and doubted if he had remembered the date when Luca got injured wrongly. However, the day Luca got injured was also the day Mr. and Mrs. Norman got into the hospital. It took everyone in the hospital by storm. He remembered it correctly. The intern shot a nce at Luca''s palm. Johann picked up the stitch scissors and said calmly, ¡°There''s no need to look at it. The wound is healed." "Oh," the intern replied stiffly. He saw that the wound was healed, indeed. The wound healed outstandingly fast! Johann was quick. After he removed the stitches from Luca''s wound, he put on a bandage on Luca''s wound to prevent the holes left by the stitches from being infected. ¡°You may remove the bandage tomorrow," said Johann. ¡°Got it." Luca nodded. She took her medical card out and handed it to him. ¡°I''m not taking any consultation fees. It''s on me." Johann shook his head. It was just some chump change, and he could not be bothered to take it. ¡°Thank you." Luca did not insist on paying. Johann pointed at the fruits in the bag and asked, ¡°Are they for me?" ¡°No, I have to go upstairs to visit Mr. and Mrs. Norman, as well as Aunt Wanda." Luca was a little embarrassed. She did not expect Johann to ask her something like that. However, she knew Johann was just trying to lighten the atmosphere by asking that. "They''re all from Luke''s side... Dr. Craw, I''d love to have some fruits too." Johann blinked his eyes yfully and chatted with her. He had a feeling that Luca would be able to help him more in the future with her capability. Johann thought what Luca had learned on the Ind of Despair could be of great help to the patients in the future. The intern could no longer stand Johann teasing Luca and said, "Dr. Park, the nurses and patients'' family members are all fighting to give you fruits as gifts. Why don''t you get them from them?" "Shut up." Johann rolled his eyes at him. The intern was getting bolder each day. The intern rubbed his nose after getting scolded. He immediately replied, "Dr. Park, I''m going back to read through the medical records if there''s nothing else." After that, he quickly got out of Johann''s office like a rabbit running away after it almost got caught. Luca smiled. Johann teased her when he saw her smiling, "Dr. Craw, feel free toe to the hospital to work when you''re bored of your job one day. You''re always wee here." Luca was startled for a moment. "Dr. Park, are you trying to poach an employee?" Johann exined, "Well, you''re a talent that''s hard toe by." "I know you''re talking about your work. But I''m just an ordinary pharmaceutical scientist. Perhaps I know more than the others, but I''m just an ordinary person." Luca rejected him calmly. Luca had never thought of working in the hospital. When she could be herself again one day, she was not sure if she would get back to architectural design or continue to be a pharmaceutical scientist. Still, it was unlikely that she would work in the hospital. Luca did not like the hospital. "Oh yes, Dr. Park, my. No, how''s Aunt Wanda doing now?" She would like to know Wanda''s current condition. "Ah, I was just about to talk to you about this. The response of the patient''s body to the chemotherapy agents seems to be more serious than I thought. But she''s fortunate enough to have the herbal medicine you prescribed for her. It has helped to reduce most of the symptoms of her body rejecting the medicine at the moment. But we''re only able to find out how your medicine works when she finishes a course of treatment," replied Johann. "Okay. I hope the medicine can reduce Aunt Wanda''s pain," Luca uttered slowly. "If the medicine has a great effect on her, I''d like you to promote the medicine to others. It can help many patients." Johann gave her a sincere look. "Let''s discuss thister. It''s herbal medicine. The dosage of the medicine isn''t the same for everyone. I haven''te up with a standard dosage yet. Besides, if clinical trials are performed for the medicine, I''m afraid we won''t be able to find out the right dosage for everyone within a day or two even if there are volunteers," said Luca. The standard dosage for everyone was in Shanks'' head, but he did not teach Luca that. They seldom used the medicine. That was why Shanks only mentioned the recipe when he taught her how to make it. However, it reminded Luca of her foster dad when he mentioned chemotherapy. Her foster dad was in pain back then. Hence, Luca kept the recipe of the medicine in mind. That was why she was able to help Wanda. "That''s true." Johann nodded as he agreed with her. "If you need any volunteers, there are millions of volunteers for you to choose from in the hospital. Think about it." ¡°Dr. Park, I should head upstairs.¡± Luca carried the bag of fruits and rose to her feet. ¡°Sure.¡± Johann did not make her stay. He only hoped that Luca could consider what he mentioned to her. He was doing it for the patients'' sake. Even though he had no idea who taught Luca these, the recipe of the medicine was like something that had been drowned out by history though it existed a hundred or even a thousand years ago. Her medicine had a miraculous effect in an era marked by the rapid adoption of new technologies. Johann had looked into the recipe Luca sent to him before. Most of the herbs were to improve health. There were a few drug recipes that could cure dizziness and vomiting, but the herbs weremon and could be found everywhere. He wondered why the herbs could work miraculously when they were mixed. At least it worked on Wanda. Wanda, who had just received chemotherapy once, no longer felt dizzy and nauseous after she took the herbal medicine. Her appetite wasing back too. If it were not for the nurses in the hospital who prepared the medicine for the patients, Johann would have doubted if Luca added anything to the medicine. However, every step was done in the hospital when they prepared the medicine. Luca had never intervened with it. Johann was secretly amazed. He gave Luke a call. The phone rang once and the call was rejected. Then, Luke sent him a message: [Meeting. What''s the matter?] ¡°That saves him the trouble.¡± Johann understood what Luke meant. He was in a meeting, and it was inconvenient for him to answer the call. He sent Luke a long message. It was briefly about Luca''s medicine. In order to let more patients benefit from it, the medicine had to be FDA-approved. He wanted her to continue to work on the medicine so that the medicine could go through the procedures and beunched in the market. [It''s up to her.] Luke replied to his message. Johann let out a tsk sound. It was mostly the wife who obeyed the husband, but things seemed to be different for Luke and Luca. In their rtionship, it was more like the husband submitting to his wife. Luca would have agreed to it if she was willing to work on it. Johann could sense her hesitation. That was why he contacted Luke Chapter 2670 He never expected Luke to give him such an answer. Johann felt as though he had just witnessed some PDA in front of him. Luca got into the elevator and came to the floor where the VIP ward rooms were. She noticed that there was another security guard on duty today. The head nurse saw Lucae in and greeted her passionately, ¡°Ms. Luca, are you here to visit the patients?" "Yes." Luca stopped and stood in front of the head nurse. She could not help but ask with curiosity, "Is it just me, or do there seem to be more security guards today?" "It''s all because of Ms. Norman. She tried to sneak into the VIP ward roomst night. Fortunately, the nurse on duty wasn''t asleep. She immediately stopped her. Otherwise, our superiors would definitely me us for that." The head nurse felt helpless. She nodded in the direction of the security guard and continued, "The security guards are supposed to get off work around 11 at night when the visiting hours have ended. Well, the hospital has to arrange for a security guard to work in the morning and get another one on duty at night. It has caused everyone a lot of trouble. They''re thinking of hiring a few more security guards now. Otherwise, the guards would have to stay up all night to work. It''s getting too much for them, and they''re going toin." There was a hint of criticism in the nurse''s voice as Luca listened to her. However, the hospital had no intention of forcing the patient to get discharged from the hospital. Therefore, as long as Leia was still in the hospital, they had to strengthen the security of the VIP wardrooms. Otherwise, Leia would try to sneak in again. ¡°Thank you for your effort," replied Luca as she took a bag of apples out. She added, "These are for you. Thank you for taking care of the Normans and Ms. Rayne." The head nurse immediately waved her hand while secretlyplimenting the way Luca conducted herself. "Ms. Luca, we can''t take these. Please give them to the patients. It''s our responsibility to take good care of the patients." "Okay." Luca knew they were not allowed to receive anything from the patients'' family members. The reason Luca did that was to calm her nerves. After all, Leia had caused a lot of trouble for them. Luca no longer insisted on doing so. She ced the bag of apples back and said, "I''m going to visit them first." "Sure. Go ahead. Ms. Rayne has just finished her chemotherapy. She''s resting in her wardroom now," the head nurse smiled and said. "Okay. Thank you." Luca carried two bags of fruits and walked into the wardroom. Luca first came to Wanda''s wardroom. The door was closed. She gently knocked on the door. The caretaker came to open the door. She was surprised to see Luca when she saw her. Then, she said, ¡°Ms. Luca, it''s you. Did youe to visit Ms. Rayne?¡± ¡°Yes. The head nurse told me that Ms. Rayne has just finished her chemotherapy session. Is it convenient for me to visit her now?¡± asked Luca. She knew Wanda was concerned about what others thought about her. She just did not want others to see the mess she was in. ¡°Yes. Ms. Rayne is in good shape.¡± The caretaker opened the door. Luca walked into the room and saw Wanda sitting on the bed, holding a ss of water in her hands. Wanda was surprised to see Luca coming in. ¡°Luca, what brings you here?¡± "I came here to remove my stitches. I came to visit you too," replied Luca. She ced a bag of fruits on the table and said, "I bought this downstairs. You''ll need more vitamins. That way, you''ll be able to sleep well." ¡°Thank you.¡± Wanda looked great. She did not look like someone who had just finished her chemotherapy session. ¡°You look great.¡± Luca sat on the sofa, carefully observing Wanda''splexion. The caretaker said, "It''s thanks to the medicine you prescribed. It was hard for Ms. Rayne when she received the chemotherapy treatment for the first time, but she suddenly felt better after she took the medicine they prepared for her. Her appetite came back too. She doesn''t look like a patient who''s going through chemotherapy sessions. They usually feel a tightness in the chest and have nausea. Ms. Luca, your medicine works." Now, every patient who stayed in the hospital''s VIP wardrooms knew that the herbal medicine Wanda took had reduced a lot of pain and the side effects of chemotherapy. Luca smiled and shook her head. ¡°It''s not the medicine. It''s Ms. Rayne who''s confident in fighting it. That''s why the medicine has such miraculous effects.¡± "Ms. Rayne, I heard that there are a few cancer patients on this floor who are receiving chemotherapy treatment after their surgery. They''d like to try taking your medicine! It''s just that their attending physician told them that the medicine was specially prescribed for Ms. Rayne ording to her health condition, so they can''t take the same medicine. Now, there are many people out there who are willing to pay for a prescription from you. They want to reduce their pain after receiving chemotherapy treatment." The caretaker smiled brightly. Luca frowned when she heard herpliment. Wanda did the same thing. She furrowed her brows unhappily. The caretaker had asked Wanda for Luca''s contact details before. She told her that other patients wanted Luca to prescribe them medicine to reduce their pain after chemotherapy. She even told her that those people were willing to pay a high price if the medicine worked. Besides, they imed that Luca would be willing to do so since it was a good deed. However, Wanda did not think so. Luca kept a low profile. She did not want toy up trouble for herself either. Wanda remembered Luke telling her how Luca detoxed the poison in Queenie''s body, but the method she used was a well-kept secret back then. It was only discovered after that. However, Luca requested her identity be kept secret. She did not want to be a genius doctor whom everyone talked about. Wanda trusted Luca. That was why she dared to take the medicine she prescribed. Luca also told her that the medicine might not have effects on everyone. Besides, there was ack of clinical trials. She could not guarantee that there were no side effects after taking it. Hence, Wanda rejected the caretaker''s offer on behalf of Luca. Moreover, she told her not to disturb Luca. Wanda did not expect the caretaker to refuse to give up. She even mentioned it to Luca. Wanda was about to change the topic of the conversation when she heard the caretaker say, ¡°Ms. Luca, you''re such a kind person. Your skills will be able to help a lot of people. You won''t reject them, right? If you agree to do so, I can ask the other patients toe over now." Luca knew the caretaker was the one who spread the news. Wanda had nothing to do with it. Hence, she spoke in an abrasive tone, "No. I''m not going to do that." The caretaker was stunned for a moment, and she asked tentatively, "They''re the top millionaires in A City. If you help them, they''ll certainly pay good money for it." "My medicine doesn''t work on everyone. Besides, Ms. Rayne only took the medicine because she believes in me. If anything happens to that person after taking the medicine, who''s going to be responsible for it? Can you be responsible for that?" Luca looked at her with a stern expression on her face. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. The caretaker immediately shook her head and said, "How could there be a problem? You only have to prescribe the medicine based on their health condition, right?" "All the drugs that can be bought in the market have gone through thousands of experimental research and hundreds of clinical trials. Can you guarantee the medicine can work well on each and every one of them even if I prescribe the medicine based on their health conditions?" Luca continued to ask her. The caretaker was dumbfounded for a moment. How could she know about that... She only mentioned it to Luca, and if Luca agreed, she would be able to get a cut of the deal. Chapter 2671 "Let''s not talk about this anymore. Also, you''re fired." Luca was harsh. She fired the caretaker right away. ¡°Ms. Luca, I''m just trying to help others. No one''s going to say anything even if you refuse to help. Plus, I don''t think you have the right to fire me, right?" The caretaker could not believe what she heard. She was responsible for taking care of Wanda. What made Luca think that she could fire her? Luca was startled for a moment. She was so furious that she thought she was still Bianca for a moment. If she was Bianca, she could fire the caretaker. However, she was just someone familiar with Wanda now. She was not her family member either. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. When Luca was about to exin why she said so, she heard Wanda say, ¡°Wanda''s right. You''re fired." The caretaker did not expect she would be fired even though she had been working hard to take care of Wanda. She could not help but blurt out, ¡°Hmph, whatever. Do you think I care? But you dismissed me all of a sudden. You should pay me double." ¡°Double? Are you asking the hospital to fire you?" asked Luca. The hospital''s caretaker was trained before. The caretakers had signed a contract with the hospital. The hospital would provide them with a basic sry every month. They would only start working officially after they passed the basic training. Every caretaker charged differently, and the patients'' family members could choose the ones they were able to afford. It was up to the caretaker how much they were paid. The hospital would not interfere, but all employees were under the hospital''s management. This was to prevent the caretakers in the hospital from having low levels of professionalism. Hence, even if Wanda fired the caretaker, it did not mean the hospital had fired her. She would still work in the hospital. It was just that she was no longer taking care of Wanda. The caretaker shot Luca an angry nce. Wanda said, ¡°You''ve taken good care of me, but I told you not to spread the news about the medicine Luca gave me and not to disturb her. You promised me you wouldn''t do it again, but look at what you''ve done. That''s why I''m firing you." ¡°Why do you even bother exining? Did I go around telling everyone about it? Even if I didn''t do that, the nurses would have talked about it. Plus, I''m just giving her a chance to earn more money. How funny. I''ve never seen such an ignorant person. You don''t have to fire me. I know my way out!" After that, the caretaker took her bag and left immediately. Bang! The door of the wardroom was mmed shut. "I''m sorry, Ms. Rayne." Luca looked down, thinking that she should apologize to Wanda. She should not have said that. The reason why she fired the caretaker was that she was worried the caretaker would hold a grudge against her and refuse to take good care of Wanda after she rejected her. Even so, she did not want to prescribe medicine to those people. Even though there was a high probability that she would be able to help the others, it was Shanks'' recipe. She would be impolite to prescribe the medicine to others without his permission. It would be even more hical to reveal the form for the medicine. "Why are you apologizing to me?" Wanda smiled. "I''ve already thought of recing the caretaker. She''s too talkative. She mentioned this to me back then, and she asked for your contact details. I rejected her on behalf of you. I didn''t know we had the same thing in mind." Luca smiled. She set her worries aside when she realized Wanda really did not mind it. "Let me find you another caretaker," suggested Luca. "It''s okay. I can handle this myself. I only have to inform the head nurse and she''ll bring another caretaker to me. Don''t worry about it." Wanda shook her head. Luke was the one who hired the caretaker. He offered high pay. There were so many caretakers working in the hospital. She would be able to find a suitable caretaker with such an offer. "Okay. Then I''ll leave it to you," agreed Luca. "Would you like to have an apple?" "Sure. Please clean it for me. You don''t have to peel it," replied Wanda. "Okay. I''ll go wash it." Luca picked the best-looking apple. It was big and red. She took it to the washroom. After she cleaned it, she walked out of the washroom and handed it to Wanda. "Thank you." Wanda took the apple from her and took a small bite. After tasting it, sheplimented, "You''re good at choosing apples. This one''s crunchy and sweet. I love apples with such texture. Luca smiled. Her true identity was Bianca. Of course, she knew what Wanda liked. Wanda loved crunchy red apples as they were not as sour as green apples. Wanda loved eating the apples skin-on too. She never peeled the apples when she ate them. "Luca, you chose a really nice apple. You''re like my niece. She used to buy apples for me back then. She''s really good at choosing them too. The apples she chose always tasted good. She''s always able to remember my and her grandfather''s preferences for fruits." Wanda looked at Luca. Bianca came into her mind without her realizing it. Luca was like Bianca now, cleaning the apples for her. "I''m sorry. I talked too much." Wanda secretly heaved a sigh. It would be nice if Bianca was beside her now. Bianca cared for her a lot before she lost her memory. She would be crying like a baby if she found out that Wanda was ill now. "It''s okay, Ms. Rayne. I''m going to send the bag of fruits to the opposite wardroom." Luca rose to her feet. She would not be able to suppress her emotions if she stayed here and continued to listen to Wanda talking about the past. Luca would feel guilty whenever she realized how much Wanda missed her. She should be taking care of them, but she could only use an identity that had no blood ties with them to look after them now. "Sure, sure. Off you go." Wanda nodded. After she watched Luca walk out of the ward, she was lost in thoughts as she stared at the apple in her hand. The caretaker''s matter annoyed her, and she was upset about it. However, the crunchy, sweet apple seemed to have lifted her mood. What Luca bought happened to be something she liked. It was such a coincidence. Could it be that she asked Luke before she bought it? Wanda thought it was rather improbable. Luke was busy. How could he have the time to notice such things? After Luca left Wanda''s wardroom, she came to Mr. and Mrs. Norman''s wardroom. She knocked on the door before going in. The maid came to open the door. When she saw Luca, she smiled and greeted, "Ms. Luca, you''re here." Jack was sitting on the sofa, sipping his cup of tea. He was so happy that he immediately stood up when he heard what the caretaker said. "Luca''s here?" "Yes. Mr. Norman, Mrs. Norman, I came to the hospital to remove my stitches today, so I came to visit you too." Luca thought it was weird seeing Jack sitting on the sofa drinking tea. Where did the tea set and tea leavese from? "Remove your stitches? So soon?" Queenie found it strange and asked Luca. It had not even been a week and Luca already removed her stitches? "Yeah. Why did you remove your stitches so soon? It''s not time yet, right? Is the wound able to heal within a short time? Is it because you feel inconvenienced with your hand bandaged and that''s why you came to remove the stitches? Luca, listen, you can''t do that. You have to wait until the wound is healed, only then can you remove the stitches. Otherwise, the wound won''t heal and it might get infected." Jack went on and on talking about it. Chapter 2672 Luca had a false impression that she had returned to the time when she was still Bianca as she listened to the couple nagging at her and caring for her. That was how they cared for her back then as well. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. It warmed Luca''s heart. Before she could say anything, Jack held her hand and pulled her to the sofa, asking her to sit down. He said caringly, ¡°Let me see if it has healed." ¡°It has. I''ve removed the stitches and got the wound bandaged up. Dr. Park made sure that it healed before he removed the stitches. Don''t worry, I followed the doctor''s advice." Luca showed them her hand with the bandage on. Jack let out a sigh of relief when he heard her say Johann had checked it for himself before removing the stitches. He picked up the teapot and asked, "Would you like to have some tea?" "It''s okay, Mr. Norman. Where did you get the tea set?" Luca asked with curiosity. It would be great if Jack could enjoy his tea and read the newspapers in his leisure time. It was just that Luca felt sorry for the two of them. The hospital was a boring ce, after all. Jack replied happily, "Luke asked Dr. Park to arrange it for me. He was worried that I''d be craving tea. He even asked Dr. Park to get the best tea leaves for me. He''s attentive and cares for me." "Of course. Luke''s our son-inw. He cares for you," Queenie said gently. She picked up another cup of tea and took a sip of it. Queenie shared the same hobby with Jack after being influenced by him. She enjoyed drinking tea too. However, she was not as addicted to tea as Jack was. Luca smiled. She was happy to hear her parents praising Luke. Luca felt grateful knowing how much Luke cared for her parents. Luca was in Mr. and Mrs. Norman''s wardroom for a while. She spent some time talking to them. She only left when it was about noontime. After Queenie watched Luca leave, she shot a nce at Jack. He was still staring at the door with a smile on his face. The stern expression on Jack''s face would be gone and reced with a smile whenever he met Luca. Jack took a sip of the tea. He noticed that Queenie was watching him. He touched his face and asked, "What''s wrong?" "Dear, do you realize you''re always smiling happily every time Luca shows up?" asked Queenie. Jack was not a person who liked to smile. He was always serious. He often wore a stern expression on his face when he was working. Even his secretary was rigorous when reporting work to him, and he dared not make any mistakes. Jack would only show his friendly side when he was facing the public. However, the smile shown on his face a moment ago would only appear when he talked to Bianca before she lost her memory and Luca. Jack could not help but secretly think that there was nothing wrong with him smiling at his daughter when Queenie asked him such a question. To an aging father, nothing was dearer than a daughter! However, Queenie had no idea about Luca''s identity, and Jack could not say something like that. He had no choice but to say, ¡°I''m afraid that I''ll scare her off if I''m too strict with her. She''s our savior. I can''t help but smile when I see her. And don''t you feel a sense of familiarity with Luca when you''re talking to her?" Queenie let out a sigh and replied, "Yes. I do. Luca sounds like our daughter, Bianca." "Yes, she does," replied Jack. He was thinking about what he should buy for Luca as a gift after they got discharged from the hospital. They could not acknowledge Luca now, but sending a gift out of courtesy to someone who saved his life was necessary. "Queen, I think we should send Luca a gift after we get discharged from the hospital." Jack discussed it with her. Queenie nodded and replied, "Don''t worry about that. Leave it to me. Men tend to have bad taste in choosing gifts for others." "Alright, alright. I''ll leave it to you. We must express our gratitude to Luca." Jack patted the back of Queenie''s hands. The air in Mr. and Mrs. Norman''s wardroom was filled with peace. The couple sat on the sofa, enjoying their tea and having a chat. In the meantime, the caretaker and the maid were sitting on another sofa, doing some handicrafts to kill time. However, the wardroom Leia was staying in was not as harmonious as theirs. The patient beside Leia''s bed was fighting with her family. It was loud and noisy. Leia was fanning the mes while they argued. Rage overtook the patient. She was so furious that she wanted to throw a ss at Leia. If it were not for the caretaker and nurse who stopped her, they might have called the police. The expression on the patient''s face was gloomy. She looked awful. Leia felt much better now. She had let out all the anger in her from when she met Luca just now. She felt rxed, and she was humming to herself. The patient on another bed shook her head. The other patient was dealing with her family matters, but Leia just had to fan the mes as though she would only feelfortable seeing them get into a fight. Anyone would have shaken their head seeing such a difficult person. Meeting her was the unluckiest thing that could ever happen. Hadley slowly walked into the ward with a lunch box in her hands. Leia pulled a straight face and asked her when she saw Hadleye back, ¡°What took you so long? Are you cking off again? Are you trying to starve me to death?" "Ms. Norman, don''t make false usations. I was getting your lunch. You''re such a picky eater. I had to head to the restaurant outside the hospital to get it for you. Come on, dig in." Hadley set up the small table on her bed and ced the lunch box on it. "Hmph, did you really have to take such a long time?" Leiained with dissatisfaction. "The restaurant was packed, and the kitchen was swamped with orders. Ms. Norman, why don''t I get you something at the hospital''s restaurant next time if you think it''s a long wait?" Hadley discussed it with her. "Do you think I can eat the food front here?" Leia opened the lunch box. It was a takeaway. Leia took a bite and heard Hadley say, "Then you have no choice but to wait. It''s not that long either. It''s just the right time for lunch." Leia remained silent and continued to eat her lunch. Hadley noticed the awful expression of the patient whom Leia disturbed a moment ago. She was staring at Leia, and Hadley asked with curiosity, "Mrs. Lane, why do you look upset?" "I''m fine!" The patient immediately pulled the bed curtain. Hadley turned to look at another patient. The patient made gestures and mouthed the words, telling her that the two of them almost got into a fight. It took a while for Hadley to figure things out. She did not have to ask anything. It must be Leia who rocked the boat. Hadley knew that. She sat on the chair and began to carry out the mission Rain assigned her. She took her phone out and deliberately found the police''s announcement. "Huh?" Leia did not respond. Hadley continued, "Oh my goodness, there''s finally some progress. The police are doing a good job!" Leia became alert at once, and she asked, "What case is it?" "Was it the case from four years ago? I''m not sure which year it was. It''s the teen suicide case that shocked the world. The police officers in A City stated that they''ve found evidence proving the reason why the teenage girlmitted suicide. They''ve already arrested the suspect," Hadley deliberately said so, then she looked up and nced at Leia. Leia had nothing to do with this case. That was why she took her time to eat her lunch and showed no interest. Chapter 2673 Hadley was troubled seeing her like that. How could she attract Leia''s attention? Hadley could have mentioned Matysh''s name, but it would seem too obvious if she did that. She wanted to utter Matysh''s name when Leia was not paying attention. She would like to see the astonishment, panic, and chaos in her eyes... When Hadley was thinking of a way, the patient beside Leia did her a favor. ¡°Oh, that case. That rings a bell. It happened three years ago. The whole country was shocked by the news when it was released." The patient beside Leia could not help but heave a sigh. "Really? Have you heard about it too? Ms. Norman, did you hear anything about it?" Hadley deliberately asked Leia, "I wasn''t here back then. I have no idea." Leia removed the vegetables she did not like from her lunch box. The patient beside her immediately exined to her, "I remember how they wrote it in the news. The father of a teenage girl who had just stepped into early adulthood made her sleep with a foreigner for money. The teenage girl was willing to do so. They asked the man for money after the girl slept with him, and the man gave them the money, but the girl''s father was dissatisfied, so he reported it to the police. The teenage girl pretended to be the victim, trying to get morepensation. For some unknown reason, the news of the teenage girl sleeping with the man spread like wildfire. People laughed at her. In the end, she couldn''t take it anymore and jumped to her death. Her father got fired after the police found out that he had stolen thepany''s confidential documents. He lost his job, and peopleughed at him. He eventually killed himself." ¡°Serves him right." Leia curled her lips and judged the father and daughter. When Hadley saw the cold expression on Leia''s face, she could not help but wonder. ''Did Leia not sell her body for some reason back then?'' Previously, Leia seemed to have gotten herself into big trouble. She was pregnant. Also, she found another rich man whom she kept on the back burner. However, she eventually failed to marry the rich man. Leia had gone through the same thing before. How could she judge others so heartlessly? N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Hadley slowly uttered, "Now, the police have made an announcement, rifying that the news reported back then was fake. The police have evidence to prove that the teenage girl was drugged by her father''s superior. The girl was forced to sleep with that man. She got raped without knowing it. That''s why the foreigner was convicted of sexual assault. I say, the news of the teenage girl''s father stealing the confidential documents was probably fake too. The superior probably felt guilty for doing such a thing. Thus, he wanted to get rid of her father. That''s why he deliberately used him of stealing the documents." ¡°Didn''t they arrest the suspect?¡± the patient asked. "The foreigner is in A City now. That''s why the police are in charge of the case. They got him. So, the truth has been revealed. Look, they even revealed the suspect''s name¡ªMatysh Abaza," said Hadley. Leia''s hand shook when she heard Matysh''s name. She immediately turned to look at Hadley and asked, "Where is he from?¡± "Let me see. They did mention it. Uh, he''s Russian. They said he was arrested at the airport. The long arm of thew finally caught up with him. The police said the suspect was trying to escape and return to Russia. Fortunately, they waited for him at the airport in advance and arrested him." Hadley let out a sigh of relief. She finally let Leia know that Matysh had been arrested. Leia pushed the table away and picked up her phone. Hadley deliberately asked, "Ms. Norman, what are you doing? You have to finish your lunch. Otherwise, it''ll go cold and it won''t taste good." "I''m done. Take it away." Leia lost her appetite the moment she heard Matysh''s name. Leia searched for the announcement made by the police on the inte, but she could not find the suspect''s photo. Leia frowned and sent a message to Mandy: [Do you know Matysh''s full name?] [I don''t.] Mandy immediately replied to her message. Before Leia could reply to her message, Mandy added: [Let me tell you something funny. Matysh came looking for me again. He wanted me to sleep with him, and he said he''d pay me. But I wasn''t that silly. My face is still swollen. What a disgusting man.] [I don''t want to hear this. Go and find out his full name.] Leia urged Mandy. Mandy replied to her: [How am I supposed to find out what his full name is? Don''t you know Russians have long names? What''s wrong with you?] The expression on Leia''s face wasplicated. She lifted her head and shot a nce at Hadley. She was cleaning up the table. "What''s the matter?" Hadley could sense Leia staring at her and deliberately asked. Leia looked down without replying to her. She continued to reply to Mandy''s message: [I saw the police''s announcement stating that they arrested a Russian suspect. Even though the case isn''t rted to the Norman family, it happened a few years ago. But the suspect''s name is Matysh. Take a look at it and see if it''s really him.] [How''s that possible?! I remember Matysh telling me that he seldom travels to A City. How could he havemitted a crime here? Let me call him and talk to him.] Mandy refused to believe it. If the call went through, it would prove that the suspect was not the Matysh they knew. Leia replied: [Okay. Keep me updated.] After a while, Mandy called her. Leia frowned when she saw who called her. Then, she got out of bed. "Ms. Norman, it''s time to take your meds. Where are you going?" Hadley deliberately asked. "I''m going to answer a call. Put them there first." Leia left the ward without turning back. Hadley smiled and muttered, "Something''s fishy going on." "You''re the only one who can stand her. She''s bad-tempered and a freak. I wonder how her parents taught her?" The patient sighed. Hadley shook her head and replied, "You can''t me her parents for this. It''s in the genes. Haven''t you read it? Psychopathy tends to run in families. The next generation is likely to have one or more gic variants that would increase the child''s chance of developing psychopathy." "I heard that her biological father wasn''t a good person either, was he?" the patient asked with curiosity. "You can search her name on the inte. There''s tons of news about it." Hadley did notment on it. She sat on the chair and calmly waited for Leia to return. Leia came to the end of the corridor. Only then did she answer the call. "How is it? Can you reach him?" "I called him twice, but no one answered. He might be in trouble." Mandy sounded edgy with a hint of worry. Mandy talked to Leia on the phone and searched for the police''s announcement on the inte at the same time. Then, she searched the inte and found out about the case. The teenage girl killed herself because she was raped. Things like raping a girl were something Matysh would do. Hence, the suspect who got arrested by the police was likely to be Matysh. "Has he returned to Russia? Perhaps he''s mad at you and that''s why he''s not answering your calls?" asked Leia. "He just called me toe to his cest night. How could he have returned so quickly? His phone is turned off. Perhaps he''s been detained. Isn''t your dad a senior official? Why don''t you look into it? I''m worried." Chapter 2674 Leia rolled her eyes and reminded Mandy, ¡°I don''t even know what their condition is now. How can I ask for their help?" Previously, she would apany Jack to attend business dinners. Her peers, who used to be close to her, maintained a distance from her after she was sent abroad and everything she did was exposed. Hence, Leia only had disreputable friends in A City now. She did not have any upper-ss friends. Those disreputable friends of hers would not head to the police station to find out for her whether or not it was the same person. After all, they had nothing to do with this. The only way of getting in was to get arrested after breaking thew. However, the police station was not a ce to stay. Who would be willing to go there? Unless the amount of money given to that person was enough for them. "What should we do?" Mandy was frightened at the thought of Matysh getting arrested by the police. She was worried she might be the next one who would be arrested. Even though Matysh was arrested because of what happened three years ago, who knew if he would take revenge on her and reveal the truth of Normans'' case? That would get her involved in this. It was hard to tell if Matysh would do something like that. "Why don''t we hire a private detective?" suggested Leia. Deep down inside, she was nervous. Matysh was not a reliable person, after all. If he dragged Mandy into this, then Leia would be involved too. By the time they got arrested, prison was what awaited them. Even though it was not a serious offense, she would not have a penny to her name when she came out of prison. The Norman family, including her grandmother, would refuse to believe her. "Okay. Can you find one?" asked Mandy. "I can''t go out. Luke is already suspecting me. He might even send someone to keep an eye on me. It has to be you," said Leia seriously. "Then..." Mandy hesitated. "We''ll share the costs of the private detective. It''d be best if we can make sure it''s really Matysh. If it''s, you have to fly abroad immediately," said Leia. "What about you?" Mandy thought of her. "I.." Leia hesitated. What could she do? Her body was still weak. Luke was keeping an eye on her too. Given the circumstances, it was unlikely for her to flee the country. Mandy knew the difficult position she was in and immediatelyforted her. ¡°Actually you don''t have to worry about it. Mr. Norman is your father. All you have to do is apologize to him when the timees. He won''t send the child he raised for more than 20 years to prison, right?" "Yeah..." replied Leia. Still, she felt uneasy about it. If she was still the celebrity she used to be or the same person who had never hurt Queenie, Jack might help her and stop her from getting into prison. However, it was hard to say now. Jack was so harsh with her now that he was no longer fond of her. Still, Leia did not say anything about it. "Contact the private detective first. Let''s talk about it after they find out about it," said Leia as she leaned against the wall. "Alright. Be careful when you''re at the hospital. Plus, don''t be too positive about this. Try to confess and apologize to your parents as soon as possible," reminded Mandy. Mandy could flee the country. She could choose not to return to A City for a long time. However, there was no way Leia could do that. If Leia escaped, she would not have any medical insurance abroad to treat her weak body. The money she received from Matysh would not be able tost that long either. Leia was a mere shadow of her former self after falling ill. She could not be like Mandy, relying on men to earn money. "Got it." Leia hung up the call and returned to the wardroom in low spirits. "Ms. Norman, you''re back. Take your meds," said Hadley with a smile on her face. When Leia saw her smile, she shot Hadley a sharp look and asked, "What''s so funny?" Hadley pretended to be confused, not knowing what she had done to piss Leia off. She touched her face and said, "Ms. Norman, I heard that smiling is infectious. You catch it like the flu. That''s why I should smile often. You''ll feel much better that way. Your health will improve too." N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "Dumb*ss." Leia rolled her eyes at Hadley. She picked up the pills and stuffed them into her mouth. Then, she gulped down some water to flush the bitterness of the medicine away. The patient could no longer stand it, and she said enigmatically, "Can''t others be in a good mood when you''re the one who''s in a foul mood? Some people are really bossy." Leia shot her a dirty look and scowled. "What nonsense are you talking about? Do you want me to kick your *ss?" The patient pointed at the TV and replied, "I''m talking about the show. Who do you think I''m judging?" The TV happened to be ying a soap opera. A rich youngdy was punishing her maid. It was because the maid was humming to herself when the youngdy was in a bad mood, and it got on her nerves. Leia sneered. Another patient who was behind the bed curtain said enigmatically, ¡°Some people are real prima donnas. They like taking things personally. Such a joke." Leia could no longer stand it. She wanted to lift the bed curtain and fight with her. "Shut up!" Leia yelled at her. Hadley was too close to Leia. Leia''s saliva was all over her face. She took a step back and replied, "Yes, Miss." Leia returned to her bed angrily. Hadley sat on the chair and saw Leia in such a state. She picked up her phone and nced at the message Rain sent her. Rainplimented her for doing a great job. Hadley kept her phone away. She did a great job. Leia should be on pins and needles now. The way she tried to find an excuse to vent her emotions on her but eventually failed made her look hrious... After Luca returned to Watson, she was reading the reports. The results were still what she expected. The form of the medicine she mixed was still a little different from the original. Luca continued to mix the solutions. Luca only stopped working at three o''clock in the afternoon. Then, she asked for a leave from Mo Stone. She turned around and left the office after she filled in the form requesting a leave. Mo Stone clipped the form together with the previous form. She realized that the recent three forms all belonged to Luca. Luca was asking for leave too frequently. Mo Stone muttered to herself, but she pondered for a moment. Luca was unupied with work now. Besides, the drug which she worked on had beenunched in the market and gained a huge amount of profits. Of course, she had the right to ask for leave. Mo Stone closed the file and continued with her administration work. Luca got into Warren''s car and headed straight to the school. The school was already full of cars when she arrived. Warren asked Luca to get out of the car first. He would look for a parking lot. Luca got out of the car. She nced at the cars around her. Those were expensive cars. Even though she did not know much about the price and model of the cars, she was able to know how expensive the cars were with just a nce at the logos. The car Warren drove turned out to be an ordinary car among these luxurious cars. Luca walked toward Tommy''s ssroom based on the signage in the school. The school had a big sports ground. It took Luca 15 minutes to reach the academic building. Then, she found where Tommy''s ssroom was. Before she walked into the ssroom, she heard parents talking to each other. It was noisy in the ssroom due to the chatter of the parents. Chapter 2675 Luca walked into the ssroom. The parents who were sitting in the front row already noticed her. It was Luca''s first timeing here. The parents did not know who she was, and they looked at her with curiosity. Luca felt like she had be a specimen, standing there and letting those people stare at her. Fortunately, she had attended Lanie''s and Rainie''s parent-teacher conferences before, and she had experience in handling such situations. Tommy noticed her and waved his hand excitedly. ¡°Ms. Luca, here!" Luca smiled and walked toward him. While she was on her way walking toward Tommy, she swept her gaze across and caught some information. The parents who came to attend the parent-teacher conference were well-dressed. Some of them even put on jewelry, showing off how wealthy their families were. It was a ssroom, but they made it look like they were going to a banquet. Every parent was dressed in their best clothes. Theypared themselves to each other, afraid that others were better than them. Luca looked down and nced at her clothes. The officewear she wore was branded, but it was nothingpared to the designer clothes the other parents were dressed in. It was just like the car Warren drove. It was good enough for an ordinary family. However, among all the rows of luxurious cars outside the school, it looked in and cheap. Luca arrived at Tommy''s seat and said, "I''m here." "I knew you''d keep your promise. Take a seat!" Tommy smiled and patted the seat beside him. Luca sat on the chair. Tommy behaved himself and sat on the small bench beside her. Then, he introduced Ms. Luca to his deskmate beside him, "Ashley, meet Ms. Luca." Ashley sized Luca up and nodded. "I recognize her. She came to see Charlie''s mother on behalf of your father. Mrs. Luca, nice to meet you. I''m Ashley, the girl Tommy helped that day. You''re gorgeous." Even though Ashley praised Luca, Tommy felt proud of it. However, he thought Ashley addressing Luca as ''Mrs'' sounded too old for her. Hence, he corrected her, "It''s not Mrs. Luca, it''s Ms. Luca. She''s not that old." Luca was about to say it did not matter how Ashley addressed her. Still, she did not expect Ashley to listen to Tommy. She nodded and said, ¡°Okay. Ms. Luca, you''re gorgeous." Luca looked at the two kids and gave them a gentle smile. How adorable they were. Ashley was a good girl too. She could see that Ashley was a well-behaved and gentle girl. It would be great if N had such a personality. However, N already showed a little disobedience when she learned how to walk back then. Although Luca could handle N, she was worried that the Ind of Despair would be a bad influence if she continued to stay there. The situation there would shape N''s character to be more arrogant and naughty. It would be difficult to educate her when the time came. Luca was wrapped up in sorrowful thoughts as her youngest daughter came into her mind. She only snapped back to reality when Tommy reached out and waved his hand in front of her. "What''s the matter?" N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "Ms. Luca, Ashley asked you a question!" said Tommy. Luca immediately turned to look at Ashley and asked, "Yes, Ashley?" "Ms. Luca, Tommy told me that you make the best cookies. Can you please teach my mother how to bake those cookies when you''re avable? The cookies my mother bake taste awful," asked Ashley with an anticipated look on her face. "Sure. Where''s your mother?" Luca noticed that Ashley was sitting on the chair. It seemed like her mother was not here yet. "She should be here soon," reckoned Ashley. "She''s as busy as a bee. It''s good enough if she can make it on time." Tommy, who sat beside her, said, "Ashley''s mom is alwayste." "There''s nothing she can do if she''s busy with work, right? Do you have paper and a pencil?" asked Luca. Ashley took a sheet of paper and a pencil out of her drawer and handed them to Luca. "Ms. Luca, why do you need these?" "Didn''t you ask for the cookie recipe? I''ll write it down on paper. You can show it to your motherter. That way, she''ll know how to bake the cookies for you," replied Luca as she wrote the ingredients needed to bake the cookies, the measurements, and the steps on the paper. Baking cookies was an easy task. As long as the temperature of the oven was not too high, one could sessfully bake good cookies. "Ms. Luca, you''re awesome!" Ashley watched Luca write down the words she could not even recognize without hesitating for a moment. It was as though the recipe was in her head. Ashley could not help but admire her. "How nice it would be if Mommy was as good as you are," said Ashley. The parents around them seized the chance to get to know each other and see if they could do some business together. Some of the parentspared themselves to each other. Luca was the only one sitting there, writing the recipe. No one intended to talk to her. Luca smiled and replied, ¡°Your mommy is busy with work. That''s why she didn''t have time to learn how to bake. It''s perfectly normal for her to not know how to bake good cookies. But she''s doing well at her job. That''s what the mothers of other kids can''t do." The reason Luca said that was because she wanted Ashley to know that her mother was an amazing person too. Kids did not know that everyone had their own strengths and everyone was good at different things. "Yes! Got it!" Ashley nodded and said, "My mommy is awesome. Daddy told me that there are no orders she can''t deal with. She can always get a good deal if orders areing in." Luca handed the recipe to Ashley and said, "You have an awesome mother. Here, keep this. It''s the key to baking good cookies." Ashley carefully folded the paper and ced it in her pencil box. Then, she said, "Mommy is usually busy with work. She would only prepare something for me in the kitchen during the weekends. This will certainly let Mommy work her magic and bake yummy cookies!" "Of course. Everything thates from Ms. Luca can help others!" Tommy said proudly. He was eager to express how impressive his mother was! "Yes!" Ashley went along with him and nodded. After a while, two more parents showed up at the door. Luca subconsciously looked in the direction of the door. Then, she immediately pursed her lips. They were Charlie''s parents. This time, not only did Mrs. Hudsone, but there was also another man with her. He came in arm- inarm with Mrs. Hudson, and he was probably Charlie''s father. Luca had already prepared herself to confront Mrs. Hudson, but she did not expect a man toe along with her. Was she going to deal with two of them alone? Mrs. Hudson walked toward the podium and stopped there. She greeted the parents sitting in the front row. They knew each other well. After that, Luca saw Mrs. Hudson point in her direction. Then, she whispered to Mr. Hudson in his ears. Luca reckoned that Mrs. Hudson was telling the man that she was the one who confronted her at the teacher''s office yesterday. She was behaving arrogantly. Tommy lowered his voice and said, "Ms. Luca, they''re looking at you." "I know," Luca replied in a soft voice. However, she was not afraid of them. She shifted her gaze toward them. She showed no fear when she met their eyes. Besides, she had to look intimidating. If they thought Luca was afraid of them, they would be overthinking. Luca held Tommy in her arms and swore to herself that she would never let these people bully them. Chapter 2676 When their eyes met each other, Luca wondered if she was sitting too far away and that was why she could not see clearly. Luca could feel the fear in Mrs. Hudson''s eyes when they exchanged nces with each other. Why did the arrogant woman who threatened to get Tommy expelled from school yesterday have a fearful look in her eyes when she saw Luca today? Luca saw Mr. Hudson open his mouth. It was as though he said something really short. Then, the two of them walked toward her. Ashley seemed to be afraid of Mrs. Hudson. She immediately leaned on Luca. Luca held the two kids in her arms, one on the left and another one on the right. She had to protect them. Mrs. Tuffey came in when the two of them had just taken two steps forward. Mrs. Tuffey smiled as she stood on the podium. ¡°Dear parents, please be quiet and return to your seats. The parent-teacher conference is starting soon." Mrs. Hudson turned around and nced at Mrs. Tuffey. She eventually pulled the man to Charlie''s seat and sat down on the chair. Charlie''s seat was a few rows away from Tommy''s. Luca no longer looked at them. Mrs. Tuffey waited for the parents to sit down. Then, she said, "ss, please wee the principal of the school to give his speech." After that, Mrs. Tuffey connected theputer to the projector. The principal appeared on the screen. The principal''s speech was mostly about how much they were concerned about the students'' development and how to improve the students'' learning abilities. They also taught the parents how to cooperate with the school to educate their children well. It was always the same thing. Luca listened to it absentmindedly. Atst, the principal announced that the school would be building a new academic building, and he told everyone to look forward to it. Then, the principal ended his speech. Luca frowned. Was the principal making the implication that he was asking for sponsorship when he told everyone to look forward to it? Tommy''s school was a private elite school. The teachers were professional, and the students and parents were wealthy too. It was an easy task for them to build a new academic building for the school. Still, she did not know what Luke would do. When Luca was lost in thoughts, Mrs. Tuffey said, ¡°Thank you for your patience. Next, I''d like to talk about how the students have been doing in schooltely. I hope everyone can cooperate with me. Thank you." Mrs. Tuffey started to y the slideshow after that. The slideshow basicallyplimented the students who excelled in their studies and were well- behaved. Luca watched the slideshow, and this was the part she paid the most attention to during the parentteacher conference. She could know how her child had been doing in school. Luca noticed that Tommy''s name was on everymendation list. Even though Tommy was naughty, he behaved himself and performed well at school. Luca was so happy that she stroked Tommy''s head. Ashley tugged Luca''s sleeves and called her, "Ms. Luca." "What''s the matter?" Luca turned to look at her and asked in a soft voice. She tried not to disturb the other parents listening to Mrs. Tuffey''s speech. "Mommy isn''t here yet. Can you please take photos of the slideshow? I''d like her to see them," said Ashley. Ashley''s name was on themendation lists too. "Sure." Luca quickly took her phone out and took photos of the screen when Ashley''s name appeared. After Mrs. Tuffey gave her speech, it was the other teachers'' turn to give their speeches. The teachers'' speeches were no different from Mrs. Tuffey''s. They emphasized their professionalism in the subjects they taught and which students had performed well. Tommy''s name was on every teacher''smendation list. Ashley was good too. All the teachersplimented her except the Math teacher. "Ms. Luca, am I good?" Tommy could not wait to hear Luca praise him. "You''re good. You''re the best, Tommy. Keep up the good work," encouraged Luca. Thest teacher finished giving her speech. Thus, Luca spoke a little louder.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "Of course. Lanie is my role model. I wish I to be as smart as Lanie," said Tommy. Lanie was his role model. Luca smiled and replied in a soft voice, "Alright. You''re both smart." When thest subject teacher ended her speech, it would be time for parents and teachers to talk to each other. The parents could leave if they had nothing to ask. Luca had nothing to ask. The teachers said that Tommy was doing well in his studies. He was a role model to the other students, and the teachersplimented him. Hence, there was nothing more she could ask. Mrs. Tuffey and the Math teacher walked toward Luca. Then, she said, ¡°Hello, you came on behalf of Tommy''s parents¡ª" "Yes. His parents are busy with work. His great-grandfather has difficulty walking. That''s why I came," exined Luca. She noticed that Charlie''s parents were standing not far away from her. They kept a certain distance from her, but Luca could see the expression on their faces. Mrs. Hudson no longer had the arrogance she had yesterday. Luca thought it was strange. Logically speaking, Charlie''s parents should have embarrassed her in front of everyone today. Mrs. Hudson thought Luca was poor and that they spent all their money to send Tommy to this school. "Hello, this is Mr. Collins, Tommy''s Math teacher. He''d like to discuss something with you," said Mrs. Tuffey. "Alright, Mrs. Tuffey. Nice to meet you, Mr. Collins." Luca stopped looking at Charlie''s parents. Instead, she rose to her feet and greeted Mr. Collins. "Nice to meet you. You''re Tommy''s..." Mr. Collins asked politely. He heard Luca saying that Tommy''s parents were busy working a moment ago. "Aunt," replied Luca. She told Mrs. Tuffey that she was Tommy''s aunt. There was no way she could address herself as someone else in front of Mr. Collins. "Great. Well, Tommy passed Math with flying colors. I think he has a knack for it. So, I was wondering if Tommy can participate in the Mathematical Olympiad for elementary schools that will be held in April. But before Tommy can participate in thepetition, he has to attend the training program which starts next week. The training program will take an hour, and it''ll be held after school from Monday to Friday, which means Tommy will have to go homete. I''d like to ask for your permission. Will you allow Tommy to participate in thepetition?" If Tommy was participating in thepetition, he had to stay at school for another hour. That was why Mr. Collins would like to ask for Luca''s opinion. "Um, I''d have to ask his father first." Luca did not agree to it right away. It should not be a problem for Tommy to stay in school for another hour, but it was hard to tell if the child was willing to do so. Besides, Zander would have to make another trip to pick him up. Hence, Luca was reluctant to do so. However, it was Luke who had to make the decision. "Alright. Please inform us in the school parent group after his parents decide for him," said Mr. Collins. "No problem." Luca nodded and agreed to it. Chapter 2677 Right after that, the parent sitting in front of Tommy piped in, ¡°Mr. Collins, my child did well in Math too. Can he join thepetition?" Mr. Collins nodded and replied, "Of course. The training is free, but there''s a limited number of participants for each school. So, the school will organize apetition before the Mathematical Olympiad takes ce to pick the students who''ll participate." The parent added, "My child is good at math. I''m sure he can do it. Mr. Collins, I''d like to register for my child first." "Sure, Mrs. Jenkins. Let me register for you," offered Mr. Collins. Once Mrs. Jenkins said that to Mr. Collins, other parents also came to register for their children to participate in the mathematics training program, hoping that their kids could join thepetition. Mr. Collins was surrounded by the parents at once. "Ms. Luca, I don''t want to attend the training program after school," said Tommy. All he wanted was to go home and do his homework with Lanie and Rainie after school. He wanted to watch cartoons with them as well. It was much more interesting than attending the training program after school. "Be good. Let''s listen to what your daddy says about it first." Luca stroked his head. Ashley piped in, "Ms. Luca, Charlie''s parents are walking toward us." There was a hint of fear in the little girl''s voice. Mrs. Hudson''s behavior had frightened her yesterday. Luca looked in the direction Ashley pointed at. They were reallying. They were walking toward her with a smile on their faces. Luca sensed that they did note looking for trouble. She stared at the awkward smile on Mrs. Hudson''s face. Something came into her mind. Were they here to curry favor with her? Probably not... How could who was someone so arrogant yesterday try to butter her up today? However, Charlie''s parents were truly walking toward her. Luca met their gazes and waited for them to speak. Mrs. Tuffey walked toward them nervously. She thought they were going to argue again. She immediately said, "Mr. and Mrs. Hudson, I''d like to talk to you about Charlie''s performance in ss. Why don''t we head over there?" This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Mrs. Hudson knew Mrs. Tuffey misunderstood and thought that they came looking for trouble. In fact, they came to apologize to Luca. ¡°Mrs. Tuffey, I''d like to have a chat with Tommy''s guardian," Mrs. Hudson immediately said. The expression on Mrs. Tuffey''s face turned awful, and she replied, "Mrs. Hudson, we''re having a parentteacher conference now. This is the time for teachers tomunicate with the parents about the students. If you have anything to tell her, can you please wait until the conference is over?" ¡°Don''t worry, Mrs. Tuffey. We''re not looking for trouble. We came to apologize to her today," said Mr. Hudson. The way he looked at Luca seemed like he was trying to please her. Luca raised her brows. She was surprised to hear that. Mrs. Tuffey did not expect them to want to apologize to Luca. Hence, she turned to look at Mrs. Hudson. Mrs. Hudson nodded and said, "I''m sorry. I wasn''t really myself yesterday. What I did was a bad influence on the children. I made things difficult for her too. That''s why I came to apologize." "There''s no need to do so." Luca rose to her feet and stared coldly at the couple in front of her. "You''re both figures in the business world. You should know that you''ve already missed the best chance. There''s nothing you can do about it. So, it''d be better if the two of you focus on the parent-teacher conference. There''s no need to apologize to me." "I''m really sorry. Please don''t sue us. I promise I won''t do that anymore. I''ll educate my child and teach him not to cause any trouble at school." Mrs. Hudson became anxious when Luca refused to ept their apology. She could not help but utter her words quickly. Luca knew what happened when she heard the word ''sue''. She also understood that the Hudsons were not afraid of getting sued, but they knew Tommy was Luke''s son. They were afraid of offending Luke. After all, part of theirpany''s orders had something to do with T Corporation. Luca did not expect Luke to be that fast. It only took him a day to find out who Mrs. Hudson was, and he even asked his attorney to write a letter to them. "It''s a parent''s responsibility to educate their child. Mrs. Hudson, it''s not right for you to only realize that it''s your responsibility to educate your child after receiving awyer''s letter, right?" Luca''s face darkened. Mr. and Mrs. Hudson had already attracted the attention of the parents around them. Everyone knew that Charlie''s parents were running a sessful business, but they were now humbly asking for forgiveness from the woman in front of them. The strange scene in front of them made them wonder who Luca was. However, the way Luca dressed was like an ordinary white-cored worker. Could a white-cored worker frighten the Hudsons? Could it be that the child''s father was an influential person? "Yes, yes. You''re right." Mrs. Hudson realized she said something wrong. She immediately patted her lips, making a gesture that looked like she was punishing herself. "I''m sorry. Miss, we''ve never received a proper education. Speaking wisely isn''t our strong suit. Please forgive us." Mrs. Tuffey understood what was going on when she saw how humble the Hudsons were. Everyone was watching them. As a teacher, she had a feeling that the conference should be stopped. Mrs. Tuffey had no choice but to mediate between Luca and the Hudsons. ¡°It was just a misunderstanding. Why don''t we talk in private about this? The principal will be here soon to have a chat with everyone." The principal was about toe here to ask for sponsorship to build the new academic building, but Luca and the Hudsons had caused a scene, making the situation worse. Mrs. Tuffey was afraid that the principal would me her for not doing her best. Luca refused to let the others watch them talk with each other. The expression on her face was cold. She slightly nodded and said, "That''s all. Let''s settle this in court." Mr. and Mrs. Hudson''s faces turned pale when they heard that. Even if they lost thewsuit, it would not be a big deal after all. They did not have topensate a large amount of money. It did not matter to them. However, offending Luke was what mattered the most. Otherwise, they would not have been so eager to apologize to her. "Miss, I think this can be settled outside the court. Why don''t we treat you and Tommy''s parents to a meal? Let''s talk over dinner." Mr. Hudson was nning to apologize to Luke in person. However, before he apologized, he had to meet him first. "It''s okay. I wasn''t the one who looked for an attorney to write the letter. It was Tommy''s father who decided to sue you. So, there''s nothing much I can do about it. Tommy has epted your apology, but it''s not up to me to make the final decision on how this ends. It''d be better for the two of you to return to your seats. The principal is here." Luca nced at the door. The principal was already at the ssroom door. It sent a shiver down Mrs. Tuffey''s spine. She immediately informed everyone, "Please return to your seats. Let us wee the principal to give his speech." The Hudsons had no choice but to return to their seats next to Charlie. The reason Mr. and Mrs. Hudson came together this time was not because they took the parent- teacher conference seriously but because there was no way they could get in touch with Luke through other ways and apologize to him. Hence, they could only attend the parent-teacher conference to try their luck. Chapter 2678 They did not expect to see Luca here at the parent-teacher conference. Mrs. Hudson turned around and nced at Luca with aplicated look on her face. She had a feeling that Luca had something to do with thewsuit. At the same time, she was confused about why Luke would stand up for her. Today, Luke asked hiswyer to deliver the letter to theirpany because of what happened yesterday. Mrs. Hudson knew Luke was capable of doing so. However, it did not look like he wanted to teach them a lesson for his child. It seemed more like he was standing up for the woman. It was because she drove Luca mad yesterday. ¡°Myra, it''s your fault. How are we supposed to exin this to Luke Crawford and ask him not to go against ourpany?" Brigham, Charlie''s father, could not help but me her. Myra felt aggrieved. Brigham had been telling her it was her fault since they received thewyer''s letter. However, she could not be med for everything! Myra could not help butin, "Enough. How would I know the child''s father is Luke Crawford? Besides, Charlie wouldn''t have lied to me if he wasn''t afraid of getting punished by you. If it weren''t for him, would I have offended her?" Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Myra hurried to the hospital after she left school yesterday. Charlie had already finished his medical examination when she arrived at the hospital. Myra could not help but ask Charlie why he lied. The child eventually cried and confessed that he was worried Brigham would punish him. That was why he deliberately said that Tommy pushed him. Brigham was pissed at the thought of what his son told them. He was furious and resentful. He could not help but mutter, "That''s very mean of him. It''s just a child''s lie. Why is he taking it so seriously? He even sent awyer''s letter!" "Aren''t you the same? Any parent would be worried seeing their child get hurt. I was just worried about Charlie. That''s why I spoke a little louder than usual. She''s such a sensitive woman. This is mindblowing." Myra stopped putting on the apologetic expression on her face, and there was anger on it now. Brigham glowered at her and warned her, ¡°Watch your words. Haven''t you gotten me into enough trouble?" "I..." Myra nced at the podium and shut her mouth. The principal stood on the podium, and he was about to give his speech. The principal gave a warm smile as he looked at the parents sitting below. Those were his sponsors of the new academic building. The parents were wealthy, but he remembered that the wealth of the parents in this ss was higher than average. One of the students was Luke Crawford''s child. The principal turned in Tommy''s direction. However, he was startled when he saw an unknown woman. Still, he was used to such asions. He took his draft out and started to give his speech about the school''s ns of building a new academic building. Luca looked down as she ced her phone in the drawer. She sent Luke a message: [The principal is talking about building a new academic building. He''s probably going to ask for some sponsorships. What should I do?] Luke replied: [Ask him to look for me.] Luke had always contributed to the school, but he would only talk about it with the principal in person. Luke was generous when it came to providing educational resources. However, he kept a low profile. The parents would not know that he was part of it if they did not look at the contribution board. Luke had personally told the principal not to make it known to the public. That was why there was hardly anyone who knew that Luke had been sponsoring the school. [Okay.] Luca put her phone away. The principal was still looking at his draft, giving his speech on the podium. Luca listened to what he said. He just wanted to say that he hoped the parents could support the school. Then, he said that a designer from T Corporation would be in charge of the architectural design of the new academic building. They would try their best to build a modern and futuristic academic building and provide the students with afortable environment to study. Tommy heard them mentioning the T Corporation. He tugged on Luca''s sleeves and said, ¡°Ms. Luca, isn''t that Daddy''s¡ª" "Yes." Luca nodded and winked at him, signaling him not to continue talking about it. The constructionpany was supposed to be responsible for the design of the academic building. The reason why the principal chose T Corporation was nothing more than to reduce costs. Luke would not charge him a high price for the building design, after all. Luca muttered to herself that it was smart of him to do so. The parents who came today had businesses specializing in different industries. The cost of the academic building would be lower if every parent chipped in to pay for them. When Brigham heard the principal mentioning T Corporation, he raised his hand and said, "Sir, my company will supply the lighting for the new academic building." "Thank you, Mr. Hudson. That''s very kind of you." The principal beamed with joy. Once Brigham said that, the other parents refused to be outdone. To make themselves look good, one of the parents offered to supply the podium and ckboard, while some of them offered to supply the students'' tables and chairs. The entire ss offered to supply everything that was needed in the new academic building. When the other parents noticed that there was nothing they could help with, they suggested chipping in some money. The principal immediately asked Mrs. Tuffey to record their names down. After the parent-teacher conference ended, he would bring the relevant staff and pay a visit to the parents. Luca felt helpless when she looked at how cheerful the principal was. The air stank of money. Even though the principal was an educator, he was more like a businessman. He discussed with the parents how to build the new academic building and how it would benefit the school. If an ordinary school wanted to build a new academic building, they had to go through numerous applications and wait for the government and the department of education to allocate funds to the school. However, the principal of an elite school only had to hold a meeting to raise the funds needed. There was no need to wait for the allocation of funds from the government. Furthermore, the parents had big egos. They would never take back what they said after that. As Luca listened to the parents volunteering to chip in for the new academic building, she looked down and stared at Tommy. Tommy was looking at her too. ¡°Ms. Luca, did Daddy say anything about this?" ¡°He told me that he''ll handle this." Luca stroked the child''s head. She assumed the principal would not ask her such a question in front of everyone. After a while, the principal left the ssroom after Mrs. Tuffery finished recording the sponsorships of every parent. Then, he headed to another ssroom to give his speech. Mrs. Tuffey smiled and said, "Let''s proceed to the next session. It''s about the kids'' school outing. Do you have any suggestions?" Luca was speechless. This was about sponsoring the students'' school outing again. Even though it was just a ridiculously small sum of money to those parents, it was as though the school was trying to gain more money from the parents while they were educating their children. If it were not for the professionalism of the school teachers, assuring that their children would be taken good care of at school, Luca would be reluctant to send her child here. The parent sitting in front of Tommy''s table suddenly turned around. She looked at Luca and asked, "Aren''t you sponsoring anything?" Luca raised her brows and replied ¡°I''m just the child''s rtive. The teacher should contact the child''s father if they need any sponsorship." The parent shook her head and said, "You really don''t know how to do this, huh? The teacher isn''t going to contact the parents and ask for sponsorship. Besides, there are limited slots for sponsorship to hit the fundraising target. Before the parent-teacher conference ends, the money chipped in will be enough for the fundraising. The teacher will look down on the child if you don''t contribute." Chapter 2679 ¡°Is that so? Mrs. Tuffey doesn''t look like that kind of person." Luca smiled. It would be inappropriate for her to show a cold expression to the parent who was talking to her. The parent shook her head and said, "Even though you don''t think so, your child is still going to be the unlucky one." After that, she turned around and raised her hand. She told the teacher that she would be responsible for the drinks needed for the school outing. "Okay. Thank you, Mrs. ir." Mrs. Tuffey immediately recorded it down. Another parent came walking in right after that. "I''m sorry, Mrs. Tuffey. I''mte." "Hello, Mrs. Glisson. It''s okay. Take a seat, please." Mrs. Tuffey smiled. Mrs. Glisson was alwayste for the parent-teacher conference. Mrs. Tuffey had already gotten used to it. She heard that Mrs. Glisson was engaged in international trade, and she was usually busy. It was not easy for her to make time for her daughter''s matters. "Mommy, take a seat." Ashley let her mother sit on the chair. After her mother sat down, Ashley sat on the small bench. "Nice to meet you." Mrs. Glisson noticed that it was no longer an old man who came to attend the parent-teacher conference with Tommy this time. Hence, she nodded and greeted Luca. "Nice to meet you," Luca nodded and greeted her too. Ashley said to her mother in a soft voice, "Mommy, Mrs. Tuffey is talking about the school outing." Mrs. ir, who was sitting in front of them, heard her and turned around again. "Mrs. Glisson, Mrs. Tuffey is writing down the names of parents sponsoring the kids'' school outing." "Really? Do they need anything else?" Mrs. Glisson immediately asked. "Fruits, the expenses for the school bus, tent, and some other supplies." "Thanks." Mrs. Glisson raised her hand and said, "Mrs. Tuffey, let me prepare some fruits for the kids." "Alright. Thank you, Mrs. Glisson." Mrs. Tuffey heard her and recorded it down. Mrs. ir turned around and looked at Luca. "Are you really not sponsoring anything?" Luca looked down, pretending not to hear what she said. "You''re putting the child in trouble." The parent could not help but feel anxious. She could not understand why it did not matter to Luca. Luca wanted to tell her that it was okay. However, she would never understand what she meant. She could not be bothered to exin it to her either. Mrs. Glisson could not help but size Luca up. Did she just mention that Luca was not sponsoring anything? This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Um, are you Tommy''s mother?" asked Mrs. Glisson. Before Luca could say anything, Ashley answered the question on her behalf. "She''s Tommy''s aunt." "Oh, I see. It''s your first time attending the parent-teacher conference, right? Listen, Mrs. ir is right. You have to contribute something. Otherwise, the teacher might have a problem with the child." Mrs. Glisson was kind enough to tell Luca about it. Tommy and Ashley were good friends, after all. Ashley had told her what happened yesterday. That was why she was trying to help Tommy. "Tommy''s father knows what to do." Luca shook her head. There was no need for her to intervene. Although Mrs. Glisson was confused when she heard what Luca said, she did not say anything more about it. Sponsorships were like donations. People did it voluntarily. There was nothing she could do about it if someone was reluctant to do so. Even though Mrs. Glisson had a great job, there was an ie gap between her and the other parents in the ssroom. Buying fruits for every student in the ss was already a big expense to her. The children were used to having good food since they were young. The fruits she bought had to be the freshest and imported ones. Hence, there was no way she could help Tommy. Mrs. Glisson nced at Tommy and saw him smiling brightly as though it was nothing to him. She could not help but shake her head. The kids should also know about this by now, but the child was still like that, and he did not tell the adult what to do. If things went on like this, the child would not gain the teacher''s favor, and he might be neglected. After the parent-teacher conference ended, the children were allowed to leave school with their parents. Luca informed Zander that she would send Tommy home herself, and he only had to pick Lanie and Rainie up. Then, she was about to leave the ssroom with Tommy. Mrs. Tuffey came forward and stood in front of her. "Ms. Luca, do you have a moment?" Mrs. Glisson held her daughter''s hand and said, "Ashley, Tommy has something to do. Let''s go." "Mommy..." Ashley refused to leave. Her mother promised her that she would thank Tommy in person. "Mrs. Tuffey is looking for Tommy. Be good. I''ll prepare something for Tommy during the school outing to thank him." Mrs. Glisson convinced her as they walked out of the ssroom. She thought Mrs. Tuffey came looking for Luca because she did not sponsor anything. Also, she was worried it would affect the teacher''s impression of her child if she was too close to Tommy. That was why she insisted on leaving in a hurry. Luca understood why Mrs. Tuffey was looking for her. She nced at Charlie''s parents, Myra and Brigham, who stood beside Mrs. Tuffey. Did they ask Mrs. Tuffey to convince her? ¡°Mrs. Tuffey, I''m sorry, but I''ve got work to do." Luca was not nning to give Myra and Brigham a chance. Myra thought Luca was just an ordinary white-cored worker, which was why she disyed an arrogant and pushy attitude previously. Now that Myra knew who the child''s father was, did she want to apologize and please Luca now? Luca did not want to give them the chance to talk nonsense. Everyone should learn to respect each other. No matter how poor orcking in status one was, nobody should use that as an excuse to discriminate. After all, all human beings were born free and equal in dignity and rights. Luca thought Myra should learn about this. "Ms. Luca, Mr. and Mrs. Hudson only want to apologize to you sincerely. Both children are in the same ss. They''ll see each other often in the future. Also, they''ll be ying together. There''s no need to make things worse," persuaded Mrs. Tuffey. Although Mrs. Tuffey thought Myra had crossed the line yesterday, she had to speak up for them at the thought of them sponsoring the lighting of the new academic building. Otherwise, the principal would me her if he found out about it. Luca raised her brows and replied, "In the same ss? Mrs. Tuffey, Mrs. Hudson told me that she''ll tell the principal to kick Tommy out of this school when we were outside the school yesterday." The expression on Myra''s face changed as Luca said that. Her face seemed to change colors, going from pale to red. Brigham looked at his wife with an unbelievable look on his face. "Did you say something like that?" "I didn''t know who Tommy''s father was..." Myra regretted it deeply. If she had known that Tommy''s father was Luke Crawford, she would not have dared to say something like that. How embarrassing! Who would the principal choose? Luke''s child or Brigham''s child? "Well." Mrs. Tuffey was rendered speechless. She did not expect Myra to be that arrogant. "It was probably a joke.." "Mrs. Tuffey, is this a joke to you?" Luca looked down and stroked the child''s head. "Tommy is his parents'' precious child. When did he ever have to be wronged like this? Mrs. Tuffey, you''re Tommy''s homeroom teacher. You should be defending the child who''s been hurt, right?" Chapter 2680 ¡°But Tommy''s fine... I was just blowing off steam yesterday. Ms. Luca, can''t you forgive us and let us go?" Myra could not help but whimper. She was also ming Luca for being heartless. "Why would you say that?" Luca looked at her red eyes. Luca knew Myra''s eyes were red because she cried. It was not because she felt aggrieved. She could still see the frustration in her eyes. If Tommy''s father was not Luke, this might have ended differently. "What?" Myra suddenly could not understand what Luca meant. "You said Tommy is fine. Why would you say that?" asked Luca. Since they wanted to make things unreasonable, she would give them a taste of it as well. Myra was startled for a moment. She did not know how to answer the question. Myra was not the child. How could she know that? She had no choice but to say with some embarrassment, "Look at him. Isn''t he doing fine now?" This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca gave them a cold-eyed stare and said, "Tommy''s father made these arrangements. Go and look for him if you''d like to apologize to him and settle this outside the court. I''m in no position to do anything for you. Mrs. Tuffey, I hope you understand that everything happens for a reason. I wasn''t the one who started this. You were there when the incident happened yesterday. Besides, I told you that Charlie''s mother had to apologize to Tommy if it wasn''t Tommy''s fault. Otherwise, I''d use thew as a weapon to defend the child." "You''re right.." Mrs. Tuffey replied cowardly. She never expected Luca to be so tough. Luca appeared to be a fine woman who was humble and kind. Hence, Mrs. Tuffey thought Luca was an easygoing person. It was only when she found out that Luca was suing Charlie''s parents did she realize the woman in front of her was not someone to be messed with. Moreover, she had someone powerful supporting her. "You b*tch!" Brigham finally knew what Myra said to Luca and what she did yesterday. He could not help but p Myra in the face. "Whoa, you hit me!" Myra covered her face with her hand. She refused to believe that her husband pped her because of this. ¡°Look at what you''ve done!" Brigham''s mouth quivered in annoyance. Everyone in A City knew who Luke Crawford was. He would not let the issue slide so easily after Myra criticized his child that way. "I..." Myra tried to exin, but she noticed that Luca and Tommy had left the ssroom. Her eyes welled up as she watched Luca''s slim figure from behind. Hatred filled her eyes. Brigham realized that and thought of catching up with them. Mrs. Tuffey shook her head and said, "Mr. Hudson, you should give up. There''s no way you can settle this here." "What can I do? If I offend Luke Crawford, I''m doomed for the rest of my life." Brigham glowered. There was a hint of spitefulness in his eyes when he turned to look at Myra. "You don''t even have to worry about thepany''s matter. All I ask of you is to take good care of our child and tidy up the house. Not only did you not take good care of the child, but you didn''t educate him well either. You even got me into such big trouble. Now, you''re dragging ourpany into this. Myra, I''ll divorce you if you don''t get this settled!" Brigham left angrily after saying that. "Brigham Hudson, what a heartless man you are. I''ll kill you if you divorce me. Then I''ll kill myself!" Myra did not expect her husband to say something like that because of this. Her hatred for Luca was getting stronger. Mrs. Tuffey did not expect this would happen after the parent-teacher conference. Even though not many parents stopped by to watch, it was terrible to see this happening in the ssroom. Mrs. Tuffey took two sheets of tissue paper out and handed them to Myra. "Mrs. Hudson, stop crying. It''s not toote yet." Myra took the tissue papers from her. She wiped her tears andined about Brigham being heartless to her, "I gave up my career for him. I''ve been taking care of the family, his parents, and our child. Now he wants to divorce me because of awyer''s letter. I chose to turn a blind eye to him messing with those women out there and not caring for his parents and child. A happy marriage simply requires us to look beyond each other''s imperfections. How can he not understand this? Mrs. Tuffey, can you tell me what I should do now?" Mrs. Tuffey felt awkward. However, given the circumstances, she could not find an excuse to leave. Myra was already breaking down because of what Brigham said to her. Mrs. Tuffey was worried that Myra would do something silly if she left with the others. Mrs. Tuffey had no choice but to say, "People usually say something mean when they''re venting their anger on someone. Everything will be fine after Ms. Luca calms down. Mrs. Hudson, why don''t you head to my office first? There are people around here. It''ll make you look bad." Myra sobbed and nodded. She followed Mrs. Tuffey to her office. Luca got into the car after Tommy and her left the ssroom. Luca initially nned to go home, but she suddenly received a call from Rhett. She had no choice but to ask Warren to drop her at Watson Biopharmaceuticals to check what happened. After they arrived at Watson, Luca sat in the car and said to Tommy, "Tommy, can you stay in the car and wait for me?" "Ms. Luca, I''d like to go upstairs too." Tommy pouted his mouth and disagreed. Luca felt awkward. How was she going to exin to the others if she brought a child along with her? Besides, many people were in the office. Someone would know that Tommy was Luke''s youngest son. ¡°Ms. Luca, I won''t cause any trouble. It''s boring to stay in the car. I can do my homework in your office. Maybe I can head to your assistant''s office to do my homework too. I promise I''ll be good!" said Tommy. Luca had no choice but to agree to it when she saw how reluctant Tommy was to stay in the car. "Fine. You''re only allowed to do your homework when you''re upstairs. Don''t run around the building." "Okay! I promise I won''t do that!" assured Tommy. Luca took him upstairs, and they arrived at the floor where theboratory was. She led Tommy to the assistant''s room as she nned to ask Mo Stone to look after him for a while. "Ms. Stone." Luca held Tommy''s hand as she walked into the assistant''s office. "Dr. Craw, you''re back?" Mo Stone stood up and noticed that she was holding a child''s hand. The child looked familiar... "Yes. Please look after Tommy for me. I''m going to theb." Luca looked down and reminded Tommy, "Be good and do your homework. Don''t be naughty." "Alright, Ms. Luca. Don''t worry. I''ll behave myself." Tommy skipped happily toward Mo Stone. He lifted his head, smiled, and greeted her, "Hello, Ms. Stone. May I know where my seat is?" "Oh, here." Mo Stone immediately pulled a chair out and let him sit beside her office desk. "Thank you, Ms. Stone." Tommy sat on the chair. He opened his school bag and took his exercise books out. He promised Luca that he would do his homework while waiting for her. He would not break his promise. Luca set her worries aside when she saw Tommy sitting there, doing his homework. Then, she walked toward theboratory. Chapter 2681 Luca hurried to theboratory. She realized Rhett was standing right behind theboratory''s door. He was blocking the door, stopping others from going out. ¡°What''s the matter?" Luca asked in a deep voice. Rhett told her what had happened on the phone, but Luca wanted Rhett to tell her about it in front of the researchers. "Dr. Craw, Ambrose took your sample." There was this sullen look on Rhett''s face. It was obvious that he was angry. Previously, Luca had warned them not to look at her research data. Not only did they refuse to listen to her, but they also tried to make him talk. Rhett then found out that they were trying to steal the sample in the equipment and keep them for themselves when he was about to leave theboratory. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. They did not say anything until the experiment report was out. If it were not for Rhett who returned to theboratory and overheard them discussing where they should hide Luca''s sample, he would not have known. Rhett knew they had stolen the sample. He walked into theboratory and argued with them. Atst, he blocked the door and called Luca to inform her about this. Stealing a sample from theboratory was a serious thing. It was Luca''s research. They had already broken thepany''s rules by stealing the sample. Luca turned to look at Ambrose and asked, "Did you take the sample?" "Dr. Craw, Mr. Link misunderstood us." Ambrose tried to get away with it. Rhett refused to give him the chance to do so. "Really? Why don''t you open that box and show it to Dr. Craw?" Rhett wanted to open the box and see if they really put the sample in it when they were arguing just now. Who knew that they would refuse? Rhett had no choice but to inform Luca. "Rhett, we''re colleagues. How could you use me of doing something I didn''t do?!" Ambrose got nervous. If Luca forced him to open the box, he would be exposed. He would even lose his job. Rhett remained quiet. He believed Luca would do the right thing. Besides, he had not done anything that broke thepany''s rules or was against Luca''s orders. Rhett was innocent. He stood up straight. ¡°Open the box and let''s see if you''ve been wronged. Thepany has rules and regtions. Take out whatever is in that box to prove that you''re innocent." Luca lifted her jaw, signaling him to unlock the box. Ambrose''s fingers were slightly curled. Every gesture he made revealed that he was reluctant to do so. Luca''s eyes darkened as she asked, "Do you need me to ask Dr. Jackson toe here and deal with this?" Dr. Jackson was in Dr. Cole and Dr. Albus'' previous position now. It was easy for him to deal with matters that happened between departments. "Dr. Craw, I''m sorry." Ambrose lowered his head and apologized to her. He admitted that he had done something wrong. "Open the box." Even though Ambrose had already admitted it, Luca insisted on asking him to open the box as her face hardened. Ambrose closed his eyes. He unlocked the lock box with thebination key while his hand trembled with fear. Luca walked into theboratory without any expression on her face. There were some documents and papers in the box and a small test tube with the medicine sample. "Is this mine?" Luca picked it up and asked. Ambrose did not say anything. He lowered his head. Luca noticed that Ambrose''s body was shaking from time to time. "I know what I''m experimenting with. I can find out right away to see if it''s mine. But I''m asking you now to save everyone''s time. Tell me, is this my sample?" "Yes, Dr. Craw. I was just curious about what research you''re working on." Ambrose lowered his head. It was his first time getting questioned like this after he graduated. It was as though he was back in his school days and the teacher was questioning him when he did something wrong. Moreover, he looked frightened. Even though Luca looked weak, she was tough and strong. There was no way he could stand such a powerful aura. Hence, he had no choice but to admit it. Ambrose was angry and helpless at the same time being questioned like that at work. He could only show his deepest fears in front of Luca. "I''ve mentioned before that I won''t be interested in the research that you guys do. As such, none of you should be curious about my research either, especially when it''s not been revealed to the public yet. Do you remember that?" Luca asked him in a low voice. She looked at the man who was a few inches taller than her trembling with fear. Luca felt sorry for him. Ambrose was doing well in his research. He was detail-oriented and a fast worker too. However, she could not let someone who was curious about someone else''s research to stay in the company. Since he had the guts to steal her sample now, he might even reveal the confidential information of their research team to others in the future. Although he did not reveal anything to the former general manager previously, it was hard to guarantee that such a person would not betray her and sell the research to someone else. Luca could not take the risk. Moreover, she did not know whether or not Ambrose was sent by Abel. If he was and he knew that she was working on the antidote, then things would get out of hand. Luca knew the difficult position she was in now. She had to be extra careful. Then, she said strictly when Ambrose kept silent. "Do you still remember what I told you?!" It sent a shiver down his spine. It was just a job. He did not know why he was so frightened. He could feel that he was almost out of breath with Luca¡¯s aura pressuring him. She was just a woman. Ambrose wanted to stand up for himself, but he chose to give in to Luca when considering how aggressive she was being. He replied cowardly, "Yes." The researchers around them did not expect Luca, who had always been easygoing, to be so scary when she lost her temper. They were even reminded of Luke. Luca¡¯s powerful aura made them worried that what Ambrose did would affect them too. After all, researchers could be found anywhere in the city. Luca did not necessarily have to work with them. However, they had never thought of resigning, not to mention quitting the job. Their resumes would be nothing if they got fired. They would end up like Ambrose. If Luca fired them, no biopharmaceuticalpanies would be willing to hire them. Who would want an employee who stole their superior¡¯s research sample? "Then why are you curious about my research? Is there a need for you to go as far as stealing my sample?" Luca picked up the test tube and swung it in front of him. Ambrose remained quiet. Luca thought Ambrose might be more frightened if she approached him. She took a step back and questioned him, "Could it be that someone sent you here to find out what research I''m working on so that the person can get a head start on this research before I do? Who were you nning on giving the sample to?" "No, Dr. Craw. I¡¯m not a spy!" Ambrose immediately shook his head. "You¡¯re not?" Luca could not find out whether or not Ambrose was telling the truth. She only knew that he tried to steal her sample. ¡°I was just curious about it. I''ve been wondering what''s in the test tube. I was nning to put it in the equipment and find out what it is tomorrow. It''s because I''d like to learn a lot more from you," said Ambrose as a tear fell down his cheek. Chapter 2682 Luca shook her head and paused for a moment. Then, she shook her head again. Ambrose looked at how strangely Luca was acting. He trembled with fear and dared not to say anything, waiting for her judgment. "Ambrose, you''re wrong," Luca slowly uttered as she looked at the test tube in her hands. ¡°If you''d like to learn from me, you''d have many chances to learn from the next research project. You shouldn''t have stolen my research sample." Ambrose could sense the sympathy in Luca''s voice. He knew it was impossible for him to continue working here. He was in despair. He initially thought Luca would not find out about it and Rhett would destroy the sample after it was analyzed. Hence, he took the sample and happily told the others that he would soon find out what Luca was working on. He did not expect Rhett to overhear their conversation. Ambrose did not know Rhett would return to theboratory. Otherwise, he would not have shown off to his colleagues that he had the research sample. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "Ms. Craw, I promise I won''t do anything like that anymore. Please give me another chance." Ambrose could not be bothered about other things now. He immediately knelt on the floor. If Ambrose was fired, that would be the end of his career in the biopharmaceutical industry. After all, Luca would have to tell thepany why she decided to fire him. His behavior was dangerous to all the professors who were working on their research. He would be regarded as the kind of person who would sell confidential information to others. Ambrose felt hopeless at the thought of his future life after getting fired. What mattered the most to a researcher was that they had to be as clean as a whistle. Even if he was not sent to the police station, he would still have a ''criminal record''. "Ambrose, I can''t hire someone I doubt. I can no longer keep you here. The other professors won''t dare to make you stay after you did something like that either. Pack your stuff. You don''t have toe to work tomorrow," said Luca. She turned to look at Rhett. "You know what to do, right?" "Dr. Craw, is that all you''re going to do?" asked Rhett. It was not that he was deliberately going against Ambrose, but they could call the police and let the police handle this case. "We''re colleagues. There''s no need to call the police. He''s fired." Luca held her research sample tightly in her hands and left theboratory. Ambrose knelt on the ground, staring nkly. He knew there was nothing he could say to change Luca''s mind. Still, was getting fired the only way to solve this? Ambrose refused to believe he would end up like this. He gave Rhett a piercing stare. "Pack your stuff. You asked for it." Rhett could sense the hatred in his eyes, but he did not think he did anything wrong. He had to report to his superior about what Ambrose did no matter what. Moreover, it was Luca who asked him to keep an eye on the sample. If Ambrose did anything to take advantage of Luca''s research, he would be the one bearing all the consequences if he did not find out that Ambrose was the culprit. Hence, Rhett did not feel sorry for Ambrose. After that, Ambrose turned around and prepared to go through the dismissal procedures. It was not up to them to dismiss him from work. Rhett needed to fill out the form and inform the HR department. Rhett was worried that the employees working in the HR department were getting off work soon. Therefore, he hurried back to his office and informed the HR department to ask someone to wait for him. Then, he headed downstairs with the form in his hands. In theboratory. One of the researchers patted Ambrose''s shoulder. He knew about the matter. Ambrose had tried to convince him to partner up with him to steal the sample. However, he was worried that he might get into trouble, so he made up an excuse and rejected his invitation to steal the sample together. As a result, after Ambrose sessfully stole the sample, he was so busy showing it off to him that Rhett overheard their conversation. "Buddy, don''t hesitate to look for me if you need any help in the future," said the researcher. There was nothing he could do about this. After all, it was a serious matter. Luca was kind enough not to call the police. "Why did she fire me?" Ambrose clenched his fists. He was just curious about it. Besides, if everything went smoothly, the research would be their team''s research project sooner orter. It was not like he was going to sell the sample... Ambrose refused to ept it. He slowly began to suspect that Luca was taking a shot at him. The researcher heard him say that and could no longer stand to see him that way. He reminded Ambrose, "It was very kind of Dr. Craw not to call the police when you did such a thing." Ambrose''s eyes were red as he lifted his head and looked at him. It gave the other researcher the willies when Ambrose stared at him like that. "Don''t look at me like that. Honestly, I told you not to do this. Look at what has happened now. Take care. Perhaps you can look for a smaller biopharmaceuticalpany. You might be sessful one day." After that, Rhett walked into theboratory with the letter of dismissal in his hands. The two of them argued, and Rhett was disappointed with Ambrose for doing such a thing. He handed the employee termination letter to him and said, "Sign it." Ambrose remained still. "There''s no need to get your permission to dismiss you from work. Dr. Craw said that if you sign the letter now, the reward earned from the previous project will still be deposited into your bank ount. Thepany will not listen to what you say if you refuse to sign it." Rhett delivered the message his superior told him. "Ambrose, what you did was wrong. Everyone knows how serious it is. You''ll still get the money if you sign it now. Don''t mess things up. If you''re sent to the police station, not only will the company refuse to pay you, but you''ll also be sent to prison." "Yes, Ambrose. It''s a big deal. Just sign it when Dr. Craw isn''t nning to pursue the matter any further," convinced the researcher beside him. Ambrose looked at the employee termination letter. His eyes reddened. His hands trembled when he took the pen from Rhett. Then, he scribbled his name on the letter. Rhett left with the employee termination letter. The researcher let out a sigh and pulled Ambrose up. "Don''t do anything silly next time." Then, he walked out of theboratory. It was almost time to get off work. If it were not for Ambrose''s matter, he would have gone home. The researcher could not help but heave a sigh. What got into Ambrose''s head? He was doing well at Watson, so why did he have to do something like that? Luca had emphasized and reminded them many times about this matter before. Yet, Ambrose insisted on doing it. He deserved it. However, the researcher felt grateful that Luca went easy on Ambrose. Even though she insisted on firing him, she spared him since they were colleagues and had worked together. Not only did she not call the police, but she also shared the reward with him. The researcher was assured that Luca was a good superior. He was working for the right person. In the assistant''s office. Luca sat beside Tommy and watched him do his homework. She was also waiting for Rhett to get everything done. "Dr. Craw, he''s signed it." Rhett handed the employee termination letter to Luca. "Alright." Luca nced at the letter and the name on it. She could see how reluctant Ambrose was when he signed the employee termination letter. "Dr. Craw, are we really not calling the police?" asked Mo Stone after knowing what happened. "No, we''re not." Luca looked down and handed the employee termination letter to Rhett. "Let the HR department stamp it and keep a copy. Then, give him the letter." Chapter 2683 Luca had never thought of making a big deal out of it. Ambrose was wrong, but if the police officers got involved in this, the research she was working on could be exposed. Luca did not want to get into trouble when she had made it so far. Rhett left with the employee termination letter. He had to head to the HR department and let them stamp the employee termination letter. Only then did he pass the letter to Ambrose. Luca watched Rhett leave from behind. It was none of her business now. Hence, she said, ¡°Tommy, let''s go." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Alright, Ms. Luca." Tommy heard her and put his exercise book back into his school bag. After he zipped his bag, he jumped off the chair and waved to Mo Stone. "Goodbye, Ms. Stone." "Bye." Mo Stone smiled and waved back at him. Mo Stone touched her face after she watched the two of them leave. She wondered if she looked old. Why did Tommy address her in such a formal way? Mo Stone could not help but ponder. Luca left the office with Tommy. After they got into Warren''s car, Luca asked him to send them home. A few minutester, Rhett called her. "Dr. Craw, I''ve already handed the letter to Ambrose." "Okay. Did he say anything?" asked Luca. "He seemed upset and frustrated," Rhett recalled the expression on Ambrose''s face just now. Employees who got fired were usually dispirited, but the way Ambrose looked at him was like he could not wait to eat him alive. "Okay. I got it," replied Luca. "Are you sure he hasn''t analyzed the sample? And he didn''t read the report, right?" Luca pondered for a moment and asked worriedly. "Yes. I''m sure about that. I heard him showing off to someone else. He said he would put the sample into the analysis equipment without anyone knowing it. As for your data report, I only left theb for a few seconds before I returned. The report wasn''t out yet at that time," exined Rhett. "Alright." Luca pondered for a moment and said, "Thank you. Get off work early and get some rest." "Don''t mention it, Dr. Craw. You didn''t me me for not looking after the sample well, and you didn''t hold me ountable for this. I''m grateful." Rhett panicked when Luca thanked him. Luca could use this as an excuse to kick him out of thepany as well. However, she did not do that. She did not me Rhett either. Rhett was grateful for that. Now, Luca was even thanking him... Rhett felt distraught at once. ¡°I need you to keep an eye on my samples in theb after this. Also, tell the HR department that I''ll need a new researcher after firing Ambrose." Luca remembered that she should start working on a new research project. Luca was nning to start the second project when she finished working on the antidote. "Alright, Dr. Craw. The HR department has already gotten off work. I''ll send an application to them tomorrow morning," promised Rhett. "Okay. Get off work early after you''re done with this." Luca ended the call after that. Warren could sense something fishy listening to Luca''s conversation on the phone while he drove. He asked, "Ms. Luca, did something happen at the office?" "It''s nothing. There was something wrong with my employee, but it''s been settled," answered Luca. She thought there was no need to let Luke know about Ambrose''s matter. It was not such a big deal. What mattered the most was that Ambrose did not examine and analyze the sample. He had no idea what Luca was working on. After Warren drove home, Luca and Tommy got out of the car. Tommy held Luca''s hand and walked into the front yard. Then, he asked, "Ms. Luca, does everyone have to be punished after doing something wrong?" "Yes. That''s how it works in this world. You have to take responsibility after doing something wrong." Luca looked at Tommy''s face. The older the child got, the more he looked like Luke. "What if it was an ident?" asked Tommy. "Then you should be honest. Admit it if you''ve done something wrong and be responsible for it. You''ll have to apologize to the person you hurt," answered Luca. She knew Tommy was asking her this because of Ambrose''s matter. Tommy was not a child who did not know anything. He was able to figure out what happened by listening to what they said. "Got it. I''m going to be like Daddy and Lanie in the future. I''ll think thrice before doing something, and I''ll try my best not to make any mistakes. Also, I''ll take the initiative to admit my mistake if I do something wrong!" Tommy nodded. He had seen Luca firing her employee today. He knew Luca did not like people doing the wrong thing. Tommy told himself that he should never be someone Luca hated! Luca stroked the child''s head. She smiled and said, "You''re such a good boy. You''re smart too. You won''t make any mistakes if you''re careful enough." "Ms. Luca, I know I didn''t do anything wrong when Mrs. Tuffey asked me what happened. I didn''t bully the girls as Charlie did. I didn''t fight with him either. But Charlie''s mother questioned me and I thought I was wrong at that time. I''m d you protected me." Tommy leaned on Luca''s arm, expressing his affection. "Actually, I''m not the only one protecting you. Your father is also protecting you. He was the one who asked Mr. Zac to send thewyer''s letter to Charlie''s parents. Otherwise, today..." Luca paused for a moment. She was d that Luke backed her up. She thought he was busy dealing with Matysh''s matter. That was why he had no time to deal with Charlie''s parents. Luca did not expect that he would look into their background and ask Mr. Zac to deliver thewyer''s letter to them. That was why they did not put her in a difficult situation today. ¡°Daddy has always been protecting us. Now, he''s protecting you too,¡± said Tommy with a smile on his face. The two of them walked into the house. Lanie and Rainie were already back home since they had finished school. They were sitting on the sofa, eating the fruits Aunt Neile cut for them. Aunt Neile saw Tommy and Lucae in. She smiled and said, "I was wondering why Young Master Tommy didn''te home with Young Master Lanie and Ms. Rainie. It turns out that you went to pick him up." "Yes. They finished school after the parent-teacher conference ended. I left with Tommy, but something came up at the office. I had to return to the office to deal with it. That''s why I came homete.¡± Luca nced at the time. Even though she came homete, fortunately, it did not keep her from anything. "I''ve just cut the fruits. Have some. I''m going to prepare tonight''s dinner now." Aunt Neile walked into the kitchen after that. Luca nced at the fruit tter. They were the kids'' favorite fruits. She reminded them, "Eat your fruits and head upstairs to finish your homework." "Okay, Ms. Luca," the three kids replied at the same time. Luca made her way up the stairs. She brought the sample Ambrose stole from her back home. Luca was still worried about it. She nned to ce the sample in the equipment in the vi and see if it could analyze it. Luca walked into the study. She had told Aunt Neile not to touch this room. Hence, there was ayer of dust on the equipment after not using it for a while. Ever since Luke said that the employees were allowed to use thepany''sboratory for research purposes, she hardly stepped into the study. Luca took a few sheets of tissue paper and wiped the equipment. Then, she sat on the chair and began to analyze the sample. Chapter 2684 In the living room. The three kids sat side by side on the sofa, enjoying their fruits. Rainie turned to look at Tommy, and she asked, ¡°Tommy, Ms. Luca attended your school''s parentteacher conference today. Did anything happen?" "Yes!" Tommy immediately put down his fork and started to tell his siblings what happened today. "Rainie, Charlie''s parents apologized to us!" "Charlie? Is he the one who fell in front of you, didn''t dare to admit it, and med you for it?" Lanie knew about the events of yesterday. Tommy seemed to have mentioned Charlie''s name when he told them about it yesterday. "Yes. That''s him! His mother was terrifying yesterday. She looked like she was going to eat Ms. Luca alive. But she chickened out today. She kept on apologizing to us. Daddy sued them, so they came to apologize to keep the dispute out of court," exined Tommy as he danced with joy. Tommy had behaved himself when he was there at the scene, but he was secretly thrilled. "They aren''t afraid of getting sued. They''re afraid of Daddy." Lanie hit the mark. Rainie agreed and nodded her head. "Why are they afraid of Daddy?" Tommy asked with his head tilted. He did not understand why Charlie''s parents were not afraid of getting sued. He knew that many people were afraid of getting sued and getting into awsuit on TV.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Charlie''s father''s name is Brigham Hudson, and his mother''s name is Myra Chavez," said Lanie. Tommy widened his eyes as he asked, "How did you know that?" "That''s impressive." Rainie pursed her lips, trying not to smile. She saw Lanie looking into Charlie''s parents yesterday. Lanie used a tablet to search for Charlie''s parent''s information through Charlie''s full name yesterday. "Your ssmate''s parents are in the lighting business. It''s quite a big field in A City, but it depends on a lot of industries, like architectural design." Lanie analyzed the situation. Before Lanie could finish his sentence, Tommy immediately understood and nodded. "I got it. He would be losing a lot of business if he offends Daddy!" ¡°Yes. The architectural design projects that T Corporation works on have taken their business to the next level," replied Lanie. He knew Charlie''s parents'' lightingpany exported their products to another country. They were wholesaling and retailing their products in the local market too, but they gained most of the profits from these projects. They knew they would be out of luck if they offended Luke. That was why they were so anxious about it. Tommy heaved a sigh and said, "That exins why they apologized." "They should apologize. Your ssmate defamed you yesterday, and his mother was rude to Ms. Luca. It''s only right they apologized," added Lanie. Tommy and Luca did nothing wrong. They did not deserve to be scolded by Charlie''s parents. "Yes. Ms. Luca told me that one should apologize after doing something wrong. Charlie used me of something I didn''t do. He was wrong!" said Tommy. "Alright. Leave it to Daddy. He''ll handle this. Let''s go upstairs and do our homework," suggested Rainie. They would usually finish their homework before dinner. "Okay." Tommy nodded. Then, he grabbed his school bag and jumped off the sofa. The three kids made their way upstairs to do their homework. Luca was busy with her research in the study. Only when Aunt Neile came to inform her that it was about time for dinner did she drop everything and head downstairs. Luke and the three kids were already sitting at the dining table when Luca arrived at the dining hall. "Ms. Luca, hurry up and sit down. It''s time for dinner." Tommy looked at Luca with a smile on his face. "Alright. Thank you," replied Luca. She sat down on the chair right beside Luke. "Have you removed the stitches?" Luke noticed that Luca''s right hand was no longer bandaged. "Yes. I had some time today, so I went to remove the stitches." Luca nodded. "Dr. Park helped me to remove them." Luca stressed Johann''s name, telling Luke that she got his permission before she removed the stitches. She did not remove the stitches on her own. "Okay." Luke nodded, staring at her with his deep eyes. Aunt Neile and the maid served the dishes on the table. Luca took the initiative to help them with the food. She ced a slice of pizza on Luke''s te first. Then, she gave the children each a slice of pizza. Atst, she grabbed a slice for herself. The three kids enjoyed their pizza. Luke took a few bites and suddenly asked, "Did anything happen during the parent-teacher conference today?" "Charlie''s parents apologized to us. Does that count?" Luca gently bit her fork and decided to tell Luke what happened even though she knew Luke probably already knew about it. "Yes, I told Mr. Zac to sue them," replied Luke "Now they know you''re Tommy''s father. That''s why they apologized," Luca uttered slowly. If it were not for the demand letter that had Luke''s name on it when it was sent to them, the couple would have continued to behave arrogantly. ¡°What are you nning to do?" asked Luke. Luca immediately replied without hesitation, "Wait for the case to be scheduled and sue them?" "Alright. Sure." It did not matter to Luke. He would leave the case to Mr. Zac. It would not take long for him to settle it. "Isn''t it troublesome?" Luca asked in a soft voice. Luke''s eyes gleamed when he turned to look at her. There was determination in his eyes. "I won''t let anyone bully you." Luke was talking about his family, including her and the kids. Luke would never let anyone bully his wife and children. What was the point of having an abundance of wealth and power if he could not protect his family? "Okay." Luca looked down. "By the way, Louis will be holding a housewarming party this Sunday. He invited you," said Luke. Louis told Luke about it today. Susan went to ask a divination practitioner and was told that thising Sunday was an auspicious day to hold the party. "Will there be a lot of people?" Luca tightened her hand while she gripped the knife at the thought of attending thepany''s party this Friday night and Louis'' party on Sunday. She felt like she did not have enough time... "Only family members and friends are invited to the party," answered Luke. Even though Susan had a big ego and tried to make the housewarming party a big deal, even thinking of holding a banquet for it, Louis eventually rejected her ideas. Louis had already paid some money to renovate the house, and he spent a lot of money to celebrate Susan''s birthday partyst time. He did not have much left now. Even though he could receive some cash gifts from the guests, he could hardly reach the break-even point of the cost of holding the party. Hence, he decided to make it simple and only invite his family members and friends to attend the party. He could save some money that way, and he could make some extra money from it too. "Okay." Luca secretly counted the days. Previously, she heard the kids mention that Old Master Crawford told Louis to move to his new house after the new year, but she did not expect them to put it off until now. "Is Old Master Crawford staying with them?" Luca asked with curiosity. Previously, Tommy told her what had happened at Crawford Manor during the new year. Tommy told Luca everything. He even told her how reluctant Susan was to move out of the house. That was why Luca knew what had happened even though she did not celebrate the new year at Crawford Manor. Chapter 2685 "Yes," replied Luke. Susan had refused to move out of Crawford Manor. However, Old Master Crawford said that they were wee to go back and stay for a few days asionally. Still, if Susan insisted on staying in Crawford Manor, he would move out. Susan was worried that Old Master Crawford would favor Luke even more after he moved to his ce. That was why she eventually agreed to move here with Louis. However, there was a condition. The reason why Susan agreed to move was that it would be convenient for her to help Louis and Yuri to look after Thea. Hence, Susan would move back to Crawford Manor when Thea was having her school holidays. She would move back to Louis'' house when sses started again. Susan did not think it was troublesome, and Old Master Crawford had noment either. That way, Old Master Crawford could live in peace for a few months. "Is Grandma Susan moving here too?" Tommy could not help but blurt out. He did not expect Susan to organize the housewarming party after moving in when she strongly opposed the idea of moving out. It seemed like their Great-grandpa had a way to make their Grandma Susan move out of the house. "Yes," replied Luke. Tommy sighed and said, "I thought Grandma Susan wasn''t moving here. Daddy, does that mean we''ll be meeting Grandma Susan regrly?" "Yes," answered Luke. Old Master Crawford intended to let Louis stay beside Luke''s vi. It was to prevent the two brothers from growing apart even though they moved out of Crawford Manor. Tommy pouted his mouth with an unhappy look on his face. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He did not like Susan at all. After dinner, Luca was nning to head upstairs and see the analysis result, but Luke called her. "Luca, can you follow me to my study?" "Okay." Luca was startled for a moment. She followed Luke upstairs into his study. The door was closed behind her once Luca stepped into the study. Before she could respond, Luke pressed his thin lips against hers. The burning sensation spread across their bodies like wildfire as their lips pressed together. Luke''s overbearing scent was constantly taking her breath away. Luca''s hand, which was initially on Luke''s chest, pushed him away before she slowly epted his advances. Then, she eventually put her arms around his waist. The temperature in the room was getting higher. Luca could feel the throbbing in her heart getting stronger... Luca knew there was no way she could push the man who was kissing her and holding her in his arms away. She was about to drown in pleasure. "Luke." Luca gently called his name. She could feel his thin lips gently kissing her chin. It made her feel helpless. Her long, fair arms were nervously tugging at Luke''s shirt as she melted in his sweet embrace. They were in the study. The kids were still downstairs. Luca''s mind was in a fog. She did not know what to do. She could only let him take her. Her body was getting out of control. "Shh." Luke''s soft voice came into her ears. It was ticklish yet irresistible. Luca wanted to free herself, but it was useless no matter how hard she tried to struggle. Luca could only close her eyes as Luke kissed her. The cells in her blood were zing hot and getting uncontroble. The two could hardly control themselves as the temperature rose. Luke carried Luca in his arms and ced her on the bed. When he was about to lean closer to her, there was a knock on the door. "Daddy." There came Rainie''s voice from outside the door with a knocking sound. The two of them were shocked for a moment. Luca could see how helpless Luke felt when they looked into each other''s eyes. Luca pursed her lips and sat up when she saw how aggrieved Luke was. She quickly brushed her hair and tidied her clothes. If it were someone else knocking on the door, Luke would not have responded. However, there was no way he could ignore it if it was Rainie outside the door. A daughter was her father''s lover from his past life. She was the apple of her father''s eye. It was the same even with Luke, who wielded enormous influence in the business world. Luke had no choice but to open the door once he saw that Luca was done tidying herself up. He looked at the little girl outside the door and asked with a helpless voice, "What''s the matter?" Rainie noticed that Luca''s face was red when she peeped into the room. She asked caringly, "Is Ms. Luca feeling unwell?" "No. I''m fine." Luca shook her head as she rose to her feet with a smile on her face. However, she did not move closer to the door. She could not help but feel guilty when the child looked at her. The kids did not know about it yet. The adults would feel awkward if Rainie asked something like that. Luca smiled at her. Rainie could not help but ask, ¡°But Ms. Luca, your face is as red as a tomato." ¡°It''s a little hot and stuffy here," Luca immediately replied. "Oh." Rainie turned to look at Luke and told him why she came looking for him. ¡°Daddy, you have to check my homework and sign it." Luke''s temples throbbed faintly as he looked at the exercise books Rainie handed to him. He was interrupted just because he had to sign the kids'' homework. It seemed like it was not a good idea to have so many kids. Luke took the books from Rainie and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°I''ll checkter." ¡°Daddy, please check them first. Otherwise, we''ll fall asleep waiting for you and we''ll be flustered tomorrow morning. We''ll be in trouble if we take the wrong exercise book or forget to bring our homework to school," Rainie exined with a serious expression on her face. ¡°Let me do it." Luca took the exercise books from Luke. Then, she turned to look at Rainie. ¡°Is it okay if I check your homework for you?" ¡°Sure! Thank you, Ms. Luca. Please excuse me. I''m going downstairs to watch my cartoon show." Rainie made her way down the stairs happily. She had no idea she had interrupted the two of them when she knocked on the door. ¡°Luca, are you running away from me?" Luke stood in front of her, blocking her way. He stopped her from walking out of the room. ¡°No..." replied Luca in a soft voice. ¡°It''s just that the night''s still young. And the kids aren''t asleep yet..." She was worried that it would be a bad influence on the kids. Luke stroked his chin, looked at her reddened face and ears, and agreed. ¡°You''re right. We can do this later." Luca''s face turned redder at once. That was not what she meant! However, Luke intentionally misunderstood what she said. "I''m going downstairs." said Luca as she was about to bypass him and walk out of the room. However, Luke grabbed her at the waist and pulled her into his arms. Luca could hear his heart thumping in her ears. It was strong, and it stimted her acoustic nerves. "I." ¡°I had something to tell you when I asked you toe upstairs," said Luke. It was inconvenient for him to mention it to Luca in front of the kids. That was why he asked her to head upstairs and talk about it. However, the moment he stepped into the study, he could not control himself as he stared at her soft, pillowy lips. He immediately made a move. ¡°Oh." Luca''s face was burning red as she waited for him to continue. ¡°The police are starting to look into Matysh''s case and the Normans'' case. Leia also knows about it. I might be able to get the goods on her," continued Luke. The caretaker had been observing Leia and her unusual behavior. Besides, what Leia did not realize was that it had always been the caretaker who personally brought the hospital gown for her whenever she had to change into another one. Johann had arranged for Leia to put on two sets of hospital gowns repeatedly. A tiny bugging device had been secretly fixed at the top button of each gown. Chapter 2686 ¡°I visited Ms. Rayne and Mr. and Mrs. Norman when I went to the hospital to remove the stitches today. They seemed to be in good shape, especially Ms. Rayne. She''s feeling much betterpared to the first time she received the chemotherapy treatment. But I think there''s something wrong with her caretaker, so I fired her," said Luca as she looked down. It reminded her of what happened in Wanda''s wardroom when Luke mentioned Leia. Even though Wanda told her that she would hire another caretaker, Luca thought she should tell Luke about this. After all, it was Luca who took the liberty to fire the caretaker. "If she''s fired then so be it. It doesn''t matter. I can arrange another one for her." Luke tidied her slightly messy hair. Her hair was messed up when shey down on the bed. Luca was surprised and she asked, "Aren''t you going to ask me why?" "You''re not the kind of person who would easily fire someone. I trust you. You did it for her own good." Luke trusted her. Even if Luca was the kind of person who would easily fire her subordinates without any reason, Luke would still support her decision. Luca did it for Wanda''s sake. Luca was moved by Luke''s unconditional trust. If she was still Bianca, Luke would definitely trust her. However, she was Luca now, but he still trusted her. No gift was more precious than trust in this world. How could she not be moved by Luke when he had faith in her? "I wonder if Ms. Rayne has found herself a new caretaker," added Luca. She was worried Wanda would not look for another caretaker to save Luke''s money since she was getting better now. Luke raised his brows when he heard what Luca was worried about. "I''ll ask Johann about it." "It doesn''t sound like a great idea to ask for Dr. Park''s help for such a trivial matter..." said Luca. She was reluctant to trouble Johann when she was reminded of Johann''s suggestion today. She would owe him a favor. "He just has to make a call and ask about it. It''s a simple task," replied Luke as he picked up his phone and sent a message to Johann. ¡°Let me check the kids'' homework first," suggested Luca. "Alright. Go to bed early tonight," teased Luke. The blush on Luca''s cheeks that had gone away appeared on her face again. Luca quickly walked out of the bedroom and gently let out a sigh of relief. She touched her burning cheeks. Luke was good at flirting with her... Whenever Luca thought of every word he said and the look on his face, every detail of him was full of seductiveness and temptation. It was as though he was intentionally enchanting her, and she was trapped in his prison. Luca made her way down the stairs. The three kids were sitting on the sofa, watching TV. "Ms. Luca, you came down." Tommy smiled and patted the empty seat beside him, signaling her to sit beside him. Luca nodded. "Yes, I came down to check your homework," replied Luca with a smile on her face. She sat on the sofa and opened Lanie''s exercise book first. Tommy used his fork to pick up a slice of apple and said, "Ms. Luca, have some!" "Thank you, Tommy." Luca looked up and slightly leaned over to eat the apple slice her child picked up for her. Then, she continued to check their homework. The kids did their homework well. After she checked their homework, she picked up the pen at the thought of Luke being busy with his work upstairs and signed his name on it. After signing their homework, Luca returned the exercise books to the kids. The kids kept their books properly. Luca nced at the time. There was another episode before the cartoon show ended. Then, she reminded the kids, "Be good. Stay here and watch your cartoon show. I''m going upstairs to do some work. Go upstairs, take a shower, and get ready to go to bed after the show, okay?" Luca''s voice was gentle when she spoke to the three kids. She sounded like she was discussing it with the kids instead ofmanding them. "Alright, Ms. Luca," replied the kids. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca made her way up the stairs without worrying about them when she heard that. She did not walk into Luke''s bedroom. Instead, she headed to the study and checked the results. The results that came out were the same as the ones she got this afternoon. There were no changes in the sample''s concentration. In other words, Ambrose did not add any chemical substances to the samples. Luca let out a sigh of relief. She poured the sample into the toilet bowl and flushed it. She had saved the other samples, and they were in her office. Hence, there was no need for her to keep this sample. Luca did not leave the room after she finished her work. She sat on the chair, lost in her thought. It had been a long time since Abel gave her any orders. The quieter he was, the more worried Luca was. Luca felt uneasy. She picked up her phone and called Amur. She wanted to ask him whether or not Abel had contacted himtely. However, the phone rang for a second before the call ended. Amur hung up on her. Luca became even more upset. Luca pursed her lips. She received a text from Amur when she was wondering if she should call Amur. [On a mission.] There were only a few words, but he still told Luca what he was doing now. Luca immediately frowned when she saw that. Amur''s mission was to deal with Pierre. [Why didn''t you tell me earlier?] Luca immediately replied. Previously, she told him to inform her before he carried out a mission. She had Amur''s number, and she coulde up with an excuse to go out and help him. However, Amur only told her now, and there was nothing she could do to help him! Luke was at home now. He would suspect her if she made up an excuse to go out now! Luca felt her heartbeat race. She did not know why her heart was beating faster when she found out that Amur was carrying out a mission. She was worried something might happen to him... Abel was going after Pierre, and she had something to do with it. If it were not for her who stole the bidding document, Pierre would not have be the buyer. Pierre would not have felt dissatisfied when Abel took all the money back. That was why he kept on messing with Abel. He had gone so far that he made Abel send Amur to kill him. Amur replied: [The mission changed. It''s simple. I can handle this.] Today, Abel sent him a message and told Amur not to kill Pierre. He wanted Pierre alive. Hence, Amur only had to bring Pierre to Abel. Still, it was not as easy as what he told Luca. There were many ways to kill Pierre. However, taking a man over five feet tall away and bringing him to Abel was a difficult task. After all, Pierre was not living alone now. He was living with a gang of thugs. However, those men were not Amur''s target. Hence, he was not nning to kill them. He had to fight with the thugs and beat them up. Then, he would knock Pierre out and take him away. It was more difficult than killing him. Still, no matter how difficult it was, Amur was not nning to ask Luca for help. Luca had to stay in A City. Abel had not given her any instructions now. If her identity was exposed because of Pierre, he had no idea what Luke and the Mallory family would do to her. If Luca''s identity was exposed and she failed to do what Abel instructed, she would be punished by the organization. Chapter 2687 Amur knew he was different from Luca. If he failed toplete his mission, he only had to be punished when he returned to the Ind of Despair. However, if Luca failed her mission, she would no longer be useful to Abel. She would be sent back to the Ind of Despair at that time. She would be facing a severe punishment that was worse than the punishment given to those who failed their mission. She might end up being a ytoy at the Ind of Despair... After all, Abel was a psycho. He would not have mercy on Luca. When the time came, Luca would not be able to protect N, and she would not be able to protect herself either. Amur could not let Luca take such risks. [He''s not killing Pierre?] Luca could not help but feel suspicious. What made Abel change his mind? There was no way he would show mercy. He would not have done that, especially when Pierre had offended him. Amur replied: [No. He only wants to punish him. Let''s talk about thister. Wait for my reply.] Luca stared at her phone screen for a while and read Amur''s message. Only then did she delete the message. She could not let Luke see the messages. Night fell. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the city, people were walking to and fro in the suburban district. Some were doing illegal business and some were making loud noises at the bars as the music yed. The busy nightlife portrayed the other side of A City. Amur stood at the corner of the street, smoking his cigarette and looking at the house opposite the street. The address that Luca gave him was here. Amur confirmed that Pierre was in this house, hiding from the police. The me of the cigarette at the corner of his lips glowed and dimed. The glow of the bright, yellow streetmps shone on his face for a moment before immediately dimming out after that. ¡°Yo, what a hot foreign guy we have here. Do you understand English?" A scantily dressed woman walked toward Amur and teased him. He caught a whiff of the smell of cheap perfume in the air. It made him frown, and he said, "Get lost." It gave the woman a shock. However, she became happy as soon as she found out that he understood English. Men who stood and waited here were either waiting for their guests or women like her. Hence, she thought Amur was waiting for women like her. The woman sized him up. With the way Amur was dressed, he looked like a rich man. She chirped happily, "Cutie, don''t be fierce to me. Is it your first time here? If you''re not fond of me, there are other women upstairs. We have different types of women there." Amur gave her a cold stare as he listened to the woman chattering away. ¡°Get out of here if you don''t wanna die." The woman was frightened when she saw the look in his eyes. It sent a shiver down her spine. Then, she cursed bitterly, ¡°Who the f*ck is that guy? He''s so mean. Why is he standing there when he doesn''t want any woman to sleep with him? Could it be that he''s waiting for a guy? Tsk, can he stop being sanctimonious?" Amur furrowed his brows unhappily when he heard what the woman said. However, he had something more important to do tonight. He had no time to deal with the long- winded woman. Amur had to stand here and wait until the street quieted down. Only then he could make a move. The cigarette held between Amur''s fingers was almost extinguished. He threw it on the ground and stepped on it to stub out the cigarette. Then, he lit up another cigarette. Amur took a puff of the cigarette and slowly blew a smoke ring. The temperature was slightly low on a chilly spring night. As Amur watched the smoke ring gradually disappear in the air, engulfed in darkness, his forefinger suddenly trembled for a moment. Luca came across his mind. Even though Amur could not protect her, he hoped that she was safe and sound. However, would Abel let them get what they wanted? Amur even thought that Abel changing his mind not to kill Pierre probably had something to do with the mission of dealing with Luke. Still, it was not within his control. The busy street was slowly getting quieter as the night wore on.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Amur noticed that Oswald, who had gone for a drink and gotten drunk, was staggering back home. Amur put on the gloves specially made on the Ind of Despair. Amur hid in the darkness and waited until all the lights in the apartment went out. Then, he nced at the time. It was three in the morning. Luca should be asleep now. She probably was not waiting for his message. Luca did not reply to his message since he sent the previous message to her. Amur stubbed out thest cigarette and took a bottle of solution out from his pocket. This solution would help get rid of those thugs. The soundproofing of the residential homes on this street was bad. If he made a loud noise, it would be even more difficult for him to take Pierre away. Amur wore a cap and a mask. Then, he came to the house''s door. Every household here used the same wooden door. It looked solid, but the locks of the doors could be easily opened. It was easy for thieves to break into the houses here. Amur took an iron wire out, the master key to unlock all doors. He stuck the iron wire into the door lock and tried unlocking it. It only took him three seconds before he heard a clicking sound. The door was unlocked. Amur did not sneak into the house like someone who was up to no good and looked in all directions before he went in. He leisurely walked into the house as though he was at home. He closed the door behind him. Then, he stood behind the door. He was not in a hurry to head inside. Amur waited for his eyes to adjust to the dark. Then, he nced around him to see what the interior layout was like. There were three rooms in the house. Amur had never been here before. He had no idea which room Pierre was staying in, so he had to check each room one after another. Amur walked into the room opposite the entrance. He was trained to be professional when he was on the Ind of Despair. He did not make any sound when he walked. Before he could get closer to the room, he heard thunderous snoringing from inside the room. Amur frowned and thought of Oswald''s body size. He knew it was him. Then, he pushed the door open and walked toward the bed. The person sleeping on the bed was fast asleep. Even though Amur could not see the person''s facial features, he was sure that it was Oswald just by looking at the body size of the person sleeping on the bed. He slept like a log and did not even know that someone had opened the door. Amur took a handkerchief out of his pocket and poured some solution on it. Then, he ced it on Oswald''s face. Amur was agile. Oswald had drunk some beer just now, and he was deeply asleep. It did not wake him up. Amur covered Oswald''s face with the handkerchief for five seconds. Then, he knew Oswald had already lost consciousness. He left the room and headed to another room. He repeated the same thing. Amur did not wake anyone up. Even though there were two people in the second room. He did not make a sound and knocked the two of them out. As Amur watched the two of them lose consciousness, he could not help but wonder. What was Pierre thinking? Why did he choose to stay here? The people here were easy to deal with, and they could not even protect him... After that, Amur walked out of the room and pushed open the door to thest room. Pierre woke up the moment the door was opened and asked, ¡°Who is it?" "It''s me." Amur deliberately lowered his voice and made it sound hoarse. Pierre frowned. This man sounded like a stranger to him. He did not sound like the others who were living here. He reached out his hand and turned on the lights. The dim light shone on Amur. Pierre became alert when he saw it was not someone he knew. He asked, "Who sent you?" "Someone you''ve been investigating." Amur gripped the handkerchief in his hands tightly. Before he came in, he had already poured the solution on the handkerchief. He only had to cover the handkerchief over Pierre''s face for five seconds and it would knock him out. Chapter 2688 A man''s face immediately shed across Pierre''s mind. Previously, he got the short end of the stick when he dealt with that man. He became even more alert, and he asked, "Are you one of his men?" Amur did not reply to him. Instead, he toyed with the handkerchief in his hands. Pierre noticed his gesture and knew he was not easy to deal with. He also understood the situation he was in now. Then, he shouted, ¡°Oswald,e in!¡± ''Are you calling the man who''s sleeping like a log?¡± Amur asked calmly. It reminded him of what Pierre had done to Luca when he saw the terrified look on his face. Amur suddenly wondered if he was letting Pierre off lightly if he took him to Abel just like this. He wanted to take revenge for Luca. "Did you kill him?¡± asked Pierre. He knew that man''s subordinates were cruel and merciless. It was as though they were from an organization. Hence, he would not be surprised to know that this man had killed Oswald and the others. Pierre wanted to find out the man''s true identity. That was why he investigated him. However, he was too busy with Mallory Corporation''s matters these days, and he did not continue investigating him. He did not expect that man to send his subordinates ande looking for trouble. "They''re a little drugged out now. No one can help you. Mr. Pierre, follow me somewhere else." Amur took a step forward, trying to overpower him and take him away. Pierre''s eyes darkened as he grabbed a knife from below his pillow. "Don''t even think about it!¡± Then, he thrust the knife toward Amur. Amur dodged his attack and said, "Our boss would like to see you. Mr. Pierre, if you try to get away, I won''t be responsible for my actions.¡± This was thest warning Amur gave him. Pierre''s actions gave him a good chance to fight with him. Even if he injured Pierre, Amur believed that Abel would not say anything if he told him why. Pierre clenched the knife in his hands. There was a hint of coldness on the sharp knife when the dim light shone on it. As Pierre looked at Amur, who did not carry any weapons with him, he was confident that he could run away from Amur. Amur did not have any weapons, after all. Abel''s subordinate came here without carrying any weapon with him. He was too confident. ¡°Cut the crap. Don''t me me if you die here today." Pierre gripped his knife tight. It was his only weapon. Amur noticed that Pierre''s hand trembled when he gripped the knife tight. Was he injured? Only those who had musculoskeletal injuries would have shaky hands. "Mr. Pierre, you''ll have to suffer if you refuse to listen to me," said Amur. Even though Pierre had a weapon, he was fearless. How could an injured man win him in a fight? Even if he carried a weapon, those who were trained on the Ind of Despair were good at taking their opponent down with bare hands. "Nonsense. If you can get out of this house today, go back and tell your boss that the Mallory family isn''t easy to deal with. I''ll expose him if he dares to do something like this again. Luke''s men are already searching for him," threatened Pierre. He found out something when he was investigating Abel. He was reticent about the results of the investigation when he told Leroy about it. "Tell him yourself," replied Amur. He lifted his hand and nned to strike Pierre on the right shoulder. He reckoned that Pierre had an injured right hand. Pierre was fast. He noticed Amur''s gesture and tried to stab him. However, Amur grabbed his wrist tight and stopped him. "You..." Before he could finish his words, Amur hit Pierre''s shoulder with the palm of his hand. "Argh!" Pierre let out a painful scream. "Mr. Pierre, you''re injured, right?" asked Amur. Then, he immediately grabbed Pierre''s left hand too. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Pierre was right-handed. Leroy''s subordinate had pressed against Pierre''s shoulder that day and sprained his right shoulder. Now, Amur struck hard on Pierre''s injured shoulder. Pierre felt his hand aching and losing strength. Pierre had only felt that for a moment. The next second, his grip became loose and he let go of the knife he was holding. Clunk! The knife fell to the ground. Amur let out a mockingugh. "Hah, Mr. Pierre. It seems like you''ll have to listen to me and follow me back." "How dare you?!" Pierre had only uttered a few words when Amur covered his face firmly with the handkerchief, making him swallow all his words. He could no longer say anything. Pierre lost consciousness five secondster. Amur let out a tsk and violently threw him to the floor. As Amur looked at Pierre''s injured shoulder, an idea came into his mind. He wanted to break his right arm. Pierre would still have his left arm even if he broke his right arm. He could get used to being lefthanded even if his right arm was injured. Besides, no one would be able to find out about it. It would be easy on him that way. Amur curled his lips and slowly shifted his gaze to Pierre''s leg. If Pierre, a man who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, could stay alive even after he met Abel, it would certainly hit him hard if he found out that he had be a cripple. ¡°Pierre, don''t me me for doing this." Amur slowly lifted his leg. He knew every weak spot of the human body. Once he struck the weak spot and the injury was left untreated, it would leave him crippled. Pierre would be a cripple for the rest of his life. The moment Amur struck him, he said, "It''s your fault for messing with the person I care about the most." Even though Pierre had lost consciousness, he let out a painful moan when Amur''s leg struck him. Amur sneered. He carried Pierre on his shoulder and left the house. He walked straight down the street. It was almost dawn, and no one was on the street. Amur opened the car door of the car he parked beside the street and ced Pierre in the backseat. He quickly tied Pierre''s hands and legs with the hemp rope and gagged him to prevent him from causing trouble when he was driving on the road once he woke up. Amur could not help but think it was hrious when he looked at Pierre, who was tied up with rope. He picked up his phone and took a photo of him. Then, he started the car and drove away. Amur changed directions while he was on his way back. He was worried that Oswald would call the police. In that case, the police would be able to track him down through surveince cameras. He had to be careful. The address Abel gave him was in X City, somewhere far from A City. Amur left A City and drove all the way to X City. At the break of dawn. Amur stared at the bright light in the sky. Then, he turned to look at Pierre, who was in the backseat. He had not woken up. Oswald''s home. Oswald yawned and slowly opened his eyes. As he looked at the morning daylight, he wondered why he woke up so early today. He would usually drink until it waste at night and only wake up at noontime. He woke up too early today. Besides, he felt unwell, and something was wrong with his throat and nose. His throat was dry and itchy as though something had gone into it. "I drank too muchst night." He was puzzled, and he med it on the alcohol for making him feel unwell. Chapter 2689 Oswald yawned. He did not feel like sleeping anymore. He got out of bed and nned to get himself a ss of water to make his throat feel better. When he walked out of the room, he realized the door was left open. ¡°Who the f*ck didn''t close the doorst night?" Oswald could not help but scowl when he saw that. Were they not inviting thieves to break into their house if the door was left open? It would be fine if the door was not usually closed, but he had just got what Pierre asked him to get from his office. What should he do if they did not close the door and everything was stolen? Oswald walked toward the door and closed it. However, he was worried thieves had broken into their house. He immediately opened the door of the room beside him. The two of them were sleeping soundly on the bed. Oswald thought it was one of them who did not close the door when they came backst night. He kicked their beds and asked, "Who didn''t close the doorst night?" The two men sleeping on the bed did not respond. Oswald ran out of patience. He came forward and pped them in their faces to wake them up. "Wake up!" The men on the bed slowly woke up when they were pped in their faces. They saw Oswald standing beside the headboard. One of them asked drowsily, "Brother Oswald, what''s the matter?" "Who didn''t close the doorst night?!" asked Oswald. One of the men rose to his feet and stroked his aching face. He replied, "Boss, we closed the doorst night." "How''s that possible?! The door was left open!" Oswald pointed at the door outside. The man recalled what happenedst night and said, "You were still drinking at the bar when we came homest night. You were thest one toe home. Could it be that you were drunk and you forgot to close the door?" "Bullsh*t. I never forgot to close the door," cursed Oswald. He had always kept the habit of closing the door. No matter how drunk he was, the first thing he did when he arrived home was to close the door. He had always done that, and he had never failed to close the door. The man stroked his face and made a guess, "Did thieves break into the house?" ¡°This house would be a mess if thieves had broken in! Look, does this ce look like thieves have been here?" ranted Oswald. The living room looked like how it was yesterday. Even though it was messy, the living room would be a bigger mess if the thieves broke in. There was no way it would look like what it did yesterday. "Then it must be Mr. Pierre. He probably went out and forgot to close the door," the other man piped in. Pierre had been in his room when they came backst night. Hence, it was probably Pierre who went out and forgot to close the door. "Really? The police are still looking for him..." doubted Oswald. Pierre was on the wanted list now, but he was not a wanted criminal. However, the police posted Pierre''s photo and announced to the public that anyone would be rewarded if they provided some useful information to track him down. Hence, the only difference between Pierre and a wanted criminal was that the bounty offered for the capture of the criminal was higher. The reward offered for capturing Pierre was much lower than the one offered for wanted criminals. After all, the police only wanted to investigate Pierre. They would not be arresting him. Nevertheless, Pierre still refused to show up. He said that he would only show up after waiting for the Mallory family to clean up the mess. Would Pierre go out at this moment? The man nced outside the window and said, "It''s not daylight yet, and there aren''t many people outside. Mr. Pierre probably wanted to take a walk and get some fresh air." "Let me check." Oswald was still worried. He returned to his bedroom and confirmed that the money he took at Pierre''s office was still there. Only then did he walk toward Pierre''s room. The door was left open. Oswald thought it was just like what his subordinate told him and that Pierre went to take a walk. When he was about to turn around and leave, he caught a glimpse of the knife on the floor. "Something''s wrong," mumbled Oswald. He immediately dashed into Pierre''s bedroom and turned on the lights. Then, he shouted at the two men who were in the next room, "Get over here!" "Oswald, what''s wrong?" A few secondster, the two men walkedzily and yawned while they headed to the room. "Mr. Pierre has been kidnapped." Oswald''s face turned pale. "How''s that possible?!" One of the men frowned. "How could we not know if someone came to kidnap Mr. Pierre?" Kidnapping someone was a noisy affair, but none of them woke up. It was impossible. Oswald thought he was right. They were not awakenedst night, and they were sleeping soundly as though nothing happened. He nced at the knife on the floor and added, "Something''s not right. Mr. Pierre has been keeping the knife under his pillow since Leroy came. It was just to make sure he''d be safe, but he''s gone now and the knife is left here. Besides, Mr. Pierre is always cautious. How could he go out alone?" N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. The two men exchanged nces with each other. What Oswald said was right. However, how could there not be any noise when Pierre was kidnapped? ¡°Oswald, how could Mr. Pierre not have made any noise if he was kidnapped? Could it be that he was drugged?" asked one of the men. Other than the knife on the floor, it was difficult for them to find out what really happened. It was because Pierre''s room was always messy. Also, they dared not step into this room ever since Pierre moved here. Hence, they did not know what it was like in the room. "Drugged... How''s that possible? Mr. Pierre is a tall man. Wouldn''t the kidnapper make a lot of noise if he wanted to drug him? There''s no way we wouldn''t have woken up in the middle of the night even if we drank a lot!" replied Oswald as he knocked some sense into the man''s head. Another man spoke, "But what if we were drugged too?" Oswald was startled for a moment. He did feel that something was odd when he woke up today. He could feel something in his nose and throat. It did not seem like the after-effects of alcohol. "Did you feel like something was wrong when you woke up today?" Oswald immediately asked. "Yes. My throat felt dry and itchy, and my nose isn''t feeling well. Why is the air so dry when it''s spring?" replied one of the men. "I feel that way too." Another man went along with him. "Could it be that we''ve been drugged?" "I have this feeling too. It looks like we were drugged after we drank. The kidnapper was so quiet. That''s why he got rid of us so easily. We weren''t awoken no matter how loud the noise was in Mr. Pierre''s room." Oswald''s face turned pale white. Pierre was hiding here, but this was not only his hiding ce. He also hoped that they could protect him. However, Pierre was taken away right under their nose. "Oswald, what should we do? Should we call the police?" One of the men panicked. If anything happened to Pierre, the Mallory family woulde looking for them. "Are you an idiot? The police are looking for him now. Won''t you be sending him to the police station if you call the police?" "What should we do now? Mr. Pierre just vanished into thin air. What should we tell the Mallory family if theye looking for us?" Chapter 2690 The noises the two of them made pissed Oswald off when he was trying hard to figure out what to do. ¡°Shut the f*ck up!" The two men stopped talking and turned to look at Oswald. Oswald massaged his aching temples and said, "We can''t hide this, but we can''t tell the police either. We should inform the Mallory family." "Are we really going to tell the Mallory family about this?" One of the men shivered for a moment. It was them who failed to protect Pierre. If the Mallory family med them for this, they might give them a hard time. "We have to. Pierre is on the wanted list now, and he was taken away. We can''t hide this from anyone. The Mallory family won''t call the police even if they find out about it. At most, they''ll just scold us," analyzed Oswald. The two men nodded their heads as they listened. They were not really afraid because the house belonged to Oswald. Pierre was taken away by someone else in this house, and they had nothing to do with it. "Oswald, do you have Mr. Pierre''s mother''s phone number?" asked one of the men. Oswald was stunned for a moment as he red at the man who spoke. "How am I supposed to know that?! Look around and see if they took Mr. Pierre''s phone away!" The man replied, "Oswald, there''s nothing we can do even if Mr. Pierre''s phone is here... We''ll need the passcode to unlock his phone, and none of us knows the passcode." "Yes. How are we going to inform the Mallory family?" Another man patted his head. It would be faster to call the police. However, they were not allowed to call the police. "How troublesome. Flynn, get the car. We have to head to Mallory Manor." Oswald pointed at one of the men. Madam Mallory was the only one who cared about Pierre under such circumstances. They could only look for her. "Alright, Oswald." Flynn, the man whom Oswald instructed, dared not to be careless. The sooner they informed the Mallory family about this, the quicker they could get themselves out of trouble. Before the sun came up, Oswald and another man arrived at Mallory Manor. Mr. Be frowned when he saw the two men dressed like street thugs. When he was about to say something, Oswald broke the silence. "Hi, I came to see Madam Mallory." ¡°Madam Mallory isn''t up yet. Pleasee backter," Mr. Be replied politely. ¡°No way. You''re the butler, right? Please tell her that we''re here. My name''s Oswald. Mr. Pierre has been staying at my house, but someone broke into my housest night. After he drugged me and my friends, he took Mr. Pierre away," exined Oswald. ¡°Huh?" Mr. Be was shocked for a moment. Then, he sized Oswald up. Oswald was dressed like a street thug. It was likely that Pierre had indeed been staying at his house. However, Madam Mallory had secretly informed people from all walks of life to find out where Pierre was. If someone could provide useful information, she would give a higher reward than what the bounty the police offered. Hence, many had beening here and iming that they knew where Pierre was. Everyone said they had seen Pierre, and some even said they took him in. Later, it was verified that they were only a bunch of liars. "What evidence do you have to prove that what you said is true?" Mr. Be blocked the door and asked. Oswald shot a nce at Flynn, who came with him, and asked, ¡°Do you have photos of Mr. Pierre?" ¡°I never dared to take photos. What if Mr. Pierre thought I was taking a photo of him to tip off the authorities?" Flynn shook his head. They dared not to take any photos of Pierre. Oswald stroked his chin and asked Mr. Be, ¡°What we said is really true. Do we really have to prove ourselves?" ¡°Many havee and said the same thing. You may leave if you can''t prove it." Mr. Be sent them off as he thought they were only here for Madam Mallory''s reward. Oswald panicked. He could not find any evidence to prove that Pierre had truly been staying at his house. ¡°You''re just a butler. Why are you doing this? What benefit do I get from lying to you?" ¡°Oswald, should we bring Mr. Pierre''s clothes here?" Flynn came up with an idea. "Are you crazy? Those are cheap clothes. Even Mr. Pierre''s biological mother won''t be able to determine if they''re his." Oswald pushed the man''s temple with his forefinger. Pierre had fled in a hurry. He did not even bring his clothes and daily necessities along with him. Hence, Oswald could only help him to get the necessities for him. Everything Pierre used and every shirt he wore was bought from convenience stores and the stalls selling counterfeit items near his house. Pierre had evenined to him about it. Even if he brought those clothes here, the Mallory family would never believe that Pierre had ever worn them. As Mr. Be listened to their conversation, he started to believe that Pierre was really staying at their house. However, there was no evidence. Even if Mr. Be believed what they said, Madam Mallory would not. "Oh yes, Oswald, didn''t Mr. Pierre tell us to run some errands for him?" Flynn suddenly patted his thigh. It rang a bell, and Oswald remembered what Pierre had asked them to do. He frowned and hesitated to tell the butler about it. Would the Mallory family call the police and send them to prison if they found out that they had broken into Pierre''s office? Oswald dared not to take the risk. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "Oswald?" Flynn called his name when Oswald did not respond. He made a few signs and gestures while adding, "That one." "I know what you''re talking about!" Oswald replied impatiently when he looked at how ridiculous Flynn looked. "But can we tell them about that? What should we do if we''re sent to prison?" Flynn stopped moving. He never thought about that. Even though it was Pierre who asked them to do so, Pierre was now kidnapped, and no one could prove that it was he who instructed them to do so. Mr. Be asked, "Just tell me if you have any evidence to prove what you said is true. We won''t look into it as long as you didn''t hurt Mr. Pierre." Oswald looked at him suspiciously and asked, "Really?" "Yes. If you can''t provide any evidence, then you''re just a liar," added Mr. Be. "I''m not a liar. Alright then. We didn''t want to do this, but Mr. Pierre instructed us to break into his office and steal everything." Oswald came clean about what he did when he heard Mr. Be say that. The expression on Mr. Be''s face changed as he said, "Please give me the details." The staff working at Pierre''s office found out that thieves had broken into the office and stolen everything. They immediately called the police after that. The police could not reach Pierre, so they had no choice but to contact the Mallory family. Madam Mallory personally dealt with the matter after the police informed her about the theft. No one knew about this in the Mallory family. Mr. Be only found out about this when he was together with Old Master Mallory. Madam Mallory told him to keep this a secret. She also reminded the staff working at Pierre''s office not to tell anyone about this. Hence, the police had yet to announce to the public the theft case that happened at Pierre''s office. The reporters were focusing on the progress of the police''s search for Pierre. Even though there were police officers who entered Pierre''s office to investigate the theft case, they thought the police officers were just looking into the matter that was posted on the inte. Chapter 2691 Mr. Be already believed what Oswald said was true when they told him about the burry at Pierre''s office. However, he erred on the side of caution and asked them to tell him more about the details. Oswald looked at him. He hesitated whether or not he should tell Mr. Be more about it. If he told Mr. Be the burry hemitted in detail, he would be in deep trouble in case Mr. Be called the police. Mr. Be noticed that Oswald had been quiet. He knew what Oswald was worried about. He said, ¡°Don''t worry. I just want to make sure that you''re telling the truth. If what you said is true, then we know you''re working for Mr. Pierre. We won''t call the police if you''re Mr. Pierre''s men. You only have to tell me the details of the burry." "Well, we broke into Mr. Pierre''s office that night, and we stole everything he kept in the safebox¡ª documents, cash, and stuff he kept in the drawers. We were afraid that the police would suspect something was wrong, so we stole something from the financial department too. Most of them were cash. I didn''t steal the phones the employees left in the office. We left after that. Oh, the one who led the way for us was Mr. Pierre''s secretary. She can prove it. She met Mr. Pierre at my house back then," exined Oswald. He clenched his teeth angrily at the thought of the pretty secretary whom Leroy took along with him. "Come in." Mr. Be immediately invited him into the house. There was no difference between the police''s investigation results and what Oswald told him. There were only two rooms that had been broken into at Pierre''s office. One of them was the president''s office, and another one was the financial department. Pierre was not at the office. That was why no one knew what he kept there. The police reported that the sealed safebox was violently pried open and the burr stole everything kept in it. Also, the employees working at the financial department stated that thepany''s cash had been stolen too. The details Oswald gave him were the same as the police''s report. Oswald and Flynn exchanged nces with each other and followed Mr. Be into the house. Mr. Be told them to wait in the living room. Then, he went up the stairs in a hurry. Oswald looked at the luxurious living room of Mallory Manor. He could not help but exim, "So, this is what a rich man''s house looks like. There''s a world of difference between his ce and that pigpen of mine." "Yes. Mr. Pierre''s family is extremely rich." Flynn could not help but exim, "Mr. Oswald, why isn''t Mr. Pierre hiding here when he lives in such a big house? The police officers wouldn''t be able to find him if he hides in one of the corners. He doesn''t have to go as far as staying at our shabby house." Oswald lifted his hand and hit Flynn on his head. "Use your brain. Would Old Master Mallory be happy to find out what Mr. Pierre had done? Are there any other ces he can go other than our ce?" Flynn bared his teeth in a grimace and stroked his head. ¡°Will they be able to find out where Mr. Pierre is if we tell them that he''s been kidnapped?¡± ¡°I have no idea, but we have to tell them about it. At the very least, Mr. Pierre''s mother cares about him,¡± replied Oswald. He had heard Pierre talking to his mother on the phone before. Other than telling Pierre how things were going on there, Oswald could see how much she cared for Pierre. Hence, Oswald reckoned that Madam Mallory would not give up on Pierre. She was not a heartless person. ¡°Oh.¡± Flynn nodded. Now that he was here, he had no choice but to listen to Oswald. ¡°I''ve been standing for a long time. I''m tired,¡±ined Flynn as he stared at the expensive sofa in the living room. It waspletely different from the one in their house. He had never sat on such an expensive sofa before, and he wanted to try how it felt like sitting on it. ¡°Look at yourself. You''re aplete mess. Don''s sit on it. What are we going to do if we dirty the sofa and we''re asked topensate for it?¡± reminded Oswald. He dared not to sit on that sofa. After all, he could not afford to pay the price of a single piece of furniture in Pierre''s house. ¡°It''s not that serious. We took Mr. Pierre in, and we''re telling them that he''s been kidnapped. They should thank us.¡± Flynn thought they were Pierre''s savior. No matter how low their status was, the Mallory family should not treat Pierre''s savior that way. ¡°Hah, we''re like sinners to them now. We broke into Mr. Pierre''s office and failed to protect him. It''d be kind of them not to me us for what happened. What benefit are you trying to gain from them?¡± Oswald was not as positive as Flynn was. Flynn pursed his lips, not knowing what to say. Half a minuteter, Karen made her way down the stairs in a hurry. Her hair was messy, and she looked a little drowsy. It was obvious that she had been woken up. ¡°You''re the one who took Pierre in?¡± Karen sized Oswald and Flynn up. When Mr. Be knocked on Karen''s bedroom door, he told her about the situation. After knowing that Pierre had been kidnapped, she could not be bothered to freshen herself up. She put on a coat and hurried downstairs. ¡°Yes, Mrs. Mallory. Mr. Pierre has been staying at our ce after the incident.¡± Oswald''s heart skipped a beat when he met Karen''s sharp gaze. Women like Karen were well-known entrepreneurs in the business world, and they had a powerful, compelling aura around them. Oswald could not help but act humbly in front of her. ¡°Mr. Be verified your identities, but I still have my doubts.¡± Even though Karen was worried about Pierre, she thought it would be better for her to be more careful and not be fooled by the two of them. Oswald was startled for a moment. He did not expect Karen to be so cautious. A string of numbers shed across Oswald''s mind, and he said, ¡°Mrs. Mallory, Mr. Pierre called you on thendline before. The phone number is 223*****." Karen took her phone out and checked her recent call history. It was just like what Oswald said. She sat on the sofa with a stern expression on her face. "Take a seat." Oswald and Flynn patted the dust off their clothes and carefully sat on the sofa. "As you said, Pierre has been staying at your house. What happened?" Karen stared at the two of them with a serious expression on her face. Oswald told Karen what really happened. "Give me your home address." There was a hint of anxiety in Karen''s voice. She was worried about Pierre. Oswald dared not to slight her and immediately replied, "13, District 15." Karen shot a nce at Mr. Be, who stood beside her. Mr. Be said in a low voice, "Madam Mallory, I''ve noted it down." "Has anyonee to your house in the past few days?" asked Karen. She was worried that it was one of Pierre''s enemies who took him away. His enemies included Luke Crawford, and her eldest son, Percy. "Yes. A man named Leroy came and asked Mr. Pierre about something. He broke down my door and was hard on Mr. Pierre. He even threatened Mr. Pierre and said that he would call the police and ask them to arrest him if he refused to tell him the truth," replied Oswald. It had been quiet for the past few days other than the incident that happenedst night. "Do you know who Leroy works for?" Karen immediately asked. "Mr. Pierre said he''s one of Luke''s men. They didn''t take Mr. Pierre along with him after they asked him some questions..." Oswald recalled. He knew who Luke Crawford was. That was why he remembered it.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Chapter 2692 ¡°Luke Crawford..." Karen''s eyes darkened. She gnashed her teeth with frustration when she uttered Luke''s name. Oswald added, "It''s the only thing that has happened in the past few days. No one else hase to look for Mr. Pierre until now.." "Can you guarantee that what you said is true?" Karen stared at the two men in front of her. They dressed like street thugs, and they were embarrassingly obsequious when they faced her. It did not seem like they were lying to her. "It''s true! Mr. Pierre called you on myndline before. I know you''d find out that Mr. Pierre was gone sooner orter. If we didn''t inform you immediately, we''d be in trouble next time. That''s why we don''t dare to lie to you." Oswald immediately gave her a clear indication. If it were not for Pierre using hisndline to call Karen, he might not havee this far. After all, if Karen suspected him, he would be in deep sh*t. Once Karen noticed that something was wrong, she would send someone to the telmunication company to look into it. Then, she would be able to find out where he lived. Hence, Oswald did not make any false ims. It was because he knew how easy it was for Karen to find out where Pierre was once she knew thendline number. However, she did not look for Pierre through the telephone number. She intended to let Pierre continue to stay in his house. Oswald knew about it. He did not want Pierre to feel like he had betrayed him. That was why he did not call the police and did not tell Karen about it to im the reward from her. Oswald knew Karen''s order was just something she did to show the others that she had no idea where Pierre was either. That way, the police officers would not continue to look for her. Karen nodded and replied, "I''ll send someone to your ce and see if there are any traces left behind that can lead us to Pierre. You must have taken a lot of money to take Pierre in. Now that you''ve failed to protect him, all of you are responsible for this." Oswald and Flynn lowered their heads and remained silent. Karen added, "But as long as you keep quiet about this, I''ll not hold you ountable for this. Also, to make sure that you''re telling the truth, I''ll ask someone to take you to the hospital for a blood test. If you were drugged before Pierre was taken away, I''ll let it slide. But if it isn''t like what you''ve said, I''ll hold you ountable for this. After all, you''ve received arge sum of money after breaking into Pierre''s office. You took the money but you didn''t do your job well. It''s your fault." Oswald and Flynn exchanged nces with each other. They were uncertain about being druggedst night. However, only being drugged could exin why they did not hear anythingst night. ¡°Mr. Be, ask the chauffeur to send them to the hospital," instructed Karen. ¡°Yes, Madam," replied Mr. Be as he immediately picked up his phone and made arrangements for the chauffeur to send Oswald and Flynn to the hospital. ¡°We don''t know who took Pierre away now, so keep this to yourself. Head to the address they''ve given us and check the surveince cameras on the street nearby. I have to find out who took Pierre away today!" Karen clenched her fists. She was worried the person who took Pierre away would take his life. Pierre had offended so many people before. ¡°Yes, Madam." Mr. Be immediately made arrangements for it. Before Oswald and Flynn could realize it, they were taken to the hospital by the chauffeur. Karen sat on the sofa and nced at the time. Then, she asked Mr. Be, ¡°Did you get everything ready?" ¡°Madam, our men are on their way to 13, District 15," replied Mr. Be, ¡°It''ll take some time as it''s located on the outskirts of the city." Karen shot a nce at the clock on the wall again. She had to tell Old Master Mallory about this. Pierre could be killed if this was not handled properly. ¡°What time does Father wake up?" ¡°Old Master Mallory usually wakes up at 6:30 in the morning," answered Mr. Be. He dared not to disturb Old Master Mallory. He was still mad at Pierre for the ridiculous things that he had done before. The reputation and prestige of the family that the past generation had built almost got destroyed by Pierre''s capricious behavior. Old Master Mallory lost his reputation in front of everyone. Even though those people appeared to be respectful to him, they were alreadyughing at him for failing to educate his descendants behind his back. It might seem that Percy''s and Pierre''s father was responsible for international business, but the truth was, he refused to return because he was having an affair and had another family living abroad. There was nothing Old Master Mallory could do about it. He had no choice but to let him continue to be in charge of the businesses abroad. However, Old Master Mallory also said that Karen was the only daughter-inw he acknowledged. That was why Karen had been helping Old Master Mallory manage Mallory Corporation. Now, Percy was in a rtionship with a woman who had skeletons in her closet despite his family''s opposition. He even turned his back on his family and his brother because of that woman. Everyone in the upper-ss society knew about this, and rumors had been flying all over the city. The ridiculous things that Pierre had done in the past also made Old Master Mallory lose his dignity. That was why it took such a long time for him to calm down. ¡°It''s almost six o''clock now. Can''t you wake him up?" Karen was so anxious that she could not sit still. She stood up and paced back and forth in front of the sofa. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°Madam, Old Master Mallory is still mad. It''d be better to tell him about this after he gets up." Mr. Be knew what she meant. She wanted him to wake Old Master Mallory up and inform him that Pierre had been kidnapped. However, he did not want to tread on Old Master Mallory''s toes either. ¡°Pierre has been kidnapped. His life could be in danger now!" Karen could not help but snap at him. Mr. Be kept his eyes cast down. He had already followed Karen''s instructions. Then, he said, "Madam, if they wanted Mr. Pierre''s life, they wouldn''t have kidnapped him. I''m afraid it''s not just about taking him away. There has to be some ulterior motive." "What can it be?" Karen knew Mr. Be was reluctant to wake Old Master Mallory up, but she dared not to do so either. Percy''s and Pierre''s affairs had caused her to be scolded by Old Master Mallorytely. Karen even thought Old Master Mallory might refuse to acknowledge the three of them if they caused any trouble again. Perhaps he would take notice of her husband''s illegitimate children who lived abroad. Mr. Be looked down. It was difficult for him to guess what the kidnapper was up to. "Argh! You..." Karen hesitated. "You, find someone to keep an eye on Luke. Let me know as soon as they see any signs of Pierre." "Yes, Madam." Even though Mr. Be did not think it was Luke who took Pierre away, he listened to her and did what he was told. Luke''s men had already gotten the information they wanted from Pierre. Even though the information given to them was fake, it was unlikely that Luke would kidnap Piere. Those men who said that they were Luke''s subordinates did not take Pierre away that day. They did not tell the police where Pierre was either. Even though the information they obtained was fake, there was no way they could have kidnapped him. Chapter 2693 If Luke really intended to kidnap Pierre, the previous incident would not have happened. One would not suspect Luke if one was able to think this through calmly. After all, someone who managed T Corporation would not go as far as giving himself the chance to dirty his hands. However, Karen was worried about Pierre''s situation now. She cared about him, and that was why she suspected it was Luke who did it. Mr. Be thought it would be better not to remind Karen about this. He had no choice but to follow her instructions. In the hospital. Oswald and Flynn were brought to the outpatient clinic at the hospital by the chauffeur. The chauffeur used the Mallory family''s status to request the doctor to do a blood test for the two of them. After they drew their blood and tested it, the two of them followed behind the chauffeur and sat down on the chairs outside the corridor of the hospital while waiting for the blood test result. "Brother Oswald, if the blood test result turns out to be normal, are we screwed?" asked Flynn. The doctor said that even though the drugs could be metabolized quickly, they had not drunk any water or gone to the washroom after they woke up in the morning. Therefore, no matter how fast the drug could be metabolized, they would be able to detect it in their system. Flynn was worried that they made an incorrect prediction. What if they were deeply asleep because they were drunk and they simply did not wake up when Pierre got kidnapped? The Mallory family would hold them ountable for this. Oswald bit the bullet and said, "We''ve made it this far. Getting anxious isn''t going to help you. We''re not the ones who kidnapped him. Besides..." He lowered his voice, ¡°We were only following Mr. Pierre''s order to break into his office. If it weren''t for us, the Mallory family wouldn''t have known what Mr. Pierre did.¡± The soundproofing between the rooms was bad. Oswald could hear the conversation Pierre had with his mother when they talked on the phone. If it were not for the stolen documents, Pierre would not be able toe clean with his mother about everything he had done in the past. There was no way Madam Mallory could help Pierre to clean up the mess he had made if it were not for them. Flynn nodded and turned to look at the chauffeur beside him. Then, he asked, "Can I head to the washroom?" Flynn had been holding it back for a long time. "Go," replied the chauffeur. Mr. Be did not say he had to keep an eye on the two of them. Hence, he did not make things difficult for Flynn. It would take some time for the blood test results toe out. More and more people came to the outpatient department while they waited. Johann yawned as he came to the outpatient department downstairs. He would have to spend half of the day here working today. Johann noticed the Mallory family''s chauffeur sitting there when he walked down the corridor. The chauffeur hade to pick Madam Mallory up when she got discharged from the hospital. It turned out Johann had a knack for remembering faces. He walked straight up to him and asked, "You''re the Mallory family''s chauffeur, right?" "Yes, Dr. Park. Good morning. Are you on duty today?" The chauffeur was polite to Johann. He did not expect him to be able to recognize him. He knew how popr Johann was in the city, and he wanted to get to know him badly. That way, he would be able to make an appointment with Johann if any of his family members fell sick. "Yes. Is anyone from the Mallory family sick?" asked Johann even though he already thought that it had nothing to do with the Mallory family. After all, his superior did not inform him anything about it. Whenever someone from families like the Mallory family got admitted to the hospital, they would inform Johann about it just to be on the safe side. Even if it was just the flu... However, Johann did not receive any special notice from the hospital. "No. I''m just doing what the butler told me to do," the chauffeur smiled and said nothing more about it. Johann shot a nce at Oswald, who was sitting down, and shifted his gaze at the outpatient department opposite them. He noticed the doctor in the department nodded. Johann stopped asking questions. Then, he headed to the doctor/s office. He closed the door behind him after he entered the office. Then, he immediately asked the doctor, "What''s wrong with the person he brought here?" "Do you mean the two men who look like street thugs?" replied the doctor. Two men? Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Johann raised his brows. He only saw one of them just now, but he was sure the doctor was referring to the same person due to the way that person dressed. "Yes." "They came for a blood test. They imed that they were drugged, so they needed to do a blood test." The doctor did not hide anything from Johann. After all, Johann would be able to find out through the hospital''s patient records if he looked into it. There was no point in hiding the patient''s condition from him. "I see." replied Johann. He could sense that something was wrong. Why would the chauffeur of the Mallory family bring two street thugs here to do a blood test? Besides, they wanted to know if there were any drugs in their blood. Johann immediately opened the group chat on his phone. There was only Luke, Jim, Percy, and Johann in the group chat. [I saw something interesting at the outpatient department today.] He tapped the send button on the phone. No one replied after a while. Johann could not help but click his tongue with a disapproving tsk at the thought of Luke and Jim cuddling with their wives in bed. He was unknowingly mocking himself for being single when he thought of it. [The Mallory family''s chauffeur brought two street thugs to the hospital today. They said they came to do a blood test, but they''re actually trying to find out if there''s any drug in their system.] After Johann finished typing, he sent the message and tagged Luke. Johann put his phone aside and leaned against the chair. He mumbled to himself, ¡°Perhaps I should start looking for one." After a person like him who had always enjoyed being single got singled out by his friends who put their families ahead of him, he suddenly realized that being single was not as nice as he thought. Luke''s vi. Luke woke up and noticed that Luca had already woken up, but she did not get out of bed right away. She was looking at her phone. Luke frowned. Luca seemed to have a lot on her mind when they were about to sleepst night. Even though Luke tried to make her pay attention to him, he could feel that Luca was a little distracted. After that, Luke was satisfied, while Luca was sleepy and tired. However, Luca still picked up her phone and nced at it. Luca did not say anything when he asked her what she was looking at. She turned off her phone screen and put her phone on the bedside table. It was as though she was waiting for an important message. "Good morning." Luke lifted his hands and wrapped her in his arms. Luca was startled, and she immediately turned off her phone screen. She did not realize Luke had woken up when she was staring nkly at her phone screen a moment ago. "Good morning." There was a slight tremble in Luca''s voice. "What''s wrong?" Luke touched Luca''s forehead. Her body temperature was normal. "Are you feeling unwell?" "No. I''m just tired," replied Luca. Amur had yet to reply to her message after she sent the message to himst night. Luke woke up when she was about to send another message to Amur. "I''m sorry, I lost control of myselfst night." Luke could see the panic that shed across her eyes. He bent his head and gently kissed her cheek. "Take a day off if you feel tired." "It''s okay. I''d better get out of bed now." Luca sat up on the bed, took her phone, and jumped off the bed. Luke''s eyes darkened as he saw Luca bring her phone into the washroom. Luca seemed preupied sincest night. Luke did not know what had happened... Luke picked up his phone and opened his messages. Then, he saw the two messages Johann sent in the group chat. He raised his eyebrows and asked: [Do you have their personal information?] Chapter 2694 Upon hearing about moving, Susan''s entire demeanor turned sluggish and weary. "There''s not much to pack anyway. I can just buy the things I need." Old Master Crawford frowned and reminded her, "As a mother, can you be more considerate toward Louis? Do you know how expensive the things you use are? Can''t you help him save some money?" "Father, you can''t say that to me. Think about it, I''ll just be living there for a few months. I''ll move back here once Thea is on summer break. I can still use all of my things here. Why would it be a waste?" Susan leaned on the sofa while showing her reluctance. However, no matter how reluctant she was, she would still have no choice but to move. If it were not for the fear that Old Master Crawford and Luke would get too close, she would not have agreed to move. Although Louis'' ce was a new mansion, how could itpare to Crawford Manor? The Crawford family''s manor was the property that cost the most. Susan wondered what in the world Louis and his wife were thinking. As they said, firste, first served. If they continued to live at the manor, they might be able to get more things once Old Master Crawford passed away. Old Master Crawford was left speechless by her words, so he had no choice but to say, "I don''t know much about you women, but as a mother, you shouldn''t always just think about your ego. You should think about your son and your granddaughter." After listening to Old Master Crawford''s words, Susan knew that he just did not want her to spend so much. However, as the daughter-inw of the Crawford family, she had the financial resources to do so. If she did not spend the money, who would? When she went outside, she was carrying the name of the Crawford family. "Father, what nonsense are you talking about? Louis is my son. Of course, I care about him. I''ve already spent much less on this move, and I''ve definitely saved Louis a lot of money," Susan shouted. She had a huge allowance, but everything she bought for this move was with Louis'' money. This was one of the reasons she agreed to move in the first ce. Louis was willing to let her spend the money, and she could buy a lot of things to make herself look good without having to spend her own money. Of course, she was pleased with the arrangement. Old Master Crawford was not that easily fooled by her. He rolled his eyes and said, ¡°If you really cared about him, you wouldn''t be moring for jewelry!" Susan was stunned as she did not think that Old Master Crawford would bring this up after two months. She shouted, "It''s all for the sake of upholding the Crawford family''s image. It''s just like how I''m dressed up so elegantly right now. It''s to protect the image of the Crawford family in front of the Mallory family!" The jewelry Louis bought her helped her steal the limelight at the birthday party. Thus, Susan thought that it was worth it regardless of how much it cost. The jewelry also signified her status in the Crawford family. "Louis hosted such avish banquet for you and got you such an expensive ne. Why can''t you be more grateful? Now, you even want him to pay for your other expenses!" Old Master Crawford may not pay much attention to Louis'' career, but he still had a rough idea of his situation. Louis''spany was doing well, but not to the extent that he could afford Susan''s extravagance. Although he received dividends from T Corporation, he still had a child to raise. Louis would easily be overwhelmed by Susan''s spending habits. Susan was disdainful after hearing Old Master Crawford''s stern words. "Father, Louis is filial, so he gives me whatever I want. Besides, he has the ability to make money," she said. She had originally hoped that Louis would have a position in thepany, but he was busy with his so- called dream job right now. Naturally, Susan was not content with it. She was the eldest daughter-inw of the Crawford family, yet her son started a separate business. How did that make sense? Therefore, she changed her consumption habits. It was a matter of course that Louis would have to support her when she was older. If there was something she wanted, she would tell Louis right away. "Don''t you have that ability too? I don''t see you earning money," Old Master Crawford asked before standing up. As the saying went, out of sight, out of mind. He chose not to look at Susan, who was decked out in jewelry, so he turned to leave. Susan leaned on the sofa while pretending to be elegant as she tucked her hair behind her ears. "I don''t have the ability to earn money, and didn''t I raise Louis so that he could take care of me? Besides, if he can''t bear the cost, he still has T Corporation. He can choose to go back to T Corporation anytime, so why should I be worried?" Old Master Crawford looked back at her. The reason for her extravagance was to force Louis back to T Corporation? How cunning of her. Old Master Crawford left with his cane in his hands. In order to start his own business at that time, Louis left T Corporation regardless of his family''s opposition and began to look for office buildings and partners. Hispany''s business had nothing to do with T Corporation, so even if Luke wanted to help him, there was nothing he could do. All this while, the only person Louis could rely on was himself. All that hard work allowed hispany to be stable in the past two years. However, Susan seemed to bemitted to destroying everything Louis had built. Old Master Crawford understood where Susan wasing from, so he did not say anything. Susan leaned on the sofa as she watched Old Master Crawford leave, and she sneered. There was nobody in the living room, so she could freely say what was on her mind, ¡°I know that you favor Luke so much that you''re okay with Louis setting up his own littlepany, but Louis is your grandson too. How could you be so biased?" There was no one else in the living room, so no one replied toher. Susan put her arms on the armrest and rested her chin on her hands with a dull look on her face as she recalled the past few years. Although Old Master Crawford was impartial to her and Allison, and they both got the same allowance every month, she was still not happy. If Allison wanted more money, she could ask Luke for it. It could be millions of dors. What about her? In the first few years, she was worried that Louis did not have enough money, so she would often ask him if he had enough. If he did not, she could give him some. However, Luke was still giving Allisonrge amounts of money for her to spend. That woman underwent cosmetic surgery and beauty treatments in Seoul, and each session wass a huge expense. Even so, Luke did not even bat an eye. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. As for Louis, he asked to split the cost in half when buying her a limited edition jewelry set, and he even had to find other alternatives. The difference was bing starker, so she was getting increasingly dissatisfied. If it were not for that b*tch, Allison, Louis would have been the CEO of T Corporation by now. He would have been rich. As for her, she would have been what everyone wished to be¡ªthe mother of T Corporation''s CEO. "How can someone be this biased?" Susan asked again slowly. Chapter 2695 One of the men dragged Pierre out of the car. Thump! Pierre knelt on the ground. The man frowned and asked, "What''s the matter with him?" ¡°He fought back, so I did something to him." Amur shot a nce at Pierre''s weak legs and casually exined. ¡°Ugh!" The man dragged Pierre and walked toward the house. Amur followed behind them. When they entered the house, the man tied Pierre to a chair and took the piece of cloth stuffed in his mouth out. ¡°I''m gonna kill you!" Pierre yelled angrily at Amur the moment the gag in his mouth was taken off. The stabbing pain in his right leg made him realize what Amur did to him after he drugged him. Pierre tried to lift his leg, but he soon realized he could not. He knew his leg was broken. Amur looked at the twisted and ferocious expression on Pierre''s face coldly. He asked for it. He chose to mess with Luca and Abel instead of living hisfortable life as the second young master of the Mallory family. It served him right for ending up like this today. ¡°Shut up." The man who took the piece of cloth out of his mouth thought Pierre was noisy. He grabbed Pierre''s jaw and stuffed the cloth into his mouth again. ¡°Mmmph! Mmmph!" Pierre shook his head crazily. The other man who stood and leaned against the wall asked in azy tone, ¡°He''s still noisy. Can''t you just knock him out?" ¡°Boss will be here to talk to him soon. Will he let you off if you knock him out?" replied the man. He pped Pierre hard across the face and warned him, ¡°Don''t you cause any trouble. Otherwise, I''ll poison you and make you lose your voice after this!" Pierre stopped making noises and quieted down. He was worried that these men would do what he said. If they said they would poison him and make him permanently lose his voice, perhaps they would truly do so... Not only was Pierre trying to stay alive, but he also had to get himself together to deal with them. The man sneered when he noticed that Pierre was no longer making any noises. ¡°Such a coward." Pierre kept his mouth shut, but his venomous eyes glowered as he studied the three of them. The man noticed that and bent down to make a gesture, showing Pierre that he would gorge his eyes out. "You''re Pierre Mallory, right? Do you have any idea those who re at me that way will end up getting their eyes gouged out?" Pierre immediately looked down. It was as though the man''s fingers would poke into his eyes and gorge them out the next second. "You''re still unconvinced even if I call you a coward. You''re trash," mocked the man. "Hah, how could the second young master of the Mallory family be a coward?" Abel piped in. There was a hint ofziness and mockery in his voice. "Boss." "Boss." The two men immediately stood up straight, turned to look in Abel''s direction, and greeted him. Even though Amur was not happy to see Abel, he showed respect and greeted him like how the two men did. "Boss." Abel gave Amur a dirty look and asked, "What took you so long?" Amur sent Abel a message after he sessfully kidnapped Pierre. It took longer than he expected for Amur to arrive here. "I drove all around the city to avoid the security cameras in the city center. I took the road on the outskirts of the city," exined Amur. Abel did not say anything. He did notpliment Amur either. He only lifted his head and said to one of the men, "Why did you gag Mr. Pierre? How am I supposed to talk to him like this?" "Yes, Boss!" The man immediately removed the piece of cloth from Pierre''s mouth. As Pierre looked at Abel, who had put on a mask on his face, he mocked, "Haven''t we metst time? Why are you still wearing a mask?" Abel touched his mask that revealed his eyes. He stared at Pierre disdainfully and said, "Mr. Pierre, are you really that innocent? If that was how I looked when I went to meet youst time, why couldn''t you find me when you''ve been investigating me for such a long time?" Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Pierre was dumbfounded for a moment as he met the pair of eyes behind the mask. His eyes glowed with malice and mockery... Pierre finally found out the reason why no one was able to find out who he was. It was because he had changed his appearance. Pierre had seen people with special abilities after staying with Percy for so many years. Some knew how to disguise themselves and change their appearances. That was why he knew about ways to change one''s appearance. However, he knew they were only using different kinds of materials and special makeup effects to disguise as someone else. If one looked carefully at their faces, one would still be able to notice it. When Pierre was in doubt, he recalled the time when he met Abel and had a closer look at him. He did not notice any ws on his face. Hence, Pierre was willing to believe that it was his real face. It was just that he was good at hiding his identity. However, Pierre did not expect Abel to have changed his appearance at that time... Abel touched his mask and said, ¡°If I wasn''t in a hurry, I could show you some of my other faces." ¡°What the hell do you want from me?" Pierre asked unhappily. Even though he was in such a situation, he still wished to rip the man in front of him apart. He had been fooled once, and now twice. The man in front of him was as detestable as Percy and Luke! Pierre was well aware that the man in front of him was much scarier than Percy and Luke. "Nothing. It''s just that I heard you''ve been trying to find out my identity. Didn''t I tell you not to investigate me? Otherwise, you''ll have to suffer the consequences." Abel lowered his voice and leaned forward all of a sudden. A ghost mask suddenly came close to him. Pierre could feel his heart skip a beat. He was frightened by Abel''s sudden movement. The hideous expression on the ghost mask and the fangs that looked real almost made Pierre think that he had run into a devil. After Pierre came back to his senses, he could not help but feel annoyed for being startled by such a trick. He was not a three-year-old kid! "Haha." Abelughed recklessly as he caught a glimpse of the fear that shed across Pierre''s eyes. "The second young master of the Mallory family was startled by my mask. Is my mask that scary?" No one answered. Pierre looked down. All he had in mind was anger, resentment, and chagrin. "Is it that scary?" Abel turned around and looked at his subordinates. "Not at all, Boss. He wasn''t frightened by the ghost mask, he was overwhelmed by your aura." One of the men sucked up to Abel. Abel enjoyed being praised that way. Then, he turned around and looked at Pierre. "Do you still remember?" "Yes." Pierre shut his eyes. Even though his eyes were shut, some images in his head became even clearer when he was unable to see. If he could go back in time, perhaps he would not have lost. He would never have started investigating Abel at this critical moment either. Everything was messed up at the time. If it were not for Percy, he would not have to hide at Oswald''s ce. Given the high security at Mallory Manor, there was no way the man in front of him would have kidnapped him. Everything happened at the same time, and it was all messed up. He was in dire straits, and he was out of luck. "Then why are you still investigating me?" Abel deliberately asked. Then, he answered the question, "Oh, I know why. You''re the second young master of the Mallory family. Whom have you lost to? You must be mad at me for taking such arge sum of money, but that''s how business works. How can I refund the money to you since we''ve made a deal?" Chapter 2696 Pierre knew that his investigation had upset the man in front of him, so he said, ¡°What would it take for you to let me go?" "Haha. Mr. Pierre, do you think I went through all of that to kidnap you just so that I could let you go?" Abelughed out loud as if he had just heard a joke. The men behind him startedughing too. "You''re simply delusional to be thinking of escaping the clutches of our boss." Theyughed out loud again after hearing thatment. Pierre scanned the room to see that the only person in the house who did notugh was the person who kidnapped him. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. "Shut up," Abel immediately reprimanded hisughing subordinates. The sound ofughter came to an abrupt stop. Abel put a halt to the banter and said with a straight face, "How could you say that he''s delusional? Nothing is impossible." Pierre was stunned to find out that he still had a chance. However, he knew that getting this chance from Abel was not going to be easy and that he might have to pay a big price. Seeing that he had nothing to say, Abel then pointed at Amur and said, "Mr. Pierre, when I first found out that you were investigating me, I was so upset that I even sent him to kill you. Do you know why I suddenly had a change of heart?" Pierre nced at the man next to him before staring into the eyes of the man in the mask. "What do you want?" "Tsk tsk tsk, how can you be so impatient when ites to business?" Abel did not appreciate his attitude very much. Pierre did not say a word. He knew that the man in front of him would not kill him that easily right now, so he did not continue the conversation. Abel said, "Fine. If you don''t have anything to say, I''ll continue, then. I heard that you''ve encountered some trouble, so I was thinking that perhaps we could work together." Pierre looked at his ghastly mask and sneered. "Is this how you show your sincerity in cooperating?" ¡°Yes, you''re right. Don''t forget that I was trying to kill you before this. If we do end up working together, you have to remember that you can only submit to me," reminded Abel. Pierre wanted to tell him to dream on, but his life was in the hands of Abel right now, so he could not say those words out loud. "What on earth do you want?" Pierre grew more and more impatient as he tried to figure out the reason he kidnapped him here. Abel pulled the chair behind him before sitting down and crossing his legs. Compared to how tense Pierre was, Abel''s posture was infinitely more rxed. "I''ve been thinking of starting a booming businesstely, but I need money. That''s why I want to ask you for some, Mr. Pierre," said Abel, emphasizing hisst point. He was neither asking for a loan nor an investment. Pierre frowned. "So, this is your idea of working together!" "Yes, and if it seems unfair to you, just think of it as the money you''re paying in exchange for your life. How does that sound? It seems like a fair deal if you think of it that way, right?" Abel said with a chuckle as he drew out a cigar from his pocket. He then remembered that he was wearing a mask, so he could not smoke the cigar. "That''s robbery." Pierre tantly exposed him. "You''re right, it is a robbery! Well said! I never intended to rob you in the first ce, but you gave me the chance to. I heard that you''ve been facing some troubletely, and I bet that you''re low on money too. It''s fine if you don''t have money because the Mallory family does. Since you''re the precious son of the Mallory family, it shouldn''t be a problem for them to spend a bit of money to spare your life, right?" "How much do you want?" Pierre knew that if he refused, he could die at any moment. The only way he could survive under these circumstances was if he agreed to Abel''s request. "You can''t give me what I want, so I''ll ask your family for it, and the only thing you can do is cooperate with me." Abel was very pleased. All he had to do was hold Pierre hostage for the next two days, then everything will fall into ce. As cruel as the Mallory family may be, they would not just stand by and watch Pierre die. Not to mention, the Mallory family had a huge family business, so taking that bit of money was nothing to them. Pierre red at him. "What do you want me to do?" "Stay here for two more days and I''ll tell you. I''m afraid that if you talk to them too soon, they''re not going to panic. Only after they haven''t been able to reach you for long enough will theyply with my request and spare your life." Abel''s sinister smile hinted that everything was going ording to n. He was determined to get his hands on this business, but he did not want to pay for it himself. Therefore, he dumped the responsibility onto Pierre''sp. He was the one who refused to stop investigating, so he deserved it! "I can''t wait until that day," said Pierre directly. "Oh?" Abel looked at him with raised eyebrows. ¡°Your subordinate crippled my leg, so I need to go to the hospital to receive treatment immediately," said Pierre. Abel turned to look at Amur. Although Amur could not see his expression, he knew what he wanted to ask, so he exined, "Boss, I only did it because he resisted." "Oh, really? I was already unconscious at that time. You clearly did it on purpose!" Pierre started to get bolder after learning that Abel would not kill him. Although he could not return yet, he would not let the man in front of him go for injuring his leg. "You resisted, so I crippled your leg," said Amur as he did cripple his leg. "Huh, I see." Abel then turned to tell Pierre, "My apologies, Mr. Pierre. My men are rather heavy- handed as they''re all professionally trained and are very strong. I''m sorry that you got injured, but why did you resist? If you hadn''t resisted, you wouldn''t have gotten injured. Am I not right?" "You..." Pierre was left speechless by his logic. "No need to worry, Mr. Pierre. It''s just a broken leg. It''s curable as long as the broken bone is treated and operated on within a week, so rx. As long as your family cooperates, I''ll make sure that you''re admitted to the hospital within a week. As for now, I''ll have someone help you fix your leg first." Abel then made a gesture. A man behind him said, "Boss, let me find some equipment first." "Find good equipment so that Mr. Pierre can stay herefortably for the next two days." Abel smiled as he thought that Amur crippling his leg like this was not a bad idea. That way, Pierre would not be able to escape even if he wanted to. "Yes, Boss." The man left. Abel rubbed his hands together and said, "Well, that''s all. I look forward to our cooperation. I just need you to bear staying in this small house of mine for two days, Mr. Pierre. I''ll send you back to A City on the third day as long as your family is cooperative." "Wait." Pierre withdrew his sullen gaze from Amur. "Hm?" Abel had already stood up, but he sat back down after hearing what he said. "What do you want?" "I want to work with you," said Pierre through gritted teeth. Chapter 2697 "Oh?" Abel crossed his legs again to listen to what he had to offer. "I''ll give you money, and you''ll help me deal with Luke and Percy. I want them to disappear off the face of the earth," Pierre said relentlessly. He knew that the person sitting in front of him could aplish that. He was equally as powerful as Luke and Percy. "Luke? Percy?" Abel sneered and asked, "Do you have money?" "The Mallory family does," replied Pierre. He knew that the Mallory family would never pay someone to get rid of Percy, so the only thing he could do was to make a deal with the man in a mask in front of him. "How naive. Do you really think that the Mallory family will agree to let me get rid of Percy?" Abel asked as he had heard stuff about the Mallory family thanks to Pierre. He looked Pierre in the eye. If he were not a member of the Mallory family, he might have even taken pity on him and let him onto the Ind of Despair. As someone who was cruel enough to want to kill his own brother, he was the perfect candidate to be an assassin on the Ind of Despair as he could carry out missions without any emotion. "You never know. With my life, Percy''s life, and Luke''s life on the line, you can just ask the Mallory family for however much you want." Pierre smiled savagely as he thought that Abel would agree to his deal for money. He did not tell Abel that he had shared some of his findings with Luke in order to hide from the Department of Homnd Security. He knew that he would have it much worse if he were to tell him the truth. Thus, Pierre did not intend to tell him that Luke was also investigating him. "Luke, Percy.." Abel frowned. The person who helped Luke take the lead in destroying on the Ind of Despair was Percy, right? He remembered them saying that Percy shot at least ten men with a machine gun, causing the ind''s defense system to copse in an instant. Therefore, he would neither let Luke nor Percy get away with it. However, now was not the right time, and he was not going to join hands with Pierre either. Abel leaned forward to pat Pierre''s face and ridicule him, "Look at you. How could you still be so naive under these circumstances? I''ll get my money with your life, but we''re never working together." Amur, who was standing in the corner, frowned upon listening to Abel''s words. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. He could not help but wonder what Abel had in mind. After hearing what Pierre had to say, Amur assumed that Abel would agree, since his actual target was Luke. However, Abel unexpectedly rejected Pierre''s offer to work together. It was surprising, but it also made him wonder how he nned to get rid of Luke. "Aren''t you in need of money?" As he turned to leave, Pierre hurriedly said, ¡°I have money!" ¡°It''s your family that has money, and I''ll never work with anyone when ites to dealing with people because I don''t trust anyone." Abel sneered and looked at Amur. "You,e with me." "Yes, Boss," Amur said calmly as he followed Abel into a room. "Close the door," ordered Abel. Amur turned around to close the door, and when he turned back around to face Abel, he was pped across the face. A loud p sounded when his palm met his face. "Don''t think I don''t know what you''re doing. Did I ask you to break Pierre''s leg?" Abel took off his mask, revealing his sinister face. His sullenness was written all over his face. Amur responded, "He was the one who resisted." "You broke his leg because he resisted?" Abel sneered and continued, "Or did you break his leg on purpose to avenge Luca?" Amur replied, "Boss, Ipleted the mission." "Very well." Seeing how he would not admit his mistake and even insist that he had done as he was told, Abel pped his hands and said, "Amur, I can''t say that you''re my most loyal servant, but you sure are loyal to Ivana." Amur did not say a word as one side of his face started to swell. "But is doing all of this for Ivana worth it? Now that she has climbed onto Luke''s bed and be his woman once again, will she appreciate what you do for her? Will she sacrifice herself for you?" Abel''s words were sharp enough to pierce through Amur''s heart. Abel noticed his tightly clenched fists and taunted, "You''re still willing to go against me for her, but what for? You can''t even get a strand of her hair. Amur, you''d better think twice about who your real master is." "It''s you." Amur lowered his head and clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms. "Very well. It''s a good thing you''re still aware of this. Otherwise, I might have to consider sending you back to the Ind of Despair to receive training again." Abel raised both his hands and patted his face, gradually adding more force each time. After about ten pats, Amur still did not dodge, nor did he shout in pain. Abel stopped and gave him another order, "Go back to A City and prepare to ask the Mallory family for money." "Boss, do you need it in cash?" Amur was a little taken aback. Cash was the hardest to deal with. Abel had several Swiss bank ounts, so if he had the Mallory family transfer the money to his ount and he transferred it to a different ount, he would not get caught. That would not be the case if he asked the Mallory family for cash. "I''ll need some of it in cash, and you''ll have to get the job done for me when the timees. You know what will happen if you don''t," warned Abel. "Yes." Amur nodded. His face was stinging, but he could hide the redness that Abel caused with the mask on. "Get out." Abel took out a cigar and the lighter next to him to light it up. Amur turned around to open the door and leave. He had to pass through the living room he came from in order to leave. When he was there, he noticed that the man had already fixed Pierre''s right leg. "I''ll never let you get away with this." Upon seeing Amur approaching, Pierre lowered his voice and issued a warning to him in a deep beast-like voice. Beads of sweat trickled down his face from his forehead as getting his leg fixed without anesthesia was excruciating. Before Amur could respond, the man fixing his leg for him said, "Hey, how dare you still seek revenge on our people? Watch out or I''ll break your left leg too!" "How dare you?!" Pierre red menacingly at the guy who was fixing his leg. "Of course not. You''re still useful to us for now. Mr. Pierre, oh, Mr. Pierre. You should know that if you ever give us trouble once you return after the Mallory family has given us the money, your right leg isn''t going to be the only thing that''s broken. Please wise up and realize that we''re not people you should mess with." The man fixed another metal te inside of his leg. Chapter 2698 Amur walked past him and warned him in a low voice, ¡°You should be grateful that Boss needs the money for investment at the moment. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have let you stay alive in exchange for money." Pierre listened to Amur''s threat. He could not help but shiver in fear. The man who set Pierre''s broken leg could not help but mock him. "Weren''t you trying to get rid of us? Why are you afraid now?" "Shut up!" Pierre warned spitefully. "Tsk. What he said was true. You should be d that our boss is making some investments. Otherwise, you would''ve been dead yesterday." The man shot a nce at Amur. Amur was a man who would kill someone without blinking an eye. Basically, he was able toplete all the missions assigned to him. Hence, if he was assigned to kill Pierre yesterday, Pierre would not have just gotten a broken leg. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Amur pressed his hand on Pierre''s shoulder and said, "Be careful next time. Offending us won''t do you any good." Pierre grimaced in pain when he was pressed on the spot where it hurt. "Let go of me." Amur lifted his hand and said to the man, "Mr. Pierre''s shoulder is injured too. Take a look at it if you have the time to do so." "I''m busy. Boss told me to set his leg. He didn''t ask me to treat his shoulder." The man shook his head. Amur could not be bothered that much and immediately left. Pierre listened as Amur''s footsteps faded away as he walked further. He turned to look at the man in front of him and asked, "Who''s that man?" The man would certainly not answer him. He gave Pierre a dirty look as though he wasughing at his ignorance. "Do you even deserve to know his name?" Pierre could not help but feel aggrieved. That man could not be more than just a killer carrying out his missions. How could the second young master of the Mallory family not deserve to know who he was? "How do you ce an order?" asked Pierre. Even though Abel refused to ept his offer to work together, he could still put a hit on Luke and Percy. He would request them to send the man who left a moment ago to murder them. It did not matter to him if he and Luke ended up in a lose-lose situation. ¡°Mr. Pierre, I thought you were investigating us, no? Stop wasting your time. We''re not going to do business with you. Get your sh*t together." After the man set his leg, he did what Amur did and patted his right shoulder. "Ouch. You!" Pierre lifted his head angrily. The man shrugged his hands and mocked him, "Oops, I''m sorry. I forgot you were injured." Before Pierre lost his temper, the man picked up the piece of cloth beside him and stuffed it into his mouth. "Boss doesn''t like it when it''s loud. Mr. Pierre, keep it down." Pierre indignantly watched the man leave. He was tied to a chair, unable to move, with a piece of cloth stuffed into his mouth. He had never been humiliated like this! The seeds of hatred in Pierre''s heart began to grow and sprout. Not only did they want his money, but they even tried to trample on his dignity! That was not going to happen! Pierre would take revenge on everyone here if he could get out of here alive. He would punish the man who kidnapped him, the man who asked him for money, and the man who stuffed the piece of cloth into his mouth! He would not let those who mocked him and looked down on him get away with it! Pierre swore to himself as he watched the man leave from behind. On the other hand. Amur drove in the direction of A City after he left the stronghold. Meanwhile, in A City, the Mallory family was in chaos after they confirmed that Pierre had been kidnapped. The Mallory family''s chauffeur was at the hospital. He sent a message to Mr. Be, telling him that triazm and ketamine were found in Oswald''s and Flynn''s blood samples. They were some of the ingredients contained in drugs to make one lose consciousness and put one to sleep. Thus, it proved that Oswald and Flynn were not lying. They did not realize Pierre was taken away because they were drugged. They were a hundred percent sure that Pierre had been kidnapped. Madam Mallory almost lost her bnce and fell onto the ground when she found out about it. The maid beside her immediately came forward to help her and said in a low voice, "Madam, please take a seat. Don''t worry. Perhaps it''s not a kidnapping." "Where can Pierre go if he wasn''t kidnapped? He''s a free man. There''s no need to drug the other two men even if he wanted to go out." Madam Mallory sat on the sofa with one of her hands propping up her temple. Her temples were pounding and hurting as her blood pressure rose. "Get me my antihypertensive pills," instructed Madam Mallory. She knew she might pass out if she did not take the medicine now. "Okay." The maid immediately opened the drawer beside the TV cab and took the antihypertensive pills before handing them to her. "Madam, ce a pill under your tongue." It was not Madam Mallory''s first time taking such medicine. She took the pill the maid handed to her and ced it under her tongue to dissolve it. The medicine worked fast. Madam Mallory could feel her body lighter half an hourter. She was not feeling drowsy anymore. Madam Mallory knew she had to keep a cool head if she wanted Pierre to return safely. "Madam, are you feeling better now?" The maid was attentive enough to notice the changes in her appearance. "Yes." Madam Mallory regted her breath and asked Mr. Be, "Did those men who were sent to District 15 find anything?" "Madam, our men reported that the house is in a mess. Other than the knife on the floor, there''s no sign of a violent struggle," reported Mr. Be. Old Master Mallory sat there, listening to their conversation. However, he had not spoken a word about it since he found out that Pierre had been kidnapped. He would not make a move to look for Pierre either. Mr. Be reckoned that the old master was still upset. It was understandable if Old Master Mallory was still mad at Pierre. Still, Pierre''s life mattered more than anything else now. Mr. Be thought the old master should not let anger take over him at this moment. No one knew what was wrong with Old Master Mallory. He listened to their conversation, but he said nothing. "Is there any blood at the scene?" Madam Mallory''s heart jolted for a moment when she heard that there was a knife. She was worried that Pierre was injured. "No. Oswald said that Mr. Pierre used that knife to defend himself. He always kept it under his pillow, but it was on the floor this time. That was how he knew that Mr. Pierre was in trouble," answered Mr. Be. "Then what about the security cameras? Did they find anything?" Madam Mallory immediately asked. Even though she had no idea who took Pierre away, she had to know where those men took Pierre. Mr. Be replied with an awkward look on his face, "Madam, it''s an old street, and it''s near the outskirts of the city. There aren''t many security cameras installed there. Our men have already asked for permission from the relevant department to get the surveince footage, but some of the surveince footage belongs to the shops nearby. That ce is nothing more than a wretched hive of scum and viiny. They do shady businesses at night. I''m afraid we''ll have to wait until nighttime to get the surveince footage from them." Their subordinates were not familiar with the area there. That was why they had no idea who the owners of the shops were and how to contact them. The residents staying in the area did not know about it either. They said it was normal for the owners of the shops to close their businesses and sell them to others due to the business slump. They had no idea who were the current owners as it was something that happened quite often. Chapter 2699 With the way things turned out, there was no doubt that it was more difficult for them to look into the case. Hence, those men who were sent there could only watch the surveince footage provided by the relevant department while they waited for nightfall. They could only ask for the rest of the surveince footage when the shops were opened. That was the only way to find out where Pierre had been taken to. ¡°No way! That''s too inefficient!" Madam Mallory shook her head and instructed Mr. Be, ¡°Ask them to check with the state secretary and find out who owns those businesses. We have to get the surveince footage as soon as possible." ¡°Yes, Madam." Mr. Be had no choice but to follow her instructions. Mr. Be picked up his phone and gave his orders. He received a message from his subordinates at the same time. He was startled for a moment when he saw the message. He pondered for a moment and decided to inform Madam Mallory. "Madam, I''ve got some news for you. Our men reported that they saw Luke''s men wandering near the house like they''re keeping watch." "Luke''s men!" Madam Mallory immediately leaped to her feet. "It must be him who took Pierre away. That''s why he sent his subordinates to take a look at the scene and find out what''s going on now." ¡°Madam, it''s hard to tell who actually took Master Pierre away," reminded Mr. Be. However, he thought it would be better for him not to exin it to Madam Mallory when he saw how anxious she was. Luke would not have sent his men to be on a stakeout outside the building if he was behind this. Luke would never make a move that would so easily expose him. "It must be him. Who else could it be? He sent his men to question Pierre back then. Then, he kidnapped Pierre and even sent his men back there to see what''s going on now. He doesn''t want to make it a big deal. I''m going to see him and ask him to let Pierre go," said Madam Mallory as she picked up the coat beside her and walked toward the door. ¡°Enough!" Old Master Mallory''s voice was full of majesty, and it stopped Madam Mallory from leaving. ¡°Father, I''m not doing anything wrong. Pierre''s life might be in danger now. I have to meet Luke and ask him to let Pierre go." Madam Mallory clenched her teeth. ¡°Are you sure that he''s the one who did it?" Old Master Mallory''s eyes were zing with anger. He had the same thought as Mr. Be. If Luke was the one who kidnapped Pierre, there was no need for him to let his men wander around and expose himself. Luke would have known better. "He looked for Pierre and questioned him back then. That makes him a suspect. Besides, no one knows about this yet. Why are his subordinates hanging around nearby if it wasn''t Luke who sent someone to kidnap Pierre?" Madam Mallory blindly thought that Luke had something to do with this. When Old Master Mallory saw how obsessed Karen was with the idea that Luke had something to do with it, he questioned her, ¡°Do you have to ruin the rtionship between the Mallory family and the Crawford family today?¡± Madam Mallory bit her lip. She did not expect Old Master Mallory to say that the situation would take a turn for the worse. However, there was no way she wouldpromise this time. Pierre would have to continue suffering if she could not find out where he was now. ¡°Father, it''s Luke who doesn''t care about the rtionship between the Mallory family and the Crawford family. He kidnapped Pierre. You''re saying that I''m ruining the rtionship between the families, but it''s not me who started it." "Hmph. Of course, it didn''t start with you. It was your son who ruined it first!" Old Master Mallory snapped. Old Master Mallory had been mad at Pierre for the past few days. He had been recalling what he had done to clean up Pierre''s mess in the past few years. He initially thought that Pierre was the best of the best. However, he finally realized that Pierre was not as good as Percy at this point. It was just that he was unable to control Percy. That was why he chose Pierre instead. Old Master Mallory was disappointed in Pierre now. Madam Mallory was dumbfounded for a moment. She simply put on her coat and said something harsh, "Father, Pierre is your grandson. He broke your heart and disappointed you after everything he did. Even so, he''s still rted to you. How can you be so heartless? Why do you still care about the rtionship between the two families? Why are you stopping me? "Oh, I know you''re not short of grandchildren. Other than Percy and Pierre, you still have a few mixed- race illegitimate grandchildren out there. You can give up on Percy and cast Pierre out of the family. Then, you can take them home and kick me out of the Mallory family." "Damn you!" Old Master Mallory did not expect her to say something like that. Old Master Mallory''s son had an affair with another woman abroad and had a family there. He knew all about it. However, the old master did notpromise just because it was his son and grandchildren. After all, he only acknowledged Percy and Pierre''s mother as his daughter-inw. Hence, he let Percy and Pierre''s father stay abroad and made him busy by leaving the businesses abroad that were not so important to him. It was to stop him and his illegitimate children froming back home. What Madam Mallory just said to him hit him where it hurt. It made him feel bitterly disappointed. "Madam, Old Master Mallory has always seen you as his daughter-inw. How could you say something like that?!" Mr. Be stood beside the old master with a surprised look on his face. Madam Mallory''s eyes reddened as she said with determination, "I''m going to meet Luke today no matter what it takes. And I''ll bring Pierre back here. Father, you can do whatever you want to punish me, but please let me find Pierre. We''ll talk about thister." She immediately left the living room after that. "Old Master Mallory, what should we do?" asked Mr. Be. Madam Mallory would question Luke aggressively when she met him. The friendship between the Mallory family and the Crawford family might get worse. "Let her go. She doesn''t even reflect on herself for spoiling Pierre. Now, she''s acting recklessly because of that little brat. Let''s see if she''ll regret it when she realizes that she has made a big mistake!" Old Master Mallory said in a loud voice. Madam Mallory, who had not gone far, could hear what he said. Madam Mallory convinced herself that what she was doing was right. She thought Old Master Mallory wanted to teach Pierre a lesson this time, and that was why he refused to go. Madam Mallory was determined to ask Luke to let Pierre go this time! Madam Mallory drove to T Corporation right away. After she parked the car, she immediately headed to the lobby on the first floor. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Good morning, Madam. May I know who you''re looking for?" The receptionist in the lobby saw Madam Mallory walking toward her and asked. "I''m looking for Mr. Crawford. Is he in his office?" Madam Mallory asked directly. "Did you make an appointment with him?" asked the receptionist. "I don''t have to make an appointment to see him. Please tell Jason that I''m Percy Mallory''s mother." Madam Mallory took off her sunsses and came on strong. No matter how ignorant the receptionist was, she would realize who the person in front of her was when she heard Pierre''s name. Thus, she immediately called Jason''s inte phone number. "Mr. Doyle, we have a woman who ims to be Mr. Mallory''s mother looking for Mr. Crawford. She didn''t make any appointment, though." Madam Mallory snatched the handset from the receptionist the moment she was done talking. Madam Mallory was usually polite, but she would do whatever she had to do to save Pierre. "Jason, I''m Percy and Pierre''s mother. I don''t care whether Luke is avable or not now. I have to see him. Tell him to meet me now if he doesn''t want things to turn ugly and Old Master Crawford to find out about it." Chapter 2700 Jason, who was on the other end of the line, remained calm after listening to what she said. Then, he replied calmly, "Alright, Madam Mallory. I''ll pass your message on to him. Just a moment, please." After that, he hung up the call. He stood up and walked toward Luke''s office. Then, he knocked on the door. "Come in." Luke''s voice came from inside the office. Jason pushed the door open and immediately reported to him, "Boss, Madam Mallory is downstairs. She''d like to see you." "Aunt Karen?" Luke put down his pen and turned to look at him. "Yes, it''s Mr. Mallory''s mother. She told me that she has to see you. She''ll go look for Old Master Crawford if you don''t make time for her," said Jason. Everyone knew how tough Madam Mallory was. However, it was strange that Madam Mallory came looking for Luke now. Jason could not help but wonder if she came to ask for Luke''s help to clean up Pierre''s mess. Still, Madam Mallory knew that Luke sided with Percy, and there was no way he would help Pierre. "Let her in," replied Luke. He was not nning to let Madam Mallory disturb Old Master Mallory. "Yes, Boss." Jason returned to his office and called the front desk. After the receptionist confirmed it with him, she led Madam Mallory to the elevator. Then, she swiped the card and let her enter the elevator. Madam Mallory was distraught as she looked at the numbers that gradually went up as the elevator rose. She pursed her lips and made up her mind that she must ask Luke to let Pierre go. Even though this would cause a misunderstanding between the two families, she insisted on doing so. Percy had been seduced by Nina and was crazy about her. There was no way she could ept Nina who was born into such a family. Therefore, she might not be able to mend her broken rtionship with Percy. Pierre was the only one she could depend on when she grew older. Madam Mallory thought that she was not doing anything wrong as she was doing it for herself, the Mallory family, and their future. The elevator door opened. Madam Mallory walked out of the elevator and saw Jason. "Take me to Luke." "Yes, Madam Mallory. This way, please." Jason frowned. Madam Mallory sounded aggressive. He knew she was not to be messed with. Jason could not help but heave a sigh. She came with ill intentions. Luke would have to deal with her on his own. Jason led Madam Mallory to Luke''s office. He gently knocked on the door, telling Luke that Madam Mallory had arrived. Then, he pushed the door open and said, ¡°Madam Mallory, the boss is inside." N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Madam Mallory walked into Luke''s office with a cold expression on her face. "Aunt Karen." Luke dropped everything and turned around, giving her a cold-eyed stare. Madam Mallory sneered and sat right opposite him. "Luke, I''m one of the people who watched you grow up. You''re not a bad person. So, let go of Pierre and hand him over to me. If you do that, I won''t get to the bottom of this." "Pierre?" Luke raised his brows. Did shee here to ask him to hand Pierre over to her? Gale had only confirmed that Pierre was kidnapped 15 minutes ago. However, Gale did not investigate who kidnapped him. Luke did not ask Gale to look into it either. He had nothing to do with the person who kidnapped Pierre, after all. Yet, Madam Mallory was asking him to hand Pierre over to her now. "My men saw your subordinates wandering around house number 13 in District 15. Are you scoping out the area? Or are you just inspecting the crime scene? Anyway, I won''t hold you ountable for this if you hand Pierre over to me." Madam Mallory went straight to the point. She would do anything for Pierre. She would also use an elder''s dignified demeanor to pressure Luke. "Pierre''s not here." After Luke found out her intention, he continued to turn the pages of the work documents. His voice was cold, and he could not be bothered to exin to her. It was because once Madam Mallory suspected it was him, she would continue to think that he was the one who did it. There was no way he could ovee the suspicion no matter how hard he tried to exin to the woman in front of him. "Your men went looking for Pierre a few days ago, and Pierre was kidnapped today. Your men showed up at the scene after that happened. And you''re saying that Pierre''s not here? Luke, I''ve been through more than you can ever imagine. Stop fooling me." Madam Mallory refused to believe him. Luke knew she would not believe in him. He took out his phone and called 110, then he said, "Aunt Karen, you''ve got a point there, but you can''t just suspect me. I won''t repeat what I''m going to say again." He paused for a moment. If the woman in front of him was not Percy''s biological mother, he would not have been bothered to show any respect to her. "My men went to look for Pierre to find out where he bought mypany''s bidding document at that time." Before Luke could finish talking, Madam Mallory interrupted him, "Nonsense. The police had made it very clear. Pierre has nothing to do with it." Luke immediately leaned back on his chair with his hands resting on the armrests. There was an unbothered look on his face. Then, he answered with a question of his own, "Do you believe that?" Madam Mallory was startled for a moment. "Aunt Karen, you know very well whether Pierre has something to do with the bidding document or not. You also know how the Mallory family has cleaned up his mess for him. I chose to let it slide for Percy''s sake. If I''m asked to provide more evidence... Well, I just found a lot of evidence recently," Luke said unmindfully. Madam Mallory would have known that if Pierre had anything to do with this. She immediately changed the topic of the conversation. "You''re admitting that you kidnapped Pierre because he stole yourpany''s bidding document!" "I didn''t say that," replied Luke. If it were not for her being an elder, Luke would not even be bothered to talk to her. Besides, she would make it a big deal and inform Old Master Crawford about this if they did not get this straight. Luke would have to deal with the problem if Old Master Crawford found out about this. Luke added, "I only wanted to find out who sold the document to him. That''s why I sent my men to coerce him into giving the information. "As for the reason why my subordinates showed up in front of that house, it''s because I know your chauffeur took Oswald and another guy to the hospital for a blood test to check if there are any traces of drugs in their blood. "I don''t know the results, but I knew that Pierre must be in trouble. That''s why I sent my men there, but you think I kidnapped Pierre. I can call the police for you." After that, Luke pointed at the emergency call shown on his phone screen. Madam Mallory''s eyes darkened. She refused to believe what Luke said, but she did not want to call the police. If she called the police, the police officers would arrest Pierre even if they found him. Pierre hid in that shabby house to not get caught by the police. He could deal with the matter that way, and he did not have to be sent to prison and suffer. "Do you think I''ll believe you even if you do this? Luke, kidnapping is illegal!" Madam Mallory refused to let him get away with it. "I know you don''t. That''s why I''ll leave it to the police." Luke pressed the call button. Madam Mallory leaped out of her chair and warned him, "I''ll find the evidence to prove that you''re the one who kidnapped Pierre. You''d better hand him over to me. Otherwise, things aren''t going to be easy for you when I find the evidence! I''ll have a hold over you and send you to prison!" After she jumped down his throat, she turned around and left. Chapter 2701 Madam Mallory had just finished talking the moment the door was opened Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Jason, who stood outside the door, heard their conversation. He did not ask her anything as he watched Madam Mallory leave with a gloomy expression on her face. He saw her enter the elevator, and only then did he enter Luke''s office. "Boss." Jason was carrying a tray with a cup of coffee on it. The cup of coffee was supposed to be Madam Mallory''s. However, he did not expect the woman who came on strong to leave so angrily. It did not take long for their conversation to end. "That''s alright." Luke nced at the cup of coffee and continued to work as though nothing happened. He did not take what Madam Mallory said seriously. There would not be any evidence that he had ever done something like that. Jason was tempted and asked, "Boss, Madam Mallory looks angry just now. Did something happen?" "Pierre has been kidnapped. She thinks I''m behind it and asked me to let him go," answered Luke. His eyes never left the document. Jason was dumbfounded for a moment as he remained rooted to the spot. Madam Mallory did note to ask for Luke''s help to solve Pierre''s problem. She came to ask him to let Pierre go. It seemed like Jason got it wrong this time. However, he was surprised to know that Pierre had been kidnapped. After all, no one would dare to offend the bossy young master of the Mallory family even though he had be a public enemy now. Who would have the guts to kidnap him? Could it be that it was someone he had bullied before? Jason''s expression changed as he guessed. "Why are you standing there?" Luke looked up and asked when he noticed that Jason had not left yet. Jason came back to his senses and immediately went out of his office. He carried the tray and returned to his office. Then, he called the receptionist. Even after making sure that Madam Mallory had left, he was still overwhelmed. No one knew who kidnapped Pierre, and Madam Mallory thought it was Luke who did it. Furthermore, she threatened Luke that she would look for evidence to prove that he was behind this and send him to prison. It was crazy... Was it really Madam Mallory who said that? Half a minuteter, Jason''s inte phone rang. He immediately answered it and said, ¡°Yes, Boss?" ¡°Has Percy''s mother left?" asked Luke. "I confirmed with the receptionist just now. She''s already left," answered Jason. "The receptionist saw her leaving." "Tell her I''m not in the office when shees next time." Luke hung up the call after that. He had a feeling that Madam Mallory would return. She would not easily give up. Then, Luke sent a message to Percy: [Your mother came to T Corporation just now. She asked me to hand Pierre over to her.] A few secondster, Percy called him. "She went there?" "Yes. She said she''s going to call the police," replied Luke. This was the Mallory family''s affair, and Luke had nothing to do with it. Thus, he was hoping that Percy could solve the problem. "How ridiculous. She wouldn''t have said that if she dared to call the police." Percy knew his mother well. Even though she imed that she would call the police, she was reluctant to hand Pierre over to the police. Hence, his subordinates reported to him that even though she knew Pierre had been kidnapped, she had not called the police yet. It was because once she called the police, the next ce Pierre would be staying in would be the police station. "She''ll continue to keep an eye on me. Settle this as soon as possible if you''re not busy," said Luke. Percy and Old Master Mallory were probably the only reasonable ones in the Mallory family now. Pierre was insane. He always acted recklessly without thinking about the consequences. Madam Mallory had been badly influenced by Pierre too. "I''ll settle this as soon as possible." Percy pondered for a moment. He was not a man who would easily apologize to others. However, what the Mallory family did had affected Luke. Percy took the initiative to apologize. "I''m sorry to cause you so much trouble." "Don''t mention it. I''m off to a meeting." Luke hung up the call after he finished talking on the phone. He picked up the meeting minutes Jason sent to him this morning and headed to the meeting room. On the other hand. Mr. Be sat in a car, watching Madam Mallory leave T Corporation''s building. After Madam Mallory''s car left, he called Old Master Mallory. "Old Master Mallory, Madam Mallory has already left, but she looked angry. It seems that she didn''t get what she wanted," Mr. Be reported to the man on the other end of the line. "Luke didn''t kidnap Pierre, so how could she have gotten what she wants? Even if she searches the whole T Corporation and all of Luke''s properties, there''s no way she can find him," Old Master Mallory replied in an unfriendly tone. "You''re right," replied Mr. Be. ¡°Old Master Mallory, do I have to follow Madam now?" "Follow her. Don''t let her cause any trouble at critical moments," reminded Old Master Mallory. He only wanted his daughter-inw to stay calm now instead of going to someone else''s ce to look for her son like a crazy woman. ¡°Yes, Sir. I''ll follow her." Mr. Be hung up the call and followed behind Madam Mallory''s car. He maintained a safe distance from Madam Mallory''s car. That was why she did not notice him. However, Mr. Be was able to specte that Madam Mallory''s next destination would be Crawford Manor as he followed behind her. Madam Mallory thought she might as well head to Crawford Manor when she did not get anything out of her meeting with Luke. Mr. Be shook his head helplessly, thinking of stopping Madam Mallory''s car. However, on second thought, even if he managed to stop her this time, she would still find another opportunity to bother Old Master Crawford because she thought that Luke was the one who kidnapped Pierre. Pierre had disgraced the Mallory family, and now Madam Mallory was continuing to disgrace the family. The mother and son could really do anything when they lost their mind. They even forgot who they were. It would all end with the Mallory family losing face. Mr. Be watched Madam Mallory park the car at the outdoor parking outside Crawford Manor from afar. He had no choice but to park the car beside the street. He received a call when he was about to report to Old Master Mallory. Mr. Be nced at his phone screen. The moment he lifted his head, he saw that Madam Mallory had already walked into Crawford Manor. It was toote to stop her. Mr. Be answered the call. ¡°Master Percy." ¡°Where''s my mother?" asked Percy. ¡°I''m following her right now. She''s in Crawford Manor..." answered Mr. Be. His voice was full of helplessness due to everything that Madam Mallory was doing. ¡°This is ridiculous. What happened to Pierre?" Percy asked again. He was not nning to get involved in it when he knew that Pierre was kidnapped. Based on how powerful the Mallory family was, it was only a matter of time before they found him. Besides, the biggest reason the kidnapper kidnapped Pierre was for the sake of money. They would have to contact the Mallory family to ask for the ransom. Everything would proceed smoothly after that. Moreover, the rtionship between the brothers was ruined by Pierre after everything he had done in the past few years. Hence, Percy was not worried when he found out that Pierre had been kidnapped. "All our men know at the moment is Master Percy has been taken away. We''ll only be able to find out the kidnapper''s identity and the route they took tonight," reported Mr. Be. Chapter 2702 He had been keeping a watchful eye on the investigation and seeing if there was any progress. It was just that the footage caught on the security cameras was limited. It was hard for them to find out the route the kidnapper took after kidnapping Pierre. Besides, only one surveince footage recorded the figure and appearance of the man who kidnapped Pierre. However, the image was blurry, and they could not detect the facial features or characteristics of the man. The other footage they found showed that the man was already in the car. It could hardly show the facial features of the man who kidnapped Pierre. ¡°Give me a copy of the footage when you get all of them," said Percy. Mr. Be asked carefully, "Master Percy, are you helping too?" "What else can I do? She''s gone mad for Pierre and now she''s messing with the Crawford family. If I don''t help to look for him, won''t she go to question Luke every day?" Percy sounded impatient. He initially did not want to get involved in this. However, he thought it would be better not to cause any trouble for Luke and Old Master Crawford now that Madam Mallory was behaving like this. The two of them had helped him and Nina a lot. He could not bite the hands that fed him. Looking for Pierre was something he was reluctant to do. If it were not for Madam Mallory who lost her mind and the fact that he still cared for her, he would not be meddling in this matter. "We''ll be able to find out where Master Pierre is with your help!" Mr. Be replied joyfully. It was unclear when Percy had be much more reliable than the others. Percy had many talented people who worked for him. His men were efficient when they looked into something. Furthermore, his men were more capable than the Mallory family''s subordinates. "Go into Crawford Manor now and stop her from disturbing Old Master Crawford," instructed Pierre. "Yes, Sir." Mr. Be ended the call and jumped out of the car. In the living room of Crawford Manor. Old Master Crawford was surprised to see Madam Mallory here. ¡°Karen, what brings you here? Did you come to see Susan?" Karen was Madam Mallory''s name. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Old Master Crawford remembered that Karen and Susan were friends, but they seldom met here. The wives of rich men would usually choose to meet outside. "No, Old Master Crawford. I came to see you today." Karen sat on the sofa, trying hard to appear calm. Still, she would feel restless at the thought of Pierre being kidnapped. "Oh? You''re looking for me?" Old Master Crawford was slightly surprised. He poured a cup of tea for her. "What happened?" "Old Master Crawford, please help me." Karen did not touch the cup of tea. She became hysterical. "I''m not left with a choice. Please tell Luke to let Pierre go." "Luke? Pierre?" Old Master Crawford was dumbfounded for a moment. She was asking Luke to let Pierre go. When did Luke hold Pierre captive, and why did he not know about it? Moreover, judging from the rtionship between the Crawford family and the Mallory family, Luke would not have done such a reckless thing. Old Master Crawford thought it was unlikely that he would do so... "Pierre has been kidnapped by Luke. Old Master Crawford, you know what kind of situation Pierre is in. I''m not nning to make a big deal out of this. I only ask him to let Pierre go, and I won''t hold him ountable for everything that happened. You''re his grandfather. He listens to you, so please help me." Karen sobbed. "Wait a minute. You''re saying that Luke kidnapped Pierre. Do you have any evidence?" Old Master Crawford thought Karen was mentally unstable. She imed that Luke had kidnapped Pierre, but there was nothing to prove it. "His men went looking for Pierre before his kidnapping. And his men were in the vicinity of the house Pierre was staying at after he was kidnapped today, so I''m sure he took Pierre away. I know Pierre has done a lot of wrong things in the past. He even caused T Corporation to lose some profits. But isn''t all that in the past? I''m trying my best to settle this too. So, please help me and ask Luke to let Pierre go." Karen was so emotional that she was about to kneel. Old Master Crawford immediately stopped her from kneeling. "Don''t do that. I''ll look into this, but I believe in Luke. He won''t do something as silly as kidnapping Pierre." Pierre had done so many nasty things. Would Luke have to go as far as to kidnap him at this time? He could have just called the police to make him pay for what he had done. Was that not easier for him? Old Master Crawford knew his grandson too well. He knew Luke was not that kind of person, but he did not say such things now. He was afraid that Karen would lose her mind and do something even more extreme. Hence, the old master said that to calm her down. Karen''s eyes were filled with tears. "I know there must be a misunderstanding. These misunderstandings won''t be considered as anything once Pierrees back, right?" Old Master Crawford could not help but wonder what had happened and why Karen was like this when he saw that Karen was reaching her breaking point. She used to be the Mallory family''s good helper in managing their business. Susan was more ordinary compared to her. Karen had helped Old Master Mallory before, and she took Mallory Corporation to the next level. However, Karen was behaving like a crazy woman looking for her son now. She even came to Crawford Manor. Mr. Griffin walked toward them and said in a low voice, ¡°Old Master Crawford, Mr. Be is here." ¡°Let him in." Old Master Crawford let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the Mallory family sent someone to follow Karen. Karen should not be wandering around in such a state. "Yes, Sir." Mr. Griffin walked out of the living room. After a while, Mr. Be came in and hurried toward them. Mr. Be greeted Old Master Crawford, "It''s been a long time, Old Master Crawford. How are you?" "I''m doing well." Old Master Crawford nodded and nced at Karen. Mr. Be noticed the subtle hint in his eyes and knew that Karen was annoying him. Mr. Be said, "Madam, let me send you back home." Karen''s eyes were full of resistance. "Why are you here?" "I came to send you back home," repeated Mr. Be. Karen drew a sheet of tissue paper from the coffee table and wiped her tears. She deliberately cried in front of Old Master Crawford to gain sympathy. "I''m not going back. Old Master Crawford promised me that he''ll help me look for Pierre." Mr. Be turned to look at Old Master Crawford. Old Master Crawford gently shook his head and told him that he did not promise her. He only said those things to calm her down. Mr. Be understood what he meant. Then, he asked, "Perhaps Master Pierre really isn''t with Luke..." Karen gave him a piercing stare and yelled at him, "How''s that possible? Wasn''t he already seen?" Mr. Be put on an awkward expression. Luke''s men were just wandering around there. It was not like someone saw Luke''s men carrying Pierre into the car. Mr. Be had a feeling that Madam Mallory would embarrass the Mallory family if she continued to behave like this. He had no choice but to lie to her, "Our men discovered something new when they were watching the surveince footage. It''ll help us to look for Master Pierre. Old Master Mallory is waiting for you to return and discuss it." "Really?!" Karen immediately rose to her feet when she heard that they had discovered something new. Chapter 2703 "Yes," said Mr. Be while nodding his head in fear that Karen would not believe him. ¡°I must go back and have a look. There must be more evidence to prove that Pierre was abducted by him," Karen muttered before leaving right away. Mr. Be was left speechless. Mrs. Mallorypletely forgot about her basic manners because of Pierre. She even said those things in front of Old Master Crawford and left immediately without even saying goodbye to him. Mr. Be bowed to Old Master Crawford. ¡°I''m sorry you had to see that, Old Master Crawford." ¡°What has gotten into Madam Mallory?" Old Master Crawford asked. One moment Karen was weeping and begging him for help, the next she calmly wiped her tears with a tissue. It was like an improv show with someone acting out different emotions. Old Master Crawford had seen a lot in his lifetime, but it was the first time he thought that someone was possessed. ¡°Master Pierre has been kidnapped, so Madam Mallory is in great shock. Mr. Crawford''s men happened to pass by the scene of the kidnapping, so Madam Mallory insists that it''s Master Luke who kidnapped Master Pierre. Old Master Crawford, you and I both know that Master Luke has nothing to do with this, but Madam Mallory doesn''t think so. That''s why she came to see you and make noise," Mr. Be briefly exined, ¡°I see, so who kidnapped Mr. Pierre, then?" Old Master Crawford could not contain his curiosity. Who wanted to go against the Mallory family? Did they think that the Mallory family did not already have enough on their te for them to kidnap Pierre? ¡°We''re not sure yet. The things I said just now were just to appease Madam Mallory. It''s not a good idea to let her go around harassing the Crawford family," Mr. Be replied. ¡°That''s right. She must be in great shock for her to be like this. She''s totally different from before." Old Master Crawford''s eyes may be cloudy, but he could still see people clearly. He even thought that Karen might need to see a psychiatrist if she continued like this. ¡°Sigh, the shock from Master Pierre''s kidnapping isn''t the only reason Madam Mallory has be like this. She''s also taking medication for her mood swings because her blood pressure bes unstable whenever her emotions fluctuate. The usual antihypertensive drugs don''t work on her, so she can only take the fast-acting ones, but those drugse with side effects, one of which is that it affects her emotions. ¡°Some people are more affected by the drug than others, like Madam Mallory. Since taking the medicine, she''s be short-tempered. She''s not as gentle and patient as before," said Mr. Be. Their family doctor had told them about the side effects of the drug when prescribing it, but they did not think that Karen would need to take it often, so they agreed to use it for emergencies. This drug had the best efficacy, after all. "So, when one is sick, their physical state will affect their mental state too. Have Master Percy find a psychiatrist for her when you''re free," Old Master Crawford sighed. Psychiatrists were not useless. They might be of help to someone like Karen. Mr. Be nodded and bid farewell to him. "I won''t disturb you any longer, Old Master Crawford. I''ll go back now." "Go on." Old Master Crawford nodded and said to Mr. Griffin, "Please see our guest out." "Yes, Old Master Crawford." Mr. Griffin nodded. He sent Mr. Be to the main entrance before going back in. Old Master Crawford continued to brew tea on the couch. Mr. Griffin came forward and took away the cup prepared for Karen earlier. "Karen is a little crazy, don''t you think?" asked Old Master Crawford. Mr. Griffin stood aside andmented, "Mrs. Mallory is indeed not quite the same as before. I heard that ever since Master Percy and Ms. Nina registered their marriage, Madam Mallory got so angry that she fell sick. But I never heard of her taking any sort of drugs before." "What do you mean she fell sick from anger? She must''ve had underlying health issues in the first ce. It''s her fault for being so stubborn and having her mind upied day and night. It''s too much for her body to bear. No wonder she''s facing problems." Old Master Crawford saw through the situation. "You''re right," Mr. Griffin agreed. He stood there with Old Master Crawford while holding the used cup. "Sit down and have a chat with me." Old Master Crawford pointed to the seat opposite him. Mr. Griffin sat down. "What''s wrong with Nina? Karen''s going mad after taking that medicine just because of her close- mindedness. Good thing high blood pressure patients don''t need to rely on medicine like that for a long time. Otherwise, she would have a nervous breakdown,"mented Old Master Crawford. "You''re right," Mr. Griffin responded as he poured a cup of tea for Old Master Crawford. "As of right now, what worries Madam Mallory the most is not Master Percy and Ms. Nina''s marriage but the situation Master Pierre is in." "Yeah..." Old Master Crawford looked at him and beckoned to him. "You just reminded me of something. Come and help me." "Alright." Mr. Griffin leaned into his ear. Susan saw them whispering in each other''s ears while walking down the stairs, so she could not help but ask, "Father, what are you two talking about? Why are you speaking so softly and so close to each other? Is there something that I can''t hear?" After Old Master Crawford gave his order, he sat back up and looked at his daughter-inw. Although she was not as capable as Karen when it came to business, at least she was not as crazy as her. As long as she was willing to ept the family''s arrangements, he would be nicer to her in the future. ¡°If you know you''re not supposed to listen, why ask?" said Old Master Crawford. Susan was left speechless by his words. She looked around but could not see Karen anywhere, so she asked, "Father, where''s Karen? Didn''t shee?" It was the maid who went upstairs to inform her of Karen''s arrival. She deliberately dressed up to make herself look more morous beforeing downstairs. However, Karen was nowhere to be seen. Old Master Crawford nced at her outfit and reminded her, "If you had taken a little longer getting ready, dinner would''ve been ready." Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Susan blushed and sat on another couch. "Father, stop making fun of me. Am I not the face of the Crawford family? Karen dresses herself up like a butterfly wherever she goes, so there''s no way I can lose to her." Old Master Crawford did not say a word as he calmly sipped his tea. He was not interested in women''s affairs. After seeing his behavior, Susan asked Mr. Griffin, "Where''s Madam Mallory? Did she leave so soon?" "Yes, Madam Crawford. Madam Mallory has already left," Mr. Griffin replied respectfully before leaving with Karen''s cup in his hands. Susan fidgeted with her earrings. "Why did she leave so soon?" "Have you packed your things?" Old Master Crawford asked all of a sudden. "Pack my things for what?" Susan did not understand what Old Master Crawford meant. "To move," Old Master Crawford reminded her. Chapter 2704 Upon hearing about moving, Susan''s entire demeanor turned sluggish and weary. "There''s not much to pack anyway. I can just buy the things I need." Old Master Crawford frowned and reminded her, "As a mother, can you be more considerate toward Louis? Do you know how expensive the things you use are? Can''t you help him save some money?" "Father, you can''t say that to me. Think about it, I''ll just be living there for a few months. I''ll move back here once Thea is on summer break. I can still use all of my things here. Why would it be a waste?" Susan leaned on the sofa while showing her reluctance. However, no matter how reluctant she was, she would still have no choice but to move. If it were not for the fear that Old Master Crawford and Luke would get too close, she would not have agreed to move. Although Louis'' ce was a new mansion, how could itpare to Crawford Manor? The Crawford family''s manor was the property that cost the most. Susan wondered what in the world Louis and his wife were thinking. As they said, firste, first served. If they continued to live at the manor, they might be able to get more things once Old Master Crawford passed away. Old Master Crawford was left speechless by her words, so he had no choice but to say, "I don''t know much about you women, but as a mother, you shouldn''t always just think about your ego. You should think about your son and your granddaughter." After listening to Old Master Crawford''s words, Susan knew that he just did not want her to spend so much. However, as the daughter-inw of the Crawford family, she had the financial resources to do so. If she did not spend the money, who would? When she went outside, she was carrying the name of the Crawford family. "Father, what nonsense are you talking about? Louis is my son. Of course, I care about him. I''ve already spent much less on this move, and I''ve definitely saved Louis a lot of money," Susan shouted. She had a huge allowance, but everything she bought for this move was with Louis'' money. This was one of the reasons she agreed to move in the first ce. Louis was willing to let her spend the money, and she could buy a lot of things to make herself look good without having to spend her own money. Of course, she was pleased with the arrangement. Old Master Crawford was not that easily fooled by her. He rolled his eyes and said, ¡°If you really cared about him, you wouldn''t be moring for jewelry!" Susan was stunned as she did not think that Old Master Crawford would bring this up after two months. She shouted, "It''s all for the sake of upholding the Crawford family''s image. It''s just like how I''m dressed up so elegantly right now. It''s to protect the image of the Crawford family in front of the Mallory family!" The jewelry Louis bought her helped her steal the limelight at the birthday party. Thus, Susan thought that it was worth it regardless of how much it cost. The jewelry also signified her status in the Crawford family. "Louis hosted such avish banquet for you and got you such an expensive ne. Why can''t you be more grateful? Now, you even want him to pay for your other expenses!" Old Master Crawford may not pay much attention to Louis'' career, but he still had a rough idea of his situation. Louis''spany was doing well, but not to the extent that he could afford Susan''s extravagance. Although he received dividends from T Corporation, he still had a child to raise. Louis would easily be overwhelmed by Susan''s spending habits. Susan was disdainful after hearing Old Master Crawford''s stern words. "Father, Louis is filial, so he gives me whatever I want. Besides, he has the ability to make money," she said. She had originally hoped that Louis would have a position in thepany, but he was busy with his so- called dream job right now. Naturally, Susan was not content with it. She was the eldest daughter-inw of the Crawford family, yet her son started a separate business. How did that make sense? Therefore, she changed her consumption habits. It was a matter of course that Louis would have to support her when she was older. If there was something she wanted, she would tell Louis right away. "Don''t you have that ability too? I don''t see you earning money," Old Master Crawford asked before standing up. As the saying went, out of sight, out of mind. He chose not to look at Susan, who was decked out in jewelry, so he turned to leave. Susan leaned on the sofa while pretending to be elegant as she tucked her hair behind her ears. "I don''t have the ability to earn money, and didn''t I raise Louis so that he could take care of me? Besides, if he can''t bear the cost, he still has T Corporation. He can choose to go back to T Corporation anytime, so why should I be worried?" Old Master Crawford looked back at her. The reason for her extravagance was to force Louis back to T Corporation? Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. How cunning of her. Old Master Crawford left with his cane in his hands. In order to start his own business at that time, Louis left T Corporation regardless of his family''s opposition and began to look for office buildings and partners. Hispany''s business had nothing to do with T Corporation, so even if Luke wanted to help him, there was nothing he could do. All this while, the only person Louis could rely on was himself. All that hard work allowed hispany to be stable in the past two years. However, Susan seemed to bemitted to destroying everything Louis had built. Old Master Crawford understood where Susan wasing from, so he did not say anything. Susan leaned on the sofa as she watched Old Master Crawford leave, and she sneered. There was nobody in the living room, so she could freely say what was on her mind, ¡°I know that you favor Luke so much that you''re okay with Louis setting up his own littlepany, but Louis is your grandson too. How could you be so biased?" There was no one else in the living room, so no one replied toher. Susan put her arms on the armrest and rested her chin on her hands with a dull look on her face as she recalled the past few years. Although Old Master Crawford was impartial to her and Allison, and they both got the same allowance every month, she was still not happy. If Allison wanted more money, she could ask Luke for it. It could be millions of dors. What about her? In the first few years, she was worried that Louis did not have enough money, so she would often ask him if he had enough. If he did not, she could give him some. However, Luke was still giving Allisonrge amounts of money for her to spend. That woman underwent cosmetic surgery and beauty treatments in Seoul, and each session wass a huge expense. Even so, Luke did not even bat an eye. As for Louis, he asked to split the cost in half when buying her a limited edition jewelry set, and he even had to find other alternatives. The difference was bing starker, so she was getting increasingly dissatisfied. If it were not for that b*tch, Allison, Louis would have been the CEO of T Corporation by now. He would have been rich. As for her, she would have been what everyone wished to be¡ªthe mother of T Corporation''s CEO. "How can someone be this biased?" Susan asked again slowly. Chapter 2705 Mr. Griffin, who happened to walk into the room, heard what Susan said. ¡°Madam, what''s the matter?" Mr. Griffin pretended not to understand, but he knew very well that Susan usually talked about Old Master Crawford favoring Luke over Louis. Everyone thought Luke had everything because he was Old Master Crawford''s favorite grandson. However, Mr. Griffin, who had been serving the old master for years, knew that Louis was actually the one whom the old master favored. Louis was free-spirited and someone who could do whatever he wished. That was what it meant by being favored by Old Master Crawford. He could enjoy his life, live freely, and do whatever he wanted. "Nothing." Susan adjusted the shawl over her shoulder. "What were Old Master Mallory and Old Master Crawford talking about just now?" "It seems like they were talking about Mr. Pierre," answered Mr. Griffin. Karen came here and caused trouble. The news spread through Crawford Manor like wildfire, and everyone knew about it. Even if Mr. Griffin did not say anything about it, Susan would still be able to figure out what happened if she asked around. "That''s weird. Why did theye here to talk about Pierre?" Susan remembered the grimace on Old Master Crawford''s face when they mentioned Pierre''s name earlier. Pierre stole Luke''s bidding document, and he almost ruined T Corporation''s tender. Fortunately, the bidding document was designed by Luke to set the thief up. Although Susan hated Luke, she would not give up thepany''s bonuses. Hence, Susan was concerned about T Corporation''s profits. That was why she remembered it. "What exactly were they talking about?" asked Susan. Old Master Crawford looked normal when she made her way down the stairs just now. Judging from past experiences, the old master would not have been so calm. Hatred and disgust would have been all over the old master''s face when Pierre''s name was mentioned. Hence, Susan could not help but wonder what really happened. "I heard that Mr. Pierre has been kidnapped. Madam Mallory thinks it''s Master Luke who did it. That''s why she came looking for Old Master Crawford to ask for help," answered Mr. Griffin. "Hahahaha." Susan howled withughter shamelessly. Mr. Griffin was confused looking at her. What was wrong with her? ¡°Madam, what''s the matter?" ¡°Please don''t... Haha, don''t talk to me. Let meugh." Susan held her head up as sheughed as though she heard a funny joke. Mr. Griffin remained rooted to the spot awkwardly. What was so funny about it when it was Karen who misunderstood the whole thing? It took a while before Susan stoppedughing. Only then did she say, ¡°Karen thinks Luke kidnapped her son, Pierre?" Mr. Griffin nodded and replied, ¡°Yes." ¡°And she came here to ask Father to convince Luke to let Pierre go?" Susan continued. ¡°Yes, Madam." Mr. Griffin nodded again. "No way. This is hrious. Did Karen lose her mind?" Susan covered her mouth as sheughed, thinking that Karen would be aughing stock if she told the wives of rich men whom she often had high tea with. Mr. Griffin cleared his throat. ¡°Then? How did it go?" asked Susan. She knew Luke had nothing to do with this without having to ask Mr. Griffin about it. ¡°Madam Mallory was brought away by Mr. Be," replied Mr. Griffin. ¡°I heard that she took some pills, which caused her to be emotionally unstable. She''s worried to death about Pierre being kidnapped. That''s why she has been looking for him everywhere." "What kind of medication can cause someone to be emotionally unstable? How could she suspect Luke? Is she out of her mind? Karen must be mentally ill. She has to be cured. Ah, I can''t. I''m gonna laugh my lungs out." Susan stood up happily. Her sharp gaze and the unhappy look on her face were gone after she found out that Karen had done such a silly thing. Previously, Karen often unted herself in front of her. Even though their husbands had an affair, the way their father-inws treated them was worlds apart. Old Master Mallory thought highly of Karen. He even went as far as to let his worthless son live abroad and note back to protect Karen''s status and keep her reputation.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. However, after Old Master Crawford allowed Allison to join the family. All Susan did was take care of Thea and argue with Allison. It was just so she could inherit more of the Crawford family''s wealth in the future. Karen had already lost Pierre. Now, Pierre was kidnapped after getting himself into such big trouble. Karen was behaving like a crazy woman, suspecting everyone and looking for help. She was useless. Susan secretly rejoiced and mumbled to herself, ''Look how the tables have turned.'' On the other hand. Mallory Manor. Karen hurried back to the house and saw Old Master Mallory sitting on the sofa in the living room. She did not apologize or greet him. ¡°Did you discover something new?" Old Master Mallory stared at his phone screen, ignoring her. Karen raised her voice and asked, "Mr. Be told me that you discovered something new. What did you find? Where is it? Show me!" Old Master Mallory did not answer her questions. Instead, he questioned her, "You went to see Luke?" "Yes. I asked him to hand Pierre over to me. But he''s too cunning. He refuses to let him go," replied Karen. She could feel the tension in the air as she tried hard to suppress the anxiety in her. Karen knew it was the medicine''s effect. However, she could no longer hold it back. "You even went to Crawford Manor?" asked Old Master Mallory. Mr. Be reported to him every ce Karen went to. She had disgraced the Mallory family! Karen admitted it, "Yes. Luke refuses to hand Pierre over to me, so I went to look for Old Master Crawford. Pierre will be fine if the old master helps me. Father, what are you looking at? Are you looking at what they discovered just now?" Karen took a step forward, walking toward Old Master Mallory as she said that. "Hold her down." Old Master Mallory put his phone aside. Karen was held down by two security guards right after he said that. "What are you doing?!" Karen could not move as she was stuck in between the two of them. Old Master Mallory rose to his feet, turned around, and gazed at her. There was a hint of dignity and impatience in his eyes. "This is to prevent you from going crazy and doing silly things. You''re grounded. And you''re not allowed toe out of your room these few days." Then, the old master lifted his jaw. "Father, you can''t do this to me. I have to save Pierre. I need to save him. No one''s going to save Pierre if you do this!" Karen tried to struggle, but she was too weak. She was no match for the two guards. Karen was locked in her room after a while. Old Master Mallory put another lock and locked the door himself. The old master instructed every maid in the manor, "Next time, bring her meals and water to her thrice a day. Just give her anything she needs through the window there. To anyone who dares to let her out and embarrass the Mallory family, you may pack your things and get your *sses out of here." "Yes, sir." All the maids lowered their heads. There came the noises of Karen knocking on the door while crying out loud. Everyone lowered their head and pretended like they did not hear anything. Besides, every room was walled off by good soundproofing. One could hardly hear Karen''s shouts once they walked farther away. Chapter 2706 That way, it would not be too loud even though one would hear Karen if they walked past the room. Old Master Mallory sneered and said to the woman who was shouting in her bedroom, ¡°Stay in there. I''ll find Pierre." Then, he returned to the living room. That was when Mr. Be hurried into the house. "Old Master Mallory, has Madame back yet?" "I locked her up in her bedroom. No one''s allowed to let her out before Pierrees back," replied Old Master Mallory. "Yes, sir. But I don''t think it''s a good idea to treat her that way..." Mr. Be weighed each word as he spoke. He knew why Old Master Mallory locked Karen up. What she did today had disgraced the Mallory family. Old Master Mallory, who had always cared about the Mallory family''s reputation, was mad at her. "What''s so bad about it? There''s a bed, a sofa, and a TV in her room. It''s more luxurious than a 5-star hotel. I don''t see anything wrong." Old Master Mallory glowered at him. Karen had been behaving abnormally these days. She had been making calls and going through documents all day and night, trying to prove that everything that Pierre had done that was exposed on the inte was legal. However, she became more and more bad-tempered. Almost every maid had been scolded by her for the past two days. Still, the most serious problem was that after she knew Pierre had been kidnapped, she was unable to remain calm, not even for a moment. She waspletely different from the elegant woman she used to be. Mr. Be immediately nodded and went along with him. Suddenly, he recalled what Old Master Crawford said. Then, Mr. Be said, "Old Master Mallory, Madam has been mentally and emotionally unstable these days. I think her behavior is beyond the range of the side effects of her medication. Should we hire a psychotherapist for her?" "She does look ill. But do you have any particr psychotherapist in mind?" Old Master Mallory thought that there was no way Karen could meet anyone if her illness deteriorated. Karen was still a normal person before the new year. She became like after going into a state of shock two to three times. Old Master Mallory had no idea what Karen had done to deserve this. ¡°I don''t know any psychotherapists. But I heard that Master Luke''s wife was traumatized after being kidnapped. She was mentally ill. They hired a psychotherapist to treat her, and she improved progressively. She even left A City to further her studies abroad now," said Mr. Be. Even though he was the butler of the Mallory family, he was Old Master Mallory''s assistant too. Hence, he knew a lot of matters other than the ones in the family. "Then hire the psychotherapist who treated her. If the psychotherapist isn''t in A City now, offer a high price to get her back to the country." Old Master Mallory would not allow Karen''s sickness to get serious. Thus, he nned to look for a professional to treat her. "Yes, sir. That won''t be a problem. I heard that money is just loose change for her. We might need Master Luke''s help to invite her toe over," said Mr. Be in a low voice. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Why?" Old Master Mallory could not understand. It was just a psychotherapist. It was not like the Mallory family could not afford to pay for the therapy services. Why did they have to ask for Luke''s help? "Rumor has it that the psychotherapist has a crush on Master Luke. That''s why we might not be able to invite her even if we offer her a high price. But she''ll certainlye if we invite her using Luke''s name," exined Mr. Be. They had to inform Luke to invite the psychotherapist, and they would owe him a favor. Mr. Be had to ask for Old Master Mallory''s opinion before doing that. "Luke really has plenty of admirers. I''ll leave it to you. Get it done, the sooner the better." After Old Master Mallory said that, he reminded Mr. Be, "Oh yes, bring me all the surveince footage from tonight." "Yes, Old Master Mallory. Our men have already divided the work. They''re waiting for the shops to open at night to get the surveince footage from the owners." Mr. Be hesitated for a few seconds after that. He did not tell the old master that Percy was also looking into Pierre''s case. Not only was Old Master Mallory annoyed with Pierre, but he was also mad at Percy. Even though Percy was working for the Mallory family, Old Master Mallory was still mad at him. He would not appreciate what he did. That was why Mr. Be dared not to tell him about it. He was afraid he would touch a nerve. "Do you have something to tell me?" Old Master Mallory''s eyes were milky, but his gaze was sharp. He noticed the hesitant look on Mr. Be''s face. "Nothing, sir. I''m off to arrange for tonight''s matter if there''s nothing else," Mr. Be replied immediately. "Go ahead. We have to find Pierre. Otherwise, we won''t be able to live in peace." An ominous cloud hovered over Old Master Mallory''s face when he mentioned Pierre''s name. "Yes, sir," replied Mr. Be. After Mr. Be left the living room, he sent a message to Pierre, telling him about the situation now. He also told him that he did not tell Old Master Mallory that he was helping to look for Pierre. Pierre replied: [It''s for the best.] He did not want the old master to know about it either. He had stayed with the old master since he was young. The older the old master was, the more stubborn he became. Percy insisted on choosing Nina as his bride. At the same time, he exposed what Pierre had done in the past and continued to sit in the highest position of Mallory Corporation. What he did was enough to upset Old Master Mallory for a long time. Hence, Percy did not intend to let the old master know that he was intervening in the matter and joining the investigation. Otherwise, his kindness would be misunderstood as ill intentions. The old master would think he was gloating at their misfortune. Percy sat on the sofa, reading Mr. Be''s message. He let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Young Master Mallory was willing to look into Pierre''s kidnapping case. Otherwise, they would not be able to find where Pierre was by just depending on his mother. She would only continue to disturb Luke. Karen was already stubborn when she was a normal person. Now that she was mentally unstable, she had be a lot more stubborn than before. ¡°Mr. Be texted you?" Nina brought a ss of milk as she walked toward him. She leaned against Percy''s chest as she sat down. She knew about what happened to the Mallory family. She also knew that Percy had decided to help. "Yes. My mother has been locked up by Grandpa," replied Percy. Nina was surprised. Even though she knew it was embarrassing when Karen went to disturb Luke and Old Master Crawford, there was no need to go as far as locking her up. Karen was the daughter-inw of the Mallory family, and locking her up would restrict her freedom. "She''s locked up? Is it really that bad?" "Yes. She can''t take it. She has to take antihypertensive drugs that give faster effects once she gets emotional, but they have serious side effects. She can''t take too much of it. It''d be better to keep her in the room." Percy approved of what Old Master Mallory did. They were investigating what really happened when Pierre got kidnapped. They could not let Madam Mallory cause trouble for them at this time. Chapter 2707 Nina knew Madam Mallory''s health was not in good condition ever since Percy announced to the public that they had registered their marriage abroad. Her condition worsened after dealing with a series of unpleasant events. "I''m sorry..." apologized Nina. If it were not for her, Karen would not have be like this. "It''s not your fault. Don''t me yourself." Percy held her in his arms. It was Percy who was determined to marry her, but his mother could not ept it. It had nothing to do with Nina. If Nina was med for Karen''s current situation, it would be unfair to her. "So many things have happened to the Mallory family. Why don''t we postpone our wedding ceremony?" Nina asked for his opinion. Even though Percy was not on good terms with the Mallory family, his family name was Mallory, and he could not turn a blind eye to the Mallory family''s affairs. He had to look for Pierre, run thepany, deal with work matters, and prepare for their wedding ceremony. Nina did not want to exhaust Percy. The expression on Percy''s face turned serious when he heard Nina mention postponing their wedding ceremony. He replied with determination, "No." "It''s too tiring for you." Nina shook her head and looked at him caringly. "No. I owe you a wedding ceremony. We can''t postpone it. It has to be held as scheduled. Besides, I''m not tired from preparing for our wedding ceremony. You''re the one who''s busy with the preparations. I appreciate your hard work." Percy wrapped her in his arms, brushing her smooth hair with his fingers. He had been waiting for this moment for ages. As he continued to sit in the position of chairman and CEO of Mallory Corporation, the people out there began to make wild guesses. There were different spections. Most of them thought their marriage would notst long because Nina was not good enough for him. Percy knew very well whether Nina was good enough for him or not. It was not up to them to decide that. Getting a marriage certificate was not enough to shut them up. In upper ss society, even when a couple obtained a marriage certificate, the outside world would still think that one of them looked down on the other due to the huge gap between the two of them. Hence, they had to have a wedding ceremony, and it had to be a grand one. Still, a lot of preparations were needed to hold a grand wedding ceremony. That was why they could not hold it immediately. Percy had already sent his men to spread the news that they were preparing for their wedding day. Some people were waiting for them to hold their wedding ceremony and for Percy to officially address Nina as his wife. Nina''s lips curled into a sweet smile as she listened to him. Percy''s thoughtfulness warmed her heart. "I''m not tired. The wedding nner you found has everything arranged. We only have to confirm the location, the guests, my wedding dress, and some other things. The wedding nner will be able to handle the rest." "Nheless, you still have a lot of things to deal with. So, you, the bride-to-be, are going to be busier than me, the groom." Percy lowered his head and nted a kiss on her forehead. Nina had been busy preparing for their wedding day. Her phone was constantly ringing. The wedding nner woulde to meet her a few times a day to confirm the details of the wedding ceremony. "Percy, I''m happy." Nina leaned against Percy and smiled blissfully. Nina never dared to imagine that she would one day be living so happily. All she had in mind when she was in a rtionship with Percy many years ago was to make enough money and leave A City. She would move to another city where no one knew her and live there. She swore to herself that she would never fall in love again or get married to another man. Nina thought that was the end of her rtionship with Percy. She was too ashamed to look for another man after she left. "We''ll continue to live happily," promised Percy. Then, his phone vibrated again. He picked it up and nced at the phone screen. Mr. Be had sent a message to him, telling him that Old Master Mallory had decided to let Karen see a psychotherapist. Nina saw the message too. She frowned and said, "Your mother needs to see a psychotherapist?" "Yes. She''s been restless these days." Percy was constantly paying attention to the affairs of the Mallory family. Also, Mr. Be would report to him whenever something happened. "I know a few psychotherapists," said Nina. She often went looking for her psychotherapist and talked to her when she was mentally ill. She would feel much better after the therapy session. It was just that she was too stubborn at that time, so the feeling did notst long. She would still feel depressed after she left. "They''ll look for the best psychotherapist. We don''t have to get involved in this," replied Percy. Even if he rmended a psychotherapist for Karen out of kindness, they would not go for his rmendation. Nina pursed her lips. Deep down in her heart, she was ming herself. The rtionship between Percy and the Mallory family had worsened because of her. However, she could not live without Percy. It was the same for Percy. He could not live without her either... Nina looked at Percy''s handsome face. Both of them were the same. They would lose their family by choosing to stay together. Still, the difference was that she spent money to sever ties with her family to have a better future with Percy. Percy cut ties with his family to spend the rest of his life together with her. ¡°Percy, you''re the only one I have left." Nina hugged his waist and buried her head in his chest, listening to his heartbeat. His heartbeat could always calm her down. "You''re mine for the rest of your life." Percy hugged her. He knew Nina felt uneasy knowing that his rtionship with the Mallory family had fallen apart. She felt that she was the reason for his falling out with his family. However, Percy did not regret making such a choice. One day, the Mallory family would know that choosing Nina to be his wife was the best for him. Before he met Nina, his life was about work and socializing. He did not know what love was. He had no idea about worldly desires. That was until he met her. He initially thought of making her stay beside him to add some color to his life. However, the moment he realized that he would get moody when he knew that she could leave him anytime and he could not get used to living without her, he knew he was in love with Nina. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. His love was so deep that no one could separate the two of them. Hence, he chose Nina without a second thought. At the same time, he finally understood why Luke insisted on marrying Bianca back then. Everyone needed a soul mate to fill the hole in their heart. Luke met Bianca, and she was his soul mate. Nina was the right person for him. He would not let go of her and let her leave. At this moment, the doorbell rang. Nina slowly lifted her head and remembered that the wedding nner had made an appointment with her toe over to her ce to discuss the wedding ceremony. She rose to her feet and said, "It''s the wedding nner. Let me answer the door." Chapter 2708 Nina realized Percy was pulling her hand when she was about to answer the door. She turned around and gave Percy a confused look. ¡°Kiss me and I''ll let you go." Percy pointed at his lips with his fingers. Nina''s face turned red at that moment. Even though the two of them had kissed each other a million times, she would still feel shy when she was asked to kiss him on the lips. Nina bent down and pressed her lips against Percy''s. The moment their lips pressed against each other, Percy turned around, wrapped Nina in his arms, and put her on his thigh. He held her in his arms until the doorbell rang again. Nina pushed him away and said, "Come on. They''re going to call meter." "I''ll let you go now, but we''ll continue tonight." Percy smiled as he let her go. After he got what he wanted, he rose to his feet, feeling satisfied. Then, he said to Nina, who was on her way to answer the door, "I''m going back to the office. The maid wille around noontime to make lunch for you. Remember to have your meal." "Alright. I got it," replied Nina. After the two of them moved into the apartment, they did not hire a maid to protect their privacy. Instead, they hired a part-time maid toe to their apartment to do some house chores and prepare meals. Nina initially thought of rejecting it. This was their home, after all. She could handle these chores themselves. However, she agreed to hire a part-time maid to prepare meals for them at the thought of her poor cooking skills. She did not want to ruin Percy''s appetite. Percy made his way up the stairs. After he put on his coat and headed downstairs, preparing to leave, he saw that the wedding nner was already sitting in the living room and discussing the preparations for the wedding ceremony with Nina. The wedding nner immediately stood up when she saw Percy make his way down the stairs. She greeted, "Good morning, Mr. Mallory." "Good morning," Percy replied in a cold voice. Then, he turned to look at Nina and said, "I''m off to the office." "Alright. Go ahead. Be careful when you''re on the road," reminded Nina. She walked to the foyer and opened the door for Percy. Nina only closed the door after Percy left. She walked toward the sofa and sat down. Then, she apologized to the wedding nner, "I''m sorry. Let''s continue from where we left off." The wedding nner, Yancie, who was in charge of Nina''s wedding preparations, said enviously, "You two are such a lovely couple. It makes me feel like going on a date with someone." "Yes. You two look cute together." Yancie''s assistant went along with her. "Let''s continue our discussion." The smile on Nina''s face deepened when she was being complimented. "Okay, Ms. Nina. As for the wedding venue''s decoration, we came up with a few ns based on your ideas. Why don''t you take a look at them?" Yancie took the wedding floor n out of the file and asked for her opinion. "Alright. Let me see." Nina took the wedding floor n from them. All the wedding preparations were done ording to Nina''s preferences, like what Percy said. That was why Nina was the one whomunicated with Yancie about the venue''s decoration. Everyone hoped to have a perfect wedding ceremony, and Nina was no exception. That was why she paid a lot of attention to the details of the wedding ceremony. This event nner was the best in A City, and she provided good services. Nina was able to decide which floor n she would go for quickly. "I think this looks good. Have you ever done projects like this before?" "Yes. Let me show you now. Here." Yancie''s attitude was good. Percy was the event management company''s VIP customer. That was why they would try their best to fulfill Nina''s requests. Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Luca was waiting for the analysis results in theboratory. She was reading another document she held in her hands at the same time. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. It was the new research project she was nning to work on. The corporate dinner would be held tomorrow night. She should start working on the new project after this. After what happened to Ambrose, no one dared to be curious about what Luca was doing in the laboratory this time. Everyone sat in their seats, busy working on their research. "Mr. Link." Luca closed the file. "Yes, Dr. Craw." Rhett dropped everything and came to her. "Please bring me the results after they''re released," reminded Luca. Even though no one dared to get closer to her and wonder what she was working on, she could sense that they were looking at her. She felt ufortable being looked at that way, so she nned to return to her office to read the documents. "Okay, Dr. Craw," replied Rhett. Luca walked out of theboratory with the file in her hands The researchers only dared to speak to each other after Luca left theboratory. "Argh, it''s suffocating," one of themined. ¡°Yes. It''s Ambrose''s fault. He''s the one who ruined our team''s atmosphere. I don''t even dare to say a word. I''m afraid Dr. Craw will be mad at me," said another researcher. They had always thought that Luca was an easygoing person until the incident happened. It made them realize that Luca only appeared to be friendly and easygoing. Luca actually had a powerful aura around her. It was just that she chose to suppress it. "Oh, Mr. Link, did Ambrose just leave like that?" one of the researchers asked with curiosity. "Yes." Rhett nodded. After he handed the letter of dismissal to Ambrose yesterday, he watched him pack his stuff on the office table and leave. Even though Ambrose left with a dissatisfied look on his face, he did not do anything. "Poor Ambrose. Why was he so curious about it? But Dr. Craw''s research isn''t something shady, right? Otherwise, why is she acting all mysterious?" "Aren''t you all afraid that Dr. Craw might hear you if you guys talk about it here?" Rhett could not help but feel disgusted when he heard them gossiping again. This was a ce to do experiments and research, not a ce for them to gossip. The researchers dared not to talk about Luca and continued with their work after Rhett reminded them. They did not want to lose their jobs, not after what happened to Ambrose. "By the way, Ambrose invited us out for dinner this weekend. Are you guys going?" asked one of the researchers. He was the closest to Ambrose. The two of them stayed near each other. They carpooled to work and back home every day to save some transportation fees. "No. He just got fired, and he''s probably holding a grudge against thepany and Dr. Craw. It''d be better for us to keep a distance from each other to avoid any misunderstandings. We''ll all be suspects if something happens in the future, like what happened in Dr. Albus'' case," answered one of the researchers. The other researchers agreed and said, "I''m not going either. Honestly, it''s difficult for Ambrose to continue to work in this industry in A City next time. Since we''re not working in the same industry, I guess it''s unnecessary to socialize with him." The researcher heard what he said and turned to look at Rhett. "Mr. Link, are you... going?" "Ambrose hates me. I''m not going." Even though Ambrose did not continue to cause trouble yesterday, Rhett knew that he harbored resentment toward him for telling Luca about it. It was initially not a big deal. After all, Luca had not reported the research she was working on to her superior, so it was not thepany''s confidential information. However, he insisted on telling Luca about it, which got Ambrose fired. The bitter feelings of resentment in his heart must have built up. Chapter 2709 The researcher gave up convincing them when he realized no one was going. Ambrose was wrong for stealing the sample. It was understandable that they wanted to disassociate themselves from him. On the other hand, Luca sat in her office and continued to study the project. Luca studied the new research project until it was almost lunch break, and only then did Rhett hand her the sample report. ¡°Dr. Craw, here''s the report." Rhett handed the report to her. ¡°Thank you." Luca had a feeling that she might have sessfully developed the antidote when she took the report from him. The previous reports had shown that she was close to the sample that she had stored. Luca opened the report after Rhett left her office. The moment she saw the data, she dared not be careless. She took out the previous sample data and compared them a few times. She eventually put a smile on her face. She did it. This time, the sample data matched the previous data of the liquid extracted. Besides, the medicine showed that it was able to negate the effects of the poison in Amur''s and Luca''s blood samples. Luca held the report tightly. She felt like she was dreaming. Luca had started nning to develop the antidote when she got out of the Ind of Despair. She withdrew a lot of blood and tried mixing the chemicals to develop the antidote several times. However, she had always failed. It was only when Luke came up with a n and provided her with more advanced equipment was Luca able to develop the antidote. Luca could not help but rejoice after trying to develop the antidote for the past few months. She even had the urge to tell everything she had been through to Luke. However, Luca eventually calmed herself down when she realized there were still many uncertainties in the future. She had to make a n because the Ind of Despair was something that could not be ignored. Even though she had gotten the secret form of the antidote, if she identally made a mistake, it would lead to more mistakes. Luca''s and N''s lives were already in danger. She could not risk putting Luke in danger, especially when Abel had always wanted him dead. Luca picked up her phone and called Amur. The call was answered. Luca did not ask about his mission. Instead, she asked where Amur was. ¡°When are youing back to A City?" Amur''s voice came from the other end of the line, "I''m on my way back to A City now." Luca was surprised to know that. Did he not just kidnap Pierre? Why was he already on his way back to A City? "Okay. Let''s have dinner tonight. I''ll prepare dinner," suggested Luca. "Sure." Amur was delighted to hear that. He would never reject her invitations to have meals together. "What time are youing? Do I have to prepare anything?" Luca could hear that he sounded more energetic after that. Previously, after she saved him and got him out of the prisoner camp, it would cheer him up every time she prepared meals for him. Amur told her that the food given to the prisoners in the camp was like pig feed. It made him think that that was how the food tasted. It was until he had the meals Luca prepared for him. They were the best meals he ever had. "Do I need to prepare anything?" Amur repeated when he noticed Luca had not replied to him. Luca came back to her senses. She smiled and said, "No, I''ll get the ingredients. You''ve been staying up all night. Get some rest when you''re back at the apartment." Luca''s reminder was heartwarming. Amur rolled down the car window a little. The cool breeze blew across his face, and he caught a whiff of floral scent in the air. It was the season when flowers began to bloom. "Luca," called Amur. "Yes?" As Luca looked at the report, her heart was still filled with joy. "The spring in A City is as beautiful as you said," Amur remembered that he was sitting beside Luca and N two years ago when Luca was telling N how beautiful spring was in A City. Amur had always been living on the Ind of Despair. He forgot what the four seasons looked like. He was like N, who had only ever lived on the ind. There was no day and night, and no seasons. That was why when he heard Luca say those things, he could not help but wonder what the four seasons were like. Was spring really as beautiful like Luca said? If the wind during spring was gentle, it should be like Luca''s smile, beautiful and gentle. "Indeed." Luca rose to her feet and looked outside the window. It was just that she was in a concrete jungle, and she could hardly find any traces of spring now. However, spring had arrived, indeed. The rose bushes outside Norman Residence came across her mind. The wall would be covered with flower buds when Queenie got discharged from the hospital. ¡°See you tonight," said Amur. "Alright." Luca put on a faint smile. The spring in A City was mesmerizing. Now that she had developed the antidote, she was one step closer to bringing N and Eler to A City to take a look at the four seasons here. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. After the call ended, Amur continued to drive. The toll station was right in front of him. He drove past the station. He had arrived at A City. As Amur watched the worlde alive, he remembered Luca''sughter when they were on the phone a moment ago. She seemed to be in a good mood. It seemed like the reason she suggested that they had dinner together tonight was not because of Pierre. Could it be that something good had happened to her? Suddenly, Abel''s words came across Amur''s mind. "Is it really worth it to do this for Ivana? She''s sleeping on Luke''s bed now, and she has be his woman again. Will she be moved by what you''re doing for her? Is she going to devote herself to you?" Amur''s eyes darkened. Even though he wanted Luca to stay beside him and be his woman, he had never asked for those things. Abel had no idea about that. All he wanted was to protect Luca and make her happy. It would be enough for him as long as she was happy no matter whom she decided to live with. A traffic police officer stood in front of him. Amur came back to his senses. He parked the car beside the road as he was told by the police officer. He rolled down the window and looked at the police officer who bent down to look at him. Before he could say anything, he heard the police officer say, "We''ve got a foreigner. Do we have anyone who can speak German here?" "Sir, I can speak English," said Amur. "Oh, sir, that''s great. We''re going to search your vehicle. Please cooperate with us and get out of the car. Show us your passport and driving license. Open your car trunk too. Thank you," instructed the police officer. Amur did what he was told. He found the relevant documents in his wallet and showed them to the police officer. At the same time, he opened the car trunk for him. Amur had deliberately changed to another car when he returned to the city. He did not drive this car when he kidnapped Pierre. Hence, Amur was calm. When the police officer was checking his documents, Amur asked, "Sir, what''s going on here? Why are the police officers searching the cars all of a sudden?" "It''s just a routine inspection," answered the police officer. If it was a routine inspection, then the police officers were not searching the cars because of Pierre''s kidnapping. Amur reckoned that the Mallory family did not call the police when they found out that Pierre had been kidnapped. It would do no good to Pierre if they called the police as Pierre would have to be taken to the police station immediately once he was found. Chapter 2710 The policeman did not find any contraband after inspecting the trunk of the car, nor were there any problems with Amur''s documents, so he let him go. Amur then drove away. After returning to the apartment, he had to make sure that there were no messages from Abel. Then, he thought to himself that Pierre would have to be locked up for a few days before Abel would make a move. If he informed the Mallory family too soon, they would not be as anxious, nor would they hand over the money that easily. Therefore, Abel had to use Pierre to y against the Mallory family, which meant that he should be free for the next few days. Amury on the bed while thinking of the advice Luca gave him today before washing up and lying down again. After not sleeping at allst night, he practically fell into a deep sleep the moment he came in contact with the bed. At six o''clock in the afternoon, Luca kept the two reports in her briefcase before clocking off. Before she got off work, she told Aunt Neile that she would not be home for dinner. She also told Luke that Amur hade back from Russia to talk to her about something and that she would head over to his ce, so she would be homete. Luke read the message without saying anything as if the hostility he had toward Amur before had completely disappeared. Luca went down to the underground parking lot and asked Warren to drive her to the apartment. When they got to the nearby supermarket, Luca asked Warren to pull over so she could get some groceries. Warren was worried that she would not be able to carry everything alone, so he insisted on helping, and Luca let him. She had already nned out what to cook for Amur beforehand, so she knew exactly what to buy. The moment she walked into the supermarket, she pushed the trolley straight to the fresh produce and meat section. Warren followed right behind her. Luca took her time picking out the ingredients as she knew that Amur would still be resting right now, so she was not in a hurry. Luca was not looking around, so she was not aware that Myra was watching her from a stone''s throw away. When Myra was entering the fresh produce and meat section, she noticed Luca immediately. The anger in her heart intensified at the same time. Brigham and Myra were still giving each other the silent treatment because of Luca, and they had argued at least three times in the past few days. Myra got so angry that she ran back to her parents'' ce and waited for Brigham''s anger to subside. ¡°Myra, what are you looking at?" Myra''s sister-inw, Alice, caught her staring with hatred in her eyes, so she looked over out of curiosity. There stood a couple picking out some lettuce. "Who''s that woman?" Alice asked when she saw them. "That woman..." Myra clenched her fists as she wished that she could just go up and p Luca across the face, but she did not dare to. She had Luke backing her up, so if she did go up to her, Brigham''s career would be over. "Is that woman someone Brigham is having an affair with?" Alice misunderstood her because of the disgust in her eyes. When one woman hated another woman this much, there could only be one exnation. Thus, Alice thought that the woman had meddled in Myra''s marriage. Myra did not spill the beans after she came back home this time around. She just said that she got into an argument with Brigham, so the whole family thought that Brigham had cheated on Myra. Alice was curious, but she listened to her husband''s advice to not stick her nose in. "No! She has no such rtionship with Brigham." Myra shook her head and pulled Alice aside after noticing Luca walking this way. "Well, from your expression, it looks as if she''s done something to offend you.." Alice was even more curious upon hearing her words. Could it be that Brigham was pursuing that woman but she did not like him back? Myra found out, so she started making noise out of jealousy. The more she thought about it, the more she felt like this was the case. Besides, Brigham was considered rich in A City, so Myra had been keeping a close eye on the women around him. The couple had gotten into a lot of arguments because of women. With a long face, Myra told Alice about Charlie''s incident. After hearing the truth about the couple''s argument, Alice nced at Luca and said, "You''re saying that she even attended the parent-teacher meeting with Luke''s son?" "Yeah, I already apologized to her in front of so many people, yet this woman is still making things difficult for me. She''s the reason Brigham and I fought, and now he wants a divorce. I hate this woman to death!" Myra med Luca for her feud with Brigham. "Wait a minute, I know Luke. Is this woman rted to him or something?" Alice rubbed her chin and sneaked a look at Luca. She had to admit that she looked like a pretty decent woman. ¡°How would I know? My guess is that this woman is his mistress..." Myra expressed her suspicions with a sullen look. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. That was because she heard from Mrs. Tuffey that Luca had appeared at school as Tommy''s guardian thest two times. Luca had never shown up to parent-teacher meetings before. This woman who appeared out of nowhere had to be Luke''s mistress, and she would not believe otherwise. "You said that she''s Luke''s mistress, but the man next to her.." Alice nced at Warren. He was pretty good-looking, and anyone who did not know them would think that they were just a young couple who came shopping. "That man is a driver. I saw him open the car door for her at schoolst time. I can''t believe he''s still protecting her when she''s such a seducer. All the men in this world are obsessed with her!" Myra was furious. "Sigh, there''s not much you can do. You said that Luke can affect Brigham''s career, so I think you should take this chance to go over and apologize." Alice persuaded her as their family was counting on Brigham''s business to put food on the table. Thus, she did not want anything to stop Brigham''s business from booming. "There''s no way I''m going over there. Brigham should be the one apologizing. If he''s so capable, he can go apologize to Luke himself." Myra did not want to embarrass herself in front of Luca once again. "Sigh, you. Can''t you put yourself in Brigham''s shoes? If Luke would''ve easily forgiven you, would Brigham have dragged you to apologize in front of so many parents at the school? Hurry up and go. Don''te crying out of desperation when Brigham wants a divorce because of this." Alice was left with no choice. After saying all that, she even gave her a little push. Myra staggered a little and walked out before identally bumping into the shelf. When Luca heard the sound of goods falling on the floor, she looked over. When she realized that it was Myra, she frowned. How long had Myra been spying on her? Luca picked up a fish and handed it to Warren. "Go weigh it first, then go pay." "Yes, Mr. Craw." Warren took the fish to the supermarket staff. Myra looked at all the goods on the floor and looked up to meet Luca''s eyes. Before she could say anything, Luca withdrew her gaze and turned to leave. "Look at her, she''s so arrogant just because she has Luke backing her up!" She could not help but comin to Alice, and the sight of the goods on the floor made her even angrier. Chapter 2711 Alice shook her head as she felt like Myra had been acting strange ever since she came back home. She was the one at fault, so why did she want someone else toe and approach her? "Alice, why aren''t you saying anything? Am I wrong?" Myra watched Luca leave, and her nonchnt demeanor made her furious. If it were not for Luca, she would not have had to go through all of this. Alice was afraid that Myra would go up and cause trouble, so she quickly patted her on the shoulder to comfort her. "Okay, fine. She probably didn''t recognize you, so that''s why she didn''te over..." "What do you mean she didn''t recognize me? That woman treats everyone like this because she has Luke to rely on. Hmph. She''s just a mistress. What gives her the right to act that way? Mistresses don''t end well because they''ll eventually be reced!" Myra got more worked up as she spoke and started getting looks from passersby. Alice felt embarrassed, so she hurriedly dragged her to the fruit section. "Myra,e get some fruits with me. There aren''t any more fruits at home." Myra was still looking in the direction where Luca left when Alice pulled her away. Luca was checking out as she was done grocery shopping. After checking out, Warren was in charge of carrying the two bags of groceries to the parking lot. After the two had returned to the car, Warren asked, "Ms. Craw, the woman who knocked over the shelf earlier. Was she the one who yelled at Young Master Tommy and demanded he be expelled?" He remembered everyone he had interacted with before. "Yes, you have a good memory," said Luca as she picked up her phone to send a message to Amur, asking him if he was awake. "The woman was incredibly cocky at the time, so it''s hard for me not to remember." Warren recalled what the woman said and found himself speechless. She was the first person in A City who dared to demand their boss'' child drop out of school. She was probably thest too. As soon as Warren finished speaking, Luca''s phone vibrated. She opened her messages to see that Amur had replied that he was awake. "Let''s go, Warren," said Luca. "Yes, Ms. Craw." Warren immediately started the car and drove to the apartment. After arriving, Luca got out of the car with the two bags of ingredients in her hands. She told Warren to have dinner somewhere nearby before going upstairs with the groceries. When she got to the elevator, Luca bumped into Mrs. Selley, who just came back from walking her dog. ¡°Oh my, what a coincidence." Mrs. Selley smiled when she noticed Luca approaching. When she saw the two bags of groceries in her hands, she said, "You bought so much." "Yeah, I''m cooking for my brother." Luca nodded. "Your foreigner brother is lucky," Mrs. Selley teased, but she was actually not familiar with Amur. Luca smiled, and when the elevator doors opened on the first floor, she let Mrs. Selley in first. Mrs. Selley led her pet dog into the elevator and said to Luca, "Come on in. Don''t be afraid. My dog won''t bite." Luca nodded and walked into the elevator. Her dog was very obedient and was just watching Luca from the corner. Luca asked out of curiosity, "Mrs. Selley, when did you get a dog?" "Not long ago. Don''t you think that this apartment is a bit gloomy and scary? That''s why I wanted to raise a dog because I heard that dogs are spiritual and that they can see supernatural things as well as scare them away," said Mrs. Selley as she pulled the leash to bring the dog closer to her. Luca did not say anything else. Mrs. Selley sighed again. "Your foreigner brother is quite brave to be living there alone. Sigh, I always hear the movements from your ce, and it''s terrifying." "Perhaps it''s my brother working out in the house," said Luca as she did not believe in ghosts. However, she had no intention of correcting Mrs. Selley''s thoughts. The reason why humans would start believing in ghosts was because of the fear inside of them. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Luca was not afraid of ghosts. The thing she feared the most was the man who wanted to hurt Luke, Abel. "Your foreigner brother is quite peculiar too, isn''t he? He doesn''t go out a lot, and when he does, he doesn''t greet anyone. Are people from your country this rude?" Mrs. Selley asked. Her rtive''s daughter hade to visit once, and she happened to bump into Amur. The young girl immediately fell for him, so she asked Mrs. Selley to help her get his number and also find out if he had a girlfriend. Mrs. Selley was happy to be the matchmaker. She waited for several days before she saw Amur open the door and got the chance to ask him. Who knew that Amur would shut the door in her face without saying a word and treat her as if she was invisible? If Mrs. Selley had not heard him talk to the real estate agent in English, she would have suspected that Amur could not speak thenguage, which would exin why he ignored her. "Perhaps he''s busy." Luca knew that Amur was not being rude. He just did not want to interact with others too much. He would not bother forming unnecessary rtionships. Everyone in their line of business was like this. Neighbors would always stay strangers to them. Only then could they protect themselves better. ¡°Perhaps so, but is your brother seeing someone?" Mrs. Selley asked, seeing that she had not reached her floor yet. The young girl was upset for a few days straight because she failed to get his number. She came pestering her to help her again and said that her future happiness was in her hands. Mrs. Selley was worried that she would not be able to meet Amur outside and that it would be impolite to knock on his door again. Just as she was thinking about what to do, she ran into Luca. Of course, she could not give up such a good opportunity. "Huh?" When Luca heard Mrs. Selley''s words, she wondered if she was trying to find someone for Amur. "My beautiful niece just graduated two years ago, and she''s working as an administrator in A City. She bumped into your brother on the way out when she was visiting and fell in love with him at first sight. So, she asked me to do some matchmaking. Don''t young people like getting each other''s numbers and chatting to see if they get along? If he''s not seeing anyone, could you give me his number so that these youngsters can get to know each other?" said Mrs. Selley with a smile. The elevator doors opened, and Luca walked out. "Mrs. Selley, I don''t know if my brother is seeing anybody, so perhaps you should ask him yourself." Mrs. Selley hurriedly dragged the dog out of the elevator. If she could ask him, she would not be this desperate. "Aren''t you his sister? How could you not know?" "We''ve never talked about our rtionships." Luca saw that Mrs. Selley had no intention of leaving. If Amur were to open the door, he would definitely be caught by her. Luca gave up the idea of ringing the doorbell and put down the grocery bags to look for the keys in her briefcase to open the door herself. Chapter 2712 "Why don''t you ask around? Besides, what does your brother do for a living? I wonder if his job matches the girl''s job," said Mrs. Selley. She wanted Luca to help. Luca felt helpless listening to what she said. Amur showed no interest in this. Why did Mrs. Selley sound like she had already decided for him? ¡°It''d be better if you can ask him in person.¡± The moment Luca finished her sentence, she found the key in her pocket. When she was about to take it out and open the door, the door opened. ¡°I have a crush. You don''t have to worry about that.¡± Amur looked straight into Mrs. Selley''s eyes with a mask on his face. Then, he took the bag that Luca was carrying and went into the house. Mrs. Selley was dumbfounded as she remained rooted to the spot. She did not know her voice was so loud that Amur, who was in the house, heard her. Was the soundproofing of the apartment that bad? Luca noticed the awkward expression on Mrs. Selley''s face. She smiled to ease the situation. ¡°Mrs. Selley, you heard him too. Let''s forget about this." After that, Luca walked into the apartment and closed the door behind her. Mrs. Selley nced at her pet dog. It kept quiet while looking at her standing awkwardly outside someone else''s apartment unit. "It''s so embarrassing. It''s my first attempt at matchmaking," grumbled Mrs. Selley as she quickly walked back to her apartment. Luca followed Amur to the kitchen. After she watched him put the two bags of ingredients on the kitchen counter, she pursed her lips and asked, "You heard everything?" "The soundproofing isn''t that good. Besides, that woman has a loud voice," answered Amur. He was disgusted at the thought of Mrs. Selley trying to set him up with another woman. He hated busybodies like her. "Amur, maybe you can actually think about it," Luca suddenly eximed. "It''d be better for me not to cause any trouble for the others." Amur smiled bitterly. He looked at the two bags of ingredients and turned to look at her. "How are we able to finish all this?" "I did buy more. You must be waiting for his orders in A City these days. That''s why I''ll prepare more food to put in the fridge. You only have to warm it when you''re hungry." Luca bought some ingredients to make some unbaked pot pies for Amur so that he could have her homemade food more often. These could be left in the fridge, and they couldst for a long time. "Okay." Amur nodded and helped Luca to take the ingredients out of the bag. ¡°Why are you wearing a mask at home? Did you catch a cold?" asked Luca. However, Amur sounded alright when she listened to him. ¡°No..." Amur did not lie to her. He knew Luca very well. If he admitted that he caught a cold, his lies would eventually be exposed. ¡°Your face.." The expression on Luca''s face became stern. ¡°Take it off." ¡°It''s nothing.." said Amur. He did not want Luca to see his swollen face. Amur immediately fell asleep when hey on the bed after arriving at the apartment. He had yet to reduce the swelling in his face. He noticed that the swelling had gotten more serious when he woke up. ¡°You''ll have to take it off while we''re having dinnerter. Amur, show me now." Luca forced him. Amur had no choice but to take the mask off helplessly. ¡°Why is it so serious? Did he hit you?" Luca was talking about Abel. Amur nodded and reached out to her. ¡°Give it to me." Luca knew he was asking for her phone. Therefore, she took out her phone and handed it to him. Amur took his phone out as well and ced them in the bedroom. He closed the door and returned to the kitchen. Luca had already opened the fridge, looking for something. ¡°What are you looking for?" Amur asked with confusion. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°I''m looking for a coldpress. The swelling is too serious. You have to apply a coldpress to the swollen area. I remember I ced two ice packs in the fridgest time," replied Luca. She eventually found an ice pack in the fridge. Luca took it out and handed it to Amur. ¡°Apply it." ¡°It''s cold." Amur frowned. It was icy to apply this on his face in such chilly weather. ¡°Why are you afraid of the cold? You''re a man. Are you even afraid of this?" Luca refused to believe him. She knew how strong Amur was. Amur had no choice but to take the ice pack from her and apply it to his face. As Luca began to clean the vegetables, she asked, ¡°Tell me. Why did he hit you?" Even though Abel was a deceitful person, he would not easily hit others. He would always find a reason when he wanted to do it. ¡°I broke Pierre''s leg," Amur answered in a rxed tone. Luca was startled for a moment. Her gestures were interrupted too. ¡°Is that true?" ¡°Yes. I''m pretty sure about that. Even if he manages to fix it, he''ll suffer from the sequ after his surgery," replied Amur. At that time, he unleashed a devastating kick that left no doubt as to his prowess and dominance. He had violently stepped on Pierre''s fragile bones. He could even hear the bones cracking at that time. ¡°That was cruel. Aren''t you afraid that he''s going to take revenge on you?" Luca shook her head. However, she did not feel sorry for Pierre. ¡°No. Let me see how capable he is," said Amur as Pierre and Abel''s conversation came across his mind. He reminded Luca, "Pierre is trying to work together with Abel. He wants to spend money to take Luke''s and Percy''s lives." Luca frowned. It was understandable that Pierre hated Luke. She knew why he wanted Luke dead. After all, Luke had ruined a lot of his ns. However, Pierre actually wanted Percy dead... They were brothers, but Pierre actually wanted his brother dead. Luke and Louis were more like full brothers inparison. "Did he agree with him?" Even though Luca knew Abel''s answer, she still asked about it. If Abel had agreed to it, Amur would not have chosen to tell her now. He would have informed her in the first instance. "No. He''s not nning to work together with Pierre." Amur shook his head. "Then what made Abel change his mind all of a sudden?" Luca was curious. Abel hardly changed his mind once he had decided to do something. However, he changed his mind at thest minute. "He needs money." Amur looked at Luca''s hand and came forward. "Let me clean the vegetables. I''ll help to clean everything." "Okay." Luca epted his offer. After all, they could have dinner earlier if she had someone to help her. She still had to prepare unbaked pot pies after dinner. "What does he want the money for?" asked Luca. Abel''s pharmaceuticalpany already generated a huge amount of profits for him by selling Shanks''s recipe. The products were alsounched overseas. Abel should not be short of money when the Ind of Despair had epted so many missions. "He''s nning to do some arms trade," replied Amur. "He needs cash to invest in the business. That''s why he''s nning to ask the Mallory family for the ransom. That''s what changed his mind. He asked me to kidnap Pierre and send him to the stronghold in X City." "He''s cautious, indeed."mented Luca. Abel usually loved staying in A City. He was worried that the Mallory family would be able to track him down, and that was why he asked Amur to bring Pierre to X City. Chapter 2713 ¡°Do you know why he chose X City?" Amur shot her a nce and continued to clean the vegetables. When he first learned that Abel had chosen X City as the final destination, he was surprised. After all, their base was usually in A City. Luca picked up a slice of beef and ced it in the mixer. After she pressed the blending mode, she answered Amur''s question, "Well, if it''s just the Mallory family that bothers Abel, he wouldn''t have much reason to choose X City. But what if it''s a joint investigation by the Crawford family, the Mallory family, and the Holston family into Pierre''s kidnapping? If Pierre is still in A City, he can be easily found." "Three families? How do you know that the Crawford family and Holston family are helping the Mallory family?" Amur frowned. He knew that Percy, Luke, and Jim were close friends. However, Percy and the Mallory family had fallen out, so how could the Crawford family and the Holston family help the Mallory family? Nowadays, the younger generation of these three families ruled the roost in the family. The older generation basically did not care about these things. "Percy can''t ignore the Mallory family. Even if he wants to, Nina will convince him not to do so. So, once Percy gets involved in this, the Crawford family and the Holston family will help too," assured Luca. If Nina knew about this and Percy did not do anything about it, she would definitely talk to him. She would persuade him to investigate Pierre''s kidnapping. It was not that Nina had forgiven Pierre for what he had done in the past, but she did not want to see Percy drift apart from his family. "Are you sure about that?" Amur looked at Luca in surprise as she took out the minced beef and started seasoning it. "Perhaps they''re already drinking together tonight," replied Luca. She picked up the seasoning and seasoned the beef. When she told Luke that she would be having dinner with Amur tonight, Luke said that he would be drinking with Percy tonight. This was a signal that Luke would be helping Percy. The three of them were like brothers. They usually had a drinking session whenever one of them needed the help of the other two. After the drinking session ended, they would reach a coboration. Amur nodded, but he felt bitter inside. Luca had been away from Luke for three years, but she still knew him so well. It made him inexplicably jealous knowing that Luca knew him inside out. Did Luca know him that well too? Amur secretly asked himself. Suddenly, there was an answer in his heart. Luca knew him well, but it was far from the way she knew Luke. Luca would never have feelings for him that were simr to love. "Amur." Luca blended the meat again and began to prepare tonight''s dishes. "Yes?" Amur ced the vegetables in the basket. "I''ll tell you some good news if you help me make some pot pies and croissants tonight," said Luca. "I''m all thumbs when ites to this..." Amur hesitated. He could help with washing dishes and vegetables, but he was not good at fiddly jobs like these. It was not that he had never tried before. He learned to make pot pies and croissants from Luca when they were on the Ind of Despair, but they came out really bad. Eler was so amused that sheughed at him for a long time. The shape of the croissants and pot pies he made looked strange. Even N refused to eat them when she saw them. Even though she was told that the fillings and the crust were prepared by Luca, the child was reluctant to have them. She even said that they tasted unpleasant just by looking at them. Amur never made pot pies and croissants again after that. "I can teach you. Don''t you want to find out what the good news is?" Luca knew what he had in mind. One or two failures did not matter. Amur stopped working on these things ever since he failedst time. Still, she needed Amur''s help tonight. "I''d like to..." Amur looked at her side profile. He could not help but wonder what the good news was about. Was it something about Luke and her? If that were the case, it would be good news for her. However, it would be bad news for him. "Will you help me?" Luca nced at him. "Okay..." Amur agreed reluctantly. Luca was preparing dinner at the apartment. On the other hand, Luke, Percy, and Jim entered a private room. "What wine do you have here?" Jim asked Percy once he sat down on the couch. He had arranged for tonight''s meeting, so he should be serving them some good wine. "Bring me the bottles of wine I''m keeping here," Percy said to the manager. "Alright, Mr. Mallory. Do you need somepany? We have girls who''re good at singing and dancing to entertain our guests," the manager asked boldly as he looked at the three men. Even though they did not seem to be the type of men who would get involved in scandals and they appeared as though no other women could approach them except for their wives, appearances could be deceiving. Many of them were only trying to keep a good image and reputation. Still, they took every opportunity to cheat on their wives. Before the two of them could say anything, Percy replied in a displeased tone, ¡°When have you seen me messing with other women?" The manager realized he had made a mistake and immediately apologized, "I''m sorry, Mr. Mallory. I''ll get your wine right away." "What a jinx,"mented Percy. "Tsk, do you always look for a beauty to apany you every time youe here?" Jim teased. "I don''te here that often." Percy rolled his eyes. Percy''s friend owned the ce, and he had only stored his wine here because his friend told him that it would be a good idea to do so. Hence, he simply bought the wine and put it here. "Why did the manager still make such arrangements, then? Don''t worry, you can tell me that youe here often. I won''t tell Nina." Jim smiled yfully, insisting on teasing him. "Shut up. You''re not allowed to go home without getting drunk tonight!" Percy knew Jim was notorious for being a henpecked husband. If Scarlett did not allow him to drink, he would not drink. He would not even walk in a direction other than the one she told him to. Now, Jim had be one of the most difficult guests to invite to drinking parties in high society. Luke and Percy were the only ones who could persuade him. Scarlett would not say anything if she knew Jim was going out to drink with Luke and Percy. "Come on." Jim shot a nce at Luke, who sat quietly beside him. Then, he asked, "Luke, what''s on your mind? Aren''t you going to say something when Percy is already behaving this way?" "What can I say?" Luke looked lethargic. He turned down the music in the private room. "How''s your mother doing?" He was asking Percy. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. "She''s been locked up in her room. The side effects of the medication have passed, so she''s calmer now. But she''s still worried about Pierre," replied Percy. He had learned this from Mr. Be. "Tsk. Who the hell did Pierre offend?" Jim could not help but ask. Who would dare to kidnap one of the family members of the Mallory family in A City? Jim spent the whole afternoon thinking about this. He could not help but reckon that the man behind this must be something else. Someone who did note from a privileged family background would not dare to do something like this. Chapter 2714 Percy felt a sense of helplessness wash over him as they mentioned the kidnapping of his younger brother. He had to wait for Mr. Be to gather all the surveince footage. They waited in silence for the manager to serve them the appetizer. It was not until the manager had finally left their room that Luke finally spoke, "It''s probably him.¡± Percy arched an eyebrow and picked the most expensive wine bottle, cracking it open. "Who do you suspect?" "The Ind of Despair," replied Luke. The name rolled off his tongue like a bitter pill. It was a name they were all too familiar with. Percy''s expression darkened at the mention of the Ind of Despair. When he had first heard about his brother''s kidnapping, he, too, had suspected them. However, he could not fathom why they would target Pierre. That was why he did not continue thinking about it. "Pierre bought the bidding document of the T Corporation from them back then. Then, he ended up worse when he tried to take advantage of it. He''s been holding a grudge against them ever since. That''s why he''s been investigating the Ind of Despair for a while now. It''s just that he just wasn''t capable enough to get to the bottom of it," exined Luke. He found some evidence that the Ind of Despair had something to do with the stolen bidding document from the information that Percy gave him. Besides, Luca stole the bidding document. It was enough to prove that it was the Ind of Despair who sold it to Pierre. "But why kidnap him now?" Jim chimed in with his curiosity piqued. "If they want revenge, why not just kill him?" "They want money, I guess." Luke turned to look at Percy. "Yes." Percy nodded in agreement, believing Luke''s theory. "But your grandfather is mad at him now. Will he really give them what they want if they ask for ransom?" Jim could not help but ask with curiosity. A few days ago, he was informed that Old Master Mallory would not help to clean up Pierre''s mess. It was Karen who had been dealing with it. However, there was a lot to deal with, and she was overwhelmed by the extent of it. That was probably why Karen went looking for Luke when she found out that Pierre got kidnapped. She could not take it anymore. "Who knows?" Percy poured wine for the two of them. The person he could not figure out the most in the Mallory family was Old Master Mallory. Old Master Mallory was only concerned about Pierre''s affairs now because Karen was mentally unstable. If Karen were fine, the old master probably would not be bothered about these things. "So, is there anything we can help with?" Jim picked up his ss of wine and sniffed it. Although he had not been drinking for a long time, his past experiences told him that Percy had spent a lot of money on this. The wine stored here was indeed good, and it was basically priceless. "Let''s raid their hideout since it''s the Ind of Despair that''s behind this.¡± Percy narrowed his eyes. He did not expect the organization to behave so arrogantly after they came back. They went straight to their target, the Mallory family. It was no different from how they had targeted Luke back then. However, the person who had the guts to mess with them would eventually end up just like how the Ind of Despair ended up back then¡ªwiped out. Percy drank his wine in one gulp as his expression darkened. He was not mad at the Ind of Despair kidnapping Pierre. After all, Pierre had done many ridiculous things over the years. It was good that someone could teach him a lesson. Still, he would never allow the Ind of Despair to have any inappropriate ideas toward the Mallory family. Messing with the Mallory family also meant that they were messing with him... Luke held a wine ss in his hand. The dim light of the private room cast a shadow over his face. "Then let''s get rid of them," said Luke. "I agree." Jim took a sip of wine, agreeing with Luke''s suggestion without much thought. Percy nced at Luke and asked, "How?" "Marcos told me that he discovered somethingtely. We''ll be able to make a move once I''ve confirmed with him," replied Luke. This was initially his own matter. Percy and Jim only came to help. However, even the Mallory family had been provoked now. No matter how powerful the organization was, they could not let them off the hook. "In that case, shall we have another round and toast to our cooperation?" Jim raised his ss. Luke and Percy raised their sses and clinked them with Jim''s ss. "Thank you." Percy took a big sip of wine. He could not deal with the Ind of Despair himself. Only with Luke''s and Jim''s help would Percy have the confidence to destroy the Ind of Despair as they didst time. "I''m in this too." Luke''s voice was low and hoarse. Luca was currently under the control of the Ind of Despair. He was also helping himself while helping Percy. Luca''s true identity was Bianca. He could not live without her for the rest of his life. Jim narrowed his eyes and looked at Luke. "Are you sure it won''t affect your family if we take any actions?" After all, they were all guessing that the organization must have something important on Luca, leaving her with no choice but to be controlled by them. ording to how the impostor Bianca had behaved, Luca might have been given some drugs, which was why she was being forced to carry out the missions assigned to her by the Ind of Despair. That was also why she could not tell Luke about it. "Gale said that before the organization was wiped out, Robert already had people studying drugs that could control people. We''re sure that the Ind of Despair is already using the drug, judging from what happened to the impostor Bianca back then. Therefore, the Ind of Despair must be using the drug to control Luca. Luca would always leave T Corporation or Watson Biopharmaceuticals in the middle of every month without letting my men follow her. She probably goes to meet them to take the antidote," Luke analyzed. He had already figured it out a long time ago. "This is difficult. Will she end up like the impostor Bianca if the Ind of Despair is wiped out...?" Jim furrowed his brows and paused. They had to get rid of the Ind of Despair, but Luca''s life may not be spared if they did that. Jim did not think that Luke would give up Luca for the sake of the greater good. "I trust Luca. She''ll find a way to develop the antidote," said Luke. He only opened theboratory to the company''s researchers for Luca''s sake. He knew that Luca would be able to develop the antidote with the advanced equipment in the laboratory. Furthermore, the antidote would be the drug to neutralize the poison that the Ind of Despair was using to control everyone there. Jim and Percy exchanged nces with each other. After a while, Jim asked, "When are you nning to get Luca to confess to you her true identity?" N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Luke frowned. There was no news from Watsons stating whether Luca''s research had seeded or not. He could only wait for Luca to develop the antidote. Only then could he force Luca to tell him her true identity. Luca loved him and her children so much. She would not bear to abandon them. ¡°I''ll have to see. Marcos will be traveling to A City. He''ll bring us good news,¡± replied Luke. To express his gratitude for the favor he received, Marcos utilized his influence in Russia to investigate the Ind of Despair. To his surprise, his efforts yielded results, though not in the way he expected. The discovery that was made was not a piece of evidence or a cluebut rather a person. Chapter 2715 He insisted on meeting Luke in person before revealing any information about the Ind of Despair. In addition, Marcos received news about his mother living here. That was why he nned to make a trip to A City. He imed to the people on his side that he needed toe here to do business, then he would take a charter flight to travel to A City. "The remnants of the Ind of Despair need to be eliminated," Percy said in a sinister tone. On the other hand, after Luca had dinner with Amur, Amur took the initiative to clean up the table. Luca took out the dough that had been left to rest and the marinated filling. Then, she walked to the dining room to prepare pot pies and croissants. Amur sat beside her and watched Luca divide the flour for the croissants and pot pies. He waited to see how she did it. Luca''s fingers were slender. She was skilled when she rolled the dough. It only took a while before a beautifully shaped croissant appeared in her hands. "You''re good with your hands," said Amur. He also understood that he might not be able to do it himself if he had to do this alone. However, he did not know why Luca insisted on letting him try. "You can do it too. Come on, give it a try." Luca had already divided the dough for the croissants and handed one of the balls to Amur. Then, she picked up another ball of dough and taught him step by step how to make it. After a while, Luca had made a fine-looking croissant, while Amur''s croissant looked lumpy and ugly.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Amur frowned while looking at the croissant in his hand. Then, he nced at Luca. "It despairs me looking at the difference between yours and mine. I''m not good at this." "Don''t worry. It''s not like we''re selling them. They''re edible as long as the crust doesn''t break," Luca reassured Amur and encouraged him to make more. "There are still plenty more to make. Help me out, will you?" "Sure." Amur thought to himself that even if they did not look good, they would still taste good because they were Luca''s homemade food. The appearance might be unappealing, but she still made them. They would taste good. Amur continued to shape the croissants while Luca began preparing the pot pies. "What''s the good news you mentioned earlier?" Amur suddenly asked. Luca smiled. She wiped her hands with a tissue and took out a piece of paper from her briefcase. Then, she handed it to him. "What''s this?" Amur looked at the pile of data, confused. "Just a moment," Luca took out another piece of paper. She was not sure if there was any surveince camera installed here by Abel. Hence, she wrote all her good news on this piece of paper. She handed it over to Amur to read. Amur took it from her and saw the message on it. He understood why she used such a method to deliver the message. He looked surprised. "Are you serious?" "Yes, I''ve spent a long time working on it. It finally worked." Luca nodded. She picked up a wet wipe to clean her hands and continued making pot pies. "This is the good news you were talking about..." Amur could not believe it. It was as though he was dreaming. He remembered Luca telling him and his sister that no matter what, she would try her best to help them escape from the Ind of Despair when she was about to leave the ind for her mission. However, the brother and sister never mentioned it. They had all taken the poison, and they knew that they only had a few days to live if they really escaped from the Ind of Despair. Everyone worked hard toplete their tasks to survive. At the same time, they were hoping that nothing would get rid of the Ind of Despair. They would lose their cure without the Ind of Despair. It would be a dead end for them. At that moment, Amur never thought that Luca would use such a way to help them to escape. "Why are you standing there?" asked Luca. "Is this true?" Amur could not believe it. With this cure, he could free himself from the control of the Ind of Despair. All he had to do was figure out how to get Eler and N out. "It''s true." Luca pointed to the two lines of text and told him that the form could neutralize the poison in their blood. It was just like the previous sample she had collected. "You''re amazing, Luca!" Amur could not help but exim. Luca actually developed the cure on her own. This was something Abel would never have expected. Abel thought of using drugs to make them listen to him. Now, Luca had done something they could never have expected. Amur could not help but feel excited. He never expected that one day, they would be able to free themselves. "What do you n to do next?" asked Amur. They should be able to rescue N and Eler with the antidote and with the help of Luke and the others. However, Luca''s appearance had changed. Even if they could verify her DNA, would Luke really acknowledge her? "I haven''t decided yet. I''ll take it one step at a time," said Luca. Luke had too much going on in A City lately, and she did not know what to do. Hence, they were in a passive situation now. Rescuing N and Eler would require a more detailed n. "Okay." Amur knew what she was worried about. Developing the cure was an important foundation for their escape from the Ind of Despair, but rescuing N and Eler was another challenge. Luca did not say anything else. After she finished making the croissants and pot pies, she gave instructions to Amul on what to do next. As Amul listened to her, he suddenly thought that perhaps living with Luca in A City would be a good idea. Even though he could not be her lover or the one who was closest to her, it would be enough for him to be able to stay beside her and protect her. With Amur''s help, it took Luca about half an hour to prepare the croissants and pot pies. After cing them in the refrigerator, Luca was worried that Amur might forget to eat them. Thus, she picked up a sticky note nearby. Then, she wrote down the date and how much time was needed to bake them. "I''m not that old. I can remember what you said." Amurughed helplessly when he saw her writing the note and sticking it on the refrigerator. "I''m not afraid that you''ll forget about this. I''m afraid that you won''t eat well. We have to look ahead now. A better future lies ahead of us." Luca smiled as she looked at the sticky note she had just stuck on the refrigerator. "Remember to eat well and not starve yourself, okay?" "Okay. Got it." Amur nodded. Luca cleaned everything up and said, "Also, do remember to inform me in the first instance if he makes a move. I won''t interfere, but I have to know what he''s up to, okay?" "Alright." There was no way Amur could refuse her. "I shall leave first." Luca put on her coat. "Okay. I''ll take you downstairs," said Amur as he picked up his coat. Luca shook her head. "It''s okay. The chauffeur is waiting for me downstairs. Apply an ice pack on your face again. It''s still swollen." After that, Luca walked into the bedroom and picked up her phone. Luca turned on the screen and found that Luke had sent her a message: [When are youing back?] Chapter 2716 [I''ll be right back.] After Luca replied to his message, she lifted her head and smiled at Amur. "I''m going back now. Take care of yourself." "Okay." Amur nodded. Luca did not let Amur escort her to the lobby, so he walked her to the door instead. As he watched her step into the elevator and heard the doors slowly close, he closed the door. Mrs. Selley walked out carrying a bag of garbage. She nced at Amur as though she wanted to ask him something. However, she sighed and shook her head at the thought of what he had said before. Mrs. Selley gave her rtive''s daughter a call after Amur rejected her. The girl could not help but burst into tears after she heard what Mrs. Selley said on the phone. Mrs. Selley felt sorry for bearing bad news. Thus, she spent some timeforting her before reluctantly ending the call. She ran into Amur when she was about to take out the trash. Amur did not bother to greet her and closed the door right away. Mrs. Selley could not help but mutter to herself, "That was rude." She headed to the elevator and turned around to nce at the apartment door. Then, she mumbled to herself in a regretful tone, "He''s good-looking. Now I know why she can''t stop thinking about him. It''s a shame that such a handsome man is already taken." Luca headed downstairs and found Warren waiting in the car. Even though it was springtime, it was chilly at night. Luca got into the car. The car heater warmed her up. "Ms. Craw, would you like to go home now?" asked Warren as he turned up the heat in the car. "Yes. Let''s go." Luca nodded, thinking that her children would be asleep by the time she returned to the vi. As she watched the scenery outside the window pass by, Luca could not help but secretly heave a sigh. Time was not something that could be wasted. Luca wanted to spend more time with her children, but it seemed like something would always take up all her time. The kids were growing up every day. Time was slipping away from her... After they arrived at the vi, Luca got out of the car and headed to the house. The maid, whom Luke had asked to work here from Crawford Manor, sat on the sofa in the living room. When the maid saw her, she stood up and greeted Luca, "Ms. Craw, you''re back." "Yes. Where''s Lanie and the others?" asked Luca. "The kids are already upstairs getting ready for bed. They''re probably in bed by now," replied the maid. Luca nodded and nced at the time. It waste, and the kids were already in bed. "By the way, Ms. Craw, these are the children''s homework. They told me to remind you to check and sign them if you came back first. If Mr. Crawford came back first, they''d want him to check and sign the books. So..." The maid pointed at the stack of books on the coffee table. It was what the kids had asked her to help with. "Mr. Crawford isn''t home yet?" Luca was not surprised. She sat on the sofa without waiting for a reply. She already guessed that Luke would definitely still be out drinking with Percy and the others. It was because of Pierre''s kidnapping case. ¡°Yes. Mr. Crawford isn''t home yet,¡± replied the maid. "Okay, I got it. I''ll prepare some hangover teater. If Mr. Crawfordes back and you''re awake, ask him if he wants some," said Luca. She was worried that she might fall asleep without knowing when Luke came back. "Let me prepare it instead," the maid replied immediately. "It''s okay. It''s simple enough. Go get some rest." Luca shook her head. Since the maid came to work here, she had been living in the maid''s room. Someone would be here to take care of the children in the vi. "Okay, Ms. Craw." The maid nodded and stood up. "Just call me if you need anything." "Alright." Luca looked down and carefully checked the kids'' homework. The three of them were very focused when they were doing their homework. Luca quickly went through their homework, then she imitated Luke''s handwriting and signed his name on the books. After that, she sorted the kids'' books by their names and put them back in their bags. They would be ready to bring them to school the next day. Luca turned on the garden lights after that. Then, she turned on the night light in the living room. She went to the kitchen to prepare the hangover tea. After preparing it, she made her way upstairs quietly. She did not return to her bedroom right away. Instead, she quietly pushed open the children''s bedroom doors to make sure they were already asleep before returning to her bedroom. Shey on the bed after washing up. She picked up her phone. When she was about to charge her phone, she realized that Luke had sent her a message while she was cleaning up. [Are you home?] Luca was a little surprised. He had arranged for Warren to stay by her side. Even though he said it was so Warren could protect her and drive her to work, Luca knew that Luke did it to know where she was and what she was doing all the time. However, he asked if she was home now. Did Warren not tell him that she was already home? Luca replied: [Yes. I''m home. I left a night light turned on for you. I''m going to bed now.] Luke immediately replied to her message this time: [Okay. I''ll have to stay a little longer. Get some rest. Good night.] N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Luca looked at his message as the corner of her lips curved into a smile. [Good night.] After Luca replied to his message, she covered herself with the nket andy down on the bed. ... On the other hand... Jim watched Luke sit there as he looked at his phone with a faint smile on his face. He tapped the table with dissatisfaction. "What''s the point of having a gathering if you''re here sending messages to a woman?" Luke put away his phone, picked up his ss, and sneered. "Are you jealous?" "I have a family too. Do I have to be jealous of you?" Jim answered disdainfully. He had Scarlet as his wife. He was not envious of anyone. "It''s hard to tell," Luke replied calmly. "Your wife didn''t call you." "That''s because I told her beforehand. You don''t understand. She trusts me and knows that I''m here drinking with you guys. She won''t disturb me. She''s just being considerate." Jim took a sip of his wine as he showed off how thoughtful his wife was in front of them. "Tsk. The guy who used to chant ''long live the bachelor'' is now trapped by a woman." Percy went along with it. Back then, even though Jim had a son, no one knew who the mother was. Jim''s parents also hoped that Jim could find a mother for his son as soon as possible to avoid any psychological harm that might result from growing up in a single-parent household. However, Jim remained carefree, and whenever someone urged him to settle down, he would always say that he preferred being single. Hence, when everyone thought that Jim would stay single for a long time, Scarlet showed up in his life. Moreover, they always disyed their affection for each other in front of everyone. "You don''t understand. It''s called sweet bondage. By the way, what''s wrong with you? Are you helping Luke to tease me? What about Nina? Isn''t Nina your sweet bondage too?" Jim questioned him. "Nah. It''s sweet, but not binding. Nina never constrains me." Percy smiled when he mentioned Nina''s name. His mood had improved considerably. "Alright. That''s enough," Luke interrupted them. Even though Luca was staying with him now, they still had not been able to acknowledge each other. This made him feel uneasy. What he wanted was for Luca to stand by his side again as Bianca. She should not have to be afraid of being discovered by the media or being mistaken as a mistress. Chapter 2717 Percy knew what Luke was thinking, so he patted him on the shoulders. ¡°Once the Ind of Despair is eradicated, she can finally be with you for good." "Yeah." Luke''s voice was hoarse, and he was getting dizzy from anger. It was the anger he had toward the Ind of Despair. The thugs from the Ind of Despair were actually brave enough to pick on him back then. This time, after the resurgence of the Ind of Despair, they picked on Luca. There was no way he would ever let them get away with it! "Come, let''s have a drink. The surveince footage will probably be sent over by the time we''re done drinking." Percy opened another bottle of wine. His subordinates were drinking in the room next door, and they began investigating Pierre''s whereabouts while waiting for the footage to be sent over. They drank until dawn. When there was finally a knock on the door, the three of them simultaneously put down their wine sses. "It''s here," Percy said. Jim turned off the music in the room. Percy raised his voice and said, "Come in." Adrian pushed the door open before walking in and said, "Mr. Pierre, we''ve watched all the footage." "Did you find anything?" Percy asked. Adrian shook his head and said, "The only thing we found was that your brotherst appeared at the borders of A City and X City. Those people were very slick as they changed vehicles more than once midway. The sun had risen toward the end, and the number of vehicles on the road increased, so it''s hard for us to guess which car Pierre was brought into." Percy raised his eyebrows. He had expected this oue. After all, it was the Ind of Despair. It took them a great deal of effort to arrest all the members of the old Ind of Despair back then, so it was only natural that the new Ind of Despair would not be much worse off. "Would they be in X City?" Luke murmured. Since he wasst seen between A CIty and X City, he reckoned that there was a good chance that Pierre could have been kidnapped to X City. "Isn''t X City your hometown?" Jim frowned. "Yes." Luke nodded. What he said was true, but there were not many people in X City who could help them. After Old Master Crawford had secured his foothold here, he did not further develop his business in X City as it was a hignd. Other than tourism, there were little to no prospects for other businesses. Therefore, the Crawford family did not hold much power there other than their reputation. "If he really is in X City, then it''ll be hard to investigate this case." Jim was aware of that fact. None of them had expanded their businesses to X City, and even the Crawford family had only a little influence there, so there were not many locals they could ask for help. When it came to tasks like investigation, the locals would always be of much better help than the people they sent over there. Percy had a sullen look. "The Ind of Despair had nned this kidnapping for a long time." Otherwise, they would not have chosen X City. Adrian said in response, "There''s no guarantee that Pierre''s in X City. The car might''ve disappeared at the borders of A City and X City, but they could be misleading us on purpose..." "It''s quite unlikely.." Jim shook his head as he felt that they would not go to such lengths. "Since they changed cars midway and even appeared in the surveince footage, they must be somewhere in X City. Now, we have to find out where they took Pierre, so it looks like we have to send people to X City. Luke, do Gale and Rain have people in X City?" "No." Luke looked dejected too. X City was not in T Corporation''s development strategy, so he did not have Gale and Rain deploy manpower in X City. Adrain responded, "If you really want to look for him in X City, we can go there right now, but it''ll be hard since we''re not familiar with the ce. Would you still want to go, then, Mr. Mallory?" "Did you really not find him in the footage?" Percy looked at him. Adrian shook his head. "After realizing that Mr. Pierre might have been kidnapped to X City, I even hacked their surveince system, but I couldn''t find anything useful in any of the clips. I don''t know what car they changed into, and the resolution of the footage is not great, so it''s hard to find him." Surveince cameras were not like actual cameras that could clearly show the inside of the car. Moreover, Pierre must have been unconscious the entire ride as he did not even appear in a single frame of the many footages they watched. If it were not for the fact that there were not many cars on the road when the kidnapper left, it would have been impossible for them to track down the second car they changed into. "I''ll send Gale to X City," said Luke as he picked up his phone to give the order. Besides, Gale was from the Ind of Despair, so he knew how the Ind of Despair handled things. Perhaps, he would be able to find something in X City. "Mr. Crawford, Mr. Mallory, I suggest calling the police and letting the police from X City and A City help us. I''m worried that Mr. Pierre might be in danger if we''re toote," Adrian expressed his thoughts. Besides, the police would be of much help in situations they were unfamiliar with. "No." Percy rejected his suggestion. If they were going to call the police in the first ce, they would not have let Adrian hack into the surveince system to obtain the footage. "Mr. Mallory?" Adrian looked at him in confusion. Even after the two brothers had a falling out, Percy still asked him to hack into their system to ess the surveince footage. Was he not trying to look for Pierre? Yet, he refused to call the police... Did he want Pierre to die in their hands? "Those people don''t want to kill him. If they wanted to kill him, they could''ve just done it at Oswald''s ce. Why would they go through all that trouble of knocking him out and transporting him with different vehicles in fear of being caught?" Jim slowly exined it to him. "So, what do they want?" Adrian thought that what he said made sense, but it was beyond his ability to specte what the other party wanted, so he asked him directly. "Who knows? Maybe they kidnapped Mr. Pierre to get ransom money from the Mallory family since they''re so rich." Jim took a sip of wine and added, "Although Pierre''s life might not be in danger, he should still suffer the consequences of his actions. It serves him right for even having the guts to provoke that organization.." Adrian sat on the other sofa. He was not anxious about what might happen to Pierre. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. After all, he was just helping Percy. He did not like Pierre in the slightest bit. Such an ipetent yet arrogant master like him was bound to suffer. Percy looked at Luke. "They''re targeting the Mallory family, though. Are you sure you want Gale to go?" "Obtaining a bit of information is better than nothing. Plus, I''m not sending Gale just for the sake of Pierre," Luke told him frankly. Finding Pierre was secondary. Right now, all of them thought that the people from the Ind of Despair were in X City. Even if the person behind this was not the final boss of the Ind of Despair, that person must hold some authority. Thu, he sent Gale there to get more information on the Ind of Despair. Chapter 2718 "Got it." Percy understood what he meant. It was already midnight by the time they finished their drinking session. After drinking, the three had their respective drivers drive them home instead of driving themselves. Luke sat in the backseat while looking at the bright lights of A City. Even though it was already midnight, the streets were still lively as if the nightlife was never-ending. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Boss, do you need me to turn up the heater?" Lliam asked faintly as he looked at Luke through the rearview mirror, who was silent the entire time. "No need." Luke withdrew his gaze and leaned back on the chair with his eyes closed. He drank a little too much today, so he was feeling a little tipsy. He drank this much not because of Pierre but Luca... The woman he loved most. Luke wished that he could just get rid of the Ind of Despair for good, but he could not do it yet for the sake of Luca''s health. How long would he have to wait before Luca developed the antidote and escaped the clutches of the Ind of Despair? Lliam''s driving was stable, and the road was not busy, so he was able to send Luke back to his mansion in less than half an hour. After entering the mansion, Lliam opened the back seat door. When he saw that Luke still resting with his eyes closed, he said in a low voice, "Boss, we''re here." Luke slowly opened his eyes to see the garden illuminated with the lights that Luca had left on for him. Themps emitted a warm light at night and were a sign that no matter howte it was, there would always be someone waiting for him at home. Luke wobbled a bit when he got out of the car. Lliam immediately went up to support him. "Boss, let me assist you." "It''s okay. It''s gettingte, so you should go home. You don''t need to get up early to pick me up tomorrow. I''ll get another driver." Luke waved his hand and followed the trail of lights into the house. Lliam looked at him worriedly as he wondered if he would be alright after drinking so much. He just stood there and watched Luke walk into the house before turning away once he was out of sight. When Luke made it into the house, he took off his coat that was reeking of alcohol and sat on the couch. The maid walked out after hearing noises, and when she saw him, she asked concernedly, ¡°Mr. Crawford, did you juste back?" "Yes." Luke leaned against the sofa and nned to sober up first before going upstairs. "Would you like some hangover tea? Ms. Craw prepared it and said that you should have some when youe back," said the maid. "Sure." Luke rubbed his swollen temples. It had been a long time since hest drank so carelessly, so he was dizzy with a headache when the alcohol hit. The maid brought out the hangover tea and ced it on the coffee table. "Here, have some, Mr. Crawford." Luke picked up the cup of warm hangover tea and instantly knew that Luca had thoughtfully ced the cup in hot water to keep it warm as the bottom of the cup was wet. He tilted his head back and downed the soup. Immediately after that, his headache was alleviated. However, he knew that it was just a cebo effect since Luca was the one who prepared the hangover tea for him. The warm tea slid down his throat and into his stomach. It made him feel warm and cozy... "Sir, would you like more?" the maid asked as Luca had prepared two cups of tea. "No need, you can go rest." Luke stood up and headed upstairs. He gently pushed open the door to Luca''s bedroom and walked to the edge of the bed. He did not make much noise and was about to lie down with his clothes on. As soon as he tucked himself under the nket, he heard Luca mumbling, "Luke?" "Yes, it''s me." Luke embraced her. Luca did not make another sound and quietly fell asleep in his arms. She could smell his natural scent interweaved with the intense smell of alcohol. It was quite a pleasant smell, and she liked it. The next day. After waking up, Luca was about to gently get out of bed when Luke wrapped his arms around her. "Don''t get up so early and sleep with me a little while longer." Luke pressed his head against her as he exhaled his warm breath onto her neck. Luca''s face was flushed. "I need to get up and prepare breakfast for the kids.." she whispered. The old Luke never liked sleeping in, but Luca noticed recently that theter he stayed out the night before, the more he liked sleeping in the next morning. "They won''t go hungry with the maid here." Luke hugged her tightly. Luca had no choice but to give in. Now that the maid was living with them, the kids would have a hot breakfast prepared for them when they get up, so she did not have to worry about it. Thus, she stayed in Luke''s arms. ¡°I drank with Percy and the others yesterday," Luke said with his eyes closed. ¡°I know." Luca looked at the window. The sheer curtains partly blocked out the sunlight, but because the heavier curtains were not drawn, some light still prated into the room. She lowered her gaze to look at the hands resting on her waist, and she was filled with an inexplicable sense of security. "Percy''s people found out who kidnapped Pierre," said Luke. Luca''s heart made a big thump. Percy found out? Did that mean that Amur was in danger? She pretended to remain calm as her back was facing Luke. She asked, "So, you know who kidnapped Mr. Pierre?" "I don''t know who specifically, but I know it''s an organization, and this organization does all kinds of bad things to get money from people." Luke''s voice was slightly hoarse, and he held her even closer. "I see..." Luca heaved a sigh of relief. Good thing he did not know that Amur was the one who did it. Abel was in X City right now, so Amur was in A City alone. If Luke and the others knew that Amur had something to do with Pierre''s kidnapping, they might pay Amur a visit and cause him trouble. She knew that it would be hard to choose between her brother and her lover, so she eagerly hoped that both of them would be fine. "Then, do you know where Mr. Pierre is right now?" Luca asked tentatively. "We think he''s in X City," Luke said. The moment he said that, Luca''s body grew stiff. If she had not been by his side the entire time, he would have suspected that she was involved in Pierre''s kidnapping because of her reaction. "Well, if it''s in X City, it won''t be easy for you and Percy''s people to go find him there.." Luca asked with her eyes closed as she did not want the emotion in her eyes to show although her back was facing him. He was good at reading people''s minds, so if she kept her eyes open, he might actually be able to tell that something was off. "Yeah, they chose to kidnap him to X City because they think that our people won''t go there to investigate." Luke lifted his head to kiss her on the cheek before saying, "No matter what, Pierre won''t die this time." "They kidnapped him for money, not his life." Luca kept her eyes closed. Luke raised his eyebrows. If those words came from her mouth, he could almost guarantee that the Ind of Despair just kidnapped Pierre for the money. Chapter 2719 "You''re right." He agreed and buried his jaw in her neck. A wave of ticklish heat washed over Luca, causing her to feel even hotter. "If they''re after the money, is the Mallory family able to pay the demanded amount for Pierre?" she asked. Pierre had be a disgrace to the Mallory family now. He had caused so much trouble that if it were not for Madam Mallory, no one would be willing to clean up his mess. Even Old Master Mallory''s heart had grown cold toward him. Would Old Master Mallory really give the money to Pierre if Abel asked the Mallory family for the ransom? "Pierre can''t get into any trouble now," said Luke. Even if Old Master Mallory refused to give the money, he would not just sit there and watch Pierre suffer at the hands of his kidnappers. However, Pierre must be going through a lot of pain at the moment. ... On the other hand. Pierre was still tied to a chair with a dirty, smelly piece of cloth stuffed in his mouth. His right leg was fastened to two pieces of ragged wood, while his other leg was tied to the chair. He had been in this position all night. Pierre only moved a little when someone walked into the room. He lifted his head and stared fiercely at the man with ethnic features in front of him. The man saw Pierre move andughed. "Well, it''s been a night and you''re still alive. I thought your life was worth a lot. I didn''t think you would survive the night." Pierre lowered his head again. The man bent down and drew the rag out of his mouth. "Here. I''ll give you a chance to talk." "Water," replied Pierre. Even though he hated the man and wanted to growl at him, all he had in mind was to quench his thirst first. "Tsk," the man replied impatiently. He initially refused to talk to him. However, he remembered Abel''s orders. He could not let Pierre die. He had no choice but to turn around and pick up an opened bottle of water and hold it up to Pierre''s lips. "Drink." Pierre looked at the bottle that someone had already drunk from and frowned with resistance. "Still picky, huh? Do you think this is Mallory Manor? I''ll count to three. You won''t have anything to drink if you refuse to open your mouth,¡± threatened the man. It was just that people like Pierre were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. They could not do any work. Also, they felt superior to others and looked down on others due to their privileged upbringing. However, when facing kidnappers like him, were they all not stripped of their pride? Pierre even had to fight for a shot at survival. Pierre knew he would walk the talk. He opened his mouth weakly and let the man pour the water into his mouth. Pierre was thirsty. He had not drunk anything that day. As the water flowed down his esophagus and into his stomach, it relieved the burning sensation in his throat. Pierre initially rejected the bottle of water but was now opening his mouth, wanting more. The man smiled disdainfully. "Tsk. Mr. Pierre, do you know what you look like now?" Pierre ignored him and only lowered his head after finishing the water in the bottle. The man sneered, "You look like a thirsty dog. Consider yourself unlucky for offending our boss." Another man walked into the room as soon as he finished his sentence. "Yes?" asked the man who just came in. "Alexsei, why did you only wake up now? You just missed out on a good show. It was interesting to see Mr. Pierre drinking water like a thirsty dog." The man shook the empty bottle in his hand, obviously in a good mood because of what Pierre did just now. "Kazimir, you''d better not kill him. Otherwise, you won''t be able to exin to Bosster," Alexsei reminded him in a low voice. The man in front of him acted as a bargaining chip for Abel to get his hands on his money. "Don''t worry. He''s tough. He didn''t even make a sound when he got his leg broken," sneered Kazimir. Alexsei frowned. "Why is his face so red? What did you do?" "I did nothing. I was kind enough to get him some water." Kazimir shook his head and looked carefully at Pierre''s face. His face was slightly red. Alexsei came forward. He ced his hand on Pierre''s forehead to feel his temperature. "It''s hot. He''s got a fever." "Come on. It''s just a broken leg. How can he have a fever?" Kazimir refused to believe it. He rested his hand on Pierre''s forehead too. "Tsk. He''s really sensitive. It took me two days to remove the bullet when I got shot in the leg. I didn''t even have a fever. He''s too weak." "Are you assuming everyone is like you?" Alexsei rolled his eyes. He had heard the story so many times that he started to find it annoying. Kazimir shrugged his shoulders. "Let''s carry him inside. We have to bring his fever down and give him some antibiotics," suggested Alexsei as he untied the ropes that tied Pierre up. Then, he lifted him and grabbed him on his left shoulder. "Such a hassle," grumbled Kazimir. However, he still came over to lift Pierre and grab his right shoulder. Both of them were Russians. They were much taller and stronger than Pierre. That was why they could easily carry Pierre to another room. Pierre looked around the room. It looked like a simple clinic. "Go get some medicine and give him an injection," said Kazimir. Alexsei remained silent. He opened a drawer and took a fever reducer and some antibiotics out of it. Then, he said, "Ask Boss if we can keep him in this room." He believed that Pierre would not be able to do anything if he was locked in this room with a broken leg. It would be fine to keep him here. Still, he had to consult with Abel for every decision he made. "Alright." Kazimir left the room. Alexia mixed the antibiotic and fever reducer and gave Pierre an intravenous injection. As the needle pierced through his skin and entered the vein in his arm, Pierre furrowed his brows. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "This medicine was specially developed by our organization''s doctors. It''s a hundred times more effective than the ones sold outside. Your fever should go down quickly after the injection," exined Alexsia. "How much did that man pay you?" Pierre suddenly asked. Alexsia raised an eyebrow, but he did not answer his question. "If you''re willing to help me, I can pay you double monthly," added Pierre. Alexsei sneered. "Name your price. I''ll pay you whatever as long as you can help me to get out of here and be my subordinate!" Pierre clenched his teeth, thinking that he was offering a tempting deal. He realized that these people were a million times stronger than his subordinates. Therefore, even though they were rude to him, he still wanted to make them his subordinates. "Forget it, Mr. Pierre. I''d like to stay alive.¡± Alexsia was not tempted. There was no way they could free themselves from the Ind of Despair even if they earned a fortune. Even if they did not take the poison given to them, the organization would still take deadly measures against those who betrayed them. That was why no one dared to betray the Ind of Despair and submit to others. Pierre shut his mouth embarrassed ly. Kazimir pushed the door open and said, "Boss said he can stay in this room since his leg is broken. He can''t run away. We''ll have to take turns guarding the door. Oh, let''s take away the dangerous items in this room as well. We can''t give him the chance to harm himself. Otherwise, we''ll have to bear the consequences." Chapter 2720 "He values his life too much tomit suicide," replied Alexsia as he nced at the man lying on the bed. Pierre believed he still had a chance to escape. That was why he would never take his own life. Kazimir nodded and nced at Pierre, who looked half-dead. He felt disgusted and asked, "Did you give him a shot?" "Yes. I used the medicine given by the organization. The man who developed the medicine guarantees that he won''t die even if he takes it." Alexsia smiled as he patted hispanion''s shoulder. Then, he added, "Keep an eye on him. I''m leaving to have a cigarette." "Okay." Kazimir nodded. Then, he pulled a chair and sat down. "Oh, by the way, he might try to bribe you to help him escape. Don''t lose your patience. I''m afraid that you might kill him," Alexsia reminded him. "Don''t worry. He''s our boss'' fortune charm. I won''t dare to do such a thing." Kazimir chuckled. He was amused by Pierre''s naivety. It seemed like Pierre had no idea what kind of organization the Ind of Despair was even after investigating them for such a long time. Otherwise, how could he be so naive and try to bribe them? They had all taken the poison before, and they would not risk their lives to do something like that. As Pierrey in bed listening to their conversation, his eyes gradually narrowed, revealing a hint of malice. Someone took his words as a joke for the first time... He would not spare their lives if he could make it out here alive. After Alexsia left, Kazimir looked at Pierre and gave a cold sneer. "Give me some painkillers." Pierre could feel a throbbing pain in his broken leg. He knew that there were different kinds of medicines avable here. Hence, he asked for a pain relief shot. Kazimir remained silent and motionless. "Are you deaf?" Pierre''s voice was hoarse and ominous. Even though he was kidnapped and his leg was broken, he was still himself. He would not easily submit to these people. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "The boss didn''t tell us to give it to you." Kazimir leaned against the wall as he sat on the chair. "Do you have any idea how expensive the medicine in our organization is?" Pierre frowned and replied, "I can afford it!" "But our boss told us that you''ve been secretly investigating our organization. Even though you''re still useful to us, we can''t let you off too easily. Mr. Pierre, you might as well take a breather and wait for breakfast." Kazimir nced at the time. Alexsia should be delivering breakfast soon. Pierre struggled to sit up on the bed. There was no way he could escape with a broken leg. Thus, he was not tied up either. He stared at Kazimir with a gloomy look on his face. Kazimir met his menacing gaze and sneered, "What''s with the look on your face? You have a problem?" Pierre remained silent. Kazimir stood up and approached him. Then, he pped him across the face. "What can you do even if you don''t like it? Although you''re still useful to our boss, I cane up with a reason to break one of your arms since the other guy could break one of your legs. Mr. Pierre, do you think you''re still the mighty Master Pierre? If I were you, I''d be on my knees begging for mercy." As he looked at Pierre''s side profile and his injured leg, Kazimir continued to mock him, "Oh, I forgot you have a broken leg. You can''t even kneel." Pierre listened to his taunts and silently clenched his fist. A few secondster, Alexsia pushed open the door and walked into the room with a loaf of bread in his hand. He noticed that Pierre had sat up. Then, he tossed the bread onto the bed. "Eat it." "I need water," said Pierre. He looked down at the cheap-looking bread. Even the maids in his family would not have this kind of bread. Now, he had to eat it to survive. ¡°How troublesome," Alexsia mumbled impatiently. Still, he walked out of the room and returned with a bottle of water. "Mr. Pierre, our boss said that you''ll have to stay here for two days. You''ll be free in two days. So, please cooperate with us and don''t try to do anything funny." Pierre ignored him. He twisted off the bottle cap, took a sip of water, and picked up the bread. The bread was dry and hard. Even though he was hungry, he found it difficult to swallow. "The bread is stale," Pierre muttered angrily. Even though it tasted terrible, he had no choice but to eat it. Otherwise, he might not be able to survive until the day he was released. "Humans are trulyplicated creatures. Even though youin about how stale and terrible the bread is, you''re still swallowing it bite by bite. That''s interesting. Mr. Pierre, is this what the kids of rich men do?" Kazimirughed boisterously. He despised wealthy scions like him the most. Kazimir stood out from the others on the Ind of Despair. He chose to join the organization voluntarily when the others were held captive and brought there. Previously, he identally injured the son of the richest man in the vige and made him a cripple. After the father found out about it, he sought revenge by hiring a hitman to kill Kazimir and his family. Kazimir would have died with his family if it were not for his elder brother who risked his life to protect him. Knowing that the man would never let him off the hook, Kazimir decided to take matters into his own hands. When he heard that the Ind of Despair was holding captives, he willingly entered the vige and became one of the captives. However, his hatred for the wealthy man was already buried in his heart the moment he witnessed the massacre of his family. This was why Kazimir despised Pierre. If it were not for Abel, who kept reminding him not to harm Pierre, Pierre would have suffered. Pierre suppressed the urge to throw the bread at his face when he heard that. Alexsia sat on a chair. He nced at Pierre before asking Kazimir, "Did you hit him?" "I pped him. Mr. Pierre still had the nerve to re at me even when he''s in such a situation. I had to remind him that he''s just an imprisoned dog now. A dog behaves and listens to what the owner says. He shouldn''t be ring at people like that," Kazimir replied nonchntly. Alexsia did not say anything else. "Fine. I''ll watch him. You may go out to have a cigarette and have your breakfast." "Sure. Just beat him up if he misbehaves. Such opportunities don''te often," Kazimir smiled as he walked out of the room. After the door was closed, Alexsia''s gaze fell on Pierre. Then, he said, "No one will mess with you as long as you don''t cause any trouble." "Have I dealt with that man before?" Even though the bread tasted terrible, Pierre quickly finished the bread after starving all day. "I don''t know." Alexsia understood why Kazimir was acting that way, but there was no need to tell Pierre about it. Other than their boss and Amur, they were the only ones who had shown their faces to Pierre. There was no guarantee that Pierre would note after them to seek revenge after they received the money and sent Pierre back. Therefore, Alexsia would not talk to him or reveal too much information to him. Pierre looked silly to them. No matter how foolish he could be, he would eventually find out where they were as long as he had money and power. It would lead to a bigger problem when Pierre looked into Kazimir''s background and found out more about the Ind of Despair. Pierre realized he would not be able to extract any useful information from Alexisa when he noticed how cautious he was. Then, he continued, "Honestly, you should think about what I said earlier." Chapter 2721 Alexsia ignored what he said while he secretly mumbled to himself that this was why Kazamir hated those naive, rich kids. On the other hand. Luca had been busy with work at Watsons Biopharmaceuticals all day. She was asked to take a leave after she received a phone call from Luke. Confusion was written all over her face when she got into Warren''s car and arrived at the mall. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. "Did Mr. Crawford tell you to drop me off here?" asked Luca. "Yes, Ms. Craw," answered Warren, noticing how bewildered she was. "Have you forgotten that the party will be held tonight?" Luca nced at her phone and realized that today was Friday... ¡°I totally forgot about it..." She had forgotten about the dinner amidst a string of responsibilities she had to juggle for the past few days. "Boss has already made an appointment with the fashion house on the tenth floor for you," said Warren. Luke already expected that Luca would forget about it and made arrangements for her. Luca would be the center of attention tonight. She must not dress casually. "Alright." Luca understood why Luke made such arrangements. Her prominence in her field of work would inspire the research department to work harder. Thus, she did not refuse his arrangement. After unfastening her seatbelt, Luca headed straight to the tenth floor. There was only one fashion house open on the tenth floor. Luca walked into the shop. Luke had already sent a photo of her to the staff there. The shop assistant was able to recognize her when she walked into the shop. "Good afternoon, Ms. Craw. Our stylist is already waiting for you." "Okay." Luca remained reticent as the receptionist greeted her enthusiastically. Then, the receptionist led her to the styling room. "Ms. Cuttrel, Ms. Craw is here," announced the receptionist as she opened the door. "Great. Nice to meet you, Ms. Craw. Take a seat." The stylist invited Luca in and asked her to sit down. Luca nodded and sat down without saying anything. "Ms. Craw, do you have any specific requests?" The stylist already knew that Luca would be attending thepany''s dinner. She had the perfect outfit in mind, but she still wanted to find out about Luca''s preferences. "I''d like to keep it simple and wear something that''s not too formal," Luca casually said what was on her mind. Luke was the one who arranged for the stylist to style her up. Luca was sure that the stylist would create the perfect look for her. She wanted to keep a low profile tonight and not overdress herself. "Got it. You want to keep it simple. So, shall we start?" The stylist reiterated Luca''s request and looked at her reflection in the mirror. This woman had beautiful facial features. Even though she did not wear any makeup, her facial features were exquisite. Her skin was wless. She would have an easy time putting on makeup for herter. "Yes." Luca nodded. She was prepared to spend several hours sitting on the beauty styling chair. "I''ll have my assistant wash your hair for you first," said the stylist. She turned around and looked at her assistant. "Wash and blowout." "Alright. Ms. Craw, this way, please." The assistant smiled sweetly and invited Luca to the hair-washing area. Luca remained silent. She rose to her feet and followed the assistant. The stylist had a rough idea of the outfit to go with Luca''s hairstyle when she looked at her curvy figure. The phone the stylist ced aside rang. She picked her phone up and noticed that it was a call from Luke. She immediately answered the call, "Hello, Mr. Crawford." "Has Ms. Craw arrived yet?" asked Luke. "Yes. She''s getting her hair washed now," answered the stylist. She always had her clients wash their hair first to ensure it was clean to create the perfect hairstyle for them. "Make her look gorgeous," said Luke. He wanted her to amaze every employee who worked at Watsons and leave asting impression on them tonight. That way, they would not dare to say anything about her when she recovered her true identity in the future. Luca had always been entitled to be called Mrs. Crawford. The stylist paused for a moment and replied, "But Ms. Craw wants to look simple and elegant." Luke, who was on the other end of the line, fell silent for two seconds. Although it was not what he had in mind, it was Luca''s request. He had no choice but topromise. "Then just do it as she said." "Okay, Mr. Crawford." Luke hung up the call as soon as the stylish finished her sentence. As she listened to the busy tone that came from the other end of the call, she could not help but wonder about the rtionship between Luca and Luke. Why would Luke have such demands when it was about Luca''s styling and outfit? It seemed like he had to make sure that she looked her absolute best. As far as she knew, Luke already had a wife... Besides, Luke was an acimed loyal husband. The stylist picked up her phone and searched for Luke''s information. He did have a wife. His wife was involved in an ident three years ago. That was why she had not shown up in public for such a long time. The stylish heaved a sigh when she looked at Bianca''s photo on her phone. Luca and Bianca had different styles. The stylist muttered to herself, "There must be a reason why a man cares so much for a woman. Most of these men have bad intentions." The stylist came back to her senses and realized what she just said. Then, she immediately nced around her. She felt relieved when she found out no one was there. After a while, her assistant led Luca back to her seat. "Ms. Cuttrel, I''ve washed her hair." "Okay. Ms. Luca, sit down, please." The stylist put aside her thoughts and pulled out the styling chair. After Luca sat on the chair, the stylist smiled and said, "Ms. Luca, I''ll be styling your hair now. Please speak up if you''re not satisfied with the hairstyle while I''m styling it for you. I''ll try my best to adjust to your preferences." "Okay." Luca nodded. She was not worried that the stylist woulde up with something strange. Luke''s choice had always been the best. Two hourster, the stylist hadpleted the basic styling. She let out a sigh of relief. Luca did notin about anything throughout the entire process. The styling went smoothly because of her good facial features. "Ms. Luca, it''s done. Let me know if there''s anything that needs to be changed,¡± said the stylist. Luca looked at herself in the mirror. The makeup was light and not too enchanting. Her hair was curled into gentle arcs and adorned with a simple rhinestone essory. It was a simple and fresh look. The hairstyle and makeup were perfect for attending thepany''s dinner. "Amazing." Luca was satisfied. Her only request was to keep it simple. The stylist had created the simple look she requested. ¡°I''m happy to hear that. Why don''t we pick an outfit for you now?" The stylist smiled. Of all of the styles she had created for her clients, Luca''s request was the simplest, and she was the most undemanding client she had ever met. She would be able to serve more clients in a day and work with greater efficiency if every client she met was like her. Chapter 2722 "Okay." Luca rose to her feet and followed the stylist to the fitting room. Hundreds of gowns were disyed on the racks. There was a dazzling array of choices. "Ms. Craw, since it''s thepany''s dinner, I shall pick something simple and elegant for you. I''ll go with something that matches your makeup and hairstyle and isn''t too showy," suggested the stylist. She walked to the end of the rows of gowns and asked for Luca''s opinion. Thest row of gowns was the most exclusive gowns disyed. The stylist picked a few simple, short dresses and tried matching them with Luca''s body figure. "I think these will look great on you. Ms. Craw, what do you think?" "I''ll take this." Luca pointed at a ck-colored short dress. It had clean cuts, and it was perfect for the event tonight. It would not make Luca look overdressed. "You have good taste. I''ll let my assistant help you get changed." The stylist smiled and handed the dress to her assistant. Luca shook her head and replied, "It''s okay. I can put it on myself. Is that the fitting room?" "Yes," replied the assistant. She immediately handed her the dress. Luca headed to the fitting room and put on the dress. She looked at herself in the mirror. The dress suited her well. She pushed the door and stepped out of the fitting room. The stylist''s eyes lit up, and she eximed, "Oh, Ms. Craw, this dress is tailor-made for you!" Luca was not particrly tallpared to professional models. However, the short dress elongated her figure, entuating her slender, milky-white legs. It was as though not a single imperfection could be found on her. The stylist could not help but marvel at how perfect Luca was. If she were a man, she would surely fall helplessly in love with her beauty... "You look stunning," the assistant chimed in. "Go and get the pair of heels designed by Mr. Louboutin. It should be the right size for her," instructed the stylist. The stylist had many experiences styling her other clients. That was why she was able to assess her client''s body figure and shoe size urately. "Okay, Ms. Cuttrel." The assistant turned around and went to get the heels. After a while, she returned with a pair of ck high heels. The heels were sealed in a stic bag and preserved in excellent condition. Each heel had rhinestones on them. The specks flickered under the glow of the lights. After Luca wore the heels, it was just like what the stylist had expected. She looked great wearing them. "Your dress looks simple, but the heels add a touch of elegance. It''s perfect.¡± The stylist nodded with satisfaction. The stylist wished she could take a photo and disy Luca''s outfit in the store. However, Luke told her that they were not allowed to take any photos or use Luca as their model. "I guess that''s it," said Luca. She reckoned that there was not much time left. Then, she returned to the styling table, picked up her briefcase, and turned around to look at the stylist. "Where do I pay?" "Mr. Crawford has already settled the bill," replied the stylist with a smile on her face. "Enjoy your dinner, Ms. Craw." Luca frowned. She did not expect Luke to have already arranged everything for her. She had no choice but to carry her briefcase and left. After Luca left the fashion house, she took the elevator and headed downstairs. She realized she was attracting too much attention. Then, she picked up her pace and got into the car. "Ms. Craw, you look stunning!" Warrenplimented. "Thank you," replied Luca. She took her phone out and nced at it. It was still early. "Ms. Craw, should we head to the hotel now?" asked Warren. Luke had already told him where the venue was. "It''s still early..." replied Luca. She nced at the time. Even though she did not know the exact time, she knew the dinner would not start that soon. "You''re right. Boss told me that dinner starts at seven tonight. It''s too early to go over now. Why don''t I send you back to the vi?¡± suggested Warren. He did not expect that it would only take two hours for her to get dolled up. "It''s okay... Let''s go somewhere near the hotel. I''ll just wait in the car," Luca thought it would be troublesome to ask Warren to drive her back and forth. "Alright." After Warren sent a message to Luke, he sent Luca to the hotel. When they arrived at the hotel, Warren parked the car in the parking lot, while Luca sat in the backseat, looking at her phone. "Ms. Craw, would you like me to get you something to drink?" asked Warren. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "No. You don''t have to worry about me. Go grab something if you''re hungry," answered Luca. She was nning to wait in the car until dinner started. Warren was not an employee of Watsons Biopharmaceutical. He would not be attending the dinner. That was why Luca told him to have dinner first. Warren grinned, revealing a row of white teeth. "Ms. Craw, I''m not hungry yet. Don''t worry about me. I''ll get something to eat when I''m hungry." "Alright." Luca looked at the report Rhett sent to her. Tons of paperwork had to be done as the new research project was about to start soon. She needed Rhett and Mo Stone to help her out. Luca heaved a sigh when she looked at the piles of documents. She used to be good at handling them, but the work seemed dull now. As Luca flipped through the next file, Amur sent her a message. [He''ll contact the Mallory family and ask for the ransom the day after tomorrow.] Luca replied to his message immediately: [What mission did he assign you?] Amur quickly replied: [He needs cash. And he''s asking me to collect it.] [He''s doing it on purpose.] Luca put on an unpleasant expression. If Abel asked the Mallory family to transfer the money to him, it would be easier for him to make it look legal. Still, he asked Amur to collect the cash instead. Even if the Mallory family did what Abel told them to do, they would not just give him the money without doing anything. Amur replied: [I have to do it regardless.] Even though he knew it was a trap that Abel set for him, he had no choice but to fall into his trap. The only thing he could do was to not get himself killed. Luca gripped her phone tight. She hated that it was beyond her power to help Amur. Despite knowing that Amur''s mission could expose him, there was nothing she could do. "Ms. Craw, what''s wrong?" Warren, who sat in the driver''s seat, asked in a low voice. "Nothing." Luca took a deep breath. She could not tell anyone about this. Then, she picked up her phone and reminded Amur: [Let me know when you''re about to make a move. Be careful.] [Okay.] After Amur replied to her, Luca cleared the chat history. She was being cautious because she did not want Luke to find out about this. At 6:30 pm, Luca noticed a few employees working at Watsons enter the hotel. She opened the car door and followed them into the hotel. She ran into Rhett the moment she stepped into the hotel. Rhett also saw her and walked toward Luca with a smile on his face. "Dr. Craw, you look great." "Thank you." Luca thanked him politely. Then, she stood by the elevator door and waited. Despite her lack of enthusiasm toward the dinner, she feltpelled to ask, "Do you know which floor is it?" Chapter 2723 "It''s on the fifth floor,¡± replied Rhett as he pressed the button heading toward the fifth floor. Luca nodded and watched the number that gradually went up as the elevator rose. Rhett asked, ¡°Dr. Craw, have you reviewed the report yet?¡± ¡°I did. But I think something''s missing. I''d like to request more funds for this project. We have to hold a meeting next Monday,¡± answered Luca. She did not intend to discuss work with Rhett now. However, she decided to go along with it since he brought it up. "Sure." Rhett nodded. Mo Stone was more familiar with the paperwork. He knew it would be much easier for Luca with him and Mo Stone helping her. Ding. The elevator door slowly opened when it arrived on the fifth floor. Luca stepped out of the elevator, and Rhett led her to the left. "Gabrie Hall.¡± "Alright.¡± Luca followed Rhett into the banquet hall. Many employees were already seated. Someone noticed Luca''s arrival and said, "Dr. Craw is here.¡± It caught everyone''s attention, and they turned to look at Luca. Dr. Jackson walked toward Luca with a smile on his face and congratted her, "Congrattions, Dr. Craw.¡± "Thank you, but this is the product of everyone"s efforts.¡± Luca felt ufortable with all the attention that was given to her. However, it reminded her that the attention she received was much more than that when she stood next to Lukest time. If she could pull it throughst time, she would be able to deal with it now since she was just an employee of Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Hence, Luca held her head high and stood straight, trying to show her humbleness as their gazes fell on her. "Dr. Craw, where''s your seat? Do you need me to take you there?" asked Dr. Jackson. Watsons had yet to find a recement for the position of general manager. Moreover, the research department was thepany''s most important department. Dr. Jackson had taken over Dr. Cole''s position. Therefore, he had the same position as the previous general manager. That was why he was particrly concerned about the dinner tonight. "It''s okay, Dr. Jackson. Rhett and I will sit over there." Luca declined his offer. "Alright." Dr. Jackson had nothing more to say. Luca walked in front of Rhett, while Rhett followed beside her. Luca sat down at the front table. Rhett sat with other researchers at the table beside her. Other professors were present too. "Good evening, professors," Luca greeted them. She did not address them one by one since there were many of them there. "Dr. Craw, you look beautiful tonight," Dr. Linwood replied first. He heard that Dr. Craw was already preparing for a new research project. It made those who were still working on the first project envious of her. However, their research progress was indeed slower than the others. Even though Dr. Linwood was jealous of her, he did not say anything rude to her to prevent himself from losing his grace. "Thank you." Luca graciously epted hispliment. "Dr. Linwood, you''re right. Not only does Dr. Craw looks pretty, but she''s also knowledgeable. There''s no need to doubt her expertise in this field." Another professor went along with it. Luca gave him a faint smile. She had already expected to hear such ttering remarks at an event like this. After all, it was thepany''s dinner. However, these professors were her seniors. They spoke with discretion, and they would not embarrass Luca even though they were jealous of her. "Well, I already knew that Dr. Craw was a talent. Look how urate my prediction was. Not only did sheplete the project and bring huge profits to thepany, but she''s also starting her second research soon. That''s impressive," Dr. Linwood said with a smile on his face. "Dr. Craw, I heard that you''re going to request funding for your second project. We''re all curious about it. What is it about?" Luca did not try to hide anything. She replied, "It''s a drug to treat liver disease." "Liver disease?" Dr. Linwood nced at other professors before he turned around and looked at Luca. "Even though the chances of getting liver or kidney disease has increased due to modern lifestyle and work pressure, the drug for this research isn''t as highly utilized as your first research." Luca nodded. When Abel asked her to take two research projects from Shanks, Luca chose the drug for cancer as the first one and the second one was the drug for liver disease. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Her beloved foster father, Kevin Rayne, passed away because of an unhealthy liver. If he had taken the drug that Shanks developed in the early stages of his liver disease, he might not have died at such a young age. Therefore, Luca did not even hesitate for a second. She chose to work on the drug for liver disease. "But still..." Dr. Linwood could not understand her. He thought Luca would aim higher for her research. "Are you studying rare liver diseases?" "No, I just think that any drug that can benefit patients is a good drug. I''ve been studying this since college. That''s why I really want to develop the drug," exined Luca. "Dr. Craw is right. Drugs that can treat patients are good medicine." Another professor agreed to it. "True." Dr. Linwood stopped being surprised and said, "Any drug that''s beneficial to patients is also an innovative drug, even if it''s used to treat a cold." Luca smiled. Luca''s performance made her stand out prominently in thispany. If it were not for Dr. Albus and the others who tried to hide her prominence, she could have finished the researchter. However, there was no way she could dy the research after what happened to Dr. Albus. The other professors seemed to be halfway working on their research project. That was why she had to proceed with the research and make it sessful. If one who stood in such a high position conducted ordinary research, the professors might talk about that person behind their back. However, Luca could not be bothered about that... Luca only wanted to study this medicine. She strived to bring good news to patients with liver disease. However, she was not the one who formted it. The credit all went to Shanks. Shanks'' medicine was good. It could have a significant impact when it was used on patients who were suffering from liver disease. However, Shanks'' drug recipe had not undergone any tests or clinical trials. The drug could not be given to the patients yet. This was something that Luca needed to work on. "Dr. Craw, is Mr. Crawfording tonight?" Another research professor asked. Luca was startled for a moment. Luke had arranged a stylist for her, but he did not say whether he woulde or not. "I''m not sure about that, Dr. Linwood." Luca turned to look at Dr. Linwood. Dr. Linwood smiled and replied, "How could I possibly know if even Dr. Craw doesn''t know if Mr. Crawford ising tonight?" Luca''s smile stiffened. It seemed like there was something between Dr. Linwood''s lines. Chapter 2724 Dr. Linwood paused before realizing what he had just said, and immediately tried to exin himself, ¡°Dr. Craw, you had more chances of interacting with Mr. Crawford when you were working at T Corporation, so I thought you would know." Luca forced a smile by lifting the corners of her mouth. She did have more chances to interact with Luke, but she did not ask whether he wasing today. He woulde, right? It was Watson Biopharmaceutical''s big day after all. As the boss, it was only right that he attended. "I don''t know," said Luca. "Hehehe." Dr. Linwood smiled to ease the tension, but in reality, the professors there all thought that Luca and Luke were having an affair. "By the way, I remember that Mr. Crawford has mentioned that whoever''s research enters the final stage will move to T Corporation''s office. I wonder if that''s still true?" A research professor quickly changed the subject. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. "I don''t know. Working at T Corporation is great, but who would want to leave under the new policy? The researchers under me voluntarily work overtime during the weekends just to use thepany''s laboratory equipment to carry out their own research," said another research professor. In the past, they might have still wanted to work at T Corporation. However, now that theboratory was free for researchers to use, nobody would be willing to work at T Corporation now. That was because there was only oneboratory there, and thatboratory was provided solely for one specific research project, so it was not open to other researchers. "Yeah, and they all have goals they wish to achieve¡ªeven the ones who work under me. After completing the research project, they''ll find a way to go to theboratory to mull over their own research. Come to think of it, it must not be easy." Dr. Linwood sighed. The researchers were not qualified enough yet, so they could not lead an entire research team alone like them. Therefore, they wished toe up with their own creation and be research professors one day too. "Dr. Craw, I heard that your researchers spend every single day in thatboratory doing research. Have theye up with any projects worth researching?" Dr. Linwood asked. He heard all about it from his researchers, and when they were talking about Luca''s researchers, jealousy was written all over his face. Not only did Luca''s project get listed so soon, but her team even received arge bonus. They also had so much extra time to do their own research. Dr. Linwood was annoyed when he heard those remarks. Seeing how envious his researchers were, did that mean that they were not happy working for him? He was known to be good-tempered and the easiest to talk to among the research professors! However, the researchers were still envious of Luca''s team. Dr. Linwood even had the urge to tell them to transfer to the other team after hearing what they had to say. Doing so would make him seem too petty, so he refrained from doing so. ¡°I''ve never asked about their projects because of confidentiality issues," said Luca as she expressed that she was never curious about what her researchers were doing, nor was she ever wary of them. "I see..." Dr. Linwood did not believe her. More and more people from Watson Biopharmaceuticals started to arrive. After a manager from the human resources department came to congratte Luca, many other people came over to congratte her andwork too. Luca had to greet these people with a smile, but in reality, she did not recognize who all of them were. Dr. Linwood watched gloomily as people gathered around Luca to praise her. If it were not for what Dr. Albus did, would she be in her ce right now? After a while, Mo walked over and whispered a few words into Luca''s ear. Luca nodded and followed Mo out. Then, the crowd dispersed. Dr. Linwood said to the other research professors at the same table, "Did you hear? Something happened to Dr. Craw''s team." "What?" one of the research professors replied. "It''s about a researcher named Ambrose. He was curious about what her next research project was going to be, so he took one of her samples. Then, Luca threw a fit and got him fired," Dr. Linwood said. He heard it from the researchers under him. They did not make it a big deal, but the researchers were always talking about different things, so they all knew about it. "That happened? I never heard Dr. Craw mention it, so maybe it''s not that big of a deal," a research professor eximed. "They just fired the person and kept it lowkey." Dr. Linwood rubbed his chin and looked around. Before Luca came back, he continued, "Don''t you think it''s strange? If Luca was just researching the next project, why did she have to be so secretive? What that researcher did was wrong, but isn''t getting fired for stealing a sample too much?" After hearing Dr. Linwood feel sorry for Ambrose, a research professor hurriedly said, "I think Dr. Craw did the right thing." "Huh?" Dr. Linwood looked at him. ¡°The incident with the general manager has caused everyone to panic, so although Dr. Craw''s research would eventually be shared with the researchers, stealing is wrong. Maybe she was just worried that Ambrose would be like the general manager. I think what Dr. Craw did was right. If I were her, I might''ve even informed the entirepany..." In his opinion, the reason Luca did not make a big deal out of it was to not embarrass the researcher. "You''re right. It''s just that Dr. Craw is so mysterious, so the researcher must''ve been curious." Dr. Linwood agreed and was just trying to make a point that Luca was overreacting. "Even if he was curious, he shouldn''t have done it. That was Luca''s research, and it was wrong for Ambrose to steal it," the research professor shook his head and said. "That''s right, no matter what, stealing is not the way to go. Dr. Craw was already nice enough to not treat him as a spy," said another professor. Dr. Linwood was left speechless as all the research professors were eagerly defending Dr. Craw. On the other hand. Luca followed Mo''s lead to a lounge. Mo smiled and said, "Dr. Craw, Mr. Crawford is waiting for you inside." "Alright." Luca put one hand on the handle and pushed the door open before closing it immediately. Luke was sitting on the sofa, and when he saw her walk in, he patted the seat beside him and gestured for her to sit there. Luca walked over and sat next to him. "Aren''t you going out?" "I''ll go out in a bit." Luke stared at her deeply and sighed. Luca held onto the hem of her skirt tightly. "What''s wrong? Is it not nice?" "No, you look great." Luke''s gaze was deep with infatuation. She was beautiful. Chapter 2725 Luke originally wanted the stylist to give her a more morous look, but after listening to her opinion, he went with her idea. She looked pretty even with a simple look. Luca felt his eyes on her, and she started breathing faster. ¡°Mr. Crawford, the ceremony is about to begin," Luca reminded softly. If they stayed in here any longer, people would start to misunderstand. Mo knew that she was inside. With a guy and a girl were alone in a lounge, it would be hard for other people to not overthink. "What did you just call me?" Luke narrowed his eyes to show dissatisfaction. Was she using this alienating title on purpose to keep her distance from him? "This is a public setting, and the people from Watson Biopharmaceuticals are inside." Luca knew that calling him that would upset him, so she had to exin. "Uh-huh." Luke was still unhappy. What did those people have to do with him? She was his beloved wife. "Luke..." Seeing his expression, Luca had no choice but topromise and call his name. The knit in Luke''s brows loosened up, and he showed a little smile. If someone saw her face right now, they would have thought that Luke was bullying her. How could he ever bully her? He just did not like Luca being all timid and cowardly. She was supposed to be the woman next to him. The confidence and aura she worked so hard to build up in the past should not be dimmed down by such cowardice. "Is there a reason why you called me in here?" Luca asked. "I just wanted to see what the stylist had done for you," said Luke. Although he could see it outside, there were too many people, and he did not want to be distracted by others when he was focusing on her. Therefore, he hid in this lounge and asked Mo to bring her in. "You could''ve just looked at me outside." Luca did not understand why he did this. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. ¡°There are too many people outside. I wouldn''t be able to see clearly." Luke held her hand and complimented her, "You''re beautiful. You look great." "Now that you''ve seen me, I''ll go out, then." Luca blushed at hispliment and withdrew her hand before walking out without waiting for his permission. She could not go out with Luke at the same time. Otherwise, it would cause amotion. Luke could not help but shake his head as he watched Luca push open the door of the lounge and walk out. She was shy... After all these years, she was still the same girl back in high school who would blush at just a nce from him. Luca returned to her seat. When people saw her, they started surrounding her again. Mo said, "Everyone, please return to your seats. The ceremony is about to begin." When they heard her, they all stopped and went back to their seats. Luca gave Mo a nod as her words saved her a lot of trouble. Mo nodded back, and then she heard Dr. Jacksone over to ask, "Is Mr. Crawford noting?" "He''sing. He''ll be here in about five minutes," said Mo after ncing at the time. "Very well, then. Ms. Stone, please tell the hotel manager to get ready to serve the food," said Dr. Jackson. Although this was a celebration dinner, it was also a team-bonding activity. Feasting was the most important thing. Mo nodded and notified Luke that the ceremony was about to start before going to find the hotel manager. After Luke received Mo''s message, he closed the page and told Marcos that he had to attend a ceremony. Then, he kept his phone away before leaving the lounge. His appearance became the focus of everyone present. "Good evening, Mr. Crawford." "Hello, Mr. Crawford." Everywhere he went, there was an endless stream of greetings. Luke nodded slightly and walked to Luca''s table. Then, he asked her, "Dr. Craw, is anyone sitting here?" Luca noticed that the seat next to her was indeed vacant, and it would not be nice of her to lie with so many people watching, so she bit the bullet and said, "No one is sitting here." "I''ll sit here, then," said Luke whilepletely ignoring the table full of executives. After sitting down, he looked at all the stunned research professors and said, "Professors, you''ve worked hard. I hope that you''ll continue doing your best in the new year and achieve greater things for Watson Biopharmaceuticals." "Mr. Crawford is right. We''ll work even harder." Dr. Linwood was not expecting Luke to sit at their table. He nced at Luca and wondered if there was actually something going on between the two of them. Why did he feel that both of them had a lot of history between them? Dr. Linwood was taken aback when he met Luke''s gaze, which seemed like a warning... He quickly averted his gaze. Even though he was curious, he dared not to look anymore. After seeing that everyone was there, Mo asked the hotel manager to start serving the dishes. Instantly, all kinds of exquisite dishes were served by the hotel staff. The banquet hall became much livelier all of a sudden. Luca ate silently while watching Luke closely from the corner of her eye as she was worried that he might do something to cause amotion at the table. Luke noticed that she was looking at him and knew what she was worried about. Although he was not happy with the current situation, he still had to endure it. After taking a bite of the food, he said, ¡°The food here is delicious. Dr. Jackson, did you choose this hotel?" After asking Luca for her opinion and knowing that she did not have anything in mind, he had Mo and Dr. Jackson decide on the ce and menu. "Yes, Mr. Crawford. My wife likes the food in this hotel the most, and wee here every month. That''s why I chose this ce." Dr. Jackson was secretly happy to hear his approval. The position of head of department had been vacant ever since Dr. Cole got fired. Dr. Albus was most likely to be promoted to the position, but things happened before he even got appointed. Now that Luke approved of him, there seemed to be hope for him to be head of department. "Very good." Luke did not say anything else. After almost all the dishes were served, Mo walked over to remind Dr. Jackson, "Dr. Jackson, the hotel manager said that almost all the dishes are served. Do you think that the award ceremony can start now?" "Yes, let the people in public rtions get ready." Dr. Jackson got a tissue to wipe his mouth and said to Luke with a smile, "Mr. Crawford, I have some work to do. It''s time to give awards to Dr. Craw and her team." Luca was shocked to hear that an award ceremony was part of the schedule. Did that mean that she had to go on stage? Luca had no clue. After seeing how shocked Luca was, Luke chuckled. After hearing the sound ofughter, Luca frowned at him. "Dr. Craw, I had you dress up because you had to go on stage to give a speech." Seeing her face, Luke knew that she must not care too much about this event. Chapter 2726 Luca heard that and turned to look at the stage. Indeed, under Mo Stone''s arrangement, the employees of the PR department walked toward the stage with the microphone in their hands. They held the scripts and started giving speeches. As Luca listened to their speeches, she suddenly asked Luke, "Mr. Crawford, will you be delivering a speech?" "I don''t have to," replied Luke. There was a section arranged for him to give a speech, but he had it canceled. After all, Luca was the brightest star of the show tonight. "I don''t want to give a speech either," replied Luca as she expressed her thoughts. She hoped that Luke could cancel it. Dr. Linwood, who sat beside them, could not help but secretly guess that something was going on between Luca and Luke. Otherwise, how would Luca dare to say something like that? "Alright," replied Luke. He picked up his phone and sent a message to Mo Stone. Mo Stone felt a vibration in her hand when she was holding her phone. Then, she nced at it and realized she received a message from Luke. She immediately informed those who were beside her, "Cancel Dr. Craw''s speech. Proceed to the award ceremony." "Huh? Why?" The PR staff beside her was confused. Was the program not nned earlier? "I''m just following instructions. Hurry up," urged Mo Stone when she noticed that the emcee on stage was about to finish giving his speech. The PR staff immediately used their backstagemunication system tomunicate with the emcee on stage. After they saw the emcee making an ''OK'' gesture, they let out a sigh of relief. "Alright, the program is canceled." "Okay. Just proceed with the award ceremony." Mo Stone also let out a sigh of relief. Although she had no idea why Luke suddenly canceled it, she only knew that she was doing what her boss had instructed her to do. Mo Stone turned and looked at the table where Luca was seated, lost in thoughts. "Ms. Stone, please make sure that you''ve confirmed the programs of the event in advance. We''re lucky enough to make it in time. Otherwise, something could''ve gone wrong," the employee could not help butin. They knew that Luke would being to the event this time. That was why the employees of the PR department considered it a top priority. Even though theirpany was not asrge as T Corporation, they would not want to make any mistakes in front of Luke. Mo Stone''s sudden change in the programs almost caused them to fall behind schedule. "I''m sorry." There was nothing Mo Stone could say as it was Luke''s decision. She had no choice but to quietly endure it. Then, she picked up her phone and sent Luke a message, telling him that it had been canceled. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Luke put down his phone and said to Luca, "It''s been canceled." "Thank you," Luca replied in a soft voice. Dr. Linwood felt even more surprised when he heard their conversation. Luke listened to what Luca said. His affection for her was probably one of a kind... Were all the rumors he had heard before true? Was Luke really keeping Luca as his mistress? After the emcee finished reading the script, he skipped Luca''s speech section and proceeded to the next program, which was the award ceremony. The award ceremony was held to award Luca and her team of researchers with bonuses and certificates for their achievement. Rhett walked toward Luca and invited her. "Dr. Craw, it''s time to go on stage." "Okay." Luca picked up a napkin and gently wiped her mouth. Then, she rose to her feet and went on stage with them. Luca was the leader of the team. That was why she was asked to stand in the center of the stage, surrounded by other researchers and Rhett. Luca looked at the people below the stage. They were all looking at her. There were gazes of admiration and also jealousy. When the emcee took out a giant award presentation check, the envious look on their faces grew even stronger. The generous amount of bonus given to them was equivalent to a few months of the pay they received.... After the award ceremony, they were about to leave the stage. Just then a voice came out of nowhere. "Dr. Craw, how could you take part in the award ceremony without me?" Everyone turned around and saw a man in a hotel waiter''s uniform walking toward the stage. "It''s Ambrose." Rhett, who stood next to Luca, immediately recognized the man. It was the dismissed employee, Ambrose. "What is he doing here?" Another researcher wondered. Luca remained silent as she looked at Ambrose. It seemed like he came looking for trouble. ¡°Let''s get off the stage." Rhett noticed Luca''s face darkened. He immediately told the others to get off the stage. The others nodded. When they started getting off the stage, Ambrose suddenly yelled at them. "What''s the rush? We were colleagues. Why can''t you all wait for me? Do you have something to hide?" "Ambrose, stop it." One of the researchers who was closer to him could not help but advise him. Ambrose had asked him about the venue and time of the dinner before. The researcher did not see thising. He thought Ambrose regretted what he did. That was why he told him. He did not expect Ambrose to cause any trouble. Ambrose looked at therge check in front of him as though he did not hear what he said. Even though his share of the bonus had been deposited into his bank ount, the resentment in his heart kept on growing. He came here to demand an exnation today. Ambrose gazed intently at Luca and Rhett, his eyes full of hatred. If it were not for Rhett, who reported him, and Luca dismissing him despite all the efforts he had put into the previous research, he would not have ended up like this. Now, the other pharmaceuticalpanies would reject him as soon as they saw his record and found out what he did. Luca''s actions might seem insignificant, but they made him cklisted in the industry. Ambrose knew there was no way he could continue to work in the pharmaceutical industry. All he knew was researching and studying drugs. How could he pursue a different career?! Therefore, Ambrose''s resentment grew stronger. Luca and the others got off the stage, ready to ignore Ambrose, who was walking toward them. They wanted to return to their seats, but Ambrose rushed toward her and took a bottle out of his pocket. He opened it and sshed it on Luca. "Watch out, Dr. Craw!" Rhett eximed with surprise. Ambrose targeted Luca, and he wanted to ssh the liquid in the bottle on her. The moment Rhett called out for Luca, she immediately pushed Rhett away and jumped swiftly, dodging to the right and avoiding the attack. "Ah, my hand!" Someone who stood next to Luca got sshed by some of the liquid. He immediately screamed in pain. The liquid did not reach Luca and spilled on the floor. The carpet was immediately corroded. There were bubbles of yellow gas rising from it. Luca found out that Ambrose was nning to ssh the strong acid at her. Ambrose had gone insane! "Ambrose, how dare you?!" The researcher who was close to Ambrose saw his colleague''s injured hand. He immediately understood what had happened. Ambrose stared angrily at Luca as though he did not hear what the others said to him. "Do you think you can run away from me for the rest of your life? Luca Craw, you b*tch! How dare you fire me? I''ll take your life one day!" "You don''t stand a chance." Luca nced at the researcher''s injured hand and turned to look at Rhett. Ambrose was targeting Luca and Rhett when he threw the bottle of acid at them. However, Luca was fast. She pushed Rhett away and dodged the attack. That was why they were unharmed. Chapter 2727 Luke immediately came forward and stood in front of Luca with a concerned expression on his face. He did not expect Ambrose to make such a move, nor did he expect that the security guards would remain rooted on the spot instead of stopping Ambrose. "Are you hurt?" Luke''s expression was gloomy, but it was obvious that he cared for Luca. Luca shook her head. Her heart slightly pounded. Fortunately, she was quick enough. Otherwise, Rhett and she would have been hurt. As Luca stared at the burnt and corroded carpet on the ground, she realized that even Shanks would not have been able to save her from disfigurement if the acid was sshed on her. It would have been even worse if it had gotten into her throat or esophagus. Luca''s heart could not help but increase. "I didn''t get any on me." "Leave it to me." Luke turned around and looked at Ambrose and the stunned onlookers with a grim expression on his face. "Why are you still standing there? Get him." Rhett was the first to step forward and fight with Ambrose. The security guards immediately rushed toward them, helping Rhett to get Ambrose under control when they realized things had gotten serious. Ambrose was outnumbered. It only took a while for him to be overpowered by them. As Ambrose was pressed down on the ground, he could not help but look in Luke''s direction. He was ring at Luca, who was behind him. "Luca, you b*tch! I''ll kill you even if I can''t do it now. It''s not like you''ll always be safe just because Luke Crawford is protecting you." "Call the police and get him out of here." Luke could not be bothered to talk to him. Those who intended to harm Luca would eventuallye to no good, just like Matysh, Leia, and now Ambrose. "Yes, Sir." Rhett took out his phone and called the police. Ambrose listened to Rhett''s conversation with the police and red at him menacingly. "Rhett, you made me lose my job. I''ll make sure you''ll never have it easy either." Rhett was secretly terrified. He did not expect Ambrose to do something like this to get back at him and Luca. If it were not for Luca, who immediately pushed him away, he would have been sshed too. After telling the police where they were, Rhett saw the hotel manager hurrying toward them. The hotel manager nced at Ambrose, who was being held by a few men. The expression on his face changed. He recognized him as the person they had hired a few days ago through a referral to work as a waiter. The manager immediately approached Luke and asked, "Mr. Crawford, I''m sorry about what happened. I''ll give you an exnation." Luke gave the manager a cold stare and reminded him, "No one stopped him just now." The manager turned to look at the security guards. He made eye contact with them, signaling and asking why they had not intervened. The guards had been there all along. If Ambrose made a scene, they should have stepped forward to stop him in the first instance. "I''ll look into this and find out what happened," the manager promised. "Hand Ambrose over to the police. I''d like to know the reason why he was released and why the security guards did nothing. Watsons will hold the hotel ountable for this if you don''t figure out why." Luke expressed his thoughts clearly. If the hotel failed to give him an exnation, they would certainly be held ountable for the incident. "Yes, Sir." The manager was shocked. He never thought that hiring a waiter could lead to such an incident. He walked toward the security guards and urged them, "Get him out of here and wait for the police." "Yes, Manager." The two security guards escorted Ambrose from the dining hall. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Ambrose turned his head and glowered at Luca and others when he was being forced to leave the hall. Dr. Linwood noticed Ambrose''s expression. He could not help but mutter, "Why is he so resentful?" "The look on his face is terrifying," added another professor. Ambrose made a mistake. He was fired as a matter of course. Even though Luca fired him, she gave him his bonus, and she did not report the incident to the police. She tried not to make a big deal out of it. However, Ambrose still held a grudge against her and sought revenge, which was really frightening... After Ambrose left, Luca came to the researcher who was sshed with strong acid. She looked at the wound on his hand. Several drops of acid were sshed on him. The clothes on one of his arms were corroded. The skin that was exposed to the air had turned red and bubbly, and the burned skin was wrinkled. As Luca looked at the painful expression on the researcher''s face, Luca said to Rhett, "Call the ambnce." "Alright." Rhett immediately made the call. Luca walked to the table nearby and grabbed all the tissue papers. Then, she walked toward the researcher and said, "Hang in there. I''ll use this to absorb the acid on the surface of your skin first." The skin that was burned by strong acid could not be rinsed with water. Luca had no choice but to quickly use tissues and carefully wipe the burned skin as gently as she could. Luca was being careful as she did not want to make it more painful for the researcher. Also, she did not want to break the skin either. However, the researcher furrowed his brows. He could not help but wince in pain and groan. "Ah!" Luca heard him groan, and she could not help but feel guilty. She knew that Ambrose targeted her and Rhett when he threw the acid at them. It was an ident in which someone else got injured. Luca dodged, but she caused someone else to get hurt. Luca felt sorry for him. She felt ufortable at the thought of others getting hurt because of her. Hence, she turned to Luke and suggested, "Mr. Crawford, why don''t we just send him to the hospital right away? The ambnce might take some time." Luca had no medical supplies with her now. There was no way she could help the researcher to dress his wound. "Alright. Lliam is waiting downstairs," replied Luke. When Rhett heard their conversation, he quickly informed the person on the other end of the line that they would take the patient to the hospital. "It''s okay, Mr. Crawford. I''ll just take a taxi." Even though the researcher was in pain, he did not want to trouble Luke. "Cut the crap. Let''s go," said Luke as he headed to the entrance of the hall. "Let''s go," Luca said to the researcher and followed behind Luke. She thought of getting into the car and following them to the hospital. The researcher had no choice but to endure the pain and follow them. The three of them got into the car and headed to the hospital after they left the hotel. Luke had informed the hospital in advance. Therefore, the medical staff immediately came to help the researcher to dress his wound as soon as they arrived at the emergency department. Luca and Luke sat on the chairs in the hospital hallway, waiting for the researcher''s wound to be treated. "Are you alright?" asked Luke. Even though Luca did not seem like she was in pain, he could not help but feel shaken by what happened earlier. If it were not for Luca''s quick reflexes... He did not dare to think about the consequences. "I''m okay, Mr. Crawford." replied Luca as she shook her head. Dodging attacks was included in the training she received when she was on the Ind of Despair. That was why she was able to escape easily. The consequences would have been unimaginable if she had reacted a little slower. Luca did not expect the training she was forced to receive on the Ind of Despair to save her life one day. "I''m surprised why the security guards didn''t step in when Ambrose started causing trouble." said Luca, expressing her doubts. Even though the security guards were not professionally trained, they should have taken action immediately when someone was making a scene. However, they just stood there and watched them. Chapter 2728 Luke had the same question in mind too. He suspected someone was behind this and encouraged Ambrose to do so. Then, that person bribed the security guards working at the hotel. That was why they stood there watching and did not stop Ambrose when he was trying to cause trouble. On the other hand... Leia leaned against the ward bed, feeling bored as she watched the soap opera on the television. She still had not been able to get into the VIP ward for the past few days. There was no news of the Norman family either. For the others, no news was good news. However, Leia knew that it was not bound to be good news. It had been so long since she heard from the Norman family. Therefore, Mr. and Mrs. Norman should be fine. It was just that they were hiding in the VIP ward and avoiding her. Not meeting her meant they were sidetracked by something else. Just then, her phone rang. Leia nced at her phone. It was Mandy who called. She nced at the caretaker next to her, who was munching on melon seeds and watching the soap opera. Leia answered the call, "I''m in the ward. What''s up?" She was telling Mandy not to say anything she should not be saying on the phone. "Something happened. I''ll share a link. Check it out." Mandy sounded excited. Leia hung up the call. Mandy immediately sent the link to her. Leia put on her headphones and tapped on the y button. It was a video. After Leia yed the video, she was able to recognize the victim as Luca because the person who was recording the video stood not far away from her. Then, a man angrily threw a bottle of sulfuric acid at Luca. Leia held her breath. She was slightly disappointed when she saw that Luca managed to dodge the attack... Luca actually dodged a bullet. Luca was swift. Someone sshed acid on her, but she managed to dodge and save herself from disfigurement. Leia gripped her phone tightly as her expression darkened. What Mandy did not know was that she had recently hired a private investigator to check if Luca had any enemies. It only took a day for the private investigator to find Ambrose. Thus, after learning the whole story, Leia found Ambrose and constantly encouraged him to take revenge on Luca. Hence, Ambrose nned to ssh sulfuric acid at Luca on the day of thepany dinner. He imed that his career life was already ruined, and he would never be able to find a job again. It did not matter if he was sent to prison. Leia agreed to it and gave Ambrose some money so that he could leave some money to his parents. Ambrose took the money, gave it to his parents, bought sulfuric acid through some industrial channels, and waited for the day of the dinner to strike. To make things go smoothly, Leia even reminded Ambrose to bribe the security guards working at the hotel so that they would not stop him before the bottle of sulfuric acid was sshed at Luca. However, she did not expect that things would turn out this way. The security guards stood there and watched them at first. They did not stop Ambrose, and Luca easily dodged the acid that was sshed at her. Leia turned off the video. She was fuming with anger. Out of the corner of her eye, the caretaker noticed the expression on Leia''s face and deliberately asked, "Ms. Norman, what''s with the look on your face? Are you feeling sick? Do you need me to call the doctor for you?" "No," Leia muttered the words as she clenched her teeth. Her n failed. Luca was fine. How could this happen?! The caretaker saw the distressed look on her face and wondered what had happened. She looked like she had been scolded by someone. The look on her face was truly terrifying. "You look awful," said the caretaker. "It''s none of your business!" Leia snapped. She red at her and got out of bed, heading to the bathroom. The patient next to Leia''s bed could not help but say, "I''ve told you so many times before. Just ignore her. No matter how much you care for her, she''s gonna treat it as nothing. You''re here to take care of her. You don''t have to care about her emotions. Next time, just leave her alone if she refuses to speak." "I''m worried she''ll faint,¡± replied the caretaker with a smile on her face. Not only was Leia infamous for her bad temper in her ward but also in the entire department. The doctors and nurses were afraid of her. Every time the doctor came to remind Leia that she could be discharged from the hospital, Leia would curse and scold the doctor. The doctors no longer wanted to urge her to leave the hospital now. Even if they took in more patients and many of them had to stay in the corridor, the doctors did not consider asking Leia to leave the hospital and make room for the other patients. After all, no one wanted to be scolded for no reason. "What are you afraid of? It''s not toote to press the button if she faints. This is a hospital. Doctors are on duty every day. It''s not your responsibility if she faints and the doctors fail to save her. The hospital will be held ountable for that. If I were you, I''d care less about her affairs. Otherwise, you''ll be the one suffering." ¡°That''s true.¡± The patient in the other bed went along. The two of them had quarreled with Leia before. Thus, they had nothing to say to her now. However, Leia would still find ways to pick a fight with them even if they did not speak to her. When Leia did that, they could not help but argue with her. Although they had been through a lot, they could never be as venomous as Leia. Thus, they would end up sulking when they could not win the argument. They requested to change wards with other patients as they did not want to be in the same ward as Leia. However, the corridor was already full of patients, and there were no empty wards for them to switch to. Besides, the other patients in other wards also knew about Leia, the notorious troublemaker, and were unwilling to switch wards with them. They were left with no other options but to stay in the same ward as her... After all, staying in a ward is morefortable than staying in a corridor. They had also discussed that if Leia were to cause trouble, they would ignore her no matter what she said. That way, Leia would have no choice but to stop picking on them. The caretaker smiled as she found the two middle-ageddies quite amusing. Little did they know that she was there to keep an eye on Leia. The more often Leia reacted that way, the more entertaining it was for the caretaker. After all, she would not get angry even if Leia tried to piss her off. Instead, Leia causing trouble would add some excitement to her day when she got bored of monitoring Leia. It was said that those who always got angry tended to have poor health. Leia''s current physical condition was already poor. How long could she keep this up? The caretaker smiled and picked up her phone. Then, she reported Leia''s abnormal behavior to her supervisor, Rain. Whenever Leia got angry and if she did not know the reason why, she would report it to Rain. This was part of her job. The patients were puzzled by the caretaker''s reaction. She was not angry when she got scolded by Leia. Instead, she would smile. They could not help but find it strange. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. If it were someone else, that person would be in a fit of rage. Yet, the caretaker could still put a smile on her face. After a while, Leia came out of the bathroom. The soundproofing of the bathroom was poor, and she heard their conversation. Leia pointed her finger at one of the patients and yelled at her, "What did you just say?!" Chapter 2729 The patient who was being pointed at furrowed her brows. No one liked being pointed at with a finger that way. However, judging from Leia''s aggressive personality, if she were to retort, she would definitely get criticized and end up having a heart attack. Hence, she held back and gave Leia a cold snort without saying a word. Leia seethed with anger at the thought of her failing to hurt Luca after spending all that money. Also, she was pissed after she overheard them speaking ill of her when she was in the restroom a moment ago. Leia was so infuriated that she immediately got out of bed and tried to get into a fight with the patient next to her bed. "I''m going to rip your mouth apart today!" The caretaker immediately stopped her. "Ms. Norman, calm down." "Get out of my way!" Leia pushed the caretaker. However, the caretaker was good at martial arts. Leia pushed her hard, but instead of pushing away the caretaker, Leia staggered and slumped onto her bed while the caretaker remained steadfast. "Ms. Norman, did you hurt yourself?" The caretaker pretended to be concerned. How could Leia be able to push her and make her fall? Although Leia was aggressive, she was a sickly person. There was no way she could win against someone who had been training at the base all year round. "Go away!" Leia shook off the caretaker''s hand. She suspected that the caretaker did this on purpose, but she had no evidence. Why did the force rebound to herself? The caretaker wore an innocent expression on her face. As she watched Leia rub her waist after sitting back down, she knew Leia really fell when she made that gesture. She was pleased to see that. Teasing Leia was entertaining. The other two patients saw the defeated look on Leia''s face. Their lips curled into a smile. However, they did not burst outughing because Leia was not someone to be messed with. If theyughed out loud, there would be no peace in the ward. On the other side of the hospital... The researcher walked out of the consultation room after getting his wound dressed. Luca stood up and walked toward him. Then, she asked, "How are you feeling?" "It''s just an external injury. I''ll be fine as long as the wound doesn''t get wet," replied the researcher. He did not expect that Luca and Luke would personally escort him to the hospital. They even talked to the director of the burn unit to treat his wound. "Well, Mr. Crawford said he''s gonna give you a week''s rest. Take care of your wound ande to the hospital on time to change your dressings. You don''t have toe to work during this period," said Luca. This was what she had just discussed with Luke. "It''s alright, Dr. Craw. I can work. You''re preparing tounch a new project. I''m afraid the office will be short-staffed if I take a few days off." The researcher shook his head. He used to think that Luca was a cold person, but he realized that he was wrong now. Luca was not cold at all. She treated the employees well. "The project has not officially started yet. We don''t need that many people now," replied Luca. It was her fault that he got injured. She should give him a few days off to recover from the injury. Fortunately, it did not lead to a particrly serious ident this time. "Listen to Dr. Craw''s advice," said Luke when he noticed that the researcher was about to say something. The researcher had no choice but topromise and reply, "Alright. Thank you, Mr. Crawford. Thank you, Dr. Craw." Luca shook her head. She was not the one who should be thanked for this. "The driver is waiting outside to send you back home. The license te ends with 8288," added Luke. When he was waiting for the researcher''s wound to be treated, Warren, who was usually responsible for picking up Luca, also arrived at the hospital. Therefore, he asked Warren to send the researcher back home, while he nned to let Lliam send them back. "Okay. Thank you, Mr. Crawford," the researcher said again before leaving the emergency room. Luke looked at Luca and asked, "We''re already at the hospital. Would you like to go upstairs and visit them?" Luca knew he was talking about visiting Mr. and Mrs. Norman as well as Wanda. She nced at the time and shook her head. "It''s a bitte now. I''ll visit them on Sunday." Even though she cared about them, it was already gettingte, and they were not people who would stay upte at night. They were probably in bed now. It was rude to visit them now. "Alright." Luke understood what she meant. "Let''s go home, then." "Okay..." Luca nodded and left the hospital with Luke. They got into Lliam''s car. As soon as the car door was closed, Luke''s phone buzzed. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. After he sat down, he took his phone out and nced at it. It was a message from Rain. He read it and gave his order: [Something''s wrong with Leia. Find out what she''s up to and send her to the police station.] [Yes, boss.] Rain replied after reading his message. Rain looked at the information sent by her subordinate. The Abaza family already knew that Matysh was being held by the police here. They also took measures in response by sending their dedicated attorney to A City. Furthermore, they were nning to contact the embassy and pressure them to extradite Matysh to Russia. "How naive." Rain closed the file andmented on the Abaza family''s actions. What was the point of sending an attorney who only knew some international and Russianws? Matysh vited thew in A City. The attorney would probably have to consult the legal code when he was defending him. Besides, what Matysh did had already caused a sensation in A City. Many people were following the progress of this case. The police in A City were not to be messed with either. They would not give special treatment just because the perpetrator was a foreigner. Matysh was destined to serve his prison sentence in A City. Even if his attorney or the embassy came to defend him, they had no choice but to follow thews and regtions of A City. "Who are you calling naive?" Gale walked into the kitchen with a cup and poured himself a coffee. Rain frowned. ¡°Are you serious about having coffee at this hour?¡± "I''m nning to stay up all night. I have some leads on Leia''s case. Gotta strike while the iron is hot. We might be able to get her locked up this week." "Speaking of Leia, I''ve got some news from the hospital staff." Rain forwarded the message she received from the caretaker to Gale. "Tsk, Leia is a real troublemaker." Gale looked at the message and took a sip of his coffee. "She''s going to prison soon. I''ll spare her a day or two. After that, she''ll have to work hard to reform herself in prison for the rest of her life." "I''m not sure if I can finish my work in a day or two," replied Gale. "The Abaza family sent over an attorney who has no idea about the rules in A City. He may be the key to getting Matysh to talk. Boss might do something to him, and Matysh might be able to rat Leia out," spected Rain. Matysh refused to admit anything or talk now. She reckoned that he was waiting for the attorney. The attorney the Abaza family hired was famous in Russia and known worldwide. "Well, I''m looking forward to it. The more we uncover about Leia''s past, the more nauseating it bes," Gale finished his coffee. He was responsible for investigating and digging into Leia''s past. The deeper he dug, the more he realized that she was not an ordinary woman. Leia was a shameless woman who yed dirty tricks. Chapter 2730 "Now you know why I asked you to do this, huh?" Rain rose to her feet with a smile on her face and patted Gale on the shoulder. It was originally her job, but Leia disgusted her so much that she entrusted Gale with the task instead. Rain was in charge of some other matters. Gale shook his head and went upstairs, resigning himself to continue investigating Leia. They followed Luke''s instructions. They had topile a list of all the bad things Leia had done and show them to Queenie. Luke and Jack both believed that Queenie should not be soft-hearted toward Leia. It was the best way for her to get to know the real Leia. "Ask your subordinates to do it for you if you find it too disgusting," added Rain. "I''ll do it when I can''t take it anymore." Gale walked up to the second floor and continued with his work. Rain returned to the third floor to continue work too. ... The next day. It was Saturday. Luca woke upter than usual. She opened her eyes and habitually looked beside her, but Luke had already gotten up. Luca was surprised. When did he get up? How did she not notice? She got up and listened carefully. There was no sounding from the bathroom. When she was about to get out of bed to wash up, her phone, which was on the bedside table, rang. Luca answered the call. "Luca, are you okay?" Nina''s voice that came from the other end of the line sounded deeply concerned. She stayed uptest night, and while she was scrolling through news pages, she saw a viral video on the inte. Nina clicked the link and found someone maliciously sshing sulfuric acid on the other person in public. Nina immediately recognized that the person who got attacked was Luca. She wanted to call to check on her. However, Percy stopped her, iming that Luca seemed fine in the video and she was probably resting at this time. He advised her not to call at this time. Nina thought it made sense and watched the video again. Luca seemed to be unharmed. Thus, she waited until this morning and assumed that Luca had woken up by now before quickly giving Luca a call. "I''m fine." Luca got out of bed, put on her slippers, and drew the curtains. The weather was great. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Luca opened the window. A warm breeze blew across her face. The weather in A City was starting to warm up. Her heart grew warmer and warmer too. "I''m d that you''re okay. You were fast enough." Nina let out a sigh of relief. She had been on pins and needles after she saw the videost night. After she confirmed that Luca was really okay, she set her worries aside. "How did you know about this?" Luca asked with curiosity. Luke probably did not tell Percy about this. "Someone filmed a video and uploaded it to the forum. I recognized you at first nce when I saw the person trying to ssh the sulfuric acid on you," answered Nina. "It was probably one of the employees working at Watsons who filmed it," murmured Luca as she rubbed her temples. Luke and she rushed to the hospital with the researcher to treat his woundst night. They were not there to deal with the situation. She did not expect one of the employees would take out their phone and start filming... "You''re fine. That''s all that matters," Nina chuckled. "I''m not keeping you. I''m going to a party with Percyter, and I need to prepare some gifts." "Okay. Go ahead," Luca replied before ending the call. Then, she walked into the bathroom to freshen up before changing into casual home clothes. As she opened her bedroom door, she noticed that the opposite room door was open. Luke was sitting in front of hisputer, busy working. "You''re awake." Luke shifted his gaze when he heard footsteps and saw her. His eyes softened with affection. "Yes. Do you need me to get your breakfast up here?" Luca asked as she noticed the pile of documents on his desk. He did not bring that much with him back homest night. "Sure. Let me finish these. We''ll be heading to Louis'' ce for lunch," replied Luke. Today was the day Louis moved. "Okay. I''ll check on the kids first." After that, Luca gently pushed open Tommy''s bedroom door. The kids were still asleep. It was Saturday. They had agreed to let the kids sleep an hour longer than usual. Luca then opened Rainie''s and Lanie''s bedroom doors. They were not up yet. Hence, she turned around and headed downstairs. After she arrived on the first floor, she saw Aunt Neile cleaning the living room. "Good morning, Ms. Craw," Aunt Neile greeted her with a smile when she saw Lucae downstairs. "Good morning, Aunt Neile." Luca nodded and walked toward the store room. "What are you looking for?" Aunt Neile asked with curiosity. "I bought some gifts to congratte Louis on moving to his new home. I n to take them out. Mr. Crawford will send them over at noon," exined Luca. Even though Louis also invited her, Luca was reluctant to go. Susan would give her a disdainful look if she went there. "Gifts? Let me help you find them. I tidied the storeroom the other day. I might have moved some of your stuff away," Aunt Neile said as she followed her into the store room. "Old Master Crawford gave us a lot of goods back then, and the store room was a bit messy. I tidied everything since I had some free time a few days ago. It''s properly organized." Aunt Neile opened a cab and took out a bag. "Ms. Craw, is this the bag you''re looking for?" "Yes. Thank you, Aunt Neile." Luca recognized the packaging and took the bag from her. Then, she asked, "Where did you put the electrical appliances?" Luca also bought some electrical appliances as a gift so that they would look more presentable. "They''re here." Aunt Neile lifted the white cloth covering the electrical appliance boxes. "Alright. Just leave it here for now." Luca put the box next to the electrical appliances. "Okay." Aunt Neile nodded. "By the way, Mr. Crawford is working upstairs. Can you please bring his breakfast upter?" asked Luca. "He''s already working at this hour?" Aunt Neile was a little surprised. "Yes, I''ll go make him a cup of coffee." Luca was deeply asleepst night. She did not know what time Luke woke up. Hence, she was nning to make him a cup of coffee to give him a lift. Aunt Neile smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford loves the coffee you make for him.¡± Luca walked into the kitchen. The maid was almost done preparing the breakfast. She saw Luca walking into the kitchen and said, "Ms. Craw, breakfast is ready. Would you like to have breakfast now?" "I''ll have itter. Let me make a cup of coffee first." Luca shook her head. The breakfast prepared by the maid was sumptuous. Luca took the coffee beans out and began to make some coffee. After Luca finished making the coffee, she ced it on the counter and said to the maid beside her, "Mr. Crawford is working upstairs. Please bring his breakfast and the coffee upstairs for him." "Okay, Ms. Craw," replied the maid. She ced the breakfast on the tray, then she ced the cup of coffee Luca made on it and carried it upstairs. Luca nced at the time and said to Aunt Neile, "Aunt Neile, it''s gettingte. Can you please go upstairs and check if the kids are awake?" Chapter 2731 After a while, the three kids followed Aunt Neile downstairs. Meanwhile, Luca was serving breakfast. ¡°Good morning, Ms. Luca," the three kids greeted her at the same time. ¡°Good morning. Come and have breakfast." Luca was all smiles as seeing the children put her in a good mood. The children cheered and walked to the dining table to eat with her. After Tommy sat down, he noticed that there were no cutleries at Luke''s seat, so he asked, ¡°Ms. Luca, is Daddy eating upstairs?" ¡°Yes, he has a lot of work to do." Luca nodded. She could not help but feel bad after recalling the thick stack of folders. Luke was having a hard time, yet there was nothing she could do to help. Instead, she was causing him more trouble. Luca recalled what happened yesterday. She was not wrong for firing Ambrose, nor did she do anything to wrong him. Terminations like these happened every day in this city. Hiring and firing... Yet, she had never seen anyone ssh acid on their boss for firing them. That was what Ambrose did. Luca was in disbelief that someone who was as calm and diligent as him would do such a thing. ¡°Ms. Luca, what are you thinking about?" Luca was not responding to Tommy''s words, so he waved his little hands in front of her eyes. Then, Luca came back to her senses and smiled. ¡°I was thinking about work. What''s the matter?" ¡°Nothing. You''re just like Daddy, working non-stop even after you''re home." Tommy pouted and thought about how both his parents were workaholics and his brother was a bookworm. The only normal ones at home were him and Rainie. Luca saw the puzzled look on the child''s face and patted his head. ¡°Ms. Luca, Uncle Louis is moving in today, so my brothers and I made some gifts. Can we give them to Uncle Louis?" Asked Rainie. When the adults were busy, the three of them started preparing these handmade gifts after finishing their homework. Although the adults would have gifts prepared, Louis often looked after Lanie and Rainie when they were younger, so they wanted to make some little gifts as a token of appreciation. ¡°Of course, your uncle would be very happy to receive them." Luca was surprised that the children had prepared other gifts. "Yup, I remember Uncle Louis saying he loved my handicrafts! Uncle Louis has been living in Crawford Manor for so long, and he finally moved out, so Lanie and I decided to make him some handicrafts." Lanie nodded endearingly. Although she was all grown up now, she still remembered being held in Louis'' arms. She also remembered him wondering when he could move out and not be under the control of Old Master Crawford and Susan. After so many years, Louis was finally able to move out of Crawford Manor. "I helped too!" Tommy raised his hands and said. After having Thea, Louis put all his effort into her. However, Tommy still liked Uncle Louis very much, just like Lanie and Rainie. "All of you did a great job." Luca gave them a thumbs up. The fact that the children would do such a thoughtful thing meant that they grew up in a positive environment. She was relieved that the kids were not too traumatized when she was kidnapped by the Ind of Despair. Aunt Neile came over with a te of fruits and smiled when she heard their conversation. "Right, the young masters and Ms. Rainie have been secretly preparing the gift for several nights. They made it when you and Mr. Crawford couldn''te home early, and they prepared the surprise for Uncle Louis secretly because they were afraid of both of you finding out." Luca looked at the children and smiled. Everything they did was out of kindness, which gave them, the busy adults, a pleasant surprise too. "So, have you wrapped your gift yet?" she asked. "It''s already wrapped, and it''s in my bedroom," said Rainie. "Great!" Luca gave her another thumbs up. After breakfast, the kids went back upstairs to y games instead of watching cartoons. Luca took the chessboard downstairs as she was worried about disturbing Luke while he was working. "Let''s y here, alright?" "Alright!" The three kids agreed. Luca sat aside to watch the three of them y, and she felt all warm inside at the thought of Luke, who was working upstairs. What a wonderful weekend. If only N were here. Her three older siblings would take good care of her, pamper her, and treat her like a princess. Luca was depressed at the thought of her youngest daughter, and she had no idea how she was doing on the Ind of Despair. Eler was there looking after her, but she could not stop worrying as she was in the hands of Abel, and he might do something that could negatively affect the child at any time. The children yed until noon, and she was there with them the entire time. Aunt Neile came over and reminded her, "Ms. Craw, it''s noon, so you should go change." Luca was wearing casual clothes right now, and it would be inappropriate for her to wear that to Louis'' housewarming party. "Alright." Luca nced at the time and said to the kids, ¡°Come on, you need to change too." "Alright!" the kids said in unison. Luca led them upstairs and nced at Luke, who was still busy working. She went into each of their bedrooms to pick an outfit for them to wear to the housewarming party. Then, she went back to the master bedroom and chose a simple long dress. After putting it on, she sat in front of the dressing table and put on light makeup. Luke pushed the door open and walked in. He saw her filling in her eyebrows in front of the mirror and walked over before cing his hands on her shoulder. Then, he bent down to kiss her on the cheek. Luca''s hand trembled a little bit as Luke''s sudden kiss almost made her ruin her eyebrows. "Luke..." Her cheeks were flushed, and her voice was delicate. "It was too tempting, and I just couldn''t resist." Luke chuckled. Seeing her reaction after his surprise kiss expanded the joy in his heart. "You almost made my eyebrows crooked.." Luca seemed as if she wereining, but she was not mad about it. "Looks good to me," Luke looked at her closely in the mirror and joked. Luca shook her head without exining to him what she actually meant. She did not usually wear makeup, so she was not that skilled. If she started off with light makeup, it was less likely for her to end up looking like a disaster. If she had used more strength when drawing her eyebrows just now, it would have left an obvious mark. Luca continued tracing the shape of her eyebrows in the mirror. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "You look beautiful without makeup too," said Luke. It was not just words of ttery; it was the truth. Chapter 2732 Luca''s hand paused for a moment, and she looked at herself in the mirror with a faint smile. Then, she put down the eyebrow pencil and turned around to tease him, ¡°Mr. Crawford, was your breakfast this morning sweet? Why are such sweet wordsing out of your mouth?" "I''m just saying the truth." Luke looked at her elegant features. Whether it was Bianca or Luca, she was still pretty. Even if all her features had changed, it was still the same face that he adored. "But the coffee today was quite sweet," he added. When Luca heard that, she was wondering how could the coffee be sweet when no sugar was added? Then, she instantly knew what he meant, and she blushed again. She sat upright and continued filling in her eyebrows. "I didn''t know you liked sweet drinks. I''ll add more sugar for you next time." "Sure," Luke agreed without hesitation. Luca smiled and shook her head. He actually agreed. She was familiar with how Luke liked his coffee. She knew that he did not add milk or sugar as he liked in bitter coffee. He said that it was the only way he could get the authentic taste of coffee. After putting on makeup, Luca looked at herself carefully in the mirror to see if there were any mistakes. She stood up when she was done checking. Luke had finished changing at the same time. "It''s almost time, and I just got Louis'' message. Let''s go," said Luke as he put his phone away. Louis had just sent him a message saying that all the preparations were done, and they could go now. "Great, all the presents are ready, but I don''t think the two of us can carry them. We need Aunt Neile to help," said Luca. Although Luke and Louis were brothers, they did not share the same mother. No matter how well they got along, if he ever fell short as the elder brother, Susan would give him a mouthful. She was not willing to see her beloved man getting ndered by Susan, so she did not hold back when buying gifts and home appliances, and the price tags were hefty too. That way, it showed that Louis was important to Luke, so Susan would not criticize him in front of others. "Sure, it''s not that far anyway," Luke followed her downstairs after saying that. The kids were already waiting downstairs. "I''ll go tell Aunt Neile," said Luca as she turned and walked into the kitchen as Aunt Neile and Aunt Laurel should be busy in the kitchen right now. "Can you help deliver the gifts to Master Louis'' house?" She walked into the kitchen and saw both of them there, so she asked. "Of course. It''s no problem," said Aunt Neile with a smile as she stopped what she was doing. Aunt Laurel nodded and stopped the task at hand as she followed Luca out of the kitchen. Luca went to the storage room and intended to have Aunt Neile carry the lighter gifts, but Aunt Neile unexpectedly picked up the heavier appliances and walked out. "Ms. Craw, you should take the lighter ones." Aunt Laurel followed suit and carried another piece of appliance out. Luca shook her head at the sight of both of them. She bent over to pick up the remaining appliances. However, Luke walked in and took the rest. "Is this it?" "Yup." Luca had no choice but to pick up the two bags of small gifts. Aunt Neile and Aunt Laurel had taken all the heavy ones, and these two bags were light. Luca walked out of the storage room to see Luke and the kids waiting for her. "Ms. Luca, let me help you." Lanie came over to take a bag from her hands. The gift the kids prepared was being carried by Tommy and Rainie, so he came over himself to help Luca carry the bags. "Sure." The bag was not heavy, so Luca let him carry the other one. They walked out of the house and went to the house next door. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. The gate was wide open because of the housewarming party, so they just walked in. Aunt Neile and Aunt Laurel had put down all the appliances by then. "Brother, you''re here." Louis smiled brightly when he saw Luke walk in, and he walked over to greet him. "Yeah, where should I put these?" Asked Luke. Louis noticed that each of them had something in their hands and said in surprise, "That many? Put them here." He led them to where the presents should be ced. "There isn''t a lot. It''s just a few things," said Luke as he put down the appliances. Then, he took the bags from Luca and Lanie to put them aside as well. Luca did buy a lot, but Louis was his brother, so the amount she bought was justifiable. It was just a token of appreciation. "Uncle Louis, the three of us made these gifts for you!" Rainie took the bags and handed them to Louis. "You made these? Amazing." Louis happily epted the gifts and said to Luke with a smile. "Brother, the gifts my niece and nephew gave are better than yours." "I think so too. These kids have been making them for several nights, and they even kept it a secret from us, saying that they wanted to give you a surprise." A smirk appeared on Luke''s face. "Thank you, Lanie, Rainie, and Tommy." Louis thanked the three of them and called over the temporary maid from Crawford Manor, "Aunt Cassy, bring these two gifts to my room." ¡°Yes, Master Louis." Aunt Cassy took the gifts inside. ¡°Brother, Dr. Craw, have a seat in the garden first. We''ll eat once everyone is almost here," said Louis. "Sure." Luke was about to leave when Susan made her way over here. ¡°Luke, you''re here?" Susan squinted. She was greeting Luke, but her eyes were on Luca. Why was she here? What a disgrace. Why did Louis invite her? The thought of Luca sucking up to Old Master Crawford again and again annoyed Susan. She was just someone who knew a little bit about pharmacology, yet Old Master Crawford treated her as if she was his future granddaughter-inw, and that made her speechless. It had not been long since Bianca was chased away, and now came Luca. The women Luke brought home gave her a hard time. ¡°Mother," Luke greeted her with a cold expression as the warmth in his eyes disappeared immediately from when he was looking at Louis. ¡°Grandma Susan," the three kids greeted her too. ¡°Hello, Madam Crawford." Luca had no choice but to greet her too, but she did so in a monotonous voice. Susan''s lips curled upward as she looked at the table where the gifts were ced. All the gifts had been checked and recorded by her, so she knew at a nce what gifts were just added to the pile. Susan was being fussy, and she asked, ¡°That''s all?" ¡°Mother..." Louis frowned. Although it was only two words, he could tell from her tone that she was criticizing Luke. Chapter 2733 Susan gave him a cold nce before sitting down on the chair near her. Her movements were graceful, yet the expression on her face was full of dissatisfaction. "Luke, has T Corporation''s performance been poortely?" asked Susan. "Mom, what nonsense are you talking about?!" Louis tried to stop her. Susan glowered at him. "Shut up. I''m just asking about thepany''s situation. I''m also one of the shareholders of thepany. That can''t be a problem, right, Luke?" "No," Luke replied coldly. He knew what Susan wanted to talk about. "We''ll be distributing the dividends forst year''s performance next month. You''ll find out how T Corporation is doing then." "Well, it does sound like T Corporation is doing quite well. Are you facing some difficulties? Otherwise, why would you..." Susan paused for a moment and continued, "You''re Louis'' brother. Louis just moved into a new house, and you only gave him..." Susan nced at the boxes. She could tell what was inside the boxes with just a nce. "A few small home appliances?" "Mom!" Louis could no longer remain calm. Of course, Luke had given him more than just those few pieces of furniture. All the furniture in the living room was a gift from Luke. Moreover, all of them were ordered from a well-known furniture brand, Roche-Bobois, and shipped from overseas. It took over a month for the international logistics to deliver them here. Susan was most satisfied with the furniture ced in the living room. She thought that the expensive furniture fit her status. However, she had no idea that all of this furniture was a gift from Luke to his younger brother. Louis did not tell Susan about it. Luke told him not to tell her either. He was afraid that Susan would not ept the gifts after she found out about them. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Susan hated Luke because of Allison. "I can''t see why you''re anxious about this," Susan replied with annoyance. She had always been unhappy with their rtionship since they were children. Despite all the bad things that she told Louis about Luke over the years, he remained loyal to his elder brother. Therefore, it made Susan even more unhappy. "You know nothing. Just stop it!" Louis ced his hand on his forehead in frustration. Susan was his mother. There was nothing he could do about it. Susan initially made demands that if she were to move, the living room''s decoration had to be magnificent to match her status as thedy of the Crawford family. Susan also insisted that her bed must be from the brand, Boca Do Lobo. She got used to sleeping on their bed. Also, her bedroom''s furniture had to be from Boca Do Lobo too. It was a huge expense to purchase an entire set of Boca Do Lobo furniture. She also wanted the furniture in the living room to be from a well-known brand. Louis had just held a grand birthday banquet for Susan and bought a limited edition set of jewelry for her. He did not have much money left. Moreover, he insisted on starting his own business. Old Master Crawford already gave him the vi. He could not ask for more when they renovated the house. If it were not for Luke''s help to purchase the furniture in the living room, he would not have been able to complete the renovation. It had always been Luke who helped him when he was at the toughest of times. However, they promised not to tell the others because they had different biological mothers. Louis did not expect Susan to take this opportunity to taunt him. Louis felt ashamed when he heard what she said. Even though she was mocking Luke, her words made him feel like she was mocking his ipetence. He could not evenplete the renovation himself. "What do you mean? I know everything!" Susan continued nitpicking. "You''re his brother. What''s the point of giving these to you? Isn''t this a perfunctory move? Our house is beautifully renovated. Do we really need these small electrical appliances?" "Mom, it''s the thought that counts!" Louis clenched his fists tightly and turned to look at Luke. Luke''s expression was calm as he knew he had a good conscience. After all, the amount of money Luke had given Louis was so much that he could have bought a house in the suburbs. However, the more he helped, the guiltier Louis felt. Susan had always believed that Louis was not as wealthy as Luke because he voluntarily gave up managing T Corporation. However, Louis knew his abilities. Even if Old Master Crawford insisted on handing over T Corporation to him, he would not be able to manage it as well as Luke did. Therefore, he did not n topete with his brother. He nned to do something he liked and make a few remarkable achievements. However, Susan had been draining him for years. All his money was invested in the family. Louis had very little money left. "Oh, it is!" Susan disdainfully pointed at the box next to her. "That''s all." Luca stood there quietly and clenched her fists. She suppressed the urge to speak up for Luke. Luca thought gifts like electrical appliances were thoughtful. Luke was not a person who would spend money like water. It was enough to show Luke''s thoughts. Also, it was better than giving them money. Gifts were more thoughtful and special than money. Moreover, these small appliances were all from world-renowned brands. They were expensive too. Luke''s expression turned cold. Then, he asked, "Mother, what gifts are best to show someone''s thoughts, then?" Susan choked after hearing what he said. She sneered. ¡°Well, perhaps there should be at least golden ornaments. Even if it looks tacky, the price is still higher than these.¡± "Mom! I''ll buy whatever you want after this. Stop it now!" Louis''s head was pounding. Since when did the elegant image portrayed by Susan, the daughter-inw of the Crawford family, change? Perhaps Susan realized that Allison would still fight for the family''s assets. Although she still looked elegant on the outside, she gave off an aura of being vulgar and materialistic. She seemed like the kind of person who would use all kinds of methods to umte more wealth. She only agreed to move out of the Crawford manor as a bargaining chip to negotiate with Louis. In other words, she had moved out of the Crawford manor and had already used up Louis'' money, so she was asking Luke for money now. Louis felt embarrassed even though there were no outsiders here. "How could that be the same? Shut up!" Susan gave a cold snort, resenting Louis for getting in her way. "Luke, you asked me that question. You don''t mind, right?" "You haven''t opened the gifts yet. How do you know that there isn''t something like that?" asked Luke. Luca was startled for a moment. Then, she looked down at the two bags filled with gift boxes. Susan frowned. She was not expecting Luke to say that. Did he prepare those? Susan looked at him suspiciously and remained silent. "I saw you''ve listed them. Open the gifts so that they don''t get mixed up with someone else''s gifts later,¡± said Luke with a calm voice. There was a hint of sarcasm in his words. The Crawford family was not any ordinary family. They never specifically registered the gifts their guests gave them during small gatherings like this. However, Susan did it. Luke noticed the handwriting on the register. It was Susan''s handwriting. Others would mock her for doing this, but they would alsough at Louis. "Well, I have no choice but to open them since you requested me to do so." Susan took out an art knife and took the nicely wrapped gift out of the bag. Chapter 2734 Louis never thought that Susan would really open the gifts in front of Luke! "Mom, that''s enough. We just moved into our new home today. Please don''t make things look ugly." Louis stepped forward and pressed down the art knife that she held in her hand. "What are you doing? He agreed to this. Why are you against it?" Susan pushed his hand away and mercilessly cut the wrapping paper. Louis''s face turned live with rage. He disagreed with the idea of registering the gifts and disying them in the first ce, but there was no way he could talk Susan out of it. Louis reluctantly agreed to it only when Susan promised that she would not register or open the gifts in front of the guests. After Susan cut the wrapping paper, she opened the gift box and looked at the exquisite decorations. It was an affordable luxury style, and it was from a good brand. Still, Susan curled her lips and asked, "It looks beautiful, but women at my age don''t really like this style." Luca tightened her fists. It was the decoration she prepared for Louis'' new home. Even though it was not made of gold, it cost her a fortune. However, the look on Susan''s face was full of disdain. Luke looked at the bag and said, "There''s more than that." Susan gave a cold snort as she thought that Luke would never think of giving her gold. It turned out she might be able to pick on him today. Hence, Susan picked up another gift and held it in her hands. She could not help but mutter, "This is heavy.¡± "Mom, cut it out." There was anger in Louis'' voice. He could no longer tolerate Susan''s rude behavior. Susan ignored what Louis said to her and opened the gift. Luca noticed the wrapping paper of the gift. It was not a gift she bought. Then, Luca looked up and nced at Luke''s side profile. Did Luke prepare it? That was why Luke let Susan do as she pleased when she was nitpicking about the gifts. It seemed that he saw thising and prepared in advance. When Luca was admiring Luke for being thoughtful, she also med herself for not being attentive enough. If it were not for Luke''s good preparation, he would have lost face today. Susan opened the gift box and found a golden ornament shaped like a pine tree. Even though it was not the type of decoration that young people nowadays would like, it looked magnificent when the ornament was ced in the house. To put it in her own words, it made her look rich enough when it was disyed in the house. Susan was stunned for a moment when she looked at the pine tree ornament. She did not expect Luke to actually prepare something like this in advance. Previously, a senior employee of thepany praised Luke in front of Old Master Crawford. He said Luke was detail-oriented, and he was good at foreseeing something ahead of time before it happened. The way he did things was impable. Susan had secretly scoffed when she heard the exaggeration. There was no way someone could have such prescience. She believed that the person was simply trying to side with Luke. That was why heplimented him. Susan put up a tough front and said, "The pine tree looks impressive. I wonder if it''s gold-ted. Many gold-ted ornaments on the market are worthless these days." "There''s a certificate in the bag." Luke reminded her. He had personally chosen it with Jason. It was made of pure gold. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Susan took the certificate out and nced at it. It was indeed a pine tree made of pure gold. She could not find any other faults with it. Susan sneered and immediately left with the pine tree ornament in her hand. Susan''s behavior had put a sulky expression on Louis'' face. He looked at him apologetically. "I''m sorry, Luke." "It''s okay." Luke shook his head. Louis had nothing to do with this. "Has Grandpa arrived?" "He''s in the backyard,¡± replied Louis. Fortunately, Old Master Crawford was in the backyard. He would have been angry if he saw what Susan did. However, Susan would not dare to deliberately make things difficult for Luke if the old master was here. "I have something to tell Grandpa. Let me talk to him first." Luke turned to look at Luca and told her. He was talking to her. "Okay." Luca nodded. After Luke left, Louis looked at her and said, "Dr. Craw, would you like me to show you around?" Luca initially wanted to agree with him, but she smiled and rejected him at the thought of Susan''s behavior. "Master Louis, you can leave me here. I''ll sit with the children." She pointed at the pavilion nearby. "Okay. Food and drinks are served in the living room. Just head to the living room if you''re thirsty or hungry. We''ll start the barbecue when all of the guests have arrived," said Louis. He had hired chefs to cook for the guests. "Okay," replied Luca as she led the three kids to the pavilion. After they sat down, she noticed how quiet the kids were and touched each of their heads. Then, she asked, "What''s in your mind?" "Ms. Luca, is it rude to open gifts in front of others?" asked Rainie. She was curious when she saw what Susan did just now. "Yes." Luca nodded. She knew why the child asked such a question, but she did not want to give them the wrong impression just to protect Susan''s reputation. "Then why did Grandma do such a thing?" asked Rainie. Rainie remembered that Luke stopped her from opening her birthday gifts in front of the others during her birthday party. He told her that it was rude to do so. She knew she could not open her gifts in front of the guests as it was rude and disrespectful. The right thing to do was to wait until after the birthday party had ended and the guests had left. Only then was she allowed to open her birthday gifts in her bedroom. Rainie remembered what Luke told her. That was why she was confused. She also picked up on Susan''sck of respect for them when she opened the gifts in front of them earlier. She was unhappy about it. "We can''t tell others how to behave themselves. We can be responsible for our own behavior. What others do may not be right, but we should do what is right when we know what''s the right thing to do," Luca held Rainie''s hands and exined to her in a soft voice. Luca could not tell the kids why Susan did that. After all, the adult world wasplicated. She did not want her children to be exposed to them. Therefore, she could only tell them what was right and let them focus on doing the right thing. "Ms. Luca''s right," said Lanie, who stood next to her. He knew why his sister was upset. He went along with Luca. "Alright!" Rainie nodded. She leaned against Luca''s arm, showing her trust. "Would you like to y and have some fun? I heard that there are toys for kids in the backyard," Luca asked the kids. She saw someone delivering a few props for a yground when she went out. There were slides and a see-saw. Luca reckoned that Louis must have bought them specifically for Thea. She did not see them in the front yard, so she figured that they must be in the backyard. "I''m not going. I''d like to sit here and spend some time with Ms. Luca," said Tommy. "Lanie and I would like to sit here and apany Ms. Luca too," said Rainie as she clung to her. Chapter 2735 In the living room. Yuri was dishing up the fruits that had just been delivered. She saw Louis walk in with an angry look on his face. She frowned and asked with confusion, "Who upset you?" "Where''s my mother?" asked Louis. "She headed upstairs with a golden pine tree ornament in her hands. Who gave that? I can see she''s happy. Is it made of pure gold?" asked Yuri. She reckoned that if the ornament was truly made of pure gold, it would be worth at least a million dors. "Luke gave it to us. She opened the gift in front of him. I''m going upstairs to find her," Louis replied shortly and made his way up the stairs. Yuri watched him leave and pondered. If the ornament was a gift from Luke, there was no doubt that it was made of pure gold. She did not expect Susan would take such a valuable ornament before her... Yuri looked at the fruits on the table and shook her head helplessly. Even though she did not like things that were made of gold, the ornament was valuable, and it could be sold for a significant amount of money. Louis went upstairs. Susan was nowhere to be seen in the living room. He pushed open the bedroom door. Susan was cing the ornament on the table when the sound of the door mming open startled her. She turned around and saw Louis, then she ced her hand on her chest to calm herself down. Then, she said, "Why did you open the door without knocking? You scared me." "Do you think what you did was right?" Louis'' eyes were slightly red as he looked at Susan. She clutched the ornament tightly in her hand. He knocked it out of her hand. Susan nced at the ornament and remained silent. Then, she ced it on the shelf near the window. "Mom, you went too far with what you did today!" It got on Louis'' nerves when he noticed that all Susan cared about was the pine tree ornament and she ignored him. "What did I do? I was just unwrapping a gift. Besides, Luke''s your brother. We''re a family. Why are you making a fuss when he didn''t even say anything about it?" Susan was impatient. Louis fell speechless. Susan had never treated Luke as family, and now she was using this excuse to exin it away... Louis used to work at T Corporation, and he was always being taken care of by Luke. He was grateful, but he also knew what the others talked about behind his back. He was the younger brother who could never grow up... It took him a while before he finally convinced Old Master Crawford to let him start his own business. When he made some achievements, Susan would always find a way to trample on his dignity. Luke would not say anything or look down on him because of his mother. Still, Louis felt ashamed because of what Susan did. The embarrassment he felt due to Susan''s actions caused a hot flush to spread across his cheeks. It felt like someone was pping him in the face. Susan noticed that Louis seemed to have suffered a major setback. He stood there silently with his head lowered. A wave of fury suddenly rose inside her. "I just unwrapped a gift, and it was Luke''s gift. You think it''s shameful, don''t you? To you, Luke is your noble brother. You have never put me, your mother, in your eyes. In this case, let''s make things clear with the old master. You don''t want me to stay here, so instead of staying here and enduring you giving me that attitude, I might as well move back to Crawford Manor!" Susan had never wanted to move here. Now, she had an excuse to move back to Crawford Manor. "Don''t make a fuss!" Louis reached out to stop her from leaving and looked for Old Master Crawford. Susan stomped forward furiously. She did not stop walking when she was stopped by Louis. Louis blocked her way, and she could not help but take a few steps backward. Then, she gave him an incredulous look and said, "Did you just push me?" Louis withdrew his hand with a defeated look on his face. "I didn''t." Susan approached him and poked his chest with her finger. "Louis, you pushed me over a trivial matter today. Will you abandon me under a bridge when I get older?" "I told you I didn''t do that!" Louis'' voice grew louder as he confronted her. He sounded like a wild beast growling. It frightened Susan. After she came back to her senses, she yelled at him, "Are you nuts?" "I am. You want to talk to Grandpa, right? Then let''s go and tell him what you did today!" Louis nned to take the bull by the horns. He grabbed her by the wrist and headed outside. Old Master Crawford was sunbathing and enjoying his cup of tea in the backyard. Louis was going to take the other stairs that led to the backyard. Susan knew that what she did was out of line, but she relied on her status as an elder to get her way. That was why she thought it was not a problem. However, when she heard Louis say he would tell Old Master Crawford about what she did, she knew she would be scolded for what she did. Susan did not want to get scolded by the old master. She knew that she was allowed to move back to Crawford Manor together with the kids during the school holiday only because she made a deal with him. She might lose the chance to move back there if she was caught doing something wrong. This would undoubtedly give Allison and Luke more opportunities. Susan was unhappy about it. "Let me go. I''ll move out if you keep acting like this!" Susan thought Louis would worry about her leaving. That was why she used this to threaten him. "Isn''t that great? I''ll tell Grandpa that you''d like to move back to Crawford Manor right now," replied Louis. He was outraged and not intimidated by her. The expression on Susan''s face changed drastically. Louis had always negotiated with her to get her to move into the new house. However, his attitude had changed because of the incident just now. Susan was worried that she would be kicked out by Louis and Old Master Crawford. "What''s going on here?" Yuri''s voice rang in their ears. She thought she heard Louis'' roaring with rage downstairs. It was faint, so she came up to see what was going on. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. "Yuri, Louis is out of his mind. Help me," Susan asked for help. Yuri came over and tried to pull Susan away, but Louis held her tightly and he refused to let go. "Louis, her wrist is bruised!" she reminded him. Louis grabbed Susan''s wrist so tight that it left a bruise on it. He looked down at it but still held her wrist tightly. "We''re a family. We can talk about this. Do you have to make a big deal out of it on such an important day?" Yuri got anxious. Louis was usually easy to talk with, but he was as stubborn as a mule when it was something he pursued with great determination. "If you don''t care about your reputation, think about Thea. Thea''s ssmates areing over today. Do you want your daughter to lose face in front of her ssmates?" Yuri had to bring up Thea to reason with Louis. Thea was Louis'' soft spot. Even though what Susan did was too much, he loosened his grip and let out a heavy sigh when he was reminded of Thea. Chapter 2736 Susan let out a sigh of relief as a surge of anger boiled inside her. She could not help butsh out at Louis, "Are you crazy? Have you been bewitched by Luke?" "Mom!" Yuri''s headache worsened. Louis was still annoyed, but he refrained from causing a scene for Thea''s sake. If Susan continued to stir things up like this, Yuri knew he would not be able to suppress the urge to go mad. Louis red at Susan with a darkened expression. It gave Susan the creeps. She even had a feeling that she would be taken to see Old Master Crawford right away if she did not calm things down. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. "Hmph," Susan snorted coldly. Then, she turned around and headed to her bedroom. The door was mmed shut with a loud bang. Yuri heaved a sigh, knowing what had really happened just now. It was Susan''s fault, but Louis had chosen to confront her on this special day. It was a bad idea to do so. Even though they were not holding a big party, the guests who would being today were either their rtives or close friends... "Mom shouldn''t have done that. But she''s just unhappy about Luke. Besides, she was forced to leave Crawford Manor, and she''s upset about it. Let''s just let things slide. Your grandfather won''t be pleased if you make a fuss about it," Yuri whispered to him, trying to calm him down. Old Master Crawford came across Louis'' mind. Not only did he have to protect Thea''s image, but he also had to save Old Master Crawford''s face. If they argued about this in front of the old master and made peopleugh at them, it would only tarnish the family''s reputation. He was too angry to consider this just now. "Alright." Louis calmed down. Whether or not he remained in the T Corporation, he had to protect the Crawford family''s reputation as long as he was one of the Crawford family. A maid approached them and reminded, "Sir, Madam, Mr. Griffin asked me to inform you that most of the guests have arrived." The Crawford family''s butler was helping them out today. Mr. Griffin saw the list of guests invited by Louis back then. Therefore, he was responsible for greeting and entertaining the guests to ease the couple''s burden. "Okay," Louis'' voice was hoarse. "Pour him a cup of tea," Yuri instructed the maid. "Okay, Madam." The maid hurried downstairs. "I don''t drink tea..." Louis nned to go to the front yard to greet the guests. As the host, he should not stay away for too long. Yuri reminded him, "Your throat is already hoarse. Your voice gets hoarse whenever you''re angry. You wouldn''t want Old Master Crawford to find out what happened just now, right? Drink a cup of tea to soothe your throat before going out. It''ll take you a few minutes." "Let''s go downstairs," said Louis as he held Yuri''s hand. They walked past Susan''s bedroom door. He did not knock on her door. Susan was emotionally driven now. He did not ask her toe downstairs because he did not want her to make things worse. Moreover, she refused to meet the old master just now. It was probably because she was afraid that he would get mad at her and not let her return to Crawford Manor. Hence, Louis was sure she would not vent her dissatisfaction on the spot. The two of them made their way down the stairs together. "Aren''t you going to call Mom?" Yuri asked in a low voice. "She''s still mad." Louis'' face turned slightly grim when he mentioned Susan. He could not bring himself to smile at the moment. "Okay..." Yuri did not like to get involved in the conflicts between the mother and son. However, the role of a daughter-inw was to handle family conflicts. She would not interfere unless their rtionship was as tense as a bowstring. The couple arrived downstairs. ¡°Sir, here''s your cup of tea.¡± The maid served Louis a cup of warm tea. Louis took a few sips of the tea until his throat felt better and his voice was not as hoarse as earlier. Only then did he hand the cup to the maid. Then, he turned to look at Yuri. ¡°Let''s go.¡± "Okay." Yuri followed him to the front yard. The guests had already seated down. They were having a housewarming party to celebrate moving into their new home. Long tables were ced together, and the guests'' seats had already been arranged by Mr. Griffin. "Sorry to keep you all waiting," Louis noticed that the chef from Penins Hotel was already preparing the food. He felt a little embarrassed as he sat in the host''s seat. One of the guests noticed that Susan had not yet arrived and asked, "Master Louis, where''s your mother?" "She''s not feeling well, and she''s resting upstairs," Louis calmly made up an excuse for Susan''s absence. Then he smiled, "This is the chef from the Penins Hotel. He''ll be preparing delicious food for you today. I apologize for any inconvenience caused." "Master Louis, we appreciate that. The chef from Penins Hotel doesn''t usually take on private jobs like this. It''s all thanks to the Crawford family for having such a great reputation that we get to enjoy the food he prepared," one of the guestsplimented. Louis exchanged pleasantries with them for a while. After a while, the maid began to serve the food prepared by the chef, and the guests began to dine in. Old Master Crawford looked at the nicely ted food and asked calmly, "What did your mother comin about just now?" "It''s not that, Grandpa. She''s not feeling well." Louis did not intend to snitch on her. "Mr. Griffin heard you yelling upstairs just now," added Old Master Crawford. Mr. Griffin received the old master''s instructions to look for Louis and ask him to entertain the guests. Unexpectedly, he heard them arguing with each other upstairs. He did not listen to what they were arguing about. When he heard the mother and son quarreling, he left in a hurry and reported to the old master. That was why the old master left the backyard and went to wee the guests with Luke and Mr. Griffin. Otherwise, it would have been rude for the master of the house to leave it to the butler and the maids to receive the guests. Louis tightened his grip as he held the cutlery in his hand. He did not expect Old Master Crawford to find out about it. "Grandpa, it''s settled," replied Louis. "There''s nothing I can do if anything happens between you and your mother. But she has been causing troubletely. We can''t let her ruin the reputation of the Crawford family,¡± Old Master Crawford whispered in his ears and warned him. Ever since Allison got released from prison, Susan had been acting that way. She was constantly in a state of tension, afraid that Allison might take something away from her... It was almost pathological to the extent that Old Master Crawford even suspected that Susan probably had some mental health issues. How could she change so much after Allison got out of prison? However, the old master could not be bothered about Susan''s situation. Therefore, he went all out and asked her to move out and live with Louis instead. With both Susan and Allison away from him, he could finally have some peace. "I know she has some sense of propriety." Louis could not help but feel guilty when he said that. If Susan had any sense of propriety, she would not have embarrassed him in front of Luke. Also, she would not have caused a scene that would have caught Old Master Crawford''s attention. Chapter 2737 Old Master Crawford never mentioned Susan''s matter again after that. He looked in Luke''s direction. The person sitting next to Luke was Luca and his three children. When they were in the backyard, Luke invited him to a secluded corner and told him something. After Old Master Crawford listened to what he said, he finally understood that Luke was not an unfaithful man. Even though the real Bianca had been missing for three years, there was no way he could have moved on. Luke''s father, Zachary, and Luke werepletely different. Zachary cheated on his wife, but Luke was the one who truly remained faithful to his wife. It was because Luca''s real identity was Bianca. Old Master Crawford was shocked when he heard this. However, he was reminded of how Luke had cared for Luca. That exined why Luke had been behaving that way. He did not expect Bianca to change a lot three years after she was abducted. She changed her name and her appearance, and she learned a lot about medicine... What remained unchanged was her love for Luke and their children. Old Master Crawford looked at Luca''s face as she took care of her children. Tommy got his mouth dirty while he was eating. Luca took the napkin and gently wiped it off. She was thoughtful and gentle to him. Old Master Crawford thought that since Luca''s true identity was Bianca, it was good news for Luke and their kids. His doubts were resolved as soon as he found out that Luca was Bianca. That exined why Luke''s kids, who had never epted any other women, epted Luca. Luke never approached the impostor Bianca, and he had never thought about finding another woman for the past three years. Not until Luca showed up in his life. His situation began to change, and he started to get closer to her. It was because Luca was the real Bianca. Old Master Crawford smiled. His greatest wish was to see Luke and Louis live happily. After the meal, the maids cleaned up the long table and ced bottles of champagne and desserts on it. The audio system that had been ced in the front yard started ying music too. The guests began to talk to each other. Luke, who had been hiding in the backyard, was now surrounded by people who wanted to exchange pleasantries. Some wished to work with him. There was an endless stream of people. Meanwhile, Luca was pushed to the sidelines by the crowd. Luca smiled as she watched Luke being surrounded by the crowd. After all, Luke had always been popr. She was in no position to stand by his side now. Then, someone tugged on her sleeve. Luca lowered her head and saw Rainie. "Ms. Luca, I''d like to go to the bathroom..." said Rainie. Even though they were at Louis'' house, Rainie had nevere here before, and she was a little scared. That was why she wanted Luca to take her to the bathroom. "Okay. Shall I take you there?" Luca understood what she meant in an instant. "Okay!" Rainie smiled sweetly. Luca turned to look at Tommy, who was already ying with other children. Lanie stood next to Tommy, watching him. Luca felt at ease with Lanie keeping an eye on Tommy. Hence, she took Rainie into the house. It was springtime, and the weather was perfect. The scenery was stunning, and it was warm. Therefore, everyone was in the front yard. Meanwhile, it was quiet in the house. Luca nced at the vi''syout. Theyout was the same as Luke''s vi, so she knew that the bathroom on the first floor was by the stairs. She walked to the partition next to the stairs and found the bathroom. "Get in. I''ll wait for you here," Luca let go of Rainie''s hand. "Okay, Ms. Luca." Rainie nodded and walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Luca stood at the stairs, waiting for Rainie. Just then, she ran into Susan who was about to head downstairs. Susan squinted her eyes when she saw Luca standing there. She walked toward her and asked, "What are you doing here?" Susan sounded unfriendly as though she was suspecting Luca of being a thief. Luca answered in a cold voice, "Rainie is in the bathroom. I''m waiting for her." Susan stretched her neck and nced at the closed bathroom door. Then, she sneered, "Why are you so kind to the child? Are you nning to be their stepmother?¡± Luca knew Susan was sharp-tongued. She hated everyone who was rted to Luke. Luca did not answer her. However, Susan was not the kind of person who would show mercy. She continued to say something harsh that could provoke Luca, ¡°I know you''d like to be their stepmother. The kids already have a mother. She may be overseas at the moment, but she''s still the wife. Luca, what do you expect to get by being so kind to Luke and his kids? What will you get when his wifees back?¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Luca secretly heaved a sigh. Susan was good at offending and provoking someone indeed. If Luca meant to take over the wife''s position, she would have been stung by her words. ¡°Madam Crawford, what are you trying to tell me?¡± "I''m just reminding you not to be fooled. You''re doing all sorts of things for him now. You''re even helping him to take care of his kids. But you''ll be nothing when his wife returns. Well, why don''t you work together with me now while you still have the chance? You can gain as many advantages as you can. That way, it wouldn''t make you look too miserable when you leave in the future." Susan blinked her eyes and deliberately lowered her voice so that Rainie, who was still in the bathroom, would not be able to hear what she said. "Oh? I wonder how you can help me?" Luca lowered her voice too. It was to make Susan believe that she was interested in her proposal. "I''m a woman too. When Allison, Luke''s mother, was favored by my husband in the past, I did everything I could to steal some assets from Louis'' father. If you promise to work with me and provide me with Luke''s information, I can help you get what you want by any means necessary. How about that?" Susan believed what she offered was appealing. "Fashion goes out of style, and so do your means. Madam Crawford, you im that you''ll be able to help me, but how do I know if your old-fashioned strategies are really useful? Forget it. I wouldn''t want to end up getting nothing after giving you all the information you want. I''d lose out." Luca wiped the smile off her face and rejected her offer. Susan was furious when she heard Luca mocking her outdated strategies. She could not help but scoff. "You''re just a mistress. How dare you mock me?" Luca wore a cold expression on her face. Then, she heard the sound of water runninging from the bathroom. "Madam Crawford, I wasn''t mocking you. It''s just that your means are indeed outdated. The child is about toe out of the bathroom. I don''t want things to get too ugly." Susan snorted coldly. Her hard-won sense of calm suddenly stirred up again because of Luca. She walked away and headed to the entrance angrily. Rainie pushed the bathroom door open and looked at her. "Let''s go out," said Luca. She noticed that Louis did not have the surveince cameras installed in this house yet. If Luca continued to stay here and Susan used her of stealing something, it would be difficult for her to prove her innocence. She immediately held Rainie''s hand and headed outside to avoid getting into trouble. Chapter 2738 Rainie followed her obediently, and all she could think about was their conversation just now. Although they were speaking softly behind her, she could still hear them clearly because of her excellent hearing. Rainie looked up at Luca and saw her cold expression. She did not disy any feelings of sadness or anger. ¡°Don''t be sad, Ms. Luca," said Rainie. ¡°Did you hear everything?" Luca paused and looked down at Rainie. She thought that the kid would not be able to hear them when they were speaking in low voices. Little did she know, Rainie heard everything. Rainie nodded and said, "I heard it all, and I think that what she said was wrong. You''re the best in the entire world, Ms. Luca. You''re not a mistress!" She knew what mistress meant at such a young age. Her ssmates were all from wealthy families, and such families often had third parties involved. Thus, she often heard her ssmates talk about their dads having a mistress. Over time, she found out what the word ''mistress'' meant. However, Susan was wrong because their beloved Ms. Luca was their mother. How could she be a mistress when they were the same person? Their dad said that there was a reason their mom had to hide her identity right now, and she had no other choice, but things would get better eventually. "So, you know..." Luca sighed. It seemed like the children knew more than she thought. "Ms. Luca." After hearing her sigh, Rainie''s chest tightened as she wondered if she had said something wrong. "It''s okay, I didn''t take her words to heart anyway. So, you don''t have to take her words to heart too, okay, Rainie?" Luca whispered to the child. She did not take Susan''s words personally. As long as she was with Luke, there was no need for her to be upset about Susan''s words. She was the one in his heart after all, and not anyone else. Susan had greeted many people before seeing Luca walk out with Rainie. She purposelyughed and said, "Look." Then, the people she was talking to turned over to look. "Who''s that girl?" Mrs. Jackman asked out of curiosity as she noticed that woman sitting next to Luke during the meal just now. Not only that, but she was looking after his kids too. "She doesn''t look like Luke''s wife, does she? Or is it because I haven''t seen her in a long time, so I can''t recognize her?" Mrs. Malcolm said. "Hmph." Susan snorted. "What''s the matter? Who is she?" Mrs. Jackman was curious. "She''s one cunningdy. Who do you think she is?" Susan smirked. In their friend circle, they would always describe a woman who meddled in another''s marriage as cunning. Her friends knew exactly what she meant when she said that. "The media says that he''s the man of every woman''s dreams, yet he found himself another lover?" Mrs. Jackman''s eyes were suddenly full of disdain as she looked at Luca. "He even brought her to an asion like this? Did Old Master Crawford not say anything? Doesn''t he value the Crawford family''s reputation the most? How could he tolerate him publicly showing off his mistress?" Mrs. Malcolm asked. Susan said coldly, "Old Master Crawford is biased. Luke is the head of the Crawford family now, so he''s free to do his monkey business. Besides, Old Master Crawford doesn''t think this woman will affect the Crawford family''s reputation, so he''s letting Luke do whatever he wants. Plus, if it was actually important to him, he wouldn''t have let Luke appear either." When Susan got to the end of her sentence, she recalled Zachary cheating on her with Allison and having Luke. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. If Old Master Crawford had been stricter with Zachary back then, T Corporation would have been Louis'', and Luke would not even exist. Mrs. Jackman recalled Susan''s past and sighed deliberately as she agreed with her. "You''re right. Like father, like son. I bet this woman has been with Luke for some time, right? She seems to get along with the three kids." "Tell me about it. It''s been a while, and she works at a pharmaceuticalpany under T Corporation." Susan gritted her teeth as she remembered what Luca had said before. "That''s outrageous. I heard that Luke''s wife is abroad right now. Is she there because of this woman?" Mrs. Jackman frowned as she hated third parties the most. Her husband left home for a while too, and it was because his mistress had given birth to a son somewhere. The most ironic thing was that her husband''s mistress was younger than their son, and Mrs. Jackman could not take it. They fought because of it, and she even had someone go beat up the mistress. However, the mistress took advantage of her husband''s love and refused to leave. She even threatened to raise the child well so they could have a share of the Jackman family''s property. That was why Mrs. Jackman despised mistresses even more. "They said that she''s studying abroad, and I also thought that she went overseas to study, but you know Luke and I don''t get along well. I''m afraid that only he knows why she went abroad. Bianca never calls during the new year, and I don''t see her sending wishes on special asions. She''s supposed to be establishing her position as Mrs. Crawford, but she doesn''t do anything she''s supposed to do. I''m guessing that only people who have been tipped over the edge would do something like that..." Susan said that she did not know what was going on, yet she still implied to her friends that Bianca left because Luke favored his mistress. ¡°That''s unbelievable. How do the three kids get along so well with that b*tch?" Mrs. Jackman looked at Luca surrounded by Luke''s two sons and got even angrier, so much so that she forgot to watch her language. "How cunning is she that she even got the kids to like her? If Luke and Bianca get divorced, she can take over the position of Mrs. Crawford anytime." Mrs. Malcolm could not help but scoff at the situation. Not only do wives of wealthy families have to maintain their family image, but they also had to prevent young women from approaching their husbands to protect their status. Otherwise, their identity and property would be snatched by other women anytime. "That''s why children these days are heartless. Their own mother has been chased away by another woman, yet they still have the audacity to get close to that woman. If she really bes their stepmother someday and has her own kids, I wonder if they''ll regret being this nice to her," Mrs. Jackman muttered. Susan was smiling brightly as their conversation lifted her mood. "Mrs. Jackson, just ignore it. Besides, it''s Luke. If he knows that we''re talking behind his back, I don''t know what he''ll do to your husband''spany." Chapter 2739 ¡°So what? What could he do to me when I''m saying the truth? If he dares to mess with me, I''ll tell the media everything!" Mrs. Jackman looked disgruntled. Although the Jackman family''spany was not as sessful as T Corporation, Mrs. Jackman believed that she had something on Luke. These people usually kept their mistresses discreet and away from the media. There were no media on an asion like today, and everyone here was a close acquaintance. They were also in business partnerships, so they would not disclose anything to the media. Mrs. Jackman reckoned that Luke dared to have Luca apany him because of that. An idea popped into Susan''s head when she heard Mrs. Jackman''s words, so she pretended to empathize with her. "Mrs. Jackman, I really admire you for being so brave." "Oh, it''s nothing. What bravery are you talking about? That sl*t has to pay for what she did." Mrs. Jackman had never even interacted with Luca before, but because Susan led her astray, her hatred for Luca grew infinitely. "You don''t know this, but that woman said a lot of nasty things to me when I was in there just now just because she has Luke to back her up. "I was asking her to leave for her own good because Luke was a married man. Old Master Crawford may not care about him having a mistress, but as his stepmother, I have to do something. I''m just trying to save the Crawford family''s reputation, aren''t I? Who knew that she would curse at me when I was just telling her to leave? That woman has one heck of a mouth. I didn''t even have the chance to defend myself..." Susan faked her tears and wiped the corner of her eyes. In reality, there was not even a single tear. "How could she do that?" Mrs. Malcolm was surprised to hear her say that. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Although Susan appeared weak in front of them, they knew that Susan was not easily defeated. She had her ways, and she was skilled in trash-talking. Otherwise, how else was she able to fight Allison for so many years and secure her spot as Madam Crawford? The average woman was no match for her. "Right, that woman is unbelievably arrogant. The kindness she shows to the kids is all fake." Susan looked at Mrs. Jackman, hoping that she would help her deal with Luca. That way, she would be able to feel better without making a move herself. ¡°How cocky! How could she behave like that when she''s not even a part of the family yet? Even if she eventually bes a part of the family, you''re still her mother-inw, yet she has no respect for you at all. I really want to teach her a lesson..." Mrs. Jackman looked at Luca from afar with the intention of treating Luca like she treated her husband''s mistress to teach her a lesson. "Just forget it. She''s Luke''s woman. If he starts investigating this matter, we''ll be in trouble." Mrs. Malcolm shook her head at her words. "What do you mean just forget it? No wonder you keep quiet even when your husband is sleeping around. You''re used to turning a blind eye. What a coward!" Mrs. Jackman could not help but scoff at what Mrs. Malcolm said. "Nonsense, I''m not a coward. It''s because I have no feelings for that man, and I would just make things easier for that b*tch if I leave. Otherwise, I would''ve divorced him already!" Mrs. Malcolm''s expression changed. They became friends because they all had something inmon. Their husbands were all having affairs. "That''s why I said we have to deal with mistresses. Those sl*ts should be taught a lesson. Madam Crawford, will you help me?" Mrs. Jackman started to think about getting back at Luca. "What do I need to do?" Susan was beyond excited as she leaned closer to listen. Mrs. Jackman looked at Luca from a distance as she whispered into Susan''s ear. After a while, a maid walked up to Luca and said to her softly, "Ms. Craw, somedies have invited you to the backyard for a gathering." "Backyard? Who are thosedies?" Luca asked. "You''ll know once you get there. I have some things to tend to, so I won''t walk you there," after saying that, the maid left in a hurry. She left before Luca could say anything. Luca frowned as she looked at the maid leave. Who could it be? She thought about what Nina said this morning and suspected that Percy would attend Louis'' housewarming party. However, she did not see Percy and Nina at the dining table, so she guessed that they probably got caught up in something. Was Nina in the backyard? If it were Nina, why did she not see her walk in? Could it be that Percy and Nina arrived when she took Rainie to the restroom? If that were the case, where was Percy? Luca looked around, but she did not see Percy anywhere. She nced at the three kids ying and hesitated for a bit before walking to the backyard. There were not many people in the backyard at this time, so when Luca saw the three of them under the gazebo, she was startled. The one in the middle was Susan, and the women next to her were wives of wealthy families. However, Luca did not know them well. Susan said, ¡°Here shees." Mrs. Jackman narrowed her eyes and examined Luca from afar. She had a pretty face and a nice figure, just like how a typical mistress looked like. "Sl*t," she cursed under her breath. Luca heard her as she got closer and raised her eyebrows without saying anything. She assumed that the woman was not talking about her. "Madam Crawford, you asked for me? What''s the matter?" Luca''s tone was cold. Susan turned toward Mrs. Jackman and winked at her. "There''s something we have to tell you." Mrs. Jackman crossed her legs and sat up straight. Looking at Luca reminded her of the woman her husband cheated on her with as they looked alike. Luca did not respond and nced at Susan instead. Then, she turned to look at Mrs. Jackman and realized that Susan was using her to cause her trouble. Thus, she was waiting for them to continue. "Madam Crawford realized that she lost an expensive ne, and we heard that you entered the mansion earlier, so we''re suspecting that you stole it. Hand it over right now and we''ll pretend nothing happened. If you refuse to do so, don''t me us when we call the police," Mrs. Jackman said. She did not actually lose her ne, but they were using it as an excuse to mess with Luca. "Madam Crawford''s ne?" Luca did not expect that her little concern earlier had turned out to be true. These people were here to give her a hard time right now, and she would not be able to get away easily... However, it was Louis'' big day, and he was Luke''s brother, so Luca did not want things to get ugly. When she looked at Susan, she could not help but wonder. Even an outsider like her would think of saving Louis'' face, so why was Susan repeatedly humiliating Louis on important asions like this just for her own peace of mind? Chapter 2740 Mrs. Jackman looked at Luca coldly, noticing how calm she was. After all, it was just an excuse to make things difficult for Luca. Mrs. Jackman could understand why Luca was soposed while facing such a situation. "Hand it over now if you''re the one who took it," urged Mrs. Malcolm. She was not particrly interested in framing someone. Still, she wanted to watch the drama unfold. "Madam Crawford suspects that I took it just because I went into the house with the child to use the bathroom?" asked Luca. "Who else could it be if it wasn''t you?" Susan interjected. "There are so many people here. Many of them would have gone into the house to use the bathroom. Madam Crawford, are you nning to interrogate them all? If so, I can help you pull up the surveince footage at the garden and check who went into the house. Then, we can have them answer questions individually and figure out who took your ne," Luca calmly suggested. If she knew that Susan was waiting for her in the backyard earlier, she would not havee. Susan was really difficult to deal with... "Do you have any idea who they are and who you are? Who are you to suspect the others? You''d better know your position!" Mrs. Jackman lifted a cup of tea and took a sip. Her gaze was sharp and cold. She hated all the mistresses! That was why she had no intention of letting Luca off the hook. "Madam, I only went to the first floor when I was in the house. Do you really think Madam Crawford would be that silly to leave her ne in the living room and let the others take it? Even though my net worth may not be as high as yours, usations require evidence. I was on the first floor the entire time. I didn''t even head to the second floor. How could you use me of stealing the ne? Let''s call the police since everyone is still here. It''ll be better for the police officers to investigate everyone here," replied Luca as she took her phone out from her pocket. "You''re still denying it, and now you''re trying to get the police involved, huh?!" Mrs. Jackman came up with a n. She lifted the teapot filled with the scalding tea and threw it at Luca. Luca did not manage to dodge the teapot that wasing at her as she was looking at her phone. She had no choice but to move to the side. The teapot shattered, and the boiling hot tea sshed on her bare ankle as well as all over the floor. Her snow-white skin instantly turned red. Mrs. Jackman felt pleased and disappointed at the same time. She was disappointed that it did not ssh on Luca''s body. Otherwise, she would have been burned more. "Ah!" Mrs. Malcolm eximed in shock as she did not expect Mrs. Jackman to do something so rude as to hurl the freshly boiled water in the tea pot at Luca. Mrs. Jackman rolled her eyes and sneered in disapproval at Mrs. Malcolm''s overreaction. Luca stood tall and straight, watching the smug expression on Susan''s face. It seemed like she had found herself a good assistant, someone who would break the tea pot without considering the consequences. "Madam, do you know how long you can be detained for injuring someone?" Luca asked calmly. "Injure? Is someone hurt?" Mrs. Jackman shot Susan a nce and asked, "Madam Crawford, did you see anyone causing harm?" "No. It was just a smashed teapot," Susan lied through her teeth to go along with Mrs. Jackman. "What about you, Mrs. Malcolm?" Mrs. Jackman turned to look at Mrs. Malcolm, who was startled by the incident just now. "No... I didn''t see anything," Mrs. Malcolm came back to her senses and thought that it was fortunate that the woman dodged the teapot that was thrown at her. It could have caused severe burns. As Luca listened to their conversation, she reckoned that the other two women were like Susan. They were rich wives who stayed at home doing nothing, and they had not seen much of the dark side of the society. Besides, their husbands were rich and powerful. They were the only ones who could trample on someone''s dignity, and there was no way the others could do that to them. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Hence, they were not cautious enough when they did something evil. "Is that so?" Luca pursed her lips and lifted her foot to examine her red and swollen ankle. She reckoned that her ankle would be blistered from the scorching heat of the tea. "No one saw anything. Did I hurt anyone? Well, how long would someone be detained for theft?" There was a smug grin on Mrs. Jackson''s face. Susan stood beside her, smirking as she was pleased with Mrs. Jackson speaking up for her. Luca looked straight into Mrs. Jackson''s eyes and pointed at the corner of the garden. "I have only two pockets. There''s no evidence to prove that I took the ne, unless Madam Crawford is going to shove the ne into my pocket now. But I doubt there''s enough time for her to do that. So you can''t file theft charges against me, but I''m pretty sure you''ll be charged for intentional assault." "It''s surprising to see how stubborn you are, trying to remain defiant until the bitter end. I can''t believe that Luke would choose a thief to be his mistress. The reputation of the Crawford family will be ruined if this gets out, right?" Mrs. Jackman sneered without paying attention to what Luca was pointing at. Mrs. Malcolm was the only one who looked at the corner that Luca was pointing at. She saw the blinking green light of the surveince camera and tugged at Mrs. Jackman''s sleeves. Then, she said, "Stop it." "What?" Mrs. Jackman turned back and nced at her impatiently. "What''s the fuss about?" It was not like Luke wasing here. "Mrs. Jackson, it''s a surveince camera, and it''s still on," Mrs. Malcolm pointed at the surveince camera, which was facing the pavilion. Judging from the distance it was installed, it could clearly capture everything that happened just now. Mrs. Jackman''s face immediately turned sour. She had chosen the backyard because Susan had said that there was no one around and that they could do whatever they wanted without being seen. However, they had overlooked the fact that the ce was installed with surveince cameras, leaving virtually no blind spots. "This will be the evidence to prove that you hurt me," Luca pursed her lips and smiled. She had no intention of forgiving these wealthy wives who hade looking for trouble. However, she needed to find out who Mrs. Jackman were first. She would let it slide if messing with this woman would cause trouble for Luke... She did not want to bring too much trouble to Luke. Susan noticed the changes of the expression on Mrs. Jackman''s face. She had no choice but to give a cold snort and stand up. Then, she said, "What are you afraid of? This is my house. I can delete the surveince footage as I wish." "Oh? Madam Crawford, will you be able to delete the surveince footage before I tell Old Master Crawford what you did?" Luca turned around, fully aware who Mrs. Jackson was. Previously, Luca had apanied Luke to various social events when she was still Bianca. They had come across a wealthy businessman with the family name Jackman. However, she did not have much of an impression of Mrs. Jackman. She reckoned that the wealthy businessman did not bring his wife along with him at that time. That was why she could not remember her. Susan''s heart tightened when Luca mentioned the old master. She had initially nned to use Mrs. Jackman as a tool to teach Luca a lesson. However, she did not expect to be caught and let Luca get the dirt on her. Susan deeply regretted it. As she watched Luca leave from behind, Mrs. Jackman rose to her feet and urged Susan, "Come on, send someone to delete the surveince footage!" "Hurry up," urged Mrs. Malcolm. Even though she was not involved, it would affect her reputation if the situation escted. Chapter 2741 Susan eventually took her phone out after Mrs. Malcolm urged her to hurry up. She tried to call the security guard who was responsible for the vi''s security, hoping to have them delete the surveince footage. However, before anyone could answer the call, Susan saw Luke walking toward them with Luca by his side. Then, she muttered to herself, "It''s toote." Mrs. Jackman and Mrs. Malcolm noticed Luke''s arrival. The expressions on their faces turned ugly. Indeed, it was toote. Once Luca told Luke about this, who would dare to delete the surveince footage? "Madam Crawford, can''t you delete the surveince footage yourself?" asked Mrs. Jackman. Mrs. Jackman did not n to confront Luke head-on. Her n was to teach Luca a lesson, use her of theft, and make her apologize to Susan. However, when she saw Luca''s youthful and beautiful face, it reminded her of her husband''s mistress. She lost her temper and threw a teapot full of boiling hot tea at her. "I''m not familiar with the surveince equipment, and I don''t know where theputer is," Susan frowned. She was not involved in the renovation of the vi. That was why she was not familiar with theyout of the house, not to mention where the surveince monitoring system was... "Mrs. Jackman, I think Luke won''t let this slide so easily..." said Mrs. Malcolm. She regretted apanying the two of them to watch this absurd spectacle unfold. "Of course, I know that!" Mrs. Jackman''s heart trembled as she watched Luke turn to look in their direction. She had heard about what Luke had done for his wife before. Even though Luca was not his wife, she was currently his favorite person. Therefore, Luke might really stand up for her. "What''s the matter?" Luke shifted his gaze from Susan and turned to look at Luca. He could read the helplessness in her expression. He could confirm that Susan had given Luca a hard time. Luke had been surrounded by people after dinner. He was pulled into discussing various things about the business world. Hence, he got distracted and did not pay Luca enough attention. He noticed that Luca was missing a moment ago. After he asked around, someone told him that they saw her heading to the backyard. Luke thought Luca headed to the backyard to take a break and get some fresh air since the front yard was crowded. He followed behind her, but he did not expect to see Susan, Mrs. Jackman, and Mrs. Malcolm there... "They used me of stealing a ne and said they''re going to call the police," said Luca. Luke''s face turned livid with rage when he heard this. How dare they use her? At the same time, he realized that Susan must have started this. "Let''s call the police, then," said Luke. "No, don''t call the police..." Luca shook her head. "The guests haven''t left yet. It''ll make things ugly if we call the police." Luke nced at Susan and the other two women who were watching them from the pavilion. His face darkened. "It''s Mr. Louis'' big day today. It''ll affect Old Master Crawford and Mr. Louis'' mood if we call the police. It''ll ruin the Crawford family''s reputation too," added Luca. It was not that she wanted to let Susan and the others off the hook. She was putting herself in Luke''s shoes and looking at the situation from the Crawford family''s perspective. "Okay, but I won''t let this slide easily," Luke said. "Can you ask Mr. Louis to find someone to retrieve the surveince footage? Just the footage from the camera that''s recording the pavilion in the backyard," asked Luca. There was no way the Jackman family would be a threat to the Crawford family. Ever since she joined the Ind of Despair, she adopted a new philosophy. She told herself not to get into trouble, but she did not have to be afraid to confront the other party if they came looking for trouble. Since the Jackman family could not do any harm to the Crawford family, it would be better for her to settle ounts with Mrs. Jackman. Luke pursed his lips and gave the three women who were in the pavilion a cold look. "What did they do?" "Mrs. Jackman threw a teapot full of boiling hot water at me. I couldn''t dodge it in time and got injured," replied Luca. Luke became nervous and examined her. "Where''s the wound? Is it serious? Let me take you to the hospital now." He was going to take Luca to the hospital after that. Luca shook her head and grabbed his hand. "It''s not serious. Although I wasn''t fast enough, it didn''t hurt much. There''s just some redness and blisters on my ankle." Luke immediately crouched down to check her ankle when he heard that. He noticed the redness and blisters on her ankle. He pursed his lips and said, ¡°It''s blistered.¡± "It''s a small area. I''ll be fine after applying some burn ointment. There''s no need to go to the hospital." Luca took a step back. She did not expect Luke to crouch down to check her wound. "Mr. Crawford, please stand up. They''re watching." "Don''t they like it? Let them have a good look at it." Luke rose to his feet. Then, he grabbed Luca''s hand and left with a gloomy expression on his face. As they watched Luke and Luca walk out of the backyard, Mrs. Malcolm asked, "What should we do now?" The expression on Mrs. Jackman''s face was awful too. "We need to delete the surveince footage now!¡± She was worried Luke would make an issue out of it. After all, the surveince footage would have shown that she did throw the teapot at Luca... Susan pursed her lips and looked in the direction where the two of them left. The look on her face was terrible too. ¡°Madam Crawford!¡± Mrs. Jackman urged her when Susan did not react. "Delete it. I was helping you out. You can''t get me into trouble, right?" "Oh, I''ll arrange it right now." Susan called the security guard. The call rang about ten times, but the security guard did not answer it. Susan made another call with a sigh of frustration. Luke held Luca''s hand and walked toward Louis while carrying a storm cloud on his face. "Louis, where''s your first aid kit?" "Brother, what happened?" Louis nced at their hands that were held tightly together and realized that Luca might be injured. He immediately led them into the house. "Follow me." Luca''s hand was held by Luke as they followed Louis into the house. It was not until they reached the inside of the house did Louis ask, "Is Dr. Craw injured?" "Yes. She needs some burn ointment," replied Luke. Louis took the first aid kit out of the cab and hesitated for a moment while he opened it. "How did she get burned?" "Mrs. Jackman threw a teapot full of boiling hot water at her..." Luke replied in a disgruntled tone. Louis was startled. Then, he took the burn ointment out and handed it to Luke. "Mrs. Jackman? How''s that possible? Isn''t she hanging out with my mom..." He paused for a moment, realizing that something was off. Then, he turned to look at Luca. "Did my mom have a hand in this too?" Luca shook her head. "Mrs. Jackman threw the teapot." Louis looked unhappy. "But she was there, wasn''t she?" He knew the rtionship between Susan and Mrs. Jackman. He also noticed that Susan had been chatting with Mrs. Jackman and Mrs. Malcolm a moment ago.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. "She used Luca of stealing a ne." Luke''s face twisted in anger as he carefully applied the burn ointment to her. The burn on Luca''s ankle was not severe. However, Luke felt sorry for her. The woman he cherished and tried his best to protect had been hurt by Susan and the others. He would not let this slide easily. "What?!" Louis'' eyes widened. He did not expect Susan to do such a ridiculous thing. Chapter 2742 Luke helped Luca to dress her wound without saying anything. Louis turned to Luca and asked for confirmation, "Dr. Craw, is it true?" "Yes." Luca looked down. Louis was Susan''s son. Luca showed him respect and chose not to report it to the police. Still, she felt that Louis deserved to know the truth. "Louis," Luke called out to him. "Brother, we have to call the police," said Louis. He could not be bothered that Susan was involved in this. Louis felt guilty about the incident earlier, and with the situation Luca was in now, there was no way he could ignore it. He felt that he had to give Luca an exnation. "Not now," replied Luke. Considering the numerous guests who came, it would make Louis and the Crawford family look bad if the police came. "I''ll feel bad if I don''t hand this over to the police," said Louis, insisting on it. Susan and her friends actually embarrassed Luca on such an asion. Luca was on Luke''s side. There was no doubt that she was pping Luke''s face. There was no way Louis could tolerate this. ¡°Is your phone connected to the vi''s surveince system?" asked Luke. "Yes. Why?" Louis picked up his phone and opened the app. He had the monitoring software installed on his phone when he asked someone to install the surveince cameras outside the vi. "Send me the surveince footage of the camera that''s recording the pavilion in the backyard," instructed Luke. Louis immediately understood that it was not that Luke was letting it slide. Instead, he was nning to investigate the matter after this. Louis found the surveince footage and fast-forwarded it to the part where Mrs. Jackman threw the teapot at Luca. He pursed his lips and saved the footage. Then, he sent it to Luke and said, "Luke, I''ve sent the footage to you." "Alright." Luke was still carefully applying the burn ointment to Luca''s wound. "Does it hurt?" asked Luke. "No. It''s just a minor burn," replied Luca as she shook her head. No matter how painful it was, looking at the way Luke dressed her wound carefully made the pain disappear. "Did the tea ssh on any other parts of your body?" Luke asked while holding a cotton swab in one hand and ointment in the other. "No. I managed to dodge and only got some minor burns." Luca shook her head, assuring him that she was fine. It was just a minor injury. It would heal once the ointment was applied. "Okay." Luke put the cap back onto the burn ointment. Then, he put it back in the first aid kit. He turned to Louis and said, "Thank you." "Luke, you don''t have to say that..." Louis felt helpless. He invited Luca over to the housewarming party, but Susan deliberately made things difficult for her. Her wealthy friends ndered her too. He felt bad for her, so he apologized, "I should be the one apologizing. Dr. Craw, I''m sorry for putting you through this." "Mr. Louis, you have nothing to do with this. You don''t have to apologize." Luca heaved a sigh and rose to her feet. How could she me Louis? This had nothing to do with Louis. That was why he did not have to apologize to her. Moreover, even though Susan was his mother, she was also an adult who should be responsible for her actions. Susan should apologize to Luca. Louis nodded and tried to put on a polite smile, but he could not force one out. Luke looked at him and thought that even though Susan was not as much of a troublemaker as Allison, she had recently been getting more and more difficult to deal with. If it were not for Susan demanding the set of limited edition jewelry, she would not have attended the party today and Louis would not have spent a fortune buying that set of jewelry. Although Luke helped Louis to settle it, Louis returned most of the money to him. As a result, the housewarming party that was initially meant to be grand turned into a small gathering of rtives and friends due to his funding issues. ¡°Louis, I''m not calling the police. Not now,¡± said Luke. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "When do you n to report it?¡± asked Louis. He secretly supported Luke to call the police. After all, Luca was injured. Even though he had no idea why Luke would choose Luca, he could tell that Luke cherished her with all his heart like how he treated Bianca back then. Luke turned and nced at the door. The noises and chattering of the guests outside could still be heard. The party was still going on. He had no intention of making a scene. "Let''s wait until the party is over," said Luke. "Okay." Louis agreed with him. Then, he added, "But my surveince footage has no sound." "The video itself is enough," replied Luke. Even though Susan defamed Luca, he had no intention of looking into it. After all, they were a family. There were some things that were better left unsaid. Therefore, he nned to make an example out of Susan. Even though Luca had been unfairly treated, the only way to deal with the matter was to let Mrs. Jackman remind Susan that Luca was off-limits to her. "Aren''t you going to sue her for defamation?" asked Louis. He had seen from the surveince footage that Mrs. Jackman threw a teapot at Luca, while Susan had done nothing. She did not stop Mrs. Jackman or help her to throw the teapot. Hence, there was no sound recorded in the surveince footage. Even if Luke called the police, there was nothing he could do to Susan. "Do you really want to see her getting punished?" Luke turned to look at him and frowned. Louis smiled bitterly. He finally understood why Old Master Crawford insisted on having Susan move out of Crawford Manor. It was because she kept making trouble. "It''d be great if she could stop causing trouble after getting punished. ¡°Things won''t get too ugly," replied Louis. Luke knew what he had in mind. "Please help me bring Lanie and the kids inside," said Luke. "Sure. Give me a minute." Louis walked out of the house. "Why are you asking the kids toe in?" asked Luca, feeling puzzled. "We''ll leave through the back door," said Luke. He was not in the mood to entertain those who wanted to strike up a conversation with him after what happened. He wanted to take Luca away from here. "Okay." Luca smiled and nodded. After a while, Louis walked into the house together with the three kids. Lanie was the first to catch a whiff of the ointment smell in the air. He asked, "Uncle Louis, why does it smell like ointment here?" "Are you a super smeller?¡± Louis was surprised as he looked at nche then he turned to look at Luke. "He''s always been like this," exined Luke. Lanie had a keen sense of smell, while Rainie had sensitive hearing. "Something happened, and we''re going home now." "Is Ms. Luca hurt?" Rainie asked with concern. "It''s just a minor injury, nothing serious.¡± Luca walked toward Rainie and held her hands. "I''m okay. Don''t worry about me." Luke felt slightly helpless as he watched Luca let go of his hand and went to hold the children''s hands. However, he could not show his jealousy, especially when she was holding their children. He turned to look at Louis, "I''m leaving through the back door." "But there are so many people waiting for you out there." Louis was surprised when he heard that. Those people even asked him where Luke was a moment ago. Chapter 2743 "You''re the host," said Luke. When he was in the front yard, those people were only interested in striking up a conversation with Luke. Luke had no choice but to talk to them. It was for the sake of the Crawford family''s reputation. However, Louis was the star today. Therefore, Luke seized the opportunity to bring Louis along with him to make them realize who the real star of the show was. "Brother..." Louis knew that Luke was doing this for him. Even though his work was stable now, he needed to expand his connections to grow his business. Those people outside were the key to growing hiswork. "Lead us out through the back door," said Luke. "Alright." Louis did not say anything when he saw how determined Luke was. He led them to the back door and opened the door for them. ¡°Brother, Dr. Craw, I''m sorry for the inconvenience caused today," Louis apologized again. "Hurry back. The guests are still waiting for you in the front yard," replied Luke. He chose to leave through the back door because he knew that Luca would not like getting too much attention. "Okay." Louis watched Luke, Luca, and the kids leave through the back door. Only then did he close the door. He returned to the living room and saw Yuri rushing in, "What are you doing here? The guests are waiting in the front yard." Louis handed the surveince footage he saved on his phone to Yuri to watch. "Isn''t that Mrs. Jackman and Mrs. Malcolm?" eximed Yuri. She knew Mrs. Jackman and Mrs. Malcolm because she would asionally apany Susan to have afternoon tea and go shopping with them. It was to maintain her rtionship with them. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Where''s Brother?" She realized that something was wrong and immediately asked him. She was worried that Luke was enraged and would make a scene. "He went home," Louis'' face was pale with anger. "He''ll investigate this matter, but only when the guests have left." Yuri replied with an unpleasant expression on her face, "Mrs. Jackman is a friend of Mother''s. Mother will be upset if Brother looks into this. You should talk to him. He''s your brother. Try to smooth things over between them." "He''s doing me a favor by choosing to talk about it after the event," Louis clenched his fists. Yuri was not someone who could not distinguish right from wrong, yet she was speaking up for Mrs. Jackman. It was hard for him to believe that, and he felt disappointed. Yuri realized that Louis was angry. She moved her lips but did not say a word. It was indeed inappropriate for Mrs. Jackman to do that to Luca. Yuri knew that Louis personally invited Luca over. Mrs. Jackman was not showing any respect to him by treating Luca that way. Yuri suddenly understood why Louis got so angry... "Forget it. The guests are outside now. We have to go out," said Yuri. They had to entertain the guests and maintain their manners as a host. "Alright." Louis knew there were still guests in the front yard. Thus, he walked out to the front yard with Yuri. In the front yard. After instructing the security guard to delete the surveince footage, Mrs. Jackman and Susan returned to the front yard with ease. Mrs. Jackman looked around. She could not find where Luke was, not to mention Luca. She frowned. "Where did you go?" Mrs. Jackman''s husband, Lonnie Jackman, walked toward her and asked. Mrs. Jackman''s heart tightened as she replied in a guilty tone, "I was just having tea with Madam Crawford and Mrs. Malcolm in the backyard. What''s wrong?" "Am I not allowed to look for you when there''s nothing wrong?" Lonnie did not ask more questions when he heard that she was with the two rich wives. "Well, you''re always with that whore. When do you evere to me? I''m not used to you saying such things to me now." Mrs. Jackman could not help but sneer at him forgetting about her when he was with the mistress. Lonnie''s expression hardened and replied, "What nonsense are you talking about?" "I''m not talking nonsense. Oh, by the way, did you get what you wanted?" Mrs. Jackman asked. Lonnie had always valued his rtionship with the Crawford family, which was why he came to the party with her. Otherwise, she would have either attended the event alone or Lonnie would havee with his mistress. They had not attended an event together in a long time. Susan was the one who invited her to the housewarming party today. Lonnie knew she wasing. Hence, he tagged along because he had an ulterior motive. "No. Aren''t you close with Madam Crawford? You can ask her to help. I''d like to talk to Luke alone and discuss working together." Lonnie wanted her to help. He could not get a word in when Luke was surrounded by many people. Lonnie wanted to coborate with T Corporation, but how could he leave a good impression on Luke if he did not get the chance to speak to him? Not to mention working together. "Work with Luke?" Mrs. Jackman knew he was after the Crawford family, but she initially thought he was just trying to climb the socialdder. She was not expecting a coboration. "I''m currently working on a construction project. But they have strict requirements for the building design. Only T Corporation can do it. They''ll cancel the project if I can''t get them to work together with me,¡± exined Lonnie. He imed that he had connections with T Corporation when he was competing for the project. However, the only connection he had with the Crawford family was his wife''s friendship with Madam Crawford. If T Corporation refused to help, he would be left with no choice but to give up the project. However, giving up the project would mean paying a huge amount of penalty for breaching the contract. Mrs. Jackman realized how serious the situation was. She immediately pulled his sleeve and moved aside. "You didn''t get to talk to Luke just now?" "He was surrounded by people. How could I get close to him? Besides, I was too embarrassed to do so. You''ll get it done.¡± Lonnie was unhappy with her pulling his sleeves. He straightened himself up. "Are you dumb?" Mrs. Jackman rolled her eyes. Did he really think she could help him? Susan and Luke had no maternal bond, and she partnered up with Susan to bully Luca earlier. If Luke knew about this, he would never agree to work together with the Jackman family. "I know that Luke is not Madam Crawford''s biological son, but they''re still a family. If Madam Crawford can''t help us, don''t we have Mr. Louis to help us? I heard that the brothers are close. They don''t engage in the cut-throatpetition and power struggles that take ce among wealthy families. Anyway, you''re Mr. Louis'' aunt. Can''t you talk to him and ask for help?" His n was well thought out. "Can''t you find another constructionpany?" asked Mrs. Jackman. There were so manypanies in the country. She refused to believe that only T Corporation could satisfy the client. "The contract''s requirement is to get design drawings from T Corporation. Otherwise, it''s going to be a breach of contract." Lonnie frowned. He did not think this was a difficult matter. Why was she making excuses? "Well, if that''s the case, then we''ll just breach the contract. Why work with such a difficult client?" Mrs. Jackman replied indifferently. Thepany had many projects going on, and it was okay to lose one or two projects. "You make it sound easy, I''ll have to pay eight figures if we breach the contract," Lonnie''s expression darkened. Mrs. Jackman was managing thepany''s finances. How could she not have a sense of financial responsibility? Mrs. Jackman was dumbfounded for a moment. "That much? What kind of project is this?" Chapter 2744 "The project in Europe isn''t a small project. They were interested in working with T Corporation for the design, and they hope that Luke can be involved in this. But T Corporation has a busy schedule and they declined the offer. I promised the client that I could make T Corporation work together with me to get the design drawing. That''s why they gave the project to me,¡± exined Lonnie as he noticed Louis and Yuri walking out of the house. "Come on. Let Louis make a referral." Lonnie urged his wife, who was so close with Susan that even Louis addressed her as Aunt Margaret. Hence, Louis could help to make a referral and arrange a meeting with Luke. With Louis'' help, Lonnie was confident that if he could talk with Luke, the project was bound to seed. Even if T Corporation was swamped with projects, they could spare some time to help with the design drawing. "Stop this nonsense!" Mrs. Jackman refused to do so. She shook his hand off. "What''s with the attitude?!" Lonnie thought she was mad at him and that was why she refused to pull the strings. "If I lose money, your good life will be gone too!" "Fine. I''ll tell you the truth!" Mrs. Jackman scowled, realizing that they had attracted the attention of the people around them. She pulled him and led him to a corner of the front yard. Lonnie saw how reluctant she was. He had no choice but to promise her, "If you can help me make a referral, I''ll dump that woman and never contact her again!" Mrs. Jackman felt upset. Previously, she had tried various ways to force Lonnie to break up with his mistress, but he had never shown any intention of doing so. Now, he promised her that he would dump his mistress for the sake of a design project. It was clear how much profit this project could bring to thepany. Otherwise, Lonnie would not have promised her that he would dump that woman. "It''s not that I refuse to help, but there''s no way I can help this time," exined Mrs. Jackman as her eyes reddened. If she had suppressed her emotions and not vented her anger on Luca on behalf of Susan, perhaps Lonnie would really have been able to sever ties with his mistress. No one would be able to interfere with their married life in the future, and Lonnie could elevate his business to new heights. She would be able to have a harmonious marriage and a better life... However, Mrs. Jackman regretted what she did. What she had done to Luca turned all possibilities into illusions... "You''re still mad at me!" Lonnie grumbled with annoyance. He had promised to do what she wanted most, but she still disagreed to help him. She was petty and resentful indeed! "Forget it. Let me tell you the truth!" Mrs. Jackman had no choice but to reluctantly recount what had happened in the backyard earlier. Her eyes were red and teary. After Lonnie listened to her, he lifted his hand in frustration, but he put it down again helplessly. There were too many people around. Lonnie suppressed the urge to p her in the face. He clenched his teeth, wishing that he could split open his wife''s head to see what was in her mind and find out why she was so eager to ruin the Jackman family. "You, Margaret Sutton, you''ve got a real knack for it! How could you do such a thing? You''re pulling the Jackman family into the abyss with you!" Margaret bit her lip and struggled to hold back her grievances. She murmured in a low voice, "Why are you ming me? It''s all your fault. You''ve been keeping everything from me ever since that wh*re showed up. You don''t even talk to me about thepany''s affairs anymore! If I had known about this project, would I have done something to that woman?!" "Fine. Fine. You''re ming me instead!" Lonnie took a deep breath as he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He pointed at Margaret''s face and said coldly, "You know what kind of situation thepany is in now. Margaret, you made this mess. You''d better figure out how to fix it. If thepany shuts down because of you, I won''t spare you!" Hispany had been struggling to survive because of the failed investment he made at the end of last year. Lonnie only managed to get the project after he imed that he had connections with the Crawford family, hoping to use that to help thepany ovee its difficulties and earn a fortune. However, Margaret had shattered that hope. Lonnie stormed out, throwing his sleeves in anger. Margaret watched him from behind. Her eyes reddened with tears streaming down her face. She stood there with a nk look on her face, ignoring how the others looked at her. Yuri noticed Lonnie storming away furiously and nced at Margaret, who stood still. She nudged Louis'' elbow. "What''s wrong?" Louis lifted a ss of red wine and took a sip of it. He was still upset and he needed the wine to calm himself down. He feared that he would lose his manners in front of the guests. "It seems like Mrs. Jackman and her husband had a falling out..." Yuri said in a soft tone and narrowed her eyes. "She''s crying." "Don''t meddle in their affairs," Louis warned Yuri to stay out of Mrs. Jackman''s business. Luke would handle it eventually. Yuri''s involvement would make no difference. Margaret injured Luca. Luke would not sit there and do nothing. Yuri withdrew her gaze and turned to look at Louis. She had never noticed how callous he could be, but she felt that he was cold today. Hecked sympathy, and he was cold and ruthless. He was Luke''s brother. If he pleaded for mercy for Margaret, Luke might not investigate the matter further, but he refused to do so. There must be a reason for this. It could be because he was mad at Susan. Still, could anger alone turn someone into such a different person? Yuri watched Louis walk back into the crowd with a gentle smile on his face, chatting with the guests as if his earlier outburst in the living room had never happened. She gathered her courage and prepared to approach him but was stopped by the maid. "Ms. Dunn, the madam is looking for you," said the maid. "Where is she?" asked Yuri. "She''s in the backyard," replied the maid. "Tell her that I''m busy entertaining guests with Louis at the moment. I''lle to see her when I''m free," said Yuri. She was not nning to leave her guests alone to find Susan. Besides, there was nothing urgent that Susan needed to tell her, except for the incident involving Margaret and Luca earlier. "Wait a minute," Yuri called out to the maid. "What else do you need, Ms. Dunn?" asked the maid. "Tell her that Master Luke doesn''t intend to let this slide easily. He''ll report to the police after the party ends. Tell her to inform the parties involved," instructed Yuri. She knew there was nothing she could do to help Margaret, but at least she could inform Susan of Luke''s intentions. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Perhaps they could leave before the police arrived and avoid being seen by others. "Okay." The maid nodded and left. Yuri approached Louis and held his arm with a smile as they greeted the guests. "Why did the maid approach you?" Louis whispered to her during a lull in their conversation. Chapter 2745 ¡°She said that Mother was looking for me." Yuri did not try to hide it. Louis had a pensive look on his face but immediately went back to greeting guests with a smile when he noticed them walking toward him. Yuri was keeping an eye on Margaret while standing beside Louis. Margaret''s eyes were bloodshot as she stood in the corner without talking to anyone. After a while, Yuri noticed that her expression instantly changed when she nced at her phone and left in a hurry. Yuri said to Louis, "Mrs. Jackman left." Louis walked toward the door and saw Margaret leaving before whispering, "Did you tell her?" "What are you talking about? I''ve been with you the entire time, so how could I have talked to her?" Yuri denied. She just wanted to save Margaret some face and not let Luke cause trouble in her house. Besides, this was their new home, and they just moved in today. How could they let the policee over? Louis did not say a word. On the other hand... Luke brought Luca and the children back home. When Aunt Neile saw that they came back so soon, she asked out of curiosity, "Ms. Craw, why are you back so early? Has Mr. Louis'' party ended?" "Almost," said Luke before looking toward Luca. "Go up first." "Alright." Luca nodded and took Tommy and Rainie upstairs with Lanie following behind them. "Mr. Crawford, what happened?" Aunt Neile noticed Luke''s unusual expression as if something had angered him earlier. Luke was usually rather cold at home, so he seldom showed any expression to the maids. He never got angry too. "It''s nothing. If someonees overter, don''t open the door and inform me first," Luke went upstairs after he finished speaking. Luca sat in the living room upstairs with the three children, and Rainie carried the first aid kit to Luca. After hearing footsteps, Luca and the kids looked toward the stairs. ¡°Daddy, you can help Ms. Luca apply medication," said Rainie as she walked toward him with the first- aid kit. Luke walked over and Tommy sensibly made space for him. Luca shook her head and said, "I''ve already applied medication, but they won''t listen and asked me to apply it again." Lanie even offered to help her take care of her wound earlier. She said that she had already applied an ointment for burns at Louis'' house, but the kids were still worried and insisted on applying the ointment for her. "They''re worried about you. Let me see the wound," said Luke as he patted her thigh after sitting down. Luca was embarrassed to do so in front of the kids, so she shook her head. "It''s fine, it''s just blistering. It''ll go away on its own." Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. She refused to move her leg, so Luke lifted her foot up and carefully examined her burnt ankle. Just like she said, there were blisters. Luke frowned as little clusters of blisters formed on the reddened area. "Are you sure you don''t need to go to the hospital?" "They''re just blisters. They''ll fade on their own, so there''s no need to go to the hospital." Luca felt that it would be too much of a hassle to go to the hospital for such a small injury. "..." Luke frowned while staring at her wound. "Daddy, the blisters will disappear on their own," said Lanie while ncing at Luca''s ankle as he had read about how to deal with minor burns in a medical encyclopedia before. The content in the book was exactly as Luca said. "Alright." Luke took out the ointment and applied anotheryer of it for her. Luca blushed as she watched Luke use a cotton swab to gently apply the ointment on her ankle as if he was trying to lessen her pain. It was an intimate touch. Not to mention, she was even more embarrassed with the kids surrounding her. "Daddy, you don''t have to apply it in such a thickyer." Lanie watched Luke apply the ointment carefully and reminded him when he applied too much. Luke stopped and put Luca''s foot down before bending down to help her put her shoes on until he heard her say, "I''ll do it myself." Luke raised his eyebrows, but he still let her do it herself. Luca put on her shoes. "Daddy, I''ll go to my room to read," said Lanie, relieved that nothing bad happened. "Alright," Luke agreed. They were supposed to have extracurricr sses today, but he asked for leave because of Louis'' party, so now, they did not have anything to do. "Then I''ll go read too!" Rainie said with a smile. She took Tommy''s hand and blinked. "Tommy, do you want to go read in the room?" "Sure!" Tommy knew what that look meant, so he followed Rainie away while skipping. They were good kids, and they knew when to let their parents have alone time. Only Luca and Luke were left in the second-floor living room. Luca took the ointment he left on the coffee table and kept it in the first-aid kit. Luke looked at her and smiled with his eyes. Then, the doorbell rang. Luca was about to go see who it was, but Luke stood up and said, "I''ll go and see." He walked to the videophone on the second floor and pressed a button to see that Nina was standing at the front door. He pressed the button to open the door and turned to tell Luca, "It''s Nina." "Nina? I''ll go downstairs and have a look," said Luca. She remembered Nina saying that she had a party to attend today, but she did not see her at Louis'' house just now, so she thought that Nina had attended another party with Percy. She did not expect her toe over. "Be careful not to aggravate your ankle," warned Luke. Percy was not with Nina outside, so he did not intend on going downstairs. "Okay." Luca walked down to the first floor and saw Nina walking in at the same time. "Nina, why are you here? Don''t you have a party to go to?" she asked curiously. "It''s right next door, and I didn''t see you. I found out that you left after asking around, so I came to have a chat with you. Am I not wee?" Nina smiled. Everyone in A City knew that she had already registered her marriage with Percy, and all that was left was the ceremony. People had already started calling her Mrs. Mallory. However, Nina knew that they did not mean it and that they secretly still looked down on her. She was not worthy of Percy because of her identity and her background. Some people even spread rumors on the inte that Percy only chose her because she had dirt on him, so he was forced to marry her. Some even more outrageous rumors said that she used ck magic on Percy. Otherwise, there was no way an ordinary girl like her could have Percy''s devotion. Nina did not care about these rumors. However, she did not wish to face those hypocrites, so she left Percy and came over here the moment Louis told her that Luca went back home. Chapter 2746 ¡°Of course, you''re wee. Have a seat. Do you want tea or juice?" Luca asked. She knew that Nina had trouble sleeping, so she forwent coffee as an option because it was alreadyte in the afternoon. "I''ll have juice," said Nina. "Alright, one moment. I''ll go to the kitchen to see if there are any snacks I can bring you." Luca nodded and walked into the kitchen. She had the maid squeeze some juice, while she brought out some snacks to the living room and ced them in front of Nina. "The juice will be done in a bit. Why don''t you try the snacks first?" she said. "Sure, I haven''t had lunch yet, so I''m a bit hungry." Nina picked up a piece and helped herself. "Why didn''t you have lunch?" Luca asked out of curiosity. Nina swallowed a mouthful of the snacks before taking her time to exin, "I nned to go to Mr. Louis'' house directly so that we could make it for the luncheon, but Percy had an emergency meeting, so we stopped by the Mallory family''s ce. The meeting went on for a long time, and itsted until the afternoon, so we rushed over here after the meeting. We thought that we could at least have some dessert, but you weren''t there, so I came here without eating anything." "I''ll go get you some more." Luca stood up to get her more snacks. "No need, this is enough." Nina was embarrassed as she came here to chat with Luca and not to freeload on their food. "This biscuit has a pretty strong coconut aroma. Isn''t this your favorite vor?" Luca said with a smile and walked into the kitchen to get her more biscuits. Nina froze as she stared at the snacks on the table. There was a brand of biscuits that she liked a lot, and it was the coconut-vored biscuits, which were her favorite. How did Luca know that? Nina was certain that she had never mentioned to her that she liked these coconut-vored biscuits. It was impossible for Luke to know what she liked, so how did Luca know that she liked these biscuits specifically? Luca knew her as if they had been best friends for many years, and she understood her preferences well too. Luca walked out of the kitchen with a tray and sat beside Nina. When she saw her pensive look, she asked, "What is it?" Nina came back to her senses and saw that she came out with more of the coconut-vored biscuits as well as two sses of fruit juice. She asked straightforwardly, ¡°Luca, how do you know that I like these coconut-vored biscuits?" Luca was stunned. This brand of biscuits had been produced for many years, and it was rather pricey, but Nina had always liked this biscuit. She still remembered that Nina did not have much allowance before she graduated, so every time she got her sry from her part-time job, she would buy a packet of it to reward herself. She always said that this brand of biscuits had a strong coconut aroma and just the right amount of sweetness, so it was great for a small snack. Luca even joked before that if a guy were to pursue Nina with a bouquet of these biscuits instead of flowers, Nina would say yes. However, these were all things from the past. They were things that Bianca knew, not Luca. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. After seeing Nina''s suspicion, Luca had no choice but toe up with an excuse. "I saw a lot of this vor of biscuits at your house, so I guessed that you must like them very much." Nina nodded. She liked them so much that when she finally had money after she graduated, she often kept them at home to have as snacks, and sometimes even for lunch when she was feelingzy. Percy even teased her for it, saying that she was addicted to these biscuits. Nina thought that Luca must have guessed it after seeing them on the coffee table when she came over to her house. She was surprised at how detailed Luca was. "I do like this biscuit a lot, and I loved it when I was in school. I still remember that Bian..." Nina paused as she felt that it was better not to mention Bianca''s name because of Luke and Luca''s rtionship. She was good friends with Bianca, so she should not support Luke and Luca being together, However, Percy told her not to worry about it too much and let things run their course because she would know the truth one day. Thus, she paused abruptly. "Huh?" Luca looked at her and wondered why she stopped in the middle of her sentence. Nina smiled. "A good friend of mine knew that I like these biscuits, so she used to buy me some whenever she got her allowance although her family wasn''t very well-off. The allowance she got was very little, but she would still buy it for me.." Luca looked down. Was Nina talking about her? Nina said, "Although we weren''t rich at that time, I still miss those days. The carefree days as students when we dreamed about getting rich after graduating to have a good life... We used it as motivation to study hard and find a good job. That way, we can buy what we want to eat and wear what we like. It was such a wonderful time." "School days were indeed wonderful." Luca sighed, Although life was hard at that time, she had family members who loved her and genuine friends. However, it was all in the past. Although they wanted to go back, they did not have the ability to. "Luca, what were your school days like?" Nina asked suddenly. When the topic was brought up, she realized that she did not know much about Luca. However, she felt an inexplicable familiarity with Luca. ¡°My time as a student was about the same as yours. It was in and boring, so I have nothing much to share, but like you said, the simplicity of those days as a student was wonderful," said Luca. The majority of her days in school were spent with Nina. The Langdon Family were not considered rich at the time, but they werefortable. The reason why Nina did not get much allowance was that her parents gave it all to Jean as they thought that their son was going to support themter in life. It was funny how they treated Nina so badly, and they were still a burden to her now... Luca then changed the subject. "By the way, how''s your mother and brother doing?" Nina smiled and shook her head. "If I say I don''t know, would you believe me?" "I would." Luca nodded. Anna was easily satisfied. As long as she had money, she would not make a fuss. However, she was also hard to please because she would squander all the money. Thus, a small amount would not be able to satisfy her. "She hasn''t looked for me ever since she signed the agreement and took the money. I haven''t been bothered to find out what she''s up to as it would be the same anyway. Out of sight, out of mind. I just hope that she can hold onto the money longer and spend it slower. If she gives it to Jean, it''ll be gone in no time." Nina sipped her juice. Chapter 2747 She knew them too well. Anna knew how to manage her finances. She would make some investments and keep the money in the bank to earn some interest. That way, it would be enough to support Jean and Anna for the rest of their lives. However, if the money fell into Jean''s hands, it would be easily squandered. Even though they had signed an agreement, Jean probably felt that he had the Mallory family backing him up after Nina and Percy announced their marriage to the public. Therefore, he had no idea how to manage his money wisely. Nina knew them too well. "Anyway, you''re finally living a new life," eximed Luca. It had been so many years, and Nina had been through a lot. "By the way, how''s your wedding preparation?" "I''m still going through the details with the wedding nner, but I also n to take my wedding photos. Oh, and can I have Tommy be my ring bearer?" asked Nina. She had friends who had kids, and she nned to choose either Kari or Teri to be her flower girl. In that case, Tommy could be her ring bearer. Luca smiled. When she was about to say yes, she suddenly remembered her position. Then, she replied, "You should ask Mr. Crawford about this." "I don''t think it''s necessary. It''s just a small matter. It''s just that the children might have to take a day off from school on the day of the wedding." Nina thought Luca could make the decision for them since it was a small matter. However, she did not expect Luca to ask her to ask Luke. "Well, should we ask Tommy, then?" suggested Luca. She had no intention of promising Nina on behalf of the child. "Okay. Where''s Tommy?" Nina thought it would be better to ask the child''s opinion. "He''s upstairs, reading books. I..." Before Luca could finish her sentence, Tommy''s voice sounded in their ears. ¡°Ms. Nina, you''re here!" Tommy ran down the stairs and trotted to Nina''s side. He smiled and greeted her, "Hello, Ms. Nina." "Hello, Tommy." Nina stroked the child''s head and asked, "Tommy, I''m getting married. Can you be the ring bearer on my wedding day?" "What''s a ring bearer?" Tommy blinked his eyes and gave her a confused look. Then, he turned to look at Luca, searching for an answer. "Ms. Nina and Mr. Percy are getting married. A ring bearer is the one who carries the rings, and a flower girl is the one who carries flowers and scatters them at a wedding ceremony," exined Luca with a smile on her face. She turned to look at Nina. Nina would look beautiful in her wedding dress. When they were still in their school days, they often imagined how the other would look in a wedding dress. They even joked that whoever got married first would have the other be their bridesmaid. She could no longer be Nina''s bridesmaid now, but her son could still be Nina''s ring bearer. "Alright! Lanie and Rainie can be Ms. Nina''s ring bearer and flower girl too!" Tommy agreed, not forgetting about Lanie and Rainie. He always thought of Lanie and Rainie when there was something fun. "Lanie and Rainie are too old to be the ring bearer and flower girl. You''ll be the ring bearer, and one of Ms. Sue''s daughters will be the flower girl," Luca smiled and reminded him. Time seemed to have slipped away. The little flower girl who had apanied her and Luke on their wedding day had grown up. She was too old to be a flower girl now. "Okay!" Tommy snuggled close to Luca as he promised to be Nina''s ring bearer. Sue''s daughters, Kari and Teri, were also his good friends. "By the way, why did youe downstairs?" Luca stroked his cheek and smiled, wondering why Tommy hade downstairs. "I''m getting myself a ss of water!" Tommy remembered why he hade downstairs. Luca picked up the ss of juice that the maid had served her and asked, "Would you like some orange juice?" "Yes, please! Thank you, Ms. Luca!!" Tommy took the ss and gulped it down. Luca knew that he was really thirsty when she saw the child chugging the ss of juice. She patted his back and reminded him to drink slowly so that he would not choke. Nina sat there, watching how attentive Luca was to the child. Luca was caring and considerate to the three kids. She treated them as though they were her kids. It reminded Nina of Bianca. After Bianca was rescued, she was never close to her children. Despite being their biological mother, she never showed any maternal love toward them while she remained manic and amnesiac. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She always had endless excuses to feel disgusted when she faced the kids. It was as though they were not her children. However, Luca was kind to the children. She was not putting on a show for others. She genuinely treated them well. As Nina watched Tommy put down his ss and give Luca a smile, Nina knew that the three of them were really fond of Luca. Perhaps they had already seen her as their mother... It would be good for the kids with Luca taking care of them. At least they were much happier than when Bianca was around. "Ms. Luca, I''ve finished my drink. I''m going upstairs to continue reading my book," said Tommy, feeling happy and satisfied. "Okay. Go ahead. Bring some snacks and share them with Lanie and Rainie." Luca gave him some cookies as their tea-time snack. "Thank you, Ms. Luca. I''m heading upstairs now," Tommy replied with a smile as he made his way up the stairs. "The kids rely on you so much," Nina said enviously. After getting married to Percy, she nned to have a child with him. Unfortunately, she still needed to nurse her health before trying to conceive. Having a child was all about fate. Even though Nina wanted a child, she was not in a hurry. She wanted to ensure that she was in good health before trying to conceive a healthy baby. "You have to follow a treatment regimen and tell Mr. Mallory to quit smoking and drinking at the moment. Then, you can have a child," Luca reminded her. "Percy doesn''t smoke anymore. He only drinks asionally. If it weren''t for what happened to Pierre, he wouldn''t have gone out to drink two days ago," replied Nina. Pierre''s incident had be the Mallory family''s trouble. "Has the Mallory family received any news yet?" asked Luca. "Not yet. The kidnappers haven''t contacted the Mallory family. If they wanted a ransom, they should''ve contacted the family right after kidnapping him. It''s been so long... I''m starting to suspect that''s not what they really want. Otherwise, why would they drag this out and risk being caught?" Ninamented. She was not worried about Pierre. Rather, she felt sorry for Percy working so hard. Luca had no idea how to respond when she heard what Nina said. Usually, kidnappers would contact the family as soon as they kidnapped someone to ask for ransom. The longer they waited, the higher the chance of getting caught. However, Abel was not an ordinary kidnapper. The Mallory and Crawford families were working together but still could not find where Pierre was being held. The reason why Abel was not in a hurry to contact the Mallory family was that he was ying a strategy game with Old Master Mallory. After all, Pierre was considered a legitimate heir of the Mallory family. Elders like Old Master Mallory prioritized the passing down of lineage the most. The longer Abel dragged things out, the more likely Old Master Mallory was to agree to his demands out of concern for Pierre. Chapter 2749 "They''re in A City, just like what Percy said. But with everything looking so good, I''ve been quite busy lately. There''s a big projecting up at Brilliant, and I simply don''t have the time to try on the wedding dresses. I can''t even pick which dress to wear just by looking at the photos," Nina said in anguish. The wedding nningpany had been urging her toe in and try on the dresses. The wedding dresses were expensive and not easy to move around. On top of that, the makeup was quite complicated, so she had to go to the wedding studio to try on the dresses. ¡°Don''t you happen to have some free time today?" Luca smiled. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. "Can youe with me?" Nina blinked her eyes. The dresses had arrived for quite some time, but she had yet to try them on. Aside from being busy, she could not find the time to go there with Percy. Nina did not want to try on the dresses alone, but she had no idea who she should look for to apany her. Nina had the thought of having Luca apany her to the wedding studio when she came up with that suggestion. "Sure," replied Luca. All the dangers that Luca had previously faced had been resolved at the moment. It would not be a problem for her to go out on her own. "Come with me. It''s nice to have someone to apany me to try on the wedding dresses." Nina smiled sweetly. Percy initially promised to take her to try on the dress after the shareholders'' meeting ended. Little did she know that something like this would happen to Pierre after the shareholders'' meeting had ended. Percy only managed to find some time to attend Louis'' housewarming party by pushing back some work. He still needed to cope with his busy schedule. "Alright." As Luke came across Luca''s mind, her smile froze and she said, "Do you mind if I head upstairs first?" "Sure. Hurry up. I''ll be waiting here for you." Nina smiled and gently nudged Luca''s arm. Even though Luca did not state it directly, Nina knew what she meant. Luca made her way up the stairs and gently knocked on the door of Luke''s bedroom. "Come in," said Luke. Luca pushed the door open and walked in. Luke was busy with his work, so she said in a soft voice, "Nina''s wedding dresses have arrived. I''d like to apany her to the wedding studio to watch her try on them." "Are youing back for dinner tonight?" Luke dropped everything and asked. "The bride''s makeup is quiteplicated. We probably can''t make it back in time for dinner if we''re going now," answered Luca as she shook her head. "Then make sure you eat dinner on time. Don''t starve yourself," Luke reminded her. "Okay, I will. May I leave now?" Luca listened to his reminder that was said in a slightly grave tone. She knew it was not that Luke was reluctant to let her out, but he was trying to express his concern. Luca could feel the tenderness in his serious tone. "Wait," Luke called out to Luca, who was about to leave. He rose to his feet and walked into the bedroom opposite him. Luca stood at the doorway and watched him take a thick coat out of the wardrobe and hand it to her. Then, he reminded her, "The temperature fluctuates significantly between daytime and nighttime. Take this. Don''t catch a cold." "Okay, got it. Thank you." Luca immediately put on the jacket and slowly headed downstairs. Nina was waiting for her at the staircase. She nodded approvingly when she saw Luca wearing the jacket. "It seems that Mr. Crawford is quite attentive." "Huh?" Luca suspected that Nina had overheard their conversation at the bend of the staircase just now. "Mr. Crawford asked you to put this on, right? There''s a huge difference between the temperature during the day and night recently. He''s probably worried that you might catch a cold." Nina suppressed her smile and teased her. She recalled that before she set off, Percy handed her a thick coat too. Nina had no idea what time she would being home. What Percy meant was it was better to be prepared by bringing the jacket along with her. "Let''s go. The bride''s makeup is quiteplicated. The sooner the better. By the way, did you make an appointment with the wedding nner?" asked Luca. Even though Nina was a VIP client of the wedding nningpany, it would be better for her to make an appointment in advance to avoid any inconvenience. "I talked to them earlier. She''s at the studio. We can head over now," replied Nina. The CXO of the company only served particr customers like Nina. Hence, she would wait for Nina at the studio whenever she gave her a call. ¡°Let''s get moving.¡± Luca and Nina walked out of the vi, arm in arm. After they left the vi, Nina drove the car while Luca sat in the passenger seat. The two of them headed toward the wedding studio. When they arrived at the wedding studio, they were escorted to the VIP room by the receptionist. Yancie walked into the VIP room and saw Nina and Luca together. She smiled and greeted, "Good afternoon, Mrs. Mallory." "Good afternoon." Nina slightly nodded, trying to maintain her image in front of them. Every move she made was significant and represented Percy''s image. Nina had prepared herself for this as she knew that being by Percy''s side was what she wanted. She had to put up a facade all the time. Even though it would be difficult, she would try her best to ovee this. Yancie nced at Luca and asked, "Mrs. Mallory, is she your bridesmaid?" "No, she''s my friend. She came to help me to pick out my wedding dress today," replied Nina as she shook her head. Although she wanted Luca to be her maid of honor, Luca seemed reluctant to do so. Therefore, Nina only mentioned it once and did not bring it up again. "Alright. I''ll have the assistant bring over the wedding dress and dinner dress that Mr. Micheal designed for you," said Yancie. Then, she picked up her walkie-talkie and instructed her assistant to bring the dresses over. After that, Yancie asked, "Mrs. Mallory, have you reviewed the wedding floor ns that I sent you? What do you think about them? Have you decided which one to pick?" Nina understood her unspoken implications. She knew she had been dying things for too long. "I''ll give you an answer in the next two days," answered Nina. "Great. As for your bridesmaid, the bridesmaid''s dress is tailored too. So, you''ll have to pick someone to be your bridesmaid in advance..." Yancie reminded her. She had no choice but to give Nina, someone who held a position of prestige, a tactful reminder. They did not want to dy things for too long. In the end, they would be the ones who had to suffer if they could not finish everything in time. "I''ll have the bridesmaid selected by the day after tomorrow," replied Nina. Even though Nina had not found a bridesmaid yet, she had decided to choose one of the young female employees working in thepany to be her bridesmaid. After all, there were only a few people around her who were suitable for the role. "That would be great." Yancie let out a sigh of relief. "I''ll bring the bridesmaid here to have her measurements taken for her dress after picking one. I''ll bring the flower girl with me too. The flower girl''s dress is also designed by yourpany''s designer, right?" "Yes. Mr. Mallory''s assistant has discussed it with us. Our chief designer will be in charge of all the other dresses except for your wedding dress, which is designed by Mr. Micheal," exined Yancie. As soon as Yancie finished her words, there was a knock on the door. Then, Yancie''s assistant came in. "Mrs. Mallory, your wedding dresses and dinner dresses are here," said the assistant. As the door creaked open, the assistant wheeled in a towering disy rack adorned with exquisite wedding gowns and formal dresses. Chapter 2750 As Nina''s eyes fell upon the beautiful wedding gowns and dinner dresses before her, her gaze brightened with excitement. Micheal, the world-renowned wedding dress designer, had crafted each one to be uniquely stunning. The pieces in front of her were so captivating that she could not shift her gaze away. "These are truly amazing," Luca eximed in awe as she looked at the dresses and gowns shimmering in the soft light. Yancie noticed that Luca was wearing thetest season''s Chanel dress under her coat after she took her coat off. Those who could afford to buy such dresses were usually wealthy. Then, she noticed that Luca was not wearing any jewelry. Therefore, she assumed that Luca was not married yet. Hence, she said, "Miss, feel free to look for us if you decide to get married in the future. Ourpany coborates with Micheal. He specializes in wedding dress designs." Luca smiled and remained silent. She married the man she loved in the most beautiful wedding dress. She would never marry another man again no matter what. Thus, she would not be wearing a wedding dress again. As Nina noticed Luca''s silence, she thought about her rtionship with Luke. She changed the topic of the conversation. "They''re stunning. Can I try them on?" asked Nina. "Of course, Mrs. Mallory. Which one would you like to try first?" Yancie redirected her focus to Nina. Nina did not have a specific one in mind since all the dresses were designed for her. "Let''s start from left to right, please." "Sure. No problem. Shall we start with a basic makeup look for you?" Yancie asked for her opinion. She was aware that trying on wedding dresses with makeup would have better results. "Okay." Nina sat down on the chair when the assistant pulled out a chair for her. Then, Yancie called out for the makeup artist toe in and do Nina''s makeup. Luca sat on the sofa. She took her phone out to go through some documents, asionally ncing up to look at Nina. An hourter, Nina''s makeup was done. "Mrs. Mallory, is there anything you''d like to change?" the makeup artist asked in a low voice. Nina looked at herself in the mirror. She had on bridal makeup and hairstyle, so there was nothing more to change for now. She turned to Luca and asked, "Luca, what do you think?" Luca put her phone aside and walked toward her. She examined her for a moment and nodded, "You''re the most beautiful bride." Nina''s face reddened when she heard thepliment. Then, she replied, "No way. That''s too much!" Yancie, who stood beside them, chimed in, "Mrs. Mallory, she''s right. Why don''t you try on the wedding dresses now?" "Okay." Nina nodded. After watching the assistant pick up the first dress on the left, she walked into the fitting room with the assistant. Wedding dresses wereplicated, and it took some time for Nina to put the dress on. Ten minutes later, the curtains of the fitting room were finally drawn. Luca looked at Nina, who was now in the wedding dress. She nodded with a smile on her face. "Let me take a few photos for you. I can send them to Mr. Mallory." Nina waved her hand, "It''s okay. He can see it for himself. You don''t have to take photos." After that, she walked toward the full-length mirror and looked at herself in the mirror. The wedding dress designed by Micheal was beautiful, and it fit her perfectly. Nina murmured to herself, "It''s beautiful, but I can''t afford to gain weight before the wedding." Luca smiled at her and said, "That won''t happen. Even though it''s a tailored-made wedding dress, the designer will leave some fabric around the waist for stretching. After all, it''s unlikely that your body shape isn''t going to change in a few months." "Yes. What she said is right," added Yancie. "This one looks amazing. Why don''t we try the second one?" Nina turned her head and looked at the second dress. "Okay. Let us help you to take it off. The second wedding dress requires a different makeup look. Would you like to do your makeup first or get changed first?" asked Yancie. "I''ll change back into my clothes first. We''ll do the makeup after that,¡± replied Nina. It was a tight fitting wedding dress. It fit so close to the body to the extent that Nina was losing her breath. She wanted to put on something morefortable. "Okay. Let''s take off this wedding dress first." Yancie and her assistant helped Nina up. They lifted the hem of the dress and walked into the changing room. Then, they drew the curtains. Four hourster, Nina finally tried on thest dress. She decided to wear the second wedding dress on the wedding day, while the other dresses and dinner dresses were for her to put on during her wedding photoshoot and her wedding dinner. Nina heaved a sigh of relief after everything had been arranged. She grabbed Luca''s arm, and they left the wedding studio arm-in-arm. "Luca, thanks for keeping mepany. Let me treat you to a meal." Nina smiled while holding her arm as they headed toward the parking lot. "It''s not a big deal. Besides, you''re the one who''s busy and tired,¡± replied Luca with a smile on her face. Although there were people helping Nina, the wedding dresses were heavy, and she had changed into several sets of dresses and donned multiple makeup looks. Anyone would feel exhausted after doing that. "It was okay. You gave me a lot of references and advice. They helped a lot. I was able to make a decision even though I was in a dilemma thanks to you! I remember there''s a new French restaurant nearby. Shall we try the food there?" Nina smiled and said. All of the advice given by Luca was based on her preferences. It was as though they had known each other for many years. "Sure." Luca nodded. "It''s just around the corner. Let''s just walk there,¡± suggested Nina. She opened her phone''s navigation app and headed toward the restaurant. "Okay." Luca nodded and walked toward the restaurant with Nina. After dinner, Nina sent Luca back to the vi. It was already 9 pm when they arrived. Luca entered the living room and found Luke sitting on the sofa reading a document. There was a stack of documents on the coffee table. "You''re home." Luke put down the document and stood up to greet her. Luca took off the coat and hung it up. Then, she nodded and replied, "Yeah. Have the kids all gone to bed?" "They''re probably in bed." Luke walked toward her and held her in his arms. "Probably?" Luca nced toward the stairs. Although the kids did not have to go to school the next day, they had to go to bed on time. She wanted to check on them, but Luke held her tight in his arms. "They''ll rest on time." Luke could see that Luca was worried. He lowered his head and gave her a gentle peck on the lips. "Alright then." Luca leaned her head against his chest. "The police have taken Margaret to the police station," added Luke. He called the police after Louis'' party had ended. "Huh?" Luca sounded confused. "It''s Mrs. Jackman," exined Luke. Jason was the one who found out her name was Margaret Sutton. They also discovered that Margaret''s husband, Lonnie Jackman, had been constantly trying to contact T Corporation. He was hoping to get them to take on a project. However, thepany had too many projects going on at the moment. That was why they did not take Lonnie''s project.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chapter 2751 When Luca heard Luke mention Mrs. Jackman''s name, she knew that he had looked into her background. "What did the police say?" asked Luca. She could not help but feel a rush of heat through her body as Luke held her tightly in his arms. "It''s not a serious situation, so she won''t get any severe punishment," Luke told her what the police said. Even though Luke was dissatisfied with the oue, he had no choice but to let the police handle it since that was how thew worked. "Well, this is normal.¡± Luca understood thews of A City. If she was willing to reconcile, Margaret would not face any trouble. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. "Margaret''s husband, Lonnie, has a project that he wants to coborate with T Corporation with. He wants us to provide the design drawings,¡± Luke continued. "Did it happen?" Luca furrowed her brows as she was worried that Mrs. Jackman''s situation would affect their coboration. "No. The project manager didn''t think highly of that project. Besides, thepany has been busytely. We have no time to take on extra projects." Luke let go of her as he heard footstepsing from the stairs. "Alright." Luca took a step back. She also heard footstepsing from the stairwell. She lifted her head and turned to look at the staircase. Tommy rubbed his eyes as he made his way down the stairs. His eyes lit up when he saw that Luca hade back home. He scampered over and said, "Ms. Luca, you''re back!" "Yes. Why aren''t you in bed yet?" Luca smiled and stroked the child''s head caringly. "I''m thirsty. I wanted to get myself a ss of water," Tommy muttered. "Okay. Let me get it for you," said Luca. She held the child''s hand, lifted her head, and nced at Luke. Then, she walked into the kitchen. She poured a ss of water and handed it over to Tommy. "Thank you, Ms. Luca." Tommy smiled and took the ss of water from her. He gulped down the water and handed the ss back to Luca. "Done!" "Go to bed now." Luca stroked the child''s head. "Okay, Ms. Luca. You and Daddy should go to bed earlier too." Tommy obediently nodded. "Alright. Cover yourself well. Don''t catch a cold," Luca reminded him. "Okay!" Tommy gave a little skip as he walked out of the kitchen and headed upstairs. Luca followed him out of the kitchen. Luke was still standing in the living room, holding her coat. "Are you tired?" asked Luke. "Not really." Luca shook her head. She was not tired at all. All she did was give Nina some advice, and it did not tire her out much. "Are you free tomorrow?" Luke popped the question when he took her hand and walked upstairs. He received an email from Marcos today. Marcos stated in the email that he would be boarding a flight bound for A City with his family''s attorney and the people privy to some of the organization''s unsettling secrets. He would arrive the following day. "Yes. Why?" Luca looked at his side profile, noticing that the stubble had grown out a bit after he shaved it this morning. "Apany me to the airport tomorrow," replied Luke. "Sure. Are we picking up someone?" Luca was curious. Luke never mentioned that someone was coming back. Moreover, he would not personally go to the airport to pick them up even if the person was his business partner. "Marcos. Gale has found out something about his mother. He''sing to look for her," exined Luke. Still, he did not mention anything about the Ind of Despair. "You found her? That''s great." Luca felt happy for Marcos. Even though Marcos was already an adult, he showed affection and respect for his mother. "We have a rough idea of where she is, but we still have to find her,¡± said Luke as he opened the bedroom door. His phone rang at this moment. Luke''s expression grew serious when he nced at the caller ID. He handed Luca the coat and said, "I''m answering a call. Don''t wait for me. Go to bed first." "Okay." As Luca noticed the stern expression on his face, she nodded without asking who called. Luke walked to the opposite bedroom. He entered and closed the door behind him. His voice trailed away to nothing. Luca''s eyes darkened. It waste at night but Luke still had other things to deal with... Luke was still busy handling matters when it was time to go to bed. She felt a dull pain in her chest as she recalled the tired look on his face. Luca wanted to help. She had received a lot of training on the Ind of Despair, and she could help him to handle the affairs. However, she was in no position to do that. Luca lowered her head and closed the door. In the opposite bedroom. Luke answered the call. "What''s the matter?" Gordan''szy voice came from the other end of the line. "Luke, I''ve found out where Pierre is being held." "Where is he?" Luke asked as he sat on the office chair. He moved the mouse, and the screen lit up. Then, he opened a map software on his desktop. "He''s on the outskirts of X City. Here''s the address..." Gordan paused for a moment. Then came the sound of flipping pages. ¡°No. 15, Cartee Rd, Marshfield." Luke found the location on the map software based on the address given. He looked at the entire map of X City. The location was remote, and it was also in the suburbs of A City. When Percy asked for his help, Luke went looking for Gordan. However, he did not tell Percy about it. "Okay. Got it." Luke marked the location on the map. "Luke, are we going to take action?" asked Gordan as he flexed his wrist. The crisp sound of joints echoed in his ears. "Let''s keep an eye on things for the time being," replied Luke. He had no intention of telling Percy the address. He had no ns to rescue Pierre or inform his family if his life was not in danger. Percy had done so many wrong things. He needed to be taught a lesson. Luke was nning to let him suffer as long as it was not death. "They''re the members of the Ind of Despair. That''s cruel..." Gordan was surprised. Then, he sneered, "Well, that kid deserves it. Anyway, it seems pretty quiet over there. It seems like they''re not nning to kill him yet. Let''s observe them for now. Should I make a move if his life is being threatened?" "Yes." Luke agreed. "I''ve been keeping an eye on them for a day now. And I''ve noticed that there are more than two people there. You''ll have to send two men to assist me," added Gordan. "Can''t you manage on your own?" Luke did not intend to help Gordan. He believed that he was capable of handling things on his own. "It would be fine if I was just escaping by myself. But if I''m taking Pierre with me, I can''t guarantee that he won''t get shot if we get into a fight. I don''t want to be med for it," replied Gordan. He then thought to himself, ¡®That''s really harsh.'' Gordan had been observing them today. Those people were illegally in possession of firearms. If he were to engage in a fight, the odds were stacked against him. Taking Pierre along with him only added to the risk. Chapter 2752 ¡°It looks like you''ve taken a turn for the worse after her," said Luke. The old Gordan was not anything like this. He was always ready to risk it all, yet now he needed help. Gordan jumped and said, "This has nothing to do with that woman!" He paused at the thought of Vivian and ignored the strange feeling in his heart. "It''s because I''m getting older, and they have guns. I even saw them transporting stuff inside. After some thought, it''s possible that it could be things like grenades." Luke looked at the address on theputer screen and fell silent for quite a while. When Gordan was about to doze off, he heard Luke say, "Have Rain send people to help." "Rain? Forget it. I''ll just give you a name." Gordan recalled the person who helped him movest time. "Who?" "Someone called Leroy. He helped you find Pierrest time," said Gordan. He practically knew every order Luke had given others. Including the fact that Leroy had dropped by Oswald''s ce before he went to help him move. There was nothing in A City that could stop him from getting the information he wanted. Otherwise, it would be a dishonor to his reputation in this world. "Leroy will be there tomorrow," Luke promised. "Awesome! Luke, how do you n on infiltrating the Ind of Despair?" Satisfied, Gordan lit a cigarette and said. "I have no clue as of now," said Luke. The reason why he easily got rid of Robert back then was that Gale and Rain had stayed on the Ind of Despair before, and so did he. However, unlike him, the two of them knew the ind inside out. Now that there was a new Ind of Despair, they knew nothing about it. Luca did, but Luke did not want Luca to be in danger again or have anything to do with the Ind of Despair. "This won''t do. Why don''t you tell Sis the truth and let her help..." Gordon took a puff of his cigarette and squinted his eyes. This cigarette was like no other. He had fallen in love with the cooling feeling after he got used to it, and now, all other cigarettes were just subpar to him. "She can''t be involved in this." Luke was afraid that Gordan would disturb Luca, so deepened his voice to warn him, "Don''t mention this in front of her." Gordan had no choice but toply. "I''m not interested in meddling in your marriage, so I won''t mention it to her. Don''t worry." "Marcos will be in A City tomorrow, and he''ll bring someone with him. I''ll contact you then if needed," said Luke. He would not be able to take care of this Ind of Despair situation on his own. He still needed the help of Gordan, the Mallory family, and the Holston family. "Alright, Boss. It''s gettingte, so I''ll go get some rest." Gordan hung up the phone as soon as he was done. Luke put the phone aside and opened his drawer to take out a cigarette case he had not touched in a long time. His slender fingers picked up a cigarette. Then he picked up the lighter beside him to light it up. He ced the cigarette between his thin lips and took a puff before blowing a smoke ring. He had not smoked in a long time. If it were not for the Ind of Despair that was giving him a hard time, he would not have pulled out the cigarette. Luke slowly got up and walked to the window to open it. The cool breeze calmed him down. The Ind of Despair was tricky, and if he did not do a good job handling them this time, what would happen to his future with Luca? He was terrified at the thought of it. He hated this feeling of not being in control. Luca could not leave him! Luke put out the cigarette and sat down at his desk again. After saving the address Gordan gave him, he opened up a software and retrieved the blurred portrait shots Leroy had gotten from Pierre. Then, he uploaded them and pressed search. This was a global search system that could identify a person from just a picture. This was a huge project, but Luke knew that he had to find the person who was behind the Ind of Despair. Of course, he knew that he must have changed his appearance to meet Pierre, but no matter how much he changed his look, the contour of one''s face would not change. Thus, even if it would be difficult to identify him, he still wanted to use the search system to check one by one. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, he would not give up. The next day. When Luca woke up, she looked beside her out of habit. It was empty. Luke was not there. Luca turned sideways and touched the bed. It was as cold as ice. She tried to recallst night, and she did not remember Lukeing in after she fell asleep. She sat up and frowned as she looked toward the door. Was he there the entire night? Who called him yesterday? Why did Luke be so busy that he did not sleep after that call? Luca got out of bed, washed up, and paced outside of the opposite bedroom for some time. She even leaned on the door to listen. The house was very well soundproofed, so she could not hear a thing. After standing for about half a minute, Luca decided to knock on the door. ¡°Come in." Luke''s hoarse voice sounded. Luca frowned. Why did his voice be so hoarse overnight? When she opened the door, she could smell the scent of burnt tobo. He smoked... ording to her memory, he had not smoked in a long time. Was something bothering him? "Are you still busy?" Luca noticed that there were twoputers on the desk. One of theputer screens was slightly nted toward the door. On the screen, she saw an advanced system running. She had encountered systems like this in the Ind of Despair, but the nature of each system was different, so Luca was not sure what Luke was running this system for. However, Gale and Rain were usually the ones to run these systems to investigate, so she wondered why Luke was personally taking charge this time. Could it be that he had encountered a difficult problem? Pierre popped into Luca''s mind. "I''m almost done. Why are you up so early?" Luke nced at the time. She woke up more than half an hour earlier than usual. "I got up the moment I woke up," said Luca with her eyes still fixated on the system that was constantly running. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Luke noticed and tilted theputer screen the other way. It did not matter if Luca knew about his investigations because he believed that she would not tell anybody. However, he would not leave any traces to not get her involved in this situation. Luca withdrew her gaze and asked, "Oh, when will Marcos arrive at the airport?" "He''ll arrive in the afternoon. I''ll be quite busy these few days, and Grandpa misses the kids, so I n on sending the three of them to the manor. Can you help me send them there?" Luke asked. He would be quite busy the next few days, and he knew that Luca was about to start a new project, so he decided to send the children to the manor for the butler to take care of them. At the same time, the maid here can go work at the manor again. Chapter 2753 ¡°Send the children there?" Luca was surprised as she had never heard him mention this. She looked back and forth between Luke and theputer and started to feel that the phone callst night must not be good news. "It''s just a week, and I''ve already told Mr. Griffin. Mr. Zander has other ns today, so you''re the only person I can ask," said Luke as he could not leave. He had so much left to do. "Alright, I''ll send the kids over when they wake up," Luca knew that she could not offer to take care of the children herself, so sheplied with his request. "The maids will also work there, so I can have them drive if you don''t want to," said Luke. "I can." Luca shook her head slightly. Now that Matysh had been arrested, no one would follow her on the road. Luke looked at her legs. The length of Luca''s pants was up to her ankles, so he could not see how the wound was looking. "How''s your ankle wound?" he asked. Luca looked down at her feet and lifted her pants slightly. "The blisters are gone, so it''s looking good." "I''ll help you with the medicine," said Luke as he stood up. Luca knew that he would do whatever he wanted to, so she nodded and said, "I''ll bring the first aid kit." Then, she went to the second-floor living room and took the first aid kit that was put away yesterday. When she was about to go back to the room, she noticed Luke behind her. "I''ll do it." Luke took the first aid kit and held her hand before walking over to the sofa to sit down. After Luca sat down, he ced her injured foot on hisp. Luke took out the ointment and carefully applied it to her burnt ankle. The blisters and swelling had subsided a lot. Luca did indeed recover a lot faster than others. Luke suddenly recalled the time she just returned from the Ind of Despair. Every time she got injured, she would heal faster than anyone else. Was it because she took the medicine that controlled her? He looked down with his gloomy eyes. No matter how great it was for the body, as long as it was used to control others, it was not good medicine. After noticing that Luke was no longer moving the cotton swab, Luca whispered, "Luke?" Luke came back to his senses and looked up to smile at her before continuing to apply the ointment for her. ¡°Does it still hurt?" ¡°It doesn''t hurt anymore after the medicine yesterday," said Luca. She had always healed fast. Plus, that drug had made her pain tolerance much higher. That was the purpose of the drug Shanks developed. If someone on a mission was hurt, they would still be able to defend themselves or run away even if they got stabbed. That was because of their higher pain tolerance, so they did not feel as much pain as normal people. Their wounds would heal twice as fast as the average person too. Their bodies were no longer like the average human''s. This drug controlled those on the Ind of Despair, making them obey Abel at all times. At the same time, it could make those on the Ind of Despair stronger. Luke put down her ankle with a heavy feeling in his chest. Although her body was in much better condition, it was a drug that was used to control people... When the Ind of Despair was eradicated, he would find the person who developed the drug and torture them endlessly. ¡°I''ll go downstairs to see if breakfast is ready. Will you eat in here?" Luca noticed his silence and gloomy presence, which made her worried. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. However, she could not say the words and doubts in her head out loud. Luca felt that it was inappropriate of her to ask those questions, given her identity. If Luke wanted to tell her, he would have long ago. ¡°Yes, I still have work to do." Luke ced the ointment back in the box. Luca looked at his slender fingers with the urge to hold them and make him tell her all of his worries. However, she held it back. If he refused to tell her and she still asked, he would not tell her the whole truth anyway. ¡°I''ll tidy up, then. Breakfast will be sent up hereter." Luca took the first aid kit and closed it before standing up and putting it back in the cab, Luke stared at her walking downstairs with a sullen look. She was a sensitive person, so she must know that he was hiding something, but she used to be someone who wanted to know everything and share his burdens. Luca. This name never belonged to her. She was his Bianca. Luca walked into the kitchen, where Aunt Neile and the maid were ting breakfast. Aunt Neile saw her walking over and said, ¡°Ms. Craw, breakfast is almost ready." "Alright, Mr. Crawford will eat upstairs, so please bring some up to him, Aunt Neile," said Luca. ¡°Will do, Ms. Craw," Aunt Neile said with a smile. The maid asked, ¡°Is Mr. Crawford busy with work again?" Aunt Neile looked at her curiously. The maid exined, "I got up at two in the morning and saw Mr. Crawford making coffee in the kitchen. Has he not gotten any asleep?" "It''s understandable for Mr. Crawford to be busy when he''s managing such arge corporation, but staying upte often... Ms. Craw, do you have any health remedies? I want to make some soup for Mr. Crawford if he continues staying upte." Aunt Neile looked at Luca. Staying upte for work would cause a lot of damage to one''s body, so after giving it some thought, Luca said, "I do. Wait a minute and I''ll give you a list of ingredients to buy.." She did not want Luke''s health to deteriorate, but the only thing she could do was make soup to supplement his diet. "Sure." Aunt Neile nodded and ced one of the tes on the tray to send upstairs. "By the way, Aunt Neile, please wake the children up. Old Master Crawford misses them, so I''ll send them over to the manor for a few days after breakfast," Luca asked. "Alright, Ms. Craw." Aunt Neile left the kitchen with the tray. The maid asked, "Ms. Craw, can I go to the manor in your carter? Mr. Crawford said that your wound has healed and that this ce doesn''t need that many maids, so he asked me to go back to the manor and work there." "Sure, you cane with me and the children." Luca agreed because Luke had told her in advance. "Okay, Ms. Craw. Would you like to have breakfast now?" the maid asked while she undid her apron after preparing breakfast. "Sure, bring it to the table. Lanie and the others wille down soon." Luca then picked up two tes of breakfast. "Ms. Craw, let me do it!" the maid hurriedly said and picked up the tes. Chapter 2754 "It''s okay," replied Luca. Luca and the maid proceeded to serve breakfast on the table. She then took her seat where she waited for her kids to finish their morning routine. Upstairs, Aunt Neile had delivered breakfast to Luke''s bedroom and awoken the kids. After, she reminded them that they would be going to Crawford manor today before she then made her way downstairs. ¡°Ms. Craw, the kids are packing their stuff now. They''ll being down soon,¡± reported Aunt Neile. The kids did not say much about their return to Crawford manor, but they made sure to pack their homework, stationery, and textbooks before heading out. Everything else they needed was already avable at Crawford manor. Luke had made sure to ready the kids'' uniforms and other essentials at Crawford manor in hopes that it would make their move easier. Therefore, the kids did not have to bring many things along with them. "Okay," nodded Luca. She then picked up the newspaper while waiting for the kids to join her for breakfast. Today''s headline of the A City newspaper was about Mrs. Margaret Jackman, who was arrested by the police for assault. Luca quickly read through the article and let out a sigh of relief. It did not mention Luke''s or her name, and it only stated that Mrs. Jackman had been arrested for injuring someone. The evidence of the assault was conclusive, which led to her arrest. The police did not disclose the details of the offense, and the reporters could not get any further information. stered on the front page was a photo of a police officer arresting Margaret at her house. Luca realized that this was not something the press would have covered unless someone had tipped them off. Given the photo taken, it was obvious that that what had happened. Someone wanted Mrs. Jackman to face a more severe punishment than just a few days of detention. That was why the reporters were told in advance to wait outside her house before the police arrived. Luca suspected that it was Luke''s arrangement. After all, no one else could have known when the police would have showed up at the Jackman''s residence. The moment Luca finished reading the article, she heard the kids greet her, ¡°Good morning, Ms. Luca.¡± "Good morning," smiled Luca the three children. She pulled out the chair next to her, Time for breakfast. I''ll send you back to Crawford manor after this." "Okay," nodded the kids. There were no objections raised when the kids knew they were heading to Crawford manor. After all, Luke had mentioned to them yesterday that they might be going back to Crawford manor for a week due to their busy work schedule these days. The three kids understood, and obliged their father. The three of them sat on the chair, munching away their breakfast. Luca could not help but feel a twinge of reluctance in her heart as she looked at their innocent faces. She could not bear to leave them, though it would only be for a few days at Crawford manor. Luca had no idea how long she could stay here. She wanted to cherish every moment spent with her children. Old Master Crawford missed his grandchildren. There was not much she could say about it. After breakfast, Luca drove the three children and the maid back to Crawford manor. As the maid and the three kids stepped out of the car, Luca prepared to drive off. Yet before she could make a move, Mr. Griffin knocked on the car window, halting her in her tracks. "Ms. Craw, the old master would like to speak with you." said Mr. Griffin, offering Luca a warm smile. "Alright," nodded Luca as she unfastened her seatbelt and stepped out of the car. Tommy rushed over to hold Luca''s hand. She gently squeezed his soft little hand before also taking Rainie''s hand. Lanie stood quietly beside Rainie. The four of them walked into the house together. As soon as they had taken off their shoes in the foyer, Luca caught a whiff of the faint aroma of tea in the air. She turned to look at the living room couch. Old Master Crawford was sitting in his rocking chair with a newspaper and a cup of tea beside him. When heid his eyes on Luca and his three grandchildren, he smiled, "Ah, my great-grandchildren are finally here." Luca let go of Tommy and Rainie''s hands so the kids could get closer to Old Master Crawford to greet him. "Good morning, Great-grandpa." The three kids surrounded the old master and smiled brightly at him. "Good morning, kids. Mrs. Nancy has prepared something for you in the dining room. Go eat before it gets cold," said Old Master Crawford with a kind smile.. Then, he turned to Luca and nodded at her. ¡°Good morning, Old Master Crawford. Mr. Griffin told me that you''re looking for me." Luca walked toward him and greeted him standing up. "I didn''t get to talk to youst night at Louis'' house. I just want to have a chat with you today. Don''t just stand there. Take a seat," said Old Master Crawford. He carefully observed Luca. Other than her eyes that still held a trace of the past, her facial features werepletely different from before. Bianca, who was as gentle as amb back then, looked like a red rose with thorns now. Though she was not an aggressive person, even those who did not know her would know that she was not someone to be messed with. It was fortunate that she came back. Even though she looked different, her love for Luke and her kids remained unchanged. "Alright." Luca looked at the gentle smile on Old Master Crawford''s face, and wondered if he was going to bring up the Jackman family matter. Although Mrs. Jackman was in the wrong this time, an apology from the other party would usually suffice for such urences. However, Luke had blown the issue out of the water and got the police involved in this matter for her sake. As a result, Mrs. Jackman was now being held in custody. Even though the Crawford family did not take the Jackman family seriously, it did not matter if there was a potential partnership between them. Old Master Crawford was not a person who liked to get into trouble. This time, the old master must have thought that things had been blown out of proportion unnecessarily. Old Master Crawford looked at the cautious expression on Luca''s face. He urged the kids again, "Off you go. The desserts made by Mrs. Nancy aren''t going to taste good if they get cold." Tommy pouted, "Great-grandpa, we just had our breakfast. We''re still full." Then, Tommy pulled his clothes around him and pressed it against his belly to show the old master his round and plump belly. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. "They''re just desserts. They won''t take up so much space in your stomach!" smiled Old Master Crawford as he pinched Tommy''s cheek. Lanie resembled Luke the most among the three of them. The calmer Lanie was, the more he behaved like him. Tommy was mischievous. Although he looked like Luke when he was a child, there was a vast difference in their characters. Mr. Griffin understood what was Old Master Crawford''s mind. He took the initiative and spoke, "Kids, let me take you to the kitchen first. Let''s see if you like the dessert. Besides, you have to ce your bags in your rooms too, right?" "Okay, Mr. Griffin." The three of them then followed Mr. Griffin into the kitchen. "Old Master Crawford, how have you been?" Luca knew Mr. Griffin intentionally drove the kids away. Hence, she waited for the kids to leave before taking her turn to slowly speak. "I''m feeling better after receiving your herbal therapy. I have more energy when I walk. I eat more than I usually do, and my sleep has improved. I also heard that you''ve been nursing Rayne''s health. His condition has improved a lot recently. It''s just that he keeps talking about his daughter these days." said Old Master Crawford, intentionally mentioning the Rayne family. Chapter 2755 Luca''s fingers slightly curled. Wanda was currently still in the hospital. She did not tell Old Master Rayne about it. That was why he believed that Wanda was traveling. Meanwhile, Luca was worried that Old Master Rayne would sense something was wrong. She felt guilty for not apanying him at the Rayne family house. He needed someone to keep himpany now. Yet as his granddaughter, she could not even be the one to do that, and she even lied to him... "What''s the matter?" asled Old Master Crawford, noticing Luca fall silent. "It''s nothing. It just kind of reminded me of Ms. Rayne''s illness. But I heard Dr. Park say that the breast cancer specialist has arrived in A City to consult Ms. Rayne. Her condition currently seems fit for surgery. So, they''re nning to perform the surgery soon in the next few days. She should be able to go home immediately after the surgery,¡± rambled Luca before snapping out of her thoughts. Luca had been keeping tabs on Wanda''s condition, always asking Johann about her. Johann would also take the initiative to tell her about Wanda''s condition by sending her messages, going as far as viting he hospital rules to send her the patient''s medical records. Luca needed to understand Wanda''s condition in order to help her recover. "I heard that you''ve been treating her, huh?" asked Old Master Crawford curiously. He was more surprised now than when he learned that Luca''s true identity was Bianca. She had no knowledge of medicine and naturopathy before. Yet, it only took her 3 years to gain such skills in the medical field. Old Master Crawford could not help but wonder what terrible things Luca had experienced on the Ind of Despair to make her thepetent person she is now. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. "Ms. Rayne needs to receive chemotherapy treatment. All I did was prescribe some medicine to alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy.¡± Luca shook her head before adding, ¡°It''s a process to alleviate pain, so it can''t be considered as real treatment." "But it still takes skill to be able to do that,"plimented Old Master Crawford. Although he never experienced it himself, he knew about the side effects and the pain one had to suffe when receiving chemotherapy treatment. However, he heard that Wanda did not feel much pain after she took Luca''s medicine. At that point, she had already gone through a few rounds of chemotherapy treatment. Other than that, Luca had been helping nurse the health of the people around her, he thought it was admirable and impressive. That was why Old Master Crawford thought Luke had deliberately lied to him when he told him that Luca''s true identity was Bianca. It wasn''t until Luke showed him Luca''s and Rainie''s paternity test result that he believed that this woman, who possessed such a high level of medical expertise, was indeed his daughter-inw, Bianca. Not only was Old Master Crawford shocked, but he also felt proud of her. However, it broke his heart when he thought about why Luca had learned so much. She had done a lot for the Crawford family before she was kidnapped. She had given Luke their three children. With just these two acts alone, Luca was worthy of respect from everyone in the Crawford family. Old Master Crawford was very pleased with his granddaughter-inw. Even though she concealed her identity after she got kidnapped and returned to them, she treated them sincerely and kindly. Old Master Crawford hoped that Luke could quickly solve all their problems and reintroduce Luca to her kids as soon as possible. After all, it was not easy to hear her own child calling her ''Ms. Luca'' instead of ''mom''. "It''s just pharmacological knowledge, nothing too magical. Ms. Rayne''s condition turned out to be not too bad after all. Besides, with her optimistic mindset..." Luca trailed off, running out of things to say. Wanda''s health was deteriorating rapidly. In fact, she wasn''t optimistic either, she was growing more and more pessimistic by the day. However, Luca lied to Old Master Crawford to ensure that he didn''t think she was doing something miraculous. Old Master Crawford had been in the business world for many years. He had made hispany - T Corporation, strong. He was good at observing people. While Luca did not bat an eye, he could still sense her restlessness under that calm expression on her face. Old Master Crawford gave her a kind smile, "You''re right. Doctors can only cure the sickness. It mainly depends on one''s own efforts when ites to the psychological aspect.¡± "Well, as long as Ms. Rayne stays positive, she''ll be able to recover soon and get discharged from the hospital," replied Luca. After all, diseases rting to the breast were often caused by emotions. In the past, when Wanda married and moved to Japan, she never quite found the happiness in her life. She was always depressed and sad, which was a major reason for her health issues. "Her health is all that matters. Rayne misses her. He has no idea what Wanda is going through. It''ll be difficult for Rayne if anything happens to her..." Old Master Crawford heaved a heavy sigh. Even though Old Master Rayne had a son and a daughter, he only had Wanda left after Kevin''s passing. Kevin only had one daughter, Bianca. Even though the real Bianca was here, Old Master Rayne still thought Bianca had lost her memory, and that she had no emotional connection with them. He believed she was living abroad now. Wanda married and divorced. She had no children. Hence, Old Master Rayne only had his daughter left. Old Master Crawford had no idea if he could handle if something happened to Wanda. Luca felt a lump in her throat as she listened to the old master talk about it. Her grandfather had lived a bitter and tragic life. If something happened to Wanda, he would be left all alone. If he experienced the loss of two loved ones, his body would probably copse. Therefore, they had to save Wanda no matter what! "By the way, Luca, what do you think of Luke?" Old Master Crawford sensed Luca''s sadness and quickly changed the topic of the conversation. Luca was startled for a moment and looked at the old master. What did he mean? "Mr. Crawford is a kind person,¡± answered Luca hesitantly. Old Master Crawford observed her reaction and could not help but chuckle, "Yes. Luke''s a kind person. You''re right." Luca was even more confused when she saw the old master''s reaction. Before she could say anything, Mr. Griffin walked into the living room and leaned close to Old Master Crawford, whispering to him, "Old Master Bourne is here." "Bourne? Why did hee here?" frowned Old Master Crawford. Old Master Bourne would always inform him in advance beforeing to visit him. However, he had arrived with no prior announcement today. "Old Master Bourne didn''t say anything. But he brought a middle-aged man with him, who appears to be from the Jackman family," replied Mr. Griffin. He had been by Old Master Crawford''s side for so many years that he knew everyone in the upper ss society of A City. "The Bourne and Jackman?" Old Master Crawford nced at Luca. It reminded Luca of Mrs. Jackman when the Jackman family''s name was mentioned. Luca rose to her feet, "Old Master Crawford, I should leave first since you have guests to attend to." "Sure. Let''s talk again next time," Old Master Crawford waved his hand with a kind expression on his face. Once Luca turned around and left, he turned to Mr. Griffin, and asked, "What''s the rtionship between Bourne and Jackman?" Mr. Griffin recalled the rtionship between the two families and replied, "I heard that Lonnie Jackman''s cousin is married to Old Master Bourne''s son." "Oh, that exins why. Lonnie must have begged Bourne toe and plead on behalf of his daughterinw. Let them in," replied Old Master Crawford as he understood clearly what was going on now. Chapter 2756 "Yes, sir," nodded Mr. Griffin. He then walked to the video doorbell camera, and opened the door for the two men waiting outside the door. As Old Master Bourne''s chauffeur drove into the Crawford family''s parking lot, Luca prepared to get into her car. Luca shot a nce at the driving vehicle, and knew immediately who Old Master Bourne was. Although his descendants hardly had any connections with Luke, they were an old friend of the Crawford family. She cooperated with Old Master Bourne''spany on two projects when Luke was kidnapped by the Ind of Despair back then. Their cooperation went smoothly. However, rumor has it that Old Master Bourne''s descendants were not as adept at managing business. That was why Old Master Bourne was still dealing with some of the important tasks in thepany even at his age. It was Old Master Bourne who dealt with her when they were discussed their cooperation. Luca remembered her first impression of Old Master Bourne. He was a man who always kept a straight face, but his gaze was always sharp. Despite his age, every decision he made in investments and projects was always right on the money. He barely made any losses. It was almost impossible to profit off him when he was involved. Luca withdrew her gaze, got into her car, and left. As Old Master Bourne got out of the car, he turned and looked in the direction of Luca. Lonnie followed suit. As he followed Old Master Bourne''s gaze, he asked curiously, "Old Master Bourne, do you know that woman?" Old Master Bourne gave him a disdainful look and sized him up. Lonnie was puzzled. He turned to look in the direction of Luca''s car. That woman was beautiful, but should he know her? "How could you not know her?" Old Master Bourne took the walking cane his chauffeur handed to him. Although he was still managing thepany, he was aging and needed the cane to help him to walk steadily. "Who is she?" Lonnie had no recollection of her. Old Master Bourne shook his head and answered when Lonnie persisted to just stare at him, ¡°She''s the one your unreliable wife injured!¡± "She''s Luke''s..." Lonnie trailed off before promptly shutting his mouth, realizing they were at the Crawford manor. Not long after they left Louis'' house and returned home, Margaret came back home too. Margaret exined to him in detail about what happened. Her voice was full of hatred, and she emphasized that the woman was Luke''s mistress. Margaret despised women who were involved in extramarital affairs. That was why she could not control herself. The woman who left a moment ago was the one whom Margaret injured, so she must be Luke''s woman. "Yes." Old Master Bourne knew what Lonnie wanted to say. He nodded and walked toward the house. He was always kept informed as he was still active in the business world. He immediately knew who Luca was with just a mere nce at her face. Lonnie immediately caught up with him. "Old Master Bourne, that woman actually entered the Crawford manor. Is it because Old Master Crawford learned about my wife''s incident? Is that why he asked that woman toe here to teach her a lesson?" Lonnie had such spections only because he saw the newspaper article today. The fact that Margaret was taken to custody for assaulting someone had caused a huge sensation in the media. There were pictures of her being taken away by the police from her home. It was simply disgraceful. "Do you think that woman looked like she was being lectured just now?" asked Old Master Bourne coldly. Lonnie''s foolishness disgusted him. Lonnie was like his sons and grandsons. They were dull-witted. He had no idea how someone like Lonnie managed to grow hispany. If it were not for his capable wife, he would not have helped Lonnie out. Lonnie smiled awkwardly. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Luca''s expression was calm and it did not seem like she had been lectured when she left. "Old Master Crawford has always known about that woman''s existence. If he didn''t agree with Luke''s rtionship with her, he would have separated them a long time ago. He wouldn''t have waited until now," Old Master Bourne reminded him. "If you''d like to cooperate with T Corporation and work together with Luke, how can you possibly convince them to work with you if you don''t do a background check?" "You''re right, Old Master Bourne." agreed Lonnie awkwardly. If it were not for the unfortunate situation, he would not have asked for his cousin''s help. After he told his cousin about his situation, she asked Old Master Bourne for help without a second thought. Old Master Bourne agreed to help as a favor to his cousin. However, he did not expect Lonnie to be such a fool. Old Master Bourne scoffed at him. "Indeed, it''s different when you have different parents. You should learn from your cousin." The cousin he was referring to was his daughter-inw who married into the Bourne family. Even though his sons were not capable, his daughters-inw all had a good head on their shoulders. Especially Lonnie''s cousin. However, his daughter-inw was not a descendent of the Bourne family. That was why Old Master Bourne kept his ce as the head of thepany. He was reluctant to hand thepany over to his daughter-inw to manage. After all, there was a chance that the fruits of years of his hard work could be swallowed up by an outsider if it was handed over to someone with a different family name. Lonnie took a deep breath as he listened to Old Master Bourne''s taunts. He reminded himself to be patient. He needed Old Master Bourne''s help now. Lonnie forced a smile and followed Old Master Bourne into the house. Then, he saw Old Master Crawford sitting on the sofa, waiting for them. "Crawford, it''s been a while since west met. You still look so energetic. Do you have any secrets to keeping yourself healthy that you haven''t shared with your old friend?" Old Master Bourne did not go straight to the point, he started off with small talk first. "Bourne, is there a better way to improve your health other than maintaining a healthy diet and getting enough rest? Besides, you look like you''re in a pretty good state too," replied Old Master Crawford. He exchanged pleasantries with Old Master Bourne when he noticed that he had yet to reveal his purpose ofing here. Then, he turned to look at Lonnie, and he asked, "Who is this?" "Oh, he''s a younger member of the family. Lonnie, say hello to Old Master Crawford,¡± Old Master Bourne said with a smile on his face. Lonnie immediately bowed to Old Master Crawford, "Nice to meet you, Old Master Crawford. I''m Lonnie Jackman." "Ah, Lonnie Jackman. Sounds familiar to me. The Jackman Corporation?" asked Old Master Crawford pointedly. "Yes, I''m in charge of Jackman Corporation," replied Lonnie. He was surprised that Old Master Crawford knew about it, given that he had retired from the business world many years ago. Luke was in control of thepany now, and yet Old Master Crawford still knew about him! "Young people nowadays are really outstanding. Bourne, Mr. Jackman, please take a seat," Old Master Crawford pointed towards the sofa beside him. "Thank you," Old Master Bourne smiled and sat down. "Crawford, I just realized it''s been a long time since west yed chess together. That''s why I came over today unannounced. Apologies for my manners. Do you happen to have time today?¡± "How could I have any ns when I''m just a retired old man? You came at the right time. I just brewed some tea with the new tea leaves harvested this year in F Province. They''re really fresh. The tea house there delivered them to me right after they finished making them. Try this," Old Master Crawford signaled to Mr. Griffin. The pot of tea was originally meant for him and Luca to enjoy together. However, before they could have a good chat, Old Master Bourne and Lonnie came to visit. The tea could only be served to them now. Mr. Griffin followed Old Master Crawford''s instructions. He bent down and poured a cup of tea for Old Master Bourne and Lonnie. "Enjoy the tea, sir.¡± Chapter 2757 Old Master Bourne was not anxious to bring up Lonnie''s matter. He lifted the teacup and took a sip. "How is it?" asked Old Master Crawford. The tea they served was of good quality. Yet, it was not time for the impending topic of conversation just yet. "It''s good. It has a clear and refreshing taste that can''t bepared to old tea. The vor of the tea leaves is good. Crawford, which tea house is this from?"plimented Old Master Bourne. "It''s not from a big tea house. It''s from our own tea house." smiled Old Master Crawford. Luke and Louis knew that the old master enjoyed drinking tea. Hence, the brothers bought a tea house in F province. The tea business was profitable and this way, the old master could enjoy some good tea too. "Oh, that is really enviable." Old Master Bourne nced at Lonnie, signaling him to say something. Lonnie noticed Old Master Bourne''s gaze. He lifted the teacup and said, "Yes, Old Master Crawford. This tea has a rich and fragrant taste. It''s refreshing, and it leaves a revitalizing sensation. It''s good tea." Old Master Crawford lifted the teacup and took a sip. "Good tea leaves." Old Master Bourne cleared his throat. After some small talk and tea, it was time to get down to business. Just as he was about to speak, Old Master Crawford piped up, "Mr. Griffin, bring me the chessboard. I''d like to y a few games with Old Master Bourne." Old Master Bourne was dumbfounded for a moment. Lonnie, who was sitting next to him, was taken aback too. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. "Alright, Old Master Crawford,¡± replied Mr. Griffin as he turned to fetch the chessboard. While they were waiting for the chessboard to arrive, Old Master Bourne took the opportunity to say, "Crawford, other than our game of chess I have another matter concerning this young man to discuss with you." "Oh? About Mr. Jackman?" There was a faint smile on Old Master Crawford''s face, but anyone with a good eye could see that the smile did not reach his eyes. His cloudy eyes revealed a trace of shrewdness. Lonnie was being stared at. He was on thin ice. He immediately nodded and said, "Yes, Old Master Crawford. I have a favor to ask." "Is your wife from the Sutton family?" Old Master Crawford went straight to the point and added, "The one who was in the newspaper today." "Yes, that''s my wife. She did something wrong and she''s now paying the price for it." Lonnie said with a stiff upper lip. "Well, then let the police handle it." Old Master Crawford took another sip of tea. Lonnie was stunned for a moment. He did not know what to say. He turned to look at Old Master Bourne, wondering what he meant by his words. Old Master Bourne red at him and gave him a frustrated look. Then, he said, "Crawford, Lonnie didn''te to visit you today for this matter." The moment he finished speaking, Lonnie added, "Yes. My wife did something wrong. It''s up to the police to decide how long they will be detaining her.¡± When Lonnie said this, Old Master Crawford was stunned for a moment. Did they note here to talk about this? Then what was this visit for? "What''s the matter, then?" asked Old Master Crawford. Lonnie shot a nce at Old Master Bourne. Old Master Bourne grew impatient and said, "Tell him." "It''s about mypany. I signed a project with a party who requested T Corporation provide the design drawing. I had paid a visit to T Corporation, but it seemed like they were too busy with their own projects, so they refused to take on mine. Now, I have no design drawings and I have no exnation for the European party who hired us. Old Master Crawford, I was hoping you could talk to Mr. Crawford and see if he could take on this project''s design." requested Lonnie cautiously. This was his motive foring here today. Lonnie had not given Margaret''s situation much thought. After all, the police said she would only be detained for a few days. Since she had caused him so much trouble, going as far as beating up his lover a while ago, Lonnie thought it would be good for her to suffer a bit while she was detained. It could at least put a lid on her bad temper. Old Master Crawford immediately understood after he heard Lonnie''s request. It was a business matter, not a personal issue. He secretly let out a sigh, thinking about how ridiculous Lonnie was. Instead of thinking about how to solve his family crisis, he was busy looking for connections to handle hispany''s affairs. "So it''s about business..." Old Master Crawford trailed off. Lonnie nodded eagerly and replied, "Actually, it''s not aplicated project, but it is a small one. That''s why your grandson, Mr. Crawford was reluctant to take it on. T Corporation''s project department doesn''t want it either. Old Master Crawford, I had no choice but toe and bother you." "I see," nodded Old Master Crawford but he remained silent. Old Master Bourne''s heart skipped a beat and suddenly realized what was happening. He rushed to exin, "Old Master Crawford, it''s just a project. You only have to talk to Luke and he''ll definitely take it on, as long as the design drawing is provided by T Corporation." What Old Master Bourne meant was that Luke did not have to design it himself. It could be done by a T Corporation''s designer. "Luke has been busytely. He can''t even handle hispany projects," Old Master Crawford sighed and shook his head. "Besides, I haven''t intervened with T Corporation''s matters for a long time. If you really want to work together with T Corporation, you should head there and negotiate with them." Lonnie felt despair after listening to what he said. Old Master Crawford had no intention of helping him even if it was for the sake of Old Master Bourne. It seemed like there was no way the project could bepleted in time! "Old Master Crawford..." Lonnie refused to give up. He wanted to give it another try. However, before he could speak, Old Master Bourne interrupted him. "In this case, we shouldn''t force Old Master Crawford to help us then,¡± said Old Master Bourne. Lonnie turned to look at Old Master Bourne with a face full of discontent. What was he saying? He finally had the chance to meet someone from the Crawford family and he did not want to waste this opportunity. "Old Master Bourne, I hope you can understand. It''s the world of the young now. I have been retired for so long. It will cause many unnecessary troubles if I interfere with thepany''s affairs." said Old Master Crawford, remaining calm as he watched Lonnie''s reaction. Lonnie''s wife bullied his precious granddaughter-inw. Of course, the score had to be settled! Margaret being detained at the police station, and bing a scandal in the headlines was not enough to set the score even. Luke protected his wife. Old Master Crawford defended his granddaughter-inw too. That was why he had to help Luke. Although Old Master Crawford was using Luke''s name to settle the score with Lonnie, he felt satisfied that he was able to speak up for Luca! "Yes. Old Master Crawford, you''re right. I just remembered there''s still something I need to attend to at thepany. It seems like we won''t be able to y chess today. How about we reschedule for another day?" said Old Master Bourne. Though he wasn''t lying. Even though it was a Sunday, he had to attend an international conference today. He would''ve already been at thepany if it were not for Lonnie. Lonnie lowered his head in defeat and said nothing. Old Master Crawford frowned and asked, "We''re not ying chess anymore?" "I''d love to, but you know, I''m not as lucky as you are. You have a grandson who''s capable enough to take the responsibility of running thepany. My son and grandson... Forget it, I still have work to do. I have an important international meeting in half an hour." Fury began to consume Old Master Bourne as he was reminded of his useless son and grandson. Chapter 2758 Old Master Crawford did not bother insisting on their stay. "Alright then. Off you go. I have trouble walking so I''m afraid I can''t send you off." "It''s no trouble. I''lle for our game of chess when I have the time," said Old Master Bourne as he rose to his feet. Lonnie had no choice but to stand up and leave with Old Master Bourne, no matter his reluctance. Mr. Griffin carried the chessboard and walked towards the old master. Upon noting Old Master Bourne and Lonnie''s absence, he was confused. ¡°Where is Old Master Bourne and Mr. Jackman?¡±" "Something came up. They left.¡± exined Old Master Crawford as he sipped his tea. "Where are the kids?" "They saw you greeting the guest so they went upstairs to read," replied Mr. Griffin. He looked down at the chessboard in his hands and asked, "Shall I put the chessboard away?" "No. Come and y a few games with me," said Old Master Crawford. He pointed at the sofa next to him, insisting Mr. Griffin take a seat. Mr. Griffin smiled kindly. He shook his head, "I can''t beat you." "I''m bored. It''s just to kill some time," said Old Master Crawford nonchntly as he narrowed his eyes. "Alright." said Mr. Griffin before cing the chessboard on the coffee table and taking a seat to commence their game of chess. On the other hand. After Old Master Bourne and Lonnie left the room, they went straight back to the car and instructed the chauffeur to leave. It wasn''t until they left Crawford manor, only then did Lonnie say, "I should have brought something with me." He prepared lots of gift for Old Master Bourne and Old Master Crawford. However, Old Master Bourne did not ept them. When he learned of Lonnie''s intention to give Old Master Crawford some gifts, he immediately stopped him and told him not to bring anything. Old Master Bourne understood what Lonnie meant. He must have thought that the reason why Old Master Crawford refused to help was because he did not bring any gifts. Old Master Bourne reminded him, "Do you think there is anything the Crawford familycks with their prestige and wealth? They might not think that you''re just being polite if you bring the gifts over to them. You could''ve put them in a difficult situation. Why don''t you keep the gifts for yourself to help that brain of your''s?" Lonnie''s face turned red. He did not expect to be mocked by Old Master Bourne himself. He had even picked some really good gifts. Although it was true that Old Master Crawford was notcking anything, it was nevertheless a gesture of goodwill. Definitely better than going in empty-handed. Old Master Bourne added when he noticed Lonnie remained silent, "I''m telling the truth. It''smon to bring a gift when you''re seeing your client. I''ve known him for so many years. I know whether or not it''s right to be bringing gifts. Don''t doubt me." Lonnie was feeling extremely frustrated and could only mumble in response, "Yes. You''re right." Though Old Master Bourne could not help him, he knew better than to turn against the Bourne family. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Old Master Bourne decided to offer some advice when he saw the forlorn expression on Lonnie''s face. "You don''t have to work with T Corporation. There are many architectural designpanies in the world that are more well-known than T Corporation. Perhaps you should talk to the client and see if they''re willing to understand your situation." Lonnie tried, but the client insisted on using T Corporation''s design. There was no way he couldmission anotherpany to create a design and copy T Corporation''s stamp to stamp on the design drawings to pass it off, right? He would be in big trouble if he got caught. That was why he had turned to Old Master Bourne for help. Unfortunately, Old Master Bourne was not able to help him... "I didn''t expect Old Master Crawford to deny you when you guys are so close." Old Master Bourne narrowed his eyes with a frown. It was a minor issue for Old Master Crawford. It would only take a few days to design a blueprint for a company with high work efficiency like T Corporation. It was unlikely that they had no time for this. After all, Old Master Crawford ignoring Old Master Bourne''s request was an act of bruising his pride. "It''s all your wife''s fault," med Old Master Bourne. "The Crawford family wasn''t even against the idea of Luke being together with that woman. But Margaret hurt her. Of course, the Crawford family wouldn''t help you. I took you there today just to give it a try. I wasn''t confident about it." Lonnie lowered his head, secretly ming Margaret for what she did. He also believed that it was her fault that he did not get to work together with T Corporation. Old Master Bourne then lowered his voice, "Still, I didn''t expect him to turn me down so decisively. Is he treating me like the Bourne family is already dead?" Lonnie looked up and saw how furious Old Master Bourne was. He immediately chose to add fuel to the fire. "I think Old Master Crawford didn''t show you any respect. He could have just pretended to agree, and then he could havee up with an excuse just to get by. This would have not embarrassed you. But I didn''t expect him to reject you so firmly." "Hmph. He''s just lucky that he has a talented grandson. He''s so full of himself. How could he refuse to help even though we have been friends for years? The Crawford family has been living in peace for too long. He must have thought that the Crawford family is at the top of the business world in A City!" Old Master Bourne''s face contorted into an ugly sneer. Although he knew that Lonnie was deliberately stirring up trouble, what he said made sense too. Old Master Bourne held a grudge against Old Master Crawford. After all, he did not show any respect to him in front of the younger generation! "Well, there''s always someone better. Old Master Bourne, do you want to teach the Crawford family a lesson?" asked Lonnie. Although he med Margaret for what she did, he nevertheless resented the Crawford family for contributing to the potential failure of his project. Luke Crawford and Old Master Crawford! "Mind your own business." Old Master Bourne did not bother to dignify Lonnie''s taunt with a reply. He was not silly. If he wanted to put a stop to the Crawford family, no one should be privy to his ns. He would suffer even greater losses if Lonnie intentionally betrayed him. Old Master Bourne had never trusted outsiders. "Alright. Alright..." Lonnie saw the ominous cloud hovering over his face. He dared not say anything else. Old Master Bourne looked outside the car window. His mind was reying the scene of how Old Master Crawford had rejected him. Suddenly, the image of him running into Luca at the garden shed before his eyes. Luke went so far as to report to the police and make a big deal out of this for her sake. Perhaps, this woman was a tool that could be used. After Lonnie got out of the car, Old Master Bourne called his assistant. "I''d like to know the background of the woman that Luke is keeping," said Old Master Bourne. Previously, he knew that Luke had a woman by his side, but he did not think much of it. After all, he never believed that rich men would only be faithful to their wives. Therefore, he did not look into Luca''s identity. He had only seen her picture, and he did not bother to learn about her. Now, Old Master Bourne needed Luca''s information. After all, he must thoroughly investigate Luca''s background to deal with Luke. "Okay, Old Master Bourne. When do you need it?" The assistant asked on the other end of the line. "Before you get off work this afternoon. I want to see the papers in my office." Old Master Bourne hung up the call after that. Chapter 2759 On the other hand, Aunt Neile was cleaning the living room when Luca returned to the mansion. The vacuum cleaner was making a ruckus, so she quickly greeted Aunt Neile and went upstairs. Luca walked up to Luke''s bedroom door and peeked inside before their eyes met. "You''re back?" A faint smile appeared on Luke''s face. ¡°Yeah, I sent the kids to the manor and had a chat with Old Master Crawford." nodded Luca as she leaned against the door frame. When she noticed him sitting on the office chair, she asked, "Are you still busy?" "Yes, there are still some things I have to take care of at work," answered Luke. The work at the company was endless, and he had to put in a lot of time to take care of it. However, it was not difficult for him because the thing that was most difficult to deal with was was that Luca''s situation had yet to be resolved. In order to restore her identity and for her to return to him, he had to get rid of the situation with the Ind of Despair. The Ind of Despair had always kept a low profile, and almost nobody knew of its existence. In the past few months, not long after Luca came back, the Ind of Despair started to be more active. Thus, Luke knew that he had to seize this opportunity. Otherwise, it would be even harder to restore Luca''s identity and risk losing her for eternity. "What did Grandpa tell you?" Although Luke knew that Old Master Crawford would not cross the line and reveal that he knew about Luca''s identity, he was still curious. "Well, Old Master Crawford and I talked about Ms. Rayne, but we didn''t talk much because he had guestse over. So, I came back." Luca paused for a second before continuing, "The two guests were Bourne and Jackman." She was worried that Lonnie would use Old Master Bourne''s power to get Old Master Crawford to help him deal with Margaret''s issue, so after giving it some thought, she decided to tell Luke. "Bourne? Jackman?" Luke raised his eyebrows curiously, and when he recalled the information Gale sent over, he immediately knew who they were. "Lonnie''s cousin is Old Master Bourne''s daughter-inw." "Margaret''s husband, Lonnie? His cousin married into the Bourne family," said Luke. Gale did a thorough investigation, and it only took him an hour to procure all the information on Lonnie''s family. Luca nodded and sighed, hoping to cover up her lies with disappointment. Right now, she was Luca and not Bianca, so she was not supposed to know who Old Master Bourne was. ¡°I think so, I don''t know him, but that''s what I heard Mr. Griffin say." ¡°Well, Lonnie probably went to Grandpa to work on something together, so don''t worry about it," said Luke because he knew that Luca did not want to burden others. ¡°Coborate? Isn''t it because of Mrs. Jackman?" said Luca in surprise. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°They were already on bad terms when Lonnie cheated on her, so Lonnie asked Old Master Bourne to go to Grandpa because he wanted T Corporation toe up with a design for his project," said Luke as he picked up the materials printed out yesterday and walked over to the door to hand it to her. ¡°What''s this?" Luca took it out of curiosity. ¡°It''s information about the Jackman family. Lonnie came to T Corporation before Margaret hurt you," said Luke. ¡°Why must T Corporatione up with a design?" Luca wondered about Lonnie''s fixation on T Corporation''s designs when there were many other constructionpanies in A City. Although they were not as big as T Corporation, there were plenty of excellent architects there too. ¡°Party A of his project requested it when they made the agreement," said Luke. Gale found out about it in his investigation. ¡°They specifically requested for T Corporation to design the blueprint?" Luca opened up the document to take a look. It was indeed information about the Jackman Family, but it was not some kind of confidential information, so it seemed to her that there was nothing to worry about. ¡°Yes." When Luke answered, she saw that page of information was marked. Luca believed that Lonnie did not go to Old Master Crawford for Margaret, but to coborate with the company. There was nothing left for her to say after she saw those documents. Lonnie had another family outside of his marriage, and he even knocked up his mistress. Margaret was just upying the position of Mrs. Jackman without the love of her husband. No wonder she hated her so much. After all, in the eyes of other people, she was Luke''s mistress. Luca looked at Luke who was sitting on his office chair with a sullen look. However, she was not his mistress. ¡°What''s wrong?" Luke turned back to her. Luca shook her head and put the documents on top of the cab near the door, ¡°Will Mr. Marcos come overter?" ¡°Yes, Percy and Jim wille over too," said Luke. "Are they staying for dinner?" asked Luca. If they all came together, she had to make preparations. ¡°I already had Jason make reservations." Luke had no intention of entertaining them at his home because he did not want to tire Luca out. If he invited everyone to his home, Luca would definitely volunteer to help Aunt Neile. ¡°Then, do you need me to decant two bottles of wine?" Luca believe coffee would not suffice for their discussion. Wine would suit be better suited. "Sure." nodded Luke, before sighing in appreciation of how thoughtful she was. Drinking would definitely not be left out of their discussionter. Luca turned around and left to the wine cer. Luke stored a lot of wine here, but it was still smallerpared to the one in the manor. Besides, he seldom drank wine at home. All the wines kept here were vintage and from internationally known wineries, so they were suitable for entertaining distinguished guests. Luca turned on the dim light and picked out two bottles, which she reckoned was enough tost them one afternoon. It was not like they were going to drink a lot since they were just going to have a drink or two while talking. Luca walked into the kitchen with two bottles of wine where Aunt Neile was preparing lunch. Aunt Neile saw the wine in her hands and asked, " Ms. Craw, do you want a drink?" "No, Mr. Crawford had invited some friends over this afternoon, so I wanted to decant them first," said Luca while taking out a wine opener from the cab. "Guests? Mr. Crawford didn''t tell me. Do I need to prepare anything?" asked Aunt Neile, worried she was ill-prepared to cater to Luke''s friends. "Aunt Neile, don''t worry. They''re Luke''s close friends, so you can just prepare some snacks after you''re done preparing lunch." Luca soothed her worries. Having snacks prepared was just a courtesy. The real event of the night for the guests would be at dinner. Aunt Neile heaved a sigh of relief. "Good thing you told me, or else I would''ve panicked when the guests arrived." "They''re Mr. Crawford''s friends, so they won''t mind," said Luca gently as she poured the red wine into the decanter before putting it away. "These wines are part of Mr. Crawford''s collection, seeing that he''s serving it to his friends, they must be very important to him." Aunt Neile knew because after working for the Crawford Family for so many years, she could tell by wine bottle alone. Chapter 2760 Luca smiled, "Aunt Neile, there''s nothing to worry about. Mr. Crawford already had Mr. Doyle make reservations. We''ll be going out to eat, so you get leave early today." Aunt Neile was delighted to hear that. "Really? That''s great. My grandson keepsining that he doesn''t get to see me enough, so I''ll go spend some time with himter. Thank you, Ms. Craw." "No need to thank me, Mr. Crawford is the one who gave you a break." smiled Luca before picking up the empty wine bottles and walking out. Luke has a hobby of collecting wine bottles, so he usually keep empty bottles on shelves rather than throwing them away. Besides, the bottle itself cost more than any normaal bottle of wine. This way, other people would not be able to get a hold of these bottles and make counterfeits. After Luca and Luke had lunch, they rushed to the international airport of A City right away. There were many peopleing with Marcos, so not only did Luke drive, but Lliam followed behind him as well. The three of them arrived at the airport together. Luke checked Marcos''s flight details. "It''ll arrive in about ten minutes," said Luke. He put his phone away and looked at Luca. "Lliam will pick him up, so we''ll just wait here." "Alright." Luca was fine with it because Lliam was pretty fluent in Russian, so he couldmunicate with Marcos. She nced to her right to see Lliam walking toward the exit of the airport with a pick-up sign in his hands. Luca''s phone vibrated. She picked it up to see that it was Nina. "Percy asked me to attend Mr. Crawford''s dinner tonight, will you be there too?" "Yes, I''ll be there," replied Luca. She thought that it was just a dinner for the guys, so she did not expect Nina to be there too. "I''ll bring the samples of photo styles the studio gave, so you can help me choose," replied Nina. After Luca helped her choose her wedding dress, she would ask Luca for help whenever she could note to a decision. "Sure, no problem," answered Luca. After her texts, she knew that Nina was being indecisive again. After replying, she turned sideways and asked Luke, ¡°Will Nina being over tonight?" ¡°Scarlett too," said Luke. He asked those with partners to bring them over for dinner too, so Luca would havepany. ¡°Wouldn''t we be in the way of you guys talking?" Luca asked. ¡°No, the room is divided into two. The girls can have one and we''ll have one, so that way, we won''t disturb each other," said Luke as per his instructions to Jason. Luca nodded her head as she was pleased with the arrangement. Five minutester, Lliam and Marcos walked out. Luca noticed that there were two foreign-looking men behind Marcos. ¡°You see those two people? One of them is awyer their family hired to help Matysh, and the other one is here to help me." Luke did not tell her which was which. Instead, he unbuckled his seatbelt and said, ¡°Let''s get down." ¡°Okay." nodded Luca. Then, the both of them walked toward Marcos. Luke reached out his hand to greet him, ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Marcos." ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Crawford." greeted Marcos. This time around, he hade to look for his biological mother, and Luke had good news for him. This helped put him in a good mood. Then, he looked toward Luca and nodded, ¡°Good afternoon, Ms. Craw." ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Marcos." Luca gave a faint smile to appear congenial. As soon as she finished speaking, she heard a snort from the dapper man standing beside Marcos. However, Luca ignored it. Marcos smiled, treating it as a unique form of greeting. Then, he introduced the two people beside him, ¡°This is Katov, the person I previously mentioned, and this is thewyer who helped my uncle, Mr. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Ethan." Russians had rtively long names, so Marcos chose to introduce them with their nicknames instead. This way, Luke would be able to remember them. Luca looked at Ethan and understood why he snorted. Matysh was put into prison because he wanted to get to her. People like Matysh had deep-rooted prejudice toward foreigners, and she triggered them, so the lawyer''s hostility toward her made sense. ¡°This is Mr. Crawford, and this is Ms. Craw," said Marcos humbly. He wasn''t looking for trouble. Not only was Ethan here to defend Matysh, he was also here to look after the elders of the family. His family was afraid that he would cause trouble in A City, which might jeopardize Matysh''s inheritance. Besides, in the eyes of the stubborn elders, Matysh''s ¡°blood" was much purer than his. ¡°Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, nice to meet you," said Kastov, extending the first greeting. Meanwhile, thewyer beside him turned away slowly without greeting them. To him, people from A City were not worthy of being spoken to. Luke ignored thewyer and said to Marcos and Kastov, ¡°My assistant has prepared a hotel for you, you can get in the car here." "Mr. Crawford, you didn''t have to go through such trouble." smiled Marcos while Lliam put his luggage in the trunk of the car. Luke asked, "Why isn''t your assistant here?" "He had to stay at thepany to do some work for me," said Marcos. It was a shame that his assistant could note to A City. Thest time he brought him over here, he said that A City was a great ce and that he loved it here. He also said that he would definitely spend his retirement here. "Everyone, you may proceed to get in the car." Lliam swiftly put all their luggage in the trunk before opening the doors for them. Mr. Ethan sat in the back seat. Marcos nced at Kastov, and Kastov piped up, "I''ll sit in front." He then sat in the passenger seat while Marcos got in the back seat from the other side. After Lliam closed the door, he asked Luke, "Boss, should I send the three of them to the hotel?" "Yes, send them to the hotel," said Luke before taking Luca''s hand and getting in the car. When Ethan saw what happened in the car, heined in Russian, "I don''t know why Matysh would go through all that risk for a woman who doesn''t even look that pretty." Although Lliam did not understand Russian, Matysh did not bother mentioning what he said. Kastov, who was sitting in the passenger seat, could not help but sigh because Marcos was truly the only normal one in his family. Everyone else, even those who worked ordinary jobs, were as arrogant as him. Chapter 2761 Ethan looked around and noticed no one was paying attention to him. He turned to Marcos, "I need a trantor." He was the Abaza family''s dedicatedwyer, not Marcos''. The elders in the Abaza family did not regard Marcos highly. Naturally, Ethan viewed him in a simr light. At the end of day, the family''s legacy would never be Marco''s to take. "It''s been arranged," replied Marcos offhandedly, despite Ethan''s huffy attitude towards him. Marcos knew Ethan looked down on him, but he could not be bothered to argue right now. After all, the whole family treated him with contempt. Thus, those who relied on the family for a living looked down on him too. There was no point in squabbling with people like Ethan, who oozed condescension. Ethan snorted, "How stingy of the president of T Corporatio. There are three of us, yet he only arranged for two cars for us. He even brought that woman along." No one bothered to respond. Marcos was busy replying to his assistant''s message on his phone, while Kastov, who sat beside him, closed his eyes and dozed off. Lliam could not understand Russian. He just drove silently toward the hotel. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Jason had arranged for them to stay in the most luxurious hotel in A city. Ethan looked at the tall building in front of him and made a sound of disapproval. Marcos knew he was about toin. "This is the most luxurious hotel in A city. It''s also designed by T Corporation. Pretty good, huh?" said Marcos, with his eyebrows raised pointedly. Kastov knew why Marcos said so, so he went along with it, "It''s spectacr. That exins why M Group would cooperate with T Corporation. This building''s design is impressive." "Is that it? The best hotel in our country is a million times better than this one. I''ve never stayed in such a lousy hotel," said Ethan. His tone was full of dissatisfaction. Marcos and Kastov ignored him and walked straight in. Jason was already waiting inside the hotel. After he asked for their passports, he booked three suites for them at the front desk and handed the room keys to each of them. Luke, who stood beside Marcos, told them, "I''ll wait for you downstairs." "Okay." nodded Marcos before following Jason and the hotel staff upstairs. After they walked into the elevator, Ethan arrogantly asked, "What are you going to doter?" Marcos pretended that he didn''t know Ethan was talking to him. When Marcos did not answer him, Ethan coldly sneered, "Marcos, I''m talking to you!" "Oh, you were talking to me.¡± smiled Marcos, amused. ¡°We''re having a meeting with Mr. Crawford later," said Marcos before slowly turning his head to look at him. His expression was the epitome of arrogance. Even though Marcos hated it, he was used to hiding his emotions given that he saw these people''s faces every day. "I''m going too," sneered Ethan. He was worried that Marcos would do something behind his back. His mission this time was to get Matysh back to his country safely. The charges against him would be dropped once Matysh returned to Russia. He would not be imprisoned either. However, Ethan was afraid that Marcos would interfere with their ns and affect the progress of the matter. After all, if Matysh could not return to his country and was imprisoned in A City, the biggest beneficiary of his imprisonment would be Marcos. "Mr. Ethan, I''m sorry, but you can''t attend this meeting as it involves ourpany''s confidential information," said Marcos, his eyes darkening. It was evident that his family had all their guards up. Ethan was like a security camera, constantly monitoring every move Marcos made. "I have no interest in yourpany''s secrets. And I won''t steal them," promised Ethan. Kastov sneered, "Hold on there, Mr. Ethan. If the coboration between M Group and T Corporation is leaked, it will be detrimental to bothpanies. It''s gonnae down on your head when they investigate. Are you going to cooperate or not?" Ethan was taken aback when the man who had been quiet all along suddenly spoke up for Marcos. "Who do you think you are? It''s none of your business," retorted Ethan. "I''m just reminding you not to get into trouble, or else you''ll only have yourself to me," said Kastov in a cold voice as his eyes turned dark. Ethan shuddered and frowned. He was about to fly into a fit of rage when Marcos spoke, "Mr. Ethan, the project that M Group is coborating with T Corporation involves a lot of confidential information. You''re not part of this project, but you insisted on attending the meeting. Can you guarantee that you''ll be able to bear the consequences if something happens?" It was a multi-billion dor project. Marcos was betting that Ethan would not take on such responsibility. Ethan was the family''swyer and from a coteral family line. However, he had never been in charge of M Group''s legal affairs. Old Master Abaza did not allow him to be the corporatewyer. After all, if Ethan knew too much about thepany affairs. There would only be downsides for the family. Ethan frowned but did not say anything more. Marcos and Kastov exchanged nces with each other. After they walked out of the elevator, they headed to their respective suites with their room keys. Ethan''s suite was at the very end which required a turn. Marcos and Kastov''s suite was right opposite each other¡¯s. Ethan watched as the two of them entered their suite before he coldly brushed his card and entered his room. Jason was waiting outside the suite. Ten minutester, Marcos and Kastov came out at the same time. Both of them were wearing different clothes after briefly tidying themselves up. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Doyle. Let''s go," apologized Marcos politely. "Sure, Mr. Marcos, Mr. Kastov. This way, please," smiled Jason, leading them towards the elevator. While they were in the elevator, Marcos asked, "Did hee out just now?" "Are you referring to thewyer? He hasn''te out since he went into his suite," replied Jason. Although he could not speak Russian, he had been studying thenguage. Listening would not be a problem to him. Jason could sense that Ethan intended to keep an eye on Marcos. Marcos nodded. Ethan was too scared to follow through with his persistence, but it was what Marcos had expected. Old Master Abaza had made a poor miscalction in sending awyer to keep watch of Marcos while he dealt with Matysh¡¯s matter. Marcos had even suggested to Old Master Abaza, that they should look for the bestwyer in A City to defend Matysh. Old Master Abaza had always looked down on foreigners and refused to listen to his suggestions. That was why Ethan was assigned as thewyer. Ethan had no knowledge of thews in A City. There was nothing much he could help with even if he had a legal trantor with him Hence, the moment Marcos learned that Old Master Abaza had sent Ethan over along with him, he knew Matysh¡¯s fate had been sealed. However, it did not matter to Marcos whether Matysh was detained in A City. What he really wanted was to find his biological mother and uncover the truth about his past. If someone in the family had wronged them, he would make them regret doing so. Ding. The elevator rang, and the doors slowly opened. "Come on, I heard Mr. Crawford prepared the finest wine for us. I can''t wait to taste it,¡± said Marcos cheerily.. He smiled and walked into the elevator. Chapter 2762 The three of them arrived downstairs. Luke and Luca were at the lobby, waiting for them. The moment they appeared, Luca nodded before turning around and walking out of the hotel entrance. Luke walked toward Marcos and Kastov. He was not surprised to see that only Marcos and Kastov came. He immediately said, "Let''s go. I have a good bottle of red wine waiting for us at home." He immediately felt morex being around Marcos now that Ethan wasn''t around. The two of them no longer had a reserved partnership, they treated each other like friends instead. They were more at ease with each other now. They left the hotel together. Jason, Marcos, and Kastov got into Lliam''s car. After all, Marcos were not silly enough to enter the same car as Luke and Luca. He would just be a third wheel. He took the initiative to sit in the passenger seat, leaving the back seat for the two of them. Luke''s car was ahead of them, and Lliam followed behind. An hourter, they arrived at Luke''s vi. When Aunt Neile heard the noisesing from the garden, she brought out the wine and finger foods she had prepared. Then, she stood at the foyer, waiting for them toe in. Luke and Luca were the first toe in. Aunt Neile greeted them politely, "Wee home, Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw." "We have two guests," said Luke, reminding Aunt Neile. Jason had left after dropping them off. He had some other work to attend to. "Okay, sir," nodded Aunt Neile, taking out two pairs of disposable men''s slippers out of the shoe cab. While Luca did not mention the gender of her guests, she nevertheless told Aunt Neile to prepare wine. Therefore, judging from her past experience, she reckoned that the guests Luke were bringing home were most likely men. Sure enough, Aunt Neile was a bit stunned when she saw Marcos and Kastov walk in. Another foreigner... She could not understand any foreignnguage! "Aunt Neile, you may leave." nodded Luca, noticing Aunt Neile''s difficulties. "Okay. Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, I''ll be in the kitchen. Let me know if you need anything." Aunt Neile bowed to Marcos and Kastov before turning to leave silently as she could not speak theirnguage. Luke exined to them, "My maid can''t understand foreignnguages." "She''s very polite."mented Marcos as he noticed the disposable slippers. He took off his shoes and put on the slippers. Kastov followed suit and slid on his slippers. "Come in," invited Luke. They walked into the living room. Marcos caught a whiff of the rich aroma of red wine as soon as he walked in. He had a yful glint in his eyes, "Mr. Crawford, it looks like you''ve really prepared some fine wine." "Hmm, it is good wine. It was a gift from a vineyard in France when I was on a business trip there a few years ago. I''ve been saving it until now," smiled Luke. Before leaving to pick up them from the airport, he had asked what type of wine Luca had chosen. After making sure it was the right choice, only then did he set off. Kastov could not help but let out a sigh as he watched the red wine being poured into a decanter. "It seems like I made the right choice toe to A City this time. This one''s better than all the wine in your vineyard." Kastov was referring to Marcos. Marcos chuckled and shook his head helplessly. It was true that he did not have any bottles of good wine left in his vineyard. None that could parallel Luke''s bottle anyway. Someone who was well acquainted with wine would''ve immediately noticed the quality of the wine just from the aroma alone. It was not like his vineyard did not have good wine. All the good ones had been taken away by Matysh. Matysh justified his actions by saying that Marcos'' money was the family''s money. Therefore, the wine Marcos had stored also belonged to them. Matysh was also a wine connoisseur, which exins his choice to steal all the red wine. Matysh, who was now being held in the detention center in A City, crossed Marcos'' mind. He could not help but feel satisfied and relieved. Matysh has not been able to sleep with women, drink alcohol, or smoke cigars for some time now. He wondered if Matysh was struggling with nicotine and alcohol withdrawals in prison. He remembered what had been stated in the document, what he had done to his mother back then. Marcos felt a chill run down his spine, realizing that if the allegations were true, Matysh''s imprisonment in A City''s prison might not be enough of a punishment for him. "Please, take a seat," Luke gestured towards the leather sofa. Marcos and Kastov sat. Luca stood aside. She understood that they were about to discuss important matters. She did not want to be a hindrance, so she said, "Mr. Marcos, Mr. Kastov, I''m leaving as I have some matters to attend to. I hope you enjoy your drinks today." Marcos nodded, not bothering to stop her. From N?velDrama.Org. He knew that Luke would want to discuss matters that were rted to Luca. However, everything was still uncertain, and he would not want to reveal too much to her just yet. With Marcos'' approval, Luca turned around and made her way up the stairs. Luke kept silent and leaned forward to pour sses of red wine for Marcos and Kastov before pouring one for himself. "Cheers, gentlemen," said Luke as he raised his ss. As clinking their sses, they each took a sip of the red wine, savoring its rich vors. Luke slowly set down his wine ss, the information he wanted to show Marcos was already in the drawer of the coffee table. Luke opened the drawer and took the folder out. Marcos knew it was something Luke wanted to hand over to him. As Luke reached for it, he lifted his hand to stop Luke. Luke halted his movement and watched as Marcos pulled out his phone from his pocket and shut it off. Kastov asked, "Do I need to turn off my phone too?" "It''s okay. They won''t keep an eye on you," replied Marcos. He did this only to avoid the risk of his phone being wiretapped. Marcos was in A City to search for his mother, but he kept it a secret from his family. Otherwise, he would not have been able to return to A City again. If his family knew his true intentions, they would definitely disagree and try to stop him. They did not want their past to be exposed... Kastov shrugged his shoulders and turned off his phone as well since he was not waiting for any important phone calls or messages. "It''d be better to stay alert. I don''t want to risk exposing your matters.¡± Kastov and Marcos had been friends for many years, but few others knew of their rtionship. Kastov specialized in dealing with troubles for others. He did not share Marcos''s family''s philosophy. Hence, even though they were good friends, they were cautious and went unnoticed by others. Kastov did not want to bring trouble to Marcos. He did not want Marcos'' family toe looking for trouble either. With both their phones off, Luke handed the folder to Marcos. Knowing that Marcos was being monitored by his family, they had avoided saying too much online. They only briefly talked about it when Marcos made sure that it was safe for them to do so. The details were all in this folder. Chapter 2763 Marcos picked up the folder. His hand trembled slightly as he opened it. After being separated from his mother for so many years, he had always assumed that she had passed away. The document in this folder was hisst hope. Marcos took the documents out and quickly scanned through them. Kastov looked at Luke and asked, "Can our conversation be overheard?" There was a reason why he asked that. What he was about to say could not be heard by anyone else. Especially the woman who just went upstairs. "No one''s listening to us," replied Luke confidently. Since Luca had chosen to go upstairs, it was an action that rified she had no intention of eavesdropping. He was not worried about it. Kastov nodded, "The woman who just left is one of the members of Ind of Despair." Luke raised an eyebrow. Kastov sounded so confident when he said that. There was not a trace of confusion in his voice. He sounded so sure that Luca was from the Ind of Despair. ¡°Why are you so sure about that?¡± Luke was curious. In the past, when he was still in the dark of Luca''s true identity, he tried various methods to see if she had any features or characteristics to show that she was from the Ind of Despair. Even after having intimate contact with her, he had not found any features to show that she was from the Ind of Despair. Luke looked at Kastov, wondering how he could be so sure about that. Kastov took a sip of red wine. He felt satisfied when the rich aroma of the liquor surged through his taste buds. He believed that Luke would have spared no effort to obtain information about the Ind of Despair. "Before leaving the Ind of Despair for the first time, the people there would take a type of poison that had no antidote. What they did instead was drink a temporary antidote to suppress the toxicity every month. This antidote not only relieves the toxicity of the poison and prevents any re-ups, but it is also beneficial to the body. For example, speeding up the healing process and reducing pain perception. Those who take this antidote for a long period of time would emit a faint and mysterious fragrance, like a natural body scent. The scent will always be there as long as one continuously takes the antidote. No one would notice it. They''ll only think the smell is the person''s natural body scent. When I stood close to the woman just now, I caught a whiff of that fragrance,¡± exined Kastov. Marcos had brought him to meet Luke because he knew more about the Ind of Despair than the others. He had almost be a member of the Ind of Despair himself. He was lucky enough to escape. However, his brother was not as fortunate. He was forced to be a member of the Ind of Despair. After his brother was taken away, Kastov constantly thought of rescuing him. However, so far, his attempts have all been futile. Nheless, he gained a little more knowledge about the Ind of Despair every time he failed. "They drugged people to manipte them. That way, no one would dare to betray the Ind of Despair."mented Marcos. Even though Marcos was looking at the documents, he was also listening to Kastov. Luke nodded and recalled one of the members of the Ind of Despair who was controlled by Ray. That person eventually could not bear the pain brought by Luca''s hand, only then did he reveal what he knew. Kastov mentioned such a feature... Moreover, Luca had been by his side for so long. Luke had never paid attention to the faint fragrance on her body until he realized it had such a great significance. Luke had developed a slightly higher level of trust toward Kastov. Normally, he would not trust someone so easily, but Kastov came here with Marcos. Plus, what he said was indeed rted to Luca. That was why he chose to believe him. Marcos quickly browsed through the information, "Mr. Crawford, I may need your help for the next few days." "If there''s anything I can do to help, name it. I''ll make sure my men cooperate to the fullest extent possible," said Luke. His subordinates were mainly divided into three groups. One of the groups was assisting Gordan in X City. The other group was investigating the Ind of Despair. The remaining group was helping Marcos find the whereabouts of his mother. The smallest group of the three groups was searching for Marcos'' birth mother. It was not an urgent matter after all. His men would eventually find Marcos'' mother if she had been in A City this entire time. "Well, I need a reason to keep Ethan busy," said Marcos. His family had sent Ethan over. Even though Ethan did not follow him today, he might follow him tomorrow. The reason Marcos gave to prevent Ethan from following him had to be believable. Otherwise, more people would travel to A City to keep an eye on Marcos if his family suspected he was up to something. It would be troublesome for him to find his mother, Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Marcos was worried that his family would put his mother in danger, if they knew his mother was in A City. "He will start getting busy the day after tomorrow. Just wait," said Luke. ording to the information he had received, the police had already found criminal evidence on Matysh. They would be filling an officialwsuit with the court of trial the day after tomorrow. As Matysh''swyer, Ethan would have a lot of work to do. He would not have the time or energy to continue watching Marcos. "My uncle is going to be prosecuted?" Marcos raised his eyebrows. He had yet to find out what was going on. Marcos knew that the legal system in A City was strict. There were no cases of defending the nobles here like how they did in Russia. In A City, even if one had money and the authority, one could not escape the punishment of thew. They would receive their full punishment as deserved once a crime wasmitted. Matysh had acted inappropriately toward Luca. Judging from how much Luke cared for his wife, he would not let Matysh off easily. "Yes, the police are already preparing the documents," said Luke. Based on what he knew, the father of that girl had handed over a lot of evidence he had secretly kept away. As for the bankruptpany owner, people had seen him and reported his whereabouts after the incident was exposed. He was recently arrested by the police in another city. The police were now investigating all the evidence. ¡°That''s good." Marcos raised his ss and looked at Luke. "Thank you, Mr. Crawford." He thanked Luke for helping him find his biological mother and also for helping him alleviate his burdens. He had no ill will towards Matysh in the first ce. Neither he was disgusted by him, nor did he hate him. It was just that they were not close to each other. However, once he learned about what happened to his mother, his hatred towards Matysh and the entire family could not help but grow stronger. If it were not for them pressuring his parents so much, his father would not have passed away at such a young age, and his mother would not have gone through those things. They even faked her death. That was why he hated everyone in the family. If Matysh had not been so promiscuous, unwilling to marry and have children, he would not have been taken back to the family by Old Master Abaza. The family would still have an heir if Matysh remained single for his entire life. His bloodline was not valued by Old Master Abaza. Old Master Abaza still had to defend his status. He needed an heir, which was the reason why he was eventually brought back to the family. Chapter 2764 "Don''t mention it. You helped me too," smiled Luke before he turned to nce at Kastov. He was no longer talking about the Ind of Despair. Luke knew that Kastov knew much more about the Ind of Despair, but he was merely being cautious and therefore, reluctant to share more about it. With Kastov''s help, his investigation and his goal of wiping out the Ind of Despair would surely be within sight. "Alright." nodded Marcos, raising his ss. Luke and Kastov followed suit. The three sses lightly clinked together, making a crisp sound. On the other hand. Luca remained in the study room upstairs. She did not n to go downstairs, she did not want to overheard their conversation. Most of what they discussed was about Marcos'' family. It was better if she did not listen to them. Luca imported the files sent by Rhett onto herputer and browsed through them. Her phone, which was ced on the table, vibrated at this moment. Luca picked it up and nced at it. It was a message from Amur. Her heart could not help but tighten at the thought of Amur''s situation. Her fingers trembled as she tapped on the phone screen. [Abel is nning to ask the Mallory family for a ransom.] Luca clenched her fist. After a while, she replied to his message: [What task did he assign you?] She knew that since Amur knew what Abel would be doing next, he must be involved in this mission. Luca was not worried about Pierre, but she was concerned about Amur''s safety. Now that Luke and Jim were helping Percy search for his brother. The risk Amur had to face would be greater. [He wants a part of the ransom in cash. I''ll have to go get it.] replied Amur. It was Abel''stest instruction. He did not n to request the Mallory family pay the ransom through depositing the money into his bank ount. He wanted his part in cash instead. It would be a risky move for Amur, but Abel did not care for his life. Luca pondered for a moment. Then, she reminded Amur. [The Crawford family and Holston family are helping Percy. Be careful...] There was nothing she could do to help Amur. She was staying by Luke''s side now. She was worried that Amur might fall into even greater danger if she helped him. [I know. They''ll notify the Mallory family tomorrow. Then, I''ll collect the ransom from them the day after tomorrow.] replied Amur. Although Abel did not assign him any tasks these days, he was paying close attention to the situation in A City. Amur also knew that the Crawford family and Holston family were helping Percy. He understood how dangerous this mission was. He was at constant risk of exposing his identity. Amur looked at his phone screen, waiting for Luca''s reply. Luca was still typing her message. He knew that Luca would only offer words of advice and concern. Amur silently gripped his phone and told himself that he must not reveal his identity. Otherwise Luca''s identity would be exposed too. Luke would not hesitate to eliminate any potential covert agents by his side. Therefore, he had to be extra careful. After all, in Luke''s eyes, he was Luca''s younger brother. If his true identity was exposed, Luca would alsoe under suspicion. Ding Dong. A text message notification. [You must not stick your nose too far in where it doesn''t belong. It''s best to have the people from our stronghold in A City to help you. It''s too risky for you to go alone.] replied Luca, nagging him. She thought that Amur''s actions could be facilitated with the help of the people from their stronghold. [Okay.] replied Amur as his expression darkened. Abel did not like him because of Luca. If not for his capabilities, he would''ve been abandoned long ago. Though that was yet to happen, the tasks Abel assigned him were clearly intended to put him in danger and potentially have him meet an unfortunate end. That was why he had no one to help him for this mission. However, Amur did not want Luca to worry about him. Hence, he chose not to tell her. ... In the evening. The three men downstairs had almost finished drinking and took Luca with them to the hotel for dinner. When they entered the private room, Pierre was sitting with Nina and Jim was with Scarlett. Scarlett did not bring her child, so the private room was rather quiet. After they exchanged pleasantries, they sat down and had dinner. They only discussed matters regarding the business world, and they did not talk about anything else. After dinner, Luke invited the men to head to another private room to continue their conversation. Nina rose to her feet, "I saw another private room over there. Luca, Scarlett, why don''t we go there? I brought the wedding sample album from the studio. You can help me choose which style of wedding photos to take." The studio was owned by a wedding nningpany. After Nina had decided on her wedding dress and other details, she told the studio to follow up on preparations for her wedding photoshoot. Nina was pleased to see the variety of styles amongst the wedding photos. She initially wanted to discuss with Pierre and let him choose his favorite styles. However, she did not want to bother him when she saw how burdened he was with his work and handling Pierre''s matter. "Okay." Luca nced at Scarlett and they nodded at each other before standing up and walking to the opposite private room. Thedies'' and men''s private rooms were opposite each other. It was difficult to hear anything from the end once the door was closed. Nina sat on the couch and opened her bag. She brought arge bag to carry all the sample albums. She took them out and ced them on the table. Scarlett could not help but exim, "So many of them?!" "Yeah. The studio gave me a huge stack of albums. To be honest, these are the ones I have already picked out." frowned Nina. She was having trouble making a decision. "That''s a lot." smiled Scarlett fondly. "You had this many too when you were getting married to Mr. Holston, didn''t you? But you were better off than me. At least you''re not having trouble making a decision. Why don''t you both take a look at them and help me choose one?" ¡°Perhaps you could just choose all of them," Luca teased her as she flipped through the albums. They could have just gone for every style. Even though they were expensive, Percy was not short on money. "That would be exhausting. Besides, how many days would it take to shoot all of them? Percy is so busy because of that *sshole. He doesn''t have that much time," grumbled Nina. To her friends, Pierre was referred to solely as the *sshole by Nina. Nina refused to mention his name. She thought it was inauspicious. From N?velDrama.Org. Pierre was a jinx who was always causing trouble, bringing misfortune to those around him. "It''s been several days since Mr. Pierre was kidnapped, right..." asked Scarlett. Although she had heard of Pierre''s ridiculous behavior, she seldom talked to him. That was why she did not harbor such deep resentment against him unlike Nina. Chapter 2765 Nina nodded, reluctant to discuss anything about Pierre. However, she was still the one who brought up the topic. Nina nodded after Scarlett asked her that question, hoping it was enough of a reply. "It''s been so many days sincet he''s been kidnapped. There''s still no news from the kidnappers?" asked Scarlett. Normally, if the kidnappers were after money, they would have contacted the victim''s family to negotiate the terms for a ransom. It was unusual for someone like Pierre to be kidnapped without anyone contacting his family. "No," Nina understood Scarlett''s doubt. Kidnappers would usually either ask for ransom or proceed to traffick them. It was unlikely for someone as recognizable as Pierre to be trafficked. When they first heard of Pierre''s kidnapping, everyone thought the kidnappers were after the money. Therefore, they were investigating the case while waiting for the kidnappers'' phone call. However, they have yet to receive any news despite it having been such a long time. Some people were specting that Pierre might have offended someone and got kidnapped because of that. If that was the case, the kidnappers would not be after money, and his life would be in danger. No one dared to voice such an idea since it was the Mallory family who was involved in this. Luca flipped through the photo album samples silently. Abel would contact the Mallory family to ask for the ransom tomorrow. There was finally some progress. Luca''s hand could not help but tremble with fear at the thought of Amur personally getting the cash from them himself. She was worried about Amur''s safety. "Luca, why are your hands shaking?" Nina raised an eyebrow as she noticed Luca''s hands were slightly trembling. "Huh? No," Luca pretended to nce at her hands. Then she smiled. "You must be mistaken. I''m just stretching my fingers." Nina was confused. Were her eyes failing her? She clearly saw Luca''s hands shaking earlier. Also, the look on her face showed that she was worried about something. Nina felt that Luca could not possibly be worried about Pierre''s situation. Hence, she eventually concluded that she must''ve misunderstood. The three of them helped Nina pick her photoshoot style. Nina eventually selected five photo albums that matched her preferred style. "Finally, it''s done. Thank you, girls." smiled Nina before she nced at the door of the other private room. "I wonder how they''re doing over there." "They''re probably not done yet. Why don''t we sing some karaoke while waiting for them?" winked Scarlett. Since the soundproofing in the private room was good, the threedies could sing as loud as they wanted without disturbing anyone in the other rooms. So, they started to sing, waiting for the others to finish their discussion. The moment Nina picked up the microphone, there was a knock at the private room door. "Have they finished their business?" Nina looked at the two, "Come in." A waitress pushed in a food cart, "Ladies, I brought you some fruit and drinks.¡± The waitress then served two tes of seasonal fruits, ¡°Enjoy the fruits. Just ring the bell if you need anything else." There was a phone in the private room. They couldmunicate with the waitress if they needed anything through the phone. From N?velDrama.Org. After the waitress left, Nina walked toward the karaoke machine and turned to Luca and Scarlett. "What songs would you like to sing?" "I''m not a good singer. You should sing with Ms. Craw." smiled Scarlett gently. Then, she nced at luca. Luca seemed preupied all night. She remained silent most of the time. "Luca, what songs would you like to sing?" Nina''s gaze fell on Luca. Luca shook her head, "I can''t sing either." "Both of you can''t sing? I don''t believe it. Your voices are good. Don''t be so shy," said Nina. Luca and Scarlett''s voices were gentle and pleasing to the ears. Their voices were so melodious that it was enough to soften even the toughest of men. "I''m tone-deaf," smiled Luca helplessly. She wasn''t actually tone-deaf, but everyone had their own unique style when singing. Nina was too familiar with her singing habits. The way she sang vibrato, high notes, and falsetto... They had known each other for a long time. Luca was reluctant to sing in front of her as she was worried that it would remind Nina of Bianca. Scarlett shrugged, "Me too. Hmm, I can sing, but don''t youugh at me!" "We''re friends. How could Iugh at you? I don''t sing well either,"ughed Nina. Then, she proceeded to queue a few popr songs. As the introduction of the first song began to y, Luca looked at the big screen that was ying the music video and realized it was a song by Annie Shaw. Nina''s voice was clear and pure. Singing Annie''s song with her voice would be an entirely different experience. Luca took a sip of the fruit juice and cheered on Nina and Scarlett as they sang. Nina started to sing Annie''s song. Luca smiled. It was indeed beautiful. Even though Nina''s voice was not as gentle as Annie''s, it brought a touch of personality to the song. She could not help but sway along with the music. On the other side of the private room. Five men found themselves unconsciously huddled around a tea table instead of opting for their usual alcohol. They sipped tea and chatted away, discussing matters with rity and sobriety. Two of them were Russian, and the rest conversed in theirnguage. Luke was fluent in Russian, while Percy and Jim took Russiannguage sses before. Hence, there were nonguage barriers to ovee between them. Luke had thoroughly inspected the private room for any bugs or monitoring devices before they met, assuring everyone that they were safe to discuss their business here. "How much information do you have on the Ind of Despair now?" asked Kastov. He was introduced to Luke''s friends when they had dinner together earlier. Jim was the only one whom the Ind of Despair had not messed with. The others all bore a grudge against the organization. That was why he spoke his mind without hesitation. "Not much. The Ind of Despair is too cunning,¡± replied Luke. His system has been filtering through the suspects all night and morning. None of them seemed to have any connection to the Ind of Despair. That was why Luke seemed so helpless. Percy''s eyes darkened. He knew Luke had been searching them for a while now. However, he still could not find the mastermind behind the Ind of Despair, even with the images provided by Percy. "I know only a little more than you. I''ve already sent all the information to your email five minutes ago. But this isn''t the right ce to discuss too much." Kastov was being cautious. He found some relevant information about Percy and Jim after learning their identities. Hence, he set up a scheduled file transfer during their dinner. Everything he knew about the Ind of Despair had been sent to their email five minutes ago. Chapter 2766 Jim twitched a little when their mailbox was mentioned. He took out his phone to check his emails, and sure enough, there was an email from an unknown address. This was only his first time meeting Kastov, but he had already found their private email addresses while they were busy eating. Jim recalled that during the meal, Kastov did not look at his phone much, and he had the table manners of a nobleman from Europe. It seemed like the man Marcos brought over here was quite the expert. Percy also took a look at his email and, likewise, there was an email from an unknown address. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Luke was the only one who didn''t pick up his phone. Instead, he picked up the teacup and sipped it slowly with a gloomy look on his face. ¡°I heard your brother has been kidnapped by the people of the Ind of Despair. Has there been any news?" asked Kastov. Marcos had informed him of it before their arrival. "No." replied Percy curtly. Whenever this subject was brought up, Percy would get annoyed. So what if they knew it was the Ind of Despair? The rest of the Mallory Family were restless, while there was no news from the Ind of Despair at all. Kastov was not surprised, but instead, he sneered, "That''s normal. It''s their tactic, so don''t worry. If they took him away, they wouldn''t take him away just to kill him." He was familiar with the methods of the Ind of Despair. If the Ind of Despair wanted to kiill someone, they would not go through the trouble of transporting them somewhere else. They would just do it on the spot. Although Percy did not know the Ind of Despair as well as he did, he was certain that these people did not kidnap Pierre just to kill him. The reason why they had not made a move was to make the Mallory Family anxious. Percy was not too anxious about it, but the Ind of Despair''s inaction was causing Old Master Mallory to be restless. People were looking everywhere for Pierre right now, but there was still no news at all. "You don''t have to worry about your brother being in their hands. Even if something were to happen, the Ind of Despair has a highly skilled doctor. I''d be exaggerating if I said that he could bring the dead back to life. In fact, there''s an eighty percent chance that he would be able to save them from their dying breath, so rest assured. His life won''t be at stake," said Kastov. Luke took the opportunity to ask, ¡°What''s his name?" ¡°I don''t know. I just know that such a person exists, and that he''s skilled in both Western and Chinese medicine. Recently, I heard that he was looking for some extremely rare drugs that may only exist in A City, but the people he sent here has yet to find it. If you manage to find those people, perhaps you could find out more about the doctor," said Kastov. He went through the risk of investigation to get all of this information. Although it wasn''t very detailed, it was still much more than anyone here knew. Luke thought of Luca''s medical skills and realized that she must have learned from that doctor. Luke frowned. Although Luca had learned a lot, his heart ached at the thought of her ingesting that poison and suffering on the Ind of Despair. He wanted to find out who the doctor was and make him suffer for the rest of his life. That was how much Luke was willing to do for Luca. Not to mention, Kastov''s words had opened up a new path for him to investigate. As soon as Kastov finished speaking, Percy''s phone rang. He nced to see that the Mallory Manor was calling, and he answered it without a second thought. Before Percy could speak, the butler on the other end said, "Master Percy, you must return quickly. Something happened." "What happened?" frowned Percy, but his voice remained calm. After all, he was the one with the clearest mind in the Mallory Family. Percy could not panic, because if he did, he would fall into the Ind of Despair''s trap, which could ruin the entire Mallory Family. "We''ve received news from the kidnappers. They''ve told Old Master Mallory their ransom demand, and the house is in chaos. You need toe back and take charge of the situation." After the kidnappers called, Madam Mallory sneaked out of the bedroom and eavesdropped on their conversation with Old Master Mallory. So, Karen heard all of their demands. She thought that Old Master Mallory''s inaction was because he did not want to save Pierre, so she started causing a ruckus by demanding money to save Pierre. Now, two maids were trying to pull Karen back into her room. Karen has not eaten in days, but Pierre''s situation has given her the strength to fight back. The maids could not drag her back to her room no matter how hard they tried, so it caused a huge mess. Old Master Mallory was so angry at Karen. So much so that he developed a headache and his blood pressure surged. He had to take medicine to lower it back down. Percy could even hear the backgroud noise from the butler''s end. There were sounds of the maidsforting her, and the sound of Karen crying. Percy replied calmly, "I''ll be back at once." After he hung up, he apologized to the others, "The Ind of Despair has proposed their ransom demands, so I have to go back and take care of it. I''m sorry." "It''s fine, you should go back," nodded Luke. He still did not mention that Gordan had already found out where they hid him. He wanted to see what kind of demands the Ind of Despair would ask from the Mallory Family. Percy stood up and left with Nina. The four chatted for a bit without bringing up the Ind of Despair, and soon enough, the dinner came to an end. Then, Luke left with Luca. At the thought of Percy taking Nina away earlier, Luca got in the car and asked, "Why did Mr. Mallory take Nina away so suddenly?" "The kidnapper had presented their ransom demands and the Mallory family was in chaos, so he had to go back,"said Luke, turning to look at her. Luca was surprised and muttered, "So soon?" She thought that Abel would only give them his demands tomorrow! "What do you mean so soon?" Instantly, Luke knew that Luca was hiding something. However, she could not say anything, given her current situation. Luke knew that it had nothing to do with Luca as she was by his side when Pierre was kidnapped, so she had no chance of getting involved. "It''s nothing, it''s just that the kidnapper called out of nowhere." Luca was so shocked that she made a slip of the tongue. After all, when she knew this much, she was always at risk of identally revealing something. Luca then realized the reason Abel chose to tell the Mallory Family his demands now. He must be asking for a huge ransom. Even if the Mallory Family had a big business, the assets they had were not entirely liquid. Abel wanted cash to transfer ounts easily, so he had to give the Mallory Family enough time to prepare such arge amount. Chapter 2767 Luke replied to Luca''s exnation with a simple ''mmm''. Luca also remained quiet to avoid saying something wrong again. On the other hand, Percy brought Nina back to the manor. Old Master Mallory had dozed off with his back against the sofa, while Madam Mallory''s howls could be heard from upstairs. At least the maids had sessfully dragged her back into her room. Upon hearing footsteps, Old Master Mallory opened his eyes. The butler who was keeping watch over him announced, " Old Master Mallor, Master Percy and your..." He trailed off when he realized that although Percy and Nina were married, they had yet to hold a ceremony. Old Master Mallory did not approve of their rtionship either. The butler had no choice but to say, "Ms. Nina is here." He was going to say Master Percy and your daughter-inw were here. However, that would only trigger Old Master Mallory even more. Although calling Nina Ms. Nina would upset Percy, he had to upset one of them either way, so he let Percy bear the burden since he was younger anyway. Old Master Mallory had just taken medicine to lower his blood pressure, so he was not in a stable condition. When Percy heard the butler, a look of displeasure appeared on his face, but instead of getting angry, he squeezed Nina''s hand. Nina felt his strong grip and did the same. At first, she had refused toe in. She just wanted Percy to take care of things while she waited in the car, and then go home. However, Percy insisted that she came in. He said that she was already married to him, so no matter how much the Mallory Family objected, they would not be able to do anything about their legalized rtionship. Therefore, they would have no choice but to ept it in the end. Hopefully, showing her face around them will help them ept it. Nina did not agree whatsoverl. The Mallory Family had gone through enough because of Pierre''s situation, and to unt herself in front of them. Although they were not fixated on Percy and her right now, her appearance would only serve to add fuel to the fire. However, Percy''s persistence left Nina with no choice. There was disdain in Old Master Mallory''s voice. ¡°Why did you bring her here?" ¡°She''s my wife, and Pierre''s sister-inw. You might not recognize our rtionship, but as long as I''m a member of the Mallory family, so is she. Of course, she''s wee." Percy held Nina''s hand before walking over to the other side of the sofa and sitting down. "She''s not a member of the Mallory Family, so she''s not wee here." Old Master Mallory looked up at Nina with an expression full of hatred. At that moment, Nina felt as if Old Master Mallory was abusing his power to disrespect her. She wanted to get up and leave, but she forced herself to stay seated to save Percy from embarrassment. Percy finally has the chance to make peace with Old Master Mallory through Pierre''s situation. She could not ruin his chances because of her impulsive decisions. Nina felt so ufortable, as if she was sitting on a bed of thorns. Yet she continued to remain beside Percy. "Grandpa, do you still want to talk about Pierre?" Percy could not be bothered to argue with him about Nina right now. Nina was his wife, and it did not matter whether the Mallory Family recognized that or not because she was his one and only wife. There was no one else but her. "Hmph." snorted Old Master Mallory. Although he wanted to kick Nina out, Percy would follow Nina out if he did. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Old Master Mallory had to admit that he was getting old, and that his resources were not what they were before. The person he sent out to investigate the situation has yet to return with any new findings. The only thing he knew was that Pierre was taken to X City, and it was Percy who told him that... He may not be fond of Nina, but he needed Percy''s help. Old Master Mallory knew that he could not save Pierre himself. No matter how much of an *sshole Pierre was, he was still a blood rtive of the Mallory family. He had done many absurdly wrong things, but Old Master Mallory could not turn a blind eye to this matter. Nevertheless, he could not handle it alone. He had to rely on Percy and his friends'' connections. The Crawford Family and the Holston Family. Old Master Mallory''s grunts created an air of awkwardness in the living room. Then, the butler stepped forward as the mediator by reminding them, "Old Master Mallory, Master Percy, the most important thing right now is Master Pierre." After he said that, Karen''s wails sounded from the second floor. It sounded like livestock begging for mercy before it was about to be ughtered. That piercing sound could''ve been mistaken for someone who was threatening Karen with a knife. Old Master Mallory knew that the most pressing matter right now was Pierre. Yet, after condemning Percy earlier, he still could not put his ego aside. In the end, it was Percy who broke the ice. ¡°How much do they want?" Old Master Mallory looked up and told the butler, "You say it." "They asked for thirty million, and they gave us a bank ount, which we checked. It''s a Swiss bank, but that''s all we know. They''re giving us a day to transfer twenty million into the bank, and to hand the rest to them in cash. They also said that once the money is transferred to their ount and they receive the cash, they would send Master Pierre back." The butler had recorded the kidnapper''s call. Before Percy came, he had listened to it repeatedly with Old Master Mallory, so he could recite their request word-for-word. "Did you record it?" asked Percy. "Yes, but the kidnapper''s voice was distorted, so we don''t know what they actually sound like. The number was also very strange. It was just a bunch of random numbers that called thendline. The records show that it was a code," said the butler. The other party seemed to be a professional with this many tricks up their sleeve. "Have you confirmed that they have Pierre?," asked Percy. He was worried that other people might take advantage of them if they knew of the situation. However, it was unlikely. When the butler mentioned code, he remembered something. When Pierre was in Russia, his notes were full of codes too. When he dialed it, someone actually picked up the phone, even though he did not know who it was. After that, no one answered the phone to that long string of numbers again. "They do..." The butler looked at Old Master Mallory. When he realized that it was the kidnapper, he put it on speaker to record it. It was Pierre''s feeble voice that triggered Old Master Mallory''s blood pressure. "Master Pierre''s voice was very weak, as if he had been tortured for days. He sounded like he didn''t even have the energy to speak, and the only thing he said was for us to save him," said the butler. Chapter 2768 As Percy listened to Mr. Be, he could not help but secretly call Pierre a fool. It was his only chance to speak to them. Yet, he could not provide any useful information to the Mallory family. He only asked for them to rescue him... How foolish. How incredibly foolish. Mr. Be noticed the gloomy look on Percy''s face and asked in a low voice, ¡°Master Percy, what should we do now?" "What else can we do? We must save him!" Old Master Mallory firmly took his stance before Percy could say anything. Although he was disappointed in Pierre for not living up to his potential, he was still his grandson. There was no way he could be so heartless. "We must save him," said Percy. 30 million dors was merely pocket change to the Mallory family. However, the Mallory family''s liquid funds were probably not that much. Percy turned to look at Old Master Mallory and said, "I only have around ten million in liquid assets, including thepany''s funds, on hand for now." It would take some time for him to get 30 million dors. One day''s time would not be enough. The kidnappers also requested ten million in cash. How was it possible for anyone to have that much cash in this modern society where electronic payments were prevalent? They could head to the bank to withdraw the cash, but a regr bank would not have that much cash readily avable. It would also require an advance appointment with them to get that much cash. Even if they got lucky and the bank was able to prepare the money in time, there was no doubt that their behavior would rm some of the organizations. The police were still looking for Pierre. Their actions would be considered abnormal. The police might suspect that they were helping Pierre escape after they found out about it. Things would be moreplicated if they alerted the police. The Mallory family had yet to contact the police because they did not want Pierre to be caught by the police after rescuing him. "I''ll handle the rest," said Old Master Mallory. His bank ount had enough money. "But taking out ten million in cash from the bank will definitely rm the police," Percy reminded Old Master Mallory. The reason why he did not report Pierre''s kidnapping to the police was that he did not want Pierre to fall into the hands of the police and lose any chance of turning things around. Old Master Mallory fell silent. Withdrawing ten million in cash from the bank at once would inevitably rm the police. "I have about one million in cash on hand," said Old Master Mallory. Even though the Mallory family''s security system was good, they had many maids. Keeping so much money at home increased the likelihood of attracting criminal activity. Hence, Old Master Mallory only had one million in cash in the safe for emergencies. "It''s far from enough." Percy realized that the problem was not the 30 million but the ten million in cash that the kidnappers demanded. Old Master Mallory frowned. He was torn between whether to alert the police or wait for the kidnappers to call again and ask if they could pay the full 30 million through a wire transfer. They were just paying them, after all. The kidnappers should not make things too difficult for Percy. However, what if... Old Master Mallory wondered what if the other party disagreed with this deal and even used it to torment Pierre? He recalled how weak Pierre sounded when the kidnappers turned off the voice modtor on the phone. Pierre sounded like he would die the next second if they continued to torture him. He did not know what to do. "I''ll ask someone tomorrow," Percy pondered and decided not to inform the police. He did not have ten million on hand. It was unlikely the others would have it too. People used checks or wire transfers for such arge amount of money most of the time these days. However, one could have several millions of dors in liquidity, and he could find someone to help. Percy held Nina''s hand as he rose to his feet. "Where are you going?" Old Master Mallory asked with a stern tone. "I''m going back to figure things out," replied Percy. It was certain that Percy would ask Luke and Jim for help. With their cash, his cash, and Old Master Mallory''s cash, they would be able to collect enough money. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "The kidnappers may call any time. She may go, but you''ll have to stay," said Old Master Mallory. He had no intention of concealing how disgusted he was by Nina. This was despite the fact that Percy was helping Pierre. "Record the conversation. Let him talk to me if things don''t work out. I have to go back. I can''t calm myself down and ask for help if I stay here," said Percy as he gave a meaningful nce at the second floor. The Mallories'' residence had excellent sound instion. Still, even those on the first floor could hear Karen''s howling. How loud would it be if he went back to his bedroom on the second floor? Fortunately, the residence was a distance away from other vis, so Karen''s voice would not be heard by others. Otherwise, the Mallory family would be reported for causing a disturbance. Karen''s voice continued to drift down from upstairs incessantly. Old Master Mallory sat on the couch with a gloomy expression on his face. Karen was such a hindrance. He did not even have a reason to make Percy stay here. Percy held Nina''s hand and left after that. Mr. Be could only patiently advise him, "Old Master Mallory, the matter concerning Master Pierre is more important at the moment. Please bear with it. Master Percy left to look for help to save Master Pierre." Old Master Mallory snorted coldly and said nothing. On the other hand... Marcos and Kastov sat in the car Luke had arranged for them and returned to the hotel. As they took the elevator and returned to the floor where their room was, the two men turned the corner only to see Ethan standing in front of their room with an impatient look on his face. He leaned against the wall near Marcos'' suite for a moment before moving to the other side near Kastov''s suite. When he heard footsteps, he looked up and saw Marcos and Kastov approaching. Ethan immediately dashed forward and questioned Marcos, "Where did you go?" "Dinner," replied Marcos, smiling insincerely. Ethan had a look of disbelief on his face as he asked, "Mr. Matysh is still in prison. You''re his nephew. Given everything that''s happened, how are you still hungry enough to eat?" Marcos could not help but frown when Ethan tried to make it sound like it was morally uneptable. Matysh brought this on himself. He had no one to me but himself even if he were to spend the rest of his life in prison. Besides, if Matysh had to be in prison for the rest of his life, did that mean Marcos had to pretend to be a good nephew for the rest of his life? What Ethan said was ridiculous. Marcos exined, "I had a meeting with Mr. Crawford, and he was gracious enough to invite me for dinner after the meeting. Is there a problem?" "Of course, there is. Mr. Matysh is still in prison!" Ethan reminded him. Should Marcos not be worried and try to do everything he could for Matysh and get him out? "M Group and T Corporation are business partners. As thepany''s CEO, I can''t decline an invitation from a business partner," replied Marcos as he swiped his room key card and opened the door. Kastov followed suit and swiped his card. Then, he opened the door and walked into his room. Chapter 2769 Ethan could not be bothered about Kastov. When he saw Marcos walking into his suite, he raised his arm and blocked Marcos from entering his room. "Please keep in mind that Luke Crawford and that woman are involved in Mr. Matysh''s imprisonment in A City. It¡¯s not a good idea to be so close to him. What will your family think of you if they find out about this? Let me remind you that the priority now is to focus on Mr. Matysh," Ethan reminded Marcos. He believed that Luke and Luca had something to do with Matysh¡¯s imprisonment. Marcos still wore a smile on his face, but his impatience was beginning to show on his face. Marcos knew that going along with Ethan would not allow him to enter the suite easily. He stood there and reminded Ethan, "My uncle was imprisoned because he was used of sexual assault. The victim was only 18 years old at that time. As awyer, you should be able to understand why he was arrested by the police even though you¡¯re not awyer of A City." Ethan flew into a rage when Marcos said that. Was it not obvious that he was trying to help Luke? Marcos added, "Whether you admit it or not, if my uncle had notmitted a crime in A City, the police wouldn¡¯t have been able to arrest an innocent person no matter how influential M Group¡¯s partners are here. Do you know that someone who hasmitted sexual assault will be sentenced heavily in A City?" Further investigation by the police revealed that there were some really shady hidden motives behind the case. Ethan clenched his fists tight and replied, "I¡¯m just reminding you not to get too close to Luke." "Mr. Marcos is right. Why are you so bothered? Every meeting attended by Marcos and every meal he had are all for M Group¡¯s sake. So, why don¡¯t you think about how to help the one who¡¯s in prison rather than paying attention to everything Mr. Marcos does?" Kastov, who had already walked into the suite, chimed in. "Who do you think you are? What¡¯s it to you?" Ethan¡¯s face turned red with anger. A tall Russian man like him was defeated by their words so easily. It made him feel embarrassed. He had always felt superior to Marcos. His bloodline was much better than Marcos'', after all. Although he was from an extended family, his parents followed the family''s arrangements. That was why his bloodline was still pure. He was not like Marcos, who had the genes of amon woman! However, his sense of superiority was eventually crushed by Marcos¡¯ and Kastov''s sharp words. Ethan looked at Marcos with hatred in his eyes and secretly vowed that he would snitch on Marcos to make things difficult for him in the future after Matysh was released! Marcos noticed the resentment in Ethan''s eyes and raised an eyebrow without saying anything. He was not afraid of Ethan''s retaliation. He had never taken an extended family member like him seriously. "I''m Mr. Marcos'' bodyguard. Youwyers have a lot on your te, and I only just found out thatwyers have such responsibilities. They''re even doing the job of an enforcer. Truly remarkable," said Kastov with a sinister smile on his face. He nodded at Marcos and mmed the door shut. He cut off any chance for Ethan to speak out of turn. Ethan seethed in anger, ¡°Just you wait!¡± He said that while facing Kastov''s suite. Then, he shifted his gaze to Marcos. "If it weren''t for Crawford, Mr. Matysh wouldn''t have been locked up. You''re so close to him now. I''ll certainly tell your grandfather about this when I get back!" Ethan warned Marcos. Ethan believed that Marcos had respect and reverence for his grandfather. Moreover, if it were not for Luke who kept protecting that woman, Matysh would not have stayed in A City for so long, which gave the police enough time to gather evidence of his past crimes. The police officers in A City would not have been able to do anything to Matysh if this had happened in Russia and Matysh was there! He could have just avoideding to A City next time. His family''s business and dealings with A City were infrequent. Hence, it would not have any impact on Matysh! Marcos shrugged off Ethan''s warning and replied nonchntly, "It doesn''t matter. I''m doing this for the company, for my family''s business." Ethan noticed that Marcos was not as worried and afraid as he expected. He sneered in frustration and returned to his own room. Bang! He mmed the door shut behind him. Meanwhile, Kastov opened the door and looked at Marcos with a smirk on his face. Then, he asked, "Are you sure you''re fine? Aren''t you afraid that he''s going to tell your grandfather about this?" Even though he was not a member of the Abaza family, Kastov knew some of the intricacies of their rtionships. "I''m here representing M Group. Integrity shines through any shadow of doubt. I have nothing to fear if I''m in the right," Marcos'' eyes darkened. He knew full well of Ethan''s tendency to report things to his grandfather. From N?velDrama.Org. Did he think Matysh would back him up as soon as he showed up? How naive! Matysh could never get out of there. When they were having tea just now, Luke and the others did not mention the Ind of Despair again after Percy left. Instead, Luke talked about the police investigation. The police had linked the case of an innocent girl being raped a few years ago with the Norman family''s home invasion case because there was evidence showing that Matysh was behind both incidents. The funds were all transferred from Matysh''s bank ount. Based on the transfer and subsequent flow of funds, the police identified several other suspects other than Matysh. If the sexual assault usation was not enough to put Matysh in prison in A City, the subsequent cases would suffice. Once Matysh was confirmed to be the mastermind, he would be sentenced to a long period of imprisonment in A City. Luke said that A City''s crackdown on crime was currently in full swing. Matysh''s case was already within the scope of the crackdown. Moreover, since the injured party was the Norman family and Jack was involved in this, it would be useless no matter how professional thewyer Matysh hired was. Once the charge was confirmed, nowyer in A City would dare to take his case. In the end, only the legal representative sent by the judicial institution would defend him. After all, it was a done deal. No one would want to offend Jack for the sake of money. Marcos was in a good mood knowing that Matysh would be going to prison for a long time! "A citizens like you sure know how to use idioms and proverbs well. I''m d you''re not worried about it. By the way, take this." Kastov pulled something out of his pocket and threw it to him. Marcos caught it and asked, "What''s this?" "It''s to detect if there are any..." Kastov made a gesture and stopped talking. However, Marcos understood what he meant. It was a bug detector. Chapter 2770 After leaving the hotel with Kastov for such a long time, Ethan could have easily tampered with anything in their absence. Marcos nodded and said, "Thanks." Then, he closed the door and returned to his suite. Kastov followed suit, not bothering to check his own room since Ethan''s attention was solely on Marcos and not him, the bodyguard. From N?velDrama.Org. He was not going to waste any time or equipment. Kastov opened his encrypted luggage and took hisptop out, cing it on the hotel table. He turned on theptop and continued reviewing the intelligence he had collected for the day. All of them were about the Ind of Despair... The intelligence was sent to him from his informants around the world. Some days, he received only a few reports, but on other days, he received several. Today was one of those days when he had collected a lot of information. However, more information did not mean it was better. The information he received was repetitive most of the time. Kastov lit a cigarette and started filtering out the duplicates, collecting only the useful intelligence. After filtering, he was left with only two pieces of useful intelligence. ¡°it''s better than nothing," Kastov murmured as he snuffed out his cigarette and documented the intelligence. Although these reports were insignificant and useless to most people, Kastov had a better understanding of the Ind of Despair than others. He relied on these fragmented pieces of intelligence, screening, integrating, and inferring to make sense of it all. While the information might seem trivial to others, to those who harbored deep hatred toward the Ind of Despair like Kastov and Luke, this information held extraordinary significance. On the other hand. Luke and Luca returned to the vi together. Luke entered the bedroom opposite and nced at the computer that was still running. Theputer had been running for the entire afternoon and evening. It filtered out several people based on the images. All of them had ethnic features. However, ording to the information collected by theputer, they had nothing to do with the Ind of Despair. Luke did not give up and let theputer continue its search. Then, he opened his email on anotherputer and looked at the message sent by Kastov. He could not help but feel impressed as he looked at it. The man Marcos had brought in was perhaps the person who knew the Ind of Despair the most, aside from the members of the organization itself. Luke did not have as much information as Kastov did. Even though Luke could not find more information about the Ind of Despair, this piece of information was very helpful to him! Luke''s phone, which had been ced on the side, suddenly rang. Luke picked it up. It was a call from Percy. He answered the call. ¡°What do they want?" asked Luke. "They''re asking for a 30 million ransom, but their conditions are strange. They specifically ask for ten million in cash and the other 20 million to be transferred to a Swiss bank ount." Percy''s voice was hoarse. It was as though his throat had been scorched by liquor. "How much time do they give you?" asked Luke. There was no way he would let Percy hand over the ransom. The reason why he had not spoken up earlier was that he wanted Pierre to suffer more. After all, that bastard had done so many wrongful things. He needed to be taught a lesson. The Mallory family members were reluctant to urge him to make a fresh start. Therefore, he should just let those from the Ind of Despair torture Pierre well and make him atone for his past mistakes! However, as the deadline for the ransom payment drew near, Luke could not just sit back and watch anymore. "One day," said Percy. "30 million isn''t a problem. My grandfather has some money too. It''s just that I can''t get the ten million in cash from the bank. Otherwise, the police will be alerted. Do you have any cash?" asked Percy. Percy had no choice but to ask them for some cash. "There''s only about two million in the safe, but I can bring it to you if you need it," said Luke. He could not tell Percy that he already knew where Pierre was. Otherwise, Percy would suspect that he knew this all along. Percy and Pierre were brothers even though Pierre had done many ridiculous things and hurt Nina. However, Percy did not want the police to be involved this time. This showed that he only wanted Pierre to be taught a lesson. However, the lesson learned should note from the police or prison. That was why their family had not reported to the police or rmed them. "I''ll get it. I''ll transfer the money to your bank ount," said Percy. He was not surprised that Luke only had this amount of cash. In this day and age of electronic payments, who would leave extra cash lying around the house? Hence, having two million in cash was already within his expectations. Just like this, he had already gathered five million dors. The rest was up to Jim and the assistant at the bank who could help him to withdraw some cash without drawing the police''s attention. The Mallory family''s daily capital flow was worth much more than just a few million. The police would not suspect a thing as long as they did not withdraw too much money at once. "Alright, I''ll bring the money to thepany tomorrow. You can just go to T Corporation and pick it up," Luke nned to have Gordan put on a show in front of Percy so that he would not arouse any suspicion. Still, what difference did it make if Percy doubted him? Percy knew how much Luke looked down on Pierre. He was not involved in the kidnapping case. Besides, Luke already did Percy a favor by providing clues to the Mallory family. Luke believed that it would not affect their rtionship even if Percy suspected him. "Okay, I''ll ask Jim again." Percy hung up the call. Luke sat there, lost in thought for a moment. Then, he called Gordan. "Brother Luke, are we going to make a move?" Gordan asked as soon as answered the call. Leroy and the others had arrived. They were capable of fighting with the members of the Ind of Despair if they took action now. He was confident that he would be able to rescue Pierre at the same time. "It''s almost time," replied Luke. Gordan was confused. "Almost time? Should we make a move, then?" why could he not understand what Luke was saying? Luke exined to him, "The Ind of Despair demanded a ransom of 30 million dors from the Mallory family. I''m not going to let them pay the ransom.¡± Gordan finally understood what he meant. However, he was still in doubt. "Boss, are you going to make a move when they transfer the money to their bank ount? Won''t it be toote?" After all, kidnappers nowadays were smart enough to ask for electronic transfers. It would only take a second to transfer one''s money to someone''s bank ount. It was much faster than paying cash. Gordan could not guarantee that he would be able to save Pierre when they were about to transfer the money. "The Ind of Despair has given the Mallory family a day''s time to prepare the ransom before they transfer it to them," replied Luke. Gordan was puzzled when he heard what Luke said. "A day''s time? They''ve underestimated the Mallory family. 30 million dors is just a drop in the bucket for them. Why would the Mallory family need a day to prepare it? It''s just dilly-dallying." Chapter 2771 ^Q Search... / / Chapter 2771 Break Them Into A Million Pieces And Rip Them To Shreds Twins in Her Womb: Sir President, Please be Gentle Chapter 2771 Break Them Into A Million Pieces And Rip Them To Shreds Luke was speechless... 30 million dors was a drop in the bucket for the Mallory family, but probably not in cash. Luke added, "The Ind of Despair demands that one-third of the 30 million must be in cash." Who would keep ten million of cash at home these days? Gordan suddenly understood why they gave the Mallory family some time to prepare the money. "When do we take action?" asked Gordan. It had been too long since he had done something like this. His desire to cause trouble was brewing. He had not done this kind of work in a long time! He had been prevented from carrying out any bloody missions ever since he stayed beside Vivian. Perhaps rather than that, it was not that Gordan was stopped from carrying out missions, but Vivian took the initiative to arrange for Ray''s men to help him after she found out about it. He had no chance to prove himself. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. It seemed like his daily training had no other meaning other than to strengthen his body. Whenever he faced an opponent during a mission, his opponent would already have been taken care of by Ray''s men before he could even make a move. He felt like a caged bird living a meaningless life. Although he could still make a lot of money at that time, the money did not mean anything because it was not earned through his blood, sweat, and tears. "We''ll decide tomorrow," Luke let out a soft sigh. He was reluctant to save Pierre. After all, Pierre had inappropriate ideas toward Luca before. However, Pierre was Percy''s brother, and he had a close rtionship with him that could not be severed. He could just ignore him, but he would also be affected if Percy could not live an easy life after this. Moreover, Percy could not find out where Pierre was. Who knew if he would be able to find him in the future? Luke could not risk ruining the rtionship between the two families. "There is one more thing that requires your cooperation," said Luke. "What is it?" Gordan was excited to hear that he would be making a move soon. He had been bored out of his mind during this period. Previously, he was frustrated by hisck of freedom and the presence of an ugly woman by his side. Now, he was frustrated that he could not get used to it. He felt like he had been humiliated by Vivian, and everything seemed boring to him. "Percy wille to look for me and ask for the cash tomorrow. When that happens, you pretend to make a call and say that you know where Pierre is hidden," replied Luke. He needed Gordan to cooperate with him to stop the Mallory family from paying the ransom. Even though 30 million dors was not a huge amount of money for the Mallory family, they should not give it to the Ind of Despair. Who knew what the Ind of Despair was nning? For an organization like the Ind of Despair, 30 million dors could fund a lot of nefarious deeds. The stronger the organization became, the more dangerous it would be for him and for Luca. Therefore, he could not let the Ind of Despair be any more powerful because of this. "Sure. No problem," Gordan replied with a smile on his face. He was good at putting up a show. "Do you have enough men on your end?" asked Luke. He needed Gordan and the others toe out of this unscathed. He could not let his brothers die or be maimed because of Pierre. Gordan smiled and nced at Leeroy. "Yes. They might get suspicious if you send any more men. Besides, I still have some friends in X City." "Okay. I''ll inform you tomorrow. Call me immediately when you receive the notice." Luke gave a slightly more detailed instructions. He did not want things to get out of control. "Okay, Boss," Gordan agreed. Luke nced at the time after he hung up the call. He had been sitting in this chair for almost three hours. It was almost one o''clock in the morning. Luke''s eyes grew warm. Luca should be sleeping now... He opened the wardrobe and took out a clean set of pajamas before taking a shower in the bathroom. After the shower, he stood inside the room for a while. He waited for the warmth on his body to drive the dampness away before pushing open the bedroom door and walking to the opposite bedroom. He gently pushed the door open. The room was dimly lit. Luca left the nightmp turned on. The dim lighting was softly scattered throughout the room, creating a subtle atmosphere. It was especially bright near the door. Luke could see the situation on the bed through the light. Luca was sleeping soundly with her face facing toward the door. He could see her delicate and pretty features through the dim light... Luke suddenly thought of what Kastov said today. He said that the Ind of Despair had a highly skilled doctor who had a 90% chance of saving someone as long as they were not dead. Such a skilled doctor was hiding behind the organization and helping them to do their dirty work. Could it be that was the doctor who changed Luca''s appearance... Luke imagined how Luca had been being drugged and operated on while someone used a scalpel to cut her face, changing her features. It made Luke feel paralyzed and heartbroken. She must have suffered a lot! Luke did not know much about cosmetic surgery, but he knew that women had to undergo a lot of surgeries to change their looks. It involved contouring the bones and flesh of the face to achieve the desired look. Luca''s face underwent such a significant change, which meant she must have undergone many cosmetic surgery procedures. How could it not be painful? Luke ced his hand on his heart. Previously, he deliberately avoided and ignored these issues. However, there was no way he could ignore them now. His heart ached as though it had shattered into a million pieces at the thought of how much pain Luca had suffered. He had to avenge her! He swore that he would seek revenge! He wanted those who had caused her harm to be dead. He would break them into a million pieces and rip them to shreds! Luke''s eyes grew redder and redder at the thought of this. Luca gently turned over on the bed and muttered, "Luke..." Luke was startled, and he woke up from his hatred. Then, he walked gently to the side of the bed. He heard her murmuring again, "It hurts..." Luke''s eyes reddened. He rarely got teary, but Luca made his eyes well up with tears again and again. Hey down and held Luca in his arms. Luca did not wake up from her dream. She curled up in his embrace. "I know it hurts. I''m sorry," Luke whispered softly in her ear. From now on, he would never let her suffer such pain again! Luca was in a slumber. She felt both anxious and moved as the images in her dream changed quickly. First, she dreamed someone tied Luke up and handed her a knife, forcing her to choose between harming Luke or herself... She looked at Luke, who was weak and helpless. Then, she cut herself on the arm without hesitation! Blood gushed out, and the pain triggered her body''s nerves in her dream. Luca could feel the pain! Still, no matter how painful it was, she had no thought of harming the man she loved the most! Every time the person who handed her the knife scolded her, she would cut herself again. Chapter 2772 Luca could feel the pain in her body intensifying with every cut. However, she could not stop. If she did, Luke would suffer... She could not bear to hurt Luke no matter how painful it was. The urging voice in her ear grew faster and faster. Luca''s movements became quicker and quicker in her dream. Finally, she mustered up the courage to turn around and see the face of the person who urged her to do so. It was Abel... Luca continued to cut herself. The dream felt real. With each cut, there was blood gushing out, but she dared not to stop. There was pain, resentment, unwillingness. Luca felt trapped. She did not know if it was a dream. She only knew that she was instinctively afraid. She was afraid that Luke would be hurt, and she was afraid that she would lose too much blood and never be able to see him or their children again... However, the scene suddenly changed. She was brought to a different ce. Luca found herself lying in a white ce, seemingly on top of clouds. Everything around her felt weightless, and the pain from before disappeared. She looked at her hands and noticed that she was not carrying a sharp knife and there were no bloody wounds on her body! Luca turned around and looked at her side. She saw Luke lying next to her. The terrifying scenes she experienced a moment ago seemed fake. Luca gently approached Luke, who pulled her into his arms. At that moment, there was no pain or fear; there was only peace in Luca''s heart. She smiled happily as she listened to the sound of his heartbeat Whether it was a dream or not, she was most at ease at that moment. She was able to lie in Luke''s arms without having to worry about anything, and she could be together with him at all costs. The following day... Luke took two million in cash from the safe at home and headed to T Corporation after having breakfast. Luca noticed that something was off with Luke. She quickly finished her breakfast when she saw him leave. As Aunt Neile entered the dining room with a cup of coffee, she was startled for a moment when she did not see Luke anywhere. Then, she asked with confusion, "Has Mr. Crawford finished breakfast and gone to work already?" she asked. "Yes," replied Luca as she wiped her mouth with a napkin. Today was the day for their research team to officially start the research for a new drug project. "That was fast..." Aunt Neile turned to look at her. She could not help but ask, "Ms. Craw, did you not notice that Mr. Crawford didn''t look so good today?" "Really? I didn''t pay much attention," replied Luca as she shook her head. She did notice, but there was nothing she could do to help Luke. She could not tell Aunt Neile that Luke had that look on his face because of the Ind of Despair. Hence, Luca decided to act clueless. Aunt Neile still frowned. Luke seemed gloomier than usual today. It was as though he had encountered any difficulties. Still, how could Luca not notice that? Aunt Neile then asked Luca, "Ms. Craw, would you like to have some coffee? It was brewed for Mr. Crawford, but he ate his breakfast too quickly." It would be a waste if the coffee was poured away. The coffee beans were good! Aunt Neile did not like coffee as it tasted bitter. She could not understand why so many people liked it. Was it because of its bitterness? Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. In that case, was drinking tea not a good choice? She wondered if old tea that had been brewed for a while would taste better than coffee as it was just as effective in providing energy. Perhaps even herbal tea would be good as it was not only bitter but also good for one''s health... Aunt Neile truly did not understand why this drink was so popr among young people and why it was so expensive. "No thanks, Aunt Neile. I have to go now," replied Luca as she quickly left the vi. Warren was already waiting for her at the door. T Corporation. Luke arrived at thepany and put the cash-filled box into the safe before starting to work. Gordon sent a message asking when Percy would arrive. He was eager to get started. Luke replied to him that he was not sure about it before continuing to work. The workload was not too heavy. Jason knocked on the door and walked in, saying helplessly, "Boss, Lonnie Jackman, the boss of Jackman Corporation, is waiting for you in the lobby downstairs." "I don''t want to see him," Luke frowned. When did Lonnie''s affairs be his problem? "But he says he has important information to provide you with, and..." Jason hesitated for a moment. He was not someone who would hesitate before saying something, but he would not pass on certain information unless it was a special situation. For instance, Lonnie, who was downstairs, said that Luke would miss out on important information if Luke refused to see him. Hence, he insisted on delivering the message to him. He also said that if Luke missed this information, he would surely regret it. Therefore, Lonnie urged Jason, the messenger, to consider it carefully. Jason remembered what happened to Mrs. Jackman back then and wondered what information Lonnie could offer Luke. Despite his hesitation due to Lonnie''s tone, he decided to inform Luke. Luke paused for a moment. Jason waited for his decision. "What else did he say?" asked Luke. He was referring to Lonnie. Jason understood that he was asking what else Lonnie had said. "He said it was about Ms. Craw," replied Jason in a low voice. "Send him up." Luke changed his mind. He wanted to see what information Lonnie had to offer. If the information was useful, he could provide him with a design n. ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Jason secretly heaved a sigh. Indeed, no matter how busy Luke was, he would always make time to meet with him when it was about Luca. Was Luca a femme fatale? It was hard to tell, but Luke valued her too much. Jason stepped out of the office and informed the receptionist. Then, Lonnie was brought upstairs. Jason waited at the elevator. The moment he saw Lonnie, Lonnie spoke before Jason could react, "I''m here to see Mr. Crawford. I''m not seeing anyone else." Jason maintained his smile, but deep down, there was a negative impression of this person in his mind. Lonnie was too impatient, and Luke would not appreciate this way of handling things. If it were not for Luca, Lonnie would not have had the chance to set foot on this floor. "Hello, Mr. Jackman. I''m Mr. Crawford''s assistant. Let me take you to his office now." Jason introduced himself and made it clear that he was not the one receiving him. Lonnie nodded and followed Jason to the door of Luke''s office. "Mr. Jackman, Mr. Crawford is inside. He''s very busy, so please keep it brief," Jason kindly reminded him, then knocked on the door. Luke''s voice came from inside, "Come in." Jason opened the door and smiled at Lonnie, "Mr. Jackman, pleasee in." Lonnie stepped into Luke''s office and quickly looked around. It was impressive! This was his first impression of Luke''s office. Chapter 2773 Lonnie had been to Old Master Bourne''s office before. Old Master Bourne''s office was luxurious enough as it was, but it still could notpare to Luke''s... The Bourne family''s assets andpany were nowhere near as good as the Crawford family''s, hence their office. Although Luke''s office was grand, the design did note off as shy. Lonnie could not help but form an opinion as someone in the architecture industry. Lonnie froze for a few seconds until he felt an icy-cold gaze, and he was shocked when he saw Luke. ¡°Have a seat, Mr. Jackman." Although Luke was not fond of Lonnie, he was still a guest, so he kept his words short and simple. He still had to have themon courtesy of entertaining guests. Luke only invited him to sit down without asking the secretary to pour him a cup of coffee as he only intended to have him here for a few minutes. Then, Lonnie sat on the chair opposite him. Luke got straight to the point. "Mr. Jackman, is there something about Luca you wish to tell me?" Although the number of words he spoke was more than usual, his tone of voice was still hostile and indifferent. Lonnie took a deep breath and said, "Yes, Mr. Crawford. I''m putting myself at risk by telling you this, but I still decided to do it so that we can work together. Old Master Bourne is upset that Old Master Crawford humiliated himst time, so he wants to seek revenge by using Ms. Craw." Using Ms. Craw? Luke raised his eyebrows and got worked up, but he quickly regained hisposure. Lonnie thought that his eyes were deceiving him. "It actually isn''t my fault. At first, I wanted to use my rtionship with Old Master Bourne as leverage to work with the Crawford family. However, not only did I not secure that opportunity, but this incident also angered Old Master Bourne. He wants to use Luca''s rtionship with. Well, you know what I mean. To affect the Crawford family and T Corporation''s business and share price. Mr. Crawford, you must be careful," Lonnie reminded him while faking his sincerity. Luke thought to himself, ''Is that it?'' He thought that Lonnie would give up valuable information about Luca. However, Lonnie sold Old Master Bourne out even though he was rted to him. If Old Master Bourne found out, he would be furious. Luke pressed on thendline. ¡°Come and see off our guest." Lonnie''s eyes widened, and he almost wanted to dig his ears. Did he hear it right? He provided him with such important information, yet Luke was going to send him off. How insensible could he be? If Old Master Bourne used Luca to ruin Luke''s image, would he still be this arrogant? Before Lonnie could talk about it in more detail or even hint at a chance of cooperation, Jason opened the door and said to him, "Mr. Jackman, Mr. Crawford has business to tend to right now, so please." After saying that, he gestured toward the door, indicating that Mr. Jackman should leave. Lonnie''s face went pale, but he still mustered up the courage to ask in hopes of cooperating, "Mr. Crawford, what I said is true. If your rtionship with Luca goes public, it''ll affect the Crawford family and T Corporation!" Jason''s temples started to hurt while listening to all his nonsense. He should not have let Lonnie in here in the first ce. He thought that he had information on Luca''s identity to tell Luke, but it turned out to be such a trivial matter. Luke had never cared about gossip. He did not run T Corporation or get investors with his image but with his capability. Why would a capable person care about such trivial things? Even if Luke''s rtionship with Luca got exposed, Luca was just Bianca with a different appearance! That did not count as cheating. Even if he was cheating, everyone in A City knew about Lonnie having a mistress, but was he not still running Jackman Corporation? It was not gossip that would bring down apany but its management. Luke relied on his own ability, and a capable person would never be afraid of these things. Even Jason understood this logic, so howe Lonnie did not? Besides, many already knew about Luca. Even Old Master Crawford... Old Master Crawford would never pay attention to such gossip. Besides, Luca had been of much help to Old Master Crawford after she returned with a different look, especially in terms of his health! When people got old, they naturally wished to be free from disease and be in good health. Luca could help Old Master Crawford achieve that! Then, Luke would not have anything to worry about! Jason could not help but sigh at how foolish Lonnie was! If he had the time to make such reports, why not use that time to find better architecturepanies to satisfy his partners instead? Luke did not reply to Mr. Jackman''s sincerity. Jason had no choice but to say with a stern look, "Mr. Jackman, if you continue to disturb Mr. Crawford''s work, I''ll have to call security to ask you to leave." Lonnie''s expression immediately changed. Luke sent his wife to prison and still ignored him when he gave him such a valuable tip. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. All he wanted was a single design! Yet, Luke was still so heartless! He would rather watch him die than work with him. Lonnie had more to say, but Jason forcefully pulled him out of the office. Seeing Jason close the door infuriated Lonnie as he thought that having a one-on-one conversation with Luke was a good ce to start. It seemed like he was too naive. Luke would never work with someone if he had set his mind to it, no matter what kind of valuable information they can provide. ¡°You guys are going too far!" Lonnie used Jason and also Luke of being so arrogant. Jason said, "Mr. Jackman, your information was useless. My boss doesn''t need that kind of information, so you were wasting his time. If I knew that you were going to tell him that, I wouldn''t have let you up. Like you, I would have to get scolded by my bosster. So, go now, or else I''ll call security." He had a feeling that after Lonnie returned, he would never be able to step foot in T Corporation ever again. Nheless, he would still have to be scolded by Luke. Even if he did not get scolded, Luke would be upset with him. When Jason was talking about it, he was ming Lonnie at the same time. With Jason standing in front of Luke''s office like a big mountain, it would be impossible for him to enter again. Lonnie could only curse inwardly while leaving! Chapter 2774 After Lonnie left, Luke''s expression remained unchanged. He was not afraid of Old Master Bourne''s so-called revenge. He was not an idol who made a living with his youthfulness, so his partner would have little impact on thepany. Besides, investors were not his fans. His investors valued the capability of thepany''s leader. As long as he did not copse and T Corporation was still growing, he was not afraid of how other people might look at him. Moreover, so what if everyone thought he had a mistress? It did not matter as long as he knew that Luca was not a mistress. In the business industry of A City, businessmen like Percy and Jim, who were loyal to their partners, were rare. It would be weirder for Luke not to have a mistress. Instead, people would think that it was normal for him to have a mistress. After a while, thendline on his desk rang again. Luke pressed the speakerphone with his right hand and said, "Yes?" ¡°Boss, Mr. Mallory is here," said Jason. The front desk did not stop Percy as they knew that he was friends with Luke. Plus, both of theirpanies were working together, so Percy was able to go up right away.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Let him in," said Luke. "Yes." Jason hung up, and before he could speak, Percy, who heard his conversation with Luke, said, "I''ll go in myself." "Mr. Mallory, would you like something to drink?" Jason stood up and asked. "No, you can carry on with your work," said Percy. He was not here to chat with Luke but to get money. Once he got the money, he would leave right away. The Mallory family was waiting for him to deal with the Pierre situation, so he could not dy for even a moment. Besides, he had to stay beside the phone at all times, just in case the Ind of Despair called. Jason sat back down. Percy opened the door to Luke''s office and closed it behind him. "I''m here." Luke nodded and entered a pin code. Then, he heard the sound of a lock opening, and soon after, a safe popped open. He took out a case that contained two million dors in cash. Luke handed it to Percy and pointed at the currency-counting machine the finance department had sent early that morning. "You count." "No need, I trust you," said Percy as he took the case. He then took out his phone and transferred two million to him. Immediately, Luke received a notification from his ount. "One more thing," said Luke. Percy then looked at him. "Gordan called just now, and he said that he found out where Pierre is being held. He''s asking what he should do next. Do you want to save him by paying the ransom or do you want Gordan to help?" said Luke as he dialed Gordan''s number. Percy frowned. Gordan called just now? The timing was unfortunate. Gordan did not forget Luke''s orders when he answered the phone. "Brother Luke, has Mr. Mallory decided on what to do?" Luke put the phone in front of Percy without saying a word. "This is Percy," said Percy calmly. Gordan was not surprised as he said, "Oh, it''s you. Mr. Mallory, I''ve found out where your brother is being held. What are you going to do? I already have people watching them." "Are you sure it''s him?" Percy confirmed with him as there had been no news from Gordan before this. He suddenly found his location, so Percy was worried that it could be wrong. It was Pierre''s life on the line. He wanted to save Pierre, and he was not afraid of losing 30 million. It was his dignity that he was afraid of losing. The highly respectable Mallory family got manipted by a terrorist organization. If word got out, they would be seen as a joke! If people knew about it, they would take advantage of Percy and bully him! Percy was weighing his options. "I''m certain. I''ve actually discovered this ce a few days ago, but they didn''t show Pierre, so I had to use a device to monitor the people walking around inside. After finding out that there was someone in a room who was barely moving, I tried to get some surveince. I was afraid of giving you the wrong information, so I''ve been looking for surveince the entire time. As you know, not many households have surveince in this area, so it took me a whole day to find one clip of Pierre being dragged out of a car and into the house. I''m only telling you now that I''m certain enough," Gordan sounded very sure. He said all of this to cover up for Luke. Besides, he hated Pierre too, so he wanted him to suffer a little more. If the Mallory family did not have to pay the ransom now, they would not decide on their next move this soon. Leroy was next to Gordan while he listened to him make up that story, but he did not break a sweat, nor did he look guilty. His power and aura were as great as Luke''s. Only the strongest of minds were able to lie in front of Luke and Percy as if they were undeniably speaking the truth. Leroy could not help but give a thumbs up in admiration. He had heard about what Gordan could do, but he thought that it was just an exaggeration, so he did not take it seriously. He did not expect it to be true... Gordan smirked at him. Leroy then mouthed two words at him, ''You''re awesome.'' Gordan also responded in the same way, ¡°Of course." Leroy was speechless at how cocky he was. His ability to lie, strong mind, and thick skin, were unmatched. Percy was silent. Gordan did not want Percy to cower away and pay the ransom to save Pierre, so he had to put in a word or two. Gordan said, "Mr. Mallory, I don''t think you should pay the ransom." Before Percy could reply he said, "The Ind of Despair''s tactics is ruthless. The reason they haven''t done anything to your brother is that he''s still worth 30 million." Although Percy had never mentioned 30 million to him before, he could say that Luke had mentioned it. "If they have a grudge against Pierre, they''ll still be able to get rid of him once they receive the money. Then, the Mallory family will lose the money and also Pierre. If you dy a bit while I carry out my mission, the chances of your brother surviving will be much higher. The Ind of Despair will not do anything to him before we go in. Plus, I have enough manpower here. Although I can''t guarantee Mr. Pierre''s safety, I can still rescue him. I''m confident." Chapter 2775 "Okay, I''ll send someone over to support you." Percy decided immediately. He had been thinking about what Gordan said to him all night. He was worried that Pierre might not return even after he gave them the money. However, he was left with no other choice at that time. He could not find where Pierre was. Hence, he had no choice but to ept the conditions of the Ind of Despair, even if they might kill Pierre after getting the money. Handing off the ransom was risky. Still, he did not tell Old Master Mallory about it. Old Master Mallory was not particrly rational at the moment. If he said such things impulsively, others might misunderstand that he had no intention to save Pierre. However, Gordan gave him another choice now. Even though it was risky, it could ensure that Pierre woulde out alive. Luke saw the look on Percy''s face and reminded him, "There are risks in this operation. You still have to prepare the cash, and it has to be more than before. You can use the ransom to save him if the mission fails." Luke only said so as he had considered all the situations. If Gordan''s mission failed and he failed to rescue Pierre, Percy could still negotiate with them using the ransom. However, after this operation, Percy would have to pay more ransom to make sure they agreed to release Pierre. "I''ll prepare another ten million dors," said Percy. He agreed with what Luke said. Gordan, who was on the other end of the phone, protested, "Hey, hey, hey. I''m a professional and a capable rescuer. Have more faith in me. I can definitely save Pierre." He could not guarantee that Pierre would be rescuedpletely unscathed, but at least he could make sure that he was alive... However, the two people on the other end of the line seemed to have little confidence in him. They were already getting ready for n B. It was a great insult to him! "Okay," replied Luke as he thought it was enough. Luke asked Percy to prepare n B to get ready for the worst-case scenario. In fact, he still had confidence in Gordan. He also had a few subordinates who would be going with him. Therefore, there should be no problem. However, nothing was set in stone. What if... "Hey, hey, hey! Don''t ignore me. Go find someone else if you don''t trust me. I quit!" Gordan did not really mean it. He was justining about being ignored and expressing his dissatisfaction. He considered himself a protagonist of this operation, after all. Luke spoke to the person on the other end of the line, "There''ll be a video conference tonight to discuss the details of the rescue operation. Get a n ready before nightfall." After that, he hung up the call. As Leroy listened to the busy toneing from the phone, he could not help but chuckle. "It looks like Boss just hung up on you, huh?" "Nonsense! He identally pressed the button. I''m the core figure now. He wouldn''t hang up on me," Gordan rolled his eyes, denying that he had been hung up on. It was too embarrassing to admit it. "Sure. I believe you," teased Leroy. He was not a childish person, and he would make lighthearted jokes or tease someone a bit as long as it was done in good fun and not taken too far. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Gordan snorted and walked to the window, asking the person who was monitoring the house across the street, "What''s going on?" "The heat source is still the same. The person is still in the same room. But he seems to be moving around a bit today. His movements are a little strange. They''re not very smooth, and he''s still in the same room," answered the man. He was Leroy''s subordinate. When Leroy came over, he knew what mission he was assigned to. Hence, he brought a few men who could help Gordan. "Not very smooth, huh?" Gordan smirked. "Perhaps someone broke his leg." He was just joking, but Leroy asked, "How did you know? Did you see him limp when you were looking at the monitor?" "I was just kidding. Did you really fall for it? The monitor only showed someone carrying him out of range. I didn''t see him walk. How would I know?" replied Gordan. Leroy snorted when he realized he had been fooled by Gordan. Then, he said, "But perhaps it''s true. Pierre is such a troublemaker. It could save them the trouble if they broke one of his legs. A limping person wouldn''t be able to run away that fast. They won''t have to worry too much. It''ll be easier to control him if they break one of his legs." "Who knows? We''ll find out soon enough," replied Gordan as he picked up his instrument to observe the house across the street. Sure enough, the person who was in the room started walking, and his walking posture was indeed very strange just as the man had described. "Looks like a cripple," Gordan murmured. In A City. Nighttime. Luke had not gone home yet. He was still at thepany, having a video conference with Gordan, Percy, and Jim. They were discussing how to rescue Pierre, who was kidnapped. After Jim learned the exact address from Gordan where they hid Pierre, he could not help but exim, "You''re quite impressive, kid. You actually found him. Is there anyone you can''t find?" "Yes. Brother Luke when he got kidnapped before this," replied Gordan. When Luke was kidnapped by Ind of Despair back then, Gordan personally investigated it along with the men from the Lacroix family, the Holston family, and Mallory family. However, they still did not know who took Luke and where he was taken. They could only continue their search while hoping that the kidnappers would call. In the end, they found nothing, and no kidnappers called. Gordan was once deeply consumed by selfme. If it were not for him messing with Vivian in order toplete his mission and getting trapped by Ray, he would not have had to ask Luke for help. Luke would not have gotten himself into trouble either. Gordan med himself. He was regretful, but he just could not find Luke no matter what. Luke eventually escaped from Ind of Despair and let them know of its existence. "Let''s not talk about the past." Luke was not keen on bringing up his time on Ind of Despair. After all, if it were not for that incident, Luca would not have suffered so much and been kidnapped by the organization. She had her appearance changed and was forced to do things she did not want to do as a result. What happened in the past was still very much relevant in the present. It pained Luke deeply at the thought of what Luca had gone through. If only his desire for revenge was not that strong and if only he did not team up with Percy and the others to destroy the previous Ind of Despair... Perhaps Luca would still be Bianca today. Even though there would still be troubleing their way, Luca would not have to end up in such a state... Gordan fell silent at the thought of everything that had happened. He seemed to have touched on the topic that Luke was least willing to talk about. Luca falling into the hands of the Ind of Despair was ultimately Luke''s biggest regret. Chapter 2776 Percy knew what they were thinking and remained silent. It was not until a whileter that Luke finally asked Gordan, "Any ideas?" "This area''s buildings areplex, but luckily, I have the floor n. I came up with a n, and I made an animation. Here, take a look." Gordan shared his screen with them and showed them his rescue n. The n to rescue Pierre was simple and straightforward. They were only going there to rescue Pierre. However, it was a difficult task too, considering the heavy weapons they possessed and the fact that they had Pierre as a burden, which could hold them back. Gordan spent the whole afternoon brainstorming, figuring out how to rescue him. After they finished watching the animation, Gordan asked, "This is my idea. Going in from this point can save a lot of trouble. We can avoid rming them too." "I think it''s a good idea," said Jim. They had also seen the nearby floor n. Even though the room was messy, it provided Gordan with some convenience. "What do you think?" Gordan asked Luke and Percy. "I''m fine with it." Percy believed in Gordan''s expertise. Even though he had been kept by Vivian as a househusband for several years, he did not let his skills go to waste. "I''ve been observing them for the past few days. Their defense is weakest around five o''clock in the morning. I can take advantage of that to break in and rescue that... Ahem, rescue Pierre." Gordan initially wanted to call him a bastard. However, he realized that Percy was still here. It seemed like a bad idea to call Percy''s younger brother a bastard in front of him. "I''ll send my men to assist you now," said Percy. If Gordan would be making a move around five o''clock in the morning, he could still send his men to head over there to assist him. Gordan shook his head and replied, "It''s okay. We don''t need that many people for this operation. Besides, it might arouse their suspicion if there are so many more people all of a sudden. I''m using technology to monitor them. They might be using the same technology to observe the people nearby. I only asked two of them to stay here and help me. The rest are on standby nearby.¡± He wanted to make sure the rescue n could seed. There were three rooms in the house that Gordan rented. Thus, he could leave two men here to help him. If there were two more men here, the rooms would not be enough for all of them. If the kidnappers had the same technology as him, it would be easy to arouse their suspicion. Hence, there must be only three people in this house no matter what. Percy could not help but admire Gordan''s cautiousness. The rescue n had to seed this time. Failure was not an option. While they had a n B in ce, Pierre''s survival rate would be significantly reduced if they had to resort to it. The kidnappers might try to deceive them to get more money. Therefore, they must seed. They could not fail! After the four of them agreed to Gordan''s n during the meeting, they each went their separate ways. Percy dispatched two trusted men to take Gordan to X city. Despite Gordan insisting that he did not need help, Pierre would need immediate medical attention once he was rescued. However, it was risky for Pierre if the police discovered him showing up in a hospital. Therefore, they had to choose a private clinic, and his men had to be there to arrange everything. As for Luke, he had a chat with Johann. He convinced him to take a day off and stand by in X city. His task was to be responsible for rescuing anyone in case something went wrong during the rescue operation. Johann initially wanted to ask Luke if Luca coulde along. After all, Luca''s medical skills worked much faster in emergency situations than the typical methods. The faster they could save someone and, for instance, stop their bleeding, the higher the chance for the patient to survive. However, Luke said no. It was not that he did not care about his subordinates'' safety. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. It was just that this operation involved the Ind of Despair. If Luca was sent there and appeared within their line of sight, they might notice that she was involved in the rescue operation... Luke could not imagine what would happen. He would not put Luca in danger when it came to anything rted to the Ind of Despair. Johann had no choice but to stop mentioning it when Luke disagreed with him. After the video conference, Luke shut down hisputer and went home. Luca had already fallen asleep. Luke did not head to the bedroom to cuddle with Luca and take a nap for a while. He had to stay awake and wait for Gordan''s message at five o''clock in the morning. He was afraid that if he slept with Luca, he would fall into a deep sleep. Luke was worried that he would not be able to wake up. Setting an rm would wake Luca up too. Hence, after he made sure that Luca was deeply asleep and covered her with the nket, he went to the opposite bedroom and set a 4:30 a.m. rm on his phone. Gordan would initiate the n at 5 a.m. Luke could get up just in time if he fell asleep. Luke leaned against the head of the bed and looked at the documents he brought back from the company. He felt restless when Luca and the Ind of Despair came across his mind. In the other bedroom, Luca slowly opened her eyes the moment Luke closed the door. Luca knew that the Mallory family would be paying the ransom to Abel tomorrow. She also reckoned that Luke and Percy had some other ns. However, she did not know what the n was... How could she possibly fall asleep? Luca felt anxious and worried at the thought of Amur''s dangerous situation tomorrow and the fact that she had no idea what Luke''s n was. Luca looked down and stared at her phone that she held tightly in her hand. Thest message Amur sent her was that he needed to rest. It was still early and he told her he needed some rest. He had an important task the next day, and he had to be in his best condition. He could not afford to make any mistakes. Otherwise, not only would Amur be in danger, but she also would be forced to leave Luke at any moment. Neither the thought of Amur being in danger nor the possibility of her leaving Luke was something that she wanted to witness or allow to happen. Her hands trembled again at the thought of it. Percy was also on pins and needles. Even though his rtionship with Pierre had deteriorated, Pierre had toe back safely this time. If something happened to Pierre, Karen, who was already emotionally unstable, would probably go crazy. The Mallory family could not afford to have a lunatic in the house. Even though Percy had lost his maternal love for Karen, he could not bear to see her go insane. The future of the Mallory family depended on Gordan''s rescue operation tonight. Nina was waiting for him when Percy came back home. Even though Percy did not hide Pierre''s situation from her, he did not go into detail. He did not want her to worry. Nina only knew that he had a meeting tonight to discuss Pierre''s rescue n, but she did not know the specific time or location. Nina hugged Percy when he came home looking exhausted. Then, she asked, "Is it about time to rescue him?" "Don''t worry. Everything will be fine," Percy assured. He knew that Nina was worried about him, not Pierre. She knew that if something happened to Pierre, the days ahead would not be any easier for Percy either. Chapter 2777 ¡°Even though I hate Pierre, I hope he''s okay." Nina rested her head on Percy''s chest, feeling the warmth of his body and the strong thumping of his heart. Nina was no saint. The reason why she hoped Pierre was fine was because she did not want the days ahead to be difficult for Percy. Especially when both Karen and Old Master Mallory were concerned about his life. If they failed to save Pierre this time and if something happened to him, Old Master Mallory and Karen would definitely me Percy. Their days ahead would get harder and harder. Therefore, even though Nina held a grudge against Pierre, she still prayed that nothing bad would happen to him. Percy cupped her face and nted a hot, wet kiss on her forehead. He was destined to not get any sleep tonight. After all, what happened to Pierre was different from anything they had experienced before. Previously, he could personally participate in it while knowing the scores. However, Pierre was being held captive in X City at the moment while he had to stay in A City. The Ind of Despair had a base in A City. They might be watching them from somewhere outside. If Percy left A City, the members in X City would be informed and Pierre could be moved to another ce any time. This would nullify the efforts made by Gordan earlier. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Hence, Percy had no choice but to wait in A City and call the shots behind the scene. He could not make any real moves to rescue Pierre. Neither could Luke nor Jim. That was why Percy felt so uneasy. He could not participate in this mission. He could only wait for the results. This made him more anxious than those who were waiting to take action. Percy could not sleep, but Nina had to. He urged her to rest, "It''s gettingte. Go to sleep." Nina hesitated for a moment but eventually shook her head. She could tell that Percy had no intention of resting. How could she rest? Maybe Percy was worried about the mission, or he was worried about Pierre. Still, Nina was worried about Percy and the mission. Nina held a deep grudge against Pierre. Arge part of her previous misery and despair in her life came from him. She wanted him dead. However, what if he really died? Nina dared not think about how the Mallory family would pressure Percy. Percy knew it well. When faced with the possibility of either Pierre dying or being rescued and him continuing topete with him, Percy would rather choose thetter option. "Hey, listen, I''ll let you know if anything happens." Percy knew that Nina was worried about him and the mission, which was why she refused to sleep. "I can''t sleep." Nina buried her head in his chest and replied with a muffled voice. She thought Percy had won against Pierre, and everything would be fine after that. Who would have known what would happen next? Nina felt sorry for him. "Do you still have the sleeping pills the doctor prescribed for you?" asked Percy. Despite Nina''s improved psychological state, she still asionally suffered from insomnia. Hence, the doctor continued to prescribe sleeping pills for her and advised her to only take them when she could not sleep. "Yes." Nina took a deep breath and sighed. "Sigh." "I''ll go to sleep, but you have to stay by my side until I fall asleep. Then you may deal with Pierre''s matter." Nina reckoned that the operation would not start that early. Otherwise, Percy would already be sitting in the study room instead of convincing her to sleep. "Okay." Percy''s voice was gentle. He followed Nina upstairs to the bedroom. Nina took a sleeping pill andy down on the bed. Percy leaned against the headboard, keeping herpany. They held each other''s hands tightly. Nina was like a child, holding onto his hand and snuggling her face up against it. She closed her eyes obediently. Half an hourter, Percy gently withdrew his hands when Nina''s breathing became even and she was truly asleep. As Percy watched her peaceful sleeping face, he got up quietly, picked up his phone, put on his shoes, and went to the study. It was only two o''clock in the morning. He sat in his office chair, opened the drawer, and took out a cigarette. Then, he lit it and watched the time slowly tick by as he waited in silence. What happened next would depend on how well Gordan performed tonight. Percy did not tell Old Master Mallory about the operation this time. The old master was getting old, and he tended to be conservative when it came to things like this. He would not agree to such a risky approach. After all, he was worried that he would outlive the younger generation. That was why he was not willing to do it no matter how it turned out. However, if the kidnappers were really allowed to lead them around like a puppet on a string, more people would challenge the authority of the Mallory family in the future. The Mallory family had been able to stand tall in A City for years because of the ruthlessness of the Mallory family members. The idea that one could achieve high status without offending anyone was not true. Even Pierre, who had previously worked for the Mallory family, had offended many people in both the criminal underworld and thewful world. Therefore, what Percy did was to protect the future of the Mallory family and to protect Nina. Otherwise, those people in the underworld would try every means to kidnap the people of the Mallory family and his beloved woman, Nina, upon learning this. How could they allow that? Besides, while others might like bringing a few bodyguards along with them, Percy knew Nina well enough. She would not like being followed around by bodyguards all the time. Hence, no matter what, he had to make sure Gordan rescue Pierre by force this time. It was 4:40 in the morning. X City. Gordan yawned and peered through his telescope, looking at the building across from him. "What''s the situation?" asked Gordan. "They''re all resting," replied Leroy, who stood by his side. Gordan knew that five o''clock in the morning was the time they were most rxed and unguarded. One of them was a night person. He never slept before 3 a.m. Those who slept after 3 a.m. would enter deep sleep by 5 a.m. Their consciousness was the weakest now. It was the perfect time for them to take action. Gordan yawned again. "If that bastard could just fall asleep earlier, we wouldn''t have to stay up this late." Leroy could not help but tease him, "Didn''t you juste back from Russia? Isn''t it only 11 p.m. there? You''re already tired at this time? Mr. Norton, I can see you have a healthy daily routine." Gordan saw through Leroy''s jest. Then, he replied, "I''ve been in A City for a long time now, and my jetg is already reversed. Staying up all night is tough. I need to smoke a cigarette, or I''ll be too tired to take actionter." After that, Gordan put down his telescope and pulled out his cigarette. "Can I have one?" asked Leroy. He had already finished smoking his cigarettes. "My cigarettes taste stronger than others. Try one," replied Gordan. He shared his preferred brand of cigarette generously with him. Leroy took it from him. Then, he lit it and took a puff. The intense menthol vor overwhelmed his senses. "Cough, cough." Leroy did not expect the cigarette to be icy cold. He could not help but choke. "How can you handle such a strong cigarette?" Chapter 2778 As Leroy coughed, tears streamed down. Gordan chuckled. "This cigarette is strong, but it really wakes you up. Don''t smoke too much, or you''ll get addicted to it. Once you try other cigarettes, you won''t be able to get used to it anymore." His smile faded after that. He remembered how Vivian had bought him this brand of cigarettes as he had always looked for excuses to make her angry. He even got angry when the cigarettes he smoked did not taste good enough. A few dayster, Vivian handed him this particr brand of cigarettes. She told him that it had a cool taste that most people could not handle, and some could not even tolerate it. Gordan tried smoking the cigarette. He initially found it difficult to smoke. However, the look on Vivian''s face when she thought he would not be able to handle itpelled him to keep smoking it until he became ustomed to it. He was hooked after smoking a few packs of cigarettes. Other cigarettes tasted nd whenpared to it. He would rather not smoke if it was not this particr brand of cigarettes. He realized that this was Vivian''s trap to keep him by her side. "It''s hard to get used to it. But it really wakes you up," said Leroy as he took a few puffs before putting out the cigarette. Gordan clicked his tongue and said, "What a waste." Leroy urged him, "Come on. It''s almost time." Gordan took two more puffs before putting out his cigarette. Then, he slowly walked to the window. He checked with his equipment and saw that they were in their respective ces. They were asleep and had not moved. He put on his bulletproof vest and equipped himself with his weapons. Leroy and another man also equipped themselves while Gordan checked in with the walkie-talkie. "Mic check. Are you guys ready?" Gordan asked through the walkie-talkie. The operation involved not only the three of them but also two others who were in nearby viges. There were five of them in total involved in Pierre''s rescue operation. "Loud and clear. Affirmative," replied the other two men. Gordan gestured to Leroy, and the three of them walked out the door. They followed the nned route and went up to the room next to Pierre''s, nning to jump over from the balcony. Land in suburban areas like this that were near A City was cheap. Many people who found A City''s rental fees expensive chose to live here and spend an extra two hoursmuting each day to save money. As a result, the houses were densely packed with the floors of each house being rtively close together. An adult man could easily jump from one balcony to another. As long as the height was simr and both houses had balconies... The house next to Pierre''s was at the same height and had a balcony. They nned to jump from there to the other side. Then, they would unlock the door from the outside. Gordan chose to enter from the balcony because the balcony door of the room where Pierre was being held was the same as the door on the first floor. It could be unlocked from the outside. That way, it would be more convenient for them to break into the house. Gordan easily broke into the next-door house. The five of them were swift and nimble. They unlocked the door and climbed the stairs without disturbing the residents inside the house. Everything went smoothly as they arrived at the balcony on the third floor. The lock on this house''s door could be easily opened from the inside. Gordan easily unlocked the door using the light of the shlight. Then, he walked to the balcony. Leroy followed behind him, and the other men followed suit. Thest person to enter did not close the door but chose to prop it open with a chair. This balcony door was different from the one next door. It could only be opened from the inside. If it was closed, it would be difficult to open from outside. Therefore, they needed something to prop it open. Gordan stood at the edge of the balcony and pondered for a moment while he stared at the opposite house. Finally, he nodded to Leroy, who was the first to stand on the edge of the balcony and jump over. Without any surprises, hended safely. He made a gracefulnding, making almost no sound. Such distance was not difficult for an adult man. However,nding gracefully was a little difficult. Leroy secretly eximed. Gordan was not a good-for-nothing. Even though he was a little annoying, he had real skills. Leroy pondered for a moment and jumped like how Gordan did. They took turns to jump. It was to avoid making any noise. It only took them one minute tond smoothly on the balcony of the opposite house without making any noise. They all knew that the people living downstairs were from the Ind of Despair. They were cautious and alert. It would be easy to wake up the people sleeping downstairs if they made too much noise. It would only make things difficult for them. They all had to be extra careful as they only had one chance. Gordan walked to the door and looked at Leroy. Leroy was better at picking a lock. Leroy nodded, signaling hispanion to shine a shlight on the lock. Then, he took a thin wire out of his pocket and inserted it into the keyhole. After a while, there was a ''click'' sound, and the door opened. The sound of the door opening was slightly loud, and everyone was startled. Leroy frowned. It was not his fault. It was an aged door, and the lock was rusty. Such doors would usually make a loud noise when someone opened them. The creaking noise made by the door would sound as usual when he opened it. Gordan immediately crouched down with his ear pressed against the balcony floor. Leroy and the others turned off their shlights and turned to look at the stairs nervously. They were afraid that the sound of the door opening would alert the people downstairs. Gordan listened carefully for a while. He could tell that the entire structure of the room was integrated. If the people downstairs woke up and started moving around, he would be able to hear even the slightest sound through the structure. However, he did not hear anything, which meant that the men downstairs were still asleep. The house was three stories tall, but they only used the first floor. The other two floors were empty. Of course, they had to rent the entire house since they were doing something so secretive. After discovering that this was the ce where Pierre was kept, Gordan investigated the owner of the house. It was a local resident of X City. He found out that the house was avable for long-term leasing. It was also avable for short-term rental. However, thendlord did not know what they were up to. He could not be bothered as long as they paid the rental fees. Gordan stood up and waved his hand at Leroy, telling them that everything was okay. Leroy let out a sigh of relief. They did not expect the sound of the door opening to be so loud, especially in the quietest of moments. The click made by the door lock was so loud. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Gordan led the way down the staircase. It was dark. Gordan turned on his shlight and led everyone downstairs. Everyone was sleeping on the first floor. Gordan relied on his memory to find his way to one of the rooms. He handed the shlight to Leroy, who was behind him, and crouched down quietly. Chapter 2779 Gordan had no intention of confronting these terrifying members of the Ind of Despair. After all, they were armed with guns and grenades. He was aw-abiding citizen who would not bring these things into A City. Plus, Luke''s idea was to avoid conflict if possible. After all, the Mallory family would be affected if things escted. Sometimes, Gordan would feel that Luke was too kind to Percy, to the extent that their close rtionship could easily be misunderstood by others. However, both of them had women whom they loved. He sometimes even suspected that there were certain intimacies between them, but he could not think further about it. Gordan pulled a cigarette out of his pocket. This was no ordinary cigarette. It was a kind of drug. The kidnappers had used it to drug Pierre before taking him here. Gordan wanted to see how it would work on them this time. Even though Gordan wanted to go head-to-head with them, Luke reminded him not to cause a disturbance or attract the attention of the police and the media. Therefore, he could only resort to this sneaky method. Although it was not only sneaky but also a dishonorable method, it was still a way to let them have a taste of their medicine. Gordan looked at the ttened cigarette in his hand. In this old-fashioned residential building, the bedroom doors were all tattered and had arge gap underneath. He stuffed the cigarette in and it fit perfectly. He carefully lit it and quickly inserted it under the door while holding his breath. The others also held their breath when they saw Gordan light the cigarette. Gordan purchased the cigarette on the ck market in Russia. It was effective... He looked at his watch and counted the time. When the second hand on his watch made a full circle, he took out the cigarette and extinguished it on the ground. Then, he pushed open the door and signaled to one of the men. The man put on the gas mask and entered the bedroom. ording to Luke''s instructions, they had to take photos of the appearance of each of the members of the Ind of Despair if there was no conflict. The man was afraid of being drugged after entering the bedroom, which was why he wore the gas mask. Gordan continued to walk toward another bedroom. It was not so much a bedroom but rather where Pierre was being held. Gordan could see that there was always someone near the room when he was spying on them. It was especially so at night. Judging from Gordan''s past experiences, he analyzed that they took turns guarding Pierre. That was why there was always someone nearby. During the night time, the person on duty would not go back to his bedroom to sleep. Instead, he would sleep on a makeshift bed at the door. It was to prevent Pierre from escaping. Gordan and Leroy quietly approached until they were next to the person. "Who''s there?" In an instant, the man felt someone approaching and instinctively reached for his gun while sitting up. Leroy reacted with lightning speed, blocking the man''s arm before he could fire. The gun went off with a loud bang. Kazimir knew what was happening when he heard the sound of the gunshot. He looked at the faces before him and realized they were here to rescue someone. "Damn it, Alexsei!" Kazimir could not believe that something would happen on the day they were about to receive the ransom after living peacefully for days. He called out for Alexsei as he grappled with Leroy. Leroy knew the man had a gun. He was cautious when they both struggled, and he was constantly dodging the muzzle. Kazimir scowled, "How dare youe here?! I''ll make sure you never leave here alive! F*ck you!" He fired another shot. Everyone dodged, evading the enemy''s fire. Gordan moved quickly. He moved to the side, hid, and lit a sedative smoke bomb.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He held his breath and waited for the right moment. Then, he brought the smoke bomb to the man''s face as he fought with Leroy. The concentration of the drug was so high that anyone in the room would pass out within a minute. It would only take a second for the person who breathed in the smoke to pass out if he held it up to his nostrils. Gordan knew the potency of the drug too well. Just a whiff of it could knock one out for over two hours... Even though Gordan loved to fight, they did not have any weapons with them. Their limbs and head were unprotected, though they had put on bulletproof vests. He could not afford to risk the lives of Leroy and his team. A shot to the limbs could leave them disabled, while a shot to the head would be fatal. As the smoke bomb got closer to Kazimir''s nose, he suddenly took a deep breath. Leroy immediately covered his nose. The smoke bomb caught them off guard. Leroy did not realize that, and he had taken a small puff. He immediately felt dizzy and disoriented. Leroy steadied himself as he watched Kazimir sway and fall to the ground. Leroy moved to the side. Gordan quickly extinguished the smoke bomb. One of Leroy''s subordinates noticed him staggering and immediately came forward to help him up. "Brother Leroy, are you okay?" With the two men in the house being taken care of, they were finally able to talk to each other. "Gordan! Give us a heads up next time you use a smoke bomb!" Leroy red at Gordan. Even though he only caught a small whiff of the smoke, he felt like he was walking on clouds. He felt fuzzy-headed. "It was urgent. You might have gotten your head shot." Gordan kicked Kazimir, who had already passed out. He had fired several shots a moment ago. It was likely that people nearby had been alerted since the gun did not have a silencer. "Rescue Pierre. We must leave," said Gordan. Then, he took his phone out and took a picture of Kazimir''s face. Leroy pushed the bedroom door open. Pierre was awakened by the noise outside. He thought the Mallory family had sent people to rescue him. However, a wave of despair arose in him the moment he saw Leroy. He did note here to rescue him. It was Luke''s men who came. He probably came here to take revenge! "Let''s go," Leroy noticed the fear in Pierre''s eyes and smirked. It seemed that Pierre remembered the lesson he gave himst time. This was how it should be... He should remember all the lessons he learned and stop causing trouble. "I''m not going with you. You''re with Luke. I''ll be thrown into another den of wolves!" analyzed Pierre. He never thought that Luke would be kind enough to save him. "He''s really troublesome." Leroy nned to use drugs to knock Pierre out. He turned to look at Gordan. Gordan walked into the room and said, "Did you say he''s troublesome? He''s smart. The gunshots have already alerted the residents living nearby. He''ll be saved if someone calls the police. He''s just afraid that Luke will kill him. That''s why he would rather fall into the hands of the police. ¡°But, will you be fine if the police find you here? Mr. Pierre, the entire city''s police are searching for you. Getting arrested by the police might save your life. After all, what you did might only get you sentenced for a few years. Besides, the Mallory family will probably help you and you''ll be able to get out of this sh*thole. But you''reing with us today.¡± Chapter 2780 Seeing that Pierre could figure this much out after seeing Leroy, Gordan knew that Pierre was not a fool. It was his tactics that were brutal. He did not even blink twice about using such dirty tactics to deal with someone. He was even willing to go that far. ¡°What are you bbering about? Just knock him out and take him away." Leroy noticed that Pierre''s leg was bandaged and fixed with two pieces of wood. He was actually a cripple now. Even if he decided to follow them, their people would have to carry him on their shoulders like a princess. "Is it really worth wasting my drug on him?" Gordan said as he gave a karate chop to Pierre''s neck, and he instantly fainted. Leroy patted his dizzy head and said, "Why did that move of yours help me blow off steam?" "Why don''t you try?" Gordan joked. "Alright, the police will probably be here soon. Mr. Mallory was right, he must be sent to the hospital. You guys carry him away," Leroy ordered his men. Two strong men carried the unconscious Pierre and left through the balcony. After the people from the Ind of Despair kidnapped Pierre here, they had surveince cameras installed at the door to see who came by. The only way not to be seen was through the balcony and down the stairs next door. Fortunately, the stairs in the next room were separated from the rest. The first and second floors had different doors but shared the same stairs, so even if people were rmed by the sound of a gunshot, they would not show up unexpectedly. Besides, everyone was afraid of dying... The few of them went back the way they came from and realized that it was hard to jump over to the other side with Pierre on their shoulders. However, it was a good thing that Pierre was a six feet tall man because he could just lie straight across the two balconies. Gordan forcefully removed Pierre''s bandage before tying it around Pierre''s chest and jumping over with the bandage in hand. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Then, the people behind him picked Pierre''s feet up and transferred him to the other side. They were like ants transporting food. At the same time, Gordan was pulling the bandage until Pierre''s legs were on the edge of one balcony and his head was on the other. Then, another person jumped over to help Gordan pull his entire body to the other side. Everyone put on gas masks after putting Pierre down, not because they were worried about fainting but because they were worried about being recognized by the people in the building when leaving. There were always nosy people who would risk getting shot just to take a peek. Naturally, they would try to steer away from such trouble. After being tossed around, Pierre was carried on the shoulders by one of the men again, and they all left quickly. They were in the suburbs, so it would take around 20 minutes for the nearest police to arrive. By then, Gordan and the others would have already escaped to where Percy''s people were stationed at. ¡°How''s Mr. Pierre?" the driver asked when he saw Gordan and Leroy carrying him into the car. ¡°His leg is broken, but we didn''t do it. Our top priority right now is to have the doctor take care of it, but we don''t know how long it''s been like that. His leg might actually be impaired." Gordan prepared them for the worst. His men had gone back to being fake local tenants in their homes, and it was only him and Leroy in the vehicle. "How did Mr. Pierre faint, then?" the person in the passenger seat asked as he called Percy. "He didn''t want toe with us, so we had him knocked out. How else were we able to escape unharmed?" What Gordan said was only half true. Leroy was once again amazed at his ability to lie through his teeth. He really had a way with words! They did not ask anything else and drove away. The person in the passenger seat called Percy to report on the situation. Gordan followed suit and called Luke. It seemed like the situation had been resolved, but Pierre was doomed to sacrifice something after getting kidnapped... Gordan looked at his leg. A six feet tall heir with a bad temper and ame leg. Would daughters of wealthy families ept him? Karma was a b*tch, indeed. They drove to the clinic that Johann had rented out. The clinic belonged to Johann''s friend, who was indebted to him. When he asked to borrow it for a day, he let him use it without any questions asked. All the staff in the clinic were given a day off, and there was even a sign at the door that stated so. When they arrived, Gordan and Leroy let the two other men carry Pierre instead. Johann frowned as he watched Pierre be carried in because Luke''s prediction was spot on. Luke had him wait here for Pierre because he predicted that he was going to be carried in unconscious. ¡°Put him on the bed," Johann directed the two men immediately, and they did as they were told. Johann asked Gordan, "Are any of you hurt?" "Nope, but Mr. Pierre is badly injured. His leg is broken, and when we found him, they had fixed it with only wooden nks and bandages. It was a hassle when carrying him, so we removed them. Is that okay, Dr. Park?" Gordan asked casually. Percy''s people frowned when they heard Gordan''s words. Johann shook his head and said, "I''d have to check to find out..." He noticed that the two men were upset, so he said, "Even if there''s something wrong, you had nothing to do with it. Besides, his leg wasn''t broken today. Not to mention, he was unconscious. It must''ve been a bumpy ride, so it would''ve been the same with or without the nks." Percy''s people loosened up a little after hearing that because they thought that Gordan had done it on purpose. "I didn''t want to escape with that big guy on my back. If we had woken someone up and they opened fire, someone would call the police. We only knocked him out because we had no time to argue with Mr. Pierre," Gordan repeated what he said in the car. He had reported the same thing to Luke earlier. "That''s enough talking. Doctor, please check on Mr. Pierre''s condition," said one of the men. "I know." Johann rolled his eyes. Pierre was just unconscious with a broken leg, but they were acting as if he was going to die. With his sharp eyes, he knew at first nce where Pierre''s leg was broken and how long it had been broken. Some people would have died of excessive bleeding from the fractured bone, but Pierre looked like he had been injured for days. Thus, the broken bone would not kill him, but because he did not receive immediate treatment, his leg might be impaired. Chapter 2781 "Hey, help me push the bed into the X-ray room. I need to see how badly his leg is broken," Johann ordered. Although it was his friend''s clinic, it was a good thing it had an X-ray room. Otherwise, he would not know exactly what happened to Pierre''s leg. The two of them pushed Pierre toward the direction Johann pointed at. ¡°This is going to be hard. I didn''t expect him toe in with a broken leg. I''m the only one in the clinic, so I can''t operate on him..." Johann said resignedly. Even if the doctors and nurses here were given a day off, so all he could do was help dress Pierre''s wounds. The clinic here did not have the license to perform surgeries, so they would not have any of the tools needed for it either. However, if Pierre went too long without surgery, he might have to get his leg amputated instead of having it just be impaired. Johann was put in a tough spot. From N?velDrama.Org. "Let''s take an X-ray first. I believe Mr. Mallory will have a solution." Gordon smirked out of spite. What did Pierre''s broken leg have to do with him? He was just getting tired of sitting there. Johann followed them into the X-ray room and instructed them on how to position Pierre. None of them had done this before, so they were quite clumsy. Johann was a doctor, not a mover, so he did not help them move Pierre. He went into the imaging room and asked them to go out once they were done positioning Pierre so that he could take the X-Ray. Luckily, he had a year''s experience working at MSF... Doctors at MSF had to operate on their own, and they could not even hope for an assistant as every doctor would be busy with all the patients flooding in from the war zones. Johann skillfully operated the machine. He was worried that Pierre might have other injuries, so he simply scanned his entire body. After a while, the results came out. Only the bone in his right calf was broken, so Johann made a judgment call based on how the wound looked. Then, he walked out of the X-ray room. ¡°Dr. Park, how''s Mr. Pierre?" Johann took out the report and said, "His leg is indeed broken, and ording to the X-ray, it did not just happen a couple of days ago. So, the operation must be performed as soon as possible. If it''s left untreated for over a week, he might suffer from necrosis." The two of them looked at each other, not knowing what to do. They thought that Gordan had broken Pierre''s leg, but after what the doctor said, they definitely could not be med anymore. "What are you still standing there for? You can''t make decisions for Percy, so go call him right now," urged Johann. One of them took out his phone to call Percy. "Hello," Percy answered immediately. "Boss, Dr. Park has something to tell you." The man turned on the speakerphone and handed it to Johann. However, Johann did not take the phone. Instead, he talked to him while looking at the report, "It''s bad. His right calf has been fractured for some time, and if the operation is not performed within seven days, the bone may be necrotic. If that''s the case, his leg won''t just be impaired. He might need to get it amputated." The necrotic bone might get infected and cause him excruciating pain, which would lead to amputation. He had seen a case like this before when he was working at MSF. The patient had suffered a fracture early in his life, but he did not undergo surgery as he did not have the money to do so. It did not affect his daily life either. In the end, the infection got out of control and his only option was to amputate the necrotic bone. By then, the patient had already suffered a great deal, and he still lost his hand in the end. Pierre knew from Johann''s calm analysis that he was not messing around. He said, "Can you carry out the operation there?" "This is a small clinic, and we''re lucky they even have an X-ray machine. I can''t operate on him alone without tools and some help," said Johann with a frown. How could he operate on Pierre alone in a ce that was not equipped for surgery? He would not put his career on the line even if Percy was the one forcing him. Percy frowned as he did not expect Gordan''s predictions to be true. "Please give him a simple treatment for now. I''ll have someone take him back to A City, and I''ll try to find you an operating room and an assistant." What he meant was that Johann was still in charge of operating on Pierre. Everyone knew how capable Johann was. Johann could not refuse, so he responded, "Alright." After that, he took out a bunch of medicine and steel tes from the pharmacy. He was going to use them to fix Pierre''s leg. He walked out of the pharmacy and told Percy''s men, ¡°He can''t be transported back in that small car of yours. Mr. Pierre must go backying down, so go get a small truck, or else my efforts to fix his leg would be in vain." "Yes." Percy''s people did not dare mess things up, so they went to get it done at once. Johann walked into the X-Ray room and fixed Pierre''s broken leg there as he could not be bothered to move Pierre around. "Will he be impaired?" Gordan asked. "Not if I had fixed his leg on the first day. Not only is there a high chance that his leg will be impaired now, but he might have uneven legs too," said Johann while at work. With Pierre''s current condition, it was best to fix the leg with ster. However, they were already fortunate enough to find steel tes in this small clinic, so they could just dream about finding ster! Impaired? Uneven legs? Gordan looked at the unconscious Pierre. He had indeed suffered a lot in the past few days. Not only was his leg broken, but he had also lost a lot of weight. People would believe him if he said that Pierre was a fugitive from the slums. His cheeks were sunken in, unlike his usual high-spirited self. What a pity. Gordan''s eyes were pensive. Pierre reaped what he sowed. Although Pierre had never harmed him before, he had harmed Luke and Luca, so he got what he deserved! Percy''s men were good. They pulled up at the clinic with a small truck in half an hour. Johann instructed them to carry Pierre to the back of thetruck, and they worked together to lift Pierre up without a second thought. Gordan stood at the side and watched with his arms crossed as a picture formed in his head. Pierre looked like a pig being carried into a cart. After Pierre was carried into the car, Johann looked at them. "Do you want to go back together?" "We can''t get on the truck. I''m afraid that only Mr. Pierre has the right to ride in the truck." Gordan and Leroy had no intention of heading back so soon as they had booked a room for the night. Now that they had alerted the police, they had to act out their role as tenants. "I don''t ride trucks either, so I''ll go back on my own," Johann said to Percy''s men. He drove here on his own, so he did not need to follow them back to A City. Chapter 2782 Percy took it upon himself to drive away alone when he saw that. The other person stayed behind to watch over Pierre. After Pierre was taken away, Johann left too. Gordan and Leroy stood at the clinic''s door, staring at each other in confusion. "It''s dawn. Can we go back now?" asked Leroy. They could have left after dropping off Pierre at the clinic, but they were worried that someone might have heard the gunshots and called the police. If they went back before dawn, they might get caught by the cops. Even though they were familiar with the surveince cameras installed around the area, there was always the possibility of a slip-up. They would not be able to exin why they returned at around five o''clock in the morning. Drinking? They did not smell like alcohol. They just arrived? They already rented a house. That was why they decided to wait here until dawn. ¡°I think so. I''ll just tell them we went for a morning jog,¡± said Gordan. The excuse of going for a morning jog was a great idea. No one would suspect them if they were stopped by the police. Most of them jogged alone in the morning. It was impossible to find a witness present at the scene. The gunshots were heard after five in the morning. They always jogged at five on the dot. They could easily exin their alibi if they went back now. They jogged back slowly. Sure enough, a group of police officers had sealed off the area. Fortunately, their rented house was across the street, so they were not affected by the blockade. The police stopped them when they saw two men running toward them. "No entry," said the police officer. "Sir, we''re tenants here," Gordan replied with a smile on his face. The police officer frowned. Tenants? He looked at the two men. The man who did not speak earlier looked a little sleazy and shady. They could pass off as punks living in the area. However, the man who spoke to him had an extraordinary aura. Even though there was still a hint of unruliness in his smile, there was an air of sophistication around him. It did not seem like he would live in such a poor area. "Both of you?" asked the officer. "Yeah." Leroy acted as if nothing had happened and deliberately asked with curiosity, "Officer, what happened over there? Why is it sealed off?" "You live here, yet you have no idea what happened?" asked the police officer. Gordan and Leroy were both good actors. They found themselves exchanging nces with each other, shaking their heads in confusion. The police officer had not told them anything. He only asked, ¡°Why are you onlying back at this hour?¡± "We were on our morning run, as usual," answered Leroy, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Although it was still spring, they were dressed in thick clothing and had already worked up a sweat by the time they jogged back from the clinic. The police officer noticed the sweat on their foreheads, and it seemed to corroborate their story. "What time did you start your run?" The police officer still suspected them. This neighborhood was known for itsplicated group of people living here. Fights and brawls were common urrences, but gunfights were a first... Also, they had found a cache of weapons in this very house. Specialists had just arrived to haul the stash away. This case had already attracted their superiors'' attention. Guns and hand grenades were not things that ordinary people could own or sell in the country. However, they had found so many of them in this raid. How did these weapons get in? Through what channels? They would need answers. Moreover, there were two foreigners who were knocked out when they arrived at the scene. The police officers were almost certain that they were the ones who fired the shots. Still, who provoked them to do so? The two men standing before them imed to live across the street from the crime scene. The police were hoping they could provide some clues. Meanwhile, their suspicion could not be ruled out either. "We leave at 5 am every day," Leroy stated confidently. "You''re so sure that you don''t even have to think about it?" questioned the skeptical police officer. Gordan exined, "Sir, we''re both fitness enthusiasts. We set our rms for 4:40 am every day. It only takes us 20 minutes to get ready and hit the pavement. We may have left before 5 am today." The police officer nodded after he went through the other witness statements, which all stated they heard gunshots at around 5:20 am and immediately called for help. "ID please," requested the police officer. Gordan gestured up to their apartment, "Our IDs are up there." Who would bring one''s ID along when they went out for a jog? The police officer understood and nodded. "Go get them, thene back down and give us a statement. Tell us everything you know about the family living in that house." He pointed at the crime scene that had been sealed off. Gordan and Leroy went up to get their IDs beforeing back down to cooperate with the investigation. Even though Gordan was an internationally wanted criminal, he had long since changed his appearance and identity. He was not worried about the police discovering anything. The police officer took down their personal information and ran their names through the database. He began recording their statements after he found out they were clean. What Gordan and Leroy said were pretty much the same. They spoke about the mysterious tenants across from them, who rarely left their apartment and seldom talked to anyone. They only rented this ce because it was cheap, but they did not expect the security to be so poor. The police came up empty-handed after recording their statements. It was difficult for them to extract any useful information from Gordan and Leroy. Both of them were ustomed to dealing with the police. Especially Gordan. The police he dealt with included not only those from A City but also various international criminal investigators of different nationalities. He was more experienced in lying to the police than Leroy! The police officer did not get any useful information. He had no choice but to let them go. Gordan and Leroy returned to their house without saying a word to each other. They went straight to their respective bedrooms, nning to catch up on some sleep. After a long night, they werepletely worn out. Gordony on his bed as he reported to Luke about the situation. After that, he fell deeply asleep. On the other hand... When Luca woke up and went downstairs, she saw that Luke was already sitting at the table with his breakfast untouched. There was breakfast served on the table in front of her usual seat. It was as though Luke was waiting for her to have breakfast together. Luca felt uneasy. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Today would be the day the Mallory family was supposed to pay the ransom to Abel. Amur had toe back safely. "Come and eat breakfast," Luke greeted her. Luca nodded and sat down, taking a sip of the ss of soy milk. The breakfast prepared by Aunt Neile was exquisite and abundant, but Luca had no appetite due to her worries. "You look depressed. What happened?" Luke deliberately asked. Luca shook her head and made up an excuse. "I didn''t sleep wellst night. I had a nightmare. Oh, by the way, how did things go with the Mallory family? I remember you said the kidnappers called. Were they asking for the ransom?" Chapter 2783 "Yes. They''re supposed to pay the ransom today. But everything''s already been resolved. Pierre has been rescued. He should be on his way to A City now." Luke did not hide anything from her. Luke decided not to keep anything from her when he noticed how anxious Luca was in the morning. Even though she was not involved in Pierre''s matter, she was rted to it in some way. Otherwise, she would not have looked so absent-minded. Luke did not want to see Luca upset. Luca was surprised. She did not expect Pierre to be rescuedst night. If Pierre was rescued, then Amur would not have to go and collect the ransom today. Luca''s mood became calmer. She was eager to know the details of the rescue operation. "Who saved Mr. Pierre?" asked Luca. ¡°Gordan," answered Luke honestly. Luca was aware that it was Luke''s men who saved him if Gordan was involved in it. Even though Gordan was not solely working for Luke, they had a close rtionship, and they would always help each other out. "Oh, it''s Mr. Norton..." Luca nodded and took a sip of soy milk. Her appetite came back as she set aside her worries. "How''s Mr. Pierre doing?" Luca took a bite of the bread. She was curious about Pierre''s exact condition as Amur told her what happened to him before. "Not so good. Gordan said that his leg is most likelyme, and he''s skin and bones," Luke told her what Gordan reported to him. Luca understood. The people of the Ind of Despair would not treat their hostages kindly even if they had an ulterior motive. Anyone who was not part of the organization would not be regarded as human whether they were kidnapped or captured by them. Pierre''s emaciation and malnourishment must have been due to mistreatment. As for hisme leg, it must have been Amur who did that... Amur was getting revenge on Pierre for what he did to her. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. "What''s on your mind?" Luke deliberately asked when he noticed Luca remained silent. Luca shook her head. She took a big bite of the bread. She did not feel sorry for Pierre, but she felt ufortable knowing that Amur hurt someone for her sake. They would have to leave the Ind of Despair in the future. However, even if they left the organization, they were more skilled than the others. It was easy to hurt someone. Still, they should not act that way after leaving the Ind of Despair. Luca was worried that Amuer would not be able to adapt to normal life after that. Amur and Eler had been on the Ind of Despair for several years before her arrival. Amur used to be trapped in the captive camp and had gone through a lot of suffering, including hunger, beatings, fighting, and even close calls to death... After Luca rescued him from the captive camp, he learned a lot and became stronger. Now, Amur believed that the only way to survive and not get bullied by others was to be stronger. This would work on the Ind of Despair. It was wrong in this society. He was not the kind of person who would get involved in the underworld. He would eventually lead a normal life like everyone else, get married, and have children. His philosophy would cause him problems in such a life. "Percy is nning to set up an operating room now. He wants Johann to help him perform surgery on Pierre," added Luke. Luca could not help but be surprised when she heard that. She immediately understood why Percy was doing this as she remembered that Pierre was still wanted by the police. "Private operating rooms are notmon in A City. Mr. Mallory could''ve sent him to a private hospital where there''s more privacy. But there''s no way one canplete a surgery without any help. It takes four or five people in an operating room. The police will arrest them if any of them leaks the information." said Luca. "Yes," Luke agreed. However, he was Percy. Setting up a private operating room in a private hospital, asking the director of the hospital to give Johann the right to perform surgery, arranging for a few people who were familiar with him to help, and keeping everything confidential were not something difficult for him. No one would want to offend the Mallory family. Their future in A City would be ruined even if one could receive rewards for reporting to the police. "But I''m surprised that Mr. Mallory would help Pierre," added Luca. Percy and Pierre werepeting with each other now. It was already very kind of Percy to ask them to find Pierre and bring him back. There was no need for him to worry about Pierre''s future. "Percy isn''t the kind of person who''d take advantage of others. If he wants topete, he''ll do it openly and honestly. Besides, Pierre can never beat him," replied Luke. Luca agreed with this statement. If Pierre could beat Percy, he would not have fallen to such a point in his life. Many people are looking for him now. He might even be physically disabled. Pierre''s future was ruined. After breakfast, Luca sent a message to Amur, but he did not respond. The Mallory family would not pay the ransom if they had saved Pierre. Amur''s life would not be in danger either. However, Abel would be seething with rage after he found out what happened in X City. Luca was right. Abel found out that Pierre had been rescued, the two men he assigned to watch over him were arrested by the police, and all of his weapons were confiscated. He was fuming with anger! Abel was sitting in his base in City A, watching the television. The news was reporting that the police had received a report and arrested two foreign criminals who were illegally carrying firearms and grenades. Meanwhile, the firearms and grenades found in the room were also confiscated by the police from X City. The specific details of the case and the reason why the criminals fired their weapons were still under investigation. Abel was so furious that his hands were trembling. He picked up a wine bottle and smashed it against the wall. An expensive bottle of red wine was shattered. ss shards flew everywhere, and the red liquid flowed in all directions. The two men standing in the room were frightened by Abel''s ominous presence and dared not speak. Whoever spoke now would be in deep trouble. Even though the two men were unlikely to confess that Abel was the mastermind behind the illegal firearms, there was still a risk. Abel bought the firearms and grenades and kept them well, but they were all confiscated by the police. He intended to use them to trade with a local criminal syndicate. Not only had he lost his money, but he had also breached the contract! It would be difficult for him to do business with them in the future! "Pierre Mallory!" Abel clenched his teeth with anger. He was supposed to receive the ransom from the Mallory family today. Everything was going ording to his n! However, Pierre was rescued. He lost two men, weapons, and money... Abel picked up the remote control and threw it at the television. He hurled it in anger. The television screen shattered into a thousand pieces. Half of it became a colorful mess of shattered ss... "You,e here," Abel said to the men behind him. Chapter 2784 The two men who stood inside the room exchanged nces with each other. Neither one was willing to approach him. It was terrifying when Abel flew into a rage. They feared that one wrong move could mean the end of their lives. Abel was the man who held their lives in his hands on the Ind of Despair. "Are you deaf?" Abel raised his voice. The two men had no choice but toe forward. "Boss, what can we do for you?" Their voices trembled with fear as they spoke at the same time. They were afraid of Abel. "Tell Amur toe over," said Abel. The television screen was broken. There was nothing to remind him in his ear that his entire n had failed. He closed his eyes as he tried to calm himself. However, how could he possibly be calm? He had lost at least eight digits. He was seething with anger even with his eyes closed and no one mentioning it. There was no way he could calm himself down! "Yes, Boss!" one of them responded quickly. He immediately turned around and walked out of the room to notify Amur, asking him toe to the base. Amur already knew that Pierre had been rescued and that Abel''s weapons were seized by the police. Hence, he was mentally prepared when he received the call saying that Abel wanted to see him even though Pierre being rescued had nothing to do with him. Half an hourter, Amur appeared at the A City''s base. The men at the base personally escorted him to Abel. "Boss, he''s here." Abel slowly opened his eyes. With eyes as deep and blue as the ocean, there was an unmistakable glint of fierce determination that shone through. A trace of killing intent shed across his eyes. "Boss," Amur addressed him with a t tone. "Do you know about the situation?" asked Abel. Not only did he fail to get the money he wanted, but he also lost a lot of money. He would not let the Mallory family go easily. "I saw the news," Amur kept it short. "The two men who were detained at X City''s police station can''t be kept alive. Do you get what I mean?" said Abel. Even though he knew that Amur had nothing to do with the matter, Amur was also a part of this. Who knew whether he was a double agent? Therefore, Abel did not intend to let Amur off easy. He had to at least help him solve his troubles first. The members of the Ind of Despair could only live for a month at most without the antidote. They would all die after a month. It was certain that both Alexsei and Kazimir would eventually die after being arrested by the police. It did not matter whether they told them the truth or not. They knew they had no chance of survival even if there was leniency to those who confessed. Therefore, in a peaceful country like A City, they would not use violence to interrogate prisoners. Their days in prison would not be too difficult either. They were all going to die anyway. It was most likely that they would not reveal anything about the Ind of Despair to the police. However, Abel was still worried. He was worried that they would eventually talk. Thus, he needed Amur to take care of those two troublesome individuals. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Got it," replied Amur. Still, he knew that Abel was putting him in a difficult position. The men were locked up in X City''s police station. How could he possibly take care of Alexsei and Kazimir there? It was a police station in X City, which was heavily guarded. It was nothing like a Russian police station! This was an impossible task. However, it was Abel who proposed it. Amur had no choice but toply. Abel pped his hands in satisfaction. The sound of his palms meeting resonated through the hearts of the other two men. Was he happy? Of course not. Who would be happy to lose millions of dors? The other two henchmen were startled by Abel''s pping. Amur was the only one who remained calm andposed. Abel beckoned to the other man and said, "Come here." The man had no choice but to approach hesitantly. He asked in a low voice, "Boss, is there anything you need?" ¡°Look at that cowardly look on your face!¡± Abel raised his hand and pped the man''s face. The man cried out in pain. ¡°Ouch, it hurts!¡± "Useless piece of sh*t! Look at Amur, then look at yourself!¡± Abel scowled. ¡°Do you know why he can take on missions and make a fortune? Look at him. Then look at how cowardly you are. Is this how the Ind of Despair has trained you?" The two men who were scolded immediately knelt down and begged for forgiveness, "Boss, I''m sorry. I''m sorry!" Abel was fed up with their whining. He lifted his leg and delivered a swift kick to the man kneeling nearby. The man fell back andnded on the ground with his face facing the sky. He hit his head hard on the concrete floor, causing him to grimace in pain. Amur remained silent as he stood aside and watched this. He did not show any fear or sympathy. He had gone through worse. There were only three people in this world who he would have compassion for. Luca, Eler, and N... As for the rest of them, they meant nothing to him no matter what they had gone through. "Shut up. You''re making too much noise!" Rage was surging in Abel''s chest, knowing that those things were gone forever and he had gained nothing. He would always be in a bad mood. He sessfully silenced the two men. They dared not plead anymore. Abel turned to one of them and said, "Call Hera, that b*tch. She''ll keep mepany tonight!" He had to vent his anger somehow. Hera had eyes that looked like Kassy''s. He would feel much better when he saw Kassy. "Yes, Sir!" The man who got kicked immediately rose to his feet and went to inform Hera. They all knew who Hera was. She was known as Abel''s woman, or more urately, Abel''s ything. She was not entirely Abel''s. Abel would only call her when he needed her. However, he did not need Hera to stay by his side most of the time. Hera was not the kind of woman who would remain faithful to Abel either. She would climb up the social ladder and find herself another wealthy man when he did not call for her. Everyone at the base was aware of what kind of woman she was. However, they did not tell Abel about it because Abel most definitely knew about it. After making some arrangements, the man approached Abel servilely. "Boss, it''s been arranged. She''ll be waiting for you in your suite tonight." Abel yed the role of a pharmaceuticalpany owner in A City. He owned a vi in the area in the city to avoid arousing any suspicion. However, he did not enjoy living in the vi. He would rather stay in a hotel. Whenever he came here for business, he would stay in a hotel. Therefore, Abel chose to stay in a hotel when he arranged for Hera to apany him through the night. "Hmph." Even though everything had been arranged, Abel was still dissatisfied. He had to figure out how to make up for the money he had lost. He initially nned to expand his business by taking Pierre''s money. Now that he had been rescued, there was no way he could kidnap Pierre again in such a short period of time. Who else could he kidnap? Who would be worth such arge amount? Abel was annoyed. He did not want to offend too many people, considering the strength of the organization now. It was nothingpared to the Ind of Despair back then. He chose the Mallory family because Pierre had offended him before. Chapter 2785 Besides, Percy was involved in the operation of wiping out the Ind of Despair back then. That was why Abel had his eyes on the Mallory family. If Pierre did notmit those offenses that were posted on the inte, Abel would not have been able to target him so easily. After all, Pierre always had someone to apany him no matter where he went. It was too troublesome to kidnap him. However, Pierre was alone on the outskirts of A City when it happened. It gave Abel a chance to make a move. Abel knew that it was difficult toe across such an opportunity. There might not be another chance in the future. Hence, if he wanted to make money, he had to shift his attention elsewhere. Abel was annoyed. He waved his hand and scowled. "Get the f*ck out of there. Go far away. Don''t show up in front of me." Amur was the first to leave when he heard that. The other two men left the room in a hurry as though they had been given a reprieve. One of the men let out a sigh of relief after leaving the room. Then, he eximed, "It''s terrifying. Boss looked like he wanted to eat someone alive." "Right? I''m still in pain after getting kicked just now." The man rubbed the back of his head and his back which were still hurting after falling to the ground just now. Then, he turned to look at Amur calmly. Was Amur really calm? Abel''s malevolent aura made it seem like he could eat someone alive, but Amur remained indifferent. He showed no fear. "Brother Amur, aren''t you afraid?" asked the man. Amur looked at him expressionlessly. He took out a cigarette, lit it, and started smoking. "Afraid of what?" "I was afraid that Boss would kill me just now. Even though it wasn''t my fault, it was terrifying to see him flying into a rage..." The man lowered his neck and took out a cigarette to calm himself down like what Amur did. Although Abel criticized them for not carrying out their tasks well enough, they were all from the Ind of Despair. They had blood on their hands. They had seen many gruesome scenes, but none was as terrifying as Abel when he was angry. Amur blew out a smoke ring. Was he afraid? No, he was not. He was not afraid of anything as long as Abel did not use Luca to threaten him Being kicked by him was nothing. Abel had even stabbed him twice with a knife, and he had survived. If Abel wanted someone''s life, he would not have wasted so much time being angry and throwing a tantrum. These men did not know him well enough. If he wanted to end someone''s life, he would never give that person a chance to feel intimidated, concerned, or escape from him. He would go straight for it. Abel was more vicious than any of them. He had more blood on his hands than anyone else. That was why Amur was not afraid of the angry expression on Abel''s face. "Brother, look at how fearless he is," the other man said as he noticed how calm Amur was. He took his cigarette out and smoked it too. It seemed like he was only satisfying his nicotine craving instead of calming himself down. They were trembling with fear as they smoked, and even their lips were quivering. It was as though they were frozen in ce. After all, Abel had just caused a sudden drop in the room temperature. The air had turned to ice, and it was a whirlwind of terror. However, Amur remained calm and indifferent as he smoked. His hands were not shaking at all. The man who was kicked was eager to find out if Amur was truly not afraid of him... They thought the only person on the Ind of Despair who was not afraid of Abel was Shanks. They never expected that Amur, who was right in front of them, to also be an extraordinary person. "Are you really not afraid?" the man asked again as he refused to believe it. Amur shot him a cold nce. Then, he snuffed out his cigarette and left. He could not be bothered to talk to these cowards... Finding a way to deal with the police officers in X City''s police station was what mattered the most now. It was a really tough situation to deal with. "Brother. He. This..." The man had lost his words. The other man shook his head. It was noon time. Percy had finally arranged for the private hospital to prepare the operating room, along with an anesthetist, an assistant, and a nurse who would assist Johann in performing surgery on Pierre. They were all found by the director of Faith Hospital. They all had professional titles and were reliable. Hence, Pierre''s face was covered and taken through the hospital corridor to the operating room. They would definitely be seen while they walked through the corridor. Many people saw the man lying on the bed with a cloth over his face. They could not help but be curious about who it was. Who would be lying on the bed without moving and with his face covered? However, it was not a white cloth. It certainly was not someone who had just died and was being taken to the morgue. Was he a celebrity? Could it be that he could not walk and had to be on the bed with his face covered to avoid being seen? Everyone made guesses, but no one had the courage to lift the cloth that covered Pierre''s face. Pierre had already woken up. He could feel the pain all over his body, his neck, and his legs. It was like he had been run over by a truck. However, he knew he could not cry out, and he did not have the strength to do so. After being taken to the operating room, the cloth on his face was removed, and then he was moved onto the bed. "One, two, three, lift!" The medical staff who were present, except for Johann, shouted to help Pierre onto the bed. Johann looked at Pierre, who was pale and yellow. He was too weak. It was risky to perform surgery on him. However, the chances of him recovering would decrease if he did not undergo surgery. Johann probably knew that Pierre was destined to be a cripple, but he still wanted to give it a try. There was still a one percent chance that the bones could heal. That way, it would not be too obvious even if he was walking with a limp. "The patient is too weak. He must be under general anesthesia. We must choose the superior vena cava for intravenous infusion. Notify the blood bank to prepare some blood. Otherwise, I''m afraid he won''t survive this surgery," said Johann. There were many unknown risks during the surgery. Although bone grafting was not a difficult surgery, given the patient''s extreme weakness, anything could go wrong during the operation, making it a risky procedure. Therefore, Johann approached the surgery with caution, despite considering it to be a simple task. He informed Percy of all the possible risks that could arise during the surgery, and Percy signed the consent form. Pierre was in a dazed state but suddenly heard Johann say that he might not make it through the surgery... He opened his mouth and made a hoarse sound. Johann knew he had something to say. Even though Pierre was despicable, Johann believed that a doctor''s job was to save lives. He would not discriminate against his patients during the surgery. From N?velDrama.Org. "You can speak," said Johann. Pierre had not been intubated yet. He was unable to speak at the moment because he was weak. Pierre took a deep breath and muttered slowly, "Dr. Park, save me." "Don''t worry, I''m a doctor. I''ll do my best to save you," replied Johann. He promised to do his best, but he could not promise that everything would turn out fine. Pierre''s leg would most likely be crippled. Even if he survived, it would not be considered aplete sess. "I don''t want to be a cripple. Dr. Park, please help me^" Pierre believed that Johann was capable of doing anything. Hence, he begged him to make the surgery a sessful one. As long as Johann was serious enough, Pierre was confident that he would be able to walk without a limp! Chapter 2786 Johann could not promise him that. He turned to the anesthesiologist and said, "Get ready." The anesthesiologist nodded and turned to Pierre to confirm his identity. "Mr. Mallory, as per usual protocol, we''ll need to verify your identity first," said the anesthesiologist. "Your name, please." "Pierre Mallory," replied Pierre cooperatively. "Age?" Johann drew his attention away from Pierre and checked the tools he would be needing. Even though it was not his job, he had to be cautious and double-check everything. He had his own surgical team at the hospital he was working at. Everyone was aware of his surgical procedures, but he was at a different hospital now. These people were elite doctors selected by the hospital director, but being an elite doctor did not mean anything to him if they had never worked with him before. Johann exined some of his surgical habits to the surgical nurse and assistant so that they could work in coordination with him to avoid any trouble. This was the first time these people had worked with Johann. They were all excited because Johann was famous in the medical industry. They were even more thrilled to learn that Johann could perform orthopedic surgeries as well. That was why everyone said that Johann was a versatile doctor. Any hospital that could have him working for them would be lucky. Rumor had it that their hospital director also wanted to recruit Johann back then, but he rejected the offer without a second thought. His reason wasmendable. Johann said that his goal as a doctor was to solve patients'' problems. He would not discriminate between the rich and the poor. If he worked in this hospital, the patients he would be taking care of were only from the upper echelons of society. This way, he would miss out on many special cases. After all, illness did not discriminate against people ording to their wealth. Complex diseases usually would not ur in wealthy people. Johann needed to encounter more cases to enrich his experience and surgical skills to truly be able to help his patients. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Their hospital director was disappointed for a long time after Johann rejected his offer. However, everyone at the hospital had heard of Johann''s name. It was an honor for them to be able to work with him on one surgery. Others would be envious if they could talk about it in the future. Although they could not reveal the patient''s information, they could still mention the chief surgeon''s name. It wasmon for hospitals to ask for other doctors to handleplex surgeries. They would not be curious about the patient''s identity. Instead, they would like to know about the patient''s illness when they mentioned Johann''s name. Johann gave his instructions to the team. Pierre was put under anesthesia. "Dr. Park, everything''s stable," reported the anesthesiologist. "Okay. This is our first time working together. It''s also my first time performing surgery in this hospital. I hope we have a pleasant cooperation and give the patient a new life.¡± After Johann said that, he started operating. A bone must be reconnected when it broke. The nerves might also be damaged. It was aplicated task. After Pierre''s leg was broken, he was tortured more than once. There were many small bone fragments at the fractured bone site. Johann did his best to piece them back together. It was essential for Pierre''s mobility in the future. Therefore, the surgery was both simple andplicated at the same time. It took a long time. "Dr. Park, the nerve fibers here are severely detached.¡± The assistant noticed a concerning issue. "We''ll deal with itter," Johann had his own surgical n. Old Master Mallory was waiting anxiously outside the operation room. When Percy told him that there was no need to pay the ransom, he was startled for a moment. He was relieved after he found out that Pierre had been rescued. However, no one told him that Pierre''s condition was not good. He only found out after waiting for a long time and questioning Mr. Be, who revealed that Pierre''s right leg had been broken by those despicable kidnappers for quite some time. He was currently undergoing surgery at this hospital. Therefore, he rushed over as quickly as possible. Old Master Mallory was not afraid of arousing police suspicion either. After all, it was normal for an elderly person to enter and leave the hospital. Who could possibly suspect him?! Percy and Old Master Mallory sat on the chair and waited. The operating room was well-concealed with no other patients'' rtives waiting there. There was only the Mallory family waiting here together with their butler and maid. They did not inform their rtives that Pierre had been sent to the hospital. After all, it would increase the risk of exposing Pierre''s situation if another person knew about it. As Old Master Mallory looked at the light in front of the operating room, he furrowed his brow, contemting the situation. The kidnapping of Pierre seemed to be Percy''s fault, but he could not put all the me on him. As Percy said, those people who kidnapped Pierre had been holding a grudge against Pierre for a long time. Pierre kept provoking them, testing their limits. Hence, they took the opportunity to kidnap him. It was Percy who gave them the chance to do so. After all, it was he who exposed what Pierre had done on the inte. However, it was not entirely Pierre''s fault. If Pierre had never done those things, no one could have taken advantage of his injured leg. After analyzing the situation repeatedly, Old Master Mallory came to the conclusion that Percy yed a driving role in this matter, but Pierre was the one who brought this upon himself. The other party would not have had the chance to kidnap him if he had never done those things. However, based on what Percy said, Pierre would have been dealt with either way. After all, he had provoked someone he should not have. Even if Pierre was not kidnapped, they would stille looking for him anytime. This was how Old Master Mallory analyzed the situation, but he still had notpletely eased the tension between him and Percy. Even though Percy had saved Pierre and showed their brotherhood this time, the old master felt ufortable. Percy had resolutely chosen Nina. It was like a thorny vine entangling his heart. He just could not ept it! Old Master Mallory used to think that his most outstanding grandson could marry a better wife and bring the Mallory family to a higher level. However, Percy had chosen Nina, a woman with a tarnished reputation. She was someone who could not even help him with anything. This was not the granddaughter-inw he had been anticipating! Pierre''s surgerysted for eight hours. The red light in the operating room went out around 8:30 pm. Johann walked out with a slightly exhausted look on his face. Old Master Mallory rose to his feet and walked toward him with a walking cane in his hand. He asked, "Dr. Park, how is Pierre doing?" Johann reported on the surgery''s situation, "The surgery went smoothly. We''ve fixed the broken bones and connected them with steel tes and screws. He''ll need a year to recover before the steel tes and screws can be removed. But I don''t know how fast he can recover after the surgery." Old Master Mallory''s heart sank. He immediately asked, "What do you mean?" Chapter 2787 ¡°The patient''s leg was not fixed right after it was broken, and he was moved roughly, so there are a lot more fractures in the broken bone. There are also signs of nerve fiber degeneration, and if they don''t develop in the right direction, they might be necrotic. Although it won''t affect his walking, his posture might..." Johann looked at Percy, believing he understood what he said. After cutting open Pierre''s flesh, Johann saw how broken the bone was and knew that the one percent chance was basically impossible. The internal condition was terrible! Even a miracle doctor would not be able to guarantee Pierre a perfect leg. Old Master Mallory understood what he meant and said, "Are you saying he''ll be impaired?" "I''m sorry, but it''s always difficult in the beginning. Perhaps he''ll get better after physiotherapy," Johann said everything he wanted to say. During the operation, he tried to put together whatever he could, and he removed whatever he could not. He also removed the flesh that seemed necrotic so as to prevent Pierre from infection after the surgery. Old Master Mallory sighed and said slowly, "A crime was stillmitted." "During the operation, the patient didn''t go through excessive bleeding, so he''s in stable condition. The patient will be sent to the ward when he wakes up, so his family can wait there," said Johann. He gave Pierre general anesthesia, so it would take time for him to wake up. "Thank you, Dr. Park," said Percy. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He had mentally prepared himself for Percy''s operation, and he asked Johann to do whatever he could to save Pierre''s leg. Pierre was an egoistic person. If his leg was impaired, he would either be devastated or go crazy. No matter what his reaction would be, it certainly would not be good for him or the Mallory family. In the end, no one could do anything about it. Old Master Mallory yelled, "Hemitted a crime!" Percy said to the butler next to him, "Help Grandpa into Pierre''s ward." "Yes." The butler cautiously stepped forward to help, but Old Master Mallory was hit so hard by Pierre''s ident that he could not even stand straight. In the end, the butler asked the nurse to bring over a wheelchair to push Old Master Mallory into the ward. Percy had arranged a VIP ward for Pierre. It was the innermost ward on the top floor, and it was the most private. The dean was also smart enough to assign two nurses to work in shifts for Pierre as other nurses were not allowed to enter the ward to prevent the news of Pierre recovering in a ward from spreading. When they entered the ward, Percy sat on the sofa and informed everyone about Pierre''s condition. He was not seekingfort from them as all of their efforts helped ensure Pierre''s safe return. The technology Gordan used was provided by Jim. Gordan was independent, but Leroy, who worked with him, was one of Luke''s people. Therefore, Percy told them about Pierre''s situation as a courtesy. Luke did not respond to Percy''s text. Whether Pierre was dead or alive had nothing to do with him. Right when Luke put down his phone, it vibrated again. He picked it up and took a nce. This time, it was from Marcos. [Have you read the notice from the police?] Marcos asked. Police notice? Luke guessed that it was about Matysh, so he clicked on the local police''s social media. Usually, when the police issued a notice, they would put it up on social media as well. If he could read about everything there, he would not have to click into their website and search for the notice. Sure enough, it was a notice that Matysh was confirmed to be detained. Not only was he charged with sexually assaulting women, but he was also charged with robbery and assault. The details of the robbery and assault case were not shared, but Luke and everyone else could guess that the investigating police found evidence of a connection between Matysh and the group of people who broke into Norman Residence. Otherwise, they would not have released this notice. Luke replied Marcos: [I saw it.] [I''ve read all the information you gave me, and I''ll investigate tomorrow, but I need your help.] Marcos did not try to hide the fact that he needed Luke''s help. The moment the police arrest notice was released, Ethan was going to get busy, so he had no time to keep an eye on him. However, he was not sure if the family had secretly sent anyone other than Ethan to watch over him. Therefore, he needed Luke''s help. ¡°No problem. We''re done with Pierre''s situation, so I can send Gale to help you," Luke agreed. Marcos wanted to find his biological mother, but he could not let the people in Russia know that, so he needed someone to cover for him. Gale had a lot of experience doing these things, so he could be of help to Marcos. Moreover, Gale and Marcos had simr figures, so it was not a problem for him to pretend to be Marcos. ¡°Thank you. If there''s anything you need help with in the future, just let me know. I''ll return the favor," said Marcos. To him, finding his biological mother was the most important thing. Although he had been independent for years and he could single-handedly handle the family business, he had never stopped longing for maternal love. When he found out that his mother was still alive, finding her became his top priority. Marcos put away his phone and kept the documents in the locked case he brought with him. He could not let anyone in the family see this document. Otherwise, they would hurt his mother. Knock, knock, knock. There was a violent knock on the door. Ding dong, ding dong. The doorbell rang continuously as Marcos got up. He did not have to look through the peephole to know who was standing at the door. "Mr. Ethan, what are you doing here thiste?" He had not actually left his hotel the entire day. Ethan even came to knock on the door a few times, but he eventually gave up. He did note out because he was waiting for the police''s notice. Luke said that there was a high chance that the police in A City would issue a notice to arrest Matysh today, so he was waiting for that. As soon as the announcement was made, Ethan would have no time to watch him, let alone knock on his door. Except tonight, of course. Ethan could not rush to the police station now. Evenwyers had to be wary of the time when handling affairs. "Mr. Matysh''s notice was released. Have you seen it?" Ethan''s expression did not look good. He could not read the notice, but Marcos had arranged an interpreter for him. The first thing he did when he met the interpreter was to tell him to keep an eye on police announcements. If they were about Matysh, he would trante and send them to him immediately. Chapter 2788 Right before this, the trantor had sent him the tranted detention notice. Thus, Ethan immediately came knocking on Marcos'' door. ¡°Police notice? I didn''t receive it," said Marcos. Ethan did not know that he was able to understand a bit of thenguage here. After he tranted the entire thing into Russian with his other phone and restructured the sentences, he could basically understand everything. "Are you even Matysh''s nephew?" Ethan was upset with his behavior. Was he not concerned about Matysh? He did not seem to care at all. "If I''m not his nephew, does that make you his nephew?" Marcos asked. Ethan was triggered. He wanted to be blood-rted to Matysh so he could gain more benefits instead of just being the family lawyer. Although he was a well-knownwyer in the industry back home, who would choose to be awyer when they could have a huge family business and endless riches? He chose to studyw just to make a living. However, the thought of Marcos having the woman''s filthy blood in him disgusted him. Thus, he said, "Don''t give me that nonsense! I don''t want to be you." Marcos knew that he did not want to be him because he had the blood and genes of amoner. "If you''re paying attention to Matysh''s situation, then I''ll know about it sooner orter. Besides, I assigned you an interpreter. I don''t even have one, so I can''t understand the newspapers and media here. So, I only have you to rely on for news. What did the notice say?" He perfectly shifted the me on him and brought the conversation back to the main topic. Ethan''s face turned even gloomier. "You''re useless! If Matysh were to rely on you, he might have to spend his whole life in prison! The police have issued notices for two cases now." "Two? Didn''t Uncle Matysh onlymit one sexual harassment crime?" Marcos pretended to be surprised, but Luke had already told him what he had done in A City. Matysh was so empty-headed that he thought that he was above thew. This was not A City, yet he still dared to break into Jack''s house. ording to Luke, Jack and his wife were still living in VIP wards to avoid trouble! "How would I know? The police in A City must have made a mistake. Those idiots!" Ethan cursed at them. Marcos pretended not to hear him. ¡°You have to find out what Uncle Matysh did in A City." He rubbed his chin and leaned against the door frame with azy look in his eyes. Compared to Ethan''s tense and serious look, Marcos looked like he did not care about Matysh at all! Although Ethan did not agree with what he said, he still agreed with his methods. "Tomorrow, you''ll go to the police station with me." "I''m going too?" Marcos frowned. What was he going to do there? See what a joke Matysh was? "Of course. Don''t forget that he''s your uncle," Ethan reminded him. He made mental notes of all this so that when Matysh''s issue was over, he would tell Matysh and throw Marcos under the bus. "I''m not awyer, and I don''t understand thenguage andw in A City. I might have some connections in Russia, but I have none here. What can I do there?" Marcos asked Ethan. If he went, Matysh might get even angrier. For as long as he could remember, Matysh''s arrogance had left a mark on him. After being held in custody, Matysh must be extra humiliated right now. Russians had a lot of hair, so they needed to groom themselves frequently to look presentable. How could Matysh maintain his image in a detention center? Marcos could already foresee how angry Matysh would be if he appeared in front of him all dapperly dressed. "This concerns your family. As a member of your family, you should put in more effort." Ethan did not think as far as Marcos. Marcos looked at Ethan with a half-smile. After being the familywyer for so long, he still did not know Matysh well. Marcos nodded in agreement. "Fine. You were the one who asked me to go, so don''t regret it tomorrow.'' After his warning, Ethan had a bad feeling, so he forcefully gave him a warning too, "I''m telling you, you''d better behave at the police station." "Don''t worry, I won''t cause trouble. Now, if there''s nothing else, I''d like to rest," Marcos closed the door right after without waiting for Ethan''s reply. However, he did not go to sleep. Instead, he opened the closet. He knew that he was going to be in A City for some time, so he took out all his clothes and hung them in the hotel closet. Marcos took out a suit and decided that he was going to wear it to the police station tomorrow. He would look neat and tidy while Matysh would look miserable. The contrast in their looks would hurt Matysh''s ego even more. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. On the other hand... After Leia got Mandy''s call, she had a bad feeling. Before they could find out whether it was the Matysh they knew who was locked up in the police station, the police issued a notice about him. She knew that Matysh was locked up because of the sexual assault case. At that time, Mandy and Leia were guessing whether it was him because of the name. After seeing the case stated in the notice, Leia''s heart dropped. It was over! It was really the Matysh they knew! Leia started trembling uncontrobly on the hospital bed. Matysh was under the control of the police in A City, and he was being charged with another crime. If he confessed to everything, Mandy and she would not be able to escape! She had to leave before the police took action. Leia still had the money Matysh gave her, so it was easy for her to leave. Thus, Leia hopped off the hospital bed. The nurse knew what she was doing as she knew the police''s every move. The moment the police issued the notice, she received it too. The nurse put down her snack and dialed a phone number before putting the phone in the pocket of her shirt. ¡°Ms. Norman, why did you get out of bed? Are you going to the bathroom?" ¡°Just eat your snack. Why are you so nosy?" Leia rolled her eyes and hid her anxiousness. It was a good thing herplexion was sallow, so she could hide her paleness. The nurse pretended to feel hurt. "But I care about you." Then, she knocked on her clothes pocket. However, she was not actually knocking on her pocket but the phone inside her pocket. Chapter 2789 The caretaker was not randomly knocking. She was tapping their secretmunication code. She was telling Rain that Leia was trying to escape. Leia ignored her and opened the wardrobe. She took out her clothes and went to the bathroom to get changed. She was stopped by the caretaker when she came out of the bathroom. "Ms. Norman, why did you change into your own clothes? You even took off the hospital gown,¡± said Hadley. The caretaker gestured toward the hospital patient gown that she was holding. In this moment of surprise and astonishment, the caretaker''s reaction was really swift. "It''s none of your business!" Leia snapped at her impatiently. The caretaker was ustomed to her bad temper. "I''m your caretaker. I must keep an eye on everything that concerns you. Your grandmother will me me if anything happens!" "I''m leaving the hospital. You can get lost. Ask my grandmother to pay you." Leia scowled. She did not even want to pay the caretaker her sry. Before the caretaker could respond, the woman in the next bed burst intoughter. "This is hrious. Has she lost her mind? iming that she wants to get discharged in the middle of the night, does she think she''s at home? Do you expect the doctors to process your discharge at this hour?" The woman was looking at the TV when she said that. However, the TV show was not ying a hospital-rted drama at all. Leia''s face turned ugly. She knew the woman was mocking her! Just as Leia was about to explode, the woman added, "That''s strange. Changing into her own clothes in the middle of the night and iming that she wants to get discharged from the hospital... Is she trying to avoid paying the medical expenses, by any chance?¡± Leia could not hold back anymore. She wanted to argue with her. However, the caretaker, who was behind her, asked, "Ms. Norman, please stay calm. Have you forgotten what happened a couple of days ago?" Leia was startled for a moment. She could not control her temper and nearly got into a fight with this elderly woman who just got admitted to the hospital a few days ago. The woman was hot-tempered. She was not as timid as the previous woman. After Leia unleashed a torrent of scathing remarks, the woman did not hold back and scolded back. Their voices transmitted through the wards with surprising rity. Their sharp exchange echoed down the corridor, and everyone gathered to witness the spectacle. The caretakers, nurses, head nurses, attending physicians, and even the chief physician came but could not stop the war. Leia almost got into a fight with the woman. However, the war finally ended when the chief physician instructed the head nurse to call the police to handle the matter. Leia hesitated. The woman was not afraid of the police and continued to insult her, but Leia remained silent because she was afraid of the police. Leia had been staying in the hospital, refusing to get discharged. Moreover, Jack and Queenie were still in the ward upstairs. Another reason why Leia was reluctant to leave was that she was worried the police woulde to take her statement. As long as Leia remained in the hospital, she could use her poor health, dizziness, or elerated heartbeat as an excuse to avoid giving her statement to the police. She would not have such an opportunity once she got back home. As Leia reflected on what happened that day, she decided that it was not worth it to get into an argument with this woman as it would only summon the police. The mere thought of facing the police left Leia trembling with fear in these turbulent times. Hence, she chose to keep quiet and endure it. She took a deep breath and sat on the hospital bed. Then, she spoke in a stiff tone, "I''d like to get discharged tomorrow." "Alright, Ms. Norman. Please change into your hospital gown first. The nurses will be making their rounds soon. They''ll be annoyed if they notice that you''re not wearing hospital attire," urged the caretaker. Reluctantly, Leia took the hospital gown and walked back to the bathroom to get changed. The caretaker smiled at the woman. She was amused by the ongoing banter between Leia and the elderly woman. Unfortunately, Leia was afraid of escting the situation to the point where the police would be involved. Another patient in the ward bed beside reminded the caretaker, "She needs to inform the doctor or nurse the night before if she''d like to get discharged tomorrow.¡± "Okay, I''ll inform the nurse on duty now," said the caretaker with a smile on her face as she left the ward. The doctor had long wanted Leia to be discharged, but she kept finding excuses to stay. If her attending physician found out she was willing to get discharged from the hospital tomorrow, they would probably be delighted to hear that! After Leia''s doctor arrived the next day, she confidently walked into his office and informed him of her decision to be discharged. The doctor could not be happier and secretly eximed that he could finally free up a bed for another patient. He immediately issued Leia''s discharge letter. The caretaker continued to help Leia to settle the fees and medical expenses. Finally, she was handed the discharge letter. She handed everything to Leia. "Ms. Norman, the hospital isn''t a good ce to be in. Now that you''re discharged, take care of yourself and don''te back," said the caretaker with a smile on her face. Leia rolled her eyes and replied, "Stop being annoying." After that, Leia picked up her luggage and left. The other woman could not stand it any longer and immediately said to the caretaker, ¡°Look at you. You''re so kind, but she took your heartfelt wishes as nothing. How foolish must she be to be such a person?" The caretaker smiled and replied, "Well, I''ve gotten used to it." This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Even if you have a good temper, you can''t tolerate her like that!" The woman shook her head. If it were not for her daughter-inw taking care of her, she might have considered hiring the caretaker. She was cheerful, attentive, and hardworking, She was a good caretaker. "We caretakers have to be good-tempered, don''t we?" asked the caretaker. It was nothing but a facade she put on. She thought to herself, ''Will the woman still think that I''m good-tempered if she knows that I can easily throw a six-feet-three man over my shoulder?'' It was just a facade. Who did not know how to do that? "Oh, did she pay you?" The woman reminded the caretaker. She seemed to have forgotten about the payment earlier. "Ms. Norman''s grandmother will settle the bill," replied the caretaker. Leia was discharged from the hospital, so it was time for her to leave as well. Thus, she turned to the other two elderly women in the ward and said, "Madams, I''m leaving now. I wish you a speedy recovery." As they watched the caretaker leave, the woman from earlier could not help but heave a sigh. "She''s the most unique caretaker I''ve ever seen." "Isn''t that right? Anyone who can tolerate Ms. Norman''s temper is truly exceptional," said the other woman who was lying on her ward bed. ... After being discharged, Leia hailed a taxi and returned to the apartment she rented. She did not take the opportunity to go back to the Normans'' residence. Perhaps it was due to guilt or fear of being reminded of what happened, she hesitated and chose to return to her apartment. The maid was taken aback when Leia returned. "Ms. Norman, you''re back. Did the doctor allow you to get discharged?" Unaware of Leia''s inner fear, the maid assumed her prolonged hospital stay was due to her poor health. She could not help but worry at the thought of how much Leia hated the hospital. Leia rolled her eyes and replied, "Could I be discharged without the doctor''s permission? Have you been cking off? Did you make sure to clean my bedroom?" The maid was aware of Leia''s mysophobia. She immediately shook her head and said, "Even though you haven''t been staying in your bedroomtely, I still clean it every other day." Chapter 2790 Leia reminded her in a hushed tone, "I''m going to take a nap. Don''t open the door no matter who rings the doorbellter. Just pretend that no one is home." The maid nodded in agreement and replied, "Yes, Ms. Norman." As Leia stepped into the bedroom, she turned around and reminded her again, "Keep in mind that I don''t want to be disturbed during my nap. So, don''t open the door to whoever rings the doorbell." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Got it," replied the maid. Even though she found it strange, she refrained from probing further. After Leia closed her bedroom door, the maid picked up her phone and sent a message to Jack: [Ms. Norman was discharged from the hospital today. She told me not to open the door no matter who rings the doorbell.] After a while, Jack replied to her message: [Okay.] It was noontime. The apartment''s doorbell kept ringing. The maid stood hesitantly in front of the smart doorbell camera, unsure of what to do. Leia''s instructions were clear. She told her not to open the door for anyone. However, the person ringing the doorbell seemed to be certain that someone was inside the house. The person was constantly pressing the doorbell without stopping. The maid reluctantly muted the doorbell as she was concerned that the noise would disturb Leia. However, even with the doorbell muted, the smart doorbell camera continued to light up. The person outside continued to ring the doorbell. The maid could see that the person ringing the bell was a woman through the camera. She appeared to be older than Leia, but she was much younger than the maid. Jack called when the maid decided to ignore the person outside the door. She immediately answered, "Yes, Mr. Norman?¡± "Is someone ringing the doorbell?" asked Jack. "Yes, Sir,¡± replied the maid, puzzled. Could it be that the woman outside was sent by Jack? "She''s here to take care of Leia. Let her in. She''ll be responsible for attending to Leia''s physical wellbeing from now on, while you take care of her daily life," said Jack. Relieved to learn that she was not being dismissed, the maid set her worries aside and opened the door for the woman. She thought to herself that having someone to share the responsibility of taking care of Leia would be beneficial to her. Leia was not an easy person to attend to, after all. After a while, a knock on the door echoed from outside. The maid went to open it. The woman standing at the door was the caretaker who had taken care of Leia at the hospital. She was indeed assigned to keep an eye on Leia, but she did not force herself toe here. It was Leia''s grandmother who admired her working attitude and how she had taken care of Leia at the hospital. That was why she hired her to continue taking care of Leia. All of this was orchestrated by Jack. Luke mentioned it to him, and Jack immediately came up with this solution. Jack approached Leia''s grandmother, expressing concern about Leia''s physical condition. He suggested hiring a caretaker from the hospital to take care of her. However, Jack also conveyed to Leia''s grandmother that he did not want Leia to know it was his arrangement. After all, Leia had be distant from him. If she found out he was behind it, she would definitely turn it down. Leia''s grandmother was quite pleased when Jack showed concern for her granddaughter. She agreed and made the arrangements while stating that they were her own orders. It would be difficult for Leia to refuse when it was arranged by her grandmother. Having someone constantly by Leia''s side was much better than watching her day and night at the apartment entrance. Perhaps Leia heard the noisesing from the living room. She pushed open the bedroom door not long after the caretaker came in. She widened her eyes and could not help but ask when she saw the caretaker standing in her living room, "What are you doing here?" "Hello, Ms. Norman. Old Mrs. Norman sent me here to take care of you," said the caretaker as she spoke with a smile on her face. Leia had a lingering sense of unease and suspicion. "Don''t lie to me." "Old Mrs. Norman sent me here. You may call her if you refuse to believe me," said the caretaker confidently. Jack had already taken care of these details. Leia decided to make the call. Then, Old Mrs. Norman spoke kindly and caringly as she admitted that she had arranged for the caretaker to continue taking care of Leia. She believed that having a caretaker dedicated to taking care of Leia''s health would be better than relying on a maid. It gave her peace of mind. There was no way Leia could reject such a kind gesture in front of her grandmother! After all, her grandmother was the only one who still cared about her in the entire Norman family. She would be one step closer to being expelled from the Norman family if she lost her only support. The caretaker smiled when Leia hung up the call. The look on her face was telling her that she did not lie to her. Leia was frustrated looking at the caretaker''s smiling face. The caretaker always had a smile on her face no matter how many times Leia scolded her. It seemed like the angrier Leia got, the happier she was. In the end, Leia was the only one upset. "I don''t have any spare rooms here. And I don''t need you to take care of me. Hand me the money my grandmother gave you and leave. Get out of here and go back to the hospital." Leia immediately wanted her out. However, she did not forget to take the money back when she tried to kick her out. The caretaker secretly mumbled to herself, "What a miser..." However, she had prepared herself beforeing here. Therefore, she said, "Ms. Norman, doesn''t this apartment have a maid''s room?" "I already have a maid. She''s already moved in," said Leia. "But it''s a bunk bed.¡± The caretaker pointed at the maid''s room, which had its door wide open. It was indeed a bunk bed. The maid did not have many things in the room either. The top bunk was empty as the maid was sleeping on the bottom bed. Leia was at a loss for words. The caretaker added, "You''ll have to talk to Old Mrs. Norman if you''d like to dismiss me. She''s the one who hired me, after all. I appreciate how much she trusts me. I can''t just take my pay and leave, right?" Leia became furious when the nurse tantly ignored her request to hand over her sry. The caretaker asked, "Would you like to discuss the matter of dismissing me with Old Mrs. Norman?" Leia did not dare to do so. She dared not to defy Old Mrs. Norman''s wishes. Even though she despised the caretaker, there was nothing she could do. Her face turned red, then she turned around and returned to her bedroom. The bedroom door was mmed shut with a loud bang. The maid felt somewhat awkward. Leia rejected the caretaker, but she had no choice and could only ept Old Mrs. Norman''s arrangement. The caretaker was put in an awkward position... The maid broke the silence and said, "Ms. Norman has a bad temper, but she won''t harm anyone. Don''t take it personally." The caretaker smiled. She secretly wondered if verbally abusing someone was considered harming someone even if it was not a kind of physical harm. Leia had a venomous tongue. "It''s okay. I was Ms. Norman''s caretaker when she was staying at the hospital. I''m used to it. She''s just all bark and no bite." The caretaker felt disgusted with herself for defending Leia. It was nonsense... Leia had a sharp tongue and a heart made of stone! The maid understood the situation and said, "That''s why you look so familiar. So it''s you." The caretaker looked different after she took off her hospital uniform. The maid did not visit the hospital often. That was why she failed to recognize the caretaker as the one who had been taking care of Leia while she was in the hospital. Chapter 2791 "Yes, yes. It''s me." The caretaker grinned. "What''s your name?" asked the maid. The caretaker scratched the back of her head and awkwardly replied, "My name sounds in, and it''s not very catchy. Just call me Sura." Her code name was Surabaya, which sounded nice. However, there was no way she could tell the maid that her name was Surabaya in such a situation. "Okay, Sura. The luggage is heavy. Come on. Let''s put it on the bed first. I''ll clear up the space in the wardrobe for youter," said the maid. The caretaker could help her to lighten the burden of taking care of Leia without encroaching on her interests. Sura replied cheerfully, "It''s okay... You can use the wardrobe. I didn''t bring many clothes with me. I only have three sets of clothes. I''ll just leave them in the luggage bag. The luggage bag won''t take up much space even if I ce it on my bed." "Why do you need to put it on the bed when there''s a wardrobe? This side of the wardrobe is yours," said the maid. She did not have many things either. Hence, she quickly moved her clothes to the other side of the wardrobe, freeing up some space for Sura. "Alright. Thank you," Sura let out a sigh of relief when she finally moved into Leia''s apartment. It was not easy to fool Leia. If it were not for Old Mrs. Norman, she would not have been able to stay here. It would not be easy for the organization to get someone else to keep an eye on Leia either. After settling Leia, Rain''s surveince team discovered that Mandy bought ast-minute ne ticket. She was getting ready to escape. They intercepted her when she was on the way to the airport. Mandy had her eyes covered and her mouth taped shut with duct tape as she was forcibly taken into another vehicle. She had no idea how long the car had driven before it finally came to a halt. Mandy was pulled out by someone. She stumbled along the way, but the person did not let her fall. Mandy was eventually thrown onto a couch. Mandy''s hands were still tied, and her eyes were blindfolded. Rain looked at the frightened woman in front of her who was about to get up. She wanted to escape. Was she trying to escape with her eyes covered? Mandy was not giving anyone peace of mind. Rain made a gesture to her subordinate beside her, indicating that he should tie Mandy''s legs. The man nodded and picked up a restraining strap. Then, he tied it around Mandy''s legs. "Ugh! Ugh!" Mandy''s fear increased by tons as she felt her legs being tied. Who would want to kidnap her? Was it Matysh''s men? It was impossible! Matysh was currently at the police station. How could he make such arrangements?! Was it the criminal organization that worked with Matysh? Mandy also thought that it was unlikely. Matysh had been arrested. Those people should be panicking now. Would they make a big fuss by kidnapping her? Once Mandy was tied up, Rain tore off the tape covering her mouth. "Who are you?" Mandy immediately asked when she knew she could speak now. Her head turned around in confusion as she did not know which direction her kidnapper stood. Rain remained silent. Mandy pleaded, "Let me go. Don''t hurt me. I have money, lots of money. I can give it all to you. Just let me live." She knew that it was only a matter of time before Maytsh was forced to expose her. Mandy could still live a good life abroad if she escaped now. Her life would be ruined if she did not escape. If she was charged with assault for hurting Mr. and Mrs. Norman, she would be in deep trouble. "Ms. Sanders, where did your moneye from?" Rain muttered each word slowly. She took a recording pen out and pressed the record button. Mandy was surprised to hear a woman''s voice. A woman? She remembered that there was no woman in the criminal organization. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Moreover, this calm andposed voice sounded like it belonged to someone who was ustomed to such interrogations. She did not sound like the wife of a mafia boss. "I earned it! We''re both women. Why are you making things difficult for me? We can work out a deal for both of us as long as you''re willing to let me go,¡± said Mandy. Money was freedom to her, and she chose it over losing her freedom. She would dly give all her money to this woman and then board a ne to go abroad. Mandy had good looks. She could still flirt with men to live afortable life abroad. "How?" asked Rain as she guided Mandy step by step to give her the answers she wanted. Luke was running out of patience. He did not want to wait for Matysh to slowly reveal Mandy''s and Leia''s involvement. Was it not easier to catch Mandy and expose Leia? Moreover, Mr. and Mrs. Norman were tired of being cooped up in the hospital''s VIP ward. They would only be safe when Leia was arrested. After all, Leia had so many tricks up her sleeve. Luke even suspected that it was Leia who instigated the acid attack on Luca. Mandy trembled. It seemed like she was being forced to tell the truth. However, she would lose her freedom if she told the truth! Mandy made up her mind not to say anything. "How did I earn it? I''m a woman. I have the looks. I earned it with my beauty. It may not be ethical, but it''s still money. My way of making money doesn''t bother you, right?" asked Mandy. Rain sneered as she thought that Mandy was quite good at changing the topic of the conversation. Mandy heard her and asked tentatively, "Did I unintentionally steal your business?" Before she could finish her sentence, Rain pped her in the face! "Who do you think you are?!" It was a powerful smack, leaving a clear five-finger mark on Mandy''s fair face. She did not expect this woman toy a finger on her! Mandy could feel the metallic tang of blood filling her mouth. She feared that she might be bleeding! She could not help but feel afraid. She had initially thought that the woman was just trying to scare her, but she did not expect her to be so ruthless! "I-I was wrong!" Mandy pleaded. She was worried that another p would disfigure her. Rain remained silent. Mandy could not make up her mind. Therefore, she asked again, "Did I unintentionally ruin your rtionship?" Other than Matysh, she had entertained a few other men when she returned to the country. Yet, Mandy had no feelings for these men. She only wanted to make as much money as possible in one night. However, these housewives could not tolerate their husbands going out flirting with other women. Thus, Mandy wondered if this woman could be one of those men''s wives. Although the woman''s voice sounded youthful, voices were allced with deceit. A youthful voice did not mean it was a young woman''s voice. Rain did not say a word. Mandy had no choice but to apologize, "I just wanted to make some money. I had no intention of ruining anyone''s family. And those men, I was only with them for one night. I have no intention of ruining anyone''s rtionship!" Apart from Matysh, the other men were like daily disposable items to Mandy. Matysh was handsome, and he was wealthy. That was why Mandy stayed by his side every day, trying to seduce him. Rain, who was also a woman, thought what Mandy did was despicable! Rain initially believed that she was open-minded enough. She would not be too harsh to other women either. However, when she heard Mandy''s confession, a thought came into her mind. This woman was truly something else! She was willing to sell her soul for money. Chapter 2792 Rain could feel her patience being worn thin because of Mandy. She intended to probe Mandy into confessing her and Leia''s crime. It would be difficult to deal with Leia if Mandy refused to expose them. The main issue was that Mandy and Matsyh were already involved in an illicit affair, and the money in Matsyh''s ount appeared to be legitimate. With just the illicit affair and the mary exchange, the police would not have enough grounds to apprehend anyone. As for the money that had been transferred from Mandy''s ount to Leia''s, it would be even more difficult to use it as evidence. They were friends, after all. Financial transactions between friends could not be considered illegal activities, right? That was why Rain kidnapped Mandy. However, Mandy was not a fool either. She continuously revealed immoral acts she hadmitted, trying to find out Rain''s true identity. She did not mention a word about any illegal activities. Rain sneered, "You won''t talk, huh? Mandy Sanders, a single woman who lives alone. Your source of ie... Men. You used to be a citizen of A City, but you were adopted by an American couple when you were young and obtained American citizenship. The couple who adopted you passed away three years ago. Now, you''re an orphan again. Am I right?" Mandy trembled slightly, but her voice remained calm. What was the big deal if her background had been uncovered? The information was not confidential to begin with. It was normal for it to be easily uncovered. What Mandy feared were the people who had kidnapped her. She did not know who they were and who sent them. After Mandy was pped in the face, she realized that they might torture her to extract the truth by any means necessary. There was no way she could bear that kind of suffering. "So what? I merely slept with your man for one night. There''s no need for you to treat me like I''m your rival." Mandy clenched her jaw. She did not want to go to prison. Rain nodded repeatedly. Sheughed instead of getting angry. "Alright. Ms. Sanders, don''t me me for being rude if you still refuse to talk. I have many ways to make you wish for death while keeping you trapped in endless fear." A chilling sensation crept up Mandy''s spine, sending shivers down her back as she trembled with fear. Mandy replied, "It''s illegal to imprison and kidnap someone. You won''t get away with it when I''m out. I won''t press charges if you release me now!" Rain noticed that Mandy was actually quite clever, even though she was a little naive... She gestured for her subordinates to lift Mandy up. Two men, one on each side, lifted Mandy without uttering a word. "Ah! Ah! Ah!" Mandy continued to scream as Rain stuffed a cloth into her mouth. She did not enjoy interrogating people. This was something the police should do, but how could they possibly interrogate Mandy without any evidence? Therefore, Rain could only assist the police in gathering some evidence. With a cloth gagged in her mouth, Mandy was unable to speak. She was dragged away by the two men. Rain followed behind and said, "I don''t know if you''ll ever have a chance to escape, but I remember you live alone. No one will notice you''ve been kidnapped." Fear overwhelmed Mandy''s heart. She was right. Even if she died in the apartment she rented, it would probably take the stench of her decaying body for someone to discover her. She had been kidnapped, but no one knew. Who would be able to save her? Mandy thought of Leia, but her phone had been confiscated when she was forced into the car. When she was on the way to the airport, she was worried that a warrant would be issued by the police at any moment. That was why she rented a car and drove to the airport. There were no drivers or anyone else... From N?velDrama.Org. Who would realize that she was kidnapped? Was there anyone who could save her? Mandy was taken to a warmly heated room and tied to a chair. Rain picked up a pipe and aimed it at Mandy''s head. "Ms. Sanders, I''ll give you one more chance. How did you get that money? What did they make you do?" Mandy whimpered. Rain whispered in her ear, "Are you seriously gonna tell me that you got that cash by sleeping around with men? I''m talking about thergest money transaction you''ve received. What did you do to get that money?" She pulled the cloth out of Mandy''s mouth. It took a moment for Mandy to catch her breath. How was she going to exin this? She could not! Mandy stubbornly persisted, "I already told you that I got the money by sleeping around with men!" "Fine. You''re going to face the consequences for not talking." Rain stuffed the cloth back into her mouth and walked to the corner where there was a faucet. The room had a separate heating system, but it was disguised as a water room. Rain instructed the renovation contractor to install it that way when she moved in. The others had no idea what the purpose of this room was, but she knew this room had a significant purpose. It was one of the methods of coercion the Ind of Despair had used before. It was more effective than all those injections. It was capable of breaking down a person''s psychological defenses. Drops of water would fall on the person''s forehead at a consistent frequency while they were trapped in darkness. The power of the dripping water might be small, but it could wear away even a stone. A person''s psychological defenses would copse with every drop of water while trapped in such a dark environment. Rain had never used this method before. It was the first time she was employing it. Their boss often said that leaving the Ind of Despair meant living a normal life. The methods used by the Ind of Despair should be avoided whenever possible. Today marked the inaugural use of this technique! Rain turned on the faucet. Then, she adjusted the water flow to its minimum. Then, drop by drop, the water fell on Mandy''s forehead. As she listened to her muffled cries, Rain smiled and instructed her subordinate, "Warm up the room a little. Make sure Ms. Sanders doesn''t catch a cold." "Got it," replied the subordinate. He cranked the room''s heating temperature to the maximum. The warmth from the heater enveloped the room, while the water droplets slowly soaked Mandy''s body... Rain shook her head, knowing that anyone would eventually sumb to this. She nced at her subordinate and signaled, "Leave one person to watch her here. Switch shifts every hour. I''ll return in four hours." She deliberately said these words for Mandy to hear. Rain had already given her a chance, but Mandy did not appreciate it. The next opportunity would only come after four hours. After that, Rain turned around and left. While Mandy was being blindfolded and with her field of vision obscured, her other senses had been heightened. Even though it was just a small water droplet, she felt as though there was a substantial amount of water drenching her hair. However, it did not seem like it either. It took a long time for her hair to get wet... Mandy took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down, but it was impossible. The slow infiltration of the water only intensified her fear. Would it be long before she waspletely submerged? She wanted to kick her feet and check if there was umted water on the floor. However, her legs were tied up. There was not even a chance to kick! Fear enveloped Mandy. Still, what was the use of being afraid anyway? There was nothing she could do now! She did not even have the chance to call for help or negotiate with Rain. Mandy remembered Rain mentioning that she would return in four hours. Mandy felt despair, enduring this torment that eroded her nerves in this pitch-ck environment, thinking that she would not be able tost for an hour. Chapter 2793 On the other hand, Leia was annoyed. She could not get through to Mandy''s phone. Every time she dialed, it would say that her phone had been turned off. "Why would she turn off her phone at this time?" Leia dialed her number again, but her phone was still turned off. She gave up the thought of calling her, but she could not help but feel a pang of unease. Could it be that Mandy had run away? Leia thought for a moment and concluded that it was actually possible! Mandy had American citizenship. Hence, she could head there without dealing with the hassle of getting a visa and such. If she ran to New York, there was no way the local police would arrest and apprehend her even if Matysh exposed her. Moreover, Mandy did notmit a serious crime. Even though she might have to go to jail, she could live peacefully in the future without returning to the country. Leia felt anxious. Even though Mandy had escaped, it was unlikely that she would be caught by the police. Matysh knew not only Mandy''s information but also Leia''s. If Mandy had escaped, she would have to escape as well. Leia rolled out of her bed, opened a drawer, and found her passport. She quickly packed her things when she realized her visa had not expired. Fortunately, Jack wanted to send her back to New York back then. Thus, he forced her to renew her visa. After checking the validity period of her visa, Leia took out her suitcase and nned to pack her luggage and book a ne ticket to leave. She was not worried about not being able to book ast-minute ticket. After all, there were plenty of flights from A City International Airport to New York every day. She could not be bothered with the details as long as she arrived in New York. Leia knew she would only be safe after she got out of A City. Sura shook her head when she heard the noisesing from Leia''s bedroom. Judging from the loud noises she made, it seemed like she was nning to run away! Sura cleared her throat and knocked on the door. Then, she asked, "Ms. Norman, are you okay?" Leia ignored her. Sura continued, "Ms. Norman, your father called." Leia paused for a moment. Jack and Queenie had had zeromunication with her over this period. Whether it was a phone call or when she was on the VIP floor of the hospital, Jack and Queenie had always refused to meet her and ignored her. Why bother calling her now? Leia walked out of her room suspiciously, wondering if she had misheard what Sura said. "Who?" Sura peeked through the door crack and saw the suitcase Leia had ced on the floor. There were a few clothes on top that were not folded properly. The sleeves dragged on the floor. "It''s your father, Mr. Norman. Oh, your father is Jack Norman, right?" Sura withdrew her gaze and put a smile on her face when she talked. Leia put a lid on the doubts lingering in her mind and walked toward thendline that was in the living room. The receiver was ced to the side, not covered, clearly indicating that someone had answered the call and then left the phone aside. Leia picked up the receiver. She hesitated for a moment and spoke with an anxious tone, "Hello?" Jack''s voice came through. "Your mother and I will be officially discharged from the hospital today. Come back to the vi. Let''s have a meal together." Leia''s heart raced uncontrobly. They were going home? They had not said anything to her all this while, nor had they given any updates to the public. That was why rumors had been spreading like wildfire on the inte. The most credible news was that Mr. and Mrs. Norman were seriously injured and recuperating in the hospital. They did not want too much attention, which was why they did not announce the specific details to the public. Leia almost believed that. After all, given the circumstances back then, it was most likely that Mr. and Mrs. Norman had suffered brain injuries. If their brains were injured, they would need to stay in the hospital for one or two months. One or two months would not be enough for aplete recovery, which could exin why there had been no news from them. However, Jack suddenly told her that they were being discharged and asked her toe home for a meal... Jack wanted Leia to stay far away from them back then! Leia''s doubts grew stronger. She could not help but stutter, "Dad, how are you doing? How''s Mom?" "Let''s talk about it when youe back home. Don''te back alone. Have someone keep you company." Jack sounded stiff, but at least he said what was on his mind. Leia wanted to say something more, but Jack hung up the call. The busy tone came from the other end of the line. Leia furrowed her brows as she thought about the situation. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Jack got discharged from the hospital after she was discharged. Previously, Leia suspected that either Jack or Queenie was seriously injured, and the doctors and nurses were blocking the news. They even tried to stop the daughter of the Norman family from visiting her parents. Perhaps it was because Jack suspected that she was involved in the matter, and that was why he deliberately avoided her. Now, not only had Jack been discharged, but he also wanted to see her. Leia could not figure out the reason behind it. In any case, she had to return home and try to get some information out of Queenie. After all, it was impossible for her to get Jack to talk. Leia hung up the call and walked to the kitchen. Then, she said to the maid, "I''m going back to Norman Residence. Come with me." The maid gave her a troubled look. Before Jack called Leia, he had already instructed the maid that she did not have to follow Leia and told her to let Sura follow her if she wanted to return to Norman Residence. The maid intended to follow the instructions of the Norman family since it was Jack who paid her. She said in an apologetical tone, "Ms. Norman, I''m sorry, but I can''t leave right now. How about having Sura apany you?" Leia noticed the bunch of ingredients on the kitchen counter. She could not help but feel annoyed. "Who told you to buy so many vegetables? And you''re telling me that you''re busy? Can''t you handle things properly?" The maid replied helplessly, "These are the dishes you specifically requested to havest night..." Leia was at a loss for words. She was dissatisfied with the dinner she sawst night. She thought the maid had prepared dishes that were too simple, so she requested her to prepare a table full of various dishes. The maid agreed. After all, Leia just needed to take food with less salt and oil. "Forget it, I won''t be having lunch today. Put the things in the refrigerator and prepare themter in the afternoon. I''d like to have freshly prepared dinner when Ie back in the evening," said Leia. She knew she would be spending quite some time at Norman Residence today. If she got the maid to apany her, she would have to rush to make dinner tonight. "Okay." The maid let out a sigh of relief when Leia did not insist on hering along. Leia then turned to look at Sura. Sura always had that smile on her face. It seemed like she never stopped smiling. However, Leia hated it. "Can you stop smiling? You look ugly!" Sura was speechless. Did Leia think she wanted to smile at her? It was all just an act. Sura had never smiled more than she had in her entire life when she was keeping an eye on Leia during this period of time. "Okay." Sura stopped smiling. Leia found her more pleasing to the eye and said, "I''m going to Norman Residenceter. Pack your things ande with me." "Okay," replied Sura. "By the way, my mother previously bought a lot of supplements. Where did you put them?" Leia asked the maid. There was no way she could go back to Norman Residence empty-handed. Chapter 2794 "I''ll go get them for you." The maid did not pocket the supplements. Instead, she took them out of the cupboard. Then, Leia picked out two things. When the maid realized that she was going back to Norman Residence, she could not help but wonder if Leia had any manners. If she was going home right now, she should know enough to bring something back home. However, the things she took were all given to her by Queenie. People were not that forgetful. If Queenie saw those supplements, she would know that they were the ones she had brought here before. If Queenie found out, she would be upset. Leia was being too perfunctory! "Ms. Norman, these were all given to you by Mrs. Norman. If you send them back, she''d be very upset..." Surabaya said softly. No daughter would do something like that. Leia rolled her eyes. "My mother likes thrifty people, and I can''t finish the one she brought here. If I send them back, she doesn''t need to get new ones, no?" Surabaya stood aside and almost burst out inughter. Even back in the 1970s and 1980s, no one would do such a thing even if they were poor. Leia''s stinginess was embarrassing! If Surabaya had not known that the Norman family had never mistreated Leia, she would think that Leia had been mistreated her entire life for her to act this way. In Norman Residence. After finding out that Mr. and Mrs. Norman had been discharged from the hospital, Luca immediately arranged for Rhett to send her to their residence. On the way there, she bought some supplements and fruits. Although Mr. and Mrs. Norman were not suffering from any health problems, she still had to follow common courtesy rules when visiting them as they had just been discharged from the hospital. "Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Norman. I heard that you got discharged from the hospital, so I came to visit." Luca came to their door with gifts. Although this was how it usually went with people who wanted to curry favor with the Normans, it was different with Luca. The Normans knew that Luca was not there to fawn over them. She was here because she genuinely cared about them. ¡°Why did you bring over so many things?" Jack felt bad watching her carry two bags filled with things, so he quickly tried to help her. "It''s a good thing both of you got discharged. It would be impolite for me toe empty-handed." Luca smiled and did not let him help her. Instead, she went in and ced everything on the table. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Is Luca here?" Queenie came down from the second floor as soon as she heard the news. After confirming that it was Luca, a delightful smile appeared on her face. "What''s all of this?" "She said that it''s a good thing we got discharged, so she can''te over empty-handed," Jack said in ce of Luca. Queenie disapproved. "You already bought so many things for us when we were hospitalized, but you''re spending even more money on us now. Next time, all you have to bring is yourself. Don''t bring us so many things. The two of us can''t finish everything." "These have a long shelf life, so it''s okay." Luca felt guilty for causing her biological parents so much shock and pain... Not only could she not fulfill her filial duties by their side, but she even brought them such disaster. Luca could not help but feel bad at the thought of that. "You''ll be staying for lunch, right?" Queenie asked her to stay for lunch. Jack cleared his throat. He wanted Luca to stay for lunch too, but how could Queenie forget what he told her just now? It was only after Queenie heard Jack cough that she recalled their appointment with Leia. Jack said that Leia wanted to escape. Queenie had already found out everything Leia had done. When Jack showed her all the evidence he umted, she could not believe that Leia, whom she had put her heart and soul into raising, had turned out into someone like that! Queenie felt bitter. However, what could she do about it? Leia hadmitted so many crimes. No matter how much she loved her daughter, she knew that the things she did had caused harm to not only her but Jack and Bianca too. She could not let Leia continue on like this. Queenie stayed up all night in misery until she finally cleared up her thoughts, so when Jack told her that Leia wanted to escape, she agreed to his n. If this matter had nothing to do with Leia, the n would not hurt her. This was Queenie''sst hope for Leia, so she wished that all the evidence from the police would show that Leia was not involved in harming them and Luca. However, why would someone who was not guilty try to escape? Therefore, even though Queenie still had hope, she had alsoe to ept her suspicions. When Luca heard Jack''s cough, she knew that he was not actually clearing his throat but reminding Queenie. Luke had told her about Mr. and Mrs. Norman being discharged. Luke also said that he had people watching over Leia. Now that Matysh''s detention notice was out, Leia was definitely restless, so she must be trying to run away. Thus, he also mentioned that the Normans were trying to keep Leia here. Luca could tell by looking at them that they were trying to use this afternoon as an opportunity to keep Leia home. If she stayed, it would be difficult for them to do anything. Luca had no sisterly affection for Leia as she had framed her many times before, which led to the situation today. Luca also hoped that Leia would pay for what she had done. Thus, she rejected Queenie''s invitation. ¡°It''s okay, Mrs. Norman. I have to go back to thepany. I''m about to take up a new project, so I need to head back and take a look." "You''re so busy at work," Queenie drew her eyebrows together. She knew that Luca was in the pharmaceutical industry, but she did not expect her to be this busy. "Are there any healthcare professionals who aren''t busy?" said Jack. If not for them, humans would not be living suchfortable lives. The number of new viruses was increasing each day, and medicine was also advancing to prevent those viruses from taking the lives of people. Although he was a politician, he knew that much at least. Jack told Luca, "No matter how busy you are, don''t forget to eat. Rest if you''re tired, and don''t burn yourself out." "I know." Luca felt warm all over. Although she was not Bianca, she still won them over by being sincerely kind to them. "I''ll be going back to work now, Mr. and Mrs. Norman." If she did not leave now, Leia might show up any minute. "Alright, stay safe on the road," Jack told Luca. Then, Luca waved to the couple before leaving Norman Residence. Not long after she left, Leia brought Surabaya to the family''s mansion. Leia stood in front of Jack and Queenie as she looked them up and down. She pretended to care about them. "Mom, Dad, I''m so d that you''re fine." Jack felt disgusted by her acting. Leia used to work in the entertainment industry. Although she did not have any outstanding works, she still made use of her resources to be the lead actress in many productions. Many years after retiring from the industry, she still had her acting skills. Just like right now... Her tears and words of concern made tears well up in Queenie''s eyes. Chapter 2796 Queenie showed Jack the markings on top and said, "The owner reserved these for me and made these markings." Jack snorted coldly and deliberately said, "We bought these for ourselves!" Returning the things Queenie had given to her only meant that they had bought these for themselves! Leia''s words were well said. If it were someone else''s parents, they would be touched by their children giving such nice gifts. However, the truth was, this was truly nothing. These supplements were Queenie''s sincere intention. They were bought at a high price, yet Leia had the audacity to spout such nonsense. Did she think that no one would notice since the packaging was more or less the same? Sura stood beside them, lowering her head innocently. Sura initially wanted to remind them, but she did not expect Queenie to notice the anomaly. After all, the supplements had the same packaging and were from the same store. No one would have thought that there would be markings left by the store owner on the packaging! That was such a coincidence. Leia was destined to lose. Just when she had finally won Queenie''s sympathy by putting on a show, it all crumbled in an instant. The tears Leia shed and the concern she showed turned out to be futile. "Hmph! All those sweet talking and you still believed her. Now you know what kind of person she is. She''s hopeless, huh?" Jack added insult to injury. If Queenie could not see the truth, she would still choose to take Leia''s side. That would not be helping Leia, and it would get her in trouble instead. A loving mother would always end up spoiling her child. Leia was a failure raised by the Norman family. Jack had epted that. Hence, he had no ns to let her do whatever she wanted. Queenie fell silent. The emotions that were stirred by Leia''s concern for her vanished the moment she saw the markings. Leia said she cared about them and was worried about them. However, she showed such insincere gestures. Who would show their concern in such a way? Even those who tried to suck up to Jack knew that they should buy new products instead of giving away past gifts. Queenie''s heart grewpletely cold toward Leia. "Dear, let''s do whatever needs to be done..." Queenie slowly muttered. She then picked up the supplements. "Why are you still keeping them?" Jack thought it was bad luck when he saw that Queenie intended to keep the supplements. Leia''s intentions were nothing but a joke! "These are all good supplements that I paid for. They shouldn''t go to waste," replied Queenie. She emphasized that she had bought them, not because they were a gift from Leia. Sura grasped every detail of the conversation and understood that Queenie had given up on Leia. A loving mother would no longer hold on to any hope after her child had disappointed her countless times. Queenie had been pushed to the point where she could no longer show any affection toward Leia. Queenie walked into the storage room. Jack lifted his head and said to Sura, who stood beside him, "You did well. Thank you." He expressed his gratitude because Sura had deliberately reminded Queenie and made her realize that everything Leia had done just now was an act. Leia did not deserve any sympathy. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Mr. Norman, you don''t have to thank me. I just can''t tolerate Ms. Norman''s behavior," replied Sura, somewhat surprised that Jack would thank her. However, what she did was only something ordinary. Sura often engaged in simr actions. She would provoke Leia and add fuel to the fire when she was in a bad mood. Also, she made everyone hate Leia when she was in the hospital. However, it would only work if Leia had such a personality to begin with. Leia, who was changing her clothes upstairs, had no idea about the situation. She was still basking in the satisfaction of her emotionally stirring performance just now. So what if Queenie''s affection for her waned? Did she not make herself loved again with her superb acting skills? As long as Queenie''s heart was captured by her, there was nothing Jack could do to her. After changing her clothes, Leia refused to give up and called Mandy. Mandy''s phone continued to go unanswered... When did she fly to New York? Leia was uneasy. There was no way she could hit the timing right and expect when Mandy wouldnd. After all, Leia had no idea when Mandy left. At noon, Rain headed to the water room after lunch. "How''s it going?" she asked the man standing guard at the door in a low voice. "Everything''s normal," reported the man. "Mandy''s hands and feet are tied, her eyes are blindfolded, and her mouth is gagged. How could anything go wrong?" Rain walked into the room. She could feel the dampness in the air. It gave her an ufortable feeling. However, Mandy was the one suffering the most. The air was so muggy that it made her feel ufortable. Her weakened nerves kept heightening her senses. She felt like she was drowning in hot water. The dripping water was not hot, but the heating in the room made her feel wet and hot... The heat could not dry her soaked clothes either. Her wet clothes made her feel neither cold nor hot but simply ufortable. It was an indescribable sensation. Rain looked at her with disgust and took the cloth out of her mouth. "You''ve been here for four hours." Mandy shivered when she heard Rain''s voice. She did not say anything and just begged for mercy, "Please, spare me. I don''t know anything." "Do you have any idea what trouble you''ve caused? Do you think I''m a fool?" Rain could not be easily deceived. She threw the loaf of bread to the man nearby and said, "Feed her." The man nodded. He split the bread into pieces and shoved them into Mandy''s mouth. Mandy suddenly realized that these people had no intention of killing her. They only wanted her to tell the truth by torturing and interrogating her. If Mandy refused to eat or drink anything, they would take her to the hospital if her body could no longer take it. That would be the perfect opportunity to escape! Mandy immediately spat out the bread even though she was hungry. She refused to eat. Starving for two days would not kill her. These people would not dare to let her starve herself. They would be murderers if she died. Rain sneered when she saw that Mandy refused to eat. "Are you sure you''re not eating? I''ll only be coming back in six hours." Mandy did not respond. Rain snorted coldly. Mandy thought that by doing so, Rain would be left with no options. She grabbed Mandy''s chin and lifted it up. Mandy instinctively opened her mouth. Rain stuffed the cloth gag back into her mouth. "Starving yourself, huh? Do you think I''ll just stand here and watch you die? You''re too naive." She walked out of the water room after that. It did not take long before Rain returned. This time, she carried a small tray in her hands. There were syringes and arge bottle of nutrient solution. She instructed her subordinates to set up a stand next to Mandy. The stand did not block the water droplets. They continued to fall rhythmically onto Mandy''s forehead. Mandy could hear the noises around her. However, she did not know what they were doing. The fear of not being able to see anything made her be even more sensitive.ab Chapter 2797 It was when a sharp pain shot through her hand and it felt as though a needle was piercing her vein did Mandy finally realize that Rain was giving her an injection! A sense of fear rose from the soles of her feet and ascended to the top of her head. Could it be that this woman was really capable of murdering someone? Did she run out of patience and decide to poison and kill her? Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Rain skillfullypleted the procedure. Then, she chuckled and patted Mandy''s cheek. She did it gently this time. "Do you think that starving yourself can force us to release you? Don''t worry, I have IV drips that can sustain your life. You won''t die! If you refuse to tell me the truth, I''ll continue to give you drips until they aren''t enough to keep you alive. Then, I''ll insert a feeding tube through your nose and give you liquid food. That''s how patients in vegetative states survive. You''re destined to live." Mandy felt despair. She did not expect Rain to be so cruel. The idea that she just came up with was countered by her right away. Moreover, Rain acted without hesitation. She did not even give her a chance to negotiate. Rain said to the person beside her, "Someone will being to do a shift handover with you shortly. Remember to remind them toe in every hour and confirm whether Ms. Sanders is still alive or not. Oh, by the way, when the IV drip finishes, remove the needle for her to avoid blood backflow. She''s too weak now." Rain turned around and left after giving her instructions. She sat in the living room. She furrowed her brows while reporting to Luke, "Mandy still refuses to say anything." A person who feared death was afraid of going to prison too. However, Mandy had not truly experienced a near-death encounter yet. She probably would not confess that easily and risk being thrown into prison. "Keep going," replied Luke. Mandy must confess everything. In A City''s detention center, Marcos and Ethan were sitting on the chairs. ording to thews of A City, family members were not allowed to visit someone who had been detained. Hence, Marcos did note to visit Matysh as his nephew but as Ethan''s assistant. The police officers in the detention center escorted Matysh to the room. Just as Marcos had expected, Matysh looked disheveled. His beard covered his entire face, and his hair was messy. Apart from his rtively clean cheeks, he looked like a refugee wandering on the streets of Russia. There was an incredulous expression on Ethan''s face. Where did the Matysh who was full of vigor go? How did he end up in such a state after being sent to the detention center? "Mr. Matysh!" Matysh ignored Ethan''s expression and looked at Marcos. His wretchedness stood in stark contrast to Marcos'' morous appearance. They were never really close. They merely maintained a facade of harmony for the sake of Old Master Abaza and the family''s reputation. Their hearts had long been detached. Matysh felt displeased when Marcos happened to see him in such a state. He questioned in an annoyed tone, "What are you doing here?" Marcos turned to look at Ethan with a calm expression on his face and said, "He asked me toe." The three of them spoke in Russian, but the police officer who was assigned to watch Matysh could only understand English. As he was concerned that they might be discussing some unfavorable information, he tapped the table and reminded them, "English, please." Matysh red at him. He spoke English with an ent, and he was not good at it. However, this man insisted that he spoke English. Would that not be another embarrassing moment in front of Marcos? Matysh had always believed that he was superior to Marcos. After all, their bloodline and genes were different. At this moment, he formed a stark contrast with Marcos. He was disheveled and haggard. It was a big blow to his sense of superiority. Matysh refused to ept the current state of affairs. He glowered at Ethan. His family had asked him to be his defense attorney. Why did he bring Marcos along? Did he bring him here tough at him? Ethan felt intimidated when Matysh red at him that way. He wondered if he had made a mistake. Should he not have brought Marcos here? He wanted to tell Matysh that Marcos was his nephew and he was here to help him in his time of need. However, how could he help without understanding the entire situation? "Mr. Matysh, I''m here to defend you. I just got all the documents from the police, but they''re currently being tranted. I''d like to hear about what happened at that time and the incident of breaking into someone''s home and injuring the owners." Ethan straightened out his attitude, understanding that regardless of whether bringing Marcos was the right or wrong thing to do, what mattered the most now was to understand the full sequence of events. He initially wanted to see the case file provided by the police. However, he did not expect the detention center in A City to be so careless. They detained a foreigner, yet they did not even bother to prepare a tranted case file. They imed that their trantor was on sick leave... His trantor was outside, tranting those case files now. Matysh had no intention of discussing the previous events, especially not in front of Marcos. He did not expect things to escte to such a serious extent, not to mention that the reason why the police officers came looking for him was not because of the home invasion case but rather the suicide of a teenager that happened several years ago! That happened a couple of years ago. If the police had not brought it up, he would not have remembered the illegal act hemitted that night. Of course, he would never admit to such an act, but the evidence against him was substantial. Therefore, Matysh had been waiting for Ethan to arrive. Now, Ethan was here, but the first thing he did had already made Matysh unhappy. He actually brought Marcos, the disgrace of their family, along with him! What was he here for? Could he use money to broaden his connections? Matysh had no expectations for him. Their family had no power or influence here. It would be difficult for them to solve problems with money! Moreover, the girl''s father was determined to see him held ountable under thew. There was no way they could cover up the matter no matter how much money was offered. That was why Matysh did not expect anything from Marcos. The only thing Marcos could do was help to arrange a localwyer to assist him and Ethan in the lawsuit. However, Matysh dared not to use thewyer Marcos found for him either. If he were to go to prison in A City, Marcos would be the biggest beneficiary. The Abaza family would lose their heir and the only person left to inherit the family''s wealth would be Marcos! Ethan noticed Matysh''s gloomy expression and his silence, which made him feel impatient. Was Matysh still acting like a spoiled young master at this point? How ridiculous! Matysh refusing to speak to thewyer would not solve anything. Ethan continued, "Mr. Matysh, I understand that you''re upset, but I can''t help you if you don''t speak the truth.¡± Matysh gave his orders in an arrogant manner, "Ask him to get out of here." He pointed at Marcos. Ethan looked at Marcos in astonishment. Marcos, on the other hand, immediately understood and said to Ethan with a smile on his face, "I told you. He doesn''t like me. Still, you insisted on bringing me here." Ethan''s face reddened, realizing that what Marcos said was true. He did not expect Matysh to look down on Marcos when things had alreadye to this point. If he were to get out of here, he would still need Marcos'' help. Otherwise, why would Marcose to A City? "Please give us a moment." Ethan was left with no choice. The top priority now was to get Matysh to disclose the details of what happened. Chapter 2798 Marcos did not mind being kicked out of the room. After he left, he walked to the entrance of the detention center. Kastov was surprised to see him walk out of the room. "Why did you get out so quickly?" "Matysh doesn''t want me to see him in such a miserable state." Marcos chuckled as he took a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and handed it to Kastov. "Thanks." Kastov took one cigarette out andmented on Matysh''s behavior, "He''s not wise at all. He thinks he doesn''t need your help, but he''ll regret it." "He wouldn''t trust me even if I am willing to help him." Marcos never did anything that was not worth the effort. Therefore, he had no intention of helping Matysh. Besides, there was no need for him to pretend to be eager to help Matysh. After all, it would be pointless since Matysh would not believe him. However, Luke also said that he had to put Matysh under pressure. When one was on edge, one''s vulnerabilities and shorings tended to be ringly obvious. When Matysh got desperate, he would implicate all those behind him. Luke wanted Leia to go to jail, so Marcos might as well lend him a hand. After all, he owed Luke a favor. He was just helping out with a small favor, nothing more. That was why Marcos showed up when Ethan asked him toe. There was no way Matysh could remain calm when he saw him. "Have you sorted out your matters?" Kastov asked again. He was close to Marcos. He came to A City to help Marcos to find his biological mother, and Marcos knew that. "I''ve made the arrangements. There are others cooperating as well." Marcos looked around and wondered how long would Matysh be sentenced this time. After Marcos left, Matysh nced at the police officers. Ethan had no choice but to tell the police, "I''d like to ask some questions." The police officer understood what that meant. They were asking him to step aside. After all, Matysh had not been sentenced yet. Hiswyer had the right to request for time alone when they were talking to each other. The police officer left and locked the door. "Mr. Matysh, it''s just the two of us now. I''m here on behalf of Old Master Abaza to help you clear your suspicions and get out of here. Please, you must tell me the truth," said Ethan as he emphasized the importance of telling the truth. He knew what kind of person Matysh was. The rape case involving the teenage girl was certainly not a false usation. Matysh must have done something like that for the police to file charges against him in rtion to this case. There was another case that was definitely rted to Matysh. Ethan had to find out about it. "It was me. So, how do you n to help me clear my name now?" asked Matysh. Ethan furrowed his brows. Matysh readily admitted it. He replied, "Why don''t you give me the details?" "It''s been so many years. How can I remember the details?" Matysh frowned as he thought of calling Ethan a blockhead. He had never thought that there was anything wrong with ying with women. Hence, those women whom he could remember either had exceptionally outstanding looks or... Matysh could not remember the teenage girl whomitted suicide. Ethan did not expect him to say that. A girl ended her life because of his insult. Yet Matysh said that he could not remember anything about it. His conscience remained untouched, devoid of any remorse. Ethan could not help but feel repulsed. However, he was Matysh''s defensewyer. If he returned to Russia without handling this well, it would bring dire consequences to him. He had to take a different approach and delve into another case. "What about the other case? It hasn''t been long since that one. Please try to recall any details you remember." Matysh felt annoyed, but he did not want to go to prison either. Therefore, he told him what happened. Ethan finally understood that Matysh was charged with these crimes because of women. Furthermore, the second case had to do with the woman right next to Luke! Both cases involved women. Was this karma for messing around with women? Matysh asked with an impatient look on his face, "Any more questions?" Ethan shook his head. Judging from his tone, if he continued to ask questions, Matysh would probably p him in the face. "Mr. Matysh, don''t worry. I''ll handle this well. I''ll also hire the most renowned attorney in A City to help fight your case in thewsuit," assured Ethan. However, Matysh was unconvinced. Then, he reminded Ethan, "Bear in mind that you can''t let Marcos intervene in this matter." "Yes, Sir..." Ethan took note of it. He could see why Matysh wanted it that way. Even though they were on good terms back then, Matysh indulged in a life of pleasure while Marcos managed the family business for him. At the end of the day, the two of them were rivals. It was normal for Matysh not to trust Marcos. Ethan was too eager to help Matysh earlier and did not expect this. "Also, you have to promise me that I''ll be safe." Matysh clenched his fist tightly. This matter must be rted to the Crawford family in A City. Luke''spany and M Group were in a cooperative alliance. Perhaps Luke and Marcos were working together to put him in prison. Once he ended up in prison, M Group would bepletely under Marcos'' control! It was good news for Marcos. If Matysh was able to get out safely, he would take over M Group as he had promised Old Master Abaza. He would stop fooling around and manage thepany. When he got married and had children, his child would be the first heir, and Marcos would have nothing to do with thepany. Therefore, it was beneficial for Marcos to lock him up in the prison of A City. It was also a good thing for Luke. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Not only could it solidify hispany''s rtionship with M Group, but his woman would also be safe. The incident that involved the girl was so long ago. Could the police still find evidence to reopen the case? Besides, the Norman family... Matysh only realized that everything that happened was targeted at him. They were zeroing in for the kill. A City had death sentences as punishment. If hemitted something even more serious, Luke might just have him killed. Ethan was taken aback. Promise? How could he promise that? Lawyers were like doctors in a way. Before performing the surgery, doctors could not promise their patients that everything would be fine. They could only tell their patients that they would do their best. It was the same forwyers. They had no idea how it would turn out until the case reached its final verdict. Therefore, they could only tell their clients that they would do their best to defend them. Even the most innocent clients were left in uncertainty, so nowyer would dare to offer assurances, for the tides of evidence shifted with each passing moment. "Mr. Matysh, I''ll try my best to defend you," said Ethan. His voice sounded hoarse. He had no choice but to say that. However, Matysh was not satisfied with his answer. "I want you to promise me that I''ll be fine!" His words rang out with unwavering conviction and power. He had had enough of these days in custody! No cigarettes, no alcohol, and no women! Even if he had arge sum of money in his bank ount, it meant nothing when he was in this detention facility of A City! The police officer refused to ept his bribes. Ethan hung his head in despair and replied, "It''s hard to say, but I''ll do my best." After that, Ethan stood up and left in a hurry. He asked the police officer who stood outside to open the door. He was afraid that Matysh''s p wouldnd on his face if he were a momentte. Chapter 2799 Matysh watched Ethan leave hurriedly from behind with a gloomy expression on his face. If he managed to get out of here, he would definitely leverage the power of his family and bring the Crawford family to utter ruins! Watson Biopharmaceuticals. Luca sat in her office, handling a pile of documents. She could feel her head throbbing when she was going through the documents after conducting numerous experiments. Luca picked up thendline on her desk and dialed her assistant''s number. "Ms. Stone, pleasee to my office." "Alright, Dr. Craw," replied Mo Stone. She hung up the phone and headed to Luca''s office. She knocked on Luca''s office door. "Come in." Mo Stone pushed the door open and politely asked, "Dr. Craw, what can I do for you?" "These documents have been sorted out. Help me take them out and make two copies of each. I need to deliver them to T Corporation," Luca pointed at the files in front of her. Since Watson Pharmaceuticals did not have a general manager at the moment, all the important documents had to be reviewed by Luke himself. After Luca finished preparing the budget report for the research funding application, she also had to hand it to Luke and wait for his approval. "Alright, Dr. Craw. I''ll take care of it right away," replied Mo Stone as she disyed a diligent and responsible work attitude. She picked up the documents, returned to the assistant''s office, and began photocopying the documents. Inside the assistant''s office, Rhett was also busy with his work. There were a few professors'' assistants there too. "Are these Dr. Craw''s documents?" asked Rhett. Luca was the only one in the entire office who had a pile of documents to be copied. There were many tedious paperwork tasks for her to deal with before the start of a new project. "Yes, they''re all Dr. Craw''s. Is it for the research funding application?" Mo Stone nced at the contents of the documents and made a guess. Dr. Jackson''s assistant could not help but speak in an envious tone, "Dr. Craw is truly amazing. She finished one project so quickly and barely took a break, yet now she''s starting another research project." "Rhett, you''re lucky to be working with Dr. Craw. But I guess you''re also really busy, huh?" Dr. Linwood''s assistant went along and teased him. "It''s all work. It''s not like what you said." Rhett did not answer their questions. "How much research funding is Dr. Craw applying this time?" asked Dr. Jackson''s assistant. Rhett remained silent. Mo Stone knew the amount, but she did not answer either. Dr. Jackson''s assistant eventually turned to Mo Stone and asked, "Ms. Stone?" "That should be kept within Dr. Craw''s research team. Why? Are you thinking of moving to another team?" Mo Stone did not answer his question. Everyone was highly sensitive to this now after what happened to the general manager. Even though it was not ssified information, Mo Stone knew Luca''s leadership style prioritized confidentiality. She did not want to risk losing her job. That was why she avoided mentioning it. "Haha, look at what you''re saying. Can I switch teams even if I want to? I don''t have the qualifications or experience to be a researcher," Dr. Jackson''s assistantughed awkwardly. In this field, they were only eligible to be researchers once they had enough experience. Fresh graduates like them who had just started the job could only be research professors'' assistants. They had no choice but to do some grunt work under the professors'' guidance. Who would want to be an assistant if they could be a researcher? Being an assistant meant low wages and a heavy workload. Although they could participate in experiments, their involvement was limited to peripheral tasks. If the professor was kind enough, they might get some guidance. If it was the other way around, they would have to figure things out on their own while dealing with a pile of paperwork. Assistants like Rhett, who worked closely with Luca in theboratory and were responsible for many research tasks, were rare. Everyone envied Rhett for having apetent and good-tempered boss who delegated research work to assistants. If Rhett were to resign, they would definitely apply for a transfer immediately. However, Rhett had no such ns, so how could they get the chance? Thepany only allocated one assistant to each research professor. There was no way they couldpete with him. "So, are you still curious about Dr. Craw''s research? Wait until she finalizes everything and it''ll be revealed in the next meeting.¡± Mo Stone dropped a hint, implying that it was not something he should be curious about. Although it was not ssified information, curiosity could kill the cat. Deep down, Rhett agreed with Mo Stone. These people had nothing better to do. Dr. Linwood''s assistant immediately stood up and headed toward the office entrance. "I need to prepare research records for Dr. Linwood." Dr. Jackson''s research team member wore a slightly awkward expression and changed the subject. "Have you heard that thepany ns to hire another research professor?" Mo Stone paused for a moment. She knew about this. However, it was not decided yet. She felt that the difference between having one more or one fewer research professor would not bring a significant impact on Watson Biopharmaceuticals. It was simr to whether the position of general manager was filled or vacant. It did not have much impact. The department leaders appointed by Luke, whether it was Jason or someone else, were sitting securely in their respective positions. No one dared to make trouble. Regardless of Luke or any other general manager, the subordinates continued to handle thepany''s affairs day in and day out. Now, there were rumors that thepany would be hiring a new research professor. There was news of a new general manager not long ago too! It seemed that actions were being taken, but the candidates who applied did not meet Luke''s expectations. That was why the general manager''s position remained vacant. "Why aren''t you talking?" Mo Stone, Rhett, and Dr. Jackson''s assistant were the only ones in the office. None of them spoke, so Dr. Jackson''s assistant found it boring. "I heard about it. Are you nning to switch teams if they hire a new research professor?" asked Mo Stone. "Why do you keep asking me if I''m switching teams? I''m doing fine here with Dr. Jackson," Dr. Jackson''s assistant frowned. Dr. Jackson was currently the head of the department. Even though the official appointment had not been made yet, it was only a matter of time. What was the point of leaving someone who was in charge for someone new? "Why are you so curious since you''re not switching teams?" Mo Stone ced the copied documents into their respective folders. "It just feels a bit boring here. I just thought I''d find something to talk about," Dr. Jackson''s assistant replied awkwardly. There was more activity andmunication among colleagues in the other offices. Their assistant''s office, on the other hand, was usually quiet.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. asional exchanges were work-rted, and they did not spend much time in the office. Their job was to assist the research professors with document processing whenever they were in the office. Dr. Jackson''s assistant was in the office today because Dr. Jackson had gone back to the university for a meeting. There was not much for him to do in theboratory. The other researchers also found him a hindrance when he tried to help. He had no choice but to stay in the office. "We''re busy," said Mo Stone, finally finishing the task of making duplicate copies of the documents as requested. Then, she left with the documents in her arms. Dr. Jackson''s assistant rubbed his nose and shifted his gaze to Rhett. "Mr. Link?" He gently called out his name. "Yes?" Rhett did not look up. "Do you think Dr. Craw is easy to get along with?" asked Dr. Jackson''s assistant. "Yes," Rhett continued to work on the documents. The way he spoke gave the impression of ack of genuine effort. Chapter 2800 Dr. Jackson''s assistant stopped talking when he sensed Rhett''s attitude. He walked out of the office. After Luca received the well-copied documents from Mo Stone, she checked all the documents once to ensure there were no errors. Then, she ced them all in her briefcase and left the office. Five minutes ago, Luca had already asked Warren to wait for her downstairs. Warren opened the back door of the car when he saw Lucaing down. After she got into the car, Warren sat back in the driver''s seat and drove to T Corporation. Meanwhile, Marcos and the others returned to the hotel and began to take action. After Marcos received a phone call, he opened the door and went downstairs. Ethan happened to be walking out of his room the moment Marcos opened the door. Marcos raised an eyebrow when he saw Ethane out. He found out that there were no bugging devices or surveince cameras inside the room with Kastov''s equipment. However, Ethan happened to open the door ande out of his room as soon as Marcos stepped out. Were there really no bugging devices... Marcos nced at the entrance of the suite and immediately understood. "Where are you going?" asked Ethan. "Mr. Crawford asked me to attend a meeting at hispany," replied Marcos. Ethan frowned. "Why are there so many meetings? You''re not up to something, are you?" "Do you have any idea howplicated it is to have twopanies work together? Mr. Ethan, you''re a lawyer. Do you even know how to handle coborative projects?" questioned Marcos. Ethan did not understand these, indeed. He gave him a suspicious look. "Mr. Ethan, Mr. Matysh has made it clear that he doesn''t need my help. I can''t do anything to help him with you watching me," Marcos reminded him. "What you need to do now is clear his name. The whole family is counting on you." After that, Marcos turned around and went downstairs. This time, Kastov did not apany him because he had other ns. Ethan clenched his fist and nced at the door of Marcos'' suite. He gave a cold snort. Then, he withdrew his gaze and returned to his suite. Marcos did not need to send someone to watch over him. The one who did not trust him was not Ethan but someone else in Russia! Marcos went downstairs and headed straight to the hotel''s parking lot. Luke had arranged a chauffeur for him. Marcos got into the car, and inside, Gale was sitting there. "Hello, Mr. Marcos," Gale greeted him. He wore the exact same clothes as him. "Thank you for your hard work," said Marcos. Luke had sent Gale to assist Marcos. Gale even dyed his hair the same color and had the same haircut as him. He would be another Marcos if one did not look at his face. ording to the n, the chauffeur would drive to T Corporation and park at the entrance. Gale would y his role and get out of the car at the entrance. Then, he would enter T Corporation. After that, the chauffeur would enter the parking lot and exit through another exit. He would then take Marcos to the outskirts of A City. "The truth is, I should be thanking you for giving me a break," Gale said with a smile on his face. Since he had to impersonate Marcos, all the remaining tasks were left to Rain to handle. All he had to do was y the role of Marcos. After he entered T Corporation''s building, he would head to the reception room. Then, he wouldy low and wait for Marcos'' text. Upon receiving it, he would pretend to get into the car and return to the hotel. He would be able to leave after that. It was such a simple task. It gave him a lot more free time too. Besides, if he wore a wig and changed his clothes, it was alright for him to leave T Corporation! "Mr. Gale, there seems to be a car following behind us." The chauffeur noticed that a car was tailing them. "Don''t worry about it. Keep driving," replied Gale. He had put on a cap when he got into the car earlier. Even if a car was following them, those people would not discover their n. Moreover, their car had tinted windows, making it quite difficult for others to take a look at who was in the car. Marcos, on the other hand, snorted coldly. That Russian guy did not trust him indeed. Not only did he send Ethan but also someone else... However, Marcos had a few good friends in A City. How could that trash possibly track him? The car arrived at the entrance of T Corporation, and Gale handed Marcos the same cap. "Mr. Marcos, put this on. It''s new." "Thank you," replied Marcos as he put on the cap. Gale took off his cap, lowered his head a little, and pushed the car door open before striding into T Corporation. Those working at T Corporation would recognize him with just a nce. Hence, no one stopped him. Gale walked quickly to the elevator and faced away from the entrance. He pressed the button. At the same time, the chauffeur arrived at the underground parking lot and then left T Corporation through another exit. He sent Marcos all the way to the outskirts of A City. "Mr. Marcos, Boss said that it might not be easy to find the right ce at this time. I can''t drive into these narrow alleys, so I''ll wait for you here. If you get tired, feel free toe back and rest in the car. It''ll be easier to find her at around five or six o''clock," exined the chauffeur. It was working hours now. Even though they were on the outskirts, most of the residents here were office workers. People were busy at work at this time. Moreover, Marcos'' mother lived here alone. It was unlikely that she was unemployed. She probably had a job too. Luke believed that it would be highly improbable to find her here at this time. The doors of every household were tightly closed during working hours. It would be difficult for Marcos if he wanted to ask about a middle-aged foreign woman with ethnic features. After all, those who struggle to survive in A City would seek slightly cheaper rentpared to the prices in the city center. Most of the people here were migrants. They dealt with immense life pressures. Also, they usually would not bring their elderly parents or children over. As a result, the suburbs were even quieter than the city center during working hours. Marcos nodded and replied, "Okay." He pushed the car door open while wearing the cap given by Gale. Marcos did not think that he would find his mother after one or two attempts. If it were that easy, it would not have taken over a month for Luke''s men to find this ce. Finding someone was never easy. It was especially so when he was looking for someone who was believed to have passed away over 20 years ago. ... Luca arrived at the door of Luke''s office with the documents in her hands. She knocked on the door and only pushed it open after she heard Luke say, "Come in." "Mr. Crawford, there are some documents that need your review." Luca pushed the door open. She initially intended to have Jason deliver them, but no one was in the assistant''s office. She went to check the secretary''s office, but no one was there either. With both the assistant''s office and the secretary''s office empty at the same time, Luca could not help but wonder if the CEO''s office was unupied too. However, she thought it was unlikely since she had informed Luke earlier, so she knew that he was in the office beforeing here. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. No one was there to help Luca deliver the documents to him. Hence, she had to do it herself. As she uttered those words, she realized that Gale was sitting on the sofa in Luke''s office. Chapter 2801 "Hi, Dr. Craw," Gale greeted her smilingly. ¡°Mr. Gale, am I interrupting?" Luca noticed that Gale had changed his hairstyle, and he was dressed differently too. He looked like someone familiar. She would have thought that he was Marcos if she had not seen his face. ¡°No, I just came to my boss'' office to have a seat. Gordan said that the sofa in his office isfortable and perfect for lying down. He was right," Gale saidughingly. Luke looked annoyed. It seemed that Gordan was a bad influence, so he should not let them get too close. Luca nced at Gale and Luke before cing the documents on the desk. Luke said, ¡°Don''t go. I''ll have a look right now." He decided to pause the work at hand to read the documents Luca brought over. ¡°Okay." Luca nodded and sat on another sofa. She would not have noticed if Gale had not mentioned it, but the sofa was actually prettyfortable. ¡°So? It''sfy, right? My boss knows what''s good," Gales whispered. Lucaughed. Gale changed the topic. ¡°Dr. Craw, don''t you think I look like someone else today?" ¡°You look like Mr. Marcos," Luca answered. ¡°Yup, I''m impersonating Mr. Marcos. What do you think? Do I look like him? I cut and dyed my hair yesterday." Gale showed off to her. After Luke nned out the mission, he went to the top hair salon in A City for a hairdo. ¡°You look a lot like him. If it weren''t for your facial features, I would''ve thought that you were him." Luca nodded. Then, she grew curious. ¡°Why are you dressing up like him?" ¡°I... Mr. Crawford, can I tell her?" Gale asked Luke. ¡°She''s one of us." Luke did not say much, but Gale understood what he meant. He said, ¡°Mr. Marcos is here to look for his family, but his family in Russia has been watching him, so I''m pretending to be him to distract them." Luca understood what was going on. Marcos must not let the people in Russia know about his search for his biological mother, or else, she would be in danger. Gale disguising as Marcos would help divert their attention. Even if someone were to follow Marcos, all they could do was wait by the road because not everyone was allowed to enter T Corporation. Thus, they would not be able to go up even if they walked into the building. Having business to discuss with Luke was a good excuse, and with the help of Gale, Marcos could sessfully find his biological mother. ¡°Mr. Gale, if you knew how to do prosthetic makeup, you might be able to do things in Mr. Marcos'' ce," Luca murmured. That way, others would not get the impression that Marcos was going to T Corporation every single day. After all, T Corporation and M Group''s coboration had already reached a mature stage. The Russians would get suspicious if Marcos continueding here... Matysh was in prison right now. Though he was arrested for something that happened a few years ago, he was charged with another crime too. If they investigated this new crime, they would find out that it had something to do with Luke. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Prosthetic makeup? I don''t know how to do it. Do you, Dr. Craw? If you do, you can teach me!" Gale asked smilingly as the Ind of Despair did not teach anything like this. After Luca mentioned it, he thought that perhaps the Ind of Despair was teaching it now. Gale assumed that she somewhat knew how to do it. Luca shook her head. "I don''t. I was just kidding. Isn''t thismon in films?" She was not lying. She actually did not know how to do prosthetic makeup. Back on the Ind of Despair, there was someone who looked like they were from A City, but she was not sure if they were actually from here as everyone on the Ind of Despair either spoke Russian or German. That person spoke Russian fluently, and Luca had never heard him speak any othernguage. He even spoke German with a Russian ent. He knew how to do prosthetic makeup. Prosthetic makeup was like modern cosmetics and special effects makeup that was often seen on television to change the shape of a person''s face. It was simr to imitation makeupmonly seen on the inte where they would often use makeup to transform their appearance to look like someone else. However, imitation makeup only looked good onscreen as the lighting softened its appearance. In reality, the makeup would look heavy and unnatural. It was different with the person on the Ind of Despair. Whoever he transformed, they would look natural enough to walk on the streets without anyone suspecting that it was a disguise. That was the difference between prosthetics and imitation makeup. Gale was disappointed to hear her say that. "I believe that there are still experts in prosthetic makeup out there. Dr. Craw, you''d better watch out. If an expert disguises themselves as Mr. Crawford, you must be able to notice the anomaly!" "Pfft." Luca was amused by what he said. How many prosthetic makeup experts were there? Although the person from the Ind of Despair had top-notch skills, he was not perfect. For instance, there were other factors like height, physique, and many more. It might be easy to impersonate a fat person, but how would one impersonate a skinnier person? The person from the Ind of Despair may be an expert, but the most he could do was make one''s face look thinner. There was no way he could change one''s body shape. Not to mention the height. If someone wanted to impersonate someone just slightly taller or shorter than them, he could do so with insoles. If someone wanted to imitate someone way taller or shorter than them, insoles would not cut it. Therefore, prosthetic makeup was not always a sure thing. However, if that person on the Ind of Despair were to disguise Gale as Marcos, that would not be a problem. Both of them had simr physiques. If he just fixed up Gale''s face a little, he would definitely look like Marcos. "Both of you sure do have a lot to talk about," said Luke. He was so bossy that he did not like Luca laughing at other men''s jokes. Even if that person was Gale, who had no interest in Luca. After sensing Luke''s jealousy, Gale instantly stood up and yawned. "I''m a little sleepy. Mr. Crawford, I''ll go nap in the reception room. If anyonees overter, tell Mr. Doyle not to let them into the reception room over there." He immediately left after that without waiting for Luke to reply. Men were not any less jealous than women, especially those who were as possessive as Luke. Not to mention he was possessive over only one woman. Gale did not think that it was a good idea to offend him, so he escaped. He did not want Luke to send him on a mission somewhere far away once his business here was done. Life here was good, and Gale did not want to suffer in remote mountainous areas. Luca watched Gale flee from the CEO''s office like a frightened rabbit before thinking about what Luke said just now. A lot to talk about? Did he think that Gale talked too much? Was he jealous? When Luca realized that he was jealous of Gale making herugh, she immediately stopped smiling and put on a serious face. Chapter 2802 "What''s with that look?" Luke closed the file and looked at her. He skimmed through all the documents without looking at them carefully. Luca was the one who sent them over, so there should not be a problem with them. As for the research funds, she could have as much as she wanted. ¡°Mr. Crawford, I thought you didn''t like cheeky smiles?" Luca blinked. She knew that Luke would never be angry at her, but she said that on purpose to tease him. Luke folded his hands together and rubbed his chin. Was she teasing him? The audacity! He liked that look on her. She was the woman he loved, so he liked any look on her face. "I don''t like it on others, but I like your cheeky smile," Luke teased her. Bianca used to blush whenever she got teased, and it was the same for Luca now. He watched Luca''s face turn red instantly. The smile on Luke''s thin lips made her heart beat even faster. His serious face alone was enough to make her fall for him, but the addition of such flirty words made her heart beat uncontrobly fast. "Ahem, Mr. Crawford. It''s office hours." Luca looked away from him. If she looked at him any longer, she would fall head over heels for him. Luke pushed over the documents she brought over. "I''ve finished reading them." "You''re done?" Luca was surprised. How could he read through them in such a short time? Even after she had been his wife for so many years, she did not know that he had the ability to read this fast. Was that all it took to read this stack of documents? Luca found it unbelievable. "I''ve already signed it, and I have no objections. You may proceed with your n," said Luke. Luca was still Bianca, even if she was being controlled by the Ind of Despair. She was different from others. Other research professors would apply for as much funds as possible, but Luca would not. Every grant report she made was done realistically. Even if Watson was hispany, Luca would not take advantage of that. Whether she was Bianca or Luca, and no matter whose interests were involved, she would be sensible about it because she followed her conscience. Luke believed that when she put thepany in jeopardy, she did not do so on purpose. Instead, it was the Ind of Despair that was behind it. From N?velDrama.Org. It was not Luca''s doing but theirs! That was what Luke thought. ¡°The funding is approved?" Luca did not buy it. Did Luke actually trust her or was he biased? If it were any other professor, Luke would keep the documents and have Watson''s ountant examine each application before discussing with the professor on the final terms. Whatever the final amount was, it would certainly not be the amount the professor applied for in the first ce. Of course, the amount would not be higher than before and only lesser. "It''s approved. It''s reasonable." Luke nodded, even though he did not actually see if the amount was reasonable or not. Luca did not ponder anymore whether it was trust or bias... She and Rhett had already deliberated over the funds, so there would not be anything unreasonable in the report. Luca stood up while hugging the documents in her arms. "Thank you, Mr. Crawford. I''ll be heading back to Watson, then." "Alright, I''ll be hometer tonight, so don''t wait up for me to eat dinner," said Luke. Pierre''s situation had been resolved, so Percy was buying drinks tonight. "Sure." Luca blushed again. Their conversation made them sound like an old couple. She was Luke''s wife of many years anyway. She just looked different. but it was still her. After Luca left T Corporation, she received a call from Johann. "Dr. Park, what''s wrong?" Luca answered, worried that something had happened to Wanda. The Normans had been discharged, so it must be about Wanda. "I''m calling to inform you that Dr. Wi will be operating on Wanda at 8:30 tomorrow morning," Johann informed. Although he was knowledgeable about gynecology, he would not be participating in this operation. In terms of professionalism, Dr. Wi and her team were much better. Therefore, he handed over Wanda''s operation to a professional team. "Got it, I''ll be there tonight and tomorrow morning. Thank you for taking care of Ms. Rayne, Dr. Park." Luca got worried after hearing about Wanda''s operation. Wanda had been undergoing chemotherapy, so the lesion had been under control and shrinking. However, chemotherapy alone could not kill all the cancer cells. Luca thought that it would be much better to do the surgery first before chemotherapy. However, Dr. Wi did not have enough time to perform the surgery on Wanda, and Wanda''s body could not take it anymore. Thus, Johann prescribed a chemotherapy course. Although Luca did not express her worries, Johann could sense it. He said, ¡°Dr. Wi is very professional. She has analyzed Wanda''s case in the pre-operative assessment just now, and she''s confident in eliminating all the cancer cells in her body. During this time, you can go visit her with Luke. You can also go over tonight to give her some confidence. The doctor''s job is to cure the disease, but if the patient is confident, it''ll help her recover." "Alright, I know what to do," said Luca. She had to think of a way to convince Wanda that everything would turn out fine so that she could rx and face tomorrow''s surgery. All of this was very important. If Wanda was confident, it would be good for her recovery. After the call, Luca sent a message to Luke, telling him that Wanda''s surgery was tomorrow. She also said that she would go over there tonight and wait by the operating room tomorrow morning. Luke: [I''ll go with you tomorrow.] There would always be family members waiting outside the operating rooms. Old Man Rayne would not be there because he was not aware that Wanda was not actually traveling but was sick and hospitalized. Bianca... She was Bianca. Although she could not reveal her identity, she was willing to wait for good news outside the operating room. Wanda still had Luke. Luke being there was a given. After Warren sent Luca back to Watson, Rhett was surprised to see here back with a bunch of documents in her arms. "Dr. Craw, was Mr. Crawford not there?" Rhett was curious as Luca came back so soon with all the documents. Luca knew why he said that. Even if it took less than an hour to read the documents, it would still take some time. However, she was only in Luke''s office for ten minutes. "Mr. Crawford has signed off on the project proposal. Come into my office for a while," said Luca as she walked into her office. Rhett pricked up his ears. Mr. Crawford had signed off on it? Did Luke even read through it? Chapter 2803 Rhett would not dare to ask such questions. Therefore, he quickened his pace and caught up with Luca. Luca walked into the office and sat on the chair. She opened the documents and assigned tasks to Rhett. "Please deliver these to the Finance Department. Mr. Crawford has already signed and approved them. The funds will be approved by them. As for these two, please hand them over to the Procurement Department. We''ll need some new equipment for our new research. Mr. Crawford has also approved it," Luca spoke non-stop. She knew that Luke had approved everything. It was unlikely that the other departments would disagree with it. Rhett nodded silently as he nced at the documents. He also had a part in handling these documents. Hence, he easily remembered what Luca said. After Luca gave her instructions, she added, "I need to leave early today, and I''m probably noting tomorrow. Please help me to request a day off." Luca nned to go back to the vi now and cook a meal for Wanda. Wanda would be having surgery tomorrow. She probably would not have much of an appetite for a few days. Luca wanted to prepare Wanda''s favorite food before she lost her appetite. She was worried that she would not be able to deliver the meal to Wanda on time if she went home later. After all, fasting was required before the surgery. "Okay." Rhett noticed that Luca did not look so good. Something must have happened. Hence, he made a mental note of everything. After Rhett carried the documents and left, Luca packed up her things and left the building. She had already informed Warren. Therefore, she headed to the entrance and got into the car. Luca first went to the supermarket. She needed to buy ingredients to prepare Wanda''s favorite food as the ingredients needed might not be in the fridge. Luca quickly made her purchases. Aunt Neile was surprised after Luca returned to the vi. "Ms. Craw, why are you so early today?" It was not even five o''clock in the evening yet. "Well, I bought some ingredients. I''m nning to cook a meal and take it to the hospital," answered Luca. "Alright." Aunt Neile''s mind went nk for a moment. Aunt Neile followed Luca into the kitchen and asked, ¡°Ms. Craw, should I prepare tonight¡¯s dinner, then?¡± She knew that Luke was noting back for dinner. Now that Luca was going to prepare dinner, did she need to prepare dinner as well? "No, Aunt Neile. I''ll take care of it myself. You may get off work," replied Luca. She did not need Aunt Neile to prepare dinner, so she nned to let her leave early. Aunt Neile was happy to be able to leave work early, but she felt a bit guilty for leaving Luca alone to prepare dinner alone when she saw how many ingredients Luca had brought home. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Ms. Craw, let me help you. The two of us can get things done faster," said Aunt Neile. It was not time to prepare dinner yet, but Luca wanted to start now, which meant that she wanted to prepare it early. Aunt Neile¡¯s cooking skills were iparable to Luca¡¯s, so Luca was the one taking charge while Aunt Neile would only assist her. "Alright. Thank you, Aunt Neile," said Luca. There was no need to rush since Aunt Neile was willing to assist her. Luca thought that it would take quite some time if she prepared everything by herself. Two hourster, Luca finally finished preparing a table full of dishes. The meal prepared was sumptuous. It had a wonderful mix of fish, meat, and a delectable soup to top it off! Aunt Neile could not help but exim, "Ms. Craw, are you expecting guests for dinner at home?" If that was the case, she could not just leave. The maid was not there to attend to the guests when there were guestsing to their house. That would not make any sense at all. "No, I''m preparing them for a patient." Luca shook her head. "A patient? Can the patient finish all these?" Aunt Neile clicked her tongue. There was no way the whole family could finish all the dishes prepared even if Luca joined dinner, not to mention just one patient! "Well, she can''t finish them all. I''m not sure what she likes to eat, so I prepared some extra dishes. I''ll wrap some of each dish and take it to the hospital. Aunt Neile, your family hasn''t prepared dinner yet, right? Take some and bring them home for dinnerter," said Luca as she took out two lunch boxes. Even if she filled the two lunch boxes, there would still be a lot left due to therge potion. Aunt Neile shook her head and said, "It¡¯s okay. Both you and Mr. Crawford have to eat dinner too." "I''ll just have some of the barbecue ribs. Mr. Crawford won''t being home for dinner tonight, so we can just save some soup for him. As for the rest, they won''t taste good if we put them in the refrigerator and leave them until tomorrow. Besides, you''ll end up eating it for lunch tomorrow anyway if we leave the leftovers in the fridge. It''s better to eat the food while it''s still fresh. Anyway, you¡¯ve got quite arge family in your house. These will be enough for everyone," replied Luca. She initially did not think about Aunt Neile when she bought so many ingredients and prepared so many dishes. Luca only wanted to prepare dishes that Wanda liked. She only realized that she had prepared too much after that. It would be a waste not to finish them all. That was why she asked Aunt Neile to take some home. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Craw." Aunt Neile thought what Luca said made sense. "I''m going to the hospital now. Just pack the food and go home," replied Luca. She put the two lunch boxes into a thermal lunch bag and headed out. Luca came back carrying a bunch of ingredients two hours ago. Two hourster, she left with two lunch boxes and a thermos bag. Aunt Neile could not help but wonder if Luca''s rtive was sick. However, she heard that Luca''s rtives lived abroad... It was beyond Aunt Neile''s reach to find out about it. Thus, she left the soup and barbecue ribs on the table and took the rest home. The dishes Luca prepared tasted incredibly delicious. Her precious grandson would enjoy his dinner so much tonight. In the hospital. Luca walked into Wanda''s hospital room, carrying two lunch boxes. "Luca, what brings you here?" Wanda was surprised to see her. She did not expect Luca to show up at this hour. Did she not just finish work? Did she rush to the hospital after work? "Ms. Rayne, Dr. Wi said that you''re having surgery tomorrow. That''s why I came to visit you." Luca ced the lunch boxes on the coffee table and observed Wanda''splexion. Other than her face turning pale when the surgery was mentioned, she seemed to be in good spirits. It appeared that the chemotherapy sessions and the medicine prescription that Wanda took had not caused significant side effects to her body. It was a silver lining in such an unfortunate situation. "That''s very kind of you. It was difficult for Dr. Wi to find some time and schedule the surgery for tomorrow." Even though Wanda was afraid of what would happen after the surgery, she felt like she should not be showing her feelings and making others feel sympathy for her. Even though Luca was not a stranger, there were no blood ties between them. However, Luca had already shown enough care and concern for her. "That''s great. I hope the surgery goes well and you can recover soon. Since you''re not allowed to eat or drink before the surgery, I brought you dinner before the fasting time. Why don''t you have dinner now?" asked Luca as she opened the meal box. Wanda had no appetite as she was worried about tomorrow''s surgery. She initially intended to ask Luca to leave the lunch boxes there, but then she caught a whiff of the aroma of the food in the air. It whetted her appetite. "It smells good. What''s in the lunch boxes?" Wanda was curious. She walked toward Luca and sat down on the chair. Luca pushed the lunch boxes toward Wanda and said, "It''s not much. I prepared them myself. There''s a variety of dishes. Why don''t you try some?" Chapter 2804 Wanda looked at the sumptuous meal in astonishment. Luca was good at baking cookies and making desserts. Wanda knew she was a good cook. However, she did not know Luca could prepare such avish spread of dishes. The caretaker beside Wanda could not help but swallow her saliva as she gazed at the dishes in the lunch boxes. She was not hungry at first, but her stomach eventually began to growl when she saw the dishes. She was hungry... "You made this?" Wanda could not hide the astonishment thatced her voice. "Yes, but I''m not sure if it meets your preference.¡± Luca knew Wanda was surprised. She handed another lunch box to the caretaker and added, "I made too much. Mrs. Lane, would you like to have some too?" Luca remembered that Luke mentioned the caretaker Wanda hired was called Mrs. Lane. She was a highly regarded caretaker in the hospital. A patient from a VIP ward happened to be discharged from the hospital, and Mrs. Lane volunteered to be Wanda''s caretaker when she noticed that Wanda was looking for one. "Is this for me? Thank you!" Mrs. Lane was not going to reject Luca''s offer. She would love to try it after seeing Wanda''s lunch box. Mrs. Lane opened the lunch box and was surprised to find that the portion of food in her lunch box was the same as Wanda''s. The dishes in her lunch box were exactly the same as Wanda''s too! Previously, she had eaten many lunch boxes brought by other families, but they were just lunch boxes they brought along on a whim. It wasmon for them to hope she could eat well and take good care of the patient. However, the lunch boxes given to her were quite different from the ones they gave to the patients. Mrs. Lane spent most of her time taking care of patients in VIP wards, but the lunch boxes given to her were not as plentiful as those given to the patients. Moreover, her job was in the service industry. The nature of the job was simr to that of a maid. Had one evere across a situation where the masters expected the maid to eat the same food as them? Hence, Mrs. Lane felt satisfied just having something better than what she usually had. She never gave it much thought. However, when Luca gave her the lunch box, she suddenly realized that there really were people who were willing to prepare the same meal for both the patient and the caretaker. Even though it was just a small lunch box, Mrs. Lane felt that Luca was treating her without implying a hierarchical ranking. She felt as though she and Wanda were equals at this moment. Luca then took out a thermos sk filled with soup and said, "Ms. Rayne, Mrs. Lane, where are your food containers? Here''s some hot soup. It''s better to pour it out and let it cool down a bit." Mrs. Lane did not expect Luca to even prepare soup for her. "Let me get them!" She put down her lunch box and went to the balcony outside to wash her and Wanda''s food containers before bringing them back in. They usually used food containers to get their meals. They would bring them to the cafeteria to get some food. It was better and healthier than using disposable meal boxes provided by the cafeteria. Luca poured the soup into the two food containers. The soup was cream in color, and the rich and savory fragrance filled the air. Wanda asked, "Is this m chowder?" "Yes, Ms. Rayne. Have more. If there''s not enough bread, I brought a container of white bread for you," said Luca as she took out thest container. The container was filled with white bread. "This meal is incredibly generous and bountiful. It''s all my favorite dishes. Luca, did you ask Luke about my preferences?" Wanda could not help but marvel. She had not had many meals with this young woman, so how did she know her preferences so well? "No. These are just some of the home-cooked dishes I made." Luca shook her head. Even if Luke was attentive enough, he could not possibly know Wanda''s preferences. That was something she had learned before. A person''s preferences were unlikely to undergo significant changes. Moreover, Wanda was not the type to eat the same dish every day until she got tired of it. Therefore, Luca assumed that it was highly unlikely that there would be a dramatic upheaval in Wanda''s preferences. Wanda suddenly felt that she had a strong connection with Luca. How could Luke possibly know every dish she loved? Luca preparing the dishes she loved was not just a coincidence; it was fate. "Ms. Rayne, just rx tomorrow. Dr. Wi is a professional. You''ll recover and go home to keep Old Master Rayne''spany after the surgery." Luca reminded her to stay strong as there was an elder in the Rayne family who needed her. She had to be fine! Wanda was taken aback for a moment, then she nodded. "A pleasant mindset helps during the post-surgery recovery. I assume that your appetite isn''t going to be great for the first few days after the surgery. Once your appetite improves, I''ll prepare meals for you. Just let me know what you''d like to eat and I''ll fulfill your wishes!" Luca smiled gently. She felt a lump in her throat when she saw Wanda''s expression. Wanda was one of the few people in this world who treated her kindly and genuinely. Her words touched Wanda deeply. Regardless of whether or not she could do what Luca said, her words made Wanda feel a sense of reassurance. It made her think of Bianca. Only Bianca would be considerate toward her back then. "Alright, I promise you that I''ll win this war," replied Wanda. "That''s great! I believe you''ll recover and be healthy again.¡± Luca urged, "Ms. Rayne, go ahead and have your meal. It won''t taste good if it gets cold." "Okay." Wanda took a bite, savoring the rich vor and delightful texture of the meat. It was incredibly delicious. Her eyes lit up as Luca''s dish was truly a feast for the senses. "It tastes good. Luca, your culinary skills rival those of professional chefs!" Wanda praised. "Oh no. It''s just a simple home-cooked meal, nothing extraordinary," Luca humbly replied. Still, she knew her skills were truly exceptional with so many people praising her cooking skills. Mrs. Lane chimed in as well, "Ms. Craw, it''s really good!" "Please have more if you like it. I''ll add more if the bread isn''t enough for you," Luca could not estimate how much Wanda and Mrs. Lane could eat, so she prepared an extra box of bread to make sure that it would be enough for them. After Wanda and Mrs. Lane finished their meal and soup, Luca began to clean up. However, Mrs. Lane swiftly took over her tasks. "Ms. Craw, let me handle this." After that, Mrs. Lane stacked the lunch boxes neatly and disposed of them. Then, she took the emptied thermos sk and headed toward the restroom to clean it thoroughly before returning it to Luca. The lunch boxes were disposable, but the thermos was not. After cleaning the thermos, Mrs. Lane handed it back and said, "The food you prepared is delicious. This is the most Ms. Rayne has eaten in one sitting." "I had more since it was good. I''m honoring Luca''s kind gesture," said Wanda. Her appetite had always been small. Wanda had eaten the most she had in a while today. She was starting to feel a bit full now. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Fortunately, there were still a couple of hours before the fasting time started. Even though she felt a bit bloated, she would have digested most of it by tomorrow morning. It would not affect the surgery. Chapter 2805 After Wanda finished her meal, Luca did not stay in the ward any longer. Luca grabbed her bag and left. Feeling a bit hungry herself, she was eager to return home for a quick meal. On the other hand, Percy, Luke, Jim, Marcos, and Kastov gathered together. It was supposed to be a drinking session, but food was served. It was okay for them to skip dinner. After they clinked their sses together, Marcos was the first to ask, "How is Mr. Pierre doing?" "The doctor performed surgery on him. He''s awake now and under medical care in the hospital ward," replied Percy. Pierre did not want to see him. Therefore, Percy left the hospital as soon as the nurse pushed Pierre back to the ward. Pierre did not speak to him either. Old Master Mallory sat there watching over Pierre all night. However, before Percy left, he arranged for two caretakers to take care of Pierre. There were still people taking care of him after Old Master Mallory left. Kastov took a sip of his drink. He did not know the specifics, but he had a rough idea of it. "The crime scene mentioned in today''s news, was that where Pierre was held captive?" asked Kastov. "Yes," Luke replied this time. Gordan initially did not n to alert the nearby residents. However, he did not expect the man to be such a light sleeper. He woke up as soon as Gordan approached him. It was followed by a few impulsive gunshots without considering the fact that they were in a residential building. The gunshots were not silenced, and there were a few shots in session. They were not injured, but the residents living nearby were terrified. As Gordan put it, the man was sleeping outside the room where Pierre was held, which was the living room. The living room was muchrger than the room. His knockout gas could make the people inside the room lose their consciousness within a minute, but not the living room. Moreover, there was not much knockout gas left. Gordan did not expect them to have the guts to fire the gunshots without a silencer. "The Ind of Despair has suffered a great loss," said Kastov as he wore a faint smile. Kastov had been holding a grudge against the Ind of Despair. Not only did they not benefit from it, but they also suffered losses. There would be major actions taken to recover these losses. He would be able to gather more information about the Ind of Despair when they made a big move. The Ind of Despair had suffered a loss, which could also be considered a loss for Luke. He had instructed Gordan and Leroy to capture the faces of the two men who kidnapped Pierre. He intended to track them in the future and learn more about the Ind of Despair. Their bases and the mastermind... However, the discharge of their firearms sent ripples of unease and stirred a sense of rm among the public. Gordan incapacitated them with the knockout gas to avoid casualties. When the police arrived, the two men were still unconscious, and they had no chance to escape! Hence, the two men had fallen into the hands of the police. In ordance with the customary style of the Ind of Despair''s past operations, they would be abandoned for sure. Therefore, the photos taken had be useless. Luke felt somewhat frustrated and helpless. "How is Mr. Pierre''s condition now?" Marcos did not know either. That was why he asked. "Johann said there''s a 99% chance he''ll be crippled, but he can recover a little through physical therapy. It won''t be noticeable," replied Percy as he turned to look at Luke. Johann talked to Percy in private and mentioned that Pierre would have a better chance at recovery if Luca could give him a needling treatment. Why did Johann tell him about this in private? It was because Johann knew there was a grudge between Luca and Pierre. Previously, Bianca hated Pierre so much because of what happened to Nina, and now Luca hated him more. Pierre had even targeted Luca before and tried to hurt her. No matter how kind Luca was, there was no way she would treat Pierre. That was why Johann talked to Percy in private to tell him about this. He was afraid that if Old Master Mallory found out about this, he would force Luca to treat Pierre. If Luca agreed to help despite the resentment in her heart, it could still be deemed a mutually satisfactory oue. If Luca refused to help, she might disable Pierre with just a single needle. Those who understood dry needling treatment knew that this technique could save lives if it was used well, but it could also transform into a deadly weapon in the wrong hands! Even though ordinary doctors could not do this, Johann believed Luca could. Besides, there was also Luke in the picture. He despised Pierre so much that if Old Master Mallory found out about it and tried to force Luca to treat Pierre, Luke would definitely do something to protect Luca. It would bring no good to the rtionship between the Crawford family and the Mallory family. Percy also understood what Johann meant and had no intention of asking Luca for help. If Pierre was crippled, then so be it. Perhaps there would be less trouble if he was crippled. The Mallory family had been busy looking for Pierre. They had yet to deal with the consequences of the absurd things Pierre had done back then. Moreover, Pierre had brought this upon himself. If he had not caused so much trouble, his leg would have been fine, and he could have continued to live a glorious life as the second young master of the Mallory family. Now, he had to cover his face when he showed up in the hospital corridor and remain hidden from view. Furthermore, it was a stroke of luck that Luke did not personally disable Pierre. Pierre had done so many despicable things behind his back. He even hurt the woman he loved the most... Things were different for Percy. No matter how much he despised Pierre, he had to think about their kinship. However, Luke had no blood rtion with Pierre! If Luke really wanted to do something, Pierre might already be in prison, facing a sentence of several decades or more. Luke knew too much about Pierre. If he exposed everything he did, not only Pierre but the entire Mallory family would be put in a difficult situation. Luke was merely giving them face for Percy. Who was he to even mention the idea of having Luca treat Pierre? No way! Pierre did not deserve it! Percy shifted his gaze and raised his wine ss again. "The Mallory family was only able to enjoy a moment of tranquillity with everyone''s help. Thank you all." The group raised their sses again, and Percy''s phone lit up the moment they clinked their sses. He took a sip of wine and checked his phone. From N?velDrama.Org. It was a message from the nurse at the hospital. He had left his contact information with the two nurses who were responsible for taking care of Pierre to keep track of his condition. [Mr. Mallory, the patient is aware of his condition of having ame leg. He''s throwing a fit in his hospital ward.] Percy furrowed his brows. Old Master Crawford requested that Pierre be kept in the dark about his leg being crippled at the moment. He was afraid that it would cause him emotional instability and worsen the injury. After all, arranging today''s surgery was already quite a challenging task. Another surgery would be troublesome, indeed. Moreover, having another surgery would also poseplications. Percy questioned the nurse: [How did he find out?] The nurse replied to him immediately: [He overheard the conversation when the caretakers were changing shifts. The door wasn''t closed tightly, and they were unaware of it. That''s how the patient found out about it.] Caretakers were like nurses. They worked in shifts. When Percy hired the caretakers, he only briefed the person starting the shift, who would then ry the information in detail to the other caretaker. In that instant, the words escaped their lips, and they were unaware of the lurking ears. Chapter 2806 Percy frowned. He could not leave now. Even if he could, going to the hospital meant that Pierre would only be more agitated upon seeing him. Percy had no choice but to remind her: [Don''t let him get out of bed. Don''t let him hurt himself. Give him a tranquilizer if necessary.] Jim, noticing how promptly Percy was responding to his phone messages, teased him, "You''ve only been away for a short while. Nina already misses you so much?" Percy lifted his head with a helpless expression on his face. "I''ve never seen such a helpless expression on Mr. Mallory''s face before. What happened?" Jim noticed the unusual look on his face and asked with concern. Pierre sighed and replied, "Pierre knows that his leg is injured. He''s making a scene at the hospital." Jim was surprised. "Were you nning to hide his leg injury from him? He would eventually have to get out of bed and walk again. It''s better to tell him the truth." "It was the old master''s idea." Percy knew that Pierre would not be able to ept it. However, what else could he do if he could not take it? As a man, he had to bear the consequences of his own actions. Still, Old Master Mallory''s idea was to wait until Pierre had almost recovered before telling him. Otherwise, he was worried that Pierre would not be able to take the blow. Percy had noment. Thus, he followed Old Master Mallory''s instructions. He did not expect Pierre to find out about it within less than 24 hours. As soon as Pierre woke up, he asked Old Master Mallory about his leg. Old Master Mallory told him that he would fully recover with no after-effects as long as he took good care of himself. Pierre believed it. Now, he realized that he was crippled. It was much more emotionally devastatingpared to being told the truth right from the start. Jim recalled how people used to talk about Old Master Mallory. He was decisive and firm in his actions. He showed no mercy, like an emotionless machine. "It seems that the old master has indeed grown old and confused considering how he chose to deal with Pierre. Can Pierre take it?" From N?velDrama.Org. Percy shook his head. There was nothing he could do about Pierre''s situation. In the hospital, the nurse watched as Pierre vented his emotions. She was constantly convincing him to calm down. However, Pierre continued to rip his pillow and bedding. He even wanted to get out of bed. However, the anesthesia had worn off, and he was in great pain. Even the slightest movement gave him excruciating pain. Thus, he stopped moving, but anything within his reach was thrown and smashed on the floor. The nurse felt helpless. She had never seen someone so energetic on the same day as their surgery. Among all the patients she hade across, some of them would only cry and make a fuss if they could not ept the bad news after the surgery. Pierre was different. He frantically threw things to drive her away. He even demanded she looked for Johann. He had a bad temper, and his movements were vigorous. He did not look like someone who had just undergone surgery. Besides, Johann was not even the hospital''s doctor. After performing the surgery on Pierre and confirming he was awake and fine, Johann handed him over to the orthopedic department''s director. How could she possibly bring Johann here? The nurse''s face was filled with fear and helplessness as Pierre threw the stic cup that was ced at the bedside table at her. "Why are you standing there? Go and get that bastard toe over here!" Pierre roared. The nurse let out a cry of surprise. She was unable to dodge in time, and she was hit by the flying cup. Although Pierre was physically weak, he could aim well. The nurse winced in pain as she covered her forehead. The head of the orthopedic department walked into the ward in a hurry with a syringe in his hand. He saw the nurse crouching on the floor, covering her forehead. Hence, he thought Pierre had gone mad and hurt her. "Are you okay?" "I''m fine. Please give him the injection," replied the nurse as she stood up and rubbed her forehead. Fortunately, it was a stic cup that flew at her. If it had been a ss cup, she would have been seriously injured. The nurse stood there, while the two ipetent caretakers hid behind the door, trembling with fear. The head of the orthopedic department looked at Pierre, who was in a frantic state. He might end up getting himself injected if no one helped him. He said to the two caretakers who were behind the door when he saw that the nurse was still in pain, "Don''t stand there. Stop him!" The caretakers came back to their senses. They wanted to move closer to him to help. However, they started to feel frightened again when Pierre red at them with murderous intent. "I''m sorry. We dare not." "Aren''t you going to clean the mess you made?" asked the head of the orthopedic department. The caretakers trembled with fear. It was indeed their fault. They reluctantly made their way closer to Pierre. Although Pierre was in a frantic state, he knew what the head of the orthopedic department was holding in his hand. "Get lost! I''ll kill anyone who dares toe near me," threatened Pierre. After Pierre found out that he was crippled, all he wanted to do was to question Johann. Did he do it on purpose? He promised to treat him! Yet, he was crippled now! Pierre was furious, unwilling to ept what had happened. He looked at his leg that was wrapped in bandages and ster. His eyes glowed red, reminiscent of a man on the brink of madness. He could not even believe that it was his leg! However, the pain from the surgical incision reminded him that it was indeed his leg! The head of the orthopedic department was startled for a moment. Of course, he knew who Pierre Mallory was. He had no idea whether the rumors spreading on the inte about how Pierre had dealt with his enemies were true or false. However, if they were true, he might be targeted after giving him that injection. But if he did not give Pierre the injection, not only would the ward be chaotic, but it could also affect the patients in the wards next door. There was a possibility that Pierre''s surgery could end up being in vain because of this. It took an incredible amount of strength and effort for Johann to save Pierre''s leg. If they had to perform surgery on him again, there was no telling if Pierre''s leg could be saved this time. "Mr. Pierre, this isn''t what you think of. Didn''t you just cry out in pain? It''s a painkiller injection. You won''t feel any pain once I give you an injection." The head of the orthopedic department tried to deceive him. However, Pierre did not fall for it. "Who do you think you are? Hurry up and send that quack doctor, Johann, here! Otherwise, I''ll destroy your hospital!" The head of the orthopedic department felt ashamed. Was Johann a quack doctor? Then they were all as good as dead! However, the head of the orthopedic department could not worry about that now. He looked at a caretaker and gave her a knowing nce. The caretaker mustered up her courage and approached Pierre. She immediately restrained Pierre''s hands. Even though she was a woman, she came from the countryside and used to do farm work. Her strength was no less than that of a man. With another caretaker on the other side, they managed to grab Pierre''s hands. The head of the orthopedic department seized the opportunity to plunge the needle into Pierre''s left leg, injecting the solution into his leg''s muscle without considering whether Pierre felt the pain or not. It was a tranquilizer injection, and it would take effect soon. As the head of the orthopedic department removed the needle, the caretakers immediately released Pierre''s hands and took a few steps back, afraid that Pierre would harm them. "Ah!" Pierre let out a furious roar, pointing at the orthopedic doctor. "I''ll kill you. I will..." Chapter 2807 The bed was soft. The head of the orthopedic department was not worried about Pierre banging his head when he fell. Only after Pierre copsed did the caretakers dare to approach and tidy up the mess on the bed. They changed the pillow and the sheets for Pierre, recing them with new ones. The head of the orthopedic department frowned as he looked at the sheets torn to shreds by Pierre. Fortunately, Pierre could not get out of bed now. Otherwise, they would all be in trouble. He was indeed ruthless. "Sir, should we inform Dr. Park?" The nurse asked with concern. Pierre looked like he wanted to fight with Dr. Park just now! "What should we say? What can we say?" The head of the orthopedic department asked twice in a row. "It was already unconventional for Dr. Park to perform the surgery on him at our hospital. Plus, I can tell that he did his best during the surgery. The patient''s treatment was dyed for too long, and no immediate action was taken when he was injured. It wasn''t easy to save the leg, and Dr. Park even saved his deteriorating nerves. He has done everything he could. It''ll all be in vain even if Dr. Park comes and performs surgery on him again." He knew it well because he was the assistant surgeon during the surgery. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Johann did not make any mistakes as he proceeded with each step ording to standard procedure. The surgery was practically wless. It was unavoidable for Pierre''s leg to be crippled. They were not gods, after all. Given the poor condition of Pierre''s bones, the best oue after the surgery was for him to be able to walk in the future. The nurse felt speechless and had a throbbing pain in her head while she listened to him. They did not inform Johann. They had no idea how Pierre would react when he woke upter. Did they have to give him a tranquilizer every time he tried to make a scene? He was not really insane. How could they possibly inject him with a tranquilizer every day? Besides, the Mallory family would not approve of such a way to calm him down. The head of the orthopedic department had no other choice at the moment. He asked the nurse when he noticed her reddened forehead, "What hit you?" The ward was a mess after Pierre threw everything on the floor. The nurse pointed at the cup on the floor. "A stic cup." "Thank God it''s not made of ss. Get an ice pack and apply it on your forehead," said the head of the orthopedic department. Pierre had calmed down now. He did not need a nurse to take care of him at the moment. "Okay." The nurse had no choice but to leave the ward. The head of the orthopedic department said to the two caretakers who had caused trouble, "Both of you, tidy this up." "Yes, Sir," the caretakers replied in unison. It was their carelessness that caused the trouble. Hence, it was their responsibility to clean it up. The nurse returned to the nurse''s station and walked into the lounge. She took a frozen ice pack out of the fridge and applied it on her swollen skin in front of the mirror. A chilling and sharp sensation of pain crawled over her forehead as the icy cold ice pack was applied on the reddened skin. The nurse grimaced in pain. A colleague walked in and saw the nurse. Then, she asked, "Did you identally hit your head or did someone hit you? Why is it all red?" "The patient lost control and threw something at me," exined the nurse. She did not feel like telling her what exactly happened. The nurse who walked in a moment ago asked with confusion, ¡°Is that patient''s temper really that bad? It''s truly the epitome of bad luck to be sent to take care of him." The nurse secretly agreed with what her colleague said. Was it not true? It was really unfortunate for her to experience this. The other nurse asked again, "But who''s that guy? Do you mind cluing me in?" She was pulling double shifts today. That was why she saw what happened to Pierre when he was sent upstairs. Back then, the patient was lying on the bed with a cloth covering his face. No one could see his appearance. What was even more outrageous was that the director of the hospital assigned the head and deputy head of the orthopedic department as the attending physicians for this mysterious patient, while all other doctors were strictly forbidden from approaching him. As for the nurses, the head nurse and a young nurse named Sunny were assigned to take care of him. The head nurse took the day shift, while Sunny took the night shift. Sunny was the one who got hit by the cup. She was a rtive of the director of the hospital. He believed that his rtive was more reliable than others. That was why he had the head nurse work the day shift and assigned Sunny to work the night shift. All the patient''s medical records and medications were keyed into a separateputer, which was located in the patient''s ward. Ordinary doctors and nurses were not allowed to be near that ward and were forbidden from inquiring about the patient''s condition. Moreover, the medication records were protected by a username and password, which belonged to the head nurse. It was considered the most confidential login information in the department. Sunny thought to herself that her forehead would be swollen tomorrow if she did not apply the ice pack long enough. She made up her mind and pressed the ice pack against her forehead. The cool sensation spread from her head to toe, but Sunny persevered for the sake of beauty. "The director has given his orders. Are you trying to get me in trouble by asking me to reveal the patient''s information?¡± Sunny refused to let the nurse know who he was. ¡°Come on. I thought it''d be fine to tell me. You''re the director''s rtive, after all. Besides, my lips are sealed," replied the nurse. Sunny rolled her eyes. "He''s the real deal. Even the director dares not to offend him. If I were to reveal it, not only will I get myself in trouble, but you''ll also be in a mess of trouble too. Curiosity kills the cat. I''m doing this for your own good." The nurse finally understood what Sunny meant. She might lose her job if she found out who the patient was. The nurse immediately stopped asking and left with a set of infusion equipment. Sunny looked at herself in the mirror, still applying the ice pack to her forehead. Her hand was starting to feel numb. She moved the ice pack away and took a nce at her forehead. It was still swollen and red. What rotten luck... Unfortunately, she could only bear this silently. She could not possibly ask for an apology or an exnation from the Mallory family when the director himself was afraid of them. Sunny recalled that the head nurse told her that she would be exclusively responsible for taking care of Pierre for the uing period. She decided to search for information about Pierre on the inte. Pierre had a list of evil deeds and a track record riddled with blemishes. Sunny could not help but think that Pierre was a notorious evildoer. The second young master of the Mallory family? Even though the title sounded pleasant, in reality, he was just a bad person. She initially refused to take on this responsibility, but the hospital director said that she had already agreed before revealing the person''s identity. Now that she knew his identity, there was no way she could back out. Otherwise, she could not me anyone but herself for disregarding familial obligations. The director also warned that if the Mallory family found out that she knew Pierre''s identity but refused to take care of him, any future leaks of information would ultimately be med on her. Sunny felt overwhelmed and reluctantly agreed to be responsible for taking care of Pierre at night. "Ah, what terrible luck. This is ridiculous." Sunny threw the ice pack into the trash bin at the thought of this. Then, she gently touched her forehead. She grimaced in pain. "Sunny, have you applied the ice pack?" The head of the orthopedic department walked in. He was being so friendly to her because she was the hospital director''s rtive. Although he was the head of the orthopedic department, he was not the top authority in the hospital. If he did not receive any recognition, his position as the head of department could easily be reced by someone else. The ie in a private hospital was much higher than that of an ordinary doctor in a public hospital. The pay for the head of department was even higher. He did not want his position to be taken away. Chapter 2808 ¡°Yes, Doctor. I''ve applied it." Sunny treated the orthopedics doctor with respect. She did not behave arrogantly just because she was a rtive of the director. Contrarily, she was quite approachable when working at the hospital. "You have to avoid him when he goes crazy. It''s not that bad this time, but if he throws something sharp next time, it''ll ruin your face," warned the orthopedics doctor. If Pierre was already acting like this right after the surgery, he could not imagine what he would be like once the effects of the tranquilizer wore off. Would he continue acting insane or would he calm down? The orthopedics doctor reckoned that Pierre would not be able to calm down. "Alright. Doctor, when will he be discharged?" Sunny sighed. The day Pierre was discharged from the hospital would be the end of their misery. "That depends on when the Mallory family will take him back. The earliest he can be discharged is when he gets a cast after the stitches are removed, and that would take about seven to eight days. If he really wants to focus on recovery, he''ll be here for three months. It''s up to his family, whether it be seven days or three months." Sunny felt even more hopeless hearing that. If it were three months, she would have to work the night shift for three months. Not to mention, she would also suffer from Pierre''s temperament. She dared not imagine what it would be like. Rich people like them would usually stay in the hospital until they werepletely cured just to be safe. They could afford to pay for the ward anyway. "Doctor, that didn''t sound like good news." Sunny pouted. "Based on today''s condition, he might not have to stay for three whole months. Maybe his family will have him discharged from the hospital once the cast is fixed and his stitches are removed," the orthopedic doctor reckoned. The Mallory family was being extremely cautious, so if Pierre were to stay in the hospital for three months, the risk of exposure would be much greater. There were many peopleing and going at the hospital. The Mallory family may be rich, but they could not upy too many resources by clearing out the entire floor of VIP wards. Plus, Pierre''s fracture did not restrict his movements much. Once his wound stopped hurting, he could get out of bed and sit in a wheelchair. Could Pierre stand being trapped for three months? If he could get out of bed, he would move around instead of staying in the ward all the time. If someone saw him, he would be in trouble. When Sunny heard that, her eyes lit up. ¡°Doctor, now that''s what I want to hear. It''s only a week. I''ll get through it." After that, she walked out with a smile. The orthopedic doctor threw the syringe into the trash can and thought to himself that it had better be just a week. Otherwise, none of them could take it. The orthopedic doctor thought that the next time he saw the Mallory family, he would mention that Pierre could be exposed any time, so it was best for him to leave in a week after his stitches were removed. The next day, Luca and Luke both woke up early. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. It was the day of Wanda''s operation, and they took it very seriously as they knew that the risks of surgery were unpredictable. Moreover, Luke had not had time to sign Wanda''s surgery consent form. Wanda had to enter the operating room at 8:30 am, so they had to arrive at 7:30 am to meet the surgeon and sign various documents. Luke was Wanda''s family, so he had to sign many documents. At the same time, the doctor had to tell Luke the risks of the operation once again. Luca prepared pie for breakfast the next morning after returning from the hospital yesterday. When Aunt Neile came to work, she saw the note Luca left and just heated up the pie. When Luca and Luke came downstairs, the pie was just ready. Then, Aunt Neile served it up. Although Luca made the pie herself, she lost her appetite looking at it. However, she knew that it was Wanda''s big day, so it would definitely be a long day. She might not have much of an appetite at home, but she would have less of an appetite at the hospital, so she had to eat more to have the energy to wait for Wanda''s good news outside the operating room. Luke cut out a piece of pie for her. "Thank you." She picked up the fork. "You should eat more even if you don''t have an appetite because you need the energy when you''re at the hospitalter," said Luke. Wanda would not want to see their haggard looks. When he came back from drinking yesterday, it was already dawn. However, Luca was not asleep yet. Instead, she was lying on the bed in deep thought with her eyes open. Luke asked her what she was thinking about. She denied it and said that she could not sleep because she had too much coffee during the day. Luke knew that she was worried about Wanda''s surgery tomorrow, so he hugged her and told her to go to sleep. Luca fell asleep afterward, but not for long. She even woke up with dark circles under her eyes. When Luca noticed it, she put on some foundation and a touch of lip gloss to improve herplexion. "Okay." Luca ate her pie. After eating the pie, they departed for the hospital and arrived at 7:30 am. When Luke saw Johann, he told Luke that the chief surgeon in charge of Wanda''s operation, Dr. Wi, was waiting for him in her office. Dr. Wi was a famous mastopathy specialist from abroad, and she was an expert at Wanda''s illness. Luke stepped forward to shake her hand and greet her. Dr. Wi knew who Luke was, so she was specially nice to him. Then, she looked toward Luca and asked, "Is this your wife?" Dr. Wi spoke English as everyone present could speak it. Johann did not say a word as he wanted to see what Luke would say. "Yes, Dr. Wi. I''m sorry I couldn''te sign the documents yesterday," said Luke. Johann contacted him yesterday to ask him toe over and sign the documents on behalf of Wanda''s family. However, he said that he would only be free today. Fortunately, Dr. Wi had ast-minute meeting too, so she agreed to have the papers signed tomorrow morning. "It''s okay, Mr. Crawford. I understand that you''re a busy person. Besides, I was busy yesterday too. Let me tell you about the possible risks the patient may face during surgery. Have a seat," said Dr. Wi before having Luke take a seat. Luke then sat down. Dr. Wi exined the various risks she might face during the surgery with a document that had already been tranted. Luke listened carefully, and so did Luca, who was standing beside him. These were all potential risks that a patient may face, no matter what surgery it may be. An experienced doctor''s professional knowledge and experience would reduce the probability of those risks greatly. Therefore, Luca was not that worried because she trusted Johann. If he rmended Dr. Wi, she must be good at what she did. That was why Johann rmended her. After exining the risk report, Luke signed his name in the family member column of the original document, while Dr. Wi signed her name in the chief surgeon column. Chapter 2809 After signing the relevant documents, Dr. Wi went to Wanda''s ward. Luca went in too, but Luke did not as Dr. Wi wanted to mark Wanda. The marks on her body were for the operation, so it was not appropriate for Luke to go in. When Dr. Wi walked in with her team, Wanda did not see Luca standing behind them. She spoke with Dr. Wi. Her previous marriage in Japan made her understand the importance of language, so she was fluent in not only Japanese but othernguages too. It was not the first time Dr. Wi spoke to Wanda, so she said, ¡°Ms. Rayne, I need to make a surgical incision mark on your breast, so please remove your clothing." Wanda nodded as there was no such thing as gender in front of doctors. Even though there were several men on Dr. Wi''s team, she still undid her clothes. Dr. Wi took out her pen and drew a circle on the position she was going to operate on. That would be where she started her incision. Dr. Wipared the results of Wanda''s many examinations before deciding on the position of the incision. This position was the best. After marking, Wanda buttoned up her clothes. She knew what the next procedures were. The nurses in the ward would take her to the operating room downstairs and hand her over to the nurses in the operating room. Dr. Wi smiled at Wanda in an effort to relieve her nervousness. "Ms. Rayne, I''ll prepare for the surgery now. I''ll see youter." "Thank you, Dr. Wi," said Wanda. She did not know what else to say other than thank you. Besides, it was decided at thest minute that Dr. Wi would be performing the surgery. If it were not for Johann, Dr. Wi would not have agreed on performing the surgery. Only after Dr. Wi and her team left the ward did Wanda see Luca. "Luca, why are you here?" She was a little surprised as she did not hear her say that she would be here today. "You have an operation today, so I wanted to wait for your good news outside the operating room," said Luca. Wanda got teary. ¡°Did you ask for a leave? It''s just a minor operation, so it''ll be fine. Besides, I''m not alone. Luke will be waiting for me outside, so don''t waste your time and go back to work." Although Luke had not appeared, she knew that he would definitely be there. Wanda was moved by Luca''s gesture, but she was worried about disturbing her work. Although she was well-acquainted with Luca, she was not family, so how could she disturb her work because of her own affairs? "I already asked for leave yesterday, so it''ll be embarrassing to show up at work now. Ms. Rayne, let me wait for your good news outside the operating room." Luca repeated the words ''good news'' for the third time now. The good news would be a sessful operation where Wanda was in good health with all the cancer cells removed. That was good news. That was a mental cue Luca gave Wanda to make her believe that her operation would go well. "Alright." Wanda agreed to what she said. She would definitely be able to give Luca good news. The nurse came in and said to Wanda, "Ms. Rayne, it''s time to go downstairs to the operating room. Would you like to go down on your own or in a wheelchair?" "I''ll go by myself," said Wanda. Since she was not yet weak, she would like to walk more while she still could. Besides, she did not know how weak her body would be after the operation. What she did not know was that her health would gradually improve after taking the herbal medicine Luca prescribed. Other than relieving the side effects of chemotherapy, the herbal medicine helped strengthen and nourish the body too. A healthy body would be able to better alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy. "Ms. Rayne, let me help you." Luca stepped forward to help Wanda. Mrs. Lane had to do the same too. The few of them walked out of the ward, and Luke, who had been waiting in the corridor, stood up straight and said, "Stay strong, Aunt Wanda." "I will. You''ll hear good news soon." Wanda smiled as she did not want the younger ones to worry about her. They took the elevator down to the operating room. It was the earliest operation, so there were not many family members of patients outside the operating room. Luca and Luke sent Wanda to the door of the operating room. Wanda bent down to put on the operating room shoes. The operating room nurse said, "Family members aren''t allowed inside, so please wait outside." Luca knew that this was the farthest she could go. She watched as Wanda walked into the operating room while the door slowly closed. There was a stinging sensation in Luca''s nose. Wanda had a good life, but she had difficult days too. However, she did not want to think about the past. She only hoped that Wanda could safely ovee this operation. She hoped that Dr. Wi would be able to help her. ¡°Let''s sit and wait," said Luke as he took Luca''s hand and walked to a row of chairs to sit down. Luca felt that she was a little far from the entrance of the operating room. What if they could not hear the nurse calling Wanda''s name when they were distracted? "Luke, let''s sit over there." She pointed at the chair facing the door of the operating room. She wanted to hear about Wanda first thing. Luke frowned and said, "It''s too cold there." The seats facing the door of the operating room were colder than the other seats. The temperature in the operating room was lower than outside, so when the door was open, cold air would rush out. Even the chairs were cold to the touch. Luca knew that he was worried that she would be cold, so she pointed at the seats diagonally opposite them. "Shall we sit there, then?" Although they would not see the doctor first thing, it was closer to the door of the operating room, and they would not feel the cold wind. "Sure." Luke thought that the seats would not be as cold, so he stood up and walked over there with her hand in his. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Mrs. Lane was sitting on the chair opposite them and observed the intimacy between them. Mrs. Lane could see Luca''s worry, but she was puzzled at the same time. She met Luca for the first time yesterday, and after she left, she asked Wanda how she was rted to Luca. Wanda said that Luca was not a rtive but a friend of her son-inw. She said that she was skilled in medicine, and she had helped her father to recover too. After some time, they got close. Mrs. Lane understood, but she was still surprised to see how nice Luca was to Wanda even though she was not a rtive. What a rare sight. Seeing Luca hold hands with Luke made her confused again. Was she really just her son-inw''s friend? She knew that Luke was the son-inw Wanda was talking about. Besides, Luke and Luca were the only ones who came to visit Wanda when she was in the hospital. She did not see anyone else either. Mrs. Lane thought to herself, ''That''s probably her son-inw''s girlfriend.'' Chapter 2812 Old Master Mallory knew for sure that something had happened to Pierre. Otherwise, the hospital would not ask him toe at this hour. Old Master Mallory was greeted by the deputy director of the orthopedics department. Then, he asked, "Did Pierre injure thisdy?" The deputy director nodded and replied, "Yes, Mr. Pierre suddenly woke up and scratched the nurse who came to change his IV needle..." After that, he nced at Sunny, indicating that she was the nurse who was injured. It had only been a day since Pierre had undergone surgery. There was some inmmation in his body, apanied by a low-grade fever. Anti-inmmatory IV injections were usually given to the patient in the morning, noon, and evening. When it was almost time, Sunny was about to go and give Pierre the IV injection, but he suddenly woke up and scratched Sunny. Pierre did not have long nails. However, he used so much strength that he wed her and left two bloody scratches on Sunny. From N?velDrama.Org. Sunny burst into tears. Pierre pulled out the needle and even tried to stab the needle into her. Fortunately, Sunny ran away quickly. Pierre could not get out of bed because of the pain. Hence, there were no further idents. The caretaker also ran out of the ward. Sunny had no choice but to close the door of the ward and run to the office. The deputy director was also helpless and could only inform Old Master Mallory. After Old Master Mallory listened to this, an ominous cloud hovered over his face as he asked, "Why didn''t he cause trouble during the day?" The deputy director hesitated for a moment. "Is there anything that you can''t tell me?" Old Master Mallory was unhappy about it. Whatever needed to be said should be said. "Old Master Mallory, the director gave him sedatives to calm him down. That was why it has been quiet for the whole day. You know that even though this is a VIP ward, there are still family members going in and out during the day. If Mr. Pierre were to cause a scene during the day, it would definitely attract attention, which would easily expose his identity," exined the deputy director. Old Master Mallory epted the exnation and epted the fact that the director of the orthopedics department had given a sedative to Pierre without his consent. He did not want Pierre to be discovered by others. "Is he still causing trouble now?" asked Old Master Mallory. "Yes, he is. But it''ste at night and the caretaker is also guarding outside the door. There won''t be any onlookers," replied the deputy director. "What are the consequences of giving him sedatives often?" asked Old Master Mallory. Pierre still could not ept the fact that he was crippled. If he continued to cause trouble like this, not only would it cause trouble for the hospital, but he would also be discovered sooner orter. After all, he already had a notorious reputation in A City. Moreover, the peopleing in and out of this hospital were all well-off, and many of them knew Pierre. If Pierre caused such a scene, he would end up in the police station. "It''s not rmended to use it that often. But if it''s for short-term use, maybe seven days, it won''t have a significant impact on the body''s functions if the dosage is well-controlled," exined the deputy director. "Seven days?" Old Master Mallory frowned. "Why?" "It''s because for general surgical wounds, the stitches can be removed within seven days. Our suggestion is that Mr. Pierre should go home after he stays in the hospital for a full seven days. This way, we can avoid long-term use of sedatives. This is to avoid him from being noticed too," exined the deputy director. Sunny also nodded repeatedly, agreeing with what he said. She would rather not take the job even if the hospital director offered her triple her usual pay to take care of Pierre. She wanted Pierre to go home as soon as possible. She hurt her forehead yesterday, and she got her neck injured today. If Pierre stayed here for a long time, she might lose her life! Sunny valued her life more than money! Old Master Mallory thought what they said made sense, but he did not agree with what they said right away. What if Pierre could ept the fact that he was crippled within seven days? He would not cause any trouble after that. Receiving treatment in the hospital was better than recovering at home. The deputy director understood what Old Master Mallory was thinking about when he did not respond. Hence, he said, "Let''s talk about it after seven days. I''d suggest giving sedatives to the patient to stabilize his emotions for now. Otherwise, it''ll pique others'' curiosity. It won''t benefit the healing of his bones if he moves around like that." "Alright." Old Master Mallory agreed to use sedatives to stabilize Pierre''s emotions at the moment. "I''d like to visit him." "Okay, but I suggest we wait until we''ve sedated Mr. Pierre. He''s in the ward now, and he throws things at whoever enters the ward. I''m worried you might get hit if you go in," said Sunny. "Okay." Although Old Master Mallory believed that he could deal with Pierre, he eventually decided to follow the doctor''s advice. He stood at the door and watched the doctor, nurse, and caretaker struggle to restrain Pierre. They then gave him a shot in the thigh. After a while, Pierre copsed onto the bed. Old Master Mallory let out a sigh. Sunny opened the door for him and said, "Old Master Mallory, you may enter now." "Can he hear what I''m saying?" asked Old Master Mallory. "As long as the patient''s eyes aren''t closed, he''s not in a sleeping state. He can hear what you''re saying, but he might not respond," replied Sunny as she walked back to the bed. Pierre was calm now, ready to receive the anti-inmmatory injection. Even though she was only responsible to take care of the patient, Sunny still carefully checked the name on the vial of the injection solution. Then, she looked at the wristband on Pierre''s wrist before saying, "Mr. Pierre, I''m going to give you an anti-inmmatory injection now. It will help to alleviate the inmmation in your body." After that, she prepared a new needle and inserted it into the existing catheter hub on Pierre''s hand. Fortunately, Pierre did not pull the catheter out when he was mad. Otherwise, they would have to insert a new one. Although sedatives had been given to him, he could feel pain. Inserting the needle into the catheter hub would still hurt. After giving him the injection, Sunny turned to Old Master Mallory and said, "Old Master Mallory, please talk to him. You''re an elder. He''ll definitely listen to what you say. The days ahead stretch far. He has to brave it out." Sunny left after that. Old Master Mallory pulled a chair and sat beside the ward bed. He lowered his mask, heaved a sigh, and said, "Pierre, can you hear me?" Pierre did not say anything, but he blinked his eyes. Old Master Mallory knew that he could hear him. "Why do you refuse to face reality? Why do you torment yourself like this? Why do you need the doctors to give you sedatives to calm you down? You''re a normal person, a perfectly normal person. Why push yourself to the point where you can only find peace with sedation?" Pierre did not respond this time. Old Master Mallory continued, "Your mother, she''s gone mad because of you. She''s still waiting for you toe back. But how can you recover faster this way and help Karen to break free from her madness?" Pierre could hear what Old Master Mallory said, but he remained silent. His mind froze in hesitation when he heard about Karen''s matter. Chapter 2813 Karen had gone crazy? That was impossible! If she went crazy, it was definitely not because of him. It must be that scoundrel, Percy, who had driven her insane. Even though Pierre could not speak, he refused to believe that he had done anything wrong. He even thought that it was Percy''s fault he ended up like this. Perhaps Percy bribed Johann to make him a cripple! When Old Master Mallory noticed that Pierre refused to respond to him, he realized that his words were falling on deaf ears. He concluded that Pierre had gone mad because of his crippled leg. The nurse was wrong. Pierre would not listen to what he said! "You''ve always been strong since you were young, but how can a strong person not ept it just because they''ve lost a leg? They face difficulties head-on. Pierre, get better soon. I''ll still support you and help you get everything you want." Old Master Mallory felt exhausted. Even though he was still unhappy with Percy''s choice of marrying Nina after the incident, he no longer had any expectations for Pierre. He only said that to encourage Pierre to pull himself together. Discussions about the future could be saved for another time. Pierre could not just go mad every day and rely on sedatives to calm himself down, right? Pierre blinked twice when he heard Old Master Mallory said that he would help him. He doubted if he misheard it, but Old Master Mallory''s promise was genuine and real. Old Master Mallory felt relieved and sad at the same time when he saw Pierre respond. Pierre refused to give up on taking over Mallory Corporation. Even though he had be crippled because of it, he still wanted to fight against Percy. Was he not afraid? However, if fighting against Percy and taking over thepany could help Pierre pull himself together, Old Master Mallory did not n to shatter his hopes. Although he did not hold any hope for Pierre, he could give him his words, and the rest would all depend on Pierre''s fate. "You can only deal with these after you''ve recovered. Take good care of yourself. I can''t go in and out of the hospital as it might attract the police''s attention and let them know you''re here. Rest well. I''ll be waiting for you toe home," said Old Master Mallory. He also exined why he could not keep on coming to the hospital. Then, he stood up and left. Although Pierre had been given sedatives, he could still use his expressions and gestures to express himself. His gaze was fixed on the hospital ceiling after Old Master Mallory left. His face twisted with a haunting blend of resentment and unsettling emotions as a sinister plot brewed within him. Percy Mallory, Luke Crawford... Did they think that he would crumble just because he had a crippled leg? Although he could not ept it now, he swore to himself that once he got better, he would make them disabled. One would get a crippled arm while the other a crippled leg! Then, he would im their women as his own and make them please him in front of them! The more Pierre thought about it, the more terrifying his expression became. The caretaker was startled for a moment when she came to adjust his IV drip and saw his expression. From N?velDrama.Org. If she were superstitious, she might suspect that he was being possessed. For the next few days, whenever Luca had free time, she would run to the hospital to deliver meals to Wanda. Wanda''s condition was getting better day by day, and she became more energetic. Johann said that Wanda''s wound was healing, and the drainage tube could be removed tomorrow. This was good news. Wanda was happy. She enjoyed the food Luca brought. However, her body was weak due to the surgery, and she could only eat a small portion, which was less than before. Of course, when Luca brought food and soup to Wanda, she would also prepare Mrs. Lane''s portion. Mrs. Lane was pleased because she saved a lot of money on her meals. She was even more determined to help Luca keep the secret and not let Wanda know about Luca and Luke''s rtionship. While Wanda''s condition was improving, the children had someints. They would often call Luca and ask when they could return to the vi after school. It was not that they did not like living with Old Master Crawford, but they missed Luca and Luke after staying at Crawford Manor for a couple of days. Their parents were in A City, but they could not see them. Of course, they wouldin about it! When Luca mentioned it to Luke, he pondered for a moment and said, "Ask Zander to send them back home this Friday. Then send them back to Crawford Manor on Monday. They''ll probably have to stay there for another week." Luca was surprised when she heard that. Luke said the children only needed to stay at Crawford Manor for a few days at first. However, it would not be just a few days if they stayed for another week. Luca could not help but ask, "Why?" "T Corporation is preparing for the new project in A City. There are other projects as well. I''m busy. Besides, you''re taking care of Aunt Wanda. We don''t have time to look after them," exined Luke. Luca had chosen to take care of Wanda. That was why she did not have time to apany the children. In that case, it was better to let the children stay at Crawford Manor for a few more days. This way, Luca would not have to juggle work, taking care of Wanda, and looking after the children all at once. Luca fell silent for a moment. Taking care of Wanda was what she decided to do, but she could also take care of the children while taking care of Wanda. It was just that she might not be able to take good care of the children... Moreover, Luke made such an arrangement because he did not want her to be burdened... Luca could only agree with his decision. The children were sensible. They could understand why as long as Luca exined to them what they had been busy with during this time. However, Luca wanted to spend more time with the children. She decided that she would let the children move back to the vi once Wanda''s condition got better. She felt sorry to leave the kids with Old Master Crawford and Mr. Griffin at Crawford Manor all the time. On the other hand, Rain walked leisurely to the water room and looked at Mandy, who was drenched. She had been staying in this water room for almost a week. Mandy refused to speak. It seemed like she was certain that Rain would not kill her. Therefore, even though she suffered a lot, she refused to tell her how she got the money. Rain was running out of patience. She did not expect Mandy to be so afraid of going to prison, to the extent where she would choose to ovee the fear in her heart. Rain asked in azy tone, "Ms. Sanders, how are you feeling?" Mandy tried hard to open her eyes, but it was futile since her eyes were constantly covered by a ck cloth. She had no idea how many days she had been held here. She could still guess the time based on the number of times she was given the nutrient injections for the first two days, but she lost track of it after the frequency increased. It must have been many days... During this time, everything was done in this water room. It all happened in this room no matter if she was being forced to receive a nutrient injection when she refused to eat or when she had to use the bathroom. Rain had arranged for someone to keep an eye on her. The person guarding her would tear off the tape and let her speak if Mandy needed to. If she needed to use the bathroom, women woulde to help. The men watching her had never taken advantage of her. It was precisely because of this that Mandy became even more convinced that the person who kidnapped her only wanted to torture her. They wanted her to reveal how she got that money when she could not stand it any longer. They had no intention of killing her. Chapter 2814 They did not get the information they wanted, but they did not let her go either. This indicated that Matysh had not exposed her. Mandy thought to herself that Maytsh was still loyal. Although he enjoyed fooling around with women, he did not drag them into this situation even though things had reached this far. It was good. Mandy did not know that Matysh had yet to tell the police that Leia and her were involved in this because he believed that Ethan could protect him. He believed that he would not end up in prison and would safely return to Russia. Why would he expose those two women? If he did expose them, he would be admitting that he hadmitted such a crime. Even if Ethan could rescue him, the two women might still feel resentful and drag him down once again. Therefore, it was not that Matysh did not want to expose them. It was because he believed he had a chance to get out. That was why he did not hand them over to the authorities. Mandy felt a sudden pain on her lips. Someone pulled the tape that was sealing her mouth. "Very well. Another day of nutrient solution, huh?" Mandy knew that begging for mercy was useless. Hence, she stopped trying. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. "No. It seems you''ve gotten used to the darkness. Why don''t we y something different?" replied Rain as she turned off the faucet. Mandy sensed that the water droplets had stopped dripping on her forehead. At first, she thought her skull would be prated by the drops, so she tried her best to avoid them hitting the same spot. However, she soon realized that the drops did not hurt at all. It would take a long time for water to wear away a stone. Human bones were resilient. It would take a long, long time before her head would have a hole in it. Thus, she stopped dodging and allowed the water to fall on one spot. Mandy was calm as she knew that Rain would not take her life."What are you doing?" "This water room stinks. Well, of course, you''ve been here for days. Tsk tsk, it seems like I''ll have to get someone to clean it thoroughly after you''re gone." Rain did not answer her question. "What do you mean?" Mandy frowned. Was she going to be released? Could it be that Matysh had confessed to the police and now they were going to arrest her? Mandy was frightened. "Do you think I''m going to let you go? How naive. What I meant was..." Rain drawled. A word came across Mandy''s mind¡ªdeath! "Are you going to kill me?" After Mandy said that, she realized that she had asked a stupid question. Rain stressed the word ''gone'', so she clearly meant that! Rain let out a chuckle and replied, "You''re not dumb. Do you really think that I wouldn''t hurt you just because I haven''t done anything harmful to you? I just wanted to give you a chance to change yourself. It seems like you have no intention of turning over a new leaf even after waiting for days. I''ve run out of patience. Take her away." Thest sentence was directed at her subordinates who were standing at the door. Mandy was lifted up along with the chair. Her feet instantly left the ground. She could not help but shout with fear, "Do you dare to kill a human? It''s illegal!" A few secondster, Mandy was ced back on the ground. Rain nced at the catheter hub on Mandy''s arm. It was deliberately left there on the third day because she found the injections troublesome. Rain stepped forward and pulled out the catheter hub. Mandy screamed in agony. The catheter hub was forcefully removed without any finesse, and blood gushed out of Mandy''s arm. Rain had no intention of stopping the bleeding. This woman needed to be intimidated to speak the truth. If Mandy did not confess within a day, there was no way Leia could be handed over to the police. Rain felt frustrated at the thought of this. She picked up a syringe nearby and pressed it against Mandy''s face. Her pretty face, once wless and fair, had be rough and blistered from the torment of the past few days. The surface of her skin had even started to peel. "Do you know what this is?" Rain asked in a low voice. Mandy trembled in fear. Her body was drenched in water. She felt cold after she left the room. She knew that they intended to kill her, which made her tremble even more. "This is a poison." Rain did not wait for her to answer and continued, "When I inject this into your major vein through intravenous injection, it''ll flow through your bloodstream, reaching every inch of your body. Wherever it passes, you''ll gradually feel numbness until the poison reaches your heart, paralyzing it and making it stop beating. Of course, there''s an antidote for this poison, but I don''t think you''ll need it because you won''t say anything. Don''t worry. It''s an easy way to die this way. You won''t even feel a thing. It''s just that once the poison reaches your heart, there''s no way you can be saved." Mandy trembled even harder when she heard that. Rain plunged the needle into the back of Mandy''s arm and pushed it in without giving her a chance to think about it. Mandy wanted to struggle, but she was tied. Her hands were tightly held by another person. How could she struggle? It was impossible. Mandy could the cool liquid flow through her veins via the syringe. Then, her body gradually became numb just as Rain had described. First, the injected area became numb, then it slowly spread upward. Mandy trembled in fear. She dreaded death more than being imprisoned! "I''ll tell you! I''ll tell you everything!" shouted Mandy. Rain pressed the recording pen, "Speak." "First, give me the antidote," replied Mandy. "Do you think I''m a fool? Don''t worry, this poison takes effect quickly. Speak the truth and there''ll still be time for the antidote. Don''t me me for dying the opportunity to give you the antidote if you ramble." Mandy''s voice shook as she spoke. She truly believed she had been injected with poison. She followed Rain''s instructions and disclosed her name before going into great detail about her working together with Matysh. She also revealed that Leia was involved in this. She also mentioned her request to harm Jack and Queenie. After that, Mandy pleaded, "Hurry up. Give me the antidote!" "After everything you''ve told me, do you have any evidence to prove it?" Rain did not respond to her plea. Mandy remembered the recording on her phone and immediately answered, "My phone! My phone has a recording of our conversation when I asked him for money." "Okay." Rain felt satisfied. She took her time as she inserted the syringe back into Mandy''s arm. Then, she pulled it out. She did not insert anything into her body. Rain carefully saved the recording and looked at Mandy, who had lost consciousness. She kicked her, but she did not respond. "The anesthetic works really well. I wouldn''t have wasted so much time with her if it had arrived earlier," murmured Rain. The liquid Rain injected into Mandy was a paralyzing anesthetic. It was different from the ones used in surgical procedures. This type of anesthetic would numb wherever the blood flowed when one was given it intravenously. The person would eventually lose consciousness and wake up after a couple of hours of sleep. Rain''s subordinate looked at Mandy and asked, "Boss, what do we do now?" "Continue to give her the anesthetic injections until the marks on her body fade. Then, we''ll leave her and the recording at the police station in the middle of the night. Let the police handle it," replied Rain. She had to be a good citizen. If she were to cooperate with the police in their investigation, how could she harm the innocent citizens? Even if she did, Rain would have to disguise it like she had never done anything like that. Rain applied some ointment on the rope imprints on Mandy''s body. They would disappear in just a couple of days. Chapter 2815 ¡°Yes, Ma''am." Rain''s subordinate thought that it was a good idea too. ¡°Carry her to the secret room in the basement and have Surabaya..." Rain paused. When she mentioned Surabaya, she realized that she was still in the Norman Residence. She shook her head and ordered, "Untie her. Then, have Anita give her a change of clothes and dry her hair. Continue with the injections and apply some ointment to reduce scarring." Changing her clothes and drying her hair was to prevent Mandy from getting sick. As for the injections, Mandy was bound to not wake up for the next couple of days, so she needed the nutrition from the IV drips. Rain did not want to do it herself, so she asked Anita, who was also a woman, to do it. "Yes, Ma''am." The man carried Mandy out of the chair and walked downstairs. Anita hurried to the secret room after receiving Rain''s orders. While Mandy was being tied to the chair, the man saw hering over and said, "I''ve got the clothes. Go help her change into them." Rain and the others worked for Luke, so they were forced to do some morally gray things sometimes. However, they did not vite anyws. They may have tied Mandy up, but it was not like they committed murder or arson. As Rain said, they were just helping the police send a criminal to prison. Even though the method of doing so was not that great. However, the people keeping an eye on her did not take advantage of her. Rain only let a single female subordinate down there to change her clothes. Anita nced at the unconscious Mandy and shook her head. "It''s her again." For the past few days, Mandy had been helping her eat, drink, and even go to the toilet. The first couple of days were fine because the smell of Mandy''s body was not that strong yet, but after a few days, she felt like puking every time and could no longer stand it. "Our boss ns to let her rest for the next two days and send her to the police station once she''s recovered," said the man. "Ah, it would''ve been simpler if she had given her the anesthetic injection earlier." Then, Anita rolled up her sleeves and asked, "Did she say to give her a bath?" The man shook his head. ¡°I can''t take care of her for two days. She reeks. Carry her into the bathroom and I''ll take care of the rest," Anita said. Although it was a secret room used to lock people up, it came with basic amenities too. She turned on the heater and watched as the man carried Mandy and the chair into the bathroom before following them in. Anita gave Mandy a bath and changed her into clean clothes before drying her hair. Due to the anesthetic, Mandy was sitting there silently like a doll the entire time with her head drooping down. This allowed Anita to take care of her. After much effort, Anita was finally done. Then, Rain walked in and loaded the syringe with more anesthetic. The first anesthetic injection could onlyst for two to three hours, but this dose could let Mandy sleep for an entire day. All she had to do was give her another injection on the second day, and then she would be able to hand her over to the police. "Ma''am, you really know how to make me work,"ined Anita. Mandy reeked so bad that it was revolting. She had to wash her body with soap several times for the smell to go away. Rain smirked. "You refused to go spy on Leia at the hospital when I asked you to, so I had to send Surabaya. Now, only you''re left to do these tasks." Rain was very strict with her subordinates, and very few women would choose this line of work, so she did not have many female subordinates. Mandy was a woman, so she could not let the men take advantage of her, right? "What a miserable life," Anita sighed, but she was notining. She just wanted to get it out, and she would still do whatever Rain asked her to do. Anita and Surabaya started working for Rain around the same time. Both of them grew up in an orphanage, and they always looked after each other. However, Anita did not like hospitals very much. Therefore, when Rain arranged that task for her, Surabaya took the initiative to go in her ce. Anita muttered, "I wonder how Surabaya''s doing." "I think she''s doing well," said Rain as Surabaya was still in Norman Residence. The Norman Residence. Surabaya stood at the door of Leia''s room as she listened to her shout and curse, but she just picked her ears and ignored it. Leia had been locked up in her room for several days. When Leia was called toe home for dinner and asked to stay the night, Surabaya sneaked into Leia''s room to steal all her electronic devices as instructed. The next morning, when Leia got up to leave, the door was locked from the outside. Jack and Surabaya worked together to lock Leia in the room. Leia''s bedroom used to have a balcony, but Jack had someone seal the balcony two years prior with the highest grade of bulletproof ss. It was not easily breakable, so Leia would not be able to escape even if she was locked up. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Moreover, Rain''s people were standing guard downstairs. After Leia realized that she had been locked up, she cried and begged Jack to let her go. When Jack asked her about Matysh, Leia acted dumb. Two dayster, Leia''s cries turned into curses. She cursed at Jack, Queenie, and Surabaya. Listening to her voice inside the room, Surabaya admired her. How was she able to not repeat any curse words? Even if Leia did not repeat her curse words, Surabaya soon got bored of it. Although Norman Residence was well soundproofed, Leia''s voice was so loud that one could hear her clearly from outside the room. Surabaya pulled a chair over to sit down. Jack had brought it over for her. Jack agreed to Luke''s n of waiting for Mandy to spit out all their criminal records with Matysh. Once the police issued a notice, Jack would punish his own kin by handing Leia over to them. Besides, it was not a crime for a father to lock his own daughter up. The maid went upstairs with a tray and shook her head when she heard Leia''s curses. Leia had been cursing day and night, so Mr. and Mrs. Norman had to sleep in the first-floor guest room because Leia''s voice could be heard in the second-floor rooms even with the door closed. The couple could not sleep at all. ¡°Ms. Surabaya, this breakfast is for Ms. Leia, and this is for you." The maid picked up one of the portions on the tray and handed it to Surabaya. Surabaya was so responsible that she even had her breakfast outside of Leia''s door. She even slept on the sofa in the second-floor living room. "Thank you." Surabaya did not take her te. Instead, she took Leia''s and tossed it in through the hole. In order to deliver food to Leia, she simply cut a hole in the door that was a little bigger than the size of a man''s fist. The maid put the food in a bag so it could be shoved in easily. Chapter 2816 After pausing for less than half a minute, Leia started scolding again, ¡°F*ck you, Surabaya. Once I get out of here, you''ll be the first one I kill, you b*tch. I''ll find ten men to rape you. You''ll be thrown into the streets, and everyone will know what a sl*t you are!" Surabaya calmly took a sip of orange juice. It seemed like Leia had a new way of cursing. Where did she learn to curse like that? Surabaya was puzzled, so she looked toward the maid. The maid sighed and shook her head. The movie star who used to be oh-so-famous had be like this. If the media heard about this, she would no longer hold the title of ''the innocent girl''. What kind of innocent girl would say such things? ¡°Ms. Surabaya, I''ll go downstairs to work. Call me if you need anything," the maid whispered. She dared not speak too loudly, because if Leia heard her, she would be scolded too. Leia had asked the maid to save her before, but the maid said that it was Jack''s orders and she had no power to do anything. Leia scolded her for a long time and kept on scolding her even after the maid had left. Like a mad dog, she bit everyone in sight. The maid was afraid of Leia. Surabaya nodded and listened to Leia''s new way of cursing her. She took out her phone with a deadpan face and asked Anita: [Has Ms. Rain gotten the evidence yet?] [Yes, she ns to hand Mandy over to the police two nightster.] Anita replied quickly. Not only did she have to clean Mandy up, but she also had to keep an eye on her too. Although Mandy was given anesthesia, they were afraid that something might happen to her. Surabaya answered resignedly: [Alright, I''ll bear with it for a little longer.] She was not mad about Leia cursing her, but she did not enjoy it either. Listening to Leia swear in so many different ways was a pain. Anita asked gloatingly: [What''s wrong?] [Leia''s swears are a pain to listen to.] Surabaya then sent a voice message to show Anita how Leia swore. After a while, Anita sent her another message: [If I were you, I would deal with her on the spot. Good thing our boss had you deal with the mission. I wouldn''t be able to stand it if I were you.] Surabaya shook her head. Rain let her do it because she was already familiar with Leia. Using a familiar identity to approach her would be better than having someone new like Anita do it. The maid went downstairs. Queenie''s brows were knitted together, and her heart was heavy. The maid saw that she did not touch her breakfast, so she went up to advise her, ¡°Mrs. Norman, you should eat. You''ve been eating too little the past few days. Your body won''t be able to sustain it." Queenie smiled resignedly. She knew she had to eat more for her health, but Leia... Leia was the cause of her agony. She dared not go upstairs these days as she would hear Leia begging and cursing when she went up. Listening to her voice made Queenie realize that she did not know Leia at all. How could a person change this much? Was she not the respectabledy she had wholeheartedly raised? Calling her a hysterical madwoman would sound more appropriate. Ever since then, Queenie did not go upstairs. She was afraid that she would not be able to resist letting her go, but she was even more afraid that she would not be able to take those vulgar curse words. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Is she still cursing?" Queenie asked. The maid nodded. "She''s scolding Ms. Surabaya." She did not repeat what Leia said as she was afraid of upsetting Queenie. Besides, those words should note out of ady''s mouth. "In the end, she took after her biological father''s vileness." Queenie was referring to Dexter. The maid also let out a long sigh. After Leia had a liver transnt, Dexter came to find the Normans at Norman Residence. At that time, Jack was not home, and only Queenie and the maid were home. Queenie knew that he was her biological father, but she dared not let such a person in. Besides, there were only two women at home, so she was afraid that something might happen to them. Therefore, they talked through the gate. Dexter looked at her with a filthy gaze and exined his purpose of going there after saying who he was. "You''ve helped my daughter, so you should help me too. Besides, I''m a patient right now. I gave Leia my liver, so you should give me a ce to stay." After speaking, he lifted his shirt to show Queenie the scar where his liver was removed. Queenie instinctively turned away. "My husband said that you live in a shelter." "That ce is for refugees. My daughter is a top celebrity and Mr. Norman''s adopted daughter, so how could I be a homeless refugee? Your mansion seems quite big. Just give me a room near my daughter. "Also, you must know a lot of women, Mrs. Norman. I don''t have a wife yet, so why don''t you introduce me to someone? I don''t mind if she''s a widow or a divorcee as I''m not picky. As long as she''s pretty and can sleep with me, my life will be much better. Leia would feel at ease too, and so would you two." Queenie almost cried out of anger at his audacity. She shut the door without letting him in. Leia had angered Jack, so she had to live in a single-unit apartment. Dexter was someone who sold his wife and daughter off. How could he have the audacity to say such things? He wanted to live here? He wanted her to find him a wife? Dexter was not a kind person. After Queenie shut him out, he rang the doorbell nonstop as he knocked and kicked the door. However, the maid had the foresight to call the police the moment Dexter came to the door. The police came as soon as they could when they found out that it was Jack Norman''s home, and they stopped Dexter from making noise outside the house by taking him away. The thought of that reminded her of Leia upstairs. She remembered what Leia said in the past. Dexter lost money while gambling. After selling off her biological mother, he was not satisfied yet, so he sold her off too. Leia fled and wandered the streets. She was still little at the time, so some kind people sent her to the orphanage after seeing that she was alone. After living there for a short while, the Norman family adopted her. Seeing how much Queenie liked her, the Norman couple took her in and raised her as their own daughter. At that time, she asked Leia if she remembered the past, but Leia said that she could not remember anything after she fell ill. Thinking back, Leia was already at the age where she could remember things. How could she not remember? She simply did not want to recall the past anymore. Come to think of it, Leia''s bad behavior was due to Dexter''s influence from when she was a kid. That seed had been nted long ago, but all this while, the Norman family had raised her well, which buried that evil seed. Afterward, she became like this after something triggered it. Chapter 2817 "Mrs. Norman, keeping Ms. Norman locked up like that isn''t a good idea. She has poor health, and we don''t even know if she''s taking her medicine properly," the maid expressed her concern. The pills were pushed through the hole in the door every day. However, did Leia really take them? "Ah, Mr. Noman didn''t say anything about it, so we can''t release her now." Queenie felt troubled. Leia''s incessant use of vulgarnguage gave her a headache as well. After Leia returned the supplements she had sent, Queenie became disheartened and decided to follow Jack''s advice. Jack said that he wanted to keep Leia in the Norman Residence. Queenie agreed with him as she understood his intentions. She forced herself to muster the determination to do so. The maid could not help but express her thoughts, "I wonder how long Mr. Norman intends to keep Ms. Norman locked up." Queenie remained silent. Jack told her that keeping Leia confined was necessary as they waited for Luke to collect the evidence. The evidence would prove whether Leia was truly involved in this matter. If Leia was involved in this, she would be sent to the police station. If she had nothing to do with it, she could continue staying at the apartment, and the Norman family would still take care of her. The maid was unaware of this. She only thought that Leia had displeased Jack and that was why she was being punished. As Queenie fell silent, the maid suggested, "Mrs. Norman, why don''t you talk to Mr. Norman and let Ms. Norman out once she''s been punished enough?" Queenie looked at the maid and shook her head repeatedly. Worried that she might secretly release Leia, Queenie reminded her, "This is Mr. Norman''s decision. Don''t secretly let her out." "Mrs. Norman, you can rest assured. I won''t do anything without Mr. Norman''s orders, and besides, Ms. Surabaya is watching too," reassured the maid. The maid heard them saying that Surabaya was Leia''s caretaker at the hospital on the first day she returned home. Now, Surabaya was standing outside Leia''s bedroom like a bodyguard. No matter how badly Leia scolded her, she remained unfazed as though she was used to being scolded. "Surabaya is dedicated to her job. By the way, I heard the weather forecast saying there''ll be a slight temperature drop tonight. Make sure to give her a thicker nket," Queenie remembered and instructed the maid. She had initially arranged for Surabaya to stay in the guest room, but she insisted on sleeping on the sofa to keep an eye on Leia. There was nothing Queenie could do about it. "Understood, Mrs. Norman," replied the maid as she noted the task assigned to her. Night fell, and Luca walked out of the bathroom after showering. Luke was already leaning against the edge of the bed with aptop resting on his thigh. The room was brightly lit, entuating the man''s features. She could not help but nce at him a few more times. "I have two recordings for you to listen to. Come and sit here." Luke patted the spot on the bed. "What recordings?" Luca''s curiosity was piqued as she walked over and sat down. Luke took her hand and pressed it against his lips, giving it a kiss. Luca''s face reddened, and she tried to pull her hand away, but he held it tightly. She pouted yfully and said, "Didn''t you say there are recordings?" Luke smiled and pressed the y button. Mandy''s voice came through the phone. Her voice was trembling in fear as she said, "My name''s Mandy..." Luca furrowed her brows as she listened to the recording, which confessed Matysh''s involvement in the hired hitman case. There was also the usation against Leia. Mandy also provided the police with more evidence regarding the case. "And here''s the other one." Luke yed the next recording. It was a conversation. After a couple of lines, Luca immediately recognized Mandy''s and Matysh''s voices. After hearing the content, Luca deduced, "This must be Mandy asking Matysh for the money. Is this after the incident at the Norman Residence?" "Yes. It was after you and Rain took care of the people sent by the underworld who fell into the hands of the police. Mandy went to ask Matysh for money and recorded this conversation," exined Luke. It was all Mandy''s confession. Rain was quite surprised when she received this recording. Hence, she immediately sent it to him. With this recording and Mandy''s confession, they could put Matysh, Mandy, and Leia all behind bars. ¡°This time, Ms. Norman..." Luca furrowed her brows again, hoping that Leia would face appropriate punishment. However, would Jack and Queenie really let her go to prison? "She will definitely go to prison," Luke answered her question. Leia had long lost Jack''s affection. Queenie was also disappointed when she found out about Leia''s involvement in this matter. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Will Ms. Norman''s imprisonment have an impact on the Norman family?" Luca asked again. "No, don''t worry," Luke shook his head. After he had Jack''s permission, he had been orchestrating a campaign online. Jack was Jack, and Leia was the daughter he kindly adopted. However, Leia no longer deserved the love of the Norman family. Therefore, Jack and Leia were two separate individuals. Jack raised Leia and provided her with many resources in the past, fulfilling his obligations. Luca did not pay much attention to the onlinements, but when she heard that it would not affect Jack, she let out a sigh of relief. Jack was an upright official. The Norman family''s umted wealth was from the old master; it was not built by Jack himself. If such a virtuous official who served the people were to be dragged down by Leia, it would be unfair! Luca looked at Luke with teary eyes and asked, "When will Rain hand this recording over to the police?" He had entrusted Rain to handle these matters now as Gale had been posing as Marcos and could not extricate himself. He was unable to do many things. "Mandy has been held for a few days and has some rope marks on her body," said Luke. Although Rain was the one handling these matters, she reported every detail. "We''ll wait a couple more days before sending her to the police." Once they sent her to the police station, Mandy would be sentenced, and the matter concerning the Norman family would bepletely resolved. Luca let out a sigh of relief. Thankfully, it was not her who had caused trouble for Jack and Queenie. When Jack and Queenie were frightened and hospitalized, Luca had always felt guilty, believing that she had led those people into the Norman Residence. However, Mandy''s recording made her realize that if it were not for Leia''s malicious intentions, Jack and Queenie might not have been implicated in this matter at all. It was Jack''s home. Who would dare to cause trouble there? "One more thing," added Luke as he looked into her teary eyes. He leaned forward slightly, closing the gap between them. "Huh?" Luca looked at him in confusion. "Ambrose confessed as well. He said that throwing acid at you was an act of revenge, but it was also orchestrated by someone. We followed the lead and discovered that the person behind it was Leia," said Luke. As soon as Rain looked into Ambrose''s bank ount, they found something. Even though Leia carefully transferred the money multiple times before it ended up in Ambrose''s ount, she transferred it at the same time, which aroused Rain''s suspicion. Although it could not be considered conclusive evidence of their collusion, it was a fact that Leia had colluded with Matysh, so she was definitely going to prison. Ambrose would also be imprisoned for attacking Luca with acid. Knowing that the person behind Ambrose would also face imprisonment, the investigation into this matter ceased. Luca let out a long sigh, expressing her long-standing question, "Why did she cling to me and not let go?" Chapter 2818 Previously, it was understandable for her to do so when Bianca was around. Leia had always liked Luke. Bianca''s appearance and identity took away some of Queenie''s and Jack''s familial affection. It was normal for Leia to target her at every turn. However, it seemed that Leia had given up on liking Luke after that. Her current identity was Luca. The Norman family did not know about it. Logically speaking, there should be no vested interest between her and Leia. Yet, Leia was still targeting her... Luca really did not know why Leia held such a grudge against her. Could it be...? She turned to look at Luke. Her gaze was focused and somewhat peculiar. Was Leia still in love with Luke? Luke raised an eyebrow. "What''s wrong?" "Nothing. I''m going to apply some skincare products," said Luca as she lowered her eyes and nced at the hand held tightly by Luke. Luke smiled and released her hand. Luca sat in front of the dressing table, carefully taking care of her skin in the mirror. Her skin had improved a lot since she left the Ind of Despair. Although Shanks used to provide her with some skincare products he developed, the training on the Ind of Despair was relentless. Sometimes, she would hold N in her arms and fall asleep when she was exhausted. How could she even care to take good care of her skin? Now, even though the current skincare products were more expensive, they could notpare to what Shanks had developed. However, applying them every day still yielded better results. As Luca looked at her reflection in the mirror, she remembered the message she received from Tommy before entering the bathroom. She turned to Luke and said, "I''d like to visit Crawford Manor the day after tomorrow." From N?velDrama.Org. "You miss them, right?" Luke assumed that she wanted to see the children as soon as she mentioned it. Luca nodded. She did miss the three children, but there were also other things on her mind. "Tommy said that their school is organizing a spring outing the day after tomorrow. The school will provide food and drinks, but they also encourage the children to bring homemade snacks from home. I''d like to make some for him." "Will it be too tiring for you to make them yourself? Why don''t you ask Aunt Neile to do it, and you can just deliver them?" In Luke''s heart, Luca was more important than the kids. Luca shook her head. "I''m not tired. If the kids want to eat them, I''ll make them. The snacks Aunt Neile makes are slightly different from mine. Even if I give them Aunt Neile''s homemade snacks and tell them that I made them, they can still tell the difference." Children had a sharp sense of taste. Even if she blindfolded them and let them taste the snacks she made and those made by others, they could instantly tell them apart. Even though she was not their mother now, the food she made with a mother''s touch was a manifestation of her love for them. It was normal for children to be able to taste it. When Tommy told her that he wanted to have the snacks she made, she readily agreed. Luke shook his head when he saw how devoted she was to the kids. Fortunately, they were their children. Otherwise, he might have felt jealous. He felt sorry to make Luca tired. Luke ced theptop on the nightstand, got out of bed, and stood behind her. He picked up ab and gently ran it through her recently let-down hair. "You don''t have to tire yourself out. Whether it''s the children or Aunt Wanda, someone will take care of them." Luca held his left hand that was resting on her shoulder. Luke took care of their children and also took care of her aunt. There were some things that did not need to be mentioned, but she knew that he had always been sharing her burdens. Luca also wanted to share some of his burdens, to make him less weary. However, what could she do for him? Luca had no idea. She did not know how much time she had left to be by Luke''s side. With the antidote in hand, it was imperative to resist the Ind of Despair. However, she also had to save N and Eler from there. It would be difficult to achieve without Luke. Perhaps it was time to tell the truth? Luca heaved a sigh and whispered, "Luke, I''m tired." A gleam appeared in Luke''s eyes. They had been so busytely that they had not been spending time together for a long time. Her words were like a signal. He bent down and scooped Luca into his arms. She did not resist or scream. Instead, she blushed and nestled against his chest. She wanted to lean on this broad and powerful chest for a lifetime. ... The next day, when Marcos was about to leave the hotel, Ethan knocked on the door. He opened it and found Ethan apanied by two people. One was the interpreter he had invited, and the other was a woman with Caucasian features who wore silver-framed sses. She was also wearing a suit with a neatly pressed pair of trousers. This attire added a touch of elegance to her beautiful face. The woman also carried a leather briefcase, disying an elite appearance. "Mr. Ethan, who is this?" asked Marcos, but he already had an idea of the person''s identity. "She''s Shandra Cullen. one of the finestwyers in A City. She just finished her studies abroad and returned to the country. She''s also Mr. Matysh''s representativewyer," exined Ethan. It took him two days of research to pinpoint her as one of the targetwyers. Shandra happened to have returned to A City a few days ago. Therefore, Ethan took the interpreter with him and went to herw firm to discuss matters with her. Shandra initially refused to take the case, but he insisted on having her defend Mr. Matysh and offered her a substantial sum of money. Later, Shandra thought that since he was not afraid of failure and the other party could afford such a price, then she might as well take it. "Ah." Marcos nodded. He was not familiar with thewyers here. However, if Shandra was as capable as imed and was someone who was able to defend Matysh and clear his name, then he believed that Luke''s side would also take action. Once Luke decided to make a move, Matysh would have no chance when it came to targeting that woman. Ethan noticed his indifference and continued his introduction, "Ms. Cullen has defended many clients in various cases. With her involvement, Mr. Matysh will definitely be fine. Prepare for the handover. Once Matysh returns to Russia, he''ll be taking over M Group." "Alright." Marcos did not say anything more. M Group was currently under his management. Even though he had been closely monitored and guarded by the elders of the family, he had gained control over many people inside. They were not useless individuals who only knew how to enjoy their lives. They were capable of getting things done. These people who were working in M Group had brought considerable profits to thepany. Even though the elders were vignt because they knew he was behind them, he had no objections. Talent was something everypany valued. Ethan wanted to further highlight Shandra''s impressive achievements when he saw how indifferent Marcos was, but he was interrupted by Shandra herself. She handed him her business card and said, "Mr. Marcos, I''ve heard of your reputation. This is my business card. Feel free to contact me if you ever need my services." Facing someone like Marcos, who could walk with authority in Russia, most people would speak with deference and even with a touch of ttery. However, Shandra was not one of them. She exuded self-confidence. Marcos took Shandra''s business card and nced at the English introduction on the back while maintaining a faint smile on his face. This woman seemed like an elite. To be soposed in his presence meant she either looked down on his bloodline or she had a simr status and background as him. Chapter 2819 Marcos reckoned that a woman like her might be able to help Matysh. "Ms. Cullen, I''m looking forward to your brilliant performance in court. We''re all counting on you to get my Uncle Matysh released." His tone was calm. It was as calm as his smile. Shandra could not figure out how much he wanted her to help Matysh. Of course, she could not sense his reluctance either. He seemed indifferent, as though it had nothing to do with him. Shandra knew that it was hard to fathom this man''s thoughts. Although Matysh''s case had nothing to do with him, she felt it was necessary to understand this person. She had no problem dealing with money, but winning thiswsuit would bring her even more. "Don''t worry. I won''t disappoint the client''s expectations or Mr. Ethan''s expectations," said Shandra as she nced at Ethan. Ethan was somewhat known internationally, butpared to Shandra''s fame, he fell a bit short. She was a renownedwyer both domestically and internationally, while Ethan, even though he had some recognition internationally, operated mostly within Russia. Hence, his reputation was limited, and they had never crossed paths before. Marcos did not continue the conversation and simply closed the door to the suite. Ethan furrowed his brows and asked, "Where are you going again?" Marcos frowned when he heard him. It felt like a parent questioning their child who insisted on going out to y instead of studying. "Just going out for a walk," replied Marcos, feeling annoyed. Ethan had been acting like an overbearing guardian, monitoring his every move for the past few days. Besides, there were also people arranged by the Abaza family out there. Even if he went out to buy something without meeting anyone, those people would follow him as though they were filming a movie. Marcos was growing increasingly eager to escape this situation. The best way to break free from it would be to let Mr. Matysh go to prison. Once he was imprisoned, Marcos would be the one to manage M Group, and the elders would no longer favor Matysh, who was being rehabilitated in jail. "Now that Mr. Matysh is still under restrictions, why do you keep going outside? What will he think if he finds out about this?" scolded Ethan while he furrowed his brows. He was using Matysh''s identity to suppress Marcos. Marcos did not respond, but Shandra already had a frown on her face. What was the deal with thiswyer hired by Matysh? So what if someone in the family was in prison? Did that mean others were not allowed to leave the house? However, Shandra refrained from speaking, considering that she epted the job at Ethan''s request. Marcos replied, "Well, then how about I have a good conversation with Ms. Cullen about Uncle Matysh''s case?" Ethan became alert when he heard that. Matysh had said that Marcos should not have any involvement in the case as it would increase the difficulty of his release. He retorted, "Hmph, you heartless man. You''ll be in trouble if Old Master Abaza finds out about this." "Doesn¡¯t he already know about this?" questioned Marcos. There were people waiting for him outside the hotel. Ethan paused for a moment, appearing calm on the surface but his mind filled with astonishment. How did he know? "What nonsense are you talking about?" asked Ethan. "Mr. Ethan, haven''t you been keeping an eye on me? You report my actions to Grandpa. Since you think I should focus on helping Uncle Matysh, why don''t you ask Grandpa how I should proceed?" Marcos had been feeling down these past few days because he could not find his biological mother. Also, Ethan was constantly messing with his mindset and provoking him. He could not help but vent his emotions on him. Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Ethan let out a sigh of relief, realizing that Marcos still did not know about the people the old master had sent to watch him. "I haven''t been watching you all the time. I just think you should put in more effort." Ethan paused for a moment, suddenly remembering that Marcos should not be putting in too much effort. He added, "Forget it. It''s nothing." After that, he looked at Shandra and said, "Ms. Cullen, let''s go to the prison first. I''ll introduce you to Mr. Matysh." "Alright." Shandra withdrew her gaze from Marcos and followed Ethan out. Marcos did not rush to go out. Instead, he returned to his suite and sent a message to Luke: [Ethan has found a localwyer to defend Matysh. Thewyer''s name is Shandra Cullen, a femalewyer.] After sending the message, he took a photo of Shandra''s business card and sent it to Luke. When Luke saw Marcos'' message and confirmed it on the business card, he realized that Shandra was Walter¡¯s ex-girlfriend. Shandra had initially served as Xavier¡¯s representativewyer in handling the divorce with Bianca. Walter was Bianca¡¯swyer. In the end, Bianca divorced Xavier. After that incident, Shandra went abroad to further her studies and never returned. Walter followed Shandra abroad to continue his studies too. The two had feelings for each other back then. If it were not for the misunderstandings between them, they would not have separated. Walter had always wanted to get back together with Shandra, but she was stubborn. Thus, he could only continue to be with her in this way. After Walter left, thepany''s legal representative was reced by Mr. Zac. Luke replied: [Shandra is Matysh''swyer? Then let''s look for Walter to defend the victim''s family.] Then, he dialed Walter''s number. "Are you back in the country?" Walter was slightly surprised. "How did you know? I just came back a couple of days ago." "Shandra has returned and taken on cases. Since she''s back, how could you not be?" Luke understood the situation very well. Walter was a coward when it came to rtionships. His shrewdness in handling legal matters did not extend to his personal life. If Shandra did not want to get back together with him, he would pursue her while resorting to the most clumsy methods. Even as a bystander, Luke found his way of pursuing a woman terrible. "You catch on quickly," Walter replied with a touch of helplessness in his tone. He thought Shandra would only return to A City in a month, but she was much quicker than he expected. She was so quick that he was slow to react and had to quickly finish things abroad before returning to the country. Meanwhile, Shandra had already found aw firm and started taking on cases. Shandra''s involvement in the case had something to do with him. If he agreed to help Luke with this case, would it not provide him with more opportunities to be close to Shandra? "I''ll take it," replied Walter. His tone may have been calm, but an intelligent person like Luke could sense the underlying excitement in this tone. The man could not contain his enthusiasm when it came to facing Shandra. Luke frowned. Sometimes, he felt that Walter was chasing after Shandra just to provoke her. Otherwise, after so many years of effort, her heart of stone should have melted by now. There were no results after all these years. There was only one possible exnation¡ªWalter had been using the wrong methods. No matter if it was right or wrong, Luke had made up his mind to pit Walter against Shandra. Shandra''s mouth was perfectly suited for being awyer. Ordinarywyers would not stand a chance against her. Except for Walter... Walter was the biggest nemesis in her professional career. Chapter 2820 Although it seemed difficult to win Matysh''s case based on the existing evidence, the difference between imprisonment of eight to ten years and one or two years was significant. He was now allied with Marcos and had to provide full assistance. If Matysh were to spend ten years in A City, Marcos should be able to fully control M Group. "Jason will hand you the documents," said Luke. Walter asked, "Are you the intiff in this case?" "No, but if you''re willing to take it, the other party will be willing to change theirwyer," replied Luke. The criminal evidence against Matysh was uncovered by his people. The victim''s parent, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Norman, had all expressed their trust in him to handle the matter. Especially the victim''s mother, who had suffered the loss of her daughter and husband. She was falsely used and med for so many years, and her mental state was already deteriorating. Knowing that someone wanted to expose the truth, she reached out to Luke through the police. Then, she expressed her desire to restore her daughter''s and husband''s innocence. However, she needed help because, as a woman, she could not handle such matters on her own. Luke agreed to help. He initially intended to let Mr. Zac to handle this matter. However, now that Walter had returned, he was more suitable to handle the case. Therefore, they would changewyers, and both parties would not object. "Fine, I''ll take it. I can give a discount for the fees," Walter agreed. Even though he was doing Luke a favor, he could not afford to do it for free. That was why he agreed to take the case but still required the attorney''s fees. "Do your best to make sure the other party stays in prison for several more years," Luke stated his demand. "Is a life sentence enough?" Walter joked. "It would be great if you can achieve that." Luke knew that even though he did not understand the legal technicalities, it would be difficult for Matysh to receive a life sentence since he had notmitted murder. However, they could use public opinion and the social status of the Norman family to keep Matysh in prison for a longer time. "In that case, I''ll wait for the case documents," replied Walter, showing great enthusiasm. Apart from his connection to Shandra, another reason for his enthusiasm was that he had just returned to the country and had reached out to his formerw firm, but not many people knew that he had returned. He had some free time on his hands. He knew that he would soon be busy again based on his previously umted reputation and the case entrusted by Luke this time. Shandra and Walter''s return to the country could snatch away the job opportunities of severalwyers. A faint smile appeared on Walter''s face as Shandra crossed his mind. Even though their rtionship was still the same, Walter and Shandra were the perfect match in the legal profession. Shandra had also said that she would not marry someone outside the legal field. They both needed to bewyers to havemon ground. Shandra would still return to his side! After ending the call, Luke sent a message to Jason: [We''re changingwyers. Have Mr. Zac deliver the current documents to Walter. You''ll also have to deliver your documents to him.] Jason immediately replied to his message: [Okay.] Mr. Zac and Walter were familiar with each other. They were ssmates and had the same advisor during their graduate studies. Walter was the one who introduced Mr. Zac to Luke, a prominent figure. Of course, Mr. Zac was willing to entrust the two cases to Walter as a way of repaying the favor from years ago. After some consideration, Luke called Marcos and said, "When Shandra is litigating, she''s sharp with her words. She possesses strong logic and a solid understanding of thew. However, she has one nemesis ¡ªWalter. So, I''ve changed the defense attorneys and sought Walter''s assistance." "Are Walter and Shandra a couple?" Marcos suddenly had this feeling and asked. "Shandra''s ex-boyfriend is Walter. Don''t worry, they won''t go easy on each other in the courtroom because of their past. They will onlypete to prove themselves. Shandra''s strength lies in her ability to truly defend Matysh and reduce the death penalty to life imprisonment or change a ten-year sentence to five years. We have no choice but to choose Walter." With unwavering trust, Luke believed that Walter would provide them with a satisfactory oue. "I trust you," Marcos replied without hesitation. While Luke''s hatred toward Matysh was not as strong as his own, he also wanted Matysh to face more severe punishment. "How''s the search going? Any progress?" asked Luke. He was too busy to inquire about Marcos'' situation, but he knew that Marcos had been seeking assistance from Gale to conceal and disguise himself, eluding the eyes watching him out there. "No news yet. I''ve asked the people there, but they im to have never seen my mother," Marcos'' voice sounded slightly depressed. His initial confidence had been worn down by days of fruitless searching. He even started to suspect that Luke had held onto the information for too old, and his biological mother had already left the suburbs of A City. Perhaps, his biological mother was rmed when Luke''s men were investigating the matter. Could it be that she thought that someone from Russia was looking for her, so she moved away? Regardless of the reason, Marcos felt an immense heaviness in his heart because he could not find his biological mother. "Don''t worry. We''ll find her," Luke assured him. His men were also looking for her. However, after Ethan and Marcos'' arrival, there were more men sent to watch them, and they could not be as active as before. "I won''t give up." Since he knew his biological mother was alive, he did not n on going back until he found her. After all, Matysh''s case would take a long time to resolve. He had an excuse to stay here longer. On the other hand, Shandra sat in Ethan''s car, looking at the documents about Matysh''s case. Even though she had already read through them, she furrowed her brows involuntarily while she read the detailed report. It was evident that the current investigation results were even more unfavorable. Ethan felt somewhat guilty because he had withheld some facts in order to persuade Shandra to take on this case. Now that Shandra had agreed and signed the retainer agreement, he could tell her everything. There were indeed formidablewyers in A City, just as skilled as Shandra. However, this particr case carried significant public attention and was also rted to the Norman family. That was why many lawyers were unwilling to take it on. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He embellished the details a bit to convince Shandra to take on the case. Since Shandra had just returned to the country, her understanding of the case was average. However, as the case went through another round of review, the evidence presented by the victim became even more irrefutable and infuriating. Chapter 2821 Now, the nature of this case had be even more serious. Shandra did not y along with him and asked in a serious tone, "Do you know how severe the sentencing can be in A City for this? Mr. Ethan, you shouldn''t have withheld any information when you sought awyer!" Ethan nodded repeatedly and replied, "It''s just a difference of a few more or fewer years in the sentence, but I believe you, Ms. Cullen. You have the ability to settle this matter for Mr. Matysh." Shandra rolled her eyes. She did not want to hear such ttery. Did settling this matter for Matysh not mean helping him to avoid imprisonment? Unless there was aplete reversal in the chain of evidence, there was nothing she could do about it. She could only fight for a slightly reduced prison term for Matysh. Shandra decided not to argue about that and asked, "Tell me about Mr. Marcos." "Are you interested in him?" Ethan could not help but make a connection when he saw her sudden curiosity about Marcos. "Since the day I decided to be awyer, I''ve made up my mind that my husband can only be from the legal field, Mr. Ethan. If I''m defending Mr. Matysh, I need to understand everything about him¡ªhis rtionships and even his background. Otherwise, it''ll be difficult for me to handle this matter." Shandra''s expression turned serious as she mentioned that her husband had to be from the legal field, reminding her of Walter. He was like a lingering ghost! He would show up at every ce she went. It was as though he was tormenting her like he was taking revenge. Shandra even felt that if it were not for her strong psychological resilience, she would have been emotionally shattered by Walter''s behavior. Fortunately, tough people could not be easily defeated! Ethan thought to himself that it was not surprising for him to think that way in the first ce when he heard that. After all, Marcos was considered outstanding in the eyes of many women who desired to be his wife. However, those women only had such thoughts because Marcos was managing M Group now. Ethan believed that if Matysh was fine, Marcos would be in trouble. Would those women still cling to Marcos with their burning desires at that time? Ethan looked at Shandra with a serious expression on his face. He reckoned that her reasons were reasonable. Thus, he nodded and provided Shandra with some basic information about Marcos. Shandra recorded the important details while she listened to him. Matysh and Marcos appeared to have a harmonious uncle-nephew rtionship, but in reality, they werepetitors. If Matysh went to jail, Marcos would be the biggest beneficiary. Even though Marcos looked like he did not set Matysh up, he certainly did not want him to live comfortably... Shandra took a bunch of notes and concluded that it would be best to investigate this case without Marcos'' knowledge. Furthermore, it seemed like Marcos had a lot to say to Luke. Considering Luke''s connection to the Norman family, they should also keep it from him. Shandra felt annoyed. Luke reminded her of Walter. She secretly returned to the country, and he should have known that she came back. Would he follow her back or continue his studies over there? If he returned, would Luke seek help from Walter for defense? "It''s easy for us to bypass Mr. Marcos in our investigation. He''s Russian and doesn''t have much influence here. But we also have to hide it from Luke," said Shandra as she leaned back a little to relieve her fatigue. She had been taking on cases without much rest after she returned. She was exhausted now. "The old master has made arrangements here. Even though we''re from Russia, it''s still easy to send someone over to assist with the investigation," replied Ethan. Matysh''s incident had made the old master, who was in Russia, no longer trust the local citizens here. They would not seek help from local hooligans to get things done here. They would be sending the Russians. Shandra shook her head. "No, we can''t involve the Russians. It''s too conspicuous. The majority here are local citizens, and you should find them to handle the job." A bunch of Russian faces investigating the matter? It was impossible for Luke not to find out about it! Ethan frowned, feeling perplexed. The Russians had not considered this aspect. After all, they did not have many businesses in A City. They had little experience in dealing with such matters. From N?velDrama.Org. What Shandra said made sense! "But the old master doesn''t trust anyone here," said Ethan. Shandra gave him a cold look. "Tell the old master that I am a Caucasian. If he doesn''t trust the Caucasians, I don''t mind terminating our contract." Ethan realized that his words had inadvertently shown discrimination and made Shandra ufortable. He quickly corrected himself, "I mean the old master doesn''t trust the thugs here. He has a hundred percent trust in talented individuals like you, Ms. Cullen." Shandra began to doubt how Ethan became awyer. Being awyer meant not harboring discriminatory views, but Ethan seemed to have quite a strong racial bias. No wonder he only had a mediocre reputation internationally. Despite serving the Matysh family for so long, how could someone with racial discrimination truly be a formidablewyer? Sometimes, being someone with racial advantages did not make them right. Being able to treat everyone equally was the essence of being awyer! Shandra''s tone was firm. "Regardless of who your old man discriminates against or distrusts, this is A City. If we use the people you send over and we discover any evidence beneficial to Mr. Matysh, the other side will most likely find out about it too. If they have prior knowledge, they''ll have enough time to counter it. Think carefully about what I''m saying because all of this can affect how long Mr. Matysh will be in prison." Ethan felt that she made a valid point. If hepared Shandra to the interpreter, he considered the person Marcos hired to be useless. That was why Matysh told him not to let Marcos interfere in this matter. The interpreter only understood the trantion and never considered these things. It was surprising that the interpreter had a background inw and Russiannguage studies. Shandra, whom he found, was truly impressive! "I will convey your words to the old master." Ethan could not make the decision and needed to consult the old master''s opinion. Shandra felt impatient all of a sudden. If she had known it would be like this, she would not have eagerly taken on this case. She rubbed her throbbing forehead. If Luke and Walter got involved, she would really have a headache. It was not that she was afraid, but who would willingly add trouble and difficulty to something that could go smoothly? Shandra followed Ethan and went to meet Matysh. When Matysh was brought in by the police and saw Shandra, his eyes lit up! This woman was stunning! Matysh had been deprived of femalepanionship for a while. Hence, his eyes naturally sparkled when he saw a beautiful woman. Before he had the chance to fulfill his desires with Luca, he found someone who resembled her. It did not matter to him whether the woman looked like Luca or not. He would be after any pretty girl he laid his eyes on! Chapter 2822 "Was this specially prepared for me?" Matysh blurted out his thoughts, forgetting that he was in a detention center in A City. Shandra spoke Russian, so her face immediately turned sullen when she understood what he said. From N?velDrama.Org. Matysh''s leering gaze was unyielding as if he were looking at prey. He thought that Ethan had sent him a ything to make his time in the detention center a little less miserable. ¡°Mr. Matysh, this is A City''s detention center," Shandra reminded. The discipline in A City''s detention center was strict, unlike abroad, where they could act one way in the open and another way in secret. In some countries, some rich criminals could even live a good life in prison. However, it was different for A City. No matter how rich one was, as long as they had vited thew, they would be treated the same as any other criminal. Matysh raised his eyebrows, "Aren''t you a feisty one? Hmm, fine by me. Let her in." Thatst sentence was addressed to Ethan. Ethan broke out in a sweat. "Mr. Matysh, she''s the defensewyer I found you. Ms. Cullen isn''t who you think she is." "How could you get a chick to defend me? Can she even do the job?" Not only was Matysh heavily racist, but he was sexist too. Shandra grimaced as she took out the contract she signed with Ethan. "Mr. Matysh, since you''ve decided that women aren''t able to defend you, please sign this to terminate the contract." She did not think that Matysh was right. This criminal defense case was her first case back in A City. Shandra knew that if she epted this case, she would instantly rise back to fame and regain the poprity she previously had in A City. However, she had been away for too long... It did not matter how good she was before because after she left, no one remembered her. There were a lot ofwyers in A City, so anyone could take her ce. After she left, she was instantly reced. In the first two years of leaving, she would still get calls from people asking her to help withwsuits, but eventually, she got none. If it were not assigned to her by legal aid, her past self would have refused such a vile and outrageous case. Matysh squinted his eyes after seeing how headstrong she was. Those exotic eyes were full of malicious intent. Matysh was reminded of the unattainable Luca, who was the reason he was in this situation. He had to get out of here to teach those people a lesson. Ethan hurriedly came over to mediate between them. ¡°Ms. Cullen, don''t get him wrong. Mr. Matysh didn''t mean that, nor does he mean to terminate the contract." After speaking to Shandra, he turned to Matysh and said, "Mr. Matysh, Ms. Cullen is an internationally renownedwyer. Once I found out that she had returned to A City, I immediately asked her to be your defense attorney. Ms. Cullen has a lot of experience with cases like yours, so you must trust our decision." By ''our'' he meant to exclude Marcos. Matysh narrowed his eyes as he looked at Shandra. She was well-dressed, but because of his prejudice toward women, he thought that she was faking it. However, Ethan chose her, so perhaps he should trust him. "Fine, I trust your decision, but can you please spend some money to make some arrangements for me? There aren''t any women or alcohol in here. It''s killing me!" Shandra snorted and cursed inwardly before saying, "The detention centers in A City are different from those in Russia. Money can''t get you the things you want here." Not only was it impossible with money but personal connections too. Even power was useless! A City''s justice system had always been impartial. Matysh was growing impatient, so he yelled at Ethan, "Tsk, how annoying. You! You either make the arrangements soon or get me out of here now. Otherwise, I''ll suffocate to death in here!" "Yes, Mr. Matysh. Please bear with me." There was not much Ethan could do too as this was not Russia, so they could not just do whatever they wanted! He could only appease Matysh. "Just be a little more patient. Other than introducing Ms. Cullen to you, I brought her here today so she could ask you some questions too." "Why am I being questioned again? Why are all of youwyers so annoying?" Matysh yelled impatiently. With the beautiful Shandra in front of him, all he could do was sit idly. An urge he had been suppressing all this while was sneaking up on him, about to explode anytime now. Shandra ignored his yelling and opened up herptop. The light from theputer screen shone on her face, which made Matysh''s heart itch when he saw it. Why did she note alone? However, that b*tch would not wipe that look off her face. Plus, there was surveince here, so he would not be able to do anything even if she came alone. Thus, Matysh gave up that notion and decided that he had to get out of there instead. "Mr. Matysh, I''ve read the documents from the police and the records you told Mr. Ethan about, but I still have a few questions to ask you. It won''t take long." Shandra''s tone was cold. Unlike Ethan, she did not have to bow and scrape before him. If he was unwilling to cooperate, she had an excuse to leave any time. That was thew in A City. It protected defense attorneys like them. "I''ve said everything I had to say." Matysh folded his arms together with a haughty look on his face. ¡°I suspect that you lied to Mr. Ethan. If you lie in A City, I have the right to unterally terminate the contract we signed," said Shandra. Ethan had Matysh sign the contract before handing it to her. If Matysh lied to her and concealed important facts regarding the case, she had every right to dismiss him. Matysh''s eyes widened as his veins appeared in his bulging temples. ¡°How dare you threaten me?" ¡°This is A City, and I''m from here, so what is there to be afraid of?" Shandra''s gaze was equally as piercing with a calm expression. Matysh may be a scary name in Russia, but in A City, he was nothing. Shandra hade in contact with all kinds of people before, even mob bosses who dominated several states. If she was afraid of a man like him, her name would be unheard of in the legal world. Matysh snorted without a word, but Shandra knew that he had given in. He was afraid of being imprisoned. Shandra started interrogating, and an hourter, Ethan''s head was in his hands as Matysh had lied to him, just as Shandra predicted. Shandra saved a voice recording before shutting herputer and keeping it in the leather briefcase. Then, she stood up and looked down at Matysh''s humiliated face. ¡°Sometimes, lying won''t protect you, especially when lying to your defense attorney." After that, she nced at Ethan. How useless could he be to not notice such an obvious w in his story? Ethan looked at her and sighed. He did not think there would be any ws in the story because Matysh was supposed to trust him. Chapter 2823 Reality hit Ethan so hard that he could not look Shandra in the eye. Thus, he withdrew his gaze. When Shandra left, Ethan said to Matysh, ¡°Mr. Matysh, hang in there. Ms. Cullen and I will bail you out as soon as possible." Matysh watched them leave indifferently and cursed, "Stupid b*tch, who do you think you are?" If not for Ethan praising her, he would never have gotten himself a woman to defend him! When Shandra left the detention center, she heard someone call her name, "Ms. Cullen?" Shandra stopped in her tracks, turned to where the voice wasing from, and saw that it was a policeman from the detention center. He looked familiar, but she could not pinpoint where she knew him from. Although she used to meet clients here often when she was in A City, the police officers would change, so she did not expect anyone to know her. The police officer trotted over with a smile on his face when he confirmed her identity. "Ms. Cullen, it''s really you. I saw youing in with a foreigner just now, so I thought I was mistaken. It''s been such a long time. How are you?" "I''m good, and you are..." Shandra could not recall who the policeman was. Sometimes, she had to deal with the police here because of her work. She could still recall the policemen she was close with, but she had no memory of the one in front of her. The policeman was very young. He had a timid smile with tan skin and bright eyes, but he still did not ring a bell. "I''m Sully." The policeman realized that he was being over-familiar. After introducing himself, he was afraid that Shandra still did not recognize him, so he said, "You helped my family previously. I was still in A City''s Public Security University at that time. My father was framed for theft by the department manager, but you thought that he was innocent, so you took on his case. In the end, it was proven that the person whomitted the theft was the manager, and it had nothing to do with my father. You helped my father, and you helped me too. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have been able to be a policeman." Shandra started to recall when she heard what the policeman said. A year before she went abroad, she did take on such a case, and it left an impression on her. Sully''s family was not well-off, so they hired awyer through legal aid. When she came across that case, she found it suspicious, so she took on the case before legal aid could even assign them a lawyer. After an in-depth investigation by the police and her defense, Sully''s father''s innocence was proven. ¡°I remember now. It''s been such a long time. You''ve graduated and achieved your dream. That''s amazing." Shandra remembered Sully saying that his dream was to be a policeman. If his father had been sentenced at the time, he would not have been able to achieve his dream. "You remember!" Sully was filled with excitement as he did not expect the busy Shandra to remember that incident. "Yup, is your father doing well?" Shandra asked. Sully''s father was a hard-working person, and a person like him should not go to jail for being framed. "He''s doing pretty well. After winning thewsuit, the police vindicated him. Now, he''s changed companies and even got promoted." Sully felt that Shandra was their family''s great savior. His family''s lives began to improve ever since she appeared to help them. Shandra could not help but sigh at the wonderful news. Another voice sounded, "Sully, the meeting is about to start. What are you doing there?" Sully turned toward the voice and shouted, "Chief Will." Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Shandra watched Chief Will walk over with a nod and a smile. She had met Chief Will a few years ago, and they were well-acquainted at that time. "Ms. Cullen, have you returned from abroad?" Chief Will was surprised to find out that the person Sully was talking to turned out to be Shandra. Sometime after Shandra went abroad, he realized that he had not seen Shandra for a long time. One time, he saw awyer from the samew firm as Shandra and asked about her. Only then did he find out that Shandra had gone overseas to further her studies. "Yes, Chief Will. Long time no see," Shandra greeted him with a smile. "It really has been a long time. You were abroad for several years. I thought you wouldn''te back." When Chief Will saw someone he knew, he stopped rushing Sully to the meeting. Instead, he started chatting with Shandra as well. He admired Shandra in the past and even thought of pairing her up with his son. However, Shandra had certain criteria for marriage. She had to marry someone in the same line of work as her, so Chief Will gave up that notion. "After finishing my studies, I still feel like my home country is the best, so I came back," Shandra said with a smile. When she first came back, people even spread rumors that she came back because she had a hard time mixing well abroad. That was not actually the case. She was doing so well abroad that thew firms there wanted her to stay when she decided toe back. She really missed home... Not to mention, she wanted to get rid of the gue that was Walter. "It''s good that you''re back. It seems like you''re taking cases again?" Chief Will nced at Shandra''s attire, which was the usualwyer look for meeting clients. ¡°Yes, I took up a case." Shandra nodded. Chief Will did not continue to question. If he was curious about the case, he could check the records to find out, so there was no need to ask her. He nced at the time and said, "Ms. Cullen, I have a meeting to attend, so I''ll see you soon." "Alright, take care, Chief Will." Shandra did not expect Chief Will to still be the head of the detention center. As she was about to leave after seeing them off, Ethan walked over to her. "You know people here?" Ethan was a little surprised. He was watching from a distance just now and thought that the two policemen were friendly to Shandra. "Almost allwyers know the people in charge here." Shandra did not exin much. Thewyers may know them, but they did not necessarily know thewyers. Chief Will knew her because he admired her. "What does the middle-aged man do?" Ethan asked. He could tell that the young guy was a policeman, but he was not sure about the older one. He was not from A City, so he could not tell the other person''s position from their uniform. Shandra walked out of the detention center. "He''s the chief." Ethan was intrigued. "You know the chief here!" Shandra did not reply as she had heard this sentence many times before. Some people thought that she would be able to bring prohibited things for her client just because she knew the chief. Ethan''s tone of voice was the same as those people''s. Ethan said, "Then can you make arrangements for Mr. Matysh to help ease his life in there?" Shandra stopped and stood beside her car. The driver Ethan hired opened the car door, but she did not enter. Instead, she looked at Ethan and expressed her contempt for Matysh. "Other people require basic necessities that can be sent in through regr procedures, but Mr. Matysh thinks that alcohol and sex are necessities. Mr. Ethan, let''s be realistic here." Chapter 2824 Shandra''s mockery made Ethan''s face turn sour. However, he did not refute her. It only took a while for Shandra to effortlessly coax Matysh into revealing the truth. She certainly had some skills. Ethan recalled how he had assured her earlier that the testimonies provided by Matysh were genuine. He had been so confident back then, but now he felt utterly embarrassed. "Cough, cough. Ms. Cullen, let''s get in the car," said the interpreter. He could not help but secretly respect Shandra as well. Ethan imed to be a world-renownedwyer, but Shandra seemed more fitted for that title... Shandra brushed Ethan off and said, "I''ll take a cab myself, Mr. Ethan. I''ll contact you in advance if there''s anything to be done." After that, she picked up her phone and opened the e-hailing app. This area was quite remote. She waited for a while, but no drivers epted her request. Nevertheless, Shandra still refused to get into Ethan''s car. Working together with him would lower her IQ. The interpreter followed Ethan''s instructions, approached Shandra, and invited her to get into the car. "Ms. Cullen, it''s not easy to get a cab here. Why don''t you get in the car first? We can have the driver take you back to thew firm." As soon as he said that, Shandra saw a bus slowly approaching. There was a bus stop nearby. She replied, "It''s okay. I''ll take the bus. It''s the same." After that, Shandra walked to the bus stop. After the bus came to a halt, she got on. Then, she opened her phone to make the payment, walked to the back of the bus, and sat down. There was only a single bus route that provided ess to the entire city in this area. To cater to the convenience of the residents, this bus route had multiple stops and drove a longer route. It usually took around an hour by car to get back to the city center, but this bus would take over two hours. Shandra did not mind traveling an extra hour on the bus. She thought it was fine as long as she did not have to ride in the same car as Ethan. She thought to herself that since she had returned to A City to pursue her career, she would need to buy a car. Otherwise, it would be inconvenient to go anywhere. Feeling frustrated after being tricked by Ethan and realizing that Matysh dared to have inappropriate ideas toward her, Shandra was in a terrible mood now. She called her assistant. "Yvette, get me a car." Yvette was startled for a moment. A car? She knew how to handle legal matters and was proficient in legal affairs, but buying a car? Yvette knew nothing about cars... "Ms. Cullen, what brand are you looking for?" Although she did not understand, as her assistant, her job was to help Shandra through her difficulties. What brand? Shandra was stunned for a moment. She just wanted a car for her transportation needs as it would be more convenient for her. Even though thew firm would provide her with a car in the future, that was still half a year away. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She was not short of funds to buy a car. She did not need thew firm''s help to buy a car either. Shandra remembered the car she used to drive before. Walter had picked it for her. The car had a good performance. It was also ssy and suitable for ady... She did not know much about cars. It was good enough as long as the car was functional. After that, she sold the car to the second-hand car market when she went abroad. "Probably a Lexus..." Shandra could not recall the model, but she remembered the brand. "What''s your budget?" Yvette noted the brand Shandra wanted. "Anything below 600,000 dors will do," replied Shandra. She had earned quite a bit of money but had no particr preferences or demands when it came to cars. Hence, she did not need to buy something too expensive. Besides, a car priced over 600,000 dors was already quite costly for an average whitecor worker. She paused for a moment and added her requirements, "It should have a ssy appearance and must be suitable for ady to drive. I don''t know much about car performance. I''ll leave that to you. Oh, it has to be safe to drive too." "Okay, Ms. Cullen. I''ll go take a look for you." Yvette knew nothing about cars, but she had a boyfriend who knew about them. "Great. Make it quick. I don''t want to wait." Shandra urgently needed a car. Yvette clicked her tongue. Usually, thew firm would provide a car for thewyers, especially for outstandingwyers like Shandra. They would definitely be given a car. However, the condition for receiving a car was that Shandra had to stay at thew firm for at least six months. Yvette could not help but marvel at how much money Shandra could earn when she heard about Shandra''s budget and how urgently she wanted it. "Okay, got it. Ms. Cullen, I heard some news..." Yvette hesitated for a moment but decided to share the news she had heard. "What news?" Shandra gazed at the scenery outside the bus and took a deep breath. Before she became a famouswyer, she often took this bus to the detention center to meet with her clients. She had no money and no car at that time, but she was full of hope for the future. Now, as she took the bus again, she noticed that there were more stops along the route. "I heard that Mr. Long has returned. He joined thew firm upstairs..." whispered Yvette. Yvette was from the same school as Shandra, and they took the same major. She had heard about what happened between Shandra and Walter from her senior schoolmates. Even though Shandra and Walter had graduated many years ago, they were still considered the idols of theirw school. That was why Yvette knew about their history. In the end, she decided to tell Shandra about it... It was because Yvette knew that the two of them were bound to meet again since Walter was working in thew firm upstairs. Walter Long? His name hade across her mind a few times today, but it was the first time she heard it from someone else. "I see," replied Shandra. Then, she hung up the call. Walter had returned, indeed! That man just would not give up! At the same time, Luca received a call from a hospital. It was not a hospital in the city center but a small hospital in the suburbs. "Hello, do you know Sarah Por?" A woman''s voice came from the other end of the line. Sarah Por? Luca felt that the name sounded somewhat familiar at first, then she heard the person say, "We found your business card in her wallet. We want to ask if you''re her rtive." It reminded Luca of it when the person mentioned her business card. It was the business card that Watson had printed for her. She always had the habit of carrying two of them, but she had never had a chance to hand one out, except to that woman who was chased by debt collectors. "Ms. Por?" Luca muttered to herself, then asked, "Who are you?" She was cautious. There were still a lot of scammers in this world. "Do you know her? That''s great. This is Mercy Hospital. She fell sick, and she has been staying here for some time. Her condition is a bit critical now. She didn''t leave any contact information for us to reach her family. She said she has no rtives here. Do you minding over now? It''s urgent," said the woman. "What kind of illness does she have?" Luca could hear that the person on the other end of the line had a distinctive A City ent without any trace of a regional ent. In this regard, it did not seem like a scam. However, she had to be cautious. "It''s a brain disorder, but I''m not a doctor, and I can''t exin it. Miss, don''t worry, we''re not scammers. Your phone number is the only contact number she has on her. It''s urgent. Could you pleasee over?" The woman stressed the critical condition Sarah was in now. Chapter 2825 "Is there a neurosurgery department at Mercy Hospital?" asked Luca. If she was going to a hospital, she did not have to be afraid of encountering fraudsters. Since something really happened to Sarah, she could not turn a blind eye to it. After all, she had already received the call. "Yes. Can youe now?" the woman from the other end of the line asked again. "I''ll head there now." Luca hung up the call and informed Warren. When Warren said he was standing by at the parking lot and ready to drive her anywhere, Luca quickly changed her clothes and prepared to leave. Mo Stone saw Luca enter the office. Luca was wearing a coat and carrying a briefcase. She pulled out a leave application form and asked, "Dr. Craw, are you taking a leave of absence?" "Yes. There''s something I need to attend to," Luca took the form and filled it out. She was asking for personal leave. She had taken quite a few days off recently. Fortunately, the project had not officially started yet. Her absence would not dy it. Mo Stone did not say anything. She took the form from Luca and nced at it. After she saw that Luca was asking for personal leave, she smiled and said, "Dr. Craw, go ahead and take care of your business." "Okay." Luca nodded, too preupied to worry about anything else. She immediately headed downstairs. The person on the phone said that Sarah was admitted to the hospital with a brain disease.From N?velDrama.Org. If it was a brain disease, it would be perilous. Therefore, Luca tried to arrive at the hospital as soon as possible to understand the situation. Luca arrived at the parking lot and got into the car. Warren asked, "Ms. Craw, where would you like to go?" "Mercy Hospital," replied Luca. When he heard her say that, he momentarily froze, his fingers pausing on the navigation screen. Luca had been going to hospitals in the city center for the past few days. Why was she going to Mercy Hospital all of a sudden? After Warren entered the destination, he started the car engine and drove out of the parking lot. Then, he asked, "Dr. Craw, why are you going to Mercy Hospital?" "A friend of mine fell sick. She''s receiving treatment there," exined Luca. She did not really see Sarah as a friend. However, since the hospital contacted her, she did not know what would happen to Sarah if she did not go there. Luca believed that fate yed a role in this world. Since the hospital contacted her, she decided to make the trip. "Mercy Hospital isn''t known for its expertise. How could your friend be treated there?" Warren could not help but ask. Luca''s friends should have a higher status. How could they receive treatment at a small hospital like Mercy Hospital? If it were a minor illness, Warren did not think Luca would bother to visit... "I''m not sure either, but let''s go and see," said Luca, remembering what the person on the phone said. She was worried that they might be deliberately deceiving her to go there. After all, she only had a brief encounter with Sarah. Even though she did not seem like a bad person, Luca thought it was better to be cautious. "Warren,e up with meter." "Sure." Warren vaguely sensed that something was wrong. Luca''s expression was not too good. Mercy Hospital was quite far from the city center, but Watson''s location was already on the outskirts. Warren realized the urgency of the situation and drove quickly, taking less than 20 minutes to arrive there and park in the Mercy Hospital parking lot. Warren followed Luca''s instructions. He parked the car and then got out of it. Then, he followed Luca to the hospital. It was Luca''s first timeing to Mercy Hospital. She waspletely unfamiliar with theyout. However, she did not waste any time and went straight to the hospital lobby to inquire about the floor where the neurosurgery department was located. After that, she hurriedly headed upstairs. Mercy Hospital was not arge hospital to begin with, consisting of only ten floors with the neurosurgery department located on the sixth floor. Luca took the elevator and arrived on the sixth floor. She followed the hospital''s signs to the neurosurgery department. Meanwhile, Warren noticed where Luca was heading to. He reported to Luke about it while following her. Luca approached the nurse''s station and asked, "Hello, I received a phone call saying that Ms. Por is hospitalized here. Is that correct?" The nurse did not even check theputer and replied to Luca when she saw her. "Finally, someone came. Are you a friend of Sarah''s? Come with me." Luca did not find the nurse''s behavior strange. After all, departments like the neurosurgery department at Mercy Hospital were usually not crowded. If someone was really suffering from any brain-rted diseases, they would not choose this hospital to receive treatment just to save costs. Theplexity of brain diseases required highly skilled doctors to cure. Patients would usually go to general hospitals. Therefore, there were not many patients in the ward. It was normal for the nurse to remember Sarah. Sarah''s ward was next to the nurse''s station. Luca frowned as it was an unwritten rule in every hospital that wards located near the nurse''s station and doctor''s office were reserved for patients with more severe conditions. The nurse asked again, "Are you a friend of Sarah''s?" Sarah had foreign facial features, and she imed not to have any rtives. That was why the nurse did not consider Luca as a close rtive. "Sort of..." Luca replied and walked into the ward, where she saw the patient lying on the bed. There was a white bandage wrapped around her head. She remained still with monitoring devices beeping while recording her vital signs. She was also attached to an IV drip. Despite all this, Luca could not shake off the uneasy feeling. Sarah''s condition was not looking good. "What happened to her?" asked Luca. "She was diagnosed with cerebral vascr malformation a few years ago. She was undergoing conservative treatment due to insufficient funds and took medication from our hospital. But the malformation ruptured. Fortunately, her part-time job employer brought her here, and the doctors performed surgery on her. However, the hemostasis wasn''t very effective. That''s just how our neurosurgery department is. Now, the doctors are rmending transferring the patient to another hospital. But her employer refuses to make that decision and hasn''t taken any further action after bringing her here. Also, we couldn''t contact any of her family members. The doctors said that if she doesn''t undergo a second surgery soon, the chances of her waking up will be slim. But our hospital''s doctors don''t rmend her having a second surgery here in Mercy. We had no choice but to search her wallet. That''s how we found your business card. The assistant to the hospital director called you to see if you could make a decision for her..." exined the nurse. The nurse had to admit that the doctors'' skills at Mercy were average, so she confided in Luca about their helplessness. They wanted to save the patient, but the hospital could not do much. The problem was that the patient had not left any contact information for them to reach her family. She was still in aa, and she was unable to make decisions for herself. Luca furrowed her brows and asked, "Why didn''t you transfer the patient to a higher-level hospital when she was brought here?" "Her employer said that the patient specifically mentioned our hospital before losing consciousness. After bringing her here, the employer didn''t care about the surgery''s result and just left," answered the nurse with a helpless look on her face. The hospital was powerless when it came to treating aatose patient. The doctors prioritized the patient''s well-being, and they reluctantly performed surgery on Sarah. However, the postoperative results turned out to be less than satisfactory. Chapter 2826 Now, Sarah was in aa. The doctor in charge of the surgery and the department chair were in a state of extreme anxiety like a cat on a hot tin roof. As for trying their best to save her life? They did not have the resources or the ability to do that. Luca ignored the nurse''s astonished gaze. She stepped forward and ced her hand on Sarah''s pulse. Her body temperature was very low, and her hand was icy cold. It was not a good sign. Luca had seen many people on the verge of death, and none of them had warm bodies. Now that spring was in full swing, the hospital''s air conditioning had cranked up the heat. Luca nced at the bandage on Sarah''s forehead, which was stained with faint blood. She then turned around to look at the nurse. Considering the patient''s current situation, it would be the wisest choice to transfer Sarah to another hospital for emergency treatment. "Am I allowed to help her to arrange the transfer if I''m her friend?" The nurse helplessly replied, "It wasn''t initially possible to do so, but the department chair said that if you''re willing to take on the responsibility and ept the risk of the transfer, it can be done." "How can this be?" Before Luca could answer, Warren spoke up, "It''s your hospital that didn''t perform the surgery well in the first ce. How did it be our responsibility?" Warren recognized Sarah. He saw her when Luca sent the money to the security guard''s family back then. She incidentally helped Sarah to resolve her problem by paying her debt for her. Warren was worried that after this incident, Sarah would know that Luca was kind-hearted and try to take advantage of her. However, before Sarah had a chance to contact Luca herself, she received a notification from the hospital toe over. From N?velDrama.Org. Now, Luca was expected to take on the risk for a woman who had no blood rtion to her, someone who could not even be considered a friend. What if she died? "Well, there''s always a risk involved in transferring to another hospital." The nurse looked embarrassed and somewhat ashamed. It was true that the lead surgeon did not have the ability to handle such a complicated surgery. When Warren pointed it out, she could not argue against it. "Fine, I''ll go ahead with it. Bring the documents and I''ll sign them." Luca did not hesitate. Saving a life was the priority. Given the environment at Mercy Hospital, even if Johann came here to operate, with the equipment and everything else in the hospital falling short, it would pose limitations for him as well. Besides, there were fewer types of medications avable herepared to the hospital where Johann was working. Luca thought to herself that Sarah must be transferred for treatment. The nurse let out a sigh of relief. "I''ll go get them now." The documents were readily avable. They only needed to be printed. As Warren watched the nurse leave, he wore a face of disapproval. As a chauffeur, he rarely objected to Luca''s decisions, but now, he had to voice his opposition as he feared that Luca would suffer a loss in this matter. "Ms. Craw, they im that the patient has no family. But if she doesn''t get better, what her rtivese looking for trouble? How will you handle that?" Sarah''s condition was critical, but she was still alive at Mercy Hospital. What if something happened on the way to the other hospital and she stopped breathing? It would be fine if she had no rtives, and Luca''s actions were purely out of goodwill. However, if she had rtives, it was not something that could be solved with just one or two thousand dors. Luca did not have money, but Luke did. However, if those people knew that Luca had Luke supporting her... Warren was worried that they would demand a hefty sum from her. He was even more concerned about the negative impact it might have on Luke. "We can''t worry about that now. Saving a life is crucial. Warren, pack her stuff. Make sure to find her identification documents," replied Luca. Warren reluctantly followed her instructions since Luca insisted on doing so. Even though he disagreed with it, what could he do? Luca had a kind heart. Sometimes, her kindness would bring trouble upon her, but she did not mind. What could Warren say? He opened the wardrobe. Out of the fourpartments, only one was filled with her items. It was a canvas bag. Warren opened it and found a wallet inside. He checked it and found Sarah''s identification documents. "Dr. Craw, I found it," said Warren. "Give me the bag and look after her. I''ll go take care of the paperwork." Luca''s expression was slightly anxious. She had felt Sarah''s pulse and knew that if she did not undergo a second surgery to stop the bleeding today, she might not make it to see the sun tomorrow. She quickly trotted to the nurse station. The nurse had just finished printing the consent form for the transfer and handed it to Luca when she saw her approaching. "I can sign it, but you must arrange for an ambnce to take her to the general hospital. Does your hospital have a naturopathy department? I need a new set of dry-needling supplies. Give them to me. I''ll bring it with me when I get into the ambnce,¡± said Luca. The nurse was slightly surprised. Why did she need needles? "Our hospital''s ambnce can transport patients, but can the hospital you''re transferring her to amodate the patient?" asked the nurse. Those hospitals usually required appointments. Even operating rooms were in high demand. Would they be able to schedule the surgery immediately once Sarah arrived? "I''ll make the arrangements. Just follow my instructions," replied Luca with a serious look on her face. After signing her name, she immediately contacted Johann. "Dr. Park, I have a case of intracranial hemorrhage caused by a ruptured cerebral aneurysm. The surgery was performed at Mercy Hospital, but the hemostasis wasn''t effective. I''d like to transfer the patient to your hospital for a second surgery. Can you arrange for an operating room right now? If the patient doesn''t undergo surgery, she may not survive the night." The nurse beside her was taken aback, realizing that Luca was a doctor herself after she heard what Luca said and recalled how she had felt Sarah''s pulse earlier. Johann checked the avability of the operating rooms and quickly replied, "We can free up a slot in the operating room. It''ll be best if you send me the patient''s medical records, previous examinations, and postoperative check-ups before you arrive." Even though they could perform a CT scan and blood tests on the patient when she arrived at the hospital, the patient''s condition was critical. He would not waste time doing those things if the previous examinations were usable. "Alright, I''ll have someone send them to your email." Luca hung up the call. As she saw the nurse standing there, dumbfounded, she urged, "Are there any other procedures to prepare? Hurry up. Time is crucial for her survival." The nurse came back to her senses. The doctor had already granted the transfer permission and was prepared. She knew where Sarah was being transferred to, so she immediately wrote down the hospital''s name and printed it out. Luca picked up a piece of paper nearby and wrote down an email address. Then, she asked, "Is the attending physician in the office?" "Yes.¡± The nurse nodded. Luca walked into the doctor''s office. There was an older doctor and a younger one in the office. When she reached the nurse''s station, she saw their promotional notices. The older doctor should be the department chair. Luca approached the younger doctor. "Doctor, can you please send Sarah''s medical records, as well as the results of the previous examinations and postoperative results, to this email? I need to transfer her to another hospital now." Luca handed the note with Johann''s email address on it to him. "Oh, sure.¡± All the patient''s information was in one document, so it was not a big deal. The doctor efficiently sent the entire document to the email and received an automated reply. "Johann Park?" The doctor was startled for a moment when he saw the name. The department chair next to him also looked a little surprised. Then, he nced at Luca. Did she ask Johann to perform the surgery on Sarah? Chapter 2827 The young doctor asked, "Is it Dr. Park from General Hospital?" "Yes," replied Luca. She was aware that despite working in different hospitals, the doctors had someone they admired who were in the same field. Johann was someone whom most doctors looked up to. It was an admiration for his medical skills and nothing beyond that. "Do you know Dr. Park?" the apanying doctor asked again. Luca could not be bothered to pay attention to such matters at the moment. The nurse''s absentmindedness earlier crossed her mind, and she said, "Does your hospital have a naturopathy department? Can you arrange for a new set of dry-needling supplies for me? Please put it on Ms. Por''s ount." "Why do you need needles?" the department chair could not help but ask. "Ms. Por''s condition isn''t good right now. Transferring her to another hospital carries risks. If I have the needles, they mighte in handy at a critical moment. I''ll bear the risks. You don''t have to worry about it," Luca immediately exined as the young doctor made a phone call. After a while, a person in a white coat walked toward them and asked, "Why does your department need this for?" Luca took it from him and walked out of the apanying doctor''s office. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The apanying doctor did not even have time to ask about Johann. He had no choice but to turn to the department chair and ask, "Sir, do you know that woman? She seems like a doctor as well." "There are so many doctors. How could I possibly know them all?" The department chair shook his head. He could not help but wonder. He had been following Sarah''s case for several years. However, he had never heard of Sarah knowing such a prominent figure in the medical field. If she knew other doctors, why would shee to their hospital for treatment? Even if she did not have money, if she knew a doctor who could vouch for her, she could have undergone surgery at that hospital. Cerebral aneurysm was like a ticking time bomb. He had rmended several times for Sarah to undergo surgery at a better hospital. Yet, Sarah always used the excuse of not having that much money... Now, she was halfway into the jaws of death. It all depended on this woman''s actions if Sarah could be pulled out. The hospital quickly made arrangements for other matters. Soon, Sarah was escorted out of the ward by medical staff and onto an ambnce. Luca decided to follow the ambnce to the hospital where Johann was. Warren had no choice but to follow along. In the meantime, he notified Luke about it. Luca was getting herself into trouble. Warren dared not to hide it from Luke either. While they were on the way to the hospital, Johann called. "I''ve gone through the medical records. I can clearly see the issues from the imaging and tests conducted by Mercy Hospital. Once you arrive at the hospital, we''ll immediately arrange for the surgery. Dr, Craw, how much longer until you reach the hospital?" "Probably around ten minutes." Luca estimated the time they would be arriving. The ambnce was barreling toward its destination with incredible speed. It would likely arrive in about ten minutes. "Good. The resident doctor will be waiting for you at the hospital''s entrance," Johann responded without hesitation. He immediately prepared an operating room. Initially, there were no avable operating rooms. He had arranged for a non-urgent surgery to be postponed, freeing up the current operating room. Now that everything was in ce, they only had to wait for the patient to be transported here. When there were a few kilometers left until they reached the hospital, the monitoring device suddenly red out an urgent rm. Luca turned to the apanying doctor and said, "Let me handle this." The apanying doctor hesitated for a moment. He saw Luca take out a new packet of needles. "What are you doing?" ¡°Ms. Por is too weak now. Let me try something," answered Luca as she inserted two needles into Sarah''s forehead. The apanying doctor was startled by what he saw. He knew that naturopathy could save lives. This method sometimes proved to be more effective than modern medicine in critical situations. However, Luca''s choice of vital points seemed unusual... The apanying doctor''s jaw dropped as he watched Luca''s actions. He was torn between speaking up and staying silent. Could a mistake in inserting the needles worsen the patient''s condition? He held the rescue tools in his hands, ready to take over if necessary. With utmost caution, Luca continued to insert the needles. After the third needle, the rm on the monitoring device ceased, and Sarah''s vital signs began to stabilize. The apanying doctor blinked his eyes, nced at the monitoring device, and confirmed that it was functioning correctly. The rms had indeed stopped, and all the indicators had stabilized. Luca''s needle cements seemed different from what he had learned about vital points, but it undeniably worked. The emergency doctor asked, "Are you a doctor too?" "No, I''m not," Luca firmly denied it. "These needles should not be removed until we reach the operating room. This way, we can buy some time for Dr. Park." While Luca said that, she took a photo of the needles for Johann. She could have inserted a few more needles to further stabilize Sarah''s condition. However, the points she needed to target were covered by bandages, making it difficult for her to proceed. Hence, she settled for three needles. "But why would you dare..." The apanying doctor grew anxious as he was worried that something might happen to the patient. Luca remained calm and replied, "I''ve signed the necessary documents. I''ll take responsibility for whatever happens." As soon as she said that, she felt the vehiclee to a halt. Both of them heard the driver say, "We''ve arrived at the hospital." Then, the doors of the ambnce swung open. Luca stepped out of the vehicle. Johann was nowhere to be seen, but she noticed the resident doctor who was with him. She nodded at him and said, "Take her straight to the operating room. Tell Dr. Park that the anesthesia was sessful. He may remove the needlester." "Alright, Dr. Craw." The resident doctor immediately caught up with the footsteps of the other nurses and hurried toward the operating room. The apanying doctor, who had been riding with the patient, hadpleted his task after bringing Sarah here. However, he could not help but notice that the young doctor from earlier had addressed the woman next to him as Dr. Craw. The apanying doctor curiously assessed the situation. If she was not a doctor, could she be a professor at a medical school? Still, she seemed too young to carry the title of professor. Luca ignored his scrutiny and walked straight into the hospital. She had brought Sarah here, so she could not simply abandon her after they arrived. She sat outside the operating room and waited. Luca felt much calmer than before when she sat here again. Sarah''s situation waspletely different from Wanda''s. Wanda was her aunt. Naturally, she would be more worried. However, Sarah... Luca believed that it would be enough as long as she did her best. She was no god, and she could not save everyone. This happened only because Luca gave her business card to Sarah. Luca did not find it troublesome, but rather, she felt that as long as she acted ording to her conscience, she could ept it no matter what the oue was. If Johann could not improve Sarah''s condition, then there was nothing she could do as well. If the hospital had called her a day earlier, Sarah might have had more opportunities to survive. Now, all she could do was wait. Warren hurried over. "Dr. Craw, has the patient been taken into the operating room?" "Yes. Warren, please help me to handle the necessary procedures," replied Luca. She took Sarah''s documents out of her briefcase. Then, she took her bank card out. "Please pay the deposit as well." A deposit was required for hospitalization, let alone for a surgical procedure. It was only because Johann knew Luca that he granted Sarah an expedited convenience. Otherwise, they would have had to wait until Luca finished the procedures before they could perform the surgery on Sarah. Chapter 2828 "Okay." Warren listened to her instructions. He took the identification card and bank card from her and headed toward the payment counter. Regardless of whether Sarah was undergoing surgery or not, the deposit had to be given. Johann had informed the staff earlier, so Warren paid the deposit easily. The staff at the payment counter did not say anything either. After Warren paid the deposit, he returned the bank card and Sarah''s identification card to Luca. She took them and put them back in the briefcase. Even though Luca was helping Sarah, she had no intention of prying into her identity. Sarah seemed to be in a tough situation. Sometimes, no matter how hard a person tried to live, fate yed tricks on them. That was something that could not be changed. Luca did not look down on Sarah because she owed money to loan sharks. On the contrary, she felt that Sarah must have some unspoken secrets that made her end up in such a situation. A person''s intrinsic qualities would remain unchanged, regardless of life''s dramatic upheavals. Although Sarah seemed to be leading a difficult life, there was a hint of gentleness and a refined aura around her that Luca could faintly perceive. No matter how destitute her life was now, Sarah must have been a person with a high level of knowledge in the past. That was what Luca believed. Luke arrived at the hospital around 6:18 p.m. He was in a meeting when Warren texted him. Knowing that it was not Luca who was injured but rather that she was helping an unfamiliar woman, Luke did not rush toe over. With Warren keeping an eye on things, nothing would happen even if it was really a trap. "Luke, why are you here?" Luca looked at him in surprise. Then, she saw Warren leaving and understood what was going on. Although Warren was not monitoring her, it was only natural for him to report such an incident to Luke. "Is that person still undergoing surgery?" asked Luke. He was surprised that Luca would do such a thing, but at the same time, he felt it was expected. Luca had always been a kind-hearted person. In the past, when she saw the news report about a child from a troubled family falling ill, she took him along to visit the child and left arge sum of money for them. After she got kidnapped and taken to the Ind of Despair, although her kind heart remained, she seemed to care more about herself. She would not go out of her way to help someone without a good reason. She became a bit more reserved... In a ce like the Ind of Despair, kind-hearted people would be devoured without a trace. Thus, Luke could also understand why she had be like this. The more he understood her, the more he could feel the heartfelt empathy and lingering guilt. If he had protected her well, Luca would not have had to bear so much guilt. "Yeah, she''s still in surgery. It''s been several hours, but brain surgery isplicated. It takes a bit longer.¡± Luca thought to herself that Luke did not really need toe. She had no personal connection or emotional attachment to Sarah. Hence, she would not be too concerned about it. She did not feel as lost as the day Wannda had her surgery. "Is Johann performing the surgery?" Even though Luke asked, he was certain that Luca must have contacted Johann. "Yes, I contacted Dr. Park. Fortunately, he was avable..." Luca thought to herself that perhaps Sarah was not destined to die. If she had not left her business card, the nurses at Mercy Hospital would not have been able to contact her. When she contacted Johann, he happened to have some free time. Johann was usually very busy and hardly had any free time unless someone made prior arrangements with him. His surgical skills were so outstanding that many patients were waiting in line for him to perform surgery on them. All these coincidences seemed to suggest that Sarah would definitely ovee this difficult situation. "Who''s that woman?" Luke was still curious why Luca would save someone like that. Warren said it was a middle-aged woman, and he roughly exined how they had met. Fortunately, it was a woman. If it were a man, Luke would have definitely been jealous. Luca took Sarah''s passport out of her briefcase. "She''s a foreigner. We met a few times before." Luke took it from her and opened it. However, he froze when he saw the identification photo. "What''s wrong?" His expression was too obvious. Luca immediately sensed that something was off. "Do you know this person?" "Don''t you recognize her?" questioned Luke. He suddenly remembered that Luca probably had not seen the relevant information. Therefore, it was normal for her not to recognize the person. "Am I... supposed to know her?" Luca asked cautiously. Luke shook his head. Luca furrowed her brows. Could it be... She suddenly thought of Marcos, but this woman did not look like Marcos. The onlymon point was that they were both from Russia. "Is she... Mr. Marcos''..." Luca asked carefully. Luke''s expression did not seem quite right. It was the only guess she could make. "She''s Marcos'' biological mother." Luke exhaled slowly. He did not expect Luca to have inadvertently saved Marcos'' birth mother. Marcos was unable to find her anywhere for the past few days. From N?velDrama.Org. Little did he know that she was in the hospital. His mother usually had no contact with anyone else. How could he have found her? Marcos had gained nothing after searching around, which made Luke suspect that perhaps she had heard something and thought that someone from Russia came looking for trouble. That was why she ran away. "So it''s her... I didn''t see much of a resemnce to Mr. Marcos, so..." Luca lowered her gaze. She had not seen their files. After learning that Marcos'' birth mother had been targeted by their family, Luca did not let herself get involved. If anything happened to Marcos'' birth mother in the end, Luca would be a suspect if she had seen the information. Luke did not know her true identity was Bianca. He would not believe in her wholeheartedly. Luca suddenly felt lucky that she had made a quick decision and taken all the responsibility to bring Sarah to this hospital. She had found Marcos'' biological mother! With this, Luke''s future cooperation with Marcos would be more solid! Although she was being forced to betray Luke''s interests, she could not help but feel inexplicably happy for him after doing something like this. Even though it was not the time for joy yet, Luca asked calmly, "Should we inform Mr. Marcos?" "What do you think?" Luke had his own considerations and wanted to listen to her opinion. Luca knew what he was thinking... Sarah''s condition was really critical. She had personally felt her pulse, so she was well aware of that. Even though Johann was an excellent doctor, Sarah''s condition had been dyed for so long. Even if Johann was the one performing the surgery, there was no guarantee that Sarah could be saved. If she could be saved, then it would be a happy oue for everyone. However, if it was the other way around... Marcos had always wanted to reunite with his birth mother, but if the moment of reunion was also the moment of separation, that would be hard to bear for both of them. When Luca and Tina were his guide, she could sense the deep and strong emotions Marcos had for his mother. He was not an abandoned child, but he had not received much maternal love either. If acknowledging each other meant separation, it would be too cruel for Marcos. If that was the case, it might be better for him not to know about it... "Maybe we should wait a little longer." Luca thought allowing Marcos to perpetually hold onto hope was better than saddling him with the heavy burden of pain and regret. Chapter 2829 Luke nodded in agreement to her suggestion. Brain surgeries wereplicated and required highly-skilled doctors. When Johann was operating on Sarah, he could not help but frown at the scars from previous operations. He was usually calm and patient in the operating room, but this was the first time the assistant, anesthesiologist, and others heard him curse, ¡°If that f*cker can''t perform surgery properly, then he shouldn''t have operated at all. What the hell are these sutures? Was he trying to kill the patient?" The assistant sighed resignedly and said, "Even the standard ten years ago would be better than this. How could this stop the bleeding?" "Doctors like him should get their *sses back in medical school and study for a few more years," said Johann. He was angry at the doctors in Mercy Hospital for performing brain surgery haphazardly as if they were ying around. How would this stop the patient''s bleeding? Was the patient''s life a joke to them? They were not in a rural area but in A City. How could a hospital like Mercy Hospital exist until now? The medical interns trembled without saying a word. Medical schools were divided into different levels. Those with good SAT scores would enter better medical schools and be assigned to better hospitals for residency. A good medical school and hospital was the best way for them to kick-start their career as doctors. As for them, they trained under a highly- skilled doctor, so they got a headstartpared to others. However, not everyone could be admitted to an excellent medical school. If they entered an average medical school, they would be assigned to a hospital that was subpar. Without ess to better hospitals, theycked experience and good mentors, and therefore... From N?velDrama.Org. The assistant sighed. "Not everyone has the privilege to have ess to great medical educational resources." Johann agreed with that statement. However, they should transfer operations on the spot to a higher-level hospital if they were not confident. Instead, they performed the operation themselves. Was the patient''s life a joke to them? That was the reason Johann was angry. ¡°How are the patient''s vital signs?" Johann continued with the operation. The main concern right now was removing the blood clot in the brain and stopping the patient''s bleeding. "The vital signs are stable," said the anesthesiologist. Johann continued to perform the operation carefully. He had to find every bleeding point, put a stop to it, and remove the blood clot and excess fluid in order to rescue the patient. Meticulous surgeries took a long time, and by the time the surgery ended, it was already past nine in the evening. Sarah had survived the first obstacle for now. There were noplications during the operation, and neither was there a sudden drop in blood pressure or cardiac arrest. Overall, it went pretty well. Whether there would be bleeding again or otherplications depended on the recovery period. When Johann walked out of the operating room, he saw Luca and Luke. He was not surprised to see Luke. How could Luke leave Luca sitting outside of the operating room alone? After seeing Johann walk out, Luca went up to him and asked, "Dr. Park, how is the patient doing?" "There''s a significant amount of bleeding in the brain. During the operation, the bleeding was stopped, and the blood clot and excess fluid were removed. The patient is currently in stable condition, but everything will still depend on the recovery period. The hemorrhage was severe, so there might be aftereffects, but we can only know for sure after the patient wakes up. However, I should warn you that for patients whose treatment was dyed, there''s a small probability that they won''t wake up. The patient will not be sent to the ward right away. She''ll be under observation in the ICU. She''ll only be sent to the ward if she wakes up in stable condition," said Johann. Although Sarah''s operation was sessful, they did not know when she would wake up. Johann thought that the operation had been dyed for too long. If Sarah had been sent here to be operated on when the blood vessel in her brain had just burst, the recovery would have been rtively quick. Luca was relieved, yet her heart felt heavy. Johann had rescued her from the Grim Reaper, but it was still unknown what would happen to Sarah after this. She met Luke''s eyes, and he said, "Mhm." Johann reminded them, "By the way, you should inform the patient''s family in case their signature is needed." Luca and Luke looked at each other as they were caught in a dilemma. Sarah''s only family was Marcos. Although she had been saved, Johann could not guarantee what would happen next. "Alright," said Luke as Luca did not reply. Johann thought that they were acting weird. What was with their expressions? Who was her family? Johann did not know the answer, but he noticed how rough Sarah''s skin was before the operation. She did not look like she was from a family who could indulge in skincare products. Instead, it seemed like she lived a rough life. However, he knew that if she had lived afortable life, she would not have chosen to receive treatment at a small hospital like Mercy Hospital after being diagnosed with a cerebral aneurysm. After Johann left, Luca looked hesitant. ¡°Let''s go pay the deposit. The cost of treatment in the ICU is high," said Luke. He was notining about the treatment costs, but the deposit the hospital asked for previously would notst for more than a few days with the operation and ICU stay. Luca nodded and agreed with him, so they walked to the payment counter together. It was already nighttime. There were still many people in the hospital but much fewerpared to daytime. There were not many people at the payment counter, so Luca could quickly pay Sarah''s fees. After that, Luca was not in a hurry to go home because the children were at Crawford Manor, so they were quite free. "Should we tell Mr. Marcos?" she asked again. Sarah was fine for the time being, but what about after Marcos saw her? "Let''s tell him. Marcos should see her as she ovees this obstacle so that he won''t be left with any regrets." After saying that, Luke picked up his phone to call Marcos. Marcos was sitting in the car, watching the street view. For the past few days, he had been thinking of going this way as he had not given up looking for his mother. With the help of Gale''s cover, no one noticed. When his phone rang, Marcos lowered his blue eyes and saw that it was Luke, so he epted the call. "Hello." "Have the driver send you to General Hospital," said Luke. Visitors were allowed in the ICU, but not after 11. If Marcos came here a little faster, he could still see Sarah. "What happened?" Marcos had a bad feeling. "Luca found your biological mother, and Johann just operated on her. Visitors aren''t allowed in the ICU after 11, so ask the driver to drive faster," Luke said simply as he did not want to tell him the specifics over the phone. Marcos froze. After finishing the call, he asked the driver to take him to General Hospital. Chapter 2830 It was a long distance between General Hospital and the outskirts of A City. Coupled with the heavy traffic downtown, by the time Marcos arrived at the hospital, it was already past 10:30 p.m. There was only half an hour left before visitors were prohibited from entering the ICU. ¡°Where''s my mother?" Out of breath, Marcos trotted over without even greeting Luke and Luca. He just wanted to see his mother''s condition and confirm whether they really found her. Luca looked at the sweat dripping from Marcos'' forehead and pointed to the entrance of the ICU. "Mr. Marcos, I''ve already informed the nurse, so you can go in once you put on the istion gown. The name your mother registered here is Sarah Por. Let the doctor know when you go in, and he''ll take you to your mother''s bed." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Without further ado, Marcos put the istion gown on. After disinfecting, the nurse let him in. The professional doctors and nurses inside asked Marcos for the patient''s name and brought him to Sarah''s bed. Marcos saw the woman lying on the hospital bed. Due to the craniotomy, her golden blonde hair was completely shaved off. Her head was wrapped inyers andyers of gauze, and her chapped lips were as pale as her face. She was his biological mother... Tears rolled down Marcos'' cheeks when he saw how frail Sarah was. From her sunken face and prominent high cheekbones, he could tell that she had suffered a lot in the past 20 years. Marcos asked the doctor in English, "How is my mother doing?" "The intracranial hemorrhage was caused by a cerebral aneurysm, but it''s better if you ask the doctor about the specifics." The doctor nced at Sarah''s medical records and then at Marcos. "Can she hear my voice?" Marcos asked again. "The anesthesia hasn''t worn off yet, so she can''t hear you. You should go first. We''ll notify you immediately if there''s anything wrong with the patient," said the doctor. Visitors were not allowed to visit the ICU anymore, so he could not let Marcos stay any longer. Marcos wanted to apany Sarah, but the doctor did not let him, so he could only walk out with his head down. After he took off the istion gown, Luca noticed his bloodshot eyes. Luca opened her mouth slightly, hesitant to speak. In the end, she could not utter any words offort. She did not know how tofort Marcos, so she looked up at Luke. Luke said, ¡°Johann said that we can only know if there are any aftereffects orplications after your mother wakes up." Marcos nodded. He was not hoping for Sarah to live a luxurious life, but he just wanted her to be healthy and safe. "Can we have a talk?" Luke looked at Luca. "Sure." Luca knew what he was going to ask. The three of them went to the coffee shop on the ground floor of the hospital. The coffee shop was open 24 hours a day, as if it was a ce for sad people to sit in silence. "What drink do both of you want?" Luke asked them. "I don''t want anything." Marcos was feeling down, so he was not in the mood for anything. Luca shook her head at Luke, not knowing what to say. Marcos and Luke were simr in many ways, but Marcos smiled at people morepared to Luke. After what happened, his smile disappeared. Now, both of them gave off the same cold aura that pushed people away. In the end, Luke bought two cups of coffee and a ss of juice. The juice was for Luca as she did not sleep well at night, and coffee would make it worse. On the other hand, the coffee was for him and Marcos. Marcos was not going to be able to sleep tonight anyway. Luca took the juice. Marcos held the coffee in his hands with the same expression that seemed to be filled with sadness but also full of hatred. Luca spoke up, "Mr. Marcos, do you want to know how I met your mother?" Marcos nodded. The sadness and bitterness in him made him speak much less. His hatred was directed toward Matysh and his family! If it were not for them, would his mother have lived such a difficult life? Sarah graduated from a prestigious university and had the opportunity to further her studies, but she chose to give it up to marry his father. Even without the support of her husband and family, she should still be able to find a decent job in A City with her education. How could an educated and knowledgeable woman not be able to support herself? From Sarah''s condition just now, Marcos could tell that his mother had lived a rough life for so many years. "I got to know your mother because I once bumped into her when I was carelessly walking. I was worried that something would happen to her, so I gave her my business card so that she could call me if something came up, but she didn''t. "One day, when I had business to deal with in the suburbs, I ran into Ms. Por, your mother. She was being chased by loan sharks..." Luca did not mention that they wanted to pimp Sarah out. She was worried that Marcos would be triggered and look for those people to cause trouble. What Marcos needed to do most right now was to keep a low profile. If he attracted too much attention, the people in Russia would notice. ¡°What happened next?" Marcos'' voice was hoarse, as if he had been enduring a great amount of sadness before uttering those words. "She didn''t owe them much money, so I helped her pay it off. Then, she asked for my business card, saying that she''d return the money to me. After that, the nurses from Mercy Hospital found my business card in her wallet, so they called me to ask me to go over there. I saw that she wasn''t in good condition, so I transferred her over here to receive treatment. Her condition was very bad. If she did not receive treatment in time, she might not have made it through the night, so I took the initiative..." Luca emphasized Sarah''s condition. She was worried that Marcos would think that she took the liberty to worsen Sarah''s condition. "Thank you for saving my mother." Marcos knew what happened next. He cleared his throat and took a big sip of coffee. The caffeine in the coffee could not calm him down. Marcos'' anger was like a raging fire, setting his mind to mes. He could not wait to go to the detention center to kill Matysh! Back then, his mother left the marriage with nothing, but they still did not let her off the hook! Not only did they find someone to deal with her, but that bastard, Matysh, even tainted her! Sarah had no choice but to escape to A City. She chose toe here because she shared memories with her husband here. She was worried about being watched by the family, so she chose to lead a difficult life instead of developing her career with her skills. She even borrowed money from loan sharks. Marcos believed that the money Sarah borrowed from the loan sharks was not for reasons like gambling but to make it through tough times. Luca said, "The doctors in Mercy Hospital said that Ms. Por''s cerebral aneurysm had been growing for several years, but she refused to undergo surgery because she didn''t have enough money. Instead, she took medicine and opted for conservative treatment." Chapter 2831 Marcos clenched his fists. Luca stopped talking, knowing that he already knew whaty ahead. Sarah had been leading a difficult life. Marcos believed this to be true. "Let''s go back," murmured Luke, who had remained silent all along. Gale was there to take his ce, but he could not return to the hotel in Marcos'' ce. Ethan would knock on his door at any moment. Marcos nodded. Sarah was still in the intensive care unit. There was nothing he could do by staying at the hospital. Moreover, Luke and Gale had helped him so much. It would not be right to stop them from going home to get some rest... Marcos took a deep breath. After he calmed himself down, he expressed his gratitude to Luca, "Thank you, Ms. Craw." Luca shook her head. She could not find the words tofort him. Even though her past living conditions had been poor, at least she had people who loved her. It was the same for Luke. Even though Allison only saw him as a tool, the Crawford family and Old Master Crawford treated him well. Their pasts were much better than Marcos''. They had a childhood and were loved. After they grew older, it could be counted as a semnce of happiness when they looked back. Even in the face of strict discipline, it was a kind of tough love, driven by their best interests. After Marcos left the hospital, Luca heaved a sigh and said, "I didn''t expect things to turn out like this..." She happened to meet Marcos'' birth mother and gave her her contact information. The nurse at the previous hospital also happened to notify her. Otherwise, Marcos would have regretted it for the rest of his life. Luke thought to himself that if Luca had looked at the information earlier, Marcos'' birth mother might not have had to go through all of this. Even though the cerebral aneurysm had been there for many years, if Luca had realized back then that she was Marcos'' birth mother, he would have rushed over immediately. Sarah would have received better treatment. Life had a way of ying tricks on people. Marcos acknowledged his birth mother only in such a situation. However, there was nothing Luke could do about it. Luca had no interest in the documents on his desk. He also knew that she had no choice but to steal the bidding document he had prepared. Her heart still sided with him. "Let''s go home," said Luke. After he arrived at the hospital, he asked Warren to go home and nned to personally take Luca home after the surgery was over. He did not expect Sarah to turn out to be Marcos'' birth mother. Everything seemed like a series of idents and coincidences. It was already past 11 at night. "Okay." Luca followed Luke into the car, and they headed back to the vi. The next day... Johann sent them good news. Sarah had woken up. After a few basic tests, her nervous system was unaffected. Her vision, hearing, and speech abilities were all intact. After Johann delivered the good news, he continued, "This is fortunate. The location of the patient''s previous cerebral aneurysm was quite dangerous. It could''ve had an impact on various neural functions." He did not mention it when he left the operating room, considering that Luca did not have much of a connection to the patient. Furthermore, he was very careful when he was performing the surgery. He did not injure those areas. Even though the doctors at Mercy Hospital were careless during the operation, fortunately, they did not touch or leave any traces in those areas. Despite their carelessness, they were still cautious. Therefore, Sarah''s current condition, given the circumstances, was still manageable. Luke frowned as he listened to Johann. He suddenly felt the perilousness of the surgery. However, with Johann performing the surgery, all these risks could be minimized. He replied in a low voice, "There''s something I need to tell you." "Oh, does Mr. Crawford has something else to tell me?" Johann was in a good mood. He even teased Luke. Although Sarah''s condition was not thatplicated, it was highly dangerous. Fortunately, the results of the rescue efforts were quite good, and Johann felt that it could contribute to his research. "Sarah is Marcos'' birth mother," said Luke. Marcos? Johann narrowed his eyes. He knew this person, but they were not acquainted. "What do you want me to do?" He did not know much about Marcos'' family, but if Luke mentioned it, he must need his help. "Arrange for a VIP ward," replied Luke. Since Marcos had found his biological mother, he woulde to visit frequently. However, it would not be appropriate for him to have too close of a rtionship with Sarah in the public eye at the moment. Even though the people monitoring Marcos were distracted by Gale, Marcos could still attract attention when he was walking on the streets. If Sarah stayed in a public ward, Luke was worried that it would cause unnecessarymotion, which would draw attention from the Russian side. "Okay. There happens to be a vacant ward. I''ll take care of it," replied Johann. Then, something crossed his mind, and he asked, "So, have Marcos and his birth mother acknowledged each other yet?" He knew that Marcos had asked Luke to help find his birth mother. He even teased Luke saying that they both were true businessmen by helping each other and mutually benefiting from it. "Not yet," answered Luke. He was puzzled why Johann would ask such a question. "The patient still needs to stay in the ICU for another day. If there are no unexpectedplications, she can be transferred to the VIP ward tomorrow. But her condition isn''t that stable yet. I don''t rmend they meet each other first. This is to avoid significant emotional fluctuations that could affect her blood pressure," Johann said carefully. Sarah was physically fragile at the moment. Her emotions had to remain calm. Luke furrowed his brows. Was it possible to stop Marcos from visiting Sarah? He did not think Marcos could hold himself back. "Patients with ruptured cerebral aneurysms have particrly fragile blood vessels. If her blood pressure fluctuates, I can''t guarantee that it won''t lead to a secondary bleeding. The safest way is to let the patient rest for a week and then arrange a meeting," exined Johann. Marcos would have to endure seeing Sarah for a while longer. Regardless of whether Sarah would acknowledge Marcos or not, any thoughts or emotions, positive or negative, could inevitably cause excitement or other emotional responses when they met each other. That would affect Sarah''s blood pressure. "Alright, I understand," replied Luke. Even if he could not suppress Marcos, he had to hold him back. Sarah''s safety and well-being were what Marcos wanted the most. After he ended the call with Johann, Luke dialed Marcos'' number. The moment the call connected, Marcos asked before Luke could speak, "Is there any news about my mother?" Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Yes, your mother woke up today. After some preliminary examinations, no residual effects were found for now. She''ll have to stay in the ICU for treatment today. If everything goes well, she''ll be transferred to a regr ward tomorrow. I''ve already contacted Johann. Your mother has been assigned a VIP ward," replied Luke. Marcos felt a rush of excitement when he heard that Sarah was fine. He finally received some good news after staying up all night. "I''m going to the hospital now.¡± "Marcos, listen, you can''t see your mother yet." Luke immediately stopped him. Marcos''s overwhelming excitement was tempered slightly, reced by some skepticism. "Why not?" "The patient needs some rest at the moment. It''s not advisable for her to get emotionally excited. If she acknowledges you and gets too excited, it''ll affect her blood pressure and potentially lead to a secondary bleeding," Luke passed on Johann''s message. Chapter 2832 Marcos frowned. Contemting between acknowledging Sarah and her well-being, he chose thetter. "How long do I have to wait to meet her?" Marcospromised. The brief encounter fromst night hardly brought him anyfort. Moreover, Sarah''s condition was too worrisome yesterday. He was still concerned. "A week," replied Luke. "A whole week?" Marcos clenched his fist, feeling impatient about the long wait. Luca sat beside Luke, listening to Marcos'' voiceing from the other end of the line. She whispered, "Why don''t you let me talk to Mr. Marcos?" Luke nodded and handed her the phone without a second thought. Luca ced the phone near her ear and spoke in a soft tone, "Mr. Marcos, this is Luca. Regarding your mother, it was Dr. Park who suggested the patient rest for a week for her well-being. If you don''t mind, I can visit Ms. Por when I head to the hospital and take some videos to keep you updated on her daily condition. Is that alright for you?" Marcos only said that just now because he was worried about Sarah. A week was not that long. However, a week felt like an eternity for someone who had been worried and longed for another person for so long. Marcos could not help but sigh. Luke''s woman had a pure and transparent heart. "Ms. Craw, thank you." He agreed with it. Marcos could still observe Sarah''s condition through the videos every day. "Don''t mention it. It''s not a big deal." Luca did not want Marcos to feel too indebted to her. Furthermore, it was indeed not a big deal. She would be visiting Wanda at the hospital, bringing her some soup and medicinal food. Wanda would continue her chemotherapy sessions in a few days. Afterpleting a round of chemotherapy, Wanda would have to undergo various examinations. If the tests were fine, she could be discharged from the hospital. After that, she would have to return to the hospital for check-ups every three months. Luca felt that there would be better days ahead as long as she kept pushing through. After Marcos agreed, she returned the phone to Luke. Luke ced the receiver near his ear and heard Marcos say, "Mr. Crawford, you have a clever wife. I envy you. I wish you both a loving and lifelong rtionship. I hope you''ll never separate." These were Marcos'' sincerest blessings. "Thank you." Luke graciously epted his wishes. A loving and lifelong rtionship, never to be separated? He liked those words. Luca felt slightly surprised. Why was Luke thanking Marcos? Was Marcos not the one who should be thanking him? Luca noticed the satisfied smile on Luke''s face, which further puzzled her. However, she did not ask about it. After breakfast, she instructed Aunt Neile, "Aunt Neile, please bake some cookies for me in the afternoon. Bake them on both sides at 180 degrees for 20 minutes. Once they cool down, please help me pack them into small packages." Aunt Neile took note of her instructions. These were the snacks Luca made for Tommy''s outing. Given the time constraints, Luca woke up early today. She softened the butter ording to the recipe, and mixed the softened butter with the rest of the ingredients. Then, she made them into small cookie shapes. One by one, the small cookies were ced on a baking tray, ready for the final baking step. Luca realized that time was running out. Since Aunt Neile volunteered to take on the task, she dly entrusted her with the job. She knew the quirks of the oven. As long as Aunt Neile followed her instructions, there would not be any problem. Luca made several trays of cookies. She would also give some to Lanie and Rainie. All three children were at Crawford Manor. Luca wanted to treat them equally without favoring Tommy just because of his young age. He already received plenty of love. Thus, Luca believed that all three children should be loved equally. After instructing Aunt Neile, Luca remembered the medicinal soup she had prepared for Wanda, which also required Aunt Neile''s help in simmering it. Aunt Neile was already familiar with the process when it came to preparing soup. "Aunt Neile, don''t forget to simmer the soup. I''m counting on you," Luca reminded once again. As Luke watched Luca go through one task after another with Aunt Neile, he felt helpless and a little heartbroken. Luca was too busy. Not only did she have to juggle work, take care of the children, and attend to Wanda, but she also had Sarah to consider now. Even though Wanda''s and Sarah''s situations were not long-term, Luke still did not want Luca to be so burdened. However, he also knew that Luca would not give up her work just because she was busy taking care of the children and her rtives. If she were the type of person who could be content being a housewife and enjoying a leisurely and refined life every day, she would have never founded Brilliant Architectural Design in the first ce. Lucas'' tireless efforts were only to give herself more confidence when she stood by his side. Luke knew about it, but he also felt helpless as he realized that he could not do much to help. It was just like now. He had not even figured out the Ind of Despair. "Luke?" After Luca finished instructing Aunt Neil, she saw Luke standing still at the entrance with a briefcase in his hand, seemingly lost in thought. She could not help but call out to him. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Luke came back to his senses. "Let''s go to work," said Luke. "Alright." Luca put on her shoes and left the vi with him. They stood at the entrance, got into different cars, and headed in different directions to go to work. On the other hand... Amur was escorted into the police station by the police officers of X City. "What did this person do?" another police officer asked. "He got into a fight. Someone called the police, and he couldn''t escape in time, so he was arrested," the officer escorting Amur replied helplessly. "That''s interesting. This guy got into a fight, but his face isn''t even bruised? It''s the first time I''ve seen that.¡± The other police officer teased as he took a closer look at Amur, who indeed did not seem injured. "Yeah, right? He''s a skilled fighter. He nearly beat someone to death. The person he fought with is now in the hospital," replied the escorting officer, feeling speechless. In all their cases, it was the first time he had seen such a fierce fight. "It wasn''t a big scene. Just a two-on-one situation, but both of them ended up in the hospital, and the situation is still unclear." "Oh, he can really throw punches. But is our police station targeting foreigners now? He''s a foreigner, and if this guy doesn''t understand English or ournguage, we''ll have to get an interpreter again.¡± The police officer thought of the Russian man who was still detained and felt a headacheing on. He did not say a word during the interrogation. If he had not requested a ss of water, they would not have known that he was Russian. He refused to talk even when they had finally found a Russian interpreter. It was as though he was ying games with them. "Well, you can rx. This guy understands English, speaks it fluently, and his grammar is even more precise than us locals in A City. There''s no need to hire an interpreter." The officer escorting Amur took out the identification they had found on him. "This is his passport." "Oh, that saves us some time." The police officer was surprised. A Russian who could speak English? He managed to beat up two people and caused them to be in the hospital when it was a two-on-one fight? Were Russian guys really that tough? At this moment, Amur spoke in a calm tone, "Officer, as I said, it was self-defense." Chapter 2833 The police officer ignored him and said to his colleague, "Look, he speaks fluent English." Then, he said to Amur with a stern expression on his face, "Do you think this is self-defense? You almost beat that person to a pulp. Come on in and cooperate with us for your statement." Amur did not seem to care. In the interrogation room, two police officers took turns questioning him about what had happened. He had already prepared his statement and did not admit to assaulting anyone, insisting that it was self-defense. The police officers questioned him for over an hour, but Amur only maintained his stance of acting in self-defense. There was nothing they could do about it. Furthermore, Amur did not request awyer. "Lock him up first," said one of the police officers. He thought that detaining someone like him, a foreigner, behind bars for a little while would make him cooperate. They had other matters to attend to, and they could not waste all their time on an inconclusive interrogation. "We''ll wait for updates from the hospital." "Alright. Should we put him in the same cell as those two Russians?" asked another officer. A shadow of gloom shed through Amur''s lowered gaze as he heard that. Abel had assigned him to personally deal with those two individuals. If he did not enter the police station, there was no way he could do it. He had no choice but to resort to beating up two ruffians who were harassing women on the street. He knew how to strike with just the right force. Even though the injuries on the ruffians appeared severe, a closer examination at the hospital would reveal that they were not life-threatening, and they only lost some blood. This way, he would be able to enter the station and get out of it quickly, aplishing Abel''s assigned task. "I don''t think that''s a good idea. They''re convicted felons. I''m afraid this kid might suffer if we put him in the same cell. Let''s ce him in the cell where the other person who came in for a fight is," replied the police officer. Deep down in his heart, someone who possessed firearms and explosives was much more terrifying than Amur, and the circumstances were more severe. "Okay," the other officer agreed. After all, there were many people who caused trouble. The police station did not have any vacant single cells anymore. Amur was locked up inside. As soon as he entered, he exchanged nces with another man. The man''s face was bruised and swollen, but his gaze was wicked, giving the impression that he was not someone to be messed with. He whistled. Noticing Amur''s ethnic facial features, he protested to the police officer. "Officer Larsen, even if you want to assign me a ''roommate,'' can''t you find someone who speaks English?" Officer Larsen nced at him disdainfully. The man''s name was Hoffman, and he was a regr at the police station who frequently got brought in for questioning and detention due to his involvement in fights and disturbances. "He speaks English. Hoffman, you''d better behave yourself and stay quiet. If you cause any trouble, don''t me us for not ying nice," said Larsen, fearing that Hoffman would start a fight with Amur. Hoffman was a thug from the underworld. Half of the time, he was brought into the police station was because of his involvement in fights. As for the other half, he was just taking the me for his so-called boss. Moreover, Hoffman was not well-behaved at the police station. If he did not get along with someone in the same detention cell, he would provoke them into a fight. Eventually, the police got tired of dealing with such trivial matters and ced Hoffman in a separate cell. This time, they had no choice but to lock Amur up with him. There were no avable empty detention cells left. Officer Larsen believed that putting Amur together with those two Russians would be a major problem. Hoffman nodded with a smirk, telling him that he understood. Once the police left, he suppressed his smile and scrutinized Amur from head to toe. The Russians had the advantage in height. Hoffman observed the taller man without a trace of fear in his mind. This guy may appear towering, but that did not mean he would be tougher in a fight! Hoffman asked, "Kid, what did you do to end up here?" Amur lowered his gaze, leaned against the wall, and recalled what had happened just now. As he followed the police here, he saw Alexsei and Kazimir, and they saw him too. Perhaps they knew that time was running out... Their fate was sealed with death if they could not escape from this ce. Even though they came from the same ce, Amur did not feel sorry for what would happen to them later. On the Ind of Despair, anyone could face such a fate. One would be devoured if one was not strong enough. "Hey, do you really understand English?" Hoffman could not help butnd a solid kick right on Amur when he remained silent and fearless. It was as though he was lost in thoughts. As the kicknded, Hoffman met Amur''s gaze and felt a tremor in his heart. He could sense a deeper level of darkness in this man''s eyespared to the underworld bosses he had encountered. It was terrifying! Realizing his inner fear, Hoffman secretly cursed himself. How could he be afraid of him? He was just a foreigner. Was there a scenario he had note across yet? Even if this man were toe for him, Hoffman was not afraid at all. They were in a police station. Could Amur really cause chaos here? After pondering for a moment, Hoffman coldly snorted and bolstered himself. "What''s with that look? Let me tell you, this is my territory. If you don''t want to get beaten up, you''d better behave yourself and call me ''Boss.'' Otherwise, I''ll make sure you leave on a stretcher." Then, his fist twitched as though he was threatening him. "Why were you locked up?" Amur suddenly asked. Hoffman was startled for a moment. "You really can speak English. If you''re willing to call me ''Boss'' and be my underling when you get out, I''ll tell you my story. But I''m afraid it might scare you." He did not mention what crime he hadmitted, but Amur could already see that Hoffman was not a good person. He was not wrongly used. With his bruised and swollen face, it was clear he had been in a fight. Although he looked disheveled, it was obvious that Hoffman had emerged victorious from the brawl. Amur rose to his feet. Hoffman felt the weight of his gaze, and a sense of oppression crept in. "Is there anything I haven''t done? If you''re willing to acknowledge me as your boss, I''ll take you out, treat you to the finest things, and introduce you to all the beauties in A City!" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "You''re not a good person," Amur summed up Hoffman in four words. Hoffman did not care much. "Who among those who end up here is a good person? I''m a regr here, and I''m familiar with the police officers. I can continue my glory on the streets in a few days once I''m out of here." Hoffman thought that if he took Amur as his underling, it would be quite glorious. Having such a tall and sturdy sidekick could be quite intimidating to opponents. Even if Armur could not fight, his mere presence exuded dominance. He could easily intimidate others. Hoffman proudly thought about it, never expecting Amur''s fist toe straight at his abdomen. "Ugh!" Hoffman took a solid punch and crashed into the wall. "You!" The pain made him see stars. He tried to raise his hand to use Amur, but he could hardly form aplete sentence. "What other bad things have you done?" Amur, deliberately provoking, knew that Hoffman was no good person. Justifiably, he threw another punch at his face. Chapter 2834 While Hoffman listened to Amur''s question, his ears were buzzing. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He bit his lip, desperately trying to throw a punch at Amur. However, the man deftly sidestepped the oing blow. In the blink of an eye, Amur dodged, while Hoffman stumbled and lost his bnce. As he fell forward, Amur raised his leg and kicked him in the leg once again. Hoffman had a chance to use his hands to prevent himself from falling t on his face, but Amur''s blow caused him immense pain, and he crashed to the ground. Writhing in agony, he felt something in his mouth. He spat it out, and two of his teeth fell out. Looking up at Amur, Hoffman realized that this person was not to be messed with. He trembled with fear. He was someone who picked on the weak and feared the strong, but now, he was terrified of being taught a harsher lesson by Amur. He cried out in distress, "Help, murder! Help, save me!" His cries for help attracted several police officers, who were stunned upon seeing Hoffman being beaten. Hoffman was known for his brutal attacks, even to the extent of taking someone''s life. However, before them, it was Hoffman who got beaten up, while the man who had just been locked up had a calm expression on his face. He seemedpletely unharmed. "Are you starting fights in the police station? Do you not want to leave?" scolded Officer Larsen, who was leading the group, as he opened the door. Hoffman clung to Officer Larsen''s pants like he had caught a lifeline. "Officer Larsen, this guy hit me hard. My stomach, my leg, and oh, my teeth..." He felt pain everywhere on his body, and the thought of Amur''s terrifying methods made him tremble as he pleaded, "Officer Larsen, I need to go to the hospital. I need to go to the hospital!" "You want to go get yourself checked at the hospital? You''re only missing a couple of teeth," Amur said innocently. "I only threw one punch at you, and you lost two teeth. Brother Hoffman, why are you falsely using me? If it weren''t for you picking a fight, I wouldn''t haveid a hand on you." "Officer Larsen, he''s lying!" Hoffman''s finger trembled as he pointed at him. "There''s surveince footage. We can check the cameras!" Officer Larsen narrowed his eyes, assessing the situation in front of him. Hoffman had gotten beaten up before. He would asionally encounter someone with a tougher punch than his own in the police station. Hence, the officer was familiar with these tactics as well. "Check the surveince footage!" instructed Officer Larsen. The surveince footage was fast-forwarded, and it had not been long since the incident urred. The police officers discovered that neither Amur''s nor Hoffman''s ims could be fully confirmed. It happened in a blind spot of the cameras when they were fighting. They only heard Hoffman''s wailing but did not see Amur hitting him! "This foreign guy is cunning!" eximed Officer Larsen. When he returned to the detention cell, Hoffman continued toin about his injuries. Officer Larsen immediately instructed his subordinates to take him to the hospital for examination. Amur sat there without moving a muscle. Officer Larsen felt a surge of anger. His fists were strong, but what would he do when faced with someone even tougher? Officer Larsen thought to himself that Hoffman looked fine. He would probably be sent backter. The moment he watched the surveince footage, he realized that the foreigner in front of him was not someone to mess with. Perhaps it was only when faced with someone formidable that he would find himself afraid. Amur''s fists were tough, huh? In that case, he should let him meet even tougher people. "Take him to the detention cell where those two Russians are!" Officer Larsen immediately ordered. The others did not say anything and promptly handcuffed Amur, leading him to the detention cell where the two Russians were held. Amur looked at Alexsei and Kazimir. Alexsei and Kazimir were surprised to see Amur being brought in. They knew why he was here. It was either to rescue them or to ensure their demise. "Behave yourselves. If you cause any more trouble, I won''t spare you!" warned Officer Larsen. Amur silently walked to a corner and sat down. After the police left, Alexsei tapped on the wall. It was the code they used on the Ind of Despair. They could not speak openly because of the surveince camera, not even in Russian as there was a possibility of their conversation being interpreted. ''Are you here to kill us?'' Amur nodded, making no attempt to hide it. Instantly, Alexsei''s and Kazimir''s faces turned grim. Abel was truly ruthless. He used them and then got rid of them. Amur tapped on the wall. ''You caused him a significant loss of money, and you can''t repay it. Only your lives can make up for it!'' Kazimir could not ept the idea of losing his life so easily and hurriedly tapped back. ''We''ve always done things for Boss. We shouldn''t lose our lives just because of this loss. If that''s the case, don''t expect us to be nice to you!'' He thought that being locked up here meant certain death. Therefore, they had been waiting to be rescued. However, instead of a rescue, someone hade to take their lives. In that case, they would not hold back! They did not know everything about Amur and the Ind of Despair, but if they revealed what they knew to the police, an investigation would surely follow. They would not be able to destroy the Ind of Despair and Abelpletely, but they could certainly cause some serious trouble for that man. Amur calmly tapped on the wall. ''Boss knows everything about you. He said go ahead if you wish to expose him. But, Alexsei, he knows you''ve found your mother, and Kazimir, your lover has given birth to your son. Boss knows it all. He wanted me to convey a message to you. If anything happens to him, what you value most will suffer.'' Alexsei used to be an orphan, but afterpleting a certain mission, he returned to the orphanage and discovered that he was not an orphan after all. He actually had a mother. He was one of those children who was abducted butter cleverly escaped. He eventually ended up at the orphanage. As time passed, his memories faded, and he epted his identity as an orphan. Later, he secretly reunited with his mother behind Abel''s back. Alexsei''s face turned pale. He never expected his little act to be discovered by Abel. As for Kazimir, he met his lover while he was on a mission. She became his weak spot. Sometimes, it was easier to manipte a person by finding out their weaknesses. Amur looked at the two men as their expressions turned from resentment to ghostly white. They remained silent. They had to choose between their weaknesses and a joint demise. Finally, Alexseipromised and tapped on the wall. ''I won''t say anything, and I can die immediately, but please spare my mother." Amur looked at the other person. Kazimir felt like he was trapped in a massive, from which there was no escape. It was like there were countless eyes installed everywhere on the. He thought he had eluded the surveince, but he had been under constant watch all along. He lowered his hand, no longer making a statement. Inside the surveince room... Officer Larsen watched them tap on the wall and furrowed his brows, asking, "What are they doing?" "Seems like they''re bored and just tapping the wall," another officer guessed. When Amur was brought in, Officer Larsen had ordered them to keep a close watch on them. However, they had not spoken a word to each other. They just kept tapping on the wall. "What''s the deal? Do all Russians have this hobby? Tapping on walls?" "It seems like some kind of code," said Officer Larsen. He was sent by a superior officer to assist in the investigation of the firearms and bomb case. Thus, he had more experience and insight than the others. Chapter 2835 "Save this segment and send it to the encryption expert at headquarters," instructed Officer Larsen, who was highly alert. This was just a small local branch. They did not have such experts at all. The staff members of theputer technology team immediatelyplied. In the detention cell... Amur looked at Alexsei and Kazimir, who had already resigned themselves to their fate. He knew his mission wasplete. Therefore, he moved to a corner and hid in the blind spot of the surveince cameras. He threw two pills in the opposite direction. Then, he sat back down and looked up for a moment to nce at the surveince camera. He tapped the wall with a nonchnt expression on his face. "Once you take the pill, Boss won''te looking for the people you care about the most." Alexsei and Kazimir both looked toward the corner. They believed that the Ind of Despair was a disciplined organization, but now they realized that this discipline was dictated solely by Abel. Whoever he wanted dead would cease to exist in this world. Alexsei and Kazimir exchanged nces. They had not revealed any information about the Ind of Despair before, as they still held onto hope that they could escape and redeem themselves through an act of valor. Now, it was even more unlikely for them to perish alongside Abel. Alexsei walked over to the corner, another blind spot for surveince. He consumed the poisoned pill first, while Kazimir closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and followed suit. Amur lowered his gaze and remained silent. He could not bear to watch either. However, if they did not die, Luca and Amur would be in trouble. He could not protect them. Even if Amur did protect them and manage to save them, Abel would not let them off easily either. They had caused the Ind of Despair to lose business and a significant amount of money, not to mention the substantial sum they were supposed to receive. Now, everything had turned to ashes. Even if they managed to leave A City alive, Abel would ultimately make their lives unbearable. In that case, they might as well just die. At least they could have a clean end. "The pills will take effect in two days. Don''t even think about trying to implicate the organization. Otherwise, the ones who will suffer will be the people you care about the most," warned Amur as he tapped the wall. Alexsei''s mother, a poor woman who had toiled hard for half her life, had only recently reunited with her son. She had not enjoyed a few good days yet. Of course, he would not risk it... He had given all the money he saved from his missions to his mother, hoping that her future life would be much better. Alexsei would never dare to oppose Abel. As for Kazimir, what he could not bear to lose was not his lover, but his son, who shared a blood connection with him. He could not risk it, as it was a matter of his son''s survival. Amur noticed their silence and knew his mission wasplete. He was not in a hurry to leave. He was waiting for news from the hospital. He had to wait for the doctors to confirm that the two thugs and Hoffman were fine and unharmed before he could go out. In the evening. Luca was still unaware that Amur had been captured by the police in X City. After delivering the meal to Wanda at the hospital, she stood by the entrance of the ICU. No news meant good news. Luca looked at the ICU entrance and murmured to herself, "Ms. Por, you have to be strong. Someone is waiting for you to recover." She did not stay there for too long. There were people sleeping on the floor near the entrance of the ICU. The general hospital in A City was nationally renowned. Many people with different kinds of complicated illnesses woulde here. They might not have a good background, but those who came only hoped that the people who mattered to them would be able to live well. Hence, many people slept on the floor here. It not only reduced amodation expenses but also allowed them to be the first to receive news from the hospital. Luca lowered her gaze. They were all poor people, many of whom needed help. However, who could help these people? Life was a bitter reality of unavoidablepromises. After Luca left the hospital, she asked Warren to take her to Crawford Manor. Knowing that Luca would being today, the three children finished their homework early and waited for her in the living room. When Luca arrived at Crawford Manor, she followed the butler into the house. The moment she stepped into the house with her left foot and before she could say anything, the three children surrounded her. "Ms. Luca!" "Ms. Luca, it smells so good," said Tommy as he caught a whiff of the aroma of the cookies. Even though he had just finished a meal, his appetite was triggered once again. He wanted to have the cookies made by Luca. "You have a sharp nose. These cookies are for you, but don''t eat too many at once. Otherwise, your throat will feel ufortable," Luca reminded him and handed him the bag of cookies. She divided the cookies into four portions. There were three smaller portions and onerge portion. Therger portion was for Tommy to bring with him and share with his ssmates during the spring outing, while the smaller portion was for them. "Thank you, Ms. Luca!" Tommy eximed with excitement. He loved food, and he truly missed Luca. Luca was surrounded by the children. Fortunately, they were still shorter than her, so she could see Old Master Crawford sitting happily on the sofa. She walked toward him and greeted him, "Good evening, Old Master Crawford." "Good evening, Luca," replied Old Master Crawford with a smile on his face. As he watched Tommy open the bag and distribute the cookies to his older siblings, he could not help but exim, "You''re too kind to them." Luca smiled without exining anything. They were all her precious ones. If she did not treat them well, then who else was she supposed to treat well? Previously, she could also prepare meals for N. Now that N was not by her side, she could only focus her attention on the other three children. She would never hold back her love for them while there was still time. "No one can resist adorable and well-behaved children," Luca smiled as her gaze fell on the three children. Rainie was the most well-behaved one. After opening the cookie packaging, she handed it to Old Master Crawford and said, ¡°Great-grandpa, you can have it first." Old Master Crawford happily took a piece and tasted it. Luca''s cookies were indeed delicious. He had already tasted them at the Rayne family''s house before. The cookies she made for the children had an even richer scent of milk in them. They liked these even more. Tommy had been talking about how much he was looking forward to the spring outing just so he could eat Luca''s cookies for the past few days. It was unknown who he had inherited his love for food from. It was obvious that Luke was not a fan of food when he was young. As for Luca, Old Master Crawford had no idea about it, but he felt that Luca was not like that either. With Rainie making the first move, Lanie and Tommy also shared their treats with Old Master Crawford. Old Master Crawford had cookies in his mouth and in both of his hands for a moment. Mr. Griffin stood beside and watched them. Then, he remembered something Old Master Crawford said earlier. He then suggested, "Kids, how about going upstairs to eat? The cartoon show is about to start." Any child would enjoy having yummy cookies while watching their favorite cartoon show. Moreover, they were all intelligent children who knew that Old Master Crawford had something to discuss with Luca. They knew it was something they should not be listening to. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Hence, they brought their cookies along with them and made their way up the stairs. Chapter 2836 After the children left, Luca sat even more upright because she knew that Old Master Crawford had something to say. She waited for him to speak. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Old Master Crawford noticed her sitting up straight. He shook his head andughed. ¡°Luca, don''t be nervous." Luca thought to herself, ''How can I not be nervous in front of such a wise man like Old Master Crawford when I''m guilty?'' "Old Master Crawford, did Mr. Jackman and Old Master Bournee here for work-rted matters last time?" She wanted to confirm with Old Master Crawford. Margaret was still in the police station''s detention center. It was not a serious offense, but she still had to be detained for 15 days as a punishment. "Yes. They weren''t here for Mrs. Jackman''s situation but because Jackman Corporation wants to work with T Corporation," said Old Master Crawford. There was no need for him to hide. "However, they went to the wrong person. Unlike Old Master Bourne, I''m no longer in charge of the company, so I had them find Luke. I even prepared a new tea for you that day. It''s a shame that you left without taking a sip when they came." Old Master Crawford thought that the new cup of tea had been wasted. Luca grinned. "If drinking tea at night wasn''t bad for you, I would''ve served you some tea. Come over whenever you''re free during the day. The new tea leaves are still waiting for you," said Old Master Crawford. When Luca was still Bianca, she loved tea with a refreshing taste. She would have liked the taste of the new tea. Luca nodded and replied, "Alright." Old Master Crawford asked again, "By the way, Wanda has undergone surgery, right? How''s she doing?" He wanted to go visit, but Luke stopped him, saying that it was not time yet. Old Master Crawford did not know when that would be, but since Luke said so, he had no choice but to listen to him. "Ms. Rayne is in good condition right now. Once the stitches are removed and she has recovered, she''ll be able to start chemotherapy in about half a month," said Luca. However, the doctor had the final say on the exact date of the chemotherapy. Everyone''s physique was different, after all. Chemotherapy itself was painful enough, but if it was done when the patient''s wounds had not healed, it would not help with recovery. ¡°What did Johann say? Is it curable?" Old Master Crawford asked. The Rayne family was small, and even Bianca did not actually have thest name Rayne. "It''s hard to say whether she can be cured because it depends on Ms. Rayne''s immune system. However, so far, Dr. Wi''s surgery was a huge sess, so with the treatment, she may be cured." Luca guessed, but she could not guarantee what the future held. Who could guarantee that the cancer cells would not rpse in the future? Some people were born with genes that were prone to carry cancer cells, but that did not mean they would definitely get cancer. However, their chances of getting cancer were higher than other people, so it was impossible to predict such things. A healthy lifestyle and psychological state was the key to restoring Wanda''s health. "I hope everything will be alright. The Rayne family can''t stand another blow. Old Master Rayne contacted me thest two days, and he seemed restless. Wanda has been away for too long, so he''s been starting to feel uneasy," Old Master Crawford mentioned. Luca nodded and kept those words in mind. Old Master Crawford chatted with her about many other topics, and when the kids were about to go to sleep, Luca went up to tell them a bedtime story before letting them go back to their own bedrooms. The kids were easily pleased. They had been staying at the manor for the past few days, so, of course, they missed their parents. Although they missed them, they did not make a fuss. Luca brought over cookies she made herself and even told them bedtime stories, so they went to sleep with full hearts. When it was about ten o''clock, Luca left. She sat in the back and watched Warren drive while wondering if she should mention to Luke that she should drive herself when it got toote. That way, Warren could get off work earlier. Warren was a young man, so he had his own life too. He could not be on call 24 hours a day just for that little amount of money... Luca knew about Warren''s responsibilities. Even if he was Gale and Rain''s assistant, he still had to start a family. If she continued letting Warren drive her to ces, how was he going to meet women or even date his current girlfriend? She was not one to strike up conversations, so she had no clue about Warren''s love life. However, Luca did not intend to bring it up now because Luke was busy. After returning to the mansion, Luca nced at the opposite room and saw Luke working inside. She went downstairs to heat up the leftover soup. The soup was good for nourishing the body and had many other benefits too. Even Wanda could have it after undergoing the operation. Mrs. Lane too, after working long hours. People like Luke, who stayed upte and did not get enough sleep, could definitely have it. Luca carefully took the bowl of soup to the door of the bedroom. He did not close the door, so she knocked on the door and went in before cing it on the desk. "Soup?" Luke smelled the soup. He had drunk a bowl of soup that night, and it was a bit bitter but still delicious. "Yup, this soup is good for you. You should have more." Luca''s eyes were glistening with endless affection. Even though Luke was not hungry, he had to drink it because Luca brought it over. He picked it up and finished it. Luca took the soup bowl from him and talked about her conversation with Old Master Crawford today. "Old Master Crawford said that Mr. Jackman and Old Master Bourne went to him to discuss working together." "Mhm, they came to me in private as well," said Luke. Luca was speechless as she did not think that Mr. Jackman had the audacity to go to Luke. If she were in his ce, she would never be able to do this. How could he throw away his dignity for business? She did not ask Luke about his decision because she knew that he would not work with Lonnie, so she held the soup bowl and said, "Continue doing your work, then. I''ll go wash up." She was not as busy as Luke, so she should rest as it was gettingte. Luke nodded. Luca went downstairs to wash the dishes before going back up to take her pajamas and wash up in the bathroom. After showering, she walked out of the bathroom, sat in front of the dressing table, and meticulously applied skincare products. The children had been staying at the manor for the past few days, but she was still not used to it. Usually, she would go to the children''s rooms at this time to see if they had gone to bed or kicked their nkets off the beds. Luca recalled the kids clinging to her at the manor just now and hoped that the situation could be resolved quickly so that she could bring the kids back home. The children''s every word showed their longing for her and Luke. Even though they missed her, they did not make a fuss about following her back when she left. Luca looked at herself in the mirror as she thought about her three kids, and finally, she thought about N as well. Chapter 2837 Luca let out a long sigh. She missed her child, but she had to be separated from her because of Abel. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The next day, Sarah''s vitals were looking good, so she was transferred out of the ICU and into the VIP ward. Sarah looked at the beautifully decorated private ward as it waspletely different from the environment at Mercy Hospital. After being awake for a day and a half in the ICU ward, Johann was doing basic check-ups on her, and she learned that Luca was the one who contacted the doctor and insisted on getting her transferred here. Sarah was familiar with the name. She had been working hard to pay Luca back. Sarah was surprised that Mercy Hospital would contact Luca. It must be because she had Luca''s business card in her wallet. There was no other contact information for anyone else at Mercy Hospital, so they could only contact Luca. Sarah was very grateful to Luca. She watched the nurses take her to her ward, and although she was lying down, she could see the word ''VIP'' hanging on the corridor after getting out of the elevator. Sarah grew anxious. ¡°Nurse, I can''t afford such an expensive ward." She had stayed in a VIP ward before, and it was already very expensive at the time, so it would only be even more expensive now. "This is the doctor''s order, so we''re just doing as we were told." After the nurses handed her over, the head nurse of the VIP floor came over and asked the younger nurses to send her to the ward prepared by Johann. Sarah watched as the nurse got busy checking her name and giving her an injection. She had mixed feelings because she knew that Luca had arranged this. She already owed Luca money, so she could not let her spend any more on her. Her eyebrows knitted together. How much did she owe Luca now? She did not know how long she would need to work to pay her back... The nurse hung Sarah''s IV drip and carefully stretched the cable for the bell before cing it next to her pillow. ¡°Ms. Por. If you need the IV drip changed, you can just ring the bell. The doctor also said that you can''t get up for the time being, so if you need anything, just ring the bell. We''ll be there for you first thing." "Miss, may I borrow your phone to make a call?" Sarah found out how long she had been in aa. Even if she had brought her phone over here, it had probably run out of battery after so long. "Sure, who would you like to call?" The nurseplied with her request and took out her phone to help her dial the number. Sarah frowned as she could not remember Luca''s phone number. Seeing her struggle, the nurse said, "Ms. Por, you shouldn''t use your brain too much. Why don''t you tell me who you''d like to call? Maybe their number is registered in our database." Sarah felt a dull pain in her head. Perhaps she should not think too much, so she said, "No need, I have their card in my purse. Can you help me find it?" She remembered that when she was moved in here, the nurse said she had put her personal belongings in the closet. The nurse nodded and opened the closet. She found her canvas bag and a ck wallet. "I''ll look for the card." "Thank you." Sarah could not get up, so she entrusted the nurse. She did not have much money in her wallet anyway, so the nurse probably would not be interested in the spare change she had. The nurse found the card and said, "Oh, you want to call Ms. Craw?" The nurse''s tone sounded calm but excited at the same time, so Sarah asked curiously, "Miss, do you know her too?" "Ms. Craw is a legend in the VIP ward. She said she didn''t study medicine, but she knows dry needling. Her methods are very effective and slightly different from what''s taught in medical school. Oh, she knows pharmacology as well. This patient was very sensitive to chemotherapy, so they experienced serious side effects, but after taking two doses of the medicine Ms. Craw prescribed for them, it was not that unbearable for the patient anymore. All of our nurses know her," the nurse introduced Luca. They knew who she was, but they were not close to her. They did not even know her contact information. After dialing Luca''s number, she walked to Sarah''s bed. Luca''s voice sounded from the phone. "Hello, who is it?" The nurse said, "Hello, Ms. Craw. I''m a nurse from the General Hospital. Ms. Por has something to say to you." After speaking, she switched it to speaker mode and ced it next to Sarah''s pillow. "Yes, Ms. Por." Sarah sounded a little weak. "Is this Ms. Craw?" "It''s me, Ms. Por. Are you out of the ICU?" Although Luca asked, she had already heard the news from Johann. Johann''s news was very straightforward. He said that there were no signs of bleeding in Sarah''s brain after checking, so she could be sent to a normal ward to recover. "I''m out. Thank you, Ms. Craw." Sarah looked at the bright ceiling. She had been living in a dim house for over 20 years, so it had been a long time since she had seen such a bright ceiling." Even the ceiling at Mercy Hospital was not this bright... If it were not for Luca, her miserable and pitiful life would have ended already. When her cerebral aneurysm ruptured, she was still conscious. She was conscious even after the boss at her part-time job took her to the hospital and when she was pushed onto the operating table by the doctors and nurses. At that time, the doctor said, "She''s in critical condition. Should we operate? "She has no rtives who can transfer her and sign the documents. "She has no chance of surviving if we don''t operate, but there''s no guarantee she''ll live even if we do operate. "It''s a huge risk." She could hear the doctors and nurses clearly before she was anesthetized. At that time, Sarah thought that it was the end. She would never be able to see the only person she cared about anyway, so perhaps it was time to end her miserable life. However, she would not be able to repay the favor that way. Sarah thought that the lights above her head were too ring, which reminded her that she was alive. Since she made it out alive, all her responsibilities and her miserable life must continue. She had no intention of escaping. Since she could not die, she had to live life to the fullest. She said, "They said that you arranged the VIP ward. Ms. Craw, you may need to cover the cost of treatment for now, but I don''t want to stay in such an expensive VIP ward." Luca knew that Sarah called to not only thank her but also to talk about the VIP ward. The VIP ward was expensive even to the average person. Average families would choose to stay in multi-person wards to save costs. However, it was different for Sarah. Even if she was sent to the general ward now, Marcos would still send her back to the VIP ward a weekter when her condition was stable. If that was the case, why not have her stay in the VIP ward from the beginning? Plus, the quietness of the VIP ward would help Sarah recover faster. "Ms. Por, you don''t have to worry about the expenses. You don''t have to deal with that, so just focus on recovery." It was not easy for Luca to talk about Marcos right now, so that was all she could say. Chapter 2838 Sarah suspected that she had misheard it. Ignore it? That was impossible. Luca and her were not that close either. "Ms. Craw, it was you who paid for my medical expenses, right? I can''t just ignore it..." said Sarah. Even though she had financial struggles, she was not the type to take advantage of others. Luca had already helped her a lot. She had done more than enough. Luca was secretly startled for a moment and let out a soft sigh, "Ms. Por, rest assured. To be honest, I know about your financial difficulties. I have a few connections in the hospital. So, I applied for some financial assistance for you. As for the VIP ward, it may be called a VIP ward, but that''s because I''m good friends with the doctors. They agreed to give it to me. The cost is the same as the regr ward downstairs." The nurse who was standing beside pursed her lips, suppressing herugh. If one were familiar with the hospital''s medical system, Luca would not have said such things. In order to reassure Sarah and help her recover, Luca had no choice but to say such things. The nurse would not expose her as Luca was doing it for Sarah''s own good. That way, she could focus on recovering without worrying about medical expenses. "Is it true?" Sarah doubted. "Yes. The hospital has its own foundation for families in difficulties. Your application has already been approved, so you don''t need to worry," Luca had to bite the bullet and lie to her. "Thank you, Ms. Craw." Sarah believed her words. She felt that Luca was not the kind of person who would lie. "Take care of yourself. I''ll visit you whenever I have time," replied Luca before she hung up the call. She gave Luke, who was by her side, a helpless look. They were having breakfast when they found out it was Sarah who called. Luca turned on the speakerphone so Luke could also hear what Sarah was saying. "I hope Ms. Por believes what I said." Luca noticed the faint curve on the corner of Luke''s lips. Luca was not a good liar. She had to rack her brain toe up with a lie, and even then, it might not be believable. However, Sarah seemed to believe it. "She believes you," said Luke. "My tone didn''t give myself away, right?¡± added Luca as she sounded worried. She was not good at lying. Whenever she told a lie, regardless of whether it was a big or small one, her tone would unconsciously be nervous. Then, her voice would tremble, far fromposed. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "No. You did well. At least she believed it," replied Luke. Thest words Sarah said seemed to indicate that she believed in Luca. "But who knows how long we can keep this hidden?" Luca knew that Sarah was still worried about her financial issues. If she had enough money, she would not have acted like this. Luca could not help but wonder how much suffering Marcos'' birth mother had endured all these years. She heard that Marcos'' birth mother was also a graduate of a prestigious university. Graduates like her would not have any trouble finding a job. Still, she stayed on the outskirts of A City, and she even took on part-time jobs? Luca felt sorry for what Sarah had gone through. "Just seven days. They''ll pass in the blink of an eye," said Luke as he pressed the send button on his phone. He had recorded the phone conversation with Sarah. Marcos was worried about Sarah''s condition. Although her voice sounded weak, she seemed more energetic. Those words would manage to calm Marcos'' restless heart. After Marcos received the voice message from Luke, he pressed the y button. When Marcos heard how Luca addressed the person on the other end of the line as Ms. Por, he knew that the unfamiliar voice belonged to his birth mother, Sarah. The pronunciation in Russian was different from English. Marcos felt that the voice sounded different from what he remembered. Perhaps it was because of the language... He held his phone tightly as he listened to the recording. Sarah''s voice had yet to falter. Marcos sensed Sarah''s weakness, but she did not sound too bad. [Your mother is staying in the VIP ward now. I''ll take you to the hospital seven dayster.] Luke sent him another message. [Thank you.] Marcos curled his lips and picked up a bottle of red wine delivered by the hotel. He opened the door and walked to the opposite suite, pressing the doorbell. Before Kastov could open the door, Ethan came out of his room and asked, "What are you doing?" "I''d like to have a drink with Kastov." Marcos narrowed his eyes. He had been up all night since the day he found out about Sarah being in the hospital. He had only slept for a few hours yesterday, and the dark circles under his eyes had notpletely gone. "Why are you always hanging out with him?" Ethan was displeased. He felt that the family should look into Kastov''s background. However, they considered Kastov as merely Marcos'' bodyguard. It was irrelevant to do so. Hence, no investigation was conducted. Ethan was also puzzled. They said Kastov was Marcos'' bodyguard, but there was no sense of an employer-employee dynamic between them during their conversations. Moreover, Kastov did not follow Marcos when he went out for the past few days. Ethan asionally saw through the surveince outside Marcos'' room that Kastov seemed to have his own things to do, and it waspletely unrted to Marcos'' schedule. Could there be such an irresponsible bodyguard? "Do I have to answer that question?" questioned Marcos. Ethan was taken aback. Of course, he did not have to answer the question, but he wanted to have control over Marcos'' every move. "Mr. Ethan, how are you doing with Uncle Matysh''s case?" asked Marcos. Kastov happened to open the door and listened to their conversation. He leaned against the door frame without saying a word. Ethan''s face turned dark. Legal matters like that were not so easily resolved. Also, after what happened at the detention center that day, Shandra had yet to contact him. He had tried to contact Shandra, but the calls were all redirected to her assistant, Yvette, who told him that they were working on it. Shandra would contact him if she needed any help or rification. Matysh had left a terrible impression on Shandra after the incident at the detention center. There was nothing Ethan could do about it. A professional woman like her probably looked down on what Matysh had told her. "It seems like things aren''t going smoothly for you," Kastov could not help but tease him. Ethan gave him a disdainful look. "What''s it to you?" Meanwhile, Marcos patted Kastov on the shoulder. "Mr. Ethan, let me give you a word of advice. While you''re thinking of solutions, the police are also gathering more evidence. If you don''t act quickly and the police gather more evidence, Uncle Matysh will be in deep trouble. If they have more evidence, even the simplest bail won''t be possible." Ethan''s face turned dark. "Are you cursing Mr. Matysh?" "I dare not. Don''t jump to conclusions. I''m just saying that if you need help, you can find Kastov to talk about it. He''s highly capable when ites to investigating matters, but he charges a substantial amount. Though, I don''t think Uncle Matysh would mind the money." Marcos talked up his good friend in front of Ethan. Chapter 2839 Kastov nodded along with to words and said, "Though I''m busy, I can prioritize helping with it if it''s Mr. Matysh''s matter." Ethan''s anger surged. Even if Kastov was capable of such things, he dared not to use anyone who worked for Marcos, as Matysh had warned him to be cautious of Marcos and his men. When Ethan sensed the sudden change in Marcos'' tone, he pointed at his bottle and said, "If Old Master Abaza finds out you''re partying and drinking in A City, how will you exin it to him when you go back?" "Am I not just having a drink?" Kastov could not stand Ethan using his Russian connections to assert dominance. He took the drink from Marcos'' hand and said, "Mr. Matysh also indulges in quite a bit of alcohol, doesn''t he?" Ethan''s face grew darker and darker. "Isn''t there an old saying that goes¡ªwhat''s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander? Does that not work in Russian too? Besides, if Mr. Matysh doesn''t want Mr. Marcos involved in this matter, then having a drink shouldn''t hinder Mr. Matysh''s affairs, right?" Kastov was usually a quiet person, but when it came to discussing his work or anything rted to the Ind of Despair, he became more talkative. Today, he could not help butsh out at Ethan, finding his demeanor unpleasant and his words offensive. Ethan let out a cold snort, threatening Marcos, "I''ll tell the old master everything you''ve been doing in City A." "Hah." Kastov sneered, finding his words utterly meaningless. Ethan was acting like a little schoolboy, tattling on others. What was the point of doing this? Marcos paid no attention to it. Ethan had been reporting his situation to the old master for the past few days. Adding one more thing about him drinking and having fun during Matysh''s imprisonment would not be a problem. Marcos said to Kastov, "Let''s go inside and have a drink." The two of them walked into the suite and closed the door in front of Ethan. There was a loud bang. Ethan frowned. Marcos was not easy to manipte. If the Russian family found out about this, he would face the consequences when he returned! Kastov picked up the wine opener and uncorked the bottle. "Why are you suddenly craving a drink?" asked Kastov. "Something good happened,¡± answered Marcos as he took out two tall sses from the cab and ced them on the table. Kastov poured the red wine into the sses. "Something good? You found your birth mother?" There was a hint of doubt in his words. After all, Marcos had not made any progress for the past few days. How could he have suddenly found her all of a sudden? "Yes. Even though the situation isn''t ideal, I finally found her. She''s in the hospital now. I''ll go and meet her once her condition is better." Marcos did not hide anything. Kastov was his trusted partner, someone he could absolutely rely on. There were no conflicts of interest between them, making them the best of partners. "Congrattions." Kastov raised his ss and clinked it with Marcos''. He genuinely felt happy for Marcos. It was great. At least he had found his mother. "Well, it''s thanks to Mr. Crawford," Marcos took a sip of his drink. Luke and Luca''s kindness was something he would remember for a lifetime. He also knew that if it were not for Luca, he would be an orphan by now. He would be truly orphaned with no father or mother... It was Saturday the following day. The kids wereing back to the vi. Luca woke up early and was busy preparing food in the kitchen with Aunt Neile. Aunt Neile was preparing breakfast while Luca was preparing some soup to take to the hospital and snacks for the children. The children already had cookies just the night before, and Luca was worried they might get a sore throat from eating too many cookies. Hence, she decided to make milk cube candies as their snack. Milk cube candies were made from almond nuts mixed with butter, marshmallows, and powdered milk. After heating the mixture, they were formed into little milk candies. These sweet little treats were both healthy and delicious. Luca believed the children would surely love them. She had already done the preparations and was now shaping the candy into small pieces. Aunt Neile looked at the white, delicate milk cube candies. She could not help but praise, "Ms. Craw, you''re really good at this. These milk cube candies look so exquisite. The kids will definitely love them." Luca smiled faintly. This was her first time making these for the children. Not only did children enjoy these milk cube candies, but adults liked them too. She ced the finely shaped milk cubes into separate packaging and then picked up the sealer to seal the packages. Then, she said, "Aunt Neile, remember to take some home for your grandson when you get off work tonight." "It''s okay, Ms. Craw. I''ll leave these for the kids to enjoy." Aunt Neile had been taking care of Lanie, Rainie, and Tommy for so many years. She knew their taste preferences well. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Sweet and sticky things were not to Lanie''s liking, but Luca did not add a lot of sugar to it. Therefore, she believed all three of them would enjoy them. If she took some away, the kids would not have enough to eat. Aunt Neile thought it was not eptable. "I made extra. Although they''re made in a healthy way, it''s not good for the children to eat too many of them. I''ll pack some for youter. Remember to take them with you when you go home," replied Luca. She made enough for the three children and Aunt Neile''s grandchild as well. Luca still remembered Aunt Neile''s grandson. He was a well-behaved child with a good temperament. He never caused trouble or made a lot of noise. He was quite likable. Aunt Neile smiled shyly at her words. "Thank you, Ms. Craw." "You don''t have to thank me, Aunt Neile. These things aren''t that valuable at all," said Luca. The ingredients for these milk cube candies were indeed not expensive. She felt that anyone could make these snacks. They were not valuable at all. The raw materials for these things were rtively cheap, and they could bring joy to children. Hence, she was willing to make more to make her adorable children happy. "But this is your heartfelt gesture." Aunt Neile finished preparing breakfast. She washed her hands, put on kitchen gloves, and helped Luca to pack the milk cube candies into separate bags. Luca focused on sealing and organizing the small bags. After a while, Luca finished packing all the milk cube candies. She took a brown paper bag and grabbed a handful of milk cube candies. Then, she thought there was not enough, so she grabbed another handful and filled the bag to the brim before handing it to Aunt Neile. "Aunt Neile, these are for your grandson." "Ms. Craw, it''s too much. The child doesn''t need so much." Aunt Neile was pleasantly surprised. She was delighted by anything that could please her grandson. However, Luca had given her too much, and she felt a little uneasy. Although the Crawford family was always generous to their subordinates, Luca was not a member of the Crawford family. However, Aunt Neile did not want to dwell too much on the matters of her master''s family. "It''s not much. Look, there are still so many left on the tray." Luca pointed at the tray. The ones on the tray were enough for the children to eat. "Ms. Craw, on behalf of my grandson, I''d like to thank you." Aunt Neile had no choice but to ept it, thinking that her precious grandson would be overjoyed when she went home tonight. Kids loved to eat snacks. The milk cube candies sold outside were quite expensive. Her son and daughter-inw usually would not buy them for her grandson. Now, she could bring this bag of milk cube candies home. When the child saw it, he would definitely dance with excitement. Chapter 2840 After Luca ced all the small milk cube candies into the kids'' snack box, Luke was still upstairs dealing with work matters. Luca then brewed a pot of coffee for Luke and had Aunt Neile bring it upstairs along with breakfast. Meanwhile, she had her breakfast downstairs. After finishing her meal, Luca checked the soup she prepared for Wanda. It was almost ready. Hence, she turned off the stove and added some salt to the soup for seasoning. She poured it into a thermos while the soup was still hot. After she had prepared everything, Zander had also brought the children back. The three children rushed in, changed their shoes, and went straight to the kitchen to look for Luca. "Ms. Luca, we''re back!" The three children simultaneously said the same words, with Tommy''s voice being the loudest. Luca turned around and smiled at the three of them. "You''re back. Have you had breakfast?" "We had breakfast at Great-grandpa''s." Rainie nodded and caught a whiff of the aroma in the air of the kitchen. Her eyes lit up. The scent of the food was sweet and enticing. Rainie asked, ¡°Ms. Luca, did you prepare desserts?" "You have a keen nose. Yes, I made dessert. But you shouldn''t eat too much after breakfast. You''ll only get three each," replied Luca as she took out a few milk cube candies from the snack box and distributed them to the kids. Each of the three children held three milk cubes in their hands. "What''s this?" Tommy curiously asked. He had never tried this snack before. "It''s a milk cube candy," Rainie recognized it. The Crawford family did not allow them to eat such snacks. Even though they were sold outside, they considered them unhygienic, so they had never tried them. Rainie knew about them because she had seen her ssmate eat them before. Her ssmate even shared one with her. Rainie only remembered that the milk cube candy was soft in texture, with a slightly hard almond nut inside. It was sweet, but it did not leave any other impression on her. "Yes. It''s milk cube candy. Give it a try and see if it''s good," said Luca with a smile on her face. She closed the snack box and looked at the kids. Her heart felt warm. Tommy had a greedy look on his face. He was always eager to try new snacks. Thus, he immediately stuffed one into his mouth. After tasting it, he eximed before swallowing it down, "It''s milky and smells so good! Mmm, there''s almond in it. It''s sweet and delicious! Ms. Luca, I love it!" Tommy''s affirmation made Luca eagerly look at the other two children. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Rainie ate more delicately. After swallowing, she blinked her bright eyes and said, "This is good! Ms. Luca, this milk cube candy you made is even better than the one my ssmate''s mom bought for her!" She smiled and proved her words with action, eating another one. Lanie was not a fan of sweet food, but the sweetness of the milk cube candy, along with the soft and chewy texture and the crunch from the almond, made him think it was delicious. When he told Luca it tasted good, he was ready to eat a second one. The kids loved the milk cube candy she made. Luca thought of Wanda, who also enjoyed eating sweets. It had been several days since her surgery. She could have some sweets in moderation. Hence, she opened the snack box and took out some for Wanda. Tommy''s eyes lit up. Then, he asked, "Ms. Luca, are you going out?" He noticed the thermos Luca ced in the bag. ¡°Yes, I''m going to visit your Great Aunt Wanda. She had surgery and is now recovering," answered Luca. The three kids did not get to visit Grandpa Rayne that often. Therefore, she was not afraid that they would identally let slip and make him worry. She would have to wait until Wanda had recovered and was discharged from the hospital to take the kids to the Rayne family''s house. When Rainie heard this, she worriedly asked, "Ms. Luca, is Great Aunt Wanda okay? I''m worried about her." "She''s fine. She''ll recover as long as she takes good care of herself and gets enough rest." Luca reassured them and handed each of them a small milk cube candy again. "Ms. Luca, can we visit Great Aunt Wanda?" Lanie took the milk cube candy from Luca and asked. Luca was startled for a moment, but before she could say anything, Tommy spoke up, "Ms. Luca, we''d like to visit Great Aunt Wanda. We promise we won''t be noisy or misbehave. We won''t disturb her either." Rainie chimed in, "Yes, we''ll behave ourselves." How could Luca bear to refuse their request? "Alright. Let me go upstairs and talk to your father," said Luca. She ced the thermos and other items on the dining table before heading upstairs to find Luke. The three children followed closely behind her. Aunt Neile, who witnessed the scene, shook her head helplessly and could not help but sigh. These three children really loved clinging to Luca. Luca and the kids arrived at the bedroom door. She knocked on the door first, and when Luke looked toward the door, she said, "Luke, the kids are back." "Good morning, Daddy." The three kids greeted him with smiles on their faces, but they did not surround him. They remained by Luca''s side. Luke put on a faint smile and replied, "Good morning." Tommy asked, "Daddy, can we go to the hospital with Ms. Luca to visit Great Aunt Wanda? We''ll behave and won''t cause any trouble for Ms. Luca." Lanie added, "I''ll watch over Tommy and make sure he doesn''t disturb Great Aunt Wanda''s recovery." Rainie also joined the conversation, "I''ll watch over Lanie and Tommy too." Tommy looked up at his siblings. Why did they have to watch over him? He was clearly well-behaved! "Alright. You can go, but do not cause any trouble or inconvenience," said Luke. "Alright then!" Tommy readily agreed and looked at Luca. ¡°Ms. Luca, Daddy said yes. Shall we set off now?" "Yes. Let''s go." Luca shot another nce at Luke. She could see the gentle affection in his eyes. Then, she led the children downstairs. She grabbed the thermos and headed toward the hospital. Since it was the weekend, she did not ask Warren to drive them. Instead, she carefully drove the car herself and headed to the hospital. When they arrived at the hospital entrance, Luca bought two fruit baskets. She asked the shop owner to rece one of them with a simpler design. The fruits were still the same, and only the quality of the basket was not as good. The one that was changed was intended for Sarah. After she exined the situation to Sarah yesterday, Luca found a caretaker for her, and Sarah called again. It took Luca a long time to convince Sarah to ept a caretaker. She was currently resting in bed without thepany and care of her family. That was why she needed a caretaker. This was not the time for her to save money. Luca asked the fruit shop owner to make this arrangement in order to ease Sarah''s mental burden. When Lanie saw Luca carrying so many things in her hands, he took the initiative to suggest, "Ms. Luca, let me carry one of the fruit baskets." Luca looked at the young boy in front of her and replied, "It''s heavy." "It''s okay, Ms. Luca. I can handle it," Lanie took the fruit basket from her. ¡°Daddy said that boys are born to take care of their moms and sisters. Rainie also helped Lanie carry it. "I''ll help Lanie." Tommy also wanted to take Luca''s fruit basket too. "Ms. Luca, I''d like to carry one for you too." The fruit basket was heavy. Lanie and Rainie could still manage it, but Tommy... Luca handed him the thermos instead. "You''re still little, so carry this instead." "Okay!" Tommy took the thermos she handed him. He was happy to be able to help Luca. Chapter 2841 Luca arrived at Wanda''s hospital ward with three children in tow. "Ms. Rayne, are you feeling better today?" Luca put down the fruit basket and noticed Wanda was receiving an injection solution. Wanda looked at Luca and the three children. She was slightly taken aback. Why did she bring the kids along? Before she could voice her question, the three children ced the fruits and thermos bottle they were carrying on the coffee table. Then, they gathered around the bedside and called out to her in unison, "Great Aunt Wanda, good morning!" When Wanda saw the beaming smile on their faces, she raised her hand and gently stroked their heads with her free hand. "You''re all good children,¡± said Wanda. Rainie gently held Wanda''s hand, and she asked with concern, "Great Aunt Wanda, are you feeling better?" Wanda sped Rainie''s tender little hand in return and smiled. "Much better." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Great Aunt Wanda, you have to get well soon so that I can do handicrafts with you when you''re discharged!" Rainie, being a little girl with a kind heart and a sweet tongue, managed to lift Wanda''s spirits. "Alright, alright. I''m sure I''ll get better soon having you all caring for me like this." Wanda smiled as she looked at the three children. "Great Aunt Wanda, Ms. Luca prepared some soup for you. Please have some." Tommy eagerly leaned against Wanda''s bed, blinking his eyes. Even though he had never tasted Luca''s soup before, he had a feeling that the soup Luca made would taste good. Wanda put on a cheerful expression. Luca took the thermos out and ced it on the table. Then, she said to Mrs. Lane, "Mrs. Lane, please pour a bowl of soup for Ms. Rayne." "Sure." Mrs. Lane took Wanda''s bowl, washed it clean, and poured in half a bowl of soup. She also exined why she only poured half a bowl. "Ms. Rayne just took medicine and drank a ss of water. So, I''ll let her have this much for now." She handed the bowl of soup to Wanda. The aroma of medicinal herbs wafted through the air. Tommy wrinkled his brows as he caught a whiff of it and said, "It smells like medicine. Ms. Luca, why does Great Aunt Wanda''s soup have a medicinal scent?" Luca exined to him, "This is medicinal soup. It helps to nourish the body." She used a variety of medicinal herbs in the soup she cooked. They were all for Wanda''s well-being. Wanda took the bowl of soup. She was no longer a child, so she was not averse to the aroma of this medicinal soup. Instead, she found the medicinal fragranceforting. Rainie thought the medicinal soups would taste unpleasant, but she believed that what Luca had prepared must be beneficial for Wanda''s health. Hence, sheforted Wanda, saying, "Great Aunt Wanda, Ms. Luca personally made this soup for you. It''s good for your body. You must finish it all.¡± Wanda nodded with a smile. She slightly lifted up her head and finished the soup. It was inevitable that the medicinal soup carried a slight bitterness from the herbs. However, when Luca prepared the soup, she also added some honey to it to bnce the bitter taste of the herbs. Wanda was able to ept the remaining hint of bitterness. After Wanda finished the soup, Mrs. Lane took the empty bowl and asked, "Ms. Rayne, would you like some more?" "Later. I feel a bit full right now," Wanda shook her head. She could not stand the bitter taste of modern medicine. She would drink arge ss of water to dilute the bitterness every time she took the medicine. After drinking half a bowl of soup, her stomach was already filled to the brim with water. Drinking more would make her too full. Mrs. Lane nodded and took the bowl to the restroom to clean it. Meanwhile, Luca asked, "Ms. Rayne, how are you feeling today?" "I feel a bit more energetic than the past couple of days. The wound is a bit itchy, but Dr. Park said it''s a sign of recovery when he did the rounds." Wanda smiled peacefully. Her health was improving day by day, and she could feel it. Her mood had improved a lot as well. Luca nodded. She did not need to worry about the wound and such. Johann was here to keep an eye on things. She carefully asked, "Ms. Rayne, you''ll be starting your chemotherapy sessions soon. I''d like to take your pulse and adjust the dosage of the herbal medicine to help with your recovery and overall well- being." This medicinal soup was meant to improve the body''s constitution and enhance one''s resistance. However, that was a general prescription. It was not specifically tailored to Wanda''s needs. The soup she prepared, aside from not being suitable for young children, could be consumed by Luke, Mrs. Lane, and others. However, if she were to truly improve Wanda''s condition, she had to prepare a prescription that was exclusively for Wanda. It would not be suitable for others. "Oh, sure." Wanda was not the type to trouble others. However, she remembered how severe her initial reaction to chemotherapy was. If she did not ept Luca''s help, she might not be able to endure it. Furthermore, when Johann was doing the rounds, he knew Luca had been preparing medicinal soup for Wanda. He said, ¡°Taking medicinal soups can improve the body''s constitution and enhance resistance, which will benefit your recovery.¡± Wanda knew that her uing chemotherapy and treatment would be much smoother with Luca''s help. Luca stepped forward. Rainie gave up her seat and pulled over a stool. "Ms. Luca, you may sit here and check Great Aunt Wanda''s pulse." "Okay." Luca sat on the stool and ced her fingers on Wanda''s pulse. After a minute, she moved to the other side and took Wanda''s pulse to gain a general understanding of her physical condition. She then said, "Ms. Rayne, I''ll provide the new prescription to Dr. Park. The hospital will deliver the medicine to you a day before your chemotherapy session starts. Drinking it will help alleviate some difort." Mrs. Lane walked out of the restroom holding a thermos bottle and overheard Luca''s words. She suddenly remembered that her colleagues had mentioned a talented young family member of Wanda''s who understood naturopathy. Wanda initially experienced significant side effects from chemotherapy. However, after she took the prescription prepared by that young family member, the after-effects Wanda experienced after her subsequent sessions of chemotherapy were not as severe as what others experienced. Wanda enjoyed her meals, slept well, and even had minimal hair loss. Mrs. Lane''s eyes flickered, realizing that the prescription mentioned by the caretakers must have been from Luca. She truly was impressive... Mrs. Lane thought to herself, ''If this prescription were made public, many people could be spared from suffering.'' She wanted to say something at first, but when she thought about how that caretaker had ended up, Mrs. Lane held her tongue. There were quite a few people who had approached her to ask for the prescription. Some were even willing to pay a high price for it. However, Mrs. Lane never had a chance. Coupled with the fact that the previous caretaker was fired, even though Mrs. Lane now knew that Luca was the one who provided the prescription, she dared not ask about it. The level of care provided to Wanda was even better than the treatment given to previous VIP patients. Moreover, Luca often delivered soups and meals to both Wanda and Mrs. Lane. During this period, Mrs. Lane felt that she had been eating well, and with Luca''s homemade soups, she could feel her own body improving significantly. These were privileges that other patients did not have. Despite other cancer patients constantly asking for this prescription, Mrs. Lane suppressed the urge to share it. After all, she had observed how Luca cared for Wanda during this time, and she did not seem like a bad person. She might have a reason for not sharing the prescription with others... That was what Mrs. Lane thought. Hence, she smiled and carefully packed the thermos bottle in a bag and said to Luca, "Ms. Craw, I''ve washed the thermos bottle you brought here yesterday. Remember to take it with you when you go back." Chapter 2842 "Okay." Luca nodded, realizing that it was not practical for Wanda to finish the soup in one go. Therefore, they decided to alternate between two thermos bottles, which was more convenient. After taking Wanda''s pulse, the children gathered around her once again. Wanda was still recovering. They changed their previous chattering manner and spoke in a more detailed way. Each child would wait for the previous topic to conclude before bringing up a new one. However, regardless of the topic, the children were well-behaved and found ways to cheer up Wanda. Lanie told them before thatughter was the best medicine. He said the same thing when Tommy was being naughty. All three children believed that a joyful mood would contribute to Wanda''s recovery. Therefore, they constantly tried to make her happy. The atmosphere in the hospital ward was harmonious and joyful. Meanwhile, Luca sat beside and talked to Mrs. Lane to understand Wanda''s current dietary condition. After Luca had a general understanding, she rose to her feet and said to Wanda, "Ms. Rayne, can the kids stay with you for a while? I have a friend in the adjacent ward who''s also recovering. I''d like to visit her." She did not forget her promise to Marcos. If she did not send him updates about Sarah''s condition every day, he probably would not be able to wait for seven days beforeing to visit. "Sure. Go ahead." Wanda liked the three children. Since she had no sons or daughters of her own, she cherished Bianca''s three children as if they were her precious treasures. She wished she could hold them all in the palm of her hand and protect them dearly. Luca exchanged nces with the three children. Then, she smiled and picked up a fruit basket as she walked out. "Who is Ms. Luca going to visit?" Tommy asked with curiosity. His gaze shifted between Lanie and Rainie. Both children shook their heads. They did not know who Luca was going to visit, nor had they heard of anyone else who was still in the hospital... After leaving Wanda''s ward, Luca headed to Sarah''s ward. N?velDrama.Org content rights. She knocked on the door first instead of pushing the door open. A caretaker came and opened the door. She saw Luca and asked with confusion, "May I know who you are?" "I''m looking for Ms. Por. She''s in this ward, right?" asked Luca. She was the one who asked Johann to hire a caretaker for Sarah. Since she had yet to meet her, it was normal for the caretaker not to recognize her. "Yes. Pleasee in." The caretaker observed that Luca did not seem like a bad person, and noticing that she was able to walk around the VIP wards, she decided to grant her entry. Luca walked in and saw Sarah lying on the bed. She had turned her head to look in the direction of the door after she heard the knock. Sarah''s eyes welled up with tears when she saw Lucae in. "Ms. Craw, what brings you here?" ¡°Ms. Por, I just came to see you while passing by." Luca emphasized the fact that it was a casual visit, so as not to put too much pressure on Sarah. To Sarah, Luca was merely a stranger she had met twice. She was a stranger who helped her repay her debt, contacted a doctor to save her life, and arranged for a hospital ward and caretaker for her. It was rare toe across strangers like her, no? Moreover, Sarah was not the type of person to take advantage of others. Luca knew that she was reluctantly epting all of this, and she would not just go along with it without a sense of unease. Luca could not help but secretly let out a deep sigh. There was no way she could say that all the arrangements she made were also at Marcos'' behest... Sarah would not be able to handle any shock now. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Craw." Sarah blinked her eyes. The doctor told her not to get emotional, as it could potentially render all the lifesaving treatments useless. She tried hard to hold back her tears. Luca ced the fruit basket on the table and sat on a nearby chair. "Ms. Por, how do you feel?" "It takes some effort to speak..." replied Sarah. Luca could sense the weakness in Sarah''s voice when she spoke. She exined, "The bleeding in your brain was significant, but with the medication the hospital has prescribed for you, a few more days of treatment will suffice. Don''t worry. Everything will get better." "Ms. Craw, can I get discharged after the stitches are removed?" asked Sarah. Even though Luca told her that the hospital''s charity fund was supporting her, she could not imagine being allowed to stay in a VIP ward. It would be a regr ward at most! Sarah was secretly worried about Luca''s intentions in helping her this way. If Luca had helped her out of sympathy after watching her being taken away by loan sharks back then, what about now? Sarah could not help but wonder whether Luca had discovered her true identity, and that was why she made these arrangements. However, she could only lie in bed now. She was unable to do anything. Her body was weak. She could not even get up. Luca frowned as she thought that Sarah was worried about the cost of the ward, so she said, "Let''s see what the doctor says after the stitches are removed." "This ward is too expensive." Sarah persisted in her desire to be discharged. Luca could not convince her. Thus, she replied, "Ms. Por, you were ced in this ward because of the favorable environment and its benefits for your recovery. If you truly want to be discharged, let''s make the decision after seven days." Sarah was puzzled when she heard that. Why did she have to wait for seven days? Luca picked up her phone and discreetly recorded a short video of Sarah lying on the bed. She did not make it obvious. "Don''t worry. I''m not a bad person. Please focus on recovering your health these few days. As for your doubts and suspicions, rest assured, I''m not the kind of person you think I am." Sarah''s face slightly reddened. Her previous encounters with Luca and Luca''s assistance in repaying her debt seemed like coincidences. After spending so many years in that family, Sarah had witnessed too many things. That was why she still maintained her skepticism. Even though Luca said so, there was no reason for Sarah to trust her. Luca aimed her phone at Sarah for two minutes before saving the video and sending it to Luke. Luke would forward the clip to Marcos. Luca rose to her feet and said, "Ms. Por, I have something else to attend to. Take good care of yourself. If you need anything, just call the doctors or nurses. They''ll assist you." "Okay." Sarah was a little surprised. Luca did not stay as long as she had expected. Instead, she left in less than ten minutes. As Sarah watched the nurse escort Luca out, her expression took on a slight look of confusion. Could she really trust Luca? Sarah pursed her dry lips together, feeling unsure about it... After the caretaker closed the door, she noticed that Sarah''s lips were dry. She quickly poured a ss of warm water and inserted a straw. Then, she said, "Ms. Por, I noticed that your lips are a bit dry. Would you like some water?" "Yes." Sarah nodded. She leaned in and took two big sips of warm water from the straw, then asked, "Is she thedy who hired you?" The caretaker shook her head, cing the ss aside. She noticed that the liquid in the bottle was almost empty. Hence, she pressed the call button to summon another nurse. Only then did she exin, "No, it''s not her. Dr. Park was the one who assigned me to take care of you. He''s the doctor who did the rounds today and performed the surgery on you." Chapter 2843 "Okay." Sarah stared at the ceiling. She was still not used to the speckless environment. It was just like how she was not used to A City after being forced to leave her son and flee Russia. Development in A City had already started at the time, and many nice buildings were built rapidly. Her capability allowed her to have a good life in A City. She did not ask for much, yet the people in Russia still had no intention of letting her off the hook even after she left. Sarah had no choice but to nestle in the suburbs of A City like a sewer rat. That ce and A City were like two different worlds. The locals who could not afford to live in the city anymore fled there. The environment there was dense, and the buildings were hardly renovated. Every corner was filthy and messy... Sarah thought to herself that it had been a long time since she had seen a ceiling this bright. It was as if that filthy life had nothing to do with her anymore. However, she knew that she would return to that life once she recovered. Not only that but if Luca did not have any other ns, she would have to work twice as hard to repay her kindness. After Luca left Sarah''s ward, she returned to Wanda''s ward. The children were still surrounding the bed and chatting with her. Luca sat in the ward for a bit before leaving with the children. After Luca left with the kids, the ward was much quieter. Mrs. Lane sighed. ¡°Ms. Craw is really nice to the kids." ¡°I guess it''s fate." Wanda sighed. It was not easy for the kids to like Luca. When Luca took the children back to the mansion, Luke sent the video to Marcos. Marcos clenched his fists as he listened to Sarah''s voice and saw how weak she was. Sarah''s voice was much more wretched than what he remembered. She must have suffered a lot in the past few years to have be like this. Marcos'' fierce and red eyes flooded with anger and hatred. If he had known earlier that Sarah was not dead but in hiding, he would have gone looking for her long ago! Everyone in his family hid it from him and deceived him. All these years, he could not do anything but long for her. After all, everyone told him that his mother was dead! Sarah, who he thought was dead too, had been barely living all this while. He would get his revenge on the people who separated him and his mother! Firstly, he was going to start off with Matysh, who was about to go to jail. Marcos saved the video and was about to pick up the ss of wine beside him when the doorbell rang. He stood upzily. Ethan was the only one who would ring the doorbell of his suite, so he walked over and slowly opened the door. Sure enough, Ethan was standing at the door. "Yes?" Marcos'' tone was icy cold. Ethan frowned as he felt that something was wrong with him today, but he could not bring it up now. "Why have you been staying in your room the entire day?" There was no movement in the surveince he ced on the door, so he almost thought that Marcos had tampered with it. He always used to head out the door early in the morning, so why had he been locking himself up in his suite for the past two days? Ethan got suspicious. "Mr. Ethan, are you my guardian?" Marcos asked without answering his question. Ethan was taken aback. What did he mean? Marcos repeated, "Why do you care whether I go out or stay in? Weren''t you the one who wanted me to stay away from Mr. Crawford?" His words made Ethan roll his eyes in anger as the man was using his own words against him. A few secondster, Ethan came back to his senses and said, "I''m leaving for a while." A corner of Marcos''s mouth lifted into a slight curve. After waiting for a few seconds, he asked without waiting for him to continue, "Do you want me to go with you?" Ethan frowned as that was not his intention. He was going out to deal with Matysh''s situation with Shandra. "If I''m not mistaken, you''re going to take care of Uncle Matysh''s situation, right? If Ie with you, he''ll question your loyalty," said Marcos while incidentally mocking him. Ethan was left speechless by Marcos'' unusual behavior. After a while, he finally found his voice. "I''m leaving for a few days, so during this time, everything you say and do in A City will represent the family. Don''t cause any trouble that will upset Old Master Abaza." Marcos'' reply to him was a loud bang from shutting his door. Ethan snorted and went back up to his room. After packing up his things, he received a message from Shandra, so he went downstairs with his luggage. Shandra said that she must first deal with Matysh''s rape case, so she had to go to where it happened and find the people involved to understand what happened. The case did not happen in A City, so they had to drive there. When Ethan got downstairs, his driver and interpreter were already waiting. Shandra was in another car. He took a look at the car. It was a Lexus and not as high-end as his car. Knowing Shandra''s arrogance, she would not want to be in the same car as him and the interpreter. He knocked on the window of the Lexus. Shandra''s driver rolled down the window, and Ethan could see what was going on inside the car. There was a woman sitting in the passenger seat, and Ethan guessed that she was probably Shandra''s assistant. He smiled at the person in the back seat and said, ¡°Good morning, Ms. Cullen." ¡°Good morning. If there''s nothing else, let''s go now. It''ll be quite a long drive," said Shandra after ncing at the time. Due to Ethan''s mistrantion, Ethan''s ne ticket was not booked even though the itinerary had been nned long ago. The flights were limited, so tickets were all sold out. Therefore, Shandra had to cancel her ne ticket and drive to the next city with them. It was only a two-hour drive anyway. Although Shandra was not happy about it, she did not give Ethan a dirty look. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Sure, sure." Ethan noticed Shandra''s displeasure, so after standing back up straight, his face turned sullen too. Then, he returned to his car. The interpreter felt a sudden burst of pressure after he was reminded of his mistake, so he once again apologized sincerely to Ethan, "My apologies, Mr. Ethan. It was an oversight on my part, and I''ll make sure to pay closer attention next time." "If this happens again, I''ll have you fired." Ethan made it clear that he would not give him more chances. Even though Marcos said that it was difficult to find a Russian-English interpreter who understood the law, after being with Old Master Abaza for so long, Ethan thought that such basic mistakes should not be tolerated. He would not tolerate it even if the interpreter knew a few morenguages. "Understood." The interpreter dared not say anything else. Shandra''s car drove ahead while Ethan''s car followed behind. Ethan looked at the passing views and asked, "How long will it take to get to B City?" "Mr. Ethan, it''ll take about three hours. If there''s no traffic, we''ll be there in two and a half hours." The assistant nced at the navigation and gave him an estimation. Chapter 2844 Ethan frowned in dissatisfaction when he heard how long it would take. "That''s too long." The interpreter listened to their conversation and said, "Yes, the train would be much faster." "Do I look like someone who would take the train?" Ethan raised his eyebrows. If the assistant had not forgotten to book the ticket, he would have been sitting in the first-ss cabin on the ne. Airnes, luxury cars, and cruise ships were his only means of travel. Nothing else. The interpreter was silenced by his words. The trains in Russia were nowhere as fast as the ones in A City. One would have to check in for the flight two hours in advance if one was going to B City, but one would only have to arrive at the rail station 30 minutes in advance. Plus, getting from A City to B City on the train only took an hour or so. Ethan opened hisptop and looked at the documents the interpreter had tranted at the police station. He did not dare be careless about Matysh''s case, so he read it several times over, but he still could not think of how to win thiswsuit and protect Matysh. He was even more curious about how Shandra would help Matysh deal with thiswsuit. Ethan watched the car in front in silence. It was the weekend, and there were many people out and about, so there was quite some traffic. By the time they reached B City, it was already three hourster. Shandra''s driver parked the car in front of a residential building. Ethan saw Shandra getting out of the car, so he followed her and went up to her. "Ms. Cullen, is this it?" Shandra nced at the navigation map on her phone, and it showed the residential building in front of her. "This is it." Ethan could not help but click his tongue as hemented, "They said that this country was impoverished and underdeveloped. I didn''t notice that when I was in A City, but I didn''t think that every other ce other than A City was actually this run-down." The residential building in front of them was time-worn, and the cement on the walls was peeling off everywhere, revealing the red bricks inside. After weathering, the red bricks were graying too. Listening to his arrogant tone, Shandra rolled her eyes. "Mr. Ethan, do you know how much the building in front of you is worth?" ¡°How much could such a run-down building be worth?" Ethan''s voice was full of disgust. N?velDrama.Org content rights. An old building like this that could not evenpare to an estate in Russia would surely be worth nothing. "Thend of this residential building alone must be worth over a million dors," Shandra guessed. The building may be run-down, but the owner of it could even be a multi-millionaire. Although the economy of B City was not as good as that of A City, it was still developed, and every inch ofnd was costly. This residential building may be shabby, but the wealth and power of its owner should not be underestimated. Usually, people who owned residential buildings like these would not just have one. This building was notpletely dpidated, so it could still be rented out. Relying on the rental ie alone would not be an issue at all. It was not like they lived here, so there was no need to rebuild it. Ethan clicked his tongue and frowned. He did not expect that thend alone would cost that much. If B City''snd price was so high, this ce must not be as poor as he thought it was. The houses were this run-down everywhere. Ethan nced at the concrete floor under his feet that were full of holes, and he puckered his lips in contempt. "Yvette, go and ring the doorbell of 601." Shandra nced at the documents. The mother of the girl whomitted suicide lived in Unit 601. She must not have much money to choose to live here. If she had money, she would not have chosen to live in such a remote ce. Shandra looked at the row of doorbells as her assistant, Yvette, walked over to ring the correct one. She was reminded that Matysh and that unscrupulous boss did not even give this family a single penny so that they could wash off their crimes. They even framed the breadwinner of the house. In the end, he could not take it anymore, so hemitted suicide. She closed the file with disgust. Although she had to defend her client with everything she could as awyer, this case still aroused resentment in Shandra. Yvette pressed the doorbell and waited for a few seconds before pressing it again, but no one answered. "Ms. Cullen, no one''s answering the door." Yvette looked back at Shandra. "Did you contact herst night?" Shandra asked, but she knew that Yvette had a sense of responsibility and would do what she was told. Yvette nodded. "I did, and she said that she''d be home today." She said she would be at home, but nobody opened the door for them. Yvette called her again, but nobody answered after ten or so rings. After a while, a middle-aged woman came to open the door. She noticed that there were a few foreign people outside, so she held the key in her hand and looked at them vigntly with curious eyes. "Ma''am, can you help us find the resident of Unit 601?" Yvette struck up a conversation with her. "Unit 601? Who are you?" The middle-aged woman was still vignt. ¡°Oh, we''rewyers. We''re here to find the residents of Unit 601 to ask some questions." Yvette quickly handed over her business card. Law and order in these remote ces were quite chaotic, so she understood the woman''s wariness. The middle-aged woman nced at the business card and immediately understood. "You''re here for her daughter''s case, right?" "Yes, you''re right." Yvette nodded. The middle-aged woman sighed and said, "She''s quite pitiful. Her daughter and husband are gone. Although they said that her husbandmitted suicide by jumping off a building, I think it was that foreigner and the boss who were to me. You''rewyers. Can you prosecute them?" The rape case garnered a lot of attention here. They even thought that the girl''s fathermitted suicide because he could not stand the nder, and this tragedy was because of that unscrupulous boss. Shandra''s expression was twisted, and her neck was stiff. She wanted to nod at the woman''s question, but she was on Matysh''s side, so she could bring herself to do so. The interpreter froze too. He dared not interpret what the middle-aged woman said to Ethan, lest he got angry. "Why did you stop?" Ethan looked at the interpreter suspiciously. He could not understand their language. "I''m done interpreting, Mr. Ethan," the interpreter said through gritted teeth. Ethan had always stood up for Matysh, so he was afraid that interpreting what the middle-ageddy said would trigger him. Ethan frowned in disbelief. Yvette realized that something was wrong, so she immediately stepped forward to continue the topic on the resident in Unit 601. "Ma''am, we came here today to ask her some questions. Can you pass on the message for us?" They were not allowed to go up without the consent of the host family. At this moment, the middle-aged woman suddenly remembered something and said, "Oh, Lisa. She''s not home now. I saw her at the little milk tea shop on the corner of the street. She seemed to be talking to someone. She was also wearing a suit like you all. Why don''t you go over and look for her there?" Yvette looked at Shandra. "Let''s go." Shandra decided immediately. Chapter 2845 Yvette nodded and asked, "Ms. Cullen, are we driving over there?" "We''ll walk. The driver can follow us." Shandra decided. She had been paying attention to the roadside conditions while she was on the way here. There was a milk tea shop by the roadside, and she noticed it too. "Alright." Yvette ran over to Shandra''s car and talked to the driver. She also tranted Shandra''s words and informed Ethan of the n. "Okay. Let''s go." Ethan saw Shandra leading Yvette toward the intersection. Even though he was annoyed as to why they refused to get in the car, he still followed behind them. The group arrived at the milk tea shop at the intersection in a grand and imposing manner. There were several people sitting inside the milk tea shop. Shandra could tell at a nce who they were looking for. The rest of the customers sitting there were young, except for the customers at that one particr table. The person they were looking for was the man sitting across from the middle-aged woman. Shandra slightly narrowed her eyes and recognized the man. It was Walter Long. "Isn''t that Mr. Long?" Yvette knew Walter, and she turned to look at Shandra after recognizing him. Shandra and Walter were from the same university. Even though they were from different years, they had heard of each other. Yvette knew about the rtionship between the two. As she looked at Shandra''s gaze, her astonishment turned into worry. Shandra squinted her eyes as a hint of gloom shed across them. Walter, of all people, took this case! Shandra had just returned to the country. When she took this case, she did not make much of a fuss. Walter had just returned to the country as well. How did he know? How did he manage to approach the victim''s family so quickly? Shandra remained rooted to the spot. She felt irritable and had the urge to light a cigarette! However, it was not the right time to smoke now. She cleared her throat and looked at Ethan, who was full of confusion, beside her. Then, she exined, "He''s Walter Long." "Walter Long?" muttered Ethan as he quickly ran the name through his mind. Then, he frowned and asked, "That''s him?" He knew Walter. He had a reputation in the international legal industry and was on par with Shandra, after all. Ethan initially thought of asking Walter to help with Matysh''s affairs. However, when he tried to look for him, he was told that Walter was still overseas and not taking on domestic cases at the moment. Thus, he looked for Shandra instead. Ethan looked at the man who turned him down when he was abroad. A sh of astonishment and gloom shed across his eyes. Walter declined their case and ended up bing thewyer for the opposing side. If he were an ordinarywyer, teaming up with Shandra would have a reasonable chance of getting Matysh acquitted. However, if the opposingwyer was someone like Walter... Ethan had a feeling that Matysh was destined to be imprisoned this time. He only hoped that he and Shandra could work together to minimize the time Matysh would spend behind bars. "Ms. Cullen, we..." Yvette''s scalp tingled. She had heard about how deeply in love the couple used to be, but whenever they were in the same space now, it seemed like they could kill each other. Their words shed like swords, transforming their conversation into a colossal battlefield. The human heart harbored a natural curiosity for gossip. However, Yvette did not want to confront such gossip when she was working under Shandra. When she noticed that Shandra was still staring intently at Walter, she suggested, "Ms. Cullen, should we go back to the car and rest for a while?" They were already positioned on opposite sides, and it was not suitable for them to appear in front of the same client. Walter, who was sitting in the milk tea shop, sensed that someone was looking at him. He turned around and looked in their direction. N?velDrama.Org content rights. A faint curve formed on the corner of his thin lips, and a casual look of surprise flickered in his eyes when he saw Shandra. This was the first time he encountered Shandra since he returned to the country. She was as elegant as ever in her well-fitted suit. Her eyebrows and eyes exuded a cold charm, and her lips were as vibrant as a spring flower. They were striking and assertive. Walter''s heart could not help but pound for her, but he maintained the same calm expression on his face. "Why should we let Walter meet our client first?" asked Shandra as she straightened her posture and walked toward the milk tea shop. The interpreter continued to ry Shandra''s words. Ethan furrowed his brows when he heard this. He could sense that Shandra was not very calm. However, when she strode into the milk tea shop alone, he had no choice but to follow behind her. Walter silently watched Shandra enter. Before she could speak, he took the initiative, "Ms. Cullen, it¡¯s been a long time." Hepletely ignored Ethan, who was standing behind her. Shandra ignored Walter and looked straight at the middle-aged woman sitting across from her. She spoke, "Ms. yton, I''m Ms. Cullen. My assistant scheduled a meeting with you yesterday." Lisa furrowed her brows and nced at Walter, then at Shandra. She received a call yesterday from someone iming to be from awyer. She thought it was the lawyer who would help her daughter in thewsuit. It was only today, when she met Walter, that she realized thewyer who had made an appointment with her yesterday was the representativewyer for the unscrupulous boss who ndered her husband. Lisa maintained a cold expression and said, "We have nothing to talk about." Shandra frowned. She had encountered people who refused tomunicate before, but she could usually persuade them to sit down and talk with just a few words. However, the condition was that Walter was not there. Shandra did not want to have even the slightest interaction with Walter. Thus, she waited for Yvette to speak up. Yvette understood that Shandra was reluctant to talk to Watler. Hence, she quickly engaged with Lisa. "Ms. yton, I''m Yvette, the one who contacted you yesterday. We''re truly sorry for your daughter''s ordeal, and we don''t mean any harm. We just want to understand the situation at that time." Lisa snorted coldly with an unfriendly tone. After she learned their identity, she immediately concluded from the depths of her heart that anyone helping Matysh in thewsuit was not a good person. Lisa replied, "I don''t know much about it. I''ve already told Mr. Long. Although I''m Serena''s mother, I can''t possibly know what that beast did to her that night better than my daughter. If you''d like to know what she went through, you can just jump from a building and maybe you''ll meet Serena. Then, you can ask her how desperate and heartbroken she was at that time. You can ask my husband too. You can ask him about the nder and pain he endured back then!" Lisa could no longer contain her emotions as she became increasingly agitated. She did not understand why, as fellow citizens of A City, Shandra would actually defend such a beast like Matysh in court. As Shandra listened to Lisa''s impassioned words, her expression darkened as she slowly turned her gaze toward Walter. Walter understood what it meant when he met her gaze. Shandra thought Walter had said something to Lisa, which was why Lisa was so vehemently against them! However, the truth was, he had only talked to Lisa to gather some information without saying anything to provoke her emotions. As awyer, he chose to approach Lisa today under the assumption that Shandra would also be speaking with her. However, he was indeed working on the defense case. Lisa''s heightened emotions caught him by surprise, yet it also fell right into his anticipated scenario. Chapter 2846 Walter''s eyes revealed a hint of innocence. Lisa had gone through a nightmare. No matter how many years had passed, there was no way the pain in her heart could be soothed. Shandra knew that. Yvette had faced clients with such intense emotions before. She attempted tofort Lisa, saying, "Ms. yton, we understand how you feel..." Before she could finish her sentence, Lisaunched into a barrage of verbal abuse. "What do you know? Do you even understand the agony of seeing your loved ones pass away? Or the pain of being cursed and mocked after losing a husband and child? Do you understand the sudden disasters that have befallen my life and how difficult these past few years have been for me? Can you understand that?¡± Yvette stood there, stunned. "My husband used to have a decent job. My family wasn''t wealthy, but we werefortable. Now, look at the kind of life I''ve been living. That foreigner harmed my daughter. Not only did that heartless boss of my husband nder him, but he also made us pay arge sum of money. I''m currently living in a rundown apartment where the roof leaks when it rains. And yet, thendlord refuses to repair it. Every time it rains, I have to use a basin to catch the water. Have you ever experienced such days? If you haven''t, don''t tell me you understand my feelings!" Lisa''s voice trembled with anger as her eyes turned red. The people around them were all watching them. Everyone in this small town knew who Lisa was because of the discussions on the inte, so no one came forward to help Yvette. Yvette stood there, her face turning red from Lisa''s barrage of words. Even though she was not the viin, it still managed to make her cheeks flush with embarrassment. Although awyer''s profession did not ce them on a moral high ground to help people, and they were just acting ording to thew, Lisa''s usations werepletely justified. Yvette felt like she was an unforgivable criminal at this moment. However, she could not say anything. As Shandra watched what happened, she had no choice but to say to Walter, "We have some questions to ask the person involved." The words that remained unspoken were meant to ask him to leave. Walter understood Shandra''s way of doing things. Even though her client was in the wrong and she was being verbally attacked right now, she could still calmly attempt tomunicate with the other party. She needed to gather clues that would benefit her client. Walter raised his hands, indicating that Lisa''s emotions had nothing to do with him. The corners of his thin lips curved up slightly higher as he said, "As you wish, Ms. Cullen. I''ve finished talking to her." Shandra red at him. Even though he said they were finished, he remained seated, showing no intention of moving. "Mr. Long, your presence here is against the rules," Shandra coldly reminded him. Lisa, who had yet to calm down, interjected with a sarcastic remark, "You''re defending that foreigner, and it''s against the rules for you to interact with me. Perhaps you''re intentionally nning to make mistakes in court and get that scum sentenced to even more years? If that''s the case, I''m willing to cooperate with you. Otherwise, please just get your *ss out of here." The death penalty was enforced in A City. However, despite Lisa''s hatred for what Matysh had done, his crime did not meet the criteria for the death penalty. Hence, no matter what, Matysh would only be sentenced to imprisonment. The interpreter standing beside them reluctantly conveyed Lisa''s message verbatim to Ethan. Ethan''s face darkened. His gaze turned even more menacing. If this woman were in Russia, the Abaza family would surely have dealt with her. If it were not for Shandra''s prior warning to not act recklessly and to be mentally prepared for the involved party''s emotions to go wild, Ethan might have pped her in the face. "Our job aswyers follows regtions. Everything is done ording to thew. Ms. yton, you may choose not to cooperate with us, but please mind yournguage." Shandra''s face darkened. She had always been a patient person. However, she could not tolerate what Lisa said to her in front of Walter this time. With red eyes, Lisa angrily pointed at the door of the milk tea shop and yelled, "F*ck off!" Shandra''s beautiful face turned cold as ice. She stood there, looking at Walter instead of Lisa. N?velDrama.Org content rights. It was normal for him to meet Lisa as her representativewyer. However, he deliberately chose today to meet her, making Shandra suspicious that he did it on purpose. The anger on her face was subtly visible as she recalled the past. Ever since she broke up with Walter, they had been at odds with each other in everything. His consistent victories in court cases only fueled her growing sense of frustration and annoyance. Yvette, who stood beside them, vaguely felt that Shandra''s n for today was unlikely to seed. As she saw Shandra standing there tall and straight, she could not help but suggest, "Ms. Cullen, why don''t we go back to the hotel first?" Yvette had considered the long journey and the possibility of not being able to finish everything Shandra wanted to do in one day beforeing here. That was why she booked five rooms in a hotel nearby. Shandra shot a nce at Yvette. She noticed her exasperated expression as well as the gazes of the people around them. Her powerful and confident voice rang out again, directed at Lisa this time. "Ms. yton, although I''m Mr. Matysh''swyer, I''m simply doing what awyer should do no matter what he has done. I''m sorry for what you''ve been through, but I also hope that you''ll cooperate with us. I''ll be back." After that, she turned around and walked away. As she stepped out of the milk tea shop, a person who stood at the entrance sneered and said, "Why bother saying so much? Just get lost already. Lawyers defending scumbags like that don''t even deserve to be calledwyers. They''re worse than animals." The expression on Shandra''s face grew even more unpleasant. She had defended numerous people before, both victims and suspects. With every skeptical inquiry, she forged an unbreakable resolve. She learned that her mood could not be swayed by such ignorant remarks. However, with Walter present this time, Shandra felt herself losingposure. Even with her back turned to him, she could sense the yful gaze behind her, pricking at every inch of her spine. Shandra could feel her back burning intensely. She took a deep breath, deciding to ignore it and leave. However, what Lisa said earlier seemed to have flipped a switch in the milk tea shop. Everyone pointed at Shandra, hurling insults at her. They said she should not be defending a criminal like this. She was a citizen of A City, so she should be working for the benefit of them... Those words echoed in Shandra''s ears. She straightened her posture stubbornly and walked toward where the car was parked. Yvette hurriedly walked to the side of the car and opened the door for Shandra. Even though she did not want to admit it, they were like a defeated army, retreating from the scene in a hurry. Walter watched Shandra''s determined figure from behind until she got into the car. She did not turn around or offer any exnation to the people in the milk tea shop. "Pfft. Women like her shouldn''t even be in A City." The milk tea shop owner could not help but scoff. He nced at Walter once again, believing that Walter was a greatwyer that the A Citizens deserved. Chapter 2847 Walter''s eyes sank when he heard that. He took out a hundred dors and ced it on the table. "Ms. yton, I''ve understood the situation for now. If there''s anything else I need to know, I''ll contact you. I''ll settle the bill." After that, he rose to his feet and walked out of the milk tea shop with a dark and gloomy expression on his face. "Wait, your change." The owner of the milk tea shop immediately called out to him when he saw the hundred dors on the table. Walter did not reply and left without looking back. The owner turned to look at Lisa. Their small milk tea shop did not usually face this kind of situation. He suggested, "How about you keep it?¡± Lisa shook her head. She was going through tough times, but she did not want to take advantage of anyone. "Keep the tip given by Mr. Long," replied Lisa. The milk tea shop owner looked at the hundred dors. It was not like he was short of money, but a tip... His shop was not a high-end restaurant. Therefore, he said, "I noticed that the look on Mr. Long''s face didn''t look too good." Lisa wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes. Tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down her face when her emotions were running high just now. She had shed so many tears over the years. Finally, this day hade. When the police rmended Walter to her, she looked into his background on the inte. She knew about the cases Walter had handled before, and she believed that Walter could help seek justice for her daughter and husband. "It must be because of thatwyer who''s representing the foreigner," guessed Lisa. After leaving the milk tea shop, she walked straight toward her home. She had even taken leave from the factory to meet Walter. Fortunately, her superiors were understanding and sympathetic to her situation. Hence, they did not say much about her request for leave. On the other hand... After Shandra got into the car, the driver headed toward the business hotel. Ethan, who was in another car, was asking the interpreter about what happened. His thoughts were a bit jumbled, and when he listened to the interpreter recounting the incident, an ominous cloud hovered over him. "Can Shandra handle this matter properly?" Ethan frowned. He thought that the business trip was meaningless this time. How could they get things done when the victim''s family was in such an emotional state? It seemed like they could only meet in court. The interpreter did not say much, considering how embarrassing the situation had be. "Look into Walter''s detailed information and background," instructed Ethan. He had heard of Walter Long. Those in the same profession as him praised him as being a formidablewyer. That was why they initially wanted him to handle Matysh''s case. However, Ethan had not thoroughly investigated just how capable Walter really was. "Okay, Mr. Ethan," replied the interpreter. He had also heard of Walter, but he was not a professional lawyer. That was why he did not know much about him. He took his phone out, intending to gather information about Walter on the inte. In the other car, Yvette looked at Shandra''s dark and gloomy face. She took a deep breath. She did not expect the situation to escte like this. After all, when Lisa agreed to meet them, she assumed that the other party would be reasonable and understand their role aswyers. However, they were met with a torrent of insults. Sometimes, defending someone did not mean their values were aligned with that person''s. This point was often misunderstood. Yvette felt that she had made a mistake today and apologized to Shandra in a soft tone, "Ms. Cullen, I''m sorry. I should''ve been more detailed when I talked to Ms. yton on the phone." She believed that if she had been more detailed, perhaps Lisa would not have agreed to meet them. "It''s not your fault," replied Shandra, but her tone was still stiff. "Lisa has been influenced by Walter." She thought that Walter''s choice toe today and meet Lisa earlier than them was intentional, and it was to manipte Lisa''s actions. If Lisa had cooperated, she could have gathered more information. It would have been difficult for her to y the sympathy card too, which would be detrimental to Matysh''s case. Now, things were advantageous for Walter. Their goal was to minimize the number of years Matysh would spend in prison. Meanwhile, Walter wanted to prolong his sentence and ideally have him sent back to Russia to serve additional time. Their positions were inherently opposing. "Ms. Cullen, this case is really difficult to handle. Maybe we should let it go..." Yvette tried to persuade her. There were many people in the world who had suffered worse fates than Lisa. However, after she heard Lisa''s tearful pleas earlier, Yvette genuinely felt that they should not defend someone like Matysh, who hadmitted such despicable acts against women. Shandra lifted her gaze. Her emotions were icy, seemingly unaffected by the earlier scene at the milk tea shop. Perhaps she had already recovered. Shandra replied to Yvette, who was sitting in the passenger seat, "Do you remember the first lesson all of us learned inw school?" Yvette fell silent for a few seconds and replied, "I remember, Ms. Cullen..." They had already signed the retainer agreement. They could not just refuse to defend Matysh. Although Yvette still felt ufortable about it, she did not say a word. The driver parked the car in the business hotel parking lot and reminded them, "Ms. Cullen, we''ve arrived at the hotel." Shandra grabbed her briefcase and pushed open the door, stepping out of the car. Yvette picked up her identification card and registered at the front desk. Afterpleting the process, she handed the room cards to them. The two drivers would share one room, while the four of them would each have their own. Shandra held the room card and walked into the elevator first. Yvette and Ethan followed behind her. As Ethan looked at the numbers that gradually went up as the elevator rose, he could not help but ask, "Ms. Cullen, considering the woman''s attitude, do we still need to stay here?" He believed that even if they were to meet that woman tomorrow, it would not change anything. It might be better to return to A City right away. "Why do we need to stay here? This hotel isn''t particrly high-end," asked Ethan. Shandra nced at him out of the corner of her eye and replied calmly, "I won''t give up easily on this matter." This was not the first time she had encountered a situation like this. As long as she set her mind to something, it would only be a matter of time before she seeded. Those who persevered would always reap rewards. Shandra had initially nned for two days, but now, she had changed her mind. It might take several days to resolve everything here. "Why are you so determined?" asked Ethan. "It''s difficult to dismiss Mr. Matysh''s case, but what I can do is gather more details about the case and find a breakthrough point to reduce his sentence," answered Shandra as she watched the elevator reach the desired floor and stepped out of it. Ethan felt dissatisfied. "Mr. Matysh wants to walk away without bearing any consequences." N?velDrama.Org content rights. Shandra paused and replied, "Do you think that''s possible? Even if Mr. Matysh were an ordinary personmitting a crime in Russia, he wouldn''t be able to walk away unscathed and without taking responsibility for his actions. The same principle applies here. Mr. Matysh is just an ordinary person in A City. A City is no longer in an era where special treatment is given to foreign guests. Those who break thew are treated equally." Ethan was taken aback by her words. However, he also knew that what she said was realistic. Even if he did not understand the intricacies of A City''s legal system, he knew that it would be challenging to win Mr. Matysh''s case. However, he had to carry out Matysh''s instructions. Chapter 2848 Ethan put on a stern expression, attempting to make Shandra pay more attention to Matysh''s case. "Ms. Cullen, this is something that others wouldn''t be able to handle, but I believe in your abilities. I hope you won''t let Mr. Matysh down after he puts his trust in you." After that, Ethan nced at his room key. Without waiting for Shandra''s response, he headed toward his room on his own. Ethan swiped the card and pushed the door open. He immediately frowned in disgust. This hotel was far below his expectations. It was nowhere near the standard of the hotel that Luke had booked for them before. Ethan even believed that the hotel Luke had booked for them could not match his status, let alone the one Yvette had arranged for them now. He looked toward Shandra but refrained from expressing his disappointment. Shandra''s expression was cold, and her brows were slightly furrowed, expressing her dissatisfaction with what he said earlier. Ethan walked straight into his room and closed the door. Yvette let out a sigh. "Ms. Cullen, how is that even possible..." Even if the invincible Walter were to defend Matysh, such a thing could not be aplished. That was really far-fetched... "Don''t mind him. Let''s focus on our own tasks," replied Shandra while she looked around for her room and swiped the card to enter. She did not mind the low hotel rating since she was here for work, not for a vacation. After Shandra entered her room, Yvette followed suit and entered her own room. Before closing the door, she nced at the room opposite, where Ethan was staying. She could not help but roll her eyes when she recalled what Ethan had said earlier. ''You don''t want him to go to jail? Then he shouldn''t havemitted a crime in the first ce!¡¯ N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Meanwhile, downstairs at the business hotel, Walter was checking in. He had already made a reservation for the hotel when he nned toe yesterday, but when he arrived and saw two cars parked in the outdoor parking lot, he realized that Shandra was also staying at this hotel. How could their connection be so easily severed? Walter''s mood brightened a little. He was not in a good mood after he heard the owner of the milk tea shop speak ill of Shandra. However, the misunderstandings people had about the legal profession were not something that could be cleared up in just a day or two. That was why he did not bother exining. Now that he knew he was staying in the same hotel as Shandra, his mood improved even more. After checking in at the hotel front desk, Walter contacted his assistant. Shandra was still working with her previous assistant while he had a new assistant. He did not bring his assistant along with him today. He had him continue handling documents at thew firm in A City. After Walter contacted his assistant, he asked him to help in organizing some of his work materials. The scene at the milk tea shop was no longer of concern to him, and he did not continue dwelling on his displeasure. As the night wore on, the hustle and bustle of A City gradually subsided, returning to tranquility. Rain and Anita sat in a ck car, waiting for everything to be quiet again. "Ms. Rain, it''s about time." Anita nced at the road conditions outside. There were only a few cars left on the road. Even the youngsters who were reluctant to go home had dispersed, and the nightclubs were preparing to close. "Yeah." Rain yawned and looked at Mandy, who was still drowsy, through the rearview mirror. Her original n was to deliver Mandy to the police station within two days and leave her there. However, she did not expect the ''evidence'' on Mandy to fade so slowly. The marks on her bound hands and feet that were caused by her intense struggle took several days to disappear. Rain sat up straight and asked Anita, who had been taking care of Mandy all this while, "Are you sure all the marks on her body have disappeared?" She did not want the police to think that Mandy had been coerced into making those statements. It would only invite trouble after what they had done. Even though they had the recording as additional evidence, their time was precious, and they could not waste it dealing with police investigations. "Yes. They''re all gone. If she tells the police that she got kidnapped, they definitely won''t believe her," affirmed Anita. Although she was reluctant to take care of Mandy, she was meticulous in her work. Before they set off for the police station, they drugged Mandy again. Only after confirming that she was fine did they carry her into the car and head toward the police station. "Alright. Drive and drop her off at the entrance of the police station," instructed Rain. "Yes, Ms. Rain." The man sitting in the driver''s seat started the car engine and headed toward the police station. An on-duty police officer was in the security booth at the entrance of the police station, seeking shelter from the wind and dozing off. Suddenly, he heard a noise, followed by the sound of a speeding car. He instantly became alert and pushed open the door of the security booth, only to see a woman lying at the entrance of the police station. The police officer quickly informed his colleagues. After a while, Mandy was carried into the police station. The police officers were dumbfounded as they looked at Mandy, who was unconscious. What happened? An unconscious woman was abandoned at the entrance of the police station? She had no visible injuries. She was breathing and had a pulse. Her attire was intact too. She was dropped off by a car and carried into the police station, yet she still had not woken up. This was the first time they had encountered such a situation. Francis Brown, a police officer who was slightly older in age, keenly noticed a corner of paper sticking out of the woman''s pocket. He stroked his chin and asked the young police officer beside him, "Did you inform the chief?" "I''ve informed him. He''s on his way." The young police officer nodded. It waste at night, and waking up their chief had surely put him in a bad mood. However, given the circumstances, the chief had to be present! "This is outrageous. Call an ambnce and take pictures of this woman''s appearance. We should also run aparison in the system to confirm her identity." Francis, being an experienced officer, took charge and made some arrangements. Then, he put on forensic gloves and took out the envelope. He was worried about damaging any fingerprints on it. After reading the contents of the envelope, Francis'' expression changed. He set the envelope aside and started searching the woman''s clothes. It was indeed inappropriate for a male police officer to conduct a search on an unconscious woman. However, the other police officers did not say anything either. They knew that Francis dared not behave improperly in front of so many people. "Officer Brown, what are you looking for?" asked the young police officer. He noticed the man''s actions and assumed that he was searching for something. "There''s a letter. Put on gloves before you take a look. Don''t damage the fingerprints on it," said Francis. He found a small memory card in the right pocket of Mandy''s pants. Then, he said to the other police officers, "This woman may be involved in some wrongdoing rted to Mr. Norman''s case. Make sure the doctors keep her in the detention ward when we take her to the hospitalter." The look on the police officers'' faces grew more serious. "Officer Brown, are you sure about that?" asked one of the officers. They had already identified a foreigner as the suspect in Mr. Norman''s case. How could this young woman be involved in it? Could this case potentially involve more people? Moreover, what role did this young woman y in all of this? Francis did not exin it clearly, leaving the minds of others to wander in a certain direction. Chapter 2849 In the face of the skepticism from the other officers on duty, a shadow of unease clouded Francis'' countenance. He was aware that they had misunderstood. He picked up the memory card and said, "Let''s see what''s inside this to find out the answer. It¡¯s all written in the letter. So, put away your filthy thoughts and read the letter before you say anything." The other police officers gathered around when they heard what he said. One of them, who wore gloves, held the letter, and the others stood around him, briefly going through the words on the paper before turning around to look at the woman. The police officers were all on the same page, their thoughts aligned. If what the letter said was true, they might have another person to interrogate this time. Soon, the officers on duty started to take action. Mandy, who was still unconscious, was immediately taken by an ambnce to the hospital and sent to the detention ward for examination. Two officers on duty apanied her and stood guard at the hospital. Meanwhile, at the police station, after Francis waited for the chief police officer to arrive, he handed him the memory card. "Is this the evidence?" asked the police chief as he looked at the memory card. Francis had briefly exined the situation to him while he was on his way to the police station. "Yes, we haven''t checked it yet. We were waiting for you," replied Francis. This matter involved Jack Norman. He dared not to handle it himself. Hence, he waited for the police chief to return before taking any further action. The police chief handed the memory card to a young police officer and instructed, "Copy the contents." "Yes, Sir," replied the young officer before he immediately went to carry out his instructions. "Brown, let''s go and check the surveince," the police chief said to Francis, pointing at the surveince room. The area surrounding the police station was a veritable haven for surveince equipment, with cameras stationed at every corner. Someone had dumped a person at the entrance of the police station, and by looking at the surveince footage, they should be able to find out who did it. That was what the police chief thought. Therefore, he led Francis to the police station''s surveince room. The moment they asked the officer on duty to pull up the footage, the police chief could not help but frown. Francis also eximed in surprise, "Chief, the other party covered the license te. Perhaps we can find their final destination if we follow the surveince all the way." The police chief clenched his fist and watched as the ck car sped by. He could not help but murmur, "How cunning." Francis nodded in agreement. He had a feeling that the other party''s careful nning might make it difficult for them to track them. Although A City was a bustling metropolis, there were still blind spots in surveince coverage everywhere. If they drove the car to a blind spot in the surveince and then switched vehicles or simply left A City, it would be challenging to track them. The other party would have taken every possible precaution to avoid investigation. The police chief patted the officer on duty and said, "Track the vehicle all the way and see where they''re headed." "Yes, Sir," replied the officer on duty. Just then, the police chief''s phone vibrated. He nced at it and said, "Brown,e with me. Let''s go to my office." "Yes, Chief." Francis reckoned that the contents inside the memory card had already been extracted. The two of them walked into the police chief''s office. The young police officer saw them and respectfully said, "Chief, there are two audio clips in the memory card, and they''ve been copied to your computer." "Good. We''ll hand the memory card over to the judicial department and let them see if they can find any useful evidence," said the police chief. The evidence he was talking about was referring to something like fingerprints. "Yes, Sir!" The young police officer saluted and left the police chief''s office. The police chief sat in his office chair and saw the two audio clips. He felt a slight nervousness as this case was rted to the Norman family. They were the victims, so there were many people paying attention to it. "Chief, let''s listen to the clips and find out what really happened. If there are other people involved, we need to take action in the morning." Francis understood the police chief''s concerns. "Alright." The police chief nodded and yed the recordings. The two audio clips were not long, but the conversations were quite captivating. The conversation in one of the clips was in a foreignnguage. Thus, the police chief opened a tranting software on hisputer and furrowed his brows after tranting the audio. "Brown, did you find the name Leia familiar?" "Yes... Mr. Norman''s adopted daughter is named Leia Norman," Francis recalled. When they went to the hospital to take statements, the officer in charge looked helpless and said that Leia had been uncooperative throughout the process. Leia seemed terrified. She spoke incoherently, and they could not get any useful information from her. "Things are gettingplicated. We need to inform Mr. Norman and confirm Leia''s identity before arresting anyone in the morning." This gave the police chief a headache. If Leia was also one of the masterminds behind this, it would be a ssic case of biting the hand that fed you. Jack and Queenie raised Leia wholeheartedly, yet this was how she treated them... She was even more ruthless and cold-blooded than a venomous snake! "Yes, Sir!" Francis received the chief''s instructions and knew what to do. He could not help but wonder how Leia had managed to surprise them like this. Jack and his wife could not have done anything to deserve such treatment from Leia, right? Those who could treat their adoptive parents this way were either not biologically rted to them or did not have a close rtionship with them. After leaving the police chief''s office, Francis began preparing some documents. Once Leia''s identity was confirmed, they would be ready to take action during daylight. N?velDrama.Org content rights. The police station immediately became a bustling ce with everyone busy with their work. Many of the officers on duty had little time to rest as they sprang into action. This matter had not yet rmed Jack and the others, nor had it caught the attention of the news media. Dawn slowly broke. At Norman Residence, Surabaya sat up on the sofa and nced at the phone beside her. There was an unread message. She opened it and saw that it was a message from Anita, informing her that she had delivered the audio files rted to Mandy to the police station. Surabaya smiledzily. After spending so many days at Norman Residence, things were finally being resolved. She nced at the doorway to Leia''s bedroom. Leia had continued to cause a ruckus for the past few days, but no one paid her any attention. Leia seemed to have endless energy. She woke up every day and started cursing people. Surabaya estimated that Leia''s physical condition was not as weak as she portrayed it. Otherwise, how could she still have so much energy after being confined for so many days? Surabaya quickly freshened herself up in the bathroom upstairs. She was in a great mood. If nothing unexpected happened, her work here would be done today, and she could go back. She would not have to listen to Leia''s tumultuous cursing anymore. She even felt that the world would appear exquisitely beautiful in the embrace of serenity. After that, Surabaya returned to her original spot, where she sat still and stared at the watch on her wrist, silently counting down the time. "Ten, nine... two, one." As soon as the time was up, a loud thud came from inside as Leia forcefully kicked the door. For the past few days, the first thing Leia did after waking up was kick the door and vent her dissatisfaction. It was only after she waspletely awake would she start cursing people. Surabaya was very familiar with her behavior and actions. After all, Leia had been like this for some time now, as if it was an ingrained habit developed over the years. Chapter 2850 After a while, Leia''s voice could be heard from the bedroom. ¡°Surabaya, you b*tch. Are you still there?" Surabaya could hear the tiredness in Leia''s voice. She heard from the Norman family''s maid that Leia would previously only get up at noon if she did not have any important ns. Locking her up like this actually helped with her sleep schedule. Surabaya rubbed her chin in thought. Leia''s new habit of going to bed early and getting up early was probably to prepare her for the future. Jack had a copy of the audio clips too. With the tangible evidence, Jack managed to persuade Queenie to let go of this matter and leave it to the police and the judge. Jack even told Queenie that it was for Leia''s own good. Leia''s circumstances were not that bad, so she would be able to turn over a new leaf in there. After Queenie found out what Leia had done, she agreed. She knew that Leia had be who she was today because of her coddling. Now, she no longer had the strength or the ability to control Leia anymore. After listening to the clips, Queenie knew that if Leia could do something like this once, she would be able to do it a second time. Surabaya put an end to her train of thought andzily said to the irritable person inside, "Ms. Norman, breakfast hasn''t been delivered yet, so don''t worry." "How long are you going to keep me locked up?" Leia sat on a chair behind the door while pressing on her twitching eyelid. She had a nightmarest night, and her right eyelid had been twitching since she woke up today. She got so flustered that she did not curse after hearing Surabaya''s voice. Instead, she just asked in a bad tone. Surabaya raised her eyebrows outside the door. Why was Leia not cursing today? "How would I know that? If Mr. Norman calms down, he might let you out." As soon as she said that, she saw the maid bringing breakfast. "I''m not feeling well. I need to see a doctor." Leia rolled her eyes when she picked up the lightness in Surabaya''s voice. What was she so happy about? Leia thought of the dream she hadst night and had a feeling that something bad was happening. "You''re not feeling well?" Surabaya nced at the maid and nodded. "Please inform the family doctor that Ms. Norman is not feeling well and have hime over." "Yes, Ms. Surabaya. Here''s your breakfast, and this is Ms. Norman''s breakfast and medicine." The maid gently ced the tray on the coffee table beside her. "I''ll go inform the doctor now." The Norman family''s doctor was originally assigned to Old Master Norman and Old Mrs. Norman. He was highly skilled in medicine and also served the Norman family. Leia, who was sitting behind the door, heard the maid''s words and shouted impatiently, "I want to go to the hospital!" If she wanted to escape, she could only go to the hospital instead of having the family doctore to her. Besides, the family doctor worked for Jack too. Even if the family doctor knew that she was being locked up by Jack, he would not say a word. With Surabaya here, Leia might not be able to escape even if the bedroom door was open. She could not help but feel anxious at the thought of this. The maid was startled. Then, she asked Surabaya with her eyes, ''Should we send her to the hospital?'' If that were the case, they would have to call an ambnce. Surabaya shook her head, indicating that she did not need to call an ambnce. Then, she said, "Ms. Norman, from your voice, it sounds like you''re still full of energy. You don''t seem like you have any serious difort. Let''s wait for the family doctor toe and give you a check-up before we decide whether or not you should go to the hospital." Leia gritted her teeth behind the door. The maid hurried downstairs to call the family doctor afterward. Queenie was sitting on the sofa, unclear of what was going on upstairs. When the maid came down in a hurry, she thought something happened. "What''s wrong?" "Ms. Norman said that she''s not feeling well, so Ms. Surabaya said to call the family doctor," said the maid as she picked up thendline beside her to call the family doctor. Queenie stood up anxiously. "Is she sick?" The maid held the receiver of the phone and thought for a while. Ultimately, she agreed to Surabaya''s words and answered, "I''m not sure, but Ms. Norman doesn''t sound sick." Queenie frowned, worried sick. "Mrs. Norman, let''s wait until Dr. Cairn gets here," said the maid. When he picked up the call, she told him about the situation and hung up after he agreed toe. "I''m a little worried. This won''t do. I need to inform my husband," said Queenie. Jack had umted a lot of work, so he had to get up early every single day to go to work at the provincial government office. She picked up her phone and called Jack. ¡°Dear, Leia said that she''s not feeling well, and I''m afraid that something might happen to her. Can you come back?" Queenie said immediately after the call was connected. She was genuinely worried as Leia''s health was not in good condition. Jack''s voice could be heard from the other end. "Don''t worry about her." "What if she really is sick?" Queenie knew what Jack was thinking, but it was better to be safe than sorry. "Then she''ll have to bear it." Jack was still as cruel as ever. If he granted Leia''s wish and sent her to the hospital, she might run away. Luke had already sent him a message to inform him that the person who had worked with her to bring down Luca and the Norman family had already been sent to the police station, and all the evidence had been submitted as well.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Therefore, the police may take action today. "Dear, nothing will happen with Surabaya watching." Queenie sighed as she wanted to send Leia to the hospital for a check-up. During this period when Leia had been locked up, she had not gone upstairs as she was afraid that she would feel sorry for her. She did not even know how Leia was doing. "Do you know the consequences if Leia escapes from the hospital?" Jack''s tone became sterner. Sensing his seriousness, Queenie did not know what to say. She was taken aback, and she guessed that Jack was angry because of her soft-hearted ness. Before he went to work today, she even promised him that no matter what Leia did, she would not be swayed. She had promised him with a smile on her face. "Dear, I''m afraid something might happen to her in her room..." Queenie exined timidly. Even if she knew that there was no hope left for Leia, she did not want anything bad to happen to her. "All the evidence has been handed over to the police, so they''lle to the house today. If Leia goes to the hospital now and escapes, she''ll be a fugitive." Jack could only say this much. After being with him for so long, Queenie knew that thew in A City was not tolerant of fugitives. Leia would not be pardoned even if she was sick, and her sentence of one year would turn into two or three years. If she really escaped, the consequences would be grave. "So soon?" Queenie gasped in bewilderment. Although she had mentally prepared herself for Leia''s arrest, she still had mixed feelings when she found out that the police wereing. Chapter 2851 "When the policee, all you have to do is hand her over to the police, and they''ll decide whether Leia hasmitted a crime." Jack sounded stern. He did not allow any change of ns even when he was not at home. Leia should be punished. The public opinion of Leia all over the inte could not affect him or Queenie, so Leia''s imprisonment would not affect his career either. Even if it did, it would still be honorable for him to retire at this age. Jack''s only regret from retiring would be not being able to serve the people anymore. Queenie took a deep breath, and her eyes darkened at the thought of what would happen if she sent Leia to the hospital. She could not let Jack fall into such a situation. ¡°Okay, I''ll stay home," Queenie promised. After hanging up, Queenie continued sitting on the sofa without asking about what was going on upstairs. As long as she did not go upstairs, Leia would not constantly be on her mind. That was what she nned to do now. Leia would not be able to affect her as long as she was out of sight. Upstairs, Leia scratched the door. "I want to go to the hospital." Surabaya bit the ck rubber band and used her hand as ab as she put her hair into a high ponytail. "Ms. Norman, why don''t you take a break from all the yelling?" Leia pped the door hard, and the tingling pain spread all over her palm. "I''ll make you pay for doing this to me!" she threatened viciously. Surabaya was unfazed. "If you don''t feel well, stop making a fuss. The family doctor will be here soon." Leia was silent. Surabaya raised her eyebrows. Was she ying dead to trick her into opening the door? Even if she opened the door, Leia would not be able to walk out of the house''s gate. Not to mention, Surabaya was not easily fooled. She had gone through strict andprehensive training under Rain. Even if Leia was deliberately not making any noise, she would still be able to hear the sound of her breathing with her sharp hearing. Moreover, Surabaya could even determine her vital signs based on her breathing. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She put her ear to the door to make sure that Leia was breathing normally. Leia was not speaking, and neither was she. Besides, Leia already hated her, so there was no point ruffling her feathers. The maid went upstairs again with some fruit. ¡°Ms. Surabaya, these fruits are sent by Mrs. Norman." ¡°Thanks." Surabaya took them. The Norman family had never mistreated her. Although she was guarding Leia, the Norman family still entertained her with good food. The maid heard movement in the bedroom, but she did not hear Leia''s voice, so she asked Surabaya worriedly, ¡°W-Why is there no sound?" Surabaya said nonchntly, ¡°Perhaps she''s tired from yelling, so she doesn''t want to talk anymore." The maid frowned, unconvinced. Leia used to be able to make noise the whole day, and it had not been long since she woke up... She remembered her saying that she was not feeling well. Did she faint in there? The maid did not say anything, but Surabaya understood her concern, so she knocked on the door and said, ¡°Ms. Norman, today''s fruits are cherries. Do you want some? They''re big and sweet." The maid tried to listen to the situation behind the door. Leia was still silent. The maid asked worriedly, ¡°Did she actually faint?" Surabaya sneered as she popped the cherry into her mouth. The imported cherries were big, sweet, and juicy. The maid''s face was full of doubts as she did not understand what was going on. Surabaya spat out the seed and swallowed the flesh of the sweet cherry before exining, ¡°Ms. Norman is fine." ¡°But she.." The maid knew that Leia could be trying to pull a trick, but something might have actually happened to her too. How would Surabaya know that Leia was fine if she did not go in? ¡°When one encounters a bear that''s not hungry, they may be able to escape by ying dead, but Ms. Norman is making a big mistake by thinking that I''m a bear." Surabaya picked up a few cherries and yed with them in her hand as she reminded the person inside, ¡°Ms. Norman, unless you can hold your breath for two minutes, don''t try to y dead. I can hear your breathing, and it sounds strong too." After a few seconds, Surabaya said mockingly, ¡°Hey, Ms. Norman, why is your breathing so heavy? Are you angry? The doctor said stress isn''t good for the body. You should take note." As soon as she finished speaking, there was a bang from behind the door. The maid guessed that Leia had hit the door with something. She gave Surabaya a big thumbs up. She was so good that she could even tell from Leia''s breathing whether she was unconscious. Not to mention, she could hear it from far away. Surabaya had another cherry. ¡°Ms. Norman, the cherries taste great. Are you sure you don''t want some?" Inwardly, she thought, ''If Leia doesn''t have any now, it''ll be a long time before the next time she gets to have some.'' "F*ck off!" A roar came from the bedroom. The maid felt relieved when she heard the angry voice. Leia should be fine. A sick person would not be able to roar like that. "Ms. Norman, please bear with me. Dr. Cairn will be here in a bit," said the maid through gritted teeth. Inside, Leia responded by hitting something again. The maid shook her head and said to Surabaya, "Ms. Surabaya, there are many more fruits downstairs, so just let me know if you need anything." "Sure, thank you," Surabaya said cheerfully. Although guarding Leia was boring, eating good food at the Norman family''s house was much better than what Anita was doing. At least she did not have to take care of an unconscious person. The maid went back downstairs and reported to Queenie, "From the sound of Ms. Norman''s voice, she doesn''t seem to be feeling unwell." "That''s good..." Queenie nodded. The thought of Leia''s attempt to deceive them by pretending to be unconscious was disturbing. Leia''s action reminded her of all her previous doings. For all types of reasons, Leia had lied and gone to many extremes. Queenie did not know if it was the evilness engraved in her soul, her innate behavior, or if she became like this after meeting those people. No matter what it was, it showed that she and Jack had failed to educate her. Perhaps, it was not them who failed. Children were free after growing up, and parents would not be able to control them at their age anyway. Queenie recalled that after Leia entered the entertainment industry, she found sess with the road paved by her family and became a big star, beloved by everyone. However, step by step, she walked toward her demise. Now, she was hated by almost everyone. Leia''s previous works were also taken off the shelves as she wasbeled as a tainted star. Queenie thought to herself, ''Did Leia be like this because the entertainment industry is too complicated? In that environment, she met those people and.." While Queenie was spiraling, the doorbell rang. Chapter 2852 Queenie sat on the couch. The moment the doorbell rang, she could not help but jump in shock. The calming doorbell sound sent shivers down her spine. Queenie looked at the maid who was going to answer the door. The maid nced at the people outside the door who were dressed in uniform. She knew they were the police without needing to ask. She did not immediately open the door. Instead, she looked at Queenie and said, "Madam, the police are here." Queenie''s heart sank. Her throat went dry, and her voice trembled. "Let them in." The maid nodded and confirmed the identity of the visitors through the video doorbell camera before opening the door for the police. In a span of a mere minute, the police officers walked in. Francis was leading the way. He should have finished his night shift and gone off duty, but this case was significant, and the chief instructed him to handle it before getting off work. ¡°Good morning, Mrs. Norman. I''m Officer Francis Brown. We need Ms. Leia''s cooperation to investigate a case at the station. We''ve already spoken to Mr. Norman on the phone, and he told us that Ms. Leia is upstairs. May we take her with us now?" Francis spoke politely. "She''s upstairs." Queenie took a deep breath and looked at the maid. "Take the police upstairs." Since they had already informed Jack, she did not need to talk to the police. The maid nodded and led Francis upstairs. As Queenie watched the three police officers follow the maid up the stairs, she clenched her fists tightly. The maid led the police officers to the door of Leia''s bedroom on the upper floor. Surabaya rose to her feet and nodded at them when she saw the police officers. Francis asked in confusion, "Who is this?" It was difficult for the maid to exin that Surabaya was hired by Jack to look after Leia. Hence, she had no choice but to say, "She¡¯s a guest of the Norman family. Ms. Norman is inside. I''ll open the door for you." Then, she walked to the cab, opened a drawer, and took out a bunch of keys. All the keys to the various locks in Norman Residence were kept here. She needed to find the key to Leia¡¯s room. Meanwhile, inside the bedroom, Leia heard a man''s voice and realized that it was not Dr. Cairn''s voice. Overwhelmed with fear, she kicked the door. "Who''s out there?" The noisesing from the bedroom were really loud, and Surabaya scratched her ears. "Please don''t mind her..." Before Surabaya could finish her sentence, Leia interrupted, "Surabaya, who''s out there?!" Francis frowned. What was going on? Jack had only told him that Leia was staying at Norman Residence and they could head there to look for her if they needed her cooperation in the investigation. Surabaya ignored Leia and exined to the apanying police officers, "Ms. Norman has been in poor healthtely, and her emotions haven''t been stable. She often engages in dangerous behavior. That''s why Mr. Norman locked her inside to prevent her from affecting others." Francis nodded in realization. The sounds Leia made just now were hysterical and did not sound like the voice of a normal person. "Bitch, what nonsense are you talking about?!" Leia felt both anxious and angry when she heard what Surabaya said. She once had a friend who was mentally fine. However, she was a little short-tempered and disobedient to her parents. In the end, her parents used that as an excuse to send her to a mental hospital, where she was not allowed any visitors. She could not leave either. Leia was suddenly worried. Had Jack also grown tired of her? Was he going to treat her the same way? She remembered a TV show she had filmed before, which was rted to mental illness. At that time, she had apanied the production team to a mental hospital for research. The hospital was rtively standard, but the various treatment methods she saw inside overwhelmed her. They made her feel oppressed and fearful. There were even more extreme methods used in many mental hospitals to suppress patients and gain profit from their families. Leia was scared. She trembled and pressed her ear against the door, trying to figure out the identity of the person outside. Surabaya shrugged her shoulders and made a dismissive gesture, indicating that she was telling the truth. Leia''s words confirmed what she had just said. Under tremendous pressure, the maid finally found the key to Leia''s bedroom. "Found it!" Surabaya, who did not want the maid to be seen as the viin, took the key from her and nced at the police officers. Then, she opened the door. The moment the door was almost fully open, Leia rushed out and noticed that the people standing at the door were dressed in police uniforms. They were not from the mental hospital but the police! Francis and another police officer quickly grabbed Leia''s arms. "Ms. Norman, we''re from the police station. We need you toe to the police station and cooperate with us in our investigation regarding a case." Leia widened her eyes and stared at the officers in front of her. Her heart reverberated with a rapid, thunderous rhythm. "This is the Norman Residence!" "We''ve already informed Mr. Norman. He agreed to let us take you back. Please cooperate," replied Francis, hoping she wouldply while putting handcuffs on her. The cold sensation on her wrists terrified and frightened Leia. She struggled, but she still heard the sound of the handcuffs locking. "I haven''tmitted any crime. You can''t arrest me." N?velDrama.Org content rights. Putting on handcuffs meant that the police had some evidence against her that was not in her favor. Since there were outsiders present who did not belong to the Norman family, Francis did not say much. He exchanged nces with his colleagues and pulled Leia''s arm to go downstairs. Leia looked back at Surabaya''s smiling face in a state of distress and shouted, "I''m calling the police!" Francis and the other police officers were taken aback. Call the police? "Ms. Norman, whatever the issue is, you can discuss it at the police station.¡± However, Leia was determined to hold onto Surabaya and said, "I''m calling the police. This wretched woman, Surabaya, imprisoned me!" Francis stopped and looked at Surabaya. Jack did not mention this matter. Hence, he nned to ask about Jack''s intentions after returning to the police station. Surabaya put on an innocent face and said, "Ms. Norman, how could you say that? This is the Norman Residence. This has always been your home. How could I imprison you? "I''m just an outsider and a guest of the Norman family. How could I possibly imprison you? Mr. Norman wouldn''t have agreed to it.¡± Leia''s face darkened. "You''re in cahoots with the Norman family. You''re the ones who want to imprison me!" Surabaya turned to the police officer. "Sir, if you don''t believe me, you may ask Mr. Norman. I never intended to imprison Ms. Norman. Besides, I''m just a caretaker hired by the Norman family''s old madam to take care of Ms. Norman." Francis nodded, taking Leia''s words as nonsense. He had dealt with numerous imprisonment cases, but he had never encountered a situation where a person was held captive in their own home. "Ms. Norman, please," said Francis while enduring the piercing sound of Leia''s voice. He invited her to come downstairs. Having dealt with so many cases, Francis had encountered plenty of people pretending to be insane or ying dumb at the police station. However, Leia''s sharp voice was piercing and made his eardrums ache. Francis secretly let out a sigh. Ms. Norman was not someone easy to deal with. He felt a headache coming on and thought about bringing her back to the police station, where the police chief could personally handle the case while he simply documented the proceedings. Despite her strong reluctance, Leia was eventually escorted downstairs by the police officers. Chapter 2853 Queenie sat on the sofa. Leia''s handcuffed hands stung her eyes. When Leia was still young, she personally taught her how to write the names of their family members. She even taught her how to y the piano and draw. Queenie poured all her hopes and maternal love into her. Everything Leia could do with her fine wrists was her pride. Yet, when did that pride turn into what it was now? Queenie''s heart ached, and her eyes immediately turned red. "Oh, Leia." As Leia looked at Queenie''s expression ofpassion, she felt a wave of disgust in her heart. How fake it was! Was she pretending to put on a show in front of the police? Would it make Leia seem even more unforgivable? Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Even though Leia felt a strong aversion deep down inside, she did not reveal her true feelings on her face. Her eyes welled up with tears as she said, "Mom, save me. I don''t want to go to the police station." Queenie''s heart throbbed with pain. At that precise moment, she almost asked the police officers to let go of her daughter! However, the recording Jack yed for her yesterday, along with all the evidence presented... Queenie suppressed the urge to do so. If she were to do that, she would ruin Jack''s n and tarnish his reputation. She made the choice to prioritize her husband over her adopted daughter. "Leia, cooperate with the police investigation. They won''t use any good person." Francis heard what Queenie said and slightly nodded in agreement. Queenie was right. They would not falsely use any good person, nor would they let any criminals go free. Initially, the case involving the Norman family could have been closed with Matysh involved with a criminal syndicate, but so many other people were involved now. Hence, they had to take it seriously. Leia bit her lip. Things hade this far, yet Queenie still refused to help her. She thought about how Queenie had let these police officers in. Leia was even detained her for so many days, yet Queenie remained indifferent. Leia knew that Queenie''s so-called maternal love was utterly fake! Leia red at Queenie with resentment. Then, she was escorted away from the Norman Residence by the police. Queenie copsed onto the sofa with a pale look on her face. Did the glint in Leia''s eyes reflect her hatred toward her? On the other hand, Luca had already received a message from Luke and knew that Leia had been arrested by the police. When she read the message, she could not help but sigh. Although Leia was not well-regarded by Jack after she returned to the country this time, she could still live afortable life as the youngdy of the Norman family. However, her heart was restless, which led her tomit such an act. What Mandy said in the recording could prove that they were rted to the Norman family''s case this time. Leia was going to prison. Luca rubbed her throbbing forehead and flipped through the documents in front of her. The phone she ced aside rang again. Luca looked at the unfamiliar caller ID, but she still answered the call. "Hello, who is this?" "This is Officer Smith calling from the local police department of X City. May I speak with Ms. Craw?" A man''s voice came from the other end of the line. The local police department of X City? Luca frowned, then recalled the incident involving Percy and the case''s connection to X City. Then, she replied, "Yes, I''m Ms. Craw. What''s the matter?" The man nced at the documents when he heard Luca speaking standard English, and he asked, "Do you know a foreigner named Amur? He ims to be your younger brother." Luca''s heart tightened when she heard the police officer mention Amur''s name. Could it be that the truth was exposed and the police found out about Amur''s involvement in Percy''s kidnapping case? However, Luca quickly realized that the Mallory family had not reported the incident. Percy was still in the hospital. The police were unaware of it. She regained herposure after that. "Yes, Amur is my younger brother. What happened to him?" asked Luca. "He got into some trouble. He''s currently in our police station. We kindly request you toe and vouch for him," replied the man on the other end of the phone. Luca was surprised. Amur got into trouble? Even so, it would not be possible for him to be caught by the police unless he wanted to be caught. Luca remained calm and replied, "Okay, I''lle over. But I''m currently in A City. It might take some time for me to get to X City." "That won''t be a problem. Our police station operates 24 hours a day," replied the police officer. "Alright. Please tell me the address of the police station. I''ll head over now." Luca took a pen and a piece of paper out and noted down the address given by the police. After ending the call, Luca asked Mo Stone for a leave request form and filled in the reason. Luca had taken numerous leaves during this period, but there was nothing she could do about it. After filling in the form, she made her way down the stairs where Warren was already waiting for her in the car. Once she got into the car, Luca informed Warren of their destination. Warren was surprised when he heard that they were going to a police station in X City. "Ms. Craw, why are you going to a police station?" "My brother got into trouble, and I''m going to vouch for him," exined Luca. She had already figured it out while she was making her way to the underground parking lot. Amur would not have gotten caught by the police. If he had been caught, it would have been intentional. Perhaps he was carrying out a mission given by Abel. Luca furrowed her brows at the thought of this. It reminded her of Percy''s matter. She heard Luke mention that someone had fired a gun, alerting the police. Then, the two individuals from the Ind of Despair were taken away by the police. They were charged with illegal possession of firearms, explosives, and other prohibited items... Everything was confiscated by the police. Not only did Abel fail to get money from the Mallory family this time, but he also suffered a significant loss himself. The two men captured by the police were ticking time bombs. They might reveal everything under police interrogation. Luca estimated that it had something to do with those two men. She picked up her phone and informed Luke about her intention to go to the police station in X City to bail out Amur. Luke asked: [Is Warren taking you there?] Luca replied: [Yes.] She did not have the energy to drive a few hours herself, and her driving skills were not good enough for long distances. [Okay. Safe trip.] After Luke replied to her, he noticed the time and added: [If it''s toote, spend the night there beforeing back. Don''t rush back here.] Even though he did not want Luca to be too far away from him, it was for her own good. The round trip would take several hours, and if she tried to make it back on the same day, she would only arrive here before dawn. [Okay.] Luca thought it was actually for the best. She looked at the man in the driver''s seat. "Warren, do you have your ID with you?" "Yes, Ms. Craw," answered Warren. "I might need to spend a night in X City tonight. Let your family know about it when you''re free to call themter," said Luca. Then, she lowered her head to discuss work matters with Rhett. It was Rhett who had been handling most of her work these days. She had no other choice. With everything piling up, she did not have the extra time or energy to deal with the initial work of this project. Fortunately, Rhett had been with her since he entered thepany. He had gained experience in handling paperwork from the first project. Hence, it was not a difficult task for him. "Alright, Ms. Craw,¡± replied Warren. It did not matter where he stayed. His family was not in A City, and he was single. Hence, he did not need to report to anyone even if he did not go home. Chapter 2854 Due to the heavy traffic, it was already four hourster when Luca arrived at the police station. She walked straight into the station and said to a police officer, "Hello, I''m Amur''s sister, and I''m here to vouch for him." The police officer''s expression changed when he heard what Luca said. The police station had detained three Russian individuals a few days ago. Two of them were held for possessing illegal weapons. The other person was mentioned by the woman in front of him, Amur. However, what truly unsettled the police officer was what had happened in the past two days. ording to the officer on duty that day, after Amur beat Hoffman up, he was locked up with the other two Russian men. Although they did not engage in a fight, they kept behaving oddly by tapping on the walls. Officer Brown suspected it was some sort of Morse code and even sought an expert from A City to decipher it. However, the expert from A City had yet to crack the code, and now another incident had urred. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Amur did not argue with the two Russian men. Based on the surveince records, they had minimal contact, and everything seemed calm. However, the two Russian men copsed after they had their lunch. Amur called for the police, and they quickly transported the two men to the hospital, but they could not be saved. ording to the forensic investigation, the cause of death for these two men was poisoning. The traces of poison were found in their stomachs. The police officers were perplexed because the detained individuals were all served the same lunch, and only these two men died from poisoning after eating. They suspected Amur, but when they reviewed the surveince footage from the past two days, other than the few seconds when Amur was briefly out of the monitored area during his initial detention, he was within the surveince zone the rest of the time. He only boxed and exercised... At the same time, there was no apparentmunication between Amur and the two Russian men. They did not seem familiar with each other. Thus, the entire police station was at a loss regarding this matter. Despite investigating Amur extensively, they had not been able to uncover anything concrete thus far. Meanwhile, Amur had requested to ask someone to vouch for him. The police did not have any evidence linking him to the deaths of the two Russian men. Hence, they had no choice but toply with his request and notify Luca. "What happened to Amur?" Luca noticed the change in the police officer''s expression and worried that something had happened to Amur when she was on her way to the police station. "Nothing. Just go through the formalities." The police officer shook his head. They had received instructions from above to keep the deaths of the two Russian men discreet for the time being. There were many procedures to handle because they were foreigners who died in X City. "Alright." Luca nodded. Being able to go through the formalities meant that Amur was safe. As long as he was unharmed, that was all that mattered to her. Luca''s worries eased. The police officer took a few steps but then stopped and said to a female officer on duty, "Ms. Herrera, please assist thisdy with the procedure." Danielle nced at the woman standing beside the police officer and secretly marveled at her beauty before nodding and replying, "Alright. Please follow me." Luca followed Danielle to a desk. "Who are you vouching for?" asked Danielle, knowing that their police station currently had several detainees. After all, this was the suburban area of X City, where there was more crimepared to the downtown area due to the presence of troublemakers. "Amur. He''s Russian," replied Luca. Danielle''s expression turned slightly strange when she heard the name. Without hesitation, she pulled out a folder and began processing the paperwork for Luca. Luca also noticed Danielle''s odd expression and felt even more perplexed. The procedures were far from simple and took over 20 minutes. Finally, Luca caught sight of Amur. Apart from looking a bit thinner, he seemed energetic, and there were no visible signs of injury on his face. Luca nced through the information and understood why he was detained and for how long. It had been several days since his detention when Amur finally had the police notify her to vouch for him. Luca understood that he was here to carry out a mission. The two Russians who were caught by the police had probably met an unfortunate fate. Otherwise, Amur would not have contacted her. Luca would not inquire about the details at the police station. She simply spoke to the slightly gaunt Amur, "The procedures are done. The driver is waiting outside. Let''s go." "Okay." Amur nodded, following Luca as she left. Warren parked the car across the street from the police station. When he saw Luca walking out with a Russian man, he got out of the car and opened the door. Luca and Amur each got into the car. Once Warren returned to the car, he heard Luca say, "Warren, find a restaurant. Let''s have a meal first." "Alright, Ms. Craw. What would you like to eat?" Warren asked, opening the map app to search for well- known restaurants nearby. Luca turned to look at Amur. He was detained for several days, so he must have had a rough time and not eaten well. "Amur, what would you like to eat?" "Anything will do," replied Amur. It was the first thing he said to Luca after all those days. Luca realized that Amur had no preferences. She said to Warren, "Just find a casual restaurant." The taste of food in X City was simr to that of A City. Luca was not picky with food. "Alright." Warren immediately selected a small restaurant with good reviews and ratings. After inputting the address into the navigation system, he started driving. Luca did not speak to Amur while they were on their way to the restaurant. Although Warren did not understand Russian, she could not possibly discuss matters about the Ind of Despair in front of him. When they arrived at the restaurant, the three of them ordered a set meal. After finishing their meal, Warren drove them to a hotel. Luca had made a hotel reservation on a hotel booking app. Warren, who was holding their identification documents, got the room cards for the three pre-booked rooms and handed two of them to Luca and Amur. "Warren, you''ve been driving for a long time. Thanks for your hard work. Go upstairs and get some rest. We''ll head back to A City tomorrow morning," said Luca as she took the room card and nced at the room number. "Alright, Ms. Craw." Warren pressed the elevator button. The three of them entered the elevator without saying anything. Warren took a moment to observe Amur from the corner of his eye. He knew that Luca had a halfbrother, but this was the first time he met him. Having received training from Gale and Raine, Warren could observe someone keenly. The moment he laid eyes on Amur, he sensed that there was something different about his aurapared to ordinary people. There was a faint, sweet scent mingled with a hint of blood. Of course, this was an abstract metaphor. Warren simply felt that Amur was not an ordinary person. He was not an ordinary person himself either. After undergoing training, he had been working under the command of Gale and Rain. He could handle a variety of tasks, and it was only because of his exceptional driving skills that he was assigned to be Luca''s chauffeur. However, when it came to executing other missions, he was equally capable andpetent. He always pulled his weight. Chapter 2855 However, Warren still felt that Amur was more capable than him. It was quiet in the elevator. Luca noticed that Warren was sizing up Amur. She remained silent. Once the elevator reached the floor, she was the first to step out to find her room. Luca swiped the card and opened the door to the room, but she did not enter. Instead, she looked at Amur, who was next door, and said, "Clear your mind. Rest early." Amur''s eyes darkened. It was as though he was contemting something, but he eventually nodded, indicating that he would follow her words. Luca was worried that he had something else to do. However, the task given by Abel had already beenpleted. There would not be any immediate assignments soon. After entering the suite, Amur first inspected the surroundings of the room. The room was not particrly spacious. It was around 20 square meters. He searched all the ces where surveince or bugging devices might be hidden but found nothing. Then, he sat down in a chair. This was a hotel Luca had booked, so there should not be any problems. Amur took his phone and charger out, plugging them into the socket. His phone was confiscated by the police when he was detained, so it was normal for the battery to be depleted. When the screen of his phone lit up, he sent a text message to an unfamiliar number. He informed the people of the Ind of Despair that he had aplished his mission. The two men at the police station were dead. Moreover, even if the police suspected him, they would not be able to find anything. After a while, his phone vibrated. Amur opened it and read the message: [0317, well done.] 0317 was his code name. Previously, when he was taken to the Ind of Despair to receive training, he did not have a name. Even though some people knew his name was Amur, they still referred to him as 0317. 0316 was Luca''s code name. They started their training one after the other. Everyone on the Ind of Despair called Amur by his code name except Abel. Amur was fine with it. After all, the only ones qualified to address him by his name were Eler and Luca... There were knocks on his door. Amur rose to his feet and walked to the door, peering through the peephole to confirm it was Luca before opening it. "Why aren''t you resting yet?" "It''s still early." Luca walked straight into his room. Amur closed the door. It was indeed still early. Luca did not have the habit of resting so early. "Have you checked the ce?" asked Luca. Even though she booked the hotel rooms at thest minute, she still felt uneasy. As soon as she entered her room, she checked the surroundings to ensure there were no monitoring or surveince devices. Only after checking the room did she feel relieved ande to find Amur. "I have. It''s clear,¡± replied Amur. While undergoing training on the Ind of Despair for such a long time, they had encountered various cutting-edge technologies from around the world, and they knew the horrors of these surveince devices. If the Ind of Despair wanted to eavesdrop on their conversation and they did not perform a check, they could be under their surveince within minutes. Perhaps from the moment Luca made the room booking, those from the Ind of Despair already knew where they would be staying tonight. Luca nodded and nced at the room. Amur had already drawn the curtains. Even if someone was watching them from across, they could only rely on thermal imaging devices and would not be able to see any specific images. Luca asked, "Your mission was to deal with those two men?" Luca''s frankness did not surprise Amur much. She was so clever that it would have been strange if she had not guessed it correctly. "Yes." Amur nodded. Luca took out a piece of paper from her pocket. "How did youplete the mission?" Her graceful handwriting revealed her cautiousness. Despite checking, she was still worried about someone secretly monitoring or eavesdropping. If she asked Amur questions and he answered, it might let someone have something on him. Having something on Amur would be a threat to him, as well as to herself. Luca would not allow Amur to be in danger. If the other party held recordings as evidence against him, she would be forced toply passively. Amur took the pen she handed him and wrote down how hepleted the mission. [I got two pills from the base. You know how I got in. Then, I evaded surveince and gave them the pills. They took the pills yesterday.] Amur quickly wrote down the words. After he confirmed that Luca had finished reading it, he swiftly got rid of the evidence. Luca nodded. She had also suspected that Amur would use the pills. After all, with the police officers and surveince cameras installed there, there was no other way that was safer and more reliable. Amur managed to walk away unharmed. Luca''s heart raced a little. Her expression turned grim at the thought of Amur using pills to deal with those two men. The amount of blood on their hands was far more than the blood on her and Amur''s hands... T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. That was why she did not sympathize with those two men. They were not the only ones in a dangerous situation¡ªso were Luca and Amur. It would be easy for Abel to abandon them. Even if she developed an antidote now, as long as the Ind of Despair still existed, they would be on the run... There were plenty of assassins who were more skilled than them on the Ind of Despair. Luca wrote another question. [Have the police investigated you?] [They did, but they have no evidence.] Amur was clever enough. He did not make them eat the pills on the first day he was detained. Instead, he waited several days until the police noticed that Amur, Alexsei, and Kazimir had no interaction. Only then did he allow them to take the pills he had given them in advance. Once the effects of the poison kicked in, they were rushed to the hospital, but it was futile. The hospital could not determine theposition of the poison that Shanks made. The only residue they could possibly find would be in their stomach fluids... Amur believed that he had executed his n wlessly. Luca let out a sigh of relief. She rose to her feet and said, "You take care of that. Also, get some rest." "What happened to him?¡± asked Amur. Luca was taken aback, not realizing who he was referring to. "Who?" "Pierre Mallory," replied Amur. Pierre had been taken away by Luke''s men. Amur did not feel any remorse or anger about it. After all, Pierre did not manage to receive treatment for his broken leg in time. Even though Alexsei tried to treat Pierre''s leg, he was ultimately not a professional. Amur believed that even if someone managed to save Pierre, there was a high probability that his leg would be rendered useless. Even Johann would not be able to salvage his leg. "I''m not sure about the specifics, but he''s in a private hospital being taken care of now. I heard that there''s a high probability that his leg is permanently damaged," answered Luca. It was Luke and Nina who ryed the information to her. The happiest person knowing that Pierre was a cripple was Nina. Nina decided not to argue with Pierre anymore for Percy''s sake. The person who had hurt her had received his punishment now. Nina saw it as karma, a punishment from above for Pierre. The once lofty and esteemed second young master of the Mallory family had now be a cripple. Even if the Mallory family helped him to clean up the mess, how could he continue to be the illustrious Pierre Mallory? Chapter 2856 "Sounds great." Amur grinned, revealing a row of gleaming white teeth. He knew that Pierre was likely to be disabled. "Amur, be more careful in the future. Don''t take such risks anymore..." Luca did not judge him for what he had done. After all, it was Abel''s order to bring him to the base in X City, and it was Amur''s own desire to disable Pierre. Luca knew that he was seeking revenge for her. "I wasn''t exposed. It''s gettingte. You should go back and rest," said Amur, thinking about how the chauffeur might perceive Luca if she stayed here any longer. Even though Warren was merely a chauffeur, Amur could still sense his aura. He was not an ordinary driver. He was at least capable enough to serve as a bodyguard or detective. However, Amur did not have the opportunity to test his abilities, so he was not sure about it. Still, Warren might be observing him from outside the room. "Well, you haven''t had a good rest these days. Get some rest, and please get rid of that." Luca pointed at the paper they had just used. Amur nodded. He picked up the paper and crumpled it in his hand. After Luca left, he reached into his pocket and found his lighter. He ignited the crumpled paper and tossed it into the ashtray. He gazed coldly at the flickering mes without any expression on his face. When would he be able to escape the Ind of Despair with Luca and Eler? He had been trying his best, but it was not easy to break free from Abel. No one had sessfully escaped Abel''s control until this point. Previously, nobody would risk their lives to break free from maniption without the antidote. Now that they had the antidote, Amur still found it challenging at the thought of the ubiquitous pursuits of the Ind of Despair. Amur sat on the sofa. The paper in the ashtray had burned to ashes, leaving only a faint wisp of smoke. The smell of burnt paper lingered in the small space of the room. Amur did not mind it. He picked up his phone and searched for information on Pierre. Breaking his leg did not seem enough... On the other hand... Pierrey on the hospital bed. After having a conversation with Old Master Mallory, his mental state improved significantly. Therefore, when Old Master Mallory requested the hospital to let Pierre continue to stay there, they readily epted. As he watched Sunny hang the IV fluid bag for him, he stared at her fine figure. He could not help but have some wicked thoughts. Pierre wondered how long it had been since he slept with a woman. It seemed like it had been quite a while. Ever since the shareholders'' meeting at thepany, where all the things he had done werepiled into a booklet and uploaded online, he had not slept with a woman. Pierre used to changepanions at a faster pace than anyone else. Even when he had a fiance, he never stopped his amorous affairs. However, his leg was broken now. Even after his leg was treated, it would still beme. From refusing to ept it toter holding onto hope, he now found himself looking at the young Sunny with evil thoughts. He was not the kind to indulge in lust, but he could not bear without it either. The head of the orthopedic department said Pierre would need to stay in bed for three months. Including the three months prior when he was evading the police, he had gone roughly four months without sleeping with a woman Pierre''s gaze grew darker. After Sunny finished hanging the IV fluid bag, she wrote down the time on the record sheet. As she was done, she felt a pair of eyes constantly on her. She looked up and met Pierre''s gaze. She was startled. Why was he looking at her like that?! Sunny became alert and took two steps back. This was a private hospital, and she had been working as a nurse in the VIP wards for quite some time. She had encountered all sorts of people. She had faced simr gazes before. Although Pierre had decent facial features, Sunny felt disgusted by his gaze. This was a hospital where they provided medical care for patients, not a ce for indulgence. The staff did not provide illicit services to wealthy people! Sunny turned to the caretaker and said, "This saline is for Mr. Pierre''s inmmation. Be sure to pay attention and ring the bell when the solution in the bag is depleted." "Okay." The caretaker nodded. Although she had made a mistake, she had not been fired by Pierre. Pierre''s identity needed to be kept secret. They thought that news of it might leak out if his caretaker was reced. Therefore, Pierre did not take any action, and the caretaker who had been taking care of him kept her job. Sunny quickly walked out of the ward. Pierre''s eyes were deep, and his gaze followed Sunny until she closed the door and left the ward. Compared to his previous women, Sunny''s appearance was average at best. She could only be considered a little pretty. He used to have little interest in such women. The only innocent woman that had piqued his interest was Nina. However, things were different now. He had been holding back for too long. That was why when he saw Sunny, a pretty girl with a good figure, he found her somewhat intriguing. At least she could help solve his problem. "You,e here," Pierre raised his hand that was attached to the IV drip and pointed at the caretaker. A sting came from the back of his hand. He had been poked with a needle in the same spot for several days. Even with the numbing effect of the drugs, his blood vessels could not withstand certain movements and he would feel a slight pain. Still, Pierre considered himself a man, and he could endure this level of pain. The caretaker knew that Pierre had a bad temper and hurriedly approached. "Mr. Pierre, how may I help you?" "That nurse who came in just now, her name''s Sunny, right?" asked Pierre. Even though only two nurses were taking care of him, he showed no interest in either of them before this. He had been thinking about how to seek revenge on the Ind of Despair, Luke Crawford, and Percy Mallory. It was only today that he paid a little attention to Sunny. Her name was Sunny. That was what the older nurse called her. "Yes. She''s Ms. Sunny.¡± The caretaker nodded obediently. "What''s her full name?" Pierre asked again. He knew he had to stay here for three months. He could not afford to have a boring time during these three months. "I''m not sure about her full name. The nurses all call her Sunny. I''ve also heard that she''s rted to the hospital director.¡± The caretaker honestly disclosed everything she knew, unaware of the malicious intentions brewing in Pierre''s mind. Pierre raised an eyebrow. She was a rtive of the hospital director? That was why they had assigned Sunny to take care of him. His identity was a secret throughout the entire hospital. No one knew about it. Only those in high positions would know it. Sunny was aware of it because she was rted to the hospital director. No matter how young she was, she would not betray his identity and jeopardize the hospital''s reputation. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Pierre curved his lips, revealing a subtle smile. The caretaker suddenly felt uneasy when she saw his smile. It had been difficult enough for her to remain calm for the past few days, yet Pierre put on such a smile now. The caretaker felt as if her emotional trauma was growing heavier with that smile on his face. Chapter 2857 Before the caretaker could say anything, the ward door swung open again. She and Pierre looked toward the door and saw an unfamiliar face. Then, the caretaker immediately stood in front of the hospital bed, trying to cover Pierre''s face with her body so that no one would notice who was on the hospital bed. The person at the door was an elegantly dressed woman whom the caretaker did not recognize. However, Pierre recognized her. "Mom?" He sounded surprised. Old Master Mallory said that the mental state of his mother, Karen, was currently very unstable and that he would reach out to a psychiatrist for help. In order to prevent her from getting into trouble, he kept her at home, so Karen never visited him in the hospital. Thus, Pierre was surprised to see her show up at the hospital. After hearing what Pierre said, the caretaker stepped aside. Since she was his family member, she would not disclose the news that he had been hospitalized. Karen impatiently walked to the bedside and looked at Pierre''s stered right leg. Her eyes brimmed with tears. "Pierre, does it hurt?" Pierre saw her hand approaching to caress him, but he found it weird, so he dodged it. He was not a woman, so he did not need this kind of sympathetic maternal love. "Mom, why are you here?" "How can I not show up when you''re in the hospital?" Karen''s heart ached at the sight of Pierre''s thin face. Old Master Mallory only told her about this huge news yesterday. Karen could not help but feel heartbroken at the thought of Pierre suffering. How did he even survive during this time? Not to mention the Mallory family could not even make a police report because they had not found out who was behind it. "Grandpa said that your mental health isn''t doing great..." Pierre hesitated before asking, "Are you feeling better?" Old Master Mallory said that Karen was in low spirits and had poor mental health, but he was not entirely convinced. Karen seemed quite normal before, so how could she be abnormal all of a sudden? He was not in the mood to inquire anyway. All he could think about was everyone telling him that his leg was going to be impaired, so he had no intention of asking about Karen''s condition. The Mallory family would not let anything happen to Karen anyway. Karen snorted softly and turned to look at the caretaker. ¡°We have things to discuss, so you can go guard the door. Don''t eavesdrop." "Yes, Ma''am." The caretaker looked at her elegant outfit, yet there was not a hint of kindness on her face. She dared not eavesdrop, so she immediately walked out of the ward and closed the door tightly. She took a few steps to the side and stood there. Karen looked back at Pierre, and her loving expression changed into a serious face. Then, she said, "Can your grandpa''s words even be trusted?" Pierre raised his eyebrows in confusion. Karen knew what was on his mind, so she snorted. "Pierre, you got into big trouble this time. Old Master Mallory tends to ignore these things, and I can''t take care of things myself. After I found out you were kidnapped, I was worried about the kidnappersing to the Mallory family for money. The Mallory family wasn''t willing to pay, so I had no choice but to act crazy." T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Pierre frowned as he listened to her. "If I hadn''t acted crazy, your grandfather would''ve just dumped it all on me. Although I''m the daughterinw of the Mallory family, your father has never paid any attention to us, and even your grandpa thinks of me as an outsider. I may have some say in the Mallory family, but how could I control thepany''s finances? All the mess you''ve caused so far, including the kidnapping, is up to Old Master Mallory to take care of. I could only act crazy. I knew that when he realized that no one else would clean up your mess, he''d take matters into his own hands," reasoned Karen. Pierre was still curious. Old Master Mallory was not particrly happy when he mentioned Karen. It would have been understandable if Karen pretended to be crazy for just a few hours a day, but how long was she able to pretend? Old Master Mallory said that she spent almost 18 out of 24 hours a day making all sorts of noises in the bedroom. The level of insanity was unbelievable. At that time, Pierre even felt that if Old Master Mallory had not been worried about the reputation of the Mallory family, he might have sent Karen to a psychiatric hospital. It was their reputation that stopped him. Pierre also recalled that Karen had experienced extreme mood swings some time ago, and her mental state had been poor, especially after she got mad at Percy. ording to the maid at home, Karen would either suffer from insomnia or get nightmares in her sleep. Either way, it was not good. However, she was not insane. Karen could sense that Pierre did not believe her, so she quickly said, "You still don''t believe me? If I really was as crazy as Old Master Mallory described, would I have recovered this fast?" Pierre agreed. Karen did not look like someone who was mentally unstable. She was speaking logically and exining why she acted that way during that time, and a mentally unstable person would not get better all of a sudden. Even if Karen became like that because she was worried about him, she would not be able to act as if nothing happened right after finding out that he was fine. Pierre nodded. "As long as you''re fine, Mom." Karen looked at Pierre''s haggard face and sighed. "Old Master Mallory ordered the maids at home to not mention you in front of me to not affect my mood. I thought you were still kidnapped, so I went even crazier. Today, Old Master Mallory said you were in the hospital, so I stopped acting. I immediately came to the hospital to see you." Pierre frowned. She stopped acting? Now, he was starting to think that acting crazy was not such a bad idea. "Mom, now that you''re fine, will Grandpa ignore me?" Pierre had not forgotten what Old Master Mallory had promised him when he got mad. Now, it seemed that Old Master Mallory''s actions were just to ease the dilemma he was in. Besides, he was making a fuss in the hospital while Karen was making a fuss at home. In the end, Old Master Mallory had to suffer from both their actions. Old Master Mallory was caught in the crossfire, so he went to the hospital to talk to him. Karen shook her head. "What are you afraid of? Even if I''m not crazy, Old Master Mallory will help you deal with this! Don''t worry, just get well soon. Old Master Mallory will have things taken care of when you''re discharged." Although Old Master Mallory had retired for many years, he was still capable. He was rich and well-connected. He was definitely able to clean up this mess Pierre had caused. Unless Old Master Mallory wanted Pierre to go to jail, there was no way he would ignore this matter. Right now, Old Master Mallory was keeping Pierre''s recuperation a secret, so it did not seem like he would ignore his grandson. Pierre nodded. Just three months. "Mom, thank you for everything you''ve done for me during this time." Pierre''s words of appreciation were sincere. Chapter 2858 Tears filled Karen''s eyes. She wiped away her tears and said, ¡°Oh, it''s nothing. You''re the one who''s been having a hard time..." Karen''s gaze fell on Pierre''s right leg. After Old Master Mallory noticed that she had calmed down, he told her about Pierre''s condition and said that his leg would most likely gome. Of course, Karen could not ept that oue. How could the son she was so proud of be a cripple? If Pierre really became disabled, she reckoned that many people would want to see her and Pierre be subjects of ridicule, including that foreign blonde bitch, the Crawford family, and others. "Pierre, I understand how you feel, so don''t worry. When you can get up from bed, I''ll find the best physiotherapist in the whole country¡ªno, the whole world. You''ll be fine!" Karen wiped away the tears that fell. Percy hadpletely betrayed her, so only Pierre was left. She could not let the only child she had left be ridiculed by others. Pierre nced at his right leg. Johann said that he would be disabled! No, there was no way that would happen! "Mom, I need to wait three months before I can get out of bed and move around. Before that, I want the Crawford family to suffer," said Pierre. He remembered who had saved him. They were Luke''s people! Luke''s people might have known where he was being held from the start, but they did note to rescue him until the kidnappers demanded a ransom. When he was in a daze, he heard people around him discussing that if he had been sent to the hospital for surgery earlier, his leg would not have goneme. Luke was directly rted to his injury! Speaking of the Crawford family, Karen''s face turned sullen. She held the railing of the hospital bed that was used to prevent the patient from falling. Her voice was deep. "Don''t worry. I''ll never let whoever hurt you get away with it." It was just Luke. She did not believe that after living all these years, she could not defeat Luke! Pierre frowned at the thought of him gaining more enemies, and he had a faint feeling that he would not be able to handle it. He had to have the Mallory family in the palm of his hand before he could deal with his enemies one by one! ¡°Mom, what''s your n? Let''s take care of the Crawfords first." Pierre asked, wanting to know how Karen was going to take care of Luke and his people. Karen knitted her eyebrows together as she did not have a n. Pierre could tell from her face. Then, a serious look shed in his eyes, and he pointed out to Karen, ¡°Luke has a woman, and the Crawford family''s old master knows about it. How fun would it be to let him watch this woman ruin Luke?" Old Master Crawford once stood up for Luke by confronting him with the stolen tender, so he hated Old Master Crawford too. However, Luke was the grandson he took pride in. Pierre thought that as long as he defeated Luke, Old Master Crawford would break down, so there was no need to attack him directly. Karen patted the railing with a curious face. ¡°That woman? Are you sure she''s that significant?" T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Would such an intelligent person like Luke walk into a trap for a woman? On the contrary, Karen felt that if something happened, Luke would definitely give up on that woman, Luca. When that happened, all of their efforts would be in vain. Pierre squinted and said through gritted teeth, ¡°He won''t just give up on that woman." Although investigations showed that she was just an ordinary woman, Luke treated Luca the same as how he treated Bianca back then. Pierre was not surprised that Luke was able to love Luca like how he loved Bianca. A man like Luke would definitely look down on a whore like Bianca after she was tossed around like that. Bianca fell out of favor, so it was expected that another woman would rece her. Karen was doubtful, but seeing Pierre speak with such certainty aroused her curiosity. Did Pierre know something she did not? "Alright, we''ll start with that woman." If that were the case, Karen trusted Pierre. Dealing with the woman beside Luke was much easier than dealing with Luke himself. Pierre nodded and said, ¡°There''s information that maye in handy in the bottom drawer of my desk at thepany." He remembered what Luca had done to him, so Karen''s decision to deal with her was ording to his own wishes. Karen was a little taken aback. ¡°You''ve wanted to deal with that woman from the start?" ¡°That bitch, Luca, has humiliated me too many times. I''ll never let her get away with it easily." Pierre''s face was gloomy. He had obtained the information early on, and if it were not for the distractions along the way, Luca might have already been destroyed during his fight with Percy. ¡°Sure. Don''t get too worked up." Karen was worried that he would hurt himself if he got too worked up. She immediately reassured him, saying, "Don''t worry about it, I''ll make that woman suffer. I won''t let anyone who has ever hurt you off the hook. I''ll go get the information tomorrow, so don''t think about it too much. Just focus on recovering." She felt a little sad looking at Pierre''s leg. Although his bones had been rejoined, his recovery was unpredictable. Pierre noticed that she was looking at his leg pitifully, and he got upset. He did not need her sympathy because he was confident that he would recover. "Mom, you should take care of your health too. Don''t get too emotional," said Pierre. Although Karen said that she was faking it, he still had doubts. After Percy cut ties with them, he could feel that something was wrong with Karen every time he called. It was not hysteria but depression. She would talk anxiously, and she was not able to lift her mood. Thus, Pierre felt that Karen was dealing with some mental issues, and the best way to treat her was to find a psychiatrist. Karen could not copse. She was hisst stand in the Mallory family, so if she copsed, Old Master Mallory mightpletely abandon him. Old Master Mallory had always felt guilty toward Karen because his son, Pierre and Percy''s father, cheated on her. However, Karen did not divorce him. Instead, she stayed with them and took care of the family and her two children. Old Master Mallory had always remembered this, so, of course, he felt guilty. Pierre wanted to take advantage of Old Master Mallory''s guilt toward Karen to gain a strong foothold in the Mallory family again. "As long as you''re fine, I''ll be fine," said Karen while shaking her head. Ever since Percy went against her and insisted on being with that bitch, Nina, she gave her everything to Pierre as if she had never given birth to Percy. The maid at home said that when Pierre was kidnapped, Old Master Mallory''s rtionship with Percy got less tense, but she did not care about making amends with Percy at all. Chapter 2859 "Mom, we need to stay calm during this period of time. We can''t let Grandpa find out what we''re up to," said Pierre. Based on what Old Master Mallory had said, he should not do anything that would go too far to avoid arousing suspicion. "I know. Don''t worry. Old Master Mallory is focused on helping you to deal with your matters. He won''t pay much attention to what I''m doing," reassured Karen. A knocking sound echoed in the hospital ward. Pierre reluctantly looked toward the door. Karen turned to look at the door too. Sunny knocked on the door before pushing it open. Then, she said to the visitor in the wardroom, "Excuse me, it''s already ten o''clock at night. It''s past the visiting hours. Please leave as soon as possible." Since Pierre had a caretaker, no one else was allowed to stay overnight here. If she did not notify them, they would be in vition of the hospital regtions. "Okay. I got it." Karen withdrew her gaze, tucked Pierre''s nket, and left hesitantly. Sunny could not help but mutter to herself when she saw Karen. Pierre had just broken a leg. There was no need to show such reluctance to leave... After Karen left the wardroom, Sunny closed the door, nning to head toward the nurses'' station. However, she noticed that the moment Karen left the ward, she took out a hat and mask from her designer handbag. It seemed like she did not want to be recognized, just like Old Master Mallory. It seemed that the Mallory family was very careful in protecting Pierre. Sunny mumbled to herself and recalled Pierre''s gaze just now. She could not have mistaken the look on his face. That man had lewd intentions. She was reluctant to be Pierre''s nurse now, but the fact that Pierre was in the hospital was confidential information. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Even if sheined to the hospital director, he would not rece her and let the other nurses or the head nurse take over her shift. Sunny felt helpless. After all, being wealthy did not necessarily equate to having good manners. Now that Pierre could not leave the hospital, and it was impossible to change his nurses. Sunny could only be grateful that he had a broken leg. He would not be able to move or do anything to her at the moment... Perverted old men and wealthy heirs were equally disgusting. While Sunny was consumed by these thoughts, Karen suddenly turned back and handed her a business card. "Are you my son''s attending nurse?" Karen sized Sunny up without much expression on her face. She was merely scrutinizing her. Sunny was stunned for a moment. Then, she lowered her head and nced at the business card in her hand. She saw the name Karen Ruiz. Sunny looked up, nodded, and replied, "Yes, Madam Mallory. The head nurse and I are Mr. Pierre''s attending nurses." Madam Mallory nced at Sunny''s name badge that read Sunny Arlyn and took note of the name. "Keep my business card. Call me immediately if anything happens to Pierre," said Karen. She was worried that the hospital would only inform Old Master Mallory and he would not tell her about it. She needed to know Pierre''s situation. "Alright, Madam Mallory." Sunny nodded and agreed. Still, she could not help thinking that the Mallory family was indeed peculiar. "Please inform the head nurse as well. Inform me if anything happens. I''ll file aint with your hospital''s administration if I find out that you didn''t," Karen threatened her before turning away and leaving. Sunny returned to the nurses'' station, silently watching Karen from behind. She was not afraid of Karen lodging aint against them. The Mallory family was keeping Pierre hidden away securely. If Karenined, it would expose Pierre, who was receiving treatment in the hospital, to everyone. "Sunny, is that woman one of the family members of that mysterious patient?" A nurse walked out of the office and saw Karen leaving. She frowned as the figure seemed familiar to her. However, when she saw Karen''s designer handbag, the nurse did not dwell on it. Wealthy wives from affluent families always carried themselves with grace, paying extreme attention to their appearance and demeanor. Sunny nodded and moved the tablet on the desk aside. When she turned it on, a web page appeared, disying Pierre''s information on the screen. After leaving Pierre''s ward earlier, Sunny felt disgusted. Hence, she picked up the tablet and started searching for information about him. She had never thought of investigating what kind of person Pierre was. However, after she noticed his unsettling,scivious stare, she realized that knew nothing about him. As she read the content on the screen, Sunny''s face turned gloomy. He truly was a yboy! It seemed she would have to be cautious whenever she went to change Pierre''s dressings in the future. She would have to keep her distance as far as possible! "The family is extremely mysterious. Anyone would think that they''re the family members of some political figure!" eximed the nurse. Even though their hospital was not as famous as the general hospital, the doctors and nurses here had better skills and qualificationspared to several other private hospitals. Patients who sought treatment here belonged to the upper echelons of society, especially those on this floor. Their status was even higher than the average wealthy individuals. "Is it possible for political figures toe to our hospital?" Sunny closed the web page and cleared her search history to ensure others would not see what she had searched. "You''re right." The nurse nced at her side profile. "Sunny, you look awful. Are you feeling unwell?" "I''ve been taking too many night shifts. How could I look well?" Sunny was also a woman who cared about her appearance. She touched her face when she heard her colleague''sment. "You''re right. I''ll keep an eye on the call bell for you tonight. You may rest. I''ll call you if the bell rings.¡± The nurse nodded, feeling sorry for Sunny. Even though the others would also have to work night shifts at times, they took turns. Sunny had been on night shifts continuously these days. Her disrupted sleep schedule left her feeling groggy and disoriented throughout the day. Besides, she had not taken a day off. That was why she was exhausted. "Thank you." Sunny felt that she needed a nap. However, when she thought about Pierre, who was still hooked up to an IV bag, she shook her head. "No, I can''t. I''ll have to wait for a while. The patient is still receiving medication. It''ll probably take another ten minutes." She nced at the time, estimating the time Pierre would finish his IV. Then, she propped her chin up and wore a helpless expression. "If I had known it would be this troublesome, I wouldn''t have agreed to take on this assignment from the director." The nurse also looked at Sunny with a helpless expression. "Although working the night shift is tough, you''re lucky. At least the patient sleeps during the night and doesn''t keep you busy. The head nurse is overwhelmed during the daytime. She has been working for so many years, taking care of countless patients. But when ites to your patient, she shakes her head repeatedly and says it feels like she''s back to her early days of working. It''s really chaotic." Sunny let out a sigh again. Bing Pierre''s attending nurse alongside the head nurse was not easy for them! Chapter 2860 On the other hand... A patient with blood all over his head was brought to the emergency department of the general hospital. As soon as the doctor and nurses saw the patient being wheeled in, they immediately sprang into action to save him. The outpatient nurse noticed that the patient was still wearing handcuffs. She could not help but pause for a moment. "What''s going on? The handcuffs need to be removed." Francis, who was nearby, took out the key and stepped forward to unlock the handcuffs. However, for safety reasons, he still handcuffed one of the patient''s hands to the bed. "Her name is Leia Norman. She''s an important suspect, and she got injured from hitting a wall." The nurse frowned. The name sounded familiar. "What about her identification card?" "There''s no identification card, but please save her first," replied Francis. He was just about to finish his shift, but the police officer from the detention center rushed out and said they needed to call an ambnce. When he went in to check, he found out that Leia hit herself on the wall. The impact seemed to have drained all her strength. It even left a small dent in the wall. Leia was seen on the ground with blood streaming down her face. Francis dared not to leave work. She was the daughter of the Norman family. Even if it was eventually confirmed that she hadmitted a crime, they could not let anything happen at the police station. Otherwise, they would all be held ountable. Therefore, he followed the ambnce to the hospital. N?velDrama.Org content rights. "She doesn''t look too good. We can''t check her medical history if there''s no identification card. Who will take responsibility if anything happens when we''re rescuing her?" The doctor beside them noticed that Leia''splexion was not just the result of excessive blood loss. It was more like she already had some underlying condition... If she had any preexisting conditions, they dared not to administer medication without caution. Francis furrowed his brows as he suddenly recalled Leia''s extremeck of cooperation earlier. Then, he said, "She was admitted to your hospital not long ago. Can''t you find her records by searching her name?" The nurse next to him looked at Leia''s bloodied face and furrowed her brows. "There are too many people with the same name and surname. Which department was she in?" The doctor examined Leia''s wound, which, although bloody, was not very deep. Considering she had hit a wall, the doctor made a decision. He turned to the nurse and said, "Go and find out her identity. It would be best if her family members coulde to the hospital as well. The rest of you, push her to the CT scan room. She needs a brain CT scan to confirm if there''s any head injury." After the doctor said that, a few nurses worked together to push Leia toward the CT scan room. As Francis watched them move Leia away, he thought of calling his colleague who had previously taken Leia''s statement to inquire which department she had been admitted to. However, he saw the doctor turning back and reaching out his hand. "We can''t do the CT scan with the handcuffs on. Can one of youe and unlock them?" Francis handed the key to his colleague who came along with him and said, "Go. Make sure she doesn''t escape." "Alright." The police officer took the key and followed the doctor out. The nurse, who stood beside, urged him, "Officer, can you remember which department she was in?" "Let me make a phone call to confirm that," replied Francis as he picked up his phone and called his colleague, disregarding whether the person was off duty at this time. Right now, his priority was to ensure Leia''s safety. He confirmed that Leia had been in the Hepatobiliary Surgery Department and ryed the information to the nurse. The nurse suddenly realized and replied, "No wonder I found this name familiar. She''s Mr. Norman''s daughter, right?" Leia''s name had already echoed throughout various departments of the hospital. The doctors in the Hepatobiliary Surgery Department, especially her attending physician,ined endlessly after receiving Leia as a patient. Meanwhile, doctors and nurses from other departments were relieved that Leia was not under their care. Otherwise, they would also be in the same unfortunate situation. After confirming Leia''s identity, the nurse quickly walked to the nurses'' station to retrieve her medical records. Then, she hurriedly made her way to the CT scan room. Francis followed along. The nurse saw him following behind her and said, "You must notify her family about this. It''s fine if there''s nothing serious. But if her head is injured and she requires surgery, her family will have to sign the consent form. Brain surgery can''t be dyed." Francis nodded in agreement. He would do what the nurse told him. After all, it was their negligence that allowed Leia to hit the wall, which was beyond their expectations. They thought Leia valued her own life. However, they never expected that Leia could be so cruel to herself. "I''ll notify them right away," said Francis as he followed the nurse to the CT scan room. He took out his phone and dialed Jack''s number. The phone''s ringtone echoed in the studyte at night. Jack was reading the documents rted to a tender. Before he could rest, his phone rang. He took off his sses and answered the call. Francis'' name appeared on the phone screen. When Francis first contacted him, they exchanged numbers with each other. It was to make it convenient for him to contact Jack if there was any cooperation needed. However, Jack had a bad feeling about receiving a call from Francis at this hour. Francis was an experienced police officer. He would never call him at a time like this without a reason. He pressed the answer button. "Yes, this is Jack Norman." "Mr. Norman, Ms. Norman knocked her head on the wall while she was detained and is currently undergoing emergency treatment at the general hospital. The situation is unclear at the moment, and she''s still undergoing examinations. I''m sorry, but can youe over?" Francis could not be bothered to consider the fact that calling Jack at this hour might disturb him. After all, he could not afford to let anything happen to Leia. "I''m on my way," Jack replied calmly without thinking much. Leia hitting a wall was beyond his expectations. Leia had the greatest fear of pain... After ending the call, Jack prepared to call his driver. It was toote at night, and he seldom drove the car himself. Drivingte at night was dangerous. It showed irresponsibility toward the citizens, as well as toward himself. After he asked the driver toe, he pondered for a moment and decided to inform Luke as well. Even though Luke did not like Leia, as the son-inw of the Norman family, it would be quicker for him to go to the hospital than Jack, who had to wait for the driver to arrive. Leia''s condition might be dangerous at the moment. He could not dwell on it too much. After the call connected, Jack went straight to the point. "Luke, I need you to go to the hospital right away. Leia hit her head on the wall at the police station. She''s currently undergoing emergency treatment there. You''re closer to the hospital than I am, so please head there now. I''ll have to wait for the driver to arrive." Luke''s current residence was closer to the hospital than Jack''s. "Alright. I''m on my way," replied Luke without a second thought. As Jack stood up to get dressed after ending the call, he noticed Queenie was standing by the door. Her face was pale white, and she was holding a tray. When did she arrive? Jack was too engrossed in his conversation on the phone, and Leia''s situation had distracted his thoughts. He did not notice Queenie''s footsteps. A bowl of oats rested on the tray, still steaming. It was ate-night supper that Queenie had prepared for him. "Dear, did something really happen to Leia?" Queenie''s body wavered. Her footsteps were unsteady as she weakly leaned against the doorframe, preventing herself from toppling over. Chapter 2861 Queenie had overheard the conversation between Jack and Luke. Jack could not hide it anymore. He nodded with a solemn expression on his face. "Mhm, the police said she hit her head on the wall. They''ve taken her to the hospital for an examination. As for the details, I''ll need to head to the hospital to know more about it." "I''ll go too." Queenie could not be bothered with the tray in her hands and ced it on the shelf before heading back to her bedroom to change her clothes. Jack watched Queenie from behind and let out a sigh. He intended to keep it from Queenie by telling her that something urgent came up. However, there was no way he could hide it now. Jack furrowed his brows. He thought that once Leia was taken to the police station, she would not be able to disturb them anymore. However, it seemed that Leia was truly capable of ying with fire. She actually hit her head on the wall like that! Jack was furious, but he returned to his bedroom to change his clothes. He frowned when he noticed Queenie was dressed lightly. He opened the closet and took out a scarf. Then, he wrapped it around her neck and said, "It''s cold out there. You should wear a coat too." "I''ll just wear the coat I left downstairs. Dear, let''s go to the hospital. Oh, we need Leia''s identification documents,¡± replied Queenie as she anxiously pulled open a drawer. Leia''s identification documents were initially left at her apartment, but Jack had asked someone to send them back. After the documents were returned, Queenie kept them safe. Once she found Leia''s identification documents, she put them into her bag. As Queenie carried the bag, she said, "Let''s go now." "I''ve informed the driver toe and pick us up. We''ll have to wait for a while." Jack nced at the time. It usually took the driver about 20 minutes to arrive at their residence. After all, the rental fees around this area were high, and the driver could not afford it. "That long?!" Queenie frowned, but she realized that it would be unsafe for Jack to drivete at night. Therefore, she suggested, "Why don''t we take a taxi?" "I''ve already informed Luke to head there first. He''ll arrive earlier than we do. He can find out about Leia''s situation first,¡± answered Jack as he knitted his brows together. Taxis were rare in their area, as most residents here owned cars. There was no guarantee that they could even find one if they walked out to hail a taxi. It would be better to wait a little longer for the driver than to wait in the cold wind. Queenie was anxious, but she had no choice but to follow Jack''s arrangement. She still trusted Luke. Even though he did not like Leia, personal feelings seemed to have no effect on his judgment when it was about life and death. Hence, Queenie could only anxiously wait for Jack''s driver to arrive. On the other hand... Luke entered the bedroom, opened the wardrobe, and put on a coat before he hurried to the hospital. He was now d that he had sent the children back to Crawford Manor. Otherwise, the kids would have to stay here without Luca around. If he had to leave, he would have to call Aunt Neile toe over. Aunt Neile''s house was quite far away from the vi. Luke made his way down the stairs. He grabbed the car keys and left in a hurry. Even though he despised Leia, he would fulfill Jack''s request. Besides, Leia should not end her life like this. She had done so many terrible things. It would be too easy for her to just die and escape from it all. Luke drove to the hospital. His gaze was dim as a sh of sharpness flickered in them. Leia must not die! When Luke arrived at the hospital, he went straight to the emergency room. With his imposing presence, he attracted much attention as he entered. He saw two officers in police uniforms and walked straight toward them. "Hello, I''m Luke Crawford, Leia''s brother-inw." Admitting his rtionship with Leia was undoubtedly repulsive to Luke. However, it was inappropriate for him to mention Jack''s name now. Francis was startled for a moment. He informed Jack Norman, so why did Lukee instead? He knew Luke was the CEO of T Corporation even though they had never formally met each other. Still, he knew about Luke''s other identity¡ªJack''s son-inw. "Hello, Mr. Crawford. I''m the police officer handling that case. You may call me Officer Brown. Ms. Norman is currently being treated there." He pointed at the curtained-off examination room. Luke nodded. He knew what case Francis was referring to. Discussing matters rted to Jack openly in public was indeed inappropriate. "How is she doing?" asked Luke. "When she was at the police station..." Before Francis could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by Luke, "I''m referring to her physical condition." Francis nodded. He thought Luke was asking about how Leia got injured. Even though Leia hit her head on the wall and it was not them who forced her to do so, they would be in trouble if the Norman family argued with the police. He answered the question Luke was concerned about, "She just had a CT scan. The doctor said there doesn''t seem to be any major injury at the moment. It''s only superficial wounds. But they''re concerned about the potentialplications of her injury, so they rmend keeping the patient in the hospital for observation for two days." "She should be immediately transferred to the custodial ward after her wounds are treated,¡± replied Luke in a straightforward manner. Leia was a suspect now. There would be police officers watching over her even if she was admitted to the hospital. Her hands would be handcuffed to the bed. It would be impossible for her to take advantage of her injuries and escape. "We n to do so too," said Francis before pulling the curtains. "Have the patient''s family members arrived?" asked the doctor. "I''m her brother-inw. Her parents are on their way," replied Luke with an expressionless face. His reaction was cold and indifferentpared to the rtives who were worried about their family members when they saw the doctor. He showed no emotional attachment to the patient as a family member. "Alright. The patient needs to stay in the hospital for observation. ording to the police''s instructions, she should be kept in the custodial ward, right?" The doctor looked at Francis and the others. "Yes." Francis nodded. Leia''s incident had added to their workload. They had to arrange for someone to be on duty here. He could not help but feel resentful. However, given the situation now, Leia being fine was the most positive scenario. Francis had no choice but to ept the fact that his workload had increased. "Alright. Her family members have to bring the patient''s identification documents toplete the hospital admission procedures. Her wounds have been treated. There were no signs of bleeding or other issues when we looked at her brain CT scan. But it''s impossible to say for sure. That''s why she needs to be under close watch. The patient is still in aa because of her physical weakness. I''ll call the doctor from the hepatology department toe to examine her and prescribe her medicationter in the morning. Many things will happen during the day, so it''d be best if her family members can handle the paperwork now. We''ll need one family member toe and cooperate with the doctors here tomorrow." The emergency room doctor went on and on, exining a lengthy procedure. Francis was listening with a sense of confusion. He eventually came up with a conclusion¡ªLeia''s health was in poor condition. It was not only her brain but her liver as well. She was weak... N?velDrama.Org content rights. Francis began to feel a headache at the thought of this. If the Norman family were to me them for this, it would be difficult for the police to exin. Leia was a suspect, but to have a suspect end up like this... Perhaps their police department would be held responsible... "Her identification documents are with her parents. You can ce her in the custodial ward first. The necessary procedures will be taken care of once her parents arrive," said Luke as he nced at Leia, who was in the emergency room. Chapter 2862 "Alright. Let''s transfer the patient to the custodial ward.¡± The doctor nodded and turned around to instruct the nurses to move the patient. Francis and another police officer followed him behind. Luke followed them too. However, unlike the doctors and nurses, who were in a hurry, or the police officers who were following behind them, he maintained some distance from them. He held his phone and updated Jack about Leia''s current situation, ensuring that the couple would not be too worried about her. He had no idea if Jack would worry about Leia, but Queenie would certainly be concerned about her. After Leia was brought to the hospital''s designated custodial ward, Jack and Queenie hastily rushed over. Luke had officiallypleted his task. He turned to look at Queenie. "Mom, please hand me her identification documents. We''ll need to handle the hospital admission procedures." He had already informed them about Leia''s situation through text, so it was only natural toplete the admission formalities. The police would not be covering Leia''s medical expenses even if she was in the custodial ward. Queenie''s face turned pale. She immediately nodded and took out Leia''s identification documents and her bank card when she heard what he said. "Luke, please help with the payment when you handle the procedures." She did not want to trouble Luke, but she had yet to recover herposure. She felt as though her feet were floating. She would have likely stumbled if it were not for Jack gently holding her by her side. "I''ll take care of it." Luke nodded and walked away to handle Leia''s hospital admission. The doors of the ward were pushed open once again. Francis came out when he heard that Jack and his wife had arrived at the hospital. He greeted Jack, "Mr. Norman, I apologize for having youe to the hospital at such ate hour. I''m Francis Brown, the police officer who''s in charge of this case. We spoke on the phone during the day." "I know." Jack nodded, indicating that he had not forgotten Francis. Then, he asked, "What happened to her?" "Ms. Norman tried to kill herself by hitting on a wall in the detention room. The doctors have treated her injuries, but she still needs to be hospitalized for observation.¡± Francis thought he was being asked about Leia''s condition. Hence, he answered in detail. "Has she confessed?" Jack was asking about this. Even though it was a question, he knew that Leia would not have easily admitted guilt. She would definitely find a way to escape the usation. That was probably why she hit her head on the wall. It would buy her some time and evoke sympathy from Queenie at the same time. She seeded. Queenie was genuinely concerned for her. Leia used to be someone who feared pain. She aspired to be a big star. However, she would always use a stunt actor for scenes that could potentially harm her. She would never do anything that would hurt herself. She was delicate and sensitive to pain. However, she went as far as to do such a thing to avoid imprisonment. Jack shot a nce at Queenie. He did not feel sorry for Leia. He only wanted her to take responsibility for what she had done. "Not yet." Francis heaved a sigh and shook his head. Even with the rock-solid evidence, Leia remained silent. She denied any involvement in the case and imed that the other party was ndering her. There were recordings and evidence of money transfers, so the police did not believe what she said. Therefore, they did not release her and kept her detained. "Do whatever needs to be done without considering whose daughter she is. This matter has been dragging on for too long. It''ll benefit the foreigner. Let''s not drag it out any longer," said Jack. A City''s judicial system was different from abroad. Luke had told him about Matysh''s identity. Now, he believed that further dy would give Matysh''s side an opportunity to let him escape imprisonment. Even though it was a done deal, Matysh''s family held a special status in Russia. There was a possibility they might find a way if it was dragged on for too long. How dare someone like Matysh target his beloved daughter? This matter was far from over. It could not be left like that! Francis became serious, understanding that Jack wanted him to handle it professionally. Therefore, he nodded and said, "Mr. Norman, rest assured. We''ll expedite our work and solve the case as soon as possible." Jack nodded. Meanwhile, Lukepleted the hospital admission procedures for Leia and paid the deposit. He did not head back right away. Instead, he dialed Luca''s phone number. "Luke..." The call connected, and Luca''s voice came from the other end of the line. Her voice was soft, gentle, and full of affection. Luke could imagine the scene of Luca answering the call even though they were on the phone. She was thinking of him and probably missing him... "Um, am I disturbing you?" asked Luke. Even though it waste at night, he wanted to hear Luca''s voice. "No, I couldn''t fall asleep." Luca turned over in bed and stared at the darkness in the room. Shey down on the bed after returning from Amur''s room. However, she could not sleep even after several hours. Even though her body was tired from today''s busy schedule, she simply could not fall asleep. It was just like the countless nights she spent when she was on the Ind of Despair. She could not sleep without medication. Her body was tired, but her nerves and cells remained awake. It had been a long time since Luca had experienced insomnia. That was why she did not have any sleeping pills with her. She did not expect to lose sleep without Luke by her side now. Was she having trouble sleeping because Luke was not by her side... "Are youing back tomorrow?" Luke stood in the corridor. He did not enter the custodial ward. Instead, he chose to stand in this rtively quiet ce to chat with Luca. "Yes. I''ve bailed Amur out. I''ll be able to return to A City tomorrow," answered Luca. A few doctors and nurses hurried past Luke at this very moment. N?velDrama.Org content rights. "The patient''s condition doesn''t seem good. Call his family. He must be admitted to the ICU for treatment.¡± "But the patient''s family is reluctant to do so. They''re worried about the high medical expenses." "He''s on the brink of death. Do the medical expenses matter? Tell his family members that if he doesn''t enter the ICU, all the previous treatments will be in vain. All the expenses will go down the drain. Let''s see if they want to hold onto that bit of money or save a life!" The conversation between the doctor and the nurses grew more distant, but Luca could still hear clearly on the other end of the phone. "Why are you at the hospital?" Luca''s voice could not help but sound worried. "Leia hit her head on the wall at the police station. I came to check on her," replied Luke. Luca was stunned for a moment. Leia hit her head on the wall? She was aware that Leia had been arrested, and now she learned that Leia hit her head on a wall. Luca could not see the extent of Leia''s injuries, so she had to ask Luke, "What did the doctor say?" "They''re just superficial injuries at the moment. The doctors advised her to stay in the custodial ward for observation," Luke''s tone turned a little cold when he mentioned Leia. He knew that Luca was only asking about Leia''s condition because she was worried about Jack and Queenie. "Is there any conclusive evidence to substantiate her situation?" Luca asked again. Chapter 2863 "The evidence is solid, with audio recordings and bank transfer records. If the Norman family doesn''t intervene this time, Leia will end up in prison." Even though Luke did not like to get involved in Leia''s affairs, Jason would still give him updates. Moreover, Jack had mentioned it to him several times. Luke already knew everything quite well even though he did not intend to know about it. That was why he had an idea of how many years Leia would be sentenced to. The court might consider Leia''s family background and reduce her punishment, but she would still have to go to prison. Even though Jack and Queenie doted on Leia back then, Jack would not help her anymore. Whatever Leia had done in the past and whatever mistakes she had made, she would ultimately face the legal consequences for them. Imprisonment might change Leia, but it could also make her worse. Luke could not be bothered by how Leia would turn out after spending a few years in prison. He would not be afraid of her even if she became worse. Bad people deserved to be punished. "Oh, by the way, did you send someone to shoot a video of Ms. Por today?" Luca suddenly asked. She initially nned to go to the hospital and record Sarah''s condition for Marcos, but Amur''s situation disrupted her schedule. She had no idea if Luke had taken care of this. "I already had a nurse record a video of her. Don''t worry," answered Luke. If it were not for him, Luca would not have to be so busy. Luca had to go to the hospital to take care of Wanda and Sarah every day after work. Luca let out a sigh of relief. Indeed, Luke valued his friendship with Marcos. Otherwise, why would he send someone to do this when she was too busy to do it herself? "Luca, is that all that''s on your mind?" Luke suddenly asked. Even though he intentionally gave her a call, it was only because he missed her. It was not because he wanted her to know that he had taken care of these things. "Huh?" Luca expressed her confusion. However, a certain possibility came across her mind, and her cheeks suddenly felt hot. "Do you miss me?" Luke suddenly asked. Luca''s cheeks grew even hotter as she buried herself in the nket. She recalled how Luke would hold her in his arms before they fell asleep every night. That was the reason she could not sleep tonight. Luke was not by her side, and this bed did not carry his scent. "I do." Luca''s voice slightly trembled, but it also warmed Luke''s heart. Luca missed him. "I miss you too." Even though he was at the hospital, Luke did not hesitate to express how much he missed Luca. Previously, no matter how busy he was with work, his heart was at ease when he knew that Luca was sleeping in the bedroom opposite him. It gave him more motivation to handle his work. However, Luke had lost that peace of mind even though he knew Luca was in X City now. There was no way Luke could live without Luca throughout this lifetime. As he was lost in his thoughts, he heard a soft ''mhm''ing from the other end of the phone. Luke tightened his grip on his phone. He did not want to be separated from Luca again. It was time for him to start eliminating the forces and individuals who tried to tear them apart as a couple. "Luke.¡± Jack''s voice came from behind. Luca also heard Jack''s voice and recognized it. She hesitated for a moment, wondering if Jack had heard what Luke had just said about missing her. She reckoned that Jack was not the type to eavesdrop on others'' conversations. Assuming that Jack had not heard anything, Luca said, "Go ahead and handle your matters first. I''m going to bed." "Okay." Luke hung up the call and turned around to face Jack. "Dad." Jack nodded. Luca thought Jack did not overhear the part where Luke expressed his thoughts for her, but he did hear it, and he knew that Luke would only say such affectionate words to Luca. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Even though he knew, Jack asked, "Were you talking to Luca just now?" "Yes. She''s in X City now." Luke nodded, admitting it. Luca was Jack''s daughter, and she was also Luke''s wife. Luke missed his wife and called her to express his affection. There was no need to deny it in front of his father-inw. "X City? Why is she in City X?" asked Jack in surprise. "Something happened to her younger brother. That''s why she went to X City to deal with it. It''s been taken care of, and she''ll be back tomorrow," exined Luke. Now that Jack knew Luca''s true identity as Bianca, he understood the other matters as well. Luca now had a younger brother on paper, a man from Russia who was likely part of the same organization as Luca. Jack initially thought that this so-called brother was monitoring Luca''s actions in A City, but Luke had mentioned that it might not be the case. After all, Amur had been protecting Luca all along. Hence, while Jack did not hate this brother who showed up out of nowhere, he did not like him either. He believed that Amur might not necessarily be protecting Luca. However, he had not harmed Luca so far. "They sure know how to cause trouble,"mented Jack. Even though Luke did not specify what Amur had done, Jack felt that it could not be anything good. Luke did not deny it because Amur had indeed caused quite a bit of trouble this time. When Luca suggested going to X City to handle Amur''s situation, Luke inquired about the situation in X City. He learned that the two men from the Ind of Despair had died of food poisoning. Although it was food poisoning, the police had no leads and did not have grounds to suspect Amur. Still, Luke knew that Amur was behind it. Even though he was protecting Luca, he was carrying out the tasks assigned by the Ind of Despair at the same time. Amur had no choice but to choose to carry them out. Although he was forced to do so, he was ruthless and merciless like the others from the Ind of Despair. When Luke saw his information, he wondered who was behind the Ind of Despair and how they could be so ruthless toward people who were no longer useful to them. However, Luke only briefly pondered on it. When it came to someone who would betray him at any moment, not to mention someone from the Ind of Despair, Luke would not show any mercy either. He would not let that person dig a pit for him. "Dad, is there something you need?" Luke changed the subject. It was better for Jack, as a politician, not to know too much about the Ind of Despair. If their base was indeed on Russian territorial waters, he would need to cooperate with the Russian government and the police again to eliminate them. It had nothing to do with the political forces in A City. "Your mother-inw would like to speak with you." Jack remembered that his wife had asked him to find Luke. "Alright." Luke nodded and started to walk toward the custodial ward. Jack walked alongside him and reminded him, "She''s probably going to talk about Leia''s situation. Don''t go along with her intentions no matter what she says. Leia must go to prison this time." Chapter 2864 Jack stood his ground with those words. Luke knew what he meant. Queenie was probably going to try and talk to him about Leia. Although Queenie realized that Leia had crossed the line, she still adored her. Seeing Leia hurt must have wavered her. Luke and Jack walked to the door of the custodial ward. Queenie was leaning on the wall while looking inside. The door of the custodial ward was made out of metal, and there was only one tiny eye-level window to see the inside. At that moment, Queenie was not allowed to go in and check on Leia, so she could only tiptoe to see what was going on inside with a worried look on her face. ¡°Mom, you''re looking for me?" Luke walked over and saw how worried Queenie looked, which further convinced him that Queenie was going to want to help Leia. However, Jack said that Leia had to go to jail and pay for what she had done. Luke had no intention of showing mercy. ¡°Luke, can you do me a favor?" Queenie stood up straight as she was starting to feel better after finally calming down. "Just say it." Luke did not agree, nor did he refuse. He just wanted to hear what she wanted to say first. ¡°I want to go inside to see Leia. Can you get the police to agree?" Queenie bit her lip as she spoke hesitantly. ording to thew, family members were not allowed in custodial wards. She had mentioned it to Jack before too, but he rejected her, saying that it would affect his political activities. In fact, the police had already given them special permission to visit the hospital. Besides, Leia''s identity documents were still in the Norman Residence when she was first treated. Doctors were not supposed to treat patients without any identification. Queenie knew that Jack could not go against thew because of his position, so she pinned her hopes on Luke. He held significant power in A City, so the police department might agree with him. "That''s not allowed, so even if I talk to them, they won''t agree to it. The doctor said that she''s in stable condition and there''s a policewoman taking care of her in there too, so you can rest assured. If anything goes wrong, the doctor will be here," Lukeforted Queenie. He could not make the police bend the rules. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Plus, this situation was directly rted to Jack. Luke saw the disappointment on Queenie''s face, and when he looked toward the door, he said, "She''s not an ordinary person. If someone finds out they let you in, it won''t just be me abusing my power but Dad too..." He stopped there. Queenie understood what he was trying to say. If she really insisted on visiting Leia, it would not look good for Jack. She nodded without saying anything more. Luke saw the doctor walk out while taking off his mask, so he went up to ask him, "How is she doing?" "The patient has woken up, and the wound has been bandaged. For now, she''ll be fine, but we''ll only know her vital signs after doing a check-up tomorrow." The doctor dared not guarantee that Leia was fine. After all, someone might be fine on the day they hit their head, but it wasmon for hemorrhages to ur after a day or two. The doctor said that as a precaution. Queenie''s peace of mind was disrupted after hearing what the doctor had to say. "Doctor, are you saying that Leia might be in danger?" The doctor frowned as she seemed to have read into his words too much. "Mrs. Norman, I don''t know the specifics, but she won''t be in danger. Let her stay in the hospital for a while, and I''ll do a check-up on her tomorrow." That was all he could say. Queenie parted her lips slightly and hesitated to speak. Jack said, "Since she''s fine and the police are keeping an eye on her, let''s go home, Queen." "I want to stay a little while longer." Queenie shook her head. She thought that looking at Leia from outside the door was still better than being at home. At least she would be able to know firsthand if anything happened to Leia. "Mom, if you stay here, it''ll badly affect Dad because you''re not supposed to show up at the hospital in the first ce." Luke helped Jack remind Queenie. Queenie froze. She hesitated for a few seconds while choosing between her husband and her daughter, but in the end, she listened to Jack. "Let''s go home." "The hospital will notify us if anything happens, so don''t worry." Jack held Queenie''s arm and was about to leave. Luke followed suit and handed Leia''s identity documents to Queenie. The Normans left as they no longer had business there. Several people came to the gate of the hospital. Luke walked Jack and Queenie to their car before driving back to the mansion in his own car. As soon as he parked the car, Jack sent him a message: [Luke, if you''re free tomorrow, why don''t you come to the provincial capital?] Luke lifted his eyebrows when he read the message, but his expression was calm. Did Jack have something to say to him? He chose to not talk at the hospital, on the phone, or at Norman Residence. Instead, he wanted them to meet at the provincial capital. Of course, Luke would not reject Jack, so he replied: [Sure, when are you free tomorrow?] [I have a meeting at eight-thirty in the morning, so you might have toe at eight.] Jack replied almost instantly because it was going to be a long meeting, so there would not be any other suitable time. [Sure.] Luke put down his phone after seeing the message being delivered. The house was dark. When he left, he did not think of leaving a light on for when he came back. Only the sr-powered lamp in the garden was lit, but the rest of the mansion was pitch dark and lonely. Luke sighed as the mansion was unusually quiet without Luca. There were no signs of life as if it had been uninhabited for a long time. Luke frowned and walked into the house to turn on the living room lights. The ce was bright now, but it was pin-drop silent. Luke even felt that he should not havee back. However, a hotel bed would not smell like Luca. He would not be able to sleep well the entire night if that was the case. Luke shook his head at how much he missed Luca when she had only gone to X City for one night. Therefore, he should speed things up. The next day. Before dawn, Luca, Amur, and Warren checked out and quickly left X City. Without Luke''s breath lingering around her nose, Luca did not sleep well the entire night. She was a little sleepy when she got in the car, but she looked at the scenery passing by without wanting to sleep. Even so, she was not very awake. Warren noticed from the rear-view mirror that Luca was a bit sleepy, so he said, ¡°Ms. Craw, there''s still some time before we reach A City, so you can take a nap in the car for a while." Luca shook her head. She nced at Amur and said, "Once you drop Amur off at the apartment, head to thepany." Chapter 2865 After hearing that, Amur said without waiting for Warren to reply, ¡°It''s okay. Just drop me off at A City." Warren was taken aback and said doubtfully, "Where in A City?" "You can just drop me off when you get to A City," said Amur as he looked at Luca. Warren was still hesitant to drop him off at A City as he knew where Amur lived. Luca knew why Amur said so. She guessed that he wanted to report to Abel about thepletion of his mission. Abel had left X City for A City too. Luca said, "Just do as he said." "Sure, Ms. Craw." Warren nodded and followed the navigation system back to A City before stopping at the side of the road. Amur did not say much. He just got out of the car and continued walking on the sidewalk. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Warren was puzzled. "Ms. Craw, is this really okay? It seems hard to get a taxi here." "If he said it''s fine, then it''s fine. Warren, it''s still early, so send me back to the mansion to change into a new set of clothes." Luca nced at the time. They departed early, so at their current speed, she would be able to go home and change. She went to X City yesterday rather hastily, so she did not bring a change of clothes with her. Even though the weather was cool, she still felt like she smelled at the end of the day. She was concerned about things like this even when she was on the Ind of Despair. Although the training was tough, she still insisted on taking a bath and changing into a new set of clothes every day. Living conditions in A City were much betterpared to the Ind of Despair, so had to insist on changing into a new set of clothes. "Yes, Ms. Craw," replied Warren. "I asked Aunt Neile to prepare an extra portion for breakfast, so when we get back to the mansion, you can have breakfast while you wait for me," said Luca as she did not want Warren to be hungry while driving her around. Warren was overwhelmed. "It''s okay, Ms. Craw!" "It''s just breakfast, and I''ve already told Aunt Neile, so just let me know when we''ve arrived," After Luca said that, she messaged Aunt Neile and covered herself with her jacket. Then, she positioned herself comfortably before closing her eyes to rest for a bit. Even if she could not fall asleep, it would be good for her to get some shut-eye because she was going to have a long day at work as she was going to start her research. Before that, she had to hold a meeting with the researchers in the group. Seeing her like this, Warren dared not reject her and disturb her rest, so he drove all the way to the mansion in silence. After returning to the mansion, she noticed that Luke had left. She asked Aunt Neile curiously, "Aunt Neile, why did Mr. Crawford leave so early today?" "I''m not sure either, but he woke up early today and went out with his packed breakfast. It seems like he has something important to do." Aunt Neile shook her head in uncertainty. As a maid, she was not supposed to ask about Luke''s affairs. Luca thought to herself, ''What important matter does he have?'' Could it be about Leia? She did not dwell on it any longer and said to Aunt Neile, "Aunt Neile, serve some breakfast for Mr. Carlson please." "Yes, Ms. Luca." Aunt Neile nodded. Warren followed Luca in, and upon hearing what she said, he followed Aunt Neile to the dining room and sat down. Luca went upstairs to get a new set of clothes and take a quick shower. Only after changing did she feel much morefortable. After that, she quickly put on some base makeup and blush. When herplexion looked much better, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. Then, she went downstairs quickly. Right then, Warren had already finished breakfast and was waiting for her in the living room. "Ms. Craw." Warren greeted her when he saw hering down. Luca nodded. Then, she heard Aunt Neile say, "Ms. Craw, would you like to have breakfast now?" Luca shook her head. "There''s not enough time. Aunt Neile, can you please pack up my breakfast so I can have it on the way?" Although she was not sure what kind of breakfast Aunt Neile prepared today, if Luke could take it with him, she should be able to do so too. It was better to not bete for today''s asion. "Sure, wait a moment." Aunt Neile moved quickly as she went into the kitchen the second Luca said so. After a while, she was done packing up the breakfast and handed it to her. "Ms. Craw, no matter how busy you get, you must have breakfast." "Alright, I know. Sorry for the trouble, Aunt Neile." After Luca took her breakfast, she left with Warren. Luca finished her breakfast in the car, and when she arrived at thepany, Rhett and Mo came up to her. Mo was a little surprised that Luca arrived at thepany five minutes early. She left early yesterday, so she thought that Luca would not be able to arrive on time today. Rhett thought so too. Their group has been busy preparing the new project, and Luca seemed to have a lot going on in her personal life. When Rhett was with her, he felt that she was as busy as a bee. Luca asked for the most leaves in the entirepany this month. If it were not for the good results their group produced, the other professors might evenin about it. With Luca''s ability, however, they had no right to say anything no matter how many leaves she took. ¡°Dr. Craw, here are the documents needed for today''s meeting. Take a look." Rhett handed Luca the documents in his hand. These documents should have been done by Luca. However, she was not free, so she left the work in the hands of Rhett. Although Rhett had experience, he was still worried that he would not do a good enough job, so he wanted to ask Luca how the documents were before the meeting. If the work was not up to standard, Luca did not have to talk ording to the materials at the meeting. "Sure." Luca took the file and went into her office before taking off her coat. At the same time, Mo handed more documents to Luca. "Dr. Craw, this is the equipment and budget information approved by the departments." "Did they all agree?" Luca already knew the answer, but she still asked. Even if the other departments thought that it was too much, they would agree if Luke signed the document. After all, Luke''s signature was enough to make them obey. "They''ve agreed, and the equipment you need arrived before you left yesterday," said Mo as she nodded. "Great. You don''t have to show me that. How long until the meeting starts?" said Luca as she sat on her office chair. After receiving Amur''s call yesterday, she left the office in a hurry. She did not have time to tidy up the documents, so the desk looked exactly like how she left it yesterday. "There''s still 15 minutes," Rhett nced at his watch and replied. "Got it. Ms. Stone, can you make me a cup of coffee, please? And make it ck." Luca needed coffee to wake herself up. Chapter 2866 "Okay, Dr. Craw." Mo retreated to the room to prepare coffee for her. On the other hand, Rhett stood there, waiting for Luca to finish reading the materials he prepared. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. The office was dead silent. Luca opened the documents that Rhett handed over and speedily read through the contents. Rhett was still a little nervous as he watched her flip through to thest page. He was worried that the material he had prepared independently would not be good enough to make her satisfied. Luca closed the documents after reading them. Without giving Rhett any trouble, she handed the files to him and said bluntly, "Very well done. These are the materials I want. You can copy these and send them to the meeting room." "Right away." Rhett took the documents. His spirits were lifted by Luca''s approval, which made him excited. Rhett walked out of Luca''s office with the documents. At the same time, Mo walked to the door with a cup of coffee. She saw him and whispered, "Did you pass?" Mo knew that this was the first time that Rhett hadpleted such an important task independently. He did not have any confidence without Luca guiding him. However, this was an order from above, and he could only follow it. With an uncontroble smile on Rhett''s face, he nodded. "Yes, I''m going to make a copy now." Mo was a little surprised but still nodded and said, "Congrattions." In the beginning, she did not think that Rhett could meet the standard that Luca wanted. However, he was able toplete this task alone. Mo looked at the coffee in her hand, feeling a little uneasy inside. She chose to be an assistant in this department, not a professor''s assistant. This was because she felt that an independent research assistant would be very busy. They would have to shoulder a lot of responsibilities too. She and Rhett joined thepany at the same time. Rhett had made progress, but she was still where she was. He could handle these documents alone, but she was still doing chores for various professors, dealing with trivial matters that had little to do with the profession... For the first time, Mo felt she was missing out. It took her a few seconds to suppress the sense of missing out in her heart. Then, she walked into Luca''s office with a cup of coffee. "Dr. Craw, your coffee," Mo had a smile on her face. She had been in the workforce for such a long time, so she was able to hide her true emotions with a smile. "Thank you." Luca took the coffee and took a big gulp. The bitter coffee slid down her throat and into her stomach. The caffeine had not kicked in yet, but the warmth in the coffee gave her body a pick-me- up. Mo nced at the time and reminded her. "Dr. Craw, it''s time for the meeting." "I know. You go and prepare first. I''ll be thereter," Luca said, taking another sip of coffee. She nned to finish this cup of coffee before going in. Although she was sleepy, her current state was still able to cope with work. She just wanted to make her work better through coffee. Mo nodded slightly, walked out of Luca''s office, and nned to make some tea and coffee for the researchers in the conference room. Then, she saw Rhetting out of the assistant''s office with a large stack of copied documents. Rhett nodded to her and then walked to the conference room. Mo felt even more ufortable. They had the same starting line. Of course, they should be doing the same kind of work. Now, Rhett''s scope of work was wider than hers. Not only could he participate in the experiment, but he could also do many things with Luca. On top of that, the prize money for those research projects... Not only did she not have these, but she still had to still serve refreshments to those professors and researchers... Mo looked at Rhett''s back, wondering if she had got it all wrong before. Perhaps if she had gotten closer to Luca, this position would not have belonged to Rhett. Luca finished her cup of coffee before walking slowly to the conference room. The researchers in her group were already sitting there waiting for her in the conference room. "Sorry, I was slightly dyed by certain matters. Let''s start the meeting now," Luca said as she sat down. She turned on theptop and started the meeting with them. Meanwhile, Luke arrived at the provincial capital on the dot ording to the time Jack proposed. Jack had asked his secretary to make tea while waiting for him. When he was about to speak, the secretary knocked on the door and entered, informing Jack that the meeting that should start in an hour suddenly needed to be brought forward. Those who attended the meeting today included officials from other governments. Jack had no choice but to request Luke to go home first. Luke knew that Jack had an impromptu meeting and proposed that he could wait in the reception room and wait. He knew that Jack must want to talk to him about something highly confidential seeing as he asked him toe to the provincial capital. The provincial capital, especially Jack''s reception room and office, were ces with the highest level of confidentiality. After the incident with the Norman family, Jack no longer trusted the Norman family. Although he had a professional security team, he was worried that someone with bad intentions would eavesdrop on what he nned to tell Luke. Thus, he chose to talk here. Choosing to be in the provincial capital meant that Luke was a visitor, not Jack''s son-inw. However, the level of privacy here was top-tier. Therefore, Luke waited for almost two hours. During this period, he was not idle. He used his mobile phone to work and dealt with a lot of work matters. The receptionist of the provincial capital came in several times to refill his tea. More than two hourster, Jack ended the meeting. Instead of returning to the office to rest, he went directly to the reception room and said to his secretary beside him, "I have something to discuss with Mr. Crawford. Don''t let anyone in." "Yes." The secretary nodded and stood outside the reception room. The door of the reception room was pushed open. Luke put away his phone, stood up, and greeted the person who came in. Jack nodded, waved to him and said, "Have a seat." Luke waited for him to sit down before sitting down himself. As soon as he sat down, Jack asked, "Have you been waiting for a long time? I thought you left already." After all, Luke was usually very busy with work, so Jack was a little surprised that he was able to sit here for two hours. "You reached out to me. I must wait for you no matter what," Luke expressed his determination. This was normal even if Jack was not his father-inw. Furthermore, it was important for him to do so because Jack was still his father-inw. When his father-inw had something to say and reached out to him, he would definitely obey the old man''s orders no matter how busy he was and wait here obediently. "I''ve already taken up enough of your time, so I''ll make it short." Jack was very satisfied with what Luke said and went straight to the point. Luke nodded. He should listen carefully when Jack is speaking. "I asked you here today because I want to talk about two things. It just so happens that neither of these two things can be made known to others, so I chose to talk to you here. You''re so smart, so you would''ve guessed this," Jack hade in with his thermos in his arms. After saying this, he opened the thermos and took a sip of water to moisten his throat. Chapter 2867 Luke nodded. He did not urge Jack to speak. Even though he had not spoken yet, he could probably guess what Jack was going to talk to him about. It must be about Luca. Jack''s tone became serious after a drink of water. "Luke, you''re too slow." Luke did not say anything. What else could he say if the old man was dissatisfied with the way he handled things? He could only bear it silently. Jack never meant to criticize him on purpose. So many things had happened. He hoped that Luke could solve the matter with Luca as soon as possible so that Luca could return to her family. Queenie''s mood had worsened because her attention was all on Leia. Jack believed that as long as Luca came back and Queenie diverted her attention, she would not be affected by Leia. After all, their biological daughter was good and capable, while their adopted daughter was bad from head to toe. It was impossible for Queenie to choose thetter. "Luca''s matter needs to be resolved quickly. Queen''s attention will only be diverted if Queen knows who Luca is." Jack knew that Luke had been working hard to solve the problem. This matter was difficult, which was why it was handled so slowly. However, Queenie could not keep her attention on Leia. She was depressed and unhealthy. Luca could make Queenie happy, but as long as Queenie did not know who Luca truly was, everything would be pointless. Queenie did not know that Luca was her own daughter even when thetter could make her so happy. Queenie attached great importance to her daughter. Otherwise, she would not have been so heartbroken that it even affected her health. When Luca was swapped, Queenie thought that her child was gone, and she kept thinking about it for several years, resulting in her poor health... Otherwise, they would not have adopted Leia from the orphanage... Luke nodded. "I''ll settle it as soon as possible. At this point, there are still some things that have not been rified. When things are fully rified, Luca will be able to recognize the two of you." At that time, Luca could also change her name back to Bianca Rayne, the woman he missed and loved the most. Jack sighed with ease after hearing Luke''s assurance to himself. N?velDrama.Org content rights. He never doubted Luke''s feelings for Luca. Although he was dissatisfied with Luke''s slow handling of this matter, he also knew that Luke had been dealing with it all the time. There are some things that could not be rushed. Especially when the opponent was an internationally renowned terrorist organization. No matter how rich and capable Luke was, he was just a businessman. A businessman against a terrorist organization? No one would believe that Luke had this ability. However, Jack believed that Luke did have this ability from past lessons. The progress was a bit slow, but it was also for Luca''s safety. "This matter is still up to you. If you need assistance from Russia, the embassy can help." Jack did not know how Luke eradicated the Ind of Despairst time, but he heard that the police from Russia helped. If one wanted assistance from these organizations, one may need help from above. "You don''t have to worry about this matter. I know how tomunicate with the local police," Luke said. He did not ask anyone for help when he dealt with itst time. The Russian police came forward to help them eradicate the Ind of Despair? That was impossible for whatever reason. They got in touch with the Russian police directly through Ray. The Russian government was also troubled by the Ind Of Despair''s existence. The Russian government would not cover up an unauthorized organization that was not under their rule and one that did not bring any benefits to them. On the contrary, the Ind Of Despair''s existence threatened the power of the Russian government and the security of Russia at all times. Therefore, when they proposed cooperation with the Russian government, the other party immediately agreed. Those weapons were sessfully obtained without hassle too. Otherwise, Percy would not have been able to pick up the machine gun and shoot at the people on the Ind Of Despair so easily. Jack understood what he meant. ''Does he intend to cooperate with the Russian government? In any case, as long as this matter is resolved, any method is good.'' Jack was Luca''s father too. Luca''s well-being was the most important thing to him. "There is one more thing." Jack did not call Luke over just to encourage him to deal with Luca''s affairs. "Please tell me." Luke''s response was respectful. Jack said, "In two days, the government will announce a project. You should be prepared. After discussing it, they still prefer local enterprises in A City."'' What he said was vague and unclear. He did not say what the project was but mentioned that rumors had leaked into the market before. He just casually mentioned it to Luke in passing that the intention was to set up this project for local companies. This implicitly told Luke that theirpetitors would be greatly reduced. There were many constructionpanies in A City, but T Corporation had more advantages than other local constructionpanies. On top of that, the project did not supportpanies in other cities, which included foreignpanies, so there would be much lesspetition. Jack felt that Luke should understand what he implicitly meant so far. If Luke did not understand or did not seize the opportunity, there was nothing Jack could do. Luke''s eyes lit up slightly. During this time, he had been busy preparing for the project that Jack was talking about. The relevant departments had not announced it yet, but Luke had been preparing for it since Jack mentioned before that it was highly likely to happen. The government would givepaniespeting for the same projects the same amount of time to prepare their bids. However, Luke had prepared in advance. This meant that he had a lot more time to prepare, and he would be more fully prepared than otherpanies. "I see. Thank you for your advice." Luke remained polite but still did not show the familial intimacy between them, as if their rtionship never existed. Jack nced at his watch and said, "Okay, I''ve said everything I want to say. I have a meetingter. You can leave first. Oh, when you are free, take the kids to the Normans'' for dinner and let the kids apany Queenie." Queenie loved her grandchildren very much. If having the grandchildren stay with them for a long time was not unreasonable or it would not have a bad influence on Luke and the Crawford family, he would be quite willing to keep Luke and Bianca''s children by his side. After all, the children made Queenie feel more rxed. Moreover, the kids still had a great-grandfather and a father, so he could not do this. Moreover, Leia had caused Jack some psychological trauma. He had always been very strict with Leia''s upbringing, thinking that he could raise a child well. Right now, everything that happened told him that he had failed in educating his child. Girls were easier to raise than boys. However, his educational methods shaped Leia into such a rebellious character. Jack doubted his child-raising methods now that Leia had be like this. Chapter 2868 "Okay, Lanie and the others miss their grandpa and grandma too," Luke agreed, thinking that Luca would be able to bring the kids back when she was done with her work in the next few days. "Great." Jack was very satisfied. At this moment, there was a knock on the door. He put away the emotion in his voice and said, "Come in." The secretary opened the door and knew that their conversation was over after seeing that Luke had stood up. The secretary reminded Jack, "Sir, the next meeting is about to start." Jack nodded and looked at Luke. "I''ll go to the meeting first. Remember to bring the kids over for a meal on the weekend." "Okay." Luke watched Jack and his secretary leave before leaving the provincial capital. He did not go back to the T Corporation immediately after leaving the provincial capital. Jack urged him to pick up the pace today and also told him a piece of news. Now, he needed to pay the Mallories a visit. After arriving at Mallory Tower, Luke took the elevator directly to Percy''s office. He pushed open the door and heard Percy say, "Here you are. Coffee is ready for you." Luke walked in and sat on the chair opposite Percy. Percy''s assistant was smart. When Luke walked in, she knew they had something to talk about, so she respectfully said, "Mr. Mallory, I''m going downstairs to work first." "Close the door," Percy said, putting down the work at hand. "Sure," Percy''s assistant left the office and closed the door behind her. Luke picked up the coffee that Percy''s assistant had prepared for him. He took a sip, then raised his eyebrows. Percy read his expression and teased him, "The coffee made by my assistant is naturally not as good as the coffee made by Dr. Craw, so don''t be picky." Luke was not picky. He put down the coffee and echoed his sentiments, "Yes, it''s not as good as Luca''s coffee. Your assistant should learn how to make coffee from her." Percy rolled his eyes and took the cup that Luke put down. "Even if I''m willing to let my assistant learn from your beloved Dr. Craw, you must be willing to let Dr. Craw teach my assistant." The people in their tiny inner circle who knew that Luca was Bianca also knew that Luca was extremely precious to Luke. Make Luca teach Percy''s assistant how to make coffee? Luke would never want to make Luca exhausted. The men in this inner circle would never allow their beloved to be exhausted. Luke was the one who loved his wife in the most exceptional way. "There''s business to talk about." Luke knew that Percy was joking and did not dwell on the topic of Luca. Percy put away his cheekiness, nodded, and waited for him to get down to business. "The government''s n to develop suburbannd is about to be implemented. T Corporation has already gotten busy with this matter. Your side should start too," Luke said. The Mallory family and Percy would benefit when T Corporation made money. T Corporation''s confidence in bidding came from its partnership with Mallory Corporation for better resources and apetitive edge. It was impossible for Percy to refuse such a good cooperation opportunity. "Is it confirmed?" Percy knew that Luke''s information was sensitive. Although he was just confirming the authenticity of the information, he had already started to figure out a n in his mind. "It''s confirmed. This isn''t fake news. I heard that the government of A City is more interested in letting localpanies in A City win the bid for this project." Luke did not hide the news. In terms of local decision-making, this was not a secret. If a city had its own home-grown powerful enterprises, the local government would give priority to them. After all, the development of enterprises would be beneficial to the local government''s performance. If it were not for therge power gap, no one would hand over projects to other cities or even foreign companies. Unless the projects had nothing to do with the government, they would have no way to participate in the management. "I''ve heard about this news, but there are several constructionpanies in A City. I''ve counted them, and none of them seem to be able topete with T Corporation. However, I don''t take this lightly. I''ll hold a meeting here first and give you thepany''s final quotation. Then, you can make adjustments based on the quotation to finallyplete the bidding proposal," Percy said. The two of them had alwayspleted projects together. They would not tear themselves apart for a mere difference in benefits. Theirpanies could develop further as long as their interests were prioritized. In return, that would shut all the other shareholders'' up. For Percy, this project was a good one. He badly needed a huge project to silence those small shareholders who were still trying to support Pierre to mess up thepany. If Percy was able to manage Mallory Corporation well, Pierre would not have the ability to mess things up either. These facts could not be denied. "Okay. There''s one more thing," Luke said. "Spill." Percy picked up the coffee and took a sip. Luke may have disliked the coffee made by his assistant, but he quite liked it. His assistant learned the craft from a professional barista. He admitted that the coffee did not have the mellowness in Luca''s brew, but the taste was still quite good. Furthermore, Percy was not like Luke, whose tastebuds were spoiled by Luca. Percy even felt that if Luke were on a deserted ind with him, thetter might starve to death from being a picky eater. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Luca''s matter with the Ind of Despair matter is almost at the next phase. I''ll need your help when the timees," Luke said. They were ustomed to this, and they would help each other in troubled times. "Okay, no problem. My people are ready at any time," Percy agreed without hesitation. Helping Luke eradicate the Ind of Despair before was purely a favor. Whenever Luke was in trouble or had a grudge to solve, Percy would help him to the end. This time, Percy was also helping himself while helping Luke. The people from the Ind of Despair broke Pierre''s leg. He would never let this matter go easily. There was no rest for the evil since the Ind of Despair dared to take advantage of the Mallory family. Although Percy''s brotherhood with Pierre waspletely destroyed, the Mallories could only be dealt with by the Mallory family themselves. There was no need for the Ind Of Despair to interfere. Percy instinctively knew that if the Ind of Despair dared to target Pierre, they would dare to target other members of the Mallory family as well, including himself, Nina, Old Master Mallory, and so forth... Percy''s agreement was within Luke''s expectations. He left after talking about everything. After leaving Mallory Corporation, he still did not return to T Corporation but came to Watson Biopharmaceuticals instead. Everyone knew that he was Watson''s boss. When Luke walked into thepany, he went all the way to the floor where Luca''s office was located unobstructed. Mo stood up when she saw Lukeing in. She greeted him in surprise. "Mr. Crawford, good afternoon." It was almost noon, and Luke suddenly appeared in Watson. "Where''s Dr. Craw?" Luke asked. "Dr. Craw is still having a meeting in the conference room. Shall I inform her?" Mo knew that Luke was here to see Luca. She could not help but sigh. ¡®Sure enough, the rtionship between Luke and Luca isn''t ordinary.'' Chapter 2869 "No, I''ll wait in her office." Luke refused to let Mo interrupt Luca''s meeting and walked directly to Luca''s office. Mo hurriedly went into the pantry to prepare coffee for Luke. Then, she brought it to Luca''s office. She knocked on the door. "Mr. Crawford." "Come in." Luke sat on the sofa in the office, flipping through the magazines Luca had put on the coffee table. They were all biopharmaceutical journals. Mo came in with coffee and carefully put the mug on the table. "Mr. Crawford, have some coffee." Luke did not make a sound, and Mo dared not bother the man further. She put down the coffee and left the office, closing the door behind her. Luke looked at the contents of the journal and thought of the past. When Luca was still Bianca, she founded Brilliant Architectural Design LLC on her own. At that time, there were weekly architectural magazines on her office sofa. Now that she was engaged in biopharmaceutical research, her table was full of biopharmaceutical journals. She was serious no matter what she did. Luke loved Luca and her seriousness. She did not just show momentary enthusiasm but intense diligence. He had seen Luca''s research application this time. The research was solely focused on drugs for liver disease treatment, and he knew why Luca chose this research. She had regrets in her heart. No matter what her research prospects were, Luke would support her research. The meetingsted until noon. It was lunchtime, and they had not gone through the agenda for the meeting. Nevertheless, Luca still paused the meeting to let everyone have lunch first. They would continue the meeting in the afternoon. The meeting thatsted for several hours was very tiring. Last night, she did not have a good rest either. Luca dragged her exhausted body back to the office. It was lunchtime, so Mo had already left the office and gone downstairs for lunch. No one told her that Luke was waiting in the office. Luca saw the man sitting on the sofa when she pushed open the door and said in surprise, "Luke, why are you...¡± Her words stopped abruptly because she remembered that she was in the office now. She should not address Luke so intimately. "I''m here to see you. Is the meeting over?" Luke asked. It had been 28 hours since they had seen each other. He missed Luca very much. He took advantage of the afternoon break toe over. Luca realized that Luke might be missing her when he showed up. She blushed, closed the door, and shook her head. She said, "Not yet. We''ll continue in the afternoon."T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She understood that people were less productive on an empty stomach, so she gave the research team some time for lunch even when she did not feel like eating. Luke noticed the tiredness in her eyes, stood up, and said, "Come on. I''ve booked a private room at a nearby restaurant." Initially, Luca wanted to use her lunch break for a nap. Then, she nned to eat some biscuits just to fill her stomach when she woke up so that she could relieve her fatigue and not be hungry at the same time. However, when Luke proposed to take her to lunch, she did not hesitate. She nodded and said, "Okay." The two left the office. They kept their distance. Luke wanted to hold Luca''s hand to tell the whole world that she was his woman, but this would bring trouble to Luca. Luke could only hold back this thought. When Luke and Luca stepped out of the elevator together, it caused quite a stir. However, Watson''s staff just watched and dared not discuss anything in front of their bosses. Once Luca left Watson by Luke''s side, the staff started whispering. "That man looks familiar. Isn''t he Mr. Crawford?" A staff member stood there in a daze. She was on her way to lunch, but she stood there in a daze when she saw Luke and Luca walking together. It was not until Luke and Luca got off the elevator and the elevator door closed that she regained herposure and asked the colleague next to her. Her colleague to whom she asked the question rolled his eyes and said, "What''s the matter? You don''t even recognize the boss? I think you must not want this job anymore." The employee blushed and exined her failure to notice sheepishly, "Hasn''t it been a long time since we saw the boss?" "Thepany just built a team some time ago, and the boss even personally awarded bonuses to Dr. Craw''s team. Your memory is failing you." "Now that you''ve reminded me..." The employee exined said, "The way that Mr. Crawford walked with Dr. Craw... Didn''t the boss mention that he doesn''t manage thepany''s affairs? I heard that a new general manager from T Corporation will join soon to handle the boss'' affairs here." "I''ve heard about this too, but it''s normal for Mr. Crawford to seek out Dr. Craw. Dr. Craw started a new research project today, so he probably wants to talk about this." As they discussed, she kept her eyes on the door for a long time. Although she did not dare to look at Luke to his face, she could look at his back freely. "Is their rtionship normal?" The employee was suspicious. She had only been here for a year and did not know what had happened before. "It''s normal." The other employee nodded. It was not the first time that Luke had appeared in Watson and met with Luca alone. The people in the office had also been talking about it recently, wondering why Luke had note looking for Luca and if Luca had fallen out of favor. This topic was talked about not long ago, but right now, Luke''s behavior told them the answer. "In your words, Mr. Crawford and Dr. Craw are..." The new employee hesitated to speak, worried that someone would tell Luke what she said, so she just shut up. Luca knew that walking with Luke would definitely cause a sensation. However, she never expected them to view her rtionship with Luke in this way. Watson''s staff now recognized Luca''s professional ability, but that did not change their minds. Luca was Luke¡¯s paramour... Even if Luca knew what they were saying, she could not change those people''s minds. She could not tell them that she was not Luke''s mistress but Luke''s legal wife! Without more evidence, how could anyone believe that she was Bianca Rayne? Even her intimate lover, who used to be with her day and night, would not believe that she was Bianca before a DNA test as evidence. Luca''s heart was bitter. She followed Luke into a restaurant with downcast eyes. Luke told the waiter thest few digits of his mobile phone number, and the waiter took him to a private room. He had gotten Jason to pre-order food early in the morning. After the waiter confirmed the dishes, he walked out of the private room and closed the door for them. In an instant, the noise outside was separated by the private room door. People outside could not hear their conversation. Luca picked up the lemonade, took a sip to moisten her throat, and then slowly asked, "Mr. Crawford, what do you want to tell me?" Luke picked up the lemonade. He did not bring it to his mouth but reminded her, "There are no outsiders now." Luca was silent. After a while, she called his name, "Luke." Chapter 2870 There was a smile on the corner of Luke''s mouth. When she called his name affectionately, the tenderness and devotion on her face hit his soul hard. If it were not for the inappropriate asion, he would have held her in his arms at this moment. "How is the project going?" Luke was concerned about the status of Luca''s project. "Well, I''m going to start now. Actually, I''ve done research on this project before. It should progress very quickly and won''t require a high cost." Luca spected because the drug project originally belonged to Shanks. From Shanks'' prior research, she only needed toplete the research and make it into a legally marketed drug. She just needed to repeat the study like thest time, repeating the experiment to ensure drug safety and increase the efficacy of the drug at the same time. Luke''s smile deepened as he listened to her serious whisper. He fell in love with Luca''s serious appearance even more. After Luca finished speaking, she noticed the tender smile on Luke''s face. Suddenly, a thought came to her mind. ¡®Should I not be telling him all these? Well, he was the one who asked." Then, Luca asked again, "How is Ms. Norman?" Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "She''s still in the detention ward. There''s no news from the hospital," Luke said. If Leia''s condition deteriorated, the doctor would definitely notify the police. The police would then notify the Norman family. Right now, no news was the best news. Luca had the same opinion. Leia, who was the most reluctant to hurt herself, was not badly affected after hitting her head on the wall, a move which made people speechless. "During the weekend, I''ll take the kids to visit the Normans. Do you want toe along?" Luke did not want to spend their time together discussing Leia''s affairs. How Leia died had nothing to do with them. "Alright... but what reason do I have to join you guys?" Luca asked. Although Luke had not officially confessed his love to her, they were considered together now. They were husband and wife to begin with. However, others did not know this. If Luke showed up at the Normans'' residence with the kids and her without good reason, Queenie would be suspicious. "You want to help Queenie recuperate." Luke gave her a reason. He also wondered, ''In reality, Luca is Queenie''s biological daughter, but now, she needs a reason to go to the Normans'' residence. How absurd.¡¯ Jack was right to urge him. The Ind of Despair problem must be resolved as soon as possible. Otherwise, it would have a great impact on them. Luca belonged to him, and no one can take her away. Luca frowned. This was a really good reason. "This reason has already been used..." No matter how good the reason is, it could not be reused multiple times. It would be fine if she appeared alone in the Normans, but Queenie''s concealed suspicion would resurface if Luke was present as well. "What happened to Leia yesterday increased Queenie¡¯s blood pressure. Later, the doctor gave her a rapid antihypertensive drug to stabilize her." Luke did not tell her this yesterday because he did not want her to worry about Queenie while in X City. It would affect her rest. Queenie''s condition improved a lot after taking the antihypertensive drugs. She stayed in the detention ward to check on Leia''s condition until Luke and Jack persuaded her to go home. Then, she stopped mentioning her physical difort. Luca frowned. Queenie''s physical condition was still affected by Leia. She looked at Luke. The man seemed calm, so she reckoned that Queenie was fine now. This was a good reason. She could go to Norman Residence with the kids this weekend. Luca nodded. "Okay, I''ll buy some herbal medicine too. Uncle Jack and Aunt Queenie need some supplements at their age." Although medicines were considered foreign to the natural body, Luca was confident in her knowledge of pharmacology. She intended to buy herbal ingredients that could be used for cooking as well to be sent to the Normans. This was her expression of filial piety. Now, she had no identity or status to be filial to Jack and Queenie. She could only seize this opportunity so that they would not be startled. "Well, it''s up to you." Luke had no objection to her arrangement. Although he was reluctant for Luca to exhaust herself, he would not object to what she wanted to do for her biological parents. As soon as he finished speaking, there was a knock on the door. Then, the waiter opened the door and walked in with the dishes. "Mr. Crawford, Ma''am, your meal is served." The waiter was soft-spoken and had a good attitude. He ced all the dishes ordered on the table. Luca looked at a table full of dishes and waited for the waiter to leave. Then, she said, "This is too much... The two of us can''t finish all this." "Mr. Doyle ordered it." Luke med it on Jason. Who would not know that Jason''s orders were all ording to Luca''s preferences? It was at Luke¡¯s behest that Jason ordered Luca¡¯s favorite foods. Luca was suspicious. ''These dishes are all my favorites. Did Jason really order them?¡¯ Jason did not know Luca''s preferences. It was Luke who was more aware of her food preferences. After all, they had eaten so many meals together. These were things she could not imagine ever having on the Ind of Despair. When Luca was on that ind, she once thought that she and Luke would never see each other again, let alone be as close as they are now. Luke put her favorite sirloin steak with mushy peas in front of her, along with a piece of honey ribs. "Try them. Mr. Doyle said that this restaurant has good ratings." Luca picked up the rib, tasted it, and nodded. "It''s delicious. Many people in thepany like to eat in this restaurant too." She took a sip. She overheard Mo talking about this restaurant with other assistants. She thought she would definitely try it when she was free. However, there was always a crowd every time she was free. In the rare free time she had, she chose other restaurants for lunch instead. Luke took a sip of the truffle mushroom soup and raised his eyebrows. The taste was good, but not as good as Luca''s cooking. His stomach favored the food made by Luca. It was already 1:05 pm after lunch. Luca thought that it would be almost time for the meeting once she got back to the office, so she said to Luke, "Will you leaveter?" "Yeah, I have a meeting in the afternoon." In order to meet up with Jack, Luke pushed all the morning meetings to the afternoon. He wanted to apany Luca for a while longer, but the conditions did not allow it. The management of the entire T Corporation was waiting for him to go back. Luca nodded. She knew that Luke was busy. She was actually surprised when he suddenly appeared in her office today. "I have a meetingter too." "Then you go back first. My car is parked in the parking space on the side of the road," Luke said. "Alright then." Luca walked out of the private room with him. There were not many white-cor workers eating in the restaurant. Most of them had gone back to their offices after the lunch break. The two of them walked together under the warm spring sun, heading in Watson''s direction. Chapter 2871 It was not officially summer yet, so the warmth from the sun was just nice. Luca''s eyelids got heavier as the cozy warmth made her feel sleepy. She reckoned that she should ask Mo to make another cup of coffee for her or she would not be able to concentrate on work this afternoon. An unassuming BMW that was parked on the side of the road caught Luca''s attention because of its eye-catching car te. It seemed to be Luke''s car. ¡°Mr. Crawford, is that your car?" "Yes." Luke nodded. He had just gone to the provincial capital, so he chose a car that would not attract that much attention. Although he was a businessman, he was also Jack''s son-inw, so attracting too much attention in a ce like the provincial capital would not look good for Jack. "I''ll head back to thepany, and you..." Luca paused for a moment before urging him, "Drive safe." The smile on Luke''s face grew wider as his eyes lit up. "I will." After parting with Luke, Luca returned to thepany and stopped when she got to the door of the assistant''s office. Before leaving, the assistant''s office was empty because Mo had gone out for lunch. Now that lunch break was almost over, Mo was already sitting in her seat and was about to start her work for the afternoon. "Dr. Craw, you''re back," Mo smiled and greeted Luca. "Yes. Ms. Stone, please make a few cups of coffee and send them to the conference room," ordered Luca. "Sure." Mo smiled and nodded before ncing over at Rhett''s seat. Rhett was already in the conference room preparing for the afternoon meeting, but something was bothering her. Both of them were assistants, yet she was the one who had to serve drinks and was not allowed to participate in important research meetings. Rhett, on the other hand, was the total opposite. Not only did he not have to serve drinks, but he also did not need to sort out the professor''s documents. He was Luca''s personal research assistant. They had the same title and same rank, but Rhett''s bonus was much higher than hers. Mo became increasingly agitated as she walked into the pantry room to prepare the coffee Luca asked for. She brought the coffee to the conference room, and Rhett helped ce the cups before each researcher''s seat. After that, Mo crossed her arms and asked Rhett, ¡°Mr. Link, is working for Dr. Craw tiring?" Rhett shook his head and said honestly, "Not at all. I learn a lot from Dr. Craw, so it benefits me a lot." Mo could not believe his words at all as she struggled to suppress the jealousy in her heart. She graduated from the same college as Rhett. It was not an Ivy League, nor was it a top-ranking university. Graduates like them would have to further their studies to postgraduate if they wanted to participate in research and work their way up. Working with Luca helped Rhett be an honors student at school. None of the other freshmen in the same department had firsthand experience in a research project like Rhett. Before Mo left, a researcher walked in and handed her documents when he saw her. "Ms. Stone, please make three copies of this for me." "Sure, I''ll get it done now." Mo took the file with a smile, but that smile vanished once she walked out of the conference room. It was fine for the professors to give her these trivial tasks since her job was to be there to assist them. However, even the researchers treated her as their assistant by giving her these trivial tasks when Rhett was their assistant! Did they not have the hands to do such a simple task as making copies? All the researchers just passed on these tiny little chores to Mo. Mo got even more upset. Then, she finished making copies of the document ording to the researcher''s instructions before sending them to the conference room. At that moment, Luca was already sitting in the head seat while Rhett sat next to her, preparing to present. After noticing Mo walk in, he minimized the presentation slides. Mo noticed what he did, but she did not see the contents on the presentation slides as she was afraid she would be even angrier. He was hiding the slides from her! Mo knew that the details of the meeting were confidential, but she was all the professors'' assistants. She may not have ess to some important data, but she still had ess to some of the basic data. Mo was upset when she saw him hide the slides from her as if he did not trust her. However, she did not show it. Instead, she handed the copies to the researcher. "These are the copies of the document." "Great. Thanks," The researcher thanked her before taking a copy out and handing it to Luca. After getting the document, Luca said softly, "Let''s continue the meeting." Mo knew that those words meant that she could not stay here any longer, so she left the conference room and closed the door behind her. Then, the smile on her face disappeared immediately. Both of them started off the same, yet Rhett could sit inside, while she could only sit in the assistant''s office. It made her look like she was not ambitious enough. Mo recalled that during the new year, she went to a professor''s house with a few ssmates. All the professor could talk about was how capable Rhett was, which made the whole situation awkward. Rhett did not go to the professor''s house with them, but the professor boasted about him so loudly. After leaving, her ssmates asked her about Rhett''s situation. They were talking about how capable Rhett was, but it sounded like they were mocking her. Both of them started off on an equal footing, but she was not as capable nor ranked as high as Rhett. Mo gripped her chest as the jealousy lit a fire in her heart. When the meeting ended, it was time to get off work. The kids were at the manor, and Luca did not have to prepare soup for Wanda, so she decided to stay at thepany and work overtime. She had asked for too many leaves recently, and if Luke were not the boss or was not aware of her situation, she would have gotten into trouble. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Who would believe that so many things coincidentally happened at the same time? Luca sat on her office chair, processing the documents. After a while, there was a knock on the door. ¡°Dr. Craw, are you going home?" The person at the door was Mo, who had been watching Luca for some time. The rest of Luca''s team, including Rhett, had already clocked out. However, Luca did not seem to be going home soon, so Mo thought this was a good opportunity. "Not yet. Come in." Luca rubbed her temples. She had not been resting well because of work pressure, so she had a slight headache. Mo carefully opened the door and walked in. "Dr. Craw, I have something to tell you." She spoke cautiously and looked at Luca, who was too busy to even look at her. "What is it?" Luca flipped the documents that were prepared by Rhett. They were quite impressive. Seeing her indifference, Mo felt a little uneasy. After a few seconds of hesitation, she asked, "Dr. Craw, do you need another assistant? I want to work for you." Chapter 2872 Luca frowned slightly because of Mo''s words. She put down the document and looked up at the person standing anxiously in front of her. She only needed one assistant. If she had one more, not only would there be nothing for the new assistant to do, but the other professors would not be happy about it. All research professors only had one research assistant. If she had one more assistant, what would the other professors think? It was impossible for Luke to recruit a new batch of assistants to satisfy the professors. Luke shook her head slightly. Although she did not know why Mo wanted to be her assistant all of a sudden, she still rejected. ¡°Ms. Stone, I don''t need another assistant." Mo bit her lower lip embarrassedly as she gave it another chance. "Dr. Craw, don''t get me wrong. I just want to gain more professional knowledge, and I thought that I would be able to learn more like Mr. Link if I worked for you." Luca had no ns to rece Rhett since he was capable and not a gossiper. Whether it be about research or her personal life, Rhett was not curious about her like the others. She was satisfied with Rhett, so she did not need Mo. "In that case, perhaps you should ask the other professors. Maybe they need an extra assistant." After Luca said that, Mo saw no point in trying to fight for it anymore. With a forced smile, she nced at the thick stack of documents on the table and thought to herself that if she hadpeted with Rhett in the beginning, Luca would have definitely chosen her. She was just one projectte... "I''ll be leaving then, Dr. Craw." Mo knew that she could not say anything to convince Luca, so she could only leave in embarrassment. "Alright." Luca nodded as her gaze fell on the documents again. She did not know why Mo wanted to work for her all of a sudden, but she did not need a new assistant, so she did not question it any further. When Mo left Luca''s office, she clenched her fists and looked down. She just wanted to be given a chance. However, Luca could not give that to her. As for the other professors. Mo did not bother as the other professors were not short of assistants too. She was a fresh graduate from a school that the professors look down on... Mo had mixed feelings. She looked back at the closed office door with resentment in her eyes. After Mo left, Luca worked overtime for another 30 minutes before returning to the mansion. Luke was not back yet. Aunt Neile saw that Luca was back and asked with a smile, ¡°Ms. Craw, why are you back sote?" ¡°Something came up in the office, which made mete," exined Luca. "You and Sir are busy people." Aunt Neile shook her head. "Mr. Crawford is working overtime too. Would you like to have dinner now?" "Sure." Luca was not surprised to hear that Luke was working overtime. Luke was even busier than her, so working overtime was expected. However, she realized that he probably had not had dinner yet, so she sent Jason a text. [Mr. Doyle, are you free?] Jason quickly responded: [Dr. Craw, what is it?] [I heard that you''re working overtime. Has Mr. Crawford had dinner yet?] Luca tapped send after typing. She felt like something was not right, so she added: [I mean if he hasn''t had dinner yet, Aunt Neile can leave some for him. I don''t want to bother Mr. Crawford, so I''m asking you instead.] She typed quickly and sent the text before Jason could reply. After a while, Jason replied: [Dr. Craw, don''t worry. Mr. Crawford has already had dinner.] Reading his reply, Luca could feel the blood rush to her face. Jason could clearly see her trying to cover up her concern. She reckoned that she was blushing as she touched her flushed face. Luca sat at the dining table. Aunt Neile came out with dinner and noticed Luca''s rosy cheeks, which were not like that just now. She said with concern, "Ms. Craw, why is your face so red?" "Maybe the heating in the house isn''t warm enough." Luca simply exined as she could not tell Aunt Neile that she was embarrassed that Jason saw through her concern for Luke. Aunt Neile was puzzled. It was almost summer, so the heating in the house had been cut off. Luca was already picking up the utensils, so she stopped asking. Luca drank two mouthfuls of soup and took another mouthful of bread before asking Aunt Neile, "Aunt Neile, what soup is this?" "It''s mushroom soup," Aunt Neile replied. "I see. Leave some for Mr. Crawford," said Luca. Although Luke had already eaten, he might be hungry when he came home from work. If he was hungry, he could have some soup. If he wanted supper, she could use the soup as a sauce to make pasta. "I''ve already left some for him, and not just one bowl too. He''s been working very hard, so he needs the energy," Aunt Neile sighed. ¡°Yup, you''re right. Oh, Aunt Neile, do you know how to pick herbs?" Luca asked suddenly. ¡°Herbs? I can tell the difference between good herbs and bad herbs. The Crawford family buys expensive medicinal herbs from the same ce because the owner is trustworthy and won''t lie to the Crawford family''s maids," said Aunt Neile. The quality of some herbs depended on the price, but some dishonest owners might fool buyers who did not know the difference by selling low-quality ones for the price of the higher-quality ones. However, the Crawford family had been buying herbs from the same ce for some time. The owner was quite nice, and at least he would not sell bad herbs as good quality ones. ¡°Ms. Craw, do you want to buy herbs?" Aunt Neile guessed that Luca was going to ask for her help to buy herbs. ¡°Yes, I want to buy a batch of good quality herbs, but I''ve been busytely, so I don''t have much time," said Luca. She knew how to pick herbs, but she did not have the time. Plus, when Luke said that he would go to Norman Residence this weekend, she did not know if he meant Saturday or Sunday. "Just list down the name of the herbs and how much of them you want. I''ll get them for you," said Aunt Neile. The store was just near the market, so it was convenient for her to go there. ¡°Sorry for troubling you, Aunt Neile." Luca smiled. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°It''s no trouble. It''s just near the market, and I go there every day," said Aunt Neile hastily. Although only two adults lived in the mansion, Aunt Neile was still busy cooking nutritious meals for them. She would usually get all the ingredients from the market. "After dinner, I''ll make a list. Please get them for me tomorrow," said Luca. Once she had the herbs, she could go to Norman Residence with Luke this weekend. ¡°No problem," replied Aunt Neile. After dinner, Luca wrote all the herbs she needed on a piece of paper, with all the names and quantities so that Aunt Neile would not make a mistake. Chapter 2873 Aunt Neile took the paper that Luca handed to her. She could not help but praise her handwriting, "Ms. Craw, your handwriting is truly elegant." Her writing flowed gently, as if the pen had glided effortlessly on the paper. Luca blushed with a hint of embarrassment after beingplimented and put on a faint smile. Aunt Neile continued, "My little grandson has just started learning to write. I wish he could write as neatly as you do in the future." "Let him try practicing on calligraphy copybooks," suggested Luca. All three of her children were using them to practice writing, and they were also learning calligraphy. It was to help them develop beautiful handwriting in the future. "I''ll have my daughter-inw buy some. Your handwriting is really beautiful," eximed Aunt Neile as she folded the paper neatly and put it in her wallet. "Ms. Craw, I''ll buy the herbs tomorrow morning." "Thank you. Oh, there''s nothing else to do here. Aunt Neile, you may go home now," replied Luca, allowing Aunt Neile to leave as she had alreadypleted all her tasks. "Alright then. I shall leave first. Take care and get some rest, Ms. Craw," said Aunt Neile happily as she was delighted to be able to leave work early. After Aunt Neile left, the entire vi fell into a peaceful hush. Luca returned to her bedroom, freshened up, and sat on the bed reading some books while waiting for Luke toe back from work. Even though Luca felt a bit tired, she wanted to wait for him before going to bed tonight. At ten o''clock in the evening, Luke drove back to the vi. After parking the car, he made his way up the stairs. The bedroom door was slightly ajar, and a warm glow spilled from inside. His heart warmed as he saw that Luca was still awake, waiting for him. As Luke pushed open the bedroom door, he saw Luca sitting by the bedside, engrossed in her book. When Luca heard the door open, she looked up at him. Their eyes met, revealing a touch of tenderness in each other''s gaze. Luca wore a gentle smile and said, ¡°You''re back.¡± "Yes. Why aren''t you asleep yet?" asked Luke. "I''m not sleepy yet." Luca ced the book on the bedside table. She did not rest wellst night and had been relying on coffee during the day to stay awake. However, the caffeine''s effects had worn off, and now she was undoubtedly tired. Still, she wanted to wait for Luke toe back before going to bed tonight. Luke smiled as he felt her tenderness. Then, he heard Luca say, "Aunt Neile made some chicken noodle soup and left some for you. Would you like to have some?" "Sure." Luke nodded. "I''ll make them now," replied Luca as she got off the bed and put on her cotton slippers. "Okay, let me put the documents away first," said Luke. He knew Luca was waiting for him. Before he had the chance to put down the briefcase, he pushed the bedroom door open as he was eager to see her. He opened the door to the opposite bedroom, put away the briefcase, and then followed Luca downstairs. Luca walked into the kitchen and put the chicken noodle soup Aunt Neile left in the pot to heat. Then, she washed some Brussels sprouts. When the chicken noodle soup was gently simmering, she added in the Brussels sprouts. Ten minutes had passed, and the noodles were cooked. Luca brought the steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup to the dining table. Luke looked at the bowl of noodles and then nced at Luca''s fingers. N?velDrama.Org content rights. She carried the bowl with bare hands, and he noticed her fingers were slightly red. He furrowed his brows and held her hands, asking, "Did you burn yourself?" Luca looked down and saw her reddened fingers. Indeed, the heat from the bowl had caused a minor burn, but she did not feel it. She was no longer the Bianca she used to be, who would have been in pain from even the slightest burn. The training on the Ind of Despair, along with the drugs, had significantly desensitized her pain receptors. It was the same for anyone who had trained on the Ind of Despair. Luca shook her head, indicating that she did not feel any pain. "I''m fine. It doesn''t hurt." "But they''re all red," replied Luke, recalling how Bianca used to be so sensitive to pain. She would wear insted gloves just to carry hot dishes. She was such a delicate person, but her pain receptors seemed to have numbed now. Luke felt a bittersweetbination of sympathy and affection for her. "It doesn''t hurt. Please, start eating before the soup get cold," urged Luca. She pulled her hands back and checked them herself. They were just a little red, far from being a serious burn. Her skin was no longer so delicate. Her gaze fell back on the bowl of soup. The bowl of soup looked delicious and appetizing, with a small bunch of Brussels sprouts on top. It was a simple supper, but it appeared exceptionally tasty. Luke picked up his cutleries, but he did not immediately indulge in it. He asked Luca, "Would you like to eat together?" Luca shook her head and replied, "I''m not hungry." "There''s too much. If I finish all of it, I''ll be too full to sleep. Would you mind sharing a bit with me?" Luke suggested again. As Luca looked at the bowl of soup, even though it was a simple dish, she had confidence in her cooking skills. When she heard Luke''s suggestion, she nodded and replied, "Alright. I''ll have some." With that, she went back into the kitchen to get another set of cutlery. After that, she returned to the dining room. Luke took the bowl from her and scooped some soup and Brussels sprouts into her bowl. Luca looked at the bowl of soup. The steam slowly dissipated, making the dish seem even more delicious. "You gave me too much," said Luca. "Have it. I''ll take care of it if you can''t finish it," replied Luke as he finally picked up his spoon and took the first sip. He was savoring a heart-warmingte-night supper. Luca''s food was undeniably delicious. Luke quickly finished the remaining half bowl of soup. Despite having dinner earlier, there was no way the taste of the meal served outside couldpare to Luca''s home-cooked meal. The dinner he had at the office was merely to fill his stomach and avoid getting hungry while working. However, the soup Luca made at this moment was a true gastronomic delight. Luca had also eaten quite a bit, but she could not manage anymore. "I can''t finish it." Luke did not hesitate and finished off all the soup she had left. As Luca watched him finish the rest of the soup quickly yet gracefully, she could not help but be stunned for a moment. Then, she asked hesitantly, "Should I make you another bowl?" Luke shook his head. He took thest sip of soup. Luke picked up the tissue on the table and replied, "It''s alright. I''m full now. It was really good, and I didn''t want to waste any. That''s why I had a bit more.¡± Luca was still doubtful as she noticed the speed at which he ate did not match his ims of not being hungry... Luke could not help but smile wryly at her expression. "Luca, don''t you know you have a real talent for cooking?" Luca blinked her eyes and asked, "What do you mean?" "I mean your dishes are simply delightful," replied Luke, affirming her culinary skills. Chapter 2874 The words of praise left Luca with a rosy hue on her face. She rose to her feet and prepared to clean up the dishes. Luke stood up as well and said, "Let me do it." There was no way Luca could contend with him. Hence, she watched Luke as he picked up the two bowls and walked into the kitchen. After a while, the sound of running water came from the kitchen. Luke was washing the dishes. Luca was not too surprised and followed him into the kitchen. While Luke washed the dishes, she tidied up the counter a bit. The kitchen was spacious, and the two of them stood there. One of them was washing the dishes, and the other was cleaning the counter. Their hearts were close, even though they stood apart. After a while, they made their way up the stairs together. Just then, Luke''s phone rang. He nced at the caller ID. Then, he frowned and answered, "What''s the matter?" On the other end of the line was Lucy, the maid who looked after Old Man Rayne. Her voice sounded anxious, "Mr. Crawford, Old Man Rayne fainted. We''re in the ambnce on our way to the general hospital. Can youe to the hospital?" "I''ll rush over right away." Luke''s expression turned serious. The joy and rxation he had just enjoyed a moment ago vanished in an instant. After hanging up the phone, he looked at Luca with a grave expression. "What''s wrong..." Luca had a bad feeling when she looked at his expression. "Grandpa Rayne fainted. He''s being sent to the general hospital," said Luke. Even though Old Man Rayne had no blood rtion to her, he had taken care of Luca since she was young. Therefore, it was only natural that she should know about this. Luca''s body slightly stumbled when she heard this. "Why did he faint all of a sudden?" Luca had been conditioning Old Man Rayne''s health, and he had already improved significantly. How could he suddenly faint? There could be many reasons for an elderly person to faint. Luca was worried, and she felt restless. "I don''t know. Would you like to go to the hospital?" asked Luke. He initially nned to have ate- night supper and go to bed with Luca, but unexpected events arose tonight. "Yes. I''ming with you," answered Luca. She could not be bothered if her concern for Old Man Rayne would arouse Luke''s suspicion. Luca was worried, and she was anxious about Old Man Rayne. She wanted to go to the hospital to find out what had happened to him. "Get changed. I''ll drive," said Luke. Luca was currently wearing pajamas, which were not suitable for a hospital visit. "It''s cold at night. Wear something warm." N?velDrama.Org content rights. "Okay," replied Luca as she pushed open the bedroom door. She found her hands trembling uncontrobly. Her hands would shake involuntarily whenever she felt anxious and nervous. With her right hand holding her left, she forced herself to calm down and change into a set of clothes before hurriedly going downstairs. Luke was already waiting in the car at the entrance. After Luca got into the car, the car sped off toward the general hospital. When they were on their way to the hospital, Luke received another call from Lucy. "Mr. Crawford, we''ve arrived at the hospital. Old Man Rayne has been taken to the emergency room." "Stay there. I''m on my way to the hospital. Let me know if there''s any update," said Luke. He had the speakerphone on, and Luca, who sat in the passenger seat, heard the conversation clearly. Luca''s face turned pale. She tightly pressed her lips, remaining silent. "Alright.¡± Lucy quickly hung up the call after that. After two beeping sounds, the call on Luke''s side ended. Silence filled the car. Luke elerated the speed. He nced sideways at Luca, who was in the passenger seat, and said, "Don''t worry. Anyone who faints will be taken to the emergency room." Luca nodded, understanding what Luke meant. Whether it was a young person or an elderly person who fainted, they would be taken to the emergency room when they arrived at the hospital. It did not necessarily mean that the patient''s condition was severe. Hospitals simply tended to take such cases seriously. Luca understood these principles, but she still felt uneasy about it. After all, Old Man Rayne was an elderly man. He had been keeping a healthy diet and conditioning his body. There were no major issues written on hisst check-up report. There were only some minor ailmentsmon in old age. Even so, he was still an elderly person... Once an elderly person fell ill, their illness could escte rapidly. Luca held on tightly to her seatbelt, with a solemn expression on her face. She wanted to express her concerns to Luke. She wanted him to understand her feelings, but her current status was merely a friend of the Rayne family. She could be considered a benefactor but definitely not a family member. Luca''s lips slightly parted. How could she share her worries with him? The 20-minute drive felt like two hours. Luca''s heart was restless and anxious, and they finally reached the hospital. Luke parked the car as close as possible to the hospital building. They quickly walked toward the emergency room. They spotted Lucy, the maid who looked after the Rayne family, sitting on a chair in the emergency room area. They hurried over. "Has the doctore out?" asked Luca. The maid''s face turned pale as she shook her head and answered, "The doctor came out, but he said Old Man Rayne''s condition doesn''t look good. They need to conduct further examinations. I still don''t know what''s going on in there" Luca furrowed her brows, fighting the impulse to open the curtains to the resuscitation room. "Let''s wait for the doctor to finish the examination first,¡± said Luke. It seemed like he understood what Luca had in mind. Luca nodded and then looked at the maid. "Has Old Man Rayne mentioned that he was feeling unwell recently?" The maid nodded without saying anything. "Tell me. What''s been bothering him?" It was her most respected and beloved grandfather in there. Luca''s tone became more serious. The maid interpreted her seriousness as sternness. Lucy hesitated, worried that they might me her for not taking good care of the old man. She was secretly frustrated with herself. Why did she unconsciously nod earlier? Luke was also observing the maid closely. The maid knew she could not hide anything anymore with them looking at her that way. She had no choice but to confess, "He asionally experienced headaches in the past few days, but they onlysted a few minutes each time. I suggested calling the family doctor, but he said he no longer felt the pain and told me not to call the doctor..." Luca frowned. How could the maid not take the old man''s headaches seriously? Anger surged within her. Although it was not her who hired the housekeeper, she was hired by Luke. As a caretaker for an elderly person, it was their responsibility to take any difort seriously. If the elderly person felt unwell, the right thing to do was to call a doctor or take them to the hospital regardless of what they said. ¡°Is that your way of doing things?" Before Luca could question her, Luke rebuked, "The old man refused to see a doctor, and you thought it was fine to just let the matter go?" The maid quickly shook her head and replied, "No, Mr. Crawford. It''s not like that. The old man was worried that it might trouble you and Ms. Rayne, who''s busy traveling. That''s why he didn''t want me to call the doctor." Calling a doctor would naturally involve Luke, as the doctor was also from the Crawford family''s medical team. It might even reach Wanda''s ears. Old Man Rayne did not want to disrupt Wanda''s trip. He did not want her to end her journey because of his momentary difort. Luca''s mind went nk when she heard this. The old man was only thinking about the young folks. That was why he refused to see the doctor. However, age was still a factor. How could he simply ignore it without calling the doctor? Luca had reservations about it in her mind. However, she felt helpless when she had to face such a stubborn old man. She stared nkly at the resuscitation room, silently praying, ''Grandpa, please be alright.'' Chapter 2875 Luke''s brows furrowed even tighter. He knew that the maid was not trying to shirk responsibility. It was highly likely that the old man himself had asked her to do this. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Old Man Rayne had always been the kind of person who avoided troubling others. If it were not for his old age and inability to take care of himself, he would never have agreed to have a caretaker look after him. The curtain to the emergency room was pulled open. "Are the family members here?" asked the doctor. Yes," replied Luke, no longer scolding the maid. Old Man Rayne''s condition mattered the most now. The doctor nced at Luke and then checked the patient''s examination results. Then, he exined, "We''ve already sent the patient for examination. The initial diagnosis states that it could be cerebral vasospasm. We''ve given the patient medication, but we''ll need a neurosurgeon''s consultation for a specific diagnosis and further treatment." "Does he need surgery?" Luca asked immediately. The doctor rified, "That depends on the diagnosis of the attending physician. I''ll get the patient admitted to the hospital now. You may go to the counter toplete the admission procedures." "Ask Dr. Park to take a look at Old Man Rayne," said Luca as she turned to Luke. Johann was an expert in cerebrovascr diseases. Luca could not trust anyone else to treat Old Man Rayne. She only believed in Johann''s abilities. The emergency doctor was slightly surprised and asked, "You know Dr. Park?" ording to hospital regtions, the attending physician for an admitted patient was generally assigned based on duty schedules unless the patient or family members had specific requests. Doctors like Johann were almost universally known to every patient or their family members who came to the general hospital. However, Johann would not ept every patient since he was too busy, unless it was an especially challenging case or if he had a close rtionship with the patient... The emergency doctor did not know which category these family members belonged to. Luke initially nned for this. He had yet to notify Johann in advance. He wanted to wait until they had the test results. However, they needed to inform Johann to take over the patient''s care now. Luke asked the doctor on duty, "Is there an avable ward on the VIP floor?" "I''ll have the nurse check for you." The emergency doctor returned to the emergency room. Hospital room arrangements were not within his scope of work. Luke dialed Johann''s number while waiting for them to check for the ward''s avability. Johann had justid down on his bed at that time. When his phone rang, he did not hesitate to answer, "It''ste. What''s the matter?" "Come to the hospital. Bianca''s grandfather is sick. The initial diagnosis states that it''s a cerebral vasospasm." Luke''s serious voice came from the other end of the line. Johann immediately sat up. Cerebral vasospasm was no trivial matter. "Ask the emergency doctor to send me the test results. I''m on my way to the hospital now." "Okay," replied Luke. As he watched the emergency doctor who came walking out again, he asked, "Is there a ward avable?" "Yes. Are you sure you want to have the patient admitted to the VIP floor?" The nurse confirmed with the VIP floor''s nurse that there was an empty ward, so the doctor came out to confirm with them. Every department in their hospital had VIP wards, but there was an even better level of VIP wards on the top floor equipped with all the necessary emergency equipment and a patient transport elevator, making them more expensive than regr VIP wards. "Yes. Please send the patient''s test results to Dr. Park," said Luke. The emergency doctor nodded. "I''ll give Dr. Park the patient''s identification number. He''ll be able to ess it through the hospital''s system." As the doctor said that, the nurses pushed Old Man Rayne out of the emergency room. "Now, let''s take the patient upstairs while the family goes to the admission counter." After that, the nurses pushed the bed away. Luca could not be bothered about Luke and followed behind the doctor and nurses. Luke asked the caretaker who was standing on the spot with a nk expression on her face, "Did you bring Old Man Rayne''s identification?" "Yes, I did." The maid nodded. She took out Old Man Rayne''s ID and medical insurance card from her bag. Luke pulled out his credit card from his wallet and handed it to the maid. Then, he said, "Go to the counter to handle his admission procedures. Thene to the ward." "Okay." The maid took the card from him and secretly heaved a sigh at how unlucky she was. It was her turn to watch over Old Man Rayne today. She did not expect something like this to happen. She could have avoided Luke''s scolding if another maid had been on duty. After Luke gave his instructions, he hurried away and caught up with Luca''s steps. They took the patient transport elevator and quickly arrived at the hospital''s VIP floor. After Old Man Rayne was sent to the ward, the doctors and nurses were busy doing their job and finally settled him down. Luca looked at Old Man Rayne, who was lying unconscious on the hospital bed. She felt anxious while waiting for Johann to arrive. Luke noticed how worried she was and raised his hand, gently holding hers. Her hand was ice-cold. Luke frowned and tightened his grip. Luca was taken aback for a moment, recalling everything that had happened. Luke had always been there by her side. Luke had always stayed by her side quietly, giving her enough courage to face every unexpected situation. Previously, when she was trapped on the Ind of Despair and giving birth to N, she had comined about why Luke had note to save her. Now, all those past moments were like wisps of smoke. She only remembered that the person who was there for her in her most helpless moments was Luke. "Don''t worry," Lukeforted her in a low voice. "Okay," Luca murmured softly, not dwelling on why he suddenly felt the need to console her. After a while, Johann called. The call was for Luke, and he answered it. After he answered the call, he ignored the hospital''s request to keep quiet and put it on speaker so that Luca could also hear what Johann was saying on the other end of the line. "I''ve already reviewed the case. Old Man Rayne''s cerebral vasospasm is quite severe. It needs immediate attention. There might be a sequ if it''s prolonged. We need to perform surgery on him. Do you agree to do so?" asked Johann. Even though Old Man Rayne was Luca''s grandfather, her identity was currently special, and since Wanda was also hospitalized, Luke would be the one to make the decision. "I agree," Luke did not hesitate. Like Luca, he had faith in Johann''s diagnosis and abilities. "Okay. I''ll have the nurse arrange the operating room and take care of other matters. I''ll be at the hospital soon. Wait for me there. If Old Man Rayne''s daughter can''t sign the consent form, it''ll have to be you," said Johann. There were several documents that needed to be signed by the patient''s family member if he were to perform surgery on him. It was especially since the old man was unconscious and unable to make decisions himself at the moment. Whether or not to proceed with the surgery was not solely the old man''s decision. "Okay. Don''t tell Aunt Wanda about this. I''ll make the decision,¡± replied Luke without seeking Luca''s opinion on this matter. He knew that even if he discussed it with Luca, she would not want to disturb Wanda. After all, Wanda was still in the process of recovery. If she found out that Old Man Rayne had been hospitalized and needed surgery, it would affect her mood and dy her recovery process. This matter had to be kept hidden. Luca nodded. She agreed with what Luke said. They should not bother Wanda. Chapter 2876 "Okay." Johann hung up the call and proceeded to inform the neurosurgery nurses to prepare the operating room. Then, he notified the surgical assistant he needed to help him with the surgery. Ten minutester, Johann arrived at Old Man Rayne''s ward in a rush. After nodding at Luke and Luca, he approached the elderly man and conducted a thorough examination. Following a routine examination, Johann reviewed the reports. The diagnosis remained consistent with his earlier assessment. He turned to Luke and said, "We need to proceed with the surgery immediately. His family members shoulde along and sign the consent form at the entrance to the operating room." Before Johann arrived at the hospital, he already arranged for the nurses on duty to prepare all the necessary documents and to be on stand-by outside the operating room. Hence, when the patient was taken there, the family could sign the consent form promptly. It would save a lot of time. As soon as Johann gave his instructions, the nurses entered the room to shave Old Man Rayne''s hair. Since Old Man Rayne did not have much hair, it only took a few strokes for the nurse to shave all his white hair. Johann marked Old Man Rayne''s head with a pen and said, "Take him to the operating room." Everyone sprang into action when they heard this. The nurse pushed Old Man Rayne''s bed downstairs while Johann exined to Luke and Luca the details of the uing surgery. Luke did not fully understand it, but it did not stop him from staying by Luca''s side. On the other hand, Luca listened attentively to what Johann said. Even though Luca did not understand surgical procedures, she caught the idea of how Johann nned to operate on Old Man Rayne. They arrived at the entrance to the operating room. The nurse handed the consent form to Johann and said, "Dr. Park, this is the consent form for the surgery." Johann took it, handed it to Luke, and said, "Only you can sign this consent form now. I can exin further if there''s anything you don''t understand." "No need. I''ll sign it," replied Luke. He took the consent form and pen, signing his name on the designated spot for a family member''s signature. Luca could not reveal her true identity at the moment. Hence, Luke had to sign the consent form for her. Moreover, he believed Johann would do everything in his power to help Old Man Rayne through this difficult time. After the form was signed, the nurse nodded and entered the operating room. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "Old Man Rayne''s life is in your hands now," Luke said to Johann solemnly, entrusting the elderly man''s life to him. "I''ll do my best," replied Johann. Operating on an elderly patient carried significant risks. However, there would be greater risks if Old Man Rayne did not undergo the surgery. Johann could not guarantee a full recovery for Old Man Rayne, but he would not give up as long as there was a chance. Johann entered the operating room. His figure receded into the distance. The operating room door closed slowly, leaving Luca standing there in a daze. In the depths of her heart, there brewed a resentment for herself and Abel. She did not even have the qualification to sign the consent form! All of this was caused by Abel. Luca''s hand fell weakly to her side. Luke held her hand tight and said, "Let''s sit down and wait." Luca nodded, feeling physically and emotionally exhausted. As she gazed at Luke''s side profile, she noticed a hint of stubble on his face. There was no way they could sleep tonight. They spent the whole night there. Luca could not bear to let Luke wait here alone. Given her current identity, she could go home and get some rest, but Luke could not. She pursed her lips as she sat on a chair outside the operating room. This was the same spot where she had waited for Wanda toe out of surgery. The hospital was exceptionally quiet early in the morning, and so was the operating room. Doctors would not schedule surgeries at night unless it was an emergency. Thus, apart from Luca, Luke, and the caretaker, no one else was sitting on the seats outside the operating room. The caretaker was also anxious. If something happened to Old Man Rayne, her days ahead would be tough. Therefore, she sped her hands together and silently prayed for Old Man Rayne''s well-being. Luca lowered her gaze, overwhelmed with worry. She was not sleepy, but her body and nerves were tired, and the tiredness was sweeping over her. Luke nced at the time. It was already past one in the morning. Johann had said that Old Man Rayne''s surgery would not finish anytime soon. Luke said to Luca with a hushed voice, "Rest your head on my shoulder for a while if you feel tired." If he did not know Luca''s true identity, he might have urged her to go back by now. However, he knew that Luca''s true identity was Bianca. No matter how reluctant he was to see Luca staying upte and the tired look on her face, he would not persuade her to leave. How could she, such a kind-hearted woman, leave behind Old Man Rayne, someone who had taken care of her for over ten years, and go home to sleep? "I''m fine," replied Luca as she leaned her head gently against Luke''s shoulder. She was not sleepy. She was just exhausted... Hence, she needed a shoulder to soothe the emotions swirling inside her. They held each other''s hands tightly. It was as though they were giving each other courage. Luca intended to take a short rest. While she was enveloped in a cloud of drowsiness, she felt herself entering a chaotic space. She saw Old Man Rayne... "Grandpa, Grandpa..." Luca called out for him uncontrobly. Startled by her call, Old Man Rayne turned around. The confused look that was on his face turned into a smile the moment he saw Luca. He asked with a hint of doubt, "Luca, are you calling me?" Luca was overwhelmed with emotions. She nodded vigorously with tears streaming down her face. "Grandpa, it''s me. I''m Bianca." "Bianca?" Old Man Rayne frowned. Then, a gentle smile spread across his wrinkled face. "You''re Bianca. Oh, Bianca, how much you''ve changed over the years. I almost couldn''t recognize you. Come, let me have a closer look at you. I''ve missed you so much." "Grandpa, I''m sorry. I couldn''t be by your side to take care of you when something happened to you..." Luca could feel that her face was wet with tears as she touched them. Step by step, she walked to Old Man Rayne''s side, crouching down to meet the gaze of the old man sitting in the wheelchair. Old Man Rayne touched her face. His wrinkled hand was gently resting on her head. "You''re really Bianca. You look different, but I know you''re still Bianca." Luca felt a lump in her throat. Her tears poured down like rain. "Grandpa, it''s all my fault..." "Why would it be your fault? There must be a reason why you''ve changed your appearance. I don''t me you. Bianca, I''m getting old. I''m satisfied that I''m able to catch a glimpse of you at this moment. I''m willing to go wherever God wants me to go. I have no more worries.¡± Luca''s heart suddenly felt uneasy. She gripped the wheelchair''s armrest tightly, fearing that Old Man Rayne would disappear before her eyes the next second. "Grandpa, please don''t say such things. You''re not allowed to go anywhere. I haven''t had the chance to take care of you yet!" "I''m happy enough to know that you have the thought. Bianca, some departures are beyond our control. Life and death follow a predetermined course, bound by the hand of destiny. I''m happy that I can see you before my timees. Bianca, you must live a happy life in the future, alright? Even if I pass away, I''ll be watching over you from above, protecting you and making sure nobody dares to bully you." Old Man Rayne looked at Luca with eyes full of affection and spoke slowly. It was like the times when he used to tell her bedtime stories in a soft voice to lull her into sweet dreams. Chapter 2877 A heavy uneasiness settled in Luca''s heart. She wept and shook her head, tightly holding onto Old Man Rayne''s hand. "No, Grandpa. You can''t leave me. I haven''t had the chance to properly take care of you yet. Besides, you have another grandchild now. Grandpa, stay strong. Don''t give up, okay?" A faint glimmer shed across Old Man Rayne''s eyes. "Another grandchild?" "Yes. She hasn''t met you yet. That''s why you must stay alive." Luca held his weathered hands, knowing that this was not the real world. Everything around her seemed hazy. It was probably just a dream. Even though dreams and reality were opposite, the uneasiness in her heart persisted as she was dreaming about Old Man Rayne. She did not want anything bad to happen to him, even if it was just a dream. Hence, she continued to convince Old Man Rayne, giving him hope and encouraging him to stay alive. ¡°Bianca..." Old Man Rayne''s weary voice came through but gradually faded. Luca subconsciously opened her eyes. Everything was bright before her. She could smell the faint scent of disinfectant in the air. Tears welled up in her eyes. Luke looked down and noticed her teary eyes. "Why are you crying?" "My eyes are a little dry." Luca shook her head and sat up. She could not tell him about the dream she just had, afraid that it mighte true. In her dream, Old Man Rayne had called out to her just before she woke up. It kept echoing in her ears. Luca clenched her fists tight. Luke reached out and gently rubbed her fingers. Luca was startled for a moment and loosened her grip. Luke held her hand tight. "How long was I sleeping?" Luca suddenly asked. The pain in her dream felt so real. She had no idea how long the dreamsted. "Less than half an hour," replied Luke. He had been keeping an eye on Luca. When she closed her eyes, he did not think that she was asleep. It had only been less than half an hour. Could that be considered sleeping? He noticed that Luca''s mood seemed even gloomier after she woke up. Did she dream of something unpleasant? Luca gently pulled her hand away from Luke''s grasp and rose to her feet. "I''m going to the restroom." "Sure." Luke nodded and watched her walk away. His gaze then fell on the caretaker who was sitting not far away from him. He warned her with a low voice, "Don''t tell anyone what happened today." The caretaker knew he was referring to his close rtionship with Luca. She was aware of the ties between the Crawford and Rayne families. If the Rayne family found out about Luke''s rtionship with Luca, they might think that Luke had betrayed Bianca. The caretaker was not that foolish. Luke was the one who paid her. She would not tell the Rayne family anything they should not know. "Don''t worry, Mr. Crawford. I won''t say anything," assured the caretaker. After she promised Luke, she could not help but secretlyin about how bold Luke was. Old Man Rayne was already admitted to the hospital, yet Luke still brought his lover along with him. If it were not for him showing concern for Old Man Rayne and there being nothing he could covet, the maid would have thought that he was nning to rile up the old man by revealing something shocking. Luke continued to wait in his chair. No one came out of the operating room, and at times like this, no news was good news. Luca walked into the hospital restroom, where the strong smell of disinfectant assaulted her senses. Her eyes reddened. As she stood in front of the sink, she looked at her reflection in the mirror and sniffed lightly. It was just a dream, yet it had made her eyes turn red. Luca was aware of her strong sense of familial belonging. Even though Old Man Rayne was not her biological grandfather, their deep bond over the years had built up her strong affection for the old man. She knew about the pain of separation and the hardships in life one would go through, but she could not bear the thought of anything bad happening to Old Man Rayne at this moment. After all, he had no idea that she was actually Bianca... Old Man Rayne believed that Bianca had lost her memory and was currently studying abroad, completely devoid of any familial affection... "Grandpa, nothing must happen to you..." Luca murmured to herself while looking at her reflection in the mirror. Luca sshed water on her face, trying to ease the sadness that the dream had brought upon her. Then, she returned to the entrance of the operating room.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Luke and the caretaker were still waiting there. Old Man Rayne''s surgery had not yet concluded. Luca sat beside Luke. Luke noticed the water droplets on her face. He raised his hand and gently wiped them away. His tender gesture felt like he was handling an extremely delicate gem. Luca feltforted amidst her unease. She was d that Luke had taken good care of her family while she was away. Regardless of their blood ties, he treated them with utmost dedication, considering them his responsibility. Luca appreciated what he did for her. She loved him from the bottom of her heart too. "What time is it now?" Luca asked again. She had not had time to charge her phone before leaving, and now her phone had run out of battery. There were no power bank rentals avable near the operating room, so she had to ask Luke for the time. "It''s 3:20." Luke checked his watch. Luca nodded. Before bringing Old Man Rayne to the operating room, Johann had given her a brief overview of the surgery. She knew it was a difficult procedure, and the treatment being used was rtively new and uncertain¡ªnot only in A City but also internationally. Therefore, the surgery was highly challenging. It would probably take more than two or three hours to complete. Luca waited quietly. Around four in the morning, the operating room door was opened. Luca immediately stood up when she heard the sound of the door opening. Johann walked out of the room and looked at Luca and Luke. He let out a sigh of relief as he removed his mask. "The surgery was sessful. We managed to get rid of the blood clot in Old Man Rayne''s brain and stop the bleeding. He''s been moved to the ICU for observation. If there are noplications, he can be discharged the day after tomorrow." "Dr. Park, what about the follow-up treatment?" asked Luca as she was not familiar with it and needed to ask Johann more about it. "The follow-up treatment mainly involves medication and regr check-ups. If he experiences headaches in the future, his family should take it seriously. The illness struck out of nowhere, but luckily, it was detected early. Many patients with cerebral vasospasms face critical situations when the illness strikes, making it difficult to rescue them. So, this must be taken seriously," exined Johann. While Johann was on his way to the hospital, the doctor in charge of the patient''s emergency care called him and exined that the patient had been experiencing headaches in the past few days, but the caretaker did not pay attention to it. Headaches were a crucial symptom of the condition and should not have been overlooked. However, the caretaker was careless and overlooked this situation. Johann could not help but secretly comin about the caretaker Luke had hired. The old man had beenining about difort, yet she did not think to call a doctor. If they had noticed it earlier, the surgery would have been much less challenging today. This kind of illness could not be taken lightly! The caretaker stood at the side, listening to what Johann said. She felt ashamed and lowered her head. Old Man Rayne had told her not to call the doctor, but he copsed while she was on duty. It was only natural that she shouldered the responsibility for this mistake. Chapter 2878 "Alright, noted." Luca took Johann''s words to heart. She knew that Old Man Rayne had only passed one hurdle thus far, and there were many more hurdles toe. It would be too difficult for the old master to face these obstacles alone, so they had to face them together. Johann looked at the three of them and reminded them, "Visitors aren''t allowed in the ICU ward now, so go get some rest ande back tomorrow. Perhaps Old Man Rayne would be awake then." "Sure, thanks a lot." Luke held Luca''s hand. All they could do now was wait for news from the ICU. Then, he said, "One more thing." "What is it?" Johann was listening. "Tell them not to talk about Old Man Rayne''s illness in front of Aunt Wanda," said Luke. The nurses were not aware of the rtionship between Old Man Rayne and Wanda, and they would often discuss patients'' conditions. He feared Wanda would hear them talk about Old Man Rayne being hospitalized. ording to Wanda''s personality, she would me herself for not being by his side and caring for him if she found out. She would think it was her fault that he fell sick, and she would not focus on her own recovery. "Sure, no problem." Johann agreed without hesitation and looked at Luca sympathetically. Two of her rtives were hospitalized and had to get surgery back to back. If this happened to someone else, they would have broken down long ago, but Luca seemed fine. Although sadness could be seen in her eyes, she did not break down and cry. Sure enough, people changed over time. Bianca used to be so weak in the past. Although she seemed strong, her weak personality made everyone pity her. Besides, with Luke protecting her, anyone with a brain would not dare to offend her. They dared not provoke her because she had Luke to rely on. Now, she had gotten so much stronger that she did not need to rely on Luke to scare people away. She had be so strong and capable that she was even known as a legendary figure in this hospital after word spread about the rehabilitation therapy she did for that little brat in the Norman family. She knew much more than the doctors in the hospital who went to medical school for many years. After Johann left, Luke took Luca''s hand and walked to the parking lot. When they got to the parking lot, Luke opened the passenger seat door and said, "Let''s go home." Luca nodded and looked back at the hospital building, hesitant to speak. Luke knew that if he did not leave with Luca, she would just be waiting outside of the ICU for the doctor to say that Old Man Rayne had passed the critical stage and could be transferred to the general ward. "Don''t worry, Johann is there," said Luke. Johann would probably stay at the hospital for the next two days. Although Johann did not hold any titles, as a highly-skilled doctor, the treatment he received from the hospital was no worse than that of a director or deputy director. He had his own lounge in the hospital, so staying there for a few days was not a problem. Luca knew that she could not stay here and keep an eye on the old man, so she nodded and got in the car. Luke closed the passenger door and drove off. The next day, there was no news of the old man from the ICU. However, Johann told Luke and Luca that Old Man Rayne had woken up. He said the old man should stay in the ICU for another day. After getting the news, Luca calmed down. Although she was still worried about the old man''s condition, his waking up was good news. She walked into Wanda''s ward with a thermos sk. Wanda noticed Luca walking in, so she smiled and said, "Luca, you''re here." She had not seen Luca in two days, so she was smiling when she saw hering. "Yes, I''m not that busy at work today. Ms. Rayne, how have you been feeling the past two days?" Luca could note to the hospital often because of various reasons, but she did message Wanda to check up on her as she was concerned. "I''m good." Wanda smiled. Luca gave the thermos sk to Mrs. Lane before walking to the chair beside the bed. She carefully observed Wanda''splexion. "Ms. Rayne, yourplexion doesn''t seem too good. Are you feeling any difort?" Seeing her concerned look, Wanda smiled and shook her head. "No, I''m getting better day by day." Luca frowned and looked at Mrs. Lane, who was pouring out the soup. Mrs. Lane''s eyes met Luca''s, and she knew what she was going to ask, so she said, "Ms. Rayne couldn''t sleep well yesterday, so herplexion doesn''t look great. The doctor came to check on her, and he said that everything is fine." Luca was slightly shocked, then she looked at Wanda. "Ms. Rayne, why didn''t you rest well? If you''re experiencing insomnia, the doctor can prescribe you some sleeping pills." N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Wanda shook her head and confessed, "I''ve been sleeping well these days, but for some reason, I felt restlessst night. It wasn''t like I was having a heart attack. I just didn''t feel good. When the doctor came to check today, he didn''t say anything. Perhaps I slept too much during the day, so that''s why I couldn''t sleep at night.." Luca sighed inwardly. It was not because she slept too much during the day... It could be the father-daughter connection that made Wanda uneasy when Old Man Rayne fell into a coma. Luca did not know if Wanda had thought that far, so sheughed cooperatively. ¡°I see. It''s best not to sleep too much during the day, or else you won''t be able to sleep at night. Not only will it worsen your complexion, but it''ll also affect your body too." Then, she added, "How about this? Next time, I''ll add some herbs that''ll calm your nerves." "That''s too much work, Luca. I''m pretty much all recovered. After the chemotherapy treatment is over, I can go home. You don''t have to make soup for me anymore." Wanda did not want to take up Luca''s time. She knew that Luca did note the past two days because she was busy with work, so she felt bad for using her time. Patients like her who had their stitches removed could go home and juste to the hospital on the day of their chemotherapy appointment. However, Wanda was worried that if she kept going back and forth, Old Man Rayne would find out about her illness. Thus, she told Luke and the doctor in advance that if chemotherapy was required after surgery, she would stay at the hospital until the treatment was done. Luke had no objections, and neither did the hospital. "It''s not troublesome. It''s actually very easy. I just need to set the timer and the soup will be done by the time I get home," said Luca. She did not actually use a timer, but with Aunt Neile''s help, it was not a big deal. Wanda had nothing to say. Mrs. Lane walked to the bed with the pumpkin soup and set up the small table before saying, "Ms. Rayne, this is just a small token of appreciation from Ms. Craw, so just ept it. Yourplexion will look much better after drinking this pumpkin soup. I''ve seen many cancer patients be much weaker after surgery no matter how well they''ve recovered, but look at you; you''re still full of energy. This must be because of the soups Ms. Craw prepared for you." Chapter 2879 Wanda could feel her body gradually getting better. At least the weakness she felt after the surgery was gone, and even the nurse said that her mental state was better than the other patients. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Wanda knew that this was because of the treatment and Luca''s soups. Wanda took a deep breath and looked at Luca. Although she was smiling, she saw through the tiredness behind her eyes, so she asked with concern, ¡°Luca, has work been tiringtely?" Luca shook her head. "No." "You look very tired. If you are, you don''t have toe here every day. I''m much better now." Wanda was also concerned about Luca''s condition. She did not know why Luca was so kind to her, but she remembered what she had done for her, so she had to repay her. "I''m not that busy, actually. I couldn''te because something happened at home that I had to deal with," exined Luca. If it were not for Amur''s affairs, she would definitely havee to the hospital every day. She could only be relieved once she saw Wanda. Besides, Sarah was in the opposite ward. If she went to visit her in person, Marcos would be relieved as well. After confirming that Sarah was Marco''s biological mother, Marcos put all his trust in Luke and her. Therefore, there were two reasons why Luca came to the hospital¡ªto visit Wanda and Sarah. "What''s the matter?" Wanda asked concernedly. She knew that Luca was from Russia, so she thought that she had no family here. Thus, when she mentioned that it was a family matter, she was a little surprised. "It''s just some family matter that took some time to deal with. It''s not a big deal." Luca did not tell her about Amur. Wanda knew that she did not want to talk about it, so she stopped asking. Luca looked at Wanda and said, "Ms. Rayne, can I take your pulse?" "Sure." Wanda smiled and held out her hand. Luca gently rested her fingers on her pulse. After a while, she could feel that Wanda''s pulse was normal, so she smiled and said, "Ms. Rayne, you must continue with the doctor''s treatment. You''ll recover soon." "I''ll do as you say." Wanda smiled, then she recalled the dispute she had with Old Man Rayne. She was not happy about Luca and Luke being so close. Now, she could not bring herself to hate Luca because of how nice she was to her and her father. Luca chatted with Wanda for a while before leaving to go to Sarah''s ward. "Ms. Por, how are you feeling today?" Luca asked after pushing the door open. After two days of not visiting her, Sarah was already able to sit up. Although her head was still wrapped in gauze, she was in good condition. "Ms. Craw, you''re here." Sarah looked at Luca with a smile. She had not seen Luca in two days, so she thought that she would not show up. "I haven''t seen you in two days, and you can already sit up," said Luca as she walked to the bedside to look at herplexion. Up close, Sarah''splexion looked much better. This was a sign that her body was recovering. Luca was surprised that Sarah was recovering so fast because her treatment was dyed and she had two operations. Her body had gone through a lot. "The doctor said that I''m in stable condition, so I can sit up now. It''s not good to be lying down all the time," said Sarah. Luca nodded in agreement to the doctor''s words. She nced at the nurse, picked up her phone, and folded her hands in front of her chest with the camera facing Sarah. Then, she turned around to ask, "How''s Ms. Por''s condition these days?" The nurse replied honestly, "I think Ms. Por''s condition has been quite good. Her appetite has increased, and she''s been sleeping more. Oh, and her wound doesn''t hurt anymore." Luca nodded. All of these were good signs. It seemed that in two days, Marcos would be able to meet Sarah. She sat for a while and chatted with Sarah before leaving. After leaving Sarah''s ward, Luca sent the video she took to Marcos. When Marcos got the video, he replied: [Thank you.] Luca replied: [You can turn on the tranting function while watching. I talked to her about some daily things, so you should be able to understand her current situation after listening.] Marcos once again expressed his gratitude to Luca. After Luca put away her phone, she went to the floor where the ICU ward was located. She did not go in because she was not considered Old Man Rayne''s family. Plus, the old man had just woken up. If she went in, he would definitely be confused. Thus, she just stood far away and watched family members go in and out of the ICU ward. The family members who entered the ICU went in with anxious and worried faces. When they came out, some of them had reassured smiles on their faces, while some wept while covering their faces. They even squatted outside of the ward and cried. Luca watched them silently as her nose started stinging. She wanted to go in to check up on Old Man Rayne too. ¡°Dr. Craw?" Johann''s voice sounded behind her. Luca came back to her senses and sniffed as she turned around. Then, she smiled at Johann, "Dr. Park, what a coincidence." "It is a coincidence." Johann was going to go to the ICU ward to check on his patients. He did not expect to bump into Luca. Then, he nced at the ICU door and asked, "Did you go in to visit Old Man Rayne just now?" "No, I just happened to have something to do at the hospital, so I passed by here," said Luca as she shook her head. Pass by? Johann raised his eyebrows as he knew Luca had been standing here for quite some time. He knew that Luca would visit Wanda every day, so he knew that Luca was not being entirely truthful. He said, "I was just about to go in and examine Old Man Rayne. Would you like toe along with me?" "Can I?" Luca''s eyes lit up as she would have a reason to go in if Johann took her with him. "Of course. Your skills may be better than the doctors inside," Johann said half-jokingly. "Dr. Park, that''s not funny." Luca shook her head. The doctors in this hospital, even the medical residents, were much more professional than her. They had received professional education, so how could shepare to them? She had learned most of Shanks'' medical skills, but many of his medical theories contradicted modern medical theories, so many treatment methods were not eptable in the current medical system. Johann believed her, so he gave her credit. However, Luca did not think she was better than the other doctors in this hospital. "I''m not kidding. Dr. Craw, you can go change first." Johann led her to the door and pointed to the sterile gown beside her. Luca nodded before taking the sterile gown handed to her by the nurse and putting it on. Then, Johann walked to the doctor''s passage. "I''ll go in first. Come in after you''re done changing and I''ll take you to the old man." "Okay." She quickly put on the sterile gown, and after disinfecting herself, she went to the ICU ward. Chapter 2880 Luca''s figure disappeared at the entrance of the ICU, and a man emerged from around the corner. He had just sent all the photos he took to Karen. In Mallory Manor, Karen sat on the couch with one of her hands holding the freshly brewed floral tea prepared by the maid. She held her phone with her other hand, swiping the screen as she looked at the pictures. As Karen looked at the photos sent by the private detective she hired, she recognized the man in them as Johann. While she observed the distance between Johann and Luca, Karen raised an eyebrow and quipped with a hint of sarcasm, "She''s quite a yer." The maid, who was steeping the tea, turned around and gave Karen a puzzled look. Then, she asked, "Madam?" "I wasn''t talking about you," Karen exined impatiently, ncing at the photos again. She muttered to herself about how Luca had intentionally brought herself closer to the man. It was not jealousy. It was more like she thought that Luca was very shameless. Karen ced the teacup on the tablezily and replied, "I don''t want it anymore. Take it away." The maid put down the tea-brewing tools. She nodded and replied, "Alright, Madam. It''s time for you to take your medicine." "I''m not sick. Why should I take medicine?" Karen furrowed her brows. The maid let out a sigh and replied, "It''s blood pressure medication. The doctor said you need to take a pill in the morning and a pill in the evening to control your blood pressure." "I told you, I''m not sick!" Impatience shed across Karen''s eyes. She turned off the phone screen and rose to her feet. The maid immediately added, "Madam, the doctor said that if you don''t take the blood pressure medication and your blood pressure isn''t well controlled, you might end up needing stronger shortterm medications with significant side effects." Karen usually needed to take blood pressure medication to stabilize her condition. The regr medication had minor side effects, but it would not affect her mental state either. The maid became anxious at the thought of thest few times when Karen was under the influence of the side effects. A few maids had been scratched and injured by Karen. Karen paused for a moment while she climbed the stairs, recalling the situation when her high blood pressure would note down... If she did not take the blood pressure medicine in the long term, it would be difficult to bring her blood pressure down once it rose. If she went crazy, Old Master Mallory might even have her admitted to a mental hospital. When Karen thought of Pierre, she knew she could not end up in a mental hospital! She turned around, arrogantly instructing the maid to follow her, "Bring the medicine to my bedroom." "Yes," the maid quickly left to get the medicine. Karen returned to her bedroom and took a leather file bag out of the drawer. The documents in the bag were all from Pierre''s office. These documents had nothing to do with thepany''s operations, so Pierre did not ask Oswald to retrieve them in the first ce. She opened the files, which included information about Luca and some details about Luke. A sinister smile appeared on Karen''s face as she took out another set of documents. She picked up her phone, ready to make a call. Karen''s call had not gone through yet when the maid entered the room. She carried a ss of water and her pills. "Madam, here''s your medicine." Karen put down her phone and picked up the small pill. After she swallowed it down with water, she dismissed the maid and said, "I need to rest. Close the door when you leave." "Yes, Madam." The maid quickly left the room when she saw Karen had taken her pill, closing the door behind her. Karen picked up her phone and dialed a number from the information. The phone rang several times before it was answered. "Who''s this?" A woman''s voice came from the other end of the line. Karen asked in a casual tone, "May I know if this is Myra Chavez?" "Who are you?" Myra nced at the unfamiliar number on the phone screen when her name was mentioned. She did not recognize it. "Don''t worry about who I am. I''d like to ask you if you have any grudges against Luca?" Karen did not reveal her identity. She questioned Myra instead. The private detective Karen hired was professional. They could dig up every detail about any recent conflicts involving Luca. Karen intended to use this information to set up obstacles in Luca''s way. Simultaneously, she wanted to set a trap for Luke with this woman, bringing him chaos. Her ideas appeared to align with Pierre''s, yet they were slightly different from his. She did not believe this would bring Luke down, but revealing this information could still affect both the Crawford family and Luke himself. Even though Karen had not paid much attention to the Mallory family''s affairs, she heard about the government''s ns of gearing up to put suburbannd development up for bidding. If the others found out that the seemingly devoted Luke was actually a two-faced person who had a sick wife but was maintaining a rtionship with another woman, Luke might not fall from grace after this matter was disclosed to the public, but he would certainly be in trouble. At least, Jack would not treat this adulterous son-inw kindly. What was the big deal if T Corporation was capable enough to participate in the biddingpetition? Jack was not responsible for that kind of work, but those who were handling these intricate details would still give Jack face. There was no way T Corporation, which was managed by Luke, would win the bid. Myra, who was on the other end of the line, found out that the caller was mysterious. She could not help but curse before hanging up, "You''re crazy." Before Karen could react, she heard the busy toneing from the other end of the line. "Unbelievable!" She cursed and looked at Myra''s information. Myra had conflicts with Luca because of her child. It happened at the school. After Luke found out that Myra bullied Luca, he instructed hiswyer to sue both Brigham and Myra, and there was no intention of settling out of court. The Hudson family''s business was in trouble after they upset Luke. Many orders had been canceled because of thiswsuit. The others were worried about provoking Luke by working together with the Hudson family, which could affect their own business. Otherpanies had all found excuses to end their partnerships. Karen dialed Myra''s number again. "Who is this?" Myra answered the call again. Her tone was still not good as she had just argued with Brigham. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Since thepany''s business started having issues, Brigham''s temper had been getting worse every day. He kept ming her for offending Luca and Luke. Their rtionship had been further strained through these repeated arguments. Hence, her tone grew even more impatient when she received another call from an unknown number. "Myra, you don''t need to know who I am. Just listen to me. I have a score to settle with Luke and Luca." Karen''s tone was disdainful. She knew that those who knew who she was dared not to speak to her like how Myra did. However, she did not want to reveal her identity too early. After all, Myra was currently regretting her sh with Luca back then. What if Myra was worried about retaliating against Luca and informed her about it after finding out her identity and intentions? Karen was not silly. She would not let Luca know her ns in advance. She needed to catch them off guard and without any defenses for her strategy to work effectively. Mrya, who was on the other end of the line, was stunned for a moment. A trace of resentment shed across her eyes when she heard two of the names she least wanted to hear. It was them who had made her life so tormenting now. Not only was she quarreling with Brigham, but even Charlie was being ostracized by his ssmates at school. He imed that their parents had instructed their children not to y with Charlie. The Hudson family was dealt a bad hand! Chapter 2881 While it might sound like kids'' talk, it was still a message conveyed by the parents to the kids. Whenever Myra heard Charliee home from school, bawling about it, her sense of unease continued to grow in her heart. She thought about apologizing to the Crawford family, but they ignored her. Thepany''s situation was getting worse. Her resentment toward Luca and the Crawford family grew stronger too. Myra cautiously asked, "You bear a grudge against Luca and Luke. Whye to me? Why don''t you go seek revenge, then?" Myra would not mind if someone stirred up trouble for Luke and Luca as it might give her a sense of relief. "Why haven''t you sought revenge if you hate them too?" Karen, who was on the other end of the line, chuckled. She had no intention of being in the limelight. Old Master Mallory had made it clear to her more than once that the Mallory family could not afford to get into any more trouble right now. They had to deal with the mess caused by Pierre first. That was why Karen and Pierre could not emerge into the fray after they decided on taking revenge on Luke and Luca. "Wouldn''t I have taken action if I had the power to do so? Who are you anyway? Hiding behind the scenes and not doing anything, what''s the point of making this call?" Myra was not silly enough to let herself get riled up and went to seek revenge on Luca. If she offended Luca again, her marriage and wealth would bepletely ruined! "You don''t need to know who I am. Just work together with me. You''ll find out who I am sooner orter." Karen sneered coldly as she looked at Luca in the photo, along with a hint of hatred. Herughter traveled through the phone into Myra''s ears. A shiver ran down her spine. Could this be her chance? There was no way Myra could take revenge on Luke and Luca alone. However, what if there was someone else involved? The Hudson family could not challenge T Corporation on their own, but what if there was another party? Myra, an unreasonable woman as she was, knew that strengthy in numbers. If a few more people teamed up against Luke and Luca, the n was more likely to seed. "Can you guarantee a sessful revenge?" Myra''s interest was piqued after she understood the profound truth behind this. "There''s no guarantee, but I have more resources at my disposal than you do. For instance, I already have a lot of evidence of Luke having an affair." Karen chuckled and flipped through some documents. The sound of pages turning was so loud that Myra realized that the evidence of Luke having an affair might be in Karen''s hands... Mrya''s mind raced. In her efforts to apologize to the Crawford family, she had investigated Luke''s family thoroughly. Luke had a father-inw who was a provincial governor. The road ahead for him would not be easy if his father-inw knew he was having an affair. Even though Luke was a wealthy businessman, he would not want to sh with a political figure. It would spell trouble for him. "If the evidence you have is substantial enough, I agree to work together with you. Since you''vee to me, you should know that mypany isn''t in the best shape now. So, I can cooperate, but there are certain things I can''t handle personally." Myra kept her guard up. Myra had considered exposing Luke and Luca''s rtionship to the media to seek revenge. However, Brigham stopped her. He said thepany could not afford to displease T Corporation anymore. Hence, Myra was concerned that she might be used as a pawn in this game. That was why sheid all her cards on the table from the start. "You won''t be directly involved in this?" Karen''s brows furrowed in displeasure. Then, she asked, "You can work behind the scenes, but what can you do to help me?" Myra fell silent. What could she do? As Karen listened to the silenceing from the other end of the line, Karen sneered coldly and said, "It''s just about offending Luke. You''ve already done that. What are you afraid of? I''ll provide the evidence, and you''ll create the buzz. Let''s work together. Isn''t that a good idea?" As Myra listened to Karen''s tone, she had a hunch that the person might hold considerable influence within society. Perhaps she was from a better background than the Hudson family. "If I dared to offend Luke, I would''ve done it long ago. I wouldn''t have waited until today. My background isn''t as good as the Crawford family, so I can''t act recklessly. You must have a simr background to the Crawford family. I don''t think it''s a good idea for me to take the lead while you stay behind, right?" replied Myra. Karen did not expect Myra to be so timid. A timid person like her would actually offend Luca for her child''s sake? It seemed like she had misjudged Myra''s potential. Karen gave a cold-heartedugh and said, "You don''t dare to displease Luke because of your husband''spany. Now, your husband''spany is practically on life support. It doesn''t matter whether you''ll upset Luke or not anymore. Your husband''s company might not even survive until next year. Perhaps there''s still hope for your husband''spany if you work together with me, no?" Myra''s heart skipped a beat. She reckoned that the person on the other end of the line had an extraordinary identity. Perhaps it was really time to stand up against Luke. The enemy of an enemy was a friend, after all! "I''m willing to work together with you if you can help my husband''spany," said Myra. As long as there was a positive change in Brigham''spany''s situation, what harm could it do to be in the spotlight again? After all, they were already at rock bottom. Perhaps this person could help them turn things around. "Alright, don''t worry. I won''t let you face Luke and Luca alone," Karen replied with a sinisterugh. Myra, who was on the other end of the line, heard the eerieughter, and it sent a hair-raising shiver down her spine. Could she really trust this person? Her thoughts were tinged with doubt and a touch of unease.N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Theugh sounded almost terrifying. It was like the person on the other side was more of a monster than a human. "Are there others?" Myra asked cautiously. "Margaret Sutton. Do you know her?" asked Karen. "Sounds familiar to me." Myra''s social circle was limited. She had trouble remembering people she never coborated with. "Look her up. Luke sent her to the police station, and she got detained for a few days just because she offended Luca. Her husband''spany was affected too. Tell me, if the two of you team up against him and with me providing the information I have on hand, won''t things go bad for Luke?" Karen asked with a menacing tone. "I''ll look into it, but I think we should meet in person first since we''re working together." Myra remained vignt. She did not know the person who called her. It seemed like the person on the other end of the line was not nning to reveal her identity just yet. "No problem. I''ll arrange a time.¡± Karen hung up the call after that. She looked at the call duration and could not help but yawn. Then, she dialed Margaret''s number. Margaret''s hatred for Luca stemmed from her resentment of the third party in her marriage. Moreover, she had been sent to jail for a few days because of it. She was displeased, indeed. Hence, the moment Karen proposed teaming up to bring down Luke and Luca, she did not hesitate and agreed to join forces. Karen let out azy yawn after ending the call. She thought it would take some time to convince Margaret to work together with her in taking down Luke and Luca. However, she did not expect Margaret to agree so readily without hesitating over her own identity like Myra. "She''s quick on the draw, but she''s not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. She can only be used as a front-line soldier," Karenzily remarked. If Margaret were a little smarter, she would not have agreed so eagerly. She would have hesitated for a moment at the very least. After all, this was not just about her. Chapter 2882 Margaret did not even consider the situation the Jackman family would face. Working with an empty-headed person was both a good thing and a bad thing for Karen. The good part was that foolish people were easy to manipte, but the bad part was that someone like Margaret, whose primary focus revolved around her aversion to tasks and responsibilities, could easily cause trouble. Karen clicked her tongue. Her mouth tasted bitter. She attributed it to the blood pressure medication she had taken earlier. She made her way down the stairszily. She headed to the dining room. Old Master Mallory was already having his meal. Ever since she started taking blood pressure medicine that could affect her emotions, Old Master Mallory never dined with her again. They mostly had their meals at different times. Having often yed the role of a dutiful daughter-inw, Karen no longer bothered to conform to Old Master Mallory''s daily routine after that incident. She did not sit down to eat when she saw him dining. Instead, she greeted the old man, "Father, you''re having dinner this early?" Old Master Mallory put down his cutlery and nodded at her. His voice was calm as he replied to her, "Sit down. I have something to talk to you about." Karen''s eyes flickered as she resisted andined at the same time, "Father, can''t we talk after you''ve finished your meal? I''m going to pour myself a ss of juice. The medicine is making my mouth bitter." "Let the maid get it for you if you''d like to have a ss of juice. Sit down," Old Master Mallory''s voice carried a stern tone that brooked no refusal. Karen had no choice but to listen to him and sit down. Even though she could not fathom what Old Master Mallory was going to say, she knew it was likely to be a reprimand. After all, the look on his face was quite unpleasant. He was probably going to bring up Pierre''s matter to give her a hard time. "What have you been up totely?" Old Master Mallory finally asked after sipping his soup. He spoke with an unfathomable intonation. Karen''s eyes flickered, trying to figure out what was going on in Old Master Mallory''s head. She held her chin upzily and answered, "You told me to rest at home. That''s what I''ve been doing." Right after she finished her sentence, the maid brought a ss of freshly squeezed juice. "Madam, here''s your juice." Karen took it from her. She took a sip of the juice and found that the taste did not suit her pte. However, she did not want to make a fuss in front of Old Master Mallory. Thus, she frowned and put the ss of juice on the table. "You''ve been resting and doing nothing else?" Old Master Mallory did not press further. He wanted to see if she would confess. Karen was startled for a moment. Could it be that Old Master Mallory already knew about it? N?velDrama.Org is the owner. However, she had just called Myra and Margaret to talk about working together. How could Old Master Mallory find out about it so quickly? Unless there was a bug nted in her room... Karen felt uneasy. If she was constantly being watched by Old Master Mallory, she would definitely move out. "Father, have I done something?" Karen could only purse her lips and ask, trying to gauge what Old Master Mallory was getting at. "Why did you send someone to investigate the woman by Luke''s side?" Old Master Mallory stared at her with a piercing gaze. He grew displeased when he saw her trying to feign ignorance. "I warned you and Pierre not to mess with Luke during this crucial time." "When did I mess with Luke?" Karen let out a sigh of relief. Old Master Mallory only knew that she had someone tailing Luca, but he was unaware of her n to use Myra and Margaret to cause trouble for Luke. "Why are you investigating that woman, then?" Old Master Mallory mmed the table with his fork and spoon in frustration. His face was flushed with anger. Her words did not fool him. "I''m just taking precautions. Father, let me be clear. I know Luke Crawford, that bastard, knows everything about Pierre, including which hospital he''s staying in now! So, I thought of finding some leverage against Luke. That''s the only way to control him. Just in case he goes crazy one day and hands Pierre over to the police. If he really does that, there''s nothing we can do!" Karen exined at length. Then, she picked up the ss of juice and took a sip of it. Old Master Mallory narrowed his eyes as he sized up Karen. His tone was still stiff. "Is that really so?" "Yes. The only one who can threaten Pierre''s safety is Luke Crawford. I have to do something to protect Pierre. Father, I only have Pierre as my child now. I have to do something. I can''t lose him!" Karen reassured the old man, thinking that with Myra and Margaret on her side, it would note back to her even if things went wrong. "You don''t have to worry about Pierre''s affairs. If you end up offending Luke because of this, the oue will be the opposite of what you''re aiming for. And there''s more than one son under your wing,¡± replied Old Master Crawford with a tinge of suspicion. He could not say much since what Karen said and her intentions were centered around protecting Pierre. A fire seemed to burn in Karen''s eyes at the thought of Percy. "No, I only have Pierre as my son. Ever since he chose that wretched woman and made me lose face in front of others, I only have one son." When Percy had to choose between Nina and the Mallory family, he chose Nina. From then on, she no longer took Percy as her son. Hence, when it came to Pierre, her hopes for him to seed grew stronger. Not only did Pierre have to achieve more than the child of that bitch who had an affair with her husband, but he also had to surpass Percy! Old Master Mallory shook his head helplessly when he saw the look on Karen''s face. He stood up with the support of the cane and left his food untouched. "Old Master Mallory..." Mr. Be, who stood beside him, nced at the half-eaten slice of bread. He did not even finish half of it... "Take it away," instructed Old Master Mallory. Karen''s stubbornness had made him lose his appetite. Even though he was not pleased with Percy''s choice of Nina as his wife, the rtionship between the grandfather and grandson improved after what happened to Pierre. As long as the topic of his marriage was not brought up, Old Master Mallory''s attitude would soften a bit. He felt there was no need for things to get so tense. The fact that the people from the Ind of Despair dared to kidnap Pierre and ask for ransom made Old Master Mallory realize that their family''s wealth had attracted the attention of these ignorant people. However, these enemies operated in the shadows. Even with the Mallory family giving everything they had, dealing with a dark organization like the Ind of Despair would not be an easy feat. Therefore, the most crucial thing was for the family to rally as one now. The issue of Percy''s marriage to Nina could not be resolved for now. Thus, it had to be put aside. However, Karen did not understand this. Old Master Mallory also had no intention of discussing these matters with Karen. Mentioning Nina''s name in front of her would only stir up Karen''s emotions. That name was like a taboo in Karen''s heart. It was something that could not be spoken aloud, or else there would be no peace in the Mallory family. As Mr. Be watched the old master''s weathered figure, he could not help but frown. The old man was gradually showing signs of aging. He used to be an old man who was full of vigor and vitality. However, it seemed that the recent events involving Pierre had made him look much more weathered... Mr. Be heard what the old master said. He had no choice but to reply, "Alright, I''ll ask them to leave it in the kitchen for now. We can heat it up for you if you get hungryter." Then, he waved his hand to signal the maid to clear the food from the table. Karen ced her cup on the table and uttered in azy tone, "It tastes awful. Take this away too." Chapter 2883 On Saturday morning, Luca received two pieces of good news from the hospital. One was that Old Man Rayne''s postoperative condition was stable, and his body indicators were improving. He had been moved to a regr ward. The other good news was that Sarah''s condition had stabilized. Arrangements could be made for Marcos to meet her. Luke also received the same news. Luke saw the faint smile on Luca''s face and said, "I''ve arranged for a caretaker for Old Man Rayne. We can visit him anytime." "Okay. Remind the caretaker not to take Old Man Rayne out and wander around." Luca nodded. The last time she entered the ICU ward with Johann, Old Man Rayne was awake and was able to recognize her. Luca briefly exined why she was at the hospital at that time. She was worried about Old Man Rayne after she found out that he was sick. That was why she was at the hospital. At the same time, she also reassured him that she would keep a close watch on his condition. Therefore, Luca could show up at the hospital next time and it would not seem out of ce. Old Man Rayne''s appreciation for her visits was evident. He was happy and weed her to visit him. "Yes. I''ve already instructed them. Also, the maid at the Rayne family''s house won''t being to the hospital." Luke was meticulous in his arrangements. The maid knew that Wanda had not gone on a trip but was receiving treatment at the hospital. However, if she showed up at the hospital and was seen by Wanda, it might raise suspicions and Wanda would be reminded of Old Man Rayne. Hence, the maid who had been working at the Rayne family''s house would continue to manage the vi''s cleanliness. Wanda did not know the maid from the Crawford family. She could help to take care of Old Man Rayne. Once his health improved, they would try to avoid moving around outside the hospital room to prevent any encounters with Wanda on the same floor. Luca understood that all these arrangements were for the well-being of both Old Man Rayne and Wanda. A warm feeling of gratitude welled up inside her, yet she could not find the words to express it. Luke could sense the affection in Luca''s gaze. His eyes now carried a hint of gentleness. "Everything is getting better," said Luke. Even though Luca had no blood ties with the Rayne family, they had taken care of her when she was young, resulting in a deep bond of affection. Luke''s role was to look after the Rayne family in her ce. Luca agreed with a nod. Luke was right. It looked like everything was getting better. She recalled the time when she was still in university. She had no money to afford medical treatment for Kevin. Everything had seemed overwhelming and hopeless back then. Whenparing it to the present, even though her situation wasplicated, having Luke around to take care of them made everything seem less daunting. Things were looking up. "Should we have Mr. Marcose to the hospital to meet Ms. Por?" asked Luca, recalling that she had seen photos of Marcos'' parents. Marcos was aplete reflection of his father, and he held no resemnce to Sarah. Thus, when Luca first met Sarah, she did not find her particrly familiar. However, Luca believed that Sarah would definitely recognize him when she saw Marcos. "Yes, but Marcos is busy during the day. He has to go to the detention center," replied Luke. "I''ve arranged for them to meet in the evening." Luca was not too interested in when they would meet. When she visited Sarah for the past few days, she had tried to inquire about her son. Sarah kept her guard up when talking about that topic. Still, Luca could still sense that Sarah missed her son, whom she had not seen in over 20 years. If it were not for the Abaza family relentlessly pushing Sarah toward a dead-end, she would not have had to hide on the outskirts of A City for over two decades, too afraid to show her face. Luca asked again, "Is Mr. Marcos going to the detention center because of Matysh?" "Yes." Luke nodded. "All the evidence hase together now, and Matysh has been arrested. The next step is the trial." Mandy''s recording further proved that Matysh was the mastermind behind the Norman family''s home invasion case, and it also implicated Leia''s involvement in the case. Meanwhile, another suspect in the case had also been arrested. Walter acted swiftly and obtained crucial evidence from multiple sources. With the mounting evidence, Matysh''s involvement in the rape case was substantiated. Even if they were to hire a top-notchwyer, Matysh would not be able to escape these charges. Ethan, who had been handling Matysh''s case, realized this and tried various strategies, but it was all in vain. Also, Matysh was not pleased with Shandra''s candor. Despite her repeated exnations that she could not help to clear his chargespletely and could only aim to minimize the sentence, Matysh terminated the agreement. This was what Marcos told Ethan. No matter how Ethan tried to persuade him, Matysh insisted on terminating the agreement with Shandra. After Shandra readily agreed, she signed the agreement to terminate the retainer and left. Ethan received a barrage of scoldings from Matysh. After returning to the hotel, Ethan vented his frustrations to Marcos about the situation. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. After that, Marcos looked into the details of the retainer termination. While Shandra was not continuing to work as Matysh''swyer, Walter did not n to let go of the case and continued working on the retainer''s tasks, preparing for the trial to send Matysh to prison. "That''s good," Luca murmured as she listened to Luke talking about Matysh''s situation. Even though Matysh was not facing trial in his own country, it was evident that this was where the fairest judgment would take ce. It also provided some sce to the women who had suffered because of Matysh... "Let''s go. It''s about time. We should get going." Luke nced at the time and picked up the two gift bags Aunt Neile ced on the coffee table. Luca had prepared some herbal medications for Queenie. They were intended to be delivered to the Norman family. Luke had arranged lunch for today. Even if Old Man Rayne was discharged from the ICU, he would still have to take the kids to Norman Residence at noon. Luke guessed that Zander was probably on his way to Norman Residence with the kids. "Alright." Luca gave herself a mental jolt and smiled. Then, she walked out of the room with Luke. The brilliant sunlight painted the garden with unabashed splendor as it cascaded over the lush foliage. Blooming flowers marked the dawn of a day with an air of exuberance. Luca soaked in the warmth around her, enjoying thefort it brought. All worries seemed to vanish into thin air at this moment. She knew that the fervent embrace of summer was just around the corner. Chapter 2884 Luca sat in the car driven by Luke, and they arrived at Norman Residence. After the maid opened the door for them, they each carried a bag and walked into the house. N?velDrama.Org content rights. When they passed through the garden, Luca noticed the withered leaves of the climbing roses in the front yard and slightly frowned. "What''s wrong with these flowers?" asked Luca. The roses should be lush and in full bloom at this time, but they looked like wild grass in the mountains now. They were withering, not even a whisper of life could be seen in them. The maid nced at the roses and exined helplessly, "The roses are sick. They''re delicate and require careful care to bloom well. But Mrs. Norman hasn''t been in a good moodtely. The flowers have been neglected, so they became like this." The maid did not know much about flower care either. Thus, she could not take care of the garden''s nts for Queenie. Luca nodded, indicating that she understood. The Norman family initially had a gardener, but after Queenie¡¯s health improved, she had been personally taking care of the garden. Now that she was in a bad mood, she did not have the heart to tend to the garden, and naturally, the flowers could not thrive. As Luca looked at the wilted yellow leaves on the roses without any buds, she no longer felt joyful over the arrival of spring. Instead, it was reced by destion. Luca understood that Queenie¡¯s heart had been deeply hurt by Leia. She did not say anything and continued walking forward. Before they reached the house, they could hear the children¡¯sughter. Luca and Luke exchanged nces with each other and understood each other''s thoughts. Zander had brought all three children over. As they entered the house, Tommy rushed over with a joyful expression on his face. He came in front of them before they could say anything. "Dad, Ms. Luca, you''re here!" At the same time, Queenie also turned around and saw Luke and Luca standing side by side. Her eyebrows slightly furrowed as she noticed how close they were. However, she did not say anything. She rxed her brows and put on a gentle smile. "Luke, Luca, you''re here." "Yes, Mom. I brought Luca here too. She''s here to check your pulse and give you a check-up." Luke took the bag from Luca''s hand and ced both bags on the coffee table. Queenie noticed his concern for Luca. A fleeting shadow of worry shed across her eyes, but she did not show it. Instead, she smiled and looked at the two of them. "I''m feeling much better now. You don''t need to go through all this trouble." "Grandma, just let Ms. Luca help you with the check-up," Rainie softly chimed in as though she was coaxing a little child. Before Queenie could speak, Lanie went along. "Yes. Grandpa said you''re not feeling well. Let Ms. Luca take a look at you." Queenie felt a mix of joy and an inexplicable concern when she heard what the two children said to her. She was pleased that the kids genuinely cared for her. However, she was concerned that the children had developed such a strong bond with Luca. It reminded her of Bianca, who was still overseas. If she were to return one day and find that the kids were all closer to Luca, what would she do? Kids did not have a clear sense of what was right and wrong. When they got close to someone, it was based solely on their own preferences. Bianca''s amnesia had caused her personality to be erratic, and she was no longer close to the children. Furthermore, she had been abroad for such a long time, and no one had heard that she had any contact with the children. As Queenie thought about this, she became more and more worried. Still, when she looked at the expressions on the kids'' faces, she nodded and agreed, "Alright, alright. Thank you, Luca." "It''s nothing, Mrs. Norman. Please have a seat." Luca sensed that Queenie''s mood seemed a bit odd. Hence, she nced at the man beside her and immediately sat down on the couch. Queenie nodded. She let go of Rainie''s hand and sat on the sofa, resting her hand on the armrest for Luca to take her pulse. Luca began taking Queenie''s pulse. After a couple of minutes, she paused for a moment and said, "Mrs. Norman, I''ve bought some herbs that can be added to soups and dishes for you and Mr. Norman. They''re good for your health." "Okay, okay." Queenie nodded and nced at the two bags of herbs. Even though she had her doubts, Luca had undeniably proven herself to be genuinely caring toward them. However, could being kind to them make her overlook her own daughter''s happiness? Queenie already felt guilty for Bianca for not being able to provide her with a healthy and happy environment. She had endured so much suffering at such a young age. If she could not defend her child''s marriage now, she would truly be a failed mother. Queenie''s heart was heavy. She had already failed once. She could not let Bianca experience the same... "Thank you so much, Luca. You''re truly thoughtful." Queenie thought as she held onto Luca''s hand. Luca shook her head, feeling guilty. Her parents had matters to attend to, and she could not be by their side to do her duty as their daughter. She wanted to do more, but there was not much opportunity for her to do so. Luca shook her head again and took a neatly folded piece of paper out of her pocket. She handed it to the maid who stood nearby. "Madam, these are recipes. You can make them two or three days a week when you''re cooking. You can prepare dishes based on Mr. and Mrs. Norman''s preferences for the rest of the time." The maid quickly took the paper from her. She had seen how good Luca was during this period. Hence, she asked, "Ms. Craw, can the others have these besides Mr. and Mrs. Norman?" "These recipes are meant for nourishing the body. Apart from young children, everyone else can have them. But it''s best not to take them every day. Too much nourishment can also be detrimental to health." Luca understood what she meant. These recipes were avable online, but most people would not think of adding herbs into their meals. That was why many were unaware about them. She knew that Queenie disliked the bitterness of herbal medicine. Hence, she carefully chose recipes and ingredients to suit her taste. These recipes were suitable for those who did not like the bitterness of herbal medicine, so the majority of people could take it. "Alright. I''ll prepare the meals for Mr. and Mrs. Norman every two or three days.¡± The maid looked at the recipes written by Luca on the paper. Her handwriting was neat. There were so many recipes that it would take some time to go through them all. After a quick nce, the maid also noticed that the ingredients that Mr. and Mrs. Norman disliked and should avoid were not on the list. She could not help but secretly exim. She had no idea whether Luca just so happened to avoid the ingredients that the couple did not like or if she genuinely understood their tastes. Either way, this collection of recipes was filled with thoughtfulness. Jack was making his way down the stairs. Joy flickered in his eyes the moment he saw Luca. He was delighted to see his beloved daughter. He walked toward them with a smile on his face, casting aside the seriousness he usually showed in front of others. Instead, he became warm and enthusiastic. "Luca, you''re here." "Yes, Mr. Norman. I''m here to check Mrs. Norman''s pulse. Oh, and I brought some medicinal herbs with me. You shoulde home more often for meals. The dishes made from these herbs are good for your health." Luca smiled sweetly, but she noticed the increase of white hair at Jack''s temples. Perhaps he was stressed out over Leia''s situation... Leia had caused a lot of trouble over the past while. She heard Luke mention that Jack supported the idea of sending Leia to prison for rehabilitation. Chapter 2885 Although Jack agreed, this whole situation still made him distressed, and even the hair on his temples was turning white. Of course, Luca felt bad for him. "Alright, alright. I''ll be back for dinner more often." Jack agreed twice with smiling eyes. Queenie noticed that Jack was happier seeing Luca than seeing his own grandchildren, which confused her. Luca may be kind to the Norman family, but that did not justify Jack''s behavior... Queenie did notment on it. Instead, she said, "Dear, you promised Luca, so you have toe back for dinner more often." Listening to his wife''s orders, Jack reassured her. "After Luca has done so much for us, I definitely won''t let her down." Queenie smiled. Jack usually did note home for dinner because of work, so it was nice that he promised toe back for dinner more often now. She was d. Then, she stood up, carried the two bags of herbs, and said, "These herbs have to be kept away from moisture, so I''ll put them away first." After saying that, she walked inside with the bags. Only then did Jack nce at Luke and Luca before asking, "How much did the herbs cost? I''ll transfer the money to youter." Luca knew why he said that, so she immediately shook her head and said. "No need. They don''t cost that much. Plus, Mr. Crawford has already transferred the money to me, so you can just ept the gift." Jack nced at Luke. Luke nodded and said, "Yes, Dad. I''ve already paid for them, so you can just think of it as a gesture of filial piety from your son-inw." "You''re good with words. I know they''re all from Luca," said Jack. Although Leia made them question their education methods as parents, he was satisfied with how Luca turned out. His only regret was not having Luca with them when she was younger, so in a way, Jack and Queenie were not very involved in Luca''s upbringing. "You''re right." Luke nodded. This was all Luca''s filial piety, so he could not take all the credit. He only said that to make Jack feel more at ease. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Besides, Jack was not in a position to ept gifts right now. No matter how much it cost, he would not be able to exin the situation if he got caught. He had been free from corruption all his life, and now that he was in a high-ranking position, he had to be extra careful of getting tricked or framed. Therefore, he was being extra cautious. That was why Luke said that. Jack could not ept gifts from other people, but he could still ept gifts from his son-inw. Moreover, Luca was extra thoughtful and asked Aunt Neile to leave the receipt when purchasing the herbs. The herbs were not particrly expensive, but they were all of good quality. Although they were not considered expensive, they were still a little pricier than normal. "Let''s not stand around here. Come, let''s have some tea," Jack said cheerfully. He pushed back all of his work when his daughter came home, so he had a lot of free time now. Now that he was free, all he wanted to do was talk to his daughter and son-inw. Then, Luca looked at Luke. "Sure," Luke agreed. Jack''s gaze fell on Luca again, and she nodded in agreement. The three children were not happy. "Grandpa, you take Daddy for tea. We want to talk to Ms. Luca." Tommy was the one who said that, and he asserted his dominance by holding Luca''s hand. Luca was their mom! They had been at the manor all this while. Although they talked to Luca on the phone, they still missed her very much. Seeing how much the children missed Luca, Jack looked at Luke seriously. "What''s going on?" "They''ve been staying at the manor for too long," Luke exined. Then, he looked at the children. "Be good and I''ll bring you back on Sunday." Lanie could not understand. "Daddy, can''t you take us back today?" He thought that going home right after eating at Norman Residence would save Zander the trouble of running around. "I still have some things to do tonight, so I''m not free." Luke noticed that Queenie hade back from keeping the herbs, so he just said that he was not free without mentioning Luca. Jack nodded and said, "Listen to your father." "Daddy, do we need to go back to the manor on Monday?" Tommy rolled his dark pupils and asked again. "I like Great-grandpa a lot, but it''s so boring at the manor." Now that Louis had moved out of the manor, only Old Master Crawford, Mr. Griffin, and the maids were left, which was why it was so boring. They might not have enjoyed ying with Thea when Louis and his family still lived at the manor, but they liked ying with their uncle. They all preferred a much livelier environment, but the manor was much quieter now. ¡°No, you can juste back." As soon as Luke said that, the children cheered, "Yay!" Queenie looked at the children cheering without knowing what was going on, so she looked at them curiously. "What happened?" "Nothing. They just want toe home because the manor is too boring," exined Luke while shaking his head. Queenie did not understand. "Won''t they be bored at home too?" "Great-grandpa is so strict that we can''t even watch two episodes of cartoons," Tommy could not help but pout and look at Luca with puppy eyes. Although their father was strict too, their mother would be nicer to them. At home, they would be able to watch at least two episodes before going to bed. Listening to the children''sints, Luke said with a straight face, "Great-grandpa is doing so for your own good." Queenie felt sorry for the kids and was about to say something, but she recalled that her pampering had turned Leia into what she was now, so she stopped herself. Instead, she said, "Right, your Greatgrandpa is doing that for your own good. Be good and stay there when your father is busy. Otherwise, you can stay here too." She liked the three children. Besides, they were the flesh and blood of her daughter. However, she was not going topete with Old Master Crawford to educate the children. After all, there was a huge difference between the Leia she raised and the Luke that Old Master Crawford raised. At that moment, Queenie did not think that people were bad by nature. She thought that her love was what made Leia into what she was now. Tommy noticed that Luca did not say a word, but even at his young age, he understood that Luca was not in a position to say anything. He was confused too. How could she not have a say when she was their mother? Tommy had no choice but to say in a baby voice, "I know that Great-grandpa is doing it for our own good... Daddy, if you''re busy, we can just go back to the manor, but can we go back home when you''re free?" "I''m free now, so I''lle pick you up on Sunday." Luke saw the child looking at Luca eagerly, hoping that she would say something. However, he was frustrated that Luca had no say in this. Luca was the mother of the children, but she had no right to speak. How ironic. Chapter 2886 "Great." Tommy smiled brightly. Although Lanie and Rainie did not say anything, the smiles on their faces were bright too. It was obvious that they wanted to go home too. It was not that the children did not like Old Master Crawford, but they missed their parents after staying there for so long. Especially their mother, Rainie could not keep her mother out of mind. She loved her mother very much, and she hoped that the matter could be resolved so their family could be reunited soon. Luca smiled at her as she sensed her gaze. Before she could say anything, the maid brought over the tea set and asked, "Sir, would you like to have tea in the living room or the garden?" Without a second thought, Jack said, "I''ll have it here. I still need to call the gardener to tidy up the garden." Queenie was taken aback when she heard that. She then said, "You don''t need to call the gardener. I can take care of it." "Don''t bother with it. Luca said that your body shouldn''t be overworked, so just stay at home. When the gardener is finished with the garden, you can just admire the flowers." Jack did not allow Queenie to do anything. Luca never said such a thing, but after hearing Jack''s words, she nodded and said, "Yes, Mrs. Norman. Let the gardener do it. The roses haven''t been cared for in some time, so they seem to have wilted. It''s best to let the professional take care of them, so you can just rest." "Mom, just listen to Dad. I''ll have the Crawford family''s gardenere over tomorrow," said Luke. Queenie could not dissuade the three of them, so she just sat on the couch and made tea for them. "Would it be a hassle?" She was referring to having the gardenere over. "No." That was all Luke said. Queenie had no choice but to obey their wishes. The reason why the garden was in its current condition was because she did not have the energy to take care of it. Leia''s matter had consumed all of her energy, and she was no longer interested in doing anything else. On the other hand, after the check-up, Leia turned out fine. Thus, the police sent her back to the detention center from the hospital. The police were worried that she might do something to hurt herself, so she was not detained alone this time. Instead, she was put with other people in a bigger cell. N?velDrama.Org content rights. When Leia was brought in, she noticed that she was put in a big cell, so she red at the policeman and said, "I''m Jack Norman''s daughter. How could you lock me here?" The policeman frowned and pushed her in. "I don''t care who your father is. If youmitted a crime, you stay here." "I want to have my own cell!" Leia saw a few female suspects being detained even before she went in. They all looked fierce with fat and bulky builds. They looked like they could crush her to death just by lying on top of her. She heard that people often get bullied in detention centers, and she thought that if she was locked up in this ce, she would surely get bullied by these women. Leia was afraid. "Well, you shouldn''t have lied, then. Get in." The officer pushed her again. "With these people watching you, I don''t have to worry. If my colleagues weren''t paying attentionst time, we would''ve been stripped of our uniforms if anything had happened. Now, you can just stay here. You can''t run away from thew anyway." Leia was pushed in, and the policeman locked the door behind her. She looked at the several big-sized women, while they looked her up and down as well. In the outside world, she was not afraid of women like them. In fact, she would even dare to yell at them because she was Jack''s daughter. Even if Jack did not like her very much, as long as they were registered under the same household, she could scare others with her identity. Here, the name ''Jack Norman'' was not as useful. Leia realized that Jack could not make things easier for her, nor could he make these women obey her. Moreover, even the name of a mere policeman may work even better here than Jack''s name. After the police left, the leader walked over slowly and asked, "New one, what''s your name?" "Leia." Leia was a little timid. She regretted not taking Taekwondo seriously when Jack sent her to sses. Jack thought that she could protect herself by learning Taekwondo. However, Leia thought that it would affect her figure. Plus, who would dare bully her with Jack backing her up? It was toote now. She did not even know how to throw a punch. "Leia?" The leader turned her head and talked to the woman on the bed, "Big Sis, she said that her name is Leia." "I heard that. I''m not deaf." Big Sis crossed her elephant-sized thighs and shook them. She looked at Leia''s face with a smile. "What a familiar name." "I think so too. Oh, wasn''t there once a famous celebrity called Leia Norman?" The woman pped her hands together and scanned Leia. Before she could continue, Big Sis sneered. "It''s her. Didn''t she say that her father is Jack Norman?" she said, sitting downzily while cracking her knuckles. ¡°Does that mean you have something against her?" the woman said before Leia could even react. "That''s right. I didn''t expect Jack Norman to send his precious daughter in here. What a cruel man. How could he send his daughter in here for me to take revenge on? Hahaha. I must make the most out of his kind gesture, right?" Big Sis walked up to Leia. She was one head taller than her, and her tall and muscr figure made Leia tremble in fear. "I-I''m not!" Leia did not have time to ask what she had against Jack before subconsciously denying her identity. "Don''t lie, we all heard that your father is Jack Norman. Unfortunately, being Jack''s daughter doesn''t come with privileges here. I heard you were very pretty, but what happened to you? Tsk tsk, you look like a sick ghost. How hideous." The woman standing next to Big Sis was judging Leia''s appearance. Her words made the other womenugh. One of them even said maliciously, "I heard that celebrities like getting stic surgery. Perhaps she looks like a ghost because her surgery failed. Big Sis, remember to avoid her face when youy a finger on her. Her face might get crooked if you punch her." "Right, and her breasts. I''ve read the news before. They said that she used her body to seduce directors. Maybe her breasts are fake too. Big Sis, you have strong fists. If you break the imnts, she might go crying to the policemen. When she goes to the hospital, you won''t be able to take revenge," said the other woman. Big Sis had spiteful eyes that made Leia tremble. "Whatever grudge you have with Jack has nothing to do with me. If you want revenge, go to him!" Leia trembled as she leaned against the stainless steel door. Chapter 2887 "It''s only fair for a daughter to repay her father''s debt." Big Sis clenched her fist and aimed at Leia''s abdomen. "Ugh." Leia let out a muffled groan as the blow struck her in the stomach. It was so powerful that she immediately curled up on the ground, clutching her stomach. A few of them were puzzled when they saw Leia''s pale face. Was it not just a punch? Even though Big Sis was strong, it should not have been this severe. "Get up,"manded Big Sis as she gripped Leia''s clothes. Leia remained seated on the ground. Her face twisted in pain. "Big Sis..." A faint voice came from behind the group. Big Sis turned to look at the woman behind her. "Are you trying to be the peacemaker? Wanna have a taste of my fists?" Mandy shivered for a moment and immediately shook her head. "Big Sis, I just wanted to say that Leia just had liver transnt surgery. Her body is weak. Her liver''s condition hasn''t improved either. Others might be able to take your punches, but she might not..." What she meant was, if Leia took a beating like that, she might not even have half her life left after just a couple of punches. If that were to happen, Big Sis could get into major trouble. However, Mandy knew that the woman in front of her might end up facing a life sentence, and she was the type who was not afraid of getting into trouble. If Mandy brought up Leia''s identity or legal matters, Big Sis might not be satisfied. She could get even be aggressive. The best Mandy could do was remind Big Sis that Leia was very weak at the moment and might not survive a second blow, which might make her reconsider it. "So, she''s got liver disease. No wonder she looks half-dead,¡±mented another woman. She then spat out, a glob of her spitnding on Leia''s hair. Leia could not be bothered about the spit in her hair. She could only feel the intense pain in her abdomen. She could not even spare a thought for Mandy, who was locked up with her. If it were not for the doctor confirming that her surgical incision had healed, Leia would have suspected that that punch had reopened it. "Hmph, I''ll let you off today, Ms. Norman. Stay here. Consider yourself unlucky. You''d better handle the feud between me and your father well!" warned Big Sis before returning to her bed. She was not concerned about Leia calling the police from the detention center. She did not leave any visible marks on her face, after all. Physical examination? Leia was neither unconscious nor was she in a life-threatening condition now. The police would not make a mountain out of a molehill. Mandy nced at Big Sis and suggested, "Big Sis, should I help her up to sit by the bed? If the officers see that pitiful look on her when theye, we might be the ones in trouble." "Hmph." Big Sis let out a cold snort without saying anything. Mandy quickly approached Leia, helping her to sit by the bed at the far end. "This is your bed now,¡± said Mandy. Knowing that Leia might not find it convenient, she willingly gave up her lower bunk. The lower bunk was always better than the top. If it were not for it being closest to the toilet, Leia would not have gotten it. Leia sat on the bed for a moment, taking a breath. Then, she gave Mandy an intense stare. She knew it was Mandy who had betrayed her when they were giving the statement. As Mandy met Leia''s resentful gaze, she hesitated for a moment but eventually felt that she had not done anything wrong. Mandy was about to go to jail. Therefore, she was definitely going to implicate Leia. She rose to her feet and said, "Leia, hating me won''t do you any good. If it weren''t for your sloppy actions that got us caught, others wouldn''t have dragged me into this mess. To be honest, it was you who put me in this situation." "Nonsense!" Leia clenched her teeth. She refused to believe that she had harmed anyone. Honestly, it was Mandy who had set her up. If Mandy had not insisted on partnering with Matysh and involving her, she would not have ended up like this. "I know you hate me for confessing to the police, but remember, we agreed to share weal and woe. I had already split Matysh''s money with you. You can''t expect me to shoulder it alone in times of trouble. Besides, do you know what I went through before I got arrested?" Mandy paused for a moment, noticing that Big Sis was paying attention to them. Then, she continued, "But it doesn''t matter now. Talking about this now won''t change anything. We''re destined to go to prison. But I advise you to apologize sincerely to Big Sis. Otherwise, you might find yourself in a tough spot." Mandy was not trying to scare Leia. She hade to terms with the fact that they were bound for prison. If Big Sis did not receive a death sentence, there was a good chance they would end up in the same facility. No matter how arrogant Leia was or how powerful her background was, it would not end well for her if she angered Big Sis. Big Sis let out a cold snort but slightly nodded when she heard what Mandy said. Even so, Leia''s apology would not change the fact that Big Sis had no intention of forgiving her. Leia, the daughter of Jack Norman... Big Sis clenched her fist. No matter how much Leia tried to appease her, she could not let it go easily. Leia rolled her eyes andy down on the bed. Apologize to that kind of woman? Not a chance! Mandy saw Leia''s reaction. She sat on the edge of the bed and said, "Let me get right to the point. That foster father of yours had Big Sis arrested and sent to prison for the sake of his political career. It might not help even if you apologize. You''d better take care of yourself from now on." A City made cracking down on telmunications fraud its main goalst year. This focus led to even old cases being dug up and dealt with. Jack found a major telmunications fraud case among a pile of unsolved old cases. After spending a day in this ce, Mandy had already gathered almost all the information about the people here, including what Big Sis had done. She was not just involved in telmunications fraud. She was also involved in human trafficking. She sent people to the Golden Triangle for various illicit activities. She was an extremely dangerous criminal. She had evenmitted murder within the country but managed to escape being caught due to her cunning nature and the less advanced methods of criminal investigation at the time. The case could have been left unresolved, but Jack''s decision to reopen it led to Big Sis'' exposure. Her power was stripped, resulting in her arrest. However, the reason this woman harbored such hatred toward Jack was that her only child was hit by a stray bullet and killed during the arrest operation. Jack was actively involved in the operation, making him the primary target of Big Sis'' vendetta. Leia turned over. She would have pped Mandy in the face if it were not for her weak body. She did not have to be involved in this entire situation in the first ce. Even if Mandy got caught, she could have stayed out of trouble as long as she did not implicate her. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. However, Mandy went ahead and ratted her out. Mandy grew annoyed when Leia was not paying her any attention. She decided not to continue coddling. Instead, she said, "Leia, do you think you''re still living in Norman Residence? Both of us are facing imprisonment now. I thought I''d speak up for you as an acquaintance today, but if you can''t show some gratitude, don''t me me for disregarding our past camaraderie. "Let me tell you, you''d better drop your heiress attitude here. Life in this ce is going to be a hundred times harder than those few years you spent in New York. Be ready to suffer if you keep acting arrogant." Chapter 2888 After Mandy finished talking, she let out a coldugh when she noticed Leia was still ignoring her. Then, she turned her gaze to Big Sis, who was not far away from her. Big Sis seemed to be quite satisfied with what Mandy had said to Leia. The people around her chimed in, "If you don''t have the demeanor of a rich, youngdy, then don''t act like one. Rich youngdies meet tragic ends here." Leia stared at the wall. Their words were constantly echoing in her ears. She clenched her fists tightly. When Leia was abroad, she had been detained for some minor issues and experienced life in detention facilities. It was true torment. However, Leia refused to believe they could do anything to her here. Her hands tightly clenched into fists. She did not react to the mockery and warnings at all. A woman nudged Mandy with her elbow and whispered to her, "Why isn''t she moving at all? Could she really be dead?" Mandy felt a bit embarrassed by Leia''s indifference. She snorted coldly and mercilessly revealed, "She''s good at this act, ying dead. Let me tell you, she used to be in a single room before, but she mmed herself into a wall to get sent to the hospital. After she returned, the police officers were scared of her doing something like that again. That''s why they made her stay here. It''s to keep an eye on her so that Ms. Norman doesn''t get suicidal again." Mandy overheard the nurses discussing it when she was in the hospital. Mandy also noticed the bandage on Leia''s head, which confirmed that the suspect who attempted suicide by hitting the wall was indeed Leia. "Well, then let Big Sis take care of her," replied a woman, stressing the words ¡®take care.¡¯ The crowd burst intoughter. Leia''s heart tightened. Mandy had sided with them as well. It would not be easy for Leia for the next few days... She felt like those people could see right through her, and the resentment in her heart intensified at the thought of being trapped here. It was all because of Luca! If it were not for her, she would not have ended up in this situation, and Jack would not havepletely given up on her. Leia did not contemte how wrong her actions were. She med everything on Luca. Leia gripped the bed sheets tightly. She used to love Luke, and because of that, she suffered greatly due to Bianca''s existence. Now, Luca was by Luke''s side. Even though Leia was not in love with him, the women around him always made her miserable! The look on Leia''s face turned menacing. Why did all the women around Luke seem to bear grudges against her? Her feelings of hatred grew stronger at the thought of this, almost bursting out of her. Mandy stood there, noticing Leia''s body trembling. She curled her lips, feeling a bit guilty. If it were not for Leia having inappropriate ideas toward Jack and Queenie, she would not have ended up here either. However, it was also she who exposed Leia. That was how that sense of guilt came about. Yet, when Mandy realized Leia was not listening to her and even med her, her guilt disappeared. Why would she feel guilty? If it were not for Leia, Mandy might not have gone to prison. She could have taken Matysh''s money and gone straight back to New York to live a good life. ... Aside from Leia, Matysh was having a tough time too. After he terminated his agreement with Shandra, Ethan had to find him anotherwyer. Judging from Matysh''s attitude toward women, he believed that women were not capable of achieving great things. That was why Ethan specifically found a malewyer with a good reputation in the industry. Ethan went to meet Matysh, joined by the newwyer. Among those apanying him was Marcos, whom Matysh had specifically requested to meet. They were now seated in chairs. Matysh was led in by the police officer. A trace of disdain shed across his eyes when he saw Marcos. Even though Matysh was imprisoned in A City''s prison, the position of the head of the family would never fall to Marcos either. After all, he was just a child born to a woman of humble bloodline. He had been tainted with impure blood. Hence, he was not worthy. Marcos noticed the disdain in his eyes but remained silent and sat there calmly. He could not be bothered by someone who was about to be a prisoner. His thoughts were on Sarah''s situation now. Luke told him that Sarah''s condition had stabilized. He coulde to the hospital to visit her tonight. Marcos was eager to see his birth mother, but Matysh had asked him toe here. He still had to y by his rules now. That was why he came. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Marcos had already arranged to meet his mother tonight, and as usual, Gale would be his stand-in. "Mr. Matysh, I''m sorry for what you''ve been through these days." Ethan continued to wear a look of enthusiasm when he met Matysh. Marcos could not help but raise an eyebrow when he heard what Ethan said. It was certain that Matysh was going to prison, but Ethan still showed him respect. It was as though he would crawl on the ground, grovel, and kiss his shoes if given the chance. How fascinating. Ethan was still trying to curry favor with Matysh. What could he possibly gain now? Matysh sat down and attempted to cross his legs, but his legs were shackled, preventing him from doing so. Realizing this, he awkwardly put his leg back down. "Is this the newwyer you hired?" Matysh nced at the person next to Ethan. "Yes, this is Mr. Hidayatuh." When Ethan introduced him, his tone had a touch of humor to it. Unintentionally, Marcos'' lips arched into a faint smile. Matysh''s sharp gaze fell onto him, and he asked, "What''s so funny about it?" "Mr. Ethan''s pronunciation is quite amusing. I believe Mr. Hidayatuh must have an English name," Marcos asked in English as he turned to look at Ethan. Since he was speaking in English, Addison could understand what they were saying. "Yes. My name is Addison. Mr. Ethan, you may address me by that name in the future." Ethan''s expression changed. What Marcos said was fine, but it made him feel embarrassed. However, he could not bring himself to exin this to Marcos in front of Matysh. Ethan nodded. Then, he said to Matysh, "Mr. Addison is one of the most renownedwyers in A City. He has signed our representation agreement and is ready to represent you in court. "Between him and Shandra, whoes out on top?" Matysh seemed to not have heard what Ethan said. He looked at Addison with an inquisitive expression. Ethan was stunned for a moment. In terms of reputation, when Shandra was away from A City over the years, Addison had be quite well-known in the legal field. He had represented many people in cour and built a strong reputation. However, he still seemed to fall a little short whenpared to Shandra. However, he could not say something like this to Matysh. After all, Matysh dismissed Shandra not because he wanted to find awyer who was slightly worse to defend him but because he wanted to find a better one. Ethan had also reached out to otherwyers, but each one seemed convinced that Matysh''s case was destined to result in a loss. Consequently, they all declined his offer, citing othermitments that prevented them from taking on Matysh''s case. That was why he ended up with Addison, who was willing to take it on. "Mr. Matysh, Mr. Addison''s focus is slightly different from Ms. Cullen''s. Ms. Cullen tends to emphasize safeguarding women''s rights, and most of the cases she handles are rted to divorce and other simr matters. However, Mr. Addison is different. He has a lot of experience in defending criminal cases," exined Ethan. Chapter 2889 As Ethan spoke those words, a sense of unease welled up within him, yet he also felt a certain relief. At the same time, he was d that Matysh was not well-versed in this area. Addison had also gained knowledge of the past events. He was secretly delighted when he found out that he was able to take on the case after Shandra''s dismissal. This indicated that his reputation was moving closer towyers like Shandra. Even though Matyshmunicated with Ethan in Russian and Addison could not understand a word, he switched to fluent English to talk to Matysh after Ethan said that. "Mr. Matysh, rest assured. I''ll do my utmost to fulfill your request. Please trust me. I''ve dealt with many simr cases, and I have ample experience in this." Matysh''s blue eyes swept over him and then moved to Ethan. "Thiswyer doesn''t seem too capable," said Matysh in Russian. Ethan grew anxious when he heard that. The police had gathered substantial evidence, and changing lawyers would be unfavorable for Matysh. "Mr. Matysh, thewyer I''ve found for you is a professional..." Before Ethan could finish his sentence, Matysh coldly interrupted, "Ethan, don''t try to fool me. Here''s the deal. I want the opposingwyer. Get him to take my case." Ethan was startled for a moment. It was a good idea. Before Shandra terminated her contract with Matysh, she had been investigating the case in the neighboring city. There seemed to be some leads at first, but Matysh lost patience and terminated the agreement. Now, the party that understood the case the most was the opposing client''s attorney. Walter must have already grasped the key points of the entire case. If he were to defend Matysh, there might be a slim chance, but... Ethan replied in an uncertain tone, "Mr. Matysh, the opposingwyer is Walter Long." "And?" Matysh did not care aboutwyers, especially those in A City. He viewedwyers as professionals who worked for wealthy individuals. Anyone with money could hire them. There was no need for him to know or understand them. "Walter is not only Shandra''s ex-boyfriend, but he also has a close rtionship with Luke Crawford," Ethan reluctantly exined, bracing for Matysh''s reaction. "Damn it!" cursed Matysh. He did not expect Luke to be friends with awyer. He red at Ethan and asked, "Can''t you spend some money?" Marcos sat there, listening to their conversation. He was rendered speechless. Had Matysh been sitting around here, letting his brain turn to mush? "He''s Luke''s friend. You wouldn''t dare to trust him even if you threw a bunch of money at him to get him to defend you, would you?" Marcos chimed in. Ethan, who sat beside him, could not help but nod. Even though he refused to admit it, it was indeed a valid point. Even if they managed to bribe Walter, could they truly trust him with the case? Unless a miracle urred, Matysh was pretty much destined to end up with a prison sentence in A City. It did not really matter that much whether Walter gave it his best shot or not. If they hired Walter and he deliberately did not give his best, it was Matysh who would be in trouble. Perhaps his prison sentence might even end up getting extended by a few years. Matysh shot a piercing look at Marcos. He needed someone to clear his name desperately. That was why he did not realize such an important point. Desperation would leave little room for thoughtful consideration. Matysh realized he had made a foolish mistake. He could not help but feel frustrated. "I need to talk to Marcos. The others may leave." Matysh was talking to Ethan and thewyer, but his intense gaze remained fixed upon Marcos. "Mr. Matysh, about thewyer..." Ethan rose halfway to his feet, not knowing whether to leave or stay seated. If Matysh insisted on changingwyers, he had no choice but to do so. Hence, he waited in that ridiculous posture for Matysh''s decision. "This one will do. Get out," replied Matysh impatiently. He did not know much aboutwyers, but he figured Ethan would not have the guts to lie to him. Thus, he decided to go with thiswyer. "Alright." Ethan straightened up his body and said to Addison, who was beside him, "Mr. Hidayatuh, let''s go out first." Addison nodded. He carried his own briefcase as he followed them out. Marcos was staring straight at Matysh. It had been tough for Matysh to be kept in A City''s detention center. His face was covered in beard stubble, and he looked down and out. Compared to his former elegance, he now looked as disheveled as a homeless person on the streets. "Uncle Matysh, I can''t help you with the defense," said Marcos in a cold tone. There had never been much of a familial bond between him and Matysh. His resentment toward Matysh deepened when he recalled what he had done to his parents. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Their family was truly tainted. Perhaps it was time to clean up the filth within the family when Matysh was sentenced to prison. Matysh raised an eyebrow and replied to him in Russian, "I want you to find someone to get me out." Marcos looked at him without an expression on his face and remained silent. Matysh knew he was unwilling to do so. He added, "My imprisonment doesn''t benefit you or the family. So, I want you to hire mercenaries to break me out on the day of the trial and send me back to Russia." Matysh would be safe once he returned to Russia. No one could touch him again. Marcos coldly refused, "This is A City, not Russia where our family resides. Uncle Matysh, this isn''t going to work. You should put your hope in thewyer instead. He might be able to reduce your sentence by a few years." "Do you think I don''t know what you''re up to?!" Matysh wanted to stand up when Marcos rejected him. He wanted to look down at him with an air of superiority. However, realizing that such an action might attract the attention of the police, he remained seated and said, "Marcos, just because I''m in prison doesn''t mean you can take control of the entire family. The entire family belongs to me. If you don''t help me, you''ll regret it in the future." "I''m aw-abiding foreign businessman in A City. This isn''t something that I should step in. Uncle Matysh, if you''d really like to challenge A City''s power, you can have Ethan help you. As for your situation, there''s nothing I can do to help you. Well, I suppose there''s one thing I can do for you. I''ll manage the family business well. The family''s wealth will increase several-fold. Uncle, you can think about how you want to inherit it when youe out of prison." Marcos rose to his feet and left after that. He did not want to waste time here. However, Matysh had not been thrown into prison yet. Hence, he had to go along with his intentions for now. Still, orchestrating a rescue mission? He was hesitant to even feign cooperation. Nheless, did Matysh really believe that Marcos would stand by his side? After Marcos left the detention center, he dialed an international call. After a while, an elderly voice came through on the other end of the line. Marcos reported Matysh''s situation, including the fact that the police had gathered more evidence of Matysh''s crimes. Then, he went on to inform the person about Matysh''s intention to escape. Chapter 2890 After Marcos gave his report, the elderly voice that came from the other end of the line said, "You''re in charge of helping him escape." Marcos was not surprised when he listened to the aged and serious voice. The entire family showed Matysh understanding and forgiveness. The reason was that Matysh was Old Master Abaza''s only son. Now that the old master only had him left, he would support whatever Matysh did. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. As for Marcos, the old master never liked him because he carried the blood of an ordinary woman. Marcos lowered his gaze and replied, "Grandpa, although M Group has never ventured into the market of A City, I found out that the market in A City is massive after several rounds of assessments. If M Group can enter A City''s market, the family''s business will berger andrger. The Russian market is already saturated. We need to explore new markets. But if I help Uncle Matysh, I''m afraid we might end up on A City''s cklist." He knew that some members of the family always held discriminatory views based on ethnicity, and they looked down on people from A City. Nevertheless, the growth of A City''s economy was an indisputable fact. That was why the elders of the family were considering developing the market here. ording to the old master''s usual approach, outsiders would not be included when it came to market development. His grandson, Marcos, was a useful tool in this regard. Marcos had always known that. Hence, he ensnared the old master by leveraging this justification. Help Matysh escape? There was no way Marcos would do such a thing. Moreover, Matysh had a grudge against him! There was a moment of silence. The old master did have intentions of entering A City''s market, and he intended to delegate this task to Marcos. After all, Marcos was the most manageable person in the whole family. The n was to let Marcos expand the family business and hand it over to Matysh. Hence, what Marcos said now made sense to the old master. He said, "I''ll arrange for Ethan to handle this. I heard you''re on good terms with Luke Crawford now?" Marcos understood the implication in his words and replied, "He''s merely M Group''s business partner. I''m just maintaining a surface-level rtionship. Grandpa, everything I do is for the benefit of the family." "It''s best if you know this. You don''t have to be involved in Matysh''s affairs. Come back after you''ve done the market research,¡± said the old master, not forgetting to give him a piece of advice. "Alright," replied Marcos. After ending the call, Marcos bent down and got into the car parked nearby. Ethan sat next to him. Since the car was a distance away and Marcos had been speaking quietly on the phone, Ethan did not know who Marcos had been talking to or what he had said. If it were someone else in the family, Ethan certainly would not dare to ask. However, it was only Marcos. Therefore, he asked, "Who were you talking to just now?" "Grandpa." Marcos looked at his phone and answered slowly. Ethan frowned. What was the purpose of Marcos calling the old master at this moment? Was Marcos reporting that he was not handling things well? Ethan''s nerves immediately tensed up at the thought of this. Then, he questioned, "What did you say to Old Master Abaza?" Marcos lifted his head and noticed how nervous Ethan was. A hint of mockery shed across his eyes. Marcos did not tease him. He answered his question, "Nothing much. I just told Grandpa that Uncle Matysh wants to escape from prison." The interpreter who was with them was not in the car, and the chauffeur could not understand Russian. Marcos just went ahead and said it. Ethan, however, was taken aback and almost leaped out of his seat. "What did you say?" His eyes widened, thinking that he must have heard it wrong. "Uncle Matysh doesn''t trust thewyer you found and wants to escape during the trial," repeated Marcos. "He''s gone mad, absolutely mad," Ethan blurted out instinctively. Then, he quickly pursed his lips, realizing that he had said something he should not have in front of Marcos. Marcos nodded and replied, "Yes, he''s gone mad." Ethan stared at him. "Grandpa told us that we can''t let him go to jail. So, the task of helping him escape will fall on you," Marcos conveyed the old man''s intention. "But..." Ethan''s eyes widened. He had used such methods to help many wealthy people get out of trouble, but they were not in Russia. They were in A City... Could Matysh escape that easily? Matysh would not be in the detention center now if it were that easy. "You take care of things thate next," said Marcos. He picked up themunicator next to him and spoke to the chauffeur in English, "Drive back to the hotel." The chauffeur received the instruction and slowly drove away. "If I''m taking care of things, what are you going to do?" asked Ethan. He refused to believe that it was Matysh''s idea. He figured that Matysh wanted to talk to Marcos about this matter when he told them to leave earlier. Hence, Matysh''s original n was for Marcos to take care of this matter. After all, it was unlikely for Ethan to handle this. "Why do I need to report to you on what I''m doing?" Marcos'' eyes darkened. Ethan did not have the power to control him yet. Ethan narrowed his eyes and said, "It was initially your job to handle this, right? What did you tell your grandfather? Why am I suddenly the one responsible for making the arrangements?¡± He was just awyer. Even though he did everything he could to win cases in Russia, he was only a lawyer. Furthermore, he counted on the support of the influence behind him. Those people would not dare to lay a hand on him even if things went south. However, this was A City! It was extremely difficult to smuggle in firearms, let alone mercenaries and others. Moreover, if the mission failed and Matysh was sent back to prison, Ethan could also end up there. There was no one here who could be his pir of support. That was why Ethan did not want to get involved in such matters. "The Abaza family is nning to expand their business in A City. I''m in charge of this, so my hands need to stay clean. I can''t get involved in that kind of thing." Marcos was toozy to exin to him. He remainedpletely unfazed deep within when he heard the despair in Ethan''s tone. Previously, Ethan''s father took part in a fair share of things rted to his mother''s circumstances. Otherwise, his mother would not have been left with nothing and forced to escape to A City. Even though she was a top student at a prestigious university, she ended up in the outskirts, taking on odd jobs to make a living. Marcos clenched his fist when he thought of what Sarah had gone through. If the family had not been so ruthless, Sarah could have lived a good life through her skills and talents even after she left the family. Ethan found himself at a loss for words. He was well aware of the n to venture into A City''s market. Marcos added, "Mr. Ethan, didn''t you handle such matters in Russia? As far as I know, two wealthy men managed to sessfully escape prison and flee overseas with your help. So, when ites to this sort of thing, you have more experience than I do." Among Russia''s prominent families, there were very few that were entirely clean. Their family might not have direct ties to the underground forces in Russia on the surface, but they had been secretly involved in a lot of shady activities. Marcos was the only one who had consistently adhered to his principles, never engaging in such activities. As a result, Matysh had an even lower opinion of him. He always thought that Marcos dared not get involved because he was a coward. Chapter 2891 The truth was that Marcos disdained doing such things. Someone else should do the dirty work. Marcos was toozy to get involved. Besides, ever since he took over thepany, all the deals he handled had been clean. At the very least, they could stand up to scrutiny from others. Ethan''s face turned pale. In the presence of Marcos¡¯ watchful eyes, he could only nod reluctantly with a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He forced out the words, ''I''ll make the arrangements.'' "Old Master Abaza and Uncle Matysh have a lot of confidence in you, Mr. Ethan. Don''t let them down." After that, Marcos shifted his gaze to the window and remained silent. Marcos did not intend to inquire or delve into how Ethan would arrange things. A City would not let Matysh seed. The case involving Matysh had stirred up too much attention. Everyone was watching. A City would hand down a heavy sentence. The justice system would not let him off the hook easily. If Marcos knew Ethan''s ns and things went awry, he would not be able to easily distance himself from them. Night fell. Marcos opened the suite door, and almost instantly, Ethan came out as well. During this period, as long as Ethan was in the hotel, he would immediately step out whenever Marcos opened the suite door. He was seemingly concerned about his situation at all times. "Mr. Ethan, what a coincidence. Are you going out too?" Marcos initiated the conversation this time. "I need to talk to you. Are you going out like that?" Ethan sized him up. Marcos was wearing an evening suit and polished shoes. It was an attire suited for socializing. "There''s a social gathering tonight." Marcos adjusted his sleeve. He was about to meet Sarah. His heart was not only filled with excitement but also a hint of nervousness. Sarah was forced to leave him and live in anonymity for many years. It was hard to say whether she had any lingering thoughts about her son, but the sense of family and kinship in Russia was very different than in A City. "A gathering? With Luke?" Ethan asked immediately. Marcos was closest to Luke here. "No, it''s a gathering hosted by Mr. Mallory," Marcos admitted openly. He had already arranged with Gale that he would take his ce in the private room. He would then change his clothes and slip out through the back door. Even if Ethan had someone tail him, they would not be able to discover anything. "You''re meeting with Percy Mallory at a time like this? If something happens to Mr. Matysh..." Ethan''s words held depth. It was both a reminder and an implication. However, Marcos was not one who would be swayed by words. He knew what to say to deceitful people. "Uncle Matysh is an elder. I also hope that he can return to Russia and his home as soon as possible. Besides, I don''t know what your n is. It won''t affect my actions." Ethan choked on his words, but he still warned Marcos. "Not a single word about Mr. Matysh''s affairs must be revealed. Otherwise, you''ll be in trouble when you return to Russia if this fails." Marcos shrugged, unconcerned. "Since you don''t trust me, how about we go together? I have other ns to attend after this. Care to join?" He extended the invitation, convinced that Ethan would not agree. Even though Ethan was worried that he might betray Matysh and expose his escape n, he had more pressing matters at hand. For instance, he had a meeting with Addison''s legal teamter to discuss the case''s details. This was more important than keeping an eye on Marcos. As expected, Ethan sneered. "Do you think everyone has as much free time as you?" Marcos did not argue with him. He curled his thin lips and answered, "Well, looks like you''re upied." After that, Marcos turned around and left. Ethan stared coldly at Marcos while he watched him leave from behind. He made a phone call to the person who had been guarding the hotel. "He''s heading out. Follow him and see who he''s meeting." "Yes Sir," replied the person on the other end of the line. Marcos had his chauffeur drive him to the nightclub he had arranged with Percy. As he walked into the club, the booming sound of the music was deafening. He mentioned Percy''s name to the nightclub manager. The nightclub manager immediately greeted him and led him to the private room reserved by Percy. After exchanging greetings with the people inside, Marcos took a seat. After a while, he took off his coat and put on the uniform prepared by Gale''s subordinate. Marcos frowned. It was his first time wearing this type of waiter''s uniform. "Mr. Marcos, you have to avoid attracting their attention. I hope you don''t mind. The uniform is new. You''ll look just like one of the waiters here in that uniform," exined Gale. Instead of choosing a suit jacket, Gale bought a new set of uniform from the manager, which he had carefully nned. "Thank you." Marcos epted it even though he did not like it. After putting on the cap prepared by Gale, he opened the door to the private room. The brim of the cap covered much of Marcos'' face. His ethnic features were not very noticeable in this attire. Marcos noticed a few foreign faces sitting not far away. These were the people Ethan and the old master had sent to watch him. Marcos left calmly. Those people saw him, but they did not pay much attention due to his attire. Marcos left the nightclub, found the car arranged by Luke, and left. After the car left the nightclub, Marcos removed the waiter''s uniform and put on another suit jacket he had in the car. Then, he headed to the hospital. Luca and Luke were waiting in the corridor of the VIP wards in the hospital. They came to the hospital early. They spent some time in Wanda''s ward, then went to Old Man Rayne''s ward. Neither Wanda nor Old Master Rayne suspected why Luca was here with Luke. They just thought she was here to visit them out of concern. As the appointed time with Marcos was drawing closer and considering Old Man Rayne needed to rest, Luca exchanged nces with Luke and came to the corridor to wait. Marcos arrived at the hospital in a hurry after ten minutes. "Sorry for beingte," apologized Marcos. He knew people in A City valued punctuality. That was why he apologized immediately. "It''s okay." Luke looked up and looked in the direction of a ward. Then, he said, "Your mother is in that ward." "Alright." Marcos looked at the ward''s door. Once he pushed the door open, he would finally see the person he had always wanted to meet. His mother... Marcos'' emotions were stirred, but he felt as though his feet were shackled by heavy iron chains, making it hard to move forward. Luca understood Marcos''s feelings at the moment and knew what was going on. N?velDrama.Org content rights. She suggested, "Mr. Marcos, how about I go in first to inform Ms. Por that someone hase to visit her?" If Marcos suddenly walked into the ward, Sarah might be surprised or even frightened when she saw someone with ethnic features. Even though Marcos resembled his father, his father and Matysh were brothers. Siblings often bore some resemnces. If Sarah were to misunderstand that Marcos was here to harm her, it would startle her. There was a chance that she might experience a stress response. "Sure. Thank you." Marcos found Luca''s suggestion to be a good one. Chapter 2892 Luca shook her head and told Marcos he did not need to thank her. After ncing at Luke, she knocked on the door of the ward. Then, she opened the door. ¡°Ms. Por," said Luca before she could even see her. She walked into the ward and gently closed the door. Luca usually came to visit in the afternoon, so Sarah was surprised to see her at this time. "Ms. Craw, come sit down." She had been here for several days now. The apprehensiveness she felt about Luca at the start was gone, and now she was relieved that the person who saved her did not have ill intentions. Thus, she could focus on recovery with peace of mind. She could repay Luca in the future. However, Luca did not sit down. Instead, she nced at the caretaker and took out some cash before handing it to her, saying, "Can you please get me a cup of coffee downstairs? I''ll keep an eye on things here." "Sure." The caretaker took the cash and left the ward without a word. After the caretaker left, Sarah advised her, "Ms. Craw, drinking coffee at night will affect your sleep." "Don''t worry about it." Luca shook her head as she did not actually want coffee. She just wanted an excuse to send the caretaker away. She pulled out the chair beside the bed and sat down as she looked at Sarah, who was on the bed. Sarah thought that she was acting strange, so she asked, "Ms. Craw, what is it?" Luca observed the traces of aging on Sarah''s face. After taking a look at the documents, she could see that Sarah''s facial features still resembled her younger self. It was just that time and life had not been kind to her. A woman''s beauty could not stand the test of time. "Ms. Por, you must''ve been very pretty when you were younger," said Luca. Upon hearing what she said, Sarah began recalling how she looked when she was younger. Touching the wrinkles on her face, she dodged her question and sighed. "I''m old now, so I can''t remember much. Look at the wrinkles on my face. I''ve forgotten what I looked like." She was indeed very beautiful in the past. Plus, she was well-educated, which was what attracted her husband. After the two got acquainted and fell in love, fate decided to y a trick on her, causing her to fall into an endless abyss. She did not even dare to go to the hospital for surgery even when she was sick. It was all because of her identity... Most importantly, it was because of money. ¡°You have nice facial features, so you must''ve been gorgeous when you were younger. By the way, I''ve never heard you mention your family. Are they.." Luca was worried that bringing this up would affect Sarah''s mood and her health, so it was the first time she ever brought it up during Sarah''s stay at the hospital. A look of grief shed across Sarah''s eyes. Luca noticed it and did not say anything else as she was trying to make out what Sarah felt about Marcos. If Sarah did not miss Marcos, she would have to be more cautious about this family reunion. Her silence allowed Sarah to reminisce about the past, and after a while, she said slowly, "My husband passed away many years ago. It''s been about 20 years, and as for the child.." Sarah could only vaguely remember what her child looked like. At that time, she left in a hurry, so she could not even take a photo with her. Even the memory that was engraved in her heart became blurry after so long. Sarah could only remember that her child looked like a carbon copy of his father, but she could not remember anything other than that. Now that her child had grown up, he did look very simr to herte husband. They did not look identical, but she would always be reminded of her deceased husband when she saw photos of him. "Ms. Por, do you miss your child?" Looking at the grief in her eyes, she knew that Marcos would be able to meet Sarah. However, she still tread carefully. "Of course. How could I not miss him?" Sarah smiled bitterly. That was her only child. "But knowing that he''s doing well now is enough," she said. She did not take the child with her because she did not have the means to do so, and her child would be better off there instead of spending his entire life running away with her. "How do you know he''s doing well?" Luca asked, then she realized that she had asked a stupid question. Although Sarah was forced into hiding in the suburbs of A City, resources were not scarce in this day and age. Sarah could just go on the inte to see how Marcos was doing. Although there were very few local reports about Marcos'' family, with a bit of research, Sarah could find some information. Sarah smiled without exining. Even if she trusted Luca, Luca would not believe her if she told her who her child was. Who would believe that she graduated from a prestigious university, married into a rich family, had a loving husband, and gave birth to an heir? No one would believe any of that. After all, she was a nobody living in the suburbs of A City, surviving with just odd jobs. She was so insignificant that nobody would notice if she went missing. Luca noticed her silence and stopped questioning further. Instead, she stood up and said, ¡°Ms. Por, I have a friend I''d like to introduce you to." Sarah panicked when she heard that and asked carefully, "What friend?" Luca smiled and opened the door without saying a word. Sarah called out to her again, "Ms. Craw?" "Ms. Por, don''t worry. I won''t do anything to hurt you," said Luca as she walked out. Her eyes met Marcos'', and she said, "I can tell that she misses you a lot." Marcos calmed himself down. The VIP ward was well-soundproofed, so he could not hear a thing when Luca was inside, which made him even more worried. After such a long time, he thought that Sarah did not want to see him. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Go in." Luca turned sideways to give him space. Marcos nodded and worked up the courage to walk in. Luca closed the door to give the mother and son some time alone. After everything, she looked at Luke''s dark pupils and asked, "Should we wait here?" "Sure." Luke had no objection, so both of them sat down in the corridor. The chairs were upholstered in leather, so they were much morefortable than the stainless steel chairs. Then, she fell silent for a bit before saying, "Sarah has gone through so much, and now she can finally see her child again." "They''re able to reunite thanks to your generosity," Luke was telling the truth. If it were not for Luca, Sarah might not even be alive by the time they found her. After performing surgery on Sarah, Johann said that if she had gone to him anyter, she might not have made it. It was Luca''s determination that saved Sarah''s life. No one else would help a stranger out so willingly. Marcos also heard about this from Johann, so he was very grateful to Luca. He also said that after meeting up with Sarah, he would send a big gift to T Corporation. The reason why he decided not to gift Luca directly was simple. First of all, there was not much he could do to help Luca''s line of work. Secondly, Luke and Luca were husband and wife anyway, so he decided to send a gift to T Corporation to express his gratitude. Chapter 2893 "I just did what I had to do." Luca let out a faint sigh. If it were anyone else, they would not lend a helping hand to Sarah at all. Luca was not one to butt into other people''s business after receiving training from the Ind of Despair, but the two times she bumped into Sarah, she was in trouble. Despite that, Sarah did not take advantage of their incidental encounters, which was why Luca decided to help. Not to mention, she could not just ignore a life-or-death situation. ¡°I see." Luke knew that Luca did not help Sarah to get praise from others. Luke turned to look at her elegant face as his hand held hers tightly. Luca blushed and shook her head before pulling her hand away. "Ms. Rayne is still on this floor." She was worried that if Wanda walked out, she would see them holding hands. Luke shook his head and was forced to let go. He just had to wait a little longer before he could be with Luca out in the open. There was good news from Russia already. They had gathered most of the evidence and confirmed the location of the Ind of Despair. Although this location was trickier than the previous one and it would be harder to attack, the eradication n was imperative. Luca''s identity would be restored soon. Many obstacles lie ahead, but Luke was still hopeful. Luca noticed the caretakering over with the coffee, so she waved at her. The caretaker walked up to her curiously. "Ms. Craw, why are you out here?" "There''s someone inside, so you can wait here for a while," said Luca without exining too much. The caretaker noticed Luke beside Luca. When she came out, there were two men standing outside. Both of their looks stood out from the crowd, so she remembered them clearly. The other guy had distinct features. Now, that guy was not there anymore. Instead, it was Luca sitting beside Luke. The caretaker found it odd, but she still nodded anyway and handed the coffee to Luca. "Ms. Craw, here''s your coffee, and here''s the change." "Thank you." Luca took the coffee but not the change. Instead, she gave it to the caretaker as a tip for running errands. The caretaker smiled gratefully and kept the change before sitting down on the other row of seats. Luca held the coffee and asked Luke. ¡°Do you want it?" ¡°No, thanks." Luke shook his head. He did not n to work overtime, so he did not need the caffeine. Then, he said, ¡°You can save it for Marcos. I bet he won''t be able to sleep tonight." ¡°Sure." Luca put the coffee on the chair. The two of them sat there for almost an hour when Marcos finally walked out of the ward. Both of them stood up and looked at him at the same time. Marcos smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, thank you for your help." Luca nced at the ward but could not see how Sarah was doing, so she asked, ¡°How''s Ms. Por doing?" ¡°She''s resting. We should head back first," Marcos said with a smile on his usually calm face. "Alright." Luke nodded. Luca said to the confused caretaker, ¡°Please take good care of Ms. Por." After that, the three of them left. In the elevator, Marcos looked at the numbers going down and said slowly, ¡°Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, I''ve met my mother now, but I can''t visit often, so please take good care of her for me. I''ll pay for all the expenses." He was still being watched by his family. Although Gale was helping him out, if he continued doing this, he might get exposed. He learned about what had happened in the past after Sarah told him. After his father passed away, not only did the family bully her, but they also thought that she was a disgrace to the family. Thus, they wanted to secretly get rid of her. However, she happened to overhear their n, so she ran for her life. She did not take him with her when she escaped because he was their blood rtive, and they would not do anything to their own blood no matter how much they despised them. Therefore, the mother and son were forced to separate for more than 20 years. Although more than 20 years had passed, there was no guarantee that the family would not continue to torture her if they found out about her whereabouts. Marcos had to be cautious about this matter. Without much thought, Luca replied, ¡°Ms. Por will be discharged in two days. She just needs to go back to the hospital for regr checkups. She won''t stay here for long, but if you think it''s necessary, we can hire a maid to take care of Ms. Por." ¡°There''s no need for a maid." Marcos shook his head. He talked a lot with Sarah in the ward. Sarah was concerned about his life with his family when he asked about her life in A City. After much chatting, both of them knew that they would not be able to finish talking about the past in one night. When Sarah remembered that Luca was waiting outside, she urged him to go back first so that Luca would not have to wait for so long. Marcos agreed. Not only were Luke and Luca waiting outside, but Gale was waiting at the nightclub too. He could not be selfish and make them wait just because he wanted to spend more time with his mother. After Marcos finished talking, he said that he wanted to hire a maid to take care of her in the future. However, Sarah refused. She wanted to live a low-key life in A City. No one in the suburbs hired maids, so she was worried that the people in Russia would find out and cause her trouble. Marcos felt sorry for her, but there was nothing he could do to trick his family and not let them find out about the things he did. It was the safest for Sarah to stay in the suburbs. Not to mention, the family might really find out if Luke got involved. Luca nodded and obeyed his wishes. She could kind of understand Marcos''s situation. Although they had met each other now, they could not be as close as they used to be as mother and son. After all, that would only bring harm to Sarah. ¡°There are two things I need your help with, Mr. Crawford." Marcos put on his cap and mask as he saw the elevator approaching the first floor. "How can I help?" said Luke. The elevator door opened, and he gently took Luca''s hand as he walked out. Marcos followed him and said his request, "I want to hire two bodyguards for my mother to protect her. They don''t need to be close to her. They just need to be near her house at all times. She also can''t work, so she needs money, but I can''t directly transfer the money to her myself, so I need your help with that." "Sure." Luke agreed immediately. Everything Marcos said was doable. "I''ll take care of the bodyguards, and as for the money, Luca will help, so don''t worry about it." After that, he looked down at the person beside him. Luca nodded to express that she could help out. As long as she sent money to Sarah in person, the people in Russia would not be able to trace it. Marcos solemnly thanked Luca. "Thank you, Ms. Craw."Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chapter 2894 "Mr. Marcos, it''s okay." Luca smiled and shook her head. "Well, Mr. Crawford, there''s something else I need to tell you," Marcos nced around. Since it was gettingte, there were very few people walking around the hospital. They had not seen anyone nearby. Luke slightly nodded, waiting for him to say something. "My uncle, he''s thinking about escaping from prison." Marcos said that in front of Luca because he knew she would not betray Luke and him. Luca frowned when she heard that. Matysh just would not give up. However, escaping from prison in A City was not something easy. Luke let out a chuckle, something seldom seen. Matysh wanted to escape from prison. Breaking out of prison was a serious crime in A City. "It seems like he thinks the sentences handed down for his two crimes aren''t long enough." The implication was that Matysh was begging for trouble, determined to add a third charge to his record. Marcos gave a faint smile, witnessing Luke''s sense of humor for the first time. Even though it was far from a lighthearted jest, the eerie tone in his voice clearly indicated that Matysh was getting into trouble. Marcos continued, "As far as I know, Ethan will be the one arranging the escape n. And there''s a high chance that they''re nning to stage a prison break when they''re on their way to the courthouse." "This is an important piece of information. Thank you," Luke responded with gratitude this time. The police officers in A City had always been meticulous in their work. Matysh might not be able to escape even if he managed to find someone to confront them. However, the people Ethan would recruit were definitely not average bodyguards. Therefore, making preparations in advance and doingst-minute preparations were two different matters. Marcos checked the time and said, "It''s gettingte. I have to head to a nightclubter. Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, I''ll take my leave." "Goodbye." Luca waved at him. Then, she returned to the car with Luke. After fastening her seatbelt, she thought about how Sarah had suffered for so many years before eventually reuniting with Marcos. She could not help but feel deeply moved by it. When would she be able to reunite with her loved one and children, just like Sarah? "What''s on your mind?" Luke heard her soft sigh and asked after he started the car engine. "Ms. Por has been through a lot, but fortunately, she persevered through the hardships. She finally has her happy ending." Luca smiled as she gazed at the receding scenery along the road. The weather in A City was getting warmer. The nts filled the air with vitality. The vegetation strip by the roadside had also grown lush. The streetlights cast a gentle glow on the nts, illuminating the entire stretch of road. The night felt tranquil and mysterious. Luke drove a bit slower than usual. "The key lies ahead. Marcos must make the most of this opportunity to secure everything he needs. Otherwise, neither he nor his mother can truly reunite." It left a deeply resonating impression on Luca. While others could easily reunite with their family, it felt like an extravagant wish for them. It was not just Marcos but also her. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Luca unconsciously intertwined her fingers when she thought about her situation. Even though the antidote had been developed, she still had to go to the A City''s base to take it. If she did not take it regrly, she would arouse suspicion. Tomorrow would be thest day for her to take the antidote. At the thought of the kids being sent back home by Zander tomorrow, Luca said, "I''ll need to head out tomorrow. I''ll go out to get some groceries since the kids areing back." "I''ll go with you," replied Luke, sensing the disappointment in her tone. "It''s okay. It''s just a few things. I can manage on my own," said Luca as she shook her head. If someone came along with her, it would not be conducive to her visit to the base for the antidote. Luke remained silent for a moment before agreeing. "Alright. Do you need Warren to drive you there?" "It''s the weekend. Let him rest. I''ll drive myself." Luca shook her head, knowing that having Warren to follow her would make things difficult for her. "Okay." Luke did not insist. When Luca mentioned going out and not letting Luke apany her, he could probably guess what she was going to do. Rain told him that the Ind of Despair relied on poison to control everyone. Things could go wrong if one did not take the antidote on schedule. Therefore, Luca was most likely going to take the antidote at this time. Luke did not insist on going with her. The following day, Luca got up early. She prepared the soup that she was going to bring to the hospital. After she instructed Aunt Neile to simmer itter, she made some simple snacks for the kids. Then, after having breakfast with Luke, she drove the car and left. After a while, Gale reported to Luke what had happened in the past few days. Gale asked curiously when he did not see Luca around, "Boss, where''s Dr. Craw?" "She went out," answered Luke. While reading the documents Gale handed to him, he frowned and asked, "What''s Karen up to?" "I think you should ask the mother and son what they''re up to." Gale grinned mischievously, revealing a row of teeth shining brilliantly white. "Are they thinking of getting rid of Luca?" Luke looked at the information. Karen had hired a private detective to tail Luca. They had taken quite a few photos of her. Karen contacted Myra and Margaret as well. "Seems like it, but Karen doesn''t dare to act without caution because of Pierre''s matter. It''s unlikely that she''ll pose a threat to Dr. Craw''s life. But you know when women start causing trouble, they can be completely unreasonable. I''m worried Dr. Craw might end up at a disadvantage without knowing it," exined Gale. That was also why he wanted to find Luca. He could at least remind her to stay alert. Luke closed the file. The depths of his eyes were dark. "Karen is targeting Luca? Keep an eye on her. Don''t miss a single move." "Alright. Should we inform Dr. Craw?" Gale sought his opinion. After all, it was Luke''s decision whether or not to let her know about this. "There''s no need to tell her for now," replied Luke. He had a vague sense that Karen might stir up trouble and there was a chance it could work to his advantage. Luke nned to continue observing and not do anything for the time being. "Got it." Gale nodded. On the other hand, Luca left the vi and came to the base located in the suburban area. After she took the antidote and underwent an examination, she drove back to the city. When she was reminded about how unhappy the kids were at Crawford Manor, she stopped by a toy store and bought some educational toys for them. These toys would not only keep the kids upied but also strengthen their bond. Then, Luca picked some children''s books suitable for their age as well. Even though Lanie and Rainie were currently in elementary school, the books they read were completely different. Luca started by picking out some advanced extracurricr books that kids in higher grades would read for Lanie. As for Rainie, she chose the kind of storybooks that most girls would enjoy. Lastly, she picked out Tommy''s books. She had had the kids by her side since they were little. Even though she was away for three years, all this while had been sufficient to reintroduce her to her kids'' preferences. After quickly making her selection, she proceeded to check out. Luca bought quite a few items. The store assistant kindly helped her carry them to the door. After cing everything on the back seat, Luca thanked the store assistant and then drove away. The store assistant headed back to the store and could not help but sigh. "That woman looks young, yet she''s already a mother of three. It''s true, though. Beautiful women seem to marry quickly and marry well." Chapter 2895 The toys Luca chose cost several thousands for each set. They were disyed in the store, and only people who were financially well-off could afford them. Besides, the shop assistant noticed that the books Luca bought were suited for three different age groups of kids, so she came to such a conclusion. "Well, that''s her business. As for you, you better get married soon if you''re so envious of her," teased another shop assistant. "I''d like to, but I''m not as lucky as others. Okay, that''s it. Let me make a phone call to ce an order. The customer who came just now bought several sets of toys. We''ve run out of stock. I''ll have to reorder some. Otherwise, it won''t look good when customerse and see empty shelves," said the shop assistant as she picked up the phone to ce an order with the supplier. Not long after Luca left the shop, she turned around and came back. When the shop assistant saw here back, she warmly approached her and asked, "Ma''am, is there anything else you need?" "Well, I''d like to buy some snacks for kids," replied Luca. Even though she could make snacks and dessert for the kids, she had no time for that when she was busy. Previously, when she sent the kids back to Crawford Manor, she also brought all the snacks from the vi there. This saved herself the trouble of buying separately for both homes. Hence, there were no snacks for the kids at home at the moment. Tommy got hungry really easily. He would get a bit cranky if he did not have some snacks. That was why Luca remembered toe back here to buy some. "Snacks for kids, huh? We have a variety here, and most of them are imported with no harmful additives. Kids can eat these without affecting their health," said the sales assistant. Many snacks on the market contained all sorts of additives these days. This spiel was used to attract customers to buy their store''s snacks, and it worked pretty well. Their snacks were a bit pricey, but many parents were still willing to buy them for the sake of their kids. "Okay." Luca did not pay too much attention to what the salesperson said. She picked some of the kids'' favorites and asked, "Are there any new imported snacks?" "Yes, Ma''am. These are newly imported," the sales assistant introduced. Luca carefully examined the ingredient list on the new snacks. Then, she picked two more items and said, "These will be enough. Let''s settle the bill." She handed the basket to the sales assistant. The sales assistant smiled and took it from her. Then, she headed toward the cash register, just as another customer walked in. "Wee. How can I assist you?" the sales assistant greeted her politely. "I''d like to buy some snacks for my kid.¡± Myra seemed to be in a hurry. She said to the sales assistant, ¡°I''ll take those in the basket.¡± The sales assistant was startled for a moment. She thought she might have misunderstood Myra and replied with a smile on her face, "Please wait a moment. After I finish processing the customer''s items, I''ll get an identical set for you." "I''ll just take this one," said Myra as she looked at the sales assistant. "I''m in a hurry. Can''t you get another set for the other customerter?" "But these are the items the customer picked earlier." The sales assistant felt helpless. She had encountered impolite customers before, but intercepting someone else''s chosen products like this was a first for her. "Can''t you understand humannguage?" Myra was frustrated. She had an important meeting scheduled, but her child insisted oning along to buy some snacks before she left home. It was inconvenient for her to bring a child to such an asion. Therefore, she agreed to buy snacks for him and let him wait at home. Myra was worried that the meeting might take too long and she would forget about it. That was why she nned to buy the snacks first before heading there. The scheduled time was getting closer. That was why she was in a bit of a rush. "Mrs. Hudson, I think you''re the one who doesn''t understand humannguage." Luca stepped out from behind the shelves. She walked rather slowly while looking at the other snacks on the shelf. This created some distance between her and the sales assistant. Myra could not help but be stunned for a moment when she heard her voice. Even though they had only met twice, Luca''s voice was etched in her memory. It reminded her that her current predicament and difficulties were all Luca''s fault. Deep down, her emotions were a mix of fear and resentment. Myra turned around and looked at Luca. She sneered. "What are you doing here?" "If you can be here, why can''t I?" Luca''s expression was calm. "Well..." Something crossed Myra''s mind, and she suddenly let out a cold sneer. "I''m here because I''m a mother, but you..." Myra deliberately nced at the basket the sales assistant was carrying and continued, "I remember you''re single, right? You have no kids, yet you''re buying so many snacks for kids? Are you trying to please Luke Crawford''s children and be his mistress? Tsk tsk, I don''t think you''re aiming for the role of a mistress. You seem intent on squeezing out the rightful wife and taking her ce, huh?" Luca raised her eyebrows. She realized that Myra had done her homework on her basic information. "Mrs. Hudson, have you resolved the court summons fromst time?" asked Luca. Myra shuddered for a moment at the mention of the court summons. Her facade cracked for a few fleeting seconds, revealing a trace of vulnerability. However, she quickly regained herposure. Luke had hired awyer to sue her. There was no chance for an out-of-court settlement. They were currently waiting for the court''s schedule. "It seems like it''s not resolved yet. Aren''t you afraid that I''ll find awyer and sue you for defamation of character and damaging my reputation?" questioned Luca. Reasoning with someone like her was futile. If she wanted to get through to her, she had to hit her where it hurt the most. Myra shivered again. She was afraid. Soon after, she thought about the evidence the woman mentioned to her. That was not just about ndering. It was not even close. She immediately stood her ground. "Stop trying to scare people. If you dare to im that everything I said is wrong, there''s someone who holds a bunch of solid evidence about your affair with Luke Crawford. If you have the guts, go ahead and sue me. If you can take me to court, I''ll write my name backwards!" Luca maintained a calm expression on her face, but she was struggling to hold it inside. Myra had evidence? Did she manage to get photos of her and Luke? She had always maintained a distance from him in public settings. Those photos of them standing together could be easily exined as a professional, boss-subordinate rtionship. "Mrs. Hudson, if you''ve got that kind of evidence, feel free to bring it out into the open. I''ll contact my lawyer as soon as I get back,¡± replied Luca. She raised her phone, which disyed an ongoing recording. "You... You!" Myra''s face turned pale. She had heard about this kind of evidence, but she had not seen it yet. She actually encountered such a thing today. "The bill, please." Luca saved the recording and looked at the sales assistant, whose face was filled with astonishment. The sales assistant came back to her senses, immediately nodding and replying, "Sure, please wait a moment." Luca walked past Myra by her side, whispering a warning, "Mrs. Hudson, if you speak without evidence, be careful about the consequences." They said once bitten, twice shy. However, it seemed like Myra did not learn from her lesson. Luca did not know what to say. After settling the bill, Luca left with the bag. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The sales assistant noticed the gloomy expression on Myra''s face. She took a few deep breaths before approaching her. "Ma''am, do you still want those snacks?" Myra came back to her senses. She nced at the entrance and snorted. "It seems like your store isn''t that great either. A woman like that can buy things here. Perhaps the store has a lot of counterfeit goods. I''m not buying anymore." With that, she walked out briskly. The sales assistant''s face turned white as Myra''s words had angered her. "What nonsense! Everything in our store is genuine, imported from abroad. If our boss heard that, he''d definitely give her a piece of his mind." Chapter 2896 "Don''t worry about it. That woman clearlycks manners." Another shop assistantforted her. They only dared to speak such words after the customers had left and there were no other customers in the store. This was the first time they encountered such a person after working at the store for such a long time. "Thatdy who came just now bought a lot of snacks. Let me restock the shelves first.¡± The shop assistant who had served Luca earlier nodded and turned around, moving deftly among the shelves. The conversation between Myra and the shop assistant did notst long, but Myra felt frustrated for quite a while. Myra arrived at the private room mentioned in the text message. Then, she pushed the door open, walked in, and found two other women seated inside. One of them looked familiar. Myra took a closer look and recognized her as the daughter-inw of the Mallory family, Karen Ruiz. As for the other woman, Myra thought she looked familiar, but she could not quite ce her identity. "You''rete," Karen said with displeasure. She recognized Myra with just one nce. When Myra realized Karen was from the Mallory family, she knew she was truly capable of helping the Hudson family. She closed the private room door and approached with a smile, exining, "Madam Mallory, I didn''t intend to bete. I just saw that woman in a store." "Which woman?" Karen frowned. She did not like people who were not punctual, but she asked casually. "That bitch, Luca! She was ckmailing me. That''s why I ended up beingte." Myra knew that everyone in this room despised Luca as well, so she gave a brief overview of the situation at the store earlier. Margaret could not help but feel angry when she heard what Myra said. She was not mad at Myra but Luca. "That bitch knows how to use Luke''s name to bolster herself with false authority. Ptooey. We must teach her a lesson and make her a universally hated public nuisance this time!" Margaret''s reaction was intense. Her expression twisted when she recalled that she identally spilled something on Luca and ended up having to spend a few days in the police station. The Jackman family was also facing difficulties now because of Luke. Hence, when Karen called her anonymously, she did not care who it was and agreed right away. She was on board as long as they shared amon enemy. Karen took a sip of her coffee. Unlike Margaret, who had such a strong reaction, she calmly said to Myra, "Let''s order some drinks first." Myra nodded. She was thirsty too. After Myra left the store, she kept cursing at Luca on her way here. Her curses were so relentless that her throat felt dry. After ordering a cup of Blue Mountain coffee, Myra was about to say something, but she heard Karen say, "I don''t want our conversation to be overheard. Let''s wait for the drinks to arrive." Myra nodded, secretly admiring Karen''s attitude. She truly was a person from the Mallory family. She was careful and thorough. While they were waiting for their coffee to be served, Myra also learned that the other person present was Margaret, the daughter-inw of the Jackman family. Myra suddenly figured out why the person in front of her looked familiar. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Margaret was notorious for her strong hatred toward mistresses in their circle. Another reason Myra remembered Margaret was because she had not missed any of the reports about Luca and Luke. She had been hoping to find evidence of their illicit rtionship in those reports. Furthermore, she also came across reports of Margaret being sent to the police station on charges of intentional harm by Luke. After the waiter served the coffee Myra ordered, Karen instructed him, "No one should enter the room without our permission." "Yes, Madam Mallory," replied the waiter in a soft voice. Karen was a regr at the coffee shop, and the waiter did not think much of it. She assumed it was just a gathering of rich men''s wives. Once the waiter left, Karen took some documents out of a briefcase and handed the documents to the people there. Then, she said, "These are the documents I mentioned." The women quickly skimmed through the documents. Then, they exchanged nces after they finished reading them. In the end, it was Myra who spoke up, "I told you she has an inappropriate rtionship with Luke! This is evidence! How dare she intimidate me earlier?" Back in the store, she was frightened by Luca for a moment. However, when she thought about it, Luca was just someone who worked in a pharmaceutical company. How could she wield so much power? How could she dare to threaten her? Therefore, this only strengthened Myra''s belief that Luca had an illicit rtionship with Luke. Now, the evidence confirmed what she had suspected all along. Myra was excited. "Ptooey!" Margaret scolded. "What a cunning vixen. If this were in the old days, she''d be thrown into a pigsty!" Myra''s gaze shifted and fell on Margaret. Even though she did not understand why Karen hated Luca or why she wanted to bring her down, she understood Margaret''s resentment. "Mrs. Jackman, thest time I was shopping, I saw her getting quite cozy with another man. They were acting very intimately!" Myra recounted a scene she had witnessed when she went shopping with her sister-inw. "Another man?" Karen''s brows furrowed when she heard that. "Yes, I saw them buying groceries together. I think they were nning to go home and cook a romantic meal together. Who would''ve thought that? Luke is cheating on his wife, but this promiscuous woman is also returning the favor by cheating on him," said Myra with a touch of malicious delight in her voice. "Why didn''t the detective I hire uncover this?" asked Karen. The detective did capture images of Luca and Johann walking together. However, both of them were at the hospital, and many people were around them. Even though they were standing close to each other, it would not hold up as evidence of anything improper between them, so Karen did not pay much attention to those photos. "It was earlier than that, Madam Mallory. I noticed that most of the information in your documents are recent events. Maybe you hadn''t asked the detective to follow her back then," Myra spected. "That''s quite possible." Her eyes shed with a glint of determination. "It''ll be even better if that bitch is dating other men." Margaret and Myra both looked at her. "I believe you both hate Luca and Luke. Exposing their affairs and also Luca''s infidelity will make the whole thing even more spectacr when the timees, right?" said Karen. No man could stand being cheated on. Much of the reason why Pierre was in this state now was because of Luke Crawford. Hence, she would not let go of any opportunity to embarrass Luke. Both Margaret and Myra nodded, agreeing to what she said. "Yes. It''d be great to make these two scumbags face public criticism and ridicule together." Margaret chimed in. Karen turned to Myra and asked, "Tell me, where did you see them back then, and what did the guy look like?" Myra furrowed her brow, trying to recall. "I''ve forgotten what the guy looked like. He was pretty average. But I do remember the ce where I saw them. Madam Mallory, I''ll send you the location." Previously, Myra''s mind was consumed with anger when she encountered Luca. She did not pay much attention to the man beside her. Besides, the guy did not stand out in terms of look. Thus, it was normal that she could not remember him. She dared not to suspect any improper rtionship between Luca and Luke at that time. Thus, she did not pa attention to what the guy looked like either. Chapter 2897 Karen''s gaze deepened. She was slightly disappointed when she heard that Myra did not pay attention to what the guy looked like. However, Myra mentioned that he was just an average-looking guy. Karen picked up her phone, scrolled through the photo taken by the private detective, and showed the photo of Luca and Johann standing together. She asked, "Is this the man?" Myra took a nce, shook her head, and answered, "No, this man''s appearance doesn''t go unnoticed. He''spletely different from the previous one." Karen smirked and replied, "Perfect. Then I''ll have the private detective keep an eye on this." Margaret picked up her cup. She was in a good mood at the thought of Luke and Luca would be embarrassed soon enough. She suggested, "Shall we toast to our teamwork?" Karen had no objections and raised her coffee cup. Myra quickly followed suit and raised her coffee cup as well. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. The moment their cups clinked, cunning smirks spread across their faces. Karen elegantly took a sip of her coffee and said, "Since Luca is having an affair with another man, we''ll have to take it slow. Once the detective finds evidence, we can bring it to the reporters together." Combining two scandals was better than having just one. Moreover, Karen was worried that Luke would stand out to defend Luca if she revealed this matter. That way, there was no way for her to relieve her pent-up hatred. However, if Luke found out he had been cheated on, he definitely would not defend Luca. Then, she could easily crush Luca into pieces, could she not? "More waiting." Margaret frowned. She had already understood Karen''s intention earlier. Still, when she thought how cunning Luca was, she was sure she would not spend too much time with her lover. It might take some time to get the evidence. "Waiting is necessary, of course." Myra did not mind waiting. They could wait as long as needed. The Hudson family would surely be safe with her connection to the Mallory family. "I saw it with my own eyes. Once we have evidence, Luca will be facing retaliation from Luke. They''ll both be embarrassed and end up being scorned by everyone. Thinking about it makes me feel good." Even before they took action, the thought of that scene alone eased a lot of the frustration in her heart. Karen added, "That bastard, Luke Crawford, thinks he''s a big shot in romance. If these matters get exposed before he gets tired of a woman, he might still stand out to defend her. So, we''ll have to seek revenge on Luca as well. It''s not easy to take action, but if we bring the evidence of Luca''s affair out in the open, won''t we have her in the palm of our hands?" Margaret harbored deep hatred for Luca. Their words easily convinced her. "Alright. Let''s do it this way." The three of them reached an agreement. Karen looked at the address Myra had sent to her and forwarded it to the detective, instructing him to investigate the area and capture evidence of Luca''s affair. Passing up the chance to make money when one could was a foolish thing to do. The detective readily agreed when he received Karen''s message. ... On the other hand, Luca walked into her home carrying several bags in her hand. The kids had already been sent back home by Zander. Three of them rushed up to Luca when they saw her return. "Ms. Luca, you''re back!" The three children practically spoke at the same time. Luca''s heart swelled with maternal love when she looked at the three kids. She nodded and said, "Yes. I knew you''d be back today. So, I got you some gifts." "Yay, there are gifts!" Tommy widened his eyes and eximed with excitement. They were the kids from the Crawford family, so they were ustomed to people trying to curry favor with the Crawford family by giving them gifts. Therefore, receiving presents was something normal for them. It was nothing surprising. However, these gifts were prepared by their mother. That was why it was not just the same old story. Luca sat on the couch, surrounded by the three children. She ced the bags on the coffee table. Before she could open them, Aunt Neile approached with a cup in hand. "Ms. Craw, would you like to have some water?" "Thank you, Aunt Neile." Luca took a hearty gulp, feeling a bit thirsty after her trip outside. She set the cup aside and opened the bags, taking out the toys and books she had bought for the kids. "Wow, there are so many!" Tommy eximed in awe, taking the items Luca handed over to him. Then, he nced at the gifts his brother and sister held in their hands. He added, "Lanie, Rainie, you''ve got a lot of gifts too." "Thanks, Ms. Luca," Rainie looked at the toys and books and happily thanked Luca. Storybooks were her current favorites. Luca had bought quite a few of them, and they were the ones she had not read before. Rainie was amazed. She had many books on her shelf, yet Luca managed to find ones she did not have. It seemed like she really put some thought into it for them. Luca knew what books they had read and what books they had not touched yet. Luca gently patted Rainie''s head. "I''m d you like them." She handed thest bag to Aunt Neile and said, "Aunt Neile, these are snacks for the kids. Can you please help put them away?" "Alright, Ms. Craw." Aunt Neile took the bag of snacks, knowing that the kids would be thrilled. Lanie held the books in his arms, treasuring it. He reminded Aunt Neile, "Aunt Neile, please put the snacks on a higher shelf. Don''t let Tommy get them." Ever since they returned to Crawford Manor, Tommy had not been eating properly and sneaking snacks on the side. As the elder brother, Lanie had to remind him frequently. Even though the snacks were carefully selected, constant consumption was not good for their health. Moreover, Tommy''s habit of sneaking snacks and not eating proper meals worried him. Hence, when he saw the snacks, he felt the need to give a heads-up. "Lanie, I won''t snack on the sly!" Tommy protested and pouted his mouth. He was used to Luca''s home cooked meals and found Crawford Manor''s meals to be just so-so. Comparatively, snacks tasted better. That was why he would asionally have more than he should. It was especially when he did not eat well during meals, snacks became his go-to fillers when hungry. "Sure, sneaky little piggy," teased Lanie with his lips curling up yfully. Now that everyone was back, Tommy probably would not sneak snacks anymore. Even if he did, Lanie would not bother to intervene anymore. Their parents were here, and he was just a kid. Why should he watch over his little brother? Tommy was still young. Cutting him some ck would make him favor his elder siblings more, but policing him might not yield the same result. Lanie did not want his little brother holding a grudge against him. "I''m not a piggy!" Tommy swung his chubby little arms in protest. Then, he turned to Luca, exining with a hint of aggrievement in his voice, "Ms. Luca, the home cooked meals that Mrs. Nancy prepared weren''t as delicious as yours. I wasn''t used to the food there. That''s why I''ve been eating more snacks." When Luca saw how aggrieved the children looked and thought how Tommy had not been eating well but snacking a lot when they were at Crawford Manor, Luca''s heart went out for them. She nodded and said, "Alright. Now that everyone''s back, let''s have proper meals, okay?" "Yeah!" Tommy nodded. Even though Luca did not often cook meals, Aunt Neile followed Luca''s recipes when she prepared them. Hence, the taste was betterpared to what Mrs. Nancy had prepared. Luca understood that Mrs. Nancy was a good cook, but the kids had grown ustomed to the taste here. It was only natural they found it different when they went back. Luca continued, "Alright. From now on, let''s cut back on snacks and have more proper meals. That''s how you grow strong and tall." Chapter 2898 "Alright, Ms. Luca. I promise!" Tommy behaved himself well in front of his biological mother. He stepped forward and hooked his pinky finger with Luca''s pinky, telling her that he would keep his promise. "Okay. Come on, tidy up your books and toys. I''ve prepared some snacks. Once you''re done, you can come downstairs to eat," said Luca with a smile on her face. Even though the three of them were the young masters and youngdy of the Crawford family, they were taught to handle their own affairs from a young age and not rely on others. Hence, they obediently gathered their books and toys and headed upstairs. Luca turned to look at Aunt Neile. "Aunt Neile, is Mr. Crawford upstairs?" "Yes, he is. Mr. Gale came a while ago. He''s been busy upstairs." Aunt Neile nodded. Half an hour ago, Luke even had her bring a cup of coffee to him upstairs. "Alright." Luca nodded. She rose to her feet and made her way up the stairs. Since Gale would usually report to Luke when there were matters to attend to, Luca did not find it strange. After she turned around and walked up the stairs, she took a quick nce at the children first. All three children were sitting at their desks, picking up the stic dust jackets for books and carefully covering their books given by Luca. Luca smiled. She did not disturb them. Then, she turned around and headed to Luke''s bedroom. The door was closed. She knocked on it, "Can Ie in?" "Yes," answered Luke. Luca pushed the door open. When she thought about what she needed to discusster, she entered and closed the door behind her. "Luke, there''s something I need to talk to you about," said Luca. Considering what Myra had said earlier, she felt it was necessary to inform Luke. Even though she had not disyed any intimate behavior with Luke in public, Myra bore a deep hatred for her. She might try to dig up something. Luca did not want to cause trouble for Luke. All she could do was to share these matters with him. Luke put down his pen and looked at her with his deep eyes. Luca walked to the opposite side of his desk, pulled out a chair, and sat down. She spoke slowly, "I ran into Myra Chavez at the children''s store earlier. She''s the mother who bullied Tommy." She was worried that Luke might not recall the person. Therefore, she recounted Myra''s actions against Tommy to remind him. Luke nodded, indicating that he remembered who the woman was. Luca continued to tell Luke about what happened at the store. Then, she said, "I feel uneasy about it. Why don''t we send someone to look into this?" "She''s not going to stop until she sees the consequences." Luke''s tone grew cold. After Myra bullied his son, she wanted to go after his wife now? People who Luke cared about the most were not people Myra could mess with just because she felt like it! Luca sensed his displeasure. At first, she thought such things might not be worth mentioning, but she wanted to be careful just in case Myra was cooking up a scheme behind her back. She could not afford to take such risks. That was why she insisted on telling Luke. If rumors about something going on between her and Luke spread, it could affect him. Furthermore, Abel, who was inactive at the moment, mighte up with some evil ideas. Luca could not bear such risks. "I''ll take care of this. No need to worry," Lukeforted her, understanding that she was worried about him. Luca knew he would handle things well. She nodded, and just as she was about to speak, a knocking sound came from the door. Tommy''s voice came from outside, "Daddy, is Ms. Luca inside?" Luca''s lips curled upward when she heard the child''sughter. She answered, "Continue with your work. I''m going to spend some time with the kids." "Alright.¡± Luke nodded. The kids preferred to be close to Luca anyway. He did not mind. Over the three years when Luca was kidnapped, the kids had grown up without a mother''s love. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Now that she was back, it was only natural for the kids to be closer to her. It was understandable that the kids desired more maternal affection. With her around, he, as their father, could save himself some worries. "I''ll go check on Tommy." Luca felt his gaze on her, and she could feel her cheeks growing warmer. She rose to her feet and quickly walked out of the room. Tommy stood by the door. He looked up at Luca with a happy expression on his face when he saw the door open. ¡°Ms. Luca!" Luca smiled, but she was worried that the kids'' voices might disturb Luke''s work. She closed the door and asked, "Yes?" "Ms. Luca, we''d like to invite you to y a game with us!" said Tommy as he blinked his eyes. It was not their usual game time, but they were eager to y the educational games that Luca had bought for them earlier. Therefore, Lanie agreed to it when Tommy mentioned it. Luca nodded with a beaming smile on her face. She held Tommy''s hand and walked to Lanie''s room. Lanie and Rainie were already sitting on the carpet, with one of the educational games that Luca had given them open in front of them. "Ms. Luca." Both Lanie and Rainie greeted Luca unanimously as she walked in. "Hey, are you all ying a game?" Luca noticed that they had already started the game. She smiled. The game in front of her was a Sudoku puzzle. It might be easy for Lanie, but it posed a challenge for Rainie and Tommy, which was why she bought it. Lanie was smart. This game was a piece of cake for him. However, he might not find it interesting to y alone. It would be different with Rainie and Tommy ying with him. "Yeah, Rainie and Tommy said they were bored." Lanie nodded. The Sudoku puzzle was a breeze for him, but ying with his younger siblings added an extrayer of enjoyment. Luca nced at a few other games and then walked over. Luca crossed her legs and sat down. Tommy sat beside her. It was a game of Sudoku that one adult and three kids were thoroughly enjoying. Aunt Neile came in carrying a tray of fruits and saw this harmonious scene. She could not help but secretly exim as she thought to herself, ''What a harmonious scene...'' Aunt Neile carried the tray, entered the room quietly, and said in a hushed voice, "Ms. Luca, Young Master Lanie and Tommy, Miss Rainie, have some fruits." "Okay. Thank you Aunt Neile," Luca took the fruits from the tray, which were already skewered with toothpicks, and handed them to each of the three kids. The three kids did not get too engrossed in the game. They politely took the fruits Aunt Neile offered and began eating them. Aunt Neile put the tray down and said to them, "There''s water here as well. Ms. Luca, I''ll head downstairs to prepare lunch." "Alright. Thank you, Aunt Neile,¡± replied Luca. Time flew by when she was with the kids. Luca checked her phone when she heard Aunt Neile mention lunch. It was already 11 in the morning. Luca handed the sses of water to the three kids, "You haven''t had water all morning. Here, have some." "Thank you Ms. Luca." The three kids each took the ss of water she offered and took a sip. After they finished drinking, they went back to ying their games. Suddenly, Tommy said, "Ms. Luca, I''d like to go to the zoo." "The zoo?" Luca blinked her eyes, not quite understanding why Tommy would suddenly want to go to the zoo. "Tommy has been watching Animaltely. He''s been bugging Grandpa to take him to the zoo to see the animals," exined Lanie. Luca looked at her younger son. There was a smile in her eyes, and she asked with a conversational tone, "Shall we go next week?" Chapter 2899 Tommy''s round eyes blinked as he thought about Luca''s words. A few secondster, he looked up and asked, ¡°Ms. Luca, can''t we go today?" Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Today?" Luca frowned slightly as she looked at him. They should be able to finish touring the zoo by evening time if they went after lunch, but the kids would be exhausted. Not to mention, they had a habit of taking naps in the afternoon. "Ms. Luca, are you busy this afternoon?" Rainie looked at her and asked. Luca shook her head and said, "No, I''m free, but if we go in the afternoon, you won''t be able to take a nap. There are performances at night too. Aren''t you afraid that you''ll be too tired?" "No, it''s alright. We''re full of energy!" Tommy took a bite of fruit and was very eager to go to the zoo with Luca. If only their father could go with them. Seeing how much the kids wanted to go, Luca could not say no. She nodded in agreement. "Alright, we''ll go to the zoo in the afternoon." Tommy was the only yful one out of the three children, whereas the other two were well-behaved. She could still handle the three kids on her own. "Ms. Luca, let''s ask Daddy toe with us," Tommy suggested. Ask Luke? Luca was taken aback as the thought of asking him never crossed her mind. Seeing how busy he was, she wondered if asking him toe along would make him fall behind on work. "Your father probably has a lot of work to do," she said. "I''ll go ask him," said Tommy as he put down the toothpick and ran to the study before Luca could reply. After a while, Tommy came back and happily said, "Ms. Luca, Daddy said that he''s free this afternoon and cane to the zoo with us." Of course, Luca was happy that she could take the kids out together with Luke. However, Luca''s brows knitted at the thought of Myra''s face. "Ms. Luca, are you not happy that Daddy can go?" Rainie noticed her expression and asked cautiously. Did their mom dislike their dad? Why did she seem not too happy? ¡°No, I''m just worried that we''re disturbing him." Luca shook her head. Tommy smiled and said, "Dad told me this morning that we''re not disturbing him. He''s more than happy to go." Luca looked at him. Did he n all of this out with his father this morning? "Tommy, did you n this with him this morning?" she asked. Tommy rubbed the back of his head andughed awkwardly. "Daddy agreed this morning. Well, he said that he''d go as long as you said yes." Luca shook her head resignedly and took a sip of water. Then, she heard him say, "Dad also said that we''re too yful, so you won''t be able to take care of the three of us alone. As long as you agree, he''ll come with us." Luca put down the ss. "I can handle the three of you." Even if N returned, she was confident that she would be able to take care of four children. Besides, Lanie and Rainie had grown up, so carrying Tommy in one hand and N in the other was still doable. "Dad is just looking for an excuse to spend time with you. That''s what they call da... da..." Tommy could not recall the word. As his older sister, Rainie finished his sentence for him, "It''s called dating, idiot." "Right, dating!" Tommy would usually refute whenever his older siblings called him an idiot, but right now, he did not mind at all. Instead, he looked at Luca while grinning from ear to ear. Luca blushed after hearing what the children said, and when she nced at the time, she said, "Alright, let''s all go together. But you have to help me with something." After saying that, she winked at the children. The three kids exchanged nces with each other before Lanie asked, "Ms. Luca, what do we need to do?" "It''s simple. Your father is a man of the hour..." Before Luca could finish, she was interrupted by Tommy. "Ms, Luca, what''s a man of the hour?" "It means that he''s someone that would attract onlookers by just standing on the side of the road. There may even be reporters taking pictures of him with cameras," Luca exined patiently. Tommy nodded after he understood. "It''s not just reporters. I''ve seen some middle-aged women secretly take pictures of Daddy with their phones before too." "Yup, so he has to disguise himself. Think about it. When you go to the zoo, would you rather watch the animals or have other people watch you?" Luca purposely exaggerated her words. Although Luke was not a celebrity and would not be chased down by people for his signature, such a prominent figure like him might cause somemotion in public. Having his picture taken by women would not be a big issue, but Luca was worried that they would upload those photos online. If people like Myra saw her together with Luke and his kids, they might use this as leverage. Tommy was still a kid, so Luca could easily influence him. When he thought that he would not be able to see the animals and instead be watched by other people, he immediately said, "Ms. Luca, tell us what we need to do!" "You need to disguise your father." Luca knew that Luke did not enjoy disguising himself. He did not like attracting attention, but he was born with such outstanding features that he had to put on a good disguise. ¡°Ms. Luca, leave it to me!" Tommy patted his chest and excitedly turned to his older siblings. He said, ¡°Lanie, Rainie, how are we going to disguise Daddy?" The child was a quick learner. He had already learned to use the word that Luca just told him. Rainie rubbed her chin in deep thought. Lanie was thinking too. Seeing their faces, Luca could not help but let out augh. ¡°It''s simple. He just needs to wear a mask and a hat." The three children nodded their heads one after another before standing up and running to the bedroom. Luca followed the children with a smile on her face. The children did everything together. They took out a new mask from the medicine cab before slowly walking to the master bedroom to take out a men''s baseball cap from the wardrobe. The baseball cap was brand new andpletely different from the other clothes in the wardrobe. Luca did not even know where the children found it, but she was certain that Luke had never worn this cap. She did not think that Luke would have a cap like this in his wardrobe. After finding the two props Luca mentioned, the three kids ran to the opposite bedroom and knocked on the door. After hearing Luke''s voice, they opened the door and walked in, ¡°Daddy!" The three kids called Luke in unison. Luke put down the documents and looked at the children. When he noticed that one of them was holding a cap and another one was holding a mask, he frowned. ¡°What are you..." ¡°Daddy, Ms. Luca agreed to let us go to the zoo, but you have to disguise yourself!" said Tommy. Chapter 2900 "Disguise?" Luke raised his eyebrows and looked at Luca, who was standing behind the children. Then, he stood up and took the cap and mask from them. "Daddy, so you agree?" Tommy raised his head and asked smilingly. "Yes. You all can go downstairs and have lunch first. We''ll leave after lunch." Luke patted Tommy''s head. After the three kids left, Luke nced at the cap and mask in his hands and knew that it was Luca''s idea. Luca''s eyes met his confused gaze as if he was asking her the same question, so she smiled and exined, "I don''t want the reporters to take pictures." Luke thought of what Gale said and was going to tell her that it did not matter because Karen already had plenty of ''evidence'' that they were together. However, he realized what Luca was actually worried about. Then, he thought that it would be troublesome if he did not do as she said. Thus, he agreed, "Sure, I''ll do it." "I''ll go see how Aunt Neile''s lunch preparations are going," said Luca before hurrying downstairs. Luke looked at the cap and shook his head. The children picked a color that he did not like, so he went to the bedroom and took out another ck cap. After giving it some thought, he changed out of his loungewear and into a more casual sporty outfit. When the children saw himing downstairs, they all surrounded him. They had never seen Luke dressed like this before, so the children were looking him up and down in amazement. "Daddy, you look so handsome in this outfit!" Tommy was the first to say something. He even gave a thumbs-up to express his approval. Rainie nodded too. "Exactly. Daddy, you''re dressed like a movie star, and you look much younger!" They had never seen Luke in sports attire before. They mostly just saw him in suits or pajamas. When they saw him in this outfit, they thought that he looked super cool. After hearing what the children said, Luca looked toward Luke. The casual sportswear was somewhat tight-fitting, so it showed off Luke''s perfect proportions¡ªhis broad shoulders, narrow waist, and long legs... Suddenly, some not-so-kid-friendly scenes popped into Luca''s mind. Her mouth started to feel dry. "Does it look okay?" Luke noticed her burning gaze and asked with a smile. He loved seeing Luca mesmerized by him. Luca blushed. She agreed that Luke looked much younger in that outfit. He looked as dreamy as the maled leads in TV shows. Now, he looked much more trendy and less serious. Although he still had the same cold expression, he looked way less intimidating. In fact, people might even look at him more now. Was that not how all celebrities were? It was their coolness that attracted so many female fans. Luca thought that even though Luke was past that age, his looks were perfect for being a celebrity. Tommy chuckled. He was afraid that Luke could not read her expression, so he said, ¡°Ms. Luca thinks you look great. Daddy, I want to wear the same clothes as you!" A matching look? Luca recalled seeing many parents wearing matching outfits with their children on the inte. It became viral. It made her heart skip a beat. Then, she heard Luke saying, "We don''t have matching outfits. If you want to, I''ll have someone send some over next time." Apart from the high-end tailored suits, all the clothes in his wardrobe were from thetest collection of the season. Many brands would reach out to Jason, so these clothes were all hand-picked by him. Luca used to pick out clothes for him, but after she was kidnapped, Jason and the others had to deal with these things. If his kids wanted to wear matching outfits, he would make it happen. It was not a big deal anyway. He just had to ask these brands to send the clothes over. "Sure!" Tommy nodded and turned to look at Luca before running toward her. "Ms. Luca, I want to look as cool as Daddy. Can you help dress me up?" "Sure." Luca patted his head and walked into the kitchen. She noticed that Aunt Neile was almost done with lunch, so she said, "I''ll pick out an outfit for you after lunch, alright?" "Okay. I want to be as cool as Daddy!" Tommy nodded cheerfully. "No problem," Luca promised. Although sons were typically closer to their mothers, subconsciously, they still admired their fathers more. After lunch, Luca chose an outfit for Tommy, picked up the camera, and tidied up before the family of five set off together. Luke drove while Luca sat in the passenger seat with the three children in the backseat. Luca also changed into sportswear. Although she was not wearing the same colors as Luke, she still looked youthful and energetic. The three children also changed into sportswear because ording to Lanie, they would be able to walk more without getting tired. Luca bought the zoo tickets online, so after parking the car, they could just walk into the zoo. As per the children''s request, Luke wore the cap and mask. However, as soon as the five of them entered the zoo, they still attracted quite a lot of attention. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Tommy took Luke''s hand as he noticed other people''s gaze. He said, "Daddy, many people are looking at you." Luke nced sideways at the people around him. It was the weekend, so there were all kinds of people¡ªfrom parents who brought their kids to have fun to couples going on dates. Luca nced at the people around them too. There were indeed many people looking at Luke. Luke had practically covered his entire face with the cap and mask. Others would not be able to see his eyes even if they tried. However, she did not expect Luke''s figure to stand out so much. Even after covering his face, his outstanding aura still caught other people''s attention. Someone nearby even whispered, ¡°That guy is so handsome." ¡°Yeah, he''s so good-looking. Is he someone famous? His height and his figure are too good to be true." "I don''t think he''s a celebrity. I don''t remember any celebrity with three kids who look like that." The woman looked at the child that Luke was holding hands with. The woman beside him looked eyecatching as well, but she did not look familiar at all. "I don''t remember any celebrity who has kids and whose wife looks like that." "If he''s not a celebrity, why is he covering himself up like that? You women are so naive. If he''s not a celebrity, why is he being so mysterious? He''s trying to attract the attention of naive women like you!" The guy beside the woman said grudgingly. He sounded upset with Luke. "Why is he pretending to be so mysterious when he''s not even a celebrity? Isn''t he just an attentionseeker?" "What nonsense are you talking about? People can dress however they like. Do you still want to walk around or not?" The woman who got lectured by the guy got mad all of a sudden as if she was defending Luke. Chapter 2901 "I really can''t reason with someone so badly infatuated. If this continues, you won''t even know it when these people deceive you. Besides, unless it''s a celebrity, why would someone so good-looking cover every inch of their body when they go out? You should wise up. Perhaps he''s so ugly that he needs to dress that way." The young man was irritated when he noticed the woman he liked kept looking at Luke. ¡°That''s awful. Why would I choose to date someone as wicked as you? Forget it. Get lost." The woman found herself getting inexplicably angry at his words. She just thought that Luke carried himself well. That was why she subconsciously thought he looked good, which was why she stared at him more and discussed him with her friends. She did not expect the guy who came with her to say such things. The woman quickly began to feel a sense of disgust toward the man. "Fine. Don''t regret it!" The man shot her a re, then looked at Luke before he turned around and left. "Do you think this might not be the best way to go about it?" Another woman who had been discussing Luke with her was startled for a moment. "Is it really that difficult to acknowledge someone else''s excellence? Look at the handsome man who''s holding the child''s hand. He has such a beautiful wife. How could he possibly be ugly?" The woman pouted her mouth. She was just telling the truth. The other woman also noticed the man who was holding the child''s hand and the beautiful woman beside him. She was exceptionally beautiful. They all looked harmonious as a family of five. She could not help but say enviously, "Yes, they''re a happy family. I wish my boyfriend could be that handsome." Luca overheard the conversation between the man and the woman and nced helplessly at Luke. Luke was wrapped up so tightly, yet he managed to stir up something like this... She was reminded of Luke''s admirers back then. Sure enough, good-looking men, regardless of age or attire, were real heartthrobs. Luke Crawford, as the person involved, seemed to ignore the discussions around him. He lifted Tommy and carried him in his arms. Tommy cheered and clung to Luke''s neck. His chubby face filled with pride. His father was handsome, and his mother was beautiful. They were a happy family! Luca and Luke, apanied by the three children, followed the zoo''s tour instructions and visited several parks. Then, Tommyined that he was thirsty. "There''s a beverage stall over there. Shall we buy beverages there?" Luca saw a stall not far away and was about to head there to buy beverages for the kids, but Luke stopped her. "I''ll go. You sit with the kids for a while," said Luke. He slightly nodded and pointed at the bench not far away from them, telling them to take a seat and get some rest. "Alright." Luca held Tommy''s hand and led Lanie and Rainie to the bench. Once they were seated, Tommy grinned and said, "Ms. Luca, let''s take a pictureter." "Sure. I''ll take one for all of youter." Luca smiled. She had already taken quite a few photos of the children and animals. Luca nned to upload them all to a cloud storage when they went back. The kids could look at them whenever they wanted. "Ms. Luca, let''s take the picture together," corrected Tommy, noticing that Luca had only been taking shots of them. There were no photos of her with them. "We should take a photo together when we''re out having fun together, right, Lanie?" Tommy turned to look at Lanie. "Yeah, you''re right." Lanie nodded in agreement. Luca understood what the kids were thinking. She nodded and agreed. "Alright. Let''s find someone to help us take a group phototer." "Alright!" Tommy nodded and watched as Luke carried a bag and headed back. He smiled and added, "Dad looks like a celebrity, huh? Many people are looking at him." "Yes. Dad is the real star here!" eximed Rainie. Luke carried the bag and walked toward them. After helping the kids unscrew the bottle caps and passing the bottles of water to them, he opened another bottle and handed it to Luca. "It''s a bit stuffy today. Have some water." "Thanks." Luca took it from him. The weather on Sunday was nice, and it was in the afternoon. That was why the temperature had risen quite a bit. She could feel a thinyer of sweat forming on her body after walking for a while. Luca tilted her head and took several sips of water. After the dryness in her throat was relieved, she suggested to Luke, "Shall we ask someone to take a photo of us?" "Sure." Luke had no objections. He was not fond of taking photos, but there were exceptions, like when he was asked to take a photo with Luca. He was more than willing to do so.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Luca watched a young couple walk by and politely approached them with her camera. "Excuse me, could you spare a few minutes?" The man''s face reddened when he saw Luca. He nodded and replied, "Sure, what can I do for you?" The woman nudged him discreetly when she noticed the flush on the man''s face. Even though she did not say anything, her expression turned sour. Luca handed over the camera and asked with a smile on her face, "I''d like you to take a photo for us." The man followed her gaze. He could not help but secretly think that it was a pity to see such a beautiful woman was already married with three children. He nodded and replied, "Sure. No problem." The woman''s expression improved slightly when she saw the man Luca pointed at. At least she was not single. Hence, she did not pose a threat to her. Luca returned to where Luke was sitting. Rainie was seated beside her, while Lanie sat next to Luke. Tommy stood between them. The camera shutter sounded. The man then nced at the photo taken. He frowned and said to them, "Sir, do you mind taking off your mask?" Taking a family photo with masks on seemed strange to him after he looked at the photo. Luke heard him and removed his mask. Even though he was still wearing a baseball cap, half of his face was revealed. The man heard the woman beside him let out a startled exmation and turned around to look at her. The woman awkwardly smiled. She did not expect the man to be so handsome. However, considering that her boyfriend might get jealous, she had to exin, "Such a lovely couple. Honey, they make a perfect pair." The man turned around and took another photo of them. The man was handsome, the woman was beautiful, and their kids were adorable. Any candid shots would turn out stunning. The man walked over and handed the camera to Luca. "Take a look." Luca was pleased when she saw the group photo. She could tell that the man had some photography skills. Luca thanked him, "Thank you." "You''re wee.¡± The man smiled and walked away with his girlfriend. Luke put his mask back on. When he took off his mask a moment ago, a few people had been looking at him. "How did the photo turn out?" "It looks pretty good. Take a look." Luca wore a faint smile on her face and brought the camera closer to show him. Tommy stood on his tiptoes and said, "Daddy, I want to see the photo too." Luke held the camera and showed them the photo. "It''s nice. Ms. Luca looks beautiful." Tommy praised Luca. "Yes, she''s beautiful," Luke praised her with his resonant deep voice. Luca''s face reddened a little. She could not help but touch the tip of her nose, which had started to sweat a little. Chapter 2902 In this scenario, Luke was the most embarrassed. Luca turned to look at him. Luke was wearing a mask and a baseball cap. She could not make out the expression on his face clearly. However, Luca reckoned that the look on his face was not too good at the thought of how Luke had treated Mavis back then. Before Mavis left T Corporation, Luke had always considered her as a capable subordinate and his right hand woman. After Mavis left T Corporation, she was nothing. Luca had a lot of faith in Luke. Tommy smiled and nced at Luca. Luca nodded, affirming that the child''s actions just now were not impolite. Even adults woulde up with excuses to ease awkward situations. It was the same for kids. Sometimes, their unreasonable behavior could help the adults to smooth out an ufortable moment. "Let''s go. There''s a white tiger over there." Luca pointed at a spot not far away from them. As soon as she said that, there came the resonating roar of a tiger. Tommy''s eyes lit up. He grabbed his siblings'' hands and walked forward. Luke and Luca walked side by side behind the children, not too close but not too far from them. Their gazes were fixed on the kids. Luke spoke when he noticed that Luca was not saying anything about the incident just now. "T Corporation might coborate with thepany Mavis is in after this." "Hmm?" Luca did not expect him to suddenly bring up this kind of matter. "Mavis''pany is rtively strong in amusement park design. If T Corporation sessfully secures the project, we might coborate with herpany," exined Luke. Luca caught on and nodded. It all made sense. She realized that Luke was even taking the time to exin it to her. He was worried that she might misunderstand. Luca lowered her head, but her lips curved into a smile. She would never misunderstand him. Over the years, other than the impostor Bianca, who had only been around for a short time, there had not been any other women. Moreover, ording to the kids, Luke did not even share a room with the impostor Bianca due to her imed health issues. Furthermore, the face the imposter Bianca wore was hers. Even if Luke was captivated by her, Luca believed he was not in the wrong. Besides, he had never actually touched the impostor Bianca... "Are you upset?" Luke was much taller than Luca. With her head down, he could not see the curve of her lips. "No. Why don''t we go and take photos of the kids?" suggested Luca, pointing at the camera Luke hung on his shoulder. After they had taken a group photo earlier and the camera was handed back to them, Luke had been carrying it around. He did not want it to burden Luca. Luke carefully sized her up before nodding. He quickly caught up to the children''s pace and took many photos of them. The zoo was big. After exploring all the different areas, it was already past five in the afternoon. Perhaps Mavis intentionally avoided them, which was why they did not encounter her again. The kids wanted to watch the marine show in the evening. Luke and Luca decided to have dinner at the park and then head to the performance. After they came to the restaurant, Luca went to the washroom. When Luca left the restroom, she bumped into Mavis, whom she had only met once at the entrance of the white tiger enclosure. She could not help but furrow her eyebrows. After the incident at the white tiger enclosure, they had not seen Mavis. Now that Luca was alone in the restroom, she ran into her. Luca did not want to pay any attention at first. She intended to walk past without acknowledging her, but what Mavis said made her halt her steps. "You must be pretty proud of yourself, aren''t you?" There was a touch of resentment in her tone. Luca paused, turned around, and locked eyes with Mavis. Her delicate eyebrows furrowed. "You must be really proud of yourself to be able to stand by Mr. Crawford''s side. But let me warn you, don''t get too cocky. You were never his resolute choice," warned Mavis, implying that Luca was just someone he spent time with when he was bored. "Ms. Laviere, are you envious? Jealous? Or is this a sincere attempt at warning me?" Luca was amused by what she said, and her lips curved into a smile. She was not mocking Mavis, but she found what she said to be quite amusing. "Don''t get cocky!" Mavis took her smile as a challenge. "You''re just a substitute, after all." "I''m not getting cocky. I just find your words rather uninteresting. And as for whether I''m a substitute or not, I''m well aware of that. I don''t need you to remind me," replied Luca, concealing her smile. She was surprised to find out that even the business elites, when clouded by jealousy, would behave shamefully. Mavis felt like she was being looked down on. Hence, she clenched her fist tightly. Mavis wanted to retort but found herself unable to. Setting aside the question of whether Luca qualified as a substitute, it was clear that Maviscked the qualifications to serve as a recement herself. Both of them loved Luke, but their affection andpanionship could notpare to that woman who came from the Rayne family! "Do you think you''re in the clear because you''ve built a rtionship with his kids? Do you think you can stay by his side forever? When that woman returns, you''ll realize you''re nothing. Luca, I''m telling you this out of kindness. Wake up and stop holding onto unrealistic fantasies.¡± Luca frowned again, growing impatient with Mavis'' words. "You''re quite the talker." After that, Luca walked away immediately. Mavis'' face turned red with anger. As she watched Luca leave from behind, she almost rushed toward her and gave her a p in the face. Everything she said was true. These were the real issues that would arise! Would she still be able to feel proud of herself when Bianca returned? Mavis could not figure out why Luke had chosen Luca. Luca and Bianca werepletely different types of women. Bianca was timid and easily frightened. She did not have the ability to deal with problems. She spoke in a soft, sweet tone, and she was especially good at ying the victim card to capture men''s sympathy. That was how Luke fell for the weak Bianca. Then, there was Luca... She was arrogant and domineering, with a bold personality. She was also strikingly beautiful. She was completely different from Bianca. Mavis thought it was unfair. Why could it be Bianca or Luca but not her? She was the woman who deserved to stand beside Luke! The fire of anger in Mavis'' heart grew stronger, but no one could soothe her anger now. Luca returned to her seat without mentioning the incident at the restroom entrance. She enjoyed a sumptuous dinner with Luke and the children as if nothing had happened. Luca did not pay any mind to what Mavis said to her. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. It was because her true identity was Bianca, the one who used to be by Luke''s side. It was her, and not someone else. Naturally, what Mavis said would not affect her. Previously, when she was still Bianca, even if Luke had chosen her resolutely, she might have been bothered by what Mavis said. However, she was Luca now. Even though she did not have the same capabilities as Luke to lead T Corporation, she was notcking either. During those three years on the Ind of Despair, her inner strength had grown significantly. She would not let herself feel upset and bewildered by Mavis'' provocative words anymore. She was growing up. Men as outstanding as Luke would inevitably attract admiration from other women, but she knew he was not the type to easily ept someone else''s affections. Still, why did Luke choose her... Luca had no idea, but she would not waste her time pondering over such questions. Chapter 2903 After having dinner at the restaurant, Luke and Luca took the kids to watch the marine show. Once the performance ended, the family returned to their vi. Before they even made it inside, Luke''s phone rang. He nced at the caller ID and said to Luca and the kids, "Go inside first." "Okay." Luca noticed that something was wrong with Luke''s expression. She held Tommy and Rainie''s hands and said, "Let''s go. It''ste. We''ll go upstairs to freshen up and go to bed." "Alright, Ms. Luca." All three kids enjoyed their day today. They were quite content. Hence, they were obedient. Once Luca and the kids were a distance away, Luke finally answered the call. "Speak." "Boss, the people from the Ind of Despair have found out about the hospital where Pierre Mallory is now. They''ve leaked the location to the media," said Gale. Gale had just found out their move, but it was already toote. There were already a few reporters waiting at the private hospital now. It was likely that the police would be alerted before long. "Are you sure it was the Ind of Despair who leaked it?" Luke frowned. "Yes, we traced the IP address of the tip-off. It originated from one of their bases," exined Gale. One of the newspaperpanies that received the tip-off was a subsidiary of the T Corporation, where Gale and Rain worked. Therefore, when the chief editor received the tip-off, they informed Gale about it. Gale tracked the IP address and found that it was sent from an outpost of the Ind of Despair in A City. He did not know why the Ind of Despair was careless this time, allowing their IP address to be easily traced. However, there was one thing certain¡ªthe Ind of Despair did not just send the tip-off to their newspaperpany. Journalists from different newspaper publishers often shared their information. The chief editor received replies from at least three major local newspapers that had received the same tip-off. "It won''t be long before the police show up. There''s not much we can do," replied Luke. The reporters had surrounded the private hospital. It would be impossible for the Mallory family to move Pierre even if they wanted to. It was difficult for the hospital to cover it up too. "I''ll observe how the situation unfolds and then report back to you," said Gale. Before calling, he already knew that there was nothing they could do in this situation. The instincts of media professionals were extremely sharp. The moment they received a tip-off, they would spring into action, and they were often faster than the police. Gale also understood theyout of the private hospital. There was no way to secretly move Pierre out of the hospital. "Okay." Luke lowered his gaze. After ending the call, he headed inside. There was nothing he could do for Pierre at the moment. What the Ind of Despair did was a result of their displeasure with Pierre, as he had caused trouble and losses for them. Whether it was the former leader of the Ind of Despair or the current one, they were both vengeful people. Rescuing Pierre had alerted the police. They did not gain any benefits from it and had even lost a significant amount of weaponry. This act of revenge stemmed from their frustration and was aimed at causing problems for the Mallory family. Luca had taken the kids upstairs, leaving him alone in the living room, lost in thought. It was possible that the Ind of Despair had already figured out that it was Luke''s men who rescued Pierre. If they were going after the Mallory family, they might turn around to target the Crawford family too. Luke sent a message to Percy: [The Ind of Despair is going after the Mallory family.] After a little while, Percy replied: [I already know. They''re digging their own grave.] Luke remained expressionless. He was not sure what the Ind of Despair was up to, but by targeting the Mallory family, they had once again fueled the Mallory family''s hatred toward them. This actually worked in his favor. Percy''s rtionship with the Mallory family was not so great now because of Nina''s matter. That was why he could not easily mobilize a portion of his influence. However, they had amon enemy with the Mallory family now, which would make their cooperation even closer. Luke rose up to his feet and made his way up the stairs. He figured that Luca was in the master bedroom''s bathroom freshening up. Hence, he entered the opposite room and took a shower. Then, he changed into clean pajamas before heading to the master bedroom. Luca sat in front of the dressing table, drying her hair. "Let me help you," said Luke. He approached her and took the dryer from her hand. He gently lifted her soft, long hair with his palm, using his hand as ab to dry her hair. Luca looked at the reflection of the two of them in the mirror. Her lips unconsciously curved into a smile. It was not the first time Luke had helped her to dry her hair. However, every time he did these thoughtful things on his own initiative, it touched her deeply. Once her hair was dry, Luca applied some hair oil to it. Then, she turned around, sat on the dressing chair, and looked up at the tall, handsome man in front of her. "Did something bad happen?" She could not ask Luke about it in front of the children, but it was just the two of them now. "Yes, those people who kidnapped Pierre leaked his information to the media. Now all the major media companies in A City are at that private hospital." Luke did not hide anything from her. He knew that this had nothing to do with Luca. Luca did not even ask which hospital Pierre was in. As long as the Ind of Despair diligently tracked the Mallory family members, they could easily find out which hospital Pierre was being treated at. After Karen had Old Master Mallory''s permission to go out, she had been going to the hospital to visit Pierre every day. Even though Old Master Mallory advised her not to visit the hospital so frequently to avoid being followed by the media, she did not listen to him. Luca pictured that scene. With A City being the capital of the country and the headquarters of several well-known local newspaperpanies located here, they must all be swarming around the hospital now... Could Pierre still be secretly moved away? It was likely even theings and goings of ambnces would be a problem. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Moreover, it was nighttime now... "The police must know about it too..." said Luca. The police had not given up on finding Pierre. "Yes." Luke nodded and lifted Luca up, carrying her in his arms. "Ah!" Luca was taken aback by his sudden action and let out a soft cry. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. "I don''t like it when you''re thinking about other men." Luke felt her warmth. His gaze deepened, and his voice turned husky. Luca''s face reddened. She had been in love with him for so many years, and she understood this signal. Suddenly, her mouth felt dry and her throat parched. She swallowed and looked into Luke''s deep eyes. As his movements continued, her body was slowly pressed against the bed. At that moment, a knocking sound echoed. After two knocks, Tommy''s voice came through. "Ms. Luca, are you in bed?" Luke paused for a moment. Luca, who was beneath him, could not help but suppress a smile. The man''s face was clouded over with displeasure, unsatisfied. No one liked getting interrupted while they were trying to do something. However, Luke had to endure it since it was their son. Luca gave his shoulder a little push and said, "I''ll go see what''s going on." Luke initially wanted to tell her not to bother, but Tommy called from outside again, "Dad? Ms. Luca?" He had no choice but to get up, which allowed Luca to get up as well. Luca rose to her feet with a smile on her face, staring at Luke''s gloomy expression. Then, she said, "Let me see what''s going on."a Chapter 2904 Luca pushed the door open and smiled as she looked at Tommy, who had knocked on the door. "Yes?" "Ms. Luca, I can''t sleep. Can you read a bedtime story for me?" asked Tommy as he lifted his head. He had too much fun during the daytime, and the fascinating marine show during the evening made him too wound up to fall asleep. However, his usual bedtime routine reminded him that it was time to sleep. Otherwise, he would feel tired at school tomorrow. After giving it some thought, Tommy went to find Luca, hoping that she could read him a bedtime story with her gentle voice. It could help him sleep peacefully. Luca nodded and agreed. She nced back at Luke, who was sitting on the bed with a face brimming with unfulfilled desires. She said, "Let me read a bedtime story for him first." Luke slowly nodded. His expression was still gloomy, but he had no choice as it was his son''s request. After all, it was just a bedtime story. He could wait for her. Luca smiled, held Tommy''s hand, and walked toward his bedroom. Once they entered his bedroom, she picked a new book and began reading. Luca slowly narrated the story with her gentle voice. Tommy''s excited mood gradually calmed, and his eyes were closing. Half an hourter, Luca closed the book. As she listened to the rhythmic sound of the child''s breathing, she tucked him in. Then, she rose to her feet and closed the door behind her. Luca did not return to the master bedroom immediately. Instead, she went into Lanie and Rainie''s bedroom to check on them. When she saw them asleep, she walked back to the master bedroom, feeling relieved. Luke leaned against the bedside, reading his book. Half an hour had gone by, and he seemed to be in a better mood. Still, when Luca met his dark eyes, she knew that there was no way she could avoid him tonight. "Are they asleep?" Luke stood up and walked toward Luca, wrapping his arms around her slender waist. "Yes. They''re asleep," answered Luca. As the night deepened, a profound darkness settled in. The very air in the bedroom seemed to be gradually infused with a whisper of romantic intimacy.... On the other hand, the private hospital was surrounded by a swarm of reporters. If an ambnce were toe out from inside, a convoy of reporters'' vehicles would surely follow. Inside the hospital''s director''s office, Karen stood there with a cold expression on her face. "What kind of mess have you made? This won''t work, and that won''t work either. What do we need to do to get my son out of here?" The director rushed to the hospital when he received the news. The hospital''s management team, who were aware of the situation, were all present. They knew that they needed to get Pierre out of the hospital. However, every proposed n had been rejected. Even the n of attempting to use an ambnce to draw the reporters'' attention could not work, as it would certainly be discovered by the reporters. They definitely could not take a normal car. Therefore, half an hour had passed since the news broke out, and Pierre was still in the hospital ward, unable to be transported. The director felt helpless when he heard Karen questioning him. If he was not mistaken, the police would arrive soon. If the police found Pierre in the hospital, the hospital would also be in trouble. After all, Pierre''s identity was sensitive at the moment. Even though he was not yet convicted, he remained a suspect in an economic crime. The hospital would be suspected of hiding information and harboring a suspect of economic crimes. "Madam Mallory, don''t worry. We''re trying to to find a solution," answered the director as he massaged his throbbing temples. He had the tenacious Karen on one side, and on the other, the media and the cops. Suddenly, he stood up and dered, "In any case, we must get Mr. Pierre out of here." After Pierre''s condition stabilized, the hospital director suggested that he be discharged and sent back to the Mallory manor for recuperation. However, the Mallory family was reluctant to do so, believing that staying in the hospital would lead to a better recovery for Pierre. Unable to withstand the Mallory family''s influence, he had no choice but to agree. Now, the Mallory family was pressuring him again to find a solution. He felt overwhelmed, unable to come up with a good n. The management team of the hospital exchanged uneasy nces with each other. They were at a loss too. Using a normal car to transport him was out of the question, and an ambnce would not work either. The number of reporters outside was greater than the number of ambnces they had... A helicopter was also not an option. Even though it could get Pierre out, it would draw too much attention. The police would investigateter. If they found anything, the hospital would be in trouble. "Director, Madam Mallory, maybe we should hide Mr. Pierre somewhere else," suggested one of the personnel in the management team. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. The police were about to arrive. They would search the hospital. If the hospital firmly denied it, the police would not be able to find him. If they could not find him, all of them would be safe. "Where?" asked Karen The person who proposed the idea pondered for a moment. Then, he cautiously said, "Nowhere is safe to hide. The police will conduct a thorough search. The safest ce might be the morgue." "No way!" Karen immediately opposed it when she heard him mentioning the morgue. "That''s where bodies are stored. Are you trying to jinx my son?" Leaving Pierre in a ce full of corpses was not just something she disagreed with. Even Pierre would be unwilling. "But that''s the least likely ce for the police to search now," the man argued. He thought Pierre pretending to be a dead body there might be safer for him. After all, the police would not search that thoroughly in the morgue. "Or..." The director thought this suggestion made sense and was about to persuade Karen when a voice of opposition rang out, "No way." Karen turned around to see Percy standing at the doorway with a gloomy expression on his face. "How did you get in here?!" With all the reporters outside, Percy being here would only confirm Pierre''s presence here. "I disguised myself. The reporters didn''t know it was me," replied Percy. He had expected this. Not only did he not drive his own car, but he also went the extra mile to disguise himself. That was why the reporters did not recognize him as Percy Mallory. "You''re not taking Pierre''s life seriously by doing this," Karen disregarded what he said and used him. Percy seemed to ignore what Karen said. He walked toward the hospital director and said, "We can''t hide him in the morgue. The police haven''t arrived yet, but they''re probably preparing a search warrant." Once the search warrant was issued, even the morgue filled with bodies would be meticulously checked. It was not that the police were targeting the Mallory family, but Pierre had escaped for a while now, and they were growing impatient. Moreover, with the ongoing media coverage, this incident would further infuriate the public. It would lead to increased police efforts. If Percy guessed it correctly, there were undercover officers among the reporters outside. As Percy said that, the hospital director and a few management personnel looked troubled at the same time. In that case, it would be difficult to hide Pierre. No matter where they ced him, the police would likely find him. After all, this was a hospital, not a private space with secret rooms that outsiders were unaware of. "So, what shall we do?" The director ran out of ideas. Hence, he could only look at Pierre He could not afford to offend the Mallory family. As for the police, he could not afford to get on their bad side either. If public opinion got skewed against them, would the hospital still be able to treat patients? In order to provide superior service to the wealthy, they hired professional doctors and nurses, which led to significant monthly expenses in terms of sries. If this situation blew up, they would lose many patients, and the hospital would soon struggle to make ends meet... Chapter 2905 "We''ll let the police look into it," said Percy as there was no other way to go about this. They could have transferred Pierre if they had known earlier, but the Ind of Despair did not give them that chance. Now that it was toote, none of their ns would work, and all their efforts would just be in vain. ¡°No!" That was the word Karen repeated the most tonight. Unlike herdylike self, she stood up and fiercely stared at Percy, "Percy Mallory, how cruel could you be to send Pierre in there to suffer? I won''t allow this!" She reckoned that Percy was trying to send Pierre in there so that he could seize all of the Mallory family''s assets with that woman. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Nina, that bitch! Who did she think she was to take away everything the Mallory family owned? She would never let this happen! Percy''s expression was icy cold, and he did not say a word when he met Karen''s enraged face. The director stood aside as he wiped off his sweat. He had heard that the Mallory family was not happy about Percy''s wife, so the elders of the family favored Pierre now. Thus, it was not a surprise that the Mallory family would be upset with what Percy said. However, there was indeed no other way but to sit and wait for the police to look into it. Karen snorted after Percy kept quiet. She did not care about outsiders witnessing the quarrel between mother and son. "Percy, you were the one who did this to Pierre, so you should be the one to be locked up! Go to the police station and turn yourself in formitting all of these crimes." The director wondered what she meant by crimes. Several of the high-ranking managers dropped their heads out of embarrassment. Although they were interested in gossip, they dared not gossip about the Mallory family. They wished that they had ear plugs so they would not be able to hear the mother and son''s conversation. "Calm down." Percy was reminded of Karen''s madness a few days ago after seeing her getting worked up. It seemed like Karen was unable to calm down whenever Pierre was involved. He had consulted a psychotherapist about her condition before, and the reason Karen was like this was that she could not ept the fact that she had failed in raising her children. When she failed to stop his marriage with Nina, she felt defeated. Karen was the type to not be able to ept defeat, so when Percy and Nina got married, she mentally disowned Percy. She refused to believe that she had raised him, and she even thought that he was not her own. Thus, she pinned all her hopes on Pierre. Therefore, when something happened to Pierre, Karen was unable to bear the hardship. She became insanely paranoid. She was afraid of losing Pierre and admitting that she had failed in raising her children. All of it could be traced back to the betrayal of Karen''s husband, who was also Percy and Pierre''s father. ¡°Calm down? How could you be so calm right now? Is Pierre not your brother? How could you treat him like this? How could you? Percy, how I wish you were the one who got kidnapped, had your leg broken, and is wanted by the police!" When Karen was out of her mind, she did not care about the absurdity of her words. The expression on Percy''s face was grim. One should not wash one''s dirty linen in public, but Karen was showing everyone all of the Mallory family''s dirty linen. Although he did not mind, Old Master Mallory cared most about the reputation of the Mallory family. Percy could feel the veins in his forehead pulsing. Then, he looked at the director. "Can I borrow your office?" "Yes, of course." The director understood what he meant. He nodded to several of the hospital managers before they all left together. The door of the office closed. Percy stared at Karen, who was about to go crazy. When Karen met his gaze, fear crept into her heart, but she thought that it was ridiculous for a mother to be afraid of her own son. She scolded him, "Do you think you can solve the problem by sending them away? Let me tell you something. If you let Pierre be taken away by those pigs, I''ll never let you get away with it!" By pigs, she meant police. It was an offensive term for policemen. Percy frowned as she did not care about anything when she was insane. "Grandpa has dealt with most of Pierre''s matters. Even if the police take him away, nothing will happen to him," said Percy. Old Master Mallory had been contacting people day and night to take care of all of Pierre''s affairs. His illegal doings had been mostly covered up too, so if the police took Pierre away, he would not be locked up for long. At most, he would be given a warning and a fine. It was impossible for Pierre to get away with zero punishment after everything he did. He should at least learn his lesson. Seemingly, his lesson was criticism and punishment from the relevant departments. In private, however, his lesson was his broken leg. Karen''s eyes turned red as she listened to his words. She would not ept it. Subconsciously, she knew that if Pierre was locked up, Percy would win. As a mother, she had to protect what belonged to her younger son. "Pierre can''t be taken away. If they take him away, he''ll be tortured to death. You! You''ll torture him together with Luke, and I won''t let that happen!" Karen did not believe that Luke saved Pierre at all. She only believed what she chose to believe and what she heard from Pierre. Luke''s people even made Pierre''s injury worse. Percy looked at Karen, who was as stubborn as a mule. His head ached even worse. How he wished the director could give her a sedative. There was a knock on the door. Percy and Karen looked at the door simultaneously. The director''s voice sounded from outside. ¡°Mrs. Mallory and Mr. Mallory, the police are here." Karen''s eyes widened as her pupils constricted. She pointed to Percy''s nose and scolded, "You did it on purpose! You must have informed the media. You just can''t stand seeing Pierre happy, can you? Look at you stalling for time!" Percy stood up and gazed down at her condescendingly. "Now is not the time for you to go crazy! If you don''t want anything to happen to Pierre, just act like nothing happened and leave with me." He came to take Karen away. "I''m not going!" Karen refused. She even wanted to shout at the policemen outside. "Are you trying to drag the Mallory family down?" Percy''s gaze was somber. If the police saw Karen here, so would the reporters. Pierre would definitely be affected. Karen was taken aback, and her eyes grew redder. "Come in," Percy said to the person at the door. The director gently opened the door and walked in. The soundproofing in his office was not the best, so even though he was standing outside with the door closed, he could still hear their conversation clearly. He heard that Karen''s mental state was in poor condition, but after eavesdropping outside, he clicked his tongue. She was not only in poor condition, but she was about to go insane... "Mr. Mallory? The security downstairs said that the police are already on it," the director said carefully. The police''s job was to investigate every department. "Give Mrs. Mallory a sedative," said Percy. "Huh?" The director''s eyes widened, thinking he had heard wrong. Mrs. Mallory bit her lower lip and said, "I refuse." "If you don''t, can you leave calmly? If anything happens to the Mallory family, don''t even think about bailing your precious son." Percy looked at her as if he was warning her. Chapter 2906 Karen refused to listen to a thing he said, but Percy''sst words made her panic. She knew deep down that there was a high chance of Pierre being found by the police. No matter how much she asked the hospital staff to cooperate, it would all be of no avail. Karen snorted. ¡°You''d better not lie to me. If anything happens to Pierre, I won''t let you off the hook, and that bitch too!" Percy''s eyes turned gloomy when he heard her cursing the woman he loved. However, he suppressed it because arguing with her was the least important thing right now. Hearing the mother and son talk as if they were having a conference made the director''s head ache. He looked at Percy, waiting for his final order. "We''ll leave now," said Percy. The police were already downstairs, so they could not dy any further. Karen nodded reluctantly. After all, if this incident affected the Mallory family, it would be Pierre who would get the short end of the stick. Percy looked at the director. "Do you have a separate exit for staff?" "We do." The director nodded frantically before reminding him, "However, the staff exit leads to the parking lot, so you''ll still be checked by the police and reporters." "Alright." Percy did not panic as he nned to disguise Karen before leaving. Even if Karen were to disguise herself, she would still look like a woman. Whereas for him, as long as he showed the police that both his legs were well-functioning, nothing would happen to him. In the informant''s email, the people from the Ind of Despair mentioned that Pierre was getting his leg treated at the hospital. "Mr. Mallory, after you leave, what about us..." the director asked cautiously. "I''ve already made the arrangements. A doctor in your hospital will be taking care of this matter, so it won''t affect your hospital," said Percy. The director was surprised to hear that he managed to persuade a doctor. It seemed like the power of the Mallory family should not be underestimated. Even if the doctor who was going to take care of this matter would not be going to jail, his reputation would be damaged. The fact that the doctor agreed meant that Percy must have made a deal with him. Percy left with Karen through the staff exit before finding his car in the parking lot. After they got in the car, they headed straight toward the hospital exit. Sure enough, they were stopped by the police before they could leave. ¡°Hello, please roll down the window and show your ID." The police officer''s voice could be heard. Karen became anxious after they were instructed to show their IDs. That meant that the police would find out that she was from the Mallory family. In that case, Pierre would be affected! Karen got even more anxious, but there was nothing she could do. She just watched Percy take out an ID from his pocket. "Hello, we''re reporters." "Reporters?" The policeman took a look at the IDs. The entrance of the hospital was not well-lit, and the lights in the car were not turned on either, so it was pretty dark. Not to mention, Percy was wearing a cap, so his face could not be seen clearly. The police officer deliberately nced at his legs and saw that they were fine. Then, he looked at the person in the passenger seat. "Where''s your ID?" Before Karen could speak, Percy said, "This is my assistant. She came out in a rush, so she didn''t bring her ID." "Reporters aren''t allowed in the hospital, so how did you get in?" the police asked. "Of course, we can''t just brazenly walk in here. I just so happen to have a rtive who''s a doctor here, so... I got the news early. Plus, I live around the corner, so I got here before they even arrived. Look at all the equipment behind. I didn''t get much, though. I heard that the police were here, and my colleagues areing over soon, so I clocked off," Percy lied without blinking an eye. "Sure. Open the trunk for inspection please." The police did not doubt his identity. After not finding anything in his trunk, he let them go. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. After Percy sessfully brought Karen out of the hospital, he said, "I''ll send you back to the manor." Karen suddenly recalled that before she went out today, Old Master Mallory warned her not to go near the hospital so as not to let them know that Pierre was hospitalized. However, she did not listen and insisted on going. Little did she know that this would happen. She trembled out of fear at the thought of the old master''s threatening gaze and immediately said, "I''m not going back to the manor. Take me back to your ce." Percy frowned. "If you''re going to send me back to the manor, turn around and just drop me off at the hospital," said Karen after he did not give her an answer. She did not want to go back and listen to the old master''s criticism. Besides, if he saw that Percy sent her back, he would know that she went to the hospital. Plus, Percy would not cover up for her. "Nina is at home," said Percy, not wanting his mother to provoke Nina. Karen snorted as she looked out the window and said, "So what? You bought the house with the Mallory family''s money, so it''s also property of the Mallory family. She''s just an outsider living there. I''m the real owner." Percy frowned as he had bought the house with his own money, so it did not belong to the Mallory family. However, telling Karen all of this was useless as she only believed what she chose to believe. She would ignore everything else. ¡°I also need to keep an eye on you. Don''t think that you''ll be safe when the police take Pierre away. If you don''t bail him out, I''ll report to them that you were the one who hid Pierre in the hospital," Karen threatened again. Percy continued driving with a livid expression. Most of the time, there would be no emotion on his face. He was usually so calm that nobody knew what he was thinking. However, at this moment, he really wanted to ask Karen if he was her biological son. How could she treat him and Pierre so differently when they were just born a few years apart? Did she be like this just because he chose to marry Nina instead of following the family''s arrangements by marrying someone they chose? Percy knew deep down that this was not the reason. He knew a long time ago that out of her two sons, Karen favored Pierre, which was why Pierre was so fearless. Percy knew that since he was a child. However, he carried a heavy burden on his shoulders, so he needed Old Master Mallory''s approval more than his mother''s love. It was just that he never expected that Karen would be willing to sacrifice him to save Pierre. It was as if he was not her own... Percy did not have much affection for his family in the first ce, but this still made him upset. He wanted to ask Karen, but in the end, he chose not to. He pursed his lips into a thin line and lifted his chin up resolutely as he suppressed his curiosity. Percy held himself back. "I''m telling you again. Don''t you think about sending me back to the manor." Seeing how he still had not replied, Karen emphasized again. "I know." Percy''s voice was stiff. When they stopped at a red light, he sent Nina a message so that she could mentally prepare herself. Karen was not easy to deal with. Tonight, the one who had to suffer was not Pierre but Nina. Chapter 2907 After Nina received a message from Percy, she quickly cleaned up a guest bedroom in the vi andid out the beddings and nket. She also prepared a new set of toiletries. Then, she nervously waited for Percy and Karen in the living room. She knew that Percy had gone to the hospital to deal with Pierre''s matters, but she did not expect him to bring Karen back. Something must have happened. Nina grew anxious when it crossed her mind. She knew that Karen did not like her. Their previous meetings had always ended on a sour note. Facing her gave Nina a lot of pressure. However, Karen was Percy''s mother, after all. There was no way she could refuse to meet her and get along with her. The moment she chose to marry Percy, she had chosen to stand by his side. No matter how difficult the Mallory family''s matters were, she was determined to face them together. In marriage, it was not about the husband carrying the load alone, but it was about sharing the burden together. As Nina thought Karen might intentionally nitpick and make things difficultter, she quickly went to the kitchen to prepare some flower tea, coffee, and freshly squeezed juice. She would rather make extra preparations than face Karen''s criticism. With everything ready, she sat on the sofa for a while. Then, she heard noisesing from outside. Percy had returned. Nina immediately stood at the entrance and watched as Percy walked in, apanied by Karen. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of Karen. After Karen saw her, her expression was filled with disgust. She secretly let out a cold snort after she heard Nina say, ¡°Good evening, Madam Mallory." When she heard Nina address her as Madam Mallory, Karen was startled for a moment. However, she immediately thought that it was eptable. Even though Nina and Percy had a legally recognized marital rtionship, what could be done with that? The Mallory family did not acknowledge their marriage. What difference did it make even if their marriage held legal status? If Percypromised with the Mallory family in the future, the couple would get a divorce! Percy could not help but frown slightly when he heard Nina addressing her as Madam Mallory, but then he realized that if Nina called Karen Mom, Karen would not acknowledge it either. Hence, it was better to address her as Madam Mallory without trying to please her. Percy did not marry Nina to make her please the Mallory family. Besides, there was no need for the woman he loved to appease the Mallory family. Their disapproval would not affect their marital rtionship. Nina did not feel embarrassed when Karen remained silent. She was already mentally prepared to be put through the wringer. Moreover, it was even better if Karen did not speak. Nina was only being ignored, without having to endure any unnecessary difficulties. She took out a pair of new disposable slippers and ced them on the floor. Karen looked at her with arrogance. She got out of her shoes expressionlessly, then put on the slippers. Percy''s brows furrowed even more. After he changed his shoes, he took Nina''s hand and asked, ¡°Why aren''t you in bed at this hour?" He informed Nina because he wanted her to be mentally prepared that Karen would being, not to serve her. Nina smiled and replied, "I can only sleep peacefully when you''re back." Then, her gaze fell on Karen again. "Madam Mallory, would you like something to drink? We have fresh juice, flower tea, and coffee at home." Karen let out a cold snort and answered, "I always have a ss of milk before going to bed." Milk? Nina was not prepared for this. Fortunately, the part-time maid would always prepare a variety of ingredients in the fridge, including milk. She replied, "Sure. Please take a seat and give me a moment." Then, Nina walked toward the kitchen. She heard Karen say, "I don''t like it too cold or too hot. I only drink milk that''s heated to 40 degrees. An increase or decrease of just one degree is a no for me." Nina''s steps faltered for a moment. She was well aware of this tant provocation. She turned around and replied, "Alright. Just a second." Then, Nina met Percy''s disapproving gaze. She gently shook her head to reassure him that everything was fine. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. After Nina walked into the kitchen, Percy gave Karen a warning look. "If you want to stay here peacefully tonight, be quiet and stop causing trouble for others." Karen, feeling indignant at his defense for Nina, could not hold back her anger. How did this woman with an average appearance bewitch Percy into defending her like this? There were so many women with better figures and prettier faces, yet Percy did not spare them a nce. Karen clenched her fists tightly and sneered. "What''s the matter? Now that you have that wretched woman, have you forgotten that I''m your mother? Those who don''t know about this must think that I''m so mean to you that you partnered with an ordinary woman to go against your own biological mother." No matter what, she was Percy''s mother. It was an unchangeable fact even if he rebelled against his family. Percy''s eyes turned cold and emotionless as he warned her, "If you want to act up, then go back to Mallory Manor." "What makes you think you can kick me out? Percy, I''m staying here tonight! If you dare to kick me out, I''ll expose your secrets to the police and the media," dered Karen as she sat firmly on the couch. She did not back down even after hearing Percy''s warning. Karen was his mother. She refused to believe that she could not control him! Nina walked back into the living room with a ss of warm milk in her hands and overheard what Karen said. Her heart skipped a beat. She pursed her lips, handed the milk to Karen, and said, "Madam Mallory, here''s your milk. It''s been heated to 40 degrees." She had taken extra care to measure the temperature, trying to avoid any potential nitpicking from Karen. The milk was heated to 40 degrees, not a degree more and not a degree less. Karen let out a cold snort when she saw the ss of milk. She refused to take it. ¡°I''m not drinking that.¡± Nina was taken aback. Percy''s expression grew even darker. His thin lips almost formed a straight line. He was on the brink of exploding. Nina subtly shook her head at him, signaling him not to lose his temper to prevent things escting. At the same time, she could not help but worry. She thought to herself, ¡®Did Percy''s mother uncover some of his secrets?'' Otherwise, why would she threaten him that she would inform the police and the media? Percy was unable to contain himself any longer. He issued another warning, "Mother..." Karen rolled her eyes. Her legs were crossed elegantly, maintaining the posture of a sophisticateddy. However, her words were dripping with malice. "Who knows if she has added anything into the milk? It''s better to avoid anything offered by such a person." Nina''s temples throbbed. She knew Karen was doing this on purpose, and she found it increasingly hard to suppress her emotions. Still, she was Percy''s mother, and Nina had to endure it. She married Percy knowing that she would not have the approval or blessings of the Mallory family. Hence, she had mentally prepared herself for this. "It''s gettingte. How about getting some rest?" Nina knew that no matter what she offered, Karen would not eat or drink it. That was why she suggested this instead. At least Karen would stop giving her a hard time once she fell asleep. "The guest bedroom is all set up for you. I''ve prepared a new set of toiletries as well as new clothes." Even though she was aware that Karen and the Old Master Mallory did not like her, she prepared all of this at home just in case. She did not expect it toe in handy today. The toiletries and clothes she had prepared were in line with Karen''s usual standards of living. Nina believed that even if Karen wanted to be picky, there would not be much to find fault with. Chapter 2908 Karen furrowed her brows. She was about to give Nina a hard time, but then she heard Percy say, "I can send you back to Mallory Manor now if you''re not going to bed." Karen frowned, about to explode in anger. Then, she heard him continue, "You went to the hospital to visit Pierre without informing Grandpa. You almost caused a disaster. Let him handle the rest." Karen understood what he meant. She gave a cold snort and said, "Stop threatening me." Then, she rose to her feet with her chin slightly lifted. She looked at Nina with an arrogant look on her face. "Take me upstairs." Nina nced at Percy. Then, she turned around and led Karen upstairs. When they reached the door of the guest room, Nina stepped aside and said, "Madam Mallory, this is your room." Karen let out another cold snort and pushed the door open with her fingertips. She did not even want to touch the doorknob, as if it was dirty. Nina noticed her disdainful behavior but chose not toment. At first, she wanted to tell her that the entire vi was regrly cleaned, but she held her tongue. It was not the cleanliness of the room that Karen disapproved of; it was Nina she was finding fault with. If she were not Percy''s birth mother, Nina would surely have taken action. Karen looked at the room''s furnishings and snorted in dissatisfaction. "I sleep on a Hastens Vividus mattress, and I only use silk bedding." "The mattress'' brand is Hastens Vividus, and the four-piece set is produced abroad by Beverly Hills Polo Club," answered Nina calmly. Everything prepared for the guest room was of the highest standard. The things here were even more expensive than the things in the master bedroom. Neither she nor Percy cared about these luxurious things as long as they sleptfortably. A hint of darkness shed across Karen''s eyes when she heard this. She walked into the room to check. Indeed, everything was as Nina told her. Moreover, they were all authentic, not knock-offs. The brands were the same as the ones in Mallory Manor. Karen could not help but wonder how Nina had prepared all of this. Could these things have been prepared in advance? "These are all new, Madam Mallory. We just sent them for dry cleaning once after purchasing," added Nina. She stood at the entrance without entering the room. She refused to give Karen any opportunity to find fault with her. Nina was not foolish. Karen let out another cold snort. She did not have much of a reaction to Nina''s preparations, except that she thought Nina was scheming to please her by preparing all of this in advance. She walked into the bathroom and saw the new toiletries and shower gel Nina mentioned earlier. They were all her preferred brands. Karen''s eyes darkened even further. "These are what I typically use." "I''m d you''re satisfied with them." Nina was not expecting apliment from her. She did not let it go to her head, and her tone remained calm with a touch of indifference. "Yes. The whole world knows how scheming you are. Only Percy seems to bepletely under your spell. You must be feeling pretty proud, huh?" Karen''s tone was filled with resentment. She wished she could tear Nina apart. If this woman did not exist, Percy would still be her obedient son. He would not go against the entire Mallory family for a woman. Percy''s current behavior made Karen feel like she had failed in raising her children. No, it was not her failure. She never really had a chance to raise him for long. It was Old Master Mallory who nurtured him... In just an instant, Karen shifted all the me to Old Master Mallory. It was just like what her therapist had told her. "Madam Mallory, get some rest," said Nina. She lowered her gaze, not showing any reaction to Karen''s provocative remarks. "Hah, I hit the nail on the head, didn''t I? Are you feeling guilty now?" Karen noticed Nina''s silence. She was different from the way she used to be. Karen thought Nina was putting on an act earlier because Percy was there. It further fuelled her belief that Nina was feeling guilty. "Time to go to bed." Percy''s voice came from behind. Nina turned around and nced at him. Her eyes lit up as though she had found a lifeline. Then, she said, "Madam Mallory, it''s gettingte. You should rest." With that, she hurried toward Pierre and entered the master bedroom with him. "Get real. She''s such a phony." Karen''s voice came from behind. Neither of them paid any attention to her. They closed the master bedroom door behind them. Percy even locked it. "Are you okay?" Nina finally showed her concern. "She''ll continue to nitpick at you if you stay there." Percy stroked her face. He felt sorry for Nina. He should not have brought Karen back home and upset her. "Well, it''s not a big problem. I prepared everything ording to her usual preferences. She won''t be able to find any faults." Nina chuckled, reassuring Percy not to worry about it. Even if Karen tried to bring her down, Nina was confident now. She was not afraid of her provocations. Percy smiled. He recalled that Nina had prepared all of them when they first moved into the vi. At that time, he thought it was not necessary since Karen would not be staying with them. However, he realized that what Nina did made sense now. Fortunately, they had made these preparations. Otherwise, Karen would have made the entire night unbearable for everyone. "You prepared well," said Percy. His brows furrowed again at the thought of the mistreatment Nina endured while dealing with Karen. "Hey, it''s gettingte." Nina raised her hand to gently smooth out his furrowed brows. Then, she suddenly remembered about the hospital incident and asked, "Do you need to deal with the matters at the hospital?" She did not want to mention Pierre''s name. Hence, she used those words as a substitute. "Not tonight." Percy shook his head. It was not the right time to handle it now. Nina nodded. That was great. The peace of the evening had already been shattered by Karen. Nina did not want another episode involving Pierre to ruin her night. Both mother and son were not easy to deal with, but Percy was the one who kept getting the short end of the stick. "Go freshen up," added Percy. He took out Nina''s favorite pajamas from the closet and urged her to go wash up. Nina nodded and took the pajamas from him. Then, she headed to the bathroom. Meanwhile, Percy sat on the nearby sofa, holding his phone and looking into Pierre''s situation. The hospital director watched Percy and Karen leave. He pretended that he knew nothing when he faced the police. He imed that he had no idea about the patient''s condition in the hospital. After all, he was the hospital director. He usually handled many matters rted to the hospital, and he could not possibly keep tabs on every patient''s status at all times. Hence, even though the police were dissatisfied, there was nothing they could say. They began to conduct checks in various areas. At the same time, they found a hospital technician to retrieve the patient records from the hospital. After sifting through the records, one of the police officers said with a stern expression on his face, "This one. Did you know the suspect was admitted to the hospital?" The technician''s face turned pale, and he nervously replied, "I''m just a technician. I have nothing to do with the admission or treatment of patients." The police officer knew he was not involved in that aspect. He nced at the records and said, "Let''s go. Show us the way." "Where to?" asked the technician, feeling lost. The police officer pointed at theputer screen with his finger. "Wherever this patient''s ward is. That''s where you''re taking us." The technician shot a nce at the hospital director, who nodded. He had no choice but to lead the police to Pierre''s ward.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Chapter 2909 The hospital director wore a gloomy expression as he followed behind the police officers. The technician led them to the floor of the VIP wards, drawing the attention of many as they passed by the wards. When they reached the door of Pierre''s ward, the technician turned to the police and said, "This is the ward he was registered in." "Open the door," instructed one of the police officers with a cold and unfriendly look on his face. Ever since Pierre had gone on the run and disappeared, they had put in a lot of effort to find him. However, they had not found any leads. Their superiors had be increasingly dissatisfied with their efficiency. They had handed down the task documents numerous times both openly and behind the scenes. Still, Pierre was nowhere to be found. They would not have found their way here if it were not for an anonymous tip-off email! The technician immediately pushed the door open when he heard that. The police officers entered the ward. The lead officer nced at the man lying on the hospital bed. After a quickparison with a photo of Pierre, he said, "It''s him. Take him into custody." Pierre had a grim expression as he looked at the police officers who stood in the spacious ward. He knew what was going on without having to ask. However, he was unaware of the anonymous tip-off email. Neither Old Master Mallory nor Karen had informed him. "I''m a patient now. Where are you taking me?" Pierre did not struggle because of the cast on his leg. He realized it would be futile. As he watched the police officers approach him with a handcuff, his eyes darkened, but there was nothing he could do at this moment. "We have our own detention ward at the police station, Mr. Pierre. You are suspected of illegal financing and bribery. Please cooperate with our investigation," said the police officers. They intended to handcuff Pierre, but noticing the IV drip on his arm, they turned around to look at the hospital director. He was at the back of the group. "Could you pleasee and remove the needle?" The hospital director was being watched by the police officers. He had no choice but to step forward. He removed the needle in front of everyone and under Pierre''s cold stare. After pressing the spot for a few seconds, he let go and stepped back. "Take him away," said the police officers. A few of them helped Pierre out of bed and got him onto a wheelchair. Even though Pierre''s legs were injured, they securely fastened his hands to the wheelchair as a precaution. The cold handcuffs touched the skin of Pierre''s wrists. His face grew even darker. A police officer began pushing the wheelchair. Sunny, who was holding a bottle of saline solution in her hands, was slightly surprised when she saw the scene. She instinctively turned to the hospital director and said, ¡°Sir." The hospital director shook his head and said, "It''s none of your business. Go back to work." Sunny felt an inexplicable thrill when she saw Pierre being handcuffed. She could actually witness this scene! Honestly, she hoped more than anyone that Pierre would face the consequences of thew. If it were not for the fact that the hospital''s director was her rtive, she would have reported him secretly. Unexpectedly, fate had its way. Someone discovered that Pierre was right here in this hospital even though Sunny did not report it. Sunny stood there, thinking about the harassment she had endured from Pierre''s gaze over the past few days. She stared intently at his handcuffs, secretly hoping they would stay on for a long time. With Pierre being arrested by the police, she would no longer have to work night shifts every day and endure his advances... Sunny''s heart leaped with joy, and she secretly eximed, ''That''s awesome!'' Sunny was secretly rejoicing in her heart when Pierre got arrested, while the hospital director wore a troubled expression. Even though Pierre said that a doctor would take the me for all the charges, the hospital director could not help but feel uneasy. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. What if the doctor changed his mind...? What if this whole thing was not handled properly? It could have a really negative impact on the hospital. As the hospital director watched the police escort Pierre away, he thought that it seemed like he would not be leaving the office anytime soon. He would have to summon the PR department staff for a meeting. When they reached the first floor in the elevator, Pierre suddenly said, "I''d like my face covered." The two police officers exchanged nces with each other. They were initially going to exin that their police car was parked in the underground lot and that reporters would not catch anything. Eventually, they did not say anything and ced a hood over his head. Pierre was taken straight to the detention ward in Central Hospital. The orthopedic doctor on duty received the medical records transferred by the police and examined Pierre. After checking on him and learning that Pierre was fine, the police ced him in the detention ward. "I''d like to see mywyer," said Pierre as soon as the orthopedic doctor left. It was unlikely that the Mallory family did not know the police were looking for him, but they had not taken any action at the moment. He needed to consult awyer to understand what was going on. "It''s toote now. Get some rest. We can arrange for awyer tomorrow," replied the police officer, refusing to interrogate Pierre at this hour. Pierre''s face darkened. After a while, a nurse entered with a tray and said to the police officer, "Dr. Fields prescribed this saline solution. I need to give it to the patient now." Dr. Fields was the orthopedic doctor on duty who had examined Pierre earlier. "Okay," replied the police officer who sat in a chair nearby, watching the nurse give Pierre the injection. Other than confirming Pierre''s name, the nurse did not engage in any further conversation. After that, she said, "Remember to press the call button if you run out of IV fluidter." She said this to the guarding police officer. The detention ward did not have nursing staff. Thus, all matters fell under the responsibility of the officer on duty. "Okay." The police officer nodded. After the nurse left, Pierre shifted slightly to find a morefortable position. Then, he looked up at the liquid slowly entering his body through the bottle. His eyes deepened. Finally, he looked at the police officer sitting there. Even though there were no other people there, the police officer sat upright, his gaze locked onto Pierre''s eyes with unwavering determination. Pierre remained silent, and so did the police officer. They continued to look at each other, sizing each other up. In the end, Pierre broke the silence with a question, "How did you guys know I was in that hospital?" He was eager to know who the hell ratted him out. The police officer remained silent. Pierre added, "Cat got your tongue?" "Mr. Pierre, if you have something to say, let''s wait until tomorrow." The police officer had no intention of revealing their investigative process to him. His superiors had told him that Pierre was not an easy person to deal with. He had to be cautious and meticulous in his mission. The police officer even thought that if it were not for Pierre''s broken leg, they might not have sessfully arrested him this time. Pierre rolled his eyes. He decided toy t and not say anything more. A night passed. After Old Master Mallory woke up, he first nced at the newspaper. As he expected,st night''s police operation to arrest Pierre had made headlines. Old Master Mallory wore a cold expression on his face. Although the photos used by the journalists did not capture Pierre''s figure, police officers were seen at the hospital''s entrance. The departure of police cars was also captured. These photos were prominently disyed in the newspapers. Mr. Be also knew about it. He carefully handed a cup of tea to Old Master Mallory when he noticed his gloomy expression. The old master had learned about the situationst night, but it was not convenient for the Mallory family to intervene at this time. They had to clean up Pierre''s situation well. Therefore, the old master took some sleeping pills and went to sleepst night. Chapter 2910 The hospital director wore a gloomy expression as he followed behind the police officers. The technician led them to the floor of the VIP wards, drawing the attention of many as they passed by the wards. When they reached the door of Pierre''s ward, the technician turned to the police and said, "This is the ward he was registered in." "Open the door," instructed one of the police officers with a cold and unfriendly look on his face. Ever since Pierre had gone on the run and disappeared, they had put in a lot of effort to find him. However, they had not found any leads. Their superiors had be increasingly dissatisfied with their efficiency. They had handed down the task documents numerous times both openly and behind the scenes. Still, Pierre was nowhere to be found. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. They would not have found their way here if it were not for an anonymous tip-off email! The technician immediately pushed the door open when he heard that. The police officers entered the ward. The lead officer nced at the man lying on the hospital bed. After a quickparison with a photo of Pierre, he said, "It''s him. Take him into custody." Pierre had a grim expression as he looked at the police officers who stood in the spacious ward. He knew what was going on without having to ask. However, he was unaware of the anonymous tip-off email. Neither Old Master Mallory nor Karen had informed him. "I''m a patient now. Where are you taking me?" Pierre did not struggle because of the cast on his leg. He realized it would be futile. As he watched the police officers approach him with a handcuff, his eyes darkened, but there was nothing he could do at this moment. "We have our own detention ward at the police station, Mr. Pierre. You are suspected of illegal financing and bribery. Please cooperate with our investigation," said the police officers. They intended to handcuff Pierre, but noticing the IV drip on his arm, they turned around to look at the hospital director. He was at the back of the group. "Could you pleasee and remove the needle?" The hospital director was being watched by the police officers. He had no choice but to step forward. He removed the needle in front of everyone and under Pierre''s cold stare. After pressing the spot for a few seconds, he let go and stepped back. "Take him away," said the police officers. A few of them helped Pierre out of bed and got him onto a wheelchair. Even though Pierre''s legs were injured, they securely fastened his hands to the wheelchair as a precaution. The cold handcuffs touched the skin of Pierre''s wrists. His face grew even darker. A police officer began pushing the wheelchair. Sunny, who was holding a bottle of saline solution in her hands, was slightly surprised when she saw the scene. She instinctively turned to the hospital director and said, ¡°Sir." The hospital director shook his head and said, "It''s none of your business. Go back to work." Sunny felt an inexplicable thrill when she saw Pierre being handcuffed. She could actually witness this scene! Honestly, she hoped more than anyone that Pierre would face the consequences of thew. If it were not for the fact that the hospital''s director was her rtive, she would have reported him secretly. Unexpectedly, fate had its way. Someone discovered that Pierre was right here in this hospital even though Sunny did not report it. Sunny stood there, thinking about the harassment she had endured from Pierre''s gaze over the past few days. She stared intently at his handcuffs, secretly hoping they would stay on for a long time. With Pierre being arrested by the police, she would no longer have to work night shifts every day and endure his advances... Sunny''s heart leaped with joy, and she secretly eximed, ''That''s awesome!'' Sunny was secretly rejoicing in her heart when Pierre got arrested, while the hospital director wore a troubled expression. Even though Pierre said that a doctor would take the me for all the charges, the hospital director could not help but feel uneasy. What if the doctor changed his mind...? What if this whole thing was not handled properly? It could have a really negative impact on the hospital. As the hospital director watched the police escort Pierre away, he thought that it seemed like he would not be leaving the office anytime soon. He would have to summon the PR department staff for a meeting. When they reached the first floor in the elevator, Pierre suddenly said, "I''d like my face covered." The two police officers exchanged nces with each other. They were initially going to exin that their police car was parked in the underground lot and that reporters would not catch anything. Eventually, they did not say anything and ced a hood over his head. Pierre was taken straight to the detention ward in Central Hospital. The orthopedic doctor on duty received the medical records transferred by the police and examined Pierre. After checking on him and learning that Pierre was fine, the police ced him in the detention ward. "I''d like to see mywyer," said Pierre as soon as the orthopedic doctor left. It was unlikely that the Mallory family did not know the police were looking for him, but they had not taken any action at the moment. He needed to consult awyer to understand what was going on. "It''s toote now. Get some rest. We can arrange for awyer tomorrow," replied the police officer, refusing to interrogate Pierre at this hour. Pierre''s face darkened. After a while, a nurse entered with a tray and said to the police officer, "Dr. Fields prescribed this saline solution. I need to give it to the patient now." Dr. Fields was the orthopedic doctor on duty who had examined Pierre earlier. "Okay," replied the police officer who sat in a chair nearby, watching the nurse give Pierre the injection. Other than confirming Pierre''s name, the nurse did not engage in any further conversation. After that, she said, "Remember to press the call button if you run out of IV fluidter." She said this to the guarding police officer. The detention ward did not have nursing staff. Thus, all matters fell under the responsibility of the officer on duty. "Okay." The police officer nodded. After the nurse left, Pierre shifted slightly to find a morefortable position. Then, he looked up at the liquid slowly entering his body through the bottle. His eyes deepened. Finally, he looked at the police officer sitting there. Even though there were no other people there, the police officer sat upright, his gaze locked onto Pierre''s eyes with unwavering determination. Pierre remained silent, and so did the police officer. They continued to look at each other, sizing each other up. In the end, Pierre broke the silence with a question, "How did you guys know I was in that hospital?" He was eager to know who the hell ratted him out. The police officer remained silent. Pierre added, "Cat got your tongue?" "Mr. Pierre, if you have something to say, let''s wait until tomorrow." The police officer had no intention of revealing their investigative process to him. His superiors had told him that Pierre was not an easy person to deal with. He had to be cautious and meticulous in his mission. The police officer even thought that if it were not for Pierre''s broken leg, they might not have sessfully arrested him this time. Pierre rolled his eyes. He decided toy t and not say anything more. A night passed. After Old Master Mallory woke up, he first nced at the newspaper. As he expected,st night''s police operation to arrest Pierre had made headlines. Old Master Mallory wore a cold expression on his face. Although the photos used by the journalists did not capture Pierre''s figure, police officers were seen at the hospital''s entrance. The departure of police cars was also captured. These photos were prominently disyed in the newspapers. Mr. Be also knew about it. He carefully handed a cup of tea to Old Master Mallory when he noticed his gloomy expression. The old master had learned about the situationst night, but it was not convenient for the Mallory family to intervene at this time. They had to clean up Pierre''s situation well. Therefore, the old master took some sleeping pills and went to sleepst night. Chapter 2911 If the old master did not take the sleeping pills, he would probably have a sleepless night. Old Master Mallory took the cup of tea that was handed to him. He took a sip of it. Right now, hecked the appetite to enjoy even the finest tea. "Now, which hospital is Pierre in?" asked Old Master Mallory. After learning of the tip-off yesterday, even though he did not do much, he had people keep a close watch on the matter throughout. Now, his men were keeping a vignt eye on Pierre''s and the police department''s every move. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "He''s at Central Hospital now," replied Mr. Be. He took the tea cup handed by Old Master Mallory, which he only took a few sips from. Most of the tea was still there. What a waste of such good tea. "What about Karen?" Old Master Mallory asked again, knowing that Karen did note back yesterday. Mr. Be hesitated for a moment, knowing that the old master was furious since he called Karen by her name. Karen did not listen to his advice. She kept going to the hospital every day, telling him that she wanted to visit Pierre. Last night... "Madam was quickly escorted away by Master Percy without alerting the police or the reporters," answered Mr. Be. He added, "By the way, Madam is at Master Percy¡¯s house now." Old Master Mallory frowned. Karen was at Percy''s house? It seemed like she did not dare toe back because she knew she would be subjected to criticism. His wrinkled face wore a tense expression, showing his disapproval of Karen''s actions. It was strange how his usually smart and capable daughter-inw had turned into such a woman. Old Master Mallory no longer cared about Karen. The top priority remained Pierre''s matter. "Have you contacted Ms. Cullen?" "We''ve already called her. Ms. Cullen said she''lle to visit you today," answered Mr. Be. Old Master Mallory wanted Shandra to handle Pierre''s affairs. Initially, he intended to hire Walter, but he declined the job that day. He cited that he had important matters to attend to. Since the Mallory family could not force him, they turned to Shandra instead. Shandra did not immediately agree, but she did not reject either. She only wanted to meet Old Master Mallory. "Make the arrangements." Old Master Mallory understood Shandra''s intention. There was room for negotiation since she had not rejected. As for what Shandra wanted, he would personally discuss that with her. "Okay." Mr. Be noted it down. He then nced at Old Master Mallory''s schedule. He asked, "You have some free time at ten in the morning. Shall I schedule a meeting with Ms. Cullen around that time?" "Sure." Old Master Mallory rose to his feet. The important matters had been arranged, and he needed to have a meal now. Even though Pierre''s situation troubled him, the old master valued his health. He knew that taking care of himself was essential. Only then could he handle Pierre''s matters effectively. "Oh, have Percye home for dinner tonight." "Yes, Sir," replied Mr. Be. "And have him bring that woman along," added Old Master Mallory. "Understood." Mr. Be knew he was talking about Nina. When he heard Old Master Mallory asking Percy to bring Nina to dine at Mallory Manor, Mr. Be nced at the old master''s expression. He was unable to decipher the look on his face. Could it be that he intended to make amends with Percy? Was this an eptance of Nina as his granddaughter-inw? It did not seem like it... Once Old Master Mallory sat down at the dining table, Mr. Be had everything arranged. He informed Shandra and notified Percy. Mr. Be conveyed Old Master Mallory''s message verbatim when he called Percy. Percy fell silent for a few seconds after he heard what Mr. Be said. Then, he asked, "Did Grandpa say anything else?" "Master Percy, Old Master Mallory didn''t mention anything else. Perhaps the old master has epted your wife now that some time has passed," replied Mr. Be. Even though he was not certain about it, there was a chance. Otherwise, Old Master Mallory would not have asked Percy toe back for dinner. "I get it." Although Mr. Be said so, Percy was not entirely convinced. He sat at the dining table and nced at today''s newspaper. Karen came downstairs, yawning. She looked like she did not get enough sleep. She frowned when she saw Percy sitting at the dining table alone. "Where''s that bitch?" asked Karen in an unfriendly tone. Percy did not lift his head. It was as though he did not hear what she said. Karen walked toward him, displeased. She snatched the newspaper from Percy. Before she could say anything, she saw the newspaper headlines reporting news about Pierre. She furrowed her brows. "Isn''t this what you''re supposed to be dealing with?" Percy lifted his head with a cold expression on his face and replied, "He was surely going to be taken in by the copsst night." "He''s your brother. Are you just fine with letting the cops haul him away like that? Fine, Percy. It seems that woman has eaten away at your heart too! You won''t even help your brother!" Karen''s heart ached at the thought of Pierre being taken away in handcuffs. Pierre was her beloved youngest son. When had he ever suffered like this? Percy was being too heartless! "No, I have to go save Pierre." Karen could not be bothered about the trouble of dealing with Percy and Nina anymore. She left as she spoke. "Grandpa and I will take care of whates next. If you want Pierre to be safe, go back to Mallory Manor," replied Percy in a cold voice. Karen was stunned for a moment. "Why should I go back to Mallory Manor? I''m going to look for Pierre''s uncle''s help." "Don''t involve the Ruiz family. Go back to Mallory Manor and wait for Pierre''s news." Percy did not think Karen would be of any help at the moment. If he let her handle it, she might only make things worse. Karen''s maternal family had some political influence, but they would not offer help at all. Moreover, there was no need to exhaust this bit of goodwill on such a matter. Karen relied on the Ruiz family to establish herself in the Mallory family. That was also why she managed to send her husband to the US when she found out he had an affair, while shefortably sat in the position of Madam Mallory here. The Ruiz family was to thank for all of it. The Ruiz family could intervene in Karen''s marriage, but they could not intervene in Pierre''s affairs. After all, the Ruiz family had more than one descendant apart from Karen. Karen had an elder brother, who was also Percy''s maternal uncle. He called Percy when Pierre got into trouble. At that time, Percy told him that they did not need the Ruiz family''s help as that would drag them down. Percy''s uncle had agreed and opted to wait and see. If Karen went to seek help from the Ruiz family now, it would only make things moreplicated. "Percy, you''re such a heartless person! I knew it. You just want Pierre to go to jail. Let me tell you, that''s impossible! Pierre can''t go to jail. You and that woman won''tst forever!" Karen''s eyes were bloodshot, and her expression on her face was twisted. Percy put down his knife and fork. Fortunately, Nina had already gone to work. Otherwise, she would feel upset again if she heard what Karen said. He could not bear to see Nina suffer. It was even more impossible he would let Karen make Nina suffer. "Things will only get worse if you refuse to believe me. Mother, do you really want to visit Pierre in prison?" Percy stressed the word ''mother.'' Karen was startled for a moment. Then, she shook her head frantically. She pointed at him with her trembling hands. "Don''t you curse Pierre." Percy pressed his throbbing temple seeing Karen''s mind all over the ce. "The chauffeur is already waiting for you outside. You should go back to Mallory Manor first." Chapter 2912 "How dare you kick me out?" Karen''s eyes were burning with anger. She believed that Nina asked him to do it. She wished she could drag Nina out and throw her out of the Mallory family at the thought of this. "It''s Grandpa''s wish." Percy''s eyes were cold. "You haven''t gone back the whole night. I don''t have the medicine you need here. That''s why he sent the chauffeur here early in the morning." The chauffeur had been sent from Mallory Manor by Old Master Mallory to take Karen back. "Very well, Percy. No matter what happens in the future, that woman will never step into the Mallory family!" Karen gave her statement, turned around, and left. Inside the vi, silence filled the air. Percy furrowed his brows tightly at the thought of his grandfather asking him to take Nina back for dinner tonight. Even though it might mean Old Master Mallory acknowledgement of Nina''s identity... It might also affect their rtionship. Percy dialled his assistant''s number. "Prepare two gifts for me." The assistant replied, "Sure, Mr. Mallory. Who''s the recipient of the gifts?" "Old Master Mallory," replied Percy. Then, he added, "Have them ready before you finish work today." Gifts for others could be prepared casually. Percy was able to afford them, after all. However, gifts for his grandfather could not be taken lightly. They needed to be thoughtful, not just expensive. The assistant immediately said, "Yes, Sir. I''ll take care of it." In Crawford Manor, Luca returned to the dining table after watching her kids get into Zander''s car. She was exhausted. Luca woke upte today. She only came downstairs when it was almost time for the kids to set off to school. After she sat down, she rubbed her back and thighs. She felt a wave of weariness washing over her entire body. After she put Tommy to sleepst night, Luke did not let her rest. Luke''s face was brimming with a profound sense of aplishment while Luca wore a sorrowful look. He handed her a bowl of oatmeal and said, "Aunt Neile made your favorite oatmeal today." When Luca saw how energetic Luke was, she could not help but wonder why she woke up feeling tired and drowsy when they both slept at the same time. She felt sleepy no matter how long she slept. Meanwhile, Luke showed no signs of fatigue. Was there really such a substantial difference in physical stamina between men and women? Luca''s hand trembled as she lifted the spoon. Luke frowned when he saw that. He began to wonder whether he had gone too farst night. "Need my help?" asked Luke. His hands were already reaching out to her. "No, I can manage on my own," replied Luca. Aunt Neile was there. She did not want toin to him about what had happenedst night. She shook her head and quickly began eating the bowl of oatmeal. "Take your time," said Luke upon realizing that she was in a hurry. She was probably worried that she would bete for work. "I''m done." Luca finished the bowl of oatmeal and rose to her feet. Luke could not help but frown when he saw that. He picked up a muffin and handed it to her. "How is that enough?" N?velDrama.Org is the owner. "Yes, Ms. Craw. Please eat more. You''ve been going back and forth from the hospital these days. You''ve lost weight." Aunt Neile could not help but go along with Luke''s words when she saw how exhausted Luca was. "I''m alreadyte. I''ll eat in the car," said Luca. She picked up the paper napkin and wrapped the muffin. Then, she carried her briefcase and left hurriedly. As Aunt Neile watched Luca''s slender figure leave from behind, she could not help but say to Luke, "Sir, you''re Ms. Craw''s boss, right?" "Yes?" Luke nodded. His gaze followed Luca as she walked away. "There''s no need for Ms. Craw to rush like this..." Aunt Neile did not understand. After all, who would dare to criticize Luca with Luke spoiling her? "She''s diligent and meticulous at work," replied Luke, understanding why Luca was like this. She did not want to rely on anyone even when she was still Bianca. Even though she had Luke''s affection, she strived to prove to everyone that she was capable enough to stand by his side. There was no way Luke could stop her determination. "Ms. Craw looks thin. Working so hard like this must be tough for her," said Aunt Neile, who had grown fond of Luca. While Luca might not be Luke''s rightful wife, she was easy to get along with and treated everyone kindly. She never acted imperiously just because Luke doted on her. She was always humble in front of others. "This is the life she wants," replied Luke, finishing thest bite of his oatmeal. Then, he rose to his feet, ready to set off to the office. Aunt Neile watched as they left one after the other and shook her head. Both of them had enviable lives, but they had earned them through hard work. It was different from what others might think. Luca arrived at Watson in Warren''s car. As soon as she reached her office, Mo Stone came in. "Dr. Craw, Ms. Langdon is looking for you." "Ms. Langdon?" Luca paused for a moment while she was changing into herb coat and turned to looked at Mo Stone. Mo Stone rified, "It''s Ms. Nina." Nina? Luca hung up herb coat again and asked, "Where is she now?" "She''s in the downstairs meeting room." This floor was designated for theboratory. Hence, ording to thepany''s regtions, Mo Stone could not let anyone wait here. "I''ll go down. Please make two cups of coffee and bring them over," instructed Luca before she headed downstairs to the meeting room. Nina was sitting on the sofa in the meeting room. When she saw Luca enter, she immediately stood up and said, "Luca, I''m sorry I came here all of a sudden. I''m probably disturbing you from work right now, huh?" Luca knew that Nina was not the type to disturb others at work. Thus, she must have came here for something important. "It''s okay. I''ve asked my assistant to make us coffee." Luca smiled and shook her head. She then told Nina that there was no need for her to rush to exin herself. Nina hesitated for a moment, understanding the implied message. Luca then asked, "How are the preparations for your wedding going?" "I''ve got everything prepared," answered Nina. Speaking of which, she had Luca and Sue helping her with the selections. Therefore, she had already chosen all the necessary items for the wedding. The rest would be handled by the wedding nningpany. Hence, Nina had be considerably more at ease. If it were not for Percy informing her that they were going to have dinner at Mallory Manor tonight, she would not havee to find Luca in such a hurry. She needed advice from her. Before Luca had a chance to speak, there was a knock on the door, followed by Mo Stone''s voice. "Dr. Craw, may Ie in?" "Come in," replied Luca. Mo Stone pushed the door open and came in with a tray. The air of the meeting room was filled with the aroma of coffee. Nina felt slightly more alert now. Her nerves had been on edge all night after Karen arrived at the vi last night. Even though she and Percy returned to the bedroom and closed the doorst night, she was still worried. She could not sleep well at all. Every cell in her body was on edge. It was as though she was afraid that Karen''s voice woulde from the other side of the door at any moment to criticize her, preventing her from sleeping. The oue was predictable. She hardly had any sleep at all. Chapter 2913 Mo ced two cups of coffee and coffee creamer from the tray in front of both of them before leaving. After the door closed, Luca took a sip of her coffee before asking cautiously, ¡°It seems like something is bothering you. Did you not get enough sleepst night?" "Yeah." Nina did not try to hide it as she told her about Karen staying over at Percy''s ce. Luca frowned. "She didn''t make things difficult for you, did she?" "No, I''ve done my homework. She has to find excuses if she wants to make things difficult for me, but..." Nina paused as she added creamer to the bitter coffee and took a sip. "But Old Master Mallory sent a message this morning telling Percy to bring me to Mallory Manor for dinner." Although she was married to Percy, she did not think she was associated with Mallory Manor in any way. Besides, none of them gave their blessings to her marriage with Percy. Luca silently held the coffee in her hand for a few seconds before setting it down on the table. "Do you know why the old master did that?" "Percy doesn''t know, and neither do I." Nina shook her head. So what if she was Old Master Crawford''s god-granddaughter? The Mallory family only stopped using those little tricks on her for the sake of the Crawford family. That did not mean that the Mallory family epted her. "No matter what, just be yourself. Percy is always on your side, so he won''t let them hurt you." Luca knew what she was worrying about, so she could only provide herfort. In the end, Nina still had to face it on her own. After marrying Percy, she had to face the Mallory family at some point in her life. "I know he''ll be on my side." Nina nodded. Percy was not the type to listen to his elders. He may take some of their advice, but most of the time, he stood his ground. "You have nothing to worry about, then. The worst that could happen is them expressing their disapproval of your marriage to Percy, but your marriage has been registered. With thew protecting you, they can''t do anything about it. Perhaps Old Master Mallory wants to reconcile with Percy this time. In that case, you''ll be the key to their reconciliation." Luca smiled. Nina nodded in agreement. For some reason, no matter how anxious she felt, she would always be able to calm down with Luca around. Luca had always been able to soothe her anxiety. After seeing Nina breathe a sigh of relief, Luca told her about her experience meeting Luke''s parents for the first time. In the beginning, she was not well received by Luke''s family either. Among the entire Crawford family, only Old Master Crawford liked her. "Also, since you''re meeting the elders, you must prepare gifts. Don''t talk too much at the table and be quiet. Whatever tricks they throw at you, Percy will be there," reminded Luca. Nina nodded as she listened to her. Suddenly, she felt that tonight was not such a big deal anymore. Then, she nodded and said, "Thank you for the great tips!" After that, she took a big gulp of coffee. Although she added creamer, it still tasted extremely bitter. Ever since she confessed to Percy, she no longer drank bitter drinks like coffee. Plus, drinking too much coffee was not good for her fertility. After taking a big gulp, her eyebrows knitted together from the bitterness, but her mind was clear. Nina said, "Luca, thank goodness you straightened me out. Now, I''m full of confidence, and I''m no longer afraid of them trying to mess with me tonight." "I''m d I could help." Luca also finished thest few sips of her coffee. Her case was different from Nina''s. Nina could not sleep all night because of Karen. However, Luca lost her beauty sleep because of Luke. After the bitter coffee slid down her throat and stimted her nerves, Luca felt much more awake. "Did you not sleep wellst night?" Nina noticed the faint discoloration under Luca''s eyes. It seemed like dark circles, but they were not that serious. "Yeah, the weather wasn''t great yesterday." Luca randomly made up an excuse. Nina smiled and said, "If you''re free this weekend, I want to treat you and Sue to a meal as a token of appreciation." They were the reason why she was able to sessfully n out her wedding, including her wedding dress and wedding gifts. Luca nodded and agreed, "Sure, I should be free this weekend." After Luca agreed, Nina did not want to disturb her any longer since it was still working hours. Now that she calmed down her anxiousness, she felt much better. She had an idea of how tonight was going to go, and like Luca said, it could not get any worse than it was now. Of course, she hoped that Percy''s mother and grandfather could attend their wedding, but there were some things that could not be forced. Nothing in this world was perfect. Her parents and brother were not going to attend her wedding either. After Nina left, Luca returned upstairs. After changing into ab coat, she went into theboratory and held an hour-long meeting with the researchers before continuing her research. Today''s research went well. After Luca got off work and returned home, she decided to bring the soup Aunt Neile prepared to the hospital. Old Man Rayne could drink soup now, so she had Aunt Neile prepare an extra serving. Then, Zander sent the three kids home. Tommy noticed that Luca was heading out, so he put down the pen in his hand and said, ¡°Ms. Luca, are you going to the hospital?" "Yes, I am." Luca nodded with the car key in her hand. She did not want to trouble Warren to send her there. Now that Matysh has been taken care of, she would not encounter any danger even when driving alone. "I want to go too. I haven''t seen Grandpa and Aunt Wanda in a long time." Tommy looked at her eagerly. "Have you finished your homework?" Luca did not outright reject him. Instead, she asked him about his homework. Tommy nced at his workbook and saw that there was still a lot he had yet toplete... He shook his head. "Don''t forget that you still want to make up for the cartoons you missed during the weekend. If you go to the hospital now, you''ll only have time to do your homework." Luca reasoned with him. Luca had no intention of taking him to the hospital with her even after he asked to go. After all, patients should get more rest. Not to mention, Old Man Rayne had to stay calm and not experience big changes in mood. If the kids went there to visit him, he might get overexcited. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Luca did not want to take such a risk. "Alright, I''ll stay home and do my homework," said Tommy as he nodded after giving it some thought. He had a lot of homework today. If he came backte, not only would he not be able to watch cartoons, but he would not be able to finish his homework too. It was not worth it. Then, he sat down at the table and continued his homework. Luca smiled at the sight of the three kids concentrating on their homework. Her kids were the best kids in the world. They did not need any supervision or tutoring. If the younger ones were having trouble, the older one was smart enough to teach them. As a parent, she had never experienced the frustration of tutoring her own kid like other parents. Chapter 2914 After the child stopped asking to go to the hospital, Luca left for the hospital right away without wasting any more time. After cing one of the sks in Old Man Rayne''s ward, Luca sat there for a bit before going to Wanda''s ward. Finally, she went to Sarah''s ward. Sarah''splexion had improved a lot since she met Marcos. She did not look as gloomy as before. After seeing Luca enter, she looked at her gratefully. She even tried to get out of bed. ¡°Ms. Luca, you''re here." "Ms. Por, don''t get down. Just sit down," Luca said quickly when she saw that Sarah was about to get out of bed to wee her. Sarah nodded. Luca asked out of concern, "Ms. Por, has the doctor made his rounds?" "He came half an hour ago." Sarah nodded. The doctors here were responsible. They made their rounds once in the morning and once in the evening before they got off work. "Ms. Luca, thanks to you, my life has been spared," said Sarah. She found out from the nurses that the doctor who performed surgery on her, Dr. Park, was a highly skilled doctor. However, no matter how great a doctor was, there was only so much they could do. Regardless, it was very difficult for many people to make an appointment with Dr. Park, let alone a nobody like her. If it were not for Luca, her life might not have been saved. In the past, she felt that dying would be a relief because she had nothing to live for, but after meeting Marcos, there were still many things they had not had the time to talk about yet. She had yet to see him get married and have children... Thus, Sarah cherished her life a lot right now. After passing through the gates of hell, she was very grateful for Luca. If Luca had not asked Johann for help, Sarah would not have gotten to meet Marcos. Everything she had today was because of Luca''s kindness. "Ms. Por, you don''t have to say things like that. You must take good care of yourself and your health." Luca was relieved to notice that Sarah''s mental state waspletely different from before. Then, she passed the sk to the nurse and said, "There''s soup in here. Please pour some out." "Sure, Ms. Luca." The nurse took the sk and poured some soup into another sk. "I''ll go wash this." After that, the nurse walked into the bathroom. Luca''s gaze fell upon Sarah. She said with some concern, ¡°By the way, Ms. Por, did Dr. Park say when you''ll be discharged?" She needed an estimate as Marcos had entrusted her and Luke with Sarah, so they had to make all the necessary arrangements. Sarah nodded and said, "Dr. Park said just now that he''ll do another check-up on me tomorrow. If there''s no problem, I can be discharged from the hospital the day after tomorrow." "Alright. Mr. Crawford will have someone get you from the hospital," said Luca. They could not let Sarah leave the hospital alone, so Luke would make the arrangements. Besides, Marcos could not do anything in his current situation. Marcos had already told her this before, so Sarah nodded in agreement. "Sorry for troubling you." "It''s nothing, Ms. Por. You have to keep a positive mindset and try to finish the soup two hours before going to bed. It''ll be good for your recovery," said Luca. "Thank you." Sarah nced at the sk with teary eyes. In the past, she would not dare to ept Luca''s gestures. Although she did not think that she was a bad person, there were always what ifs... If someone who treated her well stabbed her in the back in the end, she might not be able to handle the pain. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Now that Marcos said that the Crawford family and Luca could be trusted, she put her full trust in Luca. The nurse took out the clean sk. "Ms. Luca, your sk." "Thank you." After Luca took it, she said to the nurse, "Ms. Por is almost all recovered, so she has to eat good food to nourish her body. Please arrange her meals ordingly. If the money isn''t enough, just message me." "Alright, I got it." The nurse noted down her words. Luca looked at Sarah again and said, "Alright then. I''ll get going, Ms. Por." "Okay, stay safe on the road." Ms. Por wanted to get up and see her off. However, Luca waved her hand when she noticed what she was doing. "No need to send me off. I''ll go now." Then, she left the ward. When she got downstairs, Luca was about to leave when she saw two nurses anxiously pushing a bed to the emergency room. They were shouting, "Make way, make way. There''s an unconscious patient here. Make way, please." Luca stood aside and nced at the person on the bed. In the next second, she was petrified. Marie? Before she could reconfirm, the nurses had already pushed the bed away. Luca''s eyebrows knitted together. She had not heard much about Marietely. Thest thing she heard about Marie was that she broke up with Jean, but they got back together again. Then, Marie tricked Jean, and he was left penniless. That was why he went to Nina. After that, she never heard the name Marie again. It seemed like Nina had mentioned before that Marie ran away with all of Jean''s money. Did shee back? However, she turned up at the hospital, and she did not seem well... Luca looked away. Although Marie was her sister for many years, she did not have good memories of her. Plus, she was no longer the same Bianca as she was before. She did not want to forgive Marie for what she had done to hurt her before, so she left the hospital without a second thought. When she got back home, it was already dark out. Luca walked in with three empty sks, and Tommy went to her first. ¡°Ms. Luca, you''re back!'' "Mhm, have you eaten?" Luca looked down at the child. Tommy shook his head. "No, we were waiting for you." Luca frowned and nced at the time. It was almost seven. The children usually had dinner at 6:30, but they still had not eaten. "It''s sote, and you haven''t eaten yet? You must be hungry. Go wash your hands ande eat." Luca caressed his head. She forgot to inform them when she went out, so the children had been hungry for the past 30 minutes while waiting for her toe back. Tommy smiled and shook his head. "We''re not hungry. We wanted to wait for Daddy and Ms. Luca to come back before eating. Even if we were hungry, we could''ve had the snacks you bought." There was a stinging sensation in Luca''s nose. What great children she had. Then, she asked, "Is Mr. Crawford back?" "Yup, he''s back. Daddy came back not long after you went out. He knows that you went to send soup to Grandpa and the others, so he went upstairs to work," said Tommy as he took the sks from her. "Ms. Luca, you must be hungry. Go wash your hands and eat." "Okay, let''s eat." Luca looked at Lanie. Although he did not say anything, his gaze never left her. "Lanie, go call your dad down to have dinner." Chapter 2915 "Okay." Lanie''s cool face lit up with a faint smile as he scampered upstairs. "Don''t run when you''re on the stairs. Be careful,¡± warned Luca when she saw that. Even though Lanie had his own thoughts, he heeded Luca''s advice and switched to walking. He gripped the staircase railing with his right hand. "Ms. Luca, let''s go wash our hands!" said Rainie with a bright smile on her face. Luca nodded and walked into the bathroom with Rainie. After they washed their hands, they saw Luke and Lanieing downstairs together. "Time for dinner." Luca turned to look at Luke, her eyes filled with tenderness. "Yes." Luke nodded, and they all sat down at the dining table. Aunt Neile brought out a delicious spread of four dishes and a bowl of soup, which made for a very hearty meal. Everyone was happily enjoying their meal. Meanwhile, the atmosphere in Mallory Manor was quite somber. Old Master Mallory sat in the living room, with Karen sitting on the sofa next to him. He was staring at her with a cold expression on his face. After the chauffeur brought Karen back, she hid in her bedroom and refused toe out. It was not until now that she stepped out of her bedroom. Old Master Mallory was even more unhappy now. Karen almost got into trouble. She did note back as she was afraid that she would be scolded. Now that she had returned, she remained reluctant to admit her mistakes. Instead, she stayed in her room and refused toe out. If she did not know Percy would be bringing Nina over for dinnerter, she likely would note out anytime soon. Karen looked at the fruits ced on the coffee table by Mr. Be. When she was about to pick up a grape, Old Master Mallory''s gaze became sharp as he fixed it on her. Karen could sense the old man''s gaze. She could not decide whether to pull her hand back or pick up the grape. Eventually, she reluctantly picked up the grape and brought it to her lips. Mr. Be, sensing the tension in the air of the living room, carefully poured a cup of tea for each of them and stepped back to the side. "Where did you gost night?!" Old Master Mallory''s tone was sharp. Karen clenched her fist and replied without changing the expression on her face, "I went to Percy''s ce." "You didn''t go to the hospital?" Old Master Mallory frowned. If he had not been keeping track of her whereabouts, he might have been fooled by her words. Karen knew that Old Master Mallory had been keeping an eye on her all along. Since Pierre''s incident, the old master had been worried about her and got someone to watch her. She pouted her mouth and admitted, "I did." "Why didn''t you listen to me?!" Old Master Mallory''s brows furrowed as a glint of sharpness shed across his weathered eyes. Initially, Karen had been obedient, but Percy and Nina''s marriage and Pierre''s situation had turned her into the person she was now. However, Old Master Mallory also understood that Karen was never a calm person to begin with. The issues with his two grandsons were merely catalysts that had brought out her frantic behavior. There was no one to point fingers at. If he were to me someone, it was his own unreliable son''s fault. Now, Old Master Mallory felt increasingly helpless. It seemed that everyone in this family had slipped out of his control. He even wondered if the Mallory family would cease to exist after his passing if he made one wrong decision. Karen was silenced by Old Master Mallory''s words, and the grape she had yet to swallow immediately lost its sweetness. Old Master Mallory''s gaze turned even colder. Karen took a deep breath. Tears suddenly streamed down her face. "Father, I did go to the hospital. I went because I felt sorry for Pierre. He''s my flesh and blood, after all. Now that his leg is injured and he''s unable to walk, I''m in pain too. I wanted to visit him more, and I wanted to encourage him. This is a crucial time for him... "You have no idea how he is since you''ve been avoiding going to the hospital these days. Pierre''s personality has changed drastically after his leg was injured. If I don''t go, I won''t know what he might be. Isn''t this all for the good of the Mallory family''s heir? Once Pierre regains his strength and recovers, he''ll be able to help you!" Old Master Mallory felt frustrated as he listened to her emotionally charged usation. Pierre brought this upon himself, which was why he ended up like this. No one forced him to cooperate with that organization, nor had anyonepelled him to create trouble for others after benefiting from them. Percy had mentioned to Old Master Mallory the organization before, and he was aware of the organization''s dangerous nature. That was why even though Old Master Mallory was unconvinced and felt sorry for Pierre, he had to clean up his mess first. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Karen, on the other hand, was not helping at all. She was only making things worse. If it were not for Percy, who arrived in time to take her away yesterday, the police might have caught onto the Mallory family''s Achilles'' heel. The online public opinion would not only target Pierre but implicate the entire Mallory family as well. "When a mom spoils her kid rotten, she ends up raising a real troublemaker. Look at what you''ve be! You cry and throw tantrums whenever something doesn''t go your way. Fortunately, Percy received advance noticest night and took you away from the hospital. Otherwise, the Mallory family would be in big trouble today!" Old Master Mallory eximed and mmed on the coffee table. His handnded on the provincial newspaper left on the table, which covered the police operation in a private hospital the previous day. Karen shivered for a moment. She bit her lip and replied, "Yes, it was me who raised him. When he was working for the Mallory family, it was his elder brother who took all the credit. Now that things have gone wrong, it''s all his fault! Father, why are you so biased? Is it because Percy has been with you since he was young? Is that why you''re ying favorites with him?" Old Master Mallory opened his palm and closed it repeatedly. How he wished he could p her across the face when he heard Karen say those things without a hint of remorse. However, he could not do that. Percy was going to bring that woman over for dinnerter. The Mallory family''s disgrace should not be exposed to outsiders. "Karen, I''m warning you again. If you don''t listen, you''ll be staying in a nursing home!" Old Master Mallory no longer had any tolerance for her and issued a stern warning. "From now on, you''d better listen to what I say. If you cause any more trouble, you''ll either leave the country or go to a nursing home. There are no other options!" Karen was shocked. Even though her thoughts were a bit unclear, she understood that this was Old Master Mallory''s final ultimatum. If she was locked up in a nursing home or sent abroad, would that not give the foreign woman and her husband an opportunity? Something like that must not happen! In a twist of fate, Percy and Pierre''s father was forced to stay overseas by Old Master Mallory due to his affair with a foreign woman. They said he was managing the business overseas, but in reality, it was more like an exile. That man never really held any real power over thepanies abroad. Karen was happy with this decision. After all, she had given birth to two sons for the Mallory family. However, if she was no longer in the picture, there was no guarantee that Old Master Mallory would not ept that foreign woman. At the end of the day, a son was still closer to his parents than a daughter-inw. She had given it her all to win Old Master Mallory''s favor and to make him choose her as his daughterinw in the past. If she continued to cause trouble, Karen could not even imagine what would happen next. That woman had been oppressed for such a long time. If she really returned to the country with her husband, there was a chance that she might slowly take over everything in the Mallory family. Karen''s decades of hard work would bepletely in vain. Karen fell silent, not daring to argue further with the old master. Chapter 2916 Her 20 years of hard work should not be undermined by that mistress at a time like this. Old Master Mallory noticed a change in Karen''s expression in that instant and knew what he said had an effect. He turned to look at Mr. Be and asked, "How''s the fooding along?" Mr. Be slightly bowed and replied in a low voice, "Sir, I''ll go check on it now." Then, he turned around and headed to the kitchen. Karen shifted her eyes and pondered for a moment. Then, she said, "Father, I¡¯ll listen to whatever you say about Pierre''s matter. He''s your grandson, after all. You wouldn''t want to see him get into trouble. But when ites to that woman, I won''t listen to you." Old Master Mallory shot her a nce. Karen continued, "I don''t care if you''ve changed your mind or what the purpose of this meal is. I won''t agree to their marriage even if Percy has already registered their marriage. I won''t acknowledge her as my daughter-inw." Old Master Mallory remained silent. Karen looked at the coldness in his eyes, unable to figure out why Old Master Mallory had invited Nina to dinner. Having stated her position, she had nothing more to say. She sat there and continued to eat the grapes. Mr. Be approached and said, "Sir, the chef has prepared the meal." "Good." Old Master Mallory nced at the antique wall clock. Normally, the Mallory family would be preparing to have their meal at this time, but Percy had not arrived yet. Hence, he sat there and waited. Mr. Be also noticed the time. He thought to himself, ¡®Could it be that Master Percy won''t be coming...'' He frowned. He thought that it would be foolish of Percy not toe. It was a great opportunity to repair the rtionship between the grandfather and grandson. If Percy did note, could it mean that he had no intentions of mending his rtionship with Old Master Mallory? Mr. Be thought about it over and over. When he concluded that Percy was not silly enough to do such a thing, the distant echo of voices drifted in from outside. Even though Percy had gotten into a dispute with his family members, he still had the keys to Mallory Manor. Mr. Be''s eyes lit up. "It must be Master Percy." Karen heard this and raised an eyebrow, feeling disgusted at the thought of Percy bringing Nina here. Why should that woman be allowed to stand on the Mallory family''s territory? If it were not for Old Master Mallory, she might have used a broom to sweep Nina away the moment Mr. Be uttered the first word. Old Master Mallory heard Mr. Be. There were hardly any changes of expression on his face. He picked up his cane, ready to stand up at any moment. However, he remained seated. Percy held Nina''s hand and carried two bags of gifts with another hand as they entered the living room. Percy saw both Old Master Mallory and his mother sitting there. Then, he turned to look at Mr. Be. Mr. Be blinked at him and nodded. Only then did he approach them to take the two bags from him. "Master Percy, Ms. Nina, you''ve arrived." Since Old Master Mallory had not officially acknowledged Nina''s identity, Mr. Be did not address her as Mrs. Mallory to avoid upsetting the old master. After all, it was Old Master Mallory who paid his sry. He could not show too much favoritism toward Percy. "Grandpa, Mom," Percy greeted them as he walked toward Old Master Mallory with Nina by his side. Nina felt nervous. Percy held her hand tight, and she remembered what Luca told her. It was already the worst situation, and it would not get any worse. Taking a cue from Percy, she greeted the Old Master Mallory and Karen, who were in the living room, "Good evening, Old Master Mallory. Good evening, Madam Mallory." Old Master Mallory did not acknowledge their marriage. Nina had no idea how the old master felt this time. Therefore, it would be best for her to use the most formal title to address them to y it safe. "Hmph, you do know it''s alreadyte evening. Are you deliberately putting on airs bying at this hour?" Karen did not care about Old Master Mallory''s attitude toward Nina. She put her on the spot right away. Nina''s face turned a little pale, but she remained silent. Percy held her hand tightly, as though he had not heard what Karen said. He looked straight at Old Master Mallory. "Grandpa, Nina brought these for you." Old Master Mallory nced at the bags expressionlessly and replied, "There''s no need. Take them back." Nina''s heart tightened. It turned out that her instinct was correct. Old Master Mallory did not invite her here to smooth things over with Percy. If it was not to mend the fences, then it would mean trouble for her... Even though she was mentally prepared long ago, Nina felt helpless. No matter what she did, she was destined to never gain the approval of the Mallory family because of her background and what Pierre did to her. Percy frowned and said, "These are just some gestures from us. If you don''t want them, you can just throw them away." Mr. Be, who stood nearby, was terrified by what he heard. Percy''s tone was unwavering. Was he going to ignite a family internal war? The rtionship between the grandfather and grandson had only just started to improve a little because of Pierre''s incident. Now, it seemed like things were going tense again because of Nina. Mr. Be had been watching Percy grow up since he was little. He had witnessed him growing stronger over time, eventually bing the most capable heir of the Mallory family. He certainly did not want to see the rtionship between grandfather and grandson deteriorate any further. Mr. Be quickly picked up the two bags and said, "Old Master Mallory, Master Percy, I shall put these away first. It''s gettingte, and dinner is ready. Please proceed to the dining room." Once Mr. Be spoke, Old Master Mallory''s gaze lifted and fell on him. His eyes bore a hint of reprimand, clearly disapproving of him acting on his ord. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Mr. Be lowered his head without saying another word. He thought to himself that all of this was for the sake of their rtionship. He hurriedly carried the bags to the storage room. Old Master Mallory, leaning on his cane, rose to his feet and ordered, "Let''s have dinner." He was speaking to Karen and also to Percy and Nina. Nina lifted her head and looked at Percy. Her eyes were filled with anxiety. People in Mallory Manor, whether it was the young or the old, had been harsh toward Nina. If she were to stick to her usual way of doing things, she would surely walk away without any intention of trying to win over this challenging bunch. However, she had to change her ways of dealing with them for Percy''s sake. She had no choice but to endure the disapproval of Old Master Mallory and Karen. It was all for the man she loved... Percy gave her aforting look while feeling sorry for her. She was enduring all of this silently for him. Karen observed their interaction. It suddenly reminded her of her husband and the mistress abroad. That foreign woman always pretended to be weak and helpless, trying to attract her husband''s attention. She could not help but mutter, "Slut." Nina furrowed her brows as her expression turned sour. Nina could understand why she was used of social climbing, not being good enough, or being a cunning woman, but being called a slut... There were no other femalepanions when Percy was together with her. So, why was she being called a slut now? Chapter 2917 Nina had the urge to turn around and ask Karen, but she held back. The sensation in the palm of her hand kept reminding her to stay calm and not argue with Karen. If she could not suppress her emotions and let her pride be torn apart now, there would be no need to have this meal. Even though Old Master Mallory did not give Nina a friendly look, he could be trying to improve his rtionship with Percy through this meal. She could not ruin that. Nina took a deep breath and pretended not to hear what Karen said. Percy gave Karen a warning look. Karen was startled for a moment. In the past few days whenever she intentionally caused trouble for Nina, Percy would re at her that way. However, her mind was upied with Pierre''s matter. Thus, she did not pay close attention to the meaning behind Percy''s looks. This marked the first moment Karen locked eyes with Percy''s cautionden gaze. She felt a mixture of fear and annoyance. What did he mean? She was his mother! Yet, he was warning her for the sake of another woman? Karen was displeased. She was on the verge of exploding. Percy walked over to the dining table, pulled out a chair for Nina, and gestured for her to sit. Nina nodded. After she sat down, she kept her eyes on him. Percy sat beside her. Old Master Mallory took the seat of honor. Karen sat opposite Percy. She felt ufortable seeing how attentive Percy was to Nina. It was not jealousy she felt, but rather a feeling that Nina did not match up to Percy at all. Hence, she found it ring when she saw them getting along well. Karen was about to say something, but she noticed Old Master Mallory was giving her a warning look when he grew aware of her actions. Karen had no choice but to awkwardly close her mouth. Mr. Be and the chef served the prepared dishes on the table, all of which were what they would have daily. They did not prepare anything particrly extravagant just because Percy had brought Nina back. Old Master Mallory did not give any special instructions. The chef thought it would be better not to take matters into her own hands. Still, the food the Mallory family usually ate was much morevish than the meals of an ordinary household. Nina, however, was not one to be easily deceived. She noticed the dishes on the table and understood that she was not receiving any special treatment from the Mallory family. This meant that Old Master Mallory asking Percy to bring her back for this meal did not necessarily mean he had approved of her as his granddaughter-inw. Nina did not have much appetite for this meal. Even though Percy constantly offered her more food, Nina felt the food was vorless. After dinner, Percy noticed Old Master Mallory had not said anything yet. He said, "Grandpa, I''m going back if there''s nothing else." "Where are you going?" Old Master Mallory finally spoke, having been silent throughout the meal. "Back home." Percy''s hand reached under the table, where it tightly intertwined with Nina''s hand. Wherever she was, that would be his home. Old Master Mallory''s weathered eyes looked up. They were still sharp despite his age, and his gaze swept across Nina''s face. Nina did not flinch while the old master sized her up. She returned the gaze and seemed to understand what Old Master Mallory was thinking¡ª''What an ordinary woman.'' She was ordinary, but Percy loved her... Nina''s heart tightened. Before she could even gather her thoughts, Old Master Mallory spoke, "This is your home." Percy slightly furrowed his brows. He did not retort. After all, Mallory Manor was where he grew up. It was perfectly eptable to call it his home. However, this was not the right time to discuss this issue. He asked Old Master Mallory directly, "Grandpa, if you have something to say, please go ahead." "Have you two gotten married?" Old Master Mallory asked straightforwardly without beating about the bush. Percy held Nina''s hand and ced it on the table. "Yes. Nina and I have already tied the knot. We''re legally recognized as a married couple." "Hmph." Old Master Mallory let out a cold snort through his nostrils, expressing both dissatisfaction and mockery. Nina could feel her face burning. Was a marriage recognized and protected by thew considered so unworthy in the eyes of the old master? "It may be legally recognized, but your mother and I won''t acknowledge it. Well, I can see that you won''t be separated for the time being," Old Master Mallory said slowly, his gaze falling on their tightly sped hands. How could a marriage that was just done on a whim possiblyst forever? It seemed that the Mallory family had a penchant for wandering hearts, even though Percy had not shown it yet. Percy remained silent, waiting for the old master to continue with his words. Karen, on the other hand, could no longer sit still. Without waiting for Old Master Mallory''s next sentence, she immediately interjected, "I won''t acknowledge this son if they don''t break up!" Percy listened without uttering a word. Old Master Mallory gave Karen a stern look, ming her for interrupting him. Nina lowered her gaze. Even though the old master said that they were inseparable at the moment, she knew there was more he wanted to say. "But even if you won''t separate, I don''t believe your rtionship willst. I heard that you n to have a wedding? I don''t agree to it," continued Old Master Mallory. Getting married legally was one thing, but having a wedding was a deration to the world. If Percy listened to what this woman said and organized a wedding, they would have to announce a divorce to everyone in the future too. The Mallory family could not afford to lose face like that. Even when Old Master Mallory''s son initially wanted to divorce Karen, he intervened and stopped him. After all, the Mallory family could not be like the Crawford family. He had a hand in his son''s marriage. Now, to outsiders, it would appear that the couple''s marriage was characterized by physical separation rather than emotional rupture. It was a matter of preserving the family''s reputation. Percy finally understood what Old Master Mallory had in mind. He did not want them to have a wedding. Even if they were legally married, without a grand wedding, it would signify that Nina was not valued by the Mallory family. Percy did not really care whether outsiders perceive Nina as being valued by the Mallory family. He wanted to give Nina a grand wedding to show the world that she was cherished and adored by him. The woman he loved deserved the best in the world. "The wedding won''t be canceled," Percy did not even pretend to agree. He expressed his determination to proceed with the wedding. Old Master Mallory''s face turned unpleasantly red with anger. "Percy, will you only be at ease when you make me mad?" Old Master Mallory mmed the table with hisrge palm, causing the marble dining table to tremble slightly. The old master was seething with anger. Mr. Be immediately came forward and said in a low voice, "Old Master Mallory, please don''t get upset." Old Master Mallory paid a lot of attention to his health and took care of himself well. He had a much better physical condition than other men of his age. Still, he did have some age-rted health issues. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Getting angry was the greatest taboo for elders. Mr. Be was afraid Old Master Mallory would be driven to such fury by Percy that his blood vessels would burst. As Karen watched Old Master Mallory''s face turning red, she enigmatically said, "Father, your threats won''t work. Percy has already been lured by a seductress. He won''t listen to anyone. The more you try to stop him, the more rebellious he''ll be." Mr. Be was exasperated. Old Master Mallory was already upset, yet Karen was adding fuel to the fire. Before Old Master Mallory could say anything, Percy said, "Grandpa, it doesn''t matter if you don''t acknowledge Nina. She''s my wife, the person I love the most in my entire life. So, I won''t give her any less than what she deserves." Chapter 2918 "Percy! Are you trying to drive me crazy?" Old Master Mallory breathed heavily. He thought Percy would agree to this to improve their rtionship. However, at this moment, Percy seemed determined and unwavering, showing no regard for their rtionship. It was all because of Nina. "Grandpa, I can agree to everything else except for matters concerning Nina," replied Percy expressionlessly. When it came to anything rted to Nina, there was no way he wouldpromise. Nina watched how Percy made his unwavering choice in her favor. She could not help but feel deeply moved. However, when she saw Old Master Mallory''s face turning red, she was worried. When Percy publicly announced their marriage without a proper ceremony, Karen fell ill from sheer frustration. Now, if Percy insisted on defying Old Master Mallory, it might also lead to dire consequences. She would truly be an outcast in the Mallory family. Nina wanted to say that it was fine even if they did not hold the wedding ceremony. It would not affect their rtionship as long as they were married. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. However, with Percy standing firm, she could not bring herself to speak up in such a situation. She thought they could discuss it after they left. "Very well!" Old Master Mallory said as he leaned on his cane and rose abruptly. He pointed the cane at Percy''s face and said, "If you insist on marrying this woman, then consider yourself no longer my grandson!" Percy ignored what Old Master Mallory said to him. He turned to Nina and said, "Let''s go." Nina furrowed her brows, allowing him to pull her toward the door. "Percy, are you really willing to abandon your grandfather, your mother, and even your younger brother for this woman?" Karen stomped in anger. She stood up and yelled at them, watching them from behind. If looks could kill, Nina would be dead right now. Percy stopped without turning back. Instead, he nced to the side, eyes locking onto Nina. He took note of her concerns. "I''ll continue to take care of family matters, but I won''tpromise when ites to my wife.¡± Then, he took Nina and left the house. Old Master Mallory was so upset by his words that he slumped down in his chair, gasping for breath with his hand on his chest. ¡°Oh my, Old Master Mallory." Mr. Be secretly eximed to himself, ''This is no good!'' He rushed to the living room, realizing that something was terribly wrong. However, by the time he arrived, Percy had already left with Nina. He could not be bothered to get Percy back. He grabbed a bottle of pills out of the cab and rushed back to the dining room. He quickly poured a few of them, gave them to Old Master Mallory, and let the pills dissolve in his mouth. Half a minuteter, Old Master Mallory slowly moved his hand away from his chest. After he calmed down, he remained silent. His eyes were gloomy. Karen was also startled by Old Master Mallory''s condition. When she saw hisplexion improve, she started cursing loudly, "I don''t know what that bitch did to Percy! He''s going against his family for a worthless woman! This is really getting on my nerves. If I had known he would go against his family for such a woman, I would''ve never let him be born into this world!" Mr. Be listened to Karen''s continuous rant and looked at Old Master Mallory worriedly. "Old Master Mallory, should I call the family doctor toe over?" Old Master Mallory looked like he was going to have a heart attack. Even though he took his pills in time, Mr. Be was still worried that something might happen. He thought it would be better to have the family doctore over and give Old Master Mallory a check-up. "No need," replied Old Master Mallory with a sullen expression on his face. "Do you need me to take you to the hospital or arrange for an X-ray?" asked Mr. Be in a low voice. "Go find someone to keep an eye on Percy," instructed Old Master Mallory. He had no intention of going to the hospital. He knew his own body best. It was just that he was so angry that he could not catch his breath after he heard what Percy said. Mr. Be noticed how stubborn he was and nced at Karen, hoping she could help to persuade him. However, Karenpletely misinterpreted his meaning. When she heard Old Master Mallory asking someone to watch Percy, she said, "Father, let him do whatever he wants. He''s grown up, and he''s managing Mallory Corporation. He''s no longer under our control. Why don''t you focus on getting Pierre out instead of worrying about that? Will he be able to live peacefully in that detention ward?" "Madam!" Mr. Be could not help but feel anxious. Karen seemed to be steering the conversation toward what Old Master Mallory disliked the most. It almost seemed as though she would not stop deliberately infuriating Old Master Mallory until she was satisfied! Karen red at him, wondering why he was raising his voice. She was worried about Pierre! "What matters the most now is to take Old Master Mallory to the hospital for a check-up." Mr. Be was not afraid of Karen even though she was ring at him. The old master''s health was the top priority at the moment. If something happened to Old Master Mallory, Karen''s life would be even more difficult. Why could she not understand that? Karen looked at Old Master Mallory, whoseplexion had returned to normal even though he was still wearing a gloomy expression. He was at least back to normal. She said, "Are you deaf? Didn''t you hear Father say he doesn''t want to?" Mr. Be was rendered speechless, feeling sorry for Old Master Mallory. Percy was now unconcerned about Old Master Mallory''s health because of Nina, and Karen... was not dependable. As for Pierre, Old Master Mallory had already handled the situation fairly well. The police could not find any concrete evidence. It was only a matter of time before they released him. However, Karen just could not let it go. She insisted on having Old Master Mallory sort everything out right away and getting Pierre out. She imed to be worried that he was suffering in the detention ward. What kind of suffering could there be in a detention ward? Other than not eating well, everything else was just like a regr hospital stay. Pierre could not get out of bed now, so what difference did it make which ward he was in? When Old Master Mallory did not say anything, Karen continued, "Father, if you don''t help, Pierre will be in big trouble. No way, I have to go check on him." When Karen stood up, Old Master Mallory chided angrily, "What are you doing?" "I''m worried about him. He''s not eating well or sleeping well, and he has to endure the police questioning him. I want to see how he''s doing," replied Karen. She was thinking about Pierre. After all, Pierre was the only person she could rely on for the rest of her life. He could not go to prison. Mallory Corporation would never consider Pierre as a sessor if he had a prior prison record. "Madam, Master Pierre is in a detention ward. Visits aren''t allowed," Mr. Be reminded her. If Pierre was not in life-threatening danger, the police would not notify the Mallory family to sign for a visit. Naturally, she would not be able to see him in person. "Is there anyone the Mallory family can''t meet?" Karen''s tone was arrogant, thinking that the police would not dare to stop her. "..." Mr. Be was at a loss for words. The Mallory family was no longer united. Even though Percy was still managing Mallory Corporation, Pierre''s actions had indeed affected thepany. Everyone in the Mallory family was equal in the eyes of thew. There was no distinction based on social status or wealth. ording to legal regtions, Karen could not meet with Pierre. "If you want to put the Mallory family in a difficult situation and send Pierre to prison, go ahead!" Old Master Mallory could not be bothered to exin to her. He finally realized that Percy''s persistence was inherited from his parents'' stubbornness and madness. Karen was willing to risk everything to protect Pierre, even if it meant putting the Mallory family in jeopardy. As for his son, he had not returned to his country for over 20 years for the sake of a mistress. They were both incredibly stubborn! Chapter 2919 ¡°Let Pierre go to prison?!" Karen''s steps came to an immediate halt as she turned to nce at Old Master Mallory. His expression was dark. It was not just a threat; he was truly furious. The anger in Karen''s heart instantly reached its boiling point. She med Percy and Nina for everything. If it were not for the two of them pissing Old Master Mallory off, he would not have said something like that. It left Karen with a cold feeling inside her, thinking that Old Master Mallory truly did not value her son. Otherwise, he would not have resorted to such threats. After Karen left the dining room, Mr. Be''s gaze followed her, making sure she was heading upstairs. He then hurriedly returned to the old man''s side to report, "Old Master Mallory, Madam has gone upstairs." Old Master Mallory''s expression remained terrible. Mr. Be quickly poured him a ss of water and handed it to him. "Please have some water." Old Master Mallory took the ss of water from him and took a big gulp to ease the tension in his heart. "Old Master Mallory, calm down. Master Percy is perfect in every aspect except for his rtionship..." Mr. Be dared not to convince Old Master Mallory to let Percy do as he pleased. Instead, he said, "He chose this path. He''ll understand your good intentions if he suffers in the future." "I''m not sure if I''ll have the chance to wait until that day," Old Master Mallory said with a heavy sigh. It was obvious that he was still upset with Percy. He initially considered epting Nina as his granddaughter-inw if Percy agreed not to have a wedding. It was all for the sake of the Mallory family''s future. However, Percy did not acknowledge his sentiment in the slightest! Old Master Mallory''s expression turned more sour at the thought of this. Mr. Be quickly massaged his shoulders, knowing that applying pressure to certain points on the shoulders could help him rx a little. It was a technique taught by the family doctor. Old Master Mallory waved his hand and said, "You may stop. I need to meet someone. Ask the chauffeur to get the car ready." "Yes, Old Master Mallory," replied Mr. Be. He initially wanted to suggest that Old Master Mallory go to the hospital for a check-up, but when he knew the old master was about to go out, he figured it must be rted to Pierre''s matter. Therefore, he immediately made arrangements to get the car ready. There would be no peace in the Mallory family until this issue was resolved. After getting the car ready, Mr. Be escorted Old Master Mallory to the car and saw him off. Then, he returned to the dining room. The chef stood there, waiting for instructions. When she saw Mr. Bee in, she asked, "Mr. Be, should we take all of this away?" "Yes, clear everything," answered Mr. Be as he nced at the dishes on the table. These dishes were what the Mallory family had daily. The dishes were prepared to serve five people, but there were plenty left. It seemed that neither Old Master Mallory nor anyone else had the appetite to eat. That was why there were a lot of leftovers. The chef nodded and began to clean up, muttering to herself what a waste it was to throw away so much food. However, the Mallory family had rules stating that even if the dishes were not eaten, the kitchen staff were not allowed to take them home. The food must be thrown away. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. As Mr. Be watched the chef clean up, he picked up his phone and sent a message to Percy: [Master Percy, Old Master Mallory isn''t feeling well after you left. Pleasee back and spend some time with him whenever you''re free.] After sending the message, Mr. Be waited for a while, but there was no response from Percy. Mr. Be shook his head helplessly. On the other hand, after Percy left Mallory Manor with Nina, he didn''t drive them back home. Nina noticed and asked, "Where are we going?" "You''ll find out in a bit.¡± Percy did not immediately reveal their destination, leaving it a mystery. Nina nodded and turned to look outside the window, tracing thendscape outside as it receded. There was still a hint of worry in her expression. She did not want Percy to go against his family for her. Yet, he had made a firm decision by choosing her. It seemed like conflicts were unavoidable... Nina was uncertain about what to do. She wanted to be with Percy forever, but she also wished to mend his rtionship with his family. It did not matter if their marriage did not have their blessing, but the support of the Mallory family was crucial to him. As she was lost in her thoughts, the car came to a stop in a temporary parking spot by the roadside. Nina realized the car had stopped and came back to her senses. She looked at her surroundings, only to notice that they had stopped on amercial street. However, themercial street was built to serve the residents who lived nearby. The expenditure level in the area was not high. Nina turned around to look at Percy, not understanding why he had brought her here. Percy unfastened his seatbelt and exined, "You didn''t eat much earlier. I figured you''d get hungry later. That''s why I brought you here to eat." "Is there a new restaurant here?" Nina asked curiously. "No, not really," replied Percy as he pushed the car door open. Nina quickly got out of the car too. Percy walked toward the passenger seat to meet her. After he held Nina''s hand, he headed to the walkway and exined, "I heard others saying that there''s a famous food stall here. I''ve always wanted to bring you here to try it, and I finally found the chance to bring you here today." Nina clicked her tongue, putting aside the unpleasantness she had experienced at the Mallory family''s house. "But don''t you think street food is unhygienic?" The first time she was forced to be with Percy, she tried bringing back food from a food stall for supper. He had a disgusted look on his face when he saw it. Nina knew he cared about personal hygiene and believed street food was not clean or healthy. Since then, she had not eaten any street food in front of him even though she thought the food tasted good. She would only secretly have them without Percy finding out about it. That disdainful look he gave her back then lingered in her memory. "It''s not hygienic." Percy did not change his opinion, but he smiled and continued, "But an asional indulgence won''t hurt. Besides, they say the street food here is actually really good. I''d like to give it a try." Nina smiled. She let go of his hand and immediately held his arm. Percy knew Nina loved street food. Hence, he was trying to ovee his mysophobia and taking a big step to ept it. She would not force him to eat the same things as her or share all her interests. They were two different individuals. Making Percy adapt to her would be difficult. Still, she appreciated Percy''s willingness to makepromises for her. "Percy, it''s wonderful to have you in my life,¡± said Nina in a soft voice while she gently leaned her head on his arm. Percy rxed his eyebrows, feelingfortable listening to Nina''s gentle whisper. "Yes. So, don''t even think about convincing me to cancel the wedding." Nina was stunned for a moment, but she immediately put a smile on her face after that. He really knew what was on her mind. "You deserve the best in the world. The wedding must be held no matter what," dered Percy. He wanted to let the world know that Nina was his wife even if they were keeping it on the down low. Nina was not hidden away, and she did not have a secret rtionship with him. Their marriage was legally recognized. No one could separate them. Chapter 2920 Nina wanted to have a talk with him after they got home, but after what Percy said, she thought that there was no need anymore. No matter what, there was no talking him out of it. They would go ahead with the wedding as nned. "Alright." Nina agreed with a smile. She was overwhelmed with joy after seeing him insist on giving her a proper wedding, so much so that she had forgotten the tension she was feeling inside. At night, Karen sat on the sofa in the living room and impatiently asked the butler. "Why is the old master not back yet?" Not long after Old Master Mallory left, she came downstairs to discuss Pierre''s situation with him. To her surprise, the butler informed her that he was out. Karen had been waiting until now. The butler nced at the time and said, "Old Master Mallory said that he was on his way back half an hour ago, so he should be here soon." T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He was making a guess. He only found out that he was on his way home after reaching out to him. However, he had no idea where the old master went, so he could only make a rough estimate. Karen clicked her tongue and nced at her phone screen before asking the butler, "Since you''re always by his side, have you ever heard him talk about how he''s going to solve Pierre''s problem?" The butler shook his head. "Old Master Mallory is always in his study when he''s dealing with Master Pierre''s affairs." Old Master Mallory''s study was considered the most secret room in the Mallory Manor. The maids were not allowed to enter as they pleased, so even a butler like him would need the old master''s permission before entering the study. Karen red at him. Although he was the Mallory family''s butler, he was actually Old Master Mallory''s personal caretaker. The fact that the butler did not even know about that made her doubt his capabilities. The butler noticed Karen''s dissatisfaction, but he did not know what to say, so he just waited with her in the living room. About ten minutester, they heard footsteps from outside. The butler quickly walked over. He saw the driver helping Old Master Mallory inside, so he immediately went over to take over. "Old Master Mallory, you''re back." "Yes." Old Master Mallory did not seem too happy. When he saw Karen sitting on the couch, he headed upstairs without any intention of talking to her. "Father," Karen stood up and called him. Old Master Mallory could not just pretend not to hear her, so he turned around to look at her. "What is it?" "I''m here to apologize..." Karen said shamelessly. She was Pierre''sst hope now. She realized that if she offended the old master too much, Pierre would be doomed. Thus, she suppressed her anger and obediently apologized to him. Old Master Mallory''s expression was as stoic as always. He did not show much expression even when his daughter-inw was apologizing. After noticing that, Karen added, "Father, I''m just so worried about Pierre. You know he''s never been through much hardship ever since he was a kid. Now that he lost his leg and the police are going to lock him up, I''m just so worried that I." She paused. "Father, I''m sorry. I won''t make a fuss anymore. Can we work together as a family and get through this hardship?" Old Master Mallory still had several mixed-raced grandchildren abroad. Now that she could no longer count on Percy, Pierre was the only one left. If he gave up on Pierre, she would have to give up the Mallory family to that foreigner bitch after taking care of the family for 30 years. Karen could not allow such a thing to happen. "Alright." Old Master Mallory''s eyebrows still did not move, but he changed his mind about going upstairs and sat on the sofa instead. Karen quickly brought a cup of nourishing tea. "Father, have some tea. You''ll be able to sleep better at night." Even after seeing how thoughtful Karen was, Old Master Mallory still did not react. He took a sip of the tea and heard her ask, "Father, where did you go thiste at night?" "I went to deal with Pierre''s situation." Old Master Mallory did not hide anything. If Pierre got locked up, it would affect the Mallory family too. Karen noticed that the old master did not look happy, and her heart sank. She asked cautiously, "So, how was it?" Old Master Mallory took another sip of the tea and frowned. "So." Karen was feeling anxious. "The trouble Pierre got into has pretty much been taken care of before the police found him, so the evidence the police have is not enough to carry out an investigation. He should be fine, but he won''t be released so soon," said Old Master Mallory. After finding out that it would take some time before Pierre was released, he thought that it was quite troublesome. Therefore, the knit in his eyebrows had yet to loosen up. With each passing day that Pierre was detained by the police, the more it would affect Mallory Corporation and the Mallory family. Only by restoring Pierre''s "innocence" as soon as possible would Mallory Corporation''s stock price not be affected. Now, Old Master Mallory was relieved that Percy was Mallory Corporation''s CEO. If Pierre had taken up the position and the news had leaked, the stock price of Mallory Corporation would have plummeted even faster. "Why?" Karen quickly asked. Without evidence, should the police not let him go? Old Master Mallory red at her. "How do you still have the nerve to ask that? If you hadn''t pampered that boy to such an extent, would he have offended so many people? Now, everyone is taking this as an opportunity to make him suffer." Karen frowned. Did he offend that many people? Even if Pierre offended that many people, no one would dare offend the Mallory family... Unless someone as powerful as the Mallory family was using this as a chance to bully the Mallory family by torturing Pierre.. Suddenly, Karen thought of the Crawford family. "Luke must have said something to the police!" She clenched her hands tightly into fists, wanting to tear Luke into shreds. Old Master Mallory nced at her. He was not as certain as Karen, but he knew that Luke and Pierre had always been hostile toward each other. However, Luke and Percy were good friends. Now that Pierre had lost to Percy, it was impossible for that kid, Luke, to still target Pierre. Luke was not the type of person to have the free time to target anyone for fun. Pierre had been running amok for so long that he had offended many, so there were tons of people secretly trying to get their revenge on him. "Father, you must help Pierre. His leg must be taken care of. How could the care in the detention ward compare to that of a VIP ward?" Karen begged while frowning. "Enough, I won''t just stand by and watch him go to prison," Old Master Mallory snorted. Karen nodded and took a deep breath before standing up. "Father, it''s gettingte, so you should get some rest." Before Old Master Mallory could reply, she quickly walked upstairs. The butler looked at her hasty and vengeful look. He said worriedly, "Old Master Mallory, Madam Mallory looks like she''s about to go insane.." Karen thought that Luke was the one who was deliberately targeting Pierre. The butler was worried that she would do something to Luke. Pierre''s past doings had already angered the Crawford family, causing the rtionship between the families to worsen. If not for Luke and Percy being good friends, the two families might have even be enemies. Old Master Mallory felt the pulse in his temples, but he could not do anything to control Karen. "If she''s the one asking for trouble, no one can stop her." Chapter 2921 Some Things Could Not Be Ignored The butler shook his head as the thought of Karen''s expression gave him a bad feeling. Upstairs, Karen picked up the phone and dialed the number of a private investigator. After a while, he picked up. ¡°Madam Mallory." The private investigator''s voice could be heard from the other end of the phone. Karen wanted to get straight to the point, so she asked, "Have you found Luca''s other lover?" When Myra mentioned that Luca had another man, she asked a private investigator to look into it. Although it had not even been two days, she could not help asking because of her anger. She could not wait any longer. She had to act immediately and cause trouble for Luke. That way, he would not bother Pierre anymore. The private investigator was taken aback and said resignedly, "I''ve been following Luca for the past two days, but there''s nothing unusual about her whereabouts. I haven''t discovered anything new." Luca''s schedule for the past two days basically consisted of hermute to and from work, going to the hospital, and then going home again. Plus, she returned to the neighborhood where Luke''s mansion was. Even if Luca had another man, she would not be foolish enough to live with him in the same neighborhood as Luke, so he did not bother trying to get inside the neighborhood. Instead, he lurked outside of the neighborhood until early morning before leaving. That was all. He did not find anything new. If Karen had not been so sure that Luca had another man, the private investigator would have suspected that the information was false. However, since someone was paying him to work, no matter if it was true or false, he still had to follow and report everything he saw to Karen. "And you didn''t ck off?" Karen asked, unconvinced that Luca could endure not seeing the other man for two days. She believed Myra. "I really didn''t. If you don''t believe me, I can take photos and videos every day and send them to you. Luca''s schedule is the same every day, and only her clothes are different. My videos are proof," the private investigator quickly exined. After epting Karen''s money, he dared not ck off. Besides, if he offended her, he may no longer be able to stay in A City. "Madam Mallory, I''ve epted your payment, so I''ll definitely take care of everything for you." Karen squinted her eyes and looked out the dark window as she thought to herself. There was no way the private investigator would trick her. Luca was too sly! However, she could understand why. If a man like Luke found out that he had been cheated on, Luca would be finished. Luca must be very cautious, so it was only normal for the private investigator to not notice anything for now. Karen clicked her tongue irritably. ¡°Fine. Continue following her. You must find that man for me." After hanging up, Karen created a new group chat and added Myra and Margaret. She tapped on the group video call button. After a while, Myra and Margaret answered the call. "Mrs. Mallory, did the private investigator find something?" Myra looked excited as she believed what she saw. As long as the private investigator kept an eye on Luca, he''d definitely be able to find evidence that she was unfaithful. "No, that bitch has been careful and sly, but I''ve decided to tell the reporters the news first and let them report it." Karen''s face looked sullen. This news waspletely different from the expectations of the other two, who were excited thinking Karen had good news to share. Myra frowned. "You want to tell the reporters now? I thought..." Karen interrupted, "I can''t wait any longer. It must be in the headlines tomorrow. That''s the only way Pierre can be saved." Myra and Margaret did not say a thing. They had also read the news and found out that Pierre had been arrested. Karen noticed their silence and said, "It may be my son now, but it won''t be long before it''s your turn. The Hudson family''s business is going downhill, and you''ll have to go to court soon. Although the party suing you won''t be able to fine you much, everyone knows that you''ve offended the Crawford family. The Hudson family''s situation is only getting worse, and you." She paused and pointed at Margaret before saying, "Jackman Corporation isn''t doing well now either, right? Your husband''s project is losing money. If Luke goes down, then T Corporation goes down. Perhaps they''ll have anotherpany produce the blueprints. Since everyone''s in a difficult position right now, why wait?" Karen''s words managed to persuade Myra and Margaret. "Fine, we''ll send the information to the reporters now." They were familiar with some reporters of the tabloid press, and gossip like this was perfect for these entertainment news reporters. Compared to some bigger newspapers, they were more inclined to report juicy gossip like these. Even if the parties involved issued awyer''s letter or warning letter, they would not be at a loss. Thus, they would not be afraid of offending the mighty Luke either. After hanging up, Karen smiled sinisterly. It seemed like Luke had not been involved in a scandal for a long time. The public had evenbeled him as dedicated and affectionate. The rage in Karen''s eyes became even more violent. She wanted revenge! She wanted everyone who hurt Pierre to fall beyond redemption. No one else in the Mallory family knew what Karen did, and neither did the people involved¡ªLuke and Luca. The next day, Luca was woken up by the sound of her phone''s vibrations. She frowned as she opened her eyes slowly. After adjusting her eyes to the light in the room, she realized that a phone was vibrating... Luca picked up her phone to see who had sent her so many messages early in the morning. After ncing at her phone, she noticed that there were no messages. Only then did she realize that it was Luke''s phone. Luke and her were busy intertwining themselves togetherst night, so they got upte. Instead of looking through Luke''s phone, she gently nudged him. "Luke.." Luke did not open his eyes. Instead, he put his arms around her and pulled her into an embrace. Her soft body pressed against his as he refused to open his eyes and end this sweet dream. "Your phone has rung many times." Luca blushed as she heard his strong heartbeat while pressed up against his chest. After saying that, the phone rang again on the bedside table. "Just ignore it." Luke''s voice was deep and hoarse. There were not any urgent matters at thepany recently, so it did not matter if he replied a few minuteste. Luca listened to the phone that was still vibrating and looked up at him. Overnight, stubble started to appear on his chin, which she could not resist touching. It felt prickly on her hands. Before she could withdraw her hands, Luke grabbed her hands and opened his eyes as he looked at her. "Get up. It seems like you have some urgent matters to tend to," said Luca while blushing as if she had done something bad and was caught by him. Luke rarely sighed, but he wanted to continue holding Luca. He opened his eyes. Some things could not be ignored. Luke let go of her hand and picked up the phone on the bedside table. A series of messages bombarded his lock screen.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. He frowned and opened the message from Jason first. Chapter 2922 Apart from the first message Jason sent to him asking if he woke up, everything that followed was in voice messages. Luke raised an eyebrow and yed the first voice message. "Boss, several local newspaperpanies in the city are reporting about your affair with Dr. Craw. The newspapers have already printed it all. Online public opinion is aze with heated discussions." Jason''s voice carried a hint of urgency and a touch of helplessness. Before Luke could react, Luca was startled for a moment. She immediately sat up. "What?" When Luke saw the anxious expression on her face, heforted her. "Rx." Then, he yed the next voice message. "Among the newspapers that reported this are Green Apple Daily and Pineapple Entertainment News, none of which have any affiliation with thepany. That''s why we didn''t receive any prior notice." Luke slowly sat up. Previously, Gale mentioned that Karen, Myra, and the others would not act so quickly. However, before he knew it, Karen had already leaked this to the media. As Luca listened to Jason''s messages, her brows furrowed. At the same time, she reached for the phone on her bedside table, opening the local forum. Sure enough, she saw photos of her and Luke on the forum''s front page. The news with photos was incredibly sensational. Luca frowned and clicked on it, finding that there were already thousands ofments below the post. Luca took a deep breath, not bothering to read the content of the article in detail. She turned to look at Luke. By now, several of Jason''s voice messages had yed. Luca could feel her mind going nk. What should she do? Unpleasant thoughts simultaneously crossed her mind. She and Luke were originally husband and wife, but even Luke himself did not know about her true identity¡ªlet alone anyone else! T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. If the people who cared about Bianca found out about this, it would likely cause a huge uproar. Luca stared at Luke''s face. Despite what had happened, Luke remained calm. It was as though he was not the person in the gossip news. It created a noticeable contrast with her being unsure of what to do. Luke took a while to listen to all the voice messages Jason sent to him. Then, he returned to the message inbox and tapped on the message Jack had sent to him. When he saw Jack sending him a message, his brows had slowly started to furrow. Jack knew Luca''s true identity. Therefore, this gossip news meant nothing to him. However, Queenie did not know about it. As soon as the gossip news was posted online, Jack sent him a message. It was probably because of Queenie. Luke opened it. Jack''s serious voice came through the speaker. "Luke, you need toe to the hospital right away." Then, another message followed. "Your mother-inw saw the news. She had a hypertensive episode and has been taken to the central hospital. I think you need to exin things to her. And bring Luca along with you." Luca''s heart tightened. Queenie ended up in the hospital because of the gossip news? She quickly got out of bed. Luke watched Luca as she opened the closet and took out her clothes. He got up and asked, "Are you really going to the hospital?" "I''m worried..." replied Luca. After all, Queenie was her biological mother. She got so upset that she ended up in the hospital. How could Luca not go? "But..." Luke uttered a simple syble and did not continue. If Luca did not intend to reveal the truth, Queenie would only get more upset when she saw her. Before Luke could finish his sentence, Luca understood what he meant. She med herself as she pursed her lips. After being with Luke for so long, she had grown ustomed to a sense of security in their rtionship. She had never thought that one day, their rtionship would be exposed. They had kept their rtionship under the wraps. That was why she had not really given much thought about it. It was a blend of hopeful optimism and getting caught up in it. After being separated from Luke for over three years, they were drawn back together. She could not bring herself to leave. Even though her rational side often grappled with her attachment, she ultimately chose to stay by his side and with their children. Over time, she began to disregard the risk of being exposed by the media. Despite being cautious, there would inevitablye a day when they would be discovered. Luca could almost predict Queenie''s reaction when he saw her. She said, "Perhaps I should wait by the hospital ward''s door. You can go inside and check on Mrs. Norman''s condition." "Okay," Luke did not refuse her, but a hint of disappointment shed across his eyes. Even after being exposed by the media, Luca still did not n toe clean about her identity. It seemed like stronger measures were needed. After a quick wash, Luca informed Rhett that she had some urgent matters to deal with and asked for a day off. She would not be returning to thepany today. If there were any work-rted issues, they could contact her through video calls. Rhett had already seen the news, but apetent assistant would not pry into his superior''s personal matters. After he replied to Luca that he would help her to ask for a leave, he did not inquire further. After ending the call, Luca and Luke headed downstairs. Aunt Neile had also seen the gossip news today. Her mouth was slightly open as she watched Luke and Lucae downstairs. However, she did not say anything. She had known about Luca being with Luke for a while, but seeing it in the newspaper still surprised her. She wondered why Luca had been so careless as to be photographed with Luke. However, she did notment on it. She pretended not to know and greeted them with a smile on her face, "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, breakfast is ready." "Aunt Neile, could you pack a few buns for us? We''ll have them in the car," Luke nced at the breakfast on the table and asked her to pack some buns. Queenie was at the hospital. He had to rush to the hospital to find out what was going on. Otherwise, Luca would be worried. "Sure." Aunt Neile nodded and packed two servings of buns. Then, she filled a thermos with milk, handing both bags to Luca. "Ms. Craw, remember to have your breakfast." "Okay. Thank you, Aunt Neile." Luca took the bags from her and walked out with Luke. Luke took the wheel, and Luca sat in the passenger seat. When they stopped at a red light, she handed him one of the buns. Luke took the opportunity to quickly take a few bites. Luca only managed to eat one bun. She did not have the appetite because of the gossip news and her concern for Queenie. Queenie had seen those reports. What about Wanda and Old Man Rayne... Luca frowned. She was so worried about Queenie that she almost forgot about that. She turned to Luke and said, "Shouldn''t we inform the two caretakers not to let Ms. Rayne and Old Man Rayne know about it..." "You can''t stop it. Just take things as theye," replied Luke. Now that newspapers had reported it, other media outlets would naturally rush to cover the story. TV news also had entertainment segments. Even if the caretakers tried to manipte the situation, there was no way topletely avoid it. Luca''s lips pursed even more tightly. Taking things as they came was something she could not ept. Her beloved family members were getting older, and their health was not the best. If they found out about Luke''s rtionship with her and how everyone was calling her a mistress, they would be furious for Bianca''s sake. That would affect their health. Chapter 2923 Luke arrived at the hospital. Both of them got out of the car wearing masks and caps. Luca could not believe that there woulde a day when she would have to disguise herself just like Luke. After all, her photo had been publicly posted on the forum. If she walked into the hospital now, she might attract attention and cause trouble for Luke. Before Luke got out of the car, he already found out about Queenie''s ward room number. They went upstairs and arrived at the door of the ward room. Luca stopped and said in a soft voice, "You go in first. I''ll wait here. If there''s anything I can help with, just call me^" Luca dared not to go inside. She was afraid that her presence might upset Queenie. Patients with blood pressure problems should not be subjected to any stress. "Alright, I''ll go in and see what''s going on," replied Luke. Then, he pushed the door open and entered the ward. Luca sat on a bench in the hospital corridor. Since it was a VIP floor, there were not many people passing by. Even though she was wearing a cap and a mask, she did not attract much attention. Many family members on this floor were also wearing caps and masks. After Luke entered the ward, he saw Jack standing up. "Dad," Luke greeted him and turned to look at the hospital bed. Queenie was not there. "Where¡¯s Mom?" "The nurse took her for a medical check-up. I knew you wereing, so I had the caretaker follow her. But why are you alone?" Jack did not see Luca and asked. He thought Luca woulde together with Luke. With this situation unfolding, should Luca not tell them the truth by now? That was what Jack thought. Thus, when Queenie saw the news reports about their rtionship, he did not reveal Luca¡¯s identity to her. It would be more meaningful for Luca to confess herself. After all, Queenie had been thinking about Bianca all this time. She believed Bianca was still abroad, simply refusing toe back. In fact, Bianca had been by her side all along, showing extra care for the two of them. ¡°She''s here, but she''s outside," Luke said in a hushed voice even though the hospital ward had good sound instion. He removed his mask and cap. Jack frowned. "Why is she outside? She doesn''t want toe in?" "She doesn''t know how to face Mom. She probably hasn''t thought about confessing yet." Luke turned around and nced back to make sure the door was closed before walking toward Jack. Jack could not help but wonder. He had lived for so many years. This was the first time he encountered such a situation. His biological daughter was right beside him, but she had changed her identity and refused to acknowledge them. Even in this situation, she still refused to reveal her true identity. Did they have to wait for something serious to happen to Queenie before Luca would disclose her true self? "Her mom is already upset, but she still refuses to speak up. How are we going to handle this situation? If shees back from the check-up and sees her, she''ll definitely be anxious. Should we tell her or not?" Jack was even more puzzled. He knew that Luca was hiding so many things because she had no choice, but this was a critical moment. Luca cared so much for her parents. She certainly did not want any problems to arise for them. However, if Queenie did not know the truth, she would definitely still be distressed. Jack did not want to witness such a scene. "Go ahead," said Luke as he took a document out of his briefcase. It was something he took from the study room before he left the house. It was the DNA test report on Luca and the children. It was the same one he had shown to Jack before. "Do you really want to tell her? Why don''t you do it?" Jack had no idea how to handle this matter. He could not understand what Luca was afraid of and why she was reluctant to acknowledge her family, especially at a time like this. Jack was eager to show her the evidence and force her to admit that she was Bianca. However, Luke disagreed with it. As a father, Jack wanted to reunite with his daughter, but he understood that only Luke could help Luca escape from the Ind of Despair. Hence, it was up to Luke to decide. "If we keep this from my wife, she''ll probably continue feeling distressed..." A rare hint of helplessness shed across Luke''s eyes. He did not know what the Ind of Despair was using to ckmail Luca. Despite everything that had happened, she was still unwilling to reveal her true identity. On the other hand, they could not keep Queenie in the dark for long. Prolonged high blood pressure could lead to dizziness and put too much strain on her organs. Even if Luca tried her best to help Queenie recover, it would be difficult. As children, they wished for their parents'' good health. Luke believed Luca felt the same. Otherwise, she would not be waiting outside at this moment. "Well, let''s tell her. But if Luca won''t speak up, how do you n to make her confess everything?" Jack felt that they needed to understand what the Ind of Despair was using to ckmail Luca. Otherwise, how could she refuse to recognize her husband, parents, and children? "We''ll need Mom''s cooperation, and if necessary, her aunt''s cooperation," Luke said with a hint of depth in his eyes. He did not want to scheme against Luca, but her uncooperative attitude was making it difficult for him to act in the future. If Luca cooperated, he could quickly gather more information about Ind of Despair and rescue her. "The Rayne family? That''s a good idea! But don''t trouble Old Man Rayne. I think Luca''s aunt can help," Jack agreed to involve Wanda, but he thought it would be best not to involve Old Man Rayne. His health was in poor condition, and getting him worried about Luca might make things worse. "Agreed." Luke nodded. "The check-up will take a while. Take a seat," Jack gestured to the sofa nearby. Luke sat down and sent a message to Luca: [Mom is not in the ward. The nurse took her for a check- up. I''m here waiting.] Luca, who was outside the ward, received Luke''s message and instinctively pulled her hat down a little before sitting in the chair opposite. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. She did not want Queenie to recognize her. It was to prevent her from getting more distressed. Inside the ward, Jack asked again, "So when Queenie finds out she''s actually Biancater and stops being anxious, how are you going to exin it to Luca?" "We can only say it was a misunderstanding. But Mom should still show suspicion and act as if that suspicion is making her feel worse," answered Luke. He did not want to scheme against Luca. However, it was frustrating to have his wife right beside him yet she was only able to be with him using a different identity. "Got it." Jack knew that Luke had thought it through and did not say anything more. Luke picked up his phone and sent a message to Jason. After a while, Jason replied: [Boss, there are reporters surrounding the office building now. Some of our employees were interviewed when they came to work, but rest assured, I''ve instructed them not to say anything. What''s the n from here?] Luke replied with three words: [Hold your ground.] Jason immediately responded: [Understood, Boss. When will you being to the office? We have a meeting scheduled this morning.] Chapter 2924 Luke replied: [I won''t be going to thepany this morning. Postpone the meeting to the afternoon.] Jason replied: [Okay. I''ve scheduled all the important arrangements for the afternoon, Boss. There are a few documents here that require your personal attention. I''ve already sent them to your email.] Before Luke could respond, the door of the ward room was pushed open. Luca, who sat opposite Queenie''s ward, watched Queenie get pushed back to her ward room by the caretaker. She could not help but lower her head, avoiding Queenie from seeing her. Queenie did not notice Luca. She was pushed into the ward and saw Luke. Just as her heart had finally calmed down a bit, it suddenly red up again. Despite her anger, she wore a cold expression on her face. "Mom." Luke rose to his feet. The ward room door was still notpletely closed. He saw Luca sitting across from the door and gave her a slight nod. A touch of sorrow shed across Queenie''s eyes. She did not respond. Instead, she said to the caretaker, "We shouldn''t air our family''s dirtyundry in public. Please close the door." "Okay." The caretaker was about to close the door, but Jack spoke up. "We have something to discuss. Please step out for a moment." "Yes, sir." The caretaker did not object and turned around to leave the ward. After closing the door behind her, she sat in a chair nearby. She noticed the person sitting across from her, who wore a mask and a cap. She could not see her face, but her figure looked familiar. The caretaker did not dwell on it as staring at someone for a long time was impolite. After a few nces, she shifted her gaze. Inside the ward room, Queenie stubbornly sat there after the door closed. Her eyes held a look of anger as she stared at Luke. Jack gave Luke''s shoulder a reassuring pat. Luke looked like a young man who had it all together. Then, he walked toward Queenie. "Queen, don''t be angry. Luke came here today to exin things to you." "Is there anything to exin? It''s all over the news, dear. You always said I was overthinking. What about now? He''s betrayed Bianca!" Queenie had a refined demeanor and did not engage in public altercations, but Luke''s actions had really left her feeling disheartened. She thought about Bianca, who was still overseas. Her personality had drastically changed due to amnesia... Luke, on the other hand, was causing trouble in A City. If Luke and Bianca had divorced, Queenie could still understand. After all, Bianca had lost her memory. As a result of that, her personality had undergone a significant transformation. She no longer recognized her own children, and she could not contribute anything of value to Luke. Divorce appeared to be the inevitable course of action. However, they had not divorced yet. Queenie still hoped that one day, Bianca could regain her memory and she would continue to live happily with Luke and their children. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. However, the news today shattered that hope. When she thought about how Luke had used the pretext of improving her health to bring Luca to Norman Residence and even let them share meals together... Queenie''s heart was in turmoil. She felt sorry for Bianca. She was the one who gave them so many opportunities. As Queenie recalled that she had once epted Luca''s goodwill, she felt extremely ufortable about it. She was grateful for Luca''s kindness, but at the same time, Luca was the person who destroyed her daughter''s marriage and dashed all her hopes! Caught in this emotional turmoil, Queenie suddenly felt distressed and fainted when she first learned of the news. "No, no." Jack, worried that she might get upset again, immediately spoke to her in a gentle tone. This tenderness was something he only showed when Queenie was not feeling well. "Luke didn''t betray Bianca," added Jack. Queenie''s eyes turned cold with a hint of disappointment. "Are you still defending him?!" She had suspected Luke''s rtionship with Luca back then, but Jack had consistently reassured her that there was nothing intimate going on between them. Thus, she believed him. Now, Queenie was leaning more toward believing everything that was reported in the newspapers. Something was going on between Luke and Luca, indeed. Luke knew that he could not allow Queenie''s unfounded suspicions to persist. Moreover, iming that the news outlets were spreading false stories would not resolve the situation at hand. He walked toward the hospital bed and handed her the documents. "Mom, take a look at this." Queenie thought that whatever Luke was trying to exin now was just to make her disbelieve the newspaper reports. She did not take the document from him. Luke was someone else''s son, and he betrayed her daughter. She did not have the energy to scold him anymore. Instead, she vented her anger on Jack, who was on the same side as Luke. ¡°Men are all the same, always backing each other up when things go wrong. Who¡¯s your actual daughter?" Jack felt unfairly med and took the document from Luke''s hand. He handed it to Queenie. "Queen, stop it. Take a look at the document first." Queenie''s cold eyesnded on the cover of the document. She was taken aback for a moment. Could it be as she had thought? "Mom, once you''ve gone through the document, you''ll understand why Dad said so," said Luke. In her stubborn moments, Queenie was just like Bianca. The simrities between mother and daughter seemed to be encoded in their genes even though Bianca grew up without Queenie''s influence. These simrities were striking. "Yes, listen to Luke. Take a look first," urged Jack, shoving the document into herp. Queenie opened the document but did not read the middle part. She knew exactly where to look for this kind of document, so she went straight to the conclusion at the end. When she saw the concluding statement, she was surprised that her jaw slightly dropped. "Is this true?" "Dad saw this document a long time ago," said Luke. Queenie turned to look at Jack. Jack knew what she was doubting. She might be suspecting that Luke fabricated the information to cate her. He exined, "I did go through the document, but I kept it from you for the sake of the bigger picture. "Now, with you getting upset over Luca''s situation, we couldn''t hide it any longer. That¡¯s why we decided to tell you." Then, Jack pointed at the QR code on the document. He added, ¡°Scan here and you¡¯ll be able to see that this information is on record. This proves that Luca is truly our daughter. "And this information wasn''t tested by Luke. It was our grandchildren who found something odd and secretly took a sample of Luca''s hair for testing." Queenie was rendered speechless. Her gaze fell on Luke, then she shifted her gaze to look at Jack. Luca was their daughter, Bianca... Luke had not been unfaithful all this time. He was together with Bianca, who had her appearance and identity changed... They had known it all along, but they kept her in the dark. After Queenie learned this, she waspletely engulfed byplex emotions. She muttered, "How could this happen...?" "Queen, we didn''t mean to keep you in the dark. Right now, Luca... or should I say, Bianca, has been keeping secrets from all of us. Plus, her situation is quite unfortunate, and we can''t reveal her true identity just yet. "That''s why we had to keep it from you," Jack exined in a hushed tone. He was genuinely concerned, as he knew that Queenie might feel anxious and upset when she found out that they had been keeping this from her. After all, treating Luca as a rival of her daughter, suppressing her feelings for Luca, and maintaining a distance had been a heavy burden on her... He knew that Queenie had been going through a tough timetely. Queenie¡¯s eyes reddened. She clutched the report tightly, crumpling the paper. "There must be a reason why you all kept it from me. Can you tell me now?" Chapter 2925 Luke and Jack exchanged nces. When Queenie saw their expressions, she became concerned that they were hiding something from her again. Thus, she deliberately wore a stern face and said, "Are you still not going to tell me? If that''s the case, I seriously doubt the authenticity of this DNA test report." As she spoke, she raised the DNA test report. Queenie believed that this report was real, especially after learning that Luca''s true identity was Bianca. It reminded her of the first time she met Luca. It was that familiar feeling she could not quite ce. Perhaps it was the emotional connection between a mother and her daughter. With these thoughts in mind, Queenie continued to gaze intently at Luke and Jack. Since Luca did not acknowledge them when she returned, there must be a reason for it. She might be facing some difficulties. Queenie knew that there were many things she could not change or help with. She needed to know the reasons why her daughter was suffering... Jack, who knew his wife well, knew that he could not keep this a secret any longer. He had no choice but to say, "Maybe we should just tell her. That way, she won''t have to keep guessing. We''ll still need her help for what lies ahead." Luke nodded and proceeded to reveal everything about Luca''s situation on the Ind of Despair. After Luke told her everything, he added, "I don''t know why Bianca is still insisting on keeping things hidden. There must be a reason, and we need to uncover it." They thought that Queenie being admitted to the hospital would make Luca speak the truth. Jack thought so too. That was why he informed Luke early in the morning. He did not expect Luca''s lips to remain tightly sealed. They had no idea what the Ind of Despair had over her. Queenie agreed and nodded in approval as she listened to him. She wanted to get to the bottom of this. She wanted to reunite her family. Queenie felt agonized knowing that her daughter was right in front of her, yet she was unable to acknowledge her. "Mom, I have another favor to ask of you," said Luke. Now that the truth had been revealed, he knew that Queenie would be willing to help for Luca''s sake. When Queenie found out that she could help, she immediately nodded and asked, "What do you need me to do?" "Could you please continue to stay at the hospital?" Luke paused for a moment and exined his n to Queenie in detail. Listening to him, she nodded and agreed. "Alright, I''ll stay at the hospital. Hopefully, we can get Bianca to speak about her difficulties." Luke nodded. He, too, wanted Luca to open up. It was the only way their family could be reunited. They were only resorting to this method out of necessity. ¡°How are you nning to handle this publicly?¡± Jack was curious about his ns and what Luke would say to the public. After all, Luke was still officially married to someone else. The public did not know that Luca was actually Bianca. Hence, Luke would still have to deal with the public''s reaction. Concerned that Luke might make a foolish move that would fuel public spection, Jack reminded him, "The bidding process is already underway. Besides the content of the bid being crucial, thepany''s image is equally important. I know you want Bianca to speak about her difficulties, but we can''t neglect the bidding. T Corporation''s reputation must be maintained." T Corporation''s image was closely tied to Luke''s own image. If his reputation as a loyal husband was tarnished at this moment, it could affect the bidding process. "Thank you for the reminder, Dad." Luke nodded. He did not n for this situation to escte any further. Making Luca admit she was Bianca did not depend on public opinion; it was about pressuring her through the people that mattered most to her. Queenie and Wanda would be enough. Luke had a feeling that when Queenie and Wanda got worked up about their situation, Luca would confess everything for the sake of her family''s well-being. "It''s gettingte. There are still matters to attend to at thepany, not to mention the issue with the media coverage. You''ll have to handle all of that. We''ll be fine here." Jack had his secretary arrange for him to take a leave of absence when Queenie was being taken to the hospital. After all, his wife''s health was more important to him. Now that Queenie also knew Luca''s true identity, she would not continue to feel distressed. Perhaps she could even return to work at the provincial government. Luke nodded and turned to look at Queenie. "I''ll leave this to you, Mom." "I''m used to being in the hospital. It''s no problem," Queenie replied with a smile on her face, feeling happy. Knowing that her daughter was Luca, she was in high spirits and even more determined to keep Luca away from that dreadful ce¡ªeven if it meant staying in the hospital longer. Luke nodded and said, "I''ll inform Johann as well." They had to go all out with the act. Queenie might be able to leave the hospital soon. Without Johann''s help, she had no excuse to continue to stay in the hospital. It would be quite a hassle if she pretended to be sick and stayed in the hospital, would it not? Hence, no matter how Luke looked at it, he needed Johann''s help. "Alright. You make the arrangements. Your mother and I will cooperate," said Jack. As he got older, his aspirations for political sess were not as high as they used to be in his younger days. Now, all he wanted was for Luca to return to them. He only wanted their daughter to be healthy and happy, and stay by their side. Luke nodded. After he sent a message to Johann, he left the hospital ward. The caretaker sat in a chair on the side of the ward room, while Luca sat on a chair opposite her. Luke put on his cap and mask. Then, he said to the caretaker, "We''re done talking. Take good care of her." The caretaker nodded and stood up, assuring him, "Mr. Crawford, rest assured. I''ll take good care of her." Then, the caretaker walked into the ward room. After Luke closed the door, he said to Luca, "Let''s go. I''ll drive you to the office." "Okay." Luca nodded. They walked in the direction of the elevator together. The two of them got into the elevator, reached the ground floor, and headed to the parking lot. After they got into the car, Luca asked, "How is Mrs. Norman doing?" "Not too good. Her blood pressure is high. She was lying on the hospital bed without saying a word after the check-up." Luke deliberately lowered his voice, making it sound even more somber. Luca''s heart skipped a beat. She wanted to say something. As she slightly opened her mouth, she could taste the bitterness in her mouth. What should she say? What could she do to make Queenie feel better? Luca had thought about these things, but now that Queenie had discovered the truth, she was at a loss for what to do... "Are both Mr. and Mrs. Norman upset?" asked Luca. "Yes," Luke replied without any expression on his face. He looked very serious.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. The fewer words he spoke, the more anxious Luca felt. She realized that the situation was not going to be easily resolved. She wanted to ask Luke if he could exin to them. However, the photos were right there. It would not be easy to fool the public, not to mention Jack and Queenie. Besides, Jack had served in the military and was now an important figure in politics. It was not easy to fool him. Her heart felt bitter as she looked at Luke''s determined side profile, which seemed even more serious than usual. Suddenly, she felt lost. What should they do? Jack, Queenie, Old Master Crawford, and Abel, who had been lurking in the background... They could all get worked up when they saw this news report. There was no doubt that Luke would stand in front of her while she stayed behind. Hence, it would not have much of an impact on her. How could she possibly leave Luke alone to face all the consequences at the forefront? Chapter 2926 "How''s Mrs. Norman doing? What did the doctor say?" asked Luca. She was caught off guard by this sudden piece of gossip news. Her once peaceful state of mind was shattered, leaving her with a buzzing brain. She did not know how to rify things. All she wanted now was for those who mattered to her to be safe and sound. "I just asked Johann. Her condition isn''t too good. She needs rest." Luke¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he told this white lie. Luca would certainly contact Johann to find out more about Queenie¡¯s condition. Luke had already informed Johann about that. When Luca asked about Queenie''s situation, they had to make her believe that it was not optimistic. Luca''s heart tightened, unsure if Luke was deliberately misleading her. However, she believed that Queenie¡¯s condition was really terrible. She felt helpless, never expecting that her selfishness would lead to Queenie falling ill... For a moment, Luca had the urge to reveal the truth and her real identity as Bianca. As she sat in the passenger seat, she clenched her fist. Upon loosening it, she tightened it again a few secondster. Luca was lost. When the thought of the gossip news crossed her mind, she asked, "What about the gossip news? What should we do about it?" "I might have to trouble you for a moment," Luke casted a sidelong nce at her. He could see that Luca was upset. His heart was torn, but he had to continue. "I¡¯ll hold a press conference to clear up this rumor." "Alright." Luca nodded. She knew that if Luke cleared things up on his side, she might have to deal with public opinion turning against her on her side. She would be treated unfairly. However, as long as the public, Queenie, as well as Wanda and the others, believed in her, she did not mind. Their safety was all that mattered. Others did not matter that much to her. It did not matter even if she had to suffer some injustice. As Luca thought about it, she asked Luke again, "What about Ms. Rayne." "She probably hasn''t seen the news yet. Other than my parents-inw, no one else has received any information," answered Luke. Luca let out a sigh of relief. They were still kept in the dark. It would give them more time to handle the situation. "T Corporation''s entrance is swarming with reporters now, and I assume it''s the same for Watson''s side. Don''t go downstairs for lunch today. Let your assistant bring it to you. When you leave work in the afternoon, exit from the parking lot," instructed Luke. Even though reporters might also surround the parking lot exit, it would be much safer to leave in a car without getting stopped. "Okay. Got it." It was not Luca''s first time being surrounded by reporters. She secretly let out a sneer. Even after all these years, it seemed like she had grown ustomed to this situation... Luke escorted Luca to Watson''s underground parking lot. After she got out of the car, she took the elevator back to her office floor. In the elevator, Luca encountered several of Watson''s employees. They greeted Luca respectfully when they saw her, but once they got inside the elevator, they sized her up. Then, they exchanged nces with their colleagues, having silent conversations about the gossip. Luca furrowed her brows, suppressing her difort. Previously, when she first joined thepany, she was also the topic of discussion for many people. After all, she was much younger and less experiencedpared to the other research professors. Someone like her was not supposed to be a research professor right from the start. However, Luca did be one, and she even led a team of research staff. Many found this situation perplexing, thinking that she must have relied on connections to get into the company. When they saw Luca''s appearance and learned that she had returned from Russia without any local connections, negativements started pouring in. They believed she must have some sort of rtionship with Luke to be a research professor. However,ter on, Luca silenced these critics with her research experiments. Eventually, nobody in the company discussed whether she had pulled strings or had an improper rtionship with Luke. However, now, with this piece of gossip news out, Luca found herself in the spotlight once again. She looked at those eyes that were constantly appraising her. She felt helpless. The elevator stopped at a certain floor, and the employees in the elevator got out. Luca pressed the close button, and the doors slowly shut. One of the employees, who was watching the numbers gradually go up as the elevator rose, could not help but let out a sigh. "That was really suffocating." "Aren''t you all into gossip? How could it be suffocating?" another employee teased. They ran into the star of the gossip news. It was a chance that even the reporters waiting outside could not even dream of. "Gossiping is one thing, but the tension was real. The look on Dr. Craw''s face seemed like she was ready to eat someone alive!" "Hah, I''ve been saying, she''s quite the actress, putting on that act. Who knows, maybe she was secretly hoping that the reporters would uncover her affair with Mr. Crawford?¡± "Exactly. No woman who''s involved with Mr. Crawford could pull off such a clean, innocent, and composed act. Maybe she wasn''t exposed by the reporters back then because Mr. Crawford was keeping it under wraps, not ready to go public. But now that it''s out there, Dr. Craw might have to vie with Mr. Crawford''s wife." "That''d be quite a spectacle, huh?" "Definitely. But I''m not sure if Dr. Craw can beat Mr. Crawford''s wife. I did some research. It turns out Mr. Crawford''s wife is Jack Norman''s daughter. Even if she''s gone off the deep end, she''s still Jack''s child. While Mr. Crawford is strong enough and doesn''t need to rely on anyone, he wouldn''t want to offend Jack over a mistress, would he..." "Oh, does that mean Dr, Craw might be abandoned?" "She deserves it, honestly. Why couldn''t she just stay single instead of being a mistress? She''s so attractive. There must be plenty of unmarried men out there, right? She just had to get involved with Mr. Crawford. Serves her right! Once Mr. Crawford clears things up, Jack might take action to get rid of her." "Ah, if that happens, it''s thepany that''ll suffer. They''ve just allocated funds for the research group. If Dr. Craw gets kicked out, that money would be wasted..." Even though they did not understand the research itself, they knew that the initial investment for research projects was substantial. If the research did not seed, that money would essentially be lost with no return. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. "We can''t do anything about that. Let''s just enjoy the spectacle here," one of the employees who had not spoken before said slowly. Then, she added, "It''s really annoying, though. Those reporters are swarming thepany entrance. The people involved won''t even show up there, but they''re all gathered there. I''m someone without a car, so it''s a hassle for me to get in and out of the office." "Yes. It''s useless to gather there. The people involved won''t show up, and we can''t really say anything. It''s really annoying." "Come on. There''s a show to watch here, and here you areining. Just be d there''s something interesting to watch." They exchanged nces with each other. Then, they noticed their manager who was not far away. They fell silent, no longer discussing Luca''s matter. Luca knew she would definitely be a topic of discussion among her colleagues, but she did not expect them toe up with so many interpretations. Chapter 2927 When the elevator reached the floor of her office, Luca walked out and noticed that the assistant''s office was empty. She clocked in before entering her office and putting on herb coat. Then, she entered theboratory. The researchers all looked up when they heard the door open. When they saw Luca, they were reminded of the news. However, because Luca was their immediate superior, they dared not bring up the topic. They were pretty much the only department in the entirepany to talk about Luca''s news the least. Plus, on the way to work today, many of them were osted by people from other departments or research teams. They were trying to get more information on Luca. However, they had professional ethics. No matter what other people asked, they told them nothing. ¡°Good morning, Dr. Craw," several researchers greeted her. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Good morning." Luca acted as if everything were normal. Then, she returned to her seat and began to work on her part of the experiment. Rhett sat opposite her before saying, "Dr. Craw, have you canceled your leave?" "Not yet. I didn''t see Ms. Stone on the way here," said Luca. Thepany had its own management system. If she asked for a leave, she would be granted one. However, if she returned before her leave ended, she would have to cancel the leave. The assistants were in charge of this system. Even if she clocked into work, her leave was not automatically canceled. When Rhett heard that, he said, "I''ll help you cancel it." After a few clicks on theptop next to him, he was done. Then, he went straight back to work. In theboratory, other than some small talk about work, no one said anything else. Luca was able to concentrate on her research better without being disturbed by hearing talk about the news reports. Half an hourter, Rhett nced at the time and reminded the other researchers, "It''s time for the meeting." Luca was stunned. Meeting? Why was she not aware there was a meeting? She looked at Rhett and shot him a questioning gaze. Then, Rhett exined, ¡°Dr. Craw, the new general manager just informed his assistant about this meeting." "Oh, let''s go, then." Luca nodded. A few days ago, Jason brought a man over, saying he was the company''s new general manager. She was aware of the new general manager but because she was busy with her research as well as Wanda''s and Sarah''s situation, she never got the chance to meet them. Plus, she usually went straight home after work, so she never stayed at the office for too long. "Dr. Craw, the research professors weren''t called to join the meeting," said Rhett. Although they did not mention the purpose of the meeting, Rhett could guess that it was probably to discuss Luke and Luca''s news. Thus, Luca did not need to be at this meeting. When Luca heard that, she gave a deadpan nod and sat back down to continue working. Then, the others left with Rhett. After leaving the office floor, a researcher said, "Good thing Dr. Craw didn''t insist on joining the meeting, or else the general manager would have nothing to talk about..." As if they could read each other''s minds, they knew exactly why the general manager called for this meeting. It was to tell them not to tell those reporters anything, and they had to obey if they wanted to keep their jobs. Even if they secretly told the reporters, Mr. Crawford might still find out in the end. Therefore, when others went to them for more information about Luca, they had to keep quiet. When a researcher from another team heard them, he immediately went up to them and asked, "Isn''t Dr. Craw on leave? Why is she back at work?" Rhett nced at them and said, "Well, the workload of our group''s research is pretty heavy, so Dr. Craw came back." The researcher rolled his eyes and pried again, "Is there anything unusual about Dr. Craw, though? Like, is she sad or depressed?" "If you''re so curious about Dr. Craw''s condition, why don''t you go ask her yourself?" another researcher interrupted after seeing how nosy he was. Today, there were rumors in thepany that Luca was only hired because of her rtionship with Luke. If not for what they had achieved with Luca, they might have thought that way. Besides, it was natural for a young, dirty-minded researcher to think that way. However, they had seen what Luca could do. Under Luca''s guidance, they had be the fastest team in the entirepany to produce results with their research. In front of the envious eyes of the other research teams, they even received a generous bonus. Therefore, even if Luke and Luca were having an affair, they would never doubt Luca''s abilities. The researcher pouted, unhappy with the other researcher''s tone, which sounded like he was defending Luca. She was just a woman who climbed up thedder by selling her body. What was there to defend? Even if Luca was capable, that did not mean that she did not sleep with Luke! If not for the sake of keeping his job, the researcher would have given the guy who interrupted him a good beating. The researchers were at the meeting, while Luca was busy in her office. Only after a long while did she stop to look at her phone. She was stopping herself from checking her phone, but after her surroundings grew quiet, she was reminded of the news. Luca opened the forum, and sure enough, the front page was still about her and Luke. When she scrolled down, there were reports about them as well. Many photos of her were revealed by people who posted them. Among them included photos taken during thepany team-building when she was on stage receiving an award and shaking Luke''s hand. It was a formal asion, but with a twist of words, the photo looked like she was flirting with Luke. Luca had never been at such a loss for words... She opened the first article and saw that the number of likes andments had doubled since this morning. Luca looked at the number ofments and realized that it had reached half the poption of A City. In other words, half of A City hadmented on this article. Of course, it was just an assumption. The article was not just spread around A City; it was spread throughout the whole country. Luke was a well-known entrepreneur in the country, and he had a reputation even in cities far away from A City. His every move would attract the media''s attention, let alone his having an affair. Luca read all thements cursing her, as well as thements cursing her and Luke together, but she was not too affected by them. She did not care what they said about her. She only cared about how her family would think of it. If they found out, they would feel sorry for the past her. At the thought of this matter affecting their health and putting Luke in a difficult situation, Luca intertwined her fingers together. She was in deep conflict. Should she really leave? Chapter 2928 Luca sighed and shook her head. She did not want to leave, but it was not up to her to decide anyway... As for confessing, Luca did not want to put Luke in danger, so she decided to continue observing for the time being. Confessing everything to Luke would be herst resort. He may not believe her, but she had many ways to prove that she was the real Bianca. This went on the entire day. All employees, whether from T Corporation or Watson Biopharmaceuticals, were given reminders by the management to not say anything to the media. If they were caught, they would be investigated and held legally responsible. Therefore, everyone was tight-lipped. The reporters did not see Luke or Luca enter or leave either. They had hustled the entire day for nothing. Thus, they could only continue specting with the information they had now. When Luke got off work, he did not go back home right away. Instead, he went to the hospital. This time, he went to Wanda''s ward. When Wanda saw hime in, she was not as enthusiastic as she was before. Instead, her face looked ice-cold. She had seen the news about Luke and Luca that morning. She wanted to call and ask, but Luke had always taken good care of the Rayne family despite Bianca''s illness and her being abroad for the past few years. She could not bring herself to do that. Although Bianca was raised by the Rayne family, she was not family by blood. Luke could choose topletely ignore the Rayne family, but he did not. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. After Bianca was kidnapped and sent back here, Luke was the first to help the Rayne family whenever something happened. Not only did he help out, but he even took care of the Rayne family''s basic needs. If it were not for Luke, she knew that it would be hard to provide Old Man Rayne with such a comfortable and worry-free life. Not to mention, she was hospitalized now. Without Luke''s help, she might have just given up treatment and worked day and night to give Old Man Rayne a good life. The thought of that made Wanda put down the phone. She had received too much from Luke, so she had no right to ask him about the rumors¡ªlet alone seek justice for Bianca... She was indebted to him, so how could she vent her anger in ce of Bianca? Wanda had been upset the entire day after not being able to bring herself to ask. Nothing could cheer her up, and she did not even eat much. Mrs. Lane, who was taking care of her, knew why. She had always thought that Luke and Luca''s rtionship was unusual, but they were her employers. Thus, she could not say anything. She never even brought it up to Wanda. Plus, Luca was always kind to Wanda. Her kindness was genuine, so it made it even harder for her to be nosy about them. Therefore, Mrs. Lane was not too surprised to see the scandal reports as she had already known about it. After seeing the news, she was just worried about how things were going to go after that. It was not like she could call Luke to ask, so she could onlyfort Wanda after seeing her upset. She said that she could ask Luca what was going on when she came to deliver soup. Wanda shook her head as Mrs. Lane''s words did not make her feel much better. That was because she knew that Luca would not show up at the hospital today. Besides, she would be too ashamed to see her again. Although being a mistress was a shameless thing to do, Wanda knew that Luca was not a shameless person. Once her rtionship with Luke got exposed, Luca would definitely be too embarrassed to face her. "Aunt Wanda." Luke saw Wanda looking at him with anger and disappointment, but his expression was calm. "You don''t have toe from now on, and you don''t have to bear my medical expenses too. After I''m discharged, I''ll take Old Man Rayne to the countryside," said Wanda. Since he was already with another woman, Bianca had nothing to do with him. Since he was no longer standing by Bianca''s side, as her aunt, she should not be so shameless to enjoy such treatment. "Can you please give us a moment?" Luke said to Mrs. Lane. "I''ll go buy food." When Mrs. Lane saw that Luke came instead of Luca, she knew that Luca would not be bringing soup for Wanda today. In the past, she would wait for Luca to deliver soup before going to buy food. Luca''s soup had ingredients that would increase one''s appetite, so Wanda would have cravings after drinking it. Only then would Mrs. Lane buy the food she was craving. Now, Wanda would have no appetite to eat no matter what she bought. Mrs. Lane walked out of the ward and closed the door before Luke took off his hat. When he got out of the car, he wore a hat and a mask. Only after reaching the VIP floor did he take off his mask. Wanda was looking for the slightest trace of regret on Luke''s face, but she was disappointed to see nothing. Luke did not think he had done anything wrong, so he must not havee here to apologize. He was the one who betrayed Bianca, though... Wanda had experienced failed marriages before, so she understood that promising to love only one person for the rest of one''s life was fake. No matter how good the rtionship was, couples would end up in divorce one day. Not to mention, Luke and Bianca were in two different ces. She would understand if Luke had fallen in love with Luca after he divorced Bianca. Luke would be single then, so he could choose anyone he wanted. However, Luke got together with Luca before he divorced Bianca. This was adultery! Wanda wanted to use him, but Luke had always taken care of their family like they were his own. The thought of that made her change her mind, so she just stared at him. Luke knew what she was thinking. He handed Wanda a document. ¡°Aunt Wanda, take a look at this." Wanda did not want to, but when she saw the cover, she took it anyway. She knew what this was, so she skipped straight to thest line. After seeing the result, like Queenie, her face turned nk before showing shock. Then, she looked up at Luke. "Luca is Bianca, my wife and the mother of my children. Rainie and the others secretly took Luca''s hair and did this DNA test when they grew suspicious," said Luke. When Wanda saw the date, she realized that it had been quite a while. That was probably when she first met Luca. The reason why Luke and the children had been so close to Luca was because they knew that she was Bianca. Everything started to make sense. Wanda was reminded of when Bianca lost her memory and developed a crazy temper. Both of them seemed to have appeared around the same time. Only after that did Bianca go abroad. "What happened to the old Bianca?" Wanda felt a buzzing sensation in her brain. She could not comprehend all this information at once. Her mind was a mess as if her thoughts were trapped in a huge spider web. Wanda looked at Luke, hoping that he could clear up all her doubts. Chapter 2929 "Tha Bianca you knew was fake. A terrorist organization that kidnapped Bianca found a woman with a simr appearance and made her undergo stic surgery to create an impostor Bianca. "At the same time, when the DNA test was done, they swapped the DNA sample with Bianca''s real blood. There''s already evidence of this in the hospital, but it hasn''t been made public. That''s why you''ve been in the dark all this time," Luke exined to her. Wanda took a deep breath, not expecting it to be like this. It turned out that Bianca had been kidnapped by a terrorist organization. The person who looked like Bianca was not the real Biance, while the one who did not look like Bianca but cared about their family was the real Bianca... Wanda closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and looked at Luke. "She''s been using a different identity while being around you and the kids?" asked Wanda, realizing how aggrieved Luca must feel. Not only could she not be herself, but she had to interact with her husband and children using a different identity. Wanda could not help but feel sorry for her. Luke nodded. "Even now, Luca hasn''t been honest with me about her true identity. The organization that kidnapped her has been manipting her all this while, and I still don''t know how they''re doing it." His tone carried a sense of frustration. If only Luca could be honest and cooperate with them... However, she chose not to. "Poor Bianca! How much suffering has she endured..." Wanda held her chest. It broke her heart at the thought of how Luca had spent over three years with that organization. She had endured so much and underwent such a dramatic change in her personality. Wanda wished for Bianca''s happiness more than anyone else. However, now Luke was telling her that Bianca had endured a lot during those three years. Even aftering back, she was not in control of her own life. She was still being manipted by that organization. Wanda''s heart ached. Bianca was such a good child. Wanda could not understand why she had to go through this! "Aunt Wanda, the Ind of Despair must be using something to manipte Luca. I need to know what it is. Otherwise, she wouldn''t be obeying their instructions like this." There was a deep, murderous look in Luke''s eyes when he mentioned the Ind of Despair. Wanda nodded. "We must help her break free from that organization. She''s such a good child, yet she suffered so much there..." She thought about how Bianca had known nothing about medicine before yet had achieved so much in the field of medicine now. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. It must have been what she learned during those years. A medical school student usually took five years to graduate with a Bachelor''s degree, and there were various internships they had toplete before bing a full-fledged doctor. However, Luca aplished everything in just over three years... It seemed like her experience on the ind must have been incredibly tough and exhausting... "That''s why I need your help," Luke stated his purpose. Wanda blinked her eyes. "What do I need to do?" Luke leaned closer to the hospital bed, took the report from Wanda''s hand, and whispered something to her. Wanda nodded in agreement, then she turned to look at him. "Is this really going to work?" "Yes, trust me. I want Luca to be free and back with me and the kids more than anyone else," replied Luke. Even though Luca was with him and the kids now, it did not feel secure. As long as that organization had something that could manipte Luca, she could disappear from their lives anytime. Now that the gossip about him and Luca had be sensational news, he believed that the Ind of Despair had noticed it. He did not know what they might be nning. So, he needed to expedite things. The person he loved the most had returned to his side. He could not afford to lose her again! Wanda saw how determined Luke was and nodded. "Okay, I promise to help you. But let''s try not to disturb my dad." "Agreed," Luke concurred. Old Man Rayne was still in the hospital. It would be best not to agitate him. Plus, Wanda had no idea about it either. Luke needed to manage both sides of this situation carefully. "Aunt Wanda, I''ll head back now. Please have the caretaker call me around ten tonight," Luke said cautiously as he put the DNA test report into a briefcase. He added, "Make sure the caretaker doesn''t find out about this." "Alright," replied Wanda. From what Luke had just said, Wanda understood the kind of organization that was controlling Luca. Hence, she dared not to tell anyone about it. After giving all the instructions, Luke left the hospital ward. Mrs. Lane had already bought dinner and was waiting not far away. When she saw Lukeing out, she walked over, nodded at him, and then returned to the ward. The moment she entered the ward, she noticed the gloom on Wanda''s face. "Ah, Ms. Rayne, let''s have dinner first." Mrs. Lane thought that Wanda''s expression was due to her dissatisfaction with Luke''s infidelity. She had no choice but to change the subject. After all, she could not say anything more. Wanda got out of bed and nced at the meal Mrs. Lane brought. After a moment, she shook her head and said, "You can have it. I''m not hungry." "That won''t do. You didn''t eat in the morning and had a small lunch. You should have something for dinner,¡± advised Mrs. Lane. Wanda let out a sigh. "I don''t have the appetite for it." Earlier, it was because of the gossip about Luke and Luca that made her lose her appetite. Now, it was because she had learned about all the hardships Bianca had endured in the past. She could not help but feel heartbroken. Mrs. Lane had no choice but to close the meal container. "In that case, let''s wait a bit. If you get hungry later, I can heat up the meal for you." "Okay," replied Wanda. Her mind was filled with thoughts of the report Luke had handed her. She did not doubt the authenticity of the report. After all, if Luke had truly been unfaithful, judging from his proud personality, he would not bother exining or fabricating things to deceive her. He was the type to own up to his actions. Luca was indeed the real Bianca. On the other hand... After Luke left the hospital, he did not rush home. Instead, he headed to Crawford Manor. He felt that his efforts might not be sufficient with only Queenie and Wanda''s help. That was why he needed Old Master Crawford''s help as well. Old Master Crawford already knew that Luca was Bianca. Therefore, he readily agreed to help when Luke asked for his assistance. After the grandfather and grandson reached an agreement, Old Master Crawford asked, "It''s crucial for Luca to admit that her true identity is Bianca, but it''s also essential to salvage your public image. Are you already handling the matter?" "I''m already taking care of it." Luke nodded. "Did you release these news articles, then?" asked Old Master Crawford, thinking it might be Luke''s way of pressuring Luca to admit her true identity. However, Luke shook his head and replied, "No." "No?" Old Master Crawford was surprised. Then, he asked again, "It really wasn''t you who arranged for this?" "It was Percy''s mother, Karen Ruiz," answered Luke. Old Master Crawford was once again taken back. His brows furrowed with disgust. "That woman actually did something like this?" Chapter 2930 "She''s been getting a detective to tail Luca." Luke''s expression turned cold. If it were not for the fact that he needed Karen''s assistance this time, he would have acted already. "This woman, always stirring up trouble, just like..." Old Master Crawford paused for a moment. He initially wanted to say she was just like Allison Tanner. However, Old Master Crawford eventually did not say it. Allison was Luke''s mother, after all. It was inappropriate to speak ill of her in front of him. Previously, Luke had been troubled by Allison''s affairs. Old Master Crawford even envied Old Master Mallory for having a good daughter-inw. Karen used to be a capable woman. She had a hand in managing Mallory Corporation. However, it seemed like Karen was heading farther down a self-destructive path now. If Luke were to really confront her, the two of them would already be sitting in Mallory Manor''s living room by now. "Forget it. It''ll be fine as long as you can handle this matter. Matters of the heart are important, but the company''s affairs are important as well. You''ve been managing thepany for all these years, putting in a lot of effort. It''s important to give it due attention." Even though Old Master Crawford felt sorry for Luke''s bumpy romantic journey, Luke also had a conglomerate to lead. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. However, he believed that Luke could handle it well. The most difficult time was when Bianca got kidnapped. Luke did not neglect thepany''s management even during his search for Luca. He managed both without dy. "Yes," Luke understood what Master Crawford meant. If Luke did not manage T Corporation, thousands or even tens of thousands of people would lose their jobs due to his negligence. This was no longer just a matter of the Crawford family alone. It concerned many families. Hence, while dealing with Luca''s situation, he also had to manage thepany. "By the way, have you heard any news about your mother?" asked Old Master Crawford. Luke nodded. He had been keeping himself updated on Allison''s situation in Seoul through the interpreter he had arranged for her. Allison had undergone surgery. The wrinkles on her face had slightly improved, but she still looked different from a normal person. Allison refused to ept the result and nned to undergo a second stic surgery in Seoul. "Is she still receiving treatment in Seoul?" asked Old Master Crawford. Thinking about how Allison had never helped Luke with anything in his life but instead caused trouble, he now regretted his decision. He should not have let her step into the Crawford family. Previously, considering the circumstances of the Crawford family and the social environment, Old Master Crawford could have taken Luke back to raise him. He could have let Allison continue her life outside without any ties to the Crawford family. At that time, he was soft-hearted and also thought that Susan would not ept Luke. If Alison was not with her child, the child might truly suffer. Moreover, a child needed a mother''s care. Considering all these factors, he eventually agreed to let Allison join the Crawford family. Little did he know that Allison would only cause trouble for Luke and make no contributions. "Yes, she''s going for a second surgery." Luke nodded. He could afford the cost of the surgery. If it were not for Allison causing so much trouble when she returned previously, Luke would not have been so strict with her finances. As long as she was willing to stay in Seoul for treatment and note back to disturb the Crawford family, he did not mind spending a little extra money. ¡°Alright, it''s a critical period for you now as well. Staying abroad will keep her from causing more trouble for you," said Old Master Crawford. Despite being family for decades, he refused to face Allison''s terrifying face every day. Old Master Crawford then asked, "By the way, is the government preparing for the bidding process?" Even though he was not involved in business matters, he was keeping an eye on some of the city''s economic development ns. He knew about the suburban development. "Yes, we''re getting ready to start." Luke nodded, not hiding anything. "I''ll make sure to handle the gossip news before the announcement is made." "Good. That''s the way to do it to avoid any issues," replied Old Master Crawford. After all, no one knew that Luca''s true identity was Bianca. If Luke admitted that there was something going on between him and Luca, and if the relevant department chose T Corporation''s bid, they might offend Jack. This could lead to some consequences. As the grandfather and grandson were chatting, Mr. Griffin, who was outside the study, suddenly knocked on the door. He said, "Old Master Crawford, Madam is back and says she''d like to have a word with you." Susan strongly resisted the idea of there being two wives in the Crawford family. Hence, when Allison was not at home, the butler and the maids had to address Susan as ''Madam'' rather than ''Madam Susan''. Old Master Crawford furrowed his brows unhappily when he heard Susan hade home. "Didn''t she juste back over the weekend? What''s she doing back now?" Even though Mr. Griffin mentioned that she had something to discuss with Old Master Crawford, he did not expect anything positive toe out of it. He shot a nce at Luke. Luke rose to his feet and said, "Grandpa, it''s gettingte. I should head back." "Stay for dinner," Old Master Crawford did not ask but stated. Luke had no choice but to agree to stay for dinner. The grandfather and grandson exited the study one after the other. Old Master Crawford asked Mr. Griffin, "Where is she?" "Madam is in the downstairs living room," replied Mr. Griffin. Old Master Crawford impatiently remarked, "Such a busybody. Shees back for any reason she can find. She''s moved out, but she still brings so much trouble." Mr. Griffin lowered his head and remained silent. Old Master Crawford did not like it when it was noisy and loud. Why should the house be so crowded and noisy when it was not even a special asion or holiday? Moreover, Susan''s return did not bring any excitement. Old Master Crawford instructed, "Inform the kitchen to prepare dinner." "Yes, Old Master Crawford." Mr. Griffin nodded, then turned to look at Luke. "Master Luke, will you be dining here tonight as well?" "Yes, I''ll have dinner with Grandpa,¡± replied Luke. He realized that he had been so busytely and had not spent much time at Crawford Manor, let alone having meals with Old Master Crawford. "Even though you''ve moved out, both you and Louis shoulde back more often to have meals with me." Old Master Crawford sighed as he made his way downstairs. He treated both his grandsons equally and hoped they would spend more time with him. As for his two daughters-inw... His attitude toward both of them was pretty much the same. He just hoped these two daughters-inw would bother him a little less. Susan was in the living room and overheard what Old Master Crawford had said. If the old master had not also mentioned Louis, she would have certainly been displeased again. When she saw Old Master Crawfording downstairs, she stood up with a cheerful smile and said, "Father, I''m back." "You were here just this weekend. What brings you back again? Isn''t it inappropriate to leave Thea alone at home at this time?" Old Master Crawford did not have a particrly warm attitude toward her. In fact, there was even a hint of disapproval. Susan lowered her gaze. A trace of resentment shed across her eyes. Did he think she enjoyed running back and forth like this? If it were not for the maid from Crawford Manor informing her that Luke hade over, she would not have rushed back like this. "Father, I just wanted to chat with you. That''s why I came back. Besides, Thea has a nanny looking after her, and Yuri finished work early today..." As she looked up, the dark cloud in her eyes had already faded away. Chapter 2931 After all these years in the Crawford family, Susan had be quite skilled at wearing such a mask. She added, "Didn''t something unpleasant happen today? I thought I''de back to keep you company." Old Master Crawford could not be bothered to expose her. Her hurried return clearly indicated that she had learned about Luke''s return from someone''s lips. Otherwise, it would not have been such a coincidence. "What''s there to chat about? Let''s eat first." The old master''s tone was not good. He initially nned to discuss thepany''s development with Luke again but did not expect her to return. Her arrival had interrupted their conversation. Old Master Crawford hated being disturbed by unrted people and matters when he was in a business discussion¡ªunless it was an extremely urgent matter. Otherwise, no matter who disrupted him, the result would be the same. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Susan opened her mouth, but Mr. Griffin''s voice sounded. "Old Master Crawford, Madam, Master Luke, dinner is ready." Susan''s face immediately darkened, annoyed that her words were interrupted before she could speak. She red at Mr. Griffin. Mr. Griffin had long grown ustomed to Susan''s habit of giving him stern looks. He kept his smile on his face, unaffected by her warning gaze. "Let''s have dinner first," said Old Master Crawford, understanding that Susan did not have a proper reason for her return. Luke remained silent and followed Old Master Crawford to the dining room. Susan watched the two of them as they walked away. She stopped Mr. Griffin. "There''s something I''d like to ask." Mr. Griffin halted and watched the two of them for several seconds from behind before turning to Susan. His head was slightly lowered. "Madam, how can I help you?" "Were the old master and Luke in the study just now?" asked Susan. Even though she had already inquired with the maid, she wanted to confirm with the butler. Mr. Griffin nodded. "Yes, Old Master Crawford and Master Luke were in the study discussing matters." "What did they talk about?" Susan blurted out without thinking. Mr. Griffin smiled apologetically and reminded Susan, ¡°Old Master Crawford always closes the door when he''s talking to someone.¡± Susan knew it perfectly well, but her impatience to find out what Old Master Crawford and Luke had talked aboutpelled her to ask a question the butler could not possibly answer. She paused for a moment, then asked, "Did you hear Old Master Crawford scolding anyone?" Although the study had excellent sound instion, if Old Master Crawford was scolding someone, Mr. Griffin, who was standing outside, would certainly have heard it. Susan had read the gossip news about Luke. Hence, she wanted to add fuel to the fire in the hope that Old Master Crawford would be thoroughly disappointed in him. That was why she rushed back to the manor as soon as she found out Luke had returned. Mr. Griffin shook his head. "I didn''t hear any loud noises from inside the study." In other words, Old Master Crawford did not scold Luke. Susan furrowed her brows in suspicion. "Really? Don''t try to fool me. Even though I''ve moved out, I''m still thedy of the Crawford family. I still oversee you!" Mr. Griffin felt helpless as he listened to her threats. He could not help but think that even though she had moved out, she still wanted to hold onto the things in Crawford Manor. "Madam, I was standing outside the study. I really didn''t hear any loud noises inside," replied Mr. Griffin helplessly. Susan had no choice but to give up. "Hmph, such rumors are being spread, yet Old Master doesn''t care. He''s really..." She did not finish the sentence as she was about to say the old master was showing favoritism. Although Mr. Griffin would not tattle on her on Old Master Crawford, she did not want to take that risk either. "Madam, let''s have dinner first," Mr. Griffin, aware of her thoughts, advised her in a hushed tone. Susan let out a cold snort and walked toward the dining room. Old Master Crawford and Luke were already seated at the dining table, while the cook was serving the dishes one by one. Old Master Crawford expressed his displeasure for Susan''ste arrival. "If you don''t want to eat, then don''t sit down. You showed upte for dinner. Do you need an invitation from everyone in this house to get you toe?" Susan knew the old master was unhappy that she came inte. Crawford Manor had many rules, especially for someone in her position as a daughter-inw... She exined, "Father, I had a brief chat with Mr. Griffin, which made mee inte. Besides, all the dishes haven''t even been served yet." Ignoring her exnation, Old Master Crawford picked up his cup and took a sip of warm water to cleanse his pte. "What''s there to talk about? If it''s about me, wouldn''t it be better to ask me?" Susan''s face darkened. Old Master Crawford seemed to know everything. However, there was a saying that went, ''It would be wise to keep cards close to one''s chest.'' Yet, Old Master Crawford seemed determined to expose all her thoughts, making her lose face in front of Luke. Old Master Crawford could both grant and take away dignity from everyone in Crawford Manor. His words held significant authority in this house. Susan was well aware of this, but she also felt a sense of resistance. She thought that Old Master Crawford was the one who showed her least respect here. The cook brought all the dishes to the table and said, "Old Master Crawford, Madam, Master Luke, all the dishes are ready. Please enjoy your meal." Susan waited for Old Master Crawford to pick up his cutlery before doing the same. She dug in. During dinner, she remained silent, fearing that anything she said might displease Old Master Crawford. At the same time, Old Master Crawford and Luke remained silent as they finished their meal. The dining table was rtively quiet. After the meal, Mr. Griffin brought a cup of tea that aided in digestion to Old Master Crawford. Susan cast a nce at Luke''s cold expression, then at Old Master Crawford. Her eyes darted around as she contemted her words for a while. She said slowly, "Luke, I saw the news today." Luke''s expression remained calm as water. He did not seem particrly surprised by her sudden remark and merely responded nomittally, "Okay." Susan saw his calm reaction. It was as though he was not the subject of the gossip news. She could not help but turn to look at Old Master Crawford. Then, she continued speaking in the manner of an elder, "Now that your mother isn''t here, as your other mother, there are some things I must address. I understand that since Bianca has been abroad for so long, you must need a woman to apany and take care of you. "But, as the CEO of T Corporation, shouldn''t you consider thepany''s image in your actions? "Father entrusted thepany to you so that you would manage it diligently, not so that it would be tarnished by a woman. The way the news is being reported is quite embarrassing. How do you intend to handle it?" Luke lifted his head and nced at her. Then, he turned to look at Old Master Crawford. "Grandpa, I shall head back first." "Off you go. It''ste. Be careful on the road," replied Old Master Crawford, seemingly ignoring Susan''s words. Susan was exasperated by the reactions of the two of them. "Father, I know you dote on Luke, but can''t you take this gossip news seriously? Otherwise, it''s the Crawford family that''ll get into trouble!" Before either of them could respond, she continued, "Being unfaithful to their wives seems to be in the genes of the men in the Crawford family. Look at what happened to Zach. He''s a prime example. Father, you really need to keep an eye on Luke!" Mentioning Zachary''s name made Old Master Crawford''s face turn gloomy. Zachary''s unfaithfulness had yed a role in his demise. Even so, Susan had no right to say something like that. Old Master Crawford''s eyes were filled with anger as he red at her. "That''s enough. Mind your own business." Chapter 2932 Susan pretended to be aggrieved as she bit her lip. "Father, Luke''s affair has already started to affect the Crawford family. I can''t just stand by and watch. Besides, he hasn''t even divorced Bianca... "Bianca has a vtile personality. If this matter goes international, she might decide to return to the country. Our family hasn''t had peace for even two days. We must handle this matter properly. And also, the Norman family..." Susan met the increasingly gloomy gaze of Old Master Crawford and paused for a moment. Then, she said, "I''m doing all of this for the sake of the Crawford family." "Mother, what do you think I should do?" As Luke watched Susan pretending to be anxious, he wore a cold and indifferent expression on his face. "Well..." Susan hesitated, not expecting Luke to actually ask for her opinion. She pretended to ponder for a moment before continuing, "No matter what, there''s still the Norman family supporting Bianca. You should apologize to the Norman family. "You must understand their influence. If they get upset, they''ll put financial pressure on T Corporation. So, you must apologize sincerely and hold a press conference..." "That''s enough," Old Master Crawford interrupted, refusing to hear Susan''s insincere suggestions. He knew well that Susan was the type that liked to ignite chaos. She just wanted Luke to let the situation worsen. Susan''s mouth opened but then closed awkwardly. Old Master Crawford''s support for Luke was irksome to her. It reminded her when Louis was not married yet. He was a bit yful but never got into any trouble. Even so, Old Master Crawford scolded him anyway. He even brought her into it as his mother. Now that Luke''s affair was exposed by the media, instead of scolding him, Old Master Crawford was displeased with her after she just said a few words. Susan wanted to say that Old Master Crawford was showing favoritism, but she knew better than to voice that thought. It would only lead to another scolding. "I''m only thinking about what''s best for Luke. We all know what that woman, Luca, is like. But things are different now. Not only do we know about the affair, but the press knows about it too. We need to take this matter seriously," Susan emphasized her good intentions. Luke slightly nodded. His eyes showed impatience. "I''ll handle this matter." Susan looked at the two men in front of her. The old master appeared angry, and that anger seemed to be directed at her. Meanwhile, the young man wore a cold, indifferent expression as if the situation was not a big deal at all. She stamped her foot in frustration. "Forget it, Luke. You can think of me as a meddling mother. I can''t control the foolish things young people do. Even if your mother were toe back, she wouldn''t be able to either." Susan did not give Luke a chance to reply and turned to Old Master Crawford. "Father, I''ll go back now. Thea is waiting for me at home." "Since you know Thea is waiting for you at home, don''te to Crawford Manor if there''s nothing urgent. It''s not good to leave the child at home alone. The doctor also said that as a grandmother, you should spend more time with the child," said Old Master Crawford. He lifted his eyelids, but he was not looking at her. He could not be bothered with his daughter-inw, who seemed to thrive on chaos. Louis had hired a child psychologist to conduct a psychological assessment on Thea. The expert had pointed out some issues with the child''s psychology and rmended that her parents and elders should lovingly apany and care for the child. Otherwise, she would be increasingly withdrawn. Old Master Crawford was aware of this matter as well. Susan hesitated for a moment, unable to express her thoughts. In the end, she left the topic concerning Luke where it was. "I''ll go upstairs to get something before heading back." Then, she turned around and headed upstairs. Luke noticed that it was gettingte. He still had work to do when he got back. Hence, he said to Old Master Crawford, "Grandpa, I''ll go back now." "Okay. You need to resolve this matter as soon as possible," replied Old Master Crawford. He knew that Luke had already sought help from the Norman family and Wanda to force Luca to admit her true identity. However, there were still rifications to be made to the public. "Yes. I should be able to resolve it by tomorrow," said Luke. Jason and Gale were already working on it. The news about him and Luca would be removed from the headlines by tomorrow. "Also, we need to fade this memory from the public''s mind as soon as possible," reminded Old Master Crawford. Even if they rified the situation, if the public continued to discuss it, it would not be good for the Crawford family and T Corporation. "I have another juicy piece of gossip ready," said Luke. To fade the memory from the public''s mind, they needed to expose a piece of even more sensational news. Did Karen not want him to be famous? In that case, he would provide her with another piece of news. This matter would only affect Karen but not the Mallory family. Therefore, it would not impact his rtionship with Percy. If Karen''s news was not scandalous enough, he still had several celebrity scandals in his hands that had not been exposed yet. These news were not collected by him but by a newspaperpany under T Corporation. The only reason he had not released them was that the involved celebrities were quite high-profile, and they had endorsement deals with apany under the Mallory family. That was why he had temporarily held off on publishing those stories. Old Master Crawford knew that Luke would handle things well, so he nodded and waved his hand. He indicated that Luke could go home. After Luke left Crawford Manor, he noticed a ck sedan was following him while he was driving on the road. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Luke realized that their tracking skills were not very sophisticated, so he knew the people following him were not highly skilled. As a result, he did not immediately try to shake the car off but let it follow him. The ck sedan continued to tail him until it stopped near the entrance of his residential area. Luke parked his car in a temporary parking spot, got out of the car, and approached the sedan. The two people inside the ck sedan were flustered when they saw Luke walking toward them. The reporter in the driver''s seat, who was holding a DSLR camera, asked, "Did he notice us?" "He''s been trained. It''s normal for him to notice us," replied the reporter in the passenger seat. As they watched Lukeing closer, he asked. "Should we drive away now?" "It''s toote..." The reporter in the passenger seat watched as Luke approached them from a distance. He eventually came to a halt just outside the driver''s side of the door. Luke knocked on the car window, signaling them to roll it down. "Well, we''re dead. But he won''t actually harm us." The reporter in the driver''s seat bit the bullet and lowered the window. "Mr. Crawford, it''ste. Is there anything we can do for you?" Despite the friendly demeanor of the reporter, Luke did not show any hint of a smile. He nced at the camera in the reporter''s hands and asked, "Why are you following me at such ate hour? Which newspaperpany are you from?" The reporter in the passenger seat only realized now that he was still holding the camera. He could not help but feel regret. He should have hidden it so that Luke would not see it. Incidents where celebrities smashed reporters'' cameras happened almost every other day. He was worried that his camera might end up in pieces. He had not even gotten any juicy exclusives. The two reporters exchanged nces with each other. Was it still possible to drive away at this point? "Which one?" Luke''s tone was calm, but his presence was imposing. Chapter 2933 The two reporters in the car could feel a shiver run down their spines as an eerie chill swept over them. The reporter in the passenger seat could not resist the pressure and blurted out, "We''re from Green Apple Daily." Luke narrowed his eyes. Green Apple Daily? They had practically delivered themselves to him. There was no need for him to go looking for them now. That worked out nicely... "So, was the article about me first released by yourpany?" asked Luke straightforwardly, casually resting his hand on the car window. There was no way the reporters had the guts to roll up the window now. "Yes..." admitted the reporter in the passenger seat, unable to withstand the pressure. The driver shot him a re. The news was published by several news mediapanies simultaneously. How could he admit to it? Was he a fool? This was not the time to admit it. He should have pushed the me onto theirpetitors, no? The reporter in the passenger seat met the driver''s gaze and realized he had made a mistake by admitting it. He quickly turned to Luke. "Actually, many news agencies published it simultaneously. It''s not just ourpany." "Did you write the article?" Luke ignored the exnation and questioned the two of them. Typically, news mediapanies operated this way. The reporters who reported on a story would follow up on rted developments. The reporter in the driver''s seat nodded, looking like he was about to face his doom. "Yes, we wrote it. Everything we wrote was based on information from insiders, and it''s all well-founded. We won''t falsely use anyone." "We won''t reveal the identity of our sources either!" added the reporter in the passenger seat. Even though they were afraid, they had professional integrity. Luke frowned. This made the two reporters hold their breath even more. "I''m not interested in the person who gave you the information," replied Luke, not wanting to coax anything more from the reporters regarding that matter. That information was something that could easily be traced. "I just want you to ry a message to your source." "W-What?" The reporter in the driver''s seat stammered. "Tell her to pay attention to tomorrow''s news." Luke stood up straight right after he said that. Just as the two reporters were about to let out a sigh of relief, they heard Luke saying, "Stop following me. Even if you follow me a thousand times, you won''t get what you want with false reports. Don''t waste your time." The two reporters watched as Luke returned to his car and drove into the residential area. They still looked dazed, trying to process what Luke had just said. Was he denying the rumors about him and Luca? Also, did he mean there would be major news tomorrow? "Does he mean that there''ll be big news tomorrow?" mumbled the reporter in the passenger seat. He was a photographer, and it was the driver who handled the writing. He asked what Luke meant. The reporter in the driver''s seat was also puzzled. "How would I know?" "Well, if there''s big news, maybe we shouldn''t sleep tonight. We might even get a secondhand report..." The reporter in the passenger seat''s eyes lit up. They needed more news to fatten up their bonuses. "I don''t think that''s it. I suspect he wants to deny the rumors about Luca. So, maybe a newspany will issue a rification statement tomorrow," spected the reporter in the driver''s seat. It should be like that. After all, when celebrities faced rumors, they either openly admitted to their romantic rtionships or immediately issued statements denying them. "Perhaps..." The reporter in the passenger seat spected further, saying, "But if he issues a statement tomorrow, won''t it be toote? To be honest, big shots like Luke Crawford have top-notch PR teams in hispany. Why didn''t he deny it or rify things today? The more I think about it, the less likely it seems." He actually thought there might be some other breaking news. The reporter in the driver''s seat started the car and said helplessly, "No matter what it is, we didn''t get anything today. Let''s try it again tomorrow." "Should we convey that message to our source?" "We''ll have to return to the office to check the email..." The reporters had gained nothing. Hence, they reluctantly went back to their news mediapany. Night fell, and after receiving an email from Green Apple Daily, Myra immediately forwarded it to Karen. [Madam Mallory, what is Luke up to?] Myra felt anxious, wondering if Luke already knew that they had leaked information to the reporters. If that was the case, they were in big trouble... [Did the reporters reveal your identity?] Karen nced at the email, remaining calm. [No, I registered a new email. They have no idea about my identity.] Myra was not that foolish to expose her identity to the reporters. That was why she registered a new email when she provided the information to the reporters of Green Apple Daily. [Then what are you afraid of?] Karen took a sip of her skin-rejuvenating fruit juice and typed slowly: [The reporters don''t know your identity, so they won''t expose you. Stay calm. I think Luke was just trying to scare the reporters after he saw them following him. It''s just a show of strength. This kind of tactic is often used in the business world. Don''t worry.] Myra felt more at ease after reading Karen''s message. She realized that if she was truly frightened and panicked, she would be falling into Luke''s trap. After a while, Karen replied again: [Don''t lose yourposure. We''ve handled this matter well. Luke won''t find out. Even if he mes someone, it''ll be those news mediapanies, not you or me.] [You''re right.] Myra smiled, feeling better. [Let''s wait and see what news Luke ns to release tomorrow.] [I don''t believe it. Besides issuing a rification, all he can do is sue the newspany. But if he really does that, no matter how much he rifies, no one will believe him. Discussions will continue unabated. [When things are about to die down, we''ll stir up the public''s curiosity again. This time, I want his life to be in turmoil!] Karen quickly typed out the messages and sent them to their group of three. They all had amon enemy to deal with. Thus, they were especially united at this moment. Margaret, who had been quiet, also agreed: [Madam Mallory is right. If Luke Crawford can''t admit his mistakes, he''s not much of a man. Now, it''s our job to teach him a lesson on behalf of his wife. Men who cheat on their wives can''t be forgiven, and women who be mistresses should be condemned by everyone.] T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Karen''s words had a calming effect, and with the support of the Mallory family, Myra and Margaret were confident that they could really teach Luke and Luca a lesson. In the end, Myra jokingly wrote: [Mrs. Jackman is right. In my opinion, we''re doing a good deed. Even that dim-witted wife of Luke''s should be thanking us!] They did not know much about Luke''s wife, especially after she was kidnapped and brought back. Luke had kept her well-protected. The little they knew came from what Karen had told them. Chapter 2934 Karen said that Luke''s wife had be a madwoman after suffering inhumane torture and being raped consecutively. Luke had never disclosed this to the public, so none of them knew. Thanks to Karen, they got to hear this shocking revtion. Margaret added: [Right. That woman is so stupid that she doesn''t even know she''s being cheated on.] Karen could not help but curl her lips upon reading their conversation. These two women were so easily manipted. With just a little gossip, they would let their guard down so much that they would even take a bullet for her. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. On the other hand... Luca knew that Luke was having dinner with Old Master Crawford at the manor after he messaged her, so she and the children had dinner without him. After dinner, the children sat in the living room, watching cartoons. Luca was also in the living room watching cartoons with the kids, waiting for Luke toe back. Old Master Crawford must have found out about the reports. She wondered if he wouldsh out at Luke. The old master was not in great health, so if his anger caused him health problems. Luca worriedly knitted her eyebrows together. She did not want others to get hurt because of her rtionship with Luke. However, she still hurt Queenie. The thought of that deepened Luca''s frown. She could not even go to the hospital because of the scandal. Although she was innocent, she was too guilty to face Wanda. After all, she had deceived every single person about her identity. Rainie was sensible enough to notice that Luca was frowning, so she went up to her and asked, ¡°Ms. Luca, what''s wrong?" Then, Luca came back to her senses. She shook her head and said to her smilingly, "Nothing." Rainie was aware of the news, so she actually knew why Luca was frowning. However, she did not understand. All her mother had to do was tell people her true identity, and then no one would criticize her parents anymore. However, Luca just remained silent and kept her chin up. Rainie did not understand why she was doing this, so all she could do was whisper beside her, ¡°Ms. Luca, I''m sure Daddy will take care of everything. It''ll be fine." "Yes, I have faith in him." Luca smiled and patted Rainie''s head. When her palm touched the child''s soft hair, Luca''s heart ached. Before leaving, she wanted to hear her children call her ''Mommy'' instead of ''Ms. Luca''... Suddenly, Luca''s eyes were filled with tears, and she was at a loss. Then, there were footstepsing from outside. Rainie was sharp-eared, so she said, "Ms. Luca, Daddy''s home." Luca turned to look in the direction of the entrance, and after a while, Luke walked in. "I see that everyone''s watching cartoons," he smiled at Luca before saying to the children. "Yes, Daddy. We''ve finished our homework and previewed all our assigned tasks. You said that we could watch cartoons as long as we finished all our work," Tommy turned to tell him. The cartoon was about to start, so he did not immediately run to Luke. "Have you finished checking your homework?" Luke asked again. He did not exin what happened at the manor. "Ms. Luca finished checking everything, but she said that you''d be back early tonight. She left it for you to sign instead," said Tommy as he handed his father a few of his workbooks. Then, Luke sat on an armchair. Lanie and Rainie also handed their homework to Luke. "Daddy, sign it, please." Since the children said that Luca had already checked it, Luke just signed his name in the designated area. After signing, the children kept their own workbooks in their school bags so that they could just pick up their bags when leaving for school tomorrow. Then, Luke said to Luca, "I''ll go upstairs to take care of some work stuff." "Alright." Luca nodded. He seemed calm, and she did not notice anything unusual about him. He did not mention anything about what happened at the manor, and she did not ask either. After Luke went upstairs, the cartoon started ying, so the children''s eyes were once again glued to the screen. Luca could not help but sigh inwardly. Life was so much happier and worry-free as a kid. The kids were happy to just finish the cartoon. Her gaze fell upon Lanie. He was the child that resembled Luke the most. Although he was much more mature than other kids his age, he still took his cartoons seriously. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. "Who would be at the door thiste?" Aunt Neile had already gone home, so Luca had to answer the door. Luca was stunned to see Susan standing at the door through the doorbell camera. It had been some time since Susan moved into the mansion next door with Louis. Since then, Luca would always greet Louis with a smile if she ran into him on the way out. However, if she ran into Yuri or Susan, she would pretend not to see them because they did the same whenever she greeted them with a smile in the past. Luca was not a people pleaser, so she would not go out of her way to say hello if they did not wish to acknowledge her. Hence, even though they basically lived together, the two families did not interact the way Old Master Crawford would expect them to. Besides, everyone was busy, especially the two brothers¡ªLuke and Louis. They were busy with their own jobs, so they did not have the time to visit each other. It was the first time Susan ever came over. Usually, Luca would have opened the door without a second thought. However, she had a feeling that Susan might have an ulterior motive for visiting on the day her scandal with Luke broke out. ¡°Ms. Luca, who is it?" Lanie asked curiously when he saw her standing quietly in front of the monitor without opening the door. He did not expect anyone to ring the doorbell at this time either. If Aunt Neile hade back after leaving something, she would have just opened the door instead of ringing the doorbell. "It''s your Grandma Susan..." Luca came back to her senses after her mind drifted away. She was trying to think of why Susan would ring their doorbell. Lanie frowned and wondered why their grandma woulde over all of a sudden. Although he called her ''Grandma'', Lanie knew that Susan saw him and his siblings as a thorn in her flesh. However, their father and great-grandpa protected them from her. Without that protection, he and his siblings would have been badly bullied. Thus, they would usually avoid Susan, lest they bump into her and give her a chance to lecture them. "What is Grandma doing here at this hour?" Rainie frowned upon hearing their conversation. She disliked Susan too because she did not sincerely love them. Then, the doorbell rang again. Luca looked at Susan''s impatient face, wanting to pretend that no one was home. However, that would not work. Thus, she had no choice but to open the door and let her in. "Oh, Grandma is here. I don''t want to watch cartoons anymore.." Tommy muttered when he saw Luca open the door. Chapter 2935 After hearing what the children said, Luca knew that Susan must havee with ill intentions. She told the children, ¡°Why don''t you watch cartoons in the second-floor living room?" Usually, they would not turn on the television on the second floor because Luke spent most of his time working in his room. Turning on the television on the second floor might disturb him. Thus, the children had developed the habit of watching television on the first floor regardless of whether Luke was home or not. That way, if the adults were out, it would also be easier for Aunt Neile to look after them on the first floor. "Okay!" said Tommy first. When Luca saw the kids go upstairs, she added, "Oh, ask your father toe downstairs and tell him that your grandma is here." This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. "Alright," said Rainie before going upstairs to tell Luke. Luca stood at the entrance and took out a pair of disposable slippers as she waited for Susan toe in. The structure of both their homes was the same. Although the gardenndscape was different, the mansion was not big enough for people to get lost in it. Susan managed to quickly make her way inside. She saw Luca when entering the porch, and her eyes zed with disdain. "I see that you''re still living here," she said, emphasizing the word ''still''. Luca pointed at the slippers on the ground. "Mrs. Crawford, you can change into these slippers." Susan put on the slippers with a poker face. She wanted to find fault with Luca, but seeing as the slippers were unused, it was hard to nitpick. After changing into the slippers, she walked into the living room and said bluntly, "I came here to see you." Luca was not surprised to hear that. Besides, Luke was the CEO of T Corporation and the person in charge of the Crawford family. Susan would note to cause amotion over a small matter. At least Old Master Crawford could still bring her under control. If Susan were to offend Luke in any way, things would not end up well for her. Therefore, she came to ruffle Luca''s feathers instead. Luca had already epted her fate of getting picked on. Besides, when she was still Bianca, she had suffered Susan''s criticisms and her efforts to make life difficult for her. Although she had not experienced it for several years now, Susan''s methods were still familiar to her. ¡°Mrs. Crawford, would you like some tea while we talk?" Although she came with ill intentions, it was still Luke''s house. Luca still had to show basic etiquette. Luca was protecting him. She was fine being called rude, but she was not okay with others saying the same about Luke! With Susan''s nitpicking personality, she did not want to hear Susanin about the poor hospitality at their ce the next time Luke went back to the manor. Susan did not expect to see her behave so indifferently. Was this the attitude a mistress should have? Normally, after mistresses get exposed, they would be obsequious to the elders and be scared to death. At the very least, Luca should be like Allison, who was fearless and acted as if it was an honor being the mistress. However, Luca was neither. After Susan gave it some thought, she felt that Luca had already thought of herself as thedy of the house. How ridiculous! "No need." Susan did note here to drink tea. She invited herself in and sat on the sofa as if she was the hostess. "Since you''re so smart, you must be able to guess why I''m here. I''ll just get straight to the point. I''ve read the reports about you and Luke, and they''re badly affecting the Crawford family and T Corporation. "Before it got exposed, I didn''t say anything as I''m not Luke''s biological mother. But things are different now. I have a say in it if it affects the family, so please stay away from Luke and the Crawford family. "You''ll never climb your way up thedder," Susan spoke with varying intonation, a lot of emotion, and the sternness of an elder. However, her authority could not suppress Luca as a faint smile appeared on Luca''s face. If she were still the naive Bianca, Susan''s efforts to make things difficult for her might have worked. After all, Allison had done the same thing to her in the past, but she was Luca now... After going through so much, she was no longer the Bianca that everyone walked all over. When Susan came here, acting like a parent and expressing her disapproval of her being with Luke, Luca was just speechless. When had she ever cared about Luke? Now, out of nowhere, she was exacerbating the situation by telling Luca to leave. If Luca really left, she would be making Susan''s wishe true. "Mrs. Crawford, I''ve never wanted to climb up the socialdder. I''m just enjoying the present. Those reports aren''t true. It''s not like what you think, so you don''t have to worry. Luke will take care of it," Luca said calmly while sitting across from Susan. Somehow, it had turned into a negotiation. After listening to her, Susan had no intention of leaving. She sneered and said, "I remember you once said that you and Luke didn''t have that kind of rtionship, nor did you intend to have that kind of rtionship. That''s why I left you alone. "Now that you have this big mansion and other benefits, you don''t want to leave anymore, huh? Luca, people shouldn''t be too greedy¡ªespecially when they''re a mistress. If you don''t listen to me, you''re going to suffer in the end." ¡°People change, Mrs. Crawford," Luca told her with a serious look on her face, but she was still wondering why Luke had note down. Did Rainie not tell him? Rainie was a meticulous child, so she would not have forgotten. Did he note down on purpose because he did not want to see Susan? Luca thought to herself that if she had known, she would not have opened the door for Susan. She could just unplug the doorbell camera if Susan kept on ringing, and she would not even know. Now that Luke had note down after she let Susan in, it gave Luca a headache. She really despised talking to Susan about this as it affected her mood. She was already feeling uneasy and wanted to organize her thoughts. Now that Susan came to stir things up, Luca could not help but feel angry. Who on earth gave the reporters the information and pulled her into a whirlpool of public criticism? However, Luca was surprised that Queenie and Wanda, the people who were most protective of Bianca, did note to her first. Instead, it was Susan... Susan could not suppress her anger when she saw Luca''s calm expression. "Yes, people change. Just like how you''re getting greedier and greedier. "Do you think that you can rece Luke''s wife and marry into the Crawford family? Let me tell you that you should stop dreaming. Luke''s father is the perfect example! "Even when Allison was with child, she couldn''t drive me away. I was still his father''s legal wife, so who cares if they all called Allison ''Mrs. Crawford''? "Their rtionship was never recognized by thew. His father has left for so many years now, and Allison''s marital status is still single. If you continue to insist, you will end up the same way. "It doesn''t matter how you make yourself appear in front of people because they''re all cursing you behind your back anyway." Chapter 2936 Luca''s gaze slightly lowered, and suddenly she remembered the words Susan said to her while she was drunk at the time Luke brought her back to Crawford Manor. She thought they were heartfelt, but in reality, they were quite awkward. Now, here she was in yet another awkward situation. Even though Susan had changed her tone, Luca could not help but recall the past and found it as awkward as before. Susan noticed that Luca did not say anything. She thought her words had struck a chord. Therefore, she changed her approach, putting on the expression of a wise elder. She said with sincerity, "You''re beautiful, talented, and young. What kind of man can''t you find?" Luca blinked her eyes. Was she actuallyplimenting her? If Susan was trulyplimenting her, it was as likely as seeing pigs fly. Luca lifted her head and put on a pitiful expression on her face. She did not understand why Luke had note down yet. Since she let Susan in, it was up to her to resolve this issue now. "Madam Crawford, you''re absolutely right. I know I''m exceptional, but I''ve realized that with someone as outstanding as me, I must find a man better than me. That''s why I decided to be with Luke." Susan was rendered speechless for a moment. What nonsense was she talking about? After praising her a couple of times for being outstanding, did she actually consider herself an outstanding person? Did she have no shame? Suppressing her urge to mock, Susan continued persuading, "There are plenty of good men in the world. I heard you''re from Russia. Aren''t there many sessful businessmen in Russia?T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "You can easily leave Luke and be someone''s legitimate wife instead of a mistress. Besides, Luke truly loves Bianca. Perhaps hispse in judgment is due to his loneliness while Bianca is away. When Bianca returns, you... Sigh." Luca sat up straight while listening to her, pretending to hesitate for a moment. However, her tone carried a sense of determination. "But the more I''m with Luke, the more I sink into it. Madam Crawford, I truly love him. I can stand behind him for a lifetime, even if I''m not acknowledged or known. It doesn''t matter as long as I''m by his side, because I love him." Luca intentionally said these to provoke Susan. However, what she said was the truth as well. She loved Luke Crawford. She would love him for the rest of her life. No matter what she went through, nothing could change her feelings. As Susan watched Luca confess her love for Luke passionately, she could not help but feel annoyed. She hade here to create a rift between Luca and Luke today. The way things were headed, it was like she was doing them a favor! Susan stopped putting on a show and became blunt. "You shameless mistress. Love? Do you even understand love? Are you worthy of it? You''re only after Luke''s money, aren''t you? I won''t allow you to be together with Luke!" "Mother, what right do you have to disapprove of me being with Luca?" Luke''s voice echoed from upstairs. He had not even arrived yet, but his voice had already reached them. Luca turned around to nce at the staircase corner where Luke was. It turned out he had been eavesdropping on her conversation with Susan behind the stairs! Luca recalled the affectionate words she had just spoken and could not help but blush. She had never said something like that back when she was just Bianca. Surprisingly, the honest words she had told Susan to provoke her had all been overheard. Luca felt embarrassed... Susan saw Luke make his way down the stairs and raised an eyebrow. She assumed he was workingte at T Corporation... After all, when she left Crawford Manor, she had asked if Luke had returned home. Old Master Crawford told her that Luke had gone to work. Work? Should he not be at thepany? Why was he working here? Susan nced at the wall clock. It was not toote yet. ording to Luke''s working habits, he would not be back before midnight! "Luke, you''re here." Susan changed the subject and softened her tone. "Yes, I was upstairs handling some work," replied Luke without mentioning that he had overheard their conversation. He went down the stairs and took a seat next to Luca. As soon as he sat down, hisrge hand gently held Luca''s delicate hand. Luca was startled for a moment, but then she held his strong hand in return. As Susan watched their hands entwined like they were deliberately showing off, she felt disgusted. She did not expect that her carefully crafted words would fail to achieve her intended oue. Luke had also heard everything. Moreover, Luca''s insincere confession might actually make Luke fall deeper for her. She must have known that Luke was listening from behind the stairs. That was why she said that! Susan secretly cursed Luca in her heart. Then, she straightened her posture, adopting the demeanor of an elder. "Luke, you''ve been too careless about this matter. Even though I knew about your rtionship with Luca, the situation is different now. "With everything out in the open, I don''t want the Crawford family''s reputation to be tarnished. I don''t want others to say that all the men in the Crawford family are the same. "That''s why I''vee to talk to Luca. I hope you understand that this is my sincere concern as your mother." ¡°Mother, I refuse to ept it." Luke''s gaze darkened. He treated everyone the same, except when it came to Luca and the kids. That was when his tender side came out. "You..." Susan had already expected him to say something like that. She knew her n had failed. Now that Luke hade downstairs, there was no way she could continue trying to create divisions. She had no choice but to shake her head helplessly and say, "Never mind. You''ve never really treated me as your mother anyway. Since you refuse to ept what I said, just pretend I never came. I might as well have thrown my efforts down the drain." Luca frowned. What was she saying? Efforts? In vain? These words did not sound well-intentioned, and it was likely that even Tommy would not fall for them. Luca pondered for a moment and thought it was wrong to get Tommy involved in this. The child could not wait to run and hide from Susan when he saw her. After all, the child often met Susan when he was at Crawford Manor. When Susan was at Crawford Manor, she was not pleasant to anyone. The kids did not like her, and some were even afraid of her. That was perfectly normal. "Mother, save it for Louis and Thea," replied Luke, repeating the words he said to her when they were at Crawford Manor. "I''ll take responsibility for my choices, and I have the capability to handle this matter. You don''t have to worry about it." Susan took a deep breath to maintain herposure. She did not want to let him get under her skin. "Fine. You can pretend I never came today. But, Ms. Craw, what I said was the truth. And Luke, Bianca has some influential supporters on her side. If you insist on choosing Luca, be prepared for potential challenges from the Norman family. "When have businessmen ever defeated politicians? I''m saying all this because I care about your wellbeing. Choosing Bianca will make your path smoother. But if you choose Luca..." Susan cast a disdainful nce at Luca, brimming with contempt. "Apart from acquiring a few forms, what else can thepany gain? Anyone can develop those forms. What can she bring to the table? You''re part of the Crawford family. You should learn how to make the right choices."a Chapter 2937 "My choices have always been rational. As for the Norman family and other matters, I''m confident I can handle them well. Regarding thepany and my personal matters, you don''t need to worry about them," said Luke as he rose to his feet. He did not explicitly ask her to leave, but every sentence he uttered hinted at her departure. "Hmph, you don''t know what''s good for you." Susan gave a cold snort and left. "Madam Crawford, my maid has finished her shift. Could you please help close the door when you leave?" Luca could not help but say. When her mind was in turmoil, Susan showed up in front of her. By notpletely shutting her down, it was already a kind gesture for the Crawford family''s sake. Besides, considering her current personality, if the other person was not a member of Luke''s family, she might have just walked away without wasting half a minute on their nonsense. Susan cast a malicious nce back. She watched both of them stand up, shoulder to shoulder. In terms of height and appearance, they were a good match. However, what did it matter? Luke had Bianca. It seemed like Luca''s fate had already been written. She was destined to be a weeping loser. Susan''s figure disappeared in the foyer, and Luca''s smile slowly faded as she turned to look at Luke. "Did you hear everything?" "Yes." Luke nodded. "Why were you hiding behind the stairs?" Luca could not help but wonder as she walked into the kitchen. She had been chatting with Susan for quite some time, and she was thirsty. "She initially came looking for you. If I hadn''t hidden behind the stairs, she wouldn''t have had the chance to finish her speech. She''de bother you again tomorrow. It''s better to give her a chance to say everything at once," replied Luke as he followed her into the kitchen. He knew what Susan was up to, but no matter how foolish she might be, she would not betray the interests of the Crawford family. Therefore, he did not intend to pay her any attention. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. However, he did not expect her to have the audacity toe looking for Luca after what happened at Crawford Manor. Trying to persuade Luca to leave? Luca''s real identity was Bianca, and Susan''s speech would have no effect on her. Lovers and mistresses... It was simply ignorant andughable. "You do have a point." Luca admitted as she poured a ss of warm water for him and handed it over. After he took it from her, she poured herself a ss as well. Luke furrowed his brows and took a sip of the water she handed him. "I heard everything." "I know..." Luca knew what he meant. He was talking about her confession of love for him in front of Susan. Luca thought about it. It was indeed embarrassing, but at least it was only heard by the parties involved and not their kids. Otherwise, she could not imagine the expressions on their faces when they heard her confessing. Even though the three kids were still young, both Lanie and Rainie understood these so-called matters of the heart. After all, she had done her research. Kids their age, like Lanie and Rainie, were already starting to lose interest in studying and beginning to explore their unique personalities. Some kids their age had even started dating. "Is what you said true?" Even though he knew Luca''s confession was heartfelt, she only said those words in front of Susan. He wanted her to confirm it in front of him. "Yes, it is.¡± Luca slightly lowered her gaze and wore a smile on her face. Luke felt like his heart was about to be melted by her gentle smile. Luca had been back for a while, but she had never confessed so sincerely and bashfully before. While the two of them had exchanged many endearing words in bed back then, those moments could not quite measure up to the current setting. Luke felt that the current situation moved him even more. Luca loved him. Luca was mesmerized by the starry look in Luke''s eyes. After a moment, she felt her mouth go dry and remembered that she was thirsty. She took another sip of water. Only then did she ask, "Earlier, you told Madam Mallory that you could resolve this issue?" "Yes, the news has been spreading for a day, and it''s time to address it." Luke finished his ss of water and gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "What''s your n?" asked Luca. "I''ll rify the situation and counter with even juicier news." Luke did not hide anything from her. There was nothing to hide. Luca nodded. It was a general strategy. Luke then added, "But by doing this, you might have to put up with a bit of inconvenience. I don''t want that for you." Luca shook her head and replied, ¡°It''s okay.¡± Luca understood what he meant by that. Even if Luke''s PR team distanced her from the situation, there would always be some nasty people who would say she was deliberately trying to cozy up to Luke. It was why this kind of murky gossip news surfaced. They would say that this was all part of her calcted schemes and such. "In fact, I didn''t want to resort to this method. I didn''t want you to get hurt. It''s just that the Norman family..." Luke saw the chance and deliberately chose this time to bring it up. Luca''s heart skipped a beat, and she stared at him anxiously, her eyes filled with concern. She wanted to know what happened to the Norman family. Luke did not make her wait too long. He continued, "The situation with the Norman family has turned into a mess because of us. My mother-inw''s blood pressure hasn''t gone down since then." "How could this happen? I saw her earlier in the day when she came back from her check-up, and she seemed fine..." replied Luca. She was familiar with the symptoms of hypertension. When she saw Queenie during the day, it was clear that her blood pressure had been stabilized with medication. "Yes. She was perfectly fine this morning, but the news coverage escted the situation further. Plus, they received news about Leia from the detention center. Mother couldn''t handle it, and her blood pressure shot up again. "Johann said they gave her prompt medical care, but the stress really got to her. Her blood pressure remains elevated," exined Luke. Luca listened with a heavy heart. Prolonged high blood pressure could cause severe damage to various organs, especially the heart and lungs... Typically, high blood pressure could be controlled using different medications to lower it. However, there were instances where, due to psychological stress and other factors, the blood pressure remained high no matter how much medication was taken. Moreover, overdosing on hypertension medications was not advisable. If long-acting drugs were not effective at controlling blood pressure, doctors might switch to shorter- acting medications. If the blood pressure did note down, doctors would be cautious about administering medication indiscriminately. There was a risk that excessive medication could flip high blood pressure to low blood pressure, which would be a clumsy solution and harmful to the body. Luca could not help but feel unsettled when she heard that Queenie''s blood pressure remained high. "For now, I have no choice but to put you through some trouble. I need to use these methods to suppress the news coverage. I also hope my mother-inw can believe that I''ve been framed, that there''s no truth to these allegations. "But by doing this, you''ll not only face criticism from the people, but you also won''t be able to go to Norman Residence..." Luke exined, seizing the opportunity to push Luca into a corner. When she had no way out, it would be the right time for her toe clean. Luke did not want to be so ruthless, but reuniting with his family was a top priority. He needed to gather more information about the Ind of Despair and rescue Luca. "It''s okay. Really," Luca reassured him, shaking her head repeatedly. It was okay for her to be criticized by the people... Not being able to go to Norman Residence did not matter to her either. She could secretly pay Queenie and Jack a visit. As long as Queenie got better, that was what mattered most. Chapter 2938 Luke saw the tears in her eyes. He knew she was worried about Queenie. He secretly let out a sigh. She was so worried about Queenie, but she still refused to reveal the truth. What did the Ind of Despair have on her to make her guard this secret? "I''ll do my best to minimize the harm from the outside world," Luke reassured her. He wanted to shout to the world that Luca was his beloved wife, but the threat of the Ind of Despair loomed, preventing him from doing so. "I believe you, but the most important thing is tofort Mrs. Norman''s emotions. I don''t want her to have any problems because of this," replied Luca, continuing showing her concern for Queenie in front of him. "Okay." Luke leaned forward and looked into her teary eyes. He wanted to pull her into his arms. Before he could do so, a tender voice suddenly interrupted their moment. "Daddy, Ms. Luca, I want some water," Tommy''s voice came from the kitchen door. Luke''s hand froze in the air as he turned to look at his younger son, who was walking toward them with short little legs. Luca nced at the child and nodded. She poured a ss of warm water for him. Tommy was thirsty. He gulped down the water and asked, "Has Grandma Susan left?" "Yes, she''s gone," answered Luca as she patted the child''s head. "Do you want some more?" "No. Thank you, Ms. Luca." Tommy handed her the empty cup. "Did you finish watching your cartoons?" asked Luke in a slightly displeased tone as he looked at his son, who was smiling and taking pleasure in Luca''s gentle touch. Judging from the child''s personality, if he had not finished watching his cartoons, he would not have moved from his spot even if he was thirsty. He could endure until the end of the show. He was a true animation enthusiast. "Yes, I''ve finished watching!" Tommy nodded and held Luca''s hand, asking with concern, "Ms. Luca, Grandma Susan didn''t bully you, did she?" "No. Thanks for your concern, Tommy." Luca pinched her younger son''s cheek and added, "Besides, I can protect you guys. Most people can''t mess with me." "Even if someone bullies her, she has me. No one can bully her," Luke chimed in grumpily. He should not have brought Tommy back. He had just returned, and he was already causing trouble... If Luke had been able to embrace Luca just now andfort her in a gentle tone, perhaps he could have lifted her spirits a bit. Then, he could have applied a stronger remedy... However, all of his ns had been ruined by Tommy. Tommy, who had unwittingly disrupted Luke''s ns, nodded in agreement. "Yes, if anyone bullies Ms. Luca, Daddy and Lanie will protect her!" Luca smiled gently. Realizing that it was gettingte, she urged him, "Alright, it''s gettingte. Go upstairs, wash up, and rest early. I''lle to check on youter. If any of you haven''t got in bed, you''ll lose ten minutes of cartoon time tomorrow!" Tommy''s chubby face turned serious. The cartoon he was watching had reached an exciting part. He could not afford to miss ten minutes. Otherwise, he would miss a lot of the exciting plot! "I''m going to wash up now, and I''ll also make sure Lanie and Rainie do the same," said Tommy. Then, he made his way up the stairs. "You always know how to deal with mischievous kids," remarked Luke as he watched the child leave from behind. He could not help but let out a sigh. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Earlier today, when he went back to Crawford Manor, Mr. Griffin mentioned that the kids were reluctant to go to bed every night. It was only when Old Master Crawford urged them to sleep that they listened to him and went to bed. Especially Tommy, who insisted on reading a bit more before sleeping. Luke had been wondering why the kids behaved like this at Crawford Manor when they did not exhibit such behavior at home. It seemed that with him and Luca taking care of them at home, the kids were much more obedient¡ª even the mischievous Tommy. The role of a mother was crucial in a child''s upbringing. ¡°Kids are pretty easy to deal with,¡± said Luca. Tommy was her child. She could figure out what the kids needed and where they were most sensitive when she spent time with them. Plus, their kids were not exactly the mischievous types. If she had a good chat with them andid out the reasons, they would listen to her just fine. Luke nodded in agreement, acknowledging that their kids were indeed outstanding. "It''s gettingte. Let''s go upstairs," suggested Luca, remembering that she had documents to handle. "Sure." Luke nodded and held her hand as they made their way up the stairs. As Luca watched their hands intertwine tightly over this brief distance and how tightly Luke was holding her, she found herself not wanting to let go. When they reached the second floor''s living room, they found that the cartoon had already ended. The kids were no longer sitting on the sofa watching TV. Instead, they had returned to their respective bedrooms to wash up and prepare to go to bed. Luke was pleased to see that the kids were behaving as he had hoped, going to their rooms to sleep after washing up. He nodded with satisfaction and said to Luca, "I''ll go handle work first." "Alright." Luca nodded and returned to the master bedroom. She intended to wash up first and check on the children to ensure they had gone to bed. Luke entered the bedroom and resumed the work that was interrupted earlier by Susan. Meanwhile, Luca, after washing up, went out of the bedroom and opened the doors to the kid''s rooms one by one to see if they were in bed. Lanie and Tommy were already in bed. When Luca opened Rainie''s bedroom door, she expected to find the most obedient one already asleep. However, to her surprise, Rainie was sitting at her desk with a tablemp on, holding a tablet in her hands. "Rainie, why aren''t you asleep yet?" Luca asked with concern when she saw the child was still sitting in front of the desk. Rainie looked up. Her eyes were filled with worry. ¡°Ms. Luca.¡± "Yes?" Luca approached her and asked, "What''s wrong? What are you looking at?" Rainie handed her the tablet. Luca nced at the content on the tablet, which happened to show the rumors about her and Luke... Luca slightly furrowed her brows. She had not been hiding the fact that she shared a bedroom with Luke in front of the children these days. The kids had not said anything about it. They did not show any signs of rejection either. Luca thought they had epted it. However, she was worried that Rainie might be feeling ufortable when she saw her expression. Luca gently stroked Rainie''s head and said, "I''m sorry..." "Ms. Luca, you haven''t done anything wrong. Why are you apologizing?" Rainie looked up at her. Her eyes were welled up with tears. "Huh?" Luca was a bit puzzled by her words. "Ms. Luca, you haven''t done anything wrong at all. You and Daddy are doing just fine, so why did those reporters dig into your privacy? I hate those reporters!" said Rainie. Her tears trickled down like gentle raindrops. Her delicate brows furrowed just like Luca''s, indicating her disgust toward the reporters. Chapter 2939 Luca was puzzled. She had initially thought that Rainie was feeling down because of her involvement with Luke. Little did she know that the child was upset because of the reporters exposing her rtionship with Luke. "Rainie?" Luca still could not quite understand. Rainie looked at her with teary eyes and said, "Ms. Luca, I''m afraid you''ll leave us because of this." ¡°How could I..." Luca''s heart softened, and her eyes welled up with tears. She realized that the child was worried about her leaving and being separated because of the news. "Ms. Luca, you won''t leave, right? No matter what those reporters say, you won''t leave, will you?" Rainie wanted to seek an answer from Luca. "Don''t worry. I won''t leave," Luca reassured her and held her in her arms. Girls'' minds were often more delicate than boys''. She understood that Rainie was afraid of her leaving because of the news. However, they were all precious to her. How could she ever leave them? "Okay. As long as you stay, Ms. Luca," replied Rainie as she emerged from Luca''s embrace. She closed the webpage on her tablet and ced it on the table. She was relieved when she knew Luca would not leave. "It''s gettingte. Let''s go to bed," said Luca as she took a tissue from the table and gently wiped Rainie''s face. Rainie stared at her with her big, sparkling eyes. Luca felt like her heart was melting. "Don''t worry. From now on, I''ll be here every day." Luca secretly added another word in her heart, ''Hopefully.'' The inte was abuzz with this matter. Luca wondered what Abel''s reaction would be if he saw it. Perhaps he was nning a scheme to deal with Luke. Luca refused to be a tool against Luke, but N was still in Abel''s hands. Therefore, she had no choice but to be a weapon against Luke. After putting Rainie to sleep, Luca returned to the master bedroom. She nced at the opposite door that was left ajar, where she could hear intermittent conversations. Was Luke in a video conference or on the phone? Luca was not sure since he intentionally kept his voice low, and she could not make out what he was saying. He was busy, and she did not want to disturb him. So, she went back to the master bedroom, leaned against the bed, and thought for a moment before opening a drawer to take out some mtonin. She had given all the sleep aids to Vivian and Tina. Her sleep quality had improved with Luke by her side. Hence, she no longer needed those medications. That was why she did not continue making them. However, she bought a bottle of mtonin from the pharmacy just in case. Surprisingly, it came in handy today. After swallowing a mtonin tablet, Luca left a nightlight on for Luke. Then, she covered herself with a nket and closed her eyes. After Luke finished his work and checked the time, he figured that Luca was already asleep. To avoid disturbing her, he washed up in the adjacent bathroom before returning to the bedroom. No matter howte it was, as long as Luca was sleeping here, he woulde over. As Luke looked at the warm glow of the nightlight, his eyes softened. Just a while ago, he was dealing with the newspaperpany''s editor and making decisions. The editor had reservations about his actions, but Luke had made up his mind and was known for his decisive approach. The editor had no choice but to follow through. Now, he had shed his stern demeanor. An air of tenderness enveloped him. What could make him gentle was none other than their children, and her, of course. She was the woman he loved the most. Luke sat on the edge of the bed. After he turned off the nightlight, hey down with one arm around Luca. Luca felt the warmth. In her slumber, she leaned against his chest. "Go to sleep. Good night." Luke gently nted a kiss on her cheek. Even though Luca was asleep, she magically responded to Luke''s words, "Mmm, good night." Luke held her tighter. Many things could be settled by tomorrow. The outside world would not be abuzz with intense discussions about their rtionship anymore. As long as they managed to quell the public chatter from the outside, all that remained was to see how the people she cared about the most performed. If they put on a good show, they would be one big happy family again soon. The following day, Luca opened her eyes, and her instinct led her to nce to the side. The empty spot on the bed next to her was no longer warm. It seemed that Luke had already gotten up. She recalled what Luke had said yesterday, that he would suppress their rumors today. Moreover, he would be using a rification alongside other gossip news. Luca could not help but be curious about what kind of news Luke would use to quell their rumors. Rather than rushing to get out of bed, she reached for her phone on the bedside table. Before she could even unlock the screen, a knock sounded on the door. Rainie''s voice came from outside. "Ms. Luca, are you awake?" "Yes, I''m up." Luca''s voice barely left her lips before Rainie entered the room. The young girl was already dressed in her school uniform. She had alsobed her hair neatly. She looked energetic as she stared at Luca. When she saw that Luca had not gotten up yet, she asked hesitantly, "Did I wake you up, Ms. Luca?" "No. I woke up a while ago. I was just lingering in bed." Luca noticed her daughter''s guilt and decided to forgo checking the news for now. She sat up and said, "I''m going to freshen up now." "Okay!" Rainie smiled and nodded. Luca then remembered that she had something to ask and looked at Rainie. "Rainie, is there something you wanted to talk to me about?" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. "No, nothing at all. Ms. Luca, I''m going downstairs for breakfast!" replied Rainie. Then, she left the bedroom. She did not tell Luca that she hade so early to knock on her door because she was worried that Luca might leave while they were all asleep. Last night, she had a bad dream and woke up wanting to find Luca. However, she woke up too early. She thought that they were all still asleep, so she waited until just now to knock on the door. She only felt at ease when she saw Luca was still here. Luca watched Rainie leave, then turned around and closed the door behind her. She shook her head and smiled. The little girl was worried that she might sneak away in the middle of the night, so she came to check on her early in the morning. Luca was even more determined not to leave when she saw Rainie behaving like that. The kids genuinely liked her, even though they did not know she was their mother. However, if someday she had to follow Abel''s instructions and leave them, they would undoubtedly be heartbroken. Even she herself could not bear the thought of it... After quickly freshening up, Luca changed into her professional attire and opened the bedroom door while preparing to leave. At the same time, the door of the opposite bedroom swung open. Luke stood behind it, looking at her. "Why are you up so early?" asked Luca when she met his deep, dark eyes. "There''s quite a bit to handle. Do you want toe in and check the news?" asked Luke. Two hours ago, T Corporation''s PR department had already released a rification statement. Following that, various news mediapanies under their umbre shared this rification across social media tforms. Meanwhile, several reporters had been working together to mock those photos of Luca and Luke''s supposed affair. Their reports were apanied with exnations. Just ten minutes ago, a report about Karen, who was affiliated with T Corporation, was published. Chapter 2940 "What news is it?" Luca, curious once again, pulled a chair and sat beside Luke. Luke picked up his tablet, opened today''s forum homepage, and handed it to her. Luca looked at the article pinned on the top of the forum with surprise. The rumors about her and Luke had been removed, reced by a new report. The new headline featured Karen Ruiz. "Madam Mallory?¡± Luca did not click on it immediately but instead nced at the man beside her. Luke nodded. "It was her who leaked our story to the reporters. She thought she could clean up the mess and have someone else do the dirty work, but little did she know..." Luke''s eyes darkened. He picked up a lighter beside him and toyed with it. Was Karen trying to scheme against him? She seemed a bit inexperienced. If he could not continue to deal with Pierre, then dealing with Karen would be the same. After all, the things he had the media report on were just the shady deeds Karen had done in the past. It would not have a significant impact on the Mallory family''s finances, and it would not cause trouble for Percy. "It''s her..." Luca did not expect it to be Karen. She clicked on the article and casually read a few lines. The things mentioned in it were like something out of a dramatic TV show. She could not help but secretly let out a sigh as she thought to herself, ¡°Art really doese from life." Without all these dramatic events happening in real life, how could the TV show writerse up with such storylines? Luca asked curiously, "Who helped her..." "You know them too." Luke did not keep it a secret and revealed the names, "Myra Chavez and Margaret Sutton.¡± Luca frowned, thinking about the things these two had done and the consequences they bore. She was not surprised anymore. These two were just like Karen. They hated her and wanted her gone. As for Luke, they not only hated him but also feared him. However, even with all that, they carried out such actions at Karen''s instigation. Perhaps they believed that there was strength in numbers. Even if Luke found out about them, as long as Karen backed them up, he would not dare to do anything to them. "They probably didn''t expect you to put Madam Mallory in the spotlight,¡± murmured Luca as she read the article. The things mentioned were not honorable things. Karen was certainly losing her reputation now. Luca did not sympathize with her. After all, Karen brought this upon herself. "If they dare to harm you, I''ll dare to deal with them," said Luke. He could not be bothered about Myra and Margaret. As for Karen... He had not nned to take action against her either. If Karen learned her lesson this time, this matter would end. However, if she continued to be at odds with him, she should not be surprised if Luke went in hard. Luca was startled for a moment, then she immediately smiled. Luke was protecting her. "But the heat of this report won''tst long," said Luca. While she was talking to Luke, she had already finished reading the entire article. Overall, it could be summarized with a headline that had gone viral on the inte: [Karen Ruiz''s Misadventures in Her Youth.] None of these misadventures were good things. If Old Master Mallory saw the news, it would get on his nerves. "After this buzz dies down, there''ll be more celebrity rumors,¡± replied Luke. "Okay, but is Mr. Percy okay with this?" asked Luca. Even though Percy and Karen had a falling out, they were still mother and son. Would Percy not feel upset to see Luke exposing his mother''s secrets like this? "He agreed.¡± Luke gently brushed her petite and perky nose. Despite her changed appearance, his love for her remained unchanged Luca blinked her eyes. Percy even agreed to this? "Percy''s perspective is that Karen seems a bit restless now. Giving her something to do might keep her from causing trouble for the Mallory family,¡± Luke conveyed Percy''s thoughts. He was cautious in his actions. There was no way he would expose Karen''s dirtyundry without his friend''s consent. Even the report was reviewed and approved by Percy himself before it was released. Luca gasped but then quickly understood why Percy had agreed. Many of the problems guing the Mallory family had been caused by Karen. When they were on the verge of resolution, Karen stirred up trouble again. Things then gotplicated once more. Moreover, due to Pierre''s connection with Karen, the Mallory family had offended many people. However, because of the Mallory family''s power, most people dared not voice their grievances openly. Still, they were all watching the Mallory family closely, waiting for an opportunity to take revenge and vent their frustrations. If it were not for Percy''s presence in Mallory Corporation, they might have faced more dire circumstances. "It''s gettingte. Let''s go downstairs for breakfast. We''ll need to return to the officeter," said Luca as she ced the tablet on the table. She was not particrly interested in Karen''s news. Now, she only hoped that these reports, as well as Luke''s rification, could help them to cover up their news. Furthermore, she hoped Luke''s rification would make the people she cared about believe in their rtionship. "Sure, let''s have breakfast,¡± Luke agreed. He rose to his feet and held Luca''s hand as they made their way down the stairs. The three children were already having breakfast at the table. When they saw their parentse down, they greeted them with smiles and hellos. "Good morning, Dad, Ms. Luca.¡± "Good morning," Luke and Luca replied in unison. The three children exchanged nces and smiled at each other. Then, they continued eating their breakfast. Rainie, who saw her parents holding hands tightly, smiled sweetly and said, "Ms. Luca,e and sit down. Aunt Neile made your favorite tomato soup today.¡± "Okay," Luca sat down, while Luke took a seat at another spot. Aunt Neile served them breakfast and then returned to the kitchen, giving the family of five some quality time together. After breakfast, the kids went off to school. Luca and Luke each took their separate cars and left for work. Worried that reporters might still be waiting at the entrance, Luca asked Warren not to leave from the same exit as Luke. Warren, understanding her concerns, left from a different exit. Luca noticed that there were no reporters at the entrance of the residential area. She let out a sigh of relief. It seemed like those reporters had been drawn in by Karen''s article. While she was lost in thoughts, her phone rang. Luca nced at it and saw that it was a call from Vivian. She answered, "Vivian, good morning." "Good morning, Luca," Vivian greeted her before getting straight to the point. "I''ve been really busy with my studiestely, and I haven''t had much time to keep up with the news. Are you doing okay?" Vivian was currently immersed in her studies. Even though her English had improved, reading aplete news article was still challenging for her. That was why she did not pay much attention to news in A City. If it were not for her roommate mentioning Luca and Luke today, she would not have known about this at all. After Vivian learned that their story had been exposed by the reporters, she immediately picked up her dictionary and started reading the article. After finishing it, she did not hesitate and called Luca right away.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 2941 Categories (jQ Search... X Login / / Chapter 2941 It Didn''t Affect Her Rtionship With Luke Twins in Her Womb: Sir President, Please be Gentle Chapter 2941 It Didn''t Affect Her Rtionship With Luke As a good friend of both Luke and Luca, Vivian knew them quite well. After seeing the reports and statements released, she was worried Luca would take it too hard. Vivian knew that they were actually together. However, Luke did still have a wife, and she had seen how much he loved his wife. So, she was worried that he would do something that would hurt Luca to minimize his losses. Thus, she anxiously called Luca out of concern. She had always despised associating with homewreckers, but for some reason, Luca was an exception. Vivian did not despise Luca. She had mentioned this to Ray before too, but all he did was give her a slight smile and say that Luca was worth befriending. He told her to follow her gut and be friends with whomever she liked. He also said that the truth woulde to light one day. Therefore, Vivian followed her gut and became friends with Luca. Luca smiled as she flipped through the data in her hands. "I''m fine." ¡°I saw online that..." Vivian hesitated. She was going to say that the statement Luke released had denied having any rtionship with her, but saying so would hurt Luca. "Vivian, he did the right thing." Luca knew what she was going to say and that she was tiptoeing around her. "But he.." Vivian sighed, wanting to talk about how irresponsible Luke was. However, she could not get the words out of her mouth. It was not her ce toment on the situation, so she asked cautiously, "Luca, are both of you.." "You don''t have to worry. Everything is fine." Luca knew what she was worried about, but her rtionship with Luke was not affected by this incident. Everything was fine. Although this incident had greatly impacted her life and caused her a lot of trouble, it did not affect her rtionship with Luke. "That''s good.." Vivian calmed down before adding, "I know a statement was released, but I''m still a little worried. If you ever need somewhere to stay, you can live with me." She was busy with her studies, so she would spend most of her time in the school dormitory. She would only return to her apartment during the weekends when she had no sses. Besides, Luca was her best friend. She did not mind Luca staying at her ce at all. In fact, Luca was more than wee. ¡°Thank you, Vivian." Luca did not dismiss her kindness. She knew she was worried that the reporters would stand at the gate every day or sneak into the neighborhood and be a nuisance to her and Luke. She was also worried that evidence of them living together would be leaked. However, Vivian had forgotten that the security system in the neighborhood Luke lived in was so strong that even Gordan could not get in, let alone a mere reporter... "I just wanted to see if you''re doing okay. I''m d that you''re doing fine. I''ll go to my morning ss now," said Vivian. "Alright." Luca waited for Vivian to hang up before ending the call. Warren¡ªwho was never the chatty type¡ªsuddenly asked, "Ms. Luca, was that Ms. Vivian on the phone?" "Yes." Luca nodded and was a little curious why Warren would ask that all of a sudden. She waited for Warren to say something, but he did not. Luca did not say anything either. They passed by Watson''s entrance before entering the parking lot. At a nce, Luca noticed that all the reporters from yesterday who were trying so hard to get a picture of her, were gone. It seemed like they had gone to look for Karen. Luca was in a better mood now. After Karen caused trouble for her and Luke, she did not expect Luke to do the same to her. After what she had done, she should get a taste of her own medicine. Luca was right. Karen was in hot waters now that her past affairs were exposed. When she woke up that morning, she wanted to see how far the scandal between Luke and Luca had spread. Instead, she saw her name on top of the forum page. Karen was so shocked that her fingers trembled as she clicked the news report open. The report was indeed about her. Not to mention, the report was about the things she did when she was younger. The Ruiz family was considered an influential family in A City when she was younger. As the daughter of such a family, many other families wanted to marry her to form an alliance with her family. Not only was she pretty, but she came from a good background and had many pursuers. Therefore, Karen had a pretty crazy past. She once had two boyfriends at the same time, even though people were not as open minded back then. She was the whole package, so she met as many men as she could to have more options. Then, she met a poor boy. The country bumpkin looked down on her at first, which piqued her interest. Later, he confessed his feelings to her, and she was smitten.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. After the Ruiz family found out that she was with a pauper, they refused to ept it and tried to break them up. Thus, Karen agreed to run away with him. The day before they were supposed to elope, she overheard the man talking to his family in the countryside and found out that the man did not actually love her. The reason why he got together with her was entirely because of the Ruiz family''s money. Karen could still recall what that man said to this day. ''I pretended to not be interested in her at first to get her attention. For someone as high and mighty as her, getting ignored by someone from the countryside will hurt her pride, so that''s how I manipted her. She didn''t let me down. After just a few sugar-coated words, she gave herself to me. ''I''ll take advantage of this elopement to get her pregnant. Once she carries my child, the Ruiz family will have to ept me. When I be the son-inw of the Ruiz family, our family won''t have to worry about money ever again. After ten or so years, the Ruiz family will belong to me.'' Only after Karen heard that conversation did she realize that she had been tricked by that poor man. Afterward, she broke her promise to elope with the man and epted her family''s arrangements. Her family''s arrangements were agreeable, or at least the man they had arranged for her to be with was much better than the people she met back then. They immediately arranged for her to marry Daryl Mallory, the eldest son of the Mallory family and the father of Pierre and Percy Mallory. After meeting just a few times, they got married ording to their parents'' wishes. However, Daryl still cheated afterward, but he med it on her as she had been keeping a secret for many years. She had already lost her virginity before she married into the Mallory family, but she could have gotten away with the secret. Besides, Daryl was not the smartest, so he believed her. However, the poor man came to cause trouble one day. Only then did Daryl realize that she had already lost her virginity to that man and that she even tried to elope with him. It was at that time that Daryl turned into apletely different person. He liked fooling around so much that after she gave birth to two of his sons, he chose to run the Mallory family''s business overseas. That was where he met another woman. When she dropped everything and went abroad to find him, Daryl told her coldly that it was all her fault. Chapter 2942 Karen had buried her miserable past. After she got married, she moved out with Daryl Mallory, so Old Master Mallory did not know about their quarrels. Old Master Mallory had no clue about what happened afterward either. He thought that Daryl cheated and abandoned his family because he failed to raise him properly. Thus, Old Master Mallory had always treated his son coldly. His anger toward Karen calmed down after she gave birth to two children, and that was also when Daryl met his so-called true love. Although he was chased overseas by Old Master Mallory, he never said a word to him. That was how this became Karen''s deepest secret. She had also been using Daryl''s infidelity to win the sympathy of Old Master Mallory and get whatever she wanted from the Mallory family. Plus, blood rtion was important to Old Master Mallory, so the foreign woman never had the chance toe here and demand anything. Karen never thought that everything would be exposed one day. Not to mention, the person who ratted her out even interviewed the poor man who tried to trick her back then. Karen''s face turned pale with anger as she read the report. There was even a video... Karen clicked on it with trembling fingers, and the video interview between the reporter and the man started ying. Karen watched it at double speed for quite a while, and in the middle of the interview, the reporter asked the man for evidence. That was when an old photo appeared in front of the camera. It was a ck-and-white photo, and it was well-preserved. The people in the photo looked intimate with each other, and anyone could tell that they were not just friends. In the video, the man talked about his past with her. Although he did not talk about their intimate moments, there was a hint of flirtiness in his tone. It made the viewers wonder about the things they did when they were together. Back in the day, it was considered improper for a man and woman to be intimate with each other. The topic of sex was still considered taboo. Karen clenched her fists. If that man were standing in front of her, she would have pped him without a second thought! There was a knock on the door. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Karen raised her head and looked at the door with a terrified look on her face. This was A City''s most popr forum. Although Old Master Mallory did not enjoy going onto these websites, she was worried that someone would tell him about the news now that it had gone public. If he found out, he would see her as a disgrace to the Mallory family. After all, she married into the Mallory family by hiding all of this from them. It would have been fine if nobody found out, but after that guy exposed her, Old Master Mallory would soon find out about the things she had been hiding from him. Karen panicked. Why now of all times? Pierre had yet to be released, the Mallory family was in shambles, and now her deepest darkest secret had been revealed... The person outside the door did not hear Karen respond, so they knocked again. Karen felt as if they were knocking on her nerves. She was fearful and anxious. If Old Master Mallory found out, would she still be able to walk out of Mallory Manor alive? Old Master Mallory cared most about the family''s reputation. Pierre was his grandson, so even after all the absurd things he had done, the old master would still help clean up his mess and control public opinion. He was family, after all. However, what about her? Although she gave birth to two heirs for the Mallory family, she knew deep down that the daughter- iw of the Mallory family was dispensable. If Old Master Mallory drove her out of the house, she would have nowhere to go. The Ruiz family already knew that she had lost her virginity, so they forced that man''s family to leave A City and quickly arranged a marriage for her before people found out. If she was kicked out of the Mallory family, the Ruiz family probably would not take her in. Karen knew that her older brother and his wife did not like her because she never helped out the family. ¡°Madam Mallory, are you up?" The maid outside the door asked after she did not get a response. Karen pursed her lips. She knew that if she stayed silent, the maid might break in, so she had no choice but to say, "Don''t disturb me. Let me rest." "Madam Mallory, the old master is looking for you. Why don''t you go see him and thene back to rest?" the maid asked. Karen closed her eyes. The maid''s words sounded like a death sentence to her. Old Master Mallory must have seen the news to be looking for her so early in the morning. "Damn it!" Karen cursed. She still did not know who did this to her. If she knew. If only she knew. Karen gave it some thought and was reminded of the email Myra forwarded that day. Was it Luke? Karen squinted her eyes. She was not so sure as Luke was about the same age as Percy. At that time, she had already secured her ce as the daughter-inw of the Mallory family, so how could he know? Plus, this matter did not gain much traction back then. However, if not Luke, who else would do this to her? Although Karen was suspicious of Luke, she could not confront him on the spot or try to investigate. Then, the maid outside urged again, ¡°Madam Mallory, you should get up. Old Master Mallory seems to have something urgent to tell you." "I know. Stop rushing me! I''ll go after washing my face," Karen said loudly. "Yes, Ma''am." The maid left after that, Karen got up, quickly washed up, changed, and went downstairs. Old Master Mallory was sitting on the sofa with a lit cigar in his hand, which was a rare sight. The cigar smoke rose up in the air, making Karen feel even more uneasy. Old Master Mallory used to smoke, but body check-ups showed that his lungs were in poor condition. If he continued to smoke, he might get cancer, so he quit. Karen had not seen the old master smoke for several years. Now, he started smoking out of nowhere, which was not a good sign. Karen went up to him and said awkwardly, "Father, were you looking for me?" Old Master Mallory raised his eyes slowly, taking in all the emotions on her face. He then pointed to the seat opposite him. He did not wish to talk to Karen while looking up. Karen nodded and sat opposite him. "Judging from your appearance, you must''ve seen the news, right?" Old Master Mallory asked. Karen was stunned. She bit her lips and did not answer. "I read the newspaper, and then I went on the forum. What do you think I saw?" Old Master Mallory asked again. "Father..." Karen felt as if cotton had been stuffed into her throat. She wanted to stand up for herself, but it was almost impossible. "I wouldn''t have known if not for the reports, but now that I do know, it really is shocking. I never would have thought that something like this happened before you married into the Mallory family." Old Master Mallory''s gaze was solemn. His eyebrows had been knitted together since he saw the news. The moment he saw the news and the video, he thought to himself that Karen hadpletely ruined the Mallory family''s reputation! Back then, he remembered carefully selecting a wife for his son. Manydies from all over the world were vying to marry his son, but the daughter of the Ruiz family caught his eye at first nce. He never would have thought that out of the many options he had, he chose the worst one. Chapter 2943 "Father, that''s all in the past. Before marrying Daryl Mallory, I hadpletely cut ties with that man!" Karen knew that denying her past was useless now, especially since the other party had brought out the photos. Even though that man''s appearance had changed significantly over the years, Karen had taken good care of herself. Her appearance was not much different from her younger days. Hence, anyone could easily tell it was her in those photos. Old Master Mallory took a drag of his cigar, exhaling slowly with a hint of disgust in his weathered, sharp eyes. He did not easily get deceived by Karen. "When your family and the Mallory family arranged the marriage, you assured me that you were a good woman with no messy rtionships. You said you''d pass the background check and that you were worthy of Daryl. I still remember those words. "I believed the Ruiz family''s nonsense and arranged the wedding without investigation. This led to misunderstandings between Daryl and me over the years. He has been abroad all this time while you were here, using Daryl as an excuse for your actions. "Karen, what do you take our Mallory family for? Are you ying games with all of us?" Previously, even though means ofmunication were not as advanced as they were now, if Old Master Mallory had investigated, he would have discovered Karen''s past entanglements with several men. However, the Ruiz family had a good reputation in A City at that time, and Old Master Mallory chose to trust them. After he saw the news report, he suddenly recalled how Daryl used to fool around and the way Daryl hesitated to speak when he tried to educate him. Perhaps Daryl had known about Karen''s true nature all along. That was why he used this situation to get back at her. Otherwise, Daryl would not have turned out the way he did. "Father, I swear, I haven''t done anything to hurt Daryl since we got together!¡± Karen raised her hand and swore. She was emotionally worked up. ¡°If I ever did anything to betray Daryl Mallory since we tied the knot, may the heavens strike me down!" Even when Daryl wronged her in the past and left her alone, she endured it. After all, she had her fair share of screw-ups back then. When Daryl went abroad and had an affair with that woman, she felt lonely, but she never thought about being with other men. It was because she had to maintain her position in the Mallory family. If she had been with someone else and Old Master Mallory found out about it, he could have her kicked out of the Mallory family at any moment. Karen could not imagine what kind of life she would have had outside the Mallory family. That was why she endured the loneliness and never did something like that. Old Master Mallory trusted Karen previously. Even though she was emotionally unstable and prone to trouble, he trusted her. However, that trust crumbled when he saw the news. Old Master Mallory put out his cigar, as it was no longer helping him to maintain hisposure. "For all these years, I never had someone keep an eye on you. I don''t know if there were other men besides this one. Now, the Mallory family''s reputation has been tarnished because of you. "Karen, tell me honestly, are Percy and Pierre really Daryl''s sons?" Old Master Mallory''s voice was deep. He questioned her with a voice filled with anger and suspicion. Karen''s heart skipped a beat, and she immediately rose to her feet. ¡°Father, I''ve told you before, I severed ties with that man before marrying Daryl. I didn''t cheat or do anything like that!" "Are Percy and Pierre really descendants of the Mallory family?" Old Master Mallory did not want to hear her exnations. He only wanted to know if he had unknowingly raised someone else''s grandchildren. A wave of humiliation surged within her, and Karen clenched her fists. "They''re both Daryl Mallory''s sons! If you don''t believe me, you can have them undergo a DNA test!" Karen was resolute about this point. For one, both Percy and Pierre resembled Daryl. Secondly, she did not cheat on her husband. The two kids must definitely be Daryl''s. Old Master Mallory did not want to doubt this either, especially since the two grandsons had many simrities to Daryl. However, he could not help but feel uneasy when he thought about how he had favored Karen all these years due to his guilt. That man even mentioned that he had tried to contact Karen after she got married. However, she acted all high and mighty and pushed him away... Daryl was never a womanizer back then. His sudden change was surely because he found out about Karen''s past! Old Master Mallory had been kept in the dark the whole time. "I''ve endured loneliness all these years just to get Daryl Mallory back..." Karen covered her face, on the verge of tears. She slumped on the sofa, feeling wronged. However, she did not realize that her tone sounded stiff when she mentioned Daryl''s name. Old Master Mallory did not have much contact with Daryl, who was overseas now. However, when he did mention him, he did not refer to him so formally by calling him his full name. However, Karen''s way of addressing Daryl made it seem like she was talking about a stranger. Old Master Mallory''s gaze darkened. He showed no interest in Karen''s performance. He lowered his voice and warned her, "Karen, for the sake of the two heirs you''ve given the Mallory family, I won''t kick you out because of this. But this has already damaged the reputation of the Mallory family. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. "You must resolve it immediately. If that man continues to capitalize on this and spread rumors online, don''t me me for not being lenient with you!" Karen was startled for a moment. She understood that this was Old Master Mallory''s final warning. She could deal with a poor man in many ways, but if he had been bought off by Luke, there was nothing much she could do about it. Karen''s eyes reddened as she hesitantly said, "Father, it might be that Luke found out about those things and got this man to leak the news to get back at me..." She only said that in hopes that Old Master Mallory would help her resolve the situation. The matters between the Mallory family and the Crawford family required the elders to intervene without causing a public feud. Old Master Mallory let out a cold snort. "That''s your problem. I warned you not to provoke Luke Crawford, but you didn''t listen. Now, you''ve brought such embarrassment upon us! Where can I put my reputation now?" He used to praise Karen at various business functions and gatherings with old friends, saying how helpful she was for being able to handle both thepany and household affairs. Now, the number ofpliments he had given her seemed like a source of embarrassment. "Father, I..." Karen''s words were cut off by Old Master Mallory''s ruthless interruption. "Don''t you think I''m unaware of the things you''ve done behind me, coborating with others to mess with Luke Crawford? "I thought you weren''t that foolish, but it turns out you really are. Now, you''ve dragged the Mallory family into this. "I''ve already given you plenty of leeway by not severing the mother-son rtionship between you and your sons and not making Daryle back to divorce you.¡± Karen closed her mouth. She did not expect Old Master Mallory to know about what she did. At this very moment, burning resentment smoldered within her against both Old Master Mallory and Luke. If Old Master Mallory had stopped her from going after Luke, she would not have ended up in this mess. However, he did not stop her. He just issued a warning! What good was a warning? She would not have listened anyway... If Old Master Mallory did not want the Mallory family to lose their reputation, he should have fiercely obstructed her path right from the beginning! Chapter 2944 Old Master Mallory knew that she wanted to do these things. Not only did he not stop her, but he also let her do as she pleased. Did that not mean he wanted to get rid of Luke Crawford as well? Now that she was facing retaliation, he med her instead. Despite feeling resentful, Karen could not show her emotions. She could only mutter, "I understand, Father." "I''ll give you a week. If you can''t handle this matter well, get out of the Mallory family. We can''t afford to lose our reputation because of you," said Old Master Mallory. Then, he rose to his feet and walked toward the study. Old Master Mallory had not even eaten breakfast early in the morning because he did not want to see her gloomy face. As Karen watched Old Master Mallory leave from behind, she clenched her fists in silence. How could she resolve this matter? She had to find the man who was spreading rumors everywhere and rip his mouth apart! Karen stormed upstairs angrily. She could not handle this matter personally. She needed someone to help. The maid watched Karen go upstairs and helplessly turned to Mr. Griffin. "Mr. Griffin, there are so many reporters outside the front gate. How are we supposed to leave?¡± She needed to buy groceries for the Mallory family today. Mr. Griffin rubbed his forehead, troubled by the situation. He could only suggest, "If it''s not possible to leave through the front gate, then let''s go out through the back door." The back door was smaller. Vehicles could not pass through it, but this was better than nothing. The maid usually used the Mallory family''s car for grocery shopping or running errands, but it was not practical given the current situation. "Alright, I''ll go buy groceries first." The maid could not say anything about it. There were reporters outside the front gate. If she went out through the front gate, the reporters out there might even barge in shamelessly if given the chance. The thought sent a shiver down her spine. It was like a scene from a zombie apocalypse movie... Both Mallory Manor and Crawford Manor were built on privatend. They did not have the management of a gatedmunity. Apart from the Mallory family''s security guards at the gate, there was no property management staff to drive away the reporters. With so many reporters out there, even the security guards could not handle them all. Therefore, they could only guard the gate to prevent the reporters from barging in. On the other hand, when Luca returned to thepany, there were a few female employees in the elevator. As they watched Luca walk into the elevator, they greeted her, "Good morning, Dr. Craw." "Good morning." Luca knew that she had be a celebrity within thepany. With T Corporation''s public rification, it was impossible for anyone not to recognize her now. She could still figure out the thoughts of her colleagues. However, in their minds, the rification by Luke was insignificant because the news about the Mallory family''s daughter-inw was even more sensational. They started discussing it openly. "Have you seen the news about the Mallory family''s daughter-inw?" One employee began as there were no Mallory family members present in the elevator. Even though Luca was still there, the company had no rule against discussing gossip about people outside thepany. Hence, they enthusiastically started discussing it. "I saw it, I saw it! Who would have thought that the dignified Madam Mallory would have such a hidden side to her? I wonder how many times she''s cuckolded her husband?" "Seriously, I read in the reports that this happened before they got married," another person chimed in. "Even so, it''s still scandalous. Think about how simple people were in those days. She casually dated a poor guy and even..." the female employee hesitated, refusing to mention their intimate rtionship. Even though what the man said was amorous, there was no concrete evidence. Hence, she continued, "They were so close. In those times, if a man acted like a scoundrel, they could easilybel him as such." "Yeah, considering the conservative social norms back then, it''s truly unexpected. Isn''t Old Master Mallory supposed to be sharp? How did he choose such a daughter-inw for his son? She might have truly cuckolded him..." Luca lowered her gaze, listening to these employees gossiping about Karen. She did not feel a sense of satisfaction from taking revenge, even though the focus had shifted away from her and Luke. After all, the situation with the Norman family... For some reason, Luca could not shake off a feeling of unease. After the female employees left the elevator, she picked up her phone and messaged Johann: [Dr. Park, how is Mrs. Norman condition?] She did not receive a reply from Johann even after exiting the elevator. Luca thought that Johann might be busy, as doctors usually had a hectic morning with ward rounds and surgeries. Thus, not checking the phone was normal. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. She ced her phone in her pocket and increased the volume of the ringtone to ensure she would not miss any messages. Then, she headed to theboratory. In theb, Rhett and the researchers were already at their respective workstations. They greeted Luca when they saw her entering theb. Luca organized a brief meeting in theboratory and then continued to work on experiments with them. It was not until noon that she received a reply from Johann. [I was performing surgery early this morning. I just saw your message, Dr. Craw. Sorry for thete reply.] When Luca was about to respond, she received another message from Johann: [Mrs. Norman''s condition isn''t very stable. Her blood pressure is still fluctuating, often on the high side. The nurses are monitoring her blood pressure every hour, but there''s no significant improvement. We can only rely on regr monitoring for now.] Luca''s face turned pale after she read Johann''s message. Was Mrs. Norman''s blood pressure noting down at all? It seemed that Luke''s public rification had not had much effect. Mrs. Norman still did not trust him. Luca thought about how Mrs. Norman had suspected her rtionship with Luke back then. She felt a bitter taste in her heart and struggled to reply to Johann''s message with her trembling fingers. [Okay.] She managed to send a reply but felt that it was not enough. She quickly added: [Has the hospital tried any other blood pressure-lowering medications?] Johann suggested: [Yes, we''ve tried three different medications over the past couple of days, but none of them have shown significant improvement. Dr. Craw, would you consider treating Mrs. Norman yourself? Your dry needling methods might help stabilize her blood pressure.] Luca stared at Johann''s message, feeling puzzled. Why was he suggesting this? He knew that Queenie''s high blood pressure was a result of the things between her and Luke... Luca thought that if she appeared in front of Queenie, she would certainly face intense questioning. Her heart felt heavy with worry. She replied with difficulty: [Let''s see how it goes. If Mrs. Norman''s blood pressure doesn''te down, you can consider using electrotherapy medicine. Try a few different types, maybe one will work...] Luca was not worried about being used and scolded by Queenie when appearing in front of her. Instead, she was concerned about potentially triggering an emotional response from her. At that point, no medication and not even dry needling might be effective. [Medications shouldn''t be experimented with casually. There are time intervals to consider. If used excessively, it could harm Mrs. Norman''s health. [Dr. Craw, you surely know how to treat hypertension patients with your acupuncture methods. So, for the sake of Mrs. Norman''s health, can you spare some time toe to the hospital?] Johann replied again. Luca bit her lower lip. Before she could reply to his message, Rhett walked over. "Dr. Craw, it''s lunchtime. Would you like me to get lunch for you?" Luca came back to her senses. Her gaze left her phone as she looked at Rhett. "Yes, please. I''ll have whatever you''re having." Chapter 2945 "Alright, Dr. Craw. I''ll go grab a meal first.¡± After Rhett left, Luca was the only one left in theboratory. [Dr. Park, if I go, Mrs. Norman''s situation might worsen.] Luca had no choice but to confess when Johann was persistently trying to persuade her. She figured Johann probably had not paid much attention to these kinds of gossip news. Therefore, he did not know that Queenie ended up in the hospital due to her rumored rtionship with Luke, which was also what triggered her high blood pressure. After a while, Johann pretended that he had only realized it and replied to her: [So it''s about that...] Luca let out a sigh, not because it dawned on Johannter but because of her own helplessness. She wanted to personally treat Queenie, but could she? She did not even have the courage to show herself in front of Queenie now. [If we let Dr. Wood or the head of the naturopathy department perform dry needling on Mrs. Norman, the results might be limited. After all, their knowledge differs significantly from yours. How about this? I''ll observe the patient''s condition first.] Johann responded without continuing to persuade her when Luca expressed her concerns. After sending the message, he took a screenshot of the chat and sent it to Luke. [I''ve done what you asked.] Luke replied: [Wait until tomorrow, then talk to Luca again.] Luca was not willing to talk, and everything needed to proceed slowly. Johann replied: [Alright, remember to treat me to a meal once it''s done.] Luca did not know that Luke had sought Johann''s help. As she looked at Johann''s messages, she felt uneasy in her heart. Queenie was not doing well, and her affair with Luke had caused her a lot of stress. Luca rose to her feet. When she was about to return to her office, she received another message from Johann. [Dr. Craw, everything I told you today is without Luke''s knowledge. He asked me not to share this with you. Please keep it confidential and don''t let it leak out.] [Alright, I understand.] Luca slightly furrowed her brows, trusting Johann''s words easily. Luke did not want her to know about Queenie''s condition because he was afraid it would probably make her feel guilty... Luca''s heart grew even heavier. Luke always silently carried all of this on his own, saying it was for her own good. However, they were husband and wife, and they should face everything together. Yet, Luke chose to bear it alone because she was now someone else. [Dr. Park, if there''s anything wrong with Mrs. Norman''s health, please inform me immediately.] Luca implored once more. [Alright, I''ll definitely let you know right away.] Johann readily agreed. [And also, regarding the Rayne family.] Luca was worried. Wanda was alright. She did not end up in the hospital due to cardiovascr issues, and she did not have such conditions in her normal life either. Even if she got worked up about her rtionship with Luke, there would not be any danger. Luca was worried about Old Man Rayne. He had just undergone a major surgery. Even though he was in the process of recovery, he could not handle any additional stress or shocks. [I understand, but you also have to promise to keep it a secret. You know how terrifying Luke can be. He told me not to burden you with these troublesome matters. Don¡¯t betray me.] Johann assured her, emphasizing that Luke had strongly warned him. He once again requested her help in keeping it a secret. For him, Luca''s requests were in line with his intentions. Otherwise, it would have been strange for him to bring up this matter out of the blue. Now that Luca had put it this way, he could better fulfill Luke''s request and keep in touch with Luca without arousing suspicion when he asionally shared concerns about Queenie''s and Wanda''s conditions. [Alright, I understand.] Luca agreed, feeling even more uneasy inside. After a while, Rhett knocked on her door with a packed lunch in his hands. He handed it to her. Luca nced at the lunchbox. Her mind was filled with worries about Queenie''s condition. She had no appetite and took a few bites before putting the lunchbox aside. She intended to eat itter. Over here, Luca was worried about Queenie. On the hospital''s side, Queenie was concerned about Luca as well. After sending the maid away, Queenie looked at Jack and asked, "Dear, what did Luke say?" "We need to give her some time," Jack knew she was asking about Luca''s situation, so he ryed Luke''s exact words. Queenie let out a deep sigh. "But how long do we have to wait? What if she refuses to confess..." Jack frowned, sharing the same concern as Queenie. Actually, whether Luca confessed or not did not affect Queenie''s health. They could pretend to believe that there was nothing going on between her and Luke and carry on their rtionship as they had before. This way, they might not be formally reunited, but they could still see their daughter. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. However, Luca''s reservations gave him an uneasy feeling. At this point, since Luca refused to reveal her true identity as Bianca, it indicated the existence of a manipting force. Was Luca trying to protect herself or them? They did not know. What were Luca''s concerns? They did not know that either. As for the methods used to manipte Luca by that person? They had no idea what they were. If Luca refused to confess her true identity, they would be kept in the dark about all of these aspects. Luke needed to understand what Luca was hesitant about in order to take action. After learning that Luca''s true identity was Bianca, Jack had gained a deeper understanding of the Ind of Despair. Through past newspapers and government documents, he learned about the nature of the organization and the horrifying actions they had carried out. The more he knew, the more ufortable he felt about it. When he thought about Luca being manipted by such an organization and not daring to be honest with them,bined with the methods of Ind of Despair... "If she refuses to confess, we can only endure it. You''ll have to stay in the hospital for a few more days to make Luca believe that your condition is worsening," Jack firmly stated. It was not ideal to stay in the hospital without any real illness or pain. It could tie up medical resources. It was not something he should be doing, but for Luca''s sake, he had to let Queenie stay in the hospital despite the inconvenience. Staying in the hospital was quite a trial, but Queenie was determined to finally reunite with her daughter. She nodded and said, "I''ve heard what you and Luke discussed. No matter what, we can''t let Bianca suffer any longer. We must bring her back, reveal everything, and let Luke rescue her from that situation." She recalled how Bianca was taken away by Allison right after her birth, without ever getting a chance to live with her biological parents. After finally reuniting, she was cunningly manipted by Leia and those terrorist organizations, leading to her abduction. Luca had been separated from them ever since, living a hellish life. On top of that, there was that stand-in... She came back after a long struggle, only to have to keep her real identity hidden. She was unable to acknowledge her husband, children, and biological parents. Queenie felt sorry for her... "Right now, we can only wait and see how Luke handles this," said Jack. He lifted his hand, nced at his watch, and added, "It''s gettingte. I need to head back to the office to deal with some matters. "If you want something to eat, just ask the maid to get it. Try not to leave the hospital ward for now to avoid being spotted." Chapter 2946 Queenie nodded. She understood. Now, she had to disguise herself as a ''patient''. She could not casually walk around the hospital corridors. She did not know when Luca would arrive at the hospital, so she had to be on guard at all times. Queenie walked over to the sofa, picked up Jack''s coat, and handed it to him, saying, "You don''t need to worry about me. The hospital has everything I need, and I''m feeling much better now. You can focus on your work." "Alright. If you need anything, just call me. If you can''t reach me, call my secretary," replied Jack. Hospitals were not the best ce, and if it were not for needing to push Luca, he would not want Queenie to stay in the hospital either. "Okay," replied Queenie as she helped him straighten his tie. After Jack tidied himself up, he left the hospital ward and saw the maid waiting in the hallway. He said, "Take care of my wife. If anythinges up, make sure to contact me." When they discussed matters rted to Luca, they always kept the maid out of the loop. Luke mentioned that even though the maid had worked for the Norman family for many years, the fewer people who knew about Luca, the better it was for her protection. The abilities of the Ind of Despair were truly terrifying. They could even carefully arrange an impostor Bianca to be by Luke''s side for a long time. It took a while before they realized that the Bianca they sent was an impostor. Therefore, they had to protect Luca. This matter could not be known by too many people, only those close to them. "Yes, sir," replied the maid. She put away her phone before returning to the hospital ward. "Madam, would you like some water?" asked the maid. "No need." Queenie paused for a moment, looked at the maid, and said, "There''s nothing urgent on my end. If there''s anything that needs to be taken care of at home, you can go back first." Her blood pressure was stable now. She did not need constant supervision. The maid replied with a smile on her face, "Madam, rest assured. When the doctor said you needed to stay in the hospital for observation, Mr. Norman had already arranged for a cleaningdy to go to the house. I don''t have any tasks." N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Queenie nodded. She did not expect Jack to make such arrangements. She then heard the maid say, "Mr. Norman also mentioned that if there''s nothing urgent, I shouldn''t leave the hospital because your health is unstable and you need constant care." "But without you at home, no one''s cooking dinner for him..." Queenie slightly furrowed her brows. There was only one maid at home. Now that she was providing round-the-clock care at the hospital, it meant no one would be cooking for Jack. "Don''t worry, Mrs. Norman. Mr. Norman said he''ll have lunch and dinner at the hospital cafeteria," she added. Queenie still could not figure out why Jack made such arrangements, especially since she appeared quite normal. Still, a seemingly normal person staying in the hospital was indeed puzzling to the maid. However, she could not ask too much about the affairs of the master''s family and had to follow their instructions. "The cafeteria food can''tpare to what we have at home..." Queenie frowned. Jack usually had lunch at the office cafeteria, but he would alwayse home for dinner if he did not work overtime. After all, the office cafeteria had strict budget constraints, so the food was quite ordinary and not very plentiful. "So, Mrs. Norman, you need to get better soon to go back home. Then, Mr. Norman cane home for dinner in the evenings," the maid said with a reassuring smile. She nced at the time, and poured a ss of water for Queenie. "Mrs. Norman, it''s time to take your medicine." "Okay." Queenie took the ss of water from her. The maid opened the medication package the nurse had given to them in the morning and saw that there was only one pill inside. She frowned and asked, "Why is there only one pill?¡± When Queenie was hospitalized back then, she had several pills to be taken in the morning and noon. They were all put together. However, sincest night, Queenie was only given one pill. The maid thought the nurse might have given the wrong medication, so she personally inquired at the nurse''s station. The nurse confirmed that this was the medication prescribed by Dr. Park for Queenie. "Give it to me," said Queenie. She took the pill and swallowed it with the water. Only she and Jack knew that the morning pill was for lowering blood pressure, and the subsequent pills were all vitamins and supplements. Queenie''s blood pressure was stable now. She did not need to take as many blood pressure medications. However, with the maid watching over her, she could not skip taking the pills, so she had to use the vitamins and calcium supplements as substitutes. The maid, after watching Queenie take the pill, took the ss from her. She could not help but ask, "Are you sure they didn''t make a mistake with the medication? Why is it just one pill now?" "Didn''t you already ask them at the nurse''s station? It should be correct," answered Queenie. The maid nodded. "I''d like to watch TV for a while." Queenie did not want the maid to dwell on her medication, so she made the suggestion. "Sure, I''ll turn on the TV for you." The maid agreed and switched on the TV, which happened to be on a legal channel. Both the maid and Queenie were startled for a moment. The legal channel was currently discussing the recent high-profile case involving a man named Matysh who had attempted to kidnap someone. This was the same case that Leia was involved in. Even though the host on the channel used code names for Matysh, Leia, and the others, the motives and details of the crime were identical to the real-life case. Queenie''s expression turned sour. Even though her focus was on Luca now, the mention of Leia still affected her mood. Her own daughter had conspired with someone else to harm her loved ones... It was absurd and funny when she thought about it. Now, Queenie''s heart was set on making Luca admit her true identity so that the mother and daughter could reunite. Leia had yed a role in preventing their reunion. Previously, she coborated with the Ind of Despair to kidnap Bianca, who was seeking revenge against Luke. As the legal channel continued to cover the case, it stirred up unpleasant memories in Queenie''s mind. The maid shot a nce at Queenie and said in a low voice, "Mrs. Norman, would you like me to change the channel?" "No." Queenie''s gaze remained fixed on the TV screen. Jack told her that regardless of Leia''s attempts to defend herself, she would undergo rehabilitation in prison this time. The length of her sentence would depend on the judge''s decision. Jack would not interfere with it. Leia would serve as many years in prison as she deserved. Queenie was reluctant to do so back then. Even though Leia had truly done something wrong, she was still her daughter. It was hard for Queenie to bear when she knew that her daughter was going to prison. However, ever since she found out that Luca''s true identity was Bianca, it became clear that Leia was in cahoots with the Ind of Despair. She used the guise of helping Bianca to choose a wedding dress as an excuse to have the people from the Ind of Despair kidnap Bianca. Her sympathy for Leia disappeared without a trace. While listening to the host on the legal channel analyze the case, Queenie even felt some hatred deep within. Throughout her life, she rarely held grudges against others. She had a happy and content life. There was no need for her to harbor ill feelings toward anyone. However, when Queenie learned about Leia''s treacherous actions, she could not help but feel hatred. She even thought that it would have been better if she had not walked into that orphanage with Jack back then. That way, she would not have adopted Leia, and Leia would not have caused harm to Bianca. Chapter 2947 The maid had to pay Queenie extra attention this week. She did not say anything since Queenie''s expression was still calm. Queenie''s expression remained calm until the legal program ended. She picked up her phone and entered Matysh''s name. News reports started to appear one by one. Queenie was worried that she might go soft. That was why she did not search for reports rted to Matysh during this time, nor had she made an effort to find out about Leia''s situation. Ignorance was her way of avoiding any feelings ofpassion. Unexpectedly, she came across the legal program discussing this case. After watching it, she searched for the current news and was surprised to find that she felt no compassion this time. Knowing that Luca''s true identity was Bianca and having fully understood the events of the past, Queenie could no longer muster any sympathy for Leia. Queenie knew Leia was going to be sentenced. She even felt Leia deserved it. She had no feelings of pity. Leia screwed up way too much and stomped on her and Jack''s goodwill back then, causing them to go through a ton of pain. Queenie put her phone down and said casually, "Turn off the TV." T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Okay." The maid picked up the remote and turned off the TV. "Mrs. Norman, would you like to rest for a while?" she asked. "Yes." Queenie nodded. The hospital was boring, especially when there was no treatment to undergo. She was confined to the hospital ward and could not go anywhere. If she were back at home, she could whip up some of Jack''s favorite food in the kitchen, kick back with a book, knit a bit, or tend to some housents to pass the time. After Queeniey down, she said to the maid, ¡°After my napter, can you swing by the house and grab me some stuff?¡± "What do you need?" asked the maid, thinking maybe she should inform Jack to bring it over considering that she could not leave the hospital easily. "Fetch me some books I haven''t read and the roll of yarn I haven''t finished knitting. I want to pass the time since there''s nothing to do in the hospital," replied Queenie. "Sure, but Mr. Norman instructed me to stay with you all the time. How about you endure it a bit longer and I''ll have Mr. Norman bring them after he finishes work?¡± the maid proposed. It was not because she did not want to go but because Jack had instructed her not to leave. "Let''s not make him run back and forth. Bring them to meter. There are no injections this afternoon. You don''t have to stay here. Besides, it''ll only take less than an hour." Queenie did not want Jack to go through the trouble. He was busy with work now. If she told him, he would have to go home after work, deliver the things to the hospital, and return to his provincial office for overtime. Queenie did not want him to be so exhausted. "Alright, I''ll go back in a while, then." The maid agreed, wondering why Queenie was staying in the hospital since there were no other treatments she had to undergo. She just had t take some medicine. Plus, there had not been a recurrence of high blood pressure, but the doctor did not mention discharging her. What was even more peculiar was that Queenie had not mentioned about leaving the hospital. The maid did not understand why, considering how impatient Queenie usually was in the hospital. Queenie paid no attention to what the maid had in mind. After receiving a response, she closed her eyes to rest for a while. Leia was not having a good time in detention. She touched the damp mat and looked at the group of women who were not far away, huddled together. They were chatting and casting mocking nces her way. In their eyes and at the corners of their mouths, there was nothing but disdain. Leia pursed her lips, her hands unconsciously clenched into fists. They were the ones who made her sleeping spot wet. She just did not know if they had used water or urine to soak her mat. It had not been this miserable when she was in her darkest days in New York. "Look at her. What''s that expression?" one woman taunted. "Is she angry? That''s funny. Big Sis, look at how she clenches her fists in silence but doesn''t dare to mess with you. She''s just a coward." "Isn''t that right? But I love seeing her like this. So what if she''s angry? She can''t do anything to us," another woman chimed in. The woman they called Big Sis continued to leer at Leia, waiting for her next move. As Leia listened to their taunts, her anger inside grew. She really wanted to go up and give each of these people a punch, but if she did, she might not even get a punch in before these reckless women pinned her down. Leia knew that even if these people did not gang up on her, with her current physical condition, she could not handle any of them. If she made a rash move, she would be the one at a disadvantage. "She''s a real wimp." The taunting voices continued. Leia could only take a deep breath and try to ignore them. Leia thought that if she ever had the chance to get out of here, she would not let these people off easily! Even if she could not deal with the women inside, they all had families and rtives outside. She could deal with those people and take revenge for everything she had endured during this time. However, she had to get out first... Leia knew that without Jack''s help, she had no way out. Hence, even if she had such thoughts, she dared not to think too much. The more she thought about it, the more disappointed she became. Leia lowered her head and lightly sniffed the scent on the mat. It was not the strange smell of urine. It was just water. One woman saw her reaction and burst intoughter. "Big Sis, look at what she''s doing." "Haha, is she worried that it''s urine?" another woman echoed. A trace of cruelty shed across Big Sis'' eyes. "Coward." What could she do by sniffing it? Even if it were urine, Leia would not dare to say anything. The police here would not show her any special leniency because of her father. Hence, even if they poured urine on her sleeping spot, they would not face any punishment. "Why are you making so much noise? Don''t you know it''s nap time? Take your nap!" A female officer outside banged on the stainless steel door, instructing them to stop making a racket. When they heard the female officer''s words, the group dispersed in a hurry. Mandy also leisurely returned to her own sleeping spot. As she passed by Leia, she whispered in a low voice, "Leia, these kinds of things happen all the time. Hang in there." She no longer pretended to be friends with Leia anymore. They were all in detention. Based on her observation, Leia''s foster father did not seem inclined to help her get out. Both of them would be sentenced together in the future, and their sentences would be simr. Therefore, Leia was no longer the Norman family''s youngdy now. Even if Mandy tried to please her, she would not gain anything good in return. Those women might even cause trouble for her. Thus, Mandy very consciously joined the ranks of those women. She bullied and belittled Leia together with them. "Mandy, don''t get too cocky. Don''te begging me to get you outter!" Leia heard her words and clenched her teeth. "You think you''re getting out of here? Do you mean after doing time?" Mandy sneered with a cold chuckle. "You!" Leia could not control her voice when she mentioned jail. The female officer outside the door impatiently mmed their door again. "It''s rest time. Keep quiet!" Chapter 2948 Leia gazed sinisterly at the policewoman standing at the door as she held herself back andy on the bed. It was nighttime. Luca was lying on the edge of the bed, browsing through the forums. The top report was still the same as in the morning, and it was still going viral. Thements below were simr to thements she heard on the elevator today. They were all talking about how liberal-minded Karen was, and how she was faking elegance and decency. Some who held extreme views even suspected whether Pierre and Percy were really children of the Mallory family. However, as soon asments like these were posted, someone would reply to thesements almost immediately with evidence to prove that Pierre and Percy were really part of the Mallory family. Luca looked at the evidence. They were basically just photoparisons of Percy and Daryl. It had to be said that Percy indeed looked very simr to his father, Daryl. Luca reckoned that Luke had someone monitor thements to refute any hateful remarks toward Percy. The simrity between the father and son was enough to subdue public opinion and scrutiny. Luca did not find thosements interesting, so she put her phone aside and picked up the book on the bedside to read a bit before going to sleep. Then, Luke opened the bedroom door and walked in. He saw Luca reading, so he took off his shoes and climbed into bed. He leaned on the edge of the bed and nced at the book in her hand. It was a book about medicine. Luke raised his eyebrows and embraced her. ¡°Is the research going well?" ¡°It''s going well," said Luca as she calmly leaned on his chest. She pointed to a page in the book and said, "I also found out that this article is simr to my field of research." Luke was not particrly interested in pharmaceutics. Watsons was originally established because pharmaceuticalpanies were quite profitable. Plus, in a few years, he nned to do research on rare diseases once thepany was qualified enough. He would just focus on the management side of things and not be involved in pharmaceutical matters. ¡°Let me take a look." Luke quickly skimmed through the article. He did not understand most of the professional terminology, but he understood the general idea. The phone he ced on the bedside table suddenly rang. After handing the book back to Luca, he picked up the phone and took a nce before looking at Luca again. Luca had been looking at him the whole time, but when he looked back at her, her heart could not help but skip a beat. Before she could speak, Luke said, "I''ll go out and take this." "Alright." Luca knew that he said so because the subject of discussion with the caller was not for her to hear. In the past, she would not have minded it at all. Besides, T Corporation had many secrets that she was not supposed to know. Now, at the thought of the people she knew in the hospital, she could not help but feel worried. Plus, Johann mentioned that Luke did not want to add to her mental load, so he was hiding some things from her... Luca wanted to know who called him. After Luke left the room, Luca picked up her phone and called Johann. "The number you have dialed is busy. Please tryter." Johann was on another call and could not be reached. Luca''s chest tightened up, so she immediately got out of bed, tiptoed over to the bedroom door, and opened it. Luke was not in the corridor. She walked out of the bedroom and nced at the opposite bedroom. The door was open, but Luke was not inside. Luca pursed her lips and went to the second-floor living room, but Luke was not there either. Then, she gently went down the stairs. Before she reached the corner of the stairs, she heard Luke talking on the phone. "Alright, I got it." Luke''s tone sounded serious. Luca''s heart started thumping hard again as she stood there to listen. "I can''t leave right away. If I leave suddenly, Luca will get suspicious. Try to calm her down first. I''ll go to the hospital to give her an exnation myself tomorrow," said Luke as he nced toward the stairs. He was merely putting on an act. Luca was probably listening by the stairs. Although Luke did not tell her who the call was from, Johann had sent the screenshots of his conversation with Luca today. He knew that he had her in the palm of his hand now. After a while, he said, ¡°I don''t care how you do it, just calm her down. I don''t want Luca to be up all night, worried. "She''s Bea''s aunt, so I don''t want her to act recklessly. Plus, Bea''s grandfather is in the hospital too. If word spreads about this, I''m afraid that the old man will be triggered again if they see each other. "Yes, sedate her. I''ll call her now. "Then don''t sedate her. Just calm her down and have the nurse look after her." Luca could not hear the person on the other end of Luke''s phone. She could only hear what Luke said. She was certain that Luke was talking about Wanda... Wanda must have gotten emotional after seeing the scandal between her and Luke. They must have had no other choice but to call Luke. Luke could not leave now because he did not want her to worry. Luca''s hands tightly grasped the solid wooden railing. She wanted to go up to him and suggest that they go to the hospital together so they could exin to Wanda. Would the problem be solved if she did that? If Wanda saw her and Luke together, she might get even more triggered. Luca did not dare to do it. After hearing Luke bid farewell to the other person, Luca took a deep breath and quickly went upstairs. Asking Johann to hide things from her and not letting her listen to his phone calls was all for her own good. When she returned to the bedroom, she carelessly leaned on the edge of the bed and held her book. However, she could not bring herself to read it. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. All she could think about was Wanda. Although she had already undergone surgery and had no cardiovascrplications, her emotions were crucial for her recovery. An optimistic cancer patient had a much higher recovery rate than a pessimistic one. Luca was absent-minded as she tried to think about what she could do to make Queenie and Wanda believe the statements released. As she was thinking about it, Luke walked in. Luca''s gaze fell on him. "Are you finished with your call?" "Yeah." Luke acted as if nothing happened and focused on Luca''s face. Although she tried hard to feign ignorance, the gloom in her eyes betrayed her. Plus, the book in her hands was upside down. Luca had definitely heard his conversation with Johann. "Who called thiste at night?" Luca asked. Although she knew that Luke would not tell her the truth, she could not help but ask. "Jason called to ask me to decide on some work matters," said Luke. ¡°Do you need to go to thepany, then?" Luca asked. Although she heard Luke say to use sedatives, she was hoping that he would go to the hospital to take care of Wanda''s situation. She deliberately said so to give him an excuse to leave. Chapter 2949 Based on what she heard from Luke''s conversation, Luca was worried about Wanda. Luke looked at Luca seriously. ¡°It''s just a small matter. I don''t need to go to thepany, so don''t worry. It''s all taken care of." Luca''s chest suddenly tightened as she felt an indescribable surge of emotion. Then, Luke asked, "What''s wrong?" "I''m fine." Luca shook her head as she thought of asking Johannter. "Your book is upside down. Is there something bothering you?" Luke said. Luca looked down and saw that her book was flipped upside down. Aftering upstairs, she was so shaken up that she did not even notice that she was holding her book the wrong way. After making a fool of herself, she put her book aside and said, "I''m sleepy." "Go to sleep, then." Luke lifted the nket and motioned for her to lie down. After Luca put the book aside andy down, she picked up her phone. "Don''t go on your phone when you''re about to go to bed," Luke reminded softly. Luca paused as she opened her messaging app before looking at the person behind her. "Are you going to bed too?" "If you''re going to bed, of course, I''m going to bed too," said Luke as hey down. As he was about to put his arms around her, she suddenly sat up and said, "I need to go to the bathroom." After that, she got out of bed and went into the bathroom with her phone. Luke gazed at Luca''s back solemnly. He did not want Luca to be so worried. After finding out about Wanda''s ''news'', she definitely would not have a good rest tonight. However, if he chose to ease her worries now, he might never be able to uncover the secret behind her. Luke could not bear doing this to her, but he forced himself to. He had to trigger Luca to make her confess everything and exin the forces controlling her. Only then could their family be reunited and Queenie be discharged from the hospital. He tried to convince himself that his cruel n was for Luca''s sake. After seeing her hiding herself in the bathroom, he picked up his phone as well. Johann sent him screenshots of his chat history with Luca. Luke clicked on the screenshots and read their conversation. Johann told Luca the things they agreed on, which was basically about Wanda''s unstable emotions, but she had calmed down now after taking sedatives. Luke deleted the screenshots. Although Luca would not check his phone, he was a meticulous person, especially when it came to matters regarding reuniting his family. He could not leave a single trace behind. The more he cared about Luca, the more careful he was. Not long after Luke put down his phone, Luca walked out of the bathroom. The lights in the bedroom were dim, but Luke could sense frustration on her face. He could not see her clearly, so he pretended not to notice. ¡°Let''s go to bed. It''s gettingte." He lifted the nket. Luca nodded and ced her phone on the bedside table as shey down. Luke covered her with the nket. To indicate to Luca that he was not in a good mood, he did not get handsy with her and just put his arms around her waist. However, trying to control himself when the woman he loved was in his arms was torture. It was too great a temptation. However, he could only resist... Deep down, Luke cursed the Ind of Despair about a million times. The next day, Luca woke up early. Luke got up the moment she woke up. "Good morning." Luca looked a little dazed as she had spent the night tossing and turning. She only managed to fall asleep after Luke suggested she take a mtonin pill. However, she had a nightmare, and the thought of it frightened her even after she had woken up. Seeing Luke beside her, Luca felt more at ease. The frown caused by her nightmare started to loosen up too. "Good morning." Luke leaned down and pressed his lips on her forehead. "Good morning." Luca rubbed her eyes. Even after a night''s rest, she felt as if she had not rested at all. Nheless, she still got up. After the two washed up, they went downstairs. Aunt Neile had already prepared breakfast and was about to serve it up when she saw theming down. However, Luke said, "Pack up breakfast for me. I''ll have it on the way." Aunt Neile nodded and said, "Yes, sir." Luca looked at him. "Why don''t you eat at home before going to thepany?" "I have some work to deal with, so I need to leave early today," Luke exined to her. Luca''s heart sank at the thought of his conversation with Johannst night. Luke was probably not going to the office but to the hospital. How was he going to exin it to Wanda? N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. "Alright." Luca did not say anything else as she was trapped here because of her identity. Her hands were tied. She wanted to go to the hospital to visit Wanda, Queenie, and Old Man Rayne too... Then, Aunt Neile handed the packed breakfast to Luke. "Your breakfast, sir." "Thanks, I''ll be going to thepany now." Luke nced at Luca. "Alright." Luca nced at his back and did not look away for some time. Aunt Neile noticed her absent-mindedness and coughed sheepishly before saying, "Ms. Craw, would you like to have breakfast now?" "Let me do it. Aunt Neile, can you please go upstairs to see if the kids are up?" Luca withdrew her gaze and went into the kitchen. When she was heading downstairs, she could not stop thinking about her nightmare, to the point that she did not even check if the kids were up. Only when she did not see them downstairs did she realize that they had note down. Aunt Neile responded and went up to check on them. On the other hand. Contrary to what Luca thought, Luke did not go to the hospital. He knew that she would not follow him, so he went to thepany after leaving home. Not long after he sat down, there was a knock on the CEO''s office door. "Come in." Luke turned on theputer and prepared to start work. Gale opened the door and casually walked in. Luke looked up at him, then looked away, not showing much surprise to see him here. "Boss, you''re early today. I don''t think many of your employees have arrived," said Gale as he sat across from him. "You have to fake it till you make it," replied Luke as he logged into his email. Early this morning, he saw that Gale had sent him an email. He guessed that it was information about the Ind of Despair, so he was not in a rush to open it. He was waiting to open it after he arrived at thepany. "I sent you an email at midnight," said Gale. "I''m reading it." Luke''s eyes were fixed on theputer screen. The content of the email was about all of the Ind of Despair''s bases in A City. Gale discovered the characteristics of the Ind of Despair''s bases and sent his people to investigate. Finally, he was able to get these addresses. "These are definitely the Ind of Despair''s bases. There are still a few I''m not sure about, so I''ll have to send people to look into them." Worried that the people from the Ind of Despair would notice, his people were very cautious when carrying out missions. They dared not make big moves so as not to alert others, and their cautiousness made the investigation much harder. Chapter 2950 "Yes." Gale was fast. Luke had nothing to nitpick about. "But the worst part is, I''m not sure if we have evidence of illegal activities at each of their strongholds. If we call the cops, it''ll be a gamble. Once the police catch one, it''s certain," said Gale. In a situation where they could not tip their hand, their ability to gather information was limited. There was nothing Gale could do about it. Luke did not seem too concerned about it. "With this list, we can double-team them. When it''s time to throw them down, we hand them over to the local cops and go all in on those Russians." Gale nodded, understanding what he meant. Topletely eliminate the power of the Ind of Despair, they needed cooperation from multiple sources. They had tried once before but had overlooked some of the Ind of Despair''s overseas strongholds, giving them a chance to regroup. This time, they could not afford to let this group have another shot at survival! "Plus, this is an IP address we tracked from an email. But here''s the kicker, it leads to a trendy coffee shop where the business is booming. Even if we snag the surveince footage, the chances of spotting anyone from the Ind of Despair doesn''t look too hot." Gale did not investigate the coffee shop''s surveince himself as he did not have the authority to do so. His job was to provide the address to Luke, who would decide what to do next. Luke took the investigation results from him and nced at the address before putting it back. "Finding that person now won''t be of much use," said Luke. Even the impostor Bianca had not revealed anything about the Ind of Despair when she died. Even if they spotted someone from the Ind of Despair through the coffee shop''s surveince, there was nothing they could do to them. Gale listened to him and nodded in agreement. With business matters concluded, he decided to poke into Luke''s personal affairs. "By the way, Boss, how''s your situation with Dr. Craw now?" Luke''s eyes darkened. "I''m just curious. Now that your rtionship is out in the open, has it brought you two closer...?" Gale did not finish his sentence and instead gave a thumbs-up. He did a cheeky smooching gesture, asking if things had gotten more intimate between them. Luke looked at him expressionlessly. "Do you have nothing better to do?" Gale shuddered and quickly realized that things were not going as he expected. He immediately shook his head and said, "No, I''m really busy. I''m just concerned about your love life, especially since you asked me not to stop Karen." "I did say that," admitted Luke. Even though things were not progressing as he had hoped, he knew that eventually, Luca would be on the same page with him. The process was just tough. Luca was suffering, and he was too. For instance,st night, Luke wished to get up and take a cold shower, but Luca was not deeply asleep. If he got up, she would definitely notice. Hence, Luke endured his inner difort and went to sleep while holding her in his arms. Gale shrugged his shoulders and waited for his next words.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. However, to his surprise, after over a minute, Luke still had not said anything else. Gale tentatively called out, "Boss?" "When is Matysh''s case scheduled for trial?" Luke changed the topic. "Just half a month from now," answered Gale. Usually, court schedules for cases could be quite long, but the two cases rted to Matysh had garnered significant public attention. With the police having alreadypleted their evidence collection, the court granted some privileges, allowing for an expedited trial. This was also a way to appease public sentiment. After all, Matysh''s actions had already stirred up quite a bit of disdain from the crowd. He had shown utter disregard for women, causing harm to two lives and a family. The situation has sparked intense anger among the masses. "Ethan will arrange for a prison break. We''ll get him in there too if that''s possible," Luke was talking about Ethan. Based on their investigation, he knew that Ethan and his father had long been in service to the Abaza family. They hadmitted numerous unjust acts against Marcos. This also involved the shadowy fate of Sarah, who was forced to hide away in the outskirts of A City. This was the handiwork of Ethan''s old man. Hence, Luke nned to help Marcos get rid of this trouble. This would also strike at Ethan''s father in Russia. However, all of this depended on whether Ethan would participate in the prison break operation. If he were justmanding from behind, it would not be easy to get him into prison. Therefore, Luke did not state it as a definite n to send Ethan in. "Don''t you worry, Boss. I''ve got it covered. That awful guy is dreaming if he thinks he can just waltz out of A City''s prison. I''ll make sure he experiences that moment when hope turns into utter despair." Gale grinned, his eyes sparkling with excitement. It had been a while since he had done something like this. His hands and feet were itching to get started. He wished he could fast forward to half a month from now. He dared to make a move on his boss'' woman? Matysh deserved to spend a lifetime in A City''s prison! Unfortunately, his crimes were not severe enough to warrant a life sentence, unless Matysh had a short life expectancy and could not endure the conditions in A City''s prison. "I look forward to your performance." Luke''s eyes gleamed with anticipation. Although he assigned Gale to handle these matters, it was solely because he was swamped with company affairs and could not afford to free up his schedule. That was why he had Gale take care of it. Otherwise, he would be more than happy to personally send Matysh, who dared to scheme against Luca, straight to the mmer. Gale chuckled with a mischievous grin. Luke noticed that it was almost time and sent a message to Johann. At the same time, while Luca was on her way back to thepany, she received a message from Johann. [I just saw Luke entering Ms. Rayne''s hospital ward.] Luca''s heart tightened. Luke had indeed gone to the hospital. [What''s going on in there?] Luca immediately asked, wanting to know how Wanda''s conversation with Luke was going. [I''m not sure yet. He had the caretaker leave the ward.] Johann continued to fabricate lies while secretly cursing Luke a million times over. As a doctor, he had told patients white lies before, but it was always due to considerations of the patient''s physical condition. Typically, after telling a patient a white lie, they would tell the truth to the patient''s family members to have them mentally prepared. However, lying to someone who was not a patient was a first for him. If it were not for his rtionship with Luke, he would not have agreed to this mess. It was a real nightmare! The thought of having to lie to Luca at any time made him feel like hecked professional ethics. Luca''s heart sank. She naturally hoped that Luke and Gale could persuade Wanda, making her believe that there was no illicit rtionship between them. Luca replied: [I''d like to ask you for a favor.] [Yes.] Johann raised an eyebrow as he sat in his office, reading his conversation with Luca. He suddenly realized that his talent for lying was top-notch. It seemed that the kind lies he had told patients over the years had significantly improved his lying skills. It was a surprise that Luca did not doubt the authenticity of what he was saying. [Could you please check on Ms. Rayne''s condition for me once he leaves?] Luca asked Johann. There was no way she could show up at the hospital and in front of Wanda now. Hence, she could only rely on Johann to do it in her ce. Chapter 2951 Johann looked at the medical records for a while. Then, he replied to her: [Alright. She''s my patient too. Don''t worry, I''ll pay extra attention.] [Thank you.] Luca was still worried even after she read Johann''s message. Luca held her phone tightly in her hand and looked out of the car window. She was too preupied to appreciate the scenery. All she could think about was whether Luke could persuade Wanda. After she arrived at thepany, she quickly headed to her office. She waited for a while but did not receive any message from Johann. She had no choice but to put her phone in her pocket and walk to theboratory to start her day''s work. While everyone was all busy in theboratory, someone knocked on the ss door. All of them looked up. Mo Stone stood at the door. She turned to look at Luca and said, ¡°Dr. Craw, I have something to tell you." Luca heard her, put down her equipment, and left theboratory. "Ms. Stone, what''s the matter?" "The general manager wants you to go upstairs. He says it''s about teaching at the university the company''s partnering with." Mo Stone ryed the manager''s message. "Teaching at the university? Didn''t I already decline that?" Luca frowned, thinking that declining it should have put an end to the matter. She could not understand why it was being brought up again. "I heard that there''s a sudden situation at the university. One of the old professors fell ill and had to retire. There are no other lecturers avable to cover his courses at the moment. So, the university is hoping ourpany can send them a professor for the job. "I''m not sure about the details, but Dr. Craw, would you consider talking to the manager about it?" Mo Stone, as the department assistant, had some knowledge of various matters. However, she did not know all the details. "I''ll head there now," replied Luca. She turned to Rhett and instructed him, "Mr. Link, please make sure the cell culture samples are properly stored." "Okay, Dr. Craw," replied Rhett, setting aside his current task to follow her orders. Mo Stone watched the scene in theboratory with a hint of envy in her eyes. Despite being rejected by Luca, she still wished to work in theboratory rather than sit in the assistant''s office doing nothing. Luca did not notice the expression on Mo Stone''s face. After she took off herboratory coat, she returned to her office, then rode the elevator to the upper floor. While she was in the elevator, she made up her mind to decline this task no matter what. Her work was usually demanding with a multitude of tasks. There was also the uncertainty of when Abel might assign her an unconventional task. If she took on teaching at the university as well, she would be overwhelmed. Luca arrived at the manager''s office. The door was left ajar. She knocked gently on the door. ¡°Oh, it''s you, Dr. Craw. Come in." A man in his 30s greeted her with a friendly smile when he saw her. Luca entered the office and studied the man''s face. She felt a strange sense of familiarity, like she had seen him somewhere before. However, she could not recall ever having met him before... "Please, have a seat." Evan Turner gestured to the chair opposite him. He spoke politely. Luca nodded. After she sat down, she observed the man sitting across from her again. He carried an air of haunting familiarity. She nced at the namete on the desk. [General Manager of Watsons Biopharmaceuticals: Evan Turner.] The name was unfamiliar to her. Luca was sure this was her first time meeting the manager. "Mr. Turner, is there something you''d like to discuss?" She pretended not to know what was happening and asked Evan. "Well, Dr. Craw, there''s a situation with our partner, Capital University. One of their professors had to retire due to illness. They still haven''t found a professor to take over the Cellr Biology course he used to teach. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "They''re hoping that we could send a professor to take over the course as an instructor. It''s also part of our cooperative projects. I''ve reviewed your resume, and it''s clear that you''re an expert in this field. "That''s why I''d like to rmend you for this role as the course instructor. Don''t worry, it''s only until this course ends. It''s not a long-termmitment," Evan exined in as much detail as possible. Luca slightly furrowed her brows and replied, "I''m sorry, Mr. Turner. I can''t spare the time for this. My research has just started. There are many things to take care of." Evan knew that Luca had previously declined this task. He did not show any reaction when he heard her decline. Instead, he continued to persuade her, "I know you''re busy. That''s why I talked to Capital University about this before. "It was originally a small ss, but they''ve agreed to turn it into arge ss, with several sses happening simultaneously. Just one morning a week is all it would require. I won''t take up much of your time." "I remember there are quite a few research professors who specialize in cellr biology. Mr. Turner, why don''t you ask them?" Luca still wanted to refuse. Rejecting it would be easy. She could just mention Luke''s name. However, Luca did not want to take that route. Her recent rumors with Luke had just been rified. If she involved him in this matter, it might spark more gossip within thepany. Luca was not concerned about gossip, but when it began to have repercussions beyond herself, she grew more cautious. "The other professors are nearing the end of their research projects, unlike you. They''re even busier. I know it''s a bit of trouble, but I hope you can understand that this is part of our cooperation with Capital University. "It was stipted in the initial agreement, and we can''t just decline them without a valid reason." Evan continued to persuade her. He was the manager Luke had personally appointed and was offered a high sry to manage the company. His position was higher than the professors. Evan could have given Luca a direct order. However, he refrained from doing so for two reasons. Firstly, he knew about the rtionship between Luke and Luca. Secondly, he believed that there was no need forpulsion as persuasion would suffice. Luca''s brows furrowed even deeper. She wondered why the manager was acting as though he could not understand her... "Mr. Turner, I''m not suited for lecturing students. I don''t have any experience in this area, and I''m afraid I might misguide the students." "There''s always a first time for everything. How about this, Dr. Craw? You can decide when it''s most convenient for you, and I''ll coordinate with the university to schedule the ss ordingly,¡± Evan brought it up with her once more. At the same time, he added another condition, ¡°And if you agree to this arrangement, I can allocate additional research funds for your work." Luca suddenly felt that even though the manager looked like he was pleasant to deal with, speaking without amanding tone and making the conversationfortable, he was a tough negotiator. If she declined, he would persistently press on. Luca did not have many options when she was facing someone like him. She could not just turn him down and leave with a dismissive attitude. He was not an arrogant person. There was no way she could treat him with arrogance or deal with him like how she dealt with the previous manager by walking away abruptly. The other party was not arrogant, and she could not bring herself to respond with arrogance or leave abruptly as she had with the previous manager. Luca took a deep breath and smiled at Evan Turner. "Mr. Turner, can you give me some time to think about it?" "Of course, take your time. It''s just that things are kind of urgent at the university. They''re hoping that you can agree to it as soon as possible." Evan kept his smile on his face. Chapter 2952 Luca could tell what he meant by his words. He wanted her to quickly set a time to attend the ss instead of considering whether to take it on. She was a bit puzzled, wondering why Luke had recruited this person, Evan Turner. He put on a smiling face and spoke in a gentle tone, but he was a hard man to refuse. "Dr. Craw?" Noticing that Luca was keeping silent, Evan called her again. Luca looked at him and asked, "Have we met before, Mr. Turner?" "I don¡¯t think so," Evan replied without much thought. He added, "But Dr. Craw, you''re well-known in the industry. I''ve heard of you for a long time. Students at Capital University who have the chance to attend your sses will surely benefit greatly." Luca had not seen anyoney on the ttery so thick. She realized there was no use in dwelling on it. She rose to her feet and said, "Mr. Turner, I¡¯m going downstairs to continue with my experiments." "Sure. I hope you can set a time soon," Evan said with a smile and waved her off. It was as though he was unaffected by Luca''s reluctance or rejection. He watched her depart with a smiling face from behind. Luca was rendered speechless for a moment. After putting on herboratory coat, she headed to Mo Stone¡¯s office. "Dr. Craw?" Mo Stone stood up and called out as she approached. "Ms. Stone, do you know who the manager is?" asked Luca. Mo Stone often interacted with people from other departments, so she might have more information about thepany''s personnel. Mo Stone furrowed her brows and asked in a confused tone, ¡°Mr. Turner? I don''t..." "Was he brought in by Mr. Crawford?" questioned Luca. Mo Stone hesitated for a moment and answered in an uncertain tone, "Probably, but it was actually arranged by T Corporation. I''m not sure if Mr. Crawford personally recruited him. Dr. Craw, is there something wrong?" "It''s nothing. You may continue with your work." Luca nced at the thick stack of files on Mo Stone''s desk. Then, she turned around to leave the assistant''s office. Mo Stone sat back down. As she watched Luca leave from behind, a hint ofplexity shed across her eyes. She hesitated, wondering if she should try to seize this opportunity. Perhaps Luca''s earlier refusal was just a test for her? Even though Mo Stone thought it was unlikely, she wanted to give it a try. Luca returned to theboratory. Rhett walked over with a set of fresh data. He handed it to Luca and said, "Dr. Craw, this is thetest data." As Luca epted the data from Rhett, she suddenly remembered his resume. When Rhett expressed his desire to be her assistant, she reviewed his resume. Luca agreed to have him join her team only after confirming that he was not a cker. His resume mentioned that he had worked part-time during college and was an assistant to a professor... Even though the role of an assistant was different from that of a professor''s assistant, it involved assisting a professor. Luca frowned, trying to recall Rhett''s resume. When she thought about him helping a professor with their work, she asked, "Mr. Link, I remember you did part-time work during your college years, right?" "Yes." Rhett nodded. "I was an assistant to a professor. I helped them organize course materials and documents.¡± University professors had their own research to do. Hence, the university would select undergraduates who needed part-time work to assist the professors and reduce their teaching workload. "Alright, I got it." Luca nodded. She thought that if she was really forced by Evan to teach students, she could have Rhett help her. She did not enjoy preparing lesson ns, but Rhett could assist with that. Even though it was just for one semester, the academic year had already started over a month ago. There were only a few months left. "Dr. Craw, is something wrong?" Rhett did not understand why she was asking him this. He mentioned these experiences on his resume because he was applying for the assistant position at that time. Having that experience made him a stronger candidate. Otherwise, he would not have included it on his resume. "It''s nothing. Let''s discuss it when the timees," replied Luca as she shifted her gaze to her papers. The phone she put in her pocket vibrated. Wanda crossed her mind at that moment. Setting the materials aside, Luca took out her phone and unlocked the screen. It was a message from Johann. Observing her troubled state, Rhett did not say anything further and returned to his seat to continue with his experiments. Luca read Johann''s message with pursed lips. [Just performed a surgery. After that, I went to check on Ms. Rayne. Luke had already left. Ms. Rayne had calmed down, but she seemed disinterested. She just sat there in silence. I''ll continue to observe her.] Luca replied to Johann''s message, thanking him. After that, her hands were slightly trembling as she put her phone back in her pocket. Wanda''s disinterest probably stemmed from her disbelief in Luke''s words... There had not been a scene, which meant that Luke might have exined things to her. Luca was worried about Wanda''s condition, but there was nothing she could do at the moment. "Dr. Craw, could youe over for a moment?" A researcher''s voice interrupted her thoughts. Luca immediately came back to her senses and turned to look in the direction where the voice came from. She quickly pulled herself together, stood up, and walked toward him. "What''s the matter?" "I''m facing some issues over here..." ... The bustling morning slipped away. While Luca was still thinking about Wanda''s situation, Johann sent her another message. [Just ran into Ms. Rayne''s nurse. She said that Ms. Rayne barely atest night and didn''t touch her breakfast this morning. She also doesn''t seem to be interested in her lunch.] Luca''s mind was filled with worry again. Could it be that Luke had exined things to Wanda, but she refused to believe it and decided to go on a hunger strike as a means to go against Luke? Luca felt even more uneasy. She had taken on a new identity, and everyone was unaware of it. This made the situation harder to deal with. However, using a hunger strike as a form of silent protest... [Dr. Park, can you please persuade her.] Before hitting the send button, Luca quickly erased the message. Then, she wrote: [Dr. Park, can you please keep an eye on her?] [I''ve been watching closely. Ms. Rayne simply refuses to eat. I can give her a nutritional drip, but you know that relying on intravenous nutrition without eating isn''t beneficial for recovery. [She needs to eat. The key person to persuade her is Luke. Dr. Craw, perhaps you can discuss a solution with him. Ms. Rayne and Mrs. Norman can''t go on like this for long.] Johann intentionally brought up Queenie as well. Luca''s heart tightened again. [Is Mrs. Norman''s condition still the same?] [Her blood pressure''s been off the charts, and she''s pretty much stuck in bed. Whenever she gets out of bed, she needs both a nurse and a caretaker to support her, or she''s at risk of falling. [This isn''t going to cut it for the long haul. And word on the street is that Old Master Crawford is flipping his lid about this matter. Prepare yourself for it.] Johann yed a pivotal role in Luke''s n. What he wrote was what Luke had sent to him in advance. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Johann was taking it step by step ording to Luke''s n. If it were not for the fact that he was doing a good deed, he might have felt guilty about it. As Luca stared at the messages Johann had just sent, she felt her breath catch in her chest. Luke simplified the situation when he spoke to her. He did not tell her the details! Chapter 2953 Luke was a family man. Still, what would he do if Old Master Crawford was upset about their rtionship? Would he give up or keep on going? Would he figure out a way to cheer her up? If she were Bianca, she would not doubt for a moment that Luke would choose her. After all, such situations had urred before, and Luke''s choice was always her from the beginning. However, her identity was Luca now. Would Luke still make the same choice? Luca was not worried that Luke would give up on her. She had been feeling down because Luke had been quietly shouldering everything, and her beloved family was suffering because of her reluctance to be honest. She was Bianca, and she was also Luca. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. How should she tell them the truth without feeling sad, anxious, or agitated? Luca really wanted to tell them that her true identity was Bianca, but she remembered N and Eler, who were still on the Ind of Despair. She had the antidote, but she had not found the right time to tell Luke about this. Would Luke be able to stay calm and deal with these if she told him everything? Luca had no idea, and she was afraid that telling him might drag him into it. There was a knock at the door. Luca came back to her senses. She turned off her phone screen and put it on her office desk. "Come in." Rhett entered with a lunchbox. "Dr. Craw, your lunch." "Thank you. Just leave it on the coffee table," replied Luca. She picked up a book and said to Rhett, "By the way, take this. Give it a read if you have some free time." "Okay. Understood." Rhett took the book handed to him by Luca. "Cellr Biology?" He immediately turned to look at Luca with a worried expression on his face. Did she think he was not up to her standards, which was why she gave him this book? Luca knew he had misunderstood and exined, "The manager called me today to discuss my role as a professor at Capital University. I don''t think I can decline it, and sooner orter, I''ll have to ept it. I''ll be teaching cellr biology." Rhett nodded. Something crossed his mind as he asked in surprise, "Dr. Craw, you''re not going to make me give lectures to students, are you...?" He had only graduated not long ago! Besides, he had onlypleted his undergraduate studies and had not pursued a postgraduate degree. He also had no experience in teaching students, and he was still learning from Luca. If she made him lecture the students, no one would listen to him... Rhett stared intently at Luca, hoping she would deny it! Otherwise, his legs would tremble if he had to stand at the lectern. "No, not at all. This is an important course for biopharmaceuticals. Some medical students will also pick this course. Even though I''m doing this as a part-time gig, I can''t just wing it. Lately, my research has been crazy, and I''ve got a lot of personal stuff going on. "If I end up having to teach, I won''t have time to prepare. So, how about you read this book first, and if I really can''t get out of this role, I want you to make the lesson ns and preparations. Are you okay with that? "I won''t let you do it for nothing. I''ll transfer a portion of thepensation I receive as a part-time professor to you," exined Luca. She did not intend to take advantage of Rhett because of her position. Rhett had been her personal assistant for quite some time. She knew why he started working right after finishing his undergraduate studies. In their industry, getting a master''s degree before entering the workforce could really boost one''s career. Rhett, however, had to give up the idea of pursuing a postgraduate degree because his family was struggling and needed him to start working sooner. Given the situation, he felt that the more effort he put in, the more he should get out of it. Luca was not a stingy person. She had already talked to him about it, and she only wanted him to do his best in everything he did. Furthermore, refreshing his memory with this book would be beneficial for him. "Dr. Craw, I can help you prepare the course material and presentations. As for thepensation, you don''t need to give me anything. After all, assisting you with your work has been beneficial for me," Rhett understood Luca''s intentions. He did have some shorings in this aspect. After graduating, he was not eager to pick up his old textbooks. Even if he explored new knowledge, he was subconsciously avoiding his weak areas. Therefore, Luca assigning him this task was akin to forcing him to confront his weaknesses! "When you do a good job, you should receive corresponding rewards. But I''m still considering whether to ept the offer. We''ll see," Luca replied in a soft voice, touching her forehead. When she thought about everything that had happened to her, it felt like a jumbled mess. She just could not be happy. Rhett saw Luca''s reaction and asked with concern, "Dr. Craw, are you okay? Are you feeling unwell?" "No. Go ahead and have your lunch." Luca shook her head, knowing that he probably had not eaten yet because he had been busy packing her lunch. "Alright!" Rhett responded energetically, taking the book with him as he left. He closed the office door behind him. Back in his assistant''s office, Rhett opened his lunchbox and began reading the book. The version of the book Luca had given him slightly differed from the textbooks he used during his college days, but that was fine. The differences were not significant, and his memory served him well. Hence, it did not feel too challenging. Mo Stone walked in and saw Rhett. She reminded him, "Eating while reading can lead to indigestion." Rhett lifted his head, smiled without saying anything. Then, he continued to eat and read simultaneously. Mo Stone, who was curious, approached him and nced at his book. "Cellr Biology? Why are you reading this? Didn''t you study it in college?" Rhett exined what Luca had told him. After all, Mo Stone was not a stranger. This was not a secret either. After he finished talking, he added, "But Dr. Craw isn''t very keen on taking up this task, so I''m just reading it for now while seeing how things develop." Mo Stone felt envious listening to what Rhett told her. Even though she saw how busy he was, the rewards he reaped were substantial. Not just in terms of sry but also in industry experience. If he mentioned that he worked at Watson Biopharmaceuticals during his ss reunion, he would garner admiration from the others. If Rhett were to say he was doing research with Luca, even more people would envy him... Mo Stone bit her lip and asked Rhett in a low voice, "Rhett, do you think Dr. Craw needs another assistant?" "I''m not sure about that." Rhett looked up at Mo Stone. "Are you...?" "Yes, that''s my intention. But Dr. Craw has turned me down before. Well, I''d like to give it another shot. Do you think I have a chance?" Mo Stone thought since Rhett was in the research team, he would know whether Luca was busy or not. If Luca was busy, would there still be a chance for her? ¡°I''m not sure. Maybe you can ask Dr. Craw.¡± Rhett shook his head. He was aware that Mo Stone had that idea before, but he did not expect her to get turned down. However, even with that said, when the new research project was underway, he never heard Luca comining about being short on manpower or anything like that. Thus, Mo Stone''s chances of sess were not very high. Taking their rtionship as colleagues into consideration, Rhett lifted his head and offered another piece of advice, "Honestly, if you''re interested, it doesn''t have to be Dr. Craw. Other professors might need help too. Perhaps you can give it a shot." Chapter 2954 Rhett often heard other assistantsining about their professors. They were always saying they were understaffed and thepany would not allocate more research positions. On the contrary, Luca never uttered a word ofint. It seemed like her research was able to proceed smoothly no matter how many researchers thepany assigned to her. After all, having worked on two research projects together, Rhett had not seen Luca face any difficulties yet. He said these words as a piece of advice for Mo Stone. Perhaps the chances of her bing a professor''s assistant would be higher if she chose a different research professor. His good intentions, however, were misunderstood by Mo Stone. She forced a faint smile and said nothing more. Then, she returned to her seat. Choose a different professor? That had never crossed her mind! Luca had always been her choice. If she could be Luca''s assistant, she could learn and gain more. Mo Stone thought Rhett''s advice stemmed from his concern about her presence in Luca''s group possibly affecting his position. In an instant, Mo Stonebeled Rhett as apetitor. Rhett was unaware of all of this. He diligently absorbed knowledge from the book. Mo Stone nced at Rhett''s studious appearance and secretly cursed him for being insincere. They were both rookies, so why was he pretending to be a schr? Meanwhile, Luca was still contemting the events unfolding around her in the office. She felt complicated and ufortable. There was also Karen, who was feeling just as miserable. Karen sat in a private booth in a cafe. She picked up the spoon and stirred her coffee with a gloomy expression on her face. It was the finest Blue Mountain coffee, but she had no appetite for it. Her face wore a grim look. Myra and Margaret, who were sitting across her, dared not to make a sound. Just as they were secretly pleased with themselves for causing significant trouble for Luke, they did not expect the spotlight to turn on Karen. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Now, the entire A City was talking about Karen''s ''scandalous past''. Being the subject of such talk did not make Karen happy at all. At the same time, Margaret and Myra were worried that if Luke retaliated against Karen in the same way they did, would they be next? However, after some consideration, they realized they did not have any scandals. Their notoriety was nowhere near as high as Karen''s. It put their minds at ease, and they invited Karen out for coffee to rx. They also wanted to learn about the events of those years from Karen while maintaining their rtionship and picking up more juicy gossip. While they did not express it openly, they were secretly curious about Karen''s affairs back then. "Madam Mallory, what should we do now?" Myra asked when Karen remained silent for a while. They were not as famous as Karen. Even if Luke decided to thrust them into the gossip news, it would not be a big deal. However, given that he was already taking revenge on Karen, there was a possibility that they might be his next targets. Hence, they needed to stick together. If one of them was targeted, at least there would be two others to help out. Karen raised her gaze coldly. She looked calm on the outside, but she was secretly itching to light a cigarette. "I never expected Luke to be so ruthless," said Margaret. She could not help but defend Karen. The ones who contacted the reporter were the two of them, but Luke retaliated against Karen, who was behind this. It seemed like Luke had a handle on their moves all along. Otherwise, how could he have precisely targeted Karen on the second day the scandal was exposed? This was just too ruthless. Luke''s revenge took Margaret by surprise, but they had no way out now. They had agreed to team up to go against Luke, and they could not back out now. "They say men have no conscience, but this one not onlycks it. He''s downright heartless," commented Myra. Then, she thought to herself, ¡®He''s heartless enough to dig up the dirt on someone over 20 years older than him.'' When Karen had those encounters with that man, Luke was not even around! However, he fully uncovered the matter. Myra learned about the incident through the news reports. In their time, not only was the culture conservative, butmunication was also underdeveloped. Myra heard that when Karen first saw through that man''s true colors, she used her family''s connections to send him far away. During those days, if one sent someone far away, the chances of running into them again were significantly lower. However, Luke''s capabilities were remarkable as he managed to find that man... He employed some means to protect that man. Karen shared the subsequent details with her. On the day the incident urred, she sent her subordinates to locate the man. However, her men could not find him even after a whole day had passed. They all began to suspect that Luke was shielding the man. "Madam Mallory, I have an idea. What if you insist that the man was just talking nonsense and that you don''t know him at all?" Margaret and Myra exchanged a meaningful look with each other. Even though they enjoyed gossip, their desire to help Karen was genuine. Therefore, they had discussed a n on their way here. Karen could not back down. If she did, they would also be in trouble. Things had reached a point where they had no way out. Karen took a sip of her bitter coffee. She had considered what they were suggesting, but she had her reason for not holding a press conference to rify things yet. Although the man had gone through many hardships and he did not look as handsome as he before, there had been a connection between them. She could still recognize that the man was the same person who had tried to deceive her into running away with him all those years ago. That was why Luke was protecting him now. If she held a press conference to rify things, he would surely have a trick up his sleeve. Back then when they were deeply in love, she had given him many tokens as keepsakes. Even though many years had passed and there was no guarantee that he had not kept them, Karen was not willing to take that chance. What if... People would only believe what they wanted to believe. Now, everyone believed in that man''s words and his version of the past. If she were to rify things at this moment and Luke unleashed a major move, it would be difficult for her to exin things to Old Master Mallory. Karen clenched her fists tight. "No..." She looked at the two women in front of her. Her situation was something they could not help with, and the advice they offered was simply unworkable. Myra and Margaret exchanged nces with each other. Karen continued, "Part of what that man said is true. I did have a romantic rtionship with him. But the rest is false. I can''t locate him now. If I rify things like this, he can easily make up more stories, pushing me further into a pit. I need to know where he is." Even though they were on the same side, she could not bring herself to admit to the sketchy things that man had said. After all, Karen trusted no one but herself. Only she would never betray herself. Chapter 2955 "The people you hired couldn''t find anything either..." said Myra. She was not aware that Old Master Mallory had given Karen a deadline, but she knew that the longer this dragged on, the more damage it would cause her. Karen clenched her fists as she never expected the people she hired to be so useless. He was just a person Luke kept in hiding, but even after a whole day of searching, they could not find a single trace of him! ¡°Mrs. Mallory, isn''t your eldest son very powerful?" Margaret suddenly uttered. She was not aware of how bad Karen''s rtionship with her son had gotten. She just remembered that Percy''s power was neck and neck with Luke. Not to mention, Percy and Luke were good friends, so there might be some room for maneuver if he helped out. Karen''s expression sank at the mention of Percy. She never told them about Percy as she did not want to air her dirtyundry in public. However, they should know that they had a falling out because of his marriage with Nina. Myra did not know the reason behind Karen''s expression, so she echoed Margaret and said, "That''s right, Madam Mallory. Your son is as capable as Lu¡ªnever mind. You don''t have to beg him. Just talk to your son and have him send someone to look for that man. He might be able to find that douchebag in no time!" "He won''t help me," said Karen. If Percy would have helped her, Luke would not have published this report. She was certain that Luke had consulted Percy before publishing the report. Otherwise, how could she be the only one who was affected by the report while Percy was left scatheless? "But you''re his mother. Did you two have a falling out?" Margaret was suddenly reminded of the Mallory family''s past episodes, and she put her hands to her mouth when she realized she had touched a sore spot. Percy was not on good terms with the rest of the Mallory family. "I know, but you''re his mother. If this issue isn''t resolved, it will affect him badly. Why don''t you go talk to him?" "She''s right. There''s no such thing as enmity between mother and son.." Myra advised. If even the people Karen hired could not find the man, she doubted that the people they hired would be any better. Their husbands'' powers were just for show. Where would they find people that were at their disposal? Margaret''s and Myra''s words changed Karen''s mind. After paying the bill, she rushed to Mallory Corporation. When she arrived downstairs, the receptionist dared not stop her. Instead, she immediately notified Percy''s assistant when she saw her enter the elevator, ¡°Madam Mallory just entered thepany and is taking the elevator upstairs right now. We couldn''t stop her, so please inform Mr. Mallory." "Mr. Mallory is in a meeting right now, and his assistant isn''t here either. This is Ms. Tucker. You can leave it to me." Ms. Tucker immediately walked out of the office upon hearing the news. Percy was in a confidential meeting with the top executives of thepany, so she was not qualified to sit in on this meeting as the secretary. After a while, the elevator door opened up slowly. Ms. Tucker took a good look at the personing her way and went up to her with a smile. "Good afternoon, Madam Mallory." "I want to see the CEO," Karen said rudely. Although she did not want to give the position to Percy, she had no choice but to address him as such now that he was the CEO of Mallory Corporation. "Mr. Mallory is in a meeting with the executives. Why don''t you wait in the reception room for a while? The meeting will end in about ten minutes." Ms. Tucker recalled Percy''s schedule. If the meeting went well, it would be over in ten minutes. Karen stared coldly at her. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. She wanted to burst into the conference room, but she held herself back. Now that Mallory Corporation belonged to Percy, doing so would result in Percy losing face. Karen was still sensible enough to know that she could not act impulsively when she was here to ask Percy for a favor. "I''m not going to the reception room." After hearing Karen say so, Ms. Tucker''s heart skipped a beat. Could she be thinking of bursting into the conference room? If she failed to stop Karen, she might get reprimanded, or even worse¡ªfired. "Madam Mallory, Mr. Mallory is in a very important meeting with all thepany''s top executives." Ms. Tucker emphasized in a low voice, begging her to calm down and not cause trouble. "Take me to his office." Karen red at her. Did she think that she would burst into the conference room? She wanted to, but doing so would only make Percy hate her more. She was in need of help right now. Although Percy was her son, their rtionship was so bad that she had to be cautious with her every move so as to not put herself in a disadvantageous situation. Ms. Tucker breathed a sigh of relief and brought Karen to Percy''s office. Although this was not allowed, she was afraid of upsetting Karen, so she did not say anything else, lest something bad happened. Thus, she brought Karen to Percy''s office and thought to herself that she''d better stay inside and keep an eye on her. Karen walked into Percy''s office and looked around. Theyout was exactly the same as before, except for the several new photo frames on the table. Then, she walked over to pick up a photo frame. Her eyes darkened. Inside the photo frame was a photo of Percy and that bitch, Nina! Karen gripped the photo frame tightly until her fingertips turned white and the veins on the back of her hand were bulging. She wanted to crush all these photo frames! In the past, Percy would never put such meaningless decorations on his desk. It must have been Nina! She must have demanded Percy to ce these useless gimmicks on his desk to seek his attention! After noticing that Karen was about to crush the photo frame, Ms. Tucker''s chest tightened as she was afraid that she might really do it. Those were the photos Percy treasured the most. Percy would wipe those photo frames and tidy them every other day. If Karen damaged those photo frames, Percy would me her for sure. ¡°Mrs. Mallory..." Ms. Tucker was almost in tears as she called out her name. Karen nced at her and mmed the photo frame on the table. She really wanted to smash all the photo frames and stomp on Nina''s face, but Old Master Mallory''s words appeared in her mind just then. She had no choice but to be more careful. She needed Percy''s help to solve this matter, or else she would be in trouble. "How could a high and mighty CEO ce these kinds of things on his desk? Isn''t he afraid of getting laughed at by his subordinates?" Karen did not look happy, but she resisted the urge to destroy them. One day, Percy would grow tired of Nina. When that day came, she would be able to get back at Nina however she wanted! Ms. Tucker dared not respond. Karen sat on the chair opposite Percy''s and ordered Ms. Tucker, "Bring me a cup of coffee. No sugar and no milk. Just in ck." "Yes, Ma''am." Ms. Tucker walked out of the office and practically ran to the pantry, worried that she would cause trouble. While waiting for the coffee, she sent a message to Percy''s assistant, informing him of Karen''s visit. She then quickly brought the cup of coffee back to the office. "Madam Mallory, your ck coffee is here." Ms. Tucker carefully ced the coffee next to her before stepping aside. Chapter 2956 Karen nced at the steaming ck coffee and looked up at Ms. Tucker, who was standing beside her. Ms. Tucker was staring at her as if she was scrutinizing her. Karen felt ufortable being looked at, so she frowned and said, ¡°Go do what you have to do. Don''t stand there and look at me." Ms. Tucker was startled at her suggestion as she could not leave the office when Karen was inside. If anything went missing, she would be in trouble. Ms. Tucker knew that Karen favored Pierre and much preferred him to be the CEO. "Mrs. Mallory, do you need anything else?" Ms. Tucker did not respond to her previous statement, nor did she leave the office. Karen rolled her eyes as she knew that she was keeping an eye on her, so she ignored her question. She thought to herself that once Pierre was in control of Mallory Corporation, the people who worked for Percy would have to scram. The thought of that made her feel as if that day would being soon. She looked at the photo frames on the table and sneered without saying anything else. Ms. Tucker stood by the door, watching Karen''s every move. However, Karen did nothing else other than re sinisterly at those photo frames, as if the people inside those photos hadmitted a grave crime. Ms. Tucker was relieved. If Karen had done anything else, she would not know how to stop her. After more than ten minutes, two sets of footsteps came closer and closer. Finally, Ms. Tucker was able to calm down. She looked toward the door. "Mr. Mallory, Madam Mallory has been waiting for you." Percy''s assistant had already told him beforehand that Karen was here, so he did not show much surprise when he walked into the office. His assistant did not follow him in. Instead, he gestured to Ms. Tucker. Ms. Tucker waited for Percy to enter the office before closing the door and walking out. The assistant stood beside her and muttered, "How could you let Mrs. Mallory into Mr. Mallory''s office!" He knew that Karen was unhappy about Percy being the CEO of Mallory Corporation. If she stole any confidential information, it would affect Percy''s management of thepany. Ms. Tucker felt wronged and said resignedly, ¡°Mrs. Mallory wanted to go in, and I couldn''t stop her. But she behaved herself..." She did not finish her sentence. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Karen was still considered well-mannered as she did not try to pull anything in there. "Be careful next time. Mr. Mallory may not me you this time, but he will not go easy on you next time." The assistant saw how helpless Ms. Tucker looked, so he knew that it was out of her control. No matter how bad their rtionship was, Madam Mallory was still Mr. Mallory''s mother. In the office, Percy sat on the leather office chair and nonchntly nced at Karen without a trace of emotion on his face. "Is there something wrong, Mother?" Karen had said before that if he did not break it off with Nina, she would treat him as if he did not exist. Despite that, he still called her ''Mother''. He still had some filial love left for her. Karen nced coldly at the photo frames on the table and wanted to make a fuss about them, but she suppressed the urge in order to solve her own problems right now. Besides, Old Master Mallory had not given her much time. "I''m sure you''ve seen the reports. I was indeed in love with that man when I was younger, but I''m the daughter of a respectable family. When I was with your father, I cut off all contact with him, so everything on the inte is fake. "Both you and Pierre are children of the Mallory family, so you must settle this matter for me." Although Karen was here to ask Percy for help, her tone was still as arrogant as ever, as if Percy was obligated to help her solve this matter. Percy opened up a file as he listened to Karen talk, his face expressionless. "Are you deaf?" Karen frowned as she did not get a response. What did that mean? Was he not willing to help her? "Don''t think that I don''t know that this was Luke''s doing. Since you''re such good friends with him, why don''t you talk to him for me?" Karen said it as if it was expected of him. Percy put down the file and looked at her coldly. He knew that Luke did it because he told him about it before doing so. Karen was the one who started it first, after all. That was why Percy did not want to object. After ensuring that it would not affect the Mallory family and Mallory Corporation, he agreed. Karen was asking him to talk to Luke now, but Percy did not think of himself as such a shameless person. As Karen was the one who started it, it was only natural for Luke to get back at her. It was amon tactic seen in today''s society. Since Karen picked on Luke by humiliating him and causing him trouble, why was it wrong for Luke to do the same to her? "I don''t know who did this," Percy said with a poker face. "You.." Karen''s frown grew deeper. Percy was unwilling to help her! After realizing that, the anger inside her grew. "I''ve raised you for over 20 years, and this is how you repay me?" Karen said softly, trying not to release all her pent-up anger. "I really don''t know who did this," Percy continued. He noticed that the photo frame on his table had moved slightly, and his gaze deepened before reaching to put it back to its original position. It was positioned to directly face his seat, so that Nina would look like she was smiling at him. "Fine. It''s shocking how you have no idea who''s behind this even though you''re in charge of Mallory Corporation and the Mallory family. You''re basically on top of everything that goes around here. "It seems like you''re not as powerful as you portray to be," Karen said through gritted teeth. He even adjusted the photo frame while talking to her. Nina was more important to him than her! That bitch! After taking care of everything, she would make sure to give her a hard time! Percy raised his eyebrows without refuting her critique. Karen was a headstrong person. Once she set her mind on something, she was not willing to listen to others. Seeing that he was looking at the documents without responding, she wanted to release her rage, but she had no way of doing so. The more unbothered he seemed, the more her fury grew. She took a deep breath and took a huge gulp of the coffee in front of her. After waiting for over ten minutes, the coffee had already gone from hot to lukewarm. The bitter taste immediately tamed her temper. She reminded herself that she did note here today to change Percy, nor to argue with him. Karen readjusted her posture to face him directly. "Fine. You don''t have to talk to Luke for me, but you still have to help me. If you don''t take care of this for me, I''ll be kicked out of the Mallory family. "When that foreign woman brings her child back here, you can forget about being the CEO of Mallory Corporation," said Karen. Daryl had an affair with a foreign woman when Pierre and Percy were still very young, and they even had a child together. Chapter 2957 The mixed-race kids from abroad were only a few years younger than Percy. That was why when Percy and Pierre were young, Karen often instilled the idea into the two brothers that the foreign woman and her children were their biggest enemies. They had to excel so that Old Master Mallory would continue to value them. That way, the foreign woman and her children would not have a chance toe back and fight for their family property. Karen believed her brainwashing was effective. Moreover, Percy would not be willing to let his years of hard work be the dowry for Daryl Mallory and his mistress'' children. Percy stopped his busy work and turned to look at Karen. Karen said, "Send some of your men out to help me find that man, and I''ll handle the rest myself." If it were not for Old Master Mallory giving her a deadline, she would not havee to look for Percy. He married that woman, Nina, against her will. Karen initially nned to ignore him in the future. However, she did not expect that Pierre and her matter would force her to swallow her pride and seek Percy''s help. "Alright," Percy agreed without hesitation. Karen''s heart felt slightly relieved. Whether it was something Luke''s men did or if it was the work of someone else, she knew Percy would be able to locate the man soon as long as he agreed to help. The moment Percy agreed to it, he could not help but notice a subtle ease wash over Karen''s face. Combined with some information he had picked up from Mr. Be, he had a rough idea about the situation. "What are you nning to do after you find him?" Percy toyed with the wedding ring on his ring finger as he asked nonchntly. Karen''s expression changed. What did she n to do after finding that man? She wished she could tear him to pieces. It was him who ruined her marriage! Previously, he even tried to deceive her into running away. After that, the Ruiz family taught him a lesson by giving him a severe beating. As she had seen that man''s true colors, all the affection she once held in her heart vanished into thin air. However, she never expected that he would dare to show up at her doorstep after that! If she knew that he would dare to do something like this in the future, she would have surely gotten rid of him without giving him a chance to let Daryl know about her past! During those times, the wealthy and powerful had the final say. If a poor person like him were to disappear, no one would even bother. However, in this era, she could not do that. Karen wanted to get rid of that man, but she was also afraid that she would be caught red-handed. When Percy asked her the question, her mind was full of methods to get rid of the man, but she could not say them outright. Percy remained quiet without pressing on when he saw her gloomy expression. He knew that Karen dared not to do anything that went against thew now. He had his men watching her. Even if she had the courage, his men would not give her the opportunity to do so. He could not let Karen ruin the Mallory family. That was Percy''s only thought. After a pause, Karen sneered and replied, "What else can I do? I can only pressure him to clear my name in public." Percy remained silent. There was no emotion shown on his face. Karen looked at him and said, "I''d like to do something, but without Pierre by my side and without you supporting me, there''s not much I can do. Hurry up and help me find that guy. Your grandpa didn''t give me much time." After that, Karen did not stay. She rose to her feet, raised her chin arrogantly, and cast a cold nce at the picture frames on the table. Then, she said, "Putting all this stuff on the table is in dumb." Then, she opened the office door and left. Percy''s assistant, who was waiting outside the door and carrying some documents in his hands, happened to overhear what Karen said. He could not help but break into a cold sweat. Mr. Mallory cared about those picture frames a lot. Even the cleaning staff knew to be extra careful around them. They could clean anywhere but not his desk because of those picture frames he treasured. No matter how expensive those frames were, the assistant could not understand why Percy cherished them so much. Even though the photos inside were of his wife, pictures could be taken and changed anytime. He could not figure out why Percy was so attached to them like that. The assistant also heard Ms. Tucker say that Karen had touched those picture frames on Percy''s desk. Even though she did not damage them, it was the fact that she meddled with them that counted. The assistant was worried that Percy might find fault with themter because of this. Karen rolled her eyes at the assistant The assistant met her disdainful gaze, lowered his head respectfully, and said, "Goodbye, Madam Mallory." Karen gave a cold snort and left immediately. After he watched Karen walk away, the assistant knocked on the office door and entered while carrying the documents in his arms. Then, he gently ced the documents on the table. "Mr. Mallory, these are the documents rted to the new bidding project. Please deal with them as soon as possible." Percy nced at the documents with a sullen expression and said, "Tell Ms. Tucker not to bring anyone to my office in the future." "Yes, sir. Actually, Ms. Tucker knows that. It''s just that Madam Mallory..." He intended to speak up for Ms. Tucker. After all, Karen was the madam of the Mallory family. Employees like them dared not to stop her. However, he stopped talking after he met Percy''s eyes. Then, he replied, "Yes, sir." When the boss gave an order, he could onlyply and not question it. "Close the door on your way out," Percy added as he picked up his phone, preparing to call Luke. The assistant nodded and left in a hurry, closing the office door behind him. Percy dialed Luke''s number. "I need that man," said Percy. Luke did not ask for the details. He simply gave him an address. "Thanks,¡± replied Percy. After he found out what Luke would be doing, he had an agreement with Luke that if he ever needed that man to handle a situation, Luke would immediately tell him his whereabouts. This was a condition Percy proposed in exchange for Luke exposing Karen''s past online. Luke got what he wanted. Hence, when Percy asked where the man was and provided the address of the hotel without hesitation. "Thank you." Percy noted down the address, with no intention of informing Karen right away. Instead, he set a timed message to be sent to her the following day. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. As for what Karen would do with the man''s address, that was no longer his concern. He also had no ns to involve himself in clearing the air regarding the situation. After Luke ended his call with Percy, he called Jason into his office. "Boss, what can I do for you?" asked Jason. "Regarding Karen''s report, you can put it on hold. Tell the newspaperpany to release the rumors about the two celebrities consecutively," instructed Luke. Both of these celebrities were A-list stars. This was his backup n. Due to Karen''s status, her report could not stay in the spotlight for long. The public''s attention would soon shift from Luca and his rtionship to the rumors surrounding the two celebrities. "Got it." Jason noted his instructions. Chapter 2958 "Boss, do we really not need to worry about Madam Mallory''s rumors anymore?" After Jason had taken down his notes, he inquired about his boss'' thoughts. After all, they had been controlling public opinion. They had peoplementing on unfavorable comments about Percy and the Mallory family, shifting the focus back to Karen herself. Therefore, this matter did not have much impact on Percy and the Mallory family. Instead, some people were beginning to sympathize with Daryl Mallory, who had been absent from the public eye for over a decade. "Don''t worry. Percy has already asked for him," said Luke. Once Percy asked for the man, Karen''s news woulde to an end. They would have to find bigger news to overshadow that report. Jason nodded, indicating that he understood. Then, he asked, "Will the scandals of those two celebrities be dropped all at once, or will they be spaced out?" "Space out," said Luke as he nced at the project proposal. "Understood!" Jason picked up the documents he had organized and tucked them into his arms before leaving the office. Luke reviewed the proposal for a while and massaged his temples. Then, he called Rain. "Boss, what can I do for you?" asked Rain after answering the call. "Percy has already asked for the address. You get the others to pull out first, then just keep an eye on things from the shadows. When the Mallory family''s subordinates hunt down that man, you guys can hit the road," instructed Luke. The man whom Karen had a rtionship with was named Cuthbert Stevens. After Luke found him, he gave him some money and arranged for him to stay in a five-star hotel, providing him with good food and drinks. However, it was Rain''s subordinates who had been making all the arrangements. Rain had not even shown up, so Cuthbert had no idea who was behind all this. Cuthbert had gone through some tough times. That was why he readily epted the money and enjoyed afortable life in the five-star hotel, agreeing to be interviewed as per their request. Rain''s team had never stopped keeping an eye on him, but Cuthbert paid no attention to it. He had no idea he was being watched. He thought those men around him were there to protect him. He never bothered to inquire about the person behind these requests. He was only focused on enjoying his current life. Now that Percy wanted to help Karen to look for him, Luke could not afford to let Rain''s subordinates be exposed. Karen might seize the opportunity to stir up trouble and involve Old Master Crawford. ¡°Got it, Boss." Rain knew what he meant. If Cuthbert was caught by the Mallory family, they would withdraw from the situation. What might happen to Cuthbert was not their concern. After all, they had already tossed some cash to Cuthbert. It was just a deal, so there was no need for them to be responsible for his safety. "After the Mallory family finds that man, you can continue to assist Gale," instructed Luke. Gale was currently busy investigating the Ind of Despair, and he needed manpower. "No problem," replied Rain. She initially wanted to investigate the Ind of Despair herself, but Luke needed her to monitor Cuthbert. Hence, she temporarily assigned a few team members to take turns and keep watch day and night. When Rain heard that she was able to go back to investigate the Ind of Despair, she was excited. After giving his orders, Luke ended the call. After a few seconds, Jack''s call came through. "Luke, how''s it going?" Jack asked when he found a moment to call Luke. "Father, don''t worry. It''s almost done," replied Luke. His gaze deepened when he mentioned Luca. Soon. Luca would soon be able to reim her true identity and return to their side. "Okay. Your mother is getting bored staying at the hospital. We should resolve this matter as soon as possible. I can''t afford to neglect my project. I won''t be involved in the development from now on to avoid arousing suspicion. You''ll have to rely on yourpany''s capabilities to secure it," Jack said. The relevant departments had already announced thepanies participating in the uing bidding this morning. After T Corporation''s name was revealed, Jack stated that due to his rtionship with Luke, he would not continue attending the project bidding-rted meetings. He also requested that the bidding process be thorough and that the results be made public to ensure fairness and transparency. "Okay, I got it. Father, rest assured," said Luke. In all things, fairness and justice were the bedrock of Jack''s philosophy. He knew that Jack would not actively support him, and neither had Luke ever intended to ask for Jack''s help. T Corporation''s rapid development was all due to his own capabilities without relying on others. If Luke himself were not strong, no one else could lift hispany up. It would be better for Jack to not be involved in this. Luke would rely on thepany''s strength to participate in this bidding. Satisfied with his response, Jack ended the call. After that, Luke continued to review the initial proposal, identifying issues and nning to coordinate with relevant departments to enhance the content of this tender. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. On the other hand, Amur stood with his head down. In front of him, Abel was seated on a soft couch. His body sunk into it, up to his waist. The ambiance here was steeped in an air of enigmatic mystery.. Several people positioned elsewhere in the room had very serious expressions on their faces except for Abel, who had a hint of a mysterious smile on his face. "Has that old Mallory guy managed to get that wimp, Pierre Mallory, out?" asked Abel as he twirled a cigar in his long fingers back and forth, as though it was a toy gun. "Not yet, but that old man has submitted the necessary paperwork. The police will release him shortly," one of the men reported in a hushed tone. There was a hint of fear in his voice. "That old Mallory guy is just as annoying as Pierre Mallory," Abel muttered to himself. He remembered that not only did the Mallory family fail to pay the ransom, but they also destroyed a bunch of his new weapons. It caused him significant financial losses. His spirits just would not lift. He had hoped to have the police officers temporarily control Pierre, but the old man from the Mallory family had surprised him by swiftly cleaning up the mess Pierre caused. Now, with Pierre about to be released, Abel found himself unable to regain control of Pierre and squeeze out a hefty ransom. It left him even more frustrated. "Boss, he''s just an old man. Why don''t I get rid of him? That way, no one can interfere with our operation," suggested one of the men. They tended to use this approach for anyone who got in their way so that they could continue their mission. Abel red at the man and yelled, "Do you have a brain?!" The man shuddered for a moment, not daring to say anything. "Pierre has fallen out with Percy. If we go after Pierre, Percy wouldn''t give a shit about it. But going after that old Mallory guy isn''t that simple. Pierre will definitely cling to the Ind of Despair. "We''re in this for the money right now, not to make new enemies,¡± exined Abel as he flicked his cigar onto the person in front of him. He needed more money to get rid of Luke Crawford. They were currently in the money-making phase, and they could not afford to stir up more trouble. Chapter 2959 The man hit by the cigar could not help but shiver. The cigar did not hurt when it hit him, but it was the grim expression on Abel''s face that made him question life. All he did was make a suggestion. He did not expect Abel to have such a big reaction. He picked up the cigar, wiped it clean, and wanted to hand it back to Abel. However, he was afraid of getting beaten, so he hesitated. He stammered as he exined, "Boss, it''s just Percy Mallory. We''re not even afraid of Luke Crawford, so why would we be afraid of a guy like him?" Abel narrowed his eyes.If it were the old Ind of Despair with decades of history, they certainly would not have been afraid of the Crawford and Mallory families. Even if the two families joined forces, they still would not be a match for the Ind of Despair. The reason the Ind of Despair had been wiped out by Luke and Percy was that they had teamed up with the Russian government andunched a devastating surprise attack. If they had received advanced intelligence, they would not have suffered such a disastrous defeat. "My focus now is on making money, not having a face-to-face showdown with Luke and Percy. Can''t you understand?!" Abel looked at the person in front of him who did not appear to be afraid of trouble. How he wished he could drag him out to feed the wolves. These people on the Ind of Despair were too arrogant and often spoke without thinking. Abel had always remembered his grudge. To get rid of Luke Crawford, he needed more money. If Luke was an easy target, why would he need so much money? Abel had been lurking in the shadows while keeping a low profile, simply aiming for more money. However, recently, his business had been hit by a series of problems. This had left him feeling increasingly agitated. Relying on the tasks given to the Ind of Despair members and the funds from the sale of those medicines through the pharmaceuticalpany was still not enough. Running an organization required a significant amount of money. To get rid of Luke, he needed to make Ind of Despair even bigger, which required more money. Abel could not afford slow growth. Everytime he thought of Kassy, he was itching to get at Luke. Therefore, after these few years of lying low, he felt like he had waited long enough. His patience was wearing thin, especially since the previous attempts to have Luca go after Luke had not had much impact. That was why he was so eager to get more money and expand the Ind of Despair. He wanted to be in a better position to take on Luke and seek revenge for Kassy. The man he was staring at shivered again. He ced the cigar on the table, not daring to say anything more. He did not understand why what was so scary about Luke Crawford. He was just doing business for a few measly bucks and had hired some bodyguards for protection. Those bodyguards could not possibly be better than them, could they? Absolutely not! They were trained professionals of the Ind of Despair. How could those bodyguards be better than them? Taking on Luke Crawford was a piece of cake? Was it that hard? Even though the man thought this, he dared not to say such things as he was afraid that he might get a few punches from Abel. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. After all, Abel could be the boss of Ind of Despair not only because of his wealth but also because he had formidable fists. Those who had received professional training like them could not beat him. Amur kept his eyes lowered and remained silent. He had justpleted a mission and hade to this meeting point to report it, not expecting Abel to be here. If he had known Abel was here, he might have considered dying things by a day or two before coming over to report it. Abel paid extra attention to him because of Luca. He had his eye on him because of Luca. Amur understood that being closely watched by Abel was not a good sign. To protect Luca, he needed toy low. The atmosphere in the room became even quieter. Those who stood in the room dared not to breathe heavily, fearing that even a slight breath might earn them a punch from Abel. Everyone could sense that Abel was in a really bad mood right now. Abel was feeling quite agitated. His gaze became sinister as he turned to look at Amur, asking, "Has Ivana been doing well recently?" "I was on a mission and haven''t been in contact with her," Amur knew Abel was asking him and replied calmly. Abel raised an eyebrow and sneered. "She hasn''t been in touch with you, has she? Her affair with that guy is making headlines on the inte, so she probably doesn''t have time for you." Heughed with malice, fully aware of Amur''s thoughts. Amur''s hand clenched into a fist due to Abel''s words but rxed shortly after. He remained silent. Despite knowing that Luca and Luke had rekindled their rtionship, reading about their affair in the news intensified his emotional pain. It nearly caused him to make a mistake during a mission. Fortunately, he still sessfully got rid of the target and left the scene without raising any rms. Abel watched Amur''s clenched fist and snorted. "Amur, I know how you feel about that woman. Don''t worry. Once Luke is out of the picture, she''ll be yours." "Boss, I only want to work for the organization, nothing more," Amur immediately replied. Despite his affection for Luca, he understood that she loved Luke. Even though he felt a sense of frustration, he wanted to pursue his own chance. Having witnessed Luca''s affection for Luke, Amur understood that he did not stand a chance. Not unless Luke had never been a part of Luca''s life. However, that was not possible. From what he knew, Luke had been around since Luca''s high school days. There was no way he could erase over a decade of Luca''s memories, so he knew all too well that even if something happened to Luke, Luca would never choose him. Amur''s sole desire was to quietly watch over Luca, assist her in times of trouble, and help her break free from the grasp of the Ind of Despair. As for anything else, he no longer entertained any expectations. Even if Luke were no longer in the picture, he would always be in Luca''s memories. She would not follow Luke into the great beyond, especially for the sake of their children. Still, her future would be marked by profound pain. Thus, Amur continued to work for Abel, but he stood ready to point his gun in Abel''s direction should Luca ever need it. Protecting Luca was his solitary purpose. "How hypocritical." Abel stared at him for several seconds before uttering slowly, "Amur, do you think watching over Luca will make her feel grateful to you? You''ve been helping me all along, but there will come a day when you and Luke Crawford will be pointing guns at each other. "When that happens, if you hurt Luke, Luca will only hate you. So, don''t pretend to be noble. Don''t think about being self-sacrificing. Instead, you should think about how to win Ivana''s affection in the future. "To men, conquering women is simple. If you can''t manage it by then, I''ll have Shanks prepare some medicine to ensure Ivana falls head over heels for you." said Abel. He rose to his feet and headed upstairs. Once he disappeared from their sight, the men in the room finally let out a sigh of relief. The man who got chewed out by Abel and who could not even catch his breath a moment ago was now smirking maliciously. He said to Amur, "Buddy, I''m so jealous of you. Boss promised to pledge that gorgeous woman to you even before the job''s done. "That''s one helluva lucky break, man! You''d better not forget your buddies when you''re living the good life." The rtionships between men and women on Ind of Despair were quite chaotic. As long as both parties agreed or a man imed that the woman agreed, women could be ythings for other men. Chapter 2960 As for Luca, her beauty was the most striking among all the women on the Ind of Despair. If it were not for Abel''s order forbidding anyone from touching her, Luca might have be everyone''s ything by now. Amur heard the man being all creepy, having some dirty thoughts about Luca. He tightened his clenched fists even more. He charged forward and delivered a fierce punch to the man''s abdomen. The smile on the man''s face had not disappeared yet when the dull pain struck him. He staggered back, grimacing in pain. Amur did not hold back with that punch. He put his full force into it. "You''re asking for trouble!" The man barely managed to stand straight and angrily yelled at Amur. "Nobody''s allowed to have any ideas about her," warned Amur. "Ha, as soon as she returns to the Ind of Despair, besides the boss, who can really keep her safe? Boss said he''d give her to you, but he didn''t say we couldn''t have a piece of her. When she returns to the Ind of Despair, I''ll be the first to... Argh!" Amurnded another punch on him. That punch hit the man square in the face, and instantly, half his face ballooned up. "Haha, can you handle it? You''ve been hit twice in a row." Another man did not shy away from stirring the pot and mocked him. The man did not expect Amur to be so daring. Abel was still upstairs, but Amur did not hesitate to take action. His eyes reddened with anger as he charged forward and got into a scuffle with Amur. "You won''t let me have that woman? Well, now I''m hell-bent on it. Next time, I''m gonna nail all your ladies, right in your face," the man yelled while he grappled with Amur. "Right, get him!" "Yeah, get him!" The men nearby did not try to break up the fight. Instead, they were cheering on the two fighters. Abel had given them a serious tongueshing earlier, and now, everyone was still simmering with anger. Hence, when they saw a fight, they were eager to see the two fighters go at it with everything they had. They hoped that it would help relieve their pent-up frustration. The noise reached the upper floor. Shanks was reading a medical journal when he heard the noisesing from downstairs. He frowned, lifted his head, and looked at Abel, who was sitting across from him and drinking. "There''s a fight downstairs. Aren''t you going to do anything?" "Let them fight. Don''t they fight often on the Ind of Despair?" replied Abel, not intending to interfere. Fights on the Ind of Despair were often much more brutal. Almost no one would step in to stop them, and it could even be one against many. Those who survived were considered lucky, and those who did not were simply thrown into the sea. That was the rule on the Ind of Despair. Intervening and stopping a fight? Not a chance. "This is A City, not the Ind of Despair. If someone dies, it''s not easy to dispose of the body," Shanks reminded him. "And don''t count on me to save anyone when they''re on theirst breath. I haven''t had any thoughts of saving peopletely." Abel raised his eyebrows. "You''ve been acting strangetely. What''s going on? Why did you leave the ind with me?" Someone like Shanks, a medical oddball, would never leave theboratory for other ces. Besides, with Luca often sneaking into theboratory back then, Shanks was even more reluctant to leave. "Your men are too ipetent. I still haven''t found the medicinal herbs I need. I came out to handle this mess," replied Shanks with a hint of frustration in his tone. He did not like leaving the ind. He always felt that the chaos and noise of the outside world were too messy. However, those people had yet to find the herbs he needed, and he was in the final stages of his research. Without those herbs, there was no way he could continue with his experiments. That was why he left the Ind of Despair to search for them himself. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Abel heard him and shrugged his shoulders. He put on an evil grin. "Well, they can''t really me them for that. They''re not medical geniuses. It''s normal for the progress to be a bit slow. Plus, the herbs you''re looking for might be extinct by now. So stop ming them." "You''ve been way too soft on the deadweightstely,"mented Shanks. Previously, if those men could not get the job done, Abel would not be all chatty about it. He would just have someone haul the useless ones away. "Have I? I don''t think so," replied Abel, taking a puff of his cigar and blowing out a smoke ring. "I''ve been itching to off someely." "Pierre Mallory?" Shanks flipped a page in the medical journal. "Yeah, that kid caused me significant losses. If I don''t take care of him, how can I make up for my losses?" Abel''s eyes darkened when he mentioned Pierre''s name. "When he gets out, I''ll have someone take care of him!" He whispered to himself, determined to get rid of this man who had disrupted his financial ns. "I think it''s better not to eliminate him," Shanks continued reading his medical journal. He was not particrly interested in whether Abel chose to kill someone or not, but he did not want to see impulsive actions. "Why?" Abel narrowed his eyes, eager to hear what Shanks had to say. "Percy Mallory is a good friend of Luke Crawford''s. If you ever go against Luke, Percy will surely help, but Pierre has been eyeing everything Percy has right now. If you get rid of Pierre, you''re essentially removing a potential troublemaker for Percy. This will allow him to focus more on opposing you." Shanks analyzed the situation. for him. Shanks was all about using his brain to make it in this world, which was a whole different game from Abel, who depended on his fists. "You have a point..." Shanks'' words reminded Abel. He snuffed out his cigar and said, "Yes, I can''t get rid of Pierre. He might be able to hold Percy in check." "I''d like to meet Ivana. Can you arrange it for me?" Shanks shifted the conversation away from Pierre and made a request to Abel. "Tell the people downstairs and they''ll arrange it for you," said Abel as he rose to his feet. He listened to the noise from downstairs. He figured it was about time. If someone ended up dead, it would be troublesome to deal with the body in A City. He slowly made his way downstairs. Amur and the other man were still fighting, with both of their faces bearing numerous injuries. It seemed they were fighting to the death. "Charge! Yes, hit him in the face!" "Yeah, hit him! Stop defending. Strike back and hit him!" The morous voices of the spectators who were reveling in the excitement remained relentless. Abel''s expression darkened. These people seemed to have no qualms about making a big deal out of things. Did they think this ce was the Ind of Despair? "Have you had enough?" Abel stood on the stairs, watching the men. As soon as the man Amur was fighting heard Abel''s voice, his heart skipped a beat, and he immediately stopped. Amur''s fist, however, did not stop because of Abel''s voice and swung straight at the man. With a loud thud, the man took an unexpected, unguarded punch. He fell to the ground. Amur was about to advance, but the others noticed that Abel had ordered them to stop. Hence, they stopped Amur. "Boss is here." Amur, whose eyes were still red, stared fixedly at the man on the stairs. Abel raised an eyebrow. Had they gone too far? He made his way down the stairs slowly and examined the two of them. Even though Amur also had facial injuries, they were clearly less severe than the man on the ground. "Are you trying to kill each other?" asked Abel. Amur remained silent. Abel, with a stern expression, stood between the two of them. "I don''t give a damn about your grudges. This is A City, and I''m not in the mood to deal with dead bodies and all that mess. "You can take your fight back to the Ind of Despair, and if someone ends up dead, you can just dump them into the sea. But don''t cause any trouble for me here." Chapter 2961 It was because of Abel''s intervention that their fight came to an abrupt halt. Amur''s gaze went past Abel. He fixed a deathly stare on the man whose face he had battered and bruised. Abel first nced at the man then looked at Amur. "I don''t care about your personal grudges. If you cause any trouble here that results in loss of life, I won''t let you off easy!" He did not like having dim-witted subordinates. Those who fumbled and caused him trouble had already been eliminated. The remaining ones were those who could bring him profits. However, if they disobeyed his orders or caused him losses, he would not hesitate to get rid of them. The two men continued to lock eyes. The man who received the worst beating gave in first, clutching his face and crouching in pain. If Abel had not shown up, he believed he might have been killed by Amur. The ferocity of the attack could have been fatal. "Why haven''t any of you brought him upstairs for some medical treatment yet?" Abel scowled at the man crouching on the ground, silently cursing the man as utterly useless. This man had been trained on the Ind of Despair years before Amur, yet he could not even beat Amur. If he was not a piece of trash, what was he, then? The other men who had been watching the show scrambled to carry the injured man upstairs for treatment. Abel''s gaze fell on Amur again. He warned in a low voice, "Don''t cause trouble for me here." Amur remained silent. When the other man spoke disrespectfully, he had considered killing him. If it were not for Abel stepping in, that man would not have stood a chance. "Go back and tell Ivana that no matter what, she can''t leave Luke Crawford now. I''ll have more missions for her in the future." Abel warned again. "I can handle her missions.¡± Amur''s expression remained unchanged. He stared at Abel without blinking or disying any emotion on his face. Unlike the others, he did not seem to fear Abel. Usually, he did not hesitate to maintain prolonged eye contact with him. "Can you handle the mission of seducing men?" Abel let out augh that was unabashedly bold when he mentioned it. Amur saw the smile on his face. The smile seemed too bright, as though he was saying that Luca''s value was only in seducing men toplete the missions given to her. Amur''s hand clenched into a fist. Abel ignored his emotions, abruptly dropping the smile. His expression turned fierce. "Amur, remember that you belong to the Ind of Despair. Understand who your true leader is. Do your damn job for me. Don''t even think about betraying the Ind of Despair. Otherwise, your sister, who''s on the Ind of Despair, will suffer a gruesome fate." For years, if it were not for Luca''s protection, she would have ended up like the other women on the Ind of Despair who could not protect themselves. She would have be a ything. Now, not only was Luca protecting her, but Amur was also watching her back. That was why no one on the Ind of Despair dared to touch Eler. Amur''s pupils constricted all of a sudden. He wanted to protect Luca and Eler. If Luca was the light in his life, then Eler was the pir that supported his world. In the past, the only thing that kept him alive on the Ind of Despair was a steadfast belief¡ªto be powerful, protect Eler, and escape from this ce... "I believe that you can distinguish between right and wrong now. Do your job well. Don''t think about ying tricks on me, and remember to pass on my message." After Abel warned him, he turned around and headed upstairs. He could have reminded Luca himself. However, Abel did not n to do so. Having Amur deliver the message would keep both of them on their toes, giving him a sense of satisfaction. Amur was staring daggers at Abel from behind, contemting whether getting rid of Abel would lead to their freedom. However, he quickly dismissed the idea, knowing that removing Abel would not necessarily disband the organization. There would be countless others ready to take Abel''s ce as the leader of the Ind of Despair. Even if they managed to escape from the Ind of Despair, they would still bebeled as traitors by those people. The ones who eliminated traitors would be the contenders for thetest leaders of the Ind of Despair. Even if he seeded in getting away with Luca and Eler, their days would not be peaceful.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. What needed to be gotten rid of was the entire Ind of Despair. Could he and Luca dissolve the Ind of Despair together? It seemed quite challenging. Realizing this, Amur''s mood grew even heavier. He could not find a way to safeguard Luca and Eler, even if it meant sacrificing himself... Amur watched Abel''s figure disappear up the stairs and then turned to leave. This was a suburban base. He walked several hundred meters to where his car was parked. He got into the car. Instead of starting the car engine, he opted to light a cigarette. He used to be a non-smoker, but he had picked up the habit since he took on these missions. Smoking could soothe his troubles, numb his nerves, and keep him alert. However, this time, he smoked an entire pack of cigarettes, yet the turmoil within him remained unresolved. Amur picked up his phone and stared at Luca''s contact information for a long time before dialing her number. "Amur?" Luca''s gentle voice came from the other end of the line. Amur slowly closed his eyes, listening to her voice. It was as though it could calm the unease in his heart. However, when he thought about their current situation, he could not help but feel troubled again. "Luca, are you at work?" After smoking a pack of cigarettes, his voice had be husky and deep. Luca noticed that and asked with concern, "Are you sick? Have you caught a cold?" "No, I''m not sick. It''s just too much smoking." Every time Luca showed concern, Amur felt it deeply. A subtle flutter touched his heart, and he wished he could take her away right now. He wanted them to escape from the organization''s control. She should not be under Abel''s control. She belonged to a wider, more carefree world. No one should control her. "Is something bothering you?" Luca knew Amur was not a smoker by nature, and he must be going through something really troubling to smoke so much. Men tended to smoke and think when they had something on their minds. "Abel is in A City," said Amur. Luca''s heart sank, and her voice also grew more somber. "I see." She suddenly understood why Amur had smoked so much. Abel''s presence in A City was a signal of something bad, something dangerous. "He asked me to convey a message." Amur looked out the car window. There were not many people around since it was working hours and he was in a suburban area. "What does he want?" Luca''s voice lost its gentleness and took on a stiffer tone. "He said..." Amur paused for a moment, reluctant to ry Abel''s words to Luca. Yet, if he did not do so, she might be unprepared for whatever Abel wanted her to do in the future. Abel was right. There were missions he could not perform on Luca''s behalf. For instance, when it was about dealing with Luke Crawford, it was something he could not do. Amur continued to ry Abel''s message, "He said no matter what''s being said online about your rtionship with Luke Crawford, you can''t leave him easily. You need to stay by his side, as there''ll be more missions assigned to you in the future." Chapter 2962 Abel had more missions for her... Luca''s heart sank as she had a bad feeling about this. She knew that T Corporation had been busy preparing their suburban development project bidding, and this project was crucial to T Corporation. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. If they seeded in winning the project, T Corporation would get to work closely with the government, and their sales would sky-rocket. Luca felt apprehensive about this. Could it be that Abel had the same idea? Last time, she deceived Luke and stole his bidding document, but it did not cost him much damage. This time, however, she was much more reluctant to do it. At that time, Luke prepared an extra copy because he knew that Pierre had other motives, but what about this time? Was he aware that the Ind of Despair was waiting for the opportunity to pounce on him? "Amur..." Luca felt how dry her throat was. Amur silently waited for her to continue. "Do you know his n?" Luca asked, eager to find out what Abel was up to as she theorized his ultimate goal. "Only those who are involved know what he''s up to." Amur sounded impatient. He wanted to smoke a cigarette, but he had already finished the entire pack of cigarettes that was in his car. Without them, he became increasingly irritable, but no ces nearby sold cigarettes. "Right, I forgot.." Luca sounded helpless. Abel had not contacted her all this while. If not for the antidote she had to drink every month, she would have forgotten that she was from the Ind of Despair. Could she find out what Abel was up to? Then, Amur added, "Abel didn''te alone this time. Shanks came with him." Amur had a good impression of Shanks. Shanks may be cold to everyone on the Ind of Despair, but he would still help them out whenever they were facing problems. Although Shanks and Abel were closely associated, almost everyone on the Ind of Despair was indebted to Shanks. Therefore, everyone called him Uncle Shanks. "He''s here too?" Luca was surprised as Shanks rarely left the ind. He chose to work for Abel because of how secluded the Ind of Despair is, and no one would disturb him there. If it were not extremely important, he would not leave the ind. Luca was surprised to hear that he was here. "He may havee to look for you. If you can''t leave, I can help," said Amur. Over the years, there had been quite a number of people who learned medicine from Shanks. However, everyone''s skill level was vastly different. Those who managed to enter the Ind of Despair may be in good health, but they were not that gifted intellectually. After all these years, the only student Shanks was satisfied with was Luca. As for the others who learned from him, Shanks only taught them the tip of the iceberg to ensure that they knew what to do if they got injured when carrying out missions. As for Luca, Shanks taught her almost everything he knew because of her talent. However, Luca chose to learn only the topics she was interested in because there was too much for her to learn, and it was impossible for her to spend all her time learning from Shanks as Abel would never allow it. Either way, Luca was still Shanks'' favorite. Therefore, Amur guessed that Shanks would want to meet Luca. "Alright, thank you. Please keep me updated on this. I''ll also stop by the apartment in a few days. Will you be there?" Luca did not know why Shanks left the Ind, but even if he went looking for her, she was certain that he would not assign her an impossible task. Besides, Shanks was different from Abel. Practically every mission of Abel''s involved death. Although Shanks always had his way when it came to saving people, his missions were usually harmless. "No problem." Amur touched his bruised and swollen face. Although his injuries healed much faster than others, there would still be some scarring for the next couple of days. He said, "I''m busy for the next couple of days, so don''te during this period." "Alright, call me again if there''s any news," said Luca as she looked toward theboratory. She had walked out when she received Amur''s call, but there were two researchers standing by her spot now, waiting for her. She guessed that something was wrong. "I have to go now." "Alright," replied Amur as he waited for her to hang up first. He looked down withplex emotions in his eyes. He did not want Luca to be hurt, but it was certain that Abel would hurt her... Amur put his phone aside and gripped the steering wheel. After looking back at the base, he drove off. No matter how hard it may be, he would not let Luca get hurt. In the evening, Luca came back half an hourter than usual because something had gone wrong with the experiment. When she got back, the kids were already done with their work. When they saw hering, they gathered around her. "Ms. Luca, you''re back." Seeing the kid''s faces made Luca smile. Her fatigue from work and exhaustion from Abel was half gone when she saw the kids. "I''m back. Have you finished your homework?" ¡°We''re good kids. Of course, we finished it, but Daddy ising backte today too. Our homework hasn''t been checked yet," said Tommy. Luke ising backte? Luca was not surprised as T Corporation was very busy now. If thepany was busy, of course, the CEO would be busy too. It was only natural that he had to work overtime. Luca patted the kid''s head and said, "Should I check your homework first?" "Okay!" the three kids said in unison. The three of them had quite a lot of homework today, but they had already done a lot at school. It did not take them long to finish it at home. After picking up the children''s workbooks, Luca began examining their work. Not long after, Aunt Neile came out of the kitchen. "Is Ms. Craw back?" "Yes, Aunt Neile," said Rainie. Aunt Neile saw Luca sitting on the sofa and said, "Ms. Luca, since you''re back, why don''t you have dinner first? Ms. Rainie, Young Master Tommy, and Young Master nche haven''t eaten since they got back. I''m worried that they''ll be hungry." Luca looked at Aunt Neile and asked, "Shouldn''t we wait for Mr. Crawford?" "Huh? Didn''t he tell you?" Aunt Neile looked at Luca questioningly. "Tell me what?" Luca put down the children''s workbooks with some confusion. Luke was not the type of person to not ount for things. If he wasing homete, he would message her to let her know. "Mr. Crawford isn''ting back for dinner today. He''s going to the hosp¡ª" Before Aunt Neile could finish, Lanie interrupted her, "Daddy has to work overtime, so he won''t be back for dinner. Ms. Luca, let''s eat first." Luca frowned after she heard what Aunt Neile said. Although she did not finish her sentence, her intuition told her that Luke was in the hospital right now. Aunt Neile knew, and it seemed like the children knew too. She was the only one out of the loop. Chapter 2963 Seeing how Lanie interrupted her, Luca reckoned that Luke had told the kids something. Was he trying to hide the fact that he was going to the hospital? Before Luca could voice her doubts, Aunt Neile seemed to have just remembered something. She nodded and quickly said, ¡°Yes, Mr. Crawford is at thepany. He''ll be working untilte at night today, so he won''t be back for dinner. Ms. Craw, why don''t you have dinner first?" "Okay." She nodded without questioning further. Even if the children were deliberately hiding it from her, there was nothing she could do. Besides, she would feel bad exposing the children''s lies. "Let''s eat, then. Young Master nche, Young Master Tommy, and Ms. Rainie, go wash your hands." After saying that, Aunt Neile turned to walk into the kitchen to prepare the food. Luca followed Aunt Neile into the kitchen to help. "Aunt Neile, are you hiding something?" Luca asked. Aunt Neile was startled. Then, she smiled and shook her head. "Ms. Craw, I''m not hiding anything." Before Luca could expose her lies, she heard her say, "Mr. Crawford is really working overtime. Don''t think about it too much." "Alright," replied Luca. It was impossible for her to not overthink. Was Luke really working overtime? The thought of him at the hospital and her not knowing anything going on there made her feel even more uneasy. However, if Aunt Neile and the children both refused to say anything, there was nothing she could do. Luca did not bring it up again. After dinner, Luca checked the children''s homework. She did not say anything until Aunt Neile got off work. After checking the children''s homework, she imitated Luke''s handwriting and signed his name. Then, she watched cartoons with the kids. While the kids were watching cartoons, she took a look at her experimental data. The sound of the cartoons did not disturb her. Her eyes may be on the paper, but all she could think about was Luke and the people at the hospital. The three children asionally exchanged nces as if they were discussing Luca''s state. When Luca looked up, their gaze fell back on the television. Luca knew why they acted that way, but the more they did it, the more uneasy she felt. She made up her mind to do something. After the cartoon show ended, Luca urged the children to wash up and go to bed early. When the children fell asleep, Luca nced at the time. Luke was not back yet. If everything was fine at the hospital, Luke would not have stayed out thiste. Luca wanted to ask Johann, but she was afraid that Johann would not be on duty at this time. If she wanted to find out what was going on, she would have to ask someone who was on duty. She was embarrassed to keep asking him as well. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. She sat on the living room sofa on the second floor and gave it some thought before calling Nina. She did not want to trouble anyone, but the only person she could call right now was Nina. She wanted to go to the hospital to see what was going on, but she could not leave the children unattended. Although the children were asleep, they would be scared if they woke up and saw that no one was home. Luke had informed Aunt Neile, so if she had asked her to stay, Luke would have found out. He may even rush back before she reached the hospital, regardless of whether the matter was resolved or not. Luca did not want him to go back and forth because of her, nor did she want him to go through so much trouble alone just to take care of her emotions. She knew Luke too well, so she could not bear to watch him go through all of this. ¡°Nina, are you free tonight?" Luca asked Nina after she answered the phone. "I''m free. What''s the matter, Luca?" Nina asked. After Vivian called her, Nina had called her too. However, the scandal did not cause too much damage this time, so the call ended after she said a few words to tell her she was fine. "I need to go out, but the kids are asleep. Can youe over and look after the children if you''re free, Nina? I''m worried that they''ll wake up in the middle of the night and see that nobody is home," said Luca. Although Lanie was mature enough to make sure that nothing would happen to Rainie and Tommy, he was still a child, so Luca was still worried about them. It was amon worry for all mothers. "No problem, I''ll go over there now," Nina readily agreed. "Thank you." Luca was sincerely grateful. "Don''t worry about it. Percy is working overtime at thepany tonight anyway, and I''m bored at home. I can pass the time by looking after the kids. Plus, I can treat it as practice," Nina said with a smile. She was prepared to have kids the moment she married Percy. If not for her health and recovery, she might have already been pregnant. "Drive slowly. There''s no need to hurry." Although Luca felt anxious, she still asked Nina to put her safety first. "Don''t worry, I''ll go there now." After that, Nina ended the call and told Percy that she was driving to Luke''s ce. Then, Luca opened the door for her. "Nina, thank you so much." She looked at Nina, who was standing by the door, with a face full of gratitude. "What are you talking about? You''ve helped me so much. We''re friends, so we should help each other. Are the children sleeping upstairs?" Nina asked. "Yes, I went to take a look just now, and they''re all fast asleep." Luca nodded and weed her in. "That makes my job easier, then. I''ll just watch TV on the first floor to kill time." Nina smiled and walked in. "You need to head out, right? Hurry up, then. The earlier you get it done, the earlier you cane back. It''s dangerous to drivete at night." "Okay, I''ll leave now." Luca smiled gratefully at Nina and drove off. After Luca left, Nina walked to the living room. She did not go upstairs as she was afraid of waking up the children. She sat on the first floor, turned on the television, and watched thete-night programs. Luca drove to the hospital, which was especially quiet at night. The patients were all resting in their wards, and there were only half the number of staff. There were not many family members walking around either. The entire hospital was much quieterpared to during the day. Luca looked at the inpatient department of the hospital and took a deep breath before entering. Then, she took the elevator to the VIP ward floor. The nurse on duty was slightly surprised to see Luca. "Ms. Craw, what brings you here at this time of night?" "I''m here to visit Mrs. Norman," said Luca. "Mrs. Norman? One moment, please. Visiting hours have passed, so I have to notify the patient. You can only visit if the patient agrees," said the nurse. "Do you have to inform her?" Luca asked quickly when she saw that the nurse was about to do so. "Of course. This has always been the policy at the VIP wards." The nurse looked at her with confusion. Luca regrly came by the VIP ward, so how could she not know? Luca was put in a difficult position. She just wanted to linger outside the ward and peek inside as she was worried that Queenie would get emotional if she saw her. Chapter 2964 "I didn''t know about such a rule. I''m sorry. I didn''t inform Mrs. Norman in advance either. Maybe we should forget about it. It''d be better not to disturb her." Luca shook her head. The nurse looked puzzled. "Most patients are still wide awake at this hour." "I just wanted to ask about Mrs. Norman''s recent health condition." Luca wanted to get some information about Queenie''s health from the nurse. Even though Wanda was also at the hospital, cardiovascr diseases were known for their sudden and rapid lethality. If Queenie''s condition could not be stabilized, it would be the most critical situation. The nurse looked at her with a confused look on her face. She shook her head after a few seconds of silence. "This is..." Luca did not understand what this meant. She was eager to know what had happened to Queenie. "I don''t know. Due to Mrs. Norman''s special status, the hospital is worried that we might leak information to the press, so at Mr. Norman''s request, none of us nurses know about Mrs. Norman''s condition. "Perhaps the head nurse knows something. Other than that, it''s mostly Dr. Park and another specialist who handle Mrs. Norman''s case," exined the nurse. Luca was also puzzled. Even though Queenie''s status was special, the hospital was being overly secretive this time. The nurses had a practice of administering medications while avoiding entering Queenie''s ward whenever possible. It was all in ordance with the hospital''s high-level directives. It was the first time the nurse encountered such a rule. She was also perplexed. "None of you know?" Luca furrowed her brows. Were the nurses not supposed to monitor Queenie''s condition regrly? Why were they not allowed to enter the ward now? "Most of the routine work is handled by the specialist and the head nurse. I don''t know the specifics, but I''ve heard that Mrs. Norman''s condition is quite serious this time. Sometimes, the doctor prescribes medication for Mrs. Norman even outside of normal hours. "The head nurse also goes in to perform checks frequently," said the nurse. She was familiar with Luca and knew she had a good rtionship with Queenie. That was why she shared what she knew. "Besides Dr. Park, is there another doctor who is responsible for Mrs. Norman?" asked Luca. "There''s also Dr. Hoyles, the head of the Cardiovascr Department, who''s responsible for Mrs. Norman. But Dr. Park is the primary one," replied the nurse. "Dr. Park has been going in and out of Mrs. Norman''s ward often for the past few days. He didn''t seem too pleased." "Alright, I understand." Luca nced down the hallway. Queenie was on this side, but she had no idea about her current condition. Luca was unable to find out anything, but she did not even have the courage to enter the ward. "Ms. Craw, are you sure you don''t want to visit her?" asked the nurse. "We can only notify her by ringing the bell. We can''t just push open the door to Mrs. Norman''s ward." Luca thought to herself that there must be Luke''s intention behind it since the hospital was being so secretive. He was keeping Queenie''s condition under wraps. Was it to avoid worrying her? "No, it''s alright. By the way, has Mr. Crawford left?" Luca asked again, wanting to confirm if Luke was still here. "I''ve been at the nurse''s station the whole time and haven''t seen Mr. Crawford leaving," replied the nurse as she shook her head. "Where is he now?" Luca''s heart tightened. She could not help but ask urgently at the thought of Luke being in the hospital. "I think Mr. Crawford is in Ms. Rayne''s ward now. I heard that Ms. Rayne isn''t in a great moodtely. Something might have happened, and Mr. Crawford isforting her," replied the nurse. ¡°Is Ms. Rayne not doing well?¡± Luca felt upset. "It''s probably because of you and Mr. Crawford...?" The nurse paused for a moment and thought it was inappropriate to talk about their scandal in front of the person involved. Hence, she added, "I heard that Ms. Rayne hasn''t been in a good moodtely. She''s pretty bummed out. She''s not eating much and isn''t very cooperative with her treatment. I also heard Mrs. Lane mention that Ms. Rayne''s mood is really bad. She''s down in the dumps. "She thinks she''s a burden to Mr. Crawford and her niece, and she thinks it might be better to just go..." Luca was taken aback for a moment. Wanda had found out about her scandal with Luke and was actually thinking about taking her own life! "Please make sure to keep an eye on the patient and not let her make any rash decisions," said Luca as she furrowed her brows. "Don''t worry, Mr. Crawford has already instructed us to do so. When Mrs. Lane goes downstairs to buy meals, the nurses will keep an eye on Ms. Rayne and make sure she doesn''t run around," replied the nurse. She felt that the situation in the ward had be quite peculiar after Luke''s scandal hit the streets. It was especially for those rted to Luke Crawford. They were treated differently from the other patients. "At other times, Mrs. Lane will be watching her. Ms. Rayne won''t have the opportunity to harm herself," added the nurse. The nurses were also afraid that if a patient''s condition deteriorated, they might do something self-destructive. The hospital would be held responsible if such things happened. Most of the patients on this floor were either affluent or influential. If something were to happen, the hospital might not be able to handle the repercussions... Luca felt somewhat reassured by their thorough monitoring of Wanda. "Ms. Craw, do you still want to visit the patient?" asked the nurse, feeling she had already shared a lot. If it were not for Luca''s fame at their hospital, she probably would not have divulged so much information. However, she did not even register the rumors about Luke and Luca at first. That was why she found it odd that Luca was standing here but refused to visit Queenie. Now that she had remembered the rumors, everything suddenly made sense. If it were not for Karen''s news making such a ssh in the past couple of days, she would have immediately remembered that scandal. However, she was a nurse in the hospital, not a gossip reporter. She did not feelfortable passing judgment or spreading rumors about matters between patients and their families. "No, it''s okay. By the way, please don''t tell anyone else that I''ve been here." Luca shook her head now that she knew that Queenie and Wanda''s conditions were not good. There was nothing she could do about it. A feeling of powerlessness washed over her. Did she really have to part ways with Luke for the sake of her beloved family''s well-being? However, she could not leave. What Amur told her on the phone suddenly echoed in her ears. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. If she left Luke, aside from Luke, the first person to react would be Abel. Luca dared not to take that risk. If she offended Abel, she had no idea what extreme measures he might take against Luke. She had to stay by Luke''s side. That way, when Abel sought revenge against Luke, she knew what to do. She could also remind him and help him. Still, if she did not leave, Queenie and Wanda would undoubtedly keep a close eye on her situation... Should she disclose the truth? Luca, who was lost in thought, walked into the elevator in a daze. The nurse at the nurse''s station watched her and shook her head helplessly. "She''s such an outstanding woman, yet she became someone else''s mistress..." She could not help but sigh. She had seen the statements and rifications that Luke had made through his contacts. Nevertheless, after witnessing Luke''s interactions with Luca in the hospital, the nurse refused to believe them. Yet, to safeguard her own means of livelihood, she chose not to spread information to her close friends and family. Chapter 2965 After Luca took the elevator down to the first floor, her mind went nk as she walked back to her car. When she tried to start the car engine, she realized that her strength had beenpletely drained. She leaned against the driver''s seat for a while. The dull pain in her heart still would not go away. She knew that she could not drive in this condition. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Luca pursed her pale lips and picked up her phone to request a designated driver through an app. Ten minutester, the designated driver arrived at the hospital parking lot driving an electric scooter. After finding Luca based on her car''s license te, he lightly tapped the driver''s side door. He asked, "Miss, did you request a designated driver?" "Yes," answered Luca. She still could not recover her strength, and the waves of pain continued to gue her. Even though she tried to calm herself down, that unsettling feeling persisted. Luca took a deep breath and mustered all her strength to push open the car door. She leaned against the car and opened the back door. The driver noticed that something was off with Luca. He was concerned that something might happen. Hence, he asked, "Miss, are you feeling unwell? Should I take you to the emergency room to see a doctor?" Luca knew what was wrong with her. She was just having an emotional breakdown, which was why she ended up like this. She would be fine once she calmed down. "No need. Just take me home." After Luca declined him, she bit her lip as she sat in the back seat. Once she stopped worrying about the misunderstandings between Luke, Queenie, and Wanda, she would feel much better. The driver saw Luca''s condition and continued to convince her, "But you don''t look good, and I..." "Just drive, I''m fine," interrupted Luca. Then, she bit her lip. All the worries that had been building up for the past few days suddenly overwhelmed her, and she could not bear it. The pain in her heart became too much to endure. She did not know what to do. Should she continue to keep her identity a secret? It would make things difficult for Luke, and Queenie and Wanda would continue to misunderstand him. Or should she be honest with them and make Luke bear more responsibility and pressure? The driver decided to record their conversation since Luca refused to see the doctor, just in case any problems arose on the way. That way, he would not be med if anything happened to her. He sat in the driver''s seat, fastened his seatbelt, set up the navigation, and said, "Since you insist on not going to the hospital for a check-up, I will now take you home as per the navigation''s directions. Please fasten your seatbelt." Luca clenched her teeth, reluctantly fastening her seatbelt. The driver, feeling relieved, drove her home following the navigation. When they arrived at the residential area, the car smoothly entered the area because Luca''s car was registered with the property management. Luca slightly opened her eyes. She had calmed down a little while she was on her way back. She should be able to drive herself from here. She said to the driver, "Just park the car on the side." "Okay, got it," replied the driver. He had been keeping an eye on the passenger in the back seat throughout the journey as he was afraid that something might happen. Fortunately, they arrived safely at their destination. The driver parked the car to the side, unfastened his seatbelt, and got out of the car. As he left the vehicle, he took a quick nce at the neighborhood. The area near the entrance was already quite upscale. It was a high-end residentialmunity. The driver could not help but shoot another nce at Luca''s car, wondering why someone living in such an upscale ce was driving a car like that. Luca pushed open the back door and returned to the driver''s seat. After settling the fare with the driver, the driver dared not to linger here any longer. Thus, the driver carried his electric scooter and left. Luca drove carefully back to the vi. She chose not to let the driver take her back home because aside from starting to feel better, she did not want to divulge too much about Luke''s predicament. After Luca parked her car, she let out a slow breath of relief. Fortunately, she made it back safely. Luca sat in the car for a while. Nina had heard the sound of the car but did not see anyoneing in even after a while. Thus, she came out to check. Luca then unbuckled her seatbelt. "Luca? Are you back?" asked Nina. "Yes, it''s me," replied Luca as she pushed open the car door. The moment her feet touched the ground, there was a slight tremor. "What happened? Why do you sound so weak?" Nina could immediately tell something was off by the tone of Luca''s voice and immediately came forward. Luca closed the car door and asked, "Have the kids woken up?" "Don''t worry. They haven''t woken up. They probably didn''t even realize you had left." Nina stepped forward to help her. She could not help but wonder why Luca had returned in this condition when she had been perfectly fine before she left. Luca let Nina help her. The two of them slowly made their way into the living room. Nina guided her to the sofa and said, "Here, have a seat. I''ll get you a ss of water." The living room was brightly lit. It was only now that Nina noticed how pale Luca''splexion was. She could not tell if something terrifying had happened to her or if she was feeling unwell. "Thanks." Luca knew she needed a ss of water to help her recover. Nina quickly went to the kitchen, poured a ss of warm water, and handed it to Luca. Luca took it and drank several sips in session. She then ced the ss on the coffee table. "Nina, thank you for tonight. It''s gettingte, why don''t you tell Mr. Mallory that you''ll spend the night here? It''s not safe to drive back at this hour," suggested Luca. Nina initially did not consider spending the night here, but seeing Luca in such a state and with Luke not at home, she felt uneasy about leaving Luca alone. If something happened, what could the children do to help? She nodded and replied, "I''ll talk to him shortly. But what''s wrong with you? You don''t look good." "I''ve just learned some news that''s been hard to ept.¡± Luca forced a bitter smile. The people she cared for the most were suffering because of her hidden identity, and it was something she was struggling toe to terms with. She wanted to protect them. However, was keeping this under wraps now actually a form of protection? The answer was clearly negative. Nina frowned slightly. When she saw the bitter smile on Luca''s face, she suddenly realized that the person before her was not as strong as she thought. Nina once believed Luca to be an exceptionally strong woman who could not be easily defeated. However, it seemed that things were not as she had assumed. "Luca, where is Mr. Crawford?" Nina thought Luca needed somefort. "He''s probably busy," answered Luca. She did not know how Lukeforted Wanda or if he was sessful in doing so. She was not sure if he was on his way back. Nina heard her and understood that she did not want to disturb Luke. Hence, she resolved to stay with Luca. After briefly exining the situation to Percy and receiving his response, she said, "Come on. Let me help you upstairs. "No matter how bad things may be, they''ll eventually pass. Right now, you should go upstairs and rest. We can figure out how to deal with this tomorrow." Luca nodded. She really needed to lie down in bed and think through her options. Regardless of how challenging it might be, she had to make a decision. Even if the decision was tough to make, this decision must be made. Nina helped her upstairs and opened the door to the master bedroom. Lucay down on the bed without changing her clothes. She turned to Nina, who stood beside her, and said, "The guest room has everything you need. "If you need anything else, you can find it in the storage room downstairs. Nina, I''m really wiped out today." Chapter 2966 "Don''t worry about me. I''m familiar with this ce. Rest well." Nina tucked her in and ced her phone on the bedside. "If you need anything, give me a call. I''ll be outside. I''m leaving the phone right beside the bed, so you can reach it easily." "Thank you." Luca closed her eyes. Her hands under the nket remained clenched. Nina shook her head in helplessness when she saw how weak Luca was, wondering what had happened to make her like this. If Luca had not assured her that she was physically fine, Nina would have probably called an ambnce for her by now. Nina noticed that Luca had closed her eyes, so she turned and walked out of the bedroom. She closed the door behind her. She went to the guest room, nced at the missing toiletries, then headed downstairs to the storage room to find some new ones. Before she could enter the storage room, she heard footsteps behind her. Nina turned around and saw that Luke was back. She furrowed her brows, feeling a bit annoyed. She was annoyed that Luke came back sote. When she thought about Luca''s situation earlier, she was about to voice herint. However, she suddenly hesitated. Why was she ming Luke? Was it just because he was with Luca now? Was it because he had not taken good care of Luca and that was why she was all up in her feelings? Nina found her thoughts rather peculiar. After all, she also believed that Luke was having an affair. Normally, when a guy cheated, Nina would not really have too many thoughts about whether he was treating the other woman well or not. However, perhaps it was because of Percy''s influence, she did not see Luca as a mistress. Thus, she thought it was wrong for Luke not to take care of her. Still, Bianca was still abroad, and she was Luke''s rightful wife! Nina could not understand her conflicting thoughts. Luke saw the strange expression on Nina''s face and remained silent. He knew why she was there, yet he asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Luke knew exactly why Nina was here. Luca had to go to the hospital, but she was worried that no one would be here to look after the children, which was why Nina came. Luke was putting on aplete act. He already figured it out, but he pretended not to know. "Luca isn''t feeling well. I came to take care of her. But why did you take so long toe back?" asked Nina. Luke frowned. "Luca isn''t feeling well?" Without waiting for Nina''s response, he quickly made his way up the stairs. "Hey, you..." As Nina watched him hurry upstairs, she understood that he was genuinely concerned about Luca''s condition. She could not help but mutter to herself that he was not around when Luca was not feeling well. Now that she was in bed, he was showing how concerned he was. With these thoughts in her mind, Nina quickly followed behind him. "She didn''t say she was feeling unwell. She just mentioned that she was feeling upset because of some difficult situation. She''s already in bed. Please don''t wake her up." "I''ll take good care of her. It''s gettingte. Rest early." Luke knew Nina was worried about Luca. He also understood that she would likely spend the night here as it was not safe to go back home at this hour. Nina watched him enter the master bedroom and paused for a moment. She shook her head, then went back downstairs. Luke had returned, and Luca was being taken care of. There was no need for her to worry. Therefore, she decided to grab some fresh toiletries from the storage room, freshen up, and go to bed. She nned to return in the morning. As Nina thought about it, she made her way down the stairs. Luke walked into the master bedroom. The lights were notpletely turned off, allowing him to see Luca, who was lying on the bed. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, gazing at Luca''s pale face. His heart could not help but ache. Was he pushing too hard in doing what he did? Luca was strong in many aspects, enduring pain without making a sound. However, she was fragile when it was about her family. She was probably feeling this way now because she believed that the scandal had caused suffering for her most cherished elders. She was caught between voicing out and remaining silent. That was why she was in this state now. Luke could not help but question if he had done something wrong by pushing her like this. "Luke?" A familiar scent enveloped Luca. She slowly opened her eyes and saw the man sitting on the edge of the bed. Luke tightly pursed his lips together, seemingly deep in thought about something. "Yes. Are you feeling better?" asked Luke. "I''m much better." Luca smiled weakly, indicating that she was okay. In just a short ten minutes or so, she had not actually fallen asleep. She had been thinking about a lot of things, though she still had not figured out how to proceed. "Let me take you to the hospital," said Luke as he held her hand. He could not help but furrow his brows. Her hand was icy cold, as though she had juste out of an ice cave. "No need. I''ll just get some rest," Luca shook her head, holding onto his hand tightly. The warmth in the palm of Luke''s hand wasforting. She did not want to let go. Feeling her attachment, Luke''s guilt grew. In reality, they could cooperate with her, pretend to believe that the rumors were false, and have everyone treat her the same as before. However, he wanted to know why she had been under the control of the Ind of Despair, which was why he asked Queenie and Wanda to help him. As long as Luca confessed everything to him, he was confident that he could handle her situation. "Alright. Let''s not go to the hospital." Luke touched her forehead, which was slightly warmer than her hand. "Can you sleep?" Luca shook her head. Even with him by her side, her mind was filled with worries and issues. How could she fall asleep? Luke brushed her hair back from her forehead and whispered, "How about taking some mtonin?" Luca did not refuse and replied in a soft voice, "Okay." Luke took out the box of mtonin that Luca had kept in the drawer and shook out a pill, bringing it to her lips. Luca opened her mouth slightly, swallowed the pill, and closed her eyes again. "I''ll go freshen up first. If you need anything, just call me." Luke leaned down and nted a kiss on her forehead. Luca slightly opened her eyes again and said, "Nina..." "I know. She can take care of herself," Luke reassured her. Nina was not a stranger to their home. She had stayed here for a while before and was quite familiar with the ce. She could take care of herself. Luca closed her eyes again. Luke opened the wardrobe, took a fresh set of pajamas, and headed into the bathroom. He initially did not n to freshen up here, fearing that the sound might disturb Luca''s rest. However, he realized that if he went to another bathroom, he would not be able to know immediately if anything happened to Luca. Hence, he decided to quickly freshen up in the master bedroom''s bathroom. While he was freshening up, his ears remained tuned to the sounds outside. After that, Luke walked out of the bathroom and nced at Luca, who was still lying in bed. She had changed her position. Luke''s dark eyes darkened even more, and a hint of helplessness shed across his gaze. N?velDrama.Org ? content. He loved her deeply, but he had to push her like this now. Luke quickly walked to the other side of the bed and removed his shoes. After turning off the lights, he lay down. The next thing on his mind was to pull Luca into his arms. "I haven''t taken a shower. I''m dirty..." Luca muttered. She had not fallen asleep and knew that Luke wanted to hold her in his arms. She reminded him when she remembered his neat freak tendencies. "You''re not. Sweetie, get some rest," Luke whispered into her ear, nting a kiss on her earlobe. He insisted on holding her close. Chapter 2967 After being embraced by Luke, a rush of warmth gradually spread from behind and enveloped her whole body. As Luca''s heart found sce, her cold hands and feet grew considerably warmer. She could not tell if it was the presence of Luke behind her that made her feel at ease, or if it was the effect of mtonin. In his embrace, she slowly drifted into a dream. As he listened to Luca''s steady breathing, Luke was unusually sleepless. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. He was still thinking about what he had donest night, wondering if he had done something wrong to make Luca so upset. He truly wished to keep her carefree, happy, and content. Luke snuggled closer to Luca, who seemed to possess a magical effect. Just being near her allowed him to find peace and sleep soundly. However, given the current situation, tonight was sure to be a sleepless night... The following day, Luca woke up and blinked her eyes. It was only then that she realized she had fallen asleepst night. She thought she would have a sleepless night, but to her surprise, Luke had easilyforted her. Luca sat up, stretchedzily, and nced at the empty spot beside her bed. She instinctively reached out to feel the temperature of the bed. She did not know when this habit started. Whenever she woke up and Luke was not beside her, she would touch the spot to estimate how long he had been awake. The spot had already cooled, so Luca assumed Luke had risen long ago. When she thought of Nina, who had also spent the night here, she quickly got up. After freshening up, she left the bedroom. Luke was in the opposite bedroom, attending to work. When he heard the door open, he nced in her direction. Luca gave him a sweet smile. Luke lifted the corner of his lips, offering a smile in response to her. However, due to the international conference he was engaged in, his focus returned to theputer screen. Luca knew he was busy, so she did not disturb him. She decided to check on Nina, but thinking that she might not have woken up yet, she went downstairs instead. Nina and the children were already sitting at the dining table. When she saw Lucaing down, Nina quickly stood up, walked over to her, and said, "Good morning, Luca." ¡°Good morning. Did you rest well yesterday?" asked Luca. She could not help but feel a bit guilty. She had to ask Nina to leave Percy behind ande to look after her children just because of her personal matters. "It''s not like I''ve never stayed here before. I had a good rest." Nina knew Luca was worried. She replied with a cheerful smile while observing Luca''s face. Luca seemed to be in good spirits, with no dark circles or signs of illness. She looked much better compared tost night. It seemed like she had rested well. Nina did not ask how her night had been as she did not want to unintentionally bring up anything that might make Luca upset. Then, she said, "I went to bed early yesterday, and I woke up early today. I just couldn''t resist the breakfast prepared by Aunt Neile." Luca smiled. "Then you must eat plenty." "Oh, I definitely won''t hold back. Aunt Neile''s breakfast is super delicious!" replied Nina, taking Luca''s hand and then releasing it as they both sat down at the dining table. Aunt Neile came out to serve breakfast. When she heard Nina''spliments on her cooking, she happily responded, "Oh, Ms. Langdon, stop with the praise. All the dishes I make are based on Ms. Craw''s recipes." "Is that so? I kept thinking that the food you both make tastes quite simr. So, it''s the same recipe! I really love the food Luca makes. Little ones, you''re so lucky. I envy you," Nina said to the three kids, who were already seated and ready to eat. "I''m really jealous of you having such delicious food every day." Her words were slightly exaggerated, but they were true. Everyone in the dining room burst into laughter. Luca joined in as well. While the heaviness in her heart had notpletely dissipated, Nina, with her cheerful demeanor, managed to ease some of Luca''s inner sorrow. Tommy realized that Nina was trying to lighten the mood. He and his siblings had been surprised to see Nina downstairs after waking up. They could tell something was wrong. They had learned a bit of what had happened to Luca and knew that she was in a bad mood. Thus, they had to behave themselves. Hence, when Nina made herment, Tommy invited her with a smiling face, "Ms. Nina, you can come over for meals every day. If you think it''s too much trouble, you can just leave Mr. Percy and come live in our house. We''d all wee you." "Really? Great, I''ll pack my bags when I go back today. Wait for me, Tommy. You''d better keep your word. I''m going to stay at your ce from now on, and I''ll enjoy Aunt Neile''s cooking every day!" Nina replied with a beaming smile on her face as she rubbed the child''s nose. These three kids were truly endearing. If she and Percy could have smart and endearing children like them, it would be wonderful. "You''re wee," Tommy nodded and turned to look at Luca with a smile on his face. "Alright, let''s eat. It''s gettingte." Luca met Tommy''s eyes and gently smiled. With her deep affection for Luke and the children, how could she bear to leave? The bnce in Luca''s heart seemed to tilt in a certain direction without her realizing it. After breakfast, Nina left first. Luca was not in a hurry to return to the office. She saw the children off to Zander''s car and then headed back upstairs. Luke was still busy with work in the bedroom. Luca leaned against the doorframe, watched his slender fingers dance across the keyboard. It seemed that he was engaged in a conversation with someone. She did not rush inside. After sending an email, Luke gave her a side-nce, and his gaze settled on her. "Have you had breakfast?" "Yes, I have.¡± Only then did Luca enter the bedroom. Luke picked up his cup of coffee and took a sip. Aunt Neile had prepared it and brought it upstairs for him, knowing he was busy. Luca could not help but notice that Aunt Neile seemed to have learned some of her coffee-making techniques. The taste was simr to the coffee she prepared, but when one really delved into it deeper, it was still a littlecking. Luke did not want to burden Luca, so he could ept this slight difference. "Are you still busy?" asked Luca. "No, I''m getting ready to head back to thepany." Luke smiled at her. As she approached, he rose to his feet, pulled her into his arms, and nted a kiss on her fair cheek. "Nina mentioned some things to me yesterday," said Luke. Luca held onto his waist, resting her head on his chest. She listened to the rhythmic beating of his heart. "Mhm." Luca did not ask, but she had a general idea of what Nina had talked to him about. It was probably about why she had suddenly be like that... "Whenever there''s anything on your mind, you can always talk to me. Luca, I''ll always be by your side. I can bear anything, no matter what it is," Luke assured her. Bianca used to be gentle, but when faced with challenges, she could handle them on her own. She would grit her teeth and shoulder the burden. However, the current Luca appeared indestructible. If something happened, she would want to rely on herself, not him. These changes left Luke feeling both frustrated andpassionate. He wondered how many trials and tribtions she had gone through on the Ind of Despair to be the person she was today. Though he was her husband, she seemed to silently bear the weight of everything that happened without considering sharing the burden with him. She loved him, yet she did not want to burden him. Chapter 2968 "Yes, I know," Luca murmured against his chest, her voice muffled. She had not made up her mind yet, so she did not n on saying anything. She just wanted to hug him and breathe in his familiar scent. Luke Crawford was the man she loved the most... Luke waited for a while but did not hear Luca continue. He knew she still had not made up her mind to speak. His chest was a tumultuous mix, brimming with warmth but also a profound sense of helplessness toward Luca. She still could not bring herself to say it at this moment. Luke had no choice but to give her some more time. "Hmm, it''s gettingte. I need to go to work." Luca felt her strength returning to her body and slowly raised her head, looking at the man''s resolute jawline. "Okay,e back early tonight if possible. I promised the kids we''d go out for dinner," replied Luke. Luca wanted to agree immediately, but she frowned at the thought of the recent rumors. This scandal had shaken Wanda and Queenie. She did not have the courage to be seen in public with Luke at this moment. If the reporters caught wind of anything, it would be even more distressing for both of them, who were already in the hospital. Luca hesitated and felt anxious. "Don''t worry. It''ll be fine." Luke reassured her. "It''s just a small restaurant. A friend of Mr. Doyle owns it. He has everything arranged, and it''s a private setting. Only the restaurant owner and his wife will be there, no one else. ¡°The owner¡¯s lips are sealed tight. He won''t gossip about anything,¡± added Luke to assure her. ¡°The kids haven''t dined out for a long time. They know you''ve been downtely. That¡¯s why they suggested this. We shouldn¡¯t disappoint them, right?" What Luke said at the end left Luca with no room to refuse. After all that had happened recently, her kids had seen right through her emotions. She thought she had hidden them well, but they still knew her all too well... "Okay," Luca agreed. She trusted Luke''s choice of location, believing that reporters would not discover them there. N?velDrama.Org ? content. After she agreed, Luke let her go. "It''s gettingte. Go to work. I need to prepare for work as well." "I''ll head out to work first," said Luca. Her research group had a lot of work to do today, especially after yesterday''s unfinished experiment. "Okay." Luke went into the master bedroom to change into his work clothes. Throughout the day, Luca had consumed several cups of coffee to keep herself focused and prevent her mind from wandering. However, her work efficiency still decreased after what had happened yesterday. As she left theb at the end of the day, she looked at the experiments she had notpleted. She felt helpless. She had overestimated her ability to focus on her work. There was no way she could work properly when she was dealing with personal troubles. Rhett approached her with some documents in his hands, noticing her absent-minded look. He asked in a low voice, "Dr. Craw, what''s the matter with you?" "It''s nothing." Luca came back to her senses, knowing that there was no way she could share her personal troubles with her colleagues. She shook her head and nced at the documents in Rhett''s hands. "Is this the experimental data?" "Yes, it''s the experimental data," answered Rhett as he handed over the documents. "Alright. Let''s call it a day for now. I''ll take the documents home to review. The rest of you can go home." Luca did not forget what Luke had said in the morning. She did not want to disappoint her children. That was why she decided to leave work at a normal time. She did not want the other researchers to work overtime as well since she was getting off work. "Understood, Dr. Craw," replied the other researchers, but they did not leave immediately. They needed to tidy up their workspaces before leaving. Luca exited theb first. One of the researchers watched her leave and could not help but mutter, "Why does it feel like Dr. Craw hasn''t been herself these past couple of days?" "I have the same feeling. Maybe something''s bothering her," another researcher replied. They were puzzled because the rumors about Luca and Luke had already been rified. There were no reporters bothering them either. "What else could it be? Everything has been cleared up, hasn''t it? Unless..." The researcher who was speaking stopped and did not continue. Could it be that Luca was preupied due to the recent rification? Or was it that the rtionship between her and Luke had truly ended after the scandal? Was that why Luca was in such a state? The group of researchers made guesses, but they dared not continue discussing it. Such matters were not suitable to be discussed in the office. If someone secretly recorded their conversation and shared it with Evan Turner or Luca, they would risk losing their jobs. Evan had even held a special meeting in thepany to prohibit employees from discussing Luca''s personal matters previously, let alone sharing them with the media. Any breach of this policy would result in immediate termination, and legal action would be taken against the person responsible. After that meeting, the entirepany was cautious when it came to Luca''s personal affairs. They dared not to gossip about her, and they avoided discussing it behind her back. Rhett heard their conversation, cleared his throat, and said, "Let''s call it a day for now." "Yes, let''s go home. Knowing our research schedule, we''ll probably have to work day and night in the future. We should cherish these days when we don''t have to work overtime," said one of the researchers. After they tidied up everything, they did not linger in theboratory. Instead, they left together. Luca took a ride in Warren''s car back to the vi. Her three children had already finished school and were busypleting their homework as quickly as possible since they were going out for dinner tonight. When they saw Luca return, they greeted her briefly before continuing with their work. Luca entered the kitchen. There was no need to prepare dinner tonight, so Aunt Neile was busy preparing breakfast for the next day. She had already prepared the ingredients. This way, she could arrive a bitter when she came over tomorrow and also speed up the breakfast preparation. "Aunt Neile, you don''t have to prepare dinner tonight. You may leave early," said Luca when she noticed that Aunt Neile was still working. It was a rare asion that she did not need to prepare dinner, so she wanted Aunt Neile to go home early. "Sure, Ms. Craw. I''ll prepare the burger patties first and head home afterward," Aunt Neile happily agreed. She held a knife in each hand, manually chopping the patties. Hand-chopped patties had a better texture than machine-processed patties. After finishing the task, she ced the minced meat in arge bowl and began seasoning it. When Aunt Neile noticed that Luca was still watching her, she asked, "Ms. Craw, would you like to do the seasoning? The kids love your cooking. If you season the patties, they might enjoy the food even more. Who knows, they might have an extra burger?" "Sure." Luca did not refuse. After she walked to the sink and washed her hands, she took therge bowl from Aunt Neile and added the seasonings to the meat. Aunt Neile usually followed Luca''s recipes for the exact measurements, even using a kitchen scale to weigh the seasonings. Aunt Neile watched Luca season the meat. Luca did not use the kitchen scale but added the ingredients one by one in the same order before mixing them in thoroughly. Aunt Neile could not help but marvel. "Ms. Craw, it''s like you''ve got a scale in your mind..." "After doing tons of experiments, I can pretty much eyeball how much seasoning I need," exined Luca. Chapter 2969 After her training in the Ind of Despair and studying medicine for over two years, Luca had developed a skill. She could estimate the weight of anything that was in her hands. Shanks had mentioned before that to be a good pharmacist, one had to be sensitive to the weight of things. In order to achieve that, Shanks specifically asked her to train for two months to master that skill. After seasoning the minced meat, she passed it to Aunt Neile. ¡°Ms. Craw, that''s very impressive." Aunt Neile praised before wrapping the meat in stic wrap and putting it in the fridge. "Aunt Neile, you can go back early," Luca told Aunt Neile after washing her hands. She walked out of the kitchen with a te of washed fruits. When she got to the living room, she heard Lanie say, "Ms. Luca, I''m done with my homework." He was slightly smarter than Rainie, and the homework was fairly easy for him, so he would usually be the first to finish it. Today, he finished it even faster because they were going to eat out. "That was fast. Here, have some fruits and I''ll check it." Luca ced the fruits on the coffee table and sat on the armchair before picking up Lanie''s workbook to check it. Although Lanie was smart, Luca still checked it carefully until she was sure that there were no mistakes. Then, she simply picked up a pen and signed Luke''s name. Then, Rainie finished hers too. "Ms. Luca, I''m done with my homework." She handed over her workbook. Luca continued to check their homework while Lanie ate the fruits. After a while, Luke still had yet to come back, so they asked, "When is Daddying back?" Rainie shook her head as she nced at the time. If he was not working overtime, he should be home by now. "Is Daddy working overtime again?" Tommy suddenly looked at his siblings. The three of them had negotiated with their father this morning about going out for a family dinner. They could not help but grumble at the thought of how busy their father was. Could it be that their workaholic dad forgot about the dinner? "I don''t know." Lanie was not sure either. Then, Tommy added, "If Daddy really forgot about it and is still at work, will we have nothing to eat? Why don''t we go ask Daddy?" Lanie looked at his younger brother, who was worried about going hungry, and said coolly, ¡°Daddy won''t forget. Even if he did, Ms. Luca is here. She won''t let you go hungry. Hurry up and finish your homework. Don''t call Dad." He trusted that their dad would not forget. Their mom was the most important person to him. Tonight''s dinner was also a date for their mom and dad, so there was no way their dad would forget tonight''s dinner because of work. "Okay," muttered Tommy after listening to Lanie. He continued concentrating on his homework. Luca listened to the kids'' conversation and nced at the time. If Luke was not working overtime, he indeed would have been back by now. Did something go wrong at the hospital? She nced at the children. Lanie and Rainie were sitting on the sofa, eating fruits and reading. On the other hand, Tommy was working hard to finish his homework. Luca thought to herself that if Luke came backte, she would not let the children go hungry. However, if something really happened at the hospital, she could not leave the children at home... Luca''s eyebrows knitted together at the thought of that. Rainie noticed that her mind was drifting off, so she asked, "Ms. Luca, did I make a mistake?" Then, Luca came back to her senses and shook her head. "No. Are you all hungry?" "No. I have fruits," Rainie replied with a smile as she took another bite of fruit. Luca smiled and nodded as she signed Luke''s name on Rainie''s workbook. "You didn''t make any mistakes. I''ve signed it, so you cane here and put it away." Luca handed her the workbook. "Thank you, Ms. Luca." Rainie took it and looked at the signature. She could not help but feel a little sentimental. When would their mother be able to sign her real name on their workbooks? Their father always told them that the time woulde soon, but until now, their mom still had a different identity. Even though so many things had happened, she still had no intention of admitting her true identity. Rainie had always been very patient. However, not only was she getting impatient now, but she was getting anxious and worried too. More than ten minutester, Tommy finished his homework. "Ms. Luca, I''ve finished my homework too!" After handing Luca a few of his workbooks, he sat on the sofa and picked up a book too. Like his older brother and sister, he sat on the sofa, ate fruits, and read. Not to mention, they were also waiting for their father. After Luca checked Tommy''s workbook and was about to sign it, the sound of a car engine came from the garden. The children heard it too, so they put their books down and smiled. Rainie said, "Daddy must be back." "Yup, he didn''t forget." Lanie looked at the time. He was about 20 minutester than usual, but it was understandable. Besides, the traffic was usually bad during peak hours. It was okay to be a bitte, as long as he did not forget. Lanie looked at his younger siblings'' happy faces with a poker face, and then, his gaze fell upon Luca. Seeing the relieved look on her face, he could not help but wonder the reason behind her expression. Lanie found it strange, but he did not ask why. After parking the car, Luke strode in and saw Luca and the kids in the living room. His stern face then softened into a grin. ¡°I''ll go upstairs to change, then we''ll go," he said. His formal attire was not very appropriate for a family dinner. "Okay, Daddy," said the three kids in unison, whereas Luca nodded. Luke quickly went upstairs. Then, Luca''s gaze fell upon Tommy''s workbook. Some of his handwriting was rather messy, and she could not just ignore it. It was important for children to have good handwriting, especially when they sat for the SATs in the future. Luca pointed to the workbook and said, "Tommy, you should practice your handwriting." "Huh?" Tommy walked up to her and looked at where she pointed. "It''s too messy. Is it like that because you did your homework in a rush?" Luca figured out the reason behind the kid''s sloppy handwriting. Despite that, she still thought that he should practice his handwriting. Messy handwriting was a sign of impatience. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. It was fine for him to be a bit yful, but he could not be impatient. Practicing his handwriting was a good way to train him to be more patient. Tommy smiled and nodded. "Yes. I was afraid that Daddy woulde back soon..." "Why don''t we start practicing your handwriting tomorrow?" Although it was a question, Luca said it with certainty as she had already made the decision for him. Chapter 2970 Tommy''s chubby smile instantly dropped. He did not want to practice his handwriting! However, he could not refuse Luca''s request. It was usually Luke''s sternness that would make him compromise, but Luca''s gentleness also made it hard for him to say no. "Alright, let''s start tomorrow." Tommy remembered that he still had many books on his bookshelf that Old Master Crawford gifted him back then. It was the same for his siblings. At that time, the kids were not told to practice, so other than Rainie, Tommy and Lanie had never touched those books. Now, Tommy suspected that his mom and his great-grandpa schemed this together. Why else would he be gifted those books for practicing handwriting? After pondering for a moment, he was about to say that he did not have the suitable materials. "Tommy still has many empty copybooks," said Lanie. Tommy''s eyes widened. Of course, his brother would say that! Luca smiled upon hearing that and said, "Great, we don''t have to buy any, then. Let''s do two pages every day starting tomorrow." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Tommy was a little annoyed. Why did he do his homework so sloppily just now? If he had put in a little more effort, he would not have to practice his handwriting. "Ms. Luca, how long do I have to do this for?" Tommy blinked his round eyes, trying to gain sympathy from Luca with his pitiful eyes to soften her heart. "There should be at least 50 pages in a book, so let''s do it for a month," Luca said decidedly. She did it hard-heartedly as she looked at the child acting pitiful. It was for his own good. One month! Tommy pouted. The thought of filling up the entire copybook made him want to cry. Rainieughed at the sight of her brother''s face and said, "I''ll practice with you!" Tommy looked at Rainie and said, "You''re a girl, so you have the patience to practice your handwriting. Plus, you''ve already filled up a few of the books that Great-grandpa gave you." "I''ll do it too," said Lanie. Although his handwriting was already very neat because he had practiced calligraphy before, he decided to practice too after hearing what they said. That way, Tommy would not think that it was unfair. All he had to do was sacrifice some of his reading time to practice. It would do him no harm anyway. After hearing what Lanie said, Tommy started to calm down. Then, he said smilingly, "I feel much better now with Lanie and Rainie doing it with me." Rainie could not help but flick his forehead. "Great-grandpa said that it''s important to have good penmanship. You should take it more seriously!" "I know, and I won''t do it again. I promise that I''ll write properly!" Tommy pouted, feeling wronged. If not for being worried that he would not be able to finish his homework before dinner, he would not have written sloppily. Luke heard what Tommy said as he wasing down, so he asked with raised eyebrows, "Is your handwriting getting messy again?" Tommy immediately retorted, "It''s not that messy..." Luke raised his eyebrows. "I was just in a rush, that''s why. I wanted to finish my homework before going to dinner. The teacher gave us a lot of homework today. I had finished a lot at school. Otherwise, I''d still be doing it now," Tommy muttered. Tommy wondered if the teacher deliberately assigned that much homework because she knew about his ns today. "Are you done with your homework?" Luke asked. "We''re all done, Daddy," Rainie said with a sweet smile. "Let''s go, then." Luke looked at Luca. Luca handed him Tommy''s homework. "Just one more signature left. You do it." She handed over the pen and said, "I''ve checked everything, and there aren''t any mistakes." "Okay." Luke took the pen and signed his name before giving it back to Tommy. "It''s a bit messy, so you''d better pay more attention." "Okay, Daddy. I''ll start practicing tomorrow, and I''ll fill up two pages every day!" Tommy took the workbook and kept it in his bag. Luke raised an eyebrow. Tommy was never the type to sit still. He could do this homework just fine as it was a student''s job, after all. However, he would usually find any sort of excuse to not practice his handwriting. It was not that he did not want to, but he would always think of ways to escape. He woulde up with any excuse or say that it was too much work for him. He had never willingly reached for the copybook on his own unless his teacher had given him homework. Now, he said on his own that he was going to practice his handwriting. If the child had not made such a solemn promise, Luke would have thought that he was mistaken. Lanie read Luke''s mind and said, ¡°Ms. Luca asked Tommy to practice. She said that it would be good for him." Luke was surprised to hear that. As expected, only Luca could discipline the children. Then, Tommy went up to hold Luke''s hand. "Daddy, aren''t we going out for dinner? Let''s go. I''m hungry." When Luca heard that he was hungry, she added, "Let''s hurry up, then." "Alright." Luke nodded. He had parked the car in the garden instead of the garage because they were heading out for dinner. Luca opened the door to the back seat. When she saw Lanie wanting to get on, she said, "Lanie, you can sit in the front passenger seat." Lanie looked at her, confused. Then, he shot a look at Luke. When Luke''s eyes met his, Lanie seemed to be asking him if he had done anything to upset Luca through his gaze. Then, he looked at Luca. "Why don''t you sit in the passenger seat?" "I''m worried that there''ll be reporters outside. They''ll take photos if I sit in the front passenger seat," exined Luca. The reporters would easily catch them leaving together if she sat in the font passenger seat. However, the windows were tinted in the back seat, so the reporters would not be able to take photos of her if she sat there. Luke looked resigned. For the past few days, he felt that Karen had been helping him and inconveniencing him at the same time. He saw Luca''s hesitation and cautiousness out of fear of being photographed by the reporters, but there was nothing he could do. Then, Luke said to the child, "Lanie, you sit in front." "Yes, Daddy." Lanie walked to the front and opened the door before getting in. On the other hand, Luca sat in the back with Rainie and Tommy. Luke made sure they had all gotten into the car before driving off. When exiting the gate, Luca moved down a little so that the passenger seat was blocking her. Luke noticed her slight movement and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. He had to solve this matter as soon as possible... The car ride was filled withughter because of the children. Tommy had cheered up from the gloom of having to practice his handwriting. He even shared some fun stories from school. After driving for about 20 minutes, they reached their destination. Luca could tell from her surroundings that Luke had brought them to a family-style restaurant. Luke had driven into a residential area with only residential buildings and no shops around. Chapter 2971 Luca looked around at the surroundings and realized that what Luke said about not getting noticed by reporters when dining here was true. Luke parked the car in the visitor parking spot and said, "We''re here. Let''s go." "Awesome! Daddy, I''m so hungry!" Tommy cheered. After Rainie got out of the car, he followed suit. Luca got out of the car on the other side and instinctively looked around her. It was probably dinner time, so everyone was having their meal right now. That was why there were not many young people walking around the area. There were only a few people leisurely strolling around. "I''ve already ced the order. We can eat as soon as we get in. You won''t be hungry, you little foodie," replied Luke as he stared at his son, whose expression was totally ravenous. There was a hint of helplessness on Luke''s face. The kid had never gone hungry when it was time to eat, so why was he always so hungry?! Luke looked at Luca, wondering whose side of the family Tommy had taken after to be such a voracious little eater. Luca knew what Luke had in his mind and gave him a smile. "Kids can''t go hungry. Usually, we''d have already had dinner by this time." Tommy nodded, agreeing with what Luca said. He defended himself, "Exactly, I''m still growing. I can''t go hungry! Otherwise, I can''t grow as tall as Daddy!" With that, he gestured with his hand to show his own height and then Luke''s, signifying his height goal. Luke could not help butugh at his son''s actions. "Well, then you should eat fewer snacks and more proper meals every day." Tommy lost his smile when Luke mentioned he should eat fewer snacks. He nced at his father and then at his mother. "Does that mean I won''t grow tall if I eat snacks?" Luca was amused by the child''s reaction. Before she could respond, Rainie said, "Of course not, but eating proper meals will help you grow taller. If you eat too many snacks, you won''t want to eat real food. Got it?" She patiently exined while holding his hand. Tommy nodded, secretly making up his mind to eat well so he could grow taller and protect his mom. Luke looked at the three kids, then at Luca. His eyes were filled with warmth. They were a warm family of five. In the days toe, these cozy and heartwarming moments would unfold every day. Luke had a feeling that as long as he persevered and did not waver, he would soon discover Luca''s secret. Then, it would not just be their family of five. Old Master Mallory, the Norman family, and the Rayne family would all be together in happiness. Luke followed the address given by Jason and took the elevator to the restaurant. The female owner of the family-style restaurant was waiting at the entrance. She greeted them with a smile when she saw theming out of the elevator, "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Crawford." Luca was slightly taken aback, wondering whether she should exin. However, Luke spoke first, "Sorry, we got stuck in traffic. We''re a bitte." Since Luke did not rify her identity, Luca could not reveal that she was not Mrs. Crawford. She had no choice but to ept it. Luca found it amusing at the thought of this. Why should she tolerate having to ept this identity? She was Mrs. Crawford, after all... ¡°It''s alright. My husband has just prepared the dishes you ordered. They''re ready now," said the restaurant owner with a smile on her face as she led them inside. They entered the restaurant. The female owner knew Luke''s identity. Also, Jason had already informed her of the situation in advance. Thus, after they entered the restaurant, she closed the door to prevent those outside from seeing what was happening inside. "Please, have a seat," she warmly said to them. At the same time, she took out a toddler''s dining chair and said, "The youngest one can sit here." The youngest one referred to Tommy. When Tommy heard this, he walked forward with his short little legs, sat in the toddler''s chair, and swung his legs in anticipation of the meal. The restaurant owner was delighted to see how eager he was. She handed each of the three kids a piece of candy and said, "These are homemade candies with no artificial additives. They''re very healthy." "Thank you." The three kids had sweet tooths. They dly epted the candies and put them in their pockets. They did not eat the candies because they were about to have dinner. Besides, Rainie had just exined things to Tommy a moment ago. Even Tommy, who loved eating snacks the most, resisted the candy and put it in his pocket, just like his older siblings. The restaurant owner added with a smile, "They''re so well-behaved." Her husband was a talented chef, and their private dining establishment attracted many affluent customers. Often, families dined here together. She had seen a lot of children too. However, well-behaved children like Lanie, Rainie, and Tommy were a rarity. Hence, she liked them even more and thought of preparing some snacks for them to take home after the meal. Who would not love well-behaved kids? The restaurant owner poured each of them a cup of tea and said, "Please enjoy your tea. We''ll be serving the dishes shortly." N?velDrama.Org ? content. Then, she turned around and headed into the kitchen to check on the dishes her husband was preparing. "How do you like this ce?" asked Luke. It was highly rmended by Jason for its privacy and the chef''s skills. "It''s nice." Luca smiled. The neighborhood might not be upscale, but the couple had put a lot of effort into their family-style restaurant, which was evident from the interior decor. Dining here felt like eating at a friend''s ce. It was veryfortable. Moreover, the surroundings were well-kept. One could tell the owners were people who prioritized cleanliness. "If you like the food here, we cane here more often in the future," said Luke. Even though Luca was a great cook, having food prepared by others was a different experience from eating one''s own cooking. It had a different vibe. He wanted to take Luca out more often, even with the kids around. It was also a kind of a date. Lanie and Rainie, the twins, exchanged nces with each other. Why did they feel that their parents were truly dating now while they were third-wheeling? Their father was so focused on asking their mom''s opinion! They felt like they were just dragged along for the ride. They were clearly a part of this family too! The restaurant owner entered the kitchen for a while and soon returned with the dishes. She smiled as she said, "Mr. Crawford, the dishes you ordered are ready. I''m serving them now." The restaurant owner and her husband paid great attention to hygiene. While serving the dishes, they wore face masks for food service to ensure that saliva would not identally end up on the food. Luke, who was always particr about cleanliness, was very satisfied. Their hygiene standards were on par with those of a five-star hotel. As seafood dishes were served, there was no distinction between appetizers and main courses. The restaurant owner and her husband brought all the ordered dishes to the table. They then asked, "Mr. and Mrs. Crawford, all your dishes are served. Would you like a bottle of red wine?" Luke turned to look at Luca. Since he was going to drive, he would not be drinking alcohol, but what if Luca wanted some? "Would you like some?" asked Luke. Luca shook her head and replied, "No, thank you. Three sses of fruit juice will do." Chapter 2972 The juice was for the kids. Luca and Luke preferred just water. "Alright. I''ll go and prepare some fresh juice now,¡± said the female owner with a beaming smile as she walked into the kitchen. After the chef served all the dishes, he returned to the kitchen. He did not want to disturb the family while they were having their meal. The restaurant rmended by Jason had always been great. The food here was delicious, and it felt completely different from the meals at other ces. The three kids really enjoyed it. During the meal, Luca took care of serving the kids the food, while Luke continued to pile food onto her te. "Daddy, I want you to serve me too!" Tommy, who was sitting in the toddler''s dining chair, noticed that he was only serving Luca food. He could not help but smile mischievously. Luke nced at the child, picked up a piece of pork rib, and put it on his te. Then, he ced the pork ribs on Lanie and Rainie''s tes too. He treated them equally. Tommy nibbled on the pork rib. His eyes were fixed on the two adults. Their father continued to serve their mother, but their mother was eating slowly. The food on her te was piled up like a small mountain. However, their father showed no signs of stopping. "Daddy, Ms. Luca''s te is getting full," whispered Tommy. Luke shot a nce at Luca''s te, which was filled with her favorite dishes. Luca felt a little embarrassed and reminded him, "That''s enough. I can''t finish this much..." "Have more," replied Luke. Then, he served her a piece of fried pork rib. "You love fried pork ribs." Luca looked at the mountain of food in front of her, feeling a bit overwhelmed. She did like fried pork ribs, but she would be too full if she finished all the food on her te. "Daddy, Ms. Luca can''t finish all this. Can you get me some?" asked Tommy as he cradled his te. His wide eyes were fixed on Luke. His tender heart was brimming with eager anticipation. He felt a bit neglected today and longed to be loved by his dad... Tommy looked at him with hopeful eyes. Luke had no choice but to serve him some sauteed greens. Tommy immediately pouted his lips and protested, "I don''t want to eat sauteed greens." "You have to get your greens in," replied Luke with a stern expression as he looked at Tommy''s te. Tommy blinked his eyes. "I want more meat. It''ll help me grow faster." "Tommy, you have to bnce it out. Eating just meat without any greens won''t help you grow tall, and you might end up packing on the pounds,¡± exined Rainie. Seeing how close their parents were made her feel really happy inside. Even though their father might have neglected them today, it did not matter as long as he loved their mother! When Tommy heard what Rainie said, he immediately buried his head and started eating his vegetables. Luca watched the kids'' interaction and could not help but sigh. She had missed many of her children''s milestones during the years of her abduction. Even though she was together with them now, she could not make up for past regrets. However, she was grateful that Luke had done a great job in raising the kids over the years. Now, the kids were responsible and could even teach the younger ones. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Despite still being kids, their words sometimes carried more weight than those of adults. Tommy was more willing to listen to his siblings. The meal was filled with joy, and with the kids ying around, Luca felt some of her worries dissipating. Even though it was temporary, she cherished these moments when she could clear her mind for a while. After dinner, the female owner served them her homemade desserts. The kids were overjoyed because they had already had dinner, so they could indulge a bit more with the dessert. The two owners were truly skilled. Every dish tasted fantastic from the main course to the post-dinner sweets. Rainie handed a small cookie to Luca and said, "It''s really delicious, Ms. Luca. You should try it." Luca slightly opened her mouth, took a bite of the cookie, and nodded. "It''s good." The female owner smiled when she heard that. Then, she handed over two neatly packed boxes. "These are packed with cookies. The kids love them. So, take some more with you." "Thank you." Luca did not refuse as the kids loved the cookies. Also, such family-style restaurants often prepared small gifts for their guests. "Thank you!" the three kids all said in unison. The female owner smiled and could not help but admire the kids'' upbringing. After Luke paid the bill with his credit card, the family left the restaurant. Back in the car, Luca still sat in the back seat with Tommy beside her. He patted his round belly and said, "It was good." "Did you eat too much?" Luca asked, looking at his visibly bulging stomach while trying not tough. "Yes. I ate a lot, but it''s okay. When we get home and watch cartoons, I''ll walk around to help with the digestion!" Tommy had a penchant for overeating, so he was experienced in dealing with overindulgence. Luca smiled and shook her head. "I''ll give you a digestive tablet when we get home." "Sounds good!" Tommy smiled and epted the idea. Luke was driving in front, retracing their path back to the vi. After the three kids hopped out of the car, they walked ahead while the two of them strolled leisurely behind. As summer''s embrace drew closer, the sky slowly darkened. There was still a hint of twilight''s soft light at this hour. The garden''s sr lights began to twinkle, adding a touch of charm to the garden. Luke reminisced about the countless nights he had spent walking with Luca. He reached out and firmly held her hand. Luca was startled for a moment. Then, she returned the squeeze. Back inside the house, Luca finally let go of Luke''s hand and got a digestive tablet for Tommy. "Thanks, Ms. Luca!" Tommy took it from her with a smile on his face. After he swallowed the tablet, his gaze was back on the cartoon show. Lanie and Rainie were seated, while Tommy stood there watching TV. Luke looked at the harmonious scene and said to Luca, "I''ll go handle some work matters." "Sure," replied Luca with a smile and sat down on the couch. She had not gone upstairs when she returned, so her briefcase was still here on the sofa. She took out several documents and nned to review them while she had the time. After watching TV for a while, Tommy could not help but pout andin, "I''m so tired." After that, he touched his round belly and looked at Luca with a pitiful expression. Luca found his behavior both amusing and exasperating, but there was nothing she could do. The child had insisted on eating more, and she did not want to deny him in front of others. "Now that you''ve eaten so much, it''s time to aid digestion or you''ll feel ufortable when it''s time to sleep." "Ms. Luca..." Tommy leaned against Luca''s thigh, giving her a woeful, longing look. "Your belly is still so round. Isn''t it ufortable?" Luca smiled and gently patted the child''s belly. "It feels really ufortable after eating too much. I promise I won''t overeat again," Tommy pouted. "You''ve said that more than once," Lanie chimed in. He had noticed that his younger brother would comin when he felt ufortable after overeating. Lanie had a slightly frustrated look on his face. "You say the same thing every time." Chapter 2973 Tommy blinked his eyes and felt embarrassed when Lanie ruthlessly exposed him. He raised his fingers and made a solemn vow. "I promise not to eat too much anymore. If I break the promise, I''ll be a little pig!" Lanie shook his head, indicating that he did not believe him. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Both he and Rainie were disciplined and not particrly prone to indulging in treats. They had no idea whose side of the family Tommy had got this trait from. Their parents were not like this at all! Luca could not help but chuckle. She was amused by Tommy. Her lips curled into a smile. She could not focus on the documents in her hand anymore. Tommy saw Lanie shaking his head and protested, "Lanie, you should remind me!" "That doesn''t work. We gotta make you feel bad once in a while so that you''ll remember better," Lanie said in a cool and nonchnt manner as he flipped through another page of his book. Tommy could not help but wonder when he saw Lanie''s expression. "Lanie looks just like Daddy. Boo- hoo, I''m so full." "Tommy, keep moving around," advised Rainie as there was no other solution. Taking digestion aids and staying active were the best ways to help digestion. Tommy cast a pitiful nce at Luca. When Luca met the child''s gaze, she let out a sigh and stroked his head. Then, she said, "Be good and pay attention to your diet in the future. If youe across something delicious, be mindful of how much you eat, okay?" "Okay," replied Tommy, feeling wronged. He continued to walk around the sofa to aid his digestion. As Luca watched the child willingly walk around to help his digestion, she returned her attention to the research data. Her gaze was locked on the documents. The cartoon show did not distract her, and the kids were quiet while they watched the TV. She could quickly nce at the TV screen when she was apanying the children. Their cozy atmosphere was broken by the sound of the doorbell. Rainie was the first to react. She nced at the video doorbell camera''s direction and then at Luca. "Ms. Luca, could it be Grandma Susan again?" "I''ll go check." Luca frowned. It waste. Who could it be? Could it be Susan? However, she had been humiliated when she came here a few days ago. It was highly unlikely that she woulde looking for trouble so soon, especially since she would not gain anything from it. Luca walked toward the video doorbell camera and saw that it was Louis who had rung the doorbell. She was surprised. Luca opened the door and said, "It''s your Uncle Louis." "Did Uncle Louise to see Daddy at this hour?" Tommy suddenly stopped and asked. "I''m not sure." Luca shook her head and stood at the entrance, waiting. Louis quickly entered the house. When he saw Luca, a hint of embarrassment appeared on his face. "I''m sorry, Ms. Craw, for bothering you all thiste." Luca shook her head and handed him a pair of disposable slippers. "Mr. Louis, are you here to see Mr. Crawford?" In front of the other members of the Crawford family, Luca addressed Luke as Mr. Crawford, even though everyone in the Crawford family now knew about her rtionship with Luke. "Yes." Louis nodded. After changing into the slippers, he walked into the living room. Although the three kids were scared of Susan, they liked their little uncle very much. As soon as they saw him, they rose to their feet and looked at Louis with smiles on their faces. "Good evening, Uncle Louis." "Good evening," Louis greeted the three children with a rxed expression. Then, he asked, "Where''s my brother?" "He''s in the bedroom upstairs. Take the stairs, turn left, and it''s the first room on the left," replied Luca. From just these few minutes, she noticed that Louis looked troubled. He probably needed to discuss something with Luke. "Alright, I''ll go upstairs first." Louis usually yed with the kids for a while when he saw them. However, he was not in the mood today. Therefore, after finding out where Luke was, he turned around and headed upstairs. As Rainie watched Louis disappear around the staircase corner from behind, she could not help but say, "Uncle Louis seems a bit down today." "Yes," Lanie agreed. Normally, Louis always had a smile on his face when he saw them. He even encouraged them to be cheerful to offset their father''s sternness. "Maybe Uncle Louis is facing some troubles," said Tommy. Luca slightly furrowed her brows, acknowledging that Louis'' mood was indeed off today. Perhaps it was due to some personal matters. She nced at the cartoon show and reminded the kids, "The show has started." The kids stopped discussing Louis and sat in front of the television to continue watching the show. Luca also returned to her seat, not overly concerned about Louis'' visit. Upstairs, Louis found Luke in the bedroom with the door wide open. He stood at the door and knocked, "Brother..." Luke raised an eyebrow, saw Louis at the door, and asked, "What brings you here?" Louis let out a sigh, walked into the room, and sat opposite his brother. "Brother, can you put me up for the night tonight?¡± His frustration was written all over his face. Luke raised his eyebrows. ¡°I had a fight with my mom and got kicked out." Louis spread his hands helplessly, feeling ashamed to bring up the issue. He was a grown man, yet he was driven out of his own home. Now, he had to turn to Luke... Even though they were half-brothers, their rtionship had always been good. However, now that they were both married, they had their own lives and careers. Their interactions had be less frequent compared to when Louis was single. After all, adults were busy and could not spend as much time together as they used to. Moreover, Louis had taken on family responsibilities, leaving him with little free time. Hence, under normal circumstances, even if he was kicked out by Susan, he should not be bothering Luke. After all, they were two separate families. Still, when Susan kicked Louis out, she did not allow him to take his phone, wallet, or keys with him. As a result, he could not drive, stay at a hotel, or return to Crawford Manor. The nearest ce he could go was Luke''s house. That was why Louis had no choice but to stay here. "I didn''t bring my keys, wallet, or phone with me. She locked the door from the inside. Even if I use my fingerprint to open the lock, I can''t get in," exined Louis. His face turned red with embarrassment when he mentioned this. He was like a rebellious teenager who had angered his mother and could not return home. He was left with no other option but to seek refuge with his brother. "I''ll ask Luca to help prepare the guest room in a while," replied Luke when he saw his brother in a bind. He could not let his brother spend the night outside. "Thanks. If it weren''t for Yuri taking Thea to her mother''s ce for dinner tonight and staying the night there, I wouldn''t be in this situation..." said Louis, feeling helpless. If Yuri were at home, she could open the door for him or hand over his phone and wallet. He was grateful that he was staying next door to Luke''s ce at the moment. Otherwise, he would have had to go to a friend''s house, and his nearest friend lived over 20 minutes away by car. Plus, it might not be as convenient for them as it was for Luke. Being with his own brother was much better than staying at a friend''s house after all. "As for clean clothes, you can wear mine for now." Luke did not ask about the reason for his argument with Susan. He simply took care of everything for Louis. Louis was moved. "You''re truly my brother. I''m d that our families live near each other. Otherwise, I''d have to hop in a cab and maybe go into debt." Chapter 2974 "Alright. Cut the chatter," Luke interrupted Louis'' incessant chatter. Louis gave him an awkward smile. He wanted to tell Luke why he argued with Susan, but after some thought, he decided not to mention it. After all, part of the reason why they argued was because of Luke. Susan had always been unhappy with Louis¡¯ decision to start his own business instead of working for T Corporation. In her eyes, Louiscked ambition and aspiration. Hispany was seen as a mom-and-pop shop, which was a world apart from T Corporation. Susan had been urging him to sell hispany and go back to work at T Corporation. However, Louis was not willing to do so. He did not even know how Susan found out that someone was interested in acquiring hispany. She brought up the matter today, encouraging him to sell it right away while there were people interested in taking over hispany. Louis had grown tired of her nagging. His tone was a bit harsh when he talked to her, leading to a heated argument between the mother and son. Then, he got kicked out of the vi. He had no choice but toe here. "Brother, I really envy you," Louis suddenly said. Luke raised an eyebrow, set aside his work, and looked at him seriously. "Are you nning toe back to work at T Corporation? I''ll have my personal assistant arrange it immediately." "No, no!" Louis quickly shook his head. Send him back to T Corporation for work? He had got to be kidding. "Except for your job, I envy everything else about you." The intensity of work at T Corporation was not something he could handle. Luke frowned and could not help but secretly cuss him out. He was even more envious of Louis. This brat did not know how good he had it. Someone had to shoulder the responsibility of managing T Corporation. Luke was groomed as the heir by Old Master Crawford when he was young because he believed Louis was not suitable for it. While Louis was enjoying his life, Luke was focused on studying. When Louis was dating and making friends, he was still studying. Therefore, Luke thought there was nothing for Louis to be envious of him except the fact that he had Bianca and three adorable children. "Do you need me to contact your wife?" asked Luke. "No need. I don''t want her to run back and forth. I''m staying here with you today. I''ll go back when Yuri sends Thea to school tomorrow," answered Louis. As soon as Louis finished speaking, the voices of three kids came from outside. They had finished watching their cartoon show. As usual, they were supposed to wash up and go to bed. However, Louis was here this time, so they stood in front of the bedroom door. "Uncle Louis,¡± they called out again. Louis waved his hand and asked, ¡°Are you all going to bed?¡± "Yes. We just finished watching the cartoon show and need to freshen up for bed," answered Tommy as the kids'' representative. "Alright. Rest early,¡± replied Louis. ¡°Uncle Louis, did you get kicked out of your house?" asked Lanie. Previously, when they lived in Crawford Manor, Louis had been kicked out by their great-grandfather on more than one asion. Usually, Old Master Crawford scolded Louis for not being ambitious, hanging out with unreliable friends, and noting home. Then, he would kick Louis out. In these situations, Louis would always beg them to talk to their grandfather and make him happy so that he could return home. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Lanie did not know why, but seeing Louis now reminded him of the past. He could not help but blurt it out. Louis'' smile froze. He felt helpless. How was this kid so sharp? Had he been eavesdropping outside the door all this time? Lanie nodded in confirmation when he saw the look on Louis'' face. "Oh, you got kicked out by Grandma Susan. I''m sorry, Uncle Louis, but we can''t help you. We need to get ready for bed." If it was Old Master Crawford who had kicked him out, the kids could have tried to talk some sense into him. However, if it was Susan... Lanie turned around and walked straight ahead without looking sideways. Rainie smiled apologetically at Louis. They were not Thea, after all. There was no way they could make Susan happy. Then, she followed Lanie. "Uncle Louis, you can stay at our house tonight. We have an extra bedroom!" said Tommy. After that, he, too, joined his older brother and sister. He returned to his own room. Louis'' expression was a little stiffened. He turned to Luke and said, "Those kids of yours... They''re pretty..." "Smart," Luke finished his sentence. Louis did not want to admit it, but who would praise their own kids like that? "Brother, be humble. You know what I mean!" "They make me proud," replied Luke. If his kids were outstanding, he would brag about them. His kids were exceptional because they got top-notch genes from him and Luca. Louis rolled his eyes. "If you don''t agree, you may go home." Luke''s gaze returned to the documents. Even though he did not look at his brother, he knew Louis had a problem with what he said. "I wouldn''t dare to disagree. Your kids are indeed smart," said Louis. Thea was also outstanding among kids her age, but whenpared to his brother''s kids, there did not seem to be anything particrly special about her. Still, Louis did not insist on this point. He just hoped that his daughter would be happy. Luca made her way up the stairs and overheard Louis praising the three kids. As a mother, she could not help but smile. She walked to the bedroom door and looked at the two brothers. "Ms. Craw." Louis already knew Luca''s identity, but he had been told not to reveal it for now. Thus, he addressed her based on her current status. "Louis has been kicked out and will be staying here tonight," said Luke. "Brother!" Louis did not expect that his brother would not give him any face in front of his sister-inw. "I''ll clean up the guest room for him," replied Luca as she nodded. The guest room originally had bedding, but since Nina had slept therest night, Aunt Neile washed that set of bedding today. Thus, she needed to put on a new set. Luca did not expect Louis, a grown man, to do these things. Hence, she turned around to prepare the guest room. "Thank you!" Louis happily expressed his gratitude. "You''re wee," Luca replied. She walked into the guest room, spread a new set of sheets on the bed, and then went downstairs to get a new set of toiletries. After making sure everything in the guest room was prepared, she came back to inform them, "The guest room is ready for you." "Thanks. Thanks a lot." Louis stood up to thank them. "If it weren''t for you guys, I''d be sleeping on the streets tonight." "Your clothes are in the wardrobe over here. They''re brand new. Feel free to pick whatever you like." Luke also pointed to the wardrobe. Most of his new clothes were kept in this wardrobe. There were formal wear, casual attire, and sleepwear. Louis would be perfectly fine living here long-term. "Family, huh?" Louis quipped, unable to resist goofing around. "Keep it cool." Luke, unlike his brother, had a straight face. Luca watched the two brothers with a smile. She then turned around and walked to the master bedroom, not wanting to interrupt their conversation any further. After Louis stopped joking, he and Luke discussed the government''s open bidding project for a while. Chapter 2975 At 11 o''clock, Louis harbored the desire to continue their conversation a while longer, but he was abruptly interrupted by Luke. "I''m going to bed with your sister-inw now, so do your own thing.¡± Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Louis blinked his eyes and replied, "I get it, Brother. You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I promise I won''t disturb you." Then, he rose to his feet and opened the wardrobe. Luke casually tossed a set of sleepwear and underwear he had never worn into his arms. "Be quiet at night. Don''t freak out the kids." "Do you still think I''m the same Louis who used to go wild at home? I''ve be mature and responsible now!" Louis protested as he caught the clothes that were thrown at him. Luke seemed to ignore his protest and headed to the bathroom with a set of fresh sleepwear in his hands. "Brother, are you sleeping in that room?" Louis blinked his eyes. Luca had just entered the opposite bedroom a moment ago... Could it be that his brother had done something wrong and was punished to sleep alone? "I¡¯m washing up here. I¡¯ll go back there to sleepter. I won''t disturb Luca that way," Luke replied and walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Louis responded with a hum and headed toward the guest room. It was quiet at night. After Luke took a shower, he returned to the opposite bedroom. Luca was still awake, leaning against the edge of the bed. Luke also sat down and leaned against the edge of the bed. As soon as he did, he heard Luca ask, "How are things going with Mrs. Norman and Ms. Rayne now?" Luke appeared calm and replied, "They''re doing well in the hospital." Luca furrowed her brows. "Really? Has Mrs. Norman¡¯s blood pressure stabilized?" "Yes," Luke responded vaguely at this moment, not expecting Luca to bring up this matter at this time. It might affect her sleep. "Luke..." Luca could not help but feel a little sad, thinking that Luke was trying not to worry her by saying this. Luca had asked Johann about Queenie¡¯s condition at noon today. She had not improved. She would get dizzy if she got out of bed. Hence, she had toy in bed most of the time. As for Wanda, ording to the caretaker who was taking care of her, she had no appetite and even resisted treatment... Luca had been holding it in until after work when she saw the children looking forward to going out for a meal together. She had no choice but to pretend she knew nothing and joined them to have dinner together. After all, the kids were very sensible. If she carried all these things in her heart, they would sense it and start thinking wildly. Now that the kids were asleep and it was quiet, her seemingly rxed heart instantly tightened when she thought about Queenie and Wanda''s situation. "It''s gettingte. You should rest early." Luke nted a kiss on her forehead. The moist sensation entered her heart. He still insisted on keeping everything hidden at this point. How much pressure was he shouldering alone... Luca lowered her gaze, clenched her fist tightly, then loosened it a bit. She eventually clenched it again. "I''m not very sleepy..." "Take a mtonin pill. You need to rest even if you''re not tired. Otherwise, you''ll wake up tomorrow morning feeling groggy," advised Luke as he got out of bed and found the bottle of mtonin pills on her bedside table. Luca felt uneasy as well. She had been relying on mtonin pills for sleep for several consecutive days. Her heart was burdened, but she had no choice. She took the mtonin Luke handed her. After she swallowed it, Luke held her in his arms as she drifted off to sleep. The following day, Louis opened his eyes and was greeted by three pairs of eyes staring at him from the side of the bed. He jolted awake, only then remembering where he was and what had happened the previous night. "You three little rascals. Do you know you can be quite terrifying like this?" Louis could not help but look at the three of them helplessly. They were just standing there by the bedside, watching him. If it had been someone timid or in a deeper sleep, they would have been given quite a scare. When did theye in? How could they stand there so quietly? "Uncle Louis, you''ve really mellowed out," Rainie chimed in. Louis opened his mouth, trying to say something. He then awkwardly closed it. "I didn''t, but how did you sneak it so quietly?" Was there not a single sound the moment they opened the door and walked in? How did he not pick up on it? "Uncle Louis, you were sleeping so deeply. You were even snoring just now!" said Tommy. It could not be med on them. They did not even walk on tiptoes into the room, but the person on the bed remained asleep. Louis opened his mouth. Suddenly, he was at a loss for words. Lanie pointed at the corner of his mouth. "Uncle Louis, you drooled..." Louis immediately wiped it away. Indeed... "How could the three of you barge into a guest''s room?!" Louis felt embarrassed. Even though Lanie and Rainie used to go into his bedroom back then, it was not as embarrassing as this! "Aunt Neile has already made breakfast. Daddy sent us to wake you up. But Uncle Louis, you didn''t even hear us knocking on the door, so we had toe in to wake you up," Tommy looked at him with a grin while leaning on the bed. "How could you sleep so soundly..." "I was having trouble sleepingst night, tossing and turning. I didn''t get some proper rest until around four in the morning." Louis yawned. That was probably why he did not wake up when the kids came in. "Oh." Lanie nodded, pondered for a moment, and offered him some advice, "Uncle Louis, we have another guest room in our house. You could get yourself a bed that you''re used to and set it up here. "If Grandma Susan kicks you out again, you can spend the night here. You won''t have trouble sleeping when you''re in a different or unfamiliar bed then.¡± "Kid, are you cursing me? Next time? Do you think I''d let myself be kicked out so easily again?" Louis lifted the covers. Lanie nodded. "Great-grandpa used to kick you out often, and now Grandma Susan is doing the same thing. Uncle Louis, I feel sorry for you. Even in your own ce, you still get the boot.¡± anie earnestly said words that got Louis'' blood boiling. "Okay, okay, stop it. Don''t you still have to go to school? Go and eat your breakfast!" In an effort to save his dignity, he urged the three of them to go downstairs for breakfast. "Alright. Uncle Louis, we''ll go downstairs for breakfast. You shoulde down quickly too. Aunt Neile made burgers today, and Ms. Craw is the one who seasoned the patties. They taste really good," said Rainie. When she woke up and headed downstairs, she caught a whiff of the aroma of the burgers, and her eyes lit up. Aunt Neile said that the patties were seasoned by Luca, so they must be very good. "Ms. Craw seasoned them? Have Aunt Neile save me one. Oh, no, make it two. I''ve got a big appetite," replied Louis as he recalled his sister-inw''s cooking skills, which were excellent. The food she made was very delicious. He quickened his pace and headed into the bathroom to freshen up at the thought of this. "No need to rush, Uncle Louis. Aunt Neile said she prepared a lot. There''s enough for you." After that, Rainie followed her brothers downstairs. Chapter 2976 Louis was stunned. He shook his head as he watched the three kids leave. He had not chatted with these kids for some time, and he noticed that they had be mischievous again. He did not think he had enough brain cells to talk to them. After notifying Louis, the three kids returned to the dining hall. Aunt Neile had already served up burgers for them. ¡°The burgers are ready. Come and have breakfast," she said to the kids smilingly. ¡°Thanks, Aunt Neile," the kids said in unison as they sat on their chairs. Luke did not see Louis, so he asked, ¡°Where''s your uncle?" ¡°Uncle Louis was still in bed when we went over. We spent a long time waking him up. He just woke up and is washing up now. He''lle down soon," Tommy answered before picking up the burger and biting into it. The bun was soft, and the patty was tender. It was scrumptious. Tommy''s eyes lit up as he said, ¡°It''s so, so yummy! Ms. Luca''s patties are the best!" Luca smiled at the kid''sments. Seeing Aunt Neile serve the burgers reminded her of Wanda and Queenie. An inexplicable difort and sense of helplessness flooded her mind. Wanda used to enjoy the burgers she made. She said they were the best she had ever tasted, and nothing came close. If not for the awkward situation she and Luke had created, she would have sent some to the hospital for Wanda. However, there was no way she could do so now, so she looked away. Luke noticed it. "Aunt Neile, are there any leftovers?" Luke asked. Aunt Neile looked puzzled as there was still a lot on the table. Even with Louis here, they probably would not be able to finish all of them. ¡°There''s still some in the refrigerator. I can heat them up for breakfast tomorrow." ¡°Prepare two servings for me in an insted lunch box please," said Luke. ¡°If you want to take them with you, should I separate the sauce so that it won''t get soggy?" Aunt Neile asked for his opinion. ¡°Sure." Luke took a bite of the burger. Then, Luca looked at him. ¡°Who are you bringing them for?" Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°I want to bring some to thepany for lunch," Luke lied to her. He knew what she was thinking about when he saw her looking at the food gloomily. He wanted to bring the food to the hospital for Queenie and Wanda. They were still waiting patiently for Luca to admit her true identity. Many days had passed, but there was still no news. They were growing a little impatient. They were even starting to wonder how terrible the person controlling Luca was for her to keep the secret to herself for so long. Perhaps Luca''s food would be able to calm their anxiousness. "Alright." Luca nodded. Her mind was elsewhere, so she did not give it much thought. She thought that he wanted to pack some to thepany for lunch because the burgers tasted good. Louis could smell the aroma of the burgers as he walked downstairs. When he entered the dining hall, he said exaggeratedly, "The burgers smell amazing. Ms. Luca, my brother is so lucky to have you." Luke looked up slightly and shot him a nce. Luca was a little taken aback before she looked down and smiled. Louis dly sat at the guest''s seat and helped himself to a big burger without waiting for Aunt Neile to serve him. "Delicious! The bun is so soft, and the meat is vorful. It tastes great." He gave a huge thumbs-up after taking a bite. "Brother, can Ie here to eat every day?" Luke rolled his eyes at him and said coldly, "How are you still talking with so much food in your mouth?" "Uncle Louis, Great-grandpa said to not talk with your mouth full, or else you''ll get indigestion and a tummy ache," said Tommy. Louis was lectured by the kids again. He thought that if he did not say something back, he would lose his dignity as their uncle. "That''s right, so you should eat your breakfast quietly and don''t talk." Then, Tommy pointed to his te and said, "I''ve already finished eating, and it''s time to go to school. Daddy, Ms. Luca, Uncle Louis, enjoy your meal. I''m going to school now." After that, he hopped off his chair. Lanie and Rainie stood up too. After saying goodbye to them, they followed Tommy to the living room to get their school bags and leave for school. Louis chewed on his food and thought to himself, ''Since when were the kids so good with words...'' "I''m full. I''m going to work now," said Luke. Upon hearing that, Aunt Neile walked into the kitchen and took out two insted lunch boxes for Luke. "Mr. Crawford, the burgers are ready and have been packed separately." "Thanks." Luke nodded before ncing at Luca. "I''m off to work." "Alright, drive safe." Luca nodded. After Luke left, she looked at Louis and noticed that he had quite a big appetite. She was worried that there was not enough food for him, so she said, "Mr. Louis, there''s still quite a lot of leftovers. Should I make some more for you?" "No, thank you." Although Louis thought that the burgers were delicious, he was embarrassed to eat so much. Plus, the amount left on the table was enough for him anyway. "It''s enough, Ms. Luca. Don''t worry about me. This is more than enough." Luca smiled. Louis used to like her cooking at Crawford Manor too. However, their days at Crawford Manor were not peaceful. Susan always had something to say about Luke, which meant that she had something to say about Luca too. She wouldin whenever she saw Louis getting along with her. Louis was also tired of his mother''s grumbling, so after he started working, they did not talk much. However, Luca knew that Louis was a good person, and he was also one of the people in the Crawford family who was genuinely good to her. "There''s no need to be shy. It''s important that you eat enough. If there''s anything you need, let Aunt Neile know. I''m going to work now." Luca nced at the time. Warren was already waiting outside. If she did not leave now, she would bete. "Sure thing, Ms. Luca. Go on, you don''t need to worry about me." Louis grinned. He could not go to the office in his pajamas and without a car, so he still had to wait for Yuri toe back. Luca nodded and left the house. Then, Aunt Neile and Louis were the only ones left. After Louis cleaned his te satisfyingly, he leaned back in his chair and sighed. "This breakfast was amazing." Aunt Neile heard him, and she said smilingly, "Ms. Luca is a good cook. Do you still want more, Mr. Louis? There''s still some in the refrigerator." "No, thank you. I''m not a pig; I can''t eat that much." Louis shook his head and took out a tissue to wipe his mouth before adding, "By the way, Aunt Neile, is there a phone in the living room? I need to give Yuri a call." "Yes, it''s right next to the sofa," said Aunt Neile. "Thank you. I''ll go make a call," said Louis as he stood up. Sleepingte yesterday and being overly stuffed had made him feel a little sleepy. He would not be going to the office anymore once she came back. Instead, the first thing he would do when he got home was catch up on sleep. Chapter 2977 After Louis called Yuri to confirm that she would be home in ten minutes, he went upstairs to change into the clothes he wore yesterday. He knew that Luke would definitely not want the pajamas that he had worn before, so he asked Aunt Neile for a bag to take them with him. After leaving, he waited for Yuri at the front door. It took some time before Yuri''s car appeared in front of him. Seeing Louis standing at the door, Yuri frowned. ¡°Why didn''t you open the door?" ¡°It''s locked," Louis said. After he was kicked out yesterday, Susan locked the door. He reckoned that Susan was still angry at him, so he did not attempt to open the door. He would just get frustrated if he failed. Yuri frowned and asked him, "Why did you quarrel with your mother and get kicked out of the house..." Louis did not say a word as he watched Yuri open the door. The door was still locked, and Yuri looked at him resignedly. "If I knew that you two had a fight yesterday, I wouldn''t have brought Thea back. It seems like your mother is still angry." In the past, only Old Master Crawford would chase Louis out of the house. Now, Susan was the one chasing him out, and she even locked the door. She even thought to herself how cruel she was. Back in the day, if Louis got kicked out and went back before Old Master Crawford had calmed down, he would have just been scolded. With Susan, he could not even enter his own home. Even Yuri was stuck outside with him. Although this was his house, Susan regarded it as her territory. If Louis had upset her, she would drive him out all the same. "Why don''t we go to Crawford Manor?" Yuri said as she did not want to face an angry Susan. It was not easy to talk to Susan when she was angry. If they really wanted to calm her down, it would probably have to involve money. It was either bags or jewelry. However, they had just renovated their home, so they were tight on money. "My phone and identification cards are inside. Even myptop with important files is in there, and there aren''t any backups at the office." Louis was growing impatient. He could go to Crawford Manor or even buy a new temporary phone, but the important documents were urgent. No matter what, he still had to go in and get them because of his job. ¡°You shouldn''t have upset her, then. I''ll make a call." Yuri knew that she had to go in or else Louis would be in big trouble. "Sure." Louis stood by the car and waited for her to make the call. Yuri called Susan, and after a while, she rolled her eyes. "She hung up on me." "Call her again," said Louis. Yuri had no choice but to call again, and this time, Susan answered. "Mom, this is Yuri. Why is the door at home locked?" She pretended to be clueless and asked Susan. "You''re back?" Susan did not exin why the door was locked. "Yes, I''m at the door, but it''s locked. I can''t get in." Yuri nced at Louis, who looked helpless. Louis was already a grown man, yet Susan kicked him out because she was upset. If others found out, his dignity would be lost. She had heard of married men being kicked out of their homes by their wives, but she had never heard of married men being kicked out of their homes by their mothers. Now that Louis had angered Susan, she had to suffer with him. "I got it." After uttering those three words, Susan hung up the call. Louis noticed Yuri putting the phone away, so he asked, "So?" "She''ll probablye to open the door now. Please tell me what you did to upset her," asked Yuri as she had to know what had happened if she was going to calm Susan down. Thus, Louis told her about what happenedst night. Yuri frowned. She knew that someone was trying to buy out Louis''pany. Since thepany was doing well and people were seeing its potential, she wanted to seize the opportunity to transfer the business to someone else. However, Louis did not agree, so she did not continue pestering him about it. Yuri hoped that Louis would work at T Corporation. Besides, being the vice president of T Corporation was much more impressive than being the CEO of his ownpany. However, she respected his wishes. "You shouldn''t have let mother find out about that," she said with a hint of disapproval. Susan wanted Louis to return to T Corporation more than she did. If she found out that someone was willing to take over Louis''pany, she would definitely persuade Louis to let it go and go back to T Corporation. "Who knew that she''d be outside my study, eavesdropping on my conversation with my assistant?" Louis was helpless. If he had known Susan was snooping around, he would not have ced his phone aside and talked about work-rted things on speakerphone. There was nothing Yuri could do as Susan had developed the habit of eavesdropping after she moved here. No matter how many times they confronted her about it, it was no use. She wanted to tell Louis that he should be more careful, but the door opened just then. It was not Susan who opened the door for the couple but the maid. The maid had watched as Susan drove Louis out of the house yesterday, but she could not do anything about it. Thus, she had no choice but to listen when Susan asked her to lock the door. If Susan had not told her to open the door just now, she would not have dared to open it. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Louis and Ms. Dunn," said the maid. ¡°Have you been home the whole time?¡± Yuri frowned. She thought that Louis could not enter because the maid was not there. "Yes." The maid nodded. "Then why didn''t you open the door for Mr. Louis?" "Madam said not to let Mr. Louis enter, so..." The maid did not continue. "Forget it, let''s go in." Yuri looked at Louis. She could tell that Susan was furious this time because she would not have kept the door locked for so long otherwise. "Okay." Louis felt embarrassed, but it was a good thing it was just in front of his family and not in front of his friends. Hence, it did not matter. He lowered his head and walked inside. When he got to the garden, he stopped to wait for Yuri to park the car before they went in together. Yuri noticed Louis waiting for her in the garden after driving inside to park the car. "Why aren''t you going in?" "Come with me." Louis never imagined that he would find himself in such a situation. When he was kicked out of the house by Old Master Crawford, Susan would feel sorry for him. If he had to stay outside and wait for the old man to calm down, Susan would bring him whatever he needed. At that time, he never would have thought that he would one day be kicked out by the person who loved him the most¡ªhis mother. How embarrassing. "I never thought that a fearless man like you would be afraid of your angry mother." Yuri had no choice but to walk inside with him. However, Susan was not in the living room. Louis was relieved. Yuri turned around to ask the maid, "Where''s Madam Susan?" "She should be in her room right now," said the maid. "Alright." Yuri turned around and urged Louis, saying, "Quickly go get your things while Mom is still in her room before you get chased out again with empty hands." "Okay." Louis hurried into his room as provoking Susan right now was thest thing he wanted to do.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chapter 2978 Louis returned to his study. He began packing up hisputer. In his mind, he was thinking that he should start backing up important files to his private cloud storage. If something like this happened again, it wouldn''t hurt for him toy low outside for a few days. Louis had always felt this way, especially since Susan had been forced to move here by Old Master Crawford. Her temper had worsened significantly. He could not afford to provoke her, but at least he could escape if needed. After packing up hisputer andpany documents, Louis put his personal documents in his briefcase. He nned to go to his bedroom to change his clothes before leaving. However, he ran into Susan. The moment Susan saw him, her face darkened and she asked, "What are you back for?" Louis wanted to tell her that this was his house. Why could he note back? However, if he said that, Susan would surely lose her temper again. He had no choice but to smooth things over with her. "Mom, you''re still upset." "How can I not be upset when I have a son as worthless as you?" Susan was furious. When she was reminded of what Louis said to her yesterday, it only made her angrier. "Since you like that lousypany so much, you can just stay there from now on. Don''te back. Get lost.¡± A ze of anger surged within Louis instantly. He was not just sitting around doing nothing. His company was doing well, and his ie managed to cover Susan''s expenses. Why did she think it was wrong for him not to work at T Corporation? In Susan''s eyes, even though he was running apany with nearly a hundred employees, he was nothing but garbage. Louis was puzzled. He was simply pursuing his dream. Why could he not earn her approval? Old Master Crawford, who had always been strict with his grandsons, praised his current endeavors. Yet, Susan was different... Louis felt unappreciated for his efforts. He was even treated as if he were useless. He was unhappy about it. Even though he was an adult, gaining his mother''s approval was still important to him. Louis'' eyes reddened as he anticipated a major showdown between him and his mother. Just then, Yuri''s voice broke the tension. "Mother, please calm down. Louis is following his dream. Let him persist for a while. Thepany is doing well, and who knows? One day, it might surpass T Corporation." Yuri tried to appeal to Susan''s emotions. However, Susan clearly was not buying it. She sneered, "Surpass? With this crummy smallpany? T Corporation is the result of three generations of hard work. N?velDrama.Org ? content. "How can his small and lousypany ever surpass it? He doesn''t know how to leverage such vast resources and even handed thepany over to that vixen''s son. How can I have such a foolish son?" If it were not for Louis and Zachary''s resemnce, she would have suspected that Allison had bribed the hospital to switch the babies. Louis'' face turned as red as a beet. Was she really his mother? How could she say such harsh words? It was as though she had been possessed by some evil spirit and had be apletely different person. Previously, Susan used to speak sharply to others, but her harshness was mainly directed at Allison and Luke. Now, Susan''s unkindness wasing at Louis at full throttle. No matter how patient Louis was, there was no way he could endure this kind of taunting. "Mother!" Yuri felt ufortable as well when she heard such things. After all, Louis was her husband. She could not stand by and let her husband be insulted. However, the one criticizing Louis happened to be Susan. There was nothing much she could say. She had the highest seniority here. Yuri had no choice but to say, "T Corporation isn''t going anywhere. Since Louis still wants to continue managing hispany, just let him do it. When thepany reaches a higher level, he can let go of it and go back to work at T Corporation." She was not necessarily suggesting that Louis should do that, but she had to calm Susan down. Otherwise, Susan might continue to say harsh things, leading to another family feud. Having been Louis'' confidant for so many years, Yuri knew the signs of his anger. If she did not intervene here, a major family battle would erupt. "Wait for him? How long should we wait? By then, all the resources will probably be taken by Luke Crawford. Louis will just be ackey if he goes back!" Susan growled. "I''m not going back! I want to run my ownpany. You can either take it or leave it!" Louis dered. He no longer wanted to change his clothes and went straight downstairs. Instead of enduring Susan''s anger here, it was better to return to hispany. He could stay at the Dunn''s family ce with Yuri. Otherwise, he could just stay in a hotel. That would still be better than being at home. Susan watched as Louis left, standing there with her hands on her hips. She yelled at him from behind, "Fine! Go and run yourpany. Leave here. When you''re gone, I''ll pretend I never had a son like you! Get lost!" "Oh, Mother, why are you saying such nonsense? Louis is still your son.¡± Yuri became anxious. She could not pull Louis back now. If the mother and son continued their conversation, it would only make things worse. She was in a tight spot. People said that daughters-inw and mothers-inw could not get along well, but now it was clear that even sons and their mothers could not get along. As a daughter-inw, Yuri had no solution to this problem. If Susan had been arguing with Louis because of her, it might have been easier to resolve. In this case, it was a dispute between mother and son about Louis''pany. Neither of them was willing to back down. This made the situation moreplicated. "That useless thing! If he''s not willing to work at T Corporation, I''ll pretend I never had him as a son!" Susan''s face turned bright red with anger as her chest heaved. It seemed like she could not catch her breath. "Ah, Mother, please calm down. I''ll talk to Louis. Mothers and sons shouldn''t bear grudges," replied Yuri. She did not want to stay and be the target of Susan''s rant. She quickly went downstairs. When she saw the maid who stood downstairs, she said, "Take good care of Madam Crawford." "Yes." Even though the housemaid was standing downstairs, she had overheard their entire conversation. After Yuri left, she shook her head helplessly and thought that Master Louis was in a tough spot. Even though Old Master Crawford supported his career, Susan refused to ept it. She often believed that the old master''s support was to prevent Louis frompeting with Luke. That way, the brothers could get along peacefully, and Luke''s position would be safe at the same time. Susan thought the old master was showing a bias in Luke''s favor. However, the maid believed that Old Master Crawford genuinely doted on Louis and supported him in pursuing the career he desired. She had worked in the Crawford family for many years. She knew how aimless Louis was before he got married, even back when he was employed at T Corporation. If he had been at any otherpany, he would have been fired long ago. After he got married and started his favorite career, his aimlessness slowly faded. He became dedicated to his chosen field, unlike before. The maid believed that Susan should be happy because Louis was improving, after all. However, Susan was in strong disagreement and not even pleased... The maid could not get it. Chapter 2979 On the other hand, after Luke left the vi, he did not immediately head to thepany but went to the hospital instead. He dismissed Mrs. Lane and also the Norman family''s maid, allowing Wanda to enter Queenie''s ward. When the two women who were both concerned about Luca met, they did not show much joy. Both of their faces wore the same gloom. "Luke, do you have some good news seeing as you gathered us here like this?" Queenie asked first, hoping to hear positive news about Luca from Luke. Luke shook his head and ced two thermal lunch boxes on the coffee table. "Luca made these burgers. They taste good, so I brought them here for you to try." Queenie had lost her appetite because of Luca¡¯s matter. The maid tried to convince her to eat. However, she just could not stomach the food at the thought of what Luca had been through and how she still refused to acknowledge her true identity. However, her eyes lit up when she heard that it was Luca who made the food. "Bianca¡¯s homemade burgers were my favorites. They''re really good. After I had her burgers, I couldn''t enjoy any from outside because none were as good as hers.¡± Wanda let out a soft sigh. "She''ll have plenty of opportunities to make burgers for you in the future,¡± replied Luke. He opened the lunch boxes when he saw neither of them making a move. The delightful aroma of the burgers wafted through the air and filled the ward. Queenie picked up the burger first and said, "I haven''t had Bianca¡¯s homemade burgers yet." Wanda also picked up the other portion and slightly dunked it into the chowder that was packed separately. She waited for a moment. After the burger absorbed some of the chowder, she took a sip of it and then frowned. "This isn¡¯t Bianca¡¯s chowder." Luke smiled. Even though Wanda had no blood rtion to Luca, she knew her well enough after having lived with her for more than ten years. He nodded and said, "The chowder was prepared by Aunt Neile, but Luca seasoned the burger patties." Wanda immediately picked up the burger and put it in her mouth. As she took the first bite, the sweet taste of the patty invaded her taste buds right away. "Yes, Bianca seasoned it. I remember the taste." "It''s good," said Queenie, understanding why Wanda praised it earlier. The taste of the burger patty was excellent. Even though Queenie had eaten burgers from many renowned ces in her life, none were as delicious as the one before her now. Even though she was praising her own daughter, Queenie felt that she would not mind eating Luca''s burgers every day if she had to. "I came here today to deliver the burgers Luca made for the two of you. Secondly, there''s something I''d like to discuss with you two. I think putting more pressure on Luca might make her reveal everything." Luke looked at the two elders in front of him. He needed their cooperation to make Luca speak the truth. Even though she hade back with a different identity, he could tell that her heart had not changed. She still cared about those who loved and cared for her. She would not want to see them suffer. Queenie and Wanda exchanged nces with each other. Their gazes simultaneouslynded on Luke. "Tell us, what should we do?" Luke briefed them on a few things. In the afternoon, when Luca finished work, she received a call from Johann. "Dr. Craw, do you have a moment?" Johann''s tone sounded urgent. "I just got off work. What happened?" Luca vaguely felt that something was wrong. Otherwise, Johann would not be speaking like that. "It''s Mrs. Norman. Although her blood pressure has been rtively high these days, it was manageable. But her blood pressure has been at an all-time high after Luke came to the hospital today. "I''ve tried various methods to stabilize it, including dry needling, but nothing worked. Can youe to the hospital? Perhaps only your dry needling technique can help her," Johann hurriedly exined. It was Luke who made him say that. He was even using the script he provided. "How could this happen?!" Luca''s face turned pale when she heard that. "I''m afraid it may cause other reactions in Mrs. Norman''s body if this continues. Dr. Craw, if you don''t come, there really is no other solution. I''m a surgeon. Do I really have to wait until there are problems with her organs before taking action? "Cardiovascr issues can''t be ignored," added Johann, trying to emphasize the urgency. He had added his own lines. After all, he was more specialized in medical matters than Luke. All he needed to do was make Luca believe that Queenie''s situation was really dire. If she did note to the hospital and take care of things, there was a chance Queenie might not make it. "I''m leaving right now. Please help me stabilize her condition and prepare a new set of needles." Luca thought to herself that things could not continue like this. Regardless of anything else, Queenie must be kept safe. It was already regrettable that she could not do her duty as a daughter. If anything happened to Queenie because of her, she would me herself for the rest of her life. "Okay, I''ll wait for you. I don''t dare to administer medication to her now. Otherwise, we won''t be able to know if your dry needling technique is effectiveter. You need toe as soon as possible no matter what," said Johann. Then, he hung up the call. Right before he hung up, Luca seemed to hear someone around him shout, "Oh no, Dr. Park. The patient''s condition is taking a turn for the worse. You need to get in there and take a look, stat!" Luca was rmed. Although the person did not specify who the patient was, Johann should be treating Queenie now. Hence, the patient mentioned here should be Queenie. Luca took off herb coat, grabbed her briefcase and coat without bothering to tidy up her things, and quickly ran out of the office. "Dr. Craw?" Mo Stone was surprised when she saw Luca was running out of the office. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Luca had no time for other people''s greetings at the moment. She ran straight to the elevator and pressed the button to go downstairs. However, many people were leaving thepany due to the rush hour, and the elevator was moving slowly. As Luca watched the numbers that slowly went up as the elevator rose, she hurriedly turned and walked toward the stairwell. She figured that the elevator would stop on every floorter. Mo Stone frowned. What could have happened? Luca seemed anxious. She did not even clock out... Mo Stone wished she knew what was going on. Perhaps she could help, and she might have a better chance of joining Luca''s team then. However, Mo Stone could only think about it because Luca had already left in a hurry and was nowhere in sight. Mo Stone did not think she could catch up to Luca to find out what had happened. While Luca made her way down the stairs, she called Warren. She instructed him to get the car ready as she needed to go to the hospital. Warren assured her that he was already waiting in the parking lot and could leave at any moment. After hanging up the call, Luca checked her surroundings and saw no one around. With a quick pace, she sped the handrail and gracefully vaulted over it. It was a dangerous move for others. However, havinge out of the Ind of Despair, such maneuvers were basic for her. There was no difficulty at all. It did not even pose any danger to her, and she did not need to make her way down the stairs step by step. It could save her a lot of time. Little did she know, as she hurried down the stairs, every move she made was being observed by a security guard in the monitoring room. Chapter 2980 ¡°Huh, is that Dr. Craw?" The security guard eximed in surprise. If he had not seen it with his own eyes and if the security cameras were not installed in thepany''s stairwell, he would have thought that he had identally switched to a movie channel. After all, only those martial arts movie stars could pull off moves like that. They would even have to take safety precautions. They would have to suspend themselves with safety gear before performing stunts like that. As he watched Luca make her way down the stairs by holding onto the railings and vaulting over them, it really looked like a movie scene. He was not even sure if it was Luca. Thus, he zoomed in on the surveince footage. His eyes were glued to the surveince screen as he followed Luca running down the stairs like that. "Damn, she''s got some skills, huh?" Another security guard overheard him and could not help but be curious. "Who are we talking about here?" "It''s Dr. Craw," replied the first security guard, quickly switching the surveince screens. He followed Luca down to the lower floors. "No way! It''s really Dr. Craw. Has she been secretly training or something? I mean, you never would''ve guessed, right? She''s usually all elegant and sweet, but with these moves, she could give those martial arts stars a run for their money!" "Those guys might not even match up to Dr. Craw. They''re all suspended with safety gear, but Dr. Craw is doing it raw, no fancy gear or anything." The security guard clicked his tongue, watching the surveince nearing the first floor. "And her speed, it''s unbelievable. You can''t even tell, but she''s still a total badass..." A term popped into the security guard''s mind¡ªparkour. However, there was no way a parkour enthusiast could jump down so many floors. It was a bit terrifying. "That''s really impressive," eximed the other security guard. "Let''s keep this to ourselves. The general manager made it clear not to discuss anything about Dr. Craw. Even though it''s not a scandal, Dr. Craw is usually low-key and probably doesn''t want people to know about this," said the first security guard. "True, but I''d really like to be her apprentice. If I could learn this, why be a security guard? I could go to Hollywood and be a stunt double. Perhaps I could even be a martial arts starter on," replied the second security guard, revealing his starry dreams. "I suggest you stop dreaming. Just stick to being a security guard. There''s no way Dr. Craw will teach you. It''s toote to learn this at your age. Your flexibility isn''t good enough. Don¡¯t even bother learning this." The first security guard poured cold water on his enthusiasm. "I may be older, but I''m not as old as you. Practice makes perfect, you know? If Dr. Craw agrees to take me as an apprentice, I''ll train hard and not embarrass her!" The first security guard shook his head helplessly. It was an impossible dream, but the guy seemed to be lost in his daydream. He wanted to warn him not to dream too big, but he eventually kept quiet. Everything would be fine as long as no one went spreading Luca''s business. Whatever Luca was up to, it was not the security guards'' concern. Luca quickly reached the parking lot. After getting into the car, she said to Warren, "Go to Central Hospital as fast as possible." "Got it." Warren started the car engine, left the parking lot, and showcased his driving skills. Even before Luca called, he had received a call from Luke, instructing him to cooperate with Luca as much as possible. Warren always remembered his boss'' orders. That was why he did not hesitate to run the yellow lights. He went full throttle toward the hospital. Naturally, there were moments of abrupt braking. However, Warren was following Luca''s order now. He could not care less about whether she was getting jittery in the back seat. He just kept the pedal to the metal, heading straight for the hospital. Luca''s heart raced with anxiety. Even with the car speeding, she felt it was too slow. As she watched the rapidly receding street scenes, she tightly clenched her fingers. She was worried that she might be toote and feared that something bad might happen. She was wrong. She should not have kept her identity a secret. If Queenie knew that her true identity was Bianca, she would not have fallen ill. Nothing should happen to Queenie. Absolutely nothing! As Luca prayed, she could not help but wish for a pair of wings. She wanted to soar above the traffic and swiftly make her way to the hospital. When they reached the hospital, Luca anxiously got out before Warren could fully stop the car. "Ms. Craw!" Warren was startled by her actions. The car was moving pretty fast. If Luca decided to jump out of the car, the consequences would be unthinkable. Fortunately, he mmed the brakes in time, preventing a major ident. "I''m okay. Just wait here," said Luca without looking back as she rushed toward the hospital ward. Warren let out a sigh of relief. While speeding through the streets, he was also keeping an eye on Luca''s situation. He could not help but step on the gas when he saw the look on her face. Something must have happened for her to be this anxious. After Warren found a parking spot, he parked the car and waited for Luca. Meanwhile, Luca hurried to the inpatient department and took the elevator to the VIP ward. Since Johann had informed the nurses, no one stopped Luca. While she was on her way, a nurse asked, "Ms. Craw, are you going to Mrs. Norman''s ward?" "Yes, can you please call Dr. Park for me?" replied Luca, slightly out of breath from her run. The nurse looked puzzled. Johann was currently in Queenie''s ward. Why did Luca want her to call Johann out? "Thanks," added Luca, sensing the nurse''s confusion. Then, she quickly headed to Queenie''s ward. The nurse reluctantly went to the call button and paged Johann. Johann responded, acknowledged, and hung up. "Luca is here," he informed Queenie. Queenie was a bit nervous. After she took a deep breath, she immediately halfid down, preparing to act the part. She had not actually fallen ill. It was all an act to convince Luca. She even sent the maid back home to bring over a foundation that was lighter in shade. Queenie then applied it to her face. Not even her lips were spared, leaving her with an entirely paleplexion. The maid looked at them with confusion. Johann turned to her and said, "I need to step out for a moment. When Ie back in, you''ll have to leave. Got it?" "Yes, sir," replied the maid, feeling puzzled. She nced at Queenie but said nothing and followed Johann''s instructions. Johann left the ward and encountered Luca, who looked breathless. Frowning, he greeted her, "Dr. Craw.¡± "How''s Mrs. Norman? Is her condition under control?" asked Luca. Johann shook his head and answered, "No, she''s weak right now. She doesn''t want to do any treatment. It seems like she''s using this method to force Luke to cut ties with you..." Luca''s heart tightened. She knew Queenie did this out of love for her, sacrificing her health to coerce Luke. Queenie did not know her true identity was Bianca... She was safeguarding Bianca''s marriage... Luca''s heart was a mix of emotions. "Did you inform Luke?"N?velDrama.Org ? content. "Yes, but he seems to be inspecting something out in the suburbs. He can''t rush back right away," Johann wondered why Luca was standing here, reluctant to step into Queenie''s ward when she was obviously concerned about Queenie. What was she waiting for... "Ms. Craw, I think you need to give your dry needling technique a shot," suggested Johann. Back when he chatted with Luca, he learned that her dry needling technique had therapeutic effects on many ailments, including lowering blood pressure and such. Chapter 2981 "Regardless of what''s on your mind, we need to act fast now. It''s a matter of life and death," said Johann as he looked at how Luca hesitated with a hint of helplessness. While she was attending to other patients, she disyed a decisive and efficient demeanor. It was as though she was one of the hospital''s doctors, racing against the clock to snatch back lives from the clutches of the Grim Reaper. However, Luca became indecisive when it came to Queenie¡¯s situation. Johann could understand, but he still felt a bit helpless. "Dr. Park, I''m concerned that Mrs. Norman might get emotional when she sees me. How about this? You get the sedative ready. If she gets agitated, give her the shot, and I''ll proceed with dry needling." Luca took a deep breath. Even though using sedatives excessively was harmful to the body, it seemed like the only option now. Luca was afraid that once she stepped into the ward, Queenie''s emotions might soar, causing her blood pressure to skyrocket. "Alright, but I need to assess the patient''s condition. She''s not in the right state for a sedative in her current state. I''ll have to figure something out before I hit her with anything big." Although Johann knew Queenie did not actually need a sedative, he agreed with Luca. He had to y the whole act. He had to pretend not to know. Otherwise, if there were any slip-ups, Luke''s carefully orchestrated n might fail, and he would not be able to exin himself. "Got it," Luca nodded, agreeing with him. Johann immediately went to the nurse''s station and prescribed a sedative for Queenie. The pharmacy quickly delivered the medicine to him. As Johann held the sedative, he returned to the ward. "Dr. Craw, the sedative is ready." Luca took another deep breath, turned off her phone, and mustered her courage. She took a step forward. Her handsnded on the door handle. The icy sensation crept from her palm, tracing a chilly path down to her feet. She felt as though she had been submerged in an ice bucket, with the air around her freezing. She simply could not muster any warmth. Enduring the difort in her body, she pushed the door open. There was a faint creak. The door opened with a faint sound due to the high-quality door of the VIP ward. However, Luca was currently full of nerves and was on edge due to the noise. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. This sound was equivalent to her truly facing Queenie. She was unable to predict the uing situation. Luca did have a way to temporarily stabilize the blood pressure of a hypertensive patient using dry needling. That was why she would not panic in such situations. What made her anxious was that the person she needed to treat was Queenie. She wanted to save Queenie, but at the same time, she was afraid of facing her questioning, disappointed, and angry face... She should be doing her duties as her daughter, not upsetting her mother. The maid in the ward turned around and met Johann''s eyes when she saw Lucae in. Then, she said, "Dr. Park, Ms. Craw, please help Mrs. Norman. She. She..." The maid forgot the lines Queenie told her earlier. Johann quickly took over. "We need to treat the patient. You may leave first." The maid remembered Johann''s earlier instructions when she heard this. She nced at Queenie on the bed and quickly walked out. Then, she closed the door behind her. Luca stared at Queenie, who was lying on the hospital bed, with reddened eyes. Herplexion was dismal, and even her lips were pale. However, her bed was not fully reclined. Instead, she was semi-reclined on the bed. The nearby instruments were beeping, indicating the patient''s critical condition. Queenie was also looking at her. Luca noticed her weak expression. She could not help but be struck when she caught a glimpse of her own reflection. A multitude of emotions shed across her eyes, leaving Luca stunned for a moment. Her lips parted slightly, yet she could not manage to utter a single word. She wanted to ask how Queenie was feeling now. However, when she saw the continuously fluctuating numbers on the monitor, it seemed like asking that question would be meaningless. Should she exin? Luca''s mouth slightly opened, but words would note out. She was not the mistress, but she felt inexplicably guilty when she met Queenie''s questioning gaze. Luca knew where this guilt came from. It stemmed from the moment she returned. She had been lying to Queenie. She was not Luca. She was Bianca! As Johann waited for Luca to speak, he recalled that this was all a charade. If Luca really went ahead and examined Queenie or treated her, she would surely find out something. He shot a nce at Queenie. Even though Queenie was acting like they had nned, Johann knew that she must be quite excited at the moment. Hence, he took the initiative to speak, "Mrs. Norman, your blood pressure has been persistently high. Without waiting for your consent, I took the liberty of bringing Dr. Craw in to treat you. She''ll perform dry needling on you to stabilize your blood pressure." "Dr. Park." Queenie secretly calmed herself down when she heard what Johann said. After all, her ultimate goal was not to see Luca but to have Lucay everything bare in front of her. "Well, should we let Dr. Craw check your pulse first?" Johann continued to go along with her words. Luca heard this, but she did not step forward. If Queenie did not agree, she would not dare to approach her. "I''d like to have a word with Dr. Craw. Could you please step out?" Queenie''s tone was weak. She, being an actress, easily expressed that weakness. Queenie''s voice carried a noticeable fragility, which skillfully entuated her vulnerability. Having battled with illness for a long time in the past, even though she was now physically fit, her roots in the world of acting allowed her to effortlessly portray a sense of weakness. "Well..." Johann nced at Queenie, then at Luca. He eventually said in a low voice, "Dr. Craw, I don''t think Mrs. Norman is as emotional as we imagined. Why don''t you two have a talk first? It''s better to perform dry needling when the patient is in a clear state." Luca knew that treating patients when they were awake was the best, as it allowed continuous observation of their reactions. Drugged patients were unresponsive. Even if their vital signs stabilized, they could not tell doctors their difort in other areas of their bodies. Therefore, whether in naturopathy or what Shanks taught her, it was best to perform dry needling when the patient was awake. "Dr. Park..." Even though the person in front of her was her mother, Luca did not want to face her alone. She felt guilty. Before Johann could finish his sentence, Queenie added, "Dr. Craw, I''d like to talk... to you!" Queenie managed to get a sentence out rtively smoothly, but her tone was even lower, and she seemed to be in pretty bad shape. Luca sensed the weakness in her tone and theck of energy in her speech. An inexplicable fear arose in her heart. If this continued, Queenie might not hold up for much longer. What happened to Queenie back then came across her mind. Leia was already detained in a detention center. Bianca was her only emotional support at the moment. Yet, in Queenie''s eyes, she was the culprit who destroyed Bianca''s happy marriage. "Dr. Craw?" Johann nudged Luca a bit when he saw her in a daze. "The stability of the patient is more important right now. ¡°She hasn''t been cooperating with treatment for the past few days. Perhaps she''s waiting for you. If you could have a chat with her, she might be down for the treatment, and things might turn around." "I..." Luca opened her mouth slightly. She felt like something was stuck in her throat. She wanted to say something, but she could not get aplete sentence out. Her mind was nk. "Just roll with it. If you have a little chat with her, it might boost her mood. Who knows, it could do wonders for the treatment too?" Johann continued persuading Luca. Honestly, he had no interest in getting involved in this kind of thing. If it were not for Luke''s sake, he would not have bothered at all. Chapter 2982 Little chat? What should they talk about? Luca''s heart felt an inexplicable sorrow. Queenie seemed like she wanted to say something. She hardly needed to think deeply to know what it was. Did she have to agree with Queenie and leave Luke? She did not want to do that. Moreover, she had not forgotten Abel''s warning. She loved Luke, Queenie, and her three children, but she also loved N. If she did not obey Abel''s orders, not only would she suffer, but N, who was on the Ind of Despair, would suffer too. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. She could not let the child suffer more because of her. There were many psychos on the Ind of Despair. She had to protect her daughter. Since she did not have the ability to save her child from the Ind of Despair yet, she could only obediently follow Abel''s instructions. This was the best way to protect the child. If Luca pretended to agree to Queenie to leave Luke but actually went against her word, Queenie would eventually find out. Luca understood human nature. If Queenie ever had doubts, even if her physical indicators returned to normal after being discharged from the hospital, she would frequently investigate Luke''s life. If Luca continued to be with Luke, Queenie would eventually find out. Things would probably get worse when that happened... Luca quickly thought about it. As Queenie noticed that, she made her breathing sound even heavier, like she was really struggling to catch her breath. Johann, who was beside them, was witnessing this. He could not help but praise Queenie. Queenie, born to be an actress, portrayed even the difficulty in breathing so convincingly. Luca was indeed Queenie''s biological daughter. She never took any acting sses, but there were times when her knack for performing was just outstanding. "The patient is having difficulty breathing. She requires oxygen." Johann, ying along, immediately stepped forward. He took on the role of an actor. He walked directly to the bedside, picked up the oxygen tube, and intended to give it to Queenie. Queenie weakly raised her hand, pushing Johann''s hand away with little strength. "Mrs. Norman, you need it!" Johann cooperated with her, pretending to be serious. "If... If Luca refuses to talk to me, I''d rather die than use it!" Queenie gasped for breath. Luca''s eyes reddened. Queenie was forcing her! The difort in her heart surged even more with Queenie''s words, and the escting tension was colliding against the walls of her chest. She clenched her fists, thinking that there might be a way out. Luca took a deep breath and looked at Johann. "Dr. Park, I''d like to speak to Mrs. Norman alone." Johann nodded, shot a nce at Queenie, and handed the oxygen tube to her. "Mrs. Norman, if you can''t breathe, you''ll still need to use the oxygen. Don''t force yourself." After that, he turned away from Luca and blinked at Queenie. Then, he left the ward. The ward was now left with only two people. Luca remained silent as she slightly lowered her gaze. She thought about the words she wanted to say, figuring out how to start. Queenie breathed heavily like a dying patient wanting to just live a few more seconds in this world. However, the truth was not what it seemed. Queenie just wanted to prompt Luca to tell the truth with such actions. Her poor daughter. How much hardship had she endured for the past three to four years? Even though parents were supposed to protect their children, Queenie was unable to do anything. She felt her heart ache over it. This time, the sensation she felt was real and not an act. It was genuine pain that made her breathe a bit harder. Luca''s fingers tightened into fists as Queenie''s breathing grew heavier. Her nails were digging into the palms of her hands. Due to years of experiments, Luca had not kept long nails to prevent herself from identally scratching her palms. However, if she were to stretch out her fingers now, there would undoubtedly be deep nail impressions on her palms. "Mrs..." Luca slightly opened her mouth. Queenie, breathing heavily and with a pale face, said, "Ms. Craw, I love my daughter very much." Luca was startled for a moment. She lowered her gaze and slightly nodded, indicating that she understood. "My parenting may have failed, but luckily, fate smiled upon me and brought my biological daughter back. She''s a good and kind person. It''s just that she experienced some rough experiences that led her to study abroad. She loves Luke and the kids. "So, I don''t want anyone or anything to ruin her marriage. I know that in today''s world, switching up is just part of the game. But as a mother, I can only do my best to protect my child and look after her life." In line with what she had discussed with Luke, Queenie slowly articted her words. While the words came out smoothly, it was evident that it took her considerable effort to say them. Luca''s body involuntarily trembled, teetering on the edge of emotional copse as Queenie''s words weighed heavily on her. It was the first time she heard Queenie say such things. She thought about how she had been hesitant to tell Queenie the truth due to various reasons. The guilt, the difort in her heart, and a strong desire to p herself rushed through her. She had fallen short in fulfilling her duties as a daughter! She had been a bad daughter! Her biological mother loved her so much, yet she had made her upset. She even did it for the sake of protecting her interests and marriage. Queenie was putting her own body on the line as a wager, just to drive away those who coveted her position. There was a loud thud, and Luca kneeled on the ground. Her knees met the floor without any buffer. The impact startled Queenie. Queenie saw what Luca did and felt a pang of empathy. She wanted to rush forward immediately to help Luca up. However, she could not do it now! Luca was already on the verge of copse now. Queenie needed to push her a little more. Perhaps Luca would spill the truth. Queenie clutched her chest and took a deep breath. "Mrs. Norman, please don''t be stubborn. Could you please allow me to treat you first? Once you''re treated, I''ll tell you the truth!" Luca lowered her gaze, tears already blurring her vision. A teardrop fell on the floor before vanishing in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace behind. Luca''s eyes were now blurred with tears, and she was unable to see anything clearly. "I don''t need your treatment, whether you''re serious or just pretending. I don''t need it." Queenie heaved a deep sigh. She could feel the pain in her heart when she saw Luca in such a state. Even though Luca''s promise tempted her, she still held it firm. Luke had warned her that if her condition improved, Luca might not confess. Furthermore, all of this was just an act, including the machines that had been tampered with by the technicians Johann had enlisted the help of. However, Luca could figure out the truth with just one pulse check. "My poor daughter is still overseas. If she finds out that I epted treatment from a woman who''s trying to ruin her marriage, what good would it do even if I lived to a hundred? I''d always felt guilty in my heart." Luca could no longer hold back her tears and started sobbing. "I can''t ept your treatment even if I die. I didn''t know back then, but now that I know about your rtionship with Luke, I definitely can''t ept it anymore. If you don''t agree to leave Luke and my grandchildren today, I''ll show you that I''d rather die. "I''m useless anyway. I can''t even protect my daughter''s happiness. Oh, my poor Bianca... My poor Bianca, she loves Luke and the three children so much. But she won''t be able to hold on to them. Everything is being taken away bit by bit. I''m... I''m worthless." Queenie''s voice grew weaker, trembling along with her cries. Luca''s heart skipped a beat. With a sudden jolt, she looked up and eximed, "Mom! I am Bianca!" Chapter 2983 Queenie''s cries came to a halt. She could not believe her ears. Did Luca juste clean? Queenie thought that she might have been mistaken, but she heard what Luca said loud and clear. After the cries had stopped, Luca suddenly looked up and noticed the shock on Queenie''s face. She was afraid that Queenie would not believe her, so she said, "I''m Bianca. If you don''t believe me, I can do a DNA test with Lanie and the kids. If you think that''ll take too long, feel free to ask me anything. I''ll be able to answer everything." "How could you be Bea?" Queenie felt the urge to hold Luca and cry, but she had to stick to Luke''s n. She had to pretend not to believe Luca in order to get her to talk. "Ask me anything, anything at all. I''ll answer it." Luca''s eyes were blurred with tears as she anxiously looked at Queenie. She had never prepared any evidence to prove her identity because she never thought that she would be confessing her real identity to anyone. If it were not for Queenie''s critical condition, she would not have admitted it. Queenie pretended to have difficulty breathing and faked falling back onto the bed from dizziness. Shocked, Luca went over to check on her. Queenie raised her hand to stop her from getting close. "Don''t youe here!" Luca stopped in her tracks. "Mom... you have to believe me." She could only think of using her history to prove her identity, but Queenie was not convinced. She would not even ask her anything about her past. Luca felt helpless and started to regret not doing a maternity test with the children''s hair. That way, she would have been able to prove her identity during situations like these. "Why are you lying to me by pretending to be my daughter?" Queenie asked without verifying. Resentment, helplessness, and unease filled Luca up as her eyes were brimming with tears. "I''m not. I''m really.." "Who the hell are you?" Queenie''s voice was weak, but to Luca, it was a stab to her heart. Her distrust made Luca lose all hope. "I... I..." Luca said repeatedly as she did not know how else to exin to her that she was Bianca, why she looked like this, and why a fake Bianca had appeared. It was not that she had something to hide, but everything was so jumbled up in her mind. Herplex emotions had made her lose her ability to form coherent sentences. Since Luca was still not talking, Queenie closed her eyes and said, "Leave. I refuse to be treated by a liar." "No, I''m not a liar. I''m really Bianca. Leia worked with people from that organization to kidnap me, and I was forced to live on their base for over three years. I had to change my appearance and undergo training day and night. "Once the leader saw my value, he let me go back to Luke, but he forbade me from disclosing my true identity. Then, he coerced me into doing things like framing Luke. I had no choice but to listen to his orders. I''m really Bianca!" "My daughter is overseas!" Queenie said, still refusing to believe what Luca said. Although Luca''s exnation was short, Queenie could tell from her words that she had gone through a lot on the Ind of Despair. Not to mention, the person who caused all of Bianca''s suffering was actually Leia! Queenie could barely hold back her anger. How evil could Leia be? Not only did she try to poison her and hire people to hurt her and her husband, but she even worked with people to kidnap Bianca! Leia had hurt Bianca over and over again! As Leia''s parents, what had they done wrong? They had always treated her like their own, but Leia kept breaking their hearts again and again. Queenie was heartbroken when she realized that all these years, she had been raising a thankless and cruel child. At the same time, her heart ached for everything Bianca had gone through. It was her fault for spoiling Leia, which was the cause of her downward spiral that led to Bianca getting hurt. "She''s an impostor! She''s from the same organization as me. They changed her appearance with stic surgery to look like the past me, and they even ruined her voice. "They made her stay by Luke''s side to carry out a mission. If I''m not mistaken, that woman is. is." Luca felt much more clear-headed after spilling everything. Since Queenie was not yet convinced that the Bianca she knew was the fake Bianca, Luca could not tell her that Luke had already found out about her and dealt with her. Although DNA tests would be able to prove Luca''s identity, the results would take time. If Queenie found out about fake Bianca''s death, would her sadness be a risk to her health? "Is what?" Queenie pressed her. Luca had said a lot, and Queenie was already very shaken up. However, Luca had not mentioned the one thing that Luke asked for, so she had to keep the show going. "I think Luke knows about her and has already dealt with her. I''m not lying to you. I''m Bianca. I''m your biological daughter!" Luca stomped her feet, wanting Queenie to believe her. She wiped away her tears and started to think of things that only both of them knew to make Queenie believe her. However, she did not grow up with Queenie, and because they metter in life, she did not have many memories of just the two of them. If it were Wanda, she would have many things to say about her childhood. Luca was on pins and needles as she looked at the rm button. She was at aplete loss. ¡°You said you''re Bea, right? If you''re really Bea, how could you willingly conceal your true identity and hurt me? You''re not my Bea. She would never be so cruel. Get lost, you filthy liar! "I bet you''re using this as an opportunity to kill me. That way, no one will stand in your way of being together with Luke." Queenie tried to force thest reason out of her. She did not want to be so cruel, but it was crucial to know the things Luca had gone through. Luke said that the Ind of Despair used poison to control their members. Hence, they had to take the antidote at a scheduled time every month to ensure that the poison was not triggered. However, Luca had sessfully replicated the antidote, so they could no longer control her that way. They wanted to find out the real reason. "I''ve never wanted to harm you, and I''ve never wanted to hurt Luke either. I''ve done many things to hurt him during this time, but it''s a good thing he''s smart because he was able to anticipate all of my missions. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "I''ve been left with no other choice. You''re all the most important people in my life. Why would I want to intentionally hurt you or him?" Luca shook her head as she felt even more aggrieved. She had never wanted to do things for Abel. She just wanted to be Queenie''s daughter again. However, her own daughter was still in Abel''s hands... Chapter 2984 Queenie did not say a word as the sight of Luca''s desperate face made her heart ache. What else could she do? After hearing how much Luca had gone through, she just wanted to hold her and feel the joy of having her daughter back by her side. However, Luca has not stated the reason. Queenie was at a loss as to what the Ind of Despair had on Luca that would make her willingly work for them! Queenie added fuel to the fire by breathing harder and inserting the oxygen tubes into her nostrils before removing them after a few seconds. Luca thought that Queenie had finally believed her, but after she removed the oxygen tubes, she realized that was not the case. Then, she dropped to her knees again. Queenie''s chest tightened in pain when she saw Luca kneel on the ground. ¡°Mom, Luke and I... have another daughter." Luca took a deep breath as she revealed the reason why the Ind of Despair still had control over her. Queenie''s eyes widened, and for a split second, she forgot that she was acting. This morning, Luke, Wanda, and she hade up with several hypotheses as to why Luca might be under their control. However, no one expected the real reason to be because Luca had a daughter there. "I was pregnant with that child when I was kidnapped, and I knew that once I gave birth to that child, they would use that child to control me. "They had the same thought too, so when I was trying my best not to have the child, they tried their best to protect the child. "My child was born full term, and while I was sent away to give birth to the child, they gave me anesthesia and changed my whole appearance." Luca touched her face. She had a beautiful face, but it was not the face she wanted. It was not like the Ind of Despair would ever listen to her. Shanks changed her facial structure however he liked. "That''s my and Luke''s child. I''m out here carrying their so-called mission, but that child is still on the Ind of Despair. I can''t ignore the child, so I." The thought of N filled her eyes with tears. She thought that once she became stronger, she would be able to protect the people she wanted to protect. However, Abel was the devil incarnate. He cruelly reminded her that no matter how strong she got, she would never be able to protect the people she loved. It was all because her daughter was in his hands. No matter how strong and capable Luca became, she would still have to choose between the two. If she chose Luke, N would be in danger. If she chose N, she would have to hurt Luke. Until now, Luca had always chosen N. The child came as aplete surprise, so she did not get to live like the three other kids. Luca felt so sorry for N, so she could only choose N time and time again. If Queenie had not fallen ill, she would have never admitted it. Queenie was still in shock when another voice was heard in the ward. ¡°Do we really have another daughter?" Luca was stunned. She turned around to look at the door with her blurred vision. She did not know how long Luke had been standing at the door. The ward door did not make much noise, and she was so caught up in exining that she did not notice Luke pushing the door open and closing it behind him. She had thought that there were only two people in the ward, but there were actually three. Luca stood up slowly and helplessly. "Luke..." She confessed to Queenie because of her critical condition, and she wanted Queenie to receive treatment. It never urred to her how she was going to confess all of this to Luke. Now, not only had she told Queenie everything, but Luke had also overheard everything. "Do we really have a daughter in the hands of the Ind of Despair?" Luke hade up with countless reasons why Luca would be controlled by the Ind of Despair, but he had never thought that this would be the reason why! Before getting kidnapped, they had agreed that three children were enough, so they would always use contraceptives every time they had sex. With odds of one in a million, who knew that Luca would be pregnant with a fourth child? However, that child had be a tool for the Ind of Despair to control Luca, causing Luca to obey their orders without revealing her identity. Luke was so shocked that he was stupefied for quite some time before going up to hold Luca''s hand. When he felt that her hands were ice-cold, his eyebrows were knitted together. He wanted to hold her in his arms, but Queenie was still there. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Even though he had found out the real reason why Luca had been hiding all of this for so long, there were still many things to talk about right now. "I''m sorry I let you face all of this alone," Luke apologized. He was not a good husband, nor was he a good father. He did not even know that he had a baby girl who was in someone else''s hands. He failed to protect Luca and their daughter. All of this was because of his vendetta with the Ind of Despair. If he had been more careful and let his men stay on the Ind of Despair for a few more months, the person behind all of this would have been caught by now. They would not even have had the chance to return. If they had not returned, they would not have had the chance to hurt Luca. Their precious daughter would not have been born in such an environment either. Neither would she have been taken hostage and detained on the Ind of Despair, giving Luca no choice but to do things she did not want. Not to mention, they made her like this... Luke was absolutely heartbroken. He cupped Luca''s face and gently wiped away her tears. "Don''t cry. You have me now. I''ll save our daughter and make those people regret everything they''ve done!" Luca wanted to hold Luke and tell him everything she had gone through the past few years, but a little voice in her mind was telling her that now was not the time. She pulled back from Luke''s embrace and said to Queenie, "Mom.." After being called out to, Queenie sat straight up! Although she was still quite pale, she was much more energetic than before. "I.." Luca was confused. She was about to tell Queenie to believe her now that Luke believed that she was Bianca. After all, she wanted to treat Queenie. However, Queenie was sitting up straight like a healthy person now, and Luca could not believe her eyes. "Bea, I knew you were my Bea the first day I was admitted," said Queenie as she unplugged the alert button. "I''m sorry for lying to you, but Luke and I miss you so much. We just want to know everything you''ve gone through, which is why we nned this. Bea,e here," Queenie said while holding her arms out. With those few words, Luca immediately realized that they had tricked her into telling them what happened. Only after she admitted everything could Luke finally take action. Luca could not bear to me Queenie, so she walked over to her bedside to hug her. "Mom, so you''re okay?" Chapter 2985 Queenie shook her head, pulled out a tissue, and gently wiped away the tears on Luca''s face. "When I first saw the news about you and Luke, I really thought he betrayed his marriage. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "I got so upset my blood pressure skyrocketed. But Luke told me about your situation that day, so my health has been good for the past few days. However, to find out more about your situation, I agreed to pretend to be unwell and stayed in the hospital. "Bianca, you''re too naive. You''ve endured so much alone without telling us. We could protect you. Why did you have to face all this on your own?" Luca sniffed. Her eyes had dried from wiping tears, and she was left with a bitter feeling in her heart. "Mom, I didn''t have a choice. The Ind of Despair is an organization with many killers and advanced weapons. I didn''t want to involve my loved ones before I had it all figured out," exined Luca. Her voice was nasal and heavy due to her crying earlier. After that, she nced back at Luke. Even though she was addressing Queenie''s concerns, it was also directed at Luke. She did not keep it from him intentionally. She did not want to put him in danger. Even though she did not participate in the initial eradication of the Ind of Despair, she knew it was a difficult mission. If Luke had not sought help from various forces, they would not have been able to eliminate them. Luca had spent time on the ind, and she understood the terror within. Top-ranked assassins from various world rankings were all enlisted by the Ind of Despair. Some joined voluntarily, while others were coerced into it, ending up having to work for them. Luca worried that one day, Abel would seize the opportunity to control Luke. That was why when she first came back, she secretly researched the form to replicate the antidote. Only with the knowledge of making the antidote could she feel secure. Even if the Ind of Despair took control of them in the end, having the antidote would allow them to break free at any time. Luca''s actions were not only for her own sake and the well-being of Amur and Eler, but also a response to witnessing the tactics the Ind of Despair used to force other top-tier assassins into their service. She feared that the same methods might be applied to Luke, which prompted her to take such measures. Luke''s heart softened when he heard Luca''s exnation. She had been through a lot because of him and endured so much pain and torment. Yet, she continued to shield him with her silence when she returned. What had he done to deserve Luca''s love? "Bianca, you''re being way too naive." Queenie affectionately stroked her hair. "Your parents will always be your strong support. You don''t have to bear all this on your own." Luca leaned on Queenie''s shoulder, tears threatening to fall again. "Mom, I just hope you and Dad can be healthy and happy." She did not hold Queenie and Luke ountable for deceiving her. After careful consideration, she realized they only wanted the best for her. That was why they staged this act to get her to express her true feelings. Luke''s gaze darkened slightly. Now, he understood why Luca willingly served the Ind of Despair and chose not to reveal the truth. Next, it was up to him. He would not let anyone who harmed Luca and their precious daughter go unpunished. Luke''s slender fingers slowly clenched into fists. He was not a bloodthirsty person, but after hearing everything Luca said, he just wanted to tear those bastards who deserved to die into pieces. "Oh, by the way, do you have pictures of my granddaughter now?" Queenie could not help but ask. "Yes." Luca sniffed and took out her phone. Realizing she had turned it off earlier to avoid being listened to, she exined, "My phone can be monitored anytime, so I turned it off beforeing in. If I turn it on now, we can''t discuss these matters." Luke nodded. "Until we get rid of the Ind of Despair, you''re still Luca." Only when he dealt with the trouble of the Ind of Despair could Luca be Bianca. Even though she had confessed to them now, only a few people knew, including the Norman family''s maid. Luke had no intention of letting anyone else find out. Luca also thought it was better this way. Queenie heaved a sigh and gently touched Luca''s face. They said surgeries must have been painful, and Luca''s face had undergone significant changes. It was not just the pain of childbirth but also the difort of cosmetic surgery... She dared not imagine how much her daughter had suffered because of Leia, that disobedient daughter. Tears welled up in Luca''s eyes again, and she wiped them away. "I''m going to turn on my phone now." Queenie instantly became serious. She had learned about the Ind of Despair a few days ago. Jack had educated her, making her realize that modern terrorist organizations were no longer like those in the past. Terrorist organizations solely relied on violence to fight for territory back then. Modern terrorist organizations did not only rely on violence but also utilized advanced technology, employing tools and methods used in forensics. In fact, many of their technologies were even more advanced than what was currently avable in the market. Hence, when Queenie found out about Luca''s concern about potential phone monitoring, she became extremely cautious. She told herself to be careful with her words from now on. She had to ensure that the Ind of Despair remained unaware that they had discovered Luca''s true identity. This was to avoid them harming her and her child. After Luca turned on her phone, she took out encrypted photos from her album, showing them to Queenie first. These photos were either snapshots from video calls with N, or pictures taken by Amur when he returned to the Ind of Despair. Queenie could not help but get excited when she saw photos of N. The child resembled Luca a lot, with delicate facial features and a slightly chubby face. Suppressing her excitement, Queenie gestured to Luke, indicating that he should see the photos too. Luca rose to her feet, turned around, and ced the phone in Luke''s hands. Her gaze was fixed on him. This was their child. Luke looked at the photos on the phone. The little girl looked exactly like Rainie when she was little. He gently traced the screen with his fingertip, as though he was caressing her. "She''s cute," he murmured. Luca nodded. N was indeed adorable. She had a lively personality simr to Tommy''s. While she shared Rainie''s appearance, her temperament was more mischievous. Growing up on the Ind of Despair, she had encountered many of the people there, making her bold and fearless. Sometimes, Luca and Eler felt worried that she might get into trouble or offend some of the ill- tempered killers. After all, her cuteness would not necessarily spare her from consequences. When Luca thought of her little daughter, she wished she could immediately wipe out the Ind of Despair and rescue her. Luke held Luca''s phone, sent the pictures of their daughter through text message to his own phone, and handed the phone back to Luca. Luca took the phone from him and immediately powered it off. "Does Aunt Wanda also know about my true identity?" Luca no longer used the previous form of address for Wanda because she had opened up about her true self. She spected that Wanda''s hunger strike was a way to force her to confess to them. Chapter 2986 "Your Aunt Wanda knows about this too. It''s just that doing this means deceiving you. That''s why I stepped in and didn''t let Aunt Wanda do it." Queenie nodded. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. After they discussed it, they felt that Queenie''s situation here could be more critical, so they decided to let her handle this matter. Luca nced at Queenie, then turned to look at Luke. She hardly needed to ask the question in her mind. There was no doubt that Luke nned everything. Otherwise, Queenie and Wanda would never do such a thing. Receiving Luca''s gaze, Luke exined helplessly, "We wanted to know what you''re going through. When would you be willing to talk if we didn''t do it this way?" Luca''s eyes sparkled with a touch of shimmering light. They were right. If they had not done this, she would not have chosen to confess these things now. Guilt weighed on Luca''s heart for hiding it from them for so long. "Bianca, please don''t me Luke. He''s thest person who''d want to lie to you. Just watching you endure everything all by yourself without a word makes our hearts ache for you," Queenie spoke up for her son-inw. Since they did this together with Luke, if Luca was angry, she should be mad at all of them and not just Luke alone. Luca helplessly looked at Queenie, realizing she was speaking up for Luke. When she got kidnapped, Luke had been taking care of them. Even though he used some tricks now, it was to figure out Luca''s situation. Hence, there was no way she could be mad at him. "Mom, he did it for my own good. I''m not mad at him." Luca shook her head. How could she possibly get mad at someone who did everything for her good? Moreover, Luke had done so much for her. "I''m d to hear that. By the way, your Aunt Wanda is still waiting for good news. Go talk to her with Luke. And get Dr. Park toe here. Only we know about this, and we need to finish up the act. I''ll stay in the hospital for two more days," Queenie rambled on. Although Luca could not publicly reveal her identity yet, it was enough for them to find out that she willingly did things for the Ind of Despair because of her child. Luke and Jack would handle the rest of it. One was her husband, the other her father. Of course, they had to protect Luca. "Alright." Luca nodded, thinking that Wanda must be anxiously waiting for news. If she could, she would go to her ward immediately. "Mom, I''ll take Luca there first," said Luke. Even though there was no one else around, to avoid making other mistakes in the future, he still referred to her as Luca and not Bianca. "Go ahead." Queenie waved her hand. When Luca admitted that her true identity was Bianca, her heart found peace in that fleeting moment. All her worries had melted away. Her precious daughter had returned to her side after going through so much pain. Luca turned back and looked at Queenie, pointing at her face. "Did you apply foundation on your face?" "Oh, right. I''ll wash it offter," Queenie grinned. "Was that your suggestion too?" Luca could not help but look at Luke. She was referring to Queenie''s pale face. Luke shook his head, showing his innocence. "No, it was your mother''s idea. After she knew your true identity, she didn''t want to stress you out. Herplexion looks just fine. She was just worried you wouldn''t fall for it, so she put on some makeup." He had no idea what Queenie applied on her face, but the makeup did make her appear weak. Luca put on a helpless expression and said to Queenie, "Don''t scare me like next time." Queenie, born into the world of acting, truly lived up to it. The makeup on her face and the weakness she expressed, even within a hospital ward, made Luca fully believe in her act. Luca had truly believed that Queenie''s health was deteriorating and she was about to copse. That was why she felt the urgency toy everything bare. "Okay, okay, no more lies. As long as you''re back and okay." Queenie waved her hand, secretly grateful that her acting skills had not declined after so many years away from the screen. Luca smiled and left with Luke. The moment they pushed open the door of the ward, Luca''s smile disappeared. Her expression turned bleak, as though she had experienced something unpleasant. The maid was standing not far away, watching everything with confusion. Luca had left the ward, and she knew Mrs. Norman was not sick. Why did Luca look like she had been through something strenuous and exhausting? Could it be that something was really wrong with Queenie? "Ms. Craw?" The maid hurriedly came forward. Luca did not look at her but spoke to Johann, "Dr. Park, I''ve performed dry needling on Mrs. Norman. Her condition has improved. Would you like to go in and check?" "Sure, let me go in and check on her." Dr. Park met Luke''s gaze, understanding that things had gone smoothly as nned. He let out a sigh of relief, pushed the door open, and entered the ward. Thankfully, it worked out. Otherwise, he would have to continue ying along with Luke''s act. He felt like he could transition into bing an actor like other celebrities, specifically one who yed doctor roles. "How''s Mrs. Norman doing?" The maid could not help but ask. Before she came out, Queenie seemed fine. Even though the instruments were beeping continuously, they had been tampered with by Johann. Queenie was perfectly fine. How did Luca, who was so capable, not notice that there was nothing wrong with Queenie''s health? The maid was worried, but Luke did not let her go in, and she could not enter without permission. "Wait for Dr. Park." Luke did not answer the maid''s question directly. He gave instructions and took Luca to Wanda''s ward. A hint of surprise shed across Mrs. Lane¡¯s eyes when she saw Luke and Luca showing up together. Wanda had not been eating or sleeping well because of their matters. Was Luke bringing Luca over now to provoke Wanda? Mrs. Lane thought it was inappropriate, but Luke was the one paying her sry. Thus, she did not say anything. Luke shed her a signal with his eyes, and she walked out of the ward. Luca sat by Wanda''s bedside and ryed the words she had spoken to Queenie. After Wanda listened to her, she held Luca in her arms and cried for a while, feeling sorry for her. After a moment, she finally let her go, wiped away her tears, and said, "I... I had no idea you went through so much pain. My poor child. It''s all my fault." Luca shook her head, insisting that Wanda did not cause her any harm. Wanda was the most innocent person. She had gone through so much because of Luca¡¯s kidnapping. Luca felt sorry for Wanda. "Aunt Wanda, I''m back now. I''ll take care of Grandpa Rayne and you. Even though I can''t reveal my identity publicly yet, you don''t need to worry anymore. Leave it to us. We¡¯ll take care of it." Chapter 2987 "I believe you have the capability. It''s just hard for me to think about the hardships you''ve endured." Wanda wiped away the tears that could not be held back. These tears carried not only empathy but also a sense of relief and joy. Fortunately, after everything Luca had gone through, she managed to return to their side. Even though the crisis had not been resolved yet, at least they now knew why Luca had refused to acknowledge them. Wanda believed that Luke had the ability to protect Luca. That was why she believed that once Luke figured out the situation, he could help resolve it. "It''s okay. It''s all in the past. You must take good care of yourself. When we bring N back, you''ll have to help me out and teach her some handmade crafts,¡± said Luca with a smile on her face. Despite being a girl, N, influenced by the environment of the Ind of Despair, was not as soft as Rainie. She was not interested in such things. She was interested in various firearms and weapons at a young age. Luca had tried to correct her, but growing up in that environment, N turned out to be mischievous and strong. She did not know what fear was like in many situations and with many people. She was like a little boy. Luca did not have time to be with the child now, so she had to rely on Eler to take care of N. When they reunited as a family, they could slowly influence N and help her be a carefree and happy girl rather than a tomboy. "Alright, I''ll take care of myself and wait for you to bring N back," replied Wanda, wiping away another tear. Luca had suffered enough in her life. Wanda hoped the future Luca could live an easier life. Luca spent a good while chatting with Wanda. After seeing pictures of N and noticing the sky turning dark, Wanda urged the two of them to head back. Luca had already let Warren get off work early, so she got into Luke''s car when they left. Luca sat in the front passenger seat, took out a ttened hat from her briefcase, and put it on. Then, she wore a mask. Luke said helplessly, "The reporters in the city aren''t paying attention to us at the moment. You don''t need to be so cautious." The newspaperpany under T Corporation reported on the rumors of two celebrities again. The reporters were busy with these explosive stories. No one would divert their attention back to Luca and Luke. Moreover, gossip about celebrities had more value than that of businessmen. "Better safe than sorry," replied Luca, lowering the brim of her hat to ensure she would not be captured by the reporters. Luke was rendered speechless when he saw her like this, but he did not stop her. He drove directly back home. Luca sat in the front passenger seat. Her heart remained a swirling mix of emotions when she thought about what had just happened. "What should we do next?" Having confessed everything to Luke, Luca knew it was time to take action. Being entangled by Abel was not a pleasant feeling for her. "I need to know what the leader of the Ind of Despair looks like," said Luke. There was an old saying that went, ''Cut off the head of the snake''. He needed to find out who the real mastermind of the Ind of Despair was to eliminate it in one fell swoop. Luca was startled for a moment, then she remembered how cunning Abel was. It was normal for Luke not to find anything. She reminded him, "You''ve met him before." Abel had many faces. He rarely showed his true face when he was outside. It all depended on the disguise cream made by Shanks. Abel could easily change his appearance and create a new identity using the cream. From what Luca understood, Abel relied on his disguises and having multiple passports. Each passport had a different photo and identity. He was like a sly fox with more than one hole. Abel used these various identities and appearances to maneuver in different ces, gaining many benefits and connections. However, there was only one identity Abel did not disguise¡ªthe owner of the pharmaceuticalpany. As a well-known foreign businessman in A City, many people wanted to coborate with Abel, but not everyone got the chance to meet him in person. Among the few who had met him, Luke was one of them. Luca said Luke met him before. Then, it must have been an asion that they attended together. The gathering would not have been too crowded, or else he would not have left an impression on everyone. Moreover, the person must have ethnic facial features. It was because the information provided by Gale, Rain, and Ray suggested that the leader of the Ind of Despair must be a foreigner. Even if he was good at disguising himself, a foreigner could not easily disguise himself into someone with different facial features. "Him? The CEO of a pharmaceuticalpany established by foreigners?" Luke quickly recalled. A face came across his mind, and he shot a nce at Luca. Luca nodded. "Yes, that''s him. He''s adept at disguises, but he used his true appearance when he met you." There was a rare moment of frustration for Luke. Luca had always been the woman he loved the most, but before the kids did the DNA test, he did not think much about it. His interest in Luca was merely a result of his long abstinence from women. He never thought that her true identity was Bianca, nor did he realize that the desire in his body was his soul''s yearning for her. When he first met Abel, he felt the other party was extraordinary. It was possible that he had other identities, but Luke never considered that the person deliberately approached him because he was the mastermind of the Ind of Despair. Luca added, "I only know his name is Abel. He was deeply in love with Kassy. But Kassy only wanted you, so..." She paused for a moment. Kassy attempted to harm her and her child back then just because she could not get Luke. Fortunately, the assassin she hired had a conscience. Otherwise, she might have turned crazy... "Got it." Luke still remembered Kassy. He could not have forgotten such a crazy woman. It was because of Kassy that he realized how poorly he had protected Bianca at that time. "Dr. Albus'' incident was also part of Abel''s revenge n. I found out that Kassy kidnapped me and my child when she was taking revenge against you. Those potions were cooked up by Dr. Albus back then. "They were too nasty for human consumption. That''s why they got trashed and never hit the market. But the ck market scooped them up. So, Abel had a score to settle with Dr. Albus too," Luca continued. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Luca could not share everything during their journey back, but she tried to tell Luke everything she knew. "Abel''s primary objective in re-establishing the Ind of Despair is to seek revenge against you. I''m the most crucial pawn in his retaliation n. I didn''t speak up all this while, fearing he might do something too extreme that could harm N." Luca spoke as she continued to share all the information she knew. In the end, she asked, "How did you find out that I''m Bianca?" "It was the kids who found out about it." Luke shared with her the story of the kids'' suspicion arising from their unusually close connection with her. Drawing on past experiences, he exined how the kids secretly took her hair sample for a DNA test. Chapter 2988 "It was the kids...?" Luca was surprised, not expecting that it was actually the kids who discovered it first. "Will they be mad at me?" Luca could not help but ask. She had lied to them, after all. As an adult and their mother, she had always taught them not to lie, not to deceive, and to be honest and kind. However, she had deceived the children from the very beginning. "No, don''t think about that. Since finding out your true identity, they''ve been worried about you, especially Rainie. She''s worried that you might be facing some difficulties. She''s also afraid that you would suddenly leave again," answered Luke. Suddenly, Luca remembered the night when the rumors first came out, Rainie was very worried. She was afraid that she would not be able to see Luca the next day if she fell asleep... Her heart softened at the thought of the kids worrying about her, and it subtly ached. "I think we shouldn''t tell them about having another sister for now. Children shouldn''t bear too much. When we arrive home, I''ll open up to them and admit my identity. But I''ll also ask them to keep it a secret. I don''t want them to worry about another person," said Luca. If Lanie and the others knew that they had a younger sister in the hands of those bad guys, they would certainly worry. Therefore, Luca wanted to keep it a secret at the moment. After rescuing N, she would confess to them that she was their younger sister. "Okay." Luke agreed with Luca''s n. As parents, their top mission was to protect the kids, not to have the kids worrying alongside them. Lanie''s maturity would influence his younger siblings. Luke hoped his children could be happier and not resemble him. The others said Lanie was like a little adult. Old Master Mallory also said that Lanie was exactly like him when he was a child. Luke''s personality was shaped by the environment. Lanie did not have to be another Luke Crawford. It was better not to let the kids know too much about things that would make them worry. "I''ll talk to the kids after we arrive home. Let''s keep this from Aunt Neile for now. We''ll tell her about this once everything is sorted out," said Luca. Aunt Neile had been working in the Crawford family for more than ten years, and she was considered a trustworthy person. She was probably not sent here by the Ind of Despair, but they could not guarantee that she would not talk about these things after knowing them. There was also a chance that she might be threatened by the Ind of Despair one day in the future... Luca did not want to cause too much trouble for herself. Luke agreed with her. Still, he smiled when he thought back to the kidsining about him regarding Luca not admitting her true identity and their longing to call her ''Mommy''. "So, if we keep things as they are, the kids won''t be calling you ''Mommy'' at home. I don''t think they''ll be happy about it." "It''s better to keep things the way they are. They''re still kids, after all," Luca knew what the kids had in their mind. They probably felt stifled when they had to address her as Ms. Luca instead of ''Mommy''. If she confessed everything to them, but they were still not allowed to call her ''Mommy'', they would probably still feel sad about it. However, this was unavoidable. If the kids started calling her ''Mommy'' when they were at home but had to continue to address her as ''Ms. Luca'' in front of outsiders, they might slip up in conversations. That could cause trouble. It was better to let them temporarily keep addressing her the same way. Luke drove back to the vi. After entering the area, Luca took off her hat and mask. Reporters could hardly get in here. Once the car entered the area, there was no need to worry about being photographed by reporters. After they arrived home, the three kids gathered around in unison, eagerly looking at Luca without saying a word. Luca knew for sure that Luke had briefed the kids on what they were going to do today. However, Luke did not have the chance to tell them the oue. Hence, they were eager to know the final result now. Aunt Neile was surprised when she saw the three of them behaving that way. Usually, they would greet Luca when they gathered around her. They did not greet her today. Instead, they all stood there staring at her like that. What happened? Even though Aunt Neile was curious, she greeted, "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, why are you bothte today?" Normally, if they were going to bete, they would give a heads-up in advance so that the kids would not have to wait with empty stomachs. However, they werete today, and there was no advance notice. Aunt Neile noticed that it was already well past the usual dinner time. When she was about to call the kids for dinner, she saw them return. She asked, "It''s already dinner time. Should I serve dinner now?" "Aunt Neile, go ahead and serve the food. I bought some gifts for the kids. I''ll go upstairs and give them the gifts first. It won''t take long. We''lle down for dinner in a bit," Luca said to Aunt Neile. Aunt Neile looked at the briefcase in Luca''s hand, feeling puzzled. It did not look like she had bought gifts... Could they be some small trinkets? She noticed the kids'' eyes light up when Luca mentioned the gifts. Hence, she nodded and replied, "Alright." Luca shot a nce at Luke and said, "I''ll take the kids upstairs first." "Okay." Luke did not n to go upstairs. He just stayed downstairs. Although Aunt Neile had worked in the Crawford family for many years, the best way to keep her from knowing things was to keep an eye on her. Now, Luke intended to keep an eye on Aunt Neile to ensure she did not hear anything she should not. Luca took the three kids to the master bedroom. After she told them to sit on the sofa, she sat on the edge of the bed, smiling at them. "I know you all already know my true identity." The kids'' eyes lit up. She admitted it! They would have a mother now, not Ms. Luca. She definitely would not leave at any moment! "Mom¡ª" Tommy wanted to be the first to call her. Luca raised a finger to her lips and gently shook her head, interrupting his attempt to call her ''Mommy''. Tommy awkwardly stopped himself and gave her a confused look. Had she not admitted it? Why was he not allowed to call her ''Mommy?'' "You should also know that I''m currently being controlled by an organization to do certain things. So, I can''t publicly reveal my identity at the moment," Luca patiently exined to the kids why they could not address her that way. "Huh? Hasn''t that issue been resolved yet?" Rainie expressed some disappointment. She thought that their mother would be able to stay with them from now on. She was a bit disheartened at the thought that Luca might leave at any time if things were not settled. She really wished their parents could be with them all the time! "Yes, it hasn''t been resolved yet, but you have to trust Mommy and Daddy. We''ll figure it out. When that dayes, I''ll go ahead and reveal my true identity to the public. So, I hope the three of you can give Mommy and Daddy some time to deal with this, okay?" Luca spoke in a soft, gentle tone. Rainie rose to her feet and gave her a hug. "Mommy, as long as you don''t leave us, that''s all that matters." Lanie and Tommy followed Rainie''s lead, giving her a hug too. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Lanie looked at Luca and asked, "Mommy, what kind of organization is it? What are they using to control you and make you do things for them?" Chapter 2989 Luca smiled. Everyone said that Lanie resembled Luke the most. Whether it was in appearance, personality, or intelligence, he asked this question in such a warm moment. She could not easily deceive him. However, of course, she could not answer directly either. It was to avoid causing the children worry. "Don''t worry, whatever organization it is, Daddy and I can handle it. No need to worry. This situation is just temporary. We''ll get it sorted out real quick. I hate that it''s causing you trouble, and you''re not able to call me ''Mommy'' for the time being. But no matter what you call me, I''m still your mother, okay?" said Luca as she patted Tommy''s head. Lanie nodded. He was smart enough to understand that Luca did not want them to worry. That was why she did not go into details. Thus, he did not press on with further questions. They were still young, and they could not share the burden of adults, so they could only listen to them. Lanie believed that his parents would definitely resolve everything. No bad guy could separate their family. Tommy lifted his head and looked at Luca. A trace of innocence shed across his eyes. "Mommy, can we call you ''Mommy'' when we''re alone?" "We have to wait until everything is resolved. You''re still young. It would be hard to exin if you slip up when others are around," exined Luca. "Oh, I won''t..." Before Tommy could finish, Lanie, as the elder brother, said to his younger brother, "We have to listen to Ms. Luca. If you make a mistake when others are around, it''ll be hard to exin. That''ll be too troublesome. "It''s not just us in the house. There''s Aunt Neile too. So, you''ll have to listen to Ms. Luca." "Oh, can''t we tell Aunt Neile?" asked Tommy. He thought Aunt Neile knew about it too. "Silly little brother, even though Aunt Neile is not a bad person, we can''t trust anyone too much. That''s why we can''t let Aunt Neile know about this. If one more person finds out, it could bring some trouble for Mommy and Daddy," said Rainie. Even though Rainie did not say much, she was not ignorant. Hence, she said to Tommy, "You can''t tell anyone. Only family can be trusted. No matter how good others are to us, we can''t trust them, got it?" It was something Old Master Mallory had once told them. The Crawford family''s wealth was substantial, often drawing envy from others. Old Master Mallory loved his great-grandchildren. He feared that someone with ill intentions would bribe the family''s servants to kidnap them. Hence, when the kids were old enough to be sensible, he instilled this idea in them, telling them not to trust others and not to go out with the servants. One would not just write their good or bad intentions on their faces. Therefore, Lanie and Rainie did not easily trust others. Back then, due to the fact that their mother had not appeared yet, many people with ulterior motives approached their father. The two children had seen a lot of women who were one way in public and another way in private. People with ulterior motives would constantly try to please them on the surface while secretly despising them. Some of them even thought about climbing onto their father''s bed, hoping that having a child would rapidly lower their status in the family. Lanie and Rainie had experience dealing with this, and with their great-grandfather''s advice, it just made them naturally wary of trusting people. The only exception was Luca. Their blood ties made them feel a sense of closeness toward her. Furthermore, their father had never entrusted them to be taken care of by ordinary employees, but he handed them over to Luca. Therefore, they figured out something at that time. They decided to help their father, who had been a lifelong bachelor, to win his wife back. Rainie''s thoughts drifted off for a moment. When she came back to her senses, she looked at her younger brother, waiting for his response. "I got it. Mommy, you and dad need to quickly resolve this matter so that no one dares to say we''re kids without a mom from now on!" said Tommy with a mischievous smile on his face. "Is anyone making fun of you guys?" Luca frowned suddenly. Tommy shook his head. "No." Lanie understood that his brother intentionally said something like that. It was to urge the adults to quickly resolve the current situation. He pointed out, "No one dares to say that about us. Rx. Even if they did, they wouldn''t say it to our faces." Even though they were only kids, as long as the other kids'' parents knew they were part of the Crawford family, no one dared to spread rumors about them. With the parents keeping things in check, the kids would not go around saying stuff like them being parentless. Luca let out a sigh of relief. She did not want the children to be troubled by such rumors. Lanie would not lie to her. That was why she believed him. "Ah, I was just saying." Tommy pouted. "I just want these things to be resolved quickly. Then, our family can always be together!" "Yes. Give us some time." After discussing with the kids and reaching a consensus, Luca rose to her feet. "Let''s go. Time for dinner." "Okay." The three kids went downstairs together. Once they came downstairs, Tommy remembered something and said, "Ms. Luca, I filled up two pages with my handwriting today. I''ll show youter!" "Sure." Luca smiled, held his hand, and walked to the dining room. Aunt Neile had already served the prepared food. "Is it done?" asked Luke. Tommy nodded first. "Yes. It''s all settled!" "Then let''s eat," replied Luke, picking up thedle to serve the stew to the children. Although they had always known that Luca''s true identity was Bianca, today was different for their family. Aunt Neile immediately stepped forward. How could Luke do this himself?! She said, "Mr. Crawford, let me take thedle. I''ll do it." "It''s okay, I''m in a good mood today. Leave it to me." Luke did not let Aunt Neile take over. He personally served a bowl of stew to Luca and the children. "Thank you, Daddy!" The three kids thanked him. Luca''s acknowledgment of her identity made them very happy. They took their spoons and started drinking the soup. Luke looked at the kids, then turned to look at Luca and said, "We need to go back to Crawford Manor this weekend." "Okay." Lanie agreed. Going back to Crawford Manor was nothing special for them. Therefore, he agreed to it. However, he remembered his schedule and said, "But Dad, the school has organized a mathpetition. I need to go back to school in the afternoon." "Let Uncle Zander take you there," replied Luke. He never bothered with whatpetitions the kids participated in. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. His kids always end up winning thepetitions. When Luca heard Lanie say this, her gazended on Tommy. "Tommy, are you also participating in the mathpetition?" The city''s mathpetitions all took ce during the same time frame, but they were divided by grades, so there might be a day or two of difference. She remembered Tommy''s math teacher had mentioned this during the parent-teacher meeting before. Luke thought the kids did not need to attend such training, so he talked to the math teacher about it. However, the math teacher expressed the hope that Tommy could participate in thepetition, and Luke agreed back then. Chapter 2990 Since Lanie was going to participate in the mathpetition, Tommy should too. Tommy nodded and said, ¡°Yes, Ms. Luca. I want topete too, but the teacher said I''d have to wait until next week because mypetition date is different from Lanie''s." "Okay." Luca nodded. They did not have to worry much as parents because the kids were smart. "Lanie and Tommy are so smart." Rainie could not help but sigh as she was not as skilled in mathematics as her brothers. Although her grades were not bad, the mathpetition was too advanced for her. Her teachers were aware of that, so they did not ask her to participate in mathpetitions. Instead, she joined other types ofpetitions, including dance. Tommy shook his head and genuinely praised Rainie, "You''re the smart one, Rainie. You''ve joined so manypetitions. Lanie and I don''t have nearly as many awards as you." "You always know what to say. I still have some snacks from yesterday that I haven''t finished yet. I''ll give them to youter." Rainie was pleased to hear what he said, so she wanted to reward him with food. There was nothing Tommy liked more than delicious food, so he nodded repeatedly with beaming ck pupils. Rainie was then reminded of how he had overstuffed himself yesterday, so she warned him, "Don''t have them all at once and overstuff yourself." "Don''t worry, Rainie. I''ll never overeat again!" Tommy raised one hand as if he were swearing, but he secretly thought to himself, ''Mom''s cooking is an exception.'' Tommy''s gestures and words made the whole familyugh. After dinner, Luke went upstairs to deal with work, while Luca sat in the first-floor living room with the kids as they watched cartoons. In the meantime, she checked their homework. Luca did not have time to pack up her documents because Johann called her right after she got off work, so she left empty-handed. Luca wanted to bring her documents back, but they were still on her desk and in aplete mess. When she was done checking the kids'' homework, she did not want to disturb Luke. Since the kids already knew her identity, she signed Luke''s name on their homework on his behalf. After giving the books back to the kids, she opened up their handwriting copybooks. Luca could tell what the children were feeling from their handwriting. It seemed like all three of them were not very focused when writing. It looked like it was written impatiently because they were worried about her. Luca knew how they felt, so she did notment on it. Instead, she praised them, ¡°Your handwriting is so neat." Tommy smiled and took the copybook from Luca as he said, "Ms. Luca, I realized that practicing my handwriting is not that hard. I''ll keep on practicing in the future!" Luca knew that the child only said so because he liked hearing praise from her. How could yful children like them be dly willing to practice their handwriting? However, it was important to encourage children, so Luca nodded. "Great, keep it up, Tommy. From now on, everyone is going topliment your handwriting!" Tommy nodded in agreement. Just then, the cartoon was starting, so the kids diverted their attention to the television. Then, the doorbell rang, and before Luca could even stand up, she heard Rainie uttering, "Could it be Uncle Louis?" "Did Uncle Louis get kicked out by Grandma again?" Tommy added. Luca smiled wryly at how much the kids loved their Uncle Louis. Then, she stood up and said, "That''s enough. If it really is Uncle Louis, you''d better watch your words." "We know, Ms. Luca. We won''t embarrass him," said Tommy as he yfully stuck out his tongue. Luca smiled as she walked toward the video phone, and sure enough, it was Louis. However, there was someone next to him this time. Luca took a closer look, and it was Yuri. She opened the gate and told the kids, "It''s your uncle and aunt." When Tommy heard that, he quickly asked, "Is Thea there?" Then, Luca shook her head. "I don''t see her, so she should be at home." Tommy nodded and continued to watch the cartoon show. He liked Uncle Louis, but not Thea because of her personality. He always thought that she was unfriendly, so he did not like ying with her very much.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Thea would y with them asionally, but the more they yed together, the gloomier she looked as if they were bullying her. That was why Tommy did not like her. The reason he asked was because he was worried that Thea woulde. If that was the case, he was willing to give up the cartoon show and go into his room to say that he was sleeping just so he could avoid her. Luca ced two pairs of disposable slippers on the ground as she stood at the entrance, waiting for Louis and Yuri. Louis quickly walked in, holding Yuri''s hand as he greeted Luca with a smile on his face. "Ms. Luca, I''m so sorry to bother you again." Luca smiled and shook her head, failing to understand what he meant. "Mr. Louis, are you looking for Mr. Crawford?" She thought that if Louis wasing over to stay the night, he probably would not have brought Yuri. She did not think that he got kicked out again this time. ¡°Yes, I came to talk to my brother about something. He should be home, right?" Louis asked as they both changed into the slippers. "Yes, he''s working upstairs," said Luca, pointing upstairs with a smile. "Alright, I''ll go up then." Then, Louis looked at Yuri and asked, "Do you want to go up with me, or do you want to sit here for a while?" Yuri noticed that the kids were watching cartoons. If she were to stay down here, not only did she have to chat with the children, but she would have to talk to Luca too. She had nothing to say to her. Thus, she immediately decided. "I''ll go up with you. It''s not like I can''t listen to what you have to say to your brother." "Sure." Louis did not try to talk her into staying even though his intention was to have Yuri sit downstairs and chat with Luca. Although Yuri still did not know about Luca''s true identity, they were still a family. It was not good to keep a distance. When Luca revealed her true identity in the future, she would still be their sister-inw. Things would be much easier if the sisters-inw were closer. Luca watched as Louis and Yuri went upstairs while she sat back on the sofa. Tommy heard their conversation and muttered, "So, Uncle Louis wasn''t kicked out?" Luca flicked his little head. "Why do you ask?" "I just think that Uncle Louis is fun to y with. If he was kicked out, I could sneak into his room again tomorrow. Uncle Louis is a heavy sleeper, so I could draw a turtle on his face... Hehe..." Tommy giggled mischievously. Lanie listened to his brother''s prank idea and warned him, "If you do that, Daddy will scold you. He might even ask you to draw a hundred turtles on paper." Chapter 2991 A hundred turtles! Suddenly, in Tommy''s mind appeared an image of Luke handing Tommy a stack of paper and a pen. He was asking him to draw a hundred turtles. He quickly shook his head and said, ¡°I don''t want to draw a hundred turtles. It''s not fun!" Everyone around himughed at his words. "That''s why you can''t be so yful. Uncle Louis is an elder, and he''s Daddy''s younger brother, so we have to respect him." Rainie educated her brother again. She found that she enjoyed doing so as she felt like she could better fulfill her role as a sister that way. Tommy could not help but mutter, "Then, howe you and Lanie could bully Uncle Louis this morning?" "How is that bullying? I just woke him up," Rainie emphasized as she nced at Lanie. "Well..." Tommy seemed to be deep in thought as his gaze fell upon Luca. "You have to respect your uncle," Luca echoed, reaffirming what Rainie said. Rainie smiled widely at Luca''s words and patted Tommy''s head as she said, "You may not listen to what I say, but you must listen to what Ms. Luca says." "Fine, I''ll respect Uncle Louis!" Tommy had no choice but to obey. When he saw the little treats in front of him, he thought to himself that he should give Louis some when he came down as an apology for not respecting him before! Tommy suppressed his greed at the thought of the little treats and averted his gaze toward the television screen, lest he could not stop helping himself to another piece. The fewer the pieces meant the lesser his sincerity! Meanwhile, upstairs. Luke looked at Louis and Yuri with slight frustration, especially after Louis told him the reason they came. "Brother, you have to help me. If I still can''t go back, it''ll be a hassle for Thea to go to school from her grandma''s house." Louis and Yuri frowned deeply. After being kicked out of the house by Susan again that day, he decided to live with Yuri''s family for the time being. The Dunn family had a big house, and they were wee to stay a few days there, so leaving the house was not a big deal to Louis. It was not until Louis and Yuri talked that night that they decided toe see Luke. Yuri had siblings too, so they could not stay there for long. Not to mention, the Dunn family''s house was far from Thea''s school, so they would have to get up an hour earlier than usual to send her to school. It was okay for the adults to miss an hour of sleep, but it was not okay for children. Kids already had a tough time in school, and an extra hour of sleep would do wonders for their concentration in ss. After the couple had discussed it, they decided to ask for Luke''s help and have him ask Susan to return to the manor. Louis insisted on sticking to his career, so it was probably not a good idea for him to live with Susan for the time being. Otherwise, he would have to endure her criticisms every single day. Louis had a good temper, but even he had his limits, so arguments were inevitable. ¡°Juste back to T Corporation. I''ll give you a position. You won''t even have toe to work. You can just manage your ownpany." Luke knew what he was going through, but he did not want to burden Old Master Crawford with this issue. It was not easy for Old Master Crawford to have finally found peace. If Susan went back home, his peace would be gone. Since Susan''s ultimate goal was to have Louis return to T Corporation, he could just make it happen. Louis shook his head. "No way. I can''t just fill up a position without doing anything. No matter what position you give me, if she finds out that I''m not actually working for T Corporation, she would make noise again. So..." Yuri originally thought that Luke''s idea could work, but Louis'' words reminded her that if Susan grew suspicious, she would go to great lengths to find out the truth. If they did this just to appease her, it would only be a temporary solution. They did not want just a moment of peace. "Hm..." It crossed Luke''s mind too, but right now, the only way for Louis and Yuri to find peace without disturbing Old Master Crawford was for them to move out. Louis had two start-ups before, and the family was supportive the first time. Both he and Susan had invested money to support him. However, Louis trusted his partner too much and got cheated, so all the money they invested was gone. His current business venture was much more sessful as he had learned from his previous mistakes. Moreover, he did not receive any support from his family this time¡ªnot even Susan. Even if Luke wanted to invest, he refused to let him do so. He wanted to start this business entirely with his own money. Most of his capital came from selling real estate, so other than the mansion next door, Louis and Yuri had no other property. Susan was living in that mansion, and because of the disagreements between mother and son, Louis refused to go back as that would be sacrificing his peace. Then, Luke asked, "So, you just want to make sure your mother won''t give you trouble?" "Yes, and I can''t think of any other way besides sending her back to the manor. We can''t stay in a hotel either because of Thea''s condition." They could afford to stay at a hotel, but the child psychiatrist suggested that Thea should stay in a home environment as much as possible because it would make her feel safe. Although a hotel wasfortable, it was not a home. Then, Luke stood up to open the safe in the corner as if the couple were not there. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Louis was taken aback by his actions, so he turned his head away to not look at him opening the safe. Yuri did not want to arouse suspicion, so she copied Louis and looked toward the door. After opening the safe, Luke flipped through several property deeds. He gave it some thought and eventually picked out a deed for an apartment building near the school. He looked at the deed again and saw that it was a four-bedroom and two-living room apartment, which was just right for Louis'' family. It had a separate study room, as well as a maid''s room so that the maid could take care of the house when they were busy. Plus, the apartment was in the same district as Thea''s school. Luke wanted to just give the house to Louis, but he did not want to hurt his pride. Thus, as his brother, all he could do was offer help. Luke put the other property deeds back before handing that one in particr to Louis. "What''s..." Louis looked at the deed in shock. ¡°This apartment is near Thea''s school. If I remember correctly, it''s just a ten-minute walk away. Both of you can stay here with the kid, so it''s convenient for you to send Thea to school. "You can get a maid from the manorter. It has four bedrooms and two living rooms, so It''s enough for all of you. It''s also fully furnished, so you can just move in with your bags," Luke exined as he sat back in his seat. Chapter 2992 Louis was surprised when he heard this. He shook his head repeatedly and said, "No, Brother. This is your apartment, how could I..." "This is a property developed by T Corporation. I bought a unit. It was actually meant for you from the start. But Grandpa arranged a vi next door for you after that. So, the apartment was temporarily left in my hands," exined Luke. "If you''re down with it, just take it. If not, consider it a gift for Thea. Once she''s 18, I''ll hand the property to her." Louis was greatly shocked. Houses and properties were never a big deal for the Crawford family as everyone owned several of them. Even Susan, with a few vis and apartments under her name, had not moved into any of them. She used them for investment or rental purposes instead. Louis was an exception, having sold all his properties to fund his business for thepany. Otherwise, he would not be in such a mess now. "Even if it''s for Thea, that¡¯s future business.." Louis initially wanted to decline, but he considered that it was meant for Thea. It was up to Thea herself whether to ept or not. As a father, he did not feel right making decisions on behalf of his daughter. "If you find it hard to ept, just pay some rent each month. How about a thousand dors?" Luke knew what he was thinking. Even though they were brothers, being half-siblings did make a difference. Louis did not want people to say he seeded only because of his brother. That was why he was drawing a line on these little matters. Louis felt like he was dreaming. Did he hear it wrong? In A City, a rental of a thousand dors was only possible in the outskirts. The school Thea attended was a prestigious one, and the rental and selling prices of the properties around it were proportional to its reputation. Getting a four-bedroom apartment for a thousand dors was unbelievable in that area. Louis wanted to say that this would be taking advantage of Luke. However, before he could voice his rejection, Yuri epted it. "Luke, thank you." Luke shook his head and replied, "Louis, we''re brothers. I''d be happy if you coulde to me when you''re in trouble. I know the solution isn''t what you expected. I''m sorry." Louis looked at the apartment ess card in his hand and shook his head, "Brother..." He did not want to disturb Old Master Mallory''s peace, but if there was another solution, he would not have taken this route. Properties near Thea''s school were difficult to rent. Especially now, when it was not at the beginning or end of the year. There were almost no vacant houses. Besides, if people found out he was renting, it would affect the Crawford family. That was why Louis thought of having Susan return to Crawford Manor. Now, Luke provided him with a new solution. A thousand dors was not much of a burden for him. He was hesitant to ept it, but since Yuri had agreed, saying anything more would seem overly sensitive. "It''s up to you whether you''re telling Grandpa about this or not. If you need any help, just call me," said Luke. He could not intervene in Louis'' matters. Thus, the best he could do was offer them a ce to stay. "Alright." Louis nced at the files on Luke''s desk. They were both busy men. Luke had a lot to deal with in hispany. Louis rose to his feet and said, "Thanks, Brother. I''ll move in tomorrow." "I''ll have the maid head there first tomorrow. Just let me know if you need anything." Luke had already arranged for a maid to help him. He had to choose a maid with experience taking care of kids. "There''s nothing much to prepare. Yuri has already packed Thea''s stuff today. I''ll return to Crawford Manor tomorrow and talk to Grandpa about it. Then, I''ll pack some of the clothes I have at Crawford Manor to bring over," replied Louis. He could not have Luke to help with more of his matters. After all, it was his own family matter. How could he let Luke worry about it? Moreover, what Luke said also reminded him that even though he did not have to ask for help from Old Master Crawford now, he had toy it out straight with him. Otherwise, if something happened in the future, exining it to Old Master Crawford would be a real headache. The old master hated being kept in the dark the most. "Okay. Go ahead and choose a maid. Thea is still young, so pick someone who has experience with taking care of Lanie and Rainie," suggested Luke. Lanie and Rainie were born when Louis was not married yet, and he still lived in Crawford Manor then. Hence, he knew which maid had taken good care of them. "Alright. Thank you, Brother. Yuri and I will leave you to your work," replied Louis as he stood up with Yuri. "Sure." Luke indeed had work to do. Recently, with everything going on with Luca, he did not have a chance to address many of the documents. Louis kept the property ess card and headed downstairs. He saw the three kids and Luca sitting on the sofa, watching cartoons. The warm and harmonious atmosphere left him unable to resist a twinge of envy. He had not felt such warmth in a long time ever since he lived with Susan. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Tommy heard footsteps, turned around, and saw Louis. He jumped off the sofa, picked up the te of desserts on the coffee table, and walked over to him. "Uncle Louis." Louis happily stroked the child''s head. "Hey. What''s up?" "These desserts are for you." Tommy generously offered the te. "For me?" Louis was puzzled. "Why?" "I want to apologize to you for bullying you, Uncle Louis. I''m really sincere about it!" exined Tommy before respectfully bowing to Louis. "I''m sorry, Uncle Louis. As a junior, I''ll respect you more in the future." Louis was dumbfounded and turned to look at Luca. She was smiling, but she did not stop Tommy. Louis withdrew his gaze and looked at the child. Under Tommy''s eager gaze, he had no choice but to take the te and reply, "Okay, okay. I forgive you." As a matter of fact, Louis did not think the child did anything wrong. After all, kids were mischievous. When Lanie and Rainie were Tommy''s age, they often ''bullied'' him too. "Yay, Uncle Louis forgave me!" Tommy made a victory gesture toward the others on the sofa. Louis shook his head with a wry smile. He took Yuri''s hand, sat on the sofa, tasted the desserts with the kids, and then left. Inside the car, the atmosphere hung heavy with tension. Yuri nced at Louis and asked, "What''s the deal with Luca?" "How should I know?" Louis replied absentmindedly. He did know. She was Luca, after all, but Luke had told him not to tell the others. Hence, Louis had to pretend he did not know. After all, it seemed like dealing with Luca''s situation was not going to be an easy fix. Chapter 2993 "You kept staring at her just now." Yuri''s tone was a bit sour. When they sat on the sofa, she went along with Louis, but she believed her observations were sharp. Louis sensed Yuri''s jealousy and replied helplessly, "I don''t have any intentions like that. Making eye contact while speaking is simply a polite gesture. Besides, Ms. Craw is my brother''s woman. What kind of thoughts are in your head?" Yuri gave a little scoff under her breath. "Yes, Bianca went abroad, and this woman took her ce right away. She''s got some pretty cunning moves." Yuri knew that Louis used to be a yboy before he got married, but he toned it down after marriage. However, she was always worried and observant because of his past. Whenever she noticed that he was looking at other women for too long, she could not help but feel sour. Even in a situation like just now, with Luca being Luke¡¯s mistress, she still could not help but feel jealous. Louis furrowed his brows when he heard what Yuri said. It sounded dangerous. If she insisted on being hostile to Luca out of jealousy, their rtionship might be ruined after Luca¡¯s situation was resolved. "Let¡¯s stop talking about Brother''s matters." Louis could not tell her that Luca¡¯s true identity was Bianca. He could only advise her. However, Yuri could not help but feel a twinge of bitterness as she listened to what he said. She felt like he was speaking up for Luca. "I told you before. If she''s able to seduce Brother, she''s no ordinary woman. Even the typical rich kids don''t meet her standards. Be careful and don''t get ahead of yourself,¡± warned Yuri. She knew that even if Louis was a yboy, he would never mess with Luke''s woman. Still, she could not help but feel a pang of jealousy. Louis mmed on the brakes. Yuri, who was not paying attention, lurched forward, and then fell back onto the seat. "Are you crazy? Why did you m on the brakes for no reason?" "You''ve been going on about this the entire way. Why''s the green-eyed monster so strong in women? You''re saying I have intentions? What exactly do you think I''m up to? Tell me." Louis'' face turned dark. He was not usually short-tempered. He usually let things go after exining once or twice. However, Yuri stubbornly kept the topic on Luca. He could not understand why Yuri was so jealous or what benefit there was for their family if she turned against Luca. After all, they already had their own families. Even though Luke and he were brothers, after starting their own lives, they were not as close as they were before. Therefore, he was afraid that Yuri would pick a fight for no reason. The streetlights shone on the car''s windshield, letting in a bit of light. Even though it was unclear, Yuri could feel his face darkening. She wanted to say something more, but judging from her past experiences, they would likely argue all the way back home if she continued. Her parents were generally satisfied with Louis as their son-inw. Even when the couple argued, they sided with Louis. If they really argued and went home like this, she would probably be lectured by her parents. Yuri suppressed the urge to cause trouble unreasonably. She looked out of the car window. When it was time to concede, she still knew how to give in. Thus, she said, "I''m not trying to cause trouble. It''s just because I care about you too much." Louis let out a sigh helplessly. What she said about caring too much made it difficult for him to say anything. He started the car engine and replied, ¡°Cut out those messy thoughts." "Do you think I want this? It''s all because of Mother. Look, she keeps bringing up Brother and Luca''s matter these days. It''s making me so sensitive. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have started thinking in that direction." Yuri brought up Susan, a move that always worked. Susan had been constantly talking about Luke and Luca''s affair recently. Louis was well aware of it. He had talked to her a couple of times, but Susan never listened. Therefore, he gave up. Louis continued driving toward the Dunn family''s ce. At the thought of the conversation with Luke just now, he said, "When Brother offered us a thousand dors to rent the ce, you didn''t hesitate to snatch it up. Isn''t that crossing the line a little?¡± "I knew you were embarrassed. That''s why I answered him. Do you think Brother needs to collect rental fees? He''s got so many properties, and I''ve never seen him rent one out to anyone. Those ces are just sitting empty. "He just wants to help us. If it wasn''t because of your pride, he might have just handed us the house directly." Yuri was not shallow-minded either. She did not care much about an apartment unit. Otherwise, when Louis sold the houses to gather startup capital, she would definitely have had something to say. However, she did not care about these things back then, and she cared even less now. It was a goodwill gesture from Luke. He was worried about hurting Louis'' pride. That was why he brought up the rent. A thousand dors was not much. Yuri did not want to see the brothers pushing each other away. Therefore, she agreed to it. "Both of you are siblings, after all. You''re not at a negotiation table. Brother set a condition, so just agree to it." N?velDrama.Org ? content. Louis was rendered speechless by her words. Of course, he knew Luke was not concerned about that thousand dors in rent. Louis sighed at the thought of Luke helping him. He replied "Alright. I won''t go to the office tomorrow. We''ll move in right away. Don''t bring the clothes from the vi. Take the ones from Crawford Manor. Wait a couple of days until Mom''s cooled off a bit, then go back and bring the clothes over." "Why should I go?" Yuri did not want to run into Susan''s line of fire. "Won''t it make her even angrier if I go back?" Louis did not want to go either. If Yuri went back, she could say a few kind words to calm her down. If he went back, Susan''s anger that had finally settled would blow up again "Fine. She''s your mother, but you don''t even dare to face her and you want me to face her. Let''s wait until next week. Luckily, I''ve already sent Thea''s school supplies to my parents'' ce yesterday, so there''s no need to go back and get them." Yuri''s words were filled with reluctance. After all, Susan could be terrifying when angry. As her daughter-inw, Yuri dared not to approach her when she was in a bad mood to avoid being scolded. Susan was dissatisfied with her because she had not given birth to a second child these years. Every time she got angry with Louis, Yuri might end up being scolded as well if she said a few words. Yuri felt helpless. It was not that she did not want a second child. Louis felt it was not the right time. Thea''s situation was not that good either. It was not the right time for them to get a second child. After all, if they really had a second child, they would undoubtedly focus all their energy on the newborn, and the elder one would naturally be neglected. That would not be good for Thea''s mental health. Yuri knew her daughter''s situation. That was why she agreed with Louis and put the n for a second child on hold. However, Susan could not be bothered about it. She insisted on them having a second child. She imed that if they did, she was willing to wholeheartedly take care of the younger one, and Thea could still stay with them. Whenever she was in a bad mood or when she argued with Louis, she would bring up the topic of having a second child about 80% of the time. That was why Yuri did not want to touch Susan''s nerves. Chapter 2994 After the cartoon show ended, Luca urged the three children to go upstairs to wash up and rest. Today, the kids were in high spirits and did not listen to her. They chattered around Luca for more than ten minutes until Luke came downstairs and gave them a look. Only then did they reluctantly go upstairs to wash up. "The kids are excited today," exined Luca. "Yes, I know," replied Luke. He nced at the time after he finished work and realized it waste. He noticed that Luca and the kids had not gone upstairs yet. He assumed Louis and Yuri had not left. Therefore, he went downstairs to check on them, only to find out it was the kids'' excitement that kept them downstairs. Luca nced at the time, smiled, and approached him. Grabbing his arm, she said, "Let''s go upstairs. We need to keep an eye on the kids tonight. Otherwise, they''ll be too excited to sleep." "Sure. Let''s go," replied Luke as he held her soft hand. They made their way up the stairs together. Having already revealed her true identity to the kids, Luca did not feel awkward about such intimate gestures. The affection between parents was beneficial for a child''s growth. When they came to the second floor, Luca exchanged nces with Luke and said, "I''d like to freshen up.¡± "Okay." Luke let go of her hand. After he watched her enter the master bedroom, he went into the opposite room, nning to freshen up as well. After all, today was an important day for the two of them. Despite already knowing that Luca''s true identity was Bianca, today''s confession was their true reunion as husband and wife. Luke took off his watch, ced it in the disy cab, and then picked up his phone. Something came across his mind, and he opened the photo gallery. Thetest photos were the ones Luca had sent him. They were photos of their precious little daughter. Luca told him that she had not named the child yet. She only gave her a nickname¡ªN. Luke let out a soft chuckle and touched the phone screen. N resembled Luca a lot and also looked a lot like Rainie when she was little. "Don''t worry, Daddy will get you out safely and show you this beautiful world.¡± Luke quietly made a promise as he looked at the photo. Even though Luca did not say anything about it, he knew that a child''s life on the Ind of Despair could not be good. The Ind of Despair was underground, where there were no seasons. There were no melodies of birds and the fragrance of flowers... Such an environment was definitely not suitable for a child''s growth. As a father, Luke had more thoughts about rescuing his daughter after knowing that she was stuck on the Ind of Despair. He put away his phone and walked into the bathroom. After freshening up in the master bedroom, Luca sat in front of the dressing table. She dried her hair and applied skincare products. Then came the sound of knocking. "Come in," said Luca as she turned to look at the door. She saw Rainiee in. Then, she smiled and asked, "Why aren''t you in bed yet?" "Ms. Luca, can I sleep with you tonight?" Rainie blinked her eyes eagerly. They were shimmering with anticipation. Even though the children could not change the way they addressed her yet, today was a good day for the children as it was the first day their mother was back with them. Rainie wished that she could fall asleep in her embrace. "But..." Before Luca could finish her words, Luke''s voice came from outside the door. "No. Go sleep in your own room." Rainie turned around to look at Luke, tilting her head gently. "Daddy, I want to sleep with Ms. Luca tonight. Let me borrow her for one night, and I''ll give her back to you tomorrow!" It had been years since she slept with her mother, and she really missed the warmth of her embrace. Luke still shook his head even after his daughter pleaded with him. Today was special for the kids, but it was also a special day for him. Luca must be by his side tonight. "Daddy." Rainie cooed, confident that her sweet talk would surely work its magic. "You''re a big girl now. You should sleep on your own," replied Luke sternly. "Daddy''s being really possessive, but Ms. Luca is not only yours!" Rainieined in a low voice. She pouted her pink lips, which Tommy often did. "She''s my wife, so she''s mine alone." Luke insisted on keeping Luca by his side. He could endure any time but not tonight. Rainie wanted to protest, but then she heard him say, "Where would you be without us?" She understood what he meant. If it were not for the couple, there would not be her and her siblings. Knowing that begging Luke would not work, Rainie looked at Luca pitifully. "Just for tonight. I want to sleep with Ms. Luca." Luke felt helpless when he saw his daughter insisting on snatching his woman. How he wished he could just grab her cor, pick her up, put her outside, close the door, and let her go back to her room to sleep. However, Rainie was his daughter, and it did not seem right to do so. If it were Lanie and Tommy causing a ruckus, he would have easily lifted them and sent them back to their room like they were little chicks. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. As Luca watched the father and daughter debating over who she would spend the night with, she could not help but curl her lips. She said, "The bed is big enough. Rainie can sleep here tonight." "Yay!" Rainie cheered, pping her hands. At the same time, she looked up at Luke, dering her victory. It seemed like neither of them lost, but Luke knew he had lost. He looked disapprovingly at Luca, expressing his dissatisfaction. Children naturally clung to their mothers, and he understood that. Still, Rainie arguing with him over his wife at this time was not right. "Alright. Rainie, go get your pillow." Luca deliberately ignored Luke''s mournful look. If the child wanted to be close to her, there was no way she could refuse. Rainie nodded, turned around, and left the master bedroom. She returned to her room, grabbed her pillow, and then bounced happily back to the master bedroom. Luke looked at the door, watching his daughter enter with excitement. There was nothing he could do tonight. He looked helpless. However, Rainie was his daughter, and it seemed there was nothing he could do. If Rainie fell asleep, perhaps he could move her backter? It seemed like a good idea, but Luca might not allow it. Luke had no choice but to ept his fate at the thought of this. Rainie ced the pillow on the bed and then turned to her parents. "Mommy, Daddy, which side should I sleep on?" Luca answered, "Sleep in the middle of the bed." "Okay, great!" As soon as Rainie finished speaking, Luke said, "The bed is big enough. You can sleep on the left or right side." He still wanted to cuddle with his wife while sleeping. If the child slept in the middle, how could he hold Luca in his arms? There was nothing much he could do, but could he at least hold her while sleeping? Did he have to be separated from Luca just because the child wanted to sleep with them? Luca frowned disapprovingly at him. "Rainie shouldn''t sleep on the side. What if she rolls off the bed?" Luke wanted to tell her that Rainie was not the type to roll around while sleeping, but when he saw the disapproving look on Luca''s face, he had no choice but to remain silent. Chapter 2995 Luca got Luke wrapped around her finger for sure. Before Luca confessed her identity, she used to be a bit cautious when she talked to him. Now, it was all out in the open. She had admitted her true identity, and things were just like before¡ªexcept Luke felt like there was a slight decline in the position he held in her heart. It seemed that the kids were ahead of him now. As Rainie watched how her mother had his father wrapped around her finger, she grinned from ear to ear. Shey in the middle of the bed, iming it for the night. Her mother and father would be on her left and right. She wondered if her brothers would envy her once they found out! When Luca saw Rainie lying down on the bed, she sat back in front of the dressing table. She applied skincare products on her face and dried her hair. "Rainie, mind if I finish drying my hair before we go to sleep?" "Sure, Ms. Luca. No problem!" Rainie smiled, ready to climb down from the bed. "Ms. Luca, let me help you dry your hair!" "I''ve got it.¡± Luke was not nning to let his daughter take over his job. He grabbed the hairdryer, set it to the right temperature, and started drying Luca''s hair. His long fingers gently lift her silky hair, letting the warm air reach the roots and flow down, leaving her hair smooth. Luca looked at herself and Luke in the mirror. She suddenly had this illusion that days like these would continue for decades toe. She hoped Luke would not find it troublesome to dry her hair in the years toe. Luca wanted to ask if Luke would help her to dry her hair for a lifetime. However, with Rainie present, she refrained from asking such an embarrassing question. After all, only young couples would ask such things. She was already the mother of four of Luke''s children. She was no longer young. It was her luck to still be loved and cherished by him. Luca smiled. After her hair was dried, shey down on the right side of Rainie. Rainie immediately snuggled into Luca''s arms, sweetly smiling with a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Daddy, please turn off the lights." A hint of helplessness shed across Luke''s eyes when he watched his wife being imed by their daughter. He sat on the edge of the bed and turned off the lights. The bed wasrge. It did not feel cramped at all with two adults and a child. However, Luke felt ufortable. He felt like Rainie had taken his mostfortable pillow, leaving him mercilessly relegated to the edge. The dignified CEO of T Corporation and the heir to the Crawford family felt an unprecedented sense of frustration. Hey in bed, and he just could not fall asleep no matter what. He wanted to move to Luca''s side. He could only sleep peacefully when she was by his side. Luke quietly made his decision. Once he heard Rainie''s steady breathing, he sat up straight and nced over at Luca''s side. Luca was starting to feel a bit sleepy at this point, but she did not fall asleep as easily as the child. Still, she looked at Luke, with her eyes half-closed, wondering what he was up to. To her surprise, he slightly leaned down and gently shifted Rainie to the side. "What are you doing?" Luca asked in a soft voice, not understanding why he did such a thing. "I can''t sleep without you in my arms. Darling, you wouldn''t want me to be sleepless all night, would you?" asked Luke as he picked up his pillow and moved it to the other side of the bed. The remaining space was just right for him to lie down. Without asking Luca to shift toward the center, he simply set down his pillow and prepared to lie down. Luca could only shift to the middle when she saw what he did, making more space for him. "What if Rainie identally falls offter if we let her sleep on the side?" "Rainie isn''t like Tommy and Lanie. She sleeps well, and she won''t fall off the bed. Don''t worry," replied Luke. If Rainie were still a five-year-old, he might be able to tolerate it, but she was a big girl now. He insisted on sleeping with Luca. Hey down, pulling Luca into his arms. "Hey, you..." Luca was left speechless by his actions. She was worried about waking Rainie if he continued. She had no choice but to go along with his actions. She figured she could handle a slightly lighter sleep at night to take care of Rainie. Luke pulled Luca into his arms. Even though he could not do what he wanted, he felt satisfied. He closed his eyes and said in a low voice, "Go to sleep. Don''t worry about Rainie. She won''t fall off the bed." Luca pursed her lips helplessly. It seemed that their daughter was less important now. It turned out Luke was really... She thought Rainie was daddy''s little girl, especially since the two sons were usually punished more severely when their daughter would only get a gentle scolding. Now, it seemed like their daughter was no longer his top priority. In Luke''s heart, the person he valued most was Luca... Rainie had no idea that Luke moved her while she was asleep. When she woke up, she realized she was no longer in the middle. She just thought she must have rolled to the side while sleeping restlessly. Since Luke was already up, she only saw Luca beside her when she woke up. Luca smiled and touched her fair and soft little face. "Rainie, are you awake?" "Yes, I''m up!" Rainie gave her a sweet smile. It felt great waking up to her mother! "How was your sleepst night?" asked Luca. Even though Rainie did not wake upst night, kids could feel uneasy sleeping in an unfamiliar ce This uneasy feeling sometimes manifested in bedwetting, other times in insomnia or vivid dreams with midnight awakenings. "I had a good night''s sleep. Sleeping with Ms. Luca wasforting and cozy. This bed isfy too." Rainie was the sweetest talker. Rainie finally understood why her younger brother always wanted to sleep with Luca when he was younger. Sleeping in her mother''s arms was the mostforting. Rainie hoped that she could continue sleeping with Luca, but she knew she was not allowed to do so because of her father. "Ms. Luca, what time is it?" asked Rainie. "It''s already 7:05 am," answered Luca as she picked up her phone and checked the time. "I''ll go back and get ready for school." Rainie got up, stretchedzily, grabbed her pillow, and headed out of the bedroom. Before she returned to her room, she bumped into Tommy, who wasing out of his bedroom. "Rainie, why are you..." Tommy saw Rainie holding her pillow and realized that she was going back to her room. Did she sleep with their parentsst night? "Did you sleep in the master bedroomst night?" asked Tommy. "Yes, I slept with Ms. Luca. Oh, and Daddy too," answered Rainie, making it a bragging point. After all, Lanie was more mature and would not pay much attention to her showing off. However, Tommy was different. She loved to see him being envious of her. Especially since he took away a good amount of their mother''s love when he was younger! "Wow, I''d like to sleep in Ms. Luca''s room too! Tonight..." Before Tommy could finish his words, Rainie threw a wrench in his ns. "Daddy made it clear that this is a one-time thing. No more after this."N?velDrama.Org ? content. Chapter 2996 Tommy heard it and immediately eximed, "Ah!" He sounded a little annoyed. "Rainie, why didn''t you tell mest night? I want to sleep with Mo¡ªMs. Luca too!" He almost blurted out the word ''Mom''. He patted his chest and let out a quiet sigh of relief when he saw that no one was around. Fortunately, no one heard him. It seemed that what their mother said yesterday made sense. They needed to be cautious. "You almost said it out again." Rainie heard it clearly. "We need to be more careful." Tommy stuck out his tongue and replied, "I got it, Rainie. I''m really jealous of you. You''re Daddy''s only biological child, aren''t you?" "What nonsense!" Rainieughed, hugging a pillow as she walked back to her room. "Daddy allowed you to sleep with them, but he never lets me sleep with Ms. Luca," grumbled Tommy, following her like a little duckling. Even though he was a boy, he had always been a mama''s boy since he was little. However, their father always told him that he could not keep clinging to their mother all the time. He would end up as a mama''s boy, and the other kids would tease him. Boys should be brave and sleep on their own. That way, they would grow up to be strong and independent young men. Therefore, Tommy, even at a young age, had to choose between clinging to his mother and bing a tough man. Actually, their father did not give him a choice. If he showed any sign of wanting to cling to his mother, his father would pick him up and send him back to his room. Their father had always been like this, insisting that the children slept on their own at night instead of sleeping with their mother. Tommy could not help but feel even more bummed when he saw the smile on Rainie''s face. "Rainie, can you bring me along the next time you sleep with Ms. Luca? We''ll each take one side." Tommy negotiated again. Rainie wanted to tell him that unless their father was away on a business trip, there was no way she would have another chance to sleep with their mother. However, when she saw the hopeful expression in her brother''s eyes, she could not bring herself to crush his hopes. She nodded and replied, "Okay, I''ll call you along next time." "Rainie, you''re awesome! All my snacks are yours from now on!" Tommy eximed excitedly. The only things the kids shared among them were their snacks and toys. He knew Rainie did not like his toys. That was why he generously offered to share his snacks. "Keep them to yourself. I don''t need them. Alright, I''m going to freshen up and change. You''d better hurry up and go downstairs," said Rainie. She put the pillow back on her bed and opened the closet to grab her school uniform. Every afternoon, Aunt Neile would put their school uniforms on the far left of the closet. Rainie easily found and took hers down. Tommy nodded, left the room, and closed the door behind him. After freshening up and changing into her school uniform, Rainie walked out of the room and ran into Luca, who was also ready after washing up. Rainie happily went up and held her hand. Luca nced down at her daughter and gave her a smile. "Let''s go downstairs for breakfast, or we''ll be late." "Okay, Ms. Luca." Rainie nodded. The mother and daughter went downstairs holding hands. Aunt Neile said with a smile on her face when she saw them, "Ms. Luca and Ms. Rainie share such a close rtionship. Just like mother and daughter." She said it unintentionally, but everyone present took note of it. Was it not right? They were really mother and daughter, even though Luca had been apart for a few years and missed out on Rainie''s early growth. However, their bond as mother and daughter had not been affected at all. It was still going strong. The mother and daughter reached the dining chairs and finally let go of each other''s hands to take their seats. Aunt Neile served breakfast. It was still burgers. They were leftovers from yesterday. She was worried they might not be enough, so she prepared some spaghetti with meatballs made from the burger patties. The three kids all expressed their desire to have some when they saw the spaghetti and meatballs. It was because the patties were seasoned by Luca and tasted really good. Even if it stayed in the fridge for a day or two, it would not affect the taste of the patties. Aunt Neile helped them with the spaghetti and meatballs. She also brought out sses of fresh milk. Their breakfast might not be as fancy, but it tasted good. After Tommy filled up his stomach, he asked, "Aunt Neile, can we have burgers every day?" "If Young Master Tommy likes it, of course, we can have it every day. But I''m afraid you might get tired of it," replied Aunt Neile with a smiling face. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Tommy shook his head, indicating that he would not get tired of it. "Burgers taste so good. I love burgers!" "It''s gettingte. Hurry up and go to school," Luke nced at the time and reminded them. The kids left at a specific time every day. If they were slightlyte, Zander would have to drive faster to avoid them from beingte, which was not safe. Therefore, Luke strictly required the kids to leave for school either on time or earlier, neverter. It was both a strict requirement and a safety measure. The three kids immediately got up from their chairs. Lanie looked at his parents and said, "Daddy, Ms. Luca, we''re off to school." "Alright, pay attention in ss," Luca smiled and reminded them. After the three kids left, Luke said, "I''ve already talked to Lanie''s teacher. After this semester, we''ll let Lanie take an eleration exam. If his results are good, he might enter junior high." "Junior high..." Luca thought for a moment, then nodded. Lanie was tall, and he was the tallest in his ss, but his face was still young, simr to his peers. If he entered junior high, aside from his face not quite resembling a junior high student yet, his height was enough to help him fit in. No one would dare to bully Lanie even if he skipped grades and entered junior high, especially with Luke''s influence. Sending the child to junior high was a good idea. This way, it would not be a waste of time for him. Considering how intelligent Lanie was, continuing to study in elementary school would be a waste of time. "What grade could he skip to?" asked Luca. "Probably ninth grade," Luke pondered for a moment. Considering the curriculum for ninth grade, Lanie should not have much trouble with it. Lanie''s self-study skills were strong. After finishing his homework, he sometimes read extracurricr books or books rted to his studies. If he could not understand something, he would make a note and ask Luketer. During the three years when Luca was away, the child quickly umted knowledge. Lanie had already covered the material for ninth grade. However, taking into consideration his younger sister, he had not proposed to skip a grade until now. After all, Rainie did not have his kind of advanced learning ability. Even though she got good grades, it was limited to her current grade. She was the kind of child who took it step by step in her learning. She was quite different from Lanie. "Ninth grade?" Luca raised an eyebrow. "Won''t that be too big of a leap?" "No, he''s actually quite ahead. If he jumps to ninth grade, he can participate in the high school entrance exam and hopefully get into the best high school in the city." Luke had discussed all of this with the teachers. To get into the best high school in the city, it all depended on the students'' grades. It was unlike those elite schools where money could get them in. The best high school separated sses based on students'' performance. The reason it was considered the best high school in the city was that it attracted the most outstanding students from the entire city. Hence, after discussing with Lanie''s teacher, Luke nned to have Lanie skip to ninth grade if his grades continued to excel. Chapter 2997 ¡°I see. Will it be in the same school?" Luca asked as Lanie and Rainie''s current school had elementary, middle, and high schools. "Yes. That way, it''ll be more convenient for Zander to send them and pick them up." Luke nodded. Although the elementary school was a little far from the middle school, it was closerpared to other schools. Plus, they had good teachers, so Luke had no intention of having Lanie change schools. Although it was a huge leap for Lanie to skip to ninth grade, Luca thought that it would not be that big of a deal for him because of his learning abilities. Thus, she kept quiet as Luke had always wanted the best for the children. Aunt Neile was tidying up the dishes when she said, "Young Master nche is a fast learner, and he''s very smart, so it''s good for him to skip to ninth grade. That way, he can graduate college earlier and help Mr. Crawford at work." Luca nodded as what Aunt Neile said was right. Although she hoped that the children could grow up carefreely and leave the stress of work for when they became adults, Lanie had outstanding talent. They had to respect their child''s wishes on how they wished to grow up. Luca was deep in thought as she picked up a tissue to wipe her mouth. Then, she stood up and said, "I''ll head to work now." "Okay." Then, Luke got up to leave together with her. Only after they got out of the house did Luke say, "Percy has something to do today, so if Nina calls you, let her stay at our ce for the time being." "What is he going to do?" Luca stopped in her tracks as she got worried all of a sudden. Was it going to affect Nina? Otherwise, why would she have to stay over? "Percy will tell Karen the location of that guy''s hotel," said Luke. He had told Percy to wait, but he did not think that he would be this patient. Karen had been pressuring himtely, but he still waited days before telling her. He was trying to teach Karen a lesson. Even with the new celebrity scandals, people were still invested in her past love affairs. There were no signs of the matter dying out even after the scandal between two of the hottest stars broke out. If Percy did not make a move, Luke was not going to make a move either. It was not until he received a message from Percy this morning that he had someone boost the scandal of the two stars. ¡°You mean the man that Mrs. Mallory was involved with in the past?" Luca confirmed with him. If not for Karen, she would still be hiding her true identity from Luke right now. She still did not know what to think of Karen''s revenge. Should she feel grateful or angry? Although Luca was still confused about her stance regarding what Karen did, she still did not like Karen. "Yes." Luke nodded. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "What does that have to do with Nina?" Luca was puzzled. Whether it was true or not, it was Karen''s past. It had nothing to do with Nina. Plus, Nina was not even born when Karen fell in love with that man. "Karen may take her anger out on Nina, and Percy is going on a business trip today, so he hopes that Nina can stay at our ce if that happens. Even if she does want to take it out on Nina, she won''te here out of consideration for the Crawford family," said Luke. Percy knew Karen well. He did not want to tell Karen where the man was while he was on a business trip, but he got so annoyed by her daily urging that he thought that it was time to tell her. Percy was going to take Nina with him, but she said no because she had to work at Brilliant Architectural Design LLC. Seeing how insistent she was, he had no choice but to ask Luke for help. "I got it. Why don''t you tell Mr. Mallory that Nina cane to live here whenever he''s on a business trip? Since Old Master Crawford has taken her in as his god-granddaughter, no one will say anything about it." Luca was hoping that Nina woulde over. That way, she could protect Nina and have someone to talk to at the same time. "Alright, I''ll let him know." Luke thought that it was a good idea too. If Nina could help look after the children, Luca would have more free time. Then, he would have more time to spend with her. "I''ll be going now," said Luca. "Okay, drive safe," Luke reminded her before pressing his lips on her forehead. Luca blushed as she walked out the gate. Warren was already waiting for her there, and when he saw hering, he immediately opened the door to the back seat. Then, Luca got in the car and left for the office. Mallory Manor. Karen opened her eyes when she heard her phone ring. The heat on the inte had yet to subside, and Old Master Mallory was still giving her the cold shoulder. She had not been sleeping well from the immense stress. Even though it was not enough to recharge her, she finally got an hour of shut-eye after much effort. When the phone rang, however, her mind was frantic. ¡°Which bastard is disturbing my sleep? I''m going to..." Karen''s cursing came to an abrupt stop when she saw who was calling. It was Percy. It had been days, and Percy still had not found the man. Even though Karen had been urging him nonstop, there was nothing else she could do. Besides, the person she hired could not find the person who spread those rumors. The only thing she could do was nag at Percy and her people to continue the search. Seeing as Percy was calling, Karen had a feeling that he found the man. She could not care less about being woken up from her sleep. She quickly picked up the phone. "Any news about him?" "Yes, he''s in room 407 at Kingdo Hotel." Percy sounded cold as he read the address Luke gave him to Karen "Why is he still at a hotel? Help me capture that man and take him to Mallory Manor. I''ll be there in a bit." Karen frowned as she was upset that Percy just told her his whereabouts without taking action. If he did not capture him, how was she going to interrogate him? Although Karen was certain that Luke''s people did this, she had no hard evidence, so she could not go to the Crawfords to ask for an apology. Karen''s n was to ask the guy who did this and beat him up to force the truth out of him. Otherwise, her reputation would continue to be on the line. "I''m busy. I''m boarding soon, so you can ask someone else to do it." As soon as Percy said that, a boarding announcement could be heard from his end. Karen asked, "Where are you going?" She was going to ask what else could be more important than her matter, but she needed Percy''s help to capture that guy. She suppressed her temper and refrained from using harshnguage. "I''m going on a business trip. I''m about to board the ne. I''ve already told you the location, so it''s up to you what to do next. It''s your business anyway." Percy hung up. Before Karen could say a word, all she heard was the dial tone. She angrily bit her lower lip, and only after a few seconds did she remember to write down the address. She had heard of Kingdo Hotel before. It was a five-star hotel in A City. Chapter 2998 "It seems like Luke has been treating that piece of trash like a king. How could he let him stay at a five- star hotel..." Karen''s voice sounded bitter as she instantly ordered people to capture him. After what happened, she had someone investigate the man. That guy had a decent education, but because of the Ruiz family, he had trouble building a life of his own as all he could get were low-paying jobs. After he got married, his wife even ran off with another man because of his dead-end job. He led a miserable life. Like an ant on the ground, anyone could step all over him. That was the same person who made her fall from grace! After giving out orders, she quickly got out of bed and freshened up. Did he think that she was the same woman she was before? No one could mess with her now! Karen secretly swore that she would make his life a living hell and make him regret ever messing with her just because of money! Hatred bloomed in her heart as she med every inconvenience in her life on that man. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She ordered her people to send him to a separate section of the Mallory Manor since Percy was not at thepany. When Karen was about to drive off, she saw Mr. Be standing in front of her. ¡°Mrs. Mallory." Karen''s eyebrows twitched in disgust as she said, "Tell me when Ie back." "Old Master Mallory wants me to tell you this. It won''t take much of your time." Mr. Be followed behind her. Old Master Mallory left early in the morning to take care of Pierre''s situation, so he asked Mr. Be to ry the message. "He asked you to handle your situation as soon as possible. He doesn''t want to see that topic trending anymore." Karen rolled her eyes at him furiously. She had been hearing the same thing every single day. "I''m going to deal with it now. Tell Old Master Mallory that I already know where he is. I can''t get rid of everything, but things will be different tomorrow. Also, please tell him that bastard, Luke Crawford, is behind this. "I''m about to go get the evidence right now, and once I have it, I hope he''ll lend his daughter-inw a hand. Besides, the Crawford family is the one who humiliated the Mallory family." "Yes." Mr. Be lowered his gaze after hearing what Karen said. Then, Karen walked to the parking lot, picked a car, and left. The butler shook his head as he watched Karen drive off, hoping that everything would be over soon as Old Master Mallory had reached his limit. At Kingdo Hotel, Rain had her people leave in the morning, so only two people were left to keep an eye on the hotel. However, they were not there to protect Karen''s former lover¡ªSs Gray. They were there because Luke asked them to stay hidden in the next room and hotel lobby to watch what happens. Ss had no idea he was in danger. He thought that he would be safe even if those protecting him were not there. For the past few days, he had been anxious and worried that Karen woulde to look for him, but there had been no sign of her until now. At this point, he had already calmed down, thinking that he was safe. Even without extra protection around, he was calm. Not to mention, he felt even more at ease this way. After asking the hotel to deliver a bottle of vintage wine, he sat on the balcony and looked at the skyscrapers of A City. He sipped on the wine while feeling the cool breeze from above, feeling very pleased. If only he had a woman beside him. That would make things much better! Ss was just imagining it as they had warned him to keep a low profile in case Karen found him. He had gone many years without a woman, so he was used to it. He could survive without a woman. Rain was staying in the next room, staring at Ss through the surveince camera. She had yawned multiple times out of boredom, wondering when Karen''s people woulde. Once she made sure Ss was taken away by Karen''s people, she could go rest. After a while, a subordinate sent a message. [Karen''s people are at the hotel lobby, and they got a room on the same floor.] Rain was immediately full of energy. They had booked a room on the same floor because they did not want to disturb the hotel staff. Plus, elevators could only ess the floor of their room cards at high-end hotels like this. It seemed like they would be here in five minutes. Rain looked at the time and at the monitor. Sure enough, five minutester, she saw Ss opening the door. Then, Rain immediately switched to watch the surveince at the door and saw Ss being interrogated by two men. After they confirmed they had the right person, one of the men stepped forward and twisted Ss'' hand behind his back before taking him with them. Rain clicked her tongue twice. She stood up and pressed her ear against the door because Ss was shouting like an animal. "Who are you? Kidnapping is illegal. Let go of me! "Let go of me." His voice got softer and softer. Rain stood up straight and waited for her subordinate to report that Ss had been put in the car before she opened the door. Then, she walked into the next room and took down all the surveince cameras before closing the door. After she got back to her room, shey on the bed and reported to Luke, ¡°Boss, Ss has been taken away by Karen''s people. Our job here is done." Their job was to keep an eye on Ss and make sure he would not escape when he was being taken away by Karen''s people. "Alright, thank you," Luke responded a few secondster. Then, Rain notified her subordinate downstairs, saying that the mission was aplished and that there was nothing else left to do that day. Thus, he could take the day off. Afterward, she put her phone aside and began to fall asleep. Her nights and days had been reversed during the mission, so as soon as the curtains were closed, she fell asleep. On the other hand, when Ss was carried out of the hotel by Karen''s people, he was going to ask the hotel staff for help. However, one of the men covered his mouth, stopping him from making any sound. The hotel staff had noticed them in the hotel lobby, but when he was about to go question them, he noticed that the two fierce-looking men had tattoos on their arms. He could tell that they were probably not people he should mess with, so he stopped in his tracks and averted his gaze. He pretended not to have noticed anything. Then, Ss was pushed into a ck car parked by the road. Afterward, the hotel staff asked, "Manager, that customer seems to have been kidnapped. Do we need to call the police?" "Do you think someone like him could afford to stay at our hotel?" the manager responded without looking up. "No..." The staff shook his head as the guy''s clothes were dirty the day he checked in. If he had not paid, they would have thought that he was a homeless man and kicked him out. He made an impression on the staff as he was surprised the man could afford to stay at a ce like that when he was wearing dirty clothes. "That''s right. If someone like that could afford to stay at our hotel, god knows where he must have gotten that money. Don''t worry about those people. "Perhaps those guys were sent here by their boss to get him. It''s best that we don''t get involved in these things," said the manager wisely as he shook his head. Chapter 2999 Hearing the manager say that, the attendant who initially considered calling the police had second thoughts. After all, guests staying in their rooms had to cough up a hefty deposit, and once their expenses ran dry, they would be notified to replenish the deposit. Therefore, when that guy got taken away, the hotel would not lose any money. "If that guy doesn''te back by tomorrow, just go ahead and check him out," instructed the manager. "Yes, sir." The attendant nodded, jotting down the manager''s words. After being forcibly ced in the car, Ss was terrified. He was sandwiched between two men in the back seat. There were also people in the driver''s and passenger seats, but he did not recognize any of them. Ss was utterly horrified. He never expected his first time riding in a luxury car to turn out like this. He even forgot to scream. Moreover, the car had excellent soundproofing. He knew even if he screamed, no one woulde to his rescue. Ss regretted not letting those people continue to protect him during this period. At least he would not be taken away like this by unknown people. "Who are you? Why are you kidnapping me?" Ss asked in fear, his frail body trembling. No one answered his question. Ss could feel the tightness around his hands. Only then did he realize that the man on his right had tied his hands! He struggled for a while but could not break free. "Do you know who''s behind me? Let me go. If you guys let me go, I won''t hold you responsible. My family has connections with the police station!" Ss, in a moment of desperation, tried to make them fear him. The four men in the car burst intoughter when they heard him. The man on his left patted his head. "Connections? We don''t know how much influence you have. Behave yourself. Stop making noise, or else..." The man''s eyes darkened as he bent down. He took off his shoes and socks. "What the heck? Why are you taking off your shoes?" The man on Ss'' right immediately covered his nose. "To stuff this guy''s mouth with it," replied the man. He ominously warned Ss, "If you utter another word, I''ll stuff this sock into your mouth." Ss shuddered. He caught a whiff of a strange smell, simr to the odor of his clothes before. If it were his own clothes, he could tolerate it. However, when it came to someone else''s socks, he found them smelly, and he could not bring himself to utter another word. The man snorted, putting his socks and shoes back on to avoid disturbing the others in the car. "Consider yourself lucky. You''re being taken to see our boss now. It''s about half an hour''s drive, so shut up while we''re on the way. "Otherwise, I''ll personally deal with you when we get there!" The man was not foolish. He refrained from doing anything in the car, considering it was a sedan. Traffic surveince could capture the scenes inside the car. In case Ss sought revengeter, having those videos as evidence would not be ideal. Ss wanted to ask who their boss was, but he hesitated. At the thought of the stench of the socks, he clenched his teeth and endured it. He nervously watched the car move forward. Half an hourter, the sedan stopped in front of a standalone vi. Ss widened his eyes when he saw the vi. He originally thought he would be taken to an abandoned warehouse or a run-down building, but it turned out these people brought him to a vi. Suddenly, he became more convinced of his own thoughts. "Is your boss Karen Ruiz?" Ss asked with a trembling voice when he was pushed out of the car. The two men standing behind him exchanged nces with each other. They shared the same thought. This guy might not be that dumb after all if he knew who was causing trouble for him. "Why all the fuss? Get in!" The man shoved him. Ss, who was caught off guard, stumbled and nearly fell. However, he was secretly thrilled. He suspected that Karen wanted to cause trouble for him, and that was why she sent people to kidnap him. However, he changed his mind when he saw the vi in front of him. Perhaps it was not about making things difficult for him? Who would bring him to a vi like this if they wanted to look for trouble with him? Maybe this was Karen''s residence. Did she bring him here for a reunion? After all, Karen loved him passionately back then. She was willing to give herself to him even before marriage, and she agreed to elope with him as well. Even though some unexpected events happened after that, Ss believed that Karen still loved him. That was why she had him brought to this vi. Unable to contain his excitement, Ss began to regret it. If he had known Karen wanted to see him, he would have dressed better to look more handsome. He was just wearing a hotel bathrobe now... He had already started fantasizing about the scene when he would meet Karen again. The two men exchanged another nce with each other, wondering why he had that mysterious smile on his face. They watched him stand there with a silly smile on his face as he stared at the vi. One of the men could not help but kick him. "What are you staring at? Get inside!" Then, the door to the vi swung open. Ss'' mind was now filled with thoughts of Karen. His romantic rtionship with her was the most sessful aspect of his life. Thus, he had been unting it for decades. Even though the others did not believe him, he repeated the story over and over, reliving the memories. Furthermore, he heard that since Karen''s man cheated on her and had an affair with another woman, she had not divorced or remarried. It seemed like there had not been any other man in her life, and she had remained chaste. She had been keeping herself pure for him, right? Hence, the rough behavior of the two men behind him did not bother him at all. With these thoughts in mind, Ss walked inside with his head held high. Even though it was the Mallory family''s second estate, there were always professional gardeners and caretakers tending to the vi. The front yard boasted blooming flowers and meticulously shaped trees. Ss could not help but secretly exim that this was a wealthy person''s home, indeed. He had this illusion that he could move into a ce like this right away. Hence, he briskly walked forward, not even caring about his bound hands. The two men behind him exchanged nces with each other, mocking him in disbelief. He was about to get a beating. How could he still be all cheerful and excited? Could it be a misunderstanding? "I take back what I thought about him being smart just now." One of the men could not help but comment. This guy was gearing up for a beating, yet he was looking all cheerful. It was truly perplexing. Could it be that he thought their boss would go easy on him? Their boss would prefer tearing this guy into pieces if given the chance!Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Same here. Is this guy out of his mind or what?" replied the other man. He quickened his pace to catch up with him. Chapter 3000 He was asking for trouble, but it was none of their business. However, they had to make sure the boss saw them bringing the man back! In the living room, Karen was sitting on the couch. Her face was full of gloom while she waited for her subordinates to bring Ss over. When she heard footstepsing from the entrance, she knew that person had arrived. Karen lifted her eyes slightly and shot a meaningful look at her subordinate. Upon seeing it, they nodded in acknowledgment. The subordinate walked to the entrance and sent Ss sprawling as he walked in. It was a swift kick that left him on the floor. The two men behind Ss were startled by this action. This man was their boss. He took orders directly from Karen. Even though their investigative skills were not top-notch, theirbat abilities were off the charts. A single forceful kick and Ss found himself sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain on the ground. "What the hell are you doing?" Ss felt a dizzy spell. He blinked several times before looking at the man in front of him. It was not Karen. It was a sturdy man. The man did not answer but looked at the two men behind Ss, "Take him to the boss." "Yes, sir." The two men did not hesitate. They lifted Ss from the ground and walked toward Karen. Karen looked at the tanned man in front of her. Having a tough life had etched lines on his face, leaving it weathered and worn. A man she once found handsome back in her younger days now looked incredibly ugly. She suddenly felt disgusted, wondering how she ever fell for such a man! As Karen recalled their past, she found it utterly disgusting. She rose to her feet, raised her hand, and pped Ss across the face. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. A loud smack echoed in the living room. The smack from her made Ss'' head jerk to the side. Feeling dissatisfied, Karen thought about the troubles he had caused her. Now, everyone believed she was unfaithful and involved with many other men. She was a far cry from the image of a virtuous woman she had been portraying for over 20 years! As she thought about the carefully crafted image she had maintained for two decades, which was now mocked because of this irresponsible man''s words, she raised her hand again. She pped the other side of Ss'' face. Ss'' ears were ringing after two ps. He was dumbfounded at the same time. Why did things turn out so differently? Why was she not crying in his arms, expressing the longing of these years? Why was she pping him? "Karen..." Ss struggled to speak. His face had already be swollen after getting pped twice, making it a bit challenging for him to speak. Karen felt nauseous when he heard him calling out to her. She raised her hand and thought of giving him another p. The man beside her reminded her, "Madam Mallory, if you keep pping his face, he might not be able to speak anymore!" Even though Karen was a woman, when she pped Ss, she unleashed the full force of her being. Hence, one p from her was equivalent to two or three normal ones used to discipline people. If Ss'' face swelled to the point that he could no longer speak, there was no way they could get any evidence from him. On top of that, she needed Ss to clear things up with the media. If his face got too swollen, how was he going to face the press? Those reporters were sharp. If they saw Ss'' swollen face, they would probably think his rification was forced under duress. Karen red at the man, but deep down, she knew he was speaking sense. Thus, she held back her anger and sat down on the couch. The man made a move. In an instant, Ss was forced to kneel on the ground. He felt dizzy, with stars dancing in his vision and a sharp ringing in his ears. There was a constant buzz in his ears, like a fly buzzing around inside his ear canal. Ss shook his head, but he knew the current situation was not what he had imagined. Karen was not sentimental about him; she was settling scores with him. Ss shivered at the thought of it. His foot was being held down by the man who kicked him earlier. "Ah!" "Our boss has some questions for you. You''d better answer honestly, or you''ll be the one suffering. Understand?" The man warned him in a low voice by his ear. Ss nodded repeatedly. He was no match for these men! Not to mention three, he could not even handle one. Hence, for now, he had no choice but to y along to keep himself out of trouble. Karen saw him nod his head and asked, "Who instructed you to spread that nonsense online?" Ss lifted his head. With his swollen face facing her, it caused another wave of disgust to arise within Karen. This kind of man should not be left alive in this world. Karen wished she could strangle him to death, but with the Mallory family still in a precarious situation, dealing with this man might affect the family. With so many people watching her, she could not act recklessly. Karen fought to suppress her inner murderous intent. At this moment, Ss could tell from Karen''s gaze that it was not a tender expression of affection. She was filled with murderous intent. He shivered, nodded, and then shook his head. Karen could not understand what he meant and asked in a cold voice, "What do you mean?" "I don''t know who''s pulling the strings behind the scenes..." Ss struggled to speak. Someone gave him money and protection, but he knew those people were just working for someone else, not the mastermind. He suggested meeting the mastermind, but those people always gave him various excuses. They gave excuses such as the boss was not in town today or it was not time yet... In the end, he never met the so-called mastermind, and his life went well. Gradually, he stopped insisting on meeting the mastermind. Since the mastermind was reliable and kept giving him money as agreed, Ss could not be bothered about the grudges between Karen and the mastermind. Karen threw another sharp look at him and warned, "How dare you lie to me? It won''t end well for you!" Ss shivered again and replied, "Everyone I''ve dealt with was just small fry. I honestly have no idea who it is " Karen did not believe him, thinking that he took money from Luke Crawford and was scared to spill the beans. Hence, she asked, "Was it Luke Crawford who told you to do these things?" Ss frowned. The name Luke Crawford sounded familiar, but he was not sure whether it was him... "Hey, I''m asking you a question! Don''t even think about covering for that man. I''ll make sure you meet a gruesome end!" warned Karen. Even though she could notmit a crime, threatening him was fair game. Ss knew if he could not throw someone under the bus, his life would be on the line. The way Karen looked at him did not seem like she had any interest in him. As he thought about her questions, it seemed there might be some bad blood between her and this man named Luke Crawford. Since there was some history between them, it would not be a problem if he smeared Luke''s name. Hence, Ss nodded repeatedly. "I''ll talk, I''ll talk. It was Luke Crawford. He told me to spill the beans to the media about our past and promised me some benefits. "Karen, I didn''t mean to hurt you. It''s just that my mother got seriously ill, and I needed some money for her surgery. I agreed only because of that. Otherwise, I would never have betrayed you! Trust me!" Karen used to appreciate him doing his duties as a son. That was why he said that, hoping to earn Karen''s forgiveness and sympathy. Chapter 3001 However, the Karen in front of him was nothing like the old Karen. She narrowed her eyes and smirked coldly, "Ss Gray, you really can do anything for money, huh..." Ss let out a cold shiver. That malicious tone of hers was like an invisible knife held at his throat. He realized Karen no longer had the feelings she once had for him. Not only did sheck any sentiment, but she also seemed inclined to end his life! Pain and fear washed over Ss... He recalled the days when the Ruiz family forced him to stay away from A City. He could not help but shudder. He learned that one should never offend the Ruiz family. That was when he grasped this particr life lesson. During that time, the Ruiz family wielded significant influence and power. It was way beyond the reach of someone like him, a regr civilian. Years had passed, and he truly had no money left. He was so poor that he could not even afford a meal. That was why he did not hesitate and agreed directly when those people found him. N?velDrama.Org ? content. After all, Karen''s family had lost much of their former wealth, influence, and power over the years. However, little did he expect that Karen could still squeeze the life out of him so effortlessly. A hint of disdain appeared in Karen''s eyes when she saw Ss in this state. She wondered how she had ended up with such a man in the first ce and recalled all the stories that unfolded between them... Karen felt her stomach churn. She was nauseated by the swarm of thoughts. She raised her hand, initially thinking of pping Ss. However, she remembered what her subordinate had said and opted for a swift kick instead,nding it forcefully. "Ugh," grunted Ss as he copsed to the ground. Karen showed no mercy when she faced her former lover. Considering the things he had done, she wished she could go back in time and p him the moment they first met. If she had put an end to that chapter of her life, it was unlikely that Daryl would have an affair. Their married life could have been much happier. After all, Daryl was far superior to the man lying on the ground. Even if he did not have strong feelings for her, he would at least treat her with respect and they could lead a happy life together. "Ss, you ruined my past life and now you want to ruin my life. I won''t let you get away with it!" Karen dered ominously. She leaned down, locking eyes with his dark, withered face. Her eyes were filled with resentment. It was as though an evil spirit was staring at him. Ss let out another cold shiver. The man beside them could not help but wonder how could a man be so spineless. Especially when he used to be Karen''s lover. He found it unbelievable. "I''m sorry, Karen. I messed up. I was just desperate for money. If it weren''t for your brother..." ¡°Shut up!¡± Karen cut him off harshly. What Ss was trying to say was that if it were not for her brother kicking him out back then, he would not be in the mess he was in today. Ss used to have a slightly better education than others, but hecked ambition. Even if he was expelled from A City, there were plenty of coastal cities where he could have thrived. If he really had the talent, why limit himself to the countryside where he worked like a farmer? He could have flourished anywhere, no? The problem was that Ss lived a life ofcency. Even if he had stayed in A City, he would have relied on his looks and education to deceive other women. He would have be nothing more than a gigolo. Hatred burned within Karen. This guy was absolutely despicable! She thought about kicking him again, but the man beside her reminded, "Madam Mallory, we''ve got more important things to attend to." His words made Karene back to her senses. She frowned and asked, "Are you saying it was Luke Crawford who instructed you to release those so-called facts to the media?" Ss initially wanted to argue that it was indeed the truth, not the so-called facts. However, when he met Karen''s piercing gaze, he shivered and reluctantly nodded. "Yes, it was Luke Crawford who told me to do it. He said if I could tarnish your reputation, there would be a big sum waiting for me. "He even arranged for me to stay in a five-star hotel, and there were people protecting me until recently. Maybe they pulled back because they thought you couldn''t find me, so it didn''t matter..." Ss knew if he did not spill the beans, he would be in big trouble. Saying it this way might shift Karen''s anger onto that guy named Luke Crawford. "Luke Crawford..." Karen''s expression darkened. She turned to her subordinate, "Is it all recorded?" "Yes, it''s already recorded," replied the man. Karen rose to her feet and looked down at the man on the ground. Her face was full of disgust as she said, "Have two men keep an eye on him. This man might still be useful." "Yes, Madam.¡± The man nodded. "Send me the recording. I''m going to confront the Crawford family now." Karen could not wait to seek answers from the Crawford family. She had no intention of confronting Luke. Even though that sly fellow did not talk much, he was slick enough to talk someone into a corner. She nned to confront Old Master Mallory. Did Luke not use Old Master Mallory to deal with Pierre before? Now, it was her turn to let him have a taste of his own medicine. The man hesitated for a while but decided to send the recording to her phone. After he pondered for a moment, he asked, "Madam Mallory, are you really going to look for Luke Crawford now?" "This man already admitted it, didn''t he? Luke Crawford told him to do it. Do I really have to y nice with him?" Karen shot Ss a cold nce, who was on the ground. "But other than this recording, we don''t have any other evidence. The Crawford family isn''t easy to deal with," reminded the man. They needed substantial evidence to confront them. Depending solely on a recording or a video, even if the Crawford family did something, they could easily deny it... They might even im not to know Ss Gray, saying he was just talking nonsense. Karen furrowed her brows. She had not overlooked this. "Ss, Luke gave you money. Where''s the transfer record?" Karen looked down on him with disdain. Ss trembled and replied, "The money is in the bank..." He understood what the man meant. They needed evidence. However, he had received the money in cash. Being stuck in the countryside for so long, living hand to mouth, he only recognized cold, hard cash. When someone talked about transferring money, he thought it was just a way to pull the wool over his eyes. Hence, Ss was more than willing to ept cash. That was why he had no bank statements. If those people who protected him earlier did not show up, he would not even know who to point to. "As long as there''s a transfer record. Let''s go. We''re going to Crawford Manor now," Karen had no ns to take Ss to the bank. After all, printing bank statements required the person to be present at the counter. With Ss'' face swollen like a pig''s head, what if he turned the tables on her at the bank? Moreover, if she informed Luke in advance that she found Ss, he mighte up with a countermeasure. Karen decided to catch Luke off guard. She was not thinking about gathering evidence right away. Besides, with this recording, Luke would recognize Ss'' voice. Perhaps he would confess without needing additional proof. Chapter 3002 The man understood Karen''s urgency but still shook his head helplessly. If she were to go to Luke without any other evidence, would he really admit it? Even if Luke did do it, he probably would not foolishly confess without sufficient proof pointing to him, right? After all, admitting it would affect the rtionship between the Mallory and Crawford families... Moreover, Luke must have sharp tactics and a top-notch level of mental toughness to be able to hold his ground at T Corporation. However, Karen could not wait, and she was not interested in what others had to say. The man turned to his two subordinates and said, "Keep an eye on him. Don''t let him escape or drop dead." He was such a weak man. A small touch and he would hit the ground. They were genuinely afraid he might suddenly kick the bucket. They usually avoided vital areas during a beating to make the victims more resilient. That way, they were less likely to get into trouble when dealing with such people. "Got it," said the two men who brought Ss here. As Ss watched Karen leave the vi, he screamed in pain. "Ouch! It hurts so much. I''m gonna die! Hurry and take me to the hospital..." The two men paid no attention to Ss''s exaggerated acting. Ss noticed theirck of response and rolled on the ground in pain. "I can''t take it anymore! If I die, Madam Mallory will be a murderer." "Quit pretending, you wimp. How could Madam Mallory beat you to death? You''re annoying as hell," said one of the men as he pulled him up with one hand. Ss wanted to lie down again but was forcibly lifted. "Ah, it hurts..." Ignoring his cries, the man dragged Ss to the sofa and warned him, "Shut up. Sit here quietly. Don''t me me if I have to break your hands and legster." Ss listened to him and timidly asked while enduring the pain, "Um, I''m really in pain. Can you give me some painkillers..." "You really act like a sissy, yet you have the nerve to mess with Madam Mallory? You must be crazy." Annoyed by his words, the man tied him up again and shoved a piece of cloth into his mouth. "Make another sound, and I''ll tie up your feet too. You won''t be able to move at all." Ss shivered. The rag in his mouth tasted awful. He felt helpless. He wondered if those people noticed that he had been taken away. Would theye to save him? Ss'' hope was destined to be shattered. Rain let Karen''s men take Ss away and went to sleep soundly in bed. Meanwhile, Karen''s arrival disrupted the tranquillity of Crawford Manor. Mr. Griffin brewed a pot of tea and respectfully said to Karen, "Madam Mallory, please wait for a while. The old master just went to rest, and he needs some time to freshen up beforeing out." "Fine." Karen, with a cold face, lifted the teacup and took a sip of it. Normally, she would not visit at this time since most people were on lunch break. Disturbing someone during their break was impolite. However, she could not wait to confront Luke. She was eager to ask Old Master Mallory about his way of educating his grandchildren. The old master imed that the Mallory family did not know how to educate their kids, and that was why they allowed Pierre to cause so much trouble. In that case, how did the Crawford family educate their children? A respectable sessor of the Crawford family was making such a mess of things. The old master walked slowly into the living room, displeased by Karen''s visit during his nap. He used to think that the daughter-inw of the Mallory family had a way of dealing with people and things. She was polite, and she never gave others a chance to nitpick at her. "Karen, why are you free to visit today?" Even though Old Master Mallory was displeased, he understood that guests were to be treated with courtesy, especially when the visitor was an old friend''s daughter-inw. He could not afford to put on a stern face in such a situation. "Old Master Mallory, I''m sorry for dropping by unannounced, but there''s an urgent matter that I can''t dy any longer. I was hoping to get your thoughts on it." Karen noticed the old master''s displeasure, but she was not afraid or worried. After all, the Crawford family was in the wrong in this matter. "What''s the matter?" Old Master Mallory took the refreshing tea offered by Mr. Griffin and took a sip of it. Karen tilted her head slightly and shot a nce at the man standing behind her. The man stepped forward respectfully and said, "Old Master Mallory, please listen to this recorded conversation." He yed Ss'' recording. After ying a short conversation thatsted only a few minutes, Old Master Mallory finished listening and asked, "Who is this?" "Old Master Mallory, I assume you must havee across the news circting online in recent days." Karen felt embarrassed to mention that article directly in front of him, so she spoke vaguely. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Old Master Mallory looked at her with a questioning gaze, "What article?" Karen felt a flush creeping up her face, unsure whether the old man was genuinely unaware or simply pretending. Either way, she decided to be straightforward about it. "It''s about a man from the countryside who falsely imed to have had an affair with me. "In this recording, he admitted that he was instigated by your grandson, Luke Crawford, to say these things to the reporters. I never expected it. I have no grudges against Luke. Why would he use him to tarnish my reputation? "Old Master Mallory, I hope you can bring Luke back and have him exin this to me on the spot." Old Master Mallory slightly raised an eyebrow. He did not follow her lead and asked, "So, did you have a romantic rtionship with this man before?" Karen wanted to deny it and say it was not true. However, she suddenly remembered the old photos of them that were in the article... In that generation, if they were not in a romantic rtionship, they would not have taken such photos... "I did have a romantic rtionship with him before I met Daryl Mallory. But he wasn''t a good person. I ended the rtionship with him early on and had no contact with him afterward. I got together with Darylter. Nothing was like what that man mentioned!" admitted Karen. "I''ve seen the article you mentioned. You did have a romantic rtionship with him at that time, and in that era, having a romantic partner was considered a big deal. There''s nothing wrong with what he said, right? "As for him iming that Luke instructed him to do so, besides what he admitted, is there any other evidence?" asked Old Master Mallory. He had no intention of bringing Luke back for such a trivial matter. Even if Luke did it, as his grandfather, he would take the me. Besides, he believed in Luke''s cautious approach in handling matters. Judging from the rtionship between the two families, Luke would handle things meticulously and would not have given Karen any leverage to question him. Luke was not like Pierre, making mistakes all over the ce. "I do have evidence. The man said there''s a transaction record. We can just check it at the bank. To be honest, I haven''t checked the transaction record yet. I''m giving face to the Crawford family. "Regardless of whose ount the money was from, as long as it''s rted to Luke, it must be him who did this," Karen said confidently. "Oh, then please show me the transaction record. If it really was Luke who did such a thing, I, as his grandfather, will definitely punish him. "But if the transaction record has nothing to do with Luke, by doing this, you''re affecting the rtionship between the Crawford and Mallory families." Old Master Mallory took another sip of tea and cleared his throat. Chapter 3003 Karen narrowed her eyes. "So you''re saying that I have to provide evidence?" "Whatever crime it is, there must be proof, right? With just this recording, how am I supposed to question Luke? Besides, Luke is too busy for these little tricks. I believe he''s innocent. This man might be intentionally framing him," said Old Master Mallory as he let out a yawn. Being old, he had a habit of taking a nap. Being woken up like this made him feel very tired. Karen''s face turned pale. "Fine, just you wait. I''ll go get the bank transaction records now. We''ll settle this based on evidence!" She refused to believe that even with the evidenceid out in front of him, Old Master Mallory would still side with Luke. Karen left in a huff. Old Master Mallory let out another yawn, and Mr. Griffin reminded him, "Sir, you should rest for a while." Old Master Mallory thought it was a good idea. He got up with his cane, but just as he was about to head to the bedroom, he stopped to remind Mr. Griffin, "Oh, by the way, let Luke know about this." He had temporarily dealt with the trouble, but Luke needed to be informed. "Yes, I''ll inform him shortly.¡± Mr. Griffin nodded. "Alright. If shees with those transaction recordster, then we''ll talk. I''m going to take a nap.¡± Even though Old Master Mallory said so, he did not really feel threatened by the so-called transaction records. It would be strange for Luke to leave behind such evidence. After Karen left Crawford Manor, she hurriedly returned to the vi where Ss was being held. Later, she realized she might not need Ss to go to the bank for statements. As long as she got the transaction records, she could find out the ount number and investigate at the bank. She knew who the people around Luke were. Hence, once she identified the ount holder, it would point to Luke orchestrating this. Karen nned everything well. Then, she stood in front of Ss again. Ss'' mouth was gagged with a rag. Disgusted, Karen lifted her jaw, signaling for someone to remove the cloth. Ss took a deep breath and then started coughing. Karen took two steps back, as though she was avoiding a deadly virus. When the coughing stopped, she approached and said, "You mentioned someone transferred money to you, right? Show me the transaction records. I need to know the ount details." Ss froze for a moment, then shivered suddenly. He gave Karen a pitiful look. There were no transaction records. It was all a l ie. Karen felt a pang of unease when she saw his reaction. "Where are the transaction records?" Karen pressed, afraid that if she waited a second longer, the records would disappear. "There. There are no transaction records." Ss shook his head, his face contorting in pain. "What did you say?!" Karen widened her eyes, ring at him fiercely. "You imed there were transaction records before. Were you lying to me?" Ss quickly exined, "I was afraid you''d keep hitting me... Actually, those people gave me cash. There''s no bank transaction record at all." "Cash?" Karen stepped back, catching onto what he said. "Who are these people you''re talking about?" Ss wore a bitter expression and answered, "They''re the ones who''ve been protecting me. They handed me cash directly, no banks involved." Karen''s expression darkened even more. Without the bank''s involvement, no transaction records meant no evidence. The only evidence was Ss'' words. The man next to Karen also picked up on the key point and asked with a stern expression on his face, ¡°You said they''ve been protecting you. There are a few of them, right? Have you ever met the mastermind behind all this?" He believed that Luke could not possibly be protecting such a man. Therefore, those protecting him must be Luke''s subordinates. However, how could they prove that these people were working for Luke? "I, I..." Ss struggled to utter another word. He thought ming everything on this man named Luke Crawford would be enough, but he did not expect there would be so many messy things going on. Transaction records? Those people? "I haven''t seen the mastermind. All throughout, those people were..." Before Ss could finish his sentence, Karen pulled out her phone and handed it to him. She showed him a picture of Luke. "Have you seen this guy?" Ss'' eyes darted around. He knew this should be the Luke Crawford guy they had been talking about. Just by looking at the photo, he felt that this guy was not someone to be messed with. When Ss was hesitating whether to lie to Karen again, the man next to him stepped forward and warned, "If you dare to lie about this again, you''re done for!" Ss shuddered in fear. A whiff of an unpleasant odor emanated from below. He had wet himself... Karen frowned, wishing she could kick this cowardly guy far away. Holding her nose in disdain, she handed her phone to the man beside her. "There''s Luke Crawford and his close associates in the photo. You''ll question him. If you catch him lying, ruin his hands!" She needed Ss to rify to the press. If his legs were ruined, it would be noticeable. However, if his hands were ruined, it would be less obvious¡ªespecially if he wore long-sleeved clothes. "Yes!" The man took her phone. Karen quickly walked out. She did not go far and stood in the courtyard waiting for updates from her subordinates. After a while, her subordinate approached with a serious expression. "How did it go?" Karen could not wait to hear the results. "He was honest this time. He didn''t dare to lie. But he has no evidence against these people. Madam, we have no proof to show that Luke Crawford did this." The man shook his head, respectfully handing back the phone. "Damn it!" Karen''s eyes turned red. "It''s obviously Luke Crawford who did it. How can there be no evidence? Go, have someone retrieve surveince footage from the hotel!" She had no choice but to start from the hotel. Luke Crawford had to be the mastermind! Karen knew deep down that even if Ss rified to the media that it was intentional defamation, Old Master Mallory still would not treat her kindly. Hence, Luke Crawford had to take the fall. Otherwise, her position in the Mallory family would remain precarious! Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Karen understood that even though Old Master Mallory had kept Daryl Mallory abroad for years due to his dissatisfaction with his extramarital affair. How could he not miss him since he was his only son? However, considering she had given birth to two heirs for the Mallory family, Old Master Mallory would not openly express how much he missed his son. Now that Old Master Mallory found out that it was because of her involvement with Ss that made Daryl choose another woman, his heart was undoubtedly displeased. It was because of her that his son had been staying abroad without returning! Therefore, a powerful person had to take the me to restore the situation. "Yes, I''ll take care of it right away," replied the man before leaving in a hurry. Chapter 3004 Karen gnashed her teeth in hatred upon seeing the inside of the house. The thought of Ss stopped her from entering in the end. He was being watched anyway, so he would not die. Then, Karen left the house and returned to Mallory Manor. When Mr. Be saw her walking in, he whispered to Old Master Mallory, ¡°Old Master Mallory, Madam Mallory is back." "Alright." Old Master Mallory''s droopy eyelids lifted to look at Karen, who was walking in. "Father..." Karen was suddenly reminded of what the butler told her this morning. At that time, she swore that she would have produced results by tomorrow, but now, there was not a single evidence to prove that Luke did all this. Karen''s mood got even worse as she believed that Mr. Be must have told Old Master Mallory exactly what she said. If she told him what happened, she would just anger him even more. She was all talk. Karen was not only filled with anger but fear too. Luke was the one who had caused her all this trouble. "Have a seat." Old Master Mallory raised his chin and frowned. Karen knew that she had toe clean to Old Master Mallory today, so she sat down while trembling. That caught his eye. "I know that you went to see Old Master Crawford," he said coldly. Earlier, he received a call from Old Master Crawford saying that she went to him without enough evidence. Old Master Mallory looked Karen straight in the eye. If she had irrefutable evidence, he would not think much about her going to the Crawford family. Besides, Luke often asked Old Master Crawford toe to Mallory Manor and give Pierre a hard time. However, Karen clearly had no substantial evidence. ording to Old Master Crawford, she only sent him a voice recording of someone testifying against Luke. Old Master Mallory was ashamed of his daughter-inw''s behavior. How could she do such a mindless thing? "Luke did it, and I''ll get the evidence sooner orter." Karen clenched her fists out of anger at what he said. ¡°Sooner orter?" Old Master Mallory raised his gray eyebrows and looked at her seriously. ¡°So, you went to Crawford Manor without any proof? Now that you''ve been kicked out, you still haven''t found any proof. What did you say to Mr. Be?" Karen was momentarily speechless before she attempted to defend herself. "I told him I would get the evidence by tomorrow. Even if I don''t have it today, I can still get it tomorrow, right? "Plus, I have that man in the palm of my hand. Once I get my hands on the evidence, I''ll go to Crawford Manor first thing in the morning. Then, I''ll get that man toe clean." Old Master Mallory looked at the butler. Mr. Be nodded and said, "Madam Mallory did indeed say that..." Old Master Mallory did not think Karen would find evidence against Luke because if he really was the one who did it, he would not have left a trail. Did she really think that everyone was as foolish as her son? When he bought T Corporation''s bidding document on the ck market, he did not notice the company''s logo. Only after he submitted it did he realize that someone had specially designed it. Old Master Mallory could not help but be disappointed when he was reminded of all the stupid things Pierre had done. Pierre had ambition, but not the ability. It was now crystal clear to the old man. Businessmen nowadays had to be clean. Otherwise, they would have to give up everything they had worked for if they got caught. Although Percy went against the family, he did things cautiously and meticulously. If someone actually wanted to ckmail him, they would not even know where to start. "I''ll give you one more day. If you really can''t find any evidence to prove that Luke did it, I want you to move out of Mallory Manor. You''re a disgrace to the Mallory family!" After Old Master Mallory found out about the humiliating things she did today, he gave her an ultimatum. Karen''s face went pale when she realized what that meant. If she could not prove that Luke did it, she would have to leave Mallory Manor even if Ss told the media that he had just spouted nonsense for his own benefit. Karen did not want to leave, but she had no other way out. She could only hope that her people got the surveince footage at the hotel. "I''ll find proof that Luke did this," Karen said through gritted teeth before going upstairs. The butler watched her leave with a worried look on his face. "Old Master Mallory, Madam Mallory is not in her right mind.." He whispered to Old Master Mallory as he was afraid that Karen would go crazy like before and go to see the Crawford family again. If that happened, Old Master Mallory would have to make amends to them again. "Find someone to watch over her. If she goes to Crawford Manor again, stop her," said Old Master Mallory "Yes, sir," Mr. Be replied. Before he left, he heard Old Master Mallory say, "If she has real evidence, let her be." Mr. Be blinked in astonishment before he finally responded, "Yes, sir." The Mallory family and the Crawford family were close as they had worked together a lot in the past. However, they were still the two major families in A City. N?velDrama.Org ? content. They had always beenpeting for wealth and power behind the curtains, especially the older generation. The older they got, the more rivalrous they became and the more theypared themselves to others. Mr. Be did not say anything. He went to do as he was told. Karen waited at Mallory Manor for almost two hours before she got news from her people. ¡°Madam Mallory, we have the footage from two days before the incident until today. We only found one of Luke''s people, and it''s only a little snippet." "Send it over to me," Karen immediately said. The person hesitated before sending the footage. "The person in the video is called Rain, and she''s Luke''s right-hand woman. But she was only seen at the hotel today, so it''s a bit far-fetched to say that this has something to do with Luke." "What do you mean far-fetched? This is proof!" Karen said, dissatisfied. Then, she immediately turned on a tablet to watch the footage. Rain walked past the hotel lobby''s surveince camera. Karen was ecstatic. Luke''s subordinate''s appearance at Kingdo Hotel meant that this had something to do with him. Otherwise, how could there be such a coincidence? "Let''s go to Crawford Manor again tomorrow morning. This time, Old Master Crawford must give me an apology!" Karen said excitedly. The man on the other end felt apprehensive about it, but listening to Karen nning excitedly, he was not sure if it was his ce to warn her. Luke''s subordinate had only appeared today, and there was no evidence to prove that she had interacted with Ss. Could this really pass as evidence? Even as an outsider, he thought that this evidence was a little far-fetched. "Yes, Madam..." After giving it some thought, he decided against telling her as keeping his job was more important. If Karen scolded him out of anger, she might even fire him. He could not bear such a thing happening. He was not the one who had to suffer or be humiliated anyway, so he might as well not say anything. He would still get his sry and keep his job, so logically speaking, it was not going to cost him anything. After ending the call, Karen smiled sinisterly as she clenched her tablet to watch the video again. She had always believed that there was no such thing as a perfect crime. With this video, would Old Master Crawford and Luke still deny it? Chapter 3005 After Luke was done talking to Old Master Crawford, he hung up. Luca ced a te of fruit in front of him and asked, "How''s everything?" She knew that Karen would go to that man today, so she was concerned about this matter. Finding that man meant that she would give Luke a hard time too. It was a work day, so when she got home and asked Luke about it, he said that he had not seen Karen. It was not until Old Master Crawford called did she realize that Karen had gone to him for an exnation instead... When she realized this, she was even more curious to know what Old Master Crawford said. "Grandfather said that she went to him with Ss'' voice recording," Luke said while smiling. It seemed like the media was driving Karen insane. Otherwise, why would she go to Old Master Crawford with just a mere voice recording as evidence? "A voice recording.." Luca could not hide her surprise. Was it a recording of Luke and Ss'' conversation? However, she was aware that Luke had nevere in contact with Ss before, so such a recording would not exist. If it were a recording of Ss and someone else, perhaps they had mentioned Luke''s name. What kind of recording did Karen use as evidence? Luke noticed her puzzled look, so he exined, "It wasn''t anything crucial. It was just Ss testifying." "Was he using you of being behind this?" Luca was surprised. To her, it seemed like the suspect had confessed everything. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. However, the police could not arrest people just based on the suspect''s words. They still needed evidence, right? "Yes, she went to ask Grandpa for an exnation with this recording." As serious as he was, he still could not help but be amused by Karen''s actions. Luca clicked her tongue and said, "Has Madam Mallory lost her mind because of what happened to Pierre?" Did she really use the recording as evidence? "Perhaps, but Grandpa said that Karen will probably go berserk these few days, so he gave me a heads up. If she shows up at the manor, I might have to stop by," said Luke. ¡°How troublesome." Luca put a palm to her forehead. Karen would most definitely cause a lot of trouble now that she had caught Ss. She might even be barking mad. Luca just wanted Luke to live in peace. He was already busy enough with work, yet he still had to deal with people like Karen. Just thinking about it annoyed her. "I''ll just let her be. I''ve prepared a gift for her anyway, so she can make all the fuss she wants." Luke smiled, and when he noticed Luca''s frown, he smoothed it over gently with his hands. "Don''t worry about Karen. Are you still concerned about what Gale and Rain are doing?" Luke said. He did not have to personally deal with this matter himself at all. "I know that they''re very meticulous, but what gift did you prepare for her?" Luca was curious as she knew that Luke was not talking about that kind of gift. Perhaps it was something to mislead Karen. "She should have found it by now, so I may have to go back to the manor tomorrow to appease her. You''ll know by then." Luke decided to hide it from her for now. Luca was a bit disappointed that he did not tell her. Then, she picked up a slice of apple to feed it to him. "Have some fruits. You need the vitamins." "Yes, Ma''am!" Luke opened his mouth and ate the apple. He had never been a fan of fruits, and he could live without them. As long as he had vegetables with his meals, it was basically the same. However, he would always eat the fruits Luca fed him as he did not want to let down the person he loved most. Thus, Luke had several pieces of fruit in a row. Luca knew that he did not like fruits, but she nodded in satisfaction after realizing how many pieces he had eaten. "You''ve had enough fruits for today, so you''re free to go. I''ll go check up on the kids." "Okay." Luke''s smile was full of endearment. Ever since Luca admitted her true identity, her old habits and manner of talking had returned. Although Luke could not call her ''darling'' just yet, he was very happy with this change. She was not overly obedient to him now, and they had be much more intimate. Now that everything was out in the open, there were no secrets between them anymore. Everything could be solved easily. Luke watched Luca leave with a happy heart. At the same time, he hoped that the threat of the Ind of Despair could be resolved soon so that their family could be reunited. The next day, Luke received a call from the butler of Crawford Manor. "Master Luke, Old Master Crawford wants you to stop by the manor." "Is someone from the Mallory family there?" Luke asked. "Yes." Mr. Griffin nced at Karen resignedly. This time, she said that she hade with evidence, but she refused to show it unless Luke was there. Old Master Crawford despised unreasonable women like her the most, so he asked Luke to stop by. "I''m on the way," said Luke. It took him half an hour to get from T Corporation to Crawford Manor, and as soon as he entered the living room, he saw Karen sitting there with an expressionless face. She seemed quite angry. Luke walked up to Old Master Crawford and asked, ¡°Grandpa, you asked for me?" Old Master Crawford sounded annoyed as he looked at Karen and said, "I''m not the one looking for you, it''s her." Luke''s gaze fell upon Karen, and she was ring at him, full of hatred. "What''s the matter, Karen?" Luke no longer called her Aunt Karen as only people who were close to her addressed her that way. However, Karen did not care about that. Instead, she put her phone on the coffee table. "Luke, I''ve always thought that you were a righteous person. I never imagined that you would be capable of such a thing!" Luke raised his eyebrows and asked, "What did I do?" "Were you the one who got Ss to report about me to the media?" Karen asked, wanting so badly to tear him into pieces. This report had caused Old Master Mallory to not take her seriously anymore. Without his help, how was Pierre going to inherit everything from the Mallory family in the future? Karen got even more angry at the thought of that. Then, Luke asked nonchntly, "Who''s Ss?" Karen had expected that Luke would make excuses, but she did not expect him to say that. How could he not know who Ss was when he nned everything? Karen gritted her teeth. "You know him better than I do." Luke''s face was calm. "I don''t know anyone with that name." Karen almost vomited blood from his words! She clenched her fists tightly as she thought that the grandfather and grandson of the Crawford family were messing with her! Old Master Crawford had argued with her earlier, and now, Luke was acting clever by refusing to admit knowing who Ss was. "Grandpa, do you know who he is?" Seeing as Karen refused to exin, Luke intentionally asked Old Master Crawford. Chapter 3006 Old Master Crawford cast a nce at Karen and said, "An old acquaintance of Karen''s." Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Karen''s expression changed when she heard the words ''old acquaintance.'' She felt the urge to retort, but Luke was quicker in response. "Oh, the person who had a romantic rtionship with Madam Mallory goes by the name Ss Gray..." Karen''s face twisted into a sour expression. Ever since Karen met Ss, she felt ashamed of her past involvement with him. Now, with Luke saying things like this, she wished she could tear him into pieces. "Shut up!" Karen could no longer control her emotions and snapped. Old Master Crawford frowned disapprovingly. Was Karen throwing a tantrum at Crawford Manor? Did she not realize this was not the Mallory family''s territory?! Karen''s subordinates kept a close watch on her mood. The man sensed something wrong and immediately said, "Madam Mallory, let''s focus on the main issue." Karen paused for a moment, realizing what Luke said nearly irritated her enough to forget about the important matter at hand. Without further ado, she pulled up a video on her phone and ced it on the coffee table. "Old Master Crawford, didn''t you say I had to show you the evidence yesterday? I''ve brought the evidence today. This whole situation was orchestrated by your beloved grandson, and I need an exnation and an apology from you all." Old Master Crawford nced at the so-called evidence. He did not pick it up. Instead, he turned to look at Luke. Luke picked up the phone and saw the video showing Rain entering a hotel. Smirking, he looked at Karen. "What kind of evidence is this?" Karen sneered as she gestured to her subordinate to exin. The man caught Karen''s gaze and proceeded to exin the origin of the video. ¡°This is footage from the lobby of the Kingdo Hotel. Mr. Crawford, you surely recognize the person in the video, right? Luke nodded and handed the phone back to Karen. "She''s a friend of mine." Karen let out a cold sneer. It was clear she was his subordinate, yet he imed that she was a friend. He was quite the actor. The man continued, "Yes, your bodyguard, Rain. Ss was staying at the hotel at the same time. ording to him, someone arranged for him to stay there, and your bodyguard happened to appear in the hotel. This exins everything. There''s no need for further exnations." Old Master Crawford raised an eyebrow. Without waiting for Luke to speak, he asked, "What does this actually prove?" Karen parted her lips. However, she was not as fast as the old master, who continued, "Does someone staying in a hotel room mean they''re the conspirator? So, are you saying that anyone who''s in the same space as a criminal is a criminal too?" Karen''s face darkened as she listened to Old Master Crawford''s cunning defense. She never thought he would shamelessly go to such lengths to protect Luke. No wonder Luke turned out like this. Karen secretly criticized him before saying, "This situation shouldn''t be equated with a crime scene. Rain was assisting Luke. He has something to do with the articles on the inte. "The of justice is wide, and actions always leave evidence. Old Master Crawford, I''ve brought the evidence you need. Now, it''s up to you all to figure out what to do next." Karen waited with a determined expression, expecting Luke to apologize. Luke raised an eyebrow and replied, "Hotels open their doors to wee guests for afortable stay. Rain appearing in the lobby only proves that she visited the hotel. What else does it indicate? Is this again something Ss imed, that Rain instructed him to do this?" Karen was taken aback for a moment. Ss did not even know Luke''s subordinates! Even if she made Ss lie now, it would not work anymore because this tactic had already been used. The shamelessness of the Crawford family was unparalleled. Even if they were to go so far as to have Ss identify Rain, it would be to no avail. People always managed to find excuses to argue back in such situations. Luke noticed their silence and asked again, "Were you able to find any evidence of Ss personally interacting with Rain with so many surveince cameras in the hotel? If there''s such proof, I''m willing to publicly apologize to you even if this isn''t something I orchestrated." He could say so only because he was confident with it. At the same time, Rain''s presence at the Kingdo Hotel was also arranged by him. It was intended to frustrate Karen, who was trying to find fault with him. Karen looked at her subordinate, who shook his head, indicating they had not found anything like that. The hotel cooperated with them, knowing that they were from the Mallory family. The hotel willingly provided Karen''s subordinate with copies of the lobby and corridor surveince footage. However, after reviewing the footage several times, he only saw Rain entering the lobby. She went into the room next to Ss'' and never came out again. Luke chuckled as he watched them exchange nces with each other. When Rain went into Ss'' room to tamper with the surveince, she had already taken care of the corridor footage. Therefore, they would not see her entering Ss'' room to remove the surveince after they took Ss away. Moreover, the people Karen hired were not very capable. They would not notice these subtle details. Rain left them with hope and plunged them into despair. Also, Luke believed in Rain''s capability. "Just how do you do things?" Karen criticized the man in front of her. She refused to believe that Luke was innocent. She believed she could surely discover something. However, her subordinate had disappointed her. Despite receiving a considerable sum, he failed to uncover anything. The man lowered his head and said apologetically, "Sorry, Madam Mallory. We''ve reviewed all the surveince. This is the only discovery." "Can this little discovery really determine someone''s guilt? Karen, it''s fortunate that our families go way back. Otherwise, you''d be the one at a disadvantage if this matter escted. "If you don''t have any evidence, it might be better not toe over here so often. An old man like me values peace, and I''m not a big fan of this kind of noisy fuss," Old Master Crawford casually remarked. His intention to drive his visitors away was obvious. Karen understood what he meant. He did not want hering to Crawford Manor to cause trouble in the future. Karen, with a stern expression, rose up to her feet and said to Luke, "If you don''t want others to know what you did, then don''t do it. I''ll get to the bottom of this matter. I''m extending you a courtesy now. So, don''t me me for not giving you faceter on!" Luke gave her a cold smirk and replied, "Yes. If you don''t want others to find out..." Then, he continued, "I just sent some documents to Old Master Mallory. I believe he''ll be quite interested in taking a look at them." Karen was startled. "When did you..." Before she could finish her sentence, it suddenly dawned on her that when Old Master Crawford asked her to leave, she saw Luke fiddling with his phone. Could it be that he had sent a message to Old Master Mallory at that time? Luke seemed to sense her thoughts and nodded. Karen''s face turned extremely grim. "What did you send to Old Master Mallory?" "Madam Mallory, you''ll find out when you get back. I believe Old Master Mallory would like to have a chat with you." Luke did not borate. With just a few words, a sense of foreboding crept over Karen. Old Master Mallory was already impatient with her over this matter. Previously, he let it slide because of the two children she bore for the Mallory family, but if Luke had sent something else to him... Chapter 3007 "Luke Crawford, I''ming for you!¡± After Karen said that, she turned around and left the living room. The Crawford family''s butler hurried to see her off. After Old Master Crawford waited for the others to leave, he asked Luke, "What did you send to Old Master Mallory?¡± "I just told Old Master Mallory who leaked the rumors about me and Luca to the reporters," replied Luke nonchntly. Was Karen not the type to cause trouble for others? Perhaps she was just as good at getting into trouble herself as she was at causing it. Luke knew that Old Master Mallory was aware of everything, but he simply did not stop Karen back then. After all, any trouble on the Crawford family''s side would not affect the Mallory family. However, once he unraveled this, Old Master Mallory would have no choice but to face the matter head-on. Old Master Crawford let out a briefugh and said, "Haha, Old Master Mallory probably didn''t expect you to do this. Keep him upied. It wards off the potential mental slowdown thates with too much retirement leisure." N?velDrama.Org ? content. When Luke saw Mr. Griffin return, he knew Karen had left. He rose to his feet and said, "Grandpa, I have to go back to thepany for a meeting." Old Master Crawford waved his hand. "Go ahead. Remember to bring Luca and the kids back this weekend." "Yes, I will.¡± Luke left Crawford Manor after that. Old Master Crawford took a sip of tea and asked Mr. Griffin, "How are things going on Louis'' side?" When Louis first argued with Susan, the maids in the vi had already informed him of it. Later, when Louis moved out with Luke''s help, he came back and confessed to him. Regarding his grandson''s behavior, Old Master Crawford did not say much. He only mentioned that Louis could ask for his help if there was anything he needed. However, he was secretly keeping an eye on Louis'' situation. He was of the Crawford family bloodline. How could Old Master Crawford not care? Mr. Griffin respectfully replied, "Master Louis, Ms. Dunn, and their child have already moved to an apartment near the school district. ording to the maid, Thea''s condition is stable. Moving to the apartment doesn''t seem to have affected them much. Master Louis and Ms. Dunn are living a pretty normal life." When Old Master Crawford heard that Louis'' family was doing well, he nodded and said, "Report back immediately if you find out he needs help." "Yes, sir,¡± replied Mr. Griffin. Suddenly, Old Master Crawford added, "Bring back the men handling the acquisition. It seems Louis isn''t keen on letting go of his current venture. Let him run thepany the way he wants.¡± "Understood." Mr. Griffin nodded. The group that was recently interested in acquiring Louis''pany was sent by Old Master Crawford. He was not trying to trouble Louis. He just wanted to offer him an alternative, which was returning to T Corporation. However, Louis had no intention of going back. This matter even caused a dispute between the mother and son. Old Master Crawford felt a bit embarrassed, but he did not let Mr. Griffin reveal that he was the mastermind behind this. Thus, he told Mr. Griffin to continue to keep an eye on Louis'' situation. "Oh, by the way, Old Master Crawford, what about Madam Susan?" asked Mr. Griffin. Susan still appeared calm at the moment. It was probably because she was still upset. Someone as prideful as her would never bow down to Louis. Still, what aboutter? Susan might not be as angry now, but she was still determined to make Louis return to T Corporation. She would cause a scene. It might even escte to her causing a ruckus here at Crawford Manor. Old Master Crawford rubbed his forehead. He only wanted to see if Louis wanted to go back to T Corporation. He did not expect Susan to overhear Louis'' phone conversation. He said, "Let her make all the noise she wants. Now that Louis has moved out. The whole vi is hers, complete with maids waiting on her. What more could she possibly be dissatisfied with?" "Old Master Crawford, what if she wants to move back here..." Mr. Griffin implied. Previously, Old Master Crawford asked Susan to move out by using Thea as an excuse. However, now that Louis was living elsewhere with Thea, would Susan not have an excuse to return? Realizing that he had a daughter-inw who could stir up trouble as well, Old Master Crawford immediately felt regretful. Yes, how could he forget about this? After Susan calmed down, would she note back to solidify her position here? She had even more reason to return, especially now that Thea did not need her care. Old Master Crawford took a gulp of tea and replied, "We can''t let here back and disturb my peace no matter what. Figure something out." After that, the old master walked toward his study while leaning on his cane. Mr. Griffin looked helpless. How was he supposed to figure something out? He was just an employee, after all... Susan would never listen to him. Mr. Griffin pondered for a moment. It seemed that only Old Master Crawford could keep her in check. Mr. Griffin watched the old master leave and shook his head helplessly. Then, he instructed those men who dealt with Louis to stop the negotiations with him. If Louis wanted to develop his own career, they would let him be. After Karen left Crawford Manor, she sat in the back seat with a gloomy expression on her face. The man who drove the car noticed that there was a hint of unease in her look. He wanted to say something to lighten the atmosphere, but he decided against it. When Karen was in a bad mood, it was best not to provoke her. Whoever spoke first would be the unlucky one. The man certainly did not want to be the unfortunate soul caught up in her storm. Unable to vent her frustration, Karen said to him, "Head to the Mallory Estate." The man nced at her through the rearview mirror, furrowed his brows, and asked, "Madam Mallory, are you going to confront Ss?" "He''s the one who made me end up like this. If I don''t let off some steam, I''ll feel uneasy inside!" Karen wished she could tear him to pieces at the thought of the grandfather and the grandson of the Crawford family. How ridiculous, taking advantage of herck of evidence and telling her to leave. Why?! She was also part of the Mallory family. How dare they treat her differently?! "But Madam Mallory, there''s news from the Mallory Estate that Ss has a fever today. If you go there now..." the man hesitated to continue. Ss was already running a fever, and Karen had a knack for tormenting people. If she headed there now, would it not be like putting Ss'' life at serious risk? "He has a fever?" Karen felt inexplicably annoyed. She thought of how Ss had only been kicked a few times yesterday and had fallen sick today. This man was really weak. However, there was no way she could bear it if there was no way to vent her frustration. "Yes, he has a fever. We''ve already called the family doctor to go over," replied the man. The doctor they called was the family doctor of the Mallories. Even if he saw Ss in that state, he would not say anything. He would only treat Ss'' illness and ignore everything else. "Such a hassle.¡± Karen thought of kicking Ss a few times to vent her anger. Nheless, if she went there now, Ss might not survive another beating. "Madam Mallory, actually, letting the doctor treat him isn''t such a bad idea. Once his face is less swollen, you can have him rify things to the media," suggested the man, subtly reminding her that other than causing trouble for the Crawford family, the most important thing was to rify the false reports to the media. "Forget about it..." Karen, although frustrated, knew he was right. Right now, the most crucial thing was to rify to the media that the reports were false. Chapter 3008 However, she could not hold back and pped Ss yesterday, which caused this matter to be postponed... Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Karen felt annoyed again, knowing that her frustration would not go away easily. Today was bound to be a bad day for her. Hence, she said to the man, "Head to Master Percy¡¯s house." "Master Percy?" The man was puzzled. Even if she wanted to see Percy, he should be at the office now, not at home. He did not know that Percy was on a business trip. Thus, he reminded, "Madam Mallory, Master Percy should be at the office now." "Who said I¡¯m looking for him? Besides, he''s away on a business trip. Just take me there." Karen felt dissatisfied because of the man''s self-proimed cleverness. The man quickly replied, "Yes, Madam. I''ll take you there now." Then, he made a left turn at the traffic light and headed toward Percy''s ce. Outside the vi, Karen pressed the doorbell several times before someone came to open the door. Karen came face-to-face with a woman dressed in a maid''s uniform. Frowning, she asked, "Are you the maid here?" "I''m an hourly cleaningdy. May I ask if you''re looking for the homeowner?" The maid was a little afraid when she sensed Karen''s impatience. She had finished cleaning and was preparing to leave. Unexpectedly, the doorbell rang while she was gathering all the trash bags to throw away. That was why it took her a bit longer to open the door. "I''m the homeowner''s mother, and I''m here to look for Nina Langdon," said Karen. Then, she pushed past the house cleaner, attempting to walk inside. The house cleaner had never seen here here before. Even though Karen imed to be Percy¡¯s mother, she did not feelfortable letting a stranger in. She quickly stepped forward to block her path and said, "There''s no one at home right now. I haven''t seen you before, and I don''t know if you''re telling the truth. You can''t go in." Karen red at the house cleaner. She was already surprised when the cleaner introduced herself at the door. Could Percy not afford a full-time maid? Now, this so-called cleaningdy was blocking her way. It made her even more frustrated. "My appearance speaks for itself!" "There are no photos of you inside. You¡¯re not allowed to go in. I can''t afford thepensation if anything goes missing!" The house cleaner continued to block her path. Despite Karen''s confrontation, the cleaner was good at her job and managed to keep her at bay. "What do you take me for?!" Karen widened her eyes. Was she being treated like a thief? She felt provoked and thought the house cleaner in front of her waspletely clueless. With her attire and the luxury car at the entrance, how on earth could she be mistaken for a thief? She was clearly dressed in such an elegant manner! The house cleaner also realized her words did not sound quite right. After all, Karen was wearing branded clothing and carrying a designer bag. There was also an expensive car at the door. It did not look like the typical appearance of a thief. Even though she did not look like a thief, it looked like she came here looking for trouble. She came in all aggressive, as though she wanted to give the owner of the house a piece of her mind. The house cleaner said, "I don''t care what you''re here for, but there''s no one inside right now. If I let you in and something happens, I''ll lose my job. So, you can''t go in. Otherwise, don''t say I didn''t warn you if I''m not as civil." Even though she dared not toy hands on someone iming to be Percy''s mother, she still needed to find a way to block her. In case the person in front of her was indeed who she imed to be, at least she did not resort to violence and had followed the protocol. Thus, the cleaning servicepany would not give her much trouble. On the contrary, if the person turned out not to be who she imed and the cleaner did not intervene, she would undoubtedly risk losing her job. Karen halted her steps, furrowing her brows. "You''re saying there''s no one inside?" "Yes, no one. You can''te in without a way to prove your identity.¡± The house cleaner nodded. "Where did Nina run off to for a good time?" asked Karen as she frowned. She was looking for Nina, but she was not here. Was she taking advantage of Percy being away on a business trip to have fun outside? She was truly an unfaithful woman! After Karen secretly scolded Nina, she noticed the house cleaner looking at her cluelessly. "Mrs. Mallory is definitely at work at this hour,¡± replied the house cleaner. It was not the weekend. How could she be at home during working hours? Was this person really Percy''s mother? How could she not even know the working hours of her daughter-inw? The house cleaner became suspicious and was even more determined to stop Karen from entering the house. "Are you for real? How do you not even know that your daughter-inw has to go to work?" "Who''s my daughter-inw?! I''ve never acknowledged their marriage! She''s not worthy of the Mallory family!" Karen red at the cleaner. She thought Nina would not bother working at some lousy company anymore after marrying Percy. After all, being legally married to Percy was equivalent to having an endless supply of money. Did she still need to go out and earn a living? Nina, however, was indeed working, and this surprised Karen. The house cleaner sensed some gossip but did not feel it was appropriate to inquire about her employer''s personal affairs. Hence, she advised Karen, "You''d better leave, or I''ll call the security." She was also puzzled. Karen did not even have the key to this vi. She definitely did not have the homeowner''s ess pass for this neighborhood. How did she get in? "Call Nina Langdon and tell her I''m here waiting for her." Karen told herself that she must see Nina today! "Aren''t you her mother-inw?" The house cleaner shot her a nce and directly asked. Since this woman imed to be the mother of the homeowner, why did she not personally call instead of asking her, a cleaningdy, to make the phone call? She was not a maid! "Why would I save the number of that woman?!" Karen rolled her eyes. She was wearing high heels, and the house cleaner kept holding her back. Her legs were getting tired from standing. The house cleaner frowned, and she was about to speak when she heard Karen say, "Help me make the call or I''ll have Percy fire you." The house cleaner had no choice but toply and made a call to Nina. Nina was in a meeting. When she saw a call from the house cleaner, she did not answer but instead sent a message to her: [What''s the matter?] The house cleaner understood that it was not convenient for her to answer the call, so she replied to her message: [Mrs. Mallory, there''s a woman here iming to be Mr. Mallory''s mother. She''s looking for you.] Percy''s mother? Nina furrowed her brows, looked up, and nced at Sue, who was still conducting the meeting from the chairwoman''s seat. Just as she was about to respond, she received another message from the house cleaner. [Her tone and attitude are really unpleasant. It seems like she''s here to cause trouble. Should we have the security ask her to escort her out?] Nina replied: [No need. Could you please stay a bitter and let her in? I''ll head home right after my meeting ends.] The house cleaner thought it would not be a problem for her to stay a bit longer. After all, she was paid by the hour for her work. Hence, she replied: [Okay.] Then, she turned to Karen and said, "I''ve contacted Mrs. Mallory. She''s in a meeting now, but she said you may go in and wait. She''ll be back soon." "Hmph, she''s Mrs. Mallory? She''s nothing!" Karen refused to acknowledge Nina''s identity. Then, she added, "Why are you still standing here? Come on, show me the way!" The house cleaner endured Karen''s bad temper. After closing the door behind them, she led Karen into the living room. Chapter 3009 Karen had waited in the living room for half an hour, but Nina had not shown up. She urged the cleaner impatiently, "Call her again and see when she''sing back!" The house cleaner felt helpless. She lifted the cup of tea that Karen had rejected and replied, "Mrs. Mallory said she''d be back right after her meeting. The meeting might not even be over yet. Please be patient." Karen heard her repeatedly addressing Nina as ''Mrs. Mallory'' and felt annoyed. Nina had not even gained recognition from the Mallory family, so why should she be called Mrs. Mallory? While she was still fuming with anger and contemting, a voice came from the doorway. "Sorry, I was in a meeting." It was Nina''s voice. Karen straightened her posture, putting on an air of sophistication. She gave Nina a sidelong nce and said, "Hmph, a meeting? With that lousy job of yours, how much money can you really make? In the end, it''s all Percy''s money you''re spending, right?" Nina furrowed her brows. Before Percy went on a business trip, he had warned her that Karen might come here to cause trouble. Karen was clearly in a bad mood these days. She would likely take it out on anyone she could, with Nina being the primary target. Nina knew very well why she was the preferred target. Percy was away, and Karen was displeased with her. She knew Karen would seek her out to vent her frustrations when Percy was not around. At the same time, Percy could not hide his business trip schedule from Karen because she would get him to do things for her. "Thank you for your hard work. You may get off work now," Nina said to the house cleaner. What she said earlier was also meant for the cleaningdy. However, Karen took it upon herself to respond. Nina did not bother exining further to avoid making Karen more agitated. Karen did not consider Nina a part of the Mallory family, so Nina did not feel the need to show her respect. That was also what Percy had told her. However, Nina did not want to offend Karen either. Otherwise, it would make things difficult for Percy later. "Alright, Mrs. Mallory. Let me ce this teacup in the kitchen and then head off," replied the house cleaner. The house cleaner had a negative impression of Karen. As she recalled how much Karen did not like Nina being addressed as Mrs. Mallory, she deliberately called her that in front of Karen. She then walked into the kitchen. She ced the cup in the dishwasher and left for the day. Karen was so furious that she almost stomped her feet in anger. She believed that anyone associated with Nina, that bitch, was rude andcked manners. No matter how she exined, they just would not listen¡ªas though they were brainless. Nina turned to look at Karen, who was sitting on the opposite sofa, and asked, "Madam Mallory, Percy is on a business trip today and isn''t in A City." "I know." Karen stared at her with a cold expression on her face. "Why? Wouldn''t I know where my son went?" Nina raised an eyebrow. If Percy did not deliberately inform Karen, she probably would not have known. However, Nina was not foolish enough to say something that would provoke Karen. Percy did not listen to his mother''s words and married Nina against Karen''s will. Karen was already quite unhappy about that. If she found out that she usually would not be able to know Percy''s whereabouts, she would definitely throw a tantrum. Nina did not say anything more. Karen came here looking for trouble, and Nina knew it. Thus, she waited for Karen to continue. "Cat got your tongue?" Karen could not help but re at her when she noticed Nina was being quiet. Nina shook her head. "If you have something to say, just say it. I still need to go back to workter." "Work?" Karenughed as though she had just heard a big joke. "Are you still pretending to work? Are you trying to gain Percy''s sympathy this way? Have some shame!" "How is working to earn my own money shameful?" asked Nina. She really wanted to ask Karen if it was not her past actions that were truly shameless? What Karen had experienced before was quite simr to what Nina had been forced to endure in the past. However, Karen would not sympathize with her. Instead, she would be happy if things were not going well between her and Percy. Nina felt helpless facing such a mother-inw. Since Karen refused to acknowledge her as a daughter-inw, Nina would not acknowledge her as her mother-inw either. "All you do is put on a show. I wonder how long you can keep Percy''s attention with that act. Nina, let me tell you, the day wille when you''ll have to leave with nothing. I''ll make sure you regret every bit of it!" warned Karen. She had always thought that Nina was together with Percy for the money. Therefore, she believed that this kind of threat would be effective. "Yeah, whatever." Nina found it boring. Karen thought she was with Percy for money, but Nina could not be bothered to exin herself. She would let Karen continue thinking that. Karen narrowed her eyes unhappily. "What''s with that attitude? You think you''ve got Percy wrapped around your finger?" Nina furrowed her brows as she listened to Karen. "Let me tell you, as long as the Mallory family refuses to recognize you as our daughter-inw, Percy will eventually abandon you for the sake of the Mallory family. Temporary choices don''t mean anything. Don''t get toofortable." "Madam Mallory, I''m quite busy with work today. If you''re here to say these things to me, then let time be the judge. I have no regrets about my choices. Whatever you say won''t make me afraid. If there''s nothing else, please leave," Nina gestured with a dismissal. With Karen here, she really could not go back to work at the office. After all, Karen''s mental state was unstable. If she went crazy, she could smash things around. Even though Percy had plenty of money, every decoration here was a joint effort between her and Percy. If the things got damaged, she would be heartbroken.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. After all, it was their efforts. Nina''s words provoked Karen. She recalled the experience of being asked to leave Crawford Manor and now, she was being asked to leave by Nina... On what grounds did they think they could ask her to leave? Karen frowned, her anger ring up. Suddenly, she stood up in an instant and pped Nina. Nina was not as quick as Luca. She took a solid p, which turned her head sideways. She felt like she was in a dream. Karen actually pped her! Nina looked at her in disbelief. "Hmph, do you think I won''t dare to do anything to you just because you have that fragile legal rtionship with Percy? The ce you''re living in now was also bought with the Mallory family''s money. Get out!" Karen wanted to sweep Nina out the door. Nina took a deep breath. Considering the state Karen was in, she turned around, endured the pain on her face, walked into a room, and locked the door. Karen was left puzzled by her actions. She went over and knocked on the door. "Bitch, get the hell out of there!" The banging on the door continued, but Nina did not open it. Instead, she took out her phone. Karen was wild with rage as she kicked the door, but it remained solid and closed. She briskly came to the door of the house and pushed it open. A man was standing at the door, smoking. The man jumped when he saw Karene out. He instinctively threw the cigarette on the ground and stomped it out. "Madam, are you leaving?" "Leaving? Come inside with me," Karen looked at him disapprovingly for throwing the cigarette on the ground. She did not like smelling cigarette smoke. He knew he would be driving herter, and yet he was smoking now. The car would be filled with the smellter. The man was relieved that she did not scold him for smoking, but he sensed that something must have happened inside. It was probably a conflict between Karen and Percy''s wife. Chapter 3010 When the man was waiting by the car for Karen toe out earlier, he saw Nina hastily enter the house. Later, the cleaningdy came out, leaving only Karen and Nina in the vi. Karen looked like she was out to get Nina. However, no matter how he looked at it, Nina was Percy''s wife. Making a move against Percy''s wife was beyond the man''s courage. Even though Karen was the one paying his sry, if Percy decided to take revenge, he could not possibly target Karen. Percy''s retaliation would undoubtedly fall on him. With these thoughts in mind, he dragged his feet even more, clearly reluctant. Sensing his slow footsteps, Karen turned around and red at him. "Why are you walking so slowly?" "It''s nothing.¡± The man quickened his pace, intending to assess the situation. Karen led the man to the bedroom door where Nina had just entered. The door was closed. She instructed the man beside her, "You, kick the door open." The man had strong legs, and a few kicks could easily break the door down. However, he hesitated when he thought that Nina might be inside. Nina was a woman easy to bully, but the man behind her was not someone he could mess with... "What are you waiting for? Kick the door!" Karen seemed to know what he was thinking and commanded more forcefully. The man was afraid, but he could not ignore Karen''s words. Hence, he kicked the bedroom door. The door made a sound but did not budge. Karen widened her eyes, suspecting the man had not exerted enough force. "Did you forget to eat today?" The man frowned and shook his head, "No, Madam Mallory. It''s just too sturdy." Indeed, the door was robust, as were all the doors in this vi. A few kicks from others might not even open it. Nina, who was hiding inside the room, listened to the noises outside. She was feeling a little anxious. While it was true this door was sturdy, it was not like the man could not kick it open if he tried. Someone trained could kick it open with a bit of effort. She worriedly looked at her phone, fearing that if the door was kicked open, she would be in for a rough time. Two more kicksnded on the door. The man exerted all his strength, and this time, the door started to shake. "Hurry up, hurry up," Nina muttered under her breath while sweating nervously. With another bang, the door was kicked open. Nina looked at Karen and the sturdy man, realizing she was destined for a beating. She frowned and took a step back but did not beg for mercy. Karen would not spare her just because she pleaded with her. "You bitch, how dare you lock the door? I''m going to teach you a lesson on behalf of your parents today! Let''s see if you''ll dare to do it again in the future!" Karen stepped forward as she said those words. Despair washed over Nina. Reluctant to resort to violence, Nina found herself in a situation where resistance seemed futile. A burly man was blocking the doorway, making it impossible for her to escape to another room. Just as Karen was about to make a move, several figures swiftly entered the living room! "Stop!" a voicemanded, halting Karen in her tracks. Nina instantly let out a sigh of relief. Help had arrived. She took advantage of the momentary hesitation from Karen and the man to dart out in a sprint. The man, who was pushed away, stumbled backward a couple of steps. When he regained his composure and took a look, Nina was already hiding behind the security guards who had rushed in. "Mrs. Mallory, are you okay?" asked the head of security. Nina informed them that she realized someone had broken into the vi to harm her, so he brought his colleagues along. Percy treated the security team well. He often sent them gifts of tobo and alcohol. Therefore, the head of security took Nina''s safety very seriously. They thought this high-end neighborhood was safe, so no one woulde to harm the residents here. Little did they know, someone actually almost got hurt. The head of security was embarrassed because he thought he had allowed someone to break in and harm a resident. If word got out about this, his position as the head of security would be terminated, especially considering all the goodies Percy regrly sent their way. The gifts were all top-notch smokes and booze. Having received benefits from Percy, he tended to show extra courtesy. Thus, the head of security shielded Nina behind his team. "I''m fine," Nina replied with a trembling voice. Karen was very strong. Nina had already taken a p, another one might leave her unable to show her face for days. Even though Nina imed to be fine, the head of security noticed the swelling on one side of her face. "Did they hit you?" Before Nina could answer, Karen, having realized the situation, rushed out and squinted at the head of security and his team. She wondered if her subordinate was formidable enough to deal with them. Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. They were just security guards, not trained fighters. If her men started a fight... While Karen was calcting the odds, the head of security said, "This is private property. Kindly leave this ce!" He then turned to Nina, "Mrs. Mallory, would you like to file a police report?" "It''s okay. There''s no need to call the police." Nina shook her head. There was no way this incident would end up at the police station. If it were anyone else, it might be a minor issue. However, if Karen ended up at the police station, it would be a major problem. The Mallory family''s feud would bring trouble to Percy. Even though the head of security did not understand, heplied with her request. "Alright, she''s being gracious and not pursuing this any further. You guys can leave." Karen scoffed. "Why would she do that to me? This house belongs to my son. What is shepared to me? She can''t even send me to the police station even if she wants to." The head of security frowned, suspecting that Nina''s reluctance to involve the police had something to do with this woman. He never would have thought that she was Percy''s mother. As the head of security thought about that refined gentleman, he found it hard to believe that this was his mother. How did this loud and aggressive woman manage to raise such a sessful son? Karen pressed on, "You''re always siding with that wench. Tell me, what''s your deal with her?!" "I''m the head of security for the neighborhood," replied the security head as he frowned. What other connection could there be? Their duty was to ensure the safety of residents and their property. "Hmph, I don''t buy it." Karen scoffed. Her gaze shifted between the two. "You seem so worked up. Are you and Nina hiding some scandalous secret? Are you her secret lover or something?" The head of security''s eyes widened in surprise. He must be hearing things. She was Percy''s mother, which meant she was Nina''s mother-inw. How could a mother-inw use her son''s wife like this? She even did it in front of so many people. Was she trying to turn her spective usations into reality? If people started thinking that Nina was having an affair with someone, it would be a disgrace for Percy and Karen herself. Why would she say such things... Chapter 3011 "Stop with the nonsense. Please leave this mansion immediately." The head of security could not help but wonder why any mother-inw would want her daughter-inw to cheat on her son. He was just doing things within his scope of work, yet she said that he was having an affair with Nina. There were so many people here, and if they believed her words, Nina was not the one who would be done for. It was him. ¡°Hmph, she should be the one to get out of the house. This house belongs to my son. Let''s see who will be able to drive me out of here today!" Karen said rudely with her hands on her hips. Nina felt helpless seeing her like that. If this were a different house, she would leave right away so that Karen could stay as long as she wanted. Besides, Percy had many properties, so it would not hurt even if one of them got wrecked by Karen. However, this house was different. She and Percy had decorated every single corner of the house together, and they put so much effort into it that she could not just leave. If Karen were toy a finger on any part of the house, she would be heartbroken. The security guard''s head hurt at the sight of stubborn Karen and the extremely burly-looking man next to her. He could tell that the man was well-trained. It was obvious that the security guards would lose against that man. Although Karen was not going to call the police, they still had to find a way to make these troublemakers leave. They could not use brute force because even a little idental scratch would cause them huge trouble. The head of security knew that they could not afford to offend the other party, but he had to fulfill his duty. He said firmly, ¡°Madam, if you don''t leave, I''ll call the police." ¡°Call them, then. Once they''re here, we''ll see if they''ll make me leave or chase that woman out!" Karen said. Percy had yet to issue a restraining order against her, and as his mother, she had the right to show up at his house. Although Karen refused to admit Nina''s identity, when the police arrived, they would just deem it as a family conflict. There was nothing they could do to her. That was what she thought, but the man beside her reminded her in a low voice, "Madam, with your current situation, it''s not a good idea to alert the police." Karen hit Nina. It would only be a matter of minutes before the police took Karen away. It would not be a big deal for others to go to the police station as they would be released in no time. For Karen, however... It would be a serious matter. Although the celebrity scandal was helping her stay away from the spotlight, many reporters were still keeping an eye on the Mallory family. That included Karen''s and Pierre''s affairs. Once she entered the police station, there would be disastrous consequences. The man whispered his opinion to Karen. Karen''s expression sank, and she looked resentful. Was that bitch, Nina, going to win like this? The head of security got a hunch, so he immediately took out his walkie-talkie to tell the people in the security room to call the police. Then, Karen fiercely red at him and Nina. ¡°Bitch, you may have gotten lucky today because some guy helped you, but just you wait, I''ll make your life miserable!" After that, she made her way through the crowd and left. The head of security watched Karen leave and heaved a sigh of relief. He finally scared her away. Otherwise, he would not know what else to do as Nina did not want to call the police. The head of security looked at Nina''s red and swollen face as he said, "Mrs. Mallory, you should go to the hospital to have your face treated or it''ll take days for the swelling to subside." "I will. Thank you for today. By the way, if you see Mr. Mallory, don''t tell him what happened. Thank you, everyone," Nina said. She did not want Percy to get angry. When Percy left for his business trip, he said that he would be gone for more than a week, so she reckoned that her face should be all better by then. "Are you really not going to tell Mr. Mallory?" The head of security hesitated. Any daughter-inw who was wronged by their mother-inw would want their husband on their side. Whether it was to vent their anger or reason with them, they should still tell their partner what happened. It was unusual that Nina wanted to hide it from Percy. "It''s just a small matter, so don''t tell him. I don''t want him to get angry. Please tell the property management and security guards not to let her in in the future," said Nina. "Yes, Mrs. Mallory. This was an oversight on our part. We''ll make sure to not let thatdy in in the future." The head of security was secretly d that Nina did not pursue the matter, so the issue was easily taken care of. All they had to do was not let Karen in ever again. "Also, please ask the door repairman toe over. The door here seems to be broken, so it needs to be repaired." Nina pointed to the door Karen''s men kicked in. The door had to be repaired, lest Percy get suspicious when he came back. "Yes, Ma''am. I''ll contact him now." After responding, the head of security left with his colleagues. He dared not talk to Nina alone now. If just one person spread what Karen had said just now, it would be so-called ''evidence''. The head of security sympathized with Nina, but he was worried that he would get in trouble too. After he left, Nina did not go to work straight away. Instead, she waited for the repairman to rece the broken door before getting ready for work. Seeing as the house was not too messy, she sighed in relief. Fortunately, Karen was still somewhat sane in the presence of outsiders. If she had broken anything, Nina would have had to rece them. It would have been painful and heart-wrenching, and it would have killed her. Exhaling, she touched her face. Then, she remembered that one side of her face was swollen from the p. No wonder the repairman looked at her weirdly just now. It seemed like her half-swollen face had shocked him. Ninaughed bitterly and made a hissing sound. "Ouch..." she muttered. Then, she was reminded that no one was there tofort her as her pir of support had gone away on a business trip. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Nina walked into the bathroom and looked into the mirror. She noticed that half of her face was severely swollen, and she could feel the stinging from the p. Karen hated her guts, so she did not hold back when pping her. How cruel. Nina took out an ice pack from the freezer and put it against her face. She endured the pain and cold for a while. She looked at herself in the mirror before finally giving up. Even the ice pack could not relieve the swelling on her face. In the end, she put on a mask and went to Brilliant Architectural Design LLC. After arriving, the front desk employee told her that Sue was looking for her. Nina hurriedly knocked on Sue''s door and went in. "The front desk said you were looking for me." "Yes, take a look at this document. If you''re okay with it, I''d like you to do the job." Sue pointed to the seat across from her and handed the document to her. They had been partners for many years, so they did not bother with the formalities. Chapter 3012 "Okay, I''ll have a look first." Nina sat across from her as she read the documents Sue gave her. After flipping through just a couple of pages, Sue asked her, ¡°Why are you keeping your mask on? Isn''t it stuffy?" "It''s fine." Nina did not want others to know that Karen had hit her. Besides, it was not worth making the issue known. Sue frowned as she recalled that Nina had gone home because of Karen showed up there. She had a bad feeling about it, so she looked at Nina''s face carefully. "What is it?" Sue was scrutinizing her, so Nina could not help but look away. "Did Karen p you?" Sue asked once she understood what had happened. Nina was shocked. If Sue had not been at thepany the entire time, Nina would have suspected that she had followed her back and seen what went down. "How did you know?" "I guessed it. Seeing as you refused to take off your mask, something must have happened. The tone of your voice was off too, like you were hiding something. Plus, if you''re only covering your face, the only answer must be..." Sue made a pping motion before gesturing to Nina to take her mask off. "Let me see the extent of the damage." Nina could not hide it anymore, so she had no choice but to take it off. When Sue saw Nina''s red and swollen face, she gasped in shock. "It''s that bad?" She thought that ady like Karen would not be strong enough to make someone''s face that swollen even after pping them. She did not expect Nina''s face to be so swollen! "Did you go see a doctor?" Sue asked. Nina shook her head. "I put ice on it. It''s no use going to the doctor for this." "It''s better to go see a doctor and get an X-ray scan." Sue was worried that Nina might have knocked into something if she lost her bnce after getting pped. There could be serious repercussions. "I didn''t hit my head, and she didn''t touch my ear. I was just caught off guard when she pped me." Nina shook her head, not wanting to make the matter seem more serious than it was by going to the doctor. If she went, Percy would know. She knew how much Percy loved her. If he found out about it, he would forget the task at hand and come back straight away just to defend her. Then, the Mallory family would be in chaos again. Nina did not want that to happen. Sue could read her mind, so she shook her head and said, ¡°You don''t want to go to the doctor because you don''t want Percy to be rmed... "Yes. He''s on a business trip right now, and if he leaves his work toe back, it''ll affect thepany," Nina wanted to exin with a smile, but even just raising the corners of her lips slightly was unbearably painful. "Fine. Since she was able to look for you, you should be careful. In that case, I don''t think you should handle this job. I''ll find someone else to do it." Sue took back the document from her. The job required the person to meet clients, but it was inconvenient for Nina to do so in her current state. Others might find her rude if she wore a mask all the time. Nina did not object. She really could not do it. "I''m sorry, but you''ll have to meet the clients on my behalf for the time being," said Nina. "Don''t be sorry. Just stay in the office and handle the paperwork. Don''t worry about anything else," said Sue. Once Nina left the office, Sue told Jason that Karen pped Nina. After Jason got the news, he knew who to tell¡ªLuca. When Luca saw Jason''s message, she sent an invitation to Nina. Considering that Nina''s face was swollen, it would be difficult for her to speak. Thus, she sent her a text instead. [Nina, the children have been moring for a barbecue today. Can youe over? Aunt Neile is on leave today, and I can''t do it by myself.] She did not ask Nina toe over for a meal, but she asked her toe over and help instead. Luca knew that Nina would never say no to that. Nina looked at Luca''s message with a troubled expression. It was not that she did not want to help, but her face was still swollen. When Nina was still hesitating, Luca sent another message. [Please just look after the children for me. I can''t do it alone.] Nina had no choice but to say yes. [Okay, I''ll be there after work.] [Thank you. I''ll be waiting.] Luca called Aunt Neile right after to check if there were ice packs in the refrigerator at home. Then, she told her to tidy up the guest room before she continued with her experiments. After telling Luke, Queenie, and the others who she was, Luca was much more at ease. Knowing that they were in good health made her much more efficient at work too. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. After she got off work, she went to the mall nearby to get some clothes for Nina and then rushed home. The barbecue was just an excuse. She had no intention of having one as she just used it to trick Nina intoing over. Luca nned to have Nina stay with her until Percy came back. Karen already pped Nina today, and ording to her temper, who knew what she might do in the future? If Nina lived here, Karen would not daree here because of Luke. Luke told her this morning that Karen went to look for him and Old Master Crawford. Luca knew that the gift Luke prepared for Karen was Rain''s appearance at the hotel, which led her to think that she had evidence. In reality, Karen had nothing, so she failed once more. After countless obstacles, Karen went to look for Nina. Nina did not like inconveniencing others, so she did not want to tell Percy that Karen pped her. Luca shook her head at the thought of that. When she got back home, Nina was not there yet. After greeting the kids, she told them that Nina would stay with them for a few days. The kids dly weed her. Luca gave it some thought before saying, ¡°Ms. Nina''s face might be a little swollen, but you have to be respectful, so don''t ask her about it, okay?" "Okay, Ms. Luca," the kids replied in unison. If their mother said so, they would have to follow as it was not their ce to question. Luca went upstairs and put all the new clothes she bought for Nina in the guest room wardrobe. Not long after, the doorbell rang. Luca went downstairs to open the door for Nina. She saw Nina walking up to the entrance. Just as Nina was about to change into slippers, Luca pointed to a brand-new pair. "Don''t change into the disposable ones. Wear these. They''re brand new." Since Nina was staying here, disposable slippers might not befortable. Hence, she bought Nina a new pair while shopping for clothes. She put them in the shoe cab when she came back. Nina looked at the slippers in confusion and said softly, "I can just wear the disposable ones..." "Just wear them. These will be yours from now on, so you can wear them every time youe over," Luca said with a smile. Chapter 3013 Nina was deeply moved. Luca even prepared new slippers for her. It was a weing gesture. It meant she weed her for an extended stay here. Nina could not resist Luca''s kindness, so she changed into the new slippers without taking off her mask and asked, "Is there anything I can help with?" ¡°No, it''s alright.¡± Luca shook her head. With Nina''s arrival, she had no intention of pretending anymore. She nned to let Nina spend the night here. The moment Nina finished her sentence, she saw Aunt Niele with a surprised look on her face. Did Aunt Neile not take the day off today? Her questioning gaze thennded on Luca. "Alright, I lied to you. There''s no barbecue today. I found out about your situation. Since Mr. Mallory is away on a business trip, you might as well crash here for a bit,¡± said Luca. Nina was about to ask how Luca found out about it, but then she thought of Sue and figured that she must have told Luca. Hence, she changed her statement. "No, staying here would be too much of a bother for you all." "What''s the matter? Didn¡¯t you spend a few nights here before? Plus, the kids are totally cool with you staying. Just make yourself at home here. Take a seat. Let me grab something real quick, then we can head upstairs together.¡± Luca pushed Nina to the sofa and headed to the kitchen. Nina understood Luca''s intention. She wanted her to stay. No wonder she had the new slippers ready. It was more convenient this way. "Hello, Ms. Nina," greeted the three kids in the living room who were doing their homework. "Uh, hi..." Nina looked at the three well-behaved kids, but her mind was on what Luca had said. Was it really okay for her to stay here? If it were just for a day or so, she would not have minded. She did not think it was a big deal either when she came to stay herest time. After all, it was Luca who asked her to stay here and take care of the kids. However, Nina staying here for a whole week to avoid Karen for no apparent reason did not seem right. As Nina was lost in her thoughts, Luca returned from the kitchen with an ice pack in her hands. "Let''s go upstairs.¡± Luca waved at Nina. The kids were upied with their homework. Thus, she nned to take Nina upstairs to apply an ice pack to her swollen face. Jason had ryed what Sue said about Nina''s face being pretty swollen. Even though she had a mask on, she could still sense something was off. Nina nodded and followed her upstairs. They came to the guest room. Nina realized everything was prepared, and even a set of pajama-like clothes wasid out on the bed. "Luca, you were nning to take me in from the start, right?" She calmly took off her mask as the kids were not around. Luca was shocked. ¡°Why is it so swollen?!" Nina gently touched her face, feeling a slight pain. Even though she applied an ice pack on her face right after she got pped across the face, an afternoon had passed, and it seemed to have gotten more swollen. Nina shook her head helplessly and answered, "My body''s just built this way. It doesn''t handle hits well." "Yes, that''s why Mr. Mallory should protect you well." Luca thought about Nina''s delicate body, which was quite different from her own. Nina would swell up with just a slight bump, and it was hard to get the swelling down. Nina sensed Luca''s implication of ming Percy. She shook her head and said, "It''s not his fault." Nina did not expect Karen to behave so crazily that she would p her across her face. She even asked someone to kick the door open. It was far from the demeanor of an elegantdy. Instead, she exuded a mafia boss vibe. Nina could not help but shudder at the thought of how Karen behaved just now. If she had known Karen would dare to hit her, she would not have gone back. She should have called security to kick Karen out. When Luca noticed her little gestures, she felt sorry for her and felt helpless at the same time. She knew why Nina shivered. Hence, sheforted her, "Don''t worry. No one will dare toe cause you trouble while you''re here." "She wouldn''t dare to do anything if I''m staying here, but what about the office..." Nina replied helplessly. Karen might not find her at the vi, but she could still go to her office. N?velDrama.Org ? content. "Rx. She still needs to maintain the Mallory family''s reputation, so she won''t act recklessly. There are so many people at the office. If she were to really go there and cause trouble, the Mallory family''s reputation would be at stake. She wouldn''t dare to do that," concluded Luca. Luca had heard that Karen''s mental state was not great, but the more someone was in such a situation, the more they cared about their reputation. Even if she did not care about her own image, causing a scene at Brilliant would not go unnoticed by Old Master Mallory. Moreover, now that Nina was legally married to Percy, it was known among all the employees working at Brilliant. Even if Karen stirred things up, it would only look like a conflict between mother and daughter-inw. It would not be like before when Nina wasbeled as Percy''s secret lover. Nina did not think that far ahead. The pain in her face was still bothering her. She slowly heaved a sigh and muttered, "I hope so." "Let me apply some ice for you. Otherwise, it might swell even more tomorrow." Luca looked at the red swelling on Nina''s face and shook her head helplessly. Nina reached out and said, "Let me do it." "It''s not convenient for you to apply it yourself. I''ll do it,¡± replied Luca as she picked up the ice pack and applied it on Nina''s face. "Ouch." The icy touch did not numb the pain right away. Instead, it magnified the sensation exponentially. Nina could not help but draw in a sharp breath of cool air. "Hold on, it''ll get better soon." Luca knew it was ufortable, but for Nina to be presentable tomorrow, she had to put on the ice pack. "Even with the mask on, I could tell something was off with one side of your face. If you don''t get the swelling down, when Mr. Malloryes back and sees your swollen face, he''ll know Madam Mallory pped you. You wouldn''t want him to find out, right?" "No, I don''t want them to erupt into a war again,¡± mumbled Nina. Luca understood her meaning and expressed her confusion, "It''s really rare to have such a good- tempered daughter-inw. Why doesn''t a certain someone know how to appreciate it?" Nina gently shook her head, not agreeing with Luca''s words. Truth be told, she was not good¡ªnot in the slightest. It was just that Percy had a soft spot for her, making him see her in a positive light. Considering her past experiences, any average guy from a respectable family would find her off- putting. Luca knew why Nina shook her head and said, "You''re actually great. Everything about you is wonderful. Besides, some things weren''t choices you made willingly. But let''s not dwell on the past. Things are good now. "With Mr. Mallory doting on you so much, imagine the happiness of having two little ones in the future." When it seemed about right, Luca moved the ice pack away. She looked at Nina''s face which was still red. She let out a sigh and said, "It''s still quite swollen." "How can it instantly go down? But it feels much better now." Nina touched her face. She could not even smile with one side of her face swollen. It would be painful. "That''s the numbing effect. Starting today, you''ll settle down here and wait for Mr. Mallory to return from his business trip before heading back." Luca insisted that Nina stay here. "Okay, I''ll have to bother you for the next few days." Nina agreed. She did not want to meet Karen either. "Don''t even sweat about it. With an extra hand watching the kiddos, Mr. Crawford will only be thankful." Luca smiled and winked at her. Chapter 3014 Nina could not help but shoot her a grateful look. It was a silent expression of thanks. Staying in Luke¡¯s vi meant Karen would note over, and she could spend the next few days in peace. Luca held the ice pack and walked into the bathroom. After she ced it in the trash can, she said, "Let''s go. Mr. Crawford will be workingte tonight and won''t be back for dinner. Let''s have dinner first." "Isn''t it still early?" Nina had been living here for a while. She knew the usual dinner time for them was later than this. "The kids are unusually hungry today, so we''re eating a bit earlier," exined Luca as she led her downstairs. It was not really that the kids were hungry. Luca considered that Nina might not have had lunch, especially after being pped by Karen. She probably had no appetite. "Aunt Neile made some soup today. Have a bit moreter," added Luca as they made their way down the stairs. "Okay." Even though Nina could not smile, she felt grateful. She knew that Luca had nned for her to stay here after knowing that Karen pped her. Hence, this soup was definitely specially prepared by Aunt Neile. After they reached the ground floor, Luca went straight into the kitchen and asked Aunt Neile, "Is dinner ready, Aunt Neile?" "Ms. Craw, everything is ready. Would you like to have dinner now?" asked Aunt Neile. Luca had informed her earlier that they would be having soup tonight, which saved her a lot of trouble. "Yes, let''s eat. The kids are hungry," replied Luca. She did not want Nina to feel burdened, so she was still using the kids as an excuse. "Okay, please wait a moment. I''ll bring the food to the table now." Aunt Neile nodded, preparing to bring the soup and other foods to the table. Nina heard them. She entered the kitchen and asked, "Aunt Neile, is there anything I can help with?" Nina did not wear a mask after applying the ice pack. Aunt Neile noticed the swelling on one side of her face but did notment or stare at her too much. Even though she thought Nina''s face was quite swollen, Luca had told her not to mention it. Aunt Neile would not say anything that might make Nina ufortable. "There''s nothing for you to do, Mrs. Mallory. Please have a seat. Dinner will be ready soon." "Are these bowls clean?" asked Nina. Even though she would be temporarily staying here and would not eat that much, it was in her nature to feel the need to contribute. "Yes." Aunt Neile had no choice but to nod when she saw Nina insisting on helping. If she did not let Nina do something, she might feel ufortable. Nina carried the bowls out, and Luca served the other foods. Then, she called out to the three kids in the living room who were doing their homework, "Lanie, Rainie, Tommy, let''s have dinner first and you can continue with your homeworkter." Even though the kids usually finished their homework before dinner, they were having dinner half an hour earlier tonight. Thus, they still had some work left. However, none of themined. They put down their pencils, washed their hands, and joined the dinner table. "Wow, the soup smells so good." Tommy could not help but express his admiration with a deep inhale. "Yes, it''s your favorite tomato soup." Luca grinned as she set out the bowls that were brought to the table. After Aunt Neile brought the soup to the table, she started serving them. Luca remembered the bread she bought for the kids when she went out to buy things for Nina. She rose to her feet, took it out of the fridge, and said, "And here''s your favorite bread." The bread was for the kids, as Luca was concerned that having just soup for dinner might make them hungryter in the night. Pairing it with bread would keep them satisfied. "Awesome!" Tommy cheered again, clearly satisfied with tonight''s dinner. Nina let out a sigh of relief when she saw that. She was fully aware that this dinner was arranged with her convenience in mind, but she was still concerned. Fortunately, the kids enjoyed such a simple dinner too. The two adults and three kids calmly enjoyed their dinner. During the meal, the kids did not ask anything about Nina''s face. They were well-behaved. Nina''s heart gradually eased. She had initially been worried about how to exin if the kids asked about her face. After all, if she imed that she identally fell which led to the swelling on her face, the kids were smart enough to not believe her words. It would not be good if they thought she was lying. Besides, a fall was not a good excuse. Luckily, none of them asked. After dinner, the kids happily went back to finish their homework. Luca and Nina sat on the living room sofa, waiting for the kids to finish their assignments. Lanie was the first toplete his homework. After handing his exercise book to Luca, he picked up an extracurricr book and started reading. Luca checked his homework and found no errors. Then, she habitually imitated Luke''s signature on the back of the book. Nina, having dealt withpany documents, had seen Luke''s signature. When she saw Luca smoothly imitate Luke''s signature, she could not help but exim, "Oh my goodness, that''s spot on!" Luca, unaware of what she was amazed about, looked up at her and noticed her staring at Lanie''s book. Only then did she realize what Nina was talking about. Luca exined embarrassedly, "Mr. Crawford is always busy. Sometimes, when the kids need a signature on their homework and he''s not avable, I¡¯d imitate his signature. I didn''t expect it to be so simr after doing it a few times." "This is not just simr. Without professional authentication, no one could tell the difference. I''ve handled many of his documents, and I¡¯ve seen his signature tons of times. Yours is identical," eximed Nina. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. She did not pay attention to the fact that her face was still swollen and talked animatedly. After she finished talking, she realized her face was hurting slightly. When Luca saw Nina unconsciously touch her own face, she shook her head helplessly. How amazed must she be to say something like that? "Practice makes perfect," Luca exined with a smile. "If you ask me to deliberately imitate your signature, I¡¯m sure I can do it, given a little time." There were courses on the Ind of Despair that taught such skills. After all, in this era, the requirements for a professional killer were high. In addition to being highly skilled in fighting, proficiency in various methods was also essential. For instance, they sometimes received assignments that involved mimicking someone else''s signature to aplish a task and secure a substantial sum of funds for their employer. Imitating someone''s signature was too easy, especially with simple strokes. While most people on Ind of Despair found some difficulty in doing it, Luca had mastered the essence of imitating handwriting. It was a simple task for her. "Imagine if we made you imitate a celebrity''s signature and sell it to those young fans. Wouldn''t that be a profit?" After chatting with Luca, Nina discovered another potential source of ie. Chapter 3015 "Yes, but do you really need that money?" Lucaughed and shook her head. Nina was still the same as before. Her way of talking and her thoughts were just like they used to be. She had a wild imagination, which was incredibly adorable. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. No wonder Percy liked her. He was drawn to Nina''s unique qualities, which he himself did not possess. Luca suddenly thought of Luke. Even though he had feelings for her since high school, what specific trait of hers did he like? It suddenly crossed her mind¡ªinnocence... Bianca, before the events of the past few years, was very innocent¡ªespecially during her school days... Meanwhile, Luke was abandoned when he was born. Life''s grind must have stripped away his innocence, and even the people around him would not be untouched by simplicity. "Well, I don''t need that money. The point is, those young fans won''t spend that much money." Nina helplessly shook her head. How did she end up thinking about such things?! She was not short of money either. Back when she had such fanciful thoughts, before she got messed up by Pierre, she and Bianca could talk about anything. However, after those incidents and Bianca''s changes, she also changed rapidly. She no longer liked to talk about such imaginative things anymore. Now that she realized she was saying these things to Luca, she was a bit surprised. Rainie handed her homework to Luca. When she heard what Nina said, she chimed in, "Ms. Nina, kids nowadays have a lot of pocket money. They even secretly use their parents'' money. It happens at my school too." "What? That''s happening in your school too?" Nina widened her eyes. She often heard about students secretly using their parents'' money to spend on games, but she did not expect such things to happen at Rainie''s school. She thought that students from schools like the one Rainie attended could not be from ordinary families. Hence, they should have a lot of pocket money. How much money could they spend on chasing celebrities or ying games to the extent that they even sneakily used their parents'' money? "Yes! One girl is obsessed with a celebrity. She spends a lot of money on votes and spamming gifts. When she runs out of pocket money, she''d use her parents'' money. "And there''s also a boy who spends a lot of money on games. When his money isn''t enough, he does the same thing. "Their parents med the teachers for not educating them properly, so it escted to the school. The schoolter warned other students not to follow their example," exined Rainie. This incident happened not long ago. That was why her impression of it was still vivid. "Oh my goodness, what a mindset..." Nina disagreed while shaking her head. She did not think the mey with the teachers. They merely taught the children to cherish food and money. If there were issues, it must be the parents'' fault. Luca was also surprised. It was one thing for children to spend money, but secretly using their parents'' money was another matter. There was a big difference between the two. She nced at the kids. Although they did not often ask her or Luke for money, was their pocket money enough? Luca was worried that the kids might not have enough pocket money but did not tell her. She added, "Yes, always make sure to spend money in the right ces. If it''s the right cause and the child runs short on cash, parents will find a way to figure it out." After that, Luca was reminded of her own childhood. Even though her father''s wallet was tightly controlled by her stepmother, Old Man Rayne and Wanda never treated her unfairly. Knowing what she needed for her studies, Old Man Rayne would save and scrimp just to give her some money to spend. As for Wanda, she felt sorry for Luca, and she would always secretly give her some money before she got married. Luca was someone who believed in repaying kindness. Thus, when she had the ability, she would definitely go the extra mile for those who have been good to her. By now, Tommy had also finished his homework. "Ms. Craw is right. The three of us usually save our pocket money." They have the habit of saving money, and Luca was aware of it. Nina felt envious when she looked at the three outstanding kids. "If my kids with Percy turn out as well- behaved as you three in the future, we shouldn''t have to worry too much." "Don''t worry. Kids think of their parents as role models. Given how impressive you and Mr. Mallory are, your future kids are going to be well-behaved," replied Luca. She nced at the clock on the wall. It was the kids'' cartoon time, so she turned on the TV for them. After checking their homework and making sure there were no issues, she signed Luke''s signature. She then said, "Done. Nina, can you help me to watch the kids? I need to go upstairs and go through some documents." "Sure. Leave it to me." Nina nodded as she looked at the three well-behaved kids. It was easy for her. After Luca headed upstairs, she took out the documents from the briefcase. Since Luke already knew she was Bianca, he did not hesitate to let her bring out thepany''s confidential documents. She was Bianca. How could she harm Luke''s interests? The moment Luca confessed her true identity, she believed Luke could deal with the Ind of Despair. She was right. Luke was indeed elerating the resolution of the issue. In T Corporation, Gale and Rain were sitting in Luke''s office. They were apanied by someone else. This man was under Ray, and he had just arrived in A City yesterday. "Mr. Crawford, this is the document my boss asked me to bring to you." The man handed a file to Luke. The file was brought personally because the inte was heavily monitored by the Ind of Despair. Ray was worried that if they sent it via email, it might be intercepted, alerting the other side. Thus, he chose the most traditional way of delivering documents. Moreover, it was the safest. Sending someone he trusted to bring it over would avoid suspicion from the Ind of Despair while safely delivering the document to Luke. "Thank you. What''s your boss been busy withtely?" Luke asked nonchntly, making conversation. However, the man replied seriously, "Our boss has been busy coborating with other forces in Russia, preparing to assist you in getting rid of the Ind of Despair again." Luke nodded. Rain and Gale exchanged nces with each other. There was excitement in their eyes. They used to hate the Ind of Despair. If it were not for the Ind of Despair, they would not have had to live such anxious and blood-stained lives. Ordinary people did not like to kill, and before they were sent to the Ind of Despair, they were just ordinary people. However, the Ind of Despair left them with blood on their hands, turning them into bloodthirsty killers. If it were not for Luke, they would never have been able to escape that kind of life. The Ind of Despair might be gone, but their hatred for it and their mischievous spirits were still alive and kicking. Especially for Rain, she could never forget how her parents were killed by people from the Ind of Despair. That scene, countless nights after the Ind of Despair was wiped out, still haunted her dreams. Chapter 3016 Such dreams were a constant reminder of the hatred that Rain carried with her. Her hatred was magnified countless times. Even though she had personally taken down her enemies, the lingering unease in her heart continued to spread. Perhaps it was not enough for her. Hence, when she learned that there was a chance tounch another attack on the Ind of Despair, Rain had been patiently waiting for this opportunity. This was despite the change in the ownership of the Ind of Despair. The mastermind behind it was someone from the organization back then, someone who had a connection with her in that space. Rain knew that those who were supporting the Ind of Despair now had significant influence. They were definitely not just small fries. While Rain was immersed in her internal hatred, Luke was meticulously going through the document delivered by Ray''s men. After a while, he handed the document to Gale and Rain, who were sitting nearby. Gale and Rain, having undergone training on the Ind of Despair before, quickly went through the data and finished reading it in no time. "Damn it. It''s him..." eximed Gale. In the document, details about the mastermind behind the Ind of Despair had been gathered, together with the names Luke had previously shared with them. Suddenly, a person came to Gale''s mind. "Do you recognize this person?" Luke turned around to look at Gale. Gale and Rain, having spent more time on the Ind of Despair than Luke, nodded. Even though they did not know everyone on the ind, they were familiar with most people. After all, this man was part of the organization''s management back then. "Yes.¡± Gale nodded, and Rain followed suit. A figure immediately came to their minds. He had some real skills, and he was one of the men whom Robert trusted more. Otherwise, when Luke got nabbed by the Ind of Despair back then, they would not have been assigned to be at his side. It was because Robert trusted them that they got to know most of the people in the organization. They did not recognize this person earlier from the information provided by Luke as there were many people on the Ind of Despair with simr names. At that time, code names were not as popr, unless someone deliberately made their name sound unique. There were plenty of people named Abel. Additionally, they did not have a clear impression of that person''s appearance. They thought he was just taking advantage of the momentum of the Ind of Despair to rebuild it. Now, looking at the data Ray had given them, they remembered the man at once. Gale said, "If this Abel is the one we remember, then he must have undergone stic surgery. He''s one of Robert''s adopted sons, and it''s just like what Ms. Craw said¡ªhe had a crush on Robert''s daughter, Kassy. "He even confessed several times, but Kassy never agreed." Rain added, "Abel handled external affairs and rarely returned to the Ind of Despair unless there was something special. That''s why our impressions of him aren''t deep. But I remember him, so I can confirm that he must''ve had surgery. He didn''t look like this back then." Luke frowned. "Handled external affairs? Mostly away from the Ind of Despair?" "Yes, that''s right. He took care of the clean businesses that the Ind of Despair conducted out there. So, when the Ind of Despair was eliminated, he managed to escape unscathed due to these legitimate businesses. No one suspected him." Gale nodded in response. Due to that, it gave him a chance to start fresh. "Among the adopted sons, Robert trusted this guy the most, so he handed over all the seemingly legit businesses to him." Now Luke understood why, back in the day, he went all out trying to figure out every key yer on the Ind of Despair but had no clue about this Abel that Luca mentioned. Him not being around the Ind of Despair often exined why he was not on Luke''s radar. Only people like Gale and Rain, who had spent years on the Ind of Despair, would have a clue about this guy. Furthermore, Abel was a cautious man. He went as far as getting stic surgery to rebuild the Ind of Despair without getting recognized... "Back then, I stuck close to Kassy. That was when I got a chance to meet this dude. He had a grip on a third of the Ind of Despair''s assets and was busyundering money for Robert. He was really busy. "But every time he swung by the Ind of Despair, he''d cozy up to Kassy. Boss, you ruined the woman he loved the most and put her in jail. It''s pretty normal for him to hate you,¡± Rain could not help but heave a sigh. Abel used to be known for his devotion. Even when he was out and about, he kept it clean for Kassy, never messing around. His actions were shady, but his love game was as serious as their boss''. Thus, with Luke destroying Abel''s beloved and tossing her behind bars, it was like a tit-for-tat situation. It was expected. However, Abel not only harmed their boss'' woman but also kidnapped their little girl. Their boss would not let this slide easily. This mess could only be sorted out once Luke took care of Abel and wiped out the other forces on the Ind of Despair. "He''s not gonna have a good time ahead." Luke pulled out another set of documents and flipped through them. Once he found out Abel ran a biopharmaceuticalpany, he had his men dig deeper into Abel''s other identities. Luke had already got a good handle on quite a bit of it. At the same time, he was surprised to find out that Abel had several identities and passports in A City. With his top-notch disguise skills, he was able to smoothly breeze through the customs. A City''s border control was usually strict, but Abel''s disguises were on another level. After a moment of silence, Luke turned to one of Ray''s subordinates and said, "I''m heading to Russia to meet with Mr. Lacroix in a while." "Okay, Mr. Crawford. I''ll take off first if there''s nothing else. Boss told me to check on Ms. Vivian and see how she''s doingtely," replied the man as he rose to his feet. "Alright. Gale, please see our guest out." Luke instructed Gale. Gale also stood up to see Ray''s subordinate off. Rain stayed back in his office and asked, "Boss, what should we do next?" "I reckon he''s got plenty of identities in A City and other countries. If we want to keep tabs on this guy, we need to know all his aliases. The moment he switches to any of them, we should be ready to make a move," suggested Luke. He meant they should continue investigating Abel''s other identities. Their goal was not just to catch Abel. It was to wipe out the Ind of Despair and rescue N. Without Abel, someone else might step up and lead the organization to carry on with their shady business. Their existence could throw the world into chaos. Therefore, Luke nned to shut down on any chance of theireback. N?velDrama.Org ? content. "Alright, got it. I''ll keep digging," Rain agreed with Luke''s approach. This time, taking down the Ind of Despair was different from thest. Back then, she and Gale had a deep understanding of the Ind of Despair. Coupled with Luke being undercover for a while, they had a lot of intel on the organization''s activities and geography. Chapter 3017 The situation was different now. They were no longer involved with the Ind of Despair. They were constantly investigating the organization. Moreover, the Ind of Despair was an underground organization, making it difficult for them to gather intelligence. That was why there was a need for extensive pre-preparation. Otherwise, theter rescue efforts would be challenging. After Rain left, Luke picked up the document again. Having already memorized it, he found it unnecessary and tore it into pieces. Then, he tossed the shreds into the ashtray, watching them sumb to the mes until they were all but ashes. Only destroyed information was truly secure. Luke took the matter of the Ind of Despair seriously because it affected him and Luca. Therefore, he was meticulous in every detail. A message notification came from his phone. Luke checked his phone and realized it was a message from Luca. It was a simple text exining that Nina would be staying with them, along with her current situation. It ended with a reminder to eat on time. A faint smile yed across his lips. He appreciated the concern expressed by Luca, even if it was just a short message. After replying with a simple ''okay'', Luke made an internal call and instructed Jason to bring him dinner. He would heed Luca''s advice. ... In the university town, Vivian received a call and quickly excused herself from the evening self-study session. Carrying her backpack, she rushed out of the campus gate. She was slightly surprised when she saw a familiar tall figure. She walked toward him and asked, "Aaron, what brings you here?" Aaron, the one sent by Ray to deliver the document to Luke, wore a shy smile when he saw Vivian. A burly man showing such a smile struck Vivian with an indescribable visual impact. It was quite shocking. He was a man with ordinary features but a well-toned physique, but he wore a shy smile that seemed more fitting for a delicate woman. The sight caught her attention... "What''s wrong?" Vivian asked again. Then, upon recalling something, she added, "Is my brother here?" "No, Mr. Lacroix didn''te. Actually, I''m here to carry out the task assigned by Mr. Lacroix. I also came here to see you, Ms. Vivian. Good evening!" Aaron performed a family salute while they were surrounded by the bustling campus crowd. Vivian felt embarrassed. There were so many studentsing and going. Aaron''s gesture attracted a lot of attention. There were many foreign students at Capital University, so seeing a foreign face was not that novel for them. Still, the salute piqued the curiosity of many students. "Aaron, we''re not in Russia, and this is definitely not a family gathering. You don''t have to salute me. People will gather around us," Vivian reminded him in a soft voice. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Aaron noticed the puzzled look on the students'' faces and awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, Ms. Vivian. I forgot." "It''s okay. Did you deliver the document?" Vivian shook her head. She did not want to put on any airs of a youngdy of a noble Russian family here. Here in A City, she felt an overwhelming sense of freedom! There was no need for her to put on the airs of a richdy in front of these people. No one would heed her imperiousmands. Hence, she remainedposed, personally dealing with every matter that came her way. It felt a bit strange at first, but now, she was loving the independence. She could manage everything in her life herself, piece by piece. "It''s been delivered. It''s something important, so I handed it directly to Mr. Crawford beforeing to see you," replied Aaron. He was one of Ray''s most reliable subordinates. He was at the top of his game. "So, it''s rted to Mr. Crawford," muttered Vivian. Then, she smiled. "It''s prettyte. You haven''t had dinner, right?" "Not yet." Aaron shook his head. He headed straight to T Corporation right after getting off the ne. The top priority was delivering this important document to Luke. After that, he made his way to Capital University. As for whether he ate or not, he had not really paid attention. After all, he often skipped meals during previous missions. "You can''t be like this. You''re only delivering a document for my brother. Did you seriously forget about eating?" Vivian shook her head, pondered for a moment, and said, "Come on. Let''s go to my apartment first and drop off my backpack. We can grab dinner together after that." Her backpack was heavy, filled with books she borrowed from the library today. That was why she did not want to carry it to dinner. Plus, her single apartment was near the school. It would not take much time to get there. "Sure." Aaron had no objections. Vivian took a step forward and turned to look at the man beside her. "By the way, how did you get here?" "I took a cab. I''m not familiar with this area," answered Aaron. "Oh, my apartment isn''t far from here. There''s no need for a cab. Can you ride a bike?" asked Vivian. Aaron felt a bit awkward as he answered, "I''ve learned it before, but it''s been a long time..." "No problem, it''s easy. Let me get one for you." Vivian walked toward a rental bike nearby, took out her phone from her backpack, and scanned the code on the bike. "This is a rental bike. It automatically deducts money from your e-wallet when you scan the code. It''s convenient. Here, this one''s for you." She pushed a bike toward Aaron. Aaron awkwardly sat on it. He was tall and muscr, and he was a bit concerned about possibly breaking the seemingly fragile bike. Vivian scanned another bike for herself. When she saw Aaron awkwardly standing with both feet on the ground, appearing awkward and restless, she exined with a smile on her face, "Don''t worry. These bikes are sturdy. You won''t break it." Aaron felt embarrassed. He noticed that Vivian still had her backpack and said, "Ms. Vivian, let me carry your backpack for you." "No need, it''s not heavy. Let''s go. I''ll lead the way. Follow me,¡± replied Vivian as she pedaled her bike toward her apartment. Aaron clumsily caught up, pedaling a few times. After realizing the bike could handle his weight without breaking, he quickly caught up with Vivian. After they arrived at the apartment, Vivian said, "Wait here for a second. I''ll go upstairs and drop off my stuff. I''lle right back down." Aaron thought about going upstairs too, but considering it was Vivian''s personal space and him being a subordinate, it would not be right to tag along. Hence, he nodded and waited patiently downstairs. After watching Vivian go upstairs, his gaze sharpened as he turned to look in a certain direction. A man,pletely covered, stood there. Since Vivian left the campus, the man had been following closely behind them. Aaron knew about it, but with Vivian around, he was reluctant to say anything. He did not want to scare the youngdy. Chapter 3018 Aaron walked over and unceremoniously asked, ¡°Who are you, and why have you been following Ms. Vivian?" When the man saw Aaroning over, he was going to leave, but Aaron was quick to block his way. If Ray had not told him that A City was governed byws stricter than in Russia, he would have taken matters into his own hands instead of just standing in the man''s way. Ray had told him to not act rashly as Luke might take it up with him. The person he stopped then asked in a hoarse voice, "What proof do you have for your ims?" Only then did Aaron realize that he had just asked the question in Russian, and the man replied in fluent Russian too. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. In A City, English was moremonly understood than Russian, so was this person sent here to protect Ms. Vivian too? However, Aaron immediately retracted that thought. If Ray had really sent this guy over, as one of Ray''s subordinates, it was impossible for him to not know. If he knew Russian and was following Vivian, could he be someone who had a conflict with their company in Russia? However, even if someone were to take revenge, they would note to A City to follow Vivian... Then, Aaron looked at him warily. "Who the hell are you?" "What''s it to you?" He rolled his eyes. Aaron frowned once he heard his tone. Could he be. Impossible! That person despised Vvian. Why would he follow her? That was out of the question. However, he could speak Russian, and he had ties with Ray and Vivian. Plus, he was keeping himself under wraps and acting so sneakily. If it was not him, could it really be one of their enemies? Aaron reached out to take off his baseball cap, but the man was fast too. He quickly dodged his hand. "Why are you following Ms. Vivian?" Aaron raised his eyebrows and asked. The man in the hat and mask snorted. "Do you think this is Russia? This is A City. With her looks, your lady is safe. What are you so worried about?" Aaron got angry all of a sudden. Vivian may not be the prettiest woman, but she was kind and friendly. She was also good at everything, so this man had no right to judge her! ¡°Gordan, Ms. Vivian has divorced you. What are you doing sneaking around here?" Aaron had always been with Ray, so he knew about Vivian''s divorce. He also knew that Gordan refused to divorce Vivian and wanted to meet her because of the house. He was unhappy that Vivian left the house to him! Aaron knew all about it, so he held him in contempt. He should just keep whatever Ms. Vivian did not want. Since they were divorced, Gordan should just man up and stop using such lousy excuses to disturb her. Ms. Vivian had sacrificed her youth for Gordan. Now that they were finally divorced, he still wanted to get himself involved with her. How could he? Gordan did not think he would be recognized... It was A City, not Russia. How did Aaron know who he was when he was so well-disguised? However, Gordan recognized the person in front of him. He was one of Ray''s most trusted subordinates. Back when he was still with Vivian, they often exchanged blows. So, even though he disguised himself well, he expected to be recognized the moment he spoke Russian. Gordan did not deny it either, so he retorted, "What I do is none of your business. This is A City, not Russia, where your boss is the dictator. I have total freedom to do anything I want." Aaron was confused by his words, but his mind was quick. "You''re right. No one will stop you from following Ms. Vivian, but you''ve always hated her, so why follow her now?" Before Gordan could speak, Aaron mocked him, "Are you regretting it? Someone as outstanding as Ms. Vivian won''t just take you back because you regret it. Scram! Don''t let me see your face again!" Gordon sneered at his remark and said, "I''m a resident here. Are you going to chase me out?" Aaron was taken aback. Gordan lived here too? Did Vivian know? Seeing as Gordan disguised himself like a thief, Aaron guessed that Vivian probably did not know. He could not let her see him, or else she would be upset again. "I don''t care where you live, just don''t show yourself in front of Ms. Vivian." Aaron was furious as this was not Russia, so he could not do anything to Gordan. Otherwise, he would have broken his nose and given him a ck eye. Even better, he would make him lie in a hospital for half a month to stop him from following Vivian. "Mind your own business." Aaron''s words had triggered Gordan, but he did not want to cause a scene. Otherwise, he would have thrown hands already. This was A City, not Russia. Fighting in the streets of Russia wasmon, and people would usually not bat an eyelid. On the contrary, fighting in A City would attract a crowd. People would most likely call the police. Getting the police involved would not help either of them. If the two men wanted to fight, they would either have to do it somewhere legal, like a gym or at home. However, Gordan did not want to beat Aaron up in his house. Aaron was angered by his words, and he wondered why he would meet Gordan here out of all ces. If he were in Russia, he would have done something to him by now. Gordan saw Aaron try his best to suppress the urge to hit him and sneered. ¡°Why are you so worried about Vivian? Do you like her? Although you look pretty average, I didn''t think you''d like ugly women. Oh, I remember now. You protected Vivian every single day back in Russia..." He recalled his time in Russia when he would often get into conflicts with Aaron. He thought that Aaron was just carrying out Ray''s orders at the time, but he realized that was not the case after today. This guy was defending Vivian so much that it seemed like he had feelings for her. Gordan was not sure how he felt about that. Then, he frowned when he heard Aaron say, "If you continue with the nonsense, I''ll beat you to death no matter where we are!" Aaron sounded like he was hiding something when he threatened Gordan, which upset thetter even more. "Liking that monster is shameful, don''t you think? I didn''t think you''d have such taste. Tsk, tsk, tsk. You''d beat me up for that monster? Do it, then. Being detained will only stop you from carrying out Ray''s orders or going back to Russia. Ha, I didn''t think that the ugly Vivian would have bodyguards. How. unbelievable.." Chapter 3019 "Gordan, don''t go too far..." There was a cracking sound when Aaron clenched his fists. He could not hold in his anger when he ridiculed Ms. Vivian. He just wanted to punch him in the face. So what if he dyed carrying out his orders? So what if he could not return to Russia on time? It was worth beating up someone like Gordan without thinking of the consequences. If he told Ray, he would definitely understand. He may even send more people over to beat Gordan up again. Besides, Ray was more protective over Vivian than anyone else. ¡°You want to beat me up, huh? Bring it on!" Just as Aaron was about to hit Gordan, he heard Vivian''s voiceing from the elevator. "Aaron, who are you talking to?" Aaron was stunned. Then, he gave Gordan a warning look, knowing that Vivian should not see him. Although Vivian had gotten over the divorce, everyone knew the effect Gordan had on her. If she saw him, she might be sad again. "No one, Ms. Vivian." Aaron decided to let Gordan go this time as he walked over to her with a smile, purposely covering Gordan. Vivian knew him too well, so if she saw his silhouette, she might get suspicious. Vivian was still looking at him in confusion. When she did not see Aaron after walking out of the elevator, she looked around and saw him talking to someone else. The person seemed to be well-covered as if he had something to hide. Before she could make out the situation, she blurted out his name, and he walked over. Vivian could no longer see what was going on over there. When Aaron made his way to her, he was blocking her view. "Let''s go, Ms. Vivian." Vivian stopped forward and looked in the same direction earlier, but there was no one there. Perhaps that person had left. "Who were you talking to just now? Most people here don''t speak Russian, but I remember your English is pretty good." Not all of Ray''s subordinates had higher education. Some of them had to step into society early because of their poor family background, so Russian was the onlynguage they could speak fluently while they were only average in othernguages. Aaron was no exception. Although Ray gave him the opportunity to get an education, once he started working, he could not bring himself to go back to studying. In the end, Ray did not push him, so that was that. ¡°I saw someone just now, so I just wanted to ask if they knew any good restaurants nearby. It''s not easy to get to have a meal with you, after all. I have to pick a nice ce to take you to." Aaron''s mind was quick. He lied while paying attention to Vivian''s expression, and it seemed like she did not recognize Gordan just now. Vivian would have been able to recognize Gordan''s voice from afar in the past. It seemed that not only did she not recognize him, but she did not even hear their conversation. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Aaron breathed a sigh of relief. "Why are you asking others? I''ve lived here for some time, so I know where all the good food is." Vivian led him toward the gate. "Right, haha. I just wanted to give you a surprise." Aaron was different from when he was protecting her earlier. He was smiling like a fool in front of Vivian, and he even patted the back of his head out of habit. Then, Vivian asked again, "Did that person understand Russian?" Her casual question alerted Aaron, and he said, "Russian? No way. I talked to him using a trantion app." "Oh, I see." Vivian decided to drop it and returned to the topic of food. "By the way, why don''t you try some of A City''s specialty dishes? The food here is way better than Russian food." Vivian''s eyes lit up when talking about food. They were close to the college area, so there were plenty of restaurants around. She had tried all of A City''s famous dishes and was no longer as skinny as she was before. She had even gained ten pounds. Her college roommate said she looked much better after putting on some weight, which boosted her confidence. It was not like she could choose the face she was born with, so why not live life with confidence? "Fine, it''s your choice. You make the arrangements, and I''ll take care of the bill." Aaron could not help but grin seeing Vivian''s smile. It seemed like his boss made the right decision by letting Ms. Vivian study abroad. Although there was an annoying pest around, Vivian''s life seemed much better overall. She was much more cheerful too. "Okay, I''ll make the arrangements, but I''ll pay too. You''re on a business trip under my brother''s orders, yet you still came to visit me. How can I make you pay?" Vivian said while leading Aaron toward an Italian restaurant that was popr among the students. The interior of the restaurant was not fancy at all, and Aaron looked speechless when he followed her in. Was this the kind of ce Ms. Vivian had been eating at? He thought that she would at least go to a nicer, more hygienic ce as Vivian had never eaten at roadside stalls in Russia before. She and her brother would never eat at such ces because they thought that they were unhygienic. Aaron resumed his normal expression and followed her in. Vivianmunicated with the waiter fluently in English, requesting a table for two. The waiter understood, so he led both of them to a table with two seats in the corner. After receiving the menu, Vivian said to Aaron, ¡°The food here may not look like much, but this is one of the most popr restaurants among the students in this town. "Many people who want toe here have to make reservations two days in advance. We got a table because it''ste and the students are probably studying or on dates. "Some items on the menu may be sold out by now. Here it is. There are pictures too. Have a look and pick anything you want. Everything here tastes good.¡± "Okay." Aaron was no longer doubtful when he heard herments on this inconspicuous ce. Besides, if Ms. Vivian said the food was good, it must be good. There was nothing to be unsure about. Thus, he chose what he wanted off the menu. Aaron did not hold back as he knew that Vivian would get mad if he did. Vivan was browsing too. Although she already had dinner, she decided to make an exception for her favorite restaurant, so she ordered herself a hearty supper. Chapter 3020 Since the shop was not too crowded now, they handed the waiter the menu after cing their order. Before they knew it, they brought out the pasta and all the other foods. Vivian noticed Aaron kept ncing outside. She was curious, and she could not help but ask, ''What are you looking at?'' Aaron shifted his gaze back and awkwardly chuckled. ¡°Oh, nothing. I''m just curious about the surroundings here. It''s a university town. No wonder it''s nice and safe. It''s not as chaotic as overseas." He casually made it up, not wanting to admit that he was keeping an eye out for Gordan, that troublemaker. "Yes, it''s pretty safe. Plus, all the universities here have security measures, so once it hits curfew, it gets real quiet. Since it''s surrounded by universities, there are many people around as long as it''s before curfew, and they''re all students. "There aren''t any of thoseplicated people from the outside world. That''s why it''s safe here," exined Vivian. She thought he was checking up on her life here on Ray''s orders. Therefore, she went into detail, trying to assure Ray not to worry about her. "Ms. Vivian, do you enjoy your life here?" asked Aaron. The steam from the hot food veiled Vivian''s face, but he could still see the smile on her face. "I do. I''m really grateful I chose to study here in A City. You wouldn''t believe how interesting the courses are at the universities here, and my ssmates are kind. I might be on the older side for a foreign student, but they don''t treat me any different. "In fact, they enjoy chatting with me. Most of my ssmates are foreigners since I started in the language program, but I also joined some clubs, so I have many friends in A City too." Vivian shared her joy about her life abroad. "Sounds great." Aaron stared at Vivian''s smile and joined in theughter. As long as the youngdy was happy, that was all that mattered. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Come on, let''s dig in. The food won''t taste good if they get cold," replied Vivian as she served him some veggies. Food like this wasmon in A City but not so much in Russia. Aaron was pleasantly surprised by her gesture. The two of them were having a st inside the restaurant, but Gordan, who was across the street in a coffee shop, had a grim expression on his face. Even though there was a road between them, the road was not that wide. Anyone with good eyesight could see them in the Italian restaurant. As Gordan watched the cheerful duo in the restaurant, he snorted. Treating his coffee like booze, he downed it. He did not n on tailing Vivian and Aaron. He was on his way back when he saw the two on a shared bike, chatting and heading toward the apartment. He could never forget Aaron since their brawl. When they fought, he had not held back. When he saw Aaron, the rage within him skyrocketed, reaching its peak. Unconsciously, he followed them. As he watched themugh and Vivian serve Aaron vegetables, he felt a sense of betrayal. She was actually serving vegetables to the man who beat him up! Gordan clenched his fists, making a cracking sound. It startled the women who were sitting at the next table, discussing his looks. He had to take off his mask to drink coffee, which exposed half of his face. Even with just half his face, he managed to capture the attention of a few women. Now, he was giving off this vibe like he was ready to pick a fight at any moment. The women at the next table thought perhaps they got too loud and offended him. Thus, to avoid any conflict, they quickly chugged their coffee and bounced. Even though they would like to check out a handsome guy, the man did not like being the center of attention¡ªespecially with a short fuse like his. They knew better than to mess with him! Meanwhile, Gordan was not concerned with all that. His mind was solely focused on giving Aaron a piece of his mind. Sure enough, this ordinary guy showed some interest in Vivian. Gordan used to wonder if he was acting on Ray''s orders, and that was why he always went all out in their fights. It turned out that he was interested in Vivian. Gordan knew he was not mistaken. After dancing around the garden of romance for quite some time, he was experienced enough to know exactly how a man acted when he was interested in a woman. Aaron''s current behavior proved his interest in Vivian! Gordan narrowed his eyes, focusing on Vivian''s face. That shy look of hers... The danger in his gaze intensified, causing the woman who wanted to approach him and ask for his contact number to freeze in her tracks. Then, she nced at him again to confirm, and she hurriedly walked away. Gordan had no idea he unintentionally scared off so many people. Meanwhile, in the Italian restaurant, the two finally got into their meal. Aaron thoroughly enjoyed the dinner. He gave his stomach a little pat. It was all lean muscle because of his long-term training. He would not usually get much of a belly after meals. One could only feel his rock-hard abs. However, he could actually feel his little belly now. Surprisingly, he ate so much and got himself a little belly! Aaron was amazed, and he could not help but exim, "This food is incredible." "Yes, it is, but you gotta pick the right spot. Some ces have lousy pasta, so it''s not as tasty. So, how about it? My pick for our meal was good, right?" asked Vivian as she presented her payment code for the waiter to scan for the bill. "Yes, it''s really good." When Aaron went to settle the bill, he forgot the phrase he learned before coming to A City. When Vivian saw him at a loss for words, she chuckled and exined, "I already paid. Let''s go. Where are you staying? Let me get you a cab." "I''m staying around here, and you don''t have to get a cab for me. I''ll send you back first." Aaron declined her offer. "It''ll be hard for you tomunicate with the driver, no?" Vivian frowned. "No, I have a trantion app. The drivers here are all used to it," replied Aaron. Before he came to A City, he downloaded a trantion app on his phone since he could not speak the localnguage. With the app, he couldmunicate just fine. "Alright, but this ce is really safe. You don''t have to escort me back home. Go back early and adjust to the time difference," suggested Vivian. She guessed that Aaron''s visit to A City was not just about delivering documents to Luke. There might be other things he needed to take care of. She was not one to pry into Ray''s business. She only advised Aaron to go back and rest without sending her. "Ms. Vivian, even though it''s safe around here, you''re still a woman. I insist on sending you back home. Let''s go. If the boss finds out I didn''t personally see you off, he''ll surely give me an earful," replied Aaron. He stood up and walked over to her, pulling out the chair for her. Vivian rose to her feet. She had no choice but to go along with his suggestion. Gordan, who was seated at the coffee shop, saw Aaron''s actions and let out a cold snort. As he watched them leave, he masked up, left the money on the counter, and said,"Keep the change." Then, he turned around and walked away. Chapter 3021 The cashier, seeing such a handsome customer shing his cash so generously, was caught off guard for a moment. After she came back to her senses, the man had already left. Vivian and Aaron were strolling on the other side of the street. As they walked, Vivian was pointing out the local attractions. Meanwhile, Gordan strode menacingly along the opposite side of the road. The streetlights were dim, but the brilliant lights emanating from the quaint shops lining both sides of the road painted a contrasting brilliance. It gave him a clear view of the actions of the two people across the street. A man with a basketball was walking toward Vivian and Aaron. After he was bumped by his buddy, he teetered dangerously, seemingly on the verge of falling toward Vivian''s direction. Aaron, sharp as ever, immediately put his arm around Vivian''s shoulder. He shielded her to his other side. With fluid grace, Aaron effortlessly lifted Vivian and cradled her with one hand on her shoulder. It caused her feet to leave the ground. Even though it was only for a second, Vivian was startled. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she let out a sigh of relief. She was soaring into the air all of a sudden, and in the blink of an eye, she found herself in a different spot. "Ms. Vivian, I''m sorry," Aaron apologized. After all, it all happened suddenly, and this was the only way to keep her safe. "It''s alright. You just caught me off guard," replied Vivian, realizing that he did it to keep her safe. The two guys next to them also realized what happened. The one with the basketball apologized to Vivian, ¡°I''m sorry. Are you okay?" "I''m fine," Vivian replied in English, telling him that she was unharmed. The man heaved a sigh of relief, feeling d he did not bump into anyone. The foreign man in front of him seemed like trouble, and he did not want to mess with him. Recalling the man''s move just now, he gave a thumbs-up and praised, "Bro, that was impressive." Aaron did not understand English. The gesture of approval, however, was universally understood across the globe. He replied with a goofy smile in return. In Russia, he would have probably kept a straight face. However, they were not in Russia. Their boss made it clear that this kind of attitude did not fly in A City. Hence, it would be best to keep a friendly face and avoid looking too serious. Moreover, their youngdy did not appreciate them sporting serious faces. She said it was intimidating. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. The man understood that he was not mad when he saw Aaron''s smile. Thus, he left with his friend. "Let''s go," said Vivian. "Alright. The people here seem pretty polite," Aaron could not help but mention it to Vivian. "Russians are actually polite too, but since you guys are often involved in fights and conflicts, the people you encounter tend to be like that. "When you treat ordinary folks kindly, they won''t treat you poorly either. It''s all about the social context." Vivian let out a sigh. She was not a fan of violence. However, back in Russia, her family had no other choice. If Ray were to soften up, those people would not turn kind because of it. Instead, they would keep encroaching on their family''s interests. That was why Vivian enjoyed her time in A City. At least, none of those troublesome incidents happened here. Gordan, who was across the street, watched how Aaron rescued Vivian. He could not help but let out a cold snort. What a show-off... He was dissatisfied, thinking that Aaron was just being overly dramatic. It was just a little bump. What harm could Vivian possibly suffer? With her sturdy frame, how could she possibly fall apart from just a bump? Gordan was getting more and more irritated as the thoughts filled his mind. He could feel the displeasure building up inside him, almost bursting out of his chest and throat. He was tempted to pick a fight with Aaron. Aaron escorted Vivian to the entrance of the residential area. Vivian stopped and said to Aaron, "Alright, I''m here. You should head back to the hotel." "Let me escort you till you''re downstairs," replied Aaron, showing no intention of leaving. Vivian shook her head and pointed to a taxi waiting nearby. "We''re at the entrance of themunity. It''s safe here. Strangers can''t get in. Don''t worry. There''s a taxi right there. Go back and rest." "Ms. Vivian..." Aaron was still worried. Vivianmanded, "Get in the car now. It''s an order." She never thought of using her status to pressure Aaron, but if she did not, he might insist on taking her all the way to the downstairs of her apartment. After all, they were in A City, and Aaron was unfamiliar with this ce. She could not let him go without making sure he got into the taxi safely. Also, Vivian could not understand why Ray would send Aaron, who struggled with English, here for the job. Ray had many people who were proficient in English by his side. In A City, those who could speak English were able to get around with ease. As someone who could not speak English, Aaron had to rely on mobile trantion apps and gestures... Aaron frowned when he heard what she said. He stared into her eyes for a moment before reluctantly nodding. Vivian watched him get into the taxi andmunicate with the driver. Then, the car drove away. Once the taxi was out of sight, she walked toward the entrance of the residential area but did not go in. Instead, she approached the man who stood by the green belt. "Gordan Norton." The man''s body tensed. When he was about to turn around and leave, he heard Vivian saying, "I know you''ve been following me." Gordan stopped. He wanted to exin, but he felt like his throat was stuffed with cotton, and he could not utter a word. "Gordan, I don''t know why you''re still tailing me. Your previous concerns have been addressed. There''s nothing more to discuss. Besides, we''re officially divorced. I won''t meddle in your affairs, and I hope you won''t disturb my life either," Vivian calmly stated. She was fully aware that he had been following her. When she left the elevator, she had even overheard Aaron and Gordan''s conversation. Honestly, she had felt a fleeting excitement knowing that Gordan was trailing them. However, soon after, that flicker of joy was swiftly snuffed out by him calling her an ugly woman. She did not know why Gordan was following her. Perhaps he was not following her but Aaron. He could have been assigned a task that was rted to Ray. In his eyes, she had always been a monster, someone who should be alone. Anyone who got close to her was treated as though they were dealing with a freak. It was quite bewildering. Being in love with an ugly woman was embarrassing. Gordan had never liked her, and she should not have any expectations. Vivian looked at Gordan, who remained frozen without saying anything. She felt a pang of pain in her heart. She had initially wanted to say, ''Gordan, we''re divorced''. Yet, here she was, unable to be that straightforward. They were already divorced. What was the point of saying so much? Gordan would not feel sorry at all. He was not even here because of her... "Gordan, there''s an old saying in A City¡ªlet bygones be bygones. We''re no longer rted to each other. Please stop following me or anyone rted to my brother. Otherwise, I''ll inform Ray." Informing Ray about this would undoubtedly spell trouble for Gordan. Even if he could manage to escape in A City, he would not be able to do so abroad. Vivian knew she could not let him go yet. After all, she had loved him for so many years. Even after seeing the truth for what it is and going through a divorce, her feelings still lingered... Still, she could at least act like she did not care. Chapter 3022 After that, Vivian turned around to leave. Gordan, who had remained silent all this time, spoke up at this moment, "Vivian, who do you think you are?" Vivian''s back stiffened. She knew that once Gordan spoke, he would definitely say such words. Yes, in his eyes, she was just an ugly monster. How could he possibly follow her? She pursed her lips, remaining silent. The moment Gordan spoke, the moment the familiar voice reached her ears, she felt defenseless. If she spoke, he would surely hear the tension in her voice. Hence, Vivian bit her lip tightly, refusing to speak and reveal her emotions. When Gordan saw her standing straight without uttering a word, the fire inside him burned even brighter. He intended to vent his emotions, but he recalled something from the past. Back when they were still married, Vivian used to cling to him all the time. There was one time when he was annoyed by her constant nagging and reluctantly agreed to go out for dinner with her. However, the meal turned into a series of unpleasant arguments, and as for why the night turned sour, Gordan had since forgotten. He only remembered he left without finishing the meal. Vivian quickly paid the bill and followed him. He vented his frustration at her on the street, expressing his displeasure. Ultimately, Vivian responded by turning her back on him. Her silhouette was the same as it was now, but the differencey in the fact that back then, Vivian''s shoulders were trembling in the midst of a distressing cry. He could not look at her face back then. He could only look at her from behind, and the sight had been perplexing, with her shoulders slightly trembling. It stirred a touch of sympathy in his heart. N?velDrama.Org ? content. However, that was just a facade, and Vivian''s tactic did not work on him. Now, Vivian still had her back turned, but she was no longer crying with trembling shoulders. She was not pretending to be pitiful and helpless either. The frustration in Gordan''s heart intensified at the thought of this. He had initially wanted to release his anger, and the words were on the tip of his tongue. However, he involuntarily switched to a different set of words. "Vivian, do you think people are genuinely good to you? Sharpen up a bit!" Vivian lowered her gaze, a bitter smile appearing on her lips. Yes, she was ugly, so in Gordan''s eyes, no one would sincerely treat her well. However, when she left him, she understood that many people did not judge someone solely based on appearance. At least Ray genuinely cared for her, and Luca also treated her sincerely. Her ssmates were the same. Appearance was not the only factor to consider when it came to making friends. She was not dating anyone, so why should she judge if they were treating her well based on her looks? Gordan''s words were like a bucket of cold water that was poured over her heart, extinguishing that inexplicable touch of sadness. Vivian chuckled softly. Perhaps she should thank Gordan. His words were inappropriate, but they quickly woke her up. "Gordan, not everyone is hung up on looks when making friends." Then, she walked briskly into the residential area, ignoring the man behind her. As Gordan watched Vivian''s confident strides as she walked away, a sense of frustration rose in his heart. He removed his mask and hat. His eyes were gloomy. Even though Vivian''s figure had long disappeared at the entrance of the residential area, his eyes were as sharp as an eagle''s as they remained locked on his target. There was no peace in his gaze. Gordan kicked the tree trunk near him. Summer had arrived, and the trees were bursting with vitality, but a few leaves were still kicked down by him. "Fuck!" Gordan cursed, ncing at the time before turning around. He originally had things to do today. If it were not for him seeing Aaron and Vivian walking together, he would not have abandoned his important task and followed them... After walking a few steps, Gordan suddenly thought of a question. Why did he follow them? Was he worried about Vivian? No! He quickly denied it in his heart. It was just that he saw Aaron, his enemy, and wanted to seize an opportunity for a sneak attack. On the other hand, Vivian quickly returned to the apartment building and turned around to look back. When she did not see Gordan, her tense nerves rxed. However, they were reced by an overwhelming wave of disappointment. It seemed that Gordan was really not following her, and it was not the romantic scenario she had imagined. The scenes of a divorced husband regretting his decision, being unable to let go, and stalking his exwife only happened in novels and TV dramas, usually with exceptionally beautiful women. They would not happen to her. "Vivian, what are you thinking? How could the man who hates you possibly like you?" Vivian muttered to herself, pressing the elevator button. The elevator reached the first floor. She stepped in, pressing the button for her apartment floor. Vivian still saw the disappointment in her eyes through the mirror in the elevator. She slightly furrowed her brows when she saw the disappointed look. She felt that she was being weak. Even if she could not let him go and even if she still liked him, she could not show it. That way, she could live a better life... ... After leaving Percy''s vi, Karen did not go back to Mallory Manor. She knew that if she went back, Old Master Mallory would definitely not let her off. The words the old master said yesterday kept reying in her mind. Together with what Luke said today about sending information to Old Master Mallory, her intuition was telling her things were not looking good. What did Luke send to Old Master Mallory? Therefore, Karen waited until half past ten in the evening. She observed as the time exceeded the old master''s usual resting hour. She then allowed her subordinate to escort her back to Mallory Manor. Karen stood in the garden and looked at the well-lit rooms in the manor. She felt a subtle unease, but sheforted herself when she thought about how the housekeeper usually kept the lights on until midnight. Old Master Mallory would probably be in bed by ten at night, and as long as nothing important happened, he would not stay up to wait for her. After all, that was the doctor''s advice. The old master valued his life, so he consistently followed a strict routine. It was almost 11 o''clock. Old Master Mallory must have already gone to sleep by now. He would not stay up waiting for her over such trivial matters. Karen reassured herself with these thoughts, increasingly convinced that Old Master Mallory had indeed gone to bed. Thus, she walked briskly inside. In the living room, Old Master Mallory was sitting on the sofa. Karen was slightly stunned when she saw that Old Master Mallory was still awake. She could not help but wonder why he had not slept yet. Old Master Mallory was sitting with his eyes closed, resting. When he heard footsteps, he did not open his eyes but asked Mr. Be, who stood beside him, "Is she back?" "Yes, sir. She''s back," Mr. Be nced at Karen without any expression on his face. He simply reported to the old master. Only then did Old Master Mallory slowly open his eyes. "Karen." "Father, why aren''t you resting? Didn''t the doctor say you shouldn''t stay upte?" Karen knew there was no way she could escape. Hence, she approached him with a smile. She hoped that Old Master Mallory would consider the two heirs she had given to the Mallory family and her ties to the Ruiz family. Perhaps that would ease things up a bit. Chapter 3023 "Hmph, you sure as heck want me to be asleep, don''t you? As long as I''m out cold, no one will be around to settle scores with you, right?" Old Master Mallory lifted his gaze ever so slightly, peering at her face adorned with an ingratiating smile. His gaze took on a subtle chill. "Father, what in the world are you talking about? I can''t make heads or tails of it." Karen''s smiling face froze for a moment. Even though she imed not to understand, deep down, she knew what he was talking about. "Show her the documents." Old Master Mallory ignored Karen''s act of ignorance and spoke to Mr. Be. Karen looked at Mr. Be, realizing for the first time that he was holding a stack of documents. Mr. Be handed the documents to Karen. "Madam, please take a look." Karen furrowed her brows and opened the documents. Just by reading the beginning, she knew what kind of information it contained. These were the documents Luke sent to Old Master Mallory. It was the evidence of Karen, along with Margaret and Myra, leaking the rumored rtionship between Luke and Luca to the press. Karen''s hands trembled slightly. Before she saw these documents, she thought the conspiracy she had orchestrated was wless. However, Luke had gathered so much evidence. Not only that, he had given it all to Old Master Mallory... Karen felt a surge of anger with nowhere to vent. She had no evidence to prove what Luke had done. On the flip side, she believed she had been discreet about what she did. Even the locations she picked for discussions were ces she was familiar with, like that coffee shop. It seemed impossible for anyone to eavesdrop on those conversations. However, Luke''s people still managed to dig up the dirt. She had spent a fortune on this too. Why was the person she hired so different from Luke''s men? Karen closed the documents, choosing not to delve further. Even if she did, she knew it would not make much difference because the evidence was right there. Continuing to read would not alter the current situation. "Father..." Karen sat on the single sofa on the other side, awkwardly putting the documents back on the coffee table. "Did I not warn you before you did this? I told you not to act recklessly. I told you not to go after Luke. Did I not remind you?" Old Master Mallory did not give her a chance to argue. Karen lowered her eyes slightly, reluctantly nodding. People often thought they might get lucky, and she was no exception. When Old Master Mallory warned and reminded her, she thought being a bit more careful would prevent Luke from finding her trail. That way, she could also help Pierre vent his frustrations. N?velDrama.Org ? content. "So what did you do?" Old Master Mallory pointed at the documents on the table. "Did you think doing things on the sly would be a seamless n? Others have long seen through everything you''ve done. Do you think you''re capable? Karen, after you married into the Mallory family, I cleaned up a lot of messes for you because of Daryl''s mistake. "People see you as the savvy daughter-inw of the Mallory family, but how many messes have I cleaned up for you? Not only did you not listen to me, but you also provoked Luke at a time like this. "Today, you went to him with your so-called evidence, right? Did you seed in making him admit to what he did? Did you seed in getting an apology? ¡°From what I know, not only did you not seed, but you were also asked to leave. I know about all the foolish things you''ve done. Just because of what you''ve done, I don''t even have the courage to face those friends of mine. Karen, you''ve really embarrassed me!" Karen''s face changed, alternating between white and red as she received the scolding. She did not think what she did was that serious, but she had to let the old master cool down. "Father, Luke Crawford is too cunning..." "Instead of avoiding such a cunning person, you went to provoke him. Karen, don''t you think the family has enough trouble?" Old Master Mallory thought of the embarrassment he faced and vented his frustration toward her. They were no longer in the previous generation. Otherwise, Karen would have been punished and sent to the ancestral hall a long time ago! It seemed like not only was the Crawford family''s daughter-inw out of line, but the Mallory family was pretty off-kilter too. Karen was getting chewed out, and she could not even catch a breath. Deep down, she was still feeling resentful. Why was she the one getting scolded... She did not do these things willingly. If Luke had not gone too far, would she have resorted to such sneaky actions? Karen considered herself someone who did not go looking for trouble. She thought all this was just a response to Luke pushing her to the edge. Even though both sides had taken action against each other, it now looked like she was the one taking the bigger hit. The evidence against Luke had not been found yet. "Father, I didn''t mean to cause trouble for the Mallory family. If this thinges back to bite us, let it bite me. I''ll take responsibility for my actions." Karen nned to take it all herself, thinking Old Master Mallory would not me her then. "Hmph, you think you can handle it?" Old Master Mallory thought he heard a massive joke. "With the evidence Luke has now, if he takes you to court, who will be the one losing face? It''s you and the Mallory family. The future cooperation between the Crawford and Mallory families will also be at risk. Can you deal with all that?" Karen wanted to insist she could handle it. However, realistically, she could not... Old Master Mallory continued, "I told you, you need to find evidence if you suspect Luke Crawford. Now, the evidence is nowhere to be found, and you''ve embarrassed us. "Tomorrow, you''reing with me to Crawford Manor to apologize. Then, you''re moving out of Mallory Manor!" "Father, I don''t want to move out!" Karen protested at the thought of leaving the Mallory Manor. It was not that living elsewhere would be worse. She would actually have more freedom than at Mallory Manor, but she did not want that kind of freedom. She wanted to hold onto everything within the Mallory family for Pierre. Moving out would mean losing many opportunities to gather information. "This is not up to you. I''m giving you a heads-up, and I have already given you a chance. Since you''re dead set on ming Luke but you can''t find any evidence, you''ll have to move out. "Karen, if it weren''t for you provoking Luke, he wouldn''t be doing this to you. Even if you can''t find evidence, you need to rify the rumors online as soon as possible," added Old Master Mallory without listening to any more of her exnations or pleas. Ever since he learned about Karen''s past, Old Master Mallory understood that his son''s affair and choice to be with another woman might have been justified. If Daryl were truly unfaithful, he would have been involved with other women during his years abroad. However, there was only one foreign woman. Old Master Mallory remembered how he had supported Karen for over 20 years, and he felt betrayed. "I''ve already arranged for Mr. Be to prepare a vi for you. After you apologize at Crawford Manor tomorrow, you''ll move there right away. Don''t bother me if there''s nothing else." Old Master Mallory rose to his feet. With Mr. Be''s help, he headed to his bedroom. Back then, no matter how much Karen caused trouble at home, he would turn a blind eye out of guilt. Now, Old Master Mallory could not hold back anymore. He no longer wanted to forgive Karen for her absurd actions. Chapter 3024 Old Master Mallory heard that Old Master Crawford had long kicked out another daughter-inw. Now, he was the only one in the big Crawford Manor, but he did not feel lonely. Instead, he was enjoying his time. Old Master Mallory thought that maybe if Karen moved out too, he could be at peace without her bothering him. Hence, he decided to take this opportunity to ask Karen to move out. His idea of living together as a big family had undergone a change over time due to the constant whirlwind of affairs within the family. Karen tightly pursed her lips as she watched Old Master Mallory leave from behind. Even when Mr. Be returned, she still stood there with a defiant look. Mr. Be sighed and said, "Madam, you should rest early." "How can I rest?" Karen red at him, thinking about the humiliation she endured at Crawford Manor and the incident with Nina. Even though she pped that woman''s face, she felt embarrassed to be escorted out of the neighborhood by the security team. She was even cklisted. Upon returning home, she got scolded by Old Master Mallory. He was even making her apologize to the Crawford family tomorrow and move out immediately. Karen wanted to vent her anger on Mr. Be, but considering he was close to Old Master Mallory, it would be like venting on the old master himself. She dared not to do so... It was not that she did not have the guts, but Pierre''s current situation required Old Master Mallory''s involvement. Offending the old master would not only harm her but also bring misfortune to Pierre. "Madam, given the circumstances, you can only follow Old Master Mallory''s arrangements. The vi he assigned for you on Blossom Avenue is ready with the necessary items. You only have to pack some clothes, jewelry, and cosmetics. "If you find it troublesome, the maid will help you tomorrow," said Mr. Be. He understood that Karen was angry, but he was helpless about it. This matter made Old Master Mallory even angrier, as he had lost face in front of his old friends. Ever since Pierre provoked Luke, Old Master Mallory had only been losing face in front of Old Master Crawford. Despite the cheerful banter among old friends, there was still a sense of rivalry. Old Master Mallory had never managed to regain his dignity, and Karen had even repeatedly tarnished his reputation. Therefore, Mr. Be could understand the old master''s anger and could not speak up for Karen. "Hmph, Blossom Avenue? Looks like Old Master Mallory can''t wait for me to get as far away as possible!" Karen narrowed her eyes menacingly. The vi on Blossom Avenue was not bad, but it was far from Mallory Manor. Even though both were in A City, driving from Mallory Manor to the vi on Blossom Avenue would take at least 40 minutes. Karen knew well what those 40 minutes meant. If it were not for the fear of gossip, Old Master Mallory might have arranged for her to stay on the outskirts. "Please don''t misunderstand, Madam. The vi on Blossom Avenue is newly renovated, and the style is to your liking. He thought you''d be happier living there. That''s why he made this arrangement," Mr. Be spoke up for the old master. Karen refused to believe what he said. She let out a cold snort and replied, "Summon my maid." At this time, the maid had already finished work for the day, but for the convenience of taking care of the house, both the maid and the butler stayed here. As Mr. Be watched Karen go upstairs, he shook his head helplessly. She was quite a handful... "Yes, Madam." Even though he thought she was troublesome, Mr. Be could not openly criticize her actions. Even in front of Old Master Mallory, he had to be cautious when serving him. Luke, done with his tasks at T Corporation, returned to the vi. It was already midnight. The lights were still on in the vi. He knew it was Luca who left them on for him, a gesture that had never changed in the past. Whenever he returnedte, she would keep the lights on. Luke felt a warm sensation in his chest. He wished he could rush to Luca''s side immediately and hold her in his arms, easing the tiredness in his body. As he entered the living room, he noticed Nina sitting on the couch. He could not help but raise an eyebrow and ask, "You''re not asleep at this hour?" When Luca nned for Nina to stay here, she had informed him in advance, so her presence was not surprising. What surprised him was that it was already midnight, and Nina was still sitting in the living room. "Luca said you were working overtime, and I was waiting for you specifically," Nina replied in a soft voice. It was to amodate the swelling on her face and to avoid waking up anyone upstairs. Even though the soundproofing in the vi was excellent, she was currently a guest. That was why she was mindful of such things. She would try not to cause trouble. "Is there something you want to talk about?" Luke adjusted his tie. Even though she had not brought up a topic yet, he had a general idea of what she might say. "Please don''t tell Percy about this," answered Nina. Luke nodded. He had no intention of getting involved in women''s affairs. He took Nina in because he promised Percy. As long as Nina could stay peacefully here while Percy was on his business trip, other matters were not his concern. His promise was within Nina''s expectations, and she continued, "Does Luca have another identity?" Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "No," Luke denied. Deep down, he could not help but wonder if the kids identally let something slip, leading to Nina''s suspicion. "I have this inexplicable sense of familiarity with her. If you know anything, you can tell me. I promise I won''t tell anyone about it." Nina sounded like she wanted to know something. "There''s nothing like that. It''s gettingte. Rest early." Luke nced at the time. It was 12:05 in the morning. He quickly took a shower, and by 12:30, he should be able to fall asleep with Luca in his arms. He cherished the time spent sleeping with her. Luke ended the conversation, and Nina slightly parted her lips, as though she had something to say. However, she hesitated. As she watched him make his way up the stairs, she shook her head helplessly and headed upstairs too. When they reached the second floor, they went to different rooms¡ªone on the left and one on the right. After Luke finished taking a shower in the bedroom across the room, he returned to the master bedroom. He initially did not want to disturb Luca, but she was a light sleeper. The moment he got into bed, she woke up before he could lie down. "Luke?" Luca''s voice carried a hint of drowsiness and sleepiness. "Yes, it''s me. Go back to sleep." Lukey down, pulling her into his arms. Luca found afortable sleeping position in his arms and closed her eyes. Then, she heard him ask, "Did the kids identally spill the beans in front of Nina today?" "What do you mean by spilling the beans?" Luca, feeling drowsy, did not immediately grasp the situation. After asking for rification, she understood what Luke meant and added, "The kids are clever. They didn''t say anything." Chapter 3025 "Okay." That was all Luke said before he held her even tighter in his arm. Luca was awake now, and she opened her eyes a little. Her vision had adapted to the darkness, so she pressed her face against his chest and asked, ¡°What did Nina say?" ¡°When she was waiting for me downstairs, she asked me if you had another identity." Luke gently caressed Luca''s back, and shivers went down her spine as his touch got increasingly sensual. Luca was half-asleep, so she did not notice the changes in Luke''s movements. Instead, she frowned and said, "I''ll tell her next time. The fewer the people who know about me, the better." "Sure," Luke said absent-mindedly. Luca finally realized what he was doing, so she turned to the side and said, "It''ste." "We have to hurry, then," said Luke. Although he would be disrupting her sleep, his desires made it impossible for him to just sleep next to her like a gentleman. As he said that, he leaned forward as things got heated up. The next day, Luca was exhausted when she got out of bed. She bit her lip at the thought of Luke tiring her outst night even though he said that he would control himself. It was like he was making up for the night Rainie had slept in their bed... Thoughts ofst night made Luca''s face go red. After touching her face, she stood up and felt the soreness from her waist all the way to her limbs. Luca frowned as she stretched by the bed. After loosening up her muscles, she washed up and put on her work attire before walking out the door. As she expected, Luke was working in the opposite room. Then, their eyes met as if they had just read each other''s minds. Although he had given up on sleepst night, he was still in high spirits today. Then, he smiled. "Good morning." "Good morning." Once again, Luca was reminded of what happened the night before. It had happened many times before, but she would still blush every time she thought about it. Looking at her shy face, Luke instantly knew what she was thinking about. He asked on purpose, "Did you have a good night''s sleep?" Her face turned red immediately. He was doing it on purpose! How could she have had a good night''s sleep when that happened? "I''ll head downstairs for breakfast." Luca ignored his question. Luke smiled. "Okay. Come back earlier today. I''ve promised Grandpa we''ll have dinner at the manor." "Dinner?" Luca stopped in her tracks and recalled her promise before saying, "Right, I remember now. But Nina''s here. Should we bring her along?" "I''m afraid it''s not a good idea to bring Nina to the manor," Luke said tactfully. Luca nodded and understood what he meant, but she still felt bad about leaving Nina here alone. "Aunt Neile is here, so Nina will still have someone to take care of her. Karen won''t show her face here even if I''m not at home," Luke said. If Nina had known Luca''s identity, it would not be a problem for her to tag along. However, Nina was still oblivious to Luca''s true identity, so it would be inconvenient for Old Master Crawford if he had to be extra cautious with his words. Luca nodded in agreement with what Luke said. It really was not a good idea, so she had no choice but to leave Nina behind. "I''ll go get breakfast first. Do you want to eat in your room?" Luca asked. "Yes, please have Aunt Neile bring it up," said Luke. Ever since Luca came back, he had been eating three meals a day every day. Even though she still had a different identity, she was still concerned about his eating habits. "Okay." Luca went downstairs and saw the three kids sitting in the dining room, so she asked curiously, "Is Nina not up yet?" It was a Friday, so Nina should have work today. Luca was wondering if she should go wake her up if Nina was still sleeping. Then, Rainie replied, "Ms. Nina is up, but Mr. Percy called, so she''s in the garden." Luca understood that she wanted to talk to him in private, which was why she went to the garden. Besides, it was not a good idea for the children to listen to an intimate conversation between adults. Luca nodded and said, "We''re going to the manor tonight. Do all of you have a change of clothes there?" "Yes, it''s a Saturday tomorrow, so we can wear our own clothes," Lanie said. Since they were having dinner at the manor, he knew that they would be staying the night. Luca would not have asked them otherwise. "Okay, then. Enjoy your breakfast," said Luca. Through the window, she saw Nina sitting under the pavilion in the garden, talking to Percy on the phone. She could not see her face, so she did not know if the swelling on Nina''s face had subsided overnight. After Aunt Neile served breakfast, Luca said, "Aunt Neile, Mr. Crawford wants to eat upstairs. Could you please bring some food up for him?" "Yes, Ms. Craw." Aunt Neile nodded. Just as Luca picked up a spoon and was about to eat, Nina entered after ending the call. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Good morning," Nina greeted Luca smilingly. ¡°Good morning. Have you finished your call with Mr. Percy?" Luca teased her and looked at her face. Nina blushed. Percy was worried about her, so he called her early in the morning before she went to work. "Yes." She nodded. Then, Luca added, "You newlyweds are still in your honeymoon phase. There''s nothing to be embarrassed about. Also, the swelling on your face seems to have subsided a little." Nina touched her face gently and nodded. "Yeah, you made me put ice on it so many times yesterday. I''m sure it''ll go down even more today." When she arrived yesterday, Luca helped put some ice on her face. Then, before going to sleep, Luca put more ice cubes on it again. She did not know whether it was the ice, but she barely felt any pain on her face when she went to bed last night. She expected the pain to get even worse at night, and she was certain that she would be tossing and turning from the unbearable pain. However, she did not expect to fall asleep right after talking to Luke. The redness and swelling on her face did not affect her at all. "Put some ice on it before going to work. I have to rush to work, so I''ll ask Aunt Neile to help you," said Luca. She did not tell Nina that she had put some medicinal powder on the ice pack before putting it on her face. The powder spread across her face, relieving the pain. It was the reason she could sleepst night. The effects of the medicine could onlyst one night, so the pain would return after Nina got out of bed even if the swelling had subsided. She would have to continue with the ice packs for the next three days. "There''s no need to trouble Aunt Neile. I can do it myself." Nina shook her head, not wanting to trouble Aunt Neile. Chapter 3026 Upon hearing that, Aunt Neile said, ¡°Mrs. Mallory, let me help." ¡°She¡¯s right, let her do it. That way, she can cover the entire area, and your hands wouldn¡¯t be cold," said Luca. She found that Nina had put ice on it yesterday, but she did not do it long enough. Her hands got too cold from holding the ice pack, so she did not do it for long. As Luca knew her so well, Nina had no choice but to say, "Alright then." ¡°Okay, Mrs. Mallory. Enjoy your breakfast. I¡¯ll help you after you¡¯re done," Aunt Neile responded and went upstairs to deliver Luke¡¯s breakfast. When Luca saw Nina eating breakfast, she said to her, "By the way, Nina, the children are going back to the manor today, so remember to lock the door after Aunt Neile gets off work." Nina was taken aback. Did that mean that Luca was going to Crawford Manor too? If she was going back with the children, would Old Master Crawford cause her trouble? Nina could not ask too many questions since the children were here, so she just nodded even though her mind was racing. Nina waited for the children to finish breakfast and leave for school before asking nervously, "Luca, are you going to the manor too?" "Yes, I am." Luca nodded and had herst bite of breakfast. "Did Old Master Crawford ask you to go over? Is he giving you a hard time..." Nina did not think that was the case as some time had passed since Luke and Luca¡¯s scandal. He would have taken action already if he wanted to. Why would he wait until now? Nina could understand why Luke would want to take the children back to the manor, but she did not understand why he would bring Luca with him. Old Master Crawford and Old Master Mallory were the same. They were extremely strict with their grandchildren, and they frowned upon erratic behaviors. Therefore, after Percy¡¯s father had an affair, Old Master Mallory immediately sent someone to tell him to nevere back. Percy told her that, which was why Nina thought Old Master Crawford would be very unhappy with Luke and Luca¡¯s rtionship. Now that the reporters had exposed their rtionship, it was not easy to deceive Old Master Crawford. Luca was in a difficult position right now, but they had not split up yet. Their bond was too strong for something like this to break them up. Even if they had not broken up, they did not have to upset Old Master Crawford... Nina did not understand why Luca wanted to get so close to Old Master Crawford. She thought that Luca was like her, willing to sacrifice for love. She did not have to stand up against an elder who did not like her. Seeing as Nina was worried about her, she shook her head. ¡°No, Old Master Crawford actually believes that Luke and I are. well. innocent." Nina''s eyes widened. "He believes that?" Luca felt that even a three-year-old child would not believe what she just said. What else could she say? She could not tell Nina that she was Bianca, which was why Old Master Crawford did not object to their rtionship. Luca hated that it was not the right time, because that meant she had to lie to Nina and say things that even she would not believe. "I don''t know what Luke told him, but that''s what he believes.." Nina muttered. "Unbelievable. Oh, that''s not what I mean. I just think that Old Master Crawford doesn''t seem that easy to fool. What could Luke have said to make him believe it.." Luca did not say anything else. The more she said, the higher the chance of making a mistake. She had used many lies to continue deceiving people, but she was tired of lying, so she pretended not to know. Then, Nina asked again, "Does that mean he won''t give you a hard time?" "I don''t think so," said Luca. "Why are you going there, then?" Nina asked out of curiosity. "I''ve been helping Old Master Crawford recuperate, so I''m going there to help him again this time. He would always chat with me for a long time every time I go there, so I thought I should just stay the night," Luca exined. There was no need to lie anymore, which made her feel better. She did not like lying to people who mattered to her. However, there was no saying what Abel would ask her to do, so she had no choice. "Oh, that''s good. As long as you won''t be put in a difficult position. I''m not trying to pry by asking so many questions. I''m just worried. The older generation can be stubborn sometimes. "No matter how nice you are to them, they still won''t change their minds, so it''s better to ept it than take it up with them." Nina seemed to be talking some sense into Luca, but she was actually saying those things to herself too. "I know, but I''ll be fine. Believe me," Luca said with a smile. "Since you won''t be here tonight, let Aunt Neile get off work early. She doesn''t need to make dinner. I''ll just eat outside," said Nina. Since she was a guest, she did not want to have Aunt Neile cook just for her. Luke hired her, not Percy. "Won''t youe backte if you eat outside?" Luca frowned reluctantly. If Karen hired someone to follow her, it would be easier for them to make a move if it waste at night. Nina knew that Luca was worried about her, so she said, "Things have been busy at thepany lately, and many people in the design department are working overtime. "When they order takeout, I''ll just get something as well, so don''t worry about me. It''s gettingte, so you should go to work.¡± Luca nced at the time and realized that it was indeed gettingte. Seeing as Nina had a n, she said, ¡°Tell Aunt Neile when shees downter so that she won''t prepare dinner.¡± ¡°No problem." Nina nodded. After Luca left, Aunt Neile came down with a tray. She was busy tidying upstairs, which was why she took some time. When she noticed that only Nina was left at the table, she asked, "Mrs. Mallory, has Ms. Craw left for work?" "Yes, she just left. By the way, Luca and the kids are going to Crawford Manor tonight, and I have to work overtime at thepany, so you don''t have to make dinner for me. I''ll have dinner at work, so you can go home early." She was worried that Aunt Neile might say no, so she added, "Luca asked me to tell you that." Hearing that Luca asked her to get off work early, Aunt Neile smiled brightly. "Okay, I got it. Mrs. Mallory, once you''re done eating, I''ll help you put some ice on your face," "Okay, thank you, Aunt Neile." Nina let her help. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Aunt Neile took an ice pack and put it on Nina''s face ording to Luca''s instructions before saying, "You must use ice to make the swelling go away faster." "I know. Aunt Neile, is Mr. Crawford upstairs?" Nina suddenly thought of asking Luke something about him and Luca. Chapter 3027 "Yes, Mr. Crawford is still busy upstairs," answered Aunt Neile. "Then I''ll go upstairs for a bit.¡± Nina rose to her feet and made her way up the stairs. She headed to the bedroom where Luke was. She knocked on the door without going in. Luke lifted the cup of Americano and nced at the person standing at the door. He spoke in a cold voice, "What''s the matter?" "There''s something I''d like to know. I heard Luca say that she''ll go back to Crawford Manor with you tonight, is that true?" "Yes." Luke withdrew his gaze and continued to look at theputer screen. After putting down the cup of Americano, he typed on the keyboard for a while. "I don''t care what you guys have been keeping from me, and I don''t care how Old Master Crawford feels about whatever''s going on between you two. But with this whole scandal thing, Luca might feel that she''s being treated unfairly if you take her back there. You''d better make sure to protect her,¡± said Nina. Even though Bianca was Luke''s legal wife, Nina became unconsciously protective of Luca after getting to know her. It was contradictory, but Percy had also advised her to follow her heart. Therefore, Nina followed her own feelings. She did not want to see Luca being bullied. Perhaps it was because Luca had helped her before. That was why her heart leaned toward her... That was what Nina thought. "I''ll always protect her," affirmed Luke as he voiced hismitment. Furthermore, this promise wouldst a lifetime. As Nina listened to Luke''s firmmitment, she nodded in silence. It was hard to doubt him through the way he presented himself. When he said he would always protect Luca, there was a sincerity in his eyes that made skepticism nearly impossible. Then, Nina turned around and headed downstairs. When she came down the stairs, she suddenly realized Luke said that he would always protect Luca. What about Bianca? As Nina thought of Bianca, who had lost her memory and was still living abroad, she felt as though she was betraying her friend. It left an uneasy feeling in her heart. However, she did not dwell on it for too long because no matter what she thought or did, it would not affect the rtionship between Luca and Luke, nor would it bring back Bianca''s memories. When she realized that she would bete if she did not leave soon, she quickly put on her mask and hurriedly left. ... Old Master Mallory, with an unwilling expression on his face, brought Karen to Crawford Manor. Old Master Crawford was slightly surprised that the two of them woulde. He wondered if Luke had been careless in his actions, allowing Karen to find new evidence in just one night. Otherwise, why would Karen bring Old Master Mallory here? However, the thought only shed across his mind before Old Master Crawford quickly denied it. If they were here to hold him ountable, the look on their faces would not be like this. The expression on Karen''s face was as though everyone here owed her millions of dors. It was full of unwillingness. It seemed that Luke was still reliable in handling things. After all, if Old Master Mallory and Karen were not here to use anyone, the only possibility was that they were here to apologize. Karen had caused a scene at Crawford Manor twice, and Luke sent those things to Old Master Mallory. No matter how hard Old Master Mallory tried to turn a blind eye toward what Karen did and the evidence provided to him, he would lose all face if he did not bring Karen here to apologize. Old Master Crawford was pretty sure they did note here to cause trouble. His mood brightened up at once, and he asked Mr. Griffin to get him a cup of tea. The fragrance of the tea filled the air. Before taking a sip, Old Master Mallory already knew that Mr. Griffin had brewed a fine pot of tea at Old Master Crawford''s behest. Old Master Mallory enjoyed good tea, but it was not the time for tea tasting now. Of course, he was not in the mood either. After all, Karen had embarrassed him! "Mallory, why didn''t you give me a heads up beforeing? If you had, I''d have someone fetch the stored morning dew water. It''s crystal clear and enhances the tea''s vor even more," Old Master Crawford said with a serious expression on his face. He intentionally brought up the fact that Old Master Mallory did not give him advance notice. "Sorry, Crawford. My daughter-inw wasn''t being considerate. I forgot to arrange a time with you in advance," apologized Old Master Mallory, knowing that his unannounced visit was quite impolite. Still, impolite or not, what was done was done. Now, he had to go along with Old Master Crawford''s words. After all, an apology was necessary, and the rtionship between the two families needed to be maintained. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. He could not afford to let what Karen did ruin the years of coboration between the Mallory and Crawford families. "Oh, no big deal. It''s just a pity. Good water is as important for a good brew as the tea itself, but it''s too late to have someone bring it over now. We can only use this spring water. Hope you don''t mind," replied Old Master Crawford as he slightly lifted his hand. Mr. Griffin understood immediately. After the tea leaves were steeped, he poured in some boiled mountain spring water and prepared a cup for each of them. "Crawford, you''re splitting hairs with that talk. Even though I haven''t sipped the tea yet, the aroma alone is incredible. This is good tea. How could I mind? I should thank you for letting me enjoy such fine tea today!" Old Master Mallory held the teacup and leaned in to take a sniff. The aroma traveled through his nasal passages, instantly refreshing his mind. Old Master Mallory knew this tea was excellent and took a careful sip. Meanwhile, Karen sat there, still wearing that unwilling expression. She did not touch the tea that Mr. Griffin served. She was not showing any respect. Setting down his teacup, Old Master Crawford deliberately asked, "Karen, why aren''t you having tea? You don''t fancy this type of tea?" Karen wanted to answer that she indeed did not like it. However, she had not even tasted it yet. How would she know if she liked it or not? If she said that, she would be tantly going against Old Master Crawford. If Old Master Mallory were not here, she might dare to defy this old man. However, with Old Master Mallory here, she could not act rudely even if she was not happy about it. She shook her head. Old Master Mallory shot her a re. They came here to apologize. Who was she giving this attitude to? "Crawford, young people nowadays prefer coffee. They''re not into tea. Don''t mind her. She doesn''t have the pte for such good tea.¡± "Haha, that''s true. Nowadays, young people like to use coffee to perk up. But what they don''t know is that tea has more magical energizing effects than coffee. And good tea is way more expensive than those so-called good coffee beans." Old Master Crawford went along with him. As he finished, he went straight to the point. "Mallory, what brings you here today?" Old Master Mallory was still pondering how to bring up the matter. He did not expect Old Master Crawford''s words to give him an opportunity to get straight to the point. Old Master Mallory''s expression turned serious as he ced his teacup and nced at Karen. "Say what needs to be said right now." Karen was startled for a moment. Was he asking her to apologize right away? Was he not going to speak up for her? Karen''s hands clenched into fists. Old Master Crawford listened to their conversation and watched them, pretending not to understand. He asked, "What''s going on here?" Old Master Mallory knew that making Karen apologize was impossible. He red at her again, then turned back to Old Master Crawford with a smile on his face. "Crawford, I brought Karen here today to offer up an apology." Chapter 3028 Old Master Crawford had already figured it out, but when Old Master Mallory stated his purpose, he still put on a surprised expression. "Apology? This is..." Old Master Mallory knew he was intentionally exaggerating his expression, but it was the Mallory family''s fault. No matter what expression Old Master Crawford made or what he said, Old Master Mallory was left with no choice. He could either take the initiative to exin and offer an apology or simply turn around and leave. Karen hoped for thetter, but Old Master Mallory knew that an apology was necessary. "Yes, Karen misunderstood Luke back then. She talked nonsense and shared some news with the media, which has caused a lot of trouble for Luke. Crawford, Karen is here to apologize to you today." "Ah, Mallory, so you''re talking about this..." Old Master Crawford shook his head and looked at Karen''s expression. He knew that even though Old Master Mallory had brought the conversation to this point, Karen still refused to apologize. "To be honest, what Karen did was wrong, but it didn''t cause me much trouble on my end. The main issue is still on Luke''s side. Since you''re apologizing for this matter, it''s better to apologize to Luke." Old Master Crawford did not give Karen a chance either. If she could not swallow her pride and apologize in front of her elder, he would not be kind to her. He would let Karen apologize to Luke, who was younger than him. When Karen heard this and realized that she had to apologize to Luke, her expression became even more unpleasant. Here, Old Master Crawford was the elder, and apologizing to her elders was normal. However, if it was flipped around with Luke Crawford, she would be the senior. A senior apologizing to her junior... If word of this got out, how could she face the others? Karen was unwilling to do so. Old Master Mallory did not want Karen to do something so embarrassing either. Hence, he smiled and said, "Crawford, you''re the head of the Crawford family. Karen still needs to apologize to you." After that, he turned to look at Karen. There was a hint of anger in his eyes, and he dropped subtle hints in his words. "Why aren''t you apologizing to Old Master Crawford?" Karen was still reluctant to do so at this moment, but she dared not object. She immediately apologized, "I''m sorry, Old Master Crawford. I misunderstood things, and that''s why I ended up making such a mess. I''m really sorry." "Oh." Old Master Crawford pretended to shake his head in solemnity. He looked at Old Master Mallory and said, "Mallory, I really can''t ept this apology on behalf of Luke. I heard that the scandal affected T Corporation''s share price and caused fluctuations for a few days. "If it weren''t for investors'' trust in T Corporation, the share price might have looked even worse. You don''t know how hard Luke worked to stabilize the share price...." Old Master Mallory understood the meaning behind these words. Karen still needed to apologize to Luke. "Yes, yes, Karen was wrong in this matter. How about this? I''ll have her personally go to T Corporation and apologize to Luke.¡± Old Master Mallory knew that if this matter was not settled, the apology would be meaningless. Karen suddenly looked up. How could he let her do something so embarrassing?! Apologize to Luke? Never! Old Master Mallory was speaking while paying attention to Karen''s situation. He knew she was not in a good mental state. That was why he had to be more attentive. After all, someone in a bad mental state could not control their temper. When he noticed that she was about to explode, Old Master Mallory stood up and said, "Crawford, Karen and I will find time to go to T Corporation and have a good talk with Luke. Sorry for bothering you today." "No problem. It''s the young people''s matter, after all. Mallory, it''d be better for us not to interfere too much." Old Master Crawford chuckled. His attitude was much more pleasant than the attitude he showed Karen a few days ago. After all, with Old Master Mallory present, he should give some leeway. He intended to do just that. "Yes, you''re right. Well, Karen and I will take off, then. We shouldn''t bother you," said Old Master Mallory. The apology had been made, and he had no ns to stick around. It was to avoid getting any more sarcastic remarks from Old Master Crawford. He was about to bepletely disgraced by Karen. Old Master Crawford naturally knew why Old Master Mallory was in such a hurry to leave and intentionally said, "Mallory, don''t leave so soon. We haven''t even finished the tea yet. Oh, by the way, last time we yed chess, nobody came out on top. Would you like to go for another round?" "No, no, we''ve got other things to attend to today. Maybe another time when I have the chance? We can have a proper game." Old Master Mallory insisted on leaving. Old Master Crawford knew he could not keep them here. He pretended to feign regret and replied, "Alright then. If you''re busy, go ahead. It''s a pity about the tea." "Haha, we''ll take our leave, then," said Old Master Mallory, leading Karen away. "Mr. Griffin, please see our guests off," instructed Old Master Crawford. "Yes, sir." Mr. Griffin escorted Old Master Mallory and Karen out. Old Master Crawford picked up his teacup and took a sip. Watching Old Master Mallory take a hit lifted his mood considerably. The taste of this tea suddenly became richer and more satisfying. He gently lifted the corners of his mouth. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Mr. Griffin came back and noticed Old Master Crawford''s smile. He gave a faint smile as well and said, "Sir, you''re in a good mood." "Yes, of course. Watching Mallory losing face here brings me joy," Old Master Crawford''s smile deepened. His wrinkles revealed a series of creases. However, it did not make him look stern but instead added a touch of kindness. Mr. Griffin poured him a cup of tea and collected the two used cups to be cleanedter. He asked, "Sir, should we inform Master Luke?" "Why should we inform Luke?" Old Master Crawford raised his teacup, savoring the taste. "Didn''t Old Master Mallory tell you that he wants to personally apologize to Master Luke at T Corporation?" Mr. Griffin was puzzled. Should they not notify Luke and let him be prepared? After all, both Old Master Mallory and Karen were elders. Making a solid impression on the surface was a must. "He said they''d go, but do you think they really will? It''s just a bluff. Judging from Mallory''s personality, he''d never bow down to Luke. His apology here is not to be trusted, and we shouldn''t believe any other promises either. "They won''t follow through, even if he manages to swallow his pride. And as for Karen, there''s no way she''d be willing to do the same. Just listen to their words, but don''t take them to heart," Old Master Crawford said nonchntly, refusing to believe that those two would actually go and apologize to Luke. If the evidence was not right in front of them, they would not have even admitted they were in the wrong. How could they really apologize to Luke? ording to Luke, Karen''s little maneuver behind the scenes did not cause him much trouble and she ended up lending a hand in a roundabout way. Hence, Luke did not pay much attention to this matter. This whole act by Old Master Crawford was just to show Luke''s dissatisfaction. It served as a reminder to Old Master Mallory to keep a close eye on his daughter-inw and not let her run amok. It was to make sure this incident left asting impression so that they would not stir up any more trouble down the road. Mr. Griffin chuckled as he agreed with the wise words of the old master. "You sure understand Old Master Mallory well." "We''re both sly foxes in the business world. I know him well, and he knows me well. That''s why we can coborate," replied Old Master Crawford. He rose to his feet and narrowed his eyes in satisfaction. "Will Luke and the others being back for dinner tonight?" Chapter 3029 "Yes, Master Luke calledst night and said he and his family will being back for dinner," replied Mr. Griffin with a smile on his face. "Alright. Have the kitchen get ready," said Old Master Crawford. This would be the first family dinner after Luca revealed her true identity. Even though Susan, Allison, and Louis and his family were not present, it was still considered a family feast. Old Master Crawford attached great importance to it. "Don''t worry, the cook and the maids went out early this morning to get the ingredients," assured Mr. Griffin. He knew how much Old Master Crawford prioritized this family gathering, and he had emphasized it to the cook when he informed her. Knowing that Old Master Crawford paid a lot of attention to this, the cook would undoubtedly put in 200% effort to prepare tonight''s family dinner. "Good. Have the chauffeur prepare the car. I¡¯d like to go to the park for a while," said Old Master Crawford as he rose to his feet. "Yes," replied Mr. Griffin. Then, he went to notify the chauffeur. Since Susan moved out, Old Master Crawford''s life seemed to have suddenly be more rxed. Even though it was already quite leisurely back then, having Susan around seemed to make him less rxed. Now, things were different. After Susan moved out of Crawford Manor, Old Master Crawford became more rxed. He often spent his mornings in the park nearby, practicing yoga and ying chess. He was enjoying a retired life like an ordinary elderly person. ... As they were going to Crawford Manor for dinner, Luca told all the researchers to leave work on time, and she also left the office on time. She did not head to Crawford Manor right away but returned home first as she and Luke had agreed. They would gather at home and then leave together. When she got back to the vi, the three children had already returned from school. Nina had note back yet. Luca entered the living room and saw the three children doing their homework. Then, she asked, "Has Mr. Crawford returned home yet?" Aunt Neile was still there. That was why she addressed Luke as Mr. Crawford. Tommy shook his head. "Daddy hasn''te back yet, but Lanie sent him a message just now. He said he''s on his way back." "Okay, good. Continue with your homework. I''ll prepare some herbs," replied Luca. When she asked Aunt Neile to buy some herbs backst time, they were not just for Queenie but also for Old Master Crawford. She had nned to find time to deliver them to Crawford Manor, but with so many things happening recently, her n to deliver the herbs had been dyed. "Okay," the three children replied in unison. Luca walked into the store room, found the herbs that Aunt Niele had helped her buy before, and checked them. The herbs were fine. There was no sign of spoge due to the proper storage. The herbs still emitted a strong fragrance, perfect for making herbal dishes. Carrying two bags of herbs, Luca walked out of the store room and ced them on the coffee table. She intended to transfer them into ss jars. At that moment, the doorbell rang. Aunt Neile initially wanted to help Luca, but she walked to the video inte when she heard the doorbell. She instinctively turned around to look at Luca when she realized the person standing outside the door was Susan. "What''s the matter?" Luca originally wanted Aunt Neile to help with the ss jars. She met her gaze, and she had a faint feeling that something was not right. ¡°Who is it?¡± "It''s Madam Crawford...¡± Aunt Neile added, "Master Louis'' mother." "Okay, open the door," replied Luca. She was curious why Susan hade again. After all, she had not gotten anything thest time she came. However, Susan was already standing at the door, and it was impossible not to open it. She was an elder of the Crawford family, after all. Luca could not do that to her. However, there was a sense of unease in her heart. She hoped that Luke woulde back soon. When the kids heard that it was Susan and Luca asked Aunt Niele to open the door, the three of them simultaneously took action. They quickly packed their books into their backpacks and went upstairs. Lanie, thest one to go upstairs, said, "Ms. Luca, let us know when we''re leaving." Then, he followed his younger siblings upstairs to do their homework. Only Aunt Neile and Luca remained in the living room. Aunt Neile had worked for the Crawford family for many years. She understood Madam Crawford well. Susan had been living in the neighboring vi for so long without visiting. Now that she came here, she must be looking for trouble. However, whatever trouble she was seeking, it certainly was not with Aunt Neile. She asked, "Ms. Luca, should I inform Mr. Crawford toe back quickly?" "No need. He''s already on his way back. It''s not safe for him to drive that fast. Aunt Neile, please prepare slippers for Madam Crawford," replied Luca. She knew that Susan must havee to look for trouble with her this time. Susan was Luke''s stepmother, and she knew how capable Luke was after living with him for so many years. She would not easily find fault with him. Last time when Susan came looking for trouble for Luke, it did not end well for her. She would not be so foolish as toe cause trouble for Luke again this time. Therefore, it was likely that she came for Luca. Luca''s temples slightly throbbed. She had a clear understanding of how much trouble this wealthy woman could cause. "Yes." Aunt Neile nodded and stood by the entrance, waiting for Susan. Susan walked in, and Aunt Neile had already ced disposable slippers neatly. She smiled and greeted, "Madam Crawford, please change into the slippers." Susan looked at the disposable slippers on the floor with a cold expression on her face. She stood there without changing and asked, "Has Lukee back?" ¡°Mr. Crawford hasn''t returned yet," replied Aunt Neile. She quickly added, "But he''s already on his way back." "What about Luca?" "Ms. Luca has already returned," answered Aunt Neile. Aunt Neile immediately understood that Susan hade to look for trouble with Luca. Susan changed her shoes when she heard that. Then, she walked into the living room and saw Luca sitting on the sofa, working on something. When Susan came closer, she saw that Luca was handling some herbs. She was putting them into ss jars. Susan noticed Luca did not show any reaction when she saw her walking in. Hence, she walked over and took a seat on the sofa in front of her, sitting with an upright posture. Then, she cleared her throat lightly. Luca lifted her gaze and saw her. She barely showed any reaction, and she said in a calm tone, "Madam Crawford, are you here to see Luke? He''s still on his way. Please wait for a while." Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. When Susan saw Luca''s attitude, she could not help but be irritated. She said, "I''m not here for him." Luca paused for a moment, then she asked again, "Then..." "I''m here to look for Louis," answered Susan. Not only was Luca surprised, but even Aunt Neile, who was serving Susan tea, was also taken aback. She came here to look for Louis? "Madam Crawford, you might be in the wrong ce. Master Louis isn''t here." Luca continued packing the herbs into the ss jar. She finished packing the herbs into one jar and picked up another clean ss jar. Such bottles had a strong seal. Even if they were ced in a damp area, it would not affect the herbs inside. "How could he not be here? Didn''t Luke secretly take him in?" Susan knew that Louis was not here, but she had no choice but to say so. She had no idea where Louis was now. It was ironic that as a mother, she could not even get in touch with her own son. Chapter 3030 After Susan had slightly calmed down, she decided to call Louis. However, she found out after dialing the number that Louis had actually blocked her. Susan had no choice but to contact Yuri instead. Yuri described their current situation vaguely, refusing to disclose where they were currently residing. Intrigued by the secrecy, Susan wanted to investigate further. She learned that the day after another family conflict erupted, Louis and his family did not stay at the Dunn family''s ce through the butler of the Dunn family. As for where they moved to, even the Dunn family''s butler was clueless. He even asked Susan in astonishment if Louis and his family had not gone back home. Susan was unsure how to respond at that moment. None of them had returned to the residence, and the spacious vi was now upied only by her and a maid. Therefore, Susan came to the conclusion that Louis'' family might be living in Crawford Manor. That was why Susan came over. It was quite ironic that, as a mother, she did not even know where her son''s family was currently living. She was aware that Louis had sold all his properties for investments, so finding a suitable rental was unlikely in the short term. Therefore, the most likely scenario was that they were either living in Crawford Manor or here with Luke. Susan had already inquired with the maid at Crawford Manor. Louis had visited, but he did not stay overnight. That left only Luke''s ce as a possibility. However, Susan was doubtful that Louis nned to reside here permanently. She came here to find out where Louis was living. "Madam Crawford, Master Louis isn''t staying here. If you don''t believe me, Aunt Neile can show you to the guest room. There''s a guest staying there now, but it''s not Master Louis," Luca calmly stated. She then requested more ss jars from Aunt Neile. Susan''s gaze darkened. Luca was speaking calmly to her, and Susan knew she was not lying. If Louis was not here, then where was he? Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Where is he?" asked Susan. Luca found the question amusing. Where was he? Furthermore, she was the one being asked. As Louis''s mother, Susan did not even know where her son was and had to ask her... "Madam Mallory, I have no idea. If you''d like to know where Master Louis is, why not call him yourself?" Luca thought her response was reasonable. However, Susan''s reaction was unexpectedly intense. "What do you mean by that?!" Luca was in the midst of handling the herbs, and Aunt Neile was on her way to fetch more ss jars. They both froze for a moment. Aunt Neile had heard their conversation earlier and did not think there was any issue. Why was Susan suddenly so furious? Luca remained silent, while her hands continued to work. Even if Susan''s anger spread to her side, it would not affect her in any way. Aunt Neile was stunned for a moment and immediately came back to her senses. She ced the ss jars on the table. "Ms. Craw, let me help you. How should I pack these?" Luca pointed at another bag of herbs. "Just pack all of these in." "Alright." Aunt Neile sat on another sofa and began to assist. Due to the variety of herbs, Luca organized them first before packing. While it might look a bit tedious, it was actually efficient. As Susan watched both of them get busy with their tasks while ignoring what she said, the fury inside her burned even more. "Where have you hidden Louis?" Luca and Aunt Neile paused for a moment again. They were finding it increasingly difficult to understand Susan''s words. Luca felt that if she did not respond, Susan might turn the entire living room upside down. "Madam Mallory, I haven''t been in touch with Master Louis. I don''t know where he is. Besides, I don''t have the ability to hide Master Louis. He''s a grown man, and I''m not a kidnapper. I can''t hide him. "Feel free to look around the vi if you don''t believe me. If I''ve truly hidden someone, I''ll apologize to you," Luca stopped and replied with a serious expression on her face. Louis was not a kid. How could she hide him? At the same time, Luca could not help but wonder what Louis had done to make Susane looking for him here. Dealing with someone like Susan was challenging... When Susan heard what Luca said, she suddenly felt the urge to search every nook and cranny of the vi. However, it was just an impulse. She remained rational. She knew the fact that Luca could confidently say Louis was not here meant he truly was not. Both vis had the sameyout, and considering Luke''s family, there would not be enough bedrooms for a family of three. Even if there were, Louis would not be here now. What was she searching for? Did she really need to open each bedroom door and check the wardrobes for signs of their stay? "Then help me contact Louis and find out where he is now." Susan was left with no choice. The most crucial thing at the moment was to know Louis'' whereabouts. Louis was nowhere to be found, and with the air getting so tense between them, she was hesitant to go to Louis''pany. Susan knew that if she set foot in his office, it would only bring back memories. The mother and son would end up arguing again. Luca was puzzled. She looked at Susan with incredulous eyes. Susan wanted her to help find Louis? If she had resumed her identity as Bianca, perhaps she could consider it, given her rtionship as Louis'' sister-inw. However, she had not publicly revealed her true identity yet, so she had no grounds to assist Susan in finding Louis. Moreover, she did not even jot down Louis'' phone number after she came back. There was not much communication between them either. Even if Susan handed over Louis'' phone number now, she felt it would be inappropriate to make the call. "What''s with that look?" Susan frowned, puzzled by why it seemed so difficult for Luca to make a simple phone call. "Madam Mallory, I believe the matters between you and your son are best resolved on your own. It''s not suitable for me, an outsider, to intervene," Luca expressed diplomatically, not wanting to make the call. The call could be made by Susan, Old Master Crawford, and Luke, but not by her. Luca was not particrly eager to have any contact with Louis at the moment. Thest time Louis brought Yuri to see Luke, she had noticed a wary look in Yuri''s eyes when she nced at her. It seemed like Yuri was on guard against her. As for what she was guarding against, Luca had a good idea. Those who did not know her true identity might think that her being with Luke like this was shameless. They probably assumed she was a mistress who was fond of seducing other people''s husbands. Yuri''s wariness was likely rooted in these suspicions. Luca was more beautiful and charming than many other women because of her post-cosmetic-surgery appearance. Yuri had valid reasons for being vignt and concerned about the possibility of her seducing Louis. Hence, Luca did not want to have too much contact with Louis now to avoid affecting the rtionship between him and his wife. Once she got back her true identity, Yuri would not have any reason to suspect her. Chapter 3031 Susan rolled her eyes in annoyance. "I''m only asking you to make a phone call. What''s the big deal?" If she could reach Louis on the phone, she would not havee here. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "Madam Crawford, Ms. Craw doesn''t have Master Louis'' contact information," Aunt Neile exined on behalf of Luca. "If she doesn''t have it, then you must have it. You make the call," Susan did not care who made the call as long as Louis could be contacted. She wanted to know where he was. "Madam Crawford, it might not be appropriate for me to do that... Master Louis probably won''t answer my call." Aunt Neile hesitated. The maids would have their employer''s contact information. Aunt Neile was from Crawford Manor, so she should have Louis'' contact information. However, they normally would not contact them as they did not want to disturb their employers unless there was something important to inquire about. Aunt Neile knew that there was a conflict between the mother and son. Otherwise, Susan would not havee here to ask Luca. She did not want to get involved in this mess either. "What''s wrong with that? Do you think that working in this vi means you don''t have to listen to me? Let me tell you, as long as you work for the Crawford family, you have to listen to me. I''m Luke Crawford''s mother. "Now, pick up the phone and call Louis to find out where he is!" Susan''s tone wasmanding. At this point, she did not care about Luca and was pressuring Aunt Neile. "Aunt Neile, please help me pack these prepared herbs into a bag. Use a good quality bag. I''ll need to take them outter." Luca knew that Aunt Neile did not want to get involved in Susan''s affairs. Thus, she helped her out. "Sure." Aunt Neile let out a sigh of relief, stood up, and headed toward the kitchen without ncing at Susan. Susan clenched her fists. "Luca, what do you mean by this?!" "Madam Crawford, we have andline here. If you can''t reach Master Louis on your cell phone, you can use thendline," suggested Luca. Even though Louis probably did not have thendline''s number saved in his phone, he would likely answer a local call since he was a businessman. Susan red at her. She had another reason foring here to look for Luca. If she asked Louis directly, she might end up in another conflict with him. However, if it was someone else making the call, Louis might reveal where he was currently living. She could avoid getting into a conflict with him. "I''ll read out the number to you, and you make the call. Just say you have some herbs to give him," Susan did not care if her reason made sense as she instructed Luca. After all, everyone in the Crawford family knew that Luca understood pharmacology, so Louis should not suspect anything. "Why can''t you make the call yourself if you''re looking for Louis?" Luke''s voice came from the doorway. Luca let out a sigh of relief when she heard the familiar voice. If Susan were to keep causing trouble here, she would not be able to handle it much longer. If she could get rid of her, she would have done so already. However, Susan was an elder of the Crawford family. Luca could not act that way, or it would put Luke in a difficult position. Susan frowned and turned to look at the doorway. It was Luke. "You''re back?" She felt a little surprised at first. Luca and the others had refused to help her, but perhaps Luke could assist her. Her brows immediately rxed. They were brothers, and it seemed perfectly normal for brothers to ask each other where they were. Luke walked in, shot a nce at Luca, and understood the helplessness in her eyes. Susan had backed her into a corner... Luke gave her a reassuring look, signaling her not to worry about this matter. He had it under control. Dealing with the unreasonable Susan was something he had ample experience with, just like Louis. "Of course, I need to go home after work." Luke ced his briefcase on the sofa and sat beside Luca. Then, he asked, "Do you need any help?" "It''s okay. There''s just a little left." Luca shook her head. Sorting and packing the herbs were not a big deal. If it were not for Susan stirring things up, she would have finished already. Luca remembered the three children upstairs who were doing their homework. They had probablypleted their homework by now, but with Susan around, the kids would note down. Luca knew that Luke could deal with things here, so she thought about going upstairs to check. However, it did not seem very polite. Hence, she remained seated on the sofa and listened to their conversation. Susan stared at the two of them, feeling increasingly frustrated. She came here to have them make a call to Louis, but that call had not been made and even Luke had returned. Moreover, she still did not know where Louis lived now, and it seemed like she was witnessing a disy of affection between the two. Was it appropriate to act like this in front of their elders? Especially when Luca''s identity was of questionable standing? Susan found it displeasing and went straight to the point, "Luke, do you know where Louis is right now?" "I do," Luke replied straightforwardly. How could he not know since he was the one who provided him amodation? A hint of joy appeared on Susan''s face. She did not expect him to say that he knew! "Where is he? He hasn''t been hometely, and I need to talk to him," replied Susan, assuming that Luke knew about the conflict between her and Louis. That was why she did not bring up past issues or offer any other reasons. "I can''t tell you." Luke shook his head and looked at her. "It''s something he entrusted me with. If you want to know, just call him and ask." "I..." Susan narrowed her eyes. The fleeting moment of joy had not fully settled in before it abruptly vanished without a trace. Luke was ying games with her! Susan dared not to be too rude in front of Luke. Although he was younger, he exuded an imposing presence, making her reluctant tomand him. "I know he spent the night here, and you''re well aware of what happened. But now, he''s blocked my number, so I have no idea where he is. Just tell me. I haven''t seen Thea for a few days, and I miss her." Susan had to use Thea as an excuse. Previously, when she argued with Louis, the child was always a good excuse to break the ice. "Grandpa knows where he is too." Luke still did not relent. In reality, Louis was doing quite well now. The maid mentioned that Thea was happy in that house, adjusting well to the new environment. Therefore, Susan could stay at the vi while Louis'' family of three lived happily in the apartment. "What do you mean? You''re not helping me?" Susan eventually lost her patience. A hint of impatience shed across her face. She had spoken to him so politely, yet she still did not get what she wanted. If he did not know Louis'' whereabouts, that would be one thing. However, he did, so why was he not willing to tell her? "If I hadn''t promised Louis, I''d definitely tell you. Sorry about that." Luke remained firm in his attitude. After all, Susan was too good at causing trouble. Letting her cool down for a few days would be better. If Susan knew where Louis lived now, she would surely go knocking on his door. Louis'' family needed a few days of peace too. Chapter 3032 "Hmph. I bet you were the one who gave Louis the idea to run away from home with his family. What were you thinking, Luke?" Susan was all riled up with her hands on her hips as she picked a fight with Luke Since she could not care less about her own image, Luke could not be bothered to show her any respect. ¡°I provided Louis and his family the apartment." Susan pointed at him with a trembling finger. "So, it was you. How could you?" Then, Luke shot her a cold look and said, "If Louis wants to see you, he''ll call you. Otherwise, don''t even bother asking others where he is." "Okay, fine. If you''re not telling me, I''ll go to your grandfather tomorrow. All of you are turning into rebels!" Susan left quickly after that. If she stayed any longer, she would die from anger because of Luke and Luca. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Luca frowned as she watched Susan leave. Just as she was about to say something, she heard Luke tell Aunt Neile, who just walked out of the kitchen, "Follow her and close the door behind her." "Yes, sir." Aunt Neile put down Luca''s bag and quickly went out to close the door. Then, Luca looked at Luke and asked, "Are things going to be okay?" "This is what Louis wants," said Luke. "How did he know..." Before Luca finished her sentence, she realized what was going on. After Aunt Neile slipped away to get her a bag, she went to the kitchen to inform Luke about this. Then, Luke asked Louis for his opinion. Louis wanted Luke to keep it from his mother. Whether or not the mother and son reconciled in the future, it had nothing to do with Luke. "Louis knows his mother too well. He knows that she hasn''t calmed down yet, so she''ll still ask him to sell hispany and return to T Corporation. She may seem calmer now, but it''s just a facade. "He doesn''t want to argue with her, so it''s still not time for them to meet," Luke exined Louis'' intentions. It was to prevent the mother and son''s rtionship from getting worse. "Mrs. Crawford is going to resent you now." Luca was feeling dispirited. It was never a good idea to meddle in other people''s family business. However, as Louis''s brother, Luke could not ignore it. ¡°It doesn''t matter. That''s not the only reason she resents me anyway." Luke did not care. Susan had always believed that he had stolen Louis'' inheritance. This reason alone was enough for Susan to hate him for the rest of his life. Thus, Luke was not fazed by it. Seeing as Luca was putting ss jars full of herbs into the bag, he went over to help her. Luca shook her head and said, "Why don''t you go upstairs and check on the kids? They all ran upstairs when they heard Mrs. Crawford was here. They should''ve finished their homework by now, so you can go check. "That way, they won''t have to bring their homework to the manor." "Alright, I''ll go have a look." Luke stood up. Luca put all the ss jars neatly into the bag. She never expected Susan to show up like this. Louis, who had always listened to Susan, was now making a stand against her. Aunt Neile quickly came back and said to Luca, "Ms. Craw, Mrs. Crawford has left." "Did she go back to the mansion next door?" Luca asked. "Yes, she was opening the door when I closed ours." Aunt Neile nodded. It was a good thing Luke knew Susan would not close the door, so he sent Aunt Neile to do so. Otherwise, the door would be wide open. The neighborhood was full of powerful people, and it was unlikely their neighbors would just walk into their house, but it was still not a good idea to leave the door open. "Aunt Neile, it''s almost time. You can go home now," said Luca. "Don''t I need to wait for Mrs. Mallory to return?" Aunt Neile asked. "No, she knows our password, so she cane in by herself. By the way, we''ll have breakfast at the manor, so you can just make breakfast for Mrs. Mallory. She usually likes sleeping in on her day off, so she''ll wake upte. It''s better to make something that''llst," Luca told her. "Okay." Aunt Neile nodded and took note of what she said, thinking to herself that Luca knew Nina very well. No wonder she could be with Luke. Luke and Percy were best friends, and Luca knew the daily habits of Percy''s wife in so much detail. Who else would Luke choose if not her? "You can go home now." Luca picked up the bag. It was much heavier now because of the ss jars. Then, she put it down carefully. After Aunt Neile left, Luke and the kids came downstairs. "Are we ready to go?" Luca asked. "Yes, we''ve finished our homework, so we can go now!" Lanie said. "Alright, let''s get going, then," said Luca. The kids were carrying small school bags, and she knew they were filled with extracurricr books. Although there were many children''s books at Crawford Manor, they did not want to start a new book. That was why they brought the ones they were currently reading. As for Luca and Luke, they only had a few things to bring apart from the bag of herbs. They had new clothes at the manor anyway. Although the clothes were prepared some time ago, Luca was not too concerned about the style as long as they fit her. "Let''s go." Tommy was excited. When he got downstairs, he tugged on Luca''s hand. ¡°Wait, there''s something I have to get." Luca smiled and shook her head. Just as she was about to pick up the bag on the coffee table, Luke picked it up with one hand. Luca smiled. Meanwhile, Tommy teased, ¡°Ms. Luca, men should take care of these things, so don''t worry about it. Let''s go." Then, he took Luca''s hand and left. The five of them got into the car and headed to Crawford Manor. When they arrived, the sky was already getting dark. Luca nced at the time before she got out of the car, and it was almost half past seven... She could not help but say, ¡°It''s already sote!" Then, she looked at Luke. If Susan had note over, she would have remembered to tell Old Master Crawford that they were going to bete and that he should not wait for them. Besides, dinner would have already ended at Crawford Manor by now. She even forgot about the children because of Susan, so she looked at them. ¡°It''s sote. Are you hungry?" ¡°We''re not hungry. We had some snacks when Grandma Susan came over," said Rainie. Although they were still little, they knew that it would bete by the time they got to the manor due to the disruption, so they had some snacks. ¡°Me too," said Tommy. Luca looked at Luke. ¡°I forgot to tell Old Master Crawford." ¡°I told him. He said he''ll wait for us," said Luke as he helped Luca unbuckle her seatbelt before unbuckling his and stepping out of the car. Chapter 3033 After what he said, Luca got out of the car feeling relieved. Luke took the bag out of the trunk and said, ¡°Let''s go in." The children were all smiles as they walked in front while Luca, and Luke walked behind. "Are you nervous?" Luke noticed her stiff expression. "I''m worried that Old Master Crawford will be mad at us for being sote." Luca nodded. Having lived at Crawford Manor for so long, she knew that Old Master Crawford hated tardy people. "He''s looking forward to your return." Luke held her hand. He led her through the front yard and into the living room. The children were gathered around the old man, talking to him with smiles on their faces. Luca walked in and saw that Old Master Crawford was not upset, so she breathed a sigh of relief before greeting him, "Good evening, Old Master Crawford." "Haha, good evening, Luca." Old Master Crawford did not ask Luca to change the way she addressed him, nor did he change the way he addressed her. Luke had reminded him that Luca''s identity could not be exposed. There were several maids in the manor, so he followed Luke''s wishes and called her Luca. "Sorry for beingte. Something came up," Luca apologized first. "Don''t worry about it. Dinner is ready, so should we eat?" Old Master Crawford was more worried about his precious great-grandchildren going hungry. Luca nced at Luke.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Luke walked over and helped Old Master Crawford up before saying, "Let''s eat, Grandpa." Old Master Crawford stood up and shook his head when he saw Luke holding his hand. "I don''t need help. I can walk on my own." "Grandpa..." Luke was speechless when he saw him pushing his hand away. "I''m serious. Let''s go to the dining hall," said Old Master Crawford energetically while holding his cane. Mr. Griffin smiled and said, "Ever since Ms. Craw helped Old Master Crawford recover, he has gotten much better. He has the strength to walk now. He only needs a cane, and he doesn''t need much help from others." Luke looked at Old Master Crawford walking and then at Luca. She had gone through so much the past few years... She had suffered so much because of him, yet she still took care of his family without a single comint after she returned. Luke went to her and said, "It''s all thanks to you." Smiling, Luca shook her head. She learned everything she knew about pharmacology from Shanks. She had learned everything she could possibly learn, so she was confident in her skills. If she had attained this knowledge a few years ago, she would have started to heal Old Master Crawford back then. Maybe he would not even need a cane now. However, she could not turn back time, so she could only do her best to help him right now. "Let''s go eat," said Luca before following Old Master Crawford into the dining hall. The cook knew that Luke wasing, so she had already ced the dishes on the table. There were a plethora of dishes. Luca did not think that Old Master Crawford would have the kitchen prepare so much. She could not help but wonder how three adults and three children would be able to finish all of it. There was no way they could finish it all. At the dinner table, Old Master Crawford was different from his usually quiet self. Now, he kept asking Luca to eat more. It was much more lively now, and the kids could not help themselves from talking about school. It made Old Master Crawford very happy. Old Master Crawford was chuckling. After dinner, Luca picked up the jars of herbs and exined to the cook the effects of each one of them. She was worried that the cook would not remember, so she asked the butler for a pen and some paper to write the things down before sticking them on the jars. Then, she told the cook the recipes. The cook knew that these herbs could be used for cooking, but she did not expect that they could be used in so many dishes. Old Master Crawford did not enjoy the taste of herbs. When Luca said that he would not be able to taste the herbs in these recipes, she did not believe her. However, Old Master Crawford had asked the cook to follow Luca''s recipes, so she had to take note of what Luca said. This took an hour. Luca was so meticulous she even told the cook what were the maximum dosages for each ingredient. The cook felt as if her brain was being forcibly stuffed. She was starting to get confused, so it was a good thing Luca had written down the key points. That way, she could just refer to Luca''s notes with the dosages marked clearly. She would not get confused. The butler was listening in too in case she forgot. Not to mention, he was carefully taking notes. The cook put away the notes Luca wrote. ¡°Ms. Craw, these herbs don''t look like much, but there''s so much to know about them." "These are good for people with cardiovascr diseases, and adding these in food will help a lot," said Luca. Instead of taking modern medicine directly, Luca thought that a medicated diet would help in the long run. Having medicine by itself was extremely bitter. On the contrary, having herbs with food would not taste as bad, so most would choose to have it with food. Old Master Crawford said cheerfully, "Having it in my food is much better than taking modern medicine." When Luca was exining to the cook, Old Master Crawford had the butler bring a chessboard and asked Luke to y with him. In the past hour, they had yed three games of chess. The children were not interested in what Luca was talking about, nor were they interested in watching Old Master Crawford y chess with Luke. Thus, they just started reading their books. The huge living room had a lively atmosphere. "It''s good that you''re able to ept it. Let me know when you''ve finished these, and I''ll prepare more for you after assessing your health." Luca guessed that Old Master Crawford would get much better after finishing these, so she would have to assess him and adjust the dosages after this batch. "Alright." Old Master Crawford nodded happily. After the butler kept the notes, he asked Luca while putting away the herbs, "Ms. Craw, how should I store these?" Luca gave it some thought before replying, "I''ve already sealed the herbs in ss jars, but to be safe, it''s best to store them in a cool, dry, and dark ce. "When using, try not to use your hands. But if you must, remember to wash your hands and wipe them dry. That way, the herbs willst longer and be more effective." Chapter 3034 Mr. Griffin nodded as he listened. Then, he packed away the herbs together with the maid. Old Master Crawford had just finished the fourth game of chess with Luke. He looked at the chessboard and grumbled, "I give up, I give up. I can''t beat you at all." Luke, cing his chess pieces down, replied, "Grandpa, you''ve been ying chess in the park all this time. Your skills should''ve improved." "I y with those old guys, but none of them can beat me. They''re slow. How can my skills improve? You shoulde back and y with me whenever you have time. Otherwise, how will my chess skills improve?"ined Old Master Crawford, feeling helpless. Having yed chess for decades, he found himself unable to beat his grandson, who had little time for the game. It was quite embarrassing. "Alright, you''ve had your fun, Grandpa. I have something to discuss with you," said Luke as he ced the tidied chessboard aside. Old Master Crawford''s custom-made chess board was a cherished possession. The old master saw Luke cing it aside casually. He picked it up and said, "Let''s go to my study. I have something to tell you." The grandfather and grandson stood up. Old Master Crawford handed the chessboard to Luke and warned him, "Hold onto it properly. Don''t drop it. It''s custom-made. It''s precious." Luke had no choice but to carry the chessboard as they both walked into the study. Tommy looked up at his great-grandfather and Luke, then something came across his mind. He asked, "Ms. Luca, can we watch cartoons?" "Yes, sure," replied Luca, realizing it was time for their cartoon show. She had been busy telling the cook and Mr. Griffin about the herbs, while Luke and Old Master Crawford were ying chess earlier. They had all overlooked the fact that it was time for the kids to watch cartoons. Understanding that the adults had things to attend to, the kids stayed silent. Luca turned on the TV, tuned it to the cartoon channel, and said, "Just catch up on the show for now. We¡¯ll catch the previous episode tomorrow during the day." "Okay!" Tommy nodded. He rose to his feet and sat beside Luca. Rainie saw what he did and also stood up. She sat on the other side of Luca. Mr. Griffin walked out of the storage room, saw the scene in the living room, and quietly left. Old Master Crawford said, "I''ve heard about Louis'' situation. I was the one who arranged for the person who initiated the acquisition." Luke never knew about anyone nning to acquire Louis''spany, so he had no clue about the old master pulling strings behind the scenes. He sighed in frustration. "Grandpa..." "Louis''pany is really stepping up its game. It''s getting better and better. But I''m still worried. What if he wants to return to T Corporation but feels awkward about it? That''s why I staged this situation. "If Louis didn''t want toe back, that''d be fine. But I didn''t expect his mother to find out about this. I never thought things would escte to this extent." Old Master Crawford pursed his lips. As the one who made the arrangements, he felt responsible for the strained rtionship between the mother and son. However, he also valued his pride. Since he had not told Louis and Susan about it, he nned to discuss it with Luke. After all, Susan was Louis'' mother, and their rtionship could not be allowed to deteriorate too much. He needed Luke''s help toe up with a solution and mend their rtionship. "Grandpa..." Luke let out another helpless sigh. The old master had not been involved in thepany''s affairs or even family matters since his retirement. Why was he suddenly concerned about Louis'' situation? Moreover, this move caused a major conflict between mother and son. "I know I made a mistake, but there''s no turning back now, right? Luke, as the elder brother, please help me to sort out Louis'' situation. But please don''t mention that I arranged for this to happen," said Old Master Crawford. The reason why he did not want anyone to know about it was simple. If Susan found out about it, she mighte back and cause a scene. "Looks like you''ve had some free timetely. Why don''t you return to T Corporation and take up a role? The chairman? CEO? Consultant?" Luke found Old Master Crawford''s recent actions quite puzzling. Luke and Louis were brothers. Even though they were half brothers, they shared the same father but different mothers. When Louis decided to leave T Corporation to start his own business, Luke had assured him that if he ever wanted to return to thepany, everything would be arranged for him. Therefore, the concerns Old Master Crawford harbored did not exist in Luke''s mind. The fact that the old master was aware of these considerations but still went ahead with such a n left Luke feeling helpless. "No, no, no. I know it wasn''t right to make this arrangement, but it''s already done. Didn''t I just tell you? You''ll deal with it." Old Master Crawford shook his head. Going back to thepany was not in his ns. Luke''s expression turned serious as he stared at the old master. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Old Master Crawford heaved another sigh and said, "Yes, I made a mistake, but there''s no going back now. So, you handle it and make sure Susan doesn''te back here and cause a ruckus." "Louis is upset now. It seems he has no intention of going back to the vi," added Luke. "So, the best solution now is to let Susan know that the acquisition was fake, that you arranged it. But you had good intentions. "At the same time, make sure they discuss this openly. If Louis doesn''t want to return to T Corporation for now, she''ll need to understand that." This was Luke''s suggestion. Communication was the best way to resolve the situation. He also emphasized that he should not be involved directly as he might be misunderstood by Susan. "Ah, do we really have to tell her?" Old Master Crawford regretted his decision. It was not the right move. "Yes, and now only you can handle Mom. So, you must be part of the conversation between them," replied Luke with a stern look on his face. Since Old Master Crawford was the one who caused this mess, he needed to be the one to resolve it. "Alright, I''ll do it in a couple of days. Louis'' mother is still not calm enough," Old Master Crawford agreed. If his eldest grandson would not help, then he had to take care of it himself. The peaceful days that had just settled in would be disrupted if this matter was not resolved. Luke had no objections. If it meant giving Susan some more time to calm down, it was for the better. However, he could not help but think about the fact that Louis'' vi was right next to his own house. Susan might show up at any moment... He could not be at home 24 hours a day either. If Susan showed up, there was a high probability that it would be Luca handling it. He did not want to put Luca in that position and let her deal with Susan''s temper. It looked like he would have to find an opportunity to talk to her properly. There was no need for her to endure Susan''s attitude when she did not have to deal with it. Old Master Crawford did not dwell on Louis'' situation anymore. Instead, he lowered his voice and showed a hint of excitement. He asked, "I heard Luca has blessed our family with a new little girl. Is that true?" Chapter 3035 "Yes." Luke nodded. He knew Old Master Crawford wanted to see photos of N. He slowly pulled out his phone, "It''s a girl, and she looks a lot like Luca." "There must be photos. Show me." Old Master Crawford''s eyes sparkled with excitement. To him, having many children was a sign of a flourishing family. Zachary only had two children. Old Master Crawford felt it was a little unfortunate for him. However, Luke and Luca had brought good news now. They had already blessed him with three adorable greatgrandkids. After learning about the existence of the fourth child, Old Master Crawford was extremely excited. He had been wanting to ask about the fourth child, but Luke had been busy. That was why he had not seen the photos yet. "Yes." Luke opened the photo album and handed his phone to the old master. After Old Master Crawford took the phone from him, he looked at the photos. He felt his vision turn slightly blurry. He picked up the reading sses beside him and wore them. He could finally see N''s appearance clearly. "Oh dear, such a beautiful child. She''s carved from the same mold as her mother. What a lovely child. Once those features fully develop, she''s going to be a real beauty, just like Rainie." Old Master Crawford eximed joyfully, gently stroking the phone screen as though he was caressing the child. Luke nodded, agreeing with what he said. Their sons looked like him, and their daughters looked like her. While people often said that sons resembled their mothers, their daughters looked like their mother and their sons looked like him. All four children followed this pattern. "Such a gorgeous child. Even though she takes after her mother, her nose is just like ours. It''s tall and straight." Old Master Crawford, looking at the side profile of the child in the photo, noticed her nose and could not help but smile. Luke walked behind Old Master Crawford and looked at the photo of the child when he heard this. He nodded in agreement. Previously, he had only focused on the child''s overall appearance without paying attention to these details. Now, when he looked at the photos closely, N''s nose did indeed resemble the Crawford family''s. "Grandpa, I''ll do everything in my power to bring this child back," Luke said in a low voice, which sounded like a promise. "Yes, make sure to bring our Crawford family''s child back. This child didn''t grow up in our family but in that kind of environment. It must''ve been tough for her..." Old Master Crawford''s heart could not help but ache at the thought of Luke''s fourth child growing up on the Ind of Despair. A child would likely be frightened growing up in such an environment. As he handed Luke''s phone back to him, Old Master Crawford added, "Ensure the child''s safety when you''re doing things. We must be careful since we know the child is under the other party''s control. Got it?" "Yes, I understand." Luke''s eyes slightly darkened as he looked at the child''s smiling face in the photo. He had to ensure the child''s safety.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. It would be much more difficult, but regardless of the challenges, he had to guarantee the child''s safety. "I hope you bring the child back soon and reunite the family." Old Master Crawford let out a sigh. Luke remained silent. His eyes showed even more determination. He had to be extra cautious, but he also needed to act quickly. Only by fully mastering the Ind of Despair could he rescue the child. The Crawford family was enjoying a peaceful atmosphere. On the other hand, the Mallory family was in a bit of turmoil. Old Master Mallory sat in the living room, waiting for news. He did not get the information he was waiting for, and Karen even came back. As he watched Karen enter in a flurry, Old Master Mallory put a dull expression on his face. "Why are you here at this hour?" Karen was stunned for a moment. She had just moved out today, and Old Master Mallory was already asking her such a question? This ce had been her home for over 30 years. After being forced to move out for just half a day, Old Master Mallory was questioning why she hade over? Did moving out for half a day mean she was not part of the Mallory family anymore? Was she no longer his daughter-inw? What was Old Master Mallory trying to say? "Father, why didn''t you tell me about it?" Karen did not have time to ask him what he meant by that sentence. Instead, she questioned Old Master Mallory about why he had not informed her that Pierre would be released today. "What''s the big deal? He''s still in that hospital. What''s the fuss about a manageable injury?" asked Old Master Mallory. Pierre was officially released today, so he no longer needed to stay in the hospital''s detainment ward. However, considering the superior medical standards at Central Hospital, Old Master Mallory had arranged for him to be moved there. After Pierre was sent out of the detainment ward, he was taken to the VIP ward at Central Hospital to avoid unnecessary hassle. "Of course, this is a big deal. Pierre leaving the detainment ward means everything''s resolved, no?" Karen stamped her foot. She affirmed that Pierre was fine when the old master said so. If she had known about this earlier, she would have gone to the hospital to wait for Pierre toe out of the detainment ward. "Things are resolved, but because of you, the Mallory family''s reputation has been tarnished," criticized Old Master Mallory. It was only after leaving Crawford Manor today that he learned Karen had pped Ss across his face, which meant he would not be able to rify those online reports to the journalists. The news of Karen''s past rtionships was still online. While such reports would be overshadowed by subsequent inquiries into other celebrities, rification was still necessary. The sooner it was done, the better. If the rification came muchter, it would not only be hard to believe, but it would also stir up memories among the public. It would repeatedly deepen their impression of the matter, which would not be beneficial for the Mallory family. If Karen had not pped Ss, the news could have been rified today. However, they had to wait a few more days just because she could not control her actions. Old Master Mallory felt upset at the thought of this. Karen wanted to argue, but considering what happened today and Pierre''s matter, she felt it was more prudent to stay silent for now. She awkwardly asked, "Father, is Pierre out now?" ¡°Thewyer will only handle the procedures at five o''clock. How could it be so fast?" The phone on the table rang as soon as Old Master Mallory finished his sentence. Old Master Mallory did not answer but instead gave a meaningful look to Mr. Be. Mr. Be picked up the phone. "Hello." "Yes, yes. Okay, I got it. Thank you." After ending the call, Mr. Be informed Old Master Mallory, "Old Master Mallory, Master Pierre has been sent out of the detainment ward. As per your arrangement, he has been moved into the VIP ward." "Pierre is out!" Karen''s heart was filled with joy. Before Old Master Mallory could speak, the words rushed out of her mouth. Mr. Be nodded. "I''m heading to the hospital now." Karen thought Pierre must have endured a lot during his time in the detainment ward. She felt sorry for him and wanted to check on him immediately. Mr. Be watched Karen leave and subconsciously shot a nce at Old Master Mallory. The old master''s face was terribly gloomy. After Karen left, Old Master Mallory finally uttered a few words. It was as though he was filled with endless regret and helplessness. "I chose her as a wife for Daryl, but in the end, I made the wrong choice." Chapter 3036 "Old Master Mallory, please don''t me yourself. After all, Madam Mallory blessed the Mallory family with two outstanding heirs." Mr. Be knew that going on like this would make the old master all gloomy and miserable, so he tried to console him. As the years piled on, it would be best to see things clearly and not overthink. There was no need to dwell on every little thing. Old Master Mallory shook his head in response to Mr. Be''s words. "What kind of outstanding heirs are we talking about here? One of them is rebellious and picked the wrong woman to be his wife. The other one, well, let''s not talk about him. If he wasn''t in the Mallory family, the stuff he pulled would''vended him in hot water ages ago." Mr. Be, wanting to say someforting words, found himself unable to. Percy and Nina were indeed not a good match, but Mr. Be did not see it as a significant problem. What was the big deal as long as Nina truly loved Percy? The Mallory family no longer needed arranged marriages to strengthen the family. With Percy around, they could maintain their current position and even rise higher. If Percy was capable, why could he not choose the wife he wanted? A good daughter-inw, ording to the Mallory family''s standards, might not actually be good¡ªjust like Karen. She was still stirring up so much trouble for the Mallory family at this age. As an outsider, Mr. Be understood this, but he could not express these thoughts in front of Old Master Mallory. He knew that he would face a reprimand. "Old Master Mallory, would you like to go to the hospital now?" asked Mr. Be. If the old master needed to go to the hospital, he would have the chauffeur prepare the car. "No," replied Old Master Mallory as he rose to his feet. He leaned on his cane. He was worn out after dealing with Pierre''s affairs for so long. While he was dealing with his grandson''s matters, he could not help but wonder how Pierre could be such a troublemaker. That was why he had no intention of visiting the hospital now. After all, the hospital would not do anything to Pierre. The old master had already done enough by getting Percy out. "Help me back to my bedroom," said Old Master Mallory. His voice sounded weathered and worn. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Mr. Be came forward to help him. Karen hurriedly arrived at the hospital. It was already ten o''clock in the evening, way past the visiting hours. However, the rules for the VIP ward were different. Karen stood at the nurse''s station and waited for a while. After the nurse gave the confirmation, Karen headed to Pierre''s ward. "Pierre, how are you?" Karen pushed open the door. Her face was filled with anxiety as she walked to the bedside. "Mom, why are you here?" Pierre found afortable position to lie down. He was consistently either in a recumbent or seated position, as his doctor strictly prohibited him from standing. He wished the doctor could remove the cast quickly. However, the doctor said it could not be rushed. His leg bone had not fully healed yet. "I heard you were released from the detention ward today, so I came to see you. It''s been so many days. How''s your leg recovering?" asked Karen. She felt a pang of heartache when she saw Pierre''s leg in a cast. "It''s not going to be easy to recover from this." Pierre chuckled with a touch of self-mockery as he looked at the cast on his leg. The resentment in his heart grew. During this time, he realized that even with rehabilitation, it would be tough for him to walk like a regr person. He would limp whenever he walked. A cripple... This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. How could the heir of the Mallory family be a cripple?! Karen noticed the hatred in his eyes that was directed toward his own leg. She felt the throbbing pain in her heart as though someone was poking her heart with a dagger. "Pierre, it''ll get better. No matter how much it costs, I''ll make sure you walk like a normal person.¡± "You don''t have to lie to me. If you guys had rescued me sooner and paid the ransom earlier, perhaps my leg could''ve been saved." A tinge of usation shed across Pierre''s eyes. He had learned a lot in the past few days. He found out that the optimal time for surgery on a broken bone was within a week. After a week, the surgery would have more impact on bone healing. If the Mallory family had rescued him within a week and brought him to Johann for surgery, he probably would not have ended up being a cripple. "Pierre, don''t be like this. If it''s not possible to get you treated in the country, we''ll find doctors from abroad. They must have a solution," Karen said these words tofort Pierre. She knew Pierre could not lose his fighting spirit. He could not end up crippled. "Even Johann couldn''t do anything. What makes you think those doctors can? Their rehabilitation methods are simr to those here. I''m a cripple. Does the Mallory family need a cripple as their heir? "As for the Chambein family, would they marry their daughter to a cripple?" His questions pierced Karen''s heart. Karen covered her chest and replied, "As long as you''ve got what it takes, your grandfather won''t give up on you no matter what." Pierre was extremely pessimistic and disillusioned now. His leg would surely have a significant impact on him. Hence, no matter what Karen said, he thought she was just trying tofort him. He said, "That''s it. Don''t try tofort me. The Mallory family, hah. It seems like you''re the only one in the family who hasn''t given up on me.¡± Pierre could see through everything now. If Old Master Mallory had not given up on him, he should be here in the hospital ward. However, Old Master Mallory did note, and Karen came alone. Still, what good was Karen anyway? There was no way Karen could help him. "Don''t say that. Your grandpa went to bed early. That''s why he didn''te. Don''t worry, he''lle to visit you tomorrow. Pierre, we''ll all support you, and you''ll definitely get what you want," Karen tried to console him. "If Grandpa doesn''t support me, what good is your support?" Pierre suddenly red at her, and his eyes were filled with resentment. Karen was startled for a moment. What did that look mean? "Pierre..." Karen faltered. "He knows what you''ve done. You told me you could help me, but how?" questioned Pierre. Even though he was stuck in the detention ward, he had been paying attention to what was going on out there. He could still read newspapers and magazines. Therefore, Pierre was up to speed on everything that had happened in A City. This included Karen''s past, which was sshed across the newspapers by reporters. He was well aware of all of it. "Pierre, I..." Karen paused for a moment, feeling her throat go dry. Her youngest son, the one she cherished the most, was questioning her about this. She felt ufortable about it. "Those are all lies. I''ve found that person. Everything will be rified in a couple of days..." "You know best whether it''s true or false. Besides, Grandpa needs to believe you too. He doesn''t believe in you now. If he doesn''t trust you now, he won''t trust you in the future. So, how are you going to help me?" Pierre looked at her with resentment. As a mother, not only did she fail to help him, but she also allowed him to be shrouded in thisyer of disgrace. Fortunately, he looked a lot like Daryl Mallory. Otherwise, people might suspect he was Karen''s child from an affair... After all, Daryl was sent to work permanently at apany abroad shortly after his birth. "I... I..." Karen was at a loss for a moment on how to help Pierre. She used to have a lot of connections, but because of her past with Ss Gray, those people were not too keen on being friendly with her at the moment. Chapter 3037 All Karen could think of was to escape when she faced Pierre''s questioning. "Pierre, it''s gettingte. Get some rest. Trust me, I''ll find you a good doctor to fix your leg." After that, she left the ward as though she was fleeing. Downstairs, a nurse on duty was briefing the VIP ward nurse on Pierre''s condition, who had been transferred from the detainment ward. After the VIP ward nurse learned about Pierre''s condition, she replied, "Alright, I''ve got the gist of it. But is there anything specific to take note of?" "Yes, he can only sit or lie down. Try to keep him in bed as much as possible. Dr. Park said his leg won''t recover easily, even with rehabilitation. So, we need to be careful. Who knows, the patient''s recovery might improveter on," said the nurse from downstairs. "Yes, try to keep him in bed..." The VIP ward nurse nced at the patient''s name in the records. "His family name is Mallory. Could it be the legendary Mallory family?" "That''s right. He''s the heir of the Mallory family. But, unfortunately, his leg is pretty much done for..." replied the nurse. As nurses, they did not really know much about Pierre''s lifestyle. They were intrigued by Pierre''s handsome appearance. He was such a good-looking man, but he had a disabled leg. What a pity. "Let me check the records." The VIP ward nurse looked at the documents and added, "Actually, complete recovery is not entirely impossible." "That''s what Dr. Park said," added another nurse. The hospital staff believed in Dr. Park''s assessments. When Johann mentioned that the patient had a high probability of recovering to some extent, the patient would ultimately recover to that extent. "Dr. Park didn''t tell you another thing, though." The VIP ward nurse smiled and shook her head. "What? Is there a chance for a full recovery?" The nurse, realizing the other two had to wrap up the medical records handover, began to quietly gossip under her breath. "Don''t you know we have a legendary figure on our floor?" The VIP ward nurse winked, nced at her, and continued sorting the documents. "Who? Is it Dr. Park? It can''t be. Although Dr. Park is amazing, judging by your tone, I''m guessing it''s not him," replied the nurse. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "Indeed, it''s not Dr. Park. We had a patient here who had a sudden hemorrhage in the pericardium. This genius decisively treated the patient, and she even treated his neurological diseases. "Her dry needling skills are extraordinary. I heard Dr. Wood say that her dry needling methods are different from usual. She targets some really specific spots, not the usual traditional positions. But the results are excellent. "Previously, another patient had movement problems due to brain damage, and she used her dry needling methods to treat the patient. ording to Dr. Park, this patient is almost as good as a normal person. "I think if this genius could perform dry needling on the second young master of the Mallory family, there might be a chance for him to recover to a normal state." "That''s impressive!" The other nurse could not help but exim. "Why haven''t I heard about this?" "Dr. Park said that this person is not a doctor. If it''s widely publicized, we''ll be putting her in a difficult position. She doesn''t work as a doctor but a pharmaceutical professor,¡± exined the VIP ward nurse. "She''s seriously awesome. If she could work at our hospital, she could help so many people." The nurse could not help but sigh. "Alright, I''m just sharing the news with you. Her dry needling skills are indeed remarkable, and they''re different from the traditional dry needling technique. She yields excellent results too. "But it''s just my spection that she can treat the second young master of the Mallory family. Keep it to yourself. Don''t spread it around. I''m afraid the head nurse will have a chat with me if this gets out," warned the VIP ward nurse. "Okay." "I''ve double-checked the document, so there''s no problem," said the VIP ward nurse. "In that case, I''ll head downstairs to continue my shift." The nurse took the document, turned around, and walked toward the elevator. The conversation between the two was overheard by Karen, who was at the corner. Someone who knew dry needling? Dry needling technique could be used for physical therapy. Karen was aware of that. If that person helped Pierre with his therapy, would there be a chance for improvement? Karen stood there and only walked out after a few minutes. The nurse who was on duty saw her approach and asked with a friendly smile, "Madam Mallory, are you leaving?" "Yes." Karen initially wanted to inquire about the person who knew the dry needling technique. However, considering what the nurse had just said, she realized that asking now might not yield much. She gathered her thoughts, took out a pre-filled check, and handed it to the nurse. "Please take extra care of Pierre." The nurse on duty was startled for a moment. She looked at the several zeros written on the check and quickly waved her hands. "Taking care of patients is our duty. We can''t ept money. Madam Mallory, please take this back." "It''s just a small token of my appreciation." Karen did not take back the check. The nurse on duty was about to burst into tears. As healthcare professionals, they could not ept money. Moreover, Karen was trying to give her money in a monitored area. Was she trying to get her fired? She took a step back, not daring to touch the check. "Madam Mallory, please keep the check. We''ll do our job and take good care of the patient." Karen frowned slightly when she saw the nurse was reluctant to ept it. In the end, she had to put the check away and said, "Fine. If there''s anything with Pierre, notify me immediately." "We will," replied the on-duty nurse, feeling relieved that Karen had put away the check. It was kind of surprising that even in this modern era, someone would openly pass along a check. What was the point when she was only a nurse? The nurse on duty had no idea about Karen''s intentions. Thus, she found her behavior quite perplexing. Karen intended to give the nurse a check to build a good rtionship with her first. Then, she would ask the nurse for the information about the person skilled in dry needling. However, since the nurse adamantly refused the check, Karen had no choice but to leave. As she left, she noticed one of the surveince cameras was pointing toward the nurse''s station. Suddenly, it dawned on Karen. That was how it was. Medical staff were not allowed to ept gifts or money from family members. Karen was too anxious when she handed over the check to the nurse just now, assuming it would be fine since there were no other hospital staff around. What she overlooked, though, was that hospitals were loaded with surveince cameras. Karen nced back at the nurse on duty, noted her name, and took the elevator to leave. The nurse on duty let out a sigh of relief only after watching Karen leave. She checked the time and figured the head nurse had probably not gone off duty yet. Hence, she took the initiative to report to her about what happened just now. Even though she did not ept the check, there was surveince as evidence. However, in situations like these, it would be better to report it voluntarily to avoid any future impact on her job. After informing the head nurse, the nurse went back to organizing patient records without letting what happened with Karen bother her. Chapter 3038 It was the following day. Luke and Luca made their way down the stairs of Crawford Manor together. Old Master Crawford was already watching the morning news. He waved at them when he spotted theming down and asked, "Is this the Russian guy we''ve been talking about?" Luke and Luca turned to look at the TV screen at the same time. A photo of Matysh was shown in the news report. "Is the court getting ready for the trial?" asked Luca. "Yes. There''s too much attention on his case, so they''re fast-tracking all the procedures," answered Luke. Too many people were keeping tabs on Matysh''s case. Matysh had a special status and background. With his case stirring up a lot of public outrage and involving a bunch of people, all the legal procedures were fast-tracked. "What about Leia..." Luca knew that the incident causing public outrage with Matysh happened a few years ago. However, once Matysh''s trial began, Leia''s case would also be up for trial. "She''s on trial along with this case," replied Luke. For individuals with multiple cases and who underwent consecutive trials, especially foreigners, the intervals between them would not take too long. As Old Master Crawford listened to their conversation, he chimed in, "I heard this foreign guy is quite arrogant back in his own country. He even had dealings with T Corporation?" "Yes, but it won''t affect our project coboration. Their family''s business is being handled by someone else at the moment," exined Luke. Speaking of Marcos, Luca asked, "Is Mr. Marcos still in A City?" Luca did not hear Luke mention that Marcos was leaving. She assumed he was still in A City. However, could he really afford to put hispany matters aside for such a long time? "Yes, he''s still in A City. As long as Matysh''s case remains unsolved, he won''t return to Russia anytime soon," Luke stated. This was at the request of Marcos'' grandfather, who was more concerned about Matysh''s safe return to Russia. However, Luke was confident that Matysh would not be able to smoothly return this time. He could go back to Russia after serving his sentence here. "The man you''re talking about is the CEO of M Group, right?" Old Master Crawford curiously asked. "Yes, that''s right." Luke held Luca''s hand and sat on the sofa. Then, he continued, "They belong to the same big family. Marcos manages the business now, and Matysh is Marcos'' uncle. "Their rtionship isn''t good, and the family values Matysh. If it weren''t for Matysh partying too much and disliking running the family business, Marcos wouldn''t have taken over." "Oh, I see. But ording to what you''re saying, M Group isn''t really Marcos''. It belongs to their family''s old man, right? Over the past few decades, I''ve seen many of these family businesses rise and fall. "Honestly, there are far fewer family-runpanies now, as they''re unable to withstand the elimination of the economic tide. M Group can actually still dominate the Russian market. It seems that Marcos is quite capable." "Yes, he''s a good business partner." Luke nodded. He had that impression the first time he interacted with Marcos. "These family businesses are moreplicated than others. You have to be careful in your coboration. Marcos seems fine, but you should watch out for excessive cooperation. After all, if they change their CEO one day, thepany''s decisions may change. "Don''t underestimate these people." Old Master Crawford, seasoned by many battles, shared his experience with Luke. Luke listened attentively. "Don''t worry, I got it." That was exactly his n. He was nning to take it easy for a while after finishing the project with M Group. While Matysh was behind bars and Marcos seemed to have a higher position, Luke could never know what the head of the family might be thinking. It was better for him to be cautious. However, if Marcos asked for help, he would be willing to lend a hand. Having an extra friend was always better than having a stranger. Luca saved Sarah Por, making her a benefactor to Marcos. If he helped Marcos with something else, their two families might have more opportunities for future cooperation. Of course, the prerequisite was Marcos fully taking control of M Group, which was no easy task. By now, the news about Matysh had passed, and Old Master Crawford muttered again, "I don''t trust that guy. He might cause some trouble again." Luca heard this and exchanged nces with Luke. Old Master Crawford''s judgment on people was truly spot-on. Luke told Luca about Matysh''s escape n. Old Master Crawford, despite not knowing the n, could sense something was up. It was pretty impressive. "Grandpa, even though you''re retired, perhaps you can still do something," Luke teased the old man. Old Master Crawford could not understand what he meant and asked, "What is it?" "Maybe you can do some fortune-telling," suggested Luke. Old Master Crawford was dumbfounded for a moment, "Fortune-telling? What?" Then, it dawned on the old master. "You mean he''s really nning to cause trouble again? If he thinks he can still do something..." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Something crossed Old Master Crawford''s mind, and he sneered. "It''s been many years since anything like this happened here. How dare he? Does he really think our country is easy to mess with? Just like Russia? "If he dares to do this, he''s destined to fail, and he might end up behind bars for a few more years." It was a sensitive topic. The old master did not borate more, but everyone knew what he meant. After that, Old Master Crawford continued, "I don''t know if you have someone keeping an eye on Pierre''s side, but the men I sent reported that he''s been released. He''s recuperating in the VIP ward at Central Hospital." "I haven''t assigned anyone to watch him. Old Master Mallory is getting involved in things, so it''s only a matter of time before hees out," replied Luke. Even though Pierre harmed many people''s interests, it was all rted to economic interests. As for his past actions, Percy chose not to expose them considering the bond between them. Therefore, even if he was detained in the hospital, it would not be for long. "That guy will probably stir up trouble again when hees out. Be careful. The government''s project is about to open for bidding. You don''t want him sabotaging your affairs with his methods," warned Old Master Crawford. "Back when I watched that kid grow up, I always felt his character was off. But you know, he''s someone else''s kid, and I''m just an old man. But now, it seems my initial judgment was right. He really went astray,"mented Old Master Crawford. "Don''t worry. His leg took a major hit, so he''s probably not in the mood for causing trouble right now," replied Luke nonchntly. He deliberately dyed the rescue mission to make him go through some tough times. Who would have thought there would be such a pleasant surprise? Chapter 3039 Pierre¡¯s leg was not treated in time, so even Johann could not help him return to his normal state. ¡°Hmph. You''d think that he wouldn¡¯t be able to cause any trouble in his current state, but a person like him is full of surprises. One day, he might even do something crazier because of his crippled leg." Since they were all family, Old Master Crawford criticized Pierre unceremoniously. Besides, Pierre was utterly useless in his opinion. Meanwhile, Pierre was lying on a semi-reclined hospital bed, looking at Johann with a grim expression. ¡°Is my leg not going to get better?" he asked. Doctors at the private hospitals he used to go to would say things that were nice to hear. They told him that he would be able to return to normal after rehabilitation. After transferring to Central Hospital, the doctors here did not say such things to him. Even in the detainment ward, Pierre knew that his leg was irrecoverable. ¡°Mr. Pierre, please cooperate and follow my instructions while I do the check-up." Johann frowned. He asked Pierre to perform some actions to check his current condition, but Pierre refused to cooperate. Instead, he kept asking questions about his leg. It was still not time to remove the cast, nor was it time for him to enter rehabilitation. Johann was not a god. How would he know how Pierre¡¯s leg was going to turn out? Although there was a high chance of his leg being permanently crippled, he might still turn out lucky. ¡°I want you to tell me the truth!" Pierre suppressed his anger as he dared notsh out at Johann. When he was in a car ident, Johann was the one who saved his life. Even though he was angry, he should not get angry at a capable doctor like Johann. ¡°Mr. Pierre, doctors can¡¯t give patients definitive answers regarding illnesses and injuries. I hope you understand. "All I can say is that once you get your ster removed and you can get out of bed, you should cooperate with rehabilitation." Johann¡¯s face was emotionless now. Pierre was not happy with his attitude. Before the operation, Johann had promised him a good oue. Now that the operation was over, he was not as optimistic as he was before. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. He wanted to know more, but Johann would not tell him anything. How dare he? Johann told the resident doctor next to him some things before leaving the ward. Pierre was fuming. ¡°What did Johann mean?" The resident doctor was startled. It took him a while to realize that Johann was Dr. Park. Johann''s seniority at the hospital was high, so no one dared to call him by his first name, which was why it took time for the resident doctor to realize. "Dr. Park meant what he said. There''s no other meaning behind it." The resident doctor smiled when he answered Pierre. However, his smile immediately dropped when he met Pierre''s gaze. What a vicious-looking patient. "To what extent will my leg recover?" Pierre was impatient to know the answer. "As Dr. Park said, we''re not gods, so we can''t predict these kinds of things. Just calm down and cooperate with the treatment," said the resident doctor. If Johann could not give Pierre an answer, he dared not give him an answer either. The patient did not look friendly at all. If the patient were to take his answer seriously and his recovery turned out to be different, he might use him in the future. The resident doctor was careful not to get himself into trouble. Pierre clenched his fists. If he could move right now, he would havended a fist on that doctor''s face. He might not dare toy a finger on Johann, but that did not mean that he dared noty a finger on this resident doctor. "Stop with the nonsense!" Pierre was so angry that he wanted to throw the teacup on the bedside table at the resident doctor. The doctor trembled. He sensed danger, so he stepped away from the bed and said, "Rest up." Then, he scurried off. When the door opened, Karen appeared. She hade to visit Pierre. The resident doctor turned sideways to let her in before walking out. Karen frowned when she noticed the doctor''s face. She asked, "Why does he look so scared?" Karen knew her son''s temper, but she asked anyway. He was probably just trying to scare the doctor. "They''re all trash," Pierre cursed as he looked at his stered leg. He wanted nothing more than to walk and see how his condition was. "Pierre..." Before continuing, Karen nced at the nurse and told her, "Wait outside." "Y-Yes, Ma''am." The nurse was frightened by Pierre''s expression. She walked out as soon as Karen told her to. After the nurse left, Karen walked up to him and said softly, "Why are you angry again? Didn''t the doctor say that you need to calm down so that you can heal faster?" "The doctor also said that my leg would be fine. Look at me now. I don''t even know how I''ll walk in the future. How can I trust them?" Pierre hit his leg in anger. "Pierre, calm down!" Karen said panickedly. Pierre''s eyes were bloodshot. ¡°I knew from the first day I came to this hospital that I''d never return to the way I was. I can''t even walk like a normal person!" "Nonsense!" Karen knew what he was thinking, so she hesitated for a moment before whispering, "There are other ways." "What?" Pierre did not take her seriously. "When I left yesterday, I heard the nurse say that there''s someone very good at dry needling. If she treats you, there''s a chance you''ll be able to return to the way you were. There''s no guarantee, but ording to the nurse, it''s possible," said Karen. Pierre suddenly felt energized. Before this, he felt as if he was stranded in a desert. He hadpletely given up hope, but after Karen told him that he had a chance, his eyes lit up. Finally, he had a glimmer of hope. "Who is that person? Find her!" Pierre said. Karen was put in a difficult position. She never intended to tell him this. First of all, what if Karen could not find her? Secondly, this was all based on what the nurse said. What if that person was not as skilled as the nurse had described? Karen nned to find the person first before telling Pierre. Now that Karen had told him, she felt as if she had been too impulsive. Chapter 3040 "I''m still not sure who she is yet, but don''t worry. I''ll help you find her. That person has been in this hospital, so I must''ve seen her before. I''ll find out after a little investigation," said Karen ¡°Have someone find out now." Pierre was impatient. ¡°Pierre, be patient. Even if I do find her, your leg is still in a cast. She can''t even treat you yet," Karen advised him as finding that person would take some time. Pierre scoffed. Karen''s words gave him hope, so he said, "I don''t care. You must find that person." He could not peacefully recuperate on his hospital bed until someone told him he could make a full recovery. "I''ll send someone to investigate, so don''t worry." Karen patted his arm. Her heart ached at the sight of his face. "Pierre, you''ve lost weight." "Life in the detainment ward was torture." Pierre frowned. Although he was out now, he was still unhappy with how long it took his grandpa to deal with the situation. "Did Grandpa purposely keep me in there longer?" Karen sighed and shook her head. "I don''t know what your grandpa is thinking. He can''t stand me at all right now. Pierre, you must get better soon and regain Old Master Mallory''s trust. Only then will our lives get better." "Hmph, it''s all your fault." Pierre could not stand Karen either. He did not think he had caused much trouble to the Mallory family at all. Instead, he thought that Old Master Mallory gave up on both of them because of Karen''s past.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Pierre knew that the old master did not care about him. He expected the old man to show up by morning, but he did not. He did not even call. It seemed like the old man was deliberately giving him the cold shoulder. Pierre had never seen himself as the problem. He only med Karen. Karen wanted to reason with Pierre, but she knew that she had spoiled her son too much. He might listen if Old Master Mallory were to talk some sense into him. However, he would never listen to her. If Pierre thought that he was right, no one could change his mind¡ªlet alone the person who had been spoiling him his entire life... Karen felt bitter. Her eldest son insisted on choosing a woman from a lowly family, and her youngest son med her for everything. Everyone made mistakes, but she was lucky enough to escape when she did. She could not understand why Daryl could note to terms with it when it was all in the past. It was not like she cheated on him after their marriage. After the incident came to light, everyone med her as if she was the one who cheated... Karen removed her hand from Pierre''s arm. Even the son she loved the most did not care about her. Although she felt wronged, she would not vent her anger on Pierre. Karen was about to say something when there was a knock on the door. ¡°Come in," Pierre said without emotion. A man opened the door and nced at the people in the ward to make sure he was in the right ce. Then, he said respectfully, "Mr. Pierre, I''m your new assistant." "I know," Pierre said with a cold expression. News had spread that he sent his assistant away. He could not get himself a new one for some time, so he had his secretary be his temporary assistant. This man was recruited by thepany''s HR department some time ago. He was a fresh graduate who was not from A City, so he did not know what happened to thepany before. That was why he got the job. The man noticed that Pierre was not in a good mood, so he carefully ced the documents he brought over from thepany on the table. "These are the documents that need your signature." Karen frowned at the thick stack of documents. "Pierre, you''re still recovering. How can you deal with things like this now?" Pierre shooed his assistant away without saying another word. His assistant did not understand what he meant, so he responded, "Huh?" "Fuck off," Pierre said impatiently. The man trembled. He left the ward immediately after uttering, "Yes, sir." Then, the mother and son were left inside the ward alone. Only then did Pierre answer Karen''s question, "Your incident has made Grandpa turn his back on us. Without his support, I''ll lose Mallory Corporation. Thepany is going to be doomed. If I continue ignoring mypany, how will I make a living?" Karen was speechless. She wanted to say that it was not her fault. Pierre had done so many illegal things with thispany. How could he me it on her? However, Karen did not say a word as she did not want to anger him. "Pierre, when Grandpa was dealing with your matters, he helped with thepany as well. It''s not as chaotic as it was before, so you should just focus on your recovery. Thepany will be fine on its own," Karen said as gently as possible to calm Pierre down. "Hmph. I don''t have much money left. If thepany isn''t making me any profit, no one is going to help me with my debt." Karen wanted to say that she could help him, but she realized that she was not in a position to help. If she was kicked out of the Mallory family, the Ruiz family would not take her back either. She still had to have some money on her. Pierre was Old Master Mallory''s grandson. Even if she were kicked out, Old Master Mallory would not leave him stranded. Karen said, ¡°Fine. It''s good to see you work hard. Your grandpa will be happy to see you like this. Just don''t do the things you did before. If you do a good job, your grandpa will trust you again." The most important thing right now was to restore Old Master Mallory''s trust in Pierre. Karen realized that she had lost her power after she was forced to move out of the manor. Although Daryl had been staying abroad with that woman the entire time, she believed that they were keeping an eye on the Mallory family. Percy upset Old Master Mallory by marrying Nina, and Pierre upset Old Master Mallory by causing this mess. This was the perfect chance for that foreign woman to take her ce. She could never allow such a thing to happen! Chapter 3041 She did not stick around with the Mallory family for such a long time, enduring years of loneliness, just to be a tool. "You don''t have to tell me what to do. Since you have the time, why don''t you sort out those past matters of yours that are still unclear? How do you expect others to view the Mallory family if you leave things hanging like this?" Pierre replied indifferently as he listened to her lecture. Karen''s heart could not help but feel uneasy. She felt ufortable beingined about by her own son. As she looked at the stack of files, she rose to her feet and said, "Go on with your work. I''m going back." Pierre could not be bothered to remind Karen to keep herself safe on her way back. Instead, he picked up a file and said, "Tell my assistant toe in." Karen pursed her lips. She felt wronged in front of her youngest son but could not bring herself toy that grievance on him. Thus, she quickly walked out of the ward. Pierre''s assistant and nurse stood not far from the ward door. Karen first said to the assistant, "Mr. Pierre has something to discuss with you. Go in." Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "Yes, Madam." The assistant nodded and quickly entered the ward. Karen then walked to the nurse and whispered to her, "Take good care of him. If anything happens, look for the doctor. Don''t let him push himself too hard." She knew her son too well. If they kept him lying in the hospital bed, he might resist, and he would even try to get up. "Yes, Madam," the nurse understood and immediately replied. After Karen left, the nurse was about to return to Pierre''s ward. Before she pushed the door open, she heard a thunderous rageing from inside. "What kind of lousy n did youe up with? Do you think they''ll hand over the project to our company with such a n?" The nurse shivered for a moment. She had just started her night shift yesterday. When she arrived, Pierre was already asleep. Therefore, she did not really get a good read on his temperament. Now, it seemed that this patient had a bad temper. The nurse secretly pondered whether she would get an increment in sry for taking care of a patient with such a bad temper. After a while, the assistant who had just entered came out holding a messy pile of files. He looks quite disheveled now, especially whenpared to a moment ago. He shot a nce at the nurse. Then, he squatted down to organize the files on the floor. Once he was done, he left without saying a word. The nurse was frightened by his appearance, but considering she was just a nurse, any dissatisfaction the patient had would not be taken out on her. Thus, she mustered the courage to enter the ward. After a while, a voice came from the ward. "Are you trying to roast me alive?" The nurse shook her head as she passed by the ward door. She recalled what the night shift nurse said yesterday and furrowed her brows. It would take at least two months for a patient with a fracture to recover and be discharged. Considering Pierre''s surgery time, there was still more than a month before the cast could be removed. She could not help but mutter, "Being a nurse is really tough." ... After Karen left the hospital, she went to the Mallory Estate to check on Ss'' condition. In the vi, two men stood at the door of a bedroom. It was a room without a balcony, and the windows had bars. They kept Ss in this room. They respectfully greeted Karen when they saw her walk toward them, "Madam Mallory." "Is he in there?" asked Karen. "Yes, he''s in there," replied the man. Their current task was to keep an eye on Ss and make sure he did not escape. Ss seemed to have epted this fact now. Since the ce he was staying was decent, he had decided to enjoy it rather than attempt an escape. Ss could not help but shudder when he heard Karen''s conversation with the men outside the room. He recalled how Karen had pped him in the face that day. The woman who had always been gentle in his memory had suddenly transformed into a fierce warrior. Not only was she capable of throwing punches, but she was seemingly inclined to break limbs. Ss could not help but feel intimidated. The crucial point was that he knew if he did not have some value to Karen, he might not be alive now. If someone were to say that Karen was capable of murder, Ss would have no doubt about it. The door to the room was swung open. Ss was sitting on the European-style leather sofa. He watched Karen, who was elegantly dressed, walk toward him. His legs could not help but tremble. It was too terrifying... Karen stood there, her posture straight. When she was not in her feisty, brawling mode, she remained elegant, resembling a sophisticated woman. She looked down at Ss. A hint of disdain shed across her eyes as she said, ¡°Did you guys prepare the living essentials for him when I asked you to? He looks so untidy." The man who followed her nced at the stubble above Ss'' lips and frowned in disgust. Ss was indeed unkempt, and he seemed to be causing them trouble. "Madam, we prepared a razor for him, but he didn''t use it..." exined the man. They had prepared basic daily necessities, but Ss chose not to use them. What could they do? "M-My face is swollen..." Ss mumbled unclearly due to the swelling on both sides of his face. The swelling on his face made even the slightest touch painful. He had not shaved because it would be a torment for him. Moreover, he had be ustomed to being untidy over the years. "Your face is swollen, but is your brain swollen too?" Karen looked at him with disgust, particrly at his greasy and clumped-together hair. Ss could clearly see the disdain on Karen''s face. His pride took a bit of a hit, but he dared not to say anything out of fear. Feeling disgusted, Karenmanded, "Both of you, wash his hair and shave him." The two men guarding Ss widened their eyes. They had to serve this man? "Madam..." One of the men hesitated as he was reluctant to do so. They were grown men... "Are you doing this or not? He''s dirty enough to offend my eyes." Karen shot him a re. She knew they were reluctant to do so, but there was no way she could talk to Ss like this. The two men reluctantly guided Ss into the bathroom. After a while, Ss'' screams, like the sharp squeal of a pig being ughtered, echoed from the bathroom. "Ouch, it hurts. Stop it, it hurts!" Karen looked at everything in the bedroom with disgust. Even though it appeared clean, the thought of Ss sitting or lying in this ce made her feel repulsed. She would rather stand than sit. Before Ss walked out of the bathroom, her phone started ringing. Karen picked up her phone and nced at it, feeling a thrill. She immediately answered, "Did you find the person?" "Yes, I found her. The person the nurse was talking about is Luca Craw," replied the man on the other end of the line. Karen was taken aback for a moment. She frowned. "Are you sure it''s Luca Craw?" Last night, she tried to bribe the nurse with money to reveal the genius who was skilled in dry needling techniques. However, the nurse refused to take the money, and Karen did not get a chance to ask. Thus, she sent someone else to investigate. "Positive," the man on the phone confirmed. After receiving the order, he went to find the nurse today. The nurse worked the night shift and returned home during the day. Living alone made the nurse an easy target for the man to follow and question her. He broke into her house and intimidated her, causing her to spill everything. Chapter 3042 Karen''s brows could not help but furrow tightly. Who would have thought that it would be Luca... She was someone who had a grudge against the Mallory family. Karen did not have to think about it. She knew Luca would not agree to help Pierre fix his leg regardless if she or Old Master Mallory were to ask her. Unless it was Percy who asked for help. Still, how could Percy possibly help...? Karen refused to believe it was true. "Are you still at that nurse''s ce?" "Yes." The man nced at the trembling nurse in the corner. "Don''t hang up. Ask her about the things Luca has done before." Karen still could not believe Luca had such capabilities. Someone who had such skills could have a promising career as a doctor. Why did she be a pharmacist? Karen did not fully understand Luca''s pharmaceutical expertise as she thought she was only a pharmacist. When it came to career choices in the medical field, many people tended to lean toward bing a Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. doctor instead of a pharmacist. The person on the other end of the call followed Karen''s instructions and began questioning the nurse, "What has she done at the hospital?" The nurse trembled in fear as she looked at the knife the man was holding. She was afraid that not telling the truth might harm her. Hence, she talked about the patients Luca had saved in the hospital in a low voice. Karen, who was on the other end of the line,ined unhappily, "Her voice is too soft. I can''t hear anything." The man on the phone waved his knife and yelled at her, "Did you hurt your throat? Speak louder." The nurse knew that the man was only following instructions. He was working for the person who was on the other end of the line. Even though the nurse felt bad for Luca, her life came first. Hence, she mustered her courage, raised her voice, and recounted all the things Luca had done on the hospital''s VIP floor. Karen listened intently, tightly gripping the phone. Luca actually knew special dry needling methods and had used them to save patients with nerve damage... Pierre''s leg had nerve damage too. If she could perform dry needling and assist him with physical therapy, the chances of his leg recovering would be much higher. After the nurse finished revealing everything, she said with a trembling voice, "I''ve told you everything Ms. Craw has done. She''s proficient in pharmacology and dry needling. Our hospital''s doctors think highly of her..." The man asked a question Karen was curious about, "If she''s so skilled, why isn''t she a doctor in your hospital?" The nurse shook her head, looked at the sharp tip of the knife, and said, "I don''t know. Dr. Park once wanted to invite her to join us as a special doctor in our hospital, but Ms. Craw declined the offer. "Also, she wanted it kept confidential about how she had saved the patients by performing dry needling. I don''t know who you are, but I''ve told you everything I know. You must keep it a secret for me. I could lose my job if it gets out." The man listened to the nurse and asked Karen on the phone, "Madam, is there anything else you''d like to ask?" Karen frowned. The noise from the bathroom had lessened. She reckoned that Ss had finished shaving. Then, she said, "Ask her if she''s close with Luca.¡± "Are you close with her?" the man asked the nurse as per Karen''s instructions. The nurse shook her head repeatedly. "No, I''m not familiar with her. I don''t even have Ms. Craw''s contact information..." She was on the verge of tears. She had revealed everything she knew, yet the man had not left. Was he really going to harm her? Karen let out a cold snort when she heard what the nurse said. She knew the nurse was not lying to her subordinate. "Fine. Leave now." "Don''t tell anyone about what happened today, or I''lle looking for you." The man brandished the knife and warned the nurse. He then stowed the knife in his backpack, turned around, and left. The nurse shivered as she watched the man leave. It took her a while to pull herself together. Should she tell Luca about what happened today? However, the nurse dismissed the thought immediately. She knew revealing Luca''s actions to others would cost her job. She was only able to work as a nurse in the VIP ward because of her degree and nursing experience. If she moved to another hospital or department, she would not enjoy such good treatment. The nurse shook her head. She decided to shoulder the fear and keep today''s events to herself. As for Luca. The nurse had no connection with her. She felt no guilt as she thought about what the man said earlier. After Karen ended the call with the man, it did not take long for the two men toe out of the bathroom while holding Ss. Ss''s head was still wet, but at least his hair was no longer greasy. Karen felt relieved and found it morefortable to look at him. "Madam, do we need to dry his hair?" asked the man. "No need." A trace of disgust shed across Karen''s eyes. She looked at Ss'' swollen face and asked, "Have you been applying ice to his face? Why is his face still so swollen after two days?" One of them immediately answered, "Madam, we''ve been consistently applying ice. It''s already reduced a bit. It''ll probably go down in a few days." "That''s too slow," Karen said, feeling dissatisfied. The other man was left with no choice. He dared not to say anything and was feeling frustrated. It was not that they were cking off. They had been applying ice to Ss'' face about once every hour. However, the doctor warned them against applying ice on his face for too long, or it would slow down the healing process of the skin. They wanted Ss to recover quickly so that they could get this monotonous task over with. However, when Karen pped Ss across his face, she had gone all out and shown no mercy. That was why his face ended up so swollen. "I don''t care what method you use. Get a doctor over here or shove his face in an ice bucket. Just make sure his swelling goes down quickly." After that, Karen left. After Karen left, one of the men let out a sigh. "It''s not that easy..." "Indeed." The other man kicked Ss'' leg and said, "Come on, shape up a bit. Get the swelling down quickly and we can all be free. You can go back too." Ss refused to believe what they said about him going back. He believed that once his face healed, he would have to go to the media to rify the truth. After that, he would be secretly dealt with in the end. He heard that the Ruiz family had done such things many times before. Back then, the Ruiz family was pretty arrogant. Now, more than 30 years had passed, and the Ruiz family would have be more arrogant... Ss shivered for a moment and mumbled, "Bro, it''s not that I don''t want to go back home. I really want to, but that woman..." "Which woman are you talking about?" One man raised his hand in a threatening manner. "No, no, it''s your madam. She went too hard on me. My face still hurts like hell today." Ss could not get any tears out. He got quite a fight from the man''s fake moves. Chapter 3043 "Hmph, how could Madam have such strength? If you keep talking nonsense, I''m going to tear your arm off," warned the man as he cracked his own knuckles. Ss shivered again, not daring to say another word. However, deep in his heart, he could not help but criticize them iming that Karen had no such strength. It was only because they had not experienced it themselves. Karen had some serious strength behind her ps! At Crawford Manor, Luke and his family of five nned to leave after having lunch with Old Master Crawford. When they were about to leave, they ran into Susan, who was returning to Crawford Manor. When Susan saw Luke and the others, she instantly remembered the humiliation she endured at Luke''s house on Friday evening. She could not help but say enigmatically, "I was wondering why you were sorting out the herbs. It turns out you''re here to please the old master. Are the herbs a gift for the old master?" Luke frowned, while Luca stared at her. Just as he was about to speak, Mr. Griffin answered on behalf of her. "Ms. Craw brought some herbs over for Old Master Crawford to nurture his health," replied Mr. Griffin, his tone tinged with admiration. Even though Luca''s gesture was to please the old master, it was much better than others who tried to gain favor by sending expensive antiques or supplements. The herbs were beneficial for the old master''s health if they were used correctly. This kind of gesture was much more effective in winning the old master''s favorpared to those who tried to please him with expensive antiques or supplements. This behavior, in the butler''s eyes, wasmendable. "Old Master Crawford epted them?" Susan saw Luke holding hands with Luca and remembered her earlier attempt to warn him about his behavior. Instead of being grateful, he continued to stay close to this woman. They said a woman''s charms would bring disaster. Susan secretly thought that Luke would eventually be taken down by a woman like Luca. However, Susan felt that it did not matter even if Luke was harmed by a woman like Luca as long as it did not affect the Crawford family. There was still Louis, after all. When Louis became the pir of the Crawford family, he would have toe back and take over the "He epted them. Old Master Crawford is very satisfied with Ms. Craw''s thoughtfulness," replied Mr. Griffin. Even though Luca was a stranger, she wanted the old master to be healthy and live a long life. Regardless of whether this stranger did it to please Luke or not, her intention was ultimately good and indeed beneficial to the old master. However, a certain someone had been the Crawford family''s daughter-inw for decades, yet she tried to put the old master''s health at risk. Susan managed to smooth things over with an excuse that time, and Old Master Crawford even spent some effort to suppress the news. The incident left a deep impression in both the old master''s and the butler''s minds. No matter what Susan did, they became cautious whenever they thought about the incident. Even the supplements she bought back were untouched by the old master. No matter how good they were, he would not touch them, and he would not give them away either, fearing that they might harm someone. Usually, the supplements would be discreetly disposed of when there was a chance to do so. "Oh, they''re just some herbs and Old Master Crawford is already satisfied? Don''t me me for saying this, but you need to be careful with those herbs. You never know if some ill-intentioned person is trying to take advantage and put the old master''s health at risk." Susan spoke enigmatically as she looked at Luca with a sly gaze. Even with Luke present, she did not hesitate to confront Luca. After all, in her eyes, she was an elder. Whatever she said seemed to carry a bit of weight. At least that was how Susan perceived it. Luca''s fingers tightened. When Susan made those remarks, she had the urge to retaliate. However, saying those things in front of the butler would only put Luke in a difficult position. Not to mention that regardless of whether the butler knew her true identity was Bianca or not, she had no grounds to argue with her. Mr. Griffin frowned and secretly thought that Susan''s words were really unpleasant. "Madam Crawford, Old Master Crawford''s health has indeed improved a lot after Ms. Craw''s treatment. That''s why he trusts her for his care." Mr. Griffin spoke up for Luca. "Whether the herbs work or not, the old master will find out in his daily trials." "Trials?" Susan deliberately used an exaggerated tone. "You''re actually treating the old master''s body as an experimental tool?" Mr. Griffin was startled for a moment. He did not expect her to misinterpret his meaning like that. Before Mr. Griffin went to bedst night, he had already checked the herbs Luca sent and consulted a trustworthy naturopathic doctor. It was confirmed that these herbs were safe to consume together with attention to the proper dosage. Mr. Griffin had shown the corresponding dosage to the naturopathic doctor, who confirmed it was safe. Moreover, thebination of these herbs was beneficial for the body, especially for middle-aged and elderly people. At the same time, the naturopathic doctor was amazed by the recipe Mr. Griffin had sent, stating that this kind of herbal cuisinebination was even more effective. He even asked for all the recipes, iming that they would be beneficial for the overall health of most middle-aged and elderly patients. That was why Mr. Griffin hadplete confidence in the herbs and recipes sent by Luca. "I believe in Luca''s capabilities. What''s wrong with that?" In the midst of the silence, the voice of Old Master Crawford rang out. Old Master Crawford spoke energetically as he strolled toward them with his cane. He looked at Susan with a displeased expression. "Father... You can''t just randomly take the medicine given by strangers. I''m doing this for your own good," said Susan as she threw Luca a jealous look. As the person targeted, Luca remained calm with a peaceful expression. Did she think there were many people defending her? Was that why she was so calm? Susan became even more infuriated when she saw that Luke and Luca were holding each other''s hands. "Hmph, for my good? If I shouldn''t take herbal medicine from strangers, then should I take the ones you give me? Would taking the herbal medicine you give me make me healthy? Do they have miraculous effects?" questioned Old Master Crawford. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. He would recall that incident every time Susan brought up the topic of herbal medicine. If it were not for Luca, he might still be consuming those excessively blood-boosting medicines. His health would have only gotten worse if he had not rested well. Susan intended to say yes, but recalling the scheme she plotted back then, she had no choice but to awkwardly mumble, "Father, that''s not what I meant." "What brings you back here today?¡± Old Master Crawford did not want to continue discussing the herbs with her to avoid any chance of getting upset. He could not help but feel annoyed at the thought of his daughter-inw treating him this way. "Isn''t today the weekend? I came back just to visit you. I didn''t expect Luke to bring a stranger with him," grumbled Susan. In spoken and unspoken words, she was ming Luke for bringing a stranger home and insinuating the potential impact it could have on the Crawford family. "There are so many valuable things in the house. It''s not a good idea to bring anyone in." "Oh? Going by your logic, maybe you shouldn''te back either. Leave, then. With so many valuable things at home, you''ll be implicated too if something goes missing." Old Master Crawford, sensing her knack for finding faults, decided to go along with her words and asked her to leave. Susan widened her eyes. This was not the result she wanted! "Father, I''m not an outsider." "Yes, you''re Louis'' mother, but you don''t live in Crawford Manor anymore. Don''te back unless necessary." Old Master Crawford continued to drive her away. Then, he instructed the maid nearby, "Give it to Luke." Chapter 3044 "Yes, sir.¡± The maid heard what the old master said with a puzzled look on her face. It was only when he reminded her that she remembered she still had something to hand to Luke. She handed the bag to Luke and said, ¡°Master Luke, Old Master Crawford wants you to bring this back.¡± "What is it?" Luke took it, opened the bag, and nced inside. It was a cardboard container that seemed to contain seafood. "I noticed Luca enjoyed the European lobsterst night. She said the taste was delicate, and since we had some at home, I had the maid pack some for you to take back. Let Selina cook it for you all," said Old Master Crawford. The person he mentioned was Aunt Neile. "Thank you, Grandpa." Luke remembered Luca did enjoy it yesterday, so he epted it. On the other hand, Luca felt a bit embarrassed when she heard what the old master said. While the European lobster had a delicate taste and tender texture, it was indeed expensive. The fact that the old master asked them to take it back while Susan was still picking faults with them made Luca feel it was not the best timing. Although the Crawford family was wealthy, Susan was petty. Giving expensive seafood as a gift might not sit well with her. Even though refusing the gift might seem contrary to Luke thanking him, considering the family''s harmony, Luca gently said, "Old Master Crawford, it''s okay. You should keep it and enjoy it for yourself." Susan secretly let out a cold snort. Before she could say anything, Old Master Crawford declined. "Bring it back. You and the kids enjoy it. Just take it. An old man like me can''t eat much at home. It''ll go to waste." The old master''s words stabbed at Susan''s heart. Who was he to say he could not eat it alone? Did she not juste back today? Moreover, she was nning to stay for dinner. She feltpletely ignored by the old master at this moment. Luke''s kids were fond of the lobster, and they could have it since they liked it. Her precious granddaughter enjoyed lobster too. "Father, Thea loves it too.¡± Old Master Crawford rolled his eyes at her as his wrinkles deepened. "Louis got kicked out by you, and Thea doesn''t live with you either. If she wants to eat it, I''ll have someone deliver it to her another day." Susan was rendered speechless. A deeper sense of dissatisfaction settled within her. However, she also realized what the old master said. Did he know where Louis lived? Well, Louis dared to defy her but not the old master. Hence, when he moved out, he must have discussed it with the old master. Susan looked at the bag in Luke''s hands. Even though she could not see the seafood inside, she could not help but feel jealous. She was notcking in food. She could buy whatever she wanted. However, the fact that the old master showed favoritism toward them bothered her inexplicably. Luke knew why Susan returned to Crawford Manor today, and he did not want to get involved in this matter. Therefore, he said to Old Master Crawford, "Grandpa, I''ll keep the seafood. Thanks. We''ll head back now." "Go ahead. Remember toe back for a meal when you have time.¡± Old Master Crawford waved at them, signaling them to leave. As for Susan, he knew she would surely pester him for a while longer. Luke took Luca with him and left. After the family of five got in the car, Luca asked slowly, "Is this really okay?" "There shouldn''t be any issues," answered Luke. Susan might vent her frustrations on other members of the Crawford family, but she dared not to take it out on Old Master Crawford. Besides, Mr. Griffin was there. Even if Susan acted irrationally, she could not do anything to harm the old master. Luca was still worried that after they left, Susan would cause a scene at Crawford Manor. Luca nced sideways at Luke. When she was about to speak, Lanie chimed in, "Grandma Susan won''t cause a huge scene. She just wants to know where Uncle Louis moved to." Luca turned to look at Lanie in the back seat. "You heard everything yesterday?" Tommy nodded and answered, "Grandma Susan was talking loudly in the living room yesterday. We could hear it even on the second floor." Luca nodded. Indeed, the kids had heard everything. "Grandma Susan came back today to find out from Great-grandpa where Uncle Louis and his family are living now," added Lanie. Even though Susan had not revealed her true intentions, Lanie guessed pretty urately. "You kids, you know everything about the adults'' affairs," said Luca with a helpless smile on her face while shaking her head. The kids were too clever, making them, as parents, both relieved and sometimes perplexed. They were thinking about things that kids their age should not be concerned with, and they even thought about the adults. "Ms. Luca, Grandma Susan''s intentions are too obvious. Uncle Louis is avoiding her now. I think we shouldn''t tell Grandma Susan his whereabouts," Tommy could not help but say. Yesterday, they heard the noisesing from the first floor when they were on the second floor. They knew what was going on. At the same time, they hoped Susan would not find their Uncle Louis. They all felt sorry for their uncle. He had already be someone else''s father and was still kicked out by his own mother. It was embarrassing. It waspletely different from their father¡¯s situation. Their grandmother liked to make a fuss too, but she had no choice but to listen obediently to their father when she faced him. No matter how big of a fuss she made, she could never gain any advantage from their father, let alone affect their lives. Inparison, the three kids felt that their uncle was much more pitiful. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "Kids, just leave this matter alone. If Grandma Susanes to ask where Uncle Louis lives someday, just tell her you don''t know, okay?" As Luca listened to what the kids said, she suddenly felt that if Susan did not manage to find out Louis'' whereabouts, she might eventually approach the three kids for information. In fact, finding out where Louis was was simple. Louis did not answer her calls, but Susan knew where hispany was. A visit to hispany would reveal everything. However, Susan did not do that. It was for a simple reason¡ªshe could not bring herself to do it. She could not swallow her pride in this matter. Luca was also puzzled. Susan could not bring herself to do it, and that was why she did not go to Louis¡¯ Was she not embarrassing herself? Luca could not understand what Susan was thinking. Instead of patching things up with Louis, she made a public spectacle of her conflict with him... "We also don''t know where Uncle Louis lives," replied Tommy cheerfully. Even if Susan came knocking on their door with lots of delicious treats, they would not have a clue. The school Louis chose for Thea was different from the one their father arranged for them. When there was no interaction between the families, they rarely crossed paths with Thea. Hence, they had no idea where their uncle''s family had gone. "Let''s not discuss this matter." Luke suddenly spoke up, casting a sidelong nce at Luca. He asked, "How do you want the lobster to be cooked?" Luca paused for a moment and then shed a smile. She asked, "How would you like to have it?" "Grandpa said you love it, so you should decide how you want it prepared." Luke handed the decision to her. Chapter 3045 Luca had no idea, so she asked the kids for their opinions, "How would you like it cooked?" The three kids did not discuss it and simultaneously said, "We''ll follow your lead." As Luca watched Luke and the kids shift the decision-making rights back to her, she also thought of Nina, who was still at the vi. Thus, she suggested, "How about grilled lobster with garlic butter sauce? Nina loves it too." "Sure." Luke had no objections. After the family of five returned to the vi, Luke walked into the kitchen with a bag, instructing Aunt Neil to prepare grilled lobster for dinner. Luca headed upstairs and found Nina reading on the balcony. "Nina, what are you reading?" asked Luca. "Huh? You''re back?" Nina was surprised. She thought Luca would spend the whole weekend at Crawford Manor. When Nina saw here back, a few unpleasant scenarios came into her mind. Then, she nervously pulled Luca to sit down. "Come, take a seat." Luca nced at the book Nina was reading. It was a psychology book. She sat down and asked, "What''s with that look?" "I''m just looking out for you." Nina gave her the once-over a few times, checking her out from top to bottom. Then, she asked, "Why did youe back so soon?" "Well, they all came back, so I came back too..." Luca slightly frowned, not knowing the implication behind Nina''s question. "No, what I mean is..." Nina was a little hesitant, but she still went ahead and asked, ¡°Did you get into some trouble back at Crawford Manor? Why else would you be back so soon?" Luca knew she was worried about her and could not help but let out augh. Nina was concerned that she might have faced disapproval from Old Master Crawford and that was why they came back early. Hence, Luca exined, "No, I didn''t. It was originally nned this way, and the kids have extracurricr activities tomorrow. Plus, Rainie has a ballet performance tomorrow. We needed to After exining, Luca added, "And Old Master Crawford treated me well. None of the scenarios you imagined happened. Rx." "I''m d that you weren''t put in a difficult situation. I''ve been worried since yesterday that you might have a tough time. Hearing you say that really eases my mind." Nina let out a sigh. She realized that the Crawford family and the Mallory family had many simrities. However, there were also some differences. For instance, the way Old Master Crawford handled young people''s rtionships. It seemed like he did not have too high expectations or conservative views. However, Nina also understood that Old Master Crawford''sck of objection to Luke and Luca''s rtionship was partly because Luca was outstanding enough. Luca had developed a medicine that could earn a lot of money for T Corporation. Coupled with her understanding of pharmacology and dry needling techniques, she was weed by the elderly wherever she went. Thus, it made sense for Old Master Crawford not to be against it. Unlike Nina, who had nothing special ¡ªnot even a family background that couldpare to others. It was not out of the ordinary for Percy''s elders to disapprove. It was kind of expected. Luca looked at Nina, sensing her change in mood. She asked, "Nina, what''s the matter?" Nina came back to her senses. As she reflected on Luca''s achievements and herself, she could not help but have a lot on her mind. However, she was not envious of Luca. Everyone was different. While she was living a carefree life, enjoying good food and drinks, Luca was probably already diving into a lot of serious studying. The more one sowed, the more one reaped. "Oh, it''s nothing. I was just thinking that if I were an old man, I would also appreciate and admire you. How could I bear to nitpick and be dissatisfied with you?" replied Nina with a cheerful smile. She pushed aside the sense of disappointment from earlier. Luca yfully teased, "Oh? Why are you suddenly saying this?" "You''re something else, seriously. I feel particrly safe when I''m around you. I always think that even if something happens to my body, I don''t have to worry because you can save me." Ninaughed and thought of the many times Luca had helped her. It made her understand why she could not fully stand on Bianca''s side when they were both fighting over the same man. She was friends with Bianca first and Luke and Bianca''s marriage was legally protected. However, she simply could not take the high ground in terms ofw and morality to say anything inappropriate to Luca. "Cut the crap. I''d rather you never need me to save you." Luca gently tapped her head. "I hope so too, but some things don''t juste true because you wish for them. By the way, I met someone after work yesterday. Guess who?" asked Nina. "Who?" Luca did not know who Nina had met, so she asked. "Marie Rayne, the woman who caused a scene with Jean at the entrance of the neighborhood where the Rayne family lives," Nina reminded Luca who Marie was, just in case she forgot. Luca certainly knew who Marie Rayne was. She said, "I ran into her at the hospital back then. Her condition seemed quite bad." Nina was surprised. "Why didn''t you tell me when you met her?" "She''s just an unimportant person. I didn''t think much of it." Luca shook her head. She was quite interested in Marie, considering how adept she was at causing trouble. However, she did not feel the need to tell Nina. After all, Nina had already severed ties with Anna and Jean. No matter how much trouble Marie caused, it had nothing to do with Nina. "True, she''s indeed an unimportant person. But I''m still a bit worried. What if she continues to pester Jean?" Nina could not help but mutter. As she recalled her encounter with Marie, her first thought was to avoid being seen by her. Marie was really good at being clingy. Perhaps she still wanted to cling onto Jean. Even though Nina had nothing to do with the Langdon family''s affairs now, if Jean got together with Marie again, the Langdon family would be in trouble. Marie was like a jinx. Getting involved with her meant trouble for anyone. "The Langdon family''s affairs have nothing to do with you anymore. If Jean is so forgetful and doesn''t learn his lesson, and he still wants to get involved with Marie, then he deserves whateveres his way,"mented Luca. While it was true that Jean deserved how he ended up, Nina still felt a sense of responsibility. However, Nina also thought that she hadpensated Jean enough. She no longer owed the Langdon family anything. Jean had some money now. If he managed to run a sessful business, he could lead afortable life... Of course, the condition was not getting involved with Marie again. Nina pped her hands, and Luca''s words reminded her of something. "I guess Jean won''t be so foolish now. Last time, Marie swindled all his money, leaving him unable to afford a meal. The lesson was harsh. "If he encounters Marie again, his first thought would probably be to call the police. But any amount smaller than ten grand wouldn''t be enough for a case." N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "Indeed." Luca was not interested in Jean''s affairs with Marie. When she and Marie were still sisters, the Rayne family had never mistreated them. She had not done anything wrong to Marie. Going to jail was purely Marie''s doing. She made a mistake, and she should ept the corresponding punishment. "Forget about that. Listen, Old Master Crawford gave us some European lobsters. I asked Aunt Neile to prepare grilled lobster with garlic butter sauce. What do you think?" Luca changed the subject. Chapter 3046 "That''ll be great!" Nina''s eyes lit up when she heard about the grilled lobster. ¡°I know that''s your favorite," Luca said smilingly. ¡°We haven''t known each other that long, but you already know me so well. It''s like we''re sisters." Nina put her arm around Luca''s shoulder and smiled. ¡°I can assure you that you''re not sisters," said Luke with a gloomy face while he walked upstairs. His voice startled Nina. She turned to look at him while he stared back at the both of them with resentful eyes. ¡°Mr. Crawford, you almost scared me to death, speaking out of nowhere like that." Nina looked upset. ¡°It''s because you were too engrossed in your conversation." After speaking to Nina, Luke turned to Luca and asked, ¡°Aunt Neile asked if you want anything else other than lobster tonight." ¡°What do you want for dinner?" Luca asked Nina. Lobster alone was not enough, so they had to think of other dishes to have too. Luke got jealous when he saw her ask Nina instead of him. She had asked him in the car just now. Why did she not ask him now? Nina noticed Luke''s expression and said, ¡°Anything goes. I''m fine with whatever, but I want you to cook for me." ¡°I''ll go downstairs and prepare, then," said Luca while standing up. ¡°There''s no need to rush. It''s still early. I''ll help you outter so that I can learn your secrets." Nina tugged at her arm and looked at Luke. As she expected, the man looked even more upset. Nina was having fun teasing him. If she were a guy, Luke would have thrown her out by now since she was upying Luca. ¡°Oh, you''re right. How silly of me." Luca smiled at Nina before turning to Luke and asking, ¡°What do you want for dinner?" Luke was even more jealous now. Why was he always second ce when Nina was around? He would let it go before Luca admitted her identity because he feared that Nina would find out. Since she had not admitted who she was, Nina was still the priority. Luke kept his jealousy to himself, thinking that one day it would get better. Then, he said, ¡°If you''re cooking, I''ll eat anything you make." Nina gasped, causing the two of them to look at her. "What is it?" Luca asked. Nina chuckled. "I didn''t think that Mr. Crawford would say such things. Amazing." Luke could sense Nina''s mockery. How childish. Then, Luke said to Luca, "I have a meeting to attend." "Okay." Luca nodded before standing up. "Nina, let''s go downstairs." "What''s wrong? Why do we need to go downstairs?" Nina was confused. "Mr. Crawford said he has to work. I think he''s going to be joining an international conference call, so it''s best that we don''t disturb him," said Luca as being upstairs would disturb Luke. "You''re so considerate of him." Nina smiled and shook her head. She stood up, not forgetting to take her book with her. Luca noticed the book in her hands and asked, "Why are you reading this kind of book all of a sudden?" This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "The psychology book? I''ll tell youter." Nina went downstairs and greeted the children before taking Luca to the pavilion in the front yard. After sitting down, she exined, " I''m sure you know that I was in a bad ce before." "Yes, I do." Luca nodded. Percy was quite worried because of her poor mental health. Not only did he find the best psychiatrist for her, but he even took time out to listen to psychological talks with her. He was afraid that something bad might happen to her. "How should I put it? I know what these people are going through because I''ve been through them myself. They tend to selectively ignore their problems and me them on others. Now that I''ve recovered, I want to learn more so that I can help people in need." Nina said while she flipped to thest page she read. "Is it because of Mr. Mallory''s mother?" Luca asked. She knew Nina well. She would not voluntarily study a certain topic for no reason. Nina was not a fan of reading. She was never the academic type, even when she was a student, let alone after she started working. Nina was always the spontaneous type. "You caught me. I want to understand what she''s going through so that I can maybe help her." Nina nodded and smiled embarrassedly. Perhaps Nina and Pierre were the cause of Karen''s unstable emotions. Whatever the reason may be, there was undoubtedly something wrong with Karen''s emotions. If she did not seek help soon, the problem might get even worse in the future. Karen needed a professional psychiatrist. Nina was studying all of this so that she could get closer to her. She wanted tomunicate with her without Karen always getting irritated so easily. "She needs help from a psychiatrist, not you. Maybe you should tell Mr. Mallory about this." Luca gave her some advice. Some people just liked getting themselves into dead ends. After Allison''s face was ruined, Luke found her a psychiatrist, but she refused. In the end, it got worse. Luca did not know whether it was the psychiatrist''s problem or Allison''s rejection of therapy. In the end, Luke took her to a different stic surgery clinic. After the procedure, she was in a much better state. ¡°He knows what''s going on too, but his mother is just stubborn. We don''t have any other choice." Nina sighed. "I''ll go make some tea. What tea do you want?" "No, I''ll go. Do you have any preference?" Luca shook her head and stood up. "I''m fine with anything," said Nina. "Read your book. I''ll go get a book too. I''ll bring some snacks over after I brew the tea," said Luca. Good thing the weather was nice. The light breeze made it the perfect day to have some tea and read a book outside. "Get me anything," said Nina. Luca walked into the kitchen and made a pot of jasmine tea. Then, she took out some snacks and asked Aunt Neile to send them over to the front yard. Meanwhile, she went upstairs to get a pharmacology book. After walking out of the study, she passed by Luke''s room and saw that he was focusing on the She tried to tread lightly so as to not disrupt his work. When she got to the front yard, she sat on the other stool and started reading with Nina. Chapter 3047 It was a quiet Saturday. The children were reading books in the living room, so no one disturbed Luca and Nina''s peace. However, Crawford Manor was not peaceful after Susan''s arrival. ¡°Father, please tell me where Louis has moved to." Susan had been pestering Old Master Crawford about this since she arrived. She continued asking after he woke up from his nap. Old Master Crawford frowned and said, "He''s your son. How am I supposed to know?" "Don''t try to fool me. Louis must''ve told you where he went. Just tell me. I have to find him." Susan followed Old Master Crawford around and sat down when he sat down. All she talked about was Louis. Old Master Crawford was annoyed. Ever since Luke left with his family, he had been hearing Louis'' name non-stop. Old Master Crawford did not respond to Susan. This was the first time he thought that Susan was hard to deal with. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. If he did not tell her, she might go on and on forever. "If you want to find him, you can go to hispany. What''s the point ofing here? Louis doesn''t live here. I''m going out for dinner tonight, so no one is cooking. Go home." Old Master Crawford stood up and shooed her away. "Father, where are you going?" Susan stood up instantly. Old Master Crawford stared at her with disgust. "Do I have to tell you where I''m going too?" "No..." Before Susan could finish her sentence, Old Master Crawford interrupted her by asking the butler, "Is the driver here?" "The driver is here, Old Master Crawford," the butler replied. Old Master Crawford left right away. Susan was shocked to see him leave, and she asked the butler, "Where is Old Master Crawford going?" "Madam Crawford, Old Master Craford''s friend invited him out for dinner. They agreed to meet yesterday, so the kitchen will not be preparing dinner. You should go back," said the butler before he left. Susan sat back down on the sofa and waited a long time, but Old Master Crawford did not return. She knew that he was avoiding her on purpose. Susan walked into the kitchen. When the chef noticed her walking in, she immediately stood up and asked, ¡°Madam Crawford, how may I help you?" "Are you not making dinner?" Susan asked. The chef nodded, then shook her head. "What do you mean?" Susan was getting frustrated, so she raised her voice. "Old Master Crawford said not to cook dinner for him tonight, but I''ll still prepare food for the maids," replied the chef. The preparation of the maid''s food and the master''s food was separate, so the chef nodded and then Susan understood now, but she was not interested in eating the same food as the maids, so she left. The chef sighed in relief. Ten minutes ago, the butler informed her not to make dinner. All of them knew why. Old Master Crawford would rather eat outside so that he could avoid Susan. After Susan left, she received a call from Karen. She rarely contacted Karen, but the maids at home had told her everything about Karen and Luke. Every time Karen came to Crawford Manor to annoy Luke, the maids would brief Susan about what happened. She knew that Karen must hate the Crawford family now, including her. Why was she calling her now? Susan was puzzled, but she answered the call anyway. "Hello, this is Susan speaking," she answered arrogantly. Although the Crawford family and the Mallory family were on good terms for a long time, they had different opinions on who was truly the number one family in A City. They had never openly fought about it, but they always secretlypared themselves to each other. "Madam Crawford, this is Karen," Karen said gently. Since she was the one who called first, she had to make an effort to sound nice. "Oh, Madam Mallory, what''s the matter?" Susan knew that there must be a reason why she called. Perhaps it was because of Luke. "Madam Crawford, are you free to talk?" Karen asked right away. "Yes. What can I help you with, Madam Mallory?" "I want to buy you a cup of coffee so that we can talk..." Karen said. Susan agreed, "Okay, which cafe are we meeting at?" "I''ll send you the location," Karen said before hanging up. After a while, Susan received the location from Karen. She told the driver the location, and it took her 20 minutes to get to the cafe that Karen mentioned. Susan walked into the cafe and gave the staff Karen''s name before she was led into a private room. Karen was there waiting for her. ¡°Madam Crawford, it''s been a while." Seeing her walk in, Karen stood up. She smiled, trying to be on her best behavior. "It''s been a while, Madam Mallory." Due to the nature of the rtionship between the two families, Susan understood that they should not be too friendly with each other. However, they should not be rude either. As she walked over, Karen gestured for her to take a seat and nced at the waiter. The waiter understood and brought out the menu for Susan. Susan was not a fan of coffee. She knew that Karen did not just invite her here for coffee but to talk. Thus, she got herself an Americano. Karen was not in a rush to get down to business, so she talked to Susan about luxury bags for some time. They talked about what brands wereing out with new items and when the fashion shows were being held. Susan was usually interested in these kinds of things, but she was not interested in talking about them with Karen. Besides, her son was a disappointment. He insisted on starting his own business when he could have worked for T Corporation. Although their family was not poor by any means, they were much worse off than before Louis left T Corporation. She knew much about luxury brands, but she had to restrain herself from splurging on them. Louis said that hispany was still on the rise, so he had to cut down the family''s expenses. When thepany was stable, things would be the same as before. Susan knew that no matter how capable Louis was, by the time he achieved sess, she might already be an olddy. The thought of that made her even less interested in the topic, and she felt even more disappointed in Louis. Chapter 3048 "Madam Crawford, what''s the matter?" Karen saw her in such a state and asked again. "Oh, nothing much. I was just thinking about something. Madam Mallory, you didn''t invite me out for coffee just to talk about fashion, did you?" Susan no longer wanted to listen to her talking about those fashion brands, lest her desire to shop be stirred up again. "Of course not!" Karen shook her head. At that moment, the door of the private room was knocked before it was pushed open. A waiter walked in carrying Susan''s coffee. "Madam Crawford, here''s your coffee." The waiter carefully ced the coffee in front of Susan. He then turned around and left, closing the door behind him. The aroma of coffee filled the room, but Susan''s enthusiasm remained low. She went straight to the point and asked Karen, "Madam Mallory, the coffee is here. Tell me, what''s the matter?" "I saw in the news before that Luke is having an affair?" As Karen noticed that Susan had no intention of discussing luxury brands, she went straight to her intended topic. Susan raised her eyebrows. It was indeed rted to Luke. She knew Karen would not have invited her out just to discuss luxury brands. It seemed that she wanted to ask about the rumored rtionship between Luke and Luca. However, was it not her who informed the reporters about this rumor in the first ce? Logically speaking, she should be more aware of the situation. "It shouldn''t be true, right? Hasn''t it been rified? It was just those reporters making a fuss over nothing, creating stories that don''t exist." Even though Susan was not fond of Luke, she knew that the reputation of her family needed to be maintained. She was not sure about Karen''s ultimate purpose for asking her out, but her mind was clear. Some things were better left unsaid. She should not fall into someone else''s trap. "Really? Is it just a misunderstanding?" Karen put on a surprised expression. "It''s been rified. There''s no need to believe in such news." Susan picked up the cup of coffee and took a sip. She could taste that the coffee beans were of high quality, but she did not like the taste of the coffee itself. It was not from the coffee shop she usually went to. That was why the taste was different, and she could not say she liked it. "True, it''s better to believe the parties involved." Karen had heard that Susan had moved out of Crawford Manor and was not on good terms with Luke. Therefore, she thought that Susan might not be aware of the information she had leaked to the reporters. "Yes, you know, those reporters insist on making up stories when they see young people getting along well. But Luke is different from those celebrities. I don''t know why they keeptching onto him as if he were a star," continued Susan. "Indeed, those reporters have quite the knack for gossip. But to be honest, isn''t this situation a result of Luke and Luca being close to each other?" Karen continued along the lines of Susan''s words while she secretly muttered to herself. They were a family, indeed. They did not get along well, but they still spoke up for each other in situations like this. They could really keep secrets for each other... What Karen said made Susan frown. Deep down, she was starting to get impatient. What was she up to? ¡°Madam Mallory, you didn''t ask me out just to gossip about Luke, right?" "Haha, of course not!" Karen awkwardly chuckled and took a sip of her coffee. She then slowly said, "Allow me to speak openly. Is it true that Luca has a good rtionship with the Crawford family too?" "She''s close with Old Master Crawford. She even sent a bunch of herbs over today, iming that they''ll help improve the old master''s health. Why are you curious about this? Does Old Master Mallory want Luca to help to improve his health too?" Susan almost caught on to Karen''s purpose for inviting her out for coffee. "No, Old Master Mallory has professional nutritionists and naturopathic doctors to take care of his health. Besides, I wouldn''t be the one to talk about the old master''s affairs. If he really wanted Luca''s help, he would''ve approached her or discussed it with Old Master Crawford." Karen shook her head, took two quick breaths, and then went straight to the point. "Well, my son, Pierre, injured his leg. I heard that Luca''s dry needling skills are good. She even helped someone with a head injury through performing dry needling and physical therapy, and that person eventually recovered well. "So, I want to find out if Luca is really that skilled." Karen expressed her thoughts. Susan secretly let out a cold snort. It was indeed because of Luca. This was unexpected. She thought it was about Luke''s gossip. "I don''t know how skilled she is. I do know that Luca has helped others. Madam Mallory, you''re asking the wrong person. I haven''t received any treatment from Luca. "Old Master Crawford has received her treatment, but I can''t tell based on his situation. Why don''t you ask the old master yourself? "Oh, by the way, you mentioned she helped someone else, right? Given the resources of the Mallory family, it should be easy to find out who that person is. Why don''t you investigate and find out for yourself? After all, Luca won''t be able to fool anyone." "You''re right." Karen smiled. What Susan said was something she was already doing. However, she heard that the person Luca saved was a troublemaker, and locating this person would take some time. He seemed to have returned to the countryside with his mother after recovering. As for their location, it would require further investigation. The hospital had no records, so the nurses had no idea about it. As for approaching Old Master Crawford, she really did not have the guts to do so... Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. After all, she had a falling out with him two days ago. She was even forced by Old Master Mallory to apologize to him. She wanted to preserve her dignity, and no matter what happened, she would not show up in front of Old Master Crawford for the time being. "Madam Mallory?" Susan called out to her when she noticed Karen was keeping silent. "Yes?" Karen came back to her senses. "What''s on your mind?¡± asked Susan. "Nothing, I was just thinking about what you said just now. Actually, I know about that guy, and I want to send someone to verify it too. But he''s no longer in A City. That''s why it''ll take some time for my subordinates to find him. "You mentioned asking Old Master Crawford, but I think it''s better not to bother him." Karen expressed it in a polite way. She believed that Susan, who had moved out, probably did not know about the matter of her apologizing to Old Master Crawford a few days ago. "Oh, yes, if that person has left A City, it''ll take some time to find him. But this guy must have contacted someone. Perhaps you can look into it. You might find out something without needing to ask him. "You can just ask someone rted to the incident. It might yield the same results,¡± suggested Susan. Her words struck a chord with Karen. Karen''s subordinates who investigated the matter said that the man was injured in a conflict with someone else, and the other person was willing to take full responsibility. He covered the medical and nutritional expenses. That was why the police were not involved. Since that person was willing to take responsibility for everything, he probably knew the specific situation of that man. Chapter 3049 Karen was secretly wondering whether she should redirect her subordinates to investigate the expenses incurred when the patient was hospitalized. This way, she could trace the funds directly and find out more about the person who got into a conflict with the patient. There was a slight flutter in her thoughts. Susan remainedposed, sipping her coffee and observing Karen''s changing expressions. She was aware of Pierre''s broken leg and knew that Karen''s thoughts were now leaning toward him. As an heir destined to end up with a limp, Pierre held little significance. It exined why Karen was so anxious to find someone to treat him. "Madam Mallory?" Susan softly reminded her when she noticed Karen was deep in thought. "What''s on your mind?" "Nothing. I was thinking about what you said earlier. Madam Crawford, thank you for reminding me," replied Karen. Even though Susan could not offer much help in this matter, she did y a certain role. "Don''t mention it. Even if I hadn''t mentioned it, you would''ve figured it out yourself," said Susan. Something crossed her mind when she saw Karen in such a state. It seemed that Karen was genuinely interested in Luca. Otherwise, she would not have inquired about her. If Luca had the ability to help Karen treat Pierre, her rtionship with the Mallory family could be even closer in the future. Susan felt uneasy at the thought of this. She thought Luca was just an ignorant woman relying on men to climb up the socialdder. What made her think that she could rely on the Crawford family and still seek support from the Mallory family? However, Susan kept rational and stopped herself from spilling anything. She knew that once she said it out loud, it would mean acknowledging the rtionship between Luke and Luca. Susan suddenly felt magnanimous for going the extra mile to cover up for Luke. Once Karen''s thoughts started to wander, she appeared to be preupied. She was no longer as engaged in the conversation. Her mind was upied with Pierre''s situation, and she had no interest in gossiping with Susan about other matters. Susan could see Karen was distracted but said nothing. She simply sipped her coffee and eventually told her that she had something to attend to and needed to go home. ¡ö ¡ª -¡ö ¡ö- ¡ö ¡ª -- 3J - . ¡ª . ¡ª Karen let out a sigh of relief. After settling the bill, she saw Susan out. Then, she quickly returned to her car and began making a phone call, instructing her subordinates to change their focus. The driver, who had been waiting in the driver''s seat, asked, "Madam, where to now?" "Home," answered Karen. She had no other ce to go at the moment, and her priority was to confirm if Luca had the capability she was rumored to possess. If it was true, Karen would find a way to persuade her to treat Pierre even though they had disagreements in the past. If Luca refused to help her, she was willing to go as far as kidnapping her to make her agree. Pierre was her priority! "Yes, Madam." The driver nodded. When he started the car engine, Karen remembered that Nina seemed to have a good rtionship with Luca. She changed her mind about going home. "No. Take me to Percy''s vi," instructed Karen. "Madam, I''m afraid we can''t enter the neighborhood now after what happenedst time," reminded the driver. "That''s true..." Karen frowned. After what happenedst time, it would be even more difficult to meet Nina. "Besides, our sources report that she''s no longer staying there. She''s staying in Luke''s vi now. It might be even harder for you to meet her if you go there." The driver reminded Karen that they had been tracking Nina''s whereabouts. The reason was simple. It was to catch evidence of Nina betraying Percy. Percy could not tolerate betrayal. If he found out that Nina had betrayed him, he would never ept it, no matter how stubborn he was. Karen furrowed her brows tightly, realizing that amidst her recent thoughts about Pierre, she had forgotten about this matter. "Ah, forget it. Let''s go home. I don''t believe this stubborn girl can hide in Luke''s ce forever," said Karen. The driver remained silent. He initially wanted to say that Nina would move back when Percy came back from his business trip. Hence, it was nearly impossible for her to cause Nina trouble. "Madam, I''ll start driving. Please fasten your seatbelt," reminded the driver. Then, he drove in the direction of the vi. ... Night fell, and the vi became lively due to Old Master Crawford''s arrival. Luca and Aunt Neile were in the kitchen, while Nina assisted them in preparing a sumptuous dinner. "Luca, your home-cooked food smells so good. Maybe I should pay some rent and food expenses. Let me stay here from now on," Nina could not help but swallow her saliva while looking at those dishes. It was not because she was a big eater. Luca just had the talent to make her crave food. "Sure, I''m fine with it. But are you sure Mr. Mallory won''t mind?" Luca asked with a smiling expression. "I''m afraid he might not be happy if you continue to stay here." "It''s simple. Let him move in too. The guest rooms here are big enough. We can split the rent. Wouldn''t that be great?" replied Nina with a smile on her face. "Besides, he''s alwaysining about how skinny I am and that I should eat more. I think I can eat more only if I live here. That''s why he wouldn''t mind." "No problem. If you both are okay with it, you''re wee to stay here anytime." Luca went along with her as she knew Nina was just joking. "Okay, please help me carry the dishes out. Let''s get ready for dinner." After that, Luca filled the te with nched vegetables. "Alright," replied Nina. She put on heat-resistant gloves and helped to serve the dishes on the table. In no time, a table full of delicious dishes was served. Old Master Crawford sat happily in the usual spot where Luke usually sat and eximed, "Luca, did you prepare all these?" "No, Aunt Neil and Nina helped too.¡± Luca shook her head, not taking all the credit for herself. Nina immediately chimed in, "Grandpa, I didn''t help much. Luca and Aunt Neile did most of the preparation." Aunt Neile, who had also joined the table for dinner, added, "I only helped out. The bulk of the job was done by Ms. Craw." "Smells good.¡± Old Master Crawford knew that Luca was exceptionally skilled in cooking. His appetite surged while looking at the bountiful spread. The three kids were no different. Tommy eagerly eyed the dishes and could not help but urge, "Great-grandpa, let''s start the meal. I''m hungry." "Alright, let''s eat," said Old Master Crawford, beaming with joy. As soon as he finished his sentence, Lanie picked up a piece of fish and said, "Great-grandpa, have some fish. There''s no bones." "Oh, my precious great-grandson is such a sweetheart." Old Master Crawford affectionately patted Lanie''s head and then picked up the fish. Tommy also wanted to imitate his elder brother and serve his great-grandpa some food.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Just as he was about to stand up, Mr. Griffin said, "Young Master Tommy, let me handle it. Enjoy your meal." "Okay, Mr. Griffin.¡± Tommy had no choice but to give up the thought of it. Luca then served Nina a piece of grilled lobster tail and said, "Tell me how it tastes." Nina responded with a cheerful smile, "Thank you." Luke watched the interaction between the two of them, feeling a bit ufortable. Why did he feel like a woman could be his romantic rival? He whispered in Luca''s ear, "I want some too." Luca looked at him in surprise. She was about to tell him to go ahead and serve himself. However, when she caught his gaze, she suddenly understood that he wanted her to do it. He was getting jealous over Nina. Luca could not help but find it amusing. Luke, a grown man, was jealous over Nina. It was kind of... cute. "Here. Try it and tell me how it is." Luca picked up a piece of grilled lobster tail and ced it on his te. Chapter 3050 Tommy saw the interaction between the adults and could not help but mutter, "Is Daddy jealous?" Rainie picked up his younger brother¡¯s favorite meatball and said in a soft voice, "We kids should stay out of the adults'' matters." "Oh, but Daddy really does look jealous," added Tommy. As Luke listened to the two kids¡¯ conversation, he gently ced his hand on his forehead. He realized that what he had just done indeed seemed like jealousy. That was why the kids said something like that... It was embarrassing. He failed to suppress his sour mood in front of everyone. Old Master Crawford let out a chuckle and said nothing. Luke felt even more embarrassed when he heard the old master chuckling. After dinner, Old Master Crawford had no intention of leaving. He wanted to chat with the kids and watch TV for a while. Before he could call the driver, it suddenly started pouring rain outside. Luca pushed open the window and nced outside. The rain pelted onto her face due to the strong wind. "It was just gloomy during the day. Why did it start raining at night?" Luca could not help but wonder. Luke looked out the window, closed it for her, and said, "The weather forecast predicted rain for today." "With the raining down so hard, it''s not safe for Old Master Crawford to go back now..." said Luca. Also, the driver was not waiting at the vi, so it would be troublesome to call him over. "Why don¡¯t we let Old Master Crawford spend the night here?" suggested Luca. Luke could use his study as a bedroom for Old Master Crawford. As for Mr. Griffin, he would have to settle for the maid''s room "Let me talk to Grandpa," replied Luke as he nted a kiss on her cheek. "There are so many people around. Don''t do this." Luca''s face blushed a little. She nced back to look around since there were so many people in the house. Fortunately, Old Master Crawford and others were focused on the TV. Even though it was a cartoon show, they enjoyed watching the show with the kids. Hence, no one noticed them. Luca let out a sigh of relief, feeling thankful that they had not been noticed. She walked toward them and handed a cup of tea to Old Master Crawford. "Old Master Crawford, it''s pouring outside." "Hmm? Oh, it''s raining heavily." Old Master Crawford did not pay much attention to the weather outside. Luke suggested, "Grandpa, why don''t you stay here tonight?" "Do you have enough bedrooms?¡± asked Old Master Crawford. There were many bedrooms in the vi. However, with Luke and Luca''s children, and their guest Nina, the old master was concerned that there might not be enough space. After all, he was not alone. Mr. Griffin was here too. Even though Louis'' house was just next door, Old Master Crawford had no intention of staying there. Susan was the only one living in the vi now. He was not nning to head there as he would be subjected to her nonsense. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I''d rather head back home if you want me to spend the night at Louis'' ce.¡± "There are enough rooms. It''ll just be a temporary inconvenience for Mr. Griffin as he''d have to stay in the maid''s room tonight. Aunt Neile never slept here before. The maid''s room is well-kept." Luca understood why Old Master Crawford was reluctant to go to Louis'' house. After all, the old master hade over to avoid Susan. If he went there, it would be torment for him. "I''m fine with that. Are you okay with it?" Old Master Crawford looked up at the butler. "No problem, sir," replied Mr. Griffin. He was fine with staying anywhere, and the ce here was well- kept. He believed the environment in the maid''s room would not be messy. Old Master Crawford nodded. "Alright, then there''s no need to bother the driver toe over in this heavy rain. It''s not safe to drive in this weather." Luke agreed too. He nodded and said, "I''ll go tidy up the bedroom for you." "Let me do it. You''re still busy, aren''t you?" Luca rose to her feet when she heard that. Then, she reminded the kids, "Go upstairs and get ready for bed after you finish watching the cartoon. There''s an enrichment ss tomorrow." "Okay, Ms. Luca," the three kids replied in unison. Luca made her way up the stairs. Nina, after a moment''s thought, followed her and said, "Luca, let me help you." "It''s okay. Just hang out downstairs. I can handle it myself." Setting up a guest room for Old Master Crawford was not a difficult task. Old Master Crawford could be considered the least picky in the Crawford family. After all, he had faced many hardships when he was young, and the resilience built during those tough times had not changed despite the improved circumstances. As he often said, as long as he had a bed and nket, it did not matter where he slept. People from that era had endured a lot. Old Master Crawford was fortunate to have carved a path for himself through hard work in those times, improving the lives of himself and his descendants. However, not everyone had the same luck or courage. Even in old age, some could not enjoy a good life due to ack of both. Luca suddenly thought of her own grandfather. Even though Old Man Rayne now livedfortably, he had also faced numerous hardships in the past. Despite his son not being around anymore, they were there for him, making his days better. At the thought of it, Luca decided that after dropping off the kids at their enrichment ss tomorrow, she would visit him in the hospital. To keep Old Man Rayne''s emotions stable, they had not told him that her true identity was Bianca. She was afraid that learning the truth would overly excite him and affect his health. "I''ll feel awkward downstairs if you''re not around." Nina smiled, revealing her true feelings. After all, in Nina''s eyes, Old Master Crawford was a serious figure. Chatting with such a serious elder imposed psychological pressure on her. Even though he considered her his goddaughter, the pressure remained, so she wanted to help Luca. Luca had no choice but to agree when she heard what Nina said. Luca entered the bedroom, nced at the bed covers, and told Nina, "Nina, please change the old ones first. It''s better to have fresh ones although they haven''t been used." "Sure." Nina started to take off the bed covers and pillowcases. Luca took out a set of washed sheets from the wardrobe. Aunt Neile would keep spare sheets in a separate section of the wardrobe, as she had told Luca. This way, it would not be hard to find them when needed. Even if these sheets had not been used, she regrly took them out to bask in the sun. Luca got closer and sniffed the sheets. The spare sheets carried the faint scent ofundry detergent and sunshine. "Aunt Neile just washed these a couple of days ago..." Nina, who was beside her, asked, "Where should I put these?" "Put them in the washing macher. Aunt Neile will take care of them when she sees them tomorrow,¡± replied Luca, assigning this task to Aunt Neile. If she did it herself, Aunt Neile might feel uneasy and try to find something else to do. "Alright. Here, give me the pillowcases." Nina asked for the pillowcases. Luca handed over the pillowcases, and she began helping by spreading the sheets. The two worked together. It only took a while for them to prepare a well-made bed. After that, Luca took out two sets of unworn pajamas from Luke''s closet. As she looked at the pajamas, she hesitated for a moment. Chapter 3051 Old Master Crawford was quite tall when he was young. Hence, Luke was also quite tall. However, the old master''s stature had shrunk a little as he aged. Consequently, the pajamas prepared for Luke were a bit oversized for both Old Master Crawford and Mr. Griffin. Nina noticed Luca''s hesitation and said, ''It''s okay. It''s just for one night, and we won''t be going out. Comfortable sleepwear is all that matters." ¡°Okay. Let''s go with these two sets, then. There aren''t any other clothes suitable for Old Master Crawford and Mr. Griffin." Luca ced one set with a darker color by the bed after that. This way, Old Master Crawford could wash up and change his clothes when he came upstairster. Luca took out another set of bedsheets, nning to change the bedding in the maid''s room as well. After changing the bedding in the maid''s room, the kids were done watching their cartoons. As the ending song yed, Luca walked out of the maid''s room. The three kids stood up with satisfied looks and headed upstairs. Old Master Crawford pulled Luke aside and asked, "Got a moment?" "Grandpa, you want to y chess again?" Luke immediately understood what his grandfather wanted. "Yes, I''m not a child. It''s too early for me to get to bed now," replied Old Master Crawford. "Grandpa, you can y chess with Mr. Griffin. Let me get the chessboard for you," said Luke as he stood up. "Ah, you little..." Old Master Crawford watched Luke leave and frown. "Are you avoiding a game with me because you think I''m easily defeated? Not feeling up for a challenge?" "Old Master Crawford, the bed is ready. I prepared a new set of sleepwear on the bed. It''s just that the sleepwear is tailored for Luke, so it might be a bit too long for you and Mr. Griffin," exined Luca. "It doesn''t matter as long as there''s something for me to change into." Old Master Crawford did not mind. Even though he was not a neat freak like Luke, ever since his quality of living improved, he insisted on changing into clean clothes every day. Wearing Luke''s sleepwear for a night would not matter. He could have the driver bring a set of fresh clothes when he came to pick them up tomorrow. As long as he did not go out wearing Luke''s clothes, the length of the sleepwear did not matter. Once Old Master Crawford finished his words, the doorbell rang again. Luca slightly furrowed her brows. It was pouring rain outside, and no one woulde over in such weather. Moreover, they usually did not get many visitors. ¡°Who could it be?" Nina could not help but ask curiously. Even if people knew where Luke or Percy lived, they usually would not disturb them. Although some people were interested in chatting with them, they were also afraid of interfering with their lives. That was why they rarely came to disturb them. Even close friends would usually call ahead to check if it was convenient for them toe over. Nina did not hear about anyone making a visit today, and it was pouring outside. Who would go out at a time like this... "It''s probably Madam Crawford," said Luca as she shot a nce at Old Master Crawford. When Old Master Crawford realized it might be Susan, his concerns deepened. "Why would she "I think she''s here to ask about Mr. Louis," said Luca as she approached the video doorbell screen. It turned out to be Susan, indeed. Susan was standing at the vi entrance with an umbre in the pouring rain. The image shown on the screen was quite frightening. "It''s Madam Crawford." Old Master Crawford was still around, and he only came here to avoid Susan. Luca hesitated to immediately open the door. Instead, she turned to look at Old Master Crawford. Old Master Crawford frowned. "Is she crazy,ing here in such heavy rain?" Luca could not say for sure what Susan wanted at the moment. Susan was already standing outside, and Luca only needed to follow Old Master Crawford''s decision. If he did not want Susan toe in, she was not nning to let her in. "Don''t let her in. She''s annoying," said Old Master Crawford. He was not concerned that Susan might stand outside in the rain. The vi next door belonged to Louis. She could go back there right away. "Okay." Luca got the message from Old Master Crawford and decided not to let Susan in. At that moment, Luke came down holding a chessboard. He asked, "Is it Mother who came?"Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "How did you know?" asked Old Master Crawford. Then, he recalled something and furrowed his brows again. "Does she oftene to bother you?" "Not often, just these few days when Louis started arguing with her," replied Luke nonchntly. Luca thought that Luke''s words would only make Old Master Crawford dislike Susan even more. "What a troublemaker. She kicked her son out and she''s now shamelessly looking for him everywhere. She''s really gone crazy." Old Master Crawford looked at the chessboard in Luke''s hands and decided to ignore Susan. Then, he directly said, "Luke, you''re ying chess with me today, no excuses." "Grandpa, didn''t we y enough yesterday?" Luke asked directly. A normal person would avoid ying with Luke when he recognized that his chess skills were inferior. However, Old Master Crawford was not an ordinary person. He was driven by a spirit that thrived on challenges. The more Luke beat him, the more Old Master Crawford wanted to reim the games he had lost. It was precisely this kind of spirit that enabled him to grow T Corporation so extensively and smoothly hand it over to Luke. "Grandpa, let''s skip it today. I have something to deal with." After Luke finished his sentence, he stood up and looked at Luca. "I need to use the study." "Sure, go ahead," Luca nodded, feeling slightly embarrassed. The study was originally his. If it were not for her turning his study into an office for research, with her experimental equipment stacked up in the room, Luke would not have to work in his bedroom. Since Old Master Crawford was staying in that bedroom now, Luke would not use it for office work. He could only use the study. Old Master Crawford''s gaze shifted, and he turned to look at Nina. "Nina, do you y chess?" "Grandpa, I''m afraid not. I don''t even understand the rules," Nina quickly shook her head when she knew that he wanted to y a game of chess with her. She did not know how to y chess... "Sigh, no one wants to y chess with an old man," said Old Master Crawford, turning his gaze toward Luca. He had yed chess with Luca before, but her skills were not exceptional. He yed with Mr. Griffin frequently, and he had figured out all his moves. Old Master Crawford thought it would be more interesting to find someone less familiar. Luca, feeling the pressure of his gaze, had no choice but to say, "Old Master Crawford, I''ll y chess with you. But I''m not very good at it. Don''t be disappointed." "Luca, I know you''ve always let me win, but don''t go easy on me this time. I''d like to see your real skills," Old Master Crawford said with a cheerful tone. Luca smiled. She had never let Old Master Crawford win. It was just his way of giving her an excuse to step down. She sat across from Old Master Crawford and yed several rounds of chess with him until it was already 10:00 pm. Mr. Griffin reminded, "Old Master Crawford, it''s already ten o''clock." Chapter 3052 Old Master Crawford usually rested at 10:00 pm. When Old Master Crawford heard Mr. Griffin''s reminder, he picked up his phone, nced at it, and eximed, "How time flies!" "Old Master Crawford, you should rest early." Luca smiled. She had yed several rounds of chess with Old Master Crawford, but she still could not defeat him. "No, you haven''t beaten me yet." Old Master Crawford shook his head, eager to set up the chessboard again. Luca felt helpless. "Old Master Crawford, you''re a skilled chess yer. There''s no way I can win the game." She was not much of a chess yer to begin with, so for someone like Old Master Crawford, who yed regrly, winning against him was simply out of the question for her. Mr. Griffin chuckled and reminded, "Old Master Crawford, you have a chess appointment tomorrow. You must rest well tonight to have the energy to y tomorrow." His words jogged Old Master Crawford''s memory. He had scheduled to y chess with an elderly friend at the park the next day, dedicating the entire Sunday to the game. Old Master Crawford pondered for a moment and decided to let Luca off. He said, "Alright, let''s call it a night. Luca, you should y more chess and get Luke to teach you in the future." "Sure." Luca smiled helplessly. ying chess with the old man was enjoyable, but winning against him was challenging. It was a fact she was well aware of. Old Master Crawford turned to look at Nina and said, "Nina, you too. Whenever you have time, learn how to y chess with Percy. Now that you''re my god-granddaughter, you should visit Crawford Manor often and keep mepany for a game of chess." Nina was pleasantly surprised. After all, Old Master Crawford only acknowledged her as his godgranddaughter due to Luke''s suggestion so that the Mallory family would not dare toy a finger on her. She thought it was just a casual remark and to do Percy a favor. Now, it seemed Old Master Crawford meant it more seriously. At the very least, he acknowledged her as his god-granddaughter. "Yes Grandpa You should rest early." replied Nina while helping to tidy up the chessboard. 17:34 04/02/2024 Read Twins in Her Womb: Sir President, Please be Gentle novel Chapter 3054 ¡ö--/ ¡ªI -¡ö J, ¡ö-| - - ¡ö¡ªI¡ª Zf ¡ª J ¡ªr ¡ª'' After the chessboard was kept properly, Luca pointed in the direction of the maid''s room on the first floor. She said, "Mr. Griffin, you¡¯ll have to stay in the maid''s room tonight. I hope it''s not too inconvenient for you." "Not at all. I appreciate your help in preparing everything. I''ll assist Old Master Crawford in going to bed first and then head downstairs," replied Mr. Griffin as he helped Old Master Crawford upstairs. Luca and Nina immediately followed behind them. After they reached the second floor, Luca pointed at the bedroom where Old Master Crawford would rest for the night. Mr. Griffin helped Old Master Crawford into the room. Nina stood at the side. After watching Old Master Crawford enter the bedroom, she returned to the guest room. Luca gently pushed open the doors to the children''s rooms to ensure they were all in bed before returning to her bedroom. Luke was sitting by the bed, reviewing some documents. Luca was surprised. "Weren''t you working in the study?" "Yes, I''ve finished theputer work. I brought the remaining documents over here to review,¡± answered Luke as he lifted the folder in his hand. Luca nodded without saying much. She opened the wardrobe to find her pajamas. "Has Grandpa gone to bed?" asked Luke. "Yes. He has a chess game scheduled for tomorrow. That¡¯s why he agreed to rest at this hour," Luca replied helplessly. She nced back at Luke and added, "If you had yed chess with Old Master Crawford, he wouldn''t have asked me to y with him for half the evening." Luke chuckled. He knew that in any other situation, Old Master Crawford would not choose to y chess with Mr. Griffin. It was usually Mr. Griffin who apanied the old master to y chess, so the old man would definitely make anyone else y with him if given the chance. "I''ll go freshen up." Luca noticed that Luke had already changed into pajamas and assumed that he had already taken a shower. She took her clothes and headed into the bathroom. After washing up, she walked out of the bathroom and sat in front of the dressing table, where her skincare products were neatly arranged. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Luke watched her from behind, and a burning desire surged in his heart. Luca was applying the skincare products on her face in front of the mirror. Time had been kind to her. While most people would leave traces of time on their faces after getting married and having children, Luca''splexion remained remarkably youthful. Perhaps it was the credit of that doctor from the Ind of Despair, but she appeared immune to the typical signs of aging. After applying the skincare products, Luca turned to look at Luke. She noticed his gaze fixed on her¡ª intense and passionate. They had been together for years. How could she not understand the meaning behind that look? Luca shook her head and pointed at the bedroom door, reminding him of the person in the adjacent room. She said, "Old Master Crawford is sleeping in the room opposite us." "I know." After Luke finished his sentence, he swallowed his saliva, and his alluring Adam''s apple rolled seductively. Suddenly, Luca felt her cheeks inexplicably heating up. It was hot. The warmth seemed to have spread to her earlobes. It was just a simple movement of his Adam''s apple, something she would not usually find noteworthy. However, it became unexpectedly seductive under Luke''s gaze. "Luca..." Luke''s voice also became husky with desire burning within him. He reminded her, "The soundproofing here is good enough. Grandpa won¡¯t hear anything." Luca was stunned for a moment. Her breathing quickened involuntarily. Yes, the soundproofing here was indeed well done. However, she quickly came back to her senses. Good soundproofing was one thing, but Old Master Crawford staying in the room opposite was another. What if he needed something or could not sleepter? In a quiet environment, even the slightest sound could be magnified countless times by one''s heightened sense of hearing. Luca was enchanted by Luke''s actions, but she still insisted and shook her head. "No, not tonight. Old Master Crawford is right across from us. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea." However, Luke seemed to pay no attention to her objections and got out of bed. As Luca stared at him, he walked toward her and slightly bent down. He lifted her up in his arms. Luca instinctively wanted to scream but suddenly remembered that Old Master Crawford was right across from them. Hence, she covered her mouth, turning the scream into a muffled sound. Luke let out a soft chuckle and said, "It''s fine. Grandpa can''t hear us." Even if Old Master Crawford did hear something, he would pretend not to. Old Master Crawford knew how to create opportunities for young people. He could easily turn a blind eye in a situation where there was a possibility of gaining another great-grandchild. Luca¡¯s face reddened as she gently tapped on Luke¡¯s chest. He gentlyid her on the bed and leaned in. Luca helplessly covered her own mouth again. He gently moved her hand aside, sealing the moment with a deep, passionate kiss that fell like a whisper. When Luca woke up the following day, Luke was already up. After freshening up, she hurried downstairs. Old Master Crawford was already sitting on the sofa, reading the morning paper. Luca recalled what happenedst night. She was worried that Old Master Crawford might have heard something. Hence, she felt a bit guilty when she saw him. It reminded her of those high school days when meeting a teacher unexpectedly sent shivers down the spine of teenagers engaged in their secret romances. It was the fear of getting caught red-handed. "Luca, you''re up." Old Master Crawford heard the footsteps and nced at the staircase. When he realized it was Luca, he cheerfully greeted her, "Did you sleep wellst night?" Chapter 3053 It was just a simple greeting, but Luca''s face reddened. What Old Master Crawford said made her recall what happenedst night. She wondered if Luke did it on purpose or if it was because she did not need to go to work today as it was a Sunday... When Old Master Crawford greeted her, she suddenly suspected whether he heard some strange noisesst night. "What''s wrong?" Old Master Crawford noticed Luca''s reddened face and asked without thinking too much, "Are you not feeling well?" "It''s nothing, Old Master Crawford. Did you have a good restst night?" Luca asked carefully. "I had a good night''s sleep," replied Old Master Crawford cheerfully. Luca saw his smile and thought it was another ambiguous hint, so her cheeks burned deeper. "I''ll go help Aunt Neile prepare breakfast.¡± Luca walked toward the kitchen. Old Master Crawford felt that Luca was acting strange, so he asked Mr. Griffin, who was beside him, "What''s going on?" Mr. Griffin smiled and replied, "I don''t know, sir." "You don''t know anything..." Old Master Crawford picked up his teacup and took a sip. Luke did not enjoy tea, so the quality of the tea leaves was good but not top-notch. He drank it without much of an opinion. "Did you sleep well?" the old master asked the butler again. "I slept well, Old Master Crawford," answered Mr. Griffin. Although he stayed in the maid''s room, the decoration standards were high and simr to the main house, so it wasfortable sleeping there. Old Master Crawford let out a sigh. "I always feelfortable staying here. If it weren''t inconvenient for them, I''d like to continue staying here." "Master Luke will be happy to have you here if you''d like to stay," said Mr. Griffin in a low voice. If Old Master Crawford lived here, he would certainly stay here as well. It was his duty to serve Old Master Crawford. Moreover, Luke''s ce wasfortable, and the butler could not find any faults. He knew Old Master Crawford was getting old. Even though he insisted that Louis and his family move out, making it look like he was going to enjoy his retirement life alone, he was an elderly man. How could he not yearn for thepany of his family? Old Master Crawford could enjoy such a life when he was in Luke''s vi. That was why he felt After a while, the kids woke up and gathered around Old Master Crawford, chatting happily. Surrounded by his great-grandchildren, Old Master Crawford''s smile was brilliant, and he continued chatting with the children. Luca and Aunt Neile were done preparing breakfast, so the group walked to the dining table and started eating. "Ms. Luca, don''t we need to call Ms. Nina?" Rainie did not see Nina and asked curiously. "She likes to sleep in on weekends. There''s no need to call her. I''ve already saved her portion for her," exined Luca as she handed out bread to the children. She handed out the bread ording to the kids'' preferences. They happily took it and began eating. "Where''s Luke?" asked Old Master Crawford. Nina liked to sleep in on weekends, but Old Master Crawford knew that Luke was not one toze around. "Mr. Crawford is having breakfast upstairs," replied Aunt Neile, carrying a tray upstairs. "Why is he having breakfast upstairs?" Old Master Crawford looked at Luca with confusion. "He has a lot of work to handle in the morning, so he''s having breakfast upstairs,¡± answered Luca, dispelling the old master''s doubt. ¡°That way, he can make the most of his time to deal with work matters.¡± When Old Master Crawford heard that, he felt that Luke had it tough. When he was managing T Corporation, thepany''s scale was not asrge as it was now, so the workload was not as heavy either. However, after Luke took over the management of thepany, things changed significantly... T Corporation rapidly expanded over the past decade. As the CEO, Luke had to deal with a lot more responsibilities. Moreover, Louis was not helping him manage T Corporation, so Luke had to handle everything on his own. "Lanie, you must share the workload with your father after you graduate." Old Master Crawford looked affectionately at his great-grandson. Lanie was having breakfast. When he heard Old Master Crawford say that, he nodded and replied, "Great-grandpa, don''t worry. I''ll study hard, and when I graduate, I''ll help Daddy manage thepany." He knew that his father was waiting for him to take over the management of thepany. As the eldest in the family, Lanie understood the weight of his responsibilities. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. As Luca listened to Lanie, she could not help but marvel at his maturity. Lanie was now Luke''s sessor, and as for Tommy... Luca nced at Tommy, who was happily eating his breakfast. She wondered about the responsibilities he, as a member of the Crawford family, would have. Rainie chimed in, "Great-grandpa, don''t worry. Lanie is preparing to skip grades. If everything goes smoothly, he''ll take over Daddy''spany several years earlier." "Really?" Although Old Master Crawford did not know about this, he was not surprised. Lanie was intelligent, and Old Master Crawford had known about it since he was a child. Lanie''s high intelligence was evident. The kindergarten teachers suggested sending him to primary school many times, iming that it was a waste of time for him to stay in kindergarten. However, Luke wanted Lanie to apany Rainie to school. With Lanie around, the other kids would not dare to harm Rainie. An elder brother had to protect his younger sister. Hence, Old Master Crawford agreed with Luke''s opinion and did not insist on having Lanie go to primary school. He did not expect Luke to also change his mind after Luca returned. It seemed like Luke was considering retiring sooner since his wife hade back. "Yes, it¡¯s true. If everything goes smoothly for Lanie, he can start high school earlier. By the time he finishes college... No, wait, graduate? Ph.D.? Oh well, anyway, once Lanie¡¯s done with school, he can help Daddy to manage thepany." Rainie nced at her elder brother and thought that he would definitely finish his studies quickly since he was smart. However,pleting his studies would take a long time... Especially since Lanie was a diligent learner, he might even go for a Ph.D. Rainie had a lot on her mind, thinking that if Lanie got a Ph.D., it would take many years. Their father would still need to work alone for many years before he could get some help. Tommy also chimed in, "I want to get a Ph.D. too." Rainie looked at her little brother and nodded. "You gotta work hard for that." "I''m sure I can get a Ph.D. Even though I''m not as smart as Lanie, I''m still great. My teacher said I could skip grades too, but Daddy said kids shouldn''t think about that too much. All we need to do is to build a strong foundation of knowledge," replied Tommy. At this point, Old Master Crawford was genuinely surprised. He knew Lanie was smart enough to skip grades, but Tommy too? Since Luke had taken this little great-grandson under his wing, there were many things he did not know. Luke had not mentioned anything either... "Tommy, do you want to manage thepany when you grow up too?¡± Old Master Crawford asked cheerfully. Chapter 3054 "I want to help Daddy and Lanie." Tommy nodded. He had no intention of managing thepany. He just genuinely wanted to lend a hand. Whenever he saw Luke working day and night, he felt that he was working hard and wanted to help. "Good, that''s great! When brothers work together, the Crawford family will only get better and better." Old Master Crawford became even happier. Old Master Crawford used to observe Luke and Louis, the two brothers. He believed that Luke''s temperament was more suitable for managing thepany. When Luke returned to Crawford Manor, Old Master Crawford began training him to be the heir. Due to his old age and the absence of his son, training an heir became an urgent matter. Everyone in the Crawford family thought he was biased toward Luke, assuming that was why he was training him as the heir. However, in reality, he believed Luke''s temperament was the right fit. Now, it was Lanie and Tommy, the two brothers. One''s temperament was simr to Luke''s, while the other was more outgoing, akin to how Louis used to be. Hence, Old Master Crawford thought Lanie would take Luke''s position. As for Tommy, if he was willing, he could also join thepany. The two brothers could manage thepany together, which would be better than Lanie handling it alone. After all, Luke was the only one managing thepany now, and it was bing too tiring. If Lanie and Tommy worked together to manage thepany, it would be even better. At least the responsibility would not solely fall on Lanie. Luca looked at the two brothers, and a smile appeared on her face. She had not discussed these future ns with the children, and she knew that Luke had not mentioned them either. However, seeing the brothers united and wanting to help Luke lighten his burden made her feel that they were doing their duty as sons. Even though she never really taught them about these, Luke had been with the children all along. They understood these principles on their own, which was truly rare. After breakfast, Old Master Crawford, who had a chess appointment, changed into the clothes brought by the driver and got ready to leave. The driver was waiting at the vi''s entrance. When Old Master Crawford walked out leaning on his cane, he coincidentally bumped into Susan, who wasing out from another door. Susan was surprised to see Old Master Crawford and asked, "Father, what are you doing here?" Something crossed her mind as she added, ¡°Were you here yesterday?" Old Master Crawford did not expect to run into Susan. He wore a stern face and replied, "I came here for dinner and stayed the night. What''s the matter?" "How could you..." Susan was about to say something about him staying in Luke¡¯s vi. He should have stayed in Louis¡¯ vi. Was this not showing favoritism? However, she changed her mind when she realized that Luke was also his grandson. Bringing up favoritism might just ignite a fire within the old master. Susan recalled her futile attempt to ring the doorbell yesterday. Since no one answered and the rain was pouring with thunder and lightning, she could not continue to stand at the door. She returned home feeling awkward. It turned out Old Master Crawford''s dinner appointment yesterday was just an excuse to escape to Luke''s ce. Old Master Crawford probably knew that she hade to the doorst night. Susan secretly felt relieved, thankful that she did not hysterically ring the doorbell at Luke''s house yesterday. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. If Old Master Crawford found out about this, a scolding session would have been unavoidable. "Oh, it''s nothing." Susan quickly changed her words. She added, "If you were staying at Luke¡¯s ce yesterday, you should''ve let me know. I would''vee over to have dinner with you." Susan forced a smile as she nced inside the door. "There¡¯s no need to look inside. Louis isn''t here," Old Master Crawford said with a cold expression on his face when he saw her actions. He knew what she was up to. Susan withdrew her gaze and looked at the old master¡¯s stern face. When Old Master Crawford walked out of the door, she seemed to have seen a slight smile on his wrinkled face. Now, there was no trace of it. There was only seriousness on his face. He would never give her a warm smile. It was as though the person standing before him was not his daughter-inw but someone who owed him money. Susan felt ufortable at the thought of this and said, "Father, are you heading home? I need to go back to Crawford Manor to get something. How about I ride in your car?" Old Master Crawford thought that she would ask about Louis'' whereabouts if she got into his car. He shook his head and said, "I''m not going home." "You..." Susan felt displeased, secretly cursing Old Master Crawford¡¯s favoritism. He appeared warm and weing in front of Luke, but his demeanor became serious when he interacted with her. If she observed carefully, she could sense a discernible sense of disapproval from the old master. Why would Old Master Crawford hate her? She gave birth to his grandson, Louis. She never did anything wrong to Zachary either. Why would he disapprove of her? "Madam, Old Master Crawford needs to go to the park. He has a chess appointment." Mr. Griffin knew that if Old Master Crawford did not exin to her, Susan''s resentment would deepen. To avoid escting the conflict, he spoke on behalf of him. However, after yesterday''s experience, Susan no longer believed what they said. She thought that Old Master Crawford was justing up with excuses to avoid her. Knowing she wanted to go back to Crawford Manor, Old Master Crawford simply refused to go home and decided to go to the park. Whether he actually went to the park or not, he ultimately just wanted to avoid her. "Alright then, Father. Go ahead." Susan thought about it and realized she should not insist on getting into the car at this moment. Mr. Griffin opened the car door for Old Master Crawford. After they both got in, Mr. Griffin closed the door and signaled the driver to leave. Susan stood at the door and watched Old Master Crawford''s car slowly drive away. Her gaze then fell on the entrance of Luke''s vi. Aunt Neile, who had sent Old Master Crawford and Mr. Griffin out, stayed back out of courtesy and respect. Since the old master had not left yet, she did not feel it was appropriate to close the door. Thus, she had been standing there, waiting. Now that Old Master Crawford had left, she was about to close the door. That was when she met Susan¡¯s gaze. Aunt Neile was taken aback for a moment and thought that things might take a turn for the worse. Susan soon walked over. Even though Aunt Neile currently worked for Luke, Susan was still thedy of the Crawford family. Aunt Neile did not want to offend her. As she watched Susan approaching step by step, Aunt Neile knew that closing the door was out of the question. "Good morning, Madam Crawford." Susan arrogantly lifted her chin and went straight to the point, "Did Old Master Crawford stay herest night?" "Yes," answered Aunt Neile. "Did he say anything?" Susan asked again. Aunt Neile was puzzled. "Old Master Crawford said a lot, but I don''t remember everything clearly..." Susan secretly cursed, realizing that Aunt Neile was indeed not someone she chose. She showed a She decided to be direct. "Did Old Master Crawford mention anything about Louis with Luke yesterday? Do you know where Louis is staying now?" Chapter 3055 Chapter 3055 Did Not Want Bianca To Repay This Debt For Him Aunt Neile shook her head. "I didn''t hear the old master talk about these with Master Luke." Frowning, Susan doubtfully looked at her eyes. Aunt Nelle knew Susan did not believe her. Thus, she added, "If Old Master Crawford wanted to discuss these things with Mr. Crawford, he wouldn''t let me in on it" Susan gave a cold snort, turned around, and walked back home. She initially nned to go out for a run for exercise, but she could only go back home since she was not in the mood. Aunt Neile saw her walking back to the vi and quickly closed the door. It was as though there was a rather unsettling presence lurking outside. The door shut with a swift and precise motion. With a bang, the door closed, followed by a click. It was the sound of the door locking automatically. Susan turned around and nced at the door. Her brows furrowed even deeper. She would definitely fire Aunt Neile if she had the chance to do so. What was the use of keeping a maid with no regard for her status as thedy of the Crawford family? As Aunt Neile walked toward the living room, she bumped into Lucaing out with the kids. Luca noticed Aunt Neile walking with hurried steps, and she curiously asked, "Aunt Neile, what''s the matter?" "Madam Crawford was outside just now. She was asking about Master Louis again," Aunt Nelle told her. Luca frowned. "Has she been waiting outside all this time?" "No." Aunt Neile shook her head. "Madam Crawford happened to be going out when Old Master Crawford left. It seemed like she was going to exercise." "Mhm." Luca felt rxed after learning that Susan had not been standing outside the whole time. Then, she turned to the kids and said, "I''ll go get the car. Wait here." "Okay, Ms. Luca," the three children replied in unison. Luca nodded and headed toward the parking lot. Aunt Neile asked, "Kids, are you heading to ss?" "Yes, we have enrichment sses," answered Tommy. "I have a performance," Rainie chimed in. "I have a preliminarypetition to attend." Lanie had his hands casually tucked in his pockets, exuding a cool vibe. "You''re all amazing. Keep it up," Aunt Neile said with a smiling face before returning to the living room to prepare for today''s work. There was more work to do today as Old Master Crawford slept herest night. Luca drove the car and left the parking lot. Then, she picked up the kids and dropped them off at each of their destinations. She also confirmed the time to pick them up. Finally, she headed to the hospital. She took the elevator to the VIP floor. The head nurse saw her and greeted her with a smile, "Good morning, Ms. Craw." "Good morning." Luca returned the smile. The head nurse asked, "Ms. Craw, are you visiting Ms. Rayne today?" "Yes. Just checking in," replied Luca. She thought Wanda''s treatment would soon be over. After the treatment, she would undergo a physical examination. If everything was fine, Wanda could go home. With that in mind, Luca walked into the ward area. The medical staff on the VIP floor recognized Luca, so no one stopped her as she walked in. Luca first went to Old Man Rayne''s hospital ward. The caretaker was feeding Old Man Rayne some fruit. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Old Man Rayne took a bite of the juicy apple and heard the sound of the door opening. He curiously turned around to look at the door. When he saw Lucaing in, he smiled and said, "Luca, you came?" The old man was talking a bit slowly because of his illness. Luca nodded and asked, "Old Man Rayne, how have you been feelingtely?" "I feel pretty good. It''s just that my hand doesn''t seem as coordinated," replied Old Man Rayne while looking at his hand. Ever since he woke up, he noticed that his hand was not as agile. Even though there had been some improvement after weeks of treatment, it had not gotten back to how agile it used to be. The doctors exined that it was a normal consequence of illness and aging. With more exercise and rehabilitation, things should get better. Luca stepped forward, held his hand, and asked, "Old Man Rayne, can you give my hand a good squeeze?" Old Man Rayne grunted in acknowledgment and exerted his utmost strength, gripping Luca''s hand tightly. Luca knew that even though they had managed to save Old Man Rayne''s life, there would still be some damage to his bodily functions. However, with proper rehabilitation, most functions could be restored to some extent. Still, achieving a recovery to the state before the illness was quite the challenge. Luca felt a twinge of bitterness. She thought that if she had been by Old Man Rayne''s side, she would have been able to perform dry needling on him at the first signs of illness. In that case, the situation might not be how it was now. "Ah, I''m getting old. I don''t have the energy anymore," Old Man Rayne let out a sigh, still muttering the words slowly. Luca could feel her eyes welling up with tears. She blinked to suppress the tears. "Old Man Rayne, don''t worry. Everything will get better." "Oh, Luca, you don''t need tofort me. It''s already a blessing for an old man like me to live to this age. Besides, if the caretaker hadn''t found out about it in time, I might not have made it. I''m content." Even though Old Man Rayne spoke slowly, he could still sense Luca''s sadness. He found it strange that someone not closely rted or even familiar with him would show such profound sadness about his ailing health... Moreover, he did not want to see her upset too. Old Man Rayne thought it was a bit strange, but he did not press the matter further. Instead, he simply put on a smile. "I''m content," repeated Old Man Rayne, emphasizing his satisfaction with having lived to this age. A warm smile lit up his weathered face. Theyers of wrinkles added to his kind and benevolent appearance. Luca said, "You''ll definitely live to be a hundred, Old Man Rayne. Don''t worry, I''ll make sure to help with your treatment. Trust me, I won''t let anything happen to you." "I know you''re doing it for my good, but I know my body well..." Old Man Rayne knew Luca was capable, but no matter how skilled she was, he was just an old man to her. Luca took care of his body and provided treatment without epting a penny from him... Perhaps Luca was doing it as a favor for Luke, but Old Man Rayne did not want to rack up too many favors with her. Furthermore, he owed her a favor for saving his life. What could an old man like him possibly use to pay it back? If she ultimately expected those around him to repay the debt, Old Man Rayne would prefer not to have Luca treat him. He had already lived to an old age. He had learned to go with the flow... He did not want to ask for too much. Above all else, he did not want Bianca to repay this debt for him. He thought of Bianca, who had lost her memory and no longer remembered him. She went abroad for her studies, leaving her kids and family behind. She seldom kept in touch with them. Old Man Rayne felt an unexpected pang of heartache. He turned to nce at Luca, and a familiar sensation stirred within him. If Bianca had not lost her memory and had not forgotten him, perhaps she would be by his bedside now, taking care of him andforting him. Perhaps she would read the news to him or tell jokes to make him happy. However, the person by his bedside now was a face he did not quite recognize, yet she treated him so well. She cared for him like she was his granddaughter... Chapter 3056 Chapter 3056 They Know That Luca Is Bianca Old Man Rayne admitted that it felt really nice to know that Luca kept him in her mind and was worried about him. As he grew older, his biggest wish was to have his precious granddaughter by his side. She did not need to do much. All he wanted was for her to keep himpany and have a chat with him whenever she had the time. Luca and Bianca were of simr ages. That was why he had a misconception that Luca was Bianca. However, Old Man Rayne also knew that Bianca was Bianca, and Luca was Luca. No matter how strong the misconception was, Luca could never be Bianca. If Luca continued to be kind to him, he would have to repay the favor in the future. What else could he do with his age? Repaying it with Bianca''s happy marriage was something the old master could not bring himself to do. "Old Man Rayne, don''t think too much. Everything will be fine," Luca felt heartbroken as she listened to the old man. She gently squeezed his hand and asked, "Has the doctor mentioned when you''ll be discharged?" "Discharged? The doctor did tell me, but I can''t remember." Old Man Rayne pondered for a moment, unable to recall what Dr. Park said about his discharge date. He could not answer Luca''s question. Luca turned to look at the caretaker. The caretaker knew the information. In response to Luca''s questioning gaze, she replied, "Dr. Park mentioned during rounds that the old master can be discharged in a little over a week." A little over a week... Wanda should be discharged around the same time. A lot had happened to the Rayne family during this period. Hence, it was good that Old Man Rayne and Wanda would be leaving the hospital around the same time. It indicated that this difficult time for the Rayne family wasing to an end. Luca spent some more time talking with Old Man Rayne. This time, she deliberately steered the conversation toward topics that interested him without dwelling on his health issues. She sessfully shifted his attention. After spending over an hour in the ward, Luca left when the nurse came to take Old Man Rayne for dry needling treatment. However, she did not leave the hospital. Instead, she headed to Wanda''s ward. When Wanda saw Lucae in, her face lit up with joy. She wanted to address her as Bianca, but she This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. remembered Luke''s request. She asked, "Luca, how did you get the time toe today?" "It''s the weekend. I dropped the kids off at their enrichment sses, then I came over," exined Luca. Since Wanda already knew that her true identity was Bianca, she did not hide her close rtionship with the kids. Wanda no longer needed to worry about the kids being too close to Luca. Luca took out a banknote from her pocket and said to Mrs. Lane, "Mrs. Lane, I came here in a hurry, and I didn''t have time to buy any fruit. Could you please go to the fruit store downstairs and buy some of Ms. Rayne''s favorite fruits?" "Sure." Mrs. Lane found it strange to see how close they were now. Wanda had been rejecting Luca vehemently due to the rumors back then. Yet, their rtionship had improved significantly now. Mrs. Lane took the banknote and left the ward. As the door closed, Luca took a deep breath and asked, "Aunt Wanda, how have you been feeling during this time?" Since the spread of those rumors, Luca had been feeling guilty and had not been making tonics for Wanda. Luca had stopped making tonics, but Wanda''s chemotherapy continued. She did not know Wanda''s condition now. The tonics she made were meant to help regte Wanda''s body, making the side effects of chemotherapy more bearable. Luca was worried since Wanda had not been taking her tonic. She might be feeling the strain on her body. It was just that Luca did not mention it to her. "I feel great, and my spirits are getting better every day," replied Wanda, stroking her own head. Patients who were undergoing chemotherapy with her had mostly lost their hair. Thanks to Luca''s herbal treatments, her hair remained thick. Even though she shed a bit more than usual, it was not exceptionally noticeable. That was why others thought she was wearing a wig. Some even praised her for having such realistic-looking hair. Wanda only smiled without saying anything, neither confirming nor denying that her hair was natural. After all, she was the only one enjoying such special treatment. With Luca helping regte her body, her bodily functions were working well without being affected by the side effects of chemotherapy. "Really?" Luca was a little surprised. Wanda knew why she was surprised and reminded her, "Don''t you remember? I''ve been drinking the herbal medicine you prepared for me while undergoing chemotherapy. I experienced almost no side effects." "That''s great! Well, I did the math, and your chemotherapy course should be ending soon, right?" Luca asked with concern. "Yes, in a little over a week. After another check-up, I''ll be discharged if everything''s okay." Wanda nodded. "That''s wonderful. I was worried that theck of herbal tonics during this time might have affected your health," Luca replied with a smile. She was relieved to hear that Wanda was doing well. "Although I missed your herbal tonics and felt a bit ufortable without them, your previous treatments helped me a lot. So, my body has been improving along the way. Don''t worry, Bianca. I''ll pull through," Wanda assured her. After she knew that Luca''s true identity was Bianca, she felt sorry for the young woman who had faced so many challenges at such a young age. She got kidnapped by Allison when she was young. She could have lived a life of luxury, but instead, she endured the hardships with the Rayne family. Finally, after enduring so much, she managed to break free. She got married to the person she loved and they even had children together, but then she got kidnapped again. This whole kidnapping ordeal dragged on for more than three years, and there was even an unexined imposter thrown into the mix. In the end, Bianca had to face so much pressure and threats. Wanda beckoned to Luca. "Bianca,e here." Luca heard her and sat by her bedside. "Aunt Wanda, what''s wrong?" Wanda sat up straight, gently stroking Luca''s smooth hair. "Bianca, you''ve been through a lot during this time. Promise me that you''ll take good care of yourself, okay?" "Yes, Aunt Wanda. Don''t worry. I''ll take good care of myself and try toe back to your side as soon as possible," promised Luca. "Yes, good..." Wanda looked at Luca, whose appearance had changed. "Your eyes are still the same. You''ve been through a tough time during this period." "I don''t mind the struggles as long as I can be back with you all." Luca shook her head. "Things have also been tough for Luke in the past few years. Since you''re back, don''t separate from each other again, okay?" Wanda reiterated, having witnessed the challenges Luke faced during these years. "Yes, Aunt Wanda. I always cherish the time I spend with him," replied Luca, knowing that Wanda''s concern also extended to Luke. When she was absent, Luke had indeed taken good care of her family. "That''s good. I hope everything goes well for you in the future and you can quickly return to being yourself." Wanda thought using a different name and identity was not such a big deal either. The people close to Luca now knew that she was Bianca. Chapter 3057 However, there were still many people who did not know about it. For instance, Old Man Rayne. Also, those gossip media... Still, they could not publicly disclose all this yet. They could only do so after Luke and Luca had resolved the problem. Only then would they make it public and let everyone know that Luca''s true identity was Bianca. "Don''t worry, Aunt Wanda..." Luca smiled and then remembered something. "Oh, Aunt Wanda, there''s something I must tell you." "What is it?" Wanda asked curiously. "It''s Marie," answered Luca. She told Wanda that Marie had previously stolen money from Jean and left. Now, she was back. Even though she knew Wanda despised Marie, she had to tell her about it. Otherwise, if Marie came knocking on their door, Wanda would be genuinely surprised. "How could she do such a shameless thing?" Wanda frowned in astonishment. "Yes, she really did those things. At first, Jean reported to the police about the money, but I''m not sure whether the police will pursue anything with Marie at this point," replied Luca. "She has no shame." Wanda felt angry. The thought of Marie still using the Rayne family name made her sick. Marie did not deserve the Rayne family name! How could someone like that be a part of the Rayne family? "Aunt Wanda, calm down. I just wanted to let you know. Marie mighte to bother you if she can no longer sustain herself in A City. That''s why I thought I''d tell you in advance so that you won''t be caught off guard when she shows upter," exined Luca. "Alright, I got it. Marie..." A hint of mncholy shed across Wanda''s eyes. "My brother treated her well before. How did she turn out like this? Thankfully, she''s not my brother''s biological child..." Wanda suddenly thought of her poor brother, who lost his life in the relentless hustle of caring for this newly forged family. He worked day and night. Little did she know that not only did he lose his life, but even his own bloodline could not be preserved. Now, Bianca was forced to be Luca, while Marie, still carrying the Rayne family name, behaved like this... Wanda looked at Luca. "My brother was kind to her, but at the end of the day, she''s not part of the Rayne family by blood. It''s not surprising for her to end up this way." "Aunt Wanda..." Luca knew what Wanda was thinking. "Alright, I know. But let here back if she wants to. No matter how miserable her life is, it has nothing to do with the Rayne family. It''s not that I''m heartless, but when her mother drove my brother away, I knew Marie was no longer a part of the Rayne family," said Wanda. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Luca felt aplex mix of emotions and sat there with her for a while. The Rayne family was considered fortunate in some ways. After Bianca¡¯s incident, Luke was there to take care of the Rayne family. Under Luke''s care, their lives were considerably easier. However, they were unfortunate too. It was because the Rayne family truly did not have a bloodline of their own. Deep down inside, Luca thought that no matter what, the Rayne family had raised her and she would never abandon them. Luca only left after sitting for a while. When Luca arrived downstairs, she was surprised. She had only mentioned Marie to Wanda a moment ago, and now, she ran into her. Obviously, Marie had noticed her too. "Luca?" Marie walked up quickly, blocking Luca''s path. Luca frowned, took a step back, and asked, "Do you need something?" "What''s with that expression?" Marie was displeased. It was obvious Luca had backed away. Was she avoiding her? Was she trying to keep her distance? What, was she a wild animal or something? Did Luca really have to avoid her like that? "Ms. Marie, I''ll be on my way if there¡¯s nothing else." Luca did not want to argue with Marie in public. Hence, she headed outside. Marie raised her arm to block Luca''s way. "Wait a minute. I need to talk to you." Luca halted her steps. Even though she knew Marie probably did not have anything serious to discuss, it might not look good if she left. "Let¡¯s talk there." Luca pointed outside. They were standing close to the elevators, and there were many people passing by. People would look in their direction. Luca had made headlines due to the scandal with Luke. Some people might still be following up the news. Thus, she did not want to stand out here, attracting attention. Luca''s suggestion made Marie snort. "Didn''t expect you to care about your reputation. You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m in a good mood. Fine, let''s talk over there." The two walked out of the building and stood in the shade of a tree. Since it was almost noon, the temperature was slightly high. Even though the sunlight was blocked under the tree, it was still hot. Even so, it was a good ce to discuss matters since there was no one around here. At least, that was what Marie thought. Luca would not attract as much attention here as she would have near the elevators. "Tell me, what¡¯s the matter,¡± Luca asked expressionlessly. She was not looking forward to whatever Marie had to say. Whatever Marie had to say, it would not be anything good. Luca knew Marie would not even be interested in asking about Wanda''s and Old Man Rayne¡¯s condition. In Marie''s world, it was all about herself. "I''ve seen the rumors about you and Luke," replied Marie. A fleeting look of calction shed across her eyes. Luca noticed the look in her eyes but remained expressionless. "As you said, those are just rumors. What are you trying to say?" "I''m not like those reporters who can be easily fooled by Luke''s so-called statement. I know there''s something between you and him. You''re the third party in Luke and Bianca''s marriage!" Marie got more and more excited as she spoke, as though she had caught a piece of significant gossip. Her tone revealed the excitement of someone who imed to know everything. Luca raised an eyebrow but remained silent. Marie, as usual, always fanned the mes... If she had said something like that near the elevators, they would probably be the center of attention with everyone watching. The moment word of it got out, Luca would be targeted byizens. Marie noticed Luca was keeping silent and thought she was feeling guilty. She said, "What''s the matter? Do you think I don''t have evidence? Luke has defended you quite a few times before, and you two are probably living together now, right? Don''t even think about denying it. You''re the third party in my sister''s marriage!" When Luca heard Marie refer to herself as her sister. She found it amusing yet strangely repulsive. Marie had caused her so much trouble in the past, and now she had the guts to call Bianca her sister? "Sister? I remember your rtionship with her wasn''t that close. Spare me the nonsense. Say it. What do you want to tell me?" Luca nced at the time, figuring that Lanie¡¯s preliminary round was about to end. She had to pick up her child. She did not have much time to waste here. "You¡¯re getting all edgy. Feeling guilty, huh?" Marie seemed to have caught on to something. Her face was filled with excitement. I uca secretlv let out a sinh thinkinn that Marie reallv had a vivid imagination Over the years, she had not seen Marie develop any real skills. However, her ability to concoct scenarios was unmatched. "Ms. Marie, I don''t have time for chit-chat here." Luca only wanted to know why Marie was bringing up this issue in the first ce. Chapter 3058 Marie noticed a hint of impatience shing across Luca''s eyes. She let out a cold snort. "You''re just a side piece. Why are you being so arrogant? And let''s be real, no matter how much attention you''re soaking up, you''re never going to outshine the main wife. "The love and pampering you''re enjoying now? It''s just a matter of time before it goes back to my sister." As Luca listened to Marie incessantly talking about herself in an overly enthusiastic manner, she felt an increasing sense of annoyance. She had no idea what Marie was trying to say. "If that''s all you want to say, then I get it.¡± Luca''s true identity was Bianca, and she did not have much of a reaction to what Marie was saying. After that, she was about to leave. Marie realized Luca was about to leave. She quickly grabbed her arm and asked, "Why are you in such a hurry to leave? Are you feeling guilty?" Luca wanted to say no, but talking about this was already quite meaningless. She had no patience to deal with Marie. "Let me put it this way. Even though Luke has rified your rtionship with him, I have some evidence on hand. With my special status, if I were to tell the reporters about your affair, I think they''d be very interested." Marie revealed her trump card. She was Bianca''s sister. A story of a sister crying about her sister''s husband''s affair would undoubtedly attract the interest of reporters. Luca frowned. "Are you trying to threaten me?" "Yes, I am. You left yourself vulnerable. I can''t help but feel for my sister. She invested her youth in that guy and gave birth to three kids for him. Now, she''s been cast aside, looked down upon. "The guy sent her overseas and swiftly moved on to a new woman. Imagine if the reporters catch wind of this? They''d be all over it, don''t you think?" Marie said arrogantly, her tone filled with excitement. She felt like she had caught onto something between Luke and Luca. Also, she was whispering to herself. She wondered how Bianca, that clueless soul, failed to hold onto her happiness. As her sister, lending a hand in this matter could also bring her some advantages. Was it not killing two birds with one stone? "Fine. If you want to tell the reporters, just go ahead. I don''t care. But Marie, have you thought about how offending Mr. Crawfordes with consequences?" Luca lowered her voice, which carried a warning tone. Indeed, the nature of a malicious person would never change. Even though Marie had previously faced legal consequences and underwent rehabilitation, those past experiences were insignificant to her now. She had not changed at all. She was still as bitchy as she used to be after she came out. If it were not for the Langdon family deciding to ignore her, Marie would probably still be on the wanted list. Marie suddenly shivered as she recalled Luke''s icy cold eyes. She did not really want to offend Luke. She just wanted to gain some benefits from his mistress. After all, she was broke now, and she needed a substantial amount of money for medical treatment. With these thoughts, Marie tightly clenched the medical report in her hand. "If he''s got the guts, he cane and take revenge on me. I''ve got nothing to lose now, and I''m not scared. Besides, he''s the one who messed up. What, are we not allowed to talk about it? And you, didn''t your parents teach you any better? "A good person doesn''t stoop to being someone''s mistress. Do you think that''s something honorable or impressive? I''m just standing up for my sister, and if you don''t get it, don''t me me for being blunt.¡± Marie sneered, making it clear that she would expose this to the reporters if she did not get her hands on the money. "Although Luke isn''t some big celebrity, the reporters are very interested in his private life," added Marie. Luca furrowed her brows, also noticing the tightly clenched report in Marie''s hands. Even though it was being tightly held, she managed to glimpse at the small print at the bottom of the report. "You need money to treat yourself, right?" Luca suddenly asked. She had seen Marie at the hospital before, so she assumed that she was seeking medical treatment. "What? You''re talking nonsense. You''re the one who''s sick!" Marie held the report tightly, clenching it even more. It was not something to be proud of, and she did not intend to let Luca know. "I came with a friend for a check-up. Stop guessing things." "Gynecological disease? Or did you get infected with a virus?" Luca asked again. "You..." Marie was surprised. How did she know? Did someone notice her when she returned? Was Luke''s men keeping an eye on her? Otherwise, how did Luca know that she had contracted a virus and came to the hospital for treatment? "You''re talking nonsense! Why are you cursing me like this?" Marie got furious, attempting to use her anger to cover up her guilt. She wanted to cure this illness and find a new target in another ce. As long as she did not speak about it, others would not know her identity or what had happened in the past. Once her health was restored... she could start her life anew. However, with Luca heartlessly exposing her illness now, Marie felt anxious. She was worried that Luca This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. had gotten someone to keep an eye on her. Even if she recovered and moved elsewhere, Luca could easily spread news of this if she wanted revenge. What should she do. In her panicked mind, Marie suddenly had a crazy thought. Luca must not be left alive. Otherwise, she would be the one in trouble. "Whether it''s your medical report or someone else''s, you know it well. Dealing with this virus infection is tricky. Currently, there are no effective drugs worldwide to cure this virus. "You need long-term medical care and treatment. Is that why you''re trying to ckmail me?" Luca, of course, knew what illness Marie had. Even though the illness could be transmitted through other means, in most cases, it was due to one''s promiscuous behavior. Luca knew what kind of life Marie led after her release from prison. She made a living with her only asset¡ªher looks. Such people were most prone to contracting this type of virus. Luca felt that Marie''s life was ruined, but considering her past actions, she did not feel sorry for her. If Marie had been willing to change her ways back then and lived a good life with Jean while ignoring her, she would not have ended up like this today. "Luca, do you think I don''t have the guts to sue you for defamation?" Marie refused to expose her most embarrassing side in front of Luca. Everyone would know how she had contracted the virus if it was mentioned. However, for some unknown reason, she simply wished to uphold her nonexistent sense of pride in front of Luca. It was just like before. She had always wanted to uphold her self-esteem and pride in front of Bianca. Even if she had already fallen to the bottom, she was desperate to maintain it. She did not want to show her downfall in front of Bianca. Luca listened to Marie''s words, nodded, and said, "If you think I''m defaming you, go ahead and sue me. But I''m warning you, Marie, if you dare to spread false rumors to the reporters, Mr. Crawford and I won''t let you off. By then..." Luca paused for a moment. She could no longer be bothered by the non-existent familial bond between them. "Actually, the hospital in prison can also help with treating this illness, and you wouldn''t Chapter 3059 "Luca, just wait and see!" At this moment, Marie knew that threatening Luca would be futile no matter how she went about it. After she failed to threaten Luca, she stomped her foot and walked away from the hospital entrance. Luca shook his head and reminded her, "You still need to see a doctor." Marie recalled that she had to see a doctor for a check-up and get some medicine. Hence, she red N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. at Luca, turned around, and headed toward the hospital''s pharmacy. Luca did not take Marie''s threats seriously. Marie would not dare to provoke Luke now. Otherwise, she would only get herself in more trouble. At the thought of how Marie used to have a good life but suddenly ended up in such a situation, Luca sighed emotionally. After Luca arrived at Lanie''s school, she found that he had already finished thepetition and was standing at the security booth waiting for her. Luca quickly parked the car on the side, opened the door, and approached. She noticed that even though Lanie was sheltered under the security booth''s shade, beads of sweat had formed on his forehead. The weather was too hot. She could not help but feel sorry for him, and her resentment toward Marie grew. If it were not for Marie stopping her from leaving, Lanie would not have had to wait for such a long time. "Lanie, you''ve been waiting for a long time, huh? Why didn''t you wait in the ssroom? Look, you''re sweating." Lanie shook his head and replied, "I just came out not long ago." As Luca looked at the sweat on the child''s forehead, she felt sorry for him. However, there was nothing she could do. She quickly pulled him into the car. "Just wait in the ssroom next time. I''lle in to find you." "But parents can''t drive into the school, and the schoolyard is very sunny. The school is also big." Lanie had thought about it, which was why he had been standing under the security booth''s shade after the end of thepetition, waiting for Luca. He thought Luca woulde to pick him up on time, but she was unexpectedlyte. However, Lanie knew she must not have deliberately beente. Perhaps something dyed her. Luca sat in the driver¡¯s seat, listening to Lanie. She paused for a moment, realizing that Lanie did not want her to walk that distance That was why he waited under the security booth 16:42 12/02/2024 Read Twins in Her Womb: Sir President, Please be Gentle novel Chapter 3061 _ . ¡ª -- ¡ö . . .. ¡ª - - ¡ö J ¡ö ¡ö - ¡ª ¡ö ''J This child would rather endure the heat than let her suffer. A gentle warmth filled the depths of her heart knowing how endearing Lanie was. She started the car engine and exined, "I''m an adult. Walking a few steps is considered exercise. You''re a child, and with the sun this strong, you might still get a heatstroke even if you stand under the shade." "It¡¯s okay. I''m healthy." Lanie shook his head and curiously asked, "Ms. Luca, did something happen to you?" "Yes. I was going to visit your Grandpa Rayne in the hospital, but I didn''t expect to run into someone. She insisted on chatting with me for quite a while. That¡¯s why I waste," Luca exined with a hint of helplessness in her tone. "Oh, I see." Lanie astutely noticed that Luca did not mention the person¡¯s name, so he decided not to ask further. Instead, he asked, "Is Grandpa Rayne feeling better now?" "Much better. He should be able to go home in a little over a week. Would you like to visit him when he¡¯s back home?" asked Luca. She knew that Old Man Rayne loved his grandchildren the most. If the kids went to visit him, he would be very happy. "Okay!" Lanie nodded. He was fond of Old Man Rayne too. When Luca suggested visiting him, he readily agreed. After all, Old Man Rayne was the one who raised his mother... If it were not for those reporters writing nonsensetely, they would have visited him in the hospital. Their father told them that the reporters had been keeping an eye on their family. That was why they could not go to the hospital. Besides, they had to go to school, and there was not much time after school. Thus, they had not visited him. After picking up Lanie, Luca went to pick up Rainie and finally went to another school to pick up Tommy. Since the three kids did not have anything to do in the afternoon, Luca took them out for a meal before bringing them home. It was also the kids'' request. When they arrived home, the kids, ustomed to taking naps, were already yawning. Luca urged them to go to their bedroom for a nap. The three kids listened to her and went upstairs for their afternoon rest. Nina waved at Luca. "Luca, where were you all morning? I didn''t see you when I woke up." "I had some things to deal with. I didn''te back after taking the kids to school," Luca replied with a smile and sat on the couch. "Have you had lunch?" "Yes. It was quiet on the second floor, and I slept until noon. I skipped breakfast and had lunch," Nina said happily. "You woke upte. How long did you chat with Mr. Malloryst night?" Luca teased her. She knew Nina''s routine. Even though she liked to stay in bed, she was not the type to sleep until noon. If she woke up thatte, it meant she stayed up veryte the night before. The only thing that could keep Nina up sote was probably talking to Percy on the phone. Nina blushed and muttered, "How did you know? Did you install a surveince camera or something?" "Come on, I haven''t. Just look at those dark circles under your eyes. It''s obvious you stayed upte. So I guessed that you talked to Mr. Mallory for a long time before sleeping." "Actually, he''s very busy and doesn''t have much time for me. The call was ongoing, but we didn''t talk. It wasn''t noisy on the other side, but I just couldn''t fall asleep." Nina knew she had heavy dark circles. She subconsciously rubbed them. "You''re obviously missing him. You''re trying to catch even the slightest movement on the other end of the phone. Being overly focused on capturing the sounds kept you from falling asleep. "Next time you want to drift off, be bold and just hang up the phone," said Luca, gently pressing Nina''s swollen face. "Well, it''s not as bad as before. It should go down soon," added Luca. "Okay, then I won''t talk to him tonight. It really messes with my sleep. By the way, what were you dealing with just now? Mind sharing?" Nina gently touched her own face. It was indeed not as swollen as before, and she became curious about Luca''s activities. However, if Luca said it was not convenient to share with her, she would not press for details. "I went to the hospital to visit some patients. But I ran into Marie there," exined Luca. "You bumped into her again? I must say, you two really have some kind of connection. You''ve met her twice in the same ce." Nina could not help but marvel while looking at Luca. "I guess it wasn''t just a simple encounter this time, right?" "Yes, you got that right. She probably didn''t notice mest time, but this time, she saw me and insisted on striking up a conversation." Luca did not mention the part about being threatened by Marie. "She wanted to chat with you?" Nina eximed, finding it hard to believe. "I''d believe it if you said she intentionally threatened you or cursed at you, but chatting... I''m sorry, I just can''t imagine that." As Luca listened to her, she could not help but think that Nina sure understood Marie well... Chapter 3060 Luca smiled and shook her head. She was not denying what Nina said but just expressing her helplessness. Marie was a troublemaker among them. Everyone knew what she was up to, and everyone understood her very well... This was not a good sign at all. Understanding someone should mean knowing their quirks, but it seemed like people only saw Marie''s negative side, leading to such assumptions. "Oh, by the way, what did she want to talk to you about?" Nina curiously asked. "Well, it wasn''t anything important, but I saw her medical report," replied Luca. Nina raised an eyebrow. Her tone was purely curious without any malicious intent. "Is she sick?" "Yes, she''s sick, and it''s an infection rted to gynecological issues," answered Luca. Nina frowned and recalled the absurd things Marie did when she was with Jean. It seemed like she could understand what Luca meant by gynecological issues. "She''s really unlucky." "Yes, if not treated promptly, it can easily turn cancerous," added Luca. Even though Marie had folded the report, Luca saw the positives mentioned in it. Some could cause skin diseases, while others, in severe cases, could lead to cancer. Nina immediately understood. "I get it. I still remember how absurd it was when she was with Jean. The things they did together. I understand how Marie ended up like this.¡± She knew what Jean had made Marie do. However, Nina did not stop them because she could not. At that time, Marie knew Jean was a scumbag, but she still chose to date him. They even lived together. That was why her oue was not hard to foresee. Luca nodded. She also knew some things. However, those were Marie''s choices. Footsteps echoed from the stairs. Luca and Nina both looked toward the staircase and saw Lukeing down. They withdrew their gazes when he reached downstairs. Luke walked over to the couch and sat down. "What were you guys talking about?" "I ran into Marie at the hospital just now," Luca did not hide anything and detailed some things. After Luke finished listening, he raised an eyebrow, feeling like she was withholding something. However, since Luca was not in a rush to tell him aftering back, it probably was not something important. At least, Luca thought it was not important. Luke did not ask what she was hiding. Instead, he said, "We need to go on a business trip." "A business trip?" Luca was surprised. If Luke had to go on a business trip, she could understand. Sometimes, unexpected work required his attention, so impromptu business trips weremon. Still, why include her on this trip? Luca clearly heard him say ''we''... Luke sent an invitation to Luca¡¯s phone. "This is an invitation from the Pharmaceutical Association. "Back then, invitations of this sort usually didn''t end up in my hands because Jason would intercept them. So, it wasn''t until today that I got wind of it." Invitations like this one were usually intercepted by Jason. For events that were not particrly important, he would not bother notifying Luke. For more critical asions that requiredpany representatives, Jason would find the corresponding department head to attend. Luke would not attend such events. Luca understood the implication, so she opened the invitation message. It was aworking event organized by the Pharmaceutical Association. These kinds of gatherings were opportunities forpanies in the industry to exchange pharmaceutical information and seek coboration. It was not a very important event. The attendees were usually not significant figures within the Having the head of the marketing department attend was sufficient, and there was no need for a professor to participate in suchworking events. However, Luke was interested in this particr one, indicating that the situation was not straightforward. Considering a possibility, Luca said to Luke, "Is thisworking event important for Watson?" Luke pondered for a moment. It was not crucial for Watson, but it was significant for Luca and him. He shook his head. Luca frowned. If it was not important for Watson but Luke wanted to attend it and she needed to apany him, then it meant it was crucial for them. At the thought of this, Luca said, "I''ll go upstairs to pack for the business trip." She noticed that the event was not in A City but in the neighboring X City. Considering that Abel''s main base was in X City, her growing unease intensified. The patrols in A City were pretty stringent now, to the extent that Abel was reluctant to concentrate too much of his operational force here. He wanted to avoid the risk of getting caught by the city police. Currently, most of the Ind of Despair''s activities were concentrated in X City. It was not the capital, so police scrutiny was not as strict. As Nina listened to their conversation, she could not help but be confused. If it was an unimportantworking event, why would Luke go? Luke was the CEO of T Corporation. Even in her ownpany, Brilliant, they usually had the manager of the marketing department attend the less important industry events. Nina and Sue would only attendrger-scale ones, those that were more renowned in the industry. It was only for such asions that they took it seriously and decided to attend. Normally, for less important ones, they would not bother wasting their time. However, Luke chose to attend such an event, and Luca has agreed to it as well. Nina vaguely felt like they were ying a guessing game. Yet, there was no evidence to prove that they were ying a guessing game. She watched them go upstairs one after the other. ''Did something bad happen?'' Nina suddenly had a doubt in her heart. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. However, it was clear that Luca and Luke did not want to bring up the matter in front of her. She did not want to ask further either. Luca walked toward the bedroom, and Luke followed closely behind. After entering the bedroom, he closed the door. Luca asked straightforwardly, "Is something going to happen at the event?" "No." Luke shook his head. "But I received information that Abel will be attending theworking event." Luca furrowed her brows. Abel would be attending the event? Even for more crucialworking events, Abel might not necessarily attend. Why would he show up for this one that was not particrly important? Even though Luke said nothing would happen at theworking event, she had a feeling that Abel''s presence might stir up trouble. For Luca, Abel was an ominous figure. His calls, texts, and even his appearances always brought about unfortunate events. Luca felt uneasy and turned to look at Luke. "Are you going to meet him?" "Yes, I n to meet him formally," replied Luke. There had been rtively little direct contact between him and Abel. Thest time, he even drugged Luke''s drink. Back then, he did not know Abel''s identity and suspected it was someone else''s doing. After all, the identity Abel assigned himself seemed perfectly ordinary. When they investigated him back then, nothing questionable surfaced, so there was no reason to doubt his identity. Upon reflection, Luke had note face-to-face with Abel since that incident. Chapter 3061 After Gale confirmed Abel''s itinerary, Luke checked with Jason, and there was indeed such an invitation. Luke decided to bring Luca along. When Luca heard Luke¡¯s n, she felt even more uneasy. "Are you going to meet him right now?" Luca felt that meeting Abel at this moment was not a good opportunity. Moreover, Luke was bringing her along... What if Abel noticed? What should they do? Luca could not imagine it. Before they had aplete n, she felt it was not appropriate to meet Abel. That vignt and malicious man might harm their kids if he sensed anything. Luca knew that Luke had the ability to protect their kids. However, she did not want to take that risk. After all, her children were her life. N grew up on the Ind of Despair. Living in such an environment was bound to make her life challenging. That was why Luca felt a significant sense of indebtedness to N. "Luca, do you trust me?" Luke knew what Luca was worried about and held her hands. Her hands were slightly cold due to the uneasiness in her heart. Luke gave them a reassuring squeeze. Just mentioning Abel''s name made Luca feel so uneasy. He could not imagine how cautiously Luca had been living in fear of that man over the years. He had not fully understood what Abel was capable of yet. It was normal for Luca to be afraid. Back on the Ind of Despair, when Luke was nning his escape, he was also extremely cautious and doubly careful. He even had to sacrifice someone... A hint of gloom appeared in Luke''s eyes at the thought of this. If he had hit them harder back then, the Ind of Despair would not be posing a threat to his wife and children now. "I trust you, but Luke, that man is really dangerous. I''m afraid I can¡¯t handle it well and might expose something. Maybe you should..." Luca wanted to suggest that Luke go alone to reduce the risk of exposure. Luke interrupted her and said, "Didn''t you say he made you deliberately approach me?" Luca nodded and blinked her eyes, not understanding why he would say that. "If that''s the case, let''s put on a good show in front of him. Don''t worry, besides you, I''ll also have Evan apany us," continued Luke. Luca frowned and reminded him, "But it''s just a smallworking event. Watson''s side is sending three people. Isn''t that too much attention?" Forpanies like Watson with T Corporation as capital support, participating in these smaller Normally, having someone like Evan attend was already considered giving due credit. It was usually the staff and manager of the marketing department who were sent to participate. Now, not only Evan but also Luke and herself were going to attend the event... Luca knew that she was considered a neer in the industry. The drugs she developed were much more effective than others in the current pharmaceutical market. Hence, her medicine was widely purchased and used by many hospitals, making many pharmaceutical If the three of them attended the event together, Luca could not help but feel that they would receive excessive attention. It would raise suspicion. She wondered if Abel would think the same. Luke''s lips curved up slightly. "Don''t worry, I''ve already instructed Jason to handle things." He had Jason spread the news about his participation in theworking event with a well-crafted reason. Luke believed that once this news circted, many influential figures in the industry would surely participate. He was aware that he possessed the kind of capital that people would want to associate with. "Alright." Luca nodded. She reluctantly agreed when Luke insisted on doing so. Luca asked again, "So, how many days do we have to stay there?" "At least three days." Luke thought for a moment. The industryworking event wouldst for a day, but he wanted to reserve an additional day to see if anything unexpected happened. "Three days? Then we''ll have to send the kids back to Crawford Manor," said Luca. Aunt Neile also had her own family to take care of. She could not stay here day and night to look after the children. "No need. Percy is still on a business trip for a few more days. Let the kids stay at home. Nina can take care of them," replied Luke. He decided not to send the children back to Crawford Manor. "That won''t do. Nina has her own job..." Luca disagreed, not wanting Nina to help take care of the kids. Even though Luca had mentioned it to Nina earlier, it was only a joke. She let Nina stay here temporarily to protect her, not to make her take care of the kids. Furthermore, Nina had a lot of work at Brilliant. How could she possibly have the time? "Why not? Isn''t Nina nning to have a child with Percy? Let her get a feel for taking care of kids first. Besides, Nina doesn''t have much work to do right now, and our kids are not troublemakers," exined Luke. Nina''s face was still swollen. She did not have much external negotiation work to deal with. This made her the one with the most free time in the entire Brilliant at the moment. Luca thought what he said made sense. The three kids were well-behaved and responsible. They were able to get up on time, have breakfast, and head to school. After school hours, there was no need for constant reminders or prodding. They would diligently finish their homework, enjoy their cartoon show after dinner, and then head for a shower before bedtime. They could do all that without the need for adults to hover or push them along. Having Nina look after them was just really like having an extra adult at home. If anything came up, it would be easier to handle. After all, it was not safe to leave three young children alone at home at night. Luca was convinced. Taking care of the kids for three days would not really be a big trouble to Nina. "Alright, let''s have Nina help look after Lanie and the others. That way, we don¡¯t have to trouble Old Master Crawford to take care of them for us." Luca agreed and added, "I''ll go pack my clothes." "Sure." Luke nodded. Since it was just a three-day trip, it did not take long for Luca to pack her clothes. When she was about to prepare disposable toiletries, Luke said, "There¡¯s no need to pack toiletries. We''ll be staying at the Crawfords'' ancestral home." "We¡¯re staying there?" Luca looked up at him when she heard this. The Crawfords'' ancestral home was managed by Mr. Muller. There was no need for them to prepare anything. "Yes, I''ve checked the address. It''s not far away from the event location," replied Luke. He was done packing his own luggage and zipped it up. "What about Mr. Turner?" asked Luca. "He''ll stay in a hotel." Luke had no intention of letting Evan stay with them in the Crawfords'' ancestral home. Even though there were plenty of rooms, it did not mean he would allow another man to stay with them. Luca zipped up her luggage and said to him, "Alright, I''ll inform Nina." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Sure." Luke nodded. Luca left the bedroom and found Nina in the garden downstairs, sitting in the pavilion and reading a book. "Nina." Luca walked over and sat down next to her in the pavilion. Nina ced her book down and asked, "Have you guys discussed it? Are you sure about the business trip? How many days will you be gone?" "Yes, I''ve discussed it with Luke. We''re going on a business trip to X City, and it''ll take three days in total," answered Luca. She already knew what Nina wanted to ask and answered her queries in one go. Chapter 3062 "Three days. Well, that''s not too bad, not too long," replied Nina, already calcting in her mind that when they were on a business trip, she would have to go back to her own ce. After all, the master''s family was not around, and it would not be appropriate for her to stay here. "Yes, there''s one more thing I''d like to ask of you," added Luca. "What is it?" Nina looked at her with curiosity, unsure of how she could help Luca. "I was wondering if you could take care of the kids for these three days," Luca stated her request. Worried that Nina would reject her, she added, "The kids are well-behaved, and they have a certain routine, so you won''t need to do much. Just having an adult around in the evenings for safety would be great." Luca agreed to Luke''s request not only to avoid troubling Old Master Crawford but also because it gave Nina a reason to stay here. After all, Percy would not be back in A City for several more days. If she went back now, Karen might "Sure, no problem." Nina did not want to go back, especially considering that it might be awkward for her to be here without Luca and Luke. "Now, that''s great. Thank you, Nina," Luca expressed her gratitude. "I should be the one thanking you. I know what you''re doing. Asking me to take care of the kids is just giving me a reason to continue staying here. If I''m not here, I might be bothered by Percy''s mother at any time," Nina understood the situation. If she had to express gratitude, it should be her thanking both of them. "Oh, don''t mention it. You''ve really helped us a lot," replied Luca, "Old Master Crawford wants to live peacefullytely. If the kids went back to stay for three days, it would disturb the old master. So, it''s better for them to stay here. But Aunt Neile also has her own family to take care of. Your willingness to help is a big favor to us." "Let''s not talk about that. I have a question to ask," Nina shook her head. She did not want the gratitude exchange to go on indefinitely and had another question to address. "What is it?" asked Luca. "I''m just curious. Why would Mr. Crawford attend a not-so-important industryworking event and even bring you along?" asked Nina. If Luca were Luke''s secretary, it would make sense for her to apany him to such events. However, Luca was not his secretary at the moment, and it was not a particrly important industry So, why would both of them go together? Even though Nina was aware of the special rtionship between Luke and Luke. Nina knew Luke was not the kind of man who would bring a woman along just for his personal needs during a business trip. Hence, she could not understand. "Mr. Crawford heard that there will be an influential figure participating in this industryworking event. That''s why he decided to join," Luca fabricated a lie. Nina eximed, "Oh, I see. A big shot, huh..." "You know, in the pharmaceutical industry, Watson is just a newly emergingpany, not that well- known. So, when a big shot in the industry decided to attend thisworking event, Mr. Crawford thought it would be a good idea to bring me and thepany''s general manager along," exined Luca. Nina furrowed her brows. Something still felt off. Even though Watson was a new yer in the industry, it had the support of the T Corporation, which was a considerable advantagepared to many others. Even if the industry big shots are attending, they could ask Watson''s general manager and a few research professors to participate. Was there a need for Luke to personally attend the event himself? Was all this just for that big shot? Was Luke going to cozy up to this industry big shot? Nina refused to believe it. Others may try to curry favor with Luke, but this was a bit too much! Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. However, since Luca said so, Nina, though still skeptical, did not press further. She simply nodded and said, "Oh, I see. That makes sense, no wonder you''re going together." "Yes," Luca let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, she managed to talk her way through. However, Luke''s participation in such a small-scaleworking event would indeed raise suspicions. Even if Jason leaked information to attract top executives from pharmaceuticalpanies to participate, people would still find it strange. Why would Luke be there... Could it be that T Corporation was nning to make pharmaceuticals a major development industry in the future? Luca stared at the garden, lost in her thoughts. Nina noticed that and picked up the psychology book again, letting out a sigh, "I guess I''m just not cut out for studying." "What''s wrong?" Luca came back to her senses. "I''ve been reading this book for days, and I still haven''t finished it. People say that psychology is not difficult when you first encounter it, it''s only hard when you specialize. I thought I could handle it when I 15:23 14/02/2024 Read Twins in Her Womb: Sir President, Please be Gentle novel Chapter 3064 started, but now It''s clear that I''m just not cut out for It.¡± Nina sighed. She could understand each word and sentence In this Introductory book, but putting them together seemed forced for her. Reading It carefully would make her understand, but once she umted the knowledge, It all became confusing again... "Just read these books when you have some free time and are bored. You don''t have to force yourself to understand everything. Maybe, after reading a lot, it''ll alle together for you," advised Luca. "Yes, you''re right. I''ll let it go," Nina smiled, deciding to follow her advice and find a way to finish the book. Understanding or not, she would deal with itter. The following day. Luca and Luke set off for X City. Since X City was not too far away, Luke and Luca decided to drive there. Luke did not personally drive. Instead, Warren took the wheel. Along with them, Gale also joined the journey. This time, they were meeting with Abel, and Gale tagged along to gather more information about Abel. As for Evan, he drove himself there and did not depart at the same time as them. The trip to X City would take several hours, and Luca found it boring. She picked up her tablet and looked at some information about the industryworking event. Thisworking event has always been held in X City because the naturopathy culture in X City has a certain level of nationwide recognition. Together with the surrounding mountains rich in herbs, the event chose X City. It also served as an opportunity to open up markets for X City''s herbal products. Luca recalled what Amur had told her. He said that Shanks was also in A City. Shanks unexpectedly left the ind. Did that mean he will also attend this industryworking event? Luca was not too sure about that. Compared to socializing, Shanks preferred conducting research in theboratory. If it were not for the herbs he needed, and considering that Abel''s men still had not found them, Luca assumed that Shanks might not have left the ind at all. Luca thought that even if Shanks dide out to search for the herbs, she was not certain that he would attend this industryworking event. If X City had the herbs Shanks needed, those people would have found them long ago, and they would not be empty-handed until now. Even though X City was surrounded by mountains, it was not an isted ce. The herb farmers in the mountains, the types of herbs they grow, and the buyers were all well-known. Moreover, every inch of the mountain ranges in X City had been fully developed. Chapter 3063 Therefore, there really was not any mountainous area left undeveloped with the herbs Shanks needed. Luca nced at Warren, who was sitting in the driver''s seat. She had initially wanted to talk to Luke about this matter, but in the end, she decided not to. Warren drove steadily, and the road was not too bumpy. After Luca put away her tablet, a wave of drowsiness hit her. Unconsciously, she closed her eyes and leaned against the car window, dozing off. Luke was reading documents. When he looked up at Luca, she was already intermittently nodding off. When he saw her in such a state, he shook his head helplessly and rested Luca''s head on his shoulder. With a gentle movement, Luca leaned on his shoulder without waking up and even found afortable position on his shoulder. "Drive slower, and turn up the air conditioning a bit," instructed Luke. "Yes, sir." Warren heard him and slowed down the car even more, making the ride smoother. At the same time, he adjusted the temperature of the car''s air conditioning higher, so Luca would not be awakened by the cold. The journey took an extra hour due to the slow driving. When they arrived at the Crawford Ancestral Home, Warren parked the car and waited for Luke''s next Luke looked at the woman resting beside him. She tended to fall asleep easily on long car rides, and it seemed she had not woken up during the entire journey. As Luke cast a sidelong nce, all he could see was her well-rounded forehead, lush eyshes, and elegantly shaped nose. They were truly exquisite. Luke really did not want to disturb her. However, it was already lunchtime, and if Luca continued sleeping, she might get hungry. So, he gently tapped Luca''s hand. "Luca, wake up," Luke called in a soft voice. "Mmm..." Luca heard Luke¡¯s voice and slightly opened her eyes. She looked ahead, unable to figure out what was going on, so she asked, "Are we there?" "Yes, we''ve reached Crawford Ancestral Home," replied Luke, "Wake up. Let''s have lunch first, and then ou can slee a ain .Jl\_\_p U^UIII. Luca sat up straight. She had been leaning on Luke''s shoulder for a long time, her waist felt a bit sore. She stretchedzily, looked outside, and indeed saw the gate of the old mansion. Had she slept the entire way? Luca knew that she tended to sleep during long journeys and could not control the urge to do so. Usually, she would wake up at some point during the trip. This time, however, she seemed to have truly slept all the way without any memory of waking up. Luca rubbed her eyes and said, "Let''s go. Let¡¯s have lunch." "Mr. Muller has already prepared everything. Let''s go inside," replied Luke. He took out the electronic key of the old mansion and opened the door. The door opened slowly. Luke said to Warren, "Drive the car inside." "Yes, sir." After the door opened wide enough, Warren drove the car inside. Luca looked out of the car window. She was pleasantly surprised to find that the scenery was much more vibrant than when she hade here before. It was a different kind of beauty. After Warren parked the car inside, Luke closed the door again to prevent designers from entering. "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, you may step out of the car." After Warren parked the car, he quickly opened the door for them. Luke and Luca got out of the car together. Luca looked around, surveying the yard''s scenery. "It''spletely different now than before. It¡¯s more vibrant. Summer has indeed arrived." "This yard has different views in all four seasons. Next time, whenever there''s a chance, I''ll take you on a tour each season," said Luke, realizing that Luca, who graduated in architecture design, would likely be interested in the yard''s design. He had neglected this before. He should have brought Luca here when the flowers were blooming. Back then, he was too busy with work and did not pay attention to these details. "Sure." Luca put on a radiant smile. Her eyes and brows gracefully lifted, looking even more enchanting in the bright noon sunlight. "Let''s go. Let''s have lunch," said Luke. After a moment of thought, he also said to Warren, "Join us. You may head to the hotel nearby after lunch. Mr. Doyle has already booked a room for you." Evan would also be staying in the hotel. That was why Warren needed to stay close as well. Warren would be their chauffeur these two days. "Okay, boss," Warren nodded and followed them into the living room. Mr. Muller already had the lunch prepared. He stood at the doorway, weing them. "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, and this gentleman is..." "Hello, I''m Mr. Crawford¡¯s chauffeur," Warren introduced himself. "Hello." Mr. Muller nodded. He understood the implication of the chauffeur following Luke inside. Thus, he turned around to face the dining room and said, "Lunch is ready, Mr. Crawford. Would you like to have it now?" "Yes." Luke nodded, reluctant to let Luca go hungry. "This way, please." Mr. Muller invited them into the dining room. This time, the lunch was still the specialty dishes of X City, prepared by a locally renowned chef. Luca thought she might not have much of an appetite after the long car ride, but to her surprise, the lunch prepared by Mr. Muller was exceptionally delicious. She even ate more than usual. "It seems you really like the specialty dishes of X City,"mented Luke, serving Luca some dishes. No matter when, even if his gaze was not directly on her, his attention was always on her. For instance, at this moment, he was conversing with Mr. Muller about the local situation, but he still noticed which dishes Luca enjoyed. Luca''s face blushed slightly. She thought he had been discussing matters with Mr. Muller without paying much attention to her. That was why she ate more, thinking that he would not notice. Surprisingly, he still noticed... "These dishes are delightfully sweet and sour,"plimented Luca. "Ask the chef for the recipes of these dishester," Luke directed this to Mr. Muller. Once he finished his sentence, he had already pointed out the specific dishes he was talking about. Luke could not name these dishes. Even though Mr. Muller introduced them at the beginning of lunch, he could not be bothered to remember. However, he took note of what Luca liked to eat. So, he nned to have Mr. Muller ask the chef for the recipes. When they returned to A City, he would have Aunt Neile learn them and asionally cook them for Luca. "It''s not necessary to go through all this trouble," Luca thought. Those chefs surely had their own secret recipes. Chefs of this caliber would not easily give away their secrets. If Mr. Muller went to ask the chef, it might even put the chef in a difficult position. Luca was not the type of person who would make things difficult for others. Good food did not necessarily require her to know how to make it herself. Besides, eating delicious food too frequently might make it lose its charm. So, she did not push for it. "If the child''s taste follows yours, and you like these dishes, the kids will probably enjoy them too. It''s good to have Aunt Neile learn to cook them for them," suggested Luke. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Mr. Muller nodded and agreed, "Mr. Crawford is right. These dishes are appetizing in the summer, and the kids will eat more if they have them." Chapter 3064 "But these are all the chef''s secret recipes," replied Luca. Even though it was true that money could make many people sell their secrets. Moreover, if Mr. Muller asked for it, it would be awkward for them not to share. However, this seemed to imply causing trouble for others. "It''s okay, Ms. Craw. Actually, these are just specialty dishes. There''s no such thing as secret or not secret. It''s just a recipe. You just need to ask the chef for the proportions of the various seasonings since you like this taste," Mr. Muller knew what Luca was thinking and added, "Besides, you can find recipes for these dishes online." When Luca heard him say that, she nodded and said nothing more. Luke was right. The kids would surely enjoy what Luca liked to eat. If Aunt Neile learned the recipes, she could make these dishes for the kids in the future. It was a good thing... After lunch, Warren took the initiative to leave as he did not want to disturb them. Luca also headed upstairs. She felt a bit tired and nned to take a nap. Luke said he would apany her. Lying on the bed, Luca suddenly remembered something she thought about in the car and said, "Do you remember Shanks?" Shanks? Luke frowned, then remembered that Shanks was the one who had been teaching Luca naturopathy and medical knowledge for over three years. "What happened to him?" asked Luke. "I don''t know why, but I have this feeling that Abel will show up at this event. Perhaps he did it for Shanks," answered Luca. She told Luke about Shanks searching for some special herbs and the ongoing quest for the ones he had not found yet. "It¡¯s just a small industryworking event," said Luke. While Luca''s analysis made sense, it was hard to believe that such a small industryworking event would have the rare herbs Shanks was looking for. Finding those ingredients was not easy, so how could they possibly be avable at this event? "I know, but Amur said Shanks is also in A City, so I think there might be a connection." Luca gently furrowed her brows, resting her head on his chest. "Do you mean Shanks will attend?" asked Luke. Since it was an industryworking event, and Abel''s pharmaceuticalpany was one of the toppanies in the industry, it would be easy for Shanks to get entry qualifications. "Not necessarily. I even have a feeling he won''t show up. What I mean is, Abel''s attendance might be linked to them receiving some information. That''s why he''s personallying to inquire. After all, the drugs researched by Shanks ultimately benefit both the Ind of Despair and Abel," murmured Luca. Luke frowned, gently stroking her back with his right hand. Luca''s analysis was not without reason. At first, he had no intention of attending, so Abel''s attendance could not be because of him. Therefore, there might be something at the industryworking event that was attracting Abel. If he could find out about that, knowing what Abel wanted in advance might help him prepare for his next move. Luke added, "Such a good doctor helping the Ind of Despair is simply a waste." "Mr. Shanks is a peculiar man," said Luca. Even though Shanks had developed such poisonous drugs, he never harmed anyone on the Ind of Despair. People who consumed the poison were drinking the antidote he prepared at the same time. While it was a means of control, the poison also had benefits for the body of the one who ingested it. Furthermore, Shanks also provided medical treatment for those severely injured during missions on the Ind of Despair. So, in the three-plus years, Luca has never seen Shanks harm anyone. Even when there were issues during drug trials, Shanks would do everything possible to save them. People he could save were not considered as having blood on his hands. Therefore, Luca found it strange that Shanks, with his exceptional medical skills, was reluctant to harm people on the Ind of Despair. However, at the same time, he was a peculiar person. Despite his superb medical skills, he chose to work exclusively for Abel on the Ind of Despair. Luca even thought that with Shanks''s abilities, he could easily take Abel''s life at any time, but he did not do that. He was willing to work for Abel... At one point, she even suspected that Abel had some fatal leverage over Shanks. It was simr to how Abel had control over her and N, preventing her from having any thoughts of escape. However, she had not heard of anything like that during those three years. "What''s in your mind?" Luke realized Luca had not replied to him and thought she had fallen asleep. He gently lifted his head to look down, only to see her staring at his chin in a daze. "I was thinking, Mr. Shanks is indeed a peculiar person. He can save people, but he doesn''t want to save more. He only saves the people on the Ind of Despair. And it doesn''t seem like Abel has any leverage over him to force him to work for him. He just willingly stays on the Ind of Despair. It''s strange," analyzed Luca. "You''re so focused on thinking about another man. Bea, I''d get jealous." In private, Luke still liked to affectionately call her Bea. "Don''t tease me." Luca shook her head and added, "Do you think there really are such strange people in the world?" Compared to performing surgeries to save lives, Shanks seemed to prefer conducting research in the It appeared that researching various drugs was his main profession, and his exceptional medical skills were just a side job. Curious about her thoughts, Luke asked, "Who''s more skilled in medicine, him or Johann?" "To be honest, it would be Shanks." Lucay on the pillow, locking eyes with him. "Although Dr. Park is impressive, and has mastered various surgeries. Honestly, he''s already an extraordinary person. But Luca thought for a moment and decided to use "abnormal" to describe Shanks''s medical skills. "Not only is he proficient in various surgeries, but he even understands dry needling, which is something I normally use to help people..." "Indeed impressive. Someone so skilled, yet involved with Abel, it''s perplexing," remarked Luke. Luca let out a yawn. Luke noticed that she was tired and suggested, "Take a rest if you''re tired. He''s just a man, no matter how extraordinary he is, he''s still helping the Ind of Despair. It''s not worth worrying so much about." Luca understood what he meant and nodded, no longer dwelling on Shanks''s matters, and closed her eyes. She drifted into a deep sleep. As Luke listened to her steady breathing, he slowly sat up. He did not immediately get out of bed but leaned against the headboard of the bed, picked up theptop beside him, and began dealing with T Corporation''s matters. Even though he was away, there were stillpany affairs to attend to. Luke opened his email and realized that Jason had already sent all the electronic documents that needed attention that morning to his inbox. There was a whole page of emails, all sent by Jason earlier in the morning. Luke remained calm and shot a nce at Luca, who was beside him, then began working. The keyboard was rtively silent, so the slight sounds of his work did not wake Luca up. For longer replies, Luke would use his phone to type the responses. Luca had been asleep for almost two hours. When she opened her eyes, she subconsciously reached out to feel Luke. It was not the emptiness she expected, nor did she touch Luke''s waist. Instead, her handnded directly on Luke''s thigh.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Chapter 3065 Luca thought she had touched something else and touched again, confirming it was not Luke''s waist. She slowly opened her eyes, and at the same time, Luke''s voice that was full of maism sounded in her ears. "You¡¯re awake?" "Yes." Luca looked up and found Luke working. However, her hand was not on Luke''s thigh. It was on his calf. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Now, the man was leaning against the headboard of the bed with aptop on his thigh. He was dealing with work emails. "Didn''t you rest?" Luca asked, realizing that her question was meaningless. Normally, he would shorten his rest time at night and work whenever he had a break. How could he possibly nap with her? Luke must have started working after she fell asleep. Luca did not expect to have a deep sleep. Luke''s keyboard typing did not wake her up. "No, I couldn''t sleep, so I decided to work. Did I disturb you?" asked Luke. Even though theptop keyboard was quite silent, there might still be some noise. "No, I''ve had enough sleep." Luca yawned, sitting up with her hands supporting the bed. She did not immediately get out of bed but leaned on the headboard. cing her head on Luke''s shoulder, she looked at hisputer screen and said, "There are still so many more..." Luke smiled and replied, "Yes." "Just ten minutes ago, Jason sent about ten emails again." "Your job is really busy." Luca yawned as she looked at the densely packed page of emails, all unopened. She felt sorry for Luke. However, there was nothing she could do to help him. Now that Luca had confessed her true identity to him, she would not deliberately avoid looking at his Even if it was ssified information, she dared to look at it. She would not betray Luke. "Fortunately, I work exceptionally fast when you¡¯re around." Luke did not lie. He had just finished dealing with a page of emails. Normally, when he was fully immersed in his work, he had never worked at such a quick pace before. Luca raised her eyebrows, surprised that she had this effect. She smiled and said yfully, "Then I won''t leave. Will you be able to finish these quickly, and then you won''t have to work overtime tonight?" "Sure. If Jason doesn''t send another batch of files before he gets off work, I shouldn''t have to work overtime tonight,¡± replied Luke as he opened another email. The email contained a proposal. Luca yawned again. She took a pretty long nap,bining the time she rested in the car with this afternoon break. "I''m going downstairs to cut some fruit. What kind of fruit would you like?" "Anything. Just get something you like," answered Luke. "Okay, I''ll be back in a while,¡± said Luca. She got out of bed, straightened her wrinkled clothes, and headed downstairs. Mr. Muller was waiting in the living room for their orders. When he saw Lucaing downstairs, he smiled and asked, "Ms. Craw, what do you need?" "I¡¯d like to cut some fruit, Mr. Muller. Have you prepared any?" asked Luca. "Yes, we do. I''ll get it for you," replied Mr. Muller as he walked into the kitchen. Luca followed him into the kitchen. He opened the fresh room of the refrigerator. There was a bunch of fruits for Luca to choose from. Mr. Muller said, "I didn''t know what fruits you like, so I prepared a variety. Here are some local X City fruits and a few imported ones." "Thanks," Luca thanked him and picked out some fruits she wanted to eat, along with the ones Luke usually enjoyed. Then, she prepared to wash them. Mr. Muller quickly said, "Ms. Craw, let me do it." "No need, I''ve got it. You can take a break." Luca shook her head. Since she returned, she had been busy either with work or taking care of the child. Rarely did she have moments like this, enjoying some private time with Luke. So, Luca particrly cherished these moments. "Alright." Mr. Muller saw her skillfully pick up the fruit cleaner and put the fruits into the basket. He left the kitchen. When Mr. Muller saw what Luca did just now, he understood that the fruit was not for her but was prepared for Luke. When Luca washed the fruit, there was a shy charm typical of a woman doing something for her beloved. After waiting for a while in the kitchen, Luca started peeling and cutting the fruit after cleaning it. She was not one to stay away from the kitchen, and she handled this kind of task with great attention to detail. In no time, she cut the fruit, ced the disposable forks in the bowl, and walked out of the kitchen, carrying them. When she passed through the living room, she saw Mr. Muller sitting on the couch, reading a book. It reminded her that Luke was busy working, and she had nothing else to do if she stayed beside him. She decided to ask, "Mr. Muller, are there any other books here?" "Yes, Ms. Craw, what kind of books are you looking for?" Mr. Muller put down the book and asked with a smile. "Well, literature, please. Could you get me one? Also, can you tell me where the coffee beans are?" Luca remembered Luke did not get much sleepst night, and he did not take a nap. He was still working now. She wanted to make him a cup of coffee. Mr. Muller walked to the kitchen, took out the sealed coffee beans, and asked, ¡°Are these coffee beans okay? I purchased them from a coffee shopst month, and I''m not sure if they suit your taste." "It''s fine. These are great." Luca understood coffee. She could tell the quality by just looking at the beans. Although Mr. Muller purchased them from a coffee shop, the quality of the beans was indeed good. Luca picked up the coffee beans and brewed a pot of coffee for Luke. She did not drink coffee herself but found some lemon and rose petals when she was brewing coffee for Luke. Thus, she brewed a pot of flower tea for herself. Luca ced the pot of coffee and flower tea on a tray, along with the cut fruit. Her lips curled into a faint smile. This kind of intimate time together had already filled her heart with happiness, and these afternoon refreshments only added to her inner sense of joy. Mr. Muller found a book in the category of foreign literature. He walked toward Luca, and asked, "Ms. Craw, is this book suitable for you?" "Yes, it''s perfect. Thank you." Luca nced at the book, ced it on a clean tray, then lifted the tray and headed upstairs. Mr. Muller was about to say that he could handle such things, but by that time, Luca had already walked out of the kitchen. When Luca came upstairs, she walked into the bedroom and ced the tray on the coffee table in front of the couch. As she entered, Luke caught a whiff of the coffee aroma. "Coffee?" "You''ve got a really keen nose. Mr. Muller mentioned that there were coffee beans just now. After checking the quality, I brewed a pot for you. Would you like to work on the couch over here?" Luca smiled at him and picked up a ceramic cup. They had to admit that Mr. Muller truly took care of every corner of the vi. They even had these ceramic coffee cups. Even though using them would not make the coffee taste better, it was symbolic. Chapter 3066 "Alright." Luke did not decline her invitation. He carried hisptop off the bed and settled onto the wicker sofa. There was a coffee table in front of him, so he ced theptop on it. After a moment''s thought, he decided to sit on the carpet. "Hmm?" Luca was somewhat puzzled by his actions. "It''s more convenient this way." Luke gestured with his hand to indicate the height of theptop. If he sat on the floor, he did not have to lower his head too much, making it easier for him to work. "Yes, that¡¯s true." Luca nced at him and ced a cushion behind his back. "This should be more "Yes, it is,¡± replied Luke. He saw that Luca had already poured a cup of coffee. He reached out, thinking of grabbing it. Luca ced a piece of fruit near his lips. "Have some fruit first to boost your vitamins.¡± Luca smiled. Luke did not like eating fruits, but Luca''s offering was an exception. He opened his mouth, and Luca fed him the fruit. Luke savored it. The fruits prepared by Mr. Mullen were sweet, and the ones Luca fed him were even sweeter. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. "Is it good?" asked Luca. "Mr. Mullen said these fruits are the freshest seasonal ones in X City. You might not find anything this fresh in A City." "It''s good. It¡¯s very sweet," affirmed Luke. Luca heard him and took a bite as well. Indeed, it was crispy, sweet, and refreshing. She thought about her three kids. They all loved fruits. If they could taste such sweet and crispy fruits, she wondered how happy they would be. At the same time, Luca also thought about N. The Ind of Despair had no shortage of supplies. Those involved in missions were generously provided for. So, N would not have to go through too many hardships. However, there were hardly any fresh fruits in the northern region where they were stationed. For over three years, Luca had not really had much ess to fresh fruits, let alone the child. Abel did not treat N differently just because she was a child. So, she ate the same food as everyone else. Luca thought of her and wondered if she would enjoy eating fresh fruits. After all, when they were on the Ind of Despair, N did not show much interest in the ind''s fruits. As Luca pondered this, she also thought about the future. Once Luke rescued the child, the two of them would surely provide the best for them. They would explore the world, let her taste the most delicious food, experience the seasons, and travel across the country to see the beautiful sceneries she had never seen before. Luca thought about it and realized that she had seen a lot, but not N. Even though the child had seen quite a few scenic photos at Shank¡¯s ce. They were just photos... "What are you thinking?" Luke saw her lost in thought while eating fruits and could not help but worry. He asked, "Is everything okay?" Luca came back to her senses, smiled, and replied, "Nothing, I was just thinking if we should bring some fruits back for the children." She did not mention N in front of Luke. She did not want to add to his worries. They were definitely going to rescue N, but the process could not be rushed. They were dealing with the cunning and scheming Abel. One wrong move, and they could fall into the trap of the Ind of Despair. That was why Luca did not want to increase Luke''s concerns. Instead, she changed the topic of the conversation. Luke knew that the kids liked to eat fruits, so he agreed to Luca''s suggestion, "Yes, let''s bring some back. I''ll have Mr. Mullen prepare themter." Luca handed another piece of fruit to his lips. Luke obediently took a bite. Luca replied, "Alright, prepare more. It won''t spoil in the fridge.¡± "Okay. By the way, we¡¯ll be having dinner with Evan tonight," added Luke. When he mentioned Evan, Luca remembered his attempt to get her to teach part-time at Capital University. Also, she felt a sense of familiarity every time she saw Evan. After cing the coffee within his reach, she asked, "Who is this Evan Turner?" "Why the sudden interest?" asked Luke with a hint of a smile in his eyes. Luca exined, "I talked with him in the office. It was my first time meeting him in person, yet he seemed familiar. But I¡¯m pretty sure that I haven''t met him before..." She wanted to know where this familiarity came from. Luke took a sip of the coffee. Its rich aroma blended with the sweetness of the fruit in his mouth. He was not a fan of sweets. That was why he preferred the fruity fragrance. When he heard Luca''s question, he put down his cup of coffee and said, "Bea, you''re telling me that you feel a sense of familiarity with another guy. Aren''t you afraid I''ll get jealous? Luca, sitting on the carpet with a cushion behind her back, replied, "Well, you don''t seem jealous." "Yes, because I know you''re not interested in him. You just feel a bit familiar, right? That''s normal," said Luke. "Normal? Why would you say that?" Luca was curious. Luke was the one who brought Evan in. He must know something. Luca recalled the past. She could vaguely recall something did happen, but she still did not know who Evan was. "He has a younger sister named Shireen Turner," reminded Luke. Shireen Turner? Luca could not remember who it was yet, but suddenly, an image of a beautiful face appeared in her mind. "Is he her brother?" Luca was surprised. She tried recalling and found Shireen''s appearance in her memory. At that time, she had just finished a master''s degree, freshly out of campus, with a youthful and lovely face, a bit naive. While Evan... He was more mature, but now that she thought about it, the two siblings still have some resemnce. No wonder she found him familiar. If she had interacted with Shireen after she came back, she probably would have made the connection. However, Luca had not had any contact with Shireen since she returned. Therefore, she only felt familiar without any other feelings. "Yes, but they have different mothers," said Luke, "Shireen''s mother is not Evan''s father''s legal wife." Luca understood. It was anotherplicated family rtionship. However, she also knew that the Turner family probably was not a prominent one, otherwise, Evan would not be working for Luke. "So, what''s the rtionship between the two siblings?" Luca pondered for a moment and asked, "Are they close?" "Not really at first, but now their rtionship has improved quite a bit. But Evan used to have some reservations about Shireen," exined Luke. He made sure to investigate those with unclear backgrounds thoroughly. He dared not risk putting people with unclear backgrounds into Watson. With Luca there, he was cautious about assigning anyone who might be intentionally nted by Abel, as it could jeopardize Luca''s safety. "I see. I remember Shireen mentioning that she graduated, and despite being such a talented fresh graduate, she couldn''t find a job. Could that also be Evan''s doing?" asked Luca. She used to be curious about it but did not delve into it deeply. After all, Shireen was a rare talent. Chapter 3067 As Luca and Luke delved into the discussion, her curiosity got the better of her. She could not help but want to probe for more details. Luke, however, shook his head, and said, "The one pulling the strings wasn¡¯t Evan." "Not him?" Luca''s curiosity intensified. If it was not Evan, then who could it be? Her eyes were filled with confusion and curiosity. "Shireen has a childhood friend, but they lost touch in middle school..." Luke came across this information when he was investigating Evan. He had not dug into Shireen''s past. "Then?" Luca heard him and began to form a rough picture in her mind. Perhaps it unfolded just as she suspected... Luke exined, "I''m not sure about the details that followed. All I know is that the person obstructing Shireen''s job search is her childhood friend." With a gentle lift of his hand, he lightly brushed Luca''s nose. Luca initially thought Luke had more information, but it turned out to be just this. "I think I''ve got the gist of it," affirmed Luca. There must have been some misunderstanding between them, which caused Shireen''s childhood friend to undermine her job search. Even though Luca was unsure of the specifics, she was confident that Shireen''s friend must wield considerable influence, exining the hurdles in her job search. No matter how influential her friend was, Luca reckoned that they dared not to confront Luke. That was why Shireen faced no interference when she went to interview at Brilliant Architectural. The childhood friend likely knew that Brilliant had Luke as a supporter. Consequently, Luca smoothly secured the opportunity at that time. "So, do you know how Shireen and her childhood friend are doing now?" asked Luca. After she returned, she did not intentionally engage with or learn about them. After all, it fell outside the scope of tasks assigned by Abel. Additionally, minimizing contact with them would make it easier to leave with fewer emotional ties if she werepelled to returnter. Are you mistaking me for a gossip hound?" Luke shook his head helplessly. "I''m just curious, right? But I heard that Shireen seems to have made significant strides in recent years? Luca shared what she knew, but it was not much. She was aware of Shireen winning several awards for architectural design, but beyond that, details were scant. Shireen still worked at Brilliant and appeared to have climbed the ranks. Brilliant was a product of Luca¡¯s dedication and hard work. She thought of having a chat with Nina when she had the time to know more about Brilliant¡¯s current status. With this in mind, she took another bite of fruit. Luke''s gaze remained fixed on her face. The weather was great, and within the walls, a tranquil ambiance enveloped the space. Luca pointed at hisputer screen, and reminded him, "If you don''t finish your work soon, your inbox is going to overflow with emails." As she spoke, two more emailsnded in his inbox. Luke heard the notification sound from hisptop and let out a sigh. He lowered his head and gently kissed Luca''s alluring lips. Then, he lifted his head and said, "Alright, I''ll buckle down on work. I''ll try to wrap up these tasks early today and spend time with you." When he mentioned spending time with her, his breath was uneven, and there was a flirtatious tone in his voice. Luca¡¯s face reddened. She cleared her throat and took a sip of the lemon rose tea. Its fragrance failed to mask the sweetness on her lips. As she breathed in the air, she also caught a whiff of his distinctive scent. It was a hormonal aroma that made Luca blush even more. She picked up the book and started reading. Luke¡¯s gaze fell on hisptop screen again and continued his work. It was a peaceful moment when the two of them were seated on the carpet, with the air conditioning casting a refreshing breeze to ward off the summer heat. It created a tranquil atmosphere between them. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. After a few cups of coffee and tea and a te of fruit, they each attended to their respective tasks. One of them was working, while the other was immersed in a book. That was how they spent a quiet afternoon. Luca finished reading thest page of the book and could not help but heave a sigh. The writing was excellent, and having someone by her side made the afternoon even better. Luke heard the sound of her closing the book and asked, "Finished reading?" "Yes. The book was good." Luca tilted her head and stared at Luke. "How''s the work going?" "Efficiency is high. It wouldn¡¯t be a problem to keep youpany tonight," replied Luke. His lips curled into a mischievous smile. Luca¡¯s cheeks turned rosy again. There was still a hint of flirtatiousness in his tone when he said that. "It''s gettingte. I''m washing my face first," said Luca. She rose to her feet. She had been sitting in one position for a long time, and her legs felt a bit numb. The next moment, she identally stumbled onto the sofa. The wicked chair had a cushion, so her quick descent did not feel particrly painful. Luke was startled by her sudden movement and asked, "What''s the matter?" "My legs are a bit numb." Luca''s face blushed slightly. She did not expect her legs to go numb. In fact, she had noticed it but she was too focused on Luke. His captivating pheromones were so potent that she did not realize her legs had gone numb. She stood up too swiftly and ended up plopping onto the sofa with surprising speed. "Did you hurt yourself?" Luke asked with concern. He had been watching her. However, Luca''s fall happened too quickly for him to react. He could only watch her stand up and instantly fall onto the sofa before he could rescue her. "I''m fine. It''s not too painful. There''s a cushion on the chair." Luca shook her head. "Okay," replied Luke. He turned to the side to help her massage her legs. "Is it numb here?" Luca grimaced and answered, "Both legs are numb..." "Let me massage them." Luke saw the grimace look on her face. He could not bear to let her suffer, so he started massaging her legs. His slender fingers started from the ankles, gently working their way up to the slender calves. Luke continued massaging higher, and as he kneaded Luca''s thighs, the air became increasingly filled with a sense of amorousness. Luca''s face was like a vivid rose, now adorned with a blush of crimson, covering her fair cheeks. She even felt that the areas on her legs he had massaged were growing warmer... Luca pulled back her legs, sat cross-legged, and said, "Alright, it''s not numb anymore." "Bea..." Luke''s voice gradually became more suggestive. "Pulling them back won''t change anything." Luca understood his intentions and quickly reminded, "It''s gettingte. We still have dinner with Evan After that, she sprang up from the sofa like a rabbit and headed into the bathroom. Luke shook his head helplessly when he saw that. She was really a cunning little rabbit, hiding from him and darting into the bathroom. Was he the big bad wolf? Luke''s eyes were filled with dissatisfaction, but he reluctantly held back at the thought of having dinner with Evanter. They still had a few days. He had plenty of time tonight. Besides, the kids were not around. No one would disturb them tonight. Even if she tried to escape, there was no way she could get away. Chapter 3068 Big bad wolf, huh? His favorite was definitely the little bunny. Luke wore a confident smile and then continued with his work. After calming down in the bathroom for a while, Luca washed her face and walked out of the bathroom. While Luke watched her, she opened her luggage, found a dress, and then walked back into the bathroom to change. The moment the bathroom door closed, she heard Luke''s voice, "Actually, it¡¯s okay to change here, because we''re going out for dinnerter, and I can''t do anything to you." Luca''s face turned red at once. "No." After that, she closed the door and recalled Luke''s teasing voice. She locked the door, changed out of her wrinkled clothes, and put on the dress. She knew what the dinner tonight meant, so she chose an appropriate outfit that would not embarrass Luke. After changing into the dress, she sshed some cold water on her face. Then, she examined herself in the mirror carefully. She had slept wellst night, so there were no dark circles, and her skin was in good condition. She remembered her days working at Brilliant without much makeup, and she decided to skip it this time. She pushed open the door and saw Luke still working by the sofa. She asked, "Does the Turner family have any background?" "It''s considered a family..." answered Luke. Evan''s family was wealthier than many families in A City, but they were not on the same level as the Crawford, Mallory, and Holston families. Essentially, one could say these families did not really see much value in the Turner family''s wealth. Luca was puzzled for a moment but then thought about Shireen''s status as an illegitimate child. It dawned on her. A man without a wealthy family background would not easily engage in reckless behavior. However, considering the Turner family''s wealth, why would Evan choose to work for Luke instead of his own family? Why not work in his own family''s business? Why would he work for anotherpany? Luca asked, "Why did Evane to work at Watson?" "Evan''s father racked up a lot of romantic debts outside. Shireen wasn¡¯t the only one. So, for the Turner family, the one thing they don''tck is an heir," exined Luke. Luca widened her eyes, finding it unbelievable. She had never heard of the Turner family before, probably because it was not as prominent as the Crawford, Mallory, and Holston families. However, men from these families, even if they were promiscuous, would not easily leave behind multiple heirs. Too many heirs would onlyplicate matters for the one involved in those romantic entanglements. The family had to guard against problems popping up everywhere, simr to the wealthy families in Hokona. However, the Turner family seemed particrly unique... Based on what Luke told her, was the situation with the Turner family not simr to those high-society families in Hokona? "So, did Evan get pushed out by other heirs?" Luca asked with more curiosity. Luke saw potential in Evan, which meant that he must be capable. A child born in wedlock with real capabilities would not easily lose to others, right? It could not be that it was just the Turner family''s genes that made every heir outstanding, right. "Not really. It''s just that the head of the Turner family assigns a task to each heir, a two-year challenge to make achievements outside the Turner family without relying on their family. The one with the best results gets shares in the Turner Corporation." Luke was aware of the Turner family''s wager. This challenge was treated as a joke in high society. Everyoneughed at the womanizer from the Turner family who not only had affairs everywhere but also left offspring all over the ce. Leaving offspring was one thing, but the crucial part was that they were not biased toward the children born to the legitimate wife, which was quite heartless. After all, Evan''s abilities were outstanding. It was quite absurd to reject such a capable heir and make himpete with the other heirs. Making them establish a career without relying on the Turner family''s funds? Such challenges weremon in Hokona upper-ss families. However, those families were usually Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. each other. In contrast, the Turner family did not even provide the necessary funds, which made them be a subject of mockery. Still, everyone understood that the Turner family''s wealth could not be distributed among thepeting heirs, or else the family would notst. Luca was rendered speechless when she heard the challenge. "Really, all sorts of things happen..." Luca could not help but exim. Luke nodded. "Yes. When Evan saw the job opening at Watson, he came to my office for an interview. I knew him and considered it, but since Evan wasn''t applying for a position at T Corporation headquarters, and even if heter did something to betray thepany, it wouldn''t have much impact. So, I agreed to hire him." Before Luke hired Evan, he hesitated due to his background. However, considering Evan''s good qualifications and the fact that the Turner family was not involved in the pharmaceutical industry, Luke decided to let him join. With someone like Evan as the general manager, he felt reassured about Watson. As for the other heirs, Luke did not bother to investigate. The Turner family''s final choice did not really have any significant connection to him. "The stories behind all this are quite unexpected," Luca could not help but sigh. "Poor Shireen." Families like the Turner family always valued boys the most. As a girl, Shireen probably was not of much use to the family head. At best, she would serve as a tool for the family''s arranged marriages. However, recalling Shireen''s history, she had been working part-time since high school, supporting herself through college until she graduated with a master''s degree. A girl who managed to pay for her tuition fees in high school might have not received any help from the Turner family. Therefore, it was doubtful that she would be a pawn in the Turner family''s arranged marriages. In summary, just because she was a girl, Shireen did not receive much favor from her family. "Are you ready?" Luke was unaware of Shireen''s situation and didn''t sympathize with her. Even though family backgrounds were not something they could choose, how they lived their lives was still within their control. Just like Luke... He was the result of Zachary Crawford''s affair, a legacy left behind by Allison''s scheme. However, he managed to carve out his own path in the world. People said he was lucky. Even though Zachary had a wandering eye and yed the field romantically, he was cautious and did not leave behind any other illegitimate children. However, Luke knew that even if Zachary had left him with numerouspetitors, it wouldn''t have mattered. As long as Old Master Crawford gave him an opportunity, he could stand out among thepetition. He was part of the Crawford family. He had the ruthless determination that Old Master Crawford showed in the business world, and his unique investment insights were qualities that others could not surpass. These qualities were not innate talents. They were the result of years of continuous learning and practical experience. Luke knew that he needed to be tough on himself to seize more opportunities. "Alright. It¡¯s done. Do you want to change into another outfit?" asked Luca. Even though Luke had apanied her for a while, he had not turned or moved much, so his clothes were not wrinkled. "No need, I''ll stick with this one," replied Luke. Even though Evan was from the Turner family, now that he worked for him, there was no need to be too formal. Chapter 3069 Luca nodded and then left with him. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. While Luca was changing her clothes, Luke already notified Warren. When the two of them arrived downstairs, Warren was already waiting in the parking lot. After both of them got into the car, Luke said to Warren, "Head to the hotel we booked." "Yes, sir." Warren drove away. The restaurant was not far from the vi. It took Warren five minutes to arrive at the restaurant''s entrance. Luke said to Luca, "We''re here. Let¡¯s go." "Okay." Luca nodded and got out of the car with him. After getting out of the car, she heard him say, "Mr. Mullen invited the chef of this restaurant to cook for us at the Crawfords'' ancestral home." Luca nodded, wondering if Luke had made the arrangements for this restaurant at thest minute. If it was arrangedst minute, it was probably because he knew she liked the chef''s cooking. The two of them entered the restaurant and were guided by a waitress into a private room. The room was notrge, but it was elegantly decorated. Evan was already sitting there, waiting for them. When Evan saw them being led in by the waitress, he stood up and greeted them, "Good evening, Mr. Crawford, Dr. Craw." "Good evening." Luke did not behave arrogantly toward Evan because he was from the Turner family. Even though he was currently working for himself, he had to show him some respect. Although Luca was not happy that Evan wanted her to teach at the university, she greeted him at the thought of him being Shireen¡¯s brother, "Good evening, General Manager." "You don¡¯t have to address me like that outside the office, Dr. Craw." Evan smiled when he heard how Luca had addressed him. Although the Turner family was not asrge as the Crawford family, they were still a big family. It was pretty ironic that someone from a family with some fame had to work at Luke''s branch. "You''re the general manager of thepany. It''s fine for me to address you like this." Luca was not swayed by his faint smile. If she were Bianca, maybe she could leverage her rtionship with Shireen. However, her identity was Luca now. Considering she was his subordinate, she had to be careful about many things. She could not give others a chance to undermine her. "Alright." Evan did not insist on her calling him by name. Luca could do as she pleased. As the woman standing beside Luke, she could be more confident than others. After the waitress heard them exchange pleasantries, she asked in a low voice, "Mr. Crawford, should we serve the dishes now?" "Yes, please. The wine too,¡± replied Luke. Wine? Luca was slightly surprised. Even though Evan was from the Turner family, he was now working for Luke. There did not seem to be a need to drink in such a situation... That was what Luca thought, but she did not say anything. She knew she had to maintain Luke''s reputation. She knew she should not ask at this moment out of consideration for Luke. Luke said to Evan, "Mr. Turner, you don''t mind if we have a drink, right?" "No problem. Just having a little won''t affect things tomorrow." Evan still wore that gentle smile of his. He and Luke were different types of people. Luke was always cold and distant toward everyone. He had an imposing presence. Evan, on the other hand, always wore a warm expression on his face no matter when he was facing Luke or Luca. He was not intimidating, making it feel like anyone could approach him. However, Luca knew this was not his true nature. If someone like him came from that kind of family and was truly as gentle as he appeared, he might have already been trampled to the ground by others. However, he was still the most capable heir in the Turner family. He was also the most promising one in the eyes of many. That was Evan''s true nature, not this facade. A wolf in sheep''s clothing. He was someone who always wore a smile on his face yet harbored venomous intentions inside. He might be waiting for the right moment to strike a fatal blow to hispetitors. However, Luca knew Luke would not choose someone who would harm T Corporation''s interests. She could trust Evan in work matters, but a person like Evan was not suitable to be a friend. Luke nodded without saying anything more. After the waitress left, the door to the private room was pushed open again. Dish after dish was brought in. Luca nced and indeed saw some dishes she enjoyed during lunch. After the dishes were served, a bottle of white wine was brought over. The waitress said, "Mr. Crawford, here''s the wine you requested." "Just leave it there. If I don''t ask for you, don¡¯te in," said Luke, indicating that the waitress need not attend to them. The young waitress looked deeply at Luke. Her eyes could not help but reveal a hint of fascination. After she heard that he did not need her service, she showed a touch of disappointment and left. After the door to the private room closed, Evan rose to his feet, picked up the white wine, and poured a ss for Luke first. He then turned to Luca and asked, "Dr. Craw, would you like some wine?" "I can''t handle alcohol, General Manager. Please go ahead." Luca declined. She did not want to drink because she had not taken any hangover medicine. If Luke had told her in advance that they would be drinking tonight, she would have definitely taken a pill beforehand. However, since Luke did not mention it, it meant she did not have to drink tonight. "Alright." Evan did not force her to drink either. After all, she was Luke''s woman. If he forced her to drink, he might have to find another job. He knew he was outstanding, and there would be people vying to hire him in otherpanies. Still, he could not go to anotherpany. His excellence could only be fully utilized at Luke''spany. Evan had no intention of jeopardizing his job. If he wanted to win, he had to work at Luke''spany¡ªpreferably in a position like the general manager. Regardless of which branch of Luke''spany it was, as long as he sat in the general manager position, he had the greatest chance of sess. Evan poured himself a ss of white wine, set down the bottle, and raised his ss toward Luke. "Mr. Crawford, here''s to you." Luke also raised his ss. He gave a slight nod and took a sip, acknowledging him. Then, he nced at Luca, who had not touched her food yet. He whispered, "We¡¯ll drink for a bit. Enjoy your dinner." "Okay." Luca nodded, picked up her cutlery, and began to take the food she liked. Evan watched them and could not help but secretly exim at how doting Luke was toward Luca. Luke was watching Luca eat her dinner. After a while, his gaze shifted to Evan, who was sitting across from him. He asked, "Mr. Turner, what are your thoughts on thisworking event?" Although it was already decided for him to attend thisworking event, Evan did not have any particr thoughts on it. After all, suchworking events were quite dull to him. His reason for choosing to attend was simple. It was to expand hiswork. Even though the attendees of thisworking event were not big yers in the industry, Luke''s decision to attend it meant it would be extraordinary. His participation made many pharmaceuticalpany bosses take notice. Chapter 3070 Evan said, "Originally, this was just a small industryworking event, but I got wind of the news that Mr. Crawford is confirmed to attend. This has made many otherpany''s bosses take notice and express their intention to join as well. "So, the number of participants in this event is definitely going to be higher than otherrge-scale industry events." Luke nodded. He was already aware of this. "There''ll be a lot of people attending this event, Mr. Turner. I need you to help me with something," said Luke. Evan knew there must be another reason why Luke suddenly decided to attend this event. Perhaps he had something else that needed to be done. However, as an employee, he was not allowed to pry into the boss'' privacy. "Mr. Crawford, please go ahead.¡± "I need you to gather information about every herbalist and pharmaceutical vendor at the conference. Find out what herbs they have on their sales lists," said Luke. Evan thought Luke would assign him a challenging task, but he did not expect it to be this... Typically, when herbal merchants and farmers participated in such industryworking events, they would have a detailed list of the medicinal herbs they were offering for sale. As soon as someone approached their booth, they would hand out these lists to everyone. They aimed to attract more business opportunities. Therefore, the task Luke gave him was not difficult. "Yes, sir." Evan immediately agreed. He could not refuse it anyway since it was a task assigned by the boss. Luke saw him agree readily and reminded him, "I''m not just interested in the herbs openly sold by these merchants but also those they keep hidden. If you can, find out about those too." Only now did Evan realize that Luke''s task was not as simple as he thought. To know what treasures the merchants had, he would need to converse with them. There would be many booths at the industryworking event, teeming with people inside and out. He would have to engage in conversations, exchange business cards, and probe them for information. Evan suddenly felt the pressure, but pressure brought motivation. This was the first task assigned by Luke, and he attached great importance to its oue. He had to do it well. "Mr. Crawford, rest assured. Although I don''t know what herbs you''re interested in, I''ll handle it well," promised Evan. If he could not handle such a small task well, there was no point inpeting for the inheritance rights with the other heirs of the Turner family. Everything in the Turner family must belong to him and no one else... Evan secretly swore to himself. As Evan epted the task, Luke knew it was not something he could do alone. Hence, he added, "Don''t worry, I''ll send someone to help. You''ll only have to follow their lead and gather information from the corresponding merchants." "Yes, sir." Evan let out a sigh of relief when he heard that someone would assist him.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Luca listened to their conversation without saying a word. She knew Luke had a different purpose in assigning this task to Evan. She had mentioned Shanks before she took her nap. Shanks had left the Ind of Despair now. Even though they did not know if he was in X City or A City, there must be a reason why Abel was appearing at thisworking event. They did not know why Abel would show up here, but at least they had a direction to follow now. No matter how they looked at it, it was not a waste of effort. Luke talked with Evan again. Evan studied abroad, so they had somemon topics. Luke also discussed matters about the Turner family with Evan. Evan expressed his intentions. There was a reason why he chose to apply for the general manager position at Watson. Luke was influential, and T Corporation was also powerful. Being a senior executive at Watson meant there would be a chance to build a rtionship with Luke. The Turner family''spanies would have more opportunities for cooperation in the future. This was his biggest advantage when facing hispetitors. Having the opportunity to establish stable cooperation with T Corporation was equivalent to telling others that this was a business opportunity. Luke listened to him and also indicated that if he could manage the Turner family''spanies in the future, there might indeed be opportunities for cooperation. Evan was very excited. He raised his ss and toasted Luke with it. He almost finished his drink in one gulp. Luke also took a hearty swig of his drink when he saw that. Luke and Evan talked about many things when they were having the meal. Just like that, they finished a bottle of wine. Of course, most of the time, it was Evan toasting Luke. The remaining part was Luke responding to Evan''s toasts. However, this amount of alcohol was nothing for them. After the meal, Luke paid the bill. After that, the three of them got into Warren''s car together. Luke said to Warren, "Take us back to the Crawfords'' ancestral home. You can go back to the hotel after that." "Yes, sir," replied Warren. When he was about to drive, he noticed that Evan, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, had not fastened his seatbelt. Thus, he reminded him, "Mr. Turner, please fasten your seatbelt." Evan nced down and realized he had not fastened his seatbelt. He smiled awkwardly and said, "I got a bit carried away with the drinking. Thanks for reminding me." Warren nodded. After Evan fastened his seatbelt, Warren drove off. He first took Luke and Luca back to the Crawfords'' ancestral home before leaving. There were still people in the car, so Luke asked Warren to stop at the gate. After Luke and Luca got out of the car, they walked hand-in-hand toward the house. It was a summer night. The breeze gently swept away the daytime heat, bringing a hint of coolness. However, Luke had been drinking, and the alcohol fermenting in his body still made him feel a bit warm. He unbuttoned the top two buttons with one hand. "Feeling hot?" Luca understood why he did that. After all, he had just been drinking high-proof liquor with Evan. Even though both of them had a good tolerance for alcohol, strong liquor would definitely make one feel hot. "Yeah, a bit," admitted Luke. There was no need to pretend in front of her. He straightforwardly said, "The alcohol content of the liquor was too high." "Why did you choose it, then? Do you know drinking this type of liquor can easily upset your stomach?" asked Luca as she looked at the fine beads of sweat on his forehead. She stopped walking and wiped them away for him. The liquor was ordered by Luke. If he did not want to drink such strong liquor, he could have chosen another type of liquor. There were plenty of other options in the restaurant. "I didn''t wish to order it either. It''s just that Evan loves this kind of liquor," exined Luke, enjoying her gentle touch while also winking at her. Luca''s stray hair on the side of her ear danced in the wind beforending on her cheek. Luke lifted his hand and tucked the stray hair behind her ear. "The restaurant didn''t have that kind of liquor, so I had Warren specifically buy it from the supermarket and bring it to the restaurant." "You even found out what kind of liquor he likes..." Luca was a bit surprised. The Crawford family did not need to please the Turner family at all. Hence, she found Luke''s behavior a little surprising. Chapter 3071 "If he can smoothly be the sessor of the Turner family, it would benefit the expansion of T Corporation''s new businesses," said Luke. Thepany''s development could not stand still. After establishing a foothold in every business sector, the marketing department would shift its focus to other industries. For instance, once the previous branch stabilized, Watson was found. After Watson stabilized and became profitable, it was time to prepare for the nextpany. This multi-sector development ensured that T Group would not be easily undermined by malicious intent. After all, no otherpany rivaled T Corporation in their ability to diversify across multiple sectors. Any potential attacks would only affect specific sectors. In the event of an attack on one sector, resources from other sectors could provide support, allowing thepany to maintain a steadfast position in the market. This was what Old Master Crawford taught Luke, and it was something he hade to understand time and time again. "You don''t actually need to please the Turner family, so it turns out you have such ns. Look at you, sweating profusely. Let''s go inside. I''ll turn on the air conditionerter to make it morefortable," said Luca. "Okay." Luke moved forward in step with her. Then, he added, "I¡¯d like to have some hangover tea." "You''re not even drunk." Luca knew what he wanted. He only wanted her attention and concern after drinking. "But drinking such strong alcohol made me ufortable," replied Luke. Luca smiled, shook her head, and said, "Alright, I''ll make it for you. But I''m not sure how it''ll taste because I don''t know what ingredients are left in the kitchen." "It''s okay. The hangover tea you make will surely be the best." Luke released her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist. The two walked into the living room together. Mr. Muller was sitting on the couch in the living room, reading a book. When he heard footsteps, he put down the book, took off his reading sses, and said, "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, you''re back." As soon as he finished speaking, he could smell the alcohol on Luke''s body and asked, "Mr. Crawford, have you been drinking?" "Yes, just a little." Luke nodded, released Luca''s waist, and sat on the couch. Mr. Muller replied, "Then shall I prepare hangover tea for you?" "No need to bother. Luca will prepare it," answered Luke as he sat on the couch. Mr. Muller felt a bit awkward and said, "How can I do that? The kitchen work shouldn''t be Ms. Craw¡¯s job..." "I''m used to her hangover tea. I can''t drink the tea made by others, nor do I like it." Luke looked at Mr. Muller with a slightly cold gaze and reminded him, "It''s gettingte. You don''t need to wait here. Go to rest." Mr. Muller understood the implied meaning. He should not stay here and disturb their private time. He immediately nodded and left. As Luca watched Mr. Muller walk toward the housekeeper¡¯s quarters, Luca nced helplessly at Luke. "I haven''t even asked Mr. Muller what ingredients are avable to make the hangover tea..." "Let me go with you and find them," said Luke as he rose to his feet. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. The living room''s air conditioning was on full st. While they were chatting with Mr. Muller, Luke could feel a lot of the heat dissipating from his body. When he heard what Luca said, he wanted to apany her to the kitchen to find the ingredients for the hangover tea. "It¡¯s okay. I''ll go by myself. You should rest." Luca shook her head helplessly. "I want to be with you.¡± Luke had been speaking more than usual due to the alcohol. "And I''m not so drunk that I''m unaware of my surroundings. I can walk straight and think." With that, he took Luca''s hand and walked toward the kitchen without waiting for her consent. Luca could only indulge in his little tantrum. He was especially adorable after drinking, unlike those who would simply lie down on the bed or couch after drinking. Luke not only talked more but also became particrly clingy... Even though Luke usually liked to stick close to Luca, it was differentpared to his behavior after drinking. The two entered the kitchen. Luca opened the fridge first and looked at the ingredients inside. Mr. Muller knew they would be staying here for a few days, so he had prepared plenty of ingredients¡ª not to mention some expensive imported beverages... Luca selected a few usable ingredients and then said to Luke, who was rummaging through the cupboard beside her. "Look for some honey." "Honey? I''ll look for it." Luke did not like sweet things, but adding honey to the hangover tea made by Luca did not seem like a bad idea. After all, he had it before, and his stomach felt veryfortable afterward. Luca noticed the dazed expression on Luke¡¯s face and shook her head helplessly. She put the ingredients in her hand aside and opened the cupboard to search for honey. Since honey had to be kept in a cool ce, she finally found a bottle of honey in a corner. The bottle of honey had not been opened yet. Luca nced at the production date and shelf life. Although it could not be considered fresh, it was still within the shelf life, so it would not harm anyone. Thus, she picked up a knife, cut open the stic seal, and opened the bottle of honey. "What kind of hangover tea are you going to make for me?" Luke saw her starting to get busy and obediently stood by the wall, trying not to disturb her. Luca saw him behave like a well-behaved elementary school student. She raised the ingredients in her hand and said, "I''m going to make some honey ginger tea. How does that sound?" "Great." Luke smiled. His gaze softened with warmth. Luca asked, "You''re agreeing so readily. Aren''t you afraid it''ll taste bad?" "Anything you make won''t taste bad. Besides, even if it did, I''d still drink it without hesitation since you''re the one who made it," Luke said confidently. Even if Luca were to offer him poison, he would drink it without hesitation. Moreover, Luca would never give him poison. She would not make the tea taste bad just to force him to drink it. Luca shook her head. Indeed... It had been almost 20 years since shest messed up with food. She seemed to have a certain talent for cooking. She had only made not-so-tasty dishes when she first started cooking. Perhaps it was because she was still young then and could not distinguish between salt and sugar, resulting in strange-tasting food. Apart from that, all the food she made was delicious. "If you''re tired, you can sit in the living room for a while. I''ll be done here soon," Luca reminded him. "It''s okay. I enjoy watching you. Watching you doesn''t tire me at all." Luke grinned. Luca could only let him be and quickly prepared the hangover tea for him. "Done." She picked up a mug, scooped some of the tea into it, and then looked at the person beside her. "Let''s go to the dining room and have it." "Alright," replied Luke. "Could you help me get a spoon?" Luca remembered that she had not brought a spoon, so she asked him. Luke turned around, took out a spoon from the sterilizer, and then hurriedly walked out of the kitchen. Luca had already ced the tea on the dining table. She looked at him with a smile on his face. "I haven''t tasted this hangover tea yet. Can you check if I messed up?" "Anything made by you is perfect," replied Luke as he sat down. He stirred the tea with the spoon and quietly sipped on it. Luca sat beside him. Supporting her chin with one hand, she nced at Luke''s hair. She could not help but lightly stroke it. The stray strands slightly pricked her hand. "You should get your hair trimmed after we get back to A City." Chapter 3072 Luke lifted his gaze, smiled at her, and said, "Alright, then you''ll apany me." "You''re already a grown-up. Why are you still acting like a child? Do you really need me to apany you for a haircut?" Luca knew that Luke was not usually like this. The reason he was acting like this now was because he had been drinking. However, even after he drank, he would not act this way toward just anyone. This was a special treatment reserved for her. Luca was aware of the special treatment Luke was giving her. She reached out and touched his hair, feeling the slightly prickly sensation. She found it amusing. Since the hangover tea was hot, Luke was drinking it very slowly. After Luke finished the tea, Luca rose to her feet and cleaned the empty mug. When she turned around, she found him standing by the kitchen door waiting for her. "It''s gettingte. Let''s go upstairs and rest," suggested Luca. She was still a bit nervous at the thought of meeting Abel tomorrow. She thought she needed to rest early to face tomorrow with a good mental state. Even though Luke did not seem to mind right now, Luca knew that tomorrow would be a test for both of them. "Alright." Luke nodded, allowing Luca to assist him upstairs. The two headed upstairs together. After arriving in the bedroom, Luca took out a set of pajamas from Luke''s suitcase and turned to the man standing beside her. "Would you like to take a bath?" "No, just a shower." Luke''s eyes were misty, making him look as endearing as a pet. After Luca noticed that, she did not say anything to preserve his reputation. Instead, she held his hand and walked into the bathroom. After she hung his clothes, she even considerately helped him to adjust the water temperature. Then, she said, "Take a shower first." "Let''s do it together." Luke did not let go of her hand. As Luca looked into his misty eyes and his pitiful appearance, she said helplessly, "No, you shower by yourself first." "Aren''t you afraid I''ll fall?" Luke said pitifully. He deliberately swayed his body to make it look like he was very drunk and about to fall at any moment. Luca knew he was trying to evoke her sympathy. At the same time, she also knew that he was fooling around. She said helplessly, "Are you really that drunk? Weren''t you fine when we left the restaurant just now?" "I wasn''t drunk then,¡± exined Luke. "I feel terrible now. I can''t stand firm by myself." After he said that, he swayed his body again to show that he could not stand firm. He then leaned against the wall of the bathroom. Seeing through it all, Luca realized that while enjoying her special treatment, there were also certain things she had to endure. For instance, his shameless behavior... Luca said, "Oh, I see. Then don''t bother showering. Just go to sleep, okay?" She knew that Luke was obsessed with cleanliness. If he did not take a shower, there was no way he would be able to sleep. When Luke heard what she said, he shook his head. "No, I can''t sleep without taking a shower." Luca took a deep breath. She still wore a smile on her face. "Luke, if the kids see you in such a state, they might think you''ve been reced or something." Luke''s once cold and stern gaze now appeared pitiful. He said, "I''m drunk." "Yes, you''re drunk. So, I''ll give you two options." Luca raised her first finger. "First, you take a bath and I''ll help you clean your body." "What''s the second option?" Luke had no intention of taking a bath. He usually did not like baths, except in certain situations. For instance, if Luca were to join him for a bath, then he would consider it. However, it was clear that Luca was not suggesting they take a bath together. She was offering to help him wash his body, which he did not want. Getting a woman to help him with his bath? That was so embarrassing. He was not really drunk. Luca continued, "The second option is for you to take a shower by yourself. I know you''re not really drunk. You''re just pretending." When Luke heard this, he put away his pitiful gaze, stepped forward, extended his long arms, and pulled her into his arms. Before Luca could react, he pressed her against the wall. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Luke looked down at her. Luca took in the smell of alcohol in the steamy bathroom. She said, "You should quickly take a shower." "Bea, why don''t you cherish this opportunity?" said Luke as he held her hand and ced it on his chest. Luca could feel Luke''s strong heartbeat, which resonated with her own heartbeat. She felt like her heart was about to jump out of her chest. It seemed to want to merge with his. "What''s wrong? Since you''re not really drunk, hurry up and take a shower. It''s gettingte.¡± Luca quickly walked out after that. Luke remained in the bathroom. He felt helpless as he looked at Luca, who was clueless. If only... As the thought crossed his mind, Luke felt a sensation. At the same time, Luca''s voice sounded. "Hurry up and shower. I need to shower too." Luke chuckled softly. Indeed, she was clueless... Luke quickly took a shower and walked out of the bathroom wearing only a bathrobe. The loose belt was tied around his waist, revealing his good figure. Luca could not help but swallow her saliva. He was captivating... Despite working year-round, Luke still maintained a good physique. As she gazed at the beautiful sight before her, she quickly walked to the dressing table and found the hairdryer. "Dry your hair while I take a shower." After that, she walked into the bathroom with her pajamas. When she saw Luke''s pajamas still hanging in the bathroom, she picked them up, hurriedly walked out, and ced them on the bed. She reminded him, "Hurry up and change into your pajamas. "The air conditioning is cold. It won''t be good if you catch a coldter." Then, she darted into the bathroom like an arrow. Luke knew that Luca was shy. Luke nced at his body and felt pleased with himself. He had doubted earlier whether Luca still found him attractive. Her series of actions a moment ago reassured him that he still had charm. Furthermore, she could not resist his charm. Otherwise, she would not have rushed into the bathroom like that. Luke curved his lips in satisfaction and walked to the dressing table to dry his hair. Luca was right. His hair had grown longer, and he should get it trimmed when he returned. After drying his hair, he listened to the sound of water in the bathroom and could not help but walk to the bathroom door. He stood there and said to the person inside, "Bea, it''s gettingte. Don''t take too long to shower. We need to rest early." Luca, who was showering in the bathroom, was stunned for a moment. Her emotions, which had finally calmed down, suddenly erupted. Her heartbeat elerated uncontrobly, and her cheeks blushed uncontrobly. Her face was red, as though she had identally been scalded by hot water. However, Luca knew it was not because of the hot water. It was because she was shy about what Luke said earlier. She responded softly, "Okay." When she thought about tomorrow''s matters, she hastened her shower routine. Chapter 3073 After taking a shower, Luca put on her pajamas and wrapped a towel around her head. She opened the bathroom door and walked out. Luke''s eyes sparkled like stars. The moment he saw hering out, he smiled. "Done with your shower?" "Yes. Is your hair dry?" asked Luca while ncing at his hair. It seemed dry. "Yes, it''s dry. Short hair has its advantages," replied Luke. Short hair dried quickly. "I''ll dry my hair first," said Luca as she sat in front of the dressing table. She noticed that all her makeup and skincare products were on the table. She nced at Luke. "I noticed you hadn''t taken them out yet, so I took them out for you," said Luke. He walked behind her and picked up the hairdryer. "Let''s save some time. You do your skincare and I''ll help you with your hair." "Okay." Luca felt like she might be overthinking it. Was he implying something with this suggestion... Luca immediately dismissed her own thoughts. It definitely was not what she was thinking. He was probably talking about going to bed. They needed to be in their best condition for tomorrow''s events. Luke did not notice Luca''s thoughts. He simply turned on the hairdryer and started drying her hair. While drying Luca¡¯s hair and using his fingers as ab, he smoothed her long hair bit by bit. He asionally massaged her scalp. Luca enjoyed his attentive service and began her skincare routine. She definitely needed to put on makeup for tomorrow¡¯s event. Therefore, she had to ensure her skincare routine was thorough so that her makeup would look wless tomorrow. Once her hair was dry, Luca finished her skincare routine and started applying hand cream. Luke ced the hairdryer back and said, "I never realized you used so many skincare products on your face." Even though he could not name any of them, he noticed that Luca''s skincare routine was more borate than usual. Compared to now, it used to be much simpler. "I''ll have to wear makeup tomorrow, and with the weather being so hot, I have to take good care of my skin for the makeup to stay put," exined Luca. "If the makeup doesn''t stay put, by the time theworking event is over, my makeup will have melted." "That makes sense." Luke''s eyes lit up. He asked, "So, are you all done now?" "Yes, I''m done." Luca nodded. "Great." Excitement flickered in Luke''s eyes. He stepped forward and lifted her up into his arms. "Then let''s go to bed." The way he said thest sentence made Luca''s heart skip a beat. The transition from excitement to huskiness in his voice was too obvious. She seemed unable to reject this change. Luca could onlyply with his suggestion and let him carry her to the bed. After that... When Luca woke up the following day, she shifted her body slightly. Surprisingly, she did not feel as sore as she had expected. There was some difort, but it was bearable. Luca thought Luke must have been thinking about today''s events, which was why he spared herst night. However, she knew deep down that it was not a good thing since Luke did that. Whatever wascking yesterday would be made up for tonight... Unless something unpleasant happened during theworking event... Luca did not linger in bed when she thought about theworking event that would be held today. She immediately got out of bed and went into the bathroom to freshen up. Luke was not in the bedroom. She figured he must have already gotten up and gotten busy with something. After Luca freshened up, she headed downstairs. Sure enough, Luke was sitting on a dining room chair, dealing with work matters. "You''re awake," Luke greeted her as she walked in. He gestured for her to sit beside him. Luca nodded and took a seat next to him. "Why are you up so early?" "I slept wellst night. That''s why I woke up early," replied Luke as he clicked the mouse to send a work email he had written to Jason. Luca nodded and yawned. "Why are you yawning? Did you not sleep well?" asked Luke. He was concerned and slightly frustrated at the same time. He had made sure he did not overindulgest night, so it should not have affected her sleep... "No, I''m just yawning," replied Luca. After that, Mr. Muller brought them breakfast. "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, are you not having lunch at home today?" Mr. Muller confirmed with them. If Luke and Luca were not having lunch at the Crawfords'' ancestral home, he would not prepare anything to avoid wasting ingredients. "Yes, we have an event to attend today, so we won''t be having lunch at home,¡± answered Luke. "We Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. also won''t be having dinner here tonight, so you don''t need to prepare anything." "Understood." Mr. Muller nodded and then turned around to leave. "Let''s have breakfast first." Luca ced a smoothie in front of him. Luke closed hisptop and ced it on the chair next to him before joining her for breakfast. After breakfast, Luca went upstairs to do her makeup. She would be meeting Abel today, so she applied light makeup to make herself look fresh without being too shy. Luca paused for a moment while she was applying the lipstick. She was thinking of Abel. She never imagined she would one day willingly meet Abel with Luke... Luca guessed that Abel probably knew by now that Luke would be attending this industryworking event. She shook her head at the thought of it. She would stand by Luke''s side no matter what. With this goal in mind, Luca felt less apprehensive. She toned down the lipstick on her lips. She looked fresh but not overly conspicuous. Then, she changed into the professional suitid out on the bed. The weather was hot today, so Luca opted for a thinner professional suit to avoid feeling ufortable from sweatingter. After changing, she tied her hair up into a ponytail. Luca put on a pair of diamond earrings she prepared earlier. She exuded a youthful and polished vibe, as well as remarkable efficiency. Once she finished dressing up, Luke walked in. His eyes lit up seeing her in this outfit. "How do I look?" Luca adjusted the hem of her jacket and asked. "You look great, really great," Lukeplimented with a smile. Luca gave him a smile when she heard his praise. She inevitably felt nervous when she thought about meeting Abel today, but having Luke by her side temporarily eased that tension. Hence, she felt much better. "I''ll change and then we can head out," said Luke. He was about to change out of his pajamas right in front of her. Luca quickly closed the door when she saw that. ¡°Could you please be a little more mindful?" "The kids aren''t here. Mr. Muller won''te up either." Luke shrugged. Besides, only Luca had the privilege of watching him. Luca blushed slightly. To ease her own embarrassment, she handed Luke his clothes. First, she handed him the shirt and then the pants. Finally, she passed him his suit jacket. Chapter 3074 After Luke put on the clothes, Luca helped him arrange the essories, such as cufflinks, handkerchiefs, and pens. He ced them where they belonged. Atst, she frowned and looked up at him. "Isn''t it too formal?" "Let''s skip the handkerchief," replied Luke. "That''s a good idea. I''ll just put some wet wipes in my bagter." Luca agreed and took away the handkerchief. "That''s much better. Let me help you with your tie." She picked up a neatly ironed tie and skillfully tied it for him. She then smiled in satisfaction. "You look handsome." "Really?" Luke had been hearingpliments about his looks countless times since he was young, but Luca''s praise always made him the happiest. Luca nodded. "Yes, my man is undeniably handsome." She could clearly see a hint of a smile in Luke''s eyes when she praised him, so she continued praising him. Luke was very pleased. "Bea, praise me more in the future, okay?" Luke¡¯s eyes sparkled as he spoke. "Sure, I''ll give you morepliments in the future," replied Luca. She thought of giving him a kiss but stopped when she remembered she had just applied lipstick. She took the initiative to hold his hand and said, "Let''s go. Warren is already waiting for us." "Yes, and Evan," replied Luke. When Warren received his instructions to pick them up, Evan also came along in the car. As they reached the door, Warren was already waiting there. "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, please get in the car," said Warren as he opened the two rear doors. Luca and Luke got into the car together. Evan sat in the passenger seat and greeted them cheerfully, "Mr. Crawford, Dr. Craw, good morning." "Good morning, Mr. Turner," greeted Luca. Since he still addressed her as Dr. Craw, she decided to call him Mr. Turner. Evan smiled and heard Luke say, "Morning." Evan raised an eyebrow. Indeed, Luke was a man of few words... He waspletely different fromst night''s dinner. It seemed that alcohol could make people talk more than usual. Warren did not engage in conversation with them. After Luke and Luca got into the car, he followed suit and drove toward the venue. Evan remained quiet for a few minutes but could not resist asking, "Mr. Crawford, who are you sending to help me? I still don''t know who it is. How should I contact himter?" "Someone will contact youter. Don¡¯t worry," replied Luke. Gale had everything arranged. As for whether Gale or someone else from the venue would handle it, Luke was not sure. That was why he did not introduce Gale to Evan. Gale was one of his trusted assistants. Evan probably did not know about him yet. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Luke did not want to expose Gale in front of Evan. However, everything depended on the situation at the venueter. They had a n, but executing it depended on the specific circumstances. "Okay." Evan did not ask further. Since someone would contact himter, he was not worried about it. He only had to pay more attentionter. The venue for the event was half an hour''s drive from the Crawfords'' ancestral home. There were outsiders present, so Luke and Luca did not exchange any intimate words to avoid being overheard. During this half-hour journey, Luke was engrossed in his phone. He was handling work while Luca looked out of the window and admired the scenery of X City. Even though the scenery passing by in reverse was just some street views, it had some of X City¡¯s unique features, which brought a sense of novelty. Evan nced back and noticed that Luca was not doing anything else but looking out of the window. He could not help but say, "Dr. Craw." Luca came back to her senses. For some reason, she always felt that if Evan was initiating a conversation with her, it would definitely lead to something. It was not entirely unwarranted for her to think so. Last time, when she had a conversation with him in the office, he ended up suggesting that she should teach at Capital University. She had rejected the offer before, but after Evan started managing thepany, he still wanted her to do it. Luca felt quite helpless about it. She had also noticed that while it was easy to reject Dr. Jackson, Evan would not let her off so easily. However, now that Evan had called her, she could not pretend not to hear. She could only brace herself and replied, "Yes, Mr. Turner?" "Dr. Craw, how have you been considering the teaching position at Capital University that I mentioned Yet, it was precisely this kind of fake nice-guy talk that was the hardest to turn down. If Luca refused, she would feel like a terrible person. Luca shot a nce at Luke and noticed that he was also looking at them. She knew she could not rely on Luke''s influence to reject this matter, so she replied, "Mr. Turner, I''ve considered it, but I''m really busy... "Besides, it doesn¡¯t have to be me, right? It''s been a while, and Capital University might have already found a substitute professor, no?" Students had set school hours, so even if a lecturer could not make it to ss due to an unexpected circumstance, another lecturer would step in immediately. It would not result in the students missing the ss altogether. Luca had been thinking about this for days, and since Evan had note to push her, Luca thought that Capital University probably had a solution in ce. She thought that they would not bother her anymore. That was what Luca thought, but reality was not as she imagined. Evan smiled and said, "Ourpany has yet to agree, and the school can''t pause this course. So, they''ve temporarily found another professor to teach them. "But that professor hasn''t taught this course before, and the quality of teaching is indeed subpar. The students also haveints. "Therefore, Capital University contacted me yesterday, hoping that we could send a professor over as soon as possible to teach the students." Luca was rendered speechless. Evan continued, "Actually, I''ve asked other research professors for their opinions, but they''re all deeply involved in crucial experiments and can''t spare the time to prepare teaching materials and give lectures. "Moreover, those research professors are also getting older, and I''m reluctant to have them go through the hassle." Luca was even more speechless. What Evan said left her with no way to refute. Capital University, teaching, giving lectures to students... No matter how she thought about it, she did not feel up to the task. "Mr. Turner, I think I still need some time to consider..." replied Luca. She thought that if she could dy a bit longer, Capital University might find a suitable lecturer to take over the sses. "Dr. Craw, please give me a response as soon as possible..." Evan''s voice trailed off, and Warren''s voice chimed in. "Mr. Crawford, we''ve arrived." After that, he found a parking spot and parked the car. Luke nced out of the window. It was the venue for the industryworking event. He nodded to Luca and said, "We''re here. Let¡¯s go." Chapter 3075 "Okay." Luca nodded. Earlier, she had been admiring the scenery. Later, her conversation with Evan diverted her attention. She had not been thinking about Abel''s matters at all. However, when she saw the venue, she felt a bit nervous. They had arrived... When they enteredter, she could bump into Abel at any moment. She wondered what he would say after seeing her... Abel knew that Luke would attend this industryworking event, but did he also know she would be here? He should know. After all, he had so many people watching her. It was impossible for him not to know. With these thoughts, Luca nced at Luke while feeling reassured. Luke said to Warren, "Come in with us too." "Yes, Boss,¡± replied Warren as he followed Luke and the others into the venue. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Before they even entered the main hall, there were many medicinal farmers and merchants on both sides setting up their stalls. These medicinal farmers and merchants did not have invitations because they did not win the bid. That was why they were outside the venue, setting up stalls to seek out coboration opportunities. As they walked to the entrance of the venue, Luca was already holding many leaflets that were given by those medicinal farmers and merchants. They were printed with the herbs they were prepared to sell. An invitation was required to enter the venue, and the invitation was with Evan. Evan immediately took out the invitation and handed it to the staff at the entrance. The invitation was printed with the correspondingpany''s name to preventrger pharmaceutical The invitation handed over by Evan was marked with Watson Biopharmaceuticals. As soon as the staff members at the entrance saw it was Watson Biopharmaceuticals, their gazes fell on them and locked onto their intended target. One of the staff members spoke into a walkie-talkie, "Mr. Crawford from Watson Biopharmaceuticals has arrived. Mr. Crawford from Watson Biopharmaceuticals has arrived. Over." Another staff member warmly stepped forward and invited, "Mr. Crawford, pleasee in. It was as though the big shot of a leadingpany in the industry had arrived. However, Watson Biopharmaceuticals was just a small presence among the numerous pharmaceutical Luca looked at these people with enthusiastic smiles when they were facing Luke. It was as though he could bring them huge benefits for this event. She felt a little speechless but still followed Luke''s footsteps. She stood on his left while Evan on his right. They followed him into the venue. There were many people in the venue. It was not like a small-scale industryworking event at all. Luca had a premonition that these people were all here for Luke. Sure enough, as soon as the announcement of the arrival of Mr. Crawford from Watson Biopharmaceuticals was made, most people''s gazes fell in their direction. Evan eximed, "Mr. Crawford, you sure have an imposing presence..." Luca shot a nce at Evan. He was still wearing a smile on his face, but this time, it seemed to carry a hint of slynesspared tost night''s dinner. He was like a fox, already calcting what benefits he could gain from this situation. Of course, Luca knew it. Even if Evan was really nning something, it was probably about how to gain more benefits for Watson. "Mr. Turner, let''s catch up." After Luca finished speaking, she scanned the venue but did not see Abel. She knew he had not arrived yet. If he had, she would definitely be able to spot him at a nce. With his ethnic features, he stood out among this group of Western faces. Her hatred and fear of him ran deep. So as long as he was there, she would be the first to notice him. It was because of hatred and fear... "Dr. Craw, what are you looking at?" Evan noticed Luca''s eyes had been wandering around as she entered the venue. It waspletely different from when they were outside. This made Evan suspect whether Luke had also arranged some tasks for Luca. Her demeanor was too much like a bodyguard who was protecting Luke. However, how could a weak woman like Luca possibly protect Luke? Evan became even more curious about the task she was carrying out. Luca withdrew her gaze and replied with an indifferent expression on her face, "Just looking around." Evan did not say anything. Luke, surrounded by many people, walked into the center of the venue. A seminar would be held at the venueter. It was about the medicinal materials in X City. After the seminar ended, theworking event would officially begin. Luke was guided by the venue staff and found his seat. Jason had contacted the venue beforehand, saying that there would be three people apanying Luke. Thus, the three seats next to Luke were reserved for Watson staff. Luca looked at the chairsbeled with ''Watson'' and chose a seat. This seat was one seat away from Luke''s. Evan felt a bit awkward when he saw that. He had always thought that Luca and Luke were close, so they should be sitting together. However, before anyone said anything, Luca took the initiative to separate herself from Luke by one seat. It was as though she was deliberately keeping her distance from Luke. Although this was the right thing to do, it also meant that the middle seat was for him to upy... "Mr. Turner, why are you still standing here?" asked Luca. Even Warren, who had followed them in, was already sitting in the seat next to her. "I..." Evan wanted to say he did not want to be a third wheel, but saying that in front of so many people would not be appropriate. Hence, he reluctantly sat down while feeling uneasy. Even though he wanted to build a good rtionship with Luke, the current situation was clearly inappropriate. Furthermore, the premise of building a good rtionship was not to be a third wheel. He understood that much. When Evan sat down, he was nervous and hoped Luke would not say anything. Otherwise, he would feel quite awkward here. Luke nced at him and said nothing. He did not react to Luca''s behavior either. He continued to entertain the others. This group of people was interested in coborating with him. Luke was dealing with them while feeling slightly displeased. If they wanted to coborate, they should be talking to Evan instead. He would not get too involved in Watson¡¯s matters. Therefore, Luke introduced Evan to these people who wanted to talk to him, "Everyone, this is Evan Turner, the general manager of Watson. He''s also the young sir of the Turner family." Even though the Turner family did not run any businesses in this area of X City, mentioning the title of general manager alone seemed insufficient. That was why Luke intentionally brought up the Turner family. Even if these people were not familiar with the Turner family, it was human nature to make assumptions. When Luke brought up the Turner family, they would automatically think that the Turners were a really powerful family. Sure enough, as soon as Luke finished speaking, several people seized the opportunity to engage in conversation with Evan. Luca and Warren, on the other hand, ended up being the ones with nothing to do. Warren was quite familiar with Luca. He felt a little uneasy when he saw such a scene. He whispered, "Dr. Craw, I don''t think I should be sitting here." Chapter 3076 Knowing that Warren was not ustomed to such scenes, Luca smiled helplessly and said, "Mr. Crawford must have his reasons for asking you to sit here. Just rx and sit tight. You can always nce at your phone to shift your focus if you have nothing to do." Warren found her suggestion good. Therefore, he picked up his phone and started reading a novel. He was, after all, just a subordinate of Gale and Rain. He did not have much expertise. He excelled in tasks involving fighting or observation. However, when it came to attending suchworking events, he felt out of ce. Therefore, Warren decided to distract himself by reading the novel. Luca''s gaze wandered around. She felt that she had it easy since no one was engaging her in conversation. No matter how expensive the professional suit she wore today, others would simply assume she was either Luke''s or Evan''s secretary with Luke in attendance. Whether they misunderstood or not did not concern Luca much. It did not matter to her what they thought. The most important thing at the moment was to find Abel. With these thoughts in mind, Luca noticed a figure standing in front of her. "Hello, are you Dr. Craw?" asked the person. Luca was surprised and looked up at the person. His face was youthful, and he had Caucasian facial features. Luca nodded and replied, "Yes, I am. And you are...?" "I''m an intern from a pharmaceuticalpany. I saw you over there, sitting in Watson''s seat. You look familiar, so I came over to confirm. Turns out it''s really you..." said the intern excitedly. Luca looked at the intern without suspicion. Thisworking event was not arge industry gathering. It was just that many pharmaceutical Some smallpanies might not have received the message and would stick to their original n of sending department heads along with their secretaries or interns. Interns were usually assigned menial tasks for theirpany, like gathering pharmaceutical brochures and the like. Executives did not typically handle these kinds of tasks themselves, so they had someone else do the legwork. Luca nodded slightly, unsure of what to say. Ironically, the intern''s appearance made her feel a bit annoyed. He was here because of her, so she had to divert her attention to deal with him. That meant she could not fully concentrate on the event. The intern, being inexperienced, did not catch Luca''s slight annoyance or her reluctance to entertain him. Instead, he spoke with admiration, "Dr. Craw, I''ve seen the drug you developed. It''s amazing! It¡¯s a lifesaver for many cancer patients. Could you briefly tell me about your initial thoughts when you started this research?" As the intern spoke, he began recording on his phone. Luca frowned. The intern really could not read the room... "I didn''t have any specific thoughts," said Luca. Moreover, this question should be directed to Shanks. He was the original developer of the drug. She had only conducted further research based on his work. Even though her research had improved upon the previous one, it was the result of the entire research team¡ªnot just her alone. The truly talented one was Shanks. Shanks single-handedly did the work of the entire research team. "Ah..." The intern did not expect Luca to respond like this. He thought female research professors would be easier to approach than males, but Luca was too aloof. He brought his phone closer and said with a pleading tone, "Dr. Craw, my graduation thesis is focused on analyzing your research. That¡¯s why I really need your insights. I want to know the difficulties you encountered during the experiments. "I know you might find this annoying, but please help me. There''s very little information about your N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. research online." As Warren listened to the intern, he put away his phone and stood up. He was ready to ask the intern to leave. However, Luca''s gaze suddenly fell on the intern''s phone. That phone... It was from the Ind of Despair! Luca''s heart skipped a beat. It seemed that Abel had already known everything and was observing silently from a corner they could not see. The intern was also sent by Abel. Historically, almost all of Abel''s subordinates had ethnic features. Even if there were Caucasian faces, they were notably different from the Caucasian faces in A City. Basically, those with Caucasian facial features were easily distinguishable at a nce. However, the intern iming to be an intern not only had a Caucasian appearance but also looked very young and inexperienced. "Excuse me..." Warren was already nning to drive away the intern. However, Luca suddenly rose to her feet. Not only Warren but Luke''s and Evan''s gazes also fell on her. At this moment, Luca could not be bothered about other things. She could not talk to Luke right now. Otherwise, Abel might notice something. Even so, she believed Luke would understand her intentions. Hence, Luca looked straight at the intern and asked, "What''s your name?" The intern obviously did not expect her to ask such a question and forced a smile. He replied, "My name is Jacob Cook." "Jacob, right? Are you here to interview me?" Luca asked again. Jacob shook his head. "No, it''s not an interview. I''m not a journalist, Dr. Craw. I''m just an intern in the field of biopharmaceuticals, preparing for my graduation thesis. I¡¯d like to consult with you to help me write my thesis." Luca looked at Jacob''s face. When did Abel have subordinates like this? His features, expressions, and even his way of speaking were all like a college student in A City who was about to graduate... Abel''s subordinates used to have ethnic facial features. They could be easily identified with just a nce in A City. Hence, it was easy to distinguish between friend and foe. However, if he had such subordinates, it would be really difficult to tell in the future. It was unknown how many people like this Abel had around him. Luca said, "It''s too noisy here and not suitable for discussion. Let''s go to a quieter corner. I''ll tell you there. Anyway, there''s still some time before the seminar begins." "That''s great. Thank you, Dr. Craw," replied Jacob. He then invited Luca toward the area where his Thepany where Jacob worked was rtively small, and the assigned seating was quite remote. He led Luca to a corner. Luca did not look back at Luke because she was sure that Abel was secretly observing them. Moreover, Luke must know what she intended to do. Warren watched as Luca followed Jacob away and then turned to Luke. "Mr. Crawford?" "No need to follow her. Sit down," Luke calmly replied. He was also pretending to remain calm. They had to pretend to be calm and act as if they did not know anything at the moment. Otherwise, Luca''s previous disguise would have been in vain. They had more than just Abel to deal with now. They also had to rescue their daughter. That was why they could not act rashly. Chapter 3077 Warren watched as Luca and Jacob left. He had a feeling that something unpleasant might happen. However, he had to follow Luke''s instructions, so he suppressed his worry and sat in the chair. Luke said, "Don''t look." The people around were somewhat surprised. Why did he suddenly say such a thing? What should they not look at? Luke did not exin, but Warren understood what was going on. He could only pretend to be calm and withdraw his gaze. Evan nced at Luke and then at Warren. He felt that Luca''s departure was not simple. The atmosphere was solemn, as though something bad was about to happen. Evan dared not to ask further since this matter seemed unrted to him. He continued entertaining those who wanted to chat with him. Evan was good at business. He could deal with the owners of pharmaceuticalpanies and drug dealers very easily, but his mind was not fully focused on these people. He was still thinking about Luca''s situation. Luca followed Jacob to a corner. Before she could speak, Jacob put away his smile and said to her, "You recognized the phone, didn''t you?" Luca looked at Jacob''s change of expression without much surprise. People from the Ind of Despair were good at putting on a show. Evil people could put on a facade of being good, act like they were not causing any trouble, and even "Where''s the boss?" asked Luca. "Over there. Walk over and you''ll see him," replied Jacob. His task was to lure Luca over. The next step was to y his role as an intern. Luca shot a nce at Jacob. He had a pleasing and pleading expression just a moment ago, but now, he lookedpletely different. People could really change so drastically... His features were the same, but his temperament hadpletely changed. Luca did not say anything and walked in the direction he indicated. When she reached the corner, a person appeared beside her, reminding her, "Turn left." Luca frowned and followed the person''s instructions to turn left while wondering how many of Abel''s people were arranged in this venue. She refused to believe Abel had the capability to organize such an industryworking event. She had already checked before she came. The event had a history of many years. Thus, it should not have much to do with Abel. Moreover, invitations like this usually had a maximum limit of six people. However, there were already two people who were obviously Abel''s subordinates now. Furthermore, they all had Caucasian facial features. Luca could not help but be more cautious. At the same time, she wondered when the Ind of Despair, which had always had more foreigners, had suddenly added so many Caucasian faces. If they were just subordinates of thepany, Abel probably would not dare to arrange them to work for him... At the thought of this, Luca heard another person beside her say, "Turn right and you''ll see the person you want to meet." She could only follow that person¡¯s instructions and turn right. Sure enough, Abel was standing there. It was a smoking area, but there were only two people. Abel and Shanks. At the moment, Abel was stillining to Shanks, who was standing beside him, "This kind of After that, he took a puff of his cigar and then slowly blew out a smoke ring. The smoke ring dispersed, and the smell in the air was a bit pungent. Luca knew that Abel''s cigars were carefully prepared by Shanks. The cigars would taste spicy when smoked, and the secondhand smoke produced was also pungent. She walked over and greeted Abel and Shanks, "Good morning, Boss. Good morning, Mr. Shanks." Even though she was reluctant to see them, she had to greet them. She could not let Abel find out anything yet. Abel squinted at the woman in front of him. His voice carried a strange tone as he said, "Oh, why if it isn''t Dr. Craw?" "Boss, do you have any instructions?" asked Luca. "Can I stillmand you?" questioned Abel, squishing the cigar in his hand into a deformed shape. Luca remained silent. Abel threw the cigar at her. If Luca did not dodge the cigar that was still lit, it could easily burn her clothes. Luca instinctively avoided it. "How dare you?" Abel narrowed his eyes, pondering how to torment Luca. "I can''t have a hole burned into my clothes. Otherwise, it¡¯ll arouse Mr. Crawford¡¯s suspicion,¡± exined Luca. Abel sneered. "That''s right. Mr. Crawford. I almost forgot about him. You came with that man..." Luca pursed her lips. Judging from how much she understood Abel, he would definitely cause trouble now. She kept quiet, waiting for him to provoke her. As Luca stayed quiet, Abel let out another cold snort and questioned in a low voice, "Luca, you''ve got some nerve." "Boss, I haven''t done anything," replied Luca as she lowered her head, avoiding his sharp gaze. Those eyes were her nightmare. Looking at them for too long would make her afraid. Abel sneered. "Is that so? Are you sure you haven''t done anything wrong? Luca... Oh no, perhaps I should call you Ivana..." Luca shivered for a moment when she heard the name Ivana. Back then, she was forced to undergo stic surgery and change her appearance. He said she was not Bianca anymore and had to change her name. However, she still insisted that she was Bianca even though her face had changed. She was still the Bianca who loved Luke. Yet.. She thought she would never change her name in her lifetime, but Abel forcibly made her change her name. Ivana... Luca thought that since she had to change her name, there was no need to be called Ivana. She This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. should just be called Luca... However, Abel insisted that everyone call her Ivana. He said that a captive like her had no right to be called by her name on the Ind of Despair. Luca was in despair when she heard everyone constantly call her by this name. Her inner persistence was inexplicably shaken. Fortunately, after leaving the ind, she got rid of the name. Every time she heard Abel call her that, it was a reminder that she was actually just a captive of the Ind of Despair. Her heart would still tremble with fear. Abel noticed the change in her expression. He let out a coldugh and said, "What''s wrong? You forgot your real name after not returning to the Ind of Despair for so long? "Ivana..." Abel wanted to say something else, but Shanks, who was beside him, reminded him in a cold voice, "Don''t waste time. Just say what you want to say." Abel red at him. Even though Shanks had helped him a lot, he always felt that he was the boss of the Ind of Despair. He had the ability to establish such a kingdom even without Shanks'' help. Therefore, he really hated it when Shanks interrupted him while he was talking to his subordinates. However, unfortunately, Shanks did just that. The Ind of Despair still needed Shanks'' expertise at the moment. Due to certain events and Shanks'' aid, there was no turning back or making him vanish into thin air... Chapter 3078 In the beginning, Shanks agreed to help and even took practical actions. Therefore, the ind still needed Shanks'' assistance. "Ivana, tell me, why didn''t you report to my people when you came to X City for thisworking event?" Abel had no choice but to follow Shanks¡¯ intention. He questioned Luca. Luca replied, "The people from the Ind of Despair are watching me. Isn''t it all the same whether I report to you or not?" Abel''s gaze deepened. He lifted his head and grasped Luca''s chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Is that your reason for not reporting? Have you forgotten whose side you''re on?" Abel sneered. "Do you think you''re still Luke¡¯s woman after returning to his side? Once I tell him everything you''ve done, do you think he''ll still keep you by his side?" In Abel''s perception, Luke was different from other men. He valued emotions more than others. Even though others thought he had abandoned his mistreated wife for a younger, prettier woman, they did not know it had always been the same person. Although Luke did not know Ivana¡¯s true identity was Bianca, the attraction of their souls made him choose her once again. Still, what did it matter? Their child was still on the Ind of Despair. Hence, there was no way Ivana would tell Luke her true identity. Therefore, Abel believed that if Luke knew what she had done, he would surely choose his own interests over his emotions. A man like Luke could not tolerate betrayal from others the most. Luca secretly let out a sneer. She might have been afraid or worried because of Abel''s threats back Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. then. However, it was different now. At least she knew that Luke and she were of one mind. However, superficially, Luca had not shown her cards. "I didn''t know you''d attend this industryworking event, and you didn''t ask me to report to you when I went out of town." Luca deliberately showed a hint of panic in her eyes when she spoke. It was for Abel to see. It was a w she deliberately revealed. Abel raised an eyebrow, feeling like she was making excuses. However, he had no evidence to prove it. Just as he was about to say something, Shanks interfered, "You indeed didn''t tell her." Abel gave him a sinister sideways nce, as though he was questioning whose side he was on. Shanks looked at Abel calmly and picked up his phone. He sent a few photos to Luca. Luca¡¯s phone chimed, but she lowered her eyes without taking out her phone. Shanks continued, "Ivana, you''re here just in time. I came here to find some medicinal herbs. I received a message that the herb farmers here have the ones I want. "Can you help me to ask around? I''ve already sent you the names and photos of the herbs." When Luca heard what Shanks said, she finally nced at her phone. It was some names and photos of medicinal herbs. She furrowed her brows slightly, realizing that these herbs were not from the same batch Shanks had initially requested. She quickly recalled the medicinal properties of these herbs in her mind. The more she thought about it, the more puzzled she became. These medicinal herbs were basically toxic. Even if they were not poisonous, they could produce harmful toxins to the human body whenbined with certain other herbs. What was Shanks researching? Shanks could see that Luca was confused. He knew her well and replied, "Your task is simply to help me locate these herbs. They''re meant to save lives." "Understood." Luca nodded and put away her phone. Even though she did not know what Shanks needed the herbs for, if it was for saving lives, then that was what they were for. Medicinal herbs often had dual purposes. Toxic herbs could also be used for healing. Luca was just curious about what kind of people these herbs could save. After Luca agreed, Shanks turned to look at Abel and asked, "I''m done. Do you have anything else to say?" Abel replied enigmatically, "I haven''t disciplined her yet and you''re already giving orders, making it seem like you''re helping her out of trouble." In Shanks¡¯ deep blue eyes, a hidden flicker of emotion shimmered unnoticed. "Priority is the task at hand." Those words silenced Abel. He took a deep breath, fixed his eagle-like gaze on Luca, and said, "Ivana, you''re from the Ind of Despair. You need to decide which side you''re on. "I hope you get it, or else don''t be surprised if I''m not so nice about it. Understood?" As Luca listened to his warning, her heart remained unsettled. Before she could respond, Abel impatiently delivered a punch to her abdomen. "Ugh..." Luca staggered two steps backward, instinctively clutching the area where she was hit. Abel knew human anatomy well. Even though he had struck her forcefully, he avoided hitting any vital organs. Even if she wanted to pretend to be dead, there was no way she could. "I''m asking you, did you hear me?!" questioned Abel. His temper red as he moved closer, ready to attack her. Every time he saw her, he was reminded of Kassy, who was terribly harmed by Luke. He had wanted to love her and cherish her, but Luke ruined her so thoroughly. She was barely recognizable... If he could, he would kill Luke right now. Shanks knew what Abel wanted to do. He stepped forward and grabbed his hand. "Let go!" Abel''s eyes were now filled with hatred. Shanks coldly reminded him, "Don''t let hatred cloud your judgment. I still need her help, and her assistance to me is also an assistance to you." As Luca listened to Shanks¡¯ words, she straightened her body slightly. What did he mean by that? Was Shanks¡¯ research aimed at helping Abel? Luca''s suspicion had its reasons. In reality, most of Shanks''s research was indeed to help Abel. For example, the pharmaceutical research was aimed at making money in the pharmaceutical industry to strengthen the Ind of Despair. Furthermore, the antidotes for those poisons were meant to help Abel control the people on the Ind of Despair. It ensured his peace of mind as he did not have to worry about rebellion. However, Shanks would always im that these were his own research projects and never mention Abel''s involvement. Now that Luca heard him saying that, she became even more curious about what research Shanks was conducting. Shanks'' words sessfully restrained Abel''s impulse. He calmly said, "There are many people on the Ind of Despair who can help you, not just her." Shanks chuckled as though he had just heard a joke. "Indeed, but your people are all brainless. I''ve had them searching for medicinal herbs multiple times now, but all they''ve brought back is garbage. "They keep getting deceived. Would you dare to use the herbs they found, given how foolish they are?" Abel remained silent. The people on the Ind of Despair were all elites, but they were not medical elites. It was not that they did not want to learn, but Shanks considered their learning speed inferior to Luca''s and deemed it a waste of time to teach them. If he felt theycked talent after one or two sses, he would dismiss them to focus on other training. He refused to impart further medical knowledge to them. Abel had no choice. While those people excelled in tasks like fighting, they simply were not cut out for learningplicated medical knowledge. Chapter 3079 In Shanks'' words, the only person on the entire Ind of Despair with this talent was Luca. Luca was the most helpful to Shanks. However, she had more important things to attend to, so she could not stay by Shanks'' side to help. Luca had already recovered and was standing upright. Abel reminded her, "You, stop ying tricks behind my back. This time, you''ll help Mr. Shanks find the herbs he needs. "Also, don''t you like being with Luke? I''ll make it happen for you. Don''t say I''m not doing right by you." A hint of malice tugged at the corner of his mouth. He always had a feeling that Luca was slipping out of his control. If this continued, he would not be able to keep her in his control. He had to do something. Luca had a bad feeling, but she did not have the courage to ask him what he wanted to do at the moment. If Abel could not resist throwing another punch at her, she would be the one to suffer. Luke would be distressed if he knew about it. Now, they both needed to stay calm and collected. They could not let certain things cloud their judgment. Luca warned herself not to be too curious about Abel''s affairs. Luke''s men would know what he wanted to do. Luca nodded and replied, "Yes, I''ll find a way to get those herbs." "Go on, then. Be a good little canary. But remember, while you''re trapped in Luke''s cage, don''t forget where your real cage is." Abel looked at Luca with disgust. If it were not for the inappropriate asion today, he would surely have punched her again without hesitation. After receiving his permission to leave, Luca turned around and left. She held her head high as though nothing had happened just now. Abel watched her leave from behind and snorted coldly. "I held back a little." "Not everyone can withstand your strength." Shanks narrowed his eyes. He was not a smoker, and the air in this ce felt particrly stagnant to him. He wanted to go out and talk to those medicine farmers and merchants. He wanted to understand their secret stashes. "Why are you protecting Ivana like this?" asked Abel. It was a question he had wanted to ask earlier. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. After all, he did not want Luca to know that Shanks could potentially be her support. Shanks shot him a cold nce and asked, "Am I?" "Don''t deny it. I''ve been watching. You''re always speaking up for that woman. What''s going on? Have you taken a liking to her? If you really have, I can help you out,¡± asked Abel. Abel''s idea of helping was to send Luca to his room. Shanks understood his implication, nced at him coldly, and replied, "I''m not interested in her. If it weren''t because she understands medicine, I wouldn''t even spare her a nce." Abel immediately nodded. "Alright, you''re cruel, but you''re still different with her. But she''s just a woman. You don''t need to be so concerned. "Rest assured, once these matters are settled, I''ll find you all sorts of beautiful women. I''ll help you get whoever you like. How about that?" "Not interested," replied Shanks. He immediately walked out. Abel wiped the smile off his face. His friendliness toward Shanks was solely because it benefited him and brought profits for the Ind of Despair. Nothing more... The two of them left the smoking area. Gale listened to the sound of their departing footsteps, nced at the surveince, and shook his head helplessly. Did their boss know how much his wife had to endure? Luca had to endure more than an ordinary person could bear just to be with him. However, she hade this far. Gale could not help but admire Luca. It was evident how much effort she had put in to avoid bing a burden to Luke. He touched his abdomen. Although he did not feel the impact, Abel had put everything into the punch earlier... Yet Luca had borne it as if nothing had happened. She even left without changing her expression. If he had not been secretly monitoring them, he would have thought nothing had happened. At the thought of this, Gale shook his head again and continued to track Abel and Shanks with the surveince. At that moment, Luca also emerged and returned to her seat in Watson''s area. Warren called out softly, "Dr. Craw..." "It''s nothing. How long until it starts?" asked Luca. Her expression was still indifferent. Luke heard her voice. His eyes turned to her. A mix of concern, worry, and curiosity was evident in them as their gazes met in a tangled web of emotions. "Dr. Craw, the lecture will start in ten minutes." Evan felt as though Luke was looking at Luca through him and wished he could vacate his seat. It was inappropriate for him, the third wheel, to sit here. However, neither Luke nor Luca showed any intention of switching seats. He could only reluctantly remain seated and respond to Luca''s inquiry. "Alright. Thank you, Mr. Turner." Luca smiled faintly as she expressed her gratitude. "It¡¯s nothing." Evan felt ufortable under Luke''s prating gaze. He wanted to leave or swap his seat with Warren, the driver... The person at the side, who had been conversing with Evan, curiously asked, "Mr. Turner, is she a research professor from yourpany?" He assumed Luca was a research professor. Otherwise, Evan would not have addressed her as Dr. Craw. As soon as the man asked the question, his gazended on Luca. However, the idea of such a young woman being a research professor seemed absurd to him. He might have believed she was a researcher, but a professor? Suddenly, he recalled the medication previously released by Watson. It seemed like the research professor was a woman... He was the owner of a pharmaceuticalpany and was not familiar with the names of these research professors. He had not remembered the woman''s name and only vaguely recalled that it was a female professor who had conducted the research... He did not find it particrly strange that it was a female research professor at that moment. After all, many women were involved in this industry nowadays, but they were usually of a certain age when they achieved sess. The man was surprised to learn that Luca was actually so young. "Yes, she''s a research professor at ourpany," Evan quickly exined. "She¡¯s Dr. Luca Craw, who developed the first project for thepany and sessfullyunched it into the market. Based on the current data, the drug has shown promising results." "It''s truly remarkable. Such a young research professor, and a woman at that. Mr. Turner, you''ve hit the jackpot," said the man. "It''s Watson who hit the jackpot." Evan did not feel he had done anything special. The decision to hire Luca was not his. It was Luke''s decision. "That''s right. Watson is incredible. Thepany has only been established for such a short time and already has a drug on the market that has been proven to be effective. It''s being embraced by doctors and patients alike. It''s truly impressive..." The man eximed again. If it were not for Luke supporting Watson, he might have extended an offer to Luca himself. Chapter 3080 However, no one had the courage topete with Luke for talent, so he was only thinking about it. After all, the name Luke represented capital in any industry... Luca would not be so foolish as to not choose Luke and go for anotherpany instead. After all, as long as Luke agreed, the other party would be able to obtain more research funds. Therefore, the man dared not to have the intention of poaching Luke''s talent. After a while, the host stepped onto the stage, picked up the microphone, and said to the audience below, "Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, the seminar will begin soon. "Please take a moment to locate your respectivepany''s seating arrangements and settle in. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated." As soon as the host finished speaking, the people gathered around Luke still showed no sign of leaving. Warren stood up and said to the others, "Everyone, the seminar is about to begin. Please return to your seats. Mr. Crawford needs a break." No one wanted to leave, but Warren''s words implied that it would be impolite not toply. Everyone wanted to chat with Luke and leave an impression on him. They had not had many opportunities before, so this chance was precious to them. Moreover, the host''s words were clearly directed at those surrounding Luke. Those people could only disperse and find their respectivepany seats. As the crowd dispersed, the air suddenly became much fresher. While Luke remained aloof toward those people, he still extended the appropriate courtesies. Though he stayed distant, it was not as obvious as before. He appeared genuinely hopeful about the pharmaceutical industry. That was why those people mustered the courage to continue conversing. Among those people, other than some smallpany executives, there were also many executives fromrgepanies. Although Watson''s scale was not asrge as theirs, they also wanted to explore more cooperation opportunities through Watson. Capital was crucial for every industry, after all. ailci die LIUVVU dispersed, die stall UH die stage ueydii die linai dujubtiiieiiib. Evan asked Luca in d low voice, "Dr. Craw, why were you gone fur quite d while jusi now?" "Was I? I don''t think so..." Luca recalled what had jusi happened. A sense of difort welled up from deep within her once again. "It was actually quite a while. I didn''t expect you to be so enthusiastic, chatting with an intern for so long. You''re the perfect fit for teaching at a university." Evan revealed his ultimate purpose. Luca was rendered speechless for a moment. She initially thought Evan was trying to lead her on with his words, but little did she know he was still talking about the issue of her teaching at Capital University. Luca felt helpless. She had to exin, "He was curious, so I borated a bit. Besides, the questions he asked were within my knowledge, but teaching at a university, especially that particr course? "Yes, I''ve studied it before, but that was back in my student days. It''s been a long while since I graduated. I''ve probably forgotten a bunch of stuff. Plus, I''ve never taught that course before. "Honestly, a lot of theb professors in our department have past experience as lecturers at universities, so they''re probably better suited for it." With recent events piling up, Luca simply could not find the time to teach university students. Besides, she did not have the inclination... As Luca spoke, Evan nodded in understanding. Although he had not given up, he did not press the matter further at the moment. After all, it would not be appropriate to push further now. Luke remained silent while listening to their conversation. There was not much for him to say at this point as Gale had already briefed him on the details. He did not tell Luca that he had been wearing a high-tech invisible earpiece before their departure. It was nearly impervious to interference signals and would not be noticed by others. Thus, his heart clenched tightly when Luca was punched by Abel. He was so desperate to charge at Abel to back up Luca and to get payback for her. It was even to the extent of wanting to kill Abel. It might not fix things, but it would at least relieve some of the burning hatred he felt toward Abel. His wife and his daughter were both under that man''s control. No man could tolerate that... However, Luke also understood that he had to endure for now because his child was still in that man''s hands. He could not prioritize just his wife. He was the head of the family. He had to ensure both his wife''s and daughter''s safety. Otherwise, if something were to happen, their daughter''s fate would be a burden shared by both him and his wife. Meanwhile, Gale ryed every detail of Abel and Shanks'' conversation to Luke. Luca had found out the reason why Abel appeared at this industryworking event. Luke knew about it too. Furthermore, Luke also knew that Luca had to help them with something. His gaze fell on Luca. Her expression remained unchanged. It was as though the recent incident and the beating she endured never happened. However, Luke knew it did happen. ording to Gale, Abel did not hold back when he swung at Luca. The force of his punch was strong enough to make Luca double over in pain at that time, yet now she acted as if nothing had happened. Luke knew it was all a facade. A woman who used to fear pain so much now took a beating without uttering a cry of pain. She did not even shed a tear. This was not a good sign. All of this indicated that he, as her husband, had failed to protect her. A woman would be particrly strong when shecked a man''s protection. She would not cry or Luke felt sorry for Luca. His attention was fully focused on Luca. Abel and Shanks were also sitting in their respective seats. Hispany''s position was slightly behind Watson''s, allowing him to see Luke and Luca from behind. Abel sneered and looked at the two of them. He spoke to Shanks in Russian, "Look at them. Acting all innocent in front of everyone, sitting there with a gap between them. It''s funny, isn''t it? Weren''t these two in some gossip headlines before?" As there were no foreigners nearby, Abel unabashedly chatted with Shanks in Russian. Since those around them might understand English but not Russian, Abel felt free to converse in Russian. Previously, this country used to teach Russian to everyone, but now English was the dominant Shanks, being more cautious than Abel, reminded him, ¡°Watch what you say." Abel initially thought there were not many people who understood Russian around. Shanks added, "Trantion software nowadays is incredibly advanced. It can instantly trante Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. whatever you''re saying." Chapter 3081 After Shanks¡¯ reminder, Abel pondered for a moment and decided not to continue talking about Luca. Luca was now standing beside Luke, attracting as much attention as Luke did. If he continued discussing, those who were curious might overhear and use trantion software to trante their conversation. The industryworking event was not arge-scale event to begin with. The venue¡¯s space was limited, so the seating arrangements were dense. The seats around them were already filled with people now. Abel looked disdainfully at the people around him andined to Shanks, "If it weren''t for your need for medicinal herbs, I wouldn''t havee." Shanks shot him a cold nce and reminded him, "Who do I need those herbs for?" This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Abel fell silent. Shanks needed those herbs for Kassy. Even though Kassy was currently imprisoned and suffering greatly because of Luke, Abel had never given up on the idea of saving her. However, Abel knew that saving Kassy would not be easy. When Kassy returned, she had to be in a better condition, or else she might lose the courage to live. Abel heard that Kassy had attempted suicide many times because of her current situation and was now being closely monitored. He wanted to save Kassy and her heart. Saving Kassy¡¯s heart could only be achieved by improving her condition. Shanks had the ability to do that, but the prerequisite for her recovery was acquiring the herbs he needed. Treating Kassy would be troublesome, and only by obtaining those herbs and researching a pill could she be restored to her former self. Therefore, despite Abel''s disdain for attending such events, he still came. He was being extremely careful and was really anxious to find the medication for Kassy. The person on the podium began their speech and talked about the history of this industryworking event as well as its significance. The content was tedious, making the audience bored. Luca took out her phone. Using the chairs in front as a shield, she looked at the list of herbs that Shanks had just sent her. She once again confirmed the medicinal value of various herbs and found that she had not remembered them wrong. Most of the herbs were poisonous. What was Shanks nning to do with so many poisonous herbs? Luca tried to figure out how tobine these herbs and what medicine could be concocted from them, but her mind was in chaos. She could not think of anything now. Moreover, Abel''s punchnded on her abdomen. Although she appeared fine, it had caused a dull ache. Even though no internal organs were injured, there was probably a bruise. Luca heard a round of apuse, signaling the end of the speech. She put away her phone and also joined in the apuse. Next, the leaders of X City announced the official start of the industryworking event. Then, everyone stood up. The next program was for variouspanies to select medicinal herbs and discuss cooperation with other pharmaceuticalpanies. Suddenly, many people gathered around Luke again, and some of them were also targeting Evan. However, Evan''s phone rang at that moment. He apologized to the people who had surrounded him and walked aside to answer the phone. Luca probably guessed that the call Evan received was from Luke¡¯s subordinate. Sure enough, not long after, Evan walked over and said to Luke, "Mr. Crawford, please excuse me. I''ll start by discussing coboration with other drug suppliers." Luke understood the implication behind those words. It indicated that Gale was looking for him. Thus, he nodded without saying anything. Evan then addressed those who wanted to discuss cooperation and said, "Apologies, everyone. I have to head out to purchase some medicinal herbs for thepany and touch base with our long-term pharmaceutical partners. "By the way, here''s my business card. Let''s connect when we have some free time." Then, he handed out his business cards. He had about 20 or 30 of them, but soon, all the cards were taken by those people. Evan managed to get away. Luca also approached Luke and said, "Mr. Crawford, I¡¯d like to go take a look at the medicinal herbs." Luke knew her task, so he nodded and replied, "Go ahead, but be careful." Luca nodded, exchanged a nce with him, and left. Without any clue about the medicinal herbs Shanks needed and without Gale''s help, she could only wander aimlessly among the various stalls. Before long, her phone rang. Luca took out her phone and saw a string of numbers. She knew who was calling her. She found a corner and answered the phone, "Hello." "Luca, I asked you to help find medicinal herbs, not to go shopping!" A dissatisfied voice came from the other end of the line. It was Abel. Luca nced around and saw Abel standing at a distant medicine merchant''s stall with a grim expression on his face. Next to him was a woman with Caucasian facial features. She was probably the trantor he hired for this asion. When they saw her wandering around without any sense of urgency, Shanks seemed unperturbed while Abel appeared anxious. Luca increasingly felt that the medicine Shanks was researching was something Abel needed urgently. It was probably not for making money. It was because the medicinal herbs needed at the moment, although recorded in books, were not Medicine derived from such herbs would be costly to produce and not easily mass-produced. Therefore, it was likely for Abel''s personal use. Still, what did Abel need it for? Luca pondered for a long time but could not figure it out. "You didn¡¯t provide me with a clear direction. I can only blindly search. If I don''t familiarize myself with all the medicine merchants at this event, how can I possibly find the herbs you need?" Luca replied nonchntly without a hint of nervousness. It was Abel who needed the medicine, not her. Abel frowned, clearly displeased with what Luca said. He said, ¡°Listen here, you smooth talker. You''d better start showing some real dedication. Don¡¯te crying to me when I stop being nice to you!" After Abel warned her, he hung up the phone. Thepany''s regr trantor was on leave, so this trantor was brought in from outside. Her understanding of Abel was limited to him being the boss of a pharmaceuticalpany. When she heard what Abel said to the person on the other end of the phone, she was slightly surprised and could not help but wonder why this man''s tone sounded like that of a mafia boss. She had heard that the social situation in Russia was not good, and there were quite a few underground forces. Could this handsome pharmaceuticalpany boss have another identity? Otherwise, why would he speak in such a threatening manner? Moreover, when the trantor stood beside him and listened to him threaten the person on the other end of the line, she could not help but feel a chilling sensation down her spine. It seemed like he could make good on his threats at any moment... The trantor was very scared and also worried that she might be secretly killed if she made him unhappy... After she saw Abel hang up the phone, she quickly suppressed her inner fear. When she took on this job and saw Abel''s handsome face, she had that kind of idea about him. After all, he was handsome, wealthy, and reportedly single. If she became his girlfriend or even his wife, life would definitely be fulfilling. However, the trantor dared not to have such thoughts now. She only wanted to get through this job assignment without any trouble. Chapter 3082 "What are you staring at?" After Abel hung up the phone, he looked at the trantor whose face was pale white. He then realized that she could understand what he was saying. He figured this woman must have been scared by what he had just said. However, Abel did not intend to exin anything to her. He hired her to be his trantor, and he was the boss. Did it matter if she heard the threats? She did not have any evidence to prove anything about him. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "I''m sorry, Mr. Abel." The trantor came back to her senses after thinking about how frightening he was. She apologized to Abel with a lowered head. Then, she asked, "Would you like to look around now?" Abel looked disdainfully at the bustling venue. Initially, there were not many people who came to theworking event. Now, it was crowded all because of Luke. Moreover, the venue was mostly open-air. Even though there wererge fans blowing air around, as the afternoon approached, the weather became increasingly hot and humid. Abel, being a native Russian, could not tolerate such humidity. However, he needed to help Shanks find medicinal herbs now. Abel nced around the venue. He could not spot Shanks and had no idea where he had gone. Shanks was a medical genius who was particrly passionate about researching naturopathy. He believed it was something passed down from the millennia-old civilization of A City. It was far superior to Western medicine, with plenty of room for research. Therefore, whenever he encountered herbal medicine, he would be excited to study it thoroughly. "Where did he go..." Abel could not help but wonder. None of the others on the Ind of Despair had a talent for medicine, and neither did he. Still, he needed to help now. Without Shanks, he figured he could easily be deceived at any moment. "Are you referring to Mr. Shanks?" asked the trantor. Shanks understood English. Even though he could not speak fluently, regrmunication posed no problem. Therefore, the trantor''s most important task was to trante for Abel. "Did you see him?" Abel nced at her. The trantor replied, "When you were on the phone earlier, Mr. Shanks was still over there..." She pointed in the direction of a stall where Shanks was no longer present. "He was talking to those medicine vendors. I don''t know where he went now. Would you like to give him a call?" "No need." Abel remembered Shanks mentioning something about acting separately earlier. After all, saving Kassy was not Shanks'' responsibility. They had to split up and act separately. "Okay." The trantor felt a bit puzzled but did not continue speaking. Then, she heard Abel say, "Let''s go. We''ll check out the stalls now. I need to find some herbs, and you''ll help me with the trantion." "Sure, Mr. Abel," agreed the trantor. They walked among the various stalls. On the other hand, Luca had been browsing for a long time and had talked to some medicine vendors. However, none of them had the herbs Shanks needed. After a while, Warren approached with a serious expression on his face. "Dr. Craw." "What''s the matter?" Luca was already irritated. "Mr. Turner said he found one of the herbs Mr. Crawford wants. Do you have any specific instructions?" Warren ryed Luke''s message to him. Abel was present, and Luke did not want Luca to follow him around. "Found it?" Luca knew that the herb Mr. Turner was looking for was the same herb Shanks needed. She did not know how Luke managed to find out what Shanks and the others wanted, but it was obvious that he did. Otherwise, Warren would not havee to inform her. "Yes." Warren nodded, confirming it once again. "Alright, I got it. Please inform Mr. Turner to..." Luca quietly exined some things to Warren. There were many people at the venue. Their behavior did not seem abrupt, so the others did not pay much attention to them. Warren noted Luca''s instructions and then nodded before leaving. Ten minutester, Luca received a call. She checked her phone. It was from Warren. She answered, "How''s it going?" "Dr. Craw, we¡¯ve followed your instructions. I''ve also confirmed that it''s the herbs you need. I''ll send you the stall location now," replied Warren. "Good," responded Luca. She hung up the phone and received a message from Warren with information about the stall. Luca knew that Evan must have found this stall under Luke''s arrangement. She had just instructed Warren to have Evan privately purchase some medicinal herbs to confirm if they were what they wanted. Evan offered some benefits to convince the herbalist to sell the herbs to him. If the herbs were what they wanted, they would buy them all regardless of the price. The herbalist could not resist this temptation and agreed directly. Now that Luke''s men had confirmed it, the herbs sold by the herbalist were indeed the ones Shanks needed. Luca had to go to the stall to negotiate with the owner now. She followed the location Warren sent to her earlier and arrived in front of the herbalist. The herbalist''s business was not doing very well. The other stalls were surrounded by several people, but there were not many people at the herbalist''s stall. When the herbalist saw Luca approaching, he immediately noticed thepany name on the permit badge on her chest. He asked with a smile, "Miss, are you here to buy some medicinal herbs?" "Yes, my colleague bought some herbs from you just now, and they''ve been confirmed to be genuine. I''d like to purchase the remaining herbs,¡± replied Luca. "Really?" The herbalist''s eyes lit up. He did not have much hope for the deal just now. Those herbs were poisonous and had little medicinal value for pharmaceuticalpanies. "Yes, it''s true. How much do you have?" asked Luca. "I don''t have much of it either. Even though this herb is effective, most people don''t grasp its medicinal value, so there''s hardly any market for it. Nobody bothers to grow it. "It just popped up in my medicinal field one day, and I thought, why not leave it be? Plus, if it''s meant to grow on mynd, there might be some special reason for it, so I left it alone. "I didn''t expect apany to actually have a use for it." The herbalist did not expect that the herbs he nted would bring him profit. He happily told Luca how the herb came about but did not mention exactly how much of it he had. After the herbalist finished speaking, Luca patiently asked again, "So how much of it do you actually have?" "Not much, just ten kilograms at most," replied the herbalist. Even though he called it an empty patch of He felt that even for the medicinal herbs in demand in the market, this small space was insufficient. He could not be bothered to remove the herbs, so he let them grow freely. However, he did not tend to them much, so the yield was not high. At this moment, the herbalist regretted it. If he had known that someone needed this herb, he would have cultivated and nted more. "I''ll take it all. How much?" said Luca. She quicklyposed a message on her phone to inform Abel of the progress on her end. Shanks had requested five types of medicinal herbs, and now, through Luke''s contacts, she had found one of them. The herbalist did not expect Luca to be so straightforward. He reckoned that she must be desperate to get the herbs, so he decided to ask for a hefty price... Chapter 3083 "You know as well that this herb is quite rare. It''s possible that there''s no other booth in the entire venue offering this herb. That¡¯s why it''s rtively expensive. How about this? I''ll give it to you for 5,000 dors per pound..." The herbalist did not actually understand the value of this herb because the herb truly had no discernible value in the market. He started with 5,000 dors, purely intending to negotiate the price with the other party. Luca furrowed her brows. Even though she did not know the value of the herb, 5,000 dors per pound was alreadyparable to some ginseng varieties. The herbalist saw Luca¡¯s expression and prepared himself for the possibility of her disagreeing to purchase the herbs. He thought to himself that this was not a high-cost investment, maybe even zerocost. There was still room for negotiation. What was important was that he could make money... "Miss, this herb of mine..." Before the herbalist could finish his sentence, Luca received a call from Abel. Luca picked up her phone and shook her head at the herbalist. Then, she pointed at her phone, indicating that she needed to take the call. The herbalist nodded and thought this was just a traditional negotiation tactic. Thus, he patiently waited.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Luca answered the phone. "Boss." Abel¡¯s excited voice came from the other end of the call. "You found one of the herbs? Have you confirmed it?" "Yes, I''ve verified it. It''s the herb Mr. Shanks is looking for," replied Luca. "Okay. Awesome." Abel was excited. Before they came, Shanks mentioned he had seen these herbs in X City, but everyone thought they were of no value, so they hardly grew them. Hence, this trip was just a shot in the dark. Abel did not expect Luca to find one of the herbs so quickly. He was thrilled. "The herbalist said he has ten pounds of it, and he''s asking 5,000 dors per pound," Luca shot a nce at the herbalist and reported to Abel. The herbalist, who was standing behind the booth, found everything inexplicable. Who was she talking to? Why could he not understand anything she said? Was she babbling nonsense while pretending to be on a call? Considering this possibility, the herbalist felt he might not make much money this time. Perhaps it was not even enough to cover the cost of renting the booth. After all, this woman was shrewd, unlike the man he dealt with before... "Okay, I''ll take them all. Have him deliver the herbs to thepany," said Abel. "Yes, sir," replied Luca. Abel''s pharmaceuticalpany had a branch in X City. Therefore, having the herbalist deliver to the branch would save a lot of hassle. After ending the call, Luca turned to look at the herbalist. "So, it''s ten pounds in total, right? I''ll take them all. How much deposit do you need?" Since Luca could not take the herbs immediately, the custom was to pay a deposit first. The herbalist was startled for a moment. He thought she would haggle with him, but she did not. She even asked about paying a deposit. "Will you need the herbs to be delivered?" asked the herbalist. "Yeah, otherwise, how would we transport them?" Luca furrowed her brows. After most people here reached an agreement, they usually had the goods delivered, right? Was there a problem? "Alright. For the deposit, I usually collect 10% of the transaction price. That''ll be 5,000 bucks. You can transfer that sum to me first. Oh, by the way, there''s also a delivery fee. "It''s a hundred dors within the city and 200 outside." Luca took out a business card from her pocket, crossed out Watson''s name, wrote Abel''spany address in X City along with thepany name, and handed it to the herbalist. "Delivery within X City. I¡¯ve written down the address of thepany. Make sure you don''t deliver the goods to the wrong ce. Someone will settle the remaining payment once the goods are delivered. Where can I scan to pay?" The herbalist felt pleased since Luca did not hesitate long before purchasing the herbs. He took out his payment code from his bag. "Since you''re being so easygoing about it, I''ll waive the delivery fee for you." Luca heard what he said but still paid him 5,100 dors. She knew the herbalist had it tough, and the quality of the herbs he grew was not very high. His business probably was not doing great. He could charge whatever he wanted. The money belonged to Abel, after all. Even if she was being deceived, she would not feel bad. Plus, she had already reported this to Abel. The herbalist smiled broadly when he saw the 5,100 dors credited to his ount. Deep down, he was marveling at Luca''s efficiency. He felt a bit embarrassed for hiking the price of the herbs so much. After all, the herbs did not cost much to produce. However, now that the price was out there and the deposit paid, he had no reason to lower it. No one would everin about having more money. "Thank you." The herbalist nced at thepany name on the card, which was different from the company name on Luca''s entry badge. He asked curiously, "Why aren''t the names of these two companies the same?" "This is thepany I''m partnering with for procurement. Can you deliver the goods to them the day after this exhibition ends? Is that okay?" asked Luca. "Of course, I can arrange it for you now. My son is waiting outside," said the herbalist cheerfully after the deal was done. Luca nodded and reminded him, "Please issue a receipt for me." "Oh, right. How forgetful of me." The herbalist chuckled and quickly wrote out a receipt for her. Luca took it from him, snapped a photo of it, and sent it to Abel. This marked the end of her task. The herbalist asked again, "By the way, Miss, are these herbs valuable for medicinal use now?" He wanted to seize the opportunity. If there was indeed a surge in demand for these herbs by companies, he might be able to take advantage of it and expand his cultivation first. When others caught on and started nting them, the price would inevitably drop. By then, he could switch to other profitable herbs. It would be a lucrative business move. "No, not really. Thepany doesn''t need much of it. Don''t entertain such thoughts. Just stick with the market trends." Luca shook her head and offered him a kind reminder. She did not want him to think about expanding his cultivation. Ten pounds were enough for Shanks to conduct research, and he might not even need all ten. Shanks could probably develop the medicine he wanted with just a portion of it. If the herbalist really expanded his cultivation, no one would support such a foolish move. "Oh, I see." The herbalist felt slightly disappointed. He examined Luca''s expression for a moment, but it did not seem like she was lying. Luca pondered for a moment and then took out her phone to ask the herbalist, "Do you know where I can find these herbs?" The herbalist shook his head. "Your colleague asked me the same question earlier, but no one around me cultivates these herbs." "Alright, thank you." After expressing her gratitude, Luca turned around and walked away. The herbalist looked at the 5,000 dors in his ount and smiled happily. He then called his son, asking him toe over so that they could deliver the herbs today. He hoped to receive the payment sooner. After leaving the herbalist''s booth, Luca let out a sigh of relief. With so many booths around and with Luke''s help, she finally found one herb. It was not a total loss. This way, Abel could not me her too muchter on. After all, it seemed like they had not found any herbs on Shanks'' end yet. If they did find any, they would surely inform her, saving her from doing any unnecessary work. After a while, Warren found her. "Dr. Craw." Chapter 3084 Luca was surprised. Did he find more medicinal herbs? That was quick. Even though this industryworking event was not huge, the venue was sizable with so many pharmaceutical merchants and herbalists around. Luca wondered how many people Luke had dispatched to find these medicinal herbs one after another so quickly... "Found more?" Luca did not realize her voice was trembling as she spoke. Warren nodded and replied, "Yes, Mr. Turner found another batch, but Mr. Crawford wanted me to ask if you still want to purchase all of them this time?" Warren spoke in a low voice. After Luca pondered for a few seconds, she replied, "Not for now. Just let me know the booth number. Oh, and ask Mr. Turner to purchase a few medicinal herbs and keep them aside." "Alright." Warren knew what she meant. She wanted Evan to make a small purchase and then inform her of the booth number. Luca had no intention of making arge purchase. Warren left again after receiving her instructions. Luca stood in the venue and continued wandering aimlessly. She was not worried about Abel causing trouble for her anymore. If she continued to search, she could tell him that there was another booth that could provide him with the herbs he wanted. She did not know what Abel and Shanks were researching since they were looking for so many poisonous herbal medicines. Her intuition told her it was not simple. Thus, she did not want them to smoothly collect all the medicinal herbs. What if the drugs they were researching were meant to harm Luke or N... Luca dared not think further. She knew Shanks would not harm people indiscriminately, but Abel would. Moreover, if Abel really intended to harm someone she valued, Shanks would not warn her either. Therefore, she had to be cautious. After a while, Shanks called Luca. When Luca saw him calling, she felt a tremor in her heart. She was concerned that the herbs Shanks found might be the same ones found by Luke''s men. She answered the phone, "Mr. Shanks, what kind of medicinal herb did you find?" "Pinellia ternata," replied Shanks on the other end of the call. "It''s around booth number 1347. You can skip that areater. I''ve already checked." Luca let out a sigh of relief. It was not the medicinal herb Luke had found, nor was it a booth from that area. Then, she said, "Alright, I got it." After hanging up, Warren sent her a message: [Purchased.] Luca replied: [Noted.] Then, she cleared the chat history. After Shanks made that call, Luca did not receive any more calls from Shanks or Abel until noon. She knew these medicinal herbs were not easy to find. Finding three of them instantly could be attributed to good luck. When it was noon, the crowd at the venue diminished significantly due to the hot weather. Many pharmaceutical merchants and herbalists were not standing at their booths. They had gone off to have lunch. Additionally, the area here was about to temporarily close and would reopen around three in the afternoon. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Luca returned to Luke''s side, and Evan also came back. Evan''s face was red because of the sun. It showed that he had been in many ces for quite some time under the scorching sun toplete Luke''s task. Luca thought to herself that Evan''s determination to cooperate with Luke was evident. If he did not have any intention of cooperating with Luke in the future, he would not be taking Luke''s tasks so seriously now. "Let''s grab some food." Luke watched as Luca walked toward him and noticed she had been out in the sun for a little too long. It caused him to furrow his brows involuntarily. The woman he held dear in his hands and protected in his heart was having a rough day. When he recalled Luca taking a punch from Abel and running around the venue, he felt a twinge of annoyance. Just a moment ago, he had put on a fake smile and exchanged pleasantries with Abel. He met Abel on equal terms, with both of them uttering insincere words to appease each other. Knowing that Abel was not who he imed to be, Luke was observant and noticed many details. Luke never paid much attention to these things before, partly because he did not know Bianca was an imposter. It was also partly because he had more suspicions about Luca at the time. That was why he had not noticed as much. When he saw Abel, he felt not only resentment but also regret. He regretted his previous carelessness that had caused Luca so much trouble. If he had known Abel was from the Ind of Despair, he would have confessed everything he knew to Luca. "Sure." Luca nodded, trailing behind Evan. She was not sure if Abel''s subordinates were still around, so she kept her distance from Luke. The three of them exited the venue together. Luke had already booked a table at a nearby restaurant, and Warren drove them away. Once Luke''s car had left, Abel and Shanks walked out of the venue. Their gazes followed the direction Luke''s car had taken. "Does she know we''re keeping an eye on her, so she''s intentionally keeping her distance from Luke?" Now that they were out of the venue, Abel lit up a cigar and took a puff. He remembered the scene where he and Luke had exchanged pleasantries. His face darkened. Even though Luke had not said anything out of line, his words hinted at Watson''s promising future and his intention to acquire Abel¡¯spany. It was a joke! Watson''s promising future was all thanks to Luca''s research. At first, Abel was worried that if Watson did not want Luca, he would have trouble getting Luca closer to Luke. Thus, when Luca left the Ind of Despair, he had her take Shanks'' two research findings with her. With those two research findings, there was no way Watson would reject Luca. Watson was not as formidable as he seemed. He was merely making a sacrifice to get Luca closer to Luke, giving her more opportunities to make a move. Watching the lovers fight each other was part of Abel''s n to retaliate against Luke. Moreover, could Luke really acquire hispany? Sooner orter, he would make Luke understand the consequences of his actions! At the thought of this, Abel took another harsh drag of his cigar. Those who were leaving the venue caught a whiff of Abel''s secondhand smoke and grimaced. They shot him reproachful nces before hurriedly leaving. Shanks also headed toward the parking area. "You..." Abel had no choice but to follow him. He caught up to him and asked, "Are you mad?" Shanks was naturally aloof. He spoke in a cold tone, but his coldness differed from Luke''s imposing demeanor. He was the kind who preferred to blend into the crowd. "Why would I be angry?" "Ivana¡¯s tagging along with Luke." Abel had always thought that Shanks had a bit of a soft spot for Luca. Otherwise, why would Shanks, who typically remained aloof toward everyone, keep helping Luca? At the same time, he also treated Luca¡¯s little girl with warmth and affection. Every time Abel witnessed such scenes, he could not help but feel like Shanks was willingly taking on the role of that little girl''s stepfather. "What''s going on in your head?" Shanks gave him a cold stare. The cigar in Abel¡¯s hand was nearly burnt to the end, but he had not taken a puff. Chapter 3085 The cigar he carefully prepared was wasted by Abel like this. Shanks reminded him in a displeased tone, "You''re wasting your time on this unrealistic stuff. Just smoke a few more cigars. "The cigars I make for you cost a pretty penny, and they''re a pain to make." When Abel heard this, he quickly took two more puffs. Although Shanks wasining, he would not refuse to make more cigars. Yet, Abel still unconsciously yed along when he heard Shanks'' wistful tone. "Tsk, every time I mention this, you switch topics. You''re just fronting. It''s pretty boring." Shanks opened the car door and got in. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Abel threw the cigar on the ground and stepped on it to put it out. Then, he got into the car from the other side. He said to the driver who had been waiting for them, "Take us to the restaurant." "Yes, Mr. Abel," replied the driver as he drove away. On the other hand, Warren was driving, and the other three in the car kept quiet. Even though they all had experience dealing with such big asions, no one felt like talking much after a morning of exhaustion. When they arrived at the restaurant, Luke said, "I''ve booked three rooms in the hotel upstairs. After you''ve eaten, go upstairs to rest. We''ll leave for the venue around three o''clock." "Yes, sir," replied Warren and Evan. Luca was slightly surprised by Luke''s arrangement, but she did not say anything and just had a meal with them. It was hot outside during the meal, and everyone was getting a bit ufortable with the heat. They did not chat much. None of them even brought up what happened at the venue. After the meal, Warren and Evan each took a room key card while Luca took the other one. They went upstairs together. Luca entered the suite, and as soon as she put the key card in the slot, Luke held her hand and walked toward the bed. "Luke?" Luca was surprised. Luke was not someone who acted so eagerly. Could it be that Abel had drugged him? However, Luca immediately denied her absurd thought. Abel simply did not have time to drug Luke. Even if he did, Luke would not have remained calm during dinner. "Let me see your wound," Luke said in a serious tone. At this moment, Luca finally realized that Luke knew Abel had punched her. He was worried about her. Luca shook her head. She did not want Luke to worry about her. "It''s okay, really." "He didn''t hold back at all, Bea. This isn''t good at all. Let me see. Is it your abdomen?" Even though Luca had behaved normally aftering back, Luke knew it was all a disguise. How could someone who had always been afraid of pain suddenly stop being afraid after three years on the Ind of Despair? It was just that she did not want to worry him... Luke knew well in his heart that Luca was not insensitive to pain. She had just gotten used to disguising it to not let people like Abel see her in pain. "Yes, it''s my abdomen." Luca knew that if she did not let him check the spot where she was hit today, this matter would never be resolved. "The area he struck is away from any organs, so there are no internal injuries. At most, it''ll just bruise for a few days." After that, she lifted her undershirt slightly for Luke to examine. Luke saw the bruise at a nce, and it stabbed at his heart. He gently touched the bruised area and said in a soft tone, "Bea, you''ve suffered." "It''s okay. As long as there are no internal injuries, everything will be fine. Don''t worry," Lucaforted him, knowing that this kind of injury did not require a visit to the hospital. People from the Ind of Despair, who were capable of carrying out their tasks, were very familiar with the human body. They knew exactly where to hit to inflict ten times the pain on someone. They also knew which areas would not be life-threatening even with a full-force punch. Abel had the same ability. Even though he had irrationally punched her, he had not lost all control of himself. At least, he remembered not to hurt her organs. That was him showing mercy. However, he did that just to make sure she could still do things for him. Luke pressed his thin lips together, trying hard to suppress the frustration and hatred in his heart. Luca whispered reassuringly, "It''s really nothing serious. It''s just a bruise. Luke, I''m not the same person I used to be. The training I received on the Ind of Despair goes far beyond this." As she spoke, she raised her hands and gently cupped his face. "Luke, I''m not the same fragile Bianca anymore. I can help you, even protect you. Do you believe me?" Luke''s Adam''s apple moved slightly. When he heard Luca say these words, his chest was filled with indescribable emotions. She could indeed protect him... However, what he wanted more was to be able to protect her in the long run. ''Yes, my Bianca has be formidable.'' Luke did not say those words out loud. In marital life, there should still be some fairness. At least that was what Luca believed. Before Bianca was kidnapped, he had always protected her. At the same time, Bianca had never thought of holding him back as she continued striving to improve herself. Still, he had not protected her well... "I''m a bit tired. Let''s rest for a while," suggested Luca. She remembered that they still had to attend to various matters in the afternoon. She wanted to rest now so that she would not be too tired to deal with everythingter. "Okay." Luke knew that although she seemed fine on the surface, she was actually under immense pressure. Thus, he pulled back the covers, indicating for her to sit down. Following his gesture, Luca sat down on the bed and was about to take off her shoes when Luke crouched down to help her remove them. "Bending over might cause pain in your injured area. Don''t bend over." "It''s a bit painful now, but it''ll be fine tomorrow." Luca smiled, enjoying his considerate service while also soothing his emotions. "So soon?" Luke put her shoes aside and then got into bed on the other side. Luca did not remove her makeup at the thought of them returning to the venueter. After hey down, she nestled upon him. As she listened to the sound of his heartbeat on his chest, she slowly exined, "Have you forgotten? I recover pretty quickly." Luke recalled the time they were in Russia. Luca''s wound was originally quite severe, and the doctor had predicted that it would take a long time to heal. However, after resolving the infection issue, the wound healed at a rapid pace. Even the doctor remarked that they had never seen someone with such strong healing abilities. After that, the doctor muttered under their breath about how excellent Luca''s physical condition must be for the wound to heal so quickly. Luke grunted in agreement. He wrapped his arm around her waist and closed his eyes. "Let''s rest for a while." "Okay." Luca closed her eyes too. Suddenly, something crossed her mind. She picked up her phone from the bedside table and set an rm. "I was too tired this morning. If I don''t set an rm, I''ll definitely oversleep." "I''ll wake you up," said Luke with his eyes closed. Luca suddenly remembered the person who had promised to nap with her but ended up working. As she thought about how exhausted Luke must have been this morning, especially after being swarmed by so many people, she knew he must be extremely fatigued. After all, he had done much more today than just sitting in the office and handling paperwork. Chapter 3086 "No, you have to rest with me. You can''t wait for me to fall asleep and then start working again," said Luca, wrapping her arm around Luke''s waist. She did this so that Luke would have to move her hand away if he tried to get up, and she would wake up immediately. Luke knew her little trick, and a smile spread across his face as he said in a sweet tone, "Okay, I''ll rest with you." "No sneaking off to work,¡± added Luca. "Okay." Luke looked at her affectionately. He then leaned over to nt a kiss on her forehead. Luca hugged his waist and closed her eyes. It was the scent she was familiar with. Shortly after closing her eyes, Luca drifted into her dreams. Luke, as promised, also closed his eyes. He did not get up to work but instead apanied her to sleep. After a while, the rm clock rang in the quiet room. Luca slowly opened her eyes, nced around, and remembered where she was. She reached for the phone on the bedside table and turned off the rm. Then, she turned on her side and slightly tilted her head back to meet Luke''s gaze. "Good afternoon." Luke''s eyes were filled with a smile as he leaned down to give her a lingering kiss on her lips. Luca''s face turned slightly red. After that, Luke chuckled softly and said, "Why are you blushing again?" "I''m not blushing. That''s just the makeup..." Luca whispered words she did not even believe herself. "Uh-huh, it''s the makeup." Luke pressed his lips against hers again. Luca gently pushed him away. "You''re smearing my lipstick!" "It''s okay, I''ll make up for it if it''s gone." Luke''s eyes twinkled with amusement as he realized he had indeed kissed away the remaining lipstick from Luca''s lips. The man beside her was pressing her down. Luca gently pushed him and said, "I need to get up and do my makeup again." Okay." Luke agreed but did not move. If she were not injured, he would not be letting her off so easily. Luca pushed him away again. "Stop fooling around. We have important tasks this afternoon. There were still two more herbs to find, including the herbs she had not reported yet. Luca was curious about why Shanks needed those herbs. That was why she nned to collect some for herself as well. She figured that once she collected them, she might have some ideas. With this in mind, Luca knew she could not ck off in the afternoon when it came to finding those herbs. "Okay." Things about Abel crossed Luke''s mind. A hint of seriousness shed across his eyes as he sat up. Abel, along with the organization behind him, was indeed not to be underestimated. The moment he sat up, Luca followed suit. Luca frowned when she sat up as she had forgotten to pay attention to the bruise on her lower abdomen. "Does it hurt a lot?" Luke noticed that. He looked concerned as he tried to lift her clothes to see if her bruise had worsened. "Let me see. If it''s serious, we must go see a doctor." Even though Luca said that Abel had avoided her vital organs, who knew if he left any hidden dangers? Luke had witnessed the methods used to interrogate prisoners on the Ind of Despair. A simple twist could make someone endure unbearable pain, and they could only rely on painkillers to get through those difficult seven days. He was worried that Abel might retaliate against Luca using simr methods. "No, I just identally touched it," replied Luca when she saw him about to lift her clothes to check the wound. She could only let him do so. She knew that she had to let him see that she was really okay for him to feel at ease. Luke carefully examined the bruise on her abdomen, which appeared about the same as before they went to sleep. "It''s normal for the bruise to be slightly bigger. Bruises don''t always show up immediately after a fall or impact. I know my body, and I''m really fine," reminded Luca. "Okay. Don''t try to be tough," said Luke with a deep gaze. "I won''t. Don''t worry," reassured Luca, holding his hand tightly. She was surprised to find Luke''s hand trembling slightly. He was worried about her. That was why he had such a reaction. Luca held his hand tightly andforted him in a soft voice, "Don''t worry, I''m really fine." "I know." Luke looked at her worried expression. His eyes darkened, and he said, "Go freshen up. I have an email to reply to." He was not used to taking a nap at noon. He had only dozed off for about ten minutes before waking up. His phone had also vibrated a few times. When he nced at it, he saw an email from Jason. Luke had intended to reply to the email at that time but remembered his promise to Luca. Hence, he put his phone aside and continued to rest with her. "Okay." Luca chuckled, feeling pleased that Luke had kept his promise. She then took her bag and walked into the bathroom to touch up her makeup. Meanwhile, Luke sat on the couch and read the email Jason sent to him. It contained documents that needed his review. He quickly browsed through them twice, found no issues, and replied to the email. Luca had finished touching up her makeup too. She walked out of the bathroom. "Are you done?" asked Luca as she checked the time on her phone. It was almost three o''clock. It was almost time to leave for the venue, which would take about ten minutes to get there. "Yes, I''m done.¡± Luke rose to his feet, picked up his coat, and said, "Let''s go." "Wait a minute." Luca shook her head and walked over to him. She helped straighten his tie and smooth out the wrinkles on his shirt. "It''s a bit wrinkled." This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Luke lowered his gaze, watching her fix his clothes. After Luca finished tidying his clothes up, she was still not entirely satisfied. "You should''ve changed your clothes during the break. Your shirt''s still a bit wrinkled." "It''s okay, the coat will cover it," replied Luke as he put on his coat. "It won''t be noticeable like this." Luca nodded and smiled. "My man is seriously hot." "Bea, I don''t feel like going out anymore after hearing you say that." Luke''s voice grew deep, each syble carrying a hint of flirtation. There was also a longing to make her his own. "Oh,e on. Hurry up." Luca, like a rabbit, quickly took a step back. She widened the distance between them. Luke let out a chuckle. "You''re such a little troublemaker." "I''m not," replied Luca. She took out the room key card and opened the door. Then, she looked at the two people standing at the door with a surprised expression on her face. "How long have you been waiting here?" "Good afternoon, Mr. Crawford, Dr. Craw," Evan greeted them with a smile and then answered her question, "We haven''t been waiting long. We just arrived a moment ago. Sorry for not knocking." Luca''s face turned red at once. Even though nothing had happened between her and Luke inside, the thought of people standing outside the door made her feel shy. Evan and Warren must have been worried about disturbing them, which was why they did not knock on the door. "Let''s go," Luke''s voice took on a chilly tone as he spoke. With others around, not only did his tone shift, but even his expression changed. He had now returned to his usual cold and indifferent self. Chapter 3087 "Yes, sir!" Evan gave Warren a look. Warren received it without saying anything and obediently followed behind Luke. Earlier, when they were standing at the door of the suite, Evan had urged Warren to knock. However, Warren did not dare to. Evan then indicated that the couple definitely was not doing anything inside. After all, Luke was not the type tock tact like that. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Warren paid no attention and stood silently at the door. Evan bet with him again, iming Luke and Luca would definitelye out within five minutes. Warren was forced to stand on the side where Luke and Luca would note out within five minutes. As it turned out, Luke and Luca dide out within five minutes. Evan''s earlier look was telling him that he had won. However, whether he won or not, Warren did not really care. When he started following Gale and Rain, the first lesson he learned was not to casually specte or guess about the boss'' matters. He only had to focus on doing his own thing. His current task was to drive Luke and ensure their safety. The few of them took the elevator down. Warren collected their room key cards, went to the hotel front desk to check out, and went to get their car. After the group got into the car, it took about ten minutes for them to arrive at the venue. Many people had already entered the venue at this time. Since they all had guest badges, it was not a big hassle to return to the venue. They simply walked into the venue while showing their badges. The venue was still bustling with many people. Even though the afternoon temperature was much hotter than in the morning, these people still persisted. They continued to roam the venue, seeking opportunities for cooperation. Luke said to Luca, "Do as you wish. Don''t worry, I''ll protect you." He said this to Luca when Evan was not around. As soon as they entered the venue, Evan was pulled away by Warren with the excuse of selecting herbs. 18:09 10/03/2024 Read Twins in Her Womb: Sir President, Please be Gentle novel Chapter 3089 Hence, only Luca heard Luke''s words. Luca nodded and replied, "I can''t just tell Abel that I only found one herb after a day''s work. I''ll tell Abel what they found in the morning and help him purchase it." "Okay. Just do as you see fit," said Luke. Luca nodded and continued to pretend to look for the herbs. She wandered around the venue. Luke watched her leave from behind. After a while, he became busy as those people surrounded him again. He could only continue to entertain these people. More than ten minutester, Luca found the booth, picked out photos of the corresponding herbs, and negotiated with the herbalist. She found that the herbs Shanks needed seemed to only be avable from herbalists. Perhaps it was because the merchants would not purchase such herbs at all. She realized this and knew why Luke''s men could find these herbs so quickly. After confirming that the herbalist had the herb needed, she called Abel. Abel was very satisfied after knowing the third herb had been found. He instructed her to purchase all the herbs at any price. Luca continued to negotiate with the herbalist. Dealing with this herbalist was much simplerpared to the one in the morning. Even though the selling price still exceeded the value of the herbs, it was not as outrageous as the price set by the herbalist Luca met in the morning. After agreeing on the price and paying a deposit, Luca gave the herbalist Abel''s pharmaceutical company''s address. After arranging for the delivery, she continued to stroll around the nearby booths. By now, she had essentiallypleted two tasks in one day, so she felt relieved. As for whether Luke''s men could find the others, she felt it was out of her hands. She figured that they should have almost finished touring the venue. With so many booths around, they only managed to find three types of herbs. There were two more they could not find. Luca wanted to find them too¡ªnot to im credit from Abel but to understand what Shanks really wanted to research. She needed to collect all the herbs for analysis to understand what Abel and Shanks were up to. This was important to both Luke and her. However, the smooth morning did not guarantee a smooth afternoon. Before the industryworking event ended, Luke''s men found the fourth type of herb at a booth outside. Luca did not inform Abel about this fourth herb. She pretended she did not know about it, but she asked Luke''s men to buy some. They could not find the fifth type of herb until the end of the event. Neither could Shanks'' side. After the event ended, Luke left the venue under Warren''s escort. Luca followed Luke as well. What she did not know was that Abel was standing in the smoking area of the venue, looking quite displeased. They only found three types of herbs... The look on Abel''s face was gloomy as he said to Shanks, "Wasn''t there news that all five types of herbs would be avable here?" "How should I know?" Shanks'' expression was cold. He also felt helpless at being unable to find the herbs he wanted. Still, what could he do? If they were not found, then that was that. Even if Abel sent his men to subdue all the herbalists here, they still would not find them. They had already asked all the booths at the entire event, including the ones outside. The herbalists said they did not have them, so they could only treat it as if they did not. They could not just subdue them and interrogate them... "How did your men get their information?" Abel was very dissatisfied, thinking that Shanks'' people had not done enough. "My men are your subordinates too. You can ask them where they got this information from." Shanks rolled his eyes. He rarely did that, but this time, he was truly helpless. This was truly the case of Abel''s men being useless. Out of all the transmitted messages, some were true while others were false. If the transmitted message this time had beenpletely false, they would not have been able to gather three types of herbs. However, if the message had been entirely true, they would not have only found three types of herbs either. Therefore, the message was true but not entirely. Abel calmed himself down, only to realize that all those who gathered information were his subordinates. If they could not find the other two types of herbs, it really could not be med on Shanks... "Is it possible that Ivana is behind this?" Abel suddenly thought of this possibility. Ivana knew they were collecting herbs. After she found one type of herb in the morning and another in the afternoon, there was no further news from her. What if she found the herbs but did not report to them? To expedite the search for the herbs, Abel deployed every avable resource. He was solely dedicated to locating these herbs. Consequently, there was no one left to keep tabs on Luca. "But your men are also searching for these herbs, so it''s your problem too," replied Shanks. "You..." Abel was even more puzzled. Why was everything his problem? He was now muttering to himself that he should not have let Ivana act alone. No matter what, he should have assigned someone to follow her... They only had three types of herbs on hand at the moment. Abel asked again, "Is three enough?" "I can''t start my research until I have all five types of herbs. I hree won''t do," replied Shanks. "Thebination of three herbs is poisonous. Only when all five types arebined can the toxicity be neutralized while still achieving the desired medicinal effects. You wouldn''t want me to experiment on your Kassy with just three herbs, would you?" Chapter 3088 Abel fell silent. Using Kassy for experiments? Absolutely not! The thought that Luca might be doing things behind his back sparked a fierce determination in Abel''s eyes. No matter what, he had to know if Luca was doing anything behind his back right now! With this in mind, Abel put out his cigar and walked outside. The venue''s people were already ushering the crowd out at this moment. If he stayed here any longer, he would be kicked out soon. When Shanks saw Abel leaving, he followed him and left too. Indeed, Luca was doing things behind Abel''s back. When Luke''s men discovered the fourth medicinal ingredient, she made a ruthless decision to have Warren inform them to purchase all of it from the herbalist. However, they could not buy the herb under Luke''s name. They had to set up a randompany and purchase all of it on the spot and take it away. Luke''s men did exactly as she instructed. Fortunately, the herbalist did not have much stock either¡ªjust a few pounds. Now, the fourth herb was in the trunk of Luke''s car. Since there were important herbs in the car, Warren sat in the car waiting for the rest to finish their meal when they went to have dinner. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. After dinner, Luke asked Warren to send Evan back to the hotel first. After Warren took Evan to the hotel, Luke gave him some money to have a good meal himself. Then, he personally drove back to the Crawfords'' ancestral home in X City. Considering that Otto was around, Luca dared not to check the herbs that were in the trunk of the car in the garden. She could only pretend that there was nothing in the trunk. She suppressed the slight excitement in her heart, greeted Otto, and made her way upstairs with Luke. After they came upstairs, Luca closed the bedroom door. Luke came over to check the bruise on her abdomen, but he heard her ask, "Is this really okay?" "There won''t be any problem," Luke replied affirmatively. "But I''m still afraid..." Luca felt her heart beating rapidly, worried that something bad might happen. Even though Abel did not have anyone watch over her today, he would surely be suspicious since the collection of herbs did not go smoothly today. What if Abel suspected that she purchased the herbs and came to investigate? What should she do? She had no idea if Abel would do such a thing. The key was that all those medicinal herbs were in the trunk... If Abel found out about it, Luke and Luca would be at risk of exposure. "Don''t be afraid." Luke let out a helpless sigh when he saw how significant was the psychological impact Abel had left on Luca. "I have a n." Luca''s eyes flickered, and she asked eagerly. "What n?" "You''ll know soon enough. Rest assured, I''ll protect you and our child. Even if Abel sends someone here to investigateter, they won''t find anything," Luke said confidently. He was even more concerned that Abel''s men would not show up... If Abel''s men showed up, he would not mind getting rid of Abel''s subordinates in X City. Eliminating even one would significantly reduce their obstacles in the future. Luke was patient in his actions. Even if the enemy still had his child, he could not afford to be anxious. Anxiety led to mistakes, and he could not let his carefullyid ns be ruined by impatience. "You''re secretly arranging things again and not telling me." When Luca heard Luke say this, she knew he had arranged something. However, from the looks of it, he did not intend to tell her. Even if she asked, Luke might not even tell her. "Do you suspect Otto?" asked Luca. Abel could silently arrange for his subordinates to be around them. Without careful observation, it would be difficult to detect any issues. Otto was not someone who stayed with them constantly. If he was also Abel''s subordinate, then they would be at a disadvantage... "It''s hard to say, but we''ll know after tonight," replied Luke, brushing her long hair aside. "Go freshen up. It''s still early, so why not take advantage of the time and get a little extra rest?" "Okay." Luca sensed the implications in his words. Something might really happen tonight... After Luca freshened up, Luke also went into the bathroom to freshen up. Luca sat in front of the dressing table, listening to the sound of watering from the bathroom. She was in a daze. She had not even considered the possibility of something going wrong tonight until she woke up this morning. Whatever was going to happenter might be a minor sh between Luke and the Ind of Despair. She could feel her palms grow cold at the thought of this. If something happened, she would be at risk of exposure. Suddenly, Luca felt the urge to pray. She hoped that nothing would happen tonight... However, things did not go as she wished... After she dried her hair, Luke was done freshening up. It was just past nine at night, but both of them unconsciously prepared to lie down and rest. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Luke sat at the edge of the bed, showing no intention of getting up to open the door. He asked, "What is it?" "Sir, it''s me. I wanted to ask if you and Ms. Craw would like some supper?" Otto''s voice came from outside the door. Luke and Luca exchanged a nce with each other. Then, Luke replied, "No need. We''re tired today, and we¡¯re nning to rest now. You should rest early too." After two seconds, Otto, who was outside the door, responded, "Alright. Goodnight, Mr. Crawford." After that, Luca heard the sound of footsteps fading away as someone left. She turned to look at Luke and mouthed, "Something''s wrong." Luke nodded. Otto was a butler trained in a professional butler course. A professional butler like him would note upstairs to disturb the master if there were no orders from the master, especially at night. Not only did Ottoe upstairs, but he also knocked on their bedroom door. At the thought of it, it did feel odd. Something was definitely not right... Luca felt she had reached a conclusion. Otto might be one of Abel¡¯s subordinates. Even if he was not one of them, his identity was highly suspicious. The thought that he was working for Abel made Luca break out in a cold sweat. All the conversations she and Luke had had in the bedroom, as well as Luke''s endearing nickname for her, Bea... What if Otto had installed some listening devices here...? "Luke, could we have already been..." Luca could not continue. Now that she was suspecting Otto to be Abel''s subordinate, she was worried about how Abel would treat their daughter after learning she had already confessed her identity. She could not help but tremble at the thought of this. "There are no listening devices here." Luke knew what she was worried about. Abel was a sensitive and suspicious person, but Luke was also a meticulous man. He had already confirmed that there were no listening devices here, which was why he was confident enough to call her ''Bea''. "Hmm?" Luca was surprised. No listening devices? Still, how could Luke be so sure? After all, she was basically always with Luke. She had not seen him use any devices for detection... Luke had not installed any signal jammers in this bedroom either because her phone signal was very good here, with full bars. At the same time, she could also send messages using data. It did not seem like there was any interference device. Chapter 3089 "Adrian installed a program on my phone and also added a little gadget," said Luke. He spoke openly because he knew there were no bugs here. He picked up his phone, removed the protective cover, and pointed at a small protrusion in one corner of the phone. Luca looked at the tiny gadget which was smaller than a grain of rice. If she had seen it under normal circumstances, she might have thought it was a speck of dust. She definitely would not have thought of it as a high-tech gadget. "What is this?" "This is a surveince detection device. As long as you open the app in a certain location and select the inspection range, it can help check for any surveince or monitoring devices within that range," exined Luke. This little gadget was developed by Adrian. It was proven to be very useful after numerous experiments. Percy did not want such a useful tool to circte on the market because once it did, there would be methods to crack it. If there was a way to crack it, the device would be useless. Therefore, Percy bought it out at a high price and restricted its use among his close friends. Luca looked at Luke in surprise as he opened the app and selected the range within it. Their bedroom had no surveince. That was why the device did not trigger any alerts when they chose a small range. As Luke gradually expanded the range, it eventually covered downstairs. The device finally sounded an rm. Luca knew that there were quite a few surveince devices on the first floor of the old mansion, in the garden, and in the living room. She could not help but exim, "This is kind of convenient." Luke nodded, turned off the device, and said, "This device is currently the most advanced, so it''s very convenient and beneficial for us to use. That''s why Percy bought out the technology of this device." "Bought out?" Luca was surprised. However, she also knew that once this technology hit the market, it might not be long before someone developed a batch of surveince monitoring devices using sound waves that could evade this equipment. By then, only ordinary people would be able to use this device. However, this device looked expensive, and ordinary people might not be able to afford it anyway. It was good that Percy bought it out at once. At least they could temporarily avoid the quick appearance of surveince devices that could evade this device. Luca knew that technology would continue to advance, and there would soon be more advanced surveince devices. However, this device was useful enough at the moment. "Well, it wasn''t just Percy who paid for it. He and Adrian signed the contract, and Jim and I also contributed." Luke put the protective cover back onto the phone after that. He did not like using phone covers because he could always get a new one once the phone broke. However, in order to protect this small device, he had to use a protective cover for his phone. Luca nodded in understanding and let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, there was no surveince here. Otherwise, if Abel knew she had already confessed her identity to Luke, N¡¯s life would be in danger. Luca was scared, but she also felt fortunate that Luke had gone to great lengths to protect the two of them. "Let''s go to bed," suggested Luke. He lifted the nket andy down. Lucay down on the bed too. She leaned close against Luke and asked in a soft voice, "Luke, are you sure everything will be okay?" "Everything will be fine. I''ve arranged everything," reassured Luke as he held her close. "All we need to do now is to go to bed. Otherwise, we might not have a chance to restter." "Okay," replied Luca. She tried to calm her racing heart and close her eyes. Even though her heart was racing, Luke always had a calming effect on her. Perhaps she was tired or perhaps her anxiety was gradually being soothed, but Luca gradually closed her eyes. She soon drifted off to sleep. As Luke listened to Luca''s steady breathing, he knew she had fallen asleep. He then turned on a small night light. He did not get up or attend to any work. Tonight, the most important thing for him was to stay here with Luca without going anywhere. Leaving the night light on was to keep unwee visitors away. After all, with the light on, they would not dare to make any reckless moves. Half an hour had passed. The garden was silent. The old mansion was situated near other attractions. Hence, there were no visitors around when night fell. It was quiet in the old mansion. Luke closed his eyes and went to bed with Luca. At the same time, something was happening in the garden of the old mansion. A few people crossed over the wall and managed to climb in smoothly. "Boss, aren''t there supposed to be infrared rms here? I think I touched something just now, but the rm didn''t go off," said a man. Gale frowned when he heard the man''s words. He picked up a small stone from the ground and threw it outside. He deliberately threw it low, almost scraping against the outer wall. Indeed, the rm did not go off. "The infrared rm has been turned off." Gale shot a nce at his careless subordinate. "I''ve trained you better than this. Why have you be so clumsy?" "But it didn''t go off..." The man awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, knowing that he had not performed well. He was never like this during training. It was just an ident today. "If it did, how would we carry out the boss'' mission?" Gale asked in a low voice. The man chuckled and did not argue. Gale frowned again. "The infrared rm is usually on. Looks like something is definitely going to happen tonight. The rm is off, and the butler is dubious. Let''s go. Take the items first. Then, we''ll make preparations." "Got it." Several people headed toward the parking lot of the old mansion. Luke already told them that the items were in the trunk of the car. They needed to take away the herbs without giving the enemy any chance to notice. Gale easily found Luke''s car and used a spare key to open the trunk. He took out the bags of herbs. Then, they retraced their steps, with two men carrying the herbs while the others began toy in wait. After Gale was done with everything, he sent a message to Luke. Since Luke''s phone was not on silent mode, the vibrations sounded abrupt in the bedroom. Luke was a light sleeper. The moment his phone vibrated, he opened his eyes. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Luke picked up his phone and nced at it. Gale had reported all the basic details. They had sessfully moved away the herbs andpleted the setup in the yard. Gale also reported that the infrared rm had been deactivated. A steely gleam shed across Luke''s eyes. Indeed, Otto was one of them. For the sake of surveilling him, they actually stationed a housekeeper at this old mansion. This was X City, a ce Luke seldom visited. Yet, Abel had gone to such lengths to arrange for a butler here. Otto would keep a close watch on him at all times whenever he came... Abel really was a crafty beast, setting up defenses everywhere. Chapter 3090 Luke wondered how many people from the Ind of Despair were still lurking around him. They certainly were not important people to him, but they were tasked with monitoring his work and life. Since they were not particrly important, he would not bother investigating their backgrounds thoroughly. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. At the same time, he thought about the wless new identity Abel gave Luca. There was not a single w in her background check. There was not even the slightest issue during verification. If it were not for his sharp intuition and his familiarity with Luca, he would not have paid much attention to her at first. Considering Luca''s perfectly forged background, Luke knew that even if he investigated, he might not be able to uncover each of those people one by one. His life had long been under Abel''s surveince. Luke sat up. Luca was not deeply asleep. The moment Luke sat up, she woke up and looked at him with sleepy eyes. "Luke?" "Shh, I''m going to do something," whispered Luke. Back then, Luca would have definitely held onto him. She would worry about what dangerous thing he was about to do. When Luca heard that Luke was going to do something now, she sat up and watched him get out of bed. She asked in a soft voice, "Is it dangerous? I''ll go with you." Previously, she was a burden to him, but things were different now. Even if they were going to do something dangerous, she could protect herself and Luke at the same time. Luca believed in her abilities. Luke shook his head. "I''m going downstairs to turn on the infrared rm." Luca frowned. She knew the rm system here was advanced. Why was it turned off? This ce was considered a tourist spot, and the house had always attracted various architects who came to make visits. That was why ayer of infrared rms was installed on the outer wall of the house. Normally, if someone tried to climb in, it would trigger the infrared rm, which would also send a notification to the homeowner''s phone. With a press of a button, they could alert the authorities immediately. "Alright, be careful." Luca thought of Stan Muller. There was no one else here, and neither she nor Luke would turn off the infrared rm. That meant it could only be done by Stan. Moreover, the rm would be ineffective during a power outage. However, once power was restored, it would restart. Therefore, even though the infrared rm would turn off due to a power outage, as long as electricity returned, it would be on again. There was no possibility of Stan forgetting to turn it back on after a power outage. Hence, Stan must have intentionally turned it off. Luke opened the bedroom door and walked out. He had designed theyout of this house, so he knew exactly where each room was. He went downstairs and found the control room. Using his phone''s shlight as a torch, Luke quickly found the main unit controlling the infrared rm. He nced up along the wires. All the switches for the sockets were turned off. It was not only the switch for the infrared rm but the switch for the surveince cameras were turned off as well. Luke''s eyes darkened. It seemed that Stan had turned them off after they went to bed. Before they went to bed, Luke had shown Luca the device invented by Adrian, which still disyed the surveince in the house. Luke turned on all the switches. When all the devices were connected to the power source, they started running. Luke did not linger. He quickly left and returned upstairs. Luca was sitting on the bed. When she saw Luke return safely, she let out a sigh of relief and asked, "Is it turned on again?" "Yes, everything''s on. Not only the infrared rm was turned off, but all the indoor surveince was turned off too. I''ve restarted them all," replied Luke before he sat on the bed again. He picked up his phone and exined the situation to Gale. Gale said they had changed their strategy and left the house before the infrared rm was activated. Luke trusted his abilities. That was why he did not say anything. Luca leaned her head on Luke''s shoulder, reading the conversation between Luke and Gale on the phone. That was when she realized Luke had arranged for Gale to move the medicinal herbs from the trunk. Even if Abel¡¯s men came, they would not be able to find the herbs. Even though Abel might still suspect her, there was not much he could do without evidence. Luca let out a sigh of relief. "I didn''t know you made such an arrangement." "I''m here with you. You can rest well. Everything will be fine," replied Luke as he ced his phone on the bedside table. "But something will definitely happen tonight," said Luca. Since Stan turned off the surveince, it was inevitable that something would happen. "Don''t worry, Gale will give them a nice surprise," replied Luke. "Alright..." Even though Luca initially thought there was no benefit in confronting Abel head-on, she realized Luke must have thought everything through. She just waited quietly for the situation to unfold. "Get more sleep," suggested Luke. "Okay." Luca nodded andy down, snuggling closer to him. Luke hugged her gently, patting her shoulder. "I''m right here with you. Nothing''s going to happen. Rx." "Mmm." Luca caught a whiff of his scent and slowly closed her eyes. However, she knew something would definitely happen tonight. She was no longer counting on luck to get them through. That was why she was very worried. Thus, she did not truly fall asleep but just rested with her eyes closed. After more than an hour, the infrared rm in the house went off. Luke and Luca opened their eyes at the same time. "They''re here," Luke''s tone was grim as he said to Luca. "We need to y this out fully. I have to go downstairs and check. Stay safe upstairs." Luca nodded, knowing that the intruders were definitely from the Ind of Despair. She could not step forward at the moment, so she sat on the bed. After watching Luke leave, the sound of his footsteps grew fainter and fainter until she could not hear them anymore. Feeling uneasy, Luca decided not to sit on the bed anymore. She walked over to the couch and sat down, anxiously waiting for news from Luke. The moment the rm went off, Luke and Luca were not the only ones who reacted. Stan also reacted immediately. His heart skipped a beat as he sat up and looked at the notification on his phone and heard the loud noiseing from outside. He could not help but say to himself, ¡®This is bad.'' Indeed, it was bad. Stan had turned off all the rms and surveince before going to bed. Even after lying down, he had sat up to confirm once more that they were off before going to sleep peacefully. After all, the message he received had instructed him to turn off the surveince and rm. Why was the rm ringing? Stan quickly put on his clothes. When he was about to go to the control room to check, he bumped into Luke just as he stepped out of the butler''s quarters. "Mr. Crawford," Stan eximed in surprise. "I heard the rm go off, so I came downstairs to check. What''s going on?" asked Luke. ¡°Perhaps some small animal crawled up the wall and tripped the rm. I''ll go turn it off," Stan smiled and exined. Chapter 3091 Luke wondered how many people from the Ind of Despair were still lurking around him. They certainly were not important people to him, but they were tasked with monitoring his work and life. Since they were not particrly important, he would not bother investigating their backgrounds thoroughly. At the same time, he thought about the wless new identity Abel gave Luca. There was not a single w in her background check. There was not even the slightest issue during verification. If it were not for his sharp intuition and his familiarity with Luca, he would not have paid much attention to her at first. Considering Luca''s perfectly forged background, Luke knew that even if he investigated, he might not be able to uncover each of those people one by one. His life had long been under Abel''s surveince. Luke sat up. Luca was not deeply asleep. The moment Luke sat up, she woke up and looked at him with sleepy eyes. "Luke?" "Shh, I''m going to do something,¡± whispered Luke. Back then, Luca would have definitely held onto him. She would worry about what dangerous thing he was about to do. When Luca heard that Luke was going to do something now, she sat up and watched him get out of bed. She asked in a soft voice, "Is it dangerous? I''ll go with you." Previously, she was a burden to him, but things were different now. Even if they were going to do something dangerous, she could protect herself and Luke at the same time. Luca believed in her abilities. Luke shook his head. "I''m going downstairs to turn on the infrared rm.¡± Luca frowned. She knew the rm system here was advanced. Why was it turned off? This ce was considered a tourist spot, and the house had always attracted various architects who came to make visits. That was why ayer of infrared rms was installed on the outer wall of the house. Normally, if someone tried to climb in, it would trigger the infrared rm, which would also send a notification to the homeowner''s phone. With a press of a button, they could alert the authorities immediately. "Alright, be careful.¡± Luca thought of Stan Muller. There was no one else here, and neither she nor Luke would turn off the infrared rm. That meant it could only be done by Stan. Moreover, the rm would be ineffective during a power outage. However, once power was restored, it would restart. Therefore, even though the infrared rm would turn off due to a power outage, as long as electricity returned, it would be on again. There was no possibility of Stan forgetting to turn it back on after a power outage. Hence, Stan must have intentionally turned it off. Luke opened the bedroom door and walked out. He had designed theyout of this house, so he knew exactly where each room was. He went downstairs and found the control room. Using his phone''s shlight as a torch, Luke quickly found the main unit controlling the infrared rm. He nced up along the wires. All the switches for the sockets were turned off. It was not only the switch for the infrared rm but the switch for the surveince cameras were turned off as well. Luke''s eyes darkened. It seemed that Stan had turned them off after they went to bed. Before they went to bed, Luke had shown Luca the device invented by Adrian, which still disyed the surveince in the house. Luke turned on all the switches. When all the devices were connected to the power source, they started running. Luke did not linger. He quickly left and returned upstairs. Luca was sitting on the bed. When she saw Luke return safely, she let out a sigh of relief and asked, "Is it turned on again?" "Yes, everything''s on. Not only the infrared rm was turned off, but all the indoor surveince was turned off too. I''ve restarted them all," replied Luke before he sat on the bed again. He picked up his phone and exined the situation to Gale. Gale said they had changed their strategy and left the house before the infrared rm was activated. Luke trusted his abilities. That was why he did not say anything. Luca leaned her head on Luke''s shoulder, reading the conversation between Luke and Gale on the phone. That was when she realized Luke had arranged for Gale to move the medicinal herbs from the trunk. Even if Abel''s men came, they would not be able to find the herbs. Even though Abel might still suspect her, there was not much he could do without evidence. Luca let out a sigh of relief. "I didn''t know you made such an arrangement.¡± "I''m here with you. You can rest well. Everything will be fine," replied Luke as he ced his phone on the bedside table. "But something will definitely happen tonight,¡± said Luca. Since Stan turned off the surveince, it was inevitable that something would happen. "Don''t worry, Gale will give them a nice surprise," replied Luke. "Alright..." Even though Luca initially thought there was no benefit in confronting Abel head-on, she realized Luke must have thought everything through. She just waited quietly for the situation to unfold. "Get more sleep," suggested Luke. "Okay." Luca nodded andy down, snuggling closer to him. Luke hugged her gently, patting her shoulder. "I''m right here with you. Nothing''s going to happen. Rx." "Mmm." Luca caught a whiff of his scent and slowly closed her eyes. However, she knew something would definitely happen tonight. She was no longer counting on luck to get them through. That was why she was very worried. Thus, she did not truly fall asleep but just rested with her eyes closed. After more than an hour, the infrared rm in the house went off. Luke and Luca opened their eyes at the same time. "They''re here," Luke''s tone was grim as he said to Luca. "We need to y this out fully. I have to go downstairs and check. Stay safe upstairs." Luca nodded, knowing that the intruders were definitely from the Ind of Despair. She could not step forward at the moment, so she sat on the bed. After watching Luke leave, the sound of his footsteps grew fainter and fainter until she could not hear them anymore. Feeling uneasy, Luca decided not to sit on the bed anymore. She walked over to the couch and sat down, anxiously waiting for news from Luke. The moment the rm went off, Luke and Luca were not the only ones who reacted. Stan also reacted immediately. His heart skipped a beat as he sat up and looked at the notification on his phone and heard the loud noiseing from outside. He could not: ¡° AE '' help but say to himself, ¡°This is bad.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Indeed, it was bad. Stan had turned off all the rms and surveince before going to bed. Even after lying down, he had sat up to confirm once more that they were off before going to sleep peacefully. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter therel After all, the message he received had instructed him to turn off the surveince and rm. Why was the rm ringing? Stan quickly put on his clothes. When he was about to go to the control room to check, he bumped into Luke just as he stepped out of the butler''s quarters. "Mr. Crawford," Stan eximed in surprise. "I heard the rm go off, so I came downstairs to check. What''s going on?" asked Luke. ¡°Perhaps some small animal crawled up the wall and tripped the rm. I''ll go turn it off," Stan smiled and exined. Chapter 3092 Luke reminded him, "This is thetest version of infrared rms. It detects the body temperature of intruders. The intruder will be verified as a human before it''ll trigger the rm and alert the authorities." Stan''s expression changed when he heard Luke mention calling the police. He said, "Sir, it might just be a false rm. Let me check on it. It''ste at night. If it''s a false rm, it won''t only disturb the police but also cause unnecessary trouble." Luke grabbed Stan''s cor. Stan was not tall, and Luke just needed to slightly lift his hand to grab the cor of Stan''s pajamas. "I''ve already called the police," said Luke. The look on Stan''s face changed. He looked down at his phone, trying to figure out how to discreetly notify the people outside. Luke''s next words, however, made him panic a bit. "Give me your phone." "Mr. Crawford?" Stan let out a cold shiver and looked at him in astonishment. "I''d like to check your phone''s rm system," replied Luke. At that moment, Stan had not turned off the rm yet. The phone was still emitting a loud beeping sound. Stan''s hand trembled slightly as he handed the phone to Luke. Luke picked up his phone and turned off the rm. The beeping sound instantly disappeared, but the noises outside the yard continued. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Luke asked, "Stan, do you know how to fight?" Stan was puzzled. Why was Luke asking him something like this? He shook his head and answered, "I don''t, Mr. Crawford. When I was hired as the butler, it was never mentioned that I needed to know these things..." "Seriously? You don''t?" Luke''s eyes narrowed. "There might be thieves out there now. If you don''t know how to defend yourself, how will you deal with them?" Stan shivered again. "Deal with them? I don''t know... Haven''t we already called the police? The police near the attraction area are just nearby. They should being soon." "Yes, the police are on their way," sneered Luke as he pushed Stan into the butler''s quarters. Stan did not understand what he meant. "Mr. Crawford? "You don''t know how to fight. If those thievese in and hurt you, it won''t be good. Stay in here," instructed Luke before closing the door. He did not care whether Stan understood or not. Luke only needed to keep Stan locked inside to reduce the number of people he had to deal with. Luke nned to block the door of the quarters with something. Before he could find anything, Stan opened the door again and said, "Mr. Crawford, I can''t let you risk it alone." A shadow of gloom shed across Luke''s eyes. If Stan could obediently stay in the room, he would not have said anything. He did not need someone who would cause trouble now. However, since Stan insisted oning out and standing with him... Luke''s eyes turned cold. When Stan stepped out of the quarters'' door once again, Luke immediately struck him with a chop to the neck. Stan felt a sharp pain in his neck, and everything went ck before him. Luke quickly helped him up and then let him sit down while leaning against the wall. Stan was knocked out cold now. He would not be waking up anytime soon. Luke casually made his way to the door. He took out a set of keys to unlock the main door of the old mansion. Gale and the others were outside. Meanwhile, in the garden, the intruders were startled by the ring rm. "Damn it, isn''t the rm supposed to be off? What''s going on now?" cursed one of the men with Caucasian facial features. "I have no idea. Forget it. Let''s just finish the task the boss gave us or we''ll be in trouble," said another Caucasian-faced man, who was none other than Jacob. He was the one who consulted with Luca earlier that day. "Let''s head to the parking lot." Harold Lint, the other man, thought Stan should be able to handle it. Hence, the two hurried toward the mansion''s parking lot. When they arrived at the parking lot, they found two cars parked there. There was an expensive car and a cheap one. Jacob said to hispanion, "That expensive one must be the one they drove today. Search the car and check if there are any medicinal herbs inside." "Got it," replied the other man. He picked up a crowbar and skillfully tried to open the car''s trunk. However, the car was of excellent quality. It took him quite a while before he managed to open it. ¡°Can you handle it or not?¡± Jacob kept an eye on their surroundings vigntly. The rm continued to re, but no one came out. Were they all dead asleep? He could not help but wonder. If they had not been drugged, they would not be sleeping so soundly... "If I can''t do it, can you?" Harold could not help but mutter while exerting force in his hand. With a click, the trunk finally popped open. "Man, this car is built like a tank. I worked my butt off for this,"ined Harold. Jacob flicked on the shlight and peered into the trunk, but there was nothing there. Nothing here... Boss must have misunderstood..." Harold wondered. "Boss wouldn''t have misunderstood. Luca doesn''t look like an honest person. She must have hidden the herbs somewhere else. Go ahead and pry open the car doors," instructed Jacob. "Why am I the one doing everything?" Harold could not help but mutter. "You''re the expert at this, aren''t you? Before you joined us, this was how you made a living." Jacob rolled his eyes. The rm had been ring for so long without anyoneing out, so he felt at ease. He guessed Stan did not trust them and drugged everyone inside the house, knocking them out. That exined why nobody had shown up. Jacob became more reckless at the thought of everyone inside the house being unconscious. Harold rolled his eyes too. He then forcefully struck the car window several times with the crowbar. This time, cracks appeared on the sturdy ss. Jacob could not help but frown. "You''re just wasting resources." "This is the simplest way. It''s not even your car, so why are you so worried?" Harold rolled his eyes. There was another forceful blow, followed by a loud crash. The car window shattered. Harold opened the car door and shot Jacob a provocative look. "Were you thinking of ways to unlock the car doors? These cars are equipped with thetest lock technology. The traditional way of unlocking won''t work easily." Jacob ignored him and got into the car. Apart from ss shards, he did not see anything else inside. "Damn, why is it so clean?" He pushed open the other door and said, "Check everything. Boss couldn''t have been wrong." When Harold heard this, he also got into the car and checked. He indeed found nothing. They checked thoroughly but there was still nothing. "There''s really nothing," said Harold. "Damn it. Did they hide the herbs?" Jacob suspiciously looked toward the dark house in the distance. However, he instantly remembered what Stan had told him. Stan mentioned that since Luke and the others returned, no one hade out. Moreover, there were only three people in the old mansion. Hence, it was clear that nobody had touched anything in the cars. There really was nothing here, and it was their boss who had made a miscalction. "There''s nothing here. Why don''t we go back?" suggested Harold, who was slightly at a loss for words. They were hoping that there might be something worthwhile, but it turned out there was nothing to be found. Chapter 3093 "Let''s go." Jacob had no intention to go inside the house to look for anyone. Stan had previously sworn that Luke had not left the main house, and all of Luke''s actions were under Stan''s surveince. This should not have gone wrong. When they entered, they had to climb over the wall because Stan had said he could not give them the keys. There was a risk that they would be discovered, which would lead him to be exposed as well. However, they could just go through the door when they were leaving. They headed toward the door. Suddenly, Harold stopped. "Jacob, is that door open?" Jacob frowned and turned to look at it. Sure enough, the door was open. "Could it be Stan?" "We didn''t see anyone just now. Why is there someone at the door now? Something doesn''t feel right," Harold said uneasily. As soon as he finished his sentence, a few men rushed in. "Oh damn. It''s an ambush!" Jacob realized something was wrong too. However, it was toote. There was no way they could escape. "What do we do?" Harold panicked. There were four men in total on the other side. "Don''t be afraid. Remember who we are. These people are weaklings. Knock them down and we can get out," said Jacob as he took on an attacking stance. Still, before they could prepare themselves, those men had already charged toward them. They knocked the two men down in a few moves. Jacob groaned in pain on the ground. Even though he had only recently joined the Ind of Despair and worked for Abel, he had received professional training. He should not have been easily defeated like this. However, actions spoke louder than words. The two were indeed knocked down by these people. "Who... are you?!" Harold groaned in pain and then asked immediately. Gale looked at the two men and asked disdainfully, "Just the two of you?" Harold groaned again. "Do you know who I am? How dare you do this to me?" "Who are you? Tell me," Gale deliberately asked. "We''re..." Shut up!" Jacob endured the pain andnded a swift p right on Harold''s head with a loud smack. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. "Hmm? You won''t talk? Then you can tell the policeter," said Gale. Then, Luke''s instructions crossed his mind as he added, "You two, search these two thieves'' bodies. See if they stole anything valuable." "Yes, sir." The two men searched them and reported, "Boss, we didn''t find anything." "They triggered the rm as soon as they came in. I''ve never seen such stupid thieves." After that, Gale lifted his foot and stomped on Jacob''s hand. Jacob cried out in pain. Gale chuckled. "You''ll have to exin properly when the police arriveter." Jacob red at Gale angrily. "I won''t let you off." "Well, we''ll see when you get out." Gale squatted down, closing the gap between them. "ording to him, you guys have a boss, right?" Jacob remained silent "It''s okay if you don''t speak now. When you get to the police station and you still refuse to talk, the police will only give you some minor trouble. That''s what you must be thinking, right? "Breaking and entering without stealing anything... Even if you''re sentenced, it won''t be for long, right? You''re probably thinking that once you''re out, you can still enjoy the good life with your boss, aren''t you?" Gale smirked. Jacob remained silent. Gale shook his head. "How can there be such naive people like you? Do you think you''ll be fine just by keeping quiet? If you don''t speak, your boss might worry that you''ll spill the beans. Do you think there''s a chance you''lle out of this alive?" Jacob was led astray by Gale''s words. At this moment, he realized that he might actually be abandoned for failing the mission. At the same time, he had learned a lot about Abel recently. Perhaps, he might even be assassinated... Jacob could not help but shiver at the thought of this. He was scared. At first, he did not think that much about it. He only thought that as long as he did not betray Abel, he would not be abandoned. However, Gale''s words made him consider another possibility. Indeed, in an organization as ruthless as the Ind of Despair, what would happen if he failed the mission? Unfortunately, no one told him what he would face after failing a mission. That was why even though he was afraid, Jacob still clung to hope. "Cut it out. Don''t try to sow discord here," Jacob spat out. Gale smiled and did not say anything further. "It¡¯s just the two of them?" Luke''s voice suddenly sounded. Jacob was startled for a moment. It seemed that Stan had not drugged Luke. The rm went off, and Luke was not drugged. Stan was a traitor! At the thought of this, he urgently wanted to inform Abel about Stan''s betrayal. However, there was no way he could notify Abel in such a situation. "Yes, Boss. These two stupid thieves were trying to break in. Fortunately, you made us guard here every day, or else these two idiots would''ve escaped through the front door," replied Gale. Then, he mercilessly stomped on Jacob¡¯s hand again. Jacob''s forehead was covered in cold sweat from the pain. Luke instructed with an expressionless look on his face, "Make him stand up." Gale moved his foot away and gestured to his two subordinates. They came forward and lifted Jacob up, one on each side. Luke looked at Jacob, furrowing his brows. "It''s you?" Jacob''s heart skipped a beat. Did he recognize him? He had only exchanged a few words with Luca at the venue. How could Luke possibly remember him? "Are you the one who talked to Luca at the venue?" asked Luke. "How did you end up as a thief now?" "What''s it to you?" Jacob let out a cold snort and added, "I fancied your wealth and came to steal something. Is that not allowed?" "What''s your connection with Luca?" Luke, in order to protect Luca, pretended to doubt her at this moment. Jacob was surprised. Luke was suspecting Luca. He usually seemed pretty nice to that woman, no? It seemed like he was really good at pretending. He kept his true feelings hidden deep inside. "I have nothing to do with her. I''m just jealous of your money.¡± Jacob was already caught, and he knew that Luca was Abel''s subordinate. Naturally, he could not drag her down or he would not be able to exin things to Abel. "Hmph." Gale gave him a solid punch. "You''re quite good at acting. Our boss is asking you a question, so answer honestly!" "Believe it or not, it¡¯s up to you." Jacob knew he could not admit it. "You''re quite stubborn. Boss, should I interrogate him?" Gale pretended to be angry and asked Luke. They were both excellent actors. "Stan has already called the police. They''ll be here soon. It''s none of your business," replied Luke. Jacob clenched his teeth in hatred. Stan had indeed set them up! "Fine. Let the police do their job," said Gale. The sound of police cars rushing to the scene filled the air. In no time, the police officer finished getting the details from Gale. Then, he said to Luke, "Mr. Crawford, we need you toe with us to the police station to give a statement." "Officer, there''s no need for my boss to go. I''m a witness to the entire incident," Gale happily said to the police. "Alright. Pleasee with us, then," replied the police officer as he nodded. Chapter 3094 Gale waved his hand to Luke and said, "Boss, I''ll go to the police station first." "Okay." Luke nodded. Ever since Gale started working for Luke, he often dealt with the police. He knew what to say and what not to say, so Luke was not worried that Gale would say the wrong thing. After everything was resolved, Luke closed the door. Then, he returned to the main house. He thought about Stan, whom he had knocked unconscious. He also thought about Luca, who was waiting for his news upstairs. Luke slowly made his way up the stairs, pushed open the door of the master bedroom, and said, "I''m back." "Is it settled?" Luca was sitting on the couch at the moment. When she saw Luke, she shot up from her seat in the blink of an eye. "Yes, but there''s still a problem downstairs." Luke pointed downward. "Stan?" Even though Luke did not specify, Luca guessed that the trouble he mentioned was Stan. "Yes, I''ve knocked him unconscious. I need to interrogate him next, and I may need your help,¡± replied Luke. He knew that Luca had various methods to wake up Stan right away. "Okay." Luca quickly walked to the luggage and took out a packet of needles from a hidden compartment. Then, she headed downstairs with Luke. The two of them arrived downstairs and walked down the hallway to the butler''s quarters, where they found Stan slumped against the wall, unconscious. He appeared to be leaning against the wall, but in reality, he was barely propped up. He would have copsed to the ground a few minutester. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. "Did you use too much force?" Luca stood in front of Stan. She grew concerned as he had not budged an inch. Even though Stan was from the Ind of Despair, he was approaching old age. Considering he was on the brink of old age, mishandling him might just result in serious harm. "I was careful with my strength. Don''t worry, he''ll be fine,¡± assured Luke. Luca nodded and replied, "Why don¡¯t you carry him in?" Luke frowned, clearly reluctant to have any contact with Stan. "Or should I do it?" Luca understood his thoughts, so she handed him the needles. "Hold these for me. I''ll carry him in." "No need." Luke pursed his lips. Having Luca carry Stan would only let the old man take advantage of her. He bent down and hoisted Stan onto his shoulders. Carrying a person was nothing to him. Luke walked into Stan''s quarters with Luca following behind him. Heid Stan on the bed, his face full of disgust. Apart from those close to him, he did not like physical contact with others. Luca could see the disgust in his eyes and said, "After you''re done interrogating him, go take a shower." "Okay." Luke nodded. "Could you get a rope? Although he doesn''t know how to fight, it''s better for us to be cautious,¡± said Luca. "Okay, I''ll go to the tool shed." After that, Luke walked out of the butler''s quarters. Luca did not rush to perform dry needling on Stan. First, she checked his pulse and confirmed that there were no issues with his vital signs. Only then did she let out a sigh of relief. It seemed that Luke had indeed controlled his strength. "I didn''t expect someone to be assigned here..." Luca muttered to herself. She seemed to be lost in thought as she stared at Stan. She did not expect that Abel could have his subordinate even in the Crawfords'' ancestral home in X City. It seemed unbelievable to her. This ce was outside of A City. There was actually no need to arrange for anyone to be here. Especially since Luke did note often. Yet, Abel still arranged for someone to be here, and it had been that way for so many years. Luke walked in carrying the rope in his hands and asked, "How is he?" "He''s fine. Vital signs are stable. Shall we tie him up first and then perform dry needling on him?" Luca discussed it with Luke. "Alright." Luke nodded. He picked up the rope and proceeded to tie Stan''s limbs to the bed. "Alright. Go ahead," said Luke. Luca nodded. Since the needles were new and vacuum-sealed, there was no need for sterilization. She directly inserted several needles into Stan''s face and head. In no time, the unconscious man showed signs of waking up. Luca said in a soft voice, "He''s waking up." Luke and Luca stood on either side of the bed. When Stan woke up, this was the scene he saw. In an instant, his heart skipped a beat. Memories of what happened before he fell unconscious quickly shed through his mind. He tried to move his limbs but realized they were bound. Mr. Crawford, I..." Stan attempted to plead for mercy, but he did not know how to start. Luke interrupted with a cold voice, "From now on, you only need to answer my questions. Do you understand?" Stan blinked his eyes, his mind racing toe up with an excuse. Luke noticed his silence and could imagine the wheels turning in his head. He issued another warning, "I don''t want to hear another peep out of you except for answers to my questions. If you can''tply, don''t me me for getting rough." He pulled out a needle from Stan''s face as he said that. Luke''s technique was not professional. That was why when he removed the needle, it was not as quick or precise as Luca. It caused Stan to feel a pang of pain. It was only now he realized there were needles pricked in his body. "In Luca''s hands, this needle can make you spill everything. Would you like to give it a try?" Luke asked again. Since they were going to interrogate Stan, some means were necessary. Resorting to physical violence would be too cruel for this middle-aged man on the verge of old age. He could copse at any moment. Therefore, Luca''s method might be more effective. It would not pose a life-threatening danger, but it would still make the person feel extreme peril. Stan immediately nodded, indicating he understood. Luke shot Luca a nce. Luca nodded and removed all the other needles from Stan''s face. Luke began to ask, "Who are you?" "I''m Stan Muller," Stan answered honestly. Luke turned to look at Luca. It seemed like he wanted her to confirm. Luca nodded and said, "Indeed, this is his real appearance. I didn''t notice any disguise tools when I applied the needles." Luke nodded. He had previously spected whether Stan had been reced. Perhaps Abel murdered the real Stan and reced him with someone disguised as him to nt an imposter inside the Crawfords'' ancestral home. However, it turned out that he was the real Stan. Luke asked again, "Which organization do you report to?" Stan''s eyes darted around. "What do you mean?" Before Luke could continue, Stan quickly continued, "Mr. Crawford, I''ve always been on your side. I signed abor contract with yourpany. So, my organization... No, I work for you." Luke knew he was deliberately saying this. He felt dissatisfied, and he turned to look at Luca again. Luca heaved a sigh, picked up a needle, and said, "Stan, Mr. Crawford only wants to hear the truth. I''m sorry, but you''ll have to endure this." She pricked the needle through his clothes straight into his abdomen. Stan instantly felt excruciating pain. "Ah, ah, ah! It hurts so much! Ms. Craw, it hurts! Help, please! Chapter 3095 "Hey, Uncle. Is anything going on over there?" the person on the other end of the call asked as soon as the call connected. Stan blinked his eyes, neither struggling nor making a sound. The caller waited for a response and asked again, "Did the n go through over there? Say something!" It was still silent. The caller muttered to himself when he heard no sound, "Darn it, what rotten luck. He didn''t even put his phone away properly while sleeping. What''s going on? Those two haven''t called either." As the manined, he hung up the call. Luke''s eyes darkened as the words of the caller confirmed what Stan had said. The phone in his hand rang again. Luke nced at it. It was still Stan''s nephew calling. He probably wanted to know what was going on over here. Luke set the phone aside, letting it ring incessantly. He turned to look at Luca. "So what do we do now?" asked Luca. She had doubts about Stan''s identity before. It was only because Luke really needed her that she decided to follow him down. She thought if it was someone from the Ind of Despair, it would be best to hand them over to Gale. After all, few on the Ind of Despair were innocent. However, it was evident that Stan was not from the Ind of Despair. However, he had seen Luke and her pressuring him together. This was definitely not something they wanted others to know. Otherwise, both she and Luke would be in trouble. Luca was in a dilemma. Stan had not done anything wrong. He was mainly just keeping an eye on Luke. He was involved in this incident, but a case like this could simply be handed over to the police. There was no need to involve Gale. Even though Luca had learned to be ruthless on the Ind of Despair, she could not bring herself to act against someone who had not harmed her much. She was also not the type to turn against one''s own family. Clearly, Luke felt the same. He could just eradicate the Ind of Despair and send the bad guys to prison, but he could not bring himself to do anything to Stan. Stan was not from the Ind of Despair. At most, he was being used by people from the Ind of Despair. This incident could simply be handled by taking Stan to the police station. There was no need to complicate things. However, taking Stan to the police station would also give Stan a chance to exin tonight''s events to those people. Luke''s voice was hoarse as he asked, "Do you have a solution?" "I do." Luca suddenly had a thought, but she was not entirely sure if it would work. Luke nodded. "What is it?" "I''ve seen a set of dry needling techniques before that can make someone forget what happened in the past few days. It''s like a form of amnesia, and there''s no way for them to recall it. "If sessful, even if Shanks realizes something''s off, there''s no way for Stan to remember today''s events," exined Luca. "Then let''s do it," replied Luke. For Stan, forgetting what had happened these past few days might be the best oue for him. After all, it was much better than being imprisoned by Gale for a lifetime. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. "But I haven''t tried it before, so I can''t guarantee it''ll work." Luca hesitated. When she came across it back then, she did not think the technique was necessary, so she just memorized it without experimenting with it. Plus, the assassins on the Ind of Despair would not let her experiment. As for the captives, Luca could not bring herself to experiment on them either. "What if it doesn''t work?" Luke frowned. He was curious about such a technique. There was no modern medical practice like this, so it must have been passed down from ancient times. How much did Shanks, from the Ind of Despair, really know? Luca took a deep breath and said, "If it fails, the person being needled will fall into a vegetative state." Luke frowned. A vegetative state? Stan had been quietly listening to their conversation. He knew they had something to hide and wanted to erase his memory. He was terrified but still listened to them without making a scene. It was not until Luca mentioned the possibility of falling into a vegetative that he immediately widened his eyes and kept kicking the bed with his legs. Luke frowned, thinking that Stan should not be subjected to that. He asked Luca, "Is there any other way?" Luca shook her head. "It''s toote for anything else now. There''s actually a potion that can cause shortterm amnesia, but developing it takes time. The purification process alone takes at least a week, and we don''t have that much time." After saying this, she turned to look at Stan. They had two choices to deal with Stan. They could imprison Stan and only release him when the situation on the Ind of Despair had been resolved. However, once he was released, there was no guarantee he would not expose them. After all, imprisoning someone was illegal. The other choice was to needle him. "How confident are you?" asked Luke. He had no choice but to rely on Luca. He never imagined that he would one day have to rely on her to help solve a problem. "70%," answered Luca. "If the needling is sessful, we also need to leave a wound on his head to avoid suspicion." People did not lose their memory for no reason. That was why they could only use a head injury as an excuse to exin it. Luke nodded. He knew Luca could not make the decision now, so he had to make it himself. "Let''s do it. It''s still better than handing him over to Gale," said Luke. Luca nodded and watched as Stan continued to struggle. She pricked two needles into his body. Soon, Stan closed his eyes. She exined, "I''m just calming him down so that I can needle him properly." "Okay." Luke nodded and walked over to Luca. "Don''t worry, I''m here." Luca nodded, though she wanted to say that Luke could not help her with this. After all, if she identally turned Stan into a vegetable by administering these needles, it would definitely leave a mark on her conscience. She might even hesitate to administer needles to people in the future. However, there was no way around it. She had to bite the bullet and proceed. Luca picked up the needle and began to prick the first acupoint. Then came the second needle and the third... Each needle was pricked into the memory area of the brain. After a total of 18 needles, she finally let out a sigh of relief and said, "I''ll remove the needles in five minutes. By then, we''ll know the oue." "You administered the needles very steadily. There shouldn''t be any problem," Luke reassured her. Luca gave him a faint smile but remained silent. She was particrly careful when inserting the needles because of the risks involved. Steadiness was the first requirement. Five minutester, Luca removed the needles. After taking out all 18 needles, she also removed the needle that induced temporary sleep for Stan. They both waited. Their gazes were fixed on Stan''s face, waiting for him to wake up. However, a minute passed, and Stan still had not woken up. Luca furrowed her brows tightly. Did she fail? Luke, I... I really did my best..." As Luca spoke, her figure swayed. Luke ced his hands on her shoulders, trying to offer her support. "Luca, maybe he has just passed out from shock. Perform the same dry needling technique earlier and he should wake up soon." Luca took a deep breath. She thought she had made a mistake in administering the needles, causing Stan to fall into unconsciousness. As Luke''s words echoed in her ears, she felt herself falling into a daze. Chapter 3096 "Is there any point in trying?" Luca looked at Luke. Her eyes regained some focus. "Of course. Perform the same dry needling technique you performed earlier on him. See if it wakes him up." Luke held her hand tightly, giving her strength. Luca felt the strength in his grip and nodded firmly. "Luca, you''re the only one who can save him now," said Luke. He asked her to pull herself together. "If you give up too, he won''t wake up." "I''ll save him..." Luca took a deep breath and took out the remaining needles. Once again, she pricked Stan''s face and head. "Ugh..." When the final needle was pricked, Stan let out a muffled groan. He appeared to be in great pain. He kept his eyes closed and was murmuring, "Ouch, it hurts." Luca took a deep breath, feeling relieved. She regained herposure when Stan regained his consciousness. Thank goodness, the man was saved. Luca removed the needles and then turned to look at Luke. "We still need to leave him with a small injury on his head. Then, we''ll call for an ambnce." Luke nodded. Stan had not fully regained consciousness yet. After thest needle was removed, Luke lifted Stan up and carried him to the hallway. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Then, he made Stan hit the wall. Stan''s head was bruised, even oozing with a bit of blood. Then, in a daze, he cried out before passing out once more. Luca watched this happen and said, "Let¡¯s call for an ambnce." Stan was safe, and his consciousness had returned. Even though their actions were not pleasant, she knew being kind to the enemy meant being cruel to oneself. It was a lesson she deeply understood. Luca had seen too many people fighting each other on the Ind of Despair. If one showed kindness, one would ultimately suffer a tragic fate. Even though Luca was kind-hearted, she knew that to protect Luke and their child, she had to be someone who did not understand kindness. "Alright, you don''t need to be involved in whates next. Go upstairs and get some rest. I''ll go with the ambnce to the hospital and inform his nephew.¡± Luke looked at Stan. He wanted to meet Stan''s nephew. "I can''t sleep now. I''ll go to the hospital with you," replied Luca. Too many things had happened today. She was tired, but she could not seem to feel sleepy anymore. Without Luke by her side at a time like this, she would not be able to sleep. "Okay." Luke called the ambnce. 15 minutester, the ambnce and paramedics arrived. The doctor and nurses came in with a stretcher. They saw Stan lying on the ground, lifted him onto the stretcher, and asked, "What happened to the patient?" "I''m not sure," answered Luke. "When I came downstairs, he was already on the ground." The doctor first checked Stan''s condition. "Pupils are fine. There''s swelling on the forehead. He probably identally hit his head on the wall and passed out. We''ll take him to the hospital first and then conduct a detailed examination." "Understood." The nurses and the doctor lifted the stretcher together. The doctor nced back at Luke and said, "Are you his family member? You need toe with us to the hospital." "I''m his employer, but I''ll apany him to the hospital," replied Luke. He held Luca''s hand and followed behind the medical staff. The doctor looked at the two of them as they held hands. They were calm andposed, showing no trace of panic. It puzzled him. Usually in such situations, whether it was the employer or family members, they would be nervous. Employers would be worried because if the ident happened at their residence, it could be considered a work-rted injury. If the patient''s family members were not cooperative, the employers could easily be held responsible. However, these two acted as if nothing was wrong. Getting their heads knocked was a serious matter for the middle-aged and elderly. There were potential complications and possibly even ineffective rescue. Did they not know this? The doctor did not say anything more. He assumed they were not curious and swiftly helped the patient into the ambnce. "Are you following in your car or getting into the ambnce?" the doctor asked again. "We''ll be taking the ambnce," replied Luke. He helped Luca into the ambnce first and then got into it himself. Luca sat with the nurse in the corner of the ambnce, watching as the doctor and nurses calmly attached various life-monitoring devices to Stan. They remained expressionless. The doctor inquired, "Does the patient have any chronic illnesses?" "I''m not sure." Luke shook his head. Has he taken any medication?" the doctor asked again. "I''m not sure." Luke then reminded the doctor, "I''m his employer, but I don''t always live here. It''d be more appropriate to ask his rtives when we get to the hospital." "Please notify his rtives to wait at the hospital." The doctor nodded and nced at the monitoring equipment. Everything seemed normal for now. However, just because everything seemed normal now did not mean it would stay that wayter. The doctor remained cautious. After all, this situation could not be taken lightly. Luke nodded, casually took out Stan''s phone, and unlocked it with his thumb. After unlocking it, he called Stan''s nephew. The call was quickly answered. Without waiting for the other person to speak, Luke said, "I''m Mr. Muller''s employer." Gerald became alert when he heard Luke¡¯s voice. "You''re Luke Crawford?" "Do you know me?" Luke raised an eyebrow. He put the call on speakerphone, intending for the medical staff present to hear their conversation. "Of course, I know you..." Gerald seemed to realize something and quickly asked, "What have you done to my uncle?" "I found Mr. Muller copsed on the ground, unconscious. He''s currently being taken to the hospital. Family members are needed there. Come over," Luke said calmly as he nced at Luca. Luca was tightly focused on Stan''s face. It was more urate to say she was paying attention to hisplexion. "What?" Gerald, on the other end of the line, refused to believe it and immediately threatened, "Luke Crawford, I know you''re not a good person! Don''t hurt my uncle." Luke handed the phone to the doctor across from him. "I can''tmunicate with him. You should talk to him." The doctor had no choice but to take the phone from Luke and say, "Hello, we''re doctors from GentleHeart Hospital. The patient is currently in the ambnce. Pleasee over." "What happened to him?" asked Gerald. "The patient injured his head. He''s currently unconscious and needs to go to the hospital for a detailed examination before we can understand what''s going on," exined the doctor. He was puzzled. Did Gerald not hear what Luke said earlier? Why did he need to repeat it? "Anyway, his family members shoulde over quickly. We need you to provide some information, and it''s necessary for his family to be present." "Got it." Gerald heard the doctor''s exnation and hung up the phone. Chapter 3097 The hospital was not far from the Crawfords'' ancestral home, so after about ten minutes, Luke and Luca arrived at the hospital. After Stan was wheeled off the ambnce, he was taken to the emergency room for the emergency doctors to take over the rescue operation. Luca knew that Stan would be fine. He had spoken before waking up just now, indicating that he had not fallen into a vegetative state. He would definitely be okay. Luca felt calm now and was not too worried about Stan. After a while, Stan''s nephew, Gerald, came to the hospital in a hurry. He followed the doctor''s instructions and headed to the entrance of the emergency room, where he saw Luke. When he spotted Luke, he charged right at him, hoping to catch him off guard andnd a punch. However, Luke had been paying attention to the entrance all along. As Gerald lunged forward to strike, Luke effortlessly sidestepped the attack. "Damn you!" cursed Gerald. He almost lost his bnce and fell to the ground. Luke gave him an icy stare and asked coldly, "You''re Stan''s nephew?" "That''s me. What did you do to my uncle?" Gerald asked arrogantly. When he was on the way here, he already knew that the task assigned by Abel had failed. The rm that should have been shut off was not, and Stan did not help at all. At first, Gerald thought Stan was just scared and did not do what he was told. However, now it seemed that Luke had discovered something and subdued Stan, causing the mission to fail. "I didn''t do anything to him. If you don''t believe me, we can check the surveince footage once things have been settled here," replied Luke. Gerald narrowed his eyes. "Alright, I want to see it with my own eyes. If you''ve hurt my uncle, you''re going to pay for it." "Oh really? If Stan did something that harmed his employer''s interests, should he also be sent to the police station?¡± asked Luca. While waiting for the ambnce, Luke had tampered with the surveince. If they were to check the vi''s surveince, only footage of Stan entering the control room and turning off the surveince and rm would be seen. All other footage had been deleted by Luke and reced with other surveince footage. Furthermore, there was no surveince camera at Stan''s bedroom door... "You..." Gerald narrowed his eyes as he looked at Luca. He recognized who she was. He could not understand. Was Luca not Abel¡¯s subordinate? Why was she helping Luke now? "I was sleeping when Mr. Crawford came to tell me that Stan fell down. I have a bit of medical knowledge, so I went to check. Stan is fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± "He''s not your family, so of course, you can say that without any scruples!" Gerald was furious. He had a feeling that Stan was discovered and got beaten up by Luke. He hit the wall? Unless Luke was holding Stan''s head and smacked it against the wall, he would not believe a sane person would run into it! Luca added, "I''ve checked on him, and he''s fine. You can doubt my medical skills, but you can''t doubt the skills of the doctors in the hospital. "Also, if it weren''t for thieves sneaking into the house today, we wouldn''t have discovered Mr. Muller in time. If it had beenter, he might''ve gotten into a life-threatening situation." When she mentioned about thieves entering the Crawfords'' ancestral home, her eyes were fixed on Gerald. Gerald felt a moment of unease under her intense stare. He was just following Abel¡¯s orders. How could this woman look at him like this? Did she not know about it? Abel did not exin the consequences before assigning them tasks. They only had to execute the task as instructed. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. That was why Gerald doubted whether Luca knew his identity and if she knew those who sneaked into the Crawfords'' ancestral home were also affiliated with Abel. At that moment, a doctor came out and asked, "Has the patient''s family arrived?" "I''m here, doctor. I''m the patient''s family member. Was my uncle assaulted?" Gerald hurriedly approached him. The doctor nced at him strangely and asked, "Why are you iming that the patient was assaulted?" "Was he not? How could he fall without any reason?" asked Gerald as he cast another nce at Luke. They were in X City, and this was not Luke''s territory. Did Luke have such influence here that he could even bribe the doctor to side with him? "The patient has a few minor bruises on the head but no evidence of being physically attacked elsewhere on the body. Therefore, we conclude it was likely an idental fall, resulting in a blow to the head and subsequent unconsciousness." The doctor exined as he looked at Stan''s medical records. "How is that possible?! My uncle has always been in good health. He couldn''t have gotten into an ident like that!" Gerald refused to believe it. He believed that it was a conspiracy arranged by Luke. "During our examination of the patient, we discovered a blood vessel tumor in his head. While the tumor hasn''t ruptured, its presence in this area can affect one''s movements. "Therefore, the patient didn''t hit his head for no reason. It was caused by this tumor," exined the doctor. "Now, we have two treatment options. Is the patient''s immediate family here? Are you the only one?" "My uncle isn''t married, so I can make the decision for him." Gerald began to doubt his previous judgment when he heard the doctor''s exnation. He thought Luke was the one who caused Stan''s injury. However, there were no signs of assault on Stan, and there was a tumor affecting his movement. Could Stan have fallen on his own? Did he realize something was wrong when he did not turn off the infrared rm, so he deliberately ran into a wall? Gerald remembered the silent call Stan made to him earlier. Perhaps he sought his help after falling... "Okay, thene with me to the office. I need to show you the scans," the doctor said. "Alright." Gerald nced at Luca. He thought that if Luca was not involved in this matter, he would let her know his true identity. That way, he could also be taken care of. As Luca listened to the doctor and Gerald''s conversation, she was surprised. Stan had a tumor in his brain? She suddenly felt anxious. Fortunately, when she administered the needle, she did not touch that area. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable. "Should we go in and listen too?" Luca turned to look at Luke, asking for his opinion. "Okay." Luke nodded in agreement, and the two followed behind the doctor. The doctor led them to the office and then showed Stan''s scans one by one. "Look, this is the blood vessel tumor in the patient''s brain. It''s not particrlyrge, but its location can asionally affect the patient''s movements. "Without a detailed examination, the patient wouldn''t notice it." Luca looked at the area the doctor was showing. Indeed, it was a blood vessel tumor. "What should we do now?" asked Gerald. Although Stan had not been helpful this time, as his nephew, he could not ignore him. Stan was unmarried and had no children, so his future inheritance would be his. Even if it was just for the sake of that inheritance, he could not disregard the old man. "We have two treatment options avable at the moment. The first one is conservative management, where observation is key. The main objective is to monitor for any potentialplications arising from the ident. "If there are no issues, the patient can be discharged after being observed for 48 hours post-regaining consciousness.¡± Chapter 3098 "What about the other option?" Gerald asked. "Although the tumor is still small at the moment and doesn''t seem to pose an immediate threat, there''s always a risk of rupture. So, the second treatment option would be surgery to remove the patient''s tumor. "This is a surgical method and carries certain risks, but in the long run, it''s safer for the patient. It depends on the family''s decision," the doctor exined the second treatment suggestion, which essentially meant hospitalization. "This isn''t something I can decide alone. I need to discuss it with my family." Gerald realized that making a decision about surgery would beplicated. That was why he did not make the decision for Stan. "Well, discuss it with your family first. Let us know when you''ve made a decision. For now, we''ll transfer the patient to the Neurosurgery Department in the hospital. The family needs toplete the admission procedures and make the payment." The doctor replied as he handed Gerald the hospital admission form. Gerald took the form and handed it directly to Luke. "You''re the employer, and this ident happened at your ce. You should handle the payment." Luke raised an eyebrow and said, "Fine. Anyway, Mr. Muller must''ve been given a scare by those two thieves. Later, I''ll have the police hold those two ountable. They''ll cover all the medical expenses." His words made Gerald''s expression change. Why did Luke keep mentioning Jacob and Harold in front of him? Did he know something? That could not be. They never contacted each other while working for Abel so as to not raise any suspicion. If one of them got into trouble, they would deal with it separately and would not implicate each other. Luke took Stan¡¯s identification card from Luca. She found it before she left the house. When Luke was ready to go pay, he turned around and said to Gerald, "But I wonder if those two made it out alive." What did he mean?! Gerald almost blurted out the words, but he clenched his teeth and held back. He could not do that. It would only raise suspicion. Gerald shifted his gaze to Luca, nning to fish for information from herter. Luke nced at Luca and then left to pay. Luca followed him out of the doctor''s office. Gerald hurriedly followed them. When he came close to Luca, he nced around. It waste at night, and there were not many people in the hospital. He decided to ask, "How much do you know about what happened tonight?" "Who are you?" Luca pretended not to recognize him. "We''re from the same ce." Gerald could not help but feel anxious. Why was she saying this now? If Luke came back, he would not be able to tease the information out of her. He realized that Luke was keeping a close eye on Luca, making it difficult for him to get any information out of her. "Same ce? I don''t know what you''re talking about. If you''re going crazy, go somewhere else." Luca continued to act cautious. She walked to the other side, refusing to engage with him. Gerald was infuriated by this woman''s attitude. He stomped his foot, came forward to Luca, and said, "I¡¯m working for Abel. He¡¯s your boss too. We both belong to the..." He did not finish his sentence. Of course, Luca knew he was from the Ind of Despair. Even though Gerald had mentioned it, she could not immediately believe him. She used suspicion to buy some time for herself. "Hmph, should I believe you just because you say so? Why haven''t I seen you before?" asked Luca. At this industryworking event, she had seen many Caucasian faces working for Abel. However, she had never seen these Caucasian faces on the Ind of Despair. Thus, she wanted to know if Abel had gathered a group of people locally for concentrated training to work for him or if he used external recruitment to get these people to help him. After all, she had not heard of any other training bases on the Ind of Despair before. Gerald was annoyed when he saw her being like this. Even though people from the Ind of Despair were supposed to remain vignt, he was clearly from the Ind of Despair himself. Why was it so difficult for her tomunicate with him? "Nowadays, not all people from the Ind of Despaire directly from there, do you understand?" Gerald could only say this much. He had also looked into the Ind of Despair and thought he had a chance to be trained there. However, Abel had said that his physique and qualifications were not suitable, so he could only do tasks for him after some simple training. Even though he had to take the poison, the hefty monthly payout and the assurance of an antidote each month made him more than willing to work for the Ind of Despair. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "You were hired externally?" Luca felt relieved when she found out about this possibility. She found it more eptable than the idea of other training bases on the Ind of Despair. External recruits would be easier to deal with. "Yes. Although we''re external hires, we''re also official members. We''ve received some basic training. Also, the drug you''re supposed to take, we take it too. Do you believe me now?" Gerald wanted to fish for information, but instead, Luca managed to get all the information out of him. "Well, I believe you now." Luca nodded slowly and secretly let out a cold snort. He really was an external recruit, utterly defenseless. Perhaps it was not that he was defenseless but Gerald just knew she was from the Ind of Despair. That was why he did not feel any danger in being trapped in conversation with her. Nevertheless, this was still a gain. At least she knew how these Caucasians working for Abel came about. "Can you tell me what happened?" Gerald asked again. "How did my uncle fall? And why did they fail such a simple task?" "From what you''re saying, the intruders are our people?" Luca pretended to be surprised, indicating that she knew nothing. "I don''t know how Stan fell. When I went downstairs, he was already on the ground. But after I fell asleep, the rm went off, and Mr. Crawford said he was going downstairs to see what happened. He asked me to stay upstairs. "So, I don''t know what happened downstairs." "He asked you to stay upstairs, and you just stayed? You''re working for the boss, not for that man! What''s the matter? Did his pretty face make you forget where you''re from?" Gerald was frustrated by her response. He felt like he had gained nothing. He vented all his anger about the failed mission and Stan''s ident on Luca. Luca''s expression darkened, and she reminded him in a gloomy tone, "My mission is to stay close to him and gain his trust. Besides, the boss didn''t tell me about any other mission. That''s why I didn''t know those intruders downstairs were his men." "If I didn''t listen to Luke and went downstairs, the n the boss has been nning for over three years would fail should we be exposed. While you''re here ming me, I''d like to ask if you''d be able to handle the responsibility if that happened?" Gerald frowned, realizing that Luca did not know anything. At least he knew Abel did not tell her about this mission. With the mission failing and no one to back him up, Gerald could not help but wonder how the mission failed. "Alright, alright. Don''t me me for my tone. The mission''s a bust right now, and there''s no escaping it for any of us," replied Gerald. "It''s you who can''t escape. It has nothing to do with me. I didn''t participate in this mission," Luca articted her words cleanly and eloquently. Gerald felt even more frustrated. Chapter 3099 There was someone whose movements were far more agile in the Crawfords'' mansion. Why did their boss tell them to go in, and why did he want Stan to help? Compared to Stan, was Luca not as smart and dexterous? "Well then, tell me, did my uncle expose something?" Gerald asked again. "I''m not sure. Isn''t Mr. Muller also under the boss'' control?" Luca pretended to sound surprised. Gerald waved his hand. "No, he''s just purely helping me out. He¡¯s not part of the Ind of Despair." "Oh." Luca nced into the distance and reminded him, "The person I''ve been watching has returned. Be careful. Don''t blow my cover." Gerald quickly followed her gaze and saw Luke approaching with a stack of documents. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. He let out a cold shiver as he knew this man was not easy to fool. Hence, he reminded himself to be careful with his words as he could not risk getting caught. There was only one rule when he received the training from the Ind of Despair. Everyone had to keep their lips sealed tight, and no careless disclosures were allowed. Luke came over, handed the documents to Gerald, and then looked at Luca. "What were you two talking about?" "Mr. Gerald is curious about how Mr. Muller got injured. I mentioned there''s surveince in the mansion. After we settle things here, he can go over to the mansion and check the footage," answered Luca. Luke nodded. His cold gaze fell on Gerald''s face. "The surveince footage has already been taken by the police. Head to the police station if you¡¯d like to see it." "Why did the police get involved?" Gerald was surprised. He was a head shorter than Luke. When Luke approached, he could feel the pressure. "Does this have anything to do with your house being broken into and robbed by petty thieves?" "You suspected something fishy, so I reported it for you. Let the police investigate how Mr. Muller fell. That''s it," replied Luke. "Oh." Gerald stepped back, feeling uneasy. He had a feeling something was about to happen. Thus, he calmed himself down, intending to wait until Stan woke up before saying anything else. As the person involved, Stan would surely know if someone had attacked him. Luca said, "Mr. Muller should''ve been transferred to the ward by now, right?" She felt a little bored talking to Gerald earlier, so she studied the hospital structure hanging on the wall. The structure of this hospital was simr to others. The wards were upstairs, and one could take the elevator directly to the Neurosurgery Department. "Let''s go see Mr. Muller," said Luke as he wrapped his arm around Luca''s waist and left. As Gerald watched the two of them, he could not help but mutter to himself. Even though Luca was also from the Ind of Despair, she looked more like Luke''s woman when she stood next to him. Now that she seemed to be under Luke''s control, could such a woman truly be trusted? Gerald thought to himself that he would surely include this when he reported today''s events to Abel. It would be best if Abel could investigate whether Luca had any ulterior motives so that he would not end up in trouble. The three of them took the elevator to the Neurosurgery Department. As soon as they stepped out of the elevator, they saw Stan lying on the hospital bed. The bed was next to the nurses'' station, with a nurse handing over the patient''s work to the nurse of the Neurosurgery Department. Gerald walked up hurriedly and shot a nce at Stan. He asked, "When will my uncle wake up?" The nurse nced at him and then continued with the paperwork. Gerald grew impatient again and asked, "I''m asking you, when will my uncle wake up?" The nurse replied in a cold voice, "How would I know? Each patient is different, and it''s already midnight. Please be mindful of your volume. Don''t disturb the other patients." Gerald felt a bit embarrassed. Meanwhile, Luca walked over, flipped Stan''s eyelids, and observed. "What are you doing?" Gerald asked nervously, worried that Luca might harm Stan. After all, Stan could potentially be a key witness in the whole incident. Luca exined, "Just checking." After that, she returned to Luke''s side and said to him, "He''ll probably wake up in about half an hour." "Okay.¡± Luke''s expression remained unchanged. He held Luca close and waited until the nurse finished the procedures before walking to the ward with her. He had arranged a double room for Stan. However, it was only upied by Stan at the moment. Therefore, after Gerald followed them into the ward, he started making calls to his family members. He could not decide on Stan''s treatment n alone, so he wanted to inform his family toe over. This way, it would not solely be his responsibility if anything happened to Stan. Luca sat beside Luke, watching Gerald anxiously making one call after another. Was he trying to summon the entire Muller family? Unable to resist her concern, Luca opened Luke''s palm and wrote on it. She was expressing her concern. Luke understood what she was worried about and whispered, "Gale will be hereter." Even if the entire Muller family came looking for trouble, he would not be afraid. After Gale cooperated with the police to retrieve the surveince footage from the mansion, he promptly headed to the hospital. With Gale and the others present, he believed those people would not dare to act recklessly. Luca was relieved when she knew that they wereing. With Gale around, no one from the Muller family could harm Luke. Dealing with troublemakers who threw tantrums could be frightening at times, but with Gale and the others here keeping them in check, there was simply no need to be afraid. Gerald heard Luke''s voice and turned around to look at him. "What did you say?" "My men are on their way," replied Luke. "What do you mean?" Gerald''s expression changed immediately. "Why are you bringing your men? Are you nning something against my uncle? "Let me tell you, Luke Crawford, the ident happened at your mansion. You can''t run away from your responsibility. I''ve called my family over not only to discuss my uncle''s treatment but also to seek justice for him. "If you try to avoid your responsibility, I''ll tell the press how you mistreat your employees and neglect those injured on the job tomorrow morning." Luke remained silent. Luca remained silent too, allowing Gerald to passionately advocate for Stan''s interests. Gerald wanted to say more, but when he met Luke''s cold, indifferent gaze, he suddenly shivered. The hospital''s temperature was already low, but when he looked into those eyes, he felt a powerful sense of oppression washing over him. It made it hard to catch his breath. Gerald was afraid. He stopped talking. The two chairs were taken by Luke and Luca, leaving him to sit on the other hospital bed. After a while, there were sounds of painful groaninging from the bed. "Uncle Stan!" Gerald reacted first. Luca and Luke exchanged a nce with each other. A hint of cunningness shed across Luca''s eyes, as though she was telling Luke that her predictions were always right. Gerald approached the bed. His face was full of concern as he looked at Stan. "Uncle Stan, wake up." Stan slowly woke up. When he saw Gerald, he could not help but be startled for a moment. "Gerald, why are you here at the mansion? I told you that... you can''te here. How did you get in?" Chapter 3100 Luca and Luke listened to Stan''s words and realized that he had indeed lost his memory. If Stan had not lost his memory when he woke up but simply felt confused, he should not have said such things. Luca had great confidence in her dry needling treatment. "Uncle Stan, this isn''t the mansion. It''s the hospital. Don''t you remember what happened?" Gerald was very anxious. He was even thinking of asking Stan about what happened in the mansion right away. However, Luke was still here, so he could not ask. Therefore, Gerald nned to first find out whether Luke had caused his uncle''s injury. "The hospital? How did I end up in the hospital?" Stan was visibly surprised. He also noticed that the surroundings were not those of the mansion. He tried to sit up but felt dizzy and ended up lying back down. "It''s..." Gerald initially wanted to use Luke of harming Stan, but with no evidence to support his im and especially with Luke ring at him, he dared not speak recklessly. Hence, he said, "You stumbled and passed out. Luke found you and took you to the hospital. Can you remember what happened? You''ve always been healthy. Why did you suddenly faint?" Luca rolled her eyes. Even though what she did to Stan was morally questionable, she actually saved his life this time. If Stan had not gotten a brain CT scan done in time, the blood vessel tumor in his brain would not have been discovered in time. Brain aneurysms were like time bombs. If left untreated, who knew when they might burst? "I... I don''t know..." Stan frowned, feeling pain all over his body. However, the worst was in his head. It felt like someone had forcibly stuffed cotton into his head, making him unable to remember anything. "Mr. Gerald, we should inform the doctor first," Luca reminded him. "Mr. Muller just woke up and needs to be examined." Stan heard Luca''s voice and found it familiar. Thus, he quickly asked, "Who''s there?" "Mr. Muller, both I and Luca are here," replied Luke. His hand was on Luca''s waist as they walked to the bedside. Stan was stunned for a moment. He looked at Luke and Luca, asking in confusion, "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, why are you two in X City?" "Uncle Stan, are you confused? They''ve both been here for two days!" Gerald was about to press the bell. However, he could not help but stop in his action after he heard what Stan said. "Two days?" Stan was astonished. "Mr. Crawford, why aren''t you staying at the ancestral mansion when you''re in X City?" Gerald felt increasingly uneasy. Why did his uncle seem to have forgotten everything? This should not be happening. Could it be that he found out something and he was just pretending? Luke did not answer Stan''s question at the moment. Instead, he stared straight at Gerald. "Seems like you know a lot about my schedule?" Gerald panicked and exined, "I¡¯m close with my uncle. We talk on the phone every day, and he mentioned it to me. That¡¯s why I was aware of it. "What''s the matter? Is it illegal? Are you, Luke Crawford, so prestigious that others aren''t allowed to know your schedule?" As Luca listened to Gerald''s provocations, she reminded him, "Mr. Muller''s condition isn''t right. Let''s get a doctor first." Her words served as a reminder to Gerald. He quickly pressed the button. Stan felt himself surrounded by a fog, with only two sensations present at the moment¡ªpain and confusion. How could he not remember what had happened? How did he end up in the hospital? Why did Gerald say that Luke and Luca had been in X City for two days already? What on earth happened? "Mr. Muller, stop thinking about it. Let the doctor examine you first.¡± Luca saw the confusion reflected in Stan¡¯s eyes, further confirming that he had indeed lost his memory. This level of confusion could not be feigned by just anyone. Even someone from the Ind of Despair might not be able to fake it, so Luca felt relieved. The doctor arrived promptly, and Gerald eagerly exined to the doctor that Stan could not remember anything. The doctor frowned. He first conducted a set of routine checks on Stan and then asked, "What''s your name?" "I''m Stan Muller." Stan cooperated honestly with the doctor. "Do you know what date it is today?" the doctor asked again. Stan thought for a moment, then shook his head. He immediately furrowed his brows and said, "My head hurts." "You hit your head, so it''s normal to have a headache. Can you tell me if you remember what day it is today?" the doctor continued to inquire. "I forgot. I only remember it''s..." Stan paused for a moment. "It should be shortly after New Year''s, maybe about a month after New Year''s?" The doctor and Gerald both furrowed their brows. "Uncle Stan, it''s already summer now. How could it be shortly after New Year''s?" The doctor frowned and shot a stern look at Gerald. "Please don''t interrupt my diagnosis." Gerald could only shut up awkwardly. Stan looked puzzled again. "Is it already summer? Why do I think it''s just shortly after New Year''s? "Alright, I understand. Don''t worry too much. It might be temporary amnesia due to the impact on your head. It''s nothing to worry about," reassured the doctor as he patted Stan''s shoulder. Then, he turned around to look at Gerald and Luke. "Are you both his family members?" "I''m the family member," Gerald hurriedly replied. "Please step outside for a moment. I¡¯d like to discuss the patient''s condition with you.¡± After that, the doctor walked out of the ward. Luke and Luca did not leave. Since the ward door was not closed, they could hear the conversation between the doctor and Gerald. "Doc, what''s going on with my uncle?" asked Gerald. "I suspect it''s due to the impact on the patient''s brain, resulting in memory loss. He has forgotten what has happened in the past few months," answered the doctor. "How could something like this happen? Don''t lie to me. How can a person just lose their memory like that?" "I''m a doctor, and there''s no need for me to lie to you. Let me exin. This kind of thing ismon among patients with head injuries. Some may lose their memory of the past few days, others of the past several months, and some even forget who they are. "Based on the current situation, his amnesia isn''t severe. At least he remembers who he is, and the lost memories aren''t too extensive." Gerald was so frustrated that he stomped his foot. It was not just a matter of losing a few memories. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. The crucial ones were all gone for Stan! "Doc, will he recover from this?" "It''s hard to tell. It depends on the patient. Some recover from amnesia within hours or days, but for others, it couldst a lifetime. Some people think it''s lifelong amnesia until something triggers their brain cells, and suddenly, they remember everything. So, amnesia is unpredictable." The doctor shook his head, unable to provide a precise answer. "Damn it!" Gerald could not help but curse. It seemed that Stan could not be relied on right now. If he wanted to figure out what happened, he would have to start with the surveince footage. Gerald remembered he had asked Stan to turn off all the surveince cameras as well as the rm... Chapter 3101 However, since the rm had not been turned off, it meant that the surveince cameras had not been turned off either. Perhaps the scene was captured. Feeling dejected, Gerald returned to the ward. When Stan heard the sound of the door being pushed open, he called out anxiously, "Gerald! Gerald, come here." Gerald walked over. "What''s the matter, Uncle?" "Is it really summer now? Did I really lose my memory? What on earth is going on? Wasn''t I living well in the old mansion? How did I end up with amnesia?" Stan could not understand. Gerald could not understand either. He could only patiently answer his questions, "You hit your head. That''s why you lost your memory. But the doctor said it''s only temporary. Don''t worry, it''ll get better." "What exactly is going on..." Stan felt a nk in his mind. The feeling of missing a chunk of memory was very ufortable for him. "What did I do? Why did I lose my memory?" Stan wondered. Gerald remembered what the doctor said and added, "Oh right, Uncle, when the doctor was examining you earlier, he found a blood vessel tumor in your brain. "It¡¯s this tumor that caused you to fall, but even so, there were other people in the old mansion at that time. Maybe someone intentionally hurt you." Then, he nced at Luke with a meaningful look. "Someone hurt me?" Stan looked puzzled, suddenly feeling a headache. He held his head and said, "My head hurts." "Let the doctor give you a painkiller injection,¡± suggested Luca. She pressed the call button and told the nurse, "The patient isining of a headache. Can you ask the doctor if he can prescribe a painkiller injection or tablets?" "Okay, please wait a moment," replied the nurse from the other end of the line. Gerald''s eyes were locked on Luke. He seemed to be saying, ''I know you''re the culprit.'' Luke could not be bothered by it. He sat there, waiting for Gerald''s rtives and Gale to arrive. He now felt ufortable. It was because he had some intimate contact with Stan earlier, and he had not had time to take a shower beforeim to the hosnital Luke just wanted to finish things here quickly and go back to take a shower. Apart from Luca and the children''s scent, Luke did not like having someone else''s scent on him. Luca noticed Luke''s gentle sniffing of his own clothes and reassured him in a soft voice, "Just bear with it for now. We''ll go home once this is settled." "Okay." Luke''s gaze was cold. He did not say another word. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. In this situation, all he could do was endure it and wait for Gale to bring the surveince footage so that he couldpletely clear himself of the situation with Stan. Gerald watched the intimate interaction between the two with great displeasure. However, he could not vent his anger. He knew Luca was from the Ind of Despair. Even though she was a woman, he was not foolish enough to confront her head-on. Gerald might not be able to win against those who had undergone professional training on the Ind of Despair, even if they were children¡ªlet alone a woman. After a while, the nurse came in with a painkiller injection. After confirming Stan''s name, she efficiently administered the injection. "The pain relief from the injection will take a while to kick in. Don''t worry, just stay calm and wait quietly. Also, family members need to stay vignt. "If the patient falls asleep, they should be woken up every hour to ensure they''re fully awake," said the nurse. Gerald, who was rough around the edges, did not understand the significance of this. "Why do that? Isn''t that like torturing the patient? Also, the doctor just said to let the patient rest well. "What you''re saying ispletely different. What''s up with you?" The nurse rolled her eyes. She detested dealing with such family members. "The instructions I''m giving are what the doctor asked me to convey. And this isn''t about torturing the patient. "It''s because the patient hit his head, and there might beplications like brain hemorrhage, which may not show up immediately. By doing this, we can provide timely and appropriate treatment if any complications arise. Do you understand?" She was a nurse. She was not as skilled in medicine as doctors, but that did not mean she would randomly issue instructions to patients'' families. Some doctors might overlook certain details. To save themselves the trouble, they would pass certain tasks to the nurses when they remembered. Some patients would listen to the messages conveyed, but some would doubt the professionalism of the nurses. Actually, there was nothing to doubt. Nurses would not speak without reason. If there were any instructions for the patient, they had to be doctor''s orders. It had nothing to do with the nurses. "Oh, okay." Gerald realized he had upset the nurse and remembered what others had said about not offending doctors and nurses while a family member was hospitalized. Otherwise, it would be the patient who would suffer. He could only awkwardly stop talking. A few minutester, as the painkiller took effect, Stan''s groans gradually died down. He looked at Gerald ana saia, Gerald, tell me about my Illness. What s going on? "Uncle, I''m not a doctor. Ask the doctor during rounds tomorrow," replied Gerald. He suddenly remembered that he had not asked the doctor in detail about Stan''s illness before. That was why when Stan asked him now, he did not know what to say. Stan blinked his eyes and asked again, "Is this cancer? Do I have cancer? Am I going to die?" "No, Uncle, the doctor didn''t say that. Don''t let your imagination run wild," replied Gerald. Suddenly, he remembered the blood vessel tumor in Stan''s brain. Was it not a tumor? If it was a brain tumor, then it was a type of cancer, right? Their level of education was not high. That was why when they heard the word tumor, they would associate it with cancer. Luca saw the expression on Gerald¡¯s face changing and knew what was going on. "A brain vascr tumor isn''t cancer. It''s an abnormal dtion of blood vessels. The most severe brain vascr tumors can rupture and cause brain hemorrhage. "If not rescued in time, it can be life-threatening. This isn''t cancer, Mr. Muller. Don¡¯t worry," exined Luca. Stan could not afford to be frightened now. That was why Luca gave an exnation. Otherwise, it might scare him out of his wits and the doctors would have to save him again... When Stan heard this, hisplexion eased slightly. He looked hard at where Luca and Luke were sitting. "So, I''m really okay?" "Well, we can''t exactly say you''repletely fine. If the brain vascr tumor is treated conservatively, you''ll need regr check-ups. If surgery is performed, it can be removed. "But due to theplex brain structure, it''s hard to predict what might happen during surgery. Nowadays, brain vascr tumor removal surgeries are quite mature. "If you feel surgery is necessary, you don''t have to worry about it. The doctors will do their best to treat you," Luca exined as thoroughly as possible to Stan. "So, is it better to have the surgery or not?" Gerald immediately asked since Luca had a lot of medical knowledge. "It depends on the patient''s own choice." Luca did not make the decision for him. Chapter 3102 In the long run, it was definitely better to undergo surgery. After all, nobody would want a time bomb in their brain. Take Sarah, for example. She simply could not afford the surgery. That was why she kept dying it until her life was in danger. If it were not for the nurse''s call, Sarah''s life would have been hanging by a thread. A significant factor in her being saved was the surgery performed by Dr. Johann. If it had been another doctor, they might not have been able to save her. As for Stan, even though his condition seemed stable now, who knew what might happenter? N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Even though it was a high-risk surgery, leaving the blood vessel tumor there would pose even greater risks. Therefore, Luca disagreed with dying it. However, she was not rted to Stan. Naturally, she would not say such things. "Gerald, I¡¯d like to undergo surgery," said Stan. He did not think much about it when he heard Luca''s words. He just felt surgery was necessary. He did not want a bomb sitting in his brain for long. It made him feel unsafe. "Uncle Stan, you don¡¯t have to decide now. Let''s wait until you feel better. We''ll consult the doctor again. My parents and Uncle Marlon will be here soon. Maybe they can provide some advice," said Gerald. Stan frowned as he thought about his brothers. Their level of education was simr to his. How could they possibly understand things he could not understand? Stan decided that he would undergo surgery! Only through surgery could he find peace of mind. Moreover, he was living alone in an old mansion. If the brain vascr tumor were to burst one day without anyone noticing, he would be in deep trouble, right? Hence, Stan made up his mind. No matter what his family said, he would undergo surgery. Throughout his life, he never got married or had children. The money he saved was solely meant to safeguard his own life. While Stan was thinking about discussing surgery with the doctor, he stopped thinking about why he had amnesia or what had happened in the past few months. Suddenly, there was amotion outside the ward. "Here theye," said Luca. She was referring to the arrival of the Muller family. Indeed, a middle-aged man pushed open the ward door and hurried over to Gerald. He asked Gerald, "What''s wrong with your Uncle Stan?" "He fell and lost his memory at work. Uncle Marlon, the doctor said he has amnesia. What should we do?" While Gerald was reporting the situation to Marlon, he was ncing at Luke. Marlon followed Gerald''s gaze. He first saw Luke and then noticed Luca. His eyes lit up instantly. He could not help but mutter to himself, ¡°She''s really beautiful.¡± Marlon kept staring at Luca until he felt Luke''s sharp gaze. It was only then he withdrew his gaze. He assumed that there had to be a reason why Gerald turned to look at them. He reckoned there was some connection between Stan''s fall and these two. Thus, he furrowed his brows as he went along with Gerald. "He''s always been in good health. How could he just fall for no reason?" Gerald shook his head, indicating that he was not sure about it. "I don''t get it either. Uncle Stan also has amnesia and no memory of what happened. Mr. Crawford is iming that Uncle Stan fell by himself." "Fell by himself? Hmph, I don''t buy it. Stan has always been healthy. How could he suddenly fall on his own? Did you deliberately trip him?" Marlon''s angry gaze turned toward Luke as he sought for an exnation. He could tell from Luke''s and Luca''s attire that they were wealthy. Rich people like them hated trouble the most and were most willing to use money to solve problems and pacify situations. If he could get a big sum of money for Stan, perhaps he could gain some benefits too. With this in mind, Marlon pushed harder to demand an exnation for his younger brother. "Even if you didn''t trip him, it must''ve had something to do with you. This happened in your house. You can''t shirk responsibility." Luke remained silent and held Luca tighter. If it were not for the need to deal with the situation here, he would have definitely taken Luca away. Luke felt extremely ufortable with the lecherous stare this creepy man was giving Luca. He wished he could just tell the guy to go away. "Hmph, do you think staying silent will make everything okay?" Marlon assumed Luke was scared. That was why he kept quiet. "Uncle Marlon, there''s one more thing." Gerald saw Marlon defending Stan so vigorously and knew what he wanted to do, so he thought of making things more troublesome for Luke. "What is it?" Marlon turned back to him. His eyes were already wide with anger. Gerald reminded him, "Uncle Marlon, when the doctor examined Uncle Stan, he found a blood vessel tumor in his brain. There are two options now. One is conservative treatment without surgery, and the other is surgery." A brain what?" Marlon was puzzled. He had never heard of this term before. "A blood vessel tumor," repeated Gerald. Marlon was startled. "Is it cancer?" Luca shook her head and let out a sigh. These people were truly uncultured. The terrifying extent of theirck of education was evident in how they mistook a tumor for cancer. "It''s not cancer!" Stan thought Marlon was cursing him to death. He leveled a sharp re at him. He had been given painkillers, so he felt much better and less weak. That was why he had the strength to argue back. He had never gotten along with this elder brother of his. Marlon, relying on the fact that he was married and had children, kept urging Stan to give all his money to Marlon''s family. He constantlyined about the pressure of raising two kids. Even though Stan¡¯s nephews had grown up, Marlon was still trying to squeeze money out of him. His reasons had shifted from raising kids to buying houses and marrying off his children. Marlon often said that as long as Stan treated the two kids well, they would take care of him in his old age. Stan did not believe such nonsense. Even with Gerald, he had not fully opened up to him. He had always held onto his money tightly. That was why when Stan heard Marlon mention cancer, he felt like Marlon was cursing him. "If it''s not cancer, then what is it?" Marlon looked puzzled. Was it not a tumor? However, Marlon immediately forgot about it and said, "Whatever it is, this illness is definitely caused by overworking. As Stan''s employer, you must take responsibility for this!" Marlon turned to look at Luke as he said that. Luke remained expressionless, observing everything with a cold gaze. Marlon''s words received agreement from the others, who chimed in, "Yes, he must take responsibility. If it''s not his fault, how could a healthy person develop a tumor?" Stan, who had been so assertive a moment ago, remained silent when he heard his rtives speaking up for him. He also felt that Luke should take responsibility for his condition. If Luke had not been reluctant to spend more money to hire another person, he would not have been so overworked. The brain tumor had to be a result of overexertion. Stanpletely forgot that even though he was the caretaker of the mansion, there were hourly workers for cleaning and gardeners for the yard. His usual job was to watch over the mansion. He did not need to do much. Chapter 3103 People were just in strange sometimes. Once Stan started thinking his illness was caused by overwork, he forgot what a rxing job he had. He lived in a mansion and did not have to do anything yet still received a sry. It was such a good deal. Furthermore, he only managed to get the job because he falsified his resume. As the group of rtives bickered incessantly, Luca''s brows furrowed tighter with each passing moment. She hoped that Gale would arrive sooner. Since Luke had asked for Gale toe over, perhaps there would be evidence to silence the crowd. Luke could not be bothered to argue with these people. Thus, Luca did not bother with them either. She just quietly sat there. The Muller family thought their silence was out of fear or guilt, so they got even more aggressive. It appeared as though they were going to demand justice for Stan. However, in reality, they were only thinking of their own interests. The nurse pushed open the door to the ward and saw the group making loud noises. She could not help but be angry. "Why are there so many people? Do you think this is a marketce?" The nurse''s words had the crowd quiet down. She looked at them again and asked, "What''s going on with you guys? It''ste at night. The patients in the neighboring wards need their rest too. Please keep it down or I''ll have to call security." Her words sessfully silenced the crowd. After the nurse left, Marlon walked over to Luke and said, "My brother has ended up like this. No matter what, you must give us an exnation today." Luke rose to his feet. His gaze was cold, and he stood in front of Luca, blocking her. This man seemed to be here to settle scores with him, but his eyes kept darting back to Luca. Luke was very unhappy, so he simply blocked her. Marlon looked at the man in front of him, who was a head taller than himself. When he sat down, his presence was strong enough. Now that he had risen to his feet, his strong aura surged even more, filling the space with an undeniable force. He could not help but shudder. "Who''s looking for justice? I''ve got something to say about it." Suddenly, there came a voice as the ward door swung open once. Gale walked in, frowning at the people inside. Did they take this ce for a meeting room? With all these people crowded in here making a fuss, how were the patients in the hospital supposed to recover in peace? When Gerald saw Galee in, he was sure he was Luke''s subordinate. When he said he had something to say, he felt even more uneasy. "Who are you?" asked Gerald as he stepped forward. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. "I''m Mr. Crawford''s subordinate. Mr. Crawford mentioned that you doubt the truth about Stan¡¯s fall. It just so happens that the police have retrieved all the surveince footage from the mansion, and I made a copy. "Now, I''d like to ask Stan why he turned off the infrared rm?" replied Gale as he looked at Stan with a mocking gaze. Stan had amnesia and naturally did not know what he was talking about. "I turned off the infrared rm? I didn''t do that." Stan looked bewildered. Gerald''s face darkened. "Don''t go throwing around baseless usations. What''s the point of making wild ims without evidence?¡± "Baseless usations?" Gale smirked. ¡°Boss, can they watch the surveince footage?" "Sure," replied Luke. He had tampered with the surveince, so what was being yed now was what he wanted them to see. "Take a look and see if what I''m saying is baseless." Gale walked over to the television in the ward and quickly figured out how to project the surveince footage onto the screen. At this moment, Marlon felt something was wrong and quickly walked toward Gerald. "What''s going on? Why does it involve the infrared rm? What''s that about?" "That''s the security system at the old mansion. It''s usually on. If someone sneaks in, it''ll trigger the rm," Stan, suffering from amnesia,pletely forgot what he had done and blurted out what he knew. After that, he mocked Marlon, "If only you studied more, you''d know more than just gambling and fooling around with women. You don''t even know such a simple thing." Marlon''s face flushed red at his words. He might not be well-educated, but was Stan more educated than him? Did Stan think Marlon did not know that he only became a butler by falsifying his resume? What butler training school did Stan attend? With his qualifications and awareness, how could he possibly have attended any sort of training schools? Unable to bear it any longer, Marlon was about to retort when he heard Gerald say, ¡°Uncle Stan, now is not the time for this. You..." He paused for a moment and then realized that Stan had amnesia. Hence, he was not sure if Stan had turned off the surveince cameras and the infrared rm tonight. However, what was certain was that the surveince cameras and infrared rm were turned on after that. What exactly happened? Gerald''s gaze fell on the TV screen. By now, Gale had finished setting up and started fast-forwarding the footage. He pointed at a certain frame and said, "This is the surveince room at the old mansion. Stan entered the room and turned off all the switches. The surveince camera in the room captured everything." Gerald''s expression darkened. Indeed... Stan was too careless. He knew there was a surveince camera there, but he did not even think to cover it before making his move. He could have moved the surveince camera to a blind spot if necessary instead of having it facing the row of switches... Now, he had been caught red-handed doing something wrong. Then, Gale continued, "At this point, the surveince was turned off. After two hours, our boss noticed something and headed downstairs to turn the surveince back on. "Look, this footage is clear. After our boss turned on the surveince cameras and the rm, he went back upstairs to rest. Later, when the rm went off, he called the police and came downstairs. Here''s the footage of himing downstairs." At this point, an ominous cloud hovered over Gerald¡¯s face. No wonder the surveince cameras and the rm that were turned off were turned back on. It was all done by Luke. This man''s perception was annoyingly sharp... "Next, our boss wanted to look for Stan. He passed by here, but he soon returned upstairs, bringing Ms. Craw downstairs. "What happened here was that our boss found Stan passed out in the corridor. He then informed Ms. Craw and called for an ambnce." After Gale finished speaking, thest clip of surveince footage showed medical staff carrying Stan away. Everyone was left bewildered by his words and the footage, including Marlon. He did not know that Stan had been acting on behalf of Gerald. "What''s going on?" asked Marlon. "This still doesn''t prove Luke''s innocence. There''s no footage showing my uncle falling by himself," said Gerald, thinking that he had caught a crucial point. "The ce where Stan fell was right outside his room door. The doctors and nurses can testify to that. To protect the privacy of the mansion''s staff, there''s no surveince on that side of the quarters. "I heard you suspect that our boss attacked Stan? ¡°Well, I suggest you call the police. We''ve also reported it. Hopefully, you can exin to the police why Stan turned off the rm and surveincete at night. "Coincidentally, after they were turned off, thieves climbed over the wall into the mansion." Gale was sharp, and he was not led astray by Gerald. Gerald felt anxious. Yes, how would he exin this? Could he say that everything was just a coincidence? Chapter 3104 Before he could say anything, Gale spoke up again, "Would any butler shut down the security system before going to bed at night? I''ve never seen any butler in the past with such a habit, so I suspect Mr. Muller colluded with those intruders tomit theft and maybe even violence." With this usation, the Muller family members, who were harboring ill intentions a moment ago, gasped in shock. If Stan really did this, not only would they not be able to take advantage of Luke, but Stan himself might end up behind bars. Stan, who had lost his memory, immediately protested, "Nonsense! I''d never do such a thing." "Exactly, Uncle Stan would never do such a thing. Moreover, if he fancied something from that house, why didn''t he act earlier orter? Why wait until there were others to coborate with? It doesn''t make sense. It must be just a coincidence," added Gerald. By this time, Jacob was already captured. Stan could not be dragged into this. "That makes sense." Gale nodded with a grin, but he quickly wiped the smile off his face. His expression turned fierce. "It''s either about stealing or wanting tomit murder." "Nonsense! Utter nonsense!" eximed Stan when he heard Gale pin these charges on him. He immediately waved his hands in defiance. "I didn''t conspire with anyone. What on earth are you talking about? I have no recollection of such events. Spare me your tales woven from the surveince footage." "Whether it''s all just talk or not, it''s the police who have the final say. They''ll conduct their investigation. When daylightes, the police will arrive to look into it. You can also call the authorities. I believe the officers will make sure to investigate every aspect thoroughly.¡± "Fine, call the police. I won''t admit to anything I didn''t do!" Stan asserted confidently, while Gerald''s heart was trembling. He knew Stan would be dragged into this. After all, surveince footage was the best evidence. "Let''s go." Luke took Luca''s hand. Luca nodded and rose to her feet to follow him. When Marlon saw them preparing to leave, he immediately stepped in front of them and said, "You can''t leave. My brother had an incident at your mansion. Regardless of what he did, you''re responsible for everything." Gale reminded, "If your brother didn''t do anything, then surely the boss would take responsibility. But since he''s under suspicion now, who are you to stop our boss from leaving?" "I''m his elder brother!" Marlon pointed at Stan. Gale scoffed. "So what? Anyway, if you call the police, they''lle to us to understand the situation. Oh, by the way, if it''s proven that your brother is guilty, then the losses will definitely fall on him. If he can''t afford it, will it be you, his elder brother, who pays?" "What did you lose if those two thieves didn''t steal anything?" Gerald blurted out. As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized he said something he should not have. No police report had been issued, and Stan had lost his memory. How did he know there were two thieves and that they had not stolen anything? Gale raised an eyebrow and asked, "The police haven''t arrived yet, so how do you know the two thieves didn''t steal anything? Were you there too?" "I guessed. If you actually lost something, would you be so calm?" The exnation Gerald gave seemed rather strained. "Hmph, those thieves smashed our boss'' multimillion-dor car. Once the police prove this has something to do with Mr. Muller, the Muller family will have to pay," concluded Gale. Then, he escorted Luke and Luca out. The people left behind digested the news of the multimillion-dor car being smashed by the two thieves. There were also suspicions swirling around Stan''s connection. There was a moment of silence in the ward. After a while, Marlon finally asked, "What''s going on? What''s happening here?!" He knew Stan was not in the right. If Stan had nothing to do with the incident, why would he disable the surveince? No one answered. Stan was lying on the hospital bed. At this moment, the effect of the painkiller was gradually wearing off, and he began to feel the pain again. "Gerald, could you ask the nurse to give me another painkiller injection? It hurts!" He had lost his memory and waspletely unaware of the importance of the situation. He only felt that since he had not done anything wrong, it had nothing to do with him. Even if the police came, there was nothing they could do to him. Hence, he was only concerned with having someone call the nurse to give him another painkiller injection. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. When Gerald saw Stan in such pain, he pressed the emergency button to call the nurse for help with the injection. When the nurse heard what he said, she said through the inte, "Do you think you can get an injection whenever you want? It''s not good for your body to have too many injections, and there should be a time interval for this one." "But the patient is in pain right now. What should we do?" Gerald asked helplessly. With one thing after another happening now, his thoughts were in disarray. Especially just now, when Gale recounted each event, it was surprising that Luca did not speak up to help. She left him silenced by the barrage of surveince footage evidence. He felt a wave of anger at the thought of this. "The patient will have to endure the pain. There''s no other way. If the patient has other diforts, the family can notify us again," added the nurse before hanging up. Gerald had no choice but to say to Stan, "Uncle Stan, you heard it too. The nurse said you can''t have injections so frequently. Just bear with it." Marlon looked at them, feeling dissatisfied at being ignored. He said, "Can someone tell me what''s going on here?" "How would I know what''s going on? Uncle Stan lost his memory, and no one knows what happened!" answered Gerald. He wanted to leave, and he wanted to inform Abel about what was going on here. Things here needed to be handled properly, or it would be troublesome. "Please leave first." Marlon realized something and asked all the other rtives to leave. The other rtives knew there was no advantage to be gained here now, so they all left. Only Stan, Marlon, and Gerald, were left in the hospital ward. "He has amnesia, but you definitely know something. If you don''t confess now, no one will be able to help your Uncle Stanter," said Marlon. Even though he did not have a high level of education, he knew what kind of people his family were. For example, Gerald was obviously behaving like someone who had done something wrong. He looked very troubled. "I have nothing to say. Uncle Stan needs someone to take care of him. Uncle Marlon, can you make arrangements for that?" After that, Gerald was about to leave. Marlon immediately stopped him. "Your Uncle Stan is usually an honest person who wouldn''t steal or rob. To put it bluntly, he wouldn''t even think of picking up money left on the ground. That''s how honest he is. "How could someone who doesn''t steal or rob suddenly team up with others tomit theft and attempt murder? "Who would believe that? I know you''re close with your Uncle Stan. You''ve never been one to behave well. Did you drag him into this mess? "If you''re capable of stirring up such trouble, you need to figure out how to resolve it. Besides, it appears that you have something to do with Stan being hospitalized too. Take care of him yourself. If you can''t handle it, call your parents to help out." Marlon knew this was a hot potato and had no intention of taking it over. Chapter 3105 After Marlon finished speaking, he quickly walked away. At this moment, whoever was thest to leave would have to take care of Stan. Marlon would not bother with something so strenuous when he did not even have the energy for it. As Gerald watched Marlon leave, he could not help but secretly let out a sneer. He ran faster than anyone else when it came to standing up for his own brother, but he bailed when there was no profit to be gained? He turned around to look at Stan. He had been groaning because of the pain and had not participated in their conversation. Gerald felt impatient. He wanted to make a phone call, but Stan had lost his memory now. He could not make the call in front of him. If Stan found out anything, he might betray Gerald to save himself. At the thought of this, Gerald said, "Uncle Stan, bear with me for a moment. I''ll go out and make a phone call." Stan continued tossing and turning on the ward bed, paying no attention to Gerald''s words because of the pain. After leaving the hospital with Luca, Luke got into Gale¡¯s car. As Gale drove, he said, "Boss, when I led the police to check the surveince just now, I checked your car. The trunk was forced open, and the windows were smashed. Your car needs to be sent back to the factory for major repairs." "Okay," replied Luke nonchntly. He had many cars, so losing one or two did not bother him much. Even though Luke cherished his cars, he decided to have Warren drive this time, given the potential for unexpected events in X City. The car¡¯s price was high, but it was not a limited edition. That was why he was not too upset about it being damaged. "Also, I assume they''ll definitely report to the police. You won''t be able to leave tomorrow morning, even if you¡¯d like to go back. You''ll have to wait until noon and give a statement to the local police before you can leave," added Gale. The police had already taken the statements of the two thieves from the Ind of Despair. As for the matter involving Stan, Luke had to go personally to give a statement to the police. Luke said, "I know. Gather some information about the other members of the Muller family tomorrow." "All of them, even the irrelevant ones?" Gale knew Gerald was from the Ind of Despair, but the others should not have any connection to the organization. After all, Abel was not the type to wee just anyone with open arms. The Ind of Despair definitely would not ept the elderly, weak, sick, or disabled. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Yes, all of them," replied Luke. At first, he could have spared the other members of the Muller family. However, Marlon''s gaze was always on Luca earlier, which irritated him. It would be best if Gale did not manage to find out much about Marlon. Otherwise, Luke would make Marlon pay for his ugly thoughts. "Okay, Boss." Gale nodded. Digging into people''s backgrounds was something he did often, and the Muller family did not seem like good people anyway. He had no moral qualms about it. When Luca noticed that they had finished discussing what needed to be said, she slowly spoke up. She told them both about what she had observed at the industryworking event today. Gale was Luke¡¯s subordinate, so Luca did not hold back anything. She even shared the information she had extracted from Gerald, including the fact that the Ind of Despair had recruited a group of Caucasians for simple training before deploying them for tasks. Gale chuckled and asked, "Dr. Craw, I have a question." "Go ahead." Luca nodded. "Why does it feel like the Ind of Despair is short-staffed? Are they reallycking manpower? How could Abel casually train people and then send them out on missions?" asked Gale. He could not help but find it amusing at the thought of the two thieves from the Ind of Despair. Their skills... Even with the infrared rm on, Gale¡¯s agility allowed him to effortlessly scale the wall without setting off the rm. Discovering the rm was not activated was solely due to the clumsiness of one of his subordinates. However, it was still a discovery. Yet, here was Abel, sending his men with such clumsy skills that they could not even scale a wall without setting off the rm. Was he joking? This might easily lead Gale to underestimate thepetence of those from the Ind of Despair. "Rather than saying the Ind of Despaircks manpower, it''s more urate to say theyck manpower in A City. People with ethnic facial features stand out too much in A City. That¡¯s why Abel resorted to this," exined Luca. After all, A City¡¯s security was good, and cases of people going missing were less frequentpared to other countries or some impoverished nations. Therefore, Abel¡¯s n to recruit arge number of youths in A City for training was just not feasible. However, when there were many missions, sending out too many people with ethnic facial features would attract attention and suspicion. For operations in A City, it was best to have Caucasian operatives. "You''re right about that. But the quality of these people is just too low. Even the greenest rookies under mymand outshine them. I bet Abel will definitely reach out to you about this matter. "Why not suggest he find individuals with better qualifications? It would save time and effort in training and yield better results. Frankly, even for menial tasks, I find them too dim-witted." Gale''s words were sharp. He even began to wonder if he had overestimated the Ind of Despair. The new Ind of Despair seemed to be miles apart from the old one. Luca chuckled. Even though she had been feeling a bit down, Gale''s words managed to lighten her mood. "You''ll definitely have the chance to meet him in the future. It would be better if you bring it up personally then." "By the time I can bring it up, he won''t have the opportunity to develop the Ind of Despair anymore," Gale stated the truth. By the time they could discuss the Ind of Despair face-to-face with Abel, it would likely be when they had eradicated the organization. "That''s true," Luca agreed. They would not let the Ind of Despair off the hook no matter what. Gale drove them back to the old mansion. After Luca and Luke got out of the car, Luca looked at the wall and suddenly asked, "Is the infrared rm still on?" "It''s still on. It hasn''t been turned off," replied Luke. Luca pointed at the wall and said, "I¡¯d also like to give it a try to see if I can jump over the wall without triggering the rm." Before Luke could say anything, Gale could not help butugh when he heard Luca say that. "You''re really curious, aren''t you? Are you thinking about those two thieves who triggered the rm, and that¡¯s why you want to test your skills to see if you''ve still got it?" "Sort of," replied Luca. When she thought about those clumsy thieves, she wanted to see if she had the ability to jump over the wall without setting off the rm. Luke frowned, intending to say that it was too risky. However, considering Luca''s skills and the fact that she had trained on the Ind of Despair for three years, he gave in. He was curious too, wondering if her skills were indeed formidable. Luke rxed his brows, nodded, and said, "Go ahead, but be careful. Don¡¯t get hurt." "I won''t." Luca smiled. She nced at her slippers and remembered that she had not changed into proper shoes after she heard that Stan had fainted. She headed downstairs wearing these slippers. When Stan was taken to the hospital, she had not bothered to change her shoes and had simply followed him into the ambnce. Without further ado, Luca took off her slippers. Chapter 3106 Actually, it would have been better to wear shoes, but Luca could not be bothered to change into them now. Slippers were not a good option either. That was why she simply took off her slippers. As Luke watched her yank off her slippers, he shook his head helplessly and picked up her slippers. "Be careful." In the meantime, Luca had already grabbed onto the protruding rocks of the outer wall and started climbing up. Initially, to blend with the scenery of X City, all the outer walls were built with stones. Thus, they had an uneven surface. The walls looked beautiful and more natural this way, but this also had its downsides. It made climbing easy. Therefore, Luke had infrared rms installed around the top of the outer walls to deter anyone from attempting to climb over. Climbing this wall was quite easy for those with rock climbing experience. The real challenge was to jump up when reaching the top to avoid the infrared scan and then jump down the wall. "How high are the infrared scans?" Luca suddenly thought of this question and asked Luke. "About 20 centimeters," answered Luke as he felt a little anxious. Luca was almost at the top of the wall. What if Luca did not pay attention when she jumped and got hurt? Luke regretted letting Luca do such a dangerous thing. "Okay, I got it," said Luca as she continued to climb up. Gale watched with sheer amusement. "She''s really something else!" Luke gave him a disdainful look and continued to focus on Luca. Soon, Luca reached the top. When she almost reached the top, she started being careful due to the infrared scans. If she touched the top of the wall, the infrared rm would definitely go off. Hence, Luca had to be quick, precise, and forceful. She had to use the strength from her feet to spring up quickly and leap forward directly. There was no need for her to jump high, just 20 centimeters higher than the wall. Luca calcted the distance of 20 centimeters and began to gather her strength. At this moment, Luke and Gale could not help but hold their breath and watch. Luca''s jump would prove to Luke what the real skill level of those from the Ind of Despair was like. "Three, two, one!" As Luca counted down in her mind, she sprang into the air with a sudden burst of energy. Luke''s heart skipped a beat. He was ready to catch Luca. Luca, on the other hand, jumped forward with force. Instead of falling down, she smoothly leaped over the wall without triggering the rm. In an instant, there was anding sound on the other side of the wall. Luke''s heart could not help but skip a beat as he quickly ran inside. Luca had already stood up by now. When shended, she chose to roll on the ground to protect herself, which resulted in her getting covered in a flurry of fallen leaves. Moreover, her hair was a mess. Luke could not help but shake his head when he looked at her in such a state. "You..." "I''m fine." Luca knew he was worried about her. She gave him a reassuring smile andforted him, "Don''t worry, I''m not hurt." She stretched her limbs as she spoke. Luke handed her the slippers. "The ground is cold. Put your shoes on first." Luca nodded, took the slippers from him, ced them on the ground, and put them on. "Looks like I need a shower too." "Together," replied Luke. Gale, who was beside them, sensed a hint of romance in the air. He could not help but intervene, "Boss, I''m still here. It''s probably best not to get too mushy in front of others." Luca just realized Gale was there and covered her face, feeling embarrassed. "I''ll leave you guys to talk. I''ll go upstairs first," said Luca, quickly walking toward the main house. Luke turned around to look at Gale. "Isn''t she good?" "Yeah, great," Gale replied with a bitter smile on his face. Watching couples showing affection to each other was not his intention. He only came in here because he admired Luca''s skills. After spending more than three years on the Ind of Despair, she managed to bypass the infrared rms and jump over the wall. He just wanted to make sure Luca was okay after jumping in. In case she twisted her foot or something, he could help. Luca was fine, and Gale was even subjected to some PDA. Gale added, "Boss, if there''s nothing else, I shall leave. Just take my car when you guys head back tomorrow. I''ll catch the high-speed train back with the others.¡± "Okay," Luke agreed. He then instructed, "Have the people here help send my car to repair." "Got it." Gale felt a little distressed at the thought of the luxury car that got damaged by those ipetent thieves. However, it was not like the money wasing out of his pocket. Luke was not short on cars anyway, so he just felt a twinge of regret but did not think much of it. After Gale left, Luke closed the door of the old mansion and walked inside. He arrived upstairs and opened the door to the master bedroom. Luca was already taking a shower. Luke also wanted to shower but waited until Luca finished first. After a while, Luca came out of the bathroom. She had already changed back into her pajamas. "I''ve adjusted the water temperature for you. Go wash up. It''s still early, and we can rest for a while longer before dawn," Luca said to Luke. It was already four in the morning. "Okay, I''ll go wash up." Luke nodded. Considering thete hour, Luca did not wash her hair. She justy down on the bed. Luke only gave himself a quick washing up to get rid of Stan''s scent. Once he felt clean, he dried himself off, changed into his pajamas, and walked out of the bathroom. He went straight back to bed, held Luca in his arms, and fell asleep. They had both been upte the night before and decided to linger in bed a little longer. When they woke up, it was already nine in the morning. Luca looked at Luke and said, "It''ste." "Yeah, we slept in a bit, but it''s okay. We''re going backter today anyway," replied Luke as he picked up his phone, which was still charging. He noticed that there were several missed calls. However, he did not rush to respond. Instead, he continued talking to Luca, "Mr. Muller isn''t here. There''s no one to prepare breakfast for us." "It''s toote to prepare breakfast now. How about we order takeout instead?" suggested Luca. She was not in the mood to make breakfast today. Of course, if Luke preferred her homemade breakfast over takeout, she could prepare something. "Sure." Luke knew that Luca had been working hard and deserved a break. Even though he was not fond of takeout, he went along with her suggestion. Luca opened the food delivery app, ordered breakfast for two, and then went to freshen up. After finishing their morning routines, Luca walked out of the bathroom. She intended to pack their luggage, but she saw Luke standing by the bed, making a phone call. "Okay, I''ll wait for you here," said Luke before ending the call. "Who was that?" asked Luca. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. "The police station," replied Luke. "Gerald reported to the police that I injured Mr. Muller." Luca felt an urge to curse when she heard this. What was going on in Gerald''s mind? How could he say something like that? Even though it was true that they had injured Stan, the police would not be able to find any evidence on this matter. Chapter 3107

Chapter 3107 Romantic Rtionship

Luca had a quick thought and realized that this might be Gerald deliberately stalling for time. Even if Luke suspected Stan, with the police intervening, they would not be able to look into Stan so quickly. The point was how Gerald believed doing this would be effective. From the police''s perspective, Luke was the victim in this case. "Are you going to the police stationter?" asked Luca. If the police called, they would want Luke to cooperate with the investigation. "If it''s urgent, I''ll fry you some eggs." "Not at all. Gale went to the police station this morning to exin the situation. The police wille hereter to take photos for evidence,¡± replied Luke. Gale rushed to the police station early in the morning to inform them of the millions of dors of damages to the car. When the police learned this, they said they would send someone to collect evidence. When the two thieves were caught, they were not wearing gloves. Therefore, when the police came to the scer, they would surely be able to collect fingerprints from the car belonging to Jason and Harold. "Alright," replied Luca. She felt less anxious when she heard this. She took out Luke''s suitcase and said, "Let me pack your things first." "Sure, I''ll help you," Luke nodded with a smile. The two of them helped each other out, and soon, they had the clothes packed up neatly. The rest were theptops and other items that could be carried with them. They did not put them in the suitcase but beside it to avoid forgetting them when they left. Once everything was packed, the takeout arrived. When Luca was about to get it, Luke said, "I''ll get it. Go prepare the cutlery.¡± "Okay." Luca turned around and walked into the kitchen. After a while, Luke came in carrying the takeout. As he watched Luca set up the table, a touch of tenderness shed across his eyes. "Food''s here." "Let''s have breakfast first. The police should be here soon." Luca took the takeout from him, opened the containers, and poured them out. She had ordered the local pasta dish here. They sat down at the table to eat breakfast. The pasta tasted good. Luca ate a lot, and Luke finished his portion entirely.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. When Luca was about to tidy up the table, Gale walked in. "Boss, Ms. Craw, good morning." "Good morning, Mr. Gale.¡± Luca smiled. The surveince inside the house had already been turned on, so Gale''s address to her had changed to be more formal. Gale nodded in response and then turned to look at Luke. "Boss, the police are here." "Okay." Luke rose to his feet and said to Luca, "I''ll be right back.¡± Luca nodded in understanding. It was just cooperating with the police to give a statement. She was not worried about it. They had already sorted things out almost perfectly yesterday, so ording to what they discussedst night, the police would not be able to find any loopholes. When Gale heard this, he added, "Um, the police also want Ms. Craw to give a statement.¡± "Why?" Luca was surprised. Did Gerald implicate her when he called the police? This should not be happening... She did not do Gerald any favors yesterday, so he was probably very unhappy about it. However, no matter how upset he was, Gerald should not be foolish enough to cause trouble for her. If Abel found out about this, Gerald would definitely be in trouble. "The police said since you were also at the scene, they''d need your statement too. They''d like to record statements separately in two different rooms," said Gale helplessly. Luca heaved a sigh when she heard this. Giving a statement was not a big deal, but it was indeed bothersome. As Luca was pondering, several police officers walked in. "Hello, we''re here to take your statements. Could you please cooperate?¡± Luke''s expression remained cold and unchanged. He nodded slightly. "To avoid unnecessary trouble, your statements need to be taken in separate spaces..." added the police officer. "I''ll go outside," suggested Luke, letting Luca use the living room. Two police officers nodded and followed Luke out of the living room The remaining two officers were responsible for recording Luca''s statement. Gale said to Luca, "Ms. Craw, please give your statement here. I''ll go outside to check on how the police are collecting evidence and also to arrange for the tow truck to take the car for repairster.¡± "Okay. Thank you." Luca nodded in acknowledgment. She then turned to the two police officers and said, "Let''s move to the living room." The two officers did not say anything and followed Luca to the living room. Luca invited them to sit down. After they sat down, she sat opposite them. The police officers opened their recording pens and notebooks. They began to question Luca. "Ms. Craw, as one of the witnesses tost night''s events, we need your cooperation in providing a statement for our investigation. Shall we begin now?" "Yes, we can start." Luca nodded. This was not her first time giving a statement. The conversation with Lukest night had given her an idea of how to handle this. The police officer started, "May I know what your rtionship is with Mr. Luke Crawford?" "We''re in a romantic rtionship," answered Luca without a change in the look on her face. Since Luke had already disclosed her true identity to their family and close friends, there was no need to feel guilty about stating it to the police. Besides, she did not need to mention her and Luke''s rtionship as employer and employee as the police would not believe it anyway. Moreover, the police had professional ethics. Even if they were surprised and felt like this was juicy gossip material, they would not simply disclose such information to others. They would only disclose some details rted to the case. They would not reveal anything that should not be disclosed. The two police officers exchanged nces with each other. Over the years, they had handled many cases and encountered many rtionships like this, but none of the people were as calm as Luca It was as though this romantic rtionship was as legitimate as a marital one and there was nothing wrong with it. A police officer tried to verify things, asking, "When you said a romantic rtionship, are you referring to..." "Mr. Crawford is married, but we''re currently in a romantic rtionship. But does our rtionship have anything to do with this case?" Luca interjected, "If you doubt the truthfulness of what I''m saying because of my rtionship with Mr. Crawford, then there''s no need for us to continue with this statement, is there?" The police officers exchanged nces. Indeed, that was what they were thinking. However, they were working at the moment. They had to maintain a fair and impartial attitude toward everyone. Just because the woman in front of them was Luke''s secret lover, that did not mean they should judge her unfairly. "Ahem, Ms. Craw, every question we ask has its necessity. Please continue to cooperate with our work," exined the officer. Luca nodded, waiting for their next question. The police began questioning about the events ofst night. Luca then proceeded to recount to the police. She told them the same things she told Gerald. She exined that thieves had broken into the old mansion to stealst night. Luke went downstairs to check. As he had instructed her to stay in the bedroom, she was unaware of what happened downstairs. "Then how did you end up downstairster?¡± the police asked again. Chapter 3108 "Later, Mr. Crawford found out that Mr. Muller, the butler, had fallen downstairs and fainted. Since the danger outside had been resolved, he came to call me downstairs to check on Mr. Muller''s condition," said Luca. "I know some medical skills, but as soon as I found out that Mr. Muller had fallen, I told Mr. Crawford to call the ambnce. It was only then that I went downstairs to examine Mr. Muller." Luca exined in detail. All of this had been nned out with Luke. Luke had tampered with the surveince. Therefore, in the surveince footage, her descent downstairs urred after Luke made the emergency call. The hospital would also have records, so Luca was not worried about any loopholes. Perhaps due to the nature of the Ind of Despair, Luke''s and her extra vignce left no room for anyone to exploit loopholes. While Luke was about to make the emergency call, Luca had already worked out the timeline with Luke. The police noted down and asked again, "Do you remember what time it was then?" Luca shook her head. "I don''t remember. I was anxious when I found out Mr. Muller had fallen down. Plus, someone intruded into the house earlier. I was scared, so I didn''t pay attention to the time at that moment. "Besides, Mr. Crawford used his own phone to call both the police and the ambnce. So there''s no record of the calls on my end." The police officers exchanged nces with each other. Luca knew that it would seem suspicious if she imed to remember. Only iming ignorance would seem reasonable. It would not sound like her words were made up. Presumably, the police were asking such questions to test the credibility of her statement. However, they were all shrewd individuals and would not be easily tricked. Luca''s statement that she did not know invalidated all their previous preparations. It was because she was upstairs when the event took ce. She did not know what happened that night. In the surveince footage provided to them, Luca only came down the stairs twice. The first time was when she went downstairs in her pajamas. The second time, she had changed her clothes upstairs beforeing down again. Shortly after, the ambnce arrived. That was why Luca could perfectly exin everything. It was perfect. The police could not find any ws in her statement. "Officers, is there anything else you''d like to ask?" asked Luca. Both police officers shook their heads, indicating they had no further questions. "Alright, then please investigate this as soon as possible. Mr. Crawford is busy with work. He can''t stay in X City for long. I came here this time just to attend an event, and I''ll definitely return with Mr. Crawford. "If you have any more questions, you may contact the police in A City. I''ll be sure to cooperate," added Luca. "Okay. Thank you for your cooperation, Ms. Craw. Let''s end it here. We''ll leave now and won''t disturb you anymore." The two police officers stood up and left. Luca smiled as she saw them off. She then stood by the window. From here, she could see Luke cooperating with the police in the yard. He was giving his statement. Their minds were in sync. As she looked at him, Luke¡¯s eyes met hers. She smiled, waving her hand. As Luke was still outside giving his statement, Luca did not step out. After waving to him, she sat down on the couch and turned on the living room TV. The sound of the television show filled the room. She switched to the news channel, but before she could watch for long, her phone rang. Luca nced at the caller ID. It was a call from Abel. She lowered the volume of the TV and answered the call. "Gerald told me everything, Ivana. Are you nning to leave Luke?" Abel''s voice came through the phone. It was sinister, like a demon emerging from hell. Luca instinctively nced outside. No one would being in, and it was only then did she respond, "What did he tell you? That I didn''t help? I wasn''t even aware of your nst night. "And while we were at the hospital, Gerald''s subordinates were careless and got caught by Luke¡¯s men. What was I supposed to do? Speak up for them? If I did that, it would mean I didn''t want to stay by Luke''s side." Abel listened to Luca''s words on the other end of the phone. He actually knew the truth. Luca did not know their ns. There was no way she could speak up for someone whose story was full of loopholes as that would only raise Luke¡¯s suspicion. However, since Gerald had reported her to him, Abel could not help but try to cause Luca trouble. His ns were not going smoothly, and he was eager to vent his frustration. "You¡¯ve got some serious sass!" eximed Abel. Luca let out a chuckle. "What do you want me to do? Reveal my identity and leave? With all that''s happening now, Luke is perceptive. If I''m not careful, I''ll be exposed." "Do you think I don''t know that? You''re just hoping he finds out, aren''t you?" Abel''s tone remained chillingly dreadful. "Yes, I do. I even want to tell him my true identity, but I can''t. My daughter is still in your hands. I don''t know what others might say, but every action I take serves my purpose. "Gerald is just a pawn, and those two thieves fromst night are insignificant to you. There''s no need to vent your anger on me just because you didn''t manage to find all the herbs. I''ve done my best." Luca saw through Abel andid it all out on the table. Abel clenched his teeth in hatred, wishing he could tear Luca into pieces! "Come to me!" "I can''te right now. There are police officers investigating what happenedst night out there. Oh, by the way, the one causing me trouble is still your underling, Gerald. "He reported to the police that it was Luke and I who injured the butler. Once this matter is dealt with, I''ll be returning to A City with Luke, so I don''t have time to go out," replied Luca, turning the tables on Gerald once again. Abel''s expression darkenedpletely. With a snap, he hung up the phone. He stormed out of the hotel suite''s bedroom. Gerald stood in the living room, nked by two burly men with ethnic facial features. He was sandwiched between them, trembling with fear. He came to report to Abel. Furthermore, in order to lessen the me for his own failed mission, he shifted the majority of the responsibility onto Luca. It was because she did not help him that the mission failed. After Abel heard this, he did not immediately confront Luca. Instead, he gestured for the two burly men to keep an eye on Gerald while he looked at Gerald with an expression that was hard to read. Gerald did not know how many minutes had passed until he saw Abel finally make a move. Abel simply left Gerald behind and walked into the bedroom. After a while, he came out of the room again. "Boss." Gerald met Abel''s gaze while trembling in fear. He could not help but mutter to himself about how frightening that gaze was. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. "I just called Ivana," said Abel. Gerald responded and looked at Abel in confusion, wondering who Ivana was. "It''s Luca," rified Abel. "Oh, that woman will definitely im she had nothing to do with it. Boss, you weren''t at the hospital yesterday, so you didn''t see how despicable she was!" Gerald hardly needed to think to know what Luca had said. Chapter 3109 Abel sat on the couch. The genuine leather couch engulfed half of his body. He adjusted into afortable position and stared straight ahead at the person before him. Gerald felt his heart race under Abel''s gaze. Was he in trouble? "Beat him," Abel suddenly spoke in Russian. Gerald did not understand what he meant and turned to look at those men beside him. After they received Abel''smand, they immediately began raining blows on Gerald. "Stop it, stop it! I was wrong, I was wrong!" After getting beaten up so many times, Gerald instinctively crouched down and hugged his head to protect himself. "Hit him, and hit him hard!" Abel''s eyes were fierce. Even though he did not understand what Gerald said and no one was interpreting it for him, he could tell Gerald was pleading for mercy. Half an hourter, Gerald copsed. His face was swollen and bruised, and his limbs were covered in bruises. Gerald was miserable, but no one begged for mercy for him. The two men who beat him dared not show any mercy. They knew if they did, they would be in trouble themselves. Hence, they kicked him hard. "Ugh..." Gerald gave up begging for mercy. He even felt like he might die here today. He could not help but recall what was said during the training for the Ind of Despair. It was true. If they failed their missions, they would likely face death, unless there was a turning point... Abel watched Gerald, who was almost breathless from the beating. He tilted his head slightly, signaling his subordinates to stop. When they received the signal, they stopped. "Kneel,"manded Abel. Gerald heard him. It took him a while to snap out of it before he finally reacted. Then, he slowly kneeled. "Gerald, I''m giving you another chance," Abel muttered slowly, with someone interpreting for Gerald. Gerald let out a cold shiver. Was this the turning point they talked about? However, could he really do it? "Boss, please give me your instructions," replied Gerald, suppressing the metallic taste in his throat. "Kill the two men in the police station and this will be settled," continued Abel. A shiver ran through Gerald when he heard the words the interpreter ryed. Kill? He had never killed anyone before. Despite their training, their usual orders only involved beating people. He had never killed anyone! With his skills, how could he possibly take a life? Gerald, who was afraid, lifted his head. However, he was pressed down by Abel''s subordinate. "Boss doesn''t want to see your messed-up face." When Gerald heard this, he trembled even more. He lowered his head until it almost touched the floor before he stopped. "Boss, I can''t kill people," Gerald quivered as he spoke. Abel let out a cold sneer. He knew well the capabilities of those trained and deployed. However, there were only two paths for Gerald to choose from at the moment. "091, if you don''t kill this time, you''ll be killed. I don''t have much patience left with you. You have two choices, so choose one.¡± Abel said, forcing Gerald to make a decision. He sounded like a devil. It was either Jacob or him... T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Gerald shivered and clenched his teeth. "Boss, I can''t die. I''ll kill them." "Take him to Mr. Shanks," Abelmanded. He then lifted a ss of red wine and swirled it. The dark red liquid inside was like human blood. It sloshed with each movement and almost spilled over the rim of the ss. The two men nodded and proceeded to escort Gerald upstairs. They had arranged for a family-style apartment suite. Shanks lived upstairs while Abel resided downstairs. Before they even brought Gerald upstairs, Shanks could already smell the strong scent of blood. He listened to the footsteps and casually asked, "Did your boss beat up someone again?" "Yes, Mr. Shanks," the two men replied in unison as they carried Gerald upstairs and dropped him on the floor. One of the men said, "Mr. Shanks, sorry for the trouble." "It''s indeed troublesome." Shanks nced at Gerald. It was a Caucasian face. It seemed this person failed toplete the task Abel had assigned him. It was frustrating. The rule on the Ind of Despair was simple. If one failed toplete his task, one either ended up injured or dead. As harsh as it was, Abel still chose these Caucasians to carry out missions. It was not that Shanks looked down on them. It was just that their training was far simplerpared to the killers who underwent rigorous training on the Ind of Despair. The quality of the two groups was vastly different. It was alright for these temporarily recruited Caucasians to run errands, but was it not akin to sending them to their deaths if they were assigned missions? Moreover, every time Abel beat someone to the brink of disability or death, he sent them here... The physical condition of these Caucasians was not as good as those from the Ind of Despair. Even though those who got beaten up were always left gasping for breath, the ones from the Ind of Despair were much easier to save. "Mr. Shanks, we''re leaving him with you. Thank you." The two men exchanged a nce before one of them spoke. Then, they left. "Pass a message for me. Tell him to be more careful in the future. Either don''t beat them up or don''t bring them to me. I''m not here to professionally save people," said Shanks. His gaze fell on Gerald. Tsk, he must have broken a few bones. But those men had deliberately avoided vital areas while beating him. There was no reckless striking, so this person should not be in mortal danger. However, he was not from the Ind of Despair. It would take several months for his bones to be healed... "Save me." Gerald reached out toward Shanks. Even though he did not know who Shanks was, judging from the conversation between the two men, he figured this man might be able to save him. His will to survive was strong. He wanted to grasp onto this man in front of him tightly. Shanks looked disdainfully at Gerald, who was covered in blood. He said calmly, "You''ve been delivered. I have no intention of throwing you aside. Just wait." Gerald was taken aback for a moment. Did he have to wait? He could feel his life slipping away with each drop of blood from his body. If he waited any longer, he might die. Would the Ind of Despair even provide him with a coffin after killing him... Gerald''s thoughts turned desperate. It seemed unlikely. He should not dwell on it... Shanks made a phone call. "Are you avable?" Luca, who was on the other end of the line, was surprised. Shanks actually took the initiative to contact her, and he even asked if she was free. "Mr. Shanks, I''m currently upied. The police are still here, and I''ll be heading back to A City with the main teamter," replied Luca. "Oh," replied Shanks before hanging up. As Luca listened to the busy tone, she was puzzled. Shanks rubbed his chin and looked at Gerald. "What''s your name?" "Gerald Muller," Gerald struggled to speak. He could feel the strength to speak draining from him. He had almost exerted all his energy just to utter those two words. "I''m not asking for your name. I''m asking for your ID number in the organization." Shanks frowned. Doctors usually had the habit of asking for a patient''s name. However, that was because they needed to establish a rapport with the patient. Shanks did not need that. He just wanted to know the person''s ID number for addressing purposes later. Chapter 3110 Gerald recalled the number he was assigned in the organization. He reminisced about how thrilled he was when he first received it. Joining the Ind of Despair made him feel respectable and prestigious. After all, it brought in a handsome ie. Yet, Gerald only felt regret now. "091," uttered Gerald. "Mm." Shanks picked up his phone and dialed another number. "You threw 091 to me. How can I possibly rescue someone alone?" "You have the capability to save him," Abel''s voice came from the other end of the phone. "But if you don''t want to, that''s fine too. He''s just trash anyway. He''s incapable of doing anything right. If you don''t want to save him, let him breathe hisst and dispose of him." "Easy for you to say." Shanks looked at Gerald coldly and said to Abel, "Send two men up." Abel replied, "Alright. I didn''t expect you to still have the intention to save him." "So, are we saving him or not?" Shanks¡¯ tone was impatient. Abel was truly iprehensible. First, Abel wanted his men to bring this person up here to be saved, but then he said it did not matter whether Shanks saved him or not. It was more troublesome than dealing with a woman. "If you want to save him, then save him. I''ll send people up," Abel finished his sentence and hung up. Shanks tossed his phone aside, slowly rose to his feet, and said, "It''s too difficult for me to save you alone, and I can''t find anyone else who understands medicine, so I have to let those two guys help me. "Just bear with it if it hurtster. I have no other choice." Gerald heard this and shuddered again. Let two men who did not understand medicine help? Those two helpers had to be the burly guys from the Ind of Despair. Would they not just end his life? Could they not just take him to the hospital? Gerald spat out some blood and felt a little better now. Shanks heard the sound and looked disdainfully at the dirty floor. "This is really bad luck." If those people from the Ind of Despair got injured during their missions and needed treatment when they returned, he would be more than happy to treat them. However, Shanks really hated cleaning up Abel''s messes. Abel always beat people up to the brink of death and then sent them over here. These were the most troublesome people to save. "Sir, you can just take me directly to the hospital." Gerald''s throat felt a bit better, and he also understood that Shanks did not want to treat him. That was why he suggested going to the hospital. Going to the hospital would be better than suffering here. "Do you really want to go to the hospital?" Shanks was slightly surprised. It seemed that Abel''s so- called training courses had skipped some important information. "Mr. Shanks, if you really send him to the hospital, I bet those ipetent doctors won''t be able to save him." A man''s voice sounded. He was speaking English, so Gerald understood. Shanks remained silent. The man spoke to Gerald again, "If the boss is willing to bother Mr. Shanks to save you, you should be grateful. If you go to the hospital with those injuries, I doubt any doctor would dare to save you.¡± Gerald frowned. Did this mean that only Shanks could heal his injuries? "Save me... please." Gerald immediately changed his tone and thought to himself that he would just endure the pain if it meant he could still make it out alive. If they really took him to the hospital and those doctors could not save him, it would all be in vain. Gerald understood that the people here would not take him to the hospital. They were also worried that he might talk nonsense. "Hmph, such a coward. It''s only been half an hour, and he''s already like this. It¡¯s truly embarrassing for the Ind of Despair," cursed Oscar, one of the men. At this moment, Shanks said nonchntly, "Do you think everyone is like you guys?" Oscar suddenly chuckled. "Mr. Shanks, you''re right. Our bodies have all been conditioned through your long-term care, so naturally, we''re much better than this kind of waste." On the Ind of Despair, aside from taking poison and the antidote, they also frequently drank potions prepared by Shanks. These potions were developed to enhance their physical functions and promote robust health. With their extensive trainingbined with the conditioning from these potions, they could withstand beatings far better than others. Shanks listened to the man''s praise without getting carried away. Instead, he instructed them in a cold voice, "Take him to the bed in that room." He pointed at another room. Fortunately, this hotel suite had several guest rooms. Otherwise, Gerald would have to suffer and be forced to undergo treatment on the floor. "Alright.¡± The two men were about to lift Gerald up again. When Shanks saw this, he frowned and reprimanded, "What are you doing? Are you trying to make it harder for me to save him by handling him like this?" "Mr. Shanks, you''re so capable. Even if we increase the difficulty tenfold, you''ll still be able to save him," Oscar joked, knowing that Shanks had a better temper than Abel. Thus, he yfully bantered while also offering praise. Gerald¡¯s face could not help but turn pale as he listened to their conversation. Despite their repeated ttery, Shanks did not seem to care much. He simply instructed them, "Carry him over there." "Got it," answered the two men. Due to Shanks¡¯ instructions, Gerald was directly carried by one of the men. It felt much better than being lifted. "Damn, this is the first time I''ve carried a man like this. What rotten luck," said Russ. "There''s a first time for everything. Consider yourself lucky you''re carrying a short and thin one," replied the other man, Oscar. "What luck? I didn''t beat him to this point. Besides, if he were a woman, I''d dly carry her. But a man? What''s lucky about that? Why don''t you do it?" muttered Russ as he carried Gerald to the room pointed by Shanks. At that moment, Shanks entered with two bags in hand. They contained medical supplies he brought from the Ind of Despair. At first, it was just for precaution. Shanks did not expect he would actually need it. Shanks was upset at the thought of this. It was not a particrly dangerous mission this time, yet he had to use his medical supplies all because Abel could not control his temper. "If your boss sends a couple more guys, I won''t have enough medical supplies," said Shanks as he handed a pair of scissors to Russ. "Go ahead and cut his clothes off." "Alright." Russ took the scissors and waved them in front of Gerald. Gerald trembled with fear, his teeth chattering. He was afraid that the scissors would plunge into his eye socket or throat the next moment. Gerald''s reaction promptedughter from the two burly men. "He''s such a coward." "Can you guys focus on helping me properly?" Shanks sat aside while organizing his supplies. There were hemostatic bandages, some powdered medicine, and a few vials of injection. As for Gerald''s fracture, he intended to examine it after cutting off Gerald''s clothes to see how to treat it.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. "Hurry up. Mr. Shanks is getting impatient," urged Oscar. "You do it." Russ handed the scissors to Oscar. "I''m not interested in men''s bodies." Oscar rolled his eyes. Was he interested, then? Nheless, he picked up the scissors and snipped away, cutting off the fabric from Gerald''s body. Geraldy on the bed, trembling after being stripped naked. "Alright, we''re here to save you, not to kill you. Why are you shaking?" Oscar disdainfully tossed the blood-stained clothes into the trash can. Chapter 3111 "Disinfect his wounds. He has a fracture. Be careful," Shanks handed the disinfectant to Oscar and Russ. "Try to disinfect his wounds as thoroughly as possible." "Mr. Shanks..." Russ refused to do such a thing. "Do it. You have no choice." Shanks'' expression was frosty. It was a silent warning that brooked no refusal from them. Russ cursed those two who had hurt Gerald. Now, they had to clean up the mess for them. He wondered what their boss was thinking, keeping this man in the team. Clearly, he was useless. It would have been better to throw him out onto the streets and let him die. Why bother saving him? The two men reluctantly took the iodine and cotton swabs. They helped to disinfect Gerald''s wounds. They also followed Shanks'' instructions and tried to be as gentle as possible during the disinfection process. However, Gerald still screamed in pain as though he was being ughtered. Russ looked disgusted. Soon, they finished disinfecting Gerald¡¯s wounds. Gerald had no strength left to scream at this point. At that moment, a man entered the room and conveyed Abel''s message. "Mr. Shanks, the boss wants you to shut this guy up. He''s too loud, so loud it makes him want toe up here and kill him." To make sure the person on the bed understood, he deliberately spoke in English. Gerald felt despair. He felt like an animal being ughtered on the chopping board. Even though Shanks could save him, Abel could kill him at any time. Shanks put on the medical gloves. When he heard what the man said, he shot him a displeased look and said, "Tell him if he wants to kill, he should just do it. He shouldn''t have brought this guy here. Also, have his mene clean up the mess. The living room is all messed up because of this." The man awkwardly smiled and nodded. "Yes, I''ll deliver your message." After that, he turned around and left. Then, Shanks turned around to look at Gerald. "From what I can see, you have at least three fractures, maybe more. We don''t have imaging tools here, so I need to feel it myself. It might hurt more. Bite on this gauze so that he won''te to chop you upter." He did not want to see Abel kill Gerald. Shanks was halfway through saving Gerald. If Abel killed him, everything Shanks had done before and all these medical supplies would go to waste. Gerald immediately opened his mouth, letting Shanks stuff the gauze in. Shanks began to work, examining the areas of his body with fractures. The two men stepped aside and watched Shanks examine Gerald. Even though they were not medical students, they found this process quite intriguing. For example, Shanks was now pressing on Gerald''s chest, checking for fractures in his chest and rib bones. He checked each area carefully. Whenever he found an issue, he marked it directly with a pen. After the examination, what was initially thought to be only three fractures turned out to be five. The two men gave Shanks a thumbs-up, praising him, "Mr. Shanks, you''re really amazing." Shanks'' expression remained indifferent. Being a doctor, he could not rely solely on exceptional medical skills. After all, in the past, medical conditions were not as advanced. Doctors had to learn various methods to save people. Shanks was using those old methods to save lives now. After Shanks finished his examination, he instructed the two men to assist him in correcting Gerald''s fractures. Over an hourter, all the fractures on Gerald''s body had been corrected. Shanks removed the gauze from Gerald''s mouth and said in a calm voice, "You''re lucky. There weren''t any severe fractures that required surgery." If Gerald had severe fractures that required surgery, they would either have to transport Gerald back to the Ind of Despair or just keep him here until his external wounds healed enough for him to be sent to the hospital. If it was thetter, the fractured areas would definitely leave sequ. However, Shanks had no intention of returning to the Ind of Despair. He needed to stay here to find the herbs Abel needed at the moment. There were still two missing. Without those two herbs, Kassy was doomed, and Abel would go insane because of it. Shanks instructed the two men to apply medicine powder to Gerald''s external wounds while he secured the fractured areas and then administered injections. After everything was done, Shanks stood up and walked to the door of the room. At this point, Abel''s men had already finished cleaning the second floor. Shanks made his way down the stairs. Abel was sitting in the living room on the first floor and smoking a cigar. He was listening to his subordinate''s report. Shanks walked toward him and interrupted, ¡°Excuse me.¡± Abel raised his hand, signaling his subordinate to stop reporting. "Is that guy dead?" "No. Are you going to continue?" replied Shanks with a gloomy face. Abel shook his head. "It''s fine if he''s not dead. Besides, I didn''t beat him up. They did." Shanks could not be bothered with Abel''s nonsense. "The two men you sent up, I''m going to need them for a long time. Also, I won''t be here tomorrow. I''m going into the mountains." "What are you going into the mountains for?" asked Abel. "I''m going to find what you need," answered Shanks as he sat on another couch. "Do you think the herbs wille to us if I don''t go?" "No, they won''t. Go ahead. I''ll have some of my men protect you,¡± replied Abel. He did not know what the situation was in the mountains here, but one thing he was sure of was that Shanks could not get hurt. Shanks refused. "No need. I''ll go by myself. And tell your men to be careful. They shouldn''t cause me more trouble again. If that guy had more severe fractures, he''d be disabled." "It won''t happen. My men know what they''re doing,¡± said Abel. He was in a good mood now since he had received some good news from his subordinate earlier. He had received a huge sum of money, which meant there would be more money for the Ind of Despair. "Well, let''s hope so." Shanks rose to his feet to leave. "Oh, by the way, I''m also heading to A City tomorrow," added Abel. "A City? To cause trouble for Luca?" asked Shanks. He did not understand what Abel was thinking as he always wanted to cause trouble for Luca. The key was that he could not gain anything from it. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Like yesterday, Abel suspected Luca of secretly procuring the herbs, so he sent two people to sneak into the Crawfords'' ancestral home at midnight. He imed that the task was simple and left it to his subordinates from X City to handle. However, both of them ended up being caught by Luke''s people. Luke was not someone easy to mess with. The crucial point was that Luca was not involved in this matter. They did not find the herbs, and there was no evidence of Luca helping Luke. If Abel went to trouble Luca now, would he find anything? He would just beat her up at most. Shanks always believed that fighting could not solve problems. However, Abel was keen on using such methods to solve problems. That was why he would cause a lot of trouble every time. "You still im not to care about Ivana? Your attitude clearly shows you''re concerned about her. Don¡¯t worry, I''m not going to cause trouble for her. I have some matters to deal with in A City," replied Abel. Shanks warned him in a cold voice, "I can handle a lot of issues and hassles for you, but that doesn''t give you the right to freely assume and misinterpret my intentions." Chapter 3112 "Disinfect his wounds. He has a fracture. Be careful," Shanks handed the disinfectant to Oscar and Russ. "Try to disinfect his wounds as thoroughly as possible." "Mr. Shanks..." Russ refused to do such a thing. "Do it. You have no choice." Shanks'' expression was frosty. It was a silent warning that brooked no refusal from them. Russ cursed those two who had hurt Gerald. Now, they had to clean up the mess for them. He wondered what their boss was thinking, keeping this man in the team. Clearly, he was useless. It would have been better to throw him out onto the streets and let him die. Why bother saving him? The two men reluctantly took the iodine and cotton swabs. They helped to disinfect Gerald''s wounds. They also followed Shanks'' instructions and tried to be as gentle as possible during the disinfection process. However, Gerald still screamed in pain as though he was being ughtered. Russ looked disgusted. Soon, they finished disinfecting Gerald¡¯s wounds. Gerald had no strength left to scream at this point. At that moment, a man entered the room and conveyed Abel''s message. "Mr. Shanks, the boss wants you to shut this guy up. He''s too loud, so loud it makes him want toe up here and kill him." To make sure the person on the bed understood, he deliberately spoke in English. Gerald felt despair. He felt like an animal being ughtered on the chopping board. Even though Shanks could save him, Abel could kill him at any time. Shanks put on the medical gloves. When he heard what the man said, he shot him a displeased look and said, "Tell him if he wants to kill, he should just do it. He shouldn''t have brought this guy here. Also, have his mene clean up the mess. The living room is all messed up because of this." The man awkwardly smiled and nodded. "Yes, I''ll deliver your message." After that, he turned around and left. Then, Shanks turned around to look at Gerald. "From what I can see, you have at least three fractures, maybe more. We don''t have imaging tools here, so I need to feel it myself. It might hurt more. Bite on this gauze so that he won''te to chop you upter." He did not want to see Abel kill Gerald. Shanks was halfway through saving Gerald. If Abel killed him, everything Shanks had done before and all these medical supplies would go to waste. Gerald immediately opened his mouth, letting Shanks stuff the gauze in. Shanks began to work, examining the areas of his body with fractures. The two men stepped aside and watched Shanks examine Gerald. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Even though they were not medical students, they found this process quite intriguing. For example, Shanks was now pressing on Gerald''s chest, checking for fractures in his chest and rib bones. He checked each area carefully. Whenever he found an issue, he marked it directly with a pen. After the examination, what was initially thought to be only three fractures turned out to be five. The two men gave Shanks a thumbs-up, praising him, "Mr. Shanks, you''re really amazing." Shanks'' expression remained indifferent. Being a doctor, he could not rely solely on exceptional medical skills. After all, in the past, medical conditions were not as advanced. Doctors had to learn various methods to save people. Shanks was using those old methods to save lives now. After Shanks finished his examination, he instructed the two men to assist him in correcting Gerald''s fractures. Over an hourter, all the fractures on Gerald''s body had been corrected. Shanks removed the gauze from Gerald''s mouth and said in a calm voice, "You''re lucky. There weren''t any severe fractures that required surgery." If Gerald had severe fractures that required surgery, they would either have to transport Gerald back to the Ind of Despair or just keep him here until his external wounds healed enough for him to be sent to the hospital. If it was thetter, the fractured areas would definitely leave sequ. However, Shanks had no intention of returning to the Ind of Despair. He needed to stay here to find the herbs Abel needed at the moment. There were still two missing. Without those two herbs, Kassy was doomed, and Abel would go insane because of it. Shanks instructed the two men to apply medicine powder to Gerald''s external wounds while he secured the fractured areas and then administered injections. After everything was done, Shanks stood up and walked to the door of the room. At this point, Abel''s men had already finished cleaning the second floor. Shanks made his way down the stairs. Abel was sitting in the living room on the first floor and smoking a cigar. He was listening to his subordinate''s report. Shanks walked toward him and interrupted, ¡°Excuse me.¡± Abel raised his hand, signaling his subordinate to stop reporting. "Is that guy dead?" "No. Are you going to continue?" replied Shanks with a gloomy face. Abel shook his head. "It''s fine if he''s not dead. Besides, I didn''t beat him up. They did." Shanks could not be bothered with Abel''s nonsense. "The two men you sent up, I''m going to need them for a long time. Also, I won''t be here tomorrow. I''m going into the mountains." "What are you going into the mountains for?" asked Abel. "I''m going to find what you need," answered Shanks as he sat on another couch. "Do you think the herbs wille to us if I don''t go?" "No, they won''t. Go ahead. I''ll have some of my men protect you,¡± replied Abel. He did not know what the situation was in the mountains here, but one thing he was sure of was that Shanks could not get hurt. Shanks refused. "No need. I''ll go by myself. And tell your men to be careful. They shouldn''t cause me more trouble again. If that guy had more severe fractures, he''d be disabled." "It won''t happen. My men know what they''re doing,¡± said Abel. He was in a good mood now since he had received some good news from his subordinate earlier. He had received a huge sum of money, which meant there would be more money for the Ind of Despair. "Well, let''s hope so." Shanks rose to his feet to leave. "Oh, by the way, I''m also heading to A City tomorrow," added Abel. "A City? To cause trouble for Luca?" asked Shanks. He did not understand what Abel was thinking as he always wanted to cause trouble for Luca. The key was that he could not gain anything from it. Like yesterday, Abel suspected Luca of secretly procuring the herbs, so he sent two people to sneak into the Crawfords'' ancestral home at midnight. He imed that the task was simple and left it to his subordinates from X City to handle. However, both of them ended up being caught by Luke''s people. Luke was not someone easy to mess with. The crucial point was that Luca was not involved in this matter. They did not find the herbs, and there was no evidence of Luca helping Luke. If Abel went to trouble Luca now, would he find anything? He would just beat her up at most. Shanks always believed that fighting could not solve problems. However, Abel was keen on using such methods to solve problems. That was why he would cause a lot of trouble every time. "You still im not to care about Ivana? Your attitude clearly shows you''re concerned about her. Don¡¯t worry, I''m not going to cause trouble for her. I have some matters to deal with in A City," replied Abel. Shanks warned him in a cold voice, "I can handle a lot of issues and hassles for you, but that doesn''t give you the right to freely assume and misinterpret my intentions." Chapter 3113 After Shanks finished his words, he turned around and went upstairs. The man beside Abel observed Shanks'' attitude toward Abel and could not help but feel a bit indignant on Abel''s behalf. Thus, he said, "Boss, why does Mr. Shanks always seem to overlook you?" Abel nced at the man beside him and rolled his eyes at him. "If you were as capable as Shanks, you could talk to me like that too." The man immediately lowered his head and expressed his loyalty, "I may not be as capable as Mr. Shanks is, but I''ll always be loyal to you." "Oh? Then you''d better practice what you preach. Book a flight to A City for tomorrow morning," ordered Abel. Even though the distance between X City and A City was not far, flying was the safest option for Abel. He did not intend to let anyone drive him there. The journey by road was too long, and it would be too easy for someone to ambush him along the way. There were probably many people who wanted to kill him, but most of them did not know his true identity. However, Abel was not going to joke around with his life. What if there was someone who knew his real identity and wanted to take his life? Abel trusted the security measures of A City''s flights. The staff were very diligent in checking for prohibited items. Naturally, he did not have to worry about anyone trying anything on the ne. "Yes, sir." The man took out his phone to book the ticket. After checking the flights to A City for tomorrow, he asked, "Boss, is the 3:00 pm flight okay?" "That''s fine, but it has to be first ss," replied Abel as he took a puff of his cigar. "I''ve booked the ticket for you and sent the details to your phone." The man was very responsible in his work. He sent the ticket information to Abel and asked, "Do you need someone from A City to pick you up?" N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. "No, I don''t want to alert those people there when I go back," answered Abel. Alerting those people in A City meant alerting Amur, which meant letting Luca know. He did not intend to let Luca know about this matter. At the ancestral mansion, Gale was seeing the police off. Luca nced at the time. It was almost noon. They did not spend much time taking statements, but the police took quite a while to search for evidence. Luke looked at the luxury car that had been severely damaged by Jacob and Harold. He did not even furrow his brows. He said to Gale, "Contact someone from the 4S dealership." "I''ve already contacted them. Someone wille to tow the car away soon," replied Gale as he handed his car keys to Luke. "Boss, you take my car back first. I still have some matters to deal with before I can return to A City." "Okay." Luke took Gale''s keys and turned around to look at Luca. "Let''s go back first." "Okay." Luca nodded. It had been three days since she had seen her children, and she missed them. She wondered if they had been obedient and listening to Nina''s words during these three days. "Wait for me here. I''ll go get the suitcase," said Luke as he walked back into the house. Luca waited patiently by the side. Gale grinned as he watched the two of them. Even though he had to watch them being all lovey-dovey again, he felt quite delighted. Although it was a jab at single men like him, it made him feel good. Luke took out their luggage and ced it in the trunk of the car Gale had driven over. "I¡¯ll leave things to you here. Let me know when you''re ready to head back to A City and I''ll send someone to pick you up," said Luke. He knew Gale preferred driving himself. As long as it was not too far, he would opt to drive instead of considering other modes of transportation. "Okay, Boss.¡± Gale nodded. Luke drove away. Luca suddenly remembered Evan and Warren, who were on the business trip with them. "Do we need to pick up Warren and Evan?" asked Luca. "Evan has already flown back, but Warren is still waiting for us at the hotel. Let''s go there now," replied Luke. He had not asked Warren toe to the ancestral mansion. After all, Warren could not help with the matters here, so it was better for him to wait at the hotel than to wait at the mansion. "Okay." Luca nodded. At this moment, Luke remembered Evan''s request for Luca''s help and asked, "Are you going to agree to Evan''s request?" "What?" Luca did not catch on. "He wants you to give lectures at Capital University. Are you nning to agree?" questioned Luke. Luca smiled wryly. There was a hint of helplessness in her expression. "With his persuasion skills, can I really refuse?¡± She could refuse if she wanted to, but Evan would continue to insist every time. Hence, Luca knew she could not refuse¡ªunless she mentioned Luke¡¯s name. However, she had not revealed her true identity to the public yet. Rejecting him at this point seemed unlikely. "Should I tell him there are plenty of professors at Capital University?" suggested Luke. He was puzzled as to why Evan thought Luca was suitable since it did not matter who the lecturer was. "Yeah, there are plenty of professors at Capital University, but I''m the youngest of them all. Young people have to take on more responsibility. That''s Mr. Turner''s intention." Lucaughed. "Don''t tell him anything. I''ll just agree. It''s not a big deal to go and teach a couple of sses, especially with Mr. Link helping me prepare the course materials. "And besides, Vivian is also at Capital University. She''s been inviting me for mealstely, but I''ve been too busy. Going there to teach might give me a chance to have dinner with her every week." "Okay. Ray mentioned that she¡¯s getting better." Luke nodded. He had been in touch with Ray all along. "How does Mr. Lacroix know?" Luca was surprised. Was Ray not in Russia? She had not heard that anyone hade to A City. "His people are in A City, observing her," Luke exined to her. "I see." Luca nodded, suddenly enlightened. "But it makes sense. Vivian is Mr. Lacroix''s only family member, so it''s normal for him to pay more attention to her. But has Mr. Norton been pestering Vivian "He''s very busy." Luke did not answer Luca''s question. In fact, he knew Gordan had been watching Vivian all along. He even moved to the same neighborhood just to keep an eye on her. However, Vivian often stayed in the university dormitory, and Gordan''s tracking skills were extremely advanced. Therefore, Vivian had yet to realize that they actually lived in the same neighborhood. As for this matter, Luke did not want to intervene. Both Gordan and Vivian were adults. What they did was really none of anyone else''s business. Moreover, if Gordan truly regretted it, he should have pursued her long ago. However, he did not do so. Luke could not understand him. Gordan neither regretted nor pursued Vivian. Luke drove to the hotel entrance. Warren had already checked out and was waiting in the lobby. When he saw Luke''s car arrive, he walked out with his luggage. "Boss, Ms. Craw, good afternoon." "Good afternoon," Luca greeted Warren with a smile while Luke maintained his usual cold demeanor. He nodded toward Warren in response. Chapter 3114 "Alright," Aunt Neile replied as she carried two suitcases and headed upstairs. Luca nced at Luke and asked, "Are you going back to the office now?" So much had happened these past few days, and Luke had not had much time to deal with T Corporation''s documents. Although he had not mentioned it, she could guess that he must have umted a lot of paperwork by now. "No, I''ll stay upstairs to deal with some documents," replied Luke. He stroked Luca''s head and added, "You''ve been riding in the car for so long. You must be tired. Get some rest. The kids will surely be all over you when theye backter." "Alright." Luca smiled. After such a long journey by car, she was indeed tired. For some reason, unlike before when she would inevitably doze off during long bus rides, she did not feel sleepy at all on the way back today. Perhaps it was because she knew that Abel would being to A City, which made her nervous... That was the only reason Luca could think of. She could not think of any other reasons. Luke held her hand as they made their way up the stairs. When they reached the second floor, they encountered Aunt Neile. Aunt Neile looked at the tightly sped hands of the two of them. A smile appeared on her face. She secretly marveled at the strong bond between them. Luca felt a bit embarrassed while Aunt Neile stared at them. She lightly loosened her grip on Luke''s hand and earnestly reminded Aunt Neile, "Aunt Neile, please inform me when the kidse back from school, okay?" "Of course. You can count on me," replied Aunt Neile. Luca smiled and walked into the bedroom, intending to rest for a while. Luke instructed Aunt Neile, "Aunt Neile, please make me a cup of coffee and bring it up here." "Of course, sir," replied Aunt Neile. When she heard Luke ask for a cup of coffee, she knew he was going to work again. She could not help but sigh at Luke''s hard work. He just came back from a business trip and was already diving back into work. Luca did not immediately go to sleep when she returned to the bedroom. Instead, she picked out all of Luke''s and her clothes that needed to be washed. Although their undergarments had already been washed when they changed earlier that day, she could not help but feel ufortable knowing that Stan had been watching them. Hence, she washed them again and then put them in the dedicated dryer for disinfection. After sorting out the clothes to be washed, she finally felt drowsy and sat on the bed. At the thought of Abeling to A City, Luca immediately called Amur. Amur was working out at home at the moment. When he heard his phone ring, he answered it. "Hello?" His breath was a little unsteady due to the intense exercise. "Amur, are you okay?" Luca immediately sensed something was off from his breath. Amur also sensed her concern and exined, "I''m fine, just exercising." "Oh, good..." Luca let out a sigh of relief and asked, "Have you received any missions recently?" "No, I haven''t. Why?" Amur thought Luca encountered some problems and asked with concern. "It''s nothing. I just wanted to let you know that I received some news. Abel will being to A City tomorrow. I''m not sure what he¡¯s up to. Just be prepared mentally," said Luca. Apart from N, Eler and Amur were the ones she was worried about the most on the entire Ind of Despair. Eler and N were on the Ind of Despair. She was somewhat relieved because even though she was worried, they were still rtively safe there. Therefore, Amur was her biggest concern. "How did you find out?" Amur suddenly asked. Luca was never clear about Abel''s itinerary. Sometimes, Abel would give her updates when he was in A City. He had not received any news yet, so how did she know? Luca was taken aback. She was just worried that Abel might y tricks that would put Amur at a disadvantage, so she could not wait to tell him the news. However, she had not thought about how to exin how she knew about Abel''s ns. As a long-term assassin stationed in this area of A City, Amur did not know Abel wasing. How did she know? Luca knew that Amur did not agree with her being open with Luke. Even if he did not agree, she had already confessed everything. She had no way out, so all she could do was keep this matter hidden. Luca exined, "I went to X City on a business trip a few days ago and met Abel." "Okay," Amur responded without saying much. He did not ask about what happened in X City or change the subject. He was waiting for her exnation. Luca had no choice but to continue, "I heard it through the grapevine. Amur, I overheard him arranging a flight. That''s how I knew." Once she started lying, she had to fabricate more. However, when Luca told this lie, she felt no psychological burden. She did not know if it was because she was ustomed to lying or if it was for another reason. Lying to Amur now did not carry the same psychological pressure as before. Is that how you found out?" Amur sounded incredulous. "Yeah, that''s how I found out. I attended an industryworking event previously, and I happened to see him there. He asked me to find some herbs for him... ¡°Forget it. Anyway, I overheard it. And I think Abel is nning something shady, but I don''t know what it is. He asked for my help in finding some herbs, and I only found three of them. "There''s one more that Mr. Shanks found, and we haven''t found the remaining one. "Since we couldn''t find all the herbs, I can''t confirm what Abel is up to," exined Luca as she rubbed her chest, feeling no increase in her heart rate. Sure enough, the more lies she told, the more she got used to it. Neither her heart rate nor her breath quickened when lying. Her psychological resilience when lying now was far superior to when she used to lie to Luke. As Amur listened to Luca''s words on the other end of the phone, he asked again, "How did you end up attending thisworking event?" "I..." Luca paused for a moment. "It waspany-assigned. I had no choice." She felt helpless after saying that. Look, another lie. She could not tell Amur that she knew Abel would attend the industryworking event, which was why she went with Luke. "Did you get hurt?" asked Amur. When he thought about Luca facing it alone and how nervous she might have been, he could not help but feel a pang of heartache. He wished he could bear these burdens for Luca, but he could not. Luca had to follow Abel''s arrangements. She had to purposefully approach Luke and stay by his side. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Yet, that man could not protect her at all! "I''m not hurt," replied Luca as she touched her abdomen. The ce where she had been punched was no longer hurting, but she had been injured. The bruise had notpletely faded yet. Amur let out a deep sigh. His breathing had calmed down by now. He could not shake the feeling that Luca was hiding something from him. Chapter 3115 However, Amur could not catch evidence of Luca lying to him. "Got it. If anything happens, I''ll tell you." "You need to protect yourself, Amur. We''ll be free soon," replied Luca. Amur was taken aback for a moment. Freedom? He knew how to read and write the word, but he had never dared to dream about it. Perhaps he once used to dream about it. When they were still on the Ind of Despair, Luca told him what freedom was, and he had dreamed about it then. Standing in the outside world meant freedom. However, as days passed with the brutal training on the Ind of Despair, he realized that even when he was out there, he was not free at all. Despite having control over much of his time, he was still bound by themands of the Ind of Despair. He also had to regrly return to the base for the antidote. Without the antidote, he might have more freedom, but it woulde at the cost of his life. Amur never doubted that he could sacrifice his life for a moment of freedom. However, he had a burden on his back now. That meant he could not make freedom contingent on giving up his life. If something happened to him, things would be terrible for Eler and Luca on the Ind of Despair. Hence, Amur did not need that kind of freedom. "Luca, why do you say that?" Amur knew that Luca had developed the antidote. Still, what good was the antidote? Their most valued people were still on the Ind of Despair. As long as Eler and N were still there, they would not be free. "I just have a feeling. Trust me, okay?" Luca knew that Amur was tormented by the missions and had lost some desire for survival. If it were not for Eler and N, and if it were not for her... He might have failed the missions long ago. Each time hepleted a mission, he gained great benefits. Yet, he could not break free from the cage of the Ind of Despair. Thus, each reward was meaningless to him. For those from the Ind of Despair, material wealth was not gained through money but through one''s own fists and abilities. Luca understood this clearly. Therefore, no matter how much money there was, it was meaningless to Amur. "I trust you." Even if Amur had lost his longing for freedom, he was still willing to choose to trust Luca. At least, he could appear calm on the surface. As for his inner self, he had already numbed himself through constant killing and training. Luca let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, just be careful. Before real freedom arrives, promise me you''ll be okay. Think about it. You''re everything to Eler. She hasn''t seen the outside world yet..." "I know, Luca. I won''t easily give up hope for life," Amur promised her. Missions were not always smooth sailing. He had also undertaken life-threatening missions, but it was his strong inner belief that sustained him, allowing him to seize opportunities in that one-tenth chance. It was because he had to protect Eler, Luca, and N. After ending the call, Luca let out a deep sigh. She felt heavily burdened... Luca was not sure what was wrong with her, but whenever she heard Amur''s voice, she felt suffocated. She even had a feeling that she might lose Amur at any moment. Shaking her head, Luca murmured softly, "What are you thinking? Amur will survive. He''ll be fine." Moreover, she would not allow anything to happen to him either. Luca felt slightly dazed. She set her phone aside andy down. Even though it had been three days since they left, there was still a faint scent of Luke on the pillow. It was pleasant andforting. She turned her face to the side, closed her eyes, and felt as though she were being embraced by him. As drowsiness enveloped her, she gradually closed her eyes. Luca was not sure how long she had slept when she felt several pairs of eyes watching her. Also, she did not just hear one person''s breathing. It seemed like three or maybe even more... She opened her eyes and indeed saw three children standing by the bed, smiling at her brightly. Surprised, Luca sat up. "Huh? When did you finish school?" "We just got home!" Tommy said cheerfully, "Aunt Neile said you were resting upstairs, so we came in!" Rainie also chimed in, "Yeah, Daddy initially said you were resting and didn''t want us toe in. Lanie said we''d be having dinner soon, so Daddy finally let us in. Ms. Luca, we missed you so much." "Uh-huh," Lanie nodded coolly, agreeing with Rainie''s words and indicating that he also missed her. "Ms. Luca, I miss you too!" Tommy eximed happily. He wanted to climb onto the bed and cuddle with Luca. However, Lanie stopped him. "Tommy, your clothes are dirty. Don''t climb up." "How am I dirty?" Tommy grumbled unhappily, "I''m not dirty. My clothes aren''t dirty!" "You had PE ss today. You sweated a lot. How could you not be dirty? Daddy is a neat freak. If he knows you''re all sweaty and you still climbed into the bed..." Lanie did not finish his sentence. Tommy shivered at the thought. If he climbed onto the bed after sweating during PE ss, his bottom might get spanked! At the thought of this, he obediently stood by the bed and said to Luca, "Ms. Luca, please get up soon. Aunt Neile has already prepared dinner." T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. "Okay, let''s go eat. But I need to change clothes first." Luca nced at her pajamas. Usually, she would not mind wearing pajamas, but since Nina was still staying here, she did not want to be too casual, lest she beughed at. Even though she was not worried about Nina''s teasing, it would not make a good impression. "Okay, Ms. Luca. We''ll wait for you downstairs,¡± replied Rainie as she pulled Tommy¡¯s and Lanie¡¯s hands. They walked out of the bedroom together and thoughtfully closed the door behind them. After the kids left, Luca changed out of her pajamas into casual clothes and then walked out of the master bedroom. At that moment, Luke emerged from the opposite bedroom and saw Luca''s slightly disheveled hair. Smiling, he approached her and helped her to tidy it up. "Your hair is a mess." "I forgot to fix it," Luca said with embarrassment as she ran her fingers through her hair. However, she did not feel embarrassed since this man had seen every side of her. She felt a bit embarrassed only because she realized she was not very presentable in front of the children earlier. "Let''s go. It''s time for dinner," said Luke as he brushed through Luca¡¯s hair to straighten it before holding her hand and leading her downstairs. Luca asked, "Has Nina finished work?" "I''m not sure. I haven''t been downstairs." Luke shook his head. After they came back, he had been busy handling work documents in the bedroom. The backlog of tasks from the past two days was ridiculous, and he would have to work overtime tonight to get through them all. Such days were exhausting, but fortunately, Luca was still by his side. Chapter 3116 Luca nodded in understanding and came downstairs with him. Nina was not there. She could not help but ask curiously, "Aunt Neile, is Nina noting back for dinner tonight?" Aunt Neile replied as she served the dishes, "Mrs. Mallory just called me. She said that she received an unexpected guest at thepany, so she won''t being back for dinner. She told us not to wait for her." Luca did not think much about it, but Luke said, "Percy is back." "Huh? Mr. Mallory is back?" Luca was surprised. "How do you know?" "I guessed. You''ll seeter. Nina probably wille back tonight to pack her things and move out," replied Luke. It was more like a calcted guess rather than information leaked by Percy himself. However, Percy had made it clear that he wanted to surprise Nina, so he asked Luke not to tell Luca to avoid any idental slip-ups. Therefore, Luke knew when Percy would return, but Nina did not. Luca did not know either because Luke had agreed to keep it a secret as per Percy''s request... "Well, that''s good too. It saves Nina from thinking about him in her dreams. She''s been eagerly awaiting the return of her loved one." Luca chuckled. Nina was shy, so Luca would not joke like this in her presence. However, Nina was not here now. Luca was happy at the thought of the couple''s reunion, so she could not help but make the joke. Luke shook his head with a smile on his face. Tommy asked curiously, "Ms. Luca, what does eagerly awaiting the return of her loved one mean?" "It''s something only adults know. Stop being curious, Tommy," Lanie chimed in as he ced a bowl of soup in front of Tommy. The soup was in an insted bowl. Even at Lanie¡¯s age, he could handle it without getting burned. Tommy stuck his tongue out at him and replied, "Something only adults know? I know you know it, but you just won''t tell me." Lanie ignored him and obediently served soup to Luke and Luca while exining, "If it weren''t for Tommy being so noisy, I would''ve served Daddy and Ms. Luca soup first." After that, he served a bowl of soup to Rainie before finally putting thest bowl of soup on his spot. Aunt Neile, who was watching from the side, said, "Young Master nche is so thoughtful." "Yes." Luca nodded. She took a sip of the soup, and her eyes brightened. "Aunt Neile, please save a bowl of this soup for Nina and Mr. Mallory." "Okay." Aunt Neile nodded. This was the medicinal soup she had prepared ording to the recipe given by Luca. It was suitable for everyone, from children to the elderly. She thought that Luke and Luca must not have eaten well or slept well during their three-day business trip, and they might not have had any nutritious soup there. When she knew they wereing back today, she prepared this medicinal soup. Luca exined to Luke, "This soup is good for Nina and Mr. Mallory''s health. Speaking of which, Nina has been taking care of her health for some time now. After the wedding is over, they''ll be able to have a child." "In fact, they could start now," remarked Luke. After all, Nina and Luca were of the same age, and Luca was already a mother of three. However, there had been no news from Percy and Nina. He knew that Percy was never fond of kids. Before he could figure out his own feelings, he never thought about having a child with Nina. Even if he had thought about it at that time, Nina would definitely not have agreed. However, things were different now. Percy knew what he wanted and what he liked. He was eager to have a child with Nina. Luca shook her head. "But from what I''ve heard from Nina, she wants to wait until after the wedding, which is good too. Weddings are exhausting, and it''s not the easiest for newly pregnant women. She shouldn''t tire herself out in her first trimester." N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. "Hmm." Luke was not concerned about when Nina would bear a child. After all, it was something Percy should worry about, not him. They were done with the dinner. The kids had not finished their homework yet, so Luca sat on the couch and watched them. They could only watch cartoons after finishing their homework. The kids must have missed her, and that was why they had not done their homework yet. She told them that they did not need to practice calligraphy today and that they would not need to make up for the missed practice tomorrow. They only needed to finish their homework to watch cartoons. The three kids cheered. They were initially distracted by the thought of cartoons but were now focused on their homework. Only when their homework waspleted could they watch cartoons! After the three kids finished their homework, Luca turned on the TV for them to watch cartoons while she checked their work. While the cartoons were ying, Nina came back. She was not alone. Percy was by her side. Luca looked at the two of them, who had their fingers intertwined. Nina''s face was adorned with a sweet smile. She was clearly satisfied with their recent date. Understanding the situation, Luca stopped herself from teasing Nina and asked her, "Are you moving back now?" "Yes, he''s back, and I don''t want to disturb you guys anymore," replied Nina. Luke was Percy''s friend and their rtionship was closer than typical brothers. Nina was also familiar with Luca. Even so, she still felt uneasy about staying in someone else''s house for such a long time. Luca smiled and said, "Actually, you haven''t been a bother. But since Mr. Mallory is back, I shouldn''t keep you all to myself anymore. "By the way, Aunt Neile made soup today. It''s good for your health. I''ve saved some for you. How about having it before you leave?" "Okay." Percy understood what Luca meant by it being good for them and agreed before Nina could respond. "I''ll get it for you." Luca headed to the kitchen. She had asked Aunt Neile to leave early today because she had been tired from helping look after the kidstely. After dinner was done and everything was tidied up, Luca let Aunt Neile go home. Luca ced the soup on the table, inviting Nina and Percy to have some. Nina took a sip and savored the taste. "It''s good. I¡¯m surprised there¡¯s no medicinal taste." "Aunt Neile followed the recipe. As long as you understand the properties of the herbs, the medicinal taste can easily be neutralized. This soup is good for your health. How about I send you the recipe? "You just need to buy some good quality herbs from the herbal store and drink it once a week," suggested Luca. Nina suddenly blushed, misunderstanding what Luca meant by the soup being good for their health. "We n to have a child after the wedding. Didn''t you say a few days ago that my body is ready for pregnancy? Why do I still need to improve my health?" Luca saw Nina¡¯s face reddened and realized she had misunderstood. Luca exined with a smile, "It''s not what you think. This soup is good for both children and the elderly. It''s just purely beneficial for the body. "People who are busy with work, those who regrly stay upte, and those who work overtime are the most suitable for drinking this soup." Nina suddenly realized her mistake. She had misunderstood! "I see, I..." Nina chuckled awkwardly. She thought there might be something wrong with her body, which was why Luca asked her to improve her health... It turned out that she was overthinking! However, it was good as long as her body was fine. "This soup is yummy. Making soup shouldn''t be too difficult, right? I just need to put the ingredients ording to the recipe''s proportions, right? Luca, can you give me the recipe?" Chapter 3117 "Alright, I''ll send it to you shortly," Luca said cheerfully. After Nina and Percy finished their soup, Luca apanied Nina to the guest room to pack up. "I''ll do it. There isn''t much anyway," said Nina as she packed the skincare products on the dressing table. These skincare products were all bought recently. She had not used many of them yet. She was not one to waste, so she packed all the skincare products into her bag. "Let me get you a bag, then. You didn''t bring anything. It''s not convenient to bring your clothes out without a bag," suggested Luca as she walked out of the guest room. She found arge bag in the living room on the second floor. Nina had brought over a few pieces of clothing for work, so she needed a bag to pack them in. Luca walked back into the guest room and handed the bag to Nina. Nina did not have much stuff. It did not take long before she finished packing. "Mr. Percy is chatting with Mr. Crawford," Luca reminded her. "Yeah, they probably have work matters to discuss. Shall we go downstairs first and chat with the kids?" asked Nina. "Sure. Let me help you carry this," offered Luca as she lifted the bag. "It¡¯s okay. I can carry it," Nina insisted. She carried her own handbag and wanted to reach for the bag in Luca''s hand. Luca shook her head. "It''s not heavy. I can help." Then, she carried the bag downstairs. The three kids were sitting in the living room watching cartoons. They turned their heads when they heard footsteps and saw the two women carrying bags in their hands. "Is Ms. Nina leaving?" asked Rainie. "Yes, Mr. Percy is back, so I¡¯m going back home.¡± Nina sat beside Rainie with a smile on her face. Rainie expressed how much she would miss her. "Ms. Nina, please stay a little longer. If not, let Mr. Percy stay here with you." Nina looked at the child and replied happily, "How about Ie back here when Mr. Percy is away on a business trip? I''ll stay here longer next time, okay?" "Great!" Rainie loved the idea. "You¡¯re always wee to stay here." "You''re such adorable kids. I don''t even want to leave anymore." Nina heaved a sigh. She pinched Rainie''s cheek and said, "By the way, the wedding nningpany has sent over the ring bearer''s dress. It was delivered to our ce, but I''ll have someone bring Tommy¡¯s set overter. He should try it on. If it doesn''t fit, we can make alterations." "Okay, no problem," Luca said. Tommy would be the ring bearer at Percy and Nina''s wedding, while the flower girl would be Sue¡¯s daughter, Kari. In Sue''s words, Kari was more suitable than Teri. She was quieter and more well-behaved. That was why she offered Kari. "Tommy, when the timees, you''ll be the ring bearer for Ms. Nina, okay? You''ll be scattering petals," exined Luca. She looked down at the child and talked to him. "Okay. No problem." Tommy nodded. His eyes were still fixed on the TV screen, where the cartoon show was reaching its climax. "Look at them. They¡¯re so small yet such TV addicts." Luca chuckled while gently stroking Tommy''s head. Nina secretly let out a sigh. Luca was so much like a mother to the kids at this moment. She had felt this way many times before whenever she saw Luca interacting with the kids. If the kids were not her own children, there was no way they could show such intimacy. Nina chuckled and gently stroked Rainie¡¯s hair beside her. "Luca, how many children do you think I should have?" Luca smiled and nced at the staircase. Percy had note down yet. She curiously asked, "Why? Are you thinking about having kids?" "It''s almost time for the wedding, isn''t it? After the wedding, I think we should start a family, no?" replied Nina. All of this was part of her n. "Yes, it''s about time. A boy and a girl would be perfect. You should have two children," Luca suggested on her behalf. A son to tackle problems like his father and a daughter to serve as aforting presence for her parents. "Alright, then I''ll have two. We''ve agreed on this, and when the timees, you''ll be the godmother to my children," said Nina. She had discussed these arrangements with Bianca as well, but Nina was no longer so preupied with Bianca any more. It was not that she had forgotten about Bianca. It was just that, for some reason, Nina felt like Bianca was right beside her whenever she was with Luca. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Even though Nina could not understand why she had such a feeling, perhaps it was because Luca''s way of speaking resembled Bianca''s. That was why she found Luca familiar. It was because of this that Nina could not bring herself to hate Luca even though she was Bianca''s love rival... They chatted for a while longer. Luca even asked about Shireen. Shireen had won several international awards for her projects, and her reputation was gradually growing in the architecture circle. Although her fame was not yetparable to Luke''s, she had significantly strengthened Brilliant''s capabilities. Manypanies were seeking to coborate with them. Brilliant was thriving more and more. On the one hand, it was because of Luke''s guidance and management. On the other hand, it was also because of Shireen¡¯s reputation. Nowadays, Brilliant was improving more and more... It was even gaining prominence within the architectural industry. As Luca listened to Nina, she could not help but secretly exim. The woman she had always thought highly of now shone so brightly in the career she loved. She was bringing substantial benefits to Brilliant at the same time. Luca remembered when she first founded Brilliant, her wish had been simple. She wanted the company to be one of the leading firms in the architectural industry. With that, she would be content. Now, Brilliant was truly rising and improving. It was the result of all their efforts. Luca felt grateful. After all, Brilliant was the firstpany she established. Although she could not participate in its development now, watching thepany prosper made her feel like her initial wish had been fulfilled. They continued discussing Brilliant for a while longer. Just as Nina was puzzled about why Luca, a pharmaceutical industry professional, was so curious about an architecturalpany, Percy came downstairs. Chapter 3118 "That¡¯s very attentive of you." Luke stretched out his long arm and pulled her into his embrace. When Luca saw the words ''downloadplete'', she said, "The kids really like this cartoon. Today''s plot seemed quite exciting. You know, even a mature kid like Lanie enjoys watching this cartoon. So, I think it¡¯s better to get it ready for them." "Lanie is just watching it with his younger siblings. He may not necessarily like it." Luke understood Lanie very well. Luca was surprised. "Really?" "Yes. As an elder brother, he knows he must excel, but he also has to apany his younger siblings. If he finds such things boring, it might affect his siblings," exined Luke. Lanie was not a childish kid. In fact, he did not really enjoy watching cartoons. He knew Lanie only watched them to apany his younger siblings. Luca was even more surprised. "I thought he really liked it..." "That¡¯s not the case. For him, whether he watches it or not doesn''t matter. But Tommy is different. I wonder who he takes after. Although Tommy is smart, he''s mischievous." Luca blinked her eyes. "Grandpa said I was very well-behaved when I was a child. He definitely didn''t take after me." "He didn''t take after me either. Lanie takes after me." Luke shook his head. The child was mischievous, but it seemed that his trait had nothing to do with them. "That¡¯s unlikely." Luca pinched his cheek. "They say a boy''s character resembles his father''s. If your past environment had been more rxed, maybe you would''ve been a mischievous boy, so Tommy might resemble another side of you?" "That''s not possible..." Luke did not want her to think he was mischievous as a child. "There''s nothing impossible. That''s how I see it," replied Luca, nodding naturally. "Well, it''s gettingte. Let''s rest." "Okay. Let''s go to bed." Luke nced at the time, then turned off the lights andy down with her. Luca leaned against his chest, listening to his heartbeat and feeling her own heartbeat resonate with his. She said, "What do you think if I tell Mr. Turner tomorrow that I''ll ept the offer to teach at Capital University?" "It''s up to you. But if you feel busy or tired, you don''t have to go," answered Luke. As he took in her scent, a certain part of his body reacted subtly. However, he resisted it with his willpower. He should not do anything to hurt Luca. "It won''t be too tiring. I''ll tell him." Luca decided she had to go. If she dyed further, it would be the end of the semester and agreeing then would be meaningless. The following day, Luca went to work at Watson. After clocking in, she sat in the office, looking at the experimental data of the past three days. She had not been in the office for three days. There was a lot of experimental data. Even though she was not in the office, the researchers did not ck around. They had been diligently following her instructions and tasks, progressing with the research. Luca went through all the experimental data, ensuring everything was fine. Then, she neatly organized the data and headed upstairs. She arrived at Evan''s office. Evan was currently working in his office. Luca knocked on the office door. "Come in." Evan''s voice came from inside. Luca pushed open the door and walked in. "Good morning, Mr. Turner." "Good morning, Dr. Craw. Please have a seat." Evan smiled, gesturing for her to sit across from him. Luca nodded and took a seat. Before she could speak, Evan asked, "Dr. Craw, have you made up your mind?" Luca looked at him. The way he smiled was like a fox, gleeful and seemingly harmless. It was as though he were innocent as could be. However, in reality, he had everything calcted. When Luca saw the look on Evan''s face, she knew he guessed that she would agree after persuading her for three days. It was also the industryworking event that changed her mind. After all, Evan had really helped her out. Even though his help was a task assigned by Luke. "Well, I''ve considered it. Since it''s already midway through the semester, it won''t take much effort for me to go now. After all, a semester passes quickly. But I have one request," replied Luca. Evan nodded and asked, "What request? Just tell me." "I have no teaching experience, so I can''t guarantee that I''ll do a great job teaching the students. If the students'' grades aren''t satisfactory at the end of the term, the university can''t me me or the company." Luca made her request. Many universities linked the students'' grades to the lecturers. If students performed well and improved quickly, the lecturers would receive more rewards. It would also impact their professional evaluations. However, she was not a professional lecturer, so that system would not affect her. Still, even if it did not affect her, it should not damage Watson''s reputation. Even though Luke was not nning to use thispany to boost T Corporation''s ie, it was his company. She needed to uphold thepany''s name. If someone else were teaching the students, she would not care about the quality of their teaching because it was not under her control. However, if she was the one teaching, she could control it. Therefore, she needed to rify things with Evan and the university. "Sure, no problem. Although I believe that you won''t encounter the issues you mentioned, even if you do, the university won''t me us. It''s their fault for not hiring a professional professor. Whether the results are good or bad, the consequences shouldn''t fall on Watson," Evan replied cheerfully. "Also, my assistant will help me with lesson preparation. You can inform the university and send the teaching schedule to my assistant." Luca did not n to prepare the lessons herself. She was too busy for such tedious tasks. "No problem at all. My secretary willmunicate with your assistant about this matter. Don''t worry. So, Dr. Craw, are you nning to start teaching this week?" Evan was eager for her to start teaching this week, especially since Capital University was pressing for it. Still, of course, it depended on Luca''s cooperation. Even though Evan asked such a question, he knew that Luca probably would not go to teach this week. After all, she was not very enthusiastic about contributing to the teaching profession. "Next week, perhaps. It¡¯s too rushed for me this week," said Luca. "My assistant isn''t solely dedicated to preparing lessons for me. He''s also different from other research assistants. He helps out in the laboratory." Then, Luca added, "But I trust you''ll be able to handle things well. After all, the president of Capital University bears the surname Turner as well." "Right, he''s my uncle. However, the cooperation with Capital University was established before I took over thepany. So, Dr. Craw, this coboration with the university isn''t something I deliberately pursued." Evan cheerfully closed the file he was working on while talking to Luca. He was multitasking, handlingpany documents while conversing with Luca.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Chapter 3119 Multitasking was not something difficult for Evan. "Capital University''s request for our professors to teach sses wasn''t something I brought up when I took over the management of thepany. Dr. Craw, you should be aware of this. "But since you''ve agreed to it, I''ll make sure to handle themunication with them. You can trust me," said Evan. Getting Evan¡¯s uncle to agree to such a matter was effortless. After all, it was not a challenging task. His uncle was the kind of person who focused solely on the education sector. As for other matters, he was not keen on managing them. Otherwise, the Turner family would not have entirely relied on his father. "Alright, I''ll wait for your good news," replied Luca, making it clear that she would not be able to teach sses at Capital University this week. After that, she turned around and left. The moment Luca left the office, Evan paused his work and picked up his phone. He dialed the number for the president of Capital University. "Uncle, it''s Evan." "Evan, why are you calling at this hour? Is there something wrong?" Evan exined Luca''s request to the person on the other end of the line. After he received confirmation, she would delegate the arrangement to her assistant. This indicated that the temporary recement professor would hand over all teaching materials and course details to the assistant. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. After themunication was sorted out, Evan let out a sigh of relief. This matter concerned the future talent supply between Capital University and Watson. Luca''s agreementid a solid foundation for the company to absorb talent. Considering Luca''s close rtionship with Luke, Evan initially thought she would not agree. He was even prepared to persuade other professors to teach the sses. After all, if Luca was unwilling to teach and Luke pressured him, there was nothing much he could do about it. However, to his surprise, Luca agreed. Now, the cooperation with Capital University was sealed. Meanwhile, in a vi owned by the Mallory family in A City, a press conference was underway. Luca was unaware of this event, but when she returned to theboratory, she overheard one of the researchers mentioning it casually. As long as it did not affect their work, Luca would not stop them from chatting. After all, casual conversation was a way to foster camaraderie among colleagues. When Luca heard what the researcher said, she could not help but ask, "Madam Mallory''s press conference is confirmed for today?" "Yes, several major media outlets are said to be onsite for live coverage. Dr. Craw, are you interested in this?" The researcher turned to look at her. Luca shook her head. She was merely surprised that the event had been dyed for so long. She thought Karen had already held the press conference. She did not expect it to start just now, which was surprising. After all, she remembered Karen hade looking for trouble with Luke after she caught Ss. That was a long time ago. She replied, "I remember the incident happened quite a while ago. That¡¯s why I find it strange. News updates every day nowadays, and I reckon the incident has lost its heat. Is it really necessary to hold a press conference to rify things now?" "That¡¯s true. Nobody''s paying attention to her scandalous affairs online anymore. After all, several celebrity scandals have surfaced recently, and everyone loves discussing those more. "But she had the media publish yesterday that there''d be a press conference today, which has reignited the people¡¯s interest in this matter." "Indeed, everyone is discussing her past events now, which had already faded away before. Still, she insists on rifying. Which PR firm is the Mallory family using? I''m not a professional, but I feel like rifying things at this point would be toote. It would be better to just let it go since the matter has passed." "Exactly. If they''re innocent, as long as the Mallory family knows it and believes it, that should be enough. There''s no need to make such a fuss. Isn''t this just putting the Mallory family in the spotlight?" The group engaged in a lively discussion. Luca was no longer involved in the conversation at this point. She thought to herself that Karen really knew how to cause trouble for the Mallory family. She guessed that Percy would have to seek his PR department¡¯s help to handle this matter. For some reason, whenever Luca thought of Karen, it reminded her of Allison, who was still undergoing stic surgery in Seoul. She had not heard Luke mention Allison recently and neither did she know her current situation. Still, no news might be good news. With things in turmoil in A City, it would be best if Allison stayed in Seoul and note back. She should at least wait until they resolved all the issues with the Ind of Despair... At the thought of this, Luca continued to work on her experiments. After a few more random remarks from the people in theb, they stopped discussing. Since Luca was no longer participating in the topic anymore, they did not want to gossip and risk upsetting herter. At the Mallory Estate, Karen was wearing a pair of oversized sunsses and sitting on the makeshift stage for the press conference. She could not be bothered finding another location. The garden of this vi was spacious enough, so she decided to hold it here. The morning sunlight filtered through the trees, but the weather was getting increasingly humid. Even the scattered sunlight felt too scorching. Many reporters were using handheld fans to cool themselves. Karen''s expression was not too pleasant either. She looked at the reporters present and saw there were not many of them, which meant her rification came toote and it had lost its news value. It was as though even with the rification released, not many people would pay attention, or rather, not many would believe it. Karen''s mood turned sour. When her subordinate, Anthony, approached and quietly reminded her, "Madam, it''s time as per the invitation letters, but not many reporters have arrived. Should we start now?" "Just wait a bit longer!" Karen did not want to do something futile. She had to wait this long before holding the rification press conference all because of Ss! Ss'' face was swollen for a long time. Later, she found out that Ss, to avoid rifying, would secretly p his face when those two men were not paying attention. Even though he was not very forceful, after a few ps, the swelling on his face would not go down. After Karen found out about this, she wished she could cripple him. However, she held back and finally had the two men tie up Ss''s hands and feet. That way, there was no way Ss could do anything to his face. With his face no longer swollen, she immediately arranged the press conference. Still, it was toote... Anthony nced at the reporters below. All of them were visibly impatient due to the increasingly hot weather. He whispered, "Madam, the weather is getting hotter, and we¡¯re outdoors. I''m afraid these reporters might leave if we wait any longer." Usually, press conferences were held indoors, but Karen thought there would be many people and the indoor living room could not amodate everyone. That was why she set it up outside despite the exceptionally hot weather. Now, Karen was practically begging the reporters to help her with interviews and coverage rather than the reporters demanding explosive news from her. Their perspectives were different. Hence, these reporters did not have much patience to wait. Chapter 3120 Anthony''s words also reminded Karen of this. Even though she was dissatisfied, she said to him, "Let''s get started, then. Also, make sure to keep a record of those media outlets that didn''t show up. From now on, the Mallory family won''t be cooperating with them." Anthony thought to himself that the Mallory family was not under Karen''s control. Ever since she fell out with Percy, Karen had practically no say in the Mallory family affairs. Therefore, even if Karen kept a record, there was not much she could do to those media outlets. "Yes, Madam," answered Anthony as he took the microphone and began to host the press conference. The content of the press conference was straightforward. It was just for Karen to proim her innocence and for Ss toe out and rify a certain matter. Anthony held the microphone and greeted, "Good morning,dies and gentlemen. Thank you for taking the time to attend Madam Mallory, also known as Ms. Karen¡¯s, press conference. ¡°This conference aims to rify a certain issue that has been circting online recently regarding Ms. Karen''s past. These ims were fabricated by malicious individuals, and in fact, there''s no truth to them. "Today, we''ve invited the person involved in the video release, Mr. Ss Gray, to exin the situation to you all..." Before he could finish his words, a reporter raised her hand, trying to interrupt him. Anthony paused for a moment and then asked the reporter, "Yes? What''s your question?" "I have a question. So, do you mean Ms. Karen''s implication is that everything regarding this matter is false?" the reporter asked directly. She was not particrly interested in rifications. She was just following her editor''s assignment. In fact, their editor also deemed this piece of news unworthy of coverage. However, since it involved the Mallory family and they received an invitation, they dared not offend the Mallory family. Hence, the media outlet sent the reporter over. "Well..." Anthony was about to respond when the reporter continued, "Could we trouble Ms. Karen to answer this question?" Karen''s expression darkened. The reporters present probably knew that she had been ordered by Old Master Mallory to move out. Thus, their presence here was merely perfunctory. She had fallen out of favor with the Mallory family, and they did not regard her highly either. Karen knew that if she severed ties with the Mallory family, she would be nothing. She reluctantly took the microphone from the side. Even though she was resentful, she dared not offend the reporters. Their pens could paint her in the most detestable light. Therefore, she dared not act recklessly. "I can assure you that all those ims are false. Mr. Gray and I knew each other before, but it was merely an acquaintanceship. There was no rtionship as he described. "He was misled by certain people into saying those things to the reporters. Today, I''m here to rify this matter," exined Karen. "If they''re false, why didn''t you rify them from the beginning? Why choose to rify them only now?" continued the reporter, raising the most significant doubt in everyone''s minds. Karen looked at the reporter who was persistently challenging her. Was this reporter trying to slowly undermine what she had just said? Did she really invite this reporter herself? Karen nced at the reporter. There was no media logo disyed next to her, and she was quite a distance away. She could not discern which mediapany this reporter belonged to from her press pass. "Mr. Gray was deliberately misled and kept avoiding contact. It took a considerable effort for me to locate him and convince him to reveal the truth to the reporters," replied Karen. "Ms. Karen, you''ve been insisting that the previous reports were all fabricated by malicious individuals. Can you tell us who these individuals are? Do you have any evidence?" the reporter persisted. Underneath the table, Karen''s hands clenched into fists. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Her fingers were digging into her palms. She was forcing herself to remain calm. Every word this reporter said was questioning her! If there was any doubt before, Karen was now 100% certain that the reporter was here to stir up trouble. "I''m afraid I can''t publicly disclose this matter." Karen wished she could tell all the reporters that everything was fabricated by Luke, that he was doing this to retaliate against her. However, her remaining rationality kept reminding her not to say so. If she did, not only would the Crawford family trouble her, but Old Master Mallory would do so too. It was because she still did not have evidence to prove that Luke had coborated with Ss to be against her. "What could be the reason? Is it a personal vendetta? But Ms. Karen, your public image has always been impable, and you''ve never engaged in disputes with others. What kind of personal grudge could prompt someone to fabricate nonexistent incidents to tarnish your reputation?" the reporter continued to press. Karen took a deep breath, suppressing the rage inside her. This reporter had not even asked her the reasons, yet she felt like her heart was being scorched by fire. Anthony knew Karen''s tolerance had reached its limit. If the reporter kept asking, she might explode. He quickly intervened, saying, "Sir, the focus of our press conference is to have Mr. Gray rify the situation for all of you. Now, please wee Mr. Gray." Then, Ss walked out. He was reluctant. He did not want to face this scene, but Karen had seen through his schemes. Now that the swelling on his face had subsided, he had to rify things to the reporters. Ss felt that rification did not matter much. After all, he was not a celebrity. Even if he got scolded or exposed online, it would not affect his life. This was how people lived at the bottom of society. What he feared was that after rifying things, he would no longer be of any use and Karen would get rid of him. Even though Ss was scared, he knew that if he ruined Karen''s n, he would be finished. Therefore, he had no choice but to cooperate. After he came out, he sat on a chair. To distance himself from Karen, their chairs were ced far apart, leaving space for four or five people in between. After he sat down, he smiled awkwardly while facing the reporters. It was different from the first time. The first time, he had been paid, so he had rehearsed many times before facing the reporters. As long as he followed the script given to him and added some personal emotions, it would be very convincing. However, things were different this time. He was scared... Karen''s gaze could kill. When he thought of how she had changed into a different person and tormented him these days, he knew that this woman had changed over the years. He could not afford to provoke her anymore. As Ss took the microphone handed to him by Anthony, he timidly greeted the reporters, "Good morning, folks." "Mr. Gray, can you tell us who you coborated with to smear Ms. Karen''s name? Do you have any evidence?" The reporter who had questioned Karen earlier now directed sharp questions at Ss, clearly determined to get to the bottom of things. Chapter 3121 "I..." Ss hesitated for quite a while, but he still could note up with a name. Before the press conference, Karen warned him not to mention the name Luke Crawford. That was why Ss did not know how to answer the reporters'' questions now. Who made him do this? Karen said it was Luke, but there was no evidence to indicate that it was he who instructed Ss to say those words and do those things in front of the reporters. "Mr. Gray? Why aren''t you speaking? Is there something you can''t say? Or are you implying this whole deal is just smoke and mirrors? If that¡¯s the case, what did Ms. Karen''s words earlier mean? Who''s really telling the truth here?" The reporter¡¯s questions grew sharper as she began to question what Karen said earlier. Karen could no longer hold back. She snapped, "Nonsense!" As soon as she spoke, everyone looked at Karen in surprise. Was this still the elegant Madam Mallory? The image of Karen, shaped by recent events, was being overturned time and time again in their minds... "Madam Mallory," reminded Anthony in a low voice. They were facing so many reporters. It was not the time to get angry. Karen took a deep breath and gripped the tablecloth tightly. Her nails caught on the silk fabric, causing it to fray. "Tell them what really happened." Karen decided not to speak any more to avoiding off too abrasive and giving these reporters something to blow out of proportion. Besides, these reporters were going to challenge her anyway. If she said another word now, it might be a w for others to exploitter. "Ah, right." Ss looked bewildered, not knowing what to say. Hence, he decided to ignore the reporters'' questions and take all the me himself. Ss imed he was living a difficult life and wanted to gain some benefits from Karen, but he did not expect to cause such a big fuss. He also did not expect so many people to read the news, which meant he did not get any benefits but even faced the risk of being sued. Ss did not understand all this. He learned it from watching TV recently. He was clever. Otherwise, he would not have been able to deceive Karen when he was young. Therefore, the story he fabricated could barely convince the reporters. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. "I have a question." The reporter who asked questions earlier raised her hand after Ss finished speaking. At this moment, Anthony decided not to give him any more opportunities. He said to the reporters, "Ladies and gentlemen, the situation is indeed as Mr. Ss described. We will also hold Mr. Ss legally responsible. "If there are any further developments, we''ll contact the media. This press conference is now concluded. Everyone, please ensure your reporting is thorough and urate. Kindly pick up your gifts at the door and exit in an orderly manner." "Is that all?" Another reporter, analyzing Karen''s words based on the earlier questions, suspected something fishy about this. Hence, he wanted to delve deeper. Before they had a chance to raise their own questions, the press conference was already over? The press conference ended abruptly, and it caught them off guard. Besides, what was there to report? There was nothing sensational about this. It was truly a waste of their time. These matters could have been announced on theirpany''s website instead of announcing it in a press conference. There was no need to make such a big scene. Was it not a waste of resources and time? Anthony noticed the reporters'' dissatisfaction and realized they wanted to dig deeper into the story. Therefore, he said, "Ladies and gentlemen, there are substantial shopping vouchers avable at the entrance. Every reporter present today is entitled to one. "Please line up in an orderly fashion to collect the gifts prepared by Madam Mallory, then kindly exit." When they heard about therge shopping vouchers, many reporters'' eyes lit up. The first person ready to leave took the shopping voucher handed over by the staff. It was a 2,000dor supermarket voucher. She could not help but exim, "Two grand! How generous." Just a moment ago, the reporter who felt dissatisfied brightened up when he heard it was a 2,000-dor shopping voucher. Even though this amount meant little to the Mallory family, for these reporters, it meant a lot in terms of what they could buy at the supermarket. Thus, he simply queued up without saying anything more. Even the reporter who had been targeting Karen just now left with a shopping voucher. Karen looked displeased and asked the person beside her, "Which mediapany did that reporter who spoke earlier belong to?" "I checked, and it''s the New Youth Daily," answered Anthony. His expression also turned sour. It was his negligence. He had not carefully verified the media affiliations of the reporters before allowing them in. The New Youth Daily was a small newspaper under T Corporation. It was Luke''s attempt to trouble Karen. "What''s going on? How could someone from this mediapany be allowed in?" Karen''s eyes filled with hostility at the thought of Luke. The mere mention of his name stirred up hatred within her. "Sorry, Madam. It was our negligence. We didn''t realize this mediapany hadn¡¯t received an invitation yet still sent a reporter over to join and..." He ended up making things difficult for Karen. Anthony did not continue because Karen''s expression was very gloomy at that moment. "You let people in without verifying. Do you know how embarrassed I am?" Karen red fiercely at Anthony. "Sorry, Madam." Anthony could only apologize. He did not know what else to say. "Hmph, keep an eye on the reports from this mediapany. If there''s anything unusual, inform me immediately." Karen clenched her fists. She wished she could punch the man in front of her. If it were not for his negligence, would she have been embarrassed like this? That reporter was one of Luke''s subordinates! Karen wondered how today''s events would be reported after all those questions that were asked. She vaguely had a bad feeling about it. "Yes!" Anthony nodded. Even if Karen did not say it, he knew he had to keep a close watch on that media outlet. Otherwise, they would not know how the reporter would report today''s events. Karen''s gaze fell on Ss. With all the reporters gone now, Karen said nonchntly, "Close the door." "Yes.¡± Anthony instructed the others through the inte. After a while, a voice came from the inte, "The door has been closed." Ss could feel his hair stand on end and his body tremble while Karen stared at him. He could not help but feel afraid. "Madam Mallory..." He wanted to plead for mercy, but as soon as he called out to her, scenes from when they used to date immediately shed through his mind. Karen was so beautiful and kind-hearted back then. She never got angry with him, let alone hit him. However, now? Now, Karen was like a demon from hell. The way she looked at him, it was as though she wanted to tear him to pieces. "Take him in," ordered Karen. She rose to her feet and walked in first. The two men immediately lifted Ss while ignoring any resistance. They dragged him into the living room. "Madam Mallory, I was wrong. I''ve straightened things out with the reporters, so please spare me." Chapter 3122 Ss looked at Karen sitting on the couch as though she was a Grim Reaper about to snatch his soul. He started banging his head on the floor, begging for mercy like there was no tomorrow. Everyone present could not help but secretly curse Ss for being such a coward when they saw him like this. The more he acted like this, the more different he seemed from the Ss of the past. Karen was extremely disgusted, not only with everything happening now but also with her past with Ss. She instructed her subordinates, "Bring the knife over." Ss was shocked when he heard this and intensified his banging on the floor. Karen''s subordinates were also taken aback for a moment and quickly asked, "Madam, what are you nning to do?" "I''m going to kill him!" Karen felt that her current situation was Ss'' fault. Therefore, she had to personally put an end to this man to rid herself of the resentment in her heart. Karen had never killed anyone before. It was not that she had never entertained such thoughts, but she had never done such a thing. However, Ss not only provoked such thoughts in her but even made her think of carrying out such an act. Karen even thought that as long as the final blow was not dealt by her own hand, what happened after that had nothing to do with her. Her subordinates were rendered speechless when they heard what she said. This woman seemed to be acting on a whim again. Not to mention Karen, even they had never done something like this too. If they handed her the knife, what if someone identally ended up dead? "Madam, the Mallory family can''t afford any more trouble now. You can''t kill this man!" Anthony reminded her in a low voice, knowing that only the Mallory family could restrain Karen. Karen red fiercely at him. "Are you lecturing me?" "I dare not, Madam. It''s just that you''ve told the reporters that you''ll hold this person ountable legally. If you identally kill him, how can you pursue that? You''ve seen for yourself that Luke even sent reporters to give you trouble today. "If this man dies and they find out, who knows what kind of news they might stir up? That¡¯s why you can''t do this..." reminded Anthony in a hushed tone. When Karen lost her rationality, she tended to act recklessly. His duty was to remind her of what she could not do. If he could persuade her, he would. Even if not, he still had to try. He had done many things that offended his employer. However, Karen did not have anyone else reliable by her side, so even if he offended her, he would not lose his job. He considered it somewhat fortunate. Karen took a deep breath. As she listened to the man''s words, she knew he was speaking sense. However, she could not calm the anger in her heart if she did not teach Ss a lesson. Anthony knew what she was thinking, so he reminded her, "Madam, if you really want to vent, just beat him up. But remember, don''t hit his head." Initially, Ss was relieved that he had escaped death because of the man''s words. Still, his hope was dashed by what the man saidter. He might not die, but he would have to endure many beatings. Karen rose to her feet, walked toward Ss, and kicked him hard in the abdomen. "Ah!" Ss screamed in agony. Anthony quickly approached. He held a piece of cloth in his hand, intending to gag Ss. At this moment, Karen expressed her dissatisfaction and said, "There¡¯s no need to gag him. I can only vent my anger by hearing his screams!" With that, she delivered another kick. Ss'' screams echoed from inside the vi to the outside. After receiving the shopping voucher, the reporter from New Youth Daily pretended to leave but actually stayed behind. She followed the instructions given to her and stood in a corner, trying to listen for any noisesing from inside. Sure enough, there were screams. When she visited earlier, she had toured the backyard of the vi and knew which wall was closest to the house inside. Her current position allowed her to hear the activities inside vividly. Therefore, she turned on her recorder and whispered into it, "The press conference has now ended, and I''m currently outside the vi. Before I could leave, I heard screamsing from inside." Then, she raised the recorder high. The noises from inside did not disappoint her. They grew louder and more distressing with each passing moment. The reporter recorded for a while longer until the noises inside subsided. Satisfied, she saved the recording and left. In the afternoon, news about Karen''s announcement today was reported by the media, including New Youth Daily. As Luca entered theboratory, she overheard the researchers discussing. "Did you see the report from New Youth Daily?" One of the researchers brought up the topic. "I did. I didn''t expect it. This time, New Youth Daily''s report is the most sensational,"mented another researcher. "New Youth Daily? What did they report?" Luca knew that New Youth Daily was under T Corporation and was not particrly prominent. It was established by Luke''s deputy manager of public rtions. "It''s about Madam Mallory¡¯s rification of today''s news, and it''s quite remarkable." The researcher exined in detail when she saw how curious Luca was, "Other media outlets'' reports are all the same. They¡¯re quite boring. But New Youth Daily''s report is exceptional. Their news is much more exciting than others. "And there''s an audio recording on their official website, reportedly recorded by a reporter during the press conference. Dr. Craw, if you''re curious, you should give it a listen. It''s quite thrilling." "Really?" Luca could not help but feel curious. She took out her phone, opened New Youth Daily¡¯s official website, and found the audio report they mentioned. However, she was in theboratory. It was not appropriate to listen to the content. She merely nced at thements below. Everyone was praising the excellence of this audio recording, and some were even specting about its contents. Confused by thesements, Luca asked the researchers again, "What''s this recording about?" "It''s just a man''s screams that get louder and louder. They specte it''s Ss Gray. You know, the man rumored to have had an affair with Madam Mallory. Anyway, the screams sounded miserable, like he''s being beaten up," answered the researcher. "If it''s true, that guy has probably been beaten to a pulp," added another researcher. Luca suddenly understood. Karen beat up someone? She did have a reputation for violence. Luca had heard about it. Karen''s dy in rification was likely due to her hitting Ss, causing him to have a swollen face and be unable to face the media. Otherwise, the rification report would not have been dyed until now. "Dr. Craw, there''s also a report written by that reporter. It''s quite impressive. While others just posted Madam Mallory''s statement, this reporter picked out the inconsistencies in her statements during the press conference and listed them all. She¡¯s sharp," mentioned another researcher. When Luca heard this, she took a look at the article they mentioned. Indeed, it was sharp. It was not the reporter who was sharp. It was Luke. Luke cared deeply for her and would never allow those who hurt her to get away easily. Karen had attempted to cause trouble with the news. She even caused Luca to suffer from rumors and psychological trauma. Now, Luke was avenging her. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. This was Luke taking out her frustration for her. Chapter 3123 "We can''t interfere with other people''s business. Let''s focus on our work," said Luca as she tucked away her phone and continued with her experiment. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. At present, everything Luke did was to vent her frustrations. She could not retaliate against Karen. It was not because shecked the ability. It was just that once she took action, it could potentially have significant repercussions. Luke''s actions, on the other hand, could mitigate those repercussions and avoid conflict between the Crawford and Mallory families. Luca thought that she indeed had the capability, but her abilities still did not match Luke''s. She did not necessarily have to surpass Luke, but sometimes, she needed various abilities to protect herself and her children while supporting Luke. After Abel got off the ne at A City International Airport, he walked out of the airport and directly got into the car that had been arranged for him. After the driver greeted him, he took him to the hotel. All of this was arranged by Abel himself. After checking into the presidential suite of the hotel, he sat on the couch and puffed on a cigar. He recalled the events of the past few days. The industryworking event in X City seemed to have yielded some results, but not significant ones. After all, three types of herbs were still missing. Moreover, although those two Caucasians imed that Luke''s car trunk was empty, Abel suspected that Luca might have done something behind his back. However, hecked evidence. Even though Luca was his subordinate, suspecting someone of betrayal required evidence in the Ind of Despair. Abel had none at the moment. He could discipline Luca, but if news of such a thing spread back to the Ind of Despair, it would cause panic and dissatisfaction among the people. Abel was controlling those people with drugs, but they still had independent thoughts and emotions. Even under the drug''s control, they still had their own thoughts and feelings of discontent. Therefore, he could not act recklessly, lest they rebel against him. Abel was well aware that even with drug control, Shanks could help others. Furthermore, there were other capable individuals in this world besides Shanks. If they could find another doctor and pharmacist, replicating the antidote would be an easy task if the samples were given to them. Hence, besides drug control, he also relied on winning people over with virtue. His adoptive father used to do this. Without relying on various drugs, he still managed to control the Ind of Despair well. Even though he waster eliminated by Luke and others, Abel still respected Robert. The former Ind of Despair was still his proudest achievement. However, it no longer existed. The doorbell of the suite rang. Abel extinguished his cigarzily and got up to open the door. As soon as the door opened, a figure dashed into his arms. The person even tiptoed to nt a kiss on his face. "Mr. Abel, I missed you so much." Abel looked down at the woman nestled in his arms. His eyes were still cold and indifferent, unlike the woman''s warmth. "What''s wrong? Don''t you miss me? If you don''t miss me, why did you ask me toe over?" Hera also noticed the gloominess in the man''s eyes. There was not even a hint of happiness. She knew well what Abel thought of her. Still, she was simply hoping for some generosity from him, which was why she dropped everything and came over as soon as he called. Hera knew Abel did not like her. Even though she had once fantasized about winning his affection, it was just a fantasy. Now, she understood that as long as there was money, it was fine. Back then, Hera could always catch a glimpse of happiness in Abel¡¯s eyes that was meant to appease her. Now, even that pretense of joy was nowhere to be found. Therefore, Hera was very dissatisfied. She released her hand from around his neck, nning to y a little hard to get. She refused to believe he had not missed her after all this time. She was very confident in her own charm. Hera stood up straight, but Abel had not reacted as she had expected. Her expression could not help but turn unpleasant. "I''m leaving," Hera said with a gloomy face. He asked her toe, but what was this attitude? Then, she started walking toward the door. Abel still did not say anything. It even seemed like he wanted to shut the door. Hera felt a sudden panic. If she left now, there would be no benefits for her to gain! "Hey, what''s up? I can tell you''re not in the best mood, so I was just trying to lighten things up with a joke." Hera quickly went back and closed the door behind her. "You don''t have a single smile on your face. I just wanted to cheer you up. Why take it seriously?" "If you want to leave, then leave," replied Abel, stepping back. "I''m not leaving. If you''re not in a good mood, I''ll keep youpany until you feel better." Hera caught a whiff of the distinctive scent of cigar in the air. She could not help but brighten up her eyes. It was a smell she had grown ustomed to during the past few times she had spent with Abel. After smoking it twice, she developed a liking for it. Hera had a strong fondness for the spicy vor of this cigar, even though most people were not ustomed to or did not enjoy such a taste. Still, Hera simply could not get enough of it. "Mr. Abel, do you have any more cigars? I''m craving one," asked Hera, trying to please Abel in hopes of getting a cigar. "You don''t mind the spicy taste?" Abel was not a stingy person. He took out a cigar and handed it over. "Am I not going with your flow? Honestly, I feel like our tastes are pretty simr. I mean, look at this cigar. It''s not something your average Joe would go for, but I just love it. It''s got that extra kick." Hera picked up a lighter and lit the cigar, eagerly puffing away. Watching her enjoying the cigar with narrowed eyes, Abel''s expression softened slightly. While smoking the cigar, Hera kept an eye on Abel''s expression. She found that it had eased compared to before. She gently blew a smoke ring toward his face and asked, "Mr. Abel, have you been busytely?" "Yes." Abel''s words were brief. When it came to other women versus Kassy, he would always choose Kassy. When he noticed Hera, who resembled Kassy a little, he was reminded of what had happened at the industryworking event. Even though there might have been some negligence in gathering intelligence, having only acquired three types of herbs, there was still no way to make the pills to help Kassy. That was why his mood remained sour. "No wonder you haven''te to see metely." Hera''s slender fingers traced circles on Abel''s chest, feeling his strong muscles. Her expenses were high, and she often mingled among various men for money. However, Abel was the most outstanding among the many men she dealt with. Not only was he handsome and wealthy, but he was also good in bed... Since sleeping with Abel, only a few men could satisfy her. They did not have his wealth, looks, or physique... They could notpare to Abel in any way. At the thought of Abel''s various advantages, Hera felt a tingling sensation inside. "Mr. Abel, what have you been busy withtely?" Hera sensed he was not very willing to talk. It was as though he was preupied with something that could not satisfy him. Hence, she tried to divert his attention. "There''s a new venue in A City recently. It''s a nice ce. How about I take you there to rx and unwind?" Chapter 3124 If it were in the past, Abel would also be willing to rx in such entertainment ces. After all, there was nothing on the Ind of Despair, and he did not find those women attractive either. The only time he could rx was when he came out. He could have a drink and enjoy the sight of all kinds of beautiful women. If there was a mutual attraction, he could even take someone back to the hotel to have some fun. However, Abel did not have such thoughts now. He was thinking about his own concerns and the various things at hand. "No." He directly refused Hera''s suggestion. Hera''s eyes flickered. She had no choice but to nod her head and continue, "Then I''ll stay at the hotel with you." Abel asked, "Are you keeping up with the updates in A City?" "Which aspect are you referring to?" asked Hera. "In all aspects," replied Abel. Hera shook her head. She was not a professional, and she only wanted to earn money by relying on men. She was just getting by. Hence, she said, "If you''re talking about economic aspects, I don''t understand it. After all, I''m not cut out for that. "But when ites to entertainment gossip, I''m still clear on things." Hera was a beauty. Naturally, men were drawn to beautiful women. Since she was after money, it did not matter if men did not offer her status. That made her even more appealing to them, including men in the entertainment industry. Thus, she also knew a lot about the entertainment industry. She even had rtionships with several popr young celebrities, as well as some ''good men'' who worked in the entertainment industry. After being in contact with these people for a long time, she would definitely hear some gossip. Hera even felt that she knew more than those entertainment gossip reporters. If she were to reveal some dirt about those celebrities to the reporters, she could definitely get some good money. However, Hera had not done so yet because she knew she still had her looks. She could still maneuver in this circle to earn money from those men. There was no need to tarnish her reputation. After all, celebrities were more generous than those rich kids most of the time. It was because they had to keep her mouth shut so that she would not spread rumors everywhere. "Do you know about Pierre''s situation?" asked Abel. He had not been paying much attention to Pierre recently. After all, he had already crippled one of his legs, which was considered a corresponding price. For most people, disabling a leg certainly would not be worth tens of millions, but Pierre was different. His single leg held a value of tens of millions of dors to the Mallory family. If it were not for Percy, Pierre''s leg might even have been valued at over a hundred million dors. "The Mallory family?" Hera immediately thought of the recent gossip news about Karen. She said, "I heard that Pierre has been released by the police now and is recuperating in the hospital. They said he got kidnapped and his leg was broken. That leg won''t heal properly in the future, so he''ll just be a cripple." Abel knew all of this, and some of these things were even done on his orders. "Well, how is the Mallory family''s attitude toward him now?" asked Abel. "I''m not sure about that because the Mallory family''s attention is not on him right now but probably on his mother.¡± Hera shook her head. Although she did not know why Abel was interested in Percy''s affairs, it was certain that this topic could make him speak more. "His mother? What about her?" Abel did not pay much attention to gossip news. "It''s about his mother''s scandalous affairs. I have a friend who works at the hospital. It''s said that because of his mother''s past, even someone like Percy doesn''t want to associate with her now. It''s quite amusing." Hera could not grasp the main point and immediately diverted the conversation to Percy''s mother, Karen. These were not what Abel wanted to know. He was not interested in this gossip about Karen at all. Therefore, he showed ack of enthusiasm. "I''d like to rest. You should go back first," said Abel. He rose to his feet and headed to the bedroom. Hera could not believe it. She was being asked to leave after just having a smoke? This was not what she had in mind. Hence, she extinguished her cigar and quickly followed him into the room. "Mr. Abel, you seem to be in a bad mood. Let me keep youpany." "I''m not in the mood," replied Abel. "What are you thinking? I just want to spend some time with you. It''s not what you''re thinking," said Hera. She took his hand and snuggled up to him. "I''ll just keep youpany for a while. I knew you wereing today, so I took the day off from work. I don''t have anything to do right now." Abel listened to her words without any expression. After taking off his coat, he justy down on the bed. Hera also took off her outerwear andy down beside him. What she did not expect was that despite her seductive attire, Abel did not seem to have any extra thoughts. He let her lie down and get close, then closed his eyes. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Hera was one not to give up easily when she could not get what she wanted. She bit the bullet and said, "Mr. Abel, do you want to know about Percy''s situation? I have many friends in that circle. I''ll learn about Percy''s recent activities if I ask around." "Uh-huh." Abel did not open his eyes. He could feel the soft body continuously pressing against him, but he had no thoughts. There was a lot of frustration in his heart, and he simply lost the desire and need to do anything else but sleep. "Mr. Abel, you still haven''t told me which aspect of Percy''s situation you want to know about." Hera''s voice became more seductive. "Any aspect will do. Whatever you can find out, just find out," Abel closed his eyes. Even though he said so, he did not put much hope on Hera. Hera paused for a moment. Although she did not know why Abel suddenly became interested in Percy''s affairs, something shed across her mind. Could it be that Abel swung the other way as well? Otherwise, why would he suddenly ask about Pierre¡¯s affairs? Hera had seen Pierre before. He was quite good-looking, but he had a particrly wicked nature. She was not confident she could handle him... That was why she kept her distance that time, afraid she might identally provoke such a difficult person. However, besides this exnation, she could not think of any other possibilities. After all, Abel''s business had nothing to do with the Mallory family''s business. Heray t on her back and thought about it. She could not help but feel sorry when she thought that Abel might also be interested in finding sce in thepany of men. At the same time, she felt dirty. Even though she knew she was not the only woman in Abel¡¯s life, at least they were all women. "Why aren''t you moving?" Abel suddenly asked. "Huh?" Hera realized that her actions just now might have had some effect, but she suddenly lost interest at the thought that Abel might be bisexual. "Keep going,"manded Abel. Hera listened to his deep voice and knew she could not refuse. She could only continue reluctantly. However, her mindset had changed. Hera had to force herself to think about Abel''s generosity. If he was satisfied, she would have a substantial ie. At the thought of this, Hera became much more willing. Chapter 3125 In the afternoon, just before getting off work, Luca received a call from Amur. "Amur, what''s up?" Luca assumed that Amur called to ask about Abel''s matter. ording to what Luke said, Abel had already arrived in A City by now. When she entered theboratory today, she did not put her phone on silent. She was afraid that she might miss Abel''s call because she had a feeling that Abel would definitely cause trouble for her. However, unexpectedly, Abel did not cause any trouble... "Abel has arrived in A City. He came alone. No one from X City followed him. Did he contact you?" asked Amur. Knowing that Abel woulde to A City, he had been waiting at the airport in the afternoon, only to find out that Abel did not go to the base but to the hotel. After he entered the hotel, he did note out, nor did he contact Amur. Therefore, Amur was worried that Abel came here this time to cause trouble for Luca. He reckoned Luca was about to get off work, and that was why he called her. "He didn''t contact me. Did he contact you?" Luca found it strange. Could it be that both she and Amur were wrong? Did Abel note here to cause trouble for her? "No. If he''s looking for you, call me first," said Amur. He was worried about Luca. "Alright, no problem," replied Luca. Abel was an enemy to them, and currently, he was an enemy they could not resist. Even though she did not want to see Amur get hurt for her sake, she also knew that they had to unite at this time. Only by uniting could they have the strength to deal with Abel. Luca nned to introduce Amur to Luke when the time came to deal with Abel. With Amur''s help, their n would surely seed. "I have another calling in. I''ll hang up first," said Luca. When she was lost in her thoughts, she suddenly heard the sound of another calling in on her phone. "Okay." Amur ended the call. Luca answered Nina''s call. "Hey, Nina." "Luca, are you free tomorrow? Percy and I are nning to invite you, Luke, and the kids to dinner as a token of appreciation,¡± asked Nina. If it were not for Luca taking her in voluntarily, she would have been worried and frightened for some time. After all, Karen could appear at any time. At that time, only the Crawford family could suppress Karen. "Sure. We''re all free," answered Luca. If Nina invited them to dinner, she would definitely go. At the thought of Percy and Nina''s wedding approaching, she thought about what she could do to help. Even though she had a lot on her te and many troubles to solve, she would be happy to help Nina at this moment. "Then it''s settled. I''ll book the restaurant tomorrow and let you know," replied Nina. She wanted to cook a hearty meal to thank them, but considering her cooking skills, she thought better of it. Even with Luca''s recipes, she could not entertain guests. At most, she could asionally let Percy taste her cooking when she felt inspired. "Okay, thank you," thanked Luca. "What are you thanking me for? I should be thanking you." Nina was sincerely expressing her gratitude. She recalled how Luca even prepared things like pajamas just to make her feel at home. With that, she had no reason or excuse to go back. She knew Luca was worried about her, and that was why she prepared so much. Staying at Luke''s ce meant Karen would note to cause trouble. "We''re friends, so there''s no need for thanks. Oh, and by the way, Madam Mallory hasn''t been bothering you since you went back, has she?" Luca asked with concern. She wondered if Karen woulde looking for them when she knew that Percy had returned. "She shouldn''t have time to bother me now," replied Nina. She heard these things from Percy. "She has a lot to deal with now. Besides, Pierre has returned. She wouldn''t dare toe to me for trouble anymore. And she needs to handle Pierre¡¯s matter. I heard that Old Master Mallory is no longer involved with Pierre''s treatment at the hospital, so it''s all up to her now." "Pierre?" Luca calcted the time since Pierre''s treatment began, thinking that his bones should be almost healed by now. He should be ready for some physical therapy. For instance, dry needling and electrical stimtion could help the damaged nerves heal faster. "Yes." Nina could mention Pierre''s name without the same hatred as before. Although thew could not sessfully punish Pierre, he got what he deserved. What went around came around. It was true. Pierre got what he deserved, and it was quite a miserable retribution. After all, he was a prodigy, yet he suddenly became disabled. He was probably unable to bear it. Hence, Nina felt a bit relieved. The harm Pierre caused her in the past had been repaid by fate. At the thought of this, she found it pointless to continue hating Pierre. As his name was mentioned again, she could no longer feel any hatred in her heart. "Well, if she doesn''t have time to bother you, then it''s all good." Luca smiled. Even though she was curious about Pierre''s current condition and how crippled his leg was, she knew Nina would not know. Nina would not even bother to find out how miserable Pierre was now. After all, she did not have much time. She was busy preparing to be a bride. "Oh, by the way, Luca, I''ll be getting married at the old apartment. Could you help decorate it a bit? Even though not many people will be attending from my side, I¡¯d like to make the apartment a little more festive," said Nina. She realized she did not have many hands to help. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. She could not ask her colleagues at work for help, especially since everyone in thepany was very busy. They only needed to attend her wedding. They still had to handlepany matters, after all. Moreover, although she was friendly with her colleagues, there was still a certain distance between them. The people Nina could ask for help were indeed few. "Sure, no problem," Luca readily agreed. "That''s great. Thank you," replied Nina. "I''ll bring a little helper with me, Rainie is really good at this kind of handicraft," suggested Luca, thinking that Rainie would be happy to help since the child loved such festive and lively asions. "Great. Gotta go now. Percy is here to pick me up. See you tomorrow night," said Nina with a soft voice when she saw Percy standing at the door of her office. She left with him, arm in arm. She was unable to conceal the sweetness in her smile amidst the gaze of the other employees in the company. Chapter 3126 "I missed you, so I came to pick you up," Percy said sweet nothings without hesitation despite being surrounded by employees from Brilliant. He did not feel embarrassed at all. He pressed the elevator button, and the doors slowly opened. Percy and Nina entered the elevator together. Nina looked at the people standing outside the elevator doors and asked, "Aren''t you guysing in?" "Ms. Langdon, we wouldn''t want to be a third wheel. We''ll catch the next one." The employees chuckled and waved. Nin''s face slightly reddened. Since no one entered, the elevator doors slowly closed and descended. One of the Brilliant employees could not help but exim, "Ms. Langdon and her fianc¨¦ have such a good rtionship." "Fianc¨¦? They''re legally recognized as a married couple now. It''s just that they just haven''t had the wedding ceremony yet. Besides, haven''t we already received the wedding invitations?" another employee corrected her. "Come on, it was just a slip of the tongue. They''re such a sweet couple, and it doesn''t seem like there''s any problem between them. Who on earth spread the rumor that Ms. Langdon was abused by her husband?" the employee who had just eximed suddenly questioned. Nina''s face was swollen back then, and for some reason, a rumor spread in thepany that Nina was being abused by Percy. The parties involved did not say anything, but the rumor spread like wildfire behind their backs. "Many couples appear loving in public, but who knows what happens behind closed doors until it shows on their faces?" "So, you mean it might actually be true? But Mr. Mallory doesn''t seem like that kind of person." "You can''t judge a book by its cover. Businessmen like them might be violent behind closed doors. A violent person tends toy hands on those around them. Look at Ms. Langdon. She''s so fragile and thin, but she has to endure her husband''s fists... for the sake of money..." Once these discussions start, even false rumors would be thought of as true. They were deeply engrossed in their discussion, so much so that they did not even notice Sue standing behind them. Sue''s expression grew darker and darker as she listened to their discussion. She could not bear to listen anymore and said, "How on earth are you all so good at making up stories? Maybe you should quit the architectural industry and be scriptwriters instead? "The stuff youe up with would be a hit with the ser moms, no doubt. Ignorance is bliss, but you''re already cooking up a whole damn soap opera for Ms. Langdon. You think talking like this will get you off the hook, huh?" The group was startled and turned around to see a grim expression on Sue¡¯s face. "Ms. Carter." "Ms. Carter." After they greeted Sue, no one dared to speak. They dared to gossip thinking no one was around. Now that they knew Sue was here, they dared not continue. There was no way this conversation could continue. "Why aren''t you saying anything?" Sue looked at them. "I thought you all loved gossiping." "I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Carter." A female employee exined with a stiff smile on her face, "We''re just concerned about Ms. Langdon." "You¡¯ve got the guts to talk about your superior¡¯s personal business here, so howe you don''t have the guts to say it to our faces?" Sue questioned them. They fell silent. "Ms. Langdon''s marriage is doing well, and that bothers you, doesn''t it?" Sue was not as gentle as Nina was with everyone. She was downright scary when she was giving someone a dressing down. Moreover, she would not scold indiscriminately without reason¡ªonly when she had a point. If the other party had not done anything wrong, she would notsh out randomly. The employees lowered their heads. Sue added, "You guys shouldn''t meddle so much in other people¡¯s business. Whether or not Ms. Langdon is being abused, let''s not jump to conclusions. And even if it''s true, if she hasn''t called the cops, why are you all worrying about it as if you''re the police?" Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. The employees still did not say a word. They were unlucky to have been caught badmouthing their superiors. "If you dare to discuss Ms. Langdon''s affairs in thepany again, I''ll record everything you say and let Mr. Mallory listen to you all gossiping about their married life." After scolding them, Sue entered the elevator. Those people dared not enter. Sue did not ask them toe into the elevator either. Her gloomy expression was frightening. Even after the elevator doors closed, she was still displeased. She really wanted to rify for Nina that it was not Percy who pped her but someone else. However, if she said that, those people would specte about who it was, and such spection would have an even greater impact on Nina. She could not say it was Percy''s mother who pped Nina, could she? Would that not cause a huge uproar? Such rumors could turn from marital issues to problems between a mother-inw and daughter-inw. That was why Sue scolded them but did not speak up for Nina. She took out her phone and sent a message to Nina,ining about those people gossiping about Nina behind her back. By the time Nina received Sue''s message, she was already in Percy''s car. She could not help but let out augh when she saw the message. "What''s so funny?" Percy fastened his seatbelt, nning to take Nina out for dinner. "Sue heard the employees gossiping about us behind our backs just now. They said you''re a violent man. You abused me, and you even pped me in the face, which was why my face was swollen. Haha..." Ninaughed. Suddenly, she could not continue. She forgot that Percy did not know about the p incident. How could she exin why the employees were saying such things behind her back? "Is that even for real?" Percy frowned and rubbed his chin. "I don''t look that fierce. How could they think your swollen face was because of me?" "You knew?" Nina widened her eyes. Who told him? "Nina, do you think I wouldn''t know if you didn¡¯t tell me?" Percy heaved a sigh. "Actually, someone else told me this time. It was the leader of the property''s security team who told me. He usually gets a lot of perks from me, but this time, he let someone in, and it was his negligence. "He was worried I would hold him ountable and he would lose his job, so he confessed. He told me after my mother left," exined Percy. Nina sighed. "He actually told you." "Even if he didn''t, many others would tell me." Percy touched her face. After some time, the swelling had gone down, and it was not obvious she had been pped. "When something like this happens, you shouldn''t hide it from me. I''m your husband. It''s only natural for me to stand up for you. You shouldn''t do this," added Percy. "I know, but the one who pped me was your mother. Your rtionship with her has gotten pretty tense because of me. I didn''t want you to know because I wanted you two to patch things up a bit. "Forget it, I won''t hide anything from you in the future. I can''t hide it anyway." Nina let out a sigh. Hiding something from Percy? It seemed impossible. This man was too shrewd. He had eyes everywhere. She could not hide anything from him. "Yes, don''t hide anything from me in the future. We''re husband and wife. We''re supposed to be one. Come on, let me take you to the restaurant you wanted to go to before." Percy started the car and drove away. Chapter 3127 After the two had their dinner, Nina thought Percy was heading home, but she realized the car was not heading in that direction. Hence, she got curious and asked, "Where are we going now?" "To the hospital," replied Percy. "Are you not feeling well?" Nina asked anxiously. She looked at him and noticed that he seemed fine. There were no signs of difort. Suddenly, something came into her mind, and she asked, "Are you going to visit Pierre?" "Yeah, just to check on him. You don''t have toe up. Can you wait for me in the car downstairs for a while?" asked Percy. He had not visited Pierre since he came out of the detention ward. Percy nned to pay him a visit since the hospital was nearby. However, when Percy heard Nina¡¯s tone a moment ago, he hesitated and intended to ask for her opinion. "If you don''t want to go to the hospital, we can go home.¡± It would be the same if he wentter. Nina shook her head and replied, "No need. Just go, but I won''t go up. I''ll wait for you downstairs in the hospital." "Alright." Percy gave her a gentle smile. Nina was always so considerate. Even though Pierre had done many wrong things to her before, she endured everything for Percy. What the Ind of Despair did to Pierre was a form of revenge for Nina. His younger brother had been too arrogant and had done too many wrong things. He deserved some punishment. Percy drove to the hospital and parked the car in the hospital parking lot. Nina unbuckled her seatbelt and pointed to a caf¨¦ nearby. She said, "I''ll wait for you in the caf¨¦ for a while, okay?" "Sure, I''ll just talk to him for a bit and then leave. It won''t take long. But if it gets toote and if you''re thirsty, order some juice instead of coffee so that you can sleep at night.¡± Percy remembered her sensitivity to coffee. Just a little in the evening would keep her awake. "Okay. Got it." Nina nodded, agreeing. Then, they parted ways. Percy headed toward the hospital building while she walked toward the caf¨¦. Nina did not expect to encounter someone familiar in the caf¨¦, let alone face-to-face. As Nina was about to enter the caf¨¦, Marie pushed the caf¨¦ door open and walked out. The two ran into each other. Nina could not help but think it was unfortunate to meet Marie at this moment. Why would Marie be in the hospital at this time? Outpatient services were already closed by now. Could she be hospitalized here? Still, if she were a patient, why would she be drinking coffee? Nina recalled the scene of Luca running into Marie and the words Marie had said to her. She could not help but take two steps back. It was a subconscious movement, as though Marie had some kind of contagious disease. However, she also knew that even though Marie might be ill, it was not something that could be transmitted just by speaking a few words or being close to her. Perhaps she was trying to avoid trouble. "Nina?" Marie was surprised to encounter Nina in the hospital, especially at this time. "You''re back?" Marie had already initiated the conversation, so Nina had no choice but to reluctantly respond. After all, Marie was an extreme person. If she pretended not to know her or tried to avoid her, she would surelye after her relentlessly. Marie, despite her despicable actions, was also extremely concerned about her reputation. She let go of the caf¨¦ door and took a step forward. She did not block the entrance, mindful not to inconvenience others. She carefully sized Nina up, realizing that her attire was all branded. Previously, Nina had a lower starting point than herself. Now, while she was d in street market goods, Nina was decked out in designerbels. It was not fair. Marie had spent so much time and effort trying to build herself up, yet she still could not compare to a woman with no background and no outstanding qualities... She even wondered what was so exceptional about Nina that Percy would be interested in her. As for her, everyone despised her! Marie felt extremely resentful, but when she remembered that Nina was Jean¡¯s sister, she smiled and approached eagerly. "I heard you¡¯re married to Mr. Mallory. Congrattions!" "Oh, thank you," replied Nina. Knowing that Marie hade out from the caf¨¦, Nina did not linger. She was afraid that it would disgust her! She turned around to leave. Marie immediately grabbed her hand. "We finally bumped into each other. Let''s catch up, shall we?" "What''s there to chat about?" Nina quickly pulled her hand back. She felt disgusted at the thought of how many men had held Marie''s hands. "How dare youe back? Aren''t you afraid the police will come after you?" Marie''s expression darkened at Nina''s words and actions. It seemed that everything Nina did or said was filled with disdain for her. She nced at her own hands, which were not dirty, and retorted, "What do you mean by that?" "How much money did you steal from Jean back then? Do you have any idea he almost starved to death because of what you did? He felt aggrieved, so he went to the police. The amount you stole was enough to press charges and get you jailed," replied Nina. She reckoned that Marie probably had not gone to see Jean yet. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Jean had money now. Even though she did not know how he was spending it, he was wealthy now. A rich prodigal son like him naturally would not look at Marie. Therefore, Nina was not afraid of Marie going to Jean. Moreover, Marie would not dare approach him because of the money she stole. Marie looked displeased as she listened to what Nina said. "Nonsense. I didn''t steal his money. I borrowed it." "Borrowed? Did you sign an IOU? Did he agree?" Nina countered. "Marie, do you know how much trouble Jean caused me because of the money you stole? Shouldn''t I report to the police now and let them arrest you?" "You can''t do that!" Marie panicked at the mention of Nina calling the police. "I can give Jean an IOU. Besides, Jean loves me so much. How could he possibly call the police?" "Do you believe that when you say it yourself?" Nina smiled knowingly. Even though it was already dark outside, the hospital''s lights were bright enough, and there were streetmps outside the caf¨¦. She could clearly see the anxiety on Marie''s face. "You don''t even believe in yourself when you say those words, do you?" Nina saw through Marie. She was good for nothing, and Jean was no better. "Do you think I don''t know what dirty things Jean has done to you? Speaking of which, your physical condition might also be partly his doing. Does that man really love you? He only chose you because he didn''t have any other women avable.¡± Marie clenched her fists tightly. It seemed like Nina knew about her condition. How did Nina know about it? Even though she knew Nina had gotten involved with a wealthy man, there was no reason for him to investigate her. In that case, she must have found out through Luca! Luca must have seen the reportst time at the hospital and told Nina about it. Marie frowned in disgust. Why was that woman so annoying? Why did she haunt her like a ghost?! Whenever she saw Luca, it reminded her of Bianca. Both of them were equally irritating! "You''re spouting nonsense! If you keep defaming me, I''ll call the police!" Marie''sposure was slipping. Chapter 3128 "Call the police? Sure, but I don''t know if Jean¡¯s case has been closed. But with just 10,000 or 20,000 dors involved, the police definitely won''t take it seriously. That''s why they haven''te looking for you since you left. After all, these are minor cases. "But if you walk right into the station yourself, then who knows what might happen?" Nina said. "If you decide to call the police, go ahead and do it. I''m curious to see if the police will use me of." After that, Nina sized Marie up from head to toe. Despite the scorching weather, Marie was wearing long sleeves. There might be something wrong with her arms. Nina heard that the illness could cause growths on the skin. If someone had some medical knowledge, they could easily figure out what was going on. Marie''s expression darkened. Naturally, she dared not to report to the police. What would she report? Nina''s defamation? Yet, a simple check in the hospital''s system would reveal that it was not defamation. Plus, she did not know if Jean had gone to the police to close the case. She was well aware that no police officer hade knocking at her door yet. It was indeed a small case. The police were too busy to keep an eye on Jean all the time. Reporting now might just be walking into a trap. Marie stamped her foot and cursed at Nina, "Nina, do you think it''s impressive to have snared Percy? Let me tell you, the Mallory family will never acknowledge you. Even if you have married Percy, what then? "An unrecognized daughter-inw is as good as nothing. What right do you have to be arrogant? If the family doesn''t acknowledge you, no one will support you when Percy gets tired of you. "When you''re abandoned, you''ll be nothing more than trash in a ditch. You¡¯ll be worse off than me!" Then, she sneered again and added, "You''re nothing without a man! You''ll be abandoned just like I was. You''ll be equally wretched and miserable! Heck, you''ll get an even worse ending!¡± After finishing her words, Marie rolled up her sleeve. "Look. This is me now, and this will be you in the future!" Nina looked at the bumps on Marie''s hands with disgust. Those bumps only appeared when the disease had reached its most severe stage. To deal with them, one would need medication, ointments, and injections. Otherwise, they could easily break and be infected. Nina noticed that several of the bumps on Marie''s arms were already oozing pus. "My life will never be as miserable as yours, Marie. You''d better stay far away, or else if Jean doesn''t send you in, I will," warned Nina, emphasizing that keeping away also meant not bothering Jean. She could turn a blind eye to how Anna and Jean squandered that money. However, she did not want Marie to disturb their lives any further. "Why should I?" Marie''s eyes were bloodshot. "Nina, what have I done to you? What makes you think you can send me in? Even if your man has some influence, you can''t defy thew." Nina frowned. She had a feeling that Marie''s eyes could start bleeding at any moment. Could that illness cause red eyes too? She had not heard of that before. After all, such illness was far, far away from her. Nina would not get it in her lifetime. The people around her were not the type to engage in reckless behavior, so the chances of infection were naturally low. "Percy and I definitely won''t defy thew. It''s just that the things you''ve done in the past couldnd you in prison for years. So, Marie, don''t let me catch you doing anything wrong again. Otherwise, don''t be surprised if I''m not so nice about it!" Nina warned in a low voice. What Nina did not know was that her warning had sparked a different thought in Marie''s mind. She shot Nina a fierce re and cursed, "Nina, your days ahead won''t be a walk in the park." After that, Marie turned around and left. Nina let out a sigh, shook her head, and nced at the caf¨¦. At the thought of what Marie had been up to there and feeling no inclination to go in for coffee, she decided to walk into the adjacent fruit shop instead. Most of the fruits in this shop were genuine imports, and the quality was quite high. Nina intended to pick some to take home and store in the fridge. She chose some that Percy usually liked and some that she herself enjoyed. When she was at the checkout counter, the cashier asked if she wanted these items to be put in a basket. Nina shook her head, indicating that using a bag would suffice. They were not for gifting, so there was no need to make it fancy. The cashier nodded and efficiently packed everything into bags. Nina took the bags of fruits and walked toward the parking lot, nning to wait for Percy in the car. She first ced the bags of fruits in the trunk and was about to send a message to Percy when a car pulled up next to hers. Nina paid it no mind and continued typing her message beside the car. Suddenly, the sound of a car door opening caught her attention, followed by a familiar voice. "It''s you!" Nina was startled for a moment. It was Karen¡¯s voice! She raised her head. Through the light from the parking lot street lights, she could clearly see Karen getting out of the car next to hers. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. "Why are you at the hospital?" Karen did not wait for Nina to speak and immediately questioned her. The tone was so assertive that it gave the impression as if the hospital belonged to her and no one else could enter except her. "I came to buy something," replied Nina. She thought she needed to notify Percy. Otherwise, if the mother and son met now, the situation would definitely be chaotic. Percy was still resentful about Karen pping herst time, so the best way to avoid a confrontation between the mother and son was for them to not meet each other. As long as they did not meet, there would not be a war between them. "You''re buying things at the hospital?" Karen obviously did not believe her words. She nced at the car behind Nina and immediately recognized it as Percy''s car. Even though Nina could possibly drive Percy''s car, Karen was certain that the car was not driven by Nina. "Is Percy at the hospital?" asked Karen. Nina remained silent. "Is he here to trouble Pierre?" Karen, for some reason, immediately thought of this. Nina was rendered speechless. The first thing Karen thought of was that Percy hade to cause trouble for Pierre? Percy was not that kind of person. The Mallory family did not hold Percy back, but there was no real familial bond, and the family pushed him too hard. That was why Percy fell out with them. Even though Pierre had done many wrong things andpeted with him for the Mallory Corporation, in Percy''s eyes, Pierre was still his brother. Therefore, Percy was simply here to visit Pierre, not to cause trouble for him! Although Nina had only known Percy for a few years, she knew what kind of person he was. Karen, the one who gave birth and raised him, had such thoughts about him... Suddenly, Nina wanted to give Percy a hug as she felt sorry for him. Even though he appeared invincible, he also valued family affection. However, his family refused to believe in him, and they even suspected him... With this kind of family, even though they did not hold him back, there was also no real familial bond... Nina realized that even with money, one might not have everything. Percy did not have the familial affection that shecked either. Perhaps the biggest thing they had inmon was this. They bothcked it, and they both sought to provide warmth to each other. Chapter 3129 "Are you not going to say a word?" Karen really wanted to force Nina to admit that Percy was causing trouble for Pierre. However, Nina unexpectedly remained silent. Suddenly, Karen recalled what happened a few days ago. Karen wanted to cause trouble for Nina while Percy was away on a business trip. However, her subordinate informed her that Nina had moved into Luke''s ce. If she wanted to trouble Nina, she had to go to Luke''s ce. She did not do that, or rather, she dared not to. Nina saw the gloomy expression on Karen''s face and she knew she had to be thinking about something. Thus, she replied, "I''m just here to buy some fruits. If you don''t believe me, there''s a bag of fruits in my trunk, and the bag is from the fruit shop near the hospital. Would you like to take a look?" Karen could not be bothered to look. She wanted to p Nina, but they were at a hospital. Even though there were no people around, there were cars nearby. Almost all the cars here were equipped with dash cams. If she acted out, her actions would be captured by several cars. If Nina took the evidence to the police station to file a report or even escte the situation, it would be effortless. Karen was not stupid. At the same time, Anthony reminded her, "Madam, you should go check on Pierre first."Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Karen thought of Percy being upstairs and recalled that Pierre could not get out of bed now. She had no idea how Percy would treat Pierre! Hence, she shot Nina a fierce re before going upstairs. Nina watched her leave and immediately sent a message to Percy. She wanted to inform him that Karen was heading upstairs now. Afterposing the message, she suddenly thought, ''What if Percy wants to stir up trouble for Madam Mallory?'' If she notified him of her arrival, would it not lead to an eruption of conflict? Hence, she changed her wording: [Percy, are you okay? I suddenly have a stomach ache. I''m waiting for you in the car. Hurry back.] After sending it, Nina scorned her own act of lying. However, she did not feel much guilt. She did it for Percy''s sake. Nina reckoned that when Percy received the message, he would definitelye back. Then, he would not run into Karen. That was what she thought, but reality turned out differently. Percy stood in Pierre''s hospital ward and saw that his leg was in a cast. He cast a cold gaze on Pierre. Pierre looked back at him as though he was facing a formidable enemy. There was nothing but anger and hatred on his face. This made Pierre have a strange illusion. He felt that Percy was the one who caused his leg injury. Whether it was true or not, that was how Pierre thought at the moment. Percy was rendered speechless. He tried to talk to Pierre, but Pierre tightly pursed his lips, refusing to communicate. Percy no longer insisted onmunicating with Pierre. After all, he knew what situation Pierre was in now. Thus, Percy did not say anything more. When Percy was about to leave, he received Nina''s message iming that she was not feeling well. He quickly rushed downstairs. As he stepped out of the elevator, he saw Karen. Karen was carrying a bag of fruits. She knew Percy had arrived and initially wanted to go up immediately, but she suddenly remembered what the caretaker had told her earlier. She said Pierre did not enjoy eating fruits now, but the doctor advised him to eat more fruits and supplements which would aid in bone healing. That was why she bought a lot of fruits at the fruit shop. As Karen took the elevator up, she did not expect to encounter Percy at the elevator entrance. Percy saw Karen and was surprised. At the same time, he spected that Nina might not really be feeling unwell. Nina might have encountered Karen too. She did not want the mother and son to meet and trigger a conflict. That was why she said that. "What did you do to your brother?" Karen saw Percy downstairs and was no longer anxious. She did not enter the elevator and questioned him directly. With peopleing and going in the elevator, Percy frowned. Karen had no shame, but Percy still needed to keep his reputation. Many people recognized him. If his photos ended up online, it would probably be a major ethical drama. "Why don¡¯t you go upstairs and check on him?" replied Percy. His tone was sharp, and considering what she had done to Nina before, his attitude toward Karen was not any better. Percy did not even address her as his mother. With his hands in his pockets, he looked utterly cold and indifferent. Karen originally thought he would still address her as his mother. After all, no matter how fierce their quarrels got, she was still his mother. That was an unchangeable fact. However, not only did Percy not call her that, but Karen even felt some hostility in his gaze. She raised her hand, feeling the urge to p Percy. Nevertheless, Anthony immediately stopped her, "Madam, you''re still outside. It''s not good if someone sees." Karen forcibly held back her urge to p him, withdrew her hand, and walked directly into the elevator. As the elevator doors slowly closed, she heard Percy''s warning, "Some people are not to be touched. Even if you and the entire Mallory family won''t acknowledge her, it won''t change the fact that she''s my wife." Karen felt a pain in her body from anger. If the elevator doors had not closed, she would have definitely rushed out to p Percy and then dragged him to the neighboring country to find a priest to see if Nina, that bitch, had put a curse on him! Percy had the capital to be fickle, and he had the capital to choose many women. Why was he so devoted to that bitch, Nina? He even fell out with the family because of her! "Madam, please calm down. Mind your image," Anthony reminded her again. Karen clenched her fists tightly, and her nails were digging into her flesh. The pain in her palms helped her calm down a bit. Yes, was the lesson from this morning not enough? She had to calm down and not let anyone make videos and upload them online again. At the thought of this, Karen adjusted her breathing, looked at the numbers that gradually went up, and said, "Don''t mention what happened downstairs to Pierre." "Yes, Madam.¡± Anthony nodded. Karen pondered for a moment and added, "Don''t bring up the press conference today either." She knew that if Pierre found out about the press conference, he would definitelyin about her. At that time, she thought the press conference was over and the reporters would certainly follow her and Ss'' rification statement, so she brazenly beat up Ss. However, she did not expect someone to secretly record everything outside the wall! Now, the whole inte was using her of being treacherous. She appeared to be a high and mighty nobledy, but in reality, she was extremely malicious. "Got it." Anthony understood what she meant. She was worried he might blurt it out, so he said, "Madam, don¡¯t worry. I won''t go into the hospital ward." "Okay." Karen watched as the elevator reached the floor. When the elevator doors slowly opened, she suppressed her anger and put on the demeanor of an affluent noblewoman again. Her walking posture was professionally trained, looking very elegant. After Percy left the hospital ward, he walked toward the parking lot. However, he did not rush as he did before he met Karen. He leisurely walked over. He saw Nina anxiously pacing in ce from afar. His heart warmed, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his lips. What a silly woman. Chapter 3130 "Honey," Percy walked over and affectionately called out. Nina heard his voice. She lifted her head, let out a sigh of relief, and walked toward him. "Let''s go home." "No." Percy shook his head. "What''s wrong? Do you have something else to do?" Nina had forgotten the lie she told Percy. "Weren''t you feeling unwell? Let me take you to the emergency room." Percy held her hand, pretending to take her to the emergency room. "If your stomach hurts, don''t endure it. Let''s go for a check-up first, and then we can go back." Nina became anxious. She did not expect that she would have to see a doctor after telling a lie. However, since the lie had been told, she could not tell him it was just to avoid him meeting his mother, right? She had to continue the fabrication. "I just ate too much. I''ll go back and deal with it. There''s nothing serious." "Are you sure there''s nothing wrong?" Percy pretended to furrow his brows with concern. He was just worried about her. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. This silly woman must have run into his mother just now, but he was not sure if there was a fight. Still, Nina looked fine now. Percy thought to himself that everything should be fine. "Really, there''s nothing wrong. Let''s go home,¡± replied Nina, pretending to hold her stomach in pain again. "I know my body well enough." "It''s quite far back home. Let''s deal with it here at the hospital first." Knowing she was not really in pain, Percy teased her again. "Oh, I¡¯m concerned about the hygiene here. Let''s go home, let''s go home." Nina pulled his hand toward the car. Percy stopped. He knew that as long as he did not move, Nina would not be able to pull him. "No, let''s go see the doctor. Listen to me." As he said this, he saw how desperately Nina was trying to maintain the lie. A smile could not help but creep onto his face. Nina turned back and saw his smile. She suddenly understood. "You knew I was lying?" "I met my mother at the elevator, so I guessed it." Percy smiled, no longer insisting on going to see the doctor. Instead, he opened the door to the passenger seat and let her in. After Percy got into the car, Nina looked at him puzzledly. "I just didn''t want you to run into her. That¡¯s why I lied. I didn''t expect you to run into her anyway. It''s strange. I thought the timing wouldn''t coincide." Percy exined, "She bought some fruits." Nina suddenly realized. "Oh, I see. She got dyed downstairs... But wasn''t she worried you''d harm Pierre? Why would she still have the time to buy fruits?" "Who knows?" Percy started the car. "But you didn''t have to do that. Even if she got angry, I wouldn''t argue with her in public, so it wouldn''t matter even if I ran into her." "Just because you won''t argue with her doesn''t mean she won''t argue with you,¡± muttered Nina. She saw through things very clearly. "Forget it. We''ve bumped into her anyway. Let''s just go home." "Alright. Yes, Madam." Percy chuckled. Nina always thought of him in everything, even this time. She even fabricated such a lie just because she was worried that he might have a conflict with Karen. With such a wife, what else could he be dissatisfied with? Percy drove Nina home. Meanwhile, in Pierre''s hospital ward, the atmosphere plummeted to absolute zero. Even though Percy came under the guise of concern, Pierre believed he was just being arrogant and domineering. Percy was the winner, whether it was the shareholders'' meeting or the series of events that followed. As for himself, not only did he be the butt of everyone¡¯s joke at the shareholders'' meeting, but he was also kidnapped and had his leg broken. After being rescued, he became disabled... In every aspect, he felt like aplete failure. If it were not impossible for Percy to be associated with that organization, Pierre would have suspected that all his current experiences were rted to Percy. Pierre was already feeling very unhappy. The atmosphere in the hospital ward had been bad all along. As soon as Karen stepped into the hospital ward, the temperature dropped to subzero, casting an icy chill over the atmosphere. Karen approached his bedside and asked with concern, ¡°Pierre, are you okay? Did he do anything to you?" "You ran into Percy?" Pierre knew that the two had already crossed paths when he heard that. Karen nodded and said in an angry tone, "Not only did I run into him, but I also ran into that little bitch, Nina, waiting in the parking lot. When I saw that little bitch, how I wished I could scratch her face! If it weren''t for her, our family wouldn''t have ended up like this." Pierre let out a cold snort. "What has be of the Mallory family now?" Karen immediately burst into tears andined to her son, "Your grandfather has kicked me out. Pierre, you have to get better quickly and help me regain my position. Otherwise, the two of us will never have a chance to rise." "All because of Nina?" Pierre could not be bothered about Nina at the moment. Due to his leg injury, he now dreamed of walking normally again instead of being a cripple. "Of course, it''s all her fault. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have ended up like this." Karen pulled out a tissue and wiped away her tears. She was worried that her tears would ruin her delicate makeup. "You were kicked out of the Mallory family because of your own doing. Even if you don''t tell me anything, I already know what you did at the press conference today. Did you disable that man?" asked Percy. Karen was startled for a moment. She had not intended to reveal this, but Pierre unexpectedly knew about it. She had not told him about the press conference either. She nned to tell him after dealing with it, hoping he would not be angry about what she had done. Pierre always gave her the cold shoulder every time when she came here because of the incident. "You know about it? I didn''t expect things to turn out like that..." "Your situation has already died down. Why would you do something so foolish and bring up this matter again? Do you know how my friends are ridiculing me because of you?" Pierre had the urge to p her across the face. Even though he looked a lot like Daryl, those people kept harping about Karen''s affair. Most likely, they talked about Pierre not being Daryl''s biological son but rather Karen''s child with that guy, Ss. Otherwise, Daryl would not have left the Mallory family and gone abroad. Who would be willing to raise someone else''s son? Only someone cruel enough to abandon their own child. "I-I didn''t mean to. I just wanted to rify the matter. I never thought it would backfire..." Karen''s eyes grew redder. At first, she only wanted to confide in her son about her grievances. When she heard her son use her like this, it made her feel even worse. "Hmph, indeed it backfired. People lead you on, and you fall for it every time. What''s wrong with you? I never realized you were so stupid." Pierre did not see Karen as his mother at all. He questioned her sentence by sentence, piercing her heart. As Karen listened to his words, she felt like her whole being was falling apart. She did all that not only to prove her innocence but also for Pierre''s sake. However, she never expected things to turn out like this. Chapter 3131 Pierre looked at Karen''s pitiful appearance and found himself unable to summon even a whisper of compassion in his heart. If it were in the past, he would definitely feel sorry for her. After all, his mother doted on him, and in return, he would care for her, protect her, and not let anyone bully her. However, he was thoroughly disappointed this time. "Also, I understand you wanted to hit that man out of anger, but how could you let someone record it? Now, the whole inte wants you to prove your innocence by asking Ss toe out and speak. What about him? Did you kill him?" Pierre continued to ask. Pierre had toy on the bed 24/7. He was bored out of his wits. That was why he was particrly interested in these matters. Karen shook her head and sobbed. "He''s not dead." "He''s not dead, but he''s probably barely holding on," Pierre understood his mother very well. Karen nodded. "It wasn''t intentional. I''ve endured it for so long and suffered so much, so I..." How she wished her son woulde forward to uphold justice for her, but she was destined to be disappointed. Pierre looked at her coldly. It sent shivers down her spine. Was this still her most beloved youngest son? "So you hit someone, and when you did, you forgot to have someone keep an eye around," Pierre sneered. "I''ve never seen someone so careless. Now that you''ve crippled someone, you can''t prove your innocence." "No, there was no one else in the house at the time. I don''t know how she managed to record it..." Karen felt a chill running down her spine under Pierre''s gaze. She did not know when she started feeling a chill under Pierre''s gaze. Something was wrong. She was his mother, yet she feared his sinister gaze... "I have no choice now. I can only wait for this matter to fade away," added Karen. She could only remain silent, hoping that more explosive news about other celebrities would overshadow this incident. "Hmph, this is how you deal with things?" A hint of impatience shed across his eyes. "Can I trust you with my leg?" "Of course, you can." Karen looked at his stered leg firmly." Pierre, trust me. I''ll make your leg better, no matter what." Pierre did not believe her, but he could only lie on the sickbed now. He was practically useless. If Percy had wanted to harm him just now, he would have been defenseless. Therefore, Karen was the only one who could help him now. "The doctor said they''ll perform dry needling on my leg in a few days. I don''t want them to do it. I want Luca to do it." Pierre thought of that cold, elegant face. He secretly regretted kidnapping her just for revenge against Luke. He should have taken care of her right from the beginning and made her fullymitted to him so that she would wholeheartedly serve him. Even if things went southter on, he would not be as powerless as he was now. Now, Luca belonged to Luke. Indeed, he had missed out on all the benefits. "I''ll have Lucae treat you," Karen promised without hesitation. "What''s your n?" Pierre looked at her grimly. Since the injury, he looked at everyone with the same gaze. It only grew darker with each passing day. Even in the presence of doctors and nurses, his gaze remained as piercing as ever. It was as though he could devour them alive. "Let me talk to her first. If that doesn''t work, I''ll have to resort to force." Karen clenched her fists. After these two incidents, she knew that confronting Luke head-on would only result in herplete defeat. However, even if she lost, she had to do it. It was for the sake of Pierre and to return to Mallory Manor. When Karen thought about how she needed Mr. Be to inform the old master and get permission from him before she could return to Mallory Manor, she felt stifled. She could only pin all her hopes on Pierre. The premise was that Pierre could not be a cripple, or rather, he had to appear as normal as possible so that the Chambein family might ept him. Once they were allied with the Chambein family, Pierre would have a weapon against Percy and Old Master Mallory would also start to value the two of them again. "I hope you can handle this matter well. Otherwise, I''ll be thoroughly disappointed in you." Pierre did not see any problem with what he was saying. He simply believed that it was only right for Karen to help him in this way. Karen nodded without realizing what Pierre''s words meant for her. She did not think that when Pierre said those words, he no longer regarded her as a mother but merely as a tool. Karen''s mind was preupied with the idea of getting Luca to perform dry needling on Pierre. "Oh right, Pierre, the doctor said you need vitamins. The nurse said you don''t like fruits, which won''t do. I bought some fruits for you. You must have some." The topic of Luca came to an end, and Karen resumed her maternal demeanor as she picked up some fruits. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Look, these grapes and oranges are fresh. You love them," said Karen. "Put them there." Pierre showed little interest in the fruits. At this point, he had lost interest in food, women, and even luxury cars and mansions. After all, if his leg did not heal, he would lose everything. "Would you like me to peel an orange for you?" Karen asked when she noticed hisck of interest. "No need.¡± Pierre still showed little interest. "Would you like to have some grapes, then? I''ll wash them for you," Karen did not realize that her attempt to indulge her son was seen as degrading by Pierre. He had caretakers for such tasks, and it was not her ce to do them. Now, Karen was actually resorting to such measures just to please him. "I''m tired. You can go back now. Make sure to handle Luca''s matter well," said Pierre as he supported himself on the bed, shifting his body slightly before lying down again. Karen secretly let out a sigh, understanding why he was refusing to eat fruits. She arranged the fruits and then covered him with a nket. "Don''t worry, I''ll definitely make sure Luca comes to treat you. Whether she wants to or not, I''ll make here." "Okay," Pierre responded. The only thing that could elicit a calm response from him now was the prospect of Luca treating him. Karen watched him close his eyes. She could not help but feel sad, but she turned and left as she did not want to disturb his rest. After Karen left, another caretaker came in. When she saw that Pierre was resting, she dared not make a sound. She tiptoed to the couch and sat down quietly. The caretaker certainly knew about Pierre''s bad temper. That was why she dared not disturb him at all. The other caretaker could not handle Pierre''s temper and refused to continue despite the high pay. Only she remained because the high pay was too tempting. Chapter 3132 Pierre was about to go to sleep. However, there were some people who just would not let him sleep. His caretaker, Elena, had only just sat down when her cell phone rang. Pierre opened his eyes, feeling irritated. "Are you thinking of quitting this job or what?" Elena shuddered. She instinctively thought it was her phone even though she remembered having put it on silent mode. She took it out and realized it was not her phone that was ringing. "Mr. Pierre, it''s your phone." She quivered as she offered a reminder. Pierre was startled for a moment. Since his ident, he had be the butt of jokes in his circle. Everyone called him Limp Leg Pierre. As a crippled heir of the Mallory family, he was deemed powerless. Hence, people were reluctant to associate with him. Hence, his phone had always been silent. Even when it rang, he thought it was Elena''s phone. Pierre turned over and picked up his phone. His heart skipped a beat when he saw a string of numbers. He had a bad feeling, and fear spread from the depths of his heart throughout his body. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Memories of his kidnapping flooded back, and fear rose within him. Elena noticed that he was hesitating to answer the call. She could not help but curiously ask, "Mr. Pierre, why aren''t you answering the phone?" Pierre came back to his senses. After seeing the string of numbers just now, he realized that he had been living in fear. He red at Elena, knowing he could not escape. Even if Abel could not show up, Pierre still had to face him when he was discharged. Abel was Pierre''s nightmare! Pierre knew it was useless to regret provoking that organization now. He dismissed Elena and said, "I need to take a call. Step out and close the door." "Yes, sir." Elena shivered. She immediately hurried out and closed the door. The person on the other end of the line patiently waited. Pierre took a deep breath and answered the call. "Who''s this?" On the other end of the line came a contemptuousughter. It was thisughter that made every hair on Pierre''s body stand on end and his body involuntarily shudder. He recognized the owner of thisughter. "Mr. Pierre, do you still remember me?" The voice on the other end of the call seemed ethereal and sinister. It was as though it came from hell and wanted to drag Pierre down. Pierre knew that this call was definitely not for anything good, but there was nothing more for him to fear since he was already in such a situation. He took a deep breath, summoning the courage to face this nightmare. "I know it''s you, but this is A City. How dare you call me? Aren''t you afraid of the police here?" "If I was afraid, I wouldn''t have kidnapped you. How''s your leg? I heard it''s not getting any better." The person on the other end of the phone seemed to have been monitoring him all along, easily picking at his most sensitive spot. Pierre wished he could jump up and shoot the man right away. However, he could not. He did not even know the man''s true identity, so how could he urately shoot him? "If you have the guts, don''t hide behind a facade. Stand in front of me openly. Let''s see if the police and the Mallory family can do anything to you." Pierre knew how to threaten people effectively, so he lowered his voice and threatened the man. "You''re just hiding behind all those people. Who do you think you are?" As Abel listened to Pierre¡¯s words on the other end of the line, he could not help but burst intoughter. He really wanted to see what Pierre looked like now. In his deliberately threatening and provoking voice, there was the sound of his teeth gritting. Was he angry? Scared? Perhaps both. "Hahaha, if you had what it takes, I wouldn''t hide. Bute on, Pierre, you know your ce. You really think you can take on your brother? And even if you can, what right do you have to demand I reveal my true self? My true self is only for the big shots," Abel teased Pierre. The people on the Ind of Despair were strong, so he would show his true face to them. Shanks was capable too. That was why Abel used his true face to meet with Shanks. As for Luke... Even though he did not want to admit it, Luke was capable too. Thus, when they first met, he used his true face to meet him. It was just that Luke did not know who he was and what he had done to Bianca. He foolishly thought of him as a colleague... Without realizing it, Abel''s thoughts drifted. That was why he did not notice the heavy breathing on the other end of the phone. "You..." Pierre was almost out of breath with anger from Abel''s words. His pale fingers tightly gripped the phone, which seemed to be deformed from being squeezed. "I''ll never let you go!" "Initially, I kidnapped you for money, but it seemed that the Mallory family wasn''t too keen on paying up. So, I took your leg as payment for your little private investigation into me.¡± Thinking about Luke put Abel in a bad mood, so he decided not to waste any more breath on him. "The reason I''m calling you today is to talk about a partnership," added Abel. "Partner with you? There''s nothing we can team up on!" Pierre replied fiercely. After experiencing a few incidents like this, he would be a fool if he still believed Abel''s words. Abel promised he could get the job done but instead handed him a backup n for T Corporation, which caused him heavy losses. To top it off, Pierre had to bow down in front of Luke. That was his biggest humiliation! Abel said, "No, there is. This cooperation won''t cost you a penny, and I can also fulfill one of your wishes. How about it?" As Pierre listened to him, he suddenly thought of his biggest wish right now. He wanted Luca to treat his leg for him! "Where are you?" Pierre''s heart skipped a beat. He was in the hospital now. That man would not be able to seed even if he wanted to do something to Pierre. "I''m in the hospital now. Yes, it''s the hospital you''re staying at, but I can''te up. Why don¡¯t youe down?" suggested Abel. "Come up. I''ll tell the nurse," replied Pierre. His heart inexplicably began to flutter with excitement. Perhaps Abel could really help him fulfill this wish. "Pierre, I''m not that silly. I might be walking into a trap if I go up. And can you guarantee that there are no people from Luke''s side on that floor?" Abel was not that stupid. Once he exposed himself to Luke''s surveince, he might be discovered. It was not time to close the yet. He did not want to be discovered by Luke. Pierre fell silent. He could not guarantee it either. However, even if he was under Luke''s surveince, there should not be any problems. After all, his leg was still being treated, so nothing could go wrong. That was why he did not care about the surveince, nor did he think about it. Still, Abel''s words made him ponder for a moment. Indeed, if Luke found out that he had met a strange person, he might investigate what they had talked about. If his wish was known by Luke... There was no need for Pierre to think about it. He knew Luke would definitely not let his wishe true. "You''ve hurt me before." Even though Pierre was eager to negotiate a deal with Abel, once bitten, twice shy. Hence, he remained cautious. Chapter 3133 "Don''t worry, I promise I won''t harm you this time. Even if our cooperation fails, I won''t do anything to you," Abel reassured him. "Where are you in the hospital?" Pierre''s heart stirred. He had no choice but to rely on Karen. Deep down, though, he knew Karen was unreliable. Relying on her was worse than relying on the person he was about to cooperate with! "I''m in the hospital cafeteria right now. Not inside but facing the parking lot," said Abel as he nced around at his surroundings. The hospital at night was far less lively than during the day, and the cafeteria had no food at this hour. As such, there were hardly any people around. "Wait for me." Pierre hung up the phone and shouted loudly at the door, "Come in!" The ward was well soundproofed, and Elena had closed the door tightly. That was why she did not hear Pierre''s voice. Pierre frowned and had no choice but to continue yelling loudly, "Come in!" This time, Elena heard it and quickly poked her head in. "Mr. Pierre, did you call me?" "Who else would I call? Are you deaf? Do I have to shout so many times?" Pierre looked displeased. Elena pushed the door open, walked in, and immediately exined, "The soundproofing in the ward is excellent. I couldn''t hear anything..." "Get the wheelchair ready." Pierre was toozy to argue with her. He just wanted to go see Abel now. "Okay." Elena unfolded the wheelchair from the corner and pushed it to the bedside. "Do you need to go to the toilet?" Pierre usually strongly resisted using a wheelchair. He always felt that once he sat in it, he would not be able to get out. Thus, he only used it when he needed to go to the toilet. Otherwise, he strongly resisted. The doctor said he should go out in the wheelchair to get some sun as it would help with bone healing. However, Pierre refused to do so. There was nothing the doctor and nurse could do about it. Therefore, Elena subconsciously thought Pierre needed the wheelchair to go to the toilet. "Who told you I needed to go to the toilet? Help me sit." Pierre red at her. He hated it when Elena made random guesses. Alright." Elena was even more puzzled. If not the toilet, then what? She was strong, so she directly lifted Pierre onto the wheelchair and fastened the seatbelt. She asked, "Mr. Pierre, if you''re not going to the toilet, where are we going?" "I can''t sleep, so you''re pushing me out for a walk,¡± replied Pierre. "Huh?" The nurse was surprised. Walking at night instead of during the day? However, considering that there were not many people around at night and the weather was not too hot, she said, "Okay, are we going to the ground floor?" "To the cafeteria,¡± replied Pierre as Elena pushed him out of the ward. "But there''s no food in the cafeteria now," added Elena. "Can you stop trying to be clever?" Pierre rolled his eyes. His tone sounded ominous. Elena immediately shut her mouth. When the two passed the nurse''s station, the nurse was genuinely shocked. Was this Pierre Mallory? Why was he willing toe out in a wheelchair? T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. The nurse asked, "Visiting hours will end soon. Where are you two heading?" "Oh, Mr. Pierre said he couldn''t sleep. He¡¯d like to go downstairs for some fresh air," Elena replied on behalf of Pierre. Pierre could not be bothered to answer. The nurse caught sight of Pierre¡¯s frosty expression, and she could not be bothered to continue the conversation either. Therefore, she just nodded and said, "Alright, there are a lot of mosquitoes at night. Don''t go to dark ces." After that, she said nothing more. Elena felt cheerful. She liked walking around. However, since Pierre did not like it and she could not leave him alone in the ward, she had to stay with Pierre in the ward. Being able to go downstairs for some fresh air now was good. The elevator arrived at the floor, and Elena carefully pushed Pierre''s wheelchair inside. The elevator doors closed. As the nurse watched them from behind, she could not help but mutter to herself, "He doesn''t go out during the day but goes out at night. It''s strange. And he clearly resisted using the wheelchair before, but now he''s willing to sit in it and go downstairs?" The security guard heard the nurse''s mutters and cheerfully reminded her, "It''s nighttime now. There aren''t as many people downstairs. No one will notice him in the wheelchair." "That''s true. But it''s still strange. Wheelchairs aremon in hospitals. Even if others see him in a wheelchair, it shouldn''t be a big deal, right?" "Who knows?" replied the security guard. "Maybe he''s been in the hospital for so long that he''s epted the wheelchair..." Yeah, maybe..." The security guard nodded, agreeing with the nurse''s words. Pierre and Elena arrived downstairs in the elevator. As soon as the elevator doors opened, Pierremanded, "Head to the cafeteria." "Yes." Elena did not understand why he was so insistent on going to the hospital''s cafeteria. There was nothing interesting there, and it was the darkest area at night. Was he nning to let himself be bitten by the mosquitoes there? Yet, she could not say these things out loud. She just went along with him and pushed him to a spot not far from the cafeteria. Pierre, now ustomed to the darkness, suddenly noticed a tall figure standing in the distance. Elena noticed it as well and wondered why someone was here when there were usually hardly any people around the cafeteria at this time. Were they here to get bitten by mosquitoes too? Knowing that Pierre did not like crowds, she dared not to say anything. However, Pierre told her to stop. Elena halted, feeling puzzled. She asked him, "Mr. Pierre, is this the ce?" "Stay here." Then, Pierre awkwardly controlled the wheelchair to move forward. Elena wanted to follow him, but Pierre''s previousmand made her stop in her tracks. She could only watch him go toward the person over there. Could it be that Pierre wanted to meet that person? That would exin everything. No wonder he insisted on going downstairs in a wheelchair after receiving a call. He was going to meet a friend. Since it was a meeting, why choose to meet in such a dimly lit spot? That was really strange. However, since Pierre did not allow her to follow, she dared not to. She simply turned away to avoid seeing what she should not. Abel''s gaze swept across the distance, catching sight of Pierre as he was wheeled closer by an attendant. After a while, Pierre chose to control the wheelchair himself toe toward him. However, it had to be said that Pierre''s control over the wheelchair was not good. The wheelchair wobbled and twisted. Abel even suspected that if there were any bumps on the road, Pierre might flip over along with the wheelchair. As Abel watched Pierre acting like this, the mocking expression on his face grew stronger. When Pierre finally managed to maneuver the wheelchair ande over, Abel nced at Elena in the distance and joked, "I didn''t expect that after all this time, you still haven''t learned to use a wheelchair. It seems like your family has been protecting you well." "Humph, what kind of deal do you want?" Pierre could sense the mockery in Abel''s voice. He also knew that he was not proficient in maneuvering the wheelchair, but what difference did it make? He would stand up eventually. "I need some money," said Abel. "I''m not a bank, nor am I your ATM.¡± Pierre''s expression darkened. As he thought about the money he was cheated out of and how he ended up with a broken leg because he was reluctant to part with it, he yearned to give Abel a taste of his fists. Chapter 3134 Nevertheless, Pierre clearly realized that there was no way he couldpete with Abel. At least not now. He could not even stand up. If he really got into a fight, he would be the one at a disadvantage, and his leg might end up even worse. "Listen to me. As long as you''re willing to provide me with this money, I''ll fulfill one of your wishes," added Abel. He tasked Hera with investigating some things about Pierre today and unexpectedly found some information. These things were his capital for negotiating cooperation with Pierre. "Any wish?" asked Pierre. "Not exactly. It depends on what you want to do.¡± Abel was not so naive as to promise any wish. Even though he could back out of the agreement, he had already tricked Pierre once. Seeing Pierre as a cripple made him suddenly feel reluctant to trick him again. However, it was not out of pity for Pierre. Abel just felt that this person, though foolishly rich, would not fall for more tricks again. "That won''t do," replied Pierre. If Abel could not help Pierre achieve any wish, then there was no need to discuss money. "Tell me your wish," said Abel with a smirk on his face as he slightly leaned forward. Even in the darkness, he could clearly see Pierre''s fear. Perhaps Pierre did not even realize that his eyes were filled with fear when he was facing Abel at this moment. "Tell me how much money you want first.¡± Pierre looked at him cautiously. "Well, not much. It¡¯s not much for you, at least. Two million dors," answered Abel. Even though two million dors could not make up for the losses he sufferedst time, they could allow him to invest in something else. Two million dors was not much for Pierre. Even if it was 20 million dors, it would still be easy for the Mallory family. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. "Fine. As long as you fulfill my wish, I''ll give you two million dors.¡± There was excitement gleaming in Pierre¡¯s eyes. Abel noticed it. He suddenly wanted to know what Pierre wanted at this moment. "You haven''t told me your wish yet. Only when your wish is spoken can we decide whether to cooperate or not. Also, I''ll raise the price if it¡¯s too difficult to fulfill." Pierre immediately felt dissatisfied. There would be a price hike? Pierre replied, "I need Luca to perform dry needling treatment on my legs. You should know Luca, the woman around Luke Crawford. I want her." Abel was surprised. Pierre actually wanted Luca? For dry needling treatment? However, he instantly remembered that Luca learned dry needling techniques from Shanks, who indeed had skills. If Shanks performed dry needling for Pierre, he could not guarantee a 100% recovery of Pierre''s leg, but he could definitely stand up and walk like a normal person. If Shanks could do it, then Luca could probably manage it too. Still, how did Pierre know that Luca had such skills? "It''s easy for your team to kidnap a woman, and it won''t cost much effort. This transaction is quite advantageous for you," analyzed Pierre. He was afraid that Abel would decline. Abel rolled his eyes. Getting Luca was just a matter of a word. There was no need to kidnap her. Doing this was indeed very easy. However, Abel did not intend to agree. He knew that even if he refused, Pierre would find other ways to bring Luca over for dry needling treatment. As he thought about this, he knew that Luca and Luke would be in trouble in the future. Since there would be a good show to watch, why should he agree? "You''re painting a simple picture, but this is a tangled mess. Luca is in Luke¡¯s pocket. You''re suggesting I take him on? Am I crazy?" Abel thrust Luke into the conversation. Pierre did not expect Abel to be so intimidated. Was he really cowering in the face of Luke Crawford? "Are you afraid of Luke? You didn''t hesitate to steal his bidding document back then. Were you afraid then?" Pierre could not believe it. "I was afraid. Of course, I was. Stealing bidding documents and kidnapping Luca are two different things. Don''t you know how much Luke treasures that woman now? "Feel free to go ahead with your kidnapping ns. Even if you were to offer me five million dors, I wouldn''t even bat an eye," replied Abel. Pierre was disappointed. He originally thought Abel would agree to this deal. He did not expect Abel to be afraid of Luke. "In that case, there''s no need to continue discussing," said Pierre. He was about to maneuver his wheelchair to go back. During this conversation, mosquitoes had already left a few bites on him. He had refrained himself from scratching due to his own dignity. "Wait a minute. I can''t fulfill this wish, but you can do it yourself, right?" Abel blocked his path. Pierre fixed him with a malevolent re. "I can do it myself, but I also thought of giving you a chance to cooperate. But you''re too afraid." Abel let out a cold sneer. "Whether I dare to do it or not isn''t your concern. But if you''re willing to cough up two million dors, I can help you with something." "What?" Pierre did not want to pay attention at first, but he could not help but ask. "Your mother is currently facing difficulties. I can help her," suggested Abel. This was what he learned today. The moment Hera told him about it, he knew he had a way to solve the problem at hand. "You? What can you do? Let me be clear with you too. Right now, her only chance at safety is to expose someone to the public eye. But she''s already left someone crippled. He¡¯s barely clinging to life." Pierre thought to himself that no one could solve this problem for Karen. Even if Abel could, Pierre would not spend two million dors to smooth things over for Karen. Karen caused this trouble herself. Why should he clean up this mess for her? "I can arrange for someone to disguise himself as that man, not only in appearance but also in voice. Tell me, is it worth two million dors for someone skilled in disguise and voice imitation?" Abel presented his solution and added, "I know you look down on your mother now, but no matter what, she''s still your mother whether you admit it or not. ¡°And because of this, she has lost Old Master Mallory''s trust. If this matter isn''t resolved, the day she returns to Mallory Manor will be indefinitely postponed. With your mother unable to support you, even if your leg recovers, you''ll still be fighting alone. "Do you think Old Master Mallory will stand on your side without your mother''s help?" Pierre pursed his lips. The answer was obvious¡ªhe would not. If Karen was not there to speak for him in front of Old Master Mallory, he might never be forgiven. Therefore, Karen returning to Mallory Manor would be beneficial for him. Abel noticed Pierre¡¯s silence and continued, "At this moment, what matters most for you isn''t the recovery of your leg but ensuring your mother sessfully resolves this issue. "Once the old master believes she''s back on track, only then can you have smoother days ahead and compete on equal footing with your brother. "Dropping two million dors might not even be enough to secure you the right talent. If you don''t bring out someone who looks like Ss Gray as soon as possible, by the time he recovers and steps forward, no one will believe it," added Abel. Chapter 3135 Abel had his own way of enchanting people''s hearts. Now, Pierre was already considering what he said. Indeed, as long as Karen was fine, he could still contend with Percy when his leg was healed. The Mallory family could not entirely fall into the hands of Percy. "Alright, I agree. As long as you arrange for someone to deal with my mother''s affairs, I''ll give you two million dors," Pierre agreed. He felt that such a deal was fair. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. "Good, it''s a deal." Abel let out a light chuckle. He took out his phone and said, "But this matter requires a deposit. You only have to give me one million dors, and I can arrange it for you tonight." "You want a million dors without doing anything?" Pierre frowned. "I''m a businessman. When you said I ripped you off before, it wasn''t really me ripping you off. It was Luke scheming against you. I was just as deceived as you were, so why did you suddenly make me out to be the scammer? "I pride myself on being a person of integrity. You have the choice to trust me. In business, it''s all about mutual trust if we want to have a longsting partnership," enticed Abel. He did not intend to deceive Pierre this time. As Pierre listened to him, he wondered if there would be many more opportunities for future coboration. If Abel could cooperate with him, it would be much easier for him to obtain Mallory Corporation. Even though he had not thoroughly investigated Abel''s identity and the background of his organization, he knew that Abel''s power was formidable. With such assistance, he would definitely surpass Percy. "Alright, I''ll transfer it to you. Give me your bank ount number." Pierre took out his phone. Abel provided his ount number, and Pierre transferred the money without hesitation. In a moment, one million dors was added to Abel''s ount. Abel was very satisfied with Pierre''s promptness. Hence, he said, "Give your mother a callter. My people will contact her. As long as she follows my instructions, I guarantee that after tonight, no one will question her ties to Ss." Abel finished speaking and turned around to leave from the other side. Pierre watched his departing figure from behind. It was dark now, and he could barely make out Abel''s silhouette before it disappeared entirely. He had not even seen Abel''s face clearly, nor did he know if Abel had undergone any disguise. On the contrary, he knew that Abel had noticed how disheveled he was. Elena watched from afar. When she saw the man leave, she narrowed her eyes. She saw Pierre struggling to maneuver the wheelchair, so she hurried over to help. "Go away." Pierre finally managed to turn the wheelchair around, only to see Elena approaching. His expression darkened. Elena took a few steps backward. She felt that the distance was not enough and continued to retreat several steps. Pierre grimly picked up his phone, opened his contacts, and found Karen''s number. The money had been given. He needed Karen''s cooperation now. Elena watched him from a distance, surrounded by darkness. The light from the phone illuminated Pierre''s face, casting a sinister shadow. It was quite frightening. With so much on his mind now, Pierre dialed Karen''s number. After a while, Karen answered the call. "Pierre, why are you calling me at this hour? Are you feeling unwell?" "Listen to me first." Pierre did not even address her as mother and went straight to the point. "My friend can help you with your matter. He''ll contact you shortly, and you only need to follow his instructions." "What friend?" Karen was puzzled. Did Pierre still have friends now? Did his sketchy buddies even have the capability to handle his affairs? Besides, after his ident, none of those people had visited him. What help could such friends offer? Karen was worried Pierre was being deceived. "Did that person tell you how to solve the matter, Pierre? There are many bad people nowadays. Be careful not to get tricked." "Do you think I''m a three-year-old?" Listening to her words, Pierre felt annoyed even though she seemed concerned. He was no longer a child, and he had his own judgment. Why was she worried he would be deceived? When Karen said that, he remembered the losses he suffered when he dealt with Abel back then. "No, I''m just worried about you. How can this matter be resolved? I was nning to wait until things calmed down." Karen let out a sigh. She knew this matter was difficult to resolve. She also knew that after Old Master Mallory saw the reports online, he would definitely want to have a talk with her. At the thought of this, Karen felt it was foolish to think she could return to Mallory Manor. "In any case, this matter needs to be resolved. Don''t mess it up this time, or no one will be able to help you." Pierre could not be bothered tomunicate further with her. Karen used to help Old Master Mallory manage thepany before, so she had some experience. However, when it came to disguises and such, she would not believe it even if Pierre told her. Pierre did not n to exin in detail to Karen. As long as Abel helped and Karen saw it with her own eyes, she would eventually believe it. "Okay, but what conditions does your friend want?" Karen felt that even if there was someone who could help her with her affairs, there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world. "I''ll tell you after it¡¯s settled." Pierre hung up the phone. The mosquitoes around were unbearable, and he wanted to return to the ward now. "You,e here," Pierre called out to Elena. Elena shuddered for a moment. Remembering how he had just brushed her off, she could not help but tremble in fear. "Yes?" "Back to the ward," instructed Pierre. Elena only dared to walk over and push Pierre back to the ward when she heard that. After receiving Pierre''s call, Karen waited in the living room for the phone call from the friend Pierre mentioned. However, the person did not contact her immediately. Karen waited for almost an hour, thinking that perhaps that person was just messing with Pierre and would not contact her at all. She thought about contacting Pierre again to see what was going on, but thinking that he should be resting by now, calling him would disturb his rest. She picked up her phone but then put it down again. As soon as she put it down, the phone rang. Karen saw it was an unfamiliar local number and immediately answered it. "Hello." Her voice trembled involuntarily. "Is this Ms. Karen?" A man''s voice came from the other end of the line. Karen frowned. Why did this voice sound so much like Ss¡¯? However, she knew Ss could not possibly call her now, and he would not say such things. She asked tentatively, "Are you Pierre''s friend?" "I''m not his friend. I''m just here to help solve the problem. Ms. Karen, I need to observe Ss up close to help you resolve the issue." "Up close?" Karen''s heart immediately grew suspicious. Today''s news in New Youth Daily had made her wary of everyone. Karen had been thinking about it all day. She even suspected that there might be a mole around her. Otherwise, how could things go so wrong? Hence, she was worried that the person was using Pierre''s name to get close to her and leak firsthand information to the public. Chapter 3136 The man on the other end of the line sensed the hesitation in her tone. He then spoke in his normal voice, no longer sounding like Ss. "I''ve sessfully mimicked Ss'' voice and tone from the previous interview videos. Now, the only thing left is the appearance. "To solve this problem, we need to introduce a fake Ss to rify things for you. What I''m doing now is imitating Ss''s appearance." "Imitate?" Karen was shocked! She knew some people could imitate voices very well. They could even sing like famous singers. However, she had not heard of anyone being able to mimic appearances... Even with makeup skills, how close could others get before they discovered something was off? Those reporters were not stupid. How could they fall for it? "I can only help you to settle it today. If you don''t trust me, then there''s nothing I can do. Find someone else." The person on the phone sounded impatient. "Wait!" Karen realized that he was a capable person, unlike no one else she had encountered. Although she was curious how Pierre got in touch with such a person, getting her problem solved was what mattered the most now. "I''ll take you there right away. I''ll give you the address," said Karen. "Okay. Text me,¡± replied the man. Then, he hung up. Karen wasted no time. Sheposed the message, sent it, and then thought about informing someone to drive her. However, considering her recent suspicions, she hesitated and decided to drive herself. The hospital was crowded and noisy. After Karen gave Ss a beating, she called a doctor to treat his wounds. Instead of taking him to the hospital, she arranged for him to recover in a separate location. She drove straight to Mallory Estate. There was already a parked car at the entrance of Mallory Estate. Karen cautiously looked around her. She got out of the car when there was no one around. As soon as she got out, the door of the parked car opened as well. Karen saw a man. She examined him carefully under the streetlight. He did not resemble Ss at all, not even remotely rted. Even if he wore makeup, could he look like Ss? "Open the door. I just need to take a look at the person. Also, notify the reporters." The man''s tone remained impatient. Even though he had received payment, working for such a person involved no technical difficulty at all. "Ah, okay." Karen had seen countless people in the business world, but there were few with such an imposing presence like this man. It was mainly because he did not seem to be someone of importance yet dared to disy such arrogance in front of her... Previously, people always acted ording to her wishes. Now, having toply with someone else''s, Karen felt ufortable. Even so, she did as instructed and opened the door for him. The man walked a few steps, then stopped. He turned and looked at Karen, who was standing at the door. "If you don''t show me the way, how can I find him?" Karen really wanted to speak to him with a cold attitude and tell him to just go inside. Still, in the end, she dared not to do so. If he was really capable, she could not afford to offend him. Her problem still needed to be solved... "He''s inside. I''ll lead the way." Karen closed the door behind her and quickly walked up to the man, guiding him. She led him to the bedroom where Ss was being held. Ss was still being guarded by two men, Jeff and Windsor. When they saw Karen bring along a stranger, they were surprised. "Madam, it''ste. Why are you here?" Karen ignored them and pushed open the bedroom door. Jeff and Windsor rubbed their noses when she did not respond. They dared not to approach her and instead remained at the door. "Here." Karen turned around and pointed in a direction for the man behind her. The man walked to the bedside, nced at the man wrapped in bandages and ster. While waiting for Karen earlier, he had specifically searched the inte for this incident. He also listened to the recording. Ss got beaten so badly. No wonder he screamed so painfully. The man nced at Ss'' face and let out a faint hum. "It''s a good thing you didn''t hit his face, or else I wouldn''t have been able to help you." "Right..." Karen realized her fawning words were about to slip out and immediately stopped herself. "How will you help me?" "With a disguise," replied the man as he ced the suitcase he was carrying on a chair. Only now did Karen notice the suitcase he was carrying. Throughout the journey, her attention had been solely on his face. She even wondered how someone who looked nothing like Ss could possibly solve such a problem. On the bed, Ss watched as Karen brought in a man and could not help but feel a shock. Did she bring someone to get rid of him? He did not know what was happening online. Thus, when the man''s hand touched his face, Ss could not help but tremble in fear. He was afraid that that hand wouldnd on his neck the next second. However, the man did not do that. After briefly touching Ss'' facial contours, he said to Karen, "I need half an hour. You''re not allowed toe in during this time. You can contact the reporters. I''ll definitely solve this problem for you." "Really?" Karen could not believe it. Could it really be solved in half an hour? "You can choose not to trust me," replied the man. He picked up his toolbox, ready to leave. "I trust you!" said Karen. She immediately retreated outside. The man closed the door expressionlessly. Outside the door, Jeff and Windsor looked at each other and could not help but ask Karen, "Madam, who is he? Why is he acting so arrogantly?" "You wouldn''t understand. Tidy up downstairs. I''ll have two reporterse overter." Karen did not know how to answer, so she simply did not. In the bedroom, Ss watched as the man approached and asked with difficulty, "Are you here to kill me?" His voice was very weak due to the pain. "I don''t kill anyone," replied the man with a cold voice. He sat down, nced at Ss, set up the mirror, then took out his tools and began working. Ss widened his eyes, trying to figure out the situation. Was this man doing makeup in front of the mirror? Still, why would he do makeup here? Ss could not understand. He wanted to ask, but he did not have the strength to speak, so he had to give up. Half an hourter, Ss looked at the man and trembled uncontrobly. This man did not just do his makeup but also changed his appearance. Now, it was as though Ss was looking at himself in the mirror... This man had transformed into Ss himself. Was makeup artistry really this magical? Ss could notprehend it. His body trembled involuntarily. It was too scary! Someone with such skills was too scary! "How is it? Do I look like you?" the man suddenly asked. Ss'' eyes widened even further. The man''s voice and tone were exactly like his own! Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. He was dumbfounded for a moment. The man''s current appearance was beyond his expectations. "Why... did you learn to imitate me?" "To help that woman outside solve her problem," the man continued to speak in Ss'' voice. "She asked you to imitate me and get rid of me?" Ss bit his lip, struggling to say those words. Chapter 3137 The man remained silent, yet Ss felt an unprecedented sense of despair. It had to be the case. With someone ready to rece him at any moment, he was done for. Karen did not leave him any choice... The man pushed open the door. Jeff and Windsor, who were guarding outside, saw another Ss standing there and walking out. They could not help but widen their eyes in astonishment. "Wasn''t he half-dead just now? How can he suddenly walk?" They did not consider other possibilities. They thought Ss had recovered. The doctor they summoned had also said that Ss'' injuries were severe. He needed at least two months of rest. It had not been that long. How could the man who just went in make Ss, who was barely alive, stand up? "No, it''s not the same person! Look, their clothes are different!" Windsor noticed that the person in front of them was wearing the exact same clothes as the man who entered earlier. "What..." Jeff pinched his thigh, doubting if he was dreaming and seeing things wrong. The pain in his thigh confirmed it. Everything was real. The man spoke up, "Has the reporters arrived?" "Madam Mallory just went to pick up the reporters. They should be here soon," replied Windsor. The man sounded like Ss too. Windsor could not help but peer into the room with curiosity. When he saw Ss still lying on the bed, he was certain that the person in front of him was not Ss but someone who looked exactly like him. He was stunned! Was this man using disguise techniques? Were there people in this world who could do that? He had thought it only happened on TV! "Ss is in shock. After everything is settled, inform the doctor toe over," said the man. Ss had seen him transforming and how he gradually looked like Ss himself, which scared him. Ss kept muttering, asking for mercy. Karen must have found someone to rece him and kill him. The man did not bother exining much. After all, he had been paid for this job, and he only intended to disguise himself once. Hence, there was no way Karen would kill Ss. At most, Karen would not care about Ss anymore. "Yes, sir." Windsor walked into the bedroom and nced at the person on the bed. Ss was trembling under the covers, his head hidden. Windsor pulled away the covers. Ss saw him and trembled even more violently, mumbling, "Don''t kill me, please. I won''t tell, I won''t say anything." "He''s really been scared out of his wits," muttered Windsor as he recalled how puzzled Ss was when he opened the door earlier. The imitation was so lifelike. He suddenly understood why Ss reacted this way. "No one''s going to kill you. Stay put until everything is over, then you''ll be safe." Then, Windsor picked up a cloth and stuffed it into Ss''s mouth. Karen brought a man whoter disguised himself as Ss and also asked to invite a few reporters over. Thinking of this, Windsor immediately pieced it together. That was why he directly stuffed a cloth into Ss'' mouth, preventing him from making any noiseter on. At this moment, Karen also arrived upstairs and was surprised to see a living Ss standing at the door. However, her reaction was better than her two subordinates. She immediately noticed the clothes he was wearing. Thus, she instructed her subordinates, "Keep an eye on things here. Make sure nothing goes wrong." "Yes, Madam." Jeff nodded. Karen waspletely impressed by the person Pierre had brought in. With such exceptional disguise skills, even without Ss, there would not be any issues in the future. An idea popped into her mind. Still, it was not the time for such actions. She respectfully said to the man, "The reporters are downstairs." "Okay. From now on, I''m Ss. Treat me the same way you did during the day," said the man as he pointed at the person inside the bedroom. Ss listened to their conversation from inside. Waves of despair filled him as he listened to every word. He was going to die... He was really going to die now. Karen headed downstairs first. Two reporters from two media outlets came, only because she had given them benefits beforehand. That was why the reporters did not mind working overtime. When Karen came downstairs again, just as they were about to ask their questions, they caught sight of Ss. Their mouths dropped open in disbelief, and their faces showed their utter astonishment. The daytime reports had caused quite a stir. Even these reporters present believed in those reports, thinking that Karen had called them over tonight to issue a rification statement. However, that rification statement definitely would not have much convincing evidence. They even thought Ss would not show up. However, he was in front of them now... Not only did he appear, but he also seemed perfectly fine. He did not appear to have been beaten up. "Mr. Gray?" a reporter tentatively asked. "Yes, I''m here to rify something. The reports circting online during the day are all false. My presence here now serves as the strongest evidence to debunk those ims,¡± said ''Ss''. The reporters still refused to believe it and directly asked, "What about the recording in the report?" "The recording? Are you referring to those painful screams? Firstly, that voice isn''t mine. Secondly, while the sound is real, it''s actually from a movie. After the press conference, I was sitting here..." He pointed at the couch and continued, "...and watching a movie." "Watching a movie?" The reporters did not believe it. "Why were you sitting in Mallory Estate and enjoying a movie, given that you don''t have a good rtionship with Madam Mallory?¡± "It was because I threatened Madam Mallory. I told her that if she didn''t provide me with amodation, I wouldn''t help rify. I admit I was wrong in this matter and have realized my mistake. "But I didn''t expect that watching a movie would lead to such a big misunderstanding. That¡¯s why I''m here in front of all of you to set the record straight. Let''s put this matter to rest," exined ''Ss''. At the same time, he did not shy away when he was facing the cameras, allowing them to take photos. He had confidence in his disguise skills. As Karen listened to his exnation, she felt slightly dissatisfied. However, it was not the time to speak up now. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Even though she was dissatisfied with his exnation, she could not deny that the matter was resolved. The reporters asked two more questions, and ''Ss'' answered them all. He took all the me upon himself while clearing Karen''s name. After the matter was resolved and the reporters left, the man removed his disguise and prepared to leave. Karen sat in the living room, waiting for him. When she saw himing downstairs, she asked, "Why didn''t you say that the recording released by the reporter was fake?" "Why do you still want to go against Luke after thest two incidents?" The man looked at her. There was a hint of mockery in his eyes. Karen was stunned for a moment. She did not want to go against Luke, but she also felt unhappy. Luke had set up so many traps for her. If it were not for Pierre, this matter would not have been resolved easily. Now that it was resolved, she could not get back at him, and it left her feeling really frustrated. "Honestly, you don''t have the strength to go against Luke. If you did things ording to your n, when the reporters asked me what movie I watched, do you think there''d be a movie with the same sound frequency as Ss'' screams?" questioned the man. Chapter 3138 The reason he gave to the reporters actually had loopholes. Still, whatever reason one chose, there would always be loopholes. Hence, he opted for this one. This way, he could provide an exnation without offending Luke. Karen naturally knew there would not be an audio with the same frequency. After all, that was the sound of Ss being beaten up. How could that possibly be found in a movie? Therefore, when the man exined it to the reporters, he was actually avoiding offending Luke. Karen initially thought that since there was someone so simr to Ss, he should teach the reporter of New Youth Daily a lesson. However, this man straightforwardly told her that she did not have the ability to contend with Luke. She felt humiliated. The man rose to her feet and said, "The mission is over. As for the person in the bedroom, you''d better get a doctor to check on him. If he dies, you''ll be in trouble." Karen retorted, "Trouble? Well, if he dies, it''s just as well. It''ll save me some trouble." The man looked at her. Karen added, "What else do I need this man for with you helping me now? I truly hope he dies sooner." After these lessons, she became cautious. She dared not to say she wanted to kill Ss, but she expressed her hatred toward him. The man frowned and reminded her, "I helped you because I was paid." Karen nodded. She knew there was no such thing as a free lunch. Even though Pierre said he was a friend, someone with such skills would not help others for free. There had to be payment involved. "I know. Whatever amount it is, I''ll pay you when I need you in the future. Juste over," said Karen as she disyed her nonchnce about money. She even thought that after this incident, most of the issues rted to Ss would be resolved. Even if the man''s price was exorbitant, she would not have to spend much. "I only take this kind of job once. I won¡¯t ept it no matter how much you offer in the future. So you''d better keep that man safe instead ofing up with ways to ruin him," replied the man. Even though he was working for Abel, he was being paid. He was not naturally skilled in disguise. He learned it from a master. His master had told him that their skills were just a means of survival, a way to ensure their own livelihood. Nevertheless, due to the nature of their profession, they had to remain low-key in their dealings. Moreover, they were always borrowing the faces of others. When using the disguise technique, they could not hope to inherit the other person''s life. They were merely borrowing it and had to ensure the safety of the borrowed person''s life. Therefore, Ss had no connection with him. However, since he had borrowed Ss'' identity this time to earn some money, he had to ensure Ss'' survival. That was his obligation. "Not even for money?" Karen suddenly understood. He was not Pierre¡¯s friend. It was merely a business deal. "You''ll still need him in the future. You dered at the press conference that you would pursue his legal responsibility today. There''ll be furtherwsuits and such, so you should know what to do." Then, the man left right away. Karen watched the man leave from behind. She was dumbfounded for a moment. The gist of what this man said was for her to leave Ss alone. "What the hell?! Who does he think he is!" Karen grumbled angrily. She grabbed a cup from the coffee table and hurled it against the wall with a loud crash. Jeff descended from upstairs and saw her in a rage. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Madam, it''s urgent. We need to get a doctor for Ss right away!" "What''s wrong with him now?" Karen rolled her eyes. "Ss seems to have been badly frightened. He''s having convulsions now. It¡¯s unusual. I''m afraid he won''t make it through the night if we don¡¯t get a doctor," exined Jeff. "What a nuisance. Let him die," replied Karen. Yet, she still picked up her phone to call the doctor. The doctor she found for Ss was from the ck market. He had average medical skills, but he was top-notch when it came to getting things done for money. At least he would not tell anyone about Ss¡¯ situation. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. After briefing the doctor on the situation, Karen instructed Jeff, "The doctor will arrive shortly. Go upstairs and watch him. Don''t let him faint, or we''ll have to take him to the hospital." If they had to take him to the hospital, it would be disastrous. It might expose everything they had nned for today''s performance. "Understood," Jeff replied with a troubled expression. They could not let Ss faint? He was not a doctor. He could not possibly be that skilled... However, it was Karen''s order, so he had toply. He made his way upstairs with a bitter look on his face. Ss was still trembling. Fortunately, after the ck-market doctor arrived and administered a sedative injection, his condition gradually improved. "He was just frightened. What''s the point of scaring him when he''s already like this? He''s a patient now. He needs rest. If you don''t want to take him to the hospital, you need to take good care of him. "Otherwise, who knows if he''ll die from fright?" the doctor said to Jeff and Windsor. Jeff and Windsor wore pained expressions. They did not want to scare Ss to death, and this matter had nothing to do with them. Was it not that man who could disguise himself who scared Ss? However, they did not expect Ss to be so easily frightened. He thought he was going to die just because a man disguised himself to look like him... Did he really think that they were part of the underworld? Would they really dare to kill anyone like that? There was no way they could do that! "Yes, understood," replied Jeff and Windsor. They dared not to mention what had just happened. After the doctor left, he saw Karen sitting on the couch and said to her, "He''s calmed down now, but earlier, he was all worked up from fear and started babbling nonsense. He even had a bout of low blood pressure. "If he keeps getting scared, he might faint. It''s best not to rile him up during this time. But like I said before, it''ll be best to get him to a hospital for proper treatment. Otherwise, if something unexpected happens, it won''t be good." Now employed by Karen, the doctor woulde daily to treat Ss. However, he could not stay here permanently. If there were any emergencies and treatment was dyed, it could be fatal. "Can you just stay here?¡± Karen disregarded the doctor''s suggestion. If Ss was not on the verge of death, she would not have hired this doctor. "Madam, I have my own clinic... I have plenty of patients to attend to every day." The doctor shook his head. Karen did not waste time with him. "Name your price." "It''s not about the money..." exined the doctor. "I have regr clients, including those from the underworld. If I close my clinic for even a short period, I might lose a lot of businesster." "You mentioned that this week is a critical period for Ss, right?" asked Karen. ¡°Yes, if he''s taken to the hospital, he might only be in critical condition for a day or two. After all, the medical facilities around here are quite poor..." replied the doctor. There was not much medical equipment avable here, which made the treatment difficult. Chapter 3139 "Then you should just stay here for a week. Name your price," said Karen. "But..." The doctor was slightly tempted. A week was not very long, after all. Plus, he had an assistant at the clinic to help, so there should not be any major problems. After all, things were rtively peaceful in A City these days. Usually, it was just some people from various organizations getting into fights. At most, they just ended up getting shed a bit. These injuries were not troublesome. If there were any life-threatening injuries, they would go to the hospital rather than his ck market clinic. Therefore, being away for a week was really no problem, and he could even make money. "How much? If you''re not willing, I can find someone else," added Karen. There was more than just this one ck market clinic in A City. "5,000 dors a day," replied the doctor. Five thousand dors was a lot for an ordinary person. If they went to the hospital, they would not even spend that much on treatment in a day. However, he knew that amount of money hardly counted as anything for Karen. Thus, he added, "That''s just my personal fee. As for medications and such, they''ll still be charged ording to my clinic''s rates." Karen could not be bothered to haggle with him. Even though she was very unhappy about what happened tonight, no matter how dissatisfied she was, it was all over. No one would keep harping on this matter. Hence, she handed over the money readily, writing a check for the doctor. "Here''s 35 grand. We''ll settle the medication expenses after the week. You''ll stay here from today onward, and you can choose any bedroom you like. Your main job is to look after him. Whatever you need, my subordinates will get it for you. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. "There are two men here whom you can boss around, but no matter what, someone must always stay here to keep an eye on him. Any issues with that?" asked Karen. The doctor''s eyes lit up as he looked at the check for 35 grand. Most of the time, business at his clinic was just average. After all those expenses, he could not even earn 35 grand in a month. Now he could earn 35 grand in a week. He suddenly felt like he had priced himself too low. Judging from Karen''s personality and the condition of the man upstairs, he could have charged ten grand a day. However, the words were already out of his mouth, and he could not take them back. Therefore, he nodded repeatedly and answered, "Alright, no problem." As Karen saw the eager look on the doctor''s face when he saw the check, she could not help but feel annoyed. It reminded her of the man who refused to take money earlier. If only that man had agreed... Karen left the Mallory Estate, nning to head home to get some rest. At the same time, she pondered in her mind, determined to ask Pierre the next day who that man was. How did hee across someone with such skills? The following day, Luca opened her eyes and nced beside her. Luke was already awake. She was slightly taken aback. Normally, he would work in the opposite bedroom after waking up. Today, he was leaning against the headboard, looking at something. Still, when they went to bed yesterday, Luke did not bring hisptop in here. Luca raised her head slightly and met his eyes. "Did I wake you up?" Luke''s hand gently caressed Luca''s cheek. "No, I was already awake. What are you looking at?" Luca noticed Luke was holding his phone, looking at something. "It''s still early. You can sleep a little longer. I''ll tell you when it''s time to get up," replied Luke. Normally at this time, Luca would still be asleep while he would have already gone to work in the adjacent room. Today, however, he had not gotten up to go to the next room to work because he just saw a news report. "What time is it now?" Luca asked with her eyes slightly closed. "It''s 6:15 am." Luke nced at his phone. His hand never stopped its gentle caress on her face. "Ah, it''s still early, but I can''t sleep anymore. I''ll just get up," said Luca as she sat up. She did not get out of bed and just leaned against Luke''s shoulder. "What are you looking at?" "A joke," replied Luke as he handed her the phone. Luca took it from him and quickly browsed through the current webpage. Then, she looked at the photo and frowned "Is this Ss? Didn''t they say Karen beat him up? Why does he look so fine... This can''t be him, right?" She really thought it was Ss at first nce. However, when she took a closer look, she noticed something was off. That was not Ss Gray. "No, it''s not him. Ss is currently lying in bed half-dead. There''s no way he was the one taking the interviews," replied Luke. He was surprised when he saw this news report. He was not surprised to see another Ss showing up. He was surprised that Karen actually knew someone like this. "The disguise is really convincing. He looks exactly like Ss. I''ve dealt with him before, so I can tell it''s not him at a nce. There are still some traces of disguise, but ordinary people definitely wouldn''t notice that," said Luca. Then, she also revealed the unexpected details to Luke. "But, how does Madam Mallory know someone like him?¡± "Maybe it''s not her contact but Pierre''s.¡± Luke thought of this possibility. Luca was startled for a moment. Indeed, Pierre... "Let''s just let this matter pass. Luke, we need to focus on dealing with the Ind of Despair now. We shouldn''t get involved in the Mallory family''s affairs," said Luca. She felt that Luke had already vented her anger for her, so there was no need to continue holding onto this matter. The people they needed to deal with were not from the Mallory family. Whether it was Pierre or Karen, they did not pose a threat to them. Their biggest enemy was the Ind of Despair and Abel... Luke nodded. Since Karen had resolved this matter, he did not intend to continue holding onto it. Even if he could, there was no point in doing so. However, he still had his concerns. "Pierre worked together with Abel before, so I think Abel had something to do with this," analyzed Luke. Luca knew more about Abel, so she should have a clearer understanding of some things. "So, you''re saying Abel hooked Pierre up with this guy?" Luca understood what he meant. "Perhaps." Luke looked at her and asked, "Do you remember anything?" "I don''t know. There are many talents around Abel, and I might not know every member of the Ind of Despair. I might not recognize this person, and besides, I don''t think he necessarily belongs to the Ind of Despair..." Luca shared her thoughts. "With that kind of skill, they''re well-respected anywhere. They''re not necessarily serving the Ind of Despair. So even if they''re Abel''s crew, they could be recruits he picked up, but they might not necessarily know about the Ind of Despair. "If you want to get to the bottom of this, you''ll have to get Gale and the others to investigate," Luca analyzed with him. "Abel has been up to a lottely, and we''re unaware of his activities. I suspect he''s about to take action..." Luca recalled the series of events in X City. Jacob and Gerald were all off-the-books members of the Ind of Despair. Chapter 3140 There was no such thing as off-the-book members of the Ind of Despair before this. That was why Luca did not know about them either. During the time she was away from the Ind of Despair, she wondered how much Abel had actually done. However, the more he did, the more it showed he was bing restless... At the very least, it proved he had intentions. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. However, Luca was not sure about whether this matter had anything to do with Luke. She just felt very passive now, not knowing what Abel was up to or whether it had anything to do with Luke. Therefore, they could only passively observe what he was doing and then analyze his actions. "Don''t think too much. If he really takes action, we''ll know." Luke knew what she was worried about. Worrying now was useless. After all, Abel was in the shadows while they were in the light. "If you''re free today, could you apany me to visit Marcos'' mother?" asked Luke. He was entrusted by Marcos to check on Sarah''s recent condition. Even though Marcos was still in A City, he could not meet Sarah often to avoid any risks of her being discovered by the Russians. Thus, even though he longed to see her, he could not. "Sure, let''s go after work this afternoon. Is Mr. Marcos still in A City?" asked Luca. She had not heard Luke mention Marcos leaving, so she assumed he was still in A City. "Yeah, he''s still here. He has to wait until Matysh''s matter is over before he can return to Russia," Luke said. Even though Marcos did not care much, Matysh¡¯s issue still required his attention. Handling it in a different country was quite troublesome for him. However, his Russian family refused to listen to his exnations. They wanted him to stay here and resolve Matysh¡¯s issue. Yet, Matysh refused to trust him, so it had to be Ethan who handled the matter. Marcos was quite content to sit back and watch the show. "It''ll be over soon. But I''ve always been curious. Ms. Por is just Marcos'' mother. She¡¯s just a woman. Why can''t the Russians tolerate her? Is it just because of bloodline?" Luca always found this reason absurd. It was because the family thought Sarah''s bloodline was not worthy of their lineage and felt ashamed of it... Still, it did not make sense. If they considered Sarah''s bloodline shameful, why did they entrust Marcos to manage Matysh? Moreover, Sarah had not taken anything from the Abaza family. There was absolutely no need to keep tracing the whereabouts of a woman. "Their family matters are quiteplicated." Luke only said this much. "I''ll pick you up when you get off work, then we''ll visit her and have dinner together." He did not forget that he still had to attend the dinner hosted by Percy and Nina tonight. "Okay." Luca nodded, suddenly realizing that Luke knew some things about Marcos'' family. She looked up at his chin, stroked the stubble that had emerged, and asked, "You should know some things, right?" "Hmm?" Luke pretended to be confused. "Marcos'' family must have more than just bloodline issues if they''re going to such great lengths to hunt down Ms. Por. You must know something about it," said Luca. Luke chuckled. Luca was smart. She could immediately catch on to the inconsistency in his words. "Indeed, but Ms. Por is truly pitiful. Even after acknowledging Mr. Marcos, she still has to hide.¡± Luca let out a sigh, then looked at Luke. "Let''s get up. It¡¯s not early anymore." "Okay." Luke nodded. He was supposed to get up to deal with work anyway, but he got dyed by reading Karen''s report. The editor-in-chief of New Youth Daily was quite responsible. Within ten minutes of the report being released, they had a response ready and shared the report link with him. However, they did not call him to avoid disturbing him. Luke sent a message to the editor-in-chief of New Youth Daily, indicating there was no need to worry. Then, he got up to freshen up. Karen woke up and realized it was already past six in the morning. She yawned, but sleep was far from her mind. By now, the report fromst night should have been on the inte. Karen opened the webpage and took a nce. As expected, the reporters did their job quickly. They had already reported on the matter. She skimmed through it. The content was fine. Basically, whatever she said was how the reporters reported it. There was no exaggeration or weird spections like before. Karen felt relieved seeing the report. She initially thought her rification was the wrong move, but unexpectedly, Percy helped her resolve the matter. Furthermore, things turned out pretty well in the end. Karen heaved a sigh. She felt Percy had finally matured. Back then, he only knew how to cause trouble and relied on family to solve problems. This time, he helped her to resolve the situation when she could not handle it herself... Karen thought her youngest son had grown up and learned to handle such matters. She felt content at the thought of this. She scrolled down and looked at thements. Most of thementers were incredulous that Ss was fine! Some questioned the date of the interview, but soon, someone posted the video again. The timestamp showed it was 11:00 pmst night. At the same time, some asked Ss himself to rify what movie it was. However, suchments did not gain much attention in thement section. After all, Ss himself had stood in front of the reporters. Did they really need to know which movie he was watching? It was also because of his im that nobodyshed out at the reporter from New Daily Youth, which irritated Karen. However, irritated as she was, she had no intention of offending Luke now. She still needed Luca''s help... At the thought of this, Karen could not help but let out a sigh. If she had known there would be such a day, she would not have retaliated against Luke and Luca no matter how angry she was... Now that she had offended Luca, asking her to help with Percy''s dry needling treatment would surely be impossible. Still, even if Luca refused, Karen still had to make her agree to help. While Karen pondered how to do this, she received a message. [Madam, tonight at 7:00 pm, Mr. Percy and Nina will be hosting a dinner at Blue Coast Restaurant. Luke and Luca will also attend.] Karen narrowed her eyes as she stared at the message. When she thought about how to approach Luca and tell her about this, the opportunity presented itself. It was a trap set by Percy... Did Percy know she wanted to find Luca''s help, so he deliberately set up a trap to provide her with an opportunity? However, she immediately dismissed this possibility after she saw Nina¡¯s name. Percy did not arrange this for her convenience to look for Luca. Instead, it was because Luke and Luca had taken Nina in. The couple wanted to express their gratitude, which was why they arranged for this dinner. ¡°All the attention is on that woman now. Does he even see me as his mother anymore?" Karen looked at the message and expressed her dissatisfaction. Chapter 3141 Karen recalled how Percy had only helped her to find Ss and then everything else was handled by her. If only he had been willing to help handle everything, things would not have turned out so bad. After all, Percy was much calmer when dealing with things. If he had handled this matter himself, Ss would not have ended up half-dead at her hands. The more Karen thought about this, the more ufortable she felt. She nced at the news report again. Even though the situation was resolved, she could not feel happy at the moment. At five in the afternoon, Luca left theboratory on time and ensured other researchers also left on time. After clocking out, she left the building. In the parking lot, she saw Luke''s car parked in its designated spot and hurried over. Lliam saw Luca and helped open the back door. Luca bent to get into the car, but before she could sit down, Luke pulled her into his arms. Sensing her unease, he chuckled lightly and said, "No need to rush." "I wasn''t." Luca''s face slightly reddened. As she watched Lliam get into the car, she asked, "Are we drinking today?" "Probably," replied Luke. He reckoned that Percy''s dinner gathering would involve drinking. That was why he asked Lliam to drive. "Oh, I forgot to bring some hangover medicine.¡± Luca frowned and thought about how ufortable Luke would be if he drank too much. "It''s alright." Luke shook his head, indicating it was not important. "Even if we drink tonight, we won''t drink much. Jim isn''ting, so the main focus will be on dinner." "Is Mr. Holston on a business trip?" Luca asked casually. "Yeah, he is. So it''s just the four of us," answered Luke. If Jim also came tonight, it would not have been as simple as just a bottle of wine. With the three men together, they would definitely drink several bottles. With only Luke and Percy, however, they would be more restrained. "That''s fine, then.¡± Luca knew that with only Luke and Percy at the dinner, even if they drank, it would not be excessive. "Let''s go," Luke said to Lliam. Lliam was someone he trusted, so even if he was visiting Sarah, he let Lliam drive. Lliam nodded and started the car engine. Luke had already told him the location. He only had to follow the navigation. It was already the end of working hours, but they left early and encountered only minor traffic congestion. After a few congested segments, they arrived at the outskirts. After Sarah was discharged from the hospital, Marcos paid for Luke to help her rent an apartment. Although it was on the outskirts, the apartment had a good environment and was much more upscale. Themunity where the apartment was located also had security facilities. Sarah was unwilling to move in at first, fearing that being too high-profile would attract attention from people in Russia. However, after Luke persuaded her, Sarah agreed to move in. Even though it was an oldmunity, it was much safer because of the security. Luke had the ess card as it was Marcos¡¯ request. Lliam smoothly entered the apartment. Inside the apartment, Sarah knew Luke and Luca wereing, so she had the maid prepare fruits and snacks. She valued and weed the two of them. One saved her life, and the other helped her son to make arrangements for her. Sarah certainly valued them. The doorbell rang inside the apartment. "It must be Mr. Crawford and Ms. Craw,¡± said Sarah as she prepared to get up and open the door. The maid replied, "Let me open it. Please sit down." "Okay," Sarah happily agreed and started to prepare tea. When she came to A City for further studies back then, she developed a particr interest in the tea culture here. Later, after fleeing Russia anding to A City, her life became difficult, so she neglected this hobby. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. After being discharged from the hospital and acknowledging Marcos, her life improved a lot. She picked up these interests again. Sarah knew that important guests in A City would be entertained with tea. That was why she prepared tea leaves and even had the maid buy a few bottles of spring water specifically for brewing tea early in the morning. The maid opened the door. She saw Luke and Luca and weed them with a smile. "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, pleasee in." Invited by the maid, Luca and Luke walked into the living room with two bags. Sarah was brewing tea, and the aroma filled the air. The two of them could not help but feel refreshed by the scent. "The tea aroma is so rich," Luca, sensitive to the fragrance of tea leaves, eximed with delight. "Ms. Por, may I know what tea you''re brewing?" "Just ordinary green tea. It''s almost evening, so it''s not good to drink strong tea. That''s why I brewed some green tea. Please, have a seat," Sarah invited them to sit. Luca and Luke sat side by side on the couch. Luca ced the bags aside and said, "Ms. Por, these are the supplements. Please ept them." "You came all this way, and you even brought me gifts? No, I can''t ept these." Sarah shook her head repeatedly. She already owed them so much for their help and kindness. She should not ept anything more. "Just take them. Mr. Marcos asked us to bring them over," Luca insisted. When Sarah heard Luca mention her son, she was startled for a moment. As she poured tea for them, she asked, "How is Marcostely? We rarely contact each other to avoid being discovered by the Russians." "Mr. Marcos has been quite busytely, and the Russians are keeping a close watch, so he can''t contact you for the time being. But rest assured, he''s just busy and not doing anything dangerous.¡± Luca knew what Sarah wanted to ask and what she wanted to know the most, which was why she said so. For a mother, the greatest wish was for her son to be well and healthy. Everything else was secondary. When Sarah learned that Marcos was only busy and not in danger, she let out a sigh of relief. "As long as he''s alright. I can see how busy he is. I shouldn''t bother him by contacting him," added Sarah as she nced at the maid beside her. The maid understood her gaze and what it meant, so she said, "Ms. Por, we''re out of some condiments. I need to go downstairs to make a purchase." "Okay.¡± Sarah nodded. Even though the maid was hired by Luke and was trustworthy, what she wanted to say was sensitive, so she sent the maid away. After the maid left, Luca asked, "Ms. Por, what do you want to know?" "I heard that Marcos'' uncle is going to be sentenced here. Is that true?" Sarah asked in a low voice. "Yes, it''s going to happen soon." Luca nced at Luke. Since he did not intend to speak, she continued, "There''s a high probability he''ll be sentenced and serve his sentence here in A City." "Karma¡¯s a bitch. I saw thising for him. After waiting for so long, I never expected to hear news from A City instead of Russia. Surprising, isn¡¯t it?" Chapter 3142 Sarah raised her hand and invited them to have some tea. "Please, have some tea. This is brewed with spring water from the mountains. It tastes fresher." T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca felt that Sarah had something on her mind. She picked up the teacup, took a sip, and asked in a soft voice, "Ms. Por, do you know something?" "I know a lot. Over these years, Russia hasn''t given up searching for me because I know too much. But here I am, hiding out in A City. What else can I do? What surprised me, though, is that while Russia has been quiet, A City has managed to dig up evidence of his crimes. "Despite the pressure from Russia, they''ve gone ahead and nabbed him. A City is more progressive than any other country.¡± Sarah took a sip of the green tea and let out a sigh. She had dreamed many dreams, all of them scenes of Matysh being arrested. However, every time she dreamed about it, it happened in Russia and never in A City. This time, Matysh''s arrest was in A City, so her dream had partlye true. Luke, who had been silent, suddenly said, "Once Matysh is sentenced in A City, Russia will take notice. If there''s evidence of his illegal activities in Russia, he''ll be extradited back to Russia for further sentencing after he finishes serving his sentence in A City." Sometimes, it was not that the Russian government was inactive. It was just that they were powerless. The government needed a breakthrough. Marcos'' family protected Matysh very well. Even if Russia needed a breakthrough, they could not find one. Luke said this just to tell Sarah that a breakthrough had appeared. Sarah was lost in thoughts after she heard what Luke said... Luca and Luke exchanged a nce with each other. Luca called out to her, "Ms. Por?" Sarah came back to her senses and smiled at them. "Sorry, I was lost in thought." "It''s okay, Ms. Por. Your tea tastes good," praised Luca as she took another sip of tea. Luke also took a sip. "If you like it, feel free toe by often. We can chat, and I can make tea for you," Sarah smiled. She then asked about the situation with Marcos and Matysh. "Mr. Crawford, you''re a capable person, you must know a lot. Does Matysh still want to escape?" She spoke subtly, but the meaning was clear. Everyone present understood the implication. Matysh wanted to avoid sentencing in A City. "Yes, Russia is considering it." Luke nodded. Sarah was startled for a moment. Her face turned pale. "Does that mean my son needs to help?" "No, Marcos doesn''t even know their detailed ns." Luke shook his head. He pondered for a moment and realized he said it wrong. It was not that Marcos did not know. It was just that he did not find out about it from Ethan''s side. Matysh wanted to escape, but he did not trust Marcos. That was why Ethan had been keeping him in the dark. Marcos only knew because Rain had been keeping an eye on Ethan''s actions and informing Marcos of his detailed ns. "So, he doesn''t need to be involved?" Sarah was slightly surprised. She thought Marcos had been staying in A City on Old Master Abaza¡¯s orders. However, him not needing to be involved in Matysh¡¯s matter caught her off guard. "Matysh doesn''t trust Marcos," exined Luke. Sarah nodded. A chill crept into the corners of her mouth as she smiled. "He shouldn¡¯t. Hah, Matysh has done a lot of shameful things. He definitely wouldn''t dare to trust Marcos..." Luca looked at Sarah''s cold expression and turned to look at Luke. They exchanged nces with each other. Luca did not expect to see such a look on Sarah¡¯s face... Sarah also realized something was off and quickly added, "I''m sorry, I was rude." "It''s okay, Ms. Por." Luca shook his head, but she could not help but feel puzzled. What exactly was Sarah hiding? Why did her smile seem to hold such deep-seated resentment? What happened in the past to bring Sarah to this point? Luca increasingly doubted the results of the investigation. Perhaps it could be a story Matysh¡¯s family spread, iming Sarah''s bloodline was lowly and she was unfit to stay with the family... Something must have happened in the past. Luca was deeply absorbed in thought, but she still did not know what had happened back then. Among those present, perhaps only Sarah and Luke knew. Yet, Luke had no intention of telling her. Luca knew Luke''s silence was because he did not want her to get involved in this matter. It indicated that whatever happened in the past was significant. It also had a very negative impact. Sarah took a sip of tea and let out a sigh. "Actually, right now, I really hope A City can keep Matysh locked up for life so that he can''t go back to Russia and harm others. But I also know he won''t be sentenced to life. It''ll be just a few years at most. "Still, even those few years will be enough to teach him a lesson. Now, I just wish Marcos could be safe and sound. Everything else doesn''t matter." "Marcos is working hard. He''ll ensure you can appear in public again without any obstacles. At that time, no one will dare to harm you. But this requires your cooperation, Ms. Por. You know what I mean," said Luke, looking straight at Sarah¡¯s eyes. Marcos had shown him photos of Sarah when she was young. As a nobleman''s son, Marcos'' father must have found Sarah attractive, even dazzling. However, the future brought too many hardships to this woman, adding many years to her face. Now, Luke noticed that Sarah''s face also held some hatred when they talked about Matysh. The centuries-old family hid many secrets, and Sarah knew some of them. Hence, to resolve the family''s affairs, she had to reveal everything from the past. "Let''s table those matters for now. At the moment, my only wish is for Marcos to be safe and sound, and for him to marry and start a family soon. That''s all I need to feel content," Sarah said with a smile on his face. She understood what Luke meant. She had considered doing this before, but going against a family that had existed for centuries? Just thinking about it made her want to give up. "Marcos won''t marry or have children until these matters are resolved. Even if he does get married, it''ll be forced and it''ll be with someone he doesn''t love. You know, if Matysh is abandoned by Russia, Marcos will be their only heir. "They¡¯ll only tighten their control over him only because he shares your blood. ¡°So, his marriage partner will also be arranged by the family. His marriage will be aimed at strengthening their control over him. "You and Marcos'' father genuinely loved each other when you got married. Surely, you wouldn''t want to see him controlled by the family and get married to someone he doesn''t love. "Matysh will be released eventually. Even if he loses his inheritance rights, he''ll still manipte Marcos and control his life as an elder. Ms. Por, is this what you want to see?" Chapter 3143 As Luca listened to Luke, who sat beside her, she unconsciously furrowed her brows. Luke was quite adept. When he chose to speak, every word seemed to strike at Sarah''s heartstrings. She knew he was pushing Sarah to reveal what she knew. It was not for their benefit but for the relevant authorities'' benefit. That was the real way to help Marcos. "I understand..." Despite Luke''s words, Sarah did not seem to me him for meddling. After all, this was all for Marcos'' good. "Ms. Por, let me say onest thing. Marcos is no longer a child. He has the ability to protect himself and those he cares about. So, you should trust him instead of trying to protect him in other ways." Luke finished his sentence, held Luca¡¯s hand, and rose to his feet. "Ms. Por, we have a dinner appointment to attend. We won''t disturb you further for now. Please take your time to think it over." Sarah watched them leave and nodded. They hade today because Marcos had promised to visit her. Was what Luke said also on behalf of Marcos? However, Sarah knew that was not important. Perhaps she should really consider Luke''s words... Sarah stood up and saw them off as they left the apartment. After Luke and Luca left the apartment, they entered the elevator. Luca looked up at him. "What''s on your mind?" Luke met her eyes and put on a gentle smile. "You seem to know a lot," said Luca. "Not really. Among all of us, Ms. Por knows the most," replied Luke. "So, with this family legacy spanning a century across three generations, there must be quite a tale to tell. And now, with your family stretching into the fourth generation, is there anything I''m not aware of?" asked Luca. Starting from Old Master Crawford and up until Lanie and Tommy''s generation, it was already the fourth generation T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. She did not intend to pry but added a touch of humor to her tone. "Well, there might be some, but the environment here in A City is different from that in Russia. So, whatever you don''t know isn''t anything major," replied Luke. Luca became interested. "What kind of things?" "How much property Grandpa actually owns, for example. Even I don''t know the answer to that," answered Luke. Old Master Crawford happened to invest in real estate andnd when it was most profitable. The properties andnd were quite cheap back then, and nobody knew exactly how much the old master had umted. ording to Mr. Griffin, Old Master Crawford''s favorite hobby when he was young was purchasing real estate. However, as for the exact number, he probably never bothered to count, so he did not even know himself. Luca could not help but let out a chuckle. "That''s hardly a secret." "It is a secret because Grandpa himself doesn''t keep track. Now, all his properties are managed by professionals, so he doesn''t worry about them. Naturally, he doesn''t remember too clearly," exined Luke. Whenever Old Master Crawford bought a property or shop when he was young, he would hand it over to a real estate agency to manage. The real estate agency was responsible for renting out properties and taking amission while Old Master Crawford was in charge of collecting the rent. However, Old Master Crawford did not really pay much attention to his rental ie. He did not even bother managing it, leaving it in the bank in a savings ount. "Money truly does give one the freedom to do as they please.¡± Luca let out a sigh. Luke shook his head. "If only that were true." "But isn''t your grandfather able to do whatever he wants now?" countered Luca. "If money could truly grant unlimited freedom, then our family would''ve been reunited by now," replied Luke. If he could exchange Abel for the freedom of his wife and daughter, he would do it without hesitation. However, Abel would never agree to such a deal. Therefore, he had to n step by step to rescue his daughter. "Alright, let''s not dwell on that. Everything is getting better anyway.¡± Luca held Luke''s hand and walked toward where the car was parked. Lliam had been waiting by the car the whole time. When he saw them approaching hand in hand, he smiled and opened the car door for them. "Boss, are we heading to the Blue Coast Restaurant now?" asked Lliam. "Yes," replied Luke. Once they got into the car, he took out his phone to message Marcos. Marcos had asked him to visit Sarah today, and the things he said were also at Marcos'' request. Now, Luke wanted to update Marcos on the situation today to assure him that Sarah was not in any danger. At the same time, he informed Marcos that he was fairly certain Sarah knew about many things from back then, which was why the Russian side had been continuously searching for her. They were afraid that she might reveal sensitive information. After a while, Marcos replied to his message: [Thank you for letting me know.] Luca did not look at his phone screen, but she knew what he was doing. She asked, "Are you messaging Mr. Marcos?" "Yes. He''s worried about Ms. Por," answered Luke. "Of course. They''ve acknowledged each other as mother and son, but they can''t even have a simple phone call, let alone meet regrly.¡± Luca heaved a sigh. Sarah was worried that she might drag Marcos into danger, so she endured the longing for her son and kept her distance. Marcos, too, feared that his actions might expose Sarah''s whereabouts. That was why he did note to visit her after she was discharged from the hospital. It was hard for them to acknowledge each other, and it seemed that even after that, their rtionship remained difficult. They were unable to interact like other mother-son pairs. ¡°After Matysh¡¯s matter is resolved, Marcos will return to Russia. Then, the mother and son will be separated by different countries with even fewer chances to meet,¡± added Luke. Luke''s situation was different from Marcos''. Luke was treated as a tool for Allison''s pursuit of the Crawford family''s wealth. Thus, with each of Allison''s schemes, the bond between him and Allison as mother and son diminished with every passing day. However, things were different for Marcos and Sarah. They were separated against their will, and neither of them wanted to be a burden to the other. It was especially so for Sarah, who feared she might hinder Marcos'' future. Even though she knew Marcos was in Russia and managing M Group, she had no intention of going back to see him. Besides fearing the family, she believed Marcos would have a better life without her interference. That was why she never disturbed him. Even though there had been over 20 years of separation between them, the mother and son had always been concerned about each other. That was why their bond was deep. "I hope Mr. Marcos can resolve those troubles soon. That way, Ms. Por can move back to Russia and spend time with him." Luca knew that a mother, under ideal circumstances, would never leave her child. In fact, Sarah was just like her in this aspect. If it were for the good of their children, they would endure their longing and stop themselves from contacting them to prevent their presence from causing any harm to their children. Such feelings could not be generalized to all mothers, but most mothers felt this way. Chapter 3144 As Luca heaved a sigh, Lliam had already parked the car at the entrance of Blue Coast Restaurant. After Luke and Luca got out of the car, they were led into a private room by the waitress at the entrance, where Percy and Nina were already waiting for them. "Sorry for beingte," Luke said to Percy. When they returned, they encountered some traffic, so they were ten minutester than the agreed time. "Mr. Crawford is a busy man. I''m used to it." A hint of mischief shed across Percy''s eyes as he teased Luke. Nina wore a helpless smile and replied, "It''s okay. Actually, we just arrived." "I didn''t expect traffic on the way back, sorry," apologized Luca. They all valued punctuality. That was why beingte required an apology. "Dr. Craw, it''s okay," replied Percy. He could joke with Luke but not with Luca. After all, Luca was now arguably the most capable among them. Most importantly, Luca was Nina''s good friend. There was a saying, a man should never offend his girlfriend''s or wife''s best friend. Otherwise, he would experience what despair truly meant. Even though Luca had another identity, one day, she would inevitably return to her true identity as Bianca. He could not afford to offend her. Besides, Luca had indeed helped Nina a lot. Luca was slightly surprised. Why was Percy so polite to her? However, when thinking about their rtionship dynamics, she instantly understood and returned a smile. Luke had nothing to say about Percy''s differential treatment. He just helped Luca pull out the chair and gently said, "Have a seat." "Okay.¡± Luca sat down. With Luke''s help, she scooted forward slightly. Luke then sat beside her. With everyone present, Percy said to the waitress, "You may serve the dishes, and bring the wine that''s been prepared." "Yes, Mr. Mallory.¡± The waitress turned around and left, ready to inform the kitchen to prepare the dishes. After the waitress left the private room and closed the door, a woman grabbed her arm. "Excuse me, how can I assist you?" The waitress was surprised to be suddenly grabbed by her arm. Who could it be? That was rude! However, her good service demeanor did not reveal any anomaly. "Is that Percy in that private room?" asked Karen. She knew Percy was hosting Luke and Luca today, so she came here to wait. "I''m sorry. We can''t disclose the guests'' privacy.¡± The waitress naturally knew the rules of the restaurant and did not reveal who was in the private room. She smiled at Karen and asked, "Madam, where would you like to sit? Let me take you there." "Do you know who I am?" Karen understood what she was thinking. Did she think she barged in to find someone? Well, she dide to find someone, but she also booked a private room! "I''m sorry. Who are you?" the waitress impatiently replied. She still had to inform the kitchen to prepare the dishes! Also, the wine that had been prepared needed to be served on time. If it was dyed and the guests were unhappy, she would faceints and lose her bonus! "I''m Percy''s mother. I also booked a private room here. I don''t need your service. Just tell me if he''s in that private room," replied Karen. The waitress carefully sized up Karen. She did feel that Karen looked familiar when she first saw her. Now that Karen mentioned it, the waitress thought she resembled someone. Karen had be a celebrity in the gossip circlestely. Even though the waitress did not know Karen''s intentions, it should be fine to disclose the information she was asking for since Karen was Percy¡¯s mother. Hence, she nodded and replied, "Yes, this is Mr. Mallory¡¯s private room. Would you like us to add an extra chair for you inside?" At first, Percy mentioned there were only four people, so there were no spare chairs in the private room. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. However, with his mother arriving, adding one more chair would not hurt, right? Karen let go of the waitress'' arm and let out a cold sneer. "I have my own private room. Why would I go to his?" Then, she turned around and walked toward her own private room. The waitress watched her leave from behind and frowned. What a strange person. She was just like those wives catching their cheating husbands... However, it was her son inside the private room, so there could not possibly be any cheating. Initially, she thought Karen wanted to enter after confirming with her. Who knew she would leave right after confirming it was Percy''s private room? The waitress thought about the discussions online that imed that Percy''s rtionship with his birth mother had soured because of the Mallory family''s inheritance issues. At the thought of this, her heart skipped a beat. She should not have told Karen! "What are you standing here for?" A questioning voice came through. The waitress turned to look toward the source of the voice. It was the manager doing rounds. She quickly answered, "Nothing, sir. A strangedy was asking about the private rooms just now." "Did you tell her anything?" asked the manager. Blue Coast Restaurant had a high-end clientele. Their venue had top-notch decor, and they served the best cuisine. It wasmon for many businessmen to dine here regrly. asionally, wealthy patrons would bring their mistresses along. Scenes of spouses catching their cheating partners yed out frequently at the Blue Coast Restaurant. With such incidents urring repeatedly, the manager could not afford to show favoritism to anyone. Therefore, he issued a directive to all staff that no matter who visited, they were not to disclose the guests'' personal information or they would be terminated immediately. "Of course not," replied the waitress, feeling a pang of panic. She realized her mistake. If the manager found out, she would lose her job. She had considered reminding Percy earlier, but now, that thought was gone. She could not remind him. Reminding him meant losing her job! "That''s good. You''re a veteran. You can''t afford such mistakes," said the manager. He frowned when he noticed her still standing there. "What are you still doing here? Get busy." "Oh, right. I need to inform the kitchen.¡± The waitress pped her forehead and immediately headed toward the kitchen. After she informed the kitchen, she brought the prepared wine to the private room''s door. She nced at the private room Karen had just entered. She secretly struggled for a moment and finally decided to keep the matter concealed. It was not abnormal for a mother to want to know if her son was inside, right? Also, Karen did not look like she wanted to catch anyone in the act, so nothing would happen. Moreover, even if something did ur, the me could not be ced on her. After all, Karen knew from the start that Percy was dining in this private room. With these thoughts in mind, the waitress knocked on the door. "Come in." Percy''s voice came from inside the private room. The waitress entered with the wine, her previously flustered expression now reced with a smile. She said cheerfully, "Mr. Mallory, your wine is ready." "ce it down. Tell the kitchen to hurry with the dishes," said Percy. "Yes, the kitchen is ready. The food will be served soon." The waitress ced the wine on the table and then asked in a low voice, "Would any of you like to have the wine now?" "Leave it for now. Don''t worry about us," replied Percy. "Yes, sir." The waitress turned around and walked out of the room, feeling relieved. Chapter 3145 Fortunately, she did not expose herself in front of Percy. The waitress let out a sigh of relief and stood to the side of the private room. Even though she did not reveal any ws, her focus today was solely on serving this private room. Therefore, she had to stand by the door. She had to be ready to provide service to the guests while also keeping an eye on things. The waitress remained stationed by the door, watching as the kitchen staff brought out the dishes. She knocked on the door again, "Sir, may I serve the dishes now?" "Sure." Percy''s voice came from inside. The waitress pushed the door open, signaling the kitchen staff to bring in the exquisite dishes. As te after te of food was ced on the table, the sight left Luca astonished. There were only four of them, yet they had ordered so many dishes. Could they finish it all? Luke shared the same thought with Luca. He teased Percy, "That''s quite a spread. With so many dishes, do you think we''ll be able to finish them all?" Once all the dishes were served, the waitress left. Only the four of them were left in the private room. Percy picked up the wine bottle and poured it for them. "I might''ve overordered for four people, but the food serves as a token of my gratitude to Dr. Craw. I wasn''t sure what Dr. Craw liked to eat, so I ordered a few extra dishes." "She doesn''t like meatloaf," said Luke. When Nina heard this, she could not help but exim with puzzlement. Luca also turned to look at Luke. How could he blurt that out?! Having been friends with Nina for many years, it was well-known that her least favorite dish was meatloaf. Luca then nced at Nina, hoping she would not read too much into it. Nina did not think much of it. She smiled and said, "I was suddenly reminded of a friend who also dislikes meatloaf." She refrained from mentioning Bianca out of consideration for Luca''s feelings. After all, Luca and Bianca were at odds. There was only one thing on Luke''s mind. If Bianca were to return one day, Luca might have to face the possibility of leaving... Whether it was the previous Bianca or the current one, neither could ept sharing Luke with someone else. It was not only Bianca who could not ept it; Nina could not either. She could not bear the thought of other women sharing Percy. Therefore, she could understand these sentiments. "I see." Luca nodded. When she heard Nina say so, she knew Nina had not caught on. Luke and Percy exchanged nces with each other. Their eyes conveyed a sense of helplessness. Percy had always kept Nina in the dark about their situation with Luca because Luca''s situation was not too good. If Nina did not know, there would be less risk of her getting involved. However, Percy felt that constantly hiding it from Nina was not the solution either. Thus, whether intentionally or unintentionally, he would drop hints to prevent Nina from getting angry when she found out the truthter. This time, it was Luke who deliberately brought it up. Unexpectedly, Nina did not think much about it. Still, that was understandable. Nina''s social circle was simple. She would not even consider such things happening. Especially not with her close friend. Luca noticed the exchange of nces between Luke and Percy. She could not help but shake her head. They were deliberately saying these things, trying to arouse Nina¡¯s suspicion... Fortunately, Nina did not think in that direction. After dinner, they did not immediately leave. Luke and Percy were drinking and discussing business matters. Now that Luke knew she was Bianca, he did not avoid discussing business matters in front of her. The waitress brought some fruits in. Nina invited Luca to sit on the nearby couch, saying she wanted to show her the decorative items she bought for the apartment. After all, the apartment was currently bare, and they needed plenty of decorations to make it vibrant. Nina chatted with Luca for a while. While Nina was taking a sip of her tea, Luca said, "Give me a moment. I¡¯d like to go to the restroom." "Sure, take your time. I''ll wait for you," Nina replied cheerfully. She had also had some wine earlier, so her cheeks were flushed. She looked charming. Luca rose to her feet and noticed Luke was looking at her. She said, "I''m going to the restroom." "Okay." Luke watched her leave from behind before slowly withdrawing his gaze. Percy teased, "This is a restaurant. Dr. Craw won''t disappear randomly. There¡¯s no need to watch her so closely, right?" "Are you any better than me?" Luke retorted mercilessly. "Your woman has been sitting on the couch the whole time. Do I need to remind you how many times you looked over there? How many times have you exchanged nces?" "Oh,e on, what are you two talking about?" As Nina listened to their conversation, her face turned even redder. Percy had been keeping an eye on her and continuously sending affectionate nces her way. Nina noticed them clearly, but Luke calling them out made her blush shyly. "Alright. Let''s get back to business," replied Percy. His discussion with Luke was indeed only about work matters. They did not mention anything else about the Ind of Despair. They could not let Nina know about that. Karen kept the door to her private room open. She was someone who valued privacy, but she allowed others toe and go as she was waiting for someone. When she saw Luca pass by the door of the private room, her eyes flickered. She put down her cutlery, gave a signal to her subordinate, and walked out. She immediately left the private room, following Luca from a distance. Karen watched her enter the restroom. A cold smirk appeared on her face. Her eyes caught sight of a cleaning sign nearby. She picked it up and immediately frowned as she found it quite dirty. However, without hesitation, she ced the sign at the entrance of the women''s restroom before entering herself. She washed her hands and then waited by the sink for Luca. When Luca came out and saw Karen, she was stunned for a moment. Why was she here? Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Was it arranged by Percy? Luca immediately dismissed the thought. Percy would not make such arrangements. She looked at Karen. Unable to ignore her, she greeted her in a cold voice, "Madam Mallory." Karen let out a cold snort. "I thought you''d just ignore me." Luca secretly thought that she wished she could just ignore her. However, she was standing there. Plus, she was Percy''s mother and Nina''s mother-inw. How could Luca ignore her? When Luca heard what Karen said and saw her posture, she was pretty sure Karen was deliberately waiting for her. Whether she was looking for trouble or something else, she could only find out when she asked her about it. "Do you have something to discuss with me?" asked Luca. "How can you be so sure I''m here to see you?" questioned Karen. Luca shook her head nonchntly. She turned on the faucet to wash her hands. "Aren''t you?" Karen wanted to say no. However, there was no way she could say it at the thought of Pierre. She took a deep breath, calming her inner frustration. At that moment, Luca had finished washing her hands and was getting ready to leave. "Stop right there!" Karen immediatelymanded. The restroom was an ideal spot for a conversation with Luca. It was secluded and free from the interruptions outside. Chapter 3146 "Madam Mallory, this isn''t Mallory Manor. If you''ve got something to say, just spit it out. I''m not interested in hearing you beat about the bush," replied Luca in a cold voice. A wave of anger roused within Karen. What kind of attitude was this? Did she think she was all that just because she had Luke supporting her? The thought of Luke made Karen even more enraged. Why was it that people and things associated with this name always seemed to be exceptionally difficult to deal with? "I have something to discuss with you!" When Karen saw that Luca was about to leave the restroom, she thought if she did not sort things out here, she would not have the chance to do soter. She did not want anyone to see her begging Luca. Even if Percy might help her if he knew about it, she did not want him to witness this scene. It was too embarrassing. Luca paused for a moment, unable to imagine what Karen wanted to talk to her about. Could it be about what happened with Nina before? However, she only let Nina into her house. In the eyes of outsiders, Nina was taken in by Luke, not her. It had nothing to do with her. Plus, even if she did take Nina in, what difference did it make? Now that Percy was back, if Karen had any grievances, she could just go directly to him instead of taking it out on an outsider like her. "I''ve heard about your dry needling skills. They''re quite impressive." Karen did not care if Luca responded, she just went straight to the point of what she wanted to discuss this time. Luca was startled for a moment. How did she know? Percy could not have told her, so how did Karen know? Speaking of dry needling, Luca roughly knew what the other party wanted to talk about. She turned around, looked at Karen, and said, "Madam Mallory, I don''t know where you heard this from, but I have no idea what you''re talking about." "Stop pretending like you don''t understand. I know all about it. You''ve been treating Old Master Crawford, the Rayne family, and even that person in the hospital with a serious brain injury, who was practically on the verge of being disabled. "And thanks to your dry needling treatment, he has bounced back... Well, he hasn''t exactly recovered, but he''s no longer disabled. "With such impressive dry needling skills, why even bother putting on a show?" Karen listed some examples when Luca refused to admit it. Luca frowned. Karen had investigated her! However, ever since she taught Dr. Wood how to perform dry needling on Tyrone, she had been mentally prepared that her dry needling skills would surely be known by others. It was inevitable. While Dr. Wood would help keep things confidential, the more people who witnessed it, the more likely the news would be leaked out. Luca thought about Karen''s purpose in intercepting her and felt a headache. Karen must havee for Pierre. Karen added, "Forget it. There''s no point in hiding it. I already know. This time, I just want to discuss a coboration with you." She framed the dry needling treatment for Pierre as a coboration. Without much thought, Luca refused, "I''m not interested." "I haven''t even said anything yet, and you''re already refusing?" Karen widened her eyes, feeling dissatisfied that Luca was being rude. "Your youngest son broke his leg and is at risk of disability. You heard about my dry needling skills. So, you must want me to treat him," Luca stated her intention directly. Karen did not seem surprised. Those who could stand by Luke''s side were not fools. Luca was smart and capable. "Yes, name your price. As long as you agree to treat Pierre with your dry needling techniques, I can agree to any conditions you have!" said Karen. She thought Luca was attracted to money, especially since she had a rtionship with Luke. Hence, she believed that as long as the money was enough, this matter could be resolved. Even if Luca asked for more money, she would agree. Her own matters were already settled, and what mattered the most now was treating Pierre''s leg. Luca came back to her senses and looked at Karen with a smile that did not quite reach her eyes. "Considering how much you value Pierre''s leg, how much are you willing to offer?¡± "How much do you want?" Karen felt uneasy when she saw the smile on Luca''s face. She did not think Luca''s smile was from her attraction to her offer. "Everything that belongs to the Mallory family. Can you afford that?" asked Luca. Karen was shocked, "Luca, are you serious? Everything that belongs to the Mallory family? Can you handle that?" "Even if I can handle it, you can''t. Either way, you won''t be able to meet my requirements. So what''s the point of discussing it? Madam Mallory, I suggest you don''t dwell on it too much. "Just let Pierre cooperate with the hospital''s treatment," replied Luca. Then, she turned around. She did not want the Mallory family''s wealth. If Pierre had not done those things before, she might have considered helping for Percy''s sake. However, Pierre had done too much wrong, and he had not received enough punishment. She would not help treat his leg. If Pierre were smart enough, he might be able to contact Abel. Still, if he did manage to contact Abel, it would be a gain for them. "Luca, how dare you refuse me? Aren''t you afraid I''ll forcibly demand it from you?" Karen suppressed her anger. Her hands clenched into fists. She wanted to give Luca a punch now. Ever since Ss¡¯ incident, it was like Karen had opened the door to violence and wanted to solve everything with it. However, she realized Luca was not like Nina. She was not easy to deal with. Luca raised an eyebrow as she stood behind the restroom door. She replied, "Do you dare? Even if you tie me up and force me to treat Pierre with dry needling against my will, aren''t you afraid I''ll intentionally misce the needles and ruin the leg that could still be saved?" "How dare you?!" Karen was shocked, but she had doubts in her mind. Could miscing a needle really have such serious consequences? Nevertheless, the nurse had also mentioned that Luca''s dry needling techniques were different from traditional methods, so her words might be true... "No one can force me to do something I don''t want to do. If you force me to do something, you''ll have to bear the consequences. I''m unwilling to treat Pierre with my dry needling techniques. "If you dare to tie me up and force me, I might destroy the remaining nerves in his leg." After Luca said that, she opened the restroom door. When she saw the sign, she could not help but let out a coldugh. No wonder no one came in. It turned out Madam Mallory had ced this sign at the restroom door. She did not expect Karen, who was usually arrogant and proud, to do such a thing. Luca left without looking back. At the same time, she thought about what Karen was willing to do for Pierre. What about Pierre?T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. She did not think Pierre was someone who would respect Karen. That man did not know what respect was at all! Luca returned to the private room. She thought Luke would ask her something after she left for so long, but he did not say anything when she walked in. He just nodded at her and continued discussing cooperation matters with Percy. Nina waved at her. "Luca, here. I found a pretty decoration just now. Take a look. I''ll buy it and put it in the bedroom if you think it''s nice too. It¡¯ll probably look good." Luca walked toward her and sat down. She looked at the flowers Nina showed her, nodded, and said, "Not bad. Go ahead and purchase it.¡± Chapter 3147 "Since you think it''s nice too, I''ll buy it," replied Nina, proceeding to ce the order. After cing the order, Nina rose to her feet. "Where are you going?" asked Luca. "I''d like to use the restroom," answered Nina with a smile on her face. At the thought that Karen was also dining in this restaurant, Luca stood up and said, "I''ll go with you." "You''re going too?" Nina asked in surprise, wondering why Luca was going again when she had just come back. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. "Just keeping youpany," said Luca. She took Nina''s hand as they walked out of the private room together. Luke and Percy, who were behind them, did not say anything. Luca closed the private room door behind her and then walked toward the restroom with Nina. When Nina saw this, she could not help but say, "Why do I feel like you''re acting strangely?" "Am I?¡± Luca shook her head. "I just want to be with you." "You were gone for so long just now. Did you meet someone?" asked Nina, feeling that Luca''s behavior was odd. She wondered if Luca had met someone just now, hence her long absence. "Nina, you''ve be very shrewdtely. You''re no longer easily fooled,¡± replied Luca in a helpless tone. "You were thinking of fooling me? Looks like I guessed right. Who did you meet just now? To make you so eager to be my bodyguard..." Nina had just finished speaking when she suddenly realized something and said, "Could it be... Madam Mallory?" The only people who could make Luca alert and want to protect her were few. Karen was one, and Pierre was another. Pierre was currently in the hospital. Luca could not have met him here. Hence, it had to be Karen. However, she usually would not dine at this restaurant. How did they manage to run into each other this time? Could it be that Karen intentionally investigated them and followed them? "You''re right, it''s her. But this time, she''s not here for you and Mr. Mallory," replied Luca. She apanied Nina just because she had not agreed to Karen''s request earlier. Therefore, Karen might be upset now. If Karen spotted Nina right now, she might want to take action against Nina again. "She''s not here for me and Percy? Is she here for you, then?" Nina boldly guessed. Then, she was shocked. Instead of heading toward the restroom, she kept looking at Luca. "Did she do anything to you? Let me see!" "I''m fine. She can''t do anything to me. I just don''t know where she heard about me treating Tyrone with dry needling. She came looking for me to ask me to treat Pierre," Luca exined helplessly. "There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll treat Pierre. That¡¯s why I rejected her." "What happened after you rejected her?" asked Nina with concern. Luca held her hand and walked toward the restroom. "Nothing happened. I came out of the restroom and went back to the private room. Look at me, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry." "Wasn''t your treatment of Tyrone supposed to be kept a secret? How did she find out? Dr. Wood couldn''t have told her," Nina wondered aloud. Luca had repeatedly instructed both the hospital staff and the Hugh family not to disclose anything to outsiders. All of them had agreed. Furthermore, sheter heard that Tyrone''s mother took the money given by Percy and went back to the countryside. It had been so long since then, and Karen could not have possibly known anything from the Hugh family. That left only the doctors and nurses. However, they all had professional ethics and had promised Luca not to disclose anything. Even though this was the case, Nina knew that even though it was unlikely, someone must have leaked the information. "Who knows? After all, they''re the Mallory family. If they want to investigate something, they can still find out," said Luca. Even though she was puzzled, she did not dwell on it much. Now that Karen knew, there was no point in pursuing it further. The sign indicating that the restroom was being cleaned, which had been standing upright just moments ago, had been removed. Luca pushed open the door and nced inside. Karen was no longer there. She said, "Let''s go." "Okay." Nina nodded. She felt quite frightened that Karen was around. If Karen could not control her emotions andy her hands on her, Percy would not be lenient. Hence, it would be best not to encounter Karen. With Luca by her side, her sense of security doubled. Suddenly, she was not so afraid anymore. Luca did not follow Nina inside but stood at the entrance of the restroom. After a while, Nina''s voice came from inside, "Luca, are you still outside?" "I am. What''s wrong?" replied Luca. She pushed open the door to the restroom without waiting for Nina to continue speaking. She walked in and saw Nina standing in front of the sink, looking shocked. Luca followed her gaze to the sink. There was a row of spacious and bright mirrors in front of the sink, designed to providedies with special lighting to do their makeup. These mirrors had been smashed. "They were fine just now..." muttered Luca. Then, she realized something. This must have been Karen''s doing. She wanted to let off steam by breaking things, so she went ahead and smashed the mirrors without a second thought. "Did she really do this?" Nina¡¯s eyes widened. How much anger did she have to smash these mirrors into this state? Moreover, these mirrors were of really good quality. What did Karen use to smash them so thoroughly? Luca and Nina shared the same question. Did she use her fist? However, Luca immediately denied it. When Karen was impulsive, she would lose her rationality, but she had to preserve her self-interests. With that being the case, Karen must have used a tool. Luca shook her head and looked around the restroom but could not find the tool used to smash the mirrors. "Should we inform the manager?" Nina suddenly asked. Although there was no surveince camera installed in the restroom, there were cameras installed at the entrance. If they essed the surveince footage, they could find out who had entered the restroom... However, it would still be troublesome as they would not be able to find out who smashed the mirrors... "Let''s go back first," suggested Luca. She did not want Luke and Percy to know that Karen showed up in this restaurant today. Still, now that Karen had done something like this, they could not keep it a secret anymore. Also, everyone came here to dine, and there was no one who had a deep grudge against this restaurant to smash their mirrors. "Okay..." Nina nodded. If they had topensate, they could afford it. However, what would the manager think when he saw the mirrors smashed to this state? Luca and Nina walked back to the private room. They did not encounter Karen while they were on their way back. Luca reckoned that Karen left immediately after she smashed the mirrors. Luca and Nina pushed open the door to the private room and walked in. After closing the door, instead of sitting back on the couch right away, they stood in front of the two men. "What''s wrong?" Luke noticed that Luca''s expression was off and looked nervous as he scrutinized them. He knew that Abel hade to A City, so he immediately wondered if Luca had encountered Abel. Perhaps he called Luca? Chapter 3148 "When I first went to the restroom, I ran into Madam Mallory." Luca had no choice but to confess. Luke frowned. "Karen?" His gaze immediately fell on Percy. "I didn''t say anything." Percy knew what Luke wanted to know. Now, he only wanted to live peacefully with Nina. If Karen did not agree to their marriage, then she should not be involved in their lives. Therefore, there was no way he would tell Karen he would be hosting a dinner here. "She''s investigating you," said Luke. Percy shook his head, indicating there was nothing he could do about it. Karen wanted to investigate him and have his whereabouts tracked, but he could not do anything about it. The key was, Percy did not expect Karen to follow him here just because he organized a dinner party. What was she up to? Percy turned to look at Luca again, figuring she might know the answer. Luca let go of Nina''s hand, sat back in her seat, and said, "I don''t know how she found out that I had previously used dry needling to treat Tyrone and help him recover. She wanted me to treat Pierre, but I refused." "Rejecting her was the right decision," replied Percy. Pierre had done so many wrongs. Not only did he kidnap Luca, but he also attempted topete with Luke using unfair means. Luca¡¯s true identity was Bianca, and Bianca was Luke''s wife. Who would agree to help someone who had harmed their interests so much? Percy knew Luca''s capabilities. He was reluctant to see Pierre be disabled, but he also did not want to shamelessly ask Luca for help. He could ask Johann to help with the surgery or ask doctors from various hospitals to treat Pierre, but he could not bring himself to ask Luke or Luca to treat Pierre. Luke let out a snort. "So, your mother investigated and followed you, and her target is Luca?" "Sorry, I didn''t expect this either." Percy gave him a bitter smile. Karen could really do anything for Pierre¡¯s sake. Previously, Karen had always been high and mighty. She relied on the Mallory family''s connections and hardly needed to bow to anyone. Now, Karen was asking for Luca¡¯s help... Percy did not even think such a day woulde. Luca continued, "Actually, after I refused, the matter was over. I apanied Nina to the restroom earlier, fearing she might run into Madam Mallory. Though we didn''t see her, we saw that the mirrors in the restroom were smashed." Percy furrowed his brows. The mirrors were smashed? What did that mean? He looked at Nina. "I guess your mother felt unhappy after she got rejected, so she smashed the mirrors. But we looked around the restroom and found no tools to break the mirrors. We don''t know how she did it," Nina exined to him. "If the manager finds out the mirrors are broken, they''ll watch the surveince footageter. There are cameras at the entrance of the restroom. But in that case, both Luca and I will be suspected... That¡¯s why I¡¯d like to ask the two CEOs, what should we do?" Luke looked at Percy without saying a word. However, Percy understood what his gaze meant. It was his mother who had smashed the mirrors, so he had to deal with it himself. Percy let out a helpless sigh. Karen could cause trouble for him even when he was only having a meal. He pressed the bell near him. In no time, the waitress standing at the door walked in and asked, "Mr. Mallory, is there anything I can help you with?" "I¡¯d like to talk to your manager," replied Percy. This matter needed to be discussed with the manager. "You¡¯d like to talk to the manager? Is there something wrong with my service?" The waitress became nervous when she heard Percy saying that he wanted to see the manager. She wondered if she had said something wrong to Percy''s mother earlier. "It''s not about you. Just call the manager," said Percy. "Okay." The waitress let out a sigh of relief, exited the private room, and summoned the manager. "What happened?" the manager quickly asked when he learned that Percy wanted to see him. "I''m not sure. It''s not about the service. Please go and see him," replied the waitress. "Alright." The manager hurriedly walked toward the private room. He knew the type of people dining here and prayed silently that they were not dissatisfied with the restaurant''s food... Big shots like Luke and Percy could have a much greater impact with just a single word than all those food magazines or food bloggersbined. If they expressed any dissatisfaction, it would likely affect the restaurant''s business significantly. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. The manager thought to himself as he entered the private room and looked at the four people at the table. He respectfully approached and asked, "Mr. Mallory, is there anything you''re not satisfied with about our restaurant?" No." Percy shook his head. The manager paused for a moment, intending to apologize and offer various benefits. However, Percy''s response caught him off guard. What was going on? "Then, are you..." the manager asked cautiously. Percy frowned, considering how to phrase it. Little did he know, this small action of his had already stirred up waves in the manager''s mind. He was thinking, ''Is this not dissatisfaction? He''s already furrowing his brows!¡¯ As the manager thought that he had gotten into deep trouble, he heard Percy say, "My wife identally bumped into the mirrors when she went to the restroom just now, and the mirrors cracked." "Huh?" The manager blinked his eyes and looked at Nina. "The mirrors cracked?" "Ah, yes..." Nina did not expect Percy to say that. She pinched his thigh under the table and maintained a smile on her face. "While I was touching up my makeup, I noticed what seemed like some dirt on the mirrors. I thought I''d just give it a quick wipe with a tissue, but I didn''t expect the mirrors to crack open." The manager was secretly rmed. "Mrs. Mallory, are you alright?" "I''m fine, I''m fine. But no matter what, it was my fault for identally bumping into the mirrors, so we thought we''d let you know and pay thepensation when we settle the billter." Nina was still smiling. Since Percy had said so, she could only take the me. Regardless of whether the manager believed it or not, she just wanted topensate for the mirrors. "No need, no need. This is due to the poor quality of our restaurant''s facilities. It''s not your fault." The manager shook his head, even considering whether top their bill. After all, how could a woman without any strength break the mirrors with just a touch? Ultimately, it was clear that the mirrors'' quality just was not up to par. The manager let out a sigh of relief when he checked there were no wounds on Nina¡¯s hand. Thank goodness, she was not hurt. Otherwise, their restaurant would have topensate them instead. "That''s very kind of you. It was probably because I wasn''t careful enough. Let''s settle the bill," said Nina. Percy took out his credit card. The manager could not help but wonder if he had top their bill. However, not only did they insist on paying for the bill, but they also insisted onpensating for the mirrors. Was he dreaming? Normally, the restaurant would be the one to be med in such situations. Even though Nina was not injured, she must have received a scare. Yet, they insisted on covering the cost of the damaged mirrors Chapter 3149 Percy noticed that the manager looked anxious and dared not to take the credit card from him. He frowned and repeated again, "The bill, please!" "Yes, sir!" The manager had no choice but to take Percy''s credit card. "A moment, please." After taking Percy''s card, the manager walked out of the private room, signaled to the waitress, and instructed her in a low voice, "Go check the women''s restroom and see what happened to the mirrors!" "The mirrors?" The waitress was puzzled. What could be wrong with the mirrors? "Just go and check," the manager instructed firmly. "Yes." The waitress dared not to dy any longer. She practically jogged over, heading to the women''s restroom. As she pushed the door open, she looked at the sink area. When she saw the mirrors, she could not help but be surprised. The perfectly fine mirrors had been smashed to pieces! N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. The waitress quickly nced around. There were no tools around that could have smashed the mirrors, and there was no bloodstain around the area. They definitely were not smashed by hand. She felt puzzled and hurried back to inform the manager, "Manager, the mirrors have been smashed." "How could the perfectly fine mirrors crack?" The manager did not pay attention to what the waitress said. He only thought that the mirrors had cracked. The waitress shook her head and repeated, "Manager, they''re not cracked. I think someone used something to smash them!" "The mirrors were smashed?" The manager was dumbfounded for a moment. Was it not said that the mirrors cracked with just a touch? However, Percy''s wife did not have a reason to smash their mirrors. He shook his head, nced at the credit card in his hand, and decided to set the matter aside for now. He walked to the cashier counter. Then, he said, "Give a 10% discount for Room 10. Oh, and add the price of the mirrors in the women''s restroom." "Yes, sir." Even though the cashier was confused, she still took out the restaurant''s price list, nced at it, and calcted the price to process the payment. After the payment was made, the manager took the credit card and walked back. The waitress asked, "Manager, what should we do about the restroom mirrors?" "Contact the store. Have them send new ones to rece them. We can''t leave the broken mirrors be. It¡¯ll affect the image of the restaurant. It''s best to have them fixed tonight." The manager instructed the waitress, then took the credit card and the receipt into the private room. In the private room, the four people were still sitting there. They had lost interest in discussing matters because of what Karen did. The manager entered the room with a forced smile on his face. "Mr. Mallory, please sign this bill." Percy nced at the bill handed to him. The price must have included the cost of the mirror. He signed his name on the bill. The manager noticed that Percy did not ask about the price. He let out a sigh of relief and handed back the credit card. After receiving it, Percy gave a meaningful look to Luke. "I haven''t had enough to drink today. After I finish handling Mallory Corporation¡¯s matters, let''s drink together again." "Okay." Luke also stood up and left with them. The manager escorted the four of them to the entrance. After they left, he brought the waitress to the women''s restroom. He first made sure there was no one inside before entering. When he entered the restroom, he finally saw the mirrors. As the waitress had said, they did not look cracked but rather like they had been smashed. His expression turned strange, and he went straight to the security office. He pulled up the restaurant''s surveince footage. Not many people went into the restroom during this period. Aside from Luke, Percy, Nina, and Luca, there were two other individuals¡ªone middle-aged woman and a young woman. The manager frowned. Even though Percy''s wife took responsibility for everything, he could not shake the feeling that the middle-aged woman was more suspicious. Before she went in, she even flipped the cleaning sign upright. When she came out, she put the sign back in its original ce and then went into the adjacent utility room, where she took a tool simr to a wrench before entering the restroom again. "Who is this?" The manager frowned. Since the surveince footage was not aimed right, he could not see the person''s face clearly. Although the surveince could not capture the person''s identity, he followed the footage and saw that the woman came out of Room 13 and returned there after leaving the restroom. "Bring in the reservation records for Room 13." The manager pressed the inte, notifying the cashier to send him the data. They kept records of every dining reservation for a month. After a while, the cashier''s attendant brought the reservation records to him. "Manager, these are the reservation details for Room 13." "Why is there a table reserved by a man?" The manager frowned when he saw ''Mr.'' written on it. "I remember the guests in Room 13. It was ady, and the man apanying her seemed to be her subordinate. Anyway, when they came to pay the bill, it was thedy who handed me the credit card." The cashier''s attendant already knew about the restroom incident. Even though the restaurant was upscale, it was not arge establishment. Anything that happened could be known in no time. "Did you pay attention to the information on the credit card?" asked the manager. "Yes, her family name is Ruiz," replied the cashier. "Ruiz? Why would Mr. Mallory pay for this woman?" The manager was even more puzzled. "Manager, have you forgotten? Mr. Mallory''s mother''s family name is Ruiz, and her name is Karen," whispered the cashier. She was keen on all kinds of gossip news. The news reports rifying Karen''s situation had not subsided yet, so when she saw Karen, she recognized her immediately. At the same time, she knew that Karen was Percy''s mother. "Oh, yes, Karen!" The manager pped his forehead. He had forgotten such important information. "No wonder Mr. Mallory paid for the broken mirrors!" added the manager. His mother caused such trouble. That was why he had to handle it. Otherwise, if he found outter and investigated the surveince, it would still be revealed. This was not a glorious matter. Thus, Percy willingly took responsibility. This way, he did not have to worry about any negative rumors spreading. "Alright, the money''s beenpensated. We know who did it, and fortunately, no one got hurt. Let''s end it here. Also, don''t go out and tell others about this. Don''t let the others in the restaurant know about this either, or you''ll be in trouble, got it?" reminded the manager. He knew the personalities of his employees. The cashier had a big mouth, and she would talk about anything. "Yes, I got it. Don¡¯t worry, I won''t say anything,¡± replied the cashier. After the manager''s reminder, she dared not say anything about it. "You may leave. Ask them to hurry ande and fix it," the manager reminded the cashier once more. After the cashier left, he could not help but heave a sigh. "When this woman loses her temper, it''s truly terrifying. She didn''t care about the asion and just smashed the mirrors. I wonder who offended her." After that, he let out another cold shiver. This matter was really hard to exin... Fortunately, Karen did not cause trouble for their restaurant. Even though she went about it sneakily by smashing their restroom mirrors, it was a good thing she stopped herself from causing more trouble openly. It was likely because Percy was around. Chapter 3150 After leaving the restaurant, Luke and Luca got into the car together and left. Lliam was driving in front, stealing nces at his boss. After a moment''s pause, he spoke up, "Boss, I just saw Madam Mallory." Worried that Luke might misunderstand, he added, "Karen Ruiz." "Mhm, I know." Luke nodded and turned to look at Luca. "Are you really okay?" ¡°Why did you suddenly lose faith in me? Not just anyone can harm me. Madam Mallory doesn''t have what it takes,¡± replied Luca. Even the man who was with Karen might not be able toy his hands on her. "Well, as long as you''re not hurt... But since she has this idea, she won''t give up easily. You still need to be careful," reminded Luke, sensing that Karen might resort to force to coerce Luca. Luca nodded. Karen knew she might be able to help Pierre with his recovery, so she would not give up easily, which meant she might have other ns. Still, whatever her ns were, she could not harm Luca. Thus, Luca was not too worried. "Usually, Warren picks me up from work. I doubt anything will happen. Besides, she can''t really insist on having me perform dry needling on Pierre without also worrying that I''d harm him." She had made this clear in the restroom just now. "Well, if anything happens in the future, the first thing to do is¡ª" "The first thing is to inform you," Luca interrupted with a smile and finished Luke''s sentence. Luke gave her a helpless look. If it were not for the incident with the restroom mirrors, Luca probably would not have told him that Karen had followed them here. She had not said anything when she came back from the restroom. When she knew Nina was going to the restroom and had to act as a bodyguard, Luke knew she was not nning to tell him. "I didn''t intend to hide it from you either, but Mr. Mallory was there. If I had said it then, I was afraid Mr. Mallory would go looking for Madam Mallory. After all, it was their family matter, and there was no need to make a scene in public. "I really didn''t intend to hide this from you. I was nning to tell you after we left," exined Luca. These were all trivial matters. There was no point in hiding them. However, such trivial matters would affect the rtionship between Percy and Karen. That was why she did not say it immediately. Karen''s matter was just a small episode. As Lliam listened to their conversation, he knew that Karen had caused quite a stir in the restaurant. If he had known earlier, he would have messaged Luke the moment he saw Karen enter the restaurant. Half an hourter, Lliam drove them back to the vi. As soon as they entered the living room, the three children surrounded them. Tommy, the youngest, began toin about being left out of dinner. "Daddy, Ms. Luca, you''ve changed. You don''t love us anymore. You went out to eat without us," said Tommy, pretending to wipe away his tears. However, in reality, there was not a single tear in his bright eyes. When Luca saw the kid behaving like this, she could not help butugh. She realized that her youngest son was quite the little actor... She exchanged a nce with Luke and then bent down to pinch her youngest son''s cheek. "Alright, we¡¯re sorry. I''ll cook a big meal for you this weekend aspensation. How about that?" A mischievous hint shed across Tommy''s eyes. He immediately stopped rubbing his eyes and pretending to cry. Instead, he asked, "What kind of big meal?" "Well, what do you guys want to eat?" asked Luca, directing her question to the two of them. "Lanie, Rainie, what would you like to eat?" Even though Tommy was a big eater, he did not forget about his siblings. He turned to ask them. Lanie turned to look at Rainie, indicating that he did not mind and would go along with whatever his sister chose. Tommy''s gaze then fell on Rainie. "Rainie, we''ll go with whatever you want!" As boys, they were inclined to dote on their sister. Since Rainie was the only girl among the three, both boys decided to follow her lead. When Rainie noticed her brothers gave her the right to choose, she suggested, "Then how about barbecue? I heard Lanie say he wanted barbecue." "Rainie..." Lanie secretly let out a sigh. Why did she bring this up? "Lanie, we''re still just kids. There''s no shame in wanting to eat something good," Rainie said innocently as she blinked her big eyes. Lanie''s face slightly turned red. As the elder brother, he felt it was his duty to look after his sister and brother. Actually, Rainie had something she wanted to eat, but she mentioned what he was currently craving. This only strengthened Lanie''s resolve to always protect his sister in the future. As Luca looked at the three of them, she smiled and said, "How about this? Each of you gets to choose something you¡¯d like to eat. We can go for everything during the weekend." Tommy counted on his fingers and said to her, ¡°Ms. Luca, even if we don''t count breakfast, that''s still four meals. But if each of us picks one thing, that''s only three meals. What about thest one?" "She¡¯ll make whatever I want for thest one," intervened Luke. He knew Luca wanted to be fair to the kids. Hence, he solved the problem for her. "Daddy, are you a kid?" protested Tommy, looking up at him with dissatisfaction. "How else should we divide it?" questioned Luke. Tommy scratched his head, not knowing how to divide it. It seemed like this was the fairest way. "Okay, we''ll go with what Daddy said," said Tommy. Luke nodded and turned to Rainie. "Rainie, what would you like to eat?" Rainie smiled shyly and answered, "Daddy, I want tacos. Celeste said her parents took her to have tacosst time. She said they were good." "Alright, we''ll have tacos," said Luke, not specifying whether they would go out or eat at home. After all, the tacos Luca made was even better than what they could get outside. Then, he looked at his youngest son. "And what about you? What would you like to eat?" Tommy''s eyes flickered as he thought carefully. Barbecue and tacos were both things he wanted to eat. Besides those two, what else did he want? "Daddy, Ms. Luca, can we have grilled skewers?" Tommy asked in a soft voice. "Grilled skewers? Of course!" Luca chimed in. "Mr. Mallory treated us to a meal today, so it''s only fair to reciprocate. We can invite them and Mr. Holston for the barbecue too, right?" She was considering Luke''s standpoint. After all, if someone had treated them, they should return the favor. "Yeah, let''s have the barbecue on Saturday night," Luke decided. "Sure." Luca noted. Whether it was barbecue, tacos, or grilled skewers, they would need to buy a lot of ingredients. She nned to make a listter and ask Aunt Neile to help with the grocery shopping. When Tommy noticed that they had all decided what they wanted to eat, he looked up and asked Luke, "Daddy, what about you? What do you want to eat?" N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. "I¡¯d love to have some home-cooked dishes," replied Luke. "Huh?" Tommy was puzzled. "Isn''t that too ordinary?" "Are Ms. Luca''s home-cooked dishes ordinary?" asked Luke. "Don''t you like them?" Chapter 3151 "I love them!" Tommy immediately shook his head. He enjoyed everything Luca made! He did not expect their father to suggest something so ordinary to eat. "As long as she makes it, I''ll love it," said Luke. Tommy nodded and then heard his brother remind him, "Daddy is just worried about Ms. Luca. He doesn''t want her to be too tired." Luke threw him a nce of appreciation. It made sense that the eldest son was the smartest. Luke had not said anything, but Lanie could understand his intentions. Whether it was barbecue or tacos, even if Aunt Neile were to help, Luca would be busy. Hence, Luca suggested having a simple meal, which would make it much easier for Luca. "Are we doing something wrong, then..." Tommy thought to himself. There were three meals, and their mother would probably have to prepare for a long time... He did not want to make his mother tired either. The kids began to reflect on whether they should not have been so noisy just now and whether they should not have made such unreasonable demands. "You didn''t do anything wrong. It''s the weekend. You deserve good food. And cooking for you all doesn''t tire me," Luca said to the kids. The three kids¡¯ expressions became rxed when they heard Luca say so. Even though only Tommy said it out loud, they all felt the same way, thinking that the requests they made were too much for Luca. "That''s great, Ms. Luca. I''ll help!" Rainie spoke first. "I''ll help too!" Lanie and Tommy chimed in. "Good, then you''ll all help, and we''ll enjoy good food together!" Luca smiled at them. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the living room became lively again. Aunt Neile walked out of the kitchen. She had been listening to their conversation all along. Over the years, Aunt Neile had watched the kids grow up. Bianca changed drastically after losing her memory. Not only was she unable to take care of the kids, but she also caused trouble for Luke. Aunt Neile had seen Luke being busy with work while also taking care of the kids all these years. It was not easy. Now, with Luca around, it seemed that many burdens could be relieved. Aunt Neile thought to herself that if Luca stayed in this family, the atmosphere of this family would only get better. At the thought of this, Aunt Neile smiled, looked at them, and said, ¡°Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, you''re back." "Yes, Aunt Neile. Thank you for tonight. You may go home now," replied Luca. They were going to eat outside, so Aunt Neile dyed her off-duty time to take care of the kids at home. "Okay, Ms. Craw,¡± said Aunt Neile as she took off her apron and prepared to hang it up in the kitchen. Then, she heard Luke say, "Aunt Neile, Lliam is waiting for you outside. He''ll drive you home." "Oh, sir, there''s no need to bother!" Aunt Neile immediately waved her hands. "How could I possibly ept that?" "Aunt Neile, it''ste, and it''s not safe for you to go home alone. We''re worried, so let Lliam take you. Driving home is quicker and won''t take up as much time,¡± convinced Luca. She had been wondering why Luke asked Lliam to wait for a while a moment ago. She thought Luke had to go out for somethingter, but she did not expect it was for Aunt Neile. Luke was still very attentive, and he never mistreated those who were loyal to him. Although Aunt Neile only did housework, Luke treated her well. Luca thought to herself that she loved Luke not just for who he was but also for his qualities. He never looked down on others who helped out, despite his own wealth and background. He never treated anyone poorly as long as they sincerely helped him. Aunt Neile felt it would be impolite to decline further. Thus, she replied, "Alright. Thank you, Mr. Crawford. Thank you, Ms. Craw. I''ll head off from work now." "Okay, Aunt Neile." Luca nodded, then nced down at the three kids. "Have you finished your homework?" "All done! We were just waiting for Daddy and Ms. Luca toe back and check it!" answered Rainie. They were obedient kids. The first thing they did when they came home was to do their homework. Even though they knew their parents would note back immediately, they did not ck off or dy. They dropped their backpacks aftering home and began doing their homework at their desks. This was basically their routine every day after school. Luca was very satisfied. She nodded and looked at Luke. "I''ll check the kids'' homework. You may go ahead and do your work." "Okay." Luke nodded. While they were on their way back, he checked a few emails. Even though he left work on time today, it did not mean the employees at thepany were not working overtime. He had to handle those emails too. After Aunt Neile left, Luke went upstairs to work while Luca stayed downstairs with the kids. They watched cartoons while she checked their homework. After checking, she reached for the signature space at the back of their workbooks. Tommy asked, "Ms. Luca, can you sign your own name instead of Dad''s?" "Huh?" Luca blinked her eyes in surprise. "You always sign Daddy''s name, but we want you to sign your own," added Tommy. Luca understood what they meant and smiled. She shook her head and replied, "Not yet, but I promise I''ll sign my own name in your workbooks in the future." N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. She then signed Luke''s name. Her name should not appear in the kids''s workbooks for now. Luke had already set up a backstory for her old identity, so she was supposedly studying abroad now. How could someone studying abroad suddenlye back? If the teachers found out, they might suspect something. She did not know whether or not Abel had arranged someone at the school, so she had to be careful. There was a flicker of disappointment in Tommy''s eyes, but it was just a moment. He nodded. "Okay, Ms. Luca. We understand." Luca knew the children were disappointed, but there was nothing she could do. After signing Luke''s name, she told the kids to put away their workbooks. They did not say anything else and put away their workbooks. By then, the cartoons had finished ying. Luca went back upstairs with the children. She nced at Luke, who was working in the opposite bedroom. She then went back to the master bedroom to freshen up. After washing up, she sat in front of the dressing table. With a pen and paper in hand, she began writing a list of groceries needed for the weekend. The kids had requested food like tacos and barbecue, so they needed quite a few ingredients to make it enjoyable. Otherwise, the ingredients would be too limited, and it would not be as good. Also, she had never made these things at home before. Hence, the kitchen mightck some seasonings. She had to write the list in detail to make it easier for Aunt Neile to help with the shopping. While she was writing the list, Luke walked in and saw her busy doing something at the dressing table. He asked with concern, "What are you doing?" "I''m making a grocery list. The kids want a lot of things, so I''m getting it all down. It''ll be easier for Aunt Neile when she goes shopping," exined Luca, showing him her grocery list. Chapter 3152 "Do we really need this many ingredients?" Luke furrowed his brows. Even though it was Aunt Neile who went shopping, it was Luca who would be doing all the seasoning. Each ingredient required different handling, and Luke was worried that Luca would end up too busy and exhausted. "Yes, the more variety there is, the happier the kids will be when they eat," replied Luca. She deeply understood this point. Back when her family was struggling financially, it did not matter how much or little food there was as long as there were a variety of choices. It was a great experience even if the food was just what the grown-ups deemed as junk food. She would always find happiness in it, even if she could not eat to her heart''s content. Hence, one should enjoy it to the fullest when enjoying food. The prerequisite for that was having a wide variety. As Luke listened to what Luca said, he chuckled and shook his head. "You''ll tire yourself out with so much to do." "If we promise something to the kids, we can''t just brush it off, right? With this many ingredients, they''ll enjoy their meal, and we''ll be happy too. There¡¯s no need to worry about me getting tired, especially with Aunt Neile''s help. "And the kids said they''d help out as well,¡± said Luca. Even though she did not expect the kids to be of much help, their willingness warmed her heart. "Yes, that''s true. They''re truly fortunate," replied Luke. They were fortunate to have a mother who doted on them so much. Luca looked at the mirror. That way, she could see Luke beside her. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. His hand was resting on her shoulder. She smiled and patted his hand. "I''m happy to have you too." "I''m happy too," replied Luke. He bent down to nt a kiss on her forehead. Luca smiled blissfully. The following day, Luca got up and went to work as usual, unaware that a storm had stirred up in the hospital. Pierre was making a fuss because of her. Pierre stared at Johann, who was busy writing his medical records. Johann seemed to have not heard anything about the issue Pierre had raised earlier and said nothing about it. "Dr. Park, acting like you don''t know anything isn''t your style," said Pierre as he clenched his teeth. He was a member of the Mallory family. He could afford the medical expenses and even provide Johann with whatever resources he wanted. However, Johann''s attitude toward Luke and Percy was vastly different from his attitude toward himself. Pierre believed that Johann''s behavior like this was simply disrespectful! That was why it only made him more dissatisfied. If it were not for the fact that there were no doctors in A City aspetent as Johann, he would have reced him by now! "Mr. Pierre, what did you just say?" Johann was indeed ying dumb. After all, he could not answer Pierre. "I''m focusing on writing your medical records. I didn''t catch what you said." "I said, can Luca perform dry needling on my leg and cure it?" asked Pierre. "What? Dr. Craw knows how to perform dry needling? Why didn''t I know about this?" Johann could only pretend to be clueless about it. He also wondered about Luca''s feud with Pierre. Even if Luca was truly talented, what did it have to do with Pierre? She definitely would not agree to treat him. Still, what frustrated Johann the most was how Pierre found out. Considering Luke''s stance, Percy probably would not mention this matter... "Don''t y dumb with me here. I know everything. She did dry needling for someone before, and that person was the one Percy asked you to do surgery for. You''re telling me you don''t know? Do you think I''m a fool?" asked Pierre. Early this morning, he received a call from Karen. She mentioned that she talked to Luca yesterday, but Luca refused to help him. When he heard that Luca refused, Pierre felt like it was equivalent to dering that his leg would never recover to normal again. He could not ept such a result. He even believed that Karen¡¯s past conflicts with Luke and Luca were the reason for Luca''s refusal. Hence, he nned to approach the situation from multiple angles, persuading others to lobby on his behalf to convince Luca to agree to treat him. The worst-case scenario would be getting Karen to help him kidnap Luca. Nevertheless, there was still hope. As long as these people could help, there would be hope. That was why he wanted Johann to help persuade her. They said physicians were like their patients'' parents. He believed Johann would definitely help him. Still, Pierre did not expect that as soon as he mentioned it, Johann would y dumb here! It drove him mad! "Really?" Johann continued to y dumb. At the same time, he was thinking that he had to find out who leaked this information. If it was someone from the hospital staff, there was no need to keep that person around. He would suggest dismissing them to the hospital director. After all, spreading such things vited the professional ethics of medical staff. "Don''t y dumb here. You''re my attending physician. You must help me!" Pierre''s attitude was very domineering. "I''m not ying dumb, I just don''t remember this matter. How about this? Let me first verify this matter. You know, I have a lot of work to do, and I''m busy. Helping with surgeries is amon urrence. "Like your leg, it was your brother who asked me to help with the treatment too. But once the surgeries are sessful, I''ll hand them over to other doctors to follow up, and I won''t continue to oversee the case myself. "So, I truly have no idea what you''re talking about." Johann could only make up various excuses to y dumb while secretly cursing the person who leaked the information. "Johann Park!" Pierre clenched his teeth as he called out his name. The smile on Johann''s face disappeared at once. He nced at the intern beside him and instructed, "Leave, and close the door." The intern nced at Johann and felt a cold shiver running down his spine. He had been interning with Johann for so long, but he had never seen such an expression on Johann''s face before. Normally, Johann greeted everyone with a smile. Even when patients were critically ill and needed surgery, he would calmly tell the doctors around him to stay calm and that it was not a big deal. He assured them that they could help the patient get through it. Even when Johann was reluctant to bring the intern around and might go around wearing a sour expression, he would not have this look on his face. He looked serious, intimidating even. "Yes." The intern dared not to linger. He went straight out of the ward and closed the door behind him. Only Johann and Pierre were left in the ward. Pierre could only semi-recline. He looked up at Johann, who was next to the bed. He suddenly felt a little panicked when he saw Johann''s expression. Why did it feel like Johann was going to beat him up? Pierre was well aware of his own physical condition at the moment. If Johann were to decide to throw a punch at him, he definitely would not stand a chance of fighting back. However, doctors were not allowed to hit patients. If Johann really did beat him, no matter how skilled a doctor he was, his career would be over. Unless Johann did not want to be a doctor in A City anymore. However, Johann returned to A City despite many hospitals abroad offering him opportunities, which meant he wanted to be a doctor in A City. Otherwise, he would not havee back. At the thought of this, Pierre was not as scared as he was just now. His eyes met Johann''s dark and ominous gaze. "What, you''re gonna hit me? Don''t you wanna be a doctor anymore?" Chapter 3153 No matter who it was, nobody would dare to offend a doctor. However, Pierre was different. He felt that he did not need Johann''s help with treatment now. Moreover, without the help of Luca, he would find it difficult to stand up normally. He just decided to go for it, and he did not care anymore. Johann loosened his clenched fist. If he could, he really wanted to punch him in the face! However, he could not do that because he was a doctor. No matter how capable a doctor he was, if he laid hands on a patient, his career in A City would be over. Johann took a deep breath, pulled a chair over, and sat down. As the rage in his eyes dissipated, he looked at Pierre again. This time, his gaze contained a hint of mockery. "Mr. Pierre, how important do you think your reputation is, anyway?" asked Johann. Pierre noticed Johann¡¯s tone had changed, and he could not help but wonder if this was some kind of magic trick? How could his emotions shift so easily? "I just want you to ask Luca, that bitch, to perform dry needling on me. Is that such a difficult thing? She was able to perform dry needling treatment for your patient before, so why can''t she do it for me now?" "Let me make this clear. Luca helping that patient with dry needling wasn''t about preserving my or your brother''s reputation. It was because she wanted to help your sister-inw." Johann knew that Pierre had always harbored ill feelings toward Nina, so he emphasized that she was his sister-inw. Pierre''s expression turned ugly when he heard Johann emphasize that Luca could not be bothered about the Mallory family and that Nina was his sister-inw. "Jean got into trouble, and your sister-inw took the heat for it. That''s why Luca stepped in to help. Otherwise, do you really think Dr. Craw would have the time to deal with some troublemaker''s problems? "She doesn''t waste her time on troublemakers or on rich kids like you. Simply put, she''s not obligated to treat you. She''s not a hospital doctor, and you can''t force her to treat you, got it? "Mr. Pierre, you''re not a kid anymore, so why haven''t you grasped such a simple thing? I suggest you wise up, ept the physical therapy I''ve arranged for you, and aim for the best recovery possible." After Johann said that, he immediately rose to his feet. "Answer me one more question," Pierre quickly added when he saw Johann was about to leave. Johann stopped in his tracks and turned around. The smile in his eyes was already gone. He could not bring himself to smile at someone like Pierre. He had never seen someone as shameless as him! "Yes?" asked Johann. He was wondering how to make Pierre give up. What he said just now was meant to discourage Pierre, but it inadvertently sparked another n in his mind. "If Luca agrees to help me with dry needling, can my leg recover?" asked Pierre. "As a doctor, I can''t answer such hypothetical questions. Even if someone were a genius or a miracle doctor, they wouldn''t dare to guarantee they can definitely cure someone. "All I can say is, with Dr. Craw''s help, you should be able to stand up and walk normally. But there might still be issues when it''s windy or rainy,¡± replied Johann. Even after a fracture had healed, there might be some residual effects. For instance, the previously fractured area might ache during bad weather. However, with good care and if the fracture was not severe, these effects would be minimal. "Just hearing that from you is enough!" Pierre''s expression darkened. As long as he could stand up and walk normally, he did not care about any residual effects. He just needed to be a normal person! After all, the Mallory family did not need a cripple as their heir. It would be hard for people to trust a cripple in business partnerships. He had to be normal. Johann frowned. When he saw the look on Pierre¡¯s face, he suddenly had a bad feeling. Should he not have said those words? However, he could not lie to Pierre and say that Luca''s dry needling would not help his leg recover... "Mr. Pierre, I advise you to give up on that idea and actively cooperate with physical therapy. Who knows, it might have the same effect?" added Johann. Then, he walked out of the ward. Pierre clenched his fists. The joints in his fingers made a cracking sound from the force. He was not the type to ept such a fate! Property ? N?velDrama.Org. If Johann said that Luca could help him, then she definitely could! Pierre refused to resign himself to this fate. His n became clearer in his mind. Luca sat in her office and suddenly sneezed. "Sorry." She sniffed and turned to look at Rhett, feeling a bit embarrassed. Her nose was not even itchy, so why did she suddenly sneeze? Fortunately, she was fast enough to react. She turned her head away to avoid further embarrassment. "It''s okay, Dr, Craw. Is the air conditioning in your office too cold?" Rhett asked with concern. "Shall I adjust it higher for you? Be careful not to catch a cold." "No need. It''s fine like this." Luca rubbed her nose. "Is there anything else? Have you received the materials sent by the professor at Capital University?" "Yes, I have. The materials indicate that he has covered up to the fourth section of the fifth chapter in his lectures, and he also brought the textbooks. He seemed to know that I''d be preparing the lessons, so he gave me two copies of the textbook." Rhett handed one of the textbooks to Luca. Luca nodded, knowing that these materials were not prepared by the professor at Capital University but by Evan after hemunicated with the dean of the university president. "Could you please work on preparing the teaching materials at home this weekend? Can you have them ready by Monday?" asked Luca. "No problem, Dr. Craw." Rhett nodded. He wouldplete every task assigned by Luca. If it were not for her appreciation of his talent, he would not have had the opportunity to enter the laboratory, let alone receive the bonus from the previous research... Typically, assistants in such projects only received a small portion of the bonus as they mainly did paperwork. However, Luca brought him into theboratory, allowing him to participate in experimental research and learn things he could not learn at school. At the same time, he was also considered half a researcher now. Therefore, working overtime like this was no big deal. "You don''t have to prepare the teaching materials too thoroughly. Just outline the general content as I''m not sure how much we''ll cover in two sses. "How about this? you prepare a few more sections of content, and after I teach the students next week, we''ll know how much we can cover in one ss. Then we''ll know how much material to prepare for next time,¡± Luca pondered for a moment and added. "It''s okay, Dr. Craw. I have nothing to do this weekend anyway. I''ll prepare as much as I can. This way, when things get busy at thepany, I won''t neglect my work," replied Rhett. Luca was very satisfied with his work attitude, but she was not the kind of boss to exploit her employees. Hence, she said, "Don''t just focus on work all the time. Sometimes, you should go on dates too." Rhett¡¯s face turned red as he replied in a low voice, "Dr. Craw, I don''t have a partner right now, and I don''t want one either. I just want to focus on work." He knew his own situation. If he did not step up his game, he would be left in the dust. "I¡¯m not trying to push you or anything. I just think it''s important for you to have a life outside of work too,¡± Luca exined with a smile. "Don''t get too caught up in work all the time. Remember to bnce work with some leisure too.¡± Chapter 3154 Chapter 3154 The Fifth Herb "I get it, Dr. Craw." Rhett nodded. He held the textbooks and the files given by Luca as he stood up. "Dr. Craw, if there''s nothing else, I''ll head out to work." "Wait, there''s one more thing," replied Luca. She picked up her phone and transferred some money to Rhett. "Today''s Friday, and everyone''s been working hardtely. Can you go ahead and book a restaurant and a karaoke room? After work, gather everyone to grab a bite and sing some songs.¡± "Alright, Dr. Craw. Will you be joining US?" asked Rhett. Luca was a considerate boss to her subordinates, so it was not surprising for her to fund such activities. If they had time to rx, they would be able to work better the following week. "I won''t be going. I want you all to have fun. I''ll cover the expenses," replied Luca. She knew that if she participated, they would not be able to fully enjoy themselves. Besides, she would rather spend time at home with Luke and the kids. Therefore, she took care of the finances and let them enjoy themselves. Rhett opened his phone and saw the considerable amount Luca had transferred. It was enough for them to have a good meal and enjoy a luxurious karaoke session. With a n in mind after seeing the transferred amount, Rhett said," Alright, Dr. Craw. I''ll arrange everything to make sure all the researchers in the group have a great time." "Great. Do invite Ms. stone too. She has helped a lot with paperwork for our group," added Luca. There had been a lot going on recently, and without their help, she would not have handled those matters so smoothly. Hence, chipping in some money as a token of appreciation was the least she could do. "Okay, Dr. Craw.¡± Rhett took the money, grabbed the textbooks and files, and left Luca''s office. Once the office door closed, Luca picked up her phone again and sent a message to Nina: [Do you and Mr. Mallory have any ns tomorrow night? We''re having a barbecue at home, and I''d love to invite you both over to join us for dinner.] Nina immediately replied with a yful tone: [Is it a real barbecue this time? ] [Yes, it''s a real barbecue.] Luca smiled helplessly. The lie she spunst time to get her toe over had now be Nina''s teasing fodder for her. Nina replied: [Alright, Percy and I will trust you this time. Tomorrow night it is. I''lle early to help you out.] [It''s alright. Just make sure you and Mr. Mallory show up on time to show your support.] After that, Luca put her phone aside. She did not have Jim''s and Scarlett''s contact numbers, so Luke would contact them personally. After inviting Nina, Luca returned to theboratory to work. Rhett had already informed the researchers in the group about tonight''s ns. When they saw Luca enter, one of the researchers cheerfully said," Dr. Craw, will you be joining US tonight?" "I won''t be going. Enjoy yourselves tonight. If there''s any money left, consider it a small token of appreciation from me for your hard work during this time," replied Luca. She had not been conducting many experimentstely. They were the ones doing the bulk of the work. Even though she was overseeing it, without them, the project would not have progressed. Thus, she was very grateful to everyone present. "Dr. Craw, pleasee. It won''t be the same without you," added another researcher. "No, no, I have other things to attend to tonight. You guys carry on." Luca smiled and sat at her desk. The crowd burst intoughter. One of them, who felt particrly daring, spoke up, "I see, Dr. Craw has a date. We definitely can''t disturb her." "Exactly," another researcher chimed in. Luca smiled without offering an exnation. When she woke up this morning, Luke mentioned to her that Gale had already wrapped up things in X City, and Stan had yet to regain his memory. He realized this incident was rted to him, so he firmly told the doctor that he wanted surgery to remove the brain tumor. He intended to use the surgery as an excuse to dy being detained and questioned by the police. Additionally, the herbs they purchased at the event would be delivered by Gale today, along with the herbs in the afternoon. Luke also mentioned that Gale seemed to have found the fifth herb but was not entirely certain, so he bought some from the herbalist to check. If Gale¡¯s herbs were correct, it meant they had all five, and she could start researching at home. Luca was determined to return home promptly after work today to verify the authenticity of the herbs. Luke had said that if the fifth herb was not the one they were looking for, then Gale''s subordinates would continue to inquire and gather information from the herbalists. With this in mind, Luca ignored the teasing from others and continued her work. She was very focused when conducting research, and nothing could distract her. The researchers in theb saw that Luca was already engrossed in her work. They ceased their banter and continued with their tasks. After work, Luca left almost immediately. Mo Stone was sitting in her office. Watching Luca leave in a hurry, she rubbed her chin and asked, "Does Dr. Craw have something urgent going on? It''s been a while since I''ve seen her leave on time." Previously, Luca not only left early every day but also frequently took leave. However, her role was different in Watson. With a sessful project in the bag, the HR department and CEO would not question her. Also, it seemed like Luca had resolved all her previous problems one day and returned to leaving on time. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Rhett, who was organizing files, heard Mo Stone¡¯s words and did not say anything. Mo Stone looked at him and asked, "Mr. Link, do you know what Dr. Craw is busy with?" "How would I know? Are you sure you''re noting tonight?" asked Rhett. After he left Luca''s office, he informed Mo about the dinner ns for tonight. Mo frowned, expressing that she wanted to do something of her own and did not want to go out on a Friday night. Rhett did not insist. With one person less, they could allocate more money to everyone else. Mo''s tasks were not solely for the sake of their research group, but the researchers within the team were different. Their performance and efficiency directly impacted the progress of the project. "I''m not going. Have fun, everyone," Mo shook her head, indicating she would not be going. She secretly wondered how much money Luca would give them for dinner and karaoke. She figured they would not be going to any fancy ce, so what was the point of her joining in? Rhett nodded without saying anything. One of the researchers approached and asked, "Mr. Link, can we go now? Are we heading to Blue Coast Restaurant?" "Let''s go. I''ve already booked a private room. We can head over now.¡± Rhett locked away all the files on the table into the drawer and stuffed the textbooks into his bag. Then, he rose to his feet and got ready to leave with the researcher. Chapter 3155 Chapter 3155 Missed Out On The Gathering "Blue Coast Restaurant?" Mo Stone was startled for a moment. She thought she had misheard. "You mean the one that''s all over the inte?" Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "Yes." Rhett nodded, observing Mo''s reaction with some curiosity. He then asked, "What''s the matter?" "Nothing, I was just curious. That restaurant is quite expensive. How much did Dr. Craw give you guys?" Mo tested the waters and asked, thinking that even an ordinary meal there would cost several thousand dors... "Revealing that might not be the best idea,¡± replied Rhett. There were other research team members in the office, and revealing the amount might make them feel a little sour about it. He understood this aspect of workce dynamics well. Not every research professor was as generous as Luca. Having a high ie was one thing, but being generous was something else. If the other professors could not be as generous as Luca, then Luca would be the exception. Such exceptions were not always weed in the workce. Rhett did not mention it as it was partly to protect Luca. Another researcher also realized his mistake. Talking about going to such an expensive restaurant in front of others would surely lead their office colleagues to specte about how much Luca had given them. They enjoyed this special treatment, but they could not let it bring trouble to Luca. "Well, it''s not much actually. Dr. Craw suggested a team-building activity, so we discussed and decided that each of US would chip in a bit of money. Along with Dr. Craw''s contribution, we can afford to dine well. Let''s go, Mr. Link. They''ve already left, and so should we," exined the researcher. "Yeah, that''s it. Well, let''s head out first." Rhett could not be bothered and left with the researcher. Mo wanted to speak up. However, they did not give her a chance throughout the conversation. She bit her lip as her expression soured. Mo did not believe a word the researcher said because when Rhett first told her, he did not mention everyone chipping in money. He simply said Luca was covering it all. She figured Luca had given quite a lot of money, but to avoid others in the office from getting jealous, Rhett spun it that way. Mo was frustrated. If she had known Rhett had booked a private room at Blue Coast Restaurant, she would have definitely gone. She regretted missing out on the chance to dine at such a high-end restaurant. At the same time, she could not help but secretly grumble about Luca''s special treatment. She gave Rhett so much money and allowed everyone to go to such a nice restaurant. Surely, other research professors would not be so willing to spend that much. Mo clenched her teeth as she thought about it. Rhett had asked her twice, so why did he not ask her the third time? If he did, she would definitely have agreed! Mo was feeling regretful, and one of the assistants in the office could not help but heave a sigh. "Dr. Craw is just too nice, huh? I wonder why I didn''t get ced in her group." "Rhett picked her quickly, but honestly, even if you were given the chance to choose, you might not have picked Dr. Craw at first. Who could have imagined such a young research professor would have such great capabilities?"mented another researcher. They had all wondered who would be the first professor to sessfullyplete the research and have their drug smoothly hit the market. However, no one had expected it to be Luca. Luca was the first toplete the research and get her drug on the market. Her luck yed a crucial role. Both Dr. Cole before and Dr. Albus got into trouble. That was why Luca could be the first. "I never expected this. Now, we can only envy Rhett," added the assistant. Mo tidied up her documents and stood up, ready to leave work. She did not want to spend another moment in that office. Even though the assistants'' conversation did not directly involve her, the content was a constant reminder of her missed opportunity with Luca. If she hadpeted with Rhett from the start, she would surely have surpassed him. After all, her performance in school had been better than his. Mo left with a grim expression. An assistant noticed Mo''s displeased expression. As she waited for everyone else to leave, she asked her colleagues, "Why does Ms. Stone look so upset?" "She''s probably feeling down because she missed out on the gathering," replied another person. "Really?" "Of course? Rhett invited her once today, saying it was Dr. Craw''s idea, but Ms. Stone declined. Then Rhett invited her again, but she still refused. Didn''t you notice? "When the other researcher mentioned Blue Coast Restaurant, Ms. Stone''s expression turned sour. It was like she had missed out on a fortune. It''s definitely because of this." "But isn''t it just a meal?" "For us guys, it''s just a meal, but for women, it''s like a chance to show off on social media. Ever heard of those pseudo-socialites? They go to great lengths to boost their image. They even organize group buys at fancy restaurants. "They reserve a spot, order a few dishes, and rotate people through. They¡¯re not really there to eat, just to take photos. Dining at such ces boosts their image." "Wow, this is just too much..." "It''s real. You can find it all online. If you do a little digging, you''ll see. I bet Ms. Stone is just like that. Haven''t you noticed she hardly posts anything on social media? But when she does, it''s always at upscale ces. Or she posts fancy skincare products and all. That''s how most women are." "And did you guys know? I heard Ms. stone could havepeted with Mr. Link to be Dr. Craw''s assistant at first. But she didn''tpete. Now I hear she regrets it and doesn''t want to do office work anymore. She wants to be Dr. Craw''s assistant, but Dr. Craw said she doesn''t need anyone else." "Normally, one research professor gets one assistant. Since Dr. Craw doesn''t n to let go of Mr. Link, Ms. stone definitely can''t get the job no matter how talented she is. After all, you can''t make exceptions, right?" "That''s right..." In the office, assistants of other professors continued discussing Mo''s situation, while Luca had already returned to her vi. When Luca reached home, she hurried into the living room. Gale was sitting on the couch, smiling as he watched the three kids do their homework. There were fruits and snacks on the coffee table in front of him, showing how considerate Aunt Neile was in hosting him. "Mr. Gale," Luca greeted him without putting on any airs just because he was under Luke''smand. She knew that without Gale and Rain, along with the sacrifice of that other person, Luke might not have returned safely. "Dr. Craw, you''re back," Gale greeted her cheerfully. He picked up a bag and asked, "Where shall we talk?" "Are these the herbs you brought back for me?" Luca deliberately asked in front of Aunt Nelle to disclose that they were herbs, saving her from curiosity. "Yes, these are the herbs you need. Took me quite some time to look for them, but I''m still not sure if they''re the ones you want. Why don''t you take a look?" Chapter 3156 Chapter 3156 Poisons That Are Even More Potent Than This "Alright, let''s head to the living room on the second floor," suggested Luca, inviting Gale upstairs to the living room. Gale carried the bag and followed her upstairs. Aunt Neile watched them from behind and murmured, "Should I bring some refreshments up?" When Lanie heard Aunt Neile muttering, he paused his homework and said, "No need, Aunt Neile. Ms. Luca and Uncle Gale are just going to chat for a bit. There¡¯s no need to bring refreshments up." "Okay, then I''ll continue preparing dinner.¡± Aunt Nelle nodded. She had just invited Gale to stay for dinner, but when she heard Lanie''s words, she did not inquire further. She knew Luca wanted to have a private conversation with Gale upstairs and thought it best to prepare more food just in case he decided to stay. With that in mind, Aunt Neile began preparing dinner. Upstairs, Gale sat on the couch and started to show Luca the herbs he had collected. "I just thought they looked simr to the pictures, but I''m not familiar with these herbs and haven''t seen them before, so I''m not so sure about it." The herbs were in pieces. Luca picked one up and asked, "Have they been processed by the herbalist?" "Yeah. He said the stems were difficult to process, so he removed them before drying. Without the stems, I''m even less sure if these are the herbs you''re looking for," replied Gale as he waited for her to identify. If these were not the herbs Luca needed, someone would continue the search. Luca took the herb to her nose and sniffed it. Her brows were slightly furrowed. She had never seen these herbs before either. Even though Shanks had mentioned them to her, she was not certain about it. Luca took out her phone and snapped a photo of the leaves, hoping the browser could identify them. The search yielded a variety of nts... Luca let out a sigh, then searched for the corresponding herb and carefully examined it based on its features. "It looks quite simr to the one in my hand." After that, she just stuffed the herb right into her mouth. "Dr. Craw!" Gale was startled by her action. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. If this was the herb she was looking for, it could be poisonous. "Don''t worry, taking a bite of this herb will only introduce a trace amount of toxin. It''s harmless. Besides, I''m taking the antidotes, so there shouldn''t be a problem," exined Luca as she tasted the herb. It was slightly bitter with a hint of bitter chrysanthemum vor. "This is it. This is the one we''re looking for.¡± Gale heaved a sigh of relief, then asked again, ¡¯ Are you sure it¡¯s safe?¡± "I have poisons in my body that are even more potent than this. I''ll be fine." Luca shook her head. The poisons in her body were from the drug administered by the Ind of Despair to manipte people. Even though she took antidotes every month, they were essentially another form of poison. It continually increased the poisons in her body. Gale understood what was going on. If it were not for Luke eliminating the Ind of Despair back then, he might have been drugged with the same thing. The methods the Ind of Despair used to control others were extremely cruel. "Mr. Gale, can I see the other herbs?" asked Luca. "Oh sure, I almost forgot. These are the ones I brought over. If you need anything, just let me know. The rest are stored with me," replied Gale. He took out all the other herbs. Luca carefully examined the herbs. These were much easier to identify than the previous one. She nodded, indicating they were fine. "These are good enough. I''ll let you know if I need more. "I''m not sure what they''re up to. I''m also at a loss, so I won''t use up too many of these herbs." After storing all the herbs, she invited Gale again, "Mr. Gale, you''ve worked hard these days. Why don''t you stay for dinner tonight?" "I''m sorry, but I have a dinner date. If the herbs are okay, I¡¯ll leave now. Goodbye, Ms. Craw." Gale stood up and was ready to leave. He did have a dinner date tonight. Even though it was dinner with another man, it counted as a date. More importantly, if he stood the man up, he would probably be scolded for a week. "Alright then. We''re having a barbecue party at home on Saturday night. You and Rain shoulde." Luca invited them. "That sounds good." Gale''s eyes lit up. He was not particrly fond of barbecues, but he had his eye on the wine in Luke''s collection. With a barbecue party going on here, Luke would surely contribute some fine wine. Gale agreed, "Sure. See you on Saturday night." "Sure, see you then. Juste over. You don¡¯t have to bring anything," emphasized Luca. She was worried they might bring gifts. "Absolutely." Gale happily left. Luca packed up the herbs. She thought that since she had already invited Gale and Rain, she might as well send a message to Vivian too. She nned to invite Vivian to join the fun as well. Saturday nights were usually free for college students, so Vivian should be able to attend. Plus, judging from her personality, she would surely be happy to join. Sure enough, shortly after, Vivian replied and epted the invitation. Luca pondered for a moment about who else to invite. However, after considering much, most of her previous rtionships had faded since her return. There was no one else to invite except Jason and Sue. Luca sent a message to Luke, asking him to invite Jason and his wife. Luke would likely follow her decision. It did not take long before he replied, iming that the invitation had been sent and that he had also notified Louis. When Luca saw Luke mentioning Louis, she furrowed her brows. Susan lived next door... Previously, Louis would definitely avoiding over to avoid Susan. However, now that Luke had sent the invitation, Louis would probably ept it for Luke''s sake. If Louis came and met Susan, would this lead to another round of conflict between mother and son? Or had they patched things up? Luca did not press the issue. These were not urgent matters, and she believed Luke was not someone who would make an impulsive decision. She nned to ask him about it when he returned. After storing the herbs, Luca headed downstairs. The three kids had finished their homework. When they saw here down, Lanie said, "Ms. Luca, we''ve finished our homework." "So soon?" Luca was surprised. Was tomorrow not Saturday? How did they finish their weekend homework so quickly? "We had self-study at school today," replied Lanie. He and Rainie had used the self-study time to finish a portion of their homework, so it did not take them long toplete the rest when they got home. Tommy added, ¡°The teacher said the school is trying to reduce our workload, so they didn''t give US much homework. I''ve finished mine too." Luca nodded and nced at the time. Since Luke had not said he would not being back for dinner tonight, she figured he would be back soon. She said, "Let''s watch some TV for now. We''ll have dinner when your daddyes back." Chapter 3157 Chapter 3157 It Was Better To Avoid Meeting "Great!" When the three kids returned, Aunt Neile served them some fruits, so they were not hungry now. Suddenly, Luca remembered the cartoons she had downloaded earlier and said, "I''ll y the cartoons I downloaded. Didn''t you miss some of it the day I came back? I downloaded the episode." Then, Luca yed it on the TV screen. Tommy cheered, "Ms. Luca, you''re awesome!" "I originally nned to let you watch it on the weekend, but since you''ve finished your homework so early today, you can catch up now." Luca put her phone down and started to check their homework. These days were peaceful. She spent her evenings with the kids while waiting for Luke toe back. She found these days quite fulfilling. However, she also knew that this tranquility could be shattered at any moment by Abel. That was why she cherished these moments even more. Luca''s smile faded slightly at the thought of Abel. Who knew how long this peace wouldst... "Ms. Luca, what''s wrong?" Rainie was sitting beside Luca, and she sensed her change in mood. "It''s nothing." Luca shook her head. "Just checking your homework!" Rainie furrowed her delicate brows and nced at what Luca was doing. Luca was checking Tommy''s homework. She asked, "Is Tommy¡¯s homework very bad?" Tommy heard his name being mentioned and immediately looked nervously at Luca. He said, "No, mine isn''t bad at all. I did it very seriously!" "No, it''s quite good." Luca shook her head, signing her name behind Tommy''s workbook. "Okay." Rainie felt that something was off with Luca''s mood, so she leaned closer and whispered, "Ms. Luca, don''t be upset. We''re here for you!" "I''m not upset." Luca looked at her daughter. Moved by Rainie being so thoughtful and considerate, her smile returned. "Don''t worry, I''m fine. Everything''s okay." "Okay." Rainie nodded, then her gaze fell back to the TV. Lanie suddenly rose to his feet. "Lanie, where are you going?" asked Rainie. "To get a book," replied Lanie as he made his way up the stairs. "Oh." Rainie did not say anything more. She knew her brother was not actually interested in these cartoons. He was just watching them with them. He was usually uninterested in them, and now rewatching them would be even less interesting to him. After a while, Lanie came back with a book and also brought a small booklet. He handed the small booklet to Luca. "What''s this?" Luca looked up and saw the red booklet being handed to her. There were two big words printed on it-Honor Certificate. "It''s Lanie''s certificate. Lanie won the championship in the school''s mathpetition," Rainie said. "I''ll win the national mathpetition next," said Lanie. He felt this award was too small. He did not intend to show it to Luca. He had not even thought of taking it out. The moment he received the honor certificate, he stashed it away in a drawer without ever considering taking it out. However, when he heard Rainie say Luca did not seem very happy a moment ago, as though she had something on her mind, he suddenly recalled that parents always liked seeing their children seed. If Luca knew he had won an award, she would definitely be happy! Hence, Lanie this as an excuse to show Luca the certificate. She would be happy to see it. For parents, regardless of the size of the award, it was all about honor. It was something that filled them with pride. "Really? Lanie, that''s amazing!" Luca put down the workbook, took his certificate, opened it, nced at the ranking, and smiled broadly. Her son was truly amazing. "This is just a small award. I''ll bring back a big one next month," said Lanie. He never pursued these things. He only participated because the teacher asked him to. Therefore, he did not have much pursuit of rankings. People called him a genius, and he disyed the qualities of one. As long as he participated in competitions he was good at, he always came first. Math was his forte. As Luca looked at Lanie''s calm little face, she smiled and replied, "Okay, then I''ll wait. Shall we disy the certificate in the living room?" "Okay." Although Lanie did not think it was a good idea, he went along with Luca. Tommy chimed in, "Ms. Luca, I have apetition next week, and I''m going to get first ce too!" "Great. Tommy, you need to work hard too!" Luca looked at her talented children. She felt a surge of warmth in her heart. No other children could be as outstanding as hers. However, she also felt it was not her achievement. It was Luke''s. Luke had excellent genes and educated the children well, which was why they were so exceptional. As Luca thought of her husband and then of her children, Luca felt a sense of superiority. Lanie sat back on the couch, and Rainie could not help but mutter softly," Lanie, didn''t you say you wouldn''t show it?" "I wanted Ms. Luca to be happy," Lanie exined coolly. As Luca listened to their conversation, the worry that had just arisen in her mind was immediately dismissed. They were all her treasures... After Luca finished checking the children''s homework, Luke came back. After dinner, Luke went upstairs to deal with work. Luca spent some time watching cartoons with the kids before going upstairs too. She nned to tidy up the herbs Gale had sent over. She came to the second floor. Instead of going straight into the study, she went to Luke''s bedroom where he was working. The door was left ajar. She stood by the door and knocked. "Come in," said Luke. "Luke, I have something I want to ask you," said Luca. "About Louis?" Luke guessed what Luca wanted to ask right away. She nodded. "Has Louis patched things up with his mother?" Luca asked straightforwardly. "No." Luke shook his head. "Then why did you still invite him over? Aren''t you afraid that Madam Crawford will find outter and come over to cause trouble? Perhaps another family conflict will erupt." Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca was worried. Whether it was Karen causing trouble in their house or hers, it was no good. After all, the rtionship between Louis and his mother was on the edge now. If they met again, would there not be another family conflict? Luke answered, ''The rtionship between them has reached a breaking point. It''s time to break the ice. Staying stuck like this won''t help. "Mother still can''t reach Louis, and she''s constantly running to Crawford Manor, disturbing Grandpa''s peace every single day.¡± Luca was taken aback for a moment and replied slowly, "I see..." "Yeah, some things need addressing. This isn''t working out for Louis either, so I might as well give them a chance to sort things out. If they want to make a scene, let them. "It''s either they patch things up or continue being at odds, but it''s better than Mother constantly running to the old house," Luke exined to her. Men and women often thought differently. Luca thought that if Louis did not patch things up with Susan, it meant Louis still had grievances and it was better to avoid meeting. Still, Luke did not see it that way. Chapter 3158 Chapter 3158 Am I That Scary? Louis and Susan had to meet face-to-face before they could start discussing and ultimately reach a resolution. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Only then could this matter be resolved. This issue was caused by Old Master Crawford, and it was not a problem for him to suffer a bit. However, Old Master Crawford has been enduring this for quite some time now, to the point where it was almost unbearable. It was also Luke''s duty to resolve this issue for him. Luca''s proposal of a barbecue was indeed a good opportunity. Luke added, "This matter was caused by Grandpa. He had someone pretend to be from another company to negotiate the acquisition with Louis. It just so happened that Mother heard about it and caused a scene. This matter should alsoe to a resolution now." Luca was slightly surprised that it was Old Master Crawford who caused it! Still, what surprised her even more was that Susan could not reach Louis. Thus, she went to see Old Master Crawford every day... Imagining this scene, Luca could figure out the situation. Given Susan''s personality, she was surely racking her brain and trying every trick in the book to extract Louis'' location from Old Master Crawford. "So, how do you n to inform Madam Crawford?" asked Luca. She agreed to his approach. Indeed, it was not a solution for the mother and son to stay at odds like this... "Let Aunt Neile go." Luke nned to let Aunt Neile inform the maid next door so that Susan knew Louis would be here this Saturday night. Once the maid next door knew, Susan would definitely know too. "Hmm, that works." Luca was inplete agreement with Luke. She understood the implication behind his words and also supported his idea. After Luca knew why Luke invited Louis, she returned to the study to attend to her own matters. Inside the vi, there was a profound sense of tranquility. On the other hand, in the exclusive VIP room of the Bibbier''s Tale, Gale was having quite a headache. "Gordan, we agreed to have dinner. How did dinner turn into drinking?" Gale looked at Gordan, who was holding a bottle of wine. Gale was puzzled. They were supposed to grab a meal, but it had now turned into a drinking spree. Gordan ended up drinking most of the booze. He figured that in two hours, he would have to drag a drunkard home. "Isn''t this food?" Gordan slightly narrowed his pretty eyes, pointing at the food on the coffee table. Gale widened his eyes and reminded him, "Are you sure this counts?" "Appetizers are still food, you know. What, you look down on the drinks I ordered? Let me tell you, the money I spent on these drinks could''ve bought ten seafood feasts." Gordan pointed at the bottles on the table while letting out a belch. "Plus, don''t you enjoy drinking too? You''re always looking forward to sipping on the wine from Luke''s collection. While my selection may not be at the level of collectibles yet, they''re all premium wines!" "I do love a good drink, but I don''t guzzle it down like water. If you keep this up, I won''t show up when you call me anymore." Gale rubbed his stomach. He was starving! Appetizers might be food, but they could not satisfy one''s hunger. Gordan rolled his eyes at him. "You''re such a lightweight. You need a full stomach to handle your booze, don''t you?" "Yeah, I''m hungry. I''m not picky right now. Just get me a meal and let me fill up first. Then we''ll talk!" Gale nodded. "Just a moment!" Gordan pressed the bell. Soon after, a waitress walked in. She nced at Gale, then at Gordan. She asked in a sweet voice, "May I help you?" "My friend is hungry. Get him a deluxe seafood feast to go, the mostvish one. Take this money and hurry up." Gordan pulled out a stack of bills from his wallet and handed it to the waitress. The waitress hesitated for a moment. While their bar did offer takeout service, the amount of money Gordan gave was too much! When Gordan saw the waitress hesitating, he frowned and asked, "Why are you still dawdling here? Get a move on. Get the most extravagant option and use up all this cash!" The waitress wanted to say that it was not a problem to spend the money, but where could they find such a luxurious seafood feast at this hour? Even the most expensive dishes at regr restaurants would not cost this much, and the seafood market was closed. Even if they went there now, they would not be able to find things like lobsters. Gale noticed that the waitress wore a troubled expression and intervened," Don''t mind him. Just get me some lobster rolls." "But what about the money..." The most expensive lobster roll would only cost a couple of bills. She looked at Gordan, unsure if he was on the verge of getting drunk. She was certain he would not take the money, so she nced at Gale, hoping that he could offer a solution. "Give it to me," said Gale. The waitress immediately handed him the money, swift as though passing a hot potato. Gale pulled out a hundred dors and handed it to her. "You can get me one portion, and the rest is your tip." "Thank you, sir!" The waitress thanked him, took the cash, and hurried out. She did not expect to receive so much tip just for helping with a takeout order! After the waitress left, Gale returned Gordan''s money to his wallet. Gordan frowned disapprovingly when he saw this. "I handed out the money. There''s no reason to take it back." "Have you gotten used to being a spendthrift? What you did just now almost made her cry," Gale said helplessly. "Am I that scary?" Gordon asked in a helpless tone. "Well, you kind of are," said Gale. He took a sip of his drink. "What task did you recently pick up that''s making you so generous?" "Hey, I''m just loaded. Even without any gigs, I''ve got cash." Gordan raised his ss, inviting a toast. Gale clinked sses with him. "Alright. You''re loaded. You''re the man. But seriously, why the drinking? Something going on?" "Isn''t drinking whenever you want the whole point of booze?" replied Gordan as a hint of gloom shed across his eyes. Gale caught his expression clearly. "If everything''s fine, why are you drinking like this? It''s obvious you''re drowning your sorrows in alcohol. Come on, spill the beans. Drinking alone is just boring otherwise." "There''s not much to talk about. Hey, any ns or events happeningtely? Or anything I can get in on? It''s just too boring here." Gordan remembered what Vivian had told him. He thought he needed to keep himself busy. Otherwise, he would keep thinking about that woman... It was driving him crazy! Gordon did not understand what was happening to him. He even suspected that Vivian had put a curse on him or something back then because whenever he was alone, he would think of her ugly face! It was not just when he had nothing to do. He even dreamed about her. All of this left Gordan feeling speechless. "There''s nothing you need to help with right now, but there is an eventing up. There''s a barbecue party at Boss'' ce tomorrow. Are you interested in joining?" Gale recalled Luca''s invitation today. Since Luca invited him, Gordan could probably join too, right? "What''s so great about a barbecue?" Gordan seemed unenthusiastic. He thought that it was something only women and kids enjoyed. "Many people will be there, and Boss will surely share some of his prized wine. There''ll be food, drinks, and friends. What''s not to like? Are you going or not?" Gale felt that Gordan was acting strangely. He might need to socialize with others to feel normal again. Chapter 3159 Chapter 3159 Heartless And Cold Gordan could not care less about things like barbecues, but when he heard Gale mention there would be wine, his eyes lit up. Suddenly, he was enthusiastic about it. All he could think about now was getting his hands on some alcohol. "Sure. Why the heck not? If there''s good liquor involved, count me in." Original content from N?velDrama.Org. "Are you nning to drain Boss'' liquor stash?" Gale took a sip of his drink and teased him. "He''s got plenty in his cer. What''s the harm in me having a taste?" Gordon knew that Luke had a habit of collecting fine wines. There were many in his wine cer that Gordan wanted to try but had not had the chance to yet. With so much good wine calling his name, it would be dumb not to go. "I''ll let Boss know," replied Gale. After all, it was not his party, so they had to give the host a heads-up. Gordan stopped him. "No need. I''m worried that if you tell him, Luke won''t bring out the good stuff. Just take me along. No need to give him a heads- up." "Is he really so stingy that he won''t even share his liquor..." Gale could not believe it. Was Gordan really drunk to actually paint Luke as such a stingy person? Luke was genuinely kind to people. Hence, he was also known for being generous, whether it was about money or anything else. "Trust me. Don''t tell him anything. I¡¯m nning to surprise him," replied Gordan. He let out a burp after another swig of his drink. Gale rolled his eyes. It was hard to believe what a drunkard said. Give Luke a surprise? As long as it did not end up being a shock, that would be considered good enough. "I can''t just let it slide," Gale insisted on telling Luke. "Okay, here''s the n. Pretend you''re clueless. Tomorrow, I''ll show up at his ce myself. Sounds good?" Gordan did not want Luke to know he wasing. Gale pondered for a moment. That could work. He nodded and replied," Alright, but ease up on the drinks tonight. You don''t want to show up at his ce tomorrow still hammered." "Live for the moment, my friend. You don''t get it. I can hold my liquor. I won¡¯t be wasted." Gordan laughed, taking another swig. "Tsk, you¡¯re really risking it all for booze." Gale shook his head. Luckily, Gordan was in A City now, where things were rtively safe. There would not be any trouble. If he were overseas, getting this hammered couldnd him in hot water. "Who says so? This booze is good for you," Gordan squinted his eyes, feeling like he was seeing double. He nced at the bottles of liquor on the table, several of which were already empty. "Yeah, it''s good for you. In that case, bottoms up." Gale saw Gordan in such a state and knew he was almost gone. There was a knock on the private room door at that moment. Gale raised his voice, "Come in." The door opened, and the waitress who had just left returned. She held a tray with a steaming lobster roll on it. "Here''s your lobster roll, sir." The waitress ced the tray on the table. "Alright, thanks." Gale nced at the lobster roll, then at the drunken Gordan. He did not want to be dragging a wasted man home, so he asked," Is the hotel upstairs run by the same boss as this bar?" "Yes." The waiter nodded. Their boss owned a nightclub downstairs and had recently taken over the hotel upstairs. It was convenient for guests to crash upstairs when they were too drunk to drive, avoiding the hassle of transportation. Gale rose to his feet, walked over to Gordan, and reached out. "Hand over your wallet." "You didn''t want my money earlier, and now you''re asking for it... What are you doing?" Gordan squinted at him with drunken eyes. Gale shook his head helplessly and replied, "I''m not doing anything. I''m just gonna get you a room. I don''t want to drive you back and risk you messing up my car." Dumping a drunk man in a hotel room was the best option. It saved time and effort. Gordan smacked his lips. He was a little slow to catch on. After a couple of seconds, he handed over his wallet to Gale. "Get me a deluxe suite." "Okay." Gale furrowed his brows then rxed. Was Gordan drunk or not? He retrieved Gordan''s ID, nced at the photo, and started mocking him," You look like a model in this ID, but you''re just a booze hound." He handed Gordan''s ID to the waitress, then pulled out some cash. "Will this cover a deluxe suite?" "It''s more than enough." The waitress estimated how much was in the cash pile. Their boss did not specialize in hotels, so the ce was just a four- star joint. A presidential suite was not that expensive. "Then go get him one and keep the change as a tip," said Gale. The waitress felt a surge of joy. She did not expect the guests in this private room to be so generous. This tip could cover her earnings for ten days of work! "Thank you, sir! I''ll get right on it." The waitress took the money and headed out to arrange a deluxe suite for Gordan. "Gale," Gordan suddenly spoke up. "What now?" Gale nced at him, then started on his lobster roll. He thought he could have avish meal tonight, not lobster roll. He would rather shamelessly mooch off the boss'' food. "Can I crash at your ce tonight?" asked Gordan. He was pretty hammered but still clung to his drink, sneaking sips whenever he could. Gale t-out refused, "Take you home? Rain will kill me!" He could not help but shudder at the thought of the various scenarios that could unfold with a drunk Gordan. He could not afford the trouble of taking him home. Not only would he have to clean up after Gordan, but he would also get a beatdown from Rain! "I didn''t say I wanted to stay at Rain''s ce." Gordan rolled his eyes. Didn''t the boss give you a vi?" "But you''re not getting in there. It''s spotless. If you mess it up, I''ll have to hire someone to clean it. I''m not a fool!" Gale immediately refused without considering their brotherly bond. "I got you a room. You stay there. Make all the noise you want." At worst, Gordan would wake up hungover and foot the bill for any damages to the hotel. Gale could afford that. "Pfft, why are you acting like a woman? Heartless and cold, heartless and cold..."ined Gordan. "Gordan." Gale was getting a headache from him. "What?" Gordan narrowed his eyes and looked at him. "You''re even more of a drama queen than any woman I know, getting drunk and acting like a jilted lover. Now, you''re using me of being heartless and unfeeling. Isn''t that just ridiculous?" Gale wore a look of disdain, wishing he could just dump the lobster roll over Gordan''s head. However, he suppressed the urge to do so when he remembered his empty stomach. No matter what, he had to satisfy that first. While the lobster roll was not anything special, there was no need to toss it out. Gale even had a feeling that if Gordan kept drinking, he might end up sleeping on the toilet tonight. He would rather not bother arguing with a drunk man. "Pfft, what a load of crap. Jilted? Me?" The mere mention of being jilted was like unlocking Pandora''s box of emotions for Gordan. Chapter 3160 Chapter 3160 Who''s The Woman Who Turned You Down? As Gale looked at the man lunging toward him like a wild beast, he stood up holding the lobster roll and moved to another seat. "Gordan, just because you''re drunk doesn''t mean you''re the boss around here. If you dare toy a finger on me for real, I won''t go easy on you." Gordan heard Gale''s warning and wore an annoyed expression on his face. "Gale, you''ve changed," muttered Gordan. He was toozy to engage in a scuffle. He pouted as he continued drinking. Gale took another bite of the lobster roll and asked, "How so?" After he asked that, he suddenly nodded and added, "Back then, even if I had free time, I wouldn''t bother hanging out with you. I must''ve lost my mind toe to this ce with you for a drink. I''m eating chowing down on this lobster roll." Gale disdainfully eyed the lobster roll. He red at Gordan as he said," Remember, you owe me a proper meal." "Alright, I''ll treat you to a feast when I''m less busy." Gordan waved it off. Gale clicked his tongue. If he took the words of a drunkard seriously, then he had already lost. Less busy? Gordan was free tonight, but he dragged him out for drinks! Gale told himself that he would better rify the time and ce if someone offered to treat him to a meal next time and seriously consider whether to ept or not. After all the fuss, Gordan continued drinking. A little whileter, the waitress pushed open the door to their private room and entered. "Sir, here''s your room all set up. Here''s the key card and your identification." "Alright, you can leave," replied Gale after he took it from the waitress. "Yes, sir.¡± The waitress turned around and left. Gale kept the key card with himself and then returned Gordan''s identification to his wallet. He handed it back to him. "Here''s your wallet. Keep it safe!" Gordan, absorbed in his drinking, seemed to ignore him. Gale frowned and immediately stuffed the wallet into his pocket. "I''m giving it back to you. Don''te crying to me if you lose it." "Am I the kind of person who would bother others?" Gordan suddenly asked. Gale did not answer and instead replied with a question, "Do you think you are?" "I don¡¯t think so, but why does she think I''m a bother? Clearly, she''s the one causing trouble..." Gordan muttered to himself. "Who are you talking about?" Gale suddenly became interested. Just a moment ago, he looked like he had been jilted, all fierce and agitated. Now, looking at Gordan like this, could he really be heartbroken? Who would have rejected Gordan? Who in their right mind would turn down Gordan? Gale really wanted to know just who this woman was. She was so oblivious to what she was missing out on. Even though Gordan was not a businessman and did not possess fortunes like Luke or Percy, he had his abilities! With his talents, making money was child''s y. Gordan had brains too. Gale could not help but think that if Gordan were to start a business, he would surely make a fortune. Moreover, his appearance... Eventhough Gale was reluctant to admit it, Gordan had striking looks. He looked charming even in his drunken state. The waitress'' attention was almost fully drawn to Gordan just now. How could such a man be rejected by a woman? Just how high were her standards? Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Gordan shot Gale a nce, stating that he might have had too much to drink but he was not drunk. Furthermore, even if he were drunk, he would not bber nonsense. Gordan retorted, "What''s it to you?" "I''m just curious. Who would reject someone like you, Mr. Gordan?" Gale persisted, feeling like there was some juicy gossip to uncover here. "Get lost. !Who''d dare turn me down?! Look at me, do I seem like the type to get rejected?" Gordan stubbornly refused to reveal. Gale could see what was going on and understood it clearly. Gordan definitely would not spill the beans now. He was not drunk enough yet. At the thought that the suite had already been prepared for Gordan, Gale picked up two bottles of alcohol and handed them to him. "Having a drink after a heartbreak might help. At least you won''t be thinking about her. Here, drink up." He wanted to get Gordan drunk enough to spill the beans. "She just doesn''t know when to quit, showing up even when I¡¯m drunk!" grumbled Gordan. Suppressing augh, Gale took out his phone and snapped a few photos of Gordan. Gordan was too preupied with drinking to bother about Gale taking photos of him. After taking the photos, he sent them to Rain: [Rain, guess who this is?] In no time, Rain replied: [Gordan. Are you with him?] [This guy tricked me, making me think he was treating me to dinner. Next thing I know, we¡¯re skipping the grub and hitting the bottle. Can you believe it? But hey, I got some juicy gossip out of it. Wanna hear?] Gale replied as he put on a mischievous grin on his face. [Spill it or forget it. No need to y mysterious games here.] Rain sounded impatient. [Listen, Gordan got dumped, but I don''t know who gave him the boot...] Rain simply replied: [Oh.] She was not as nosy as Gale, and she was not interested in such matters. When Gale noticed Rain''s indifferent response, he nced at Gordan. If a woman like Rain was not interested in gossip, how could a man like him be? Then, Gale received another message from Rain. [Serves him right! Vivian is such a catch, but he didn''t know what he had. He got what he deserved!] As Gale read the message, he recalled Rain''s anger. He remembered what Gordan did to Vivian back then, which caused quite a stir at the time. He shook his head helplessly. He wanted to say that as a man, he could understand why Gordan did not like Vivian. After all, men were visual creatures. If a woman was not attractive, it was normal for Gordan not to be into her. Even if an unattractive woman treated him well, if she failed to pass the looks test, Gordon could not truly like her. Moreover, although it was Gordan who acted foolishly by flirting with Vivian before, after all those years, Vivian should have realized that Gordan did not like her. Since he was not into her, she should not have kept clinging to him. Now that the two had divorced, they should just go their separate ways. Rain did not need to continue to defend Vivian. However, Gale knew that if he replied like this, Rain would definitely give him a hard time. Thus, he opted for a simple response: [Yeah, you''re right. Gordan got what wasing to him for not knowing his ce. It''s on him!] [That''s it!] Rain replied, wholeheartedly agreeing with what he said. Gale looked at Gordan, suddenly realizing that he was also staring at him. "Is there something on my face?" Gale felt uneasy under his gaze and touched his face. Yet, there was nothing there... "There''s nothing there. Now that you¡¯ve finished your lobster roll, can you apany me for a drink?" asked Gordan. If it were not because he felt bored drinking alone, he would not have called Gale. However, what he did not expect was that Gale was actually ying with his phone here! "Sure, let''s drink. Let''s drink!" Gale put away his phone, intending to continue drinking with Gordan. This way, he would soon find out who the woman Gordan mentioned was. Once he got drunk, he would be able to coax Gordan into talking. However, Gale was careless. They drank for another two hours, and Gordan waspletely drunk. Gale poked his face and asked, "So, who''s the woman who turned you down?" Chapter 3161 Chapter 3161 Utterly Useless To Him "Shut up..." muttered Gordan as he rolled over. "I don''t need a woman!¡± Gale slumped on the couch, feeling a bit intoxicated. If he had not heard what Gordan had just said, he would have believed it himself that Gordan did not need a woman. Gale pressed the service bell. After a while, the waitress entered. "Sir, how can I assist you?" "He''s drunk. Get two guys to help me carry him up to the hotel," said Gale as he pointed at Gordan. He was too drunk now to manage Gordan on his own. That was why he needed their help. "Alright. A moment, please." The waitress turned around and left, leaving the door ajar. She called for two waiters to enter the room. They hoisted Gordan up, one on each side. Gordan was built like an athlete, possessing the kind of physique that made him appear lean when clothed but muscr when unclothed. Even as the two slender waiters each took a side to carry him, he still proved to be a weighty burden, making every step a challenge. When Gale saw this, he let out a sigh. "If it doesn''t work, get two more and just lift him by his limbs to take him upstairs." Lift him by his limbs? Everyone present broke into a cold sweat at the thought. It seemed absurd. Gordan was very much alive, not an animal or a corpse. Would that not risk injury? Gale noticed that none of them were responding and added, "Go ahead, he''s tough. He can take it." After getting caught being with other women apart from Vivian, Ray had given Gordan an earful countless times. The fact that he was still alive showed that Gordan was one tough cookie, built to withstand a lot of rough handling. "Sir, this doesn''t seem right. But he''s just too heavy." A waiter frowned, surprised at the weight of this seemingly slender customer. "If it''s not working, find someone taller to carry him on their back," suggested Gale. "I''ll call the supervisor!" The waitress suddenly remembered that the bar''s supervisor was a rather sturdy man, so she called him over. To sweeten the deal and ensure the supervisor willinglyplied, the waitress mentioned that these two guests were generous tippers and promised a hefty tipter. Even though the supervisor was their superior, he liked money as well. At the mention of a generous tip, he immediately entered the room. With the help of the two attendants, he hoisted Gordan onto his back. With Gordan''s weight pressing down on him, the supervisor gasped. "He¡¯s unbelievably heavy." "Of course, he is. How could someone with a solid build not be heavy? Take him upstairs," instructed Gale when he saw that the supervisor had sessfully lifted him. Struggling under Gordan''s weight, the supervisor moved forward. Gale handed the room key to the waiter near him. Til settle the bill first. You guys take him upstairs." "Yes, sir." The waiter took the room key and followed behind the supervisor, ensuring he did not stumble due to the weight. After settling the bill, Gale frowned at the receipt. "Gordan can really hold his liquor!" Then, he tucked away the receipt, nning to ask Gordan for the money once he sobered up. Gordan said it was his treat before he started drinking. Therefore, Gale would not foolishly foot the bill himself. Once everything was settled, Gale headed upstairs. Even though he was a bit intoxicated himself, he needed to make sure the waiters had settled Gordan properly. Gale still remembered the room number and followed the hotel''s directions to the presidential suite. At that moment, the supervisor was justying Gordan on the bed. "Thanks for your hard work, everyone," said Gale with a grin on his face as he looked at Gordan, who was already lying in bed. He walked over, took out the wallet from his pocket, and pulled out a stack of cash. The supervisor and the other two waiters could not believe their eyes. They were indeed generous! They handed over stacks of cash as tips. Gale handed over a dozen banknotes to the supervisor, then took out a few more for the two waiters. "Thank you for your help." "No trouble at all, sir. It''s our job to serve the guests. But since he seems quite intoxicated, would you like someone to keep an eye on him? Our bar and hotel provide services for looking after drunk guests," offered the supervisor. "It''s alright. You guys can head back now,¡± replied Gale. He did not intend to leave. An idea popped up in his mind when he looked at the drunken Gordan. Was Gale not free to ask whatever he wanted while Gordan was drunk? "Alright, then we''ll go back to work first." The supervisor nodded, happily leading the waiters out. The tips they received tonight equaled two days'' worth of wages! Gale gave Gordan''s hand a gentle shake. "Hey, Gordan, wake up.¡± "Don''t disturb me." Gordan, though clearly drunk, was notpletely out of it. He rolled over, still keeping his eyes shut. Gale could tell from his breathing that he was not asleep yet. He nudged him and said, "Don''t y dead. Let''s have a little chat." "You''re annoying!" muttered Gordan. Perhaps it was the booze, but his speech was slurred. "You!" Gale was rendered speechless. He looked at the man on the bed and asked again, "Why don''t you spill the beans? Who''s the foolish woman who rubbed you the wrong way?" He remembered that Gordan was sensitive to words like being jilted and women. Hence, he changed his approach and hoped for a response. Gordan remained silent. Gale clicked his tongue. "Fine. I won''t disturb your rest, but you gotta reimburse this bill. I''ll use your cash." Then, he took out all the remaining cash from Gordan''s wallet. However, after splurging quite a bit on the waiters'' tips that night, the cash in his wallet barely covered a third of the bill. Gale nced at the phone that fell out of Gordan''s pocket, picked it up, and nced at it. There was no facial recognition and no fingerprint lock, just a password lock. This man was indeed cautious. "I''m short on cash. I''ll make a digital transfer instead. What''s your phone password?" asked Gale. Gordan mumbled his phone''s password. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Gale operated the phone, transferring money from Gordan''s ount to his own. "I''m not after your money either. Since your ount has enough for the transfer, I won''t take the cash. I''ve put it back for you. Get some rest. I''m heading home." Gordan still did not respond. Gale scolded under his breath, "Drunk bastard!" After that, he turned around and left. The door to the room was closed once again. Gordan listened to the lock clicking shut, then slightly opened his eyes. He squinted to survey the hotel. His narrowed eyes were steeped in the haze of intoxication. He had indeed drunk too much. Confirming that the suite was safe, Gordan closed his eyes again. Although he was drunk, he remained vignt. When the supervisor and waiters carried him upstairs, his consciousness was still clear. He just did not feel like talking or walking himself. His mind was still clear. That was why when Gale tried to trick him with words, he remained silent. When Gale asked for his phone password, he could still think clearly enough to provide it. No amount of alcohol could drown his rationality. Hence, most times, alcohol was utterly useless to him. Chapter 3162 Chapter 3162 Itching To stir Up Trouble Since it was a Saturday the following day, Luca lingered in bed for a while longer before getting up. She figured that Aunt Neile must have already bought all the ingredients needed for today, so now she needed to go downstairs to help. Some ingredients needed to be marinated for a few hours to taste good when grilled. When Luca arrived downstairs, the kids were all sitting on the couch reading. When they saw Lucaing down, they all greeted her, Ms. Luca, you''re up." "Yes, I am. Where''s your daddy?" asked Luca. When she walked out of the bedroom, she nced at the opposite bedroom door, which was open. However, Luke was not inside. She slept quite deeply all night. Therefore, she had no idea when he got up. "Daddy left early. He said he had to go back to the office to deal with something. Ms. Luca, please go and have your breakfast. Aunt Neile put a lot of things on the table. Maybe you should bring them over here to eat," said Rainie, reminding her not to go hungry. "Okay, I''ll have breakfast first." Luca nodded and walked into the dining room. Indeed, there were many bags on the table. "The ingredients..." As Luca muttered to herself, she looked at the table full of ingredients. She could understand why Aunt Neile did this. She remembered what she told Aunt Neile yesterday. Since a lot of people were invited to the barbecue this time, Aunt Neile was asked to prepare more ingredients. If she found any ingredients suitable for barbecue, she could buy them. Anyway, if they could not finish them, they could put the ingredients in the fridge and have them the next day. They would not be wasted. It was just that Luca did not expect Aunt Neile to prepare so many ingredients. However, when she thought about the peopleing tonight, she felt it was right to prepare more ingredients. It was better than to let someone go hungry, right? "Good morning, Ms. Craw." Aunt Neile came out of the kitchen. She saw Luca and greeted her with a smile on her face. "Good morning, Aunt Neile. If I had known you were going to buy so many ingredients, I would''ve gone with you so I could help carry some." Luca felt a bit embarrassed when she thought about Aunt Neile carrying so many ingredients back home alone. There were too many bags. Did she use a small cart to haul all this? Aunt Neile chuckled and replied, "It''s okay, Mr. Crawford asked Mr. Warren to take me to the market today. He helped me. It was quite easy." "Oh? I see." Luca was surprised. She did not expect Luke to have arranged everything. "Yeah, but now I have to prepare these ingredients bit by bit, so I''ll need to upy the dining table for a while. Ms. Craw, would you like to have breakfast in the living roomter?" asked Aunt Nelle. Since she bought so many ingredients, she had to wash and prepare them one by one. Only then could Luca season and finally skewer them. "Sure. No problem." Luca nodded. "I''lle to help after I finish breakfast." "No rush. I''ve heated up your breakfast in the microwave. Let me clean these first," said Aunt Nelle, indicating there were still many ingredients to be cleaned. For some reason, there were a lot of people at the market today, and the stalls she usually patronized were unusually busy, so the stall owners did not have time to do a simple rinse for her. Aunt Neile was left with no choice. She could only buy them and clean them herself. Cleaning was not a difficult task, but with so many ingredients, it became quite a chore. Luca took out the breakfast Aunt Nelle had heated up for her from the microwave and brought it to the living room to eat. Rainie watched Luca have her breakfast and asked, "Ms. Craw, are a lot of peopleing over tonight?" "Yeah, they''re all people you know. It''s a small gathering." Luca nodded. "Oh, so they''re all the ones we know," replied Rainie. "Uncle Jim¡¯s son will being, along with Uncle Louis'' daughter. You''ll havepany to y with." Luca thought the kids would enjoy having ymates their age. When Rainie heard that Jim''s child was alsoing, her brows furrowed together. Noticing her daughter''s unease, Luca asked, "What''s wrong?" "Simon''sing too. He always pulls my braids. I don''t like ying with him," Rainie answered in a helpless tone. When Lanie heard Rainie say so, his expression became serious. "I''ll give him a piece of my mind if he dares to do so!" "Lanie, you have to protect me," said Rainie. "Don''t worry, I won''t let him bully you," replied Lanie. He was very protective of his sister. Tommy chimed in, "Rainie, I''ll protect you too. 1*11 make sure the annoying Simon stays far away from you." Rainie smiled brightly when she heard her brothers say so. She felt that having brothers around was not such a bad thing when she was facing the annoying Simon. They would not let him seed. After Luca finished breakfast, she went into the kitchen to help Aunt Nelle prepare the ingredients. There were a lot of ingredients, so the two of them worked together to wash them. Rainie also came to help, just as she had promised the day before. However, the kitchen sink was small, and Rainie could not help much. Therefore, she was responsible for bringing the ingredients in for the adults and taking out the washed ones. Going back and forth, Rainie was happily busy with a smile on her face. Luca and Aunt Neile worked together and soon cleaned all the ingredients. Luca went to the dining room, looked at the table full of ingredients, and said, "They definitely can''t finish eating all of this tonight. By the way, Aunt Neile, do we only have one barbecue grill at home?" Aunt Nelle nodded and replied, "Yes, just one. Is it too few for so many people?" "It is, but it''s okay. I''ll go outter and get another one," Luca thought it would not be good to have so many people with only one grill. Even though the men probably would not gather around the grill to barbecue, there were still many people. One grill could only cook a limited amount of food, so they needed another one. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "It¡¯s okay. Let me call the shop owner. They can deliver it to our doorstep," suggested Aunt Neile. As a professional maid, she had the phone numbers of various equipment shops. These shops would deliver goods to customers'' homes as long as the purchase amount was sufficient. Even if it was not enough, as long as a small delivery fee was paid, the boss could arrange for the delivery guy to deliver the goods to the door. It was very convenient. "That works," replied Luca. She nced at the sun outside. The weather was hot. Even if there was air conditioning in the car, she did not feel like going out. "Ms. Craw, should we start seasoning the ingredients now?" asked Aunt Neile. "Yes, bring all the seasonings from the kitchen so that we don''t have to keep going back and forth," replied Luca. She picked up kitchen paper and repeatedly dabbed off the water droplets on the ingredients. This way, when they were marinatedter, the texture would be better. When Rainie saw her doing this, she also picked up kitchen paper and repeatedly dabbed the water droplets off the other ingredients. "Good job, Rainie," praised Luca. Rainie put on a shy smile and continued to focus on her actions. Tommy stood up from the couch in the living room. Lanie asked, "Where are you going?" "I''m going to help them!" replied Tommy. Lanie heaved a sigh and shook his head, seeing through his brother''s intentions at a nce. "You''re just itching to stir up trouble. But what''s the n if you start drooling over those tes of meatter? Are our guests supposed to feast on meat or your slobber?" Chapter 3163 Chapter 3163 Deal A Blow To Her Reputation "Lanie!" Tommy protested and waved his hands. "I''m not interested in raw meat." "But when you see it, you''ll imagine how delicious it''ll be once it''s cooked," Lanie continued to tease Tommy. "You''re so mean..." Tommy was annoyed with his words but still sat down. He was the most gluttonous one. When he saw raw meat, he would think of how delicious it would be once cooked by Luca. Lanie was right. At the thought of this, he gave up the idea of helping. He looked closely at Lanie and asked, "Lanie, if you''re not tempted, why don''t you go over and help?" "I can''t." Lanie shook his head. "I''m allergic to the kitchen, just like Daddy. Ick talent." "You''re justzy." Tommy hit the nail on the head. Finally, Lanie raised his eyes from his book. He looked at his younger brother and nodded. "I amzy, just like Daddy." He really did not like being near the kitchen. He was not interested in what was happening inside the kitchen. He was not a girl, like Rainie, who was interested in baking and cooking delicious food. He was not interested in any of that. He would rather read more books instead of wasting time there. Books were more interesting than the kitchen. Tommy wanted to say that Daddy was notzy, he was just busy. However, he thought about how Luke would not enter the kitchen even when he was not working and even when their mother was not around. He would simply order takeaway from a fancy hotel. He had never seen Luke in the kitchen. Tommy frowned. Maybe Luke had been in the kitchen, but it seemed like it was because of Luca. He had never cooked for them! In the dining room, two adults and a child worked together and soon marinated all the ingredients that needed marinating. Luca picked out some and put them aside. "Ms. Craw, what''s this for?" Aunt Neile did not understand what Luca was doing. "Mr. Crawford said he wants to have a home-cooked meal, so I''ll make lunchter with these ingredients,¡± replied Luca. When she asked Aunt Neile to buy ingredients, she had already written down the ingredients she needed for the dishes she wanted to make. "Okay, should I put the remaining ingredients back in the fridge?" asked Aunt Neile. "Yes, please wrap them in stic wrap and put them in the fridge. We''ll skewer themter in the afternoon." Luca did not choose to skewer them now because there were quite a lot of ingredients. If they skewered them now, it would take up a lot of space, and the fridge might not be able to contain them. When Rainie heard them, she picked up the stic wrap on the table and helped wrap up the dishes. "Ms. Rainie, well done!" Aunt Neile watched Rainie''s actions and praised her cheerfully. Rainie''s face reddened. After finishing all this, Luca nned to prepare lunch. Before preparing lunch, she walked to the living room, picked up her phone, and wanted to call Luke to ask if he would be back for lunch today. When Lanie saw Luca picking up her phone, he asked, "Ms. Luca, are you going to call Daddy?" "Yes, I wonder if he''sing back for lunch today," replied Luca. "You don''t need to call him. Daddy said he''de back for lunch. If he hasn''t called you or Aunt Neile yet, it means he''sing back for sure," said Lanie. When Luca heard her eldest son say so, she nodded. After putting down her phone, she returned to the kitchen to prepare lunch. Luke said he was craving home-cooked dishes, so she nned a luxurious home-cooked meal for him. Luca looked at the seafood, beef ribs, and various vegetables she had taken out with a smile. Would Luke be surprised if he knew her home-cooked dishes were this luxurious? Aunt Neile asked, "Ms. Craw, what are you nning to cook?" Property ? N?velDrama.Org. She looked at the seafood, meat, and vegetables. She was unsure of what Luca was going to make. "I n to make a seafood tter," Luca pointed at the seafood and enoki mushrooms. "I''ll be using these ingredients, and for the others, I''ll stir-fry some side dishes." "Mr. Crawford enjoys having seafood. He''ll definitely go for seconds at lunch today," said Aunt Neile. Even though she did not watch Luke grow up, she knew everyone''s tastes in the Crawford family over the years. "Yes, but it''s been a while since I made seafood tters. I hope it still tastes the same as before," replied Luca. There were not many fresh seafood options back on the Ind of Despair. The seafood brought in was usually frozen. Luca did not like frozen seafood as she found the texture unpleasant, so even though she cooked often, she rarely prepared seafood. Aftering back, she did not have many opportunities to cook. Except for the lobster brought back from Crawford Manorst time, she had not dealt with seafood at other times. Luca was worried that she might not do well and would waste the seafood. "Don''t worry. You''re a cooking prodigy. The food you make is delicious. Rest assured, it won''t go wrong,"forted Aunt Neile. She had full confidence in Luca''s cooking skills. Luca smiled and started cooking. In a meeting room of T Corporation, Luke gazed icily at the two individuals seated across from him. Facing him were a man and a woman. He did not recognize the man, but the woman was Mavis. The man, Sylvester Pearce, reportedly the boss of Mavis''pany, hade to discuss cooperation today. Luke did not think there was any cooperation he could discuss with them. However, Jason mentioned that the terms offered by them were very good, but the condition was that they had to talk to Luke first. Luke did not want to talk to these two people, but they happened toe to thepany when he was working overtime. When he heard what Jason said, he thought he would listen to what they had to say. "Lu-Mr. Crawford." Mavis paused for a moment, almost calling Luke by his first name. She was a professional in the workce and should not be making such basic mistakes. However, whenever she faced Luke, she could not help but feel overwhelmed. She would then be prone to making errors. Luke''s charm was just too irresistible. Whenever she saw him, her heart raced uncontrobly, and she was unable to suppress the fluttering. Even though she knew he would never like her and never belong to her, she just could not help it. She was unable to control her emotions. She was fine at work until she saw him, then it was like her whole being was thrown off bnce. She ended up making several mistakes in her reports. Mavis felt that the man beside her was upset because of her unprofessional behavior. Luke''s gaze remained cold as he watched her. Mavis took a deep breath, struggling to regain her professionalism. "Ourpany is very sincere about partnering with T Corporation. I believe you won''t find a more professional outdoorndscaping design company in A City. "Please trust in our expertise. If we coborate, I''m confident we can smoothly secure the suburban development bidding project." Luke set aside their project proposal and rejected her without hesitation," Ourpany has already found andscapingpany to coborate with and has signed a contract. I''m sorry, but your company isn''t within our consideration for cooperation." Mavis''s expression froze. His rejection was too blunt. It also dealt a blow to her reputation! Chapter 3164 Chapter 3164 Bing Luke¡¯s Mistress Mavis knew it was a bitte to talk about cooperation now. Theirpany had been kicked out by anotherpanypeting for the bid before, but the design ns were already in ce. If they were to give up on this project now, all the efforts of thepany''s staff would be in vain. Mavis then thought of T Corporation. If they could coborate with T Corporation, they would surely secure the bid. She presented her idea, only to be rejected by the boss, who assumed T Corporation would not coborate with them at this point. However, Mavis imed that she knew Luke, and she insisted that their bid was excellent enough. As long as she could talk to Luke, she was confident they could make it. The words she spoke in front of the boss were brutally contradicted by Luke''s response. Mavis felt that if she could not turn the situation around, there was no point in staying in herpany any longer. "Mr. Crawford, ourpany is also a strong contender. If you''re concerned about breaking the agreement with the otherpany, we can help with that. If you give US a chance to coborate, we''ll cover any losses caused by terminating your previous contract." Mavis took a deep breath, now focused solely on fighting for this opportunity. She had authority and shares in thispany. If they could not coborate with T Corporation now, she would lose face if she continued to stay here. Therefore, Mavis was determined to fight for this chance. Her eyes were filled with tenderness as she looked at Luke, hoping he would notice her emotions and understand the difficulties she had faced. After all, she had worked so hard at T Corporation. Even if she had no major aplishments, she had still put in a lot of hard work. Even though this man might not have any feelings for her, she had handled so many things for him. Could he not help her out just this once? "Not a chance.¡± Luke''s rejection was as cold and emotionless as ice. It was exactly the opposite of what Mavis had hoped for. Or more urately, it was precisely the opposite of what she had wished for. Sylvester, who was beside her cleared his throat without saying anything, but Mavis could sense his dissatisfaction. It was almost as though he was silently questioning her. After all, she did tell him that she had connections, so what was going on here now? "Mr. Crawford, considering our past coborations, could you give me this opportunity for cooperation?" Mavis persisted, or rather, she refused to believe Luke was such a cold and heartless person. "Ms. Laviere, I''ve already made myself clear just now, and yourpany''s timing for seeking cooperation is toote. Anypany would refuse at this point. I have other matters to attend to, so please leave." Luke, taking into ount the troubles Mavis had resolved for him before, tried to exin as much as possible. As for whether she listened or not, it was not something he could control. Mavis''s face turned pale, and her expression was one of incredulity as she looked at Luke. Was he really this heartless? Luke, however, could not be bothered with her. Everything was ready, and they were just waiting for the bidding. It was impossible for Luke to kick out thepany T Corporation was cooperating with and choose Mavis''pany just because he knew Mavis. If he changed their cooperation partner, many aspects of the bid would need to be altered, and he had no desire for such self-torment. Moreover... Luke was very satisfied with the current coboratingpany. When he designed the courtyards of the old houses in X City, the designs were allpleted by thispany''s designers. He was very satisfied with the otherpany¡¯s performance. Jason heard what Luke said and added, "Ms. Laviere, we''re about to close for the day. Please leave. Well get in touch if there''s any opportunity for cooperation with yourpany in the future." Mavis'' eyes darkened. She naturally knew Jason only said that out of politeness. She did not believe it, and neither did Sylvester beside her. With a disappointed expression on her face, Mavis replied, "Sorry for bothering you, Mr. Crawford. We''ll leave now." After that, she stood up and nced at Sylvester beside her. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. His expression was not good either as he stood up and left with Mavis. After the two left the conference room and were out of earshot, Luke said," Put Mavis''pany on the cklist. We''ll never cooperate with them in the future." "Yes, sir," replied Jason without asking for the reason. If the boss said so, he would do it. Honestly, what Mavis did this time really shocked him. She used to work alongside Luke, so how could she not understand this simple truth? Seeking cooperation should be done early. Now, almost everypany hadpleted their bidding proposals. How could shee to seek cooperation at this time? How could Mavis, who used to be so responsible and efficient at work, be so confused now? Was she forced toe here to beg for help from Luke? However, anyone who had worked with Luke knew that his affection was only for those he loved. Someone like Mavis would never receive an ounce of sympathy from him. After Mavis and Sylvester left the T Corporation building, they got into a car together. Sylvester instructed the driver to return to thepany. Then, he looked at Mavis with a grim expression and asked, "Ms. Laviere, are you ready to give up now?" "Give me a little more time. I can find a solution," Mavis replied with a calm tone. Coborating with that constructionpany was her firm choice. Many senior executives expressed their doubts about thepany''s qualifications and opposed coborating with them during the first meeting. They suggested other options. Still, Mavis went against the tide and chose thatpany. As a result, the cooperation was terminated directly. This was something Mavis was determined to do. Now that the cooperation had been terminated, the company woulde after Mavis. She would never resign to her fate, so she thought of Luke. She did think her hopes were extravagant, but she did not expect Luke to tly refuse her request to cooperate in front of everyone. He did not even give her a chance to discuss their design ns. "What other solution do you think you cane up with? From the way you look and the mistakes you made earlier, it seems like you have other intentions toward Luke Crawford. But he''s married. "You''re such a proud person. Why would you willingly want to be someone else''s mistress?" replied Sylvester as he scrutinized Mavis from head to toe. He was married, but he had made advances toward Mavis before. However, she rejected him outright, iming that she would never be a mistress. He was angry at that time, but considering Mavis'' work ability, he did not dismiss her. However, Mavis'' significant mistake this time has caused thepany to lose a considerable amount of money. She had yet to figure out how to patch things up. Sylvester was already displeased with her. When he saw Mavis looking at Luke with such affectionate eyes, it made him even more dissatisfied. He was well aware of his own limitations, and he did not hold a candle to Luke. Yet, the same person who adamantly dered she would not be a mistress for anyone else was now willing to be one for Luke. At the thought of this, Sylvester became even more resentful. After all, he was Mavis'' boss now. Her attitude toward him as her boss was one thing, but her attitude toward Luke was another. Did she think she was superior and could lord over everyone else in this company? Did she think this ce was not worthy of her? Chapter 3165 Chapter 3165 Mavis Holds Shares In The Company Mavis'' face flushed red and then paled under the sting of Sylvester''s words. If it were Luke, would she agree to be his mistress? She was willing to stand beside that god-like man regardless of her status. Mavis also felt she had the ability to be his only one. However, Luke did not give her that chance. Apart from Luke, Mavis would never be any other man''s mistress, including Sylvester who was in front of her. "Boss, why are you bringing up the past?" She knew Sylvester was dissatisfied. He was deliberately picking on her, even intending to mock her. Sylvester narrowed his eyes and said, "Ms. Laviere, as you know, I have no feelings for that hag at home. If you agree to be with me, I''ll give you the best, including a family. You''ll be my wife then. Why won''t you agree?" He admired Mavis. Not only was she beautiful, but she was also incrediblypetent at her job. Sylvester knew that although Mavis had made a mistake this time, as long as she continued to work in thepany, she would definitely bring huge benefits to thepany. Elevating his wealth and status a bit more would not be a problem. However, Sylvester had also looked into Mavis'' past. Mavis stayed at T Corporation the longest. Every company she joined after that, she did not stay for long. The reason was straightforward-she felt they lacked challenges. Whenever apany started to stagnate, she would simply quit. No matter how thosepany''s bosses tried to retain her or what conditions they offered, Mavis would not agree. Sylvester appreciated her drive for improvement, but he also knew that if things continued like this, he would not be able to keep her in hispany for long. Hence, he was thinking about making her work for him continuously. The best way to keep her was to make her his woman. However, Mavis seemed uninterested in that. Sylvester thought she was just proud, especially since his previous investigations had not revealed any involvement with her former bosses. Yet, today he learned that Mavis was not proud. She simply looked down on people like him. "Boss, I''m not interested in being a mistress. And I''m not interested in destroying someone else''s marriage to climb up thedder. Please have some self-respect." As Mavis spoke, she stared down at his hand firmly. As Sylvester spoke, his hand had wandered and was now resting directly on her thigh. Mavis had to muster all her self-control to keep herself from pping his wandering hand. Sylvester looked at her and withdrew his hand as though nothing had happened. His expression turned cold.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "Ms. Laviere, I value you as a talent, but if you don''t want the opportunity I give you, don''t me me for turning cold. You''ll bear the loss of this project. Even though you''re a shareholder of thepany, we have to handle business affairs impartially. Do you understand what I mean?" Of course, Mavis understood. What was there not to understand? It was just about taking responsibility for the project and thepany. If it was a normal mistake that led to the loss, she would definitely take responsibility. However, for this project, even if they cooperated with the previouspany, they might not secure the suburban development project. Besides the early losses involving design and employee time, there were no other losses. On the contrary, thepany also received a sum ofpensation from the otherpany. "Boss, what exactly is this loss you''re talking about? Do you think that if I had followed everyone''s advice and we cooperated with the other constructionpany, we could''ve won this bidding project?" asked Mavis. Sylvester was taken aback for a moment. Mavis'' sharp tongue left him unable to respond. He also knew deep down that the probability of them securing this bidding project was low. There were so many outstanding construction firms out there, and the ones they could coborate with were only of average industry standards. Suchpanies basically had no advantage in bidding wars. As such, there really was no loss to be talked about. "After thatpany decided to cancel the contract, ourpany receivedpensation. Shouldn''t thispensation be counted as part of thepany''s assets? Where''s the loss?" Mavis continued to question. Sylvester persisted, saying, "I don''t care. If it weren''t for your decision to go with thispany, our work could have been seen by our peers. Are you questioning the design capabilities of ourpany''s designers? "With such an excellent proposal, ourpany would''ve had many potential clients once other people saw it. Now, that opportunity is lost. Isn''t that a loss?" A smirk yed on Mavis''s lips. Sylvester continued, "Instead ofpensation, I''d rather have that precious opportunity." As Mavis listened to Sylvester''s words, she could only secretly let out a sigh and mutter to herself, ''A man''s mouth is best at speaking nonsense.'' Rather not have thatpensation? She remembered clearly how Sylvester could not stop smiling when they received thatpensation. Mavis replied, "Then you could''ve refused to receive thatpensation or even sue them in court. That way, thepany''s design would still have gotten exposure." "You!" Sylvester did not expect Mavis to say such things. Mavis added, "Both you and I know the level of thepany''s designers. Do you think their designs are outstanding? They''re just average. "Let me tell you honestly why I chose thatpany. It¡¯s because I thought they might cancel the contract anytime. That way, thepany could still gain some ie on paper. "But one thing surprised me. They canceled the contract sote. If it had been earlier, do you think those excellent designs could still be showcased to others? "But after so many years in architectural design, I know thepany''s design level well. We simply can''t handle those top-notch projects." "Mavis!" Sylvester¡¯s tone carried a warning. She was looking down on thepany''s designers and hispany! Since she looked down on them, why was she still here? She might as well go to anotherpany! Not only did she stay, but she also heldpany shares! Was that not showing contempt for the company? Mavis could guess what was on his mind, so she reminded him, "Every time I join a newpany, I make a point to negotiate for a stake in it. I know I have the skills to turn apany around, so when it seeds, the shares I hold be valuable. "To be honest, my ownership ofpany shares isn''t based on thepany''s potential. It''s simply a reflection of my confidence in myself.¡± She had no desire to engage in a confrontation with this man, but his calcting behavior and relentless dredging up of past rejections tested her patience. His persistent sense of entitlement was wearing thin on her nerves. It seemed that only by confronting him would he stop dwelling on those matters. Slyvester''s face flushed with anger at her words, turning into the color of beetroot. He wanted toe up with a retort to Mavis but found himself at a loss for words. He even considered the idea of firing her. However, he could not go through with it because Mavis held shares in thepany. Chapter 3166 Chapter 3166 Ripples At the thought of it, Sylvester realized that Mavis'' request for stock options before joining was a calcted move. Even if she were to offend him, he could not just fire her. The shares she held were enough to ruin hispany. Sylvester fell silent with frustration. Mavis stopped talking too when she noticed the man was keeping silent. The atmosphere in the car plummeted to freezing point. Even the driver sitting in the driver¡¯s seat dared not utter a word, afraid of displeasing the two most powerful figures in thepany and losing his job. As the silence settled, Mavis recalled the look on Luke''s face just now. They had worked together, but Luke''s demeanor was as distant as when they were at the zoo. He treated her like a stranger. Not only was it strictly business, but his words were also filled with indifference. Mavis could not tolerate this version of Luke. However, she also knew that this was the real Luke. He had no affection for her, and that was why he was cold to her. She recalled the time at the zoo when he was with that woman named Luca along with his kids. Mavis'' sense of injustice intensified. She stared at the roadside and suddenly saw Luke''s car speeding by. She could not help but clench her fists. Luke Crawford... That name engraved in her heart seemed impossible to erase. Mavis'' growing sense of injustice made her want to grasp more, but if she could not even get close to Luke, how could she hold on? There was a hint of sadness in her eyes. The mere mention of Luke Crawford sent ripples in her heart... After Luca had rested, she got up in the afternoon, intending to go downstairs and skewer the ingredients for tonight''s barbecue on bamboo sticks. Just as she stepped out of the bedroom, she saw Luke working in the opposite room. She walked over but did not go in. Instead, she leaned against the door and quietly asked, "Aren''t you going to the company this afternoon?" "No, I handled everything in the morning," replied Luke. After Mavis left, he even felt that he should not have gone to the office. He could handlepany matters at home just as well. Even though it was less convenient, at least he did not have to face Mavis. Luke''s dislike for Mavis was growing stronger. "Okay, you handle your work first. I''ll go downstairs and get the ingredients ready," said Luca. She knew if she startedter, Nina and Vivian mighte early to help her. Still, asking guests for help was not appropriate, so she decided to prepare everything in advance. Even if they wanted to help, there would not be anything for them to do. "Alright, thanks," replied Luke. This dinner was not only a chance for a get- together but also an opportunity for him to maintain his rtionship with his friends. Every rtionship required maintenance. Luca smiled and made her way down the stairs. When she reached the ground floor, Aunt Neile was sitting on the couch. When she saw Lucae down, she stood up and asked, "Ms. Craw, are you about to start preparing?" Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "Yes. We''re going to skewer the ingredients early so that we won''t have to wait for them to arrive and helpter." Luca nodded. After a moment of thought, she added, "I''d like to make some fruit juice and other beverages. Aunt Neile, do we have fruits and yogurt at home?" "We do. Yogurts and such are always stocked in the pantry. What would you like to make?" asked Aunt Neile as she walked into the kitchen. "I''ll make some smoothies, fruit punch, and perhaps some lemonade. It''s good for cooling down in this heat," replied Luca. Even though it would be cooler in the evening, it was still summer. Everyone felt a bit irritable in the summer, so these drinks would help cool them down and quench their thirst. "Alright, I''ll get the ingredients out," said Aunt Nelle. "The drinks you mentioned are enjoyed by adults and children alike. They''re much better than alcohol or bottled juices." Since they were going to have a barbecue, Aunt Nelle bought a lot of beverages. She did not expect Luca to prepare drinks as well. "The men will want to drink alcohol, and the rest can drink whatever they like,¡± replied Luca with a smile on her face as she picked up the bamboo skewers. After heating them in the microwave and taking them out, she was ready to start skewering the ingredients. After Aunt Neile brought out the ingredients that Luca might need for making drinks, she also helped skewer the others. Even though neither of them was particrly fast, they were both efficient. Soon, they had finished skewering the ingredients. After they were done, Rainie came downstairs. When Rainie saw the piles of ingredients on the table, she asked, "Ms. Craw, Aunt Nelle, have you finished skewering them?" "Yes, Ms. Rainie," replied Aunt Neile. "Why didn''t you call me? I said I wanted to help," said Rainie, sounding a bit sulky. Luca smiled and exined, "These are not easy to skewer, and you''re still a child. These ingredients have bones in them, so you need to apply quite a bit of force to skewer them properly. "If they''re not skewered well, they might fall off when the guests grill them. So, it''s better for US to handle this kind of task." Rainie nodded, understanding what Luca meant. She did not have enough strength to handle these ingredients well. Luca then added, "I still need to prepare some drinks. Rainie, would you like to help me?" "Sure!" Rainie''s face lit up at the chance to help again, and she followed Luca into the kitchen. Luca patiently introduced her to the ingredients they would use and then handed her the kitchen scale. "When I ask for certain ingredientster and how much in grams, can you help me measure them out?" "Sure! No problem! Although I''m not as skilled as my brother, I''m good at math!" replied Rainie. She suddenly realized that math was not needed for this task. Sheughed to ease the embarrassment. "Let''s get started, then," Luca patted her head and put on her kitchen gloves, ready to work. Since there was still plenty of time, she was not in a rush to prepare everything. Having Rainie to help was not a problem. Although the child''s help would not make much difference, Luca knew it was the thought that counted, which was why she allowed Rainie to help. The mother and daughter worked together seamlessly in the kitchen. One would mention what ingredients they needed while the other would promptly pick it up and weigh it as instructed. After giving the ingredients a thorough wash, they were then ced into the blender. There were three blenders in the house, and Luca brought them all out. With arger group to cater to and a greater quantity of drinks to prepare, she needed multiple blenders to work simultaneously. The kitchen was bustling with activity for a while, but it did not disturb the people upstairs. Aunt Neile assisted the mother-and-daughter duo, watching the scene with delight. It was truly a peaceful atmosphere. When Lanie and Tommy came downstairs and nced toward the kitchen, they decided not to enter. They knew that their help might only cause more trouble. Therefore, after greeting Luca, they headed to the living room to sit down and read. However, with the three blenders whirring away in the kitchen, they found the noise a bit bothersome. Tommy turned to Lanie and suggested, "Lanie, should we go back upstairs to read?" "Yeah,¡± Lanie agreed, thinking that it was a good idea. Hence, they went back upstairs together. Chapter 3167 Chapter 3167 Their Needs Were Simple Luca was busy making all sorts of drinks, and eventually, even Rainie could not resist feeling tempted. The smoothie looked delicious, and the fruit juice looked delicious too. Rainie never imagined Luca could make so many drinks. Now, looking at these drinks that seemed even better than the ones sold outside, she wanted to try them all. Rainie suddenly realized she was getting as greedy as her little brother. She could not help but feel a little ashamed of herself. Luca noticed Rainie¡¯s behavior. Sheughed and said, "I just put a pitcher of juice in the fridge. I''ll pour some for you and Lanie and Tommy in a bit, okay?" "Okay!" Rainie nodded. Luca then thought of Luke, who was still busy upstairs. She decided to make a pot of coffee for him. She asked Aunt Neile to send it up. "Aunt Neile, can you please bring this pot of coffee upstairs?" "Sure, Ms. Craw,¡± replied Aunt Neile as she took the tray of coffee and sses upstairs. Luca and Rainie continued preparing the remaining drinks. After everything was finally ready, Luca let out a sigh of relief. She nced at the clock. It was already past four in the afternoon. She had not realized making drinks would take over an hour. With everything done, she took a not-too-cold pitcher of fruit juice from the fridge and poured three sses for the kids and one for Aunt Neile. "Aunt Neile, this one''s for you. Give it a try." Luca said with a smile to Aunt Neile, who was cleaning the blender. She ced the three sses on a tray and then turned to Rainie. "Let''s go upstairs." "Okay, Ms. Luca!" Rainie nodded and followed her upstairs. Both of them came upstairs. Luca walked toward the bedroom Luke was in and asked, "I made some sweet drinks, but they''re not too sweet. Do you want to try some?" Luke shook his head and raised the ss of coffee in his hand. I''m good with the coffee you made." "Alright, you keep working, then." Luca smiled. Luke was not fond of sweet drinks or any other fancy beverages. He only drank alcohol, coffee, and in water. She left his room and went to Lanie''s room, where she found both Lanie and Tommy sitting together. "Ms. Luca," the two boys greeted her as she walked in. Luca nodded and replied, "I made some drinks, and they''ve been in the fridge for a while. Come and try them." Their eyes lit up. Tommy''s eyes sparkled with anticipation. "Here, each of you gets a ss. Tell me how it tastes," said Luca as she ced the tray on the table. The three kids gathered around, each taking a ss and thanking her before taking a sip. Luca watched Lanie closely. His taste was simr to Luke''s. He did not enjoy overly sweet things. However, he was still a kid, so a bit of sweetness was usually fine. "So, how is it?" asked Luca, waiting for their verdict. "Ms. Luca, you should open a shop! Forget working at Daddy''s pharmaceuticalpany. You''d make a fortune selling this!" Tommy eximed after taking another sip, clearly impressed. Luca''s gaze fell back on Lanie. He nodded and said, "It''s really good." Rainie proudly said, "I helped too!" "Good job, Rainie!" Lanie praised her. Tommy added, "You''re awesome, Rainie! This is so good. Is there more?" Rainie nodded and replied, "There''s plenty more, but those are for the guests tonight. If you like it, we can have moreter this evening." "Great!" Tommy chugged down his drink and let out a burp. "It''s really good, Ms. Luca. How do you know how to make all this?" "I keep a record of recipes whenever I see something interesting, but I rarely have time to make them. This time, I had the chance, so I made a bunch of things to try out," exined Luca. Whenever she saw a delicious recipe, she noted it down, hoping to make it for the kids someday. Homemade food was always cleaner and safer than store-bought. "You''re amazing, Ms. Luca." Tommy gave her a thumbs-up and put his ss back on the tray. "I really enjoyed it. I saw you making a lot of different drinks too, right?" "Yes, you can try them all tonight. But be careful not to drink too much, or you won''t have room for the barbecue." Luca gently tapped Tommy''s nose and handed him a napkin. "Your mouth is all messy. Wipe it clean." Tommy, grinning, wiped his mouth and replied, "I feel so happy. We have so much yummy food tonight." The other two kids nodded in agreement. For children, having good food and drinks was pure happiness. They did not have the worries that adults did, so their needs were simple. When these needs were fulfilled, it kept them joyful and content. Luca watched the three kids and thought of N, who was on the Ind of Despair. She and Luke needed to work hard to provide a better life for all the children. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Lanie and Rainie finished their drinks and ced their sses on the tray, just like Tommy. Rainie tried to pick up the tray, but Luca shook her head. "Let me do it. You guys can read or y some games." "Thanks, Ms. Luca," replied the three kids in unison. Luca smiled, picked up the tray, and left. She came to Luke¡¯s room, stood by the door, and asked, "Do you want me to bring you some water?" "Yes, please. Thank you." Luke looked up from his documents and smiled at her. Luca smiled back and headed downstairs with the tray. She then brought a jug of water up for Luke. He could drink coffee like water, but she felt it was not good for his health, so she brought him water to remind him to stay hydrated. After delivering the jug of water, Luca went back downstairs and saw Aunt Neileing in with a barbecue grill. She asked, "Ms. Craw, the shop owner just delivered this. Is this okay?" "Yes, it''s big enough." Luca nodded, figuring that with two grills, they would not need much more. Just then, the doorbell rang. Before Luca could respond. Aunt Nelle said, "Did they forget something ande back?" She thought it was the shop owner who had returned and checked the video doorbell. As Aunt Neile turned around to look at Luca, she said, "It''s not the shop owner, it''s Vi-" Aunt Neile struggled to remember Vivian''s name since she had not heard it in a while, and she looked at Luca with a slightly embarrassed expression on her face. "It¡¯s Vivian, right? Please open the door." Luca nodded, checking the time. Vivian was indeed early. It was just as she had expected. She knew someone would arrive ahead of time to help out. Chapter 3168 Chapter 3168 Her Looks Are Just Average "It''s been so long since Ms. Vivianst visited. I almost forgot her name. Her name is a little hard to remember," Aunt Neile exined with a cheerfulugh as she opened the door for her. As soon as the door opened, Vivian walked in and immediately gave Luca a big hug the moment she saw her. Then, she handed a bag to Aunt Neile and said, "Luca, I''ve missed you so much. I''ve been really busy with ssestely and haven''t had time to visit you. "You haven''te to see me either, but I''m d we could meet today. I brought some bottles of wine for you.¡± Luca returned her hug and replied, "I told you not to bring anything, but you still did. It''s really too much. I haven''t been avoiding you on purpose. I''ve just been really busy, starting next week, I¡¯ll be teaching a full day every Friday at Capital University. We can n to have dinner together every week." "Really? You''re not kidding, right?" Vivian was pleasantly surprised, not expecting Luca to be teaching at Capital University. "Why would I lie to you? I¡¯m already preparing my lessons, but it''s a bit challenging. I''ve forgotten most of the theoretical knowledge from university. I''m worried about teaching the students the wrong thing," replied Luca with a wry smile on her face. She had never actually studied the university''s theoretical courses. All her pharmaceutical knowledge was taught by Shanks. Of course, besides learning from Shanks, she also read the books rmended by him. Those books were not rted to university courses but were beneficial for practical pharmaceutical work. Now, she had to pretend she had studied these courses and find time to learn from the textbooks herself. Otherwise, how could she teach the students? This was another reason she turned down Evan in the beginning. Teaching materials she had never studied would make it hard not to mislead the students. However, after ncing at the textbook Rhett gave her yesterday, she realized that even though she had not formally learned the materials, Shanks¡¯ teachings and the books she had read covered simr ground. The differences were not that significant. "You''re so talented. There''s no way you''d mislead the students. I¡¯m sure they''ll soak up all the knowledge you share and idolize you as their favorite teacher," Vivian joked yfully. After spending six months at Capital University, she had gotten familiar with the campus culture in A City and could make such jokes. "Oh, stop teasing me. Why did youe so early today?" asked Luca. "I came to help. Is there anything you need me to do?" answered Vivian, rolling up her sleeves. She was ready to assist. Luca shook her head. "Everything''s already done. Just sit and rx until dinner." "Everything''s done? It''s just you and Aunt Neile here, right? How did you get everything ready so quickly?" Vivian''s eyes widened. She suspected that Luca was just being polite. "It¡¯s really all done." Luca shook her head and added, "Look at the table. All the ingredients for the barbecue are marinated and skewered." "Not only are the ingredients ready, but Ms. Craw and Ms. Rainie also prepared plenty of drinks. Ms. Vivian, you don''t need to help. Just sit and rx. What would you like to drink?" added Aunt Nelle. Vivian heard that and said with a hint of regret in her tone, "So, I¡¯mte. Aunt Neile, don''t worry about me. I know my way around here. You may go ahead with your tasks." "Alright. Ms. Craw, the wine..." Aunt Neile nced at the bag, which contained at least three bottles of wine. She did not know much about wine and could not gauge their value. However, since it was Vivian who gave them, they had to be good wine. "Let''s keep it. But Vivian, when I said you didn''t need to bring anything, I meant it. Please don¡¯t bring anything next time," said Luca in a helpless tone. "Okay, okay, I promise to listen to you from now on," replied Vivian as she held Luca''s hand. After they sat down, Vivian asked, "You said you¡¯ve been busytely. Tell me what you''ve been up to." "It''s just work stuff, nothing exciting. How about you tell me about your campus life?" replied Luca. She could not reveal her true identity or discuss the matters involving Wanda and Queenie. She could not mention anything about Shanks either, so she shifted the conversation. "My campus life? It¡¯s pretty interesting. I joined a club called the Cultural Dance Club. The members are very kind to me. Plus, they wear traditional costumes and perform beautiful dances. "I have some dance experience, but it''s from ballet lessons I took as a child, so I¡¯m still practicing the basic steps. Once I get the hang of it, I''ll be able to wear those beautiful outfits and dance too," said Vivan excitedly. Luca nodded. She knew the type of dance Vivian was talking about. "Do you like traditional regalia?" Vivian nodded enthusiastically. "I love it. Traditional regalia is so beautiful. What¡¯s the word again?" She thought for a moment and then continued, "Exactly! It¡¯s like floating on air with this mystical vibe, and there¡¯s this blend of other patterns too. Overall, it¡¯s just really captivating!" "If you like it, I''ll get you a few sets," offered Luca. Even though Vivian was a foreigner, she had a good frame. Her body was not toorge, and she was slender and tall. She would look great in such garbs. Luca even thought that if Vivian had a more striking appearance, she could have been a model. However, fate rarely granted perfection to anyone. Vivian came from an impressive family and had a great figure, but her looks were just average... "Really? But there''s no need. I''ll just wear the costumes from the dance club. You don''t have to buy any for me. I''d probably look ridiculous in them too," replied Vivian. Despite bing more cheerful over the past six months, she still carried the weight of her past insecurities from her time in Russia. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. She still felt that wearing those beautiful traditional clothes would make her look foolish. Luca shook her head immediately, disagreeing with her. "You have a great figure. You¡¯d look amazing in anything. I know an old tailor who could make you some custom outfits. Vivian, your figure is perfect for these beautiful clothes. You''d look so elegant." "Thank you, Luca.¡¯¡¯ Vivian was slightly moved. Back then, Gordan had always told her that no matter how she dressed, she would look terrible and like she was trying too hard. It was because of this that she had always felt unworthy of wearing beautiful clothes, believing that such clothes were meant for beautiful people. She preferred to dress inly so that she would not stand out or offend anyone¡¯s eyes. Chapter 3169 Chapter 3169 Another Possibility Yet, Luca raised her spirits with her words this time. Vivian had an excellent figure and could dress in pretty clothes. There was no need to be concerned about others'' opinions as long as she liked what she was wearing. Since she arrived in A City, Luca had constantly nurtured her confidence. Vivian was deeply moved. She nodded and replied, "Okay, but you don''t have to buy me clothes. Just take me to the old tailor." Luca was her good friend, but even so, Vivian did not want to take advantage of her. "Okay, no problem," Luca agreed. Vivian smiled and hugged her again. "Luca, thank you. Without you, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to start a new life in A City so quickly." "That''s because you''ve been working hard and trying to adapt to this society," replied Luca. She did not feel like she had helped Vivian much. It was mainly Vivian''s own effort and willingness to step out and live positively. Watching Vivian slowlye into her own filled Luca with immense satisfaction. It was a reminder that those who put effort into living would often find life rewarding them in many ways. Vivian was such a person. She lived diligently, optimistically, and proactively. Her mindset was getting better and better, and she looked much younger. "Vivian, I''ve noticed you¡¯ve be more beautiful recently." Luca suddenly felt that Vivian had be a bit more beautiful, so she leaned in for a closer look. Vivian was taken aback by her words. She touched her face and shook her head. "Really? Am I not still the same?" "No, I feel like your skin has be smoother, and you seem much fairer. Have you changed your skincare products? Considering that the uv rays in A City are much stronger than in Russia, how did your skin suddenly get better?" Luca could not help but reach out and touch Vivian''s face. "Really?" Vivian touched her face unconsciously when she heard this. "I haven''t changed my skincare products. I''m still using the same brand as before," answered Vivian. "You may not notice it as you look at yourself every day, but I''m seeing you after some time, and I really feel like your skin has improved. This is definitely not an illusion," Luca convinced Vivian. Vivian''s skin was visibly improving, and her features seemed to have changed slightly. Although the change in her features was not obvious, Luca felt that Vivian was inexplicably more beautiful than before. "Oh,e on..." Vivian was thrilled by Luca''s words. Even though she had been ustomed to being talked about behind her back or being called ugly to her face for over 20 years, she had already made peace with her appearance. Beingplimented so suddenly made her feel happy. Even if she thought Luca was just saying it to make her happy, she could not help but smile. Aunt Neile brought a pot of flower tea over. She heard Luca and Vivian''s conversation. They were speaking in English, so she understood. "Yes, Ms. Vivian, your skin has indeed be much fairer." "Aunt Neile, even you think so too!''" Luca was excited. It seemed that it was not just her imagination. Vivian was indeed bing more attractive bit by bit. As for why she was bing more attractive in a ce with stronger uv rays, Luca thought it might be due to the local environment nurturing her. A City was a ce that nurtured people. "Oh, Luca, Aunt Nelle, you two are just trying to cheer me up, aren''t you?" Vivian could not contain her smile anymore. The corners of her lips curved upward as she touched her face. Was there really such a big change? Why had she not noticed it? Perhaps, as Luca said, she was bing more beautiful without realizing it? Still, she had not made any changes, nor was she secretly using other beauty products. How could she be getting more and more attractivepared to before? Vivian was puzzled, so she felt that Luca and Aunt Neile were just trying to cheer her up. When Luca saw the look on Vivian¡¯s face, she knew Vivian did not believe what they were saying. Hence, she smiled and asked, "Are you doubting it?" "Yeah, I feel like you''re both just trying to cheer me up." Vivian smiled shyly. "I haven''t done anything recently, so how could my skin suddenly be fairer?" When she was young, she was very fair. She was a delicate little girl like a doll. However, her skin slowly started to be tan one day, and then her features gradually changed. She became more and more unattractive, no longer resembling a doll. Her parents noticed the change and thought she was sick. They took her to various hospitals for tests, but all the results came back normal. No one could exin why she suddenly changed like that, and even the doctors could not offer an exnation. Even when they sought opinions from more advanced and reputable medical facilities, the results remained the same. Back then, she was as good-looking as Ray. However, her sudden decline in appearance happened without any warning signs. Vivian did not know how to exin what happened during that time. Now, with Luca saying that she had be fairer and more attractive, she would like to try to recall her childhood experience. Yet, she dared not. How could someone suddenly be unattractive and then be attractive again? She was not living in a fairy tale with curses or miracles. "Well, just wait and see what the kids sayter. You know, the kids from the Crawford family never lie. If you don''t believe what they say, then listen to what the guests you''re familiar with sayter. I might lie, but I couldn''t possibly conspire with them to lie to you, right?" asked Luca. "Oh, let''s not talk about this anymore. I''ll just take your words seriously." Vivian smiled apologetically. Luca shook her head and poured her a cup of flower tea. "The environment in A City nurtures people. Maybe it''s just a change of living environment that made you better."Original content from N?velDrama.Org. "Okay, I believe it. I believe I''ve be more beautiful," replied Vivian. She suddenly remembered the day when she went to the cafeteria for breakfast with her roommate. Her roommate asked her what skincare products she used. Vivian told her the name of the product, and her roommate noted it down, iming that her skin had improved a lot recently. It was bing smoother and fairer. That was why she wanted to try using the same product. After all, the sun in A City was intense, and the uv rays were strong, making her tan easily. At that time, Vivian did not take her roommate''s words to heart. She thought she just wanted to try new skincare products. However, when Luca said the same thing, she suddenly remembered about it. Could it be that her skin had really improved? Vivian unconsciously touched her face. Her cheeks used to be rough, and she hated touching her face. However, it seemed much smoother now. Were Luca and Aunt Neile not just trying to cheer her up? It was not her own imagination? Vivian could not figure it out, but she nned to go back and observe her skin carefully today. Perhaps taking photos every day would show that her skin was really getting better? Chapter 3170 Chapter 3170 Some Things Shouldn''t Be Said Too Overtly Vivian was lost in thought when the three kids came downstairs. The three kids saw Vivian and gathered around her, greeting her in unison," Good afternoon, Ms. Vivian." Vivian looked at the three kids surrounding her, smiled, and replied, "Lanie, Rainie, and Tommy, good afternoon." She suddenly remembered something and picked up her backpack. She took out three neatly wrapped gifts from inside, handed them to the kids, and said, "This one is for Lanie, this one is for Rainie, and this one is for Tommy." The three kids epted the gifts and thanked her, ''Thank you, Ms. Vivian." As Luca looked at the three happy kids, she shook her head helplessly." You bought wine, and now you''re giving gifts to the children. Vivian, if you keep spending like this, I won''t dare to invite you the next time there''s something good to eat at home." "Come on, I just find the kids too adorable. That''s why I bought them books. They''re just books, nothing too pricey," Vivian quickly exined. These books were ones she saw while browsing the bookstore. She thought they were suitable for the kids, so she carefully wrapped them up. They looked quite exquisite. "They''re really not that expensive, Luca. Don''t forget about me when there''s something good to eat next time," added Vivian, sping her hands together and giving Luca puppy eyes. "Alright. I won''t forget you when there''s something good to eat," replied Luca helplessly, shaking her head. Tommy kept staring at Vivian with his round eyes. Suddenly, he said, "Ms. Vivian, you''re getting more and more beautiful." "Yeah, Ms. Vivian is getting prettier!" Rainie chimed in. "What?" Vivian could not help but touch her face and then look at Lanie. Even if Tommy and Rainie might just be saying nice things to tter her, Lanie would not do the same. Even though Vivian had not spent much time with the kids, she knew that Lanie''s temperament was most like Luke. He would not lie. "Yes." Lanie nodded. He was not as talkative as his younger siblings, but he agreed with them. "See, I told you that the kids won''t lie. Look, they all think so," Luca said cheerfully, indicating that she did not lie. "Oh, it''s just like before, isn''t it?" Vivian felt a little embarrassed. Beingplimented by the adults and then the kids made her want to break out into a grin. Rainie raised her hand and touched Vivian''s face. They were familiar with each other, which was why she made such a move. Feeling the touch on her fingertips, she said, "Your skin has improved a lot, Ms. Vivian. You really have be more beautiful!" Vivian was delighted by herments. She gave Rainie a hug and replied," Rainie, you''re beautiful too!" "Thank you for thepliment, Ms. Vivian." Rainie gave her a sweet smile and epted Vivian''s praise. Vivian was startled for a moment. People in her country always graciously eptedpliments and praises from others, and then they would say thank you. When did she start to doubt the sincerity of others'' words when they praised her beauty? Vivian felt like she was not even as mature as a child. Regardless of whether it was true or false, praise was something that made people happy. She did not need to shy away from it like a child. There was no need for her to be socking in confidence... "Thank you for yourpliments too." Vivian thought it through and then graciously epted their praise. Whether genuine or not, getting praise was a good thing. She should not feel embarrassed about it. She picked up her cup of flower tea and took a sip, feeling rxed. Luca and Vivian chatted for a while longer. Soon, Nina arrived. "Luca, I''m here to help!" Nina walked into the living room, saw Luca and Vivian sitting there, and greeted them with a smile, "Hi, Vivian. It¡¯s been a long time." "Hi, Nina. d to see you again." Vivian smiled at Nina. Even though she did not know her well, she knew Nina was a good person. Ray often said her social circle was too narrow. He told her that most people did not have malicious intentions and she should broaden her horizons and interact with more people. That would enrich her life and experiences. However, when she was in Russia, Vivian''s world revolved around Gordan. She knew her attention would be diverted if she had more social interactions, but she still did not do so. It was not until she came to A City that she felt the change in her social circle. With Luca''s encouragement, she became more willing to engage in various social activities. As long as the people she interacted with were good people, why should she be so submissive? Vivian had an epiphany. At the same time, she heard Luca say to Nina," Have a seat and have some flower tea. Everything is ready. There''s nothing you need to help with." Nina sat on another couch and ced a bag on the coffee table. "You''ve got everything ready?" "Yes, Aunt Neile and I have everything prepared, so there''s nothing to help with." Luca nodded. "I came early just to help. I didn''t expect you to have everything ready." Nina could not help but wonder aloud, "Why are you and Aunt Neile so fast? I wanted to help. Otherwise, it''d be awkward to just sit and eat!" "It''s no big deal. Eat moreter to help me finish up all the food. Don''t leave too much behind," replied Luca as she thought about the food. If everyone ate a little out of politeness or other reasons, there would still be leftovers even if she made various dishes for the kids tomorrow. The food, even if stored in the refrigerator, could not be stored for too long during summer. Nina patted her stomach lightly. "Don''t worry, I''ve saved room in my stomach. I''ll make sure to devour all your foodter." "Ms. Nina." Lanie suddenly looked at Nina. "Yes? What''s the matter?" Nina looked at Lanie with a smile. Luke''s son did not speak much usually. Hence, she was a bit surprised by his sudden behavior. "Some things shouldn''t be said too overtly," replied Lanie. Nina did not understand what he meant and turned to look at Luca. Luca smirked. Of course, she knew what her son meant. "What''s going on?" Nina was puzzled. "Are you saying that I can¡¯t eat that much? It''s been a while since I went for a barbecue, and the food was prepared by Luca. I''m sure I can eat a lot." When Nina thought about the meats marinated by Luca being grilled on the barbecue, she could not wait to taste them. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Lanie pointed in the direction of the dining room and said, "Take a look at the ingredients on the dining table." "Is there a lot prepared? Will many people be joining tonight? I only bought two bags of fruit. Will it be enough? Oh no, I''ll ask Percy to get some moreter..." said Nina as she walked to the dining table, unable to get the rest of her words out. Chapter 3171 Chapter 3171 Your Happiness Comes From Mr. Mallory "Why is there so much food? Are you preparing for a grand party?" Nina could not help but ask. She then immediately denied it. A grand party could not possibly be in the form of a barbecue. "Luca, how many people did you invite? Should I go home and change into something else?" asked Nina. She wore a shirt and jeans today, thinking it was just a private gathering wherefort mattered most. However, she did not expect Luca to prepare so much food. She wondered if many people were going to attendter. Previously, Nina would not have cared about these things. It was fine as long as she wasfortable. Yet, things were different now. She and Percy had already registered their marriage, and this matter had spread in their social circle. That was why she could not just act ording to her own whim. She had to consider Percy''s reputation. Every move she made and every word she said now represented Percy. "No need. This is fine. Look, I''m dressed casually too. It''s just some friends gathering together. It''s not a big party. Almost everyone here is someone you know." Luca shook her head. "Oh, that''s alright, then. I take back what I said earlier. I''ll just try to eat as much as I can. There''s so much. I can''t possibly finish it all." Nina returned to the couch and sat down. Aunt Neile brought over a teacup and said, "Mrs. Mallory, you must promise to eat more. The ingredients were all marinated by Ms. Craw. They taste really good." "I''ll do my best." Nina awkwardly smiled. She looked at Lanie and then pursed her lips. This child... She thought he would be as reserved as Luke, but she did not expect him to have a bit of a mischievous side. He was intentionally trying to make fun of her, huh? Lanie shrugged his shoulders helplessly and said to Luca, "Ms. Luca, I''m going upstairs to read for a while." "Sure, go ahead." Luca nodded. Their conversation was not particrly interesting to the children, so she did not stop Lanie from going upstairs. Tommy and Rainie also said, "Ms. Luca, we''re going upstairs too. If you need any help, just let US know." "You two hurry upstairs and y around. There are so many adults here. There''s nothing you need to help with." Nina chuckled. She pondered for a moment and sent a message to Percy, telling him to buy some more fruits when he cameter. She felt like she had not bought enough. Percy replied to her message shortly after: [How much should I buy?] [Get a crate and buy whatever you find nice.] When Nina remembered that Percy did not usually shop for these things, she reminded him: [Make sure they''re in season. Don''t get ripped off by the supermarket staff.] [Got it. Don''t worry, your husband isn''t that easily fooled.] Nina smiled sweetly and put her phone away. Luca poured her a cup of flower tea and asked, "Why didn''t Mr. Mallorye with you?" "He said he has some work matters to handle, so I came by cab first, thinking I''de to help. But it turns out I''m not needed at all," replied Nina. Luca pursed her lips and smiled. Indeed, there was nothing for her to do. She had already taken care of everything. "If you really want to help, you can help with starting the fireter, okay?" Luca teased her. To ensure good taste, Luca did not choose to use an electric grill. Instead, she would be using a charcoal grill, so they needed to light the charcoalter. Luca believed that only barbecue smoked over charcoal could bring out the best vors in food. "No, no." Nina quickly shook her head as soon as she heard what the task was. "I''m not good at that. Let the guys handle this kind of thing." Vivian could not help but chuckle at their conversation. It was quite amusing. Vivian''sughter caught Nina''s attention. She looked at Vivian and suddenly widened her eyes. "Vivian." Feeling ufortable under Nina''s gaze, Vivian instinctively touched her face. Was there something on it? Neither Luca nor the kids had said anything earlier. "What''s wrong?" She felt uneasy as Nina stared at her. Nina stood up and sat beside her. "Why do I feel like your skin has improved so much? What skincare products have you been using? Could you rmend something to me? My skin has been a bit sensitivetely, and I''ve been thinking about changing my skincare routine." "I''m still using the same products as before," replied Vivian, feeling ttered by thepliments on her improved skin. "It''s really amazing. I feel like you look much better. It doesn''t even seem like you''re wearing makeup. Is this your bare face?" asked Nina. "It is. I''m not wearing makeup. Why does everyone keep saying that?" Vivian''s face turned red under Nina''s gaze. Nina turned around to look at Luca. "Do you think so too?" "Yeah, her skin does look better, but she doesn''t seem to notice," answered Luca. "Your skin has improved a lot. I must know what skincare brand you''re using. Maybe the products will work for me too. My skin has been so sensitivetely, and if I don''t fix it, I''ll be a wreck on my wedding day," said Nina. How her face often felt dry and sensitive, and there was visible redness. Luca nced at Nina¡¯s skin and suggested, "Let me make a facial mask for you. I promise it''ll leave you looking radiant for your wedding day, and your makeup will apply smoothly no matter what." A glimmer of joy flickered in Nina''s eyes. "Really?" "Absolutely!" Luca nodded confidently. Skincare was something she understood well. "That''s great! Having a friend who knows about pharmaceuticals is a blessing," Nina eximed happily, giving Luca a big hug. "Luca, I feel so happy." "Your happinesses from Mr. Mallory, not from me." Luca patted her back, nced at the time, and added, "Alright, I''ll go outside and set up the tables and chairs." If it were just Percy and Nina, the pavilion would be sufficient. However, with more guestsing, they needed to add more tables and chairs in that area. They also needed to add a few more high-wattagemps to brighten up the front yard. "I knew there''d still be things I could help with. I''ll lend a hand!¡± Nina eximed excitedly. Vivian also stood up. "I''ll help too." "You¡¯re the guests. You can just sit in the living room and enjoy some tea." Luca did not expect these two to offer help as well. "Oh,e on. You know I can''t sit still. Besides, it''s not hard work, especially now that there''s no sun in the front yard. Let US help. Right, Vivian?" Nina winked at Vivian. "Yeah, Nina''s right." Vivian nodded in agreement. Unable to refuse, Luca let the two of them help with arranging the tables and chairs. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Once everything was set up, Luca and the others enjoyed some flower tea in the yard. With the afternoon sun blocked by the house, the cool breeze blew, dispersing the heat of the day. Nina leaned back in her chair, closing her eyesfortably. She held the cold drink Luca had made for her and sighed contentedly. "I just love this garden so much." Chapter 3172 Chapter 3172 Never Had Children "Thinking about staying here?¡¯ Luca teased her. Nina squinted her eyes and said, "I''d love to, but Percy won''t allow it. But I could always pick a fight with him. Then, I''d have an excuse to move here. This ce feels like half my home anyway." "Please don''t. If Mr. Mallory finds out about your n, he might hold a grudge against me." Luca laughed. Nina waved her hand dismissively. "He wouldn''t dare!" "But seriously, if you like it here, you should visit more often. The kids really like you," continued Luca. "They even said they had a gift for you when they heard you wereing today." Luca paused for a moment, suddenly realizing she had revealed the kids'' n. "Just pretend you didn''t hear that, okay?" Nina sat up straight and looked excitedly at Luca. "Really? The kids actually prepared a gift for me?" "Yes. They said that since you''ll be getting married soon, they wanted to surprise you with a gift every week. They started preparing it after finishing their homeworkst night and were still working on it today. But I don''t know what the gift is. "So when you get the gift, act surprised, or I''ll ruin their n to surprise you." "I got it. I got it." Nina made an ''OK'' gesture, feeling touched. "I never expected Luke''s kids to be so sweet, and they''re so kind to me! I''m really moved!" Vivian, who was listening to their conversation, added, "Kids have so many creative ideas. It¡¯s clear they really like you." Nina nodded proudly. "I did the right thing by doting on them so much!" She recalled how after Bianca lost her memory, the atmosphere in the Crawford family was off. Nina often visited Bianca, bringing various treats and toys for the kids. With Luke¡¯s permission, she would take them out to have fun and rx. She knew how much the kids were affected by their mother''s condition. As their mother¡¯s best friend, she did everything she could to make them happy and shield them from adult problems. Her genuine care and affection won the kids'' hearts, and they loved her back. Nina turned to look at Luca. She did not expect another woman to win over the kids¡¯ hearts. She marveled at how another woman hade to love these kids and take care of them as if they were her own. Just as they talked about it, they saw the three kids approaching. Luca reminded Nina, "Remember to act like you know nothing. Don¡¯t spoil their surprise." Nina saw the kidsing over and smiled. "Weren''t you reading your books?" Tommy hopped over to her and asked, "Ms. Nina, are you getting married soon?" "Yes, I told you a few days ago. You''re going to be my little ring bearer," replied Nina as she patted Tommy''s head. "Lanie, Rainie, and I prepared a gift for you!" announced Tommy. "Oh? You got me a gift? What is it?" Nina pretended to look surprised." Show me, please." With a big smile, Rainie brought out a gift box from behind her and handed it to Nina. "Ms. Nina, this is our gift for you. But Lanie and Tommy aren¡¯t very good at making things, so it might look a bit rough." Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Nina took the handmade box and saw the drawings on it, clearly done by the kids. She was deeply touched by the thought they put into even the gift box itself, and her heart was filled with emotions. "What¡¯s inside? Can I open it?" asked Nina. "Of course!" Lanie and Rainie nodded in unison. Nina opened the box to find it filled with handmade flowers. She looked at the kids in surprise. "Did you make all of these?" "Yes, we made them all. The pretty ones were made by me, and the less pretty ones were made by Lanie and Tommy. So, as you can see, the boys aren''t very good at crafts. But to prepare this gift for you, Ms. Nina, we put in a lot of effort. "Each flower has a note with our blessings and the things we want to say to you. You can open three flowers each day, and by the time you get married, you''ll have opened them all." Rainie exined to her the magic of the handmade flowers. "Why three flowers?" asked Vivian, curious about the box full of handmade flowers. "The three of US made it together, and all the blessings inside were written by us," exined Tommy. Lanie stood behind his siblings without saying much. He just nodded in agreement. "This gift is wonderful. I''ll open the flowers as soon as I get home. Thank you, Lanie. Thank you, Rainie. Thank you, Tommy. I love you all so much," said Nina. Her heart was brimming with emotions. She did not expect the kids to prepare such a thoughtful gift. They had made the flowers themselves and written the blessings personally. Luca was also surprised. She asked, "Didn''t you just start preparing this yesterday?" "Actually, we started a while ago. We made one or two flowers each day before bed, so it didn''t take up too much time," exined Rainie. They had not told the adults about this. Luca nodded andplimented them, ''You did an amazing job preparing this gift." ''Yes, it''s truly wonderful," said Vivian. She was moved by how thoughtful and sincere the three kids were. She could not help but feel a desire to have children of her own someday. However, she did not even have a partner and was still in school at the moment. Even though the universities in A City allowed students to marry and have children, having a child would make it difficult to focus on studies. Most importantly, she did not have anyone to marry, let alone have a child with. As Vivian looked at Luke''s three kids, she suddenly thought that maybe she could have children of her own one day. She had previously decided not to have children. The reason was simple. She considered herself unattractive andcked good genes. As Gordan once said, no matter how excellent the father''s genes were, they could not change the fact that the child would inherit the mother''s unattractive genes. Why bring such a burden to the next generation? Those words hurt Vivian, but she knew there was some truth to them. That was why she had never entertained the thought of having kids. However, now that she saw how well-behaved Luke''s kids were, she found herself wanting a child. At her age, many of her peers, even those abroad, had chosen to have children. Yet she, despite having been married once, did not have any children with Gordan. She knew he despised her and was worried their child would be as unattractive as she was, which was why they never had children. Chapter 3173 Chapter 3173 I Didn''t Know He''d Come Still, having a child was Vivian''s wish now. Vivian thought that she could wait until after she graduated and had a stable job. Then, she could adopt a child from an orphanage. The thought brought a smile to her face, deepening her anticipation for a bright future. After the kids delivered their gifts, they sat down quietly to read. Around five in the afternoon, the invited guests began to arrive. Luke also wrapped up his work and came downstairs to greet the guests. Even though he was the esteemed Mr. Crawford, the attendees were all his friends and family. Hence, he did not put on airs. Instead, he chatted with a few friends while apanied by Lanie. The men mainly talked about work. There had been quite a few developments in A City recently. For instance, the bidding for the suburban development was about to start, and they were determined to win this project. Luke had not invited the Norman family to avoid any conflicts of interest because of the bidding project. Moreover, Matysh''s case was about to go to trial. With two cases back-to- back, the Norman family would be preupied with their own court proceedings. At the thought of the emotional toll Leia''s situation would take on the elderly couple, Luke chose not to invite them to the gathering. While the men discussed work, the women talked about family and children. The atmosphere was harmonious. Luca and Aunt Neile were bringing out the ingredients and preparing to ask the men to help light the charcoal when someone walked in through the door. It was Louis. "You''re here." Luke nodded at him. "Hey, Luke." Louis nodded back. "Why are you alone? Where are your wife and Thea?" asked Luke. "The Dunn family is hosting an event that requires their presence, so they couldn''te," exined Louis. Then, he greeted Luca and a few of Luke''s friends. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. They returned his greeting. Luca listened to their conversation. When she saw that everyone had arrived, she was about to ask Luke to start the grills when another person walked in. "Everyone''s here," said Gordan with azy smile as he waved at them. His smile froze the moment he saw Vivian. Luca was also stunned for a moment. What was Gordan doing here? She had not heard Luke mention inviting him. If she had known, she certainly would not have invited Vivian. It would be so awkward for them to meet... Everyone else had the same thought, ncing between Gordan and Vivian. Vivian stood frozen in ce, holding two tes of ingredients... Why was Gordan here? This question was on everyone¡¯s mind, including Vivian''s. Even Luke wondered the same thing. "Good afternoon, Mr. Norton." The air was filled with silence. Luca was the first to break it when she greeted Gordan. "Good afternoon, Dr. Craw," replied Gordan. He quickly regained hisposure despite his surprise at seeing Vivian. Luca smiled, considering whether to check on Vivian. However, she felt it might be too abrupt. As for Gordan, he was already here and could not be sent away. Louis felt a bit awkward too. He did not know Luke had invited Vivian or he would not have agreed to bring Gordan along. Since he was a property owner here, they managed to get in smoothly without ringing the doorbell. Hence, no one knew he had brought Gordan. Louis was not a fool and understood the situation immediately. He realized that Luke had not invited Gordan. He exined, "I came with Mr. Norton." "Oh, have a seat." Luke''s voice was icy cold. He cast a warning nce at Gordan. It was to signal him not to cause trouble. Gordan shrugged nonchntly when he saw Luke''s gaze. He was here for the free food and drinks, not to stir up trouble. Therefore, he sat down with the men and greeted some familiar faces. He held a certain status in this circle. The reason everyone found it awkward this time was because he and Vivian showed up simultaneously. Everyone knew about their history and how messy things got when they divorced. When the two of them came face to face again without exchanging a word, it confirmed that being friends was out of the question after divorcing. Everyone knew that Gordan and Vivian did not have an amicable divorce. Without any children to tie them together, they truly had no contact after the divorce. Luca put down the te she was holding and approached Vivian. She exined, "I invited you. That''s why I didn''t invite Mr. Norton. I didn''t know he woulde." Vivian forced a weak smile. "I know. I won''t misunderstand." She was not stupid. When she saw Luke''s and Luca''s expressions, she knew Gordan was not invited. Furthermore, Louis also admitted that he brought Gordan. He was likely unaware that Luke and Luca had invited her. Otherwise, he would not have brought Gordan. As for why Gordan came... Vivian did not tter herself by thinking he came for her. They must have coincidentally run into each other. Their personal matters should not make things difficult for others. Even though she did not know how to face Gordan, she acted like nothing was wrong to avoid making the hosts ufortable. After all, Gordan was also their friend. Vivian understood the need to consider the bigger picture. Even if she did not want to see Gordan now, she could not leave or ask him to leave. She could only ignore his presence. Luca waved to Luke. "Can you help light the charcoal?" "Sure." Luke nodded, taking the tools she handed over. Louis, feeling awkward and realizing he might have made a mistake, followed Luke to light the charcoal. Using a small fan on the charcoal, they soon had one grill ready. Then, they moved on to the next grill. Luca encouraged the guests to help themselves, telling them not to be shy and to grill whatever they wanted. The men gathered around one grill while the women and children gathered around another. Each group kept to themselves, but the couples would asionally share food with each other. Their interactions made the single guests envious. Gale was no exception. He nudged Gordan with his elbow, who was sitting and drinking beside him. "You came to a barbecue. You shouldn''t just be drinking." "I don''t know how to grill stuff," replied Gordan, slightly narrowing his eyes. As he watched how clumsy the men were at grilling the food, it was clear they were unused to kitchen work. Chapter 3174 Chapter 3174 Instinctively Stand Up For Her Friend "If you don''t know something, no one will help you. Drinking without eating? Watch your stomach. You''re already a loner, and if you end up in the hospital, no one will take care of you. It''s really pathetic." Gale''s words were harsh. Gordan rolled his eyes. "Some friend you are, cursing me like that!" Gale shrugged his shoulders and handed him some grilled beef. "You do look pretty pitiful. Here, have some. This is Dr. Craw''s homemade marinated beef. It''s better than anything you''d get outside.¡± Gordan knew Luca was a great cook. He raised his eyebrows. Even though he had not eaten all day, he was not particrly interested in food at the moment. As he looked at the beef Gale handed to him, he pondered for a moment before taking it from him. Even though he did not have an appetite, he knew he needed to eat something. Otherwise, his body would suffer, making it difficult to carry out any taskster. He took a bite. The beef was brought over by Gale from Rain. It was a bit charred, but the juices burst in his mouth with the first bite. The beef, grilled over charcoal, was a bit charred but juicy and vorful. Gordan alternated between bites of meat and sips of alcohol, quickly finishing all five pieces on the te. When Gale saw him devouring the beef, he teased, ''''How is it? Isn''t it better than those snacks you usually order with your drinks?" "Indeed, Bian-ahem, Dr. Craw''s cooking is excellent." Gordan almost had a slip of the tongue but caught himself. He knew that none of the women present was aware of Luca''s true identity. Even though they had unofficially epted the rtionship between Luca and Luke, he did not think it was appropriate to call Luca ''Bianca'' in front of everyone. Otherwise, it might cause dissatisfaction among the women. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. After that, he shot a nce at Luke. Luke''s eyes slightly narrowed as he looked back at him. Luke had caught Gordan almost slipping up, so Gordan quickly shed a reassuring smile at him. A deep flicker shed across Luke''s eyes as he pondered a question. When he asked Louis earlier, Louis mentioned that Gordan knew about the gathering and asked to come along. That was why Louis thought Gordan had been invited. How did Gordan know about the gathering? Had he been following Vivian? Luke thought about the favor Ray had asked of him... If Gordan was interested in Vivian now, what would that mean fortheir rtionship? However, Luke dismissed the idea, knowing Gordan¡¯s preference for beautiful women. He had not seen Vivian in a while. Even though she had changed, she was just not Gordan''s type. Luke concluded it was a coincidence that Gordan was here. The reasons were unrted to Vivian. Gordan picked up his wine ss and slowly walked toward Luke. The moment he rose to his feet, he drew the attention of those who were at another table. His gaze fell on Vivian. The moment their eyes met, she quickly looked away, pretending not to notice him. A hint of mockery shed in Gordan''s eyes. Vivian''s attempt to avoid him was almost as though she was avoiding a predator. He remembered how she used to cling to him, wanting to be with him all the time. Now, it was the complete opposite, which annoyed him. He could not be bothered to figure out why it annoyed him. He simply sat down next to Luke. "Hey, Luke, how about a drink?" Gordan raised his ss. Luke clinked sses with him and took a small sip. Gordan took a big gulp. When he noticed Luke''s restraint, heined," Luke, that''s barely a sip! How can you enjoy yourself like that?" Luke raised an eyebrow at him. "This is how you drink!" added Gordan, shaking his empty ss. Luca approached with more food and ced it on Luke''s te. When she heard Gordan, she said, "Mr. Norton, you''re not savoring it. You''re clearly drowning your sorrows." Gordon¡¯s face stiffened at her words. "Dr. Craw, don''t say that. I''m not drowning my sorrows. I''m just enjoying some of Luke''s fine wine. I can''t let it go to waste, right?" He eyed the food on Luke''s te, remembering the taste of the beef. The vors of wine and beef were absolutely delightful. "Drink less. It''s hard to discuss matters when you''re drunk," advised Luke. With so many people present, it might be a good opportunity to talk. Gordan then realized that Luke had something important to discuss. It was possibly rted to the Ind of Despair. This meant he needed to drink less. "Luke, you''re ruining my fun," grumbled Gordan. "You can take a few bottles home and drink there," replied Luke. Although he enjoyed collecting fine wine, he was not a stingy person. Once the discussions were over, Gordan could drink as much as he wanted, wherever he wanted. Gordan perked up. "Alright, it''s a deal. Don''t back outter." "Gordan, how can you say that? Boss isn''t someone like that," Gale chimed in, biting into another piece of beef. Gordan, feeling envious, reached for the food on Luke''s te, but Luke swatted his hand away. "Luke, you can''t finish all this by yourself. Share some with me," pleaded Gordan. "If you want some, grill your own," replied Luke expressionlessly, protecting his te. The meats on his te were grilled by Luca herself. They were a rare treat he refused to share. He did not want to share his food with Gordan. "How stingy," muttered Gordan. He knew there was no way for him to get the food, so he returned to his spot and began grilling his own raw meat. Grilling over charcoal made the food taste great, but the smoke could be annoying. The wind happened to blow toward Gordan, causing another puff of smoke from the charcoal grill to blow into his face. It made him cough twice. "Dr. Craw, why charcoal? It''s so smoky!" Gordon could not help but ask Luca. Was this not like a mini smoke bomb? "Charcoal-grilled meat tastes better, Mr. Norton. Grilling is part of the fun. If it''s too much, you can change spots," suggested Luca as she found some satisfaction in his difort. As a woman herself, she instinctively wanted to stand up for her friend. Vivian had suffered so much because of Gordan. Even though they were now divorced, Vivian could not face him as she was haunted by her past. The others could not help but wonder what Gordan had done to Vivian to leave such deep scars. While marriage involved two people, it seemed Gordan was unaffected while Vivian was still dealing with the trauma. Seeing him in such a predicament gave Luca a sense of satisfaction. Gordan took her advice seriously and turned around to look at Gale, "You''re not grilling. Swap ces with me." Gale shook his head. No way. The smoke over there is terrible." Chapter 3175 Chapter 3175 One Of Them Will Have To Back Down Eventually "Why don''t you just sit a bit farther away?¡± Gordan wanted to switch ces with Gale. Everyone else had someone helping them with the barbecue except for him and Louis. Even Gale had Rain as a great partner to help him out. However, Louis'' situation was different. He was single. Louis'' wife and kids could note because they had othermitments. That was why he was barbecuing alone. Gale, holding a ss of wine, looked at him cheerfully. "I won''t. If you want to switch ces with me, why don¡¯t you fight me for it?" "Do you think I''m afraid of you?!" Gordan, a bit tipsy, felt unusually frustrated with today''s barbecue and had no objections to Gale¡¯s suggestion. Just as Gale was about to stand up, Luke''s steady voice interrupted them," Sit down." Gale immediately sat down and said, "It''s a barbecue. No fighting today." Gordan sneered, "You''re the one who brought it up." Gale took a sip of his wine, pointed behind him, and reminded him, "There are kids here. Fighting in front of the kids isn¡¯t a good idea. If you keep this up, they''ll start calling you the evil uncle." Gordan followed his gaze and nced behind him. There were indeed many kids around. Luke''s three kids, Jason''s two kids, and Jim''s... His gaze thennded on Vivian, and his brows furrowed. Gale reminded him, "Stop staring. Your meat is burning." "Damn it!" Gordan turned around and noticed that the charcoal was too hot, causing the meat to burn. He hurriedly took it off the grill. Gale added, "The other parts aren''t cooked yet. Barbecue tastes best when it¡¯s well done. You can just cut off the burnt bitster." Gordan put the meat back on the grill, focusing intently on cooking. Meanwhile, Luca brought the meat she had finished cooking to the kids. Worried they might identally touch the grill while ying around, she set up a small table for them to eat at safely. After she ced the freshly cooked meat on the table, the kids all thanked her, "Thank you, Ms. Craw.¡± "Thank you, Ms. Luca.¡± The different terms distinguished her own kids from the others. "Don¡¯t just drink the juice. Eat more.¡± Luca¡¯s eyes were filled with affection as she looked at the kids. The kids loved the juice she made and had already finished a whole jug. She reminded them to have some meat too so that they would not get hungryter. "Otherwise, you¡¯ll be hungry by tonight." "Got it, Ms. Luca. Don¡¯t worry, HI make sure Tommy and Rainie have some. " Lanie, the most mature among them, heard Luca and nodded. Luca smiled and returned to her seat. Next to her was Vivian. Luca watched Vivian grill the meat absentmindedly with a listless expression on her face. Shecked her usual vibrant energy. Luca asked in a soft voice, "What¡¯s wrong?" Vivian looked up at Luca and then shook her head. "Nothing." "You seem down. How about you sit across from me? You can swap ces with Nina," Luca suggested. "It¡¯s okay." Vivian forced a smile. Ever since Gordan arrived, her mood had taken a dip. She remembered their argument at the neighborhood gate and how they had not spoken since. Seeing him again today left her feeling inexplicably unsettled. Vivian wondered what was wrong with her. When she caught sight of Gordan''s silhouette, she knew that she was feeling all these emotions because of him. She also understood that Luca''s suggestion was for her own good. If she faced away from Gordan, she would not have to keep her head down to avoid looking at him. Luca didn''t press further when Vivian was unwilling to switch seats. Apart from Gordan and Vivian, everyone else was enjoying themselves, eating, drinking, and engaging in lively discussions. Right then, a voice cut through the atmosphere. "Well, you all seem to be having a good time." Susan''s voice rang out. Luca secretly let out a sigh. She had been expecting Susan today and had been waiting for her arrival. At the same time, deep down inside her, she wished Susan would note or at leasteter so that the lively atmosphere would not be disrupted. Still, Susan showed up right then, which was against her hopes. When Louis heard her voice, he straightened up and threw a confused look at Luke. Luke shook his head. Even though he knew what was going on, he had to pretend he did not. Louis did not react. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Susan felt displeased seeing her son ignore her, and her tone sharpened, " Louis Crawford, are you deaf?¡± All eyes turned to Louis. Louis could feel his face growing hot with embarrassment. As an adult with children, it was humiliating to be scolded by his mother in front of everyone. Where could he hide? Besides, why was Susan here? He had been careful when he arrived, even checking that no one was outside the neighboring vi before quickly entering. He even asked Gordan to park the car to avoid being seen! Louis handed his food to Percy. "Percy, can you please take over for me?" Percy, initially reluctant since he wanted to be fed by Nina, epted the food when he realized Louis had more pressing matters. "Go ahead." ''Take it inside," added Luke. Louis took a deep breath. He had not nned to talk with Susan. Despite Mr. Griffin''s daily reports of her harassing Old Master Crawford at Crawford Manor, he had not wanted to confront her. Life with just the three of them was turning out to be much less troublesome than he had imagined. However, now that Susan had caught him, a conversation was inevitable. Louis rose to his feet and said to her, "Let''s talk inside." Susan agreed, not wanting to lose her reputation in front of so many people, especially Luke... She used to take pride in having a son who obediently followed her every word. Unlike the constant shes between Allison and Luke, it was not the case with her and Louis. Hence, she did not want to argue with Louis in front of Luke. It was as though doing so could still maintain Louis¡¯ image as a good son. However, deep down, Susan was well aware that as Louis was getting older, he was bing increasingly resistant to listening to her. While he used to yield asionally out of fear of her tantrums, no matter how much she protested now, Louis stood his ground like a stubborn bull. If their opinions shed, he would always insist on his own. Susan snorted, gave Luke a re, and marched into the house with her head held high. Louis followed behind her. His expression was dark and sullen, a stark contrast to his usual cheerful demeanor as the second son of the Crawford family. Luca looked at Luke, who met her gaze. Luca shook her head, but Luke gave her a reassuring look. After all this time, Susan should have conceded by now, even if she would remain unhappy with Louis'' decisions. Anyway, one of them would have to back down eventually, and it was best for the rest of them to stay out of it. Chapter 3176 Luca understood the meaning in Luke''s eyes. Even though she did not agree, she continued to grill the meat without saying much. Vivian also witnessed the scene. Although unsure of what was happening, she felt a bit worried. Hence, she asked in a soft voice, "Luca, are they okay?" "It''s nothing, just a conversation between a mother and son." Luca shook her head, refraining from gossiping to Vivian about Louis and Susan. Vivian was not one to pry. The reason she asked was because she could not shake off her concern seeing that both of their expressions were not quite right. When Luca said that, she did not press further. She simply nodded and passed over her already- cooked food to Luca. "I can''t finish all this. Could you help me with some?" She noticed Luca either passed the cooked food to Luke or the kids, hardly eating anything herself. Luca epted it and replied, "Thank you. You''re really good at grilling." Vivian modestly responded, "During the university''s anniversary celebration a few days ago, the university allowed us to set up stalls on campus to sell snacks or small toys. I sold barbecued food with a few friends. They were the ones who taught me how to grill." Luca nodded and took a bite. The meat was sulent and perfectly grilled. Impressed, she gave Vivian a thumbs-up. "Vivian, you''re really good at this. It''s good." "Really? You guys should try it too." Vivian noticed that even though everyone was grilling on their own, they still shared with the men opposite them. Thus, she generously offered her food to them. "Thank you, Ms. Vivian." Rain took it and expressed her gratitude. "Just call me Vivian," replied Vivian shyly. She was not some aristocrat in A City now, just an ordinary person. Rain understood what she meant and nodded. "Thank you, Vivian." Nina, Scarlett, and Sue also took a few pieces, thanking Vivian like Rain did. Gordan, who was at another table, overheard their conversation. His eyes darkened, especially when Vivian spoke. The cunning gleam in his eyes grew even deeper. Vivian... In Russia, she used to put on airs, acting high and mighty. She had no friends to speak of. Now that she hade to A City, was she putting on an act to deceive others? Still, what benefit could she gain from befriending these women? Was she intentionally trying to cause trouble by getting close to women with partners? Gordan''s thoughts were malicious, and he almost convinced himself that he was right. Vivian probably had her eyes on someone, and that was why she was acting this way. Given how unattractive she was, who could possibly find her appealing? As Gordan thought about it, his gaze grew even darker. He picked up the scissors nearby, snipping off the burnt parts of the meat. Gale watched his actions andughed carelessly. Gordan''s grilling skills were as mediocre as theirs. Half of the piece of meat had been burned, leaving only a small portion that was still edible. It was truly a pitiful sight. "What are youughing at?" When Gordan saw Galeughing at him, he wished he could throw the scissors at him. "That doesn''t mean you''re better than me." Then, Gordon took a bite resentfully. It was just grilling meat. It was nothing difficult. Vivian learned a little and started showing off. How amusing. Gale nodded and replied, "Mr. Mallory can grill pretty well. Why don''t you let him teach you a thing or two?" Percy raised his eyebrows when his name was mentioned. "It wasn''t me. It was Louis. I simply took over midway and flipped the meat to prevent it from burning." Nina, who was listening to them, chuckled without saying a word. Luca watched the interaction over there and nced at Vivian again. She was silently grilling the meat. Luca secretly heaved a sigh. If she had known Gordan would show up uninvited, she would not have invited Vivian. She then looked toward the direction of the house, wondering how Louis'' conversation with Susan was going... Louis and Susan each sat on a couch in the living room. They were facing each other, with the distance between them as far as the seats allowed. Louis initially nned to sit on the chairs where the kids did their homework. After all, it was the farthest from Susan''s position. However, considering the small size of the chairs and the possibility of them breaking them if he sat down, he dismissed this idea. The mother and son sat down, silently staring at each other. Finally, Susan could not help but break the silence. She asked in a cold voice, "Are you done with all this fuss? When are youing home?" Louis'' expression was indifferent as he replied, "I haven''t been arguing with you, and honestly, the three of us are doing just fine living elsewhere. It''s convenient for Thea to go to school and Yuri to go to work, so we don''t n on moving back to the vi." "Where are you living?" Susan asked again. Louis remained silent. Neither Old Master Crawford nor Luke had told Susan before, and Louis was not foolish enough to tell her. The apartment was only suitable for a family of three, and there was no way they could stand Susan''s frequent visits. It would just disturb the peace of their family. Susan knew Louis would not tell her, but she had someone investigate. Louis was now living in a community. Even though it was a high-endmunity, it was a school district housing that was close to Thea''s school. However, all the buildings in thatmunity were apartments, not vis due to the limitednd. The detective wanted to further investigate which building and which unit Louis lived in, but the community''s security was tight. Strangers were not allowed to enter without the consent of the owners. The detective did not have friends living there and neither did Susan, so the investigation ended there. "You have a spacious vi, yet you choose to live in an apartment building? Louis, are you out of your mind?" Susan could not help but sharply question. Her voice was so loud that Aunt Neile, who was in the kitchen, could hear it. Aunt Neile could not help but let out a cold shiver. Susan''s tone was all too familiar to her. Could it be that a war was about to break out between this pair of mother and son? Aunt Neile dared not to go out and see. She just hoped that Susan would not break things when she was angry, or else she would have to spend time cleaning upter. Louis frowned. Did she mention that he was staying in an apartment building? "Did you hire a detective to follow me?" asked Louis. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Susan stood firm, seeing no issue with hiring a detective to track her own son. She answered, "Yes, I did hire a detective to track you. Neither your grandfather nor Luke ever disclosed where you were living. Plus, you went as far as to block my calls. Isn''t it normal for ather to want to know where her son lives?" "You''re invading my privacy!" Louis clenched his fists, barely containing his frustration. If it were not for the fact that the person in front of him was his mother, he might have given her a punch to teach her a lesson. Still, Susan was his mother. No matter how angry he was, he could not do that. Otherwise, he would risk being seen as disrespectful. People would say he had failed to do his duties as a son if he continued to argue with Susan in the future. Chapter 3177 Chapter 3177 The Seed Of Misunderstanding "Invading your privacy? Are you kidding me? You''re my son! It''s only right that I do this!" Susan did not feel she was in the wrong at all. She let out a cold sneer and added, "Louis, I raised you and let you grow up safely in such aplex family environment. "Now that you''ve grown up, you can''t wait to soar free, huh? Let me tell you, you can''t ignore me. No matter what, I''m still your mother, got it? I''m your mother, and you have to listen to me. So, move back here!" "I''m not moving back." Louis took a deep breath, restraining the anger inside him. In his eyes, Susan''s every move seemed excessively controlling. He used to understand her strong need for control, especially when the heir to the family had not been determined yet. He could understand how difficult it was for Susan to ept his father taking in another woman and even having a child with her. Hence, he would cooperate with her and satisfy her maternal desire for control. Now, he did not feel the need toply with her desire to control anymore. He had his own career now, and the amodation provided by Luke wasfortable for all three of them. There was simply no need to move back. "You used toin about the vi being too small, didn''t you? Isn¡¯t it perfect for you to live alone? You don''t even want to take care of Thea. Now, you get to live alone in the vi without any kids bothering you. What more could you ask for?" Louis'' words felt like heavy stones pressing on Susan''s heart. Susan did not expect Louis to say such things! Even though these were all things she had said before, they were said with the intention of convincing them to move back to Crawford Manor with her. Louis was not stupid. How could he not know? He knew, but he used those words to shut her down. A wave of anger burned within Susan. "Why didn''t you listen to what I said before? Now that you''ve moved out, do you think you can get away from me? You''re using what I said to shut me up? "Louis, I''m your mother! No matter what, I''m still your mother. Don''t even think about getting away from me like this!" "I never thought about getting away from you." Louis shook his head and looked at her angry face. He calmed down in an instant. "But I have my own life, my own career. Since everything shes with your beliefs, I think it''s best we don''t live under the same roof. If you feel ufortable without a few people around to serve you, I can hire more maids for you. "If anything happens, I''lle back to see you immediately. And I''ll bring Thea back to visit you every weekend. But I won''t move back in." His life had finally settled down, and there was no one to nag him about his career. Nobody would criticize him for not being ambitious enough either. These peaceful days were wonderful. Why would he be foolish enough to give that up and move back to endure Susan''s nagging? He was not foolish at all... "You insist on not moving back?" Susan stared at him. Louis was puzzled as well. Why was her desire to control him getting stronger? Even Allison could move out on her own when she had enough money. She was not willing to help with babysitting or live with Luke either. If Allison could do it, why not Susan? "I''m not moving back, and as for selling thepany, I suggest you give up on trying to persuade me. I won''t let anyone buy thepany. Moreover, the person behind this is Grandpa. "He wanted to give me a chance to return to T Corporation, but I turned it down. Grandpa said he wouldn''t try to persuade me to go back to T Corporation anymore. If I ever decide to return, I''ll just talk to him or Luke directly. "So, nobody''s interested in buying mypany, and I won''t go back to work at T Corporation. Just drop it." Louis simply revealed what sparked this whole thing. It was this unintentional move from Old Master Crawford that made their mother-son rtionship stiffen to this point. After moving out, Louis realized how wonderful life was for the three of them. He and Yuri did not have to face Susan''s pressure for childbirth anymore. Also, they did not have to listen to Susan''s sighs about not having enough money or about how Louis should be earning more. They no longer had to endure Susan''s constant inquiries about how thepany was doing, always comparing it to T Corporation. Louis felt immensely rxed after moving out. Without the pressure from Susan, he felt much more energetic and motivated in his work. Hispany was capable of making profits too. Even though the profits were not as exaggerated as T Corporation, it was one of the more profitablepanies in the industry. Furthermore, with him being one of the members of the Crawford family, many were willing to coborate with him. Louis thought this kind of life was great. Even though he was born into wealth, he could make his own money with his skills. Plus, it was way easier than managing T Corporation, and he had more time to be with his wife and kids. What was not to love about that? Susan did not understand the benefits of this. She could notprehend that even if he left his ownpany and returned to work at T Corporation, he would not be as capable as Luke. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Luke was not just a simple CEO in the construction industry. He was also an architect. If he wanted to participate in anypetition, he would surely win first ce. If it were not for T Corporation, he might be working in a world-famous architectural firm. "What did you say?!" Susan''s voice was sharp. She had thought there was really someone interested in acquiring Louis''s smallpany. In the end, it was Old Master Crawford who was behind this! Why would he do such a thing?! Did he want Louis to return to work at T Corporation, or did he want to cause conflict between the mother and son? Susan furrowed her brows tightly. The old master knew that what she wanted most was for Louis to return to work at thepany. If she knew someone wanted to acquire Louis''pany, she would definitely spare no effort to make Louis sell it and return to work at T Corporation. As Louis'' grandfather, Old Master Crawford certainly knew how important Louis''pany was to him. So, Old Master Crawford did that to cause a conflict between them, right? Susan even felt that Old Master Crawford did that to consolidate Luke''s position in T Corporation and to secure Luke''s inheritance! She could not help but feel resentful at how heartless Old Master Crawford was. He resorted to such tactics for Luke''s sake. Once Louis resisted, Louis would be even more determined not to go back to T Corporation. Louis did not know that revealing this matter would lead Susan to misunderstand Old Master Crawford so deeply. Once the seed of misunderstanding was nted in one''s heart, it would be difficult to uproot. Chapter 3178 Chapter 3178 Did You Arrange This On Purpose? ¡°Listen carefully, I''m not going to repeat myself. I''m not going back to work at T Corporation, and I''m not moving back home. You''d better give up on that idea," repeated Louis. Susan, trembling with anger, replied, "Louis, have you considered that I¡¯m your mother? I¡¯m not young anymore. What if something happens to me in the vi and you''re not around-" Louis interrupted her, "You''re my mother, so of course, | won''t ignore you. As long as you stop frantically trying to find me like before, I''ll unblock your phone number. Besides, there''s a live-in maid at home. If one isn''t enough, I''ll hire two more to take care of you. ¡°If anything happens, the maids will inform me immediately," exined Louis. He never intended to leave Susan alone in the vi. Susan was not young anymore. He would feel more at ease with two more maids looking after her. Plus, hispany was doing well, so hiring a couple more maids was no big deal.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "Fine, if you''re noting back, then don''t evere back. I''mying it out right now, Louis, you have until this weekend to move back. If you don''t, don''te to me with any of your problems. | also won''t need your help with mine any longer!" Susan stood up abruptly. She wanted to throw something, but this was Luke''s house. She could not afford to lose her temper here, at least not in front of Luke. With this in mind, she left with a gloomy expression without waiting for Louis'' response. She did not care to wait either. She knew that if she forced an answer out of him now, it would undoubtedly be a negative one... Leaving would give him time to think. Yet, for some reason, this tactic, which had always worked before, now made her feel uneasy. She sensed that Louis might not comply with her wishes this time. Susan used to want to move back to Crawford Manor, but that was in the past. Back then, she did not want to interfere with Louis'' life. Now, after this confrontation, she no longer wanted to move back to Crawford Manor. She just wanted Louis toe home. Only then could everything be resolved. Susan left with a grim look on her face. Louis wanted to refuse outright as he was determined not to move back this time. However, he realized that if he rejected her now, she might get even more emotional and cause a scene in front of all these people. There were many people out there. He did not want a family matter to ruin the atmosphere. If his mother had an outburst in front of everyone, it would indeed be embarrassing. Therefore, Louis kept silent. After Susan left, he finally stood up. Aunt Neile came out of the kitchen. She let out a sigh of relief when she noticed that the living room was still intact and that Susan had not broken anything. Then, she went back to the kitchen, finding it awkward to have witnessed the mother and son arguing. If she said anything to Louis, it would probably make him feel even more ufortable, so staying in the kitchen was best. Susan left the house with a scowl. As she walked to the front yard, the smell of barbecue mixed with the aroma of wine and drinks bombarded her senses. She had been eagerly waiting for the evening since she heard from the maid that Louis woulde. Her impatience affected her appetite, and she had not eaten much all day. Now, the delicious aroma stimted her sense of smell and made her feel a sudden pang of hunger. She could almost hear her body shouting, "Sit down and eat!" However, in the end, she did not. She let out a cold snort and walked away without greeting anyone. She held her head high and left. She had the posture of a victor. Nina saw Susan and murmured, "I have to say, she''s so much like Percy''s mother..." Luca shook her head helplessly when she heard what Nina said. Susan and Karen were simr in many ways. They shared the same experiences. That was why their personalities were so alike, which was understandable. Not long after Susan left, Louis came out. Even though he lookedposed, it was evident to others that he was a bit frustrated. Luke pointed at his te and said, "Luca grilled some more for you. Eat up." "And this, | grilled it for you too. It''s not burnt. Looks good, right?" Percy handed him another piece of meat. "Thanks." Louis tried to muster some energy, but he still felt deted. "Did you get everything sorted out?" Luke asked as he sat down. "We talked it through, but she didn''t seem to get it," replied Louis in a low voice with a bitter smile on his face. Susan seemed stuck in the past, always using the same tactics to pressure him despite everything he had said. Louis was exasperated. He truly did not want to give in to her demands anymore. Why could she not be like Allison? Allison had afortable life with a generous monthly allowance. She lived alone in a viwithou uecia Master''Sr¨¦wtord''s interference. She was free to do as she pleased without anyone giving her a hard time. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! Louis thought that kind of life would be perfect for Susan, but she did not seem to think so. "Take it slow," said Luke. He knew it was not his ce to offer more specific advice. Susan and Allison seemed alike, but they had their differences. Since they were different mothers, it would be best not to offer each other advice when it came to dealing with these matters. It would be best to go with the flow of each other''s thoughts. ¡°Luke, did you arrange this on purpose?" Louis suddenly asked. How else could Susan have known he was here or gotten in so easily? It had to be Luke''s doing. Even though Luke would not tell Susan these things, he had his way of making sure she found out. Seeing how smart his brother was, Luke nodded and replied, "Yes." "You''re really..." Louis was not angry and just let out a bitterugh. ¡®You owe me a couple of bottles of wine for this.¡± ¡°Pick whatever you like,¡± Luke replied nonchntly. He did not mind at all. Louis was his younger brother, so even if he emptied the wine cer, it would not be a problem. "But can you tell me why you did this? You''re not usually the type to a dle in these matters: g:'' adda duis? He underst that Luke''s intention was to help him and his mother patch things up. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! However, Louis was unwilling to move back while Susan insisted he do so. With their differing perspectives, there was no way to find a resolution- unless one of thempromised. Previously, Louis was the one topromise, but this time, he did not want to. He was puzzled as Luke typically did not interfere in such affairs, so why now? "I''m helping Grandpa solve this problem," replied Luke in a calm, voice. He took Ka-bite\cfdneat and z a sip Of his Ans The vors mingled in his mouth, and he squinted his eyes in contentment. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 3179 Chapter 3179 Did You Take A Job? As they talked about what Old Master Crawford did, Louis could not help but feel resigned. However, the old master''s intentions were good. He just could not bear to see Louis be looked down on by the others, so it was not really his fault. Since Old Master Crawford was the one behind this whole thing, Louis could not say much about it. Louis let out a light sigh. Luke said, "Grandpa is tired of Mother''s nagging. If you talk to her, she won''t bother Grandpa anymore.¡± Susan''s request was simple. She wanted Louis to move back. Whether he moved back or not did not matter much. As long as they had a conversation, Susan would stop returning to Crawford Manor to bother Old Master Crawford and force him to intervene. Louis understood. Even though it was Old Master Crawford''s mistake, only he could resolve it at this point. It would be good for Susan to know that he had no intention of selling hispany. That way, she would not hold onto such thoughts. After all, he had invested a lot of money and sold many properties to start his business. It took countless days and nights to build it up to its current scale. This was not something an ordinary person could achieve. Of course, his family name yed a part. ¡°I''ve made it clear. She wont bother Grandpa in the future,¡± replied Louis, between Louis and Luke, he had a rough idea of what was going on. "No, I''m not." Louis shook his head. "Living in the apartment is fine. It''s near the school and Yuri''s office," answered Louis. Whether it was due to the change of environment or because Susan was not there, Thea''s temperament had improved a lot. She no longer woke up in the middle of the night or had trouble sleeping. She also seemed much happier. Louis recalled what the psychologist told him about Thea''s psychological issues being partly caused by the environment at Crawford Manor and the adults¡¯ conflicts. As parents and elders, they should not put too much pressure on the child. Louis had initially thought it was because he and Yuri did not spend enough time with Thea, but it seemed things were not like that. Perhaps it was the pressure Susan put on Thea. Rainie was several years older than Thea, so she excelled in various aspects. Perhaps Susan wanted his child to outshine everyone else. That was why she constantly pushed Thea to improve herself and be more outstanding. This would bring immense pressure to Thea, which could exin why Thea became more cheerful after leaving the vi. It was because Susan was no longer around to constantly bring up those matters in front of Thea. Thus, Thea was able to rx a little. "Alright." Luke was not surprised by Louis'' decision not to move back to the vi. He had chosen that apartment for them because it was close to the school, making it convenient for Thea. By shortening the commute to school, she could get a bit more rest and be in better shape. It was his way of showing care. "If you don''t move back, aren''t you worried that she''ll bother you every day? " teased Percy. He had witnessed the relentless determination of a mother set on bothering her son, and it was truly remarkable. "She can go ahead. If it gets annoying, I''ll just block her," Louis said nonchntly. Previously, he would not have done this, but having tried it now, he found blocking her to be a good solution. At least, his life would be more peaceful. Once one had done certain things, doing them again did not seem like a big deal. That was how Louis felt now. If Susan could live her life and stop causing trouble, he would definitely do his duties as her son. However, if Susan could not be content with her current life, then she could not me Louis for being ruthless and not showing any mercy. "Come on, let''s have a drink." Louis raised his ss. The other men followed suit, clinking their sses together. After finishing up the barbecue, the women sat down by the pavilion to chat while the kids went to the living room to y puzzles. The men, on the other hand, continued to gather around the grill, drinking and discussing matters. Gale nced over at the pavilion, figuring that those on the other side could not hear their conversation. Thus, he asked, "Boss, I''ve located two bases of the Ind of Despair in A City. One is confirmed because we''ve seen Dr. Craw''s brothering in and out of there. We''re still confirming the other one." "Okay. Once it''s confirmed, let''s keep it under wraps," replied Luke. They were all allies here. Almost all of them were unrted to the Ind of Despair. Except for Louis. He would be helping them when it was time to eradicate the Ind of Despair. Hence, discussing matters here was not a problem. ¡°Don''t worry, we won''t tip them off. But there''s one tricky thing-if there are other bases in A City, I''m concerned that the local police might be short- handed when ites time to a " said Gale. When it was time for them to deal with the Ind of Despair, they would definitely have to rely on the local police to handle the bases within A City. They would primarily focus on dealing with the core of the Ind of Despair. If there were too many bases, the police might have to divide their efforts. However, if the police were short on manpower, they might be at a disadvantage. Based on their experien estedcatifdhtof he bases i City, each base was equipped with heavy weapons. Their weapons were more advanced than those in the hands of the police, which could put them at a disadvantage. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there!Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Percy narrowed his eyes. "We can''t be sure about this yet, but if action is taken, itll be the firsytime, RGA faces alkofgahization like the Ind of Despair. They''ll take it seriously, and they won''t y around with the lives of those policemen." The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! ¡°Let''s hope so." Gale was not optimistic. Percy nced at him. "Have you forgotten? The incident in X City shocked the polic e fore9 owitere. If they fine te Ind of Despair, they''ll definitely take it seriously and increase their equipment ordingly." The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! Gale thought what he said made sense. "Is Matysh going to court the day after tomorrow?" Gordan suddenly asked. All eyes turned to him. The others were familiar with that name except for Louis. "Why? Why are you concerned about that? Did you ept a job?" asked Gale. Gordan was a frencer. If he was interested in the job and the other party could afford his price, he would take it on. "No." Gordan shook his head and then added, "They asked me to help with a kidnapping, but | declined. Seriously, that guy has those kinds of intentions toward Bianca, and he thinks I''d help him out? That''s ridiculous." He knew that if he helped, Matysh would definitely escape and return to Russia. He would not do such a thing for money because it would not sit right with Luke and his wife. Chapter 3180 Chapter 3180 Are You In Need Of That Two Million Dors? Luke nodded and asked, "How much did they offer?" "It''s quite a sum. Helping with the kidnappings one million while escorting the person onto the ne fetches two million,¡± answered Gordan. He felt a bit regretful thinking about not being able to earn this money himself. "I''m missing out on two million dors in ie." ¡°Are you in need of that two million dors?" Gale could not help but tease him when he saw the expression on Gordan¡¯s face. "You''re hurting because of women, not money." "You''re the one who''s hurting because of women." Gordan rolled his eyes. He identally had an embarrassing moment yesterday, and today, Gale could not stop bringing it up. It seemed he should be more cautious about choosing drinkingpanions next time. Drinking with a stranger was better than drinking with Gale, the unreliable friend. Percy did not tease Gordan but instead asked about the reward offered by the Abaza family, "Is this price reasonable?" "It''s in US dors," Gordan added. "They''re indeed quite generous,¡±mented Luke. One could hire mercenaries for tens of thousands of dors each in today''s market. What kind of people could be hired with two million US dors?Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. People like Gordan and Gale would definitely fit the bill, but they were not willing to take the job. In that case, they would be looking for someone who was on the same level as Gordan and Gale. ¡°Even though getting mercenaries into A City is quite a hassle, if one can foot the bill, they''ll still find their way in no matter how tough it is to prate this ce," said Luke. Money might not be everything, but with such a sum, many would assist the Abaza family. "Boss, if they''re offering so much money, we should be cautious. When it¡¯s time to n things out, we¡¯ll need to bring in some extra hands," added Gale. They were not helping Matysh, and they were secretly assisting the police. Even though the police would not be aware of their actions, when theymitted to helping out in situations like this, they would definitely follow through till the end. It was not easy to get Matysh into custody. How could they let him return to Russia so easily? This was something that absolutely could not happen! "Got it." Luke handed the matter over to Gale, knowing he was capable of handling it. As Gordan listened to Gale''s words, he became interested. "Why not take me along?" "What would you do?" Gale shot him a nce. "| didn''t take on the job, so I''m feeling a bit bored. I''m also curious to see the kind of person who can snag this job for two million dors," replied Gordan. He did want to take a look. It would be even better if he could be on the opposing side. With an opportunity presented by Luke, he wanted to give it a shot, get involved, and see what the other party was made of. "Tsk, you''ve been drowning yourself in alcohol recently. Will you be able to stay out of trouble?" Gale shook his head, resolutely refusing to let Gordan participate, fearing he might ruin the n. "You don''t get me. If there''s a job, | won''t drink the day before. Trust me, okay?" Gordan tried to convince Gale while portraying himself as strong and reliable. Gale rolled his eyes and then turned to look at Luke to let him make the decision. Whether Gordan was there or not made no difference to him. He had many people under him to use. Even though not all were elites, he only used the elites when executing such tasks. ¡°Let him join." Luke decided. If Gordan was willing to help for free, why not use him? ¡°Luke, how much are you nning to pay me?¡± Gordan''s eyes lit up at once. He spotted the pavilion out of the corner of his eye and then quickly withdrew his gaze. "You volunteered yourself. Why do you need to be paid?" questioned Luke. Gale burst intoughter. ¡°Luke, you''re truly something else.¡± Gordan was rendered speechless. ¡°For the Abaza family, Matysh''s value far exceeds two million US dors, but for me, Matysh isn''t worth a cent. If you want money from me, you can have it. Teach Matysh a lesson he''ll never forget during the mission and | can offer you a million dors in the local currency," added Luke. In essence, he felt that Matysh''s sentencing was not enough. Anyone who dared to covet his woman should be prepared to face consequences. The moment Matysh thought of escaping back to Russia, the police tightened security around him, and there was nothing he could do. However, if Gordan could teach Matysh another lesson, Luke would be willing to pay for it. Still, the difficulty of this mission was high. Gordan''s eyes lit up. A million dors in the local currency was better than nothing. He wanted to rify what Luke meant, so he turned to Percy and gestured toward him. "Like his brother?" "Up to you, but it can''t interfere with the trial," replied Luke. He received information that A City was taking Matysh¡¯s case very seriously. Hence, they nned to finish the trial within a day. Although it had not been done this way before, they aimed to finish the trial in one day and then transfer Matysh to the most secure prison in A City, leaving no chance for escape. "That''s too difficult." Gordan frowned. Dealing with Matysh was one thing. He would have plenty of opportunities. However, to make him casually appear in court as though nothing happened, that was difficult. Luke nced toward the pavilion and saw Luca chatting with the others. He reminded Gordan, "Luca can help." "In that case, I''lle back tomorrow and consult with Bianca." Gordan understood what he meant. It was about the methods from the Ind of Terror. Luke had no objections. The conversation continued. Meanwhile, in the living room, six children were gathered around the coffee table and ying a puzzle game. Simon grinned at Rainie while looking at her. Taking advantage of her distraction, he raised his hand and tugged at her ponytail. Rainie covered her head, ring fiercely at the instigator, "Simany\ Holston!¡¯ Simnonegtinned. Knowing he hd''done something wrong, he apologized," Sorry, | couldn''t resist." The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! When he saw Rainie looking so adorable with her hair tied in a ponytail, he could not help but want to give it a little pull. He tugged very lightly, believing Rainie would not feel any pain. "What''s the point in apologizing?!¡¯ Rainie red at him. If he kept going like this, she would end up with a bald spot. Lanie and Tommy saw everything. Lanie said, "Rainie,e over here. Switch ces with Tommy.¡± "Okay." Rainie walked over to Tommy''s side while Tommy stood next to Simon. Simon was taller than Tommy. He chuckled. "Shorty, ar: ySu trying to protectyyoun sistern¡¯But you''re too short. How can you protect her?" The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! Tommy waved his fists. "You might be older and taller than me, but being short''s no biggie. Watch out, m punches pack a-pidohit mess with Rainie, got it? Or else, I''ll give you a smackin''" "Pfft, look at this little kid talking tough! If your father hears you later, you''re gonna be in for it!¡± Simon did not take Tommy''s threat seriously. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 3181 Chapter 3181 Not Used To Inconveniencing others Tommy rolled his eyes, unfazed by Simon''s words. "If my dad finds out you bullied my sister, he''ll beat you up." "Mr. Crawford wouldn''t do that." Simon knew what kind of person Luke was. He might spank Lanie and Tommy, but he would never hit him. However, if this escted, his dad would definitely punish him. Simon looked at the little girl next to Rainie and said, "Teri, I''ll give you some candy if you switch seats with me, okay?" "No way." Teri shook her head. "You''re just going to bully Rainie. I''m not switching seats with you!" "You little brat!" Simon was frustrated. He had not tugged on Rainie''s hair in a long time, and he could not help himself today. After all, Rainie was such a cute little girl, and he just wanted her to notice him more. That was why he could not help himself... Who knew he would end up annoying Rainie? Lanie looked at Simon with a serious expression on his face. "Are we still ying or not?" ¡°Of course, we''re ying! Just watch me beat you!" Simon rolled up his sleeves, ready topete. Lanie could not be bothered. Simon''s intelligence was about the same as his, but their personalities were quite different. Simon loved to y and joke around, which waspletely different from him. The kids kept ying until the adults finished their gathering and called it a night.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Simon naturally followed Jim out. Kari and Teri left with Jason and Sue. The others helped to clean up before leaving, so Luca had nothing much to do. She checked the time and urged the three kids, "It''s gettingte. Hurry upstairs and get yourself washed up." ¡°Ms. Luca, well clean up first and then go upstairs," replied the kids. They yed with a lot of educational toys and needed to tidy up. Aunt Nelle came out of the kitchen and said to Luca, "Ms. Craw, I''m heading off now." ¡°Okay, Aunt Neile. Thanks for your hard work tonight. Did you take the food | prepared for you?" Luca had specifically grilled some meat for Aunt Neile, knowing she would be workingter than usual. Aunt Neile pointed at her canvas bag, where the food was stored. She smiled and replied, "I did. Thank you. My family will enjoy a tasty snack tonight." ¡°Alright, take care on your way home." Luca nodded and helped the kids clean up the toys. Once everything was tidied, the kids went upstairs to rest, and Luca followed suit. After her shower, Luke came in from the bedroom across. "Did you finish the paperwork?" asked Luca. "Yes, it''s all done," replied Luke. He had also washed up and changed into pajamas. He leaned against the bed, pulled Luca into his arms, and said," You worked hard tonight." ¡°It wasn''t too hard, and it was worth it since everyone had a great time." Luca rested her head on his shoulder. Getting everything ready was pretty exhausting. Still, she was happy that everyone was satisfied with the food and thepany. That brought her a lot offort. Nina and the others had helped to clean up, which saved her a lot of effort. "Yeah." "Were you discussing Maytsh and the Ind of Despair while you guys were drinking?¡± asked Luca. "You heard US?" Luke was a bit surprised. They did not raise or lower their voices deliberately, and considering the distance between the pavilion and the barbecue area, the people in the pavilion should not have been able to hearthem. "| could hear bits and pieces." Luca pointed at her ears. "Almost everyone from the Ind of Despair has had Shanks¡¯ dry needling treatment, so our hearing is better than most. Don''t worry. None of them heard anything, only | did." Luke raised his eyebrows. The women had pulled Rain into their conversation, so she had not heard anything from the men''s side. However, Luca heard them. How good was her hearing? "But is it really okay? The Abaza family offered two million dors to rescue him..." Luca sounded worried. Luke looked at her. Did she really only hear bits and pieces? She even caught the two million dors part clearly. If it were not for the distance and the fact that Gordan had mentioned the amount while facing away from her, he might have suspected she could read lips. ¡°Even if they offered 20 million dors to hire someone better, it wouldn''t matter. Those people wouldn''t dare make a big move in A City," said Luke confidently. Or rather, it was not confidence in himself but confidence in the country. Did the Abaza family think that their country was like Russia, where money could aplish anything? Therefore, this time, Luke would rely on the power of the nation and his capabilities to convey the message that money could not buy free passes in A City. This was a country that upheld the rule ofw-not one where money could rule the roost! Luca nodded. She knew she had to trust Luke. "It''s gettingte. Should we go to bed?" suggested Luke. Luca shook her head and nced at her phone. "I''m worried about Vivian. I¡¯d like to wait for her message before going to bed.¡± Everyone else had someone to go home with. However, Vivian was alone since no one else was heading in her direction. At first, Jim and Percy offered to give Vivian a ride, but Vivian, being t kind of erson who wSdndt used to inedny. dicing others, did not even think twice before politely turning down their offers. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! Hence, Luca called a cab for her. Nevertheless, she still felt uneasy, and she told Vivian to send a message to her when she got home. Luke understood her concern. He wanted to say there was n need to worry becayse eckdattve in the siml¨¦ area. However, after thinking it over, he decided not to mention it. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! He had known for a while that Gordan had moved into the single apartment building he had arranged for Vivian. It was Gordan¡¯s freedom to live wherever he wanted. It did not matter much since he would not harm Vivian. However, Luca and Vivian were unaware of this. Considering that Gordan had left earlier, they definitely would not arrive home at the same time. Luke decided to wait with Luca for Vivian''s message. Ray had entrusted him with her care, making Vivian''s safety his responsibility. While A City was generally safe, Ray had numerous enemies in Russia. There was a chance those enemies might hold grudges and intentionallye to A City to harm Vivian. "Alright." Luke picked up the book on his bedside table and started reading. Luca also kept herself busy, researching the properties of some herbs online a elle forviVian''s message Que nced at her tablet screen but said nothing. Since Gale had delivered the herbs, he knew she would study them. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! Luke did not dwell on it. He simply hoped Luca would not push herself too hard and would take time to rest when necessary. Chapter 3182 Chapter 3182 Avoiding Him? Telling Him To Stay Away? Due to the surveince camera at the entrance of themunity, it would be difficult for the driver to stop inside, so Vivian got off near the entrance. She nced at themunity gate, which was not far away, then checked the time. It was already past 11. She quickly sent a message to Luca to let her know that she had safely returned home and she did not need to worry. After a while, Luca replied with a simple: [Okay.] As Vivian tucked away her phone and prepared to head toward the entrance, she noticed someone standing not too far from the streetlights. Her heart instantly went on high alert as she nced at the person. Vivian knew she was pretty safe because of her appearance, but some men were just unpredictable. Moreover, she was worried that the person might try to rob her. The surroundings were eerily quiet, and the closer she got to the person, the faster her heart pounded. Was that person intentionally standing there? What was he doing standing there? Vivian was not sure, and she felt a little anxious. She tightly gripped her purse. She had her passport with her today. It would not be a big deal if they tried to rob her money, but if they took her passport, she would have to go through the hassle of recing it. As a foreigner, it was quite a process. As she debated whether to take out her passport to protect it, she noticed that the person standing by the streetlight looked familiar. When Vivian realized who the person was, it hit her like a bolt of lightning. She stood there,pletely still, unable to move a muscle. Gordan furrowed his brows as he watched Vivian standing there like a fool. He felt irritated. He was not sure what was going on with himself. He had returned earlier than her, yet he was still waiting at themunity gate for her. Was it because he was concerned about her safety? Gordan immediately denied it to himself. Who would worry about such an ugly woman''s safety? Besides, ugly women were pretty safe since they were unattractive. No one would darey a hand on Vivian after seeing her face. Even though Gordan thought so, he still looked at Vivian. He ignored the fact that he had been feeling restless earlier when he did not see Vivianing home, which stemmed from his concern for her. Now that he saw her, the restlessness in his heart vanished into thin air. As Gordan watched Vivian remain rooted to the spot, he let out a cold snort and asked, "Seeing me got you all flustered, huh?" Vivian furrowed her brows, took a deep breath, and walked toward him. She initially thought of walking past him as she did not intend to pay him any mind. Moreover, Vivian was not concerned about why Gordan was standing here. He was definitely here for her, but whatever the reason was, it could not be good. If she was dumb enough to entertain him, she would be in for a round of insults. She was not that foolish. Why bother to deal with him when she knew exactly how it would y out? When Gordan noticed that Vivian was about to walk past him, he asked ina cold voice, "Vivian, are you blind?" Vivian halted, took a deep breath, and turned to look at Gordan, who seemed ready to cause trouble. She said, "I''ve got nothing to say to you." "What a coincidence. | don¡¯t have much to say to you either." Gordan raised an eyebrow, feeling inexplicably angry at her words. He could not help but feel like picking a fight with Vivian. As Vivian listened to him, she felt like he was mocking her. If there was nothing to say, why bother talking? She asked straightforwardly, "If there''s nothing to talk about, what are you doing standing here?" Gordan was stunned for a moment. A wave of anger surged within him. He felt like Vivian was seeing through some of his intentions. Still, was she really capable of that? "I''m here to remind you not to get ahead of yourself," replied Gordan. Vivian''s grip on her bag strap suddenly tightened, her heart skipping a beat. She was not holding out hope for any kind words from him. However, when she heard those words, her heart still felt like it had been stabbed. It hurt a lot... Gordan did not get a response from Vivian and thought she did not care. He continued, "I had no clue you''d be there today. If | had, | wouldn''t have shown up. | didn''t leave after seeing you because of Luke''s sake. It wasn¡¯t because | wanted to respect you or anything. "So, keep that in mind. Don''t go thinking I''m into you or something. | don''t want you to cling to me and talk my ears off forever." After saying those words, he felt strangely ufortable in his chest. Was it because his words were too harsh? Still, he had said worse things before without feeling this way. What was happening to him now? Why did he have to be so harsh? He had said what he wanted to say, but he felt ufortable now, almost guilty. Vivian had pestered him for so many years and wasted so many years of his life. She deserved to hear these words. Why was he feeling guilty? With that in mind, Gordan suddenly felt a weight lift off his chest, and he did not feel as sad anymore. "What a coincidence!" Vivian suppressed the difort in her heart. She did not understand why she was so unlucky. She had been avoiding him, yet still managed to bump into him. It was just like this time, he still showed up when neither Luke nor Luca had invited him... Gordan was puzzled. "What?" "If | knew you''d shamelessly crash a party uninvited, | definitely wouldn''t have shown up Dont Qverthink it | dentt\w {Yo run into you either. If you''re here today just to tell me this stuff, | get it. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! "So, do me a favor and stay far away from me from now on. I''d prefer to avoid any bad vibes." Vivian spoke in English when she said that. Then, she could not be bothered to argue with Gordan anymore. She walked straight to themunity gate. She wanted to find a ce where he could not see her, take a deep breath, and calm herself down. After hearing Vivian''s words, Gordan stood there, stunned. What did she mean? Was she avoiding him? Telling him to stay away? Those were the words he should have said to her! Gordan felt a lump in his chest. He turned around, and as he watched Vivian walk away, his eyes darkened. His fists clenched tightly. He felt like this anger would not go away if he did not blow off some steam. How dare this ugly woman say such things to him?! Gordan let out a cold snort and walked into themunity after Vivian disappeared from sight. However, he did not follow her this time. Instead, he went back to his own home. The moment Gordan arrived home, he immediately shed his outerwear and took out his fr ravjoronthe Perens mag hGnyitg in the center ot the living room. Hended several hard punches, scraping his hands in the process. However, he still felt dissatisfied. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! "Damn it. That ugly woman has some nerve in saying those things! And in English, no less. Damn it!" eximed Gordan, delivering another fierce blow to the punching bag. He was still not feeling any relief.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Eventually, Gordon put on his gloves and spent most of the night in the living room, relentlessly pounding away at the punching bag. Fortunately, this was a high-end neighborhood with multipleyers of soundproofing in tallgchduciig tHe intial renovation, so Gordan''s punching did not disturb the neighboring residents upstairs or downstairs. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! Otherwise, he would have surely facedints tonight. After hours of pounding the punching bag, Gordan was left sprawled on the floor, utterly exhausted. However, the gloominess in his eyes showed no signs of easing. Chapter 3183 Chapter 3183 Very Possessive The following day, Gale, Rain, and Gordan showed up together at Luke''s vi. When Luca came downstairs and saw them, she was startled for a moment. Then, she immediately realized the situation. She smiled and greeted them, "Good morning, Mr. Norton, Mr. Gale, and Ms. Rain." "Good morning, Dr. Craw," they replied in unison. Since Aunt Neile was there, they could not address her as Bianca. ¡°Are you all here to discuss matters with Mr. Crawford?" asked Luca. "Yes, we need to talk to Luke," replied Gordan, speaking for the group.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Luca pondered for a moment and said, "We''re having tacos for lunch today. Why don''t you stay and join US?" The three of them knew Luca''s home-cooked meals were delicious, but they hesitated and shook their heads at the thought of Luke. Gale said, "Dr. Craw, we''ll leave after discussing things with the boss. You don''t need to worry about US." "If the discussion takes a long time, you should stay for lunch. It''s decided, " Luca insisted. After all, Aunt Neile had prepared plenty of ingredients, and she could always order more meatballs and such online to make sure there was enough food. Just as Gale was about to say something, Luke''s voice came from the stairs. "Stay for lunch." Luca turned to look at Luke as he made his way down the stairs and smiled at him. "I''ll make some coffee for you all." Then, she turned to the three guests. "Have you had breakfast yet?" "Not yet." "Yes, we have." Gale replied at the same time Rain did. Realizing their answers were different, they nced at each other. It was more like ring at each other instead. They were secretly ming each other for the conflicting responses. Luca watched them exchange nces and understood immediately. They had not eaten yet. Since Rain and Gale lived together, they should have left together. If one of them had eaten, the other would have too. Still, one of them said yes and the other said no. It meant they had not eaten but did not want to trouble her. Luca then turned to look at Gordan. He was the exception since no one lived with him. "Mr. Norton, have you eaten?" asked Luca. Gordan shook his head honestly and answered, "No, | haven''t." ¡°Alright, I''ll prepare three servings of eggs on toast. Eat first, then you can discuss your matters," said Luca. Although their discussion seemed unrted to her, the timing was actually very relevant to her. After all, they were dealing with Matysh. He came to A City because of her. "It¡¯s okay..." said Rain, puzzled by Gale''s insistence on saying they had not eaten. Was he hinting at Luca to make them breakfast? How would Luke feel about this? After all, their boss was very possessive of his wife. ¡°You must eat. Your boss hasn''t eaten either, so join him. I''ll make four servings of eggs on toast," Luca insisted, even though she knew Aunt Neile had already prepared breakfast for Luke. After all, they were here to help her, so how could she let them go hungry? ¡°Listen to Luca," said Luke, catching the pleading looks from Gale and Rain. He then sat down on the couch. Luca nodded and headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast forthem. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Rain rolled up her sleeves and offered to help," Ms. Craw, let me assist you." ¡°No need. Aunt Nelle is helping me. Just sit and wait. By the way, besides coffee, is there anything else you''d like to drink?" "Coffee is fine," Gordan replied without hesitation. To Gale and Rain, Luca was both their boss¡¯ wife and their sister-inw. However, to him, she was just his sister-inw, so he felt no guilt in making a request. After all, it was normal for her to take care of him, right? Gale and Rain nodded in agreement. They were content with just coffee. Their schedules were often erratic, and even though they took mtonin pills to sleep earlyst night, they still felt groggy. They really needed the coffee to perk up. Luca nced at Luke, who was also looking at her, but she said nothing. She knew he was picky, but aside from alcohol and in water, he only drank coffee. She headed to the kitchen, and with Aunt Neile¡¯s help, she quickly prepared four servings of eggs on toast. Each slice of toast was topped with two fried eggs and an avocado spread. "Smells good," said Gordan, who was sitting in the living room and caught a whiff of the aroma in the air. Their senses were more acute than average due to their training, so they could smell the delicious aroma wafting from the kitchen. Luke rose to his feet, followed by the other three. They walked to the dining room just as Luca emerged with a tray. When she saw them walking toward the dining room, she smiled and said, "You have keen senses." She was about to serve the toastes. Then, Gale hurriedly said, "Dr. Craw, the tes are heavy. Let US do it." He took the four tes of eggs on toast and ced them on the table. Each one was the same size, and they each had a te. "I''ve also prepared some side dishes to go with the toasts. they teapelly good," deph-ucd. SHetetumned to the kitchen to bring out a few tes of side dishes and a bowl of oatmeal. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! After setting down the side dishes, she sat down and took the bowl of oatmeal. "Dr. Craw, why are you having oatmeal while we have toast?" asked Rain, feeling puzzled. "Would you like some oatmeal? There''s more in the kitchen," replied Luca, misunderstanding her question. Rain quickly shook her head. "No, toast is fine. I''m just curious why you¡¯re having something different." Luca smiled and exined, "This is the breakfast Aunt Neile prepared. If | have the toast, the oatmeal will go to waste." It suddenly dawned on Rain that Luca had purposely made the toast, aware that they had not had breakfast. Since today''s breakfast for Luke and Luca was originally oatmeal, she gave Luca an apologetic smile. If they hadeter or eaten before arriving, it would not have been necessary for Luca to prepare anything extra. However, they were also ustomed to asionally skipping a meal, so there was no set rule about having breakfast. "If the toasts aren''t enough, there''s some more left. If that¡¯s still no 1 enough, there''s an|ploGiin¨¦al''t t," skidiLu She was unsure of their appetites, so she had prepared ording to Luke''s portion size. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! However, she made a bit extra just in case. "This is plenty," replied Gale. He did not expect toe over so early today and haye suck,4.godd eC bkedkfa He secretly marveled at their luck to get such a yummy breakfast. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! Gale felt quite pleased thinking about the lunch they would haveter at noon. After breakfast, Luca brought out a pot of coffee. Gale took it from her and said, "Ms. Craw, you go ahead with your tasks. I''ll take care of this." Then, he carried the pot of coffee upstairs. Aunt Neile came out from the kitchen just as Luca was about to clear the dishes. She took over. "Ms. Craw, let me handle this. You should take a rest." Chapter 3184 Chapter 3184 One Of The Main Targets Under Observation "Thank you so much, Aunt Neile. I''ll be in the study for a while. Could you please call me at 11:00 am?" Luca was worried about getting too absorbed in her research and forgetting the time. They were nning to have tacos for lunch. The preparation required her attention. She needed an extra hour to get everything ready. "Sure, | got it." Aunt Neile nodded. Then, she heard Luca add, "Oh, by the way, | ordered some groceries online and left the home phone number. Could you please keep an eye on the pher? They can''t deliver to our house, so I''ll need you to fetch them." "No problem, I''ll take care of it," replied Aunt Neile as she ced the tes on a tray. Other than a bit of leftovers left on Luke''s te, there was hardly anything left on the other three tes. It was evident that Luca''s toasts were delicious and exactly to their liking. After Luca came upstairs, she passed by Luke''s bedroom, which he used as an office. The door was closed. Knowing their conversation required privacy, she did not knock but instead opened the doors to the three kids'' rooms. They were already up and busy getting ready in the bathroom. Luca gave them instructions, telling them that Luke was busy and toe downstairs after they finished getting ready so as to not disturb his work.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. The kids obediently listened to her and told her that they understood. After that, Luca finally entered the study. She closed the door behind her, ready to delve into her herbal studies. On the other hand, after two days of waiting, Abel finally summoned Amur. He hurried to the headquarters to meet him. Abel was sitting on the couch, smoking a cigar and toying with a ss. The liquid inside was as red as blood. ¡°Boss,¡± Amur greeted Abel respectfully. Abelzily flicked the ash from his cigar and asked, "Any unusual activities in A City recently?" ¡°Nothing out of the ordinary," replied Amur. Even though he still took on missions, he was now a permanent staff at the headquarters. As one of the permanent staff, his task was to monitor any abnormalities in the city where the headquarters was located. Meanwhile, Luke remained one of the main targets under observation at their headquarters. However, Abel never instructed him to observe Luke and others like him directly. It was mainly because of Luca. Due to her close rtionship with Amur, Abel had to be cautious. He never assigned Amur tasks rted to Luke, fearing Amur might reveal something to Luca. Moreover, whenever the headquarters carried out tasks rted to Luke, Amur was kept in the dark. This was Abel''s directive, and they simply executed it. ¡°Nothing unusual?" Abel''s voice rose slightly, sounding disapproving." Amur, are you holding back, or do you truly not know?¡± "If | haven''t found anything, Boss. You can just assume I''m in the dark about it,¡± replied Amur. He had not hidden anything else apart from Luca''s matters. Nevertheless, he might not necessarily know everything about Luca. On the contrary, those tasked with monitoring Luke and Luca might be more aware of Luca''s affairs than he was. "Hmph!" Abel snorted. "I''ll give you one more chance to be honest.¡± "| have nothing to report," insisted Amur. Abel suddenly burst intoughter, rising from his seat at the same time and patting Amur''s shoulder. Amur looked at him in surprise. Abel withdrew his hand and stood by the window. It was a residential building with a narrow and dirty street below. Hardly anyone passed through except for a few bold shortcut-takers. Such houses were perfect for them to use as bases. "| was trying to bait you, but | didn''t really expect there to be nothing.¡± Abel''s tone seemed disappointed. "How boring." Amur remained expressionless. Abel had not summoned him just to pry information out of him. There had to be another reason. Hence, he awaited Abel''s instructions for a task. "Why the silence?" Abel, not hearing Amur''s response, turned around to look at him, feeling displeased. Amur''s expression remained unchanged as he replied, "I''ll do as the boss says, no questions asked." Abel let out a disdainful snort, convinced that Amur was deliberately trying to pull a fast one on him. However, he could not be bothered at the moment. Instead, he said," There''s a bit of trouble in X City. | need you to deal with it." "Yes, Boss," replied Amur without asking any questions. Abel turned to look at Amur. He was lowering his head, looking at the floor, and bowing his head respectfully. However, Abel knew that deep down, he never truly held that level of respect for him. ¡°Aren''t you curious about the mission?" asked Abel. "| have no right to choose or refuse missions,¡± replied Amur. What was the point of asking since he could not choose or refuse? Whether he asked beforehand and then agreed or simply agreed without asking, the mission still needed to bepleted. There was no real distinction. Abel listened to his words, and a sinister smile curled his lips. Amur''s obedience was just a show for him. If it were not for Eler, Luca, and N on the Ind of Despair, Amur would not be such apliant subordinate. Abel''s eyes darkened at the thought of this. "There are two failed missions in X City. You need to team up with someone to clean up the mess,¡± added Abel. Amur was slightly surprised. Team up with someone? Was he not supposed to act alone? What could possibly require two people? If the missions failed, the people who needed to be rid of would have been captured by the enemy or the cops. If the people who carried out the missions were any good, the missions would not have gone south and Abel would not require two people to clean up the mess. Since those people were not skilled, there was no need for two people to handle it. Abel immediately noticed Amur''s confusion and said directly, "The other person doesn haye mach" experiehde sd fey need your help. You don''t have to get your hands dirty, but if they also fail, you guys will have to sort it out together." The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! Suddenly, Amur recalled what Luca had mentioned to him. Abel had hired many locals in A City to facilitate his operations in this area. These locals had received some training, but it was far below they standards of trainfg Godthe Ind of Despair. hey were more like off-the- books members rather than core members of the organization. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! It seemed that both individuals Abel needed to get rid of were locals, and the person in charge of the mission was also from A City. Abel stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Initially, this wasn''t such a pressing issue. But if thos twoGpoidd td tal the polite Sh)thing that could seriously harm US, we need to be extra cautious. Especially considering the person you''re assisting is injured. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! "If the mission fails, nobody will make it out alive, got it?" He knew Amur would definitely be able to handle this. However, he had also mentioned giving Gerald a chance. If Gerald could not handle it on his own, then it would not be his fault. Abel''s eyes darkened. Not everyone got a second chance. Gerald was fortunate that Shanks happened to be around after he was beaten up. If it were someone else, they would have been left to die in that situation. Chapter 3185 Chapter 3185 How Could He Possibly Seek Vengeance For Her? "Got it," Amur replied expressionlessly. He did not see any difficulty in Abel''s request. If Abel wanted to eliminate the people from the Ind of Despair, Amur would have to execute it immediately. These targets, even though they appeared to be from the Ind of Despair, actually had no connection to it. Their fate was not in his hands. This included the third person, whose fate also was not in his hands. That person''s fate was mainly in Abel''s hands. If the mission failed, Amur would die too. Amur had always known the brutality of the Ind of Despair, so he never thought he could survive by working for Abel. While working for him, he only focused on doing his job and protecting Luca as best as he could. Abel turned around to look at him. The cigar in his hand had burned out, and he flicked it away before stroking his chin and asking, "Will you go easy on Gerald Muller?" "Who''s Gerald Muller?" asked Amur, not recognizing the name. "He''s the one you''re supposed to assist," replied Abel. The mission for Gerald to get rid of two people was difficult, but it was simple for Amur. This way, Gerald would be fine. Abel believed he could not afford to have useless people around him, so he assigned this mission to Gerald as a test. If Gerald was capable ofpleting the mission without alerting the police, he would spare his life. However, if Gerald failed, he would be discarded. "I¡¯ll onlyplete the mission you assign," said Amur. He did not have muchpassion for others. Abel did not want Amur to take it upon himself to help Gerald, so he added, "You might not know this, but after their mission failed, Gerald tried to me Ivana. If you show mercy toward him during the mission, Ivana might get hurt one day because of it." Amur frowned. He framed Luca? How was she involved in this? Amur remembered Luca had been to X City, but she had said it was for an industryworking event. How was she dragged into this?Original content from N?velDrama.Org. "What''s on your mind?" asked Abel, noticing his expression. "Nothing, Boss. I¡¯ll head to X City now if there''s nothing else." Amur certainly would not share his thoughts with Abel. Abel was not interested in probing further and waved him off, asking him to leave. Amur left. After he left the base, he went back to his apartment, gathered some simple gear, and prepared to leave. He gave Luca a call before departing. Perhaps she was busy as it took a while for her to answer. "Luca," said Amur. "Hey, Amur, what¡¯s up?" replied Luca. She was deeply engrossed in her research, so she took a moment to react when she answered the phone. She did not even check who was calling before picking up. It was not until she heard Amur''s voice that she came back to her senses. "Are you busy?" Amur noticed the distracted tone in Luca''s voice. "No, what''s up?" asked Luca, suddenly remembering that Abel was in A City at the moment. Was Amur calling her because of something rted to Abel? "Nothing much. Just wanted to let you know that I''m heading to X City. I won''t be in A City for the next couple of days," replied Amur. He initially wanted to add that she could call him if she needed anything, but he decided against it. Amur knew that Luca would not reach out to him unless something significant happened, like Abel causing trouble for her. Neither of them wanted any major issues to arise, so Luca would not take the initiative to contact him. Since she would not be reaching out, there was no need to say anything that might seem presumptuous. "Why are you going to X City?" Luca''s heart sank. She suddenly thought of Jacob Cook and the others who were still in police custody. "Is Abel sending you to fix a problem?" By "problem", she meant dealing with the people who had failed their missions. Amur let out a sigh on the other end of the line. "Not exactly. Luca, are you hiding something from me?" "I wasn¡¯t involved in the operation in X City," rified Luca. She did not fully understand what Amur meant, but she knew he was calling to find out what had happened in X City. "You weren''t involved?" Amur was puzzled. If she was not involved, why would Gerald try to pin everything on her? "Are you going to get rid of Jason?" asked Luca. Amur looked at the documents Abel had given him. One of the two people he was supposed to deal with was named Jacob Cook. "Yes." "And Gerald?" Luca asked again. "No, he''s handling this mission. I''m just there to observe," replied Amur. Even though Abel used the word "team up," it was clear he meant for Amur to clean up the mess if necessary. The content is on Read thetest chapter there! If Gerald could manage on his own, Amur would just watch. If he could not, Amur would step in to handle the situation. "He''s handling it..." Luca understood. Gerald was supposed to get rid of some people from the Ind of Despair, and if he failed, Amur would take over. Abel was ruthless. He offered Gerald a chance to live on but not without conditions. It all hinged on how capable Gerald was... Abel had no emotions. He only considered how much benefit others could bring him. If his interests were threatened, he would not hesitate to eliminate them. This applied to both people from the Ind of Despair and those who knew little about it. "Yes," answered Amur. He did not intend to ask, but he could not help himself. "If you weren''t involved in this mission, why did Gerald me you in front of Abel?" "He knows I''m from the Ind of Despair because I was there when they carried out the mission. Well, not exactly there. I was in a bedroom while they were working outside. But Amur, this operation was initiated because The content is on Read thetest chapter there! Abel doesn''t trust me. That''s why I was present, but does that count as participating?" asked Luca. Amur''s heart ached. This mission was targeted at Luca. "Are you sure you weren''t hurt?" Amur was worried. Luca exined her participation in the industryworking event and how she was suspected because she failed to find all the necessary herbs. However, she did not mention that she had secretly collected the herbs or that she had been punched. If she told Amur about getting punched, it would stir up his desire for revenge; still, the person who hit her was not Gerald or Jason. It was Abel. How could Amur possibly seek vengeance for her? The content is on Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 3186 Chapter 3186 If You Doubt A Person, Don''t Use Them. If You Use Them, Don''t Doubt Them As Luca exined, Amur began to grasp the overall situation. "Got it." Essentially, it boiled down to Abel not trusting Luca. There was an old saying in A City, "If you doubt a person, don''t use them. If you use them, don''t doubt them." However, this saying did not apply to Abel. He doubted everyone, especially Luca and those around her. Even Amur and Elr were closely watched by Abel''s people, who feared they might do something to harm the interests of the Ind of Despair. At times, Amur could not grasp why Abel would assign Luca such important missions if he truly doubted her. He could easily assign her other missions or just keep her confined on the Ind of Despair; it would be a form of torment for Luke. The person beside him was not the real Luca while the real Luca was being painfully manipted. Was that not a better form of revenge? Amur was puzzled. Luca let out a sigh as she recalled the events in X City. She reminded, "Pierre''s incident caused a big stir, and then you had to carry out another mission after that. The police over there are now very vignt, so you need to be extra careful." "Yes, I will," replied Amur, secretly letting out a sigh. He did not let her know how he felt. If Luca was really worried about him, she would not have gone so long without seeing him. If he had not asked, she would not have even mentioned that Abel was suspicious of her. Thinking about this made Amur feel uneasy. He nced at the time and added, "I have to go now." "Alright. Take care," reminded Luca, sensing something was off with Amur. "Amur, don''t force yourself on this mission, okay?" If their mission failed but they were not caught, there would still be a chance to survive. However, if they failed and got caught, there would be no chance at all. Like Jacob, who failed his mission and got caught, Gerald would have to deal with him. Still, would someone like Gerald really dare to get rid of two people? Luca doubted he had the skill and courage to effort. If he did, taking out a living person was not a simple matter. It required both courage and determination. Geraldcked these qualities-unless he knew that if Jacob lived, he would have no chance to survive. In that case, he might fight back. "Okay," replied Amur as he ended the call. He picked up a bag, left the apartment, and drove away. Luca sat in her study, staring at her phone''s screen. It took a long time before she came back to her senses. She shook her head. "I hope everything goes well for him," murmurmed Luca. With Abel currently in A City, she could not leave carelessly. If Abel found out, who knew what trouble he might cause? All Luca wanted now was a bit of peace until Luke''s friends and subordinates finished their investigations and took action. She nced at the documents on her desk. Her thoughts drifted to Shanks. What exactly was Shanks researching? Why was he collecting these medicinal herbs? Luca could not figure it out. Just as she was about to continue reading the documents, there was a knock on the door. Aunt Nelle''s voice came from outside, "Ms. Craw, it''s already 11:00 a.m." Luca nced at the time and realized it was indeed 11:00 a.m. Time flew when she was engrossed in her studies, especially with the kids upstairs and Luke hashing out ns with Gordan and the others. With no interruptions, it felt like time was on fast forward. "Okay," replied Luca. She put down her documents, grabbed her phone, and opened the study door. Aunt Nelle was still standing outside. Luca closed the study door. She smiled at Aunt Nelle and asked, "Aunt Nelle, have the groceries I ordered arrived?" Aunt Nelle nodded and apanied her downstairs. "They arrived about an hour ago. I noticed the ingredients didn''t need seasoning, so I washed it and put them in the fridge." "Great," replied Luca as she reached the living room, where the three kids were sitting on the couch reading. She reminded them, "It''s essential to take a break and admire the flowers and nts outside after reading. It''s good for your eyes." "Okay, Ms. Luca," the three children replied in unison. Tommy added, "We just took a break five minutes ago." Luca smiled and headed to the kitchen. After washing her hands once, she washed them again. Aunt Nelle, puzzled by her actions, asked, "Ms. Craw, what''s going on? Why are you washing your hands so many times?" The content is on Read thetest chapter there! " Oh, I was handling some medicinal herbs earlier, so I need to wash them thoroughly,¡± exined Luca. "If they were ordinary herbs, one wash would suffice. However, she had been handling toxic herbs, so she washed her hands multiple times for safety. She even used hot water. The hot water had turned her skin red. Aunt Nelle frowned as she watched, but Luca acted as though nothing was wrong and continued washing her hands. Not everyone had the same tolerance as she did, so she was being extra cautious. As Aunt Nelle watched Luca wash her hands the fifth time and was about to ask if there was a need to do so, Luca finally stopped and began preparing the ingredients. Aunt Nelle helped by washing onions and parsley while Luca quickly chopped some tomatoes. With both kids and adults present, she needed to prepare a non-spicy option for the three kids. With guests around, offering a variety would ensure everyone¡¯s preferences were met. Once all the ingredients were ready, Luca started making the tacos.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Aunt Nelle, who had never seen Luca prepare tacos before, took notes with pen and paper, thinking that she could help prepare them in the future whether at home or here. Even though she had not tasted the food yet, Aunt Nelle knew that Luca¡¯s homemade meals were never disappointing. She meticulously recorded every step and ingredient, knowing how much her grandson enjoyed tacos. The content is on Read thetest chapter there! As Aunt Nelle watched Luca cook, shemented, "Ms. Craw, back in our school days, studying was prettyid-back and we never even considered further education. But now, as I''m jotting down these notes, I''m finding myself taking it more seriously than I ever did in school." The content is on Read thetest chapter there! Luca could not help but let out augh, "Aunt Nelle, you don¡¯t need to take notes. If you want the recipe, I''ll give it to you." "But you''d still need to write it down. It''s no trouble for me. I have time now, so I''ll watch you cook and take notes. My grandson loves tacos, but neither my daughter-inw nor I know how to make them.¡± "We always order takeout, but you know those are full of additives, and it¡¯s not healthy for kids. Your recipe has none, so if I note it down and learn it, I can make tacos for my grandson." Aunt Nelle''s cooking had improved significantly since she started using Luca''s recipes. Whenever she had a day off or time to cook, her family enjoyed the meals so much more, with her grandchild always asking for second helpings. Chapter 3187 Chapter 3187 Were We Arguing? Aunt Nelie¡¯s grandchild enjoyed her home-cooked meals, so Aunt Nelie was even more willing to collect recipes for cooking. This way, whenever she had free time, she could cook for her grandson and receive his praises. Aunt Nelie would feel happy as well. ¡°Alright, let me exin in detail so you can remember,¡± said Luca. As she cooked, she exined to Aunt Nelie how she made the dishes. After finishing the spicy tacos, she began preparing the non-spicy ones. Aunt Nelie said, ¡°I¡¯ll take note of this too. My daughter-inw isn¡¯t from A City. She prefers spicy food. If I learn to make this, I can cook it for her too.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell you all about it,¡± exined Luca as she cooked, demonstrating the best ingredients to use. All of this was from her previous research. Back then, while studying abroad, she sometimes worked part-time in restaurants. She would pick up some skills while helping out in the kitchen. Then, based on recipes she learned, she developed her own. Her friend, Jean, was also studying abroad at the time and tried it. He praised her tacos endlessly, so she made sure to jot down the recipe. Luca suddenly thought of Jean and then of Nina. Before long, Nina would be getting married. She probably had not invited Anna and Jean, but would they want to go? If there were any benefits, Anna and Jean would definitely be willing to go. After all, establishing a rtionship with the Mallory family would give them a boost in reputation. However, Percy and Nina definitely would not wee them, nor would they give them a warm reception. Since there was no warm reception and no benefits to gain, they surely would not go. Luca heaved a sigh at the thought of this. Seeing through someone¡¯s true nature was not always a blessing because everything that person did after would start to seem malicious.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Still, at the same time, she did not feel like there was anything wrong with her thoughts. ¡°Ms. Craw, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Aunt Nelie nced at the pot, thinking she might have burned something, but the stew was fine. Why was she sighing? ¡°Nothing, something crossed my mind.¡± Luca shook her head. After all, Luca could not have known how to cook from the start. Someone must have taught her. Perhaps it was her mother? ¡°Are you missing home?¡± asked Aunt Nelie. Luca blinked her eyes and shot her a nce. ¡°Aunt Nelie, what makes you think so?¡± ¡°I saw you sighing, and I thought you might be missing your mother. Did she teach you all this?¡± Aunt Nelie asked again, not thinking it was prying. It was just casual conversation. Luca shook her head, ¡°No, I learned this myself.¡± She knew how to cook, but it had nothing to do with her mother. She had learned it all on her own. After all, she was swapped by Allison when she was born, so there was no way she could enjoy maternal love. Eventer on, because of various things Allison did, she had to share even the paternal love she originally had. Therefore, knowing how to cook had nothing to do with her mother. She even felt her culinary skills were better than Queenie¡¯s. However, she enjoyed the dishes Queenie cooked. It was because they reminded her of a mother¡¯s home-cooked meal. When Aunt Nelie learned that Luca was self-taught, she could not help but exim, ¡°It¡¯s said that children who grow up abroad are particrly independent, and they don¡¯t rely on their parents. Learning to cook on your own is really impressive...¡± Luca did not know how to respond to Aunt Nelie¡¯s words, so she just smiled without saying anything. ¡°It¡¯s almost ready, Aunt Nelie. Could you assemble the tacos and serve them?¡± said Luca. ¡°Alright,¡± Aunt Nelie nodded. She began to prepare swiftly. She nced at the time. It was already 12:10 pm, and it was time to have lunch. ¡°Lanie, Rainie, Tommy, wash your hands. Get ready for lunch,¡± Luca called out to the children before heading upstairs. She arrived at the bedroom door on the second floor and knocked on the door. After a while, the tightly closed door was opened, and Luke stepped out. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first. You guys can discuss after,¡± suggested Luca. Even though Gale and Rian were Luke¡¯s subordinates, they were also guests. No matter how important the matter was, it would not be right to let them continue working on an empty stomach. Luke was not the type of boss who only made his subordinates work hard. He nodded and said to the people inside the bedroom, ¡°It¡¯s time for us to have lunch first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Gale and Rian followed out. Gordan was thest toe out. He asked, ¡°Luca, did you prepare spicy tacos?¡¯ ¡°Yes, I made a variety. There are spicy tacos too,¡± Luca nodded. ¡°Great!¡± Gordan gave Luca a thumbs-up. He had to admit that Luke¡¯s wife was really thoughtful. She specifically catered to both kids and adults just because they were here. Gale rolled his eyes at him. ¡°Just having food to eat is good enough. You¡¯re even picky about vors? Even without spicy tacos, you¡¯ll definitely eat the mostter.¡± The content is on Read thetest chapter there! ¡°You always have something to say. Don¡¯t you like spicy food too? I know you can¡¯t live without spicy food!¡± retorted Gordan. Gale used to have the taste preferences of a Russian, but aftering to A City, he became someone who enjoyed spicy food. Even though he did not insist on having it all the time, he would definitely choose it when there was a choice. ¡°I do, but anything Dr. Craw makes tastes good,¡± Gale said confidently. ¡°Are you not afraid of getting into trouble with the boss by saying that?¡± teased Gordan. ¡°Cut it out, Gordan. I¡¯ve noticed that since no one else argues with you, you¡¯ve be addicted to arguing with me, huh?¡± Gale scoffed at Gordan as he made his way down the stairs. The content is on Read thetest chapter there! Aftering downstairs, Gale and Gordan did not speak much. They felt it was too embarrassing for two grown men to argue in front of children, so all the arguing ceased the moment they reached downstairs. In any case, they had to maintain a dignified image in front of the children. The content is on Read thetest chapter there! Tommy nced at Gale and then at Gordan. He asked, ¡°Mr. Gale and Mr. Gordan, why aren¡¯t you arguing anymore?¡± ¡°We weren¡¯t arguing, Were we, Gordan?¡± Gale asked seriously and looked at Gordan, who had been arguing with him just now. ¡°No, we weren¡¯t.¡± Gordan shook his head. ¡°You clearly were.¡± Lanie looked at the two adults who were pretending and put on an expression of disdain on his face. The second floor was not far from the first floor. Did they really think the kids could not hear them just because they were kids? ¡°It wasn¡¯t an argument.¡± Gale shook his head. ¡°But you two were just teasing each other like you were about to fight.¡± Tommy frowned. Was that not considered an argument? What else would they call it? Gordan and Gale were rendered speechless... Chapter 3188 Chapter 3188 Tomorrow''s Task Was Crucial ¡°We were just having a conversation," Gale lied through his teeth, locking the kids straight in the eye. Tommy pointed at the ceiling, then to the floor. "The distance between the first and second floors isn''t that far. We could hear everything clearly. We heard it all.¡± ¡°It was just a loud conversation," replied Gordan, shooting a re at Gale. It was all his fault for provoking him. Now, his cool image in front of the kids was ruined. "Alright. If you don¡¯t want to embarrass yourselves, then stop arguing all the time." Luke stepped in to mediate. He turned to the kids and asked, "Did you wash your hands?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± replied Tommy. Lanie nced at Gordan and then at Gale, suddenly posing a deep question. ¡°Daddy, Mr. Gale and Mr. Gordan argue so much. Can they really work together?¡± He doubted their ability to cooperate with each other. Both Gale and Gordan immediately put on serious faces. "Lanie, you can¡¯t doubt my seriousness and professionalism,¡± said Gordan. ¡°Nor can you doubt my abilities," added Gale. Although they argued sometimes, they worked well together when it counted. They were nothing like this. Luke looked at both of them and reassured his son, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They can work together just fine.¡± ¡°Oh, I was just worried that their arguing would affect their work efficiency. " Lanie nodded, not fully understanding what the adults were doing. However, he knew that constant arguing could not be good. Gordan cast a ming nce at Gale, as though he was silently using him it was his fault for always picking fights with him. Gale red back at him. It was as though it was also all Gordan¡¯s fault. If he had not been so picky and sharp-tongued, he would not have argued with him. "Alright. Let¡¯s take our seats." As Luca watched the two of them ring at each other, she knew that this staring match would not yield any resolution. With a decisive move, she stepped in and deftly diffused the tension. She directed them to their seats. At this point, Gordan and Gale finally noticed the enticing aroma of the food. In an instant, their appetites were whet. Their quarrels and res were forgotten as they quickly moved to the dining area. After checking where the spicy tacos were ced, Gordan and Gale sat down on that side. Luca came in and said to the kids, "The non-spicy tacos are on this side. Come sit here.¡± ¡°Okay, Ms. Luca,¡± replied the three kids as they took their seats. Luca turned to Rain and asked, "Ms. Rain, which vor would you like?¡± Unlike Gale, who loved spicy food, Rain was open to both options. She nced at the tacos and hesitated, "I want to try everything¡­¡± ¡°Then sit here.¡± Luca pointed at a spot in the middle. Rain would be able to try everything if she sat there. ¡°Thank you, Dr. Craw,¡± said Rain, settling into her seat. Luca turned to look at Luke and suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit here?¡± She was pointing to another spot in the middle. Luke has a sensitive stomach, a result of not having meals regrly because of work in the past. Therefore, he could not eat too much spicy food, or his stomach would suffer. Hence, another middle seat was reserved for him. ¡°Okay,¡± Luke agreed without objection. To his left were the spicy tacos, and to his right were the non-spicy tacos. Gordan was seated next to the spicy tacos, followed by Gale. This arrangement allowed Luca to sit to his right. Luca indeed sat to his right, keeping an eye on the kids. Even though they could handle things themselves, they were still young, and she felt it was better to supervise them closely. She did not feelfortable letting the kids manage on their own. After Luca sat down, Aunt Nele brought out the sd.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Luca said, "Aunt Nele, please join us. You can choose to sit on either side.¡± Aunt Nele usually ate with them, but if there were guests, she would consider their feelings and might not join. However, since Luca invited her, she nodded and replied, "I¡¯ll sit here.¡± She pointed at the side with the spicy tacos. She had been craving it since Luca started preparing the food. It smelled so good. ¡°Alright.¡± Luca suddenly remembered that they had not prepared drinks. She turned to Gale and Gordan, asking, "I forgot to prepare drinks. Would you like some wine, or...?¡± She expected them to choose wine, knowing they had their eyes on Luke¡¯s collection. However, their answers surprised her. ¡°Our work isn¡¯t finished yet, Dr. Craw. I¡¯ll just have some juice, just like the kids," replied Gale. ¡°I don¡¯t drink the day before work,¡± added Gordan. Although he had been drinking a lottely, almost to the point of alcohol poisoning, he abstained when he had important tasks ahead. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get the juice,¡± Luca nodded. Aunt Nele stood up and said, "Ms. Craw, I¡¯ll get it. Please sit down.¡± With kids around the house, they always kept a stock of clean, quality ingredients, including tasty fruit juices, especially since summer was in full swing. Aunt Nelle headed to the kitchen and retrieved a case of fruit juice beverages from the fridge. The content is on Read thetest chapter there! She ced a ss of drink by each person and then sat back down. ¡°Let¡¯s eat,¡± said Luke, picking up a taco. Gordan and Gale eagerly followed suit. The sauces, prepared by Luca, might not match everyone¡¯s preferences, but they tasted good. Everyone was very satisfied with the meal. After the meal, Luca and Aunt Nele started to clean up. Rain offered to stay and help, but Luca quickly said, "Ms. Rain, they¡¯re all upstairs now. You should go ahead and join them. We¡¯ve got this covered." Rain hesitated, feeling a bit embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. I can help to clean up.¡± "You¡¯re a guest, and you have more important things to do. Go ahead." Luca gently pushed her toward the exit of the dining room. Rain had no choice but to watch them work, feeling a bit awkward. Even though she was a guest, she had known them for a long time and was very familiar with them. Besides, she already had breakfast and lunch here. She felt bad not helping out at all. The content is on Read thetest chapter there! She nced upstairs, thinking how men had it easy. They just ate and then went back to work, not bothering with the cleanup. Rain shook her head helplessly, epted Luca¡¯s suggestion, and headed upstairs to continue discussing tomorrow''s ns with the others. Luca was right. Tomorrow''s task was crucial. They needed to n meticulously. After investing so much time, manpower, and resources, they could not afford to waste them all. Moreover, getting Matysh locked up in A City¡¯s prison would be a huge favor to Marcos. This would pave the way for increased coboration between T Corporation and M Group. The content is on Read thetest chapter there! Their market share in Russia was the lowest in every aspect. Luke had long wanted to break into the Russian market, and this was a golden opportunity. Chapter 3189 Chapter 3189 It¡¯s Not Two, It¡¯s Three As Rain thought about it, she walked into the bedroom. She closed the door and joined the men¡¯s conversation. The three kids went upstairs to rest. Aunt Nelle and Luca stayed downstairs to clean up. They divided the tasks and worked quickly. Suddenly, Aunt Nelle asked. ¡°Ms. Craw, what are they busy with? I heard it¡¯s something important. Is it rted to T Corporation?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Luca shook her head. After ncing at Aunt Nelle, she looked away. ¡°Mr. Crawford usually doesn¡¯t discuss work at home. This is rare,¡± Aunt Nelle exined her curiosity as it was unusual for Luke to work at home. They had been talking all morning, and their discussion continued into the afternoon, which surprised Aunt Nelle. Luca did not offer any further exnation. She washed her hands. Thinking that the people upstairs had already finished their coffee by now, she decided to make another pot. ¡°Aunt Nelle, I¡¯ll leave these for you to wash. I¡¯ll make them some more coffee,¡± said Luca.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°Okay. Ms. Craw¡± Aunt Nelle look over the dishwashing. After Luca quickly made a pot of coffee, she noticed that Aunt Nelle was nearly done with the dishes. She said, ¡°Aunt Nelle, take a napter. Even though they¡¯re busy, there¡¯s nothing for you to do right now.¡± She knew Aunt Nelle had a habit of taking a nap in the afternoon, but with guests in the house, Aunt Nelle might skip it unless she mentioned it. Luca understood that people ustomed to naps would feel sluggish all afternoon if they missed it, so she reminded her. Aunt Nelle smiled and nodded. ¡°Okay, Ms. Craw.¡± Luca carried the coffee upstairs. After Aunt Nelle cleaned up the dining table, she nced upstairs. She did not say or do anything. She just went back to the maid¡¯s room to rest. After delivering the coffee, Luca went back to the master bedroom. She nned to rest for a while before heading back to the study to study the medicinal herbs. As for dinner, she had already marinated the meat yesterday, so it would be ready to cookter. Lucay down on the bed, thinking about her ns for the afternoon. She soon drifted off to sleep. At X City, in House of Crescent Sword . Amur entered the brownstone and walked to the second floor. He saw a group of people on the first floor. His sudden entrance startled the people inside, who grabbed whatever tools they could find. When they noticed that it was Amur, they let their guard down. One of themined, ¡°I know you¡¯re the boss¡¯ favorite, but can¡¯t you knock?¡± Amur could not be bothered to argue with him. He asked, ¡°Is Gerald here?¡± Before he came here, he learned that Gerald had been badly injured by people from the Ind of Despair a few days ago. However, Shanks had treated him, so he should still be in the X City base. ¡°He¡¯s on the second floor.¡± The man pointed upstairs. Amur carried his bag up to the second floor. The man saw how arrogant Amur was, spat disdainfully, and said to hispanion, ¡°Look at him. He¡¯s acting like we owe him a fortune. Ugh, so what if he¡¯s got some skills? Does he have to act so cocky?¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s so full of himself. He¡¯s bound to get beaten up one day,¡± added another man. Amur had not even bothered to knock before barging in, and it startled them. They were not worried about someone causing trouble, but the fear of the police showing up was real. This was X City, not their home base on the Ind of Despair. If the police arrived, they would have no choice but to flee. They would have to abandon the base and all the supplies. ¡°Have you heard?¡± one of the men suddenly spoke up amidst theirints about Amur. ¡°About what?¡± The others looked at him curiously. The man began, ¡°This guy is no ordinary person. He used to be a prisoner and was locked up in one of those iron cages. He couldn¡¯t be beaten down no matter how hard they tried. Somehow, he held on and never seemed to die. ¡°Then, a woman came along and rescued him. He got a chance at some serious training after that. Now, there aren¡¯t many folks on the Ind of Despair who can take him in a fight. So, if we try to jump him, what do you reckon our chances of winning would be?¡± ¡°Is he really that tough?¡± eximed another man. ¡°But no matter how tough he is, one fist can¡¯t match multiple hands. I bet if we ganged up on him, he wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it.¡± ¡°Yeah, exactly!¡± others agreed enthusiastically. ¡°Should we give it a try? If we don¡¯t put him in his ce, he¡¯ll keep looking down on US,¡± one of them suggested eagerly- ¡°Good idea!¡± Several of them nodded in agreement. ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t he here on a mission?¡± the man who knew about Amur¡¯s past suddenly interjected. ¡°So what?¡± The others looked at him, puzzled. He rolled his eyes and exined, ¡°If he hadn¡¯te here on a mission, then us taking a swing at him, as unsavory as it sounds, could pass off as a bit of sparring. But if he¡¯s got a mission to handle and we end up leaving him crippled or seriously injured, what does that make US? If he fails his mission, do you think we¡¯ll be able to benefit from it in any way?¡± Their boss only cared about results. A failed mission was a failed mission. However, if Amur med them for his failure, they would be in big trouble. ¡°Offending him is nothing. Offending the boss is terrifying,¡± reminded, the man. His words silenced the group. Their enthusiasm for beating up Amur quickly faded. They continued to smoke, dropping the topic of Amur entirely. The content is on Read thetest chapter there! The man did not say anything more seeing they had given up on the idea. Amur was not someone to mess with... Unaware of the thoughts downstairs, Amur headed straight up. Two men were standing there. ¡°Where¡¯s Gerald?¡± asked Amur. One of the men, Phil, pointed at a room. ¡°In there. What do you need him for?¡± ¡°Boss says it¡¯s time for him to start the mission, and I¡¯m here to assist him,¡± replied Amur. ¡°Your help is required to kill two nobodies?¡± Phil knew Amur¡¯s reputation. He was one of the top assassins from the Ind of Despair. ¡°It¡¯s not two, it¡¯s three,¡± corrected Amur, pointing at the room. ¡°If he fails, he¡¯ll be the third,¡± Amur said in English. The door to that room was left open, and he did not bother to lower his voice. He was not the least bit worried about Gerald overhearing. Gerald, whocked proper training, might hesitate to kill two people. Nevertheless, knowing his failure would mean his own death might spur him into action. The content is on Read thetest chapter there! ¡°He¡¯s definitely not going to survive,¡± muttered Phil as he followed Amur into the room. ¡°How¡¯s he going toplete the mission in such a state?¡± The content is on Read thetest chapter there! Amur looked at Gerald, who was sitting on the bed. After Shanks treated him, he was able to sit up, but his body was still covered in bruises. Amur frowned. Gerald was practically a sitting duck in this condition. Chapter 3190 Chapter 3190 Give Him A Quick One Gerald¡¯s face was bruised and swollen. His body was wrapped in bandages, and there was even a cast on one of his legs. ¡°Do you think he can handle the mission like this?¡± Phil asked Amur. ¡°We can, but he can¡¯t,¡± replied Amur as he looked at Gerald¡¯s condition. The thought of taking revenge for Luca immediately dissipated. It was not within the scope of his mission. Normally, he would not bother dealing with someone like this. It was not worth it. ¡°Why don¡¯t you give him a quick one and then take care of those other two?¡± Phil suggested that since Gerald could not carry out the mission anyway, it would be better to give him a swift end. It would save the hassle ofing back and forth and the risk of exposure. ¡°No!¡± Gerald understood Phil¡¯s implication. He knew this was hisst chance to survive. He wanted to dy the mission at first. He even entertained the idea of not having to deal with Jacob himself. However, Gerald did not expect Abel to send Amur and even have him clean up the mess... Gerald knew what it meant. If he failed the mission, Amur would dispose of all three of them. Therefore, Amur would not help during his mission. Gerald was in despair, but driven by his survival instinct, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and follow Abel¡¯s instructions. He wanted to live! Amur looked at Gerald and asked, ¡°Are you sure you want to carry out the mission?¡± ¡°Yes! I want to live!¡± When Gerald answered, he identally touched his wound, causing him to tremble in pain. Amur was puzzled when he saw Gerald like this, but he also caught a glimpse of the shadows of his past on the Ind of Despair. Back then, he was locked in arge iron cage and used as a punching bag. He was also forced to fight, providing entertainment for those who imed to be skilled. However, Abel kept him from giving up, even in his weakness. He relied solely on his willpower until Luca took him out. Previously, he never thought he would have such a day-a day when he would step out of the cage and be someone others dared to provoke. Amur turned to Phil, who was beside him, and asked, ¡°Is Mr. Shanks still around?¡± Phil nodded, ¡°Mr. Shanks went into the mountains. He said he was looking for medicinal herbs.¡± ¡°Did he leave any syringes or medications behind? How can we proceed with the mission like this?¡± asked Amur. Phil was surprised. If it were him, he would simply take the person to the police station and let Gerald perform. However, Amur¡¯s intention now was to find a way to improve Gerald¡¯s condition before carrying out the mission. After some thought, he asked, ¡°Do you want to help him?¡± ¡°Not really. I remember you also came out of an iron cage.¡± Amur vaguely remembered Phil. He was just like him. They both made it out alive from an iron cage. His words reminded Phil of the days when he was locked in an iron cage. If it were not for his sheer luck, he would never have gotten out. He looked at Gerald and snorted disdainfully. ¡°Consider him lucky, Mr. Shanks left some medication, but he meant to ask if the boss wanted to let Gerald take it or not.¡± Phil walked to a safe, opened it, and took out a vial of medicine. He handed it to Amur. ¡°This medication can temporarily numb the pain in his body, and at the same time, it¡¯ll calm both the mind and body. ¡°Since Boss wants you to team up with him, it¡¯s up to you to decide whether to administer this injection to him or not.¡± Amur took it and walked toward Gerald. Instead of administering the injection to Gerald, he ced the vial on the bedside table. ¡°It¡¯s your choice whether to go on like this or to have the injection.¡± ¡°Will it really help?¡± Gerald suddenly remembered the potion he had taken when he joined the Ind of Despair. It was sold as a tonic, but after drinking it, they were told it was poison. They had to take the antidote every month to survive, or else they would die if they left the organization without it. Gerald worried that this injection might be simr to the potion he had previously consumed. ¡°It has side effects, but if your mission isn¡¯tpleted, the consequence is death,¡± replied Amur, specting about the side effects. Shanks had the ability to develop such injections, and adding some side effects was easy. Unless it was for someone of high rank in the Ind of Despair, most auxiliary substances like this would have some side effects. The moment Gerald realized that his worst oue was death, he stopped hesitating and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll take the injection.¡± Amur stared at him expressionlessly. Gerald also looked at him, thinking that maybe he did not hear him clearly, so he repeated, ¡°I¡¯ll take the injection.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± replied Amur without moving. At that moment, Gerald realized that this man would not administer it for him. He had to do it himself. Gerald clenched his teeth, picked up the syringe, and paused for a moment. Then, he inserted it into his arm, pushing all the medication into his body. Phil at the door handed him another vial of medication and said, ¡°Take this too. It¡¯ll temporarily let you ignore your fractures and other injuries, allowing you to walk normally.¡± Considering he had already injected one vial, Gerald figured what harm could another vial do. He took it as well. ¡°How long?¡± Amur suddenly asked. Phil answered, ¡°Four hours, which is enough.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Amur left the bedroom without looking back. Gerald gently rose to his feet. For the past few days, even the slightest movement had been excruciatingly painful. He expected the pain to continue now, but to his surprise, he felt nothing. The content is on Read thetest chapter there! Gerald widened his eyes. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore!¡± Phil smirked, mocking Gerald¡¯s ignorance.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. This was Shanks¡¯ researched medication. It worked incredibly fast, so not feeling pain was normal. It would be abnormal if there was no immediate effect after drinking it. Gerald walked to the door and heard Phil say, ¡°You only have one chance. Boss and that man won¡¯t give you a second chance. Oh, by the way, you still don¡¯t know who that man is, do you?¡± ¡°Who is he?¡± Gerald could not help but ask along. ¡°He has two sisters on the Ind of Despair. You¡¯ve met one of them, the one you med in front of Boss, Niana. So, watch yourself. If things go south during the mission, your neck will be on the line.¡± The content is on Read thetest chapter there! Gerald thought of how he tried to shift the me for the failed mission onto Luca, only to be severely reprimanded by Abel. He could not help but shudder. Did Amur know about this? If he did, would he not be after his life? Gerald regretted it immediately. If he had known about this arrangement, he would have rather taken all the me himself earlier, avoiding their retaliation. ¡°Can I not work with him? I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll kill me before I even get to execute the mission.¡± Gerald turned to look at Phil. Phil had been giving him medicine during this time, and now, Gerald saw him as his lifeline. The content is on Read thetest chapter there! Phil sneered coldly, ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice. Besides, he¡¯s not that kind of person. If you lose your life, it¡¯s because you failed the mission.¡± Chapter 3191 Chapter 3191 No Turning Back Gerald understood what Phil meant. Even though he was worried, he had no choice. He followed Amur and left. As he passed by the men on the first floor, Gerald heard their conversation. "Is he seriously bringing this useless guy along for the mission?" "If it were up to me, I''d take care of him and tell Boss he failed the mission." Since a few of them knew what mission he was carrying out, they started discussing it. 1 As Gerald thought about the things he might have to doter that he had never done before, his mind was in turmoil. He did not even know how he ended up getting into Amur''s car. "What''s your code?" Amur''s question jolted Gerald out of his daze, bringing him back to reality. "I''m 091," answered Gerald. He used to be proud of having that code, but now, he was filled with fear and hatred. How could he have been so foolish as to join this terrorist organization? There was no turning back now. He could only steel himself and do things he did not want to do. Amur remained silent. Carefully, Gerald asked again, "What''s your code?" He thought everyone on the Ind of Despair had a code and dared not ask for names, only their codes. "| don''t have one." Amur''s voice was cold. Gerald looked at him incredulously, "How is that possible..." "| don''t." Gerald had no choice but to ask again, "Then what should | call you?" "Amur." Amur told him his name. It was not his full name, but it did not matter. Gerald found it strange how foreign their names were. When he thought about what might happenter, he asked, "This is my first time doing something like this. What should | do?" "It''s two hours before dinnertime. You''ll pretend to be the person reporting the incident. Go to the police, then find the kitchen, and pour the potion into the sd. As long as you do all that, the mission will be over." "Is it that simple?" Gerald could not believe it. His eyes widened as he subconsciously recalled what Amur said. Wait! He was supposed to drug the two targets, but he was drugging the food in the kitchen! He was not targeting Jacob but someone from the police station! "Aren''t we supposed to deal with Jacob and the others?" Gerald was afraid. He did not want to be involved in so much. If he killed people from the police station, even if Abel did not do anything to him, other police officers would. Gerald did not think he could be a match for the police of A City. "The potion only affects you guys." Amur did not exin in detail. The potion he held was effective for those who had taken the poison. If they took the potion, they would experience shortness of breath and then go into shock within two hours. Most idents would be attributed to allergies without a detailed examination. However, ordinary people who had not taken the poison would not exhibit such symptoms. Gerald was not reassured and asked again, "What will happen if others eat it?¡± "They''ll have diarrhea." Amur''s words remained simple. After Gerald heard that, he nodded and continued to rey every word he had just heard. "So, you mean to say that as long as it''s someone from the Ind of Despair who takes this potion, they''ll... die?" ¡°Are you a member of the Ind of Despair?" questioned Amur. Gerald nodded and then shook his head. He used to think he was a member of the Ind of Despair, that the code belonged to him as part of their structure. Now, he suddenly realized he did not belong to the Ind of Despair at all. He was one of those dispensable people. If the base was gone one day, they would not know where to go for the antidote. With no antidote, they could only wait to die... Gerald said, "At least you guys know where the Ind of Despair''s headquarters is, but we have no idea. So, we don''t really belong to the Ind of Despair. We''re just paid to do their dirty work, but..." He sighed, stating the reality he hade to realize. "The Ind of Despair doesn''t see US as humans at all. We''re just a bunch of dispensable codes they can discard at any time." Amur listened to him without any expression on his face. "So, this potion doesn''t target people not from the Ind of Despair. It targets those who have taken the poison, right... But if the police officers all get diarrhea after eating the sd, it''ll definitely raise suspicion. When they check the surveince..." "This is the simplest method," Amur interjected. Finding the kitchen and adding the potion to the sd was the simplest way. Amur did not expect Gerald to do as he did, deliberatelymitting a crime and getting himself locked up, then finding a way to give the potion to the other two bymunicating with them through tapping. Gerald could not do that. Hence, Amur could only think of the simplest method. ¡°But there are so many surveince cameras in the police station." Gerald hesitated. "The ces with the most surveince in the police station are the ones where they keep people. Do you want to go in there?" asked Amur. Go in there? When Gerald used to be a thug, he had been inside before. Those ces were definitely not where people belonged. He quickly shook his head. "| don''t want to.¡± Amur fell silent. Gerald suddenly realized that despite the wide implications of Amur''s n, it was indeed the simplest. He did not have the capability to confront Jacob face to face. "Take off the bandages on your body. Then, tell them you got attacked while you were walking on the street," instructed Amur. "Okay," replied Gerald. He started to remove it. He had taken the injection and the medication, so he did not feel any pain now. "What''s next?" Gerald asked after removing the bandage. Amur parked the car in front of the police station and handed over a bottle of potion, ¡®What happens iniext isu tolyoW Mr not going in. Don''t think you can fool your way through. If no one inside dies today, it''ll be you who dies." The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there!Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Gerald pursed his lips. He took the bottle of potion but hesitated to get out of the car. Amur reminded him, "You only have four hours. After four hours, the medication''s side effects will kick in.¡± Gerald took a deep breath and immediately got out of the car. Amur waited in the car, watching Gerald as he pretended to limp \y\ toward the seeurity bdoth of the pblice station. A hint of coldness shed across his eyes. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! This man was not exactly stupid. Yet, he had made the wrong choice. If he had not followed Abel in the first ce, he would not be in this situation today. Amur thought it over, still believing that Gerald was foolish, otherwise, why would he choose the Ind of Despair? He sat in the car, not really concerned about the police station''s affairs. An hourter, Gerald got back into the car with a defeated expression. "Done?" asked Amur as he shot a nce at the police station where the officers at the entrance were still scanning the area. They did not chase after him, so he reckoned that Gerald was not noticed by the police. "Yeah," replied Gerald, recalling the scene of himself adding the potion to the sd. He was worried that Jacob and the others might not eat the sa ad, ggyne added game to ae eerisas on the coking table. He even added some to a pot of soup that was cooking. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! He added a few drops of potion into everything, hoping Jacob and the others would eat some of it... ¡°What about the remaining?" asked Amur. Chapter 3192 Chapter 3192 The Entire Police Station Is In Chaos "The remaining potion? Do you still have it?" Gerald was stunned, worried that he had failed his mission for using up all the medicine. "| used it all.¡± Amur frowned. "You used up a whole bottle?" "| was afraid the mission would fail, so | added some to all the ingredients... " exined Gerald. Amur let out a cold snort. "You sure are ruthless." Gerald, desperate toplete his mission, was trembling in fear yet ruthless in his actions. Abel would probably appreciate someone like him the most. Gerald forced a smile and replied, "I had no choice. If they didn¡¯t die, | would have died with them. | don''t want to die, and my family still needs me to take care of them." Amur did not listen to his excuses. "Give me the bottle." "Here." Gerald took the bottle out of his pocket. If he had not been worried that the police might be able to trace it back to him, he would have tossed it in the trash immediately. Fortunately, he thought ahead and kept it, or he would not have had it when Amur asked for it. Amur nced at the empty bottle and remarked, "Completely empty. Impressive." Geraldughed awkwardly. Showing too much cruelty in front of Amur did not seem right, so he added, "I had no other choice. | was worried they wouldn''t eat the sd, so | added a bit to all the ingredients." Amur did not say anything. Just an hour ago, this man was concerned about injuring the police. Now, he had added the potion to all the kitchen''s ingredients without a second thought. If he survived after being sent to the Ind of Despair, he would undoubtedly be a formidable figure. Amur drove him back to the base. The men there were surprised to see them return. "He''s still alive?" ¡°Amur, did you go easy on him?" "He''s crueler than any of you," Amur replied indifferently as he gave the men on the first floor a cold gaze. Gerald looked at the men, their muscles bulging. He shuddered, thinking they could easily beat him so badly he would be bedridden. Amur checked the time and reminded him, "You have half an hour of free time left. If | were you, I''d get back upstairs and let that guy bandage you up." "Yes, yes," Gerald immediately replied and headed upstairs. Phil was also surprised to see Gerald unharmed. "You made it back alive?" "Mr. Amur found a good way for me," replied Gerald. Even though he did not feel any difort, hey down on the bed and asked Phil, "Could you help me with the bandages?" Phil noticed that Gerald''s bandages were all removed. Annoyed, he clicked his tongue and fetched the medical supplies from the cab. "What are the side effects of that potion?¡± Gerald asked uncertainly. Would there really be side effects? He did not feel anything now. He even thought about using that potion all the time, even when he was lying on the bed. As long as it kept the pain away, he would heal quickly. "You''ll find out soon enough." Phil did not borate, nor did he mention that when the effects of the drug wore off, Gerald would be in excruciating pain. Despite the numbing effect of the drug, the pain Gerald''s body had been enduring over the past four hours had been umting. When the drug''s effects wore off, the suppressed pain woulde back twice as intense. That was his body''s revenge. Gerald suddenly had a bad feeling. "Can you give me some painkillers if it hurts too much? I''m afraid | won''t be able to handle it," asked Gerald. "They won''t help. Painkillers are useless in this situation." Phil shook his head. After bandaging Gerald, he stepped outside. Amur was sitting on the couch outside. ¡°Everything''s done. Why haven''t you left?" asked Phil. He did not have any grudges with Amur on the Ind of Despair back then, so they could talk casually. Amur lit a cigarette, checked the time, and replied, "Do you believe that the useless Gerald canplete the mission?" "Don''t you believe in him?" Phil was surprised. Gerald imed hepleted the mission, and Amur brought him back. "I''ve been to that police station. | can''t go in without disguise," exined Amur. If he had gone in with Gerald, it might have aroused the police¡¯s suspicion. The police in A City were well-trained and capable of recognizing faces. If they recognized him from a previous incident, they would be on alert. At that time, Gerald, with his Caucasian face, would draw their attention as well. Amur was actually helping Gerald by not going in. ¡°Hah, he tried to shift the me to someone you care about, and you still helped him. That''s something," said Phil, pping his hands lightly. "Even if something happens at the police station, it won''t be announced immediately. We need someone to keep an eye on it." "Yeah." Amur nned to drive by the police station after they had dinner. "We have someone there. I''ll help you out,¡± offered Phil. Amur raised an eyebrow and looked at him. Could Abel have ced someone inside the police station? The people who followed Abel in A City were mostly street thugs, unlikely to be police officers. The people from the Ind of Despair mostly had foreign faces and could not possibly work in the police station. "Don''t worry, it''s just an old janitor," said Phil as he noticed Amur''s confusion. cing someone close to the police officers? Abel was not that powerful yet.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Even if he were, it would be extremely dangerous. Amur remained silent. Having someone watching the police officers was a good thing. ¡°Remind that old man not to eat the police station''s food." Amur figured the old man might consume the drugged food as well. Phil frowned. "Gerald put the drug in their food?" He knew some of the more unusual drugs since he asionally helped Shanks with bandaging patients. "Yes." Amur could hear faint groans coming from inside. Realizing tat the effec sof the indctedtion were weeting off, he spoke up, "He did what he had to to stay alive." The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! "Alright, I''ll remind the janitor." Phil immediately picked up his phone. Night fell. Amur lost track of how many cigarettes he had smoked. He could hear faint sounds ( | from¡± a8) Gerald, No cbutd only manage a few muffled noises as his mouth was gagged. However, even those were enough to irritate him. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! Phil walked over and said, "Who would have thought that the useless Gerald could actually pull it off?" Amur looked up at him. "It''s done. The old man saw those two guys being taken to the hospital with his own eyes And most oF the ppli¡ée avtiGery She station have stomach issues now. The entire police station is in chaos. Gerald really knows how to cause trouble." The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! Chapter 3193 Chapter 3193 Luca''s Heart Isn''t With Him Amur nodded and rose to his feet. He did not expect Gerald to cause such trouble for the police station all by himself. "Gerald shouldy low for a while. His actions weren''t discreet as surveince cameras were watching him. He shouldn''t stir up more trouble," advised Amur. He never imagined that Gerald would go to such lengths to ensure the demise of Jacob and Harold. Even though the drugs would only give the police diarrhea if consumed, the more they ate, the worse the oue would be. With all the ingredients tainted, it was a game of chance to see who would be unlucky enough to consume more. However, this did not concern him much. It was just that the situation had escted greatly, and the police would surely investigate. Gerald would be a prime suspect. It was only because Gerald barely scraped by and managed to reim his life that Amur felt the need to caution him like that. "I know. This incident has grown out of proportion. Even if he manages to save his life, it depends on whether the police will investigate him. If he''s lucky, the mission will be consideredplete. If not, he''ll have to fend for himself," replied Phil. The door was closed, but Phil''s voice carried into the room. He did not care whether Gerald heard him or not. He guessed that Gerald was probably in too much pain to pay attention to his words.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Amur nced at the time and got ready to leave. As Phil saw him pick up his bag, he asked, "Leaving already?" "I have to go to the hospital to check if those two are beyond saving," replied Amur. "Alright, go ahead. If there''s still a chance to save them, he''ll fail his mission and you''ll have to deal with him," said Phil, pointing at the room behind him. The sound of Gerald''s agonized groans echoed again. However, neither Amur nor Phil showed any sympathy. After all, Gerald had brought this upon himself. Nobody forced him to join the Ind of Despair. Now that he had joined, he could not me them for what they did to him. If anyone was to me, it was himself for not being clever enough or as ruthless as others. "Okay," said Amur. He carried his bag and left. He came downstairs. Only one man remained at the door, guarding the ce. Amur figured the others had gone to eat. The man saw hime down and raised an eyebrow, asking, "Leaving?" Amur did not respond. Besides conversing briefly with the man upstairs, he had nothing to say to the others. Hence, he pushed the door open and left right away. The man watched him leave from behind. He kicked the door shut and cursed, "What''s with the attitude? You think you''re all that huh? If your mission flops one day, we might just have to get rid of you ourselves!" The door closed, but Amur''s hearing was sharp. He had not gone far, so he could still hear the man''s words. He could not be bothered to turn back and confront the man. Amur started his car engine, getting ready to head to the hospital. He had no idea which hospital the police had taken Jacob and Harold to, but since they were picked up by an ambnce, it had to be a hospital near the police station. After finding a hospital near the police station, Amur navigated his way there. Before reaching the hospital, Amur received a call from Luca. He answered the call without a second thought. "Amur." Luca''s voice came through the phone, carrying a hint of worry. "Yeah." Amur was not sure what to say. Luca was concerned about him, and he knew that. However, it was also a fact that Luca''s heart was not with him. Thus, Amur fel a bit uneasy as he listened to her worried tone. He knew Luca''s heart was not with him. That was why he was reluctant to hear her worry, but at the same time, he could not help but want her attention. "Are you okay? How''s the mission going?" Luca asked with concern. "I''m okay..." Amur hesitated. "It''s not me doing the mission. I''m just supervising." "Are you nning toe back now?" Luca thought that there should not be much for him to supervise. Still, if Gerald''s mission failed, would Amur not have to take care of it? She had investigated and knew that the police station that kept Jacob was the same one Amur had tried to infiltrate before. Using the same method again was not an option. There were records now. Back then, the police had not found anything. There was no evidence of what Amur had done to those people, but it did not mean they did not suspect him. What if they were still vignt? The situation would not progress smoothly at all. "I still have some things to handle. I''ll be back in A City tomorrow," said Amur. "Okay." Luca could not help but feel anxious. "Are you saying Gerald''s mission failed?" "No, that''s not it. The two targets were sent to the hospital. If it''s confirmed that they can''t be saved, then I cane back," replied Amur. Hearing that the targets had been sent to the hospital, Luca knew that Gerald had seeded in his actions. Nevertheless, whether he hadpletely seeded remained uncertain. m However, if the two targets were in the hospital and detained in the medical ward, it would be risky for Amur to find a way in. Doing these things under the nose of the police was always risky. Read thetest chapter there! While Luca disliked Gerald, she also hoped his mission would seed. She did not want to see Amur taking risks. With this in mind, she reminded him again, "You don''t have to be tough in everything you do, do you hear me?" "Okay. Talk to youter. I have another calling in," Amur felt irritated and hung up after saying that. He did not actually have another calling in. However, when he heard Luca''s tone which sounded like an elder sister reminding a younger brother, it made him feel ufortable. Why did she always speak to him as if he was her younger brother? They did not have a big age gap between them. She had changed her identity and even her appearance, but she was still entangled with Luke... Amur could not understand. Not wanting to hear Luca''s nagging anymore, he hung up the phone. The road was clear, and he was feeling agitated, so Amur decided to step on the elerator pedal hard. The car surged forward His driving skills were good, so he was safe on the road. When he arrived at the hospital, he knew the method he should employ to find out the information em needed it did not take long before he heard the news about Jacob Cook in the emergency room from another patient. The two targets were in bad shape even before they were brought to the hospital. They kept vomiting and had red rashes on their bodies. Their overall condition was very poor. The distance from the hospital to the police station was only about ten minutes, but in that brief span, they had already stopped breathing by the time they arrived at the hospital. Now, the hospital staff were tidying up after the two, especially considering the gruesome state Jacob and Harold were in. The patient recalled that when the two were brought in, they were not covered with white- while sheets. Theym could clearly see the blisters on their faces. Their exposed skin was also covered in sores that emitted a foul odor. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! After telling Amur about this, the patient asked, "You seem very curious about them. Are you a rtive of the patients? But that doesn''t seem right either. You''re a foreigner, and although their faces looked terrible, I could tell they were locals. Who are you, and why are you so curious about this matter?" "Oh, I''m a journalist." Amur pulled out a forged press pass from his pocket." Someone tipped me off that something happened here rted to the police station, so I came to check it out." Chapter 3194 Chapter 3194 Pick Up A Hint Of Humanity The patient nced at the pass in Amur''s hand and believed that he was a journalist. Amur put away the work pass, sat beside the patient, and struck up a conversation. "By the way, do you know where the bodies of those two people are now?" He wanted to confirm with his own eyes. Amur still had his guard up. What if Jacob and Harold knew he would be targeted and deliberately faked their deaths? If they continued to fake their deaths, he could pretend that nothing had happened. However, if Abel found out they were faking their deaths, he would be in big trouble. Amur had to go and see for himself. The patient nced at Amur, looking surprised. "You journalists are really something. You''re going to see them even in such circumstances? Aren''t you afraid of getting bad luck for being around corpses?" "There''s no choice. It''s for work. I don''t wanna get bad luck either, but if there''s valuable information, I can report it back to my editor. After all, this happened at the police station. The police won''t disclose it to the public anytime soon, so it''s up to US journalists to speak up," Amur exined to the old man. "That''s true. Every job has its difficulties. But why don''t you have a camera with you? Other journalists always have one." The patient could not be fooled easily and raised his own question. "This matter hasn''t been made public yet. If I were to walk into the hospital with a camera, those two bodies might be pushed out before I even see them. Not everything can be openly observed. Sometimes, a phone is more useful than a camera," exined Amur. "You''re right. Their bodies will probably be taken to the morgue. But I overheard the doctors and nurses saying their illness was suspicious. Since they were taken from the police station, there might be an autopsy. "But I''mpletely lost with all the twists and turns happening here. I saw them take those two bodies to that examination room. You can try your luck there." The patient pointed in a direction and kindly reminded Amur," But be careful. Those two bodies stink." "Thank you. I wish you a speedy recovery," Amur, disguised as a journalist, thanked the old man politely. After thanking the patient, he walked toward the location indicated by the old man. There was a row of examination rooms. Amur did not n to open each door one by one to avoidints from hospital staff and being kicked out. The patient mentioned that the two bodies were particrly smelly. Even though the hospital would have people to help clean up, there would definitely be forensic doctors conducting simple autopsies now. They needed to collect the two people''s vomit and excrement. The doctors also needed to examine the skin before the bodies could be thoroughly cleaned. Since it smelled bad, he could figure it out. Amur continued to search until he stopped in front of one examination room. It had to be here. Even with the door closed, the foul odor still wafted out. Amur nced at the examination room. It was thest one. No wonder they chose this ce. It really stank. Only here would the odor not disturb others. After Amur stopped at the door, he listened carefully to the sounds inside. He could make out that at least three people were working inside. They were working andining, iming that they had not dealt with such stinky corpses in a long time. Amur thought to himself that those three would not stop him. He took out his phone and opened the video recording function. He pretended to be a journalist, but at this moment, he was filming to determine whether Jacob and Harold had faked their deaths o truly died. Although he did not think Jacob and Harold were capable of faking their deaths, he still had to be cautious. At the thought of this, Amur raised his phone and pushed the door open directly. The stench hit him, and it was several times stronger than when he stood outside. The three medical staff inside were stunned by Amur''s sudden action. They were all stunned until Amur rushed to the side of the body. He was still holding up his phone. Only then did they realize what was happening. They quickly grabbed Amur''s hand, trying to pull him out. "Who are you? Only personnel are allowed in here." "Were these the two sent by the police?" Amur asked while using his height advantage to film with his phone. "Get out!" Two doctors tried to block him, preventing him from recording. Another doctor pulled him away. All of them were extremely anxious. It was the first time they encountered such a situation, and they did not know what to do. They could only force Amur out. Amur let them kick him out without resistance because he had already filmed enough. Suddenly, one of the doctors remembered and said, "Don''t let him leave! There''s still a video recording on his phone! The police said we can''t let anyone film this. It can''t be made public until the investigation is done." His words instantly reminded the other two doctors. By now, Amur was already walking briskly away. The doctors tried to chase him and even called for security, but no one could catch up with Amur. He was like a sprinter, running swiftly. The patient who had just talked to Amur remained seated, watching Amur get chased by the doctors. He could not help but exim, "He runs really fast. Journalists are indeed capable." As soon as he finished speaking, Amur had already left the main building of the hospital. The doctors, nurses, and even the security guards who arrivedter could not catch upto him. Amur''s speed was impressive. He smoothly found his car and drove away from the hospital. Despite the people running and panting behind him, he was unaffected. After driving for a while, Amur took out his phone to watch the footage. He had been pushed around, so the footage was not clear, but it was evident that Jacob and Harold were already dead. Since they were dead, Gerald''s mission waspleted, and so was Amur''s. Amur sent the video to Abel with a message: [Gerald''s mission is mpleted. The police station will probably keep the news under wraps for a while.] Read thetest chapter there! He did not care about Abel''s reaction and made a phone call to Phil. After answering the call, Phil asked, "How''s it going? Are youing back?" "No. Gerald haspleted the mission," replied Amur, not sure why he made the call. Perhaps it was because of Gerald''s miraculous escape? However, it was not really a miracle. Gerald did not have any skills. If it were not for Amur''s suggestion and the potion he provided, Gerald would not havepleted the mission. Not to mention letting Gerald take the injection and medication... The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! Although Gerald would still suffer for a while, his life was temporarily saved, and he should thank Amur for that. "Well, he sure is lucky." Phil let out an eerie chuckle before hanging up.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Amur shook his head, recalling what Phil had said. Yes, Gerald was indeed lucky. If anyone else from the Ind of Despair had been sent to assist him, Gerald would not have survived. Gerald was lucky to have met him. Sure enough, after spending so much time with Luca, he had also picked up a hint of humanity. Chapter 3195 Chapter 3195 No Hope Of Survival A hint of mockery shed across Amur''s eyes. On the Ind of Despair, picking up a hint of humanity was not exactly a good thing. However, he had changed so much that there was no going back to how he used to be. As Amur thought about Gerald, he decided that he would just ept things as they were and stop pondering since he could not go back to his old self. He did not mind the exhaustion and was ready to drive back to A City. Even though Luca would not take the initiative toe looking for him, she would definitely worry if he stayed in X City for too long. Despite his desire for more of Luca''s affection, he did not want her to be concerned. Therefore, he hurriedly drove back. Luca was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at her phone. Luke walked out of the bathroom and curiously asked when he saw her in such a state," What''s wrong?" "I''m waiting for news from Amur," replied Luca, suddenly remembering that Amur had already replied to her message. Then, she shook her head. "Well, he might not reply." Luke felt a bit jealous when he heard Luca mentioning Amur. Still, he knew Luca had no romantic feelings for Amur. He found it kind of amusing how he was feeling jealous all by himself here and immediately realized it was actually not a big deal. His wife was outstanding, and it was only natural that other men would admire her. What mattered was him being more exceptional than them, ensuring Luca''s attention stayed on him. That way, any men who admired her would not dare make a move. At the thought of this, Luke climbed up the bed and pulled Luca into his arms. Then, he asked, "Why are you waiting for his news?" Since Luke already knew about the mission assigned by the Ind of Despair, Luca exined without hiding anything. "Abel assigned him a mission in X City. It''s to assist Gerald in dealing with Jacob and Harold, who are being detained there. But it''s Gerald who''s supposed to carry out the mission, and if he fails, Amur will step in. "I''ve been told that Gerald haspleted the task and escaped sessfully, but they still need confirmation. The question now is how that confirmation will turn out." Luke frowned. "What''s the matter? Do you still need Jacob and Harold?" Luca thought his frown indicated a desire to keep Jacob. Luke shook his head. "They aren''t of much use. I never nned to use them as pawns." In terms of understanding the Ind of Despair, Jacob and Harold did not know nearly as much about it as Luca did. Using Jacob to plot against Abel was futile since Abel would not care about such a small-time yer. "Then is it because of Amur..." Luca did not finish her sentence. Amur indeed had blood on his hands, but it was not by choice. It was Abel who forced him to do these things... They wanted to be kind, but how could those being manipted by Abel manage that? Luca knew it was all against their will. Even though they were guilty, the greatest sinner and viin was Abel, not them. "Not really." Luke shook his head. "Gale and Rain have been on the Ind of Despair since they were young, and they''ve taken no less lives than Amur. But if Gerald managed to escape this time, what about next time? "He used to think the Ind of Despair was just an ordinary organization, but now that he knows it''s serious business. What will he do?" Luke was not worried about Gerald evading responsibility since he was not his subordinate. He was more concerned about whether the experience would change Gerald after he narrowly escaped death and now had blood on his hands. Gerald was just an ordinary person without professional training. Experiencing something like this could drastically alter his mindset. Luke feared that Gerald might be a cold-blooded and ruthless person. Although Gerald''s transformation had nothing to do with him, Gerald had interacted with Luca before. Luke was worried that Gerald might pose a threat to her. For some reason, after learning that Gerald had blood on his hands, his thoughts drifted in a certain direction. The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became. "Who knows? But Gerald has no way out," replied Luca. Unless Gerald was on her side, there might still be a way out for him. However, Gerald was never going to be on her side. Therefore, he would continue working for the Ind of Despair until he was no longer useful and until his life ended. If she had not sessfully developed the antidote, her fate might have been the same as Gerald''s. The reason why she finally had the courage to reveal her true identity to Luke, Wanda, and Queenie was because she had developed the antidote. That was her confidence ining clean. "Abel''s methods are even crueler than I imagined. By doing this, he''s giving Gerald a chance, but he''s also aiming to transform someone with limited abilities into a killing machine. "Luca, do you think such a person can end up with a good ending?" questioned Luke.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Everyone who knew about this thought Gerald was lucky because Abel had given him a chance to survive. However, Gerald had never received professional training, and his physical condition was weak. Even if he was sent to the Ind of Despair, he would end up being bullied. Moreover, Abel never intended to send Gerald to the Ind of Despair for training. Gerald, with no real strength but blood on his hands, might even be more eager for such things in the future, still, in the end, hisck of capability and skill would lead to his death. Luca nodded. She could imagine how Gerald would end up. She hoped that Gerald would not get carried away by the excitement of surviving this disaster. Otherwise, he might think he was invincible and end up causing his own death. The aplice in all of this was Abel... "Let''s go to bed. We can''t stop this, and there''s no way we can prevent it from happening," suggested Luca. She knew clearly that neither she nor Luke could stop what was happening. Luke nodded. He turned off the lights andy down with Luca. He made no moves tonight because tomorrow was an important day for both of them. Luca hoped Gerald''s mindset would remain stable. If he could not cope, it would be better for him to avoid it rather than be aggressive. However, Gerald, who was in X City, was not behaving as Luca had hoped. The door to the room was pushed open. Phil, who had been looking after him, walked in and told Gerald that his mission was a sess. Jacob and Harold died after consuming the food from the police station. Jacob and Harold were dead, but Gerald survived. Even though Gerald''s body was in pain, he could not stop thinking about it. He was Would Worried that the n concerned that everyone at the police station had eaten the dinner but not Jacob and Harold... Fortunately, they had eaten it. They were dead! Dead by his hands! While recovering from his injuries over the past few days, Gerald had been feeling like aplete failure. He had not received any professional training from the Ind of Despair, yet Abel expected him to kill. Read thetest chapter there! How was he supposed to kill someone? Would he not be offering his head on a tter? If he took action, he would die under A City''s judicial system. If he did not, he would die at Abel''s hands. Either way, it meant death. Gerald kept wondering which method of dying he should choose. He did not want to die without doing anything. After all, it was Jacob and Harold who had failed their mission, not him! Therefore, even though there was no hope for survival, Gerald decided to a give it a shot. He nned to wait until his body got better and then find a way to deal with Jacob and Harold. Chapter 3196 What A Wonderful Feeling Chapter 3196 What A Wonderful Feeling However, Gerald did not expect that he would have to carry out the mission before his body had fully recovered. What Gerald also never imagined was that his mission would be sessful. He was in excruciating pain that caused him to tremble uncontrobly in bed. The men outside found him too noisy and gagged him. Yet, he was overwhelmed with excitement right now. It was an excitement he could not contain! He had seeded, and moreover, he had survived. He did not know that killing someone could be so simple! Before carrying out the mission, Gerald was afraid, and he was worried about what might happen to him. He was also afraid that Amul might kill him while they were halfway there before getting rid of Jacob and Harold himself. Furthermore, he had always thought that murdering a person was a difficult task. Now, all Gerald could think about was how killing someone could feel like this. What he had thought was so difficult turned out to be so simple! This was what it felt like to murder someone. Gerald slightly narrowed his eyes. The excitement caused his body to release adrenaline, making him feel like the pain was not as intense at the moment. What a wonderful feeling. If only his mouth was not gagged, Gerald would surely beughing instead of groaning in pain. Suddenly, Gerald felt a newfound craving for carrying out such missions. He now wanted to continue and experience that rush again when others were avoiding it. Gerald¡¯s body slightly twitched at the thought of this. Previously, he regretted joining the Ind of Despair, but now, he felt that he made the right choice. He even thought that the missions the Ind of Despair assigned were tailor-made for him. At this moment, Gerald had already forgotten that his sess was partly due to Amur''s assistance. He attributed the sess of the mission to his natural talent in this area. He also forgot that he might be under police surveince. All of these things slipped his mind. ... The following day, everyone in A City was focused on one thing. Today, Matysh was to be escorted to court for trial. This case had been closely followed by the public. Therefore, the court decided to livestream the proceedings on its official website considering the high level of interest. While such livestreams had urred before, they usually garnered little attention. Onlyw students would watch them, as well as some who watched the reys. However, it was different this time. Even before Matysh arrived at court, the livestream rooms of major media outlets were already packed with people, and there were crowds gathered outside the courthouse. Some even joked that if they could throw rotten eggs and vegetables at Matysh, they would certainly do so. However, such actions were no longer allowed. They could only express their anger by watching and hurling insults. Luke sat in the car, listening through the microphone. He heard his subordinates at the scene mentioning that there were many onlookers. Luke could not help but furrow his brows. Having so many people watching could be advantageous for Matysh. It was also beneficial for the mercenaries as they could easily create chaos and then abduct their target. However, in situations like these, once chaos broke out, casualties could easily ur¡ªespecially since the mercenaries were armed. The consequences could be unimaginable. "Tell the escort team to use the back door," instructed Luke. "Got it." They did not know when Ethan''s men would strike. If they were to strike at the courthouse entrance, it would definitely cause amotion. Even though they were not police officers, as A City citizens, they were responsible for ensuring Matysh''s safe delivery and the security of the public. Hence, they could not possibly chase the crowds away when there were so many people at the courthouse entrance. They had to use the back door. Hopefully, the back door was not as crowded. Luke''s men had connections with the police department. They generously provided their intelligence to the police to make them believe that Matysh had nned an abduction. Consequently, both the police and the court personnel took it very seriously. Even the entire judicial system''s relevant staff were mobilized. How dare the other party defy the city''s judicial system?! They were about to learn the hard way! Therefore, when conveying Luke''s instructions, the court had no objections and maintained personnel at the main entrance primarily to maintain order. Meanwhile, Luke''s men quietly made preparations at the back door. "Boss, suspicious vehicles spotted." Gale¡¯s voice came through the earpiece. Luke nced at the screen disying a small red dot. The red dot indicated Gale''s location. Each of their team members was equipped with a tracker for precise monitoring. Luke let out a sigh of relief when he saw that the vehicles were still some distance from the courthouse. It seemed that they would not strike at the courthouse entrance. These mercenaries were not foolish either. They knew that causing harm to ordinary citizens during their operation would provoke anger domestically.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Also, they would have to face condemnation internationally. A City was not an entity they could mess with! If it were not for the hefty payment, the mercenaries would not have taken on missions in A City. ¡°Stay alert. They''re unlikely to make a move at the courthouse entrance,¡± reminded Luke. ¡°Don''t worry, Boss. Rain and I have got this under control,¡± reassured Gordan with a hint ofziness in his voice. Even though Gordan sounded rxed, Luke knew he was closely monitoring the mercenaries'' every move. "Ha, how shameless. I''m here too!" Gale chimed in. Gordan''s eyes were sharp as an eagle''s, firmly fixed on the suspicious vehicles. He did not argue when he heard Gale. He noticed something unusual about the vehicles. ¡°Heads up.¡± ¡°Heads up.¡± Both Gordan and Gale said simultaneously. Gordan continued, "The suspicious vehicles are approaching the van." Gale followed up, "Stand by." As their words trailed off, two vehicles intercepted the van. With a loud bang, the prisoner transport van unavoidably collided with the vehicle that intercepted it. Immediately after, another two shing sounds were heard as eight mercenaries stepped out of the vehicles and began shooting at the van. The prisoner transport van was fitted with bulletproof ss and stainless steel. It would not be prated immediately. The guards inside promptly exited the vehicle. Gale saw this and immediately floored the elerator, crashing into another vehicle. The mercenaries did not expect another vehicle to ram into them, leaving them dumbfounded for a moment. Gale quickly ducked down. As a legal civilian, he had no firearms and could only wait for the guards from the prisoner transport van and Gordan to engage the mercenaries. During the split second of the mercenaries'' confusion, police officers got out of the prisoner transport van and opened fire directly at them. The mercenaries, seasoned from battle, reacted swiftly. They used the vehicles as cover and returned fire at the police. The exchange of gunfire was intense, and neither side dared to advance. They used their ammunition to suppress the other while seeking a breakthrough. Galey low inside the car, feeling frustrated. This was originally a task meant for Gordan, who could arm himself and fight the mercenaries. However, Gordan adamantly refused and insisted on taking on another task. Now, Gale could only wait inside the vehicle and wait for their next move. Chapter 3196 Chapter 3196 What A Wonderful Feeling However, Gerald did not expect that he would have to carry out the mission before his body had fully recovered. What Gerald also never imagined was that his mission would be sessful. He was in excruciating pain that caused him to tremble uncontrobly in bed. The men outside found him too noisy and gagged him. Yet, he was overwhelmed with excitement right now. It was an excitement he could not contain! He had seeded, and moreover, he had survived. He did not know that killing someone could be so simple! Before carrying out the mission, Gerald was afraid, and he was worried about what might happen to him. He was also afraid that Amul might kill him while they were halfway there before getting rid of Jacob and Harold himself. Furthermore, he had always thought that murdering a person was a difficult task. Now, all Gerald could think about was how killing someone could feel like this. What he had thought was so difficult turned out to be so simple! This was what it felt like to murder someone. Gerald slightly narrowed his eyes. The excitement caused his body to release adrenaline, making him feel like the pain was not as intense at the moment. What a wonderful feeling. If only his mouth was not gagged, Gerald would surely beughing instead of groaning in pain. Suddenly, Gerald felt a newfound craving for carrying out such missions. He now wanted to continue and experience that rush again when others were avoiding it. Gerald''s body slightly twitched at the thought of this. Previously, he regretted joining the Ind of Despair, but now, he felt that he made the right choice. He even thought that the missions the Ind of Despair assigned were tailor-made for him. At this moment, Gerald had already forgotten that his sess was partly due to Amur''s assistance. He attributed the sess of the mission to his natural talent in this area. He also forgot that he might be under police surveince. All of these things slipped his mind. The following day, everyone in A City was focused on one thing. Today, Matysh was to be escorted to court for trial. This case had been closely followed by the public. Therefore, the court decided to livestream the proceedings on its official website considering the high level of interest. While such livestreams had urred before, they usually garnered little attention. Onlyw students would watch them, as well as some who watched the reys. However, it was different this time. Even before Matysh arrived at court, the livestream rooms of major media outlets were already packed with people, and there were crowds gathered outside the courthouse. Some even joked that if they could throw rotten eggs and vegetables at Matysh, they would certainly do so. However, such actions were no longer allowed. They could only express their anger by watching and hurling insults. Luke sat in the car, listening through the microphone. He heard his subordinates at the scene mentioning that there were many onlookers. Luke could not help but furrow his brows. Having so many people watching could be advantageous for Matysh. It was also beneficial for the mercenaries as they could easily create chaos and then abduct their target. However, in situations like these, once chaos broke out, casualties could easily ur-especially since the mercenaries were armed. The consequences could be unimaginable. "Tell the escort team to use the back door," instructed Luke. "Got it." They did not know when Ethan''s men would strike. If they were to strike at the courthouse entrance, it would definitely cause amotion. Even though they were not police officers, as A City citizens, they were responsible for ensuring Matysh''s safe delivery and the security of the public. Hence, they could not possibly chase the crowds away when there were so many people at the courthouse entrance. They had to use the back door. Hopefully, the back door was not as crowded. Luke''s men had connections with the police department. They generously provided their intelligence to the police to make them believe that Matysh had nned an abduction. Consequently, both the police and the court personnel took it very seriously. Even the entire judicial system''s relevant staff were mobilized. How dare the other party defy the city''s judicial system?! They were about to learn the hard way! Therefore, when conveying Luke''s instructions, the court had no objections and maintained personnel at the main entrance primarily to maintain order. Meanwhile, Luke''s men quietly made preparations at the back door. "Boss, suspicious vehicles spotted." Gale''s voice came through the earpiece. Luke nced at the screen disying a small red dot. The red dot indicated Gale''s location. Each of their team members was equipped with a tracker for precise monitoring. Luke let out a sigh of relief when he saw that the vehicles were still some distance from the courthouse. It seemed that they would not strike at the courthouse entrance. These mercenaries were not foolish either. They knew that causing harm to ordinary citizens during their operation would provoke anger domestically. Also, they would have to face condemnation internationally. A City was not an entity they could mess with! If it were not for the hefty payment, the mercenaries would not have taken on missions in A City. "Stay alert. They''re unlikely to make a move at the courthouse entrance," reminded Luke. "Don''t worry, Boss. Rain and I have got this under control," reassured Gordan with a hint ofziness in his voice. Even though Gordan sounded rxed, Luke knew he was closely monitoring the mercenaries'' every move. "Ha, how shameless. I''m here too!" Gale chimed in. Gordan''s eyes were sharp as an eagle''s, firmly fixed on the suspicious vehicles. He did not argue when he heard Gale. He noticed something unusual about the vehicles. The content is on ! "Heads up." "Heads up." Both Gordan and Gale said simultaneously. Gordan continued, "The suspicious vehicles are approaching the van." Gale followed up, "Stand by." As their words trailed off, two vehicles intercepted the van.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. With a loud bang, the prisoner transport van unavoidably collided with the vehicle that intercepted it! Immediately after, another two shing sounds were heard as eight mercenaries stepped out of the two vehicles and began shooting at the van. The prisoner transport van was fitted with bulletproof ss and stainless steel. It would not be prated immediately. The guards inside promptly exited the vehicle. Gale saw this and immediately floored the elerator, crashing into another vehicle. The mercenaries did not expect another vehicle to ram into them, leaving them dumbfounded for a moment. Gale quickly ducked down. As a legal civilian, he had no firearms and could only wait for the guards from the prisoner transport van and Gordan to engage the mercenaries. During the split second of the mercenaries'' confusion, police officers got out of the prisoner transport van and opened fire directly at them. The mercenaries, seasoned from battle, reacted swiftly. They used the vehicles as cover and returned fire at the police. The exchange of gunfire was intense, and neither side dared to advance. They used their ammunition to suppress the other while seeking a breakthrough. Galey low inside the car, feeling frustrated. This was originally a task meant for Gordan, who could arm himself and fight the mercenaries. However, Gordan adamantly refused and insisted on taking on another task. Now, Gale could only wait inside the vehicle and wait for their next move. Chapter 3197 Chapter 3197 They Were Caught In A Crossfire! "Gordan, when are you going to start shooting? I feel frustrated being trapped in the car!" said Gale. The gunfire was intense, and he could feel bullets whizzing past the car. It was the sound of gunfire. Gale could tell the mercenaries had the upper hand. He was not scared, just frustrated. He felt he should be out there making a difference instead of being sidelined by Gordan. He could don a mask and help the police take down the mercenaries. "Haha, are you scared already?" Gordan''s teasing voice came through the earpiece. Before Gale could respond, he added, "I''ming to rescue you." Then, Gale heard a gunshot from the mercenaries'' side. This time, it was not their weapons firing but Gordan''s. Gale rolled his eyes. Did he really need Gordan to save him? If not for the n to ram the car into the mercenaries to create an opportunity for the police to escape, he would not be hiding here now. Gordan''s aim was impable. He took down two mercenaries as soon as he got out of the car. When the mercenaries saw theirrades fall, they realized they were being caught in a crossfire. They tried to fend off attacks from both sides while figuring out a solution. Suddenly, someone noticed there was a person inside the car that had crashed into them. "Take him hostage!" shouted one of the mercenaries as he moved toward the car to open the door. However, Gale had locked the car doors after the crash. As he watched the mercenaries approach the car, he said to Gordan, "Hurry up. They''re trying to take me hostage!" After Gordan took down another mercenary with his precise shooting, he replied, "Didn''t you want to join the fight? Now''s your chance." Then, he fired another shot. The mercenaries were well-trained and experienced. One of them managed to dodge Gordan''s bullet. The mercenary unleashed a barrage of shots toward Gordan. "Damn you! How dare you attack me?! Watch me turn you into Swiss cheese!" Gordan was not foolish either. He quickly found cover to avoid getting shot. Realizing the enemy''s firepower was intense, he reminded, "The enemy''s packing serious heat. Gale, be careful." "Ha, no one can hurt me," replied Gale as he pulled an iron rod out from under the passenger seat. He felt a bit helpless as he looked at the rod. As a representative working with the police, he was not allowed to carry firearms. This rod was his only weapon. He looked at the mercenary who was trying to force open the car door and gripped the rod tightly. If they got in and took him hostage, he would hit him with the rod! Then, he would grab their gun and use it for defense. It should not be a problem since the gun was not originally his. While Gordan listened to Gale''s words, he shot at another mercenary, aiming for the head. These men were too dangerous to leave alive. Otherwise, they would be a threat. However, the mercenary moved just in time, and the bullet which was aimed at his head hit his shoulder instead. With a sharp bang, the mercenary''s shoulder took a hit, but it did not diminish his fighting spirit. He soldiered on, undeterred by the injury. "Rain, get ready," said Gordan. "Roger that," replied Rain, positioned on a high building beside the road. She was the sniper for this mission. When she heard Gordan''s instruction, she added, "Five mercenaries are now in sight. Preparing to engage." She fired a shot, taking down one of the mercenaries. The mercenaries were professionals. One of them quickly realized what was happening and immediately informed hisrades "Sniper! Take cover!" ''Take cover!" shouted one of the mercenaries. However, before he could take cover, Rain took him out. Out of the eight mercenaries, only five were left, and one of them was injured. Gordan whistled softly. Despite the enemy''s strong firepower, with only four fierce fighters left and one injured, it seemed there was not much to worry about now. The moment Gordan whistled, the mercenary who was trying to open Gale''s car door seeded. Gale found the opportunity and swung his iron rod just as the mercenary reached inside to grab him. "Take that!" The mercenary screamed in pain. Gale broke his hand! The mercenaries thought the person in the car was just a frightened passerby who heard their gunfire and identally crashed into them. Little did they expect it was nned all along! "He''s one of them! Take him hostage! It''s our only way out!" shouted one of the mercenaries. Two guns were immediately aimed at Gale inside the car. The car door that was opened was used by the mercenary as a shield against Gordan''s fire. Gale was rendered speechless and said, "I''ve got two guns pointed at me." "Don''t engage them. Let me handle this." Gordan''s tone became serious. He was also using a car for cover while keeping an eye on Gale''s situation. Two mercenaries were crouching with their guns trained on Gale. Gordan could not get a clear shot. At the same time, he heard one of the mercenaries threatening in broken English, "We have your friend. Shoot, and he dies!" Gordan asked Rain, "Rain, do you have a clear shot?" "I do, but I can''t take both of them out at once." Rain frowned. She did not expect Gale to end up in such a situation.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. If she shot one, the other would likely kill Gale. If they were in arger space, it would be alright, but how could Gale hide inside the car? Rain was not confident either. "Damn it!" Gordan cursed. The police also dared not to make a move, aware of who was in the car. They were there to assist. If it were not for Luke''s reminder, there would not have been so many officers for so ve the escort today. Still, they were unsure of what to do now because the enemy had a hostage, and they could not afford to act recklessly. Gale looked at the two guns aimed at his head. He remained calm and said to the mercenaries, "You want to escape? Take me as hostage." The mercenaries stayed silent. Gale continued, "You guys can''t save anyone in this situation now. You can let me go and we do a one-for-one swap with them, but that could get all of you killed. Their firepower is stronger than yours right now. The content is on ! Read thetest chapter there! "Or, you take me as hostage and make a run for it. You might not finish the job, but at least you''ll stay alive." Of course, the mercenaries considered this. If there were no one behind them, they could swap Matysh out and escape. However, they were surrounded now, and there was a sniper hidden somewhere. "We''re really screwed. We should''ve never taken this job," muttered a mercenary. He reached out and m grabbed Gale by the cor. "Come out and don''t try anything funny. If we can get away clean, you''ll be okay. Otherwise, you''re looking at certain death!" Then, he pulled Gale out of the car. Gale yielded to the force and scrambled out of the car. Chapter 3198 Chapter 3198 I''m Just Passing Through When Gale smoothly stepped on the ground, two gun barrels were immediately aimed at his head. With two gun muzzles pointed at him, he had no choice but to stand straight. He raised his hands in surrender. The mercenaries noticed he was still wearing earphones. One of them rudely snatched them, putting them into his own ears to eavesdrop on any ongoing conversations. However, there was nothing to hear. Gale said with a helpless tone, "Guys, these are just my headphones for listening to music." "Listening to music while you''re driving?! Tell US, are you a cop or are you one of them?" One of the mercenaries subdued Gale while another aimed his gun at him. The police officers saw the scene and dared not to make any sudden moves. "I''m not, I''m not. I''m just passing through, man. Seriously, I''m just passing through." Gale felt helpless as his earphones had been taken off. Now, he had no idea about what ns Gordan and Rain might have. Still, whatever their ns were, he needed to find a way to resolve this crisis or they would not be able to proceed smoothly. "Just passing by?" The mercenary narrowed his eyes. "Would someone who''s just passing by carry a steel rod? Do you think we''re fools?" He shoved Gale forward and said to the police officers, "Your guy''s in my hands now. If you don''t want anything bad to happen to him, you''d better listen up and let US leave!" Matysh, who was in the prisoner transport van, listened to the conversation outside. They were speaking in English. He could no understand a word, but he secretly felt pleased with himself, thinking that they were negotiating with the police to get him out. What he did not expect was that the mercenaries were only concerned with saving their own lives and had no intention of getting Matysh out. Ethan''s car was in a ce with signal reception. He got the interpreter to interpret what the people outside were saying. After he received the message, he widened his eyes in shock. Were they really nning to abandon Matysh? Even though Matysh got convicted this time, there was still a chance to pull off a heist during the transfer. This was the best chance. If Matysh was not sentenced, he would be innocent, and there was nothing the Russians could do to him even if he went back. Nevertheless, if he was sentenced and escaped back to Russia, he would be a fugitive! Most importantly, if this mission failed, the police would be more cautious. Rescuing Matyshter would be nearly impossible once the police force strengthened. Ethan said to the person on the other end of the walkie-talkie, "No, you must rescue the boss. Use the hostage to exchange for him!" The mercenaries received Ethan''smand but paid no attention and ignored him. Even if they managed to exchange for Matysh, they would be risking their lives. Without a hostage, they would not be able to leave even if they got the person out. The boss Ethan mentioned might even die in the crossfire between them and the police. Not getting a response from the mercenaries, Ethan grew impatient and continued, "Did you hear what I said? I''m your boss. I hired you to kidnap people. If you can''t pull off the job, all of you can go and kick the bucket!" The leader of the mercenaries, the one holding Gale, impatiently retorted," Your boss'' life matters, but ours doesn''t? The way things are going, this mission''s a flop. Not only are we broke, but you want US to risk our necks too? Are you kidding me?" The mercenary spoke in Russian. Gale understood Russian too. He could not help but find the situation amusing. Matysh had spent so much money hiring these mercenaries, yet they were so concerned about their own lives. When they realized they would not be able to get their money, they started to n their escape to save themselves. If all mercenaries were as cowardly and self-preserving as these, no one would probably hire mercenaries anymore. They were so afraid of dying, and they could not evenplete the tasks assigned to them. What was the point of having them around? As Gale thought about this, the mercenary heard Ethan''s voiceing from the other end again. "You''ve taken my deposit. Isn''t that worth something?" "Fuck you. I''ve lost a few people here. The deposit you gave isn''t even enough to cover their funeral expenses!" The mercenary leader took off his earpiece, no longer listening to Ethan''s nonsense. Gale knew they were only concerned with saving their own skins now, not Matysh. He spoke up, "Hey guys, how about you cut me loose? Seriously, I''m not with them. I was just passing by, got spooked by your gunfire, and identally crashed into you guys. As for the steel rod, I carry it because I often drive long distances at night. It''s fo safety." "Stop talking!" The mercenary leader lost all his patience. He shoved Gale forward and had a gun pressed against his head. He was making it clear to the police they now had a hostage. "Don''t do anything reckless," warned the police officers as they watched the scene unfold. The tension in the air grew tense. They were afraid that Gale could be shot in the head at any moment. The mercenary snorted coldly and nced back at their vehicles. "You, go check which of the two cars can still be driven," instructed the mercenary leader. One of the mercenaries ran to test the car, not worried about being fired upon since Gale was in their custody. The police in A City were known for their rationality andmitment to ensuring public safety. Hence, with a hostage in y, they were not concerned in the slightest. After a while, the mercenary jogged over to report, "Boss, only one car can still drive, but it won''t fit all of US." "My car! My car should be drivable!" Gale finally saw his chance to speak." Please, take my car and go. Just promise to spare me once you escape." The mercenary leader listened. After secretly cursing Gale for being a coward, he slightly lifted his chin. He immediately sent someone to confirm. Once it was confirmed Gale''s car could move, he nodded, "Boss, this one works too." "You, get in the car," ordered the mercenary. He instructed Gale to get into his own vehicle. Their car was bulletproof, but Gale''s was not, so they ced him in his own car. Under the escort of two mercenaries, Gale sat in the back seat of his car. He nced behind him. He saw police officers aiming their guns at them, but none dared to m shoot. He turned around to look! forward again. He noticed Gordan was using a parking spot as cover, hiding behind it with unclear intentions. ! Gale wondered when he had ever been in such a humiliating situation, reduced to being a hostage. He was truly speechless! He lowered his gaze. A glint ofOriginal content from N?velDrama.Org. fierceness shed across his eyes. Since these mercenaries dared to use him as a hostage, they should be ready to get captured themselves! Another mercenary got into the car, taking over as the driver. When they were about to leave, there were a few loud bangs. The tires were shot at by Rain! "Damn it!" one of them cursed, ring at Gale with a sinister look. "Looks like those cops don''t give two shits about your life. Since we''re all gonna bite the dust anyway, we''re taking you down with us! I can''t wait to see how those cops spin this for the media!" He vented his frustration and stomped on the gas pedal! However, the car could not move with no tires! The mercenary in the driver''s seat mmed the door open and pointed inside the car, "Believe it or not, I''ll take him out right now!" Chapter 3199 Chapter 3199 Someone With A Gun Got Away! The moment he started yelling at the police, a bullet had already pierced through his head.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. The mercenary''s eyes were widened. Before he could even take hisst breath, Gale had already kicked the other two out of the car. Then, a gunshot rang out, and one of the mercenaries was taken down. The other one rolled over, but by the time he realized what was happening, Gale had already kicked the gun out of his hand and picked it up. Gale did not shoot. He only aimed the gun at the mercenary. He could not fire due to his current identity. He had no choice but to let the police handle it. Plus, they needed someone alive. Gale pointed at the mercenary with the gun, who dared not to move. Not only was Gale aiming at him, but the police officers, noticing that Gale had broken free from their control, were also pointing their guns at him. The mercenary could only surrender. Gunshots continued to echo. Gordan was engaged in a shootout with the remaining two mercenaries. One of them was already injured. With Rain''s help, Gordan quickly wounded the leader of the mercenaries. Meanwhile, Rain shot the other one dead. When Rain saw that the situation was now under control, she said to Gordan, ''Til retreat first. Find a way to get out." "Got it," replied Gordan, signaling to Gale before quickly getting on a motorcycle near him. Before he could start the motorcycle, the injured mercenary leader suddenly pulled out a pistol from his coat. Gale noticed the mercenary leader''s movement and immediately shouted to warn Gordan, "Watch out!" A loud bang echoed through the air. With lightning reflexes, Gordan leaped off the motorcycle, but not before a bullet grazed his right hand. "Damn it!" Gale delivered a forceful kick at the mercenary in front of him, breaking his leg to prevent any thoughts of escapeter. He moved quickly and closed in on the mercenary leader, deftly seizing the pistol from his grasp. The mercenary leader grinned, not looking at Gale but at Gordan instead." You''ve killed so many of my brothers. Now, I''m getting my revenge!" Gale kicked the mercenary leader to the ground, looking over at Gordan with concern. However, he could not go to him now. He had to pretend not to know Gordan. That was why he could not check on his injuries. Gordan sprawled on the ground, stealing a nce at his injured hand. He pushed himself upright and sat there, fixing a steely re on the mercenary leader before clenching his teeth as he rose to his feet. Even though he was injured, it was nothing serious to him. If it were not for his need to maintain his cover, Gordan swore he would have pped the man across his face hard! Enduring the pain in his hand, Gordan rode off on the motorcycle. By the time the police arrived, he was already a distance away. A young officer shouted, "Someone with a gun got away! Should we chase him?" A more experienced officer rolled his eyes at him and said, "He''s not a mercenary. What''s the point of chasing him?" "But he''s armed," replied the young officer. The veteran officer gave Gale a meaningful look and said, if it weren''t for that guy, could we have gotten these mercenaries under control? Let''s hold off on chasing him for now. We need to handle the current situation. "We''re still a ways from the courthouse, and who knows if they''ve got more peopleing? We can''t afford to split our forces right now. Help search them, make sure they''re clean, and then take them over to the station. The rest of you, keep up the escort." "Do we still need to send the suspect to court?" asked one of the police officers. "We can still make it over there now. If we don''t, the court''s going to have to reschedule. You know how much the public hates that guy, right? The sooner we wrap this case up and get him behind bars, the better off we''ll all be," replied the veteran officer. He had been a policeman for over 20 years and had never encountered such a dangerous situation. If it were not for the hidden sniper and the man who got shot, they might all be dead by now, and the suspect would have been taken away. If that happened, the public would panic and get into a rage, and the police would be held ountable. Therefore, they had to ensure Matysh was delivered to the police station. Everyone followed the officer''s instructions and sprang into action. Some carefully searched the surviving mercenaries while others confirmed the dead ones and confiscated their weapons. Some reported to their superiors, others called for ambnces, and the rest continued to escort Matysh to the courthouse. The veteran officer stayed behind to manage things. He approached Gale with a smile and asked, "Mr. Gale, thank you for your help and cooperation. Are you hurt?" "I''m not," answered Gale. He shot a nce at the weapons the police officers were collecting and could not help but mutter, ''Those weapons are pretty advanced." "Yeah, these mercenaries paid big bucks for these weapons. It''s kind of embarrassing, considering how tight customs are. I have no idea how these guns ended up in their hands," replied the officer, relieved to hear Gale was unharmed. The Ind of Despair crossed Gale''s mind. Previously, the police had confiscated arge cache of advanced international weapons at their base in X City. With enough money, these mercenaries could certainly obtain weapons through those channels. He found it unsurprising. Gale asked, "Do I need to go to the police station to give a statement after this?'' "Even though you helped US out, we still have to go through the motions. It''s all part of the process. I hope you get where we''reing from," replied the officer. "I understand," Gale replied indifferently. "By the way, you''ve got some serious skills. Taking on two armed mercenaries solo? Ever thought m about joining the force? I know you''re not from around here, but we sure could use someone like you," offered the officer. ! When he saw Gale being dragged out by the mercenaries, he thought Gale was in rave danger. Even if they had not shot him, they would have likely killed him after escaping. However, to his surprise, Gale managed to kick two mercenaries out of the car, giving the sniper and another person a chance to act. It was truly remarkable. If Gale joined the police, he could certainly qualify for special forces! Even if his status made it hard to join special forces, they could still use someone like him in the regr police force. If that did not work, he could at least be their trainer! "I''m sorry, I''m not interested," Gale declined without a second thought. He picked up the fallen earphones on the ground and put them on. There was no sound. He wondered if Gordan was fine. From the looks of it just now, Gordon injured his hand but did not seem to have any other injuries. Still, riding with an injured hand was worrisome. Gale could not help but admire Gordan''s grit. Taking a bullet and still keeping control of the wheel, that was something else. "Well, everything here is under control now. I''m gonna take off if everything''s cool. e Just give me a ring when you need my statement, and I''ll swing by the station to cooperate." After that, Gale turned around and left. Chapter 3200 Chapter 3200 Shouldn''t Have Taken Someone Else''s Word For It The wheels of the car driven by Gale had been removed by Rain. He had no choice but to leave on foot. As the police officer watched him leave from behind, he could not help but shake his head. "What a waste. With skills like that, he''d be a perfect fit at our precinct." However, considering Gale was under Luke, he did not push further. The officer just shook his head and then directed the operations at the scene. Since there had been a gunfight, they needed to secure the area, find the bullets, and then write a report. It was quite a serious incident. Fortunately, there were no casualties on their side, and they did not let the suspect escape either. A few police officers were busy cordoning off the area to prevent vehicles from entering. Meanwhile, the escort team sessfully brought Matysh to the courthouse''s back entrance. A court officer came forward. He checked Matysh''s identity and then escorted him inside. They had heard about the gunfight and were surprised Matysh was still brought over on time. The court officer was impressed by these escorting officers and asked with concern, "How''s everything? Our colleagues are okay, right?" "No problem. There are no casualties. Let''s go," replied one of the officers. They wanted to ensure Matsyh could smoothly reach the courtroom. At that moment, among the crowd standing at the main entrance, someone suddenly spoke up, "Someone appeared on the live broadcast! Has the suspect been taken inside?" When the others heard this, they took out their phones to watch the live feed. "When did this happen? We didn''t see any cars going in!" "Yeah, what''s going on?" "Did you forget? The courthouse has a back door. I think he was escorted in from there." After someone reminded them about it, a few of them were dissatisfied. They said to the court officers at the door, "Come on, what''s with this? Yeah, there are more people here, but there''s no need to sneak in through the back door. We just wanna give that guy a piece of our minds." "Yeah, exactly! We''re just regr folks here, pissed off and wanting to give that guy a good chewing out. Did you guys really have to sneak him in through the back door?" Many of them were angry and wanted to sit in on the proceedings, but the courtroom had limited seating. Furthermore, the courthouse knew there was a lot of public interest in the case. Allowing everyone in would have caused chaos, so they tightly regted who could attend and how many. People who were not directly rted to the case were unable to listen in and could only watch online. However they vented their frustrations while watching the live stream, it would not affect the courtroom''s order. That was the courthouse''s original intention. These spectators had no choice but to abide by it. They stood here with the intention of giving Matysh a piece of their mind, but unexpectedly, the courthouse did not even give them that chance. "Alright, cut it out, guys. I heard some folks were even thinking about pulling a heist midway, and there was gunfire. With this many people around, who knows who''s among US? The courthouse is doing this for everyone''s safety, so let''s stop all the yelling." A bystander, witnessing the uproar among the crowd, raised his voice in protest. He imed that bringing the suspect in through the back door was for everyone''s safety. When they heard the mention of a gunfight, a palpable silence fell over them. They felt that such things were far removed from their lives, so learning about the gunfight only fueled their anger even more. "It''s all because of that foreigner. He should be sentenced to death!" "Yeah, he should be sentenced to death. What a despicable person!" The crowd voiced one after another. Journalists standing at the door filmed the angry crowd continuously, reporting on the scene while also covering the gunfight incident. Walter sat in the lounge, scrolling through the onlinements. He put on a faint smile. Luke had appointed him as the intiffswyer, implying he should do his best to ensure Matysh received a harsh sentence. However serious Matysh''s crimes were, thew stood firm. No matter how angry the public might be, the sentencing would be based on the severity of the offense. It was not about what he said or what the judge said in terms of years. Every suspect''s trial underwent rigorous questioning before reaching a conclusion. If the convicted party was not satisfied, they could appeal. This ensured every case got a fair and open hearing. Initially, Walter had been thinking about what arguments could persuade the judge to add two more years to Matysh''s sentence. He did not expect the opportunity to arrive now. Matysh had masterminded this borate scheme. Such things had been unprecedented in A City for years. It was truly a tale of intrigue and wonder. However, Matysh''s actions now provided Walter with the arguments and means to push for a heavier sentence. Although Matysh had not been sentenced yet, his escape constituted another charge. Adding an additional charge was a simple matter for people like him. "Mr. Long, here''s a message from over there. The court will convene in ten minutes." Walter''s assistant entered. "Alright. Got it," Walter responded.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. The assistant then handed him a cup of coffee. "Mr. Long, here''s your coffee." Walter frowned. "I didn''t ask you to buy me coffee." The assistant was puzzled. "Wasn''t it you who told me to get coffee?" Walter smirked, suddenly realizing something. He shook his head and said, "I didn''t ask you to get me coffee." ''That''s strange. Just now, someone outside said you told me to get you a cup of coffee. He even mentioned you wanted it from that spot across the courthouse entrance," exined the assistant, looking perplexed. He wondered why Walter would pass him the message that way when Walter could just call him. "If I needed your help, I wouldn''t have gotten someone to ry the message. They yed a trick on you," said Walter. He eyed the coffee cup, suspecting it might be spiked. As for why the caf¨¦ willingly added something extra to the coffee, it was undoubtedly for money. Walter did not expect people in this day and age to still use such crude tactics. However, it was fortunate he had made it a habit not to consume any beverages delivered to him before a court session or bought from outside. Until now, no one had been able to put one over on him. "I was going to call and confirm with you, but I couldn''t reach you on your phone. I don''t know why. I was afraid of dying things, so nikos, so quickly bought as afraid it the assistant exined why he did not call Walter first after receiving the message from someone else. It was because Walter could not be reached. ! Walter frowned and nced at his phone. Everything seemed fine. The signal was strong. Just moments ago, he was able to watch live broadcasts from major media outlets. Still, there was no reason for his assistant to lie to him. Even though there was no reason to deceive him, a mistake had been made. Walter asked, "How long have you been working for me?" "It''s been two years," the assistant replied honestly. "Since you''ve been with me for two years, whether we''re overseas or back home, you should know I don''t drink anything bought outside before a court session-not even wa even water from the courthouse, said Walter, emphasizing that he always brought his own thermos to court sessions. He only drank his own brewed coffee or in water. The assistant naturally knew this. He nodded, admitting his mistake. "I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have taken someone else''s word for it." Chapter 3201 Chapter 3201 Settled An Old Score The assistant apologized sincerely. He knew he had made a mistake. If he had taken a moment to think things through, he would not have made such an error. He was frustrated as well. Even if the suspect was a foreign noble, using such despicable tactics to frame Walter was simply too much! There was a knock on the lounge door, and a voice came from outside," Mr. Long, it''s time for the court session." "Okay." Walter picked up the document bag, put his phone on silent, and walked out of the lounge. He entered the first criminal courtroom, took his seat at the intiff''swyer''s position, and waited for the session to begin. Before long, the defensewyer and all court staff were in ce, ready to start the proceedings. Matysh sat at the defendant''s table with a grim expression on his face. He noticed that Marcos was also present. His expression grew even darker. Did hee here just to watch how these A City citizens were targeting him? Matysh was really annoyed. Ethan had repeatedly assured him that this n would definitely seed, but it turned out like this. Not only did the mercenaries fail to take him away, but they were alsopletely taken down. Now, he was sitting here, facing the judgment of A City''sw. Matysh could not wrap his head around it. He had always thought that he could still escape. How did everything suddenly turn out like this? He was about to face judgment. Every one of them looked at him with disdain. Was prison in his future? Sitting next to Matysh was an interpreter who had been arranged by Ethan. Ethan had insisted on putting on a full show even though they were nning to break Matysh out. They needed to appear sincere to the city1 s authorities to lower their guard. Matysh thought he did not need the interpreter, but now, he did. Matysh scanned the courtroom, his gaze finally settling on Marcos. He was also looking back at him. Marcos'' expression was calm, but Matysh could sense his emotions underneath. There was excitement and pride. It was as though he had finally settled an old score. Matysh narrowed his eyes. He was now trapped in A City, and he could not believe that a nobody who had never dared to stand up to him before was challenging him! He turned his attention back as the interpreter began tranting. Matysh did not understand the proceedings, so he had to rely on his defense attorney. By the end of the morning, there was no verdict yet, but Matysh did not see this as a good sign. When the interpreter told him the session was temporarily adjourned and would resume in the afternoon, Matysh knew they were in a hurry to convict him. He suspected Ethan''s failure had raised the authorities'' alertness. Matysh watched the court officers approach him to take him away. Before he left, he shot a fierce look at Marcos. He knew Marcos had a hand in the failure of his n. Ethan might be worthless, but the people he paid a hefty sum to were not. The n would not have failed so easily without Marcos'' interference! In the end, Matysh could not hold back and shouted at him, "Marcos!" Marcus remained silent. His eyes were on Matysh as he left. Finally, a smile appeared on his lips. Matysh would eventually have to pay for what he did to Marcos'' parents. Although Marcos did not personally send Matysh to prison, it felt satisfying. At least, Matysh would spend many years in A City''s prison before being sent back to Russia to continue his sentence. Marcos was confident that once Matysh was imprisoned this time, he could ensure Matysh continued to stay in prison when he returned to Russia. Matysh had done many terrible things without having to face the consequences. Now, it was time to hold him ountable for each one. Marcos took out his phone and sent a message to Luke, who had been helping him all along: [Thanks.] Luke quickly replied to his message: (My pleasure.] Marcos then asked: [How is Mr. Norton?] Luke responded: [He''s in surgery now. We''ll know more after they remove the bullet.] Marcos: [Once you get any updates, inform me right away. I can''t swing by the hospital right now. I hope he understands.] Gordan took a bullet and got injured for intervening in Ethan''s n to help them. However, Marcos could not visit him yet. Ethan''s men were still watching him. Even though Marcos was not directly involved in the current events, surveince from Russia remained relentless. Whether he lounged idly in hotel rooms all day or explored A City''s sights, someone shadowed his every move. Their sole purpose was to keep an eye on him. They documented every interaction and activity, then fed the intel to Ethan, who ryed it back to Russia. This was the reason why he could not even meet with Sarah. There was nothing Marcos could do about it. The family in Russia still pinned their hopes on Matysh. Only when their hopes were utterly shattered could he begin to seize control of the family bit by bit. His strategy involved unveiling the family''s darkest secrets to the world, ensuring the public knew the truth. Ultimately, he aimed to breathe new life into the family. He wanted to leave the family''s dirty past behind once and for all. Luke: [Got it.] He was sitting outside the operating room. When Rain informed him that Gordan had been shot, Luke immediately took him to the hospital. Johann continued to be the surgeon attending to Gordan. Although the injury on Gordan''s hand posed no immediate threat to his life, there was concern it might affect his nerves. Therefore, the full extent of Gordan''s injury remained uncertain, and Johann could not make any om conclusions until hepleted the surgery. They would have to wait to see if the injury would affect Gordan''s ability to carry out his future missions. ! While an ordinary person might not require exceptional hand dexterity, the demands on someone like demands Gordan, who relied on precise reactions and responses, were exceptionally high. ! Thus, the true implications of the current situation would only be clear once the surgery waspleted. Luke sat there waiting. His expression was calm, but a closer look revealed a cold indifference in his eyes. Gale and Rain were there too. Gale, unable to sit still, began pacing around. Even though he often argued with Gordan, they shared a deep bond of friendship. Hence, he was worried about Gordan''s condition. However, his constant pacing annoyed Rain. She red at him and reminded him, "Can you calm down and sit quietly instead of walking around?" "I''m worried about him!" replied Gale helplessly. "Well, you can''t go in there to performContent ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. surgery yourself. Can''t you just sit down and wait? acue wait? Take a cue from the boss!" Rain pointed at Luke, who was sitting calmly and seemed to be deep in thought. Gale had no choice but to sit down, reying the events in his mind. He had been too careless. Their n had many ws, and the other party exploited these weaknesses. Still, there was nothing they could do about it now. If only he had been able to shoot back then. Chapter 3202 Chapter 3202 All This Happened Because Of Me If he had been able to shoot at that moment, he would have taken out those mercenaries in the first ce. He was also in a good position for an attack at that time. Ultimately, Gordan''s injury was partly his responsibility. If it were not for protecting him, Gordan would not have been exposed to the mercenaries. Gale sat there, reying the scene over and over in his mind, still regretting not having fired. All the police officers were focused on his situation back then. If Gale had shot, it would have been difficult for Luke to exin things to the police. "It''s all my fault!" muttered Gale, taking all the me on himself. Rain knew he felt guilty and heaved a sigh. Luke watched the two of them, who were affected by Gordan''s situation. He remained silent, knowing that Gordan''s condition was still uncertain and all they could do was wait. Two hourster, the operating room door opened, and Johann came out. ''The surgery was sessful. Here''s the bullet." Johann held up a sealed bag containing a bullet. Since the police did not know Gordan''s identity, the extracted bullet did not need to be handed over to them. Gale took the bag and examined the bullet. He nced at it and said, "A 5.56 caliber bullet. They were using G36 assault rifles." Everyone turned to look at him. ''The countries that use the G36 the most are the UK and Spain. Their armies prefer this gun, so when their veterans be mercenaries, they often use this gun. So..." Gale did not finish his sentence. He suspected the mercenaries came from these two countries. Then, he asked Johann, "How''s Gordan?" Johann was not familiar with firearms, but he was an expert in medicine." Consider him lucky. When I started the surgery, I realized the bullet had gone through his upper arm and was lodged in the bone without prating it. "The main nerves weren''t damaged, but there''s still some injury. He''ll need rehabilitation to fully recover. Luckily, you have a dry- needling expert around. Perhaps Dr. Craw can help." "Alright, when will he be out?" asked Luke. "In a little while. The anesthesia hasn''t worn off yet," replied Johann. As he recalled the surgery, he added, "I must say, Gordan is stubborn. He refused to take general anesthesia even when he needed surgery. I was totally speechless." Johannined as he remembered the scenes in the operating room. When Johann asked why Gordan would not ept general anesthesia, his answer was simple and blunt. "You know what? When I asked why he wouldn''t go under, he said he was worried he wouldn''t wake up in case of danger...'' Luke was not as frustrated as Johann. He exined it on behalf of Gordan, "He''s been through too many dangers. That''s why he doesn''t want to be in a fully unconscious state." "I get that, but this is a hospital. What danger could there be? I was puzzled and persuaded him for a long time. Finally, I told him that his hand would be useless due to blood loss without surgery, and he agreed to use general anesthesia..." continued Johann. Only after the anesthesia took effect and Gordan was fully quiet could Johann focus on the surgery. He was not exaggerating about the danger. The bullet''s path and the depth it was lodged in the bone could not be seen on the scans. He had to operate to see what was really going on inside. "Dr. Park, when can we see him?" asked Gale. "You can''t go in. He''ll be taken to his ward once he wakes up. You should go to the ward instead. By the way, even though his injury doesn''t need special care, someone still needs to stay with him tonight. "He just underwent general anesthesia and needs to lie down for eight hours. Some people have strong reactions to the anesthetic, so someone must stay with him. I''ll hand him over to another doctor since I won''t be here," exined Johann. He was not a doctor working at this hospital, but Luke decided to bring the patient here to keep things low-key and then had Johanne over to perform the surgery. Luke knew the hospital director, who agreed to admit the patient and arranged for medical staff to assist with the surgery. It was simr to how the Mallory family had arranged for Pierre. "Alright, we''ll go to the room and wait." Luke nodded. Although Luke remained expressionless, he was relieved to know that Gordan was fine. As for the follow-up treatment, Luca would surely offer help without needing to be asked. He had not informed Luca about Gordan being shot to avoid making her feel guilty. Especially since Matysh was after her.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. If Matysh had note to A City, none of this would have happened. Luke knew Luca would feel guilty, but he could not say much. Luke had no choice but to head to the VIP room with Gale and Rain. They had the director announce that Gordan was admitted for a fracture surgery. The assistants, nurses, and anesthetist involved were all trusted by the director. Hence, they would keep the secret. As they entered the VIP ward, Luke received a message from Luca: [I saw a news report saying someone got shot. Who was it? Even though she was in theb, she had been watching Matysh''s live broadcast. Before the court session, the media reported that someone was shot om during the transfer of a prisoner. She quickly picked up on the news that someone had been shot and knew it was not a police officer. The media would have specified if it were a police officer. Since the person who was shot was not an officer, it had to be one of the operatives. Luca immediately thought it must be one of Luke''s subordinates. Even om though she was not directly involved N.Q in this incident, she would feel responsible and upset if someone was injured because of her. The content is on ! Read Therefore, when she saw the news, she messaged Luke to find out who was hurt and how severe the injury was. Luke: [It''s Gordan. He just got out of surgery. The bullet hit his arm but missed any mafor nerves. With a bit of rehab, he''ll be back to normal.] Read Luca: [Mr. Norton? Which hospital are you at? I''ll take the afternoon off to visit him.] Luca felt guilty. If it were not for Matysh''s interest in her, none of this would have happened. However, she also knew that everything seemed inevitable. If Matysh had note to A City for her, Marcos would not have Sarah would not have reunited with her son... It seemed like all these were meant to happen. Luca knew she could not me herself. Luke: [You don''t have toe. I''ll be here, and he''s out of danger after the surgery.] Luke understood her concern. Luca: [How can I sit in theb and work when all this happened because of me? Luke, please let mee and see him.] Luca insisted on going after she read Luke''s message. Chapter 3203 Chapter 3203 Do You Think She''s Interested In Boss? Luke: [Alright, I''ll send you the location.] Luke knew what Luca was thinking. If he really stopped her froming, she might feel guilty, which could lead to serious consequences. When Luca received the location from Luke, she turned around and said to Rhett, who was busy working behind her, "Mr. Link, could you help me take the afternoon off? Something came up." "Sure, Dr. Craw," Rhett agreed. None of the other researchers said anything either. After all, Luca handed tasks to them every day. Thus, Luca taking a leave would not affect the progress of their projects. In fact, their research group was known for not being affected by the lead researcher''s absence. It was not that Luca was dispensable but her research ns were well-structured, and the team just needed to follow them. Moreover, their current research, like the previous one, was progressing smoothly without any major issues. Luca waited at thepany until noon. She headed straight to the hospital without getting lunch. Knowing that Gale and Rain were also there, she bought a few boxed lunches on the way and rushed to the hospital. When Luca arrived at the hospital, she walked to the door of the ward Luke had given her the number for. She knocked and then pushed the door open. ''You''re here." Luke nodded as he saw her walk in. Luca nodded back and nced around the room. Besides Luke, Gale and Rain were also there. She put down the boxed lunches and walked to Gordan''s bedside. "Mr. Norton," greeted Luca, noticing that he did not look well. Considering he had just undergone surgery, his condition was understandable, so she was relieved. "Bianca..." Gordan greeted her before closing his eyes again. Since there was no one else in the ward, it was okay for him to address her like that. "Was it a general anesthesia surgery?" Luca asked the other three. ''Yes, general anesthesia," replied Luke. Luca understood his weakness better. She said, ''You''ll feel ufortable after general anesthesia. Mr. Norton, please rest for now. You can''t drink or eat anything for the first eight hours after surgery. Please bear with it." Gale reassured her, "Don''t worry, I''ll take good care of him. Dr. Park just exined to me how to take care of a patient after general anesthesia. Rx, I can manage this." After Johann mentioned someone needed to stay overnight to take care of Gordan, Gale decided to stay. After all, Gordan got injured because of him. Given it was a gunshot wound, hiring a caretaker was out of the question, especially since their discussions would be inconvenient with an outsider present. ''Yes, if you see Mr. Norton''s lips are getting dry, remember to use a cotton swab to moisten them," reminded Luca. She thought this task might be unsuitable for a man. However, there was no other choice. Gordan was alone now, and given the gunshot wound, hiring a caretaker could causeplications. "I know what to do. Don''t worry," replied Gale. Johann had exined everything to him, so he knew what to do. Luca nodded, took another look at Gordan''s condition, and then sat down next to Luke. "How many mercenaries?" asked Luca. She was confident that Luke had already checked the ward for any surveince and bugging devices. Since Gale and Gordan felt safe calling her Bianca,'' it was clear there were not any in the ward. Therefore, she did not need to worry. "Eight," answered Luke. "Have they all been dealt with?" Luca asked again, thinking about what Gordan had mentioned yesterday. Each cenary cost at least a million US dors, totaling at least eight million US dors. They had spent at least eight million US dors to rescue Matysh. To ensure Matysh''s safety, they had indeed spent arge sum of money. Still, what could it change after spending such arge sum of money? They still failed. Gordan was injured as well. Suddenly, Luca thought of Vivian. In the past, if Gordan had been injured, Vivian would have been very concerned, perhaps even staying by his side day and night to take care of him. Now... Their rtionship had already ended, and Luca had no intention of notifying Vivian. After all, they were no longer involved with each other. Even though Luca did not know how Vivian would react when she heard about Gordan''s injury, given how much she wanted to avoid Gordan back then, she probably would not do anything now either. Luca pondered for a moment and then sat with Luke. Luke was busy handlingpany matters since they were quite important. Hence, he had to stay in the hospital ward to work. "Some are alive and under police control," replied Gale. Luca lowered her voice and said, ''You guys haven''t had lunch yet, right? I bought lunch. Eat up." "It''s okay. We''re not hungry." Rain shook her head. "Have some even if you''re not hungry. Considering what happened this morning, eat up. I don''t know your preferences, so I bought grilled cheese sandwiches for everyone," Luca said firmly, pushing the boxed lunches into their hands one by one.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Finally, she handed thest one to Luke. "Eat first. You can continueter." "Okay." Luke nodded. The three of them sat on the couch and chairs, eating their lunch. Before they finished their lunch, the nurse, Sunny, came in to change Gordan''s saline solution. When she saw them having lunch, she asked," You''re having lunch?" ''Yeah, we are," replied Rain. Sunny nced at Luke a couple of times, onlying back to her m senses when she noticed Luke passing some french fries to Luca. The two behaved and interacted intimately. She hung the saline solution and reminded them, "Once this bag is finished, ring the bell to call US to change it." "Alright, we''ll pay attention," replied Gale. Sunny shot another nce at Luke again. He was now putting some lettuce from his lunchbox into Luca''s. Luca could not eat much, so she put some lettuce back into his lunchbox. Their interactions were getting even more intimate. Sunny left with sadness in her eyes. Gale cleared his throat and teased, "Boss, you''ve broken another woman''s heart." Luke ignored him. Luca was curious. "Which woman?" ''That nurse just now. She couldn''t take her eyes off him when she came in earlier. When she saw the intimate interaction between you and Boss between a just now, she..." Gale put down his lunchbox and made a dramatic gesture of a breaking heart. "She was heartbroken." Luca shook her head helplessly. Luke did not respond to Gale''s exaggerated performance. "Don''t you guys believe me?" Gale, seeing no response from Luke and Luca, hurriedly added, "I look pretty good, right? Just like Gordan?" As he spoke, he pointed at Gordan, who was lying on the hospital bed. The atmosphere in the ward rxed a lot after everyone knew that Gordan was not seriously injured, and they were not as nervous anymore. Luca nodded. Luke coughed discontentedly when he heard her agreeing that another man looked good. "But Luke is the most handsome," Luca quickly added with a smile on her face. Your standards are different from those of the world. Other women om would give more than a few nces at US, but that nurse, Sunny, only had eyes on the boss. Do you think she''s interested in him?" Chapter 3204 Chapter 3204 Be A Wanted Criminal In A City "Really? I didn''t notice." Luca gave a faint smile. She did not pay much attention to these matters. She had confidence in Luke. Other women might be interested in him, but he showed no interest in them. Even when Luke was suspected of ''cheating'', it turned out his supposed affair was with his wife. Did that still count as cheating? At least in others'' eyes, it did. However, in her heart, Luca did not consider Luke''s actions as such. Her true identity was Bianca, and Bianca was her. Luke had always chosen only her. Moreover, he chose her knowing her true identity. Luca had seen the DNA test report the kids had secretly conducted. It was quite early on, before she and Luke had gotten together. It was after seeing this report that Luke gradually began showing unusual behavior toward her. "Rain, have you noticed?" Gale looked at Rain. Rain nodded without hesitation. "Yes, that woman does indeed have some interest in Boss, but he has never responded to her, not even with a nce." "That''s because Boss has someone in his heart. Have you ever seen him be kind to anyone besides Bianca?" teased Gale, even bringing up Luke and Luca. "You''ve got quite the nerve, teasing Boss and Bianca like that." Rain slightly furrowed her brows. If Gale wanted to get punched or yelled at, he should not drag her into it, right? "Heh". Gale realized his audacity. Normally, he would not dare to do so, but he got carried away today. He had no choice but to exin, "Isn''t the atmosphere in the ward dull? I just wanted to lighten it up a bit." "Be careful. Boss might want to lighten it up too, by punching you," Rain whispered in his ears. Gale froze. He could not help but sit up straight. It was not that Gale was afraid Luke would punch him. Luke''s mind was focused on business. Even though he was good at fighting, it did not necessarily mean he could beat him in a fight. However, even if he could not physically dominate, there were other ways to torment him! Gale remembered Luke''s methods of torture and could not help but shudder. He could make him do difficult, thankless tasks... Just thinking about it made Gale shake his head vigorously. No way, this could not happen. The moment he shook his head, he nced at Luca, hoping she could rescue him. He had just been talking casually, seeking a quick exchange of words. He did not really intend to tease them... However, Luca was looking at Gordan, who was on the hospital bed, lost in thought. Gale felt despair. While he thought about how to change the topic of conversation, Luca finally spoke up.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "Did Dr. Park say anything else after he finished Mr. Norton''s surgery?" asked Luca. "Yes, yes!" Gale quickly answered, relieved that the conversation was back on Gordan. "Dr. Park said Gordan will need rehabilitation therapy, so he might need your help." "Huh?" Luca nced at him curiously. "What do you mean? What can I do?" "Dry needling," replied Luke. Luca suddenly realized what kind of help Johann needed and nodded." Yeah, sure." If she could help, she would definitely do it. Luca even nned that once Gordan could eat normally again, she would prepare soup every morning and have Aunt Nelle deliver it to the hospital. Even though it was a bit of trouble, it was the least she could do. Besides, Gordan was picky, and the hospital food probably would not suit his taste. Perhaps she could even get Aunt Neile to help with lunch. With that in mind, Luca came up with a n. "Hmm..." Gordan, who was on the hospital bed, suddenly made a sound. Gale instinctively walked to the bedside and asked, ''What''s the matter? Is your hand hurting?" Gordan slightly narrowed his eyes. If he had not been injured, he would not have known that Gale had this side to him. Gordan shook his head but felt a bit dizzy again. He could not help but secretly me Johann. Could they not just have anesthetized his arm? It was all Johann''s fault. He knew how badly he reacted to general anesthesia, which was why he insisted on local anesthesia. However, no matter what Gordan said, Johann insisted on full anesthesia. Now, he felt all woozy, with a sense of hopelessness spreading through his mind. It did not feel good. Gordan looked at Gale and said, "I''d like to smoke." "Ugh, at a time like this, you''re still thinking about smoking? I''ve told you, you have to lie still for eight hours. Even if you could smoke now, how would you do it lying here? Just stay put," replied Gale. He picked up a cotton swab dipped in water, about to dab it on Gordan''s lips. Gordan turned his head away. "Don''t move." Gale, whocked experience in caregiving, was still patient with Gordan. "Your lips are chapped. You need some water." "I don''t want a man to wait on me," replied Gordan, still feeling a bit woozy but utterly disgusted. Gale let out a frustrated grunt, wishing he could throw a punch at him. However, the beeping monitors around reminded him that the person in front of him was a patient who was only injured because of him. Hence, he could not lose his temper. He could not lose his temper! Gale said, "There are no chicks om around, just me. Gordan, don''t be dumb. I''m not your servant boy. It''s I''m servantboy. my first time ying caretaker, so if you don''t behave, don''t me me for keeping you here longer." The Gordan was not intimidated by his threats. If Gale were that kind of person, Luke would not keep him around. When Gale saw Gordan still acting this way, he lost his temper and walked over to the other side, forcibly dabbing some water on his lips. "Give me some water." The moment the water touched his lips, Gordan immediately felt thirsty. "No, no water or food for eight hours." Gale knew he wanted some water, so he applied a bit more to his lips. Gordan looked at the man in front of him who kept nagging at him. He rolled his eyes and said, "I don''t need your care. Get me a caretaker." "A caretaker?" Gale set the water cup down. "Don''t mess around. With your injury, a caretaker won''t do. If they''re a smart and catch wind of something they shouldn''t, you''ll be in hot waters. "It might not screw you over. Are you sure you don''t want to continue to stay in A City?" Gale''s words were a reminder. If Gordan insisted on having a caretaker, that would be fine. om However, if the caretaker found out it was a gunshot wound, she might connect it to today''s events and inform the police. He had participated in this affair without making his identity known. That was why he was allowed to discreetly fire a gun. However, the police prohibited anyone other than themselves from firing. If the caretaker reported it, they woulde and arrest Gordan. He would be a wanted criminal in A City. If that happened, he would not be able to return to A City without changing his appearance. Gordan was content with his current looks and had no desire to alter his appearance or resort to using disguises. Chapter 3205 Chapter 3205 Their Boss Has A Way Of Attracting Admirers Gordan gave Gale an international gesture and then closed his eyes. Gale felt helpless. If it were not for all the things Gordan had done for him, he would not be willing to take care of him! At the thought of this, Gale let out a cold snort, put down the cup of water, walked over to the couch, and sat down. Then, he said, "You''re such a handful. Only I can deal with you! Any caretakers we hired would totally freak out." Gordan remained silent. Luca felt exasperated as she listened to them.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "Gordan, get some good rest," said Luke as he put away his phone and walked to the bedside. "Boss, I''m fine," replied Gordan. He felt frustrated. How long had he been lying here? He had lost all sense of time. "Boss, if you have things to do, go ahead. Gale won''t let me die here," added Gordan. "Yeah, there''s still some work at thepany. Luca and I will head back first. When you start physical therapy, Luca will help you. Don''t worry, you''ll recover just like before. Also, some money has been transferred to your bank ount, but it wasn''t from me," exined Luke. Gordan was surprised. "You know I was just joking." "I know." Luke nodded, understanding that Gordan''s mention of money was in jest. However, the money was not from him. "It was from Marcos." When Marcos learned that Gordan had been shot, he insisted on transferring the money to him and asked Luke for his bank ount details. Luke did not have the authority to refuse on Gordan''s behalf, so he gave Marcos the ount information. Marcos then transferred the money to Gordan. When Gordan heard that it was Marcos who sent the money, he understood what it meant. The person who most wanted Matysh in jail was not Luke but Marcos. Gordan got shot this time, but he also thwarted Ethan and Matysh''s escape n. Marcos was grateful to him. "Where''s my phone?" asked Gordan. After the anesthesia wore off, he did not feel like doing anything, not even looking at his phone. If it were not for Luke mentioning it, he would not have bothered looking for his phone and would have just closed his eyes to alleviate the symptoms of the anesthesia. Luke handed Gordan the phone that was ced on the bedside table. "Thanks," said Gordan as he took the phone. He felt dizzy and a bit nauseous after slightly turning his head. He held the phone and closed his eyes. It took a while for him to recover. Then, he opened the app to check his ount bnce. Marcos was generous. He transferred two million dors to him. Gordanmented, "He''s quite generous." "How much did he transfer?" Gale asked curiously. Luke looked at him and Rain, saying, "You guys scored some too." "No way. Us?" Gale did not believe it and checked his own ount. "Wow, two million dors." The amount was not significant for Gale and Rain. They had more in their ounts working with Luke, still, they were surprised by Marcos'' generosity. Luke exined, "Marcos said everyone helped him a lot recently. He had nothing else to repay with but money, so just ept it." Gordan ced the phone by his pillow. The ring light from the screen made him feel dizzy. Luca noticed his difort and asked in a soft voice, "Mr. Norton, you must be sensitive to the anesthesia. Are you feeling dizzy?" "Yes," answered Gordan. This was precisely why he hated general anesthesia. His previous experiences had taught him that it always left him feeling dizzy and ufortable all day. Luca turned to Luke and said to him, "Please get two lemons and ce them by his pillow. It should help." "I''ll go." Rain heard Luca and stood up, volunteered to take on the task. Rain left the ward to buy lemons for Gordan. Meanwhile, Luca took a set of dry needling needles from her bag. She had developed the habit of carrying these needles whenever she went out. They were crucial for her safety given that Abel could make a move at any time. Luke and Gale watched her closely. "I''m going to needle Mr. Norton. It''ll help alleviate his symptoms," exined Luca. "Okay," replied Luke, stepping back to let her work. Since the needles were new, Luca quickly wiped them with an alcohol swab and began the dry needling. Gordan kept his eyes closed and made no sound as she swiftly inserted the needles. Luca did it swiftly and deftly, sticking in a few needles. As Luca inserted each needle, Gordan felt much better. She inserted some needles in his arms and others in his face. When she inserted thest needle, Gordan suddenly said, ''The pain from the wound has eased up a lot." "Yes, the points I''ve inserted have pain-relieving effects." Luca nodded. Even though Gordan could endure the pain, it would be better to minimize his suffering. As soon as Luca finished her sentence, Sunny entered the ward. Sunny noticed that everyone was gathering around the bed, she could not help but ask, "Why are you all standing around the bed? Is the patient feeling unwell?" "No," Gale replied on Gordan''s behalf. In fact, Gordan seemed to be feeling much better. ''Then why are you...?" Sunny walked over to the bed and was surprised to see needles in Gordan''s face and arms. "What have you done to the patient?" After Sunny said that, she noticed the needles in Luca''s hand. She was sure that Luca was the one who inserted the needles She furrowed her brows and demanded, "What are you doing to the patient? His priority should be recovery, not dry needling! Are you even a doctor?" Sunny recognized the needles as those used for dry needling. However, this was a hospital, and Luca was not a hospital doctor. How could she administer those needles? Luca frowned when she sensed the aggressiveness in Sunny''s tone. "I asked for it," replied Gordan. Sunny was startled for a moment. ''The doctor didn''t prescribe dry needling. How can you let someone randomly needle you? What if she damages a nerve?" "I know my own body," replied Gordan. He was feeling much better, so he opened his eyes and looked at Sunny. Judging from the look on her face, om Gordan, who was experienced, quickly understood that the issue was not Luca performing dry needling but the fact that she was Luke''s woman. Indeed, Gale was right. Their boss had a way of attracting admirers wherever he went. Even though he never intended it, that was just how it was. The young nurse was upset because of Luke''s close rtionship with Luca. Gordan nced at the expression on Sunny''s face. He could not help but secretly let out a sigh. She seemed quite upset about it. Gordan was puzzled. Were all women like this? They often felt wronged and acted as though they were betrayed over minor issues. Who were they putting on this show for? Sunny did not expect Gordan to speak up like this and felt even more upset. "You just had surgery. You should follow the doctor''s instructions." "I feel great, and my sister-inw''s medical skills are unmatched by even your hospital''s naturopathy chief. I''m e grateful for her needlework, and I''m the one getting poked! So, why the fuss?" Gordan felt better, and his tone grew stronger. Chapter 3206 Chapter 3206 There Isn''t A Man Who Wouldn''t Like A Woman Like That Sunny felt a pang of hurt as she heard Gordan addressing Luca as his sister-inw. She also remembered Gale and the others referring to Luke as'' Boss''just moments ago. Her eyes reddened as she turned toward Luke. However, he did not even nce at her,pletely ignoring her grievances. Sunny suppressed the urge to cry. She knew as a nurse there were things she could not say and people she could not mess with. All she could say was, "I''m saying this for your own good. Besides, I don''t know about thisdy''s ability. You''ve just had surgery and are still under anesthesia. It really isn''t appropriate to perform dry needling on you at this time." "I''m sorry," Luca heard her and said indifferently to the nurse before removing the needles. Gordan was puzzled. "Huh?" "It''s already been five minutes. That''s enough," replied Luca. She did not remove the needles because of Sunny''s words but because the allotted time was up. Initially, Sunny''s expression had softened slightly at Luca''s apology and action of removing the needles. It turned out she had some awareness. However, she now realized Luca had not done it because of her words but simply because time was up. Her expression turned grim. She felt the urge to explode in anger but was holding back. She had not forgotten that she was a nurse who was still on duty. Moreover, she was in front of Luke. She had to restrain her temper and maintain her image. "You''re amazing! A few needles and he looks so much better." Gale stood by, enjoying the spectacle. He was unbothered and openlyplimented Luca.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Sunny nced at Gordan. Indeed, his spirit andplexion had improved significantly. She wanted to deny Luca''s dry needling skills. Thus, she said, "Patients tend to gradually recover their spirit after general anesthesia." Gale understood the implication behind Sunny''s words and nodded. "Oh, you said it and it happened. I mean, I saw Gordan looking half-dead a minute ago, and now, he''s all perked up. That''s seriously some crazy stuff!" Feeling embarrassed, Sunny bit her lip. She felt that she could not bear this anymore and announced, "I came to check on the patient. He seems fine now, but he still needs to lie t for eight hours. Don''t be careless." Then, she was about to leave. Gale stopped her. "Wait." "Yes?" Sunny halted reluctantly. She had already endured enough humiliation here. Was he going to embarrass her further? She did not want to lose her dignity in front of Luke or Luca. Sunny was a nurse, and her medical knowledge was not as extensive as a doctor''s. This woman in front of her might not be a doctor, but she seemed more knowledgeable in medicine than her. Sunny nced at Luca''s face again. Her features were delicate with a hint of feminine allure despite not wearing any makeup. Luca was dressed professionally. Even though Sunny could not tell what Luca''s profession was, she looked sharp in her professional attire. One could tell she had a great figure. There was not a man who would not like a woman like that. Sunny felt even more disheartened. Earlier, she had been proud of herself as a nurse was a profession many men admired. It was a respectable job, and it was a solid career choice. Moreover, she had connections with the hospital director. Given enough years of service, she could certainly be head nurse or even department head. In short, her career started on a higher note than many others. However, these advantages of hers did not seem advantageous at allpared to Luca. They were even embarrassing. What could she use topete with Luca? Luca seemed to know everything better than her. That exined why an outstanding man like Luke kept his gaze fixed on her Gale was not aware of Sunny''s rapid thoughts in those few seconds. He pointed at the saline solution and said, "At least change the saline solution before you leave. Running around like this disturbs the patient''s rest." Gale did not know if other nurses rushed around as much after their patients'' surgeries, but Sunny had made several trips to the ward. However, when Gale realized that Sunny''s mind was not on the saline solution, he immediately understood. Sunny nced at the saline bag and indeed, the one currently being administered was almost empty. She pursed her lips in grievance, walked to the bedside, and changed the saline solution. "Please call me when this bag is finished." After that, she pressed her lips together, turned around without looking back, and left. Gale clicked his tongue while looking at Luke. There was a hint of excitement flickering in his eyes. He wondered how Luca would evaluate this situation. Luca merely nced at Luke and said, "Indeed, he''s attracting admirers." "I''m not." Luke knew Luca was referring to him and felt unjust. After all, he had not even registered the nurse''s appearance. Ever since the hospital director brought that nurse in, he had not spared her a single nce. Gordan seemed more energetic now. He added, "Boss, seriously, you do attract a lot of attention. I was trying to get some good sleep, but look at how many times this nurse has been in here. "She says she''s checking on my condition, but she''s just checking in on you. It''s getting annoying, man. I can''t sleep. And did you notice? When the director brought her in, she wasn''t wearing any perfume. The next time she shows up, bam, it''s perfume city. "I just don''t get why anyone would like that stinky scent. It''s killing me." Listening to Gordan''sints, Luca''s lips twitched. Was it really that exaggerated? It really seemed like Luke was attracting attention. Plus, it was not just one admirer. There were probably others too. As Luca thought about it, another smile crept onto her lips. Luke noticed her smile and wore a helpless expression. Gordan continued, "Alright, Boss. I''m feeling much better now. You should go back with Dr. Craw. Get busy. Gale will let you know if anything happens." Luke nodded and turned to look at Luca. "Are you heading back to thepany?" "No, I asked Mr. Link to arrange for me to take the afternoon off. I''ll I''ll go straight home" replied Duca. Since she had already taken leave, she could use the time to do some research at home. "Alright, let me take you home first," suggested Luke, taking Luca''s hand and leaving. After they left the ward, Rain happened to return and ran into them. "Boss, Bianca, are you heading back?" asked Rain with a bag in her hand. "Yes." Luke nodded. Luca nced at the bag, which was transparent and contained lemons. Then, she said, "Please look for an bamboo skewer or a disposable forkter, insert them into the lemons, and ce them next to Mr. Norton''s bed. This way, the lemon fragrance will continue to diffuse. If it fades, just move them to another spot." Some people were sensitive to anesthesia, and they usually found the scent of lemon helpful in alleviating dizziness and nausea. That was why she requested lemons. "Okay, got it, Dr. Craw." Rain nodded and entered the ward. Luca and Luke left, passing by the nurse''s station. Sunny''s sense of grievance had not subsided. Seeing Luke walking alongside Luca only deepened her frustration. Chapter 3207 Chapter 3207 Why Would She Choose To Be Someone Else''s Mistress? Even though they were not holding hands or as intimate as they were in the hospital ward, they were standing side by side. It was clear their rtionship was far from ordinary. Sunny could not help but wonder why someone as outstanding as Luca chose to be someone else''s mistress? Yet she forgot that she herself also entertained such fantasies. Sunny felt aggrieved. She did not realize how hypocritical she was being by looking down on Luca. She even had some exaggerated fantasies about what would happen if she had Luke''s contact information. However, it was just a fantasy. Sunny knew Luke''s identity and was aware of the gossip between Luca and Luke, which had even been confirmed as true. Still, what could she do about it? Could she break them up by exposing them to the press? If it were that simple, they would have split thest time. Watching the two of them enter the elevator side by side, Sunny bit her lip until the flesh turned white. She knew falling for a man at first sight was not reliable, but she had long understood the type of person Luke was. Her family even had an album dedicated to collecting various photos of Luke from magazines and newspapers. She never imagined she would one day encounter this man in real life, and at such close proximity. Fate had given her this opportunity but had also left her adoring heart utterly empty. "Sunny, what''s wrong with you? You''ve bitten your lip till it''s gone white." Another nurse who saw her in this state could not help but worry. "Are you feeling unwell? Should I arrange for you to see a doctor?" They all knew about Sunny''s rtionship with the hospital director, so everyone cared deeply for her. They hoped to build a good rtionship with her in hopes that she would put in a good word for them with the director. "I''m fine." Sunny withdrew her gaze and stopped biting her lip, but her demeanor now showed her distraught state. "You don''t look fine. Why don''t you go see a doctor?" The nurse was concerned, wondering what could have caused Sunny''s expression to change so drastically. Was it a breakup? It did not seem like it. Sunny seemed fine before, even glowing with happiness as though she had good news to share. How could she suddenly be heartbroken? They had not heard that Sunny was dating anyone. She always said she was single and not looking to date. What was going on? "I said I''m fine! I don''t need to see a doctor!" Sunny could not help but let out a yell. The nurse was taken aback by her outburst, wondering if this was still the same person who used to be so easygoing. Sunny had changed a lot... The nurse did not say anything else. She picked up a syringe nearby and said, "As long as you''re okay. I''ll hang the drip for the patient." Then, she quickly left. Sunny realized she had lost control of herself, but she did not want to exin why she had suddenly lost her temper. Moreover, she could not be bothered to exin. Luca and Luke were unaware of what happened at the nurses'' station. Luca noticed Sunny was watching them as they left. However, even though Sunny was watching them, Luca did not unt her rtionship with Luke arrogantly. She remained calm andposed, not even giving Sunny a second nce. After all, Luke liked her and had always liked her. There was no need for her to show off to Sunny or any other women. There were plenty of women who liked Luke. If she were to unt in front of each of them, would that not be exhausting? Luca did not want to burden herself with such troubles and annoyances because she trusted Luke. The two arrived at the parking lot downstairs. Luke said, "I''ll take you home first." Luca shook her head, pointed in a specific direction, and replied, "Warren has been waiting here. You don''t need to send me back home. Let Warren do it. You should hurry back to thepany and handle your matters." She knew how busy Luke''s work was, so she did not expect him to insist on driving her. The time spent driving her could be used by Luke to handle some documents. "Alright." Luke escorted her toward where Warren had parked. Luca asked again, "Will you be home for dinner tonight?" "Yes," answered Luke. Although he had not been at thepany, Jason had handled a lot of work for him, so he could go home for dinner. The hospital parking lot wasrge. It took them five minutes to reach where Warren had parked. Luca decided to mention, "By the way, I n to start having Aunt Neile deliver lunch and soup to Mr. Norton from tomorrow onward. I''ll prepare the soup in the morning." "It''s up to you." Luke had no objections. Having Aunt Nelle deliver the meals instead of doing it herself would prevent any jealousy on Luke''s part. Besides, since soup was simple to make and Aunt Nelle was the one preparing Gordan''s lunch, Luke would not feel jealous. He also knew that Gordan was picky about food, even more so than himself. Therefore, having Aunt Nelle prepare lunch was also good for his health. It would be better for Gordan to eat well. Also, Gale was only in charge of taking care of Gordan tonight. After Gordan could get out of bed tomorrow, Gale would not stay in the hospital. If Aunt Neile did not deliver meals to Gordan, he could only eat in the hospital canteen. "Yeah, I''m just informing you about it. After all, Mr. Norton was injured and hospitalized because of me..." replied Luca. Luke shook his head. Luca did not know what his head shake meant. Luke exined, "Luca, don''t shoulder this matter entirely on yourself. Although he got injured while doing something for me, he was also working under Marcos." ''That''s why Marcospensated him with two million dors." Luca nodded, naturally understanding this point. Then, she continued, "I can''t afford that kind ofpensation, so all h can do is provide him with physical therapy and prepare some medicinal soups to help his wounds and tissues heal faster." "Okay, just do what you can. Don''t burden yourself with too much guilt," added Luke. "I know. Don''t worry. I''ll do what I canOriginal content from N?velDrama.Org. without making things too difficult for myself. I''ll just have Aunt Nelle! buy more ingredients for the herbal soups and prepare some medicinal herbs. Most of the work will be done by Aunt Neile," exined Luca as they arrived at Warren''s parking spot. Warren had spotted them from afar and promptly got out of the car when they approached. He respectfully greeted them, "Good afternoon, Boss. Good afternoon, Ms. Craw." Take Ms. Craw home," instructed Luke. "Yes, sir." Warren nodded and opened the rear door. After Luca got into the car, he closed the door and looked at Luke. "Boss, do you need a ride?" "No, my car is over there. After you drop her off, you can call it a day," replied Luke. He nced at Luca, who was in the car, before walking toward where he had parked. Warren nodded, got into the driver''s seat, and drove away. Luke drove the car away and left without paying any mind to what was happening upstairs. He did not even give Sunny a second thought. Sunny continued to work absentmindedly, even making a mistake when dispensing medication. Fortunately, the patients in the ward knew about here with the hospital director, so even if she made amistake, it was noticed promptly and nothing was said about it. Chapter 3208 It Seems Like You Still Care About Her However, after Sunny realized her mistake, she could not help but feel remorseful. She believed it was all because of Luca that she had been affected. If it were not for Luca, she would not have made such a mistake. With these thoughts in mind, Sunny entered Gordan''s ward. When Gale saw here in again, he eximed in surprise, "Nurse, my boss has already left. Is there something you need?" "What?" Sunny nced around the ward, only then realizing that the person Gale was referring to was not the person lying in the bed but that man. Yes, she recalled their conversation a moment ago. They all referred to Luke as ''Boss''... Although such a title was quite crude, even a bit vulgar, she did not feelfortable saying anything about it. After realizing what he meant, Sunny replied, "You must have misunderstood. I''m here to deliver medication."Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Then, she walked to the bedside and asked, "Your name." "Gordan Norton," Gordan closed his eyes and replied in a cold voice. "Please show me your wristband." Then, Sunny was about to pick up Gordan''s hand. As soon as her fingertips touched Gordan''s, he immediately pulled away. "Huh?" Sunny was puzzled. "I don''t like others touching me," Gordan said coldly. He raised his hand to show her the name on the wristband. Sunny was stunned for a moment and then awkwardly apologized, "I''m sorry." "The nurse just wants to confirm your name. Why such a big reaction?" Gale deliberately stepped forward to stir things up. It was not that he was intentionally targeting Sunny, but he did not have a good impression of this nurse either. A nurse should focus on her duties. Sunny always came here just for Luke. Gordan had just finished surgery! If Sunny had even half a mind to check on Gordan, he would not be so resentful toward her. If it were not for the director vouching for this nurse, saying she was his rtive and absolutely trustworthy with patient privacy, he would definitely have opted to switch nurses. "She has a strong smell..." Gordan was not bothered about Sunny''s reaction. Sunny''s face turned pale when she heard what Gordan said. She wondered why she would have a strong smell. She bathed every day. If there was any smell, it had to be from the disinfectant... While she was still puzzled about the smell on her body, Gale''s words reminded her. "It''s just perfume. Don''t you usually smell that all the time? What''s with the act here? She just identally sprayed a bit too much...." On the surface, Gale was criticizing Gordan, but in reality, he was pointing out that Sunny''s perfume was too strong. Sunny''s face turned even paler as she suddenly remembered she had sprayed perfume because of Luke. However, she did not think she had sprayed too much. Gordan did not even look at Sunny. He red at Gale. "You don''t know anything. If perfume mixes with disinfectant, do you know what that smells like? It''s just so overpowering!" Sunny could not keep her smile anymore. She put down Gordan''s medicine and said, "I''m sorry. I wasn''t paying attention." "Don''t touch me except for when you need to inject me," Gordan said sternly. Sunny smiled awkwardly and nodded. She could not help wondering if thebination of perfume and disinfectant really smelled that bad. Gordan seemed utterly repulsed by it. She had sprayed perfume in the hospital before, but no one had ever mentioned it. Sunny nced at the lemons by the bedside. Then, she smiled and said, "If you''re feeling off, just sniff some lemon. A lot of patients do that after surgery when they''re not feeling right. The lemon scent can calm your body and mind a bit." "That''s right. This method was suggested by Boss'' woman," Gale mentioned Luca. Sunny''s state of mind was thrown into turmoil by their conversation, but she could only manage to keep a strained smile on her face. "If you need anything, just press the button. I''ll get back to work now. Also, tonight''s shift is covered by head nurse, and we''ll take turns caring for you afterward, Mr. Norton. Please rest assured that we won''t disclose your condition to anyone." It was the head nurse''s day off today, which was why Sunny was on duty. The director emphasized the need to keep the patient''s identity and condition confidential. That was why the nurses alternated between day and night shifts. Sunny and the head nurse had dealt with such situations before, so they were ustomed to it. Both Gordan and Gale remained silent at that moment. Sunny did not want to hear any more about Luca from them, so she turned around and left. After Sunny left, Gale said to Gordan, who was on the bed, "Didn''t expect you to be so cooperative." "Can a woman like her even match Luke?" A hint of mockery shed across Gordan''s eyes. He could smell the lingering scent of Sunny''s perfume in the ward and said, "Open the window. It stinks." "Why don''t you find perfume stinky when you''re surrounded by women?" Gale did not move. He could tolerate the scent. "There''s no disinfectant smell on those women," retorted Gordan. Gale shook his head. "If we open the window, won''t it get too hot with the air conditioning on?¡± "It''s better to be hot than suffocated. Open it for five minutes, and we''ll close itter," Gordan insisted. Gale had no choice but to open the window. The hot breeze blew in, causing him to furrow his brows. "Summer in A City is really hot. It must be around 30 degrees out there." "You can''t stand the heat?" Gordan looked genuinely surprised. "Not exactly... Gale shook his head. "Even though it''s been several years since I came to A City, my previous living environment... You know, it wasn''t hot at all. So after all these years, I still find the summero temperatures here ufortable." Gordan knew the geographical coordinates of the Ind of Despair. Summers there were like spring or autumn, never too hot. They did not even need air conditioning. "Oh, by the way..." Gale paused for a moment, hesitating whether to continue. "If you have something to say, just say it," Gordan said with his eyes closed, feeling much better after Luca''s dry needling treatment. "You told me to spit it out-" Gale started. "In that case, don''t say it," Gordan interrupted, picking up the lemon beside him and taking a sniff. The refreshing scent cleared his head, preventing him from feeling too dizzy. If it were not for Johann''s request for him to lie down for eight hours, he might have wanted to get up now. "You told me to say it. How can I not?" Gale quickly continued, "Should we inform Vivian about your injury?" "What for?" Gordan''s tone waszy, but just mentioning that name made him recall their conversation at the entrance of the residential area a few days ago. That conversation had angered him enough to spend a whole night boxing. If he had had real sparring partners, he would have knocked down several. "Do we really not need to inform her? Although you''re divorced, it seems like you still care about her," said Gale. Even though Gale had never been in a rtionship himself, he was not clueless about such matters. He could sense the strange tension between Gordan and Vivian during the barbecue at Luke''s house that night. Chapter 3209 This Man Looks Like Trouble "What made you think that?" Gordan asked bluntly. He cared about Vivian? Unless Vivian turned into an absolute beauty one day, he would never care about her. She was just an ugly woman. He was waiting for her at the neighborhood gate only because of the years they had known each other, nothing more. "Really? Are you sure?" Gale raised an eyebrow, not easily fooled by his words. "I''m telling you, women are soft-hearted. If she finds out you''re injured, she''ll feel sorry for you. By then, won''t it be easy for you guys to get back together or whatever it is that you want?" "Who told you I want to get back together with her?" Gordan frowned, almost wanting to throw the lemon in his hand. "Tsk, it seems that pretending not to care isn''t just a woman''s trait. Men are the same." "Gale..." warned Gordan. Gale shook his head and asked, "Are you going to deny that the woman you mentioned while drinking alone that day wasn''t Vivian?" Gordan was stunned for a moment as he recalled what happened that day. He was drunk but still rational. He should not have mentioned Vivian. "You''re thinking about it, which means I''m right," added Gale with a knowing expression on his face. "Even though you didn''t say it that day, you were acting like someone who got dumped. Gordan, you might fool others, but you can''t fool me or Rain," said Gale. He remembered what Rain had said after their barbecue that day. Gordan probably cared about Vivian. His behavior was too unusual. He could have any woman he wanted, but ever since divorcing Vivian, he had not had a single woman around him. He had be uninterested in them. For a man to change like this, it was either he had developed a fear of women or he still had feelings for one woman. Take Luke, for example. He had Luca in his heart. Thus, no matter how much other women tried to flirt or dress seductively around him, they could not catch his interest at all. Gale believed Rain was right. They both thought Gordan had not gotten over Vivian. Gordan''s constant denial was just him being oblivious or unwilling to face it. Gale was thrilled because he had uncovered a secret Gordan refused to acknowledge. To him, Gordan''s strong denial was just a sign of how hard he was avoiding the truth. It was astonishing to see such a capable man be so clueless about his feelings. Gordan could not be bothered to respond and simply closed his eyes. "Come on. Let''s talk," said Gale. "I''m injured. I need to rest," Gordan replied in a cold voice. His tone was indifferent, but only he knew how chaotic his thoughts were at that moment. "So, you''re really not nning to tell Vivian?" Gale thought this was a perfect opportunity for them to patch things up. Vivian loved Gordan so much even though he had hurt her deeply. She was not the type to stop loving someone just like that. If Gordan seized the opportunity, it might actually work. In that case, was not getting back together just a matter of time? Gordan would not need to drown his sorrows in alcohol anymore. "No thanks," Gordan replied firmly. Gale rubbed his nose and nced at the monitoring equipment beside them. He eximed, "Huh?" Just as Gordan thought Gale was about to persuade him again, he heard him say, "Gordan, your heart rate is really high. What are you nervous about?" "Get lost!" Gordan did not open his eyes and threw the lemon from beside his pillow at Gale. Even though his eyes were closed, he aimed toward the sound, and the lemon flew straight at Gale. Gale was not the type to let himself get hit. He caught the lemon mid-air and said, "What a waste. If this lemon gets ruined, I''m not buying you another one." Gordan ignored him. Gale stopped talking and ced the lemon back beside Gordan''s pillow. Noticing that the air in the ward had cleared, he closed the window and sat down. He pulled out his phone and saw the time. He quickly opened the livestream. Gale looked at Gordan, who was on the hospital bed, and asked, "The court livestream has started. Do you want to watch?" They were all worried about Gordan this morning, so none of them had watched the court livestream. Later they found out that the verdict had not been reached yet and that the trial would continue in the afternoon. They nned to watch it live then. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. After all, they had a stake in it and needed to see it through. "Cast it to the TV," replied Gordan. His wound was aching, and he could not sleep. Even though he was lying t, he could still see the TV in the hospital ward. He wanted to watch it too. "Alright," replied Gale as he cast the image on the phone to the TV. The court''s live proceedings appeared on the TV. Gordan and Gale watched together. Meanwhile, Luke was handling work at T Corporation while listening to the court session. Multitasking was no challenge for him. Many people were following the case, including Sarah. Knowing that Matysh''s case was being heard today, she had been glued to the TV since early morning. Having been in hiding for over 20 years, she was not familiar with modern technology. Fortunately, the maid helped her cast the livestream to the TV. Otherwise, Sarah would not have been able to watch it. The maid brought a te of fruit to the coffee table. As it was not time to cook yet, she sat next to Sarah to watch the livestream with her. The actual trial had not started yet, and the camera was focused on Matysh. The maid said, "This foreigner deserves the death penalty. He''s done so many bad things. If he''s this brazen in A City, imagine how much worse he is in his own country." Sarah nodded. When the camera focused on Matysh, she could not help but clench her fists. What she once felt for Matysh was fear. Now, after so many years, it was mostly anger. She agreed with the maid. How she wished Matysh could be sentenced to death immediately! However, being well-educated, Sarah knew that Matysh''s crimes in A City would not warrant the death penalty. It was likely only a few years in prison, maybe ten at most. Seeing no response from Sarah, the maid continued, "They say a person''s face reflects their heart. This man looks like trouble." Sarah looked at her curiously, "You can tell?" "Yeah, I can tell that this guy is a total pervert. Look at him. He''s been locked up for a while, so his routine should be pretty regr by now. But he still has dark circles under his eyes. Aren''t Russians supposed to have fair skin? "They usually don''t get dark circles this bad, right? His dark circles are intense, and he''s got this crazy look in his eyes. It''s like he''s about to kill someone. It''s seriously creepy." As the maid spoke, goosebumps rose on her arms. Chapter 3210 A Really Terrifying Man "Yes, he''s really a terrifying man," Sarah agreed with the maid. The maid, curious about Sarah''s reaction, wondered if she knew him. Otherwise, why would she say something like that? As she looked at Sarah''s Russian features and Matysh on TV, the maid could not help but ask, "Ms. Por, do you know him?" "No." Sarah shook her head immediately. "He''s a big shot in the business world. How could someone like me possibly know him?" As she said that, she did not notice the anger in her own voice. At the same time, Sarah looked down at her hands. While her family was not as wealthy as Matysh''s, they werefortably well-off. Her parents always spoiled her and never made her do housework. Hence, when she married Marcos'' father, her hands remained soft and delicate-not any different from those of the daughters of wealthy families. In the end, the love she pursued destroyed her. As she looked at her hands now, she wondered how could a man like Matysh ever know someone like her. The maid sensed Sarah''s emotions and did not say anything more, turning her attention back to the TV screen. The interrogation was starting. As Sarah listened to Matysh''swyer defending him, a cold smile appeared on her lips. Even at this point, Matysh still nned on pleading not guilty. However, was he really innocent? He had so many charges against him. Sarah rummaged around for something nearby. "What are you looking for, Ms. Por?" asked the maid. "My phone. Where''s my phone?" replied Sarah. "It''s charging. I''ll get it for you," said the maid. She was used to Sarah''s forgetfulness by now. Having undergone multiple brain surgeries to survive, it was understandable that there would be some lingering effects. For instance, Sarah''s memory was now quite poor. She would often forget small details. Like leaving home without her wallet and keys, or miscing something and struggling to remember where she put it. The maid handed her the fully charged phone. Sarah shook her head with a sigh. "Ever since I got sick, my memory''s just been getting worse every day." "It''ll slowly get better, but you need to do some memory exercises," the maid reminded her. She had apanied Sarah to follow-up visits at the hospital where doctors advised memory training for recovery. However, Sarah never followed through with the rmended exercises. The maid had no choice. After all, she was just the maid, not a family member. If Sarah was unwilling to do the exercises, could she really force her? The answer was clearly no. Hence, the maid could only remind Sarah as best she could and keep track of where Sarah ced her things. "People say it helps, but it really doesn''t." Sarah shook her head. "If memory exercises worked, fewer people would be forgetful." She knew that herst illness had damaged some brain nerves, leading to her worsening memory. Sarah watched Matysh''s every move on the TV screen, her eyes fixed on the live broadcast. She could still remember the things Matysh had done and how the Abaza family had covered for him. Still, how much longer could they continue doing this? §× Sarah clutched her phone tightly and pondered quietly for a few minutes before sending a text to Luke: [Mr. Crawford, there''s something need to tell you. When are you avable?] Some things needed to be said.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. She did not know when she would forget about these things, but someone had to know what Matysh had done and make him pay. Sarah did not expect Luke to help her seek justice. He had no reason to. She just wanted him to pass on what she knew to Marcos. As her phone vibrated, Sarah heard the maid mutter beside her, "Look at that defiant look in his eyes. He acts like the whole world owes him something when he''s the one who messed up... His mindset is O seriously messed up." Chapter 3211 Sentenced To Life In Prison As Sarah listened to the maid, she looked up and nced at the TV screen. The camera was now focused on Matysh. As the maid had mentioned, Matysh looked defiant, with a trace of contempt on his face. Sarah knew that Matysh was not just ssist but also racist. She could even guess what he was thinking. Matysh probably believed that the locals had no right to judge him. He considered himself superior and untouchable. The locals had no authority to put him on trial. Without saying anything, Sarah looked down at her phone. She had received a message from Luke. He said he was busy today but would be avable tomorrow. Sarah replied: [I''lle by your office tomorrow. I have something important that I''d like to hand over to you personally. I''d like you to pass it on to Marcos.] She could not trust anyone else to give it to Luke, so she decided to go herself. Shortly after, Luke replied to her message: [You don''t need toe by. I''ll stop by at noon. Please prepare the documents for Marcos. I''ll personally make sure he gets them.] Sarah: [Okay, thanks.] She also realized it might not be safe for her to visit Luke in person. Given her current situation, safety was a constant concern. That was why she avoided going out whenever possible. She had grown ustomed to hiding over the years, so staying home was not difficult for her. Sarah rose to her feet. The maid looked at her with puzzlement and asked, "Ms. Por, do you need anything? I can get it for you." "I''m going to take a nap," replied Sarah. She needed to lock herself in her bedroom to think about how to organize the information she had gathered over the years for Luke. What Marcos decided to do with it would be up to him. Sarah just hoped that Marcos could break free from his family''s control and pursue what he wanted. "Okay." The maid picked up the remote to turn off the TV. Sarah shook her head and stopped her. "No need to turn it off. Keep watching. This case has the whole country''s attention. I''m curious too. Watch it and let me know the oue when I wake up." She had read online that Matysh''s case would be resolved within a day. It was due to the high public interest. Prolonging it would put pressure on the court. "Sure," replied the maid. Even though she did not understand the legalities, everyone was following this case closely. She found the live coverage fascinating. She wanted to watch closely so that she could discuss it at the market tomorrow. Matysh''s case had caused a huge stir, and everyone was talking about it. Even those who did not understand thew had their opinions. For instance, the maid could tell others at the market that Matysh did not look like a good person based on his expression. Sarah walked into her bedroom. She closed the door, pondered for a moment, and then locked it. Even though the maid was hired by Luke and should be trustworthy, the stakes were too high and the consequences too severe for Sarah to take any chances. She took out her purse from its hiding spot. She kept the purse in the wardrobe''s lining. The purse looked ordinary, but it contained items she had been keeping hidden all these years. These were the very things that the Abaza family had been relentlessly searching for. As Sarah looked at the contents, a flood of emotions washed over her. She had endured so much hardship over the years. Choosing Marcos'' father had brought her only a brief period of happiness, followed by years of struggle she had not anticipated when she chose him. She thought that the Abaza family would not approve of their marriage and that she might have to elope with Marebs'' father. She had even prepared herself for the possibility of being abandoned and raising their child alone. However, she did not expect to be allowed to marry into the family and learn so many of their secrets. They were secrets that could ruin the entire family. The Abaza family wasplicated. Sarah felt that if she had known all that would happen after marrying into the family, she would not have agreed no matter how much she loved Marcos'' father. It was not selfishness. The things hidden beneath the surface of the Abaza family were simply too terrifying. Sarah gathered a few sheets of paper and a pen, intending to write a letter to Marcos. Her hand trembled as she picked up the pen. She had never imagined she would reveal all these secrets one day, not just to Marcos but also to Luke. Marcos was isted within the Abaza family with no one to rely on. Sarah thought that telling Luke was like giving Marcos a powerful ally. Even though Luke was based in A City, he could still exert influence in Russia. His T Corporation was as powerful as M Group. With such thoughts in mind, Sarah began writing down everything she knew. She wrote in great detail, filling ten whole pages. For each point she wrote, there was corresponding evidence in her purse. Nothing was fabricated. It was all backed by solid proof. Writing left her exhausted, but she continued from afternoon until evening. As evening approached, the maid knocked on her bedroom door. "Ms. Por, are you awake?" the maid called from outside. Sarah put away the papers and then replied, "Yes, I''m awake." The maid let out a sigh of relief. Sarah usually napped for just an hour as longer naps disrupted her nighttime sleep. However, she had been in her room for several hours today. The maid was worried that something happened to her. The maid heard Sarah''s voice and said, ¡°Dinner is ready. Would you like to eat now?" "Okay," replied Sarah. She tucked the papers into the purse, ced it back in its hiding spot in the wardrobe, locked it, and then went out to the dining area. The maid had already set the table.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Sarah asked, "Is there a verdict?" The maid paused for a moment. "What do you mean?" "That foreigner, was he sentenced?" Sarah rified. "Yes, he got eight years." The maid nodded. "But my friends think he might appeal. Even if he does, the sentence probably won''t be reduced." "Eight years..." Sarah frowned, finding the sentence too lenient. The maid agreed, "Yes, just eight years. It''s too little. If it were up to me, he''d get at least ten, maybe more. Enough to keep him locked up until he''s an old man who can''t harm other women." Sarah nodded in agreement. Why could they not keep Matysh locked up longer? Until he was an old man... Suddenly, a thought shed across her mind! No, even as an old man, Matysh would not stop preying on other women! Someone like him should be sentenced to life in prison. Chapter 3212 Ultimately Met With Dire Consequences Chapter 3212 Ultimately Met With Dire Consequences Sarah thought, ''Evil people will get their due. Matysh''s crimes in A City aren''t enough for a life sentence, but his crimes in Russia are.'' She would wait for the day Matysh got what he deserved... Night fell. After ensuring the children were asleep, Luca went downstairs to the storage room to search for medicinal herbs. She intended to prepare a remedy for Gordan to elerate the healing of his muscle and nerve injuries. However, the storage room was cluttered, and many herbs required light-sensitive storage, making her search long and tedious. Aunt Neile had organized everything well. If it were Aunt Neile who came to look for the herbs, she would be able to find the herbs quickly. Luca rarely managed the storage room and did not know where the herbs were kept. She had to open each box to check its contents. As Luca was searching, Luke came downstairs after his shower. When he saw rummaging in the storage room, he asked curiously, "What are you looking for?" Luca turned around and replied, "I''m looking for some herbs to prepare the medicine tonight so that Aunt Neile can bring it to Mr. Norton tomorrow." Luke could already picture Gordan''s reaction To him, drinking herbal medicine was torture. "Gordan doesn''t like drinking herbal medicine," Luke reminded her. If Luca mixed the herbs into soup or dishes, Gordan might consume it. Luke had tried such dishes himself. The herbal taste was subtle and even enhanced the food''s vor. Luca paused for a moment and then continued searching. "He may not like it, but he has to take it. I''ll tell Aunt Neile to exin that if he wants to recover quickly and get out of the hospital sooner, he needs to take the medicine." Nobody liked staying in the hospital, so given a choice between taking medicine and a longer hospital stay, Luca believed Gordan would make the right decision. Luke chuckled. Luca heard hisughter. She turned around and asked, "What''s so funny?" "Nothing. I see that you''ve got Gordan figured out," replied Luke, shaking his head. He could already foresee Gordan''s choice between a longer hospital stay or taking herbal medicine. "No one likes staying in the hospital. You can see he has no freedom there," added Luca, especially since Gordan liked smoking and drinking. He could not smoke or drink until he recovered, right? "What do the herbs look like? I''ll help you find them," Luke offered. Luca could not describe them well, so she pointed to a shelf and said, "Help me check each box. If you find any herbs, show them to me." "Sure." Luke helped her search and then suggested, "Maybe we should get you an herb cab. It would make finding the herbs easier." Luca thought it was a good idea but noted that they did not use many herbs at home. "We don''t need an herb cab. We don''t use many herbs. I just need to remind Aunt Neile to store all the herbs in one ce." Luke opened a box containing herbs and asked, "Is this what you''re looking for?" Luca nced at it and took it, "Yes! I finally found it." Luke gathered the other herbs she had found, and they left the storage room together. Realizing he hade downstairs to look for her, Luca said, "I''ll put the herbs in the electric decoction pot first, then I can go upstairs to sleep." "Take your time. No rush," replied Luke as he sat on the living room couch to wait for her. Luca went into the kitchen and found the electric decoction pot she had not used yet. She carefully measured the herbs and ced them into the pot, added water, and set the mode to slowly brew the medicine.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. It would take a few hours, and in the moming, she would reheat it and pour it into a thermos for Aunt Neile to take over. After finishing up, she joined Luke on the couch. Noticing the TV was on, she asked, "What are you watching?" "Just the evening news," replied Luke. It was nearly 11:00 pm, and the evening news was being reyed. Coincidentally, the TV was showing the news about Matysh''s trial. When Luca heard he was sentenced to eight years, she felt indifferent. After all, that was about as much as they could sentence him for his crimes here. Walter had done his best. Luca asked, "So, he''s going to prison?" "He''ll probably appeal," answered Luke, knowing Maytsh would not give up so easily. "An appeal? Isn''t that just giving Ethan another chance?" Luca frowned. If Ethan nned another rescue attempt, it would be a big problem. Gordan was already injured, and there were not many people Luke could rely on. Luke, understanding her worry, reassured her, "Don''t worry, his n won''t seed." Luca sensed that Luke had done something, so she asked, "Why do you say that? Did something happen?" Luke shook his head. "Nothing happened. I just spread the word abroad about the capabilities of the local police. When the news got out that eight mercenaries, each worth two million dors, went to A City and didn''t return, it made hiring mercenaries a lot more expensive for Ethan. "He''ll have to pay at least twice as much now to get anyone. And even then, no one might want to take the job," added Luke. Luca understood what he had done. Luke might think it was nothing, but it had a real impact. He made sure those foreign mercenaries knew the local police were not to be messed with. Advanced weapons or not, the police were not afraid of them. This would make it much harder for Ethan to find mercenaries for his schemes. Ethan would either have to rely on people from the Abaza family or give up. However, even the Abaza family would not take that risk. If it got out that they were involved in Matysh''s escape, the scandal would be huge and difficult to handle. Luke''s n effectively cornered Matysh. Luca chuckled softly, realizing that opposing Luke ultimately met with dire consequences. Matysh was an example, and so was Abel. She could not help but squeeze Luke''s hand tightly. Luke nced at her. He gently rested her head on his shoulder and smiled sweetly. "I need to visit Ms. Por tomorrow at noon," said Luke. Luca was surprised. "Why do you need to go over? Did something happen to Ms. Por?" "No, she has something to give to Marcos, so I need to go. She insists I have to personally hand it to Marcos," exined Luke, "What is it? Why so mysterious?" Luca was even more surprised. She could understand asking Luke to pass something along, but insisting on him personally delivering it meant it had to be something significant. "I haven''t seen what Ms. Por wants to give Marcos yet, but I can guess. Ms. Por has been in hiding for years, afraid of being discovered by the Abaza family. It''s likely because of whatever this is. "It must be something very dangerous for certain people in the Abaza family." Chapter 3213 Its Your Mission That Failed Chapter 3213 It''s Your Mission That Failed Luca recalled what Luke had previously said to Sarah, implying that if she had these things on hand, she should hand them over to Marcos, who would know how to handle it. It turned out such a thing really existed. However, Luca immediately understood. Sarah was just a regr person from an ordinary family. Even if she had ''stained'' the Abaza family, which valued bloodlines, it should not have led to her dodging their pursuit every day. "Maybe Ms. Por saw Matysh''s conviction and became determined to bring it out. Such crucial evidence needs to be taken seriously," said Luca. "Yes, I''ve already used some issues with our M Group coboration as a reason and arranged for Marcos toe over tomorrow afternoon,"Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. replied Luke. After setting a time with Sarah, he did the same with Marcos. Marcos could guess what Sarah wanted to give him, so he readily agreed. He even staged a little drama in front of Ethan, letting him know that he would be going to T Corporation tomorrow afternoon, citing issues with their coboration as the reason. Ethan was already overwhelmed with Matysh''s situation and had no mind to care where Marcos was going. "Okay." Luca nodded. She thought that if this matter was handled well, Sarah would not have to stay in A City all the time but could return to Russia. After all, that was her home. "It''s gettingte. Let''s rest," suggested Luke. "Alright." Luca squeezed Luke''s hand, about to head upstairs when he held hers tightly. Luca paused for a moment and then smiled widely, feeling incredibly happy being held like this. At 1:00 am, most of the city was asleep, but Ethan was restless in his hotel room. He kept tossing and turning. The news of Matysh''s conviction had already been sent back to Russia. However, there was no news yet from Russia. He did not know how those people nned to handle Matysh''s situation. Still, no matter how Russia handled it, Ethan knew he could not avoid a scolding. He might even lose his position in M Group. Thinking it over, Ethan left his suite and arrived at Marcos''s door. He rang the bell insistently. After a while, Marcoszily opened the door and yawned when he saw Ethan. "What''s gotten into you? It''ste. Why aren''t you asleep?" "How can you sleep?" Ethan red at him. Marcos shrugged indifferently. "After being ordered to stay here for so long, I''ve adjusted to the time difference here. If work isn''t pressing, I can sleep on time." Ethan pushed past him and entered directly. Marcos frowned and closed the door. "What''s your deal?" Marcos asked in an irritated voice with eyes full of impatience. During the day, he was in court. After the trial ended, he went straight back to the hotel, where Ethan then vented his anger at him. Earlier, he had been happy about Matysh''s conviction, but that joy did notst long. It was something Matysh deserved, so he had been happy then and was able to overlook Ethan''s outburst. Now, that enthusiasm had faded. He was no longer interested in enduring Ethan''s anger. "What the hell am I supposed to do? Our mission just failed, and you''re asking me what''s my deal?" Ethan was itching to throw a punch at the person in front of him to vent his frustration. He knew perfectly well what this failure meant. Not only was his own job at risk but also his father''s position in the Abaza family. His whole family could face unemployment. The old master of the Abaza family would not care how tough Matysh''s case was or how formidable the local police were. He only cared if the mission seeded. If Matysh''s escape n failed and thewsuit was lost, it would all fall on him. It was his fault for hiring ipetent mercenaries andwyers. Matysh should not have ended up in jail. Ethan could not sleep at the thought of this. He felt anxious and restless. "It''s your mission that failed-your mercenaries, yourwyers. I wanted to be involved, but you shut me out. So, why is this my problem?" retorted Marcos,ying bare Ethan''s anxieties. "This is all on you. Your hired guns couldn''t cut it, and your outburst at me won''t change that. Ethan, I''m not your subordinate, got it?" Ethan''s blood boiled, and he snapped back, "Do you think I''m clueless? Luke''s men were among those who intercepted the mercenaries! Did you tip them off?" "How could I have tipped them off?" Marcos stared at Ethan like he was crazy. "I didn''t know who you hired, what weapons they used, or where they were operating. How could I tip anyone off? "Your men were ipetent. They were tailed by Luke''s crew. Plus, everyone already knew you were hiring mercenaries. You know why?" Ethan remained silent. "It''s because one of your hires is Luke''s sworn brother. You didn''t even bother to check his identity before hiring him, which led people to find out about it. Isn''t it natural that things ended up this way?" exined Marcos. Honestly, he was surprised when Luke told him that Ethan had tried to hire Gordan to spring Matysh from prison. Gordan and Luke were close, and they did not hide it. Ethan was naive when he told his subordinate to contact Gordan. Even though Gordan had refused, Ethan''s actions gave away Matysh''s escape attempt. It was not Ethan who revealed it but his action in wanting to hire Gordan. Ethan''s eyes widened. He had taken advice on selecting the team of mercenaries. After all, he had never done such a thing. He did not expect the other party to find Luke''s friend. What a mess! Marcos chuckled when he saw Ethan''s shocked expression. Matysh wanted to escape, but Ethan was the one he asked for help. Ethan was good at twisting Russianw and deceiving ordinary people. Still, when it came to other matters, Ethan was not up to it. After all, Ethan''s father had been protecting him well. Ethan had no experience dealing with the dirty side of the Abaza family. It was just that Marcos did not expect Ethan to make such a mistake. Ethan did not expect it either. Marcos looked at Ethan, who was reeling from shock, and asked, "What if Grandpa finds out about this? Will your good times with your father in M Groupe to an end?" Even though Ethan was their rtive, Old Master Abaza valued money, power, and bloodline inheritance. He would keep rtives who were useful and knew a lot about the family. However, those who were useless and knew too much would not end up well. Chapter 3214 I Dont Care ?Chapter 3214 I Don''t Care If things did not end well, Ethan would be just like Marco''s mother, Sarah. If he did not resolve the problem, he would be hunted down forever. Ethan shuddered. Marcos deliberately looked surprised. "Didn''t you already report to the Russians? Why do you look like this? Don''t they know about your fatal mistake?" Ethan opened his mouth to deny it, but facing Marcos'' mocking expression, he suddenly realized that his future was now in Marcos'' hands. He could not do anything to Marcos. He knew his most fatal mistake. If his men had not found Gordan, Luke would not have known they were going to get Matysh out. Even though this was the case in theory, Ethan felt that Marcos must have also told Luke. It was just that he had no evidence. "That''s right. It''s such a fatal mistake. If the old master finds out, not only will you lose your job, but you might even lose your life," Marcos said casually. He satfortably on the couch and looked up at Ethan, who remained standing stiffly. It was not just his expression that was frozen; his whole body was stiff. Marcos was in a great mood and continued, "Although you''re not involved in the Abaza family''s actions, your father certainly is, and you must have insider information. So you know, Ethan, that I''m not exaggerating here. "The old master isn''t kind to anyone who knows these things. Ethan, you only have two choices now. One, continue to confront me in anger. But with such a big mistake, the old master will immediately know about it.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "Two, stop bothering me. Perhaps you and your father will still have a chance to escape." When he talked about the chance to escape, it sounded sinister. Ethan even felt the gloom of death. It was too terrifying. It seemed he could foresee his own end. He regretteding to A City. Initially, he thought it was a good opportunity for promotion, a chance to bring wealth and fame to his family. Now, he realized it was not an opportunity at all but a death knell. No matter how hard he tried to resolve Matysh''s affairs, in the end, it was unsolvable. Marcos, whom he had always looked down on, had his life in his hands now. As long as Marcos was unhappy, he and his father would die right away! "Marcos..." Ethan took a deep breath. "Speak." Marcos yawned. He was relieved that Matysh had finally been sentenced, and he could finally get some sleep. "Don''t act so cocky here. Do you think you can scare me by saying that? You need evidence!" Ethan''s mind raced. He was betting Marcos had no evidence. "Do I really have no evidence?" Marcos smiled knowingly, standing up and towering over Ethan. "If you had it, you wouldn''t be saying it here!" Ethan was certain he had no evidence. If Marcos had evidence, it would have been sent to Russia first, and they would not still be unaware. At the very least, Ethan''s father would have reacted. This meant the other party still did not know about his mistake. "Every mercenary leaves a recording as evidence when negotiating. Do you think someone as capable as Gordan wouldn''t leave audio evidence? I don''t have evidence right now, but that doesn''t mean I won''t ask Gordan for it," Marcos countered. "You!" Ethan knew Gordan probably had evidence. Even though Marcos did not have it now, would it not only take him a minute to get it? Moreover, he could not deal with Gordan. Even if he went to Gordan now and offered money to delete the recording, it would not work. Gordan was with Luke now, essentially standing opposite to him. Therefore, Gordan would not negotiate this deal with him. Marcos adjusted his robe and told Ethan to leave. "Ethan, I''ve never been on your side, nor do I care about your future. So, leave now as you''re disturbing my sleep. If I don''t get enough sleep, don''t me me for not being nice to you." Ethan clenched his fists tightly and then loosened them before tightening them again. He was not happy. Then, he finally threatened, "Marcus, don''t think you can do anything to me just because you have some evidence. I''m telling you, I''ve never been afraid of you!" Marcos shrugged his shoulders indifferently. Ethan continued, "Even if you have the evidence, I know you''re definitely teaming up with Luke. So what if Matysh ends up in prison? The Abaza family won''t fall into the hands of scum like you. "Everything you''re doing now is just contributing to Matysh''s cause. Just wait, your gravy train won''tst forever, and you won''t be riding high for long." He recalled seeing Marcos at the trial today. Marcos was smiling throughout, looking harmless. Now, he realized it was not harmlessness. He was clearly gloating! "Whatever." Marcos could not be bothered. Even without the Abaza family, he could live well. He was not incapable. Wherever he chose to be, he could live just fine. Whether or not he had the Abaza family, it was the same to him. However, he chose to stay in the family because Sarah''s matter had not been resolved yet. If the Abaza family stopped pursuing Sarah, he would definitely leave M Group immediately. As for the family''s wealth and all their traps, he found himself utterly indifferent. What Marcos wanted most now was to live peacefully with Sarah. As for M Group and the Abaza family, he did not want to deal with any of it. However, since certain problems existed, he had to deal with them. Otherwise, it would be troublesometer. Sarah had been hiding for more than 20 years. He wanted to reunite with his mother, so there was a lot to handle. He needed enough leverage to negotiate with the head of the Abaza family. If negotiation was not possible, he would rather control M Group. Only then could he and Sarah''s life settle down. Ethan widened his eyes as though he was ready to devour. "You don''t give a shit at all?" He could not believe Marcos did not care about M Group. After all, Marcos had been managing M Group for so many years, and it was all his effort. Even though Ethan was reluctant to admit it, that was the truth. Under Marcos'' leadership, M Group had grown and achieved more. "Seriously, I don''t care." Marcos really felt indifferent and impatient discussing these matters with Ethan. Even if he said he did not care, Ethan would not believe it. As Marcos felt there was no point in continuing, he pushed Ethan out. "If you disturb me again, don''t me me for not being nice to you." He issued a final warning. Ethan''s eyes widened as he watched Marcos expressionlessly close the room door. He could not help but pound the door hard in frustration. Marcos paid no attention. Ethan knew whatever he did now, Marcos would not open the door. If he continued like this, he would only embarrass himself. As he wanted to maintain his image as a gentleman in front of outsiders, he would not allow such a thing to happen. Chapter 3215 How Did I End Up With A Useless Son Like You ?Chapter 3215 How Did I End Up With A Useless Son Like You Ethan returned to his suite. He could not help but kick the door: frustration. His foot hurt, but the door remained unscathed, fueling his simmering anger. His expression darkened. The suite was eerily quiet as Ethan slumped onto the couch, his throbbing foot a constant reminder of the harsh reality. Marcos'' earlier threat rang true. The person he despised most in the Abaza family had just threatened him, which made Ethan feel uneasy. Even if he had to keep it from the old master, he had to inform his father. His father was the only one who could help him to deal with this matter. With that thought in mind, Ethan reached for his phone, intending to call his father. However, it rang before he could dial. It was a call from his father himself. No time to marvel at the synchronicity, Ethan answered, "Dad, I was just about to call you." "Shut up!" The voice on the other end of the line sounded furious. Ethan bit back his words. The tone did not bode well. He felt apprehensive and sensed that he was about to be held ountable. If he disclosed what happened with Gordan to them now, would he merely be scolded? That would be too light a punishment. His main concern was that his family could not bear the consequences. "Ethan, Old Master Abaza held you in such high regard and entrusted you with such an important task, yet you managed to botch it up. What were you thinking?!" His father''s voice thundered, criticizing him relentlessly. "How are we supposed to carry on in the Abaza family?" "Dad, let me exin..." Ethan''s temples throbbed. His father''s anger from the other end of the phone seemed ready to burst through. "Fine, exin yourself. If you can''t exin this time, I won''t be able to exin to Old Master Abaza!" Ethan''s father was angry. He had to report to the old master soon. However, given the situation, there was no way he could exin it to him. "The n wasn''t supposed to fail because I hired some of the best mercenaries internationally, so the chances f failure were almost zero." "I don''t want to hear this. It''s a fact that you''ve failed, no?" Ethan''s father was now standing at the door of the old master''s office. He was going to report to the old master in a moment. This matter was sure to be part of the report. He also needed to help Ethan cover up this matter. Otherwise, the old master would me their family, and they could forget about having a good life in Russia in the future. "Yes, it''s a failure, but there''s a reason for it. Marcos passed on a message to Luke that Matysh was about to escape from prison. Luke''s men cooperated with the police and learned about our n in advance. That''s why we failed," Ethan exined quickly. Ethan''s father also valued interests more than familial affection. Hence, he had to shift the me and protect his interests. In this family, interest was more important than anything else. Thus, he had to learn to keep his own interests. Ethan''s father immediately asked, "Do you have any evidence?" Ethan replied, "No. You need audio recordings for this stuff, but Marcos didn''t leave any. Dad, it''s impossible for me to get evidence." He felt frustrated. Gordan had evidence in his hands but not him! It was not because he was careless. Marcos was just really cunning. All it took was a slight leak to Luke and more followed naturally. In such a situation, getting evidence was challenging. Moreover, he had underestimated the strength of the local police and Luke''s men back then. He thought even if they knew the n, they were not a match for the mercenaries. Who would have thought Luke''s men could handle the mercenaries without involving the police, even leaving one alive for questioning? However, he was not worried that the survivor would say anything incriminating because he had not been directly involved, so it would not link back to the Abaza family. "You don''t have evidence, and you think the old master will believe you?" Ethan''s father suddenly felt sending Ethan to A City was a mistake. If he had known that Ethan was incapable, he should have just sent one of his subordinates. Even though it was Old Master Abaza''s decision, this incident had really disappointed him. "The old master will believe it because Marcos meets with Luke frequently. Even though I don''t have any audio recordings, I have evidence of their meetings," replied Ethan. Each time Marcos met Luke, he made sure someone took a photo of it. "Old Master Abaza may be old, but he''s not stupid. Ethan, I''ll give you one more chance. If you mess up this time, our whole family will suffer because of you," Ethan''s father said in a low voice. When Ethan heard that he would be given another chance, he felt a surge of excitement. "Dad, I''m listening." "I''m about to report to the old master. During the report, I''ll ask for another chance for you. Matysh will appeal again, and your job will be to prepare for an ambush during his next appeal." "Dad, that''s difficult!" Ethan was startled. That would be like stirring up the ho''s nest. Even if Matysh appealed again and ended up in court, the police would probably beef up, making it hard to pull off any kind of operation. "Is it too difficult for you to do?" Ethan''s father interrupted. "Don''t forget, you volunteered for this task the first ce. I warned you there was no turning back once you went to A City. "You failed this mission, and I''m giving you another chance. Now, you''re telling me that it''s too difficult? Do you know what it means for our family if this mission fails and Matysh goes to jail?" The man on the phone spoke stemnly, showing no mercy even though Ethan was his son. Being reprimanded like this, Ethan felt his anger grow, but he could only admit defeat in front his father. "I understand." "Is there anything else you''re hiding from me?" asked Ethan''s father. Ethan remembered Marcos'' words, which weighed on his mind. If he did note clean now, would Marcos inform the Russian side? He probably would. Marcos was not the type to sit back and wait for someone frame him.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. As Ethan thought about it, he figured it was better to confess now than let them discover his major mistake. At least, his honesty might cushion his father''s temper, who would surely find a solution. "There is." The person on the other end of the phone audibly took a deep breath. He clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking. "What else are you hiding from me?" Ethan spilled everything about Gordan. Ethan''s father erupted in curses after listening to him. "You''re a good-for-nothing!" Ethan remained silent. Seething, his father yelled, "How did I end up with a useless son like you?!" "Dad..." "Shut up!" Ethan''s father was furious. He took another deep breath. "I don''t think Marcos leaked the n to Luke. It was your mistake that led Gordan to say something to Luke!" Chapter 3216 That Place Is Hell! Chapter 3216 That ce Is Hell! "I..." Ethan wanted to exin, but he realized he could not. No matter who it was, they would doubt him after hearing what he said. Thus, he could not exin. No matter what the oue was, it was still his mistake. "How am I supposed to exin this to the old master?" asked Ethan''s father. "I... I don''t know." Ethan was confused and did not know what to do. Hiding the truth from the head of the family was definitely not a good idea. If they kept it hidden and waited for Marcos to reveal it, Ethan would be in deeper trouble. "Does Marcos know about this?" asked Ethan''s father. He thought that if Marcos did not know, they might still have a chance to fix it. At least Gordan would not tell the head of the family. Those people would not be that petty. However, Marcos was different. "He knows." Ethan''s tone was dejected. He dared not to tell his father that it was Marcos who had informed him. The person on the other end of the line seemed to be struggling to hold back his anger. He was about to say something when the old master''s butler walked out. Ethan''s father said, "You''ve really disappointed me. I have to go report to work now. I don''t have time to discuss this. I''ll hang up first." Before Ethan could say anything, the call ended. Ethan was so furious that he wanted to smash his phone. However, realizing there was important information on it, he stopped himself. He looked toward Marcos'' room and secretly vowed that one day, Marcos would pay for this. The following day, Luke went to Sarah''s apartment after lunch as they had agreed. He rang the doorbell. The maid, seeing it was him, smiled and greeted, "Mr. Crawford, you''re here. Pleasee in. Ms. Por is waiting for you inside. I''ll step out to buy some groceries for dinner." After that, the maid left, giving them privacy to talk. Luke entered the apartment. Sarah, knowing he wasing, had already made a pot of tea. When Sarah saw himing in, she quickly poured him a cup and said, "Mr. Crawford, thank you foring over in the middle of the day. Please, have some tea." Luke, pressed for time, sat down and took the cup of tea from her with both hands. After taking a sip, he asked, "Ms. Por, what do you need me to deliver to Marcos?" Sarah nodded, knowing he did not have much time. She no longer exchanged pleasantries as she rose to her feet and replied, "Everything''s in the bedroom. I''ll go get it." "Alright." Luke nodded and took another sip of tea. Sarah was good at making tea. Even though the tea leaves were not high quality, her mastery of the water temperature made the tea sweet and pleasant, with almost no bitterness. Marcos would probably love this tea... Sarah came out of the bedroom and sat back down in her previous spot. She handed the brown envelope she was carrying to Luke. "Mr. Crawford, please give this to Marcos." The envelope contained evidence she had been keeping for over 20 years and a letter she wrote yesterday. She spent all of yesterday afternoon writing. At dinner, she thought of a few more things, so she wrote two more pagester that night.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Sure enough, with age and the surgery she had undergone, her memory had gotten worse. If she did not recall things in detail, she might overlook many of the crimesmitted by Matysh and the Abaza family. However, how could their sins be forgotten? As soon as Sarah remembered, she wrote two more pages. They were not usations, just a statement of facts. "Alright," replied Luke as he took the thick brown envelope from her. He could feel the thickness of the envelope. It was quite hefty. A century-old family like the Abaza family could not possibly be clean. Even though Marcos'' mother had only been in the family for a few years, she had gathered so much evidence. It was clear how dark the family was. Luke did not open the envelope but held it firmly in his hand. "Don''t worry, I''ll personally give this to Marcos." "Thank you, Mr. Crawford," Sarah thanked him gratefully. Meeting Luke and Luca was her luck, and also Marcos'' luck. Without them, she did not know where she would be now, and Marcos would not have reunited with her. She felt content to be able to reunite with her son before passing away. "You''re wee. Do you have anything else to give to Marcos?" asked Luke. Sarah shook her head. "This is all I have. Over the past 20 years, I''ve sold everything I could. Honestly, I have nothing to leave Marcos after I pass away, except for these documents and evidence. I hope they can help him break away from the Abaza family." "Okay." Luke nodded. Sarah had been hiding from the Abaza family, moving from ce to ce. Despite her abilities, she had to do odd jobs on the outskirts of the city to survive because of them. Marcos knew this. His hatred for the Abaza family had only grown stronger since. Even though Luke felt this had nothing to do with him, he thought Sarah had had a hard time over the past 20 years. "Mr. Crawford, I know you and Marcos are good friends, so I''d like you to take a look at this information too," said Sarah. Luke frowned. This was the Abaza family''s business. If he looked at it, it would be like getting involved. He was not afraid of the Abaza family. Even though the Crawford family was not a big family, the power of T Corporation made them untouchable by the Abaza family. Still, this was an internal matter of the Abaza family, a scandal within their ranks. Would Marcos really be willing to involve him in it? "I don''t mean to ask for your help with Marcos'' problems. I just think it would be good for one more person to know about what the Abaza family has done. If anything happens, Marcos will have someone to back him up..." Sarah exined. When she first reunited with Marcos, she never thought about letting him know these things. The Abaza family was so powerful that confronting them would be like bringing a knife to a gun fight. That was why she never thought about it. It was only when Matysh was sentenced... However, she was still worried that Marcos could not take down the entire Abaza family alone, so she hoped Luke could be a backup if needed. "If Marcos can handle these issues smoothly, I''ll be relieved. But the Abaza family is so big, and I''m really worried..." added Sarah. Her hands trembled as she thought about the past. "As a mother, I wanted to stay with my child and watch him grow, but that ce was hell! I knew that only if I escaped would they treat Marcos a little better." Chapter 3217 She Trusted Luca Chapter 3217 She Trusted Luca "I took these documents with me, so I knew they''d be anxious and worried. Because of that, they would treat Marcos better. "Even if they still manipte Marcos like a pawn, as long as Marcos is in their hands, I can''t risk exposing these documents. "I dared not to expose them back then, but it was for the best. At least Marcos can grow up under better conditions. But he will now use these documents to confront M Group. That''s why I''m making this request of you..." "I understand." Luke nodded. As a father of four children himself, he could understand Sarah''s thoughts. "I give you my promise," added Luke as he opened the brown envelope. Under Sarah''s watchful gaze, Luke quickly read through the documents page by page. Sarah also exined the details to him. Finally, after Luke finished reading the letter Sarah had written to Marcos, he let out a deep sigh How dirty could a century-old family be? It was beyond his imagination. Sarah was involved from the start and had managed to gather so much evidence. It showed that the people in the Abaza family were not afraid at all. Even to the point of fearing nothing and no one. Otherwise, how could they let a married woman gather so much evidence?Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Perhaps when Marcos'' father passed away, Sarah was caught collecting evidence, hence her escape here. A City was the safest country for her. However, Sarah still lived cautiously here, proving that this evidence was highly detrimental to the Abaza family. "Ms. Por, I''ve finished reading," said Luke. Sarah nodded and gave him a relieved smile. She was worried that Luke would not want to see these documents, as reading them meant potentially getting involved at any time. Still, he read them. It meant Marcos'' friend was someone worth trusting. "Thank you, Mr. Crawford," said Sarah. "No problem. Anything else?" Luke asked again. "No, that''s all." Sarah shook her head. She had said everything that needed to be said. Luke nced at the time, rose to his feet, and said, ''I have an appointment with Marcos at the office this afternoon." "Alright. Go ahead." Sarah was slightly excited. She did not expect Luke to act so quickly. After confirming the time with her, Luke immediately arranged to meet Marcos afterward. Luke nodded to Sarah, said goodbye, and left. When Luke was back at the office, it was alreadyte afternoon. Luke walked into his office with the brown envelope. Jason followed behind with a stack of documents. "Boss, this is the final confirmed bid proposal. Please take a look." "Okay." Luke took them, set them aside, and then locked them in the safe. He ced the brown envelope inside the safe too. Even though thepany was under his control, he was very cautious when necessary. Luke sat in his office chair and had just settled in when Tina''s call came through. "Boss, Mr. Abaza is downstairs." Since Jason was still in Luke''s office, the front desk notified them both. "Have hime to my office. And bring two cups of coffee." Luke hung up and told Jason, "I need to talk to Marcos. I''ll look over the documentster." "Okay, boss." Jason understood and stepped out. He did not leave directly but waited at the door for Marcos. When Jason saw Marcos walking toward him, he pushed open the office door. "Mr. Abaza, the boss is waiting for you inside." "Thank you," Marcos replied graciously, then walked into Luke''s office. "Wee," greeted Luke. "It''s been a long time." Marcos maintained a smile. Luke said, "Have a seat. Coffee?" "I''ve missed your secretary''s coffee." Even though Marcos knew what Luke had for him today, he maintained his gentlemanly and humorous demeanor. Tina knocked and entered, delivering two cups of coffee to them. "Thank you," said Marcos. "No problem, Mr. Abaza," Tina replied before closing the door behind her. As the door closed, Luke went straight to the point. "Would you like to taste the coffee first or go straight to reviewing the documents?" "Let''s dive into the documents." Marcos smiled. Even if Luke did not mention it, he knew what documents he had. It was documents that could bring down M Group... He was eager to see them. Marcos had no initial animosity toward the Abaza family. He knew he was a pawn, and seeing M Group''s prosperity confirmed that he was merely a stepping stone. However, he had no regrets. This family raised him and nurtured him, so making some contributions was only fair. He had received his fair share of rewards for his efforts, so Marcos never felt it was a big deal. Even though people in his circle mocked him for being foolish, he was willing to handle every task and project for M Group. It was not until he discovered what they had done to his parents that everything changed. Now, Sarah had handed him a stack of documents. Although he had not looked at them yet, Marcos expected that after reviewing them, his hatred for M Group would turn the world upside down. Luke noticed that Marcos was ready for this, and he nodded. These documents were exactly what Sarah intended for him to see. He walked to the safe and entered the code. Marcos shifted his gaze, not looking at the safe. Frankly, seeing Luke approach the safe surprised him. He did not expect the documents to be stored so securely. Luke opened the safe, retrieved the documents, and ced them in front of Marcos. "These are what your mother entrusted me to give to you. I''ve already reviewed them with her consent. I hope you don''t mind," admitted Luke. It was one thing for Sarah to trust him; it was another for Marcos to do so. Men and women often had different perspectives. To avoid any future trouble, Luke rified this upfront, preventing any misunderstandings or disputes down the line. Marcos did not mind. "My mother trusts you, so do I." Luke nodded and returned to his seat. It was not that Sarah trusted him but that she trusted Luca. Luca trusted Luke, and that was why Sarah had confidence in him. In this situation, they really needed that trust. Without Luke, Marcos and his mother would never have reunited. Marcos calmly opened the brown envelope. He held his coffee cup as he carefully inspected the contents. The brown envelope was simple in design, but the worn marks and faded color indicated its age. It was clear Sarah had kept these documents for a long time. The worn edges and faded color told a story of their own, suggesting she had often revisited these documents. Chapter 3218 The Epitome Of The Worst Patient ?Chapter 3218 The Epitome Of The Worst Patient Some grudges had to be etched into memory, lest the trivialities of life wear them away. Marcos knew what Sarah''s past life was like. When he saw the wom marks on the documents, his expression darkened. "I need to ask you a favor," said Marcos as he turned to look at Luke. "Go ahead." Luke nodded, more than willing to help. They both needed each other''s help at times, so refusing was not an option. "I need you to keep these documents safe for me until I return to Russia." Marcos thought of Ethan, who was staying in the same hotel as him and even brazenly installed surveince in his suite. If he took the documents back, they would easily be discovered. "Sure, no problem. You can trust T Corporation''s security. No one can ess the items in my safe," Luke replied. He had one of the world''s most advanced safes, and it was not easy for anyone to unlock it. "Thank you," said Marcos, opening the documents slowly. Luke did not say anything further. He took a sip of his coffee and continued his work. Marcos carefully read through the documents, taking about half an hour. His brows were furrowed together. "I''m done." "Okay." Luke nodded withoutmenting on the matter concerning the Abaza family. The social structures were different, so he felt it was not his ce to judge. "Mr. Crawford, I''d like to make a deal with you," said Marcos. Luke was intrigued. "Let''s hear it." "The Abaza family..." Marcos paused for a moment, raising the documents in his hand. With a mocking smile on his face, he continued, "Even though we''ve done many shady things, we''re still known in Russia for our strong stance against organized crimes. I want to use their power to help you eliminate the Ind of Despair." He figured the old master also hated such organizations, so using M Group''s power to help eliminate the Ind of Despair should not be an issue. Besides, over the years, he had not just been a puppet. He had been doing some real work too. "What do you need me to do?" asked Luke. He did need help, but only if it did not vite his principles. Marcos replied, "When I make a move, I need you to reveal the information here to the public in A City. I''ve seen how powerful public opinion here can be, but I don''t know how to handle it. I need someone familiar with it to help. So, it''s less about you helping me and more about the public of A City helping." Luke did not expect Marcos'' request to be so straightforward. He agreed, "No problem." "Pleasure doing business." Marcos extended his hand. Luke nodded and shook his hand, sealing the deal. "Pleasure doing business." Marcos believed that with the help of the locals of A City, his n would seed. Luke knew that with the Abaza family''s assistance, dealing with the Ind of Despair would be much easier. In the hospital, Pierre underwent his second dry needling treatment. Just like thest time, he pounded his leg hard. He felt nothing and could not help but yell at Dr. Abraham Wood, "This dry needling treatment is useless! What''s the point?" Abraham looked helpless. He had encountered many irritable patients who often yelled at doctors and nurses due to their condition. However, none were as aggressive as Pierre. "Mr. Mallory, physical therapy takes time to show results. The effects are gradual and require patience. If you stick with it, you''ll see improvement." As Pierre watched him clean up the used needles, he suddenly grabbed his cor. Abraham was startled, dropping everything to the floor. "Mr. Mallory, please calm down!" "How can I calm down? It''s not your leg that''s ruined!" Pierre''s eyes were red with anger. It was as though he was about to devour him. "Go get Luca to do this." "Who?" Abraham was secretly surprised. However, Johann had warned him beforehand, so when Luca''s name was mentioned, he immediately pretended not to know her. "Don''t y dumb!" Pierre snapped. "I know Luca taught you dry needling. Get her to treat me." Abraham was at a loss for words. Who told him all this? That person was simply causing trouble for him and Luca? "Mr. Pierre, calm down. First, Ms. Craw isn''t a doctor at our hospital." He freed his shirt from Pierre''s grip. He had a date after work, and now, his shirt was a mess. He lowered his head and shot a nce at Pierre, exining, "Last time was a one-off, and Dr. Craw doesn''t have a medical license. If she treats you again, it''s possible that no effects will be seen. Worst-case scenario, it could make things worse." After Abraham said that, he secretly apologized to Luca. He had heard that Luca and Pierre did not get along. Therefore, he hoped downying her skills would help her. Pierre saw through his act. "Stop lying. I know what Luca is capable of. If you don''t get her here today, you''ll regret it." Abraham''s expression darkened. As an ordinary doctor, his fate at the hospital was influenced by the higher-ups. They were in turn influenced by high-society folks like Pierre. Pierre could indeed make his life difficult. However, he had Johann as a backer. If Johann knew he was targeted by Pierre because of Luca, he would help him. Johann''s word held more weight than Pierre''s in this hospital. "I''m telling the truth, Mr. Mallory. If you don''t believe me, there''s nothing more I can say. If you''re not satisfied with my dry needling treatment, you can file aint with our department head. Thank you." Abraham bent down to pick up the needles from the floor while muttering how unlucky he was under his breath. Then, he turned and walked away. Pierre''s expression was grim as he pressed the call button. The head nurse quickly arrived. The nurses had been avoiding himtely, so during the day, it was always the head nurse handling his issues. "Mr. Mallory, what''s the matter?" asked the head nurse. As time passed, Pierre''s leg injury had mostly healed. He did not need as many injections, so she knew he was just trying to make trouble. "I''d like to file aint," said Pierre. The head nurse blinked his eyes. "Aint? Against whom?" The hospital had aint box, and inpatients were given survey forms before they got discharged to rate orin about the medical staff. "Against you doctors and nurses!" Pierre shouted impatiently. The head nurse frowned. She had seen many emotionally extreme patients. However, Pierre was the epitome of the worst patient.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. "Alright, I''ll get you aint form," the head nurse immediately replied. Chapter 3219 Nina Will Officially Become Mrs. Mallory ?Chapter 3219 Nina Will Officially Be Mrs. Mallory The head nurse hurried back to the nurses'' station. Abraham was still there filling out forms. When the head nurse saw him, she quickly asked, "Dr. Wood, what happened to Mr. Mallory just now? Why is he filing aint?" "Let himin. It doesn''t matter." Abraham paused for a moment. After he signed his name, he handed the form to the nurse. "Let himin all he wants. He''s always snapping at anyone he catches. I''ve never seen such a difficult patient." The other nurses nodded in agreement. "I''m scared of him too. He''s terrifying. If I have to deal with him a couple more times, I''d rather go back to my original department," said a young nurse. "Oh, don''t say that. You rarelye to this floor. You''ll have to stick it out," replied the head nurse. Then, she said in a low voice, "He''s getting discharged anyway." "He''s getting discharged? It''ll be a long wait!" The young nurse frowned. Typically, other patients with fractures would go home after having stitches removed or after a month in the hospital. However, wealthy patients like Pierre would surely stay for two or even three months, possibly even staying for rehabilitation training in the hospital. The nurse felt a headacheing on just thinking about it. Wealthy people really did not mind spending money on extended hospital stays. Pierre did not care about the expenses, but it was a headache for the nurses. "Head nurse, you''d better take this over quickly. Otherwise, he''ll start yelling again soon," said the young nurse.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. "Oh, right." The head nurse quickly took theint form and pen to Pierre. Pierre wrote a doctor''s name on theint form, and after stating his reasons, he said angrily, "Take this to the director''s office." "Mr. Pierre, we have a procedure for handlingints," replied the head nurse. "Doesn''t my status warrant skipping these procedures?" Pierre frowned. He knew the hospital''s rules, but he was dissatisfied. "Do I need to call your director directly?" "No, it''s alright. I''ll take it over now," replied the head nurse. She was truly afraid of Pierre. She was not the only one who feared him. The whole hospital was on edge because of Pierre. First, there was Leia, who became infamous in the hospital. Now, Pierre had made the entire hospital staff fear him. The head nurse hurried away. Pierre then called Karen on the phone, "I told you to bring Luca over. How is it going?" Karen was startled for a moment. She nced at Old Master Mallory. She stood up, walked outside, and then replied, "I''ve arranged it. Pierre, just wait for a while longer." "I can''t wait anymore!" Pierre wanted to get up and walk immediately. "You have to wait, even if you can''t!" Karen''s tone grew firm. "You know as well who''s backing that woman. You''ve got to wait it out, or we''re all screwed!" She was still nning things. Since Luca was with Luke, she had to find a good opportunity. "Useless! All of you are useless!" Pierre cursed loudly and hung up the phone. Karen listened to the busy tone that came from the other end of the phone, her expression turning dark. She quickly walked back at the thought of Old Master Mallory still being inside. "Father, sorry about that. I had to take a call real quick," said Karen. Old Master Mallory took a sip of tea and asked straightforwardly, "Was it Pierre?" "No," Karen instinctively denied, feeling guilty about Luca''s situation. "I heard everything." Old Master Mallory frowned. He was suddenly suspicious. "Are you plotting something with Pierre again?" "Father, no, we weren''t discussing anything. Pierre just got angry with me, so I instinctively denied it," Karen quickly exined, realizing her sense of guilt had been keenly picked up by Old Master Mallory. "Is that all?" Old Master Mallory was unconvinced. "Yes, that''s it. Pierre is currently undergoing rehabilitation therapy, but the treatment isn''t going well. That''s why the child is in a bad mood," exined Karen. "He''s nearly thirty years old, and you still call him a child?" scolded Old Master Mallory. "You''ve spoiled him." "Father, I..." Karen was suddenly at a loss for words. It seemed like she had indeed spoiled him. She had no choice but to admit it. "All the trouble has been sorted out. Luckily, the mess you and Pierre caused didn''t have a big impact on the Mallory family. I''m here today to remind you to live a good life and stop stirring up drama. If anything happens, don''t me me for not prioritizing family ties." Old Master Mallory gave her his final warning. Karen shuddered and turned to look at Old Master Mallory. Still, she was unable to read anything from his eyes. She wondered if he already knew about her attempt to persuade Luca to perform dry needling on Pierre. "What''s on your mind?" asked Old Master Mallory, feeling displeased with her distraction. "Father, I understand," replied Karen, Even though Pierre was mad at her, as a mother, she could not ignore her child''s well-being. Therefore, even with this warning, these were things she still had to do. Old Master Mallory narrowed his eyes. His aged eyes seemed to be able to see through Karen''s thoughts. She felt uneasy under his gaze. She shifted her sitting posture and asked, "Father, are you staying for lunch today? The maid here cooks pretty well." "No need." Old Master Mallory shook his head. "Okay," Karen still felt awkward. It was as though the old master could see right through her inner thoughts. Old Master Mallory stared at Karen intensely. After a moment, he stood up with his cane. "I have other matters to attend to. I''ll head back." Karen let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, Father. Let me walk you out." As they reached the door, Karen asked again, "Father, Percy is going to marry that woman. Do you n to stop them?" Old Master Mallory red at her. "What are you trying to say?" "I will never ept that daughter-inw. I don''t want to see them get married," replied Karen. She had received news from the hotel that Percy had already booked a venue and was nning for a banquet with a wedding nningpany. The wedding date was approaching. However, Karen did not want Percy to marry Nina. Once this wedding took ce, it meant Nina would officially be Mrs. Mallory, with all the rights and recognition that title brought. It also meant that Percy would confront the family to marry that woman. Karen felt disgusted and resentful. When she recalled what Nina had said to her before, she felt ufortable. It was said that a daughter-inw should listen to her mother-inw, but Nina did not care about her at all. She thought that with Percy''s support, she could do whatever she wanted. It was like this now. If the wedding took ce, Nina would be even more unscrupulous in the future. "You might not ept it, but can you stop Percy?" Old Master Mallory had seen through everything now. Karen shook her head. If she could stop it, she would have done so long ago. She had even used Mallory Corporation as a threat, but Percy still insisted on being with Nina. Moreover, he did not take her threats seriously. She had never seeded. Chapter 3220 Cook For Her Biological Daughter ?Chapter 3220 Cook For Her Biological Daughter "But I don''t want them to get married just like that," Karen muttered those words as she clenched her teeth. "Father, you must have a way to handle this." "What can I do? It''s your child. If you can''t manage your own child, how do you expect an old man like me to help? How ridiculous you are!" Old Master Mallory''s words made Karen''s face flush with embarrassment and anger. The truth was, neither of them had a solution. After watching Old Master Mallory leave, Karen mmed the door shut. She immediately called one of her subordinates. "How''s the situationing along?" "Ma''am, it''s proving difficult to kidnap Luca," reported the person on the other end. "Our guys found out that Luca has a driver driving her to and from work every day, and the driver is one of Luke''s men. He''s a real tough guy. Plus, Luca herself isn''t easy to mess with. She knows how to throw a punch too." The man had done his homework. Since this matter involved Luke, they had to proceed with caution. "What''s the point of having you around if you can''t handle this?" Karen frowned, clearly displeased. "If she were an ordinary person, I wouldn''t need you for this task." "Sorry, ma''am." The person on the other end fell silent. "I don''t want to hear excuses. Right now, pronto, ASAP! I want you to arrange for Luca''s kidnapping. If you can''t do it, find an organization that can!" Karen''s tone was harsh. Pierre was running out of patience. Karen was afraid that he might make things worse if he acted recklessly. "Yes, ma''am!" replied the man. He understood the urgency and knew they would be in serious trouble if they did not handle this properly. After the meeting with her research team, Luca rubbed her constantly twitching eyelid. She had a bad premonition. "Dr. Craw, are you okay?" asked Rhett when he noticed her rubbing her eyes incessantly. "My eyelid won''t stop twitching." Luca blinked her eyes, trying to alleviate the difort. She could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. "You''re probably just exhausted, replied Rhett. He noticed that her eyes were red from rubbing. "Why don''t you go back to your office and rest for a bit?" "Alright," Luca agreed, feeling fatigued. The morning''s experiments had been intense, and the whole team had been busy with them before the meeting. Her eyes had already started feeling ufortable during the meeting at the start of the day. She went back to her office and found her eye drops. After two drops to her right eye, she blinked a few times. Just as she was about to rest, her phone that was left on the table rang. Luca picked her phone up and realized it was Queenie who was calling. She massaged her temples before answering, "Good afternoon, Mrs. Norman." They had agreed that until her identity was fully restored, she would call Queenie ''Mrs. Norman'' to avoid raising suspicions. Due to the unusual circumstances, she had no choice but to do so. "Luca, have you had lunch yet? Queenie''s voice was soft but tinged with sadness. Luca nced at the clock and saw it was just noon. She did not answer Queenie''s question but instead asked, "Mrs. Norman, did something happen?" "Leia was sentenced this morning." Queenie''s voice was filled with sorrow. Despite all the wrongs Leia had done and the heartbreaks she had caused, Queenie had raised her for over 20 years. Seeing her go down the wrong path and end up getting sentenced was heartbreaking. "Sentenced?" Luca had been so busytely that she only briefly checked on Matysh''s case yesterday and did not realize today was Leia''s sentencing. Luca felt a sudden pang of guilt for not keeping up with Queenie''s news due to her busy schedule. "Yes, Leia has made so many mistakes. She has to take responsibility for them," murmured Queenie. Queenie had not been able to sleep for the past few nights, wondering if Leia''s life would have been different if Jack had been the one to raise her. At least, she would not have turned out this badly... She realized that she had spoiled her daughter too much. "Try to stay positive, Mrs. Norman," Lucaforted Queenie while quickly looking up Leia''s sentencing on herputer. Given her former celebrity status, the news had garnered a lot of attention. L was sentenced to three years. "Three years will pass in no time. If she can reflect and improve in prison, it might be a good thing,"forted Luca. The prison offered a chance for rehabilitation, but Luca knew that with Leia''s tarnished reputation, she would struggle to regain any standing after her release. If Leia could be independent, her family might be able to find her a suitable job. Otherwise, she would have to rely on Jack. "Yes, your father... Mr. Norman thinks the same. But I''d like to visit her before she gets transferred. Will youe with me, Luca?" asked Queenie. She knew that once Leia was moved from her current facility, it would be harder to see her. In the future, even if she tried to visit Leia on her own initiative, it would be futile if Leia refused to see her. Queenie also has a strong feeling that Leia would not want to see her. That was why she wanted to visit Leia herself before she was moved to another location. "Of course, Mrs. Norman. When do you want to go?" Luca agreed to apany her. Queenie''s health was fragile, and having someone with her during the visit would be beneficial. "I''d like to go this afternoon if that''s possible. Mr. Norman said she''ll be transferred right after the sentencing, and I''m afraid we won''t get to see her if we go toote," exined Queenie. "Alright." Luca nodded. "Mrs. Norman, it might be better to use Luke''s name." Given the circumstances, Leia would likely refuse to see any of them, but she was once in love with Luke. Hence, using his name might increase the chances of a meeting. Perhaps Leia would like to see him. "Okay," Queenie understood, feeling even more guilty about her daughter as she recalled what happened back then. After the call, Luca took a leave of absence from Mo and informed Rhett about the tasks for the afternoon.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. She then had Warren drive her to Norman Residence. Queenie was surprised to see Luca arrive so quickly and asked, "Why did youe over so soon? Have you had lunch?" "No, not yet." Luca shook her head. "You didn''t have to rush. How about some pasta? I''ll make you a bowl," suggested Queenie as she led Luca to the dining table. "If I''d known you wereing so early, I would''ve waited to have lunch with you." Queenie had already eaten lunch and felt awkward offering Luca the leftovers. "Mrs. Norman, it''s okay. Do you have any leftovers from lunch? I''ll just have a bit." Luca could see the wony etched on Queenie''s face and the redness in her eyes. It tugged at her heartstrings. "It''s no trouble. Making you a bowl of pasta is the least I can do. It''s been so many years...." Queenie trailed off, wanting to say that she had rarely cooked for her biological daughter. However, with the housekeeper present, she kept some things unsaid. Chapter 3221 Showing No Hint Of Remorse ?Chapter 3221 Showing No Hint Of Remorse Luca understood Queenie''s intention. Nodding, she said, "Okay, thank you, Mrs. Norman." "Have a seat for a bit. I''ll go to the kitchen. We have some pasta at home, so it won''t take long." Queenie said with a smile on her face as she headed into the kitchen. The maid ced a cup of floral tea in front of Luca. "Ms. Craw, you should visit more often." "Hmm?" Luca took the cup of tea, unsure of what the maid meant. The maid exined, "Mrs. Norman has been smiling a lot from the moment you appeared. "Mrs. Norman hasn''t been in a good mood because of Ms. Leia''s matter today. She''s been kinda down and out, barely touching her lunch. But since you showed up, her mood''s brightened a bunch. "That''s why I''m saying you''ve got toe around more often. It''ll put a smile on Mrs. Norman''s face." Luca sipped her tea and nodded. As people grew older, they cherished having children around. Such days were warm and full of hope. The maid''s words reminded Luca that she had been too busytely, hardly paying attention to Queenie. She felt guilty. Ten minutester, Queenie walked out of the kitchen with a steaming bowl of pasta. "The pasta is ready. Come, have a taste." Luca took the bowl from her and sat at the dining table. She saw the steak pieces on top of the pasta and smiled. "Mrs. Norman, this is too much for me." "It''s okay if you can''t finish it all, but eat a little more." Queenie gazed at her with tenderness. "You''ve lost weight again since west met. You should eat more." Queenie sat across from her, her eyes full of affection. Only Luca could divert her attention. That way, she would not think about Leia''s troubles. Remembering the maid''s words about Queenie barely eating lunch, Luca said, "Really, this is too much. It''s shameful to waste food. Mrs. Norman, why don''t you join me?"Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Sure." Queenie nodded with a smile. Luca turned to the maid and said, "Could you please bring me a bowl?" "Of course, Ms. Craw." The maid went into the kitchen and soon returned with an empty bowl and another set of cutlery, cing them in front of Queenie. Luca divided the noodles in the bowl in half. "I don''t need that much. I can''t finish it," Queenie said worriedly. If Luca gave her too much, it might not be enough to fill her up. She might be left hungry. "Mrs. Norman, you didn''t eat much today, right? You can definitely finish this." Luca chuckled and ced a few steak pieces into the bowl. Looking at both portions being about the same, Queenie shook her head helplessly. "I eat less, but I do eat. You''re different. You''re always going hungry." "Don''t worry about me being hungry. There are snacks in the car. I won''t starve." Luca pushed the bowl toward Queenie and ced the cutlery on top. "Have some." "Alright, alright." Queenie picked up the cutlery and ate with Luca. She had cooked plenty of pasta. One bowl was enough for two people. After finishing lunch, Luca leaned back in her chair, feeling satisfied. "Mrs. Norman, your pasta is yummy." "Come often. I''ll cook for you." Queenie was delighted to hear her praise. It was a daughter''s affirmation of her mother. Luca nodded. "Okay, I''lle by often. You''d better not go back on your word!" "I''m happy to cook for you," replied Queenie. Every mother wanted to do a little more for her daughter, and she was no exception. "Sounds good," Luca agreed. ncing at the time, she saw that it was gettingte. They should go now. The staff would be starting their afternoon shift by the time they arrived. She rose to her feet and said, "Mrs. Norman, shall we head out now?" "Sure." Queenie''s smile faded as she thought of L. If only both her daughters could be by her and Jack''s side. However, things never went as nned. After finally getting their biological daughter back, Leia became jealous and conspired with outsiders to kidnap her. After Luca was kidnapped, she was trapped in the other party''s control for so long. Luca had suffered. Things had not been resolved on Luca''s end, and Leia was headed to prison. At the thought of this, Queenie''s brows furrowed with sorrow as she watched Luca lead her out. She did not know why her emotions were so turbulent. Perhaps she was not fated with her children. Otherwise, how could one child after another get into trouble? Queenie even had a bad feeling at the thought of this. Luca did not expect Queenie to be having such thoughts. After helping her into the car, she got in on the opposite side. Warren was driving, and he took them to where Leia was detained. Luca and Queenie followed the procedures and registered. However, Luca wrote Luke''s name on the visitors'' list. Luca was initially worried that it would not work out, but the staff recognized Queenie. They checked the name and did not say anything. They only asked them to wait as they asked for Leia''s opinion. After a while, a police officer approached and said, "Leia agrees to see you, and you''ve got 30 minutes to talk. Pleasee with me." Luca helped Queenie up, and the two followed the police officer into a room. It was not long before the police led Leia inside. Leia frowned when she saw Luca and Queenie. "Why are you here?! Isn''t it supposed to be Luke?" "Luke isn''t here. We borrowed Luke''s name to see you." Queenie looked at her, tears filling her eyes. "Leia, you''ve gotten a lot skinnier." Leia had been having a rough timetely. She was used to a life of luxury, but she was suddenly locked up here. She was bullied by her cellmates, and as a result, she was unable to eat or sleep well. She was forced tobor during the day... She was now skin and bones. Her cheekbones jutted prominently, and herplexion a sickly waxen yellow. She looked utterly miserable. "It''s all thanks to you." Leia stared hard at Queenie. Her gaze of hatred then shifted to Luca. "You bitch! How dare youe to see me?" "Leia!" Before Luca could say anything, Queenie snapped, "You can''t talk to..." Queenie paused for a moment. She wanted to say the word ''sister but instead said, "You can''t talk to Luca like that. You''re here because you did something wrong. No one forced you to do those things!" "No one forced me?" Lughed as though she was hearing a big joke. She burst into loudughter. "Watch your tone. Don''t get worked up," warned the police officer who stood near Leia. Leia sneered again, "If it weren''t for you and Jack, I wouldn''t have done those things." Queenie was taken aback for a moment. "You and Jack treat someone who''s not even blood-rted to you better than me. How could I not be jealous? Even though you and Jack clearly have money, you''re stingy with me. If you''d given me money sooner, my health wouldn''t be in this mess. It''s all your fault. It''s all because of you! "And on top of that, you treat someone unrted to you better than me. You even wanted to keep me locked up in that apartment. Am I that shameful to you? You''ve never considered me your daughter. It''s because of you that I was forced into doing those things!" Leia roared in fury, showing no hint of remorse. Chapter 3222 Trying Her Best To Make It Up To Luca ? Chapter 3222 Trying Her Best To Make It Up To Luca As Queenie istened to Leia''s words, her face turned pale. She showed a lock of disappointment. "Leia, you''ve really let me down." Queenie felt like getting up and leaving. Despite everything, Queenie still had some feelings for her daughter, so she said, "Your father and have always provided you with whatever you wanted. Even after Bianca came back, nothing changed in the way we treated you. "You''ve done such terrible things and still show no remorse, Leia, you''ve deeply disappointed us." Leia sneered, her eyes brimming with malice. "Really? Well I regret it too." Queenie''s heart skipped a beat. She thought Leia regretted her actions. If that were true, she might wee L back into the family after she was released three yearster. However, the next moment, she heard L say in a chilling voice, "If I had known I''d end up here today, I would''ve used the deadliest poison to kill you! And Jack, I wouldn''t have spared him either. With you both dead, the Norman family would''ve been mine. Hahaha, why did I go easy on you and only use a slow-acting poison in your supplements? I regret it, Queenie. I truly regret it!" Queenie''s face turned pale. She had been deeply saddened when she discovered the slow acting poison in her supplements. Yet, she never confronted Leia. She thought Leia''s unhappiness about being sent abroad drove her to such actions. Now, when Queenle heard L''s venomous words, she raised her hand in a move to p some sense into her daughter. She had treated L so well. How did ite to this? Luce sew this and grabbed Queenie''s hand. She shook her head. "Mrs. Noman!" Queenie, looking devastated, slowly lowered her hand. The police officer stepped back when she saw that Queenie had calmed down. Even though she thought Leia''s words were outrageous, she had to maintain order during visits. "No violence allowed." "Alright, I understand," replied Queenie. It was uncertain whether she was responding to the police officer or Luca. She turned to Luce and said, "Luca, let''s go." Luca nced at Queenie and then at Leia, shaking her head helplessly. Leia blew her chance. If she had sincerely repented in front of Queenie, Jack might have forgiven her after her release. Luca helped Queenie up to leave. Leia, who was still furious, mmed her hands on the table. The handcuffs on her hands nged loudly as she shouted at Queenie, "I will never forgive you! Even in death, I won''t forgive you! The day I get out will be the day you and your husband clie!" Even the police officer could no longer hear such words. She had seen all sorts of hardened criminals and knew that women could be just as ruthless es men. However, she had never seen someone as ruthless as Leia before. "Enough! Back to your cell," said the police officer as she grabbed Lele''s arm. After Luca helped Queenie out, they both got into the car. Warren drove them back to Norman Residence.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. While they were on their way, Queenie was sighing the entire way. She was unable to understand how her sweet little girl had tumed into what she was now. "Mrs. Norman, please don''t dwell on it. Everyone chooses their own path to take, Lucaforted her in a soft voice. "It was Mr. Norman who took me to the orphanage to adopt a child, and I saw this little girl. Her smile was so sweet, her eyes so clear. I thought she was a good child. I never imagined things would turn out like this." Queenie let out another deep sigh. Luca gave her a hug. Perhaps children did inherit some traits from their biological parents. Trying to change the subject, Luca asked, "Mrs. Norman, is Mr. Normaning home for dinner tonight?" "Yes, his workload has lightened up recently, so he''s beening home every night for dinner. Why do you ask?" replied Queenie, her attention shifting. Jack had been involved in a suburban development project, but when he learned that T Corporation would be bidding, he stepped back to avoid any conflicts. He delegated all the work to his subordinates. "How about I cook dinner for you both tonight? suggested Luca. Sometimes, doing one''s duties as a child was simple-like sharing a meal with your parents or even cooking for them. "No, you''re already so busy with work. Why make yourself more tired by cooking for us? We have a maid for that. Just join us for dinner, alright?" Queenie proposed. "If you don''t like the maid''s cooking, we can eat out and Invite Luke and the kids." Luce shook her head and insisted, "Let me do it. It''ll just be the three of us, a nice quiet dinner." It was not that she did not want to include Luke and the kids. She just realized she had not had a proper meal with her parents since they reunited. "I just want to have a quiet dinner with you and Mr. Norman." Other children had countless meals with their parents growing up However, her altuation was different. She had already married Luke by the time she reunited with Jack and Queenie. Every time she went back to her parents house, she was either with Luke or the kids. It seemed like she hardly ever had a meal alone with them. Queenie understand and nodded, "Alright. If it''s just the three of us, we won''t need too many dishes. I''ll help you in the kitchen." "Great." Luca agreed. Warren was listening to their conversation from the driver''s seat. He could not help but secretly admire how capable Luca was. She had a knack for shifting Queenie''s mood and distracting her from her worles. After Queenie agreed, Luca sent a message to Luke exining the situation. He quickly replied: [Let me know after you''re done with dinner. I''le pick you up.] Luce replied: [Okay.] She felt a sweet warmth in her heart. Luca and Queenle soon arrived at Norman Residence. It was stil early. Queenie asked the maid to prepare a guest room so that Luca could rest. Feeling a bit tired, Luca agreed. She had just settled into bed when there was a knock on the door. "Luca, are you asleep?" Queenie called from outside. "Not yet," replied Luca as she sat up. Queen le came in, holding a set of clothes in her hands. "You must be ufortable sleeping in your work clothes. Here, change into these pajamas. They''re mine. They look a bit old-fashioned, but I''ve never worn them." "Thank you, Mrs. Norman," replied Luca. She took the clothes from Queenie, feeling the soft silk. They would befortable. "I''llleave you to rest, then," Queenie said kindly. With Luce around, she could keep her mind off Leie''s issues. Whenever Queenie thought about Leis, she also thought about Luca. If it were not for Leia, Luke and Luce would not be in their current predicament. Thinking about the hardships Luca endured because of Leia macie Queenie feel guilty. She was already feeling remorseful for Luca being taken away at birth due to negligence. Had she not taken in Leia, Luca would not have endured further hardships. Hence, Queenie tried her best to make itup to her. Chapter 3223 Mother-Daughter In The Kitchen Making Dinner For Him ?Chapter 3223 Mother-Daughter In The Kitchen Making Dinner For Him "Mrs. Norman," Luca called out to Queenie. "Yes?" Queenie''s eyes were filled with warmth. She seemed eager to shower Luca with affection. After visiting Leia today, Queenie finally understood that Leia hated her and her husband deeply. Even when they had no idea about Luca''s identity and treated her indifferently, Leia was jealous and resentful. It all stemmed from Leia''s deep-seated hatred toward them. She would also resent anyone who was close to them. Hence, Queenie knew she had to slowly let go of Leia as her daughter. It was best to act as though she never had such a daughter. Only by doing so could she feel better.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Without L, all she had now was Luca. As a mother with just one child, she wanted to give Luca the best of everything. However, Luce had grown up and was a mother of four. There was only so much she could give now, and even if she could, it was toote for many things. Luca pointed at the bed. The guest room bed was big enough for both of them to sleepfortably. "Mrs. Norman, can I take a nap with you?" Queenie was taken aback for a moment, then quickly nodded. "Of course." Before adopting any children, she had always dreamed of soothing her biological daughter to sleep. Now, even though Luca was grown, she was giving her this chance. Queenie walked to the other side and got on the bed. Luca followed. The twoy down together. Luca asked, "Mrs. Norman, do you know how to tell stories?" Queenie felt a bit embarrassed. "I used to tell Leia stories when she was little, but as she grew older, she didn''t need them anymore, so I stopped." "Could you tell me one? I''d love to hear a story." Luca wanted to experience the feeling of falling asleep to a mother''s story. "Sure, but I haven''t read many stories." Queenie slightly frowned at the thought of this. She usually spent time reading essays and poetry. She had not read many story books. The only ones she remembered were the stories she often told Leia when she was little. "Anything you know is fine, even a fairy tale. I love those," replied Luca, turning to face her." Mrs. Norman, your voice is so gentle and lovely. It''ll be wonderful to listen to tell a story." Queenie modded and turned to face her too. "Once upon a time, there was a little mermaid princess.." She began the story of the little mermaid. Luca had also told this story to Rainie before. A contented smile appeared on her lips as she slowly closed her eyes. Queenie finished the story of the little mermaid, but she did not follow the original version. Instead, she gave Luca a much happier ending. By the time she finished, Luca was sound asleep. Queenie gently stroked her hair. "Good girl, sleep well. You''ll be happy like the little mermaid." Luca slept soundly until after four in the afternoon. When she woke up, she felt a bit disoriented but soon remembered she was at Norman Residence. She had fallen asleep to Queenie''s story. Sitting up, she stretched and checked her phone. It was a little after four. It was still early. Luca touched the spot next to her on the bed. It was cold. It seemed like Queenie had been up for a while. She did not think much of it. After all, middle-aged people like Queenie often had trouble sleeping at night if they napped too long in the afternoon. After changing out of her pajamas and into her clothes, she left the guest room. The second floor was empty, so she headed downstairs. As she descended, she caught the aroma of tea and snacks. "You''re awake! Did you sleep well? Queenie was sitting on the couch making tea. When Luca saw Queenie engrossed in the tea preparation, she knew her mood had lifted. Luca nodded and sat on another couch. Even though she wanted to be close to Queenie like a daughter, the maid was there, so she held back. "Mrs. Norman, your bed is reallyfortable," said Luca. "Really? I was worried you wouldn''t sleep well in a new bed." Queenieughed and poured her a cup of flower tea. "Here, drink some now that you''re up." "Thank you." Luca took the cup from her. She wanted to say that even if she had trouble sleeping in a new bed, Queenie''s gentle storytelling made it impossible not to fall asleep. "If you''d like, you''re always wee here. You can stay for ten days or even half a month," offered Queenie. This ce was Luca''s home too, and one day, the vi would be hers. Queenie would love for her to stay longer, even though she knew Luke would not want to let her go. "Great, I''lle over often. I hope you and Mr. Norman won''t get tired of me," teased Luca. Queenie shook her head quickly. "What are you talking about? Mr. Norman and I would never get tired of you." The maid overheard their conversation and thought they were just being polite. After all, Luca knew medicine and could help Queenie with her health, so the Norman family had every reason to wee her. Queenie handed over some snacks. "Here, have some more." "Thanks." Luca picked up a cookie and tasted it. Then, she heard Queenie say, "I baked some cookies today. Why don''t you take some home for the kids? They may not be as tasty as yours, but they''re homemade and much better than store-bought ones." "Sure. They''ll love it." Luca had been thinking about what to bring home for the kids. Since she came here alone for lunch, they might protest if she returned empty-handed. Queenie''s cookies would be perfect. The two of them enjoyed the tea and nibbled on snacks. Once they were done, Luca went into the kitchen to start dinner as it was nearing the time Jack usually came home from work. The kitchen was well-stocked, so she picked out the ingredients she needed. When Luca reunited with the Norman family, she made an effort to learn Jack''s and Queenie''s preferences. She had thoroughly learned their preferences, including their favorite dishes and cuisines. Of course, Luke had a hand in this too. He had people investigate and provide her with the details. Luca nned a meal with four dishes and a soup, including favorites of both Queenie and Jack. Queenie joined her in the kitchen to help, as she had mentioned earlier. The maid, realizing she was not needed, left the kitchen to clean the yard. Before long, Jack walked in. When he saw the maid cleaning, he asked, "Are Mrs. Norman and Ms. Craw in the kitchen?" "Yes, sir. They''re doing all the work in the kitchen, so I came out to tidy the yard," exined the maid. "Okay." Jack, a man of few words, put down his briefcase in the living room and headed to the kitchen. He did not go in but stood at the doorway, watching Queenie and Luca prepare dinner side by side. It was a heartwarming scene. He remembered how Queenie had once considered sending Leia to cooking sses, thinking that it would definitely be very heartwarming to have the mother-daughter in the kitchen making dinner for him. Chapter 3224 Drop That Idea ? Chapter 3224 Drop That Idea However, Leia had no talent for cooking at all. She never even attended the cooking sses she was signed up for. When Queenie tried to teach her, she could not stick with it and oftenined about the heavy kitchen smoke being bad for her skin. After that, she refused to go back in. Thus, Queenie''s wish to have Leia help out in the kitchen and create a warm mother- daughter cooking experience never came true. Fortunately, their beloved daughter had returned. Luca felt someone watching them from behind. When she turned around, she saw it was Jack. She smiled sweetly and said, "Mr. Norman, hurry up and wash your hands. Dinner''s almost ready." "Alright, alright," Jack responded quickly. This was his precious daughter, the one who truly inherited the best of him and Queenie. Seeing the joy on Jack''s face, Queenie''s smile widened as well. "Luca, if Mr. Norman''s colleagues saw him like this, they''d be shocked." "Why?" Luca asked, puzzled. "Unless he''s with the public, Mr. Norman usually has a stem face. I''ve told him before that he might scare people off with that expression. Do you know what he said?" Queenie started sharing stories about Jack. Luca was curious. "What did he say?" "He said his job is to serve the public, not to smile at people who don''t deserve it. He believes he should only show kindness to the public and remain stern with others to make sure they take their work seriously and don''t ck off," replied Queenie as she smiled with pursed lips. Luca let out a chuckle. Jack was the epitome of a traditional strict father, especially with his military background. It made sense for him to be serious. However, most leaders nowadays tried to be approachable and friendly to appear likable. Still, Jack was one of the rare ones who maintained a stem demeanor, which could be intimidating when he did not put on a smile. However, as long as he was dedicated to his work, it was a good approach. Luca agreed with Queenie that his seriousness ensured his subordinates worked diligently for the public. Jack, having washed his hands, heard theughter from the kitchen. He could not help but walk into the kitchen and ask, "What''s so funny here?" "We were talking about you." Queenie was in a good mood and started joking with him. Jack maintained a serious expression. "No joking about the boss." "Boss, we''re at home now. It''s okay to joke a little. Don''t worry, I won''t tease you in public," Queenie teased him as she picked up a bowl of soup to take outside. Jack took it from her. Let me handle that." "Wow, the boss is helping out at home now too," leased Queenie. Jack''s face turned red. He usually stayed out of the kitchen since he could not cook and did not want to get in the way. Plus, he was often busy with work, so Queenie never asked him to help. "Give me some credit." Jack cleared his throat. Queenie picked up a dish that Luca had just cooked and said in a lighthearted tone," Everyone knows you can''t cook. There''s no need for credit here." Jack, feeling a bit embarrassed, let out a soft cough. The maid walked in, saw the cheerful atmosphere, and smiled contentedly. Luca truly was the Norman family''s lucky star. Ever since she arrived, the entire atmosphere of Norman Residence changed. Queenie no longer felt sad about Leia, and Jack''s mood improved greatly. He lost his usual stern expression. All these changes made the home feel much warmer. "Thest dish is ready. We can eat now," Luca''s voice came from the kitchen. Queenie and Jack went in to help bring out the dishes. The maid immediately chimed in, "Sir, Ma''am, please don''t trouble yourselves. Let me handle it." After washing her hands, she joined them in the kitchen to help serve the food. Luca had prepared four dishes and a soup, all simple home-cooked meals, but they looked and smelled good. Jack and Queenie enjoyed the meal thoroughly. After dinner, they wanted Luca to stay longer, but knowing that she needed to get back to her kids, they got Luke toe over to pick her up. Luke arrived shortly after getting Luca''s call, bringing two cans of tea for Jack. Jack was overjoyed. He gratefully epted the tea. After seeing them off, he turned to Queenie and said, "Queen, what do you think about us moving?" "Moving? What''s with the sudden idea?" Queenie gave him a weird look. She had previously suggested they did not need such arge vi after Leia went abroad as it felt empty and lonely, but Jack had disagreed. He had said that for a leader like him, living in a vi was already extravagant. Even though it was his father''s property and he had reported it to his superiors, there were still people who gossiped. Moving to a new ce would only fuel more rumors. He also liked the convenience and privacy of their current home. Queenie had given up on the idea of moving because of what he told him back then. She never expected Jack to bring it up now. "I just want to be closer to them," said Jack, still looking in the direction Luke''s car had gone. Queenie understood his feelings and teased, "But don''t forget, the houses near Luke''s ce are even more expensive. If people are talking about us living here, they''ll have even more to say if we move there." "I''m thinking about retiring," Jack said with a frown. "Even after retirement, people will still watch us. Besides, we can''t afford a house in that area," replied Queenie. Even though they had savings, they needed to reserve that money for important things. Jack knew she was right and let out a sigh. "It''s just that it''s quite far from here to their ce." "With modern transportation, it''s not that far. But we shouldn''t mention this to Luke. If he hears it, who knows what he might do? They already have enough trouble over there, and we can''t really help. "The best thing we can do is stay here and not cause them any more problems," replied Queenie, tugging at his sleeve. "Come on, they''re already gone. Let''s go back inside." Jack reluctantly tumed his gaze away. It was said that daughters were their fathers'' little treasures, but he had never felt that way with Leia. Whether she was young or grown, he had always been strict with her, believing that without firm guidance, girls could easily go astray. Now, he realized that was not the right attitude for a father toward his daughter. A father should treat his daughter the way he treated Luca. "I still want to look into buying a house nearby. If necessary, we could sell this vi and move to a neighborhood closer to them. That way, people wouldn''t have much to say," said Jack, wanting to be closer to his daughter.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Queenieughed and shook her head. "If you sell this vi, Dad will be upset. He always says it''ll only increase in value. So, you''d better drop that idea." Chapter 3225 In That Fleeting Moment, It All Fell Into Place For Her ?Chapter 3225 In That Fleeting Moment, It All Fell Into ce For Her Jack was aware of Queenie''s words. Thus, he dismissed the idea. Luke and Luca went home together. As soon as they walked into the living room, the three kids gathered around them. Tommy, with his chubby cheeks puffed out, was about to startining when Luca pulled out some cookies made by Queenie. "Look what I brought for you!" "Wow, cookies!" Tommy''s eyes lit up, and he immediately forgot hisints when he saw the cookies. He reached out to grab one, but Luca held the cookies higher and said, "Your grandma made these." "Ms. Luca, I want one, I want one," cried Tommy, jumping up and down, trying to get a cookie. However, no matter how high he jumped, he just could not reach them, making Lanie and Rainieugh. "Tommy, can you stop being so greedy?" "I want one." Tommy pouted his mouth. "Didn''t we just finish dinner? And you ate so much. Can you really eat more cookies?" Rainie bluntly exposed the truth. "Of course, I can!" Tommy waved his hands. "I eat a lot, and if I eat more, I''ll grow taller than you." "I''m not worried about you growing tall. I''m worried you''ll turn into a little fat boy," Rainie shot back. Then, she turned to look at Luca. "Ms. Luca, how are Grandma and Grandpa?" "They''re doing well. Don''t just stand there. Come sit down and have some cookies." Luca thought that even though the kids had just had dinner, a couple of cookies would not hurt. "Okay!" The three kids sat down to enjoy the cookies. Luca ced the cookies on the coffee table and let them help themselves. Aunt Neile, who had been taking care of the kids, could get off work now that they were home. After Aunt Neile left, Rainie came over and said, "Ms. Luca, when will you take us to Grandma and Grandpa''s ce? It feels like we haven''t been there in a long time." Thest time they visited, Leia had already been discharged from the hospital but was not confined to Norman Residence, so the kids did not feel any tension. They had not visited during Leia''s confinement. "Alright, but doesn''t Tommy have apetition this weekend?" Luca looked at her youngest s§à§á. She remembered that Tommy''s mathpetition wasing up. Tommy nodded. "Yes, I do!" "Then let''s go next weekend. Tommy has hispetition this weekend," replied Luca, not wanting to rush around too much. Going to Queenie''s ce after Tommy''spetition would be too hectic. "Alright!" Tommy agreed. Luke added, "Your grandpa is probably busy this weekend anyway." Lanie looked at him curiously. "Dad, how do you know?" "There''s a big project biding up, so he''ll probably be very busy," exined Luke. Even though Jack was not directly managing the project, whenever there was arge project bid, all departments were extremely busy. Therefore, Jack would likely be very busy that weekend, so Luca''s decision not to bring the kids over was the right one. "I see." Lanie nodded and took a piece of cookie. Even though he did not have a sweet tooth, he always appreciated treats from his elders. He would at least eat one or two, unlike his dad, who would not touch them at all. "Grandma''s homemade cookies are really good," Rainieplimented. "Yes!" Tommy agreed. Luca recorded theirpliments and sent them to Queenie. Queenie could not stop smiling when she heard the kids praising her. "What are you smiling about?" Jack walked into the room after his shower. He saw Queenie leaning against the headboard, happily looking at her phone. "Listen to this. The kids areplimenting me." Queenie proudly yed the recording of the kids''pliments. "My wife is indeed talented," replied Jack, sitting down next to her. He set his phone aside and then said, "Queen, we need to talk about Leia." Earlier, Queenie was in a good mood because of Luca''spany, but L had always been a sore spot for both of them. Given the current situation, Jack felt that even his subordinates looked at him differently. They probably wondered how someone so fair and strict could raise a child whomitted such heinous and immoral acts... Hence, Leia remained a difficult subject for them. She had cast a long shadow over their lives. "What''s left to discuss?" Queenie opened her message and found Leia''s contact. She pondered for a moment before blocking and deleting her. Jack noticed her actions. "You''re right. There''s really nothing left to discuss." "Dear, I went to see her today. We were worried she wouldn''t meet with us. So, I used Luke''s name. The staff, knowing I was your wife, let me in. She thought it was Luke visiting and agreed to see us.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "After she saw us, she got very emotional, med us for everything, and used us of all sorts of things. But I can''t even remember the specifics now," Queenie said slowly. She tried to recall what Leia had said but could not. Perhaps it was because the words were too hurtful, or perhaps they no longer mattered to her. "She only agreed to see us because she thought it was Luke? What''s going on in her head?" Queenie turned to look at Jack. Jack frowned and shook his head. "But her rant really hurt me. It made mee back to my senses at the same time. Here''s how I see it. We adopted her from the orphanage, gave her a great life and education, and even paid for her medical treatment when she got sick. We''ve done more than enough, haven''t we?" asked Queenie. Jack nodded. It was all part of what parents should do. However, the problem was, the child repaid kindness with betrayal. Leia was adopted into the family. Yet, she repaid their kindness with betrayal, even harming her own mother. With such a situation, most families would have cut ties with long ago. Just as Queenie said, they had done more than enough for Leia. "We''ve done plenty. Some people just don''t know how to be grateful. Queen, don''t burden yourself with this anymore," Jackforted her. Queenie shook her head with a smile. "I don''t feel burdened. In fact, I''ve thought it through. "I have nothing to feel guilty about. My current health issues are partly because of her. I don''t expect her to get any better in there. Good or bad, I don''t want her as my daughter anymore," dered Queenie. Jack was a bit surprised that she hade to this conclusion so quickly. Queenie figured it out in just one day. No, it only took her one afternoon. However, considering her previous hesitation, he asked again, "Are you sure?" "Yes, I''m sure." Queenie modded. "We have a wonderful daughter. Isn''t that enough? Let''s stop worrying about those who don''t matter," added Queenie. She felt that having Luca around was enough. Back then, Leia had done so many things and caused Luca so much harm. If it were not for Luke considering their reputation, Leia would have been locked up long ago. Things would not have waited until now. Queenie felt that if some people did not want to stay around, there was no point in keeping therm. In that fleeting moment, it all fell into ce for her. Chapter 3226 Your Previous Life ? Chapter 3226 Your Previous Life Jack nodded. Earlier, he had considered using some of his connections to make things a bit easier for Leia while she was inside. He did not have much affection for his adopted daughter, but Queenie still cared for her, so he could not just stand by and do nothing. If anything happened to Leia, it would ultimately trouble Queenie. This was the first time Queenie had clearly stated that she wanted to give up on L. Thus, Jack also lost any desire to help Leia. He had long given up hope for L. Her health had deteriorated so much that she had not improved at all. Going in there would not make her any better either. Jack had always believed that a person could change with proper guidance. However, Leia hadpletely changed his mind. He realized some people were innately evil, and no amount of education would change that inherent malevolence. "It''ste. You should get some rest," said Jack. Queenie shook her head and then asked, "Shall we go to Luke''s ce after you get off work tomorrow?" "It''s not the right time," Jack reminded her. "Those two kids have more pressing matters to deal with right now. If we go there, it might draw the attention of the person who kidnapped Bea." Queenie thought about it and nodded in agreement. Luca came here to help them with their health. However, as Bianca''s parents, they certainly would not approve of Luke being with Luca. If the person who kidnapped nca found out they had epted Luca and Luke''s rtionship, it would risk exposure. "I was being silly," Queenie admitted. A cold sweat ran down her back at the thought of the consequences if Luca''s identity was exposed. "We have to be careful from now on. We can''t help them, but we shouldn''t hinder them either," said Queenie. Even though she did not know about those organizations, Jack had dealt with many terrorists during his time in the military. Those people were ruthless. "It''ste, and there''s nothing we can do to help with these matters. Let''s trust them and get some rest. Staying healthy is the best way we can support them." Queenie agreed with what Jack said. She nodded, turned off the lights, andy down to sleep. Leia was already asleep in the detention center. During her time here, she had to follow a strict schedule-something she could not adjust to even while in the hospital. However, she finally managed to do so here. Suddenly, a ssh of cold water drenched her bed. Leia screamed as she sat up, drenched. She red at the women standing in front of her. She was supposed to be transferred tomorrow, yet these women still would not leave her alone! As Leia recalled what Queenie had said to her during the day, she felt a surge of anger and frustration. She lunged at the women, starting a fight. "How dare she fight back?! Let''s teach her a lesson!" one of the hefty women shouted as they pinned Leia to the ground. Leia struggled but could not move. Her head was pressed to the ground as she nced at Mandy, who was watching from the sidelines. Then, she looked at the woman in front of her and shouted, "Why do you keep bullying me?!" She had been bullied continuously during this time and had asked to be moved to a different cell, but the police never agreed. "It''s because your dad is Jack Normani" sneered the leading woman. "I told you on your first day here. Your dad''s Jack Norman, and as long as you''re with me, you''ll never have a good time because of him!" L screamed, "I''ve already cut ties with him! He''s the one who put you in here. If you''ve got guts, go take revenge on him! What do you want with me? We''re not even rted by blood! "I''ve severed all ties with him, so why are you still taking it out on me? If you were so capable, you''d have gone after Jack directly! Cowards! You''re all just a bunch of cowards!" The woman frowned. She could not be bothered whether Leia had severed ties with Jack or not. She only knew that tonight was Leia''sst night here. She signaled to the others. "It''s herst night. Let''s give her a good send-off." "Got it, Big Sis." One of the women stuffed a towel into Leia''s mouth, and they began beating her. Mandy watched from the side, frowning but saying nothing. She was also being transferred tomorrow, but she did not want to cause any trouble. Besides, she had warned Leia to y nice and ingratiate herself with these women when she first arrived. However, Leia, with her spoiled princess attitude, refused to change even here. Mandy then gave up. It was not her problem if Leia got hurt. After a while, the police finally care to rescue Leia. By then, her face was swollen and bruised. It was the worst beating she had received so far. Previously, these women had avoided hitting her face, so despite her body injuries, her face always looked normal. This time, they had no reservations and went all out on L, likely thinking this was theirst chance to hurt her. They did not hold back at all. Women could be just as strong as men, especially when they were a gang of female thugs... Mandy felt a twinge of sympathy but did not feel guilty since she was not involved.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. The women who beat Leia were taken to solitary confinement. After a medical check-up, Leia was sent back. Now, it was just her and Mandy in the cell. Mandy heard the cell door open and sat up. The police officer warned her as he brought L back, "Don''t cause any trouble. Get some rest. You''ll be transferred at dawn." "Yes, sir," replied Mandy. The door was shut again. "How are you?" asked Mandy. "Don''t pretend to care," Leia muttered with difficulty. Her mouth was swollen and painful. Mandy rolled her eyes. "Do you think I want to? Leia, after all those beatings, you still haven''t leamed to submit. Do you still think you''re the high and mighty Ms. Norman?" Leia said nothing. Mandy continued, "We''re going to be transferred tomorrow, and we probably won''t be together. So let me tell you, this ce is different from the outside world. No matter how powerful your dad is, it means nothing here. They only care about what''s beneficial to them. I suggest you learn to bow down quickly to avoid more beatings. It''s for your own good." Her words reminded Leia who was responsible for her suffering. Leia roared, "Shut up!" A hint of mockery shed across Mandy''s eyes. "Still mad at your foster dad, huh? If you had stayed on the right path, would you have ended up here with these people? Let me be blunt, if you had just been a good little Ms. Norman and not caused so much trouble, your parents wouldn''t have given up on you. "Leia, I really envied your life before. Watching you throw it all away taught me what it means to mess up a winning hand. You''re that kind of person. If I had your previous life, there''s no way I''d be stuck in this hellhole." Chapter 3227 How Dare She Come Back Looking For Her? ?Chapter 3227 How Dare She Come Back Looking For Her? "Mandy, aren''t you the reason why I''m in here?!" Leia rose to her feet, ring fiercely at Mandy on the top bunk. "If it weren''t for you involving me in those things, would I have ended up like this?" Mandy chuckled disdainfully, finding it the most absurd thing she had ever heard. "Leia, if you didn''t have it in you, you wouldn''t have involved yourself no matter what I said to you. Besides, it was your own request, remember? You wanted Matysh''s men to harm your foster parents. How could you forget that? You''re ming others now aftering up with the n yourself? You''re shameless, ming others for something you did to your own foster parents. Who do you think you are?* Leia clenched her fists tightly but did not strike. She was injured now. Mandy could hurt her anywhere with just a touch, making her no match for her. "Oh, Leia. You truly are cheap to your corel sneered Mandy. Mandy was deeply envious after knowing Leia''s family background. If only she had Leia''s family, she would not have ended up like this. How long could she rely on men to get money? Mandy knew it was a temporary meal ticket. In another two years, those wealthy men would not even consider her anymore. That was why she nned to make as much money as possible while she still had her looks. That was why she wanted to cling to Matysh. Now, Mandy regretted it all. Leia sneered, "I''m cheap? At most, I just don''t know any better. Mandy, you''re the one who''s cheap to the core. If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t be in this situation today. You won''t end up well, Mandy!" Mandy nodded. "Yeah, after we get out, everyone''s gonna be old news. It''s not gonna end well for anyone, but you''re not going to be living the high life either. Just picturing you walking out with me, looking all homeless and pathetic, is just hrious. From high society to a bum, hahaha. It''s karma in action." Leia grabbed her clothes as her expression darkened. She had said a few harsh words to Queenie today, but she did not think much of it.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Despite Queenie''s favoritism, she still cared for her. Leia believed that soon enough, Queenie woulde back around and seek her favor again. That was why she was not afraid. However, Mandy''s words continued to sting her. Suddenly, a vision shed through her mind. After being released, her family rejected her, Queenie ignored her, and she was alone in a rented room, staring at her dwindling bank bnce. "Shut up!" Leia shouted loudly, wanting to tell Mandy that she would return to the Norman family after her release. Still, she could not bring herself to say it. During this time in confinement, Jack could have easily used his connections to help her live morefortably here, but he had not done anything like that. Her days here were tough as she was bullied repeatedly by those people, yet she could not even change her cell. Even if she moved somewhere else, Jack might not help her then either. Mandy had mocked her enough and seemed tired. Shey on the bed and ignored her. Leia red at Mandy intensely, itching to climb up there and smack her across the face. However, reason told her not to even if she had the chance. Tomorrow, she would leave here and begin her formal sentence. Causing trouble now would not be worth it. Mandy turned away, watching Leia still standing there with a gloomy expression. She was unafraid that she might do something. "Leia, feeling all pent up, huh? I advise you to let it go. If youy a hand on me now, you''ll be the one in trouble," said Mandy. She let out a yawn and added, "Back in New York, I used to be your little sidekick. Who would''ve thought I''d see you in such a sorry state now? Oh, by the way, remember how you stole my man before? The guy who got bored of me that you thought was a prize? You didn''t know, right? He''s sick. I hadn''t slept with him for ages before you took him away. He had so many issues, yet you still treasured him so much. "Tsk tsk tsk, look at you now. Liver problems and more. Tough luck." "You knew he was sick and you didn''t tell me?" Leia''s eyes widened. She was only leaming this now. "Why should I have told you? Aren''t you the type who loves stealing other people''s men? It serves you right. Well, I''ve said everything, and I feel better now. "You should actually thank me. I''m only saying these things when it''s just us. If that man''s wife knew about your taste for stealing other women''s husbands, she''d go after you even harder, because you''re the fox who stole her husband." Mandy finished talking. She could see Leia''s gloomy face under the faint light. She felt content. "Mandy, after I get out, I''m not letting you off the hook," Leia warned in a low voice. At the same time, she would not let Jack and Queenie off the hook either. "Oh, I''m so scared. With your current health condition, you''ll be lucky to make it out of prison." Mandy did not seem bothered at all. Leia sat beside the bed and touched the damp sheets. She furrowed her brows and considered moving to the adjacent bed but dismissed the thought. She was put off by the strong smell and poor hygiene of the other women when she thought about it. Shey down on the damp bed, silently plotting. She would not spare those people when she got out. After Luca retumed to Watson the following day, she changed into her coat and prepared to enter theboratory when Mo knocked and entered. "Dr. Craw, someone''s looking for you." Luca asked, "Who is it?" "She didn''t disclose her identity at the front desk, so I checked. It''s Mrs. Mallory," replied Mc. She personally verified the matter due to the visitor''s reluctance to reveal her identity. "Nina?" Luca found it odd. Nina would not usuallye without giving notice. "Not the Mrs. Mallory you''re thinking of. It''s the older one," Mo Stone rified, recognizing Karen from the recent news about her. Luca frowned. Karen? Was she here to talk about performing dry needling on Pierre again? After the threats she madest time, how dare shee back looking for her? "Dr. Craw, should I turn her away?" asked Mc. Luca really did not want to see her. "Should I tell her you''re not avable?" Mo asked again. However, the thought of not seeing her might prompt Karen toe back more aggressively. Who knew what extreme measures she might take? Luca shook her head. "Where is she?" "She''s in the second-floor meeting room," answered Mo. Since this floor was restricted to strangers, Mo led Karen to the meeting room on the second floor. Regardless of whether Luca was meeting her or not, people like Karen were not to be offended lightly. Proper etiquette had to be observed. "Okay," replied Luca, taking off her coat. "Ms. Stone, please inform theb team that I''ll be thereter. Let them continue with their work for now." She had nned a brief meeting with her research team to discuss today''s tasks, but Karen''s unexpected visit had disrupted her ns. "Sure." Mo left the office. Luca followed, heading to the second floor. When she walked into the meeting room, she saw Karen sitting on the couch. Even though she was sitting down, Luca could tell she was clearly uneasy. Chapter 3228 He Wont Be Able To Do Those Bad Things Anymore ? Chapter 3228 He Won''t Be Able To Do Those Bad Things Anymore "Madam Mallory, what''s the matter?" Luca was not particrly polite to her. If Karen were not Percy''s mother or if Luke were not friends with Percy, she would not havee to see her. Although Luke had said she could do what she wanted and did not need to worry about him or T Corporation, there were some interpersonal rtionships that she felt should not be strained too much. After all, even though Luke now said it was fine and Percy''s rtionship with Karen was not great, what if... What if in the future, Karen epted Nina and her rtionship with Percy returned to normal? If she embarrassed herself now, it might affect Luke and Percy''s friendship. That was why she decided toe see Karen. "Dr. Graw.." Karen greeted her, then paused for a moment, not saying anything else. Luca sat across from her and nced at the time with a cold expression on her face. "I have another meeting soon. If you have something to say, please do. My research tasks are quite heavy." Even though she hade to meet Karen, her tone was not friendly. Karen frowned, feeling displeased. However, after some thought, she swallowed her pride and said, "You know what I want to talk about. Pierre started formal physical therapy a couple of days ago, but traditional dry needling hasn''t been very effective. So, I still hope you''ll be able to help.." Luca secretly let out a sigh. It was indeed about Pierre.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Parents cared for their children, after all. Even though Karen had done some despicable things, everything she was doing now was for Pierre''s good. As a mother, she could empathize. However, what Percy did to her and to Nina was truly despicable. He kidnapped and hit people! Was it not a good thing now that his leg was injured? He would not be able to do those bad things anymore. After the things she experienced on the Ind of Despair, Luca no longer had a saintly heart. She even felt that Pierre''s current punishment was too lenient. "I can''t help," Luca refused directly. "Dr. Craw, my family needs your help now. If you help us, we won''t mistreat you. Even if you don''tck money, you can consider Luke''s future. If he needs anything in the future, our family can also help!" Karen brought up the Mallory family. Luca frowned. Honestly, her offer was tempting. The Mallory farmily would lend a hand if Luke ever needed help. However, as long as Luke did not fall out with Percy, the Mallory family would not help Luke out even if they owed her a favor. Luca thought the offer was good, but it was not practical. "Maybe I didn''t make myself clearly.." Luca decided to put an end to this. "I have treated someone before, but his situation was different. He suffered damage to his brain nerves, so I used dry needling to stimte his brain nerves and hence restore his normal bodily functions. That''s my specialty in dry needling. Your son''s situation is different." "How is it different? Dr. Park said his leg nerves were damaged." Karen was getting worked up. "This type of leg nerve damage refers to damage to the muscle nerves. For example, when you squeeze someone, a normal person would feel pain, but someone with muscle nerve damage might feel less pain. This can gradually recover to normal," Luca exined to her. "He has difficulty standing up now, or perhaps he might walk strangely in the future. This isn''t directly rted to the nervous system. Actually, it''s because his leg was fractured for too long back then, missing the optimal treatment window and resulting in bone damage that''s affecting his leg''s function." Luca exined regardless of whether Karen understood. She had already made her point clear. There was no way she could heal Pierre''s leg. Karen''s face tumed pale. "Are you serious?" "Yes." Luca nodded. Even though she was lying, her expression remained impassive. Karen still refused to believe it. "If it''s useless, why did the hospital perform dry needling on him?" "It''s just one way to restore his muscle nerves," answered Luca. "Every type of physical therapy prescribed by doctors has its rationale and contributes to recovery. However, dry needling''s effectiveness is limited and can''t make Mr. Pierre stand up like a normal person." Karen felt hopeless. She leaned back on the couch, murmuring softly, "That''s impossible! You''re lying to me." Luca thought to herself that she was indeed lying to Karen. The dry needling technique Shanks taught her had slight differences from traditional dry needling treatment. The major difference was her ability to stimte bone healing and development through dry needling at different points. If she prepared a specific medicine solution for Pierre and used it during dry needling, it would greatly aid bone healing. Pierre had difficulty standing up now, or maybe he would limp when walking. It was because Amur''s kick had been forceful, causing many bone fractures. With the time that had passed, he had missed the best treatment opportunity, so the healing of his bones was hindered. Of course, metal could rece some sections of bone. However, it had its drawbacks. For instance, it could adhere to flesh and cause inmmation over time, necessitating surgery. That would be quite damaging for the patient. Furthermore, metal''s flexibility would never match that of a human joint, meaning even after the wound healed, there could still be a limp. Luca reckoned that Pierre''s requirement was to walk without limping, so they tried to retain as much bone as possible for him during the surgery. In Johann''s words, he did his best to piece together every bone fragment. However, some fragments were too small and difficult to reconstruct. Luca stood up expressionlessly. "Madam Mallory, I truly cannot be of help regarding Mr. Pierre''s situation. I have an important meeting upstairs. I''ll take my leave now." Then, she walked out. Karen watched her leave from behind, unable to regain herposure for a long time. Everyone told her that all treatments were to help Pierre''s leg get better. Yet, Luca had just told her that dry needling could not help Pierre stand and walk normally. She could not ept it for the moment. After entering the elevator, Luca texted Luke about today''s events. Shortly after, Luke called her. "She didn''t harm you, did she?" Luke''s tone was filled with concern. "No, don''t worry. She wouldn''t dare cause trouble at Watson, and I''m not someone she can push around," Luca reassured him. Luke was still worried about her situation. "Percy''s mother is a very erratic woman. You need to be careful." He had known Karen for a long time. When nothing was wrong, she was the elegant and noble Madam Mallory. However, once something drove her mad, she became a frantic woman. Chapter 3229 Luca Fooled Karen ? Chapter 3229 Luca Fooled Karen "Yeah, we still need to be cautious. With Percy''s wedding approaching and Pierre''s recovery not going well, her emotions might go haywire. Who knows what she might do?" Luke, despite not meddling in women''s affairs, still had some understanding of Percy''s mother. Most of what he knew came from Percy himself, with some additional insights from past interactions. He knew Karen was not simple. Therefore, when he heard Karen was going to see Luca, he grew concerned. Despite Luca''s skills and professional training on the Ind of Despair, she could still be in danger if Karen caused trouble. "Yes, I know," replied Luca, knowing Luke was worried about her from his long-windedness. She could not help but wonder how surprised T Corporation''s employees would be if they knew about Luke''s current state. "I have dinner tonight. Will youe with me?" asked Luke. "Dinner? I''d rather not go if there are strangers," replied Luca. As the elevator reached the floor, she stepped out. "They''re all people you know. Percy, Gordon, and the others," said Luke. Tonight''s dinner required male guests to bring a femalepanion. That was why he wanted to bring Luca along. "Okay, I''ll let Aunt Neile know. She''ll have to work overtime, then." Luca thought of the three kids who needed someone to look after them at home. "I''ve already spoken to Aunt Neile." Luke got her agreement and had nothing more to say. He nced at the time. Jason was still waiting downstairs for their meeting, so he ended the call with Luca. After Luca returned to her office, she hung up the call with a smile, changed into herb coat, and headed for theb After Luca left, Karen was left in a daze. She sat in the car, thinking about what Luca had said to her earlier. She knew those words could not reach Pierre''s ears. However, Luca said there was no other way. Even if she used force to bring Luca over, she would say the exact same thing to Pierre. Pierre would eventually find out. Thinking this through, Karen felt she could not keep it hidden and called Pierre. Pierre quickly answered the phone. He knew Karen had gone to look for Luca today. His first question was, "What did Luca say?" Karen let out a sigh. Pierre heard her. Frowning, he asked, "She still won''t help with the dry needling?" "Pierre, don''t get upset." Karen knew Pierre saw Luca''s dry needling treatment as a lifeline. "I just told her about your condition. She said even if she performed dry needling on you, it wouldn''t have much effect. Basically, it can stimte your nerve cells but will have no impact on bone recovery. How you walk depends on your bones, not nerves..." Pierre paused for a moment, struggling to understand Karen''s fragmented exnation. After a few seconds, he grasped the meaning behind her words. His brows furrowed together as he asked directly, "Are you saying I can never stand up normally again?" "No, she just meant dry needling won''t help much, so she can''t help." Karen quickly said something else to give him hope, "But with proper rehabilitation, you''ll definitely walk normally again." "I don''t believe it..." Pierre felt certain beliefs in his heart copsing instantly. He always thought that as long as Luca agreed toe and perform dry needling on him, he would surely recoverpletely and walk like a normal person again. He did not expect it to turn out like this... "Pierre, you have to stay hopeful. Once you''re feeling better, I''ll take you abroad for rehabilitation treatment. You''ll definitely recover..."Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Before Karen could finish her sentence, Pierre hung up the phone. Karen listened to the busy toneing from the other end of the line and frowned, worried that Pierre might do something reckless. She immediately told the driver, "Head to the hospital." "Yes." The driver had been listening to her conversation with Pierre and realized things were taking a turn for the worse. He started the car engine and rushed toward the hospital. Pierre dismissed the caretaker. His belief that he could stand again hadpletely shattered. He could not ept it now. Thinking of Abel, he picked up the phone he had just thrown down moments ago. It was a good phone. Despite a few cracks on the screen from the fall, it still worked. He found the previous number and called it. Pierre knew that cunning foxes had manyirs, and someone like Abel, who had previously contacted him using this number, might not necessarily be able to be reached again. He was just testing his luck. The phone rang. After a few seconds, the phone was answered. "Mr. Pierre?" A familiar voice came from the other end, and Pierre let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he had not changed his number. "I''d like to make another deal with you," Pierre cut straight to the chase. "Oh? You expect me to agree? I''m not necessarily going toply." Abel countered. "I have money. You need money, don''t you?" asked Pierre. There was silence for a few seconds. Then, Abel''s voice returned. "Let''s hear what this ''deal'' is about first." Pierre said, "I need you to help find a doctor who can make me walk normally again. Name your price. I''ll agree to any amount. I can transfer all the scans and medical records to you if necessary." "I can easily find your medical records anytime, and I do know a couple who are capable of treating your leg. But are you sure you want me to help?" Abel asked with a sinister tone, a sudden thought shing through his mind. "Help me," Pierre replied without hesitation. The Mallory family did not need an heir with a crippled leg. "Do you really need my help? From what I know, you also know this person. If you want my help, it might cost you tens of millions of dors. But if you handle it yourself, it might just cost a couple tens of thousands," said Abel. "Someone I know? Who is it?" Pierre frowned. Although Abel had not spoken, he suddenly had a gut feeling that it was Luca. Sure enough, Abel said her name, "Luca." "Can she do it?" asked Pierre, but deep down, he did not doubt what he was told. He had pinned his hopes on Luca from the beginning. When Karen went to talk to Luca, she might have been fooled by that woman. After all, Luca was close to Luke and also knew Nina well. Those who were close to them all hated him. Therefore, it was not impossible that Luca could have fooled Karen. "I have no reason to lie to you. If you don''t believe that Luca can treat you, I can rmend another doctor, but the one I rmend has a strange temper and may not necessarily take you on. *Regardless of whether he epts the case or not, you still have to pay me a contact fee of ten million dors." Abel inted his offer, not really wanting Pierre''s money but wanting to cause trouble for Luca. She was now Luke''s wornan. Causing trouble for her meant causing trouble for Luke. Abel enjoyed the prospect of such a scenario. Hence, he deliberately raised the price to make Pierre reconsider asking Luca to perform dry needling on him. Chapter 3230 Thank You, Honey ? Chapter 3230 Thank You, Honey "I''ll think about it." Pierre immediately hung up the phone. It was just as Abel expected. Abel listened to the busy tone on the phone, leisurely lighting a cigar. It seemed like Luca had been busytely. Now that Luke cared so much for Luca, if Pierre intended to deal with her, Luke would certainly be involved too. Abel''s sour mood suddenly turned pleasant, causing Shanks, who was across from him, to furrow his brows. "What are you up to again?" He was picking through the herbs. He collected all these herbs in the mountains of X City and brought them to A City afterward. "What''s the matter? Are you nervous?" asked Abel. Shanks ignored him and continued sorting through the herbs. "If you ask me one more question, I''ll tell you what happened on the phone just now," Abel teased mischievously. Shanks gave him a sidelong nce. "Say it if you want to." "Tsk. Shanks, sometimes you really deserve a smack," Abel retorted impatiently. He crouched beside Shanks, watching him sorting the herbs. It was all medicine to save Kassy. Abel said, "Considering all these herbs, I''ll spill it to you. Ivana could treat Pierre''s leg with the dry needling techniques you taught her, but because of personal grudges, she lied and said she couldn''t do it. Isn''t she cunning?" "You''re the truly cunning onepared to what she did," Shanksmented nonchntly. Luca had already resolved that trouble, but Abel used a trick to bring that trouble back to her. Abel chuckled. "Despite the things you say, I know you care about her. If you really like her, I could ensure her safety and deliver her to you in the end." Shanks frowned. "No need. I''ve told you many times, I don''t care about Luca."Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "Then why are you so concerned about her?" asked Abel. Shanks was rendered speechless and only reminded him, "You just think I care about her." Abel raised an eyebrow, "Is that so?" "Even if you killed her, I wouldn''t say anything. At most, I''d feel it''s a loss as she''s talented in the medical field," continued Shanks. "That''s indeed a pity. Among all the people on the Ind of Despair, you only acknowledge one person as talented. If not for Ivana''s talent, you''d be quite biased," remarked Abel. Shanks furrowed his brows. What was he biased about? In fact, he only thought Luca was talented. He had higher standards for his students. In the beginning, he believed a mother with a child could notpare to other men on the Ind of Despair in various aspects. Unexpectedly, when Luca got serious, she turned out to be more outstanding than other men on the ind. Shanks could not be bothered to exin further. Abel stopped talking about Luca too. He was genuinely afraid of pissing Shanks off. After all, Kassy''s situation mattered the most to him now. Luca had no idea that Abel had caused her a big problem. While she was still busy in theboratory, Pierre had already begun discussing with Karen. "Is what that person said true?" Karen frowned after hearing Pierre''s words, feeling inexplicably angry Luca actually dared to fool her like this! She had even convinced her! "He has no reason to lie to me!" said Pierre. After ending the call, he pondered for a while. Abel indeed had no reason to deceive him. A person like him who valued only money would not mislead him. Instead, he would directly introduce him to doctors he knew. However, Abel did not do that. Even though he could not figure it out, Pierre had a particr trust in what he said. "Then we have to kidnap Luca here." Karen was furious! She was actually tricked by that woman and she actually believed her! Sure enough people who hung out with Nina were not good people. "Bring her here today." Pierre could no longer wait. However, Karen disagreed, "It''s too risky to do it today. Pierre, wait a few more days." She had just gone to look for Luca at Watsons. If they took her here now, it would be easy for someone to suspect them. "A few days? Should we wait until she fools you again?" Pierre rolled his eyes. Karen might have been around for longer, but she was still easily fooled by Luca. Just thinking about it was absurd. Karen''s face tumed pale. Over these past few days, Pierre had been critical of her, and she could hardly take it anymore. If Pierre were not her real son and if all her hopes were not resting on him, she would have been a lot more upset. "Besides, your grandfather warned me not to think of such ns. If I make a move and Luke suspects me, we''ll have a hard time. Pierre, just bear with it for now," replied Karen. Pierre let out a cold sneer at the thought of Old Master Mallory. He was getting old, yet an old man like him was still trying to control everyone. "My patience won''tst long," warned Pierre. "Alright, just two days. Also, after we tie her up, she definitely can''t stay in the hospital. You should leave, then, Have the chauffeur bring you here every day. It''s a bit of a hassle, but it''s the only way," suggested Karen. Even though staying in the hospital would help Pierre''s leg, he had no choice but to leave since Luca was refusing to help. "Okay," Pierre replied with a dark expression. Luca had no idea that Karen, who had been fooled by her, would have other thoughts. After work, she apanied Luke to a dinner party. The dinner was filled with familiar faces. After dinner, she returned home with Luke. The three kids were still awake. When they saw them return, they warmly greeted them. They then reminded Luca and Luke to help with their homework before going upstairs to rest. Luca asked Luke, who smelled of alcohol, to take a shower first while she stayed downstairs to check the kids'' homework. The kids did not have much homework today, so she quickly finished checking it and then went to the kitchen to prepare some tea for Luke before heading upstairs. When Luke came out of the bathroom, Luca handed him the cup of tea. "Drink this. It''ll help with the hangover, so you won''t feel bad tomorrow morning." "Thanks, honey," replied Luke, taking the tea and finishing it in one gulp. Luca''s face reddened, and she said, "You really shouldn''t be saying that right now." "There''s no one else here. It''s safe to say that," Luke replied in a low voice. Luca felt that Aunt Neile could be trusted, but she wanted to be cautious. She took the empty cup and said, "Okay, you can say that, but we still need to be careful. What if the kids identally spill the beans in front of others like you just did?" She knew the kids were eager for her to reim her identity, just like Luke. They also wanted to show off having a good mother in front of their peers. They had to work hard for all of this. "Okay," Luke agreed. Perhaps it was because he had been drinking, but his words sounded more affectionate than usual. Luca''s face was red. She remembered that his phone had rung a few times when they entered earlier. She reminded him, "Your phone was ringing earlier. Go check your messages." Chapter 3231 Did Karen Send You Guys To Kidnap Me? ? Chapter 3231 Did Karen Send You Guys To Kidnap Me? "Okay." Luke''s eyes held endless affection as he looked at her. Luca took the cup downstairs. After setting it down, she went back up to check on the kids. When she saw that all of them were in bed, she returned to the master bedroom. "What are you looking at?" Luca saw Luke sitting on the couch, staring at his phone. She could not help but ask. Luke''s expression was grim. "Luca." He looked up at her. Luca turned around and looked at him, feeling puzzled, "What''s wrong?" "Just got word that Karen''s crew hired extra hands." Luke''s tone was heavy. Luca frowned in confusion. "Why did she hire more people?" "Gale investigated and found out that they were hired to capture you," answered Luke. Gale''s intel was always urate, so if he said it, Karen definitely had such a n. Luca frowned. "I made things clear to her this moming. Some people just don''t give up until the very end." She hated being treated like a prey. Matysh was like that before, but Luke took care of him. Now, there carne another one, Karen. Luca felt annoyed. Why did these people keeping? She turned to look at Luke. Luke noticed her gaze and said helplessly, "Don''t worry, I won''t let anything happen to you." Luca shook her head. She was not worried about herself. Compared to the incident with Matysh, Karen''s motive for capturing her this time was much simpler. All she wanted was for her to perform dry needling on Pierre. Since they needed her help. they would not harm her. Luca let out a sigh. "Previously, everyone targeted you. Now, it seems like I''m the one being targeted." Luke frowned. He pondered for a moment and realized that Luca was right! It used to be him who was always the target, whether it was women or various troubles. Now, the roles had switched. Luke''s lips were pursed thin as he said reluctantly, "I wish I could be the one facing the danger." "Don''t talk nonsense." Luca''s expression changed. "But there''s nothing to be afraid of. She just wants me to treat Pierre, so she won''t hurt me. Even if I get captured, I won''t be in any real danger. As long as you know who took me, you can find a way to rescue me." Luke disagreed, "I won''t let you be in that kind of danger." "Alright. Anyway, Warren will be driving me, so you don''t need to worry too much," replied Luca. "Don''t let your guard down." Luke rose to his feet and nted a kiss on her lips. Luca hugged him. "Don''t worry, I won''t let anything happen to myself. I want to live with you and the kids." "Okay." Luke hugged her back, but he could not shake the feeling of unease in his heart. As it turned out, Luke''s premonition was spot on. It happened two dayster. After Luca finished her lecture at Capital University, she was heading to the restaurant where she had nned to meet Vivian. While she was on her way, two burly men stopped her to ask for directions. "Excuse me, can you tell us how to get to Dormitory Building A at Capital University?" asked one of the men. Luce frowned. "Why are you going to the dormitory?" "We''re looking for someone, of course," replied the man. "I don''t know." Luca shook her head and started to walk away. The man blocked her path again. "Aren''t you a student here at Capital University?"Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "I said I don''t know. Now, please move," replied Luca as her eyebrows furrowed together. After being hassled by these men, she was ready to defend herself. These men were clearly not students, and their target was obvious. There were many students around, yet they had singled her out, which meant she was their intended target. "You''re quite cold, aren''t you?" The two men got closer to Luca. Their imposing figures made the students around them uneasy, but no one dared to intervene. Luca red at the men, and a sharp glint shed across her eyes. Karen must have sent them. "Did Karen send you guys to kidnap me?" asked Luca. The two men exchanged nces with each other when they heard the name. "Go back and tell your boss I''m not going. If she tries to force me, she''ll regret it," warned Luca. The men did not back off. Instead, one of them changed the expression on his face and pointed ahead. "Since you know our boss, pleasee with us. She needs your help. Here." "What if I refuse?" Luca narrowed her eyes, contemting the consequences of a confrontation here. This was a narrow food street behind Capital University. The vendors had even taken over the sidewalk to expand their spaces. If she fought here, it would scare the students and cause damage to the vendors'' stalls. Even though the university would not hold her ountable, dealing with the aftermath would be troublesome. Luca decided not to fight. She nced at the students around her. They were watching but made no move to intervene. "If you don''t go with me, don''t me me for not being nice," threatened the man. "Ms. Craw, don''t miss the point. If you help our boss, you''ll be rewarded." "I don''t need your rewards. Look around, there are lots of people and surveince cameras. If you forcibly take me away, the students will call the police immediately. Do you really want to create a scene? "Your boss is probably already worried about the police and Mr. Crawford going after her. You''d better think twice before acting." Luca wamed in a low voice. The two men looked at each other, considering her words. Then, one of them said, "If you don''t know what''s good for you, don''t me us for being rough!" "Try it if you dare!" Luca was not easily intimidated. The two men clenched their fists, but they noticed there were more students watching them. Even the university''s security guards were approaching "Hmph, just you wait!" One of the men immediately left after that. Luca let out a sigh of relief. She was not afraid of being kidnapped. She was more concerned about the impact it would have. A security guard approached her and asked, "Are you okay, ma''am?" Recognizing Luca as the new lecturer, he nced in the direction the men had gone. "I''m fine. Thank you," replied Luca. "No problem. Are you sure you don''t want to call the police?" The security guard watched the two men leave. They seemed like trouble one would not want to mess with. "It''s okay. They didn''t really harm me. The police wouldn''t be able to do much without evidence," exined Luca. The police needed evidence to act, and she did not have any proof of an attempted kidnapping. Even if she had a recording, it would not be enough for more than a waming. Since they had not made any substantive moves, the police would, at most, just give them a verbal warning if they heard the recording. The security guard nodded. "Alright, but be careful. If anything happens on campus, contact Our security office immediately." Chapter 3232 Ive Dealt With Nutcases Before, Ive Got This ?Chapter 3232 I''ve Dealt With Nutcases Before, I''ve Got This "Okay, thank you," thanked Luca. "Luca, what''s going on?" Vivian''s voice came from a distance. Luca looked toward the sound and noticed that Vivian had already approached. Vivian nced at the man in a security uniform standing next to Luca and recognized him as a security guard from Capital University. "It''s nothing," replied Luca. She did not intend to tell Vivian about the incident to avoid making her worry. After nodding at the guard to show her gratitude, she took Vivian''s hand and started walking toward the restaurant where they had reserved a table. "Let''s go. I''m hungry. Let''s get something to eat." "Sure." Vivian noticed that students were looking in their way. She was puzzled, but since Luca did not say anything, she figured it was not the right ce to discuss it and left with her. Once they were seated in the restaurant and ordered their food, Vivian handed Luca a bottle of water. She asked, "Now that there aren''t many people around, can you tell me what happened?" "I really can''t hide anything from you," replied Luca as she shook her head helplessly. Then, she told her about the situation with Karen and Pierre. Vivian frowned. "How could something like this happen? Madam Mallory has quite the nerve. How dare she send her men to nab you at the university?!" "There''s nothing they can do bute to the university since they can''t get to me anywhere else." Luca felt helpless. She had Warren protecting her during hermute when she was at thepany, so they had no chance there. "I''ve dealt with this kind of thing many times. They''re just shameless. You should be careful. If you need help, tell Mr. Crawford. He''ll definitely protect you," advised Vivian. "I know. Don''t worry." Luca knew Vivian said so for her own good. "Actually, I wouldn''t lose in a fight either, but there are a lot of students and vendors around. Fighting in this area would''ve had a bad impact." Vivian remembered Rhett mentioning that Luca knew how to fight. He even used her as an example to tell Vivian that if she did not want to be followed around, she should leam how to fight so that he could feel at ease. "Yes, I know you won''t lose, but it''s still too dangerous. Madam Mallory actually had the nerve to intercept you in public..." Vivian shivered and rubbed her arms. "Anyway, let''s not talk about that anymore. It''s your first day teaching, right? How did it go?" "It went fine. No issues," replied Luca. After all, she was teaching university students, so ssroom discipline was much better than in elementary or middle school. Plus, university professors only taught those who wanted to learn. As for those who refused to listen, the professors did not have to worry too much. This was not much of a problem for Luca. Moreover, Capital University was one of the top universities in the country. Its students were the best of the best, and teaching them was the easiest. "That''s good. I wanted to sit in on your ss to support you, but a professor had to reschedule a ss at thest minute, so I couldn''t make it," Vivian said with augh. Just then, Luca''s phone rang. "It''s Luke," Luca said to Vivian before answering the call. "Hi, have you had lunch yet?" As Vivian listened to their conversation and noticed how concerned Luca was for Luke, a smile spread across her lips. This was what love looked like. Couples who were in love should be like Luca and Luke. Luke''s voice came through the phone. "Getting ready to eat. Are you done with ss?* "If I wasn''t done, I wouldn''t have been able to answer your call," Luca replied with a smile on her face. "I''m having lunch with Vivian right now." Vivian heard her name being mentioned and greeted the person on the other end of the phone in English, "Good aftemoon, Mr. Crawford." "Good afternoon," replied Luke. Luce was worried that Vivian did not hear it, so she repeated, "He says good afternoon." Vivian nodded. "You two go ahead and have a chat. Don''t mind me." Luke, having heard Vivian''s voice, asked, "How was your ss today?" "It was great. The students were all very attentive," answered Luca. The students listened seriously and did not cause any trouble, which made Luca happy. Furthermore, after ss, she was surrounded by a few top students who asked her many questions about various topics, including her previous research. If she had not had lunch ns with Vivian, she suspected the students would have kept asking questions all afternoon. "But there was an incident after I left," added Luca. Before she could exin further, Luke guessed, "Karen made a move? "Sort of. She sent two men, but there were many students around, and the security guard noticed something was off and came over. They couldn''t do anything to me," exined Luca. Luke, who was clearly angry, replied, "How dare she.." "Remember what Mr. Mallory said about her?" Luca reminded him.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. When they learned that Karen had not given up on getting Luca to help, Luke discussed it with Percy. At the same time, Luca also confessed that while she could treat Pierre''s leg, she did not want to. Percy had agreed to respect Luca''s wishes, iming that Pierre''s misfortune was his own doing and would not interfere. He would offer help if needed. However, both Luca and Luke decided not to involve Percy. This was a minor issue. A small fry like Karen did not warrant much effort. When they declined Percy''s help, he reminded them, "With everything happeningtely, she''s be a little crazy. Be careful. Never underestimate what a mad person can do." Calling his own mother crazy meant Karen might indeed be quite unhinged. Luke recalled Percy''s words and let out a chuckle. "I''ve dealt with nutcases before. I''ve got this," said Luke. Luca let out augh too. Even though Karen was Percy''s mother and she was the one who made a move first, they had to retaliate carefully. Luca understood they could not go too far. "Alright, enjoy your meal with Vivian. Do you have more sses after lunch?" Luke remembered she had mentioned she had sses until five in the evening. "Yes, I have two more sses this afternoon. I''ll rest at Vivian''s ce for a bit after lunch," replied Luca. Even though the university had provided her with an office, she preferred not to go there. Sharing the office with other professors meant she would be bombarded with questions during her break. Young professors valued their rest and were not as invested in academic research as older professors were. Even the ten minutes she spent in the office this moming were enough for her to be surrounded by older professors. They all asked about her previous research. Luca was grateful for her ss as an excuse to escape. Otherwise, being chased down for exnations would drive her crazy. "Alright, let Warren drive you," said Luke. "Okay." Luca ended the call and saw Vivian watching her with a Cheshire-cat smile. Chapter 3233 The Deeper The Love, The Deeper The Hatred ? Chapter 3233 The Deeper The Love, The Deeper The Hatred After hanging up the phone, Luca let out a helpless sigh. "What''s with the smile?" *Your call was so loud that I heard everything," replied Vivian, pointing at her phone. "You''re even making fun of me now? Your English is getting better and better," said Luca, sticking out her tongue at her. Vivian nodded. "Of course. I''m the fastest learner in mynguage ss. The lecturer even said that if I kept it up, I could skip thenguage ss and go straight into my major next semester. "Are you nning to go straight into your major?" asked Luca. Vivian nodded. "The new school year starts in September in A City. I''m working hard to keep up with the new semester so that I won''t fall behind." "Don''t worry, you already know quite a bit." Luca was impressed by Vivian''s progress. *That''s for everydaynguage. I still struggle with professional terms. Besides, I''m better at speaking than writing. And I can''t answer the exams in Russian, right?" Vivian shared her recent experiences. She enjoyed telling her friends about what had been going on. Luca listened attentively, enjoying the dishes that the waiter served them. Before they finished their meal, Luca received a call from Aunt Neile. "Yes, Aunt Neile?" Luca gave Vivian an apologetic smile and answered the call. *Ms. Craw, I''m supposed to deliver soup to Mr. Norton, but he''s not in his ward, and the nurse doesn''t know where he is. Can you help me contact him? I don''t have his phone number," said Aunt Neile. Aunt Neile had been delivering soup and meals to Gordan. She knew where his hospital ward was, but she had never asked for his number. Now that she could not find him, she had no choice but to call Luca. Luca instinctively shot a nce at Vivian. Her phone volume was quite high, so Vivian must have heard Gordan''s name. *Okay, I''ll help you contact him," replied Luca, covering the mouthpiece. After she hung up the call, she called Gordan. When the call was answered, she nodded to Vivian and stepped toward the entrance of the restaurant to speak. "Ms. Craw, what''s the matter?" Gordan''s nonchnt voice came through the phone. His condition had improved a lot the day after the surgery. He was thinking about getting discharged, but since Luke would not allow it, he had to stay in the hospital. "How''s your arm?" Luca asked with concern. "It''s fine, all healed up," replied Gordan. Luca rolled her eyes. He was such a show-off. Gordan was not exactly the type to heal so quickly. The surface of the wound might have healed, but not the deeper issues. *Stop bluffing. Where are you? Aunt Neile went to your ward but couldn''t find you, and the nurse doesn''t know where you are," questioned Luca. Gordan chuckled. "I''m healing really fast, thanks to your soups." Luca listened to Gordan''s yful banter but quickly realized what was going on. *Did you sneak up to the hospital rooftop to smoke again?" Gordan had a serious smoking habit and had been caught several times smoking in the hospital. Later, he started sneaking up to the rooftop. The doctors had warned him not to smoke until his injuries were fully healed. However, Gordan ignored their advice, so the doctors reported it to Luke. They made it clear that if Gordan''s wounds got worse or if there wereplications, it was not their responsibility because he was not following their instructions. Luke had mentioned this to Luca before. "You''re really sharp, Dr. Craw." Gordan chuckled. "You''re as smart as Luke." *Cut the nonsense. You need to take care of yourself. The doctors and nurses don''t want you to smoke for your own good. Get back downstairs. Aunt Neile is still waiting in the ward," urged Luca. "Alright, I''ll head down now." After ending the call with Gordan, Luca returned to her table. *Sorry about that sudden call." Luca did not mention Gordan''s name. Vivian smiled and shook her head. She continued to have her lunch, even though her enthusiasm was noticeably diminishedpared to earlier. Luca noticed it and secretly let out a sigh. She asked, "Vivian, what''s wrong?" "I heard Gordan''s name on the phone earlier?" Vivian pondered for a moment and asked. "Yeah, it was Aunt Neile calling." Luca confirmed. "He''s hospitalized?" asked Vivian. She was trying to keep her tone neutral. "Yeah." "What did he do this time? Did someone beat him up?" Vivian thought that was the only reason he could have ended up in the hospital.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Luca felt a bit awkward. Vivian''s reaction was quite unexpected. She shook her head. Vivian was taken aback for a moment. Was that not the case? Sure enough, ordinary people could not even hurt Gordan. It even took a group of people to pin Ray down. *He got shot because of something rted to me," Luca exined in Russian. Vivian''s eyes widened in surprise. Although she did not say anything, her expression clearly asked for more details. Luca reminded her, "Do you remember the trial case from a few days ago?" *The Russian guy?" Vivian recalled, mentioning how some ssmates who knew she was Russian had asked her about Matysh''s case. She had heard of Matysh. However, she had not looked into him deeply as her family had no connection with the Abaza family. "Yes." Luca nodded. Vivian put two and two together. "So, the person who got shot was Gordan?" "Yes." Luca nodded again. Vivian''s blue eyes shed with aplex expression. Then, she replied in a cold voice, "He brought it upon himself." Luca secretly heaved a sigh. See, Vivian was just that kind of woman who said one thing but meant another. If there was any doubt before about whether Vivian still had feelings for Gordan, it was clear now. She definitely still had feelings for him. However, those feelings had changed. Vivian was now on the edge of love and hate. Even though she did notpletely hate Gordan yet, she was not far from it. There was a saying in A City-the deeper the love, the deeper the hatred. That was exactly how Vivian was now. She still loved him, so the hate was not overwhelming. She cared about everything Gordan did, but this concern had turned into something more bitter. For example, when she said he brought it upon himself just now. "Why aren''t you saying anything?" asked Vivian, realizing only after she spoke what she had said. Realizing that Gordan got hurt while trying to help Luca, she knew Luca would not share her harsh view. Feeling embarrassed, Vivian quickly added, "Sorry, I was just venting." "It''s okay, don''t worry about it. Eat up before the food gets cold," replied Luca, serving her some more food. She could understand Vivian''s feelings but did not agree with her. Despite Gordan''s past issues, his injury this time was indeed due to his attempt to help her. Chapter 3234 Cant Even Manage To Escape ? Chapter 3234 Can''t Even Manage To Escape Therefore, Luca could not quite connect with Vivian emotionally in this regard. After lunch, they decided to head to Vivian''s apartment to rest. The two of them headed toward the apartment. Vivian''s apartment was close to the university. Vivian had eaten a bit too much and suggested they take shared bikes back. Luca agreed happily. They each rented a bike and headed toward the apartment. The midday sun was strong, but luckily, the road was shaded, so it was not too hot. As they rode along, three men suddenly appeared and blocked their way. *Ms. Craw, we meet again," said Gerry. He was the same burly man who had stopped Luca earlier. Luca was rendered speechless. She did not expect them to show up again after their failed attempt just an hour before. *I underestimated them," Luca said in Russian. Vivian did not expect them either. She replied in a guilty tone, "I''m sorry, Luca. I didn''t think they would be this persistent..." They could have had Warren drive them, but Vivian was in a bad mood and she had eaten too much just now, so she thought some exercise might help her feel better. They did not expect these men to show up again. "I didn''t expect it either, but don''t worry. I can handle these three. Vivian, when I say run, just run and don''t look back," said Luca. She was confident in her ability to take on three men. She could handle three men at once on the Ind of Despair. These three would not be tougher than those guys. Everything would be fine as long as Vivian got away. Vivian frowned when she heard what Luca said. "But leaving you here alone is too dangerous." Luca was still speaking in Russian, "Vivian, you have to trust me. If they catch you, I won''t be able to do anything." "..." Vivian remembered that Luca was good at fighting. She realized she might just be a burden if she stayed. Vivian clenched her teeth and told herself that she would be helping Luca by running away. Thus, she said, " Alright, you count down, and I''ll run." Gerry was annoyed at being ignored and not being able to understand their conversation. *Enough! Do you even see us?" yelled Gerry. Luca said, "Now, Vivian, run!" Then, she immediately charged at the three men. "Damn, this woman knows how to fight!" eximed Gerry just before Luca took him down. "Damn it, she''s tough!" The other two men realized Luca was not easy to deal with and watched her closely. Gerry, who was on the ground, saw Vivian running away and thought of a way to subdue Luca. "Go after that foreign woman and capture her!" "Got it!" replied another man, slipping past Luca and running toward Vivian. "Vivian, run!" Luca shouted, realizing what they were up to. However, no matter how fast Vivian tried to run, she could not outrun a trained man. Within seconds, the man caught up and grabbed her. It was midday, and they had already left the busy streets near the school. The road was deserted. Gerry smirked when he saw Vivian being captured. "So, Ms. Craw, are you still gonna fight back?" Luca watched helplessly as Vivian was caught. She knew that if she kept fighting, Vivian would be the one to suffer.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "Cowards!" Luca cursed under her breath. *Hmph, we should thank that friend of yours!" sneered Gerry, realizing that Luca would not have surrendered so easily if they had not captured the foreign woman. "Let her go, and I''ll go with you," said Luca. "Do you think we''re stupid? If we let her go, she''ll just run and call for help. Come on, Ms. Craw, we don''t want to hurt your friend," replied Gerry. They had orders from Karen to bring Luca back unharmed. Earlier, they were struggling to figure out how to do that without injuring her. They did not expect such an opportunity to present itself. When Vivian was brought over, she apologized, "Luca, I''m so sorry. This is all my fault." "Oh, so this woman speaks English? Why were you babbling in a foreignnguage earlier, then?" The man narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "If you touch her, I''ll break my own hand!" Luca sensed Gerry''s intention to take out his frustration on Vivian and warned him. She figured that Karen had instructed them not to harm her. That was why they had not used force at the university''s gate. Gerry paused for a moment when he heard her, then he raised his hands. "Fine, fine. We won''t touch her. Let''s go." Luca and Vivian were taken away by the men. They were put into a small truck and had their hands and feet bound. Luca whispered to Vivian in Russian, "Don''t be scared." "I''m not scared. It''s just that if I hadn''t asked you to ride bikes with me, this wouldn''t have happened." Vivian was filled with guilt. Vivian knew these men had kidnapped Luca for a reason. However, she was not afraid, believing that Luke would rescue Luca. She would be rescued too. "Don''t worry about it. I''m here by choice," Luca reassured her, but she was also puzzled. She should not have underestimated these men. They seemed quite clever, using Vivian as a leverage point. Luca felt guilty, knowing that if it were not for her, Vivian would not have ended up in this situation. Luca narrowed her eyes and said to Gerry, "Do you know who she is?" Gerry could not be bothered. "Just another foreign woman. Plenty of theme to study at the university." "She''s Russian," Luca revealed. Gerry raised an eyebrow, finally understanding what Luca was trying to say. "Oh, you were speaking Russian earlier. I thought it didn''t sound like English." *Do you know what''s mostmon in Russia?" continued Luca. "What?" asked Gerry, ying along. *There are a lot of underground organizations in Russia," said Luca. "So?" Gerry nced at Vivian, doubting her connection to such groups. That was not possible! It seemed impossible for someone from an underground organization tock basic self-defense skills. Still, Luca''s words nted a seed of doubt. *Her brother is part of a well-known underground organization in Russia. If he finds out you kidnapped her, you''ll be in big trouble," warned Luca. She revealed Vivian''s identity just to make Karen, who was behind this, scared. Vivian was surprised that Luca revealed her real identity. Yet, she quickly understood. Luca was trying to protect her. If she did not have a strong enough backing to scare them off, Vivian would be Luca''s weak spot and might end up getting hurt. *Hahaha! Are you kidding me? She''s the sister of a Russian underground boss? She couldn''t even manage to escape!" Gerry refused to believe what Luca said and thought that she was just trying to scare them. *You can check online. I''ll give you two keywords-Russian underground organization'' and ''Ray Lacroix''. See if I''m lying." Luca gave Vivian a reassuring look. Chapter 3235 Speak Without Holding Back ?Chapter 3235 Speak Without Holding Back The man who talked to Luca gave the other thug a look. The other man immediately understood and tried searching for information. However, he could not find anything using A City''s intr. "Boss, she''s just bluffing. There''s nothing here!" reported the man as he handed over his phone. Luca chuckled. Gerry''s expression turned sour. "What''s so funny?" "I''mughing at how clueless you guys are. You used A City''s intr, didn''t you?" asked Luca. *Is there a difference between the inte and intr?" Gerry was confused. Luca was puzzled by the type of people Karen had hired. They seemed lesspetent than those she had dealt with before. *I''ve never heard of intr and inte. Boss, don''t let her mess with you," the other man chimed in. Luca nodded repeatedly. "Why are you nodding?" Gerry narrowed his eyes and looked at her. *I''m agreeing with your friend. Satisfied?" Luca was starting to get impatient. Gerry had a gut feeling she was not lying and continued fiddling with his phone. Luca then said, "Trying to find information about her? You guys don''t even know how to bypass the firewall. Just forget it." Gerry frowned, unfamiliar with the term "bypass the firewall". He looked it up online and grasped the concept, then red at Luca. "Is this woman really who you say she is?" asked Gerry. *You can''t find anything, but yourdy boss can. Tell her what I said, then you can decide how to deal with my friend," Luca said confidently. Gerry quickly called Karen. "Boss!" "Did something go wrong?" Karen asked immediately when she answered the call. She was at the Mallory Estate waiting for someone, but that person was nowhere to be seen. However, she received a call from her subordinates, which made her think something was amiss. "No, but we took an extra person with us. A foreign student who seems to be friends with the main target," said Gerry. "Good job!" Karen was pleased. "Now, Luca won''t dare act rashly!" She intended to use the foreign woman as leverage. Gerry understood what she meant and ryed Luca''s words about Vivian''s possible connections. "But this student''s identity might beplicated..." Karen''s tone turned serious. "Bring them both back first." "Yes!" Gerry responded and ended the call. He could not be bothered about Vivian''s true identity. After all, this had nothing to do with him. His job was to deliver Luca to Karen and get paid. Luca saw him hang up, but she did not press for details about Karen''s response. She calmly chatted with Vivian in Russian. "Don''t worry, Mr. Crawford will soon realize we''re missing, and he''ll know who took us," Luca reassured her. Vivian nodded. "I''m not afraid." *The sses at the university..." replied Luca, looking troubled. As she knew who had kidnapped her, she was not scared but was worried about missing her sses. "What will happen if I miss those sses?" "They''ll probably have make-up sses on Saturday. I''ve been in a simr situation before where the professor suddenly couldn''t make it, so we had a make-up ss on Saturday," answered Vivian. "That''s such a hassle," Luca frowned. She hated make-up sses and figured the students would not be thrilled about them either. Saturdays were meant for rest. "Your situation might be different, though. Maybe you won''t need to make up the sses." Vivian knew Luca did not like make-up sses. "That would be ideal," said Luca. After about half an hour, the car arrived at Mallory Estate. Luca and Vivian were pushed out of the car.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Luca looked around the vi and clicked her tongue. "Madam Mallory really can''t bear to see her precious son suffer." "Why do you say that?" asked Vivian, feeling puzzled. "We''re being kidnapped, but they brought us to Mallory Estate. Once people find out that we''ve gone missing, this will be the first ce theye to check," exined Luca. She was unsure whether to admire Karen''s cunningness or criticize her naivety. Did she really think Luke would not know what was going on? Karen, having overheard Luca''sments, looked displeased. She approached and examined Luca before turning her attention to Vivian. "And you are?" asked Karen. Vivian did not answer and turned to look at Luca. Luca asked on behalf of Vivian, "Have you checked her identity?" Karen frowned. Luca reminded, "Russian underground organization, Ray Lacroix. You''ve captured Ray''s sister. Madam Mallory, have you thought about the consequences of your actions?" Karen''s expression darkened. She had never dealt with such people before, but Luca''s demeanor made her realize she had indeed crossed paths with someone significant. Karen looked at Vivian''s face and furrowed her brows together. Her face seemed too ordinary. Karen could not be bothered about it so much and said firmly, "Dr. Craw, I extended a kind invitation, but you tried to fool me. I had no choice but to get these men to bring you back. I don''t care who this woman is. You''ll be performing dry needling on Pierre today!" She instructed the men, "Take them inside." "Yes!" The two men escorted Luca and Vivian inside. "Take them upstairs," added Karen. "Okay!" The men, eager to follow Karen''s orders for the sake of their payment, listened to her instructions. Luca was roughly led upstairs and nearly tripped on the stairs. She almost fell. Karen, who was watching nervously, yelled at her subordinates, "Be careful! Don''t hurt her!" Luca let out a cold sneer. She knew Karen was not genuinely concerned about her getting injured but rather worried about her ability to perform the dry needling treatment on Pierre if she were hurt. Following Karen''s directions, the men brought them into the bedroom. Pierre was sitting by the bed. When he saw Luca, a sinister smile appeared on his face. *Luca, it''s been a long time, greeted Pierre. His tone dripped with malice. Luca looked at his leg thoughtfully. "It has been a while. I see you''ve managed to injure your leg in the meantime. Is it broken? Can you walk now? Is it normal?" Herments made Pierre''s expression darken! *Luca!" Pierre clenched his teeth. He was seething with anger and itching to p her. *Is there something you need, Mr. Pierre?" Luca remainedposed and unbothered, even with her hands bound behind her. Pierre would love nothing more than to rip her head off. "So, you''re feeling pretty smug, huh?" "Not really. I just think it''s quite pathetic that you ended up like this. I warned you before to be careful and not too arrogant. Look at you now. A broken leg. "Oh, and I remember you had a matchmaker, right? With everything happening, is your matchmaker still around?" Luca aimed to provoke him. To her, Pierre was essentially useless. Luca spoke without holding back, especially when dealing with someone she saw as powerless and dependent on her. Chapter 3236 Im Not Lying About Her Identity ? Chapter 3236 I''m Not Lying About Her Identity *Luca, I''m going to kill you!" Even though Pierre knew that Luca could help him, he could not tolerate her mockery. He was about to lunge at her and was ready to p her! Karen rushed in to stop him. "Pierre, calm down!* Pierre''s eyes were bloodshot with anger. "I can''t! I''m going to make her submit and make her fix my leg today!" Luca felt a wave of nausea. With Pierre in this state, he was still thinking about making her... Vivian, who did not understand the situation, turned pale and asked in Russian, "Luca, what should we do?" Luca calmly shook her head. "Mr. Pierre, are you still able to do that?" Luca mocked him. "I heard that your nerves are severed, so you''re probably affected in that area too." Pierre''s expression darkened. Karen was startled for a moment and screamed, "What do you mean?! Does this mean Pierre won''t be able to have kids in the future?" Johann mentioned that Pierre''s leg nerves were damaged, but he did not say it would affect his ability to have kids! The Mallory family would never ept an heir who could not have kids! "I said it''ll have an impact, but don''t worry, Madam Mallory. If the nerves recoverter, his condition might improve. So we can''t say for sure that he can''t have kids. Mr. Pierre probably hasn''t noticed it himself yet," Luca said with a teasing smile, which only served to provoke Pierre further. Pierre really had no idea about it. During his time in the hospital, he had been so focused on how to heal his leg that he had not thought about that aspect at all. Even when he saw attractive women, he did not have those thoughts in mind. Everything was just fleeting. When Pierre heard Luca say this, he hit the bed hard. "Luca, stop trying to fool me!" He thought Luca was lying to him. After all, she had fooled Karen before. If Abel had not told him, they might have fallen for it. When Luca''s name was mentioned, she wore a smile that was more mocking than reassuring. Pierre was so furious that he felt like throwing things at her. "Don''t doubt me," muttered Luca slowly, pushing him deeper into despair with each word. "You used to have women around you all the time. Think about it. During this period, have you had any thoughts when you see pretty women?" Pierre clenched his fists tightly and did not answer, but the fury in his eyes answered for him. Luca continued, "Andtely, have you had any... needs?" She was vague, but Pierre understood perfectly. Even Karen was worried, and her brows furrowed together. "Pierre..." *Shut up!" Pierre roared, but it was uncertain if he was addressing Luca or Karen. Luca did not care how angry he was. She continued, "When you wake up, do you..." She did not finish her sentence.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. The implication was clear. Pierre realized that what she was saying applied to him! He had not thought much of it before as it was normal not to have such needs with a leg injury. However, when he heard Luca say it now, it was clear that he had been affected in that regard. His anger was evident on his face. Karen was shocked. Even if Pierre would not admit it, his expression gave away the answer. She nced at the men who had kidnapped Luca and Vivian. Knowing that this was not something outsiders should know, she told them, "Your mission isplete. Go downstairs to collect your payment." The two men were engrossed in watching the scene unfold, but when they heard Karen speak, they realized it was time to leave. After they left, Karen mmed the door shut and fixed a hard stare on Luca. "You must have a solution!" "I''ve told you, I don''t. Madam Mallory, why don''t you believe me?" replied Luca with an innocent look on her face." Nerve recovery takes time." "How long?" asked Karen. Content belong to NovelDrama.org *Three years? Five years? It''s hard to say." Luca shook her head. Her hands were bound behind her back, which was quite ufortable. "Madam Mallory, if you let me and my friend go now, I can pretend whatever happened today never happened. Otherwise, I can''t guarantee what might happen next." Before Karen could respond, Pierre cut in, "Don''t you even think about it! You''re just a liar. Don''t think you can fool me, even if you have the ability." Pierre''s cold, calcting gaze sized Vivian up. He thought to himself what an ugly woman she was! At the same time, he began to make ns. "You need to start the treatment now, or I''ll torture this woman!" Luca''s eyes narrowed. She hated being coerced. Did Pierre really think he could intimidate her? Clearly, she had not been ruthless enough, which was why they kept pushing her around. Karen, noticing Luca''s expression, suddenly remembered what she had said downstairs. She was unsure about it, so she walked over to Pierre and whispered the situation to him. Pierre had his ownwork and connections. Therefore, it was better for him to make the decision on this matter. The more Pierre listened, the darker his expression grew. He kept ncing at Vivian. He did not expect that those useless men Karen had hired to kidnap such an important figure. Although Luca valued her, her identity was also significant. Even if Luca did not cooperate, he could not afford to mess with someone like that. If what she said was true and the organization sent someone, he would not be able to handle it. Karen felt uneasy when she noticed Pierre''s silence and his gaze on Vivian. However, when she recalled how cunning Luca was, she suggested, "Why not verify her identity first? She might not be who she ims to be." Vivian''s appearance was too in, even unattractive. It was hard to link her to the sister of an underground organization leader. No underground organization was poor. With such wealth, why would Vivian not improve her appearance? "Give me your phone," said Pierre. Karen handed him the phone. He used the inte to search for information. He found a lot about Ray, the leader of the underground organization, but very little about his family. Pierre frowned, but he understood the situation. Leaders of underground organizations often protected their families, so personal details were rarely made public. Members of such families, as long as they were not extraordinarily powerful, tended to keep a low profile. However, Pierre still managed to find some information. For example, Ray had an older sister who was described as very unattractive. Many men had approached her with ulterior motives. However, she was eventually married to a well-off man from A City. As for being unattractive... Pierre nced at Vivian again. Even though she was not extremely unattractive, she certainly fit the description. It matched. He tried to find more information. "Mr. Pierre, you don''t need to search further. I wasn''t lying about her identity," said Luca, sensing their doubt. "So don''t think you can use Vivian to threaten me." Pierre''s expression darkened as he typed Vivian''s name into the search bar. Eventually, he found some information confirming that Ray''s sister was indeed named Vivian. Chapter 3237 Stalling For Time ?Chapter 3237 Stalling For Time Luca noticed a change in Pierre''s expression. She reckoned that they had already found something out, so she said, "It looks like you found something. I think you''d better let us go." "No!" Karen''s tone was assertive. "No matter what, you have to perform dry needling on Pierre today." Luca frowned in silence. Pierre set his phone aside. A mocking gleam shed across his eyes. "Yeah, you''ll be performing dry needling on me today, no matter what." He did not n on having Luca perform dry needling on him for the long term. The room was filled with surveince cameras. As long as he got one more session from her, another naturopathic physician could learn from the footage afterward. This was the n Pierre and Karen came up with. They could not afford to offend Luke''s people, but if they had to, they would do it once and then send Luca back unharmed. "Anyway, if you don''t help me with the dry needling, I''ll be useless. The Mallory family doesn''t need useless trash. But this woman got dragged into it because of you. It wouldn''t look good for Luke, right?" Pierre threatened menacingly, betting that Luca only knew this woman because of Luke. If anything happened to her, not only would the Mallory family be in trouble, but so would Luke. Luca had deep feelings for Luke and definitely would not want to see him in trouble. *How despicable!" Luca realized that her n to protect Vivian had been seen through. However, it was a wed n to begin with. After all, it was hastily put together. If Pierre decided to go all out, she had no way to stop him. Vivian felt guilty, knowing she was Luca''s weakness. "Luca, people like him aren''t worth your help. Just let him be a cripple!" The word ''cripple'' triggered Karen. She pulled a knife from a drawer and held it fiercely to Vivian''s neck. *If my son bes a cripple, you won''t live either! You''re thedy of an underground organization, right? I don''t care who you are. Either Luca performs dry needling today, or you''ll both die here!" Luca''s heart sank as she looked at the sharp de against Vivian''s throat. She regretted getting Vivian involved in this mess. She should not have gotten too involved with Vivian so frequently during this kind of situation. It was her fault. Update first atN?velDr¨¢ma. Org. If something happened to Vivian, Ray would not only go after the Mallory family but also trouble Luke. As the knife got closer, Vivian remained calm, giving Karen an intense stare. "If you have the guts, just kill me. If I die, your whole family will be doomed." Karen''s hand trembled. However, she knew that if Pierre did not get better, her future would be hopeless.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. If they were doomed, then so be it! Luca saw the madness in Karen''s eyes and realized that she had nothing to lose. If she did not give Pierre and Karen some hope now, Vivian would be in serious danger. Luca was still of use to them. They would only im to hurt Vivian to threaten her. "Wait!" Luca relented. The knife''s tip was aimed at Vivian''s carotid artery, but Luca felt like it was aimed at her own heart. She knew that Ray was not someone to be messed with. He treated Luke well because there was no grudge between them, but if something were to happen to Vivian on her watch, that would change. Not only Luke, but the kids would also be in danger. If Vivian got hurt, Ray would go crazy, and the people she cared about would be at risk. Karen paused for a moment. There was a hint of smugness in her eyes, but she did not put the knife away. "You should''ve agreed sooner. I didn''t want to scare your friend." "You need to prepare the needles for me," said Luca. She was trying to buy time. "And some other tools, like alcohol. Karen finally put the knife away and opened a drawer, taking out everything Luca needed. "Are these needles enough? I have three more packs if you need them." Luca was rendered speechless. These few packs of acupuncture needles could cover all of Pierre''s acupoints. "They''re enough." She moved back a bit and turned around. "Untie me." Karen did not hesitate and swiftly cut the rope with the sharp knife. The thick ropes fell away instantly. Luca moved her wrists. Even though she did not see the knife cut through the ropes, she could feel the sharpness of it. She looked at Karen with a gloomy expression. "Untie my friend too." "No!" Karen was cautious. "After you perform the dry needling, I''ll let you two go." Luca nced at the room''s surveince cameras, many of which were aimed at Pierre. She smirked, understanding their n. They knew she could not provide long-term dry needling treatment for Pierre, so they wanted to record her doing it. Then, they could have a naturopathic physician replicate the procedure from the video. Nevertheless, even if a naturopathic physician watched the video of her performing the dry needling treatment, there was no guarantee they could get it right. The reason Abraham had been so urate in finding the acupoints before was because she had been there to personally guide him. Every acupoint had unique effects and characteristics, and she exined those to him so that he could remember them. Even with a video, those older naturopathic physicians would not necessarily find the right acupoints. Plus, dry needling needed to be adjusted based on the patient''s condition. There was no one-size-fits-all method. *Luca, I''m fine," Vivian reassured, still feeling guilty. *My friend is getting tired standing there." Luca gave her a reassuring look and then negotiated with Karen. Karen realized Luca was stalling for time. She quickly pulled Vivian to sit on a couch. "Is this better? Now, hurry up and start." Luca silently began preparing for the treatment. Karen watched as she put on medical gloves and then disinfected them. She was clearly growing impatient, but she held back from rushing Luca. Luca exined, "This procedure will take over half an hour. Don''t talk or interrupt me. Some acupoints will be quite painful, so bear with it." Pierre nodded without saying anything. He was willing to endure the pain as long as he could walk normally again. Luca started the treatment. With the first needle, Pierre felt the pain immediately. The moment the needle was inserted into his body, he clenched his teeth, and his forehead veins bulged. Karen felt a pang of sympathy. Was it really that painful? She asked in a low voice, "Can you be gentler?" Luca gave her a cold stare. "If you think I''m doing it on purpose, I can show you where to insert the needles and you can do it." Karen, not knowing anything about medicine, quickly shook her head. Luca proceeded with the second needle. Pierre could not help but let out a groan. "He didn''t seem to be in this much pain when he was receiving dry needling treatment at the hospital!" Karen suspected that Luca was taking revenge on them. Last time, Luca only touched Pierre on his abdomen once or twice, and he ended up lying in the hospital for over a week with painkillers doing nothing to help. As Luca continued with the dry needling treatment, she exined, "The acupoints used at the hospital were standard. What I''m doing now is less conventional. If you think I''m hurting him, I can stop at any time." Chapter 3238 Its Killing Him! ? Chapter 3238 It''s Killing Him! Karen felt sorry for her son, but when she heard Luca say she could stop anytime, she dared not tell her to stop. If they stopped now, everything they did today would have been for nothing! Karen looked at Pierre, nning to let him make the decision himself. Pierre clenched his teeth and said, "Keep going." Luca could not help but secretly exim. It was not that Pierre could not endure the pain. If enduring the pain meant he could stand up normally again, he would endure as much as it took. She continued with the dry needling treatment without giving him a moment to catch his breath. Pierre felt like cursing, but when he saw the serious expression on Luca''s face, he held back. The dry needling treatmentsted for half an hour. Luca used two packs of needles before stopping. "Alright, now we wait." "Wait for what?" Karen immediately asked. "Wait for half an hour to remove the needles and for the damaged nerves inside to repair themselves," exined Luca. Karen immediately pressed a knife to Vivian''s neck when she heard this. Luca narrowed her eyes. "What are you doing?!" Karen said bluntly, "I''m worried you''ll pull a fast one, so I have to do this. Once Pierre''s treatment is done, I''ll let this woman go." Luca scoffed. Karen was notpletely dumb, after all. "Then you''d better be careful. If she''s hurt, I''ll make sure your son is crippled!" "Do you dare?!" Karen''s hand that was holding the knife paused for a moment. *You can watch and see if I dare," Luca reminded her as she narrowed her eyes. Karen clenched her teeth. She sat down next to Vivian, her gaze fierce. Luca sat on another couch. Since no one was holding a knife to her, she satfortably and looked at Vivian, who was being held hostage. "Vivian, be careful. This woman''s hand isn''t steady. Don''t get hurt."Update first atN?velDr¨¢ma. Org. Vivian nced at Karen''s trembling hand and replied, "She won''t lose her grip on the knife, will she?" "Probably not," answered Luca. They were conversing in Russian. Neither Pierre nor Karen understood. Feeling insecure, Karen said to Luca, "What are you jabbering about?! Speak in English." Luca rolled her eyes. "Madam Mallory, do you even have to control whatnguage we speak too?" Karen was about to say something, but Vivian interrupted her, "We''re being held hostage, and there''s nothing we can do. We can''t even speak in Russian now?" Karen wanted to say it was not forbidden. It was just that she was worried they were nning something bad in anothernguage. Before she could speak, Luca added, "You have people downstairs too. Even if we n something in Russian, could we escape?" Karen was at a loss for words. If it were just Luca, she might actually escape. However, with Vivian, who had aplicated identity, it would not be easy... "Hmph! If you think you''re so tough, try speaking Russian for the rest of your lives." Karen let out a cold snort. Being talked to like this made her feel that restricting theirnguage was not necessary. Luca and Vivian continued their conversation. Luca asked Vivian about funny stories that happened in university, using this topic to distract her. Vivian understood and started sharing amusing stories from her university. As she told her the stories, Lucaughed out loud, amused by her tales. Vivianughed along too. Karen''s expression was dark as she watched themugh so freely despite being held hostage. It seemed like she and Pierre were the ones kidnapped instead. She nced at Pierre, who was lying on the bed. His eyes were closed, and his brows were furrowed together. He was clearly in pain. Luca had mentioned that the treatment would be painful and he had to endure it. Hence, Karen dared not to say anything. There was nothing she could do but watch Pierre endure the pain. Her heart ached. Half an hourter, Luca slowly rose to her feet. Karen raised the knife higher. "What are you doing?" "It''s time to remove the needles," replied Luca as she walked toward the bed. Pierre let out a sigh of relief when he heard that. It was excruciating. It was even worse than the dry needling treatment he had in the hospital. The treatment he received only hurt when he moved, but this one hurt constantly even if he did not move! That burning pain was unbearable, almost killing him! Karen felt rxed a little. Luca started removing the needles slowly. Each removal brought a fresh wave of pain for Pierre. Pierre could feel that Luca was deliberately doing it slowly. He wanted to urge her to hurry up and stop torturing him. However, those words never went out of his mouth. Asking Luca for a favor was not a good idea. He just had to endure it.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. After removing all the needles, Luca counted them to ensure everything was in order. Then, she stood up and looked at Karen. "Madam Mallory, I''ve done my part. Can we leave now?" Karen frowned and exchanged a nce with Pierre before shaking her head with a smile. "It''s not that simple." Luca raised an eyebrow. Was Karen going back on her word? She had expected that things would not be so simple. Karen had put so much effort and resources into kidnapping her. It could not just be for one dry needling treatment session. However, since they chose Mallory Estate, they probably did not n to keep her for long. Luca remained silent, waiting for them to reveal their intentions. *Come in," Karen called out to the people outside. Then, two people pushed the bedroom door open and walked in. It was a man and a woman, one older and one younger. Luca looked at Karen, wondering what she was nning. *The footage is all on thatputer. Dr. Schwartz, you can check it yourself," said Karen. *Alright," replied the older doctor. He nced curiously at Luca before heading to theputer. He was an older man who did not know how to use aputer, so the young woman, likely Dr. Schwartz''s assistant, helped pull up the surveince footage. Luca immediately understood. Karen exined, "I know you''re unwilling to treat Pierre, so I had toe up with this n. We recorded the dry needling treatment session so that Dr. Schwartz can replicate itter." "Oh." Luca''s expression remained calm. She already figured out that the numerous cameras in the room were for this purpose, so she was not surprised. She did not expect that even after performing dry needling on Pierre, she still could not leave. She was stuck here to teach Dr. Schwartz. She figured that Karen would force her to answer any questions Dr. Schwartz had. Luca started speaking to Vivian in Russian again. Pierre wanted to tell the women to be quiet so that Dr. Schwartz could focus. However, since he still needed Luca, he held back. Dr. Schwartz and his assistant sat in front of theputer, watching the surveince footage, frequently ncing between Luca and the screen. They were puzzled by her unique dry needling techniques. They were probably secretly eximing, "This is unbelievable!" Karen invited them, promising that if they leamed Luca''s methods, they would be the ones to treat Pierre. Moreover, the treatment fees offered were extremely high. Hence, they agreed to it. At the same time, Karen wamed them that Luca''s dry needling techniques differed from traditional methods. However, they did not take it seriously. Chapter 3239 If You Want To Leave, Its Simple ?Chapter 3239 If You Want To Leave, It''s Simple After watching the footage, Dr. Schwartz finally realized what Karen meant by different. The dry needling technique in the video waspletely different from what he had learned. The air conditioning in the room was just right, but Dr. Schwartz was sweating bullets. He had a contract with Karen. The contract required him to learn the dry needling technique in the footage and use it to treat Pierre. However, he had no idea how to perform this strange new method. His assistant nced at him and said in a low voice, "Professor, we''ve never seen this dry needling technique before. What should we do?" Dr. Schwartz wiped the sweat from his forehead, "Is this some new type of dry needling technique?" *It shouldn''t be. I''ve read tons of literature, and none of it mentions a new dry needling techniqueing out of A City. What do we do now?" Even though Dr. Schwartz''s assistant''s medical skills were not as advanced as his, she knew that this technique would be hard for them to learn. Even if they repeatedly studied the footage, they would not be able to figure out the correct needle positions. "What happens if we break the contract?" asked Dr. Schwartz. "We''d have to pay a penalty. We can''t afford that, professor," the assistant reminded him. By now, Dr. Schwartz was not only sweating from his forehead but also from his back. They spoke in hushed tones, making Karen and Pierre think they were just studying the footage. However, Luca heard their conversation clearly. She had no intention of helping the two doctors. She sat there, rxed. Ten minutester, Pierre asked, "How''s the research going?" Dr. Schwartz bit the bullet and replied, "This technique is quite unusual. We need more time to study it." "You don''t have much time left." Luca was not trying to make things difficult for the doctors. She was just speaking the truth. At this point, lectures had already started at the university. So, the university would know she had not shown up and would try to contact her. If they were unable to reach her, they would contact Evan, who would then reach out to Luke. Gale and his team were probably looking for her now. Karen shot her a look, "What do you mean?"Update first atN?velDr¨¢ma. Org. "It''s been two hours. The university already knows I''m missing," replied Luca. "You''re just missing one ss. Do you think they''ll care?" Karen scoffed, knowing that Luke woulde but doubting he would arrive quickly. "Yeah, they won''t." Luca smiled and said no more. Dr. Schwartz did not fully understand what was happening, but when he saw Karen wielding a knife at a foreign woman, he could guess a bit. *Professor, maybe we should juste clean..." suggested Dr. Schwartz assistant. She reckoned that the unbound young woman was the one who performed the dry needling on Pierre. Even though they did not know if the technique would work, their client required them to learn it, so they had no choice but to ask for help. Dr. Schwartz, trying to save his dignity, pretended not to hear his assistant''s suggestion. When the assistant noticed that, she said straightforwardly, "Professor, if we let this drag on, we''re really going to break the contract." Although Pierre could not hear what they were saying, he could tell they were stalling without making any progress. Hence, he urged, "Have you learned it yet?" Dr. Schwartz had no choice but to stand up reluctantly. He gave Pierre an apologetic look, then turned to Karen with the same expression. *Madam Mallory, this dry needling technique is too new and strange. I don''t even think those acupoints exist. I''ve never learned something like this before," admitted Dr. Schwartz. Pierre rolled his eyes, turned to look at Karen, and said, "Useless." He was insulting Dr. Schwartz but also ming Karen. After all, she was the one who found this doctor. Even with high-definition footage from multiple angles, the doctor could not learn the technique? Karen frowned and red at him. "Didn''t you tell me you were a seasoned naturopathic physician? That there were no dry needling techniques you didn''t know, no acupoints you couldn''t locate?" "But the positions of these acupoints are really unique. None of the medical texts have any records of them," Dr. Schwartz replied helplessly. He truly did not know this technique. Luca let out a chuckle. Everyone turned to look at her. She could feel their gazes, but she did not move or say a word. *Luca," Karen called out. Luca lifted her eyelids and shook her head. "What do you mean by this?" Karen felt frustrated. This did not seem like a kidnapping. It was as if she had invited a big shot toe over. Nevertheless, neither she nor Pierre was the type to beg Luca for help. "I told you before, my dry needling technique won''t significantly help Pierre''s recovery, and this technique isn''t something just anyone can learn," Luca said nonchntly. She stuck to the story she had told Karen before, even if Karen did not believe it. *If he can''t do it, you teach him until he can!" Pierre said harshly. Luca looked at Dr. Schwartz, who was sweating bullets, and his assistant, who was equally terrified. She thought to herself that this was what they got for working with Pierre. If they had not gotten involved with Pierre, they would not be in this mess. Luca heard a slightmotion downstairs and smiled. "Someone''s here." "What?" Karen''s expression changed. Luca pointed downward. "There''s a fight downstairs." "That''s nonsense. I don''t hear anything!" Karen snapped, thinking that Luca was trying to scare her. Luca pointed at her ears. "I have good hearing. If you hadn''t threatened me with Vivian, I wouldn''t have performed the dry needling. Now that it''s done and you''ve recorded it, you can let her go, right?" "No!" Karen refused to release Vivian, thinking that having her would still give them leverage, regardless of who showed up downstairs. Luca narrowed her eyes. Then, the bedroom door was kicked open. Gale walked in and nced around the bedroom. There were six people in this 30-square-meter bedroom, which surprised him. "Wow, there are so many people here. Are you guys having a meeting?" Gale looked at Luca and noticed she was not tied up, which made him rx a bit. However, he noticed Vivian was bound and had a knife pointed at her. He frowned. It seemed like every day just brought more trouble. *Sorry about this, Mr. Gale." Vivian thought the emotion in Gale''s eyes was because she had gotten kidnapped. Gale shook his head. "Ms. Vivian, this isn''t your fault. My frustration is with them." He casually pointed at Karen and then at Pierre. Vivian was amused by his gesture. Even though the knife was pointed at her, she no longer felt nervous. Gale looked at the two and said, "Pierre can''t fight with his crippled leg, and you, a middle-aged woman, aren''t much of a threat. So, either let her go peacefully and I''ll report back to my boss, or you deal with the consequences yourselves."Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. *She''s in my hands now, so I make the rules!" Karen was not intimidated by his threat and instead looked at Luca challengingly. "If you want to leave, it''s simple. Just teach Dr. Schwartz the technique." Chapter 3240 Dragging Along A Dead Weight ?Chapter 3240 Dragging Along A Dead Weight *I think you misunderstood me. If I wanted to leave, I could''ve done it anytime." Luca rose to her feet. She had not left earlier because there were thugs downstairs, and taking Vivian with her might have resulted in injuries. Luca was not afraid. She just did not want to get hurt. If either she or Vivian got injured because of this kidnapping, it would be a mess to deal with. "You!" Before Karen could finish her sentence, a sharp pain shot through her hand, causing her to drop the knife. She looked down and saw a thin needle sticking out of her wrist. "What''s this?" Karen screamed and realized that the needle looked familiar. It looked like the ones that were used for Pierre''s dry needling treatment. Karen red at Luca furiously. Luca had already pulled Vivian behind her. "It''s just a needle. Pull it out, and you''ll be fine. Madam Mallory, I''m done ying games with you. I''m definitely going to press charges for today''s kidnapping. As for Mr. Pierre, he''d better take care of himself." *Luca, I''ll kill you!" Karen, in a frenzy, grabbed the knife and lunged at Luca. "Luca, watch out!" *Dr. Craw, be careful!" Two voices shouted simultaneously as Luca turned around to see Karen charging at her with the knife. What a crazy woman! Luca tried to dodge to the side but was grabbed by someone. Luca nced at the person and saw it was Vivian who had grabbed her. "Vivian!" eximed Luca. The next moment, the knife shed across Vivian''s hand. Vivian had braced herself for the injury, but she still groaned when the knife cut her skin. At the same time, Gale kicked Karen away. "Damn it!" Pierre, who was lying in bed, watched helplessly as his mother was kicked. He could not get out of bed to do anything. Luca''s expression darkened as she nced at Vivian''s hand. The wound did not look too deep, and she realized that if it had not been for Vivian, she might have been the one who got cut. Her expression turned even grimmer, and her fists clenched tightly. Kareny on the ground, groaning in pain. When Vivian noticed the expression on Luca''s face, she feared Luca might do something extreme. Hence, she grabbed her hand and said, "Luca, I''m okay. Let''s go to the hospital. Mr. Crawford will handle things here." "Alright, let''s go to the hospital first." Luca red at Karen and then at Pierre before helping Vivian out. When they got into Gale''s car, Luca took off her jacket and wrapped it around Vivian''s hand. "We don''t have any bandages now, so this will have to do to stop the bleeding. The wound isn''t deep, but it''s long. We still need to go to the hospital." "Okay, I''m fine," Vivian reassured her. It hurt, but it was bearable. Gale drove toward the hospital, updating Luke on the situation along the way. When Luke heard that Karen had not only kidnapped Luca but also Vivian and tried to harm Luca, his tone turned icy cold. "Take Ms. Vivian to the hospital first. I''ll take care of the rest."Update first atN?velDr¨¢ma. Org. "Got it, boss," replied Gale. Then, he stepped on the gas. Since Vivian''s injury was not serious, Luca decided not to go to Johann''s hospital and instead chose a private one which was nearer. The emergency doctor worked quickly, treating Vivian''s wound right away. After paying the bill, Luca was ready to take Vivian back to school. Just as they walked out of the ER, they saw someone squatting in the hospital garden, smoking a cigarette. Luca immediately recognized him as Gordan. She shot a nce at Vivian. The smile that had been on Vivian''s face disappeared. Luca heaved a sigh, unsure if Gordan had shown up on purpose. "Do you want to go say hi?" asked Luca. Vivian, feeling a bit emotional, nodded. "Okay." Luca was surprised as she had thought that Vivian would refuse. However, considering Vivian knew about Gordan''s injury, she figured Vivian might be worried, so they approached him together. As they got closer, Vivian wrinkled her nose at the smell of secondhand smoke. "What are you doing here?" asked Gordan, puffing on his cigarette. He could sense someone was blocking him in front of him and thought one of the annoying nurses hade to scold him. "Can''t I smoke in peace?" Then, he lifted his head. He froze, caught off guard by the sight of Vivian and Luca. Luca frowned when she saw his bandaged hand. "Dr. Craw." Gordan looked guilty as though he had just been caught red-handed. Luca nced at his cigarette. "How many packs are you nning to smoke today?" *Just this one cigarette," mumbled Gordan, looking like a mouse in front of a cat. After all, Luca was Luke''s wife. He had to show respect, right? "He can''t quit smoking," Vivian said nonchntly, Gordan used to smoke a lot, and she doubted he had changed now. Gordan was not one to change easily. He was the same with her. After all these years, there was no change. His disdain was as strong as ever. Luca slightly furrowed her brows. She considered giving them some privacy, but then she remembered that even though they were not enemies, Vivian''s resentment toward Gordan was still strong. Even though they were not enemies, Gordan was on the verge of bing Vivian''s enemy all on his own. She decided to stay at the thought of this. She nned to ask Vivian to leave. However, she still could not bring herself to say it. Gordan raised an eyebrow, initially ready to scold Vivian for meddling in other''s affairs, but when he saw her injured hand, his expression softened into a frown. "How did you get hurt?" *It''s none of your business." Vivian was not nning to tell him. Gordan''s frown deepened as he looked at Luca. Luca exined, "She got hurt because of me." "Who would dare do that?!" Gordan''s voice had a hint of anger.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Vivian was taken aback for a moment, and her heart skipped a beat. Realizing how his words might be taken, Gordan quickly added, "I mean, who would dare hurt Luca?" A hint of disappointment shed across Vivian''s eyes. How could a man who hated her so much suddenly stand up for her? Over the years, Gordan had taken plenty of beatings from Ray. His only focus now was probably revenge on Ray, not concern for her... Luca shook her head, thinking how awkward Gordan was acting. *Karen kidnapped me, and since Vivian was with me, she got taken too. She got hurt protecting me." Luca intentionally left out the severity of Vivian''s injury to make Gordan wonder about it. Just as she expected, after Gordan heard what Luca said, he nced at Vivian''s injured arm. Sensing his gaze, Vivian quickly hid her hand behind her back. Gordan''s expression darkened. "The Mallory family really have some nerve. Don''t worry, Dr. Craw. Boss won''t let them off easy!" Gordon withdrew his gaze, deliberately not looking at Vivian. Luca nodded. "I know." *But you were really unlucky," Gordan suddenly said. "Huh? What do you mean?" Luca did not know why he said that. *If you hadn''t been dragging along a dead weight, you wouldn''t have gotten hurt by the Mallory family''s goons. Even though I''m stuck here, I know exactly what kind of scum the Mallory family hires." Chapter 3241 A Leopard Doesnt Change Its Spots ?Chapter 3241 A Leopard Doesn''t Change Its Spots Luca looked a bit awkward. "Mr. Norton..." Vivian''s expression changed too. She felt wronged inside but showed anger on the outside. Was Gordan for real? He was always criticizing her. Even though Luca got kidnapped because of her, Vivian did not want it to happen either. What a petty guy! "I''m not wrong, am I, Dr. Craw? With your skills, taking down those punks would''ve been easy. If you didn''t have to worry about someone, you wouldn''t have gotten kidnapped, right?" added Gordan. He gave a pointed look at Vivian. Vivian''s face turned red then pale. Luca let out a sigh and replied, "Enough, Mr. Norton. The one at fault here is Madam Mallory, not anyone else. You should cut down on smoking. It''s gettingte, and we need to go."Update first atN?velDr¨¢ma. Org. "Why do you care about him?" Vivian grabbed Luca''s hand. "A leopard doesn''t change its spots. Don''t expect him to!" Gordan''s expression darkened. Vivian sure was something. Her words were getting harsher each time. She was even mastering some of the most biting phrases in English! "Vivian!" Gordan''s anger was barely contained. Before he could say more, a voice interrupted, "Mr. Norton, there you are!" The nurse, Sunny, came running over. Gordan hid his anger and put on a roguish smile. "What''s up?" Sunny noticed the cigarette in his hand and heaved a sigh. "Why are you smoking again? Didn''t you promise me you wouldn''t smoke until you were better?" "I''m just lighting it up for the smell. I''m not really smoking. That doesn''t count as breaking the promise, does it?" replied Gordan.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Vivian, watching Gordan talking to the nurse, felt a pang of jealousy but could not help blurting out, "He''s a liar. He was smoking just now." Sunny was surprised when she turned to look at Vivian but quickly noticed Luca beside her. Her expression changed. Sunny vividly remembered the close rtionship between Luke and Luca. The moment she saw Luca, she recognized her immediately. The moment their gazes met each other, Luca nodded. Sunny returned a slightly uneasy smile before turning around to lecture Gordan, "Mr. Norton, if you want to be discharged early, you shouldn''t smoke. I don''t even know where you got those cigarettes. They''re harmful." "You don''t understand. These are good cigarettes. Alright, stop nagging. I won''t smoke." Gordan walked to the trash can and threw the cigarette away. Then, he turned to Sunny and said, "Let''s go." Sunny''s face reddened as she quickly followed behind him. Vivian felt a wave of difort as she watched them leave together. "Are you okay?" Luca asked with concem. Vivian deliberately put on a surprised look on her face. "I''m perfectly fine. Why do you ask?" "Doesn''t your hand hurt?" Luca continued to ask. Vivian shook her head. "No, it doesn''t." "Doesn''t your heart hurt?" Luca pressed. Vivian paused for a few seconds before shaking her head again. "No, it doesn''t." Luca replied helplessly, "Don''t worry, he doesn''t like that nurse." "How do you know?" Vivian could not help but ask curiously. "He''s just using the nurse to get to you. Besides, the nurse isn''t interested in him either," exined Luca. Vivian''s heart skipped a beat. "Why do you say that?" "She''s interested in Luke," answered Luca as she took Vivian''s left hand and led her toward the hospital entrance. "She''s just being nice to Mr. Norton to please Luke." Vivian was taken aback for a moment, but she still felt a pang of jealousy. "The nurse might not like him, but he could be interested in her!" "I don''t think so." Luca shook her head. *Luca, why are you always speaking up for him?" Vivian was even more puzzled. "I''m not. I''m just stating the facts. He acts the same with every woman. If that means he''s interested, then Mr. Norton would be a total yer, right?" Vivian knew what a "yer" meant. She had joined the university''s book club, and her ssmates had exined some of these English expressions to her. *He is a yer," mumbled Vivian. Luca put on a faint smile but said nothing more. The two of them reached the hospital entrance. Warren was already waiting there. After they got into the car, Warren drove them toward Capital University. Vivian, remembering how she had given the Mallory family an opportunity, could not help but apologize, "Mr. Warren, I''m sorry." Warren was surprised but replied while driving, "Ms. Vivian, you don''t need to apologize." Vivian said, "If I hadn''t held Luca back... If Luke mes you, you should put the me on me. It''s my fault." *Boss said this was unavoidable. Even without you, Ms. Craw would''ve faced this situation. Besides, you took a hit for her. Mr. Crawford isn''t ming anyone. He''s grateful to you." Warren had already exined everything to Luke. Luke was a reasonable person. Warren was supposed to drive after them while they rode their bikes. However, Luca and Vivian had not told him, so he thought they were still at the restaurant. "Don''t worry, it''s fine," said Luca, knowing that Vivian was worried her mistake would affect others'' work. Still, Luke was reasonable. Even though he rarely showed it when it came to her, fortunately, this incident had not turned into a disaster. Luke probably would not me Warren. *I still think I should exin it to Mr. Crawford," said Vivian. Luca nodded, not stopping her. "Okay." "Let''s talk when we get back to the university," suggested Vivian. Warren drove them back to the campus, and Luca went to the faculty office. Several senior professors were still there. When they saw Luca, they eagerly surrounded her. "Dr. Craw, are you hurt?" "No, I''m fine." Luca smiled and shook her head. Even though these old professors were dedicated to academics, they could be quite endearing at times, like now. "It''s good you''re not hurt. What happened? Someone actually kidnapped you!" Another professor gossiped. Luca felt helpless. They were not only endearing but also gossipy. She gained a new perspective on these old men. "I don''t know. By the way, my ss this afternoon..." Luca looked at the professors. *Oh, Dr. Linwood took over your ss after hearing you were kidnapped," replied one of the professors while pointing at another professor. Dr. Linwood had reluctantly covered the ss. Luca thanked Dr. Linwood. "Thank you, Dr. Linwood." "Don''t mention it. But you should take over now. Since you started teaching, the students have beenining that my lectures aren''t engaging or clear enough. They all want you back," replied Dr. Linwood with a cheerfulugh, showing no hard feelings about the students'' preference. The old man had an open mind. This was not his area of expertise, so he could only teach straight from the book. Chapter 3242 Firmly Standing Up For Nina ?Chapter 3242 Firmly Standing Up For Nina *Thank you, Dr. Linwood." Luca could see that the old man did not care about others'' opinions. She did not press the issue further. Knowing she did not need to make up the ss, Luca excused herself, iming she had other matters to attend to. She left the office and asked Warren to drive her home. When she got home, it was still early, and the kids had note back from school yet. Luca sat on the couch and sent Luke a message. Luca: [How do you n to handle Karen?] Luke: [We can''t go to the police. We''ll have to handle it another way.] Luca understood what he meant by "another way." Luca: [Handle it as you see fit. With Nina and Mr. Mallory''s weddinging up, it''s not a good time to make a big deal out of this.] Luke: [Got it. I have another meeting. We''ll talk more when I get home.] Luca: (Okay.] Then, she put her phone down. She pondered for a moment and decided to continue her research in the study. Just as she stood up, the doorbell rang. Aunt Neile went to answer the door and then informed her, "Ms. Craw, Mrs. Mallory is here." Before Luca could respond, Aunt Neile, remembering the kidnapping incident, added, "It''s Ms. Nina." *Alright." Luca nodded when she knew it was not Karen. If Karen had the nerve to attack, she certainly would not show up to apologize. *Aunt Neile, please prepare some refreshments," requested Luca. *Sure.* Aunt Neile nodded and went to prepare the tea and snacks for Nina. *Luca, are you alright?" Nina''s voice could already be heard even before she entered the room. Momentster, Luca saw her rushing in. If it were not for the need to change shoes, Luca was sure Nina would have hugged her by now. Still, it was close enough. Once Nina had changed her shoes, she sized Luca up. "Are you okay? As soon as I heard you were kidnapped, I rushed over." "I''m fine." Luca quickly reassured her. *Really? I heard there was a knife involved!" Nina''s brows furrowed in worry, afraid that Karen might have hurt Luca. *She did try to hurt me, but Vivian reacted quickly and pulled me aside,'' Luca exined. *But I heard someone got hurt. Was it Vivian? How is she? Which hospital is she in?" asked Nina. She had only heard bits and pieces from Percy, who was still gathering details.Update first atN?velDr¨¢ma. Org. "Vivian got a minor injury. It''s already been treated at the hospital, and she''s home now. It''s not as bad as you think. Don''t worry." Nina let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness you''re okay. Otherwise...." She trailed off, unable to finish the thought. Nina was shocked that Karen would go to such lengths to harm Luca and Vivian. Did she not know who they were?! *But is Mr. Crawford going to the police?" asked Nina. She supported the idea of involvingw enforcement. However, Percy mentioned that reporting it could affect their wedding, and Luke would likely consider that and avoid involving the police. Not going to the police did not mean there would not be consequences. Actually, not going to the police meant this situation was serious. *Not going to the police means he''ll probably handle it privately." Luca shook her head. "If he did go to the police, it''ll definitely affect your wedding with Mr. Mallory," "I don''t really care. If certain things aren''t brought to light, she''ll never change. Do you know, Luca, I have two bodyguards following me around now?" said Nina as she took Luca''s hand and sat down. The bodyguards standing outside were arranged by Percy. Percy said that they had to be extra cautious with the wedding approaching. He was worried that Karen and Old Master Mallory might try to hurt her to stop the wedding. Nina thought they would not dare to go too far, considering it was awful society. However, given Karen''s unstable mental state, she agreed to keep the bodyguards. *Mr. Mallory is doing this for your safety," replied Luca, concerned that Nina might be annoyed by the constant surveince. Nina was not the type to like being followed around, even after bing Mrs. Mallory. "I know, that''s why I didn''t oppose it. But Luca, you need to be careful too. Even though Percy''s mother seems normal now, her emotions are still unstable. The psychiatrist said her outbursts are due to long-term emotional suppression. *After Pierre returned, she got better, but she stopped taking her medication," exined Nina. The maid taking care of Karen appeared to be Old Master Mallory''s subordinate but was actually working for Percy. The maid, who oversaw Karen''s daily life, was well aware of whether she was taking her medicine. However, she was unable to persuade Karen, so she reported the situation to Old Master Mallory and Percy. *You should be the one being careful." Luca shook her head. "She used Vivian''s safety to threaten me, so I had to perform dry needling treatment on Pierre." "What?" Nina did not expect something like that. She frowned. "That''s so despicable! And given Vivian''s strong background, she''s really gone mad to do such a thing!" *Yeah, but they probably won''t target me again for a while. When I performed the dry needling, there were a dozen surveince cameras on me. They brought in an old naturopathic physician to watch the footage, hoping he can learn from it and treat Pierre," exined Luca. "That''s crazy!" Nina frowned. She thought Pierre should not get better at all. *They had a n, and it was allid out perfectly, but that dry needling technique isn''t easy to learn. It won''t work if the needle cement is even slightly off. He''ll just have to endure those needles for nothing." Luca said with a smile. *Does that mean he won''t get better?" asked Nina. "That''s right." Luca nodded. Nina nced down at her stomach. She did not want Pierre to recover. Even now, she harbored a deep hatred for him. Even though she would not have found her true love, Percy, if it were not for Pierre, the past grudges could not be erased. Hence, Nina hoped Pierre would die! If he could not die, then she wanted him to suffer for the rest of his life! That was what she wished for. *That''s great! Pierre deserves to stay unwell!" murmured Nina. Luca understood her hatred. There was no way to ask Nina to let go of her grudge. Anyone in her shoes would feel the same way. Hence, Luca would not push her to move past it. Luca said, "Alright, enough about him. Your wedding ising up soon. Are you nervous?"Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. "I''m not nervous, just a bit annoyed," replied Nina as she furrowed her brows. *Annoyed? Why?" asked Luca. "It''s about the jewelry. People here love giving gold and diamond jewelry, right? I thought maybe I could wear less at the dinner, but Percy insists I wear more to avoid giving the media any fodder for wild spection," Nina Luca nodded. "You do need to wear it." That was the custom here. The more jewelry the bride wore, the more it showed the groom valued the bride. Percy was firmly standing up for Nina, ensuring no reporters would make up stories about her being out of favor. Chapter 3243 Her Unshakable Place In His Heart ? Chapter 3243 Her Unshakable ce In His Heart Nina nodded. She said, "Yes, I need to wear it, but it''s just so heavy. That''s why I was thinking of getting some high -quality fakes. It''s lighter, and most people wouldn''t be able to tell." Luca let out a chuckle. *I get it now. You and Percy are on the same team, both thinking I should wear the real stuff, huh?" *For the sake of Mr. Mallory''s reputation and for your own sake, just bear with it. What kind of CEO''s wife wears fakes at her wedding? Even if no one says anything at the event, someone will notice. ''Think about it. Mr. Mallory''s guests and the reporters surely know a thing or two about jewelry. They''ll definitely catch on if you wear fakes," Luca said. The power of the press was limitless. If they found out Nina was wearing fake jewelry, it would be all over the news. Nina nodded. "He said the same thing. That''s why I gave in. But I tried on the whole set, and it felt like a ton of bricks around my neck." Then, she continued with a sigh, "And I have to wear it all day! Now I understand why so many brides say their wedding day is the most exhausting. Just wearing all that jewelry is tiring enough!" Luca agreed. When she married Luke, he had prepared a lot of jewelry for her too, and it was all heavy. After the wedding, it took her two days to recover from the strain on her neck. However, it was all a sign of Luke''s love and the high regard he held for her, showing everyone her unshakable ce in his heart. *Just hang in there. Isn''t marrying him your dream?* Lucaforted her gently. Brides-to-be always had all kinds of anxieties, and as a friend, she could only offer somefort.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Nina let out a sigh. "At first, I thought we didn''t need a big, fancy wedding. Just a simple ceremony with close friends would''ve been fine, but he insisted. He wanted everyone to know I deserve the best. "So here we are. The wedding is perfect, but I''m worn out." *Comin all you want, but there are so many people who would kill for a wedding like yours and to marry Mr. Mallory. If they heard you, they''d be green with envy," teased Luca. Nina stuck her tongue out yfully. Aunt Neile walked over with some refreshments, cing them on the table. When she heard what Luca said, she chimed in, "She''s right, Mrs. Mallory. So many people dream of a wedding like yours. You don''t realize how lucky you are." "Aunt Neile''s right!" added Luca.Update first atN?velDr¨¢ma. Org. Nina''s face turned red at their words. "I know I''m lucky, but I feel like happiness is something you feel inside, not something you show off." "He''s doing all this to protect you, to silence the critics." Luca picked up a cup of tea and handed it to Nina. "Don''t overthink it. The jewelry might be heavy, but it''s just for one day." Since Nina had cut ties with her family, there would not be anyplicated ceremonies the next day. Nina shook her head. "What''s wrong?" asked Luca. *Even though I just have to wear the jewelry for just one day, the ceremonysts for two. Percy said that since I''ve cut ties with my family, we''ll visit the Crawford family instead. He''s already discussed it with Old Master Crawford, who agreed and even weed the idea," Nina said. Luca was surprised but thought it was a good arrangement. "That''s great!" *I didn''t expect Old Master Crawford to agree, so when Percy brought it up, I was pretty nervous. But he agreed immediately and even said he doesn''t have a granddaughter, only a god-granddaughter, so he''d be happy for me to visit the day after the wedding," shared Nina. She was still a bit surprised by it all. Luca smiled. "Old Master Crawford loves having people around, and since he doesn''t have to host a formal event, he''s even happier. Plus, do you think he takes on god-granddaughters easily? You''re the first!" *I know he agreed because of Mr. Crawford and Percy, but I''m still surprised, replied Nina as her phone beeped She took her phone out to check and said to Luca happily, "Percy says we''re having dinner here tonight, so I shoulde over." *Aunt Neile, do we have enough ingredients? If not, I''ll order some," said Luca. If not specifically instructed otherwise, Aunt Neile would only buy enough groceries for one day. Even though they had a fridge, Luca felt that keeping food in it for longer made it less fresh and affected the taste. If they hadst-minute guests, she would order groceries through an app. Aunt Neile shook her head. "We don''t have enough." *I''ll order some groceries, then," replied Luca as she picked up her phone. At the same time, she also received a message from Luke, informing her that Percy and Nina would join them for dinner tonight. After Luca replied to him that she had been informed, she ced the grocery order. *Sorry for troubling you." Nina felt like they were causing a lot of trouble. "It''s no trouble at all. The groceries will be delivered to the gate, so it''s easy to pick them up," replied Luca. Aunt Neile nodded. "Yes, with modern technology, we don''t need to run to the market anymore." *Thank you," said Nina, feeling a bit guilty but knowing she had no other choice. Since Percy suggested dinner at Luke''s ce, it was likely they needed to discuss something, probably about Karen and Pierre. Therefore, Luca could not refuse and say it was an inconvenience. Karen and Pierre had been causing a lot of trouble. Night fell. After dinner, Luke and Percy went upstairs to discuss business. Nina offered to watch the kids and settled in to watch cartoons with them. With her help, Luca could focus on her own tasks. As an episode of the cartoon show ended and themercials began, Tommy''s big eyes were fixed on Nina. *Ms. Nina,* Tommy called in his sweet voice. Nina felt her heart melt. "Yes, sweetheart?" *Are you getting married soon?" asked Tommy. "Yes, very soon. Why do you ask?" Nina responded. "Will you still visit us often after you marry Mr. Percy?" asked Tommy. *Marrying Percy won''t change my life or how I act," answered Nina, puzzled by the child''s sudden question. "Why do you ask?" "I''m afraid you won''te visit us anymore after you get married," replied Tommy. Nina smiled and patted his head. "You''re all such adorable kids. I''ll alwayse to visit you, married or not. That won''t change." Tommy smiled and nodded. Nina still found the question a bit odd but was not sure how to ask about it when Lanie spoke up. "When youe over, Ms. Luca gets so happy," said Lanie. Nina blinked and looked at Lanie, then realized what they were talking about after a few seconds. Chapter 3244 A Breakthrough ?Chapter 3244 A Breakthrough Nina pinched Tommy''s chubby cheeks. "So, you''re only worried about whether I''lle just because you want to make Luca happy?" Tommyughed and shook his head. "Of course not. We like you too, Ms. Nina!" "Yes, we like Ms. Nina," Rainie chimed in. *Aww, I trust Rainie more. Tommy, I don''t believe you anymore" Nina teased him. *Ms. Nina, I''m being sincere! We all really like you!" Tommy quickly responded with a big smile. Ninaughed and yed along with the kids. Meanwhile, upstairs, Luke and Percy were discussing business. However, they were not talking about Pierre and Karen. They were discussing the uing bid. The government had already announced that the bidding would take ce next week. After going over the remaining details and confirming there were no issues with the bid proposal, Percy asked, " How do you n to deal with them?" *They''re your mother and brother," Luke reminded him helplessly. The simplest solution would be to send Pierre and Karen to the police. However, with Percy and Nina''s weddinging up, that was not an option. Hence, they were still figuring out how to handle them. "Do we still have all the evidence?" asked Percy. Luke nodded.Content belong to N?velDr¨¢ma. Org. "Is Ms. Vivian badly hurt?" Percy asked again. He had a connection with Ray, and he felt bad about Vivian getting hurt in the incident. *Not too badly. She didn''t need stitches. She just had the wound bandaged at the hospital," replied Luke. Percy nodded. "Give the evidence to Old Master Mallory. He''ll know what to do." *Once he gets the evidence, your mother won''t have any chance ofing back to the Mallory family," Luke reminded him. Old Master Mallory would not allow Karen to sneak around and cause trouble again. Thest time, Pierre found someone to solve Karen''s problem, which slightly changed the old master''s opinion of her. If they handed over the evidence now, Karen''s days as Madam Mallory would be over. Percy''s father had always kept a mistress and child outside, but Karen had retained her position as Madam Mallory in the family all because of the old master''s support. If Old Master Mallory lost faith in her, he might support someone else as Madam Mallory. Luke was not worried about Karen''s fate. He was more concerned about someone else affecting Percy''s position. "I don''t need her to secure my ce in the Mallory Corporation anymore. Our twopanies are deeply intertwined. As long as you make your stance clear, the old master won''t let anyone else take over Mallory Corporation," said Percy. Old Master Mallory valued interests over family ties. As long as Percy could bring benefits to the corporation, the old master would not do anything to him. *Alright, since you''ve said so, I''ll have someone send the documents over tomorrow. I was going to wait until after your wedding to handle this,'' replied Luke. "Strike while the iron''s hot. If you get the documents to the old master now, I won''t have to worry about them bothering Nina or ruining my wedding," said Percy. "Got it." Luke nodded. The two of them reached an agreement in the study. Meanwhile, Luca was making some progress in her own work. She quickly put the medicinal herbs into the machine to extract a high-purity solution. Ever since she revealed her identity to Luke, she bought several machines to conduct experiments in the study room. Even though these machines were not as advanced as the ones in a professionalb, they were sufficient for now. Besides, she could not easily take these herbs to Watson for research. Luca was deeply engrossed in her experiments. Only when Luke knocked on the door was she brought back to reality. She nced at the time and realized it was already 11:00 pm. Luca clicked her tongue. How did it get sote? After storing the solution at a low temperature, she left the study. Luke noticed her tousled hair and gently brushed it aside. "Why are you working sote tonight?" "I just had a breakthrough and lost track of time." Luca hugged him. "I might have figured out why Shanks is collecting these herbs." "Why?" Luke, enjoying her embrace, hugged her tighter. "I''m not sure yet. I''ll tell you once I''m certain," replied Luca. It was just a guess for now. She wanted to confirm it before saying anything. "Alright." Luke patted her head. "It''ste. Let''s get some rest." "Okay." Luca nodded. Just as they were heading to the bedroom, Tommy poked his head out. *Dad, Ms. Luca?" He rubbed his eyes. "Why are you still up?" Luca let go of Luke. "We were just about to go to bed. Why are you awake?" "I''m thirsty," Tommy whined. Luca smiled and ruffled his hair. "I''ll get you some water." *I''ll do it. You go take a shower," Luke suddenly suggested. Luca nodded, thinking that it was a good idea. Even though it was the weekend, getting up toote was not ideal, so she headed to the master bedroom. Luke stared directly at his son. Tommy was confused, and he asked, "Dad, aren''t you getting me water?" "Are you really thirsty?" Luke saw right through his son''s act. Tommy awkwardly scratched the back of his head. He thought he had put up a good show. He could fool Mom but not his sharp-eyed Dad. "Dad, how did you know I wasn''t asleep?" "Son." Luke squatted down to look him in the eye. "Do you know that when you lie, you have a little tell?" "Huh?" Tommy was puzzled. *ying cute, huh?" Luke tapped Tommy''s forehead. "You''re too old for that. If you''re still doing it, it means you''re feeling guilty." Tommy pouted his mouth. "Having a super-smart dad isn''t always a good thing." "Isn''t it?" Luke rose to his feet, looking down at his son. "So, why are you still up thiste?" *I was reading and lost track of time. Ms. Luca didn''t remind me today. I was about to go to bed but heard some noise outside, so I came to check. I didn''t expect you and Ms. Luca to be up thiste." *Remember to rest and protect your eyes while reading," advised Luke.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Tommy nodded. "Okay, Dad. Please don''t tell Ms. Luca. I don''t want her worrying about reminding us to go to bed every night." "You''re still looking out for her, huh?" Luke was pleased with his son''s thoughtfulness even though he had been lying. It showed how much he cared for his mother. "Dad, you''re busy, so it''s up to us to look out for Ms. Luca!" Tommy patted his chest proudly. "Don''t worry, Dad, I''ll protect her." Luke looked at his son, who spoke with such confidence, and asked, "Alright. Do you still want that ss of water?" "Nope." Tommy was not really thirsty. He just made up an excuse. *Then get back to bed," replied Luke as he opened the door and gestured for him to go. Tommy, worried his dad might spank him, quickly ran back to bed. Chapter 3245 Feeling A Bit Homesick ? Chapter 3245 Feeling A Bit Homesick After Tommyy down and covered himself with the nket, he looked at Luke at the door and said, "Goodnight, Dad." *Goodnight. Sleep well," replied Luke, closing the bedroom door behind him. His phone buzzed. He nced at it but did not return to the master bedroom. Instead, he headed to the other room and made a couple of phone calls. Once everything was sorted, Luke went back to the master bedroom. Luca was already sitting up in bed, holding a tablet. "Is the child asleep?" asked Luca. She looked up, assuming Luke had been putting Tommy to bed. "Yeah, he''s asleep," answered Luke, getting into bed and sitting next to her. He nced at the screen filled with dense text and asked, "Looking at more research?" "Yeah." Luca nodded. "Every study needs data to back it up. Look at this herb. It''s poisonous but also has properties that can regenerate flesh." She pointed at the document to show him. "I''ve been wondering why Shanks would use these herbs for research. Is he trying to develop a new poison? But these herbs aren''t particrly strong, so it doesn''t seem necessary. I started thinking in other directions, like their medicinal properties beyond the poison." Luke did not understand much about pharmaceuticals, but he found her exnation interesting and spent some time looking at the research with her. Regenerating flesh... Back in ancient times, people used herbs like these to treat patients. Modern technology has advanced, so these herbs'' medicinal properties are now obsolete. If Luca had not done her research, she would not have known about these properties. However, due to the poison in those herbs, they had been mostly phased out in medicine, and even naturopathy physicians would avoid them. A lot of information about these four medicinal ingredients had been lost over time, making it very difficult to find. "Was it hard to find this information?" Luke suddenly asked. He recalled how long Luca had been searching for it. She had searched so long yet only found so little information. That was why he asked. Luca nodded. "These herbs are rarely used now. They''ve lost their market value, so it''s lucky to find any information on them at all. It took me a lot of time to find even a little bit of information on it." The inte had only been around for a few decades. These herbs had been used for thousands of years. Western medicine''s introduction to A City made naturopathy less prevalent. Information on these obscure herbs was mostly found in ancient texts, and very little was avable online.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. *If there''s any information online, I can find it." Luke pulled her into his arms. Luca was surprised. "Really?"Content belong to N?velDr¨¢ma. Org. *Percy knows a guy," Luke reminded her. "Adrian Daley?" Luca suddenly remembered the guy. After revealing his identity, Luke told her many things, like how Adrian could track IP addresses back to her old apartment. Amur''s skills were impressive,parable to world-famous hackers. The encryption software he used was so advanced that even hackers could not trace detailed locations. However, the fact that Adrian could pinpoint the exact neighborhood left Luca astonished. After she mentioned Adrian''s name, Luke nodded. "Yeah, that''s him. Percy said he''s recently developed a big data algorithm that can urately find the information you need from publicly avable inte sources. ''It also has an intelligent exclusion feature that eliminates duplicate data instantly, which significantly increases search efficiency." Luca was amazed. That guy was a genius! *If Abel finds out about thisputer whiz, he''ll probably do everything he can to recruit him." Luca then asked, "Can you help me with this?" "Of course, I can. Whatever you need, I''ll help you," replied Luke. He would even give her his life if she asked for it. Luca smiled. "But Mr. Mallory should be careful with this talented guy. If Abel finds out about him, he might try to poach him." *Abel wouldn''t dare make a move against someone under Percy''s protection," Luke said. Even though Adrian was working for Percy now, he worked for Percy willingly because he could ensure his safety. Otherwise, with his skills, he could make more money as a frencer. *Actually, I have a question," Luca began, but Luke interrupted, "You''re wondering why Adrian chose to work for Percy?" She nodded. "Adrian got into trouble with the wrong people. The only person those people fear is Percy, so he''s safe with him," exined Luke. Adrian was different from Gordan. Gordan stayed with Luke out of admiration and loyalty, but Adrian was there to protect his own life. *I see," replied Luca as she nodded. She thought Percy must have offered significant benefits to keep Adrian, but now, she understood the real reason. "That means it won''t be easy to lure Adrian away." "Darling," Luke suddenly called her in a teasing, affectionate tone. Luca''s face reddened. "Hey, why are you calling me that?" "You''re my wife," replied Luke, gently stroking her cheek. Her soft skin felt wonderful under his touch, and he could not get enough of it. "That tickles." Lucaughed, swatting his hand away. Luke did not mind. His hand moved lower. "It''s gettingte. Let''s get some rest." "Okay." Luca''s cheeks still flushed as theyy down together. The night was still long. While some were enjoying their night, others could not sleep. Vivian was one of those who could not fall asleep. Vivian tossed and turned in bed, wide awake. She was d she was at her apartment and not in the school dorm. Otherwise, she would have disturbed her roommates. Sitting up with a sigh, Vivian could not stop thinking about what had happened earlier that day. It was not about the kidnapping. That was a minor issue for her. What she kept thinking about was running into Gordan at the hospital. That nurse seemed to have a good rtionship with Gordan. Had he already started a new rtionship? Vivian knew there was no chance for her and Gordan, but she still could not get him out of her mind. She hated herself for being so easily swayed by her feelings for him. At the thought of this, Vivian decided to call Ray. It waste at night for her but still early in Russia. Ray answered quickly, "Vivian, what''s up?" *Ray, can''t you just call me ''Sis!?" Hearing her brother''s voice lifted her mood a bit, and she took the opportunity to correct how he addressed her. "I haven''t called you that since I turned 18. Why are you suddenly hung up on this?" Ray''s voice was rxed, but he could sense something was off. "I just haven''t heard you call me ''Sis'' in a long time, and I wanna hear it," replied Vivian in a slightly yful tone. At that moment, she felt a bit homesick. Chapter 3246 Trying To Move On ?Chapter 3246 Trying To Move On Ray felt a bit disoriented. It had been a long time since he had heard Vivian act affectionately with him. As he listened to Vivian''s voice, he called out, "Sis." Vivian smiled and replied, "Ray, I miss home." "If you want toe back, you can do it anytime," replied Ray. He did not agree with her decision to study in A City initially. However, Vivian was feeling down back then, and he could not argue with her, so he let her go. *I''m not nning toe back right now. I''m just saying I miss it. A City is great, the university is great, and my ssmates are great. I''m doing well here, but I''m not used to not having family around," exined Vivian. She genuinely loved A City. That was why she chose toe. "When''s your next break?" asked Ray. "Well, in A City, the next break isn''t until February next year, so I have a while before I can go back. I just wanted to hear your voice because I miss home, that''s all." "I''ll make time to visit you," suggested Ray. Running a family business was not easy. If he let his guard down, others could overtake them. If it were an ordinary business, being surpassed would not be a big deal, but their situation was different. The entire family could be at risk if they were outdone. "Don''t worry about it, Ray. Just focus on managing the family business. I''m fine here," Vivian quickly added. Moreover, she had another reason for not wanting him toe-Gordan. If Ray came to A City, he would definitelye looking for trouble with him. Since she had no connection with Gordan anymore, she did not want her brother to get involved. Ray let out a sigh. "Vivian, are you worried I''ll hurt Gordan?" "What? No!" Vivian denied it.Content belong to N?velDr¨¢ma. Org. "I know you still see Gordan sometimes. Have you really moved on?" asked Ray. Vivian froze. No one around her ever mentioned Gordan''s name. Only Ray, with his straightforwardness, would dare bring it up. *Ray, I can only tell you I''m trying to move on," replied Vivian. If she had really moved on, she would not be losing sleep over this. It had been a long time since she had lost sleep over Gordan. She used to think she had gotten over him, but what happened today made her realize she had not fully let go. Ray was silent for a while. "Ray?" Vivian called softly, worried he might be disappointed in her. "Yeah," Ray finally responded. Then, she heard him say, "Hang in there. You can do it." "Yeah, I can do it. I''ll be home for the break," Vivian said with a smile. On this sleepless night, having Ray''sfort was really nice. ''Alright, take care of yourself over there," reminded Ray. ''Got it,'' replied Vivian. Just as she was about to hang up, Ray added, "Oh, I''ve arranged some martial arts sses for you. It''s at a studio near your school, so it''ll be convenient for you to attend." "Ray!" Vivian was stunned. Why the sudden ss arrangements? Realizing what might have prompted it, she quickly said, "You found out about what happened today? Don''t me Luca. It wasn''t her fault. It was my fault."Original content from N?velDrama.Org. "I know, I''m not ming her," exined Ray, understanding her concern. "I know the situation. Even if someone is to me, it wouldn''t be Ms. Craw. Don''t worry." Vivian heaved a sigh in relief. "That''s good to hear." "I''ll handle this with Luke, so you don''t need to worry. But you have to attend martial arts sses. If you knew martial arts, you and Luca wouldn''t have been taken away like that," Ray said firmly. He was strict with her. Since she chose to leave his protection and refused bodyguards, she had to learn to protect herself. "Alright, I''ll go." Vivian had some basic training, but against those people, her skills were insufficient, making her a burden to Luca. After realizing she had be a burden, she considered taking up more self-defense training. Ray had just made that decision for her. Vivian dly epted. "It''ste over there. Get some rest," said Ray. "Okay." Vivian felt a warmth in her heart. "Goodnight." *Goodnight." Luke was nning to work with Ray to cause trouble for Karen and Pierre. They acted quickly. The next morning, Old Master Mallory had just woken up when he received the documents Luke had sent over. "Old Master Mallory, this is from Mr. Crawford''s assistant," said Mr. Be respectfully as he handed over a file. Old Master Mallory was sipping his morning tea. When he heard what Mr. Be said, he put down his cup, took the file, and asked, "Luke''s people? Did they say anything?" Mr. Be nodded. "Yes, they said that after you read the file, you''d know what to do." Old Master Mallory''s expression suddenly darkened. He hesitated to open the file, sensing it contained something he would not like. "Sir?" Mr. Be called out gently when he saw no movement. "Did they say what it''s about or who it concerns?" asked Old Master Mallory. He was eyeing the pristine file. His clouded eyes glinted with suspicion. Was Luke looking for trouble with the Mallory family again? If so, because of whom? "They didn''t say anything," replied Mr. Be. Jason had left immediately after dropping off the file. Old Master Mallory looked at the file and slowly it, feeling a growing sense of bad feeling when he had only opened half of it. "Let''s have breakfast first," suggested Old Master Mallory, worried that the contents of the file might upset him so much that he would not be able to enjoy his breakfast. Mr. Be quickly went to arrange breakfast. After finishing his meal, Old Master Mallory opened the file. His face darkened as he read the documents, making Mr. Be beside him anxious. Mr. Be hurriedly fetched a pile of medications from a drawer, including heart medicine and blood pressure pills. Old Master Mallory understood Mr. Be''s precaution but did not scold him. Instead, he asked, "Has Pierre been discharged?" "Yes, he''s been discharged, but he''s not fully recovered yet. However, he met the discharge criteria," answered Mr. Be, puzzled about why Old Master Mallory was suddenly asking about Pierre. Recently, the old master''s focus had been entirely on the affairs of the Mallory Corporation. Old Master Mallory''s sudden inquiry suggested that it had something to do with the documents in front of him. "As expected, they can''t stay out of trouble, can they?" Old Master Mallory demanded angrily, though no one could answer him. He then asked Mr. Be, "Where is Pierre recovering now?" *After being discharged, he''s been recuperating at the Mallory estate," replied Mr. Be. Even though the old master had not been paying much attention to Pierre''s situation, as the old master''s personal butler, he kept track of all the family members'' activities. This way, he could provide information immediately when the old master needed it. Chapter 3247 Complications ?Chapter 3247 Complications Old Master Mallory stood up with his cane. "To Mallory Estate." "Yes, sir!" Mr. Be jogged out to prepare the car. At Mallory Estate, Karen had been anxious ever since Gale took Luca and Vivian away yesterday. She had been watching Dr. Schwartz, who had been up since early morning studying surveince footage, and finally lost her patience. "When will you figure this out?" Dr. Schwartz trembled. He wanted to master this strange dry needling technique quickly, but it was not something an old man like him could learn overnight. Pierre, who was pushed into the living room in his wheelchair by a maid, heard Karen''sment and mocked," Look at the useless doctor you hired." Karen''s expression changed. "He''s a well-known naturopathic physician in A City. Many people seek him out for dry needling." She did not choose him without a reason. Dr. Schwartz was indeed talented in this area and had his own clinic. Locals praised his dry needling skills. Yet, he could not handle Luca''s dry needling method. Dr. Schwartz nodded in agreement with Karen. He regretted his decision. He had a good reputation and many patients. Why did he let Karen''s offer tempt him? If he had not signed that agreement, he would be rxing at his clinic, waiting for patients who would tter him before treatment. Instead, he was sitting here helplessly watching videos.Content belong to N?velDr¨¢ma. Org. Pierre sneered, "So? His ways are fixed. How can he learn this? You''d be better off bringing in Dr. Wood from Central Hospital. At least he studied under Luca!" Karen had considered Abraham, but Pierre had recently filed aint against him. Would Abraham even agree to help? She remained silent, knowing the hospital had strict rules about doctors not treating patients outside their practice. Karen asked, "How did you feel after Luca performed dry needling on you yesterday?" *She knows her stuff!" Pierre admitted. "After her treatment, my leg didn''t hurt all night. I felt much better and had a good sleep. Why not just bring her back?" Karen was rmed by Pierre''s bold idea. "No, we can''t do that. Let''s wait until Dr. Schwartz figures out the technique." Pierre was about toment on Dr. Schwartz''s capabilities when one of Karen''s subordinates rushed in. "Bad news." "What is it?" Karen had a bad feeling. *Madam, Old Master Mallory is here," reported the subordinate. Karen frowned. "Why did he suddenlye over?" *His expression is very serious. He''s waiting downstairs," added the subordinate. "He''s definitely here to cause trouble." Karen had a bad feeling. She originally thought Luke would go straight to the police, but after waiting all day, no police had shown up. She wondered what was going on, only for Old Master Mallory to arrive instead.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. *Luke must have told him everything," muttered Karen. Pierre remained calm as he watched Karen panic. "We didn''t do anything wrong. What are you so worried about?" Karen found his calmness frustrating. Really, they did nothing wrong? She had lost her temper and attacked Luca, which ended up hurting Vivian instead. Even though the wound was not deep, it was still pretty bad. *Let''s head downstairs first," said Karen. They all headed downstairs together. Karen and Pierre came to the living room. Old Master Mallory sat on the couch, watching the mother and son make their way down the stairs. One was feeling guilty and one was indifferent. Regardless of the expressions on their face, he felt a surge of anger. "What did you do yesterday?" Old Master Mallory asked directly after Karen sat down. "Grandpa, I''m recovering from an injury. What could I have done?" Pierre replied nonchntly. Old Master Mallory had grown increasingly dissatisfied with this grandson. Before his past actions were exposed, he thought Pierre had potential and he just never got the right opportunity. However, after everything came to light, he realized some people simply were not capable. Doing certain things would only highlight their ipetence. It was a fatal w! *Stop trying to fool me!" Old Master Mallory threw a file of documents on the table. "Look at the mess you''ve made!" Pierre did not bother looking at the papers. He knew what they were about without seeing them. Luke, that ipetent man, could onlyin to the elders. What good would it do? "Dad..." Karen nced at Pierre''s expression and realized he had no intention of dealing with this. It fell to her, as his mother, to handle the situation. *Pierre''s leg isn''t in good shape. We were desperate, so we asked Luca to help with treatment. We even recorded it, thinking we could show other doctors how she treated him to avoid bothering her frequently," exined Karen. "Hmph!" Old Master Mallory was not easily convinced. "Invite her back? By kidnapping her? Kidnapping is kidnapping, no matter how you phrase it!" Karen bit her lip. Old Master Mallory continued, "When Luke''s people came to get her, you pulled a knife?" "I lost control of my emotions, admitted Karen. "Do you know who you injured? The sister of the leader of an underground organization in Russia! Karen, do you think the Mallory family is so powerful we can afford to provoke international criminals?" Old Master Mallory raised his cane, pointing it at her. The distance between the two couches was not far, and the cane nearly touched Karen''s face. She scooted to the side, fearing he might hit her. "Dad, I''m sorry. I''ll go buy some gifts and visit Ms. Vivian to apologize." Karen felt uneasy, but she had no choice but to admit her mistake. She felt humiliated. The esteemed madam of the Mallory family, after over 20 years in the business world, had fallen to this state. Having to apologize to a young woman! "You''d better apologize! Otherwise, our family will be targeted!" warned Old Master Mallory. Karen''s face showed her frustration. Old Master Mallory turned to Pierre, "And Pierre, be honest with me. Aside from difficulty walking, does your leg injury have any otherplications?" "Dad, it''s just a broken leg. What otherplications could there be?" Karen suddenly remembered what Luca said yesterday. The news could not reach Old Master Mallory''s ears. Even if it did not affect fertility, who could be sure about it? Pierre would not discuss this with her either! If Old Master Mallory knew, he would be suspicious regardless. The Mallory family heir could not be infertile! Otherwise, the consequences could be disastrous. At best, when Pierre inherited Mallory Corporation, he would just be preparing it for Percy''s child. At worst, thepany could end up in the hands of distant rtives or even the family of Pierre''s wife. Chapter 3248 What Kind Of Son Speaks To His Mother This Way? ?Chapter 3248 What Kind Of Son Speaks To His Mother This Way?! "You''re still lying to me at this point!" roared Old Master Mallory. He grabbed the documents from the coffee table and threw them down again. Karen jumped, finally realizing she should pick up the papers and take a look. Old Master Mallory let out a cold snort when he saw that. "If no one had told me, I wouldn''t have known that Pierre''s injury affects his fertility!" Pierre frowned. How could this possibly affect his fertility? Karen furrowed her brows and quickly exined, "Dad, this is all a misunderstanding. It doesn''t affect fertility." *But they say it does!" Old Master Mallory trusted Luca''s expertise and believed her assessment. Karen said, "Dad, look. It''s just a slight issue. It won''t affect fertility, and Pierre has been feeling much better after the dry needling treatment yesterday. With continued treatment, he should return to normal.* "Yes, Grandpa. I''m aware of my own condition," added Pierre. With so many people around, if word got out, would he still have any dignity left? Not only would people say he had a limp, but they would also say he was incapable of being a man... The thought darkened Pierre''s expression. Old Master Mallory remained skeptical, and the trust in the mother and son had all but evaporated. *I''ll arrange for another doctor to give a thorough checkup," said Old Master Mallory. He needed to personally confirm the uracy of the information. Deep down, Pierre resisted this idea. "Grandpa, you don''t trust me?" "I''m doing this for your own good. It''s best if everything is fine. If there are problems, seeing a doctor quickly will help resolve them," replied Old Master Mallory. He looked even more troubled than Pierre. Pierre had stirred up trouble with some organization, which had led to his injury and possibly impacted his fertility. If this got out, the Mallory family would be deeply embarrassed. The key issue was that the Mallory family heir could not be someone like this. If Pierre truly was incapable, Old Master Mallory had to consider other potential heirs. After all, Percy was no longer under his control. Even though Old Master Mallory felt ufortable about it, he would have to find a new leader for Mallory Corporation if necessary. Karen felt a chill and said, "No need to wait. Dad, there''s a doctor upstairs right now." Old Master Mallory did not trust them, and by extension, did not trust the doctor they mentioned. *A reproductive specialist?"Content belong to N?velDr¨¢ma. Org. "No, but aren''t all doctors somewhat simr?" Karen shook her head. *Not specialized enough. For Pierre''s issue, we need a professional. That''s how we''ll handle this," Old Master Mallory decided firmly, cutting off any further arguments from Karen and Pierre. Old Master Mallory then turned to address another issue, "Who masterminded the kidnapping?" Pierre looked at Karen. Old Master Mallory followed his gaze and looked at her too. Karen''s heart skipped a beat as she realized what Pierre''s look meant. She took a deep breath and admitted, "It was me..." "You dare to admit it? Good!" replied Old Master Mallory. "Karen, you''re the first andst person in our family to engage in such actions. Starting today, you''re no longer part of the Mallory family." Karen was stunned and stared at him with wide eyes. "Dad, what do you mean? You want Daryl to divorce me?" Old Master Mallory said, "Daryl is abroad. He won''t being back, so you won''t be getting a divorce. However, from today onward, you''re not allowed to set foot in Mallory Manor. Also, you have no ties to Mallory Corporation now. "You can only keep the title of ''Madam Mallory'', but you won''t have any involvement in the family''s affairs. If you continue to engage in shady activities, I''ll have Daryle back and divorce you!" While his words seemed harsh, he was still showing Karen some courtesy. She had raised the Mallory family''s two children on her own. That was why Old Master Mallory did not make Daryle back to divorce her. "Dad! You can''t treat me like this! I''m Pierre''s mother, and Percy is also my son!" Karen''s eyes were filled with tears as she stood up, looking desperate. "I''ve done so much for the Mallory family and brought so many benefits to Mallory Corporation. Now, you''re treating me this way just because I made one mistake?" *One mistake?!" Old Master Mallory''s cane struck the floor with a sharp sound. "Karen, if I listed all the ways you''ve harmed the Mallory family''s interests over the past 30 years, would you still dare to say the same?" Karen''s defiance faded instantly. She could not speak.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Pierre, listening to this exchange, frowned deeply. He seemed to be deep in thought. Old Master Mallory saw Karen''s reaction, leaned on his cane, and rose to his feet. "Don''t think I don''t know about the things you''ve done. I overlooked them before because you gave the Mallory family two heirs. "But no matter how many heirs you give us, they can''t make up for the losses you''ve caused. Karen, honestly, I regret choosing you as Daryl''s wife. Don''t push me to investigate these matters further. Your family can''t handle it!" Then, the old master turned around and left. Mr. Be nced at Pierre and said, "Mr. Pierre, take good care of your injury." He then followed Old Master Mallory out. Karen sank onto the couch. Every word Old Master Mallory had said was a warning. She was anxious and disoriented. Meanwhile, Pierre asked in a cold voice, "What did you do over the years that harmed the Mallory family?" Karen red at him. "What are you talking about? I''m your mother. How could I harm the Mallory family''s interests?" *Really? Then why did Grandpa say that? Did you really do nothing?" retorted Pierre. *Everything I''ve done over the years was for the good of you two brothers. How can you doubt me after all I''ve sacrificed and how I''ve pampered you?" Karen''s heart sank. The old master was like this, and her sons were no better. She could not stay in the Mallory family any longer, but she could not return to the Ruiz family either. "Don''t talk to me like that. Grandpa''s ims about harming the family''s interests are probably about the things you''ve been giving to the Ruiz family, right?" replied Pierre. Karen was silent. *Judging from your reaction, it''s obvious you''ve been supporting the Ruiz family. Look at what happened to you. You''ve been supporting the Ruiz family, and now, they don''t even want you." Pierre intentionally provoked her, wanting to know what she had done in the past. "Shut up!" Karen shouted angrily. "I''m your mother!" "You''re a member of the Mallory family, but you did such things. Don''t you feel ashamed?" questioned Pierre. Karen''s face went from red to pale. "Enough! Pierre, don''t you dare bring this up again today!" *Ha, you''re my mother and Percy''s mother. However, you''ve failed miserably as a mother. From now on, you can''t even enter Mallory Manor. What kind of mother does that make you? I don''t have a useless mother like you!" Pierre gave her a cold stare. To him, Karen had be entirely useless. "Mr. Pierre, you can''t talk to your mother like that!" Karen''s subordinate interjected, unable to stand by any longer. What kind of son spoke to his mother this way?! Chapter 3249 Its For Your Own Good ?Chapter 3249 It''s For Your Own Good Pierre looked at the person speaking. "He''s speaking up for you?" Karen remained silent. The subordinate who had spoken up also fell silent. Even though Karen had made many mistakes, the current issues were all because of Pierre. The subordinate could not stand seeing Pierre provoke Karen and risk making her emotional, so he intervened. Pierre pointed at the subordinate. "What''s his rtionship to you?" Unable to hold back any longer, Karen stepped forward, raised her hand, and pped Pierre across the face. "No matter what, I''m still your mother. I endured all this scolding from Old Master Mallory for you. You''re the one who had me kidnap Luca. I took all the me for you, and this is how you treat me? Pierre, I''m your mother, not your tool! Are you out of your mind?" said Karen with a fiery tone. She had taken all the me for him, only to be treated this way! Feeling deeply hurt, Karen felt she could not stay any longer. "Pierre, wake up! I owe you nothing! In fact, I''m your mother, and you owe me everything!" Then, she grabbed her bag and left. The subordinate nced at Pierre, feeling helpless. He soon followed her out. In the living room of Mallory Estate, an eerie silence prevailed. Dr. Schwartz''s assistant, who had overheard everything from the staircase, felt like they were now in a deep pit. Taking on the task of treating Pierre was clearly a mistake. The assistant marveled at theplexities of the upper-ss disputes. People from wealthy families were truly heartless. Pierre was a prime example. He spoke so coldly to his own mother! The assistant hurried upstairs to inform Dr. Schwartz of what had happened. After a while, Dr. Schwartz came downstairs. Pierre, sitting in his wheelchair, watched Dr. Schwartz and the assistante down and asked, "Dr. Schwartz, where are you going?" "I just remembered I forgot to bring some books. I''ll go back and get them, then I''lle back," answered Dr. Schwartz, giving a forced smile. "What books? Just have my subordinates get them," Pierre''s cold, piercing gaze locked onto him. Dr. Schwartz felt an eerie sensation. It was as though if he were to take one more step forward, he might get torn to pieces by the person before him. "I have quite a few books. It''s difficult for your people to find them." Dr. Schwartz gave an excuse, but his anxious expression and the beads of sweat on his forehead betrayed him. "Is that so?" Pierre looked at the assistant. "Your assistant must know." "Yes." Dr. Schwartz nodded, ncing at the assistant with despair in his eyes. He did not want to treat someone like Pierre! Especially with such a bizarre dry needling technique that he simply could not master! *Then have my men send your assistant to get the books. Whatever you need, tell her, and she''ll bring it back," said Pierre, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the armrest of his wheelchair. *Just the books on naturopathy," Dr. Schwartz, in his desperation, realized he could not escape. There was no way his assistant could escape too. The assistant shivered and nodded. "I''ll go get them." *Send her." Pierre casually assigned a man. "Make sure she returns with the books. Otherwise, Dr. Schwartz will be left here alone, and that''ll be exhausting." "Yes!" replied the man. He left with the assistant. After leaving the vi, Karen had the driver head straight to Percy''s house. Pierre left her heart cold. Now, she suddenly felt like talking to Percy. After all, despite his rebellion and his desire for Nina back then, he had never spoken to her the way Pierre did. Although their mother-son bond had faded because of Nina, Percy still respected her. At least, he did not disregard her like Pierre did. Nina had just gotten up when she heard the doorbell. She stepped out of the bedroom and nced at the study, where Percy was handling work. Nina asked, "The doorbell rang. Do you have a friending over today?" Percy shook his head. "No." Nina was puzzled. "Then who could it be? I''ll go check." She walked to the video inte. When she saw Karen at the door, her expression changed immediately. The doorbell rang again, and Karen seemed increasingly impatient. Nina quickly ran back to the study. Percy noticed her reaction and furrowed his brows slightly as he asked, "Why do you look so startled? Who''s at the door?" Gulping, she answered, "It''s your mother." Percy raised an eyebrow. "She''s here?"Content belong to N?velDr¨¢ma. Org. "She''s outside," said Nina as she moved closer to him. "And she looks quite upset. Do you think it''s because of the kidnapping incident with Luca yesterday? Maybe she''se to cause trouble..." Nina knew their final solution was to inform Old Master Mallory. Old Master Mallory would definitely scold Karen. Now that Karen had been reprimanded, was she here to take it out on them? "Maybe," replied Percy. He stood up and patted her head. "If you don''t want to see her, you can stay in the bedroom." He knew Nina was scared of Karen. As long as Karen did not ept Nina, he would not force her to deal with this mother-inw rtionship. "Okay, I''ll stay in the bedroom," replied Nina, making her choice. Karen would not harm Percy, but she could harm her. Sometimes, people could be unpredictable when they were upset, and Nina feared Karen mightsh out, so staying in the bedroom felt safer. After all, with the wedding approaching, the wedding would definitely have to be postponed if her face got bruised. "Alright." Percy nodded. He escorted Nina to the bedroom and shut the door before going to open the main door. By now, Karen had almost worn out the doorbell. Percy slowly made his way downstairs and opened the door. Karen stormed in, clearly frustrated. "Why did you take so long to open the door? How many times did I ring the bell? "I was resting," replied Percy, assessing Karen''s mood. She did not seem to be in a good mood. Did something happen to upset her? He reckoned that she got a tongueshing from Old Master Mallory. Karen frowned when she heard he had just woken up, immediately connecting it to exhaustion. She assumed it was because Nina had used some maniptive tactics to keep him in bed. "What time is it? How could you still be in bed? Lazing around is not a good habit!" Karen lectured him with a stern expression. Percy smiled. He suddenly remembered his childhood. He and Pierre had grown up under different educational methods. "What are you smiling about?" asked Karen, feeling perplexed. She was lecturing him, yet he was smiling! "Mom, I remember you never allowed me to sleep in," exined Percy. Karen nodded. "It was for your own good." "But Pierre could sleep in as long as he wanted during vacations. You never cared," continued Percy. During his vacations, he had no such luxury. His days were fully scheduled. Meanwhile, Pierre could sleepte and do whatever he wanted. Despite being in the same family, they were taught by two entirely different educational approaches.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 3250 Karens Approach To Parenting Is A Complete Failure ? Chapter 3250 Karen''s Approach To Parenting Is A Complete Failure It felt like being part of an experiment. Both he and Pierre were test subjects under different educational methods, and the oue was yet to be seen. Karen was startled for a moment, but she understood what Percy meant. "It''s not that I''m biased. It''s just that your grandfather specifically chose you as the heir, so you had a heavy burden and no time toze around." Percy nodded. Karen continued, "You see, my strictness is what helped you achieve what you have today, isn''t it?" Percy nodded again. Karen felt reassured that she had not done anything wrong when she heard that. It was not about favoritism; it was about raising an heir. *So now, despite how different we are, I still don''t understand why your heart always seems to be with him-even though I am obviously more capable." Percy wasn''t particrly needy for maternal affection. However, he wondered why, despite his efforts, he never received her approval. Karen was stunned for a moment. She knew she had been biased. She had always favored her younger son. That wasmon in families with multiple children, but she could not honestly admit her favoritism in the face of Percy''s questioning. *Pierre is willful. Is it wrong for me to keep a closer eye on him? You, on the other hand, are mature under your grandfather''s guidance, so I pay less attention to you. But Percy, that doesn''t justify your rebellious behavior!" replied Karen, feeling ufortable under such questioning. Percy smirked. "How exactly am I being rebellious?" *If you weren''t being rebellious, why wouldn''t you follow the family''s arrangements? Why insist on being with that woman?" Karen''s disgust at Nina red up again. They should be living together now, but she had not seen that woman even after standing here for so long. She might still be lounging around! She really had no sense of manners! What right did such a woman have to be a daughter-inw of the Mallory family? "I chose my own love. That''s not rebellion. Also, why are you here today?" Percy''s tone grew colder. He was not interested in discussing how biased Karen had been in the past.Content belong to N?velDr¨¢ma. Org. Karen was caught off guard. She could not admit that she was here because of a big argument with Pierre, where he med her for everything, making her upset and prompting her to see Percy. It might make Percy think she was looking forfort. "I was just passing by and thought I''d check on you," replied Karen. Percy asked, "Did you argue with Pierre?" Karen''s expression froze. "No." *Grandpa went to see you?" Percy asked again. *You knew your grandfather came to look for me?" asked Karen, realizing only then how na?ve she sounded. Luke was a good friend of Percy''s, so, of course, he would know how to handle her and Pierre. He might even show Percy some consideration. Before Percy could answer, Karen pressed on, "You knew your grandfather would being for us, but you didn''t give me a heads-up?" "Would giving you a heads-up have helped? Avoiding the situation isn''t a solution. If Grandpa finds out you tried to avoid him, he''ll be even angrier!" exined Percy. Old Master Mallory''s temper was such that evading the issue would only make him more furious over time. The longer one avoided confronting him, the worse his outburst would beter. Karen was at a loss for words. He was right. "I won''t hold that against you, but you''re friends with Luke, and this situation didn''t cause much damage. Couldn''t you have spoken up for me and Pierre? Why did it have to be reported to Old Master Mallory? Do you know what he said to me just now?" Karen continued to me him. Percy found it amusing. How could she be so righteous when she was clearly in the wrong? He was not concerned with what Old Master Mallory had said to her, but he said, "If it weren''t for Luke taking my friendship with him into consideration, you and Pierre would be in the police station right now, not out here wandering around." Karen''s face turned pale. Percy added, "Nina and I are getting married soon." He did not hide this from her as it was something that could not be kept secret. Karen''s expression grew even darker when she heard this. Percy continued, "If we weren''t about to get married and it wouldn''t be appropriate if the Mallory family got into a scandal now, Luke would''ve called the police. He''s already done me a favor. "You and Pierre have made mistakes. The matter can''t just be brushed aside. There were so many issues yesterday, and you haven''t even thought about apologizing. You made mistakes and show no remorse..." Karen''s expression was now grim. Her hands were clenched into fists. *So, Luke giving the information to Grandpa is already a light punishment for you!" Karen snapped, "Light punishment?! Now, your grandfather is saying I can''t go back to Mallory Manor. He ims that Mallory Manor and Mallory Corporation have nothing to do with me now! ''If I step out of line again, he''s gonna make your cheating fathere back and divorce me! And you tell me this is a light punishment? Percy, do you even have a heart? Am I doing all this for myself? I''m doing it for your brother! His leg''s still messed up, and what have you, as his brother, done about it?" Percy''s expression turned serious and cold in response to her outburst. "Pierre''s leg is his own fault. If he hadn''t been reckless and provoked the wrong people, he wouldn''t have faced such consequences. As his mother, you shouldn''t be indulging him. "You should be making him realize his mistakes. Everything that has happened is a lesson for him. You should make him understand that in the adult world, mistakes aren''t endlessly forgiven. His mistakes have real consequences. "Instead, you''ve made him think he''s untouchable just because he''s part of the Mallory family, and you''re constantly covering for him!" Karen''s face went white. She did not expect Percy to lecture her as well. "Besides, Pierre''s situation now is entirely due to your indulgence as his mother. You said you were strict with me because I was being groomed as the heir to the Mallory family, but what about him? It was fine to be less strict, but you shouldn''t have coddled him. "When Pierre was younger, he made many mistakes and was quite mischievous, but you just kept tolerating him, letting him be more and more unruly. He harmed others without apologizing to them, thinking he was invincible as a Mallory family member and wouldn''t have to face punishment. At the end of the day, you''re also to me."Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Percy showed no mercy when he reprimanded her. As he watched Karen''s expression turn increasingly grim, his own demeanor grew even more serious. He felt no family band with Karen. Instead, he criticized her parenting methods as though he was a stranger. "He''s in his 20s, and you''re still coddling him. To put it bluntly, everything that''s happening today is your fault!" Percy''s wordsnded like a punch. Karen screeched, "Enough! I''m your mother!" *That doesn''t change the fact that your parenting is a failure. With me, you were just strict and nothing else. I was raised by Grandpa. Pierre is the product of your parenting." Percy coldly pointed out how Karen''s approach to parenting had been aplete failure. Chapter 3251 She Wont Accept Any Kindness From You ?Chapter 3251 She Won''t ept Any Kindness From You As Karen listened to him, she stumbled back two steps. "What gives you the right to use me?" Her once-clear eyes now showed a hint of madness. Percy frowned. It seemed she still did not realize her mistake. "You think you did nothing wrong? Everything Pierre is doing now is to show you that you messed up! Your job isn''t to cover for him but to make him understand that mistakese with consequences. "Now, you can''t even go back to Mallory Manor because of him. Mom, how much more can you afford to lose?* asked Percy. Karen copsed onto the couch, covering her face as she wept. Percy''s words had hit her where it hurt the most.Content belong to N?velDr¨¢ma. Org. Indeed. As she had been busy handling Pierre''s messes, she had lost the status that should have belonged to the matriarch of the Mallory family. She had always thought she was better than Nina. However, she was in the same boat now, maybe even worse. Karen broke down in tears! Nina might not have a powerful family backing her, but she had an exceptional husband like Percy. Karen? Now, she had nothing left, not even a husband who loved her. Daryl Mallory, her husband, was in love with another woman abroad! Moreover, she had failed to educate Pierre. The Ruiz family was still in A City, but she had long since cut ties with them. She was left with nothing now. Percy watched with cold indifference as Karen sobbed. He knew her too well. This was not regret or sorrow for what she had done. It was simply the pain of losing so much. She lost a prominent position as well as the old master''s trust. Still, Karen was better off than most. At least, she had shares in Mallory Corporation and had saved a decent amount over the years. As long as she did not stir up more trouble, Percy would still ensure she was taken care of in her old age. Hence, as Karen cried, Percy showed no sympathy. He just watched it all unfold with indifference. Karen cried until she was exhausted. Meanwhile, Nina, who had been hiding in the bedroom, got tired of waiting and came downstairs. When she saw Karen''s red, swollen eyes, she was startled for a moment. This woman had always been such a high-and-mighty figure! She was arrogant toward everyone, and she would go wild when upset but never cry. To her, crying was the ultimate sign of weakness. However, Karen was crying now. She was crying her heart out, utterly devastated. *Let me get some water," said Nina. Percy initially wanted to ask her why she came down. Nevertheless, seeing that Karen was no longer a threat, he just nodded. Nina fetched a ss of water from the kitchen and handed it to Karen. Karen, with her eyes red and swollen, looked at Nina and then pushed the ss away. With a loud crash, the ss hit the floor and shattered, spilling water everywhere. Nina''s head buzzed with fear that Karen might attack her, and she quickly stepped behind Percy for safety. Karen sniffled, looking disheveled. However, her eyes still held a hint of pride as she looked at Nina. "I don''t need your fake concern!" Nina could not help butugh, more out of frustration than anything. She thought Karen would appreciate the gesture, given how upset she seemed. Also, it was only because Karen was Percy''s mother that she even bothered to bring her a ss of water. However, clearly, some people just would not appreciate kindness. *Fine," replied Nina. She then nced at Percy, "I''m going back upstairs." "Okay." Percy did not look too pleased either. Karen came here to cry her heart out, yet now, she was giving Nina an attitude. His expression darkened. Karen noticed the change in Percy''s expression and was not happy about it. "What''s with that look?" "Nina was just trying to be nice by bringing you water. Why did you have to act like that?" asked Percy. "Who needs her to be nice? And just because you say she''s being nice, does that make it the truth? How do you know she didn''t poison the water?" Karen wiped the tears from her face. "She''s up to no good. Why should I ept anything from her?" *She''s thedy of the house. If you''re not going to ept her kindness, then there''s no reason for you to stay here." Percy was ready to show her the door. "What do you mean? You''re kicking me out because of this woman?" Karen stood up, furious. "It''s not like you don''t have a ce to go. You should head home. This is where Nina lives, and who knows when you might get upset by her again?" Percy made a gesture toward the door. "Alright, I see what''s happening here! I knew this woman was trouble, and now, you''re even kicking me out! Fine! Percy, I may not be able to do anything to you right now, but don''te crying to me when she destroys you!" Karen stormed out, nearly out of breath from anger. Once she left, Nina finally came downstairs. She had not actually gone back to the bedroom, just stayed upstairs listening to what was happening. Nina heaved a sigh. She walked toward the couch and squatted down to pick up the broken ss shards. "Don''t touch that. I''ll do it." Percy immediately rushed over. "We''re getting married soon. Be careful not to cut yourself." Nina looked at him and suddenly asked, "Percy, do you really have no regrets?" "I''ll only regret it if I don''t marry you," answered Percy. After gathering all the pieces, he helped her stand up and tossed the shards into the trash. Nina smiled softly. "But is it really worth it, causing so much tension with your family because of me?" asked Nina. She thought Karen came over today to cause trouble for Percy. However, it turned out to be just a crying session. She was listening from upstairs, hoping Karen might change. While Karen''s sadness was real, so was her hostility toward Nina. She even used Nina of trying to poison her! Nina felt a bit exasperated. If she were truly that malicious, would Percy have put up with her in the first ce? *Stop talking nonsense!" Percy flicked her forehead lightly. "Ow!" Nina rubbed her head, not that it hurt much. It was just enough to make her react instinctively. *For you, everything is worth it. One day, they''ll see how great you are. Besides, my family isn''t like others. For most people, marriage involves two families, but for us, it''s just about the two of us. ''It doesn''t matter what they think or say, so don''t worry about whether they approve." Percy tried to reassure her as much as possible, wanting her to feel secure. Nina could not help but grin. *There you go, smiling like a fool. You were supposed to be upstairs, but you ended up hearing everything she said, didn''t you?" teased Percy, gently pinching her cheek. After all his efforts, she finally put on some weight. She looked much healthier too.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "Her voice is so loud when she talks, and she''s even louder when she cries. It''s hard not to hear her," replied Nina with a yful expression. "I honestly thought she was regretful. When someone''s feeling sorry and upset, a little kindness can usually move them," added Nina. "But it depends on what they''re upset about." Percy pulled her into his arms. "I know she''s not regretting what she did before. She''s only sad because Grandpa took everything from her. She won''t ept any kindness from you." Chapter 3252 A Simple Life Has Its Own Beauty ?Chapter 3252 A Simple Life Has Its Own Beauty Nina stuck out her tongue, thinking that Karen was crying because her bond with Percy had weakened.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. However, it turned out that she was actually upset about losing her status in the Mallory family. Nina could not understand why people chased after so many unnecessary things. A simple life had its own beauty. Chasing after all that nonsense was what truly made life exhausting. Nina nced at the time and said, "I''ll be heading back to the apartment in a bit. I want to get some decorating done over the weekend so that things won''t be so hectic right before the wedding." Percy agreed, "Alright. Need any help?" "Nope. What kind of decorating skills do you have anyway? I''ve already asked Luca and Sue to help out. They''ll being over." Nina, recalling the yful flick from earlier, could not resist giving his forehead a yful flick of her own. Percy felt a bit more at ease seeing that Nina was not dwelling on Karen''s situation. Nina seemed carefree on the outside, but she was actually quite sensitive. That was why he always paid close attention to her feelings and was careful about many things.Content belong to N?velDr¨¢ma. Org. The little incident in the morning did not affect Nina at all. By noon, after having lunch, Nina headed over to the apartment. All the little decorations she had bought for the wedding and the apartment had been delivered there. The property''s management staff were kind enough to hold onto everything for her. Nina made several trips upstairs, carrying the items. A young woman from the property''s management also helped out. After they finished, Nina tried to give her a tip, but she refused, shaking her head. "Thank you, but no need. Mr. Mallory specifically asked us to help out. It''s our job." When Nina heard this, she immediately understood that Percy had already asked them to help. When he made a request, no one would say no. Nina thanked the young woman again and then went back to the apartment, pulling off all the dust covers. Just as she finished, the doorbell rang. Nina opened the door to find Sue and Luca both there. "How did you both get here together?" Nina smiled, weing them in. "We just happened to run into each other downstairs," Sue replied, letting go of her hand as Kari and Teri ran excitedly to the couch, looking at the unopened packages. "Ms. Nina, do we get to open all these?" asked Kari and Teri. *Yes, they''re all for decorating," replied Nina cheerfully, only realizing now just how many packages she had ordered. There were so many that she could probably sell the cardboard to a recycling collector and make a few bucks. "There''s so many!" eximed Kari. Rainie, who was a bit older, let go of Luca''s hand and said to Nina, "Ms. Nina, I knew Ms. Luca wasing today, so I tagged along too. Don''t worry, I won''t cause any trouble!" "You''re all such good kids. I know none of you will cause any trouble. Come on in," replied Nina. They all entered the apartment. After Nina closed the door, she grabbed the drinks she had just bought from the store downstairs. "There''s nothing here yet, so I had to grab some drinks from downstairs. If you want anything specificter, just let me know and I''ll order it." "As long as we have something to drink, that''s fine. No need to go out of your way." Sue said casually, watching Kari and Teri circling around the stack of packages. She urged Nina, "Come on, Nina, start opening these boxes so that we can help you out." "Yeah, let''s get started," added Luca. She was not too surprised by the mountain of things Nina had bought. After all, Nina had already revealed her tendency to go overboard when it came to wedding shopping. *Alright, let''s do it!" Nina grinned, grabbing a pair of scissors and opening the packages one by one. The boxes were filled with wedding supplies, and Rainie carefully sorted them into different categories. "You really went on a shopping spree! I was wondering why you kept getting so many texts and calls. It turns out they were all from delivery guys!" Sue joked as she helped open the boxes. Kari and Teri sat nearby, happily sipping their drinks and watching the adults unpack the deliveries. "I''ll help too," offered Luca. "You''ve been carrying these packages up by yourself for a while, haven''t you? Why didn''t you ask us to help?" "It didn''t take that long. Percy arranged everything with the property''s management, so they helped out. We just used a cart to bring them up in the elevator. It was no trouble at all," Nina assured her. *See? Mr. Mallory is always so thoughtful," remarked Sue. Nina''s face reddened. "Ms. Nina, your face is all red!" Kari giggled. "That''s because Ms. Nina is thinking about her wedding day. It''s a happy blush!" Sue teased with augh. "You''re marrying Mr. Percy, right?" asked Teri. "Yes, that''s right!" Nina''s face turned even redder as the two little ones questioned her. Even though she and Percy were already legally married, the thought of the uing wedding filled her with joy, and she felt like she was floating on air. "That''s wonderful!" eximed Kari. "Congrattions, Ms. Nina!" added Teri. "Sweethearts, why don''t you watch some TV for a bit?" Nina could feel her face flush from all the teasing, so she grabbed the remote next to her. Then, she turned on the TV. With the cartoons ying, the kids were quickly absorbed in the screen, giving the adults space to continue unpacking the boxes. The three adults continued to open packages. Once everything was opened, Nina began assigning tasks to help with the decorating. Two hourster, they had hung up all the decorations. Kari pointed at a bunch of balloons and asked, "Why aren''t we putting up those balloons?" "If we put them up now, they''ll lose air before the wedding. We have to wait until the night before Ms. Nina''s wedding to hang them!" exined Rainie, remembering that her parents had done the same thing for their wedding. "Oh, I get it now!" Kari nodded, looking up at Rainie with admiration. "You''re so smart, Rainie!" Rainie blushed at thepliment. "Not really," replied Rainie modestly. "You''re definitely smart! My mommy says you''re amazing. You have great grades, you''re kind and pretty, and you''re even good at ballet. She tells us all the time that we should learn from you." Teri continued to shower Rainie withpliments. Rainie blushed, feeling a bit embarrassed by the praise. *Exactly, exactly! Kari, Teri, you should definitely look up to Rainie. But just like me, you two don''t have much of a talent for dancing, so I''m not expecting you to take up ballet or anything like that. Just focus on your studies and pick up a hobby you enjoy. That''s all I ask," Sue chimed in. "Ms. Sue, I think Kari and Teri are pretty talented at drawing," said Rainie, noticing how engaged the two were with their drawings. Nina, worried they might get bored, had brought out some pens and paper. The kids were happily immersed in their artwork. *Kari does seem to love drawing, but Teri seems more interested in music. In a few days, when their dad has some free time, he''ll take them to the music store to check out the instruments and let them pick something cool to learn, replied Sue. She was not one to push her kids too hard and preferred a moreid-back approach to parenting. Now that they were getting older, she was starting to think more about nurturing their interests and hobbies. Teri gently tugged on Rainie''s sleeve. "Rainie, when I leam to y the piano, can I y for you while you dance? You look so beautiful when you dance!" Chapter 3253 An Elder Apologizing To A Younger Person ? Chapter 3253 An Elder Apologizing To A Younger Person Rainie smiled and nodded. "Of course!" Sue was sitting on the balcony, sipping tea with them while watching the three kids in the living room. Rainie was taking care of both Kari and Teri, and she could not help but heave a sigh. "This just proves that having daughters is the best." "What''s this? You already have twin daughters. Isn''t that enough? Don''t tell me you''re thinking of having twin sons too?" Nina teased. *Two kids are already enough of a headache. There''s no way I want two more sons!" Sue shook her head quickly." Besides, having twins was just a fluke, and there''s no guarantee the next pregnancy would result in twins." "Well, that''s where you''re wrong. If you naturally conceived twins, it means your body has the genes for it, so the next pregnancy could easily be twins too," replied Nina, ncing at Luca, suddenly thinking of Bianca. Bianca had three kids with Luke. However, no one knew where she was, and Luca had gotten pretty close to her... Nina could not quite put her finger on it, but something felt off. "Anyway, I don''t want to have any more kids, but Jason''s family is really pushing for it." Sue let out another sigh, resting her chin in her hand. "Huh?" Luca was curious. "Why do they want you to have another child?" *They''re just scared because of his ex-wife," answered Sue. She was also puzzled by why they were so insistent on her having more kids. After asking, she found out it was all because of that. "His ex-wife is overseas now, getting treatment with their child, but no one here really knows what''s going on with that kid. His parents are just terrified, saying all sorts of things about how having another child would secure Kari''s and Teri''s future..." exined Sue, sounding exasperated. "But aren''t Kari and Teri perfectly healthy?" asked Nina. Sue nodded. "Yeah, when I first found out that Jason had a sick son, I was worried about gic issues too. So, I took Kari and Teri for a check-up, and they''re both perfectly fine. I have no idea what his parents are so worried about." Nina muttered slowly, "I think they just want a grandson." "Yeah, the older generation always prefers boys over girls, I know that. They even tried to get custody of that kid from Bailey back in the day," replied Sue, clearly frustrated.Content belong to N?velDr¨¢ma. Org. *Just let things take their course," Luca said calmly while listening to their conversation. *Yeah, but now the old couple is trying to get Kari and Teri to ask me for a little brother every day. I''m really at my wit''s end. Thankfully, Jason doesn''t pressure me. He even said that two kids are enough, and he won''t force me to have more," replied Sue. She felt tired just talking about it. When she first decided to have kids, she was getting older and did not n on getting married, so she thought having children would add some color to her life. However, after the kids were born, she ended up having more and more interactions with Jason. In the end, they got married. None of this was something Sue had anticipated before having kids. *It''s good that Mr. Doyle understands you," Luca reassured her. Jason was well-educated, so his views were likely different from his parents. "Now, all I want is a simple life without any more drama. And as for Bailey, since she has left, she should just stay gone. If shees back to cause trouble again, I''m really going to lose it,"ined Sue, recalling the nightmare that Bailey had made of her life in the past.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. That woman''s presence had caused problems between her and Jason. Fortunately, they had managed to ovee them. *Mom, what are you guys talking about?" Teri came running over on her little legs, cuddling up next to Sue. "We''re just chatting," replied Sue, pulling out a tissue to wipe the sweat from her forehead. She smiled lovingly at her. "How''d you work up a sweat?" "It''s a bit hot!" Teri wrinkled her nose. "Hot, huh? Let me adjust it." Nina got up and turned the temperature down a degree. Sue nced at the ribbon flower in Teri''s hand and asked, "That''s so pretty! Did Rainie make it for you?" *Yeah! Rainie is amazing! She can make flowers!" Teri looked at the ribbon flower in her hand, then walked over to Luca and handed it to her, "Pretty miss, this one''s for you." Luca was a bit surprised but smiled as she took it. "Thank you, Teri!" Teri giggled and ran back to the living room to continue folding ribbon flowers with Rainie. The leftover ribbons were being folded, and Kari and Teri were trying to follow Rainie''s moves, folding along with her. "I have to say, the kids really love you!" said Nina as she adjusted the temperature and sat back down, noticing the flower in Luca''s hand. "What is it about you that attracts all the kids? They just seem to gravitate toward you!" "Maybe I''m just naturally good with kids," Luca replied with a cheerful smile. "It''s not a maybe; it''s a definite! All three of Luke''s kids like you, and now, even Teri does too. Good thing they''re not my kids, or I''d be super jealous," joked Nina. When Sue heard this, she let out augh. "What''s wrong with that? If your kids end up loving Luca, you could just let her babysit them. It''d make your life easier!" "That''s true!" They chatted for quite a while, and it was not until evening that they each headed home. When Luca and Rainie got home, Luca was surprised to find Karen there. She was startled for a moment. Luke was also in the living room, and the coffee table was covered with beautifully wrapped gifts. Luca quickly realized what was going on and turned to Rainie. "Sweetheart, why don''t you head upstairs for now, okay?" Rainie, understanding that this was adult business, nodded and replied, "Okay." Once Rainie was upstairs, Luca walked over and sat beside Luke. They exchanged a nce. Luke spoke up, "Madam Mallory, you should take these gifts back." Karen''s expression rkened when she saw Luca, especially after witnessing how close she was with the child. It made her feel ufortable. A mistress speaking to the child as though this were her home and as though she were thedy of the house! Due to Daryl''s betrayal, Karen had developed a deep dislike for mistresses, so she had never liked Luca. Now, her hostility was even stronger. She asked in a cold voice when she heard Luke say so, "So, you''re really not going to forgive me?" "Madam Mallory, do you even think you''ve done something wrong?" Luke suddenly asked. Karen looked at Luca. Her gaze then fell on the gifts she had brought. She secretly sneered. She had bought expensive things. Surely, this woman who relied on men to get ahead had never seen anything so luxurious! Karen added, "I shouldn''t have kidnapped anyone, but I begged Luca, and she refused. I wasn''t nning on hurting her. If she hadn''t pushed me so hard, I wouldn''t have done it." Luke''s expression darkened. Karen''s expression was not looking any better. "I''ve brought you gifts, and I''ve apologized. Can''t you exin to the old master that it was all just a misunderstanding?" Luca suddenlyughed at her tone. She knew it was hard for an elder to apologize to a younger person and there would always be a bit of awkwardness in their tone. However, Karen''s attitude was something else entirely... Chapter 3254 Hes The One Who Knows Her Best ? Chapter 3254 He''s The One Who Knows Her Best Karen red at Luca, furious. "What are youughing at?!" She wanted to curse her out for being ill-mannered. However, Karen quickly held back because she noticed that Luke''s expression had turned gloomy. She realized that if she insulted Luca now, she would have zero chance left. Luca knew Karen hated mistresses and hated her even more. Thinking about all the dirty tricks Karen and Pierre had pulled recently, she did not mind disgusting her a little. She deliberately leaned closer to Luke, letting Karen see her y the part of the wicked woman. "I just find what you said amusing, Madam Mallory," said Luca. Karen watched as she shamelessly clung to Luke, acting like she did not even exist. Luca was without a shred of shame. She secretly cursed, ''Mistresses really are shameless!'' However, she did not say it out loud. Instead, she snapped, "I''m talking to Luke right now. Who asked you to butt in?" Luca nodded and fell silent, turning her gaze to Luke instead. Luke, feeling her eyes on him, met her gaze andpletely ignored Karen. Karen was furious! *Luke, I''m here to sincerely apologize today. Can''t you at least talk to me? Or tell me what I need to do to earn your forgiveness and to have you put in a good word about me with Old Master Mallory?" She tried to calm down, ignoring Luca''s deliberate provocation. Luke held Luca''s hand, nced at her, and replied, "I''ve already made it clear. Dropping the charges was the best oue for the Mallory family. If you keep pushing, don''t me me for what happens next... Karen frowned. "Are you saying you''ll call the cops if I keep bothering you?" Luke nodded. "Take these things with you. I don''t need them. And don''t bother Luca again." "Fine, fine!" Karen knew Luke was proud, but what Percy said earlier had made her think that as long as she lowered herself, Luke might help smooth things over. She never expected this oue! "How dare you reject me?! Don''t me me for what happens next!" Then, Karen grabbed the bags of goods and stormed out. "Aunt Neile, see her out," instructed Luke. "Yes, sir." Aunt Neile had been hiding in the kitchen, and when she heard him, she quickly came out to escort Karen to the door. With a loud bang, the vi''s door mmed shut behind her. Karen stared at the iron door, tempted to kick it. However, she was not stupid. If she did, she would probably end up with a broken foot. Fuming, she was about to leave when a voice called out, "Madam Mallory? What are you doing here?" Karen turned toward the voice and saw that it was Susan.Content belong to N?velDr¨¢ma. Org.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. Since Susan had ties with Luke, Karen was not about to be friendly. "What''s it to you?" Susan noticed her foul mood, saw the bags in her hands, and nced at the door nearby, piecing together what might have happened. She did not know for sure, but her gossip instincts kicked in. "Did they kick you out?" "It''s none of your business!" Karen snapped. Susan recalled the scandalous stories she had seen online about how Karen had messed with Luke and how he had ruthlessly struck back, leaving Karen in shambles. After suffering so much, she had barely managed to smooth things over. "So, you came to apologize, huh? But I''d advise against it. Ever since that woman showed up, Luke has changed. He doesn''t even listen to me anymore," Susan deliberately added. Being in the same circle, she knew exactly what would get under Karen''s skin! "And to be honest, I''ve tried to talk sense into him so many times..." *Some women are just cunning. They don''t have the skills, so they try to change their lives bytching onto a man!" Susan''s words hit a nerve with Karen, reminding her of Nina. "Isn''t that right?" Susan''s eyes gleamed with a sharp light. "No man is any good." Karen could not agree more. Thinking of how she and Susan had both suffered the same fate, her expression softened a bit. Susan asked again, "What''s with all these bags?" "I just asked Luca for a small favor, but Luke got all mad and went toin to the old man. So now, I''m..." Karen trailed off. "It was just a small favor! Does he really have to be so protective of that woman? That''s way over the top!" Susan''s gossip radar was now fully engaged. Ever since Louis moved out, her life had been pretty dull without her son and grandkids around. Now that she had an opportunity, there was no way Susan would let Karen leave so easily. "Exactly! As his mother, you should talk some sense into him. He''s always thinking about that woman, but women like her are heartless. If he gets dumped in the future, he''ll cry a river!" Karen agreed. Susan nodded and then invited her inside. "Madam Mallory, why don''t youe in and sit for a bit?" Karen hesitated for a moment. Even though she could chat with Susan, they were not that close. Susan added, "I actually have something I need to talk to you about. It might help with your situation." "Alright." Karen, tempted by the offer, grabbed her bags and walked into the vi. Luke and Luca had no idea this was happening. After Karen left, Luke gently yed with Luca''s hair. "Feeling better now?" "I wasn''t upset." Luca rested her head on his shoulder. Despite their significant height difference, sitting down like this was perfect. It allowed her tofortably lean on his shoulder without straining her neck. "I noticed you were deliberately provoking Karen." Luke did not have any fondness for Percy''s mother, so when no one else was around, he just called her by her name. Luca chuckled. "Yeah, she tried to use Vivian to threaten me yesterday, which really pissed me off. But out of respect for Mr. Mallory, I couldn''t do anything about it, so I had to mess with her a little," exined Luca. No one liked being threatened. If Karen had been anyone else, someone without ties to Percy, Luca might have dealt with her differently after ensuring Vivian''s safety. It was not right for a man to hit a woman. However, when it was woman against woman, there was nothing to be ashamed of! "I''ll find a chance for youter," replied Luke. "A chance for what?" Luca nced up at his chin. He had not shaved today, and the stubble was poking through. She reached up to touch it, finding it a bit prickly. "Didn''t you want to beat her up?" asked Luke. Luca was surprised. "I didn''t say that. How did you know?" "I know all your little thoughts," replied Luke, grabbing her restless hand and pressing it against his chin. "Ouch, it''s prickly!" Luca protested with augh. Then, she asked, "Is it that obvious?" *It''s pretty obvious. Ever since Nina got pped by her, you''ve been itching to return the favor, haven''t you?" replied Luke, knowing exactly what was on her mind. Luca made a little noise of agreement. She guessed it was pretty obvious. She did not say anything, but Luke still knew. Well, he was the one who knew her best. Chapter 3255 A Chance To Meet Each Other ?Chapter 3255 A Chance To Meet Each Other Luke took her hand again, leaned in close, and brushed his chin against her. "If I didn''t have a rule against hitting women, I''d be tempted to punch someone myself." "Huh?" Luca was surprised. "But she''s Mr. Mallory''s mother." Luke said indifferently, "So what? Sometimes, it''s not about their identity. I don''t hit them just because I don''t want to hit a woman." Luca could not help butugh at his words. Just then, Aunt Neile walked in to report something. *Sir, Ms. Craw, Madam Mallory has left, but..." She paused for a moment. "When I closed the door, I overheard Madam Mallory talking to Madam Crawford." After closing the door earlier, Aunt Neile noticed some fallen leaves and started sweeping. That was when she overheard their conversation. It was not a pleasant conversation, and by the end of it, the two women seemed to have teamed up. Aunt Neile remembered that Susan and Karen never had a close rtionship before. "They''re teaming up?" Luca raised an eyebrow, suspecting nothing good woulde from those two joining forces. They were probably at the vi across the street right now, gossiping about her and Luke. Luca could not understand it. She was Luke''s original wife, yet these two were treating her like she was the mistress. It was ridiculous.Content belong to N?velDr¨¢ma. Org. Luke ruffled her long hair. "Just ignore them." "Okay." Luca nodded. Seeing that neither of them was too concerned, Aunt Neile did not say much more, though the things Karen and Susan had said outside were not pleasant. Two dayster, Luke and Luca both received an invitation from Marcos to meet at his hotel. However, instead of going to his room, they met in the restaurant downstairs. Marcos had invited them to dinner. "Good evening, Mr. Marcos," Luca greeted him with a smile as he approached. "Good evening, Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw," replied Marcos. He was still the picture of a refined foreign gentleman. After he greeted them, he pulled out a chair and sat across from them. Luke nced at Ethan, who was sitting a short distance away, and could not help but smirk. Ethan was really on high alert with Marcos. Even though Marcos was just meeting them in the restaurant, Ethan insisted on tagging along. Instead of sitting at their table, he chose to sit at another table. He still kept an eye on them, or rather, on Marcos. Luke looked away and asked, "Where''s your friend?" "He got some unexpected work and had to leave," Marcos emphasized the word "work". Luke understood that this work was rted to the Ind of Despair. He nodded, signaling that he got the message. After ordering, Marcos added a dessert. Luca chuckled and asked, "Mr. Marcos, do you have a sweet tooth?" Marcos shook his head and replied, "It''s for you. Ladies love sweets." As soon as he said this, Luke did not react, but Ethan let out a cold snort. He thought what Marcos did was embarrassing the Abaza family! Matysh hade all the way to A City for this woman, only to get caught by the police and sentenced to prison. It was all her fault! Marcos actually had the nerve to cozy up to that woman! Ethan was furious as he saw Luke and Luca as enemies of the Abaza family, especially Luca, who was at the top of his list. When Luca heard Ethan''s cold snort, she frowned in displeasure. Marcos noticed her reaction and shot a re at Ethan. "Ethan, if the restaurant''s food doesn''t satisfy you, you''re wee to leave." Ethan''s eyes widened. "Why should I be the one to leave?" "It''s because you''re being noisy," replied Marcos, reminding himself to stay calm and act like a gentleman. Otherwise, he might have already thrown a punch at this snarky Ethan. "Mr. Crawford is a partner of M Group, and as thepany''s president, it''s only polite for me to treat him to a meal before I leave A City. If you''re worried I might betray M Group, you''re wee to listen in, but don''t interrupt our dinner," warned Marcos. Ethan''s expression darkened. Ever since Matysh was sentenced, Marcos seemed like a different person. It was not that his personality had changed but rather the way he treated others. It was as though Matysh''s conviction had solidified Marcos''s position within the Abaza family. With the family now fully under his control, he no longer needed to cater to those who reported back to the old master. After finishing his piece, Marcos returned to his usual gentle smile and looked at the two across from him. "My apologies," said Marcos, not necessarily for Ethan''s behavior but still with the utmost courtesy. "It''s fine. Don''t let insignificant people affect your mood," Luke replied nonchntly. Ethan almost jumped out of his seat. He was furious! He knew Luke had never liked him, but Marcos'' sudden change in attitude was aplete 180! Ethan stared daggers at Marcos'' approving smile, cursing him silently and vowing to report all of this to the old master as soon as he got back to Russia. Luke, ignoring Ethan''s dark thoughts, turned to Marcos and asked, "I heard you''re heading back to Russia soon." Marcos nodded. "That''s right. Now that things with Uncle Matysh are settled here, it''s time for me to return. I''ve been working remotely for too long." "When''s your flight?" asked Luca. "Tomorrow afternoon," answered Marcos. "So soon?" Luca had been thinking about finding a chance for Marcos to meet Sarah. However, she did not expect him to leave tomorrow. Besides, with Ethan constantly around, it was going to be tricky for them to meet each other. Marcos knew what she had in mind, so he nodded and added, "I''ve been working remotely for a while, and there''s a lot of work piling up. Now that everything here is wrapped up, I need to get back and handle things. "A lot of M Group''s business partners are waiting for me to return." Luca nced at Ethan. He was still ring in their direction.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Was he not worried that he might choke on his food with all that staring? Luca nodded and replied, "I was hoping to show you around A City a bit more, but I guess that''ll have to wait." "Thank you," said Marcos, appreciating her thoughtfulness. "Don''t worry, there''ll be plenty of opportunities to work with T Corporation in the future. I''ll definitely being back to A City often." "You''re always wee," replied Luke. Luca gave him a warm smile, showing her goodwill. Ethan, who was listening to their conversation, was secretly boiling with anger. Noticing Ethan''s gaze still fixed on them, Luke decided to provoke him a little more. "By the way, with you leaving so soon. Does that mean Matysh has decided not to appeal?" Marcos shot a nce at Ethan. He smiled, then looked back at Luke. "There''s likely going to be an appeal, but that''s not for me to handle. Ethan here knows more about that than I do." Chapter 3256 Heart Of Flame ?Chapter 3256 Heart Of me When Marcos personally called his name, Ethan snorted coldly, pretending as though he did not hear it. Marcos did not mind. This was A City, not Russia. Matysh would not be getting out easily. Luke suddenly burst intoughter when he saw how arrogant Ethan was. Ethan heard him and turned his head to look at him. Luca turned around and asked, "Is there something you need?" Ethan felt like the three of them were targeting him, so he irritably turned his head away. Luke continued, "No matter how many times Matysh appeals, the original verdict will likely be upheld. His case is extremely severe, and the public''s reaction has been quite bad. "A City won''t care about his influence in Russia. Everything will be judged based on the severity of his crimes here in A City, ording to thew." Luca, worried that Ethan might not fully understand, rified, "To put it simply, no matter how many appeals he makes, it won''t make a difference." Ethan''s expression darkened. He would be returning to Russia with Marcos this time. He intended to seek out experts and relevant connections in Russia to see if he could help Matysh. What they were saying felt like a prophecy, reminding him that no matter what he did, it would be futile. Matysh was destined to serve his sentence in A City. After dinner, Marcos personally escorted them downstairs. This time, Ethan did not follow because their discussion at the table made him realize that appealing on Matysh''s behalf would be ineffective. Plus, with the appeal deadline looming, he needed to contact Russia immediately. Marcos stood in the elevator with the two and suddenly pulled out a jewelry box from his pocket. "Ms. Craw, as a token of gratitude for the hospitality Mr. Crawford and you have shown during this time, I''ve prepared a gift for you. I hope you ept it," said Marcos. "Oh, thank you." Luca graciously epted the box. Although it looked like it might contain a ring, the fact that Marcos was presenting it meant there was likely something significant inside. She epted it gracefully, and Luke did not say anything. After leaving the hotel, Luca opened the jewelry box. When she saw the note inside, she smiled and showed it to Luke before reading it aloud: "Hello, Ms. Craw. Here lies the ring my parents used in their wedding. After she left the family, the ring came into my possession. "Now, I''d appreciate it if you could help return this ring to its rightful owner. I believe my mother misses it dearly as it holds great significance for her." "I knew it," added Luca. When she saw the jewelry box, she had guessed that Marcos wanted her to help return it to Sarah. Sure enough, that was the case.Content belong to N?velDr¨¢ma. Org.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "Give it to Ms. Por after they''ve returned to Russia," said Luke. "Yes, that''s what I was thinking." Luca nodded. Even though there was no one visibly following them now, it was hard to say if there were any of Ethan''s people lurking around. She remained cautious even though they were heading back. Luca looked at the ruby ring in the jewelry box. Even after more than 20 years, the ruby was still stunning, shimmering faintly under the dim streetlights. It was a beautiful gem. Lucamented, "The ring has been well-maintained." "Do you know the story behind this ring?" Luke asked while driving. "Huh? There''s a story?" Luca asked in surprise. Luke nodded. "Of course." "To be precise, it''s the story of the gemstone set in the ring," added Luke. "I didn''t realize you knew so much about their wedding ring. Do tell me." Luca was curious. Luke smiled. "It''s not that I made a point to learn their story. It''s just that before their wedding, I searched high and low for this ring, but I couldn''t find it. I didn''t expect it to be with Marcos, let alone to discover it was his parents'' wedding ring." Luca touched the ruby on the ring. It felt cold to the touch, hinting at a beautiful love story behind it. Luke continued, "The ring is called the Heart of me. The fiery red gemstone represents passionate love. Originally, the gem was sold by a gem dealer to a European noble. The noble, seeing the me-like brilliance of the gem, thought of his beloved wife. He designed the ring setting and had the gemstone set in it." "And then?" asked Luca. "Naturally, the noble''s wife was deeply moved when she received the ring. She vowed to be with him forever, and the noble remained devoted to her. They lived a loving life together, growing old together. "The noble''s wife passed away at the age of 98, and the next day, the noble followed her. So, the ring symbolizes not just love and happiness but also longevity. Many yearster, the ring was auctioned by the noble''s descendants, and it was unexpectedly purchased by Marcos'' father." Luke reflected on how he had once searched for the ring for a long time but never found it, only to discover it was in Marcos'' family. He was quite surprised. Luca expected a tragic tale but was pleasantly surprised by the story of enduring love and a happily-ever-after. Yet, she thought that if the gem''s symbolism were not so positive, Luke would not have considered giving it to her. However, what good was a gem''s positive symbolism if it did note true for the wearer? Like Marcos'' parents. If Marcos'' father had not passed away early, Sarah might not be in her current situation. They were in love and overcame societal norms and ss differences back then. Nevertheless, their ending was not perfect. Luca remembered the diamond ring Luke had given her and asked, "What about the ring you gave me before?" The diamond ring Luke gave her for their wedding wasrge. She wore it only during the wedding ceremony and usually wore another ring from him, which was more delicate and less extravagant. After she was kidnapped, she lost that ring. Still, she assumed the diamond ring from the wedding was still somewhere, so she asked out of curiosity. Luke''s expression changed. Luca noticed his expression and asked, "Could it be..." Luke hesitated before telling her the truth, "It was taken by the impostor Bianca. I don''t know what happened to the ring afterward." Luke let out a sigh of frustration. He had thought the impostor Bianca was her. Hence, after she was discharged from the hospital, he found the ring in a jewelry box and put it on her. At that time, he did not suspect anything. He just thought she was affected by the trauma. He did not say anything when he saw her wearing the ring. However, he really did not keep track of where the ring went after that. "I see." Luca nodded, but then she heard him continue. Chapter 3257 Someone From The Other End ?Chapter 3257 Someone From The Other End "Even if it were still around, I wouldn''t want you to wear it after that woman has had it on." Luke added, "I''ll have a big surprise for you on the day our family has reunited." He meant his words. He had been surveying rings. "What about all those other pieces of jewelry?" asked Luca, referring to the many pieces Luke had given her. She had kept them all together, and if the impostor Bianca could get her wedding ring, the others must have been touched by her too. Just thinking about those things being handled by such a woman, Luca felt the same as Luke. She would not want to wear them again. Luke said, "They''re all yours. Do whatever you want with them." "How about we hold a small auction for them and donate the proceeds to the welfare home?" suggested Luca. The welfare home she had in mind was the one that had taken in Luke before. "Sure, it''s up to you," Luke agreed. He had no objections and thought it was a good deed. Once the issues with the Ind of Despair were resolved, he nned to hold a press conference to clear up everything. He would not let Luca suffer any injustice. Even though they were together, he wanted everyone to know Luca''s true identity was Bianca. She did not climb to the top by being someone''s mistress. He did not cheat on his wife either. After the rification, they would auction off the items, and all the money would go to the welfare home. This way, Luca would also gain a good reputation. Luke thought it was a brilliant idea. After confirming that Marcos and Ethan had left the following day, Luca took the jewelry box and Marcos'' handwritten letter to Sarah''s home. It was an unexpected visit, so she had not given Sarah any notice.Content belong to N?velDr¨¢ma. Org. Sarah was a bit surprised to see her. "Ms. Craw, what brings you here?" "I came to visit," replied Luca. "Pleasee in." Sarah weed her inside. The maid brought a ss of water. When they had settled, the maid said, "Ms. Por, I''m going to the supermarket. I need to buy groceries for tonight." "Sure. By the way, Ms. Craw, why don''t you stay for dinner tonight?" Sarah invited her to stay for the evening meal. Luca shook her head and declined, "No, I have other things to doter, so I won''t be staying." "Alright then." Sarah did not press further once she heard Luca had other ns. After the maid left, Luca took out a jewelry box from her briefcase. "This is..." Sarah looked at her in confusion. "This is something Marcos asked me to give you. Please take a look," said Luca, also pulling out the handwritten letter. Sarah took it and, without opening the jewelry box first, read the letter. Her eyes were filled with tears as she read it. "Silly child!" Sarah opened the jewelry box and saw the ring. Tears began to stream down her face. Luca quickly handed her a tissue, saying, "Ms. Por, don''t cry. This ring means so much to Mr. Marcos. It''s been a significant part of his life for over 20 years." Sarah nodded, understanding the ring''s importance to Marcos. It was the only thing he could hold onto when he missed them. "When Marcos was little, I told him the story of this ring..." Sarah gently touched the ring''s gemstone, her touch tender and loving. "This ring was bought by Marcos''s father. It cost quite a bit and was given to me as a wedding ring. It''s so beautiful that I didn''t wear it often. I was afraid I might lose it, so I only wore it on important family asions. "When many things happened and I had to escape from the Abaza family in a hurry, I couldn''t take the ring with me. I thought the Abaza family took it, but it turns out Marcos has been keeping it safe." Luca listened to her and felt deeply touched. Luca added, "I had dinner with Mr. Marcosst night. His flight today will take him back to Russia." Sarah nodded. "I know. He contacted me secretly and said he was going back to Russia to settle the scores with the Abaza family." Luca nodded. She did not know the full extent of the Abaza family''s corruption. She had only heard a bit from Luke. It would be difficult for Marcos to clear all the obstacles, but it was the only way he could reunite with Sarah. "Ms. Por, this ring has been through so much, yet it''s back in your hands. Ultimately, it''s a symbol of your husband''s love for you. But now is not the time to disy it; you should keep it safe," replied Luca. Sarah nodded, understanding that showing the ring now would only cause trouble for Marcos. "I''ll keep it safe. Thank you, and thank Mr. Crawford for me as well," said Sarah as she closed the jewelry box. "I''ll be on my way, then," replied Luca as she rose to her feet. "Let me walk you out," offered Sarah, standing up as well. Luca shook her head. "It''s okay. Please stay inside. Even though they''ve left A City, there might still be some people we don''t know about lingering. Since Matysh is serving his sentence here, we need to be cautious." "I understand. To avoid causing trouble, I haven''t been out much," exined Sarah. She mostly stayed at home. Sometimes, she would just go to the balcony for exercise and avoid going out. If she had to go out, she would be fully disguised. Even the maid was puzzled by her behavior. However, she had grown used to it over time. Since the maid handled everything, Sarah stayed home as much as possible. After all these years of hiding, she was now even more concerned for her son, especially after reuniting with Marcos.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. After Luca finished her conversation with her, she left. Instead of returning to Watson, she went straight home. As soon as she parked in front of the house, Luca received a call with a string of numbers. Her heart sank. It had been a while since Abel had contacted her. The longer the silence, the more uneasy she felt. When someone who had been quiet suddenly appeared, it usually meant something big was about to happen. Luca was nervous. "Ms. Craw, aren''t you going to answer the call?" Warren noticed her hesitation. The phone had been ringing for a while without being answered, so he reminded her. "Don''t speak. It''s someone from the other side," replied Luca. Warren became serious. He took his phone out to record and said, "Please put it on speaker." Luca nodded, answered the call, and turned on the speaker. "Who''s this?" On the other end of the line, Abel''s cold voice came through. "Why did it take you so long to answer?" "My phone was on silent. Mr. Abel, do you need something?" Luca did not want to listen to Abel''s lecture and just wanted to know the reason for his call. "Of course. I have something to discuss with you," replied Abel. "Oh? What is it?" Luca nced at Warren, who was holding his phone, indicating that it was recording. Chapter 3258 Shanks Is Lucky ?Chapter 3258 Shanks Is Lucky "Come to the base now," instructed Abel. Luca wanted to test why he was calling her there at this time, so she deliberately made things difficult. "But I''ve got something to do now." "I don''t care what it is. Just get to the base now," Abel cut her off and hung up. Luca ended the call helplessly. It seemed like this was urgent. Abel did not even bother with the usual small talk. Warren saved the recording and asked, "Are you heading there now?" "Yes, I have to. I''ll grab a cab. You can head home," replied Luca. Normally, she would call a cab, so there was no way she could drive there today. As Luca opened the car door and was about to step out of the car, Warren asked, "Do you need someone to follow you secretly?" "No." Luca declined without hesitation. "I''ll be fine in A City." If something were to happen, having someone follow would not make a difference anyway. Luke''s subordinates could not follow her into the base. Once she got inside, whether she was safe or not was beyond their control. It was up to her. After all, nothing could be exposed right now. "Alright, Ms. Craw. Please stay safe. As per protocol, I have to report this to the boss and Mr. Gale, Warren reminded her. "Go ahead and tell them." Luca nodded. After closing the car door, she turned around and walked out of themunity. When she arrived at the entrance, she waited for a while before finally hailing a cab. Following her usual routine, she switched to another car halfway there. When she was near the base, Abel called again. "Why aren''t you here yet?" His tone was unpleasant. "It was tough finding a cab. I''ll be there soon," exined Luca. Abel did not respond and just hung up.Content belong to N?velDr¨¢ma. Org. Luca frowned. The more urgent his tone, the more uneasy she felt. However, no matter what awaited her, she had to go. When she arrived, she paid the driver. Seeing a woman dressed expensively in such a sketchy area, the driver kindly warned her, "Ma''am, this ce is full of shady characters. Be careful since you''re dressed like that." "I know. Thank you," replied Luca, feeling a bit of warmth from the stranger''s concern. After getting out of the car, she followed her nned route, circling twice before entering the base. "Where''s Mr. Abel?" asked Luca. "He''s on the second floor," answered one of the men. He gave her a quick once-over and pointed upstairs. Luca made her way up the stairs. As she reached the second floor, she was hit with the sharp scent of cigar smoke. It was the kind of cigar Abel usually smoked. She frowned. The strong smell suggested he had been smoking a lot, which was never a good sign. It meant either he was very rxed or very annoyed. Either way, Luca knew being summoned meant trouble for her. She approached the couch where Abel was still smoking and greeted him, "Mr. Abel, what''s the matter?" Abel looked her up and down. "Hmm, haven''t seen you in a while. You look pretty good. What''s the deal? A little attention from a man doing wonders for you? "I''m carrying out the tasks you assigned," Luca responded calmly, ignoring his taunt. She did not feel ashamed of being with Luke. They were husband and wife, after all. If it were rtives or friends teasing her, she might blush, but it only made her angry if Abel said something like that. She was so mad that she wished she could punch him in the face. However, that would have to wait; it was not time to act yet. Abel blew out hisst puff of smoke, stubbed out the cigar, and pointed at a room. "Go in and help." "You didn''t say what I should do." Luca frowned. "You''ll find out when you get inside," replied Abel, clearly not nning to tell her. Luca eyed the room and hesitated for a moment, unsure of what was waiting for her inside. Abel mistook her hesitation for fear and sneered, "Rx, I still need you around Luke, so I''m not about to kill you." Luca frowned but walked to the door and pushed it open. The room was filled with pharmaceutical equipment, and Shanks was there. Luca was surprised. Then, she called out, "Mr. Shanks?" "Come in, put on the protective gear, and help me with the experiment," said Shanks. Luca closed the door and followed his instructions, changing into the protective clothing and gear before approaching Shanks. She had a hunch that Shanks was working on the herbs they had collected in X City. A flicker of excitement sparked in her, but she quickly calmed herself down. Luke had bought up the remaining herbs. Could Shanks have gathered them all? "Mr. Shanks, what do you need me to do?" asked Luca. "Separate and purify the extracts," replied Shanks. He pointed at the equipment and raw materials. "The herbs are over there. Just follow the method I taught you." Luca walked over to the workbench and picked up one of the herbs. It was the same herb Luke had bought.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Mr. Shanks, how did you manage to find this herb?" asked Luca. "I picked it myself," replied Shanks. He headed into the mountains with a local herbalist to gather it. The mountains around X City were vast. Shanks had joined a group of truffle hunters and, while they were searching for truffles, he was lucky enough to find the herbs he needed and made his way back down the mountain. "Are they all wild?" Luca asked casually, recalling something a herbalist had once told her. If a certain herb could grow in someone''s backyard, it likely meant it could be found in the surrounding mountains. However, these herbs were often overlooked as weeds because they were not considered valuable in modern medicine. "Yes." Shanks seldom talked when he was doing his research, so he gave her a simple response. Luca did not press further. She silently noted that Shanks was lucky and then got to work on the task he had assigned. After three years on the Ind of Despair and the time spent in A City, Luca found Shanks'' tasks easy to handle. Finally, she finished the refining and purifying process around 8:00 pm. During this time, she had not made or received any calls, not even from Luke. She figured Luke had not contacted her because he knew she was at the base in A City and was worried about exposing her location. When Luca was done, she handed the purified liquid to Shanks. "Mr. Shanks, the purification isplete." "Good. Set it aside," replied Shanks. He was absorbed in whatever he was examining under the microscope. Luca waited for a moment until he looked up from the microscope. She then asked, "Mr. Shanks, is there anything else you need me to do?" "That''s all." Shanks shook his head after a moment''s thought. "It''s gettingte. Go home. You know what to say when you''re back home." "I do." Luca removed the protective gear and nced at Shanks, who was still engrossed in his research. Then, she walked out of the room. Chapter 3259 Not A Chance At All Chapter 3259 Not A Chance At All Abel was no longer sitting on the couch. Instead, he was off to the side, wearing boxing gloves and punching a heavy bag. Luca knew she could not just leave, so she stood there and waited until he was done. After a while, he took off the gloves and asked, "How''s the experiment going?" "No idea," replied Luca. Abel looked at her with obvious displeasure. "You were in there all afternoon!" Luca shook her head. "I don''t know what Mr. Shanks'' experiment is about, so how could I know how it''s going? I was just there to assist." Abel was at a loss for words for a moment, but he knew she was right. He let out a cold snort and dismissed her. "Hmph, whatever. Get out." As Luca observed how much Abel cared about the experiment, it only confirmed her suspicions. This experiment Shanks was working on was for Abel''s benefit. However, what exactly was this experiment? Luca was puzzled, but she dared not to dig deeper while she was in theb. She feared that if she seemed too curious, Shanks would get suspicious. Her priority now was to keep Abel stable, not to arouse his suspicions. She had to wait for Luke to find the right moment to take down the organization. After Abel dismissed her, she quickly left the room. Downstairs, the same man was still guarding the door. When he saw Lucaing down, he asked, "Done with the experiment?" Luca frowned. "You knew I was there for the experiment?" "What else? You''re the only one in the entire A City base who can help Mr. Shanks with his experiments. If you weren''t here for that, what else could it be?" the man replied. As the gatekeeper for the A City base, he was aware of what Shanks and Abel were up to. Shanks was working on a critical experiment, but no one at the base, not even Abel himself, had any expertise in pharmaceuticals. That was why Luca was brought in. Without waiting for Luca to respond, the man added, "People with skills like yours get big rewards. I bet the boss will give you something nice for helping out." Luca thought to herself that she would be lucky enough if Abel did not screw her over. She remained silent and headed for the door. The man saw this and asked, "Did you drive here?" "No," replied Luca, frowning. It was rare to find someone as talkative as this man on the Ind of Despair. "It''s prettyte, and this area is tough for getting a cab. Want me to give you a ride?" he offered. "No need." Luca was wary of any sudden kindness, suspecting ulterior motives. The man looked a bit disappointed. As she opened the door, he said, "My name''s Kyle." Luca paused for a moment and gave Kyle a strange look. In the end, she did not say anything. She pulled the door open, walked out, shut the door behind her, and left without a word. Kyle felt a little regretful. He thought she might respond, but to his surprise, she just left. While he was still feeling a bit wistful, Abel''s voice came from behind him. "You like her?" Kyle jumped and turned around, only to find that Abel had somehow snuck up behind him. "Boss!" He snapped to attention, though his face turned a bit red. Abel''s expression was odd. "Do you like her?" he asked again. Kyle shook his head. "No, I don''t." "Don''t lie to me!" Abel''s expression suddenly turned serious. Kyle jumped in surprise and replied, "It''s not that I like her. It''s just that I''ve got a bit of a crush on her." Abel nodded, understanding what he meant. "A bit of a crush, huh? But you do know she''s already got a man, right?" he replied. Kyle nodded. "I know her mission is to get close to a man and extract secrets."Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Abel''s smile turned wicked. "And that doesn''t bother you?" "It''s just a mission. She doesn''t have a choice. Nothing to be bothered about," replied Kyle. They all had to do things they did not want to in the Ind of Despair. If they let it get to them, they would notst long. Abel understood and continued, "But that man she''s getting close to is actually her husband." Kyle was shocked. He did not know that. Abel went on, "She''s willing to get close to her own husband toplete a mission. Do you really think a woman like that is worth liking?" Kyle stayed silent. Abel added, "If she ever epts your advances, you''d better watch out." "Why?" asked Kyle, feeling confused. "If she ever epts your advances, it means you''re useful to her. A woman like that is a real seductress. She''ll use her charm to drain everyst drop out of a man," replied Abel. Kyle shuddered. He refused to believe Luca was that kind of person, but Abel''s words were terrifying. Considering Abel was the one who knew Luca best on the Ind of Despair, Kyle could not help but start to believe him. Abel continued, "But don''t worry, she''s not interested in you." Kyle could not help but ask, "Why not?" "She likes men with power, status, or skills. What do you have?" sneered Abel, giving him a disdainful look. If Kyle had any real talent, he would not be stuck at the A City base. The skilled ones were always out on missions, not hanging around in one city, ying gatekeeper. Of course, except for Amur. He chose to stay in A City to protect Luca, missing out on many missions and opportunities to earn points. Making money was the ultimate goal for every man on the Ind of Despair. Kyle scratched the back of his head and mumbled, "Well, I''m pretty good at fighting, I guess?" "Better than the prisoners we have, sure, but there are plenty of guys stronger than you. What makes you think Ivana would be interested in you?" Abel pulled out a cigar. Kyle thought what he said was right! Abel could see his words were having an effect. One Amur was enough. He could not allow anyone else in the A City base to fall for Luca. Hence, he added, "I suggest you give up. Besides, you''re not the only one who''s into her." "Who else?" Kyle asked, almost naively. "Apart from you, there''s Shanks, and then there''s Amur. Do you really think you''re better than either of them?* questioned Abel. Kyle fell silent. He knew both men, and they were indeed superior to him. Abel lit his cigar, took a slow drag, and exhaled a smoke ring before saying, "And outside of the Ind of Despair, there''s also her husband. He''s rich and powerful. You think you canpete with that?" Kyle did not want to say anything more. He felt frustrated with himself for even entertaining the thought. As Abel saw Kyle practically shrink into himself, he added "Just focus on your job as a gatekeeper. If you''re up for it, I can offer you the chance to go back to the Ind of Despair for further training. Maybe one day, you''ll be strong enough to stand a chance." "Thanks, boss," Kyle replied gloomily. He could not help but think to himself that he was totally out of his league in thispetition! With her husband, Shanks, and Amur all in the mix, did he even stand a chance? Chapter 3260 Mr. Crawford, Youre Way Too Full Of Yourself! ? Chapter 3260 Mr. Crawford, You''re Way Too Full Of Yourself! Luca had no idea that so many trivial things had happened after she left the base. After she left the base, she finally managed to get a cab. After getting in the car, she sent a message to Luke, letting him know she was on her way back. As soon as she sent the message, Luke called her. Luca answered. "Everything okay?" Even though it was just two simple words, Luca could hear the concern in Luke''s voice. Luca replied, "I''m okay. Really, I''m fine. Everything''s good. I''ll give you the details when I get back." "Alright, I''ll be waiting for you." Luke knew she had just left the base and did not offer to pick her up. If there were people tailing her, picking her up would risk exposing that. Therefore, after reminding Luca to stay safe, he ended the call. Even though she was exhausted, Luca stuck to her original n, changing to another car and continuing her journey back. She wanted to cover her tracks. If she went straight back and there were any of Abel''s men following her, they might report her whereabouts. That could end up causing trouble for her. It typically took about an hour to get from the suburbs to the city center. However, since it was rush hour, it took nearly two hours for Luca to get back to the vi. When she arrived at the vi, Luke came out to greet her, his hands resting on her shoulders as he checked her over. After knowing that Luca was fine, Luke asked, "Are you really not hurt?" Luca shook her head. "He just wanted me to help with some research. There''s no way he would''ve harmed me." "Research on those drugs?" asked Luke. Luca nodded. "Yes, the drug research. Even though we bought up all the remaining herbs from the farmer, Shanks found more herbs in the mountains around X City. So now, he has aplete supply of herbs." Luke furrowed his brows.C¨®ntent belongs to Nov¨¦lDr¨¢ma. Org Luca continued, "He''s doing research in A City now. Since he''s short on manpower, he asked me to help. But I was just doing the basic tasks like preparing drug solutions; I''m not involved in the actual research. So, I still don''t know what exactly he''s researching." She sounded a bit disheartened. She spent the whole afternoon without gaining any new insights. Luke kissed her forehead andforted her, "You''ve worked hard." Luca shook her head and voiced her concern. "But there''s something I find particrly strange. The experimental equipment at the base is not as advanced as what''s on the Ind of Despair. "Why would Shanks choose to do research in A City? Wouldn''t it be better to do it back on the ind? Even though there aren''t many pharmaceutical experts on the Ind of Despair, there are still more than in A City. It''s really odd!" Luke frowned, realizing that Luca had a point. Better equipment usually meant faster and smoother research. "Perhaps the experiment is specifically targeted at A City," suggested Luke. Luca frowned. "I don''t think so." Luke waited for her to borate. Luca exined, "Abel values this experiment highly, so the research must be important to him. If it were useful to Shanks, why didn''t he head back to the Ind of Despair to study it? He spends most of his time there, after all." Luke nodded. Luca added, "So there''s something we don''t know. If we can understand what Abel is nning, we might be able to figure out the nature of this research and whether it could endanger the city,"Original content from N?velDrama.Org. This city was her home, so she needed to take it seriously. Her partner, family, and kids are all here! As soon as Luca finished speaking, her stomach growled. Embarrassed, she patted her stomach and exined, "I haven''t had dinner." "They kept you busy for so long and didn''t even feed you?" Luke frowned and took her hand, leading her to the dining area. Luca exined, "Shanks didn''t eat either, so I didn''t want to bring it up. I didn''t want to make things worse with Abel." Luke felt sorry for her. "Luckily, I had Aunt Neile save you some food. Sit down, and I''ll heat it up for you." She shook her head. "I''ll handle it. You don''t know how to use the kitchen appliances." "Luca, are you underestimating me? I can use them. Just wait here," he replied, setting her down at the table before heading into the kitchen. Even though he had not used the kitchen appliances before, he figured he could manage with the instructions. He came out with the food ten minutester. Luca gave him a thumbs-up when she saw the steaming dishes. "I didn''t expect you, as someone who never cooks, to be so skilled with these appliances! Impressive!" Luke ced the food in front of her. "Eat first. I''ll check on the soup." Luca nodded and picked up her cutlery. She was really hungry and ate with little regard for manners. When Luke came back with the soup, he saw her eating like this and frowned. "Did you skip lunch too?" Luca thought for a moment and nodded. "Looks like I did. No wonder I''m so hungry!" He shook his head. "You..." She smiled cheerfully. "It''s okay. My stomach''s fine. I''m just making up for it now." Luke was speechless. What could she do to make up for it? His stomach was not great, and it was mostly due to working so much that he forgot to eat. He did not want Luca to end up like him. Luke sat across from her, watching her eat and drink. He reminded her, "From now on, you need to have all three meals a day. Got it?" "Got it. Today was just an abnormality. I usually eat regrly," replied Luca, feeling better after finishing her meal. Luke reached for the dishes, but she chimed in, "I''ll clean up. You should go check on the kids and see if they''re asleep." Remembering that Tommy had been sneaking books and staying up recently, Luke nodded. "Just put everything in the sink. Aunt Neile will clean them up tomorrow." "Okay," Luca agreed. Luca tidied up the table and put the dishes in the kitchen sink before heading upstairs. She ran into Luke, who had just finished checking on the kids. Then, she asked quietly, "Are the kids asleep?" "Yes, they''re asleep. Don''t worry, it''s not like they''re always undisciplined," replied Luke as he opened the door to their bedroom. Luca nodded in agreement. "I''m just worried that if we don''t catch their asionalpses in discipline, it might be a habit." "That won''t happen. Have some faith in your kids. If you don''t trust them, trust our genes. With genes like ours, how could they not be disciplined?" Luke was quite confident in his gic heritage. Luca gave him a skeptical look. "Mr. Crawford, you''re way too full of yourself." "Alright, enough teasing. Go wash up and get some sleep. You''ve had a long day," replied Luke, guiding her into the bedroom. "I''ve alreadyid out your pajamas. Just take a shower." "Okay." Luca appreciated Luke''s care and concern. She entered the bathroom, feeling exhausted and in need of rest. Working under Abel had been stressful, and she had maintained intense focus. Once she let her guard down, she felt the full weight of her fatigue. Chapter 3261 Their Base Was Burned To The Ground ? Chapter 3261 Their Base Was Burned To The Ground After Luca finished washing up, she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Luke held her in his arms, but he was wide awake. Ever since he found out that Luca was summoned to the the Ind of Despair base today, he was unable to rest easy, worried that something might happen to her. Fortunately, she was not hurt, and everything seemed normal. Now that Shanks was frequently conducting research here, Luke knew he would continue to worry if this issue was not resolved, He realized some things could not be dyed any longer. In the pitch-ck bedroom, his phone suddenly lit up. Luke released Luca''s waist, picked up his phone, and quietly left the room. After closing the door, he nced at the message, then stepped onto the balcony and dialed a number. "Boss, you saw the message?" Gale''s voice came through. He was the one who sent the message earlier. Luke''s voice was heavy as he directly asked, "Yeah. Are you sure the information is urate?" "It''s urate. I hacked into the system and confirmed that one of the names on the visitor list is another fake identity of Abel''s," replied Gale. "Good." Luke''s voice was deep, confirming what he suspected. If Abel was among the visitors, the research they were conducting was likely rted to Kassy. It was not just Luca who had been working hard. Luke had been putting in effort too. His team had been monitoring Abel the entire time. Since Abel was not an ordinary person, it took a lot of effort and personnel to surround him with operatives ying various roles. It was just to avoid being discovered. Abel had gone to the detention center for a visit. They could not determine who he visited, but to avoid alerting him, they had no choice but to hack the system and retrieve the visitor list. *Boss, do you think their current actions are aimed at rescuing Kassy?" asked Gale. "Yes," Luke was almost certain. Luca mentioned before that Abel harbored deep hatred toward him, not just because he led the operation to destroy the previous Ind of Despair but also because he injured Kassy. That was why he rebuilt the Ind of Despair and kidnapped Luca. *Then, the research they''re conducting now is also..." Gale did not finish his sentence, but he had already realized what Abel was up to. *Luca mentioned that one of the ingredients Abel is after has the ability to regenerate flesh and bones, replied Luke. *Well..." Gale was not too surprised by the medicinal properties, knowing there were countless herbs with various effects. "I had Kassy''s eyes and legs ruined before. Abel wouldn''t want a crippled person, so he must have asked Shanks to develop a drug to heal her eyes and legs." Luke was enraged when he found out what Kassy dared to do to his wife and children. Therefore, when he decided to cripple her, he made sure there was no chance of recovery. He even had her eyes destroyed so that modem transnt surgery would be impossible. Luke had never been a merciful person. Kassy''s attack on his family sealed her fate. If Abel wanted to make Kassy recover, conventional medicine could not make that happen. Perhaps he was relying on Shanks to pull it off. *Boss, if that''s the case, we know what they''re trying to do, but we can''tunch a full-scale attack on the Ind of Despair just yet. What should we do?" asked Gale. "Aren''t they busy conducting research?" Luke''s gaze darkened. "Then, we''ll make sure they can''t do it." *You mean we should destroy their research materials, like burn all their herbs?" Gale began to understand what Luke meant. *Exactly, but it needs to be done carefully," replied Luke. "Boss, isn''t it just a matter of setting a fire? What''s there to be cautious about? As long as we don''t leave any evidence, we''re good." Gale was puzzled. He did not see the need for extra caution if they were not leaving any traces. *They called Luca over today to help with the research, and that''s when she found out Shanks had already collected all the herbs. If a mysterious fire suddenly breaks out now, who do you think they''ll suspect?" Luke reminded him. Gale finally caught on. "Oh, right! How could I forget that? We need to handle this carefully. Otherwise, Dr. Craw could get caught up in it." *Think it through. This needs to be dealt with immediately, emphasized Luke. He did not want Luca to be affected by this. If the herbs were still around, Luca would keep getting called in to help. The leader of the Ind of Despair was not someone who could be reasoned with. He had not harmed Luca yet, but that did not mean he would not in the future. *Got it. How about we have one of their own people start the fire? That should work, right?" Gale''s tone revealed his excitement. He loved this kind of thing. "That''ll work." Luke agreed, then hung up the phone. Protecting Luca was his duty. He would never let Luca get hurt! After the call ended, Gale quickly got to work. He discussed it with Rain and decided to have someone impersonate a gatekeeper at the Ind of Despair base in A City. That way, when the fire broke out, any investigation would point to that person. True to his word, Gale, disguised as one of the Ind of Despair''s own, happily went to set the fire. Rain shook her head helplessly, knowing that while Gale was not keen on doing good deeds but was more than willing to carry out acts of sabotage. The next morning, Luca received a message from Abel. She frowned, about to say something when Luke, beside her, spoke up, "Gale burned down your base yesterday." Luca was surprised. "Huh? That was out of the blue?" "I''m certain now that Shanks'' research is for Kassy," replied Luke. Luca furrowed her brow the moment Kassy''s name was mentioned. She had once pleaded with Luke to spare Kassy''s life. While he did spare her, Kassy was left crippled. Luca did not expect that her plea would lead to so much trouble now. She did not need to ask to know what Shanks was researching. It was probably something to heal Kassy''s knees and maybe even her eyes. It sounded far-fetched, but Shanks''s abilities should not be underestimated. Luca rubbed her forehead.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "He must be suspicious of me now." *Don''t worry. Gale took that into ount, so he got someone to disguise as a member of the organization to start the fire," Luke reassured her while gently stroking her head. "No one on the Ind of Despair is innocent." "I understand," Luca nodded. She knew that anyone from the Ind of Despair who made it out had blood on their hands-including herself. Hence, Luke was not wrong when he said no one there was innocent. Luca nced at the notification again and sighed, "No wonder he told us to head to the hotel. Their base got burned to the ground, and that''s the only ce left to stay." Luke chuckled at her remark. Luca added, "I just hope all those herbs were destroyed. At least everything in A City should be burned up." Chapter 3262 Who Started The Fire ?Chapter 3262 Who Started The Fire *Gale''s handling it. Don''t worry," said Luke. Luca rubbed her eyes and replied, "I''m going to have to take another leave this morning. Good thing you''re the boss. If it were someone else, I''d probably be fired by now." Luke''s gaze deepened. "I''ll have Rain and the others keep an eye on things." "That''s fine, but try not to let them blow their cover. I might get hit once or twice today, but it''s all part of proving my innocence. Don''t worry, Abel won''t go too hard on me," Luca assumed. Luke instantly regretted his decision when he heard this. Perhaps it would have been better to hold off a little longer. Regardless of the situation, he would still be worried. Now that things were set in motion, there was no turning back. "Take care of yourself." He nted a kiss on her forehead. Luca smiled, trying to reassure him. "Don''t worry, I''ll be fine." She got out of bed, quickly washed up, and left without eating breakfast. Aunt Neile noticed her rushing out and could not help but ask, "Mr. Crawford, is Ms. Craw busy today?" "Yes." Luke nodded. As he watched her leave, he wished could follow her and protect her. However, he could not. He could not neglect N, who was still on the Ind of Despair, just to protect Luca. He had not even met his daughter yet. Still, their blood bond made it impossible for him to ignore her. As he thought to himself, he murmured, ''Luca, please be safe.'' Luca arrived at the hotel and gave Abel''s room number. The receptionist handed her a keycard and muttered, "Weird, why are so many people visiting this guest today?" Luca raised an eyebrow. "A lot of people have already been here?" The receptionist nodded, giving her a strange look. "Yes, a lot of men have already gone up. You''re the only woman. Just don''t cause any trouble in the hotel, okay? If something bad happens, it''ll be a big problem." Realizing the misunderstanding, Luca lifted her briefcase and exined, "I''m here on business. It''s not what you''re thinking." The receptionist''s face turned red. She could not really me her for thinking that way. After all, all the previous visitors were men, and now, a woman showed up. Even though she was dressed professionally, it was easy to assume the worst. Fortunately, Luca did not press the issue and walked toward the elevator, letting thement slide. She took the elevator to Abel''s floor and knocked on the door. The door opened. Luca noticed that everyone from the A City base was here. She walked in and closed the door behind her. Most of them looked pretty rough. Their clothes were marked with scorch stains here and there, showing signs of fire. Luca, however, was an exception. There were only four other men inside, and Abel and Shanks were not seen. Luca stood among them and asked, "Where''s the boss?" "He''s still in there," replied one of the men. Even though she had a good idea of what had happened, Luca still asked, "What happened to you guys? Why do you look so beat up?" *Don''t even bring it up. It''s bad luck! There was a firest night. We have no idea which bastard set it, but it burned down our whole base, grumbled one of them. Another chimed in, "Yeah, the fire was so big that we couldn''t even try to put it out. Plus, with what we had inside, we couldn''t call the fire department right away. It was the neighbors who called them." Of course, the neighbors would call the fire department. Luca''s gaze darkened. She could not believe they did not call for help just to keep their secrets hidden. Thankfully, the people living next to the base were not fools. If the fire had spread to their homes, Luca would have felt guilty. *I checked it out. The firefighters put out the mes, but not everything inside was destroyed. If they investigate further, they''ll figure out what''s going on..." added Kyle. The base was hiding some pretty shady stuff. Those things might not have burned in the fire. Now, they were all on edge. Losing their base was one thing, but if they caught the attention of the police, they were done for. They were not exactly equipped to handle police scrutiny, and if it came to that, they would have to abandon the A City base. Not only would they have to leave A City, but they would also have to return to the Ind of Despair and take on dangerous missions. They had gotten used to the easy life in A City. A City''s excellent security and environment meant that most of the Ind of Despair''s activities did not take ce there, so these guys had little to do. Yet, they still received a generous sry. Even though they did not earn as much as those who went on missions, they were pretty content. However, going back to the Ind of Despair meant facing all kinds of dangerous missions and brutal training. The thought made everyone''s faces drop. Except for Luca, who remained the calmest. Suddenly, the creaking sound of a door caught everyone''s attention as they looked toward a bedroom. The door opened, and Abel stepped out, his face clouded with anger. "Boss!" They all straightened up and greeted him. Abel''s eyes were cold and menacing as they swept over each of them before finally settling on Luca. *Our base caught fire in the middle of the night," Abel said in a chilling tone. Luca stayed silent. "Luca, was it you who had someone set the fire?" Abel asked straightforwardly. "Why would I burn down the base?" Luca shot back.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. "You were here during the day, and then the base caught fire at night. Exin this to me!" Abel did not believe her. His gut told him she was involved. Luca replied, "If you think I did it or had someone else do it, then throw the evidence in my face ande after me." Everyone was taken aback by her boldness. They could not help but take a sharp breath. Even if they were not responsible for the fire, none of them would dare to challenge Abel like that if they were suspected. *Fine. Luca, don''t you think you can talk your way out of this. You know Shanks gathered all the herbs, right? Now, they''re gone. You think burning them will stop his research?" Abel clenched his fists, itching to punch her. However, he suppressed the urge. When the fire broke outst night, Shanks could not save the herbs, so he grabbed a stack of data records and got out. If Luca was not involved in this, she would be the one helping organize that datater, which was why Abel restrained himself from hitting her. "I told you, if you''ve got evidence, bring it out," replied Luca. Just then, another man walked out of the bedroom. *Boss, we''ve retrieved the footage from the cameras across the street. As for the cameras inside the base, most of them were severely damaged in the fire, but we managed to recover data from two of them." The man walked out of the bedroom while holding aptop as he reported to Abel. Luca frowned. She did not expect any footage to be recoverable after the fire. She had no idea if Gale might have been caught on camera. If Abel found out it was Gale''s doing, she would be in big trouble, and their n would be exposed. Luca started to feel nervous. *Put it on the screen. Let''s see who started the fire!" Abel pointed at therge TV screen. The man followed his instructions and disyed the footage on the TV. Chapter 3263 Suspecting Amur ?Chapter 3263 Suspecting Amur Everyone''s eyes were glued to the screen. They were too afraid to even blink, worried that they would miss who started the fire. The surveince footage was ying at double speed. After a while, a figure appeared on the screen. Everyone turned to look at Kyle. Abel narrowed his eyes and stared at him. Kyle rubbed his eyes and realized that the person in the video really was him. He immediately protested, "It''s not me! That can''t be me in there!" Abel pointed at the screen and asked, "Are you sure that''s not you?" "Boss, why would I start a fire? I''ve got no beef with you guys!" Kyle responded in a panic. "Where were you at three in the morning?" Abel asked again. He initially suspected that Luca might have hired someone to set the fire. After all, no one else on the Ind of Despair would have had the motive. For someone who was not particrly skilled like Kyle, he would be in deep trouble even if he managed to destroy the base in A City without getting caught. He would still be doomed once he returned to the Ind of Despair. He would be lucky to stay alive.C¨®ntent belongs to Nov¨¦lDr¨¢ma. OrgOriginal content from N?velDrama.Org. Why would he destroy his own livelihood? Kyle frowned. Three o''clock in the morning? He answered without hesitating, "I was definitely asleep." "Were any of you sharing a room with him?" Abel asked. "Boss, Kyle was on dutyst night. He slept downstairs alone, so we don''t know about it." The others quickly distanced themselves, fearing they would get dragged into this. Abel squinted his eyes. "Boss, I was the first to notice the fire and alert everyone! If I had set the fire, why would I have told you?" Kyle was terrified. His body was trembling with fear. Abel did not respond and kept watching. The fire grew bigger, and he saw people from the base running out one by one until no one else came out. "Boss, it really wasn''t me!" When Kyle noticed that the footage ended with no one else emerging. He knelt down and pleaded, "Someone must''ve impersonated me to set the fire!" Abel knew that was possible. He turned to look at Luca. Luca met his gaze, reassured that Gale had not been exposed. She said, "Staring at me won''t help. I didn''t set the fire, and I don''t know anyone who can do disguises." She had not leamed disguise techniques on the Ind of Despair. Abel was cautious, never letting her and Amur take certain courses. "Where''s Amur?" asked Abel, noting that Amur''s build was simr to Kyle''s. Luca frowned. Was he suspecting Amur? A man answered, "Amur''s in Country M now, still carrying out the mission you assigned him." Luca frowned deeper. Arnur went to Country Magain? The ce was in chaos, full of shootings everywhere. Why did he not tell her before heading out? Luca knew that Amur was hiding his whereabouts to keep her from worrying. However, his secrecy did not sit well with her. It made her more worried than anything. "Are you sure he''s still in Country M and hasn''t retumed?" questioned Abel. He still refused to believe that Kyle was responsible and was trying to find evidence against Luca. "Yes, he hasn''te back. He updated us on his mission yesterday, and the IP address shows he''s still in Country M. There''s no way he could''ve made it back to A City so quickly," replied the man. Luca said, "You think I had Amur start the fire? But we''ve never learned disguise techniques. Even if their builds are simr, we don''t know how to disguise ourselves." Abel narrowed his eyes. Shanks walked out of one of the bedrooms. This ce was a family suite with three rooms. His usually expressionless face was now creased with a frown. Luca knew that the fire did not just destroy the medicinal herbs but also ruined Shanks'' previous research. Abel was still able to keep his cool, probably because Shanks had not brought all the herbs to this city. Maybe some were still stored in X City. For Luca, as long as the herbs were not here, she would not have to get involved. That was a relief. She did not know exactly what Shanks was researching, but at least it meant she did not have to face Abel. If she had to face him every day, she feared she might crack under the pressure. "Have you found the person who started the fire?" asked Shanks. Abel nced at Luca and then at Kyle but did not say anything. Shanks did not understand what that meant. "Did you find them? Does it have anything to do with her?" "At the moment, it doesn''t seem rted," replied Abel. Even though he did not believe Kyle was the culprit, all the evidence pointed to him. "Come with me." Once Shanks heard that Luca had nothing to do with this, he turned to look at Luca. When she saw that he was addressing her, she nodded and followed him into the bedroom. The desk was covered with documents. Shanks said, "When the fire broke out, I only managed to grab these documents, but they got mixed up in the process. Help me sort them out." "Okay." There was no expression on Luca''s face even though she felt a secret thrill inside. Seeing these documents might give her a clue about what he was researching. Luca began helping to organize the papers. She was used to doing this back on the Ind of Despair. Besides treating the wounded, Shanks spent most of his time on research. She used to assist him, so it was natural for her to help organize the materials. Her hands moved quickly, noticeably more adept than when she had first left the ind. Shanks noticed that and said, "You''ve gotten better at organizing these files." "After spending a lot of time in theb and leading a research project, it''s normal to get more efficient," replied Luca. Back then, she had only followed Shanks'' lead in research. After she left the Ind of Despair, she used what he taught her to head a project of her own. People grew and learned, and now, she was much more skilled in research. Shanks nodded. Luca continued sorting through the documents. She secretly rejoiced, knowing that these papers contained crucial research information. As she sorted, she skimmed through them, catching key data and details. Some of the documents did not need to be read in detail. Just skimming for key data or important words was enough. They worked together for a while before Abel came in. "Were all the documents saved?" asked Abel. Luca looked at Shanks. Shanks replied without looking up, "Not really." "What do you mean?" Abel suddenly felt a surge of frustration. If all the research samples were lost and the data was iplete, did that mean all their time and effort had been wasted? "It means exactly what it sounds like. It''s going to be difficult to get everything back. Some of the papers were scattered when we escaped, and we couldn''t recover them," Shanks replied. "Damn it!" Abel''s frustration boiled over, and he kicked the corner of the desk hard. A couple of the documents Luca had just organized fluttered to the ground. She calmly picked them up and put them back in ce. Shanks asked, "What are you nning to do with the person who set the fire?" "I don''t think it was him," replied Abel. If he had been suspicious, he would have beaten the guy up by now. Even though he saw Kyle in the footage, he did not feel the need to act against him. "Letting him off the hook? That''s not like you." There was a hint of anger in Sharks'' voice. He could tolerate a lot, but messing with his research was crossing the line. Chapter 3264 I Didnt Start The Fire ?Chapter 3264 I Didn''t Start The Fire Once someone messed with Shanks'' research, it did not matter who they were, he would not show any mercy. Luca knew this all too well, so when Shanks said they could not let Kyle off the hook, she did not look surprised. She just kept sorting through the date. Abel could tell Shanks was really mad. After all, days of research had just gone up in smoke, and anyone would be furious in his shoes. Plus, Shanks had endured several tough days in the mountains of X City just to gather those herbs. "I''m not letting him off, but we still need to investigate this thoroughly," added Abel. "Even if there''s no solid evidence, you''d still beat someone half to death. Abel, this is my research, and it''s what you want. You need to get to the bottom of this. If this isn''t handled properly, I''m not going to continue with the research," replied Shanks. He could not stand people who casually ruined others work. "Alright, alright, don''t worry. When the timees to take action, I won''t hesitate. Trust me, okay?" Abel knew Shanks was seriously pissed and had to calm him down. "Once we''ve got all the facts, no matter who''s responsible, I''ll make sure you get answers. In the meantime, focus on sorting through the data and see how much we''ve lost." As he nced at the thick stack of data, Abel shot a warning look at Luca before turning around to leave. Luca knew he still suspected her. However, she did not bother exining. The more she exined, the guiltier she looked. It would just seem like she was trying to cover something up. Hence, she figured acting indifferent was the best approach. "Ivana, are you sure you had nothing to do with this?" Shanks suddenly asked. Luca paused for a moment. "Why would I set the fire?" Shanks remained silent. "Mr. Shanks, is this research meant to deal with me?" asked Luca. She knew if she outright asked what the research was for, Shanks would not answer. Therefore, she took a different angle. "No," answered Shanks. "If it''s not rted to me, why would I set the fire?" Luca asked again. "It wasn''t me," added Luca. She was confident there was no w in her logic. Shanks did not say anything more. The stack of data was massive, and it took both of them a long time to organize it. As they worked, Luca could not help but be impressed. Shanks hadpleted so much research all by himself, He really was a genius.C¨®ntent belongs to Nov¨¦lDr¨¢ma. Org If it were her, there was no way she could have done so many experiments in such a short time. Each experiment was challenging. Yet, Sharks seemed to handle it with ease. They worked on sorting the data until noon before they finally finished. Luca let out a sigh of relief and said, "We''re finally done. Mr. Shanks, you''re amazing, doing all this research by yourself." Shanks'' expression did not change at herpliment. He simply said, "I''ll be heading to X City next to continue my research. Can youe with me? I need an assistant." Luca hesitated for a moment. "I''m afraid I can''t." Shanks did not say anything. Luca continued, "I''m still working on another assignment right now. If I leave, Mr. Abel''s n will fail." "Forget it." Shanks did not press further. Even though he was a bit overwhelmed on his own, it did not really matter whether Luca was there or not. Before Luca went to the Ind of Despair, it was just him in theb. He still managed toplete a ton of research that brought huge profits to both the Ind of Despair and Abel. Luca felt relieved when he did not continue to push the issue. By the time they finished organizing the data, it was already past noon. Since Abel had no evidence to prove she was involved and Shanks'' task waspleted, Abel had no choice but to let her go.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. As Luca walked out of the guest room, she heaved a sigh of relief. Then, she heard someone behind her opening the door. She turned around and saw that it was Kyle. He shut the door and walked over to her. "You''re leaving?" "Yes," replied Luca. "It really wasn''t me who started the fire," exined Kyle. "That''s not something you should be telling me." Luca frowned. What was Kyle getting at? Did he see something while he was on dutyst night? If he had seen something, he should have gone straight to Abel, note to her. Kyle continued, "I just want to say, if you were the one who did it, I can take the me." "Why would I need you to take the me for something I didn''t do?" Luca frowned, feeling confused. "All the evidence points to you now." "If it all really pointed to me, the boss would''ve killed me by now. He''s suspicious of you. I can help you, but you need to tell me. Did you do it?" asked Kyle. As Luca reached the elevator and pressed the button, she felt her patience wearing thin with his repeated questioning. "I told you it wasn''t me, so it wasn''t me. Stop trying to get me to confess. If I didn''t do it, no amount of probing will work." Kyle frowned. His guts told him that this had something to do with Luca. "I really want to help you" insisted Kyle. "Focus on helping yourself. This has nothing to do with me. I''m perfectly safe." The elevator doors opened. Luca stepped inside and pressed the button for the first floor. As the elevator doors slowly closed, Kyle, feeling frustrated, mmed his fist against the doors. "Damn it!" Abel emerged from the suite and asked, "Did you get anything out of her?" "She won''t admit to anything." Kyle lowered his head, knowing that he had failed. "I told you, asking her directly will get you nowhere. Whether she did it or not, she''ll never ept your so-called help. You''re an idiot if you think you can eam her favor like that. She doesn''t even care!" Abel mocked, "I didn''t realize you were not only ipetent but also slow-witted. And you thought you could take the fall for her if you got her to confess? Does she really need you to take the me?" Kyle clenched his fists tightly. "Boss, it really wasn''t me!" Kyle could only plead. This still needs to be investigated, but in the meantime, stay out of Mr. Shanks'' sight. You''re thest person he wants to see,'' warned Abel. "Understood!" Kyle shivered at the thought of Shanks'' icy expression. It was terrifying! Shanks was probably the least physically threatening person aside from the captives on the entire Ind of Despair. Despite hisck of physical strength, his research was incredibly advanced. A single poisoned shot from him could take down a bear instantly. If Shanks decided to target him, Kyle knew he might end up dead with no ce to hide. "Boss, you''ve got to help me!" Kyle dropped to his knees, begging Abel. "Help you? And what do I get out of it? If I''m not suspecting Luca to be the person behind this, you''d already be dead!" Abel snapped angrily. Even though the data was still intact, Shanks mentioned that some were missing. This meant many experimental procedures would have to be redone. It was something that was not easy to pull off. It also meant Abel would have to wait even longer. Abel''s expression was gloomy. His patience was already running thin. "Boss.." Kyle''s voice was filled with despair. Abel kicked him aside and walked away. Chapter 3265 Rear-Ended ? Chapter 3265 Rear-Ended After Luca left the hotel, she let out a sigh of relief. She nced at the car parked across the street, knowing that Luke''s men were definitely watching her from inside. Luca sent a message to Luke, letting him know she was fine and briefly exining to him what had just happened. She then drove over to Watson. She had only taken the morning off, so she still had to work in the afternoon. Luca was not about to miss work over something so minor. When she got back to thepany, it was already the afternoon shift. She headed straight to theb and started working on experiments with her team. Just before it was time to clock out, Luca stood up and suddenly felt dizzy. She quickly grabbed the table to steady herself. Rhett noticed this and quickly asked, "Dr. Craw, are you feeling unwell?" "I''m feeling a bit dizzy." Luca felt her vision darken for a moment, but after a while, the feeling passed. "I''m fine now." *If you''re not feeling well, I can take you to the hospital," offered Rhett, noticing how pale she had looked just moments ago, though she seemed to be doing better now. *No need, I''m okay." Luca shook her head. "I just skipped lunch, so my blood sugar is a bit low." A researcher heard this and pulled a candy out of his pocket. "Dr. Craw, have some candy. It''ll help.* *Thank you." Luca did not hesitate and took the candy. One of the researchers teased, "Didn''t expect you to carry candy around! Trying to win over some women?" *Stop joking around. My girlfriend makes me keep some on me. She says we work so hard on research that we often forget to eat, and it''s easy to get low blood sugar, so she''d put candy in my pocket," exined the researcher. "That''s a strong flex!" *If it were any other researcher, that might be true, but we''re working with Dr. Craw. We rarely have to workte," another researcher chimed in. They hardly ever had to stayte since they worked with Luca. It was because when they followed her lead and pace in the experiments, they hardly encountered any issues. Therefore, that researcher''s girlfriend''s concern was not really an issue for them. *I told her the same thing, but she didn''t believe me. She''s my girlfriend, so I just let her be. It''s just candy, no big deal. It shows she cares about me," replied the researcher. Rhett could not help butugh too. "Oh, you''re getting that single guy''s side-eye." "Alright, alright, enough teasing. It''s time to clock out," said Luca. Even though she had been out of the office for almost 24 hours, their experiment progress had not fallen behind.C¨®ntent from N¨®velDr¨¢m¨¢!! Hence, it was time to wrap up for the day.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. "Got it. See you tomorrow, Dr. Craw." The other researchers tidied up their desks and left one by one. Luca sat in theb chair for a while longer before finally getting up to leave. She found some snacks in the car and ate them before driving back to the vi. Luca drove carefully, worried that her low blood sugar might act up again, so she kept her speed slow. Ironically, the more cautious she was, the more likely she became a target for someone with bad intentions. With a sudden bang, her car was rear-ended. The impact pushed her into another car in front of her. The collision was so strong that the airbags deployed, and with a muffled groan, Luca lost consciousness. When she woke up, she was already in the hospital. She felt parched and ufortable, eager to quench her thirst. Luke immediately leaned in when he heard her, his voice filled with concern. "Luca, are you feeling better?" "What happened to me?" Luca tried to remember what had happened before, but no matter how hard she thought, she could not recall anything. Her mind felt like it had frozen, and she could not remember why she was here. *You were in a car ident. Karen was driving behind you at high speed and rear-ended you. Then, you hit the car in front. Do you remember any of that?" asked Luke. Luca tried to shake her head, but the dizziness hit her again. As Luca struggled to speak, she said, "I forgot... I''m thirsty." "Wait a moment." Luke picked up a cup of lukewarm water, inserted a straw, and helped her drink. Luca sipped the water slowly, and after finishing a full cup, she started to feel a bit better. "What did the doctor say?" The sharp smell in her nose made her realize where she was. Since she was in a hospital, the doctor must have already examined her. She wanted to know what they had found. "You have a mild concussion, nothing else," exined Luke. ording to the traffic police who investigated the scene, it was fortunate that Luca was not driving fast, so even though the car behind rear-ended her at a high speed, it did not cause her car to speed up too much. She just hit her head, which was lucky considering the circumstances. Luca raised her hand, familiar with the feeling of a concussion. Sure enough, a wave of dizziness hit her, making her feel like the world was spinning. It was as though the sky and ground had switched ces. She closed her eyes again. "I''m dizzy." *Hang in there," Lukeforted her. Luca knew this was just a side effect of the concussion. She had to endure it, and it would get better by the next day. "What time is it?" Luca asked with her eyes still closed. "It''s already eight in the evening," answered Luke. "You didn''t leave the kids home alone, did you?" asked Luca, worried that the kids might be in danger if left by themselves. Although Lanie and Rainie could take care of Tommy, they were still kids. "Nina is watching them," Luke reassured her. He had not told anyone else about the ident. Not even Old Master Crawford. The only reason Nina knew was because of Percy. After Karen intentionally hit Luca, the police were called, and they informed Percy. Nina knew Luke would be at the hospital to take care of Luca, so she volunteered to look after the kids. This allowed him toe to the hospital without having to bring the kids along, which would have been quite troublesome. "Okay." Luca paused for a moment, feeling morefortable speaking with her eyes closed. She then asked, "Did the police detain Karen?" She thought to herself that Karen must have lost her mind to crash into her like that. If Karen had fled the scene, things would have gotten much worse. *She''s been detained, but her mental state is unstable," Luke replied helplessly. He did not expect Karen to cause such trouble, just like Allison. One had disfigured herself while the other ended up in police custody. The dignified wife of the Mallory family, used of intentionally ramming someone with her car, was taken away by the police. Even though Karen''s unstable mental state was being used as an excuse, this incident was still a bad mark for the Mallory family. Luke was furious, and Percy promised to give him an exnation. *iming mental instability is a convenient excuse," remarked Luca. She did not know what Karen''s mental state was at the time of the crash, but she was certain that Karen''s emotions were extremely unstable. She wanted Luca dead. Chapter 3266 Send Her To A Mental Institution ?Chapter 3266 Send Her To A Mental Institution Luke remained silent. Luca thought to herself that since it was not a drunk driving or a hit-and-run case, the police would not be able to do much. At most, they would just hold her fully responsible. However, getting hit like this out of the blue... She could not let this slide easily. Luca was not short on money. She just wanted Karen to get the punishment she deserved. "I should''ve let Warren drive," Luca muttered under her breath. Someone like Warren would have noticed if a car was tailing them. She had been too careless. With Matysh in jail and Karen and Pierre tied up with their own issues, she thought she was safe. She never expected Karen to go this far. "It''s fine. Percy said they''re sending her to a mental institution this time." Luke gently stroked her head. Luca opened her eyes but felt dizzy, so she quickly shut them again. "Are they really going to send her to a mental institution?" asked Luca. "Yes," answered Luke. "He''s okay with that?" Luca was still skeptical. After all, Karen was his biological mother. Luke exined, "Now, Percy feels the same way about Karen as I do about my own mother." Luca understood. There was no love left. Therefore, it did not matter where Karen ended up as long as she was locked away and could not cause any more trouble. After Luca pondered for a moment, she added, "One more thing. This can''t make it into the newspapers. It might affect Mr. Mallory and Nina''s wedding." Even though it was Percy''s mother who hurt her, Luca would feel guilty if their wedding was affected because of it. It was her own fault for being too careless. "It''s already been suppressed. But even if it does get out, their wedding will still go ahead as nned. It won''t change anything," replied Luke. Percy and Nina''s wedding would definitely happen on schedule. "Okay," responded Luca. She kept her eyes closed and only dared to lie t. Moving even a little made her feel dizzy and sick. Johann knocked on the door and walked into the hospital ward. *Is Dr. Craw awake?" asked Johann.Comtent from N¨®velDrama!! Luke nodded. "She''s awake." *Dr. Craw, besides the dizziness, are you feeling any other difort?" asked Johann while thinking to himself how unlucky she was. Back when she was Bianca, she used to get hurt often and had even experienced a concussion. Now, as Luca, she had identally gotten injured again. "It''s just the dizziness. It gets really bad when I open my eyes," Luca answered helplessly. "That''s normal. Your concussion is pretty serious, so dizziness is expected. Try to have some oatmealter, then take your medication and get some sleep. You''ll feel much better tomorrow," advised Johann. As Luca listened to his instructions, she asked, "Can I get a sleeping pill with my medicationter? I''m worried I won''t be able to sleep because of the difort." "No, that''s not possible. If something happens, your body needs to be able to respond, but if you take a sleeping pill, you''ll be in such a deep sleep that the nurses won''t be able to detect any issues right away," Johann exined apologetically.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Patients like her, who had been in a car ident, might not show any injuries or bleeding immediately, but that did not mean there would not beplicationster on. Luca thought it over and realized that Johann was just looking out for her, so she did not say anything else. ident patients often had injuries that showed upter, so it would be best to stay in the hospital for 24 hours of observation after getting hurt. *Can''t you make her morefortable?" Luke frowned. His eyes were full of concern. Johann shook his head. "I know what you''re all thinking, but trust me, I''m a professional. If she gets through tonight without any issues, Dr. Craw can go home to recover." "Alright," Luke agreed, not pressing the matter further. Luca''s health was the priority. Johann performed a quick check-up on Luca and then reminded her, "If you experience any symptoms other than dizziness, make sure to tell the nurse." *Okay," replied Luca, still keeping her eyes closed. After Johann left the ward, Luke remained silent, sitting by the bed to keep herpany. A little whileter, there was a knock on the door. Luca opened her eyes briefly and heard Luke say, "Come in." She then closed them again. Aunt Neile entered the ward quietly and asked in a low voice, "Sir, how is Ms. Craw doing?" *She has a concussion," replied Luke. Aunt Neile let out a sigh. "Concussions are really tough. Sir, I brought you some clean clothes. It can get chilly in the hospital at night, so I also brought you a nket. There''s some oatmeal for Ms. Craw too." "Thank you, Aunt Neile," Luke said as he took the items from her and ced them on the couch. He then picked up the oatmeal and walked over to the bed. "Luca, have some oatmeal." "I''m not hungry," replied Luca. "Even if you''re not, you should eat a little. You didn''t eat anything this morning or at lunch. You need to eat something tonight, especially since you have to take your medicer. You shouldn''t take it on an empty stomach." Luke insisted as he poured the oatmeal into a bowl. He did not have much experience taking care of others, but he was incredibly attentive when it came to Luca. Luca opened her eyes slightly, realizing he was right. Seeing her open her eyes, Luke said quietly, "If you feel ufortable, just close your eyes. I''ll feed you, it''s no trouble." *Thank you," replied Luca. It felt a little strange having the president of T Corporation feeding her oatmeal in a hospital. Even though it was normal for couples to take care of each other, she had not been taken care of for a long time. Now, with Luke taking care of her, she could not help but feel a bit embarrassed. Luke let out a small huff, slightly annoyed. "Why are you saying silly things like that?" "Has Aunt Neile left?" asked Luca. *Not yet. Ms. Craw, do you need something?" Aunt Neile quickly stepped forward. "Aunt Neile, could you pleasee in early tomorrow morning and bring breakfast to the hospital? Mr. Crawford is picky and doesn''t like the hospital cafeteria''s food," requested Luca "Of course. I''ll prepare breakfast at home, deliver it to the vi, and thene straight here," replied Aunt Neile. *Thank you. You can head home now," Luca said. Aunt Neile nodded, said goodbye to Luke, and left the ward. The two of them were left alone in the ward again. Luca slowly said, "I just can''t get used to it. It''s been so long since someone took care of me. It''s not that I''m distant from you." "I won''t misunderstand," Luke said as he blew on a spoonful of oatmeal to cool it down and brought it to her lips. Luca took the signal, opened her mouth, and swallowed the oatmeal. Aunt Neile had made the oatmeal very nd, and it did not taste great to her, but she knew patients needed to eat lightly seasoned food. She did notin. *I''ll take good care of you from now on, so you don''t need to feel any burden," said Luke. "Alright." Luca knew he was serious about taking care of her. Since he wanted to, she could not refuse. After all, they were husband and wife. They were supposed to support each other. Luca called out to him after taking another mouthful of oatmeal, "Luke, could you please turn on the TV? It''s too quiet here, and I''m not used to it." Chapter 3267 The Kids Are Worried About Her ? Chapter 3267 The Kids Are Worried About Her *Alright." Luke heard Luca''s request and turned on the TV, but he quickly lowered the volume, finding it too loud. He knew she just wanted some background noise, not something too distracting. Luke continued feeding her the oatmeal. After finishing one bowl, Luca could not eat anymore, so she rested for a bit. Then, Luke gave her the medication Johann had prescribed. Since she was lying down, she ate everything slowly. After taking the medicine, Luca yawned. Even though Johann had not prescribed any sleeping pills, the IV and medication had a calming effect. "If you''re sleepy, go ahead and rest," suggested Luke. Luca frowned slightly. "But I want to take a bath." "How about I help you freshen up a bit?" offered Luke, knowing she was not in any condition to take a full bath. *I''d really prefer a proper wash. I was sorting documents this morning, and a lot of people were smoking around me. I feel like the smell has clung to my clothes," replied Luca as she heaved a sigh. The men on the Ind of Despair loved to smoke. Whenever they were around, she always ended up smelling like smoke. Especially Abel''s cigarettes. She hated the smell of them. "Listen, just bear with it for tonight. You can take a bath tomorrow when you''re feeling better. I''ll get some water and help you wipe down," said Luke. Johann had advised that Luca should stay in bed as much as possible. Plus, she was too dizzy to get out of bed. Luca listened to his footsteps as he walked away, then heard the sound of running water from the bathroom. She reminded herself that it was just for one night. A littleter, Luke came back with a basin of water. After closing the door and drawing the curtains, he wrung out a towel and carefully wiped her down. *Feeling better?" Luke asked as he helped her change into clean hospital clothes. She replied, "A little. But my hair still smells like smoke." *Try to bear with it. You can''t wash your hair today," Luke replied in a gentle tone. He did not mind helping her wash it, and the nurses had special basins for that, but she was too weak to go through the hassle right now. "Luke..." Luca called softly. "Yes?" "I miss the kids," continued Luca. She often missed them when she did not see them for a day or two, but today felt different. Perhaps it was because, in moments of weakness, one would think more about the people who mattered most. Luke was here, and she could not tell Jack, Queenie, or the Rayne family about the car ident, so her thoughts naturally turned to the children.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. "I''ll call them after I pour the water away," replied Luke, bending down to pick up the basin. *They probably already know, right?" asked Luca. "Nina went over, so they definitely know. But I also told them you''re fine and that you''ll be home after a couple of days in the hospital," Luke reassured her. "Okay," replied Luca. After emptying the basin, Luke sat down beside the bed, picked up his phone, and called Nina. "Mr. Crawford, how''s Luca doing?" Nina asked as soon as she answered the call without waiting for Luke to speak. She was furious when she heard that Karen had gone off the deep end and rear-ended Luca''s car. She wanted nothing more than to confront Karen. However, Percy stopped her. He pointed out that Karen had been taken into custody by the police, and no one could visit her. Karen imed she had a mental illness and did not intentionally crash the car. The police were likely arranging for a psychologist to assess her. Now, only herwyer could see her. With no other options, Nina took the initiative to offer to look after the three kids. "I''m feeling better," said Luca. Her eyes were still closed. "You gave me a scare. How about turning on the camera?" asked Nina. She wanted to see for herself that Luca was okay. She knew it was just a bump on the forehead and a mild concussion, nothing too serious, but she could not help worrying. *Maybe not. I''m a bit of a mess right now. But don''t worry, I''m okay. By the way, are the kids with you?" "Yes, they knew it was Mr. Crawford calling and figured you''d want to talk to them, so they''re all here. I''ve got the speaker on," said Nina just before the three children''s voices filled the room. "Are you feeling better, Ms. Luca?" *Are you okay, Ms. Luca?" "When are youing home, Ms. Luca?" Luca felt a pang of guilt when she heard the concern in their voices. It should be the mother worrying about the children, but here they were, worried about her instead. Luca answered, "I just need to stay in the hospital for 24 hours for observation. If everything''s fine, I''ll be home soon. In the meantime, you all need to listen to Ms. Nina and Aunt Neile, okay?" "Okay, we''ll be good," the three children chorused. Luca then asked how their homework was going. After hearing that they had finished it, she let out a yawn. Luke saw that and said to the kids, "Alright, it''s gettingte. She needs to rest, and you should too. Don''t give Ms. Nina a hard time." "Got it, Dad," they replied in unison. After hanging up, Luca pouted slightly. "I wanted to talk to them a bit more." "You''ll be home the day after tomorrow. They''ll have plenty to say to you then," Luke reassured her as he tucked her in. Then, he leaned down to press a kiss on her forehead. "Now, get some rest." "Okay, goodnight," replied Luca. "Goodnight. Don''t worry, I''m right here," said Luke. Luca eventually fell asleep even though she felt unwell. She had one dream after another. None of them were nightmares, but none of themforting either. She dreamt of Abel, then of Karen... When she finally woke up, she was drenched in sweat. "Luca." She heard Luke calling her softly. When she opened her eyes, everything was pitch-ck. Panicking, Luca eximed, "Luke, I can''t see!" A momentter, she heard a click, and the lights were turned on. She realized it was not that she could not see but that it was still in the middle of the night. She had only been asleep for a short while, but it felt like much longer. Luke ced his hand on her forehead with his brows furrowed together. "You were mumbling in your sleep.* *I had some bad dreams, but that''s normal. My body''s not feeling great, so my sleep quality isn''t either," exined Luca. She thought it was nothing serious until he said, "Your forehead feels a bit hot. I''ll call the nurse to check on you." Then, Luke pressed the call button. The nurse quickly arrived. After taking Luca''s temperature, she frowned. "It''s 102¡ãF, a bit of a fever. I''ll get the doctor to see if you need some fever medication." After the nurse left, and soon the on-call doctor came in. The doctor gave Luca a quick examination. He confirmed it was just a fever from the shock, and everyone let out a sigh of relief. "It''s nothing serious. Take some fever medicine, and you should feel better soon." *Can she get an injection? It might work faster," asked Luke. "She could, but the fever isn''t too high, so an injection isn''t really necessary. I''d rmend just taking the medicine," suggested the doctor. Luca knew Luke wanted her to feel better quickly, but she also understood the doctor''s reasoning. Hence, she said, "Just the medicine would be fine." Chapter 3268 Details Of The Car Accident ? Chapter 3268 Details Of The Car ident Luke nodded to the doctor, indicating his agreement. The doctor returned to his office and prescribed medication for Luca. Ten minutester, a nurse walked in with the medicine. After watching Luca take it, she advised, "You should rest now. If you feel ufortable, just press the call button." "Okay, thank you." Luca closed her eyes. Luke gently pulled the nket over her. After a moment, Luca opened her eyes and said, "Luke, how about you stay with me while I sleep?" "I''m worried I might squish you," replied Luke. Even though the bed in the VIP ward was wider than a standard hospital bed, it was still a single bed. It was not that two people could not fit on it, but he wanted her to rest well. Luca said, "I''ve been having bad dreams. If you stay beside me, I think I''ll sleep better." "Alright." Luke agreed and got into bed from the other side. Once he settled in, Luca turned to her side. After getting used to the dizziness, she hugged Luke. He smelled different today. He must have used the hospital''s body wash. It did not smell as nice as the one they had at home, but she loved his scent no matter what. With his familiar scent recing the unpleasant smell of disinfectant, she felt at ease. "Luke," Luca mumbled as she started to drift off, the sleep-inducing effects of the fever medicine kicking in. "Hmm?" Luke gently stroked her back,forting her like a child and soothing her unease so that she could sleep peacefully. "I want to go home," murmured Luca. "We''ll go home when you feel better." Luke closed his eyes. His hand never stopped gently stroking her. At this moment, she reminded him of how Bianca used to be. Back then, no matter how hurt or sick Luca was, she was always so strong. She never showed any vulnerability like she was doing now. Perhaps she did not feel secure at that time, believing she could only rely on herself, so she never allowed herself to show any weakness. However, things were different now. She felt safe enough to show her vulnerable side to him. He was her support. "Okay, let''s go home together," Luca mumbled onest time before falling into a deep sleep. When Luca woke up the next morning, Luke had already gotten out of bed.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. She reached out and touched the spot next to her. There was still some warmth left on the sheets. Then, she heard the sound of running water from the bathroom. She figured that Luke was washing up. Lucay back. She realized that her dizziness was gone. She tried to sit up, but as soon as she lifted her head slightly, the world spun around her, forcing her to lie back "They probably already know, right?" asked Luca. "Nina went over, so they definitely know. But I also told them you''re fine and that you''ll be home after a couple of days in the hospital," Luke reassured her. "Okay," replied Luca. After emptying the basin, Luke sat down beside the bed, picked up his phone, and called Nina. "Mr. Crawford, how''s Luca doing?" Nina asked as soon as she answered the call without waiting for Luke to speak. She was furious when she heard that Karen had gone off the deep end and rear-ended Luca''s car. She wanted nothing more than to confront Karen. However, Percy stopped her. He pointed out that Karen had been taken into custody by the police, and no one could visit her. Karen imed she had a mental illness and did not intentionally crash the car. The police were likely arranging for a psychologist to assess her. Now, only herwyer could see her. With no other options, Nina took the initiative to offer to look after the three kids. "I''m feeling better," said Luca. Her eyes were still closed. "You gave me a scare. How about turning on the camera?" asked Nina. She wanted to see for herself that Luca was okay. She knew it was just a bump on the forehead and a mild concussion, nothing too serious, but she could not help worrying. "Maybe not. I''m a bit of a mess right now. But don''t worry, I''m okay. By the way, are the kids with you?" "Yes, they knew it was Mr. Crawford calling and figured you''d want to talk to them, so they''re all here. I''ve got the speaker on," said Nina just before the three children''s voices filled the room. *Are you feeling better, Ms. Luca?" *Are you okay, Ms. Luca?" "When are youing home, Ms. Luca?" Luca felt a pang of guilt when she heard the concern in their voices. It should be the mother worrying about the children, but here they were, worried about her instead. Luca answered, "I just need to stay in the hospital for 24 hours for observation. If everything''s fine, I''ll be home soon. In the meantime, you all need to listen to Ms. Nina and Aunt Neile, okay?" "Okay, we''ll be good," the three children chorused. Luca then asked how their homework was going. After hearing that they had finished it, she let out a yawn. Luke saw that and said to the kids, "Alright, it''s gettingte. She needs to rest, and you should too. Don''t give Ms. Nina a hard time." "Got it, Dad," they replied in unison. After hanging up, Luca pouted slightly. "I wanted to talk to them a bit more." "You''ll be home the day after tomorrow. They''ll have plenty to say to you then," Luke reassured her as he tucked her in. Then, he leaned down to press a kiss on her forehead. "Now, get some rest." "Okay, goodnight," replied Luca. "Goodnight. Don''t worry, I''m right here," said Luke. Luca eventually fell asleep even though she felt unwell. She had one dream after another. None of them were nightmares, but none of themforting either. She dreamt of Abel, then of Karen... When she finally woke up, she was drenched in sweat. *Luca." She heard Luke calling her softly. When she opened her eyes, everything was pitch-ck. Panicking, Luca eximed, "Luke, I can''t see!" A momentter, she heard a click, and the lights were turned on. She realized it was not that she could not see but that it was still in the middle of the night. She had only been asleep for a short while, but it felt like much longer. Luke ced his hand on her forehead with his brows furrowed together. "You were mumbling in your sleep." *I had some bad dreams, but that''s normal. My body''s not feeling great, so my sleep quality isn''t either," exined Luca. She thought it was nothing serious until he said, "Your forehead feels a bit hot. I''ll call the nurse to check on you." Then, Luke pressed the call button. The nurse quickly arrived. After taking Luca''s temperature, she frowned. "It''s 102¡ãF, a bit of a fever. I''ll get the doctor to see if you need some fever medication." After the nurse left, and soon the on-call doctor came in. The doctor gave Luca a quick examination. He confirmed it was just a fever from the shock, and everyone let out a sigh of relief. "It''s nothing serious. Take some fever medicine, and you should feel better soon." *Can she get an injection? It might work faster," asked Luke. *She could, but the fever isn''t too high, so an injection isn''t really necessary. I''d rmend just taking the medicine," suggested the doctor. Luca knew Luke wanted her to feel better quickly, but she also understood the doctor''s reasoning. Hence, she said, "Just the medicine would be fine." Chapter 3269 Well, Mallory, What Brings You Here? ?Chapter 3269 Well, Mallory, What Brings You Here? Luca thought that after the traffic police left, nothing else would happen for the rest of the day. That was until Old Master Mallory showed up. Luca watched as the old master, supported by his butler, walked into the ward. She felt a wave of relief that Luke was still here. When Luke saw Old Master Mallory, he frowned slightly. He stood up and asked, "Old Master Mallory, what brings you here?" *I came to check on Ms. Craw," replied Old Master Mallory, ncing over at Luca, who was lying in bed. "Is she feeling better?" The usually stern old man now had a gentle smile on his face. Luca did not find it particrly kind. Some people are good at pretending, and those who did not know better might think it was genuine. However, someone like Luca, who had undergone professional training, could easily see through the old master''s act. Karen had messed up, and now, the old man was here to apologize on her behalf. Still, it was not necessary. Karen was not drunk driving, nor did she flee the scene after the ident. Even if there was some conflict between them, the traffic police were unlikely to throw Karen in jail. Thus, Luca could not quite figure out why Old Master Mallory hade.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. If she were thedy of the Crawford family, it would make sense for him to visit and apologize. However, given the current situation, she was just Luke''s "mistress" in the shadows. There was no way Old Master Mallory would apologize to someone without an official status. "I''m feeling better," Luke answered for Luca, giving her a look that said everything was under control and she did not need to worry. He added, "Old Master Mallory, please have a seat." He stood up, offering the couch to the old man. Old Master Mallory sat down, leaning on his cane. Luke said nothing. He sat next to Luca and nced at the caretaker. The caretaker got the hint, turned, and quietly left the ward, closing the door behind her. Old Master Mallory sat in silence for a while before slowly asking, "What did the doctor say?" *She took a blow to the head and got a concussion. They need to monitor her for 24 hours. The traffic police came by to take her statement and mentioned that it was a good thing she was inside the car. "At that speed, if she had been outside, she could''ve been thrown several meters away." Even though Luke''s tone was calm, his dark expression showed his displeasure. Old Master Mallory''s expression immediately darkened. The traffic police had already been here? It seemed he was a bitte. He did not expect them to act so quickly this time. While he looked at Luca lying there with her eyes closed, Old Master Mallory thought to himself that it should not be too serious. There were no visible injuries, just a concussion. Pierre had caused simr trouble before, and it was easily handled. However, since Luca had Luke backing her, Old Master Mallory had to take it more seriously. *Luke, I won''t beat about the bush. What Karen did was wrong, and I''m not here to apologize on her behalf. When she gets out, I''ll make sure she kneels by Ms. Craw''s bedside and apologizes in person. "I''m here today to discuss how we should handle this matter," said Old Master Mallory. When the old master found out that Karen actually hit someone with a car, especially someone connected to Luke, he was furious. Was she really so reckless that she was determined to ruin the rtionship between the Mallory and Crawford families? Old Master Mallory knew that Old Master Crawford had epted Luca, and even though she was not married to Luke, having the elders'' approval was almost as good as being married. Karen had caused trouble so many times, and if it were not for the good rtionship between Percy and Luke, as well as the extensive business ties between their families, the two families would have already been at each other''s throats because of her. Luke remained calm and cold. He went straight to the point, saying. "Let''s handle it ording to the traffic police''s ruling." Old Master Mallory''s expression darkened. "I think this matter is still open for discussion." *There''s nothing to discuss," replied Luke. When Old Master Mallory saw how firmly Luke was standing up for Luca, he was displeased. Was he really willing to sacrifice the peace between their families for a woman? What good could this possibly bring Luke?! With that thought, Old Master Mallory''s expression turned even grimmer. "Luke, do you really have to make things this ugly?" "Old Master Mallory, it was your daughter-inw who made things ugly. I''ve already given her a chance by not reporting her kidnapping attempt to the police. Now, she''s gone too far, even hitting Luca with her car. If we pursue these matters, sending her to a mental institution would be the least of her worries." Luke knew why Old Master Mallory was here today. If Percy was not nning to send Karen to a mental institution, he would not havee to handle this at all. Karen''s situation was already a ticking time bomb for Old Master Mallory, and he hadpletely given up on her. If it were not for the stigma of having a daughter-inw in a mental institution, Old Master Mallory probably would not have bothereding. Old Master Mallory''s expression turned ashen. *Luke, I came here today to discuss this matter with you, but judging from your tone, it seems like there''s nothing left to talk about. "You have a long future ahead, with plenty of peopleing and going in your life. There''s no need to strain the rtionship between our families over a woman, don''t you think?" Luke shook his head. Did Old Master Mallory really think he was a yboy? "I don''t know what the future holds, but right now, this situation needs to be addressed. Either your daughter-in-w has a serious mental illness and needs to be hospitalized, or she''s mentally sound andmitted kidnapping and intentional harm over personal issues." His stance was unwavering. Old Master Mallory''s expression turned bad when he heard this. There was no room for negotiation! Luke then asked, "Old Master Mallory, which option do you choose?" Old Master Mallory did not want to choose either! He was so enraged by Luke''s words that his scalp tingled. Luke was really intent on making trouble for Karen! "Are you sure you want to go to such extremes?" asked Old Master Mallory. Luke''s resolve was firm. If he did not stand up for Luca now, what kind of man would he be? Luca had suffered for three years because of him. When she gave birth to N, she was on the brink of death, and he was not even there for her. He had caused Luca so much pain! He had to protect her no matter what. "I''ve said that it''s your daughter-inw''s actions that are extreme. To put it bluntly, she forced my hand," replied Luke. Old Master Mallory was so angry that he nearly lost his breath. His face was livid as he imagined the media frenzy after Percy sent Karen to a mental institution. He could already picture how Daryl, who was overseas, would mock him. He actually ended up with such a daughter-inw. What a disgrace! Old Master Mallory was about to speak when Old Master Crawford''s voice came from outside the door. "Well, well, Mallory, what brings you here?" Old Master Mallory''s expression turned worse when he heard his voice. Dealing with the younger Crawford had already driven him half-mad with anger, and now, the elder Crawford was here too. He had a feeling that before long, these two would have him spitting blood. Chapter 3270 If Shes Sick, She Should Get Treated ? Chapter 3270 If She''s Sick, She Should Get Treated Before Old Master Mallory could speak, Old Master Crawford had already walked into the ward. He smiled and asked, "Are you here to apologize to Ms. Craw?" "I didn''t hit her, so why should I apologize?" Old Master Mallory was fuming. This old man really had no sense of propriety! Just like Luke, he was defending that wretched woman. Just because she was a bit better at medicine? Just because her research could earn T Corporation some money? Did that mean she deserved to be surrounded like a superstar and protected at all costs? "If you''re not here to apologize, then what are you here for? Don''t tell me you''re just here to check on her injuries because you''re friends with Ms. Craw?" Old Master Crawford nced at Luca in the hospital bed. He could not help but feel sorry for her. Her face was pale white. Even though there were no obvious external injuries, a head injury was no joke. A concussion was no pleasant experience. Old Master Mallory snorted, stood up, and said to Luke, "Since you think there''s nothing to say, don''t me me for not being polite. The rtionship between the Mallory and Crawford families has also been affected by you. Don''t me the Mallory family for being unreasonable in the future!" "Oh, now you''re threatening us?" Old Master Crawford dropped his smile. It was inconvenient for Luke to retort to Old Master Mallory. It was not the same for him, though. Being from the same generation, it would be awkward if either side lost an argument, and there was no notion of respecting elders in this context. "I say, Old Master Mallory, wasn''t it your daughter-inw who hit Ms. Craw? Why is the family of the culprit acting so unreasonably in front of the victim?" "I can''t be bothered to argue with you." Old Master Mallory rolled his eyes. "Don''t leave. Keep talking. Let''s see how you justify the actions of the culprit." Old Master Crawford signaled to Mr. Griffin. Mr. Griffin closed the ward door and stood at the entrance. When Old Master Mallory''s butler saw this, he tried to step forward. However, Old Master Crawford''s cane blocked Old Master Mallory. Luca opened her eyes and saw the scene, feeling speechless. It felt like she was watching a movie. If these two old men were a bit younger, they might have the charisma of movie stars. The scene could even be mistaken for something out of a movie. Luca did not expect Old Master Crawford to disregard the friendship between their families to stand up for her because she was injured. *Old Master Crawford, there''s really no need for you to go this far," said Old Master Mallory. He red at them with frustration when he was being stopped from leaving. *There''s no need? Let me put it this way. I wasn''t nning to pursue this matter too much. The traffic police can deal with it as they see fit. But let me make one thing clear. If I think Ms. Craw has been wronged, I''ll report the kidnapping. "So, Mallory, don''t protect someone with a mental illness just for your own sake. She''s still your daughter-inw. If she''s sick, she should get treated. Don''t you agree?" Old Master Crawford had already learned the details of the incident through Jason. He also knew that Percy nned to send Karen to a mental institution. Old Master Mallory red at Old Master Crawford with his beard bristling, "Crawford, since you''ve put it this way, I have nothing more to say. If the Crawford family faces any issues in the future, don''t you shift the me onto our Mallory family!" "We never nned to shift the me onto you. It seems like you''re trying to pin it on us," Old Master Crawford replied dismissively. "You!" Old Master Mallory, fed up with Old Master Crawford, tumed to Mr. Griffin and said in a cold voice, "Move aside, I''m leaving." Mr. Griffin nced at Old Master Crawford for approval before stepping aside for Old Master Mallory. "Please take care." Old Master Mallory stormed out in a huff. Old Master Crawford looked cheerfully at Luca. Once the others had left, he asked with concem, "Luca, how are you feeling?" "Much better. Thank you for your concern," replied Luca. *Grandpa, why are you here?" asked Luke. "Why are you even asking? If I hadn''t run into Jason, I wouldn''t have known that Luca was hospitalized after being hit by that crazy woman, Karen!" Old Master Crawford was clearly displeased with Luke''sck of transparency. Old Master Crawford had initially gone to thepany to look for Luke.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. When he arrived at T Corporation and found out that Luke was not there, he questioned Jason and learned about Luca''s hospitalization. He hurried over as soon as he found out. *Grandpa, don''t me Luke. I''m fine. I just need to stay in the hospital for observation for one more day. If everything looks good, I can go home tomorrow," said Luca. "You''re even defending him? If he had called the police when he should have, Karen wouldn''t have had the chance to hurt you." Old Master Crawford was very unhappy about Luke not reporting the kidnapping. He thought about the gap between these events and felt that if Luke had reported it back then, Karen would not have had the chance to hurt Luca. Luke felt helpless but remained silent. If he had reported it, things would have yed out differently. However, Luca did not see it that way. If Karen was detained by the police, she might do even crazier things in the name of revenge in the future. Their rtionship was already strained beyond repair. Unless Karen could be locked up for life, Luca would have to remain cautious after Karen was released. It was not fair to fight a mental patient, after all. "Grandpa, even if it didn''t happen this time, she would''ve done something else another time. It was my oversight. It''s not Luke''s fault," added Luca. "You''re still defending that rascal!" Old Master Crawford chuckled. Despite everything that happened, he thought it was a good sign that their rtionship was still as strong as ever. "It''s my fault. Please don''t be mad," replied Luca. "I''m not mad at you. I''m mad at this kid!" Old Master Crawford could feel a wave of anger in him when he looked at his grandson. Luke could not even protect his own wife. How useless! Luke felt that his grandfather''s visit was just to undermine him. He replied helplessly, "Grandpa, Luca needs to rest. If you keep this up, she won''t be able to." "Are you trying to kick me out?" Old Master Crawford widened his eyes in displeasure. *No, Grandpa. Please stay. Do you want some water?" Luca quickly interjected. "You''re still speaking up for him!" Old Master Crawford shook his head helplessly, but there was a smile on his face. He was relieved to see that the couple''s rtionship was still strong. *There''s nothing to worry about. Just calm down," Luca soothed him. Luke said bluntly, "Grandpa, are you really making a patient like Lucafort you?" "I don''t mind it at all. What''s the problem? Are you unhappy about it?" Old Master Crawford replied defiantly. Luke did not know how to retort. His grandfather was getting more shameless by the day. "Alright, alright." Old Master Crawford waved his hand and said, "I won''t waste any more of your time or disturb Luca''s rest. Once she''s feeling better, you two should bring the kids over for a meal." "Sure." Luke nodded in agreement. *Sounds good," Luca also agreed. Old Master Crawford stood up with his cane. Luke also got up to see him out. Chapter 3271 Where Theres A Will, Theres A Way ? Chapter 3271 Where There''s A Will, There''s A Way After seeing off Old Master Crawford, Luke returned to the ward. *Luke, maybe you should let Mr. Mallory know about what happened between us and Old Master Mallory," suggested Luca. "Don''t worry about it. Just focus on resting and getting better," replied Luke. In the afternoon, Jason, Sue, Jim and his wife, along with Percy and Nina, had alle to visit Luca. For a moment, the hospital ward became incredibly lively. Luke''s expression was dark with displeasure. Jim teased, "Luke, what''s with that expression? Are you not happy to see us?" "Of course not. You''re all disturbing Luca''s rest," Luke replied sharply, trying to ensure his wife could get some peace. "Leave the gifts and go. We appreciate the gesture, but you all should get back to your own business." *Luke." Luca was surprised that Luke was so blunt in front of so many people. "We don''t want to disturb Dr. Craw''s rest any longer," added Scarlett. She was surprised to run into Percy and the others whening here with Jim. The noises in the ward were indeed disruptive. *Alright, we''ll head out for now. Dr. Craw, take care. We''ll visit you again once you''re discharged," said Jim. He knew that Luca''s true identity was Bianca, but he needed to keep it confidential, so he had to maintain discretion. Once the group left, only Percy and Nina stayed. Nina moved closer, taking Luca''s hand with an apologetic look. "What''s with the look on your face? This isn''t your fault," Luca said quickly, understanding Nina''s concern. "If it weren''t for you guys trying not to affect my wedding with Percy, things wouldn''t be this way..." Nina felt deeply guilty. *Hey, this has nothing to do with you. Even if we got the cops involved and had her locked up, she could''ve just hired someone else toe after me. I slipped up, and that''s on me," said Luca as she patted Nina''s head. "How is the wedding preparation going?" *Everything''s ready. We''re just waiting for the ceremony. So, you need to get better quickly ande to my wedding," replied Nina. "I will. It''s just a concussion. A few days of rest will do the trick, and I''ll definitely make it to your wedding." Luca thought about the timing and noted that there was a week until the wedding, which should be enough for her recovery. "Great." Nina smiled and nced toward the balcony, where Percy had taken Luke outside to talk.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. "Luca, I''m really sorry," apologized Nina. "Don''t say that. I''ve already said it''s not your fault!" Luca shook her head. She truly did not me Nina. She believed that Nina would never hurt her. Nina had always been kind, and despite the situation, she still took the me upon herself. Luca squeezed Nina''s hand. "Nina, don''t worry about it. Focus on preparing for your wedding and being a happy bride, okay?" "Okay, I promise." Nina smiled. Luca smiled back. Then, she asked again at the thought of Nina''s family, "Have you decided not to invite them?" "Yes. I have a feeling that if I invite them, my wedding will turn into a disaster. So, I told Percy that only those who have a formal invitation can attend, and we''ll be verifying identities. It might upset a lot of people, and some might feel offended, but it''s the only way to make sure the wedding goes smoothly," exined Nina. She had discussed this with Percy. She was worried that Jean and Anna might try to sneak in using someone else''s invitations if she did not take these precautions. *That''s a good idea. By the way, remember to move out three days before the wedding and avoid seeing each other if possible, especially the day before the wedding. You must follow this tradition," reminded Luca. "I know. But honestly, I didn''t expect you, a foreigner, to understand these traditions," replied Nina with augh. *What can I say? I''m originally from A City, and it''s a tradition passed down from our ancestors. Following it a bit isn''t a big deal," replied Luca. *Yes, it should be followed. I was thinking of moving back tomorrow," said Nina. She had mentioned this to Percy, but he refused. Percy said that he could not sleep well without her around. It left her feeling embarrassed and helpless. They chatted a bit more. The two men on the balcony finished their discussion and came back into the ward. "Let''s go," Percy said to Nina. Nina nodded, waved goodbye to Luca, and left with Percy. After they left, Luca asked, "What did you and Mr. Mallory discuss?" *Nothing much, just how to get Karen admitted to a mental institution," replied Luke. Karen would definitely be found to have mental health issues. However, Old Master Mallory would surely try to prevent them from sending Karen to a mental hospital, so they needed a detailed n. Luke actually felt that sending Karen to a mental institute was too lenient. Nevertheless, even if they called the police, Karen would not be jailed for long. Compared to sending her to a mental institute, having her jailed would be even more detrimental to the Mallory family. Hence, the mental institute was their only option. Luke''s n was to keep Karen locked up and prevent her from causing chaos. "That won''t be easy. It''s clear Old Master Mallory came here today to speak up for Madam Mallory," said Luca. "Where there''s a will, there''s a way," muttered Luke. "There''s a way?" Luca blinked her eyes. "Do you really think it''ll work?" "Don''t worry about these small matters. Leave it to us," said Luke. He nted a gentle kiss on his forehead. "I have an online meeting soon and need to go to the balcony for it. If you need anything, call the nurse." *Alright, go ahead," replied Luca. Perhaps it was the medication and injections, but Luca felt her condition was gradually improving. By the aftemoon, she felt much better than she did in the morning. She watched as Luke took hisptop and headed toward the balcony, feeling a bit sorry. Fortunately, there were blinds on the balcony. Otherwise, he might not be able to see theputer screen clearly. However, with the sweltering summer heat, even though there was a breeze on the balcony, it was still not asfortable as staying in an air-conditioned room. Luca knew that he was working on the balcony to make sure she could rest properly. She slowly closed her eyes. When she opened them again, it was already dark outside. She could smell the aroma of food. "Luke," Luca called out softly. "Yes? What''s the matter?" Luke came over and touched her forehead. He only felt relieved when he found that her body temperature was normal. *Did Aunt Neile bring dinner?" asked Luca. *Yes, she did. Would you like to eat now?" asked Luke. *Sure, but can you try raising the bed a bit? I want to see if I feel dizzy. I feel much better after waking up." *Okay, let me adjust it. If you feel unwell, don''t force it." Luke picked up the remote and raised the head of the bed. Bit by bit, he made the adjustments, each movement deliberate and unhurried. Chapter 3272 How Did They Find Out? ? Chapter 3272 How Did They Find Out? After Luke adjusted the bed to a 45-degree angle, he finally stopped. "This should be good," said Luke, carefully watching Luca''s condition. "Are you feeling unwell at all?" *No, this is fine," replied Luca. Her back was pressed firmly against the mattress, and she felt a bit ufortable. "Luke, could you help me prop up the pillow?" asked Luca. "Sure." Luke adjusted the pillow for her. Luca leaned back fully against the pillow and smiled. "This is much better." "Let''s eat first." Luke opened the meal that Aunt Neile had brought. As he was about to feed her, the caretaker spoke up, "Mr. Crawford, I can do that." The caretaker felt a bit awkward. She had been hired to take care of Luca, but she had not needed to feed her or even buy meals for her. With Luca mostly lying down and not needing much, the job seemed almost too easy, and she felt a bit guilty about it. *No need, I''ll do it," replied Luke. He was not nning to let anyone else take care of Luca. Luca added, "Miss, you should go downstairs and have your meal." *Alright. If you need anything, just call me," reminded the caretaker before leaving. After she left, Luca said, "I think hiring a caretaker was a mistake." "Why do you say that?" asked Luke as he picked up a piece of vegetable for her. Johann mentioned that Luca could start eating solid food, so he had Aunt Neile prepare some food although the meal was still pretty nd. *The caretaker seems ufortable since you''re doing everything yourself," replied Luca with a smile. *There are some things I need to handle personally to feel assured," said Luke. He spooned a small amount of food and gently fed it to her. The scene was filled with warmth and happiness. A nurse entered to deliver medication and could not help but feel a pang of envy at the sight. After she put down the medicine, she nced back at them before leaving, thinking how content she would be if her boyfriend treated her this way if she were ever hospitalized. After the meal, Luca rested for a bit and then took her medication. Once she finished, Luke helped her lie back down to continue resting. Just as Luca settled in, her phone rang on the bedside table. She picked it up and saw that it was a call from Queenie. "It''s Mrs. Norman." Luca turned to look at Luke. "I didn''t tell her about your ident." Luke shook his head, indicating he had not said anything. However, he added, "You should answer it. This isn''t something we can keep from her." Luca agreed. Since Old Master Crawford knew, it was not surprising that Jack and Queenie knew as well. Luca answered the call. "Hello, Mrs. Norman." Luca greeted her first. Queenie''s voice came through the phone. "Luca, I heard you were in a car ident and ended up in the hospital. Is that true?" "Yes, that''s right. Someone rear-ended me," answered Luca. "A rear-end collision, and it was serious enough to hospitalize you?" Queenie frowned. Typically, a rear-end collision would just damage the car unless the other driver was speeding. "The car that hit me was going pretty fast, so I ended up crashing into the car in front of me," exined Luca. If there had not been a car in front of her at the time, maybe she would have been fine. It was also possible something worse could have happened. Given Karen''s reckless determination to harm her, if there had not been a car in front, Karen might have floored the gas pedal and crashed Luca into something else. She might even flip Luca''s car to cause more damage. *That''s outrageous! That person must have done it on purpose!" Queenie knew the situation well and was certain Karen had deliberately targeted Luca. Luca nced at Luke, who was also watching her. Queenie continued, "So, where are you hurt? Is it serious? What did the doctors say?" "Don''t worry. I just have a concussion. The doctor said if everything looks good today, I can go home tomorrow," Luca reassured her. "You''re getting discharged tomorrow? In that case, Jack and I wille byter," replied Queenie. She had just found out about the ident. Luke had kept it from her and had not said anything. If Jack had not found out about it, she would still be in the dark. "Mrs. Norman, it''s prettyte, so there''s no need to rush over. I''m really fine and will be discharged tomorrow, Luca quickly tried to dissuade her. She thought about how Jack had worked all day and might have toe to the hospital at night. She felt a bit guilty. *That won''t do. Besides, since you''re in the hospital, I n to stay with you overnight," replied Queenie, clearly intent on being there. *That''s really not necessary. Luke is here with me," said Luca. *Don''t try to fool me. Luke is busy. He can''t possibly manage everything," replied Queenie. Luca nced at Luke. Catching her look, he spoke into the phone, "Mom, I''m really here taking care of her. You don''t need toe. Once Luca is discharged tomorrow, I''ll send someone to pick you up." When Queenie heard his voice, she finally let out a sigh of relief. "So, you really are there." "I wouldn''t lie to you. Please don''t worry. I''m feeling much better now, and I''ll definitely be discharged tomorrow. You''re a bit far from the hospital, so there''s no need for you to make the trip tonight," added Luca. *Alright then. I''lle see you tomorrow after you''re discharged. I''ll have time to make some soup for you," replied Queenie, thinking she could bring some homemade soup when she visited the next day. "Okay." Luca heaved a sigh of relief, d she had managed to convince Queenie. Luke took her phone and said, "Mom, don''t worry, I''ll take good care of Luca." *Alright, I''ll hang up now. Take good care of her," replied Queenie. After the call ended, Luca took her phone back. "I didn''t expect her to find out too." Luke looked a bit helpless. "I was trying to keep it from her." "Rhett knows too." Luca nced at her phone and saw that Rhett had sent her a message. Luke raised an eyebrow. "How did they find out?" "Maybe someone from T Corporation knew, and the news spread to him," guessed Luca. After all, their team had worked at T Corporation before, so they still had some connections there. Luke sighed. "What did he say?"Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. *He asked which ward I''m in and mentioned that the whole research team wants toe visit me after work," answered Luca while texting Rhett back, letting him know she was getting discharged soon and that they did not need toe to visit. Rhett quickly responded: [Dr. Craw, if that''s the case, where''s your ce? Some of us would still like to visit you.] Luca replied to him: [There''s really no need. I''m fine, and I''ll be back to work in a couple of days.] After sending the message, she put her phone down. Luke let out a cold snort, "Jason really can''t keep a secret. I should have a serious talk with him today." Luca replied helplessly, "You can''t really me him. Old Master Crawford asked him first, so he didn''t have much choice." She figured that when the old master inquired, there must have been someone around Jason, which was how the news spread and eventually reached Rhett and the others. "You''re always sticking up for him," Luke remarked as he stood up. "We''ll have to settle for just wiping you down today." Luca groaned. "I feel like I''m going to start growing mushrooms." "Well, they''d be fragrant mushrooms. Hang in there. You can take a proper shower at home tomorrow," replied Luke as he walked into the bathroom. Chapter 3273 Be So Accepting Of Luke Cheating ? Chapter 3273 Be So epting Of Luke Cheating After freshening up, Luca closed her eyes and murmured to herself, "If I sleep early, I''ll make it through today, and tomorrow, I can go home." Luke could not help but chuckle. Then, he tucked her in. "Yes, get some rest." "But I''m worried I won''t be able to sleep," added Luca. *Are you feeling sleepy now?" asked Luke. Luca blinked her eyes, realizing she had started feeling drowsy while getting ready. *Johann prescribed a sleeping pill for you to take tonight, but since you didn''t rest much this afternoon, I gave it to you earlier. Just sleep if you''re feeling tired." After that, Luke nted a kiss on her forehead. Luca mumbled a response and soon drifted off to sleep, helped by the medication. She slept for a long time. This time, her sleep was more restful than the previous night, with no dreams. When Luca woke up, it was already the next morning. Johann hade by early to check on her. Since her test results showed no issues, Luke asked the nurse to help with the discharge paperwork while he packed up a few things, preparing to take Luca home. An hourter, Luke drove her back to the vi. Luca, feeling much better than the day before, could walk on her own, though Luke still supported her as they entered the vi. Aunt Neile came forward to greet them, taking the bag from Luke''s hand. She then asked Luca, "Ms. Craw, you didn''t have breakfast at the hospital, did you? Would you like something to eat now?" "Maybeter. I''d like to take a shower first," replied Luca. At that moment, hunger was not her priority. She wanted to wash away the lingering hospital smell. "Of course," replied Aunt Neile. Then, she turned to look at Luke. *Aunt Neile, you can go about your business. I''ll take care of Luca," said Luke. Luca shook her head. "I''m fine now. You should go handle your work too. I can take care of myself." "Go take a shower first." Luke ignored her suggestion. He held her hand upstairs as they made their way up the stairs. Luca went up and took a long shower. Luke, who was working in the room across the hall, eventually noticed that she had note out and got worried. He knocked on the bathroom door. "Luca?" "I''m still here," replied Luca. "There''s still that smoky smell in my hair, and the smell of disinfectant too, so I''m taking my time." Luke felt helpless, understanding she was just trying to feel clean again. "Alright, but don''t stay in there too long. You still haven''t had breakfast." "Okay, I know," responded Luca, speeding up her shower. Once she was done, they went downstairs together for breakfast. Aunt Neile brought over their food with a smile. "It''s good to have you back, Ms. Craw. The little ones haven''t had much of an appetite these past couple of days. They didn''t even feel like watching their cartoons!" Luca knew the kids had been worried about her. She smiled and continued eating. Just then, the doorbell rang. Luca looked up, and Aunt Neile said, "I''ll get the door." When Aunt Neile saw who was standing outside the gate, her expression changed. She turned to Luke and said, " Sir, it''s Mrs. Norman." "Let her in," replied Luke. "But..." Aunt Neile hesitated, ncing at Luca. If Queenie came in, would the truth not be revealed? When Luke noticed that Aunt Neile had not moved, he repeated, "It''s fine, just open the door." Aunt Neile nodded and went to let Queenie in. A momentter, the doorbell rang again. This time, it was Queenie standing at the front door. Without asking for Luke''s permission, Aunt Neile opened the door and announced, "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, Mrs. Norman is here." "It''s alright. Just go about things as usual," Luke reassured Aunt Neile. Aunt Neile was still shocked. How could things be usual in this situation? Letting Queenie in like this was practically admitting that Luke and Luca were together. After all, the original Mrs. Crawford was Queenie''s daughter! Could Queenie really be so epting of Luke cheating? Aunt Neile''s face was a mix of confusion and disbelief. Luca noticed Aunt Neile''s expression and felt helpless. There were so many things that could not be exined now. They were forced to keep up this charade. They were not deceiving Queenie anymore, but Aunt Neile still had to be kept in the dark. Sometimes, keeping these secrets was truly inconvenient. There were times like now, when Queenie insisted oning to check on her. However, Luca could not exin to Aunt Neile why it was okay to let Queenie in. Luca turned to look at Luke. He gave her a calm, reassuring nce. Knowing he had a n, Luca did not say anything else. A short whileter, Queenie walked into the living room. "Is Luca out of the hospital?" asked Queenie. *Yes, she''s already been discharged," Luke, who had been waiting in the living room, replied. "Where is she? I can''t wait to see how she''s doing."Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. *She''s in the dining room having breakfast. Why don''t you have a seat, and we can talk once she''s finished?" suggested Luke, inviting Queenie to sit down. "Alright, alright," Queenie agreed, taking a seat on the couch. Aunt Neile was wide-eyed in disbelief. The confrontation she expected between the mother-inw and son-inw did not happen. She found it all too strange. Could there be some hidden story behind Luca''s ident that made Queenie overlook everything? *Tea, please, Aunt Neile," Luke reminded her, making Aunt Neilee back to her senses. Realizing she had lost herposure, Aunt Neile nodded quickly and said to Queenie, "Mrs. Norman, I''ll get you some tea." Queenie smiled and nodded. Once Aunt Neile was in the kitchen, she stood up and waved Luke over. "Luke,e here for a moment. I have something to ask you." Luke knew what she wanted to ask and walked over. She lowered her voice and asked, "Does the housekeeper not know Luca''s real identity?" *To avoid any slip-ups, only those closest to us have been told," replied Luke. Queenie realized she had unintentionally caused them some trouble. Frowning, she asked, "So what should we do? If I had known, I would''ve brought Luca to stay with me instead." "Don''t worry, Mom. I''ll handle it," Luke reassured her. Besides, if Luca were to stay with Queenie, the three kids would not be happy about it. As Aunt Neile came back out, he continued, "Mom, Luca isn''t in the best of health, and since she doesn''t have family here, she''s staying with us for the time being. It''s wonderful that you coulde to visit her." "Yes, it is. The person who hit her is truly despicable. Still, that''s very kind of you, Luke. Luca has done so much for our family, so it''s only right to take good care of her," Queenie quickly responded, understanding the cue. Aunt Neile''s expression lit up in realization. So, that was why things were the way they were. No wonder Queenie was okay with it. *Mrs. Norman, please enjoy your tea," said Aunt Neile as she ced the cup on the table. Queenie replied, "Thank you." Aunt Neile then asked, "Would you like some fruit?" *Oh, no need. You can go about your tasks," replied Queenie, noticing Luca walking over from the dining room. Her expression softened as she asked, "Luca, finished with your breakfast?" "Yes, I''m done," answered Luca. She nced at Aunt Neile. It was not easy to have a private conversation with Queenie while Aunt Neile was around. Hence, she thought of something and asked, "Aunt Neile, do we have any grapes at home?" Chapter 3274 A Husband Like Luke Is Exactly What You Should Be Looking For ? Chapter 3274 A Husband Like Luke Is Exactly What You Should Be Looking For Aunt Neile paused for a moment before continuing, "We don''t have any at home, Ms. Craw. Are you craving some grapes? I can go get some now. Which kind would you like?" *Concord grapes,* replied Luca. *Alright, I''ll go get them now." Aunt Neile nodded and nced at Queenie. Seeing how peaceful it was, she guessed Queenie might stay for lunch. She decided to buy extra groceries. Hence, she grabbed her shopping basket and keys before heading out. After Aunt Neile left, Luke turned off all the house''s surveince cameras. He double-checked to ensure there were no other listening devices and then nodded to Luca. Queenie let out a sigh when she noticed how cautious they were. "It must be hard on you, being so careful every time you''re about to talk about something." "It''s nothing. We''re used to it." Luca smiled and sat down beside Queenie, *Let me see if you''re hurt anywhere," replied Queenie, looking Luca over. Luca had not bled in the car ident, but Queenie noticed a bruise on her forehead. "Your forehead is bruised." Luca instinctively touched the bruise and exined, "I identally hit it." "You''ve really worried me," said Queenie, finally feeling at ease now that she saw Luca was alright. When she first heard about the ident, even though both Luca and Luke had assured her that everything was fine, Queenie could not help but worry. They only shared the good news, never the bad, leaving her anxious all night. She tossed and turned on the bed, unable to sleep until Jack persuaded her to take a mtonin pill, which finally helped her drift off. Even then, her sleep was filled with bad dreams, so she came over early this morning. *You don''t need to worry. With Luke taking care of me, everything''s fine," Luca reassured her, holding her hand. At the mention of Luke, Queenie thought of Karen and looked at him. "Luke, I''ve heard about everything." Luke knew his mother-inw was about to give him a hard time. Luca nced at him and replied, "Maybe you should head upstairs and take care of your work first?" However, Queenie interjected, "What? You''re defending him already, just because I want to say a few words?" "I''m not defending him. It''s just that he hasn''t been to the office these past couple of days because he''s been taking care of me. I''m sure he has a lot of work piled up," exined Luca. She was not defending him, just concerned. She also knew what Queenie wanted to say. However, in this case, the me really did not lie with Luke. The reason he had not involved the police in the kidnapping was partly her decision too. It was done out of consideration that Nina was about to get married. *Can I just say a few quick words and then I''ll let him get back to work?" asked Queenie. She feltforted by how much her daughter was standing up for Luke. At least their marriage seemed strong. Luca, feeling a bit helpless, shook Queenie''s hand. Luke said, "Go ahead, Mom. I''m listening." Queenie patted Luca''s hand and said, "Alright, I''ll be brief. It won''t take long." She then turned to Luke. "Luke, you didn''t handle this situation well. I heard from Jack that Karen kidnapped Luca, and you had the chance to turn her over to the police, but you didn''t. "Instead, you gave her the opportunity to harm Luca, and that''s something I''m really unhappy about. *Of course, I also understand it''s not entirely your fault. I''ve heard that Karen has mental health issues, so no one wanted this to happen. But you didn''t act as decisively as you usually do, and that led to your wife getting hurt. "That''s on you. I don''t want to see something like this happen again."Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. "I understand, Mom. I promised you that I would always protect Luca, and I''ll keep that promise." "Good. Go ahead and get to work." Queenie was pleased with his attitude. Luca felt helpless. Still, Luke remained seated, showing no intention of leaving. Luca nudged him, "Why aren''t you going to work?" "There''s nothing urgent. I''d rather stay here and chat with you two," replied Luke. He knew that if he left to work while his mother-inw was visiting, it would seem rude. Luca turned to look at Queenie. Queenie waved her hand dismissively. "Go on, get to work. If you stay here, we won''t be able to have our mother- daughter talk." Luke looked a bit embarrassed. "Go on, we''ll just chat here. You should get to work," Luca urged him. Luke was left with no choice, so he finally headed to work. After he went upstairs, Queenie eximed, "Seeing how much you two care for each other puts my mind at ease." "That''s not quite right." Luca shook her head. Queenie asked, "What''s not right?" "You should say seeing how well he takes care of me puts your mind at ease." Lucaughed. "Yesterday, he hired a caretaker, but he ended up doing everything himself, making the caretaker feel unnecessary." "Oh? What makes you say so?" asked Queenie. "He basically did everything for me. The caretaker was just there and didn''t have to do anything. Luke looked more like the caretaker," exined Luca. Queenie nodded in agreement. "A husband like Luke is exactly what you should be looking for, someone who takes care of everything himself. That''s how you know he really loves his wife." She was growing more and more satisfied with her son-inw. No matter how she looked at it, Luke doted on Luca in every way. Luca nodded in agreement. Indeed, when choosing a husband, one should choose someone like Luke Crawford. She was grateful she had chosen him back then. Queenie stayed for lunch before heading home. After everyone left, Aunt Neile was the first to let out a sigh of relief. *Aunt Neile, what''s wrong?" Luca asked with curiosity. Aunt Neile replied, "I was so scared. I was really worried Mrs. Norman would notice something." Luca and Luke exchanged a knowing smile. *She didn''t notice anything, right?" Aunt Neile asked again. *She probably didn''t," Luca reassured her. After lunch, Luca took her medication and was about to go upstairs to rest. Just as she was about to fall asleep, her phone rang. When she picked it up, she saw that it was a call from Abel. Her heart sank as she answered. "Where are you?" asked Abel. "You''ve been watching me all this time, so how could you not know where I am?" answered Luca. Earlier on their way home, Luke had told her something. Percy had discovered that arge sum of money had been transferred from Pierre''s ount recently, not to a hospital or any merchant but to a suspicious ount. It took Adrian a long time to track it down, but they finally found it. They suspect that the ount is connected to the Ind of Despair. When Luca heard this, she suddenly recalled some past events. She had managed to deceive Karen, who seemed to believe her at the time. Then, in an instant, Karen somehow knew she had been tricked. Perhaps Pierre was still in contact with Abel, and they were even working together. It was possible that Abel was the one who told Pierre about having her treat him. Everything she was dealing with now might be linked to Abel. After a brief silence on the other end, Luca said, "Thanks to you, that lunatic, Karen, rear-ended my car. Mr. Abel, I''m a patient now. What could you possibly want with a patient?" Chapter 3275 Stay By Your Side ?Chapter 3275 Stay By Your Side *How is it my problem that you got rear-ended?" Abel was silent for a moment on the other end of the line. He was well aware that Luca had been rear-ended and that she was now recuperating at Luke''s home. "Not your problem?" Luca chuckled softly, "I know Karen had someone disguised as Ss, and that person was introduced by you. I had already convinced Karen that I couldn''t help Pierre, but then she kidnapped me, convinced I could. Mr. Abel, isn''t this all your doing?" *Luca, it seems that staying around Luke has made you quite the user." Abel shot back, naturally denying any involvement. Luca had no intention of forcing a confession out of him. She asked in a cold voice, "So, what''s the real reason for your call?" "I need you to go to X City and help Shanks," replied Abel. "If I go to X City now, it''ll raise Luke''s suspicions. Besides, I''m still recovering," replied Luca in a lowered voice, surprised that Abel had chosen Kassy over dealing with Luke. She had expected him to prioritize his grudge. Abel remained silent on the other end. "If you want me to blow my cover or if you''re ready to let this whole thing unravel, I can go right now," added Luca. Abel grew agitated. He could not let go of Kassy. Yet, he was not ready to abandon his vendetta against Luke either. Frustrated, Abel hung up the phone without saying another word. Luca let out a sigh of relief, tossed her phone aside, and then walked into the bedroom across the hall. "Weren''t you going to sleep?" asked Luke as he put down his work when he saw her enter Luca replied, "Abel just called. He wanted me to go to X City, but I used you as an excuse to convince him I shouldn''t go, at least for now." Luke''s eyes darkened. "After one of his bases in A City burned down, he still dares to send you to X City?" "He''s willing to sacrifice anything for Kassy. I almost thought he was going to abandon his ns for you," replied Luca, sitting on the bed and watching him work. *Get some sleep," suggested Luke. He knew she was feeling uneasy, which was why she hade over. He reassured her, saying, "Don''t worry, I won''t let him send you away. I''ll protect you." *I want to take a nap here," said Luca. She noticed the bed in the room was already made with pillows and nkets. *Alright, sleep here. I''ll stay with you," agreed Luke. He did not have any meetingsing up and could handle his work online, ensuring he would not disturb her. "Okay." Luca nodded andy down on the bed. *The air conditioning is cool, so make sure to cover up," Luke reminded her. *Got it." Luca pulled up the nket and closed her eyes. The asional sound of Luke typing did not disturb her sleep. Instead, the rhythmic tapping was like a luby, helping her drift into a deeper slumber. Luca ended up sleeping the entire afternoon. It was not until the kids got home from school and gathered around her bed that Luca slowly woke up. She blinked her eyes and saw the three kids standing by her bedside. *You''re awake, Ms. Luca!" Tommy eximed with excitement. *Mhm." Luca stretched and sat up. "You''re all back from school? What time is it?" *It''s almost 6:00 pm. Come on, Ms. Luca. Time to get up and get ready for dinner," Rainie said in a gentle voice as she held Luca''s hand. Luca smiled and gently stroked their faces. Her three little treasures were always so adorable. As she sat up, she noticed Luke was not in the bedroom. Curious, she asked the kids, "Where''s your dad?" "He went to take a phone call," answered Lanie. Tommy quickly added, "Dad told us to stay by your side and make sure not to wake you! We were good and followed his instructions." Luca nodded, impressed by how well-behaved they were. She was d she woke up when she did. Otherwise, who knew how long the kids would have stood there? "Okay, why don''t you all head downstairs? I''ll wash my face and join you soon," said Luca. "Okay!" The three kids cheerfully left the bedroom. Luca went to the bathroom to freshen up. As she stepped out, she noticed Luke standing on the balcony, still on the phone. The soft glow of the setting sun bathed him in light, making his hair shimmer with a golden hue. The usually stoic man looked much softer in the gentle sunlight. As Luca admired his handsome figure, Luke happened to nce her way. She smiled at him without saying a word, simply gesturing that she was heading downstairs. Luke nodded but did not say anything, signaling that he understood. Luca turned her attention back to the stairs and went down. The kids quickly surrounded her, showering her with concern until they were all satisfied that she was feeling better. "We were so worried about you. I''m d you''re okay," said Lanie. They had been so worried that they even wished for Luca''s recovery during their bedtime prayers. "I''ll be alright for your sake," Luca assured them. It was a mother''s promise to her kids. She could not afford to let anything happen to herself for their sake. The kids grinned widely. A short whileter, Luke finished his call and came downstairs to join them. The five of them enjoyed a nice dinner together. After dinner, Luca took her medication and found herself yawning again. She wondered, "I slept all afternoon, yet here I am, feeling sleepy again. What kind of medicine did Dr. Johann prescribe that''s making me so drowsy?" "This is your body''s way of telling you it needs rest. I read in a book that when the body needs to repair itself, it makes you feel sleepy," Lanie said. Luke nodded in agreement but did not say anything. *Then you should go to bed, Ms. Luca. You need good sleep to get better," urged Rainie. "But it''s still early, and I wanted to- Luca began, wanting to suggest watching some cartoons with them. *Taking care of yourself is what matters the most. With Dad watching over us, we''ll go to bed on time!" added Tommy, trying his best to be a good boy so she would not worry. Luca nodded. "Alright then. Make sure you all get to bed on time. I''m going to head upstairs and sleep now." "Goodnight, Ms. Luca." The three kids called out as she left. "Goodnight," replied Luca. Then, she headed upstairs.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Once they saw her go, the three kids huddled together, whispering about Luca. *Someone hurt our mom. What do you think we should do?" Tommy asked in a low voice. It was so soft that only the three of them who were huddled close together could hear. *Lanie, what should we do?" Rainie turned to look at Lanie. Lanie''s eyes darkened, suddenly showing a glimpse of Luke''s intensity. "Let mee up with a n. We can''t just let her be wronged like this." "Yes! We have to get back at them for Mommy!" added Tommy. Aunt Neile, having just finished cleaning up, walked out of the kitchen and saw the three kids huddled together, seemingly deep in discussion. She asked with curiosity, "Kids, what are you up to?" The kids quickly stood up straight and shook their heads. "Nothing," they replied in unison. "You..." Aunt Neile paused for a moment, but she did not really believe it. "You''re not nning to cause any trouble, are you?* "Aunt Neile, we won''t cause any trouble. Don''t worry. If my brothers try anything, I''ll keep them in line." "That''s true. You''ve always been well-behaved," replied Aunt Neile, agreeing that they were not the type of kids to cause trouble. Chapter 3276 Ninas Wedding ?Chapter 3276 Nina''s Wedding The three kids exchanged nces and then sat back down on the couch. Aunt Neile said to the kids, "Make sure you behave. I''m heading off now. If you need anything, just give me a call, okay?" "Okay, Aunt Neile," the three kids replied in unison. After Aunt Neile left the vi, the kids huddled together to discuss their ns. Luca had been resting at home for three days. As she got better, Nina and Percy''s wedding day also approached. As a guest from the bride''s side, Luca, along with Rainie and Tommy, waited at the apartment with Nina, anticipating the arrival of the groom''s party from Percy''s side. Once the makeup artist was done with Nina, everyone in the apartment gathered to see the bride. Rainie eximed, "Ms. Nina looks so beautiful today!" Nina smiled, adjusting the hem of her wedding dress, "Do I not look beautiful usually?" "You do!" Rainie nodded. "But today, you look the most beautiful. Mr. Percy will definitely be stunned." Herment made everyoneugh, and one of the bridesmaids asked, "With such a beautiful bride, is it too much to ask for a bigger gift from Mr. Percyter?" "It''s not too much. Mr. Percy has plenty of money. We should ask for a lot of gifts. After all, this is a once-in-a- lifetime event. If we don''t ask for more, we might not let the bride leave!" another person joked. The bridesmaids, who were mostly from Brilliant, felt bold and yful, taking the opportunity to tease Percy and Nina on their special day. Nina, being generous, responded, "Go ahead and ask for as much as you want. If you miss this chance, there won''t be another." *The bride is so generous!" Everyone was having a great time. Tommy tugged at Luca''s sleeve. "What''s wrong, sweetheart?" Luca looked at Tommy. He was supposed to be with the groom''s party, but since he wanted to stick close to her, she brought him along. After all, it did not matter where the ring bearer was. "My bowtie is crooked," said Tommy, painting at his bowtie. Luca looked and indeed saw it was crooked. She squatted down to fix it. *There you go. Looking handsome!" Luca praised. Tommy beamed with happiness. Someone noticed Tommy and his ring bearer outfit. "What a handsome little boy! Nina, where did you find such a good-looking ring bearer?" "He''s our boss'' child!" Nina said proudly, holding Tommy with her left hand and Kari with her right. She then addressed the bridesmaids, "See, don''t my ring bearer and flower girl have good looks?" "Yes, they''re adorable," replied the bridesmaids, smiling widely. Tommy whispered, "They have scary smiles." "Tommy, that''s rude!" Rainie shook her head. Tommy said with firm conviction, "I''m just speaking the truth. It feels like they''re trying to sell us!" Luca felt a bit embarrassed. Her son was quite talkative, at least more so than Lanie. Sometimes, hisments could be awkward.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. For instance, his recentment could offend all the women present. One of the bridesmaids heard Tommy''s remark and said, "Aww, you''re so cute, little guy! How abouting home with me tonight? My house has lots of yummy treats!" "No!" Tommy blushed at the bridesmaid''s teasing, pulling away from Nina and hiding in Luca''s embrace. Everyone burst intoughter, and no one paid much attention to the child''sment. After the yful teasing, the mood in the room lightened, but Nina grew anxious. She nced at her phone and muttered, "What time are they arriving? Have you heard anything?" Luca checked her phone and said, "They left ten minutes ago. It''s about a 20-minute drive, so we might need to wait a bit." "A 20-minute drive? With such a long convoy, it''ll probably take about 30 minutes. Let''s just wait," said another person. "Looks like the bride is getting nervous,"mented one of the bridesmaids. "No, I''m just feeling a bit warm. Is the air conditioning not on?" asked Nina, waving her hand to fan herself as the bangles on her wrist clinked together. "You''re just nervous. Let''s step outside and give the bride some space. Otherwise, you might end up sweating, and you''ll have to touch up your makeup," suggested Luca. She knew Nina was nervous, so she led everyone out to the living room. Everyone politely left the bedroom. "Luca, Sue, stay here and keep mepany," Nina called out to Luca and Sue, who were about to leave. The two of them stayed in the bedroom, sitting on either side of Nina. The three of them looked at the vanity mirror together. Sue said, "Nina, you look stunning today." "Thank you." Nina smiled, her lips slightly stiff. "I''m really nervous." "I know," replied Luca. She pondered for a moment, then rose to her feet and walked out. "What''s Luca doing?" Nina asked Sue. Sue shook her head. A momentter, Luca returned with a piece of candy and handed it to Nina. "Here, have a candy." "Huh?" Nina looked puzzled but took the candy and unwrapped it. "Be careful not to smudge your lipstick," Luca reminded her. Nina opened her mouth, put the candy in, then asked, "Why should I eat candy?" "You''ve been busy since early morning and probably haven''t had anything to eat." Luca knew how tiring being a bride could be. The makeup artist worked on her for over two hours in the early morning. Brides usually could not eat before getting into their wedding dress. "Yes, this wedding dress is so tight that I might not fit if I eat," Nina replied helplessly. "Nervousness has both mental and physical aspects. Eating something sweet will give you some energy and help calm your nerves," exined Luca. Nina nodded. "I see. Oh, getting married is really exhausting." Sue said, "This is just the beginning, and you''re already saying you''re tired?" Luca added, "Wait until the ceremony and the reception. That''s when you''ll really feel tired." "My neck hurts from all this pressure,ined Nina, moving her neck. Luca and Sue looked at the jewelry on her neck and hands. Their eyes filled with sympathy. "Why do we have to look like we''re unting our wealth just for the wedding?" Nina could not understand. The makeup artist replied, "You''ll only wear this much for the ceremony and reception. Once we get to the venue, I''ll help you change into a simpler look. You won''t need to wear so much then." *Hang in there," Sueforted her. "When is Percy arriving? I''m really tired. My neck feels so heavy, like it''s almost breaking..." Nina''s face fell. Even though she had mentally prepared for the exhaustion, it was not until she had all the jewelry on that she truly felt how tiring it was. Luca nced at the time, estimating they should be arriving soon. She then heard Nina say, "I hope they''re generous and hurry up with getting me out of here so that I can finally take this weight off my neck and hands." Since they were having a Western-style wedding, Nina would not be wearing all this jewelry at the venue. She would change into a different look. Chapter 3277 ?Chapter 3277 Not Wee As soon as Nina''s words fell, a noise came from the living room. Luca said, "It must be the groom and his party arriving." Nina became nervous. "What should I do? I feel even more nervous now, and it''s hard to breathe..." Sue quickly reassured her, "Don''t worry. Think about how happy and fulfilling your life will be after this wedding. It''s a wonderful thing. Try to rx and take a deep breath." Nina tried to take a deep breath but felt like crying. "The wedding dress is so tight. I can''t breathe deeply." Luca pressed an acupoint on Nina''s arm. "Do you feel better now?" Nina found it quite amazing. "Yes, much better. What acupoint is this?" "Just press it when you''re nervous. Don''t press too hard, or it might make your skin red," said Luca, showing her where to press. "This spot is helpful." "It really works!" replied Nina. A bridesmaid walked in, cheerfully announcing, "The groom has arrived. Let''s close the bedroom door."Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. "Okay," replied Nina, gently pressing on the spot Luca indicated and feeling much better but still nervous. Outside, there was a flurry of noisy activity. Percy, surrounded by his groomsmen, walked into the apartment. All the bridesmaids blocked the bedroom door, beginning to negotiate with Percy. "Mr. Mallory, you need to give us gifts to get inside." "Yes, and it has to be big gifts!" added another bridesmaid. Percy nodded to his groomsmen, who had prepared plenty of gifts to speed up the process of getting to his bride. Once the bridesmaids received the gifts, they cheered, "That''s very generous of you, Mr. Mallory." "Thank you, Mr. Mallory." "Can I go get my wife now?" asked Percy. Satisfied with the gifts, the bridesmaids let him through. Percy opened the door and saw Nina sitting on the bed. His heart skipped a beat. The nces exchanged between the bride and groom made everyone cheer. "Oh, what a handsome groom and beautiful bride! They''re so lucky!" one bridesmaid said enviously. Her words were met with agreement from the others. At Nina''s request, they skipped the other games and went straight to the vows. A bridesmaid handed a vow sheet to Percy. "Now, the groom needs to kneel and make his vows. After that, he can put the heels on the bride and take her to the wedding venue!" Percy took the sheet and, without hesitation, knelt before everyone and began his vows. Nina was deeply touched, tears welling up in her eyes. She struggled to hold back the tears. After Percy finished his vows, he asked the bridesmaids, "Where are my wife''s heels? Does the groom need to give gifts for the shoes?" The groomsmen heard this and handed out more gifts. Since Percy had mentioned that he wanted to smoothly pick up his bride, he did not mind being generous with the gifts. The bridesmaids saw how generous the groom was and did not make things difficult. They handed over the hidden heels. Percy helped Nina put on her heels, and the newlyweds headed out. Luca was holding Lanie''s and Rainie''s hands. She was approached by Luke, who said, "Let''s go. We''ll ride in my car." "Okay." Luca nodded. She nced at Lanie, who looked handsome today, with a smile. Lanie returned the smile. The five of them followed the wedding procession downstairs. The bride and groom got into a Rolls-Royce, while the other bridesmaids began searching for their cars. Luxury cars were in abundance at Percy''s wedding. Luke led Luca and the children to his car. A bridesmaid approached shyly and asked, "Hi, can I ride with you?" "I''m sorry, but the car is full, replied Luke. He was being polite because it was Percy''s wedding. Otherwise, he would have simply said it was full without any extra courtesy. "Oh, okay. Sorry to bother you. The bridesmaid showed a hint of disappointment and went off to find another car. Tommy put his hands on his hips and said, "Daddy, you''re attracting attention!" "I''m not," replied Luke as he opened the back door and gestured for the three kids to get in. The three kids climbed into the car. Luke closed the door and then opened the front passenger door for Luca. Luca took her seat in the front. He closed the door and went around to the driver''s side. Their car followed behind the wedding cars. About half an hourter, they arrived at the wedding venue. Once they got out of the car, Luca said to Luke, "I''ll take Tommy over first. He''s the ring bearer and needs to walk ahead during the ceremony." "Okay, I''ll keep an eye on Lanie and Rainie." Luke nodded. Luca took Tommy''s hand and walked toward the venue. As she was about to enter with the invitation in hand, she heard someone causing a scene at another entrance. "Do you know who I am? Why won''t you let me in?!" Luca recognized the voice and turned to see Anna. Nina''s brother, Jean, was also here. Luca frowned and thought that despite their decent appearance, their presence might still reflect poorly on Nina. She walked over to the attendant at the entrance while still holding Tommy''s hand. "What''s going on?" The attendant noticed her invitation and recognized her as a wedding guest. He exined," These people im to be the bride''s family, but they don''t have an invitation." Jean saw Luca, and his face lit up with joy. His eyes greedily scanned her up and down. Luca, tell them who we are. We''re Nina''s brother and mother. Why can''t we go in?" "No invitation, no entry," Luca replied in a cold voice. Her gaze made it clear she found him disgusting. "You!" Anna was furious. She tried to snatch the invitation from Luca''s hand. Luca quickly stepped back, causing Anna to stumble and nearly fall, Fortunately, Jean caught her. "Mom, what are you doing?" said Jean in a displeased tone. "If they want an invitation, I''ll just take this shameless woman''s invitation. Then, we can go in, right?" Anna was clearly annoyed with Luca. She always felt that Luca was just as irritating as Bianca. Luca remained expressionless and said to the attendant, "The bride didn''t invite them, so they''re not guests. Have security escort them out. Don''t let them cause trouble at the wedding." "Yes, ma''am!" The attendant nodded and used a walkie-talkie to alert the security outside. "Luca, don''t be so unreasonable!" Anna fumed. "You''re not Nina. You have no right to make decisions for her!" "You took the money and severed ties with Nina. What right do you have to attend her wedding now?" Luca asked nonchntly. Anna was at a loss for words. "I''m her mother. Family ties can''t just be cut off like that. Besides, I want to see my daughter on this happy asion. Why can''t I attend her wedding?" "You''re not wee without an invitation. Even kids understand that. You ignored Nina after taking the money, and now, you suddenly want to be involved in her life? Ms. Anna, surely you haven''t spent all the money already, have you?" Chapter 3278 The Wedding Would Still Be Perfect ?Chapter 3278 The Wedding Would Still Be Perfect Luca did not show them any courtesy. She knew reasoning with them here might cause a scene, but she also knew Anna and Jean would not agree to talk it out elsewhere. "You!" Anna was furious. "What business is it of yours if I attend my daughter''s wedding?" A few guests passing by could not help but watch them. Luca frowned, sensing that they might have already blown through the money Percy had given them. She turned to look at the attendant. "Security is on their way." Anna, enraged, raised her hand to hit Luca. However, before she could, Luke caught her wrist. "Don''t you dare!" Anna was terrified when she saw it was Luke. She remembered thest time she tried to harm nca after things did not work out between her and Jean. Luke''s intervention had made her abandon that n. "Let go! If youy a hand on my mom, I''ll call the police!" Jean''s anger red the moment heid eyes on Luke. However, he knew he was no match for Luke, so his bravado was all talk. Luke shoved Anna''s hand away. "What''s going on here? How are people like this getting inside? Luke red at the attendant. The attendant looked helpless. Anna and Jean were dressed like they belonged, so the guards at the entrance must have assumed they were invited. Who would have guessed they came to cause trouble and did not hold an invitation? It was not the attendant''s fault, but he was unlucky enough to get med. "Sorry, sir. We''ll take care of it right away," replied another attendant as the security guards arrived. Anna tried to assert herself, "I''m the bride''s mother! You have no right to keep me out!" "Don''t let them in," instructed Luke. "Yes, sirl" The security guards immediately escorted Anna and Jean away. As she was dragged off, Anna started wailing, "How dare you treat me like this? This is outrageous! I''ll call the police! Someone help me!" Luca heaved a sigh. "Thank goodness they didn''t cause a scene inside." "It''s embarrassing enough that they''re doing it out here,"mented Luke. Luca nodded in agreement, watching them being taken away. She then said quietly, "Let''s wait until after the wedding to tell Nina." Today was supposed to be Nina''s happy day. She did not need these irrelevant people ruining her mood. "Agreed. I''ll let Percy know," said Luke. Nina might not need to know, but Percy definitely did. Luca nodded again and added, "We''ll need to keep an eye on the reception too. We can''t let thern ruin Nina''s wedding." "Don''t worry, just make sure to get Tommy over there quickly." Luke reminded her. The ring bearer had not taken his ce yet. "Oh, right! I got so worked up by those shameless people that I almost forgot about it." Luca gave her head a light tap and hurriedly led Tommy inside. As they walked, Tommy, who was keeping pace with Luca, asked curiously, "Ms. Luca, why is Ms. Nina''s mom causing such a fuss?" "Well..." Luca was trying to figure out how to exin when Tommy continued, "Ms. Nina is her child too, but all they care about is money. Poor Ms. Nina." Even though the adults had not exined everything. Tommy was notpletely in the dark. He understood the situation between Nina, Anna, and Jean. Luca wanted to stroke his head but hesitated for a moment. She did not want to mess up his handsome hairstyle. Instead, she smiled and said, "If they don''t care for Ms. Nina, then we''ll take care of her, okay?" Tommy nodded earnestly. "I knew you were a good boy. Now, go be the best flower boy for Ms. Nina." After a moment, she added, "But remember, the first thing we have to do to protect her is keep this a secret. Don''t let her know what just happened. We want her to enjoy every moment of the wedding." Tommy promised, "Cot it! Don''t worry! I won''t tell anyone!" Luca brought Tommy over to where Nina was. By now, Nina had already changed into her wedding dress. When she saw Luca and Tommy, she asked, "Why is my little ring bearer just getting here now? "We were moving a bit slowly, but here he is, ready to go!" replied Luca. Tommy quickly positioned himself beside the flower girl. The sight of the two adorable children standing together was enough to melt anyone''s heart. As Nina rose to her feet, the thought of having to walk down the aisle in front of everyone made her nervous again. She turned to ask Luca, "Luca, how do I look?" "You look stunning. Absolutely perfect!" Luca could tell she was anxious and tried to calm her. "You''ve already rehearsed, so you''ll be fine. Don''t worry. Everyone out there is a friend or family member here to celebrate with you, not judge your walk down the aisle."Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. The makeup artist smiled and agreed, "Ms. Craw is right. Just walk like you did during the rehearsal, and you''ll be fine." "Has Old Master Crawford arrived?" Nina asked again. Since her father could not make it and had made it clear he would not being, she needed an elder to walk her down the aisle. Nina had asked Old Master Crawford, and he happily agreed. He even mentioned that after the wedding, she would be part of the Crawford family, so it was only fitting for him to step in and support her on this special day. "He should be here by now. Let me call Mr. Griffin and check," suggested Luca, knowing that Old Master Crawford was supposed to be brought over by Mr. Griffin. Just as she was about to make the call, there was a knock on the door. Luca went to open it. Then, she saw Old Master Crawford and Mr. Griffin, She smiled and said, "You''re here! I was just about to call and ask where you were." Old Master Crawford walked into the bridal suite with a cheerful grin. "I just got here. I thought I''de by and check on our beautiful bride." Tommy''s face lit up when he saw his great-grandfather, and he eagerly ran up to him, "Great Grandpa!" "Good boy!" Old Master Crawford pinched Tommy''s chubby little cheeks. His eyes were full of affection. Then, he turned to Nina. He nodded in approval and gave her a thumbs-up. "You look gorgeous!" "Oh, Grandpa, stop ttering me! You''re making me blush." Nina gently touched her face, which had turned slightly warm. "Alright, everyone''s here now. You guys stay put for a bit. I need to head down," said Luca. Nina nodded, briefly considering asking if there had been any issues at the entrance but decided against it. She did not want her wedding day to be spoiled by those who had hurt her. After Luca left the bridal suite, she quickly made her way to the wedding venue. The weather was sunny, but the sun was not too harsh, so the guests sitting outside were not feeling too hot. Luca found Luke''s seat and sat down next to him. They were seated in the front row. "What took you so long?" asked Luke. "The bride was a bit nervous, so I stayed to calm her down. Oh, and Grandpa''s here too," answered Luca. "Yeah. I just greeted him. The old man''s looking pretty sharp today," said Luke. "Grandpa genuinely cares about Nina," added Luca. Even though her own family did not show up, with them and Old Master Crawford, the wedding would still be perfect. Chapter 3279 He Was In The Same Boat ? Chapter 3279 He Was In The Same Boat As soon as Luca finished speaking, the wedding march started to y. The guests, who had been chatting just moments before, fell silent and turned to look behind them. The sunlight was perfect. The gentle breeze carried the scent of fresh grass, champagne, and desserts. A little boy and girl scattered the flower petals on the ground as they walked in. Nina walked slowly while holding onto Old Master Crawford''s arm, entering the wedding venue. Some guests recognized Old Master Crawford and could not hide their surprise. They were expecting Nina''s biological father to walk her down the aisle, but instead, it was Old Master Crawford. Seeing him brought to mind the time he had publicly acknowledged Nina as his god- granddaughter. They realized then it was not just a rumor. It was real. Many could not help but feel a pang of envy. Everyone here came from wealth or status. Yet, having Old Master Crawford as a god-grandfather was something to aspire to. After all, the Crawford and Mallory families were not connections just anyone could reach. Here was Nina, not only marrying the heir to the Mallory family but also with Old Master Crawford backing her up. Envy flickered in many of their eyes as they watched her. Nina felt the weight of their stares and grew a little nervous as she clung tighter to Old Master Crawford''s arm. Old Master Crawford sensed her unease and patted her hand gently. He whispered, "Stay calm. Don''t be nervous. This is your moment." Nina gave a soft response. With Old Master Crawford leading her, she slowly walked toward Percy. The old master ced her hand in Percy''s with a cheerful grin, saying, "Percy, I''m entrusting my god-granddaughter to you." "Thank you," Percy replied gratefully. With his part done, Old Master Crawford stepped off the stage and sat beside Luke. As he watched the happy couple, the old master whispered, "Seeing this reminds me of the day you got married." "Grandpa." Luke nced at him. Old Master Crawford eximed, "Time really flies. Feels like it was just a blink of an eye." As the ceremony continued, the priest asked the couple if they agreed to marry, then prompted them to exchange rings. Percy slipped a huge diamond ring onto Nina''s finger. Luca smiled andmented, "That''s quite a ring." "I''ve been looking for one," Luke suddenly said. "Huh?" Luca turned to him, confused. "That woman took our wedding rings. I''ve been meaning to find a new pair for us," exined Luke. He knew Luca was not particrly fond of diamonds. She preferred gemstones. She had a feeling that when Luke imed he was looking for new rings, he meant it. He was not just going to pick up any random diamond ring to appease her. Luca reminded him in a soft voice, "Don''t go overboard. Something simple that I can wear every day would be best." "Don''t worry, everything I choose for you will always be the best," replied Luke. Old Master Crawford overheard their quiet conversation and chuckled. He turned to Lanie and said, "Lanie." "Yes, Great-Grandpa?" Tommy asked curiously. "Take some notes from your dad on how to treat your future wife," Old Master Crawford said with a grin. He used to worry that Luke''s cold demeanor would make it hard for him to bnce family life, leaving whoever married him unhappy. However, as it turned out, while Luke might be distant from others, he was anything but cold to the person he loved. He was, in fact, the perfect example of a good husband. "Great-Grandpa, you don''t need to worry. We''ve got Daddy''s genes," Lanie whispered mischievously. "Oh?" Old Master Crawford raised an eyebrow. Rainie chimed in, "Both my brothers will love their wives just like Daddy does!* Old Master Crawfordughed heartily. Even though his great-grandchildren were still young, they already understood how important it was to cherish their future partners. With attitudes like that, they would likely follow in Luke''s footsteps, and he would not have to worry about them inheriting traits from Zachary, Even though Zachary''s womanizing ways brought the Crawford family excellent heirs, he also caused a lot of trouble for over 30 years. Allison suddenly crossed the old master''s mind, and his expression darkened a bit. After the couple exchanged rings on the stage, they kissed to the apuse and cheers of the crowd. The ceremony was followed by a small party. It was basically for the guests, who were mostly business people, to talk to each other. Before long, several guests surrounded Luke. Luca stepped aside, bringing the kids over to a nearby table. She got them some juice and desserts and sat back to watch the lively atmosphere unfold. Just then, a woman approached. Luca nced up and recognized her. It was the bridesmaid who had tried to get into Luke''s car during the earlier wedding procession. She was not an old employee of Brilliant. Luca left thepany three years ago, and Brilliant would have hired new employees. She figured this woman was either a new employee or another one of Nina''s friends. "Mind if I sit here?" asked the bridesmaid. "Go ahead," Luca responded indifferently. The bridesmaid sat down across from her. Luca nced at Tommy, whose mouth was full of cookie crumbs, and shook her head helplessly. She pulled out a wet wipe from her bag and wiped his mouth. ''Try to keep it neat," said Luca in a soft voice.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "Hehe, the desserts are so good!" Tommy, unlike Luke, had a sweet tooth. Luca could not help butugh at the sight of the little ring bearer with his face covered in crumbs. If anyone did not know better, they would think he had not eaten in days. The bridesmaid eyed the three children, then let her gaze settle on Luca. There was a flicker of jealousy in her eyes. "You''re with Mr. Crawford, right?" The bridesmaid had initially wanted to ask if she was Luke''s mistress, but it did not seem appropriate to bring up such things at Nina''s wedding. "What do you mean, I''m ''with him?" questioned Luca. The bridesmaid frowned, realizing Luca''s attitude was not what she expected. She was not overly humble, nor did she act as though she were beneath her. "I know who you are," said the bridesmaid. Luca remained expressionless. "You were in a tabloid scandal with Mr. Crawford," added the bridesmaid. Luca stayed silent, but the three kids heard what she said and turned their eyes on her at once. Feeling their gazes, the bridesmaid straightened up, puffing out her chest as if to assert herself, "I work for Mr. Crawford." "No, you don''t," replied Luca. "You''re talking nonsense!" the bridesmaid snapped, clearly annoyed. Luca calmly said, "You work for Brilliant, but you don''t work for Mr. Crawford." The bridesmaid was about to respond when Luca continued, "You joined Brilliantter, didn''t you? Maybe you should do some research on who yourpany''s actual chairperson is." The bridesmaid looked confused. From what she had seen, Nina and Sue had always dealt directly with Luke. He had to be the chairperson, right? Luca went on, "You don''t even know who the chairperson of yourpany is? It''s Mr. Crawford''s wife. To be clear, thispany was founded by Mrs. Crawford. She''s the chairperson. "It''s just that she''s currently busy, so Mr. Crawford is handling the day-to-day operations. But technically, your real boss is Mrs. Crawford, not him. "I''d advise you not to think that getting a little closer to Mr. Crawford will somehow let you take Mrs. Crawford''s ce. You might think you have a chance, but Mr. Crawford certainly won''t give you one." As she spoke, she made sure to subtly protect her own position. Luke mentioned that after she returned, she had been attracting a lot of attention from men. The irony was, he was in the same boat. Chapter 3280 Their Mother Is In A League Of Her Own! ? Chapter 3280 Their Mother Is In A League Of Her Own! She rarely appeared in public with Luke before, so those romantic advances had note her way just yet. Back then, while she trusted Luke, she would also be quite concerned about such things. She often felt that she was not good enough to be with him, which fueled her worries. However, things were different now. Despite her unfortunate experience on the Ind of Despair, she had grown a lot over the past three years. It was not rted to Abel. It was Shanks who had helped her be more capable. Now, when these women approached her, she did not think much of it. She knew they were not as capable as she was. Luca still valued Luke, but she had be much moreposed in the face of such provocations. The bridesmaid was indeed surprised. She did not expect that thepany was not Luke''s! However, what was the big deal? Even if it was not Luke''spany, he was managing it, and she was working under him. The bridesmaid sneered, "What''s the point of saying all this? I know thepany reports to Mr. Crawford now, not Mrs. Crawford. And at least I''m working under Mr. Crawford. Can you say the same?" Tommy frowned, clearly ready to defend Luca. He replied, "Ms. Luca works in Daddy''s branch office!" The bridesmaid was taken aback for a moment. She thought the kids looked familiar. Now, she realized they were Luke''s kids! She regretted her abruptness. Had she known these were Luke''s kids, she would never have spoken to Luca like that. She would have at least tried to make a better impression in front of these three little ones! Lanie added, "And thepany profits from Ms. Luca''s research." Rainie nodded in agreement. "Yes!" The three kids were united in their mission to protect their mother. The bridesmaid was left speechless by the kids'' defense. Why were they so protective of Luca? No wonder Luke was so good to her. Luca must have used his influence to win over these kids! Lanie asked, "Ms. Luca is a research professor. Madam, may I know what position you hold at Brilliant?" The bridesmaid''s face turned red with annoyance at being called ''Madam''. However, since the question came from Luke''s son, she could not express her anger. She was older than Lanie, so it was right for him to call her ''Madam''. Still, she did not see why Luca, who was older than her, was called ''Miss'' while she was called ''Madam''. "Madam? What''s your position?" Lanie pressed, giving Luca a look. Luca understood from her eldest son''s gaze that he wanted her to stay silent. She was being protected by a child. Luca was moved and decided to see how her kids would defend her, so she remained quiet. The bridesmaid was stunned for a moment and replied, "I just graduated, so I''m working as an assistant to the general manager." "Oh, an assistant..." Lanie nodded and added, "There''s not much room for promotion, then-at least not at Brilliant." "I''m still young. Give me a couple of years, and I''ll be at T Corporation''s headquarters!" replied the bridesmaid. "I graduated from Columbia University, you know!" *So what?" Lanie shook his head. "Madam, even if you work for a few more years, you might not get into a high- level position. After all, not everyone is as capable as Mr. Jason." The bridesmaid was at a loss for words, trying to emphasize her youth as the reason for her lower status. "I said I''m still young. Even the most talented people need to gain some work experience." "That''s true, but Madam, if you''re always thinking about someone else''s husband or someone else''s father, when will you have time to gain that experience?" Lanie was talking more than he ever had before. Normally, he would ignore Luke''s admirers. His cold demeanor was enough to deter them. However, his dad was surrounded by admirers now. The bridesmaid''s face turned red. She admired Luke, but being criticized by his son made her want to hit the kid! Nevertheless, she could not hit a child! Otherwise, she would have done it without hesitation. "You''re still young, so, of course, you don''t know how prestigious my university is," the bridesmaid replied as gently as she could, hoping to leave a better impression on the three kids. Lanie pointed at Luca and said, "Ms. Luca graduated from a top university in the States and did her master''s and Ph.D. in Russia. How does your school and degreepare?" The bridesmaid was rendered speechless. Luca raised an eyebrow, impressed. What a game-changing move. Lanie continued, "Ms. Luca is only a few years older than you, but she''s beautiful and aplished. She works with a bunch of old professors and has been invited to teach at Capital University. Madam, did your university invite you back to teach?" The bridesmaid was dumbfounded. Lanie added, "Since they didn''t, why do you think you canpete with Ms. Luca? Do you really believe being a few years younger gives you an edge? My dad hasn''t even looked at you. He doesn''t know your name or position. He doesn''t even know you work at Brilliant. So why are you causing a fuss here? It''s really annoying." "Yes! It''s really annoying!" Tommy agreed, looking up at his brother with admiration. He was really something else! Even though he usually remained silent, he was able to shut down this woman with his sharp words. Luca was surprised. She never realized that Lanie, who usually kept to himself, was so sharp-tongued... "You! You all!" The bridesmaid could no longer smile and maintain a friendly facade in front of the kids. After she red at them, she said to Luca, "What''s so great about you? You''re just someone''s mistress! What''s there to show off?" "Madam, but you don''t even have the chance to be a mistress. My dad doesn''t need anyone like you," replied Lanie. The bridesmaid was fuming. With a huff, she stood up and walked away while ignoring the curious looks from around her. Tommy gave his brother a thumbs-up and continued eating. Lanie looked at Luca and said, "Ms. Luca, I didn''t mean to be so harsh." "It''s okay," replied Luca, recognizing that he had a good sense of when to hold back. He would not be this confrontational with just anyone. The bridesmaid had been particrly provocative. That was why Lanie could not help himself. Normally, he would not speak up about things like this.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. *Lanie, that was awesome!" said Rainie. She knew her brother was usually quiet, but when he did speak, it would be a sharp, lengthy rebuttal. *Ms. Luca, please don''t tell Daddy. I''m afraid I''ll get in trouble," said Lanie. If it were not for that woman bothering their mom, he would not have bothered to speak up. How could that woman brag about being better? Their mother was in a league of her own! Any single one of her aplishments could eclipse hers. Chapter 3281 Game-Changing Move ? Chapter 3281 Game-Changing Move Rainie said, "Daddy definitely won''t scold you. He''ll probably praise you instead!" Lanie shook his head and replied, "I don''t want Dad to know. It''s fine if you guys know." Tommy chimed in, "Lanie just wants to act all cool in front of Daddy. No, wait, he actually wants to be as cool as Daddy! But being that cool isn''t a good thing. Now, none of the girls are brave enough to give him love letters." Rainie nodded in agreement with her younger brother, "Yeah! They think he''s too cool, so they don''t give him the letters. Instead, they give them to me and ask me to pass on the letters to him! Lanie, it''s really stressing me out!" Luca could not help butugh when she heard this. "Really?" "Yeah, they stuff all the letters meant for him into my hands!" Lanie added, "Not all of them are for me. Half of them are for you. Don''t worry, this won''tst long." "That''s right. Once you skip grade, no one will know I''m your sister anymore, and they won''t give me any more love letters. You won''t have to deal with them either because those older girls don''t like boys like you!" Rainie was excited at the thought that after this summer, she would not be in the same grade as Lanie anymore. There was not even a hint of disappointment in her voice. Lucaughed even more as she listened to the kids'' conversation. She had been worried that Rainie might not adjust to school without Lanie by her side, but it seemed like she was happy about it. It made sense. Having a genius brother had to put some pressure on her. All she wanted was to enjoy school and learn what she needed, without any extra stress. *People as outstanding as me are always popr, no matter where we go," Lanie suddenly announced. Luca could not help butugh again. It seemed her eldest son had a side she was not aware of. This little bit of vanity was definitely something he got from his father. As Luca smiled, she noticed a waiter passing by and grabbed some juice for the kids. "Drink up and stay hydrated. Do you want any more desserts?" asked Luca. "No thanks, Ms. Luca. I''m stuffed!" Tommy replied with a chuckle, patting his round belly. "Okay, have some water," replied Luca as she handed Tommy a ss of water from the waiter. Tommy took a small sip, and his eyes lit up when he spotted Luke approaching. "Daddy''s here!" Luca looked in the direction he was pointing. Luke had made his way through the crowd. He sat down next to them. Since there were no reporters around and they were surrounded by upper-ss people who would not say anything, Luke did not hold back. He picked up the juice in front of Luca, took a sip, and frowned. "It''s too sweet." "It''s grape juice. It''s supposed to be sweet," replied Luca. She handed Luke the ss of water Lanie had been drinking. "Here, have this. It''s spring water." "Thanks." Luke drank the entire ss. Lanie noticed and asked, "Daddy, were you really thirsty?" Luke nodded. "Yeah, I was." Earlier, he was surrounded by a crowd, with each person holding a ss of wine. They were all trying to make conversation with him. He was holding a ss of wine too, but he did not really drink much. Day drinking did not seem appropriate, and all that talking had made him thirsty. He did not believe alcohol could actually quench thirst. *Let me go grab you another ss of water," suggested Lanie as he walked over to the water station. Rainie scooted up next to Luke and smiled brightly. "Daddy, I have something to tell you." "What is it?" Luke looked at his daughter, his curiosity piqued.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Luca had intended to stop Rainie from speaking but could not manage it in time. "Someone was giving Ms. Luca a hard time earlier." Luke frowned. "Who?" He did not expect anyone to mess with Luca at Percy''s wedding. Everyone here knew she was his date. Who had the nerve to cross that line? "It was Ms. Nina''s assistant. She said Ms. Luca doesn''t deserve to be with you and that only she does. She was trying to warn Ms. Luca to stay away from you," exined Rainie. Even though Lanie had already taught that bridesmaid a lesson on behalf of their mother, Rainie felt upset. Their mother was not some homewrecker! She was amazing and had done so much to protect them, enduring a lot of hardship along the way. These people had no right to talk about her like that! Luke turned to Luca. "Our kids already took care of it," added Luca. She recalled how smug that bridesmaid had looked earlier, clearly believing her youth gave her the upper hand. Then, she added with a yful smile on her face, "It seems like you''re still in high demand, Mr. Crawford!" *Knock it off. Was it one of the bridesmaids?" asked Luke. *Daddy, how did you know that?" Rainie jumped in. "Do you remember what the bridesmaid looks like?" Luke shook his head. "No, I don''t. I just guessed. After all, there''s no one else here bold enough to talk trash about your mom, except for one of the bridesmaids." Nina had no choice but to ask some of Brilliant''s employees to fill in as bridesmaids. Her social circle was not that big, and Luca and Sue could not stand in for her. Otherwise, she would not have had to rely on the single women from thepany to be her bridesmaids. "Daddy, you''re so smart! It was the same bridesmaid who wanted to ride in our car. She even made fun of Ms. Luca!" added Tommy. Luke''s frown deepened. "Really?" Luca shook her head and said, "It''s Nina''s wedding. Let''s not make things awkward." Luke let out a cold chuckle. "Looks like that assistant is out of a job." "Yes, fire her!" Tommy agreed, nodding enthusiastically. Luca felt helpless, feeling a bit exasperated with their reactions. "Whether she stays or not isn''t something to decide right now. Look at how happy Mr. Mallory and Nina are. Let''s not ruin their day over something so trivial." She nced over at Percy and Nina. The couple were surrounded by guests who were taking photos with them. *Should we go over and take a photo?" Luke realized they had not taken one with Nina yet since Luca had been busy looking after the kids. *Shall we?" Luca nced at him and then the kids. Just then, Lanie returned with a ss of water and handed it to Luke. "Here, Daddy. Drink up." *Thanks," replied Luke as he downed the water in one go. Then, he grabbed Tommy''s and Lanie''s hands, while Luca took Rainie''s hand. They all walked over to Nina. When Nina saw the five of them approaching, her face lit up. "You finally made it!" "If you hadn''te soon, I was about to grab the photographer and drag you over here myself!" Nina said with augh, looking much more rxed now that the ceremony was over. The earlier awkwardness hadpletely disappeared, and she seemed to be enjoying the moment. "I saw that you were surrounded by so many people earlier, so I figured we''d wait until things calmed down a bit. Now that there''s no one around, we can take some photos," replied Luca as she guided the three kids to stand in front. She stood next to Nina. Luke took his ce beside Percy. The photographer quickly clicked the shutter several times in a row. Chapter 3282 Old Master Crawford Acknowledges Her ? Chapter 3282 Old Master Crawford Acknowledges Her After the photos were taken, Old Master Crawford hobbled over with his cane and chuckled. "How about the old man joins in for a picture too?" "Of course!" Nina quickly let go of Percy''s arm and helped the old man to the center. *Luke, go stand next to Luca," instructed Old Master Crawford, Luke obediently moved to stand beside Luca while the kids remained in front. The photographer snapped several more shots. Then, they had Old Master Crawford sit down on a chair, with the kids standing by his side and the rest of them standing behind. The photographer clicked a few more times. After giving a thumbs-up, signaling they were done, Nina grabbed Luca''s arm and said, "Could you help us take a few more photos?" The photographer nodded and took a few shots of just them as well. Nina then asked, "My assistant went to look for you earlier, right?" Luca was surprised. "How did you know?" "I noticed it. She''s..." Nina heaved a sigh. "I''ve always had this feeling she''s got a thing for Mr. Crawford, but I didn''t want to make a fuss. After all, she hadn''t done anything too outrageous until now. What did she say to you?" *She said some pretty inappropriate things," Luca answered inly, "Wow, guess I''ll be hiring a new assistant after my honeymoon," muttered Nina. She did not expect her assistant''s crush on Luke to be so intense that she would go so far as to say something to Luca and the kids. What a mess! Luca replied, "I wasn''t nning on bringing this up at your wedding." "You didn''t have to. I already had my suspicions. She''s fresh out of college, and it''s easy to tell what''s on her mind. I thought she was just trying to get close to you, but it turns out she really has no boundaries. "Honestly, it''s for the best. She''s not that great at her job anyway. Thest time, rumors about my swollen face spread all throughout thepany, and my investigation pointed back to her. But without solid proof, I couldn''t just fire her for it," exined Nina. Luca replied in a helpless tone, "Mr. Crawford''s just too popr. It''s hard to avoid such things from happening." "I get it. A lot of women in thepany have a crush on him too, but they''re more subtle about it. They either keep it to themselves or see him as a distant idol. Not like her. She''s got her head full of ideas about getting close to him," said Nina. Luca was about to say more, but someone else came up to Nina for a photo, so she let it go. She nced at Luke, who was once again surrounded by people. She decided to take the kids back to their table. Their sses had been cleared away, so Luca asked, "Kids, do you want something to drink? I''ll go grab it." "Ms. Luca, we''re full! No need," replied Tommy, shaking his head. Lanie and Rainie also shook their heads. They were not the kind of kids who overindulged. They would eat just enough. *Alright. Let''s just sit and chat until the banquet starts," suggested Luca. While the kids were talking to Luca, Old Master Crawford walked over and sat in an empty chair, grinning. "Why is everyone hanging out here?" "Great-Grandpa!" the three kids greeted the old man cheerfully. Luca also greeted him, "Grandpa." "Hmm, why are you all sitting here?" Old Master Crawford asked with curiosity. He was surrounded by quite a few people earlier, and if it were not for Luke stepping in to help, he would have still been stuck chatting with them. It was tiring being the center of attention for so long. "We''re just chatting!" Tommy replied with a smile. "Why aren''t you ying?" Old Master Crawford asked the three kids. Many guests had brought their kids along, so there were plenty of opportunities to make friends. Tommy replied, "There''s nothing fun to do, and we don''t really know the other kids." "But you know Kari and Teri!" Old Master Crawford wanted to understand why his great-grandchildren were not interested in ying with the other kids. Lanie quickly chimed in, "Great-Grandpa, we''re staying here to keep Ms. Lucapany." Luca was not officially part of the Crawford family, and some people still saw her as an outsider. The kids were worried she might be mistreated, so they stayed by her side. Plus, they were not the kind of kids who were overly yful. Old Master Crawford turned to look at Luca and immediately understood why the kids had not gone to y with the others. He nodded approvingly. "It''s good to see you taking care of others at such a young age. Very impressive." *Of course! We''ll protect Ms. Luca, Great-Grandpa, and Daddy too!" Tommy dered proudly. The child''s words made the old man burst intoughter. Luca smiled and said to Lanie, "Lanie, can you get a ss of water for your Great-Grandpa?" "Sure!" Lanie stood up, fetched a ss of water, and respectfully ced it in front of Old Master Crawford. "Here you go, Great-Grandpa." "Good boy!" Old Master Crawford was very pleased with how Luca had raised the kids.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "Grandpa, would you like some snacks?" asked Luca. He had been busy talking to people, so she figured he might be hungry. Old Master Crawford shook his head. "No, I''m not hungry." "Alright." Luca nodded. They sat together until it was nearly time for the banquet to start. Luca helped Old Master Crawford up, and the three kids followed closely behind as they headed to the banquet hall. Many people noticed Luca assisting Old Master Crawford. Some of the guests could not help but whisper to each other, "Looks like he approves of Luke''s choice of partner." "Of course. If he didn''t, do you think she''d be here at the wedding?" replied another person. "I told you to strike up a conversation with her earlier, but you refused because you didn''t think she had the right status. Now, look. If Old Master Crawford himself acknowledges her, are you still going to say she''s not good enough?" a man teased his wife. "How was I supposed to know?" retorted the woman. "She was just sitting there with the kids, looking all isted. No one was talking to her, so why should I?" *Use your brain! Her status might not be official, but she''s a pharmaceutical professor, for heaven''s sake. Haven''t you seen the reports? That medicine she developed has saved so many lives. Hospitals are using it for treatments, and it''s much more effective than regr drugs!* Another person overheard their conversation and could not help but chime in with a little information. He had not spoken to Luca either. It was simply because hispany had nothing to do with pharmaceuticals. If he were in that industry, he would have jumped at the chance towork with her. These people were so focused on the fact that Luca was Luke''s girlfriend that theypletely overlooked her impressive capabilities! The man scoffed at their narrow-mindedness. "Is she really that impressive?" The woman who had been looking down on Luca just moments ago could not help but gasp in surprise. "She is. The project she''s working on now is being watched closely by the whole industry. Everyone''s waiting for her to finish developing the new drug. "Even if it doesn''t turn out as groundbreaking as herst one, she has already made a name for herself. As long as nothing major goes wrong, her career is only going to keep soaring," exined the man. Chapter 3283 Daddy Is Into Good Looks ? Chapter 3283 Daddy Is Into Good Looks The moment the man finished speaking, several people showed a hint of regret on their faces. They only knew that Luca was Luke''s lover. They had no idea she had such capabilities, or that Old Master Crawford had already epted her. *There''s something else you all don''t know," said one of them, and everyone''s attention shifted to his face. "What is it?" a woman asked. "Is there something else that''s amazing about her?" "That woman is something else. Do you remember Jack Norman''s wife? She fell ill, and it was Luca who figured out what was wrong and prescribed the treatment that helped her recover. "My rtive, who''s a nurse at the hospital, said her dry needling technique is different from everyone else''s, but it''s more effective. The thing is, she rarely treats anyone. If you don''t have a connection with her, she won''t even acknowledge you," exined the man. He was not just making this up. Luke had made the arrangements. It was time to let these people know what Luca was capable of. If she kept staying low-profile, people would still gossip even after she revealed her true identity. It would be better to shut them up now before that happened. "She''s really something else!" murmured the woman. "If I had known, I would''ve made small talk with her. Maybe she could treat my father''s illness!" *Exactly! Your dad''s been sick for so long. She might really be able to help him recover," someone else chimed in. Everyone then entered the banquet hall. Luca sat down with the children at the seats that had been arranged for them. Percy and Nina had made sure to ce her close to the front. The moment she sat down, she could feel people looking in her direction. Perhaps they were not looking at her directly, but they were definitely ncing her way. Luca felt ufortable. It was not like she was not used to being stared at, especially with Old Master Crawford sitting nearby, who naturally drew attention. However, when they were outside in the reception area, they had not been sizing her up like this. Now, all of a sudden, everyone seemed to be watching her. She had a feeling something was about to happen. "Ms. Luca, so many people are staring at you," Tommy whispered in her ear. "Are they really looking at me?" questioned Luca. "Yes, they''re all looking at you," Tommy confirmed confidently. Luca could no longer sit still anymore. She rose to her feet and said to the three kids, "I''m going to check on the bride in the dressing room. Stay here and behave. Don''t wander off." "Got it, Ms. Luca," the three kids replied in unison. Luca smiled at Old Master Crawford and Mr. Griffin, then hurriedly left, feeling like she was escaping. It was not until she stepped into the bride''s dressing room that she felt the prickling stares disappear. "Luca?" Nina nced at her from the side. Luca came back to her senses and smiled warmly. "You look gorgeous!" "It''s nice, but why do I have to wear all this jewelry again?" Nina was on the verge of tears. She had to wear all these heavy essories when she left the house and during the ceremony. Even though they were beautiful, wearing them all at once made her look overly luxurious, almost like a show-off. "Well, you''ve got to let everyone see how much your inws adore you at the banquet, right?" Luca walked behind Nina and took over the job of helping her put on the jewelry from the stylist. "I''ll handle it." The stylist nodded and stepped aside. Luca carefully ced each piece of jewelry on Nina, one by one. Nina could feel the weight on her gradually increasing. *This is the burden of being spoiled." Nina let out a sigh, touching the jewelry adorning her neck. There were a few gold nes and a few encrusted with diamonds and other gemstones. "Give me your hand," said Luca, picking up the bracelets and bangles. "My wrists are about to snap under all this weight," replied Nina, looking at her delicate wrists, which were now carrying more than they could bear. After fastening everything. Nina asked, "Why did you suddenlye in here?" "I just wanted to check in on you." "But you looked a little flustered when you came in." Nina had taken notice of that. *Alright, I''ll be honest. The people who were ignoring me were suddenly staring at me. Some were looks of curiousity, others were scrutinizing. I couldn''t take it, so I came here to hide," Luca answered honestly. She had, indeed,e to escape. *They''re probably just noticing how much attention you''re getting!" Nina guessed. Luca slipped the rings onto her fingers. "Well, your room is a good ce to hide for now." "You''ll have to go back out there eventually," Nina reminded her. Avoiding it would not solve the problem. "When I go out, you''ll being too. Everyone''s eyes will be on your jewelry collection, and they''ll forget all about me," replied Luca. Jewelry was far more captivating to people. To men, it represented value. To women, it symbolized status. Nina stuck out her tongue yfully. Once Luca had finished helping her put on all the jewelry, she sat down to chat with her for a while. It was not until a hotel staff member came in to remind them the wedding banquet would begin in ten minutes that LucaContent provided by N?velDrama.Org. finally left. She returned to her seat. By then, the wedding host was already on stage, asking everyone to quiet down. *Ms. Luca, why were you gone for so long?" Tommy whispered. "I was chatting with the bride," answered Luca. It would be a little embarrassing to admit she had been hiding out with Nina and only came back just before the banquet started. Hence, she left that part out. As she spoke, she nced sideways at Luke, who was sitting a seat away from her. He had a faint smile on his lips. Luca blushed. He must have known that she had been hiding. She cleared her throat and took a sip of juice. Tommy leaned in again and whispered, "Ms. Luca, while you were gone, that bridesmaid came over to talk to Daddy again." Luca raised an eyebrow, nced at Luke, and said nonchntly, "You sure have a lot of admirers, Mr. Crawford." "Right back at you," replied Luke. Tommy added, "But Daddy didn''t even give that weirddy a single look." "Weirddy?" Luca asked with curiosity. "I''ve seen a lot of people try to strike up conversations with Daddy, but very few do it over and over like that," exined Tommy. He had the authority toment on such matters as Luke''s son. Luca replied, "Actually, there are others." Tommy immediately thought of someone and nodded in agreement. There were others, but... "Thatdy isn''t even attractive. How can she be so confident? Doesn''t she know Daddy is into good looks?" Once he finished speaking, his chubby face was instantly pinched by Luke. *Tommy, where did you leam suchnguage?" questioned Luke. He was clearly speechless at beingmented on like that by his own son. "Daddy, it hurts!" Tommy''s big eyes looked innocent as heined. Luke reluctantly released his grip. "I didn''t pinch you hard." Tommy grinned and replied, "But it''s still embarrassing..." He added, "I learned it at school! A lot of girls say they''re into good looks and only like good-looking guys!" Chapter 3284 A Lifetime Of Love And Happiness ? Chapter 3284 A Lifetime Of Love And Happiness Rainie heard her little brother and shook her head. Tommy noticed and asked with confusion "Rainie, did I say something wrong?" "Yes, yes you did!" replied Rainie. "Someone who''s into good looks likes anyone who''s attractive, but our father is very loyal, so he''s not one of those." "Oh, I get it now." Tommy was suddenly enlightened. Luke felt a bit helpless. Kids these days... Did they really know everything? Sometimes, he could not even understand what they were talking about. Luke nced at Luca, feeling a bit lost. Were they getting old? Why did they not understand half of what the kids were saying? Luca caught his gaze, smiled, and said, "Rainie''s right." Luke felt a little disoriented, realizing that maybe he was the one getting old, not Luca. The wedding banquet had officially begun. Nina, wearing a pristine white wedding dress, opened the doors and slowly walked toward Percy as the music yed. All eyes were on her. Several bridesmaids followed behind her. Luca noticed one of the bridesmaids ncing in their direction. It was the same person who had tried to provoke her earlier. Luca smiled and did not pay the bridesmaid any mind, focusing instead on the couple on stage. She wished for Nina''s happiness. She had also fulfilled the promise she made before. Even if she was no longer using Bianca''s identity, deep down, she was still the same person. A lot had changed, even her temper, but some things would never change. She wished Nina and Percy a lifetime of love and happiness. After the banquet, the guests began to leave. Luke and Luca helped Old Master Crawford into his car and then returned to their own. Just as Luke was about to drive off, that same bridesmaid suddenly stepped in front of the car, blocking them. Luca teased, "Mr. Crawford, some admirers just can''t be shaken off no matter what you do." This was her first time encountering someone this persistent. The reason why Luca thought the bridesmaid was so persistent was that she had never seen anyone try to get close to Luke so many times in just one day. It was not unusual for someone to be undeterred after being rejected by him, but for her to make so many attempts in such a short time? That took courage. Luke stared at the woman standing in front of the car. His expression darkened. He had no intention of getting out of the car and just red at her through the windshield. This woman had no sense of self-preservation. The three kids in the back watched the scene unfold while whispering to each other. "Daddy hasn''t dealt with someone this difficult in a long time." "Yeah, they usually run off after Daddy scares them a little." "Doesn''t thisdy understand what ''no'' means? Daddy has already turned her down..." Luca could not help but chuckle when she heard them chattering. The bridesmaid, in her pink and purple dress, stood her ground, clearly not nning to leave unless Luke got out of the car. *Maybe you should go talk to her?" Luca suggested with a smirk. "I''ve already turned her down." Luke picked up his phone to call Percy. "Yeah, I can back him up on that! Daddy has made himself very clear!" Tommy chimed in from the back. Luca listened to Luke talk on the phone and stayed quiet. After a moment, the bridesmaid, noticing that Luke still was not getting out of the car, shot Luca a nasty re. It was as though she had stolen her spot. Luca heaved a helpless sigh. A whileter, two security guards came over and said something to the bridesmaid standing in front of the car. Luca overheard bits and pieces. They were basically asking her not to cause a disturbance to others. However, the bridesmaid insisted that she was not causing a disturbance but pursuing her true love. The guards nced into the car. They saw that Luke already had a wife and kids. They could not help but wonder what she said about pursuing her true love. Some people were just unbelievable. Iwas When the guards realized that the bridesmaid was not listening, they simply said, "Sorry about this." The next moment, they lifted her and carried her away. With no one blocking the car anymore, Luke drove off. As they approached the venue''s gates, Luca noticed Anna and Jean were still standing outside. She frowned and said, "They''re still here." Luke nced over. "Inform Percy." *I''ll do it. You focus on driving," replied Luca. If Percy''s wedding car came through the main gates, there was a chance these two would cause a scene by rushing to block it. That would not look good. Luca grabbed Luke''s phone and called Percy. The call was answered quickly. "The bridesmaid hasn''t been dealt with yet?" Percy assumed Luke was calling again about the bridesmaid issue. "No, Mr. Mallory, it''s Luca. I just saw Anna and Jean outside the main gates. Maybe you should take a different exit when you head back." The security guards were keeping them out. Therefore, they could not enter. However, it was clear Anna and Jean were not giving up as they were waiting outside. Since they did not enter the venue and were not causing any chaos yet, there was not much the guards could do. "Got it. Thanks." Percy''s tone grew heavier. After hanging up, Luca noticed they were already driving away. She ced the phone back and let out a sigh." What a mess..." "They''re probably broke,"mented Luke. "Huh? You know something?" Luca was curious. "I''ve heard bits and pieces," said Luke. "After getting the money, Jean kept pestering Anna for it to start his own business. She finally caved and gave him a million. He used it to buy a low-end bar. Besides selling alcohol, he got involved in some shady dealings. The police came after him multiple times." Luca immediately understood what those shady dealings might be. "Did he ever get arrested?" asked Luca. "No, he''s gotten pretty clever about covering his tracks. The police didn''t detain him, but he got fined a few times. Word is, those fines added up. His bar isn''t exactly high-end, so he wasn''t making much money to begin with.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org. "What little he earned went straight to paying fines. During that time, it seemed like every time the police made a bust, Jean was pretty much filling half their quota," exined Luke. Luca heaved another sigh. "Why can''t he just run a proper business?" Luke shook his head. "Well, eventually, he realized things weren''t working out. He wasn''t making much money to begin with, and the fines were eating away at whatever little profit he had. "So, he decided to go legit. But legit businesses don''t bring in as much as the shady stuff, so he started watering down the drinks and selling fake liquor." Luca was rendered speechless. Fake liquor could seriously harm people! Was Jean trying to get himself thrown in jail? Tommy asked, "What happened after that, Daddy?" "What happened? Well, no one died from the fake liquor, but the bar''s reputation went down the drain. No one wanted to go there anymore. In the end, Jean had no choice but to sell the bar at a huge loss," continued Luke. As Luca listened, she thought back to the Jean she knew from when they studied abroad. Back then, he did not seem like this kind of person. She never would have imagined he would end up like this. Chapter 3285 Are You Really The Brides Family? ?Chapter 3285 Are You Really The Bride''s Family? Tommy asked, "Daddy, would you say this is a case of wasting a golden opportunity?" "I''d say so," replied Luke. Even though two million dors might not be much to them, it was a lot of money for an average family. If Jean had decided to turn his life around, find a job with his degree, and use that two million as a foundation, he could have livedfortably. Luca was still a bit puzzled. "But didn''t Mr. Mallory give them more than a million?" "Chances are, the rest was squandered away," answered Luke. Luca''s eyes widened. "How did he blow through that much money?" "He''s always been reckless with money, and with Anna spoiling him, it wouldn''t take long to spend the rest," replied Luke. Luca thought he had a point and said nothing more. After seeing off all the guests, Percy settled the bill with the hotel and walked into the bridal suite. Nina had already changed into a red dress, with all the heavy jewelry removed and packed away. "Are all the guests gone?" Upon seeing Percy enter the room, Nina smiled and asked. "Yes, all gone. Got everything packed?" asked Percy. "Yeah, the dress and jewelry are in these suitcases. Once they''re loaded into the car, we can head out," answered Nina. "Alright, let''s go," Percy responded as a few bodyguards came in to carry the suitcases. These were priceless items, so Percy hired security to handle them.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. As they left, Nina noticed they were not going through the same gates they had entered earlier. "Why are we leaving this way?" "It''s easier," exined Percy. "The main gates are crowded with guests." "But the bodyguards went that way." Nina noticed that. Then, something clicked in her mind. Frowning, she asked, "Is Jean at the main gates?" "Honey, it''s our wedding day. Let''s not worry about people who''ll spoil your mood." Percy gently squeezed her hand. Nina smiled. "So, it''s true, then?" Percy felt helpless. He truly did not want her to be bothered by this. Nina continued, "I''m not upset. I already knew what was going on, and I know Luca handled the issue for me from the start." "You knew?" Percy was surprised. Who told her? "Of course, I knew! Even though you and Luca didn''t say anything, some guests mentioned it, and I overheard. They tried to make a scene at the reception, didn''t they? They imed to be my mother and brother even though they didn''t have invitations. "If I hadn''t warned the staff ahead of time, they might''ve let them in. I''m just surprised they''re waiting outside after being kicked out." She did not think Anna and Jean were the type to have that much patience. Unless they ran out of money, they would not stick around and waste their time like this. However, it had only been a few months since thest incident. Had they blown through all their money so quickly? *Jean is a spender. He can''t get anything right and wasted all the money," said Percy. He had been keeping tabs on them for a while. However, those were Jean''s choices, and he did not intervene. Some people were like that. Even if he stepped in and tried to help, they might listen for a while, but could they really listen forever? The answer was no. Jean was the type who did not take advice. Nina was about to say that since Anna valued money so much, she should not have let Jean waste it. However, she then realized that Anna only had Jean as her child. People who favored their sons often excessively pampered them. Given that, it did not seem so strange anymore. With Anna spoiling Jean so much, of course, Jean would end up taking advantage and getting whatever he wanted with just a few sweet words. Nina felt helpless, but it did not really affect her mood. Even though she knew Anna and Jean were around, they did not make a scene in front of her, so it did not bother her. Everything that had happened over the years,bined with their family issues, had made her numb. As long as Anna and Jean did not cause trouble directly in front of her, she would feel indifferent. Now that she had cut ties with them, the only remaining connection between them was their blood ties. That blood rtion had worn thin over the years, so it had little emotional impact left. "There''s one more thing," added Percy when he saw that she was in a better mood. He decided to share everything. "What?" Nina came back to her senses, having been lost in her thoughts. "Marie is still clinging to Jean," continued Percy. His subordinates were always keeping tabs on Anna and Jean, so they reported every detail. Nina frowned. "He actually epted someone like Marie?" She thought Jean was out of his mind. Marie was such a terrible person. Still, Jean was willing to be with her? He blew all his money, so he could not get any other woman? *Some things are just bizarre. When Jean had money, he would never have looked at Marie. But now that he''s broke and all his previous women have left, he''s willing to be with Marie since she''s clinging to him." Percy was puzzled as well. Jean was rtively well-off previously. How could he settle for someone like Marie? Was he so desperate that he could not stand being alone? Nina asked, "What about Anna? Is she okay with it?" "If she could oppose it, would Jean have squandered all that money?" questioned Percy. Nina nodded. Anna would probably be driven mad by Jean. However, all the things between them had already been settled. The rest was no longer her concern. On the other hand, Jean''s and Anna''s legs were aching from standing. They watched luxury cars leave one after another but did not see the main wedding car. They could not help but frown. When the guards confirmed thest car had left, they closed the gates. Jean hurried over, pulling out a cigarette and offering it to the security guard. "Hey, why are you closing the gates already?" The guard did not take the cigarette and replied calmly, "There''s no one left inside. Of course, we''re closing the gates." "How could there be no one? The main wedding car hasn''te out yet," Jean replied with his brows furrowed together. The guard rolled his eyes and said, "In a hotel this size, the fire department wouldn''t let us operate if we didn''t have multiple entry and exit points." Jean felt as though he had been struck by lightning. Did that mean Nina had already left through another exit? That was impossible! "Are you messing with us?" Jean asked skeptically. Still, he had never been to such an upscale ce, so he was not entirely sure. "Why would I mess with you?" The security guard frowned. "Are you really the bride''s family? Why are you being treated so poorly?" Jean did not answer. He walked over to Anna, looking dejected, and said, "That damn Nina left through another exit." Chapter 3286 Blown All The Money ? Chapter 3286 Blown All The Money "What? There''s another exit?" Anna''s eyes widened. "Is he messing with you? Maybe we should bribe him so that he''ll let us in?" *Do we even have any money left?" Jean kicked the wall in frustration. The security guard inside overheard and warned, "Don''t kick the wall! If you break it, you''ll have to pay for it." Annoyed, Jean ran his hand through his hair. His legs were numb from standing too long. He wanted nothing more than to sit down right there. However, their clothes were rented, and if they got them dirty, they would have trouble returning them. He heaved a sigh and said to Anna, "Let''s go home." "We''re just leaving like this? What about the money?" Anna nced inside, clearly unwilling to give up. "We''ll have other chances to get the money," replied Jean. *Today was the best chance! They''d want to avoid any trouble at the wedding, so they''d give us the money more easily." Anna pouted, clearly displeased. That had been their n. They knew no one would want a scene at the wedding. If they asked for the money now, they were sure to get it. "Let''s go. Our rental time on these clothes is almost up." Jean reminded her. Anna looked at her dress. There was a hint of reluctance in her eyes. It was such a nice dress, and she rarely had the chance to wear something like this. Even after they got that money from Percy, she did not splurge on nice clothes. Instead, she chose to put it into a savings ount for the interest and to help Jean find a good wife. However, after she found a suitable person, Marie shamelessly wormed her way in. On top of that, Jean had blown all the money. Anna felt like she had not had a single good day for herself. Now that things ended up like this, she was bitter inside. "Let''s go," urged Jean, worried that they would be charged extra if they werete with returning the clothes. *Fine." Anna reluctantly followed him. After returning the clothes, they both headed home, looking dejected. As soon as they walked in, Marie excitedly stood up and asked, "So? Did you get the money?" "Money, money, money! All you ever think about is money!" Anna shot her an angry re. Marie was startled but quickly understood. They did not get the money, and Anna was taking it out on her. Her eyes immediately welled up with tears as she looked at Jean, feeling wronged. "Jean, did I say something wrong?" Jean did not bother responding. Desperate to figure out what went wrong, Marie asked, *Jean, tell me what happened. Maybe I can help you figure it out? You never know, we might still get the money." Still, Jean stayed silent.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Marie clenched her teeth and said, "Are you telling me they''d give up their pride for a little money? How stingy can they be? And Nina, seriously? She''s willing to throw away her pride and ignore her own mom and brother for some cash? "You know what, we should take this online and post it everywhere! Let the inte take our side. Maybe we''ll even go viral. And if we do, we can make money from that. No more begging Nina for money!" *An influencer? Are you dreaming?" Anna looked at her with pure sarcasm. "You think you could be an influencer? Don''t make me dieughing!" "What''s wrong with me?" Marie snapped back, feeling defensive. Back in the day, people lined up down the block just to get a chance with her. *I''ve never seen an uglier influencer," Anna shot back. Her bad mood fuelled her sharp tongue. "You!" Marie''s eyes turned red with anger. She wished she could p Anna across her face, but she held back. After all, she was still living here and could not afford topletely fall out with her. *Not all influencers are good-looking. Some get popr by ying the victim. Everything I''m saying is for Jean''s sake, so why are youing at me?" "For Jean''s sake?" Anna''s eyes reddened too. Marie was nothing but bad luck! Ever since Jean got involved with her, nothing had gone right! His life had gone downhill. He could not seed at anything, and they even lost a house. If it were not for Jean insisting on letting her stay, Anna never would have allowed her in their home. "You-" Anna started to say something, but Jean cut in, feeling irritated, "Enough! Is bickering all you two are good at?" Anna fell silent, ring at Marie with hatred. Marie shot a re right back. "You''ve been home all day. Did you make anything to eat?" Jean, having stood outside for so long, was hungry. Marie was startled for a moment. "No, I thought you''d get the money and we''d all go out to celebrate." "Yeah, you wish," scoffed Anna. She had nned to kick Marie out the moment they got the money. If Jean had money, he would drop her in a heartbeat. However, it seemed Marie had other ns now. If this whole failed business venture had not been unrted to Marie, Anna would have used that as an excuse to kick her out already. "You!" Marie wanted to p back. Jean interrupted, "Enough. I''m hungry. Go make dinner." Marie reluctantly rose to her feet. The only reason she came crawling back to Jean was for his money, but after getting close again, she realized his business had flopped. At least, he still had the house. Feeling frustrated, she secretly cursed Jean as a loser in her head and headed to the kitchen to cook. Once she was out of earshot, Anna leaned closer to Jean and whispered, "What are you thinking? Why haven''t you kicked her out yet?" Jeanzily shrugged his shoulders and said nothing. Anna pped his arm and said, "I''m asking you a question. What''s so good about that woman? We don''t even have money right now, and we''ve got another mouth to feed. I can''t keep doing this." *She doesn''t eat that much," replied Jean, still lounging. "Besides, you have someone to do the chores now. You don''t even have to lift a finger. Isn''t that nice?" Sure, having someone do the chores was nice. However, Anna could not stand the thought of keeping someone around who constantly mouthed off and irritated her. *Do whatever you want. That woman has messed you over so many times, and you still haven''t learned your lesson." Then, Anna walked into her room and mmed the door shut. She waspletely against Jean letting Marie stay. However, her son had his own ideas these days. Even if she did not agree, what could she do? There was nothing she could do about it! Jean did not pay any attention to what Anna said. After prepping the ingredients and putting them into the pot, Marie walked out of the kitchen and asked in a low voice, "Where''s your mom?" "She''s in her room," Jean answeredzily. Hey on the couch, reminiscing about the good old days. He really missed those days... Back then, he had money, women, and people constantly ttering him, calling him "Mr. Langdon". It felt amazing. Jean could not get used to his current situation at all. "What are you going to do if you can''t get the money?" asked Marie. "What else? We''ll just keep asking for it," replied Jean, lounging with his eyes half-closed. He was confident that he could get back to those glorious days. "I don''t think this is working," replied Marie. "I remember you bought two ident insurance policies before. Maybe you could get some cash out of that?" Chapter 3287 ?Chapter 3287 Whose Family Is She Visiting? Jean narrowed his eyes. "What are you getting at?" *That insurance policy you got for your mom. You can figure out a way to get thepany to pay out. At least that''ll help get us through this rough patch, right?" Marie thought she was giving him a brilliant suggestion. *You must''ve lost your mind!" Jean exploded in anger. "How dare you even think about targeting my mom?!" Tomit insurance fraud, Anna would need to get hurt. If there was no injury, there would be no payout. Even though Jean had fallen on hard times, he would never harm his mother. After all, Anna''s pension was barely enough to get by, and it was the only thing keeping them afloat. If he wanted the wealth and sess he once had, he would have to ask Percy for money.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Marie looked hurt. "I''m just trying to help you. We''ve got no money left. Don''t you want to start a business again and be the boss?" Jean stayed silent. Of course, he wanted that! As the thought ran through his mind, he cursed under his breath, "Screw it, I''ll go to Percy''s ce tomorrow and ask for some money!" Seeing him finallye to this conclusion, Marie nodded in satisfaction. After all, she had been the one to push him into causing a scene at the wedding. Originally, neither Anna nor Jean had nned to stir up trouble. They had not even intended to go. If it had not been for her persuasion, they would still be sitting around doing nothing. "What''s that burning smell?" Jean suddenly asked. "Oh no!" Marie yelped and ran to the kitchen. She had not noticed that the water had dried up in the pot, and now, the food was burnt and stuck to the bottom. Jean followed her into the kitchen and saw the mess. He scolded her, "You can''t even cook a meal right!" "I was just too caught up in talking with you," Marie tried to y it off by using a bit of a flirty tone to soften the mood. However, Anna came out of her room when she smelled the food burning. She stormed into the kitchen and yelled angrily. "Marie, what''s wrong with you? You can''t even cook a meal without burning it? Are you trying to kill me and Jean?!" A dark look flickered in Marie''s eyes, and she silently cursed Anna, You old hag!'' Still, she only dared curse in her mind. Out loud, she quickly apologized, "I''m sorry, I was just talking to Jean and didn''t notice." *Hmph!" Anna snorted coldly. "You think a simple apology is gonna cut it? Or maybe you did it on purpose, hoping no one would notice until you burned us both alive?" Marie''s expression darkened. "Hey, that''s not fair! I love Jean. I''d never do something like that!" "Love? Your love is all about money. You only came crawling back because you thought Jean still had potential!* Anna let out all her frustration from the day on Marie. "Well, Jean doesn''t have any money now!" Marie snapped, losing her patience. Jean''s expression fell. Realizing she had said the wrong thing, Marie quickly backpedaled. "I didn''t mean it like that. I came back because I know he''s capable, and I believe in him. I want us to get through this together." Anna was not buying it. She knew this was just Marie''s sweet talk, and only Jean would fall for it! "Keep making up stories," mocked Anna, cutting her down. "I''ve been around longer than you, and I see right through your little schemes. Now that my daughter is married to Percy, you think she won''t let us struggle. That''s why you''re clinging on. "Let''s be real, Marie. It''s not Jean or me you''re after. It''s the Mallory family''s money!" Marie''s face went pale. Anna had seen through herpletely, leaving her no room to hide her real intentions. A wave of anger stabbed her. Then, she heard Anna say, "With what you''ve got to offer, how could you think of spending the Mallory family''s money? Let me tell you something, that''s never going to happen! Once we get the money, I''m kicking you out!" Anna snorted, turned around, and walked out of the kitchen. When Anna saw Jean was still standing there, she added, "Jean, don''t just stand there. The smell of burnt food is in the air, and standing here is bad for your health. Let''s not bother waiting for her to cook tonight. We''ll go out for dinner." Jean nced at Marie and said, "Clean up the kitchen. I''ll bring you back some leftovers." Marie watched the two of them walk out. Her eyes were filled with resentment. They did not treat her like a human being! When Jean said he would bring her food, it was always just the scraps they left behind, and it was never enough to fill her up. *Jean, you''d better get that money soon, or I won''t wait any longer," Marie muttered under her breath. She was desperate, itching to cash out big from Jean and leave. However, since he was broke right now, she had no choice but to stick around and endure. The next day, Jean dragged Anna out of the house first thing in the morning. They went straight to the neighborhood where Percy and Nina lived, but before they even got close, the security guards stopped them. "We''re the mother and brother of the homeowner," exined Jean. *The mother and brother of Mr. Mallory?" The guard frowned, sizing them up. "Mr. Mallory doesn''t have a brother. And we''ve seen his mother before. She doesn''t look like you. Quit ying games, or I''ll call the cops." *Not Mr. Mallory, It''s Ni-I mean, Mr. Mallory''s wife!" Jean emphasized. "I''m Mrs. Mallory''s older brother." "Oh, I see. Well, you''d better leave," replied the guard. "Why? We''re here to see her! You won''t even let us ring the bell?" Jean protested. "You two liars are still talking? Let me tell you something. Mrs. Mallory went to visit her family today. If you were really her mother and brother, what are you doing hanging around here? Isn''t that a joke?" questioned the guard. He knew all about Percy and Nina''s wedding yesterday. Percy had left a generous number of gifts for the security office. They were mostly expensive gifts like liquor, cigarettes, and some sweets. Everyone at the guardhouse thought highly of Percy now. Hence, they were well aware that the couple had gone to visit Nina''s family today. "Oh right, today''s that day." Anna recalled that it was a local tradition of A City after the guard said so. However... "Nina doesn''t have a real family to visit. Where would she even go?" asked Anna, feeling puzzled. *Maybe she''s trying to make peace with us and didn''t want to tell us, so she secretly paid a visit?" Jean wondered as he pulled out his phone. "Let me call Marie and see if Nina took Percy to our ce." Anna thought it was possible but not very likely. ording to the customs in A City, a lot of preparations were required for a family visit after the wedding. Nina was not likely to be nning any surprises. Sure enough, after Jean made the call, it was confirmed that Nina and Percy had note by. He furrowed his brows together. "Whose family did she visit, then?" Anna asked with frustration. The security guard overheard their conversation and found it amusing. He took note of it, nning to mention it to Percyter. These people were trying to cause trouble by pretending to be Nina''s rtives. *Please leave. You''re blocking the entrance. This is a gate for luxury cars, and if you damage someone''s vehicle, you won''t be able to afford the repairs." The guard chased them away. Chapter 3288 What Kind Of Parents Are You? ? Chapter 3288 What Kind Of Parents Are You? Anna and Jean knew there was no way the guard would lie to them, so they awkwardly left. Percy was indeed taking Nina for a post-wedding visit. However, this visit was taking ce at Crawford Manor, not Anna''s house. Old Master Crawford had put on a perfectly pressed suit early in the morning and was now sitting on the couch, eagerly waiting for his godson-inw, Percy, and Nina to arrive. As he watched Mr. Griffin and the maids busy with the preparations, Old Master Crawford was beaming with delight. His smile stretched from ear to ear. *Old Master Crawford, please have some tea," said Mr. Griffin, bringing a cup of freshly brewed tea. "When will Luke and Luca be here?" asked Old Master Crawford. *Master Luke and Ms. Craw should be arriving soon, and so will Master Louis," replied Mr. Griffin. He had already checked the status of their arrivals ten minutes ago. Even though Nina was only acknowledged as Old Master Crawford''s god-granddaughter, Old Master Crawford loved the lively atmosphere. It was a great pleasure for him to host such a joyous event at the old residence. "Okay." Old Master Crawford took a sip of his tea. Since there was such a celebration at Crawford Manor, they had also hired a hotel chef to cook. Old Master Crawford also invited everyone in the family to join the meal. Susan returnedst night. Susan heard Old Master Crawford''s question as she came downstairs and coldly remarked, "Even my own grandchildren don''t get this treatment, but a god-granddaughter and her husband do? Old Master Crawford, if others find out about this, it''ll be hard to exin." Old Master Crawford red at her. "What do you know?" Susan''s expression changed. She then heard him say, "This godson-inw is highly beneficial to the Crawford family and T Corporation. You, as a woman, shouldn''t talk nonsense if you don''t understand!" Old Master Crawford harshly rebuked. If Percy were not from the Mallory family, no matter how Old Master Crawford was fond of Nina, he would not have gone to such lengths. Aside from feeling indebted to Nina, her marriage was valuable to the Crawford family. Susan understood his point and responded coldly, "Percy fell out with the Mallory family to marry Nina. Father, don''t think that just because Percy is managing the Mallory family now that everything is settled. The Mallory family has more than just Percy and Pierre as heirs. *I heard that Daryl has several kids abroad. Not all of them are outstanding, but picking one as an heir is certainly possible. Your rtionship with Old Master Mallory isn''t great now. "The rtionship between the Crawford and Mallory families is still decent because of Percy. But what if one day, Old Master Mallory changes the heir?" She had gathered this information from Karen. After she ran into Karen that day, they chatted for a long time, and Susan learned many details about the Mallory family, including the number of kids Daryl had abroad. Susan had subtly hinted to Karen to bump into Luca. Susan thought her hints would not work, but she did not expect Karen''s mental state to be so poor that just a small nudge from her would make her actually go through with it. This really took her by surprise. Old Master Crawford calmly took another sip of tea and gave Susan a cold stare. He asked, "How do you know so much about the Mallory family?" Susan was taken aback for a moment and answered instinctively, "Isn''t thismon knowledge?" *You seem to know quite a bit about Daryl''s kids abroad." Old Master Crawford pointed out sharply. "I just heard some things," replied Susan, nervously fiddling with her skirt. "Is that so? Old Master Mallory is very disappointed with his wayward son and never talks about Daryl''s situation abroad. How do you know so much? Did you have someone investigate Daryl? And what does his situation have to do with you?" Old Master Crawford pressed on. Old Master Mallory was known in the circle for being quite conservative. It was especially when it came to lineage and family heritage. That was why he could not ept that Daryl had an affair with someone else, nor could he ept the kids from that affair. This was also why he opposed Percy marrying Nina.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Nina came from a humble background, and Old Master Mallory felt that such genes would not lead to outstanding descendants, which fueled his opposition. Susan was rendered speechless by Old Master Crawford''s questioning. As a daughter-inw of the Crawford family, it was indeed inappropriate for her to investigate someone else''s family. Moreover, Daryl was not connected to the Crawford family. "I just heard it by chance," answered Susan. She was worried that Old Master Crawford might start suspecting things. Over the years, she had endured loneliness for her own benefit and for Louis'' sake. She stayed in the Crawford family without involving herself with other men. She did not even meet them secretly. It was all to protect her own interests. What about Old Master Crawford? He kept disappointing her, and Susan harbored resentment but dared not speak out. If she offended the old master, she would be the one suffering in the end. *Old Master Crawford, Master Luke and Ms. Craw have arrived," said Mr. Griffin as he entered the living room. Susan sarcasticallymented, "Inviting family is one thing, but why invite an outsider?" She was referring to Luca. Old Master Crawford red at her and said, "Luca is not an outsider." *Not an outsider? Are you nning to have Luke and Bianca divorce and find a new granddaughter-inw?" Susan exaggerated. *Back then, you never allowed your grandson to be fickle in rtionships, and you would scold Louis whenever he changed girlfriends. Why is it that when ites to Luke, you''re not criticizing him?" Old Master Crawford found her exaggerated tone grating and felt a headacheing on. It was like dealing with a nagging, quarrelsome creature. "Madam Susan, please stop," said Mr. Griffin, noticing Old Master Crawford''s growing displeasure. Susan shot him a disapproving look. It was as though she was ming him for interfering. Another maid entered and announced, "Old Master Crawford, Master Louis has also arrived." The moment she finished speaking, Luke and Louis walked into the living room, apanied by Luca, Yuri, and Thea. Thea bounced over to Old Master Crawford, cheerfully greeting him, "Good morning, Great-Grandpa." After greeting Old Master Crawford, she turned to Susan and said, "Good morning, Grandma." Old Master Crawford affectionately patted the little girl''s head and said, "Good morning, Thea. Why didn''t you go to school today?" Yuri answered, "Grandpa, Thea has had a bit of a cold and a cough these past few days, so we decided not to send her to school to avoid spreading it to the other kids." "Oh dear, poor Thea is sick?" Old Master Crawford asked with concern. Yuri exined, "Thea kicked off her nket while sleeping at night and didn''t realize it. That''s why she caught a cold." Susan, who had been listening, let out a cold snort. She said, "I told you I wanted to stay with you all so that I could help take care of Thea. If I had been here, the child wouldn''t have gotten sick, but you didn''t want that. "Now look, Thea has fallen sick. What kind of parents are you?" Chapter 3289 The Bride Visits Home ? Chapter 3289 The Bride Visits Home Before Louis and his wife could respond, Old Master Crawford said, "The child used to be frail, so it''s normal for her to get sick sometimes. Look at her now. She''s full of energy and much more cheerful than before. Was she ever like this when she was living with you?" Louis nodded in agreement with the old master. When Thea lived with Susan, she was timid and had poor mental health. However, ever since they moved out, Louis noticed that Thea was getting happier by the day. Originally, Louis thought it was because he and his wife were too busy and had neglected their child, which caused her emotional issues. Now, he finally realized it was Susan who had been pressuring her all along. Without that pressure, Thea was thriving. Even her psychologist was amazed by the rapid progress she had made and praised them as good parents. However, Louis knew the truth. The reason Thea was doing so well was that he had firmly insisted on taking her out of that environment. Even Susan had to admit Thea looked much better now and seemed happier. If it were not for the asional cough, one would not even know she was sick. Still, Susan did not think Louis and his wife deserved any credit. She stubbornly exined, "The psychologist said she was almost better anyway, Isn''t it normal for her to be doing well now?" Louis could not be bothered to argue with her. He knew why Thea had improved, and there was no need to air it out in front of everyone. It would only embarrass Susan, and he would end up being the one caught in the crossfire. Old Master Crawford rolled his eyes, well aware of Susan''s thoughts. The child only improved after leaving her. Was that not enough to prove that something was wrong with Susan''s way of raising her? Louis exchanged a nce with Luke, who gave him a slight nod. Neither Luke nor Luca said a word. Luca checked her phone and said, "Mr. Mallory and Nina are almost here." "They''re almost here?" Old Master Crawford''s face lit up with a smile. "Yes, Old Master Crawford," replied Luca. The old master stood up with the help of his cane and asked Mr. Griffin, "Mr. Griffin, have you opened the doors to the ancestral hall?" Even though Nina was only his god-granddaughter and not a blood rtive of the Crawford family, the custom in A City was that when the bride visited her home after the wedding, the family had to pay respects to the ancestors. Old Master Crawford followed the traditions closely. When Susan heard that the ancestral hall had been opened, she frowned.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The ancestral hall was something the old master treasured deeply. No matter how mischievous the kids got, he never allowed them to y near it, insisting that they stay away to avoid disturbing the ancestors'' peace. Now, he had opened the hall for this so-called god-granddaughter? "Well, well. She''s not even a real member of the Crawford family, and she gets the ancestral hall opened for her. Looks like this god-granddaughter is really something special," Susanmented sarcastically, but no one paid her any attention. The Crawford family all knew why Nina was being given such importance. It was all because of the Mallory family. There was no point in bringing it up. Still, Susan,cking tact as usual, just had to mention it. If it were not for the sound of a car pulling up outside, Old Master Crawford would have said something to her. Percy walked in, holding Nina''s hand. He first exchanged a look with Luke and Louis, greeting them silently. Then, he turned to Old Master Crawford and called out, "Grandpa." He followed Nina''s lead in calling the old master ''Grandpa''. With the Mallory family''s grandson-inw joining the Crawford family, Old Master Crawford was practically glowing with pride. Even Percy, the pride of the Mallory family, was now calling him ''Grandpa''. It was a boost in reputation. "Grandpa," Nina called sweetly. "You''re both such good kids. Come inside and sit," said Old Master Crawford, beaming with joy. Mr. Griffin brought over two cups of tea, and Percy and Nina presented them to Old Master Crawford as a sign of respect. In return, the old master handed each of them a gift. Then, the whole group made their way to the ancestral hall in the backyard. Old Master Crawford was the first to offer candles to the ancestors, then he gestured for Percy and Nina to do the same. Once that was done, they reported the joyous asion to the ancestors. This was followed by a traditional ceremony. It took over two hours toplete. Nina was deeply moved. She thought Old Master Crawford''s approval meant they would just have a ce for her to return to and share a meal. She did not expect him to go all out. It was a heartfelt blessing for the newlyweds. When the ceremony was over, it was time to eat. Mr. Griffin approached and informed them that lunch was still being prepared and would take about another half an hour. Hence, everyone gathered in the living room, drinking tea, eating snacks, and chatting. Nina turned to Luca and asked, "By the way, is there something you haven''t told me?" "Huh?" Luca paused for a moment, trying to recall if there was anything she had not mentioned. She suddenly remembered the incident at the wedding venue yesterday. She smiled and replied, "You''ve already figured it out, no? It wouldn''t have made a difference whether I told you or not." "I guessed as much," said Nina. "Thanks for helping me out again." "We''re friends. That''s what we do for each other. No need to thank me. By the way, when are you and Mr. Mallory going on your honeymoon?" asked Luca. Even though they had been together for a while, the usual post-wedding traditions still applied. A honeymoon would be next, and no matter how busy Percy was, he would definitely take Nina somewhere. "We''re leaving tomorrow, but he hasn''t told me where we''re going yet. He said it''s a surprise," answered Nina. *A surprise sounds wonderful. Who knows, maybe after your honeymoon, there''ll be another piece of good news?" said Luca. She smiled and nced at Nina''s stomach. Nina''s face turned red. She touched her belly and said, "Oh, stop teasing me." "We''re just going with the flow now. I don''t feel that urgency to have a baby like I did before. Sometimes, the best surprisese when you''re not expecting them," Nina said with a smile. "It''s great that you''ve found peace with it," replied Luca. *Yeah, some things just can''t be rushed," said Nina. Meanwhile, Susan had been watching Luca the whole time. She was puzzled by how close Luca and Nina seemed to be. Was Nina not close friends with Bianca back then? Now, she was just sitting by while Bianca''s husband was getting stolen? She was not even reacting? Was that what a good friend did? If Bianca knew her ''good friend'' was acting like this, would she not be furious? Susan watched as Luca and Nina conversed, wondering why everyone around Luke seemed to get along so well with people in Percy''s circle. As the thought crossed her mind, she shot a re at Yuri, who was sitting next to her. Yuri was peeling fruit for Thea. *All you ever do is eat. Don''t you know how to work on your social connections?" Susan muttered under her breath. Yuri froze for a moment, realizing thement was directed at her. She followed Susan''s gaze toward Nina. Then, Yuri quickly looked away. Back when Nina was not as important, she had not bothered to be friendly with her. If she acted all warm and nice now, would that not be strange? Yuri replied, "Mother, I''m peeling this for Thea. She''s hungry." Chapter 3290 A Bunch Of Good-For-Nothings! ? Chapter 3290 A Bunch Of Good-For-Nothings! Susan red at her. "You''re always using the child as an excuse. Now that the Crawford family and the Mallory family are on good terms, why don''t you go chat with Mrs. Mallory? The others might think you don''t like her!" Yuri was getting frustrated. She had no desire to talk to Nina, and she was afraid it would look like she was trying to suck up to her. She nudged Louis with her elbow. Louis had been chatting with Luke and Percy, but after his wife nudged him, he turned to look at her. Yuri shot him a look, signaling for him to deal with Susan. Louisunderstood, but there was nothing he could do. If only he could actually deal with Susan... Susan''s stubbornness was something no one could handle. "You both are a bunch of good-for-nothings!" Susan noticed their nces at each other and got really upset. She was doing this for their own good! Louis was so insistent on running his ownpany, was he not? If they could form a good rtionship with the Mallory family, it would benefit his business. Also, even if he returned to T Corporation one day, it would still help. How could Yuri not see that? Louis ignored her and went back to chatting with Percy. asionally, Old Master Crawford would join in on their conversation. Meanwhile, Yuri continued feeding Thea. The only person sitting in awkward silence was Susan. She wanted to be engaged in conversation, but even Yuri could not be bothered to talk to her, let alone anyone else. Susan felt out of ce. She was part of this family, but she had somehow turned into an outsider. How did that even happen? Luckily, the awkwardness did notst long. After a while, Mr. Griffin came over and announced, "Old Master Crawford, lunch is ready." "Good." Old Master Crawford nodded. With Mr. Griffin''s help, he rose to his feet. "Today is the day my god-granddaughter visited home after her wedding. Even though we''re not doing a full banquet, I still had the hotel''s chefe over to prepare a meal. "So, consider this a feast. Shall we all head to the dining room?" "Sounds good," replied Luke. He stood up and took Luca''s hand. The others followed suit, making their way to the dining room. The long dining table they usually ate at had been reced by a round one, symbolizing reunion. The chef had prepared ten dishes, and each one was made to the highest standards. Once again, Nina felt touched by the Crawford family''s thoughtfulness. She exchanged nces with Percy. She never thought she would experience the full traditional wedding customs, but Old Master Crawford had made sure she did. After the old master took his seat, everyone else followed suit. Susan looked around and noticed that everyone had a partner. Old Master Crawford even had Mr. Griffin by his side to assist him. She was the only one sitting alone, and a sense of loneliness crept over her again. If only Zachary had not cheated. If he had not cheated, he might not have gotten into that car ident. There would not be anyone trying to take her son''s ce as the heir.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. The Crawford family would be smaller but definitely much happier and more united than it was now. As she thought about this on such a joyous day, her eyes reddened. Over the years, she had suffered so much because of Zachary''s affair. She had to endure countless hardships and heartache. She could have been the respecteddy of the Crawford family, but instead, she had to share her title with another woman and fight for what should have been hers alone... Susan''s heart was full of resentment. Luca, who was sitting diagonally across from her, noticed her expression and whispered to Luke, "Madam Crawford doesn''t look quite right." Thanks to her reminder, Luke nced over at Susan. Her eyes were red. Was she about to cry? Crying at a time like this would definitely upset Old Master Crawford. However, there was not much Luke could do, so he pretended not to notice. Meanwhile, the chef and the maids were bringing out one exquisite dish after another, filling the table with a feast that made everyone''s mouth water. Old Master Crawford smiled and said, "No need for formalities today, everyone. Just eat and drink to your heart''s content." Then, Mr. Griffin poured them all some red wine. Old Master Crawford added, "It''s a special day, but I don''t want red wine. Go get me a bottle of whiskey." Mr. Griffin advised, "Old Master, your health isn''t suited for drinking whiskey." "Why not?" Old Master Crawford, ever the stubbom man, insisted. "Red wine is for the younger crowd. I''d like to have some whiskey." "Grandpa, your health can''t handle it," Luke chimed in, shutting down the old man''s request. Mr. Griffin shot Luke a grateful look. The old master was as stubborn as a mule. Without someone stepping in, he would have insisted on finishing a whole bottle of whiskey. "My health is perfectly fine! You should all join me in drinking whiskey instead of that red stuff," Old Master Crawford said defiantly. At that moment, Luca spoke up gently, "Old Master Crawford, drinking a ss of whiskey would undo a whole month''s worth of your health regimen." Old Master Crawford''s eyes widened. "It''s that serious?" Luca nodded. "Yes. All the herbal medicine you''ve been taking and those nightly foot soaks you''ve been doing would be for nothing." The old master immediately shook his head. "No way! Sticking to that health routine hasn''t been easy. I''m not wasting all that effort." He let out a sigh and added, "Fine. No whiskey, then." After a pause, he asked, "But can I still have some red wine?" "You can, just not too much," Luca replied with a smile. Old Master Crawford let out a sigh of relief. At least he could still enjoy a little wine. It would have felt wrong not to drink anything on such a happy asion. With the whiskey issue resolved, everyone rxed. They raised their sses, toasted, and started enjoying the delicious meal. While the Crawford family basked in a warm and joyful atmosphere, elsewhere, Anna and Jean were frantically searching. They were trying to figure out where Percy and Nina had gone. Eventually, Jean got the information from an old drinking buddy. That friend worked as a waiter at a hotel. It was the very same hotel where Old Master Crawford had hired the chef. The chef was the head chef at the hotel, so that guy knew why the Crawford family had hired him to cook He told Jean, "Your sister and brother-inw most likely went to visit the Crawford family." "How do you know that?" asked Jean. "My hotel''s head chef went to cook for them. He even mentioned it the day before. He said the Crawford family hired him for a banquet and that it was for the old master''s god-granddaughter. "He joked about how it was the first time he''d ever heard of a god-granddaughter." He added, "I asked him who the god-granddaughter was, and he said she was the daughter-in w of the Mallory family. So, it''s probably your sister. Jean, since I gave you all this info, you gotta give me something in return, right?" "Sure, I''ll send you a gift," replied Jean. Then, he hung up. Anna frowned andined, "Why are you still spending money like that? You''re not a boss anymore, and here you are handing out gifts. What are you thinking?" Chapter 3291 Do They Think The Langdon Family Dont Matter Anymore? ?Chapter 3291 Do They Think The Langdon Family Don''t Matter Anymore? "I know where Nina is," said Jean. As soon as Anna heard this, she stopped worrying about the gift and immediately asked, "Where did that brat go?" *She''s with the Crawford family," answered Jean. Anna thought she had misheard. "What?" "Crawford Manor, as in Luke''s ce," repeated Jean. "That''s impossible!" Anna snapped angrily. "I heard that when the Mallory family didn''t approve of Nina and Percy''s marriage, Old Master Crawford stepped in and took Nina as his god-granddaughter, leaving the Mallory family with nothing to say," exined Jean. *Are you kidding me? Even so, she shouldn''t have gone back! They just feel guilty and did her a small favor, and your sister actually bought into it?" Anna stomped her foot in anger. Was the Crawford family determined to take away their family member from them? "Visiting the Crawford family of all ces! If it weren''t for them, you''d be at the top of your game right now, and she''s over there? I raised a traitor!" Jean replied, "We''re going to go look for the Crawford family right now." *You know where they are?" asked Anna. *Nina is Old Master Crawford''s god-granddaughter. If she''s visiting, she''ll definitely be at Crawford Manor," Jean analyzed. Anyone from A City knew where Crawford Manor was. T Corporation was the backbone of the city''s economy, so the Crawford family''s address wasmon knowledge. *Fine, we''ll go there and get to the bottom of this! How dare the Crawford family take from us again? Once wasn''t enough, so they''re doing it a second time? I want to see if Nina, that ungrateful brat, remembers what the Crawford family did to you!" Anna raged. Even though the Langdon family could notpare to even a fraction of the Crawford family''s wealth, Anna''s confidence had skyrocketed ever since Nina married Percy. This confidence did note from the Langdon family but from the Mallory family. She was now the Mallory family''s inw, which meant she deserved respect. After all, her daughter was the granddaughter-inw of the Mallory family. Nina was not just anyone but the wife of the Mallory family''s heir! Jean wanted to say something when he saw Anna''s reaction, but when he thought about how Luke had not only taken his woman but now his sister, he felt Anna was right. Nina was part of the Langdon family. How could the Crawford family keep getting away with snatching their people over and over again? Did they think the Langdon family did not matter anymore? "I''m bringing the guys." Jean decided to escte the situation. However, this time, the target was the Crawford family-not Percy or Nina. "Good! I refuse to believe money makes them untouchable! The Crawford family may be rich, but so is the Mallory family!" Anna was growing more confident, convinced that with the backing of the Mallory family, she could definitely get justice for the Langdon family. At the very least, they could not just let go of what happened years ago when Luke took Bianca away, which ruined Jean. He ended up in prison, his futurepletely destroyed! The mother and son exchanged nces, bing more and more convinced that they had what it took to take down Luke. Jean called a few of his troublemaking friends, gave them the address, and then urged Anna to get in the car." Mom, get in. Today, we''re going to make things right." Anna climbed into the car. Jean floored the gas pedal as they sped off. They had been talking at the entrance of the neighborhood. A security guard overheard everything they said. Remembering how generous Percy usually was with them, the guard quickly called him. "Mr. Mallory, we''ve got a problem...". As soon as the call connected, the guard summarized what Jean and Anna had been saying. He added, "They''re heading to Crawford Manor now." "Got it." Percy''s gaze darkened. They had just finished their meal and were strolling in the garden with Old Master Crawford to help with digestion. The gazebo had been set up with fruits and drinks, making it afortable spot for business discussions. Percy walked over to Luke. "We''ve got a situation." Luke raised an eyebrow. "What kind of situation?" *Jean and Anna areing here to cause trouble." Percy summarized what the security guard had told him." They should be on their way right now." "Idiots." Luke''s gaze turned cold. How dare theye to Crawford Manor looking for trouble? Where did they get the nerve? He nced over at Luca, who was chatting with Nina. "You two should leave first." Even though today was not their wedding day, it was still a special day for the couple. Luke thought it would be better to leave Nina out of this. *You n to handle this on your own?" Percy raised an eyebrow. "Nina and I aren''t leaving. This is about her. If she finds outter that I left and let this mess y out, she''ll feel uneasy." "Okay, stay if you want." Luke did not mind. Handling this was no big deal. Jean might have rounded up some thugs, but Luke could easily call in a group of bodyguards. It was only fair to do so.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. *I''ll go make some arrangements," added Luke. "You''re getting bodyguards, aren''t you?" Percy immediately figured out what he was up to. "Yeah," replied Luke. "This isn''t a big deal, but if Jean wants to blow it up, I won''t let him." *Alright, I''ll get my people too," said Percy. Even though this was Crawford Manor, it was their issue. He could not just stand by and do nothing, or Nina would resent him for it. Percy made a call as well. Meanwhile, Luca continued chatting with Nina in the gazebo. Nina suddenly ced a hand over her chest. "What''s wrong?" Luca noticed the slight frown on her face and asked with concem. "Are you feeling unwell?" "No." Nina shook her head. "I just suddenly feel anxious, like something''s about to happen." Luca smiled. "Nothing''s going to happen. You''ve been through a lot these past few days. You''re probably just tired." "Maybe..." Nina could not quite describe the feeling. It was a sudden wave of restlessness. However, no one had upset her. The day had gone smoothly. With Old Master Crawford''s protection, no one had caused any trouble, and she had felt the warmth of family. This anxious feeling did not make sense. *You can enjoy your honeymoon and rx. It''s going to get busy again when you return,"forted Luca. Nina gave her a faint smile. Luca''s words seemed to calm her nerves a bit. "How do you know I''ll be busy when I get back?" "You''ll be busy being Mrs. Mallory, of course. And knowing you, you''ll be even more focused on your career now," replied Luca. She knew Nina too well. The old Nina used to just get by. She just aimed to support herself. However, the new Nina would push herself to be better, to stand proudly by Percy''s side as his equal. The real change began not when they signed the marriage papers but when on their wedding day. The wedding ceremony held more significance than any document ever could. Chapter 3292 Has He Lost His Mind? ? Chapter 3292 Has He Lost His Mind? Nina looked at Luca with a serious expression. Sometimes, she felt like Luca had known her forever. How did Luca know her so well? *Luca, have you been secretly investigating me?" "No, I haven''t." Luca was surprised. "What makes you say that?" "You know me so well. It''s shocking!" replied Nina. "Sometimes I really wonder if you can read my mind. How else could you know me so well?" "Is that so? Do I know you well?" Luca smiled. "Even if I did investigate you, I wouldn''t be able to do it so thoroughly. I just feel like you''re that kind of person." Nina nodded. "Yeah, things have definitely changed after getting married." Luca listened to her without saying anything. *To be precise, after the wedding, I''ve been feeling like I need to work harder to stand by Percy''s side and not be a burden to him. The old, go-with-the-flow me is gone." "Working hard isn''t necessarily a bad thing," replied Luca. It was not that Nina''s old way of life was bad. Everyone would choose different ways to live at different stages of life. Nina changing her lifestyle now showed how much she cared about her marriage with Percy. "Yes, even though it''s a lot of pressure, I''ll do my best to be a good Mrs. Mallory," Nina said cheerfully. She did not know why, but she felt like Luca was like a life mentor to her. Every word she said was full of wisdom and seemed to resonate with her mindset. Luca''s words always seemed to soothe her inner restlessness. After Luke and Percy left, they soon returned. Luca noticed a change in their expressions and asked instinctively, "Why do you both look like that? What happened?" *Nina''s..." Luke frowned and thought for a moment. Although they had blood ties, their family rtionship had long been severed. Thus, he said, "Anna and Jean areing." Nina was surprised and asked, "How do they know we''re at Crawford Manor?" *Jean gained a lot of shady connections when he was running his business," exined Percy. He figured those people probably told Jean. "Damn it! Nina cursed. "They just won''t quit!" Luca frowned. Jean and Anna would do anything for money. Percy added, "He''s also called a few thugs toe over here." "What is he trying to do?!" Nina shot up angrily. "When will it ever end?" "Nina, don''t get upset," Luca tried to calm her. *Do they have any shame?" Nina was extremely annoyed. It made sense why she was feeling that way earlier. Perhaps she had sensed trouble ahead. She said, "Percy, let''s go back. We shouldn''t cause any more trouble for the Crawford family." It would be better to handle this kind of thing at home to avoid causing trouble for the Crawford family if Jean came over. "It''s toote," replied Percy. "The security guard notified us as soon as he knew they wereing. Jean even mentioned that he wanted to make trouble for Luke, so he''s already on his way here. Even if we leave, they might not leave right away." Nina frowned. Jean not only wanted to cause trouble for her but also for Luke? *Has he lost his mind? How can he still dare to cause trouble?" Nina paced back and forth, her frustration evident. If she were not wearing a dress today, she would probably be in a full-blown rage. "Causing trouble is fine," said Luke when he saw how frustrated Nina was. "As long as you don''t let your emotions get the best of you, he won''t be able to cause much trouble." *I won''t let this happen. The moment they chose money over me, I was done with them." Nina''s gaze darkened. Luca put aforting arm around her shoulders. Even though Nina said she would not let her emotions get the best of her, as a friend, Luca knew how much she valued family ties. She only became this way because she was pushed into it. Nina gave Luca a grateful look and then turned to Percy. "What are you nning to do?" "You''ll find out soon," replied Percy. "I''m not keeping anything from you this time because I know you don''t want me to. We''re married now, and I''ll handle everything with you." "Percy." Nina''s eyes started welling up with emotion. Luca let her go, and Nina walked over to Percy and hugged him. She did not need Percy to protect her and solve her every problem; she just wanted to face their issues together. Luca cleared her throat and asked Luke, "Should we call the police or alert the bodyguards?" Even though they could handle the situation themselves, facing several thugs might be an issue. "We''ve already notified the bodyguards," answered Luke. Even though the bodyguards might not be as skilled, they could easily handle Jean and his lowlife thugs. Luca nodded calmly, showing no concern for what was about to happen. Then, she said, "It''s getting a bit warm. Let''s move inside instead of staying in the garden." "Okay." The group headed back to the living room. Old Master Crawford and Susan had gone upstairs to take a nap, and Yuri was upstairs with Thea. Louis was alone in the living room. When they walked in, Louis greeted them cheerfully and continued to reply to messages from business partners on his phone. They continued chatting in the living room while they waited. About ten minutester, the doorbell rang. Louis frowned and asked, "Who could it be at this time?" "Unwee guests," replied Luke. Louis looked even more puzzled. "What?" Mr. Griffin came over and said in a low voice, "Master Luke, there''s a group of thugs at the gates." Louis asked, "Luke, did you know trouble wasing?" Percy chimed in, "Actually, they''re here to cause trouble for me and Nina. Sorry about that." Louis quickly asked, "Do you need any help?" "Don''t worry, we''ve got it handled." Luke was not concerned about the intruders and stood up with Percy. Luca and Nina exchanged a nce and rose to their feet together. Louis also got up and followed them to the door to see who was causing trouble. Outside, Jean and Anna were at the front gates, with several rough-looking men behind them. *Boys, as long as I manage to get the money, I won''t forget any of you when I hit it big," said Jean. *Jean, we''ll be counting on you," one of the thugs replied. They all knew Jean''s sister was married to Percy. Percy was the one in charge of Mallory Corporation! He was said to be incredibly wealthy, as rich as a smallExclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. country! They believed that he would not be stingy. Plus, they were aware of Jean''s past glory and knew that the money he was talking about was Percy''s. *Sure thing, sure thing," replied Jean, basking in the ttery and letting his vanity swell. Chapter 3293 Take Them Down With Her ? Chapter 3293 Take Them Down With Her With a soft click, the manor''s door swung open. Jean wiped the smile off his face, staring seriously at the people stepping out. There came Luke, Luca, Percy, Nina, and Louis. There were five of them. That seemed like a lot, but Jean had brought ten thugs with him, which clearly outnumbered them. His lecherous gaze lingered on Luca for a while before shifting to Nina. He picked the weakest target to start with. "Nina, look at you. Instead of visiting your real family, youe here to people who have nothing to do with you. Have you lost your mind? Or are you just hoping for me and Mom to drop dead so that you can forget your own family?" Nina rolled her eyes and let out a cold snort. "This is my god-grandfather''s house. Where else would I go? Jean, I suggest you don''t stir up trouble, or you''ll regret it!" Jean erupted with rage. "So what? You''re treating me and Mom like we''re dead, is that it? Do you even have a conscience? Mom raised you through thick and thin, and now you''re married, you won''t evene home to visit? Instead, you choose a family that has nothing to do with you? Are you insane? Where does that leave our mother?" "Exactly. Nina, we''re your real family. Why are you treating me like this?" Anna wiped the tears from her face. Nina felt irritated. The weather was too hot for this nonsense. This was definitely not a good time for an argument. She reminded them, "You signed an agreement. What now? Already having second thoughts?" Anna froze for a moment, struggling to squeeze out more tears. She could no longer keep up the act. "Nina, do you even have a heart? That money you gave wasn''t even enough for my medical bills, and now, you want to cut ties? Let me tell you, the only reason I signed that agreement was because I needed the money for my treatment. "And for your information, that agreement means nothing here in A City. We''re still your family, so you''ll have to support me whether you like it or not. Don''t think you''re invincible just because you''ve cozied up to the Crawford family. You were born into the Langdon family, and you''ll never escape us!" Nina''s eyes reddened with anger. Born into the Langdon family? Nina replied in a low voice, "So that means if you two were dead, I''d have nothing to do with you anymore, right?" The thought of dealing with these two was making her lose her patience again. She knew this line of thinking was dangerous. However, she was left with no choice. They were driving her insane. If it were not for Percy, she might have already snapped and taken them down with her. Jean did not catch what she said and instinctively asked, "What?" "I said, Jean, I''m this close to killing you!" Nina''s eyes shed with hatred. If they were dead, none of this would be happening. Percy felt sorry and pulled Nina into his arms. He knew what she was thinking, but it was not the right solution. Throwing her own life away for people like them was not worth it. Nina gripped his hand tightly. If it were not for him, she would not have been able to hold on for this long. "You''re insane!" Anna yelled when she heard what Nina said. "You think you can act like this just because you''re connected to the Crawford family now? First, it was your brother. Will it be me next?" Nina''s eyes reddened as she watched Anna''s attempt to defend Jean. The motherly, caring facade was starting to crumble, and it made herugh. "Mother? Are you really my mother?" Anna was taken aback for a moment. "How am I not? I carried you for nine months and almost died giving birth to you. How am I not your real mother?" Nina took a deep breath. Arguing with them would only make things worse. She said, "I''ve already repaid everything I owe you. You''re here today for money, right? Well, let me tell you, I have no more money to give you. So, give up on that idea." "Nina!" Anna yelled angrily. "You''re not giving us money, huh? If you don''t, I swear I''ll tear that mouth of yours right off, you little brat!" When Jean noticed that Anna was about to throw a tantrum, he quickly grabbed her. "Mom, didn''t I tell you to calm down?" Anna''s face was red with rage. "I don''t care! I''ll finish this brat off for good today! I''ll just pretend I never had this daughter!" "Mom, let me handle this," replied Jean. Anna took a deep breath, trying to suppress her anger. She pinned her hopes on Jean. Jean looked over at Luca, who was standing next to Luke, and then nced at Percy. He said, "Percy, we''re really at the end of our rope here. Please give me and my mom a way to survive, alright?" "I''m not giving you any more money," Percy tly refused. If he gave them money, Nina would definitely be furious with him. Jean''s expression darkened. He nodded sharply and said, "Fine, no money, right? You don''t want to y nice, huh? In that case, let''s settle this another way!" He turned to Luke. "Crawford, I''m here to settle a score with you today." Luke did not even nce his way. Instead, he lifted his hand to gently wipe the sweat from Luca''s forehead. "Are you feeling hot?" Luca nodded. "Yeah, a little." Their affectionate exchange was like a p in the face to Jean. "Crawford! Are you deaf?" "Jean, either say what you have to say or get lost!" Louis chimed in. He thought the drama within the Crawford family was bizarre enough, but he had not expected Nina''s family to be this ridiculous. This was something else. What a miserable family to be born into. "Hmph, what''s it got to do with you?" Jean shot him a re, then locked eyes with Luke again. "Luke, you still owe me for stealing my fianc¨¦e back then. And now, you''ve stolen my sister too. Perfect. We''ll settle all of this today!" Luke continued to ignore him. Jean pressed on, "Here''s the deal. I''m giving you two options. One, give me five million dors, and I''ll let the whole thing with that slut, Bianca, slide. Or two, hand over your woman, and we''ll call it even." Luke frowned. Jean insulting Bianca made his blood boil. He could not stand anyone speaking badly about her.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Luca frowned as well. Even after all this time, Jean''s mouth was still as filthy as ever. Fortunately, Luke had been there back then. If she had really married into the Langdon family, who knew how difficult her life would have be? Luca recalled the days back then. Even though Jean had treated her well at the time and his family had been kind to her, she realized she never truly loved him. Even if they had gotten engaged and even if Luke had not been involved, she probably would not have ended up with Jean. There had always been something holding her back. She knew she could never have just settled for Jean. "You can''t handle your loss, so now, you''re throwing a tantrum here? Jean, are you that big of a fool to be asking for death?" Luke''s tone was ice-cold. If Luke was bothered to say more than a few words to someone as insignificant as Jean, it was either because he was in an exceptionally good mood or because he was extremely angry. This time, Jean had crossed the line. Nina could tell from Luke''s voice that Jean had seriously pushed him too far. She remained silent, knowing whatever happened next, Jean had brought it on himself. Jean frowned. "So, you''re rejecting both options, huh? Fine! Do you see these guys behind me?" He gestured toward the group of thugs he had brought. "They''re here to help me serve justice today!" Chapter 3294 Jean Is A Hopeless Fool ?Chapter 3294 Jean Is A Hopeless Fool "Jean!" Percy shouted angrily. "If you dare try anything reckless, you''ll be spending the rest of your life in prison." Fear and panic shed in Jean''s eyes when he heard the word prison. He had endured unbearable torment during his years behind bars, all because of Luke and Bianca! "My boys are here today to make sure I get justice. What''s the matter? You think you can scare me with prison threats? If you really want to go that route, I''ll hold a press conference and tell everyone how Luke stole my fianc¨¦e, then expose how he cheated after stealing her!" Jean spoke confidently, thinking this would pressure Luke. What an idiot! Percy secretly cursed Jean as he listened to him. He had considered stepping in to help, knowing that Jean was Nina''s brother. After all, there would be no mercy once Luke made a move. Unfortunately, Jean was a hopeless fool, and there was no way to save him. Percy decided to stay quiet. Luke calmly pulled out his phone, which made Jean alert. He thought Luke was calling the police. Instead, he heard Luke say into the phone, "Come out." Suddenly, they all heard movement behind them. Jean turned around to see several people approaching from different directions. Jean and his group were soon surrounded. Even though the number of neers matched their group, it was clear these were not people to mess with. The leader of the thugs felt a shiver run down his spine. "Uh, Jean, what''s going on?" "What''s there to be afraid of? If they hit you, we''ll call the cops!" Jean snapped. The leader of the thugs was dumbfounded for a moment. Call the cops after getting beaten up? Were they not here to do the beating? Those guys look way tougher than them! There was no way they could take them! "Uh, Jean, maybe we shouldn''t get physical. If we end up in the hospital, that''s just more trouble," replied the leader, sensing things were going wrong and trying to reason with Jean. "No way! I''m getting my revenge today! Don''t worry. If anyone gets hurt, I''ll cover your medical bills," insisted Jean. He refused to back down. The leader heaved a sigh when he saw that Jean was determined to dig his own grave. He was not about to go down with him. Besides, he had already figured out that there was no way Jean was getting money from Percy, let alone scam Luke. There was zero chance of that happening! "Jean, if you''re dead set on this, we won''t be sticking around." Then, the leader shot a look at his crew. "If anyone wants to stay and help Jean out, feel free to do so. If not, let''s go." The other thugs quickly left, knowing they could not take on Luke''s men. The sound of motorcycles starting up filled the air as all the thugs rode off. "Guys!" Jean clenched his teeth angrily. He did not expect Luke to scare them off with just a few men. "Luke!" Jean''s eyes burned with anger as he red at him. Luke''s expression remained indifferent. "Your men are gone. Are you still nning to stay?" Jean could feel everyone''s eyes on him. All the pressure was now squarely on his shoulders. Luke added calmly, "If you want to fight, go ahead. I''ll even cover your medical bills." "You!" Jean was so furious he could not string a sentence together. "You came here for money, right? If you get beaten to the point of being crippled, you''ll get even more money," added Luke. Jean was not dumb. He wanted money, but he valued his life more. What good would money do him if he ended up crippled? He would not be able to live the high life he craved. "Jean." Anna tugged at Jean''s sleeve, feeling the mounting tension. They hade so confidently, yet things had turned against them. She nced around at the menacing crowd, fearing their fists would soonnd on her. Then, her breathing grew shallow. This was not a scene she could handle. "Don''t worry, Mom. They won''t dare touch us!" Jean reassured her, and then he immediately turned to look at Nina. "You''re just going to stand there while your brother''s being bullied? Are you even human?" Nina, clearly annoyed, shot back, "Who''s bullying you?" Jean was about to retort when she continued, "This isn''t the Langdon family''s home, it''s Crawford Manor. You showed up here looking for trouble, and now, you''re saying you''re being bullied? Did you get hit so hard your brain stopped working?" "You little brat, how dare you talk to me like that?!" Jean was furious and barely held himself back from pping her. Anna chimed in, "Nina, that''s your brother! How can you speak to him that way?"All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "I don''t have a mother, and I don''t have a brother. My father is in another city. Don''t randomly im to be my family next time. And as for money? Did you even read the agreement you signed? Watch your words and actions, or one day, you might find yourself in court without even realizing it." Jean''s expression darkened. "What do you mean by that?" Nina remained silent. Jean turned to Anna. "Did you even read the agreement when you signed it?" "Of course, I did,¡± replied Anna. "What does she mean, then?" Jean pressed. "I... I don''t know!" Anna began to doubt herself. Did she miss something in the agreement? No, she had reviewed it carefully, especially anything involving money. She was not some clueless woman who did not understand these things... Jean started feeling uneasy, suspecting that Percy had tricked Anna. He itched to go home and double-check the agreement. "We should leave," said Jean, realizing that staying longer would not get them any money. Besides, with his crew gone, he had no leverage left. "Hold on." Luke''s cold voice stopped him. Jean paused and squinted at Luke. "What do you want now?" "You insulted my wife. Don''t you think you owe her an apology?" Luke''s voice was cold. Jean felt a wave of fear wash over him. The way Luke looked at him was terrifying. It was as though a de would be at his throat any second. "When did I insult your wife? Stop making things up!" Jean decided to y dumb. "Jean, you said things you shouldn''t have!" Nina chimed in. When she heard Jean insult Bianca earlier, it bothered her too, and she wanted an apology on her behalf. Jean, ever the shameless scoundrel, sneered, "You''re just saying that. Do you have any evidence?" Percy pointed upward. Jean followed his gesture and saw a high-tech surveince camera. The look on his face immediately changed. "If he pursues this in court, you''ll owe money. Do you have any to spare?" questioned Percy. Jean''s expression turned sour. His sister and her husband were siding with an outsider! These so-called family members did not care about him at all. "Percy, Nina, you two are something else!" Jean shouted angrily. Then, he cast a reluctant nce at Luke. "I''m sorry." "I can''t hear you," Luke replied coldly. Jean clenched his teeth and raised his voice. "I said, I''m sorry!" Chapter 3295 The Real Terms Of The Agreement ? Chapter 3295 The Real Terms Of The Agreement "Get lost." Luke''s gaze was cold and sinister. If today were not about Percy and Nina, there was no way he would have let Jean off so easily. How dare a useless piece of trash like hime here to cause trouble? Such thoughts crossed Luke''s mind as he nced at Luca. She gave him a faint smile, indicating she was fine. Jean left with Anna with a gloomy expression on his face. The few bodyguards spoke up once they saw that the matter was resolved, "Mr. Crawford, Mr. Mallory, if there''s nothing else, we''ll head out. If you need anything in the future, just reach out to us." "Alright, thanks," replied Percy. The person most upset by today''s events was not him or Nina. It was probably Luke. After all, he and Bianca truly loved each other, yet Jean had spoken so disgracefully. Knowing how protective Luke was of his wife, it was unlikely he would let Jean''s apology be the end of it. After Jean left, Percy and Nina did not linger either. They said their goodbyes to Luke and left. In the car, Nina gave Percy a strange look. "Babe, if you''ve got something to say, just say it," said Percy helplessly. "Would you even tell me if I asked?" asked Nina. She felt like there were things he was keeping from her. "That depends." Percy nodded, knowing what she wanted to ask. "Well, if you''re not going to tell me, there''s no point in asking,¡± replied Nina, looking at his profile. After being with him for so long, she understood that he kept some things from her for her own good. Besides, those things did not really concern her, so whether she knew or not did not make much of a difference. However, what happened today had sparked her curiosity again, and she truly wanted to find out about it this time. "If you don''t ask, how do you know if I''ll tell you or not?" responded Percy. "That''s true, but..." Nina paused for a moment. "I still think you won''t tell me. But I hope you will. I''d like to know the truth." "Maybe try asking differently," suggested Percy. He did not want to hide things from Nina, but some things had to be kept secret. However, asking in a different way might work. Nina''s eyes lit up as she thought of a different approach. "Luca''s real identity is special, isn''t it?" "Yes," answered Percy. That was all he could tell her. "Alright." Nina let out a sigh of relief. She finally understood why she had been feeling so uneasy. Her heart fluttered with excitement, and even her hands trembled slightly. Luca''s identity was special. That was exactly what she had suspected all along. Even though there were still many unanswered questions, Nina was satisfied with the answer she got for now. On the other hand, Jean and Anna stormed into their house. Marie walked up to them with a smile and asked, "Did you get the money?" Anna shot her a re, then turned to Jean and said, "Look at the woman you brought in. She''s always thinking about money. She''s a curse! We were doing just fine before she came around. Now that she''s here, we can''t even get the money." Jean did not want to hear any more of her nonsense and said bluntly, "Go get the agreement." Anna frowned. "There''s nothing wrong with the agreement." "We won''t know until I look at it!" Jean snapped. He thought that if Nina dared to make such ims, there must be something wrong with the agreement. Anna was startled for a moment by his outburst. "Get the agreement," Jean repeated when she did not move. "I''ll go find it," replied Anna, rushing to the bedroom. She had never taken the agreement seriously, so this mess caught herpletely off guard. She could not even remember where she had put it, so she had to search for it. Marie sidled up to Jean. From the looks of things, she knew they had not gotten the money. She asked in a gentle voice, "What happened?" "I''ll tell youter," replied Jean irritably as he sat on their worn-out sofa. When they first got the money back then, he wanted to rece the furniture, but Anna refused. Now, here they were, back to square one. They had gotten their money, but it felt like they never had any at all.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Jean thought back on it and started ming Anna. If she had not been so cautious, he would not have taken over that failing bar. If she had just given him a bigger budget, he could have bought a better bar, and things might have turned out differently. Jean never saw himself as the problem. When things went wrong, he always med others. It took Anna some time before she finally found the agreement in a drawer she barely paid any attention to. She hurriedly brought it out. "What''s that?" Marie asked with curiosity. She had fled to avoid trouble with Jean and the police, so she did not know much about what had happened. Jean took the agreement. Marie nced at it and said, "This agreement won''t hold up in court." Even though she spent her school years focused on having fun and did not put much effort into studying, she had somemon sense. Sever ties? Anyone with a basic understanding of thew would know that the courts in A City did not acknowledge such an agreement. Jean handed the agreement to Marie. "Read it over and tell me where the loopholes are." Marie took it. Anna rolled her eyes and muttered, "If she can spot anything, pigs might fly." Marie ignored her and read through the terms carefully. When she reached thest two uses, she was shocked. Percy had gone all out to help Nina! However, he was not stupid. He knew this agreement would not hold water. As Marie thought about this, her eyes fell on the two small lines in the agreement. "Here, look at this." She pointed out to Jean. Jean''s eyesight had deteriorated from years of indulgence, so he had to lean in close to read the small text. One use stated that after receiving the money, they were not allowed to bother Nina anymore. Another said that if they vited that use or tried to ask for more money, they would have to return everything they had been paid. That would be the lump sum payment from Nina to cover Anna''s support. "Damn it!" Jean''s eyes filled with rage as he red at Anna. "What is it?" Anna saw Jean''s reaction and started to feel uneasy. "What''s wrong with the agreement?" "Where were your eyes when you signed this? How could you sign something like this?!" questioned Jean. Anna grabbed the agreement and looked at the part he was pointing to. The print was tiny, so she picked up a magnifying ss from the coffee table and read it word by word. By the time she finished, her face had gone pale. It was over... These were the real terms of the agreement. All that talk about severing ties did not mean anything. "How could this happen..." Anna muttered to herself, copsing onto the couch. "You just signed the agreement like that? Without even reading it?" Jean questioned her again. "How was I supposed to know they''d pull something like this?" Anna could not take his usations anymore and snapped back, "If it were you, you would''ve signed it too!" Chapter 3296 Jean Is Once Again Being Manipulated By Marie ? Chapter 3296 Jean Is Once Again Being Manipted By Marie "Now that you''ve signed that agreement, we can''t ask Percy for money anymore!" Jeanid out the harsh truth neither of them wanted to ept. Marie heard this and started thinking about ditching the whole mess. However, she kept a straight face, deciding to y it cool for now and see how the mother and son were going to handle things. "I didn''t know! What do we do now?" Anna was panicking now. "Come on, tell me! What''s the n?" Marie chimed in, "Why don''t we try getting some legal aid? I mean, they set us up first, right? We can''t just let them get away with this!" Jean thought to himself that Percy definitely covered all bases. There was no way Percy would waste his time on something pointless, so he definitely had awyer look over that agreement. Otherwise, Percy would not have let Anna sign it in the first ce. Therefore, if they wanted more cash without paying back what they already got, legal aid was probably the only shot they had. "Alright, let''s do it. Legal aid it is," replied Jean. He was already heading for the door. Marie tried to follow him, but Anna yanked her back. "What do you think you''re doing? Why are you tagging along?"Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Marie, unbothered by Anna''s attitude, coldly replied, "I''m the one who found the loophole in the agreement. I know more about this stuff than you do. If I don''t go, are you gonna go instead?" "Who''s gonna cook, then?" Anna shot back, feeling insulted. She knew this whole mess was partly her fault for signing the agreement. "You had hands to sign that dumb agreement, didn''t you? So, why can''t you cook with those same hands?" Marie fired back, clearly fed up. She had never met anyone so dumb. She could not believe Anna got yed over something so trivial. Anyone with half a brain knew to read the fine print in an agreement. Marie thought Anna was pretty dumb. If she had been a bit smarter back then, she would not have let herself get screwed over like this. She would not be missing out on the money either. Anna''s face turned pale white. It was one thing for Jean to me her, but Marie? She had no right! Who did she think she was to judge her? If it were not for her, the Langdon family would not be in such a mess. "Get out of my house!" Anna pointed at the door. "We don''t need trash like you here!" Marie just stared at her with a mocking smile without budging an inch. Jean lost his patience and snapped, "Enough! Are you done?" Anna froze and stared at him in disbelief. Was he seriously taking Marie''s side? "Alright, Mom. You stay here and make lunch. You''re alwaysining about Marie''s cooking anyway. Marie, you''reing with me to the legal aid office," added Jean. Even though Marie was not exactly an expert, she knew a bit more than the rest of them. Even though Jean had studied abroad, years of cking off had left him clueless. Especially about anything to do with thew. Thus, he was practically no better than a street thug now, totally out of his depth. Anna huffed. "Jean, if you keep ignoring me, that woman''s gonna ruin you one day!" Jean ignored her and grabbed the agreement before heading out with Marie to find legal help. They were totally broke now, so the only option left was to hit up some legal aid or charity. After all, paying for awyer was beyond their means. An hourter, Jean walked out of the legal aid office looking like a kicked puppy. "Hey, don''t sweat it, Jean. There might still be hope." Marie tried to lift his spirits, but she knew deep down that things were already set in stone. There was no way this situation was going to change. "It was all her fault!" Jean wished he could tear that agreement to shreds like it never existed. Still, he knew better. Every agreement had two copies. Just because Anna did not care about it did not mean Nina and Percy were unbothered. They probably had their copy stashed away safely. Marie thought for a moment and said in a low voice, "You can''t just me your mom. I mean, you weren''t exactly in a sound state of mind at the time, were you?" "What''s that supposed to mean? If it''s not her fault, is it mine?" Jean shot back, ring at her. If only Anna had waited until he was more alert to sign that agreement, none of this would have happened. "Not really. It just shows how ruthless Nina is. You guys are supposed to be her closest family, yet she''s scheming against you." Marie deliberately passed the me to Nina. "That brat never has never seen us as family! If it weren''t for us, would she even have had a shot at joining the Mallory family? And now, she''s pulling this crap on us? I''m not letting this slide!" Jean fumed. He was furious enough to want to take Nina down with him. However, it was just a passing thought. Marie sensed his rage and decided to fan the mes. "Right? If she really cared, wouldn''t she just hand you guys a building instead of cash? You could live on one floor and rent out the rest. That way, you and your mom wouldn''t have to worry about anything. "But she turned her back on you the moment she married into wealth. She''s totally ungrateful." The more Marie went on, the angrier Jean got. Finally, he exploded. "Let''s go mess with that brat right now!" "Jean, listen to me!" Marie interrupted. "You can''t just go to her head-on for money." "Why not?!" Jean was all fired up, thinking that Nina owed them money and not giving it was a crime. He was practically losing his mind. "The Mallory family is loaded. We can''tpete with them. But we can still y it smart," exined Marie. "What''s the n?" Jean treated her like his military advisor. "I''ll fill you in." Marie leaned in and whispered her scheme in his ear. Jean listened and narrowed his eyes. "It might get us the cash, but there''s a lot of risk involved," said Jean. "We can''t live like this! Your mom gave me 20 dors to buy groceries today. What can you even get for 20 dors? This isn''t the countryside. We''re in A City! I was too embarrassed to say it, but all I could buy was a few eggs and a head of cabbage. You''ve probably had enough of that stuff by now, right?" "Yeah." Jean''s gaze darkened with a calcting look. "Look, she''s still your sister. As long as you don''t hurt her, they''re not going to mess with you once you get that money," Marie continued. "Do you really think they''ll throw you into prison just because of that? They''re not that stupid. If they did do that, your mom would be under their care. Just think about it. They''re setting you up to get rid of your mom since she''s just a liability considering her ailing body. They won''t do anything to you." The more Jean listened, the more he realized Marie was making sense. They were not going to do anything to them. Instead, they were going to drop some cash in their pockets. With that money, their lives would get a whole lot better. "Alright, let''s do this!" Jean clenched his fists, making the decision. "I''m gonna rally everyone up right now!" No matter what, getting that money was the top priority! Percy and Nina had no clue that Jean was once again being manipted by Marie, plotting to take action against them. After they came back from Crawford Manor, they grabbed their bags, which they had already packed, and headed to the airport. Chapter 3297 The Significance Of Traveling Together As A Couple ?Chapter 3297 The Significance Of Traveling Together As A Couple After they got to the airport and boarded the ne, Nina finally figured out where their honeymoon destination was. "Haven''t we already been to the Maldives?" Nina asked Percy, who was sitting next to her. "Yeah, we have, but I thought that ce meant something special for us, so why not go again?" Percy gently yed with her hair. Nina blinked her eyes, "What do you mean it''s special?" "That''s where I really fell for you," confessed Percy. Nina''s face turned red, remembering how they went to the Maldives not long after she started following him around. If Percy was telling the truth, he must have fallen for her way back then. As that hit her, she gasped and covered her mouth like she had just uncovered a huge secret. "What''s up?" Percy thought she looked adorable looking so surprised. Nina shook her head. "Are you saying you had feelings for me ages ago?" "Yes," Percy admitted to it pretty easily, "Back then, I didn''t have much experience with these things, so I didn''t think much of it." "So, you''ve had feelings for me for a long time now!" Nina went from shock to happiness. As she recalled her past with Percy, she remembered constantly reminding herself not to get too emotionally involved or take things too seriously because he was not a suitable partner. Things would never work out between them. Hence, she kept pushing her feelings down. "What about you?" asked Percy. "When did you start liking me?" "From the start, I guess. But I held back my feelings too because I thought I was way out of your league. It felt impossible between us." Having that mindset made her suppress her feelings, and it took a toll on her mental state. "Anything''s possible!" Percy told her. "Look at us now. We''re together, aren''t we?" "Yes, we are." Nina took the initiative to hold his hand. Their hands were tightly intertwined, and they looked sweet together. Even the people around them could not help but feel a little jealous. On the other hand, Luke and Luca left Crawford Manor shortly after Percy and Nina. While they were on their way back, Luke pondered for a bit and said, "Luca, it feels like it''s been ages since we''ve traveled together." "Oh?" Luca nced at him. "Didn''t we go to X City during the Year''s?" "That''s different," replied Luke. "I''m talking about a trip just for us, no kids, no work. Just us two." Luca thought about it and realized they had not gone on any sweet dates since she returned to A City almost a year ago. "How about once I wrap up my stuff, we go on a honeymoon too?" suggested Luca, believing he felt the same. "Sounds good!" Luke nodded. "Where would you like to go?" "I''m fine with any destination. We can draw lots to see where we end up." Luca thought the significancey in traveling together as a couple, so the location did not matter. Every destination would have its own stunningndscapes. "Sure, I''m all in for whatever you decide," agreed Luke. Luca smiled. Now that they had made ns together, it gave her some hope for the future. "Speaking of X City, how''s everything over there now?" asked Luca. "Shanks is doing research at the new base in X City," replied Luke. Luca blinked her eyes. "New base?" "Yeah, it seems like Gale''s little fire scared Abel and the others, so they got Shanks a new spot-a vi with top-notch security. Gale even heard that Abel bought a high-end fireproof and theft-proof safe." Luca let out a chuckle. "Looks like Mr. Gale''s fire really shook him up. He even bought a safe to stash his herbs!" "Yes, they''re running low on herbs, and they want to keep experimenting, so they need to protect what they have," exined Luke. If they were not after Luca, he would not have let Gale set their ce on fire. After all, he was just as curious about what experiments they were conducting. "Those herbs are actually hard to find. They said it took climbing several mountains with those herb seekers to locate them, and Abel wasn''t patient enough to wait around," Luca said. "Forget about him. As long as he doesn''t ask you for help, I won''t touch him," Luke stated firmly. Everything he did was to protect Luca! "Right." Luca nodded, knowing he had her back. She was moved. "Plus, all the info you''ve given me shows Shanks is pretty impressive. I''m curious to see just how good he is. Can his stuff really wake the dead?" Luke knew that the research from the Ind of Despair had unique effects. However, he was skeptical about Shanks'' work. Luca said, "I think the herbs are just a supporting role. Surgery might still be required." "What does that mean?" asked Luke. He was genuinely curious about Shanks'' abilities. "Well, when ites to organ transnts, they''re just that transnts. After that, you still have to take anti-rejection medicine. But if Shanks performs the transnt and you take the medicine he developed, you wouldn''t need anti-rejection medicine anymore. "The chances ofpatibility between the organ and the recipient would be much higher, so you wouldn''t have to worry about an adverse reaction after stopping the medication." "That''s impressive." Luke, despite his dislike for the Ind of Despair, could not help but be impressed by Shanks'' abilities. "Yes, but most of the drugs he developed were done before I got there. I missed out on the research, so I don''t know how to make them. Those drugs are hard to get, and I can''t analyze theirponents either," added Luca. She knew that once those drugs hit the market, they could help a lot of families. However, Shanks'' research was primarily for his own benefit. He did not care about how many people his work could help. It was just like Shanks had been hurt by many people himself. It was good enough that he was not out for revenge. If Shanks decided to take revenge, he could easily unleash some deadly viruses. "But Kassy''s situation isn''t good. She''s blind..." Luke paused for a moment. "It''s not just a matter of a transnt. Even if she gets new corneas, it doesn''t guarantee she''ll see clearly." Luca knew just how severe Kassy''s injuries were. If she had not persuaded Luke back then, Abel and Shanks might have ended up with just a pile of Kassy''s bones.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Even though Shanks was capable, he would be helpless against a pile of bones. In the end, it was her kindness back then that led to this situation. Luca could not tell if her initial good intentions were right or wrong until everything was settled. "So, what if they transnt whole eyeballs?" asked Luca. The current level of medical technology had not reached that point yet. Still, that did not mean Shanks could not pull it off. Chapter 3298 The Place That Holds Special Meaning For Him ?Chapter 3298 The ce That Holds Special Meaning For Him "Modern medicine hasn''t been able to achieve that yet," said Luke. "But he''s Shanks. No one else can do it at the moment. Even if he hasn''t done it before, there are plenty of test subjects on the Ind of Despair. Who knows? He might be able to figure it out," replied Luca. Even though the Ind of Despair was now powerful enough, Abel was still abducting captives from every impoverished ce in the world, and there was no shortage of prisoners on the Ind of Despair. With so many captives, Shanks could conduct experiments on them one after another, keeping just one of their eyes intact. He could run hundreds of experiments under such conditions. Given the intensity of the experiments, it was certain that Shanks would make significant progress. Luke knew that Luca''s statement was not an exaggeration. It was a real possibility. A glint of ruthlessness flickered in his eyes. He should not have spared Kassy back then. However, if he had been ruthless and eliminated Kassy, maybe Luca would not have had the chance toe back after being kidnapped. Hence, all they could do now was eliminate the Ind of Despair. Only by getting rid of the Ind of Despair could Luca truly be safe. With this thought in mind, Luke''s gaze hardened with determination. There was no more time to waste. "How long does it usually take Shanks to research a new drug?" asked Luke. Luca frowned slightly. "I''m not sure. During my three years there, I saw his speed, but I can''t say exactly how long it takes. All I know is that he''s a genius. He can usually research most materials quickly. "The most important thing is that the drugs he uses don''t need to go through the approval process, which cuts out a lot of theplicated steps." These drugs were meant for people on the Ind of Despair, and as long as they were safe for the captives, Shanks would use them. Typically, any drug that passed the tests onb rats could be slightly adjusted and then administered to the captives. The captives did not often show adverse reactions from the drug tests. Thus, most of the casualties among the captives on the Ind of Despair were due to the brutality of the assassins, not Shanks'' experiments. Very few captives actually died at his hands. "A genius?" Luke murmured. Others called him a genius too. However, he knew how much hardship and efforty behind thatbel. He then heard Luca say, "Abel''s pharmaceuticalpany hasunched many drugs developed by Shanks. He records all the data and steps, hands them over to Abel, and then theb researchers rationalize and standardize the research data before the drugs hit the market." "I see." Lake felt he was starting to understand. Abel was able to rapidly umte wealth because Shanks was behind the scenes. Their pharmaceuticalpany consistently rolled out various types of drugs quickly, all while adhering to regtory requirements. Many leaders in the pharmaceutical industry were curious whether a significant research yer was behind Abel. They even considered poaching the entire team. However, in the end, they could not lure anyone away, likely because the researchers knew their own worth. Without Shanks'' data as support, they would not be able to expedite all the processes. This conversation with Luca rified a lot for him. They had to speed up their elimination of the Ind of Despair before Shanks could develop the drug he wanted. Luca thought of Stan when Luke mentioned X City. She asked, "Where''s Stan and Gerald? What''s their situation now?" "Stan has recovered after surgery. During his hospital stay, the police discovered that he had multiple conversations with Gerald about the Crawfords'' ancestral home, even illegally installing several cameras and listening devices. So, the police have detained him, but Stan is suffering from memory loss, which is slowing down the investigation. "As for Gerald, he''s now officially wanted by the police, but he''s hiding out in a base on the Ind of Despair. I heard they''re nning to move him soon, so our people are keeping an eye on him. As soon as he makes a move, we''ll alert the police toe and take him in." Even though these matters seemed minor, since they involved the Ind of Despair, Luke insisted on being informed about every detail. Luca frowned. "Gerald really managed to escape this time." "The wheels of justice grind slowly but surely," replied Luke. Gerald was nearly killed by Abel, but fortunately, Shanks was there to save his life. Now, he was still under the Ind of Despair''s protection. If Gerald had not crossed him, Luke would not have cared about his situation. Since he was under the Ind of Despair''s protection, he would have been able to dodge this bullet. However, Gerald was reckless. He dared to offend him and tried to drag Luca down with him. This time, no matter how much the Ind of Despair tries to shield him, he was destined to be caught by the police. "If he gets caught by the police, he won''t survive," said Luca Anyone whopleted their mission earned a chance to live as long as they were not caught by the enemy or the police. However, if they failed their mission or fell into the hands of the police, they had no chance of survival. "Do you want to keep him alive?" Luke asked casually even though he did not believe Luca genuinely wanted to save him. "No." Laca shook her head. "He''s done bad things. He doesn''t deserve protection." "You''re right," Luke agreed. For most people whomitted crimes, the oue was simply detention. However, Ged was associated with the Ind of Despair. Since he had enjoyed the benefits the Ind of Despair gave him and even assisted in their heinous activities, his fate was likely to be grim. Luke did not see anything wrong with that. The world was simply that cruel. All he could do was protect his loved ones and family. As for others, they were outside his concern. Luke parked the car in the vi''s lot. Luca unbuckled her seatbelt and yawned. "If you''re tired, you should take a nap," suggested Luke. Luca replied, "I still want to go over some documents." "What documents?" Luke asked as he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car with her.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "The data from Rhett. I''ve been too busy these past couple of days to look at it," exined Luca. The past few days had been filled with Nina''s wedding, and she had taken leave from Watson. Rhett had been sending her research data every day, but she never had a chance to review any of it. "Don''t rush. Tomorrow''s a Saturday. You can save it for then," replied Luke. He felt that the amount of material for a research project was not overwhelming and could be managed over the weekend. "That''s true," said Luca. Even though she had to spend the weekend with the kids, they had a day set aside for various extracurricr sses, so she would still have some time. With this thought, she murmured, "I wonder if Nina has boarded the ne yet. Where is Mr. Mallory taking her for their honeymoon anyway?" "The Maldives," answered Luke, wrapping his arm around her waist as they walked inside. "How do you know that?" Luca looked up at him in surprise. "Percy said he wanted to take her to the ce that holds a special meaning for him," replied Luke. "So, how do you know it''s the Maldives?" Luca''s expression grew even more perplexed. "Do men really talk about these things?" Chapter 3299 You Dont Doubt My Skills, Do You? ? Chapter 3299 You Don''t Doubt My Skills, Do You? "After Percy brought Nina back from the Maldives the first time, he seemed a bit different. He even started asking me about rtionship issues," exined Luke. That was the first time he had seen Percy like that, and he figured it was because his mindset had changed during that time. Hence, Luke felt they must have gone to the Maldives. Luca held his hand and clucked her tongue. "I can''t believe the usually decisive Mr. Mallory would be troubled by rtionship matters one day." "I knew from that moment that I''d be attending their wedding one day," added Luke. Luca looked at his smug expression and could not help butugh. "You''re so full of yourself! When I found out that Nina was with Percy, I didn''t think much of it. I just wanted her to be happy. Now, she really is." "We''re happy too," replied Luke as he pulled her into an embrace. As they walked into the living room, the cool air from the air conditioning helped to dispel the heat. "Ah, that feels refreshing," said Luca. "Wee back, Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, greeted Aunt Neile as she walked out of the kitchen. She had heard them in the living room. "Are you two going back to Crawford Manor for dinner tonight?" "No, we''ll just eat at home," replied Luca. "Alright, I made some smoothies. Would you like some?" asked Aunt Neile. "Sure, let''s have two," replied Luca. The weather in A City was really hot, especially when Jean and Anna were making a fuss at the entrance of Crawford Manor. The heat made it frustrating to stand around for too long. She took Luke''s hand, walked into the dining room, and said, "Will you join me for a ss of smoothie?" "I''m truly honored," Luke replied with a smile. Aunt Neile brought in the smoothies, and after they finished, Luke''s phone rang. "It''s Gale." Luke picked up the phone and tapped to answer. "What''s the matter?" "Boss, could you ask Dr. Craw when she''s avable?" asked Gale. "He''s looking for you," said Luke as he handed the phone to Luca. She took it curiously and leaned in to ask, "Mr. Cale, what''s going on?" "It''s about Gordan. He''s been discharged from the hospital and wants to know when you''re free to carry out dry needling treatment," exined Gale. Luca had agreed to help treat Gordan, but he had not heard from her even though he had been discharged for several days. Now, Gale was checking in.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Gordan was also considered to be working for Luke now. After a few rounds of coboration, Gale had developed a good rapport with Gordan. If Gordan''s hand did not heal properly, it would affect his ability to take on future tasks. "Sorry, I''ve been so busytely that I forgot. I''m avable now. I''ll head to his ce. Can you send me the address? replied Luca, still unaware of where Gordan was staying. "No need to trouble yourself with the back and forth. I''ll bring him over. We''lle by shortly. Thank you, Dr. Craw," said Gale before hanging up. Luca returned the phone to Luke. "Did you know Mr. Norton was discharged?" "Gale mentioned it," answered Luke. "Why didn''t you tell me he was discharged? He still needs dry needling treatment for his hand. The nerves have been connected, but it''s also important to promote the growth of the nerves and muscles, or it''ll take a long time for him to recover. He won''t be able to take on tasks, then." Luca sounded a bit annoyed and helpless. "It slipped my mind," exined Luke. Since Gordan was recovering well, it had slipped his mind. Luca remained silent. "Why don''t you go take a nap in the bedroom before they arrive?" suggested Luke. Luca shook her head. "I''m not going to sleep. I need to get ready." "Ready for what?" asked Luke. "I need to prepare the dry needling tools," answered Luca. She rose to her feet and left the dining area with him. "The dry needling method is different from the usual. "How is it different?" Luke was puzzled. Was dry needling treatment not always the same? Luca exined, "The needles I''m using this time were brought back from abroad." She almost mentioned the Ind of Despair but quickly remembered Aunt Neile was around, so she just said they came from abroad. Luke nodded. "If I''m going to use these needles, there has to be a detailed sterilization process. Also, the needles need to be slightly heated to a certain temperature for the best results. The whole house is being cooled by air conditioning, so it can only be done in the yard," continued "The yard is too hot." Luke frowned. "It''s hard to keep the needles at body temperature indoors." Luca frowned as well. She felt there was no need to raise the air conditioning indoors since it was already over 37 degrees Fahrenheit outside, which was the most suitable for her needs. Luke fell silent. He had not heard of this type of treatment before. However, he trusted that Luca knew what she was doing. She was not just messing around. "Alright, I''ll go set up a sunshade for you," said Luke. It was midday, and the sun was scorching outside. Even the gazebo was too hot, so a sunshade would be the best way to shield her from the heat. Luca nodded. "Set it up under the tree." "Got it," replied Luke as he headed out. Luca followed him. Luke found the sunshade in the tool shed outside. When he saw that Luca had followed him out, he frowned and said, "You don''t need toe with me. Go back inside. It''s too hot out here." "I''ll need toe outter anyway, so I might as well feel the temperature now," replied Luca. "You..." Luke was at a loss with her. Luca grinned and picked up the sunshade parts. "It''ll go faster if we work together. Come on!" Reluctantly, Luke led her to the front yard. They chose a spot under a tree to set up the sunshade and secured the base. Luca then ced a small stool in the sunny spot and said, "Once it heats up enough here, I''ll put the sterilized needles on it to warm them up quickly." "Alright, let''s head inside," replied Luke. "Okay." The two walked briskly back into the house. Aunt Neile watched as the two, who had just returned, went out to the garden and then back to the living room. She could not help but ask, "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, what are you doing outside in this zing sun?* She nced outside and felt the heat just from looking at the sun. "We went to set up a sunshade. Aunt Neile, is there any more of that smoothie to cool off with?" asked Luca. "Sure, would you like some more?" asked Aunt Neile as she was ready to serve. "No, it''s not for me. Mr. Gale and Mr. Norton will being overter, and I figured we should have some drinks ready for our guests. The smoothie will be fine," exined Luca. As Luke listened to her, he said, "Don''t be too nice to them." "Luke." Luca felt helpless. They were both his friends, after all. Even though Gale was seen as his subordinate, she knew their rtionship was much more than just boss and employee. They were good friends. Luke was very particr about boundaries. If Gale were just a simple subordinate, he would not invite him to parties or drinks. Luke smiled at her and added, "Just don''t overdo it. Don''t put too much pressure on yourself." "Don''t worry. You aren''t doubting my skills, are you?" Luca knew he was referring to the dry needling treatment for Gordan. "Ill sterilize the tools now." Chapter 3300 He Brought This On Himself ?Chapter 3300 He Brought This On Himself "Alright." Luke nodded. After Luca left, Aunt Neile asked, "Mr. Crawford, will Mr. Gale and Mr. Norton be staying for dinner tonight?" Luke pondered for a moment and replied, "Prepare meals for both of them too." "Yes, sir. I''ll head to the supermarket, then," said Aunt Neile. She grabbed a basket from the kitchen and quickly left. Luke went upstairs. He had nned to head straight to the bedroom to get some work done, but when he noticed the study door was open, he walked in instead.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Luca was sitting at theb bench, disinfecting her tools. When she heard footsteps, she looked up and nced at him. It was not the first time Luke had seen her set of tools, but each time, he found them fascinating. He walked closer. "Let me take a look." "Are you interested in these dry needling needles?" asked Luca. "Yes." Luke nodded. These dry needling needles were not avable on the market. If they were lost, they would have to be custom-made. However, without precise patterns and dimensions, it would be difficult to replicate them effectively. "This set was custom-made based on ancient texts," exined Luca. "Since the depths and positions of the dry needling points I work with vary, these needles are much more functional than standard ones. They''re made from a special metal, so they''re reusable, unlike typical disposable needles." Luke asked with curiosity, "What kind of metal is it?" "I''m not sure," replied Luca. "Each needle has a unique weight, but Shanks never mentioned what metal they''re made from. I haven''t had them analyzed either. Any testing might damage their weight bnce, which could affect the treatment." Luke frowned, recalling the older version of the Ind of Despair he had encountered before. Many of their medical technologies were more advanced than those avable today. However, this rebuilt organization seemed even more cutting-edge. Perhaps, it was Shanks who was just that extraordinary. "What are you thinking about?" questioned Luca as she soaked the needles in alcohol. "I''m thinking about Shanks," replied Luke. "From what you''ve said, he seems pretty remarkable." "Yes, he is," Luca agreed. She remembered when she first encountered this kind of medical treatment, she could not believe any of it was real. The dry needling technique Shanks taught her was astonishing. It did not match any of the dry needling charts she had studied in medical texts. Still, Shanks'' teachings were undeniably effective and incredibly useful. She remembered an incident where one of the Ind of Despair''s assassins was ambushed during a mission near the Russian coast. He was quickly brought back to the ind. At that time, the assassin''s arm was wrapped in bandages, but the bleeding would not stop. The bandages were soaked in blood, and the moment they were removed, blood gushed out. She could still remember Shanks'' calm demeanor as he swiftly inserted a few needles into the man''s arm. The bleeding stopped at once, as though it was magic. Luca recalled that the techniques he used were part of what he had taught her. That experience motivated her to study even harder, knowing that Shanks'' skills were not just exaggerated stories. She needed that knowledge to save herself and to escape with her children. Once she finished disinfecting the needles, the doorbell rang. Luke went to answer the door. A momentter, Gordan and Gale came upstairs. "Boss, Dr. Craw," greeted Gordan and Gale. "Make yourselvesfortable," replied Luke. Gale added, "Boss, I''m here because I need to discuss something with you." "Let''s talk in the study," replied Luke, referring to his usual workspace. After he and Gale left, the only ones who remained were Luca and Gordan. Luca gestured to the chair beside her. "Mr. Norton, have a seat. I''ll examine you." "Dr. Craw, just call me Gordan," Gordan said with a smile and sat down. "I need to examine you before deciding on the dry needling treatment. It might hurt a little. Internal injuries don''t heal as quickly as surface wounds," exined Luca. "That''s fine. No problem at all," replied Gordan as he rolled up his sleeve. Luca pulled up a chair next to him and started her examination. At first, Gordan''s expression was rxed, but as she pressed on certain areas, he felt a sharp pain. He had to admit, Luca was really skilled. When the doctors examined him after his discharge, pressing those areas did not hurt nearly as much. Yet, here was Luca, not even pressing hard and the pain was undeniable. Sweat began to bead on Gordan''s forehead, and Luca''s expression grew serious. "Your recovery isn''t going well." Gordan replied helplessly, "Dr. Craw, recovery takes time, doesn''t it?" "This is mostly because you didn''t pay enough attention to your habits while you were in the hospital. If you had, and with the help of my herbal treatments, you wouldn''t be recovering this slowly," Luca replied with a hint of frustration in her tone. After checking thest spot, she added, "Alright, you can roll your sleeve down." "Dr. Craw..." Gordan hesitated for a moment, unsure what to say next. Should he admit she was too sharp to fool or confess that his bad habits were just too ingrained? Nothing seemed like the right thing to say. Luca said, "If you want to speed up your recovery, you''ll need both dry needling and herbalpresses. I didn''t realize your condition had deteriorated this much. Forget it..." She let out a sigh. "Well, it''s toote to prepare the herbalpresses now, and we don''t have enough ingredients anyway, so we''ll start with dry needling. But for the next few weeks, you''ll need toe by four or five times. "You''ll need dry needling and herbalpresses every two days." Gordan grinned. "Dr. Craw, does this include meals?" "Yes. You and Mr. Gale should stay for dinner tonight," replied Luca. "Great! As long as meals are included, I''lle as many times as needed," said Gordan, clearly pleased. He was not much of a cook, and he had grown tired of eating out. The homemade meals here really suited his taste. "Mr. Norton, even if you find me naggy, I have to say it. Please take better care of yourself." Luca felt helpless. If Gordan were not Luke''s friend, she would not be so invested in his recovery. She had asked Aunt Neile to prepare meals and soups, yet Gordan still neglected his health, leading to such a slow recovery. "Got it, I promise," Gordan replied quickly. "So, are we doing the dry needling now?" "This dry needling treatment is a bit special. We''ll have to do it outside. The needles need to warm up to match the body''s temperature to be most effective," exined Luca. She pondered for a moment and added, "By the way, your body will have a reaction once the needles are in ce. The worse your recovery, the stronger the reaction." Gordan shuddered at the thought and asked cautiously, "Is it going to hurt like the check-up just now?" "It might hurt a bit more than the check-up, but with each session, the pain will lessen." Luca could tell he was afraid of the pain, and deep down, she let out a chuckle. She thought, '' He brought this on himself.'' Chapter 3301 You Should Be Grateful ? Chapter 3301 You Should Be Grateful Gordan''s face turned pale. "Ms. Craw, if I just let it heal on its own, how long would it take?" He had felt this kind of pain before and did not want to go through with the treatment anymore. Gordan even thought that he would rather have a stiff hand than go through this pain again. After all, he would not just be experiencing the pain once but over and over again. Luca stood straight and looked at him seriously. "Mr. Norton, are you scared?" "I''m the kind of guy who''s a bit afraid of pain," admitted Gordan, not embarrassed in the slightest. "Maybe I should just forget about it." "If you skip therapy, your hand might never fully recover," Luca warned him, trying to scare him a little. The truth was, it would heal, but it would take a long time. Even after it healed, it would not be as nimble as before. For an average person, Gordan''s current condition might be good enough. However, for someone like him, any slight loss of agility could be fatal. In his line of work, even the smallest margin could be the difference between life and death. "So, should I go to the hospital for this?" Gordan thought maybe the physical therapy at the hospital would not hurt as much. "It''ll be the same at the hospital," replied Luca. She took out a bottle of medicine from the cab. "If you''re really afraid of the pain, I can give you a sedative." "No, no, no!" Gordan did not like the idea of being sedated. He clenched his teeth and was about to say something when he heard Gale teasing him." Really, Gordan? A grown man like you, afraid of a little pain?" Gordan rolled his eyes. "How about I cut you in the same spot, let you heal, and then you can ask Dr. Craw to try it on you?" Gale muttered, "I''m not stupid." "Aren''t you supposed to be discussing business? What are you doing here stirring up trouble?" Gordan shot him an annoyed look. "I came out for coffee, and then I overheard you whining about being scared of pain. It''s hrious!" Gale did not hold back in making fun of him. "Gale!" Gordan did not mind losing his dignity in front of a beautiful woman, but he could not stand being embarrassed in front of his friends. "Dr. Craw, don''t listen to him. Just give him the full treatment, make it hurt, and maybe he''ll learn his lesson," added Gale. He was grinning as he turned to Luca. "Gale, if you have nothing nice to say, then just keep your mouth shut!" roared Gordan. Friends like them were always ready to throw each other under the bus. Gale shrugged innocently. "Mr. Norton, let''s go downstairs." Luca picked up the disinfected tools along with the ones she would needter. Gordan looked dejected, ring at Gale onest time as he walked by. Gale saw the look on his face and could not help resist stirring the pot even more. He walked over to Luke''s room and said, "Boss, wanna watch them? We can finish discussing thingster." Luke frowned. It was just a dry needling treatment. What was there to watch? "Dr. Craw said it''s going to hurt a lot," added Gale. Luke immediately rose to his feet and walked out. "Let''s go." Gale gave him a thumbs-up. It seemed no one wanted to miss Gordan''s moment of pain.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Luke noticed the gesture and exined, "I''m just worried Gordan mightsh out and hurt Luca if it''s too painful." "Gordan can''t hurt Dr. Craw even if he tries. She''s got some serious skills," replied Gale, making a mock boxing pose. He knew Luca had spent three years on the Ind of Despair, so her skills were definitely not to be underestimated. When Luca saw the two of them following along, she smiled and asked, "What are you guys doing out here?" "We came to watch," answered Luke. Gordan looked helpless. "Luke, when did you start acting like Gale? Are you waiting to see me embarrassed?" Luke raised an eyebrow, pretending to be innocent. Luca suddenly understood the humorous dynamics among men. She suppressed a smile as she walked over to the parasol and neatly folded clean gauze. One by one, sheid out the needles, then ced them in a dust-proof container to sterilize under the sunlight. "Why are you doing that?" asked Gordan, intrigued by the sight. "I''m warming the needles to a temperature close to body heat. This makes the treatment more effective." Luca pulled over another small stool to sit on. She then nced at Luke and Gale. "I didn''t prepare seats for you two. If you want to take a seat, you''ll have to grab your own chairs." "I''m fine standing," replied Luke. Gale nodded in agreement, then nced at the needles and said, "Gordan, you really don''t get it. How could you ask to skip therapy? Do you know how lucky you are? This treatment is way more gentle than the one Dr. Craw did for Pierre." Gordan raised an eyebrow. "I saw the footage. Dr. Craw didn''t even use her full dry needling set for him. She had none of this extra care. You''re totally spoiled, and you don''t even know it." Gale chuckled, clearly enjoying the show. He loved watching Gordan squirm, so he leaned in and whispered, "Dr. Craw, go ahead and make it hurt. Consider it payback for your best friend." Gordan''s expression darkened. "Why bring her up?" "Did I say who it was?" Gale raised his eyebrows mischievously. Gordan pouted and turned away. "Come on, man up. A little pain never hurts," added Gale. Gordan, sitting in his chair, motioned toward him. "Yeah? If a little pain''s no big deal, why don''t you take my ce?" "No way." Gale shook his head. "I''m perfectly fine, so no need for needles." "Coward." Gordon scoffed and red at him. Gale could not be bothered. Let Gordan say what he wanted. After all, Gale was just there to watch the show. There was no need for him to prove he was not afraid of pain by getting poked with a needle. Luca listened to the banter between the two men and then nced over at Luke. He stood there, watching her quietly. Their eyes met, and an overwhelming sense of warmth and affection filled the air. Luca gave him a gentle smile and looked away. However, Gale noticed the unspoken connection between them and could not help but Luca let out augh, then walked over to the stool and touched the needles. "The temperature''s just right. Mr. Norton, please roll up your sleeve." Gordan heard this and quickly rolled up his sleeve, eyeing the needles with a shiver. "Are you using all of those?" "We''ll see." Luca poured some iodine into a clean basin. She picked up tweezers and a cotton swab, preparing to disinfect his arm. Gale, always ready to tease, said, "You should be grateful for Dr. Craw''s gentle care." "Shut up!" A vein pulsed on Gordan''s forehead. The disinfecting did not hurt, but every time Luca moved, Gordan could not help but remember the intense pain from the check-up earlier. It hurt even worse than getting shot! Sensing that Luca was about to begin, Gale finally went silent. The first needle went in, and Gordan''s brow twitched. It hurt, but it was bearable. Still, the pain did not go away after the needle was inserted. Gordan asked, "Dr. Craw, why does it still hurt after the needle''s in?" "It''s because your recovery isn''t going well. Just bear with it," replied Luca as she continued inserting needle after needle. Gordan bit down on his lip hard, trying to stop himself from crying out. Chapter 3302 Whats There To Be Afraid Of ?Chapter 3302 What''s There To Be Afraid Of After about a dozen needles, Gordan was in so much pain he started questioning himself. Beads of sweat dripped from his forehead, and his back was drenched in cold sweat. It was 38 degrees Fahrenheit outside, yet here he was, sweating from the sheer pain. He realized the pain from being shot was nothingpared to this. This was real agony. His mind wandered, pondering the meaning of life. Was he meant to endure this kind of suffering? Just as he was spiraling into these thoughts, Luca spoke up, "Last one." As the final needle went in, he could not help but let out a loud yelp. The sound was so startling that Aunt Neile, who had juste in with groceries, jumped. "What''s going on?" Aunt Neile hurried over. Gale quickly reassured her, "It''s fine, Aunt Neile. Dr. Craw is just giving Gordan treatment." Aunt Neile wondered if treatment should hurt that much? She nced at Gordan, whose face had gone pale. However, since Luke and Luca seemed calm, she nodded and left, though she kept ncing back with every step. "You okay?" asked Luca, concerned. Gordan bit his lip and answered, "Yeah, I''m fine." "Well, he only screamed once, so he''s probably fine," Gale chimed in. Gordan shot him a re without saying a word. He was too drained to bother. Every muscle in his body felt like it had given up from the pain. "He was holding it in for a long time." Luca saw right through him. She had fully expected him to cry out before thest needle, but he toughed it out until the end. "How long do the needles need to stay in?" asked Gordan. "These needles will need to stay in for about ten minutes," replied Luca, checking the time. It was scorching outside, and she was sweating as much as he was. Gordan stayed quiet, silently enduring the grueling ten minutes. After the time was up, Luca began removing the needles. When she pulled out thest one, Gordan let out a deep sigh of relief. "Try moving around a bit and see if there''s any improvement," suggested Luca. Gordan moved his arm and was surprised to find it much more flexible than before. "Dr. Craw, you''re amazing!" He had already forgotten about the pain and was busy praising her. His arm no longer hurt, and his range of motion had improved significantly. Luca wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Your arm still can''t handle any intense training for now. You''ll need to keep up with the treatment. Let''s go inside. It''s way too hot out here." "Yes, let''s head in," said Luke as he helped pack up the equipment. Gale and Gordan followed suit, and together, they put everything away before heading back into the living room. The air conditioning inside was a refreshing change, and Luca finally let out a sigh of relief. Back on the Ind of Despair, there was hardly ever summer, and since she spent most of her time underground, Luca had gotten used to the cool, constant temperature there. She still was not quite adjusted to A City''s zing heat. Gale rested his hand on Gordan''s shoulder and asked, "How are you feeling now?" "Much better," replied Gordan. Even though it was not as painful as it was before, he could sense that his range of motion was not as good as it used to be. However, the moment Luca pulled out the needles, he could tell the difference right away. "Dr. Craw really knows her stuff,"mented Gale. Aunt Neile came in with a smile on her face and ced four sses of smoothies on the table. "Come have some smoothies!" "Great!" Gale''s eyes lit up. He grabbed the ss Aunt Neile handed him, thanked her, and eagerly took a sip. The ice-cold smoothie cooled him from the inside out, and everyone felt refreshed. "This is amazing!" Gale gave Aunt Neile a thumbs-up. "There''s more in the kitchen if you''d like another ss, Mr. Gale," offered Aunt Neile, seeing how much he enjoyed it. "No, I''m good, thanks." Gale set his ss down. Noticing Luke had finished his as well, he asked, "Boss, shall we continue our discussion?" "Yes." Luke nodded, and the two of them headed upstairs. Now, only Luca and Gordan remained downstairs. "Dr. Craw..." Gordan was about to say something, but just then, Luca''s phone rang. She gave him an apologetic look before answering, "Mr. Link, what''s the matter?" "Dr. Craw, the sses at Capital University have beenpleted," reported Rhett. Since Luca had been busy these past couple of days, she had asked Rhett to take over her lectures. "Thank you, I appreciate it," said Luca. "Oh, and I think I ran into one of your friends," added Rhett. "A friend?" Luca was surprised. "Who?" "Miss Vivian, a student from Capital University," exined Rhett. "Vivian? What about her?" asked Luca as she nced at Gordan. He had been sitting calmly, but the moment he heard Vivian''s name, he froze for a moment and then furrowed his brows. "Miss Vivian said she missed you and asked if I could give her a ride. She mentioned wanting to visit you," replied Rhett. He did not actually know where Luca lived, nor had he nned on delivering her materials. Still, given Vivian''s request, he felt obligated to check with Luca. Luca paused for a moment and turned to look at Gordan. The living room was quiet, with no TV on, so he heard the conversation clearly. Gordon sensed her hesitation and said, "It''s fine." Luca replied, "Alright, then please bring Vivian over. She knows where I live." "Got it, Dr. Craw," replied Rhett. After hanging up, Luca fixed her gaze on Gordan. "Mr. Norton, are you sure you''re okay with this?" "Who''s Vivian to me? It''s not like I''m afraid of seeing her," replied Gordan, sounding defensive. Luca raised an eyebrow but did not push further. She could sense his emotional shift. However, as he said, everything that had happened between him and Vivian was in the past. As a friend, there was no reason for her to be more concerned about it than he was. "Alright." She nced at his empty ss and asked, "There''s more smoothie. Would you like another ss?" "No thanks. I''m heading upstairs to join the others." Gordan stood up, but as he took his first step up the stairs, he turned around and looked at Luca. "Dr. Craw, could you ask Aunt Neile to make some coffee?" "But you can''t have coffee today." Luca frowned. She had no issue making coffee for the others, but Gordan was not supposed to drink any.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. "You''ve got to be kidding..." Gordan eximed in surprise. He did not sleep well the night before and needed coffee just to stay awake. "Technically, you''re not supposed to have coffee or strong tea for 24 hours after dry needling treatment. If you''re going to be around more often, I can mix up some herbal medicine for you to drink," offered Luca as she rose to her feet. Gordan pulled a face. "Can I say no?" "No, unless you n on leaving right now," replied Luca. She headed toward the storage room to gather some herbs. There was not much left from the herbal packets, but she still had some ingredients from the medicinal soup she had prepared for Gordan earlier. They would work just fine for brewing a herbal remedy. Gordan considered leaving but then remembered Vivian would being by soon. He hesitated for a moment. He could not leave. If he did, Luca might think he was running away because of Vivian. Vivian was just a woman he no longer wanted. What was there to be afraid of? Chapter 3303 Weve Gone Our Separate Ways ? Chapter 3303 We''ve Gone Our Separate Ways Gordan decided to stay after thinking about it. He felt like he was making a bold choice. He headed upstairs to join Luke and Gale for their meeting. Luca stepped out of the storage room, and by then, Gordan had already gone upstairs. She shook her head helplessly, knowing that things would turn tense once Vivian arrived. She really could not talk to Vivian about Gordan right now, or else it might lead to a misunderstanding. Luca carried the herbs and walked into the kitchen. Aunt Neile was making soup. When she saw the herbs in Luca''s hands, she asked, "Ms. Craw, are you brewing herbal medicine for Mr. Norton?" "Yes." Luca gave the herbs a quick rinse, ced them in the electric herbal pot, then set the timer. She would not need to worry about it for a while now. "Poor Mr. Norton, going through painful dry needling treatment and now having to drink such bitter medicine." Even though Aunt Neile sounded sympathetic, there was a mischievous smile at the corners of her mouth. Luca was puzzled as she asked, "How do you know?"Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. "I heard him yelling in pain earlier! If someone like Mr. Norton is making noise from the pain, it must be really bad," Aunt Neile spected. Luca nodded. It probably did hurt a lot. After all, the acupoints used for physical therapy were different from those for general health maintenance. When treating the elderly, the treatment did not hurt much, but physical therapy was a whole different story. Luca had tried it on the Ind of Despair before, and it really was painful. "Physical therapy is for his own good," Luca said calmly. Then, she asked Aunt Neile, "Aunt Neile, could you help me out? When there''s about half an hour left, could you add these herbs too?" She pointed at the herbs she had not put in yet. "Of course, Ms. Craw." Aunt Neile noted down the instructions. Luca nodded and returned to the living room to check the emails Rhett had sent over the past couple of days. They were allb data, and she reviewed them one by one. About 20 minutester, the doorbell rang. Luca walked to the inte. It was Vivian. She pressed the button to unlock the door. Five minutester, Vivian and Rhett walked in. It was Rhett''s first time at Luca''s ce, and he was visibly shocked by how luxurious was. "Luca, I''m here!" Vivian said cheerfully. She was clearly in a good mood. Luca stood up with a smile to greet her, "Wee!" Rhett handed the documents he was holding to Luca. "Dr. Craw, these are the teaching materials and somepany documents." "Thank you." Luca took the papers. "Why don''t you stay for dinner tonight?" Rhett quickly declined. "Thank you, Dr. Craw, but I have other ns..." "Alright, I won''t force you," replied Luca. She was just being polite anyway. After all, Luke was still here. If Rhett saw them living together, even though he was not the type to gossip, one could never tell what would happen. What if he identally mentioned it at thepany? Hence, after Rhett politely declined, Luca did not insist. "Dr. Craw, I should be..." Before Rhett could finish his sentence, Gordan''s voice echoed from the staircase. "Dr. Craw, can I have a ss of juice?" Vivian froze for a moment. That voice... Her brows furrowed together. Why was Gordan here? Luca noticed the change in Vivian''s expression. She was nning to tell Vivian about this after Rhett left. Who knew Gordan woulde down before that? Could it be a coincidence? Luca strongly suspected Gordan did this on purpose! "Sure," Luca replied in a faint voice. However, Gordan did not just leave it at that. He walked right over to Luca, stood next to her, and stared intently at both Vivian and Rhett. Then, he shed a grin, "A new boyfriend?" Vivian felt a wave of irritation wash over her. His tone was mocking, as though he was ridiculing the idea that she could ever find a new man. His words were filled with disdain and sarcasm. The way he spoke made her extremely ufortable. If she knew Rhett better, she might have even nodded. Everyone had their pride... Even though she was not beautiful, that was not a crime, and she definitely did not need to feel inferior in front of Gordan. Luca quickly intervened, "This is my assistant. He''s just dropping off some documents." "Oh! So he''s your assistant," Gordan replied with a long, drawn-outugh. "I knew it. This gentleman looks too sharp to have such poor taste!" "Mr. Norton!" Luca frowned. Vivian and Gordan''s rtionship was over, so there was no need for this constant mockery! "The juice is in the kitchen!" Gordan shrugged his shoulders and nced at Rhett. Then, he shifted his gaze back to Vivian. "Okay. But you know, Dr. Craw, some people are best avoided because getting close to them only brings bad luck." "What do you mean by that, Gordan?" Vivian had initially intended to ignore him, out of respect for Luca and Luke. However, his words were too much. She could not hold back anymore and confronted him directly. "When was there ever a day I didn''t have bruises all over me?" questioned Gordan. His tone was full of bitterness. Whenever Vivian was upset, he would get beaten up by Ray''s subordinates. Being bruised and battered was a regr urrence. As a man, the years he was trapped by Vivian stripped him of any dignity. Vivian hesitated for a moment, knowing he was holding onto resentment. He had taken quite a few beatings because of her over the years. However, had they not already gone their separate ways? Why would Gordan not just let her go?! As these thoughts ran through Vivian''s mind, her eyes reddened. She hated that she could not stand up to Gordan, especially in front of so many people. Luca cleared her throat and said, "Rhett, you may head back now." "O-Okay!" Rhett quickly turned and hurried out. The scene he had just witnessed was like a battlefield. It was absolutely terrifying! After Rhett left, Luca frowned and said, "Mr. Norton, if you want something to drink, go get it from the kitchen. Anything else?" Gordan knew Luca was upset. Every time he encountered Vivian, he could not control the resentment that boiled up inside him, which was why he ended up confronting her like that. However, he was not usually like this. If he held a grudge against someone, his usual approach would be to fight it out, and it would be over. Win or lose, he would ept the oue and move on. However, with Vivian, fighting was not an option. Instead, he would stand in front of her, picking fights and saying the harshest things he could think of. Luca noticed that he was not moving and frowned deeper. "Is there anything else you need?" Gordan felt irritated. He ran a hand through his hair and muttered, "No." Without another word, he turned around and went upstairs, skipping the kitchen entirely. Luca took Vivian''s hand and led her to the living room to sit down. "I''ll get you some water." After Vivian sat down, Luca walked into the kitchen. Even though she said she was getting a ss of water, she also prepared juice, leaving it up to Vivian to choose what she wanted to drink. At the same time, she asked Aunt Neile to brew a pot of coffee and send it upstairs. Luca returned to the living room with both water and juice, cing them on the coffee table. Then, she finally exined, "Mr. Norton was already here before you called." Vivian moved her lips as though to voice her thoughts, but she remained silent. "You wanted to ask why I didn''t tell you, right?" Luca could guess the words Vivian could not bring herself to say. Chapter 3304 A Dramatic Pursuit ? Chapter 3304 A Dramatic Pursuit Vivian froze for a moment. She hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded in acknowledgment. She was confused. Why had Luca not told her that Gordan was around? If she had known, she definitely would not havee. "You two are in the past. Are you really going to avoid it for the rest of your life?" asked Luca. "Besides your university friends, you''ll inevitably have mutual acquaintances with him. Vivian, you need to take that step forward. Be brave. Don''t let this mess with your emotions or your social life. Running away won''t solve anything. You''ve got to learn to face it." Vivian pressed her lips tightly together. She had shamefully run away after the divorce. However, it was just to make herself feel better. She had not really thought too much about it. Luca continued, "And knowing how sensitive you are, I figured if I told you ahead of time that Gordan was here, you might have misunderstood that I didn''t want you toe or that we chose him over you. "The truth is, adult life isn''t full of those kinds of childish games. Mr. Norton is a key partner of Luke''s, someone we can''t do without. And you''re just as important to us. We don''t want to lose either of you. You get what I''m saying, right, Vivian?" "I get it. I was just overthinking things." Vivian let out a sigh, grabbed Luca''s hand, and added, "Sorry for making it awkward with my doubts earlier." "It''s not your fault. I totally understand. But honestly, A City isn''t that big. No matter where you go, you''re bound to run into Gordan. No one was at fault in that marriage. You two just weren''t right for each other. So, don''t dwell on it too much." Luca gently patted her head, then stood up and took a gift box out of a drawer. She sat back down on the couch and handed the box to Vivian. "You came just in time! This is a gift from Nina to you. You said you had ss and couldn''t take time off to attend her wedding, but you did send a really nice gift, so this is her return gift to you." Vivian smiled as she took the box. "Thanks. To be honest, it''s not that I couldn''t take time off. It''s just like you guessed. I didn''t want to run into Gordan. His mouth is way too sharp, and seeing him would''ve made me really ufortable." Luca thought for a moment. Did Gordan even show up at the wedding? It seemed like he did. It also seemed like he was pretty popr with the singledies there. As for how he responded to those women who tried to flirt with him, Luca could not quite remember. Her attention was not on him at all that day. "You''ve got to face both your past and your future. Don''t let Gordan defeat you!" said Luca. Then, she changed the subject. "So, what do you think of this gift? Nina said you can exchange it if you don''t like it." "Let me take a look." Vivian smiled as she opened the gift box. It was a Chanel bag. As Percy''s wife, Nina had definitely spent a lot on these gifts. Vivian happily took out the bag. "What girl wouldn''t love a Chanel bag?" "It''s gorgeous," Lucaplimented, smiling as she watched Vivian admire the bag. "Did everyone get the same bag?" asked Vivian. "No." Luca shook her head. "If everyone got the same one, there wouldn''t be enough in stores across the country. But all the gifts are of simr value. Some are bags, and some are skincare or makeup. Guests can choose what they like. "Of course, Nina picked out something special for close friends. She thought this bag would be perfect for you, especially since it''s not too shy for university." "This bag is perfect! I can totally use it for university." Vivian happily stroked the bag. She could have bought the bag herself. Still, when it was a gift from a friend, it had a whole different meaning. "I''m d you like it," said Luca. "I love it." Vivian nodded, carefully putting the bag back in its box. She was really happy with the gift. Luca offered, "Why don''t you stay for dinner tonight?" "Is he staying too?" asked Vivian "He is. If he stays, does that mean you won''t?" questioned Luca. Vivian fell silent. Luca had just finished giving her a pep talk, and it had made sense. If she bailed now just because of Gordan, she would be acting like an ostrich sticking its head in the sand. Vivian felt guilty for even considering it after Luca''s encouragement. "Stay for dinner. Tomorrow''s the weekend. If you''ve got no ns, you can even stay the night. The kids miss you," added Luca. Vivian nodded and agreed. She was staying because of Luca, not Gordan. Therefore, it did not matter whether he stayed or not. "You''ve got to take that first brave step, Vivian. You got this." Luca smiled. "Yes, I got this!" Vivian smiled back. Upstairs, Gordan returned to the room where Luke and Gale were. He had not said a word the whole time. It was not until Aunt Neile came in to bring coffee that Gordan finally spoke up, "Has Vivian left?" Aunt Neile put the coffee down on the table, then ced a ss of juice in front of him. ¡° Miss Vivian hasn''t left. Ms. Craw said she''s staying for dinner and will be spending the night here." Then, she turned and left the room. Gordan frowned. "Unbelievable. She''s got no shame." "What are you even talking about?" Before Luke could say anything, Gale could not take it anymore. "What, are you defending Vivian now? Don''t tell me you''ve got a thing for her?" Gordon furrowed his brows. Gale burst outughing. "Gordan, do you even know what you sound like right now?" "What do I sound like?" Gordan did not understand what he meant. "You sound like a jealous boyfriend," teased Gale. "The moment a guy says something nice about Vivian, you''re over here thinking they''re into her. Seriously, this is exactly how a jealous guy acts." "Shut up with that nonsense!" Gordan snapped. "Why the hell would I be jealous of that ugly woman? You''re hrious." Gale shrugged his shoulders. Gordon was too close to the picture to see it clearly. From what he had seen recently, Gordon genuinely cared for Vivian. Even though his way of showing it was a bit weird, there was no denying that he cared about Vivian. It was just that Gordan had not realized it. Still, Gale was not exactly a saint, and since Gordan had not figured it out yet, he was not going to spell it out for him either. If it ended up with Gordan going through a dramatic pursuit to win Vivian back, he would be all for it. "Alright, enough. Now''s not the time for this conversation," Luke cut in as he unfolded a piece of paper. When Aunt Neile hade in earlier, he had quickly folded it up, but now, he spread it back out, revealing a map. The points marked on this map were all of the Ind of Despair''s bases located in A City. The other map showed the original location of the Ind of Despair, along with some tracesText ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. they had managed to uncover. The investigation had not been easy. They had been super cautious, so they still had not fully mapped out the exactyout of the underground sections. "Boss, this is where we''ll need Dr. Craw to step in," said Gale. Chapter 3305 Not Taking Good Care Of Her And Their Daughter ? Chapter 3305 Not Taking Good Care Of Her And Their Daughter Luke''s eyes darkened a little. At this point, it was clear they needed Luca. She was the only one who knew theyout of the Ind of Despair. Gale asked, "Should we call in Dr. Craw now?" "I''ll go," replied Luke. He rose to his feet and headed downstairs. Luca was chatting with Vivian when she saw Lukee down. "Coffee?" "No." Luke nced at Vivian. Then, after a moment, he said, "Miss Vivian, can I borrow Luca for a bit?" Vivian chuckled and replied, "She''s all yours anyway." Luca stood up and said to Vivian, "Vivian, why don''t you check out the magazines? I''ll be back as soon as I''m done." "Luca, don''t worry about me. I know my way around here." Vivian waved her phone and added, "If I need anything, I''ll ask Aunt Neile. Plus, I have the TV and my phone... There''s no way I''m getting bored." "Oh, and there are two game consoles in the drawer if you feel like ying," Luca assured her before following Luke upstairs into the bedroom. "Dr. Craw, we could really use your help," said Gale. Luca nodded slightly and noticed the maps on the table. As she got closer, she realized they were all rted to the Ind of Despair. She was startled for a moment and nced at Luke. He had been investigating the ind all along without her even knowing. He had made significant progress without telling her. Realizing his intentions, Luca smiled and said, "You''ve already found out so much. What do you need my help with?" "We need to map out the underground area of the Ind of Despair. Once we have that, we won''t be stumbling around in the dark. At least, we''ll have a solid idea of what we''re dealing with when we make a move," exined Gale. Luca nodded. "The underground of the Ind of Despair is almost as big as the surface, though it might be slightlyrger because of the ind''s natural structure. Over the past two years, I''ve taken every chance I could to explore it. "I wouldn''t say I know everything, but I''ve got a pretty good idea of most of theyout." Gordan asked with confusion, "Why two years?" "I was pregnant during the first year. For the first six months, the baby was unstable, soExclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. they were afraid I''d try to take my life. They kept me locked in a room. After six months, when my belly started to show, even though I didn''t want to die anymore, I couldn''t move around much. "It was only when I started trainingter that I managed to walk around and memorize what I could," exined Luca. Luke''s pupils tightened, and he quietly held Luca''s hand. Luca knew why he reacted that way and added, "Honestly, calling it imprisonment isn''t quite urate. Eler was taking care of me, so other than being confined, I wasn''t mistreated." After revealing her true identity, she exined to Luke about Eler and Amur. Luke gave a slight nod, but guilt weighed on him. He had not taken good care of her and their daughter. Gale said, "Boss, don''t worry. We''ll make sure he pays for what he''s done!" If Abel had not provoked Luke and rebuilt the Ind of Despair, Luke would not have bothered tounch an attack as long as he did not threaten A City or the Crawford family. Luca knew they were all doing this for Luke and her, and she felt incredibly grateful. Gordan picked up a pen and some paper. "Dr. Craw, you tell me what to draw, and I''ll sketch it." "I''ll do it," replied Luca. Gordan handed over the pen and paper with augh, "Oh yeah, I almost forgot, you''re the pro here." She used to be an architecture major, so drawing maps came way more naturally to her than it did to him, aplete amateur. Luca sat down in Luke''s chair with a paper and pen in hand. She started sketching from memory. As she drew, she referenced the surface map of the Ind of Despair for scale. Two hourster, she had mapped out everything she could remember. Theyout she drew lined up almost perfectly with Luke''s surface map. "That''s impressive!" Gordan, despite not knowing much about architectural design, could easily tell how precise Luca''s map was when hepared the two. "With Dr. Craw''s map, I think we''ve got everything we need to take down the Ind of Despair," said Gale, clearly in awe of her. Previously, he used to think Luca was a bit too soft and was not quite the right match for someone like Luke. However, he could understand that she was the woman Luke loved, and it did not really matter if she was a bit weaker. As long as she had his heart, that was all that counted. Luke would always have her back, no matter what. Now, after three years of surviving on the Ind of Despair, Luca had be strong enough to stand tall next to Luke in every way. She had risen from the ashes. She was stronger and more resilient, earning everyone''s respect. Luca''s eyes crinkled with a soft smile as she listened to their conversation. Even though they were still in the nning stage, she could already imagine the moment they wiped out the Ind of Despair for good. When that day came, N would finally be able toe home, and they would be reunited. She and Luke would finally be able to stand together, openly and proudly, and announce their true rtionship to the world. The misunderstandings would clear, and they could be a happy family again. With warmth and hope in her eyes, she turned to look at Luke. He gently took her hand. "I know you miss our daughter, but we need to wait just a little longer. We''ve learned that Abel is nning to rescue Kassy. He''ll have to bring a lot of the Ind of Despair''s people to A City to make it happen, and that''s when the ind will be at its weakest." Since their daughter was still on the Ind of Despair, Luke had to wait for the perfect moment, when the ind was at its emptiest, to make a move and keep their little girl safe. "Okay." Luca nodded. She believed Luke coulde up with a good n, but she still had concerns about Kassy. "What about Kassy?" asked Luca with a hint of concern in her voice. "We''ve already informed the authorities. They''re keeping a close eye on things. Abel''s rescue n won''t go as smoothly as he thinks," Luke reassured her. Kassy deserved what wasing to her, but Luca did not. However, Abel had taken revenge by holding Luke''s wife and daughter hostage on the Ind of Despair. Luke knew that if he had been any weaker, both Luca and their daughter would have been dead by now. Even though Kassy was in a bad spot, Luke had no intention of letting her go. Luke slightly narrowed his eyes. Abel imed to love Kassy. In that case, he should let Abel rot in a cell with Kassy. Of course, that would be the best-case scenario. As for the worst-case scenario, Abel would die in a hail of bullets. It all depended on what he decided to do. "I''ve finished the map. You guys carry on. I need to head back downstairs to keep Vivian Whenever Luke was busy, she took care of things for him. Chapter 3306 Lanie, Nice One! ? Chapter 3306 Lanie, Nice One! All Luca could do at this point was help him feel at ease. "Okay." Luke nodded. When Gordan heard him mention Vivian, he could not help but frown. "Why do you care about her, Dr. Craw?" Luca shot him a helpless nce but did not respond. Instead, she said, "I''m heading downstairs." Then, she turned around and walked out of the bedroom, carefully closing the door behind her. Gordan was left feeling puzzled. "Did I say something wrong, boss?" "With Dr. Craw getting chummy with Vivian, what do you expect? She''s not going to let that slide," teased Gale. Gordan clicked his tongue. He knew that women usually defended each other, but he did not think Luca was that kind of person. Still, she seemed pretty annoyed with what he said. At the thought of this, Gordan decided he needed to be more careful with his words around Luca in the future. Otherwise, he would just be asking for trouble. ... Downstairs, Luca found Vivian deeply engrossed in a book. "What are you reading?" Luca asked as she sat down next to her. "It''s a book on architectural design. I saw it on the coffee table and just picked it up," replied Vivian, smiling with her lips pressed together. "I didn''t expect it to be so interesting!" "You can understand it?" Luca was a bit surprised. "Not really, but I think the drawings are pretty cool." Vivian shook her head and pointed at the book. "Look at this blueprint! Just from this, I can already picture how the courtyard will look. That''s why I find architectural design so fascinating. "European-style courtyards are just so gorgeous! If I ever settle in A City, I''ll definitely get a house with a European courtyard." "That sounds great! A lot of people in A City are choosing European-style courtyards over gardens these days. If you want to design er, I''d be happy to help if you don''t mind," offered Luca. Vivian''s eyes widened. "You know architectural design, Luca?" Luca froze for a second. Earlier upstairs, she had been chatting with them as Bianca. She had not switched back yet. When she heard Vivian say that, she quickly made up an excuse. "Well, not really. I''ve just had some exposure to it. I was interested in it back in school, so I learned a bit. But honestly, it''s nothingpared to what Mr. Crawford knows." Vivian looked at her in awe. "That''s still impressive!" "Nah, it''s not a big deal," Luca replied modestly. "Not a big deal? You know about pharmaceuticals, you''re awesome in medicine, and you even know how to fight! That''s incredible! I wish I could be as amazing as you one day," replied Vivian. Her eyes were sparkling with admiration. "You''re seriously my idol." "Aww, you''re making me feel kind of shy here." Luca''s cheeks tinged with pink. No one had ever spoken to her like that before. Vivian might have been exaggerating a bit, but she seemned genuine. Luca was a little embarrassed. "If you''re interested in architectural design, I can grab a few introductory books for you to check out." "Really? That would be awesome!" Vivian was eager to explore fields she had not touched before. Even though she had applied for a degree in business administration at Capital University, she could switch to any major that interested her as soon as she finished hernguage sses. Now, she was in the exploration phase. "I''ll go grab them for you now. They''re all Mr. Crawford''s books," replied Luca. "Thanks, I appreciate it!" Vivian''s eyes sparkled with excitement. Luca headed back upstairs and picked up some basic architectural design books. When she came down, she handed the books to Vivian and said, "If you''re really interested, take these home and read them slowly. You can figure out what major you want to pursue." Vivian looked surprised. "How did you know I wanted to change my major?" "Remember when I visited your cest time? I saw a bunch of books on different majors on your coffee table, so I figured that out." Luca had always been observant, especially after her training on the Ind of Despair. Just by looking at what someone had in their home, she could figure out a lot. "Wow, Luca, you''re amazing! You figured that out just from a few books on the table!" Vivian gave her a thumbs-up. "You''re totally my idol!" "It was just a guess, not a fact. I could have been wrong." Luca chuckled. "That''s still impressive." Vivian carried the books in her arms. "Once I''m done with my research, I''ll return them." "No rush. Mr. Crawford hardly looks at these anymore, so you can take your time returning them," replied Luca. She did not mention that these books had a certain collectible value. However, if Vivian really liked them, she was sure Luke would not mind giving them away. "Okay." Vivian carefully put the books in her bag, then picked up the one she was just reading. "Luca, since you know a bit about this, can you answer a few questions of mine?" "I might not know for sure, but go ahead and ask. If I can''t answer, we can just look it up online." Luca held up her phone. Vivian flipped open the book and pointed to a segment. "I don''t quite get this one." Luca nced at it. The questions Vivian had were all about things she understood. After all, Luca had studied these topics in school and dealt with them in her early job. Hence, she easily answered Vivian''s questions. They went back and forth discussing the material until the three kids came home from school, at which point they wrapped up their conversation. Vivian took charge of helping the kids with their homework, while Luca headed into the kitchen to help Aunt Neile prepare dinner. Luke, Gordan, and Gale had also wrapped up their discussion and came downstairs together. The three kids greeted them but quickly went back to focusing on their homework. Gordan watched Vivian helping the kids with their assignments and could not help but voice his thoughts, "You''re tutoring the kids? With that brain of yours, do you even understand the content?"Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Vivian froze for a moment but remained silent, pretending she had not heard him. Seeing that she waspletely ignoring him, Gordan pressed on, "Just don''t mess up their homework, alright?" He paused for a moment, still feeling snarky. "But really, the only reason you''re brave enough to tutor those three is that they''re smart enough not to need it. Otherwise, with your wits, you probably wouldn''t even be able to solve elementary school problems." "Gordan," Luke was unable to hold back any longer and quietly interrupted. "Luke, it''s just a personal grudge. You don''t need to step in." Gordan shot a nce at Luke and then turned back to Vivian. "Why aren''t you saying anything? Am I wrong?" "Uncle Gordan," Lanie chimed in, unable to stay quiet any longer. Gordan looked at him. "Lanie, did she mess things up for you with her tutoring?" Lanie shook his head. His little face looked tough, just like Luke''s. "I know it might be rude to say this, but Uncle Gordan, you''re really loud. You''re distracting us from doing our homework." "Haha, Lanie, nice one!" Gale could not help but burst outughing. He gave him a thumbs- up. Chapter 3307 Dont Waste Dr. Craws Efforts ? Chapter 3307 Don''t Waste Dr. Craw''s Efforts There was a hint of awkwardness on Gordan''s face. There was no way he could argue against what Lanie said. The more he thought about it, the more he realized those words could really distract the kids from their homework. Luke nced at his son. Then, he turned to Gale and asked, "Feel like having a drink?" "From your wine cer?" Gale''s eyes lit up. "Yes." Luke nodded. "Of course! Count me in!" Gale replied enthusiastically. He then remembered Gordan could not drink and teased him, "We''ll be enjoying ourselves, but someone here won''t be so lucky. No drinking for him!" Gordan rolled his eyes but remained silent. "Go pick a bottle, Gordan. You can have it once you''ve recovered," added Luke. He knew Gordan was not exactly great at controlling himself around alcohol. "Thanks." Gordan''s eyes lit up as well, the thought of good wine brightening his mood a little. The three of them headed to the wine cer. After Gordan left, Vivian visibly rxed. She was still trying to get used to everything, but it was a slow process. "Ms. Vivian, don''t be sad." Rainie was a thoughtful little girl. She sensed that Vivian might be feeling down, so she leaned in close and whispered words offort in her ear. "Thank you, Rainie. I''m not sad," replied Vivian as she smiled warmly at the angelic girl in front of her. Gale and Gordan each picked a bottle of wine. When they returned to the living room, only the three kids were there. Vivian had already gone somewhere else. Gale looked thoughtful for a moment before turning to Gordan. "Do you ever think about watching your mouth?" "What did I do? If she can''t handle it, she shouldn''t be around me," retorted Gordan. He thought he had not done anything wrong. Was there anyone to defend him when she made Ray treat him that way? Gordan was full of grievances, forgetting that it all started with him provoking Vivian in the first ce. If he had not gone after her toplete his mission, none of this would have happened. Gale shook his head helplessly without any intention of continuing the topic. He turned his attention to the three kids doing their homework. "If you need help with anything, feel free to ask me." "My kids are smart. They don''t need to ask you," Luke replied calmly.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. "Come on, boss!" Gale protested, feeling a little defeated. Could Luke not let him show off a bit in front of the kids? Tommy let out a chuckle. "Uncle Gale, we don''t need any help. We understand everything. And if we don''t, we have Lanie." "Yeah, yeah, your brother''s a genius who knows everything. These three really are a breeze to deal with." A hint of envy flickered in Gale''s eyes. Luke''s and Luca''s genes were just too strong. Not only were their kids smart, but they were also good-looking. How did they manage to make all three kids so exceptional? Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Vivian watched as Aunt Neile poured a pot of freshly brewed herbal medicine into a bowl. She could not help but frown and cluck her tongue. "What kind of soup is that? It looks bitter." "Ms. Vivian, it''s not soup," Aunt Neile exined with a smile. "It''s herbal medicine." "Medicine? Who''s sick?" asked Vivian. She had not noticed anyone in Luke''s family being sick, so why were they drinking herbal medicine? "It''s for Mr. Norton," rified Aunt Neile. Luca nodded. "Yes, it''s for Gordan." "Oh, him." Vivian remembered that his hand was injured. She had been worried about it earlier, but after running into him today and hearing his sharp words, she hadpletely forgotten about his injury. "Yes." Luca nced at the sugar. Her expression was indifferent, and she clearly did not intend to add any to the medicine. "How is his arm doing now?" Vivian asked nonchntly even though she was clearly interested. "For a regr person, it''s considered to have healed," replied Luca, setting the mug aside. "Oh, I see." Vivian understood what she meant. If Gordan were an average person, his hand would have been considered to be fully healed by now. However, since he was not, he had not fully recovered yet, which exined the need for the medicine. She stared at the ck, thick liquid and frowned just from imagining how bitter it had to be. Seeing Gordan drink it would be quite a sight. After knowing him for years, Vivian was well aware that Gordan was not a fan of anything bitter. Would he actually drink this medicine? Noticing that Luca was about to take the mug out without adding sugar, Aunt Neile reminded her, "Ms. Craw, you haven''t added the sugar yet." "Mr. Norton is a grown man, he can handle a little bitterness. No need for sugar," replied Luca with a slight smirk on her face. She had overheard Gordan''s harsh words to Vivian earlier and purposely decided not to add the sugar. "Besides, the more bitter the medicine, the better it works." "Huh? Why''s that?" Aunt Neile asked with confusion. "Herbal medicine is supposed to be bitter," exined Luca. "Really?" Aunt Neile was still puzzled. Previously, when Luca made this medicine, she would add some sweet herbs to bnce out the bitterness. Earlier, she had even mentioned they ran out of those herbs and could only add sugar. Yet, she was not putting in sugar now? It seemed like Luca was deliberately making the medicine more bitter for Gordan. Aunt Neile was still wondering about it when she nced at Vivian and suddenly realized what was going on. Luca turned to Vivian and asked, "Are you heading back out?" Vivian looked at the mug of medicine in Luca''s hands, quickly catching on. She nodded and replied, "Sure." Since this was Luca''s way of getting back at Gordan, Vivian was not about to spoil the fun. After all, Gordan had been full of snidements earlier. Now, she was curious to see if he would still have so much to say after drinking this bitter medicine. The two of them walked into the living room. The smell of the herbal medicine filled the air immediately. With the air conditioning on and the poor venttion, the smell lingered. Luke looked over at them. "Is that Gordan''s medicine?" "Yes, it is." Luca smiled and set the mug on the coffee table in front of the man sitting on the couch. "Mr. Norton, the medicine is ready. Time to drink up." Gordan''s brows furrowed. Why did this medicine seem even more bitter than usual? The dark, thick liquid looked almost like poison. He had not even taken a sip yet but could already imagine how awful it was going to taste. He thought about making a run for it for a second. Gale, who was beside him, asked, "Why aren''t you drinking it yet? This was brewed by Dr. Craw herself. You can''t let all her hard work go to waste." As he spoke, he deliberately emphasized thest part, then shed a mischievous grin and winked at Luca and Vivian. He lived for moments like this. "Stop talking so much." Gordan rolled his eyes. "Tsk, tsk. Don''t tell me you''re scared? It''s already funny enough seeing a grown man afraid of pain, but you''re scared of a little bitterness too? Come on, that''s just pathetic." Gale shook his head in mock disapproval. Seeing Gale stir up trouble like this made Gordan want to shove the whole mug of medicine down his throat. Gale caught the look on Gordan''s face and scooted a bit farther away. Then, he pointed at the mug of medicine and said, "Hurry up and drink it. Don''t waste Dr. Craw''s efforts. It''ll taste even more bitter if it cools down, and some medicine only works when you drink it hot." As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the living room, both adults and kids, turned their eyes toward Gordan. They waited for his next move. Chapter 3308 Hes Definitely Better-looking Than Luke! ? Chapter 3308 He''s Definitely Better-looking Than Luke! For the first time, Gordan realized that being the center of attention was not all it was cracked up to be. Like now, in front of him sat a mug of bitter medicine. He hated bitter stuff, including herbal medicine. However, everyone was watching him now. He knew if he did not drink it, there would be no getting out of this. Worse still, people might think he was disrespecting Luca''s effort. Gordon braced himself and picked up the mug, only to feel the heat burning his fingers. With an awkward chuckle, he said, "This stuff''s a bit hot. How about I let it cool for a few minutes?" Really, he just needed a few minutes to mentally prepare himself. Luca slightly frowned and gently reminded him, "Mr. Norton, this medicine has to be taken while it''s hot. The ingredients are too valuable to waste the effects." Gordan furrowed his brows together. Was she telling him to drink it now? However, it was not just bitter. It was burning hot! Tommy, noticing his hesitation, shed an innocent grin and asked, "Uncle Gordan, can''t you take the bitterness?" Gordan did not know what to say to that. "A grown man shouldn''t be afraid of bitter things! My dad never is. He''s super tough!" Tommy proudly nced at Luke. Gordan forced a couple of awkwardughs. "Afraid of bitterness? Me? I''ve had way worse than this. Come on now." "Then, drink it!" Tommy chimed in. "Ha! The kid''s right.Go ahead and drink it." Gale gave Tommy a thumbs-up, clearly enjoying the drama. Gordan cleared his throat, deciding it was best to just chug it in one go. He brought the mug to his lips, and the overwhelming smell of the bitter medicine that was way stronger than before hit his nose. He almost gagged. Desperate, he turned to look to Luke, silently pleading for rescue. Nevertheless, Luke just stared back without any expression on his face. It was like he was urging him to drink up. With no way out, Gordan held his breath and took a big gulp. Instantly, a wave of indescribable bitterness shot through his entire body, and he could not help but cough. Watching his face twist in agony, Gale burst outughing. "Haha! Gordan, you look like you''re about to face your doom! It can''t be that bad!" Gordan did not reply. From years of experience, he knew with bitter stuff like this, the faster you finished it, the better. Dragging it out would just make it worse. After another deep breath, he downed the entire mug. It took him a good five minutes to recover before his face slowly returned to normal. Gordan muttered, "I''m sure there''s some leftovers in the kitchen. Wanna give it a try?" "I''m not the one who needs it. Why would I take it?" Gale shook his head quickly. He nced at the now-empty mug and chuckled. "It probably wasn''t that bad. You didn''t leave a drop!" "I should''ve left a little and dumped it straight into your mouth." Gordan rolled his eyes. Aunt Neile came out holding a piece of candy and handed it to him. "Mr. Norton, the medicine is bitter. How about having candy?" "Thank you, Aunt Neile. You''re a lifesaver," replied Gordan, almost on the verge of tears. He knew Luca was making him suffer on purpose, and was probably because of Vivian. Of course, Luke was siding with her. As for Gale, that guy just loved watching the drama unfold. Gordan secretly let out a sigh and wondered why his life was so hard. "Mr. Norton, let me take the mug from you." Aunt Neile was amused by his theatrics and took the empty mug back to the kitchen. With the medicine consumed, the entertainment was over. Luca turned to Vivian and asked, "Vivian, could you help out in the kitchen for a bit?" "Sure, no problem." Vivian let out a sigh of relief and disappeared into the kitchen. Luca looked over at Luke and said, "I''ll head to the kitchen too. I have some more work to do." "Alright." Luke nodded, then turned to the guys. "Dinner''s still gonna take a while. How about a quick game of pool?" Gale''s eyes lit up. "Hell yeah, let''s go."Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. The pool table was upstairs, so the three men headed up. Tommy said in a low voice, "I''ve never seen Daddy y pool before. Can he even y?" Lanie, cool as ever, replied, "Dad''s a beast at pool." Tommy''s eyes sparkled. "Really? I wanna go watch it!" "Not until you finish your homework, Tommy," Rainie reminded him. Realizing he still had unfinished homework, Tommy quickly buried his head in his work. An hourter, dinner was ready. Tommy ran upstairs, where the guys had already yed a few rounds of pool. Gale and Gordan were starting to get a littlepetitive because out of all the games they had yed, they only managed to win once. Luke had won every other round. "Daddy, Uncle Gale, Uncle Gordan, dinner''s ready!" Tommy called out. Since Luke was winning so much, Gale was feeling a bit salty. He thought they had to win at least one more game. He was not bothered that this was not his own house. He just blurted out, "You guys eat first. We''re gonna keep ying a couple more rounds." Tommy turned to look to Luke for a reaction. Luke just patted his son''s head and replied with a smile, "If they don''t want to eat, I will. Let''s go." Gale grabbed his arm, not letting him leave. "Come on, boss. You win and then bail? That''s not how it works!" Luke replied, "You guys can keep ying, but I''m going to have dinner. Luca cooked today." The moment he mentioned Luca''s cooking, Gale came to his senses. Right, it was Luca who cooked today. They were guests, after all. They had to show some respect. Hence, both Gale and Gordan put down their pool cues and headed downstairs. Gordan was not ready to back down. "Let''s hit a few more rounds after dinner! I refuse to believe I can''t beat you!" Luke replied indifferently, "I''ve got work to take care of." "Seriously? You win a few and suddenly you''re done? Come on, boss, that''s justme." Gale was rendered speechless. Gale and Gordan had not even recovered from their previous losses! "Daddy." Tommy, holding onto Luke as they made their way down the stairs, looked up at him. "Yes?" asked Luke. "Are you really good at pool?" Tommy asked with curiosity. "Well, I''m just okay, but I definitely beat them a bunch of times," replied Luke when he had downyed his achievements in front of Gordan and Gale just earlier. "Wow, Daddy, you''re awesome!" eximed Tommy with his eyes wide with admiration. Listening to their back-and-forth, Gale and Gordan exchanged puzzled nces. Were they really that bad? Both of them fell into deep thought, wondering what they could possibly be better at than Luke. Suddenly, Gale chimed in, "You know, we''re probably better at fighting than the boss. Thinking like that makes it a bit easier to ept, right?" "Right..." Gordan felt helpless as he nced at the father and son. Besides being a little better than Luke at fighting, what else did he have on him? Then, it hit him. He was definitely better-looking than Luke! That was a fact! Feeling pretty pleased with himself, Gordan perked up. When Luca saw them walk into the dining room, she smiled gently and said, "Hurry up and eat. I didn''t ''t prepare a ton of fancy dishes today. I hope you don''t mind." "Dr. Craw, your cooking is a hundred times better than Rain''s! I''m in for a treat!" replied Gale. Chapter 3309 Why Cant She Date, Get Married, And Have Kids? ? Chapter 3309 Why Can''t She Date, Get Married, And Have Kids? As soon as Gale finished speaking, Rainie''s expression changed. "Uncle Gale." "Yes, Rainie?" Gale looked at her with all the love in the world. "I''m on a call with Ms. Rain." Rainie held out her phone for him to see, showing that they were on a call. "Oh no," Gale muttered just as Rain''s voice boomed from the other end of the line. "Gale!" He jumped back at the shout. "Rain, let me exin!" "You don''t need to exin. Don''t even think about eating my cooking again!" Rain snapped before hanging up. Everyone''s eyes were now on Gale. "Am I in deep trouble now?" asked Gale. An hour ago, he had been enjoying the show. Now, he was the one being watched. Tommy nodded and replied, "Uncle Gale, you''re in big trouble! Are you gonna get body- mmed when you go home?" "Getting body-mmed is one thing, but I''m more worried she''lle at me with a knife," muttered Gale, shivering at the thought of it. He nced at Luke. "You have to own up to what you say." Luke sat there, not nning to get involved. "Boss, you''re so cruel..." said Gale in a whiny tone. "Are you really going to sit there and watch Rain take a swing at me?" "Uncle Gale, you weren''t really thinking when you said that," Lanie piped up. Now, it was Gordan''s turn to revel in the drama. He would definitely not miss this chance to gloat, "Gale, I can offer you a ce to hide for a few days, but you gotta make things right with her. If you let her simmer in her anger, it''ll just blow up worseter." Gale shot a re at Gordan. "You''re talking like you''ve been through this." Gordan was ready to argue back that he had tons of experience. However, when he caught sight of Vivian, he swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue. It turned out that he did not have any real experience. It was always Vivian who had to smooth things over for him. Thinking about it made him feel uneasy, so he gulped down the chowder before immediately realizing it was too hot. He winced and stuck his tongue out a couple of times. Tommy burst outughing at his reaction. "Sorry, Uncle Gale," Rainie apologized. "I didn''t know you''d say that. If I had known, I wouldn''t have chatted with Ms. Rain." Gale looked at Rainie and felt sorry for her. How could he bring himself to be mad at her? "It''s not your fault. It''s all good,¡± replied Gale. Then, he added, "Ugh, women... What''s wrong with me speaking the truth?" "Uncle Gale, talking like that is just asking for a beating." Tommy shook his head. "I''m telling the truth! Rain loves to cook, but she just doesn''t have the knack for it," said Gale. Luca listened thoughtfully. Luke noticed and asked in a low voice, "What''s on your mind?" "I''m just thinking about how much Rain loves to cook," replied Luca. Gale chimed in, "Lately, I don''t know what''s up with Rain. She''s been obsessed with cooking whenever she has a spare moment. And guess who''s the one suffering because of it? Yes, it''s me. Honestly, I''ve got a stash of stomach medicine in my medicine cab now." Luca said, "When a woman who used to hate cooking suddenly starts cooking, there''s usually one reason behind it." "What''s the reason?" Luke asked with curiosity. "She wants to whip up some tasty meals for someone she likes. Long story short, she''s got a crush," exined Luca. Gale scoffed. "No way!" "I think Dr. Craw has a point," added Gordan, "From my experience with women, that''s exactly how it goes." Vivian''s expression darkened a bit. She used to love cooking for Gordan too. He loved Western food, so she splurged on a chef who could teach her how to make it. However, she just did not have the talent for it. It was a disaster every time she cooked. Gordan wouldin non-stop, telling her to just stop if she was not good at it. He made it clear that if she kept it up, it would just be embarrassing. After a few rounds of that, Vivian threw in the towel and had the chef cook for him instead. Even then, Gordan was not satisfied. He often reminisced about how good the food was back in A City. Vivian knew he was not just missing the food. He wanted to leave. Gordan was like a free bird, and she could not keep him caged. Thinking back on it made Vivian realize just how ridiculous she had been. While she was lost in thought, Gale piped up again, "With Rain''s bold personality, how could she possibly like a guy?" "You''d be surprised. Things you think can''t happen often do," replied Gordan, "Ms. Rain is pretty cute. Why wouldn''t she have someone she likes? Why can''t she date, get married, and have kids?" Gale froze for a second, feeling a bad vibe creep in. Could it be that Rain actually had someone she liked? Perhaps that was why she was learning to cook and using him as a test dummy. Once she mastered her skills, she would prepare meals for that guy.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. At the thought of it, Gale narrowed his eyes. If he found out who that guy was, he would definitely have a word with him. "Let''s eat," said Luke as he picked up his cutlery and served Luca some ribs. The rest followed suit, grabbing their cutlery to dig in. Despite the lively conversation, Gale''s mind was elsewhere. After dinner, the guys who had nned to y a couple more rounds of pool headed out. Tommy followed Luca to see them off, then asked curiously, "Ms. Luca, why does Uncle Gale look so anxious?" "He''s probably in a rush to deal with something," answered Luca. "What is it?" Tommy pressed. "Who knows?" Luca took Tommy''s hand as they walked back. "Did you finish your homework?" "Yes! All done." Tommy smiled. "I''ve got apetition tomorrow, so I finished it all today." Luca suddenly remembered that Tommy was participating in the Olympic Math Competition, so she asked, "Who do you want to take you to the event tomorrow?" "Let Daddy do it! It''s super early, so you should get your rest, Ms. Luca," Tommy answered with a smile on his face. Luca smiled, feeling a warm rush of maternal love. She reached out and patted Tommy on the head. "Alright, we''ll let him take you." Luca headed back to the living room, then went upstairs to tidy up the guest room. Vivian saw her and followed her up to help out. Once they got into the guest room, Luca asked, "Hey, Vivian, are you doing okay?" "I''m good," Vivian replied with a smile. "What you said makes sense. I need to face my past instead of letting it weigh me down." "I''m d you feel that way," Luca said in a relieved tone. "I can''t stop Gordan from popping up in front of me, but I can control how I react. I won''t run away from it because that would be just pathetic," added Vivian. "I don''t want to feel belittled by Gordan anymore, so I''m going to work on adapting to his presence. Luca, thank you for helping me see things this way." Chapter 3310 Chapter 3310 Married For Years "No, the credit is yours for figuring it out." Luca felt a bit relieved. Now that Vivian had seen through some things, it meant Luca''s earlier words to her had not been in vain. After putting fresh sheets on the bed, Luca walked into the master bedroom, pulled out a brand-new nightgown, and handed it to Vivian. "This nightgown has never been worn. It might be a little short, but it should fit." Ever since she came clean about her identity, Luke had gone back to spoiling her like before, buying her all kinds of things without holding back. This included clothes. The store managers from high-end boutiques would personally bring them straight to her doorstep. Now, she had way more clothes than she could ever wear. Vivian held the nightgown up andpared it to herself. She was a bit taller than Luca, so it would definitely be shorter on her, but it was still wearable. "Thanks, Luca." Vivan thanked her. "Don''t mention it,¡± replied Luca with a smile. "Why don''t you grab another outfit while you''re at it? These are all unworn with their tags still on." She pointed at a pile of clothes, pondered for a moment, and added, "You should go for a long dress, though. It''ll look better, considering the height difference between us." Vivian waved her hand dismissively. "Nah, it''s all good. It''s hot out. I''ll take a shower tonight, then wash my clothes and hang them up. I can wear them again tomorrow." "Alright." Luca thought it was a solid idea. They chatted a bit more until it was time for the kids to sleep.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca walked into Luke''s home office, where he was seated at his desk and busy working on hisputer. She smiled gently, looking at him with warm eyes. Luke took her hand and gently pulled her into his arms. "We''ve got guests!" Luca lowered her head with a shy look. Luke nted a kiss on her forehead. "No one''s watching." "Well, I came here to talk about something important." The spot where he kissed her felt warm, and Luca leaned back slightly to avoid getting too distracted and forgetting what she needed to say. "Go ahead." Luke pulled her closer, giving her soft hand a squeeze. He gently caressed her face, treating her like a treasure and handling her with utmost care and tenderness. "Tommy has his mathpetition tomorrow, and he specifically wants you to take him. If you can''t make it, I''ll take him," said Luca. "Tomorrow, huh? Let me check." Luke opened his email, nced at the pile of unfinished work, and then replied, "Sure, I can do that." "Are all these unread emails?" Luca looked at the screen and asked. "Most of them are," answered Luke. Seeing the full page of documents and the number of unread emails, Luca paused for a moment before saying, "Maybe I should just take him." "No, you haven''t had a break in a couple of days. Let me take care of this," Luke insisted. "You just focus on your work. I''ll take Tommy. Don''t worry, I''ll have Warren drive us tomorrow," Luca reassured him, knowing thepetition would only take a couple of hours and she would mostly be waiting in the car. If Luke went, he would be wasting time he could spend working. It would be better for her to take Tommy. "But..." Luke frowned slightly at the thought of her having to get up early tomorrow. "It''s okay. Let me tell Tommy about it now. Then, I''ll hop in the shower and get some rest," replied Luca, nning it all out in her head. If she went to wash up and rest now, she would still have a solid eight hours of sleep. "Okay," replied Luke. However, he did not let go of her. Just as Luca was about to get up, his grip tightened around her waist, and she felt her cheeks flush. She lightly patted his arm. "If you don''t let go, how am I supposed to get up?" "I don''t want to." Luke''s gaze was locked onto hers, brimming with deep emotion. Luca met his eyes and gave him a gentle smile. "Come on, let me go. Tommy''s going to be asleep soon." "Just give me a kiss." Luke''s eyes sparkled with affection as he bargained with her like a little kid. "Seriously? You''re acting like a child," Luca teased as she cupped his face and gave him a light peck. As she started to pull away, Luke cradled the back of her head and deepened the kiss. Luca felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. She struggled to catch her breath until he finally pulled back. Luca gasped. "You''re such a tease! You caught me off guard like that, and I almost couldn''t catch my breath!" "Haha, that was sweet." Luke suddenly burst intoughter. Luca yfully punched his chest. "Let go! I need to check on the kids." "Alright." Luke kept his word and released her. Luca bounced away like a little rabbit. Touching her lips, she yfully pouted. "You kissed me too hard!" "Really? I guess I just lost control for a second." Luke did not think so. His eyes were filled with desire. "If you didn''t have stuff to do, I might''ve gone even harder." Luca felt her face heat up. They had been married for years and had four kids, yet she still blushed. "What''s with you being all flirty at night? I''m done talking to you. I gotta check on the kids." Then, she spun around and hurried away like she was trying to escape. Luca could hear his heartyughter behind her, making her cheeks turn bright red. She stood at Tommy''s bedroom door and took a few deep breaths before pushing the door open. Luca saw him sitting at his desk. She walked into his room and asked, "Tommy, are you still awake?" Tommy turned around, smiled, and answered, "I''m organizing my stationery." If it were another kid and their parents, the parent might be helping them get ready for thepetition. However, Luca and Luke did not have to worry about that because their kids knew how to handle it. Luca watched him put his clear pencil case into his backpack and asked with concern, "So, are you all set?" "Yes, all done!" Tommy zipped up his bag. "Tommy, I''ve got to tell you something." Luca pulled up a chair and exined that Luke would be busy with work tomorrow, so she would be the one taking him to thepetition venue. Tommy nodded and gave Luca a hug. "Ms. Luca, it''s all good whether it''s you or Dad taking me. But we have to wake up early, and I didn''t want you to tire yourself out, so I picked Dad." Luca gently pinched his chubby cheeks. "I''m d you understand. Your dad is working hard too. It''s gettingte now. Let''s get some rest, okay?" "Okay." Tommy nodded. Once she saw him snuggle under the covers, she tucked him in, said goodnight, and stepped out of the room. She closed the door behind her. After confirming that Lanie and Rainie were also asleep, Luca headed back to her room to wash up and unwind. Just as shey down, Luke wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close so they could rest together. --- After leaving Luke''s ce, Gale had a few drinks with Gordan before finally heading back to Rain''s vi. Chapter 3311 Those Who Strive To Make The Most Of Their Lives Deserve More ? Chapter 3311 Those Who Strive To Make The Most Of Their Lives Deserve MoreText ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. When Rain saw Gale walk into the living room, she immediately caught a whiff of alcohol and frowned. "Didn''t you go out for dinner? Why did you drink?" asked Rain. Gale grinned at her, "I''m in a good mood, so I had a little." "A little? You probably nearly drowned yourself in it!" Rain frowned and sat down across from him. "You just said my cooking is bad. Was it really necessary to get this drunk? I''m not going to do anything to you." "You''d hit me," replied Gale. His charming, slightly tipsy eyes sparkled more than usual. "Yes, I''m mad," replied Rain. "It''s because I went out of my way to cook for you, and you had the nerve toin. That''s not the point. If you think it''s bad, you could have told me to my face instead of talking behind my back. "Do you know how embarrassing that is for me? But hitting you? That''s a bit much." "Sorry, I didn''t mean to," apologized Gale. Sometimes, he just could not help himself. What he really meant was to brag to Gordan that someone had been cooking for him. However, for some reason, his words came out twisted. Unfortunately, Rain overheard hisment. Still, that was not the real reason he went out drinking tonight. The reason Gale ended up like this was because of what Luca had said. Rain probably had a crush on someone if she was working so hard on improving her cooking skills. She wanted to make something good for whoever she liked. The more he thought about it, the more confused he became. Who did Rain like? He pondered while drinking but could not figure it out. The only people he saw her interact with were their subordinates, and he had not seen her treat anyone differently. As he kept wondering, he ended up drinking more and more until he was too dazed to think. Finally, he had to call for a ride home. Rain was initially furious, but when she saw Gale drunkenly apologizing, her anger inexplicably faded. "Alright, you''re drunk. And you''re a total lightweight. Go take a shower and go to bed." "Rain, I don''t want to sleep," replied Gale, punctuating his words with a big burp Rain frowned. "Then, what do you want to do? Do you want me to punch you and make you go straight to heaven?" "That''s not out of the question," Gale replied with a grin, covering his face. "Just don''t hit my face. As long as you''re not mad, you can hit me anywhere." Rain rolled her eyes. "I''m not going to argue with a drunk. Just go to bed. You can''t be on duty like this! Hurry up and sleep." "I don''t want to sleep," Gale insisted, shaking his head. "You go ahead. I still need to think." Rain took a deep breath, reminding herself not to get mad at a drunk. He was only acting like this because he was intoxicated. Usually, Gale was not like this. That was why she could not be angry. She could not argue with a drunk. She held her patience and walked toward him, pulling on his hand. "Come on, let''s go upstairs and sleep. "No, I need to think." Gale''s strength was much greater than Rain''s. He did not budge at all, like a giant statue that no one could move. "If you keep being stubborn, I''m going to get mad!" Rain was an impatient person, and she frowned as she warned him. She rarely had any patience to begin with, and his antics were quickly wearing her thin. "Rain, don''t be mean to me. I''m really trying to think," Gale said eamestly. Rain sat on the couch, cing her long legs on the coffee table. She wanted to understand what a drunk might be thinking. "What are you thinking about?" "I''m thinking..." Gale rolled his eyes yfully and thenughed. "I''m not telling you." Rain clenched her fists, feeling her irritation rising. "Are you trying to make me mad?" asked Rain. "It''s not that I don''t want to tell you. I just can''t," answered Gale, furrowing his brows as he looked at her. "Are you in a rtionship? You''re being all mysterious," questioned Rain. They usually spoke their minds openly. Even when Gale was drunk, he would say whatever came to mind, except for anything bad about her. They had no secrets from each other. "No, I''m not." Gale shook his head. "Who would like a guy like me?" "What''s wrong with you? If someone likes you, shouldn''t they be grateful to the heavens? After all, you''re quite capable," replied Rain, frowning at his self-deprecating attitude. Even though they both had bloody pasts, they had be better people under Luke''s influence. Now, they were trying to live righteously, doing everything to stay alive and atone for their past. Those who strived to make the most of their lives deserved more. "Am I really that capable?" Gale leaned in closer. His drunken eyes locked onto hers. "Yeah, you really are." Rain nodded. "I truly believe that. If anyone says you''re not, they must be jealous." "Really, really, really capable?" Gale asked for reassurance. "Really, really, really capable." Rain felt helpless. She was treating him like a child in need of Gale pouted. "If I''m so capable, then why are you..." He got halfway through his sentence before stopping. "What about me?" Rain felt baffled by his sudden change in topic. Gale shook his head. His behavior left Rain puzzled. She grabbed his chin and gave him a fierce look. "I''m giving you one chance. Are you saying it or not? If you don''t, I''ll drag you outside and throw you in the pool! You''ve had too much to drink, and here you are acting like a fool!" "I won''t say anything, not even if you beat me!" Gale shook his head vehemently, looking like he was about to throw up. "You''re disgusting!" Rain wrinkled her nose in disgust, wishing she could toss him into the pool and leave him to fend for himself. "You''re turning your back on me," said Gale, looking pitifully at her. "I''m not." Rain frowned. "You are," insisted Gale, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward him. Rain was caught off guard by his sudden move and tumbled into his arms. Her forehead hit his chest, sending a jolt of pain through her. Still, since she was used to fighting, the pain did not bother her much. However, the overwhelming smelling from him irritated her even more. She furrowed her brows and scolded, "Gale, are you trying to get yourself killed? How dare you sneak up on me like that?!" "Rain, you''re a great woman," said Gale. It was as though he had not heard her threat at all. Rain paused for a moment before scoffing. "Of course, I''m great!" "But you''re really fierce, and no other man is going to like you because of that, right?" continued Gale. "Do I need other men to like me? Wait, why are you cursing me? Let go of me, you drunken lunatic!" Rain retorted angrily. "Rain, no other man is going to like you!" Gale held her face and looked her in the eye. Rain felt a surge of anger. She even had the thought of killing the man in front of her. Her romantic prospects were indeed far and few, but she did not need him reminding her of that! Chapter 3312 Love Springs Up Without Reason ? Chapter 3312 Love Springs Up Without Reason "Gale!" Rain felt like she was about to tear him apart. Why did he always have to press her sore spots? She shoved his hand away from her face, itching to p hirm and swell that cocky, handsome face of his. "Even if no one likes me, I''m perfectly happy being on my own. Do I need you to remind me?" "Rain, don''t be so harsh on me." Gale struggled to keep his eyes open. The alcohol hit him harder now. He felt uneasy, and her shouting shook him to his core. "Ugh! You drunk idiot! You should''ve stayed passed out somewhere. If I have to deal with you again, I''m the one who''s asking for trouble," replied Rain as she stood up to leave. However, his next words froze her in ce. "Rain, no other man likes you, so can you not like anyone else either?" Rain frowned and turned around. Her heart suddenly leaped with joy, even though she quickly pushed the feeling down as she was unsure about it. "What do you mean by that, Gale?" "..." Gale opened his mouth wide but could only manage to say one word. "Speak up! I''m giving you onest chance. If you don''t say something good, I''ll poison you mute! And if I don''t, I''ll make sure you never show up in front of me again!" Rain was fierce. Her eyes reddened slightly from the excitement stirring in her chest. "Luca said something today. Women don''t just randomly start learning how to cook. Especially someone like you, who never had any interest in it before. There''s got to be a reason." Gale looked stiff, knowing if he did not get it all out now, Rain might actually make good on her threat. He did not want to be silenced. He definitely did not want to not be able to see her again either. "So?" Rain frowned. What did all this mean? What did Luca mean? Was there a misunderstanding here? "So, you must''ve fallen for some random guy, which is why you started learning how to cook," Gale blurted out.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Rain raised her eyebrows. A rush of happiness filled her chest as the corners of her mouth lifted ever so slightly. "Well, I guess she''s not wrong," Rain purposely said. Cale sat up straight. He had drunk too much and could not see the change in Rain''s expression. With a miserable look on his face, he asked, "So, I''m not wrong? You really have fallen for some random guy?" "He''s not just some random guy," replied Rain, finding it pretty amusing to toy with him like this. "Yes, he is! Any guy who isn''t me is just some random guy!" argued Gale, pointing at himself. "Why would you like someone else? What''s wrong with me? But that doesn''t make sense. You just said I''m a great man! Rain, were you lying to me?" As Rain watched him whine and pout, she could not help but feel both delighted and helpless at the same time. Did he really have too much to drink? How was his logic still so sharp? He remembered everything they talked about earlier and kept making these points without stopping. Was he just pretending? Rain nced at him. It did not seem like it. "I''m not lying to you." "You are! You must be! You think I''m not good enough, and that''s why you like another guy." Gale slumped back onto the couch, looking defeated. "Gale," Rain called out in a gentle voice. Gale''s gaze was empty. Rain looked closely. Oh, wait, were those tears in his eyes? She was suddenly excited, like she had made a new discovery. "Are you crying?" "No, I''m not." Gale wiped the corner of his eyes. "Why would I cry? It''s a good thing you''ve found someone you like. You haven''t dated anyone all these years. I thought maybe you were into women or just didn''t like people at all anymore. "I mean, we''ve both seen the darkest sides of human nature. Losing the ability to love is pretty normal, but how''d you fall for someone so fast? I should be happy for you, right? What''s there to be sad about? I''m not sad.. I am sad..." Rain nodded. There it was, that was his drunkenness kicking in. "Why does it make you sad that I like some random guy?" After Rain asked the question, she could not help but hold her breath as she waited for his answer. Gale frowned, thinking hard for a while. "It''s because we''ve both seen the darkest parts of humanity. We should be together." "We''re not rted. Why would I need to be with you?" Rain felt a bit disappointed that she did not get the response she was hoping for. She unlocked her phone screen and started recording, wanting to capture this moment. Gale frowned. "H-..." Seeing he could not get anything out, Rain took the initiative. "Gale, are you sad?" "Yes." "Are you sad because I like another man?" "Yes." "Why does that make you sad? Is it because you like me? Like, in a romantic way?" Rain lifted his chin. Gale blinked at her with wel eyes, like a puppy that had just been scolded. Feeling a sudden surge of affection, Rain pinched his cheek and pressed him further, "Is that it?" "If I say yes, will you stop liking other guys?" His eyes grew even wetter as he looked at her glowing face, feeling an overwhelming rush of emotion. Gale had always had feelings for Rain, but he had pushed them down. He was not great with romantic rtionships to begin with. That was why he did not realize his feelings for Rain earlier. After what Luca said today, he started drinking and realized somewhere along the way, he had fallen for her. However, how was he going to express his feelings for her that went beyond friendship? Now, Rain had already fallen for someone else. Gale felt lost and miserable. He felt like running away from these feelings. "Say it first." Rain blinked back at him. "I do like you, and not just as a friend. It''s..." Gale mustered up the courage but then shrank back a little. "Huh?" Rain locked eyes with him. "I don''t like you just as a friend. I like you in a romantic way. I don''t know when it started, but now that I''ve realized it, the thought of you liking some other random guy is killing me." As soon as Gale finished his sentence, tears began welling up in his eyes. He did not even understand why he felt this way. However, the sadness was overwhelming, and he just wanted to cry. Perhaps it was the fear of losing the woman he liked to someone else. His love for her might have sprung up without reason, but it ran deep without end. "Alright, stop crying," Rain quickly wiped his tears when she saw that he was really about to break down. "Listen to me carefully. I''m only going to say this once." "Are you going to tell me who this guy is that you like? Is it one of our subordinates? Or is it one of the boss'' friends? Wait, is it that bastard, Gordan? No, that can''t be right. You hate him. So, who is it? "Come on, just tell me. I promise I won''t lose it or kill the guy,'' mumbled Gale. He wanted to pull her into his arms so badly. Still, he knew if he actually did that, Rain would probably beat him up. She did not like him, and if he got a beating from her on top of that, it would be too much for him to bear. Gale shuddered and decided to suppress the urge to hug her. "Why are you saying so much? Are you even going to let me speak?" Rain frowned. After hearing his rambling, she suddenly felt like not saying anything at all. "Go ahead, I can handle it." Gale sniffled. Chapter 3313 Figure It Out ? Chapter 3313 Figure It Out "I do like someone, but he''s not just some random guy," said Rain. Before Gale could process what she meant, he burst into tears. "So, you really have fallen for someone else!* Rain was rendered speechless. How could he not catch what she was trying to say even when she was trying to be sentimental for once? "Gale, I swear, if you get this drunk again, I''ll chop you into pieces!" Rain threatened harshly. "You''re such a mess right now. If I recorded you and posted the video online, you''d go viral." His crying stopped abruptly. He looked at her with widened eyes. "What did you just say?" Rain was at a loss for words. How could someone be so clear-headed one moment and so out of it the next? "Rain, I''m drunk, so my hearing''s a bit off and my memory''s not great either. Could you repeat what you said?" Gale continued to mumble. Rain had no choice but to say, "Fine, listen carefully. I do like someone, but he''s not some random guy." Gale blinked. Not some random guy. He suddenly sat up straight. "If he''s not a random guy, then it must be someone I know and someone I hang out with. Is it..." "You''re still trying to figure out who it is, huh? Gale, sometimes your brain just doesn''t seem to work right." Rain shook her head helplessly. Normally, he was so sharp, but he waspletely clueless when it came to feelings. Actually, he was even slower than she was. At least, she realized something had changed the moment she decided to cook for him that first time. However, since he had not shown any interest, she kept quiet. She was afraid that if she said something, they would not even be able to stay friends, and things would be awkward between them. "So, you''re saying you like me, right?" Gale blinked his eyes. "Yes," Rain admitted it without hesitation. After all, he had already confessed his feelings first. She was just responding. Gale blinked his eyes again, convinced he was hallucinating. "I must be seeing things because I''m drunk. That can''t be right. You''ve never acted like you liked me." "Gale, Luca is right about one thing-I only cook for the guy I like. Have you ever seen me cook for anyone else? You used to think my cooking was just a way to mess with you, and I didn''t correct you. "But now that we''veid everything out, think about it when you''re sober. Do you really believe the things I did were just what you thought they were?" Rain finished speaking and started heading upstairs. Halfway up, she turned around and gave him a warning in a low voice, "And don''t go acting like a drunk idiot in my house. If I find out you threw up tomorrow, you''re done for!" Gale did not seem to hear her at all. He just kept grinning like a fool. He liked Rain, and she just said she liked him too. They liked each other. Rain had not fallen for some random guy. She had fallen for him! The feeling of mutual affection was amazing! When Rain reached the second floor, she could still hear Gale''s goofyughter. "Silly guy," muttered Rain, smiling to herself. The following day, Gale woke up on the couch and rubbed his throbbing forehead as he opened his eyes. Something unusual had happenedst night, and it filled him with wild excitement. However, he had drunk a bit too much, so recalling the events was a slow process. He thought about thest part and perked up, blinking his eyes. Those memories were real and not just a dream, right? "You''re awake?" Rain''s voice broke through his thoughts. Gale turned his head toward her voice and saw her standing there. He grinned as he said, "Last night... We..." "I made some hangover tea. Do you want some?" asked Rain. "It tastes bad, so if you can''t make do with it, feel free to have something else." "Not at all! How could I feel that way?" Gale quickly sat up and took the mug from her hands. His smile faltered looking at the dark green liquid inside. He had a feeling some things were better left unsaid, and now, it seemed toote to have regrets. "What kind of hangover tea is this?" Gale forced a smile as he asked, puzzled. Rain''s hangover teas were always different and had unique vors. If he had to find amon point, it was that they were all equally terrible. The color of this one looked frightening, so it probably tasted just as bad. "A few types of vegetables and some honey," Rain recalled. "I just used whatever was in the kitchen. A hangover tea has to taste awful to actually work, don''t you think?" "Right, you''re absolutely right." Gale let out a strainedugh. It was a clever theory that the worse it tasted, the better it would help. However, he could not refuse it now. If he did not drink it, she might skewer him with her words. She could also deny everything that happenedst night and pretend nothing ever happened. "If you don''t want to drink it, I''ll just pour it out." Rain noticed him staring at the mug and decided to take it away. "I''ll drink it." Gale raised his hand to stop her. "It felt a bit too hot earlier, but it should be fine now." Then, he downed the hangover tea in one go. Rain raised an eyebrow as she took the empty mug from him. "Is it awful?" "It''s sweet," replied Gale. He was not lying. It was indeed very sweet, and he could not tell how much honey she had added. It was so sweet that the taste of the vegetables waspletely masked. However, it was still hard to swallow. He forced himself to drink it down without wrinkling his brows. "Oh, hand me the mug." Rain reached out. Gale passed her the mug, and as she turned around to leave, he immediately stood up. "Rain, aboutst night.." "What?" Rain turned around to look at him with a calm expression. For a moment, Gale almost believed that their conversation fromst night had been a dream. "Didn''t we open up to each other? Shouldn''t we be together?" Gale asked cautiously. It seemed only natural for two people who liked each other to be together, right? "No," Rain tly rejected him in an instant. Gale was startled for a moment. "Huh? Aren''t you into me? I like you, so we should..." "If everyone could just jump into a rtionship like you, then why would there be so many single people in the world?" Rain rolled her eyes. He was such a rtionship novice. Did he really think that would make her agree? In his dreams! This was her first love and could possibly also be herst. She would not take it so lightly. "I just don''t understand..." Gale felt helpless. They learned many survival skills on the Ind of Despair, but they had never been taught anything about rtionships. What was he supposed to do if he liked someone? He needed advice-right now. "If you don''t understand, just ask. If you don''t know, leam. Gale, even though I like you, I won''t easily agree to be with you. If you want me to say yes, you''ll have to put in some effort.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "If you''re not willing to spend that much thought, then your feelings for me are just the words out of your mouth," exined Rain. Gale clenched his fists. "Just wait. I''ll make sure to figure it out." Then, he dashed upstairs. Rain was stunned for a moment, then a smile spread across her face. Figure it out, huh? Chapter 3314 Got To Make It Feel Special ? Chapter 3314 Got To Make It Feel Special Luca had just dropped Tommy off at thepetition and was nning to wait at a nearby caf¨¦ until it was over when she got a call from Gale. "Dr. Craw, do you have time now?" His voice sounded a little rushed, like he was out of breath. Luca was puzzled. Gale rarely contacted her out of the blue. Could there be something wrong with the ns she drew up yesterday? "Yes, I''m avable. Is something wrong?" asked Luca. "I have some personal stuff I wanted to ask you about, but I''m..." Gale paused for a moment, clearly hesitant to continue. Normally, he and Rain were seen as nothing more than close friends. They were always hanging out with their arms around each other, and no one ever read into it. Gale thought Luca saw them that way too, which made it awkward to bring up his feelings for Rain. "You''re too embarrassed to ask, right?" Luca chuckled. She pointed at Blue Mountain coffee on the menu for the waiter to get her order and continued, "Is this about you and Rain?" Gale was surprised. "How did you know?" "I guessed," replied Luca. She noticed that after she made ament about how women often started cooking when they fell for someonest night, Gale seemed distracted. She figured he must have realized his feelings for Rain. Based on her years of experience, Luca also knew that Rain had only ever cooked for Gale. Plus, whenever they had barbecues, she always made sure to give him the best pieces of meat. It was obvious Rain liked him back.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "Dr. Craw, you''re awesome. You''re like a mind reader!" Galeughed sheepishly and then gave her a quick rundown of what happened the night before. "That sounds great! Since you both like each other, you should just go ahead and confess," encouraged Luca. "That''s what I thought too, but when I brought it up to Rain today, she didn''t agree. She said it couldn''t be that simple. What does she mean by that?" Gale was stumped, and Luca was the only person he could turn to for advice. Apart from his female subordinates, she was the person he trusted the most. He did not want to discuss personal matters with his colleagues for fear of rumors. "Wait, you didn''t prepare anything and just straight-up asked her to be with you?" Luca was surprised. Gale did not seem like the type to be clueless. He managed to survive on the Ind of Despair, spoke multiplenguages, had a high degree of education, and was highly skilled. How could he be so clueless when it came to rtionships? "Yeah, I didn''t think it was a big deal, so I wanted to ask if you have any good advice?" replied Gale. Luca heaved a sigh. He really was clueless when it came to rtionships. "Have you ever been in a rtionship before?" questioned Luca. Gale admitted honestly, "No. I never really understood what love was." "I doubt you even understand it now," muttered Luca. Just then, the waiter brought her coffee, and she nodded in thanks before continuing. "If you want to be with Rain, you have to confess. Telling someone you like them isn''t something you can just do on the fly. It''s not as big as a proposal, but it still needs to be thoughtful if you want her to say yes. You''ve got to make it feel special." "I get it. So, Rain didn''t agree because I didn''t n a grand enough confession?" Gale caught it on quickly. "Exactly. These days, even wedding nningpanies offer confession nning services. If you''re not sure how to do it, you could consult with them. Also, confessions take time to n, so in the meantime, you can do small, thoughtful things for Rain. Like giving her flowers or little gifts she likes. "It''s all part of the process. Women want to be pursued, even if you''ve known each other for a long time. You should take it step by step. First, the chase, then, the confession. Even though you and Rain go way back, it''s still important to follow these steps," advised Luca. "Got it, thank you, Dr. Craw. I''m heading to a wedding nningpany right now." After Gale thanked Luca, he hung up the call. Luca chuckled to herself. The usually calm andposed Gale had turned all flustered as soon as he encountered love. She set her phone down, picked up her coffee, and took a sip. Perhaps it was because of Gale''s influence, but for some reason, the bitter coffee tasted a bit sweet today. She had known Gale and Rain for a long time. Back in the day, they risked their lives together with Luke. Now that they had realized their feelings for each other, it was good news. Luca could not help but share the update with Luke: I just got a call from Gale. Can you guess what he said?] Luke responded quickly: [What did he say?] [He asked me how to pursue a woman and told me he and Rain like each other. What do you think? It''s good news, right?[ Luke replied: [It''s great news. I need to take a call.] Luca knew he had work to attend to, so she did not respond further. She took her time enjoying the coffee and casually scrolled through her social media. She saw Nina''s vacation photos and could not help but smile as she gave them a like. Luke had guessed correctly. They were in the Maldives. He was such an observant person. He even knew when Percy had fallen for Nina. In that case, how did he not notice what was going on between Gale and Rain? Still, it would make sense if he had not. After all, Gale and Rain had always acted like siblings who faced everything together. If it had not been for Gale''s strange behavior at dinner yesterday, Luca would not have picked up on it either. In fact, Gale himself probably only realized his feelings for Rain yesterday. After finishing her coffee, Luca figured it was about time Tommy''spetition was wrapping up. She strolled back to the school entrance with her umbre. Sure enough, after a little while, the kids starteding out. Luca''s eyes quickly spotted Tommy, running at the front of the group. Luca smiled and bent down to hug him, noticing the beads of sweat on his forehead. She pulled out a tissue to gently wipe them away. "Why were you running so fast?" "I was excited after finishing thepetition and couldn''t wait to see you, so I ran out right after handing in my paper," replied Tommy. "The weather''s too hot. Even if you run, try to stick to the shady spots, okay?" Luca reminded him. She was not worried about him getting tanned, but the heat was intense, and she did not want him getting heat stroke from running in the sun. "Got it. Yes, ma''am!* Tommy gave her a yful salute, making herugh. Once she was sure he was not sweating as much anymore, she led him back to the car. Warren had been waiting in the car the whole time. As soon as they got in, he started driving them home. "Warren, could you stop by the supermarket on the way?" asked Luca. "Of course, Ms. Craw," replied Warren. Tommy''s eyes lit up. "Are you going to buy us some snacks?" "How about I make something tasty instead? I was thinking of getting fruits to make you all homemade ice cream," replied Luca. With the weather so hottely, the kids had been craving cold treats. However, the store-bought ice creams had all kinds of additives. She preferred making a fresh batch herself. Chapter 3315 The Sudden Decision To Return ? Chapter 3315 The Sudden Decision To Return "Yay! You''re the best, Ms. Luca!" Tommy''s face lit up with joy when he heard there was ice cream. His eyes narrowed into little crescents as he grinned. "It was so hot in the exam room! I just wanted to finish quickly ande home!" Luca smiled and gently patted his head. "You worked hard today, Tommy. Is there anything else you want to eat? I''ll make it for you." Tommy''s eyes widened in surprise. This was an unexpected treat for him! He quickly listed off a few of his favorite foods and then looked up at Luca, asking, "Ms. Luca, do you think I''m being too greedy?" "Not at all!" Luca shook her head. "You just finished yourpetition. You deserve a treat!" "Aww, Ms. Luca, you''re so kind to me." Tommy smiled and hugged her arm. "From now on, I promise I''ll be good. You won''t have to worry about my schoolwork!" "That''s great. You just need to be good, grow up healthy, and stay happy." Luca gave him a gentle smile. It was the best blessing a mother could give her child. There was nothing more important than a child growing up healthy and happy. Tommy nodded firmly. When they arrived at the supermarket, Warren parked the car in a temporary spot on the side of the road. Luca and Tommy went inside, picking up snacks and household supplies that filled up a big bag. After they got back home, Luca carried the bag in one hand and held Tommy''s hand with the other as they walked into the living room. Lanie, Rainie, and Vivian were all in the living room. The TV was off, and the expressions on their faces seemed a bit off. "Lanie, Rainie, Ms. Vivian, I''m back!" Tommy did not notice anything strange and ran over to them excitedly. Guess what? Ms. Luca is going to make us ice creamter! Aren''t you excited?" He was still cheering when he finally noticed that the atmosphere in the living room was weird. Only Vivian gave him a faint smile and replied, "That''s great. Is there any for me?" "Of course!" Tommy nodded eagerly. "Ms. Luca makes the best ice cream!" After saying that, he finally realized that Lanie and Rainie did not seem too happy. He asked, "Lanie, Rainie, did something happen?" Lanie and Rainie exchanged nces, then turned to look at Luca. "Why the long faces? What happened?" asked Luca, puzzled. "Grandma called an hour ago," Rainie pondered for a moment before answering. "Grandma?" Luca frowned, picking up on the fact that they said ''Grandma'', not ''Great-grandma''. They were not talking about Susan but Allison. More than half a year had passed since theyst saw her. Luca had heard from Luke that Allison had gone to Seoul for restorative surgery, but she was not sure about the specifics. However, she was sure of one thing. Based on what she had seen of Allison''s skin, no current medical treatment could fully restore it. Multiple surgeries might improve the situation a bit, but she would never be able to return to her former state. These surgeries would only cause more pain, both physically and mentally. Allison, however, would not listen to anyone. That was why Luca had only discussed this with Luke. She knew that no matter what she said to Allison, it would fall on deaf ears. "Grandma?" Tommy also sensed something was wrong. Remembering his grandmother''s face, which looked like a wicked witch from a fairy tale, he shuddered and asked, "Lanie, Rainie, why did Grandma suddenly call?" He knew she had gone to Seoul for cosmetic surgery and had not called since leaving the country. It seemed she did not care about her grandchildren at all. Lanie said, "Grandma called Daddy. She said she''sing home." Luca frowned. "Is she better?" Both Lanie and Rainie shook their heads. Vivian did not really want to get involved in this conversation as it was Luke''s family business. However, when she heard Luca''s question, she cautiously added, "Luca, I saw Mr. Crawford video chatting with her earlier. She... "Her skin is still wrinkled and hasn''t healed?" asked Luca. "Yes," Vivian nodded. She did not mean to look over, but Allison had asked to see the kids, so Luke had brought his phone into the living room. Vivian did not realize he was on a video call, and when she walked by and nced at the screen, she was so startled that she let out a gasp. Allison''s face looked just like a witch''s from a fairy tale! Vivian could not help but let out a soft scream. Allison heard it too and demanded to know who she was. She even asked why there was such an ugly maid in the house... The atmosphere in the living room immediately became awkward. Vivian knew her reaction was impolite, but Allison''sment was hurtful, so she found herself in an ufortable position. Luke then apologized to her on Allison''s behalf, but Vivian knew it was not his fault. She felt conflicted and regretted screaming. If she had not, Allison might not have noticed her. "I see." Luca furrowed her brows. Allison''s skin had not healed yet, so why the sudden decision to return? Was it not exhausting to keep going back and forth? After all her efforts to restore her skin, was she finally giving up because it was not working? "Luca, I didn''t mean to. I didn''t know they were on a video call. I was just curious and took a peek, and then I identally screamed..." Vivian exined nervously. "It''s okay." Luca understood how Vivian must have reacted. She then turned to the two kids. "Did Grandma say why she''s suddenlying back?" "Grandma said that all the doctors abroad are frauds. She even called Dad a liar for sending her to Seoul. She said the doctors there were useless. After all the treatments and surgeries she''s had, there''s still no improvement. "So, she''sing home to find a new doctor to keep treating her," answered Rainie. She shivered at the thought of Allison''s face. Even though she was their grandmother and had once been kind to them, her current appearance was terrifying! Just thinking about it gave her nightmares. Especially since she had read many fairy tales, she could not help but associate Allison''s face with the image of a wicked witch. Rainie''s small, pale face twisted with difort. Ever since their grandmother''s appearance changed, she had been frightened by her. The worst part was that whenever she stood in front of Allison, she would stare at Rainie''s face, and her eyes would be filled with jealousy. It was like she was a witch wanting to steal Rainie''s face... It was terrifying! Luca let out a sigh and ced the bag on the coffee table. "Is your dad upstairs?" "Yes, he is." Lanie nodded. He was not too happy about their grandmothering back either. Ever since she was released from prison, she was no longer the same person. Her personality had changed drastically, and he did not like her anymore. "I''m going upstairs. Can you guys help put away the things?" asked Luca. "Sure!" Lanie agreed.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Luca turned around and made her way up the stairs. When she reached the bedroom door, it was slightly open, but she knocked anyway. "You''re back." Luke looked up and saw her. His gaze softened with warmth. "Yes, I''m back." Luca nodded. "I heard from the kids. She''s reallying back?" Chapter 3316 My Heart Has Always Been With You ? Chapter 3316 My Heart Has Always Been With You "Yes," replied Luke helplessly. "She''s had several surgeries abroad, but they couldn''t fully fix her skin. Now, she''s nning toe back and continue treatment here." "She still thinks her face can be restored..." Luca was rendered speechless. While the standards of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery in the country were considered good, Allison''s condition was not something that could be fully healed anywhere. Luca walked over, pulled a chair, and sat beside him. "Is she nning to bring Ms. Thomas back with her too?" "I''m not sure." Luke suddenly chuckled. His eyes carried a hint of tease as he looked at Luca. "Are you getting jealous?" "Why would I be jealous?" Luca felt helpless, her face flushing at his yfulment. "Even if Ms. Thomases back, it doesn''t matter. You''re not interested in her at all, so what''s there to be jealous of?" "As long as you trust me," replied Luke with a smile on his face. "You used to get jealous all the time." "I still do, but I''ve learned something." Luca put on a yful smile. She used to be really jealous, especially when she saw other women fawning over Luke. It would make her ufortable. However, she was different now. She was more confident. As long as Luke did not ept those women''s advances, she would not feel jealous or insecure anymore. Luke was hers, and she was possessive, but she had learned not to let jealousy get the better of her. "What have you learned?" Luke raised his hand, gently caressing her cheek. The soft, smooth feel of her skin made him reluctant to let go. "I''ve learned that as long as you only have me in your heart, there''s no need for jealousy," answered Luca. Luke smiled and nodded. "Exactly. My heart has always been with you." "But there''s still one issue that''s a bit of a problem. Putting Ms. Thomas aside, your mother''s return is definitely going to stir up chaos and disrupt the peace. You''re the one who''ll have to deal with it.'' Luca and the kids would not be too affected, but it would definitely be a headache for Luke. Allison had a knack for causing trouble. "I didn''t tell her not toe back." Luke felt helpless. Allison was indeed a troublemaker, and her return would certainly disrupt the Crawford family. In the end, she was still part of the Crawford family, so they could not just refuse to let here back. "Did you tell your grandfather?" asked Luca. "I did." Luke nodded. As soon as he found out Allison was returning, he informed his grandfather. "Grandpa said it''s fine as long as she doesn''t stay at Crawford Manor." "That makes sense. After all, Louis'' mother doesn''t live at Crawford Manor anymore, so your mother can''t either. Otherwise, there would definitely be drama." Luca held the hand that had been caressing her face. Allison had caused enough harm to people in her earlier years. Luca was one of them, as well as her biological and adoptive parents. Now, in Allison''ster years, she was still stirring up trouble, and this time, it was for Luke. Luca could not help but feel ufortable. No matter how capable Luke was, having a mother like that had to be frustrating. "Are you nning to have her move back into her old vi?" asked Luca. Luke gave her a bitter smile. If Allison had agreed to that, he would not have been so stressed, and Lanie and Rainie would not have been so upset either. When Luca saw the look on his face, she guessed what was going on and asked, "She doesn''t want to?" "Yeah, she doesn''t." Luke was baffled by Allison''s sudden change. She used to love living alone in a vi, enjoying a carefree life with no one to bother her. Now that she wasing back, she had a change of heart. "She says she''ll either move back to Crawford Manor or move in with me." Luke''s voice was full of helplessness. Luca frowned. Allison did not want to live on her own anymore. "And she won''t ept having a housekeeper?" asked Luca. Although Allison was Luke''s biological mother, the thought of living with her made Luca feel a headacheing on. "No. I think it''s because I had her sign the vi over earlier this year, and she''s still upset about it. This is her way of getting back at me. Her end goal is to get that vi back." Luke narrowed his eyes. Getting the vi back would be no easy task. Even if she insisted on moving in, he had plenty of ways to make her leave. It would just take some time, and Luca and the kids would have to endure some inconvenience in the meantime. "I''m guessing you''re not giving her the vi back," said Luca. "Definitely not. I''ll figure out a way to get her to move out, but it might mean some trouble for you and the kids." Luke stroked her hair gently. "It''s okay. I''ll just treat her like she''s invisible," replied Luca. As long as she did not care about Allison''s presence, no amount of sharp words could hurt her. Still, Luca was worried about the kids. "The only thing is, the kids are nearing the end of the semester, and Lanie has his grade-skipping evaluationing up. I''m worried this situation might affect his studies. "If she really does move in, how about we let the kids stay at Crawford Manor for a while?" Luca figured Luke''s grandfather would agree to let the kids stay at Crawford Manor. "Sure. Letting them stay there for a bit would be good," Luke agreed.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Old Master Crawford loved having his great-grandchildren around. If Allison insisted on moving in here, the kids could stay at Crawford Manor so that their studies would not be disrupted. "Alright." As long as the kids were not affected, Luca did not care how much trouble Allison stirred up. After they settled on the n, Luca stood up and said, "I''m going to make some ice cream for the kids. Do you want some?" "I''ll have a scoop." Luke did not usually care for sweets, but Luca''s desserts were an exception. He did not crave them, but they tasted better than anything he could get elsewhere, so he was happy to have some. "Alright, I''ll make you some in vani." Luca smiled warmly before leaving the room and heading downstairs. "Ms. Luca, did you and Daddy discuss? Is Grandma really going to live with us?" Rainie asked nervously. Her mind was haunted by the thought of her grandmother''s frightening face. She did not know when it started, but the once kind and loving grandmother had changed into someone entirely different. She was no longer gentle or caring. Now, she was scary, and Rainie feared that her grandmother might harm them. After all, it was terrifying to see what their kind grandmother had be. "Don''t worry. If she really moves in, you kids will be staying at Crawford Manor for a while. Once your dad sorts things out, you can move back," Luca reassured the three children. This was the best solution for now. "Are you and Daddying with us to Crawford Manor?" asked Tommy. He wanted to stay together as a family. Luca shook her head. "No, we won''t. If we all go, your grandmother will follow us there, and that''ll make things even harder to deal with." Old Master Crawford had gone through a lot of trouble to get Susan to move out of Crawford Manor. If they all moved back, Susan would demand toe back too, and Allison would surely follow. That would turn the entire Crawford Manor intoplete chaos. Sending the kids to Crawford Manor would avoid that. Susan would not mind, and this could ensure that Old Master Crawford''s peace was not disturbed. Chapter 3317 Being Away From Home For Too Long Makes You Miss It ? Chapter 3317 Being Away From Home For Too Long Makes You Miss It Tommy wrapped his arms around Luca''s waist and mumbled, "But we want to live with Dad and Ms. Luca." "Be good. After you finish your finals, and after Lanie''s grade-skipping evaluation, we''ll bring you back," replied Luca. She did not want to be apart from the kids either, but she did not want the adults'' issues to affect their studies. The three kids were very smart. Luca did not want them to perform poorly or let the situation with Allison leave a negative impact on them. When kids experienced trauma, it could be harmful to their development. Some people thought kids were young and forgot things easily, that if something bad happened, they would move on quickly. The truth was, kids had excellent memories, especially with negative experiences. That was why Luca did not want them to be affected. "Tommy, listen to Ms. Luca. This is also what Daddy wants," Lanie chimed in. He was not afraid of their grandmother. Even though her face was disfigured, it did not bother him. It did not scare him at all. If Allison moved in, he figured he would just spend more time in his room and avoid seeing her. However, Rainie and Tommy were timid. If they had to move back to Crawford Manor, he would definitely stay with them. "Okay." Tommy nodded. As he thought of Allison''s face, he shivered and looked at Rainie. "Rainie, is Grandma''s face scarier now?" "It''s a little better than it was on New Year''s." Rainie pondered for a moment and added, "But just a little better. It''s still not fully healed. There are still a lot of wrinkles, and it''s pretty scary." Tommy shrank back. Boys were supposed to be brave and not get scared by little things like this. Still, just thinking about Allison''s face made him lose his courage. "Rainie, let''s go live at Crawford Manor," suggested Tommy.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. "Okay. I''ll take you all there the day before your grandmaes back." Luca patted his head. After he let go of her, she stood up carrying the fruits and said, "I''m going to make some ice cream." Vivian immediately stood up as well. "Luca, I''d love to learn how to make ice cream." "Come to the kitchen. Luca smiled and walked with her into the kitchen. Aunt Neile was busy cleaning up, so she was not in the kitchen. Vivian could not help but ask with curiosity, "Luca, I didn''t realize Mr. Crawford was talking with his mother just now, so when I passed by, I identally gasped and let out a scream. Was that rude of me?" "Don''t worry about it. Luke won''t mind," replied Luca with a smile. "But his mother seemed very upset. I''m worried I was impolite." It was her first time seeing someone like that. She looked like something out of a fairy tale, like a wicked witch... Vivian had never seen anything so terrifying, and she could not help but gasp when she saw Allison. As Luca washed the fruits, she replied, "Really, it''s fine. It''s understandable. The way she looks now is because of some questionable beauty products." "What kind of products? That sounds scary!" Vivian''s curiosity was piqued. "It''s a type of brightening serum. It works well at first, but it''s full of hormones and heavy metals. Using it for a long time leads to heavy metal poisoning and hormonal imbnces, causing all sorts of problems. If you stop using it, your skin ages rapidly, and new, healthy cells won''t grow anymore," exined Luca. She had already analyzed the brightening serum Allison had used. It worked, but the ingredients in it were dangerous. If Allison had not gone to prison and had continued using it, the damage would not have stopped at just her face. There could have been a chain reaction affecting her internal organs, possibly even leading to serious health issues. "I can''t believe it!" Vivian was shocked. "Once people start using it, they can''t stop, right? Whether they keep using it or stop, there''ll be side effects either way?" "Yes." Luca nodded. After washing the fruits, she took out some cream and sterile eggs to make ice cream. "So, if a skincare product promises quick and amazing results, it''s usually not trustworthy. It''s better not to use those kinds of products." "That''s terrifying." Vivian instinctively touched her face. "Luckily, I only use products from reliable brands." Luca heard her, took a closer look, and furrowed her brows. "What is it? Do I have something on my face?" Vivian could not help but ask with curiosity when Luca stared at her. "No, nothing like that. But have you noticed your skin has gotten even fairer and smoothertely?" questioned Luca. "Really? I haven''t noticed." Vivian touched her skin. Perhaps it was her imagination, but now that Luca mentioned it, she did feel like her skin had be softer and fairer. "It''s true. I mentioned during the barbecue thest time that your skin looked better, and now, it''s even more so. It''s not like it improved overnight, but little by little, you can really see the difference," replied Luca. "Thank you." Vivian epted thepliment with a smile. "I''m serious. I''m not just saying it to be nice," added Luca. Then, she absentmindedly said, "Why didn''t your skin look this good when you were in Russia? Maybe it''s the climate here in A City that''s improving your health." "They do say A City''s environment is good for health, and I think it''s true. By the way, I''ll be preparing for finals next week, and after that, I have a trip nned. Once that''s over, I''m thinking of going back to Russia for a visit. I was going to wait until New Year''s, but it''s been so long since I''ve seen my family, so I changed my mind." "Being away from home for too long makes you miss it. It''s good to go back and visit," replied Luca as she whipped the cream. Vivian recorded the ice cream making process on her phone, nodding as she replied, "Exactly, that''s what I''m thinking. By the way, do you miss home, Luca?" Luca instinctively answered, "Of course, I do." Her home was with the Crawford family, the Norman family, and the Rayne family. "Are you nning to visit Russia?" asked Vivian. Luca paused for a moment. She was suddenly reminded of her own identity as someone from Russia. Feeling a bit awkward, she answered, "I''ve been really busy. Maybe when things calm down." "Yes, I get it. Work keeps you busy. I''m still in school, so I get breaks, but working adults don''t have it as easy." Vivian understood the reality of adulthood. "Make the most of your long vacations to visit home when you''re still a student," suggested Luca. She thought about her own kids. One day, they would grow up and possibly leave her side for their studies. It would be hard to let go, but she knew it was inevitable. All she could hope for was that when her kids were older, they woulde back to visit during the holidays. That alone would make her happy. "That''s exactly my n. I''ll use the short breaks to travel around A City and the longer ones to go back to Russia and spend time with my family," said Vivian as she put away her phone. "Do you need to cut the fruits?" "Yes, the bigger fruits need to be cut. I''m going to blend them into a juice and add it to the ice cream," exined Luca. "Can I count on you to help?" "Leave it to me," replied Vivian, grabbing a fruit knife and cutting the washed fruit into chunks before putting them into the blender. Chapter 3318 Spend More Time With The Kids ? Chapter 3318 Spend More Time With The Kids The blender roared to life as it whirred away. In no time, Vivian had turned all the fruits into juice, and Luca mixed it with cream before putting it in the fridge to chill. "Why don''t we sit in the living room for a bit?" invited Luca. Vivian shook her head. "Something came up, and I need to get back to finish some assignments. I should head out now. Sorry for bothering you today." Luca gently linked arms with her. "Let me walk you out." "It''s okay. It''s too hot outside, and I already called a ride online. You should stay here and spend time with the kids," replied Vivian. She had spent the day with Lanie and Rainie, and they had talked a lot about Luca. She could not help but marvel at how much the kids really adored Luca. She did not want to trouble Luca and preferred to let her spend more time with the kids. "Okay, just be careful on your way back, and call me when you get to the campus," said Luca as she walked Vivian to the door. "Will do. Bye!" Vivian waved as she left. Luca waved back and headed into the living room. Tommy toddled over on his little legs, then wrapped his arms around Luca and asked, "Ms. Luca, is the ice cream ready yet?" "Already craving it?" Luca smiled, ruffling his short hair. "Yes, I really want some!" Tommy blinked his big round eyes, which sparkled like grapes, sending a clear message of how eager he was. Luca chuckled. "It''s ready, but you can''t eat it yet." "Huh? Why not?" Tommy was confused. "It''s because ice cream has to freeze first, silly Tommy!" Rainie chimed in, having overheard their conversation. She exined it to him. Tommy suddenly understood. "Oh, I get it now! "I''m really craving it," added Tommy. "How about some juice instead? Freshly made." Luca realized the child had not had any water since he came back from hispetition. She gently touched his damp hair. "Yes, please!" Tommy''s eyes lit up. Even though the juice Luca made did not have any of the additives one would find in store-bought ones, he loved it. It tasted like a mom''s special touch! Luca turned to Lanie and Rainie. "Do you guys want some juice too? It''s been chilling for a bit." She never let the kids drink anything too cold, knowing it could upset their stomachs. The juice was just the right temperature. It was cool but not too cold, making itfortable to drink. "Yes!" Lanie and Rainie both replied. Luca let go of Tommy and went into the kitchen to pour three sses of juice for the kids. They each picked their favorite and sat on the couch, sipping while reading their books. Aunt Neile came downstairs after finishing her cleaning and asked, "Ms. Craw, I heard that Mr. Crawford''s mother ising back to the country, and she''ll be staying here, right?" "Yes, that''s right." Luca nodded. "But I''m not sure exactly when she''s arriving. I imagine it won''t be long till we learn the date." "When shees, will she stay in the guest room, or will she take over Mr. Crawford''s current bedroom?" asked Aunt Neile. She had not asked Luke about it, assuming Luca had the authority to decide. Luca was about to suggest that Luke''s study, which was technically a second bedroom, could be used for Allison''s bedroom. However, she remembered that the second bedroom was directly across from the master bedroom. If both doors were open, they could easily see into each other''s rooms. That thought made her ufortable. After considering it for a moment, Luca made up her mind. "The guest room would be better. Madam Allison prefers peace and quiet, and that area is quieter." "But isn''t the guest room a bit too small?" Aunt Neile expressed her concern. Luca shook her head. Even though the guest room was smaller, it was well-equipped. She replied, "The guest room will be fine. Aunt Neile, please get it ready when the timees. I''ll have all the furniture reced. I''ll contact a furniture store to deliver new pieces." Even though she did not particrly enjoy spending time with Allison, Luca knew from the years she was married to Luke that Allison had very high standards when it came to living conditions. The current furniture in the guest room was not from a brand Allison liked, and if she found out the furniture had been used by others, she would definitely be unhappy. Rather than dealing with Allison''sintster, Luca figured it was best to handle everything now-even if it meant going through a bit more trouble. "Alright, so you don''t want the old furniture anymore?" asked Aunt Neile, knowing the furniture in the guest room was still in great condition. "No, we won''t keep it," answered Luca. She noticed Aunt Neile''s disappointed look and added, "If you don''t mind, I can arrange for a movingpany to deliver the furniture to your ce." Aunt Neile''s face lit up. "Really?" "The fumiture is still in good shape, and it''d be a shame to throw it away," replied Luca. The bed and mattress, in particr, were rarely used. Only Nina and Vivian had slept there, and everything was still very clean. "Thank you, Ms. Craw," Aunt Neile thanked her gratefully, not at all bothered by the idea of secondhand furniture. "I''ll take care of it now," said Luca as she made her way upstairs to discuss the matter with Luke. "Do whatever you think is best," said Luke, having no objections to her n. He thought Luca''s arrangement was reasonable. Even though Allison was his biological mother, her disfigurement made him ufortable, and he preferred not to see her every time he came and went from his bedroom. Luca nodded and closed the door behind her. She then visited the website of Allison''s favorite furniture brand, carefully selecting an entire bedroom set that matched her taste. After cing the order, she contacted a local store to arrange delivery and instation. Once everything was settled, Luca let out a sigh of relief. By handling it all in advance, Allison would have no reason to criticize her when she returned. Luca went downstairs, where Aunt Neile had already prepared lunch. Ms. Craw, you''re just in time. Lunch is ready," said Aunt Neile. "Great. Luke''s in the middle of an international meeting, so just keep some food warm for him. He''lle down when he''s done." After picking out the furniture earlier, Luca stopped by Luke''s office. He was on a call with Marcos discussing a project they were working on together. She decided not to disturb him and went downstairs for lunch instead. "Understood, Ms. Craw," replied Aunt Neile, setting aside a portion of food for Luke. After Luca and the kids finished lunch, Luke was still in his meeting. She took the kids upstairs for their afternoon §á§Ñ§â. After making sure the kids were asleep, Luca returned to the master bedroom to take a nap herself.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. When she woke up, she was slightly startled to see Luke sitting beside her. "What are you doing here?" "Watching you makes me feel at ease," replied Luke. Luca smiled and turned to face him, gazing at the man who was leaning against the headboard, still working." Finished with your meeting?" "Yes." Luke gently brushed a strand of her hair aside and lightly touched her face with his fingertips. "After the meeting, I had lunch and came here to watch you. Seeing you sleep somehow gives me more motivation to work." "Most people would get sleepy watching someone else rest, but you''re the opposite. Watching me nap makes you more energized for work. Isn''t that a little odd?" Luca closed her eyes, enjoying theforting feel of his touch. "I''ve never been like everyone else." Luke let out a soft chuckle. Watching Luca sleep made him want to rest as well. However, he could not allow himself that luxury. Chapter 3319 Meeting You, Knowing You, And Loving You ? Chapter 3319 Meeting You, Knowing You, And Loving You Luke knew he had a lot of responsibilities weighing on his shoulders. The most important one was that the matter with Luca still had not been resolved. He could not afford to rest just yet. Only when he was certain that his wife and kids were safe could he take a breather. Luca looked at him tenderly, her eyes filled with affection. "For me, no one is as special as you." Luke smiled and gently ruffled her hair. Luca sat up and gave him a light kiss on the forehead. "Luke, I love you. It''s been amazing meeting you, knowing you, and loving you in this life. We''re a team, partners for life. So whateveres our way, don''t try to carry the weight by yourself, okay? You''ve got me and the kids. We''ll always be here for you." She knew how exhausted Luke was from dealing with both work and her situation. Luca only wanted to help him, to lighten his load. "Alright, I promise." Luke''s voice was hoarse, and a deep desire for her flickered in his eyes. The room grew warmer as their lips were about to meet when a knock interrupted them. Luca quickly pulled back as though she was startled. Luke''s face shed with frustration. "Who is it?" "Daddy, is Ms. Luca awake yet?" Tommy''s voice called from outside the door. Luke was rendered speechless. His son really had a knack for ruining his moments. He got out of bed and opened the door, looking down at his youngest son. "With how loudly you knocked, she''d be awake even if she wasn''t before." Tommy happily squeezed through the gap and ran to the bedside. "Ms. Luca, you''re awake!" "Yes, I''m up," replied Luca, looking at her youngest son before ncing over at Luke. He had a look of frustration and desire written all over his face. The way he looked at his son was filled with helplessness and disappointment. Luca could not help butugh. Even so, Luke could not really do anything to his son. "Come y with us since you''re awake! We haven''t yed games together in so long," suggested Tommy as he tugged Luca out of bed. Luca had no choice but to get up and follow him. Luke watched as his wife, whom he had finally managed to im for himself, was now being dragged away by their child. He let out a sigh of defeat. "Daddy, get back to work." Tommy suddenly turned around, giving Luke a thumbs-up as though to cheer him on. Luke was even more speechless. He had to keep reminding himself that this was his own child. He had to endure it. He had to endure it! As Luca left the room with Tommy, she heard Luke''s quiet groan and could not help but smile. She swore she had not done it on purpose. She did not expect the kids to seek her out at a time like this. She thought to herself that she would just make it up to him tonight after the kids fell asleep. Downstairs, Lanie and Rainie were setting up a board game. When they saw her and Tommye down, they called out together, "Ms. Luca!" "When did you two wake up?" asked Luca, sitting down next to them with Tommy. "We''ve been up for a while," answered Rainie. She gave Luca a hug before adding, "But we didn''t tell Tommy to wake you up. He did that all by himself." Tommy called out, "How could you do this? We agreed to share the good times and tough it out together!" "He just wanted ice cream. That''s why he came upstairs to wake you up," Lanie said. Luca looked at Tommy with a smile on his face. "Is that true?" "Hey.." Tommy felt helpless. His siblings always sold him out, and now, his image as a good kid was about to crumble. "Alright, sit tight. I''ll check if the ice cream is ready." Luca chuckled at his expression and headed to the kitchen. Aunt Neile was busy in the kitchen, and when she saw Lucae in, she asked, "Ms. Craw, is there something you need?" "I''m just checking if the ice cream is ready," answered Luca. "Oh, the ice cream? I checked earlier, and it seems ready, but the little ones insisted on waiting for your go-ahead before eating it." Aunt Neile admired the kids'' good behavior. Most kids would have dived right into the treat, but these little ones actually had self-control. Luca nodded, scooped two servings of ice cream for each of the three kids, and brought the bowls out of the kitchen. "Ice cream is ready!" announced Luca. The kids'' eyes lit up as they stood eagerly to look at her. Luca handed each of them a bowl and said, "They''re all the same vor. Don''t eat too fast. You don''t want to upset your stomachs." "Thank you, Ms. Luca," the kids said in unison. Luca felt so happy watching them enjoy the ice cream. She reminded them, "Eat slowly. There''s no rush." Rainie and Tommy both loved sweets, so they were clearly enjoying themselves. As for Lanie, like Luke, he was not too fond of sweets, but he seemed to be enjoying the ice cream as well. He was eating at a leisurely pace. As their mother, Luca could tell from their expressions that they all liked the ice cream she made. "Ms. Luca, this is good!" said Rainie as she licked her lips, her face lighting up with a smile. Tommy nodded enthusiastically. "Ms. Luca, your ice cream is even better than the ones we buy from the store!" Seeing how much the kids liked it filled Luca with joy. After they finished eating, she yed a board game with them.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Of course, the game came with a twist. The loser had to stick a paper strip on their face as a penalty. After a few rounds, except for Lanie, Luca, Rainie, and Tommy all had several strips of paper stuck to their faces. Tommy lost again. He puffed out his cheeks and tried to blow the paper strips off, but it was no use. His face was stered with them. Rainie giggled at his antics and said, "Tommy, you can''t blow them off. Just leave them on." With that, she stuck another strip on his face. Tommy looked at Luca, then at Rainie, and finally at Lanie. "ying games with Lanie is no fun. I always lose. It''s not fair," grumbled Tommy, feeling defeated by Lanie''s superior smarts. "Tommy, a bet''s a bet," replied Lanie, drawing a little turtle on one of the paper strips stuck to Tommy''s face. Here''s a turtle for you!" "Lanie is always picking on me!" protested Tommy, shaking his fists. Just as he finished speaking, he let out a loud hup. The three of them burst intoughter. Tommy''s face turned bright red from embarrassment. "I ate too much ice cream," exined Tommy. Then, he added defiantly, "Lanie''s really smart, but that doesn''t mean I''m dumber than him! I was just bornter. If we had been born at the same time, maybe I''d even be smarter than him!" Lanie noticed one of the paper strips starting to fall off Tommy''s face, so he reached out and pressed it back on." Yes, you''re awesome, Tommy. Keep it up, and you''ll be the best in the family one day!" Tommy nodded enthusiastically. "I will! I''m going to be the best in the family!" He turned to Luca and said, "Ms. Luca, just wait and see. I''ll surpass Lanie!" Luca smiled and replied, "You''re both such smart kids." Lanie, still cool andposed with his arms crossed, asked, "So, smartest Tommy, are we ying another round?" Chapter 3320 Allison Hit The Doctor ? Chapter 3320 Allison Hit The Doctor "Let''s keep going!" Tommy said. "I''m determined to stick a strip of paper on Lanie''s face today!" Then, they started another round of chess. Once again, Lanie won, and this time, Rainie came inst. She took the initiative to stick a paper strip on her own face. "Lanie is just too good. Even if we y until tonight, we''re never going to beat him..." said Tommy, feeling a little defeated. "Yeah, Lanie''s way too good," Rainie agreed, puffing out her cheeks and blowing upward. However, she was not thatpetitive, so she still looked cheerful even after losing. Luke came downstairs and saw Luca and the two kids with paper strips stuck on their faces. He paused for a moment before looking at Lanie, whose face was clean. He quickly understood what was going on. "Daddy! Come help me. You''ve got to help me beat Lanie!" Tommy spotted his father and immediately saw him as his savior. He bounced over and tried to pull him to sit down. "Daddy, Lanie is too good. I can''t beat him at all." Luke looked at his youngest son, then said with a hint of helplessness, "Just one round."Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "Why only one?" Tommy nced at the time. It was still early, and it was not close to dinner yet. Luca asked, "Do you have work to do?" "No, I need to head back to Crawford Manorter," Luke replied. "My mother... She has caused a bit of trouble in Seoul," Luca was surprised. Allison got into trouble in Seoul? Suddenly, she remembered that Allison wasing back, and it all made sense. She must have gotten into trouble, which was why she was rushing back home. "Did Old Master Crawford ask you to go back to talk about it?" asked Luca, already sensing that with Allison''s difficult personality, the problem would not be easy to solve. "Yes." Luke nodded helplessly. Luca let out a sigh, then turned to the kids. "Looks like we''ll have to stop ying. Let''s all go to Crawford Manor together.* Tommy, despite hispetitive spirit, was a good kid and understood there was probably a serious issue. He nodded, took the paper strips off his face, and started helping clean up the chessboard. After tidying up, Luca took the kids upstairs to change into fresh clothes, and soon, they were off to Crawford Manor. In the car, Luke made a few calls while driving. Luca listened in and pieced together what had happened. Allison hit someone at the hospital in Seoul. Specifically, the lead surgeon. Now, the hospital was looking to hold her ountable. She wanted toe back to A City, hoping the Crawford family would help her handle the situation. Luca could not help but secretly let out a sigh. Luke had gone out of his way to help Allison by providing a lot of money for her medical treatment in Seoul, yet she still managed to cause such a mess. People said kids were debts to be repaid, but in Allison''s case, it felt like the mother was the one making her son pay off her debts. Luca knew that if this situation was not handled properly, it could have serious consequences. The international impact could leave its effects on T Corporation. The three kids were quietly whispering in the back after overhearing Luke''s phone conversation. "Grandma actually hit someone? No wonder she''s in a rush toe back. What kind of punishment is she going to get?" asked Tommy. Lanie replied, "If it isn''t too serious, she might just have to pay a fine. But if it''s really bad, she could go to prison." "Grandma''s been to prison before, and she came out looking totally different. Jail''s scary," said Tommy. He was young at the time, but he remembered. He still had clear memories of how his grandmother used to look. She was elegant and well-dressed. After getting out of prison, however, she changedpletely. It left asting impression on him because she looked so much scarier now. Tommy did not fully understand why she changed like that, but he figured it had to be because of prison. The idea of it terrified him. "Daddy, how many people did Grandma hurt?" asked Lanie. "Two. A doctor and a nurse, but their injuries aren''t too serious. It''s something we can handle with money." answered Luke. He never thought that the reason why Allison wanted toe back was because she had caused trouble at the hospital! "Well, if money can fix it, that would be a relief," muttered Luca. Allison''s health probably could not handle much stress now. If she went to prison again, her body would not hold up, and neither would her face. Plus, it all happened in Seoul. Allison could not even speak thenguage. If she ended up in prison there, things would get messy. Luca rubbed her temples, feeling a headacheing on. Luke, with a cold expression on his face, added, "But we''ll be letting her off too easily if we fix it with money." Luca paused for a moment, then shook her head, choosing not to say more. Money was not an issue for the Crawford family. Allison probably knew that too, which was why she was in a rush to return. The fact that she could leave Seoul meant the doctors were willing to let her go back to settle it. Otherwise, she would have already been detained. Lanie, not fully understanding the situation, asked, "Daddy, isn''t it illegal in other countries? How could Grandmae back after hurting people?" The other two kids were also puzzled, looking to their father for answers. Luke exined, "Even though she hit people, this is a case of ''medical disturbance." Luca nodded. It was a situation where a patient shed with medical staff, a ssic medical disturbance. Luke continued, "But even in cases of medical disturbance, patients can be detained. The reason the doctor and nurse didn''t press charges is that they performed surgeries that aren''t allowed by their country''s medical regtions. "In other words, the procedures they''re doing are illegal over there. If this got public attention, it wouldn''t be good for anyone involved the doctor, the nurse, or the hospital. That''s why they all agreed to settle privately, and that''s how your grandma got toe home." Lanie nodded, then asked, "So, why did Grandma attack them? Was it because the surgery didn''t work?" "Yes, she wasn''t happy with the results. After multiple procedures, there wasn''t much improvement, but the pain kept increasing. When she found out the surgery wasn''t even legal there, she lost it andshed out," Luke exined to the kids. He did not n on hiding anything from them. Knowing what kind of person Allison was would only benefit them in the long run. "Grandma was too impulsive, and it''s really such a pity. If she had just looked into it more, she probably would''ve realized these treatments weren''t going to work that well," Lanie said calmly. Even though Allison had always been loving toward him, Lanie had felt a sense of distance from her ever since he was a child. That was why he had never gotten close to Allison. It was especially after learning she had hurt their mother, his feelings toward her became even colder. They were family, and she knew how much they longed for their mother''s love. Why would Allison hurt her? Lanie approached the situation with a surprising calmness. It was almost as if he was not a child at all as he analyzed the actions of his own grandmother. Chapter 3321 Growing Medicinal Herbs In The Greenhouse ? Chapter 3321 Growing Medicinal Herbs In The Greenhouse Luca nced at her eldest son. She did not know why, but as long as her other kids were with him, she felt at ease. Lanie was like a mini version of Luke. When something happened, he could calmly analyze the situation. He was smart. Even when it came to adult matters, he could exin things with great rity. Luca nodded in agreement, and Luke remained silent. When they arrived at Crawford Manor, Luke went straight into Old Master Crawford''s study. Luca sat in the living room with the kids. Mr. Griffin served them tea and snacks. Tommy said, "Lanie, Rainie, let''s go read some books." "Sure, let''s go read," Lanie agreed, leading his younger siblings upstairs. The grown-ups'' business was not something they needed to worry about. As long as they took care of themselves and did not make the adults worry, that was all that mattered. Luca watched the kids go upstairs, feeling a bit lost. What should she do now? Mr. Griffin noticed her boredom and smiled. "Ms. Craw, Old Master Crawford recently took some advice and nted some medicinal herbs in the backyard. Would you be interested in having a look?" Luca was not particrly interested in growing herbs. However, since she had nothing else to do and considering that it was rted to her field of expertise, turning down the offer might seem rude. Hence, Luca nodded and replied, "Sure, I''ll take a look." Mr. Griffin led the way. Luca arrived at the back garden and noticed a greenhouse had been set up. "Did Old Master Crawford have this built specifically for growing medicinal herbs?" "Yes," Mr. Griffin nodded. "It''s all managed mechanically. There''s automated watering, pest control, and fertilizing. Old Master Crawford loves spending time here, and he''s quite fond of these herbs." Luca''s curiosity was piqued. Before she saw the greenhouse, she assumed Old Master Crawford was just dabbling and was not too serious about it. However, after seeing this, she realized she was wrong. Old Master Crawford had always approached things professionally. Even if it started as a hobby, he had gone out of his way to have a proper greenhouse built by experts. Seeing this, Luca became genuinely interested in the herbs nted here. She asked Mr. Griffin, "What kind of herbs are nted here?" "I''m not too sure, but ording to Old Master Crawford, they''re rare and valuable species that require very specific conditions, which is why they''re grown in the greenhouse," exined Mr. Griffin as he opened the door and invited her inside. "The seeds were quite expensive, but so far, the cultivation has been going smoothly." As Luca stepped into the greenhouse, the fragrance of herbs filled the air. Previously, she did not have any particr feelings toward the smell of herbs. However, ever since she started learning about medicine from Shanks, she had grown ustomed to the scent of medicinal herbs and had evene to enjoy their refreshing fragrance. She felt that the fresh fragrance of these medicinal herbs had a calming, almost uplifting effect on the mind. Luca started her tour from the entrance, taking in the sight. Inside the greenhouse, the area was divided into sections, with each section dedicated to a specific type of medicinal herb. Small signs were ced in front of each, providing brief descriptions. Luca asked, "Did Old Master Crawford set all of this up himself?" Mr. Griffin smiled and exined, "Old Master Crawford had thebels printed and ced here. The herbs are quite valuable, and there are many varieties. He was worried he wouldn''t remember everything, so he had the signs made to help him distinguish between them and keep track of their needs." "The old master is really impressive." Luca looked at the well-cultivated herbs, some of which would have significant medicinal value once they matured. She could not help but feel a deep sense of admiration. Old Master Crawford truly excelled at anything he put his mind to. Even as a novice, he had managed to grow herbs so well that they could easily rival the work of professionals. "Yes, the old master has put a lot of effort into this," replied Mr. Griffin. Luca''s eyes wandered across the many varieties of herbs, nearly overwhelmed by the abundance. "I thought I knew a lot about herbal herbs, but Old Master Crawford seems to know even more, praised Luca. She could identify herbs by their appearance and scent, but she did not know much about cultivating them. The Old Master Crawford''s greenhouse was truly impressive. The herbs were plentiful and thriving. While modem technology certainly made it easier, it was still remarkable that an elderly man could manage such arge variety of herbs so well. Luca took a walk around the greenhouse, exploring the area. Meanwhile, in the study, Luke and the Old Master Crawford had finished their conversation. When it came to the situation with Allison, they had no choice but to deal with it. Even though they were unhappy with her recent actions, they could not just let her make a bigger scene, which could harm both the Crawford family and T Corporation. "Where are Luca and the kids?" the Old Master Crawford asked with curiosity when he arrived in the living room and did not see them. The maid responded, "The kids are upstairs reading, and Ms. Craw is touring the greenhouse with Mr. Griffin." "The greenhouse?" Luke raised an eyebrow. Since when did Crawford Manor have a greenhouse? When the greenhouse was mentioned, Old Master Crawford remembered that Luke still did not know about it. Proudly, he said, "Luke, I built a greenhouse full of medicinal herbs. Come, let me show you." Luke nodded, helping his grandfather outside. It was already past 5:00 pm, and while the sun was not as intense, the ground was still warm from a day of heat. Nheless, it was still eptable. They made their way to the backyard. As they walked, the Old Master Crawford exined, "A while ago, I was inspired by the medicinal herbs that Luca brought over. I thought it would be interesting to grow some myself. So, I did some research, hired professionals to build the greenhouse, and bought some rare herbal seeds. "Now, they''re growing in the backyard." "You really don''t hesitate once you''ve made up your mind," Luke said with a hint of helplessness in his voice. However, since the greenhouse was equipped with modern technology, it was not too strenuous for his grandfather, so he did not n to stop him. After all, it was nice that Old Master Crawford had found a new hobby. "Of course! While I''m still able to move around, I''d like to do the things I enjoy," Old Master Crawford said energetically. "Back before I got into business, I was a farmer. Sure, back then I was growing crops, and now, it''s herbs, but it''s all the same, right? Growing stuff has always been my thing. "When I was young, that was my backup n. If I couldn''t ride the wave of government policy and make my business work, I''d just head back to the farm. That small plot ofnd was my ace in the hole. "But I made it in business, and thatnd just sat there, going to waste. Thinking back now, I should''ve rented it out. At least it wouldn''t have gone unused," said Old Master Crawford.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. As Luke listened to his grandfather, he put on a smile. It had been a long time since he heard Old Master Crawford talk about these things. When Luke was adopted from the orphanage and brought back to the Crawford family, he was raised by Old Master Crawford. Aside from life lessons and business advice, most of what he heard were his stories about the old days. Chapter 3322 Taking The Kids To Plant Some Herbs ? Chapter 3322 Taking The Kids To nt Some Herbs Luke had always admired his grandfather''s past as a child. Old Master Crawford would speak of everything regarding Crawford Manor and mention taking him to do various things, but in the end, it all came to nothing because he was too busy. After repeated dys in their ns, Luke had stopped expecting much from those promises. However, when Old Master Crawford suddenly set up a greenhouse at home and began growing medicinal herbs, Luke found himself intrigued. He pushed open the greenhouse door and stepped inside with his grandfather. Immediately, the fragrant scent of the herbs filled the air, and Luke could not help but feel refreshed. Luca heard the noises and turned around to look at them. Then, she smiled and asked, "Old Master Crawford, Luke, what brings you two here?" "I heard you were here, so I came over. Luca, let me show you my treasures!" Old Master Crawford replied cheerfully. He relied on a cane to walk, but he was excited when it came to this greenhouse. He had clearly invested time and effort into caring for these herbs. "Old Master Crawford, these herbs look fantastic! They''re even better than those grown by the professional farmers,"plimented Luca while admiring the well-managed nts. Even though there were not many of them, each one was being carefully tended to. When it was time to harvest, they would all be top-quality herbs. Luca walked over. With Luke on one side and her on the other, they supported Old Master Crawford while listening to his detailed exnations about each herb''s growing habits and other rted information. It was clear he had put a lot of effort into this. After they had strolled around for a bit, the three kids also came in. "Great-Grandpa, can we learn how to grow herbs with you?" The kids circled around him. They seemed genuinely interested in gardening. "Of course." Old Master Crawford nced at a vacant patch in the corner of the greenhouse, Originally, he had nned to nt thereter, but with the kids so eager to learn, he decided to take them over to that spot and get started right away. While it looked like they were just ying around, the kids listened carefully as Old Master Crawford exined the nting techniques. Luca and Luke stood by, watching the heartwarming scene of the kids with their grandfather. They both smiled at the sight. Under Old Master Crawford''s guidance, the kids thoroughly enjoyed their time. It was not until the maid came over to remind them that dinner was ready that they reluctantly wrapped up their gardening session. Luca looked at the neatly nted row of herb seedlings and then turned to Luke. "The kids weren''t just causing trouble. Look how good of a job they did. Isn''t it great?" Luke nodded in agreement, and they all left together. When they entered the living room, they noticed Susan had alsoe. "What brings you here?" Old Master Crawford''s mood soured when he saw Susan. Susan shot a nce at Luke and Luca, who were beside him, and felt a wave of resentment. It was fine for them toe, but not her? Old Master Crawford was clearly biased! Suppressing her displeasure, Susan replied to Old Master Crawford, "Father, it''s the weekend. Ie back to have dinner with you whenever I can. Is that a problem?" Old Master Crawford was left speechless. Indeed, there was nothing wrong with it. Susan usually came back on weekends to have meals with him, showing her respect. However, Old Master Crawford could not appreciate her efforts. Every time Susan came home, she made a huge mess, making it impossible for him to see the good in it. Without responding, Old Master Crawford turned to Mr. Griffin and said, "Get dinner ready." "Of course." Mr. Griffin nodded and went to the kitchen to give his instructions. Old Master Crawford nced at Susan and added, "Let''s head to the dining room." Then, he leaned on his cane and walked toward the dining room. Luke looked down at the three kids and reminded them, "Make sure to say hello to your Grandma Susan." "Good evening, Grandma Susan!" the three kids chimed in unison. Susan shot back with sarcasm, "Looks like living away from Crawford Manor means the kids don''t even recognize their elders anymore. You need to be reminded just to greet someone?" Luca''s expression soured. While the kids might have been a little slow to greet her, it was not intentional. They had just found out that Susan was in the living room, and the adults had been talking. They did not have the chance to say hello, did they? Hearing Susan speak about her kids like that made Luca ufortable. If her kids had truly done something wrong, she would not mind a critique. In this case, they had not done anything wrong, and this was not a big deal. However, Susan just kept going on and on about it. "They didn''t do anything wrong," Luke interjected. "They just didn''t have the chance to greet you. If you''re not satisfied, they can say hello to you again." He noticed Luca''s displeasure and felt the need to defend the kids. They really had not done anything wrong. There was no need for them to be reprimanded like that. Susan''s expression darkened. She scoffed. "Luke, even if you''re right that the kids didn''t do anything wrong, how could you let them get all dirty? Is that mud on them? What are they going to do at the dinner table, eat dirt? "You''ve got perfectly good kids, but you insist on letting some other woman take care of them. They''re getting all dirty and crawling with germs. If the kids get sick, it''s going to be bad for their health," continued Susan, indirectly criticizing Luca for not knowing how to raise children.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "What''s wrong with me taking the kids to nt some herbs?" Old Master Crawford suddenly came out of the dining room, having overheard her. "Father?" Susan was taken aback for a moment, only then noticing that there was dirt on Old Master Crawford''s clothes as well. So, it was not Luca leading the kids into mischief. It was Old Master Crawford who had taken them along! Susan felt like the world had turned upside down. How could such a serious man like him run around and get dirty with the kids? Susan dared not say anything further and simply replied, "I just think it''s not good for them to be so dirty. Germs can be harmful, and young kids need to pay more attention to hygiene.* "All the herbs in my greenhouse are for healing, so there''s no way they have germs. Besides, kids should spend more time in nature. It''s good for their health. As for being dirty.." Old Master Crawford''s expression was serious as he looked at the dirt on the kids, clearly unconcemed. "They''re not eating their clothes. They''re having dinner. A little dirt won''t hurt as long as they wash their hands." Lanie smartly chimed in, "Grandpa, I''m taking Tommy and Rainie to wash their hands." "Go ahead." Old Master Crawford nodded. "I''ll check on them." Luca was worried they might not wash up properly and followed them into the bathroom. Susan let out a cold sneer. Old Master Crawford warned, "If you keep causing a scene, don''t bothering back on weekends. Just show up for family gatherings and holidays when you feel like it." Susan''s expression tightened at this warning. She felt a simmering discontent deep down inside her, but she did not dare to say anything. Chapter 3323 Dont Even Think About Stirring Up Trouble ?Chapter 3323 Don''t Even Think About Stirring Up Trouble After the kids washed their hands, they followed Luca into the dining room. Everyone else was already seated. Luca sat next to Luke, and after the three kids took their seats, Mr. Griffin and the maids brought out the food. By the time dinner was over, it was gettingte. Just as Luke was thinking about taking the kids home, Susan spoke up, "Luke, I didn''t want to ask you during dinner, but now that we''ve eaten, there''s something I need to ask." "Yes?" Luke sat back down on the couch, his gaze fixed on her. The air around him was so intense that Susan almost wanted to flee. However, as his elder, she could not back down now. Since she had something to say, she forced herself to withstand the pressure and spoke up, "I''ve been hearing rumors that your mother hurt someone in Seoul and now ns to return to A City. Is that true?"Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Luke raised an eyebrow and nced around the room. He had only just learned about this, yet Susan already knew? It seemed like she had people keeping tabs on the family. It was known that Old Master Crawford hated it when people used underhanded methods to spy on his life, but Susan was willing to y that card to dig up information about Allison. Once Luke looked into it, he would easily figure out who had leaked the news to her. Whoever did it would not meet a good end. "Is she really nning to return to A City?" Susan pressed. "Yes," admitted Luke. Susan let out a cold sneer, "How could she have the nerve toe back now? Doesn''t she think we''ve been humiliated enough? Luke stayed silent. Allison''s stay abroad had benefited not only him but also Susan. There was no one to challenge her position as the madam of the Crawford family. However, it seemed she had forgotten that given Allison''s current state, she was not in any shape topete for that role anyway. Luke did not see her as a threat to Susan. Susan simply disliked Allison and did not want her to return. "I can''t stop her." Luke understood her point, but he knew there was nothing he could do. "What do you mean you can''t stop her? You''re her son, aren''t you? As they say, when parents are old, they listen to their children. You''ve been supporting her all these years. She should obey you. If you don''t let her return, she won''t." Susan was well aware of his influence. Keeping Allison out of the country would be a simple matter for him. Old Master Crawford had been quietly sipping his tea, initially not intending to involve himself in the conversation. After all, Allison''s return was already set in stone. No matter what Susan said to Luke, it would not change anything. However, as he listened to her string of arguments, it made him frown in disapproval. Back when Luke was young, she never bothered to teach him anything. Now, she was suddenly full of reason and logic? Old Master Crawford put down his tea and said, "If you''re so keen on parents listening to their children, why don''t you listen to Louis? You pushed him out of the house, didn''t you? Where''s your obedience in that?" "Father, my situation ispletely different from Luke''s," replied Susan, growing more agitated at the mention of Louis'' name. Louis had been refusing to move back home until now. Even though she knew where he lived, the security in that neighborhood was so strict that she could not get in. Every time she tried to visit, Louis would not let her in. When she argued with the security at the gate, they treated her like a nuisance. By now, all the guards there knew who she was, but she still had not been able to get in. Just thinking about it made her furious. "How is it any different? Do you think I don''t know what''s going on with you? You tried to get into that neighborhood again yesterday, didn''t you? And the security blocked you, so you threw a fit right there, didn''t you?" Old Master Crawford did not intend to make a big deal of it. After all, her little tantrum at the gate did not affect the Crawford family much. She imed to be Louis'' mother, but no one believed her. "You..." Susan was surprised. She intentionally did not use the family driver and had not told the maid where she was going, so how did he know? Did Old Master Crawford really have someone following her? The thought made her shiver. If that was the case, did she have any privacy left? "Since you believe parents should listen to their children, Louis wants you to stay in the vi and enjoy yourself. So, stop with all this fussing," added Old Master Crawford. "That''s what Louis wants. He doesn''t need your help with the kids. Just rx and enjoy life." Then, he turned to Luke and Luca. The frustration on his face shifted into a warm, caring expression. "It''s gettingte. The kids have school tomorrow. You all should head home." "Yes, Grandpa." Luke nodded. With the old master stepping in, Susan did not dare push the issue further. As they got up to leave, she suddenly said, "Wait a minute!" Luke frowned and looked at her. "Since you''re leaving, why don''t you give me a ride home? It''ste, and I don''t feel like driving," said Susan, hoping to use the ride to get some information out of him. Tommy suddenly chimed in, "Grandma Susan, there''s no room in our car." Susan was stunned for a moment. It was a five-seater car, and they did have five people. Still, the kids did not take up much space. "If you don''t want to drive, you can have Uncle Zander send you home. Goodbye, Great-Grandpa, Grandma Susan!" Tommy waved cheerfully before she could suggest squeezing in. Susan did not even get a chance to respond. Tommy''s wordspletely shut her down. She could not ride with Luke, and she did not know the full details about Allison. She was not about to leave so easily. She nced over at Old Master Crawford. He met her gaze, stifled a yawn, and rose to his feet. "If you don''t want to drive, have Zander send you. It''ste. I''m heading to bed." "Father, are you really going to let Luke handle this Allison situation however he wants?" Susan was not ready to let the matter drop. Old Master Crawford frowned in irritation. "This has nothing to do with you, so stop meddling." "How could it not be of my concern? Allison still carries the Crawford family''s name. If she causes trouble, it''ll bring shame to the family. She can''t be allowed toe back and stir things up!" insisted Susan. In her mind, the position of the madam of the Crawford family belonged to her alone. Even if she did not live in Crawford Manor, she could not let Allison return and take half the spotlight. Old Master Crawford paused for a moment, then sternly rebuked, "You keep saying that you''re doing this for the family, but do you think I don''t know what''s really on your mind?" Susan''s eyes widened. "Of course, I''m doing this for the family!" "If it''s truly for the family, then Allison muste back. Don''t worry about the costs. Luke has already said that none of the Crawford family''s or T Corporation''s funds will be used." Old Master Crawford issued his final warning, "You''re living afortable life now, so don''t even think about stirring up trouble." Chapter 3324 Do You Think You Can Earn That Much Money? ? Chapter 3324 Do You Think You Can Earn That Much Money? Susan, undeterred by the warning, shot back, "Isn''t all his money from T Corporation? Father, what you said was pointless." Old Master Crawford red at her fiercely. "If you were given a chance to work at thepany, do you think you could eam that much money?" Susan''s family background was quite wealthy. She was raised as a pampered youngdy, so she never learned how to make money. Once she realized this, she chose to be a housewife in the Crawford family and stopped considering working at thepany. She focused on raising Louis, nning for him to work at thepany once he grew up. Little did she expect that after Louis worked at T Corporation for a few years, he would start his own business, leading to a conflict between them. It felt like a p in the face! Susan''s face turned slightly pale as she muttered, "..." "Enough! You can''t make money yourself, so why are you even talking? Luke''s the one bringing in the cash, and in the end, aren''t you the one benefiting from it? Sometimes, you just need to know when to be grateful," warned Old Master Crawford. For decades, he had been frustrated with Susan''s ipetence and her tendency to stir up trouble. It was annoying! Susan paused for a moment, then coldly huffed. "Father, you''re just biased toward Luke. Once his motheres back and turns the Crawford family upside down, you''ll regret it." Old Master Crawford''s expression darkened. When he was about to scold Susan, she turned around and walked away. "Utter nonsense!" Old Master Crawford huffed while mming his cane against the floor. "Sir, please calm down," advised Mr. Griffin. He had served Old Master Crawford for years and knew well what kind of person Susan was. He also understood her fears. She was worried that Allison''s return would threaten her position. The rivalry between the daughters-inw of the Crawford family mainly boiled down to the sh between these two women, and Old Master Crawford had been irritated by it for decades without a good solution. That was why he was particrly strict with his grandsons, Luke and Louis. Before marriage, they could choose whoever they wanted to be with. However, once they were married, there would be no messing around. The old master was seriously worried his grandsons would end up like their father, causing trouble and ending up with two wives. With both wives vying for attention, it would beplete chaos. Zachary passed away early, so he could not witness the conflicts between his two wives, but Old Master Crawford was certainly worn out by their constant bickering. "I wish I could stay calm, but just look at what''s going on." The look on Old Master Crawford''s face was helpless as he red in the direction Susan had left. "Find out who leaked the news about Allisoning back." "Yes, sir. Let me help you back to your room to rest, replied Mr. Griffin as he helped the old master. Old Master Crawford had a grim expression on his face. After returning to his room and lying down, Mr. Griffin called all the household staff together to start an investigation. Before long, they found out who informed Susan. The maid had not considered that things would escte this much, so she did not delete her call records. When confronted, she immediately knelt down and pleaded, "Mr. Griffin, I didn''t mean to! It was Madam Susan who told me to do it. If I didn''t, she said she''d fire me! I was scared, and in a moment of confusion, I just..." Mr. Griffin looked coldly at the pleading maid. After dismissing the other maids, he said to her, "It''s not Madam Susan who pays your sry. She doesn''t have the authority to fire you." The maid shook her head. "That''s not true! She said that if she could pin some kind of fault on me, she could get me fired. I was scared, so I did it. Besides, it''s not a secret. Madam Susan would''ve found out sooner orter, right?"Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Mr. Griffin heaved a sigh and shook his head. Susan would eventually learn about it, but if she had not found out about it today, Old Master Crawford might have been in a better mood. Now, Old Master Crawford was in a terrible mood because of both Allison and Susan. It was a mess. So, this maid was bound to be in trouble. "You know family matters can''t be spread around. We covered that during the training, right?" questioned Mr. Griffin. "Yes, but Madam Susan isn''t just some outsider! I didn''t do anything wrong or vite any employee rules," cried the maid. "Outsiders'' refer to anyone who doesn''t live in Crawford Manor. Don''t argue with me. What''s done is done. Old Master Crawford has made it clear that he wants to find out who leaked this information and have them fired on the spot. "Since you''ve been working here for a long time, I''m giving you two choices. First, you can take your sry and leave, or second, you can work with Madam Susan while also keeping an eye on her for Old Master Crawford. "If anything happens, you need to report it back here immediately. It''s up to you." Mr. Griffin felt a pang of sympathy for the maid. She had worked at Crawford Manor for many years. He remembered that her family was having a difficult time, and firing her would only make things worse for her. That was why he offered her a choice. "If I work for Madam Susan, will the sry..." The maid hesitated for a moment. She had been feeling hopeless, but hearing there was still a chance, she wanted more details. "Your sry will increase a little, but not by much. However, if you know Madam Susan is up to something and you fail to report it in a timely manner, the consequence will still be immediate termination," exined Mr. Griffin. Currently, the maids and drivers working for Susan were all on Crawford Manor''s payroll. Susan did not pay a dime. "Okay, I''ll go work with Madam Susan. Don''t worry, Mr. Griffin. I''ll report to you in detail if I learn anything. But if there are things I''m unaware of that Madam Susan does, you can''t hold that against me," replied the maid. Mr. Griffin nodded. "Don''t worry. I have a set evaluation system. As long as you''re acting for Old Master Crawford''s sake, whether you seed or fail, I''ll consider your efforts fairly and won''t wrong you." "Mr. Griffin, with your assurance, I feel relieved. I''m willing to work with Madam Susan." The maid let out a sigh of relief. She had managed to keep her job. The slight increase in sry meant her family would not experience drastic changes due to her unemployment. Thank goodness... "It''s gettingte. You may clock out for now. I''ll find a reason for you to start working with Madam Susan in the next few days," said Mr. Griffin as he turned around to leave. "Thank you, Mr. Griffin." The maid thanked him and quickly left the room. Luca and Luke returned home. The kids went upstairs to wash up and prepare for bed. Luca intended to discuss Allison''s situation with Luke when a call from Gale came in. "Ms. Craw, I''ve got everything nned for tomorrow night! Are you able to make it to the confession?" Gale asked excitedly. Luca had the call on speaker and nced at Luke before replying, "Sure, but why the rush?" "I''m just really eager, so I paid extra to the nningpany," said Gale, sounding a bit embarrassed. "Um, could you bring Boss along too?" Chapter 3325 What Are You Two Doing? ? Chapter 3325 What Are You Two Doing? Luca nced at Luke, silently asking for his input. He gave a slight nod, signaling his approval. Luca replied, "Alright, we''ll be there. What time is it in the evening? Where''s the venue?" "I''ll send you the exact time and locationter. Don''t worry, Dr. Craw. It won''t run toote," Gale reassured her, knowing they had kids to take care of. Since Luca was out, Aunt Neile would probably have to stayte at home to help. "Great, we''ll definitely be there." Luca smiled as she hung up the phone. "What''s he nning?" asked Luke. From what he overheard, it almost sounded like Gale was about to confess his feelings to Luca. However, Gale was not that type of person, so Luke was curious about who had caught Gale''s interest. "You don''t know?" Luca was surprised. Luke always seemed to know everything, like when Percy started liking Nina, but he missed Gale''s feelings for Rain? Luke shook his head, indicating he had no idea. He had spoken to Gale earlier today, but he seemed busy, so Luke left things to Rain to handle. "What''s Gale nning?" Luke asked again, feeling a bit out of the loop since even Luca knew. Suddenly, he had the strange feeling that everyone else was in on something he was not. Luca smiled. "He''s in love with Rain." "I see." Luke nodded. He had noticed that Gale acted suspiciously every time Rain''s name came up. "You knew?" Luca was shocked. "He''s had feelings for her for a while," replied Luke. He was not stupid. How could he not have noticed? However, Luke was not the type to meddle in others'' rtionships, so he stayed out of it, waiting for Gale to figure things out on his own. As for whether they would end up together, Luke did not have a strong opinion. If it was meant to be, it would happen. Just like it had with him and Bianca. After multiple breakups and reconciliations, they still ended up together. There were still a few obstacles, but Luke was confident they would ovee them. He and Bianca would be happy. Nothing could stand in the way of their happiness. "You noticed but didn''t say anything?" Luca was surprised. Then, she smiled and added, "If you had pointed it out earlier, Gale wouldn''t have needed to drink his sorrows away." Luke slipped his hands into his pockets. He waspletely rxed, his demeanor allid back. He gazed gently at Luca in front of him and said, "I don''t get involved in other people''s rtionship drama. I''m just focused on keeping my own love life in check." Luc''s face turned red. Yes, their love life. It was something he had to protect. Feeling a little flustered, she added, "Rain has already confessed her feelings for him too. But Gale, being his straightforward self, blurted out his confession without doing anything special, so Rain turned him down. That''s why he hired apany to n a proper confession." "He''s such a fool," Luke said with contempt. Gale handled everything else with precision, but when it came to romance, he was not onlyte to the game, but he was totally clueless. Luke found himself feeling a bit frustrated just thinking about it. Luca nodded. "Well, the fact that he thought to hire apany to help n his confession is already a step in the right direction. We''ll go tomorrow and show him some support." She could already imagine how nervous Gale would be during his confession. He was someone who remained calm and collected in dangerous situations, yet waspletely clueless when it came to matters of the heart. That was why she figured that Gale would be pretty nervous during his confession. That kind of contrast could be amusing. "I won''t be there to support him." Luke shook his head. Luca looked surprised, then heard Luke continue, "I''ll be there to support Rain."All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. She burst outughing. "Your two closest friends are about to start dating. If they can''t keep work and romance separate, what would you think about that, Mr. Crawford?" "It''s like the student I''ve been nurturing for years is getting snatched by Gale, that damn pig," said Luke without holding back. He was not worried Luca would take it the wrong way, though. She knew exactly what Rain and Gale meant to him. They were friends who had survived life-or-death situations together, and they had helped Luke a lot. Of course, she would not get jealous over that. "I can''t wait to see Gale''s reaction when he hears your analogy." Luca was amused. Luke really sounded like a protective father. The only difference was that he saw Rain as a partner, not a daughter. Luke scoffed. "Rain has always been kind to him, but he''s been so oblivious this whole time. Isn''t he just a fool? I wouldn''t be surprised if Rain ends up speechless from his clueless behavior once they''re together." "You''ve got it all figured out, yet you still didn''t say anything. You''re something else," Luca replied helplessly. She thought that it was unfortunate for Gale to have someone like Luke as his boss. If he had clued Gale in earlier, maybe he and Rain would have gotten together a long time ago. Instead of beating about the bush under the guise of friendship, they could have been happy already. It was kind of frustrating. Luca admired Rain for being so patient, having feelings for Gale all this time without saying a word. As Luke held Luca''s hand and led her upstairs, he said, "Some things can''t be said out loud. People have to figure it out for themselves. Saying too much would ruin things. Now, Gale knows he likes Rain and is ready to confess. Isn''t that great?" "You''re right. Gale has always been reliable when ites to work, but when ites to rtionships, he''s pretty careless. Even if he had realized his feelings for Rain earlier, he probably wouldn''t have confessed. "Maybe, after all these years of circling around each other, now is the perfect time for them to get together. After dating for a while, they can just go ahead and get married," Luca agreed, ncing at the man beside her. After all the twists and turns in their own lives, she still ended up back at his side. "What gift are you going to give if Gale and Rain do get married?" asked Luca. "I''ll definitely give them something big," answered Luke. They shared a bond forged in life-and-death situations. Luke would give them something big and wish them a lifetime of happiness together. "I''m really looking forward to tomorrow," eximed Luca. "Why wait for tomorrow? How about looking forward to tonight?" After they reached the second floor, Luke immediately leaned in and gently rested his forehead against hers. They looked into each other''s eyes. Luca''s breath quickened. "Luca, tonight, you''re mine," muttered Luke. "You had me all worked up this afternoon. If the kids hadn''te in, I wouldn''t have had to hold back all day. You''re definitely going to make it up to me tonight, right?" Luca''s face flushed bright red. Her shyness made her bloom like a delicate flower. Luke''s eyes darkened with intensity, filled with a burning desire. He longed to pull her into his arms and make love to her passionately. His precious, his one and only... The door opened with a creak, and Tommy stepped out of his room. When he saw his parents standing so close together, he paused for a moment, then asked, "Daddy, Ms. Luca, what are you two doing?" Chapter 3326 A Son Could Be A Fathers Nemesis ? Chapter 3326 A Son Could Be A Father''s Nemesis Luke was startled for a moment, feeling as though history was repeating itself. Luca covered her mouth,ughing so hard she could barely catch her breath. Everything felt too coincidental. Suddenly, Luca recalled that there was this saying, a son could be a father''s nemesis. Tommy had interrupted them twice today. Luke''s expression turned dark as he turned around to look at his son. "Why aren''t you in bed? What are you doing out here?" "Daddy, I just finished washing up. I really want a ss of water." Tommy then added, "The food at Crawford Manor was a bit salty this time, and I''m really thirsty." "I''ll get you some water," said Luca as she headed downstairs. Luke approached Tommy, looking down at him from above. Realizing he had spoiled his parents'' moment, Tommy gave a sheepish smile. "Daddy, I didn''t mean to." "From now on, make sure to get yourself a ss of water before bed and keep it in the bedroom. No more running out for water all the time," Luke said to his son with a serious expression. "Daddy, I really am thirsty, Tommy replied with a charming smile. "Oh, I promise I''ll go to bed right after I drink this. I won''t disturb you and Ms. Luca anymore." After that, he yfully stuck out his tongue. "Let this be thest time. Make sure you have the water ready before bed," added Luke, remembering this was already the second time. He suspected that his son had been eavesdropping at the door and came out intentionally when he heard something. However, that was just Luke''s suspicion. He had no concrete evidence. Luca brought a ss of water upstairs and saw the father and son standing at the top of the stairs. Luke was looking down at Tommy, while Tommy was looking up at Luke. It was like a negotiation, and she did not even need to guess what Luke had told Tommy. She smiled and squatted down in front of Tommy. "Here, drink some water." "Thank you, Ms. Luca!" Tommy took the ss and gulped it down. Luca exchanged a nce with Luke. It was clear the boy was really thirsty. After finishing most of the water, Tommy said, "Daddy, Ms. Luca, I''m going to bed now. Goodnight!" "Goodnight," Luca replied with a gentle smile. Luke watched as Tommy carried the ss into his bedroom and calmly said, "Looks like the kid was really thirsty." "Do you think he''d lie?" Luca asked with a smile on her face. Luke thought about how Tommy had lied thest time. However, since he had promised not to tell her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and walked into the bedroom. "Luca, just getting one moment of romance has be such a difficult task." Luca''s face instantly flushed red, and she gently punched his shoulder. However, she did not hit him too hard. Soon, the lovers were lost in each other''s embrace. In the Maldives, Nina and Percy had just finished dinner and were strolling along the beach. The sea breeze blew gently. She narrowed her eyes, feeling a pleasant sense of rxation wash over her. Her heart felt calm at peace. This was her second visit to the Maldives, but her mindset waspletely differ from the first time. "It''s so nice here," Nina wrapped her arm around Percy''s and eximed in a soft voice. "Yeah, if you like it, we cane here every year for vacation," replied Percy. He had no real concept of vacation. He could easily work year-round, every single day. However, if Nina liked this ce, he would make time to apany her. For him, it did not matter where they went. What mattered the most was having Nina by his side. "That would get boring! Once you have some free time, let''s try to explore other ces too. We can leave our mark everywhere we go." Nina rested her head gently on his shoulder. "Okay, whatever you say." Percy leaned down and nted a kiss on her forehead. "From now on, we''ll vacation every year, and each time, we''ll go somewhere new. You choose the destination, and I''ll take you there." "Sounds good." Nina smiled brightly. "I''m also taking you with me when I have business trips abroad," added Percy. "Great!" Nina''s smile widened. She did not think being close to Percy would be tiresome. In fact, she always wanted to stay close to him. Love was a beautiful thing, and she wanted to experience it every moment. "What about my domestic business trips? I''d love to take you along. After all, every city has its unique scenery, and I want to show you all of it." Percy expressed his love for Nina in the simplest way. He wanted her by his side as he gazed at the beautiful scenery. "Sure, but with all your business trips, I''m afraid Mr. Crawford might have an issue with that," replied Nina. Even if she had be Mrs. Mallory, she had no ns to quit her job and be a housewife. She did not want to bepletely dependent on Percy. Nina believed she should have her own career. Although she would not run a bigpany like Percy, having her own ie would give her more peace of mind. Plus, thepany belonged to Bianca. Even though Bianca could not remember much about her now, Nina secretly vowed to protect Bianca''s hard work. "I won''t let that happen. I''ll talk to him," said Percy. While he preferred Nina to be by his side, he also did not mind her having her own career. Nina nodded in agreement. At that moment, a foreign tourist approached them. The tourist asked, "Hi, are you two a couple?" Percy lifted Nina''s hand, showing off their wedding rings. "We''re married." "That''s amazing! You two are deeply in love, aren''t you?" "Yes, we''re deeply in love with each other." Nina smiled sweetly. Then, she nced at Percy, who was also looking at her. Their eyes met, and their smiles grew even sweeter. "Oh, that''s so cool! Are you on your honeymoon?" "Yes." Percy nodded. He was not fond of talking to strangers, but the people they encountered this time seemed friendly, so he feltfortable chatting a bit. "Congrattions!" said the tourist. Then, he lifted his camera. "I''m a photographer, and I came to the Maldives to work on my creative project. Here''s my business card." As he handed his card to Percy and Nina, he added, "The theme of my project is love. I think you two have a great vibe, and you two look so in love. Would you let me take a few photos of you? "We can do it right here on this beach? It won''t take up too much of your time, I promise," the photographer reassured them, worried they might decline. Nina turned to look at Percy. He was looking back at her. "Would you like to?" "I do," Nina said. They loved each other, so why not let the photographer capture this moment? Percy replied, "Sure." "Great! Just be yourselves and do some little things together. I''ll just capture the moments as they happen." The photographer emphasized the importance of authenticity, so there would be noplex lighting setups like in a studio. The natural beauty around them was the most stunning sight. Percy turned slightly and cradled Nina''s face in his hands. "Hmm?" She suddenly realized what he was about to do and felt her cheeks flush. Nina wanted to tell him that there was someone taking photos of them. Percy did not wait for her to speak, though. He leaned down and kissed her deeply. "Wow, that''s beautiful!" eximed the photographer, snapping shots from various angles.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. He had seen many couples, but this newlywed pair was undeniably in love. The photographer kept clicking the shutter. Once the kiss ended, Nina breathed heavily, her gaze fixed on Percy. While a flicker of annoyance danced in her eyes, it was overshadowed by a deeper, more profound love. Chapter 3227 Several Years ? Chapter 3227 Several Years "Amazing, this scene is beautiful! Can you do some more intimate poses?" asked the photographer. "Of course." Percy and Nina struck a few close poses together. They had been together for several years, which meant they had forged a deep bond that made them perfectly in sync. Whenever Nina struck a pose, Percy instinctively knew how toplement it. After the shoot, the photographer asked for their email address, promising to send the photos as a thank-you once they were ready. Once the photographer left, Percy and Nina returned to their hotel. As soon as they stepped in, Nina''s phone automatically powered on after plugging it in. In an instant, several notifications popped up. "Sue has called me multiple times." Nina nced at Percy. "Is it something urgent? Did she contact you?" She had forgotten to charge her phone before going to bedst night, so it remained off while she was out. Percy shook his head. "She didn''t call me. You should call her back and see what''s up." "Okay." Nina waited a moment for her phone to charge before dialing the international number. It took a while before Sue finally answered. "Hello, Nina?" "It''s me, Sue. My phone died today, and I couldn''t charge it while I was out. What happened?" asked Nina. "Ugh, I was wondering why I couldn''t reach you! I was worried sick." Realizing the difficulties of charging a phone abroad, Sue continued, "Your mother and brother came to the office today. It was a total scene. It was really embarrassing." Nina''s expression darkened. She did not expect them to cause a fuss at Brilliant after failing to locate her. "Sue, if theye again, just call the cops. Once they know we''re serious, they won''t daree back to the office." Sue heaved a long sigh. "I wanted to do so, but if the cops get involved, won''t it make things more awkward?" If the cops were called, they would definitely take Jean and Anna in for questioning. They would face some serious consequences. Given Anna''s health, if she got a scare again, it would only make things harder for Nina. Could she really stand that? That was why Sue did not call the police today. She only had the security guards escort them out and put them on a cklist. However, even with the cklist, they could still find ways to sneak in. After all, this building was not like T Corporation. Here, every floor housed a differentpany, and the security system was what it was. There were so many peopleing and going that the security could not possibly keep track of everyone. "They just want money. Being too kind will only encourage them toe back for more. Sue, trust me. If they show up again, call the cops! Don''t hesitate," Nina said firmly. Some people need to be dealt with firmly or they would not take the situation seriously. As soon as she finished speaking, Percy wrapped her in his arms. Sue paused for a moment before saying, "Alright. If they daree back, I''ll call the cops. Nina, I''m sorry for interrupting your honeymoon. I just needed to know your stance on this." "It''s okay, Sue. If they ask who told you to call the cops, just tell them it was me," replied Nina. After all, she had blocked Anna''s and Jean''s numbers. They were out of money now, so they could not afford to buy more SIM cards just to reach her. Sue replied, "Okay. I won''t interrupt you and Mr. Mallory during your honeymoon any longer. I''ll hang up now." "Thanks, Sue. I appreciate you taking care of things at thepany while I''m away," said Nina. She would never have imagined that they would cause a scene at the office just to get some money. "No need to mention it. We''re partners. Just enjoy your honeymoon. I won''t bother you anymore. Bye!" Sue replied cheerfully before hanging up. Percy took Nina''s phone to charge it and asked, "They went to Brilliant?" "Yes, I didn''t expect that. They must''ve figured out I''m on my honeymoon. But no matter how much they stir up trouble, they won''t be able to find me, right?" replied Nina. Percy kissed her softly on the lips and said, "That''s true, but this problem still needs to be addressed." If they did not deal with it, neither he nor Nina would have any peace. Nina wrapped her arms around Percy''s waist and murmured, "It''s not that easy to resolve. Even if we give them money, it won''t be enough. Nothing will work. The only thing that might keep them in line is a prison sentence." She was speaking the truth. Even though Anna''s health had deteriorated while Jean was in prison, and she had to deal with a lot of back-and- forth, at least she was not constantly bothered by them. "Don''t say that. They''re your mother and brother, and they''ve been behaving themselvestely. There''s no need for anyone to go to prison." Percy kissed her cheek. As if he could not get enough, he nted a couple more kisses there. "Did you really have someone keep an eye on them?" Nina pinched his cheek yfully.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Given how he was talking about it, she suspected Percy had someone watching them. "Just to avoid any trouble," admitted Percy. After all, if Jean and Anna stirred up any issues, it would ultimately affect Nina. He did all of this simply to protect the woman he loved most. Percy recalled that he realized he had someone tailing Jean and Anna long before he had even confessed his feelings to Nina. He had already fallen for her then. "Okay." Nina lowered her gaze. Just then, her phone vibrated. She released Percy''s waist and picked up her phone to take a look. It was a message from Luca. She opened the message and burst intoughter. "What''s so funny?" asked Percy. "Luca says Gale has hired a nningpany and is going to confess to Rain tomorrow." Nina handed him her phone. "I didn''t expect them to get together, especially since they''ve always acted like close friends." "Rain has always had a thing for Gale. He''s just a bit slow on the uptake." Percy nced at the message before taking the phone back to charge. "You knew?" Nina was surprised. "I could tell," said Percy, "Remember those times I disappeared for a few days? I was off doing things with them. I noticed how they acted around each other." He smiled. "So, it seems I''m thest to find out." Nina chuckled. "But we still have a few days before we head back. Otherwise, we could''ve gone to support Rain in person." "Confessions like theirs are usually recorded. If you want to participate, have Luca ask the staff for a video. We can watch it together when we get back." There was a hint of indulgence in Percy''s tone. "Sounds great!" Nina''s eyes lit up. "And what about the video of our wedding and the photos from the ceremony? We haven''t seen those yet. Do you have them?" "Yes." Percy nodded. "Would you like to see them?" "Yeah, I''ve been meaning to. Since we have some time, why don''t we go through them today?" suggested Nina. "Sure, just give me a moment," Percy said affectionately as he turned on hisptop, essed his email, and used the hotel''s projector to y the video. Chapter 3328 Shes Definitely Going To Say Yes ? Chapter 3328 She''s Definitely Going To Say Yes A video of Nina and Percy''s wedding was ying. Leaning against Percy, Nina nibbled on the fruit the hotel had sent up while watching the video and reliving the joy of their wedding day. "Percy, we''ll be happy together forever, muttered Nina just as the video showed Percy reciting his vows. "Yes, we''ll be happy forever, replied Percy as heced his fingers through hers. Nina smiled sweetly. As she watched their two figures on screen, she suddenly asked, "Would you prefer a boy or a girl for our first child?" Without hesitation, Percy replied, "Either one. I''ll love them just because they''re ours." "In that case, let''s have a boy first, and a girl second. That way, we''ll have both a son and a daughter, and the older brother can look out for his little sister." Nina had it all nned. Even though they knew the gender was not something they could decide, it was a lovely wish they shared. "Then, my love, shouldn''t we start working on our son right now?" Percy''s voice took on a sudden, seductive warmth as he leaned in, his striking features just a breath away from her ear. Nina''s face turned slightly red, but she let him guide her as they stood and walked together into the bedroom. The night unfolded in tender intimacy. After work, Luca returned home and reminded the kids to focus on their studies. She then set off for the location Gale had given her. The event nningpany had chosen a park, which Gale had rented out entirely. Luca showed the park''s security guard the digital invitation from Gale and was allowed to enter. The park was notrge, but it was the perfect spot for a romantic gesture. As she entered, she noticed champagne -colored ribbons draped everywhere. Luca turned to Luke and asked, "Is champagne her favorite color?" "Her real favorite should be ck," answered Luke, well aware of Gale''s and Rain''s preferences. "Champagnees second." "That''s quite a difference in taste,mented Luca. For someone who liked ck, it was surprising they also liked champagne. However, since decorating with ck was challenging and would not quite suit the park''s vibe, the nners probably opted for champagne instead. "Rain''s different from other women, but she''s still a woman, so..." Luke trailed off, unable to fully capture what kind of person she was. All things considered, she was truly one of a kind. She was a unique blend of strength and softness. However, between the two sides, she seemed to lean more toward the former. Luke held Luca''s hand and followed the directions, leading them to the center of the park. "It''s beautiful." He heard the woman beside him let out a soft sigh of admiration. "Boss, Ms. Craw, you''re here!" Gale, who had been finishing up with the event staff, noticed them. After nodding to the staff, he made his way over. Luca smiled and asked, "Are you nervous?" "Yeah! It''s my first time confessing, and I just hope Rain will cut me some ck and not turn me down," replied Gale, rubbing his hands nervously. Even though he knew this was something Rain wanted, he was worried she might still be unsatisfied and end up rejecting him. He even invited their mutual friends and quite a few colleagues to help with the event this time. If she rejected him in front of everyone, Gale thought he would lose his dignity. Luca reassured him, "Rx. You''ve put so much thought into this. She''s definitely going to say yes." Gale''s eyes lit up. "Ms. Craw, did you ask her about it?" "No." Luca shook her head with a smile. "Isn''t this supposed to be a surprise for her? I haven''t said a word." "Oh, I see. I''m still nervous, though. She has already turned me down once. If she says no again, I don''t think I''ll have the courage to ask her again." Gale paced anxiously back and forth. Luke frowned. Was this the same Gale, who was usually decisive and efficient? When it came to his feelings for Rain, he hadpletely transformed into a different person. "Can you stop pacing? Doesn''t it make you dizzy?" Luke asked in a cold voice. Gale paused, letting out a breath. "Boss, I''m just really nervous." "What''s there to be nervous about? Rain likes you, and you like her. So, take it easy." Luke wrapped his arm around Luca. Gale let out a sigh, thinking to himself, ''Of course, you wouldn''t be nervous. You''ve already found your true love!'' However, it was different for him! He could not shake the feeling that Rain would make things difficult for him. After all, Rain had never dated before, and winning her over might be a real challenge. "Mr. Gale, rx. It''ll make things more likely to go wrong. If you''re still feeling nervous, maybe check in with the event staff on the flow one more time," suggested Luca. She and Luke really could not help him much more than that. "Good idea. There''s a buffet over there. Please help yourselves. I''ll go confirm everything with the team." Gale nodded, then walked over to the coordinator to double-check the event details. Luca took Luke''s hand and led him to the buffet table. Since they had hurried here, they had not had a proper dinner. "Want some fish?" asked Luca. "Sure," Luke agreed. "Go take a seat, and I''ll grab us some." Luca let go of his hand and walked to the buffet. She picked out some of Luke''s favorite foods and a few other dishes they both enjoyed. Then, she joined him at the table. By then, several colleagues had gathered around Luke.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Luca waited off to the side when she saw them discussing work. She approached with a smile after it ended. Even at an event like this, you''re discussing work?" Luke rose to his feet, pulled out a chair for her, and nced toward the center of the park, where Gale was still deep in discussion with the event team. "Gale''s the most nervous person here, so his people won''t disturb him. They came to me instead." Luca handed him the te, which was filled with their favorite foods. "Have some. It''s everything you like." "Let''s eat together," said Luke, picking up a piece of fish with his spoon and bringing it to her lips. She opened her mouth, but since it was too big, she could only take a bite. Without hesitation, he popped the other half into his mouth. "Oh, you..." Luca''s face turned red and nced around. Some of Luke''s subordinates were watching them. Luca said in a soft voice, "They''re all looking!" "They wouldn''t dare say anything," replied Luke. Most of the people invited were colleagues, many of whom were also his subordinates. Luca''s cheeks reddened. "It isn''t about us today, so we shouldn''t be showing off too much," murmured Luca, not wanting to overshadow Gale and Rain. She picked up her own cutlery and joined him in eating. As they were finishing up, Gordan approached. "You guys got here early!" "It''s not that early," replied Luke, ncing up. "What''s with the expression?" "What else? We were supposed to be two single guys growing old together. And now, he''s about to fall into someone else''s arms, leaving me all alone." Gordon curled his lips in disdain as he nced at Gale, his expression full of contempt. Chapter 3329 Who Says Women Are The Only Ones Who Are Fickle ? Chapter 3329 Who Says Women Are The Only Ones Who Are Fickle A couple of days ago, Gale told him that they were brothers who would stick together through thick and thin. Whoever started dating first would be a dog. Now, Gale was willing to be that dog! Luke took a sip of the lemon water Luca had been drinking. "Feeling a bit jealous?" "He didn''t stick to the promise of being single together," Gordan vented to them both. "He dragged me out for drinks a few days ago, talking about how we were in this together, and now, he''s getting ready to confess his feelings? Who says women are the only ones who are fickle? Men can be just as unpredictable!" added Gordan, still grumbling. Luke shot him a cold nce. "If I didn''t know any better, I''d think you had a crush on Gale." "Ugh,e on!" eximed Gordan, spitting out in disgust. "I''m not into guys." "Mr. Norton, if you don''t feel that way about Mr. Gale, then why the long face? Could it be..." Even though Luca thought it was unlikely, she decided to tease him and deliberately changed her expression. "Do you like Miss Rain?" "Come on, Dr. Craw, don''t set me up like that!" Gordan quickly denied it. "If Gale misunderstands, he''ll definitely beat me up. You were the one who said I couldn''t engage in any intense activities. If I get beaten up and have to fight back, I''ll get hurt, and then I''ll have to trouble you again!" Luca looked helplessly at Luke. She wanted to tease him, but his logic left her speechless, and she suddenly did not know how to respond. Luke said, "You should be wishing Gale the best." "Are you sure about that? Once they confess and get together, I''ll be working with them and getting hit with their PDA every day. I don''t think I can handle that!" "I''m nning to set up a new subsidiary overseas. Why don''t youe help out? That way, you won''t have to deal with their romance," suggested Luke. "No way! I still prefer A City," Gordan replied without hesitation. "Honestly, I can deal with the couple stuff, and most of the time, they''re not even working together." Luke squeezed Luca''s hand, clearly unimpressed by Gordan''s behavior. Luca smiled back at him. Gordan looked devastated. "Come on, can you guys not show off your rtionship like that?" "Is this really showing off?" Luca asked as she held Luke''s hand tighter. He gently squeezed it, sending a little shiver down her spine. Gordan looked defeated. "If this isn''t showing off, then what is?" Just as he finished speaking, a slideshow of photos began ying on the projector in the center of the garden. Luca could not help but frown. "Why did they choose these photos?" While others used sweet photos for confessions, Gale''s nningpany had opted for images of Rain in action. They were either of her fighting or with someone else. In those photos, there was no sign of affection between Gale and Rain. Moreover, Rain looked pretty fierce and cool, showing no hint of feminine softness. Luca smiled and asked, "Are you nervous?" "Yeah! It''s my first time confessing, and I just hope Rain will cut me some ck and not turn me down," replied Gale, rubbing his hands nervously. Even though he knew this was something Rain wanted, he was worried she might still be unsatisfied and end up rejecting him. He even invited their mutual friends and quite a few colleagues to help with the event this time. If she rejected him in front of everyone, Gale thought he would lose his dignity. Luca reassured him, "Rx. You''ve put so much thought into this. She''s definitely going to say yes." Gale''s eyes lit up. "Ms. Craw, did you ask her about it?" "No." Luca shook her head with a smile. "Isn''t this supposed to be a surprise for her? I haven''t said a word." "Oh, I see. I''m still nervous, though. She has already turned me down once. If she says no again, I don''t think I''ll have the courage to ask her again." Gale paced anxiously back and forth. Luke frowned. Was this the same Gale, who was usually decisive and efficient? When it came to his feelings for Rain, he hadpletely transformed into a different person. "Can you stop pacing? Doesn''t it make you dizzy?" Luke asked in a cold voice. Gale paused, letting out a breath. "Boss, I''m just really nervous." "What''s there to be nervous about? Rain likes you, and you like her. So, take it easy." Luke wrapped his arm around Luca. Gale let out a sigh, thinking to himself, ''Of course, you wouldn''t be nervous. You''ve already found your true love!'' However, it was different for him! He could not shake the feeling that Rain would make things difficult for him. After all, Rain had never dated before, and winning her over might be a real challenge.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Mr. Gale, rx. It''ll make things more likely to go wrong. If you''re still feeling nervous, maybe check in with the event staff on the flow one more time," suggested Luca. She and Luke really could not help him much more than that. "Good idea. There''s a buffet over there. Please help yourselves. I''ll go confirm everything with the team." Gale nodded, then walked over to the coordinator to double-check the event details. Luca took Luke''s hand and led him to the buffet table. Since they had hurried here, they had not had a proper dinner. "Want some fish?" asked Luca. "Sure," Luke agreed. "Go take a seat, and I''ll grab us some." Luca let go of his hand and walked to the buffet. She picked out some of Luke''s favorite foods and a few other dishes they both enjoyed. Then, she joined him at the table. By then, several colleagues had gathered around Luke. Luca waited off to the side when she saw them discussing work. She approached with a smile after it ended. Even at an event like this, you''re discussing work?" Luke rose to his feet, pulled out a chair for her, and nced toward the center of the park, where Gale was still deep in discussion with the event team. "Gale''s the most nervous person here, so his people won''t disturb him. They came to me instead." Luca handed him the te, which was filled with their favorite foods. "Have some. It''s everything you like." "Let''s eat together," said Luke, picking up a piece of fish with his spoon and bringing it to her lips. She opened her mouth, but since it was too big, she could only take a bite. Without hesitation, he popped the other half into his mouth. "Oh, you..." Luca''s face turned red and nced around. Some of Luke''s subordinates were watching them. Luca said in a soft voice, "They''re all looking!" "They wouldn''t dare say anything," replied Luke. Most of the people invited were colleagues, many of whom were also his subordinates. Luca''s cheeks reddened. "It isn''t about us today, so we shouldn''t be showing off too much," murmured Luca, not wanting to overshadow Gale and Rain. She picked up her own cutlery and joined him in eating. As they were finishing up, Gordan approached. "You guys got here early!" "It''s not that early," replied Luke, ncing up. "What''s with the expression?" "What else? We were supposed to be two single guys growing old together. And now, he''s about to fall into someone else''s arms, leaving me all alone." Gordon curled his lips in disdain as he nced at Gale, his expression full of contempt. Chapter 3330 Dont Even Know When It Started ?All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 3330 Don''t Even Know When It Started "Rain, I''m someone who has always been slow to understand my own feelings. After all these years, I''ve finally realized how special my feelings for you are. Thank you for your patience and understanding, and for always being there for me. I''m so grateful you came into my life. "Today, I''d like us to take the next step forward. I hope you''ll give me this chance. Rain, I like you. I don''t even know when it started, but I''m deeply in love with you now. Will you be my girlfriend?" Gale gripped the champagne roses tightly in his hands. His heart was pounding, thumping like crazy as he waited for her answer. Rain did not keep him waiting long. She wiped the tears from theers of her eyes, then let out a littleugh and smiled brightly. Taking the champagne roses from his hand, she nodded and replied, "Yes, I will." "Hurray!" Apuse erupted from everyone around them. Luke and Luca also stood up, joining in the apuse to celebrate the happy couple. Music soon began to flow from the speakers. Gale took the flowers from Rain, set them aside, and then extended his hand toward her. "May I have this dance, beautifuldy?" "Of course." Rain''s cheeks flushed. She was usually straightforward and carefree. The nature of their work required them to be skilled in many areas, including dancing, which they were both quite good at. Gale led her to the center of the park, and they began to dance gracefully. Their movements were elegant, and for the first time, their gaze toward each other was full of affection. Their eyes held only each other, filled with a deep, blossoming love. Others around them paired up, joining in the dance. Luke extended a hand to Luca, bending slightly forward. "May I invite you for a dance?" Luca nodded, gave him a gentle smile, and ced her hand in his. "I''d love to." He guided her to the center of the park, and the two began to dance together. As Gordan watched the scene unfold, he could not help but cluck his tongue. Everyone was happily paired up, leaving him as the odd one out in this romantic atmosphere. Suddenly, someone crossed his mind, which only made him feel more restless. "Mr. Norton, may I invite you for a dance?" One of Gale''s female colleagues approached him. Gordan recognized her from a previous mission they had partnered on. He regarded this woman aspetent- skilled enough not to hold anyone back. However, beyond that, he had no other impression. "I don''t dance," Gordan replied in a cold voice. The woman''s expression turned awkward. Realizing it was just an excuse, she forced a smile and walked away. It was clear Gordan was not interested. If she insisted, she might even jeopardize her job. The event did notst long and ended around 9:00 pm. A nning team was there to handle the clean-up, so none of the guests had to worry about it. Luke and Luca left together. When they got home, the three kids were already asleep. After freshening up, Luca came out to find that Luke looked a bit troubled. "What''s wrong?" asked Luca, sensing something unpleasant had happened. "There''s news from Seoul. She booked a ticket and ising back," replied Luke. He was referring to Allison. Luca froze. "When''s her flight?" "Tomorrow." "So soon?" Luca was surprised. "Yes. She''s worried about the doctors and nurses causing her trouble, so she''s hurrying back to have the Crawford family as her support," said Luke, rubbing his temples. "But we haven''t even had time to install the new furniture. When will she get to A City?" asked Luca. The furniture was bought yesterday and arrived today, but the store staff had told them that the instation team was busy and could note until tomorrow. If Allison came back and saw that the furniture was not installed yet, she would probably throw a fit. It was not that Luca feared her anger. She just did not want to deal with it for no reason. "She should arrive in the evening." Luke estimated, taking into ount the flight duration and the time difference. "What''s the matter?" "The new furniture has arrived, but the installers can onlye by tomorrow morning. Since your mother will be staying here, we''ll need everything ready before she arrives. Otherwise, she''ll definitelyin." Luca let out a long sigh, feeling a bit helpless. "If they can''t finish it in time, she can stay at a hotel first." Luke wrapped his arm around her and smoothed the lines of worry on her forehead. "Don''t worry about it. I''ll handle everything." Luca nodded, though it was hard not to worry. However, with him taking care of things, her usual anxiety seemed to fade. "I''ll call the store and ask them to install the furniture first thing tomorrow," said Luca, reaching for her phone to contact the staff. "I''ll take care of some work as well. No need to wait for me. I have a meeting," replied Luke, ncing at the time as he headed to the office across the hall. "Alright." Luca nodded. After confirming with the store staff, she checked on the kids in their bedroom, ensuring they were all peacefully asleep before returning to her own room to wash up and rest. The next evening, Luke parked at the entrance of A City''s International Airport. He checked the flight information on his phone. Allison''s ne had justnded, so it would be at least ten minutes before she came out. A sh of impatience crossed Luke''s eyes as he picked up hisptop and continued to tackle his work. Fifteen minutester, his phone rang. He answered, putting it on speaker. "Who is this?" "Oh? I went to Seoul for a while, and you deleted my number?" Allison''s tone was sharp. "I didn''t check the screen," replied Luke. She scoffed. "I''ve arrived. Where are you?" "I''m at Exit E. Juste out," said Luke, opening his car door. "Exit E? You''re not going to help with my luggage?" Allison''s voice was shrill, clearly unhappy with his attitude. "It''s just a bit of luggage. It won''t take much effort," Luke replied in a cold voice. He stood outside without any intention of going in. The weather was stifling, so the fact that he even stepped out was a great generosity. If it were not for the crowded parking and his concern that she would not spot him easily, he would have stayed in the car, waiting for her toe out. She let out a cold sneer and hung up. Ten minutester, Allison emerged from Exit E. Despite A City''s sweltering heat, she was bundled up from head to toe, drawing quite a few stares. Luke spotted her immediately. He also noticed the woman beside her. He was not surprised. He knew Allison had bought two tickets. He did not ask who the other passenger was and assumed it was the same person who had returned with her during New Year''s. Chapter 3331 Whether Shell Actually Heed It Is Another Matter ? Chapter 3331 Whether She''ll Actually Heed It Is Another Matter As Allison stepped out, she spotted Luke and tugged at the scarf around her neck. Quickly, she walked over with Sophian. "Why did you park so far away? I''m about to be burned by the heat!" Allisonined to him in frustration. Luke replied in a cold voice, "There was no parking over there. If you''re feeling hot, maybe you should wear less." Allison''s expression soured. She would have liked to dress lighter. However, her skin was not in good shape. If she exposed it, people might get scared. She definitely did not want to return to A City only to have kids pointing at her and calling her a witch. Sophian, hearing the conversation between them, decided to chime in and remind them of her presence. "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Allison''s skin is in really bad shape right now. She can''t be exposed to the wind, so she has to bundle up." It was as though Luke did not hear her at all. He ignored her and opened the trunk to load all the luggage inside. Then, he settled into the driver''s seat. Allison was used to Luke''s indifference by now. She turned to Sophian and said, "Let''s go. Get in the car." "Okay, Ms. Allison," replied Sophian. She felt ignored and a bit displeased, but she did not show it. Instead, she maintained a sweet, obedient expression. She opened the back door, waited for Allison to get in, and then slid into the other side. The drive was silent, and Luke pulled up in front of a five-star hotel. "What are we doing here?" Allison immediately sensed he intended for her to stay at the hotel and eximed, "I don''t want to stay in a hotel! It looks nice, but who knows how dirty the rooms really are? My skin can''t be exposed to a filthy environment!" "I only have one spare room at home, and you brought someone back with you. Are you two nning to share a room?" asked Luke. Sophian''s eyes lit up. Sharing a room did not bother her at all. She was used to being with Allison at the hospital, and honestly, she was already ustomed to her unattractive appearance.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. As long as she was living with Allison, it was like living with Luke. She was willing to sleep on the couch every night if it meant being close to him. Even though her previous attempts to seduce him had failed, she believed in her charm. If she got to live together with Luke, she was sure there woulde a day when she could move from Allison''s room to his master bedroom. Sophian dared not to voice her thoughts and looked at Allison with eager anticipation. However, Allison huffed. "That''s not happening. I want my own room." Sophian''s smile froze. Did they not agree Allison would bring her back to live under the same roof as Luke? What was going on now? Was she going back on her word? "Ms. Allison." Sophian tried to gently remind her of what she had promised in Seoul. "Sophian, the rooms there aren''t as spacious as the ones in Crawford Manor. I''m doing this for your own good. You can feel safe staying in this five-star hotel," replied Allison,pletely disregarding Sophian''s hint. Luke tossed a room card to the back seat. When he learned that Allison had booked two tickets, he had already reserved a room at this hotel. He did not book two rooms because the instation crew hade to set up all the furniture that day. Sophian hurriedly picked up the card, feeling embarrassed and disrespected. She stole a longing nce in Luke''s direction. Then, she opened the car door with a heavy heart. "Get the luggage out." Luke opened the trunk, making it clear he had no intention of getting out to help. Sophian clenched her teeth and lifted her suitcase on her own. Just as she closed the trunk, the car drove off. Luke left no trace of hesitation and did not even give her a chance to say anything. All she could see was the back of the car and the room card in her hand. She looked down, rubbing the cold card between her fingers, which felt utterly devoid of Luke''s warmth. With a heavy heart, Sophian dragged her suitcase into the hotel. Allison watched Luke''s cold indifference unfold before her eyes. She casually asked, "Are you still with that woman?" During her time in Seoul, she hadrgely cut off contact with news from home and had no idea if Luke was still involved with her. "Her name is Luca," said Luke, clearly annoyed by her referring to Luca as "that woman". Luca was her daughter-inw, not just anyone else. Allison rolled her eyes in annoyance. She could not be bothered about Luca''s name; she was just another woman in Luke''s life. She had always seen Luke as another version of Zachary. She believed he had inherited his father''s flirtatious nature. While he might only have one or two women around him now, she sensed that one day, he would be just like Zachary. Changing women would be as easy as changing clothes for him. By then, it would not just be Bianca and Luca. There would be many others connected to Luke. "What does her name matter to me?" countered Allison. "In any case, there will be more women by your side in the future." Luke was rendered speechless and really wanted to ask Allison what was wrong with her. Why was she speaking so harshly? Allison continued, "I don''t care who you''re with. Just remember that I''m your mother. And that''s why the women around you should treat me with respect and serve me ordingly. It doesn''t matter whether they''re your legal wives or not. I hope you canmunicate this to her. "I don''t want to be forced to make anyintster. If she can''t ept it, she can leave your home." Allison was eager to assert her position as thedy of the house. "Luca isn''t obligated to take care of you. If you''re unhappy and don''t want to live with her, you can move back to your old vi and live alone," Luke stated firmly, taking Luca''s side. Allison''s expression darkened. "What do you mean by that?!" "Exactly what I said. Didn''t you like living alone before? I had someone renovate the vi, and it looks brand new now. If you''re going to cause a fuss, you can go back and stay there," Luke said with a chill in his voice. He had already repaid any debts he owed. All that remained was their blood rtionship. If there were no ties at all, he would not be bothered with Allison. "I''m not going back!" Allison shot back without hesitation. She could not afford to be too far from Luke. Otherwise, he would not pay attention to her. The main point was that after all the surgeries and treatments, she was already out of money. Living alone would be too expensive for Allison. With her allowance, she knew it would not be enough to cover her expenses. That was why she had to live with Luke. This way, she could cut down on expenses, and he would have no choice but to look after her well-being. "If you''re not going to move back there, then don''t even think about causing trouble. She''s not your daughter, and she doesn''t have to obey your everymand. If you want someone to follow your orders, that woman who just got out of the car would be a good choice. You can share a hotel room with her," Luke warned her onest time. If Allison stirred up trouble, he would not hold back. Allison pouted, deciding it was better to settle in first before addressing anything else. She fell silent, and Luke knew she had taken his advice to heart. Of course, whether she would actually heed it was another matter. Chapter 3332 Its Not Something He Or Luca Are Thrilled About Either ? Chapter 3332 It''s Not Something He Or Luca Are Thrilled About Either Luke drove the car into the vi and parked it in the lot. Allison got out and looked at the vi, eximing, "This ce is a far cry from Crawford Manor," "A five-star hotel is luxurious enough," Luke replied nonchntly. Allison fell silent.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. A five-star hotel was indeed luxurious and offered more freedom, but Luke would only cover the room cost. She could not afford any additional expenses. When the car came to a stop, Luca walked out with Aunt Neile. "Madam Allison, you''re back," Aunt Neile greeted Allison with a warm smile, aware that she had undergone a transformation and prepared to keep her surprise in check. Despite Allison''s covered face, it was quite bizarre o see her so bundled up in the sweltering summer heat. Luca also greeted her, "Madam Allison." Allison let out a cold snort and said to both of them, "Help me carry my luggage." "Sure." Aunt Neile walked to the trunk and pulled out Allison''s threerge suitcases. Seeing the three suitcases, Luca hurried to help. "Be careful with my things while you carry them," warned Allison. "Of course," Aunt Neile replied. However, Luke looked displeased. He took the suitcase from Luca''s hands and roughly dragged it along the cobblestone path. "Hey, be careful! That''s my Herm¨¨s suitcase!" Allison cried out, watching in dismay as the suitcase wheels bounced and jostled over the stones. Luke acted as if he had not heard her and continued walking. Luca pursed her lips, holding back a smile. Luke was taking out his frustrations for her! Luca did not say anything as she did not want to appear too smug in front of Allison. She took one of the suitcases from Aunt Neile and carried it inside. Her identity was still under wraps, so she dared not to drag the suitcase like Luke did. She could only carry it. "Hey, easy there, Luke!" Allison followed behind him, worried. She wished she could snatch her suitcase back. However, with his long legs, she could not keep up. All she could do was shout reminders and nce back to check if Luca and Aunt Neile were cking off or mistreating her other suitcases. Luca and Aunt Neile knew the two suitcases were expensive, so they carried them over the cobblestones. Allison''s suitcases were stuffed to the brim. Luca frowned. This suitcase was indeed heavy. Luckily, she had trained with weights on the Ind of Despair, so this was nothing for her. She nced back at Aunt Neile, unsure if her suitcase was heavy. "Aunt Neile, is your suitcase heavy? If it is, wait for me. I''ll drop this off in the living room ande back for it." Aunt Neile felt it was heavy but could manage. She smiled and shook her head. "Ms. Craw, it''s fine. I think I can handle it." "Tsk, they''re manualborers. They should have decent strength for lifting things," Allison muttered under her breath. Luca felt a pang of difort hearing this. Aunt Neile worked for them, but she was a maid, not a mover. Allison''s suitcases were each heavier than thest, and she kept talking without even lifting one. Thinking back to how Allison had treated her in the past, Luca felt a surge of dissatisfaction. However, out of respect for Luke, she held her tongue. Luca carried the suitcase inside. Once she reached the living room, she set it down with a sigh of relief. Aunt Neile trailed behind, and when Allison saw her enter, she warned, "That suitcase is expensive too. Be careful when you set it down. If you damage it, your sry for a month won''t cover it!" Aunt Neile acknowledged her and gently ced the suitcase down. Allison let out a soft huff. Luca noticed Aunt Neile rubbing her lower back and leaned in to ask with concern, "Aunt Neile, did you pull your back?" "It''s nothing," Aunt Neile replied with a helpless smile. For someone her age, the suitcase was indeed heavy. It was especially since she could not drag it and had to carry it instead. She identally strained her back earlier. "Don''t rush offter. Let me take a look at it," offered Luca. She knew how to handle a pulled back. "Thank you, Ms. Craw," Aunt Neile replied with a grateful smile. Allison overheard their conversation and snorted. "Do you really think she''s capable?" Luca was rendered speechless... Allison added when she noticed Luca did not respond, "Just look at her. She can''t even fix my face. How skilled can she really be? You''d be better off not letting her mess with your back. One wrong move, and you''ll end up in worse shape with no one to turn to." Aunt Neile could not defend Luca in front of Allison, so she just smiled awkwardly and shot Luca a look, indicating she should not take it to heart. Luca shook her head, signaling that she did not mind. "What''s in all those bags?" Seeing her targeting Luca again, Luke looked displeased and questioned her. "Nothing much, just some clothes," Allison lied. Remembering she had entered the house without seeing the kids, she asked, "Where are my precious grandchildren?" "They''re at Crawford Manor," replied Luke. "What?" Allison''s voice sharpened a bit. "You know I''ming back today. Why did you send them to Crawford Manor? I''d like to see them, and you won''t even let me!" "Do you really want to see them?" Luke asked expressionlessly. When Allison was in Seoul, she hardly spoke to him about anything other than money. If she really missed the kids, she would have asked about them when she asked for cash. However, she had not said a word about her grandchildren and showed no concern at all. So now, with her exaggerated tone, Luke refused to believe she was sincere. Allison felt a twinge of guilt. "Of course, I''d like to see them. I''m their grandmother!" "If you really missed them, howe you didn''t ask about them even once in the past six months?" Without holding back, Luke exposed her bluntly before heading upstairs, carrying a suitcase. "Uh, I was just really stressed at that time." Allison quickly followed. "When are you bringing them back?" "What for? Given your current situation, do you think it''s appropriate for you to see them?" Luke''s tone was calm. There was not a hint of contempt in his voice; it was just a gentle reminder. Allison was taken aback for a moment, feeling her dignity was being disregarded by her son. "Even if it''s not suitable, they''re still my grandchildren!" "If you''re going to cause a scene, go do it at a hotel or another vi. I prefer peace and quiet here, not chaos," replied Luke, unwilling to engage in her convoluted arguments. What she wanted or did not want was irrelevant. He and Luca both understood that sending the kids to Crawford Manor for a while was for their own good. Besides, summer vacation was just around the corner. With summer breaking up, not having the kids around was not something he or Luca, as parents, were thrilled about either. Chapter 3333 Youre Making Your Mother Sleep In The Guest Room ? Chapter 3333 You''re Making Your Mother Sleep In The Guest Room Allison red at Luke but dared not to talk back. She followed him into the bedroom and took one look around. She was instantly dissatisfied when she saw the size of the room. "Why is this room so small?" "This is the only bedroom left," replied Luke. "So, this is the guest room?" Allison shrieked. "I''m your mother, and you''re actually making me sleep in the guest room?" "All the furniture here was bought brand new, specifically from the brand you like. No one else has slept here. If you''re not satisfied, you''re wee to stay at a hotel." Luke was not usually a talkative person, but when it came to Allison, he found himself having to say more. Even a couple of words felt insufficient to quell her sharp tongue. Allison inspected the newly arranged furniture. It seemed it had been set up just for her. She even noticed the stic wrapping on some of the pieces. Allison did like this brand. She thought it was Luke''s arrangement. Figuring Luke must have spent quite a bit on the furniture, she did notin further. She sat on the couch and, in amanding tone, told him, "Bring up my other two suitcases. I need to start my skincare."Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Luke''s eyebrow twitched slightly. Skincare? Did her skin even need that at this point? He could not be bothered to argue. As long as she was staying put without causing trouble, it was fine by him. Heading downstairs, he spotted Luca rummaging through the drawers by the TV stand. "What are you looking for?" Luke walked over, crouching down, nning to help her. "Medicinal cream," replied Luca. "Aunt Neile strained her back, so I thought I''d help by applying some." "Okay. Let me take a look," said Luke. "I remember seeing it in this drawer just a few days ago." As Luke opened the drawer, he found the tub and held it up. "Is this the one?" "Yes, that''s it. I even specially ordered it from the pharmacy," confirmed Luca. This brand was widely used on the Ind of Despair for treating injuries and was highly effective. "You go ahead and help Aunt Neile with her back. I''ll bring up the suitcases," said Luke, helping her stand as he held her hand. Luca asked with concern, "Does she know she''s staying in the guest room?" "She knows," replied Luke. "She didn''t like the arrangement at first, but when she saw the new furniture from her favorite brand, she dropped it." Relieved that Allison was not making a fuss, Luca nodded. "So, you''re bringing up both suitcases? They''re pretty heavy. Be careful and take care of yourself," Luca reminded him. Even though Luke was strong, she could not help but worry. She felt a pang of concern seeing him carry such heavy items. "Alright, go take care of Aunt Neile," replied Luke, lugging one suitcase to the staircase before hefting it onto his shoulder to carry it up. Watching him, Luca thought to herself it was probably time to get that elevator installed. She had thought about it before but had not taken any action. Making a mental note of this, Luca carried the medicinal cream into the maid''s room. "Ms. Craw." Aunt Neile clutched her back as she saw Luca enter and stood up to greet her. "Aunt Neile, lie down," said Luca. "Let me do a quick check first. If it''s not too serious, I''ll just massage the area with some medicinal cream. But if you''ve pulled something, we may need a dry needling treatment." "Alright, Dr. Craw. Thank you." Aunt Neile had no objections to the treatment methods. It was because she trusted Luca. "Oh? Do you really trust me that much?" Luca sat down on the edge of the bed, gently lifting Aunt Neile''s shirt. "With skills as good as yours, of course, I trust you!" replied Aunt Neile. Luca felt a sense of warmth. Allison''s harsh words had not fazed her at all. Sensing her thoughts, Aunt Neile added, "Ms. Craw, I''ve worked for the Crawfords for decades. I know the madam''s personality well, so don''t let her words bother you. She just likes to talk, but it''s all hot air. She doesn''t really cause harm." "I know," replied Luca, beginning her examination. "Does this hurt?" "No, it doesn''t," answered Aunt Neile. "So, don''t worry. If she says something unpleasant, just ignore her. Just think of it as nothing more than hot air passing by." Luca chuckled at her words. Aunt Neile rarely shared such thoughts. "I won''t let her get to me. Her words won''t affect me. How about here? Do you feel any pain?" "No pain there either," answered Aunt Neile, rxing under her touch. Since she knew Luca was not bothered, she said no more. After all, as a maid, it was not her ce toment too much on family affairs. She just did not want Luca to dwell on it. After all, Allison had a sharp tongue. She could be unreasonable and infuriating. However, as long as Luca did not take it to heart, there would be no harm done. After pressing around to locate the tender spot, Luca finally concluded, "Thankfully, it''s nothing serious. Keep applying the cream for a few days and it should help. Just remember to use warm water for showers. No cold water." "Thank you, Dr. Craw," said Aunt Neile. She appreciated Luca''s thoughtfulness despite knowing that Luke already had a wife. However, if there were truly no feelings left between them, it would not be such a bad match for him to be with Luca for the long haul. Luca, unaware of Aunt Neile''s musings, scooped some medicinal cream and carefully applied it to her back. The cream soon turned warm against Aunt Neile''s skin. Aunt Neile let out a sigh of relief. "That feels great." "It''ll be best to let me massage it like this every other day. It''ll heal faster," Luca added as she continued the gentle massage. Even though Luca knew that the injury was not severe, it would still cause some pain. Without a good massage, Aunt Neile would likely be up all night in difort. "Dr. Craw, you''re an amazing masseuse," murmured Aunt Neile, feeling like she was receiving a top-notch wellness treatment. Although this was a medical treatment, she felt really good. She was not lying. "This is a traditional massage technique, but I only know the basics," Luca exined humbly. "Real experts have much more skill in massage." It was a technique she picked up from Shanks. Back when she had free time, she used to give massages to Eler, and over time, her technique became more and more refined. "Oh, what''s going on here?" Allison walked in with a face mask stered across her face and sneered sarcastically at the scene. Aunt Neile heard her voice and tried to push herself up from the bed. Luca gently held her down. "Aunt Neile, the massage isn''t finished yet, and the treatment isn''tplete. You shouldn''t interrupt it." "Oh, okay." Aunt Neile had no choice but to stay put, silently hoping Allison would not order her around or criticize her for being "rude". Allison let out a cold sneer. "Just because you know a little about medicine, you think you''re a real doctor now? You''re a massage expert, huh? Why don''t you give me one? I''m sore from that long flight." She lightly pressed the face mask against her skin, trying to get it to stick better to her deeply lined face. Chapter 3334 No Matter How Ugly I Am, Im Still Your Mother ? Chapter 3334 No Matter How Ugly I Am, I''m Still Your Mother As Aunt Neile listened to Allison''s words, she barely dared to breathe. She was afraid that if she said something wrong, she would be fired. However, Luke had the final say in the household. Even if Allison were to fire her, Luke might not necessarily go along with it. Even so, Allison was one of thedies of the family, and Aunt Neile''s role was to follow orders. As Luca continued to give Aunt Neile a massage, she replied to Allison, "Madam Allison, if you need a massage, I can call a therapist from a wellness center toe and help you." Allison crossed her arms and stood there, looking down at both of them. "I want you to do it." "I can''t do that," replied Luca. "Why not?" Allison snapped. Did Luca think she was even worse than a maid? Did Luca not understand the benefits of trying to please her? If Luca wanted to marry into the Crawford family in the future, she would have to face one less obstacle if she won Allison over now. "You don''t trust my skills. If I were to give you a massage and something went wrong afterward, you''d me me. I''m just an ordinary person who knows a little about medicine, not some massage master. If you really need it, I can get the best therapist in A City toe to you," exined Luca. She had no intention of getting involved in Allison''s affairs. Nor did she want to curry favor with her. Her rtionship with Luke did not need Allison''s approval, and when the time came for her to return to the Crawford family, she would not need Allison''s approval then either. She was already Luke''s legal wife. "You!" Allison was furious at her words but then smirked and mocked her, "Oh, so you do have some sense, after all. Good, at least you know your ce. Just remember to keep your head down around me, or I''ll have Luke kick you out." Allison felt the mask on her face drying out. She turned around, let out a cold sneer, and made her way up the stairs. Luca continued her massage without skipping a beat. Aunt Neile turned her head worriedly and asked, "Ms. Craw?" "I''m fine," replied Luca, not taking Allison''s words to heart. She felt more helpless than anything else. It seemed that Allison still had not figured out her position. There was hardly any room for Allison to speak in the Crawford family, yet she acted so self- righteous. Luca found it absurd. Then she thought that maybe Allison knew she did not have any real say in the family, which was why she acted so arrogantly. It was as though she wanted the whole world to know she was back and that she would tightly grasp everything in the Crawford family. However, the more she tried to grasp something tightly, the more it slipped away from her. Allison probably had not realized that the moment she sent someone to steal antiques at Crawford Manor, it had already signaled her inability topete with Susan. Thedy of the Crawford family could be anyone, but certainly not a thief¡ªespecially one who pilfered from her own family. Yet here she was, talking so much. She was revealing just how diminished her standing had be inparison to Susan. Perhaps, deep down, she sensed this reality, which fueled her need to unt her authority in front of others. She wanted to seek validation for her existence. Luca massaged Aunt Neile for a bit longer and then applied a medicinal patch. "Aunt Neile, you can peel this off when you take a shower and put it back on afterward. The adhesive is really strong, so you can still use it after taking it off." "Okay. Thank you, Ms. Craw," replied Aunt Neile as she sat up, moving around a bit and feeling much more at ease. The pain had almostpletely disappeared. "It''s gettingte, so you should head home," suggested Luca as she walked out of the room. She first went to wash her hands, rinsing off the lingering scent of the medicinal cream. Then, she carefully returned the tub to its ce. She had gone to several pharmacies to convince the owners to source this product through other channels. Although the medicinal cream itself was not expensive, it was hard to find, making it particrly valuable. She nced toward the guest room but did not want to provoke Allison, so she headed straight back to the master bedroom. Luke was working there. Luca asked in a soft voice. "Am I interrupting you?" "Why are you saying that?" Luke shook his head, indicating that she would not be a bother and invited her to sit. Luca shook her head. "I''m going to take a shower first." She took her pajamas from the closet and walked into the bathroom. In the guest room, Allison hadpleted her skincare routine but still felt her skin was dry and ufortable. Despite applying several moisturizing products, her skin remained dry and itchy. Allison was irritated. The environment here was clearly better than in Seoul, so why was her skin reacting like this? Looking at the various bottles in front of her, she decided to leave the guest room and walked over to the master bedroom. She did not bother to knock and simply pushed the door open. Luke was busy with work when she pushed the door open without knocking, startling him with her bare-faced appearance. "What are you doing?" Luke frowned. Even though she was his mother and he had seen her like this before, he could not help but feel startled. He found himself grappling with a sense of unease. Especially at night, Allison''s sudden appearance was enough to give anyone nightmares. Luke was relieved that he and Luca had decided to send the kids back to Crawford Manor. Otherwise, if the kids saw Allison''s face, they would definitely have nightmares. "It''s too early to sleep, so I came to see you," replied Allison. Her expression darkened as she heard the sound of water. Even though she knew the two were close and would be living together, hearing the sound of the shower at that moment still made her ufortable. Another person who gave her this same feeling was Bianca.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She did not like either of Luke''s two women. Sophian was way better. She always catered to Allison, but unfortunately, Luke did not have any feelings for her. "It''s already nighttime, and you just walk into someone''s room without knocking? Is that how it works in Seoul?" Luke asked in an icy tone. Allison pouted, feeling like he was intentionally reprimanding her. "You''re my son. What''s the big deal?" "I''m an adult, and I''ve been one for many years. From now on, you need to knock before entering anyone''s bedroom. Don''t just barge in. It''s unsettling." Luke''s words wereyered with meaning. "Oh, so you''re all grown up now, huh? Is that why you''re acting like you''re too good for me? If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t be in this position!" Allison picked up on his underlying message and tried to throw a fit. Luke frowned. How could she me him for that? Allison continued herints, "If you hadn''t insisted on going to that ce in Russia to meet that person, I wouldn''t have gotten kidnapped by those people on the Ind of Despair, and our family wouldn''t have split up. "If we hadn''t separated, I wouldn''t have been tricked by those two sisters at the beauty salon into using all those shoddy products, which ruined my face. "Luke, you heartless brat! If you had just stayed put in A City, I wouldn''t look like this now, and you still have the nerve to call me ugly? No matter how ugly I am, I''m still your mother!" As Allison spoke, she stepped closer, practically itching to show Luke every wrinkle and scar on her face. "Look at these and these." Allison tugged at her skin, revealing awork of deep creases that concealed all sorts of scars and imperfections. Luke pretended to keep hisposure as he shifted his gaze. Chapter 3335 I Only Ever Wanted You To Come Back Safely ? Chapter 3335 I Only Ever Wanted You To Come Back Safely However, Luke''s heart was already churning with emotion. If it were not for his strong self- control and his exposure to far worse horrors back on the Ind of Despair, he would have probably lost hisposure by now. "This is all because of you! So, everyone else has the right to despise me but not you!" Allison''s voice had turned nearly hysterical. Luca turned off the shower and could clearly hear Allison''s hysterical rant. Her gaze darkened, and there was a trace of sympathy in her eyes. She felt sorry for Luke. He escaped the Ind of Despair by the skin of his teeth, yet here was Allison, ming him for everything as though he had ruined her life. Once one learned to shift the me, one would be nearly unstoppable. Or rather, one would be especially shameless... Luca put on her nightgown and opened the bathroom door, locking eyes with Allison. Allison red daggers at her. Treating Allison as though she were invisible, Luca walked over to the vanity, opened her skincare products, and began applying them. Her skin was fair and smooth, showing no signs of age. Jealousy surged in Allison''s heart. Some people were just born with the best, like beauty. Others, however, had to work tirelessly to maintain it. Allison remembered her younger self. Even with Zachary''s affection, she still went to great lengths to secure more money to preserve her beauty. Despite all that, she still failed. With each passing day, her face continued to age, and in the end, Zachary''s affection did notst. He abandoned her. What did it matter that she had given birth to Luke? It was onlyter that Old Master Crawford brought him back, valuing him as an heir. Zachary had never truly loved her. All of this led her to spend the next two decades obsessed with her appearance. She was determined to look her best. She wanted to be more beautiful than Susan, more beautiful than any of the wealthy wives. This way, no one would dare to mock her for being the mistress who moved up in the world. Still, what happened in the end? Allison touched her face, feeling the grooves in her skin. She hated to feel them, and she despised looking in the mirror. When she saw Luca''s radiant skin, she stepped forward and snatched the serum bottle out of her hand. "You..." Luca turned to look at her in surprise. Nowadays, it was impossible to read Allison''s emotions from her face. It was so lined and creased that every expression looked the same. She could only tell Allison''s mood through her words and actions. Right now, Allison was probably feeling jealous. Allison nced down at the bottle in her hand. It was in white without any fancy decorations, not even a visible brand. She sneered, "Well, for all the money Luke spends on you, this is what you use? Some cheap, unbranded product? Aren''t you worried it''ll ruin your face?" Luca turned to look toward Luke. Luke and Luca exchanged nces, both reading the helplessness in each other''s gaze. Luca reached to take her skincare serum back and replied, "I made this myself." Allison snatched it back and narrowed her eyes. "You can actually make your own serum?" second thought, she pumped a generous amount onto the back of her hand and rubbed it in. Without It absorbed quickly, leaving her skin feeling hydrated and smooth. Even though Allison refused to admit it, this serum felt different from the pricey ones on the market. It was especially moisturizing and absorbed into her skin right away. Luca nodded. "I work in pharmaceuticals, so it''s natural for me to know how to extract ingredients and make my own forms. It''s just that..." Luca paused for a moment, lost in thought as she observed Allison''s actions. "What?" Allison was too focused on testing out the product and ncing at her hand in the light. It looked noticeably brighter and softer. "It''s just that I made it specifically for my own skin, so it might not be suitable for everyone," exined Luca, "Others could experience adverse reactions." "Stop trying to scare me!" Allison knew Luca was upset about herment that herck of medical skills could harm someone. She mocked, "What harm could a little skincare product do..."Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She hesitated for a moment, remembering how one unregted skincare product had damaged her skin badly. Skincare could indeed be dangerous. However, she trusted that Luca would not use something that could harm herself, especially since she had just applied it in front of her. Allison stated firmly, "This serum of yours is just okay, but I''ll take it. Have you done your research on it? I''ll help you test out your products." Then, she grabbed the entire set of skincare products and left without a second thought. All the bottles were in white and unmarked, but Allison did not question it as she walked out, taking the whole set. In an instant, Luca''s skincare products were gone, leaving her with only her daily cosmetics. Luca let out a sigh and exchanged a weary look with Luke. "I''ll go get them back," said Luke, getting out of bed. "Never mind, Luke." Luca stopped him, not wanting him to get into a fight with his mother. As long as Allison stayed here, things like this would keep happening. If this kept happening every day, it would be so exhausting... "If she wants to use them, let her," said Luca. "I still have plenty of skincare products." "You have more? I hadn''t noticed." Luke raised an eyebrow. He was meticulous, keeping track of all her little habits. For something like skincare, he usually noticed whenever she was running low in the past, and he would arrange for new products from the store. It was a habit he had kept even now. Even though Luca no longer used store-bought skincare products, he kept a habit of keeping an eye on them. "They''re in the mini-fridge in the study," replied Luca. She had finished her skincare routine, so she climbed back into bed, leaned on his shoulder, and yawned. Luke gently pinched her cheek. "You''ve been through a lottely." "It''s nothing." Luca smiled, but then she remembered the time Luke had been kidnapped to the Ind of Despair, and her smile deepened. "What are you smiling at?" asked Luke. "Your mother just mentioned the time you were kidnapped to the Ind of Despair, and it made me remember. Back then, I had no idea where you were. Everyone was saying you were dead, but I was the only one who firmly believed you were still alive. "Grandpa was already getting old and could barely hold thepany together, so I took on all the pressure to manage the business affairs. While thepany matters were manageable, dealing with family issues was incredibly difficult. "It was then that I truly understood how hard it was for you to manage the conflicts between your mother and Louis'' mother. It was a nightmare. Thankfully, Grandpa was there to keep the peace. Even if those two had a huge fight, it wouldn''t escte into something too serious. "Even so, they still had it in them to fight for more benefits and make things difficult for me." Luca''s smile was not one of joy but of quiet reflection on the difficulties she and Luke had faced. Neither of them had it easy. "Luca..." Luke felt a pang of guilt. "There''s no need to feel guilty. I''ve never med you. I only ever wanted you toe back safely." She rested her head on his chest, listening to the strong, steady beat of his heart. Chapter 3336 See Sophian As A Rival ? Chapter 3336 See Sophian As A Rival During that time, whenever there was a chance to pray, Luca would silently pray for Luke toe back safely and for their family to be reunited. "Back then, I was pregnant, remember? If it weren''t for Louis, I might not have made it through waiting for you toe back. People are reallyplicated beings. Even though was practically part of the family, there was no way to stop them from wanting to hurt me when they set their minds to it. That''s why I have a pretty open mindset about your mother. As long as she doesn''t cross any fundamental lines with me, I can endure it," said Luca.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. It was just a few bottles of skincare products, and she knew that it might not be as simple as that in the future. However, she had to endure, right? It was only because she loved Luke. "I''ll handle this as soon as possible," said Luke, but he felt a whirlwind of worries in his heart. Handle it? Allison was his mother. Even if he could be ruthless, she could always stand on her moral high ground and criticize him. It did not seem like there was any good way to resolve this. Luca understood that there was not really a good way to deal with the situation, so she did not want to put pressure on him. Instead, she tried her best tofort him, soothing his emotions. "Yes, I trust you," said Luca, letting out another yawn. Luke saved the data on hisputer, shut it down, and set it aside before turning to Luca, Okay, let''s get some rest." "Sure." Luca yawned once more andy down to rest. The lights went out. Neither Luke nor Luca realized that Allison was eavesdropping outside the door. She leaned forward slightly, pressing her ear against the door, trying to catch what was happening inside. However, the soundproofing was too good, and since Luke and Luca were not speaking loudly, Allison heard nothing. "Tsk." Allison let out a silent scoff of disdain. She originally wanted to listen to how Luce would act all sweet with Luke after she took the skincare products. However, she heard nothing, so she had no choice but to awkwardly return to her room. Looking at the skincare products on the vanity, she touched her own face. The products Luca used felt much better than the high-end brands she bought in stores. Allison examined her skin closely. It seemed to be smoother. Unfortunately, that would not do much for her deep wrinkles. She remembered when she was about to get out of prison, Luca had given her those herbal packs. Even though they did not make the wrinkles disappear, they greatly improved the condition of her deteriorating skin, and she did not develop any new wrinkles. It was far better than her condition after surgery. Allison squinted her eyes, suddenly struck by another thought. She had always believed her face could be healed. After all this time, she now realized that no high-tech method could fix her damaged skin. It seemed like only the medicine Luca prescribed had some effect. Seeing her skin condition deteriorating, she realized she could not let it get any worse. It was better to just ask Luca for help with the treatment. With this idea in mind, Allison gazed at her reflection in the mirror. How terrifying.. Her heart could not take it anymore, so she grabbed a towel and covered the mirror. Allison nced at the skincare products on the table. For the first time, she felt the cool air from the air conditioner on her face without difort. Her skin did not protest with dryness. The sound of her phone ringing startled Allison out of her thoughts. She picked up her phone, nced at the caller ID, and narrowed her eyes. "Sophian, what''s up?" "Ms. Allison, you should be home by now, right?" Sophian''s voice came through the phone. Allison could sense Sophian''s unhappiness and pretended not to know anything. "Yeah, I''m back. What''s wrong?" "Are you doing okay at home?" Sophian asked again. "Not really. You know, he actually made me sleep in the guest room. This vi is so big and luxurious, yet he put me in the guest room as he said there''s no other room avable. If I didn''t take the guest room, he said I should go sleep in a hotel." Allison knew what Sophian was thinking, so she could onlyin. "The guest room isn''t even half the size of the master bedroom. He''s so heartless to treat me this way. Sophian, just looking at this guest room makes my heart ache." Sophian did not expect the situation to be like this. The guest room? Luke actually made Allison sleep in the guest room? "Ms. Allison, maybe they just haven''t tidied up yet. Don''t be upset. There must be some misunderstanding. Mr. Crawford cares about you and wouldn''t let you suffer." Sophian tried tofort her. "There''s no misunderstanding. He made it very clear that if I don''t sleep in the guest room, I have to go to a hotel. Sophian, they call it a guest room, but honestly, I''ve seen the maid''s room, and it''s bigger than this. Oh, when I saw that, my heart just sank,"ined Allison, ignoring the fact that the fumiture in this room was worth a fortune. She needed to vent her frustrations so that Sophian would think she was having a hard time here. Otherwise, she might try to move in. Allison definitely did not want to share a bedroom with Sophian. It would not be nice to have someone sleeping on the couch in her room. At the same time, she needed Luca''s help with her current n. Although Luke had not even looked at Sophian, if she really moved in, Luca would inevitably see her as a rival. Furthermore, Allison would be the one who had brought the rival to their home. There was a chance that if Luca was upset, she might refuse to help her or just do a half- hearted job. Hence, Allison could only apologize to Sophian, painting her situation in a pitiful light to evoke sympathy while also discouraging any thoughts of her moving in. "Ms. Allison, that''s really unfortunate for you." Sophian believed her. After all, Luke had been pretty harsh toward Allison in the car. Feeling a bit down, she nced at her spacious hotel room. Staying in a five-star hotel was just sofortable. "Isn''t that right?" Allisonyfortably on her bed. "Ms. Allison, why don''t you just stay in the hotel with me?'' suggested Sophian, thinking a hotel would be better than a small guest room. Allison immediately declined, "A hotel? No, let''s skip that." "Why not?" Sophian was confused. "Hotel rooms are expensive. Just getting you a room is already a favor from Luke. After all, I brought you back, and I have to take care of you, right? If he has to get another room, I''m afraid he''ll have an issue with it. But don''t worry, no matter how poorly he treats me, I''m still his mother, and he won''t mistreat me too much. It''ste. You should get some rest." "Ms. Allison, I''m not tired yet because of the time difference. Can we talk a bit more?" asked Sophian. Allison yawned. "But I''m tired. I''ve been running around all day, and I''m exhausted." "Alright, Ms. Allison." Sophian, being considerate of Allison, did not press her any further and simply reminded her, "Ms. Allison, no matter how tired you are, remember to take care of your skin and keep it hydrated." "Got it, I know." Allison hung up the phone and set her phone aside, her mind already racing with ns on how to get Luca to agree to help her. Chapter 3337 Cheer And Celebrate Their Love ? Chapter 3337 Cheer And Celebrate Their Love The next morning, Luca went downstairs but did not see Allison. She figured Allison might still be adjusting to the time difference, which was normal. After all, Allison loved to sleep in, and Luca recalled her habits from their time at Crawford Manor. Old Master Crawford usually turned a blind eye to Allison''ste mornings. As long as there were no major issues at home, he would not worry about howte Allison got up. Everyone usually had breakfast at their own pace. "Good moming, Ms. Craw!" Aunt Neile greeted her cheerfully as she came down. "Good moming, Aunt Neile." Luca rubbed her eyes. "How''s your back today?" "Thanks to your massage yesterday, I feel much better," Aunt Neile answered with a smile. Previously, if she had injured herself, she would often be unable to sleep at night due to the pain. She expectedst night to be the same, even with Luca''s help. To her surprise, however, she fell asleep almost as soon as shey down. She slept very soundly. "My grandson slept with mest night, and when he woke up, he told me that I slept so well and I fell asleep so early. I thought about it, and I guess I really did fall asleep early. I didn''t feel any pain. I was just a bit tired, and I was able to have a good sleep. Ms. Craw, does your massage improve sleep quality?" "Yes. When I was massaging you yesterday, I focused on some acupoints that promote sleep because I was worried about your difort," exined Luca. As people aged, their sleep quality would often decline, especially when they were in pain. That was why Luca paid extra attention to those points while massaging Aunt Neile. "Oh my gosh, naturopathy treatment is so amazing! Ms. Craw, where did you press? I''d like to learn too!" said Aunt Neile, admining her while preparing breakfast. Luca shook her head with a smile. "Ordinary people can''t really press those points." The points she referred to were specific to a different style of acupuncture and were not the same as those taught in conventional naturopathy. The acupoints were located quite deep, and without proper training, it would be difficult for someone to locate them urately. "Is that so? Hehe, then I won''t learn it," Aunt Neile replied without feeling put off. She understood Luca''s abilities and character, and she did not think Luca was being evasive. She understood that the technique had a certain level of difficulty and was hard to master. That was why Luca did not teach her. Otherwise, why would Luca be a professor while she was just a maid? There was always going to be a difference. Aunt Neile was quite open-minded about it. "Aunt Neile, you need to save some breakfast for Madam Allison. She''s adjusting to the time difference and will tend to wake upte," Luca reminded her. Aunt Nelle nodded and replied with a smile on her face, "I''ll set some aside, but honestly, I don''t think it''s necessary. Even without the time difference, knowing how much Madam Allison likes to lounge around, she probably wouldn''t be up until noon." Having worked for the Crawford family for so many years, she knew Allison''s habits all too well. Luca eximed, "You know her well." Aunt Neile chuckled. "After all these years, I''ve kept track of what everyone in the Crawford family likes and dislikes. But don''t worry, I''ve prepared breakfast for Madam Allison, so if she wakes up hungry, she''ll have something to eat." "Great." Luca saw that Aunt Neile had already prepared breakfast for her and Luke, so she brought it to the table. Just then, Luke came downstairs. Luca said, "Time for breakfast." "Okay," Luke''s eyes were gentle. They sat down together to eat. Without the kids around making a fuss, Luca felt a bit out of ce. She nced at the kids'' usual seats, lost in thought. Luke noticed and asked, "Missing the kids?" "Yes, they usually make a lot of noise at the table. Now that they''re at Crawford Manor, it feels a lot quieter here." "We''ll have dinner at Crawford Manor tonight," said Luke as he turned to look at Aunt Neile. * Aunt Neile, no need to prepare dinner for us." "Yes, Mr. Crawford." Aunt Neile nodded. Then, Luke added, "To be precise, don''t prepare dinner for me and Luca." "Got it, sir," Aunt Neile replied cheerfully. Luca asked in surprise, "Did Old Master Crawford call you back for dinner?" "No." Luke shook his head. "I know you''re missing the kids. If we go for dinner, you''ll get to see them." With Allison around, the only way to see the kids was to go to Crawford Manor. "Sounds good." Luca smiled. She appreciated how he noticed all the little things and tried to amodate her. It made her feel reallyfortable. She turned to Aunt Neile and said, "Aunt Neile, we might be back a littlete tonight, but please wait for us. I still need to help you apply the medicinal cream and massage your back. That way, you can heal faster." Aunt Neile nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Ms. Craw." After breakfast, Luke and Luca left together for work. When they got to the door, Luca noticed that Warren was not waiting in the car. She could not help but ask, "Is Mr. Warren busy today?" "He''s not busy. I gave him the day off," replied Luke, opening the car door and gesturing for her to get in. "Get in. I''ll bring you to work today." "Aren''t you worried that we''ll bete if we do that?" Luca asked with confusion. "It''s fine. There''s still plenty of time. I''ll drop you off at Watson first, then head back to the office. We''ll be fine." Luke gently guided her head down as she bent to get into the car. Once Luca was in, Luke got in from the other side. "Lliam, take us to Watson first," instructed Luke. "Yes, boss." Lliam started the car engine. "Why the sudden ride to work today?" Luca asked with a smile, instinctively wrapping her hand around his and holding it tightly. "I want to treat you better," replied Luke. He felt grateful for Luca''s presence in his life. She had shielded him from a lot of difficulties and brought sunshine and brightness into his days. At the same time, she epted many of his shorings. While people outside saw him as polished and sessful, only those close to him understood the burdens he carried and how oppressive life could be. Luca''s anival had shielded him from much of the storm. As her husband, he wanted to treat her better so that he would not have any regrets when he looked back in the future. As Luke looked at Luca''s sweet smile, he added, "Unless there''s something special going on, you''ll ride to work with me from now on. Warren will pick you up when you finish work. And Warren will be on standby at Watson while you''re at work, just like before." "Alright." Luca was deeply moved. Luke was very busy, and he often did not have much time to eat or rest However, even amidst this busyness, he still found the time to shower her with his tendemess and affection. Luca felt very happy and content. Luca was not a greedy woman. She did not need Luke to give her a life of luxury and riches. As long as he held her in his heart, she was satisfied. Their fingers inteced, Luke looked into her eyes with tenderness. Lliam, who was sitting in the driver''s seat, could not help but feel envious as he watched this scene unfold. It was wonderful... This sweet disy of affection made him want to cheer and celebrate their love.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 3338 How Can He Possibly Bring Luca To Crawford Manor ? Chapter 3338 How Can He Possibly Bring Luca To Crawford Manor On the other hand, Allison could not sleep, so she got up early. She first checked the master bedroom, noticing that Luke and Luca were already up. Thinking of her own matters, she quickly headed downstairs. When she came to the living room, she found Aunt Neile tidying up and asked, "Aunt Neile, where''s Luca?" "Ms. Craw is already off to work," replied Aunt Neile. She could not help but flinch slightly when she looked at Allison''s face, but she quickly tried to hide her reaction, not wanting to offend Allison. "Already at work?" Allison''s voice rose a little. "Isn''t that a bit early?" "Madam Allison, it''s almost 9:00 am. It''s not that early," Aunt Neile pointed out, noting that most people were already at work at this hour. Luca was probably settled in at thepany by now. "Isn''t 9:00 am early?" questioned Allison. "Isn''t she working at Luke''spany? Why would she have to clock in on time?" Aunt Nelle finally understood what she meant. Allison was clearly expecting that Luca, given her connection to Luke, would have special privileges toe inter if she wanted. Aunt Neille caught on. "Ms. Craw hasn''t used any special privileges. She has always worked normal hours." Allison gave a skepticalugh, clearly not believing it. "What time does she usually get home?" asked Allison. It was about her face, and she was desperate to talk to Luca about it right away. If she did not have to avoid going outside and staying out of the sun, she would already be storming into Luca''s office to get her to agree. "Around 6:00 pm," answered Aunt Neile, then she asked, "Madam Allison, do you need something from Ms. Craw?" "Why else would I be looking for her?" Allison rolled her eyes, wincing as it pulled on a tender patch of skin on her face. Aunt Nelle remembered that Luca and Luke were going to Crawford Manor for dinner tonight and would not be back so soon. She hesitated about whether to tell Allison. However, after a brief pause and seeing the dark, brooding look on Allison''s face, she decided against it. If Allison found out they were going to Crawford Manor together, she might insist on tagging along. This would mean that a pleasant family dinner would turn sour. Allison had plenty of excuses to go to Crawford Manor. Hence, Aunt Neile felt it was best not to tell her. After all, Luke had sent the kids back to Crawford Manor specifically to keep them away from Allison. "Would you like some breakfast now, Madam Allison?" asked Aunt Neile. "Obviously! I got up early. Do you want me to starve?" Allison snapped as she walked to the dining room. Aunt Neile put down her cleaning supplies and went to the kitchen to bring out Allison''s breakfast. Allison frowned as soon as she saw it. "Why was it ready so fast?" "I prepared it early just for you," exined Aunt Neile. "I need to eat fresh food with my health the way it is!" Allison looked at the te but did not touch it. Aunt Neile assured her, "it is fresh. I made it this moming." "You don''t understand, do you?" Allison rose to her feet. She was half a head taller than Aunt Neile. Her expression was cold and menacing as she said, "I want it made on the spot. Anything over an hour old isn''t fresh to me. My face can''t handle stale food. Make it again." When Allison''s deeply wrinkled face appeared before her, Aunt Nelle could not help but startle for a moment. She quickly nodded and replied, "Alright, I''ll make it right now. Carrying the breakfast that Allison deemed "not fresh", Aunt Neile hurried back to the kitchen and prepared a new te for her. Allison barely took a couple of bites beforeining, "It''s too nd. Don''t make it so in next time." "But, ma''am, the doctor says you need a mild diet," Aunt Neile reminded her. "When I say it''s nd, it''s nd. Are you arguing with me now?" Allison snapped, clearly annoyed. Aunt Neile did not dare to argue further and just nodded repeatedly, assuring Allison that she would be more mindful next time. However, Allison was still annoyed. "I really don''t understand what Luke was thinking, hiring you as the maid here. You''re so ipetent. It''d be better to rece you with someone smarter and quicker." A sudden idea crossed her mind. Aunt Neile stayed silent. She knew Allison did not actually have the authority to fire her. Besides, she knew she had been performing her duties well, and Luke had not shown any dissatisfaction with her work, so she was not worried about losing her job. Still, it stung a little to hear her efforts dismissed so casually. Allison continued, "I''ll have to talk to Luke about recing you." Then, she turned and left. Aunt Neile let out a sigh, quietly clearing the dishes from the table and washing them. carefully before disinfecting everything once more.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Luke had instructed her to do so. He insisted that anything Allison used must be disinfected-especially when it came to food. It was because of his obsessive cleanliness. Luke specifically instructed Aunt Neile to use the same set of kitchenware when preparing meals for Allison. Aunt Neile marked the set to ensure there was no mix-up. In the evening, Allison sat in the living room, waiting for Luca to return. As the time approached 6:30 pm and there was still no sign of Luce, she grew impatient and tumed to Aunt Neile. "Didn''t you say Luca usually finishes work around 6:00 pm? It''s already 6:30 pm. Were you lying to me?" Aunt Neile, a little tense, finally told her, "Mr. Crawford called this afternoon to say they''d be having dinner at Crawford Manor tonight and wouldn''t be home." "He''s noting back for dinner, but what does that have to do with Luca..." Allison''s words suddenly trailed off. Then, her voice rose sharply. "You mean, Luke took Luca to Crawford Manor?" "Yes, ma''am. They''ll be back a bitter." Aunt Neile stepped back slightly to brace against Allison''s shrill tone. Allison''s voice was so loud! "How could he possibly bring Luca to Crawford Manor?!" eximed Allison, remembering how, even during the New Year''s holiday, Luke had not brought Luca there. Now, he was actually bringing her to have dinner there? Did that mean Old Master Crawford had acknowledged Luca''s status? Old Master Crawford had always been strict, never allowing his grandson to follow in Zachary''s footsteps and fool around outside. How did Luke convince him to ept Luca? "You''re lying to me, aren''t you?" Allison immediately suspected that Aunt Neile was making this up Aunt Neile quickly shook her head. "Ma''am, I wouldn''t dare lie to you. Mr. Crawford really did take Ms. Craw to Crawford Manor for dinner." "Has Old Master Crawford acknowledged her?" Allison''s eyes went wide, though with the lines and sagging skin around them, her expression was more frightening than surprised. No matter how wide her eyes opened, they just did not look big. "I suppose so..." replied Aunt Neile. After all, if Old Master Crawford had not epted Luca, she would not being and going freely at Crawford Manor, Aunt Neile recalled the warm, gentle smile on the old man''s face whenever he saw Luca. Chapter 3339 Have Sophian Take Over Aunt Nelles Job ? Chapter 3339 Have Sophian Take Over Aunt Nelle''s Job "What do you mean ''suppose so?" Allison hated vague answers like that. The more uncertain she was about how Old Master Crawford felt about Luca, the more she wanted to know. "Where''s the car key?" asked Allison. "Madam Allison, what do you need the car keys for?" asked Aunt Neile, already knowing the answer but trying to dy her. "Of course, I''m going to Crawford Manor. Old Master Crawford is the strictest with Luke, and I can''t let him ruin everything because of a woman." Allison was already nning ahead. She was worried that the old master would not like how Luke was behaving and that he might strip him of his power. A wave of panic washed over her. "Madam Allison, it''s already toote to go to Crawford Manor now," Aunt Nelle quickly said. " If you drive over there now, they''ll already be having dinner. If you go now, Old Master Crawford will just scold you for being disrespectful. You just came back. It''d be better not to upset him, right?" Allison paused for a moment. The timing was indeed awkward. They were probably still eating dinner and had not finished yet. If she showed up at this time, it would be fine if she were a guest, but the old master would definitely scold her. She sat back down on the couch. "Does Luke often bring Luca back there?" "Not often, just asionally," replied Aunt Neile. "What nonsense," muttered Allison, clenching her teeth. She knew she could not do anything about it. Luke was even harder to handle than his own father, Zachary. Previously, Old Master Crawford could at least somewhat control Zachary. Even if he was wild, it was not extreme. However, Luke was different. Even though Old Master Crawford was still the head of the Crawford family, he was getting old. His control over the younger generation had decreased significantly. Otherwise, how could Luke bring another woman into his house and even take her to Crawford Manor for dinner while still being married on paper? Aunt Neile, who had grown ustomed to Allison''s temper, shook her head and quietly said, "Madam Allison, why don''t you have dinner first?" "How could I have any appetite right now?" snapped Allison. She thought about how much time and effort she had spent just to enter the Crawford family, earn Old Master Crawford''s approval, and be Zachary''s wife-even if she was not his legal wife. She had gone through so much to have a child, even hiding her identity for years before eventually finding the child again. She suffered all that to finally join the Crawford family. Still, she was not legally acknowledged, and that was why she was always treated as inferior to Susan. Allison had enough of living that way, but for the sake of wealth and status, she had to endure it. Luca had not done anything-not even given Luke a son or daughter-and yet she had already earned Old Master Crawford''s approval... The thought of it made Allison''s anger re up inside. Aunt Neile felt helpless.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. If Allison did not eat now, she would justin about the food being too coldter. She could only quietly ask, "Madam Allison, do you have business with Ms. Craw?" Allison shot her a sideways nce. "She''s my son''s women now. Can''t I find her if there''s no particr reason?* Aunt Neile shook her head. "She''s my son''s woman. She should be serving me and listening to me. But now, they''re out there enjoying themselves, leaving me all alone at home. Is that right?" Allison''s words were tinged with resentment. It was as though she had truly been abandoned by Luke and Luca. Aunt Neile had no choice but to patiently respond, "Madam, even if it''s not ideal, you can''t go hungry. Why don''t you have dinner first?" Allison felt a wave of Imitation. After thinking it over, she realized that Aunt Nelle was not a live-in maid. If she did not eat now, by the time she got hungryter, no one would be there to make her anything. Luca, being doted on by Luke, would not make dinner for her. With this in mind, Allison''s desire to have Sophian take over Aunt Neile''s job grew stronger. She thought to herself that she needed to talk to Luke about this. Also, she was determined to persuade him. Aunt Neile might not be avable all the time, but Sophian could be, making it more convenient for her to be looked after. Allison stood up. "Bring the dinner here." "Yes, Madam Allison" replied Aunt Neile as she hurried to the kitchen. Even though Allison was the only one eating, Aunt Neile prepared avish dinner, knowing that if Allison had the chance, she would try to find fault. Allison stared at the spread of food and frowned. The loose skin on her face wrinkled even more, making her look even more intimidating. Aunt Neile cautiously asked, "Madam Allison, is there something wrong with the food?" "Of course, there''s something wrong!" Allison pointed at the table full of dishes. "Why prepare so much when I''m the only one eating? Isn''t this just a waste?" Aunt Nelle was at a loss for words... "These are all dishes you like," said Aunt Neile "So what if I like them?" Allison was clearly displeased. "I enjoy them, but I''m the only one here, and I can''t finish it all. What, are you thinking that since I can''t finish, you''ll take it home to your family?" Aunt Neile was rendered speechless. Even though Allison''s situation was not caused by illness, with the way things are, Aunt Neile would not even dare eat the food Allison already had. The truth was, Aunt Neile had been working for the Crawford family for over 20 years and had never done something like that. Unless the head of the family explicitly requested her to do so, no matter how fancy or expensive the food, if it was not finished, it was always thrown away and never taken home. "No, Madam Allison. If you can''t finish it, I''ll throw it away. I won''t take it or keep it for tomorrow," exined Aunt Neile. "How do I know if you''re telling the truth?" retorted Allison. "I''ve seen a maid walk out with a trash bag, but it was full of food!" "And even if you throw it away, it''s still wasteful," Allison continued. "I won''t allow waste." "Yes, Madam Allison. I''ll be more careful next time." Aunt Neile swallowed her frustration in silence. Arguing with Allison never led to a solution. Allison snorted coldly and picked up her cutlery, eating her dinner with clear disdain. "I don''t know what Luke is thinking, letting youe here. You can''t cook as well as Crawford Manor''s chefs. You''re slow, and you even twisted your back just moving luggage. You''re useless." Aunt Neile quietly endured the criticism. Inside, she felt a pang of sadness. Being treated with such disdain by Allison was no easy thing. Still, she did not want to say anything at the moment. She would just wait for Allison to finish eating, clean up, and then pretend to be busy with other things while waiting for Luca toe home. As long as she did not linger in front of Allison, the chances of being scolded would be much lower. As Allison spoke, she picked up a plece of meat and put it into her mouth. Her taste buds instantly seemed to spark. This tasted... quite good? She did not expect Aunt Neile to be such a good cook. However, thinking about what she had just said, she could not be self-contradictory. Hence, she pretended to be displeased as she ate. Aunt Nelle was confused. All of this was made ording to the recipes Luca had given her. Were they really that bad? She had followed the recipes exactly, and everyone else had said the food tasted good... Aunt Neile began to suspect that Allison was just being picky on purpose. She decided not to take her words to heart. It would make things a lot easier for her. Chapter 3340 Is That Something A Mother Should Be Doing ? Chapter 3340 Is That Something A Mother Should Be Doing After finishing work, Luca headed straight to Crawford Manor. When she arrived and greeted Old Master Crawford, the three kids came running down the stairs and surrounded her. They each took turns expressing how much they missed her and Luke. Luca missed them too, so after exchanging a few words with Old Master Crawford, she went upstairs with the kids to help them with their homework. It did not take long before Luke arrived.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Not seeing Luca in the living room, he asked Old Master Crawford, "Grandpa, has Luca arrived?" Old Master Crawford was in a good mood. He nodded and replied, "She''s upstairs, helping the kids with their homework." Luke sat on the couch and watched the evening news with Old Master Crawford. *Has your mother caused any troubletely?" asked Old Master Crawford. "Not really," answered Luke. He could still manage Allison. "That doesn''t sound like her," added Old Master Crawford, assuming Allison would always be causing trouble. *Her condition is bad right now," exined Luke. "She can''t see anyone, and she can''t be exposed to sunlight, so she won''t be out and about causing any big problems." Old Master Crawford knew Allison''s condition was not good and nodded in understanding. He then asked about something else. "I heard she brought that woman backst time?" "Yes, she''s staying at a hotel," replied Luke. "What on earth is your mother thinking?" Old Master Crawford frowned. It felt like Allison''s way of thinking waspletely out of the ordinary. It was hard to make sense of it. "Does she n on going to Seoul for treatment again?" "It doesn''t seem like it," answered Luke. He had not discussed it with Allison yet, but he could tell she had given up on the idea of foreign treatments. After thest incident, she probably would not consider it again. *Then why bring someone back with her?" Old Master Crawford grumbled. "Is she nning on taking responsibility for someone else''s life?" Old Master Crawford''s anger red when he remembered what Allison had done during New Year''s. She actually let some random women try to seduce Luke! Was that something a mother should be doing? *Luke, even though this person was brought by your mother, you need to handle her. Now." Old Master Crawford looked around the living room to make sure no one else was there, then lowered his voice. "Now that we know Luca''s true identity is Bianca, we can''t let some messed-up woman affect the family." After Allison brought Sophian home, Old Master Crawford had people investigate her. Sophian was from A City. She came from a poor farming family who barely made any money in a year. However, somehow, Sophian had the money to go abroad and get cosmetic surgery. She even became addicted to it and constantly altered her looks. When her money ran out, she took out loans and ended up working in a hospital to pay off her debt. It was clear her money was not clean. Old Master Crawford could not respect women like her. He understood the desire for beauty, but the unhealthy fixation was beyond him. A woman like that should never be around Luke! "I''ll take care of it," said Luke. No matter what he did, he would always consider Luca''s feelings. As long as he took her feelings into ount, she would never misunderstand him. Seeing how confident Luke was, Old Master Crawford decided not to bring up the matter anymore. Allison could cause whatever chaos she wanted to. If it did not affect him directly, then it was not a big deal. After dinner, Luca reluctantly said goodbye to the kids. "Daddy, when are you going to take care of the issue with Grandma?" Lanie asked before they left. Luke paused for a moment, unsure of how to answer his son''s question. Allison had no intention of returning to Seoul now, so the only way to resolve the situation was for her to eventually decide to move out. Until then, the kids would have to stay at Crawford Manor. Even though Lanie was cool and not as clingy as his younger siblings, he loved his parents and wanted to grow up with them by his side. He added, "Daddy, I really want to go back and live with you and Mommy." "What''s wrong? Do you not like it here with me?" Old Master Crawford suddenly asked, but there was no anger in his voice. "Lanie, do you have a problem with your great-grandpa?" "No, Great-grandpa." Lanie shook his head. "It''s just that Tommy is usually very naughty. It''s tiring for you to take care of him, so it''s better if Daddy does it. You''ve worked hard your whole life. You deserve to rx and enjoy yourself. You shouldn''t be raising kids." Old Master Crawford could not help butugh at Lanie''s words. "You sure know how to talk, little one." Lanie grinned. Tommy protested when he heard his name being mentioned. "Lanie, I''m very well behaved. I won''t make Great grandpa tired!* "Yes, yes. Lanie, Rainie, Tommy, all of you are very good," said Old Master Crawford. Living with his great-grandchildren made him very happy. He felt younger when they were around, alwaysughing and ying with them. Luca squatted down slightly, giving the three kids some final instructions. "You all need to behave yourselves here, okay? Be sure to do your homework without being asked, don''t pick at your food when eating, and don''t sleep in in the mornings. Understand?" "Yes, Ms. Luca," the three kids replied in unison. Luca patted their heads before leaving with Luke. Tommy watched them leave from behind, feeling a little sad. "Lanie, when do you think we can go home?" "Daddy will solve things soon," replied Lanie. "Yes, Daddy is really great," Rainie chimed in. Old Master Crawford watched his three great-grandchildren as they reluctantly parted with Luca and Luke. He smiled and reminded them, "Aren''t you three going back to the living room? Your cartoon show is about to start." As soon as they heard this, the three kids hurried back to the living room. The cartoon show they had been waiting for was going to start! Old Master Crawford shook his head with a smile on his face. He slowly followed the kids as Mr. Griffin gently supported him. "With the kids in the house, I feel like this quiet manor is so much livelier, Old Master Crawford eximed contentedly. "Yes, the kids are active and well-behaved. There''sughter in the house every day, which is really nice," Mr. Griffin agreed, not feeling that the return of the three kids had made the house noisy. Instead, the kids were making Old Master Crawford smile more each day! This was a good thing! Old Master Crawford slowly made his way back to the living room, where the three kids were already sitting on the couch. They had their eyes on the TV. Lanie was sitting off to the side and had a book resting on hisp. As usual, Old Master Crawford reminded him, "Lanie, it''s good that you like reading, but remember to protect your eyes and take breaks." "I know, Great-grandpa," Lanie nodded obediently. "The cartoon''s starting!" cheered Tommy. Lanie set the book aside and joined his siblings to watch the show. Chapter 3341 My Blood Runs In Your Veins ? Chapter 3341 My Blood Runs In Your Veins Luke was driving back home with Luca. It was already 9:00 pm when they arrived at the vi. Just as they reached the foyer and had not taken more than a few steps, Allison''s voice rang out. "Oh, so you''re finally willing toe back from Crawford Manor?" Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. Luca did not know how to respond to Allison and looked over at Luke. Luke let go of Luca''s waist and whispered, "Go upstairs first." "Okay." Luca nodded, changed her shoes, and was about to head upstairs when Allison said again, "Stop. Who told you to go upstairs?" "Madam Allison, is there something you need?" Luca''s tone was cold, carefully masking the helplessness inside her. Since she learned that Allison would be returning to the country and moving here, Luca had mentally prepared herself to be put in a difficult position. She loved Luke, so she was willing to tolerate whatever troubles came with it. Luca believed that as long as she and Luke faced things together, there was nothing they could not resolve. "You''ll help me with my skincare from now on." Allison was clearly asking Luca for a favor, but her tone was so self-assured as though she thought Luca was obliged to help her. Luca exchanged a nce with Luke. When she was about to decline, Luke spoke up for her, "Luca is busy and doesn''t have time." "I''m talking to Luca. Why are you butting in?" Allison was irritated. Why was Luke always defending Luca? It was as though he had forgotten his mother after he found a woman. Allison was frustrated that Luke''s attention seemed to be on Luca and Luca only. Luke casually wrapped his arm around Luca''s waist, making it clear to Allison where his loyaltyy. He exposed Allison''s nonsense in an indifferent tone, "Do you think the skincare products Luca used yesterday are that effective?" Even though Allison did not want to admit it, the truth was that Luca''s skincare products worked really well. "What does this have to do with anything?" Allison hesitated for a moment but still refused to admit it. "Isn''t she skilled in medicine? Doesn''t she know how to provide treatment? My skin needs treatment and good care. What''s wrong with her taking care of me?" "You need to change your attitude first if you want someone to help you. Otherwise, you can forget about it," Luke firmly rejected her request again on Luca''s behalf. Then, he looked down at Luca, who wore a helpless expression on her face, and said, "Go upstairs first." "I need to massage Aunt Neile," Luca finally remembered the task at hand and replied calmly. "Go ahead," replied Luke. With him there, Allison would not be able to stir up any trouble. "Okay." Luca gave a knowing look to Aunt Neile, who was standing aside. She quickly grabbed the medicinal cream from the drawer and walked into the maid''s room. After Aunt Neile entered, Luca closed the door behind her. "Ms. Craw, is this okay?" Aunt Neile furrowed her brows with concern. "Mr. Crawford will take care of it." Luca signaled for Aunt Neile to lie down. She scooped out some cream and began massaging Aunt Neile''s back.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. In the living room, the confrontation between mother and son continued. Allison pointed at the maid''s room and said, "She can treat a maid, but she can''t treat me?" "At least Aunt Neile knows how to behave," Luke''s dark eyes were cold and indifferent, his toneced with a hint of impatience. Allison felt as though she was no longer speaking to her son but to aplete stranger. The way Luke was always defending another woman made her feel alienated, and she felt the need to reim control. Frowning, she said, "Luke, I''m your mother, and she''s your woman. Why should I have to lower myself to ask her for help? Maybe if Bianca weren''t here, she''d be your wife. Anyway, she should be serving me properly." Luke could not help but feel likeughing at her words. He had no desire to say another word to her. However, since Luca was still in the maid''s room massaging Aunt Neile, if he turned to go upstairs now, Allison would surely try to barge into the room and cause trouble for Luca. He could only continue dealing with her in frustration. "Luca is an independent person, not someone who belongs to anyone. She''s not here to serve you specifically," "Fine, Luke. After all the effort I put into raising you, you turn out to be someone who bites the hand that feeds you!" Allison was furious at his response. She even wanted to p him, but in the end, she held back. She had a feeling that if she pped him, he would throw her out of the house and send her to a hotel, so she suppressed the urge to do so. "I''m just asking your woman to treat me, and you''re running your mouth. My blood runs in your veins!" Luke''s expression grew even darker, and he gave onest warning. "I''ve told you-if you want her to help, you need to approach her with the right attitude instead of bossing her around. "And just because you ask doesn''t mean she''ll agree. The decision is hers to make. With the way you''re acting right now, why would she agree?" Allison was seething with anger and was on the verge of losing it when Luca and Aunt Neile came out of the maid''s room. "Aunt Neile, you can leave work now," said Luca. It was better not to let anyone else witness what was going on, especially since it was such an embarrassing situation. It was one that could easily be the subject of ridicule. "Okay, Ms. Craw." Aunt Neile could feel the tension in the air. She quickly left the vi. Now, there were only three people left in the living room. Allison''s eyes were red, filled with a sense of grievance. She felt like she was being bullied by the two of them, and tears started to well up in her eyes. Luca parted her lips but said nothing. She just silently watched the situation unfold. The maid''s room had decent soundproofing, and since the door was closed, she did not overhear their conversation. Allison clenched her fists tightly, afraid that if she loosened them, she would end up pping Luke across the face. "Fine, since you won''t let this woman treat my skin, you can find me a naturopathist to do it. I need to get some treatment, and I need someone to do my daily skincare routine. How about this? "Since Aunt Neile doesn''t seem to know much, we should fire her and hire Sophian to be the maid. That way, she can take care of your daily needs and also help with my skincare," suggested Allison. Luca noticed the subtle choice of words. Sophian would take care of Luke''s daily needs... She would take care of Luke and Luke alone? Was that not something only a wife should do? Luca knew that Allison had been considering this for a while, but now she had said it out loud, a slight smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she looked at Luke. It was like she was watching a show, eager to hear what he would say. "We don''t need a useless person who can''t do anything," replied Luke,pletely devaluing the person Allison had mentioned under the gaze of his beloved. Allison wanted Sophian toe into their home? Not a chance! "What do you mean ''a useless person''? Luke, Sophian can do plenty of things!" Allison shot back. Sophian was young, energetic, and attractive. There were many things she could do. Why would Luke look down on her? "I don''t need her. I don''t want to wake up in the middle of the night and find her standing by my bed in a sexy nightgown, looking at me and Luca." Luke coldly snorted. "Aunt Neile is diligent and capable. She cooks well too. I''m not firing her, so don''t even think about it." Then, he took Luca''s hand and led her upstairs. Chapter 3342 Im Definitely Firing You ? Chapter 3342 I''m Definitely Firing You Allison watched the two of them go upstairs, and instantly, her temper red. Not allowed, huh? Allison refused to believe it. She would find a way to turn things around and reim her position in this family! The next morning, as Luke and Luca came downstairs, they noticed Aunt Neile looking at them with red, puffy eyes. "Aunt Neile, what happened?" Luca was puzzled. What happened? "Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, Madam Allison just told me that I''m fired." Aunt Neile looked distraught. She thought Allison''s words yesterday were just a joke, but first thing in the morning, she was told to settle her wages and leave. She waspletely stunned. "Mr. Crawford, did I do something wrong?" Luke''s brows furrowed. Allison''s behavior was truly astonishing. "You''re not fired," replied Luke. "Is breakfast ready?" Relieved to hear she still had her job, Aunt Neile quickly wiped away her tears and let out a sigh of relief. "Yes. Mr. Crawford, Ms. Craw, please have a seat. I''ll bring it out." "I''ll help." Luca followed her into the kitchen. "Aunt Neile, did Madam Allison tell you this herself this morning?" asked Luca. "Yes." Aunt Neile had been frightened, thinking she had lost her job. However, despite her shock, she still managed to prepare breakfast. She always saw things through to the end. Even if Luke truly wanted to let her go, she would finish preparing breakfast before leaving. Luca was puzzled when she heard that. Why was Allison up so early? "Aunt Neile, where is she now?" asked Luca. ording to Allison''s usual routine, she would not be awake this early-unless she had been so upset by Luke''s wordsst night that she could not sleep. "Madam Allison? She went out after she told me I was fired," answered Aunt Neile, setting the breakfast on a tray to bring out. She went out? With her current skin condition, Allison should not be in the sun. If she did not take proper precautions, her skin would be at risk of severe damage. Sunburn would be the least of her worries;rge-scale allergic reactions could be even worse. Treating sun sensitivity like that was a real hassle. Carrying the tableware, Luca walked to the dining room. "What''s the matter?" asked Luke, noticing her concern. "Your mother went out," replied Luca. He served her a bowl of cereal withoutmenting. Luca added, "It''s not a problem if she went out early, but by the time she returns, the UV rays will be really strong. If she gets a sunburn, it''ll be troublesome to deal with." "There''s no need to worry about her," replied Luke. He truly did not want to bother with Allison''s issues anymore. She was an adult, fully aware of the consequences of sunburn, yet she still chose to go out. He was not going to intervene. Noticing the impatience in his eyes, Luca could sense his frustration with Allison. She felt a pang of sympathy for Luke. However, was there anything she could do to help him? They were all at aplete loss when it came to Allison.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Luke said, "We should eat. I''ll take you to the officeter." "Okay." Luca nodded. After breakfast, they left. Luke dropped Luca off at Watson before heading back to T Corporation. With the city''s bidding process about to start, there was a lot of work piling up. However, just as Luke got started, Aunt Neile called. "Mr. Crawford, I''m so sorry to disturb you, but I don''t know what else to do," said Aunt Neile. Her voice sounded as though she was about to cry. Luke closed the file he was working on and rubbed his temples. He assumed it had something to do with Allison. Aunt Neile rarely called him at work unless it was urgent, so he asked, "What''s going on?" Before Aunt Neile could answer, he heard Allison''s voice in the background. "Stop calling my son! No matter how many calls you make, it won''t change my decision. Hand over the phone and get out of here!" Luke narrowed his eyes as Aunt Neile continued tearfully, "Madam Allison brought Ms. Thomas here and said she''ll be taking over my role. She wants me to leave..." Luke took a sip of his coffee. He was busy with work and had no time for such trivial matters. With that in mind, he said, "Take a paid day off ande back tomorrow." Aunt Neile looked over at Sophian, who was young, energetic, and did not exactly look like a maid. It was just that Allison clearly favored her. Being Luke''s biological mother, Allison had some influence over smaller decisions like this, which made Aunt Neile anxious. "Mr. Crawford, are you nning to fire me?" Luke replied, "No. There''s nothing at the vi that needs your attention today. Luca and I won''t be back for dinner either. So, just take a day off." Relieved it was not a dismissal, Aunt Neile thanked him, "Thank you, sir." After hanging up, Luke mentioned to Luca their n to go out for dinner that evening before returning to work. Even though Luke had assured Aunt Neile that she was not being fired, she felt uneasy. Hence, her emotions were written inly on her face. Allison noticed that and could not help but gloat, "I told you, didn''t I? I said you''re out! But you didn''t listen and just had to go running to Luke. Now, look at you, humiliated. You''re fired! This is what you get for siding with that cheap woman, Luca! Well, now you''re out! Get lost!" Allison stood with her hands on her hips, scolding like a street shrew. She was convinced her threat had finally worked. Aunt Neile was about to say something but held back. She wanted to rify that she had not actually been fired but then decided against it. If Luke did end up letting her go just to keep Allison happy, she had to ept it. Aunt Neile had been a maid for the Crawford family for many years, and she was sure Crawford Manor would not make things hard for her if they knew about this. Aunt Neile left at the thought of this. Just as she was nearing the front door, her phone rang. It was Luca. "Aunt Neile, are you leaving?" Her voice was as gentle as ever, and Aunt Neile, feeling wronged, choked up. "Yes, Ms. Craw, I''m leaving." "Luke told me everything. Don''t worry. Consider today a holiday, and juste back at the usual time tomorrow," Luca could sense Aunt Neile''s distress andforted her. "By the way, I''ve called a car for you. It''s on its way. I''ll send you the license te number. Just go home and get some rest. Don''t worry about this. If Luke said it''s not a dismissal, then it''s not." "Thank you, Ms. Craw," Aunt Neile replied gratefully. For some reason, even though Luke had reassured her, it had not fully put her at ease. However, the moment Luca spoke, she felt a wave of relief. She was certain now that she would not be dismissed. Luca replied, "Don''t mention it. Oh, and I won''t be able to help with your massage today. Try applying some medicinal cream yourself, and if it still feels sore, I''ll give you a massage tomorrow." "Alright, thank you," Aunt Neile expressed her gratitude, thanking Luca twice. Then, recalling that Allison had brought Sophian to the house, she added, "Ms. Craw, there''s something else I need to tell you." Chapter 3343 Sophian Has Feelings For Him ? Chapter 3343 Sophian Has Feelings For Him "Are you nning to tell me that Madam Allison brought someone back?" Luca had a feeling she knew what was going on. Luca had been wondering why Allison had taken such a big risk by going out during the day, but it all made sense now. "Yes, she brought someone back and said she''ll be taking over my job," Aunt Neile replied helplessly. She was worried she had lost herpetitive edge, which made her feel anxious. "I got it, Aunt Neile." As soon as Luca spoke, there was a cheer from inside theb. She nced back and saw that there seemed to be progress in the research. Rhett gave her a thumbs-up to signal sess. She slightly smiled and nodded before hearing Aunt Neile''s voice again on the phone. "Ms. Craw, there''s something I''d like to say, though I''m not sure if I should. I''ve thought about it, and I feel like I should. Even though Mr. Crawford isn''t the type to fool around, you have to be careful. He has no interest in that woman, but she''s clearly interested in him. You should pay attention." Although these words were not something Aunt Neile should necessarily say, Luca knew they came from a good ce. When it came to matters of the heart, though, Luca understood Luke better than anyone. If he was not interested in Sophian, then he was not interested. He would not touch her. After all, even when she had not revealed her true identity at first, Luke insisted on being with her because he knew she was Bianca. That brought them closer together. Luca felt confident about Luke''s loyalty. However, there was one thing Aunt Neile was right about. Luke was not interested in Sophian, but Sophian definitely had feelings for him. When someone wanted to win over another person''s heart, they would think of all kinds of ways to do it. Luca had seen it before. She was not worried about Sophian, but she knew it was still better to be cautious. She did not want things to spiral into a mess. Luca replied, "Alright, Aunt Neile. The car''s already there. Are you at the entrance of the neighborhood?" "Almost there," replied Aunt Neile. "Okay, I''ll send you the license te number. Take the day off and get some rest." Luca then hung up the call. After sending the car''s license te number, it was not long before she saw that Aunt Neile had gotten in the car. Luca put her phone back in her pocket and walked into theb, where a few researchers gathered around her, eager to show her their findings and reports. "Good work." Luca was genuinely pleased with the results. After Aunt Neile left, Allison felt a surge of relief. As she looked at Sophian, her eyes gleamed as she took in the sight of the vi''s living room. Allison could not help but chuckle to herself. It was just an ordinary living room, but she acted like a country mouse in the city, all wide-eyed and clueless. Allison even suspected that if she were not around, Sophian would be snapping photos to post all over social media. She would show off to her friends who, just like her, had no experience with the finer things in life. "Ms. Allison, this vi''s interior is stunning," eximed Sophian. The interior waspletely different from Crawford Manor.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. It was more modern, and as a young person, Sophian obviously preferred this style. Thinking about how she would soon be living here, Sophian could not help but feel excited. As she walked out of the room, Sophian felt that her status here had noticeably improved. "It''s just okay, really." Allison was not impressed. She continued, "Sophian, let me make this clear. There aren''t enough rooms here, and even I have to stay in a small guest room, which is really cramped. You, on the other hand, will have to stay in the maid''s room. Hope you don''t mind." She had already exined this arrangement when she talked to Sophian abouting here as a maid. If Sophian was willing to move in, this was the only room avable for her. "No problem, Ms. Allison," replied Sophian. "You''ve already mentioned it, so I''m fine with it." Sophian thought to herself that she could show off the vi and take as many photos as she liked. No one would have to know that she was staying in the maid''s room. Everyone would just think that she had a rich boyfriend. That would be enough for her. "Alright then. Let me show you to the maid''s room, and you can put your things down." Allison led her to the room. "This is the maid''s room," said Allison. Sophian looked around, her mouth dropping in surprise. While the furniture was not brand new, it was clearly high- quality-not at all like what she had been expecting. The room could easily double s a guest room! "Ms. Allison, is this really the maid''s room?" Sophian could not hide her shock. Allison looked at her exaggerated reaction with a hint of disdain in her eyes and thought to herself, ''What''s the big deal? It''s just a slightly bigger maid''s room. Why act so surprised?'' "This is the maid''s room. Luke has always been kind to the maids. He''s generous too. If you work well, there''ll be rewards for you. As for the furniture, it was for the old maid. She didn''t live here, so the furniture is barely used. We won''t bother changing it," exined Allison. Sophian shook her head and grinned. "This is better than any five-star hotel. No need to change anything." Allison''s disdain deepened. Sophian really did not know anything. Better than a five-star hotel? How ridiculous. However, Allison did not mind. She preferred people who did not know better. They were easier to control. Luke was not going to marry Sophian, after all, so she would not lose her dignity over itter. "Well, as long as you''re happy with it. Now, go ahead and get settled and then make breakfast," added Allison. Sophian froze for a moment, not expecting to have to get to work so soon. "I''m hungry. Why don''t you stop unpacking for now and make breakfast first? You can tidy up after," Allison said in amanding tone. She thought the breakfast Aunt Neile made was already stale, so she definitely would not eat it. "Okay, Ms. Allison. What would you like for breakfast?" asked Sophian. "Now that you''re a maid working for the Crawford family, you should call me ''Madam Allison'' and address me respectfully," Allison corrected her. She ced importance on these formalities. "Okay." Sophian was surprised by the correction but quickly adapted. "Madam Allison, what would you like for breakfast?" "Make me a cup of soy milk and toast a slice of bread," instructed Allison. "Alright, please wait a moment." Sophian felt like her role here had shifted. Previously, Allison had not treated her with much respect, but at least she had been seen as a beautician. Now? After agreeing to be a maid, Allison quickly treated her like one? Sophian felt a bit unsettled. She had originally thought Allison was just giving her a chance to move in, making it more convenient for her to do skincare treatments. When she arrived, she realized that Allison had really fired the previous maid. With the old maid gone, all the maid duties now fell on her. Back in Seoul, Sophian rarely ate out to save money. She would buy discounted vegetables and meat from the supermarket and cook for herself in her rented ce. So, her cooking skills were decent, but she was not exactly a gourmet chef. Now, with the previous maid gone, Sophian found herself in a bind. She had been thrust into the role with no choice. She walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and looked at the wide variety of ingredients, feeling both envious and helpless. In Seoul, she might have looked put together on the outside. The truth was, she was a prettyzy person. Her rented apartment was always a mess, and she never bothered to clean it. Chapter 3344 Stopped Treating Her Like A Person ?Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Chapter 3344 Stopped Treating Her Like A Person After agreeing to be the maid, Sophian''s excitement gradually turned into anxiety. The vi was sorge. Could she really handle all the tasks a maid was supposed to do? As she thought about it, she identally left the bread in the toaster for too long. After serving it to Allison, she was scolded. "What''s this? It''s just a slice of toast. How could you burn it like this? How am I supposed to eat it?" Allison was clearly displeased. Sophian awkwardly exined, "Madam Allison, this is my first time using this toaster. I didn''t quite get the temperature right..." Allison was about to keepining but paused for a moment, remembering that Sophian was the one she had brought in to be the maid. Now, she was the only one who could make breakfast for her. She disdainfully tore off the burnt part and took a bite. "Where''s the soy milk?" "It''ll bring it out," replied Sophian, heading back to the kitchen. She brought out two sses of soy milk and another slice of toast that was even more burnt. She ced one ss of soy milk next to Allison and was about to sit down when she was stopped. "Why are you sitting down?" Sophian hesitated for a moment, "Madam Allison, I''m having breakfast." Allison had brought her here early in the morning before the hotel started serving breakfast. She was now starving and felt ufortable with an empty stomach. "How can a maid sit down to eat with the family?" Allison questioned with a hint of contempt in her voice. "Go eat in the kitchen." "But there are no tables or chairs in the kitchen," Sophian replied in a low voice. "Is this your first time eating standing up?" Allison dismissed her. "I don''t have the habit of dining with the maid." Sophian had no choice but to go into the kitchen. She ced the bread and the ss of soy milk on the counter, grinding her teeth with frustration. What was Allison''s problem?! Had Allison really stopped treating her like a person just because she agreed to be a maid? Back when they were in the hospital in Seoul, they could eat at the same table together. Why was that not allowed now? Sophian regretted agreeing to Allison''s request. However, she looked around at the luxurious decor and took a deep breath. She could bear this. Even if it was hard to tolerate, she had to. This was her quickest chance to get close to Luke. She could not afford to lose this opportunity! She pushed down her frustration and finished her breakfast. Just as she was finishing thest sip of soy milk, Allison''s voice came from the other room. "Sophian, are you done eating?" "Madam Allison, I''m done." Sophian quickly walked out. Seeing the empty tes, she hurried to clean up. Allison said, "You can wash theseter. Give me a facial treatment first." As Allison spoke, she picked up her phone and opened the camera. Her expression darkened when she saw her face. She had gotten a bit too much sun, and now, her skin was a little red. Allisonined, "If I hadn''t had to pick you up, my skin wouldn''t have gotten this red. You have to take care of it quickly. It feels ufortable." Sophian nodded and smiled. "Of course, I''ll take good care of you." She followed Allison upstairs. Sophian looked at the second floor, which was decorated in the same style as the first floor. She immediately felt confident. One day, she would climb these stairs ande up here to rest. She was determined to defeat Luca and be Luke''s one and only! However, when she walked into the guest room with Allison, she was stunned. Was this the ''terrible'' living environment Allison had mentioned? The guest room was not particrlyrge, but the fumiture was from Allison''s favorite brand. Back when they were in Seoul, Sophian was Allison''s personal beautician. Allison''s favorite thing was to talk incessantly, constantly unting her wealth. After being her exclusive beautician for a long time, Sophian had naturally learned about Allison''s favorite brands. Sometimes, when she did not recognize a brand, she would make a note of it and look it upter. In no time, her ability to recognize brands skyrocketed. As she looked at the furniture in the room, she could immediately tell how much it all cost. Even though Luke was rich, he was not the type to just throw money around. He would not have filled the guest room with these expensive brand-name pieces for no good reason. Sophian was almost certain that the furniture was brand new and bought specifically because Allison wasing back. After all, Allison was very particr. She would never use anything that had been used by someone else. Was this really that bad? No wonder Allison had refused her invitation to stay at the five-star hotel with her before. With a bedroom this luxurious, why would she need to stay in a hotel? "Madam, your bedroom is so luxurious," Sophian said enviously. Beforeing in, she had thought that the room was as terrible as Allison had described. After she came here, she realized that Allison had exaggerated. This room was far from bad. "This is nothing," Allison said dismissively, looking at Sophian as though she had no taste. She sat on the chaise lounge couch and pointed at the drawer. "The masks and everything are in there. We don''t have a beauty bed, so you can just sit on that vanity chair and help me with my skincare." "Okay, Madam." Sophian carefully moved the vanity chair and sat next to her. Sophian then opened the drawer and saw a set of skincare products without anybels. She paused for a moment. "Madam, what are these skincare products?" "Those are " Allison started to exin but was interrupted. "Madam, haven''t you learned your lesson? You can''t just use any skincare products. They can harm your skin." Sophian wore a look of shock and disbelief. "What do you know? These were developed by Luca herself." Allison rolled her eyes. "She developed them? There''s no legitimate sales channel, right? You shouldn''t use these. What if they end up damaging your skin? All the money spent earlier would be wasted. The skincare products and masks you bought at the hospital are good enough." Sophian looked at the bottles with disdain. She thought they were unbranded and unsafe. "Come on, these products are great. She''s been using them herself. Do you think I''m worried she''ll harm me?" Allison then urged, "Hurry up and do my skincare. My skin feels awful!" Sophian could not help but feel puzzled. Luca''s skincare products? If they were really that good, would she not have applied to put them on the market to make a fortune? Luca was now Luke''s girlfriend, which meant she was her rival. The fact that Allison was using products from herpetition made her feel ufortable. Sophian slowly rummaged through the skincare products. Allison opened her eyes and shot her a cold, piercing look. "Can you move any faster? If I hadn''t had to bring you here, my skin wouldn''t be in this condition." "Ms..." Sophian hesitated for a moment, swallowed, and then changed how she addressed her. "Madam Allison, please wait a moment. I''m just looking for the essence we used before so I can prepare a moist treatment for you." "There''s no need to search for that essence. Just use the white bottle," replied Allison. "But..." Sophian was reluctant to use these unbranded products on Allison. What if the products were not good and Allison had some sort of reaction? Luca might be protected by Luke for now, but what about her? She would be the one applying the products on Allison! She would definitely be the one to take the me if something went wrong. Allison would surely make things difficult for her! Sophian feared the trouble it might cause, so she was reluctant to use the products. Chapter 3345 His Lawfully Wedded Wife ? Chapter 3345 His Lawfully Wedded Wife "Why are you being so slow?" Allison was irritated. She shoved the products into Sophian''s hands. "I told you to use them, so just use them." Allison ran out of patience. After urging Sophian, shey back down. Sophian had no choice but to follow her instructions and poured out some product. The texture of the product in her palm made her pause for a moment. It was incredibly moisturizing! She gently patted it onto Allison''s face and noticed the area she touched felt just as smooth. Allison let out a content sigh. "This essence is really soothing." Even though Sophian was still worried about potential side effects, she could not help but admire the instant hydrating effect. She asked in a low voice, "Madam Allison, is this really developed by that woman?" She could not believe that Luca had such skills and wondered if the essence had just been repackaged into another bottle and sold as her own creation. "That''s what she says," replied Allison. "But she''s into pharmaceuticals, so it''s normal for her to know how to extract ingredients for skincare." Sophian felt a wave of jealousy wash over her when she heard this. A heavy feeling settled in her chest. That woman was involved in pharmaceutical research? She could even develop skincare products herself? Even though Sophian did not want to admit it, she understood just how capable such a person could be. With her unique massage technique, Allison''s skin quickly absorbed the essence. Sophian was focused and used a cotton swab to gently guide the essence into the deeper creases, ensuring every inch of skin absorbed the essence properly. The essence worked wonders, and after being absorbed into her skin, the redness from UV exposure on Allison''s face gradually faded, eventually disappearing Sophian witnessed the effects with her own eyes and could not help but be amazed. The results were impressive... "Madam, I''m going to apply a face mask now," muttered Sophian. "Okay." Allison''s eyes were closed. Her difort was now gone, and she was so rxed she could easily fall asleep. Just as Sophian applied a hydrating mask to her face, she noticed Allison''s breathing bing steady. She quietly stood up, quickly washed her hands in the bathroom, and returned to sit down. As she looked at the various skincare products, a thought crossed her mind. She poured some essence onto her own face, enjoying the soothing sensation as her skin absorbed it. Then, she used the matching eye cream and essence lotion. Afterpleting the full regimen, she feltpletely at ease. The feeling after using the entire skincare set was excellent. Sophian now understood why Allison insisted on using this line of products. While the long-term effects were still unknown, the immediate results were undeniable. After using it, her skin feltfortable and not oily. It also helped calm sensitive skin. Sophian''s gaze darkened as she thought. If this skincare line passed testing and could be replicated, it could be a huge business. An idea began to form in her mind as she looked at Allison, who was asleep. She left the guest room and took a stroll around the second floor. There were the three kids'' rooms, a room that looked like a study but was actually converted into ab, a master bedroom, and another bedroom that appeared to be a study but was actually used as a guest room. Sophian looked around and saw various experimental equipment inside. She was not sure what they were for. However, they looked expensive, so she dared not to go in. She thought about how these things had been ced by Luca and recalled what Allison had said. She could not help but mutter under her breath, "What''s the point of showing off?" With a loud bang, she closed the door. After checking all the rooms, Sophian shook her head and said, "Ugh, seriously." She paused for a moment and then added, "Such a waste of space." "Thisb shouldn''t even be here. Who does experiments at home? Isn''t she worried about some dangerous ident happening? Who is she trying to impress with all this showing off?" Sophian liked Luke. That was why she found everything about Luca to be distasteful. She quickly walked back to the guest room, where Allison was still resting. Sophian sat down and gently removed the face mask. This action caused Allison to stir and wake up. "That feels so good," eximed Allison as she opened her eyes. "Madam Allison, do you feel better?" Sophian asked in a gentle voice. "Much better. The sunburned areas feel a lot better," replied Allison, running her fingers over her smooth skin. "Go ahead and apply the rest of the skincare products." "Okay, Madam." Sophian nodded and proceeded to apply the toner, serum, and eye cream on Allison''s face, following the proper steps. Allison was very satisfied and stretchedzily. "Alright, I''m going to rest for a while. You can go downstairs now. Oh, and remember, Luke will be home for dinner at 6:00 pm, so start getting things ready around 5:00 pm." "What should I prepare?" asked Sophian, feeling a bit overwhelmed at the thought of making a full meal. Having lived in Seoul for so many years, she could barely cook a few of their local dishes. However, A City''s cuisine was vast andplex. Compared to that, the recipes she knew did not even measure up. She was afraid that Luke would not like the food she made. They said the way to a man''s heart was through his stomach. However, she did not have time to learn cooking now... Allison''sment made Sophian feel helpless. She even considered ordering takeout. She still had some money left, so maybe she could order takeout for Luke? The taste would be good, and he would not think she could not cook. "Luke is actually not picky about food. As long as it''s not awful, he''ll eat it," said Allison. "But he doesn''t like takeout, and he can definitely tell when it''s takeout." Sophian felt even more hopeless. She had just been about to order food, but now, she had to give up on the idea. "I''m skipping lunch. If you''re hungry, just eat something quick and leave me alone for a bit," added Allison as shey on the bed. Sophian stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her. However, her face was still full of worry.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. What kind of food should she make to leave a good impression on Luke? The weight of worry settled heavily in Sophian''s heart... It was time to get off work. Since Luke had a date with her that night, Luca waited until he called before heading downstairs. Luca quickly nced around and saw no colleagues around, so she hurried over to his car. She opened the passenger door and slid inside. "You''re just getting into my car. No need to be so sneaky about it," Luke teased, gently holding her hand. "Well, we''re still not officially together, so I thought it would be safer to be cautious." Luca yfully stuck out her tongue at him. Luke knew she was joking, but the mention of it reminded him of how much Luca had suffered because of the Ind of Despair. He smiled gently at her, but in his heart, he silently swore to handle the Ind of Despair as soon as possible. He wanted their fourth child back by their sides. Once that was done, he could proudly introduce Luca to everyone around him as hiswfully wedded wife and the child as their fourth. "Where are we going for dinner?" Luca''s voice broke his train of thought. "Let''s have something you like." Luke winked at her. Chapter 3346 Allison Causing Trouble ? Chapter 3346 Allison Causing Trouble "Something I like?" Lucaughed. "What could that be?" "You''ll find out when we get there." Luke kept it mysterious. "Alright then, I''ll wait for your surprise, Mr. Crawford." Luca was in good spirits without letting family issues dampen her mood. Therefore, she video-called the kids. Luca dialed Mr. Griffin''s number. After Mr. Griffin answered the call, he handed the phone to Lanie. "Young Master Lanie, Ms. Craw wants to talk to you." "Thank you, Mr. Griffin." Lanie took the phone and pressed ''ept. Luca positioned the camera to include both her and Luke. She waved at the screen. "Lanie, Rainie, Tommy, what are you all doing?" "Lanie! Lanie, I want to talk to Ms. Luca!" Tommy waved excitedly at the camera, eager to take the phone. Lanie handed it to him. "Go on, tell Daddy and Ms. Luca about your good news." Luca smiled and asked with curiosity. "Good news?" "Daddy, Ms. Luca, I made it to the next level in the mathpetition! The finals are this Saturday!" Tommy said excitedly. "Really? That''s amazing. Tommy!" Luca gave him a big thumbs-up. Rainie chimed in, "Ms. Luca, Tommy ranked first in the preliminary round. He''s the only one with a perfect score!" "That''s right! So, Daddy, Ms. Luca, what are you going to give me as a reward?" Tommy''s eyes sparkled with anticipation. Lucaughed and looked over. "What reward should we give him?" "Let''s see if you win the finals. Then we''ll talk about rewards," replied Luke. Turning back to the phone, Luca said, "Did you hear that, Tommy? Give it your best!" "Can Daddy and Ms. Luca take me to the school on Saturday?" Tommy asked again. Luca turned to look at Luke. "The bid preparation is about to kick off," said Luke. He would love to spend time with the kids but could not avoid the bid. It was too important. "I''ll take him," replied Luca. She knew her research was on track, which gave her the time to care for the kids. "Thank you, Ms. Luca!" Tommy blew a kiss to the screen. Luca was amused. She ended the call at the thought of letting them focus on their homework. Just then, Luke heard her sigh. "What''s wrong?" Even though Luke was driving, his attention was on her. Luca answered, "I just wish the kids could stay with us." "Dad and Mom haven''t seen the kids in a while either," said Luke. "Oh? And what do you have in mind?" asked Luca. "When things settle down, let''s take the kids to stay at Norman Residence for a while," suggested Luke. "The house isn''t big, but with Leia in prison, there''s an extra room. The five of us can fit just fine." Luca''s face brightened. "You mean we''ll stay for a few days?" "Yes." Luke nodded. "We can avoid those two at home too." He hated to admit that Allison was his biological mother. Dealing with her was exhausting. After he had firmly told her not to go through with it, she still brought Sophian back home the next morning. Moreover, she wanted to fire Aunt Neile. That was just ridiculous. However, there was nothing he could do at the moment to solve the problem. Besides, with work piling up, he did not have the time or patience to address it. If only Luca''s identity was not still under wraps, he would love for her to step up and just kick Sophian out. Luca smiled. Those two at home were definitely a headache. Luca asked, "She''s already brought her in and now wants Aunt Neile gone. What''s your n?" "Aunt Neile isn''t going anywhere." Luke saw the light turn red and smoothly braked. He then reached over to give her hand a reassuring squeeze. "She''s mastered your recipes, and she cooks so well. The kids will want to see her when theye back home." Luca nodded. She thought so too. Aunt Neile was kind and trustworthy, and she would feel secure with her watching over the kids. The thought of anyone else stepping in filled her with worry. After all, it was rare to find a nanny as dedicated as Aunt Neile. Many others, behind closed doors, could be indifferent or even unfriendly to the children. Luca did not want the kids being cared for by someone who was two-faced and insincere. Even if such behavior were caught early, the slightest trace of insincerity could leave scars in the kids'' hearts. She wanted them to grow up in a loving environment. *So, what should we do now?" asked Luca.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The light turned green, and Luke withdrew his hand to resume driving. "I''ll suggest Aunt Neile take a paid break for a while." Luca nodded. "You know, with her personality, she might think you''re just stalling her and actually n to fire her if you suggest a paid break." Luke had thought of that. "The kids'' summer break ising up, so it''s a good time for Aunt Neile to spend some time with her grandson. I want you to talk to her, let her know she''s absolutelying back once we''ve dealt with this whole mess." "Alright, I''ll take care of it." Luca nodded. She understood his intentions. "But won''t your mom kick up a fuss?" "Do you really think that woman can take care of her?" questioned Luke. Although he did not know Sophian well, he had a sharp eye for judging people. That woman was not exactly cut out for taking care of others. At most, she could handle a bit of pampering for Allison, but as for keeping the house in order or cooking meals, she waspletely out of her depth. Luca, having crossed paths with Sophian before, shook her head. "I doubt it. She doesn''t seem like the type." "Right? My mom''s insisting on keeping Sophian. Even if her real intent isn''t for Sophian to be a maid, since my mom''s dead set on it, she''ll just have to face the consequences. We''ll leave ten minutes early in the mornings, eat breakfast out, and have dinner out too. She can fully experience Sophian''s cooking skills on her own." Luke had this all nned out, knowing his mother''s picky taste. There was no way she would put up with Sophian''s cooking for long. Eventually, she would regret her decision. Sure, he could bring Aunt Neile back in immediately, but he wanted Allison to taste the consequences of her own stubbornness, A single lesson had not been enough. Maybe a few more would do the trick. At her age and after all the mistakes she had made, she still had not learned how to handle things right. He should let her experience the consequences of her own actions. Luca admired the clever approach. Luke could have used his power to force Aunt Neile toe back, yet he did not. On the surface, he was going along with it, but in reality, he wanted Allison to regret her decision on her own. Giving him a yful thumbs-up, Luca said, "I''llfort Aunt Neile. She''s been with the Crawford family for over 20 years. A long vacation is overdue. But are you sure about eating out every day? I could cook for you, you know." "I''m fine with it. You have work and your own schedule. I wouldn''t want you to be burdened by this. It won''tst long anyway, so don''t worry about it." Luke could not bear to let her get too tired. It was Allison who caused all the trouble, so why should Luca deal with the stress? Chapter 3347 Sophian Cooks Really Well ? Chapter 3347 Sophian Cooks Really Well "You don''t like eating outside food, do you?" Luca thought that preparing breakfast and dinner for him was not a big deal. Besides, the main point was that Luke did not like eating out. He always felt the taste was off andcked nutrition. "Actually, it''s not that I don''t like eating out. It''s just that all the food outside tastes the same to me." Luke gently squeezed her hand. "Hey, focus on driving." Luca chuckled. Luke withdrew his hand and returned it to the steering wheel. "With that woman around, it wouldn''t be convenient for you to cook. Are you really going to make breakfast for them too?" If that happened, it would defeat the purpose of his n. Luca thought for a moment. She did not mind ignoring Sophian, but if she cooked for Luke and not for Allison, that might not sit well with her. Allison could easily make a fuss over even the smallest details. "So, should we just eat out for breakfast and dinner from now on?" "Yes." Luke did not mind. It did not matter where they ate, really. As long as he was with Luca, he was fine with anything. "Well, in that case, I should look for some good breakfast spots and restaurants nearby. You''re picky, after all," replied Luca as she picked up her phone to search for local dining options. Luke smiled as he drove into a neighborhood. Luca saw the sign at the entrance and knew immediately where they were headed. "Are we going to eat in that private kitchen?" asked Luca. After her memory training at the Ind of Despair, she could remember most ces she had been. "Yes, I noticed you liked their foodst time, so I made a reservation," replied Luke. He parked the car, got out, and opened the door for her. Luca followed him. They went upstairs together to the private kitchen. The owner and his wife greeted them warmly, just likest time. Once the dishes were served, Luke''s phone rang. "Let me take this call." Luke nced at the caller ID before answering. "Yes?" Allison''s voice came from the other end of the line. "Luke, when are youing home?" "I''m eating out," answered Luke. "What?" Allison sounded surprised. "You''re out for business and didn''t even tell me?" "I''m not at a business dinner. I''m with Luca, and we''re eating out. You don''t have to wait for me." Luke picked up his fork and served Luca some of the dishes she liked. "Thank you." Luca mouthed with a smile. On the other end of the phone, Allison was furious. "What''s going on between you two? Why are you always out? Isn''t there any food at home?" "You kicked Aunt Neile out. Who''s going to cook?" asked Luke. Allison immediately replied, "Sophian cooks really well." Luke responded coldly, "Well, enjoy your meal, then." "You!" Allison was about to scold him further when the call abruptly ended. Luke had hung up the phone. "This is driving me crazy!" Allison wished she could smash her phone. However, she eventually stopped herself. The phone cost her several thousand dors, and if she broke it, she would have to buy a new one. Where would she find the money for that? Sophian, who stood nearby, cautiously asked, "Madam Allison, is your son noting home for dinner?" "Don''t call him my son. You''re a maid of the Crawford family now, so you should call him Mr. Crawford or Sir." Allison shot her a re, venting all her frustration. "Yes, Madam Allison." Sophian, intimidated by her anger, quickly corrected herself. "Madam, will Mr. Crawford be home for dinner today?" "He''s noting home... for dinner." Allison rose to her feet. Her hunger from not eating lunch was hitting her now. However, as she thought about the situation with Sophian, she realized it was toote to change her n. She had intended to wait for Luke toe home for dinner, so she endured her hunger. To her surprise, Luke was eating out with Luca. Allison was furious! His own mother was at home, but Luke did not even think twice. His mind waspletely on that woman! Allison even started to think that Luca was trying to steal her son away from her! Sophian, on the other hand, felt a strange sense of relief. It was a good thing he was noting home for dinner! The food she made today was not great. "Let''s just eat. I''m starving," said Allison, heading to the dining room. When she saw the tes on the table, she stared in disbelief. "Is this... tonight''s dinner?" "Yes, Madam Allison.* Sophian stepped forward to exin. "I wanted to make the recipes I learned during my time in Seoul, but since we don''t have many of the ingredients here, the food turned out a bit off. Please don''t mind it, Madam. I''ll head to the supermarket and get the right ingredients tomorrow. It''ll be better next time." "Can''t you cook?" asked Allison. Her eyes narrowed as she took in the simple, disappointing meal. Boiled vegetables with hot sauce and meatball soup. What were those?! How could the madam of the Crawford family be expected to eat this kind of food? "Madam Allison, although the dishes may look simple, they actually taste quite good. Please try them," Sophian hurriedly said. She had tasted the food herself earlier. While it was not exactly gourmet, it was edible and still decent in vor.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Sophian thought it was okay because she had made the food herself, giving her a bit of a confidence boost. However, Allison did not care who prepared the meal. She looked at the food with obvious disdain and asked, " This is what you''re serving me? You''re actually offering me this?" Sophian stood there, awkwardly fiddling with her hands. She was unsure how to exin. Allison snapped, "Sophian, tell me honestly, do you even know how to cook?" "Madam Allison, I do know how to cook!" Sophian firmly reiterated it. "It''s just that I lived in Seoul for a long time, so I''m not very familiar with the cuisine here. But as long as I follow a recipe, I''ll be able to make a great meal. Please trust me." "Really?" Allison looked at her suspiciously. Sophian nodded eagerly. "Yes, really! Just give me a little time, and I''m sure I can make a feast for dinner." "Fine. I''ll give you one more chance," replied Allison. "But I''m not eating this. It''s so unappetizing that I''ve lost my appetite. Is this what someone of my status should eat?" Sophian felt humiliated. What status? Were they not all just humans? Besides, this was the kind of food she ate every day in Seoul. Did she not turn out fine? Still, Sophian dared not to argue. She meekly asked, "Madam Allison, if you''re not eating this, what would you like to have?" "Order me some takeout from the Penins Hotel," instructed Allison. She felt frustrated as she thought about Luke eating and drinking extravagantly with Luca. Why should her son get to enjoy good food out there, while she, as his mother, was stuck eating this low-end stuff? She decided it was time to treat herself. "Okay." Sophian nodded. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and asked, "Madam, do they offer delivery?" "Yes, just search for it on the delivery tform," replied Allison as she walked out of the dining room. Sophian followed behind her and was shocked when she saw that the cheapest set meal was over a thousand dors. Her mouth dropped open in surprise. "Madam Allison, this is too expensive!" Sophian blurted out without thinking. "It''s fine, I''m the madam of the Crawford family. Can''t I afford it?" Allison sat on the couch, pretending to be all elegant. "Just get the most expensive one." Chapter 3348 Can You Use Your Brain For Once? ? Chapter 3348 Can You Use Your Brain For Once? Sophian stood before her. Her face was a picture of hesitation and difort. "Madam Allison, how about you order using your phone?" "What? You can''t even handle this small task?" At this point, Allison hadpletely shifted her view of Sophian, now seeing her as just another maid. Her previous tone vanished, reced by a much more domineering attitude. Sophian felt helpless and quickly exined, "It''s just that the food from this ce is just too expensive. I don''t have that kind of money." Once she finished speaking, a flush of embarrassment crossed her face. Sophian hade back with Allison to work off the debt she owed from her cosmetic surgery. Therefore, she had no money to spare. Allison paused for a moment, a thought crossing her mind. After a brief moment, she picked up her phone and said, "It''s not like I''m having you pay for it. You can''t even temporarily cover it?" Sophian smiled awkwardly. "I just transferred money to the hospital." Allison let out a faint hum before trying to order two of the most expensive set meals. When it came time to pay, a bnce alert popped up stating that she did not have enough funds.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Reluctantly, she settled for a cheaper option. After cing the order, Allison pretended nothing had happened and casually said, "Since you think your cooking is good, why don''t you go ahead and eat the food in the dining room yourself? Those ingredients are really expensive, so don''t let them go to waste." Sophian was surprised. She thought Allison would at least order a meal for her! Back when she was in Seoul, Allison was not this stingy. Allison looked down on the food she made and refused to even order an extra portion of takeout. At that moment, Sophian once again felt the sharp sting of the disparity. Being a maid waspletely different from being a beautician. Sophian regretted agreeing to be a maid. If she had known this would happen, she would have never epted Allison''s offer. If the previous maid were still around, she would still be a beautician and not a maid. She struggled with her thoughts. If she asked to bring the previous maid back, would Allison agree? "What are you still standing there for?" Allison saw Sophian standing there in a daze. A look of displeasure shed across Allison''s face. She thought about how her ount was nearly empty and she could not even afford two expensive meals. She nned to ask Luke for money when he returned. However, after throwing a tantrum at him earlier, would he even be willing to give her any money? Sophian quickly shook herself out of her thoughts and decided to bring it up. "Ms. Allison, I''ve noticed that you and Mr. Crawford are really picky about food. While I can cook, I''m worried I won''t do a good enough job. "Not only would I waste all the expensive ingredients, but your appetite might also be affected. Maybe we should call the previous maid back, and I can just focus on being your beautician. As for the other household tasks, let her take care of them." "How much extra will that cost?" Allison did not hesitate to reject the idea. "Don''t you need the money? If you do a good job, you''ll earn two sries. Being a maid outside doesn''t pay much, but being one here in the Crawford family is way better-evenpared to office workers." Sophian paused for a moment. Was that really true? "Besides, you don''t have any other skills. You''re only good at being a beautician. If you work elsewhere, you''d just be a junior beautician. How much do you think you could make?" When Allison said those words, shepletely convinced Sophian. "Think about it. Working here gives you stability, a big house, and all the expensive ingredients you could want. It''s so much better than what you''d have working for others. It''s better than living in some tiny, rundown apartment, eating cheap food. What''s the point of that when you can have it all here?" Sophian could not help but nod in agreement, silently acknowledging the truth in Allison''s words. When Allison saw her approval, she let out a sigh of relief. "So, you see, this ce is much better. Don''t overthink it. Of course, you''re not used to it at first, but take it step by step. Let''s start with cooking. Tonight, I''ll give you a few recipes for Luke''s favourite dishes. "You can start by learning them. Just use them to get by for the next few days." "Thank you, Madam Allison." Sophian felt grateful. Winning a man''s heart started with his stomach. This was her chance right there. Luca, that woman, clearly did not know how to cook, so Sophian had the advantage here. "Oh, don''t thank me. The reason I''ve been so tough on you is because Luca doesn''t want you here. She must have said something to Luke, making him against it." Allison pretended to wipe away a tear, showing a tragic expression. "But I truly believe you''re a good woman, and that''s why, despite their objections, I insisted on bringing you back. I''m telling you all of this because I don''t want anyone to find fault with you. Can you understand that?" "I understand, Madam Allison. Don''t worry, I won''t let you down," replied Sophian. Her heart was moved by Allison''s words. All the dissatisfaction she had been holding onto vanished in an instant. Allison gave a satisfied nod. "Good. Now go ahead and eat." Sophian wiped her tears, then walked toward the dining room. As soon as she left, Allison''s expression darkened. What a naive woman. With just a few words and a sincere front, Sophianpletely bought her act. Sophian was even pouring her heart out into serving her now. How foolish. Allison furrowed her brows, wondering if Sophian could really make her way into Luke''s bed and help her control him. Apart from her decent appearance, Sophian had no advantagespared to Luca... Allison thought for a moment. Perhaps she should bring the kids back. If Sophian could be kind to the kids and win their favor, maybe she would have a better chance. Nevertheless, Luke was adamant about leaving the children at Crawford Manor. What could she do to get them back here? The thought of the takeaway arriving distracted Allison. After eating, she still could note up with a good excuse to bring the kids back. Mainly, it was because of her face. If only her appearance were not so off-putting, she could go pick up the kids from school and bring them home. However, with that face, stepping out the door could easily scare someone to death. As she was lost in thought, the doorbell rang "Sophian, go and see who it is," Allison called out while sitting motionless on the couch. "If it''s one of those troublemakers ringing the doorbell, don''t let them in." "I got it, Madam," replied Sophian, quickly walking over to the inte. When she saw who was outside, she froze for a moment, then instinctively pressed the doorbell button to let them in. "Who is it?" asked Allison. "It''s..." Sophian recognized the person but could not immediately ce her name. "Don''t tell me you don''t know who it is?" Allison was dissatisfied. "I do know. It''s the one who was at Crawford Manor during New Year''s. You even had a little showdown with her," replied Sophian. "Susan?" Allison immediately remembered who it was. "Yes, that''s her." Sophian nodded. "Don''t let her in." Allison frowned in disgust. When she first heard that Susan had been forced to leave Crawford Manor by Old Master Crawford, she felt a bit of joy. However, when she realized she could never return to Crawford Manor herself, that joy quickly faded. "Madam Allison, I saw it was someone I recognized, so I just opened the door out of habit," Sophian confessed timidly. "Can you use your brain for once?" Allison truly did not want to meet Susan right now. Chapter 3349 A Wild, Heated Fight ? Chapter 3349 A Wild, Heated Fight Sophian realized she had made a mistake and quickly apologized, "I''m sorry, Madam Allison. I saw it was someone familiar, so I didn''t think too much about it." Allison shot her a furious re. Sophian knew full well that Allison and Susan did not get along, yet she still opened the door for her. Was she out of her mind? "Oh my, after all that time in Seoul, you didn''t pick up anything good? Still that same fiery temper." Then came Susan''s mocking voice. Allison froze for a moment and shifted her gaze toward the doorway. "How did you get in here?" demanded Allison. Did she not just ring the bell outside? How did she get in so quickly and without anyone opening the door to the vi?! Susan gave Sophian a smirking nce. "Your helper let me in." Allison frowned, still confused. Susan continued, "I''m living right next door now." "Oh, so I heard you got kicked out by Old Master Crawford. Moved right next door, did you? Sticking around like a ghost that won''t go away, living just next to Luke, huh? What''s the n? Afraid Old Master Crawford might slip something extra to Luke behind your back and cut into your share? So, you had to move next door to keep a close watch, is that it?" Allison mocked mercilessly. Sophian stood by, sweating nervously.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She had only witnessed their feud on New Year''s before, but with no Crawford family members around right now, maybe the two would start fighting. If they did start fighting, could she leave? Sophian was not inclined to take anyone''s side. She just wanted to escape the brewing storm between these two. It was terrifying! Susan''s gaze turned steely as she looked at Allison with a forced smile, lightly touching her own face. Even though she was a little older than Allison, her skin was still in excellent condition, a fact she was only too happy to unt. "Look at you. Your face is practically falling apart, yet that mouth of yours still can''t hold back. What, do you n to keep going until your mouth rots as much as your face before you learn when to shut up?" Allison''s expression twisted with rage. She wished she could tear Susan''s mouth off. Her face had always been a sore spot, and Susan was hitting it right where it hurt. She could hardly hold back her fury as she pointed angrily at the door with eyes zing. "This is my home! I''ll say whatever I want here! Who are you to lecture me? Get out! You''re not wee here!" Instead of leaving, Susan gracefully seated herself on the couch, crossing her legs with an amused look on her face. "Went to Seoul but came back with a botched face and no manners?" sneered Susan. Then, she continued," Seems like the etiquette lessons Old Master Crawford paid for were a waste. You think anyone would believe you''re ady? Frankly, if people called you amon street shrew, no one would question it. "Then again, a shrew is a shrew, I suppose. With your face falling apart like that, I guess you don''t have the guts to show it in public. Manners or not, no one will ever know you''re this much of a spitfire in private." Allison was furious beyond words! She did not even know how to respond, so she red at Sophian and snapped, "Why are you still standing there like an idiot? Get her out of here, now!" "Yes, Madam!" Sophian quickly stepped forward, steeling herself as she addressed Susan, "Madam Crawford, you''re not wee here. Please leave." Susan narrowed her eyes. "Say that again?" Sophian mustered the courage, "Please..." Before she could finish, a sharp p echoed through the room. Susan''s hand flew through the air,nding a sharp p across her face. Sophian clutched her face, letting out a startled scream. She could not believe Susan actually pped her! "Do you know who I am? Yet you still have the nerve to try to throw me out?" With a look of pure disdain, Susan pulled out a tissue and meticulously wiped her hand, her gaze sharp and unyielding. She had note here to y nice, and now, she was not even bothering to pretend. "Talking to me so disrespectfully and even trying to seduce Luke? Today, I''ll teach you a lesson so that you know your ce!" "Susan!" Allison clenched her teeth in anger. She might have hit Sophian, but it was as though Susan had pped Allison across the face! How dare Susan hit someone in front of her in her own home?! Allison''s anger boiled over, and there was no way she could swallow this insult. Susan gave a coldugh. "You''re unbelievable, Allison. Just because you can''t fix your face doesn''t mean you should act shamelessly. You brought this woman back here, huh? What, she failed to sneak into Luke''s bedst time, so she wants to try again? "No wonder you always had the nerve to seduce one guy after another back in the day. Now that you''re too old for that, you bring in a younger woman to seduce your own son? You''re not just losing your face-you''ve lost your mind too." Sophian''s eyes reddened at her insults. "Shut up! My business is none of yours!" Allison grabbed a teacup nearby and hurled it at Susan. Susan reacted swiftly, sidestepping the attack with ease. Her expression darkened as she hissed, "I''m just stating the truth. How dare you throw things at me? If I don''t teach you a lesson today, I''m not Susan Armstrong!" "Go on, do it. Who''s afraid of you-" Allison had not finished her sentence when she suddenly felt sharp nails scratch across her face. Her already delicate skin broke instantly, leaving deep, red scratches that made her face even more frightening. Susan, horrified by how easily Allison''s skin tore, looked disgusted. She grabbed several tissues to clean her hands and nails, acting as though she was worried she would catch something from touching her. "Ow, it hurts!" Allison felt the sting and pressed a hand to her wounded face, ring at Susan. "You actually scratched me? You''re dead!" "Sophian, help me scratch her back! I''ll take full responsibility if anything happens!" Allison''s eyes were red with rage. She immediately called on Sophian for help. Sophian stood there, frozen in shock. After the p she had received from Susan, she dared not move. Her face still stung! She dared not to do so! Susan, seeing Sophian''s hesitation,ughed heartily. It was as though she was savoring this rare chance to finally get back at Allison without anyone stopping her. At that moment, all the frustration Susan had endured over the years from being constantly thwarted by Old Master Crawford was finally unleashed. "Allison, resorting to calling for help because you can''t win on your own? And the person you''re relying on is a coward who won''t eveny a finger on me! "Go to hell!" With Sophian too scared to act, Allison lunged at Susan herself. The two of them collided in a wild, heated fight. Sophian was stunned. Allison, weakened from her past surgeries, was no match for Susan, who was clearly getting the upper hand as they wrestled. "Stop, please! Both of you, stop fighting!" Sophian cried helplessly, looking at them with panic, unsure of what to do. Were these even refined women from wealthy families? They looked more like two crazy women! Her pleas fell on deaf ears as the two women continued. Even as their faces were scratched and torn, neither showed any sign of stopping. As they grappled, their insults never ceased. Each word was a bitter reflection of the grudges they had carried for years, reckoning old scores. Susan threw usations at Allison for seducing Zachary years ago, calling her shameless for climbing into his bed. Allison mocked Susan for failing to keep a man, pointing out that even her son was younger than hers. Their shouts grew more vicious, their crude insults filling the living room. They were like two fishwives in a street brawl. "What on earth are you two doing?" Amanding voice rang out. Chapter 3350 Getting Beaten By An Outsider ? Chapter 3350 Getting Beaten By An Outsider The two women froze in surprise at the sound of themanding voice. Allison realized Luke had returned, and from his tone, he was clearly angry. Panic gripped her, and just as she was not paying attention, Susan scratched her again. The pain on her face was searing, and she let out a loud, pained scream, stumbling back and covering her face. Luca, who stood beside Luke, was equally stunned. They were actually fighting! What on earth was going on?! Allison staggered back a few steps and saw Luke''s dark expression. Even though she was afraid, she felt reassured that her support had arrived. She cried out, "Luke, you''re finally back! Your mom''s getting beaten by an outsider!" Luke looked at the two women, whose ages added up to over a hundred years, inplete disbelief. He exchanged a nce with Luca before speaking again, "Are you two going to keep fighting?" Susan let out a cold sneer. She had been scratched by Allison several times, and her face now burned with pain. However, this was not her home, and the person in front of her was not her son, so crying would not help. She kept her expression cold and hummed with a barely noticeable sound. "Luke, you need to keep your mother in check. Her face is a mess, and she''s still running her mouth. I came here to check on her, but she thought I was here for the drama and tried to fight me. No wonder Old Master Crawford won''t let her move back in. He''d lose his appetite seeing that face!" "Susan, I''ll tear your mouth off!" Allison could not stand anyone bringing up her most sensitive issue. Previously, it was her being Zachary''s mistress and climbing to her current position by having his child. Now, it was about her appearance. "You really think you have the guts?!" Susan''s voice rose in challenge. "If you dare, I''ll keep going. Let''s see if your face crumbles first or if I surrender first!" Allison, enraged, rolled up her sleeves and prepared to fight. "Bring it on! I''m not scared!" Luke''s gaze darkened further. Was it only Old Master Crawford who could control these women? "Enough!" He looked utterly annoyed, fed up with the petty bickering between these women. "If you two are going to fight, take it outside." Susan scoffed. "Seems like your own son doesn''t even stand by you." "You!" Allison was furious, feeling humiliated that Luke did not help her. Losing her reputation in front of Susan made her even angrier. She turned to re at Luke. "Have you lost your mind? I''m your mother, and you''re not helping me? It seems that woman haspletely bewitched you!" Susan could not help butugh at the scene before her. If it were not for thepetition between Luke and Louis, she would have given him a thumbs-up. Watching a son confront his mother was too satisfying. Luke''s expression remained indifferent as he coldly addressed the two women, "Mother, are you sure you''re going to stay and watch this farce?" "What''s wrong?" Susan raised an eyebrow. "You call me ''Mother,'' but now, you''re asking me to leave? You''re kicking me out?" "You have blood on your face," Luke reminded her. Susan felt the sting but did not realize how bad her face looked. After all, it was a fight. Getting hurt was normal. Susan pulled out her phone, opened the front camera, and was shocked by what she saw. There were at least five or six deep scratches, and some were bleeding.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Her eyes burned with fury as she red at Allison. "Allison, you scratched me so badly! I won''t let you get away with this!" Allison rolled her eyes, ready to snap back, but Luca spoke up, "Madam Susan, you should go take care of your wounds. You don''t want them to get infected." Susan froze for a moment. Her heart raced as she nced at Allison''s face. There were rumors that Allison''s skin had been ruined by cheap skincare products. However, who knew if her blood was contaminated? If there were any viruses, they could spread through the wounds on her face. It would be serious! Susan tried to calm her racing heart, but her mind was in chaos. Susan cursed herself for not thinking of this earlier. Allison had really gotten to her! "If anything happens to my face, I won''t let you get away with it!" Susan left quickly after throwing down a threatening remark. Her steps were hurried as she was worried about the possibility of an infection. "Ha! I curse you to have a face as ruined as mine, and not just your face, your heart and soul will rot too!" Allison spat the most venomous curse. Susan paused for a moment. She wanted to turn back, p Allison twice, and tear that wrinkled face apart. However, with Luke standing there, she dared not to do so. After Susan left, Allison stopped her theatrics. Under Luke''s gaze, she covered half of her face. "Oh, it hurts so much! This is going to kill me!" Her exaggerated actions did not earn her any sympathy from Luke. He stared at her coldly. Allison, seeing that he was not showing any sympathy, turned her gaze to Luca with a calcting look in her eyes. Knowing Luca had medical knowledge, she did not hesitate to demand, "Help me treat my wounds." Luke took Luca''s hand and began walking toward the living room, heading upstairs. "Luke!" Seeing him like this, Allison could not hold back and shouted angrily. "What are you doing?!" "What are you doing?" Luke shot back. Allison only dared to act this way at home. If they were at Crawford Manor and under Old Master Crawford''s watch, she would not dare to be so brazen. She had the audacity to fight with Susan just because Old Master Crawford was not around to keep her in check. It would be embarrassing if it got out. "I need Luca to treat my wounds," Allison said in a defiant tone, "She knows medicine, so she can help me." As she spoke, she did not control her expression and identally tugged at the skin on her face, causing a sharp ripping sound. Luke gave her a cold, disdainful look. Her face was covered in deep lines, with fresh cuts that were bleeding. making it look horribly unattractive. He pulled Luca closer, shielding her. "With that attitude of yours, she doesn''t have time for you." "You ungrateful son!" Allison was furious at his words! Sophian, who stood beside her, felt the urge to speak up. Summoning her courage, she stepped forward and said," Mr. Crawford, please don''t be so harsh on Madam Allison. She was only trying to protect you when she fought with that woman." Allison froze for a moment. Since when had she fought Susan to protect Luke? However, she quickly understood. Sophian was speaking up for her! Deep down, Allison gave Sophian a silent thumbs-up. As she tried to show a motherly expression, she only ended up looking more sinister. "Yes, if that woman hadn''t insulted you so much, I wouldn''t have fought with her. I''m your mother, and I was trying to defend you. Now, I''m asking your people to help me with my wounds. Is that too much to ask?" Luke''s disgust was evident as he frowned. "You know very well why you argued with her. Don''t drag me into this." He could figure out the situation even though he had not even been there. He saw right through Allison and Sophian''s little scheme. Under his gaze, Sophian felt an unexinable unease, followed by an unexpected flutter in her heart. Chapter 3351 Theres Something Off With Her Mental State ? Chapter 3351 There''s Something Off With Her Mental State Allison was so thrown off by hismanding presence that she took two steps back. When Luke mentioned Susan, her eyes widened, and she shook with anger. "I''m your real mother! Who does that woman think she is?! You call her Mother''? No! Susan''s not your mother. I''m your only mother!" Consumed with jealousy, Allison''s eyes turned red. She could not stand Luke calling Susan ''Mother''. Furious, she smashed several items in the living room. "Madam Allison, please calm down." Sophian was startled by Allison''s sudden outburst. Allison shattered another item, casting a hateful, challenging re at Luke. She was like a child causing trouble. When he still showed no reaction, she picked up a vase and smashed it, creating a louder racket. Luke watched the whole scene with an icy calm. These were genuine art pieces from reputable brands. Even though they were not as costly as his grandfather''s antiques, they were still valuable. One piece could cost a white-cor worker half of their annual sry. However, no matter how Allison fumed or how many pieces she smashed, Luke did not flinch or show the slightest hint of concern. He was as indifferent as though Allison were smashing cheap imitations. Allison saw how indifferent he was and reached for another item to smash. Sophian, unable to bear it any longer, firmly grabbed her hand. "Madam Allison, please calm down. Stop breaking things." "Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down with a son like this? Ugh, my heart. He''s got it aching with anger!" Allison wailed, clutching her chest. Though she wailed, she barely hit her chest. The sound was more dramatic than the impact. Luke watched her unravel as a hint of annoyance shed across his eyes. He took Luca''s hand and led her upstairs. Allison watched helplessly as they made their way up the stairs. Her fury spilled over uncontrobly as she continued to smash a few more pieces. Sophian, feeling sorry for the wasted art pieces, thought, ''If only I could have these.! At least she would not destroy them... What a waste... However, knowing she would have to clean up, Sophian quickly held Allison back, stopping her from smashing more things. "Madam Allison, he''s already gone upstairs. Breaking things won''t make him notice now." "So? I want him to feel a little heartache!" Allison stood with her hands on her hips. After throwing herself into a heated argument with Susan and hurling things around in a fit of rage, the chaos left her breathless. Sophian shook her head helplessly. Nevertheless, her words seemed to work. Allison finally stopped smashing things. Sophian let out a sigh of relief. She picked up a broom and dustpan to start cleaning up the shards. Meanwhile, Luke and Luca entered the master bedroom upstairs and closed the door.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Luca let out a quiet breath, feeling relieved. Allison''s tantrum had been terrifying. She was half-worried that Allison might storm upstairs and scratch her or Luke. Fortunately, it had note to that. She looked worriedly at Luke and asked, "Luke, is it just me, or is your mother''s mood not quite right?" "You mean her mental state, don''t you?" replied Luke, understanding she was trying to be considerate of his feelings. He knew exactly what she meant. Luca nodded. "I really think there''s something off with her mental state. The way she was smashing things felt almost hysterical. I''m not a professional in this area, but my gut tells me we should maybe find her a therapist?" "What therapist would even agree to treat her now? Even if we did find one, she''d probably kick them out as soon as they got to the door." Luke felt helpless. Allison would only see people she already knew well. Any stranger, unless they could help improve her skin, probably would not stand a chance. Luca pursed her lips. She was not very familiar with therapists herself. She did not have any friends in the field either. The only friend she had known who consulted with a therapist was Nina. However, Luca did not want to trouble Nina with this, knowing it might bring up painful memories for Nina. Besides, any therapist Nina could find, Luke could find just as easily. Even if they found someone, Allison likely would not cooperate with the treatment, making it pointless to try. Luca could not help but let out a sigh at the thought of this. "So, do we just let her keep acting out?" "Let''s give it some time. The kids aren''t home, so no matter how much she acts out, at least it won''t affect them," answered Luke. Luca nodded. Just as she put her phone down, it rang. She nced at the screen and told Luke, "It''s Aunt Neile. She''s probably calling about work tomorrow. I''ll take the opportunity to tell her about her paid time off." "Okay." Luke nodded. "I''ll head to the other room to finish some work." "Hello," Luca answered the call. Luke opened the door to the master bedroom. Downstairs, the chaos Allison had created had finally quieted. A fleeting look of cold disdain crossed his eyes. He could not stand people like her, who were loud and chaotic- even if she was his mother. Deep down, he despised her. However, as a member of the Crawford family, no matter how difficult his mother could be, he could not act against her. Even with years of work in T Corporation, there were plenty of people waiting for him to slip up. If he was used of something like not doing his duty as a son, it might give his rivals the leverage they needed to push him out. That was why, when Allison came back and his grandfather refused to let her stay at Crawford Manor, Luke had no choice but to take her in. He could only ignore her as much as possible no matter what happened. Eventually, she would get tired and settle down-just like earlier. If he had said even a single word or tried to stop her, Allison would have only smashed more things. She had changedpletely after serving time in prison. When she threw a tantrum, she acted like a little child. She still thought everything was the way it used to be, but everything had changed. Luke''s tolerance for her antics was wearing thin, to the point that he couldpletely ignore some of her more dramatic behaviors. After walking into the bedroom across the hall, Luke shut the door, locked it, and focused on his work. In the other room, Luca finished exining Luke''s decision to Aunt Neile. She chatted with her for a while longer, reassuring her so she would not worry. Downstairs, Sophian finished cleaning up the mess and carefully tended to Allison''s wounds. Since Allison had sensitive skin, she could only use iodine for disinfecting. However, Allison was visibly unhappy with the color. "Ugh, this looks awful!" Allison frowned as she held up a mirror to watch Sophian apply the iodine with a cotton swab. The iodine was even darker than her skin tone! Sophian exined, "Madam Allison, your skin is very sensitive. Using alcohol would be too harsh, so I had to go with iodine." "What bad luck! If you hadn''t let Susan in, I wouldn''t have been scratched like this!"ined Allison. Sophian thought to herself that if Allison had not acted so impulsively, the fight would not have happened. This mess was entirely because of Allison''s hot-headedness and had nothing to do with her. However, she could only bow her head and apologize, "I''m sorry, Madam Allison. It was my mistake." "From now on, if Susan is outside the door, don''t let her in! Even if she''s out there screaming murder, don''t open that door!" Allison reminded her. She had a feeling that with Susan living next door, she would be dropping by to stir things up at every opportunity. Chapter 3352 Eavesdropping ?Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 3352 Eavesdropping Sophian was also shaken by the events of the day. If Luke had not returned just in time, she did not know how long the fight between the two would havested. As Sophian thought about Luke, admiration showed in her eyes. Her heart fluttered at the thought of him, making her lose focus and be careless with what she was doing. "Ouch! Are you trying to kill me?" Allison winced as she clutched her face. Her hand instinctively shot up. Sophian came back to her senses and quickly moved away. "Sorry, Madam Allison, I''m so sorry!" Allison''s p did notnd, but her anger was evident. "What are you doing? Are you trying to hurt me?" "No, Madam Allison, I was just lost in thought and didn''t pay attention..." Sophian stammered, terrified of Allison''s strength. Allison''s strength was immense! If Sophian took a p from her, it would probably hurt for days. What worried her most was that Luke would see it, and it would ruin the impression he had of her. Allison noticed the lingering tenderness in Sophian''s eyes, which made her feel very annoyed. "Look at you. Treating my wounds while still thinking about men?" "Madam Allison, what you did earlier really upset Mr. Crawford. I was just thinking about what I could do to calm him down." Sophian lowered her voice. "You broke so many things today. If he holds it against you, you won''t be able to afford to pay for them. Maybe you should apologize to himter?" Allison looked at the half-empty disy shelf and suddenly felt guilty. Although the items were not as valuable as antiques, they were high-end. She knew Luke would never tolerate fakes in the house. Just how much did she just destroy? Regret filled her as she recalled what she had done. "Why didn''t you stop me earlier?" "I did try..." Sophian felt helpless but kept the part about failing to stop her to herself. Allison, now feeling the weight of her impulsiveness, was irritated. She had broken so many things earlier just to make Luke see her emotions and her frustration. However, he remained indifferent to her actions. Her mood only worsened, leading to more extreme behavior. Allison clenched her fists tightly at the thought of this. Allison, now calmer, regretted her actions but still refused to give in to Luke. "Madam Allison, you were indeed impulsive today." Sophian finished cleaning thest two scratches and took a step back. She was just stating the truth, but she was worried that Allison might p her in return. Allison red at her. "What do you mean, ''impulsive? If he had just defended me in front of Susan, would I have done all this?" Sophian dared not speak. It was true that Luke had not defended Allison. However, what Allison did was outrageous. Sophian dared not to say it to her, so she just stood silently, listening to herin. "I''m going to lose all my reputation and dignity. That bitch, Susan, must be thrilled. How am I ever going to face anyone again?" Just the thought of Susan''s smug face made Allison want to tear her apart. What frustrated her even more was the fact that she would have to keep dealing with Susan. Now that Susan knew that Luke would not help Allison, she was definitely gloating over it! Seeing Allison''s face turn red with anger, there was nothing Sophian could do. She could only step forward and try tofort her, "Madam Allison, it''s over now. Don''t dwell on it. I''ll make sure not to let her in again, so just try to calm down." Allison let out a cold snort. "My face hurts so much. Can you do something about it?" "Madam Allison, you have wounds on your face right now. You can''t use skincare products yet. If they get into the wounds, it could slow healing. You''ll need to wait until the skin scabs over before using anything," exined Sophian. "What?" Allison felt like she had been struck by lightning. "Are you saying I won''t be able to take care of my skin for the next few days? Does that mean my skin''s going to be ruined?" When she had her surgery in Seoul, she could not use any skincare for days, and her skin became dry and itchy. She had to tie her hands at night to stop herself from scratching. Ever since her skin had gotten worse, her wounds took much longer to heal than others. The thought of not being able to take care of her skin for several days only made Allison more irritable. Sophian tried to calm her down for a long time, finally negotiating with her to avoid the wounds while applying skincare. Only then did Allison stop throwing a tantrum. Once Allison went upstairs to rest, Sophian thought about heading to the maid''s room for a break. However, when she saw the mess on the table and realized no one else would be helping clean up, she decided against resting and continued tidying up. After much effort, she finally finished cleaning and nced at the time. It was almost 11:00 pm. She stared at the stairs for a moment, then decided to head upstairs. Everyone in the house, except for her, must be asleep by now... As she thought of Luke, she made her way up the stairs. She had already toured the house earlier, so she knew where his bedroom was. She stood at the door of the master bedroom, looked at the tightly shut door, and hesitated for a moment before pressing her ear against it, hoping to catch some sounds from inside. Sophian knew this was not the right thing to do. However, she could not control her emotions. Even if she would hear the sounds of their intimacy, she still wanted to listen. Just listening would make her jealous, but she could also imagine that the woman with him was her. She did not hear any sounds at first, so she pressed her ear even closer. Just as she did, the door across from her suddenly opened, and she froze. "What are you doing?" Luke''s cold voice cut through the silence. Sophian felt a chill run down her spine. She slowly turned around and saw his dark, stern face just as he spoke. She could not help but hold her breath. It was partly out of fear and partly because she was captivated by his face. Sophian replied, "I came to find you. I just wanted to listen to see if there was any noise inside. If I didn''t hear anything, I wouldn''t bother you." A sh of mockery crossed Luke''s eyes. "What if there was noise inside?" Sophian was startled for a moment. "What would you do, then?" asked Luke. Sophian''s face turned red. "Well, I wouldn''t disturb you..." "So?" pressed Luke. Sophian realized she had trapped herself in her own words. She felt embarrassed and flustered. She nervously twisted her fingers together. For a moment, she did not know what to say. The door to the master bedroom opened from the inside, and Luca looked out at the two of them with a puzzled expression. "What''s going on?" Luke''s eyes shed with a hint of mockery as he said, "Mind your own business. Don''te upstairs at night unless it''s necessary." "Yes, sir." Sophian''s voice trembled. She sounded like she was on the verge of tears. "Why aren''t you leaving yet?" Luke''s voice turned stern, as though he was ready to punch her the next second. Sophian quickly left, sobbing softly. Luca stood behind the door with an amused look. She crossed her arms over her chest as she watched Luke. Luke''s expression softened a little as he walked quickly into the master bedroom and closed the door. "What happened? Did she knock on your door?" asked Luca. "Not exactly." Luke shook his head. "She was eavesdropping, thinking I was in the master bedroom. She was listening from outside." Luca stuck out her tongue in surprise. She did not expect Sophian to do something like that. However, she remembered that Sophian had once knocked on Luke''s bedroom door, and it all clicked. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3353 Leave My Child Alone ? Chapter 3353 Leave My Child Alone At the same time, a wave of frustration rose in Luca''s heart. She thought about how Sophian might be eavesdropping on them during their rest time, standing by the door anytime, anywhere. The thought made her feel uneasy, as though she were being watched by Abel. No matter how she thought about it, something just did not sit right. Luca asked in a soft voice, "Do you think it''s possible that Sophian is working for Abel?" Luke paused for a moment. He had no reason to doubt Sophian''s background as Old Master Crawford had investigated her, and everything checked out. However, people like Abel could easily fabricate a perfect cover story if they wanted to. Luke opened the bedroom door. By now, Sophian was no longer standing outside. He closed the door again and locked it. "I''m not sure, but if we have doubts, we need to be cautious."N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Luca frowned, her expression showing clear concem. "If she were just an ordinary person, that''d be fine. But if she''s with Abel, that''d be terrifying." If Abel had someone nted around Allison, there was a high probability that he had others ced around them as well. These people appeared to be ordinary, and unless they were exposed, she and Luke could live their entire lives without anyone suspecting anything. A chill ran down Luca''s spine at the thought of it, and she hurriedly grabbed Luke''s phone. "What''s wrong?" asked Luke, noticing her anxiety. "I''m really scared. Please check if there are any surveince or listening devices on the second floor." Luca handed him the phone. Luke was about to reassure her that Sophian was not capable of such things, but he decided to follow her wishes and opened the detection app. Luca turned off her own phone, afraid it might interfere with the scan. Luke expanded the detection range to cover the entire second floor but found no signs of surveince equipment. Luca let out a sigh of relief. "Good, there''s nothing." She was afraid that Sophian might have installed cameras or listening devices around the house. "Don''t worry. I''ll check every night from now on." Luke knew her concerns. Luca nodded and went to rest with him. Downstairs, Sophiany on the bed, tossing and turning. She was unable to sleep. She thought of the tenderness Luke showed Luca, then contrasted it with his cold attitude toward her. It made her stomach chum with frustration. "Why?" Sophian muttered to herself. "What makes her better than me? Why is he ignoring me like this?" No one answered her in the darkness. The following day, Sophian woke up to the sound of her rm clock. She tumed it off and tried to roll over and sleep a little longer. Sophian did not know how much time passed, but she suddenly opened her eyes and remembered that she was now a maid at the Crawford family''s house. She had to get up early to make breakfast for Luke! "Oh no!" Sophian sat up and nced at the time. She immediately got dressed and washed up. As she was leaving the maid''s room, she ran into Luke and Lucaing downstairs. The two of them were walking side-by-side, chatting andughing. The moment they saw her, their conversation abruptly stopped. Sophian wanted nothing more than to pull them apart. However, she dared not to do that. Instead, she put on an expression as though she had been greatly wronged and said in a soft voice, "Mr. Crawford, you''re up. Please wait a moment, I''ll make breakfast for you." Luke''s expression was serious. "It''s thiste and breakfast still isn''t ready?" "I just started working yesterday. I''m not used to it yet, but I''ll make it now." Sophian thought with excitement as she hurried into the kitchen to prepare. The thought of Luke having the breakfast she made made her heart flutter. Luca looked at Luke, who simply took her hand and led her away. Sophian was so focused on preparing breakfast that she did not even notice them leaving. When she brought the meal to the dining room, there was no one there. She froze for a moment. Then, she walked to the living room, but there was still no one. She thought Luke must have gone upstairs, so she checked. However, no one was there. She stood there, stunned for a moment. Where had Luke gone? Had he already left? Thinking of how Luca had acted earlier, she slumped onto the couch in despair. Sophian clenched her fists in anger. It must have been Luca! Luca must have worried that Luke would be impressed by her cooking and took him away! The thought made Sophian even angrier. ''Luca, you think you''re all that? One day, I''m gonna be Luke''s woman, and you''ll be the one left behind! Sophian silently vowed in her heart. After leaving the vi, Luke and Luca went to a nearby breakfast shop. When the food was served, Luca quietly observed his expression. Luke did not like eating food from outside, so Luca wanted to keep an eye on his reaction. If he did not like it, they would note back here tomorrow. Sophian''s issue seemed like it would take a while to resolve, so they would be eating out for the time being. Luca only wanted to find a breakfast ce that Luke would enjoy. Breakfast was the foundation of the day. After a good meal, they would be more energized for work. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Luke asked with a faint smile. "I''m trying to figure out whether you like the breakfast served here by looking at your face," replied Luca. "If you like it, we''ll eat here for the next few days, try everything on the menu, and then switch things up. If you don''t, we''ll go somewhere else." Luke took a sip of the soy milk. It was not as good as the one Luca and Aunt Neile made, but it was quite decentpared to other ces. Luke nodded. "This breakfast is fine. Let''s eat here for the next few days." "Great, then we''ll eat here for the next few days." Luca nodded. She figured that if they tried everything on the menu, they could eat here for several days. As for what to eat after that, she would need to do some research online. She would have to find more good spots around here or near T Corporation''s office building. After breakfast, Luke dropped Luca off at her office at Watson. As soon as she entered her office, her phone rang. Luca nced at the caller ID and froze for a moment. It was a string of random characters, which indicated a call from Abel. After a moment''s hesitation, Luca answered. "Where are you now?" asked Abel. "I''m at Watson," replied Luca. Abel''s voice turnedmanding. "Come to mypany now." Luca furrowed her brows. Her gut told her that Abel''s call could not mean anything good. Even if she went to hispany, it was likely to be trouble. "Luca, haven''t I given you enough freedomtely?" interrupted Abel, "Do you need me to do something for you to listen to me?" He reminded her, "Your daughter''s birthday ising up, right? How old is she now? Oh, I remember. She should be starting training tasks at her age." Luca''s heart tightened. He was using her child to threaten her. Little N, her precious N. Abel continued, "Do you think a young child like that can survive a training mission on the Ind of Despair without the protection of her parents?" "Leave my child alone." Luca''s voice was firm, not hiding how much she valued her daughter. "Give me some time. I''ll be there right away." "I''m giving you an hour. If you''re not here in an hour, every minutete means your child will undergo one extra day of training." Abel hung up the phone. Luca looked at the time, took off herb coat, and left the office. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3354 Do I Have To Go ? Chapter 3354 Do I Have To Go Abel''s pharmaceuticalpany was across town. Watson was out in the suburbs. The drive would take over half an hour, and with N involved, Luca dared not to waste a second. She rushed out of the building without even putting in a request for leave. She gged down a cab and jumped in. As soon as she was in the cab, she called Rhett to go over the day''s tasks and asked him to put in a leave request on her behalf. After helping her out, Rhett asked, "Dr. Craw, are you okay?" "I''m fine. Just tell them I wasn''t feeling well and went to the hospital." Luca hung up the call as soon as she finished speaking. After the cab driver heard her, he asked with concern, "Miss, are you feeling sick? Would you like me to take you to the hospital instead?" "No, just take me to my destination please." Luca knew her face looked tense and strained because she was worried about N''s situation. That was why the driver, overhearing her conversation with Rhett, ended up misunderstanding the situation. "Alright." The driver did not pry further, though he nced at her in the rearview mirror. Then, she added, "Could you speed it up, please? I''m in a bit of a hurry." The driver checked the GPS, nodded, and said, "No problem. The rush hour has passed, so I can get you there in half an hour, tops." "Thank you," replied Luca. Every second mattered now. Luca knew too well what was at stake for both her and N. She had seen the brutal training for captured children on the Ind of Despair. Their training was harsher than for adults. Abel only kept children with high potential. They were forced to fight every day, and any who did not survive were simply discarded without a second thought. Abel and his people would not show them any mercy. After all, it cost more to raise and train a child than an adult. That was why they were very selective about those they chose. Luca knew how cruel it was. If N ended up in one of those training centers, she probably would not survive even a single day. If she could not endure, she was bound to be eliminated. Luca, as a mother, would never let that happen. The driver sped up, managing to reach her destination in just half an hour. After Luca paid the fare, she rushed inside the building. The receptionist saw her and tried to stop her. "Miss, please check in over here." Ignoring her, Luca went straight for the elevator. The receptionist quickly followed. "Miss, who are you here to see? Do you have an appointment?" Just then, a security guard came over and asked, "What''s going on?"Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. "She''s trying to go upstairs without checking in," exined the receptionist. The guard frowned and blocked Luca from entering the elevator. "Miss, please check in first." "I''m in a hurry. I''ll check in when Ie back down," replied Luca as the elevator doors opened. She started to step in, but the guard blocked her again. "Miss, you need to check in first." "I don''t have time for this." Luca shoved the guard to the side. The security guard froze, stumbling a step to the side from the push. This woman looked so slim and frail. How could she be that strong? He had steadied himself, yet she still managed to push him aside. What was going on? Luca walked into the elevator. As the doors started to close, the receptionist, sensing that Luca was not someone to mess with, hurriedly asked, "At least tell us who you''re here to see!" "The CEO told me toe." Luca pressed the top-floor button, watching as the elevator doors slowly closed. The guard scratched his nose, exchanging a look with the receptionist. "What''s your deal? You couldn''t even stop one person?" grumbled the receptionist. Even though Luca said she was meeting with the CEO, who could guarantee that was true? No one wanted to risk going upstairs to bother the CEO if it was not legit. The receptionistined to the security guard, trying to pin the me on him. The guard''s expression darkened. "Oh, it''s my fault now? It''s your job to make people check in at the front desk. If anyone gets in trouble over this, I''ll be sure to point out whose responsibility it actually is." He was not about to take the fall. "You!" The receptionist did not expect the security guard to be so sharp-tongued. Hiseback left her speechless. She red at him and stalked back to her desk, unwilling to keep arguing. They would find out if anyone was going toe down on them soon enough. After a tense wait, no call came from upstairs. She nced at the guard, who gave no sign of movement either. Only then did she rx. No one wasing to scold them. Upstairs, Luca stepped out of the elevator and went straight to Abel''s office. She knocked on the door. His voice sounded from inside. "Come in." As she opened the door, a heavy cloud of cigar smoke hit her, making her sneeze. Abel looked at her with a smile on his face, but his eyes did not match it. He exhaled a thick plume of smoke and took another drag, unconcerned with her obvious difort. "I heard Luke quit smoking for you once. Guess it''s true. You''re not used to secondhand smoke anymore, are you?" taunted Abel. The air was nearly unbearable. Who knew how many cigars Abel had taken? While she could handle regr secondhand smoke, this special cigar''s pungency was something else. "This cigar is overpowering," replied Luca with a steady expression. Abel gestured for her toe closer. Luca stepped in. "Shut the door," instructed Abel. She closed it behind her. Abel gave her a crooked smile. "Luca, any idea why I called you here?" Luca paused for a moment, appearing to be thinking deeply. After a while, she replied, "You want me here for Mr. Shank''s research." "Not bad, huh? You figured it out." Abel chuckled. "His research is about to seed." "So soon?" Her heart skipped a beat. If Shanks was really developing that kind of drug, he was working faster than she had anticipated. No one had ever attempted to create something like this before. Shanks would be the first. However, could he truly seed? Luca could not help but doubt. However, Abel had no reason to lie to her, so Shanks had to be close... He really was a medical genius. He was able to sessfullyplete such a difficult research project. The speed at which it was happening made Luca feel uneasy. The moment this drug was finished would be the best time for Luke''s team to act. Still, were they ready? Clenching her fists, she listened as Abel praised Shanks again, "He''s a genius. You''ve always known that, right?" Luca remained silent. Shanks was indeed a genius, but he was using his talents for Abel''s twisted purposes. She still could not understand why he would do it. Medicine was meant to save lives, yet it was being used to help Shanks harm people. "What do you need me to do?" Luca brushed off her thoughts and focused on the task at hand. "Only a few experimental steps remain. I need you to help Shanks finish it up," said Abel. "Do I have to go?" questioned Luca. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3355 Abel Wont Spare Her Or Her Child ? Chapter 3355 Abel Won''t Spare Her Or Her Child Abel''s eyes glinted with amusement. "What do you think?" Luca bit her lip, feeling powerless against the threat. Abel rose to his feet, took a puff of his cigar, and blew a smoke ring toward her face. "I know what you''re thinking. If you don''t go, don''t me me for being hard on your child. She''s so frail. How long do you think she can hold up against those other kids?" He said it in such a chilling tone that Luca seemed to envision her child being bullied. Her heart could not help but tremble. "I''ll go." Abel showed no sign of satisfaction despite her answer. Instead, his gaze grew darker. Truth be told, he despised everything rted to Luke. If it were not for the leverage the child gave him over Luca, he might have already acted against the child. "Luca, behave yourself. Don''t y any tricks. If something goes wrong this time, even if there''s no proof it was you, I won''t let you off the hook." Abel patted Luca''s face with both hands. The pat was not hard. Her face did not hurt or swell, but a cold, chilling sensation spread from her face through her whole body. Abel was waming her.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Luca knew that if anything went wrong now, whether it was her fault or not, Abel would not spare her or the child. She could not afford to lose her child. In this moment of despair, Luca realized she had no choice but to obey Abel. No matter what Luke might have up his sleeve to deal with Abel, as long as her child was in Abel''s hands, she had no choice but toply with him. She felt utterly drained. Her wordscked their usual confidence. "I need a reason to leave." "That''s your problem. My job is to make sure you keep this confidential. How you lie to Luke about it is none of my business, replied Abel. His mind was focused entirely on saving Kassy. Getting Kassy back to his side was all that mattered to him. Everything else was irrelevant. "Understood." Luca could onlyply. After she left Abel''s office, she took a deep breath of fresh air before heading downstairs. The receptionist and security watched Luca leave with a dazed expression, and when no reprimanding call came, they let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, nothing happened. Otherwise, they would have been in big trouble. After leaving Abel''spany, Luca took a cab to T Corporation. She stood outside the building for a while, gathering the courage to walk in. What she had to do needed to bemunicated to Luke so that he coulde up with a response. The security guard at the door recognized her and greeted her politely, "Good morning, Dr. Craw." "Good morning." Luca walked into the building. She went to the front desk to check in as she had not informed Luke she would being. Hence, she let the receptionist inquire about her arrival. After a while, the receptionist returned and said respectfully, "Dr. Craw, Mr. Crawford would like you toe up." Luca nodded and headed for the elevator. When she arrived at Luke''s office, the door was open. She took a few deep breaths, knocked softly, and entered, closing the door behind her. Luke looked up in surprise. "What brings you here all of a sudden?" "I just received a call from Abel." Luca sat across from him, her face full of sorrow. "He''s using N as leverage, forcing me to help Shanks. He said Shanks'' research is almostplete, and they''re likely ready for clinical trials. If it goes well, they''ll use the drug on Kassy." "That soon?" Luke frowned. The moment they finished developing the drug on their side was supposed to be the day they rescued Kassy. He and Gale had been preparing for this, but he did not expect Shanks to be so fast with his research. Luca''s face was filled with distress. With Abel using her child as leverage, she could not calm her emotions. "He''s a genius in pharmaceuticals. Although no one has ever researched this drug before, he has the ability to pull it off. Luke, he''s finished it too quickly, and I''m really uneasy about it." Luke reached out his hand. "Give me your hand." Luca ced her hand in his, and his warm palm instantly enveloped her cold one. Luke said, "Don''t worry. He''s quick, but Gale and the others are thorough. We''re ready. We just need the right moment now." Once Abel made a move to save Kassy, Luke would quickly strike at the Ind of Despair to rescue N. He would ensure Luca and N could escape safely. Luca''s eyes welled up with tears. "But I still feel uneasy..." It was not that she did not trust Luke. It was her fear of Abel''s unpredictability. He was using her child to ckmail her, which meant he would likely have had this n in ce for a while. It just had not been carried out yet. If he was in a bad mood one day, he might just take out his frustration on the child. Abel had too many ways to torment a child... Luca was truly worried, terrified even. Even though Eler had been helping to look after the child on the Ind of Despair, Eler could not always be in touch with her. If anything happened there, she either would not know or would only find out muchter. Luke stood up, walked over to her, and pulled her into an embrace. "Don''t worry. Let me tell you something." Luca looked up at him. "What is it?" "I''ve already arranged for someone to enter the Ind of Despair," replied Luke. "With the map you helped draw, the person was able to easily disguise themselves as a member of the Ind of Despair and gain entry." "Really?" Luca was surprised. She did not expect Luke''s people to have infiltrated the Ind of Despair already. "Gale''s team caught a member of the Ind of Despair near a base. They had someone skilled in disguise make themselves look like the captured person, and with your map, they were able to sneak in without raising suspicion. "Although it''s difficult to send messages from inside the Ind of Despair, that person managed to send word to us that they''ve grasped the basic situation inside and that our child is being well taken care of. If we need to take action, they''ll be in charge of looking after her," continued Luke. This happened two days ago, but he had not told Luca yet. He was worried it might upset her too much, especially because she would want to know everything about N''s situation. The person inside the Ind of Despair could not contact the outside world too often. It would risk alerting the enemy. So, Luke kept quiet about it. However, seeing how close Luca was to breaking, he decided to tell her now. Luca''s eyes widened in shock as she stood up. "Is this real?" "Yes, it''s true." Luke kissed her forehead. "Our child is fine, and when the timees, there''ll be someone protecting her. So, don''t worry. We''ll definitely be reunited as a family." Luca''s heart trembled slightly. As she thought of this, she lightly punched Luke''s chest. "Why didn''t you tell me sooner?! Do you have any idea how freaked out I was, thinking about our child all alone on the Ind of Despair with no one to watch over her? "I kept wondering what would happen to N if she had no one to protect her and you guys were dealing with the Ind of Despair. What if she ended up in danger..." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3356 How Could My Real Feelings Be Anything Less Than Genuine? ? Chapter 3356 How Could My Real Feelings Be Anything Less Than Genuine? Luca tried to keep talking, but she could not hold it in any longer and broke down crying. Just thinking about her child still being in Abel''s hands made her heart ache, and she cried even harder. The thought of all the things Luke had done for her in secret pained her even more. Luke had not done anything wrong, but it hurt that he had done so much and never told her. Luca knew he meant well. He wanted to shield her from worry. However, when it came to something like this, she was involved too and could have helped. Yet Luke did everything on his own, keeping her in the dark for her own good, and that hurt her deeply. Luca felt helpless. It seemed he still saw her as someone fragile. It pained her that she could not do anything to help and that Luke had to shoulder everything alone. When he saw her tears, Luke knew he had made a mistake by hiding the truth. She wanted to stand by his side through it all, but he had only thought of protecting her. When it came to the issue of the Ind of Despair, they were not on the same page. The things he did to protect her did not always feel that way to her. Luke took the initiative to apologize, "I''m sorry. I just wanted you to feel more at ease, which is why I didn''t tell you." Luca began crying even harder. Luke, now panicked, grabbed tissues from the coffee table and gently wiped away her tears. Each tear that fell from her eyesnded heavily on his heart, tearing it into pieces. "Luca, please don''t cry. Watching you cry breaks my heart," Luke soothed her in a gentle voice. Her cries swept through him, turning his once unbreakable resolve into something achingly tender and soft. Watching her eyes swell and redden, he wished he could cry in her ce. "You did it for my sake." Luca choked out between sobs. "But I care about our child too." "I know. I was wrong." Luke surrendered, apologizing again. "I thought this would make things a little easier for you." "Only knowing that our child is safe would make me feel at ease." Luca continued sobbing. If he had told her about all this sooner, she would not have been so frightened and caught off guard by Abel. Even her dignity had been stripped away. Her child was her weakness, and Abel knew it all too well. He was using it to crush her. "Alright, alright, I get it. From now on, I won''t keep anything from you," promised Luke. His heart was breaking as he listened to her cries. "Okay, okay, don''t cry anymore. This is tearing me apart." Luca sniffled, listening to his promise. After a while, she pushed him away and took a tissue to wipe her own eyes. "It''s all your fault," said Luca. "If you''d told me sooner, I wouldn''t have been so terrified." "It''s all my fault," Luke admitted in a low voice. "I was wrong." "Yes, you were. I tell you everything, yet you don''t tell me anything about what you''re doing. Do you think I''m useless? That I can''t save our child?" Luca''s eyes were still red. She thought about the three years she had spent on the Ind of Despair and how she had grown stronger. At least now, she was no longer a burden to him. "Luke, I''m capable now. I won''t hold you back. How could you..." Then, she felt wronged all over again and was about to cry. Luke''s heart ached as he listened to her usations. Everything he had done had a simple goal, and it was to protect her. "That''s not what I meant," replied Luke, worried that she would misunderstand. He fumbled to wipe the tears from her face again. "Alright, I promise you, from now on, I''ll reach out to you first whenever anything happens." "From now on, whatever happens, we face it together." Luca still was not satisfied and pressed him for more assurance. "Alright, I promise. I''ll face it with you no matter what. I won''t handle things on my own." Knowing what she truly wanted, Luke had no choice but to agree. Otherwise, she would cry even more. Luke could not bear to see her tears. They broke his heart every time. When he saw her still crying, he cupped her face and said in a helpless tone, "Luca, do I need to put it in writing to stop the tears?" A softugh slipped from Luca''s lips,Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Luke let out a sigh of relief when she stopped crying and gently kissed her forehead. "You..." She had Lukepletely at a loss. "Since you came back, I haven''t seen you cry once. I thought you had toughened up, but I guess you''re still my little crybaby." He yfully tapped her nose. "I don''t cry as much anymore," replied Luca. "But I was really scared today. And when you told me everything, I just felt... so helpless." "Alright, let''s not talk about it. Look, your eyes are all red." Luke felt helpless. He let her go and pressed the inte. "Jason, bring two ice packs in here." "Yes, sir." A momentter, Jason walked in with the ice packs. He paused at the sight of Luca''s red, puffy eyes, quickly handed the ice packs to Luke, and immediately left. He dared not to linger and risk his boss'' displeasure. When the office door closed, Luca could not help but giggle. "Am I that scary?" asked Luca in a soft voice. "Of course not." Luke went to the lounge, took out a towel, and wrapped it around the ice pack to protect her skin. Luca followed him, watching as he wrapped the pack before gently cing it over her eyes. She closed her eyes obediently and chuckled. "Jason looked at me like I was something out of a horror movie. He practically ran out of here!" "He was just afraid of me." Luke held the towel against her skin carefully, treating her like the rarest treasure. The coolness soothed the puffiness and redness from all her crying, making her feel much better. "I''ve never thought you were scary," murmured Luca. "Then what do you think of me?" Luke nced at her, eyeing her rosy lips and feeling a sudden urge to kiss her on the lips. However, with a major meetinging up in half an hour, he could not dy it just to steal a moment with her. He sighed with frustration. He was the boss, yet his schedule was so jam-packed that he could not make time. Luca pondered for a moment, a soft smile curving her lips. "You... You''re the man I love most in the world." "That answer feels a little half-hearted," Luke''s smile mirrored hers. His usually serious face softened. It was warm like a spring breeze. "I mean every word. How could my real feelings be anything less than genuine?" Luca protested. Just then, she felt the ice pack lift from her eyelids, and when she opened her eyes, Luke''s lips were already pressing down onto hers. "Mhm..." The kiss came unexpectedly, sweeping over her like a powerful wave. Their lips lingered together as they poured out their love for each other. His passion nearly overwhelmed her. Luke''s embrace tightened, as though it was driven by an intense desire to fuse Luca into his very soul. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3357 Do You Have A Death Wish Or Something ? Chapter 3357 Do You Have A Death Wish Or Something When Luca felt like she was about to suffocate, Luke finally released her lips. His gaze burned intensely, his deep eyes locked onto her red lips. Luca could clearly sense what he was thinking. The desire in Luke''s eyes was so overwhelming it felt as though it wouldpletely consume her. She trembled slightly, her own body betraying her, longing to be devoured by him. "Luca," Luke murmured huskily, his voice thick with desire. Luca softly responded with a faint hum. Just then, Luke''s phone rang. It was his rm. Luke helplessly silenced it. rity returned to Luca''s gaze. "Do you have a meeting to attend?" She knew full well that it was usually for something important whenever Luke set an rm. An important meeting meant it could not be postponed. Luca let out a chuckle. No wonder Luke had not carried her straight to the lounge. He had something pressing to attend to. Luke heard herughter and replied helplessly, "I really don''t want to." Luca shook her head and told him that work had toe first. "You''d better go to your meeting. Also, I need to go to X City for a while. Can youe up with a reason for me to take leave from Watson?" She truly could not think of an excuse herself. If her identity was revealed, taking leave would not be an issue. However, with her identity still under wraps now, she had no special privileges to fall back on. Luke pondered for a moment before saying, "Just put in your request. I''ll take care of the rest." Luca nodded.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. At that moment, there was a knock on the office door. Luke''s expression darkened slightly. "What is it?" Jason''s voice came through from outside. "Boss, it''s time for the meeting." Luca''s smile deepened. Luke felt helpless, already thinking about how he wished Luca hade by an hour earlier. He cupped her face in his hands. Luca gently reminded him, "You have a meeting to attend." "I know," rasped Luke with his hoarse voice. He pressed a warm kiss to her forehead. It was just a light touch, but it carried endless affection. The heat of his lips lingered on her skin, making her cheeks flush even redder. "Go to your meeting." Luca gave him a gentle push. Luke replied in a low voice, "Just one more kiss." Then, his lips found her forehead again. Luca smiled, lightly tapping his shoulder. The knocking on the door came again. Luke opened the door with a dark expression. Jason stood nervously at the door. When he saw the look on Luke''s face, he froze for a moment before stammering an apology. "Boss, I''m sorry, but it''s time for the meeting..." Without saying a word, Luke strode toward the elevators, still wearing a grim expression on his face. Jason noticed his boss was empty-handed and could not help but think of one phrase, " Beauty brings ruin." Luca had cried, and now, Luke had forgotten to even grab hisptop before heading to the meeting. Jason nced back into the office at Luca, and suddenly, it clicked. It was not just tears, there must have been something more. "Uh, Dr. Craw, I''ll just grab the boss''ptop," said Jason. Luca nodded. As she realized Jason might have pieced together something, she left with reddened cheeks. Jason pursed his lips, grabbed Luke''sptop, and followed after him. After learning about Luke''s n, the anxiety in Luca''s heart disappeared entirely. She left T Corporation and quickly hailed a cab, heading straight for the high-speed rail station. While in the cab, she booked the next train ticket to X City. Luca arrived at X City''s high-speed rail station five hourster. Just as she stepped outside, Luke called. "Have you arrived in X City?" asked Luke with concern. "I just left the station. Did you finish your meeting?" Luca nced at the time, realizing the meeting hadsted over four hours. "Yes, it''s done. Be careful over there. I''ve sent Gale to assist you. If anything happens, just call him. He''ll handle it," replied Luke. He wanted to be there himself, but with the bidding project in A City starting soon, he had to stay. Even though Jack was not directly involved in the bidding, he had made it clear that T Corporation securing the project would benefit not only thepany''s growth but also A City''s development. "Got it," said Luca. Her thoughts wandered back to the vi. She could not help but feel uneasy about Allison and Sophian being there. It was not that she did not trust Luke, but she knew Sophian might resort to any means to get into his bed. Luke would not let it happen, of course, but dealing with her relentless attempts would still be exhausting. Sensing her worries, Luke reassured her, "I won''t go back to the vi while you''re away. I n to stay in the office for now. Focus on your task. We''ll resolve this issue together." They would deal with the Ind of Despair and rescue their precious daughter. "Okay, I trust you," said Luca as she gged down another cab. Once inside, she added, "I''m in a cab now. I''ll be there in about ten minutes." Her words implied she would soon arrive at the base. "Got it. Let me know when you arrive. I have a small meeting to attend here, but don''t worry, I''ll stay at the office until you''re back," promised Luke, emphasizing his "Alright, I''ll handle everything as quickly as I can." Luca ended the call with a smile ying on her lips. Ten minutester, the cab pulled up to her destination. After getting out, she made her way through several turns and finally arrived at the entrance of the base. She was slightly surprised by what she saw. In front of her stood a three-story vi with a garden, looking like a standalone residence. When had the base moved to a ce like this? Why did she not know about this? Feeling puzzled, Luca pressed the doorbell. "Who is it?" There came a low, raspy voice from the other side. "It''s Ivana," replied Luca. "A moment, please," replied the person. After a while, the door opened. The man who opened it had ethnic features. His body was broad and muscr. He was clearly a Russian. He sized Luca up, and his gaze gradually turned lecherous. Luca snapped impatiently, "Seen enough?" "Where''s your ID?" asked the man. He clearly did not recognize her. Luca frowned. ID? She hade in such a rush that she had not brought anything. "I didn''t bring it," answered Luca. "No ID?" The man''s expression hardened as he blocked the doorway. "No ID, no entry." A flicker of irritation crossed Luca''s eyes. "I was sent by Abel to assist Mr. Shanks with his experiments. I didn''t bring my ID because of the urgency, and I''m based in A City, so it''s impossible to get it now. If you doubt me, just inform Mr. Shanks that Ivana was sent to help with his experiments. Then you''ll know if I''m lying." "How do I know this isn''t some trick? You''re not wee here. Leave," the man replied coldly. Luca''s patience wore thin, and she stepped forward. The man''s eyes widened. His gaze darkened with a clear warning. If she took another step, he would not hesitate to act. "Lady, you don''t get it, do you? Do you have a death wish or something?" The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3358 Anyone Who Crosses Her ? Chapter 3358 Anyone Who Crosses Her Luca was not one to tolerate nonsense. Without hesitation, she grabbed the man''s arm and shoulder. Before the man could react, he was mmed to the ground with a swift over-the-shoulder throw. The man let out a grunt, stunned by the sheer force of her move. He could not believe a woman managed to flip him like that. He was a man nearly six-foot-three and weighed close to 200 pounds! Dressed in tailored pants instead of a skirt, Luca did not have to worry about modesty. She stepped forward, pressing her pointed shoe firmly onto his chest. "Now, do you believe I''m one of you?" "You! Argh, that hurts-" His attempt to curse got cut off as she applied more pressure with her foot. Strangely enough, he had been beaten to a pulp during training before, but it had never hurt this much. "Still don''t believe me?" Luca''s shoe pressed directly onto one of his weak points. Her sharp-toed shoes made it easy to pinpoint the spot, and the pain was excruciating. "Damn it!" The man clenched his teeth and cursed in agony. Unable to bear it any longer, he fumbled for his walkie-talkie and pressed the emergency alert button. Being pinned to the ground like this by a woman would be utterly humiliating if others in the organization saw it. Still, humiliation was better than losing his life. Luca said, "I told you, if you go to Mr. Shanks, everything will be clear. You refused, so I have no choice but to use violence to prove that I''m from the same organization as you." The man gritted his teeth as his face twisted in pain. Pushing her foot off would have been simple, but the excruciating pain made him incapable of putting up any resistance. Luca was not holding back. Moments after he pressed the rm, several men rushed out. One of them was Gerald. When Gerald spotted Luca and nced at the man pinned under her heel, he was startled for a moment. What was she doing here? Why did shee here? How the hell had she taken down a guy so effortlessly? His jaw dropped in shock. When the man saw his team standing frozen, he barked angrily, "Are you all just going to stand there? Take her down already! She''s killing me!" The others came back to their senses and started to move toward Luca. "Wait!" Gerald called out, stopping them. "She''s one of us!" "Someone on our side would attack their own members?" another man asked skeptically. Luca released her foot, ncing down at the man and saying, "Didn''t I say I''m one of you? Do you believe me now?" The moment her foot lifted, the man gasped for air. He felt like he had narrowly escaped death. The man got up. His gaze was filled with malice, like a venomous snake. t was as though he wanted nothing more than to strike her down immediately. Luca walked inside. Gerald could not help but let out a shiver when he saw her. He had always known she was no ordinary woman, but watching her effortlessly take down a man like that left him in awe. He had once fantasized about teaching her a lesson if they ever crossed paths. Now, he only wished he could stay as far as possible from her. As Luca passed by him, she nced his way. Gerald immediately lowered his head. Luca said, "I have to admit, you''re pretty lucky." Gerald knew exactly what she meant. He owed his life to Amur. Without his intervention, Gerald would have been dead by now. Still, alive or not, it hardly mattered. Now, he could only stay holed up in this small vi, avoiding the outside world at all costs. Outside, his wanted posters were everywhere. Even though he was skilled at evading surveince, Gerald did not want to risk even the slightest chance of getting caught. Therefore, he chose to stay here, willingly working odd jobs for the organization. If the police captured him, he knew he would not be facing a prison sentence but rather a manhunt from the Ind of Despair. Even though he had no freedom, he was willing to stay here, hoping that one day, Shanks could help him with stic surgery and a new identity so that he could start anew. As Gerald watched Luca disappear inside, his gaze darkened. He hated her. However, he dared not to act on that hatred now. The man Luca had thrown earlier got to his feet and stomped over to Gerald. His face twisted with anger as he demanded, "Who the hell is that woman?" "She''s one of you, also from the ind," answered Gerald. The man frowned. The woman was also from the Ind of Despair? Why did he not remember her? "You''d better not mess with her. She''s... not like the rest of you," Gerald warned him. He had a rtively good rtionship with this man, so he said all this simply to remind him not to mess with Luca. She was not someone to be messed with. "That woman? Ha! I just underestimated her earlier," the man sneered darkly. If he ever got the chance, he would make sure she paid for what she did. He would break her spirit and make her submit entirely. Gerald recognized that sinister look and shook his head. Still, he pressed on with his warning, "I''m serious. Don''t mess with her. There''s something off about that woman." The man let out a cold sneer, brushing the dirt off his clothes before heading back inside. Meanwhile, Luca had reached Shanks''b. As she looked at the bold ''No Entry Without Authorization'' sign on the door, she knocked. Shanks'' voice called out from inside, "Who is it?" "Mr. Shanks, it''s me, Ivana," replied Luca. "Come in," said Shanks. Luca pushed the door open. When she was about to step inside, she looked back at the man she had thrown earlier, who had just reached the second floor. She gave him a mocking smile and walked into theboratory. "Damn it!" The man was urged to storm after her. The moment he saw Luca step into theboratory, he forcefully stopped in his tracks, panting heavily. He was unable to do anything to her. Theboratory was a restricted area. Abel had made it clear. If anyone entered Shanks''b without permission, whether they caused trouble or not, their fate was death. The man valued his life too much to take risks. "Hmph." Luca closed theb door behind her, letting out a deliberate chuckle. The man''s veins bulged with anger. He wanted nothing more than to tear her apart. He could not handle the provocation anymore.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He then mmed one into the wall with all his might. The wall now had a gaping hole in it. Gerald, hearing the noise from downstairs, hurried to the second floor. He thought the man had gone after Luca, but when he saw the hole in the wall, he froze in surprise. The man growled viciously, "I swear, I''ll make that bitch pay one day!" Gerald shook his head. The man red at Gerald. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" "Look, since you''ve been kind to me before, I''ll give you some advice. Don''t mess with her. Trust me, you''ll only be asking for trouble," Gerald said earnestly. "I''ve seen it firsthand. I don''t even dare step outside anymore because of her. You can''t afford to provoke her, or the people backing her." "I don''t buy it. There''s no woman I can''t tame. If I can''t conquer her the first time, I''ll keep trying. Eventually, she''ll be purring like a kitten under me." The man was unconvinced. Gerald shook his head again helplessly. Some people just would not listen, blinded by their arrogance and belief in their invincibility. Fine, this guy would have to learn his lesson the hard way. After all, anyone who crossed Luca never ended well. In Gerald''s eyes, Luca was on the same untouchable level as Abel. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3359 Destroy The Island Of Despair ? Chapter 3359 Destroy The Ind Of Despair Abel and Luca were not people one could provoke casually. If one did, one could lose one''s life at any moment! *I''ve said what I needed to say. If you don''t believe it, then you''re on your own," replied Gerald, no longer trying to convince the man. There was no point in arguing further. Inside theboratory, Shanks did not look up. He pointed at a spot in the room and said, "Change into theb coat." Luca followed his gesture and saw ab coatid out. She obediently put it on, along with shoe covers, goggles, and other necessary gear. After all, the drugs he researched were highly toxic, so these precautions were necessary for her safety. Once she finished changing, Luca walked over to Shanks''s side. *Mr. Shanks, what do you need me to do?" asked Luca. Shanks pondered for a moment before pointing at some files on the right. "Start by looking at these. A test subject will being in for the clinical trials tomorrow. You need to finish reviewing these before they arrive." Luca stared at the stack of files, which was almost half a meter tall, and paused for a moment. Even if she was highly skilled, there was no way she could go through all this data in such a short time... Shanks noticed she had not moved and nced at the files. "Just focus on the red folder. The rest are just discarded experimental data." "Got it, Mr. Shanks," Luca replied calmly on the surface, but she was secretly shocked. Shanks was a genius in pharmaceutical research. Normally, he was very efficient and hardly ever produced wasted experiments. How long had it been? How could he have already conducted so many trials? Luca knew he did all this without anyone''s help, yet he had managed to achieve so much. She could not help but admire him. He really was a mad scientist in the field of pharmaceuticals. Only someone truly obsessed could havepleted so many experiments in such a short amount of time and be on the verge of perfecting a drug. Luca did not dwell on it too long. She picked up the thick stack of data and sat down to begin reviewing it. Over the years, she had developed a system for quickly analyzing experimental data. As she sped through the documents, a knock came at the door. "Who is it?" asked Shanks. "It''s me, Mr. Shanks," a man''s voice responded. Luca frowned. The voice sounded familiar. It was the same man from earlier who had tried to stop her at the door, only for her to throw him over her shoulder. Shanks replied, "Come in." The man opened the door but dared not to step inside. He immediately saw Luca sitting there, looking over the experimental data. He narrowed his eyes, surprised to see she was really helping Shanks with the experiments. He had thought she was just here to make him feelfortable... "What is it?" Shanks'' voice brought the man back to his senses. "Mr. Shanks, a volunteer for the experiment called to confirm the time. It''s 8:00 am tomorrow, right?" the man said respectfully. Shanks paused his work and furrowed his brows together as he turned to look at him. "Didn''t I tell you?" The man froze for a moment, quickly shaking his head. "No, you did, sir." *Then just do as I said. Why bother asking me again?" Shanks'' tone was sharp. He was clearly irritated that the man had interrupted his experiment. The man flinched. He hade in to check if Luca was as capable as Gerald said. Now, he saw her sitting there, holding experimental data in her hands. He understood what Gerald meant when he said she was from the Ind of Despair but different from them. They were all rough men, unable to contribute much to Shanks'' research. They just did odd jobs. They did not even dare to enter theb. However, Luca walked straight into theb the moment she arrived. It seemed she really had some skills. The man felt a surge of excitement. The more capable a woman was, the more satisfying it was to conquer her. He was certain he would have her in his bed! "Yes, Mr. Shanks, my apologies. I just wanted to confirm because tomorrow is important. I''ll stop disturbing you now." The man gave Luca a meaningful look before turning to leave. As theb door closed, Shanks said nonchntly, "Be careful." Luca was surprised. There was no one else in theb, so she realized that Shanks words were directed at her. Be careful of what? *Mr. Shanks?" asked Luca. *The way that man looked at you wasn''t friendly. Be careful, replied Shanks. "I''m busy these days, so if anything happens to you, I won''t get involved." "Got it," said Luca. "I''ll be careful. Thank you, Mr. Shanks." Even though Shanks would not help her directly, at least he gave her a warning. Luca felt grateful. She lowered her gaze and continued to read the data while jotting down key information on a piece of paper. Later that night, when Shanks finished his experiment, Luca had finally gone through all the data. Leaning against the experiment table, Shanks watched her exhale slowly and asked, "Finished?" "Yes, I''m done, Mr. Shanks. I didn''t expect you to be doing this kind of research. It''s quite impressive," replied Luca. After going through all the data, she was confident that Shanks'' experiment would seed. If Shanks'' experiment seeded, it meant they could save Kassy. Then, the next step would be for Luke to find someone to take down the Ind of Despair and rescue their precious daughter. Shanks'' eyes flickered with a deeper meaning. "Didn''t you already know?"N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Luca was taken aback. Already knew? Yes, she had known all along. "I was just guessing," replied Luca, but deep down, she was shocked. Shanks'' sharpness was no less than Abel''s. The difference was, Shanks never showed it. That was why his words made Luca uneasy. How much did he actually know? The thought made her hands tremble slightly. *It''s gettingte. I''ve arranged your room for you. It''s thest one on the third floor. Go get some sleep. I''ll need your help tomorrow," said Shanks as he walked out of theb. Luca rose to her feet with the papers in her hands and said, "Mr. Shanks, may I take this with me? I''d like to review the important data before going to sleep." "As you wish," Shanks replied indifferently. Even if Luca was nning to betray the Ind of Despair, it was not his concern. The experimental data could be thrown away at any time since everything was already stored in his mind. The only thing that mattered was not destroying his experimental samples. Luca smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Mr. Shanks." "Ivana," Shanks suddenly called her by name. "Yes?" Luca put the papers in her pocket. "If you''re nning to destroy the Ind of Despair, just don''t destroy my experimental samples. Otherwise, I won''t let you off." After Shanks finished his sentence, he walked out of the room. Luca froze for a moment. Suddenly, a cold shiver ran down her spine, spreading throughout her body. She felt a clear sense of threat. As she watched Shanks leave, her heart sank. Did Shanks know everything? How could someone who only worked in theb, with no power or connections, know about her n with Luke? If he knew, did that mean Abel also knew? At that thought, a chill ran through Luca''s body. She took a step forward, only to find her legs frozen in ce. The cold seeped into her bones, and it felt as though it had paralyzed her entirely. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3360 Youre The One Seducing Me ? Chapter 3360 You''re The One Seducing Me Once Shanks'' figure hadpletely disappeared from view, Luca finally regained a bit of herposure. She felt an intense cold. It was so cold it felt like she could hardly breathe. Whenever it came to N''s safety, she lost all ability to stay calm. Luca quickly made her way up to the third floor. Shanks had already gone back to his room. She walked absentmindedly to thest room and pushed the door open. She entered the room, closed the door, and locked it behind her. Then, she used the device that Luke had given her to scan the room. Once she confirmed there were no listening devices or surveince cameras, she took out her phone and dialed his number. The phone rang twice before it was answered. "Luca, are you okay?" Luke''s concerned voice filled her ear. Luca trembled. She could feel the cold seeping into her body, and her words were shaking from the chill. "Luke, there are two things I need to tell you," said Luca. Luke frowned when he heard the seriousness in her tone. "What is it?" *The first thing is, I''ve gone through all of Shanks'' research data. There don''t seem to be any major problems. I think his groundbreaking research is likely to seed," exined Luca. Luke furrowed his brows. He had previously been doubtful about the research and had even asked Johann about it. Johann expressed concern that such research was unlikely to seed due to its radical nature. "What about the second?" Luke tried to speak softly tofort her. *The second thing is, Shanks might know about our n. He just warned me. He said that it would be fine to destroy the Ind of Despair, but we can''t touch his research. Otherwise, he won''t let me off the hook." Luca paused for a moment. "Luke, I''m not afraid of him threatening me, and you know that. I''m just worried about N. So, when we make a move, let''s try to avoid damaging theb if we can." Luca had her reasons for saying this. Even though she had learned a lot from Shanks, she could not replicate his rapid progress in drug research. If he had poisoned N, it might take her some time to find the cure. Hence, Luca needed to make things clear with Luke. *He''s a genius in drug research, but he''s also a madman. The fact that he would give me such a warning means it''s his final one. Our previous operation has already upset him. We can''t afford to anger him again. If we protect his research, it might even be beneficial to us." "Alright, I got it," Luke replied after a moment of silence. Then, he continued, "Don''t worry. My men have already checked it out. Hisb is structurally different from the other buildings. It won''t be easily destroyed. When we attack, as long as we''re careful not to damage theb''s locks, the things inside will be safe. His research will be preserved." Luca let out a sigh of relief. "Luke, everything I''m doing now is for the sake of our child. Our child will be safely returned to us, right?" Luca was seeking reassurance from him to calm her heart. *Yes, she''ll definitelye back safely," assured Luke.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Their child would definitely return to them safely. Luca took a deep breath, feeling reassured after hearing his response. *Things on my end will be wrapped up soon. Wait for my good news," said Luca. After telling Luke everything, her heart calmed down a little. Only Luke could soothe her anxiety. Luke responded, "Yes, don''t worry. Not only are we waiting for N toe back, but the elders at home are also waiting for her. With so many people ready to wee her, she''ll definitely return safely. Everything will be fine. Don''t worry." "Yes, our child will definitelye back safely." Luca felt even more at ease after his reassurance. As long as Shanks did not interfere, their chances of sess would be much higher. *Alright, I still need to go over the data here. The clinical trial is tomorrow. Once I finish reviewing, I''ll get some rest. I need to be in the best condition," added Luca. "Okay, good night," replied Luke. His heart ached as he listened to her. The woman he was supposed to protect was now facing all this alone. He should be there to protect her. With that thought, Luke made a silent decision in his mind. After hanging up, Luca went over the critical data one more time before pulling the nket over herself and preparing to rest. Just as she closed her eyes, she noticed a strange smell in the air! It was knockout gas! Luca frowned and immediately held her breath. A momentter, someone attempted to open the door. However, she had locked it, so the person could not get in. The silence outside followed almost immediately. A hint of murderous intent shed across Luca''s eyes. She quickly sat up, opened the windows, and turned on the air conditioning''s venttion system. Less than half a minuteter, she gently sniffed the air, and the scent of knockout gas hadpletely dissipated. She let out a sigh of relief. Lying back down, she knew the person who had tried to open her door would not just give up. She stayed still, waiting for them to return. After a while, she heard the sound of the door lock turning. She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing, pretending to be unconscious. The man entered the room, closed the door behind him, and turned on the lights. As he looked at Luca lying on the bed, he smirked. "I thought you were tough, but that''s all you got? One whiff of knockout gas, and you''re out cold? Tsk, tsk, look at you. You''re going to spend the night with me, aren''t you?" Even with her eyes closed, Luca could tell who it was from the voice. As the man leaned in, she suddenly lifted her leg and struck with all her might. The man let out a scream and rolled off the bed. Luca immediately got up, stepped out of bed, and narrowed her eyes at him. "You? How dare you touch me?" "You... You damn woman!" The man covered the injured area with one hand and pointed at Luca with the other." I''ll kill you!" *Using dirty tricks like drugs to deal with me? Let''s see who ends up killing who!" Luca was not intimidated by his words. She shot him a fierce re and then opened the door. The man''s scream earlier had already attracted a crowd of onlookers from the base. Luca narrowed her eyes. As she looked at the people outside, she spotted Gerald. "Aren''t you going toe in and drag this man out?" Gerald quickly called to the others, "Hurry, drag him out." Luca added, "This needs to be reported to the boss. He drugged me and tried to hurt me. Make sure this gets reported tomorrow. Don''t even think about covering for him. You know who I am. If you cover for him, don''t me me for not being nice." A chill seeped down Gerald''s spine. As he looked at the man writhing on the floor, fear crept into his heart. Luca''s kick had been so fierce that it left the man in this state. Gerald replied, "Y-Yes, I''ll report it." When the man heard that it was going to be reported to Abel, he quickly pointed at Luca and shouted, "You slut! I didn''t drug you; you were the one seducing me! Ouch, that hurts so much!" The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3361 None Of Them Dare To Make A Pass At Her Anymore ? Chapter 3361 None Of Them Dare To Make A Pass At Her Anymore "Is that so? You didn''t drug me?" Luca''s eyes darkened. She was in no mood to be polite with men like him, so she kicked him again. The man screamed in pain. Before he acted, he did not expect Luca to be so strong. It felt like he was about to be crushed! The force and sound made everyone around them gasp in surprise. It was ruthless-too ruthless. A woman could kick that hard? They suddenly remembered what Gerald had said and shuddered. This woman was not to be messed with. Even if she was beautiful and had a great figure, they should never mess with her! Otherwise, the next person getting treated this way might be them. Luca crouched down and reached into the man''s pocket, pulling out a cigarette. She shoved it into his mouth." Tell me, is this an aphrodisiac?" The man spat the cigarette out angrily. "That''s my cigarette!" "Very well, then." Luca''s gaze darkened. She had given him the chance to live, but he did not appreciate it. He even kept harassing her. She was not going to show mercy to someone like him. With a look of disdain, she picked up the cigarette and ripped it open. The man froze for a moment, then he yelled while trying to hold back the pain, "What are you doing?" *A typical aphrodisiac just needs to be inhaled. If you inhale too much, you could die. And if you ingest it directly, the dosage will be much higher. So, if this is really your cigarette, there won''t be a problem. If it''s actually an aphrodisiac, you''ll go into shock immediately." Luca slowly shook out some powder from inside the cigarette. She stared at the man with narrowed eyes. This was hisst chance. If she shoved the powder into his mouth, he would either die or be severely harmed. She had learned long ago not to show mercy to those who intended to hurt her. Otherwise, the one who would end up suffering would be her. The man trembled all over. He had only wanted to take advantage of Luca, to have her as his woman and erase the humiliation from before. He never thought it would cost him his life. He immediately begged, "Please, no! Don''t!" *Is it a cigarette or an aphrodisiac?" Luca held the powder in front of him, waiting for him to admit it. "It''s an aphrodisiac!" The man, terrified she would force the powder into his mouth, squeezed his eyes shut and confessed. Several men around them gasped. One of them said, "Ugh, you scum, using these dirty tricks just to get a woman? You''re embarrassing our organization!" "Exactly, what kind of woman can''t you get? You''re not only going after your own people, but you''re also drugging her! If she''s into you, fine. But if she''s not, don''t pull this shady crap, man. What a shame." Another man went along. The man felt the pain all over, but the scornful words from the others were like daggers stabbing into him. He just wanted to dig a hole and bury himself. "You''re embarrassing us men!"N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. "Yeah, what a disgrace." "Shut up!" The man was in agony, but the others just stood there watching, enjoying the drama. Luca rose to her feet and tossed the powder out the window. She said in an icy tone, "I''ll report this. As for where you got these drugs, someone will interrogate you about itter. I''m tired, so you can go on and do whatever you need to do." Gerald wiped the sweat off his forehead. After witnessing Luca''s power, he no longer dared to underestimate her. "Let''s go." Gerald and another man helped the injured man out of the room. The man left with furrowed brows, but the look in his eyes was venomous. He would not let Luca off the hook! Everyone quickly left the room, wary of staying too long in case they ended up on the wrong side of Luca. Earlier, Gerald had warned them that this woman was formidable, and now, they had seen it for themselves. She did not hesitate to take down a man without a second thought. No one knew if that man would recover. Luca mmed the door shut with a bang. After airing out the room for a while, she closed the window and was about to sleep when her phone rang. It was Luke calling her. Luca was startled for a moment, surprised that Luke would call her at this hour. "What''s wrong?" Luca quickly answered. *I suddenly had this uneasy feeling, like something had happened. Luca, is everything alright on your end?" Luke''s voice was hoarse, filled with concern. Luca''s heart was warm. The tension from the night melted away in an instant. "A little incident happened here, but it''s all taken care of." Luke''s unease only deepened, "What happened?" Luca briefly exined what happened earlier. "I don''t think anyone will try anything with me now. They don''t want to end up like the other guy. So, don''t worry. I''m safe here, and I''m fine." Luke suddenlyughed. "I didn''t know my wife was this tough." Luca''s cheeks flushed. They rarely called each other husband and wife in private for the sake of their child''s safety. Luke was afraid that if he got used to it, it would be hard to stop. If someone with bad intentions overheard, it would cause trouble. Luca could not help but feel a little proud from hispliment. "Of course, I''m tough. From now on, don''t make me angry, or I''ll take you down too." "I''m not scared." Luke''s voice became deeper. "You wouldn''t dare." Luca touched her reddened cheeks, remembering the intimate, lingering kiss they shared earlier that day. "Alright, it''ste. Are you still working?" "I''m working, but honestly, I''m just thinking about you while doing it," Luke expressed his longing. "I miss you too." Luca could not help but wish everything would get resolved quickly so that their family could finally reunite and live without any worries. *Alright, I need to get back to work. Give me two days," Luke suddenly said. Luca was taken aback by his sudden, cryptic statement. "Huh? What''s happening in two days?" "It''s nothing. You''ll find outter. Alright, I love you. Goodnight." Luke nced at the time. It was alreadyte. Even though he missed her, he suppressed his longing and told her to get some rest. "I love you too..." Luca''s voice carried her unspoken emotions. "Goodnight." After hanging up the phone, she thought for a moment and then hung a cup on the doorknob. That way, if someone entered in the middle of the night, she would be the first to know. Once the cup was in ce, Lucay down on the bed. She had cried earlier and then rushed to X City. She was exhausted. The moment her head hit the pillow, she fell into a deep sleep. She was so tired and slept soundly. After what happened with that man, no one dared to bother her tonight. Luca knew she was safe here, at least for now. At least in this den of wolves, none of those men dared to make a pass at her anymore. She slept peacefully through the night without any dreams. The following day, Luca woke up, nced at her phone, and saw the time. Thanks to her internal clock, it was the usual time she would wake up for work. She quickly got out of bed. Then, she looked at her clothes and frowned. Luca hade in such a hurry that she did not have time to go back home and pack her clothes or luggage first. Since she had no clothes to change into, she had not even taken a shower yesterday. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3362 It Can Help So Many People ? Chapter 3362 It Can Help So Many People Luca pushed open the door and went downstairs. It was still early, and the people for the clinical trials hadn''t arrived yet. Luca found Gerald in the kitchen, making breakfast. Gerald was not as skilled as the others from the Ind of Despair, so he was the one who usually cooked breakfast here. After all, the weak had no say in a ce like the Ind of Despair. When Gerald heard footsteps, he turned around and saw Luca. He could not help but shiver. The man who had tried to make a pass at her yesterday had been carried awayter on. They originally wanted Shanks to help treat him, but after Shanks examined him, he said that he needed to go to the hospital for treatment since the equipment here was not sufficient for the necessary surgery. That man had to be sent to the hospital for surgery that very night. ording to the group who brought the man to the hospital, the doctor was shocked when he saw the man''s injuries. The doctor even said on the spot that it looked like a woman had kicked him so viciously and asked if they wanted to report it to the authorities. Of course, they did not need to call the police. The man was rushed straight into surgery that night. The doctor also mentioned that the damage was so severe it would be hard to recover to full function. Any extent of recovery would be considered good. Gerald shivered again, realizing how terrifying Luca was. He could not mess with her. "Are you making breakfast?" Luca saw him in his apron. She could not help but frown. He did not look anything like the others from the Ind of Despair. He seemed more like a house husband. Luca was surprised when she saw such a scene. The people at the base usually handled their own food. No one ever made breakfast for everyone like Gerald did. "Yes." Gerald looked at her carefully. Luca stepped closer. "I need a favor." Gerald was surprised. "What kind of favor?" "Could you buy me a few sets of clothes?" asked Luca, "I came here in such a rush, so I didn''t bring anything." A look of awkwardness shed across Gerald''s face. He was not sure if he should go out. After a brief pause, he said, "Ms. Craw, isn''t your boyfriend''s vi nearby? It''s only half an hour''s drive. Shouldn''t there still be some of your clothes there?" Luca remembered what he said. Yes, her clothes were in the vi. *Alright. If Shanks asks about me, just tell him I went to the vi to grab my clothes." Luca felt a little awkward asking Gerald to buy her clothes. After all, there were some personal items that were not appropriate for him to buy. When Luca was about to leave, she asked, "Do you have a car here?"Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. *We have a few shared ones," answered Gerald. "The keys are behind the entryway." Luca found a set of car keys behind the entryway. It took her about an hour to take a shower and change her clothes at the vi before returning. By now, it was almost 8:00 am. Luca walked into the kitchen to find that the breakfast Gerald had made had already been finished by the men. With no other option, Luca made herself some in buttered pasta. As she ced the pasta on the table, everyone in the room stared at her. She shot them a re. The men quickly shifted their gazes, focusing back on their breakfast. Luca let out a cold snort, making it clear that she was not someone to be messed with. If they had any other bad intentions, they would not get off easy. The men felt frustrated, wishing they could challenge Luca. However, when they remembered what had happened to their pal the previous night, they all shuddered and immediately lost any such thoughts. With her formidable strength, Luca taught the men a hard-earned lesson in respecting women. Sometimes, women were much stronger than they had imagined. By the time they finished breakfast, Shanks came downstairs. *Good morning, Mr. Shanks," everyone greeted him. Shanks nodded. His gazended on Luca. Luca was calmly eating her pasta,pletely unbothered by the men around her. The events of the previous night did not affect her at all. Shanks expression darkened for a moment. Gerald stood up and brought thest portion of breakfast to Shanks. "Mr. Shanks, your breakfast." "Thank you." Shanks nodded and sat down next to Luca, starting his breakfast. Gerald wiped his hands awkwardly and exined to Luca, "Ms. Craw, I didn''t know if you wanted breakfast, so I didn''t prepare anything for you. But if you have the habit of having breakfast, I''ll make sure to prepare your share tomorrow." "That''s unnecessary." Luca''s expression was indifferent. When she looked at the food everyone was eating, she had no appetite. She did not need to try it to know how nd it must taste. Back on the Ind of Despair, she never had a problem eating whatever was avable. Even if the food was unappetizing, as long as it provided energy, she could eat it. However, since she came back and started spending time with Luke, she had be more particr about food. "I''ll make it myself," said Luca. She definitely wanted breakfast, and since she could not stomach Gerald''s cooking, she would make her own. Shanks spoke up calmly, "Make an extra portion." Luca nodded. "Okay." Even though she did not follow all the formalities with Shanks, he had taught her a lot about medicine and pharmaceutical theory. That was why Luca was willing to make him breakfast. As for the other people in the house, Luca had no intention of making breakfast for them. When they looked at her, she returned their gaze with a sharp stare. Their hope of having her make breakfast for them vanished instantly. After all, Gerald''s cooking was not exactly impressive. They could not go out all the time now, and since they were alsozy, Gerald''s breakfast was better than nothing for them. After breakfast, Luca sent a message to Luke, letting him know she was safe and that she had gone to the vi to grab some clothes. Luke quickly replied, telling her to just let him know if she was missing anything and he would have Gale prepare it and leave it at the vi for her to pick up when she was ready. Luca replied: [Okay.] Then, she heard someone say, "The people for the clinical trial have arrived." She quickly informed Luke that she was going to be carrying out the trial and put her phone in her pocket before walking out. Luca did not know where Shanks found the volunteer, but she was pretty sure it was not through official channels. She sized up the volunteer. The volunteer had injured both of their eyes, and the injury looked very simr to Kassy''s. Luca was not entirely sure about it. Kassy''s incident happened so long ago that she had forgotten the exact nature of the injuries. Luca passed out after the incident and had no idea how severe Kassy''s injuries ended up being. All she knew was that Kassy''s eyes were injured and her leg was broken. She heard that her kneecap shattered, and with modern medicine, the only way to treat it would be through a knee recement. However, the nerves could never heal. What Shanks was trying to do now was to restore Kassy''s nerve function and perform eyeball transnt surgery. These were things modern medicine could not achieve. However, the drugs Shanks was researching seemed to make this possible. When Luca saw the volunteer, she could not help but feel a sense of hope. If Shanks'' research seeded, and the drug was brought to market, it could help so many people. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3363 Strikingly Similar To Kassys Injuries ? Chapter 3363 Strikingly Simr To Kassy''s Injuries The injuries of the volunteer willing to participate in the clinical trial were strikingly simr to Kassy''s injuries. If this volunteer recovered, then Kassy should be able to as well. Luca felt it was almost like science fictionpletely unrealistic. Still, when it came to Shanks, she could not help but feel a flicker of hope. Without realizing it, Luca had started to adopt Shanks'' passion for pharmaceuticals and medicine. Shanks nced at Luca briefly before shifting his gaze back to the volunteer. "Get him onto the vehicle, Shanks instructed the staff. "Yes, Mr. Shanks." "Why are we putting him in the vehicle?" Luca was puzzled. Gerald nced at her and exined, "It''s because this room doesn''t meet the necessary hygiene standards. Mr. Shanks arranged for a medical van to be brought in." He heard that Shanks initially nned to transport the volunteer to the Ind of Despair for the procedure since the equipment there was fully equipped. However, the volunteer''s family disagreed with it. They were worried about what might happen and insisted the experiment take ce in X City. That way, regardless of the oue, good or bad, they could bring the volunteer home immediately. *A medical van, huh?" Luca was a little surprised at the lengths Shanks had gone to. "Get ready," Shanks said to Luca as he took the test results from the volunteer''s family. "He''ll need a simple examination." Since the equipment here was insufficient, Shanks had asked the family to take the volunteer to the hospital for a thorough medical check-up. Once all the reports were ready, they could bring him back to this location. Luca nodded and then turned to Gerald with another question. "Do you know anything about this volunteer''s background?" "I heard he''s got a rtive in the same line of work as me, but they don''t know about our organization. They just know we''re running this secret experiment. His family thought that since things were already pretty messed up, it couldn''t get much worse. "So, they might as well let the guy go through with the surgery. Who knows? Maybe it''ll work." Gerald shared everything he knew with her. Luca pondered for a moment. Gerald, sensing her contemtion, asked curiously, "Ms. Craw, do you think this research will actually seed? From what I''ve read, this kind of experiment has never been achieved with current medical technology.* "You''ll find out soon enough." Luca walked toward the medical van. Following Shanks'' instructions, she underwent strict disinfection procedures before boarding the van. Once the door was closed, it became a closed chamber. It was apletely sterile environment. Luca changed into a sterile suit and went through another round of disinfection before entering the mainpartment. The volunteer was seated there. Surrounded by unfamiliar people and in an alien environment, he looked a little nervous. He could not see or move, which exined why he was a little scared. However, he managed a faint smile, holding on to the hope that he might get a second chance at life. Luca asked Shanks, "Mr. Shanks, what should I do?" "Help the volunteer lie down," instructed Shanks. Following his directions, Luca gently guided the volunteer to lie on his back. Shanks was meticulously reviewing the test results, including the hospital scans, studying each detail carefully. Once the volunteer was settled, he assigned Luca another task. "Run an ECG test and take his blood pressure." "Got it." Luca performed the tasks with practiced ease,pleting the ECG and measuring the blood pressure in no time. *All done, Mr. Shanks. Everything appears normal," reported Luca. "Okay." Shanks stepped up to the volunteer. Even though the volunteer could not see, Shanks introduced himself politely, "Hello, sir. I''m the lead physician for this clinical trial. The procedure will be carried out in two phases. ''First, we''ll repair the nerves in your knees and thighs. Once you''ve recovered sufficiently, we''ll proceed with an eye transnt and repair the optic nerves. Do you have any questions?" The volunteer, lying on the medical bed, trembled slightly at Shanks'' words. "Yes, I do." "Go ahead." Shanks'' tone was patient and reassuring. "What''s the sess rate?" asked the volunteer hesitantly. *I can give you an approximate figure-80%, answered Shanks, his tone carrying a hint of bold confidence. Luca''s heart skipped a beat. Even for standard procedures, most doctors would avoid giving such definitive probabilities to patients or their families. Still, Shanks had confidently dered 80%. That was an extraordinarily high sess rate... It left her stunned. This was a procedure that had never seeded anywhere in the world! Yet Shanks was iming an 80% chance of sess! The volunteer trembled again. Having been ill for so many years, he understood just how remarkable that percentage was. Previously, doctors had suggested he get artificial knees, but even then, they warned that it would not guarantee he would walk again since his nerves werepletely dead. Now, he was being offered an 80% chance. If not for the credibility of the rtive who referred him, he might have thought this doctor was insane. Perhaps he was spouting numbers just to convince him to be part of the clinical trial. With a shaky voice, the volunteer asked, "I have one more question." "Yes." Shanks inspected the instruments they would be using shortly. "What''s the reason for the remaining 20% chance of failure?" "Your family didn''t permit us to take you to Russia for the procedure. The equipment there is far more advanced. If we had ess to that technology, the sess rate would''ve been 99%," exined Shanks. Despite his confidence, Shanks refrained from iming 100%. It also depended on the patient''s physical condition. He knew there were always factors like the patient''s physical condition that could lead to failure, however small the chance. "Okay, okay." The volunteer could not help but feel a sense of hope for the future. "Doctor, let''s proceed." "We''ll use localized anesthesia." Shanks turned to look at Luca. Luca nodded. During her three years on the Ind of Despair, she was present for every operation Shanks performed. That was why she had also be an anesthetist. She instructed the volunteer to turn his back to her and curl up. Gently feeling along his spine, she located the injection site for the anesthesia. Slowly, she administered it. Ten minutester, once the anesthesia had fully taken effect, Shanks began the surgery. The volunteer''s knees had been necrotic for years. He had previously undergone a procedure to remove the dead tissue and bone to prevent further deterioration. Shanks, however, removed all the remaining knee bones entirely. Even though it had been a while since Luca hadst done this kind of work as Shanks'' surgical partner, she could not help but feel as though she had returned to her days on the Ind of Despair. Her coboration with Shanks was seamless, as if no time had passed. Five hourster, Luca and Shanks stepped out of the medical van.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. The volunteer''s family, who had been waiting anxiously, immediately approached. "How is he?" *The first step was a sess. We reced the damaged knees with artificial joints and reconnected all the nerves. The next phase will involve using medication and naturopathy to stimte the damaged nerves. "In about two weeks, you''ll start seeing progress. By two months, once the bones and nerves have fully recovered, he''ll be able to stand and walk again," Luca spoke on Shanks'' behalf. Shanks had a habit of remaining silent afterpleting surgery. Shanks always had Luca, his assistant, handle the exnations. This time, she took the initiative to share the details with the volunteer''s family. Her detailed exnation came from Shanks himself, as he had spoken these specifics during the surgery. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3364 Theres No Need To Be So Clingy, Right? ? Chapter 3364 There''s No Need To Be So Clingy, Right? The volunteer''s family looked at her in disbelief. An older woman stepped forward to take Luca''s hand. "Is it true? Doctor, thank you." It was Luca''s first time facing such warmth from a patient''s family, and she felt a bit ufortable. She pulled her hand away and looked at Shanks, but he had already left. Luca suddenly understood why Shanks did not like to talk much after surgeries. She had heard that before he came to the Ind of Despair, he was already a genius-level doctor, so he had probably seen many situations like this. Not everyone enjoyed being thanked by patients'' families. Luca definitely did not. *The patient will need to stay here for recovery. If you''d like to see him, please send someone in a sterile suit, and they can visit him for five minutes. After that, leave it to us and time," exined Luca. The elderly woman who held her hand quickly said, "I''ll go. I need to see my son." Another middle-aged person asked, "Doc, is he awake?" *He''s under partial anesthesia, so he''s awake," replied Luca, helping the elderly woman into the vehicle and assisting her in changing into a sterile suit. After sanitizing, she let her take a distant look. Even though the elderly woman wanted to get closer, she understood the medical conditions here were not ideal, and moving too close could risk infection. After she got out of the vehicle, she wiped away her tears, feeling overwhelmed with emotion. "He''s in good spirits, really good spirits," said the elderly woman. Luca nodded, giving Gerald a subtle nce before heading inside. She finally understood why their base had chosen this house with a small garden. It was because parking was allowed here. Luca followed Shanks'' lead and walked up to theboratory on the second floor. Shanks was preparing the fluids for the volunteer''s treatment. Luca thought about maintaining the sterile environment inside the medical van and realized that every time she entered, she had to disinfect. The thought of it made her feel it was a bit of a hassle. *Mr. Shanks, will the patient be treated in the medical van the whole time?" asked Luca, feeling her phone vibrate. She discreetly pressed her hand against her pocket. "He''ll be moved into the house tomorrow," replied Shanks as he handed over several bottles of IV fluids. "Find someone, teach them how to change the IV fluids, and have them stay there. You cane back and continue helping." "Okay." Luca took a set of injection tools, ced them in a small basket, and walked out. She stopped the first person she encountered. "Mr. Shanks wants you to look after the patient." "But I don''t know how to take care of a patient," replied the man, frustrated. Why did they call him for this? There were so many people in this vi. Luca said, "I''ll teach you." "You should have Gerald do it," the man declined. Everyone seemed to think that these tasks were something Gerald should handle. Luca nced at Gerald, who was not far off, and coldly replied, "Everything should be Gerald''s job? He has his own responsibilities." Then, she shoved the basket into the man''s hands. "If you have a problem, take it up with Mr. Shanks." The man paused for a moment. He dared not to offend Luca, let alone Shanks. Offending Luca might result in a beating, while offending Shanks would lead to physical torment. The man had no choice but to ept. Holding the basket, he followed Luca onto the medical van. After going through the routine, the man stepped inside the van, curiously looking around at the surroundings and the patient lying on the operating table. "This is soplicated. Does this mean I can''t go out today?" *I''ll find someone to take your spot if needed. Let me show you how to change the IV fluids," Luca demonstrated the process to him before reminding him to keep an eye on the patient. Then, she turned and left. She hid in the restroom and nced at her phone. It was a message from Luke. Luca updated him on the surgery. Back in A City, Johann took the phone from Luke and nced at the message from Luca. His eyes widened." Whoa!" "What''s wrong?" Even though Luke did not know much about medicine, he was aware of the scale of the surgery Shanks had just performed. "That''s impressive." Johann gave a thumbs-up. "Although I didn''t see the entire surgery, from what Dr. Craw said, this Shanks guy is incredible. A surgery like this usually requires several doctors, and it''s very delicate work. The severed, necrotic nerves have to be reattached little by little. "There''s no way a single doctor and a single assistant can do it. Even with a team of doctors, it''d take over ten hours toplete knee recements and nerve reconnection. He did it in four hours, and Dr. Craw said he reconnected almost all the nerves. "If the patient''s nerves recover, he''ll definitely be able to walk again." Luke furrowed his brows. Was Shanks really that amazing? He had a bad feeling. If Shanks was so skilled, why was he working for someone like Abel? What was his purpose? Johann continued praising Shanks'' surgery. "Can I send Dr. Craw a message?" *Feel free." Luke was still thinking about Shanks. Johann took Luke''s phone and sent Luca a message saying he was Johann and that he wanted to stay updated on the surgery''s progress. No sooner had he sent it than Luca called. Johann handed the phone back to Luke. "This is probably for you." Luke quickly answered when he saw it was Luca''s call. "Luca." "Luke, are you okay? Why are you with Dr. Park?" Luca''s voice was soft butced with concern.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "I''m fine, don''t worry." Luke nced at Johann. "He knew about your surgery today and wanted to learn more about it, so he came over to T Corporation." Luca let out a sigh of relief. "I''m d you''re okay." "I''m d you''re okay. I was just worried... I have to go now," added Luca. *Alright, be careful over there," Luke replied reluctantly before hanging up. Johann shook his head as he watched. The way those two interacted gave him goosebumps on his arms. *Come on, Mr. Crawford. It''s just a short separation. There''s no need to be so clingy, right?" Johann teased. "You single-for-life folks wouldn''t understand," Luke shot back without hesitation, returning to his work. The bidding was tomorrow. If the bid went well, he could go see Luca. No matter what, he would not let her face those situations alone. "Man, I''ve seen people hurt others before, but I''ve never seen anyone do it like this. I swear, I must owe you two for life." Johann pulled up a chair to sit across from him. *What are you doing here?" Luke lifted his eyes to nce at him before continuing his work. *You..." Johann was almostughing with frustration. "I''m just sitting here. What are you going to do about it? Bite me? "I''m just worried about Dr. Craw''s situation. I specially adjusted my schedule toe here, and now that I know she''s fine, you''re trying to kick me out. Luke, if you''re not a heartless man, I don''t know who is." *Heartless man?" Luke raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, I''m not interested in men." "You!" Johann was both furious and amused. "Fine, I''ll leave and stop interrupting the great Mr. Crawford''s work." "Wait a minute," Luke called as Johann was about to leave. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3365 Its Not Just Her Imagination ? Chapter 3365 It''s Not Just Her Imagination Johann stopped in his tracks, his gazezy and unbothered as he looked at Luke, "Anything else, Mr. Crawford?" *Since you have some free time today, go over to Crawford Manor and check on the old man''s health, as well as Luca''s parents and grandfather," said Luke. Johann''s surgery schedule was usually packed, so it was rare for him to have free time. Luke figured he might as well get him to help with a few things. "You!" Johann did not expect that a simpleint would get him assigned more work! "I''m telling you, don''t push it!" *How much are you charging? Just inform Mr. Doyle to issue you a check," said Luke, continuing to flip through the documents. "You!" Johann shot him a re, but it had no effect. With no other choice, he decided to take advantage of the situation. "Since you''re being so generous, I won''t hold back!" Then, he turned and left. Luke did not respond to Johann''s protest and kept his head down, focused on his work. Two dayster, Luca changed the bandages for the patient, injected the medicine researched by Shanks into his knees and lower legs, then treated the wounds briefly. After that, she headed back to theb to report on her work. *Mr. Shanks, I''ve injected the medication into the patient," reported Luca. Shanks responded with a brief hum and stepped back. "Come take a look." Luca walked over to the microscope and peered inside. She could not help but feel surprised. "This is..." *These are some of the dead nerves I extracted during the surgery. They''ve been soaking in the solution for two days, and now, you can see the nerve cells are slowly starting to repair themselves," exined Shanks, his eyes lighting up with excitement. This was a significant breakthrough in the medical field. He had only experimented with animal cells before. This was the first time he was working with human-dead nerves and cells. Luca was amazed. To think that dead nerves, when soaked in the solution, had such an effect! It meant his research was showing real promise. The nerves that had not fully died would probably respond even better. *Mr. Shanks, the volunteer''s nerves may recover very soon." Injecting the medication and soaking the nerves in the solution would produce different effects, and the former would likely take a bit longer. However, the nerves in question had notpletely died. Therefore, it would not be long before they started to see results. "Yes." Shanks nodded. "We should be able to perform nerve experiments on him in a couple of days." Luca nodded in agreement, feeling a quiet sense of anticipation. She walked out of theb, intending to go to the kitchen to prepare lunch, when she saw a few peopleing in. Apart from Gerald and the guy who had been injured by her, the others were here to switch shifts. Hence, Luca was not surprised to see them. She nned to just walk past without acknowledging them, but suddenly, she felt something and stopped. She looked over. The group had already passed by her. Luca could not help but gaze at one of the figures, momentarily distracted. That person felt so familiar... She furrowed her brow slightly but then heard Gerald making an introduction, "The person who just walked by is Ivana. Don''t mess with her. She was sent by the boss to help with the experiments, and she''s tough. "A while back, one of the guys here tried to make a move on her and ended up in the hospital. So, it''s best not to mess with her. If you do, you''ll be the one who gets hurt." Luca shook her head slightly, thinking it was just a figment of her imagination. Just as she was about to move forward, the figure turned around and looked at her. Their eyes met, and he winked at her. Luca''s lips curled into a slight smile. It was not just her imagination... She walked toward the kitchen, her steps lighter and more cheerful. In the kitchen, Luca was preparing the meal. Gerald walked in. *Ms. Craw, are you preparing lunch?" asked Gerald cheerfully. Over the past few days, he had been trying to win her over, hoping for a little kindness in return. I Even though Luca was not particrly fond of him, at least he was getting a better reception. "Were those people just now here to switch shifts?" Luca asked nonchntly. Gerald nodded. "Yes, they were just switching shifts. But these people haven''t seen your skills yet, so Ms. Craw, you should still be careful when you''re resting tonight, just in case theye looking for trouble again." "If they try toe into my room, I''ll make sure they regret it." Luca''s eyes were cold as she continued chopping the ingredients. Gerald shivered a little, feeling like her words had been aimed at him. He was about to ask if Luca could make an extra portion of food, but he realized that she probably would not agree. His stomach was starting to growl. Before he could speak, he noticed she was washing more vegetables than usual. It did not seem like just enough for two people. *Ms. Craw, why are you making so much food today?" asked Gerald, suddenly feeling optimistic. Gerald was not like the others. He dared not to go out looking for food. If he wanted to eat, he had to make it himself. After a few tries, his cooking was at least somewhat edible. *I''m just in a good mood," Luca answered casually. "What''s the good news?" Gerald offered to help.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Luca pondered for a moment and then replied, "Mr. Shanks'' research made a huge breakthrough today. Isn''t that good news?" "Yes." Gerald nodded. "But Mr. Shanks is an extremely talented man, so these major breakthroughs are just another day for him." "But for the medical field, this is anything but ordinary." Luca, in a rare good mood, spoke a little more. "His research can save a lot of people. Even though he won''t release the form, if he can figure it out, someone else will eventually be able to as well." "That''s true." Gerald nodded thoughtfully, then said with envy, "I really envy people like you with great skills. You can save so many lives, while someone like me... I''m not saving lives. I''m taking them.* "Do you regret it?" Luca suddenly asked. Gerald honestly shook his head. "Not really. At the end of the day, it''s for money. After joining the Ind of Despair, my family''s lives have improved, so I don''t regret it. Still, people like me can''t save anyone, and killing is tough too. I just feel useless." Luca did not say anything more. She thought that Gerald might regret it after everything he had been through. However, he did not regret it at all. He just felt like his skills were not enough. Luca had briefly felt a hint of sympathy for him, but it quickly vanished. Anyone who voluntarily joined the Ind of Despair was not a good person. She, along with Eler and Amur, had been forced to join, so they still had a basic sense of right and wrong. As Luca continued preparing lunch, she stopped paying attention to Gerald. Gerald tried a few times to strike up a conversation, but Luca did not respond. He could not help but feel confused. He thought his rtionship with Luca had improved, but now, she was back to being this distant. He even wondered if he had said something wrong. However, after thinking it over, he did not think he had made any mistakes. What exactly had upset her? Gerald was even more puzzled now. After Luca finished making lunch, she did not eat with the others. Instead, she grabbed her te and went back to her room to eat. Once she finished, she nned to take a short rest before continuing to help Shanks with recording the experimental data in the afternoon. As soon as shey down, she heard the door handle make a clicking sound. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3366 A Husband And Wife Walking Into Danger Together ? Chapter 3366 A Husband And Wife Walking Into Danger Together Luca got out of bed and opened the door. The moment she saw the man standing there, she smiled. "Didn''t Gerald tell you not to casually open my door?" The man smiled back. After ncing around, he replied, "Do you really think I''m the same as them?" The man''s appearance did not resemble Luke, but his voice was unmistakably his. Luke had disguised himself using the skills of a top-tier makeup artist, assuming the identity of a man who was supposed to arrive for a shift rotation of the organization. The original owner of the face was now securely detained by Gale. Worried he might be seen lingering outside, Luca quickly stepped aside, opening the door wider to let him in. As soon as he entered, she shut the door, locked it, and drew the curtains before rushing to embrace him tightly." What are you doing here?" "I finished my work and came straight over." Luke held her just as tightly. It was as though he wanted to merge her into his very being. Luca yfully teased, "This was what you meant by ''two days"?" "I couldn''t leave you here alone. I was worried." Luke gently nted a kiss on her forehead, telling her how worried he was. "So as soon as I wrapped up, I came straight here. I can only feel at ease when I''m by your side." *Aren''t you walking into the lion''s den?" Luca gently pinched his cheek. It felt incredibly real. The disguise was wless. Even if someone touched his face, they would not notice it was a mask.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Luke took her hand in his, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of it. "I don''t mind. As long as I''m with you, I''ll walk into any lion''s den without fear." "You always take risks with your safety. You know Abel has been targeting you all along, and yet you still came here." Luca let out a yful yet helpless sigh. Her heart was slightly heavy with unease. If she had known Luke nned to disguise himself ande to her side, she would have done everything to stop him. However, now that he was here, there was no turning back. Sending him away and bringing the original man back was not an option, right? Hence, they were now a team-a husband and wife walking into danger together... "I couldn''t stand leaving you here alone. Besides..." Luke heaved a sigh. "You''ve endured so much because of me. I can''t let you face this alone anymore. If anything happens, I need to be here, by your side. Together, we can face anything." "Yes, as long as we''re together," Luca murmured softly. She decided not to dwell on the fact that he had disguised himself to sneak in. No matter what happened, they would deal with it as it came. Besides, with Abel not currently in X City, the people here could not do much to Luke. She allowed herself to rx, if only a little. "Have you eaten?" asked Luca. "I have. Your cooking is as amazing as ever, though it''s wasted on those guys," replied Luke. Luca did not originally need to prepare meals for them. However, considering Luke''s picky taste, she decided to make food for him and, while she was at it, prepared some for the others as well. Otherwise, those people would not have deserved to eat her food. "Then, will you rest with me for a while?" Luca gestured to the small bed beside them. "It''s only a twin bed, but we''ve shared a smaller one before. It shouldn''t be a problem, right?" "Not at all." Luke scooped her up and settled onto the bed with her. The tight space pressed them close together, and they shared their warmth in the small room. Holding her like this was something Luke had been longing for, even in the busiest days of his work. *Get some sleep. I''ll keep watch." Luke knew Luca often felt insecure, and in an environment like this, she must not have been sleeping well the past few days. Luca closed her eyes, nestled in Luke''s arms, and drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep. It was the most restful nap she had taken in days. When her phone rm finally went off, she slowly opened her eyes. Warm breath brushed against the top of her head. Luca smiled as she felt a wave of tenderness and contentment. It was not a dream. Luke had truly braved the danger to be by her side. Stretchingzily, she could not help but feel deeply satisfied. "You''re awake?" Luke reached over to silence the rm on her phone. "Why not sleep a little longer?" Luca shook her head. "I have work to do in theb this aftemoon. I need to help with data recording." Luke frowned. "Isn''t the research already a sess?" *It is, but not entirely. The dosage still needs fine-tuning. If it''s not controlled properly, it could harm the human body," Luca exined as she sat up. As she spoke, she casually used her hands tob her hair and tied it back into a ponytail for convenience. Luke sat up as well. "So, you''re saying they''re testing it on humans without fully understanding the proper dosage?" Luca nodded. "Exactly. This patient can wait, so they''re using small doses. Mr. Shanks is a perfectionist and wants to find the maximum effective dose. However, determining that requires extensive experiments and data. "If Kassy''s condition worsens, Abel''s impatience will push them to act faster. That''s why they''re rushing to adjust the dosage-to achieve results in the shortest possible time." Luke''s gaze darkened at her words. Luca reached out, touched his disguised face, and asked in a soft voice, "Can this disguise be removed?" *To achieve the most realistic effect, it''s a single-use mask. It can only be taken off with a special solution," exined Luke. Luca muttered, "No wonder it looks so real. Seeing you like this feels strange. It''s your voice but not your face." Luke felt helpless. Using this disguise was the only way to ensure Luca stayed safe. Luca added, "But doesn''t it bother you, wearing someone else''s face for days?" "Not at all," replied Luke. "I can endure anything for you." Lucaughed cheerfully. Even though the face did not belong to him, the voice was indeed his. As long as she did not look at his face, Luke''s sweet words were especially charming. *Alright, I need to go. Wait a while before leaving the room. We can''t risk anyone seeing us together." Luca put on the coat, pushed the door open, and walked out of the room. Luke waited for about five minutes before stepping out of the room himself. Just as he closed the door, Gerald''s voice startled him. "Oh my goodness, man! How did you end up in that room?" Luke turned to see Gerald staring at him in shock. He lowered his voice and replied, "I wasn''t feeling well and wanted to ask her for some medicine." Gerald nodded, peeking into the room. He peeked into her room and noticed Luca was not there. "Good thing she''s not there, or you''d be in serious trouble." Gerald added, "Listen, you''d better not go into her room again. Something bad will happen if you do." *She''s a doctor, isn''t she?" Luke asked innocently. *She''s half a doctor, but that doesn''t mean she''s here to treat you. If you''re feeling unwell,e to me. We''ve got plenty of medicine here, and it works great. Just remember, don''t ever open her door on your own, or you''ll end up half-dead," reminded Gerald. Luke gave a stiff nod and closed the door behind him. It seemed his woman had truly earned her reputation. She could intimidate these men with ease. Luke could not help but feel a surge of satisfaction as he thought about how none of these men dared to approach Luca. It put him in an even better mood. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3367 Why Are You Still Acting Like A Child? ? Chapter 3367 Why Are You Still Acting Like A Child? Over the next few days, Luca continued helping Shanks take care of the volunteer. With Luke by her side, she felt much more at ease and was no longer as anxious. A weekter, Shanks performed a basic neurological test on the volunteer. The man who had previously shown no response in his calves and feet began to feel sensations of itching and pain. When Luca saw the volunteer''s toes twitch slightly, she could not help but feel excited. "I can feel it! It''s ticklish, so ticklish!" the volunteer eximed loudly. At that moment, Shanks was tickling the volunteer''s foot. When he heard the volunteer''s words, his furrowed brows rxed slightly, and he pinched the volunteer''s calf.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Since the volunteer''s nerves were still healing, he had little sensation of pain, so Shanks pinched hard. "Do you feel it?" asked Shanks. "It hurts... a little!" replied the volunteer, his tone full of excitement. This was a positive sign for him. The volunteer, unable to walk yet, felt the urge to jump for joy. *My legs have been numb for five years! I haven''t been able to feel anything for five years, and now, I actually feel something! I''m not dreaming, am I?" As he spoke, tears filled his eyes. His legs were healing, and that meant his eyesight could recover too. The thought made the volunteer even more joyful. He would not only be able to walk again but also see again. "You''re not dreaming." Aside from discussing medical matters during treatment, Shanks was usually unwilling to engage in casual conversation. However, he responded to the volunteer''s question this time. Luca could sense that despite Shanks'' calm exterior, he was thrilled on the inside. Shanks continued with a few more tests, asking the volunteer to perform some simple movements. Some were possible, others were not. He was not fully satisfied with the progress and told Luca, "We''ll increase the dosage from today onward. The dose will go up to ten milliliters." "Okay." After Shanks left, Luca put on her medical gloves and administered the injection to the volunteer. She followed Shanks'' instructions and increased the dosage. As soon as the needle pierced the skin, the volunteer reacted with excitement again. *I can feel it again! I feel the needle!" "Does it hurt?" asked Luca. "A little, but it''s okay," answered the volunteer. "It''s been five years. Finally, I can feel something again. Do you know how happy I am?" "I can tell," Luca said with a faint smile on her face. After the injection, she instructed the volunteer to rest properly, then grabbed the used medical supplies and left the room. Luke was standing nearby, leaning against the wall, seemingly waiting for her. "How did it go?" asked Luke. "I heard a lot of excitement from inside." "Why are you so concerned?" Luca deliberately put on a displeased expression, then quietly added, "He can feel pain now." Luke was surprised and responded loudly, "I was just asking. What, can''t I ask?" Luca ignored him and directly walked into theb. Shanks was sitting in a chair, looking at the experimental data. After disposing of the medical waste, Luca reported, "The injection had an effect on him. I gave him a few shots, and the response was most noticeable around the knee." "Okay." Shanks nodded, not saying anything further. *Mr. Shanks, can we determine the maximum dosage for a single injection now?" asked Luca. It had been a couple of days, yet they still had not figured out the maximum dosage, which had be a difficult research problem. "As of now, it''s still unclear." Shanks massaged his temples. The maximum dosage was tricky to pinpoint. Given the current rate of recovery, Abel would definitely not be satisfied. Shanks needed to determine the highest amount the human body could tolerate without causing any adverse effects from an overdose of the medication. This was a crucial point for further research. Luca nodded lightly. Later that night, Luca sat on the edge of the bed, reviewing the materials. She nced at the clock. It was already midnight. Most of the people in the small vi had gone to bed-except for her and Luke. Luca had been staying upte and waiting for Luke because he was on the night shift. At 12:30 am, Luca had already yawned several times. She was preparing to rest when Luke walked in. He was still wearing his tightly fitted human skin mask. Luca approached him, locked the door, and kissed his neck. Luke''s voice was hoarse. "Can''t you kiss my lips?" Luca frowned and shook her head, signaling her refusal. "With that mask on, it''d feel like kissing another man," teased Luca. Luke looked at her helplessly. He could not take off the mask, so he could only re at her. For the past few days, Luca had been avoiding getting too close to him. She said it was too risky since they were on a dangerous base, and since he was disguised as someone else, she did not want to act too affectionately with another man. Luke had no retort to that. The woman he loved most was in his arms, but he could not do anything. It felt like being caught in a bind... "Luca, do you mind leaving this weekend?" Luke could only rub the top of her head with his chin. "Why?" Luca suddenly realized it was an invitation. Her face turned slightly red. Luke''s longing for her had always been intense. It was also probably because Luca had been avoiding letting him get too close for the past few days. He must have been holding back. "I can''t hold back anymore," replied Luke, "How about this weekend, we find an afternoon and go to the vi for a bit of alone time?" His words were both an invitation and a seduction. As he spoke, he unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his well-toned chest. "Isn''t your mask supposed to stay on?" Luca pinched his face. Her breath was a little quick. The texture of his skin felt real, as if it were his own. Luke rubbed against her hand. "I can use a special solution to take it off, and I''ve already had a new mask prepared. I can put the new one on." "You''re just gonna take off this mask that someone else worked hard to make without caring about what they think?" Luca withdrew her hand. The feel of the skin was so real that if she did not know better, she might think someone else was pretending to be him. "That won''t be a problem," Luke said straightforwardly. "Besides, I haven''t washed my face in days. If I don''t change the mask soon, it''ll start to smell. It''s stifling here too. Come with me. I have some things I need to take care of." Luca smiled and nodded, "Alright, alright. I''ll try." *You have to promise me," said Luke, suddenly acting like a child who had not gotten his candy. "Okay, I promise." Luca pinched his face. "Why are you acting like a child?" "I change my ways just for you. That way, you won''t get bored." Luke justified his childishness with a smile. Luca thought there was no way to argue with that. "I like you however you are," replied Luca. She pointed at the bed. "So, dear Mr. Crawford, can I rest now?" "We''ll rest together." Luke carried her andid her on the bed. Luca turned off the light, and she soon heard him sigh deeply. A wave of heat pressed against her back. It was hotter than the midday sun. *Luca," he called out her name in a hoarse voice. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3368 Only You Can Stop Him ? Chapter 3368 Only You Can Stop Him "Huh?" Luca''s voice was thick with sleepiness. "You can''t see me in the dark," hinted Luke. Luca pped his restless hand away. "I''m tired." Luke let out a sigh. Luca knew what he was sighing about, but with the intense experiments earlier that day and having waited so long just now, she just said, "Stop thinking about it. Go to sleep. I''m really tired." Besides, this was the base of the Ind of Despair. She was truly scared... *Good night." Luke had no choice but to endure it. He held her in his arms and closed his eyes. When Luca woke up the following day, Luke had already left. She was used to it by now. Luke had a regr workout routine. Since he did not have to handle work here, he would get up early to train. He even sparred with others at the base. These people had all been trained on the Ind of Despair, but none of them could beat Luke. Every one of them had gotten a few injuries from him. On the other hand, Luke came out unscathed each time. Only then did Luca realize just how skilled Luke was. After getting up and washing up, Luca walked out of her room. She was heading downstairs to make breakfast when Gerald came over. "Ms. Craw." Luca''s gaze was cold. "What is it?" "I just got a call from the boss. He knows the experiment is sessful, so he''sing by this afternoon," replied Gerald. Luca stopped in her tracks. "Abel ising?" "Yes!" Gerald was inexplicably impressed. She dared to speak Abel''s name so casually! What incredible guts. Luca frowned deeply, uneasy. She could not help but mutter to herself, "How could hee so soon?" "What?" Gerald did not catch what she said. "We still haven''t figured out the maximum dose. If hees to check, he''ll only be dissatisfied and take it out on us," Luca continued walking downstairs, still frowning. "But this is a huge breakthrough. We''ve made someone, who''s been paralyzed below the knee for so many years, feel nerve sensations again. I think Mr. Shanks'' research is amazing. Do you think I could be his apprentice?" asked Gerald. Gerald had witnessed the volunteer getting better bit by bit for the past few days. Gerald remembered how he was almost dying and how Shanks saved him without any medical equipment. That made him admire Shanks deeply, and he could not help but feel motivated. As for his fighting skills, he was no match for the others on the Ind of Despair. Even if he trained now, he did not have the same foundation as others. If he wanted to be as good as them, it would definitely take a long time. However, what if he learned medicine from Shanks? Gerald was confident in himself. After all, if one was serious, there was nothing one could not learn. Gerald had heard from others at the base that the medical field on the Ind of Despair relied entirely on Shanks. He figured that the Ind of Despair had to be in great need of doctors, and this thought became even stronger in his mind. If he could also be one of Shanks'' right-hand people like Luca, then the organization would not just abandon him. Luca understood what Gerald was thinking. She did not want to discourage him, but sometimes, the reality was harsh. She decided to tell him the truth. "Don''t even think about it." "Huh?" Gerald blinked in surprise. "Why not?" "Mr. Shanks doesn''t like dull-witted people. If he teaches you something once and you can''t learn it, you won''t get another chance to stay by his side as an assistant. Also, he doesn''t take apprentices. If you''re smart enough, you might be able to stay by him, learn, and assist. "You needed to practice twice just to learn how to change a needle. Do you have any talent in medicine?" asked Luca. Gerald dejectedly shook his head. "I don''t," admitted Gerald. Luca walked downstairs. "So, forget about learning medicine. In other ces, you might get by with hard work, but with Mr. Shanks, it''s either you have talent or you don''t." *Ms. Craw, were you talented from the beginning?" Gerald was suddenly curious. After all, everyone in the organization was focused on fighting and killing. Luca was the exception. Luca paused for a moment, then shook her head. "Not really, butpared to others, I was the best choice for Mr. Shanks'' assistant at the time."This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Having seen so many people, Luca believed there were only two people truly talented in medicine-Johann and Shanks. What others called ''talent'' was simply the result of hard work. Back then, the reason Luca could stay by Shanks'' side and leam was simply because the people around her were even worse at medicine. Gerald felt a pang of envy in his heart. It seemed that Luca had everything in her favor, including the right timing, the right ce, and the right people. If he could be like her, he would not have to worry about being abandoned by Abel. Although Gerald made a lot of money in the organization, his fear grew every day. Especially now that he knew Abel wasing to the base, he wished he could crawl into a hole and hide. He did not want to be noticed and assigned any tasks. Luca went downstairs and prepared breakfast. When everyone gathered for the meal, Gerald shared the news that Abel wasing in the afternoon. Each person''s reaction was different. Some did not care, while others were nervous. Luca nced at Luke, feeling a twinge of anxiety in her chest. However, when she saw him remain calm, she felt a little more at ease. If Shanks had not recognized Luke in disguise and if no one else had figured it out even after being around him for so long. Abel probably would not either. However, if Luke did something to annoy Abel, he might suffer for it. Luca could not help but worry and thought about finding a momentter to talk to him and give him some advice. Abel was known for his unpredictable moods, and Luca really did not want to see Luke get hurt because of it. Shanks finished his breakfast first, stood up, and said to her, "After you''re done eating, head to theb to help." "Okay." Luca nodded, purposely taking her time to finishst. She then casually made her way upstairs. She gave Luke a meaningful nce. Once he caught it, he followed her upstairs. "What''s wrong?" The two stood on the balcony. She had checked the area beforehand, and there were no surveince cameras or listening devices, so it was safe to talk. *Abel''sing. Be careful," wamed Luca. "He''s unpredictable at the base. Don''t let him get to you. The progress of the experiment is slow, so he''ll probably throw a fit today. If you can avoid him, do so." "Got it." Luke''s deep, dark eyes were still intense behind his blue-colored contacts. "You should be careful too." "I will. Don''t worry," Luca reassured him. She then headed to theb. She pushed open the door to theb and walked in. Before she could get back to her workstation, Shanks spoke up, "Abel will being today." Luca was startled for a moment, then nodded. "Yes." *Are you prepared?" asked Shanks as he added an unfamiliar liquid into the vial. Luca let out a sigh. "He''s unhappy with the progress of the experiment, isn''t he?" "Yes." Shanks nodded. He had just spoken to Abel about the volunteer''s situation yesterday, and he wasing over today. It was obvious he was not pleased. I actually have something I''m quite worried about. I''m concerned that he might inject the volunteer with arge amount of medication just to see results. Mr. Shanks, if that happens, only you can stop him." Luca thought about the volunteer in the other room. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3369 Hes More Attractive Than The Others Out There ? Chapter 3369 He''s More Attractive Than The Others Out There Given Abel''s temperament, he would definitely inject the volunteer with double the dosage. However, they still did not know if the medication was safe now, and directly administering it could cause irreparable damage. Luca thought about how innocent the volunteer was, and how he had suffered such severe injuries for the sake of his family. His eye surgery still had not been done, and if Abel harmed the volunteer now, the subsequent clinical work would be impossible. Shanks did not have the authority to save lives here. It was already difficult enough to have a volunteer cooperating with the clinical trials. Luca knew Abel well. He would not listen to these concerns, and he would only focus on speeding up the research to rescue Kassy. Luca stopped speaking when she noticed Shanks remained silent. While Shanks was not doing this research for Kassy, it still cost him considerable effort. Luca assumed that he would not allow Abel to destroy his hard work. After all, finding another volunteer for the clinical trials would be extremely difficult. In the afternoon, Abel''s car stopped in front of the vi. Abel and Hera got out of the car. Hera looked at the vi in front of them, noting that,pared to the surrounding buildings, it was one of the nicer ones. It was quite shabby, though. Hera wrapped her arm around Abel''s and said in a soft, sweet murmur, "Darling, you said we were going on vacation, but is this where you take me? It looks so run-down." Abel shook his head and smiled. "Not here. I''ve booked a nice vi in X City, but there''s just something that needs to be handled here for a moment. How about we stay here for a couple of days?" Hera''s eyes lit up when she heard that they were going to stay in a nice vi. She did not care about the condition of this small vi in front of her anymore and quickly agreed, "Okay! After you''re done here, we''ll go for a vacation. Darling, you promised me that we were going on vacation together, so you can''t go back on your words. After all, I even quit my job to be with you." Hera had given up her job to make sure she could stay close to Abel and take advantage of this opportunity. Abel nodded. "Don''t worry. As long as you''re with me, I won''t treat you unfairly. You''ll enjoy the queen''s treatment in this small vi." Hera''s eyes brightened. "Stop trying to fool me. What kind of good treatment could this shabby ce offer?" As soon as she finished speaking, the door opened. Hera widened her eyes as several men walked out. She immediately understood what he meant. They all greeted Abel, "Good afternoon, boss." Hera was even more surprised. These men were all Abel''s subordinates? As she looked at the tall, handsome men, she could not help but smile. Even though she could not do anything with them, just imagining these handsome men serving her made her happy. "How about it? I didn''t lie to you, did I?" Abel had known Hera for so long, so he knew what she liked. "Wow, where did you find all these handsome attendants?" Hera, blushing with embarrassment, felt as though she were the center of attention. She felt like the queen shining brightest among a crowd. Abel pinched her cheek and addressed the group, "This is Ms. Sanchez." "Good afternoon, Ms. Sanchez," the men greeted her in unison. It was all so coordinated that Hera felt like she was being treated like royalty from a foreign country. "Darling, it doesn''t look that bad here, after all," remarked Hera.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Abel took her hand, led her into the small vi, and added, "I know you like men like them, but my woman must remain virtuous. Don''t let them touch you, alright? As for everything else, you can do whatever you like." Of course, Abel knew that Hera would sleep around for money before. He did not care what she did back then. However, now that she was with him, she had to follow his rules. Even if she liked these men, she needed to know where to draw the line and not embarrass him. "Come on, stop it. It''s not like I like them that much." Hera understood what he meant and blushed as she retorted. She did like these types of men, but she was not foolish enough to go against money. As long as Abel was generous with her, she could afford any model she wanted once she had the money. That was the kind of woman Hera was. ? She made money off ugly, undesirable men, and to bnce things out emotionally, she would spend some of it on attractive ones. That was why she spent money quickly. Abel led Hera into the living room. There were two men waiting for him. Luke nced at Abel with narrowed eyes. He knew who Abel was, but the woman next to him... She looked familiar, but he could not ce her. "Good afternoon, boss," Luke and Gerald greeted Abel together. It used to be others calling Luke ''boss''. This was the first time Luke had greeted someone as ''boss'' so respectfully, and it was to his biggest enemy. Luke found the experience somewhat fresh. If he were not so worried about Luca, he would have enjoyed the moment more. Abel narrowed his eyes and looked at Luke with furrowed brows. "Why weren''t you outside earlier?" "I was preparing tea and snacks for you and thisdy." Luke slightly turned his body toward the coffee table. The snacks were just tea and a few light bites, but the most important item on the table was a cigar. Abel looked pleased. It looked like the people at this base were not stupid. They knew he liked the cigars Shanks always gave him. He had finished the cigars yesterday and had been craving them on the way here. Abel let go of Hera''s arm, walked over to the coffee table, picked up the cigar, and brought it to his nose, sniffing it with a satisfied look on his face. He had a strong addiction to cigars, just like a drug addict. If he did not smoke a few a day, his mood would be unbearable. Hera''s gaze shifted from Abel to Luke. She was immediately stunned. This man might not be particrly handsome, not even as good-looking as the men she saw outside, but he exuded a unique, cool aura that made her inexplicably drawn to him. Hera instantly thought of the guy she had secretly admired during her school years. Even though that person was a thousand times more handsome than the man in front of her, his simr cold and aloof aura made her instinctively want to get closer and seek sce. She wanted to make up for the resentment she felt back then for not getting what she wanted. Her eyes stayed fixed on Luke without a blink. Abel, holding his cigar, walked over and noticed Hera''s expression. His gaze then fell on Luke. There were countless ordinary faces like this abroad. Did she like it that much? "Do you like him?" asked Abel. His tone wasced with a bit of amusement. Hera came back to her senses and, with a yful stomp of her foot, responded shyly, "No way, I like you the most." Abel was not swayed by her few sweet words. "You''ve been staring at him for so long. What is it? Do you think he''s more attractive than the others out there?" questioned Abel. If she said yes, he would think her judgment was questionable. Even as a man, he believed the others outside looked far better than the one in front of him. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3370 Not Yet Capable Of Doing So ? Chapter 3370 Not Yet Capable Of Doing So Hera suddenly felt a chill and tumed to look at Abel. His expression was calm, not as eerie as when he was angry, but she still felt an unsettling vibe from him. Was he jealous? Hera quickly tried to tter him, saying, "No way, I think the most good-looking man here is you, my dear." Abel did not show any sign of happiness at her ttery. He did not actually have feelings for Hera. Her sweet words could not fool him. "Since you like him so much, let him stay with you and work for you in the next few days." Abel was indifferent. As long as Hera did not embarrass him by cheating on him here, it was fine. Hera was a bit surprised, but at the same time, she realized that Abel did not really like her. If he truly cared about her, he would have been jealous when she kept staring at another man. Once she epted that this was all just a business arrangement, she happily agreed," Alright. Thank you, my dear." Luke''s gaze darkened for a moment, but no one was paying attention. Abel asked, "091, where''s Shanks?" "Mr. Shanks and Ms. Craw are upstairs doing an experiment," Gerald quickly answered. He still did not understand why Abel brought a woman to the base. Though the base was mainly for Shanks'' experiments and did not have many weapons, bringing an unfamiliar woman here could expose them. Gerald wondered if this woman was from the ind of Despair too. However, she did not seem like it, and her behavior earlier did not fit. Even though Gerald did not fully grasp Hera''s identity, he knew she was Abel''s woman, so it was best to stay on her good side. Abel nced at Hera and said to Luke and Gerald, "I need to handle something now. You two take care of Ms. Sanchez." "Yes, sir, "Luke and Gerald replied in unison. Abel walked upstairs. Hera watched his figure disappear around the corner before curiously asking, "Who are Shanks and Ms. Craw?" Gerald turned to look at Luke, but Luke did not seem like he was going to answer. Gerald replied helplessly. "They''re the main... technical staff for our boss''pany." Hera nodded, but her attention was still on the mention of ''Ms. Craw''. She asked, "is Ms. Craw pretty? Does she have a thing with Mr. Abel?" Sweat started to form on Gerald''s forehead. If he said Luca was pretty, Hera would definitely get jealous. However, if he said she was not, the two of them would probably meet eventually, and it would be awkward if Hera med him. Gerald quickly thought of a solution and replied, "Ms. Sanchez, Ms. Crew is just a technical worker. In my opinion, you''re even more beautiful, and she doesn''t have anything to do with the boss. Don''t worry." A shadow flickered in Luke''s eyes. "Oh, I see." Hera flipped her curly hair. She pondered for a moment and added, "Since she''s not as pretty as I am, then I can rx." She came here with Abel to make money, and she did not want any unexpected interference that could lead to a loss. Hera looked at Luke. "What''s your name?" "Lucius," Luke replied bluntly with no trace of ttery in his tone. Compared to Gerald''s smoothness, he was as direct as could be. There was no attempt to please at all. Hera, however, found herself deeply intrigued by him. She used to have no interest in men who did not tter her or spend money on her. This feeling was hard to describe. It was notfortable, yet it reached deep into her bones. Perhaps it was because they shared a simr aura, and even their names sounded alike... "Alright, take me to the bedroom," Hera instructed in amanding tone. Luke turned to look at Gerald. "I don''t know where it is." Gerald secretly cursed Luke for being so slow, then stepped forward to tter, "Ms. Sanchez, Lucius just arrived. How about I take you upstairs?" "I want him to take me," Hera snapped, showing a bit of her temper. Gerald nced between Luke and Hera. Since they were stuck here, he decided to give in." Lucius, you''ve been here for a few days and still don''t know where the boss'' room is? If the boss finds out, he''ll definitely be upset with you." Luke gave him a cold look. Gerald froze for a moment, sensing murderous intent in Luke''s gaze. However, he realized he was not really the one to me. If Luke stayed quiet, who knew how much more angry Hera would get? Cerald could tell Hera was interested in Luke, so he suggested, "How about this, Ms. Sanchez? I''ll go with Lucius to take you upstairs?" "Fine," replied Hera, inexplicably unwilling to make things difficult for the man in front of her. Luke and Gerald went upstairs together, with Hera following behind. On the other hand, Abel entered theboratory and listened to Luca report the experiment''s progress. He then walked into the room where the volunteer was, watching as Shanks demonstrated the results. His gaze grew increasingly deep. The three of them retumed to theb. "I gave you all that time, and this person can only move a little? This progress is way too slow!" Abel expressed his dissatisfaction. "Clinical trials are always slow," Shanks spoke up to exin the slow pace, knowing Luca would not speak. "That''s for the others!" Abel mmed his hand down, ring at Luca with malice. He knew the issue did not lie much with Luca, but he was not about to confront Shanks directly, so he shifted all the me to Luca. Her ipetence was why the experiment was so slow! "You''re Shanks!" Abel snapped. "You''re a genius. The drugs you developed in the past were ready in a month, but look at how long it''s been now?" "The drugs we''re working with now are made from toxic herbal herbs. We have to carefully measure the doses, orrge amounts could poison and kill someone. Would you like to see Kassy-" Before Shanks could finish his sentence, he got interrupted. "Shut up!" Abel''s eyes widened. His fury zed in his eyes like a storm barely contained.* Don''t you dare mention her in front of me!" Shanks fell silent. Everything he did was for Kassy''s safety. If Abel could not understand that, there was nothing he could do about it. "Shanks, increase the dosage for that person now." Abel toward the direction beyond theThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. door. "I want results. Now." "I refuse." Shanks knew Abel would say that and rejected him without any expression on his face. "What? What did you say?" Abel looked at him in disbelief, his anger boiling. He walked straight up to Luca, raised his hand, and pped her across the face. A sharp sound echoed as his palm struck her cheek. The p seemed to calm some of Abel''s rage. Luca frowned, feeling a sharp pain on her cheek. Her mind went nk for a moment. Abel dared not hit Shanks, and he could not throw things in his rage, so the pnded on her face instead. Luca stumbled back two steps. Her heart burned with resentment. She wanted nothing more than to tear this man apart! However, she was not yet capable of doing so. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3371 Hes Certain He Can Help Her Restore Them ? Chapter 3371 He''s Certain He Can Help Her Restore Them Shanks furrowed his brows. He knew Abel would snap, but he did not expect him to go this far He grabbed Luca and pulled her behind him. "Abel, what the hell is wrong with you?" Luca touched her quickly swelling face. A sh of hatred crossed her mind, but she was also worried about Luke. If Luke found out that Abel hurt her, he would definitely lose it. She had to keep everything under control for the sake of her child. With that thought, Luca took a step back, exposing half of her swollen face to look at Abel. Abel was furious at the sight. "She''s useless, and that''s why the experiment is going so slowly. What''s wrong with me giving her a p? Shanks'' face turned livid at his crazy words. "This experiment is mine. If you have an issue with it, take it up with me. There''s no reason to take it out on her. I''ll do what you want and Increase the dosage. But if this volunteer dies, you''ll have a hell of a time finding another one for the clinical trials. Abel, is this really how you want to handle it? Is this going to help Kassy?" His words hit Abel like a bucket of gasoline being poured over him. It only fueled his anger. He wanted to smash something, but he could not touch anything on the table because it all had to do with Kassy''s life! "Shanks, you''re really something!" Abel pointed a finger at Shanks and scolded him. "I''ve given you so much money and so many resources. Now, when I ask you to speed up the clinical trials, you have a problem with it. Fine, are you really going to protect this woman to the end?" Shanks eyes shed with impatience. This had nothing to do with Luca. The experiment was going smoothly, but clinical trials required small adjustments to the doses to get the best results. Abel, however,cked the patience for that. Shanks was starting to regret agreeing to help him save Kassy. Someone like Abel should never be allowed near the ones he loved. His unpredictable nature was too dangerous. If Shanks were not so invested in the research, he would never have thought about helping Kassy in the first ce. "This is about the clinical trial. Are you sure you want me to increase the dosage, not caring about the volunteer''s life, just to get urate data?" Shanks asked in a grim tone. "And let me remind you, if we do that, there''s a high chance we won''t get the right data. If this volunteer dies, it''ll be nearly impossible to find another one. "If that happens, I''ll have no choice but to experiment on Kassy. This will be my first time doing an eye transnt, and there''s no sessful case of this treatment anywhere in the world. If you can handle those risks, I''ll increase the dosage by several times in tonight''s injection." Abel''s eyes widened with fury. He could not handle that kind of oue. Shanks'' words hit him hard, almost choking him with the reality of things. At the thought of Kassy, Abel felt defeated for a moment before storming out and mming the door behind him. Luca did not know why, but she felt a sense of relief. Shanks turned to look at her.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. One side of her face was badly swollen, and the sight was painfully obvious. "He pped you. Why didn''t you move?" asked Shanks. Luca replied helplessly, "I didn''t expect him to make a move." Luca really had not thought he would go that far. She assumed that if Abel was angry, he would throw something instead. "He needed to vent his anger. The things in this room are all tied to Kassy''s life. He''s too afraid to break anything, and he can''t touch me, so, of course, he''d end up hitting you," said Shanks. Luca pursed her lips. She had always been at the bottom rank on the Ind of Despair even though she knew medicine and pharmaceuticals. It was not as morous as Gerald might have thought. She was Luke''s wife. Abel only saw her as a pawn, something to be discarded eventually. Hence, her time on the Ind of Despair was not easy. Moreover, the organization already had Shanks, someone Abel could not touch. He would never allow anyone else to be untouchable. Luca rubbed her face, feeling a sharp pain. "Is your ear okay?" Shanks opened the fridge and pulled out an ice pack. Luce shook her head. "My brain went nk at first, but my ear is fine. I don''t hear any ringing now. My teeth are fine too. It''s just that my face is swollen." Shanks handed her the ice pack. "Put this on." Luca took it, feeling the cold bite spread from her hand through her whole body. Theb was already colder than other ces, but she felt even more chilly now. She felt a surge of frustration and suddenly remembered how Luke had carefully taken care of her. If only there were no Ind of Despair. Then, she could have stayed by his side and safely given birth to N back then. They would have witnessed the birth of a new life together. He would care for her every day, and they would be in love. Her appearance would not have changed because of everything. Luca''s eyes reddened at the thought of this. "Why are your eyes red?" Shanks slightly furrowed his brows. Luca shook her head and exined. "The ice pack is really cold." "Bear with it," replied Shanks. There was no clean towel here, so she would have to endure it. "Okay." Luca thought to herself that none of this would have happened if the organization did not exist. Luca had always felt a regret in her heart. She and Luke had four children, but none of them were born under the protection of both parents. If Luke had not gotten involved with the Ind of Despair, danger would not havee for them. Tommy and N could have been bom and grown up with the love and protection of their parents. It was so unfortunate... Luca thought of Luke again, then she suddenly turned to Shanks. "Mr. Shanks, do you have any medication for swelling?" Shanks frowned. "This kind of injury will heal in a few days. If you''re in pain, I can give you some painkillers." Luca shook her head. "It''ll affect my appearance too much. I want something to reduce the swelling." "It''ll make you sleepy and lose your appetite. Are you sure?" asked Shanks. "I need an assistant in top form to work with me. If you can''t handle it, I won''t be able to protect you in front of Abel next time." "I''m sure," answered Luca. "I need medication for swelling." Although his medicine had side effects, it worked well, and that was its advantage. What worried Luca now was that if Luke saw her swollen face, he might sh with Abel. Therefore, any reduction in swelling would help. Shanks opened a secure cab containing medicine, took out the anti-swelling oral medication, and handed it to her. "Take it." Luca was not one to be fussy. She took it and swallowed it straight away, though it was a bit ufortable without any water. Shanks asked again, "Do you need painkillers?" "Yes," Luca answered without hesitation. Shanks handed her the painkillers. After taking the medicine, they both returned to their tasks. After leaving theb, Abel rushed to the room where the volunteer was. He saw that the volunteer''s eye had ruptured, causing blindness, and he could not help but think of Kassy. Her legs were broken and she was blind. Worse of all, she was imprisoned. Those beautiful eyes of hers... He was certain he could help her restore them! With that thought in mind, Abel left. The volunteer felt an eerie chill. Even though he could not see, he knew someone had entered. Only after hearing the person leave did he finally let out a sigh of relief. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3372 Theyre Both Using Each Other ? Chapter 3372 They''re Both Using Each Other The volunteer was attended to in shifts, and he asked the person in the current shift, "Did that person leave?" "Yes." The man attending him let out a sigh of relief. He had been so nervous when Abel was here that he could barely breathe. "Who was that person?" the volunteer asked curiously. He could not see, but he could still sense the heavy, oppressive aura. It was as though the person might take his life at any moment. "Don''t ask about things you shouldn''t know. Just focus on your recovery," replied the man. The volunteer heaved a sigh and gently turned around. Lying here, he had no idea when it would end. However, ever since the nerves had started reacting, he felt that his legs were getting better day by day. After a while, Luca entered, carrying a tray of dry needling tools. She nced at the attendant, noticing that it was another man today. Luca asked, "Did the bosse by earlier?" "Yes." The man nodded. Luca''s heart skipped a beat. She looked at the volunteer, who appeared unharmed on the bed. She knew that Abel had been temporarily convinced by Shanks'' words. However, she also knew that it would notst.N?velDrama.Org owns this. Abel had no patience. Once it was exhausted, the volunteer would be in danger. Abel might act impulsively, so while the immediate crisis seemed solved, it was not fully resolved. Luca felt anxious. However, with her own safely uncertain, how could she protect the volunteer? Hopefully, Abel would have more patience as the matter involved Kassy. The man pointed at her face. "Did the boss p you?" "Yes." Luca did not hide it. She set the tray aside and told the volunteer, "Lie down. I''ll start the dry needling now." "Okay, thank you." After spending some time together, the volunteer had be familiar with Luca. As hey down, he casually asked, "Did your boss p you?" "It''s nothing," replied Luca. She picked up the needles and swiftly inserted them, hoping the nerve function would improve quickly. The volunteer asked again, "You''re a good woman. Why did your boss punish you?" Luca did not respond. How could she exin all this? Should she tell him it was because Abel was not happy with the progress of the experiment? When the volunteer did not get a response, he realized the dry needling session was still ongoing and decided not to press the matter further. He assumed Luca simply did not want to talk. After pricking all the needles in the main acupoints, Luca connected the machine to stimte the needles with electrical currents, maximizing the effect. "This will take half an hour." Luca pressed the timer. "Half an hour?" The volunteer was surprised. Normally, the needles were removed in just ten minutes. He was shocked to hear it would take half an hour this time. "I''m adjusting the treatment n," exined Luca. This was a solution she had discussed with Shanks. The dosage of the medicine would be gradually increased, and the dry needling time could be extended too. "Oh, okay." The volunteer hoped he would recover soon. Once he could walk again, his eyes would be treated as well. Luca left the room and went to the bathroom, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Despite the ice pack and the swelling medication she had taken, her face was still noticeably swollen. Abel had pped her with great force, and if it had been anyone else, their ear might have ruptured Luca felt frustrated. She sshed cold water on her face, and right as she left the bathroom, she froze in her tracks. In front of her stood Hera, and her brows instinctively furrowed together. What was she doing here? Luca''s confused gaze shifted to Gerald. He hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Here had not spoken yet, so he dared not to say anything. In the short time of about half an hour, he had witnessed Hera''s temper. She was a spoiled youngdy. If she did not want him to speak or if he said something out of turn, she would scold him. Even though she had a bad temper, she was not the type to hit people. Even so, crossing her would lead to trouble. She was the boss woman, after all. If she was not happy, that likely meant the boss would not be either. Who are you?" asked Hera. Even though the woman in front of her had half of her face swollen, a sense of unease still rose in her heart Despite the swelling on half her face, Luca''s other features were still sharp and beautiful, better than many others. It was not the kind of look you would see with stic surgery. Anyone would appreciate this woman''s natural beauty. Hera felt a sense of unease. "Luca," Luca replied nonchntly. She could not help but wonder why Hera was here. Hera turned her gaze to Gerald. "This is Ms. Craw, one of the people working on the experiment here," answered Gerald. At the same time, he nced at Luca''s swollen face, guessing it was from Abel''s p. He kindly added, "Ms. Craw, this is Ms. Sanchez, the boss''panion." "Oh..." When Hera saw Luca, she immediately realized that the words Gerald had spoken earlier were nothing more than ttery aimed at her. Her expression immediately darkened.* Companion? I''m clearly the boss'' girlfriend." "Right, I''m sorry. I misspoke. She''s the boss'' girlfriend, ourdy boss." Cerald put on a fawning expression on his face. Hera frowned in displeasure, then turned her attention back to Luca, sizing her up. She quickly realized she was not as beautiful as this woman. Herpetitive nature made her extremely ufortable right now. Hera let out a mockingugh, her toneced with ill intent. "Could it be that you didn''t do your job properly and got pped by my boyfriend? "See? I told you, you people should do your jobs properly. Look at you. You didn''t take things seriously, and now, you''ve been pped. "My boyfriend usually has a good temper. It''s all because of people like you that he''s been so stressed. If you all just let him rx a little, we''d be on holiday in a nice vi by now. Honestly, if you don''t have the skills to make the boss happy, then at least work hard, do your best, and make sure your boss is satisfied. Got it?" Luca could not help but remember how Hera used to bully her back in school. She did not expect her to still be like this now. A sudden smile appeared on Luca''s face. Hera was only speaking so arrogantly because she relied on Abel''s favoritism. However, what would she do if she knew the one Abel truly favored was not her? Hera''s anger red when she saw the smile on Luca''s face. She assumed the smile was mocking. Flustered, she snapped, "You bitch, what are you smiling at?! Don''t make me take action. I''m good at pping people, and my boyfriend won''t let you off either." Luca nodded, wiping the smile off her face. "What exactly were you smiling at just now?" Hera pressed on, her questioning bing more aggressive now that Luca had stopped smiling. Luca had no intention of telling her about Kassy''s situation. If Hera found out and started causing trouble with Abel, it would only backfire on her. Moreover, Luca did not think Hera was in a pure rtionship with Abel. They were both using each other. Hera was using Abel for material gain while Abel relied on her to ease his loneliness. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3373 For Luca, And For Their Child ? Chapter 3373 For Luca, And For Their Child "It''s nothing. I just think you and our boss make a perfect match." Luca decided not to say anything more. She was unwilling to risk causing trouble for herself. Hera felt that there was something mocking in her tone. It was meant to be apliment, yet it felt like mockery, leaving her with the sense that something was off. Hera let out a cold snort. "Of course, we''re a perfect match. No need for you to say it." Even though she knew there was an undertone of sarcasm, she still acknowledged it. She sized Luca up with a look of disdain. "You''re a doctor, right?" Luca shook her head. "Not exactly." Gerald exined, "Ms. Sanchez, she''s skilled in medicine, but she wouldn''t call herself a doctor." Hera shot him an annoyed nce and then tumed back to Luca. "It''s fine as long as you know medicine. I''m not feeling well. Come help me with some treatment." Gerald had no choice but to awkwardly suggest, "Ms. Sanchez, if you''re not feeling unwell, perhaps I could ask Mr. Shanks to check on you?" "Have a man treat me? No way. My dear would get jealous. I want her to do it." Hera pointed at Luca. "Let''s go." "Sorry, I''m busy," Luca headed back to theb without any expression on her face. Hera''s eyes widened in disbelief. She could not believe she had been rejected! "How dare you refuse me?" "Ms. Sanchez, her job isn''t to treat people. She''s here for the experiment," exined Gerald. He admired Luca''s courage. She rejected the boss'' girlfriend after being pped. Was she not afraid of getting beaten again? "I don''t care what her job is. I want her to listen to me!" Hera insisted, stepping forward to follow Luca Gerald, seeing that she was about to barge into theb, quickly stopped her, "Ms. Sanchez, please don''t go in there." "What? Is there somewhere I''m not allowed to go? She can go in, so why can''t I?" Hera shot him a re, already acting like she owned the ce. Gerald tried to exin, "This is theb, and everything inside is important. If something gets ruined, the boss will be upset. You might be the boss'' girlfriend, but some rules still apply. We, the staff, aren''t even allowed in..." Hera raised her hand and pped him across the face. "It''s your problem you can''t go in. I''m the boss'' girlfriend! What''s off-limits to me? Get out of my way!" Gerald winced in pain. Even though her p was light, he dared not stop her. He quietly stepped aside. Hera stared at him in disbelief. Did he really just back off without a word? Was he not going to stop her? Even though Hera was spoiled, she was well aware of where she stood with Abel. She could call herself his girlfriend in front of his staff, but deep down, she knew she was nothing. She was nothing more than a business transaction. Abel only wanted her body and had no true affection for her... Still, after being humiliated by Luca, she was determined to press forward. Luca did not take Hera seriously, so Hera went straight to Abel toin. Hera believed that, no matter what, she was more important than a woman like Luca. However, the oue was not what she expected. She returned to her bedroom, tearfully recounting to Abel how Luca had disrespected her. Not only had Luca refused to help treat her, but Luca had also shown her attitude. Abel''s expression darkened as he listened. She only saw the look on Abel''s face when she stopped crying. She felt secretly pleased. So, Abel really did care about her, after all. The next second, she found herself yanked by the hair. Hera screamed. "What the hell made you bother Luca?" questioned Abel. "I didn''t... I was just feeling unwell.." Hera was panicked. She was confused about what was happening. Abel stomped out his cigar in frustration, then gripped her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Let me say this onest time aside from those two in theb, anyone else here is fair game for you to boss around. Do you understand?" Hera felt a wave of regret. What Gerald had said was true, and now, she was deeply sorry for her actions. She could feel Abel''s gaze piercing through her, as though he would tear her into pieces and devour her. She immediately begged for mercy, "Sorry, I was wrong. I won''t ever bother the people from theb again. I promise." Abel''s anger still smoldered inside him, but he could not bring himself to physicallysh out at Hera, not when her eyes reminded him so much of Kassy''s. Instead, he tore her clothes to pieces, using another way to release his anger. Outside, Gerald stood listening. When the frightened screams turned into low hums of satisfaction, he quickly left to avoid being used of eavesdropping. Later that night, Luca dragged her exhausted body back to her room. When she opened the door, she was startled to see Luke sitting on the edge of the bed waiting for her. She quickly shut the door and locked it behind her. "What happened to your face?" Luke''s voice was filled with concern as soon as he saw the swollen half of her face. Luca walked over and hugged him, findingfort only in the security of his embrace. It was the only ce where she could empty all her exhaustion and frustration.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. "Abel pped me," said Luca. She told him everything that happened in theb today. Luke slowly clenched his fist, his body stiffening. Luca noticed his tension and quickly held his hand. "I know you''re angry, but now is not the time to act." Luke loosened his fist and intertwined his hand with hers. "Luke, now is not the time..." Luca said in a soft voice. "Think about our child. We can''t act impulsively." "It''s my fault for not protecting you." Luke''s voice was full of guilt. Luca shook her head. "It''s not your fault. I saw thising. I could''ve avoided it, but I was thinking about the patient''s situation, so I didn''t react quickly enough. You can''t be angry. You have to stay calm for me and for our child." She gentlyforted him, slowly easing the knot of frustration in his heart. For Luca and for their child, Luke could not afford to be angry... "I''ll remember this. When the time cornes, I''ll make sure he pays for it." Luke gently cupped her face, his gaze falling on the swollen area. He dared not to touch it, afraid it would hurt her. "Does it hurt a lot?" Luca shook her head. "It doesn''t hurt, not at all. I''ve taken some swelling-reducing and pain- relieving medicine, so I don''t feel much right now." She added, "As long as you''re here, I don''t feel any pain." "It''s my fault. I should''ve protected you better." Luke''s heart tightened with guilt. He had gone to such lengths, even changing his appearance, all to protect Luca. Despite his efforts, she still ended up hurt. "It''s not your fault, really." Luca quickly reassured him. "If it weren''t for my focus on the patient, I wouldn''t have taken that p. Whether you were there or not, I was bound to take it. Just remember this, and we''ll make him pay for itter." As she spoke, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him gently. Normally, she would not want to kiss a stranger''s face. However, at this moment, she had to because she knew it was the only way to calm the anger in Luke''s heart. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3374 Sell Herself For Money ? Chapter 3374 Sell Herself For Money *Alright, I''m really tired. How about we rest for a bit?" After kissing him, Luca snuggled against his waist and yfully whined. "The medication I took has some strong side effects. I''ve been feeling drowsy for hours. Can we sleep now?" A sh of concern appeared in Luke''s deep eyes. His voice was hoarse as he replied, "Okay." After lying down, Luca suddenly remembered Hera. She asked, "Have you met Hera?" *Hera? That woman?" Luke pulled her closer into his embrace. "Yeah." Luca could tell from his tone that he did not remember who Hera was, so she exined, "Hera was a ssmate of ours in high school, the popr girl. She was interested in you back then. We even ran into her once when we were abroad." Her memory was sharp, and she remembered clearly all the details about people and events that did not seem important. Luke only caught one detail-she was a former ssmate. "I don''t remember," replied Luke. Luca continued, "Back then, Hera had a crush on you, but... I didn''t expect her to be willing to sell herself for money now." "Oh." Luke was not interested in this irrelevant woman. Luca turned toward him, meeting his gaze. By now, he had taken off his deep blue contact lenses, and his dark pupils were as deep as a chasm. *Luke, I''m not surprised that Abel has women," added Luca. "But when he brought Hera to the base, I started feeling uneasy.* Luke frowned. *This isn''t like him. While this base isn''t like the old ones on the ind, you and I have observed it for a while now. There aren''t really any shady weapons here. Even if the cops show up, there won''t be much danger. ''But he''s the type of person who wouldn''t bring women from the outside to the base. Don''t you think bringing Hera here must serve some kind of purpose?" What bothered Luca the most was this. Luke suddenly began to think, and a thought appeared in his mind. "This Hera... I don''t really remember her." Luca nodded. She understood. Luke had been groomed as an heir since he was young, so he probably did not remember many of his high school ssmates. Plus, he did not attend that school for long. "I do find her familiar, though," continued Luke. "But the familiarity isn''t because she''s a former high school ssmate. It''s because..."This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. He paused for a moment, then added, "I think her eyes look like Kassy''s." Kassy was his enemy, so he had a very clear memory of her face. Even after all these years with no contact with Kassy, he still remembered her well. Luca was shocked. "Isn''t Kassy a foreigner?" *Yes, she is. But their eyes really are quite simr," replied Luke. "The only difference is the color of their irises." *Right. Hera was already beautiful in high school, but her eyes looked different back then. It seems she had surgery to make them look different. That could be why her eyes look so much like Kassy''s. Maybe that''s why Abel is with her. But something about this doesn''t sit right with me..." The more they discussed it, the more unsettling it became. Luke suddenly asked, "Where do you n to find a donor for the volunteer''s eyes?" "Mr. Shanks'' n is to transnt from someone who just died. Of course, the channels aren''t legal, but with enough money, you can buy anything," answered Luca. Then, she suddenly thought of something. "You''re not suspecting... Luke lightly brushed his hand over her back. "I hope not. But whether it''s true or not, there''s nothing you can do about it. Do you think if you told Hera to run because it''s dangerous, she''d actually listen and leave?" "No..." Luca knew Hera''s nature. She was only close to Abel for the money. She would even offer up her body for money. If Luca told her that Abel had brought her here because of her eyes, Hera would not believe it and would probably tell Abel. In the end, Luca would still be the unlucky one. "We can''t change anything for now," Luke continued tofort her. "Besides, if she doesn''t believe you, nothing you say will matter. And from what you''re saying, the eye transnt for the volunteer is still a long way off. Maybe by then, Abel would''ve taken Hera away. Maybe we''re just overthinking it. *Even if he ns to operate on Kassy, I''ll have already taken action by then, so Hera should be safe." "I hope so." Luca thought his analysis made sense, and her unease gradually faded. However, the side effects of the medication started to take effect. Drowsiness swept over her. She gradually fell asleep. The night deepened, and the small vi was quiet again. Most of the people inside had fallen asleep. However, some were still restless. After tossing and turning, one of them got up. Hera looked at Abel, who was already fast asleep, then quietly got out of bed and left the bedroom. She felt physically exhausted and, for some reason, deeply wronged. Hera was upset. Abel did not stand up for her regarding that woman named Luca and even punished her in that way today. Hera did not mind the punishment itself, but she felt wronged. It made her heart ache. The negative emotions grew, and even when it was in the middle of the night, she still could not fall asleep. She went downstairs to the second floor. "Who''s there?" A voice suddenly sounded from the darkness. Hera jumped in surprise. The lights were turned on, and a man, recognizing her as the boss'' woman, let out a sigh of relief. "Ms. Sanchez, why are you wandering around thiste at this hour?" Hera patted her chest, surprised to find someone patrolling at this hour. *You have patrols at night?" asked Hera. "Yes." The man nodded. His gaze was on her. She was wearing a rather revealing nightgown. Her graceful figure was fully exposed, and the man''s gaze became even more heated. Hera did not expect there to be anyone patrolling at thiste hour, so she had not put on a jacket beforeing out. She did not feel shy about the man''s stare. Instead, she stood confidently and let him look. She loved being admired by men like this. It made her feel aplished. With Abel around, these men could only look at her, but they could not do anything. Being stared at did not harm her at all. "It''s just a small vi. Why are you patrolling sote? Is there something valuable here?" Hera asked teasingly." You almost scared me to death." The man felt his mouth go dry. With her standing there so openly, allowing him to look his fill, there was no way he could control himself. A woman this beautiful, with such a sexy figure... Their boss was really lucky! *Ms. Sanchez, you should avoid wandering around at night. We patrol every night, so it might startle you," replied the man, not answering her question about what was in the vi. Instead, he reminded her not to roam about carelessly. "Alright," Hera replied impatiently, feeling a heat in her body from the man''s gaze. She then asked, "Do you know where Lucius'' room is?" The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3375 Hera Betraying Him ? Chapter 3375 Hera Betraying Him The man remained cautious. When he heard Hera was looking for Luke''s room, he immediately asked, "What do you need with Lucius?" Hera felt like her intentions had been seen through, and a sense of unease washed over her. However, when she thought about her status and position, she confidently replied, "Your boss said that Lucius is to serve me from now on. I''m hungry now, so I need him to go get me somete-night snacks. What''s the matter? Is that not allowed?" The man remained silent, thinking that Hera could just order delivery. Why go to another man''s room in the middle of the night? He thought about a possible reason and could not help feeling a little jealous, thinking that he was definitely more handsome than Luke. His feelings of imbnce grew. Why go to Lucius and not him? Hera, noticing his hesitation, snapped, "What are you zoning out for? Are you going to go for him?" If it had been any other task, the man would have been happy to step in. Still, something like gettingte-night snacks? He would rather leave that to Luke. So, he answered, "Ms. Sanchez, Lucius'' room is the first one on the left on the second floor." "Okay, got it. You can go now," Hera replied with a sweet smile before heading upstairs. The man rubbed his nose, watching her graceful figure as she left. If only he could spend a night with Hera, he would be the happiest man alive. Hera came to the second floor. *First room on the left," muttered Hera as she gently pushed the door open. The room was dark, and as she fumbled along the wall to turn on the lights, she was shocked to find the bed empty. There was no one there.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Hera was stunned for a moment. What was going on? Where was he? Hera left the room. Unable to find Lucius, she felt a little lost. Reluctantly, she returned to her room. When she opened the door, the lights that had been off flicked on. Abel was sitting on the couch, his expression dark with anger. "Where did you go?" Hera jumped in surprise. "Why are you awake?" After Hera regained herposure, she walked over to sit on the couch with a seductive air. As she recalled what had happened earlier that afternoon, she could not help but feel a little scared, but she still mustered the courage to try and please him. Abel''s voice was cold and ominous as he repeated, "Where did you go?" Hera smiled. Her delicate hands rested on his chest as she traced circles with her fingers. She said in an overly sweet tone, "I spent hours with you this afternoon without eating anything, so I went downstairs to find something to eat. But there was nothing, I don''t even know the address of this ce, so I couldn''t order delivery. Darling, I''m so hungry." "Hungry?" Abel reached out and lifted her chin. The soft touch stirred an urge to destroy her. "Yes, I''m really hungry." Hera tried her best to look pitiful. However, in reality, she often skipped dinner and was used to it. Abel immediately pulled up her nightgown. Hera gasped, feeling a sense of hopelessness. She thought things had calmed down, but it seemed there was more toe. If it had been Lucius, she would have dly epted. However, it was Abel, and all she felt was fear and reluctance. It was terrifying... Hera could not enjoy it, but she had to go along with it. It was not until more than an hourter that she finally drifted into a deep sleep. A sh of violence crossed Abel''s eyes as he gently stroked the woman''s face. Hera mumbled in her sleep and turned over. Abel let out a cold snort. Hungry? She really knew how to fool him. Abel was not stupid. He knew Hera was careful about maintaining her figure and could go an entire day eating very little. A person who ate so little could not possibly be truly hungry. Whatever her reasons, seeing her walk around in such a revealing nightgown made him suspicious of her intentions. Abel would never allow Hera to betray him in a ce like this. He gently traced his fingers over her eyes. Those eyes belonged to the woman he loved most. Therefore, he would not allow those eyes to see the bodies of other men on the Ind of Despair. *Kassy, I''ll save you soon. Just wait for me," Abel whispered softly in Russian. In her sleep, Hera furrowed her brows, sensing something unsettling. Still, she did not open her eyes. When Luca woke up the following day, Luke was already up. She stretched and grabbed her phone to check her face. Thanks to Shanks'' medicine, the swelling on her face had gone down significantly, and now, there was just a faint mark left. Luca could not help but marvel again at Shanks'' amazing medicine. If only Nina had this kind of medicine when she was pped, things would have been different. As Luca thought about it, she checked Nina''s social media and saw she was still in the Maldives. Luca silently vowed that once they dealt with the Ind of Despair, she and Luke would go on a vacation. She would wash away the frustrations and grievances of this time and embrace a new life. After preparing breakfast, Luca sent one serving to Abel while the others gathered around the table to eat. One of the men spoke up. "Did you guys hear? Ms. Sanchez was wandering around on the first floorst night. I almost thought a thief had broken in and was about to sound the rm." "What was she doing wandering around at night?" asked Gerald. The man recalled seeing Hera''s graceful figure the night before and could not help but savor the memory. He then looked at Luke. "She said she was hungry and went to find Lucius to buy her somete-night snacks." Everyone looked at Luke. Luca also turned to Luke, surprised to hear that Hera had gone to find him. He was wearing a mask, and he was not exactly handsome among these people. So, how could he attract Hera''s attention? Could it be the workings of fate? It was just like how she changed her face, yet Luke was still subconsciously drawn near to her. Could it be that Hera had always admired Luke, so even though he had a new face now, she still could not help but be drawn to the aura he exuded? The man looked at him with envy. There was a smile on his face that carried a hint of crude teasing. "Lucius, did Ms. Sancheze looking for you afterward?" "No," answered Luke. "What? How could that be?" The man did not believe it, suspecting Luke was lying. When a woman as alluring as that entered a man''s room in the middle of the night, something was bound to happen. Since she was their boss'' woman, even if something did happen, it could not be spoken about. With that thought, the man nodded knowingly, no longer dwelling on whether Luke was lying. Gerald nced at Luke and then at Luca. A hint of hesitation shed across his eyes. It seemed like he had learned something he should not know. Still, this was a tricky situation. Should he say something or not? After some consideration, Gerald decided to keep quiet, fearing that speaking up might bring trouble. The topic ended in Luke''s silence. Seizing the opportunity, Luca yfully teased him, "Looks like someone still has an interest in you." "That''s nonsense." Luke''s expression darkened. He did not expect Hera toe looking for him in the middle of the night. He had been with Luca the entire night, so Hera could not have found him. If Hera asked, he had a reasonable excuse to exin why he was not in his room. However, for some reason, he felt inexplicably uneasy. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3376 It Nearly Took Her Life ? Chapter 3376 It Nearly Took Her Life "I know you''re not interested in her, but still, we should be cautious," Luca joked, trying to lighten the mood. She was actually worried that Hera''s feelings for Luke might interfere with their ns. Luca looked at him with concern. "You weren''t in your roomst night. If she really went to your room, she must''ve noticed your absence. How will you exin that?" *There are plenty of reasons I could give." Luke already had an exnation in mind. However, if Hera really had feelings for him and stayed here, it would definitely cause him some trouble.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . *Just be careful." Luca felt helpless. Abel''s sudden appearance had already messed up a lot of their ns. There was no way for her to leave this little vi now. With Abel bringing Hera here and her developing feelings for Luke, it was bound to cause more trouble for himter. Luca felt frustrated. She had enough trouble on her own. She did not want Luke to get caught up in trouble too. She had never intended for him to be involved in the first ce. "Don''t worry. I told you I''d protect you, and I will," replied Luke. Luca felt a mix of gratitude and concern inside her. It was aplicated feeling. She nced at the time and said, "I need to go give the volunteer the injection now. Hera might cause trouble for youter, so be careful." She turned around and went upstairs after saying that. When Hera woke up, it was already past 10:00 pm. Abel had already gotten up, and when she sat up, she saw that he was not in the room. She let out a sigh of relief. Abel''s violent treatment of her was terrifying. She nced at the marks on her body. There were purple and blue bruises, which did not look good at all. Thinking about how he had treated her the night before, she could not help but shiver. It was terrifying. It nearly took her life. Hera changed her clothes and covered up the marks on her body before heading downstairs. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, Gerald approached her. "Good morning, Ms. Sanchez." A hint of disgust shed across Hera''s eyes when she saw Gerald. Shezily said, "Morning. Where''s your boss?" *Boss had breakfast and left this morning. He must have some matters to attend to. Ms. Sanchez, would you like some breakfast?" asked Gerald. "Yes, I''m starving," replied Hera. Her hunger yesterday had been fake, but after the exhaustion she went through, she was now genuinely famished. Gerald led her to the dining area and brought her breakfast. Hera looked at the meal and frowned. "What kind of breakfast is this? Can I even eat it?" "It''s edible, and it actually tastes pretty good," replied Gerald. Luca was the one who prepared breakfast and the taste was excellent. "Don''t worry. I knew you''d wake up a bitte, so I kept the pasta and sauce separately so that the pasta wouldn''t get soggy." Luca had started making breakfast for everyone, and the quality of their meals had improved dramatically. They all loved Luca''s cooking. They did not have any particr preferences when it came to food. Whatever Luca made, they ate. Everything tasted great to them. Hera was suspicious, but she picked up her cutlery and tried a bite of the pasta. The taste was indeed good. She huffed in a slightly arrogant manner. "Not bad. Where did you buy this?" "It''s made by Ms. Craw," Gerald replied with a smile. Hera froze for a moment. It was made by that woman, Luca? She almost put her cutlery down, not wanting to eat. However, her taste buds had already been awakened, and her body was protesting, crying out for food. Even though she wanted to deny it, she could not argue that the breakfast was delicious. Hera had no choice but to keep eating. After all,pared to her inner resistance, she could not stand the thought of staying hungry. She had no idea when Abel would be back, so she needed to get energy from food to prepare for whatever mighte. Gerald smiled happily as he watched Hera eat her breakfast, secretly praising Luca''s cooking skills. Even people who disliked her could not resist the temptation of her food. Her culinary skills were indeed extraordinary. Hera did not exactly eat elegantly. She seemed to be captivated by the delicious food. By the time Gerald came back to his senses, Hera had finished her meal. She wiped her mouth with a napkin and said, "This breakfast was awful. From now on, send someone out to buy me breakfast every morning." Gerald stared at the empty te, speechless. Awful? Then why did she finish it all? This woman was something else. Gerald grumbled to himself but did not say anything out loud. Instead, he just nodded. "Alright, Ms. Sanchez." Hera stood up, trying to act casual. She asked, "By the way, where''s Lucius?" "He''s at the training ground," answered Gerald, pointing the way. "Just go out, take a right at the small garden, and there''s a training ground. When they don''t have shifts, they like to hang out there and work out." *Alright." Hera smiled, her heart racing a little as she imagined what she might see. After all, when men worked out, they tended to take off their shirts to let the sweat flow. In that case, she could see Lucius'' strong, muscr body! With that thought in mind, Hera could not help but walk faster. Gerald watched Hera''s departing figure and shook his head helplessly. If their boss saw her being swept up in the excitement of love, he would probably lose his temper. The thought made Gerald shiver. He was silently relieved that Hera was not interested in him. If she had set her sights on him, rejecting such a beautiful woman would be really tough. Hera, unaware of what Gerald was thinking, quickly made her way to the training ground, which was a separate room. Before she even entered, she could already hear the sounds of training. It seemed like it was not just Lucius in there. She stepped in quickly and immediately spotted the man she was looking for among the few guys working out. He was punching the air. He had not taken off his shirt, so she could not see his well-built body. Hera felt a bit disappointed but could not help but watch him as he worked up a sweat. She was utterly mesmerized. The other men had already noticed Hera''s arrival. Seeing her focus solely on Luke, the earlier topic of conversation was instantly brought back up. Several of the men were frustrated, feeling that they were stronger or better than Luke in some way. Why could Hera not see them? They doubled their efforts. One even walked over to Luke. "Lucius, how about a littlepetition?" "Sure." Luke did not mind showing them up. Hera stepped forward and said, "Stop. Don''t bother." Luke frowned. His attention had been on his punches this whole time. He had his back to the door and did not know she had arrived. When did shee in? He felt a wave of disgust and took a step back. Hera did not think much of it, assuming he was just stepping back to avoid his sweat from getting on her. She tilted her head to look up at Luke, who was a head taller than her. "I need your help with something. Come with me." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3377 Composed Even When A Beautiful Woman Throws Herself At Him ?Chapter 3377 Composed Even When A Beautiful Woman Throws Herself At Him A sh of disgust flickered in Luke''s eyes. He waspletely fed up with Hera''s relentless pestering. "If you have something to say, just say it here." Unlike other men, he did not address her politely as ''Ms. Sanchez''. His tone was so indifferent, and he did not even bother to call her by name. Hera''s smile did not falter. She thought he was only acting this distance because there were so many people around, and he could not openly show his affection for her. Hera replied in a soft voice, "It''s something important, and they won''t be able to help. Come with me." Luke frowned and remained motionless. People around them grew envious. Even if Luke did not actually have a romantic interest in her, just helping Hera would be enough to earn points in their boss'' eyes. Their jealousy turned into yful teasing. "The boss'' girlfriend''s asking for help. Just go already. What''s with the cold act? It''s no fun," teased one of them. Others chimed in, "Yeah, seriously. Just go. Who are you trying to impress with that attitude?" Luke''s sharp gaze swept across the crowd. Instantly, those snickering shut their mouths. No one dared to say another word. Hera slightly furrowed her brows when she saw his reaction. Why did this all feel so familiar? He could effortlessly silence a crowd with just a nce. Her thoughts drifted back to her teenage years. He seemed just like that man who had a domineering presence. Previously, if a group of troublemakers caused chaos at the school gate, all it took was Luke stepping forward. His sheer presence was enough to intimidate anyone, no matter how many there were. Hera''s expression softened. It was as though she was transported back to high school, looking at the boy she was once in love with. *Enough already. I really do have something important to discuss. Besides, didn''t your boss tell you to listen to me? What''s with this attitude now?" Hera frowned. Luke realized that if he stayed here any longer, the situation would only escte. Reluctantly, he followed Hera. She led him to a quiet corner of the garden. There was no one else around. It was the perfect spot for a private conversation. Hera turned to him. Her eyes were full of longing as she gazed at him intensely. "I really do need to talk to you." Luke''s voice remained cold. "Then say what you need to say." "There''s no one here. Can''t you be a little nicer to me?" Hera looked at him knowingly like she was telling him to cut the act and she knew how he felt. Luke stared at her, baffled. Whether it was back then or now, when had he ever been nice to her? *If you''re done, I need to get back to training," replied Luke. Hera bit her lip, then suddenly grabbed his arm. Luke flinched as though he had been touched by something filthy. He quickly jerked his arm away and frowned in disgust. "What are you doing?" "Why did you pull away from me?" Hera''s heart stung with hurt. His rejection had wounded her deeply. "You''re the boss'' woman." Luke used it as an exnation for his aversion. "So what if I''m his woman? That doesn''t mean we can''t be friends, does it?" Hera was irritated. She regretted telling Gerald yesterday that she was Abel''s girlfriend. She assumed Luke was keeping his distance because of that.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. After all, Abel was terrifying when angry. Although Hera did not fully understand what kind of organization it was, she had a rough idea. Everyone seemed to fear Abel, which was enough to convince her that he was truly dangerous. She was afraid of him too, after all. However, when it came down to fear or money, the temptation of wealth won out. *Sorry, I don''t make friends. If that''s what you''re after, there''s no need. If we''re done here, I''m going back to training," replied Luke. Sure enough, Hera was interested in him, just as Luca had predicted. In a ce full of better-looking men, why had Heratched onto him? *Are you really this heartless?" Hera could not exin it, but being rejected by a man who did not like her felt strangely painful. It was not like Luke was anything special to look at. So why did it hurt so much? Hera closed the distance between them again, persistent. "Honestly, I don''t just want to be friends. You''re very attractive to me, and you''re exactly my type. How about this? You cane keep mepany when Abel isn''t around. How does that sound?" She raised her hand and traced small circles on his chest. Hera was well aware that this move usually worked on men. She had used it enough times to know that no man could resist it. Hera assumed that he would agree. He would not have to pay a cent and would gain a beautifulpanion to satisfy his needs. What man would refuse that? Hera lifted her hand and lightly traced his Adam''s apple with her fingertip. Luke''s disgust deepened. He frowned and pushed her hand away. "Do you not understand in English? I''m not interested in you. And..." He paused for a moment, deciding it was better to be as blunt as possible. That way, she would note looking for trouble again. His gaze turned icy as he said, "With or without the boss in the picture, I wouldn''t touch you. Stop deluding yourself. There are plenty of other men here. If the boss can''t satisfy you and you need to act out, go find someone else. Leave me alone. *Otherwise, even if I get punished, I''ll make sure the boss knows what you''ve been up to." Then, he turned around and walked away. Hera stood there, feeling humiliated. She could not understand it. She prided herself on her charm, yet here was a man who had outright rejected her. He reminded her so much of her first love. That boy had rejected her then. Now, this man was doing the same. Hera, humiliated and furious, shouted, "Stop!" Luke had not nned to pay her any attention, but her next words made him pause. "I know you weren''t in your roomst night. It wasn''t even your turn to patrol. So where would a normal person go in the middle of the night? If I tell Abel about this, what do you think he''ll say?" threatened Hera. A sh of cold fury shed across Luke''s eyes. So, women really did understand each other. Hera had carried out exactly what Luca had warned him about. Luke turned around. His expression was cold and arrogant as he stared at the woman before him. She was so determined to destroy him simply because she could not have him. "Go ahead and say whatever you want. I don''t care." Hera''s face turned red with rage, and she nearly choked on her breath. "Aren''t you afraid?" *If the boss finds out that you opened my door in the middle of the night, what do you think he''ll say? Hera, if anyone should be scared, it''s you. I wasn''t in my room because I stepped out to use the restroom. But you, dressed in your nightdress, barged into a man''s room at that hour. What''s the matter? The boss can''t satisfy you, so you had to sneak into other men''s rooms at night?" Then, Luke turned and walked toward the training grounds. Hera stomped her foot in frustration. She spotted a tree near her and kicked it hard. The leaves rustled and fell to the ground as she shouted furiously, "Argh! He makes me so mad!" Not far away, Gerald crouched in the corner, having overheard the entire conversation. He could not help but admire Luke. Even with a beautiful woman practically throwing herself at him, he remainedposed. If it were any other man, they would have forgotten all about the boss and the rules. He would have taken her up on the offer without a second thought! The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3378 This Guys The Real Deal ? Chapter 3378 This Guy''s The Real Deal Not only did Luke not give in, but he wasn''t intimidated by Hera''s threats either. Instead, he turned the tables and intimidated her right back. Gerald could not help but feel a sense of admiration for Luke. If it had been him in that situation, he would not have had the guts to refuse Hera outright. Even if he did not want toply, who would dare offend the boss'' future wife?N?velDrama.Org ? content. Even though her position was not set in stone, for now, Hera''s status remained unshakable. Yet Luke did not try to curry favor with her. Faced with threats and temptation, he stood his ground, even flipping the situation to intimidate her instead. Gerald quietly gave a thumbs-up. *This guy''s the real deal," he muttered to himself. After venting her frustration on the tree, Hera stormed back. Her eyes were red and swollen. When she came to the second floor, she caught sight of Luca stepping out of theb with a tray in hand. She quickly approached. *Stop right there!" Hera snapped sharply. Luca frowned as irritation bubbled up inside her. Why was Hera here again.... "I''m not feeling well. Where''s your doctor?" Hera''s initial intent had been to cause trouble, but remembering Abel''s warning yesterday, she ultimately chickened out. Luca gestured toward theb behind her. "In there." Hera reached for the door, ready to push it open. Luca offered a calm reminder, "Knock first. Wait for Mr. Shanks'' permission before entering and try to stand by the door when you speak. The equipment inside is critical. If anything gets damaged..." "What''s that supposed to mean?" Hera''s temper red. She was convinced that Luca was subtly mocking her. Did she mean that she was not important enough to be trusted around theb''s valuable equipment? Even though Luca had meant no harm, Hera twisted the words into an insult. Hera immediately felt as if her most vulnerable spot had been hit. She had cried to Abel about Luca''s behavior, but not only did he fail to defend her, he even warned her not to cause trouble with anyone in theb. Luca, sensing Hera''s rising hostility, stopped talking. Her expression turned colder. "Do whatever you want." Her warning had been sincere. Shanks was fiercely protective of hisb. After all, everything in theb was incredibly important to him, even something as small as a test tube. After all, its medical value could not be easily measured with numbers. Those who understood this would not casually wander around theb, fearing they might identally damage something and disrupt the experiment. Without another word, Luca turned around and headed toward the volunteer''s quarters. Hera narrowed her eyes at Luca''s retreating figure. A wave of annoyance filled her heart. *Seductress!" Hera spat under her breath. The moment she saw Luca, she noticed the swelling on her face had almostpletely faded. Her delicate and beautiful features were restored. At the same time, her stunning beauty made it hard for men to look away. However, just like two kings could not rule the same kingdom, women could not tolerate having someone more beautiful than them in the same space. Hera''spetitive nature would not allow any woman to outshine her, especially not in a ce where she thought she should reign supreme. A quiet hatred brewed inside her. She wished she could deal with Luca once and for all. She turned around, intending to barge into theb. As her hand reached the doorknob, she recalled Luca''s earlier warning and reluctantly knocked instead. *Come in," a man''s voice called from inside. Hera''s gaze hardened. She thought Luca might be in the middle of an experiment, but it seemed like she was just in there with a doctor. A man and a woman alone together... If nothing happened between them, she would question the man''s sanity. Hera pushed open the door and walked toward the man. "Are you the doctor? I''m not feeling well. I need you to..." "Get out!" Shanks'' expression darkened when he saw her barge right in. Hera froze for a moment, unsure if she had heard him right. "What did you say?" "Get out!" Shanks'' gaze sharpened. Hera felt a jolt of fear. She instinctively stepped toward the door, but something held her back. Why was she afraid? She was Abel''s partner! She was not here to cause trouble. She only wanted a doctor''s help. Why should she leave? *I''m not feeling well. I need you to examine me." Hera stood her ground, refusing to leave. Shanks'' eyes narrowed like a hawk''s, sharp and calcting. Hera felt as though she were being torn apart, and her body could not help but tremble. The feeling only fueled her anger even more. How dare this man speak to her like that? Did he not know who she was? "I''m busy. Get out." Shanks was usually indifferent toward others, but he had never been as fierce as he was now. His response was a clear sign he was beyond annoyed. He was furious now that his limit had been crossed. However, Hera did not pick up on this and tried to argue, "What''s your problem? Do you know who my boyfriend is? He''s your boss! You''re just a lowly employee. Show some respect, or I''ll make sure he fires you." Shanks'' eyes turned even colder. He could not fathom how Abel ended up with such a shallow woman. Why even bring her to the base? Normally, Shanks did not care about Abel''s life. As long as it did not interfere with his research, he would not bother to interfere. However, this woman was different. She did not just break into hisb. Now, she was arguing with him too. Shanks, someone who usually could not care less about anything, felt irritated for the first time. It was also his first time feeling an intense dislike for a woman. As this thought crossed his mind, he picked up a scalpel from the table. Hera jumped back in shock. "What are you doing? I''m your boss'' woman. If you dare to do anything to me, he''ll never let you get away with it! I''m not joking..." Hera watched in fear as Shanks advanced toward her with a scalpel in hand. Her body trembled, paralyzed with fear. For some reason, her legs felt like they were glued to the floor. She could not move. At that moment, Gerald appeared at the door to theb and saw the scene unfolding. He could not help but be startled for a moment. "Ms. Sanchez, what''s going on?" Tears filled Hera''s wide eyes as she turned slowly to Gerald, her voice pleading for help. "This man... He''s trying to kill me. Please help me." Gerald stood frozen, ncing briefly at her. She was not tied up... *Ms. Sanchez, you really should leave. Mr. Shanks doesn''t like people barging into hisb," Gerald dared not to enter. Was she too scared to run? Why was she just standing there, frozen? Hera, shaken by his words, finally found the strength in her legs to move. She stumbled toward the door. With a few quick steps, she was out of theb. However, her breath came in short, ragged gasps as though she had just escaped a near-death experience... Gerald looked back at Shanks, who was still making his way toward her, and swallowed hard. He tried to exin," Mr. Shanks, Ms. Sanchez just arrived yesterday. She doesn''t know the rules here. Please don''t hold it against her." Shanks remained silent. Still holding the scalpel, he walked toward the door. Hera shuddered with fear. This was too much. Gerald continued to plead, "I assure you, Ms. Sanchez won''t act so recklessly again. Please, just forgive her this once." Shanks did not respond, simply closing the door behind him. With a loud bang, the tension in Hera''s body finally eased. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3379 Stay Right Here And Wait For Me ? Chapter 3379 Stay Right Here And Wait For Me Sensing the looming danger fading away, Hera furiously demanded, "What is wrong with that man?" Gerald let out a sigh of relief. He had been truly worried that Shanks might take a few swipes at Hera. It wasmon knowledge that medical professionals could be terrifyingly skilled. They could cut with precision, avoiding vital organs, leaving you in excruciating pain but far from death. Cerald had witnessed Luca''s expertise in this field and knew Shanks likely had the same skills. That was why he would not dare provoke him. If Hera ended up hurt and miserable, Abel would hold them ountable for failing to protect her. Shanks, however, would walk away unscathed. The me would fall squarely on them. "Ms. Sanchez, Mr. Shanks doesn''t like people entering hisb without permission. Everything in there is extremely valuable to him." Even though Gerald did not understand why, it was what the others told him, and he dutifully passed on the message. "I knocked, and he told me toe in." The expression on Hera''s face was icy cold. "It''s not the same. When he said e in, he just meant you could open the door, not actually step inside," rified Gerald. Inside theb was one big shot, and outside was another. Clearly, the big shot outside was harder to deal with, and unfortunately, she was his responsibility. Cerald felt a headacheing on. "What''s with all the rules? Isn''t he just working for Abel like the rest of us? Weirdo," Hera muttered coldly. As she was about to leave, she noticed Luca stepping out of another room. Her eyes darkened as she recalled Luca''s earlier warming, which she had brushed off at the time. "Stop right there," Heramanded sharply. Gerald''s heart skipped a beat. He secretly cursed his bad luck. ''Oh no, she''s about to cause trouble again!'' Luca stopped, her gaze icy and indifferent as she looked over. "What now? Getting kicked out by Mr. Shanks wasn''t enough for you? What else do you want?" Gerald''s heart skipped again. He could not afford to offend either of these women. Hera''s face turned ugly. "You must be feeling pretty smug right now, huh? Let''s see if you dare step out of thisb. If you do, I''ll find a way to deal with you!" Then, she turned around and stormed off. Luca muttered under her breath, "Ridiculous. I wasn''t the one who kicked you out. If you''ve got guts, take it up with the person who did." Hera hesitated for a moment, considering turning back to defend her dignity, but then she heard Luca say, "Mr. Shanks can cut precisely to avoid vital organs, and so can I. Best not to mess with me, or you might not even know how you die." Hera stumbled, her eyes reddening with anger. She had the overwhelming urge to p Luca across the face! However, Gerald had warned her. Everyone in theb had been trained before. Unless Abel avenged her, no one else would dare confront Luce. She had no way to vent her frustration. Feeling utterly wronged, Hera left in tears of frustration.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Luca simply pushed theb door open and went inside. Hera stood there listening for a while but heard nothing from inside. She could not help but ask Gerald, "She didn''t even knock! How could she just walk right in?" Gerald felt exasperated, suddenly realizing that a pretty face did not necessarily mean a sharp mind. "Ms. Sanchez, she''s part of theb staff. Of course, she cane and go freely. Besides, she knows exactly what everything in theb is and how to use it. Even if she fiddles around, she won''t break anything." Gerald reminded her gently. Hera let out a cold snort. "So what if she works in theb? Doesn''t she..." Her words faltered and trailed off. She left the rest unspoken. It finally dawned on her thatb personnel did not need to knock because they were Shanks'' colleagues or subordinates. "Where''s your boss? When will he be back?" asked Hera as she made her way downstairs, abruptly changing the subject. The humiliation she had endured today would not go unaddressed. She was determined to tell Abel everything and demand justice. If she could not take it out on theb staff, she would find another target-the man called Lucius. How dare he have the audacity to reject her? Hera swore to herself she would make him regret it. "How would I know?" Gerald replied helplessly. "Our boss'' whereabouts aren''t something low -level people like me are privy to." "Fine, I''ll wait." Hera seated herself on the living room couch. As men passed by, several pairs of eyesnded on her. Their gazes were tant. Some were brazen, some admiring, and others lecherous. Still, Hera did not mind. A woman as beautiful as her was meant to be admired. In her eyes, any man who did not appreciate her beauty was either useless or trash. Luke walked into the living room and immediately noticed Hera sitting there, exuding an air of arrogance like a queen enjoying her court. She seemed to relish the attention even the indecent stares from some men. Instead of feeling offended, she looked smug. Luke''s gaze lingered on her for half a second before moving away. Hera was nothing like Luca. If those men dared to stare at Luca with such eyes, she would likely have already dealt with them. In this base, fighting was permitted as long as Abel''s interests were not harmed. However, life and death were up to fate. Losing could mean paying with your life. Hera noticed the disdain in Luke''s eyes. His icy blue gaze stayed on her for only a fleeting moment, and it stung her pride. "Stop right there." Hera rose to her feet. Luke acted as though he had not heard her and continued heading upstairs. "Lucius, I told you to stop! Are you deaf?" Hera stepped forward and blocked his path. "Do you need something?" Luke''s tone was cold,ced with impatience. At that moment, Hera felt as though the man standing before her was not Lucius but Luke. Their tone of voice was so simr. It stirred a twinge of jealousy within her. "I''m your master now. What kind of attitude is that?" Hera tilted her head arrogantly, only to catch the mockery in his eyes. She frowned. What was that supposed to mean? Did he not see her as his superior? Hera put her hands on her hips, looking imperious. "I don''t like the way you''re looking at me. I''m ordering you to change it immediately." Luke''s gaze shifted instantly. Now, he was looking at her like she was an idiot. Hera was furious. Gerald hurried in, only to see the two of thern locked in a standoff on the staircase. He could not help but wipe the cold sweat from his brow. How did they manage to sh again in just a few minutes? Gerald secretly muttered to himself that Lucius really did not know how to y along. Nobody was asking him to get into a rtionship with Hera. He just had to entertain her a little. How hard could that be? "Ms. Sanchez, the boss is back," Gerald quickly informed her, thinking he was saving Luke from trouble. Hera''s eyes lit up with joy at the mention of Abel''s return. For the first time, she realized that she was nothing in this vi without Abel. It made her crave his presence even more. Now that he was back, she felt she had her pir of support again. With newfound confidence, she red at Luke and dered, "I''m telling you, you''re dead for treating me like this! I won''t let you off! Stay right here and wait for me!" The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3380 Gerald Helping Him Lie ? Chapter 3380 Gerald Helping Him Lie Luke stood still, waiting as Hera had instructed. Hera, on the other hand, walked toward the door with a look of eager anticipation on her face. Cerald stepped forward. "Are you crazy? She told you to wait, and you''re just standing there? Hurry up and go upstairs." "Isn''t she trying to cause trouble? Do you think I can just walk away from that?" Luke suddenly asked. Cerald was rendered speechless. What Luke said made sense, so he patted his shoulder. "I heard everything Hera said to you in the garden. Pal, I respect you for being a man, but this time, you''re on your own." Luke remained expressionless. His gaze was fixed on Hera, who was now smiling brightly as she linked arms with Abel. Even so, his face betrayed no emotion. Hera noticed that Luke, just as she had instructed, was standing there without moving. Her irritation red up. If he was too stubborn to bow his head and beg for mercy, then she would not hold back! "Darling, I''ve been so upset today without you around." Hera suddenly began to cry. A hint of impatience shed across Abel''s eyes. A crying woman could sometimes be charming. However, when a man was already tired, she should know to stop. Clearly, Hera did not understand how weary he was. Listening to her sobs, Abel found himself growing fonder of Kassy, the woman who would never cry over trivial matters. Kassy was the one who held a ce in his heart, the one woman who would stand beside him without acting like this. Even though Abel was irritated, he yed along with Hera. "What happened? Who''s been bothering you?" "Him!" Hera pointed at Luke. "While you were gone, he tried to take advantage of me!* Before Luke could respond, Gerald took a couple of steps away, quickly distancing himself from the situation. At the same time, he was secretly marveling at how good Hera was at lying with a straight face. Who would try to take advantage of her... What a bold lie. Abel narrowed his eyes and looked toward Luke. "You?" "I didn''t." Luke remained calm, showing no signs of panic. Hera wiped her tears. "You''re lying. You tried to take advantage of me!" "What exactly did I do to take advantage of you?" asked Luke. "In the..." Hera paused for a moment, then continued, "In the bedroom! This morning at around eight o''clock, you went into my room and tried to take advantage of me." She was not sure when Abel left, so she made sure to make the timeter. "Really?" Luke pointed at the living room''s surveince cameras. "There are cameras here, Ms. Sanchez. You might want to think twice before making baseless usations." Abel turned his gaze toward Hera. Her face turned pale when she heard Luke''s words. "I woke up before 6:00 am and have been on the first floor ever since. The cameras can show my movements. This is the first time I''ve gone upstairs. How could I have gone to the third floor to harass you?" As Gerald listened to him, he could not help but silently give a thumbs up. That was impressive. Even in front of someone as intimidating as the boss, Luke managed to quickly defend himself and clear his name. "I... I must have remembered it wrong!" Hera looked at Abel with a pitiful expression," Darling, I was just so scared I got confused. It was him in the garden, around 10:00 am." Luke turned to look at Abel. If Abel sided with Hera, there was nothing he could do. The garden had too many blind spots in its surveince. When Hera confessed her feelings to him there, she had been standing in one of those blind spots. Abel''s expression darkened. "Are you done making a scene? You got the time and location all wrong. How am I supposed to believe you?" Hera opened her mouth but could not find the words. Lucius was not from theboratory, yet Abel would not help her. Was she truly the one with the lowest status in this vi? She could not offend anyone, and no one would stand up for her when she was wronged. At that moment, Hera felt a deep sense of despair. "I''m not making a scene. He''s the one who..." "Ms. Sanchez, are you going to mention how I wasn''t in my roomst night?" Luke said coolly, his tone calm but piercing. As a man, he could understand Abel''s thoughts. Even though Abel''s heart belonged to Kassy, he would not tolerate a on him while he was with her. han trying cheat Hera''s face was drained of color. She did not expect Lucius to bring that up. Abel narrowed his eyes. His piercing blue gaze was full of danger as he questioned Hera on what was going on. Hera shook her head. "I didn''t." "Youered me in the garden today and said you''d use this to threaten me. You were forcing me to be with you" Luke did not like discussing such things. However, Hera''s actions had been so annoying that he did not mind dealing with her. Gerald, who was listening from the side, was equally stunned. Abel roared, "What the fuck is going on?" "I was just starvingst night and wanted him to buy me ate-night snack, so I went to find him. But when I got there, he wasn''t on patrol, and his room was empty." Hera shivered, feeling wronged as she spoke. Abel turned to look at Luke.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. "I wasn''t in my room. But Ms. Sanchez, to use this kind of thing to threaten me into becorning your man... It makes me question whether you really wanted me to buy you a snack when you knocked on my door," Luke asked indifferently. Hera raised her voice. "Of course, I did!" Luke gave a mocking smirk. Hera asked, "Then where did you go that night? There are cameras everywhere here. You can''t lie about it." Gerald felt that Luke was about to beered, and after thinking for a moment, he stepped forward and said, "Mr. Abel, Ms. Sanchez, Lucius was in my roomst night." "In your room?" Before Abel could react, Hera shrieked, "Don''t lie for him! Do you know the consequences of lying to us?" Cerald trembled slightly. He knew all too well what those consequences could be. Still, he did not want Luke to be punished. He took a deep breath and exined, "The thing is, I was asking Lucius to teach me some boxing techniques. It gotte, and he ended up resting in my room. There are two beds in my room, and we each took one. There was plenty of space, so he didn''t return to his own room." Luke was surprised that Gerald was actually helping him lie. Did he know something he was not letting on? A glimmer of curiosity flickered in Luke''s deep gaze. It seemed like it would be worth probing Gerald for more informationter. After hearing this exnation, Abel''s expression darkened further. He locked his gaze onto Hera, his eyes filled with a cold intensity. "So, you really went to knock on his door because you were hungry?" "Darling, listen to me. It''s not what you think "What were you wearing yesterday when you went to knock on a man''s door? And now, you''re using this to threaten him? Hera, have you forgotten what I told you yesterday?" Abel''s tone grew more menacing as he pressed on. Hera regretted it immediately. She regretted letting her frustration cloud her judgment and rashly involving Luke in her attempt to get back at him. "It''s not what you think! Let me exin." Hera did not expect Luke to be so ruthless. He had openly exposed her attempt to use him to threaten him despite knowing he could face punishment. "It''s all this man''s fault for tempting me. I didn''t do anything!" Gerald could not help but shudder. Luke lowered his gaze, appearing calm and submissive. "Boss, I''ve kept my distance from Ms. Sanchez, and I haven''t crossed any boundaries." Chapter 3381 Do You Still Want To Leave? ? Chapter 3381 Do You Still Want To Leave? Abel did not have much of an impression of Lucius. However, he believed he would not lie to him. If Lucius had actually done something to betray him, he would not have been foolish enough to admit that Hera had tried to seduce him. Abel studied his face. Lucius was not handsome, and his physique was not any different from the other people in the organization. His gaze then shifted to Hera. "You didn''t do anything?" Hera could feel the chilling intensity in his eyes, and she could not help but shiver. "A man had to step forward to file aint because you were harassing him, Hera. Have I been too lenient with you?" Abel continued, his voice light, almost indifferent. Still, the underlying menace was unmistakable. Despair filled Hera as she shot a resentful look at Luke. How could he be so ruthless, pushing her toward the brink of destruction? "Hera, look at me," Abelmanded coldly, his hand suddenly gripping her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. Hera knew she had no choice but to escape now. If she did not, she would never get another chance. At this moment, with her life and money hanging in the bnce, she chose her life. Despite her trembling body, she stepped back and spoke with determination in her voice. Abel, who do you think you are?" Abel''s gaze darkened further. His hands started twitching as though he wanted to crush her. No woman had ever dared speak to him like this. The only one who had ever dared was Luca, back when she was first captured. In the end, however, she gave in to him. "Hera..." Abel''s voice was full of warning. Hera sneered, "I''ve been following you because of your money, but now that I don''t want it, I''m done with you. You think just because you have money you''re some kind of emperor? Abel, when I needed your money, you were the boss of me. Now that I don''t, you''re nothing." Luke''s eyes flickered with amusement. Hera was truly foolish. Did she really think Abel was with her for her beauty? If she had not had her eyes altered to look like Kassy''s, Abel would not have spared her a second nce. Now, she wanted to leave and try to save her reputation, but it was toote. Luke said in a low voice, "It''s toote." Gerald, who stood beside him, was confused and asked in a low voice, "Toote for what?" Luke did not answer. Abel''s expression twisted into something more sinister as he watched Hera prepare to leave. He had finally found someone who met his standards, and he was not about to let her walk away like this. "Hera." Abel''s voice was calm. There was no anger but a depth to it that made Hera''s blood run cold. "Are you really going to leave?" he asked again. At that moment, Hera felt the suffocating presence of death closing in on her. Hera wanted to nod her head, but as the thought of what Abel would do to herter crossed her mind, she shuddered. She forced herself to speak, her voice trembling but firm, "You''re terrifying. I don''t want to stay by your side anymore." "You really think you can leave?" Abel''s eyes shed with mockery. "There''s only one way for someone to leave without my permission." "What?" A sense of dread washed over Hera. She immediately regretted asking. She should not have asked. The answer was clear in Abel''s eyes before the words even left his mouth. "Only death can separate someone from me," Abel''s smile was as sinister as a demon from hell. His overwhelming hostility seemed to suffocate Hera. "Do you still want to leave?" Feeling as though she were ensnared by a vengeful ghost, Hera''s vision blurred. In a daze, she fainted. Luke stood there, watching the scene unfold with a detached expression. After all, Hera was nothing more than an ordinary person in his eyes. Cerald, observing from the sidelines, clicked his tongue in disbelief. For a moment, he was not sure whether he should step in or stay back. Remembering his boss'' possessiveness, he hesitated. He had started to move toward Hera, but the thought of possibly being reprimanded by Abelter made him stop.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. It was not worth the risk of being used of touching her and making Abel jealous, especially when he could end up losing his limbs. Abe showed no sign of mercy when he saw Hera copse. His eyes were cold and unfeeling as he looked at her pale, unconscious face. She was nothing like Kassy, and no matter how miserable she looked, she would never earn his sympathy. Abel watched the scene unfold indifferently. His only interest was in her eyes. Abel lifted his head with a cold expression on his face. "Why are you two still standing there? Hurry up and carry her upstairs." Luke, however, did not budge. His voice was cold as he replied, "Boss, I''m not touching her. If Hera wakes up and finds out, she''ll use me of taking advantage of her." At that moment, Luke truly demonstrated his reluctance to intervene. "I won''t either," Gerald quickly added. Abel''s eyes narrowed in irritation. He was exhausted and did not want to deal with this nonsense. "Go get Ivana and have her carry her upstairs." Then, he tumed around and walked out of the living room. Cerald looked at Luke. "Are you going, or should I?" "I''ll go," Luke replied indifferently, turning to ascend the stairs. He knocked on the door of theboratory. "Come in" came Shanks" voice from inside. Luke pushed open the door. As soon as Luca saw him, she quickly went over the protocols with him, exining the procedures in ce. Luke stopped just inside the doorway, not entering. "Mr. Shanks, we need Luca''s help downstairs," said Luke. Luca heard Luke''s voice and lifted her head to look at what was happening outside. Her gaze met his, and she silently asked what was going on. "Go ahead," replied Shanks. Luca quickly removed herb coat andid down her materials, then walked out of theboratory. Once the door was closed behind her, she asked, "What''s going on?" "Hera fainted, and we need you to take a look and help carry her upstairs," exined Luke. Then, he added, "I''ll carry her. You just check on her and see what''s wrong." Even though he was reluctant to touch Hera, he did not want Luca to overexert herself. She might appear frail, but at nearly 900 pounds, carrying her upstairs would definitely tire Luca out. Luca was surprised and walked downstairs with him, asking, "Why did she suddenly faint?" Luke could not exin everything in detail, so he replied shortly, "I''ll tell youter. She tried to leave, but Abel scared her into fainting. She''s lying on the floor right now." Luca''s curiosity only grew. Hera needed Abel''s money. Why would she suddenly try to leave and faint because of a scare? When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Luca nced at Gerald and then at the unconscious Hera on the floor. "Maybe we should just put her on the couch?" suggested Gerald. Both he and Luke were unwilling to touch Hera, fearing she would use them of somethingter. However, leaving her lying on the floor was not a good option either. Luca shook her head. "No. There are too many peopleing and going here. Even though she''s with the boss, it''ll be hard to avoid unwanted attention." Even though Luca did not like Hera, she wanted to be considerate of the situation since she was a woman. "What should we do, then?" asked Gerald, "We can''t touch her, and you''ll probably have a hard time carrying her upstairs by yourself." "I''ll do it," replied Luke. "No need. I''ll handle it with Gerald," Luca directed, taking charge. She and Gerald each took one side of Hera''s body and began to lift her. She was being petty. It was obvious that Hera liked Luke, and if he helped carry Hera now, it might cause more troubleter. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3382 Why Put Yourself Through All Of This ? Chapter 3382 Why Put Yourself Through All Of This Gerald was rtively strong. However, he tried to avoid touching other parts of Hera''s body, making it quite difficult to carry her. By the time they reached the third floor, he was out of breath. Luca, however, seemed to handle it better than he did. "Ms. Craw, aren''t you tired?" Gerald could not help but ask as he set Hera down on the bed, panting. Luca nced at him and replied, "I''m not tired because I''m not worried about touching other parts of her." Gerald, whose hands were on his hips, was out of breath and muttered, "This is the first time I''ve realized how exhausting it is to carry a woman upstairs." After positioning Hera properly, Luca took her pulse and frowned. "Did she mention feeling unwell earlier?" "Yeah, but wasn''t she pretending? She was crying, throwing a fit, and making a scene downstairs. It was quite the performance, Gerald recalled, chuckling at the memory of Hera trying to cling to Luke and failing. Luca switched to her other hand to take Hera''s pulse and then said, "She has some inmmation." "Inmmation? Where?" Gerald asked with curiosity. Luca nced at Luke and Gerald but did not answer directly. "I need to do a more thorough examination. You two should wait outside." *Alright." Luke, who had been silent, could tell from her expression what the problem was. He turned and left the room. Gerald was still curious. "So, where exactly is the inmmation?" *Just go outside. You can''t stay for the examination." Luca furrowed her brows. Gerald had no choice but to leave the room. After the door closed, Luca pulled a fresh pair of medical gloves from her pocket. She had kept them with her since treating the volunteer, always prepared to help with medical treatment if needed. After putting the gloves on, she unbuttoned Hera''s clothes. As she removed the clothing, the bruises all over Hera''s body became clear. The marks showed how cruelly she had been treated by Abel. Luca heaved a sigh, looking at the unconscious woman. "Why put yourself through all of this?" Hera, in her condition, could have found a good boyfriend. They could just work hard together, enter marriage, and live a simpler life. What would be so wrong with that? Instead, Hera let her body be mistreated like this for the sake of money. Luca could not help but feel sympathy. She conducted a thorough examination of Hera. Even though she did not have the assistance of any medical equipment, she learned many things from working with Shanks. After finishing the examination, she helped Hera put her clothes back on before standing up. Luca exited the room. *How is she?" Gerald quickly asked when he saw her. *She''s not in any danger, she just got a shock and fainted," replied Luca. Gerald let out a sigh of relief. "As long as she''s not in danger." Luca continued, "Although there''s no immediate danger, her condition isn''t great. She was feeling unwell earlier because of a low fever caused by internal inmmation. She just needs some anti-inmmatory and fever- reducing medication, and she''ll be fine." Gerald thought it was no big deal. Luca did not respond. She made her way downstairs. Luke and Gerald followed her. "Why is she inmed?" asked Luke. Luca replied, "Intercourse." Gerald''s eyes widened in confusion. "What does that mean?" *She overdid it, and her body couldn''t handle it, so she got inmed." Luca did not exin too much and did not care if the men understood. She walked to the second floor and directly entered theb. She said to Shanks, "Abel''spanion has an inmmation, and I''d like to get some medication." "Okay." Shanks did not care much about Hera''s condition. However, since Luca wanted to get the medicine, he did not stop her. Luca opened the medicine cab and grabbed anti-inmmatory medication, a cream for bruises, and a bottle of intravenous fluid.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Shanks nced at her and asked with furrowed brows, "Where''s the inmmation?" *Her private area," Luca answered tactfully. Even though there was no gender distinction in medicine, Shanks mostly focuses on pharmaceutical research. Hence, she made an effort to be tactful. Shanks frowned. "That''s troublesome." Luca replied, "Yes, it requires ongoing treatment. But with your medication, it should heal faster as long as she keeps up with the treatment. There shouldn''t be any major issues." Shanks did not reply. Luca ced everything she had gathered onto a tray and left theb. Luke and Gerald were waiting for her. When Gerald saw the tray in Luca''s hands, he asked, "You''re still treating her after what she did to you?" "What else?" replied Luca, "Should I just let her stay in pain?" "Well, I suppose not..." Gerald thought to himself that Luca was doing a thankless task. Luca added, "Do you expect her to heal on her own?" Most people, except for a few with particrly strong constitutions, would not heal by themselves in such a case. Without treatment, it would only worsen. The three of them arrived at the third-floor room. Luca stood at the door and said, "It''s not appropriate for you to go in. Just stay out here." *Alright," Gerald said first. If it were not for Luca, he would not dare enter Hera''s room. Luca opened the door, then closed it behind her. She first cleaned Hera and then applied the cream on her body. Then, she set up the IV. As she looked at the pale-faced woman, Luca let out a sigh. Afterpleting everything, she exited the room and said to the waiting men, "I''ve set up the IV. I''ll have to wait until the fluid is finished before I can leave. You two should go do what you need to. It''ll take a while before the IV finishes." *Alright." Luke gave Luca a meaningful look, reminding her, "Be careful." Luca nodded and nced at Gerald before walking away. Gerald did not say anything but remarked, "Let''s go. If the boss sees us standing here, he might think we have ideas about his woman." Luke''s expression darkened. He nced at Luca before turning to go downstairs. Luca initially thought about sitting on the couch, but the thought of a certain matter made her feel disgusted. So, she pulled over a chair, sat beside the bed, and began handling business with the messages from Rhett. She dealt with matters from Watson''s side. She did not know what Luke had said to the people at Watson. The research there was still progressing smoothly, unaffected by her time off. Even though Luca was busy with things here, she made time to check the messages and data Rhett sent. With Shanks'' research as a foundation, Luca was able to remotely guide the ongoing studies. After Luca handled her work matters, Hera started to slowly wake up. Luca heard a sound and put her phone away, ncing at the woman on the bed. "You''re awake?" Hera was initially a bit disoriented, but when she heard Luca''s voice, she fully regained consciousness. She blinked her eyes and looked at her. "How did you end up here?" *Do you remember what happened?" Luca ced a mercury thermometer under her arm. "I''m taking your temperature. Don''t move." "I fainted." Hera remembered being frightened by Abel''s expression and secretly mocked herself for being so weak. They lived in aw-abiding society. No matter how ruthless Abel was, he would not kill her. Realizing this, she could not help but feel frustrated. How could she have been so easily frightened into fainting? The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3383 Willingly Step Into Her Own Downfall ? Chapter 3383 Willingly Step Into Her Own Downfall "Yes," Luca nodded. "You have a mild fever and some inmmation in your body." Hera was surprised. "Inmmation? Where?" She often mingled with men, so every few months, she made sure to get a check-up to avoid picking up any unwanted diseases. Her previous check-ups had all been normal, with no signs of any illness. "You''ve been getting along well with the boss these days, haven''t you?" Luca did not say it outright but hinted at it. She then nced at the thermometer, seeing that her temperature had returned to normal. Hera understood and widened her eyes. "You''re saying I have inmmation there? That''s impossible." "Your body can''t handle too much." Luca did not want to go into too much detail. She looked up and saw that the IV was nearly done. She rose to her feet, removed the needle, and pointed at the medicine on the side. "Your body won''t have any major issues. Don''t worry. Here are the anti-inmmatory pills for the next three days. Take them, and you should be fine." Hera was still dazed. She sat up but did not react for a while. Luca saw this and felt a twinge of sympathy. While she knew that Luke would have intervened if Abel had made a move, Hera was still in danger. Before Luca left, she said, "Ms. Sanchez, your freedom hasn''t been restricted yet. It''s actually quite simple if you want to leave. After all, life is more important than anything else." Then, she walked out of the room. Hera sat there for a while, confused. Then, she suddenly furrowed her brows. What did Luca mean by that? Hera''s jealousy red. Was Luca trying to hint that she should leave? She suddenly twisted Luca''s good intentions into something else. Hera thought that if she left, Luca would be the only woman in the vi. She even thought that Luca advised her to leave because she liked Abel and wanted to gain his favor. Hera''s heart grew bitter as she believed Luca, like her, was just after Abel''s money. Determined, she clenched her fists. Luca wanted her to leave? Well, she would not. She needed lots of money to secure her future. Abel just happened to be the person who could provide it. Hera scoffed and eyed the anti-inmmatory pills. She picked them up and inspected the colorful pills, which looked like candy. However, she did not need them. "I''m not sick, Luca. Don''t try to scare me," muttered Hera as she threw the pills into the trash. Luca was unaware that her well-meaning advice had been misinterpreted by Hera. Little did she know, those words only solidified Hera''s determination to stay, driving her to willingly step into the depths of her own downfall. For the years that followed, whenever Luca recalled this incident, she could not help but reflect. If only she had not offered that advice, perhaps Hera''s fate would not have turned out so tragic. After Luca left the room, she returned to theboratory, nning to continue her experiments. As soon as she walked in, Shanks asked, "How''s the woman?" "She''s no longer feverish," answered Luca. "But she''s very resistant to epting that she''s ill. Perhaps she doubts my medical skills. Mr. Shanks, if you''re in a good mood one day, you could go check on her. It seems like Ms. Sanchez is quite different from the other women around Mr. Abel." Her words carried a hint of curiosity. It was as though she wanted to gauge whether Abel''s ns were as she suspected. Shanks'' gaze darkened, and he studied Luca carefully. "What are you trying to find out?" Shanks asked straightforwardly. Luca was startled for a moment, feeling helpless. Shanks was sharp, as expected. Before she had even asked her question, he had already picked up on her intentions. She shook her head. "Nothing, I''m just curious. Back then, although there were always women around him, none of them were brought directly to the base like this. And Ms. Sanchez doesn''t seem like the type who''s trained in any way..." Shanks turned his gaze away from her and said in an indifferent tone, "This isn''t exactly a base." "What?" Luca was confused. How could this not be a base? There were people from the Ind of Despair on rotation here, and some weapons were also stored. "At best, this is myboratory," rified Shanks. "Aside from the drugs I''m researching, there''s nothing here that can''t be seen in the light." Luca''s expression grew a little odd. Drugs that should not be out in the open? They were not illegal substances. It was just that they had not passed clinical trials and could not be marketed yet. They were not really things that needed to be hidden. Moreover, even if someone got their hands on the drugs, they would not be able to analyze their contents immediately. Take the antidote used by the Ind of Despair to manipte people, for example. Even if someone had the form, unless they had years of experience working alongside Shanks and ess to precise equipment, it would be nearly impossible to decipher theposition. The drug''sponents were highlyplex. Luca was about to say something else when Shanks interrupted, "I just did dry needling treatment for a volunteer. It''s about time for you to remove the needles." "Got it." Luca nodded and left theb. Luke was waiting by the door. Luca was slightly surprised and she asked in a soft voice, "What''s the matter? "Gerald just told me that Hera changed her mind and no longer wants to leave," replied Luke. Luca frowned. Was Hera not nning to leave just a while ago? What could have caused her to change her mind so suddenly? "How do you know this?" Luca asked quietly. "After Gerald knew she woke up, he suggested how she could leave. But before he could finish, Hera interrupted him and said she didn''t want to leave anymore," exined Luke. Gerald was just bored. He thought that if Hera wanted to leave, she could still do so. Hence, he tried to give her a friendly reminder. However, she rejected his advice. Gerald instantly felt like he was in big trouble. If Hera told Abel about this, he would either lose an arm or a leg. So he ran over to tell Luke, hoping to figure out a way to solve the problem. Luca shook her head, looking helpless. "Seems like she''s not afraid," said Luca. She had already tried to warn Hera, but it had no effect.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Well, Hera was willing to stay close to Abel for the money, and nothing they said could stop her. They could not exactly tell her to run away and that Abel was after her eyes. That would only make things worse for all of them. "Gerald is really something. After all this time in the organization, he still hasn''t learned to keep his mouth shut, keep his eyes down, and avoid trouble." Luca was rendered speechless. Experience was the best teacher, but Gerald just did not get it. "Hera didn''t record anything, so there''s nothing to worry about. Gerald is just panicking," added Luke. After he exined things, Gerald finally stopped rambling around him. Given what had happened earlier this morning, Abel would not believe Hera''s words anyway. Luca pointed at theb and said, "I need to go remove the needles from the volunteer first." "Can Ie in and take a look?" asked Luke. He had not been inside that room yet. They thought he did not know how to take care of people. That was why they did not assign him any responsibility to look after the volunteer. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3384 Ill Make Sure You Dont Get What You Want ? Chapter 3384 I''ll Make Sure You Don''t Get What You Want "Sure." Luca was unsure why he was suddenly interested in the volunteers. She led him into the room where the volunteers were. Luke noticed that the volunteer''s legs were covered in needles. If Johann saw this, he would probably make a big fuss about it. Luke watched as Luca carefully removed each needle, checked some of the volunteer''s nerve functions, and offered a few reassuring words before picking up a tray filled with medical waste and leaving the room. Once they were outside, Luke, not having seen the volunteer''s previous condition, asked, "Were his legspletely immobile before?" "Yes. He said it was an injury caused by a machine malfunction at the factory. It hadn''t been treated properly for years. By the time he was sent here, his family didn''t have time to help with massages, and his calves had atrophied. But now, as you can see, the muscles are gradually recovering, and he''s starting to regain sensation. In another week or two, his legs should be able to move." Luca nodded. Abel was dissatisfied with the pace of the treatment, but from a medical perspective, it was already a miracle, and the recovery was progressing rapidly." This progress is already quite fast. If someone with a fresh injury hade to us right away, the recovery would''ve been even quicker." Luke began to calcte something in his mind. "What''s in your mind?" asked Luca. Luke shook his head. "Nothing. Go ahead and focus on your work." "Alright." Luca nodded but then remembered something. "By the way, you''re going out this Saturday, right?" "Yeah, and you can''t go out, right?" Luke felt a bit helpless. Abel''s arrival had disrupted their ns.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. He could leave, but there was no way Luca could step outside right now. If both of them left the base at the same time, Abel would undoubtedly be suspicious. "Right. It''s not convenient for me to leave." There was a hint of frustration in Luca''s voice. If Abel had not shown up, she could have asked Shanks for some time off and gone out. However, with Abel here, she had to stay put. If she and Luke took time off at the same time, Abel''s suspicious nature would undoubtedly cause trouble. "I still have to go. Do you need anything? I can bring it back for you," asked Luke. He was thinking about how she had not brought anything with her when she arrived. Luca shook her head. "Not for now. If I need somethingter, I can always get it when it''s more convenient." "Alright." While the two of them were chatting, Hera stood around the corner, listening to their conversation. They spoke casually, like family members discussing everyday matters. Jealousy burned even brighter in Hera''s eyes. No wonder Luca had tried to convince her to leave. It was not about Abel, it was about Lucius. Luca knew she had feelings for Lucius and,cking confidence, feared she would take him away from her. That was why Luca tried to persuade her to leave, was it not? Hera recalled the trouble Lucius had brought her, a storm that had almost destroyed her... With her fists clenched tightly, she secretly swore she would make them both pay. "You want to be together, do you? I''ll make sure you don''t get what you want," Hera muttered under her breath before turning and heading upstairs. Suddenly, Luca frowned and walked forward a few steps. "What is it?" asked Luke as he stepped closer and nced around, but seeing no one. "I just heard someone talking, but I couldn''t make out what they said." Luca''s hearing was sharp, and she was certain someone had been speaking. Even though the voice was faint and the words unclear, she was sure it was not her imagination. She walked over but did not see anyone. Luke, knowing her sharp hearing, did not doubt her words despite not seeing anyone. Instead, he believed someone had indeed been speaking there moments ago. "Did you catch what they were saying?" Luca shook her head. "I''m pretty sure it was Hera, but I couldn''t make out the exact words." She was certain it was a woman''s voice, and in the entire vi, the only women present were herself and Hera. "She really has a knack for sneaking around." Luke was rendered speechless. He turned around and added, "Hera isn''t leaving anytime soon. She''ll stay close to Abel, so be careful. Her tactics may be crude, but she has plenty of them." "I know, I''ll go ahead and..." Luca felt a warmth in her heart as she pointed to theb behind her. "I''ll head back to theb and get some work done." "Okay." Luke watched her leave before heading downstairs. He had only descended a couple of steps when Hera''s voice called out behind him. "You like her, don''t you?" Luke did not stop, continuing down the stairs. "Stop!" Hera shouted, anger bubbling as his indifference triggered memories of her previous experiences with him. Back then, Luke ignored her because of Bianca. Now, Lucius was ignoring her because of Luca. She rushed down to ck his path. "Tell me! Do you like that woman?" "It''s none of your business." Luke furrowed his brows. Her confrontational stance reminded him of a shrew. "I know you do!" Hera crossed her arms, her eyes zing with jealousy and anger. "Move," Luke said coldly without any expression on his face. If not for his dislike of hitting women, she would not have the chance to stand in his way. Hera sneered with a dark smile, as though she had known all along. "Whether you deny it or avoid the topic, I know you have feelings for her. Last night, you weren''t in your room, and you weren''t with Gerald, was it? You were with that woman. I''ll give you one more chance. No matter who you like, as long as you stay with me while I''m here, I''ll pretend I don''t know anything. Otherwise, don''t me me for being ruthless." "Hera." Luke''s fists were clenched tightly, and his patience was wearing thin. Anyone who dared to threaten him never ended well. Hera would be no exception. He reminded himself of his current role. He and Luca still had to rescue their kids. He could not let Hera ruin everything. "So? Do you agree?" Hera thought she had the upper hand. Luke stepped back. His gaze was full of disdain. "Stay away from me. I don''t hit women, but if you keep this up, don''t me me for not being nice." Hera froze for a moment, stunned by the disgust in his eyes. Was this... disgust? He actually refused topromise for this woman? "Let''s see what you''ll do to me. You''re the one forcing my hand." With a sharp remark lingering in the air, Hera spun on her heel and strode away. Luke''s face darkened. His expression was like a brewing storm. He wished he could get rid of Hera immediately, not to harm her, but to ensure she never showed up in front of him again. He took a deep breath to calm himself. Suddenly, Gerald appeared out of nowhere. "How much did you hear?" Luke''s expression darkened. "Bro, don''t worry! I heard it, but I swear I won''t say a word to anyone," Gerald was clearly worried Luke might punch him. He held up his fingers as though he was taking an oath. Luke''s face was clouded with a heavy gloom. "Honestly, you''ve got it pretty rough," added Gerald as he pointed downstairs. "There''s beer in the fridge. Want one?" Luke nodded, following him downstairs. They grabbed beers from the fridge and headed to the garden, sitting down on the grass. The sun had already set, and without the heat of the day, the ground felt cool andfortable. Luke opened a bottle and took a sip. It was the first time he had a drink since arriving here. Gerald opened his own beer, took a swig, and then chuckled. "You know, you''re not even that handsome. So why is Ms. Sanchez so obsessed with you? She keeps pestering you, again and again." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3385 Where Else Can I Go ? Chapter 3385 Where Else Can I Go Luke stayed silent, letting the chilled beer cool him down, washing away some of the lingering heat. Gerald nced around to make sure no one was nearby before leaning in and speaking softly to Luke. "Actually, I''ve seen it." "Seen what?" Luke could not be bothered. Lowering his voice even further, Gerald whispered just loud enough for the two of them to hear, "I''ve seen you going into Ms. Craw''s room quite often."All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Luke''s expression sharpened instantly. A cold glint shed in his eyes. He had been so cautious. How had Gerald noticed? Was he bluffing? Luke narrowed his eyes and said nothing. His aura grew colder by the second. Gerald, sensing the rising tension, shrank back slightly and quickly added, "Rx, I''m not going to tell anyone. If I wanted to report you, I would''ve done it already." Luke''s expression eased slightly. Gerald continued to reassure him, "I''m not one to meddle. Look, I haven''t said a word about you, and I even stood up for you during that whole thing with Ms. Sanchez. You don''t have to worry." After taking another sip of his beer, Gerald smirked and said, "I am curious, though. There are plenty of men in our organization, and Ms. Craw doesn''t seem interested in any of them. Why is it you? And isn''t she already in a rtionship outside the organization? I''ve seen the guy. He''s tall, handsome, and rich. You actually managed to make a guy like that get cheated on. Bro, I have to respect you for that." Luke''s sharp gaze cut into him. "Why haven''t you reported me?" "Why would I? I''m not stupid," Gerald replied with augh, pping Luke on the shoulder. "Besides, reporting you wouldn''t benefit me in any way. Think about it. If people found out I ratted you out, I''d never be able to stay here. And it''s not like we have any personal grudges, so why would I go stirring up trouble? Who knows? Maybe one day I''ll end up joining the Ind of Despair, and then you might be my ticket to survival." Gerald paused for a moment, gesturing animatedly. "I''ve seen what you''re capable of. Your skills are way above most people''s. With enough time and missions, you might even rise to a leadership position in the organization. I''m betting on you." Luke frowned. Gerald wanted to stay in the organization? "Why would you want to stay here?" "Bro, you saying that makes me question your intelligence, Gerald burst outughing, giving him a hearty p on the shoulder. "I''m not like you guys. I''m more like an auxiliary member. I only joined the organization back then for the money. But when I joined, I had to take the medication too. If I don''t stay here, where else can I go? And even if I leave, I probably won''t have much time left to live..." Luke furrowed his brows, realizing his question had been foolish. He said nothing more. Up on the third floor, Hera stood watching them from afar. The distance was too great for her to hear their conversation. However, they seemed to get along so well... Hera''s eyes darkened. She picked up her phone, intending to call Abel, but hesitated for a moment, remembering the events of the day. She changed her mind. Fine, let Abel stay away for now. She would wait until his anger subsided before reaching out again. Meanwhile, Gerald and Luke each finished two bottles of chilled beer. As the time approached, Gerald said, "You''d better not go to Ms. Craw''s room tonight. I''m worried she mighte looking for you again." A trace of irritation shed in Luke''s eyes. It was unbearable for Luke not to hold Luca as he slept. However, with Hera now keeping a close watch on him, no one could predict when she might lose control. For the sake of Luca''s safety, he decided he would have to stay in his room tonight. "I know it''s frustrating, but there''s no way around it," added Gerald, secretly marveling at the audacity it took to put a man like Luke in such a position. Only someone from the Ind of Despair would dare. "By the way, could you teach me some boxing? I''ve seen how easily you handle people. I''d really like to learn," asked Gerald. "Tomorrow morning, six o''clock, at the training grounds," replied Luke. Normally, he would not have entertained the request, but since he had nothing else to do while staying in the room, he agreed. He did not like owing favors, and since Gerald had helped him before, he saw no harm in granting the request. "Thanks!" Gerald beamed with excitement, convinced that after tomorrow, he might even be as formidable as Luke himself. Night fell. Luca dragged her exhausted body back to her room. She pushed open the door, only to find that Luke was not there waiting for her. Confused, she paused for a moment. She remembered it was not his turn for patrol duty tonight and was about to go ask him what was going on when her eyesnded on a folded piece of paper pinned beneath her pillow. She had a strong feeling it was a note left by Luke. Pulling it out, she unfolded the page and found it filled with his neat handwriting, almost covering the entire sheet. As she read, her expression darkened. She did not expect Hera to stoop so low, resorting to such shameless tactics just to get closer to Luke. Now, to ensure their safety, Luke would not be able to stay with her for the next few nights. Luca''s heart sank. With Luke around, she could sleep soundly. In a ce like the organization''s base, without the protection of someone she trusted implicitly, her senses were on high alert. She knew she would not get a good night''s sleep, or possibly any sleep at all. With Hera''s relentless presence, Luca had no choice but to lock her door and set a cup on the handle as an improvised rm to safeguard herself. In the middle of the night. Hera tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. Her body felt like it was on fire, a sensation so intense it was almost unbearable. This was not a fever. It was a searing pain that cycled through different parts of her body. She thought back to what Luca had said earlier that day. At first, she refused to believe that she was sick, assuming it was just a scare tactic Luca used to drive her away. As the effects of the medication wore off in the night, the difort grew exponentially, forcing Hera to confront the truth. Struggling to her feet, she staggered toward the trash can, hoping to retrieve the medicine she had tossed earlier. To her dismay, the trash had already been emptied. Hera closed her eyes helplessly. Without the medication, she would have to go to Luca for help. As soon as she stepped out of her room, dizziness overwhelmed her. Before she could take another step, she copsed to the ground and lost consciousness. The next morning. Luca was still in bed when a knock sounded at her door. "Ms. Craw, are you awake?" Luca opened her eyes. Without Luke by her side, it had taken her a long time to fall asleep. Reaching for her phone, she checked the time. It was still early. "Whatever it is, let''s talk about itter." Luca rolled over, intending to get a few more minutes of rest. From outside, Gerald''s voice cut through. "Ms. Craw, don''t go back to sleep! Ms. Sanchez passed out in the hallway. You''d bettere take a look." Luca''s eyes snapped open. Hera passed out? Forgetting her grogginess, she quickly changed into a fresh set of clothes and hurried out of the room. "What happened? "I''m not entirely sure. The patrol found her unconscious in the hallway earlier and brought her back to her room. But she''s burning up, like she has a fever," exined Gerald as he followed closely beside her. Luca picked up her pace, entering Hera''s room to find a man standing by the bed. He was likely the one who had carried her back. Approaching the bed, Luca ced a hand on Hera''s forehead. It was scalding. "She''s running a fever." Luca frowned. Then, she lightly pressed her fingers against Hera''s pulse. "It''s worse than thought." "What''s wrong, Ms. Craw?" Gerald noticed her expression and asked with concern. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3386 Got Hera Admitted To The Hospital ? Chapter 3386 Got Hera Admitted To The Hospital Luca ced her hand on Hera''s other wrist, checking her pulse. "Her condition is worsening. The inmmation in her body has intensified. "I prescribed her medication. Those are Mr. Shanks'' formtions, and they''re highly effective for reducing inmmation. It shouldn''t be getting worse." Gerald pursed his lips before finally speaking up. "Luca, when I was cleaning yesterday, I saw that Ms. Sanchez had thrown all the medication you prescribed into the trash. She didn''t take any of it." Luca was speechless. She had been questioning whether the medicine was ineffective or if she had made an error in diagnosis. It turned out that it was Hera herself who had sabotaged her treatment. "What should we do now?" asked Gerald. "There''s no other option. She needs to go to a hospital," Luca decided firmly. "Her condition is serious, and since she doesn''t trust my treatment, the hospital is her best choice." "Can''t you help her just this once?" pleaded Gerald, "I mean, she looks really bad right now. You and Mr. Shanks are way more skilled than any hospital doctors. She''d recover much faster with your help." Luca frowned. She was not one to meddle unnecessarily. Hera''s tant rejection of her help did not inspire any goodwill. "Call Mr. Shanks. If he''s willing to treat her, fine. If not, she goes to the hospital." Luca''s tone left no room for negotiation.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Gerald heaved a sigh and went to fetch Shanks. Ten minutester, Shanks came strolling leisurely. "What''s the issue?" Luca stepped aside to give him space and briefly exined Hera''s condition and her earlier diagnosis. After checking the pulse, Shanks''s expression did not change. "Your diagnosis is urate. She won''t die." Gerald and the other man in the room froze, caught off guard by Shanks'' bluntness. She would not die? Was that supposed to be reassuring? Only Luca understood his meaning. Hera''s life wasn''t in immediate danger, so hospital treatment would suffice. "Mr. Shanks, you''re not going to treat her?" Luca asked in a soft voice. "Why should I waste my effort on someone who threw away my medicine?" Shanks'' tone was as cold as ice. He despised those who disregarded others'' goodwill. The moment he learned Hera had discarded his medicine, she was firmly ced on his cklist. Luca straightened her back and turned to Gerald. "Are you taking her to the hospital yourselves, or should we call an ambnce?" "Can''t you just handle it here?" Gerald dreaded the hassle of a hospital visit. Luca shook her head. "She doesn''t trust me and has already discarded Mr. Shanks'' medicine. It''s better if she goes to the hospital." Left with no choice, Gerald relented. "Alright, I''ll notify the boss first." Stepping out of the room, Gerald called Abel. After Abel answered the call, Gerald summarized the situation concisely. "No need to send her to the hospital. Shanks can handle it," Abel responded calmly, his tone almost indifferent. "Mr. Shanks is unwilling to treat her because of what happened with the medication," Gerald replied cautiously, starting to doubt whether Abel genuinely cared about Hera. He seemed far too detached for someone supposedly concerned about her well-being. Just as Gerald was contemting this, a sultry woman''s voice echoed faintly from the other end of the call. It dawned on Gerald what his boss was preupied with. No wonder he did note back all night. If Hera found out about this, she would probably be furious... Abel, growing impatient, said bluntly, "Just send her to the hospital. Make sure she doesn''t die, and have someone watch her so she doesn''t run off." "Yes, boss." Gerald clicked his tongue quietly. He had to make sure Hera did not die and could not escape... Not wanting to leave himself, he passed the task to one of the nearby men. Half an hourter, an ambnce arrived to take Hera away. The vi returned to its usual calm. Gerald stood next to Luke, looking a bit restless as he said, "I have a secret." Luke did not even nce at him as his focus entirely on Luca, who was busy in the kitchen. He wanted to help her. However, Luca had refused, saying it would be too obvious and might raise suspicion. So all he could do was stand there with the others, watching her busy back as they waited for breakfast. Still, seeing her handle so much work on her own tugged at his heart. Gerald, noticing theck of response, continued talking to himself. "I''ve realized something. The boss doesn''t actually love Ms. Sanchez." Luke remained silent, acting as though Gerald did not exist. Gerald, now used to theck of reaction, pressed on, "When I called the boss earlier, I could hear a woman''s voice in the background. Seems like he spent the whole night with someone else. And when I told him Ms. Sanchez was sick, he couldn''t have been colder about it. It''s like she''s just a stranger to him, not his girlfriend." Luke''s expression showed a hint of exasperation. He reminded Gerald, "When have you ever heard him admit that Hera is his girlfriend?" Gerald froze for a moment, furrowing his brows as he thought back. When he came to think of it, it had always been Hera iming she was Abel''s girlfriend. Abel had never confirmed it, not even once. However, he also had not denied it publicly, so everyone just assumed she was... "You''re right..." Gerald nced around, suddenly feeling like he had stumbled upon some juicy gossip. Leaning closer to Luke, he whispered, "So, everything might just be in Ms. Sanchez''s head?" Luke did not reply. Undeterred, Gerald muttered to himself, "If Ms. Sanchez is just one of the boss''s many femalepanions, why bring her here? Tsk, tsk... Do you think the boss has some bigger n?" "Not afraid of losing your head?" Luke shot him a sharp look. How did someone like Gerald end up on the Ind of Despair? Was he clever before but just got dumber over time? Gerald shivered, instinctively touching his neck as the gravity of his words hit him. Maybe he should have kept his mouth shut before he said something that really got him into trouble. Luca walked out of the kitchen, addressing the group waiting for breakfast. "It''s ready." The group quickly headed to the kitchen. Luke lingered for a moment, his gaze fixed on Luca. He said in a low, sincere voice, "Thank you for your hard work." Luca smiled back at him warmly. If Luke were not here, she definitely would not have volunteered for this. Now that he was risking everything to stay by her side. Luca could not bear to let him suffer either. After breakfast, Abel returned. Luca was busy in theb with Shanks. Someone knocked on the door to tell her toe downstairs. She had no choice but to put down her work and head down. Abel was seated on a dark red sofa. The leather was not real, and its quality left much to be desired, with noticeable creases. He looked at the woman walking down the stairs with a cold expression. Luca stood there, her tone far from respectful as she greeted him, "Good morning, Boss." Abel''s gaze turned icier, his voice dripping with mockery. "So, you still remember I''m your boss?" Luca froze for a moment but said nothing, waiting for him to find an excuse to make things difficult for her. "How dare you!" Abel suddenlyshed out. Luca frowned, assuming he was here to hassle her about Hera. Sure enough, his next words confirmed it. "Why is Hera in the hospital?" The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3387 What Proof Is Needed ? Chapter 3387 What Proof Is Needed Luca instantly understood the situation. It was about Hera. Hera was someone Abel valued, possibly as a future corneal donor for Kassy. While Abel might not love Hera now, he certainly took her health seriously. In a calm tone, Luca exined, "She was hospitalized due to inmmation that caused a fever." Abel furiously flung his half-smoked cigar at her. The glowing embers singed her clothes, leaving a small burn mark She instinctively stepped aside. Abel roared, "What kind of care is this?! I told you to look after her! Is this how you handle things?" Luca was perplexed. When did he ever tell her to look after Hera? Besides, she did take care of her."When Ms. Sanchez faintedst night, she already had a low-grade fever. I diagnosed her condition as inmmation and prescribed anti-inmmatory and fever-reducing medication. I also emphasized that she needed to take oral anti-inmmatory drugs. She didn''t trust me and threw out Mr. Shanks'' medication, which led to her condition worsening." Luca deliberately mentioned Shanks'' involvement, ensuring her actions would be beyond reproach since Abel trusted Shanks'' expertise implicitly. Abel''s face darkened further. He narrowed his eyes as he looked at the woman in front of him. Shanks'' medications were unquestionably reliable. The fault indeedy with Hera''s own choices. If it was not for her negligence, she would not be suffering now. Still, needing an outlet for his anger, Abel coldly snorted and used, "It''s still your fault. If you had been more attentive, she wouldn''t have fallen ill in the first ce!" Luca almostughed at the absurdity of the usation. Realizing he would not back down, she retorted without hesitation, "Ms. Sanchez''s inmmation is a result of overindulging in intimate activities. Mr. Abel, you can''t possibly me me for that." Abel''s expression turned livid. Intimate activities? Had Hera betrayed him? However, then he recalled how rough he had been during one of his fits of anger. Hera hadined of difort, yet he had ignored her. The situation could not possibly be pinned on Luca. Abel''s face darkened. Even though he was sure that Hera had not betrayed him, he still needed to find someone to vent his anger on. "Call everyone here," Abel ordered one of his men. "Yes, sir!" The man ascended the stairs. Shortly after, everyone except Shanks gathered in the living room, standing in tense silence. Abel sat with an ominous expression. No one dared to breathe too loudly, afraid of drawing his ire. Everyone knew Hera had been hospitalized. It was not hard to guess that Abel''s wrath stemmed from the incident. However, Hera''s hospitalization had nothing to do with any of them, and no one was willing to bear the me or face Abel''s wrath. "Who has had contact with her?" Abel''s gaze was fixed on the crowd. His stare hardened until itnded on Luke. Luca followed his gaze, feeling a surge of panic. Abel was looking for someone to vent his anger on, and it seemed most likely that person would be Luke, especially since his eyes had been focused on him. Luca''s heart raced... All eyes were now on Luke. When Hera approached Luca, everyone had seen it, and some even felt jealous. They wondered why a in- looking man like him had caught the attention of the future boss''s girlfriend. Moreover, she was an incredibly beautiful woman. The jealousy would only deepen. Luke, fully aware that everyone''s eyes were on him, knew that he could not avoid trouble today. However, he stood tall and unbothered, showing no signs of guilt. He felt that he had done nothing wrong, so there was no need to apologize. Luca''s heart tightened in worry. If Abel really decided to confront Luke, she would have to remain silent and not speak up. Otherwise, Luke''s identity could be exposed, and their precious daughter would undoubtedly be put at risk. With that thought in mind, Luca bit her lip, bracing herself for what Abel might say next.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. "Lucius." Abel''s face was gloomy. His icy blue eyes flickered with a menacing intensity. "Did you have contact with Hera?" "No," Luke responded indifferently, showing no sign of panic. Unlike the others, who would have shown fear or anxiety if questioned by Abel, Luke stood unmoved. Abel narrowed his eyes, a slight smirk on his lips. "Oh, you''re not admitting to it, huh?" "If nothing happened, what''s there to admit?" Luke suddenly questioned. Abel pped his hands in mock approval, a chillingugh escaping him. "Fine, you won''t admit it. I''ll make you confess. Bring me my whip." "Yes, sir," one of the men beside him replied, moving to fetch it. Luca''s heart skipped a beat. She almost said something, but then she caught Luke''s gaze. He was silently warning her not to interfere. Her heart felt as though it was being squeezed. She clenched her hands behind her back, her nails digging into her palms without her even noticing. Her entire focus was on Luke. The man returned with the whip and handed it to Abel. "Boss, the whip." Abel took it and swung it with a sharp flick. "Crack!" The whip struck the floor with a loud, crisp sound. The others in the room flinched instinctively, as though the strike hadnded on them. They dared not speak a word. Abel pointed at Luke. "You. Step forward." Luke took a step forward, his expression unafraid. Everyone else took a step back except for Luca, fearful that Abel''s whip mightnd on them when it was swung. Abel looked at his fearless demeanor and said, "You say you didn''t touch Hera, do you have proof?" "No." Luke answered calmly, "But there''s no proof I did either. Although she may have hinted at it, if I didn''t do it, then I didn''t." "Fine!" Abel''s whip cracked against the ground. "But this is my territory. Whether you touched Hera or not, whether you''ve been messing around behind my back, you''re getting a whipping today!" His tone sharpened as he added, "Do you have anything to say?" Luke replied calmly, "A guilty man will always find an excuse." Abel, furious, was ready tosh out. If it had been anyone else, whether guilty or innocent, they would have been on their knees begging for mercy by now. "Fine. You''ll get tenshes today as a warning. From now on, if anyone sees Hera, unless she needs your help with something, everyone should stay at least one meter away from her!" Then, he swung the whip at Luke. "Crack!" The sound echoed through the room. A sharp pain shot through Luke''s body. Even though he was wearing clothes, he could still feel the searing sensation of his skin tearing open. He silently endured it, unwilling to make a sound. Luke knew that Luca was watching. If he cried out in pain now, she might be unable to hold back and speak up for him. They had nned this for so long, and he could not let this moment derail everything. Moreover, Luca could not be hurt. Another Crack! The secondshnded. Luke wore a ck shirt, and though no blood was visible, it was clear his shirt had already begun to soak through. Blood was seeping from the wound. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3388 Let Me Check Your Brain ? Chapter 3388 Let Me Check Your Brain Luca could not help but tremble with heartache. She fought hard to resist the urge to rush forward. Everyone in the room had survived brutal training to make it out of the Ind of Despair, and they could not help but shudder when they saw the scene. The sound of the whip felt like it wasnding on their own bodies. Gerald closed his eyes, unable to watch any longer. It was too cruel for him to watch. The tenshes felt like an eternity, stretching on for what seemed like a century. Luca looked at the drenched clothes on Luke. His eyes were red, and his shirt was so soaked that you could wring out the blood from it. Her hands were clenched so tightly into fists that the veins were bulging. Abel tossed the whip aside, looking at Luke''s disheveled state with satisfaction. He enjoyed the thrill of this bloody scene. He turned to Luca, noticing her reddened eyes, and smiled even more devilishly. "Hera is in the hospital now. You''ll go take care of her for the next few days." Luca frowned, about to refuse, but then he added, "If you dare to refuse, don''t me me for being nice." She swallowed the words that were about to leave her mouth, forcing herself to answer stiffly, "Yes." Abel turned around and left. He did not stay any longer. He knew that if he stayed, he would end up pushing Shanks to hurry things along. He knew Shanks was doing his best with the experiments, but some things were too slow for his liking. It was better not to be around to witness it. Once Abel left, everyone scattered. Luca walked over to check on Luke and asked with concern, "Are you alright?" "I''m fine..." Luke detected a metallic taste in his throat. He thought about how Luca had endured these kinds of years on the Ind of Despair, his sympathy and guilt toward her deepened. If only he had protected her better back then. Gerald also stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Let''s treat your wounds first." "Upstairs," replied Luca. Abel''s strength was immense, and theshes he delivered would have taken most people''s lives. Luke clenched his teeth and moved forward. Luca said, "Let me help you!" "It''s fine, I can walk by myself." Luke shook his head. His lips and face were pale, with beads of sweat the size of beans forming due to the pain. They dripped down, mixing with his clothes, amplifying the pain. He did not make a sound, walking straight up the stairs. Gerald followed behind them, clicking his tongue. "Now that''s tough." He quickly followed, thinking that he had be quite familiar with him over this period of time. If he could help in this situation, he would. After confirming that Luke had returned to his room, Luca hurried to theb. She pushed open theb door and greeted Shanks urgently, "Mr. Shanks." Shanks turned around, noticing her anxious expression. He frowned and asked, "What did Abel do?" "Heshed someone ten times. Now I need to help treat the wounds. As for the volunteers..." Luca hesitated for a moment. She certainly would not let Luke handle his wounds alone. Even with Gerald''s help, she would still be worried. If the wounds were not treated properly and got infected, it would be a real problem.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Shanks frowned. Abel''s actions at this time were nothing but trouble for him. "I''ll handle the volunteers," said Shanks. He could see from Luca''s expression what choice she had made. Therefore, Shanks did not stop her. "I need to get some medical supplies," added Luca. "Go ahead," Shanks did not care. If any supplies were missing, they could always send someone to buy themter. "Thank you, Mr. Shanks." As she gathered the supplies, Luca also told him, "Abel told me to go to the hospital to take care of Ms. Sanchez." "What?" Shanks frowned in displeasure. "He thinks I didn''t take good care of Ms. Sanchez, which caused her condition to worsen," exined Luca, "I need to care for her until she''s discharged." "How troublesome!" Shanks was irritated. He would be very busy on his own. Abel wanted them to hurry up and develop the medicine, but now he was sending Luca to take care of that woman. Was that not like pulling away his right-hand man? Luca remained silent. If Shanks did not want her to go, he would find a way to stop it. If he did not need her help, there was nothing she could do about it. Luca picked up a tray, which held various medical items. There were scissors, gauze, iodine, some powders to promote wound healing, and even a set of suturing tools and anesthetics. She had not had a chance to check Luke''s wounds yet, so she did not know if they would require stitching. She quickly left theb. Shanks watched her leave from behind. His gaze was deep and thoughtful, then he made a phone call to Abel. As soon as the phone was answered, Shanks spoke directly, "You know my experiment is at a critical stage, and yet you sent Luca to take care of your woman?" "If you need her, I can have her go back to help you." Abel''s voice on the other end was equally dark. "However, if that''s the case, you''ll have to admit your feelings for Ivana." "What feelings? What could I possibly feel for her? Abel, are you out of your mind? Why don''t youe back and let me check your brain?!" Shanks was furious, thinking Abel was deliberately getting back at him. However, this kind of revenge was meaningless. It would only slow down the progress of the experiment, and that was no good for Abel. Abel, however, ignored everything Shanks said and sneered coldly. "You don''t have to admit it, but if that''s the case, I''ll just have her take care of Hera." "I can''t leave Hera alone in the hospital; someone needs to watch over her. I think Ivana would be perfect for the job. Her condition won''t keep her in the hospital for long. It''s gonna be just two or three days. Anyway, your experiment is already progressing so slowly. What''s a few more days?" Shanks took a deep breath, feeling that speaking further to the paranoid Abel was beneath him. He reminded him sharply, "Fine, just don''t regret it." Shanks hung up the phone and began preparing the IV fluids for the volunteers. Luca would be handling wounds and going to the hospital soon, so she would not have time to manage the volunteers. On the other hand, Luca arrived at Luke''s room. He had already removed his shirt, revealing a torso covered in deep wounds. Luca''s heart clenched in pain when she saw this. Her eyes reddened, and her chest ached. She stepped into the room, noticing his ck shirt on the floor. Although it did not show any blood, it was soaked in his own blood. Her heart ached even more. Gerald, noticing her reaction, quietly shut the door and spoke in a low voice. "His wounds are deep. Do you think he needs stitches?" "Yes," Luca responded, her voice thick with emotion. "I''m fine." Luke frowned when he saw her on the verge of tears. His brows furrowed. He hated that she had to see him like this, but there was no choice. Now, only Luca could treat his wounds properly. Luca carefully examined the wounds and asked for his opinion. "The wounds look deep, but they might not necessarily need stitches. Stitches would help them heal faster, but if we don''t, it could take half a month for them to healpletely." Gerald frowned. "It shouldn''t take half a month, right? We all took that medicine. Even without stitches, the wound should heal pretty quickly." Luca seemed lost in thought for a moment. The people from the Ind of Despair healed quickly because they drank that poison, but Luke was not one of them... The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3389 Things Will Only Get Worse Later ? Chapter 3389 Things Will Only Get Worse Later Luke had never taken the medicine that could speed up healing, so his recovery was nowhere near as fast as the others from the Ind of Despair. Luca did not respond to Gerald''sment. Her gaze fixed on him with intensity. "No stitches," said Luke, "I trust you." Luca bit her lower lip. "But if you don''t stitch it, it might tear open," insisted Gerald, staring at Luke''s wounds. Luke nced at his injuries and shrugged, seemingly unconcerned, as though the wounds had nothing to do with Luca. "Stitches will leave scars." "Are you afraid of scars? What kind of man doesn''t have a few scars on him? Scars are a symbol of manhood," teased Gerald with a yful tone, "Scars show you''re reliable, that you can protect a woman." Luke gave him a look as though he were an idiot, then his gaze shifted to Luca. "I don''t want too many scars. I''m worried my future wife might dislike them." Luca''s heart sank at his words, but his lighthearted remark eased her sadness. Despite the severity of his injuries, he was still trying tofort her. She felt helpless, unable to say or do anything to change his mind. Gerald, oblivious to the undercurrent of emotion, continued to argue, "Scars show you''re dependable. Your future wife will admire and worship you for it... but..." He paused for a moment and his expression was suddenly strange. "Can any of us really get married? I''ve never heard of anyone in the organization getting married!" Luca did not respond to Gerald.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Luke had made up his mind not to get stitches, and Luca knew there was no point in arguing further. She picked up a cotton swab, dipped it in iodine, and carefully began cleaning his wounds. "This might hurt a bit, bear with it." "Okay." Luke lowered his eyes, watching her delicate movements with tendemess. After she carefully disinfected each gruesome wound, she sprinkled healing powder on them, and thenyered them with gauze. Finally, she administered a tetanus shot to prevent infection. By the time she was done, a fine sheen of sweat covered her forehead. She let out a sigh of relief. "Don''t let the wounds get wet for the next few days. Avoid strenuous activity that makes you sweat. Otherwise, they might get infected," Luca reminded him, worried that he would not follow her instructions. "Got it." Luke''s gaze softened as he looked at her. Luca, feeling the warmth in his eyes, nced over at Gerald, then handed him the remaining gauze and powder." Here, take these." "Huh?" Gerald looked confused as he took what she handed him. "Why are you giving this to me?" "I''ll be at the hospital taking care of Hera, so you''ll need to change his bandages," exined Luca. She did not feelfortable leaving it to anyone else. Gerald, although he did not seem ideal, was the only one she trusted enough to leave the task with. "Oh, I see." Gerald understood now. "Sure, it''s easy enough. Just disinfect, apply the powder, and wrap it with gauze." Luca nodded, then turned back to Luke. After she pondered for a moment, she added, "If you want the wounds to heal faster, don''t eat anything that''s too stimting, and avoid spicy food and alcohol." "Got it." Luke listened to her instructions with a warmth in his eyes that made it feel as though no hardship had evere between them, and their life together was as happy as it had ever been. Luca still could not shake off her worry. After all, she would not be able to keep an eye on Luke these next few days, so she tumed her gaze to Gerald. Gerald, sensing her unease, immediately understood what she meant. He shed a teasing smile. "Don''t worry, Ms. Craw. I''ll take good care of him. You don''t have to worry about his recovery either. We''ve all taken the medicine, and you know how beneficial it is for the body. Don''t worry, he''ll recover quickly." "Thank you for helping," replied Luca as she nced at the time. "I''ll go pack a few things and head to the hospital. If anythinges up, just give me a call." Shanks had not contacted her yet. So Luca knew her trip to the hospital could not be avoided. She quickly went upstairs to gather her clothes before hurrying to the hospital. After asking for the room number, she walked straight into the room where Hera was staying. Hera was in a high-end single room. After receiving medical treatment, she had already woken up and seemed to be in good spirits. When she saw Luca walk in, she frowned in disgust. "What are you doing here?" "Your boss asked me toe take care of you," answered Luca. Hera''s eyes shed with disdain. "Can''t your boss afford to hire a caretaker?" Luca did not react to her tone. She opened the wardrobe and ced the change of clothes inside before speaking slowly. "Don''t you understand what your boss means?" "What?" Hera frowned. When she said this, it waspletely vague and out of context, leaving Hera utterly confused. Luca said, "You don''t really need someone to take care of you. Your boss asked me to watch over you, secretly keeping an eye on you. He''s worried you might run away." She deliberately said it that way. This was Luca''sst attempt to give Hera a chance. If Hera understood and was frightened enough to run, it would mean she was notpletely doomed. Even if nothing happened afterward, at least the danger would still be there. Luca''s gaze turned steady as she observed the woman sitting on the hospital bed. Hera''s expression darkened, then she frowned and said, "Are you trying to scare me? Don''t want me to run? never thought about running!" Luca gave a nonchnt smile. Considering their past as ssmates, she had said more than she should have. However, now it was clear that Hera was not even going to acknowledge it. Since that was the case, Luca did not feel like saying anything more. "Well, as long as Ms. Sanchez isn''t nning on running, it''s almost noon. What would you like to eat?" asked Luca. Hera, seemingly intent on making a point, ordered a bunch of expensive food. Luca nodded. "Alright, I''ll go get it for you." Hera paused for a moment. She did not argue with her? Besides, the hospital did not even provide that kind of food. Where would she go to buy it? Just as Hera was about to say something, Luca had already left the room. She tried to get out of bed to stop Luca, but the moment she moved, a sharp pain shot through her body. The doctor had applied medicine to her wounds today and warned her not to overexert herself. It seemed like the doctor''s warning was the same as Luca''s. Hera frowned, too afraid to move any further. Fifteen minutester, Luca walked back in with two takeout containers. After she set the table, she opened the boxes. Hera took one look and saw it was peanut butter oatmeal. She screamed, "Luca, what is this?! This isn''t what I asked for!" "It''s not," Luca replied honestly. Hera red at her. Her eyes burned with fury. Luca continued, "Your current condition isn''t suitable for the kind of food you wanted. If you eat it, things might get worse. Of course, I''m here to take care of you. If you insist on eating it, I can give you a little, but don''t me me if it makes you feel worse." Hera snorted in contempt, about to make a snarky remark, when she heard Luca add, "The hospital medication is pretty harsh, right?" Hera froze for a moment. It was true. The hospital medicine was harsh, and after receiving the treatment, she had not dared to move around recklessly. Luca continued, "Actually, I treated you yesterday too, but you didn''t feel ufortable because the medicine I used wasn''t as irritating as the hospital''s, and it works even better. If you had taken the anti-inmmatory medication properly, you wouldn''t have ended up in the hospital. "If you don''t listen to me now, things will only get worseter." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3390 Abels Obsession Was With Her Eyes ?? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. Chapter 3390 Abel''s Obsession Was With Her Eyes Luca''s expression was serious, and Hera realized she was not just trying to scare her. Ignoring her warnings had already caused her to suffer once. Unwillingly, Hera sipped on the cereal. Her resentment was evident in every movement. Luca noticed it was not difficult for her to handle. She quietly sat down and ate her own bowl of cereal. Hera did not have much of an appetite. Hera took a couple of bites before growing bored. She nced at Luca and asked, "How did you end up working for Abel?" Luca did not respond. She calmly blew on her cereal and ate in silence, showing no intention of engaging in conversation. "I''m talking to you. Are you deaf?" snapped Hera. Luca lifted her gaze briefly and replied, "You should finish your cereal before it gets cold." "I''m not even hungry." Hera really had no appetite and was not nning to eat the cereal. "It''s still better if you eat something. Otherwise, when hunger strikester, don''t expect me to help you," said Luca, "I''m only here to make sure you don''t try to run away. Anything else isn''t my responsibility." Hera''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Aren''t you supposed to be here to take care of me?" "That''s just what we''re telling others. If you''re so curious about the boss, why don''t you ask him directly? If he really values you as much as you think, maybe he''ll treat you like a proper boss''s wife'' and share everything with you." Finishing her cereal, Luca deliberately turned her focus away, clearly not intending to continue the conversation. "If I ever be your boss''s wife, the first thing I''ll do is fire you!" Despite the venom in her tone, deep down, Hera knew Abel did not truly care about her. Now that she was in the hospital, he sent someone over. Whatever his reasons might be, it made it seem like he cared about her. However, in reality... Hera knew deep down that if Abel truly cared for her, he would be right here in the hospital room, staying by her side and taking care of her attentively. Yet, he never came. She was not foolish enough to actually hope for a marriage with Abel. Hera knew better than anyone that money was the only thing she would truly gain from this rtionship. As for the things Luca said about watching her, Hera just thought she was jealous and did not take it to heart. Hera forced herself to drink a few more sips of cereal. After that, Luca, bored after finishing her meal, turned her attention to the experimental data Rhett had sent her. She carefully dissected the critical figures and documented them meticulously, engrossed in her work for hours. It was not until nightfall that Abel finally appeared at the hospital room door. Luca saw him and froze for a moment before realizing his intentions. Abel always valued Hera, but the way he valued her was different from how they understood it. He needed her body, specifically her eyes, to remain in good health to ensure the sess of the transnt he had nned. "Mr. Abel." Luca rose to her feet. Abel narrowed his eyes slightly. He recalled Shanks'' earlier request for her, and a trace of amusement flickered across his eyes. It was evident that Luca meant a lot to Shanks. However, Shanks himself did not seem to realize it yet. Abel could not help but anticipate the moment when Shanks would finally understand. When that time came, who would Luca choose? Would she go for a wealthy and powerful man or one with exceptional medical skills? Abel was curious, but deep down, he already knew. Luca would not have a choice. After all, Luke''s fate was sealed, and most likely, so was hers. Unless Shanks intervened to protect her, Abel would ensure that anyone connected to Luke would not remain alive in this world. "Yes." Abel gave a curt nod before speaking indifferently, "I have something to discuss with Ms. Sanchez. Leave us." "Yes." Luca exited the room, closing the door behind her. She did not want to listen to their whispered conversations. After all, Hera was bound to be deceived in the end, so whatever Abel said was all lies. Unless, of course, he said he wanted her eyes... Inside the room. Hera was overjoyed the moment Abel arrived. However, as memories of what he had done to her resurfaced, she turned her face away and stopped looking at him. His presence, however, was proof of his concern, or so she convinced herself. Hera prided herself on her ability to deal with men. She decided to y hard to get, thinking she could tug at Abel''s heartstrings. Seeing her act distant, Abel handed over a gift box. "You''ve endured a lot these past few days." Hera cast a quick nce at the box. She intended to ignore it, but her eyes widened when she recognized the brand. It was a luxury handbag box from her favorite designer. The cheapest bags from this brand cost over one hundred thousand dors. Abel was so generous that Hera''s anger instantly faded. She turned to him with a look of feigned grievance and said, "Do you think a bag is enough to make me feel better?" "Open it," Abel said with confidence, knowing exactly how to manipte her. Curious, Hera opened the box. Sitting atop the bag was a check. Her eyes lit up as she picked it up and saw the amount-half a million. Setting the check aside, she then pulled out the handbag. It was a new season''s release, priced at more than two hundred thousand dors! "Fine, I''ll forgive you this time." Seeing the seventy hundred thousand dors in front of her, Hera could no longer keep up the pretense of being angry. "You haven''t even checked inside the bag," Abel added with a smirk. "There''s more?" Hera''s voice rose in excitement. She quickly opened the bag and found a thick stack of cash inside. Her heart soared! This was the most romantic gesture Abel had ever made. Previously, he had always transferred money directly into her ount. There were no gifts, no personal touches like this. "So, are you still mad?" asked Abel. "You''ve gone this far, so how could I stay mad?" Hera ran her fingers over the stack of cash, estimating it was probably at least a hundred thousand. To Abel, this amount was nothing. Yet, to Hera, it was a fortune, a windfall she could hardly believe. Not wanting to draw attention to herself, especially in a hospital bustling with people, she quickly ced the bag back into the box and shut the lid. "Happy now?" Abel''s gaze lingered on her eyes, almost obsessively. Her eyes reminded him so much of Kassy''s. His Kassy would soon be by his side again. "Very happy. I''ll never be mad at you again," replied Hera. "Good. And don''t talk about leaving anymore. Once I wrap up my current matters, I''ll take you traveling. We''ll explore new ces and enjoy the sights." Abel reached out, gently stroking her cheek with affection. His fingers moved to trace the area around her eyes, his touch deliberate and reverent. Hera instinctively closed her eyes, letting him continue. After all this time, she knew Abel''s obsession was with her eyes. He always touched them this way, and she had grown used to it. "Does that sound good?" asked Abel. Hera briefly remembered what Luca had said earlier. A chill ran down her spine, but she quickly shook it off. As long as Abel kept giving her money, what was there toin about? "Sounds good." Hera''s voice trembled slightly as she felt the softness of his touch. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3391 Ease The Ache Of Longing ? Chapter 3391 Ease The Ache Of Longing Abel chuckled. His voice was low and gravelly. "Hera, let''s agree on something. Don''t use threats of leaving to manipte me anymore, or I won''t be happy," said Abel in a low voice. What might have sounded like a plea or apromise came across to Hera as a veiled threat. The cool sensation of his fingers brushed against her eyelids, and she could not help but shiver. His touch felt as cold as death itself. She could not feel a trace of warmth. Her hands clenched tightly together. The tension in her grip was the only thing keeping her from trembling further. "Alright," Hera murmured obediently. Abel withdrew his hand. Hera opened her eyes. A strange unease stirred within her. For reasons she could not quite exin, Abel''s behavior filled her with an unsettling dread... "Will you stay at the hospital with me tonight?" Hera could not help but crave some semnce offort. Abel frowned slightly. "Stay here with you? And what about Luca?" "You could just send her home. I only want you to stay," Hera gently held his arm and whined, but all she felt was the icy chill of his skin. It was not just his fingers, his entire arm was unnaturally cold. His entire being was ice-cold, like that of a corpse-absent of any warmth. Hera froze as her mind reeled. She recalled past moments of physical contact, and his body temperature had always been like this. Back then, her focus had been on securing money, so she had not paid attention to these eerie details. Now, a wave of unease washed over her. What kind of person has a body temperature so low? "I have other matters to attend to. Stay here, rest, and don''t make trouble," Abel refused to stay at the hospital. There was no chance he would spend the night in the hospital with her. "Alright." Hera did not feel disappointed. Instead, she felt relieved. She felt she needed to appear deeply infatuated with him. Hence, that was what she did. However, deep down, his refusal had brought her a strange sense offort. "Get well. Listen to Luca. Do as she says, and don''t pull any stunts that might worsen your condition. I don''t like women who look sickly," said Abel. His Kassy deserved nothing less than the healthiest set of eyes. "Got it. I''ll behave," Hera replied with a bright smile. Once Abel left, the smile dropped from her face. She stared at the luxury handbag box in herp, lost in thought. Was it really worth staying by the side of such a vtile man for the sake of money? Momentster, Luca reentered the ward. Her eyes briefly flicked to the box Hera was clutching, her expression unreadable. Hera caught her nce. She smirked and sneered, "What are you looking at? This is a designer handbag. You couldn''t afford it even if you worked for an entire year." Luca said nothing. Mistaking her silence for envy, Hera could not resist adding a cruel jab, "Some people justck talent. They''ll work their whole lives and still never own something like this. Tsk, Abel really does treat me well." Luca thought to herself that he certainly did. However, it was all for her eyes... "Ms. Sanchez, it''s time to take your medicine." Luca had no interest in designer bags or luxury goods. After all, Luke always ensured that shecked for nothing. He handled everything for her, sparing her the need to familiarize herself with thetest brands or trends. As a result, she harbored no desire for such things. Hera could not help but feel that Luca''s detached attitude was a deliberate insult. Both of them lived in Abel''s world, but their roles could not have been more different. Luca''s responsibilities were respectable, praiseworthy even. People admired her for what she did, perhaps even envied her. In contrast, Hera''s role could not be publicly acknowledged. If she told others she was in a romantic rtionship with Abel, who would believe her? Even though she appeared the most morous and enviable among her friends, she knew what they whispered behind her back. The thought sparked a simmering anger within her. Luca handed her a cup of warm water and her pills. Seeing her soposed made Hera want to knock the items right out of Luca''s grasp. However, Abel''s earlier warnings held her back. He was displeased with her falling ill, almost as though he was ming her for not taking care of herself. He even insisted she listen to Luca during her recovery. Suppressing her anger, Hera took the pills and swallowed them without protest. Two dayster, after undergoing various tests, Hera was discharged from the hospital. She returned to the small vi with Luca. After returning to the vi, Hera ignored everyone and headed straight to her room. Noticing Abel''s absence, she turned to Gerald, who was standing nearby. "Where''s your boss?" demanded Hera. "I don''t know." Gerald stood at the door, looking genuinely puzzled. How could he possibly know if Hera did not know? "What kind of subordinate are you? You don''t even know where your boss is?" asked Hera. Gerald scratched the back of his head with an innocent look on his face. "Thest time he came home was the day you were hospitalized. He hasn''t been back since." "He hasn''t been back?" Hera''s voice grew sharper. "Where is he?" Gerald thought to himself that while her body seemed to have recovered from the hospital stay, her intelligence was still in question. Did he not tell her that Abel had not returned? No one would be able to answer her question even if she asked a thousand times. Hera noticed that Gerald was not answering and realized he had already already answered her question. "Why are you just standing there? Do I have some kind of virus?" Hera red at him. Gerald quickly shook his head. "Ms. Sanchez, the boss gave us strict orders to keep our distance from you. If we get too close, we''ll be punished. I don''t dare step into your room." Hera froze for a moment, recalling Abel''s obsessive possessiveness. It was just like him to issue such bizarre instructions. "Fine. Stop hovering and get out of my sight. You''re annoying..." "Understood. If you need anything, you can find me downstairs." As soon as she dismissed him, he practically bolted.novelbin Previously, Gerald did not mind being close to Hera. He thought that despite her bad temper, she was still easy on the eyes, and being around her was not unpleasant. Now, he wanted nothing more than to keep his distance. Gerald was always worried someone might report to Abel, using him of taking advantage of Hera. If that happened, he would be done for. "Wait," Hera called out suddenly. Gerald, who had just started jogging away, skidded to a halt and turned back to look at her with a confused look on his face. "Did anything happen while I was away the past two days?" asked Hera. Gerald hesitated for a moment. Should he tell her that the man she liked was whipped by their boss? No, mentioning it might bring trouble for Lucius. He quickly shook his head. "Nothing happened. It''s been peaceful, and since the boss isn''t around here, nothing out of the ordinary happened." "Got it," Hera replied wearily. She waved him off, signaling for him to leave. Gerald turned around and immediately left. When Luca returned to the vi, she immediately went to find Luke. "You''re back?" Luke''s eyes were deep and profound. Even though he wore bright blue contact lenses, they could not conceal the affection shining within them. If it were not for the fact that others might appear at any moment, he would have pulled her into his arms to ease the ache of longing. Luca nodded. Unable to read his true emotions through the colored lenses, she instinctively ced her fingers on his pulse. His pulse was steady and strong, a reassuring sign that his injuries were healing well. "Have your wounds been inmed these past two days? Any low-grade fevers?" Luca asked with concern. "No, I''ve been fine," Luke answered honestly. He knew she was worried. He had a robust physique and strong constitution. Therefore, the whip injuries did not affect him much. Besides, Gerald had been diligent about cleaning his wounds and changing his dressings daily, which greatly elerated his recovery. Chapter 3392 The Chosen Donor (1) ? Chapter 3392 The Chosen Donor (1) "I''m still a bit worried. Let me take a look in your room and change the dressing while I''m at it." Luca knew Luke would not want her to worry. Therefore, she needed to see for herself that everything was fine before she could feel at ease. "Alright." Luke knew she was worried about him, so the two of them headed into the room. He took off his shirt, revealing the bandage wrapped around his torso. Luca could not help but chuckle at the sight. The wrapping was done by Gerald, and it was hriously sloppy. It was haphazardly bound-overly tight in some ces and entirely uneven. It looked like it was just meant to cover the wounds, with no thought for neatness. "Stopughing." Luke was clearly rendered speechless by Gerald''sckluster bandaging skills as well. If it were not for the fact that it was difficult to bandage himself, he would never have let Gerald do it. "With it wrapped like this, how are you supposed to sleep at night?" Luca asked as she began unwrapping the bandage. The front was not too bad, but the back was so messy that it was bound to be ufortable when lying down. "I haven''t been sleeping well," Luke admitted with a helpless shake of his head. "But honestly, it doesn''t matter. Without you by my side, I can''t sleep well anyway." Luca''s face turned a little red. Once the bandage was off, she inspected the scabbing wounds and let out a small sigh of relief. The wounds did not require stitches, and it was healing well. Clearly, Luke had been following her instructions and had not been moving around recklessly over the past few days.novelbin "How''s the recovery going?" asked Luke. "Pretty good," replied Luca as she picked up the iodine from the bedside table, gently cleaning the wounds before carefully applying some healing powder. Just as she was focused on her work, a knock came at the door. "Who is it?" Luke called out. "It''s me," Gerald''s voice answered from outside. Luke and Luca exchanged a nce before he said, "Come in." Gerald pushed the door open. When he saw Luca tending to Luke''s wounds, he did not seem surprised. With a cheerful grin, he said, "I figured Ms. Craw would be here with you." Luca nced over her shoulder at him. "Do you need something?" "Not exactly. I just thought I''d check on his wounds. Don''t you think the healing''s a bit slow?" Gerald pointed at Luke''s chest. The wounds were clearly scabbing over. Luca immediately understood what Gerald meant. For an average person, this healing speed was considered fast. However, for someone from the Ind of Despair, it should be much quicker. Her expression did not change as she calmly replied, "Everyone heals at different speeds." "But didn''t we take that special medication? This doesn''t add up. Maybe you should run some tests, Dr. Craw, to see if there''s any underlying issue slowing down the healing process?" Gerald was genuinely curious. He had grown closer to Luke recently and thought it was a good idea to show concern. Luca replied expressionlessly, "There''s no need for tests. He''s perfectly fine." Gerald looked at her, then shifted his gaze to Luke. Both of them had the same expression. Gerald instantly felt awkward. Rubbing his nose, he decided not to say anything more. Luca carefully applied the healing powder to each wound. Then, she finally wrapped the bandage with precision. As Gerald watched her work, she could not help butpare it to his own sloppy attempt. He gave her a thumbs- up. "No wonder you''re a pro. You do a way better job than me. Lucius has beenining non-stop about how I''ve been bandaging him up these past few days." "The way you wrapped it, anyone would lose sleep over it," Luca said helplessly. "This is the proper way to wrap a bandage." Gerald leaned closer to observe, eager to learn. Luca demonstrated once more, then handed him the bandage. "Your turn." "I didn''t know there was so much skill involved in wrapping a bandage. I thought it was enough to just cover the wounds." Gerald took the bandage and started wrapping it around the wounds. With Luca''s guidance, his wrapping turned out much neater this time. "How''s that? Not bad, right? I think I''ve got some talent!" Gerald could not help but feel proud. Luca nodded and handed him the rest of the bandages. "Great, then I''ll leave the rest to you. I need to check on theb." "Got it. I heard Mr. Shanks'' research has made great progress," Gerald said enthusiastically, taking over the task. Luca''s heart skipped a beat, and she felt an urgent desire to find out more about the progress. She turned to look at Luke and repeated, "I''m heading to theb." "Alright." Luke nodded. After Luca left the room, Gerald continued wrapping the bandage, muttering as he worked, "You and Ms. Craw seem really close, huh?" "What''s it to you?" Luke red at the chatty man in front of him. Even though Gerald''s earlier work had been less than satisfactory, Luke had to admit he was different from most people from the Ind of Despair. Gerald might have done bad things in the past. However, he was not a bad person. He was just annoyingly talkative. Luke was not used to having someone this chatty around. People like Gordan rarely talked when they were ruthless, but once they let their guard down, they could be just as talkative. Gerald, on the other hand, was chatty all the time. His chatter carried his own unique charm. While Luke did not particrly like it, he did not entirely dislike it either. On the other hand, Luca arrived at theb. She had not been there in two days, so instead of barging in, she knocked on the door. No one answered from inside. Curious, she made her way to the volunteer''s ward, where Shanks was. When she entered, Shanks looked up. His expression remained as distant as ever, and his voice was neither warm nor cold. "You''re back?" "Yes. Ms. Sanchez has been discharged," replied Luca. Her gaze fell on the volunteer in the room. The volunteer was now able to sit up. With Shanks'' guidance, he was able to move his legs on his own. Although it was very strenuous, it was clear that his legs were moving independently, without the aid of machines or relying on other parts of his body for assistance. Shanks remarked, "You''ll soon be ready for the eye transnt surgery." The volunteer''s emotions surged with excitement when he heard this. "Doc, is that true? I''m actually going to have the next surgery?" His body had been recovering bit by bit every day, so he was filled with anticipation for the procedure. Everyone had told him he would never walk again and that he would never see again. Now, his leg function was gradually returning to normal. There was hope for his eyesight as well. The volunteer was thrilled. "Yes," Shanks confirmed. Despite the progress, his demeanor remained calm. Luca could not find any trace of excitement on his face. It was as though the sess of the experiment had nothing to do with him. After leaving the ward, Shanks and Luca returned to theb. Luca asked, "Mr. Shanks, have you determined the maximum dosage for the solution over the past two days?" Shanks shook his head. "No. I suspect there''s still room to increase it slightly." Luca was slightly surprised. There was still room for an increase? Over the past couple of days, the volunteer''s condition had improved so much that she had assumed Shanks had already maximized the dosage, reaching a peak value. Luca pondered for a moment and asked, "Mr. Shanks, who will be the donor for the volunteer''s eye transnt surgery?" Donating even a cornea was rare, let alone entire eyeballs. "A cadaver," Shanks replied nonchntly. With enough money, there was nothing that could not be bought. However, Shanks was not nning to source the eyes from the ck market. He was exploring other channels to find a suitable donor. As for Kassy''s eye donor, Shanks had no say in the matter. He knew that Abel had already decided on the donor for Kassy''s eyes. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3393 The Chosen Donor (2) ? Chapter 3393 The Chosen Donor (2) Kassy''s eye donor was Hera, the one Abel had brought over. Even though Hera''s eyes resembled Kassy''s, they did not meet the criteria for a transnt. However, Hera''s blood type matched Kassy''s exactly. Hence, Abel decided to use Hera''s eyes. His belief was that her eyes were specifically meant for Kassy. Shanks knew he would not be able to change Abel''s mind, so he did not try Abel''s stubbornness was something even Kassy herself could not sway. Luca remained silent for a while, not saying anything further. She understood that using a cadaver was the best option as it would not harm anyone. However, the eyes Abel wanted for Kassy were not from a cadaver. He intended to take them from Hera. Luca certainly would not participate in such a surgery. It was too cruel. "What are you thinking?" Shanks suddenly asked. Luca shook her head. "I''m just thinking about the volunteer''s situation." "You''re wondering if this solution will be marketed, aren''t you?" Shanks suddenly asked. Taca had not been thinking about that, but she was indeed curious about it. "This solution won''t be marketed. Even if it were, very few people would be able to ept it, and not every doctor can handle the dosage properly," added Shanks. It was as though he had already thought about it. "That''s a shame," Luca murmured, "If it were diluted appropriately, it could slow down the recovery speed of the human body and still be marketable." "I''ve considered that, but..." Shanks suddenly seemed to think of something and fell silent. Luca was about to ask what he meant, but she decided not to push when she saw his expression. What Shanks was thinking was that they were not even sure if there would be a future for the Ind of Despair. If Abel''s n failed or if the organization''s prominence eventually led to its downfall, Abel''s pharmaceuticalpany would cease exist. to Without thepany, even if they wanted to mass-produce this solution, it would be pointless. Shanks prepared the Injection and turned to hand it to Luca. "Since you''ve returned, continue working on the experiment. Take this to the volunteer." "Got it." Luca took the syringe and walked over. The volunteer was currently sharing his joy with his family. Luca listened as he spoke about his improving condition and his uing eye surgery. She could not help but smile. She was genuinely happy for him. After patiently waiting for the volunteer to finish his call, she said, "It''s time for the injection." "Ah, right, right." The volunteer quicklyy back, positioning his arm. "Sorry, I got so excited earlier. I couldn''t help but chat with my family for a little longer." "It''s fine." After that, Luca administered the injection. Then, she walked out of the ward, only to see Luke. "What''s wrong?" Luca noticed that his expression was not quite right. "We''re switching shifts," replied Luke. "Huh?" Luca was stunned for a moment before remembering that this ce operated on a shift system. Everyone, except Gerald, was due for a shift change. Luke was about to switch with the others. Luca quickly pulled him aside to a corner. "I just remembered about this. So, what are you going to do?"novelbin Her face was full of concern. Now that Luke was impersonating someone, they definitely could not let the original person return. However, Luke could not just disappear either. "I''ll have to continue keeping up the impersonation. But are you okay here?" Luke''s eyes were constantly scanning the area, ensuring no one was approaching. "I''m fine, but you need to be careful, okay?" Luca''s eyes were full of worry. She did not know where they would send him. Plus, if Luke were sent far away, Gale and the others might not be able to rescue him in time if something went wrong. "I''m fine. Don''t worry," Luke reassured her. ¡°You don''t have to worry so much about things here either. They''re figuring it out, and they might send someone of a simr build to rece me. I might even end up switching identities again." Luca shook her head. "No, that''s too dangerous!" Luke did not respond. His gaze was still fixed on her intently. "You can have someone with a simr build rece you, but you absolutely can''t stay here. Don''t worry, things are safe enough for me here. You''ve seen that I''ve been fine so far," said Luca. After Abel sent Hera over, he did not show up again. Although Hera had a tendency to target Luca, it was more because of her interest in Luke. Once Luke left with the shift change, Hera would not have much of a reason to cause trouble. "Luca..." Luke''s voice was hoarse, clearly not wanting her to face such a situation alone. "Alright, it''s settled, then. Besides, you can''t leave yourpany without someone handling things for too long. Have Gale find someone to rece you so that you can focus on managing thepany," decided Luca. When Luke was captured by the Ind of Despair, she took over his ce to manage T Corporation, so she knew firsthand how difficult it was to run apany. Seeing the determination in her decision, Luke had no choice but to agree. The shift change happened quickly. Take just told her in the morning, and by the afternoon, they had changed shifts with the other group. Luca stood on the balcony, watching him leave. Gerald stood beside her. "Ms. Craw, are you going to miss him?" Gerald teased suddenly. Luca nced at him sideways. "Don''t talk nonsense." "Don''t worry, I know everything about your situation. But you don''t need to worry. I''m not one to b. I keep my mouth sealed tight," Gerald said proudly of his discovery. Luca, however, narrowed her eyes. Gerald, who was waiting for a response from Luca, did not hear anything from her. Realizing something was off, he turned around. Laca was staring at him with a dangerous look. Gerald shuddered and awkwardly chuckled. "Ms. Craw, don''t take it so seriously." Luca said, "Gerald, sometimes, people die from talking too much." "Y-Yes, yes, I promise I won''t talk too much," Gerald stammered. Even though Luca had never lost her temper with him, Gerald knew that when she got serious, she was far more ruthless than Hera. Hera, a woman with no real strength, could only threaten someone with punches and kicks, which were easy to dodge. For someone like Luca, if she told someone to stay down, one would never get back up. "Do you know where they''re sending them?" asked Luca. "I''m not sure. It''s not something we''re supposed to know. Every time there''s a shift change, it''s decided randomly by higher-ups. They don''t know where they''re going until they reach their destination," exined Gerald Luca replied, "I see." "Ms. Craw, you''re so close with Lucius. What do you n to do in the future? Come on, tell me," Gerald gossipingly asked. He liked Laucius as well, sensing that he was different from the others in the organization. However, Gerald was not part of the shift change. He was fine staying here, guarding the ce, and not worrying about being found by the police. "Mind your own business," Luca said nonchntly. "Remember to make their breakfast from today onward." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3394 How Tough Can She Really Be ? Chapter 3394 How Tough Can She Really Be When Gerald heard this, his face fell. "Huh? Ms. Craw, you''re not cooking anymore?" Luca said nothing. Luke had already left with the others. She turned her gaze back before walking inside. Gerald realized that Luca had only been cooking breakfast because of Lucius. The thought puzzled him. Had they taken a liking to each other from the very start? That did not seem right. In this fast-paced modern world, even if they had, using something as old-fashioned as cooking to win someone over did not add up. Still, the timing was too coincidental to ignore. Luca started cooking for everyone when Lucius arrived, and she stopped as soon as he left. That realization gave Gerald an eerie feeling. Thinking they might have known each other back on the ind, it all suddenly made sense. Of course! They must have met before. How else could this all line up so perfectly? With that thought, Gerald quickly caught up with Luca. "Ms. Crew, my cooking is terrible. Why don''t you keep doing it?" "I don''t have time." Luca rolled her eyes. "I''m busy." "But you cooked even when you were busy before," muttered Gerald. Luca acted as though she had not heard him and headed downstairs. Gerald trailed after her. "Ms. Craw, should I at least make a portion for you?" "No." Even though Luca was not picky about food, she definitely disliked Gerald''s cooking. "So, are you going to cook for yourself?" Gerald pressed. Luca gave a soft hum in response. Gerald let out a dramatic wail. "Ms. Craw, can you also make my portion while you''re at it? Please?" Luca did not respond. She neither agreed nor refused. Taking this as a glimmer of hope, Gerald quickly added, "Ms. Craw, if you help me by making my portion too, I swear I''ll repay your kindness tenfold!" Luca stopped at the second floornding and nced at him. "Why would I make your portion as well?" "Then I won''t have to cook," answered Gerald. Even though Gerald was the lowest-ranked person in the vi, cooking was not exactly his assigned duty. It was something he started doing out of necessity because he needed to eat. Over time, others saw him cooking and asked him to prepare extra portions for them. Before he knew it, he had be the vi''s unofficial chef. No matter how many groups rotated through the house, Gerald always ended up cooking for everyone. Gerald dared not to refuse, and that was why he took up the responsibility. However, he figured Luca would not tolerate such treatment, and those people probably would not dare ask her to cook for them. He saw an opportunity for a fresh start and hoped Luca could help him out. Luca nced at him again. Gerald sped his hands together, pleading. After a moment''s thought, Luca said, "I might not eat every meal." "That''s fine! As long as you think of me when you do book," Gerald said eagerly, already formting his n. Cerald decided to order some instant noodles through a food delivery app. That way, if Luca did not cook, he would still have something to eat. "Fine," Luca agreed. She stepped into theb and shut the door behind her. "Awesome!" eximed Gerald. He felt like a bright future was ahead of him. He no longer had to cook for those big guys and could even enjoy better food. This was definitely a win. Once Luke and the others left, the new rotation of people arrived to take their ce. As a long-term resident of the vi, Gerald took charge of assigning rooms to the neers. The group was not troublesome. After finding out where they would be staying, they simply unpacked their luggage and started exploring, familiarizing themselves with theyout as quickly as possible. Gerald followed them around, exining everything. He started from theb rules to the ins and outs of the vi. "Wow, this ce is way better than our previous base!" eximed one of the men. "No kidding! The environment here is fantastic," another agreed. "I''m telling you, once I''m here, I don''t ever want to leave." Gerald heard another one chimed in. "Isk, like that''s your call," the first man retorted. "Sure, the ce is great, but there''s no women around." Gerald suddenly remembered something important when he mentioned women. He stepped forward to address them. "Gentlemen, there are two things you should know. Listen carefully. There are two women here. One is the boss''panion, Hera. She''s the one with long wavy hair. The boss has made it clear-if anyone dares make a move on her, they''d better be ready to lose their life. The other woman is Ms. Craw from theb. She doesn''t have any special backing, but she''s highly skilled. One guy tried to mess with her before, attempting to drug her. In the end, she took him down hard. He''s still in the hospital, and the doctors say his functions won''t ever fully recover." "What kind of functions? Don''t tell me it''s what I''m thinking," one of them asked with curiosity "It''s exactly what you''re thinking. Ms. Craw is no joke. She came out of itpletely unscathed while leaving that guy half-crippled. Now, she''s helping with an experiment that''s very important to the boss, so I strongly suggest you don''t try anything with her," warned Gerald. If they ignored his advice and still wanted to provoke Luca or Hera, there was not much he could do about it. "Pfft, she''s just a woman. How tough can she really be?" One of them refused to believe it. Gerald shook his head. "Pal, don''t act so cocky. You might regret saying something so ignorantter." The men burst outughing. "Man, you''re just scared. You probably don''t have the guts to stand up to a woman, but we''re not like you. Every woman we meet ends up bowing to us." When Gerald saw how arrogant they were, he was torn between warning them again or giving Luca a heads-up that some of these men might cause trouble. He shook his head and muttered, "Good luck to you all." The group erupted inughter again. "Are all of you from A City this cowardly?" "Exactly. If it weren''t for the other wornan being the boss''panion, we wouldn''t hold back either." "Go ahead, mess around. If you disrupt the experiment-even if you don''t touch the boss''panion-you''ll still end up in trouble," Gerald said before heading upstairs. While Gerald was on his way up, he ran into Luca, who wasing down to prepare lunch. He hesitated for a moment before deciding to wam her, "Ms. Craw, the new rotation has amrived," reminded Gerald. "Okay," Luca responded with little enthusiasm, knowing that Luke was not among them. She was not particrly interested or excited. "Uh, some of them didn''t take my warnings seriously. So... If anyone tries to cause trouble or make a move on you, just be careful," Gerald said cautiously. Luca stopped in her tracks and frowned, a sh of impatience crossing her eyes. "Men are such a hassle." Gerald nodded in agreement, but realizing he was also a man, he quickly shook his head. Before he could say more, Luca added coldly, "How troublesome. I might as well just ruin thempletely." When Gerald saw the icy glint in her eyes, he could not help but shiver, feeling a chill run down his spine. Cautiously, he reminded her, "Ms. Craw, Lucius is also a man." "Can he even bepared to those lowlifes?" Luca shot him a sharp re. Gerald immediately shook his head. Of course not. Those guys would go after any woman they saw.novelbin The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3395 All The Men Who Are Knocked Down By Luca ? Chapter 3395 All The Men Who Are Knocked Down By Luca Lucius was different. He did not care about getting close to anyone, whether man or woman. Even when Hera''s attempts to seduce him were tantly obvious, he still remained unmoved and even showed signs of rejection. Gerald could not help but marvel at Luca''s sharp observations and incisive remarks. He could not help but p his hands lightly, genuinely impressed. "Lucius truly is exceptional," said Gerald. Luca came downstairs. When she took thest step off the stairs, the men in the living room immediately fell silent. They held their breath as they watched the woman in front of them. Her hair was straight, not like their boss''panion. The men''s gazes grew intense. Luca''s expression darkened. Gerald stood beside her and said, "See, I told you-you''re like a piece of meat dropped into a pack of wolves. Be careful." One of the men heard Gerald and asked unhappily, "Hey, kid, what are you saying? What wolves? We''re gentlemen. We''d never dream of doing anything inappropriate." "Exactly! Lady, why don''t youe and have a drink with us?" asked another man. Luca''s expression grew even colder. Their intentions were written all over their faces. Gerald noticed the storm brewing in Luca''s expression and hastily gestured at the men to stop. He made a ''shut up gesture. Instead of taking the hint, the men burst intoughter. "Man, we''ve seen cowards, but this one takes the cake!" "Right? Lady,e on. Just one drink..." Before the words finished leaving his mouth, the guy reached out, trying to grab Luca''s hand. Luca avoided his touch, but she immediately grabbed his hand and effortlessly pped him across the face. The sound echoed crisply in the living room. Everyone froze with wide eyes. What was going on? Did one of them get pped across the face? "Y-Y-You!" The man who had been pped stammered, struggling to find his words. "Who else wants to invite me for a drink?" Luca hated trouble, but when she sensed it brewing, she preferred to nip it in the bud. A tense silence nketed the room. None of the men had expected her tosh out, let alone strike one of their own so decisively. They all came from the same base and had been together for a while, so naturally, they were more united. "Fuck you, you filthy bitch!" One of the men came back to his senses, grabbing a bottle of beer and standing up aggressively. Luca noticed that they had already drunk several bottles of alcohol. When these guys had nothing else to do, they either worked out or drank, which she could understand. However, after just a few drinks, they acted like they were the world''s greatest, expecting every woman to submit to them. This was something Luca could not stand. She stared coldly at the man in front of her. Her gaze remained steady as she watched the man step toward her. His eyes were filled with rage, as though he were about to rip her apart. Cerald took a step back. He was not worried about Luca losing. He knew she could handle herself, but he was concerned that if a fight broke out, he might get dragged into it, so he kept his distance to ensure his own safety. Luca''s expression was cold as she watched the man approach. When he came within range, she acted quickly, delivering a wless shoulder throw The man groaned as he hit the ground. Luca stepped onto his chest. "How about this? You like it?" The man groaned in pain. "Let... Let go..." Luca twisted her foot, pressing against a weak point. "How does that feel?" The man, barely able to speak through the pain, choked out, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry. It hurts!" Luca did not release him. Instead, she stared coldly at the other men. "Anyone else wants to try your luck? Come on. Let''s see who can take me down today." The men looked at their downedpanion in disbelief. One of them shouted, "Get up, you trash! You''re letting a woman put you down. Are you kidding me?" "Yeah, get up! Don''t let this woman humiliate you like that!" The man struggled to rise. Even though the weight on him was not heavy, he could not seem to get up. As he tried, he copsed back to the ground, failing once again. Luca''s expression remained icy. "You want him to get up? As long as I don''t take my foot off him, he won''t be able to move. And it''s going to hurt like hell. You want to save him?" Her words made several of the men freeze. They hesitated for a moment, unsure whether they should help their fallenrade. "Why are you scared? Let''s all go at her. She''s just a woman. How tough can she really be against all of us?" said one of them. The group of men rushed toward her, ready to teach her a lesson. "If we win, she''ll be our collective property." One of the men said so, and the others immediately made a move, treating Luca as though she were a prize to be imed. They all charged forward at once. Gerald finally grew worried. "Ms. Craw, be careful!" When Gerald was secretly debating whether to call Shanks for backup, several agonized cries filled the air. Gerald''s eyes widened in shock. All the men who had rushed toward Luca were now lying on the floor and clutching their injured bodies, unable to move. "Ms. Craw, are you alright?" Gerald rushed forward. The scene before him was so intense that he almost wondered if he was dreaming. He pinched his cheek hard and felt the pain. It was not a dream. Luca had really taken care of the men who tried to take advantage of her all by herself. Gerald shivered at the thought. He was lucky he had not made an enemy of her. "I''m fine," replied Luca as she lifted her foot. The man who had been pinned under her foot let out a sigh of relief. "Why haven''t they gotten up?" Gerald asked with curiosity. "This is the power of medical skills," Luca exined. Even though they outnumbered her, she aimed for the most painful acupoints on each of their bodies when she hit them. That was why all of the men were still on the ground, unable to get up. After saying that, Luca did not pay attention to their cries of pain and walked into the kitchen. Gerald looked at the mess around him, unsure how to handle the situation. Just then, Shanks came downstairs. "What happened?" Shanks saw the group of men groaning in pain. He thought someone hade to challenge them. "Luca did it," Gerald quickly exined. "These men were trying to make trouble with her, so she taught them all a lesson. Mr. Shanks, they look really hurt. Do we need to take care of them?"novelbin All the men who had changed shifts were knocked down by Luca. If anything happened, these men were as good as useless in a fight. Gerald was worried that Luca might be rned. Shanks furrowed his brows and examined the nearest man. He then released his grip with a look of disgust. "They won''t die" Gerald was rendered speechless again. Sure, they would not die, but they were still seriously injured. Before Gerald could respond, Shanks added, "Luca targeted their acupoints, which is why they''re in so much pain. They''ll be fine in about an hour. Consider it a lesson learned." Then, Shanks turned and went back upstairs. Gerald let out a sigh of relief. If they were not going to die and would recover soon, then everything would be okay. He crouched down and looked at the man in front of him. "Listen, buddy. Now that you know what Ms. Craw is capable of, I''d advise you not to mess with her again." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3396 Whats Happening With Luke ? Chapter 3396 What''s Happening With Luke The men in the room were wincing in pain, but when they heard Gerald''s words, they were so furious they almost wanted tosh out at him. However, all their strength had been sapped by the excruciating pain, so they could only groan helplessly. As Shanks made his way upstairs, he paused halfway up the staircase and asked, "Is Luca cooking?" Gerald nced at the kitchen and replied, "Yes, Mr. Shanks. It''s their fault. Ms. Craw was dyed in making dinner because of them." Shanks'' expression remained unchanged as he simply said, "Let me know when it''s ready." "Yes," answered Gerald. After Shanks went upstairs, Gerald hesitated for a moment but decided to help the men to their feet, cing them one by one on the couch or chairs. As they slouched, groaning in pain, Gerald shook his head. "Do you guys now understand what happens when you mess with the wrong woman, especially Ms. Craw?" One of the men winced and asked, "Why did she have to be so brutal when throwing down?" "She knows medicine. She''s also trained, so she can easily take down a hundred people if she wants. With her medical knowledge, she can make you suffer all the pain in the world without leaving a single fatal injury." The men shrank back. They did not expect Luca to be so capable. At the same time, they were shocked and unnerved by Gerald''s words. They exchanged uncertain nces and, from that moment on, secretly promised not to mess with Luca again. The risk of angering her seemed far too great. Just then, Hera made her way down the stairs. She looked around the room and noticed the unfamiliar faces. All of the men were in pain. Her brows furrowed together as she said, "Gerald,e here." "Yes, Ms. Sanchez." Gerald followed her as she walked out of the living room. Once they reached the garden, Hera squinted at the harsh sunlight, clearly ufortable. "Ms. Sanchez, what''s the matter?" Gerald noticed the odd look on her face. Hera came back to her senses, shook her head, and replied, "Nothing. I was going to ask you why all these men are here." "Oh, they''re part of the rotation system. Every so often, someonees to rece the current team." Gerald already knew what she wanted to ask. Hera''s frown deepened. "So, you''re telling me that Lucius has been reced?" "Yes, all those men from before have been reassigned. The new group arrived today." Gerald nodded. "When will he be back?" Hera pressed on. Although Lucius had rejected her, she could not shake the feeling of attachment. Even if she was rejected a thousand times, she would keep chasing after him. The feelings in her heart were something she just could not let go of Hera prided herself on not being the type of woman who would obsess over something she could not have. She had many great men around her, yet she still could not understand why she could not shake her feelings for Lucius. He had an ordinary face, was not as rich as Abel, and was not even as handsome as the other guys. Her hand lightly rested on her chest, where her heart still longed for him. Gerald, sensing something was off, answered cautiously, "I haven''t seen anyone return from rotation yet. Once they''re reced, it''s usually a long time before theye back-if they even do." Hera swayed slightly on her feet. Gerald, feeling anxious, did not dare to step forward to support her. He stayed close, ready to help if it came down to it." Ms. Sanchez, the sun is really strong outside. Maybe you should go rest inside?" Hera''s face was pale, and she felt a strange sense of loss. It was because of Lucius, was it not? There was a pang of regret in her heart. Even now, she had not asked for his contact information. She turned to Gerald. "Do you have his contact info?" Gerald shook his head and replied, "No." "You answered so quickly. Are you just unwilling to give it to me?" Hera narrowed her eyes, suspecting that Gerald was withholding it from her. Gerald gave her a bitter smile and replied, "Ms. Sanchez, I really don''t have it. Lucius is from Russia, and they don''t use the same social media tform. I don''t have any of those international messaging apps either. Plus, he''s about to be reassigned, so I didn''t ask for his contact." Hera shook her head in disbelief. "What about his phone number? Do you have his number?" Gerald shook his head again, bluntly saying, "No." Hera scoffed. "Useless, all of you are useless!" Gerald was left speechless by her outburst. He could not exactly argue with her, let alone fight back. With a cold expression, Hera walked back into the house. At that moment, the men sitting on the couch finally started to feel a little better. When they saw Hera enter, they all greeted her, "Hello, Ms. Sanchez." Hera shot them a re before turning and heading upstairs. If it were not for them, Lucius would not have left. If only they had not changed shifts... The men, confused by her re, waited until she disappeared up the stairs before starting to discuss. "The boss'' girlfriend isn''t easy to get along with." "Tell me about it. I suggest you all avoid messing with the women in this house," Gerald warned as he entered, overhearing them. "We won''t, we won''t. We''re not stupid. We won''t mess with the women here," one of the men quickly replied.novelbin After Luca finished cooking, she asked Gerald to bring some food to Hera and then called Shanks downstairs for dinner. The men had finally recovered, and when they saw the delicious food on the table, they thought there might be some for them. Gerald saw this and could not help but feel pleased with himself. Finally, he did not have to cook anymore! "What are you guys standing around for? There''s food in the kitchen. If you want to eat, go make it yourselves." Gerald''s tone was unintentional, but it carried a note of pride. It felt good not having to cook for anyone. "No food for us?" one of the men asked in disbelief. "Did you have someone cooking for you at other bases?" questioned Gerald. Having been stationed at other bases, he knew there were no assigned cooks. "No," replied the man while eyeing the food on the table. It smelled so good. All of them really wanted to eat the food in front of them. The man turned to look at Luca, hesitated for a moment, and then said earnestly, "Sorry, Ms. Craw. We apologize for what we said earlier. We don''t know how to cook. Could you please make some food for us too?" "No," Luca replied coldly. "I''m not your cook." The men exchanged looks before walking away, dejected. "Ms. Craw, you''re impressive," remarked Gerald. If it had been him, he would not have had the courage to reject them so decisively if they asked him to cook. Luca was truly remarkable. It was clear that capable people were always confident in their refusals. Luca did not respond to Gerald''spliments. Her mind was fully upied with what was happening with Luke. Had he reached the next base yet? Had he swapped with anyone? Luca was worried. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3397 Overwhelming Longing ? Chapter 3397 Overwhelming Longing As soon as Luca returned to her bedroom after dinner, she received a video call request from the kids. It had been a long time since shest saw them. When she saw the call request, she locked the door, put on her headphones, and immediately answered. "Ms. Luca!" As soon as the call connected, the faces of all three kids appeared on the phone screen. "Sweethearts!" Luca blew them a kiss. "Ms. Luca, we miss you so much!" Tommy was the first to express how much they missed Luca. Luca''s heart stirred with waves of longing when she heard them. She had been so busy recently, hoping to finish everything here quickly so that she and Luke could reunite with the kids. That was why she had not contacted them much. Plus, with Old Master Crawford taking care of them, she felt at ease. Now that Luca saw the faces of the three kids, her longing for them instantly surged and overwhelmed her. Her eyes reddened. "I miss you all so much too." Rainie, always the thoughtful one, noticed her emotional shift andforted her, "Ms. Luca, we''re being really good at Crawford Manor. Don''t worry. We''re already on summer vacation. We''re doing our homework like we''re supposed to and practicing calligraphy every day. "Tommy doesn''t like it, but I''ll help him. You and Daddy are busy, so we''ll be good and wait for you to finish everything ande back." They said daughters were the most thoughtful, and Luca felt her heart warm when she heard Rainie''s words. She nodded and replied, "I know you all the best. Even though I''m not with you, I know you''ll listen to us and make us proud." "Yes, Ms. Luca. You don''t need to worry about us," all three kids said together. Luca''s mood lightened as she listened to them. "Also, now that the weather is cooling down, remember to cover yourselves with a nket when you sleep at night. Make sure you''re covered, or you''ll catch a cold and feel bad." Even though they were being well taken care of, Luca still could not stop worrying. "Got it, Ms. Luca. We''re eating well and always cover up with our nkets at night. Mr. Griffin always checks on Tommy to make sure he''s not kicking it off, so don''t worry about us. We''re doing great!" Rainie reassured her. Even though they missed their parents, they knew that their parents were busy. Only when all the problems were solved could their family finally reunite. Hence, they were quiet and patient, just expressing their longing for their parents. They were waiting for their parents to handle everything and bring them home. "Alright," replied Luca. Her heart was eased by her daughter''s thoughtfulness. Yes, they were being well cared for. She and Luke just needed to focus on their own tasks. Once all the worries were settled, they could have a good life together with the kids. Luca felt more energized at the thought of this. No matter what, she and Luke would solve the problems at hand and bring all the kids back to their side to live the peaceful and happy life they once had. Luca put on a smile at the thought of this. After she ended the video call with the kids, she received a message from Luke. [I''ve arrived at the base here. Someone will rece me in a couple of days. Don''t worry, everything is fine.] [Alright, stay safe.] Luca felt her worry finally ease when she read Luke''s message. Just then, there was a knock on the door. Luca asked, "Who is it?" "Ms. Craw, it''s me, Gerald." "What is it?" asked Luca. "Ms. Sanchez isn''t feeling well. She asked you to go over," answered Gerald. Luca frowned, feeling like Hera was not actually unwell but was looking for trouble. "Alright, I''ll be right there." Luca pushed the door open. Gerald stood there and quietly said, "Luca, I don''t think Ms. Sanchez is actually unwell. She probably has something to discuss with you." "What does she need to discuss with me?" Luca wondered. "What else could it be? It''s about Lucius. There were other people around during dinner, so I couldn''t say much. But she actually called me out earlier and asked for Lucius'' contact information. I didn''t have it, so I couldn''t help her. She was upset and had a sour look on her face for quite a while," exined Gerald. Even when he delivered food to her, Hera still had a scowl. She was clearly displeased that he did not know anything "Alright, I got it." Luca felt helpless. She did not expect Hera to still be so attached after Luke had already been reassigned. Hera had barely seen him, so why was she so obsessed? This feeling came out of nowhere. Luke could hardly believe it, and it was the same for her.novelbin It made her wonder if Hera was being used by Abel to test Luke. "Ms. Craw, please don''t be mad. After all, Lucius has never paid her any attention." Gerald tried to calm her downl He knew how dangerous it could be when two women startedpeting over a man. He was trying his best to soothe Luca, hoping to avoid any confrontation between the two. "Why would I be angry?" Luca looked at him, perplexed. Gerald gave an awkward smile. "As long as you''re not angry, that''s fine." Luca found his reaction strange. Luke was an exceptional man, so it was understandable that someone would like him. If she were to question him every time another woman liked him, she would be angry all the time, and that would not solve anything. Luca walked over to Hera''s room and knocked on the door. "Who is it?" Hera''s voice came from inside, sounding displeased. Luca replied indifferently, "It''s me, Ms. Sanchez. I heard you''re not feeling well, so I came to check on you. May Ie in?" "Come in." Hera''s tone was haughty. Luca pushed open the door. Hera was sitting on the couch, her expression dark with frustration. Luca walked over to her and asked indifferently, "Ms. Sanchez, where do you feel unwell?" "My heart," replied Hera, taking a drag from her cigarette. She was clearly annoyed. It was as though something had upset her. Luca was rendered speechless. "If it''s your heart, then only heart medicine can help. If you miss the boss, just call him." Hera blew out a puff of smoke. "Who told you I miss him?" After witnessing Abel''s terrifying side, she had no desire to think about him at all. Furthermore, she had juste into arge sum of money, so for now, she was not thinking about him at all. If she ran out of money one day, perhaps she would think about him then. Luca did not say anything. Hera noticed her silence and pressed on. "Do you have Lucius'' contact information?" "No," replied Luca. "You can''t possibly not have it. Aren''t you two close? You two are so close, yet you don''t have his contact info? Who are you trying to fool?" Hera refused to believe it. Luca raised an eyebrow. "Who told you that Lucius and I are close?" "Who else? Of course, it''s Gerald!" Hera''s tone was sharp. She was pushing Luca to give up Lucius contact details. Luca turned her cold gaze toward the door, where Gerald stood. Gerald immediately waved his hands frantically, signaling that he had nothing to do with it. He had never told Hera anything! She was just making wild guesses! Besides, Luca and Lucius were indeed close. If anyone were to pay attention, they would easily notice it. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3398 Losing Her Appetite From Thoughts Of Luke ? Chapter 3398 Losing Her Appetite From Thoughts Of Luke As Gerald shook his head furiously, it was not difficult for Luca to figure out what was going on. She nced at Hera''s irritation and figured it all stemmed from Luke being reassigned. Not being able to see him was clearly driving her to act like this. Luca secretly let out a sigh. They said women were the cause of trouble, but honestly, men could just be the same. Even with Luke disguised as an ordinary man, his cold andmanding air still captivated Hera. She nced at the bowl nearby. The food Gerald brought Hera was barely touched. It seemed like she was so consumed with thoughts of Luke that she had lost her appetite... Luca''s expression remained unchanged. She was long ustomed to keeping her emotions in check around others. "Ms. Sanchez, you''ve misunderstood. I''m not close with Mr. Lucius, so I don''t have his contact information." Luca kept her face impassive. "You''re lying!" Hera narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "You''re so close to him. How could you not have it?" Luca stayed silent. She thought to herself that she was not lying at all. She had alwaysmunicated with Luke, not the person he pretended to be as Lucius. Hence, technically, she did not have Lucius'' contact information. "Are you going to give it to me or not?" demanded Hera. Luca shrugged helplessly. "Ms. Sanchez, how can I give you something I don''t have?" "Are you worried that if I get his number, I''ll win him over and steal him from you?" Hera''s imagination was running wild. Luca was left both amused and exasperated by her words. If Luke were that easily swayed, he would have ended up in Hera''s bed days ago. However, that never happened. Not only had her advances failed, but Luke was indifferent to her and even showed traces of disdain. Where did Hera get this confidence that she could seduce him? Standing outside the door, Gerald could not help but roll his eyes.novelbin They said three women could create enough drama for a stage y. Now, with just two, it was already a full-blown production. Gerald knew that Luca definitely had Luke''s contact information, but her calm demeanor was so convincing that even he almost believed her. As for Hera, the fact that she still clung to the delusion of Lucius being interested in her after repeated rejections was remarkable. Hera threatened again, "If you don''t give it to me, I''ll go to your boss and report you. Luca, are you giving it to me or not?" Luca could not help butugh at her audacity. Was she seriously trying to use Abel to pressure her? What exactly was she nning to tell Abel? Luca smirked. "What are you going to say to the boss? That I tricked you by not giving you Lucius'' contact information even though I have it?" Hera frowned. She had been so focused on the idea of using Abel to intimidate Luca that she had not thought through what she would actually say to him. Before she could respond, Luca continued, "Ms. Sanchez, you really have feelings for Lucius, don''t you? Even after he''s been reassigned, you can''t let him go. Honestly, I admire your persistence. "But think about it. If the boss finds out you''re romantically interested in one of his subordinates, you know what consequences you''ll face." "You!" Hera was at a loss for words. However, the thought of not being able to get Lucius'' contact information made her feel even more ufortable. "Just you wait!" Hera spat out thisst line as a threat. Luca raised her phone and said, "To avoid future troubles with you, Ms. Sanchez, I''ve recorded all your derations of affection for Lucius just now." Hera''s eyes widened in shock. "You wouldn''t dare!" Luca replied calmly, "There''s nothing I wouldn''t dare." Luca saved the recording in front of Hera and said, "It''s saved. Ms. Sanchez, if you try to make trouble for me or whisper anything in the boss'' ear, don''t me me for not holding back. "The boss is notoriously intolerant. He absolutely won''t allow you to have feelings for another man while working so closely with him. You know exactly what will happen if he hears this recording." Then, Luca turned around and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. Gerald gave her a thumbs-up. "That was brilliant!" eximed Gerald. With the recording in Luca''s possession, it was likely that Hera would not dare to cause her trouble for a while. Just as Gerald was about to speak, the sound of something being smashed echoed from inside the room. The noise was deafening even with the door closed. Gerald muttered under his breath, "Only troublemakers and the maniptive are hard to deal with." Luca corrected him, "That''s not the proper context for that saying," Gerald scratched his head, puzzled. "It isn''t? Well, I didn''t study much, so I wouldn''t know. But Ms. Craw, your move was genius. I doubt Ms. Sanchez will dare to mess with you again anytime soon." Luca nced back at Hera''s tightly shut door. She could imagine Hera still inside, venting her frustration by throwing things. As if confirming her thoughts, another loud crash came from within. Gerald shook his head. "Forget it. I''ll deal with the cleanup tomorrow." "You''re responsible for cleaning up here too?" Luca was surprised. Gerald shook his head. "To be precise, I''m responsible for cleaning up after Ms. Sanchez." Luca was rendered speechless. "Do you honestly think Ms. Sanchez is the type to clean up after herself?" asked Gerald. Luca shook her head. Hera did not seem like the kind of person who would ever lift a finger to clean. "It''s gettingte," said Luca as she headed toward her room. "Don''t disturb me unless it''s something urgent." "Ms. Craw, will you even be able to sleep tonight?" Gerald''s tone carried a hint of flirtation,ced with a touch of teasing. Luca shot him a re. "What nonsense are you spouting?" Gerald immediately straightened up and answered seriously, "Just kidding, Ms. Craw. Have a good rest." Without sparing him another nce, Luca walked into her room, closed the door, and locked it securely. For the next few days, everything went smoothly without any further incidents. Luca had established her authority on the very first day the men changed shifts, leaving them too intimidated to bother her again. Meanwhile, holding Hera''s recording as leverage ensured that Hera would behave herself. As for Abel, he had not returned to check on their research progress. Luca focused entirely on working with Shanks on their research. On the day of the volunteer''s surgery, Abel returned. Just as Luca was about to board the medical vehicle to assist Shanks in the operation, Abel arrived with two others in tow. "You''re not needed for the surgery." Abel fixed his gaze on her. "But without an assistant, how is Mr. Shanks supposed to manage?" Luca frowned. " "These two are ophthalmologists," replied Abel, "They''ll assist Shanks as surgical aides." Luca''s frown deepened. She did not expect Abel to bring in two assistant ophthalmologists specifically for the operation. Luca nodded. "Alright." Abel nced at the two doctors he had brought. Both had been hired at a high price and had signed confidentiality agreements. While they were not particrly renowned, they werepetent enough to assist Shanks. Soon, Shanks walked out of the vi. His gazended on Abel and the two unfamiliar men with him. They did not look like people from the Ind of Despair, which made him frown. "Who are they?" questioned Shanks. Abel responded, "They''re ophthalmologists I brought in. They''re more professional than Ivana. She won''t be assisting in today''s surgery. These two will be your aides instead." "Do you even know what kind of surgery I''m performing? You''re bringing in two ophthalmologists as my assistants?" asked Shanks. The procedure he was about to perform was the world''s first eye transnt. Even in the most medically advanced countries, this surgery had never been sessfullypleted. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3399 Those Eyes Will Soon Belong To Kassy ? Chapter 3399 Those Eyes Will Soon Belong To Kassy For Shanks, no matter how skilled the two ophthalmologists were, they could notpare to Luca. The key was their smooth coordination. They were used to working together. If it were other doctors, they would probably start asking questions once they entered the operating room, making it impossible for Shanks to focus and perform the surgery calmly. Shanks believed this was a groundbreaking procedure, not just another teaching surgery for ophthalmologists. Abel understood Shanks'' concerns, but he still insisted, "They''re not just any doctors. They''ve signed agreements, and they won''t interrupt you with questions during the surgery. They''ll cooperate fully." As Luca listened to Abel, she realized what he was really worried about. Besides the risk of the surgery failing, he was not confident in her. This surgery was important, and Abel was worried she might sabotage it in the operating room. Shanks furrowed his brows and looked at Luca. Luca gave him a faint smile. Whether or not she participated in the surgery did not matter much to her. She just felt a little regretful for not being able to witness such a miracle, but other than that, it was not a big issue. "Mr. Shanks, I hope everything goes smoothly with the surgery." Luca stepped back to make her stance clear. If Abel did not allow it, she would not board the medical vehicle. Shanks'' eyes grew colder as he turned his gaze to Abel. Abel, feeling no regret for his decision, gestured toward the medical vehicle. "Go ahead. That person''s waiting for you to perform the surgery." Shanks lowered his voice in a warning. "If anything goes wrong with the surgery, you''ll be the one to bear the consequences," Abel felt a twinge of doubt. It would have been best if Luca performed the surgery. However, he was afraid of Luca potentially causing trouble during the procedure. Abel had to ensure the surgery''s sess. "I trust you can handle it." Abel expressed his confidence in him. Abel did not trust anyone only Shanks. He was the best. If Shanks could not make this surgery work, no one else could. With that thought in mind, Abel watched Luca as she pursed her lips, her gaze following Shanks as he entered the medical vehicle. His expression darkened. Once the two doctors followed Shanks inside and the vehicle doors closed, Luca was about to turn away to get to work when she saw Hera running toward them. "Darling, you''re finally back!" said Hera, her eyes filled with affection. Luca furrowed her brows. Hera''s performance seemed a bit too exaggerated. She had seen how obsessive Hera could be just to get Luke''s contact information, so she knew exactly how she acted when she had feelings for someone. Luca could clearly see that Hera was just performing for Abel, trying to win him over with her act of love. Luca did not speak, nor did she have any intention of leaving to get busy anymore. She was more interested in seeing how Hera would try to please Abel. Abel, perhaps in a good mood that day, raised Hera''s chin. In front of everyone, he yfully teased her, "Have you been behaving well these days?" "Of course." Hera''s eyes were full of affection as she deliberately showed her longing and attachment, almost as though she wanted to cling to him. "Has anyone offended you during this time?" Abel asked, deliberately ncing at Luca. Hera also nced at Luca. She had originally nned toin about Luca, but remembering the recording in Luca''s hands, she could not bring herself to do anything rash. Despite the resentment in her heart, she could only shake her head and answer, "I''m your woman. Who would dare to bully me?" "You''re right." Abel took the opportunity to pull her closer. His eyes were filled with deep affection and obsession when they met hers. Those eyes would soon belong to Kassy. His Kassy... They would reunite soon. Hera''s gaze shifted subtly toward Luca, noticing that Luca was not even looking at her. This confirmed Hera''s suspicion. Luca''s mind was not on Abel. Instead, it was on Lucius. Hera had been preupied with one thing for the past few days. She was figuring out how to get Lucius'' contact information from Luca. However, knowing the recording Luca had, she dared not act recklessly. Her attention shifted back to Abel. "Darling, they say you''ve been busy these days. What have you been up to? You left me here for so long that I was getting bored out of my mind." Abel smiled but did not answer the question. His eyes remained fixed on the medical vehicle in the distance. It was only then that Hera noticed everyone''s gaze was on that vehicle. It had been parked there since she arrived, but since it was not a luxury car, she had not thought much of it. Now, she was starting to get curious. "Darling?"novelbin "Yes?" Abel''s gaze did not stray from the vehicle. "What kind of car is that? Why is everyone staring at it? Is there something special about it?" asked Hera. She had memorized all the luxury car brands to impress men and was certain this was not one of those high-end cars, but she did not know what it was. "Of course," Abel tightened his hold on her. Hera''s curiosity grew. Unaware of the danger the car might bring her in the future, she asked, "What kind of car is it?" "This car? It''s a life-saving vehicle." Abel suddenly remarked. "Huh? Is it really that incredible?" Hera''s curiosity piqued. "It''s a medical vehicle, and inside, a great transnt surgery is being performed," added Abel. Hera''s face showed surprise and confusion. "Surgery? Can surgery really be done here?" Although Hera did not understand medicine, she knew that surgery would typically take ce in a hospital, where the environment was sterile to ensure the highest chance of survival and reduce postoperative infection risks. "As long as there''s a great doctor, nothing is impossible." Abel smiled. It was as though he had already foreseen the sess of the surgery. Luca remained silent as she listened to their conversation. Hera asked with some confusion, "A great doctor? Are you referring to Shanks?" "Of course, it''s him. Who else could it be?" Abel gave her face a yful kiss. In the near future, she, too, would be sent onto this vehicle for surgery to remove her eyes. Hera was even more surprised. Everyone praised Shanks'' medical skills, but for someone so capable, he could not even treat her own inmmation, which eventually had to be treated at a hospital. Therefore, she had never believed Shanks was all that great of a doctor. Hera did not know what to say. She could not question Shanks'' medical skills in front of Abel, so she could only respond with a smile. At the same time, she was curious. If Shanks was the one performing the surgery, who was the one receiving it? Then, Hera remembered that there was someone staying in one of the rooms in the house. She had asked Gerald about it before. Gerald told her that the person staying inside was recovering here. Could it be that person? Hera looked around for Gerald but could not find him. She felt puzzled. Most people were already here, so where could Gerald have gone? "Who are you looking for?" Abel noticed her small movements. "Nothing." Hera smiled as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3400 ? Chapter 3400 Luke''s Demeanor Is So Much Like Lucius'' However, Abel was not fooled by her words. He asked again, "Who are you looking for?" "Oh, I''m looking for Gerald. I''ve noticed that most people are here, but Gerald is missing, so I was just curious," Hera replied honestly, knowing that Abel was naturally suspicious. "I''m starting to feel like you''ve be quite close with Gerald recently," Abel asked suspiciously. Hera froze for a moment, thenughed and exined, "I often ask him to help with little things. He might not have many qualities, but he''s pretty diligent." Abel did not respond right away, as though he was considering her words carefully. Hera lowered her voice and teased, "What''s the matter? Are you jealous?" Before he could answer, she quickly added, "You''re so outstanding. How could I ever be interested in some ordinary man?" As soon as she said that, a flicker of unease crossed her mind. Abel was far superior to Lucius in looks and wealth. However, she seemed to be more drawn to Lucius. Despite her actions of trying to destroy what she could not have, she truly cared about Lucius. Abel smiled, though it was not genuine. Hera saw his expression and felt an inexplicable unease. It was as though something was about to happen. Luca nced at the time and started walking inside. The sun outside had gotten hotter, and Hera, feeling ufortably warm, turned to Abel and said, "Darling, it''s too hot out here. Let''s go inside." "You go in first. Don''t get a heatstroke." Abel was not exactly someone who did not know how to treat women with tender care, especially when Hera''s eyes bore such an uncanny resemnce to Kassy''s. It made him all the more protective and indulgent. Unable to bear the heat, Hera nodded at his words and walked into the living room. She noticed Luca sitting on the couch and snorted. "What are you doing here?" Luca countered, "Is there a rule that says I have to stay outside?" Hera was rendered speechless for a moment. There did not seem to be any such rule. "You''re supposed to be some great doctor, right? Why aren''t you up there helping Shanks with the surgery? Could it be that you''re afraid of making a mistake and killing someone?" mocked Hera. Luca remained silent. Instead, she was reading the financial news. The news headline showed that T Corporation had secured another bidding project. The project was a development in the suburbs of A City. Luca''s heart raced with excitement. This was something that Luke had not told her yet, but she found out through the news. The A City development project was huge, and many corporations across the country were watching it. It was so significant that even the financial news in X City was reporting on it. Hera was also drawn in by the financial news. TCorporation? She saw that the news report even featured a photo of Luke. As Hera stared at Luke''s photo, a deep, almost obsessive affection shed across her eyes, and she finally realized where her obsession with Lucius came from. Luke''s demeanor was so much like Lucius''s! Was it because Lucius reminded her of Luke that she could not get him out of her mind? "So simr," Hera murmured softly. Luca suddenly grasped the meaning behind Hera''s words. She had secretly been drawn to Luke all this time! Still, Luca was not worried. To Hera, Lucius might share Luke''s demeanor, but their appearances were entirely different. It puzzled Luca, however. Back when Luke was in disguise, she could be close to him but still had to avoid looking directly at his face. Even though she knew it was him beneath the unfamiliar features, it gave her a strange feeling she could not shake. Hera, however, was the opposite. Even with someone else''s face, she had been captivated by Luke''s charisma. So, was she truly attracted to Luke himself or just to that particr air he exuded? Luca had no interest in delving deeper. She spotted Geralding downstairs and gave him a small nod. Gerald asked with surprise, "Ms. Craw, why aren''t you on the medical van helping out?" "Mr. Abel brought in two highly qualified doctors to assist, so they don''t need me." "Not needed? Sounds more like you''re ipetent and got sidelined. Why dress it up so nicely?" Hera could not resist jabbing at her. Luca did not respond. Whatever was in Hera''s mind, it was none of her concern. Gerald hesitated for a moment. He wanted to say something but decided against it. While stretching her arms, Luca said to him, "I''m heading upstairs to rest. If anything urgentes up, just knock on my door." "Of course, Ms. Craw," Gerald replied with respect. After Luca ascended the stairs, Hera red at him. "Why are you so polite and respectful to that woman? Don''t tell me she''s got something on you too?" "Of course not," Gerald replied quickly. "Then why the attitude? Don''t tell me you like her?" Hera shot him a disdainful look as though admiring someone like Luca was disdainful. Gerald scratched the back of his head. Did he like her? Who would not admire a woman like Luca? He knew the answer deep down. It was not that he liked her; it was that he dared not to like her. Luca was far too formidable, and the men in her life were equally so. He did not stand a chance. Forcing augh, he said, "I just don''t want to get hurt. Look, Ms. Sanchez, no one here dares to cross you because you''re the boss'' girlfriend. But no one dares to cross Ms. Craw either. Her fists are scary." "Her fists? Isn''t she just a doctor?" Hera refused to believe it. Gerald thought about how to exin her strength but could not find the right words. Finally, he simply said, "Well, she''s pretty formidable." Hearing someone praise Luca, even from someone she did not care about, still irritated Hera. She rose to her feet, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "How tough can a woman be? And you, letting a woman outshine you like that. How embarrassing!" Gerald felt his male pride taking a hit, but the truth was, Luca was remarkable. Very few people could surpass her in this vi. It was embarrassing, sure, but losing to someone like Luca did not feel that bad. Gerald mulled it over. If he had Luca''s intelligence and still could not measure up, then it would be embarrassing. However, without that kind of brainpower, losing to her was not shameful at all. With this realization, he silently endured Hera''s remarks. Even though her tone annoyed him, he was powerless to respond. After all, she was the boss'' woman. Hera noticed his silence and pressed further, "Why aren''t you saying anything? Cat got your tongue?" "No, I think you''re absolutely right," Gerald conceded, resigning himself to being the weaker one in this exchange. At the same time, he could not help but wonder why Hera, a woman herself, was so keen on belittling other women. He could not wrap his head around it. Hera let out a cold sneer and scolded him, "Coward." Gerald could only clench his teeth and take it. "If there''s nothing else, Ms. Sanchez, I need to step out for a bit," said Gerald. His delivery app had just notified him that the groceries he ordered were about to arrive. Hera could not be bothered. She waved dismissively, signaling him to leave. As she watched Gerald leave from behind, she muttered angrily under her breath, "Useless trash! A man getting pushed around by a woman what a disgrace!" The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3401 What Kind Of People Are They ?Chapter 3401 What Kind Of People Are They After returning to her room, Luca told Luke about the surgery that day. She exined that she had not been able to participate in the operation and was uncertain if Abel would prevent her from being involved in the future. If she was not allowed to take part, she might lose her excuse to stay here. Also, she would not be able to help with what was toe. Luke replied to her message quickly, assuring her that everything was already nned out and she did not need to worry. Luca frowned slightly as she read his message. She wanted to ask about his n but hesitated for a moment and decided against it. Knowing too much about Luke''s men might backfire. Luca deleted their chat history but soon received another message from him. He told her that T Corporation had sessfully won the bid and that he had already found someone to rece Lucius'' role. Luca let out a sigh of relief. Finding a recement for Lucius meant that he was out of danger for now. The worry that had been weighing on her these past few days vanished instantly. Feeling at case, Lucay down on the bed and slept soundly for a while. However, not long after she fell asleep, a sudden, urgent knock on the door woke her up. Luca opened her eyes. "Who is it?" "It''s me, Ms. Craw. They need your help downstairs." Gerald''s voice came from outside. Luca immediately got out of bed. Once she stepped out of her room, she followed him quickly downstairs. "What happened?" "It seems a doctor made a mistake and something went wrong. I don''t really understand the medical details, but that doctor got kicked out, and Mr. Shanks is furious," exined Gerald. Luca frowned. "Mr. Shanks came out too?" "Yes, he stormed out andshed out at the boss. Basically, he was shouting about how lousy the doctor the boss hired was, saying he didn''t know anything and only made things worse." Gerald was not familiar with medical jargon, but when it came to recounting the scene and mimicking Shanks'' scolding, his descriptions were vivid and animated. He had been genuinely shocked to see Shanks losing his temper like that. Someone usually soposed tumed out to be quite ruthless when furious. It was an eye-opener for him. When Luca heard that Shanks had scolded Abel, she felt a pang of anxiety and quickened her §â§Ñ§ã§Ö. "What was Abel''s reaction?" asked Luca. Cerald recalled the dark and humiliated expression on Abel''s face, which made him want tough. It was the first time he had seen his usually arrogant boss left speechless by someone. However, he dared not tough and simply answered, "His expression was awful. He didn''t say a single word." Luca did not expect things to escte like this. Abel took this surgery very seriously. It did not make sense for him to hire an ordinary doctor as an assistant for Shanks. However, even a top-notch doctor had made a mistake. Luca thought about what Luke had said about having everything arranged. Could this situation be part of his n? She was not sure yet and decided to wait until the matter at hand was resolved to think more about it. She stepped into the yard. Shanks said with dissatisfaction, "Took you long enough." "I fell asleep." Luca knew he was in a foul mood after the operation had been disrupted, so she did not argue. Shanks nodded, casting a nce at Abel before turning to Luca. "Sanitize and assist with the procedure." "But..." Luca turned to look at Abel. His expression was indeed dark with anger, and on the groundy a doctor. It was obvious Abel had dealt him a heavy blow. Luca nced at the injured doctor, feeling a bit helpless. She could not afford to feel sorry for others. If she did not perform well, she might face the same fate. "Do as you''re told! Why all the questions?" Abel''s voice was low and menacing, suffocating her. At the thought of this, Luca could only nod before turning. She washed her hands, sanitized herself, changed into surgical scrubs, and entered the medical vehicle. Inside were Shanks and another ophthalmologist. However, the ophthalmologist stood to the side, not daring to touch the equipment. He looked more like an observer than a professional. Luca did not speak to him. She silently took over as the assistant, efficiently working with Shanks on the surgery. The ophthalmologist, now reduced to acting as a surgical nurse, handed them the necessary instruments. He watched their seamless teamwork in awe. Initially, he had assumed Luca was ipetent and had been dismissed to make way for them. Now, it was clear that this woman''s skills were on par with theirs. She assisted Shanks with precision, perfectly in sync with him. In just half an hour, they had corrected the mistakes made by the previous ophthalmologist. The other ophthalmologist could not help but mutter, "Impressive." Ophthalmic surgeries required incredible precision, steady hands, and speed. Having worked in the field for over 20 years, the ophthalmologist had never seen such skill before. Shanks and Luca, however, ignored the praise. They were entirely focused on the surgery. Once theypleted the transnt of one eyeball, they moved on to the other. The ophthalmologist was stunned. He had known from the start that this was an eyeball transnt procedure, but he had not believed that it could seed. He was not so sure about that now. At least one eye had already been transnted sessfully. If no rejection or necrosis urredter, even if the patient''s vision was not restored, it would still be considered a sess It was a groundbreaking achievement. Such progress could benefit countless patients with eye conditions. It would give them a more normal appearance, even if their sight could not be restored. As this thought crossed his mind, the ophthalmologist looked at Shanks and then at Luca. What kind of people were they? The intricate surgery continued from morning untilte afternoon. Even Hera was surprised to hear that Luca had been called in at thest minute to assist with the surgery. Ignoring the oppressive heat, Hera followed them outside, eager to witness Luca being kicked off the medical vehicle by Shanks. The thought of seeing Luca humiliated, scolded by Shanks, or even punished by Abel filled Hera with glee. Hera fixated her gaze on the medical vehicle at the thought of this. At 3:00 pm, the sun was zing overhead. Abel and Hera huddled under a parasol, waiting for the oue of the surgery. Ten minutester, the door of the medical vehicle swung open. Luca stepped out. Hera''s heart leaped with excitement. After waiting so long, Luca was finally kicked out by Shanks! Unable to contain herself, she sneered, "Some people just don''t know their limits. Acting like a big shot, only to get thrown out. What a disgrace! You bragged so much, but in the end, you''re nothing but a useless failure." Abel''s expression darkened as he assumed the same. After all, Shanks had estimated the surgery wouldst until the evening. It was only 3:00 pm. Luca looked puzzled for a moment at Hera''s mockery, but then she realized that Hera would not pass up any opportunity to ridicule her. Without saying a word, Luca nced behind her. Hera frowned. "What''s this? Cat got your tongue.." Before she could finish, Shanks stepped out of the vehicle, followed by another doctor. She reckoned that the man behind Shanks was the ophthalmologist Gerald had mentioned earlier. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3402 The Surgery Is A Success ? Chapter 3402 The Surgery Is A Sess All three of them stepped out of the vehicle. Hera realized that the surgery might already be over and could not wait to hear the results. Abel, equally eager, immediately asked as soon as he saw them, "Is the surgery finished?" "Yes, the surgery was sessful. The transnt waspleted, and all the nerves we could connect have been repaired. Now, it''s up to the follow-up treatment," answered Shanks. The doctor who had been kicked out earlier stared in disbelief. They actually seeded in the transnt? How was that even possible? "Great, fantastic!" Abel let out a sigh of relief before bursting intoughter. What had seemed impossible in modern medicine had achieved a different oue in Shanks'' hands. Unlike others who might celebrate the medical breakthrough, Abel''s joy came from a more personal ce-Kassy would soon return to his side. His delight was unmistakable. "T-This can''t be!" muttered the dismissed doctor, who was still in shock. "A surgery this revolutionary is beyond current medical capabilities. It''s impossible!" Shanks'' gaze turned icy as he looked at the doctor. "You thought it was impossible, so you tried to sabotage my surgery?" The doctor lowered his head and said nothing. Shanks continued, "The nerve you damaged took us half an hour to repair. Your deliberate sabotage nearly ruined the entire procedure." He was furious. Normally, Shanks would not bother with the politics or people involved in Abel''s choices. However, the so-called ''renowned ophthalmologist'' Abel brought in had caused serious trouble today, and Shanks'' patience had run out. The one thing Shanks could not tolerate was anyone sabotaging his research. Turning his anger toward Abel, Shanks snapped, "The person you brought in nearly destroyed the culmination of my work-all because you stubbomly refused to let Luca assist me. Abel, my research is what I value most. You owe me an exnation for this." Abel felt humiliated being called out in front of everyone. However, knowing the significance of Shanks'' groundbreaking achievement, he quickly suppressed his pride and shifted the me onto the doctor. "Don''t worry, I''ll give you an exnation," replied Abel. Then, he red coldly at the doctor. "I paid you so much to bring you here. Today, you''d better have an exnation for me." The doctor shuddered and nced at his colleague for help. However, the other doctor quickly looked away, pretending not to notice. He was just as terrified and had no intention of stepping in to help. Shanks was not interested in whatever Abel or the doctors had to say. His anger was still simmering. The surgery almost failed because of this, and he was not about to let this slide. Whether it was Abel or the doctor, Shanks expected them to take responsibility. "The patient must stay here for 24 hours. Once everything checks out, they can be transferred back," Shanks turned to Luca and instructed. "Okay, Mr. Shanks." Luca nodded. The doctor who had been removed from the procedure shuddered and quietly asked, "Um, can I leave now?" He was directing the question to Luca. Luca turned to look at Abel instead. Abel pulled out a check and handed it to the doctor. "You''d better keep everything that happened today confidential. If I find out you leaked anything, don''t me me for not being nice. Do you understand?" "Understood. Don''t worry, I won''t say a word." The ophthalmologist shuddered as he took the check. He nced at the amount before quickly leaving, feeling satisfied. "Wait for me," said the other doctor when he saw the ophthalmologist leaving, rushing to follow. The doctor''s plea was ignored, however. Desperate, he turned to Abel. "Mr. Abel, I... I made a mistake. I was too short-sighted and didn''t believe the surgery could seed, so I tried to sabotage it. Please forgive me." "Forgive you?" Abel''s tone was cold and menacing as he chuckled darkly. "Do you think it''s that easy?" Then, Abel raised his hand and pped the doctor across the face. The force was so strong that the weak doctor immediately spat out a mouthful of dark blood. "Blood... Blood.." The doctor staggered back, struggling to stay upright. Abel stepped forward, looking down at him. "Aren''t you a doctor? Why are you so afraid of blood?" "..." The doctor was at a loss for words. "Are you a fake doctor?" Abel asked again. The doctor replied quickly, "No! I''m a real doctor! I graduated from a top medical university and even studied abroad for a few years. You can check it all. I didn''t lie to you. I have a good reputation in the field. Many of my patients have improved their vision after my treatment." "Graduated from a reputable medical university, huh? Impressive, huh?" Abel''s eyes darkened. "If you''re so skilled, how did you manage to sabotage this surgery?" The doctor stepped back, unsure how to exin. If he admitted that he had not wanted the surgery to seed, would he be killed? He believed that this surgery went against the principles of modern medicine. Animal trials had failed, so how could they perform such a procedure on a human? Was this not treating a person''s life like a joke? He could not allow such a surgery to seed! Hence, he intentionally tried to sabotage it, never expecting that Shanks would catch him as soon as he made a move. Not only was he kicked out, but the surgery was a sess! The doctor felt like everything was surreal, almost like a dream. Still, the sharp pain on his face reminded him this was no dream. The surgery was sessful. No matter whether the patient would regain sightter, the eyeballs had been sessfully transnted. "I just thought that this surgery was too reckless. It''s irresponsible to the patient, and I didn''t want to take responsibility for it...". The doctor struggled to speak. His face was swelling up so badly that his words were slurred. Abel let out a cold sneer, his gaze colder than before. "When you signed the agreement and took the deposit, you didn''t say such words. Well, Dr. Lane, you''re digging your own grave." His voice was icy, like a deathly specter. The doctor trembled with regret, wishing he had not been so greedy when he agreed to the job. "I can return the deposit!" he begged. "I won''t tell anyone about the surgery you did today. Just let me go!" The doctor was certain they would not kill him over this. However, if he got beaten up, it would not be worth it either. He was essentially practicing medicine without a license. If he reported everything to the police, it would ruin his own career. Hence, he would not go to the authorities. He was not willing to destroy his future. The doctor now regretted his decision, wishing he had never gotten involved in this mess. "Do you think I''m short on that little bit of money?" Abel said coldly. He had nned not to pursue any responsibility after the surgery, whether it seeded or not, and even pay the doctors. Unfortunately, there were always people who would push him to the point where he wanted to kill. From a distance, Shanks'' voice could be heard. "If you''re going to handle it, take him away. Don''t make a mess here." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3403 Every Move Luke Makes Is A Risky One ? Chapter 3403 Every Move Luke Makes Is A Risky One "Don''t worry, it won''t affect you in the slightest," said Abel. The vi was bought under Shanks name. So while it appeared to be the Ind of Despair''s property, it was, in fact, Shanks'' personal asset. Abel shot a nce at his subordinates, who stood beside him. Without hesitation, they grabbed the doctor and hauled him away. As Hera watched the scene unfold, she felt a sudden pang of unease. She was well aware of Abel''s methods. Punishment was never off the table. However, seeing the way things were unfolding, Hera could not shake the feeling that Abel might actually take the doctor''s life. Still, they were in A City, a country with strictws. Would Abel really go that far? As Abel tumed to leave, Hera said almost nervously, "Darling..." "I have some matters to take care of. Be good and stay here. Don''t wander around, okay?" Abel''s mood was apparently lifted by the sessful surgery. His voice was unexpectedly gentle. Hera''s unease only deepened. She grabbed the sleeve of his coat. "Darling, are you leaving again? I''m so bored I could die! Why don''t you take me with you? I promise I won''t cause any trouble." Abel pulled his arm free. He looked at her with a smile that was neither fully a smile nor a frown. "Trust me. You wouldn''t want to see what I''m about to do." A chill ran down Hera''s spine. She suddenly had a bad feeling. Would Abel actually kill someone? How could that be possible? The thought of his hands stained with blood yet still touching her made Hera shudder uncontrobly. Being touched by someone with blood on their hands was no good oren. She feared that her own blood might soon stain Abel''s hands as well. As she watched the doctor being dragged away, Abel left with a smile on his face. A wave of fear crept into her heart, and everything around her began to feel strangely surreal. Abel''s smile wasced with bloodthirsty cruelty. As their figures disappeared from view, Hera turned to Luca. Even though she was reluctant to speak to her, her curiosity got the better of her. "Do you think they''ll kill that doctor?" "If you''re so curious, Ms. Sanchez, why don''t you go and see for yourself?" Luca had a good idea of the fate awaiting the doctor but knew there was nothing she could do about it. Besides, Luca had her suspicions. If Luke had nted someone among them, it certainly was not this doctor. The person he chose would not be so clumsy. He would not have gotten pped and coughed up blood from a hit, and neither would he have done such a tant job of sabotaging the surgery. No, anyone sent by Luke would be far more intelligent and discreet. As Luca started toward the medical van, Hera''s voice cut through the air. "Luca, what kind of attitude is that?" Luca paused for a moment. Was her attitude really a problem? "I asked you a question, and that''s the answer you gave me?" Hera could not help but feel upset. She had hoped the surgery would fail, giving Abel an excuse to punish Luca. Instead, her n had backfired. The surgery was a sess. Now, when Hera asked her a question, Luca still carried herself with that arrogant, untouchable attitude. Hera could not stand it. "I don''t think there''s anything wrong with my attitude." After that, Luca got into the van and shut the van door behind her. After disinfecting her hands, she walked over to the volunteer. Shanks had given clear instructions, and she was more than capable of handling it. Hera was so furious that she wished she could storm in and drag Luca out by her cor. However, she remembered how much Abel cared about this patient. The thought stopped her in her tracks. She could not afford to cross Abel. If she did, she would be the one to face the consequences. It would not be Luca. At the thought of this, Hera forced herself to hold back. Inside the van, Luca finished her work with the volunteer and finally had a moment to send a message to Luke. Through their exchange, she confirmed her suspicion. Luke had nted someone on the inside. It turned out that the doctor whoter assisted with the surgery was his operative. Luca shook her head helplessly. It felt like a false sense of having survived a disaster. Every move Luke made was a risky one-from his earlier disguise to cing a doctor within their ranks. Luca could not help but wonder what role that operative had yed. It was surely something significant as it had enabled her to board the medical van. Still, Luke had not borated, and Luca chose not to press him for answers. After a brief exchange of messages, the volunteer began to wake up. "Mmm..." He groaned softly as the effects of the anesthesia started to wear off. Luca pocketed her phone, mindful that he still could not see. She wanted to ensure he felt safe and to let him know he was not alone in the enclosed space. "You''re awake?" asked Luca The volunteer recognized Luca''s voice and, gritting his teeth through the pain, spoke up. Yes... Did the surgery seed?" His mind was still foggy from the general anesthesia, and it took him a moment to ask the most pressing question. "The surgery was a sess," replied Luca, "We''ve reconnected all the nerves. As long as we follow the prescribed treatment n, your recovery should progress smoothly." The volunteer''s voice trembled with excitement. "Does that mean... I''ll be able to see again?" "Unless something unexpected happens, there''s a high chance you''ll regain your sight. Have faith in yourself and in Mr. Shanks, Luca reassured him and adjusted the IV drip. The volunteer''s excitement was palpable. "I believe in all of you. If it weren''t for your help, wouldn''t have regained my ability to walk or be on my way to a normal life. Thank you." Luca stayed silent for a moment. The volunteer added, "But... my eyes really hurt." Luca exined, "That''s normal. It''s not just your eyes, right?" "Yeah, my head hurts too." He instinctively raises a hand to touch his head before hesitating. "It''s okay. You''ll feel better tomorrow. Don''t worry. You''ll be alright,"forted Luca. "The pain will subside gradually, and after four or five days, it won''t be as noticeable. But you need to rest and stay in bed. No unnecessary movement, got it?" "Yes." The volunteer was very obedient. His hand, which had been moving, instantly froze in ce. "Got it." The volunteer obediently stopped moving his hand immediately. Luca added, "Good. Don''t worry, you''ll be fine. You can still move your hands. But if your eyes feel anything beyond pain-any strange sensations-you need to tell me right away. Don''t try to tough it out." Eyes were different from knees. Reconstructing aplete skeletal structure with an artificial knee joint was a well- established procedure in modern medicine. However, the surgery they performed today was a first in medical history. "Okay, I understand," replied the volunteer. His voice camed a hint of drowsiness. He yawned "The anesthesia hasn''t fully worn off yet. Go ahead and get some more rest. If the pain bes too much, just let me know, and I''ll give you some painkillers," reminded Luca. "Thank you, Ms. Craw," the volunteer said sincerely. Over the course of his treatment, he hade to appreciate Luca''s gentle and meticulous care. Although she was not the one taking care of him on a daily basis, every treatment she provided was gentle and meticulous. Even though he could not see her, he could sense that Luca was a warm and beautiful person. He could not wait for the day he could see her and find out if she looked as beautiful as he imagined. "It''s nothing. The treatment ahead will be more painful than what you endured for your knees. But you''ve made it this far. Don''t give up now." Facial and cranial nerves were far more intricate and sensitive than those in the legs. Even without administering the next round of medication, Luca could already foresee the challenges and pain the volunteer would face. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3404 Despite All The Challenges, Theyll Never Give Up ? Chapter 3404 Despite All The Challenges, They''ll Never Give Up The volunteer did not mind. As long as it meant he could recover, he was willing to endure any pain. "It''s okay. I can handle it." Luca nodded. The door to the vehicle opened, and a man stepped inside. Due to theck of sterilization, he did not dare approach the inner part of the vehicle. Instead, he ced several bottles of saline on the outside. "This is the saline that Mr. Shanks prepared. He asked you to inject it when you can," the man ryed Shanks'' message. "Got it." Luca reached out to take the bottles. After thoroughly disinfecting them, she brought them inside. It was moreplicated than being in a hospital. Since the volunteer''s body was still weak. They had to maintain as sterile an environment as possible. However, it still fell short of the ICU''s standard. Luca stayed with the volunteer until evening. Gerald stood outside the medical vehicle and called, " Ms. Craw, it''s time for dinner." Luca took off her protective gear and stepped outside. "Ms. Craw, dinner is ready," said Gerald when he saw hering out. She had not eaten during the surgery earlier, so she could not skip dinner. "You made it?" Luca eyed the tray of food. It did not look very appetizing. "Yes." Gerald noticed her distaste. "I made some for Mr. Shanks and Ms. Sanchez too, but they weren''t impressed either." Shanks and Hera had grown ustomed to more refined meals, so when Gerald brought them their food, they made faces as if they were served something unappetizing. There was nothing Gerald could do about it. His cooking skills were limited, and as long as it was not burned, he considered it a sess. Luca nodded. "I''m not impressed either." Gerald did not expect her to be so blunt. "Ms. Craw, I know the taste isn''t great, but it''s better than nothing." "Do you have instant noodles?" asked Luca. She had no desire to even try a bite of the food he made. "We do." Gerald understood that she did not want to eat the food he prepared. "How about I make you a bowl of instant noodles?" "Sure," replied Luca. Gerald left with the tray and returned shortly with a bowl of instant noodles. "Here, Ms. Craw. Instant noodles." "Thanks," replied Luca as she took the bowl and sat down to eat them while they were still hot. Gerald sat next to her, looking at the medical vehicle. "How''s the person inside doing?" "Everything''s normal," replied Luca. Gerald added, "That''s pretty amazing." Luca knew he was referring to the surgery they had just done. She did not say anything and continued to eat. "Dr. Craw, do you think he''ll really be able to see?" Gerald sounded almost skeptical. "Probably." Luca thought that if the volunteer could not regain his sight, Shanks'' research during this time would be in vain. Whenever Shanks conducted research, he was always confident that he had at least a 90% chance of sess before he would proceed. Unlike other medical professionals who believed anything was possible, Shanks would not conduct research unless he was almost certain of the oue. Gerald listened to Luca''s words and could not help but hiss andment, "That''s just unbelievable." Luca finished her instant noodles, handed the empty bowl to him, and returned to the vehicle. "Ms. Craw, are you going to rest in the vehicle tonight?" asked Gerald. "Yes, his condition requires personal care." Luca did not mind. With Luke not around, it did not matter where she rested. She entered the medical vehicle, disinfected herself, and then sat down next to the volunteer. The volunteer smiled and asked, "Ms. Craw, have you had dinner?" "Yes, I''ve eaten." Luca nced at the saline bottles. Seeing that one was nearly empty, she began preparing a new one. "Uh, I''m a little thirsty. Can I have some water?" asked the volunteer. "Your current condition doesn''t allow you to drink water. Please wait for another two hours," replied Luca after ncing at the time. After undergoing general anesthesia, he couldn''t consume water or food yet. "Alright." The volunteer fell silent. Just then, Luca''s phone rang with the sound of a notification. She picked it up and saw that it was a message from Luke. He told her he had returned to the vi in X city. She coulde visit him whenever she had time. Luca was surprised. T Corporation had just acquired an important project, and yet he had not gone back to thepany to oversee things but was staying here? Luca replied: [I should be able toe over tomorrow afternoon.] It had been a few days since theyst saw each other, and she missed him dearly. The volunteer, sensing the silence, spoke up again, "Ms. Craw." "Yes?" replied Luca. "Do you have a boyfriend?" asked the volunteer. Luca let out a soft chuckle. "No." "Really? I thought you and Mr. Shanks were a couple." The volunteer was a little surprised. Luca was rendered speechless. How did he have that impression? "Mr. Shanks is my teacher," exined Luca. "Ah, sorry! Whenever you two treat me together, you seem so in sync, so I thought you were a couple. Looks like I made a big mistake," said the volunteer. Luca just said nothing. They had not treated him together that many times. Where did he get such an idea? Could it be that someone had been spreading rumors in front of him? "Ah, so you''re teacher and student. That makes sense. You two do seem to have a great rapport," added the volunteer. Luca just hummed in acknowledgment. Then, he eximed, "I thought Mr. Shanks was really young. I didn''t realize he was your teacher." Luca realized he had misunderstood. Since the volunteer could not see, he did not know Shanks'' age, so it was understandable that he might think that way. Luca exined, "Actually, Mr. Shanks is quite young. He''s a genius." "A genius, huh?" The volunteer quickly understood. "No wonder all the doctors said it wasn''t possible but he said it was, and now, my legs are almost healed... He really is a genius." He paused for a moment before speaking again, "Ms. Craw, Mr. Shanks is such an outstanding person. You''re single, so maybe you could consider him?" Luca was at a loss for words. Here she was, tending to a patient, and now, he was trying to y matchmaker? She exined, "Well, I don''t have a boyfriend, but I do have a husband, and I also have children." The volunteer realized his mistake and quicklyughed awkwardly, apologizing, "Oh, sorry. I didn''t know." "It''s fine." Luca did not hold it against him. She was single on the Ind of Despair. However, in reality, she was married with four children. The thought of possibly seeing Luke tomorrow afternoon filled her with anticipation. "Your voice sounds so young. I didn''t expect you to be married so soon," the volunteer rambled on. When he did not speak, his attention would be focused on the pain in his eyes and head. In moments like those, the pain felt amplified, so he tried to distract himself by talking. Luca smiled. She was quite young when she gave birth for the first time. As she thought back on all these years of twists and turns, it turned out that the person she had once admired from afar had actually been secretly in love with her too. She eventually ended up with him. Luca felt like her journey was something out of a dream. Fortunately, despite all the challenges they faced, she and Luke had never given up on each other. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3405 Im The Only One Holding On ? Chapter 3405 I''m The Only One Holding On As Luca thought about it, she heard the volunteer exim, "With a wife like you, your husband must be so lucky and blessed." Luca shook her head. To her, being cherished by Luke was a real blessing. "You''ve got it wrong. He''s the best thing that''s ever happened to me." Luca had often wondered what her life would have been like without Luke. Perhaps she would have married Jean, only to watch his true nature slowly reveal itself. She would have struggled, eventually unable to endure it, and maybe even ended up divorced. It could be something worse. She might have been taken advantage of, lost all hope, and spiraled downward... Anything was possible. However, Luca knew that no matter what happened, life would not be as good as it was now without Luke. Though she remained under someone else''s control, and life on the Ind of Despair was fraught with hardship, with Luke by her side, she felt an unshakable courage. A lightugh from the volunteer interrupted her thoughts. Luca then heard the volunteer say, "That''s not entirely true. You see him as the best thing that''s ever happened to you, but you might not realize that you''re his blessing too. Marriage is about mutual support, and the fact that you two met each other is a great fortune." Luca could not help but feel curious when she heard his heartfelt words. "You seem pretty moved by this. Did something happen to you back in the day?" "Ms. Craw, how are you so smart?" The volunteer could not help but let out a sigh. "I once had a very deep rtionship." Luca did not press further. Even though the volunteer had not said more, she could already guess it was a sad story. She was not the type to pry into other people''s painful memories. The volunteer, noticing her silence, realized she did not want to dig into his past. However, since he had already started, he decided to share his story anyway. "When I was in school, I had a crush on a girl in my ss. She wasn''t what you''d call conventionally pretty, but when she smiled, she had the most adorable dimples. I remember wondering how someone could be so cute. I couldn''t help but be drawn to her. Back then, people were simpler and more innocent. After I confessed my feelings to her, she blushed and ran off. "I thought my feelings for her would fade away without anything happening, but then she came back and told me she liked me too. So, we started dating. Back in those days, if you started a rtionship early, it wouldst a long time. I made up my mind to marry her. After all, the chances of finding someone who feels the same way are so rare. I treasured that love deeply. But, of course, good things didn''tst long..." The volunteer let out a deep sigh before continuing, "We thought that when I was old enough, we''d get married. But her parents didn''t approve of me. They tried every way to break us apart, and eventually, they sent her overseas to study. "On the day she boarded the ne, I couldn''t make it in time. By the time I reached the airport, her flight had already departed. I swore to myself that I would wait for her return, regardless of whether she would change her mind. However, I never saw her again. Instead, I learned that she had married someone abroad-a white man, with whom she had two children..." As the volunteer finished his story, there was a faint smile on his lips, but his tone was filled with mncholy. "In the end, I was the only one who kept holding on." Luca was stunned for a moment. She recalled when the volunteer had first arrived here. There had been arge group of people waiting outside for him. Many seemed to be his rtives, but none of them appeared to be a significant other. Carefully, Luca asked, "So, you never got married in the end?" "I never married. All these years have passed, and her children with that man have grown up. I still haven''t been able to let go. I figured, if I can''t move on, then so be it. I''ll stay single. Having a woman in my heart means I''d only end up burting another kind-hearted woman." The volunteer paused for a moment. "My family kept urging me at first. They said that someone my age shouldn''t stay single and that if I was worried about hurting someone else, I should marry a divorced woman and at least live a decent life together. I was reluctant to do so. Even if it was a second marriage, she still had the right to pursue happiness, right? I told them to drop it. Then, I had an ident while working, and from that point on, the pressure to get married finally stopped." The volunteer added, "Initially, I really felt like I had been set free. There''s no more nagging. But being blind and disabled wasn''t any kind of freedom. Relying on others for everything feels terrible. To be honest, there were so many times I thought about ending it all. I considered drinking pesticides or taking sleeping pills. But I was blind and crippled. I didn''t even have the ability to get my hands on those things. I couldn''t even take my own life if I wanted to. "Now, you and Mr. Shanks have given me a new chance at life. You''re both my saviors." By the end, the volunteer spoke with endless gratitude toward Luca and Shanks. If it were not for them, his remaining decades would have likely been filled with endless suffering. Even though his vision had not returned, at least he could walk now. With that, he could do so much more. Luca was deeply moved as she listened to him. She was not reflecting on how she and Shanks had saved his life. Instead, she was struck by the thought that lovees in countless forms, and not all of them have happy endings. The man before her was only in his early forties, yet he seemed to have experienced a lifetime of hardship. Love, she realized, could be both beautiful and bitter. She and Luke had faced their own share of bitterness and trials, enduring even multiple separations. When this crisis was resolved, she vowed to cherish the days they had together. She dreamed of a future where their family could live in harmony, reunited and happy. The volunteer, not hearing a response from Luca, assumed she was not interested in his story. He chuckled awkwardly. "Look at me, rambling again." "No, not at all. I was just moved by your story," replied Luca. Before listening to the volunteer''s story, Luca had also assumed he was single. However, she figured it was more likely due to a divorce. After all, with injuries as severe as his, many people would choose to leave. Most people, she thought, were willing to share the good times but not the hardships. She never expected his story to be like this. It was more heartbreaking than many others. "My story''s nothing special. It''s old news. It''s all over twenty years ago," the volunteer said with a smile. As Luca looked at his smile, she could see traces of lingering pain that were impossible to fully let go. The volunteer added, "People often tell me that it has been so many years, and she''s nevering back. Why can''t you let it go? I''m just stubborn. I don''t know how to let go. Over the years, I''ve often wondered what my life would be like now if I hadn''t noticed her back then or if I hadn''t confessed my feelings. "Maybe things would''ve been better. If I had focused on my studies back then, I might''ve gotten into a decent college or university. I wouldn''t have ended up working in a factory but in an office instead. None of the things that happened afterward would have urred, and I wouldn''t be in this situation. Or, if I hadn''t started dating her so early and had focused on my studies instead, I could''ve waited until I got into college to confess my feelings. That way, it wouldn''t have affected her education, and her family wouldn''t have stopped us because of my low education level..." Chapter 3406 Do You Regret It ? Chapter 3406 Do You Regret It As Luca listened to his tone that was full of regret, she felt a slight pang in her heart. She recalled when she had a child and continued pursuing her education. If she had given up on herself back then, perhaps she and Luke would not find themselves here today. Luca felt she was much more fortunate than the volunteer. Even though she loved her father, she also understood the importance of education and did not let her father''s illness cause her to give up. She was also fortunate to have a father who supported her education. At the thought of this, Luca could not help but ask, "Do you regret it?" "No, I don''t regret it," the volunteer smiled. "Actually, I always look at it in a positive light. Back then, several boys in my ss liked her. If I hadn''t confessed, she might have be someone else''s girlfriend. If there''s anything I regret over the years, it''s that I was too selfish and it affected her studies. "I never thought that being in a rtionship at a young age would affect studies. A couple can date and study at the same time, it doesn''t have to waste anyone''s education. She pushed me to study well, but I didn''t listen... I foolishly thought that even if I didn''t study, I could still give her a good future with my efforts. Everything I have now is mocking the naive and reckless person I was back then. "In the early years, I didn''t understand why her parents opposed us being together. I even hated them for tearing us apart. But as my life and work became harder, I realized they made the right choice. "She''s a good girl and deserves better, so I shouldn''t have held her back." By the end of his story, Luca let out a heavy sigh. What a heartbreaking story. It had stretched from his youth into his middle age. In the end, all that remained was an endless sense of regret. Luca did not know what the man in front of her would do after his recovery, but it seemed there would never be another chance with the woman in his heart. There was no longer even the slightest connection between them. He had once loved that girl so much, but now, she had be someone else''s wife and someone else''s mother. They were no longer in contact. "Did you two ever get in touch again?" asked Luca. "We kept in touch at first. But when I found out she was getting married, I cut off all contact. She told me that I was still the one she loved the most, but after spending those years abroad, she realized the gap between us. She said it was impossible for things to go back to how they were. Even if I threw caution to the wind and went abroad to try and win her back, it wouldn''t work either. At that point, I knew-this girl would stay in my heart forever, and I could never touch her again. So, I changed my phone, switched all my contact information, even cut ties with old ssmates. That way, she couldn''t find me, and I couldn''t find her either." He recalled what happenedter without regret. "Actually, I think this is for the best. If we''d kept in touch, I''d still have hope, thinking maybe I''d run overseas and do something immoral. But now, it''s just right." Luca smiled. The volunteer yawned. "Ms. Craw, I think I''m a little tired." "Get some rest. We''ll rest in the medical vehicle tonight, and tomorrow we can get you back to your room." Luca nced at the time. It was already past ten in the evening. She had not realized just how much time had passed as they talked. "When my eyesightes back, I''m going to take a good look at this little yard," he mumbled. Luca listened to the steady rhythm of his breathing and gently slowed down the IV drip. She took out her phone, and pondered for a moment before sending a message to Luke: [Luke, do you regret being with me?] A few seconds after sending it, Luke''s call came through. Luca stepped out of the medical vehicle, hiding in a corner to make sure no one was around before answering. "Yes?" "Why are you asking something like that all of a sudden?" Luke''s voice was deep, like the cool breeze of the night, brushing against her and clearing away the regrets that had lingered in her heart from hearing the story. "I heard a rather heartbreaking story today. We''ve known each other since high school, so I''m curious. Do you regret it?" asked Luca. Perhaps Luke''s life would have been better without her. "No, I don''t regret it." Luke''s voice was gentle and warm. "Luca, I noticed you back in high school. My feelings for you began right then, so I don''t regret it. You''re not allowed to regret it either, and don''t overthink it. Other people''s stories are theirs, ours is ours. We''re not like any other couple in this world. So don''t think too much about it. If you have to think, just think about this-I love you. I''ve always loved you and never regretted it." His words flowed into her heart like a thousand streams of warmth, wrapping her in a gentle embrace. It was a warmth that filled her, deep andforting. Luca felt a deep sense of gratitude, and a smile unconsciously spread across her lips. "I love you too." She could not say much, so she kept it simple, expressing that she felt the same way. After the call, Luca returned to the medical vehicle, sanitized herself, and went inside. The volunteer was already deeply asleep. She nced at the monitoring equipment and did a simple check on him. "Ms. Craw, what''s going on?" The volunteer, still groggy from sleep, was roused by her movements as she checked on him. "It''s nothing. I''m just checking on you. Go back to sleep." Luca was only being cautious. After all, he had just had a major surgery, so she had to be extra careful. The volunteer did not say anything more and fell back asleep. On the other hand. Luke hung up his phone. Gordan rubbed his arms, feeling goosebumps, and shuddered. "My god, bro, you actually say that kind of disgusting stuff." "Disgusting?" Luke replied nonchntly. "That''s sweet talk. A single guy like you wouldn''t understand." "I don''t understand. Even with countless women around me, I''d never say something like that. Gross." Gordan clearly stated that he would never say such things, as he could not do something so gross. Luke nced at him with deep eyes, then said calmly, "I heard from Ray that Vivian will be going back home for the summer break." "Why are you bringing her up?" Gordan shrugged dismissively, a look of indifference crossing his face. Yet, when Vivian''s name was mentioned, a hint of irritation shed across his face. "I need to make sure you won''t go to Russia. I need you here to help me," replied Luke. "What do you mean? Do you think I''d go to Russia because of her? I''m telling you, if I go to Russia, it''ll be to help you and your wife to get rid of the Ind of Despair. It won''t be because of that woman." Gordan''s tone became sharper. It seemed like he was trying to convince both himself and Luke. Luke nodded. There was a smile on his lips as he picked up a bottle of wine beside him and poured Gordan a ss. Gordan took the ss and swirled it. He was about to speak when he caught a glimpse of the mocking smile on Luke''s lips and immediately felt irritated. "You don''t believe what I''m saying?" asked Gordan. Compared to his friend''s flustered outburst, Luke remained remarkably calm. "Does it really matter if I believe you or not? You''re going to Russia sooner orter. Who you''re going for doesn''t matter. What matters is whether you can help me." Chapter 3407 Gordan Freezes At The Thought Of Falling In Love With Him ? Chapter 3407 Gordan Freezes At The Thought Of Falling In Love With Him "Anyway, I''m saying it here-I''m not going to Russia because of that ugly woman, Vivian. If I go to Russia, it''s for you. I''ve already divorced her. Besides, I''m already trying to avoid her, how could I possibly go to Russia for her?" Gordan took a sip of red wine, then continued his rant. "And, Ray is still in Russia. I really can''t go. His men are all brutal, and I''ve had enough of being beaten all these years." "Then why did you buy an apartment in Vivian''s neighborhood?" Luke continued to tease him. His sharp eyes glinted with intelligence. Gordan denied it, but whether he believed it or not was his own business. "It was just a coincidence!" Gordan raised his voice, trying to convince Luke. Or maybe himself. "Coincidence?" Luke sipped his wine, every gesture as graceful as a nobleman. "Of course, it''s a coincidence, Brother Luke. You wouldn''t know, but that apartment is in a school district, surrounded by college towns. There are a ton of hotties there, I picked the ce just to check them out. Didn''t know it''d turn out to be such a disaster," exined Gordan. Luke put on a faint smile without saying a word. Gordan saw the expression on his face. It was almost as if he was saying, "Do you really expect me to believe that?" He smirked and eventually said nothing. The more he exined, the more ridiculous it sounded. Gordan gulped down arge mouthful of wine. Luke nced at him and mocked, "How can you taste good wine if you drink like that?" Gordan raised an eyebrow. "Hey, you''re wrong. What''s the point of wine if not to drink it?" At that moment, Gale walked in. He retorted when he heard what Gordan said, "Wine is for drinking, but good wine is for savoring, not for drowning your sorrows." "Get lost. What do I have to be sad about?" Gordan snapped, "I''m fine, no sorrow, no hatred. My mood is calm." "Miss Vivian has gone back to Russia." Gale sat down on another couch. "You won''t be able to see her for two months." "Go away. Why bring her up?" Gordan was annoyed. It was one thing for Luke to bring her up, but now Gale was doing it too. Why did they keep talking about her in front of him? Did Vivian give them something in return? Was that why they kept bringing her up like a chant in front of him? Gordan was starting to feel frustrated. Gale shrugged his shoulders indifferently, clearly knowing Gordan would get upset. He poured himself a ss of wine, took a sip, and then said, "Boss, that doctor has been taken care of by Abel." "Okay." Luke''s eyes flickered. "I had a chance to save him, but the doctor wasn''t too bright. If he hadn''t threatened Abel, he might have survived. But knowing he was in danger, he called the cops and screamed for help, not even giving me a chance to save him," Gale said tly. He had gone to see how Abel would deal with the doctor. He nned to save him if possible, but some things just could not be forced. Besides, he could not take the risk of being exposed just to save one person. It appeared on the surface that they were going to save Luca and their boss''s daughter. In reality, dealing with the Ind of Despair meant saving thousands of lives. Therefore, Gale could not afford to expose himself just for that doctor. The truth was, getting involved with people like Abel was already walking on thin ice. He had agreed to help for the sake of profit, but now he was the one who had put himself in danger... Gale took a sip of wine. "There''s nothing we could do," Gordan chimed in. "Some people would do something like that just for money..." If the doctor had not done what he did for money, he would not have ended up in this situation. Luke asked, "Did you preserve the evidence?" "It''s all preserved. Abel practically gave me the chance. He did it himself. By the end, I was shocked." Gale was rendered speechless. These kinds of tasks were usually given to subordinates. However, Abel was different. He seemed to enjoy torturing people. Not only did he spend hours tormenting the doctor, but he also took matters into his own hands... "It''s ridiculous. No wonder people in the underworld call him a freak. He''s indeed a freak. He gets excited seeing others covered in blood..." Gordan snorted. "I wonder if he''d be just as excited seeing himself covered 1 blood." "Who knows?" Gale let out a yawn. Luke said, "Get some rest if you''re tired." "Yes, boss. I''m going to rest now." Gale stood up. They were all staying here for the time being. He yawned as he headed upstairs. Watching Abel torture that doctor had been tiring enough to make him feel exhausted himself. When he initially saw Abel''s brutal methods, he was impressed by how ruthless he was. By the end, though, it just seemed boring. "Brother Luke, it''s not fair! Why didn''t you ask me to sleep?" asked Gordan. "Are you three years old?" Luke suddenly asked. "No." Gordan shook his head, confused about the question. "Then why would you want me to tell you to go to bed? If you''re tired, can''t you just go rest on your own?" questioned Luke. Gordan gave him a thumbs-up and thought that Luke''s reasoning made sense. However, he then nced toward Gale, who had disappeared around the corner of the stairs, and pointed in that direction. "He''s an adult. You told him to rest." "Why are you, a grown man, concerned with such things?" Luke''s face darkened. Anyone who did not know better might think Gordan was jealous. "I just feel like you''ve been ignoring me, Brother Luke." Gordan looked aggrieved. Luke darkened his expression. "When have I ever been nice to you?" Gordan was speechless. That was true. Even though they were good brothers, they usually just teased each other. Of course, Luke tended to be the one who did more of the teasing. Gordan did not mind. He knew it was all in good fun. They were good brothers, after all, and that meant having fun together. That was why it did not matter. Luke finished thest sip of wine in his ss, rose to his feet, and said, "I''m going to bed. You should get some sleep too." "Boss, I knew you cared about me the most!" Gordan grinned mischievously, deliberately speaking in a tone full of emotion. "Stop grossing me out," replied Luke with a cold expression on his face. Gordan wiped the mischievous smile off his face, feeling dissatisfied. "Come on, don''t be so serious all the time. You should joke around with the brothers once in a while. It helps strengthen the bond between us." "Forget it." Luke rejected firmly. The look on his face was strange. "I''m worried people might start questioning your sexual orientation, or even start specting about your rtionship with me." There was a time when he stayed single, waiting for Bianca, and people started spreading rumors that he was into men. Even after having two kids, they still doubted his orientation, even iming that Lanie and Rainie were just tools he used to hide his true preferences. Luke was speechless beyond measure. "Pfft, I''m straight, okay?!" Gordan immediately froze. Falling in love with Luke? Chapter 3408 If He Were A Woman, Hed Be Utterly Captivated ? Chapter 3408 If He Were A Woman, He''d Be Utterly Captivated Gordan was puzzled. At most, it was just brotherly camaraderie. After all, they had been through thick and thin together. Their bond might be stronger than usual, but falling in love? That was a bit of a stretch. Luke said, "The way you acted just now, doesn''t really seem ''straight'' to me. Also, if you''re into women, maybe you should consider finding one. Otherwise, if you''re always single, people might start misinterpreting your feelings for me." "Luke, actually, you''re not bad at all. In fact, you''re probably better than a lot of women," Gordan replied with a sly grin. As a man himself, he honestly thought Luke was a great guy. If he were a woman, he would be utterly captivated by him. "Shut up!" Luke knew he was joking, but he still felt a chill run down his spine. He seriously worried that Gordan might do something inappropriate when he turned his back on him. Shivering from the thought, Luke put down his ss and headed upstairs. Gordan let out a deep sigh. The night was as cold as water, lonely and dull. He set his ss aside and picked up the half bottle of liquor, sipping it slowly. For some reason, his mind wandered back to Vivian. "Damn it!" Gordan muttered helplessly, trying to numb himself with alcohol. Luca was at the small vi and leaning back in her chair with her eyes closed. When she heard noises from outside, she opened her eyes, nced at her phone, and checked the time. It was already morning. The medical van was sealed off, and the air inside was circted by the air conditioning system. If she did not check the time, it was hard to tell whether it was day or night. She sat up straight and checked the monitoring equipment. All the readings were normal. Her hand rested on the volunteer''s pulse. It was also normal. "Wake up," Luca called to him. The volunteer slowly regained consciousness. He woke up suddenly in the middle of the night, feeling a sharp pain at the incision site that kept him from sleeping. Luca had given him a painkiller. Under its effect, he managed to sleep soundly for the rest of the night. "Ms. Craw, thank you for all your hard work," said the volunteer. Even though he did not fully understand the environment inside the medical van, he knew it was small, with just a surgical bed. Luca had stayed up all night watching over him, and he appreciated it. "No need to mention it. How do you feel now?" asked Luca. "I feel much better, and there''s no pain like yesterday. You really are a miracle worker," marveled the volunteer. The swelling and difort he felt yesterday hadpletely disappeared, and now he felt great overall. Luca smiled. The title of miracle worker had nothing to do with her. It was all Shanks'' work. "Alright, I''ll have you move upstairs soon. Lie down for now, I''ll go find someone," replied Luca. She left the medical van to confirm with Shanks about moving the man back to his room. Once that was settled, she had Gerald gather a few people to help carry the stretcher and transfer him. Then, it was a series of injections and medications. After finishing everything, it was already noon. Luca checked the time and asked Shanks for the afternoon off. "Mr. Shanks, may I take the afternoon off? I have something to attend to." She did not specify what the matter was, and she knew Shanks would not pry. He would either approve or not. Shanks pondered for a moment before nodding. "Alright, but you''ll need to have Gerald keep an eye on the infusion and medication." "Okay," replied Luca. After leaving theb, she found Gerald. He was practicing boxing. Luca could tell right away that this set of punches was something Luke had taught him. All boxing techniques were the same, but each person''s style was different. Luca, being so familiar with Luke, could instantly tell from the way Gerald was punching that it was his style. "Gerald," Luca called out. Gerald stopped and excitedly asked, "Ms. Craw, how''s my boxing? It''s a set that Lucius taught me." "Not bad," replied Luca, not wanting to focus on the boxing topic. "I need to ask you for a favor." "What is it?" Gerald beamed with pride, happy to beplimented. "I''ll be stepping out for a while this afternoon. Can you keep an eye on the volunteer? Make sure the infusions stay up, and when it''s time, just rece them," exined Luca. "Got it. No problem, I''ve been trained for this." While Gerald was not a medical expert, he had long been taught how to handle infusions. "Thanks." Luca was worried he might refuse, but he agreed without hesitation. "Not a big deal. By the way, Ms. Craw, why are you suddenly stepping out?" Gerald asked with a hint of cunning in his tone. "Are you going on a date?" "What nonsense." Luca purposely pulled a serious face. "Is that not it? Are you going to meet Lucius at one of the hideouts?" Gerald asked again. "I don''t know, and if you keep talking, I''ll sew your mouth shut with a needle." Luca walked into the kitchen. Even though she was heading to find Luketer, she nned to have lunch first. Gerald saw her enter the kitchen. He knew he would not be having instant noodles for lunch and cheerfully resumed his boxing practice. Meanwhile, Luca''s ns to leave the small vi in the afternoon were overheard by Hera, who had been standing around the corner. She also heard Gerald''s question about whether Luca was going to meet Lucius. Although Luca denied it, Hera could not shake the feeling that Luca was indeed headed to meet Lucius. At the thought of this, she quickly walked up to Gerald. Gerald did not notice her approach and threw a punch, narrowly missing Hera''s face. "Ah!" Hera screamed. She was startled as she had approached from behind and had not expected his punch to swing directly in front of her. Gerald quickly pulled back. His back broke out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, his reflexes were fast, and he stopped the punch in time. If he had not, things could have gotten ugly. "Ms. Sanchez, how did you sneak up on me?" Gerald wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Gerald could not help but imagine what would have happened if he had identally hit Hera. With her spoiled attitude, he would definitely be in trouble. "What, is this your house now? Am I not allowed to leave?" Hera started behaving indulgently, making Gerald quickly shake his head in denial. "No, no, it''s just that I wasn''t paying attention. If I hurt you, I''d be the one in trouble," exined Gerald. "Then why are you practicing your boxing in the living room? You have a training space, but you insist on practicing here where peoplee and go. Do you want everyone to amodate you? What kind of attitude is that?" Hera shot back. "Right, right. My mistake," muttered Gerald, epting the scolding. However, anyone withmon sense would know that when someone was practicing, they typically avoided walking behind them to prevent idents. Was Hera not asking for trouble? Gerald felt a bit resentful and even annoyed but dared not to say anything. As for why he did not head to the training ground to practice his punches, it was because those men would just mock him as a weakling. If he showed up, they would inevitably challenge him. They were hell-bent on taking him down. Gerald was not the type to enjoy being beaten up, so of course, he avoided it. Plus, constantly getting beaten made it impossible for him to practice the moves Lucius had taught him properly. Moreover, although he had learned some martial arts from Lucius, he was still a beginner. His strength and skills werecking, and in his current state, he was too weak to stand a chance against those men. Chapter 3409 Hes Really Scared ? Chapter 3409 He''s Really Scared Hera let out a cold sneer, feeling that Gerald''s apology was not sincere. Hera did not want to press the issue at the moment. She gave him a sharp look. "Come with me." Gerald knew that Hera was up to something again. If it were a normal order, she would have just said it in the living room. Whenever she called him aside, it meant whatever she had to say could not be overheard by others. Reluctantly, Gerald followed her out. It was midday, and as soon as Hera stepped out of the living room, a wave of heat hit her face. The intense warmth made her feel ufortable. Hera got straight to the point, turning to Gerald. "What did Luca say to you just now?" "She just asked me to help keep an eye on the volunteer," Gerald answered honestly. This was not something that needed to be kept secret. Hera frowned. "Is she going out" Gerald hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to say anything. "I''m talking to you, not the wall. Are you mute?" Hera threatened. "If you lie to me, I''ll tell your boss you''re bullying me." Gerald''s expression grew frantic. "Ms. Sanchez, please, if the boss believes you, I''m done for." "Scared? Then tell me what''s going on! And don''t think I''m joking when I say bullying. It''s not the kind of bullying you think it is. It''s more like..." Hera tugged at her clothes, emphasizing her point. Gerald stepped back in fear, turning his head away. "Yes, Ms. Craw is going out." "Where''s she going?" asked Hera. "She didn''t say, I don''t know," replied Gerald, still too afraid to look at her. The scene before him was too tempting, and he feared that if he looked even once, Abel would have his eyes removed. He remembered what he had heard yesterday when the man who had dragged the doctor away told him about it. The doctor had been tortured by the boss for hours, and still, he had the nerve to threaten him. Now the man was dead, dumped into the sea. Despite being a wanted fugitive, Gerald valued his life. He did not want to end up crippled or worse-dead. Hera was not satisfied with the answer. "So, you''re saying you''re not going to tell me?" "Ms. Sanchez, I don''t have a reason to hide anything from you. She didn''t tell me, so what could I say?" Gerald was at his wit''s end. He knew she was not happy, but he could not just make up a lie. If Hera found out he was lyingter, he would be in even bigger trouble. "Hmph, useless!" curses Hera. Then, she kicked him in the leg. Gerald staggered and almost fell. He barely managed to steady himself. Hera let out a cold scoff and warned, "If I find out you''re lying to me, you''re not going to like the consequences." After saying that, Hera turned and walked back into the living room. Gerald heaved a sigh. His life was truly miserable. His thoughts drifted to Luca, who was in the kitchen preparing lunch. He felt torn between two choices, as though two little devils were waging war in his mind. Should he tell Luca? After standing there, lost in thought for more than ten minutes, Gerald made up his mind and walked straight into the kitchen. "Ms. Craw, let me help," said Gerald. Luca shook her head. "No need. I''m almost done." "Actually, there''s something I need to tell you. Earlier, when you asked me to keep an eye on the volunteers, Ms. Sanchez overheard us. She asked me if you were going out, and if so, who you''d be meeting. I didn''t want to hide anything, so I told her you''d be going out, but I didn''t know who you''d be meeting. I think she''s just jealous of Lucius, so you''d better be careful." Luca was surprised. She had not expected Hera, who had calmed down for a couple of days, to stir up trouble again. Although she was not going to meet Lucius, she was meeting Luke. If Hera saw her meeting with him, it could cause trouble. At the thought of this, Luca decided she needed to be extra careful when she went outter. If Hera followed her, she would have to find a way to shake her off. "Alright, I understand. Thank you," Luca thanked him. Although Hera was not exactly a professional stalker, Luca knew she would easily spot her if she followed. Still, what if Hera managed to sneak up on her? What if she missed something and Hera caught on in her rush to meet Luke? That would be a problem. Gerald had really done her a big favor. "Is there anything you need me to buy for you?" Luca did not like owing favors. Since Gerald had not been able to go outtely, she figured he must be missing some things. Even though online shopping was convenient, not everything could be bought that way. She thought she might as well help him out while she was at it. "Yes!" Gerald''s eyes lit up. "But there''s a lot of stuff." "No problem. I''ll get it for you when Ie back," replied Luca. "Great! I''ll make a list. Thank you so much, Ms. Craw!" Gerald headed off to prepare the list excitedly. Luca sent a quick message to Luke, informing him that Hera had been keeping an eye on her and that she might be dyed by ten minutes or so. She assured him not to worry. It seemed like Luke had been waiting for her message. He quickly replied, telling her that he understood. After lunch, Luca checked on the volunteers and gave Gerald instructions on what to do before she left. When Hera saw Luca leave, her eyes darkened, and she quietly followed her. Gerald, who had been keeping an eye on Hera, noticed her leaving right after Luca and quickly texted her: [Ms. Sanchez is following you.] Luca saw the message from Gerald and realized Hera was indeed trailing behind her. Her eyes narrowed. Fortunately, she had been to X City several times before, and with her experience helping to repair the ancestral hall during the New Year, she was familiar with the area and its surroundings. Luca was confident that she could easily shake off Hera. She hailed a taxi and told the driver her destination. It had not been long after the driver started the car when Luca noticed that Hera had also hailed a taxi and was following closely behind her. "She just won''t leave me alone," Luca muttered under her breath. "Excuse me, miss did you say something?" The driver thought she was talking to him and checked to make sure. Luca came back to her senses, realizing the misunderstanding. She quickly exined, " Sorry, I wasn''t talking about you." The driver nodded and did not bring it up again. The ride took only ten minutes. When Luca paid and got out of the car, she noticed that the taxi following her also stopped by the side of the road. However, Hera had not gotten out yet. A sly smile curved at the corners of Luca''s lips. It seemed like it had been a long time since she had any inclination to tease someone. Today, she would let Hera experience a lighthearted tease. Looking at the ancestral hall before her, Luca felt a sense of familiarity. This ce held the joint effort of both her and Luke''s. She knew every door, every room, and what each led to. She walked briskly toward the entrance. Inside the taxi, Hera watched as Luca entered the ancestral hall. She paused for a moment. Her gaze was drawn to the words ancestral hall that were written on the sign. She felt a sense of confusion. Who would have a date in a ce like this? Was she going to offer sacrifices to ancestors? Moreover, Lucius was Russian, not Western. Their ancestors would bepletely different. "Miss, are you getting out?" Seeing that she had not gotten out of the taxi and had not told him to drive on, the taxi driver decided to ask her directly. Chapter 3410 Shaken Off By Luca ? Chapter 3410 Shaken Off By Luca "Wait a little longer. By the way, what kind of ancestral hall is this?" asked Hera. "It''s a local family''s ancestral hall. I heard it''s been designed by the owner of argepany, and now it''s also one of the tourist attractions." The taxi driver was not from around here, so he did not know all the details, but he knew it had be a popr spot. " Now, thanks to the reputation of that boss, many architectse here as one of their reference points." Hera frowned deeper. What was Luca doing here? The driver suggested, "If you''re interested in sightseeing, the attractions inside are pretty good. But for outsiders, they charge an entrance fee. Maintenance costs a lot of money, so they charge tourists from outside." "I''m not here for sightseeing," replied Hera, "Don''t worry. I''ll pay you for however long I stay here. You''ll get your money." The driver heard that she was paying, and did not press her further and remained quiet. Hera stared at the entrance of the ancestral hall, nning to wait for Luca toe out. On the other hand. Luca quickly entered the hall, where the vige chief was talking to someone inside. The vige chief immediately recognized her when she walked in and he walked over with enthusiasm, "Ms. Craw, what brings you here?" "I''m here on business." Luca nced around and nned to leave through the back door. The vige chief heard her and asked eagerly, "Oh? Is that so? Did Lukee with you?" "No, he''s busy," Luca answered casually. Then she asked, "Chief, is the back door open?" "Yes, yes. Thanks to your help with the design, our ancestral hall has be a tourist spot. Many peoplee to visit, and it''s brought in some ie for our vigemittee. To ensure the safety of visitors, we''ve opened the back and side doors," exined the vige chief. "Alright, chief. I have some other matters to attend to. We''ll chatter." Luca quickly headed toward the back door. "Huh?" The vige chief watched her leave in a hurry, as though something was chasing her. He looked around the entrance, but no one was there. After Luca exited through the back door, she followed the GPS, turned onto another street, hailed a taxi, and gave the driver the address for the vi before leaving. Hera had been waiting in the taxi for nearly half an hour, but Luca still had note out. The driver, growing impatient, finally spoke, "Miss, if you''re waiting for someone, you might as well go inside. I''m about to head home." Hera frowned. She paid him and got out of the car. The moment the car door mmed shut, the taxi sped off in a sh. "You!" Hera exhaled sharply, choking on the stale air as she coughed twice in quick session. The sun outside was scorching, and after just standing for half a minute, she felt like she could not breathe. After pondering for a moment, she decided to enter the ancestral hall, hoping to find Luca. Even if she was discovered, she could not stand outside for another second. As Hera approached the entrance, a person dressed as a security guard blocked her. "Are you here to visit?" "Yes." Hera furrowed her brows. She remembered what the driver had said and nced to the side. The entry fee was 100 dors per person. "What kind of tourist spot is this? Just an old ancestral hall, and they charge 100 dors?" Hera grumbled and took out her phone to scan the payment code. The security guard replied confidently, "Our ancestral hall is special. Do you know Mr. Crawford from T Corporation?" Hera''s eyes flickered with confusion. What did this have to do with Luke? Recalling what the driver had said, she was mildly surprised. Could this ce have been designed by Luke? The man, who was like a deity, was a genius in architectural design. His creations were highly sought after and admired by many. Hera recalled how obsessed she was with him back then. Even though she and Luke could never be together, she wanted to see his work. After paying, she walked straight in. Once inside, she proceeded cautiously, fearing that she might bump into Luca. However, after touring the entire hall, she still did not encounter Luca. "Where did she go?" Her face darkened as she confirmed that Luca had note out after she had been watching the entrance from the taxi. While Hera was puzzled over this, she turned a corner and saw another door. It was a different exit than the one she had seen earlier. Hera''s face turned livid, and she quickly walked to the door, asking the security guard stationed there, "Did you see a woman leave just now?" The guard gave her a puzzled look. "This ancestral hall is famous, and many people visit. Men, women... there are plenty of women whoe and go." "Just..." Hera found herself at a loss for words. She tried to describe Luca, but her mind went nk. The only thing she could think of was that Luca was beautiful. However, Hera refused to admit that she was beautiful. She stomped her foot, snorted coldly, and quickly walked out of the ancestral hall. Hera could not find Luca anywhere, and she guessed that Luca must have already left, possibly long ago. Her expression became gloomy as she thought to herself that Luca had known she was following her and had used this ce to escape. She increasingly felt that Luca was meeting with Lucius. Only a meeting with Lucius could exin why she was so evasive. "Luca, you''re not getting away!" Hera seethed in anger. When she turned and saw the security camera at the entrance, she paused and walked back. The security guard stopped her. "Are you going in?" "Obviously!" Hera replied impatiently. "Is the person in charge here?" "Yes, he''s in there. But you need to buy a ticket to enter." The security guard pointed at a sign and the QR code to scan. "You can pay by scanning or by cash." "I just came out of there!" Hera''s eyes widened. Was this not clearly a scam? "I don''t care where you came from. Didn''t you notice? The rules are right here." The security guard pointed at thest line of the sign. Hera read the line, which said, "Anyone leaving the premises, regardless of how many tickets they''ve purchased, must buy a new ticket to re-enter the hall." "How about you rob me, then?!" Hera fumed, pointing angrily at the security guard. Hera did notck a hundred or two hundred dors, but the frustration of being tricked by Luca made her anger re up. The security guard wasn''t working for her, so he was not about to take her attitude. With a dark expression, he said, "Do whatever you want. If you don''t want to pay, just get lost and stop causing a scene here." If this were in the past, Hera would have definitely turned around and left, perhaps even kept the evidence to file aintter. However, she needed to see the surveince footage now, so she clenched her teeth and scanned the QR code to pay. "See? I paid!" Hera said triumphantly, pointing her chin at the guard. The security guard rolled his eyes. "So what? What does that have to do with me?" He then took out his phone and continued watching videos. While he appreciated beautiful women, he could not be bothered with a woman like her who had such a bad temper, no matter how attractive she was. Hera was furious. She made a mental note of the guard''s name tag. As she walked into the ancestral hall, she said aloud, "I''ll remember your name. I''m definitely going to file aint about you!" Chapter 3411 Hes Been Waiting For You For Ages ? Chapter 3411 He''s Been Waiting For You For Ages The security guard remainedpletely unfazed. This was because the vige chief was his uncle, and in their tight-knitmunity, they always stuck together and never favored outsiders. With directions from the people inside the ancestral hall, Hera found the vige chief. "You''re the vige chief, right?" Hera looked at the man in his fifties in front of her and spoke with an arrogant tone,pletely unbothered. "And you are?" The vige chief, seeing her attitude, was puzzled. He had no idea whether she was an investor or someone looking to discuss a major partnership to bring development to their quiet vige. "It doesn''t matter who I am. I see you have surveince here, and I need to review your footage," replied Hera. The vige chief was even more confused. "Are you a police officer?" "No." Hera frowned. She thought reviewing surveince footage was no big deal. Why was this vige chief being so difficult? The vige chief gave her a look as if she were a fool and turned back to continue drinking tea with his friends. Hera feltpletely ignored, and her anger red. She pointed at him and shouted, "Are you deaf? I want to review your surveince footage!" "Why would you need to review our footage if you''re not a police officer?" The vige chief was not ignorant of thew and was not intimidated by her demands. "You..." Hera''s eyes darted around. She had assumed that with enough forceful attitude, she could intimidate these rural folk intoplying, but they were not falling for it at all. An idea popped into her head. "I''ve lost something." Hera mmed her hand onto their table, causing some of the tea to spill. The vige chief clicked his tongue in annoyance. Those were premium ck tea, and spilling even a little made him wince in pain. "What did you lose?" The vige chief grabbed a couple of napkins and carefully wiped up the spill. "A ring. A ring worth hundreds of thousands. I''m sure I lost it here. I need to check the surveince footage to figure out what happened." Hera fabricated the story on the spot. A ring worth hundreds of thousands? The vige chief looked at her suspiciously, but as he looked at her appearance, it seemed usible. He took out his phone and said, "In that case, I''ll help you report it to the police. When they arrive, we can immediately review the footage." "Wait!" Hera did not n on involving the police. Once they arrived and saw the footage, they would realize she was making it up and might even charge her for filing a false report. "Just let me see the footage. If it''s not here, I won''t say anything." The vige chief, ever cautious, realized her sole purpose was to view the surveince. He shook his head and said, "There are procedures for essing the footage." "What procedures? Don''t you want to help? How about I give you some money? Would a thousand dors be enough?" Hera was already pulling out her phone to transfer the money. "Why do you need to see our footage?" The vige chief became wary. Hera''s lips twitched, and just as she was about to speak, she heard him add, "Could it be that you''re trying to scout the ce in advance to steal our things?" The vige chief''s suspicion grew. Their ancestral hall housed many valuable treasures left by the older generations. Hera was furious. "What could you possibly have here worth stealing? Ridiculous. Fine. If you won''t let me see it, then forget it." The vige chief could not be bothered to argue with her. He picked up the inte and spoke to the person on the other end, "Jimmy,e here for a minute." Hera was about to leave when she saw the security guard who had argued with her earlier walk in. When the security guard saw her, he immediately furrowed his brows and said, "Uncle, you''re not actually listening to her, are you? She didn''t want to pay earlier. I was just following the rules!" "No, no." The vige chief shook his head and spoke to him, "This person might be eyeing our ancestral hall''s treasures. Get her out of here." The security guard''s eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Yes, sir!" He then stepped in front of Hera with a menacing expression. "Please leave, or we''ll have to call the police." Hera immediately cursed, "You actually dare to call the police? Do you know who my boyfriend is? And besides, I paid to get in here! Why should you kick me out? You''re asking for aint to the consumer association!" The vige chief snorted. He was not afraid ofints. Their ancestral hall had recently been named the most culturally rich and influentialndmark in X City, as well as a popr tourist destination. So, aint to the consumer association did not faze him at all. If they did show up, he would simply im they were concerned about her damaging the site, and that would be the end of it. "Get her out of here, or we''ll call the police!" The vige chief let out a cold sneer, "By the time the police arrive, you can bring up your boyfriend if you like." A sh of hesitation crossed Hera''s eyes. She knew Abel was powerful, with his own organization. However, through her interactions with him, she realized that these groups were more likely to oppose the police, not work with them. Therefore, while Abel could secretly help her deal with the vige chief, he would not make a move that would directly go against the police. At that moment, Hera understood that the situation was not in her favor, so she reluctantly decided to leave. As she was leaving, she heard the security guard make a snide remark, "She really thinks she''s some kind of youngdy, huh? Pfft, she''s not even worthy of beingpared to the vige chief''s daughter." The vige chief had decided to renovate the ancestral hall, and it had brought the vige significant ie. Their end-of-year bonuses would be muchrger than usual. Hence, the vige chief held a very high status in the eyes of the vigers. Hera turned around with a cold, menacing look, and shot the security guard a murderous re. The guard did not flinch, unfazed by a woman''s anger. He turned to the others and said, " Remember this woman. Put her on the cklist." "If shees back, don''t let her in. She might be here to steal from our vige." "Yes!" the other guards responded. Hera was so furious that she almost choked on her anger. She had relied on men to get money and was considered quite wealthy. Wealthy people were usually well-liked wherever they went. Now, she was being chased out by a mere security guard. Hera pinned all of her frustration on Luca at the thought of it. If it were not for her, Hera wouldn''t have had to endure this humiliation today. After Luca shook off Hera, she went straight to the vi. As soon as she walked into the living room, she saw Gordan and Gale sitting on the couch chatting. Both of them greeted her as soon as they saw her. "Good afternoon, Ms. Craw." "Good afternoon." Luca smiled at them. She was not surprised to see them here since Luke needed their help in this area. "Ms. Craw, the boss is upstairs. You should hurry up. He''s been waiting for you for ages," Gale said cheerfully. Now that he was no longer single and had Rain by his side, he did not feel ufortable seeing Luke and Luca expressing love in small, sweet ways. After all, he could always share his tender moments with Rain. However, things were different for Gordan. As a single man, hearing Gale talk like that and remembering Luke''s strange behavior when he found out Luca wasing made him shiver. He could not help but rub his arm, trying to shake off the goosebumps. "Ms. Craw, Luke is about to go crazy waiting for you. You should go upstairs quickly," added Gordan, unable to bear the couple''s sickening sweet disy. Luca could not help but let out a softugh hearing the tone of his voice. Chapter 3412 Nothing Felt As Comforting As Being In Your Arms ? Chapter 3412 Nothing Felt As Comforting As Being In Your Arms Luca walked over to another couch and sat down. "I think I''ll stay here. How about letting Lukee down so that we can all catch up? It''s been a while since we''ve seen each other." Gordan''s face fell. "Ms. Craw, are you doing this on purpose?" Luca pretended not to know anything. "Doing what on purpose?" Gordan quickly shook his head. "Nothing. Just go upstairs already. Brother Luke''s been waiting for you." Luca had intended to tease Gordan a little longer, but after not seeing Luke for the past few days, she found herself missing him deeply. Standing up with a smile, she said, "Alright, I won''t tease you anymore. Oh, by the way, Mr. Gale, could you help me pick up a few things? Someone over there asked me to get them, and I couldn''t refuse." "Sure, no problem. What do you need?" Gale agreed immediately. After handing him the list, Luca turned and headed upstairs. Gale watched Luca leave from behind, nudging Gordan''s arm. "Let''s go. We should leave and give the boss and Ms. Craw some privacy." "Man, my life is rough. Not only am I single, but now, I have to endure their lovey-dovey moments. As if that''s not bad enough, I even have to clear out to give them space," eximed Gordan as he stood up reluctantly. Gale left with him. When he heard what Gordan said, he mocked, "Didn''t you used to say you dreamed of being single? Ande on, the boss and Ms. Craw haven''t seen each other in forever. Can''t you just let them have a little time together?" Gordan clicked his tongue. "I''m just saying. Don''t take it so seriously." "If you''re feeling lonely, finish up your work and find someone already. Stop making excuses about being traumatized by your time with Vivian. You say you''re not looking for anyone, but then you turn around and get jealous of other couples. At this rate, I''m starting to think you''re not over Vivian." Gale''s sharp tongue struck again. He called it like he saw it and was not afraid to say it. "That''s enough!" Gordan''s expression darkened. When he was about to defend himself, Gale cut him off. "Alright, aright, I get it. You''re not into Vivian. But the more you deny it, the harder it is to believe you." Gordan snorted haughtily. "Hmph. Believe it or not, it''s up to you." "Ugh. Why are you acting so much like a woman? All arrogant and pouty. It''s disgusting." This time, it was Gale''s turn to shudder. He rubbed his arms as he muttered how utterly gross Gordan was acting. "Come on, buddy. Don''t you like me like this?" Gordan leaned into the joke, trying to gross Gale out even more. "Knock it off, Gordan. Act normal, or people might think you''ve been knocked on the head or something!" Gale quipped,ughing as they yfully bickered on their way out of the vi. Luca arrived on the second floor and pushed open the door to the master bedroom. Luke was seated at the vanity table, focused on work. Luke looked up when the door was opened. His gaze was soft and warm. "You''re here." "Yes." Luca walked over to him and asked him in a soft voice, "Still busy with work?" "It''s nothing important." Luke saved his documents, shut down theputer, and pulled her into his arms. He held her tightly, as though he was trying to ease the ache of the past four years. Only after a long moment did he ask, "Was everything alright when you left?" "It went smoothly enough. I got rid of her by heading toward the ancestral hall," replied Luca. Luke nodded, leaned in, and gently kissed her on her cheek. "You''ve been through a lot during this time." His kisses rained down on her, gentle and unhurried, each oneced with the unspoken ache in his words. A warmth spread through Luca''s chest. "It hasn''t been that hard. As long as we can reunite as a family in the end, everything I''ve endured will be worth it." "Luca, everything is almost ready. As soon as he makes his move, we''ll act too. The day our family can be together again is not far off," said Luke as he gently caressed her cheek. Even though Luca did not voice it, he could see the exhaustion in her eyes. The time apart had clearly been hard on her. Nights without him likely were not as peaceful as the ones when they were together. The gentle rhythm of his touch brought a wave of sleepiness over Luca. She buried her face in his chest and closed her eyes. "Sleepy?" Luke asked in a low voice. "Yes, a little," admitted Luca, "Honestly, I haven''t been sleeping well while you were gone. Even after locking the door and dealing with everyone who needed to be taught a lesson, I still couldn''t fully rx. I kept worrying something might happen." What she feared most was Abel causing trouble in the middle of the night. She was Luke''s wife, and Abel often targeted her out of spite. Over time, Luca had be ustomed to staying vignt. "If you''re tired, get some rest." Luke''s heart was aching for her. He lifted her in his arms and gently ced her on the bed. Luca hesitated for a moment, wanting to mention that she was not exactly clean. However, knowing he would not care, she settled in. Tugging on his sleeve, she asked, "Luke, will you stay with me for a while?" "Of course." Luke gazed at her, nodding as he removed his jacket andy down beside her. He wrapped her tightly in his arms. Luca let out a contented sigh. As expected, nothing felt asforting as being in his arms. The small bed back in the small vi was barely big enough for one person. It was ufortable and cramped with the two of them. Yet those nights had been the most restful for Luca. Even if it was a bit tight, Luke''s presence gave her a sense of security, making her sleep more peaceful. "Nothing feels asforting as being in your arms," said Luca. A faint smile tugged at her lips. "I hope the day we can all be togetheres soon. I want our family, and everyone who has helped us, to be safe and happy." She was not someone who wished good fortune on everyone, only for those who had supported and cared for them. She hoped they could live lives free of worry and remain healthy. "We''ll all be safe," Luke reassured her, understanding her concerns. Taking down the Ind of Despair would not be easy. However, those who followed him were determined to bring down the organization. It was not just because they were friends but because the very existence of the Ind of Despair had already angered too many. Luke knew the fight against the Ind of Despair was inevitable. Even if he did not lead the charge, others would rise to the asion. No country or organization in the world would tolerate such a dangerous and uncontroble group. After the storm of their confrontation, the Ind of Despair was destined for destruction. Luke nced down at the woman in his arms. She had already drifted off to sleep. Luke''s lips curved into a soft, tender smile as he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. Carefully tucking the nket around her, he quietly picked up his phone from the side and snapped a few photos of Luca as she slept. Then, he sent the photos to their three kids, reassuring them that their mother was safe and sound. He also reminded them to be on their best behavior and listen to their great-grandfather so that they would not cause any worry. Soon, they would all be reunited. Luca slept deeply for two full hours. Chapter 3413 To Ensure Her Safety ? Chapter 3413 To Ensure Her Safety When she opened her eyes again, the sky outside had already darkened slightly. Luca mumbled, feeling the warmth beside her. She instinctively curled closer. "What time is it?" "It''s a little past five." Luke gently rubbed her back, offering a quietfort to help her feel at ease. Since he could not be there beside her, he could only make these small gestures to bring her some peace of mind. "An entire afternoon just passed like that..." Luca was reluctant to leave at the moment. Her slender fingers lightly pressed against his chest. Luke took her hand in his, bringing it to his lips for a soft kiss, holding it as if it were something precious and tenderly stroking it. Luca''s hands had once been delicate and smooth, but during their time in the small vi, they had be much rougher. "You''ve got calluses." Luke felt sorry for her. Luca gently traced her finger over his lips, leaning in to nt a soft kiss on him. "It''s just from the needlework and the experiments I''ve been doing. It''s nothing. They''ll heal after a while." She did not tell him that besides the experiments, she had also been working out. The calluses were from the training. Luke examined the calluses on her hands carefully. While he did not know exactly what she did during her experiments, he could tell from the spots where the calluses had formed. Luca wanted to grow stronger, so she would not hold them back during their missions. His woman was always thinking about him and their safety. Luke pulled her close, buried his face in her hair, and let out a sigh. "I really don''t want you to leave." "I don''t want to go back either." Luca hugged him tightly. They stayed like that, wrapped in each other''s arms, until it was almost 6:00 am. Then, they headed downstairs. By then, Gordon and Gale were already sitting in the living room. When they saw Luke and Lucae down, Gordon could not help but whistle. "Well, well, look who it is." Luke shot him a fierce re. Gordan smirked and shut his mouth, wisely holding back any further teasing. Luke''s protective instincts toward Luca were no joke. If Gordan said another word, he might end up being the one to take a beating after Luca left. Although Gordan was not bad with his fists, Luke''s punches were ruthless and he would not show mercy. Gordan did not want to cause any trouble before their operation started. He could not afford to be embarrassed in front of everyone. Gale stood up and pointed at the shopping bags in front of him. "Ms. Craw, everything on the list is here. All bought and ready." "Thanks. How much do I owe you? I''ll transfer it," replied Luca. "No need. It wasn''t much." Gale shook his head. The things on Gerald''s list were not worth much. The only expensive item was the pack of cigarettes. Still, even that was not anything particrly valuable. Gale thought to himself that he was not that poor. He could afford this little amount and did not need Luca to cover it. Besides, Luca was a benefactor to both him and Rain. If she had not opened his eyes, he might still be oblivious to his feelings for Rain. Luca nced at Luke. "I''ll handle it," said Luke, knowing that Luca was not the type to take advantage of others. He would make sure to pay Galeter. Luca nodded, picked up the bags, and was ready to leave. Luke immediately took the bags from her. "I''ll walk you." Luca shook her head, firmly refusing, "I can go by myself. You don''t need toe. Abel is still in X City." She did not want to risk him exposing himself. Luke let out a sigh and could only watch her leave from the doorway. As he watched Luca walk farther away, his gaze remained distant, lingering without returning. "Luke, you''re turning into a statue," teased Gordan. Luke reluctantly pulled his gaze back and shot him a sharp, cutting remark, "At least I have someone to look at. You''ve got no one." Gordan froze on the spot. Luke''s words really hit hard! Gale, overhearing their conversation, struggled to hold back augh. He did not feel sorry for Gordan at all. His sharp mouth was bound to get him into trouble. Gordan turned to look at Gale with a sulky face. Gale pretended not to see and instead reported the intel he had gathered when they went out earlier. "Boss, Abel has made a move," reported Gale. "We received news that Abel started mobilizing most of the Ind of Despair''s people to their bases in A City this morning. There are now several ethnic facesing and going at two of the bases there, and nearby hotels are fully booked with foreigners. "The hotel staff said they''ve never seen such arge-scale reservation and assumed they were tourists. But they were also curious why these foreigners would be staying in such a remote area, in hotels of their caliber. "The hotel manager, worried something might happen, reported it to the relevant departments. Now, those foreigners are being watched, and if they make any moves, the authorities will intervene, even arresting them if necessary." "That''s one way to say it, but to maintain international peace, they won''t just arrest anyone without proof," Gordan added knowingly. "Unless they know how dangerous these people really are." "No way. That''ll alert them." Gale shook his head, indicating that this approach would not work. Everything they did was in the shadows, and they would not reveal anything to people they could not fully trust. They were careful because they feared Abel might have ced spies among them. Gordan nodded, having already considered this. Sometimes, risks had to be taken for a bigger reward. They both looked at Luke. They were waiting for his decision. Luke spoke up, "I''ll have people keep an eye on A City," "Are you having Mr. Mallory and Mr. Holston keep an eye on things?" asked Gale. "Yes," Luke replied with a nod. Yesterday, Percy had called to let him know he was back from his honeymoon. He had to deal with some matters rted to the Mallory family now, but if there was anything else that needed his attention, he was ready to take action anytime. Percy had married Nina, and now, he could focus on other tasks. He was relieved that the most difficult issue had been resolved. The remaining time could be dedicated to helping with the Ind of Despair''s situation. "With Mr. Mallory and Mr. Holston keeping an eye on things, we don''t need to send anyone to A City for now. There''s Ray in Russia too. This will ease a lot of our pressure. As long as we focus on X City, everything should be manageable," added Gale as he nodded. Their primary responsibility was to keep an eye on Abel. Once they made their move, trapping Abel in X City would mean they were halfway to sess. Without Abel personally overseeing things, the Ind of Despair would be thrown into chaos if attacked. Luke suddenly asked, "Find out how many people Abel has sent to A City. I need to know how many are going to rescue Kassy." Kassy was important to Abel. If the number of people was small, it would mean Abel was just making a diversion. Luke needed to understand Abel''s mindset. He did not want Luca to investigate as he had to ensure her safety. That was why he decided to take on more tasks himself. Chapter 3414 Percy Cares For This Woman Immensely ? Chapter 3414 Percy Cares For This Woman Immensely "''ll contact someone in A City to investigate," said Gale. "Let Percy know while you''re at it," added Luke. "He needs to be aware of this." "Got it." Gale hurried off to handle the matter. After taking Gale''s call, Percy hung up and stared icily at the middle-aged man standing before him. Under Percy''s chilling gaze, the man nervously dabbed at the sweat on his forehead with a handkerchief. "Mr. Mallory, my sincerest apologies..." The man, the director of the psychiatric hospital, hade to personally apologize to Percy today. Karen had escaped. Two days ago, Percy admitted Karen to the psychiatric hospital. After an evaluation, the doctors determined her condition warranted hospitalization, so she was admitted. Even though Karen was against it, given her mental state and with the consent of an immediate family member, the hospital was legally authorized to proceed. Percy had even informed the hospital to take special care of Karen. He had explicitly instructed them not to discharge her until she had fully recovered. To ensure this, he had made a generous donation to the hospital. They had received the funding, yet the negligence on the part of the hospital staff had allowed Karen to escape. The director felt like crying. Losing the donation was one thing, but the potential damage to the hospital''s reputation was far more serious. Their facility was not only renowned in A City but also across the country! An incident like this a patient escaping from their psychiatric hospital-could cause a massive scandal. That was why the director of the psychiatric hospital hade to confess to Percy, hoping to downy the incident and find a way to salvage the situation. After all, they still had not located Karen. "Do you think a simple apology will make this go away?" Percy instinctively picked up a cigarette. Nina did not like him smoking. Therefore, Percy quit smoking a long time ago. Still, holding a cigarette helped him think. The director wiped his sweat again and said, "I know this is a serious matter, and no amount of apologies can fix it. That''s why I''m here, to find a solution. Our staff has searched everywhere but hasn''t been able to locate Madam Mallory. We were hoping you could help us. Once she''s back, I promise we''ll take stricter measures to ensure this doesn''t happen again." No one at the hospital had expected Karen, a woman, to escape through multipleyers of security. It was impossible to believe she had not received any help. They had no clue. Left with no other choice, the director had to turn to Percy. Percy mmed the cigarette onto the table. The director flinched. "What is your hospital even doing?" Percy demanded coldly. "You let her escape, and now, you want her family to help find her? Is this what your hospital brags about in its ads?" The director remained silent, too intimidated to respond. "I remember telling you she didn''t want to be admitted, didn''t I?" Percy''s voice was cold. The director nodded slightly. "Yes, you did. This was entirely due to our carelessness." A trace of rage shed across Percy''s eyes. Sending Karen to the psychiatric hospital had not been his first choice. It was ast resort. If Karen stayed out in public, she would only ruin his ns. Old Master Mallory harbored a deep disdain for Karen, and the world''s perception of her was equally unforgiving. The only shield she had left was the im of her mental instability. Percy had no intention of cleaning up her messes anymore. That was why he had taken the drastic step ofmitting her to the psychiatric hospital. While receiving treatment, she would also be cut off from the outside world. At least it would stop her from causing trouble during such a critical time. If she upset Old Master Mallory, years of his hard work could be wiped away in an instant. Just as Percy was considering sending someone to check if Karen had gone to Pierre''s vi, his phone rang. It was Nina. His tense expression softened slightly. Nina should be working at this hour, so it was unusual for her to call. He answered, "Nina, what''s wrong?" "Percy." Nina''s voice was unsteady on the other end of the line. Percy immediately sensed something was off. He frowned. "What happened?" "I''m at Brilliant. Can you pleasee over? I need to talk to you." Nina''s voice was trembling as if she had encountered something terrifying. "Alright. I''m on my way. Wait for me," replied Percy, "Wait for me. I''ll be there soon." After he hung up the call, he immediately called Sue. "Mr. Mallory, what''s the matter?" Sue quickly answered. "What''s going on with Nina?" Percy asked directly. "Did something happen to Nina? That shouldn''t be. Oh, wait. Your mother came by earlier looking for her. Nina invited her into the office. Do you think something might have happened?" Sue suddenly remembered that Jason had mentioned Percy''s mother was not in a good mental state. Kicking herself for forgetting this detail, she stood up. "I''ll go check it out." "No need," replied Percy. At this point, no one should provoke Karen further. Sue hesitated. "But what if Nina''s in danger?" Even though Karen was just one woman, a person with mental health issues could be far more unpredictable and dangerous than an ordinary person. Last time, Karen pped Nina across her face. When Sue heard about it, her heart sank. If it were not for the timely intervention of the security guards, Nina might have suffered worse. "I''m heading there now. Don''t let anyone else intervene." Percy ended the call, grabbed his coat, and nced at the director sitting across from him. "Once she''s found, have your hospital staff ready with a tranquilizer gun." "Understood." The director had just let out a sigh of relief but froze again when he heard about the tranquilizer gun. The severity of the situation became clear, and his legs wobbled. If Karen ended up hurting someone or herself after escaping, the hospital''s century-old reputation would be destroyed. Regardless of whether Percy pursued legal action, the public''s bacsh alone could be catastrophic, possibly leading to an exodus of patients transferring to other facilities. Realizing the gravity of the matter, the director followed Percy out. He contacted the staff to give them the address Percy had mentioned. What should have been a 20-minute drive turned into just over ten as Percy ran several red lights, speeding toward Brint''s office. He arrived downstairs, got out of the car without a word, and headed straight upstairs. The director trailed behind Percy and suggested, "Mr. Mallory, perhaps we should wait for my staff to arrive first." "There''s no time," replied Percy, "She''s in the same ce as my wife right now." The director froze for a moment. He knew that Percy had recently gotten married and had gone against the entire Mallory family and thepany''s shareholders to marry this woman. Despite the overwhelming opposition, he withstood the pressure and went through with the wedding. Percy cared for this woman immensely. Cold sweat kept dripping down the director''s back. He hastily picked up his phone and urged the staff to hurry. After hanging up, he realized Percy was already in the elevator heading upstairs. When Percy stepped out of the elevator, Sue approached him from the other direction. Chapter 3415 Whats So Special About This Face Of Hers ? Chapter 3415 What''s So Special About This Face Of Hers "Mr. Mallory, I didn''t dare to go in. Nina and your mother are still inside." After Sue realized that Nina might be in danger, she had been waiting outside, unwilling to leave. She had been nning to rush in with the other employees if she heard Nina scream. Percy''s expression darkened. He did not me Sue for the situation, so he did not say anything. Instead, he quickly walked to Nina''s office door and pushed it open. The sight before him sent a chill through his veins, as though his blood had turned to ice. "You''re here?" Karen fixed her eerie gaze on the person who had opened the door. A strange, sinister smile curved at the corners of her lips. She stood behind Nina with a knife tightly gripped in her hand. The sharp de was pressed against Nina''s neck, already leaving a faint red mark. Sue gasped at the sight and instantly lost herposure. Karen frowned in dissatisfaction, moving the knife slightly and muttering, "Why is there another woman here? Tell her to leave!" Percy knew Karen''s mental state was currently unstable, and the knife could easily cut Nina''s throat at any moment. His expression was dark as he said to Sue, "Leave. Now." Sue realized that her earlier scream had upset Karen. Although she was worried about Nina, she did not want to make the situation worse, so she nodded and left. The office door was closed. Percy''s gaze was cold as he fixed his eyes on Karen. "Let Nina go." "Let her go? Why should I?" Karen''s eyes gleamed with madness as she nced down at Nina. It was this woman who had caused her to end up like this. "Whatever it is,e at me." Percy seized the opportunity to give Nina a reassuring look. He would make sure she was safe. Nina, terrified to the core, forced herself to stay calm after catching Percy''s gaze. He would keep her safe. "Come at you? That''s what you think? You''re my son. How could I bear to hurt you?" Karen''s tone was soft, yet it carried the unmistakable hint of madness lurking beneath. Percy was all too familiar with this tone. Back when Karen''s mind was still stable, she would speak like this whenever she encountered problems. If her words did not convince someone, she would descend into madness and resort to more violent methods to force others toply. Karen raised the knife, pressing its cold de against Nina''s chin. Nina''s heart trembled, but she dared not move. The de was so close to her skin that a small misstep would cause her to bleed out. "Percy, I''ve always been proud of you," Karen said slowly. "I might not have been all that involved with you growing up, and yes, I spoiled your brother more... Maybe that''s why you turned out so rebellious, even getting involved with this woman. But everything I did was for your own good, you know? "I didn''t coddle you or pamper you because you''re the heir Old Master Mallory favors. This way, you could grow better. The education you received as a child was far more than anyone else''s, making you more capable. "Though I never said it, you''ve always been my pride-my perfect child. But how could you be so rebellious? "Just because I never said ''I love you'' like other moms, you really think I don''t care about you? The reason I don''t say much or hover over you is because I want to make things easier for you. "But how could you hurt me like this? You put me and your brother in this mess for this woman. You''re supposed to be the future head of the Mallory family. How could you be this rebellious? "It''s this woman, isn''t it? She''s the one who''s been influencing you," sneered Karen. She yanked at Nina''s ponytail. Nina gasped in pain, her head instinctively jerking backward. The knife shifted with her movement, slicing a shallow cut into her neck. It was not deep, but the thin line of red blood sent a jolt of panic through Percy''s chest. He clenched his fist tightly, but he fought against the overwhelming urge to rush over and stop Karen. If he acted recklessly now, Karen might grow even more agitated and hurt Nina. If she cut the carotid artery, the consequences would be too horrible to imagine. "Put the knife down, and everything can go back to the way it was," Percy frowned and replied. The only way to ensure Nina''s safety was to get Karen to put the knife down. "Do you think I''m stupid?" Karen lifted her head andughed wildly. "If I put down the knife, you''ll just ignore Pierre and maybe even send me back to that psychiatric hospital! Let me tell you, I''m not crazy. How could you, as my son, not believe me?" Percy saw her hand tremble slightly, and his heart raced. He was worried that the de would slice through Nina''s neck at any moment. "I believe you. You''re not sick," Percy quickly responded, trying to calm her. Karen smiled. Her grin wasced with madness that sent a chill straight to the heart. "Then why did you send me there? Was it this woman''s influence? And is she behind what happened to Pierre too? "If you had just let Luke''s woman help me, Pierre wouldn''t be disabled now. Percy, we used to be family. How did we end up like this? I thought about it, and it''s definitely because of her. She''s the one who''s been manipting you, making you disregard your family!" "Mom." When Percy uttered the word, he hesitated for a brief moment as though he was lost in thought. Since the fallout with Karen, he had always distanced himself from her. He still referred to her as his mother, but he did it with a coldness thatcked affection. It was a respectful title, but it carried no warmth. Percy believed he was a cold-hearted person. No matter what his family did, it would not interfere with his decisions. He only felt the need to fulfill his duties without getting too emotionally involved with his family. Hence, when they opposed his rtionship with Nina, he did not give in. Instead, he chose to pursue a life with her, regardless of their disapproval. Karen paused for a moment. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. She had not heard that word in so long. Just a little more and she would have let go of Nina and go to embrace Percy. However, that feeling only lingered for a fleeting moment. As her insanity returned, Karen became even more convinced that it was Nina who had ruined her rtionship with Percy. She pressed the knife harder against Nina''s throat, the fair skin already reddening under the pressure. "Don''t hurt her!" Percy shouted in panic at the sight. "Ha, so you''re just temporarily giving in, hoping I''ll let her go?" Karen''s eyes narrowed. She had worked so hard to escape the psychiatric hospital, and she was never going back. Percy nodded. "I''ll do whatever you want as long as you let her go." "Stop fooling me! I know you''ve stopped listening to me ever since you met this woman. Even though I''ve always had your best interests at heart, you won''t hear me out because she''s got youpletely fooled." Karen let go of Nina''s hair and ran her fingers across her face. "What''s so special about this face of hers? It doesn''t evenpare to the ones I picked for you before. Why are you so damn stubborn?" Chapter 3416 Having A Weakness Makes It Easy To Be Brought Down ? Chapter 3416 Having A Weakness Makes It Easy To Be Brought Down Nina trembled when she was touched. Her whole body was shaking. Karen''s touch was icy cold, and when her hand fell on Nina''s face, it carried a chill. "Don''t hurt her!" Percy''s voice was hoarse, his anger barely concealed in his eyes. He was furious but kept reminding himself not to provoke Karen. "Hmph, look at how nervous you are." Karen''s patience wore thin. Without another word, sheid out her conditions. "If you want me to let her go, fine." "What do you want me to do?" Percy knew the conditions she was about to propose would not be as simple as keeping her out of the psychiatric hospital. It could involve Pierre. Perhaps even thepany. Even though Karen had spoken to him about the high hopes she had for him, Percy did not believe a word of it. To her, from beginning to end, the only person who mattered was Pierre. Percy was merely a tool to secure her position in the Mallory family. "See? You still care about this woman. You''ve disappointed me!" Karen nced at Nina with disgust. How could such an ordinary woman capture Percy''s attention to this extent? She let out a soft, chillingugh. Her expression teetered on the edge of madness. It was as though she might lose control at any moment and ughter everyone in the room. Nina''s heart clenched with panic. She had heard before that no matter who you deal with, you should never deal with someone from a psychiatric hospital. It would be terrifying when they lost it. Nina felt a wave of regret. Why had she not told the employees to kick Karen out the moment she saw her? Now, she was under Karen''s control, and she was a weakness that Percy could not ignore. Regret consumed her. All these years, she still had not managed to make herself better... She was still a burden to Percy. Nina once thought that love could conquer everything. Now, reality was screaming at her-love alone could not conquer everything. To ovee life''s challenges, love needed to be paired with strength. She needed to be strong enough to stand her ground against the world. Otherwise, she would forever be dragging Percy down. Even though Percy did not seem to mind, Nina could not help but care deeply at this moment. She had always wanted to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him, not be a weight on his back. Still, life never went the way she wanted. Not long after their blissful honeymoon, Karen showed up and turned everything upside down. Bitterness surged in Nina''s heart as she recalled what people had said at the wedding. They said they could not understand what Percy was thinking, choosing someone like her. They said she must have bewitched Percy, or else how could he insist on marrying her with just her looks and skills? Some even said that no matter how hard she tried, she would never deserve to stand by Percy''s side. Bitterness welled up in Nina''s heart as she lowered her gaze to the de. A dangerous thought crept in. What if she pushed forward? There would only be two oues -either Karen would hurt her and she would die, or she would somehow manage to escape this ordeal. Nina made a small movement. Before Karen noticed, Percy had already caught her movement. He quickly shook his head and asked again, "What do you want? Just say it." Karen let out a cold sneer and spoke up without hesitation, "Fine, I''ll get straight to the point. I want you to go to Luke and ask him to get Luca to help treat Pierre''s leg." "Fine," Percy clenched his teeth and agreed. "And I''m not going back to that psychiatric hospital." Karen''s eyes flickered with fear at the mention of it. She was not mentally ill, yet Percy had forced her into that ce with such heavy-handed methods. If she went back, there would be no way for her to ever leave again. The thought sent a shiver of terror through her. For someone who was not sick, being confined to that kind of environment would drive them insane. During her few days there, she had already felt her mental state deteriorating. It was as though she were being assimted into the madness around her. That was why she urgently contacted her people to rescue her. "You must agree to this, and we''ll sign an agreement. If you vite it, all your properties will be transferred to me!" Karen knew that Percy owned a significant number of properties. If she could get her hands on them, she would be set for life even without the Mallory family''s support. "Fine," Percy agreed again without hesitation. Karen''s anger red even more. He was agreeing to all this just for Nina? He was willing to give up everything? Fine. If that was how he wanted to y it, she would make him lose even more! Karen believed that as his mother, everything he owned rightfully belonged to her. Since Percy was so determined to be with Nina, whatever he had now would eventually be passed on to Nina if she did not take it. Therefore, she made an even more outrageous demand. "I want 10% of Mallory Corporation''s shares!" The moment Nina heard Karen''s demand, she wanted to shake her head and beg Percy not to agree. He had worked so hard to stabilize Mallory Corporation just so they could be together. If he gave up 10% of the shares, thepany would surely be thrown into chaos again. All his efforts and sacrifices would go to waste! Nina knew that if those shares fell into Karen''s hands, they would ultimately benefit Pierre. Why should the man who hurt her so deeply get everything? Tears of frustration and helplessness rolled down Nina''s cheeks. She rarely cried, especially in front of Percy. Nina never wanted to rely on tears to express herself, nor did she want him to see her as weak. However, she could not hold back any longer at this moment. Nina hated her own weakness, but she hated Karen''s favoritism even more. Percy was such an outstanding person, yet Karen chose to dote on Pierre instead. Clearly, Percy was her most exceptional son! When Percy saw Nina''s tears, he felt a sharp pang in his heart. Without hesitation, he said, " Fine, I''ll give you everything you want. Just let her go." Karen sneered and looked down at Nina. "You might be of some use, after all. Fine. Percy, call yourwyer now." "I''ll keep my word, but you have to let her go first." Percy pulled out his phone while keeping a close eye on the knife in Karen''s hand. "I already told you, I''ll only let her go when I see thewyer!" Karen replied coldly, "If there''s nowyer, we''ll just keep waiting here." "I''ll step out to make the call." Percy had no choice but to give in. With the woman he loved most being held at knifepoint, he was destined to be the one to Once a person had a weakness, they could be easily brought down. "Go!" Karen''s expression turned even more deranged. The smile on her face grew wider as she thought about what she was about to gain. Percy left the office. Outside, the hospital director and the doctors from the psychiatric ward were already waiting. "Mr. Mallory, what''s the situation inside? We heard the patient is holding your wife hostage," the director asked immediately as Percy stepped out. Percy''s expression was hard, and his gaze was cold. "She''s holding my wife at knifepoint." "Well..." The director hesitated for a moment, then cautiously asked, "Should we call the police?" "Yes, of course, we should!" Sue interjected as she turned to look at Percy. "Nina is in grave danger right now. We must call the police." "No..." Percy frowned deeply. Chapter 3417 What Are You Screaming For? Are You Trying To Get Yourself Killed? ? Chapter 3417 What Are You Screaming For? Are You Trying To Get Yourself Killed? "Mr. Mallory, won''t you feel guilty if something happens to Nina?" Sue did not understand why he refused to call the police. "It won''t happen." Percy furrowed his brows as his mind raced to find a solution. Sue was even more confused. "Just because you say it won''t happen, does that mean it won''t? Yes, Madam Mallory is your mother, but Nina is also your wife. If your mother harms your wife, shouldn''t you call the police? Instead of doing that, you''re leaving her in this dangerous situation. I honestly feel sorry for Nina." Sue had always been straightforward. She thought Percy would protect Nina for life, but seeing him defend Karen at the cost of his wife''s safety, she was deeply disappointed. She felt she was in no position to feel sorry for Nina, but she could not understand Percy''s actions. Percy furrowed his brows. Calling the police was not an option. The Mallory family could not afford this kind of turmoil. If Old Master Mallory found out that he handed his mother over to the police or if Karen actually hurt someone, it would be a huge scandal. The consequences would be ugly. Sue was about to explode with frustration when she noticed his silence. Just as she was about to ignore his objections and go call the police, Percy spoke up, "I have a n." Everyone in the room, concerned about Nina''s situation, turned their attention to him. "A n? What''s your n?" asked Sue. Her focus was solely on rescuing Nina. "Prepare a share transfer agreement for Mallory Corporation," replied Percy as he turned to look at Sue. Although she did not understand why he wanted to do this, Sue followed his instructions. Then, Percy turned to the director. "Find a doctor who''s a stranger to her and have him pretend to be thewyer. When she signs, knock her out with a syringe and take her away." The director shuddered. It was too risky. "Mr. Mallory, perhaps we should consider another option." He heard that Karen was holding a knife. If the doctor did not act quickly enough and Karen noticed, the consequences would be unthinkable. Either Nina would be hurt, or the doctor would be. No matter what happened, the me would fall on the doctor. "Call the police?" Percy said coldly when he saw the director hesitated. "If I call the police, do you think your hospital can bear the responsibility for any mistakes?" The director flinched and wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. Turning to the doctors and nurses, he chose one who seemed unfamiliar. "Mr. Mallory, what do you think of this one?" "As long as he can give an injection, that''s fine," Percy stared at the doctor and reminded, " And don''t panic no matter what happens. Just make sure the needle goes into her." "Okay..." The doctor swallowed nervously. Even though this was not his first time injecting a patient, he still felt uneasy. After all, he was dealing with Percy and his mother and wife. All three were part of the Mallory family. Each one of them was of remarkable status. He could not afford the responsibility if anything went wrong. The director was also nervous. He pulled the doctor aside to go over the details and precautions. The doctor nodded, then discreetly tucked the syringe into his sleeve. Sue handed a fake share transfer agreement to Percy and said, "This is the one I had thewyer prepare. I made some changes. Take a look." Percy nced at the agreement. Everything looked fine. As long as it could calm Karen down, it would work. Percy turned to the doctor, who met his gaze and gave a slight nod, signaling he was ready. The two of them walked into the office, one following the other. Karen''s eyes narrowed the moment she saw someone else with Percy. "Who''s this?" "You wanted me to sign the share transfer agreement, so there needs to be awyer present. He''s from Brilliant''s legal department," exined Percy, handing the agreement to the doctor. "I''ve already signed it. If there are no issues, you can sign as well, and the 10% of the shares will be transferred to your name." Nina listened to Percy''s words and immediately realized the person was not awyer but probably someone helping Percy with his ns. Her nerves tensed. She thought to herself that whatever happened, she needed to stay sharp and not drag Percy down. Both she and Karen became tense as they watched the man approach. "Stay where you are," Karen suddenly instructed. The doctor stopped. Although he was not awyer, he was a professional doctor. Handling a patient with mental issues was something he could manage calmly. However, when he saw the sharp knife pressed to Nina''s neck, he could not help but feel a wave of anxiety. He swallowed nervously. "Just stand there and don''t try any tricks." Karen was cautious. Then, she said to Nina, " Bitch, go get the agreement!" Percy furrowed his brows in disapproval when he heard her calling Nina like that. Even if she did not want to admit it, he and Nina were already married, and they were husband and wife. Karen should not be speaking this way to Nina, who was her daughter-in-w. Unless Karen no longer considered him her son! Nina, trembling with fear, took the agreement from the doctor. "Hold it up," instructed Karen. Nina had no choice but to listen to her. With some distance between them, Karen suspected Nina was trying to stall. She pressed the de harder against her skin. "I told you not to try anything. Hold the paper up so that I can see it clearly," Nina knew thewyer was a fake. Hence, the agreement was likely a fraud. However, Karen had once been a strong, powerful woman. Could she really be fooled by a fake agreement? Nina had deliberately held the paper farther away. However, she did not expect that in her unstable state, Karen would be even harder to deceive. Feeling the sharp pain in her neck, Nina reluctantly brought the agreement closer. Percy observed it all with a calm expression. This agreement had been obtained from thewyer, so it was genuine. Moreover, he had already signed it. Karen finally read through the entire document, scrutinizing every word. When she reached thest word, she smiled in satisfaction. "Can you sign now?" Percy, knowing her well, could read her expressions like an open book. "Sure," replied Karen, extending her left hand. "Give me the pen." Nina looked at Percy, seeking reassurance. He gave a small nod. "Move the knife away a little. I can''t reach the pen." Nina stretched out her hand but was still unable to reach the desk. Karen narrowed her eyes, then simply reached for the pen herself. Nina flinched as she almost got cut. She let out a startled cry. Karen jumped in shock. "What are you screaming for?! Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Nina quickly bit back her cry. Still, that small outburst had thrown Karen off bnce. Gripping the pen in her left hand, she instructed Nina to lift the agreement. Nina nced at Percy, then reluctantlyplied. Karen awkwardly signed her name with her left hand. Being right-handed, her signature was uneven and ugly. However, she could not be bothered at this moment. To her, once she signed the agreement, 10% of thepany''s shares would be hers. With that 10%, her and Pierre''s positions in the Mallory family would rise again. Chapter 3418 Accepted Her As Her Daughter-In-Law ? Chapter 3418 epted Her As Her Daughter-In-Law After signing the agreement, Karen eagerly handed it over to the man she believed to be thewyer. The moment the doctor took the shares transfer agreement, a syringe containing anesthesia slipped from his sleeve and was swiftly injected into Karen''s hand. "You..." Karen felt a sharp sting, but before she could speak, her consciousness faded. At the same time, the knife in her hand ttered to the floor. The doctor quickly steadied her to prevent her from hitting her head when she copsed. "Luckily, the dose was strong enough, or she wouldn''t have been knocked out so quickly." He gentlyid her down, checked to make sure she was unconscious, and then hurried out of the office to notify the hospital director. Percy quickly stepped forward, gently lifting Nina''s chin to examine her wound. "I''m fine," Nina said in a soft voice, lowering her head to hide the injury on her neck. "Let me take a look at you," Percy insisted, gently lifting her chin again. After checking, he added, "It''s not very deep." "Yeah, if I hadn''t moved around so much, I wouldn''t have been hurt," Nina replied in a soft voice. Although this was all Karen''s doing, Nina did not want to make things more difficult for him. That was why she did not want to escte the situation. "Sit tight. I''ll be right back," Percy said as he walked out of the office. The director and several doctors entered the room. The director approached Nina with an apologetic expression. "Mrs. Mallory, I''m truly sorry. This was due to negligence on our part. We allowed the patient to escape, causing you distress. We''re very sorry. "I heard you were injured too. Why don''t you let our doctor tend to your wound?" The director carefully examined the injury on Nina''s neck, then let out a sigh of relief. Even though it had bled, it was not serious overall. "No need to trouble yourselves. Just send her back." Nina nced at the still-unconscious Karen with mixed emotions. If it had been anyone else, she would have demanded ountability. However, Karen was the one who hurt her, and she could not bring herself to hold Karen ountable. She could not pursue the matter with the hospital either. If this issue were to escte, Old Master Mallory would definitely find out. It would only make things worse for Percy. Thest thing she wanted was to cause trouble. Otherwise, it would make dealing with the Mallory family even more difficult for him. "Alright, alright." The director, relieved that Nina did not seem inclined to pursue the matter, heaved a sigh of relief. He had genuinely feared that Nina would make an issue of it. Their hospital would be in big trouble if that were the case. He gestured for the medical staff to help carry Karen out. As they reached the door, they ran into Percy, who was holding a medical kit. "Mr. Mallory, we''re taking the patient back to the hospital now. Don''t worry, this will never happen again. We''ll reinforce the security, and until the patient fully recovers, she won''t have the chance to escape," the director promised earnestly. Percy''s expression remained cold as he nced at the unconscious Karen. A ruthless glint shed across his eyes. She was his mother. Percy had never intended to treat her this way. Had it not been for her increasingly erratic behavior and the absurd things she had done, he never would have contacted the psychiatric hospital to have her admitted. Many things had been out of necessity. There had been a time when he felt guilty for sending her to a psychiatric hospital. After all, as a son, he was supposed to fulfill his duties. Sending his mother to a psychiatric hospital did not exactly seem like a loving gesture. However, not only did Karen refuse to properly undergo treatment, but she also sneaked out and even attempted to use Nina to threaten him. Now, that guilt hadpletely disappeared. Percy no longer felt guilty. He felt nothing but indifference toward Karen. "If this happens again, it won''t be so easy to resolve." He warned the director, reminding him to do his job. "Yes, yes, it won''t happen again!" the director hurriedly assured him. If there was another mistake, both he and the hospital were done for. The director fully understood this and began mentally nning how to arrange staff to ensure Karen was closely monitored around the clock so that she would not escape again. After the director and the others left, Percy closed the office door and walked to the desk, setting the medical kit down. "Let me take care of your wound." Percy''s tone was gentle as though he wasforting a frightened little animal. Nina was indeed shaken, but after seeing Karen copse, she had already calmed down considerably. After everything that had happened, she was no longer the timid Nina of the past. As long as the immediate danger was over, she could bounce back, just like now. "I''m fine," Nina muttered softly, obediently tilting her head up. Percy replied in a low voice, "I know you''re fine, but the wound still needs treatment." He took a cotton swab, dipped it in iodine, and gently applied it to the wound on her neck. The iodine was not too irritating. Nina did not feel any pain. Instead, the sensation of the cotton swab lightly brushing her skin made her slightly ticklish. Nina''s fingers curled slightly as she fought to suppress the sensation. After disinfecting, Percy asked in a soft tone, "Does it hurt?" "No, it''s just a little ticklish." Nina smiled and shook her head to indicate it was more of a tickle than pain. Percy let out a quiet sigh of relief. "As long as it doesn''t hurt, that''s good. It''s a small wound. Should I put a band-aid on it?" He had originally thought about wrapping it in gauze, but that would make the injury look more severe. Now, everyone knew Nina was his wife. If her neck were wrapped in gauze now, those who did not know the full story might create a big scene. Percy did not want to stir up unnecessary trouble because of this. He definitely did not want their private lives to be spected about. "Alright." Nina nodded, agreeing to cover the wound. Without it, the injury on her neck would be far too noticeable. Even with a band-aid, it might still draw attention. However, at most, others would just let their imaginations run wild without realizing she had been hurt. Percy carefully ced three band-aids over the wound, ensuring it waspletely covered. "Done." He leaned down and kissed her forehead gently. "Let me know before you shower tonight. The wound can''t get wet. I''ll help you take care of it." Nina teased him, "I didn''t know you were such a doctor!" "This is basic knowledge," replied Percy, lightly tapping her nose. Then, his smile faded, reced by a serious expression. "Nina, I don''t know how she managed to escape, and I can''t be sure the hospital will handle her properly this time. If anything happens, promise me you won''t be alone with her again. I''m afraid she might hurt you." "Okay." Nina nodded. The reason she ended up alone with Karen this time was that she had been deceived. Karen told her there were some matters about Percy she wanted to discuss. She had even imed to have epted Nina as her daughter-inw and wanted to entrust her with some family belongings. Nina believed her as she had longed for Karen''s acknowledgment. If Karen could ept her, Percy would not have to feel caught between the two of them anymore. That was why Nina had allowed Karen into the room for a conversation. The bag Karen brought did contain several items, including a knife. At the thought of it, Nina turned her gaze toward the bag that had been discarded in the corner. Chapter 3419 Theyre His, But It Never Felt That Way ? Chapter 3419 They''re His, But It Never Felt That Way "That bag..." Nina pointed at the bag. "Your mom brought it over." Percy walked over, picked up the bag, and opened it. When he saw what was inside, his brows immediately furrowed. "What''s all this?" asked Nina. Percy handed her the bag. "Just some stuff." Curious about what it was, Nina took the bag and peeked inside. It was filled with car models and small toys. She suddenly remembered what Karen said earlier and asked hesitantly, "Are these your childhood toys?" "Yes." Seeing these things again stirred something in Percy''s heart, but it still did not change his feelings toward Karen. Nina was surprised. She picked up a few of the items and said, "I didn''t expect these to be so well-preserved." "I thought they would''ve been thrown out." Percy still remembered these toys. Technically, they were his, but in reality, they ended up with Pierre. As the Mallory family''s heir, he was too busy to y with toys. Hence, they were his, but it never felt that way. Nina said, "Earlier, she told me she wanted to give me some of your things. That''s why I..." She gently touched the toys. Most of them were clearly quite old, with some models even discontinued and no longer avable. Although Karen had always favored Pierre, she cared about Percy in her own way. Otherwise, she would not have kept these toys in such good condition. Percy let out a chuckle. Nina looked up and asked with confusion. "What is it?" "These toys? Sure, they were bought for me, but honestly, Pierre was the one who yed with them. I was groomed to be the Mallory family''s heir from the start, so I didn''t have time for stuff like this. Calling them my childhood toys sounds nice, but really, they were Pierre''s." Percy recounted it all with an air of calm indifference. Nina was stunned for a moment. She had not expected that to be the truth. "Well, I never liked ying with these things anyway." Percy smiled and reached out to ruffle her hair. "Back then, I was more into sports. Anytime I wasn''t stuck studying, I''d be out ying basketball or ser. That''s how I got close to Luke and Jim. "Add in the fact that we all came from big-name families, and over time, we ended up being really tight-knit." "Do you want to keep these as mementos?" asked Nina. After hearing all that, she did not think the toys held much sentimental value for him. However, since they were his, she thought she should at least ask. "Throw them out. She''s just trying to y the sympathy card. The only reason these weren''t thrown away is probably because Pierre yed with them, and she couldn''t bear to get rid of them." Percy took the bag from her and tossed it into the trash can without hesitation. "She probably dug these out of some storage room in Mallory Manor. It must''ve taken quite an effort to even find them." He knew better than to force a bond that was not meant to be. As he thought that, a sudden idea crossed his mind. "She went back to Mallory Manor." Nina was surprised. "Wasn''t she supposed to be on the run? How does she dare go back there?" "Maybe my grandpa allowed it." The thought crossed Percy''s mind, and his eyes darkened. Their marriage was already a done deal, yet his family was still trying to interfere... To the point where Old Master Mallory would let someone like Karen, who was not mentally stable, harm Nina? Unfortunately for them, Nina was not the type to back down in the face of danger. Percy lowered his head and kissed her forehead gently. "I need to head over to the psychiatric hospital to deal with something. Will you be okay heading home alone tonight?" "No problem." Nina gave him a thumbs-up. After Percy left, Sue knocked on the office door and stepped inside. "Are you okay?" Sue looked at Nina with a worried look on her face. She was still shaken from the sight of Karen holding a knife to Nina''s neck earlier. "I''m fine, really," Nina reassured her with a smile. Knowing Sue''s concern, she added, "By the way, Sue, please don''t tell anyone about what happened today." "You two..." Sue was rendered speechless. "Earlier, Mr. Mallory would rather let you face danger than call the police, and now that you''re safe, you''re still trying to protect the Mallory family''s reputation? Nina, I don''t think it''s worth it." Nina shook her head, realizing Sue had misunderstood. "Actually, Percy didn''t refuse to call the police to protect his mother''s reputation or the Mallory family''s image." "If it wasn''t for that, then why?" Sue was puzzled. She could not help feeling grateful to her own partner, Jason, who had a far lessplicated family situation. He only had an ex-wife, and it was nothing too messy. "It was for me." Nina let out a faint sigh. Having lived through so much in this family, she had learned to see the bigger picture. "If this incident got blown up, imagine what people would say about the Mallory family. And if the Mallory family''s reputation took a hit, how would they see me? I''m already not epted by them. If we escte this and make his mother''s situation public, it''ll only make Old Master Mallory despise me even more." Nina exined everything to Sue clearly. Sue let out a heavy sigh. "So, being a wealthy family''s wife isn''t all it''s cracked up to be. With the mess that is the Mallory family, your husband probably has his hands full cleaning it up. I get why calling the cops wasn''t the best solution. But you..." Her eyesnded on the injury on Nina''s neck. "You nearly lost your life over this." That knife had been sharp enough to cut a major artery. If it had gone wrong, Nina would not even have had the chance to fight back. "But it didn''t, did it? Don''t worry, I have a strong will to live," Nina replied with a smile on her face. "Yeah, but no matter how strong your will is, you can''t keep letting the Mallory family make things difficult for you. Listen, you need to be more cautious from now on. Don''t be alone with any Mallory family members except your husband. I swear, everyone else in that family is just off. Better safe than sorry." "Okay, okay, I hear you." Nina tried to cate her. Being cared for by the man she loved and by a close friend felt like the greatest kind of happiness. Seeing that she had said enough, Sue did not want to push further. "Alright, I won''t nag anymore. Let me take a look at your wound. Is it bad?" "Not at all. See?" Nina pointed at the small bandage on her neck. "If it were serious, a little bandage wouldn''t be enough." "That''s true." Sue nodded, still unsettled but relieved the immediate danger had passed. Then, she added, "Alright then, I''ll stop bothering you. You should finish up early and head home." "Got it." Nina gestured toward the stack of files on her desk. "I''ll head out once I''m done with these." "Alright." Sue nodded and left the office. Nina turned back to the documents and resumed her work. Pierre sat in his wheelchair. His expression darkened as he listened to Karen''s subordinate''s report. "Useless! She couldn''t even handle something so simple!" he cursed angrily. The subordinate flinched and cautiously reminded him, "Mr. Pierre, that''s your mother we''re talking about." "If she can''t even handle something like this, what right does she have to be called my mother?" Pierre snapped arrogantly. Chapter 3420 Trying To Bring Down The Mallory Family ? Chapter 3420 Trying To Bring Down The Mallory Family Karen''s subordinate had always thought Pierre was not someone to be messed with. With his temperament, he was clearly unfit to be an heir. That was also why her subordinate could never understand why Karen always favored her youngest son. Still, at the end of the day, Karen was the one signing his paycheck, not Percy and certainly not Pierre. Hence, whatever Karen wanted him to do, he did without question. Thinking about t now, the subordinate figured t was not his ce to say anything. If even Pierre did not think Karen deserved respect, what right did a mere employee like him have toment? There was nothing he could say. Pierre, meanwhile, was stewing over Karen''stest schemes. His expression darkened as he muttered bitterly, "She couldn''t even use that woman to threaten Percy properly. Now, she''s been sent back to the psychiatric hospital? She''s absolutely useless." The subordinate hesitated for a moment as he wanted to say something. He almost pointed out that there were not many in the Mallory family who could go toe-to- toe with Percy. However, he stopped himself. If he said that out loud, it would undoubtedly earn him a scolding from Pierre. The two brothers had been at odds for years. If it were not for Pierre''s crippled leg, he would probably still be fighting with Percy tooth and nail right now. The subordinate stood aside as he listened to Pierre hurling insults at Karen. His words were increasingly harsh. He felt speechless but knew he could not argue or offer any input. It was not until a ringtone cut through the tirade that Pierre finally stopped cursing. He turned to the subordinate. "Hand me my phone." "Yes, sir," replied the subordinate as he carefully handed over the phone. Since thest dry needling treatment had helped Pierre''s leg improve slightly, his condition had not progressed much. He was still limping, and walking was so cumbersome that he opted to stay in a wheelchair most of the time. Pierre took the phone and answered the call. "What is it?" On the other end, a man''s voice came through. "Mr. Pierre, Mr. Percy just entered the psychiatric hospital." "What''s he doing there?" asked Pierre, only to immediately realize how stupid the question was. His people would not know what Percy was up to in the psychiatric hospital. Still, it was not hard to guess. If Percy had gone there at this time, it had to be because of Karen. Pierre narrowed his eyes. "Got it. Keep an eye on him. Let me know the moment he leaves." "Yes, sir," the voice on the phone replied. Percy, led by a nurse, entered Karen''s hospital ward. Karen, still groggy from the anesthesia, was only half awake. When she saw Percy walk in, her eyes red with emotion. She struggled to move, her legs kicking as she tried to get up. However, the anesthesia had not worn offpletely, and she could not lift herself. The nurse standing beside him reminded, "The patient seems to be showing signs of aggression. Should I restrain her with a treatment belt?" "No need." Percy nced around the ward. There was nothing here she could use as a weapon. Therefore, even if Karen wanted to attack him, she would not stand a chance. "Okay. I''ll wait outside. Just press the call button if you need anything." The nurse gave Percy a shy smile. As she was about to leave, Percy asked, "When will she fully regain consciousness?" "She should be fully awake in about half an hour, but her emotions are very unstable. Whether you can have a normal conversation with her is hard to say." "Got it." Percy nodded. His gaze fixed coldly on Karen. After the nurse stepped out, she carefully locked the door behind her. This patient had a history of escaping, and the hospital management had ordered strict precautions. If Karen managed to get away again, the entire staff would be held ountable. Inside the ward, Percy sat down in a chair, casually scrolling through his phone as he dealt with work and replied to Gordan''s messages. He hadid an inescapable trap in A City and was just waiting for the Ind of Despair to make their move so that he could destroy them in one fell swoop. Meanwhile, Karen, lying on the hospital bed, was kicking violently. Her movements grew stronger as the anesthesia wore off. Her thrashing eventually attracted the attention of the nurses, but Percy remainedpletely unfazed. He continued working, unbothered by her tantrum, fully focused on clearing up his workload. The mess Karen had caused had already wasted enough of his time. If he wanted to spend a peaceful evening with Nina, he needed to make the most of every second now to deal with thepany''s affairs. As the effects of the anesthesia faded, Karen''s muffled voice gradually grew louder and clearer. She began to curse him, "Percy, you despicable coward!" Percy slowly lifted his head when he heard her sharp insults. "Awake now?" "I can''t believe I gave birth to such a spineless, untrustworthy son!" Karen red at him with fiery intensity, her teeth bared and face twisted in rage. It was as though she wanted to devour him whole! "No, you''re not my son. You must''ve been switched at birth. The nurse probably mixed you up with some pauper''s kid, because you''ve got nothing but the blood of a penniless loser in your veins! All you care about is taking over the Mallory family''s fortune!" Percy did not bother arguing. Whether or not he was truly a Mallory was obvious to anyone who saw him. His resemnce to Daryl was undeniable. Her words made him think of his unfaithful father. Suddenly, it all made sense why, at a certain point, Karen had started avoiding meaningful conversations with him. She had imed it was because he was the Mallory family''s heir and needed to focus on his responsibilities, but that was not the truth. The real reason was his father''s infidelity. After Daryl cheated on her, Karen was devastated. Seeing Percy reminded her too much of her husband''s betrayal, so she distanced herself from him. Instead, she poured all her maternal love into Pierre. She spoiled him to the point ofwlessness. Karen''s voice dragged him back to the present. "Give me the phone! I''m going to tell Old Master Mallory that Percy isn''t even a real Mallory! He''s just some impostor swapped at birth! Give me the phone! "I''m going to expose you for the scheming, traitorous fraud you are! I''ll make sure the old master kicks you out of the Mallory family! Everything in the Mallory family belongs to me, not to some outsider like you! Get out! Get out of the Mallory family! "Percy... No, you''re not Percy at all! You''re nothing but a pauper''s son who''s taking my real son''s ce! If you''re trying to bring down the Mallory family, think again. As long as I''m alive, I''ll never allow it! Never! "My son, my poor son... Where are you? I''ll find you. I''ll bring you back and give you the life you deserve. My poor, sweet son..." Tears suddenly welled in her eyes, and her voice cracked with sorrow. Tears blurred Karen''s vision as she looked at Percy. Her outburst, her tears, her desperation-none of it stirred even the faintest reaction from him. There was no sympathy and no anger, just a cold, indifferent expression. It was so cold that it was like the face of someone staring at a stranger. However, she was his mother. How could he look at her like that? Karen had been putting on a show, pretending to lose control, hoping to manipte him. Yet now, faced with Percy''s apathy, she began to doubt herself. What should she do next? How could she ensure Pierre''s leg healedpletely? How could she reim her position in the Mallory family and regain control over everything? More importantly, how could she guarantee that Pierre became the sole heir of the Mallory family... As these thoughts churned in her mind, a dark, unsettling idea began to take shape. Chapter 3421 There Are Things That Have To Be Done ? Chapter 3421 There Are Things That Have To Be Done Once Percy was dead, everything would belong to Karen and Pierre. That thought alone made Karen stop her outburst. Instead, a twisted smile spread across her face as she stared at him. "Percy, you''re lying to me," Karen murmured under her breath. Her words made Percy pause his work. He looked at her calmly and said, "Aside from that share transfer agreement, I''ve never lied to you about anything. "As your son, I believe I''ve done nothing wrong. If you think I''ve deceived you, that''s just your perception. In reality, I''ve lived up to my role. But you... You''ve used me as an excuse to harm the person I love. Who told you to do it?" Percy only came here for the answers. Was it Old Master Mallory''s tacit approval that gave Karen the confidence to act, or was it Pierre who pushed her to this point? Karen let out a cold sneer, "Harm her? Yes, I won''t deny it. That cheap tramp, Nina, has no right to set foot in the Mallory family! I''ll see to it that she''s dead before that happens, and Old Master Mallory will apud me for it." Percy narrowed his eyes as a dangerous glint shed across them. "Old Master Mallory?" Percy murmured softly, refusing to be led astray by her words. "Yes, Old Master Mallory. Everything I''ve done, he''s known and approved. Besides, even if it didn''t work this time, I''ll make sure it happens next time. I''ll see to it that she''s dead. Percy, since you lied to me, I''ll make sure you never get another chance!" At this point, Karen no longer saw him as her son. He was her enemy-hers and Pierre''s mutual enemy. As long as Percy was alive, she and Pierre would never have peace. The hatred, the killing intent, and the madness in Karen''s eyes intensified as these thoughts consumed her. Percy heaved a sigh. He never wanted topete with his family-his mother or his brother, but they had forced his hand. They had crossed the line by threatening Nina''s life. Hence, there were things that had to be done... With that thought, Percy stood up and walked to the door. Just as he reached it, he stopped and said, "I understand now." His words startled Karen. She instinctively asked, "Understand what?" "That you and Pierre won''t stop until you''ve destroyed my and Nina''s happiness," replied Percy. "What do you mean, me and Pierre?" Panic flickered in Karen''s eyes. Pierre was isted at the moment. His leg was injured, and he had little power to defend himself. If Percy turned his focus on him, Pierre would not stand a chance. Karen''s maternal instincts red, and she quickly tried to shoulder all the me. "This has nothing to do with him! It''s me! I''m the one behind everything!" "You mentioned Old Master Mallory, but I know this was orchestrated by you and Pierre. Since neither of you will let Nina and me live in peace, then..." Percy paused for a moment. Karen felt a chill crawl up her spine, a sense of foreboding gripping her. "... Why not have him join you here?" questioned Percy. He was truly tired of this endless infighting within the family. The children of Daryl''s mistress had not even returned to join the fray, and here he was already locked in a feud with his own brother, Pierre. Honestly, it was almostughable. "You wouldn''t dare!" shrieked Karen. Fear crept up from the depths of her heart as she realized he truly had the ability to follow through. If Percy could send her to a mental hospital, he could just as easilye up with a reason to send Pierre here too. If both of them were locked away, everything would be over! "Percy, if you dare do anything to your brother, I will never forgive you!" Karen''s voice was shrill, sharp enough to pierce his eardrums. Percy turned back with an indifferent look. "Now, you''re afraid?" Karen opened her mouth, wanting to deny it, but she swallowed her words, worried she might provoke him further. "But it''s toote," added Percy. His eyes narrowed in disgust as he continued, "Do you know when it became toote? The moment you brought all those toys that used to belong to Pierre to Nina. That was when everything changed." Perhaps it was the danger Nina faced that had pushed him over the edge or maybe it was those toys... Those toys made Percy realize that Karen''s so-called care for him was nothing but a facade. Back when his future looked bright and he was destined to inherit the Mallory family legacy, she had to be kind to him. It was because as long as her son became the heir, she would reap the benefits. Even though she did not like him, she pretended to care. When interests took precedence, maintaining genuine emotions naturally became impossible. Karen had poured all her maternal love into Pierre, leaving Percy in the cold. The fallout between them was inevitable. "Those were your toys!" Karen''s guilt shed in her eyes. "They were bought under the pretense of being mine. But they were always given to Pierre. I never touched them. Whenever I wanted to y, you''d tell me that a future heir of the Mallory family shouldn''t waste time on toys. You told me to read, to study, to train, and to prepare myself. "While Pierre yed with my toys, I was out with Grandpa learning how to run thepany. While you took Pierre amusement parks, bought him treats, and let him enjoy life, I was buried in studies and extracurricr sses, trying to stay at the top of my game. "You supposedly bought those toys for me, but did I ever touch them? Did they have my name engraved on them?" Karen did not back down. Instead, she tried to justify her actions. "I did it all for you-" "For my own good. I know." Percy nodded. He had not intended to open old wounds like this, but now that it was out in the open, he decided that it was time to end it all. "If it weren''t for how tough you were on me, I wouldn''t have gotten this far. I''ve been putting up with you and even brought you here so that you wouldn''t cause trouble in front of Grandpa and lose your title as Madam Mallory. "But hurting Nina? That''s something I can''t stand. If you''re really gonna listen to Pierre and go after her, then you''re gonna be stuck here for the rest of your life. And I''ll send him in to keep youpany. If he doesn''t want that, well, he''ll end up somewhere else." "What do you mean, other ces? He''s your brother! What are you nning to do to him?" Karen panicked. She scrambled for her phone, but this time the hospital staff had confiscated it. They did not want her making any outside contact to n another escape. She could not find her phone, and as she thought about keeping Percy here, a dark thought crossed her mind-she wanted to kill him! However, the entire hospital ward had no tools for murder! As Karen watched Pierre leave from behind, she threw the pillow at the door. "I won''t let you get away with this! If you darey a finger on my son, I''ll never let you off!" Her voice echoed through the ward, growing faint as the door clicked shut behind Percy. He could still hear her faint muttering through the door. Her son? Never let him off? He was never truly her son in Karen''s heart. Perhaps once, long ago, she did. Now... Percy let out a coldugh. Any shred of motherly affection they might have had was long gone. "Mr. Mallory, are you alright?" asked the nurse after making sure the door was securely locked. "I''m fine," Percy replied calmly. Karen had no suitable weapon on her now, so harming him was out of the question. He had long grown used to her verbal attacks, impervious to her words. They no longer had the power to affect him. The nurse let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, right. Madam Mallory''s attending physician would like to speak with you about her treatment n." Chapter 3422 Cant Go In Without His Permission ? Chapter 3422 Can''t Go In Without His Permission "Alright." Percy turned and walked toward the physician''s office. When he stepped out of the psychiatric hospital again, his gaze fell on a ck car parked by the side of the road. It was a special vehicle for the disabled. Apart from the hospital''s own vehicles, no other cars were allowed inside the psychiatric hospital''s grounds. This was to prevent patients from using vehicles to escape or harm others. Therefore, cars visiting family members were generally parked along the road on either side of the hospital. Hence, seeing a car parked by the side of the road was perfectly normal. Percy smirked slightly and stared at the car for a while before getting into his own car and leaving. Inside the ck car, the driver let out a long sigh of relief. "Mr. Pierre, we almost got spotted by Mr. Percy just now," said the driver after watching Percy get into the car and drive away. Percy''s eyes darkened. "What''s the big deal? Even if he finds out, so what? I''m here visiting my mom. I''m not doing anything bad. Even if he catches me, what''s he gonna do? Look at you, all scared. Just push me out of the car." "Yes, sir!" the driver replied immediately. Earlier, he had noticed from the rear-view mirror that Pierre looked tense. Now that Percy had left, he was acting like he was not scared at all. His stubbornness was almost scary. The driver got out of the car and pushed Percy out from the back. Once Percy was out of the car, he watched the direction Percy had left in. His eyes were filled with cold malice. They were both from the Mallory family. Percy drove around in a luxury car, admired by everyone, living a life of glory. As for him, he could only sit in a special disabled vehicle, one that cost less than a fraction of Percy''s car. He had be the sinner of the Mallory family because of his failed business. No one wanted to associate with him. In fact, people thought that just by being friendly with him, bad luck would fall upon them. Hence, thepany''s old shareholders kept their distance from him like he was poison. It was just one failure, yet they treated him like this at every turn! Pierre thought that Percy was to me for all of this. It had to be because Percy had said something to those old men, otherwise they would not be treating him this way! Percy clenched his fists at the thought of this. One day, he would make Percy and the others pay! He instructed the driver, "Take me over there." "Yes." The driver nodded. After learning that Pierre had gone to the mental hospital, Percy had waited for over an hour and had not heard that he hade out. That was why he had decided toe here. He wanted to find out exactly what Pierre had done to Karen. Percy had done everything in a perfectly reasonable way to get Karenmitted. To the point where Pierre could not find anything to use against the other person. Now, Pierre felt he had the chance to get a hold of something that could expose Percy, and he was not going to miss it. The driver pushed Percy to the entrance of the psychiatric hospital. The security guard stopped them and asked, "Are you here to be admitted?" Clearly, he mistook Pierre for someone checking in as a patient. In an instant, Pierre''s expression darkened. The driver realized the security guard had misspoken. He immediately gave him a kick and angrily shouted, "What nonsense are you talking about?! Have you ever seen someone as normal as himing to be admitted? We''re here to visit a patient!" The security guard realized his mistake, rubbed his nose, and replied, "Visitors need to register and provide the patient''s information." Since the patients in this psychiatric hospital were all from influential families and the staff managed them ording to the families'' wishes, the registration process was very strict. "Karen Ruiz," said Pierre. "And the ID number?" asked the guard. "I don''t remember." Pierre frowned. Who would remember something like that? The guard gave him a suspicious look. "Who are you to the patient?" "I''m her son," answered Pierre. The guard was even more puzzled. "How can a son not remember his mother''s ID number? This is really something." It was not that sons were expected to know their mother''s ID number by heart, but patients in the mental hospital had serious mental conditions, which led them to be admitted. As a family member, one should know all the patient''s information to avoid being caught off guard in an emergency. The driver noticed that Percy''s face had grown even darker and impatiently said, "Who said a son must remember his mother''s ID number? Can you remember your mother''s?" "Of course, I can!" retorted the guard. However, he did not want to continue that topic. He asked again, "What''s your mother''s patient number?" Pierre looked at the driver. The driver looked at the security guard. The security guard stared at them both. "You''ve got to be kidding me. Are you really her son? You don''t remember her ID number, and you don''t even know her patient number?" The guard typed the name into theputer, but it only came up with the surname Ruiz. However, he still needed to verify the details. "Get your director out here!" Pierre was really losing patience. He was afraid he might end up punching the security guard. Even though his leg was injured, he was notpletely crippled! "Our director''s too busy to handle these low-level issues. If you don''t give me the patient''s number, I can''t let you in," the security guard said firmly. "Call the director." Pierre could not be bothered to argue with someone like this. "Yes, sir." The driver quickly dialed the director''s number. The director quickly made his way out when he heard that Percy had arrived. When he arrived, he nced at the photo that Percy had provided. After he saw Pierre, he confirmed his identity. With a smile, the director asked, "Mr. Pierre, what brings you here today?" "I''m here to visit my mother, Madam Mallory, Karen Ruiz." Pierre''s expression was dark. It looked like a storm was brewing on his face. When had he ever been stopped like this? Only a lowly security guard would have the nerve to act so boldly. "You''re here to visit Madam Mallory..." The director put on a look of sudden realization." I''m sorry, but Madam Mallory''s condition isn''t suitable for visitors right now. How about youe back another day?" "What do you mean?" Percy frowned deeply as he looked up at the director. His leg was useless, so he could only look up at others like this. It always frustrated him. He felt that looking at people this way did not have any real power to intimidate or threaten them. "I mean exactly what I said. Madam Mallory''s condition is very poor right now, and it''s not suitable for visits. Furthermore, Mr. Percy, your brother, specifically asked that no one visit her at this time, so she can rest and recover. Once her mental state improves, we can arrange for a visitation," the director ryed Percy''s wishes. Percy was the one who paid for Karen''s hospitalization. He had brought her in, so all the arrangements were made ording to his wishes. "So, what you''re saying is, I can''t go in without his permission?" Pierre asked in a dark tone. "I''m Karen''s son, and I''m not allowed?" "We''re following the hospital''s rules as well as the wishes of the primary contact of the patient." The director was still smiling. "Following hospital rules, huh?" Pierre snorted coldly. "I suspect you''re fabricating false medical records and colluding with Percy to keep her locked up in here. I''m calling the police!" Chapter 3423 Look Even More Like Luke ? Chapter 3423 Look Even More Like Luke The director let Pierre stir up trouble, calmly watching as the chaos unfolded until it got so out of hand that the police showed up. The police checked Karen''s medical records, confirmed that her mental state was problematic, and then reviewed the hospital''s policies. They verified that the person who admitted Karen was an immediate family member. Later, they told Pierre that this was a family matter they needed to resolve themselves as the hospital had not done anything wrong. Then, the police left. Pierre had no choice but to leave as well. While themotion unfolded at the hospital, things were not exactly peaceful on the Crawford family''s side either. Allison had been staying at Luke''s vi. However, Luke had not been home for several days. She tried asking Jason for information, but he just told her that Luke was away on ast-minute business trip abroad. At first, Allison believed him. After all, T Corporation had projects all over the world. However, after waiting for over a month with no sign of him, she grew suspicious. What kind of business tripsted over a month? Luke was not just an employee. He was the leader of thepany! That was when Allison started to doubt the story. She suspected that Luke had not gone on a business trip at all but was deliberately avoiding her and had moved somewhere else. Nevertheless, she had no way to prove it since she could not leave the vi during the day. As for Sophian, there was no way she could trust her to investigate Luke''s whereabouts. Through her interactions with Sophian, Allison hade to realize that aside from being good at beauty treatments, she was clueless about everything else. Cooking? Cleaning? Forget it. She could barely handle those basics. Now, the vi still looked somewhat presentable, but behind the scenes, it was a mess. It was far worse than when Allison first moved in. If Sophian could not even handle housework, how could Allison expect her to go to T Corporation and find out where Luke was staying? Sophian was simply that kind of person-low-level. Asking her to handle anything beyond her ability would only lead to embarrassment or even backfire. Frustrated and out of options, Allison decided to wait until nightfall to visit Crawford Manor to see if Luke had taken Luca back there. She brought Sophian along. When the car arrived at Crawford Manor''s parking lot, Allison put on a scarf, hat, sunsses, and mask before stepping out. Sophian followed her, and as soon as she saw the grand building in front of them, she could not help but exim, "Wow, this ce is so luxurious!" A trace of disdain shed across Allison''s eyes. She was growing more and more annoyed by Sophian''sck of sophistication. This kind of person was not presentable at all, and bringing her anywhere was downright embarrassing. Even though she was easy to manipte, the thought of making her Luke''spanion was simply out of the question. She was far from presentable. "What did I tell you before?" Allison reminded her sharply. Sophian btedly realized she had once again shown the narrow-mindedness Allison often criticized her for. She forced an awkward smile and said in an ingratiating tone, "I''ll pay attention, Madam Allison." "If you want to be my son''spanion, you must have a broader perspective. If just this ce alone leaves you in awe, how are you going to handle apanying him to high- end events in the future? You''ll only embarrass my son and the Crawford family," lectured Allison. Ever since Luke left the vi, Luca had not returned either. Allison, still clinging to her role as the Crawford family''s matriarch, directed all her authority toward Sophian instead. Fortunately, Sophian tolerated her condescension and obediently epted her guidance. "Yes, I understand." As Sophian listened to Allison''s grand vision, she began to let her imagination run wild. Sophian pictured herself dressed in custom-made designer gowns, with wless makeup and dazzling jewelry, gracefully holding Luke''s arm at high-society events. She imagined mingling with the elite, exchanging witty remarks, and charming everyone with her poise. Her fantasy extended even further to marrying Luke, giving him a son and daughter, and growing old together. She imagined herself bing the respected and envied Mrs. Crawford... The thought of it all made Sophian''s heart race with excitement. Without realizing it, she straightened her back, trying to mimic the elegant posture of someone from the upper ss. Lately, she had been imitating Allison''s walking style, gestures, and demeanor, as Allison was the only member of high society she had any ess to. Allison looked at her and smirked with a trace of mockery in her eyes. How gullible she was. Just a couple of casual words, and she believed them entirely. It was rare to see someone so gullible these days. Allison found Sophian''s fantasiesughable, but she did not let it show. Some people had to be ttered and coaxed if she wanted them to serve her well. Allison understood this perfectly, so even if she found Sophian''s actions ridiculous, she did not say a word. She kept her mockery to herself. With that, Allison stepped into Crawford Manor''s living room. Instead of seeing Old Master Crawford, she came across her three grandchildren. A small smile appeared on Allison''s face. "Lanie, Rainie, Tommy." The three kids were engrossed in their books and had not noticed anyone entering. They froze for a moment when they heard Allison''s voice. Then, they turned toward the doorway. It was Allison, with Sophian following behind her. When Rainie first heard Allison''s voice, she felt a wave of nervousness, but seeing her bundled up so thoroughly brought a sense of relief. As long as she could not see her face, she would not feel afraid. "Grandma," the three children greeted her in unison. A trace of warmth flickered in Allison''s heart when she saw them. Although she disliked their mother, she could not deny that these three kids all bore some resemnce to Luke. Especially Lanie. His face was practically a carbon copy of Luke''s. Moreover, the three kids had clearly inherited Luke''s excellent genes, making them stand out among their peers in the Crawford family. Not only were they exceptional among the Old Master Crawford''s side of the family, but evenpared to the other rtives'' children, these three were undeniably the best. Allison admired outstanding children. They gave her a sense of pride and added to her vanity. She approached the children and asked, "What are you all up to? Reading? What books are you reading?" As she spoke, she sat down beside them. Rainie was stunned for a moment. Among the three of them, she was the one who feared Allison the most. Seeing Allison about to remove her scarf, Rainie''s body stiffened, and she quickly said, "I''ve finished my book. I''ll go upstairs and grab a new one." Tommy, though not as afraid as Rainie, was still uneasy about seeing his grandmother''s face. Worried he might get so scared that he would start shaking, he added, "Wait for me, Rainie! I''ll go too. This book isn''t very interesting!" As Allison watched the two kids leave one after the other, she paused for a moment, realizing her appearance might frighten them. Her hand stopped mid-motion as she was about to remove her mask. She turned her gaze to Lanie. Unlike his siblings, Lanie was not afraid of Allison. Even though her face was disfigured and frightening, his personality, much like Luke''s, wasposed and fearless. Lanie said calmly, "Grandma, if you''re feeling hot, go ahead and take off your scarf." Allison gave an awkward smile. After hesitating for a moment, she removed the scarf and handed it to Sophian. Sophian, meanwhile, could not help but stare at Lanie in a daze. She had not seen the child in months, and he looked even more like Luke now. She wondered if Luke doted on him. Still, it did not matter. Once she and Luke were together, she was sure she would have kids who were even smarter and more exceptional than Lanie! Chapter 3424 Slip In A Bit Of Praise For Herself Too ? Chapter 3424 Slip In A Bit Of Praise For Herself Too "What are you spacing out for?" Allison waited a few seconds, but when she saw that Sophian still had not taken the scarf, she turned to look at her, only to find her staring nkly at Lanie. She was clearly displeased. Of course, she knew Lanie looked like Luke, but did she really have to stare at him like that? Sophian came back to her senses and quickly took the scarf, fumbling to exin, "I just think Young Master nche looks a lot like Mr. Crawford." Allison rolled her eyes. "Well, duh. They''re father and son. How could they not look alike?" Sophian let out an awkward chuckle and said nothing more. Turning back, Allison softened her expression as she looked at Lanie. "Lanie, dear, tell me¡ª what are you reading?" Lanie held up his book and replied, "Grandma, I''m reading a medical book." Allison froze for a moment. A medical book? A bad feeling crept up on her. "Why are you reading medical books?" "I think they''re interesting," answered Lanie, a little confused by her reaction. Why could he not read medical books? It was just reading. Besides, his father never said anything about it. Allison frowned and pondered for a moment before asking, "How did you do on your final exams this semester?" "Rainie, Tommy, and I all got perfect scores," answered Lanie. "Perfect scores?" Allison''s face lit up with a broad smile. However, Sophian, who was beside them, waspletely stunned. "Perfect scores? That''s amazing!" Allison rolled her eyes at her. "Why are you making such a big deal out of it?" Sophian awkwardly exined, "No, I just think Young Master nche is really impressive. I have a nephew who''s the same age as him, but he only got around 90 this semester." Allison was beaming with pride and reached out to pat Lanie''s head. However, he dodged before she could touch him. Allison paused for a moment, then brushed it off. She knew Lanie took after Luke. They both disliked physical affection. "My grandkids have excellent genes. How can youpare them to other kids? Just look at Luke. His intelligencees from me. He''s always been great at academics." While showering the child withpliments, she made sure to slip in a bit of praise for herself too. Lanie was rendered speechless. He had no idea how Allison did in school. That was way too long ago to verify. However, if she really was as smart as she imed, then why had she been deceived so easily? Now that she had made aplete mess of herself, she looked neither human nor ghost. Was that what she called being smart? Lanie was not the only one skeptical. Sophian had her doubts too. If Allison was so capable, then why did she need an interpreter when she went to Seoul? In her generation, a proper upbringing in a prestigious family would have included learning othernguages. Allison could not even get a few simple words right. Was this what she called being educated? Sophian kept her thoughts to herself, not daring to voice them. She kept her gaze fixed on Lanie. Lanie could feel her gaze, and it made him ufortable. Still, he endured it. He knew this woman had feelings for his father, which was why she kept staring at him like that. As for Allison''s constant praise, he had long since be numb to it. After all, everyone he met always had something nice to say about him. Whether they were sincere or just pretending, he could not be bothered to tell the difference. ording to his father, there was no need to overthink it. As long as he knew he was good, that was enough. With that thought in mind, Lanie asked, "Grandma, did youe here for something?" Allison had originally wanted to ask about Luke. However, she remembered that the kids had been living with him all this time. Of course, they would cover for him. Therefore, she replied, "I''m waiting for your dad toe home." Lanie looked confused. "But Daddy isn''t in A City." "He''s not in A City? That''s impossible!" Allison thought the child was lying, and she was not happy about it. Still, she kept her expression kind. "Lanie, good kids don''t lie. How could your father not be in A City? I heard he''s been back from his business trip for a while now. That''s why I came looking for him." "Grandma, who told you that? They must have lied to you. Daddy''s not in A City. You won''t find him here." Lanie shook his head. His big, dark eyes practically screamed that he was not lying. Allison frowned. She doubted that Lanie was lying. Kids were not good at hiding things, and if he were making it up, she would have noticed. If he was not lying, then there was only one possibility. Luke had tricked even his own kids just so he could spend time alone with Luca. Perhaps he had even fooled Old Master Crawford. Allison chuckled and habitually reached out to pat Lanie''s head. However, remembering how much he disliked it, she quickly turned the motion into a casual scratch on her neck. "So, do you know where your father went on his business trip?" Allison asked offhandedly. "He went abroad," Lanie answered without hesitation. He knew exactly where his parents had gone. They had all agreed on their story. If anyone asked, he would tell them that their father was on an overseas business trip. "Abroad? For this long?" Allison was getting anxious. She quickly followed up, "Then do you know where his girlfriend went?" Lanie immediately shook his head to show that he had no idea about it. ¡°Grandma, we don''t know." "Why not?" Allison pressed. "Thatdy only acts nice to us when Daddy is around. When he''s not there, she doesn''t treat us well, so we don''t know much about her," Lanie said while silently apologizing to Luca in his heart. ''Mommy, I didn''t mean it.'' If Allison was not pushing so hard, he would not have had to lie. Since Lanie knew he had to lie, he might as well tell one that would stop Allison from asking any more questions. At least this way, he would not have to deal with more trouble. "Oh... Is that so?" Allison was genuinely surprised. She had always thought Luca was good to the kids. It turned out that it was all just an act. Then again, she had never actually seen how Luca treated them in private. Hence, she believed what Lanie said. Sophian could not help but feel a surge of excitement when she heard this. If Luca treated Lanie poorly, then Sophian had the perfect opportunity. If she started treating him well, she could raise her standing in the kids'' hearts. With that in mind, she secretly made up her mind to be extra nice to the kids. That way, she could push Luca out of Luke''s life even faster. "Yes!" Lanie knew that Allison was trying to find out where Luca was so that she could figure out where Luke was. He asked, "Grandma, you want to know if we know where thatdy is, right? Honestly, we have no idea. After Daddy left us here, we''ve only had one meal with him and thatdy. He hasn''t been back since." Allison was disappointed, but there was not much she could do. If the kids didn''t know, who else could she ask? "So, none of you know anything..." Allison''s voice carried a hint of frustration. "Yeah, we don''t know. Plus, Daddy went on a business trip, and thatdy doesn''t really like interacting with us. She wouldn''te to see us on her own," added Lanie. Allison''s curiosity piqued when she heard this, and she leaned in, her voice dropping as she asked, "What does your great-grandpa think of this woman?" Chapter 3425 What Business Does Sophian Thinks She Has Here ? Chapter 3425 What Business Does Sophian Thinks She Has Here "Wouldn''t it be better to ask me directly if you want to know about these things?" Old Master Crawford''s voice echoed from the staircase. Allison froze for a moment. Her face turned pale before she quickly turned around and forced a smile. "Father." "What are you doing here?" asked Old Master Crawford as he walked over, leaning on his cane with Mr. Griffin supporting him. "I came to visit you," Allison replied sweetly, stepping forward to help support his arm. Old Master Crawford shook his head, signaling her to stop. "Let Mr. Griffin handle that." Left with no choice, Allison could only follow beside him, still wearing her forced smile. Mr. Griffin helped Old Master Crawford settle onto the couch. His sharp gaze flicked between Allison and Sophian. He had already heard from Luke that this woman had returned with Allison, and now, seeing her in person... Old Master Crawford studied Sophian carefully. They said a person''s face reflected their inner self, and he had taken a keen interest in such things since retiring. To him, Sophian''s face had changed, and not for the better. Even as an old man, he could not help but dislike the look of her. Her demeanor and appearance screamed of someone calcting... While calcting could sometimes describe someone thrifty and practical, in Old Master Crawford''s eyes, Sophian''s calction was pure scheming. Having spent decades reading people, he trusted his instincts. His instincts told him she was not someone he could like. Under Old Master Crawford''s sharp gaze, Sophian straightened her posture as much as she could. She knew the old master disliked timid and hesitant youngsters. Even though his piercing eyes made her uneasy, she forced herself to maintain a proper stance, hoping not to displease him further. "Lanie." Old Master Crawford suddenly called out. "Yes, Great-Grandpa?" Lanie looked up at him, puzzled. "We need to have a talk. Go upstairs for now," Old Master Crawford said firmly. "Okay, Great-Grandpa." Lanie had been wanting to leave anyway. If it were not for keeping his younger siblingspany, he would not have stayed in the room, letting Allison''s presence interrupt his reading. He quickly headed upstairs. Once Lanie was out of sight, Old Master Crawford''s expression darkened. His voice was stern as he scolded, "If you have something to ask, ask me directly! Why bring it up in front of the children?" Allison flinched at his sudden anger, caught off guard. It was just a simple question. Did he really need to react so harshly? She forced another smile. "Father, I was just curious. I didn''t mean any harm." "Lanie takes after Luke. Even though he''s young, he''s steady and mature for his age. Do you know how it looks when you start asking questions about my opinions of others in front of him? What do you think he''ll make of that?" This was one of the things Old Master Crawford despised most about Allison. If she had a question, she could just ask it directly. Instead, she would involve the kids. She would probe the kids for information and stir unnecessary drama. She had done the same when Luke was young. She was always fishing for information from him. Now that Luke was all grown up and refused to answer her questions, she stooped to interrogating his kids instead? How shameless! Allison felt indignant at his harsh words, but she forced herself to stay calm. "I didn''t mean anything by it. The kids just happened to mention that Luca wasn''t treating them well, so I wanted to ask your opinion about her." Old Master Crawford raised an eyebrow, silently urging her to continue. Taking it as permission, Allison pressed on, "You know, Bianca is still abroad and doesn''t care about the Crawford family anymore. Given the situation, no matter how deep Luke''s feelings for her once were, they''re bound to fade over time. Eventually, he''ll divorce her. "When that happens, what then? He''s still young, and the family needs a properdy. I was just wondering about your opinion on Luca. "She''s not treating the kids right, and if you''re not happy with her either, maybe we should start looking for someone new for Luke." "Someone new?" Old Master Crawford''s lips curled in what could only be described as a sarcastic smile, as though Allison had just told a ridiculous joke. At the same time, he could not help but heave a sigh. Allison only managed to get into the Crawford family by seducing Zachary. Now? Did she think she could make Luke follow in Zachary''s footsteps? "You know what I mean. Luke is still young, and there are three kids to consider. A home needs ady. You''ve retired, Father, and while you have the time to help with the kids now, you can''t be expected to do it forever. "I''m just thinking it''d be better to find someone suitable now. Let her build a rtionship with Luke, and when the timees for him to divorce Bianca, they can get married right away. Someone like that could also take good care of the kids. Isn''t that a good n?" exined Allison. Sophian, standing nearby, nodded enthusiastically as though Allison''s words made perfect sense. At the same time, she could not help but think that Allison was hinting at her as the perfect candidate. Sophian unconsciously took a step forward. Old Master Crawford caught the small movement and almostughed out loud. He replied to Allison, "Luke''s wife will always be Bianca. I''ll never allow any other woman to enter the Crawford family''s genealogy. As for Luca, I think quite highly of her. Anything else you''d like to ask?" Luca''s true identity was Bianca. Old Master Crawford felt there was nothing wrong with what he said. Once the younger generation resolved their issues, Luca could reim her rightful identity and return to being Bianca. Sophian''s mouth fell open slightly. What did the old master mean? Did he n to let Bianca remain as Luke''s legal wife forever while having someone else run the household? She looked at Allison for answers. Allison seemed to be nothing more than Luke''s father''s mistress, who became the second wife of the Crawford family after having Luke. Even though this kind of rtionship was not legally recognized, nor protected byw, and even crossed moral boundaries. Allison still seemed to be livingfortably. Even though Sophian wanted to marry Luke and be Mrs. Crawford, she could ept the idea of this situation if things did not work out. Allison, however, felt an immediate pang of disbelief. "Father, are you saying that Luke won''t divorce Bianca but will still keep Luca as his woman?" "If that''s how you want to interpret it, then yes." Old Master Crawford nodded firmly, entirely confident in his stance. After all, Luca''s true identity was Bianca. Luke was not cheating, nor was he being unfaithful. There was no infidelity or betrayal even during Bianca''s three years of absence. When a fake Bianca had been nted beside Luke, Luke had notid a finger on the imposter. That loyalty was something Old Master Crawford admired deeply. The sense of fate between Luke and Bianca was truly remarkable, making one believe that soulmates do exist. Two souls irresistibly drawn to each other, perfectly aligned. Allison was shocked. "But she treats the kids badly!" "No one''s perfect," Old Master Crawford replied calmly, already guessing that this usation came from Lanie. That boy was clever, deliberately saying this to divert Allison from probing into Luca''s whereabouts. Allison''s expression shifted, a mix of frustration and confusion. "But still, you can''t keep looking after the kids like this forever!" Old Master Crawford stared at her in disbelief. Was she truly this clueless, or was she just pretending? The kids were not here at Crawford manor because Luke was away on business, nor because Luca was unkind to them. It was because Allison looked too frightening and might scare the children. That was why they had been sent to Crawford manor for a while. At this point, Sophian could not hold back anymore. Despite the kids'' indifference toward Luca, both Luke and Old Master Crawford clearly favored her. She knew she had to act. If she did not fight for her ce now, Old Master Crawford''s support wouldpletely tilt toward Luca. With that thought, Sophian stepped forward and said, "Old Master Crawford, I''d like to say something." Old Master Crawford frowned with disgust. What business did Sophian think she had here? Chapter 3426 Let Bianca Come Back To Take Care Of The Kids ? Chapter 3426 Let Bianca Come Back To Take Care Of The Kids Allison caught the disapproval in Old Master Crawford''s gaze and could not help but snap at Sophian, "What are you talking about? What does this have to do with you?" Sophian met her gaze and suddenly realized that the best thing to do now was to stay quiet and lower her presence. In an instant, she regretted her impulsive words. She was so eager to leave a good impression on Old Master Crawford, but instead, she had made things worse. Now, all she could do was apologize. She pressed her lips together and bowed sincerely to Old Master Crawford, saying, "Sorry, Old Master Crawford, I couldn''t hold back" Old Master Crawford, with his strong mental fortitude, did not get angry at the gesture. "You really..." Allison was speechless. What was she even doing? Why was everything Sophian did soughable?! She turned to Old Master Crawford and said, "Father, this woman hasn''t seen much of the world. Please don''t me her." Old Master Crawford ignored Allison''sment and stared at Sophian before asking, "What were you going to say?" Sophian, initially surprised, then felt a surge of joy. "Old Master Crawford, you want me to speak?" Just as Allison was about to scold her, Old Master Crawford replied, "Yes. What''s on your mind?" Sophian cleared her throat. Her voice trembled with excitement as she said, "I believe the role of a mother is crucial to a child''s growth. The three kids may seem fine at the moment, but as time passes, they''ll surely long for a mother''s love. I think the kids still need aplete family. "Besides, it''s not good to keep bothering you with the kids. You''ve worked hard all your life, and you should enjoy your retirement. You shouldn''t have to worry about the kids all the time. Don''t you think I''m right?" Allison ced her hand over her forehead. What nonsense was Sophian even saying? The old master told her to speak, and she actually did! She had no sense of timing at all! Old Master Crawford''s smile faded as he nodded. "Yes, what you said makes sense." Sophian was even more thrilled, taking a small step forward, eager to rmend herself for the role of the kids'' guardian. Just then, Old Master Crawford murmured, "It''s about time Bianca''s study abroad is over. After all this time, it''s time for her toe back and take on the responsibility of raising the kids." Allison was stunned. Have Biancae back. Remembering all her past conflicts with Bianca, Allison would definitely oppose it!! Bianca was a real pain. She had taken her son and her ce in the Crawford family. If she returned now, who knew what trouble she would cause? Allison heard that Bianca was previously sold to somece, and her mental state deteriorated after being kidnapped. Having her live with a mentally unstable daughter-inw? It would be better if they just killed her! "Father, I don''t think that''s a good idea," Allison said to Old Master Crawford, ring at Sophian at the same time. Even though Sophian could not feel her piercing re behind the sunsses, she shivered. She had no idea that her words would make Old Master Crawford seriously consider bringing Bianca, the original wife, back into the family! Had she known this would happen, Sophian would not have said a word. "What''s so bad about it? I think what Ms. Thomas said makes sense. The kids really need their biological mother''s care. Otherwise, when something happens, nannies definitely won''t take proper care of them. "Neither I nor Luke can do it with the same attention to detail. We''re both men. So, Mr. Griffin, when it''s daytime on that side, please talk to Bianca about this matter," Old Master Crawford said in a serious tone. Mr. Griffin did not know that Bianca and Luca were the same person, but he still went along with Old Master Crawford''s n. "Understood, Old Master Crawford. I''ll contact her when it''s daylight over there." Allison asked with surprise, "Didn''t you say we can''t get in touch with Bianca anymore? How can you still contact her?" "Those who can''t contact her are the others. Who am I?" Old Master Crawford raised the cup next to him and handed it to Mr. Griffin. Mr. Griffin immediately understood and began to prepare the tea. Allison hated Sophian even more after seeing how determined Old Master Crawford was to bring Bianca back. Bianca''s absence had been a good thing. If Bianca came back, with one Bianca on the left and one Luca on the right, Allison would have even less of a ce in Luke''s heart than she already did. "Father, but Bianca''s not right in the head right now. I''m worried she might harm the kids, just like how Susan was harsh on the kids. It made Thea need therapy at such a young age. Luke''s kids can''t go through that." Allison tried to argue from a different angle. Old Master Crawford took a sip of tea and replied calmly, "You''re wrong here. Bianca lost her memories, which is why she''s like this. In the end, she''s still the kids'' mother. How could she harm them? Don''t overthink it. This matter is decided." "Father..." Allison''s hatred for Sophian deepened. If it were not for her, Old Master Crawford would not have even considered bringing Bianca back. "Alright, it''s decided. There''s no point in discussing it further." Old Master Crawford lifted the cup that Mr. Griffin filled with tea and took a sip. "I could take care of the kids for Luke. Just let Bianca stay abroad a bit longer and rx. Maybe she''ll regain her memories soon." Allison still tried to argue. She hated the Rayne family, and even more so, she hated Jack and Queenie. Bianca was not just a Rayne. She was their daughter! Every time Allison saw Bianca, it reminded her of her painful past. She had barely escaped that past, so how could she let ite up now? Old Master Crawford mmed the lid of the cup down with force when he heard that. The sharp sound echoed in the room, causing both Allison and Sophian to flinch. Sophian took a small step back, afraid that Old Master Crawford''s actions would identally hit her. She thought the small movement would go unnoticed, but both Old Master Crawford and Mr. Griffin saw it clearly. Old Master Crawford''s eyes turned sharp. The patience he had shown while dealing with Allison seemed to have reached its limit. "Do you really not know why the kids are at Crawford Manor?" asked Old Master Crawford. Allison froze for a moment before answering, "Isn''t it because that woman, Luca, doesn''t like the three children? She''s been whispering things to Luke, and that''s why he sent them back to Crawford Manor." As she spoke, Allison felt like she needed to say more, so she took a shot at Luca again. "Father, I''m not trying to throw shade, but Luca''s a mess. The three kids are the heart and soul of the Crawford family. Yet she''s two-faced, acting all sweet in front of others but treating the kids like garbage. That''s just gonna mess with their mindsets. "You gotta get Luke to kick her to the curb and bring in a woman who actually cares about the kids." Old Master Crawford was so amused by Allison''s words that he mmed the cup down on the table. Fortunately, he had seen many storms in his time, especially with the constant power struggles between women after Zachary and Allison got together. After more than 30 years, he had be numb to it. Otherwise, he would have been so enraged by Allison''s words that he might have had a stroke. Chapter 3427 Pay More Attention To His Issues ? Chapter 3427 Pay More Attention To His Issues "It looks like you''repletely clueless," scoffed Old Master Crawford. "If it weren''t for your return, do you really think Luke would''ve sent the kids to Crawford Manor?" Allison was not convinced and was about to argue that it was not because of her. However, before she could speak, Old Master Crawford cut her off with a blunt remark that left her speechless. "Have you looked in the mirror? With the way you look right now, just walking around at night would be enough to scare the kids. And you still think you can help take care of them? If my precious great-grandchildren see you like this, they''ll have nightmares. If it weren''t for the kids'' well-being, Luke wouldn''t have sent them here in the first ce." Allison felt a deep sense of humiliation. Being criticized like this in front of Sophian and Mr. Griffin, she felt as if her dignity had beenpletely shattered. Yet the worst part was that Old Master Crawford was absolutely right. Her face really was terrifying. "I can wear a mask and a hat. I won''t scare the kids that way," insisted Allison. She was eager to fulfill her role as a grandmother. Still, it was not out of sudden love for the kids. She just wanted to use them as a way to get on Luke''s good side. "Forget it. Doesn''t your face need to breathe or something? Don''t overthink it. It''s gettingte, so if there''s nothing else, you should head back." Old Master Crawford waved her off. "Father!" Allison was in disbelief. "I rarelye by, and I wanted to have dinner with you!" Sophian''s cooking skills were mediocre at best, and Allison had not had a decent meal in a long time. She hade to pry into Luke''s whereabouts and figured she might as well get a meal out of it. "Crawford Manor serves dinner early. We''ve already eaten," replied Old Master Crawford as he took a leisurely sip of his tea. He was quietly relieved. Good thing they had dinner early. Otherwise, having to eat while looking at Allison''s face would havepletely ruined his appetite. It was not that he was judging her by her looks, but Allison''s face was genuinely unsettling. On top of that, her personality was awful. Hence, there really was not a single redeeming quality about her. As Old Master Crawford pondered, he realized there was one thing she was notpletelycking. At the very least, she had given birth to Luke, an outstanding heir. That was, without a doubt, her only contribution to the Crawford family. "This early?" Allison nced at her watch. It was only 7:20 pm. "Madam Allison, unless there are special circumstances, dinner at Crawford Manor always starts at 6:30 pm, answered Mr. Griffin. He shook his head at the same time. This schedule had been the same for ten years. It never changed unless absolutely necessary. Allison had been the Crawford family''s daughter-inw for so many years, but she had gone through some unpleasant moments and had not spent much time at Crawford Manor. Even so, she should not have forgotten the schedule. Allison pressed her lips together. The sun had been too harsh earlier, and she did not want to go out in broad daylight... "Never mind, Dad. I actually came here for something else." After all that back-and-forth, Allison finally got to the point. "It''s about Luke. Do you know where he went on his business trip? He hasn''t been back for a while." "He''s overseas," replied Old Master Crawford. "Which country? And why has he been gone for so long?" Allison pressed for details. "I only know he''s on a business trip abroad. As for where exactly and what he''s handling, I''m not sure. But you don''t need to worry. Luke is an adult. He can take care of himself. You, on the other hand, should stay home and behave. Try not to cause any trouble," replied Old Master Crawford. Allison was unconvinced. Since she was wearing a mask, she simply pursed her lips and said, "I''m not causing any trouble. Isn''t it normal for a mother to care about where her son is? "Besides, Luke has beenpletely bewitched by that woman. He doesn''t even think about me anymore. He never tells me anything, and he won''t even answer my calls. I had no choice but toe ask you." Old Master Crawford shot her a sharp nce. "If he''s ignoring you, he has his reasons. Stop ming everyone else and take a good look at yourself instead! Maybe if you spent less time pointing fingers and more time reflecting, things would be different. "Plus, Luke''s work is important. Instead of bothering him all the time, why don''t you let him focus?" "Alright, alright, I won''t ask anymore, alright? Besides, you really should start paying more attention to Lanie. Luke is so busy, and since he''s staying here, you need to take his issues seriously." Allison felt a dryness in her throat and turned to look at Mr. Griffin. "I''ve been sitting here for so long. Why haven''t you offered me any drinks yet?" Mr. Griffin was startled for a moment. To be fair, he hadpletely overlooked Allison. When he served Old Master Crawford tea, it had not even urred to him to bring her anything. "My apologies, Madam Allison. I''ll get it right away. What would you like to drink?" "A ss of juice-freshly squeezed." Allison knew that all the fruits in Crawford Manor were high-quality imports. They were always fresh and juicy, and the freshly squeezed juice here was good. "Of course, Madam Allison. Please wait a moment." Mr. Griffin headed to the kitchen. Sophian wanted to say she would like some too. However, she did not even have the right to sit on this couch now. How could she possibly ask for a ss of juice? The thought made her feel dejected, so she stayed quiet and listened to the conversation between Old Master Crawford and Allison. Old Master Crawford took a sip of his tea before speaking leisurely, "Lanie is doing just fine. He studies on his own without needing to be pushed. He doesn''t waste time ying games. He just loves reading. He''s physically healthy too. What exactly is the problem?" "There''s a huge problem!" Allison deliberately made it sound serious, hoping to grab his attention. "He was reading medical books!" Old Master Crawford knew that Lanie read all kinds of books on a wide range of topics. "What''s wrong with that?" Allison frowned, frustrated that the old master did not seem concerned at all. "Father, Lanie is supposed to take over the Crawford family''s business one day. He can''t be interested in medicine! What if he decides to be a doctor and abandons the family business? Then what?" Allison tried to reason with him. "He''s still young, but this is the time to guide his interests properly. Some hobbies should be encouraged, but others need to be nipped in the bud. Don''t you agree?" Old Master Crawford chuckled. "He''s just a kid. Let him read whatever he wants. Do you really think you can control that? Besides, learning about medicine isn''t a bad thing. It''ll give him useful knowledge." He genuinely did not see an issue. Even if Lanie did want to go into medicine, there was still Tommy. Plus, Louis might have another child in the future. As long as the Crawford family''s business stayed within the family, it did not really matter who took over. If Lanie did not want to run the business, Luke would just have to hold down the fort for a few more years. Still, at least the next generation hade early, so Luke would not have to wait as long as he had. Old Master Crawford had spent decades working before he could finally retire. In the grand scheme of things, he saw no problem at all. He even thought that if he lived long enough to see Lanie go to university, he would not mind at all if the boy chose to attend medical school. "What? Are you saying you actually support him studying medicine?" Allison panicked. Chapter 3428 Shes Not In A City ? Chapter 3428 She''s Not In A City "As long as what Lanie wants to do isn''t illegal, I''ll support him." Old Master Crawford rose to his feet with the help of his cane after saying that. He had known all along Allison would not havee here for anything important. This conversation was so dull. If it were not for her pestering Lanie with questions, Old Master Crawford would have pretended he did not know she was here and let her do whatever she wanted. The three kids had overheard the whole conversation between their great grandfather and grandmother around the corner of the stairs. Once they sensed that the discussion was wrapping up, Lanie made a hand gesture to his younger siblings. Rainie and Tommy understood the gesture and nodded, following their brother upstairs. Lanie waited until he was sure no one downstairs could hear them before asking, "Why were you two eavesdropping?" "You were listening in, so why couldn''t we?" Tommy grinned. He understood most of what they had talked about. What interested him more was what wasing next. "Lanie, do you want to study medicine?" "No," Lanie quickly denied it. "I just wanted to learn some basic medical knowledge, that''s all. Plus, those children''s books are boring." "Lanie has never liked children''s books. He''s usually either reading business books or medical books. That''s totally normal," added Rainie. She knew exactly what Lanie meant since they were twins and often thought alike. "Oh, I thought from what Grandma said that you really wanted to study medicine!" muttered Tommy. "Adults are soplicated. They never express themselves, so it''s easy to get confused. And that Ms. Thomas, she actually wants to be Daddy''s woman? How shameless!" Lanie and Rainie exchanged nces and saw the surprise in each other''s eyes. Tommy was still so young, yet he could see through the adults'' issues so clearly. "How do you know all this?" asked Lanie. "Is it that hard to figure out? She''s someone who has nothing to do with our family, yet she said stuff like that. Plus, didn''t she try to climb into Dad''s bed during New Year''s? But Dad doesn''t like her at all," mumbled Tommy. "I''m not dumb. I know what''s going on with the adults, but since Dad didn''t show any interest in her, I didn''t say anything. Otherwise, I would''ve gone and told you." Rainie let out a chuckle. "I didn''t know our little Tommy was such a clever one. With you watching, that woman won''t be able to stir up any trouble." "Of course! I''m awesome!" Tommy puffed out his chest proudly, waiting for his brother''s and sister''s praise. "Yeah, you''re really something!" Rainie ruffled Tommy''s hair. "Hey, let''s get on a video call with Dad so that he knows what''s going on here," suggested Tommy. "Okay," Lanie agreed. Even though Old Master Crawford would definitely tell Luke about this after Allison left, they missed him and wanted to use this as an excuse to call him. The call was quickly answered, and Luke''s face appeared in the center of the screen. The three kids excitedly chattered and recounted everything that had happened today. Luke raised an eyebrow as he listened to the kids. He knew Allison would be looking for trouble, and he had already been informed by Jason that she had been actively searching for reasons to confront him. Hence, what the kids said did note as much of a surprise. However, his gaze darkened when he heard about Allison attempting to get Old Master Crawford to force him to break up with Luca and have Sophian rece her. It seemed Allison was getting a little toofortable since she even dared to try something like this. "Oh, by the way, Daddy, how''s everything over there?" Tommy asked again. From the hallway, Allison and Sophian exchanged a nce when they heard the children''s words. Daddy? Without a second thought, Allison walked straight into the bedroom. "Tommy, are you talking to your dad?" asked Allison. She noticed Lanie holding a phone. Without missing a beat, she walked over and snatched it away from him. Tommy''s face turned pale. Luke had not been paying much attention to Allison''s matters, but now, they had taken it upon themselves to contact him, only for Allison to catch them. Luke frowned when he saw Allison''s face appear on the screen. "What''s with that expression? I''m your mother. Why do you look at me like I''m your enemy?" Allison snapped, clearly irritated. "Is there something you need?" Luke''s tone was cold and indifferent. Allison was infuriated by his tone and felt like smashing something just to feel better. "What kind of tone is that?" questioned Allison. A trace of impatience shed in Luke''s eyes, and it was clear he had reached his limit. Allison realized that if she did not speak now, she would never get the chance, so she quickly added, "Where did you go on business? Why haven''t youe home for so long?" Luke responded tly with one word, "I''m busy." The words sounded so indifferent he might as well have said nothing. Allison got even more furious. After enduring the old master''s criticism and now Luke''s coldness, she was ready to lose it! On the other hand, Sophian was utterly smitten. Just hearing Luke''s voice was the best thing that could happen to her. She had been missing him for days. Now that she could hear his voice, she was over the moon. She would be having a sweet dream tonight. "Where''s Luca, then?" Allison knew if she kept arguing with Luke, he would probably hang up. Then, no matter what number she used to call him, he would not answer. "What do you need her for?" Luke only spoke a bit more when it came to Luca. Allison''s tone turned cold. "What else would I want? My skincare products are running low. Of course, I''m asking her for more." Recently, she discovered that Luca''s personal set of skincare products worked better than any high-end brands. Naturally, she had been using them often, which led to faster consumption. Seeing that her bottles were almost empty and Luca had not returned yet, Allison was getting anxious. "She''s not in A City." Luke recalled that Luca had mentioned there were backups in the small fridge in the study, but he did not tell Allison about it. Before leaving A City, Luke locked all the rooms except for the guest bedroom and the maid''s room. He left the keys at the office. He did this to prevent Allison from rummaging through things and causing a mess. Moreover, Allison had a history of theft, so Luke could not trust her at all. "Not in A City? What about my face?" Allison was agitated when she heard this and immediately pulled off her mask. Her face, which was full of wrinkles, was exposed to the air. Rainie had been watching Allison, and she gasped in shock when she suddenly saw Allison''s bare face. Lanie immediately realized what had happened and quickly covered Rainie''s eyes, pulling her hand to lead her out of the room. Allison, seeing this, felt even more embarrassed. Not only did her son reject her, but even her grandchildren were disgusted by her. However, she could not care less about that now. "Tell her to hurry and send me two more bottles to store, or my face will be ruined," added Allison. What she did not know was that the reason her skincare products were running out so quickly was that Sophian had also realized how effective they were, and she would secretly use them whenever Allison was not around. Chapter 3429 Show No Respect To Her ? Chapter 3429 Show No Respect To Her "She''s busy, so use something else. I''ve got stuff to do. I''m hanging up now." Luke did not want to hear her rambling. Allison quickly added, "Wait, there''s one more thing." Luke frowned in annoyance. "I don''t have any money left. Send me some," continued Allison. She was worried he might refuse. "It''s been over a month, and you still haven''t sent me my living expenses." "Don''t worry, Jason will transfer it to you in a bit," replied Luke. It had indeed been a month. However, he had been too busy to remember. "Alright." Allison was about to say more when Sophian called out sweetly, "Mr. Crawford..." Before she could finish her sentence, Luke hung up the phone. Allison stared at Sophian. "What did you say that for?" Sophian was confused. She had only said a word, and the call was already disconnected. Was it her fault? "I just wanted to talk to him..." replied Sophian. "You didn''t have to say anything. I wasn''t done talking yet, and you made him hang up." Allison was furious. She knew that if she tried to call back now, Luke would not answer the call. Even so, she dialed again. As expected, he did not answer. "This is all your fault!" Allison med Sophian. Sophian felt a bit helpless. She did not think she could be med for this. She bit her lip, at a loss for what to do. Allison turned her attention to Tommy. She smiled, trying to make her terrifying face look a little more pleasant." Good boy,e help me give your daddy a video call, or at least send him a voice message saying you still have something to discuss." Tommy''s dark eyes twinkled as he shook his head. "Grandma, I don''t have anything to say to Daddy." "Can''t you just pretend you do?" Allison asked helplessly. "But I really don''t have anything to tell Daddy." Tommy was confused. "Grandma, why do you want me to lie?" Allison was rendered speechless for a moment. Was that really lying? To her, that was not even close to lying. "Just help me out. It doesn''t count as a lie," Allison said patiently as she sat on the chair. Tommy shook his head. "If Daddy finds out I lied, he''ll definitely spank me." Seeing he would not budge, Allison gave up. This grandson of hers had never been close to her. In the past, when she wanted to hold him, he would cry his eyes out. Years had passed, but there was no real affection between them. Allison sighed and said, "Alright then. Just give me the phone." "No way. This is mine! I need it to contact Daddy and Great-Grandpa!" Tommy shook his head and tried to take the phone back. However, being a child, he did not have the strength to fight an adult. Allison furrowed her brows and tried to bargain. "I''ll buy you a new one-something just as good, okay?" "No, this one''s special. Daddy gave it to me, and it''s one of a kind. It even has my name engraved on the back!" exined Tommy. Allison nced at the back of the phone and, sure enough, she saw his name engraved there. "I''ll buy you one that''s also one of a kind, and I''ll have your name engraved on it too, alright?" was nning to take Tommy''s phone and try to contact Luke again tomorrow. She also return to work. unted Aunt le to She did not want to leave things to Sophian. Allison was getting fed up with it. "No, Grandma, you can''t take it!" Tommy saw Allison getting up to take the phone and quickly say, "This was given to me by Daddy. You can''t take it." "You little rascal, why are you so stingy? Just let me borrow it for a little while. Once I get in touch with your dad, I''ll give it back to you." Allison tried to reason with him. "I''m going to tell Great-Grandpa." Tommy heard what she said and immediately ran out of the room. Allison stamped her foot in frustration. "This child was definitely raised by that wretched woman, Bianca. She''s always going against me at every turn!" "Madam Allison, maybe you should just give the phone back to him?" suggested Sophian. Although they could reach Luke with this phone, it was not worth being scolded by Old Master Crawford over such a trivial matter. Allison snorted coldly. "Let''s go. Hurry up. That little brat! Let''s see how he''ll try to get his phone back when I''ve already left." As Allison said so, she was ready to storm off. However, just as she was about to leave the living room, she was stopped by Old Master Crawford''s voice," Allison!" Allison''s steps faltered as she turned. She saw the seething anger in Old Master Crawford''s eyes and instinctively put on an awkward smile. "Father, I was just about to leave." "You took your grandson''s things and still call yourself an elder?" Old Master Crawford hobbled closer with his cane and stretched out his hand. "Give it to me." "Give what?" Allison pretended not to know while Sophian stood by, feeling helpless. What is she pretending for now? "Tommy''s phone. You took it. Hand it over." Old Master Crawford was displeased. Allison still refused to give it up. "Father, I''m just borrowing it. I''ll return it tomorrow." "No way. It''s not yours!" Old Master Crawford''s voice was sharp. Without warning, he swung his cane, smacking her with it. "You''re even taking your grandson''s things now. Are you still his grandmother?" The sharp sting made Allison flinch. Her expression faltered as she met his gloomy expression. She could only begrudgingly hand the phone back. Old Master Crawford snatched it and let out a cold snort. "Don''te here again if you''ve got nothing important to say. You''ll just ruin the moods of the people here." Allison shot Tommy a death re, causing him to shrink back slightly. She then spun around and left in a huff. Old Master Crawford put away his serious expression and smiled warmly at his great-grandson. "Here, take it." "Thank you, Great-Grandpa!" Tommy epted the phone. He added sweetly, "Great-Grandpa, you''re amazing. You handled Grandma so easily." "Where did you learn to talk like that?" Old Master Crawford chuckled, clearly amused by Tommy''s words. "From the TV." Tommy cheekily stuck out his tongue. "If it weren''t for you, Grandma wouldn''t have given the phone back to me." "If she tries to take anything from you again, just let me know. I''ll handle her!" Old Master Crawford did not hold back, showing no mercy to Allison. Allison heard the old master''s words, and her face turned ashen. He was closer to the children, even more so than to her. They had a bigger age gap, but the old master was closer to them than he was to her. Allison''s expression darkened with jealousy. Besides, Old Master Crawford showed no respect to her in front of the younger generation. "You old bastard, I''ll make sure to deal with you the next time I get the chance," Allison muttered under her breath. sohpian, who was standing nearby, was startled. She did not doubt for a second that Allison meant every word she said. "Madam Allison..." Sophian''s lips trembled. Allison shot her a look. "What are you scared of? I''m not going after you. And it''s not the right time anyway." Now, the situation with the T Corporation was still unclear. She needed to ensure she could get Louis out of the way before taking any action against Old Master Crawford. If the old master died first, the Crawford family would fall into chaos. Luke would not be able to control all of the Crawford family''s wealth, and that would be her loss. Allison was walking toward the parking lot when her phone rang out with a ding. She nced at it and saw that Jason had transferred her some pocket money. However, when she saw the amount, she picked up the phone and called Jason back Chapter 3430 Both Lanie And I Will Protect You ? Chapter 3430 Both Lanie And I Will Protect You "Good evening, Madam Allison." Jason quickly answered the phone. Allison wasted no time and demanded, "Why did you only send me such a small amount of money?" "It''s Mr. Crawford''s decision," replied Jason, "If you suspect I''m withholding anything, you may ask him directly He reckoned that Allison might not be able to get in touch with Luke, so he added, "Or I could show you the chat records." By now, Allison could not really doubt him anymore. However, with frustration in her voice, Allison asked, "Why is it so little? How am I supposed to live in A City on this?" "Mr. Crawford said that you have no extra expenses. You''re not shopping, so a hundred thousand dors should be enough," Jason ryed Luke''s words. A hundred thousand dors was an amount that the average working family could not even earn in a month. Allison could not go out shopping right now, and she was not making any other extra purchases while staying at home every day. Why would it not be enough? Sophian, who overheard the conversation, could not help but shake her head. A hundred thousand dors? Before hearing the actual amount, she thought it was only five thousand dors based on Allison''s reaction! Even though A City was an international metropolis, the cost of living was not as high as people might imagine. Aside from being a little picky about food, Allison did not really have any other expenses. It should be enough. "It''s not enough. Send me another hundred thousand dors. My skin is in bad shape, and I need a lot of skincare products. That''s a big expense. Tell him I need 200 thousand dors for pocket money." Allison actually thought even 200 thousand dors would not be enough. Since Luke only gave her a hundred thousand, she calcted that she could reasonably ask for another hundred thousand dors. If it was more than that, he might refuse. Allison expected Jason to contact Luke on her behalf, but to her surprise, he insisted, "Madam Allison, Mr. Crawford said a hundred thousand dors is the maximum. He also asked that you try to make itst. He might have to stay abroad for months handling work matters. While he''s not in A City, you''ll have to figure it out yourself if you run out of money. Also, he asked me to pass on a message," Jason ryed Luke''s message, "If you keep calling him, he''ll block your number and ask you not to disturb his work." Allison was so enraged by Jason''s words that her blood nearly boiled over! Yet this was exactly what Luke had asked him to say. "Fine, then you can tell him that if something happens on my end and he doesn''t care about me, don''t me me for not holding back and exposing him to others!" Fuming with anger, Allison felt a twisted urge to drag Luke down with her in destruction. Sophian''s heart skipped a beat in fear. Allison had long struggled with skin issues, so her mental state was likely worse than most people''s. She was afraid that Allison might do something to damage Luke''s reputation. Jason''s tone immediately turned dark when he heard this. "Madam Allison, if you insist on doing this, the consequences might not be something you can handle." "Is this a threat?" Allison narrowed her eyes, her face full of displeasure. "The one thing I hate most in life is being threatened. If you''re really trying to threaten me, then think carefully about how this will end." Jason was not intimidated by her words. Instead, he calmly replied, "You can try, but just think about the consequences of trying to shake up the interests of so many people, including the Crawford family''s interests. You can figure it out for yourself." Then, Jason hung up the phone. Allison was on the brink of losing her mind. Luke had hung up on her, and now, Jason had hung up on her as well. "How dare he hang up on me?! Who gave him the courage? He''s just some damn employee!" Allison did not care whether she was still in Crawford Manor. She started throwing a tantrum right then and there. Sophian stepped back in fear, then tried tofort her in a gentle voice, "Madam Allison, please don''t be angry. You can tell him to punish that person when Mr. Crawfordes back." Allison took off her sunsses. Her wrinkled eyes, under the dim light of the garden, looked particrly eerie and frightening. Sophian almost thought she saw a ghost! Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest. "Punish him? Those were Luke''s words. How should I punish him?" Allison''s voice became sharp. Just as she finished speaking, her phone buzzed with a message notification. Jason had sent a screenshot of his chat with Luke. She held the phone screen up to Sophian''s face. "See this? This is what he allowed! Who am I supposed to turn to for help? Why am I so miserable? It''s like having a useless son. I''m being bullied by everyone!" As Allison spoke, her eyes grew red. Sophian''s heart raced even faster. The dim garden lights,bined with the stark white glow of the phone screen, cast eerie shadows across Allison''s face, making her look like a vengeful ghost. Sophian steeled herself to keep from screaming or running away. Sheforted Allison, saying, "Madam Allison, please don''t think too much. When Mr. Crawfordes back, you can talk to him. And you shouldn''t cry. Tears are salty, and that''s bad for your skin." At the mention of her skin, Allison tilted her head back to force the tears back. Her skin could not handle even the slightest irritation right now. Sophian watched her and nced briefly at her chest. If Allison had not been disfigured, this movement would have seemed like pure mncholy. However, given that she was disfigured, it only intensified the horror. Allison forced herself not to cry. It took her a long moment to suppress the urge to cry before she reluctantly left with Sophian. She was unwilling and resentful. Inside Crawford Manor, Rainie heard the scream from the garden. Remembering Allison''s face, she could not help but shudder. "Don''t be scared." Lanie, who had been watching the situation in the garden, turned to his younger sister after he saw Allison leave in her car. "Grandma''s gone. Don''t be afraid." "Lanie, am I too cowardly?" Rainie''s eyes glistened with unshed tears, looking pitiful. If Luca had seen her like this, she would have been heartbroken. "No, you''re not. Grandma is just too terrifying, and that''s why you''re scared. But she''s gone now, and she won''t be back for a long time. Don''t worry. We won''t see her again." Lanie''s cool demeanor softened as heforted Rainie. He turned into a warm and caring older brother. Tommy walked in and added, "Lanie''s right. Don''t worry, Rainie. Both Lanie and I will protect you! And Grandma''s gone. She didn''t get the upper hand this time, and she won''t being back for a while. Even if she does, she won''t gain anything froming here anyway." Lanie listened to Tommy. Smiling, he reached up to lightly flick his forehead. "That''s not how you say it. And where did you learn that from?" "Great-Grandpa has been really into martial arts novelstely, so I read a few too." Tommy rubbed his head and asked, "Lanie, then when should I use that phrase?" "That phrase isn''t something kids should say!" Lanie, acting like a little adult, lectured his younger brother." From now on, don''t say things like that. If Daddy or Great-Grandpa hears it, they''ll definitely scold you!" Chapter 3431 Go Far Down The Path Of Self-destruction ? Chapter 3431 Go Far Down The Path Of Self-destruction "Alright. Ouch, it hurts when you flick me, Lanie!" Tommy pouted. "Don''t cry. You were just saying you''d protect your sister, and now, you''re crying? What''s going on?" Lanie rubbed Tommy''s forehead. "Alright, I''ve rubbed it. Stop crying." "Heh, Lanie, you''re the best to me!" Tommy immediately beamed with happiness. "The whole grandma situation is over. From now on, let''s just behave ourselves and wait for Daddy and Ms. Luca toe back," Lanie told his younger siblings. Even though their parents were not around, he had taken on the responsibility of being the elder brother. Despite being the same age as Rainie, he was much more mature. "Yes, I''ll listen to Great-Grandpa and you, Lanie!" Tommy nodded eagerly. After Jason hung up on Allison, he let out a deep sigh. Sue walked over with a te of fruits and ced it beside him. "What''s with that look? Have some fruits." Jason picked up a toothpick, speared a piece of fruit, and brought it to her mouth. Sue opened her mouth and ate the fruit, then urged, "Stop just feeding me. You eat too." "Okay." Having been by Luke''s side for so many years, Jason had dealt with countless tricky situations. However, Allison''s issues were the one thing that always gave him a headache. Although a hundred thousand dors was not a lotpared to Luke''s worth and it would make Luke appear a little stingy if news got out, it was actually plenty for someone like Allison. The problem was that Allison was always stirring up trouble. Luke was basically punishing her with that amount. Jason understood her temperament well. If she was given too much, she would probably create even more problems. All in all, a hundred thousand dors might be a little for Allison, but it was enough for her to live. "What happened?" asked Sue, noticing his downcast expression. "Did your boss scold you?" "His mother scolded me." Jason then exined everything about Allison to her. "What?! A hundred thousand dors isn''t enough for her?" Sue was speechless. "We''re a family of four, and even including our parents'' expenses, we don''t spend anywhere near a hundred thousand dors a month. How much can she possibly need if she''s just on her own?" "Exactly! This is also the boss'' way of making sure she doesn''t cause any more trouble. He has given her enough to live on, and since he''s busy and can''t keep an eye on her, this is his way of preventing her from making more drama. But she''s not satisfied." Jason was rendered speechless too. "Well, it''s enough. Anyway, this is your boss'' n. Don''t overthink it and just focus on doing the tasks he gave you," Sue said optimistically. She did not press further on what Lake was busy with and started sharing what happened at thepany today. Jason listened while replying to Luke''s messages. When he heard about Karen causing a scene, his brows furrowed together. "Why do I feel like Madam Mallory is a lot like Madam Allison''s?" "Who knows... But the worst thing Madam Allison has done so far is disfigure herself and steal from her own family. She hasn''t gone as far down the path of self-destruction as Madam Mallory has," replied Sue, having analyzed what both Karen and Allison had done. The two situations werepletely different in nature. "Yes, it''s much easier to just lock her up in a mental institution," Jason agreed. Currently, it was a critical time for Luke, and this matter required Percy''s involvement. Therefore, Percy could not be distracted by other trivial matters. Locking Karen up in a mental institution would make things simpler for Percy, allowing him to focus without needing to keep an eye on Karen. This way, he could also allocate more resources and manpower to the task at hand. "Well, I still need to inform the boss about this," added Jason, dialing Luke''s number again. When Luke learned of Karen''s hostage situation with Nina, his brows furrowed together. Fortunately, Nina was unharmed. Otherwise, he might have had to deploy more people to manage things with Percy. It was not that he did not care about Percy''s situation, but the Ind of Despair''s matter was the top priority at the moment. Luke hung up the phone and received a text from Luca. [Abel has returned to the base.] Luke''s heart tightened as he replied: [Be careful.] Abel''s return to the base seemed like a signal. A signal that preparations were underway... Luca: [He asked me to go over. I''ll check out the situation on his end first.] Luke put down his phone. "Abel has returned to the base." "The battle is about to begin." Gordan, hearing this, could not help but say something dramatic. He felt oddly pumped up. Gale rolled his eyes at him. "What''s with your teenage angst? Can you drop it already?" "Heh, I just haven''t had any action for a while, so I''m excited. Plus, after Luca''s treatment, I''m almost fully recovered. Now, it''s time for those losers to see the might of my sharpshooting skills," replied Gordan as he made a shooting gesture. "You make it sound so easy, but who was the one crying for his mom during the treatment?" teased Gale. "I don''t know what you''re talking about. It wasn''t me," Gordan quickly denied it. "Let''s wait and see. Luca is on his way to meet Abel. We''ll know soon enough if he''s making a move," replied Luke. "Alright, we''ll wait for Luca''s news." Gordon whistled. After Gerald informed Luca toe downstairs, she appeared soon after. Abel was sitting on the couch, holding a cigar in one hand and embracing Hera with the other. Hera was nestled in his arms, looking demure and full of charm. Her smile and expression were captivating, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. The men from the gulp of Despair, who were standing in the living room, saw Hera and could not help but swallow. However, they did not dare stare for too long. They were afraid that Abel would notice and punish them for lingering Hence, the men in the living room pretended to casually nce at her while secretly admiring her beauty. Hera was not offended by the attention. After all, whether it was one man or many, they were all looking at her. It did not make much difference to her. However, when these men saw Luca, their expressions instantly turned serious. They lowered their heads and remained silent like kids caught doing something wrong. It was almost as though they had been subdued by Luca. Still, why? Clearly, Hera was far more enchanting than Luca, yet the moment she stepped into the room, these men all bowed their heads in submission. Luca stood to the side, greeting Abel in a cool, indifferent tone. "Good evening, Mr. Abel." While everyone else called him "boss", she alone referred to him as "Mr. Abel". Hera could not help but wonder why Luca had such a special way of addressing him, and why this moody, unpredictable man did not seem to mind. Her gaze turned to Abel at the thought of this. As expected, he was not angry. In fact, the corners of his lips curled into a smile as though something good had just happened. "You''re grinning like you just hit the jackpot. Did something good happen?" Hera asked sweetly. Abel fixed his gaze on her, then nodded. "Yes, something good did happen." Chapter 3432 Put Ms. Sanchezs Doubts To Rest ? Chapter 3432 Put Ms. Sanchez''s Doubts To Rest "Oh? What made you so happy? Spill the tea." Hera''s curiosity grew. Whatever it was that had Abel smiling like this had to be something big. Thest time she was with him, he had closed a billion-dor deal over the phone, but his expression had remained indifferent. It was like it was just another ordinary day at the office. However, he was currently grinning from ear to ear. Could it be something even bigger than that? Abel set down his unlit cigar. His fingers lightly traced along Hera''s cheek before resting on her eyes. "Your eyes... They''re beautiful," murmured Abel. It was not the first time he hadplimented her eyes. Hera had gone for the perfect foxy-type eyes, and every man she met would gush over how stunning they were. However, Abel was different. Other men would say her eyes were beautiful and then follow it up with praise for her face, her figure... The whole package. Yet Abel? He never mentioned anything else but just her eyes. It was as if her face and other parts of her body were not as beautiful as her eyes. Hera was confident in her looks. Nheless, Abel had never onceplimented her face or her figure. Now that she thought about it, something about that felt off. It was strange in a way she could not quite put into words. Instinctively, she nced at Luca. Luca was standing quietly with her eyes lowered. "What are you looking at?" Abel''s sharp eyes caught the subtle movement. Hera came back to her senses and smiled. "Nothing. It''s just that you''ve alwaysplimented my eyes but never anything else. Are they really that beautiful? Feels like you''re not even being serious anymore." "They''re really beautiful. They remind me of someone I used to know." Abel''s voice dropped into a low murmur. Hera blinked her eyes. The blue of her contact lenses shimmered like the ocean. Abel stared into them,pletely captivated. When Hera heard him say that, she could not help but feel an ufortable pang in her chest. She knew that even though the friend he was referring to had to be a woman, she had no reason to feel jealous. Even so, a strange, tight feeling pressed against her chest. Unconsciously, Hera ced a hand over her heart. "What''s wrong?" Abel immediately noticed her movement. Hera exined, "Maybe it''s the heat. I''ve been feeling a little off all day. Oh, right. I went out earlier. Maybe I''m just overheating from that." "You had no reason to go out. What were you doing?" Abel felt a little nervous when he heard she was not feeling well. "I just wanted to buy something," Hera replied casually, "And I happened to see Luca going out too, so I followed her for a bit. But then..." Hera trailed off, deliberately leaving her words hanging. Abel''s sharp eyes immediately locked onto Luca. "Where did you go?" "I went shopping," Luca answered calmly. "What did you buy?" Abel pressed. "Women''s essentials. I also picked up a few things for Gerald. If you don''t believe me, I still have the receipt. Gerald can vouch for me too," replied Luca. Gale had been meticulous. He made sure to keep the grocery receipt that had a precise timestamp. It left no room for doubt. Luca pulled out the receipt, and Gerald quickly added, "Boss, I asked Ms. Craw to grab a few things for me while she was out." However, Abel was not the type to believe words alone. He stretched out his hand. "Let me see the receipt." Luca handed it over, and Abel''s eyes scanned the timestamp. There were no obvious issues. It was from this afternoon. Still, his gaze lingered on Luca, scrutinizing her. Hera also nced at the receipt. Her jaw tightened in frustration before she suddenly sneered, "Oh, really? You went shopping, huh? Then why the hell were you at the ancestral hall?" "So, you were following me the entire time?" Luca deliberately raised her brows in a show of mild surprise. "I did stop by the ancestral hall, but it''s because I heard it had just been renovated, so I went to take a look." "Come on. You''re not even from here. What business would you have at the ancestral hall?" Hera frowned. "You were obviously meeting someone." Gerald''s pulse spiked. Did Luca meet Lucius at the ancestral hall? Was she not asking to get caught by doing this? He could not help but steal a nce at her. Still, Luca remained unbothered. "I contributed to the hall''s restoration, so I was just checking on it. Is that not allowed?" "Oh, give me a break. What did you do? Mix cement? Lay bricks?" Hera clearly did not believe it. "Babe, she''s making things up. She was obviously meeting someone behind your back!" Luca put on a faint smile and replied, "Mr. Abel knows what I used to do. He also knows whether or not I contributed to the hall. The real question is, why are you alwaysing after me, Ms. Sanchez?" Luca did not want to cause trouble for Hera, but since she kept picking fights with her, she would be a fool if she let it slide now. Hera was not the only one good at redirecting the chaos. She arched her brow and smirked. "Ms. Sanchez, is it because Lucius talked to me for two extra minutes instead of you? Are you still bitter over that?" "You!" Hera''s face was drained of color. She did not expect Luca to bring up Lucius. A flicker of doubt crept into her mind. Did Luca really just go out shopping? Did she not sneak off to meet Lucius? "You''re just talking nonsense!" "You even asked me for Lucius'' contact number before, but I told you I didn''t have it. Oh, I see what''s going on. You thought I was meeting Lucius, so you decided to follow me, didn''t you?" Luca wanted to put an end to the trouble once and for all, so she was ruthless and showed no mercy. "I already told you-I didn''t meet up with Lucius. But if you don''t believe me, Mr. Abel can investigate. He can check if Lucius even left his ce this afternoon," said Luca. She knew only Hera had followed her, so there was nothing to hide. "Fine!" Hera squeezed Abel''s hand lightly. "Babe, I saw her all over Lucius before. That''s why I was suspicious. You have to believe me. Just look into it, and I bet you''ll find something." Gerald''s palms started sweating. Why was she digging herself into a hole like this? Was it possible that Luca never actually met Lucius today? Had he just been overthinking everything? Abel narrowed his eyes, considering his next move. Luca added, "I never intended to provoke Ms. Sanchez, but since she''s so convinced I have something to hide, let''s settle this once and for all. Mr. Abel, I insist you investigate. Please prove my innocence and put Ms. Sanchez''s doubts to rest. I''m not lying, and I have nothing to do with Lucius." Luca really had nothing to do with Lucius, but she did have something with Luke. None of them knew that the man they had seen in the base before was actually Luke in disguise. "You! Stop twisting my words! I don''t have any feelings for Lucius!" Hera had initially wanted Abel to investigate, but now, with Luca turning the situation around, a wave of panic surged through her chest. Chapter 3433 A Lamb Waiting To Be Slaughtered ? Chapter 3433 A Lamb Waiting To Be ughtered "Babe, don''t listen to her nonsense. She''s just trying to drive a wedge between us," Hera said gently, hoping to earn Abel''s affection. Abel did not take Hera''s words seriously. Instead, he picked up his phone and made a few inquiries. After checking with multiple sources to confirm where Lucius and the others had gone, the person on the other end of the line reported that Lucius had not left home in the past few days. As Luca listened to the voice on the other end of the phone, her expression remained calm. Gerald let out a sigh of relief but was also puzzled. He had always felt there was something going on between Lucius and Luca, yet unexpectedly, Luca''s outing this time had nothing to do with Lucius. Hera''s face turned pale. So, it really was not because of him. In that case, she... Hera instinctively looked at Abel, only to find that he was already staring at her. Their eyes met, and Hera could not help but shudder. Abel''s gaze was terrifyingly cold. Just when she thought he was going to question her about Lucius, his next words made her breathe a sigh of relief. "Are you still feeling unwell?" asked Abel. Hera was not actually feeling unwell anymore, but worried that Abel might press further, she nodded and said, Yes, I still feel awful." Abel turned to Luca. "Take Ms. Sanchez to the hospital for a full-body check-up tomorrow." Luca was startled for a moment and turned to look at them. Hera felt that a full-body check-up was a bit excessive. She hesitated before saying in a low voice, "I think I''ll be fine after some rest," "No. If something''s wrong, I''ll be worried." Abel gently traced the area under her eyes with his fingertips. "Be good and do as I say. Get a full examination so that I can be at ease." "Alright," Hera agreed obediently, thinking that this was his way of showing he cared. When a man gave a woman something, she should not refuse as it would only dismiss his goodwill. Therefore, Hera decided to ept his kindness. Abel turned to Luca and asked sternly, "Did you hear me?" "Yes, I got it," replied Luca. She nced at Hera''s happy expression but remained indifferent. Abel arranging a full check-up for Hera probably meant he was preparing to take action. Yet Hera was still sitting there, blissfully unaware of what wasing. Sensing Luca''s gaze on her, Hera smugly shot her a look of triumph. Luca caught her nce and secretly let out a sigh. What was there to be so proud of? She was nothing more than amb waiting to be ughtered. After giving Hera a few more instructions, Abel reminded her to take good care of herself. He also promised to pick her up after the check-up and take her shopping. With that, he finally left the small vi. The group dispersed. Only Luca, Hera, and Gerald were left in the living room on the first floor. Hera leisurely stood up from the couch and said to Luca, "You have to take me there for my check-up tomorrow. Make sure to arrange everything properly. I want VIP service. I don''t want to be stuck waiting with themon crowd." "Don''t worry, Ms. Sanchez. I''ll contact the hospital and arrange a full VIP check-up for you," replied Luca. Hera smirked arrogantly. "It better be that way. Otherwise, don''t me me for being rude." Then, she turned toward the stairs. It was as though she was showing off as she muttered to herself, "Ugh, which bag should I buy tomorrow?" Gerald watched as Hera disappeared up the stairs, then turned to look at Luca. Luca was on the phone, arranging the check-up with the hospital. Once the call ended, Gerald asked, "Ms. Craw, can you really book a check-up thiste at night?" "I have a connection. I know someone at the hospital," answered Luca. Luca had asked Johann for help. With Johann''s vastwork across the country, booking a medical appointment was an easy task. "Wow, Ms. Craw, your connections are really impressive,"plimented Gerald. "Don''t tter me. If you have a question, just ask." Luca did not react to his ttery. He scratched his head. "It''s not really a question, but something just feels off." "What feels off?" asked Luca. "Well, the boss seems to treat Ms. Sanchez really well, right?" said Gerald. She remained silent. "But at the same time... he doesn''t? He arranged the check-up for her and even promised to take her shopping afterward. That sounds nice, but if he really cared about her, wouldn''t he let her stay somewhere better? This ce is just a small vi, and it''s filled with men. The environment is pretty average too. Why not put her in a five-star hotel instead?" Gerald mused. Luca secretly let out a sigh. He was surprisingly perceptive. Even someone as oblivious as Gerald could sense something was wrong. Meanwhile, Hera still thought Abel was treating her well. "Who knows?" replied Luca. "Maybe Mr. Abel thinks this ce is the safest for her." "Safe, sure, but Ms. Sanchez isn''t someone like us. Why would she even be in danger?" Gerald was still confused." A five-star hotel should be plenty safe too. This whole situation is weird." Luca did not respond. She needed to inform Luke that Abel was running out of patience and about to make his move. As she headed upstairs, Gerald followed her and sneakily asked, "Ms. Craw, you really didn''t go out on a date today?" "I was just handling some matters. Why would you think I was on a date?" Luca lookedpletely baffled. "Did you think I went on a date with Lucius too?" "Well... you and Lucius seem to have great chemistry, so I just assumed..." Gerald trailed off, wondering if he had misread the situation. "You assumed wrong. There''s nothing like that. Don''t spread rumors like that. If the wrong person hears it, I''ll be the one in trouble," exined Luca before walking into her room. As she reached the corner of the hallway, she suddenly stopped. She saw a man entering her room and hesitated for a moment. These men would not dare make a move on her. However, someone actually dared to enter her room now... Luca''s eyes darkened. She decided to wait at the corner for the man toe out. The man was inside for only a minute before stepping out again. He came out empty-handed without taking anything. Luca was not surprised. There was nothing valuable in that room anyway. She waited until the man had walked some distance away before casually stepping out from the corner, pretending she had just arrived. When the man saw her, his expression froze for a moment. A flicker of panic shed across his eyes. Luca remained indifferent, acting as though she had not noticed anything. She walked straight into her room. She did not close the door immediately. Instead, she stood there and took a deep breath. There was no strange smell in the air. That meant... Her eyes darkened further as she pulled out her phone. Luke had installed a monitoring system on this device when he knew she would be staying here. Luca ran a quick scan, and sure enough, the machine shed a red light. She routinely checked it every day before chatting with Luke or the kids. It was almost certain that Abel had instructed that man to do this. At the thought of it, Luca sent Luke a message, informing him about her taking Hera for a check-up tomorrow and the fact that her room had been bugged. Chapter 3434 Hes Insane ? Chapter 3434 He''s Insane Luca also reminded Luke to tell the kids not to contact her during this period. The device could not be removed. If it was, Abel would definitely notice. Rather than making him suspicious or prompting him to install even better devices, it was better to just leave this one in ce. Luke quickly replied: (Got it.) Luca put on a faint smile and began narrowing down the search, trying to figure out where that man had installed the device. If it was just for listening, she did not care. It could stay. However, if it was a surveince camera, she needed to be more cautious. In the end, she found the device under the bed. She did not bother checking whether it was for listening or monitoring. After all, if it was ced there, the only possibility was that it was an audio bug. A camera in that spot would not capture anything useful. Anyone trained on the Ind of Despair would not make such a rookie mistake. After a quick wash-up, Luca went to bed. The next morning, she received a message from Johann, informing her that the appointment at the hospital had been made. It was a full VIP package, and all she had to do was mention her name and someone would take Hera for the check-up. After Luca replied to him with a word of thanks, she continued to freshen up before stepping out of her room. As she was heading downstairs, she ran into Shanks. "Mr. Shanks?" Luca was surprised to see him at this time. "Are you taking that woman for a check-up today?" asked Shanks. "Yes, it was Mr. Abel''s request," answered Luca, making it clear that she had no choice in the matter. Even though she knew what Abel was nning, she had no way to refuse. Shanks'' eyes darkened. "Come with me. I need to talk to you." "Alright." Luca nodded and followed him into theb. There were no surveince cameras here, making it a good ce to talk. "Abel doesn''t just want that woman''s eyes. He wants her kneecaps too," said Shanks. Luca''s eyes widened in shock. "What?" Abel must havepletely lost his mind! Bone transnts were usually done using the patient''s own bones. There were hardly any cases of transnting bones from one person to another. It was far too risky. "I won''t perform the surgery," Shanks knew there was no chance it would seed. Even though he might figure it out in the future, artificial bone technology was already highly advanced. There was absolutely no need for this kind of research. "This surgery shouldn''t be done. The risk of rejection is too high. Even if their blood types match, it won''t change that. Mr. Shanks, you should try to talk to Mr. Abel again. Artificial kneecaps aren''t bad at all," replied Luca. The technology was already mature, and there was no reason to take such a dangerous risk. "He won''t listen," replied Shanks. Abel was stubborn. He believed that artificial kneecaps would negatively affect Kassy''s long-term health and insisted on using real ones instead. Shanks thought the man was insane. He regretted getting involved in Abel''s work now. Even though researching was his passion and something he wanted to pursue, he had never intended for his work to be used to harm people. Shanks did not consider himself a good person, but he was not cruel enough to destroy someone''s life either. He strongly disagreed with Abel''s approach and could not understand his reasoning. "Mr. Shanks, if you can''t convince him, there''s no way I can," added Luca. If Abel was determined to go through with it, there was nothing she could do to stop him. She was not about to try reasoning with him over something that was practically impossible to achieve. Just because Abel would not dare touch Shanks, it did not mean he would note after her. Shanks remained silent. Luca nced at the time and said, "I have to take Ms. Sanchez for her check-up." Then, she walked out of theb. When she got downstairs, Hera was still asleep. Luca spotted Gerald and asked, "Do you have any instant macaroni and cheese?" "Yeah, Ms. Craw. Are you having macaroni and cheese for breakfast? That''s way too unhealthy," Gerald asked in shock. "I don''t have time to cook. Just make me some," replied Luca. "Alright." Gerald worked quickly and soon handed her a steaming bowl of instant macaroni and cheese. Luca ate it while it was still hot. She took a sip of water just as Hera finally made her way downstairs. She carried herself like a queen, looking down at everyone around her. "Why are you eating instant macaroni and cheese?" Hera frowned when she saw what they were eating. "Ms. Sanchez, we didn''t prepare breakfast today," exined Gerald. "What do you mean there''s no breakfast? I''m starving! And I don''t eat junk like that. Go make me something!" Hera ordered Luca in amanding tone. "You need to fast for your check-up," Luca reminded her. She ced the bowl in the sink and added, "Ms. Sanchez, I''ve already arranged everything with the hospital. Let''s go." It was only then that Hera remembered the check-up. She actually dreaded getting examined. Hera knew her body was not in great condition. She was constantly staying upte, drinking, and smoking. There was no way her test results would look good. The only reason she had agreed to it yesterday was because she had been swept up in Abel''s sweet words. Moreover, he had promised to take her shopping for a new designer bag after the check-up. That was why she had said yes. After waking up, Hera was not too keen on going. "Ms. Sanchez, are you thinking of skipping the check-up?" Gerald immediately picked up on her reluctance. "Who said that?" Hera firmly refused to admit that she did not want to go. "Good. I was worried you might back out. After all, the boss promised you so many benefits. It''d be a real loss if you didn''t go," Gerald reminded her, emphasizing the rewards she would get once the check-up was done. Luca cast Gerald an approving nce. He might not seem particrly sharp, but he knew exactly how to y on Hera''s greed. "Ms. Sanchez, are we going?" asked Luca. "I never said I wasn''t! What''s the rush?" Hera pretended to be graceful as she tucked her hair behind her ear. "Go hail a cab first." "Alright." Luca simply booked a cab through a ride-hailing app with her phone. When the car arrived, she had Gerald bring Hera outside. As Luca watched Hera take a few steps before dramatically opening an umbre, she could not help but find it amusing. Was that really necessary? It was still early. The sun was not even that harsh yet. She pulled open the back seat door. Hera bent down and got in. Luca closed the car door, gave Gerald a slight nod, and got into the front passenger seat instead of sitting next to Hera. She then signaled the driver to start driving. As soon as the car started moving, Hera said casually, "Ugh, I''m telling you, can''t you book a premium car next time? Who knows how many people have sat in this cab? It smells disgusting!" Luca felt embarrassed. Was she trying to pick a fight with her or the driver? The driver was clearly offended. "Lady, if my car stinks so bad, you''re more than wee to get out right now. And if you''re looking for a luxury ride, maybe stop slumming it in that little vi and check yourself into a five star hotel. They''ll hook you up with a Benz, Bentley, or Rolls-Royce, no problem." Chapter 3435 At Least Youve Got Some Sense ? Chapter 3435 At Least You''ve Got Some Sense "You!" Hera was clearly caught off guard that the driver had the nerve to talk back to her. She yanked off her sunsses, just about ready to snap back at him when the driver got a good look at her through the rearview mirror. "Oh, it''s you?" said the driver. "Who the hell are you? Do I know you?" Hera''s tone was arrogant as though she was naturally above him. The driver reminded her, "Remember yesterday? You had me tail a cab and park outside some ancestral hall for half the day, and you refused to leave. I wasted a ton of gas just idling there with the A/C on because of you." Hera''s face turned red, then pale. She did not expect Luca to randomly call a cab and end up with the same driver from yesterday. Luca also found it a funny coincidence and nced back. Hera''s expression was awful. The driver, being a straight shooter, did not hold back. "Huh. Funny how you didn''tin about my car smelling bad yesterday, but today, all of a sudden, it stinks? After I dropped you off, my next passenger actuallyined that my car smelled too much like perfume. Two people in a rowined, so I even went and got it cleaned." Hera''s expression darkened even more. "What, you trying to shake me down for money now? Fine, when we get there, I''ll pay you. It''s just a car wash and some gas money. I can afford it!" "Oh? So, you''re not getting out of the car now?" teased the driver. Hera frowned and reminded him, "We booked this ride through an app. You''d better watch yourself, or I''ll file aint!" "I booked this ride, sir. As long as you get us to our destination safely, there won''t be any bad reviews." Luca reminded Hera that this ride had absolutely nothing to do with her. "Luca, you..." Hera was furious that Luca was siding against her. "Lady, at least you''ve got some sense." The driver chuckled. The two of thempletely ignored Hera, who was fuming in the back seat. The driver focused on the road while Luca casually replied to messages on her phone. All of them were from Johann. "Who are you texting now? Some guy?" Hera saw her expression and immediately asked. Luca nced back at her. "A doctor. Want to take a look, Ms. Sanchez?" Hera knew Luca was doing it on purpose. Just as she was about to say yes, the driver casually chimed in, "Damn, you''re kinda possessive. Don''t tell me you actually like her?" "Like her? No way!" Hera immediately denied it. Luca put her phone away. Soon, the cab pulled up to the hospital, and Luca paid through the app. Hera scoffed, pulled out 200 dors, and tossed the bills at the driver. "That should cover a few car washes for you." Without waiting for a response, she pushed open the door and got out. The driver clicked his tongue but pocketed the money without hesitation. Luca led Hera into the hospital and gave the staff her name. The receptionist, having clearly been informed in advance, greeted her with extra enthusiasm. "Ms. Craw, please fill out this form," the receptionist exined. "Since you don''t have a prior record with us, we need toplete your file first." "Alright." Luca handed the form to Hera. "Ms. Sanchez, fill this out." The receptionist immediately understood that the personing for the check-up was brought over by Luca and turned her attention to Hera, speaking to her even more warmly. Hera, without even ncing at the form, handed over her ID. "You fill it out for me." "Of course! Some of the questions will require your input, so I''ll ask and you can just answer," the receptionist replied cheerfully. Hera scrolled through her phone while absentmindedly responding to the questions. When the receptionist asked if she had any medical conditions, she snapped impatiently, "Isn''t that what the check-up is for? If I already know whether I have any health problems, why the hell would I be here?" The receptionist was stunned for a moment before patiently rifying, "We''re asking about any past medical history." "I don''t know! And if you keep annoying me with these questions, I''m not doing the check-up!" Hera huffed, clearly losing her patience. The receptionist, feeling a little wronged, could only put down a note on the form. She was just following the hospital''s regtions. Left with no choice, she had to note on the form that the patient was extremely uncooperative. With that, she finished setting up Hera''s file. Then, the tests began-blood draws, scans, and more. They were all arranged smoothly. Luca had nothing to do other than follow along. Hera was given VIP treatment, but instead of enjoying it, she was beyond frustrated. After seeing just how many vials of blood they had drawn from her, she finally exploded at Luca. "What the hell did you sign me up for? Why are they taking so much blood?!" demanded Hera eare Luca remained calm. "These are all tests that Mr. Abel specifically requested. Since you''re doing a full-body check- up, of course, they need more blood." Hera rolled her eyes repeatedly. She was on the verge of exploding! Abel''s request? Luca was always using Abel''s name to pressure her. At the same time, a feeling of unease crept in. Just what kind of tests needed this much blood? If this was not such a high-end and reputable hospital, she might have thought they were nning to sell her blood. Thanks to the VIP package, the entire check-up waspleted in under an hour. As soon as Hera stepped outside, Abel''s car was already parked at the curb. She shot Luca a re before quickly storming over to the car. Abel got out and opened the passenger door for her. Instead of getting in immediately, Hera clung to his arm and pouted. "Baby, look at my arm! It''s all bruised!" "What happened?" Abel nced at it briefly before locking eyes with her,pletely mesmerized. "It''s all her fault! She made me do all these tests, and they took so much of my blood!" Hera whined, pointing at Luca. Luca walked over and exined to Abel, "Mr. Abel, Ms. Sanchez haspleted all the required tests." "Good." Abel nodded. Hera''s eyes widened in disbelief. She yanked off her sunsses and snapped, "Did you just say good? A bunch of those tests were meant for elderly people! She signed me up for everything! She''s just wasting your money and making me suffer at the same time! Baby, you have to do something about this!" Abel enjoyed tormenting Luca. However, between saving Kassy and punishing Luca, he would always choose the former. Hence, he had no intention of holding Luca ountable, especially since she was just following his orders. There was really nothing to me her for. "Alright, don''t be mad. I''ll take you shopping for a new bag. If one isn''t enough, we''ll get two. Whatever it takes to make you happy." Hera was puzzled when she heard that. She had expected that throwing a tantrum and whining to Abel would immediately get Luca punished. Instead of scolding Luca, he was trying to calm her down by buying her bags? "Fine. But I want several bags. And a few new outfits too." Hera decided to milk the situation for all it was worth. "Deal. Now, get in the car." Abel gestured for her to enter, gentlemanly shielding her head with his hand. Once she was seated, he shut the door behind her. Chapter 3436 Thats Some Serious Sales Talk ? Chapter 3436 That''s Some Serious Sales Talk After Hera got into the car, Abel turned around. His piercing blue eyes locked onto Luca. "When will the test results be ready?" asked Abel. His primary concern was the results. Luca replied, "It won''t be that fast. She did quite a few tests, so it might take until tomorrow or the day after. But the hospital assured me that as soon as the results are in, they''ll give me a detailed report right away." Abel looked a little unhappy. "Didn''t I tell you to choose the VIP package?" "Mr. Abel, even with the VIP package, the results won''t be immediate. Getting them by tomorrow is already considered fast," exined Luca. Abel let out a cold snort. Just then, the car window rolled down. "Baby, I''m still upset." Hera''s voice dripped with sweetness. Abel turned around, his previously cold expression instantly reced with warmth and tenderness. "What will make you feel better?" Hera thought for a moment. "How about this? Let her follow me around today and carry my shopping bags. That might help." "Alright, whatever you say." The moment Abel turned back to Luca, the look on his face became sharp and ruthless again. "Did you hear that?" "Yes." Luca lowered her gaze. Whatever Abel told her to do, she would just go along with it. What else could she do? As Luca stared at Hera''s arrogant smirk, she asked, "Mr. Abel, where are you going shopping? I''ll take a cab and meet you there." She had no interest in sharing a car with Abel and Hera. Given their rtionship, she was afraid she might witness things she would rather not see. If they got carried away in the car, it would be unbearable. Abel did not object to her suggestion. Hera disliked Luca at the moment, and if they were in the same space, who knew what kind of drama might unfold? He hated conflicts between women, so he agreed. "Fine, take a cab and follow us to Nova za," said Abel. "Got it." Luca nodded. Once Abel''s car drove off, she hailed a cab. After giving the driver the destination, she pulled out her phone and texted Luke about what had happened. Luke replied as soon as she finished texting: [Be careful. Hera isn''t someone to mess with.] [I know, don''t worry. I''ll be fine.] Luca reassured him, feeling a wave of warmth in her heart. With his care and concern, no matter what Abel nned to do to her, she felt neither fear nor loneliness. She then chatted with the kids for a while. She was in a cab, away from Abel''s watchful eyes, so she could talk to them freely. Luca listened to the kids, enjoying their conversation until the driver reminded her that they had arrived at Nova za. Reluctantly, she ended the call. After paying the fare, she got out of the cab. However, Abel and Hera were nowhere to be seen. The weather was scorching hot, so Luca headed straight into the mall before calling Hera. "What is it?" Hera''s tone was far from pleasant. Luca replied, "Ms. Sanchez, I''ve arrived at Nova za. Where are you and Mr. Abel now?" "We''re on the seventh floor at the IV boutique. Get up here now." Hera sounded impatient. "Okay." Luca ended the call but did not rush upstairs. Instead, she strolled leisurely toward the elevator. Once she reached the seventh floor, she nced at the floor directory near the elevator and easily located the LV store. Hera was browsing thetest seasonal collection. She had just changed into a new dress when she let out a cold snort of displeasure upon seeing Luca. "Did you do that on purpose?" Luca looked at her, confused. "You told me you were downstairs ten minutes ago, and it took you that long just to get to the seventh floor? Were you deliberately dragging your feet?" Her tone carried a sharp, pressing edge. Hera was wearing a limited-edition designer dress, and she felt superior because of it. Luca was rendered speechless but exined calmly, "It''s peak hours, and the elevators were packed." "Don''t think you can fool me just because he isn''t here. If you really wanted to get up here, you should''ve squeezed in no matter what," Hera retorted, shifting her gaze back to the mirror. The vibrant color of the exclusive dressplemented herplexion, making her skin appear even fairer and more delicate. She was very pleased with it. Luca did not bother to exin. She had, in fact, stalled on purpose. Still, even if she had not, exining would not have changed anything. Hera would not believe her anyway. Therefore, she saved herself the trouble and stayed silent. ncing around, she realized Abel was nowhere to be seen. Was he not supposed to be here with Hera? Where had he disappeared to? Was his so-calledpanionship nothing more than empty words? Would Hera be okay with that? Yet looking at the woman admiring herself in the mirror, she did not seem upset at all. Luca decided it was not worth thinking about. Whether Abel was with Hera or not had nothing to do with her. "What do you think of this dress?" Hera suddenly asked. "It looks good," Luca replied honestly. Hera red at her. "Is that all you can say?" Luca pondered for a moment, then added, "The design is innovative, and the color is vibrant. It suits you perfectly. Not only does it entuate your figure, but it also makes your skin look fairer and more delicate. This dress might as well have been custom-made for you." She said it effortlessly, without even thinking. Back when she was Bianca, sales associates used to tter her like this all the time. Even though it had been a while since she had heard suchpliments, she could still recall them perfectly. At this point, she could say them with her eyes closed. Hera was clearly pleased by the ttery, a smile appearing on her lips. For the moment, her dissatisfaction with Luca was set aside. "Hmm, not bad. You''ve got a good eye." The sales associate standing nearby listened to Luca''s words and could not help but wonder if she was one of them. That was some serious sales talk. Seeing that Hera was in a good mood, Luca figured that if she was happy, she would be less likely to give her trouble. Hence, she added, "This dress looks like it was designed just for you, Ms. Sanchez. Why not take it home?" The sales associate widened her eyes in disbelief. Would that actually work? She thought Luca''s words were a bit over the top. Of course, she hoped Hera would buy the dress. After all, it would boost her sales. Her gaze shifted to Hera, who, surprisingly, seemed to be enjoying thepliments. If someone else had said this, Hera would have probably dismissed it as excessive ttery. Even though Hera liked being praised, if thepliments were too exaggerated, even she would feel awkward for the person saying them. She would definitely question their sincerity. However, the words did not feel over the top at all when Luca said them. In fact, they made perfect sense to her. "Alright, I''ll take this one." Hera decided on the spot and then turned to the sales associate. "Do you have any other new arrivals?" Chapter 3437 He Wants Her Knees Too ? Chapter 3437 He Wants Her Knees Too The sales associate nodded and said, "Yes, we do. I''ve already ced them in the fitting room for you. Would you like some assistance?" Hera shook her head and pointed straight at Luca. "No, I want her to do it." Luca shook her head helplessly. It seemed that Hera was determined to make her y the role of a sales associate today. Luca asked, "Ms. Sanchez, where''s Mr. Abel?" "What does that have to do with you?" Hera shot her a wary look. "Where he goes isn''t important. What matters is that you''re spending the day shopping with me. And if I''m not happy, be prepared to face his punishment." Then, Hera strutted toward the fitting room like a proud peacock. Luca had no choice but to follow. Inside the fitting room, Hera closed the door behind them andmanded, "Help me unzip the back." "Alright." Luca lowered her gaze. Since they were both women and Hera clearly had no reservations, there was no reason for her to feel ufortable. She ced her hands on the zipper. Hera reminded, "Be careful. Don''t catch my hair in it." Luca hummed in acknowledgment and carefully pulled the zipper down. Hera smirked and said in a boastful tone, "My boyfriend loves my ck hair. He even said it would look even better if I dyed it blonde, but I couldn''t bear to do it." Blonde? Luca immediately thought of Kassy. Kassy had wavy blonde hair and striking blue eyes. She was undeniably seductive, the kind of woman most men could not resist-except for Luke. However, hearing Hera''s words only strengthened Luca''s suspicion. Abel was clearly using Hera as a stand-in for Kassy. A hint of helplessness shed across Luca''s eyes, but she said nothing. Once the zipper was fully undone, she asked, "Ms. Sanchez, which one would you like to try on?" "The ck one," replied Hera, "He always told me that my fair skin looks best in ck. This dress will definitely look stunning on me." "Okay." Luca took the ck dress off the hanger and helped her change into it. From a purely objective standpoint, Hera had an enviable figure-curves in all the right ces. She was the kind of woman who men dreamed about. She was undeniably sexy. However, as Luca helped her into the dress, her gaze briefly swept over Hera''s knees. Suddenly, Shanks'' words from this morning echoed in her mind. Abel did not just want Hera''s eyes, he wanted her knees too. If Luke and his team could not take down the Ind of Despair in time, Hera might suffer a fate worse than she could imagine. That thought lingered in Luca''s mind as she finished helping her change. After zipping up the back of the dress, she said, "You''re all set, Ms. Sanchez." "Alright." Hera pinched her own waist, noticing there was still a bit of room in the dress, which was in the smallest size. "My waist is really quite slim." Luca simply smiled and said nothing. As Hera stepped out of the fitting room, she suddenly turned to Luca. "You look pretty built. What size do you wear?" "I''m not sure." Luca had no interest in engaging. She found Hera''s antics exhausting. If she were to admit her size was smaller, Hera would undoubtedly be upset. Luca did not want to put herself down, so she simply yed dumb. Hera frowned. "Your waist looks thick. You sure you''re not wearing a medium? Tsk, tsk, maybe your size is even bigger than that. I heard you work out too. Bet you''re rocking arge with all that muscle." Luca remained silent. The sales associate, overhearing the conversation, discreetly nced at Luca''s figure. Despite the loose clothing, it was clear that Luca''s body was well-proportioned and toned. Her size was definitely a small. However, the sales associate was not about to speak up. While Luca wore luxury brands, she seemed to be ying the role of an obedient subordinate to Hera. Saying the wrong thing could offend either of them, and she was not about to take that risk. She would not be that silly! Instead, she shot Luca a sympathetic nce before showering Hera with exaggerated praise. Soaking up thepliments, Hera felt even more pleased with herself. After deciding to buy the dress, she continued trying on the other limited-edition pieces. Once she had gone through every exclusive design, she turned to the sales associate and told her to wrap everything up. Then, pulling out a ck card, she said, "Charge it." "Of course, Ms. Sanchez. Please wait a moment." The sales associate was thrilled. She had assumed Hera might buy one or two pieces. Her appearance did not exactly scream someone who could afford an entire collection. Yet to her shock, Hera had bought every single limited-edition piece. This was a massive sale! Grinning from ear to ear, the sales associate took the ck card and quickly packed up all the items before running off to process the transaction. Once the payment was approved, she respectfully handed the card back. "Ms. Sanchez, these are all your purchases. Our store offers aftercare services for your garments. If you ever need any maintenance, simply bring the garments back to our boutique and we''ll take care of everything for you." "Got it." Hera snatched the ck card back, then turned to Luca with an arrogant smile. "Go on. Carry all the bags for me," Hera said to Luca in amanding tone. "Yes, Ms. Sanchez." Luca did not say another word and immediately picked up the shopping bags. With the store employees sending them off with warm smiles, the two women walked out. Hera strutted confidently into the next luxury boutique. Luca nced at the pile of bags in her hands. She had a feeling that Abel had clearly given Hera the ck card with full permission to splurge. At this rate, she was going to end up carrying dozens of shopping bags back At the thought of this, Luca let out a quiet sigh and followed Hera inside. As soon as they entered, the sales associate''s eyes lit up at the sight of the load of luxury-brand shopping bags in Luca''s hands and the women''s stylish outfits. "Wee,dies! What can I help you find today?" The associate''s eager gazended directly on Luca. It was clear that she assumed Luca was the one with purchasing power. Hera''s expression darkened at once. Annoyed, she snapped at the associate, "I''m the customer! Who are you looking at?" The sales associate froze for a moment. Luca''s outfit appeared more high-end, and with all those luxury brand shopping bags in her hands, it was natural to assume she was the one spending the money. More than that, the associate had simply thought they were shopping together. It had not even crossed her mind that Luca was just there to carry the bags. Quickly, she forced an apologetic smile. "I''m so sorry, miss. I assumed you were shopping together." "Shopping together? Do I look like I''m that close to her? She''s just here because my boyfriend told her toe and carry my bags," Hera scoffed, her tone dripping with disdain. She was already making Luca carry her things, so how could Luca still manage to steal her spotlight? That thought made Hera even more irritated. "Oh, I see." The sales associate''s attitude shifted in an instant. Realizing that Luca was nothing more than a glorified bag carrier, she immediately dismissed her, but she still wondered how someone like that could possibly afford haute couture. In the blink of an eye, the elegant designer outfit Luca was wearing was ressified in the associate''s mind as a counterfeit. Luca noticed the change in the sales associate''s gaze and felt speechless. Her clothes were custom-made pieces personally sent over by Luke! Chapter 3438 How Dare She Talk About Luca Like That ? Chapter 3438 How Dare She Talk About Luca Like That Although Luca did not know the exact value of the clothes, she was certain that anything Luke had specially sent over would not be cheap. So, when she caught the sales associate''s skeptical nce, she felt a bit helpless but did not bother to exin. The truth would speak for itself. Besides, she had no intention of justifying herself to a sales associate. Hera, despite her love for luxury goods, did not actually know much about haute couture. So, when she noticed the sales associate still sizing up Luca, she immediately snapped, "What are you looking at?" "N-Nothing." The sales associate quickly averted her gaze and turned her full attention to Hera, smiling brightly." Our esteemed guest, what can I help you find today?" Hera thought for a moment before saying in a serious tone, "Show me your new handbags." The sales associate''s eyes lit up when she heard this. Anyone who could afford so much designer clothing had to have deep pockets. This meant a solidmission for her! With that in mind, she eagerly led Hera farther into the boutique. She offered Hera a cup of coffee and an imported fruit tter. Then, she worked with her colleagues to present thetest handbag collection. Hera looked at several bags and loved every single one of them. However, even though Abel had given her a ck card without mentioning a spending limit, she dared not dare to swipe too much at once. Hence, she kept her excitement in check. She had been around enough men to know they all had their own limits. If she splurged too much at once and ran up a massive bill, Abel might not be happy. When men like him got unhappy, they always took it out on their women one way or another. Hera was not afraid of the usual transactional nature of their rtionship, but she was afraid of what he might do if he decided to be cruel. Weighing her options, she dared not to buy them all. Surrounded by the enthusiastic sales associate, she ended up selecting two bags. The sales associate, who had been expecting a big splurge, could not hide her disappointment. She thought Hera would buy at least a handful, but she only picked two. That level of spending was not exactly impressive. Many of their regr clients could afford just as much. Although the sales associate was disappointed, she did not let it show. She remained professional, carefully wrapping up the two handbags before taking the ck card andpleting the transaction. She tried upselling Hera on a few of thetest seasonal pieces, but Hera declined them all. It was not that she did not like them. She just did not dare spend too much and risk upsetting Abel. Now, Luca had two more shopping bags in hand. Hera exited the boutique and headed straight into a high-end beauty store. Luca rolled her eyes but had no choice but to follow, still weighed down by shopping bags. What she did not know was that Gordan, disguised and keeping a low profile, had been tailing them from a distance. Seeing Luca burdened with all those bags, he frowned and snapped a photo of her from behind. He then sent it straight to Luke. Unaware of this, Luca simply carried on. If she had known, she definitely would have stopped him. After all, she had rarely ever carried someone else''s shopping bags in her entire life. Luke had always protected her so well. She had never needed to experience anything like this. If Luke saw her being pushed around by Hera like this, he definitely would not be happy. Sure enough, he was not. The moment Luke saw the message from Gordan, his eyes darkened dangerously like a brewing storm. The sudden shift in his mood startled Gale. "Boss, what''s wrong?" asked Gale. "Hera is messing with Luca," replied Luke. Gale nodded. He understood why Luke behaved like that. He was pissed because he felt bad for Luca. Then, he thought about that woman, Hera. Was she not just digging her own grave at this point? Messing with their boss'' woman now? When the time came for them to step in, Luke definitely would not let her off easy. Some people just did not know when to stop-not until they ran themselves straight into disaster. With that thought in mind, Gale asked, "Boss, do you want me to step in and help her out?" "No need. She can handle it." Luke''s gaze was still dark and heavy. He remembered what Luca had told him and decided to trust her. Besides, they could not alert Hera just yet. "Got it." Gale nodded. On the other hand, Hera finally stopped after buying a ton of makeup and skincare products. By now, Luca''s arms werepletely weighed down with shopping bags. If Hera kept going, she would not even have the hands to carry them all. After wrapping up herst round of shopping, Hera looked at the mountain of bags in Luca''s hands, feeling very pleased with herself. Sliding on her sunsses, she smirked. "Let''s grab a coffee." Luca knew that was not directed at her, so she stayed silent. She took thest set of bags from the sales associate. Her expression was calm as she followed behind Hera. Hera picked a fancy caf¨¦, then turned to nce at Luca. Seeing her struggling with all the bags gave Hera a sense of satisfaction. Having Luca carry her shopping made her feel so much better. It was like all the frustration she had been holding in for so long had finally been released. "Don''t say I''m too harsh on you. Come inside and have a coffee." Her tone was full of arrogance like she was doing Luca some kind of favor. Luca''s expression remained unchanged. "Thank you, Ms. Sanchez." "Hmph. You''re acting like this little bit of kindness is some huge blessing. People really need to know their ce." Hera had a sharp tongue. Even though her anger had mostly faded, she did not want to let Luca have it too easy. Luca did not care and simply followed her inside. After all, she had been sitting the entire time Hera was shopping, using every moment to rest. Hence, she was not actually tired at all. Hera was probably the more exhausted one. She picked a corner table and sat down. Luca set the bags down one by one. "Be careful! Don''t mess up my stuff." Hera frowned as she watched Luca handle the bags without much care. "Yes, Ms. Sanchez." Lucaplied as she carefully ced the bags down. Gordan followed them into the caf¨¦ as well. His brows furrowed even deeper when he heard what Hera said. She really did not know her ce, daring to speak to their boss'' woman like that. Gordan sent another message to Luke at the thought of it. Since he was following Luke''s orders, he reported everything in real time. As soon as Luca sat down, she instinctively nced at Gordan''s direction. Even though he was in disguise, he still looked oddly familiar. Hera followed her gaze and noticed that she was looking at a man. She immediately knocked on the table and sneered, "I swear, can you not go a day without looking at men?" Luca withdrew her gaze, looking at Hera in confusion. What did she even mean by that? "All you do is stare at good-looking guys all day. You''re such a disgrace to women," Hera muttered while ordering a cup of coffee. She also asked for a ss of lemon water for Luca. Luca could not be bothered and did not care to respond. Luca did not say anything, yet Gordan felt annoyed. How dare Hera talk about Luca like that? Gordan called over a waiter and whispered a few instructions. After getting a nod of understanding, Gordan leaned back in his seat, pretending to scroll through his phone while actually eavesdropping on their conversation. However, after her snide remark, Hera did not continue-especially since Luca was ignoring her. It was not until two cups of coffee and a ss of lemon water arrived at their table. Hera frowned and asked, "I only ordered one coffee. Did you make a mistake?" Chapter 3439 Any Man Who Sees Her Will Be Attracted ? Chapter 3439 Any Man Who Sees Her Will Be Attracted "This cup of coffee is from that gentleman for thisdy." The waiter smiled as he exined, cing the cup in front of Luca. Hera followed the waiter''s gaze and immediately recognized the man Luca had been looking at earlier. Her eyes darkened. She had noticed the man ncing in their direction. However, she had assumed he was looking at her. After all, she was dressed seductively, had put on makeup, and was undeniably beautiful. Any man who saw her would be attracted. If a man''s eyes lingered on her, it was not surprising at all. Realizing that the man had been watching Luca the whole time instead of her, Hera suddenly felt annoyed. Luca noticed her displeasure, nced at Gordan, then smiled and said to the waiter, "Please thank the gentleman for me." "Of course, miss. Enjoy your coffee." The waiter, sensing the tension between the two women, quickly grabbed his tray and left before Hera''s sour mood could affect him too. "Hmph, feeling proud of yourself?" asked Hera. Luca took a sip of her coffee. It was rich and bitter, with no milk or sugar. It was just the way she liked it. Hera leaned back and asked, "Does it taste good?" "Not bad," replied Luca. This caf¨¦ was a national chain, so, of course, the quality was decent. "You just drink whatever people give you? Be careful. It might be poisoned," scoffed Hera. Luca almost wanted to reply that this was a caf¨¦, not a bar. However, after spending some time around Hera, she hade to understand her personality well. Instead of arguing, Luca swallowed her words. It did not matter what she said. Hera would always find fault with her. Luca simply took another sip of her coffee. Hera, feelingpletely ignored, grew even more irritated. She picked up her own cup, took a sip, then grimaced." Ugh, this coffee is overpriced. It tastes awful. Even the instant coffee my boyfriend brings me is better than this." Luca wanted tough. However, knowing that Hera would explode if she did, she kept quiet and continued drinking her coffee. She had a feeling that once Hera''s health report came back, things were about to get busy. Hera seemed ready to say something else, but when she saw Luca ignoring her, she got even more frustrated. With a huff, she waved over the waiter, handed him a ck card, and told him to settle the bill. Luca knew she was in a bad mood, but she did notment. She simply took herst sip of coffee and was about to stand up when her phone started buzzing repeatedly. She picked it up and nced at the screen. It was a message from the hospital. Some of Hera''s test results hade in. As Luca scanned through the numbers,paring them to the normal ranges, her expression tightened. "What are you looking at?" Hera suddenly had a bad feeling from Luca''s reaction. Luca lifted her gaze and looked at Hera. Hera''s heart tightened for a moment. "It''s nothing," replied Luca as she slipped her phone back into her pocket before standing up and gathering all the shopping bags. Seeing them getting ready to leave, Gordan also stood up, instinctively stepping forward to help. Noticing his movement, Luca shook her head slightly, signaling that there was no need. Gordon froze and then withdrew his hand. Hera took back her ck card from the waiter, maintaining a deliberately graceful posture as she stood up. She had done enough shopping for the day. It was time to go home. The two of them headed downstairs and got into a cab. Luca ced all the bags in the back seat before settling into the front passenger seat and pulling out her phone. She wanted to take a closer look at Hera''s medical report. Several of the indicators in the report were concerning. Normally, when someone were to undergo a transnt, these were the key factors taken into consideration. The same applied to donors. Whether donating a liver, a kidney, or any other organ, these metrics must meet the required standards. Hera''s current numbers were nowhere near qualifying for donation. Initially, Luca was not too worried. After all, when Abel made his move, Luke and his team would act as well. Hera would not be harmed. However, once Abel realized that Hera was not a suitable donor and that her poor health could even pose a risk to Kassy, she might lose her value entirely. A sense of unease crept over Luca as she thought about the possible consequences. Abel had invested a great deal of resources and effort into Hera. If he was suddenly told that her condition made her unsuitable for Kassy''s transnt and that forcing it could lead to infection, illness, or even a failed surgery, there was no way he would just let it slide. Even if Hera''s health could be improved, it would not happen overnight. Meanwhile, the volunteer for the clinical trial was already showing signs of recovery. Soon, he would regain normal vision. Once that happened, it would mark the moment Abel made his move to save Kassy. "What are you looking at?" questioned Hera. Although she was sitting behind Luca and could not see her face, she could sense a certain seriousness in her expression. A thought shed through Hera''s mind-her medical test results. She knew that some test results coulde back quickly. A trace of worry crept into her voice as she asked, "Did somethinge up in my report?" "No." Luca decided not to tell her just yet. She needed to discuss this with Shanks first and figure out the best way to handle the situation. "Don''t try to fool me." Hera refused to believe her. Luca turned back and gave her a calm, indifferent nce. "Why would I lie to you?" Hera was stunned for a moment. She had to admit that Luca had a point. There was no reason for her to lie. If there really was something wrong with her medical report, Luca should be the happiest person to hear it. Even though she never openly showed it, Hera could feel that Luca did not like her. Likewise, she did not like Luca either. If there really was something wrong with her medical report, Luca would definitely be gloating about it instead of acting all secretive. At the thought of this, Hera let out a cold snort. "Hmph, you''re acting all secretive. It''s probably nothing good." Luca remained silent. Hera was not wrong. It really was not good news. When they arrived back at the vi, Luca handed the shopping bags to Gerald, who was walking toward her. "Ms. Craw, are you heading somewhere?" Gerald hurriedly took the bags from her. His hands suddenly felt heavy. Just how much had Luca bought? "I need to find Mr. Shanks. These are Ms. Sanchez''s things. Bring them inside." Gerald immediately understood that these belonged to Hera. Even though he was not familiar with luxury brands, he could tell from the high-end shopping bags that everything she bought must have been expensive. Carefully, he adjusted his grip, making sure to handle them with extra care. "Where''s Luca?" Hera frowned and asked as she walked over. The moment they got out of the car, Luca grabbed all the bags and rushed inside. It was as though she had something urgent to do. Now that Hera had entered the house, Luca was nowhere to be seen. Instead, all her purchases were in Gerald''s hands. "Oh, Ms. Craw went to see Mr. Shanks about something. Ms. Sanchez, let me carry these up for you," Gerald fawningly said. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3440 Unsuitable For Transplantation ? Chapter 3440 Unsuitable For Transntation Hera heard that Luca had returned and immediately went to find Shanks. She narrowed her eyes. That woman went to see Shanks. Could she be talking about her? The thought made Hera uneasy. She had a nagging feeling that something was wrong with her medical report. However, when they left the medical center earlier, Abel asked Luca when the report would be ready, and she said it would be avable tomorrow. Hera turned to Gerald and said, "Take these back for me first." "Alright." Gerald carried the bags as he walked away. He could not help but wonder what exactly Hera bought. These bags were really heavy! Only after Gerald went upstairs did Hera slowly make her way up as well. Her room was on the third floor, but she stopped when she reached the second floor. She nced around to make sure no one was watching before heading toward theboratory. The door was closed. Instead of knocking, Hera pressed her ear against it, trying to eavesdrop. However, theboratory was specially built by people hired by Shanks. It was not only soundproof but also fireproof and waterproof, ensuring that his experiments would not be easily destroyed. Luca stood nearby after handing her phone to Shanks. Shanks looked at the screen, his brows furrowing together. "Have the other reportse in?" asked Shanks. "Not yet. Some will probably take until tomorrow. But from the results we have so far, it''s clear that Hera isn''t a suitable organ donor. Mr. Shanks, what should we do now?" asked Luca. She was asking whether they should inform Abel. Shanks handed the phone back to her and then stared at the microscope beside him. He was deep in thought. He was not Abel, and he had no emotional attachment to Kassy. To him, there was never a need to take organs from a living person for the transnt. If it were not for Abel''s stubbornness, he would not have agreed to it in the first ce. Hera''s body was indeed unsuitable for donating organs to Kassy at the moment. "Let me think about it," replied Shanks. Luca nodded and was about to leave when she heard him give another instruction. "There''s prepared IV fluid over there. Go hang it up for the patient." "Okay," replied Luca. She picked up the bag of IV fluid and opened the door, only to find Hera standing right outside. Luca looked at her in surprise. Hera did not expect the door to suddenly open either. She had been leaning against it, relying on it for support. She nearly lost her bnce when the door opened. She grabbed the doorframe just in time to stop herself from falling. The IV fluid in Luca''s hands nearly dropped due to Hera''s sudden movement. Luca quickly took a step back, securing the fluid to prevent any mishap. If Hera had knocked it over, Shanks would definitely be furious. When Shanks was angry, Hera''s future would be nothing but darkness. And if she could not be a donor for Kassy, Abel would make her life a living hell. "Ms. Sanchez, what are you doing here?" Luca frowned, feeling helpless. Hera''s situation was already dangerous. Could she stop making things worse? It was one thing for Hera to ignore warnings before, but now, she was even eavesdropping and had nearly ruined the medication. "I-I came to find you," Hera stammered. Luca''s lips curved into a half-smile. She came to find her? "Then why didn''t you knock?" asked Luca. "I just got here and was about to knock, but you suddenly opened the door without any warning! Do you know how easily that could have hurt someone?" Hera shifted all the me onto Luca. "Oh? It''s the first time I''ve seen someone knock with their ear pressed against the door." Luca exposed her without hesitation and did not bother arguing further. "What do you want?" "I''m feeling a little unwell and want you to check on me." Hera casually made up an excuse. "It''s all your fault! If you hadn''t made me go through so many medical tests, I wouldn''t be feeling this way." Luca nced back at Shanks. He did not seem to be paying attention to their conversation. He was just staring at the microscope. This expression of his was rare, but every time she saw it, it meant something was puzzling him. Over the years on the Ind of Despair, Luca hade to understand Shanks'' habits. Whenever he was deep in thought, he liked to stare into the microscope. It was as though he was searching for answers in that tiny world. Luca withdrew her gaze and replied, "If you''re not feeling well, go back to your room and wait for me. I need to administer an IV drip to the volunteer first." "Fine." Hera pped her hands nonchntly and walked toward the stairs, pretending not to care. Luca shook her head and shut theboratory door. Shanks needed to be alone with his thoughts right now. This time, his thoughts involved Hera''s life. She then made her way to the patient''s room. He was already out of bed and slowly moving along the wall, taking careful steps. "Someone''s here, right?" he asked. Luca answered, "It''s me. Did you hear my footsteps?" "No, but I can vaguely make out some dark shadows," he replied. "It''s time for your IV drip." Luca was not surprised that his vision was slowly returning. She set the tray down and began preparing for the drip. "Alright." The patient groped along the wall, trying to find his way back to the bed. The man watching over him reached out, trying to help him. Sensing his movement, the patient said, "Sir, let me try on my own." The man let go. Luca watched as the patient carefully navigated his way toward her while feeling along the wall. She smiled. Even people who could not see still had a sense of direction. In fact,pared to sighted individuals who closed their eyes, blind people often had a stronger spatial awareness. Besides, the patient had been here for a long time. He was already familiar with theyout. Given enough time, he could find his way back to the bed. Luca waited patiently. Only when the patient finally sat down did she proceed with the drip. "Ms. Craw," the patient called her name. "Yes?" "You and Mr. Shanks are good people. Once I''m better, I''m totally taking you guys out for a meal. No backing out." His voice was filled with hope for the future. Many doctors had told him his condition was permanent. Hence, when he first arrived, he had little to no expectations. Now, not only could he walk, but he could also see light again. To him, Luca and Shanks were nothing short of lifesavers. "I''d be happy to go, but as for Mr. Shanks, you might have to persuade him yourself. He''s much more interested in research and experiments than in eating out," Luca joked as she injected the fluid into the IV port and adjusted the drip speed before leaving the room. ncing down the hallway, she noticed that Hera had already left. She then reentered theb. "Mr. Shanks, I''ve administered the IV drip," reported Luca. "Okay." Shanks'' voice was low and distant. Luca could tell he was still deep in thought, so she decided to leave quietly to avoid disturbing him. Just as her hand reached for the doorknob, Shanks suddenly spoke. "How well do you understand Abel?" She froze for a moment before replying, "I wouldn''t say I know him well. If anyone does, it would be you, Mr. Shanks." "That''s true." Shanks nodded. His piercing blue eyes locked onto her. "But I''d like to hear your thoughts on this." "Sure." Luca straightened up, ready to listen. Chapter 3441 Heras As Good As Dead ? Chapter 3441 Hera''s As Good As Dead "If Abel finds out that Hera''s body isn''t suitable for organ donation to Kassy, what do you think he''ll do?" asked Shanks. He already knew the answer, but he still wanted to hear Luca''s thoughts. "He has invested a lot of time and money in Hera. If he gets nothing out of it, he won''t let her off easily," Luca said bluntly. Luca and Shanks were on the same page. They did not have a good rtionship with Hera, but they had no intention of ruining her either. Hera''s personality was unpleasant, but that was not enough for them to hate her so much that they wanted to see her suffer. "What methods do you think he''ll use?" Shanks asked again. Luca was silent for a long moment. Shanks already knew the answer, yet he still wanted her to say it out loud. After thinking it over, she finally said, "There are plenty of ways he could go about it, but no matter what he chooses, Hera''s fate is sealed. She''s as good as dead..." She lowered her gaze, her tone firm and certain. Shanks nodded. "If her condition had been suitable for the transnt, she might not have died. At worst, she''d be left disabled," continued Luca. Shanks nodded again. "But whether it''s death or disability, Hera won''t ept it. She values her appearance too much. If she ends up disabled or marred, she''d probably rather be dead," added Luca. Once again, Shanks nodded. He agreed with everything she said. Abel would have no problem turning an innocent person into something unrecognizable for Kassy''s sake. Then, out of nowhere, Shanks asked, "Is your husband nning something?" Luca''s heart skipped a beat. She looked up, forcing herself to appear calm as she met his gaze. Had he figured something out? However, Shanks'' expression remained unreadable. There was nothing in his eyes that gave him away. Luca shook her head. "What do you mean by that?" "Nothing in particr. I just don''t want to see another innocent life destroyed," Shanks replied calmly. Then, he opened a cab filled with medication and began preparing a solution. "You don''t support it either, do you?" Luca asked in a soft voice. Shanks responded tly, "Even if I don''t support it, I can''t always stop Abel''s decisions." He pulled out a vial of medicine. Luca frowned at the sight. "Unless someone stronger steps in to stop him." Shanks stared at her thoughtfully. Luca''s heart pounded with anxiety. Could it be that Shanks really know something? If he did, he would definitely tell Abel. In that case, their n... She sped her hands behind her back, trying to conceal their slight tremble. Shanks finished preparing the vial of medicine and added, "For now, don''t tell Abel about that woman''s condition. We''ll take it one step at a time." Luca swallowed hard and nodded. "Okay." "As for her health, we''ll help her recover first. What happens next will be up to fate," added Shanks. "Understood." Luca followed his lead. As long as Shanks did not report Hera''s condition to Abel, she would be safe-at least for now. Abel was a businessman, but he was also a ruthless killer. He would not be able to understand those medical reports on his own. Of course, if he became suspicious and had another doctor review Hera''s test results, there would not be much they could do. Some things were better left unsaid. Still, if Abel started doubting them, Hera''s life would hang by a thread. Shanks ced the vial to the side. "First, we need to get rid of the inmmation in her body. She has to take this medicine and get this injection." Luca stared at the vial, feeling stuck. How was she supposed to get Hera to take the medicine and agree to the injection? Telling her the truth was out of the question, at least not the part about Abel seeing her as Kassy''s donor. Was there another way? Luca could not help but be lost in thought. "What''s wrong?" Shanks noticed her silence and frowned. Luca came back to her senses and answered, "I''m trying to figure out how to convince Hera to take the medicine." "That''s easy. Just tell her that Abel doesn''t like sick women," replied Shanks. Luca''s eyes lit up. That could work. If Hera thought Abel disliked weak and sickly women, not only would she willingly cooperate with the treatment, but she would also keep quiet about it on her own. Taking the medicine and vial, Luca left theb. She made her way up to the third floor. Outside Hera''s room, Gerald was standing by the door. "What are you doing here?" Luca asked with surprise. Gerald gestured toward the room and whispered, "She''s throwing a fit in there. I have no idea what''s going on. She won''t let me leave, and she said I have to stand by and wait." Luca shot him a sympathetic look even though she also pitied herself. She was about to face Hera''s temper too. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door. Then, without waiting for a response, she pushed it open and walked in. "Who said you coulde in?" Hera snapped when she saw Luca barge in without permission. Ignoring her, Luca set the tray aside and said, "I''ve been keeping something from you." Hera froze for a moment. "What is it?" Luca turned around and nced toward the doorway. "Leave us." "Am I not allowed to listen?" Gerald was startled for a moment. He thought he and Luca were on good enough terms that he should be allowed to hear everything. "These aren''t things you can just listen to. Go downstairs." Luca''s voice was stern. Gerald scratched his nose but soon left, shutting the door behind him. Luca opened the door again to make sure he was really gone before closing it and walking over to Hera. "Your test results are partially in." "So what?" Hera''s heart skipped a beat at the mention of the test results. "You put up such a fight about getting a check-up, acting out in every possible way. Was it because you already felt something was wrong? Did you think that if you avoided the tests, the problem wouldn''t exist?" Luca exposed her mindset without hesitation. Hera''s chest tightened. "What nonsense are you talking about?" "You have severe inmmation in your body, and I''m sure you''ve been feeling the warning signs. But instead of dealing with it, you kept brushing it off, thinking it would just go away. If you leave it untreated, it''s only going to get worse. Mr. Shanks prescribed this injection and medications based on your test results. Whether you take them or not, it''s up to you." Hera was silent for a long time. "How do I know you''re not lying to me?" She was still skeptical. Would Luca really be this kind to her? After all the times she had gone against Luca, it did not make sense for her to suddenly care. Luca replied calmly, "If I had prepared these myself, I''d understand your suspicion. These were prescribed by Mr. Shanks. There''s no reason to doubt him. He has no personal stake in this. I''ve said my piece. Believe it or not, that''s on you. I''ll give you five minutes to decide whether or not you''ll ept the treatment." Then, she checked her phone. Hera scoffed. "I don''t need five minutes. I''ll give you my answer right now." Seeing the defiant look on her face, Luca added one final reminder, "Ms. Sanchez, just so you know, Abel doesn''t like sickly women. If he finds out how bad your health is, he won''t keep you around." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3442 Insanely Paranoid And Totally Self-Centered ? Chapter 3442 Insanely Paranoid And Totally Self-Centered Hera was startled by Luca''s words. The refusal that had been on the tip of her tongue suddenly got stuck in her throat. "I..." Hera hesitated, feeling conflicted. Leaving Abel might not be such a bad idea. At least she would not have to live in constant fear. She was finally realizing how unpredictable his moods were. At first, she thought it did not matter as she could still look at other men. She just had to ensure there was no physical contact. In reality, even if she so much as nced at someone, Abel''s expression would darken with anger. It was frustrating. Now, the only person she was allowed to look at was Gerald. Still, what was the point of just looking at Gerald? At that thought, she lifted her gaze to Luca. Luca added, "I''ll give you five minutes. If you refuse treatment after that, I''ll take the medicine back to Mr. Shanks and won''t try to convince you again." Hera''s heart tightened. She did not even need five minutes. She had made her decision within 30 seconds. "I''ll take it. Give me the injection." "Alright." Luca nodded, picking up the tourniquet and preparing the injection. Hera''s health was not great, so it was difficult to give her an injection. Luca had to tap her arm several times before a vein finally became visible. "Are you doing this on purpose to get back at me?" Hera red at her. Luca replied indifferently, "Why would I waste my time on petty revenge?" Hera was at a loss for words. It was true. There was not much to get back at her for. A few extra taps did not actually hurt. As Luca administered the injection, Hera reminded her, "You can''t tell Abel about this." "Don''t worry," Luca reassured her. "If I wanted to tell him, I wouldn''t be giving you this treatment in the first ce." "What about Shanks?" Hera asked cautiously. Even if Luca kept quiet, if Shanks said something, it would all be for nothing. "You don''t need to worry about that either. If he were going to say something, he wouldn''t have prescribed the medicine in the first ce." After inserting the needle, Luca adjusted the drip rate and continued, "Once you''re done with the IV drip, take this medication after dinner. Any issues with that?" "No..." Hera was still uneasy. "Even if you don''t say anything, what if Abel asks?" "This IV isn''t for treatment. It''s just to help regte your body." After Luca walked to the door, she continued, "Now that you''ve chosen to take the treatment, you have to keep it a secret. If this gets exposed, the one who''ll suffer the most won''t be us-it''ll be you. When the IV is almost done, call me." Then, she opened the door and left. Hera''s expression darkened. Abel was terrifying, but to her, being broke was even worse. Between Abel''s oppressive presence and financial security, she would rather deal with Abel. After all, having money felt way too good. Hera had never felt as much joy as when she was swiping Abel''s ck card and basking in the sales associates'' ttery earlier today. She watched the IV drip slowly trickle down and fell into deep thought. She had to have money-lots and lots of money. She did not love Abel, but as long as being by his side brought her benefits, she was willing to stay. Once she had made enough, she could finally live freely. She would have the means to connect with higher-ss people. Then, her future would be set. On the third-floor balcony, Luca sent a message to Luke. She informed him that Hera''s health made her unsuitable for the transnt. Luke immediately asked what their next move should be. Luca exined that she and Shanks had decided to keep this information from Abel. Luke reminded her to be cautious. He also shared an update from Russia. The Ind of Despair''s activities there had been decreasing recently. I was as though they were nning something. Luke warned her to stay vignt. Reading his message, Luca felt a wave of unease but quickly reassured him that she would be careful and not let Abel harm her. "What are you looking at?" Shanks'' voice suddenly came from behind her. Luca''s heart skipped a beat. She immediately thought of his earlier probing in theb and forced herself to stay calm. "Just checking the news." Shanks stepped closer to the balcony railing, keeping about half a yard of distance between them. Luca added, "I''ve been cut off from the outside world for so long. If I don''t keep up with the news, I won''t even know what''s happening out there." "Something happened?" Shanks raised an eyebrow. "Nothing major, just celebrity gossip." Luca stared at the sunset with narrowed eyes. The golden light stretched across thend. It was slightly warm, far less intense than the midday sun. She was reminded of a time when she and Luke would watch the sunset together from their balcony. That was back when life had been more peaceful. "Did Hera agree to the treatment?" asked Shanks as he took a sip of his beer. Only then did Luca realize he had been holding a bottle the entire time. She let out a soft sigh. "It took a lot of convincing, but she finally agreed. She even asked us to keep it a secret. She''s taking this pretty seriously." Shanks did not respond. Luca nced sideways at him. She had never seen Shanks drink before. He had never taken the time for anything else before. In his own words, if he had the time for distractions, he might as well spend it in theb. Who knew, he might even make another breakthrough? "Why are you staring at me?" Shanks noticed Luca''s gaze lingering on him. Luca exined, "I just don''t usually see you drinking. I''m curious." "Drinking is a waste of time. It''s just like Abel smoking those cigars," Shanks suddenly remarked. Luca chuckled. Now that sounded more like something Shanks would say. "Abel smokes cigars when he''s deep in thought. I usually prefer looking through a microscope. But this time, even the microscope couldn''t help me figure out a solution. Then I remembered I hadn''t had a drink in a long time, so I figured I''d have one," Shanks said with a calm voice. Luca nodded. "Well, don''t drink too much. If you''re not used to it, you''ll get drunk easily. And once you''re drunk, you won''t be able to think clearly at all." "That won''t happen." Shanks shook his head. "I have a high tolerance." Luca looked at him, skeptical. Seeing her doubt, Shanks exined, "Back when I was conducting experiments, no one trusted my results. So, every time I created something new, I would inject or ingest it myself to prove its effectiveness. Over time, my body became resistant to alcohol. No matter how strong the drink is, I won''t get drunk." Luca was surprised. This was the first time she had learned about Shanks''s unique condition. "Does Mr. Abel have the same resistance?" Luca asked cautiously. "No, he relies on my research, but he doesn''t trust it. No matter how sessful my experiments are, he''ll never allow them to be used on himself. Abel is insanely paranoid and totally self-centered." Shanks paused for a moment, then downed thest sip of his beer. "He needs my drugs to control everyone on the Ind of Despair. He also needs my medical skills to save people. If he gets injured, he''lle to me. But when ites to my most innovative research? He''d never let me use it on him." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3443 Luca and The Children Are Lukes Greatest Weakness ? Chapter 3443 Luca and The Children Are Luke''s Greatest Weakness Luca had not expected Abel and Shanks'' rtionship to be like this. It seemed Abel still did not trust Shanks. Shanks continued, "Abel isn''t someone who trusts people easily. He doesn''t trust anyone. You think he''s devoted to Kassy now, right? That''s just his obsession. He''s allowing Kassy to receive my treatment, but if it were him... No matter if he were blind or crippled, his safety would alwayse first. If he were seriously injured, maybe he''d ept treatment, but he definitely wouldn''t do it right away." Luca stayed silent. Shanks really understood Abel well. Abel did not trust anyone-not even Kassy. Calling him paranoid would not be an exaggeration. Luca felt like they were getting off-topic, but she had never seen this side of Shanks before. In her mind, he was always buried in his work at theb, only leaving for meals and sleep. Other than that, he was practically never outside. Theb was like his home... "Are you troubled by Hera''s situation?" Luca asked directly. For Shanks to step out of theb and even be drinking, it made her think they could have an honest conversation about it. "Not exactly." Shanks'' deep blue eyes remained calm, unaffected by the alcohol. He said, " I''m just wondering if my research has any meaning." He had never doubted his work before. His experiments always had a purpose. Even if they could not be made public, he knew that if his research was ever revealed, it would cause a major shift in the medical field. However, this time, his research might put people at risk, and it was something he never wanted. Even though this experiment could help a lot of people, Abel''s actions made him question everything. Was it really worth it? Shanks did not pity Hera. He just had a bad feeling that if this experiment seeded, Abel would be even more unhinged. "It could help so many people," Luca said in a soft voice. If made public, it could change lives. The transnt requirements were not even that strict. Shanks smiled. Of course, he knew how many people it could help. However, it could also give Abel more power to hurt people. "It''s time someone stood up to him." Luca gazed at the setting sun. When she heard him, she turned around to look at him. "What "He''s too dangerous. He''s a threat to the safety of the world. Luca, people like him shouldn''t be allowed to exist. Do you understand what I mean?" Shanks said in a low voice. Luca felt a chill run through her. Was he saying... Abel needed to die? However, would Shanks actually do it? Even if Shanks made a move, it would not necessarily put Abel in danger. On the surface, they were working together, but neither of them truly relied on the other. The funding for Shanks'' research coulde from anywhere while Abel could always find someone else to rece Shanks. They could turn on each other at any time. Still, after all these years, they had managed to coexist peacefully. Luca was almost certain that Shanks would not make a move. He would not be the one to break the bnce. She tried to decipher Shanks'' words but did not dare say too much. She was afraid of slipping up and revealing Luke''s n. "Mr. Shanks, what are you nning to do?" Luca frowned and asked. "It''s not about what I''m going to do. It''s about what I''m waiting for." Shanks'' grip on the beer bottle tightened, the ss creaking under the pressure. A sense of unease washed over Luca. She had the feeling Shanks was implying something. "Mr. Shanks, let''s not overthink things. For now, we should focus on treating Ms. Sanchez," suggested Luca. No matter how much they thought about it, there was no way they could change Abel''s mind. He was determined to take Hera''s eyes and kneecaps. Could they stop him? If Luke failed to take down the Ind of Despair and they were forced to operate, they would not have a choice. Abel would not allow them to refuse. "I hope you seed," Shanks said before turning away. Even though Luca had not said anything, he already knew. He knew that the former Lucius was Luke. He knew they had a n to destroy the Ind of Despair. It did not matter if they destroyed hisb there. Shanks had already backed up all his research onto a memory card, which was safely stored in a bank vault. It was being kept safely. As long as the data remained intact, even if the experimental samples were lost, he could always recreate them. Luca froze,pletely stunned. She watched him leave from behind and finally asked the question that had been weighing on her heart, "Mr. Shanks, I have something I''d like to ask you." "What is it?" Shanks came to a halt. Bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun, his silhouette was outlined in a golden glow. Luca took a deep breath. "Was my daughter okay when you left the Ind of Despair?" Shanks furrowed his brows as though he was searching his memory. "It''s been a while since I left," said Shanks. Shanks then responded affirmatively and continued, "When I left, your daughter was doing well. The person taking care of her was very attentive. And while you''ve been away, she has grown a lot." Luca''s heart trembled slightly. Her child was safe. That was all that mattered. She and Luke had been doing everything for their children. Shanks added, "Before I left, I gave her a full check-up. She''s in excellent health, so you don''t have to worry." "Thank you, Mr. Shanks." Luca''s voice quivered. Their child being in good health was the most reassuring news a parent could ever hear. "No need to thank me. I believe you''ll be reunited soon." Then, Shanks left the balcony. Luca listened to his words, narrowing her eyes as she watched the sun slowly sink below the horizon. For the first time in a long while, she felt real hope for the future. She picked up her phone and sent Luke a message, detailing everything that had just happened. She also told him that she trusted Shanks. Or rather, it was not that she trusted Shanks-Shanks was the one trusting them. A chill ran down her spine. She had no idea when Shanks first started noticing that something was off about her. Even Abel did not know about that... Then, a terrifying thought struck her. If Shanks, who spent all his time in theb, had figured it out, what about Abel? Had he known all along? Was that why he had initially refused to let her participate in the operation? Had he been silently aware of everything and just waiting for Luke to make a move so that when the time came, he could use her and their child as leverage? Luca and the children were Luke''s greatest weakness. A wave of fear crashed over Luca, making her tremble. Abel never seemed like someone who could be patient. Yet he had endured for so long for the sake of avenging Kassy. He had built the Ind of Despair from nothing, turning it into the powerful force it was today. He had given her three years-three years to transform herself, all so he could use her against Luke. Abel was a contradiction. To say he had no patience would be wrong. His patience ran deeper than anyone''s. Still, to say he was patient? He was also the most impulsive person she knew. Luca anxiously picked at her fingers. Finally, she sent another message to Luke: [Luke, I don''t know if Abel is aware of our n. Please be careful.] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3444 The Beatings He Endured All Those Years ? Chapter 3444 The Beatings He Endured All Those Years Luke sat in the vi, staring at Luca''s message. He was worried. For a moment, he considered calling her, but then he remembered that there were surveince cameras everywhere on her side. He dismissed the idea immediately. Her safety came first. Luke reminded her: [Take care of yourself. Don''t worry, I''ll handle everything. Just focus on keeping yourself safe.] The worry in his heart refused to subside, but at this moment, there was no better solution. "Boss, you''re worried about your wife, huh? If you really can''t stand it, we can sneak you in again during the next shift change, just likest time," said Gale. It had been his ideast time. Now, the real Lucius was still locked up in the basement of the vi. It had been nearly a month. Luke had forced him to take the antidote Luca had recreated. The man was still alive, proving the antidote worked perfectly. "That n is too risky." Luke put his phone away. His gaze was dark and thoughtful. "Risky, sure. But at least it''ll ease your longing. And let''s be real, you''re worried sick about her anyway," replied Gale. He casually replied to a message from Rain and then continued, " Besides, our disguise skills are top-notch. No one will notice. We''ll be fine." "First of all, not everyone is like Lucius, who barely interacts with his pals. It''s rare to find someone who matches my height and build exactly. Second, do you really think no one will notice?" questioned Luke. Gale was about to retort when Luke added, "Shanks already did." "Shanks? Wait... What?!" Gale''s face was filled with astonishment. "He figured it out? How "I thought Shanks barely leaves hisb? You guys only had one meal together, and you were only near hisb once. How did he recognize you?" Gale still found it hard to believe. "Maybe he was just fishing for information, testing you. There are so many people on the Ind of Despair. Sure, he might''ve treated Lucius before, but it''s not like he''d remember his face so easily..." Luke remained silent. Gale kept talking to himself before suddenly pping his hands together. "Yeah, he''s definitely fishing for information! Boss, you need to warn Luca and tell her not to fall for it. You and I both spent time on the Ind of Despair. "Although the leadership has changed, most of the people inside are still corrupt. They''re cunning to the core. They can''t afford to be fooled so easily." "Luca won''t." Luke''s voice was quiet but firm. "For the sake of our child, she''ll be twice as careful. She won''t fall for any tricks." Gale nodded, realizing he was right. Luca had endured so much. Everything she had done was for the child. To be honest, when he first met Bianca, he thought she was the delicate, gentle type-a woman meant to stay home and be cared for. It made sense that a woman like that would be the love of Luke''s life. However, choosing someone like her as a life partner? That required absolute devotion and protection. Otherwise, it would easily fall apart. He never expected that the delicate, fragile woman he once thought she was could survive three whole years on the Ind of Despair. She hadpletely transformed for the sake of her child and for the chance to see Luke again. It was like she had been reborn. She was nothing like the delicate, weak woman she used to be. At that moment, Gordan returned from outside. "Luke, I''m back," he announced as he grabbed a bottle of cold water from the fridge before flopping onto the couch and taking a deep swig. "How did it go?" asked Luke. Ever since he found out that Luca had to apany Abel and Hera on a shopping trip, he had sent Gordan to tail them. He was worried something might happen to her. "Don''t even get me started! That woman is an absolute nightmare. She treated Luca like a servant! If it weren''t for the fact that the actions Abel ns to take on her are so cruel and irreversible, I honestly wouldn''t be bothered saving her even if something were to happen." Gordan ranted furiously, "Not only did she buy a ridiculous amount of clothes and handbags but skincare products too. That so-called miracle water? The whole bottle, including the liquid, isn''t light at all, and she bought several of them! She also bought a bunch of other skincare items! I saw that Luca''s hands werepletely red from carrying everything." Luke''s fists clenched tightly. Hera dared to treat Luca like this?! Gale noticed the storm brewing in Luke''s expression and quickly nudged Gordan with his foot. That was when Gordan finally realized how dark Luke''s expression had be. Clearing his throat, he quickly added, "But Luca isn''t weak. She has clearly been trained. Those shopping bags were nothing to her. Luke, don''t be mad. Once we take down the Ind of Despair, she''ll be able toe back. And when that happens, we can also teach Hera a lesson on her behalf." "Okay." Luke gave a low hum in response before standing up and heading upstairs. Gordan elbowed Gale. "What do you think that meant?" "It probably means he''s definitely nning to teach Hera a lesson," answered Gale. "I guess so. He''s a revenge machine. There''s no way he''d just sit back and watch Luca get bullied." Gordan found itpletely reasonable. Gale did too. "You, though. You could''ve just reported the situation and left it at that. Why''d you go on and on? Boss was already in a bad mood, and now, you''ve just made him worry about Luca even more." Hearing that, Gordan frowned. "Why was he in a bad mood? Because he misses her?" Gale shot him a look before finally exining everything about how Shanks might have already figured out that Luke had disguised as Lucius and how he suspected they were nning to take down the Ind of Despair. "Shanks? Isn''t he just a doctor? Or a scientist or something? How the hell did he figure it out Gordon found it hard to believe when he heard that. "ording to Luca, Shanks actually seems eager for us to take down the Ind of Despair. He doesn''t seem too keen on working for Abel anymore." Gale leaned back into the couch, finding a morefortable position. At that moment, his phone lit up. Seeing the message, he immediately picked it up to reply. Gordan watched as Gale''s smile nearly stretched from ear to ear and could not help but frown. "Hey, you''re in charge of so many people. Can you at least try to maintain some dignity?" "Piss off. Single guys don''t get toment on people in rtionships." Gale waved him away without even looking up. "If you''ve got time, go talk to Lucius downstairs. See if anything slipped." "Got it." Gordan stood up and headed toward the elevator, but just as he was about to step inside, he suddenly heard Gale call out. "Oh yeah, did you hear? Ray ising to A City." Gordan froze. His steps faltered, and he turned to look at the person on the couch who was busy flirting with Rain. "He has a perfectly good life in Russia. Why the hell is heing to A City?" Gordan frowned. Just thinking about him gave him a lingering sense of dread. If it were just a one-on-one fight, that would be fine. He could at least throw a few punches. However, that bastard never fought fair. He always had his men step in,pletelycking any sense of honor! The beatings Gordan endured all those years still haunted him. He had always wanted to get back at Ray, but no matter how skilled he was, his two fists were no match for an army of subordinates. When he heard that Ray wasing, a shiver ran through his body. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3445 Its Gross ? Chapter 3445 It''s Gross "I heard from the boss that he''sing because of Vivian." Gale paused for a moment before adding, "But never mind, you don''t seem interested in her affairs anyway. I''m just letting you know he''s on his way." Gordan frowned. Ray wasing for Vivian? What could that ugly woman possibly need? "What do you mean by that?" asked Gordan. Gale smirked. "If you and Ray meet, that''s bound to end in a fight. And since you can''t win against him, you might want to mentally prepare yourself, or better yet, find somewhere else to stay. It''d be safer that way." Gordan''s expression darkened. "If you have nothing nice to say, just zip it." Gale grinned, clearly pleased with himself like he had just hit a sore spot. Gordan exhaled sharply. "Of all times, why is heing to A City now? He''s just making things worse." "It can''t be helped. Vivian''s situation is urgent." Gale covered his mouth mockingly after he said that. "Oh, right. I forgot you don''t like hearing about her." Ray wanted to bring Vivian over to see Luca. Apparently, after returning to Russia, she had developed some medical issues, but none of the hospitals there could figure out what was wrong. Hence, they wereing to A City to seek out Luca. He believed in her medical skills and that she could diagnose the problem. "And what about Russia?" Gordan''s frown deepened. He remembered that the entire operation in Russia was orchestrated by Ray himself. If he left for A City, would that not leave their setup in Russia vulnerable? The base of the Ind of Despair was in Russia! More importantly, Ray''s presence in A City would definitely draw attention from the Ind of Despair. Everyone was on edge now. One wrong move could trigger a domino effect, upending all their ns. The Ind of Despair would undoubtedly adjust its strategy in response. No matter who it was, the best move right now is to stay put. "Don''t worry too much. Ray discussed it with the boss beforeing. Plus, his arrival has an advantage-it''ll throw the people from the Ind of Despair off," exined Gale. "She''s a walking disaster." A shadow of gloom flickered in Gordan''s eyes. "That woman has spent her entire life being a burden to others!" Gale knew exactly what kind of resentment Gordan carried with him, so he let it slide withoutment. Gordan continued, "Seriously, why didn''t the boss discuss such an important matter with me beforehand?" "He knows you can''t stand Vivian, so he spared you the headache," exined Gale, " Besides, even if you oppose it, you can''t stop Ray. Your opposition doesn''t really matter. Whether the boss tells you or not, the oue would be the same." "It''s the same shitty oue either way," Gordan could not help but curse. "So why even tell me now?" "It''s because Ray will be here tomorrow or the day after. At least you have a little heads-up and enough time to run for it." Gale put on a sly grin. Annoyed, Gordan flicked his cigarette away. Gale did not take it personally. He figured Gordan was just in a bad mood at the thought of running into Vivian. "Anyway, that''s all I had to say. I''m heading upstairs. My darling is waiting for me to text her back." "Ugh, stop being so gross," Gordan scoffed at Gale. Gale justughed heartily and headed upstairs, leaving Gordan alone in the living room. Sitting there, he reyed Gale''s words in his mind, his brows furrowing even tighter. Why was Ray bringing Vivian to A City? What was going on? Had she not just returned to Russia? Now, they wanted Luca''s help? Luca was still at the base. Could she even leave? Asking her to help... "Vivian is such a pain in the ass." As Gordan muttered, a wave of annoyance filled his chest, but there was also another emotion lurking beneath the surface. It was one he could not quite put a name to. It was not just frustration. However, he could not figure it out at the moment. He reached under the coffee table and pulled out a blueprint. It was the structuralyout of the Ind of Despair. Work was the only thing that could take his mind off all this irritation. With that thought, Gordan focused even harder, studying every inch of the design. Luca woke up the following day, picked up her phone, and nced at it. She saw a message from the medical center. Hera''s health report had arrived. She opened the file and scanned it carefully, her brows knitting together. Yesterday''s preliminary results had already indicated that Hera''s condition was bad, but now, with the full report in hand, it was even worse than expected. Many people suffered from poor health due to work stress,te nights, and endless social engagements these days. A lot of people''s health was subpar, so having a few health issues was pretty normal. Nheless, Hera''s condition was beyond just a few issues. Externally, she still looked youthful, but inside, her organs were deteriorating like those of an elderly woman. Luca quickly freshened up, grabbed her phone, and headed to theb. "Her report is out?" Shanks asked as soon as she walked in. "Yes. And it''s bad." Luca handed him her phone. Shanks read through the report carefully, then frowned deeply. "What the hell has she been doing to her body all these years?" Luca felt helpless. If even Shanks, who had seen all kinds of medical cases, reacted like this, it meant Hera''s condition was truly dire. "Mr. Shanks, do you still n on treating her?" asked Luca. If she needed treatment, Shanks could take care of it. However, her condition definitely required a lot of medication. Handing the phone back to her, Shanks replied, "Tell her toe see me." "Okay." Luca took the phone and left theb. She walked to Hera''s room and knocked on the door, but there was no response. Figuring Hera had probably stayed upte again and was still asleep, Luca knocked a few more times. At first, her knocks were rhythmic. However, she was worried that Hera was in too deep of a sleep, so she increased the force and disrupted the pattern. Sure enough, after a few minutes, an irritated voice came from inside. "Who the hell is it? It''s early in the morning. Let a person sleep! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" Luca remained silent and continued knocking. A minuteter, the door was yanked open. Hera stood there, her face twisted in irritation. "Are you out of your mind, knocking like this first thing in the morning?!" "Your medical report is out," Luca stated calmly. Hera''s heart clenched for a moment. She darted a nce around the hallway, and when she saw no one, she grabbed Luca''s wrist and pulled her into the room, shutting the door behind them. "Is there something wrong with my report?" Hera asked anxiously. Just as Luca had pointed out yesterday, her body had been sending warning signals for a while now. However, she had always ignored them. She was just avoiding the truth, convincing herself that being young meant there could not be anything serious, so she kept putting off going to the doctor. Whenever she felt unwell, she thought a few days of rest would fix it. Yet over time, she could not deny that her body was not what it used to be. More often than not, she found herself struggling, her energy slipping away like sand through her fingers. Even so, she had never seriously considered seeking treatment. Yesterday, after getting the IV drip and taking the medicine Shanks prescribed, she felt much better. She had even slept more soundly than she had in weeks. Hera knew it was the medicine taking effect, and she intended to continue treatment. However, with Luca showing up at her door because of her test results, a wave of unease crept up her spine. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3446 Doesnt Allow Other Men To Touch Your Body ? Chapter 3446 Doesn''t Allow Other Men To Touch Your Body "There are a lot of issues." Luca did not hide anything and handed Hera the phone. Hera looked at it and frowned. "I can''t understand any of this." Hera felt dizzy just looking at the text, let alone the long list of medical terms. It was giving her a headache. "Look at these summaries and indicators. Compare the values on top with the normal values at the bottom, and you''ll see what I mean," exined Luca. Hera did not trust her. Therefore, Luca decided to let her see for herself. Seeing it with her own eyes would prevent any doubtster. Luca pointed out how to read the test results, and after a moment, Hera managed to understand the report. Her face turned pale. "How can there be so many problems?" She looked at Luca and questioned, "Did you fake this?" "I don''t have the power to make the medical center fake anything. Besides, the report has the medical center''s official stamp. If you don''t believe me, you can go directly to the medical center and ask for the official copy. They can''t fake that." Luca knew she would doubt it, which was why she said it that way. Hera gripped her phone tightly. She could not believe there were so many issues with her body! "Alright, Ms. Sanchez. Mr. Shanks is asking for you," added Luca. Hera was immediately on guard. "Why does he want to see me?" "He won''t harm you. But if you''re unwilling to go, I''ll just tell him the truth." Luca nced at her as she walked toward the door. Hera bit her lip. "Let me freshen up first." "Okay." Luca did not rush her but instead stood by the door and waited. Five minutester, Hera followed Luca to theb. Luca opened the door and walked in, her hand resting on the door handle. Hera tried to enter, but Luca blocked her way. Luca called out to Shanks, who was looking at some experimental data. "Mr. Shanks, Ms. Sanchez has arrived." "Let her in," Shanks replied without lifting his head. Luca did not stop her this time and let her go in. Hera stepped into theb. Theb was full of bottles, jars, and expensive equipment. This time, Hera was careful. She stood in the center, afraid to break anything and get scolded. "Mr. Shanks..." Hera nced at the medical report. Feeling like she did not have long to live, she dared not offend him. She hoped he could help her. Everyone said Shanks was highly skilled, so she put all her hopes on him. Before, she had agreed to receive treatment just to stay by Abel''s side. Now, she wanted Shanks'' help so that she could live longer. Otherwise, the money she received would not be of any use. "Have you seen the report?" asked Shanks. He was not one to say much in front of outsiders. Luca walked into theb and closed the door behind her. Hera nced at Luca before nodding. Her voice was hesitant. "I''ve seen it." "Do you know how bad your condition is?" Shanks asked again. Hera felt a bit awkward. "I know it''s serious, but I can''t understand the report." "I just took a quick look at your report." Shanks paused for a moment, thinking back on it." Your stomach''s not good, your back and waist are hurt, your knees are bad, and you have nodules and growths. You also experience chest tightness, shortness of breath, dizziness, tinnitus, insomnia, and vivid dreams. These are all symptoms of your condition, right?" Hera panicked. He could tell all that just from looking at the report. "Mr. Shanks, I don''t want to die. Please help me." "Your symptoms aren''t fatal yet." Shanks'' gaze turned back to the experimental data. Hera let out a sigh of relief. "That''s a relief." When she first saw the report and then looked at Luca''s expression, she thought she did not have much time left. She then heard Shanks say again, "Although it''s not fatal now, if you keep going without paying attention to your health, you won''t be far from it." Hera froze in fear, shivering at his words. "Mr. Shanks, please, I beg you please save me." Hera almost dropped to her knees in desperation. Shanks coldly stared at her and said, "No need to beg. I asked you toe here to talk to you." "Please go ahead." Hera was afraid something might happen to her. "You don''t want anything to happen, right?" asked Shanks. "Right, I don''t want anything to happen..." Hera thought to herself that since someone was offering free treatment and their medical skills were not bad, she really had no reason to turn it down. "Your condition needs long-term treatment¡ªa mix of traditional herbal medicine and modern drugs. You''ll need to take a lot of medicine each day. If you can handle this intense treatment, I can help you. If not, you can go to a hospital and treat each issue one by one," exined Shanks. "I''ll do it!" Hera did not hesitate and epted immediately. "Ms. Sanchez, it''ll involve taking a lot of medicine. Are you sure about this?" Luca reminded her, not wanting Shanks to prescribe something only for her to refuse taking itter. It would just be a waste of his effort. Hera remembered how she had refused their treatment before and figured this was probably why they kept reminding her. "I''m sure. As long as it helps my health, I''ll take as many pills as needed. And I''ll ept injections, dry needling... Anything to make me better," Hera said firmly. Luca turned to look at Shanks. Shanks set down the experimental report. "Come here." Hera was not sure if he meant her or Luca, so she looked to the side. Luca rified, "Mr. Shanks is asking for you." Hera cautiously walked over, careful not to break anything in theb. "Extend your hand," instructed Shanks. Hera stretched out her hand. "Put it on the table," added Shanks. She did as he said, cing her hand on the table. Shanks took her pulse. Hera stood there, her heart pounding in her chest. They said Shanks was a genius. He could diagnose a person''s condition just by taking their pulse without even needing a medical report. Any hidden health issues were impossible to conceal under his examination. Hera was worried that Shanks might discover even more serious conditions during this examination. "Switch hands," instructed Shanks. Hera switched to offer him her other hand. After a moment, Shanks looked at Hera. "Alright." He coldly withdrew his hand. Hera, with her nerves on edge, asked, "Mr. Shanks, do I have some serious illness?" "Not exactly," replied Shanks. "There are a lot of small issues scattered around. If they all add up, it can be moreplicated, but it''s not something severe." "Thank goodness." Hera let out a sigh of relief. "Your body has a lot of small issues. You''ll need both traditional herbal medicine and modern drugs, as well as daily dry needling treatment. Luca will handle the dry needling treatment. Is that okay with you?" asked Shanks. Hera was with Abel, and she was a woman. Even though doctors did not typically consider gender, he preferred to avoid dealing with Abel''s women himself. "Can''t you do it?" Hera genuinely did not trust Luca. "Abel doesn''t allow other men to touch your body." Shanks then turned to look at Luca." She''s my student. If you don''t trust her, there''s no point in continuing treatment." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3447 Are You Texting Your Lover ? Chapter 3447 Are You Texting Your Lover Hera panicked the moment she heard that. "I trust her!" Luca and Shanks were both watching her. Hera repeated herself, saying, "I trust her, okay? What kind of treatment does she need? I''ll cooperate with anything. But what about Abel..." "I''ll tell him it''s just to help improve your overall health," replied Shanks. Then, he turned around, opened the medicine cab, and started preparing the prescription. Hera let out a sigh of relief. As long as Abel did not find out about her health condition, that was all that mattered. If he knew she was unwell, he would send her back to A City. Without free medical help and no way to make extra money, she would be in serious trouble. "Thank you," said Hera. "Wait outside," instructed Shanks. "Okay." Hera carefully stepped out. Luca, however, remained where she was, waiting. While preparing the medicine, Shanks asked, "Do you know which acupoints to target for her?" "Yes," Luca replied confidently. As long as she checked Hera''s pulse, she would know exactly where to insert the needles. "You''ll be busy from now on. She needs dry needling treatment every day," added Shanks. "No problem," Luca said indifferently. "She also needs to take herbal medicine. Find someone to prepare it," continued Shanks, jotting down the prescription on a piece of paper. Following the prescription, Luca gathered the necessary herbs from another medicine cab. "I''ll find someone to brew the herbs." Luca took the wrapped package and left theb. As soon as she reached the first floor, she spotted Gerald practicing boxing in the living room. "Ms. Craw, aren''t you making breakfast today?" asked Gerald. He had waited for a long time, but since Luca never came downstairs, he ended up eating instant macaroni instead. "I don''t have time. Hey, you got a minute?" asked Luca. "Yeah." Gerald nodded. "Perfect. I need your help." Luca led him into the kitchen. "Do you know how to brew herbs to make medicine?" "I''ve never done that before." Gerald frowned. He was not familiar with kitchen-rted stuff at all. "I''ll teach you," suggested Luca. He was the only one she could rely on in this small vi. She would not trust the others with this task. They were fine for fighting or causing trouble, and they could even take care of the volunteer if needed. However, preparing herbal medicine was a delicate process. If she left it to them, they would probably waste a ton of it. Gerald did not refuse and instead took out his phone to record her instructions. "This is kind ofplicated. You even have to control the heat carefully." Gerald''s brows furrowed. "It''ll be much easier once I get an electric herbal cooker." Luca handed him the herb package. "But for now, we''ll have to do it the traditional way. Come on, show me what you''ve learned." "There''s even an assessment for this?" Gerald muttered while ying back the recording of her instructions and following along with the process. Seeing that he was handling everything fairly well, Luca nodded. "It''s easy to burn the herbs since it''s your first time brewing them. If you mess it up, juste look for me to get a fresh batch and give it another shot." "Got it." Gerald could not help but feel curious. "Who''s this medicine for? The volunteer? I haven''t seen them take herbal medicine before." "Stop being so nosy. You''ll know once it''s ready," replied Luca. She was not worried that they would be able to figure out Hera''s condition just by looking at the herbs. Without formal training, it was impossible to identify the prescription based on the herbs alone. "It''s just a pot of herbal medicine. Why all the mystery?" grumbled Gerald. Just then, Luca''s phone vibrated. She nced at the screen and saw a message from Luke. He told her that Ray was bringing Vivian to X City to see her for treatment. Luca frowned and quickly asked: [What''s wrong with Vivian?] Luke responded almost immediately: [Ray didn''t exin over the phone. He just said that something happened after they returned to Russia and that you''d understand once you see her.] Luca asked: [I need to make arrangements on my end. When are they arriving?] [Ray got dyed, so they''ll be here the day after tomorrow. See if you can make time, but don''t push yourself. Your safetyes first.] Luca replied: [Got it.] Then, she put her phone away. Gerald smirked and teased, "Ms. Craw, were you texting your lover?" "If you didn''t look the way you do, I''d really suspect you were a woman disguised as a man." Luca shot him a re. "Huh? What''s that supposed to mean?" Gerald asked, confused. "You''re too nosy," replied Luca. "I''ve met a lot of people, but I''ve never seen a man as gossipy as you." "Heh, I wasn''t always like this." Gerald chuckled sheepishly. "It''s just that I''m bored out of my mind. I''m stuck here all day and can''t go out. What else is there to talk about besides gossip?" "Stop trying to dig into my business. Just focus on making the medicine. Let me know when it''s ready," Luca instructed before heading upstairs. With Hera needing treatment, her workload had officially doubled. First, she gave the volunteer his injection and dry needling treatment. Then, she carried the IV drip and needles and walked into Hera''s room. "I haven''t had breakfast yet," said Hera. Luca suddenly remembered and suggested, "Why don''t you order takeout? I didn''t cook breakfast today either." "Is it okay to get injections on an empty stomach?" Hera asked while picking up her phone to ce an order. "It''s fine." Luca checked her pulse before proceeding with dry needling. Once she was done, she set up the IV drip. Just as she was adjusting the drip rate, a chilling voice came from outside the door. "Why are you giving her an IV?" His voice was cold and sinister, sending a shiver down her spine. Hera tensed up instantly, staring at Luca in panic. She was terrified that Luca might slip up. Luca remained calm and answered, "This is part of the treatment n Mr. Shanks prescribed for her." "Why does she suddenly need treatment? Did somethinge up in her medical report?" Abel ced a bag down on the table. Luca nced at the takeout bag he brought over but remained unbothered by his interrogation. She shot Hera a look, signaling her not to panic. If Abel sensed anything off, no one would be able to help her. "The medical report has already been reviewed by Mr. Shanks. He rmended this regimen to improve Ms. Sanchez''s overall health," exined Luca. "What do you mean?" Abel frowned. His gaze swept over Hera, taking in her pale lips and slightly trembling form. "Why does she look like this?" "She hasn''t eaten breakfast yet, so she''s feeling a little hypoglycemic." Luca was impressed with herself. After spending over three years on the Ind of Despair, she had mastered the art of lying without blinking. Her nerves were rock solid. No matter how intimidating Abel was, she handled him with absoluteposure. "Is that so?" Abel stepped closer to the bed and looked down at Hera. Hera blinked her eyes and, in a weak voice, said, "Yes, babe. I overslept today and haven''t eaten yet. I feel a little lightheaded from low blood sugar." "Your constitution is too weak," Abel muttered with a hint of disdain. A trace of worry shed across Hera''s eyes, which made her look even paler. Luca was afraid she would crack under pressure, so she quickly spoke up. "Actually, a lot of women struggle with low blood sugar. Mr. Abel, Mr. Shanks has already reviewed Ms. Sanchez''s medical report. Would you like to take a look?" The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3448 Tortured Until Losing The Will To Live ? Chapter 3448 Tortured Until Losing The Will To Live "You don''t need to remind me. I was going to check anyway." Abel shot Luca a chilling look. She took a step back and stayed silent. Abel turned to the pale-faced Hera and said, "If you''ve got low blood sugar, get up and eat something." "I''ll eat now," Hera replied, sitting up. Luca handed her the takeout. Abel nced at the food and then frowned at Luca. "Why didn''t you make breakfast this morning?" "I was busy," Luca exined with a calm indifference, her expression unwavering. She showed no fear, even under Abel''s questioning. Hera suddenly found herself admiring Luca. Everyone feared this man, yet Luca remainedposed even when facing potential punishment. Not just anyone could pull that off. At the thought of this, Hera opened the takeout and kept quiet. Abel narrowed his eyes, ncing between Hera and Luca. His gaze was not exactly gentle as he muttered, "Stop eating this junk. It''s bad for you." "I know, babe. Just this once. After this, I''ll have what Luca cooks from now on," replied Hera. Luca held her life in her hands now. She could not afford to piss her off. If she crossed her and Luca exposed the truth, her good days would be over. Abel gave her a skeptical look. Previously, Hera would always find a way to me Luca for everything and was constantly picking fights. Why was she staying quiet this time and even acting as obedient as a little kitten? What kind of spell did Luca put on her? Hera took a bite of her food but could not shake the feeling of being watched. The hair on her neck stood on end. She looked up and saw that Abel was indeed staring at her. His eyes were full of suspicion. A chill ran through her. She forced an awkward smile and asked, "Babe, do you want some?" Abel''s frown deepened. "No." "Okay." Lowering her gaze, Hera continued to eat her breakfast, using the simple act as a veil for her growing unease. Did she say something wrong? Why was Abel looking at her like that? Luca stood still, waiting patiently. Yet she could feel Abel''s scrutinizing gaze lingering on her and Hera, probing for something unseen. A quiet sense of helplessness settled over her. Luca reckoned that Hera''s sudden change must have tipped him off. "Mr. Abel, I''ll head downstairs to get back to work," said Luca. Staying in the same room as these two any longer was pure torture. Abel stopped her. "Wait." Her footsteps halted, and she turned back to look at them. "Stay here and take care of her." Abel felt that something felt off about Hera. Perhaps the issue was in her medical report. Since Luca would not talk, he would just have to ask Shanks. Abel felt that everyone in this vi was capable of lying to him, everyone except Shanks. Luca frowned slightly, looking troubled. "Mr. Abel, I still have to go downstairs to perform dry needling treatment for the volunteer." Abel narrowed his eyes, clearly displeased. Hera''s heart pounded in fear. She was terrified that if he lost his temper andshed out at Luca, she might end up spilling her secrets just to get out of trouble. Panicked, she quickly said, "Babe, I''m really fine. I don''t need anyone looking after me." Abel looked at her suspiciously. Hera pressed on, "Really, I mean it. I don''t need anyone here. Just let her go do her work. Besides, having someone I don''t like around is just annoying." Abel had no choice but to go along with it. He shot Luca a sharp look and snapped, "Get lost!" Without hesitation, Luca turned and left. Hera let out a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to continue eating, Abel suddenly grabbed her by the chin. Hera cried out in pain. "Are you hiding something from me?" His voice was low and threatening. It was as though he was speaking to an enemy rather than his lover. "I... I''m not." Hera''s jaw ached under his grip. Being squeezed like this hurt like hell. "Babe, please, my chin... It hurts. Can you let go?" Hera whimpered and trembled, not knowing if it was from fear or pain. Abel let out a cold snort and shoved her face away. Hera gasped for air, her jaw still throbbing. She felt like she had just barely escaped death. "If I find out you''re keeping something from me, don''t me me for what happens next," warned Abel before storming off. Hera panted heavily. She felt like she was dying. However, she had no way out. If she left, with her failing health, who knew how much longer she could survive? If she sought treatment outside, the medical bills would be astronomical. At the thought of this, Hera''s brows furrowed. She had to hold on no matter what. With that thought, she forced herself to keep eating. After updating Shanks about Abel''s visit, Luca grabbed the herbal medicine and left theb. Hera''s situation was Shanks'' responsibility now. Whether he chose to tell the truth or not was no longer her concern. Just as she was about to enter the volunteer''s room, she saw Abel walking down the hallway. Without hesitation, she quickly slipped inside and got to work on the treatment. Abel knocked once on theb door before stepping inside. Shanks was staring nkly into a microscope, deep in thought. "Spacing out this early in the morning? Having trouble with your experiment?" Abel asked casually. Shanks knew that Abel was only concerned about the progress of the experiment. Anything beyond that was outside his area of interest. Shanks lifted his head and shot a nce at Abel. "What brings you here?" "Just checking in. Is there a problem with the experiment?" asked Abel. Like Luca, he had learned to pick up on some of Shanks'' habits. For example, Shanks had a habit of staring into the microscope and getting lost in his thoughts whenever he encountered a challenge in his experiments. "Everything''s fine." Shanks withdrew his gaze and turned his attention back to the microscope. "Then what were you thinking about?" pressed Abel. Shanks replied, "Why? Am I not even allowed to think now?" Catching the irritation in his tone, Abel forced augh. Even though he was annoyed, he knew better than to provoke Shanks now. Otherwise, Kassy''s situation would be in jeopardy. Kassy had made it clear that if she could not fully recover, there was no point in letting her out. She had been locked away in that prison for years, left unseen. She was unable to walk and had been tortured to the brink of losing all will to live. "That''s not the case." Abel dropped the subject and asked instead, "Luca said you reviewed Hera''s medical report?" "I did." Shanks picked up a test tube and gently swirled the liquid inside. "So? How is it?" asked Abel. Shanks paused for a moment before answering nonchntly, "It''s nothing serious. She''s just in suboptimal health." He added, "Which, by the way, applies to pretty much everyone in modern society, including you." That struck Abel as odd. Shanks rarely bothered exining anything. Was Hera really fine? Doubt crept into his mind, but he did not press further. Instead, he asked, "I don''t care about all that suboptimal health nonsense. Just tell me-can she be a donor for Kassy? If we go through with the transnt, will it cause anyplications for Kassy?" The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3449 Are You Telling Me How To Do My Job ? Chapter 3449 Are You Telling Me How To Do My Job "No." Shanks'' tone was cold and firm with no trace of hesitation. Abel still looked doubtful. Shanks added, "Would you like to see her medical report?" Abel was startled for a moment. How did Shanks know he had been thinking about that report? Now that Shanks brought it up, the idea lost its appeal. Abel shook his head. "Even if you showed it to me, I wouldn''t understand it. Shanks, Kassy''s life is in your hands. If you can give her a second chance, I''ll provide as much research funding as you need." Shanks remained silent. He could save Kassy. In fact, his research had always been for Kassy. However, he did not expect Abel to be so ruthless as to insist on using a living person as a donor for Kassy. That was something he could not ept. Kassy''s condition could be treated with organs from a brain-dead patient. Why destroy a perfectly healthy life? Shanks was not acting out of mercy. He simply refused to go against his medical ethics. He was not someone who had to save lives, but he would not harm others in the name of science either. Abel noticed Shanks was ignoring him. He stepped forward, and his voice turned low and menacing. It was a warning but also a reminder. "Shanks, we''ve been working together for a long time. As long as Kassy pulls through, I''ll bankroll whatever research you want. But let me be clear-I can''t have anything going off track with this n. You get what I''m saying?" The warning loomed over Shanks like a storm. He understood what Abel meant. He just did not want to care. "I have work to do. If you have nothing else to say, leave." Shanks'' voice was calm. Abel narrowed his eyes. He could sense that Shanks had changed. Ever since he found out about the n to use Hera''s kneecaps for Kassy, he had been different. Still, Abel was not worried. He knew Shanks had heard him loud and clear. Even if he had not voiced his agreement, it did not matter. As Abel patted Shanks on the shoulder, he shed a dark, sinister smile before walking out. As soon as he closed theb door, he saw Luca step out of the opposite room, carrying a tray. From the looks of it, she had just finished treating the volunteer. "How''s his condition?" asked Abel. Luca replied, "He''s doing well so far. He can even see light now." "Good." Abel was satisfied. As he thought about Shanks, who was inside theb, he added, Keep an eye on him for me. If he does anything unusual, let me know immediately." Luca was startled. Was Abel suspicious of Shanks? Even if he was, why ask her to keep an eye on him? Everyone in this vi was loyal to Abel. Surely, he trusted them more than he trusted her, right? The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. Why was she the one tasked with watching Shanks? Noticing the nk expression on Luca''s face, Abel frowned in displeasure. "Did you hear me?" "Got it," Luca quickly replied. "It''s just that Mr. Shanks rarely leaves theb..." She had a feeling that there was a rift forming between Shanks and Abel. That thought made her secretly thrilled. Shanks had never been Abel''s subordinate. Yet he was working for him now, which made him one of Abel''s greatest assets. CC Even for Luke and the others, Shanks'' research was something they had to be cautious about. Now that Shanks and Abel were at odds, it meant Abel was losing a key ally. For them, that was great news. "Why are you talking so much?" Abel snapped. "Just do your job. Don''t even think about conspiring with him to deceive me. There are others watching you too." He did not want Luca to be the one spying on Shanks, but he had no choice. Shanks barely left theb, and only Luca had unrestricted ess to it in this entire vi. Abel had no better option, so this would have to do. "Alright," Luca agreed, though she had no intention of actually following through. She and Shanks shared a secret now. If she helped Abel at this moment, it would only hinder their future ns. What she wanted was for Shanks and Abel to turn against each otherpletely. "Hmph." Abel was dissatisfied. "Mr. Abel, there''s something I need to discuss with you." Luca suddenly remembered Vivian''s matter. "What is it?" Abel narrowed his eyes. What could she possibly want to discuss with him? It was probably nothing good. Luca exined, "When I came to X City, I told them I was invited to join a research program for further training. Thepany approved my leave, so now, everyone knows I''m here- including Vivian." "Vivian?" Abel frowned. The name sounded familiar. "Yes. Vivian''s brother is Ray. You might have crossed paths with him before..." The moment she mentioned Ray, Abel instantly knew who she was talking about. His expression darkened, and an ominous chill settled over him. Luca knew she had guessed it right when she saw that. She heard that the Ind of Despair had already lost a few people to Ray''s forces. Then again, Abel had taken down some of Ray''s people as well. Neither side backed down, both testing each other''s limits. Luca said, "She''sing to X City to see me for treatment." A glint of interest shed across Abel''s eyes. Vivian, huh? "Mr. Abel, I know there''s tension between you two, but I urge you to think this through. Right now, your top priority should be saving the person you care about. If you go after Vivian now, Ray won''t let it slide. This vi isn''t exactly a secure hideout, and Shanks'' entire research is based here. If you act recklessly, you need to be prepared for the consequences." Luca had no choice but to bring up Vivian in front of Abel. There was no way she could secretly meet with Vivian. If she was caught, it could ruin Luke''s entire n. She had to do this. There was no other way. Without warning, Abel raised his hand and pped her across the face. The sharp crack echoed through the room, making the person in charge of taking care of the volunteer peek out to see what was happening. The moment he saw Abel striking Luca, he quickly pulled his head back. "Are you trying to tell me how to do my job?" Abel''s voice was low and menacing. "Do you think I have no idea you''re tight with Vivian?" "Yes, I have a good rtionship with Vivian. Being undercover around Luke, I had to get close to everyone connected to him. Whether you think I''m protecting her or not, I''m telling you that staying out of this is the smartest move. Stirring up conflict now will only cause trouble." Abel''s expression was ice-cold. "You''d better stop ying games with me. Don''t forget that your daughter is still in my hands. No one in the organization will go easy on her just because she''s a little girl. Do you understand?" "You don''t have to worry. I won''t act recklessly for my child''s sake. But I have to check on Vivian. If I don''t even show up, given our rtionship, they''ll definitely be suspicious." "Hmph." Abel let out a cold snort, then turned around and walked away. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3450 Brush Off The Slap ? Chapter 3450 Brush Off The p Luca''s head was slightly tilted, her cheek burning with pain. Abel had not held back at all. The force of his p was merciless. A numbness spread across her face at an rming speed. From the next room, someone peeked out again and asked in a low voice, "You okay?" "I''m fine." Luca''s expression remained calm. This kind of injury was nothing to her. Back on the Ind of Despair, she had endured far worse during training. She survived, did she not? Without another word, Luca pushed open theb door and stepped inside. The man watching shook his head. Her face was already that swollen, and she still said she was fine... What a tough woman. She took a p that hard and brushed it off like it was nothing. Shanks lifted his head when he heard the door open. When he saw it was Luca and noticed how swollen the side of her face was, his brows furrowed. "Abel did this?" "Who else?" Luca let out a bitterugh, only to wince as the movement tugged at the pain. She sucked in a sharp breath. Shanks took another look at her bruised, swollen face. It looked bad. Without a word, he turned to the medicine cab, grabbed an anti-inmmatory pill, and handed it to her." Take this and put some ice on it. With how hard he hit you, the swelling willst until tomorrow." "Thank you, Mr. Shanks." Luca took the pill, swallowing it dry without bothering to grab water. It wasrge, and it took her a while to get it down. Then, she reached for an ice pack from a nearby cab and pressed it against her face. Half an hourter, the ice pack had nearly melted into water. A knock sounded at theb door. Luca got up to answer it. It was Gerald, holding a tray. His face lit up when he saw her, but then he froze. "Ms. Craw, what happened to your face?" Gerald stared at her swollen cheek in shock before lowering his voice. "Wait, don''t tell me the boss did this?" "Is the medicine ready?" Luca ignored his question. Her gaze fell on the dark, bitter liquid in the mug. "Yes, it''s done." Gerald nodded. "Let''s go. We need to bring it to Ms. Sanchez." Luca stepped out, closing theb door behind her. "Ms. Craw, was it Ms. Sanchez or the boss who hit you?" However, Gerald was not done being nosy. "What do you think?" Luca did not answer the question. "Your face is messed up. My guess is the boss. Ms. Sanchez doesn''t have that kind of strength." Gerald analyzed. Luca did not respond. After they reached the third floor, she walked straight into Hera''s room. By now, Hera had finished breakfast and was lying in bed. Hera sat up when she saw Luca walk into the room. "Your face..." Hera''s eyes widened in surprise before she quickly tried to defend herself. " That has nothing to do with me. I didn''t say a word about you to him." She thought Abel had pped Luca because of her, which was why she was so quick to clear herself of any me. Who knew if Luca held a grudge and said something to Abel out of spite because of it? "I know it wasn''t because of you. Now, take your medicine," replied Luca. "Alright." Hera let out a sigh of relief, reassured that Luca would not take it out on her. Luca turned to Gerald, who was still standing there holding the tray, staring nkly. "What are you waiting for? Give Ms. Sanchez her medicine." "Oh, right." Gerald came back to his senses. He could not shake the feeling that something between these two had changed. Hera used to seize every opportunity to mock Luca, yet now, she was not only holding back but also actively exining herself. It was as though she were afraid of provoking Luca. The world was getting weirder by the day! Gerald handed the mug of dark herbal medicine to Hera. "Ms. Sanchez, your medicine is ready." Hera frowned at the murky ck liquid. "Can''t I take modern drugs instead?" "Herbal medicine is better," replied Luca. "It''s gentler on the liver and stomach and works more effectively for long-term healing." Hera stared at the mug, her stomach turning. "So, I have to drink this from now on?" "You don''t want to?" questioned Luca. Then, she pointed at the luxury handbag sitting on the couch. "Think about that. Look at what you have, then decide if it''s worth it." Hera nced at the designer bag and expensive clothes. She bit her lip, picked up the mug, then set it aside. "It''s too hot. I''ll drink itter." "Herbal medicine works best when it''s hot. It''s also less bitter that way. If you wait for it to cool, it''ll be twice as bitter," Luca lied casually while keeping a close watch on her. If she did not, Hera''s spoiled nature would kick in, and she would probably find a way to dump the whole thing. "Ms. Sanchez, I know it''s bitter, but here''s a piece of candy. Drink it down, then eat this, and it won''t taste so bad." Gerald fished a small wrapped candy from his pocket. "Where did you get this?" Luca took the candy from him, inspecting it. It was the kind of small, cheap candy supermarkets gave out. "Thest time you sent me to buy something. It was in the shopping bag." Gerald grinned. Luca handed the candy to Hera. "Drink it." Hera had no choice. She took the candy, then lifted the mug. Luca reminded her when she saw Hera hesitating, "Take a deep breath and just get it over with." Hera inhaled sharply, then downed the entire mug in one go. Gerald winced just watching her drink the thick, ck liquid. It looked unbearably bitter, and just smelling it was bad enough, let alone drinking it. She actually drank it. Gerald gave her a silent thumbs-up. Personally, he would not touch that stuff no matter what. The moment Hera finished, she tore open the candy wrapper and popped it into her mouth. The bitter taste had spread across her tongue, coating every corner of her mouth, but then the sweetness from the candy gradually took over, drowning out the harshness. As the candy melted, she finally felt like she could breathe again. "I almost died just now," muttered Hera. Gerald took the empty mug to clean up. "Got any more of that candy?" asked Hera. She usually avoided sugar for the sake of her skin. However, she could not afford to be picky now. Gerald said, "Not at the moment, but I can order some for you on a delivery app if you want some," "Go ahead and order some. I''ll need candy every time I take herbal medicine," said Hera. For the first time, she realized that candy could actually taste this good. "Got it." Gerald nodded. Luca nced at the IV bottle. It was almost empty. Without a word, she carefully removed the needle from Hera''s arm. "That''s it for today''s treatment. You''ll need to take a few pills tonight. That''s the full regimen for the day," Luca informed her. "More medicine? Didn''t you say herbal medicine was enough?" Hera asked with confusion. "Herbal medicine will help your body recover, but modern drugs are for regting your sleep. No matter how much herbal medicine you take, if your sleep is a mess, it''s pointless. Ms. Sanchez, try to stop staying upte. Go to bed early and rise early. That''s the only way to get healthy," advised Luca. Gerald nodded in agreement. "She''s right. Ever since I started going to bed early and waking up early here, I''ve been feeling great." Hera did not mind being told to avoidte nights. It was not that she enjoyed staying up. She just could not fall asleep when the time came. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3451 Sending Good News And Leaving Out The Bad ? Chapter 3451 Sending Good News And Leaving Out The Bad If Shanks'' prescription could help Hera sleep earlier, that would not be a bad thing. "Then I need to be treat..." Hera paused for a moment, realizing she could not say the word treatment. That would imply she was sick, and she could not let people know that. Instead, she corrected herself and asked, "How long will I need to take this herbal medicine?" "You can stop when your test results are back to normal," replied Luca as she picked up the medical waste and headed out of the room. Gerald followed closely behind and asked with curiosity, "Ms. Craw, how long is that?" "How long is a standard treatment cycle?" Luca asked in return. Gerald pondered for a moment. "Usually about a month?" "The average endocrine cycle for women is three months, so the minimum duration for proper regtion is three months," exined Luca. Although Abel could take action at any time, there was no way Hera could endure three full months of treatment. However, until Abel made his move, she would have to keep taking the medicine. Gerald shuddered. "Three months of drinking that awful stuff? I''d rather die." Luca shot him a re. "For someone who values their life so much, if you had to choose between three months of herbal medicine and death, which would you pick?" Gerald chuckled sheepishly. "Ms. Craw, no need to take it so seriously. If three months of herbal medicine was the only way to survive, of course, I''d choose the medicine. But seriously, what''s wrong with Ms. Sanchez? Why does she need to take herbal medicine for so long?" Gerald''s curiosity was burning, especially now that the question had popped into his head. If he did not get his questions answered, he would feel restless and uneasy. "Does taking herbal medicine automatically mean there''s something wrong?" Luca dodged the question, unwilling to risk Gerald''s loose lips. "Well, not necessarily..." Gerald shook his head. "But it''s still strange, isn''t it? Why would someone perfectly fine need to drink that stuff for three months?" He held up three fingers for emphasis. As they reached the second-floor hallway, Luca turned to him. "Do you think your body is in perfect health?" "Of course! I eat well and sleep great. Ever since I started practicing the fighting skills Lucius taught me, I feel like I can breathe more easily. My body has never felt better!" Gerald answered confidently. Luca nced at him. "That''s what you think. But if someone took your pulse, you''d probably end up needing herbal medicine too. That doesn''t mean you''re unhealthy; it just means your body could use some fine-tuning." Gerald shivered at the mention of drinking herbal medicine himself. "I get it now! So, Ms. Sanchez isn''t actually sick. She''s just trying to improve her health. That''s what you mean, right?" Luca did not respond. She simply walked straight into theb. Gerald frowned but headed downstairs. Meanwhile, Abel stood in the shadows of the balcony. Only after they had all left did he step out. Hera''s body was fine? Good. He would never allow an unhealthy person to be a donor for his Kassy. Abel made his way down the stairs. Inside theb, Shanks asked, "Did she finish it?" "She did. Seems like she values her life, after all," replied Luca as she sorted the medical waste. "It''s not about valuing her life," Shanks said bluntly. "She just doesn''t want to waste money." Luca blinked in surprise. He was not wrong. If Abel had not given Hera so many benefits, there was no way she would have stayed here, let alone forced herself to drink all that bitter herbal medicine. Recalling Vivian''s situation, Luca said, "Mr. Shanks, I''d like to take a leave the day after tomorrow." "For what?" asked Shanks. Luca was caught off guard. She did not expect him to ask. He had never cared about her whereabouts before. Even though Luca was puzzled, she answered honestly, "A friend of mine just arrived in X City. She says she''s having health issues, so I need to check on her." Shanks paused for a moment. Then, his sharp gaze locked on her. "Is that why Abel pped you?" "Yes." Luca nodded. "My friend''s family has some conflicts with the organization. Abel wants to use her as leverage to force them into submission. I told him now wasn''t the time to start a fight, and he just..." Shanks withdrew his gaze. Now that he knew the real reason, he was not surprised she had been beaten. "You really have a sharp tongue," Shanks replied nonchntly. "Are you nning to treat her?" "I don''t know if I can. I need to see what''s going on first," answered Luca. "Is she an important friend of yours?" asked Shanks. "Well..." Luca hesitated for a moment, trying to find the right words. "I''m not Abel. No need to y games with me." Shanks'' voice was indifferent. "I don''t care about your friend." Knowing the kind of person Shanks was, Luca believed him. If he said he was not interested, then he truly was not. Therefore, she admitted, "Yes, she''s very important. Before I was kidnapped into the organization, she was by my side through some of the hardest times." Back then, Luke had been abducted by the Ind of Despair because of Vivian''s recklessness. However, that had been his choice, and Luca had never med her for it. After the incident, Ray went to great lengths to help with the search. To eliminate the lingering threat of the Ind of Despair, he mobilized all his subordinates, determined to wage an all-out battle against them. Hence, Luca had never resented Vivian. She considered her a true friend. Now that Vivian had health issues, Luca could not just sit back and do nothing. She also could not afford to wait until things settled down. Illness was not something that could be put on hold. Dys could make things worse. Shanks put on a faint smile. It was gone in an instant, so fleeting that Luca almost thought she had imagined it. Just as she was about to ask why he had smiled, Shanks said, "Go ahead. If you run into anything difficult, you can ask me." Luca''s eyes widened in surprise. Shanks was willing to help if she could not handle it? That would be great. He was a true expert, an all-rounder in the medical field. "Thank you, Mr. Shanks." Luca sincerely expressed her gratitude. Shanks shook his head, as though to say it was no big deal. Still, Luca knew better. Having Shanks'' help this time was a huge favor. She picked up her phone and sent a message to Luke: [I can go see Vivian the day after tomorrow. There''s a chance someone might follow me, so it''s best if they stay at a hotel.] After hitting send, she deliberately left out the fact that she had been pped. If Luke found out about it, there was no telling what kind of drastic action he might take. Besides, with Shanks'' anti-swelling medicine, her face would probably be fine by then. A reply came almost instantly. [Alright. I''ll let Ray know. Is everything okay on your end?] [Everything''s fine. All normal. I need to get back to work.] Luca sent the message and absentmindedly touched her face. Just as she nced at the time and was about to head to the kitchen to make lunch, Shanks'' voice interrupted her thoughts. "You just sent the good news and left out the bad?" "What?" Luca looked at him, confused. Sending the good news and leaving out the bad? "You didn''t tell him you got pped?" Shanks did not specify who he was, but they both knew exactly who he meant. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3452 Why Theyre Helping Her To Cover This Up ? Chapter 3452 Why They''re Helping Her To Cover This Up "I''m just making ns with a friend. No need to go into all that, right?" As Luca said, she lifted her gaze to meet Shanks. His eyes were as deep as the ocean, and in that split second of eye contact, she felt like she was being pulled in. She suddenly felt like she had just exposed herself. Awkwardly, she cleared her throat and said, "Mr. Shanks, I''ll head downstairs to make lunch." Shanks did not call her out on it, nor did he press further. He simply returned to his experiment. Downstairs, Luca saw Abel sitting on the living room couch. Ignoring him was not an option. Luca greeted him politely, "Mr. Abel." Abel took a slow drag from his cigar, his blue eyes scanning her from head to toe. He was deep in thought. He remained silent, seemingly deep in thought. His dark and brooding expression sent a chill down Luca''s spine. Without saying a word, she turned around and walked straight into the kitchen. Gerald was already inside. When he saw her, he mouthed, "You''re here?" Luca nodded. He leaned in and asked in a hushed tone, "Ms. Craw, are you making lunch?" "Yes." Luca took out the ingredients. Gerald had ordered them through the grocery app. "Is the boss still out there?" Gerald asked in a low voice. He was afraid Abel would overhear. "He is," Luca replied in her usual tone, making no effort to be quiet. She knew something Gerald did not. People from the Ind of Despair had exceptional hearing due to their specialized training. Abel, in particr, could hear everything. The kitchen was not far from the living room, and with no soundproofing, whispering would not help. If they made a sound, he would pick up on it. "Keep your voice down." Gerald was worried that her voice was too loud and might draw Abel''s attention. Even though he had not done anything wrong, the memory of nearly dying back then still haunted him. Whenever he saw Abel, he was like a mouse spotting a cat, wishing that he could turn invisible just so Abel would not notice him. If Abel did not notice him, he could do less work and, more importantly, stay out of danger. Luca simply smiled without saying anything. "So... are we making lunch for the boss too?" Gerald started toasting the bread. After preparing meals for four people so many times, he had a good grasp of the portions. If Hera was eating, he could prepare just the right amount. There would be no leftovers, and no one would go hungry either. "Go ahead," replied Luca. Abel probably would not eat anything she made, but it was better to have the meal ready. Otherwise, he would just use it as an excuse to punish her. "Okay." Gerald toasted the bread. As he was unsure how much Abel would eat, he made extra. It was better safe than sorry. Gerald rinsed the ingredients twice, ced them in the pot, and then started helping her with the meal prep. Meanwhile, Abel sat on the couch, listening to the sounds from the kitchen. His gaze was dark and brooding. His instincts had always been sharp. From the moment he arrived, something had felt off. Hera and Shanks.... The sound of footsteps on the stairs made him look up. Hera reached thest step and froze when she saw Abel. Why was he still here? Regret flooded her instantly. Hera had secrets to keep from Abel, and now that she was facing him, rm bells red in her mind. She was worried Abel would see through her and make her cough up everything she had gained. "Why are you just standing there like an idiot?" Abel''s displeasure was obvious. Was the woman who once clung to him endlessly no longer interested in him after her material desires were fulfilled? Or was she hiding something? Hera''s heart clenched, but she forced a smile as she sauntered over. "I thought you had left. I''m just surprised to see you still here." She sauntered over to him with a sultry grace, sinking onto the seat beside him. Abel pulled her into his arms with a firm, possessive grip. "Are you keeping something from me?" He pinched her chin, tilting her face up to meet his gaze. Hera blinked her eyes. Panic was swirling inside her, but she forced herself to stay calm. Years of experience in ying this game kicked in. She denied it, saying, "What could I possibly be hiding from you?" Abel''s sharp eyes locked on hers. Hera held his gaze, noticing the suspicion in them. She leaned into Abel''s chest under the pretense of closeness and listened to the steady, powerful rhythm of his heartbeat. However, instead offort, a sense of unease settled in her heart. When he did not respond, Hera suddenly thought of the ck card and said, "Oh, right. You forgot your card upstairs. I''ll go get it for you." "No need." Abel caught her hand before she could move. Hera pretended to look confused as she stared at him. "What''s wrong?" "Just keep it. Buy whatever you want," replied Abel. She would not have much more time left to spend his money anyway. He had plenty of it, so he could let her burn through as much as she wanted. That money? It was the price he was paying for her remaining years. She would have no future left when she lost her eyes and kneecaps. "Really?" Hera''s heart leaped with joy, but when her eyes met his again, guilt crept in. Abel liked healthy women, and she was not healthy anymore. If she spent too much and he found out about her deception... If he ever demanded that she return everything, she would not have nearly enough to pay it back. The sound of movement in the kitchen caught her attention, and for a moment, she wished she could escape there. However, if she did, it would look suspicious. She and Luca had never gotten along. If she suddenly went to help, Abel would definitely be suspicious. Hera was torn. On one hand, she had a golden opportunity to spend as much as she wanted. However, if her lies were uncovered, the consequences would be unthinkable. Abel''srge hand gently brushed against the area near her eyes. Hera obediently closed her eyes, allowing him to touch her as he pleased. His palm lightly covered her eyelids, and her body trembled slightly. He had always liked touching her eyes. It was something she had grown used to. However, for some reason, what once felt familiar now sent chills down her spine. There was something eerie in the way he caressed her. It was almost sinister. She could not stop the slight shudder that ran through her body. Now that she had her eyes closed, she was free from his prating gaze. Her mind whirred at full speed. If she kept hiding the truth, she could still milk this for all it was worth. If she sold all her designer bags and clothes, she would not lose out. Some could even be rented out for extra ie. With these luxury items as investments, she would not have to work in the future and could still make decent money. Besides, Shanks had promised to keep her secret. He would not tell Abel. Hera had no idea why they were helping her to cover this up, but as long as it was not hurting her, there was nothing to worry about. The most important thing was that her looks were her meal ticket. Abel was still interested in her at the moment, and there would always be other wealthy men. However, as she aged, no matter how well she maintained herself, time would leave its mark. When that day came, her beauty would no longer be worth much, and with her reputation in the circle, it was unlikely that any respectable young heir would want to marry her. At the thought of this, Hera had no idea how long Abel''s interest in her wouldst. Hence, she made her decision. She had to make the most of it and take as much as she could while she still could! With that decision made, the weight on her shoulders vanished. Hera no longer felt guilty. "Baby," she cooed as she wrapped her delicate hand around Abel''s strong arm. Chapter 3453 Gouge Out Her Eyes ? Chapter 3453 Gouge Out Her Eyes Abel''s hand paused for a moment before he continued stroking her eyelids. "What''s wrong?" His voice was eerily low, carrying a chilling edge. Hera could not see his expression, but just the sound of his voice was enough to send shivers down her spine. "Thank you." Hera forced herself to smile, summoning what little courage she had. "No need for thanks. Just be good from now on." Abel''s fingers continued their slow, deliberate caress. It was like he was handling a priceless treasure. Hera remained still, letting him touch her without protest. More than anything, she did not dare to speak. She was terrified that if she broke the moment and interrupted whatever was going through his mind, he would be displeased. At that moment, Luca brought the food to the table and asked, "Mr. Abel, Ms. Sanchez, lunch is ready. Would you prefer to eat here or in your room?" "I''ll go with whatever my baby wants." Hera smiled sweetly, masking her fear behind a bright smile. For some reason, she had this horrifying feeling that Abel might gouge out her eyes at any moment. "Babe, will you be staying for lunch?" Abel had never been particrly interested in Luca''s cooking. He was just about to refuse when a rich, savory aroma drifted through the air. He hesitated for a second before saying, " I''ll eat here." "Then we''ll eat here," Hera quickly agreed. Luca nced at Hera''s hands and noticed a faint tremor. She gave a slight nod and said, " Alright. Let''s eat." Hera still did not dare to move. Only when Abel finally lifted his hand away from her face did she slowly open her eyes. For a moment, it felt as though she was seeing the world anew. She had genuinely thought he was about to dig her eyes out... Hera let out a quiet sigh of relief, quickly stood up, and took his hand. "Come on. Let''s go eat in the dining room." "Okay," replied Abel. With that, they headed toward the dining area. Luca turned to Gerald and said, "Call Mr. Shanks for lunch." "Alright." Gerald nodded and went upstairs. Not long after, he returned. "Ms. Craw, Mr. Shanks said he''s busy and won''t being down. Should I bring a te up for him?" Luca nced at Abel, guessing that Shanks was deliberately avoiding him by staying in his room. She nodded. "Okay, just bring him some food." Gerald quickly got to work. Meanwhile, Luca served some dishes for herself and Gerald, then turned to Abel and Hera." Mr. Abel, Ms. Sanchez, we''ll be eating in the kitchen. Please take your time and enjoy your meal." Then, she carried her te into the kitchen. When she returned to serve the chowder, she caught Hera shooting her a subtle nce. She immediately understood what that look meant. Hera was feeling guilty. It was only natural she did not want to have lunch with Abel. However, Luca did not want to either. Hera watched helplessly as Lucapletely ignored her silent plea and walked straight into the kitchen, leaving her alone with Abel. She forced an awkward smile. "Babe, as much as I hate to admit it, Luca''s cooking is actually really good. You should try it." Hera reached out to serve Abel some food. Abel picked up a chunk of meat and tasted it. He had to admit that it was quite good. Still, he remarked in a slow, deliberate tone, "This is the first time I''ve heard you praise Luca." Hera''s smile stiffened. "Oh,e on! That wasn''t apliment." She added quickly, "Sure, I don''t get along with her, but I''m a reasonable person. I''m not going to lie just for the sake of it. Her cooking is good, don''t you think?" Abel nodded. "It is." Hera let out a faint smile, but inside, she was panicking. She actually justplimented Luca in front of Abel. She needed to be more careful in the future and avoid mentioning Luca too much around him. Perhaps she should even give Luca a heads-up and let her know not to take anything personally. After all, any time she spoke against Luca in front of Abel, it was just an act. It was a way to keep herself safe. Pushing the thought aside, Hera took a bite of her food. Just then, Abel''s phone rang. "Hello?" Abel answered the call. Hera had no idea what the person on the other end was saying. Abel''s expression grew serious. A momentter, he stood up. After ending the call, he said, " Finish your lunch. I have something to take care of." "Babe, what''s so urgent? At least have a few more bites before you go," Hera cooed sweetly. Abel ignored her and left without another word. Hera watched him leave from behind and finally let out a sigh of relief. When she was first brought here, she had been furious about being left in this ce. Now, she almost hoped he would forget about her entirely. Here, she had freedom. She did not have to serve Abel, and she still had ess to his money. It was the best of both worlds for her. On top of that, she was sick. Shanks had not explicitly told her, but she understood that she could not afford to mess around anymore. Every reckless indulgence was just another strain on her body. Eating alone felt dull, so she wandered over to the kitchen doorway. When she saw Luca and Gerald sitting on small stools, eating quietly, she was speechless. They had deliberately avoided sitting at the dining table, showing Abel absolute respect on the surface. In reality, though, they had just thrown her straight into the fire. Gerald noticed Hera standing at the kitchen doorway. He could not help but smile and ask, " Ms. Sanchez, do you need more food? I can get you another serving." Then, he realized that Hera was not even holding a te. Gerald was puzzled. Hera nced at him and replied, "Abel left. You two can eat at the table now." Gerald immediately stood up. "Got it." Without waiting for Luca''s response, he grabbed the tes and carried them out. Luca had no choice but to follow him. As he ced the tes of food on the dining table, Gerald curiously asked, "Where did the boss go?" Hera, now back in her seat, replied, "I don''t know. He got a phone call. It seemed like something urgent, so he left immediately." Gerald set aside Abel''s barely touched te of food and sighed. "Tsk, what a waste." Luca remained silent, quietly finishing her meal. After lunch, she stepped out onto the balcony and called Vivian. She was not sure about Vivian''s situation and wanted to get some updates in advance. However, no matter how many times she dialed, the call would not go through. Luca frowned and tried contacting Ray instead. This time, her phone buzzed with a message less than 30 secondster. He told her that he was busy and could not take calls at the moment. Luca did not push further and simply replied with a short acknowledgment. After that, she made her way to the room where the volunteer was staying. He was having lunch. His meals were delivered daily by his family. They could only drop them off at the door. Someone inside the house would then bring the food to him. At first, his family was worried about him and wanted to visit in person. After his condition improved, he started doing video calls with them, which helped put their minds at ease. "Oh, Ms. Craw, you''re here?" Sensing her presence, the volunteer paused for a moment and set down his spoon. "Yes. Having lunch?" Luca nced at the IV drip. There was still quite a bit left. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3454 This Is The First Time Shanks Is Expressing Interest In Meeting Someone ? Chapter 3454 This Is The First Time Shanks Is Expressing Interest In Meeting Someone "Yeah, something came up with my family, so they got dyed. They just brought me my meal," answered the volunteer. Luca nced at his food, which consisted of meat and vegetables. It was clear that his family treated him very well. "That''s quite a feast," remarked Luca. "Heh, they know I need the nutrition, so they always give me this much. Ms. Craw, have you eaten yet?" the volunteer asked cheerfully. Now that his health was improving, his appetite had returned, and his mood was much better too. "I have. You should eat more. I just came in to check how much IV fluid is left. There''s still quite a bit, so I think it won''t be done before the guys are done eating," replied Luca. The volunteer chuckled. "They eat fast. You guys are amazing, taking such good care of me. I haven''t suffered at all since being here." "Your recovery is our biggest wish," replied Luca. "Mm, I''ll definitely cooperate with the treatment," replied the volunteer. "Alright, I''ll get back to work. Enjoy your meal," said Luca. "Got it. Thanks for your hard work." The volunteer waved in the direction of her voice with a smile. Luca walked out of the room and headed to theb. Shanks had already finished his meal. Seeing the tes stacked together, Luca took the initiative to clean up. Just as she was about to take them away, she heard him ask, "Has Abel left?" "Yes, he got a phone call and left right after," answered Luca. Shanks let out a low hum in response and said nothing more. Luca carried the dishes downstairs, put them away, and then headed back up, immersing herself inb work once again. While conducting experiments, she kept messaging Rhett, checking on the progress at Watson. Without her guidance at thepany, the project had slowed down. Luca frowned when she saw the message. She turned to look at Shanks. This research was originally Shanks''. She had only made some additions to it. The entire structure of the study was built around his work. "Is something wrong?" As soon as Luca''s gazended on him, Shanks immediately sensed it. A quick nce told him she had something she wanted to ask. "Mr. Shanks, I..." Luca hesitated for a moment. "I don''t like people beating about the bush. Just say what you need to say." Shanks frowned. Luca continued, "I just have a small question for you." Shanks waited for her to continue. Luca handed him her phone. "The project Watson is working on right now is the one you originally started. Since I''m not there and don''t have the materials with me, I wanted to ask if you still remember it and how this situation should be handled?" Shanks took the phone, nced at Rhett''s message, and asked, "Is this your research assistant?" "Yes." Luca nodded. As Shanks typed on the screen, hemented, "Your assistant is quite meticulous. He even noticed such a minor issue." Luca smiled. It was precisely because of Rhett''s attention to detail that she chose him over Mo. She might not have been good at judging people in the past, but after her training on the Ind of Despair, she had honed that skill. Hence, when Rhett expressed interest in applying for her research assistant position, she agreed without hesitation. Compared to others, Rhett might not have had the most advantages or experience. However, Luca valued other qualities in him. Now that even Shanks was praising him, she was certain she had made the right choice. Shanks continued typing, responding to Rhett as though he were Luca. Before long, Rhett replied with another message, and Shanks kept responding. Luca knew Rhett was meticulous and would not send messages carelessly. So while Shanks was handling the replies, she did not feel anxious at all. Instead, she picked up the experimental data beside her and started analyzing it. Shanks had reached the clinical trial stage, but she still could not quite understand how he knew these three traditional herbal medicines would have this effect. As she carefully examined the data, Shanks'' voice broke the silence. "Alright, problem solved." He handed the phone back to her. Luca took it and nced at the conversation between him and Rhett. Even through the screen, she could sense Rhett''s admiration. Luca let out a chuckle. If Rhett knew the person replying was not her but the original developer of the project, she wondered how he would react. "Mr. Shanks, you''re really impressive," Lucaplimented sincerely. Shanks remained calm like it was no big deal. He added, "Your assistant isn''t bad either. If there''s a chance, I''d like to meet him." Luca was a little surprised. This was the first time Shanks had expressed interest in meeting someone. She recalled what he had said the day before. Perhaps she was overthinking it, but she felt like he was implying something deeper. Eliminating the Ind of Despair and giving him freedom... "There will definitely be a chance," said Luca. Just then, a message from Vivian popped up. "Mr. Shanks, I need to take a call," added Luca. Shanks remained silent. Luca left theb, stepped out onto the balcony, and dialed Vivian''s number. However, Vivian did not answer the call. Luca asked worriedly: [What''s wrong?] Vivian texted back: [I''m not doing well right now. I''m feeling a bit down. Maybe not now.] [Is it your skin?] Luca suddenly thought of that possibility. Vivian started typing, then stopped. This repeated several times. Luca patiently waited for a while before finally receiving a reply. [Yes, Luca. You''ll understand when I get to A City.] [No matter what it is, I''m here for you. Don''t worry. I even have an expert on my side now. He has agreed to help with anything I can''t solve. Maybe he can find a way.] Though Luca said that, she did not dare give Vivian a definite answer. After all, she still did not know what had happened. Vivian''s skin had been improving. Why had it suddenly worsened? Vivian sounded doubtful: [Really?] Trying to encourage her, Luca replied: [When have I ever lied to you? Cheer up. You were so happy when you were in A City, and your skin got better back then, didn''t it? This time, it''ll definitely improve too.] Vivian: [Alright, see you the day after tomorrow.] Luca: [See you then.] When Luca turned around, she saw Gerald standing in the second-floor lounge, grinning mischievously at her. The moment Luca saw that expression, her fists clenched instinctively. Whenever he smiled like that, it was never followed by anything good. "Just say it," Luca said tly. "I''m afraid if I do, you''ll punch me again." Gerald put on an innocent face. "Do I seem like that kind of person?" "I think so." Gerald nodded. "I''ve experienced your punches firsthand." "Then don''t say it." Luca turned to head back to theb. Gerald followed her. "But I still want to say it." "So are you going to say it or not?" Luca stopped and looked at him,pletely speechless. "Alright, but don''t hit me. Were you just on the phone with him again?" Gerald asked in a teasing tone. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3455 Vivian Is Experiencing Issues With Her Skin ? Chapter 3455 Vivian Is Experiencing Issues With Her Skin Luca deliberately cracked her knuckles, making a loud ''pop'' sound. Gerald immediately shrank back, pulling his neck in. "Ms. Craw, I''m sorry! I was being nosy. Please don''t be mad. I''ll just go take a nap," he quickly apologized. "Hold on." Luca stopped him. "What is it?" Gerald looked at her in confusion. "Do you know how to remove an IV yet?" asked Luca. "I''ve seen it done a lot, but I haven''t actually tried it myself." A glint of eagerness shed in Gerald''s eyes. "Ms. Craw, are you asking me to give it a shot?" "Do you want to try?" asked Luca. "Yes!" Gerald nodded enthusiastically. "I may not be a medical genius, but I can at least do something useful." "Come with me. Let''s start with changing the IV bag," instructed Luca. Gerald followed her, and under her guidance, he clumsily went through the steps but managed to rece the IV bag sessfully. "This is so cool! I think I could totally be a nurse." Gerald shed a victory sign. "What do you think? Would I make a good male nurse?" Luca rolled her eyes. She was not sure about male nurses in general, but she was certain Gerald would end up killing a lot of patients. "Once the patient is done with his IV drip, I''ll teach you how to remove the IV and seal the site properly," said Luca. Since they were using indwelling needles, he would not need to remove the needles directly from the vein. He only had to detach it from the catheter and seal it off. "Got it! Ms. Craw, you''re teaching me all this because you''re nning to go somewhere soon, right?" Gerald asked knowingly. "Yes, I have something to take care of the day after tomorrow." Luca nodded and admitted. "Where are you going? Can you pick up something for me?" Gerald''s eyes lit up. "You''re already out of cigarettes?" Luca frowned. "Not exactly. I just want to stock up. I have a feeling that once this experiment is over, you''ll be leaving. If I need more cigarettes after that, I''ll either have to sneak out wearing a hat and a mask like some shady guy or ask someone else to get them for me. "But every time they help, they either take a few packs for themselves or overcharge me. These guys are richer than me, but they still pull this crap. I seriously can''t deal with it," replied Gerald. Gerald was a wanted fugitive outside now, unable to take on even the simplest tasks. That meant his ie was limited to a basic sry. It was tough for him. Even though his basic sry was still more than what most people earned working outside, butpared to the others here, he was broke. Getting ripped off by them just made it worse. Gerald looked at Luca with hopeful eyes. "Fine. Same cigarettes asst time?" asked Luca. "Yes!" Gerald nodded eagerly. "Please get a few extra cartons if that''s possible. I''ll transfer you the money now." As he spoke, he swiftly transferred the money to her bank ount. Luca felt helpless and added, "Try to cut back. Smoking that much is bad for your health." "Got it, Ms. Craw. Don''t worry, I''ve already cut down on smoking. I just feel better knowing I have a stash," Gerald replied cheerfully. ... Two dayster, in the early hours of the morning. Gale was at the airport for pickup duty. Vivian and Ray''s flight arrived at X City Airport just past midnight. After meeting them at the arrivals exit, Gale could not help but nce at Vivian with curiosity. She waspletely covered up with a mask, hat, and sunsses, making it impossible to see her face. However, her exposed hands and neck revealed something unusual. Gale frowned. Perhaps it was just the dim lighting, but her skin seemed much darker than before. Back when she left for Russia, she had been getting fairer, herplexion growing more delicate and refined. So how did shee back looking tanned? Geographically speaking, Russia was not exactly a ce where one would get sunburned easily. On the contrary, the UV rays in A City were much stronger, so Gale could not understand how her skin ended up getting darker. Even though he did not understand, he remained polite and refrained from scrutinizing Vivian any further. "Mr. Ray, Ms. Vivian, the boss decided that for Ms. Craw''s convenience, you''ll be staying at a hotel for now. You won''t be staying in the vi," said Gale. "Alright." When Ray had spoken to Luke earlier, Luke had originally wanted them to stay in the vi as it would have been more convenient and safer from potential surveince. However, now that the arrangements had changed, Ray had no objections. He trusted that Luke had his reasons. Ray took Vivian''s hand. "Let''s go to the hotel." "Okay," murmured Vivian. Ever since her skin issues started, she had been in low spirits. Her energy was drained, and her mood was constantly down. After the long-haul flight, she felt even worse. She waspletely exhausted. She was not even in the mood to talk. Ray understood her feelings and did not push her. He simply held her hand tightly. They were siblings. They had to support each other no matter what. Truthfully, he should not have left Russia at a time like this. However, he was too worried about Vivian''s condition. After discussing it with Luke and receiving his support, he decided to bring Vivian to X City to see Luca. At this moment, Vivian felt that Luca was herst hope. She was the only person who could help her... The siblings got into the car, and Gale drove them straight to a five-star hotel. The hotel was located near the vi. Although it meant Luca would have to go out of her way to meet them, the location made it easier for Luke and Ray to discuss matters privately. Gale had booked a presidential suite in advance. The suite had two separate bedrooms, which made it perfect for the siblings. He helped carry their luggage upstairs. When they entered the suite, Vivian still refused to take off her hat and mask in front of Gale. "Sorry, Mr. Gale. I just look awful right now, so..." Vivian knew was impolite to continue to be covered up in the presence of a guest, but she was too worried about scaring him to take off her mask. Gale chuckled. "It''s alright, Ms. Vivian. I just need to check the suite for any surveince and then I''ll be on my way." With that, he pulled out his phone and started scanning. His device was equipped with a program developed by Adrian. He swept the entire suite within minutes. Aside from the WiFi signal, there was nothing unusual. There were no hidden cameras and no wiretaps. "It''s all clear," said Gale. Then, he took a small device out of his pocket and handed it to Ray. "Mr. Ray, this is a gift from the boss. Just stick it on your phone and download the corresponding app. It''ll allow you to detect any surveince or wiretaps in real-time, ensuring your privacy." Ray epted it and nodded. "I was actually nning to ask Mr. Crawford for one of these." "Here, let me install the app for you," Gale offered. "Sure." Ray handed over his phone without hesitation. He trusted Gale since he was one of Luke''s men. After installing the software, Gale walked him through the setup and usage. Once Ray got the hang of it, Gale added, "Since you''ll be staying at a hotel for now, I''d rmend running a scan daily or at least before any important conversations. That way, you can be sure your discussions remain private." Unlike the vi, a hotel had too many peopleing and going, including staff and other guests. It was much easier for someone to nt a bug here. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3456 Can Luca Really Help Vivian ? Chapter 3456 Can Luca Really Help Vivian "Alright." Ray nodded and put the phone case on to protect the device. Gale nced at Vivian, who was sitting on the couch. She did not say a word. She looked like an empty shell,pletely indifferent to everything. It was as though she was trapped in her own sorrowful world. "Well, I should leave now," said Gale. "Okay, let me see you off." Ray nodded, then called out, "Vivian?" Vivian came back to her senses and turned to look at him. "Huh?" "Mr. Gale is leaving," added Ray. Vivian nodded before turning to Gale. "Goodbye, Mr. Gale." "Goodbye, Ms. Vivian." Gale stepped out the door and noticed Ray was about to walk him out. He quickly waved him off. "Mr. Ray, no need to see me off." "Alright, take care on your way back." Ray nodded. He did not feelfortable leaving Vivian alone in the suite anyway. She was in bad shape right now. After Gale left, Ray shut the door and walked over to her. Vivian was still staring nkly into space. "Vivian," Ray called in a low voice. There was no response from her. He called again. "Vivian?" "Yes?" She finally reacted. "Gale''s gone. You can take off your mask now," said Ray. Vivian only ever removed her hat and mask in front of him. Around everyone else, including the household staff in the vi, she kept herselfpletely covered up. Her hands trembled slightly as she removed her bucket hat and mask. "Ray, do I look ugly?" asked Vivian as tears welled up in her eyes. Ray shook his head and gently stroked her hair. "No, not at all. My sister is not ugly." "I know you''re just trying tofort me." Vivian let out a bitterugh. Ever since she returned to Russia, her skin, which had been fair from her time in A City, had darkened again. Worse, her face had broken out in clusters of e-like bumps, and they would take a long time to fade. Sadness clouded her eyes as she murmured, "I keep thinking about Mr. Crawford''s mother. Her skin was the same, and it ruined her face. I''m really scared..." By the end, her voice was trembling. "My skin keeps getting darker, and now with all these breakouts, I look terrible. I hate the way I look right now." "Don''t worry, it won''t stay like this. You have Luca, and her medical skills are incredible. She''ll definitely be able to help you. Besides, didn''t you say she knows another skilled person too? You don''t have to worry. You''ll be fine-I promise," assured Ray. Ray did not actually have much faith in Luca. Vivian had already consulted numerous dermatologists in Russia, but they had all shaken their heads, admitting they had no solution for her condition. Later, Ray heard that Luca was quite skilled, at least skilled enough to have helped alleviate Luke''s mother''s skin problem when it was at its worst. Ray had no choice but to go along with Vivian''s wishes and bring her to X City. Luca was Vivian''sst hope. Even though Ray was still searching for dermatology experts to assess her case, at this point, Vivian was only willing to let Luca help. Ray''s expression darkened at the thought of this. "Well, I believe in Luca. She''ll definitely be able to help me. Don''t you think so, Ray?" Vivian''s voice was filled with uncertainty. Everyone around her kept saying that Luca could help her. That was why she convinced herself to believe it too. However, deep down, she still felt like her skin was beyond saving. Ray nodded. "Yes, there will definitely be a solution. Don''t give up. Keeping a positive mindset is important for recovery." Vivian took a deep breath and nced at the time. "Ray, I need to get some rest. Only if I rest well will myplexion improve..." She let out a bitterugh and ran her fingers over her face. The bumps on her skin felt like they were welded in ce, rough and uneven. Then, she added, "Not that I can even tell if myplexion looks better or worse." "Getting rest will give you more energy. And with more energy, you can have a proper conversation with Luca and figure out what''s really going on," replied Ray. "You''re right," Vivian agreed. She stood up, looked at the two bedrooms, and randomly picked one before walking in and closing the door behind her. Ray watched the door shut, his expression unreadable. Could Luca really help Vivian? He had his doubts. Yet he still ced all his hopes on her. Ray walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. The advantage of being on a high floor was that he could overlook the entire city. He had never been to X City before. Looking out at the city, which was far less prosperous than A City, Ray fell into deep thought. He picked up his phone and messaged his subordinates, urging them to continue searching for dermatologists. A whileter, he received a reply. [Boss, we''ve found two dermatology specialists from New York. They''re willing to consult with Ms. Vivian in person, but after reviewing the reports from the Russian dermatologists, they can''t guarantee a cure.] Ray: [Got it. Contact every renowned dermatologist worldwide. I want to make sure Vivian fully recovers.] [Understood, Boss.] At dawn, Luca was already busy performing dry needling treatment on Hera and the volunteer. After finishing, she set up their IV drips and reminded Gerald to monitor them carefully. She instructed him to rece the fluids when necessary and remove the needles once the IV bags were finished. Only then did she grab her bag and hurriedly leave. Watching the IV fluid slowly drip into her vein, Hera turned to Gerald and asked, "Is Luca heading out?" "Yes." Gerald nodded. "Where is she going?" asked Hera. Gerald nced at her warily. "I have no idea. Ms. Sanchez, you''re still hooked up to an IV. Don''t even think about going anywhere. If you pull that needle out, I won''t be able to reinsert it, and today''s treatment will be ruined." Hera shot him a re. "I wasn''t nning on going anywhere." "Oh," Gerald muttered, visibly relieved. As long as she stayed put, everything was fine. His biggest concern was that she might try to leave. Hera suddenly smirked. "Why are you so protective of her? Have you fallen for her?" "Of course not!" Gerald scoffed. "Ms. Craw is just a good person. She agreed to help me bring back some cigarettes. And besides, her brother helped me out with something, a really big favor." "A big favor?" Hera raised an eyebrow. "What kind of favor?" Gerald hesitated for a moment. He had almost answered, but then he remembered that Hera had no knowledge of the organization. If he said too much, he would just end up exposing himself. Instead, he shrugged and said, "It''s nothing important. It''s just a little secret of mine. Anyway, I don''t have feelings for Ms. Craw. I just think she''s a decent person, that''s all." Being stuck in this small vi all day was not enough to drive him insane. Besides, even if Luca was somehow involved with Lucius, there was still another man to consider-Luke. That man might not be part of the Ind of Despair, but his power and influence were just as terrifying. Gerald thought to himself that he was not stupid enough to mess with that. Hera seemed to believe him. Scoffing, she said, "Even if you did like her, a woman like that would never like you back." "I know my ce." Gerald grinned. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3457 Turn Around And Let Me Take A Look, Okay ? Chapter 3457 Turn Around And Let Me Take A Look, Okay Hera suddenly lost her interest when she heard what he said. "You''re the kind of person with no faith or dreams," replied Hera. Gerald chuckled and asked, "Then what''s your dream, Ms. Sanchez?" "Me? It''s simple. I want to make lots and lots of money," Hera answered without hesitation. She did not think it was embarrassing at all. Making money was not a crime or something shameful. There was nothing wrong with saying it out loud. Gerald nodded. "So that''s why you chose to be with the boss?" "Your boss is rich." Hera narrowed her eyes. "Since you''ve done so much for me, I''ll do you a favor." "A favor?" Gerald raised an eyebrow, unsure of what she meant. "I have your boss'' ck card now. What luxury item do you want? I can buy you something. Just keep working hard for me in the future." Hera believed that money could solve everything, Gerald froze for a moment, his lips twitching. "Ms. Sanchez, even if you hate me, you don''t have to set me up like this." Hera blinked. "I''m not setting you up." "If you use the boss'' money to buy me something, people who know the situation might say it''s a reward. But people who don''t might think you''re keeping me. If that rumor reaches the boss, I''m doomed." Even though Gerald loved money, he was perfectly aware of how dangerous this idea could be. Hera paused for a moment. Gerald had a point. "Forget it, then," replied Hera, deciding to spend the money on herself instead. "But Ms. Sanchez, it seems like the boss really spoils you. He even gave you a ck card and let you spend it freely. Looks like you might just be the boss'' wife," Gerald ttered her with a grin. "Enough." Hera frowned. "Everyone knows I''m just a ything to him. As long as I stay in line and give him what he wants, that''s all that matters. Nothing else is important." She was well aware of her position. If Abel truly cared about her, as Gerald suggested, he would not be keeping her here. Besides, love was not just about money. It required emotional care too, and that was something Abel had never given her. She knew exactly where she stood. Still, Hera felt that things were not so bad. At least she was getting free treatment while she was here. "Well, as long as you''vee to terms with it. I''ll go make your medicine," said Gerald before leaving the room. Before Luca left, she told him that Shanks would be preparing the herbal medicine, and he needed to pick it up. "Why can''t herbal medicine just be injected like IV fluids?" groaned Hera. The taste of the medicine from yesterday had been unbearable, lingering on her tongue and attacking her senses. Every cell in her body had resisted it. "Maybe you can ask Ms. Craw when she gets back. We can see if she can find a way to make it happen," Gerald joked as he walked away. Hera rolled her eyes helplessly. Luca took a taxi to a five-star hotel. As soon as she stepped into the lobby and before she even had a chance to ask the front desk, two foreign men approached her. "Hello, are you Ms. Craw?" one of them asked. "Yes, and you are..." Luca paused for a moment. "We work for Mr. Ray. We''ve been waiting here for you," one of the men replied. Luca nodded and followed them into the elevator. They took her to the top floor and stopped in front of a presidential suite. One of the men pressed the doorbell. It did not take long for the door to open. Ray stood there. "Mr. Ray," Luca greeted him first. "It''s been a while." "Ms. Craw, it''s been a while," Ray responded politely. "Please,e in." Luca stepped inside. She nced around the living room but did not see Vivian anywhere. She asked with confusion, "Where''s Vivian?" "She''s in the bedroom. She refuses toe out," Ray exined before knocking on one of the bedroom doors. "Vivian, Ms. Craw is here." Earlier that morning, everything had been fine until an inexperienced hotel staff member barged in with a room service cart. The staff member had an extreme reaction when she saw Vivian''s face. Since then, no matter what Ray said, Vivian had refused to step out. She kept herself locked away in the bedroom. Vivian''s voice came from inside, muffled and full of sorrow. "The door''s not locked. You cane in." Ray turned to Luca and said in a respectful tone, "Please see if you can help her." He showed her such courtesy not only because she was Luke''s woman but also because she might be the only one who could help Vivian. Luca was the only person Vivian trusted now. "I''ll check on her first," replied Luca. Until this moment, she still did not know the exact details of Vivian''s condition. Pushing the door open, she stepped inside the bedroom. "Vivian, I''m here." Luca looked at the woman lying on the bed with her back facing the door. "I''m sorry for troubling you again, Luca," murmured Vivian. Her voice was low, tinged with sadness. Luca walked over quietly, but instead of standing in front of her, she sat on the edge of the bed behind Vivian, giving Vivian space topose herself. "Vivian, you''re not troubling me. We''re friends, and friends don''t think about things like that, do they?" Luca gently patted her shoulder. Vivian''s body trembled violently as though she had been startled. "Sorry." Luca frowned. Vivian was in a fragile, hypersensitive state. She was deeply resistant to any contact with others. This was not a good sign. Luca grew even more worried. Even when Vivian divorced Gordan, she had never been like this. Why was this happening now? She withdrew her hand, deciding to wait until Vivian was not as sensitive before speaking again. "Luca, I look so ugly now." Vivian''s voice trembled, thick with emotion. "I don''t even know what happened. My skin had finally be fair again, but after returning to Russia, it suddenly darkened. Then, these horrible breakouts started. My whole face is covered in them. I look disgusting. I don''t know why this is happening to me. What should I do?" Luca frowned as she listened. Vivian was spiraling into despair! "Vivian, do you trust me?" Luca gently reached out her hand but stopped just above Vivian''s shoulder without touching her. "Are we really friends?" Vivian did not answer the question. Instead, she asked one of her OWII. "Of course, we are. We''re close friends," Luca reassured her gently. Vivian had always had darker skin, so when people called her unattractive, she simply epted it as a fact and did not take it too hard. However, after finally seeing progress and watching her skin slowly improve, only to have it all taken away in an instant, it was understandable that she could not ept it. "Luca, I''m scared..." Vivian''s body trembled. "I''m afraid I''ll end up like Mr. Crawford''s mother..." She had seen Allison''s appearance in a video before, and the thought of her own condition worsening to that extent terrified her. If it really came to that, she would rather die... "You won''t. I haven''t even seen you yet. How can you be so sure your condition will get that bad?" Lucaforted her, saying, "Vivian, I''m here to help you. Turn around and let me take a look, okay?" The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3458 Someone Poisoned Vivian ? Chapter 3458 Someone Poisoned Vivian Vivian''s body moved slightly. Luca patiently waited for her. After three minutes, Vivian sat up and turned around. Luca frowned when she saw the condition of Vivian''s face. "Can I take a closer look?" asked Luca. "Yes." Vivian nodded. Luca turned on her phone''s shlight, moved closer, and carefully examined the small bumps on Vivian''s skin. Not only had her skin darkened, but a dense patch of tiny bumps had appeared. Luca assessed the situation and said, "It looks a bit like small toxic abscesses." Vivian''s lips trembled violently when she heard that. Luca reassured her, "Don''t be scared. Can I take some photos?" "Okay." Vivian nodded. Luca took a few photos with her phone and then asked, "By the way, you must have gone to the hospital for tests, right? Do you still have the reports?" "They''re with Ray," Vivian replied in a low voice. After getting the test results, she had spent days and nights studying them. Still, she was not a doctor, and all she could do was search for answers online. However, she only found a long list of serious diseases. Yet every doctor she consulted told her it was not any known skin condition. Still unwilling to give up, Vivian kept analyzing the reports, refusing to eat or sleep. She was desperate to figure out what was happening to her face. Ray had no choice but to take the reports away from her by force when he saw that. "Alright, I''ll ask Mr. Ray for themter." Luca gently touched one of the bumps on Vivian''s face. "Does it hurt?" "No." Vivian had long gotten used to these examinations. "Every time these bumps appear, they don''t hurt or itch. But the way they show up is really strange. "I''ve had e before, and there''s usually some warning, like redness or tenderness. But these just appear overnight-no pain or itchiness. They won''t go away no matter what I do. In fact, they keep spreading." Vivian recalled the first time she noticed them, and her voice was filled with frustration. Luca frowned. Most skin conditions, including herpes, came with warning signs. However, she was certain Vivian''s case was not just an ordinary skin disease. If it were, the doctors would have already diagnosed and treated her. "Did the doctors prescribe anything?" asked Luca, assuming Vivian had already sought medical help but had not received a clear diagnosis. "Yes, they gave me some ointments, suggested light therapy, and even wanted me to take steroid medication. But aside from gaining weight, nothing helped at all." Vivian covered her face in distress. The medication also affected her mood. She had been feeling utterly drainedtely. What she regretted most was returning to Russia. "Luca, does this mean I can never go back to Russia?" asked Vivian. She had been fine while in A City, so why did she be like this after going back to Russia? Luca''s heart skipped a beat as a thought suddenly crossed her mind. "Vivian, listen to me. Don''t be afraid. I''ll do everything I can to help you," replied Luca. She took Vivian''s hand and felt her pulse. Her pulse was a little unsteady. "Vivian, I think I have a lead. Don''t overthink it. I''ll help you. I promise. Just give me a little time, okay?" Vivian''s eyes welled up with tears. "Luca, are you just trying tofort me?" "I''m not." Luca ced her fingers on Vivian''s other wrist to check her pulse again. The results were simr to what she had just observed. She withdrew her hand and reassured her, "Trust me. Everything will be okay." "Alright, I trust you." Vivian smiled at her. It was the first time she had smiled in a long while. Noticing that Vivian seemed to be feeling a little better, Luca added, "For now, try not to go outside." "Why?" Vivian asked, puzzled. Luca''s real concern was keeping her safe. However, she could not say that directly. Instead, she exined casually, "Given your condition, it''s best to avoid UV exposure. Even if you cover uppletely, UV rays can still reach you, and that won''t be good for your skin." "Okay, I got it." Vivian nodded. She took Luca''s words to heart. If staying indoors was necessary, she would do it. As long as she could recover, being stuck in a hotel did not matter. Vivian touched her face. With how she looked right now, going outside would only scare people. She recalled the hotel staff member who had been frightened by her that morning, and her expression darkened slightly. "Get some rest. I''ll go ask Mr. Ray for your medical records," said Luca. "Alright." Vivian nodded. Luca left the bedroom. Ray, who had been waiting outside, immediately approached her. "How is Vivian?" Ray asked anxiously. "Mr. Ray, do you have all of her medical records from the past few weeks?" Luca asked, then emphasized, "I need all of them." "I do..." Ray nodded and pulled out a neatly organized folder. He had carefully organized Vivian''s medical reports,piling them into a dedicated folder with all the documents neatly arranged. Luca took the folder, sat down on the couch, and started flipping through the documents. "I need to go through them thoroughly." "Of course." Ray nodded. Luca reviewed every page of Vivian''s medical records. Among the documents, she found numerous blood test reports, all of which showed normal results across various parameters. "Do you have a record of the medications she was given?" asked Luca. "Yes, it''s at the back," answered Ray. Luca nodded and continued flipping through the pages. After going through the entire folder, Luca let out a long sigh. "What''s the verdict?" asked Ray. "You''ve had multiple medical experts review these reports, haven''t you?" Though phrased as a question, Luca''s tone was certain. Ray nodded. "They all said everything looks normal." "The reports look normal because they didn''t check the right things," replied Luca. "What other tests need to be done?" Ray had seen Vivian suffer too much already. When those specialists repeatedly wanted to draw more of her blood for further testing, he refused. Watching her go through tube after tube of blood being taken was unbearable. Later, when different doctors requested the same tests, he simply handed them the previous reports. Even when they argued that the results might have changed over time or that different hospitals used different reference values, he ignored them. Ray did not want more tests to be done on Vivian. He wanted them to cure Vivian, not keep draining her blood. "Toxicology," said Luca. Ray''s expression darkened. "What are you saying?" "We don''t have to do it right now. But once I''m certain, we''ll need to take Vivian to a proper hospital for specific toxicology tests," exined Luca. "Are you saying that someone poisoned Vivian, and that''s why her skin ended up like this?" A dangerous glint shed across Ray''s eyes. Luca nodded. "I used traditional pulse diagnosis on Vivian and noticed something unusual." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3459 A Longing That Fills the Space Between Them ? Chapter 3459 A Longing That Fills the Space Between Them "I once treated someone who had been slowly poisoned over a long period of time. Their pulse was simr to Vivian''s. Given that your family has good gics, yet Vivian is different from the rest of you, and her skin improved after leaving her original environment, all of this confirms my suspicion. "Could it be that someone in your family has been poisoning Vivian? That would exin why her skin ended up like this." "If she really has been poisoned, then would staying away from that environment or identifying the person responsible help her get better?" asked Ray. Luca shook her head. "The poison I''ve encountered before was a slow-acting toxin that kept the victim''s skin dark. I don''t know exactly what it was, but long-term exposure to any poison has an effect on the body. It''s just a suspicion now. I need to consult someone I know. And honestly, I can''t be sure what''s really causing Vivian''s condition. "Is her skin deteriorating so quickly because she was poisoned once more after returning to Russia? Or did the person who poisoned her realize that her skin was improving outside that environment and decide to increase the dosage? If she really has been poisoned, the toxin might have already caused irreversible damage to her body. We need to act fast." Luca furrowed her brows. The thought of someone deliberately poisoning Vivian for over 20 years just to make her look worse was horrifying. Was it the work of an enemy of their family? Or was there another reason? Either way, that was not what she needed to focus on right now. The most important thing was figuring out what was wrong with Vivian. "Mr. Ray, do you have an electronic copy of her medical report?" asked Luca. "Yes." Ray nodded. "Do you need it?" "Yes, digital reports are more convenient. Could you send it to my email?" Luca then told him her email. Ray took note of her email and nodded. "I need to organize the files first. Once I''m done, I''ll send them over." "Alright, thanks." Luca nodded. She nced back toward Vivian''s bedroom, wondering if she had overheard their conversation. "Mr. Ray, since we''re suspecting this, you should be extra careful. If you''ve brought any food or personal items from Russia, don''t let her have them for now. I don''t know if her condition will improve after leaving that environment, but one thing''s certain-it can''t be allowed to get any worse." "Got it. I''ll have someone go through everything right away." Ray agreed, seeing the logic in her suggestion. Luca stood up. "I''ll head back now. Please send me the reports as soon as possible." "Wait a moment," replied Ray. "What is it?" Luca looked at him, puzzled. "Is there something else?" "There''s someone who wants to see you." As Ray said that, a faint smile appeared on his lips. Luca''s heart suddenly started pounding. "Is it Luke?" Luca asked, but her instincts told her it could only be Luke. "Yes, he''s in that room. He knew you''d being today, so he arrived early this morning and has been waiting for you ever since. To make sure you could focus on treating Vivian, he stayed in another room the whole time withouting out," replied Ray. A smile appeared on Luca''s face. She thought she would not get to see him this time. "Can I go see him now?" asked Luca. "Of course. That''s up to you two." Ray sat down on the couch, picked up hisptop, and started organizing Vivian''s medical reports to send to Luca as soon as possible. Vivian peeked her head out and walked over. She knew Luke had arrived and was waiting in the next room. Now that Luca had stepped away, she figured they had gone to see each other. She secretly let out a deep sigh and thought to herself that those two really had it rough. She walked over and sat beside Ray. "What are you doing?" "Luca needs your medical reports. I''m organizing them to send to her," answered Ray. "Let me do it," offered Vivian. "No need. I''ll handle it. You should rest. I just spoke to Luca. Your condition ispletely treatable, so don''t lose hope, alright?" Ray reassured her. Vivian had seen so many dermatologists over the years, and every single one had a different opinion. Yet not one of them had ever mentioned poisoning. Even though Luca was notpletely certain yet, Ray felt like she was on the right track. Their family was powerful, especially in Russia, and they had made plenty of enemies. It had been that way since their grandfather''s generation. Hence, it was not impossible that someone had deliberately targeted Vivian. However, the possibility that it had been happening since she was a child made Ray''s expression darken. Whoever was behind this must have been hiding in the shadows for a long time. Also, why would someone go after Vivian and not him? No matter how beautiful Vivian was, she would never inherit the family business. However, he would. That was his future. Nheless, he was perfectly fine while Vivian was the one suffering. Ray frowned. If this really was poisoning, he could not wrap his head around why Vivian was the target. "You''re not good at organizing reports. Let me do it." Vivian insisted, taking theptop from his hands. As his sister, she knew his personality all too well. If given the choice, he would rather fight a dozen men than sit down and organize files. "Vivian..." Ray was worried that reviewing the reports would send her mind spiraling. "Don''t worry. I won''t overthink it. You can rx," she reassured him. "I''ve been obsessing over these reports for a while now. I know my way around them." As she spoke, she efficiently started sorting the files in order. Luca stepped into the room and saw Luke sitting on the couch. A bright smile appeared on her face. "Luke." She walked straight to him and embraced him. Luke wrapped his arms around her, took in a deep breath, and murmured, "I missed you so much." "I missed you too." Luca pulled back slightly, cupped his face in her hands, and kissed him. She only meant for it to be a simple gesture to ease the longing in her heart, but instead, it ignited a fire in Luke. As he held her slender waist tightly, he deepened the kiss, unable to hold back anymore. A wave of burning desire spread between them, fueled by their longing for each other. Reason was slowly consumed by the heat. Luca let out a soft whimper before finally pressing against his chest to stop him. "No..." She gasped, breathless. Luke''s eyes were filled with deep yearning and longing for her. "I booked a suite next door." Luca let out a startled gasp. "That''s too risky." "Don''t worry. I used Gale''s ID," Luke reassured her. He would never put Luca in danger, so he made sure not to expose himself. As far as everyone at T Corporation was concerned, except for Jason, they all believed he was on a business trip abroad. To make it even more convincing, he had arranged for a stand-in to board the flight in his ce. No one would suspect a thing. Luca''s cheeks flushed red. As adults, the meaning behind his words was clear, and there was no need for further exnation. "Luca, I miss you so much." Luke kissed her forehead before gently brushing his lips against hers again. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3460 Lukes Woman Is Definitely No Ordinary Person ? Chapter 3460 Luke''s Woman Is Definitely No Ordinary Person Luca''s lips were already swollen and flushed from Luke''s kisses. That deep shade of red, reflected in Luke''s eyes, was utterly captivating. It tugged at his nerves, stirring an uncontroble desire within him. At that moment, he had only one thought, and it was topletely lose himself in her. The two of them stepped out of the bedroom. Vivian quickly turned her back and greeted Luke when he saw himing out, "Hello, Mr. Crawford." "Vivian, don''t worry. Everything will get better," replied Luke. Vivian simply hummed in response. Ray gave them a grateful nod as Luke took Luca''s hand and led her away. It was only after hearing the door close that Vivian finally turned back around. Ray nced at her and said, "Vivian, they''re your friends. You don''t have to act this way around them. They won''t judge you." "I know they won''t..." Vivian let out a soft sigh. "I just feel like I look terrifying right now. I didn''t want to scare them, so I avoided facing them directly. But it''s okay. I trust Luca. She''ll help me. Soon, I''ll be able to live a normal life again." Her eyes sparkled with hope. They were filled with faith in Luca. Ray reached out and gently patted her head. "Yeah, you''ll get better soon," Ray reassured her. At this point, all they could do was put their trust in Luca. Luke''s woman was definitely no ordinary person. Luke swiped the keycard and led Luca into the suite next door. The moment the door shut behind them, the two who longed desperately for each other became entangled once again. Every touch and movement spoke of the love and yearning they had been bottling up for too long. Their bodies pressed tightly together, and after their passion finally reached its peak, theyy there, utterly exhausted. Every fiber of their being was ovee with a deep, lingering satisfaction. "I missed you so much." Luke intertwined their fingers and ced a tender kiss on the back of her hand. Luca''s cheeks were red, and she leanedzily against his chest. "I missed you too. I just wish we could resolve all of this quickly. Then, the kids and I could finally go back to you." The lingering glow in her eyes mesmerized him, pulling him deeper under her spell. There were millions of people in this world, but only Luca had ever been able to hold his heart so tightly. Luke sped her hand, intertwining their fingers even more firmly as though he was telling her how deeply he longed for her through his touch. "Just a little longer. Then we''ll be together again as a family," replied Luke. Luca smiled, her expression warm and radiant. Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind. She reached for her phone beside the bed. Ray had already sent over Vivian''s medical reports. She took a quick look at them before setting the phone back down. Luke asked, "What exactly is wrong with Vivian?" "I suspect she''s been poisoned, just like what happened to my mom back then. Leia had given her a slow-acting poison, which wouldn''t kill her right away, but it would gradually weaken her body, causing all sorts of health issues. If it had gone undetected for longer, my mom''s body might have eventually broken down, and there was a high chance she would''ve died from it." Luca paused for a moment. Even now, thinking back to those days filled her with fear. She was lucky she had insisted on checking Queenie''s pulse back then. If she had not, who knew what kind of state Queenie would be in now? Perhaps she would not have even survived that year. "I suspect the same thing is happening to Vivian. Someone has been feeding her a slow- acting poison for over 20 years. They probably didn''t expect her skin to start regaining its natural tone after she stopped taking the poison. So, when she returned to Russia, they increased the dosage, which led to her current condition." Lucaid out her theory before voicing the question that had been bothering her, "But there''s something I don''t understand. Why target only Vivian?" Luke frowned, clearly deep in thought. She continued, "You once told me that Vivian''s skin started changing when she was very young, but no doctor could ever diagnose the cause. I suspect she has been poisoned since she was a child. But what kind of grudge could anyone hold against a little girl? If someone was targeting her family, why only poison Vivian? Why is Raypletely unharmed?" "You''re uncertain because of that inconsistency?" asked Luke. Luca shook her head. "Not exactly. Vivian''s pulse does show something unusual. But what I''m still unsure about is the reason for the bumps on her skin. That''s why I want Shanks to take a look. "I suspect they''re toxic abscesses. They might not be dangerous just from touch, but if they rupture, the fluid inside could cause widespread skin decay and infections. It could even spread to anyone whoes into contact with it. If it''s really something that vicious, only Shanks can treat Vivian." Luke pulled her into his arms. "I haven''t told Ray about any of this yet. I don''t want him and Vivian to panic unnecessarily. Don''t let anything slip either. I''ll only bring it up once I''m certain," said Luca. "Alright," Luke agreed. "Thank you for going through all this trouble." "As long as it has to do with you, I don''t mind doing as much as I have to. Besides, we need Ray''s help with our own situation. Helping Vivian is beneficial to us too, don''t you think?" asked Luca. Luke nodded and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. Luca wrapped her arms around him. They lingered in each other''s embrace for a long while, too reluctant to part. When Luca checked the time and remembered Vivian''s condition, she forced herself to say goodbye. Luke could not walk her out, so he could only watch as she left. Luca took a cab back to the vi. As soon as she arrived, Gerald greeted her and took the bags from her hands. "Ms. Craw, thank you for taking the time to buy these even when you''re so busy." Instead of responding to his gratitude, Luca asked, "Where''s Mr. Shanks?" "Mr. Shanks is definitely in theb," Gerald replied cheerfully, ncing at the packs of cigarettes in the bag with satisfaction. These wouldst him a long time. Luca nodded and asked, "Is the herbal medicine ready?" "It''s done. Don''t worry. I made sure Ms. Sanchez drank it, and I also removed the needles from both her and the patient. Everything you instructed, I''ve taken care of," Gerald replied with a grin. Compared to the terrifying tasks on the Ind of Despair, what Luca asked of him was a hundred times easier. "Good job. There''s an extra pack of cigarettes in there-consider it a reward," Luca replied before heading into the living room. "Thank you, Ms. Craw!" Gerald was overjoyed. An extra pack of cigarettes? That would be too good! Sitting in the first-floor living room, Hera overheard their conversation and raised an eyebrow. She had tried to give Gerald luxury gifts, but not only did he refuse them, he even told her not to get him into trouble. Yet now, just because Luca gave him an extra pack of cigarettes, he was acting like he had won the lottery? Were luxury goods not worth way more than a pack of cigarettes? For a moment, Hera felt that Gerald was seriously unappreciative. As Luca headed upstairs, Gerald was about to follow when Hera suddenly called out to him." Gerald, wait a moment." Gerald froze for a second when he heard his name. He then turned to Hera and asked, "Yes?" "Come here." Hera beckoned him with a curl of her finger. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3461 If I Dare to Accept, Ill Probably Lose My Life ? Chapter 3461 If I Dare to ept, I''ll Probably Lose My Life Gerald walked over. "Ms. Sanchez, what''s wrong?" He was eager to get back upstairs and stash his cigarettes before someone noticed and took them. Hera yanked open his bag, nced at the cigarette brand, and scoffed. "I thought it was some expensive brand. But it''s just this? And you''re acting all deferential to her over this?" Gerald was rendered speechless. "I knew Ms. Craw was going out, so I asked her to bring these back for me. This is the brand I''m used to. Maybe it''s not expensive to you, but for me, it''s what I can afford." Realizing she had misspoken, Hera felt a bit awkward. She quickly changed the topic. "Still, is a pack of cigarettes really worth you being so grateful to Luca? How much could it have cost?" "It''s not about the money,¡± replied Gerald. "It''s just a nice surprise. I never expected to get anything out of helping Ms. Craw, and this kind of unexpected gift has nothing to do with the price. Besides, I''m not being overly grateful. I''m just happy." He was baffled. All he had done was say a simple thank you, hoping that Luca might help him again in the future. Why did Hera exaggerate it so much? Hera shifted in her seat and frowned. "Fine, I just made ament. Do you really need to argue with me over every little thing? "Besides, I already said I wanted to give you something to thank you for taking care of me these past few days, but you refused. It makes me feel like you''re looking down on me." Gerald frowned and exined, "Believe me or not, it''s not about looking down on you. It''s just that luxury goods don''t mean anything to me. I don''t care about luxury brands, only cigarettes. And you''re using the boss'' money to buy me gifts. What do you think he''d say if he found out?" Hera was stunned for a moment. He continued, "So, Ms. Sanchez, I appreciate the thought, but I don''t want to cause trouble. Thanks, but no thanks." Then, he grabbed his cigarettes and headed upstairs. Gerald could not quite figure out Hera''s logic. A pack of cigarettes was a small change. He could ept that without feeling guilty, but a luxury item worth tens of thousands of dors? Sure, he needed money, but he understood that making money was only useful if you could actually spend it. If getting rich meant putting his life on the line, he would rather not earn that kind of money. Hera scowled as she watched him leave, then stomped her foot in frustration. After Gerald got upstairs, he noticed Luca standing by the second-floor staircase. Surprised, he asked, "Ms. Craw, weren''t you looking for Mr. Shanks?" "He''s on a call." Luca nced toward the balcony. The ss door was shut, so she could not hear what Shanks was saying, but she could see him holding a phone in his hand. Hence, she stood there waiting. "Oh, got it." Gerald followed her gaze and saw Shanks standing on the balcony, talking on the phone. Luca nced at the cigarettes in his hand and asked, "Ms. Sanchez wanted to give you a gift?" "A luxury item worth tens of thousands of dors! Who would dare ept that? If I did, I''d probably lose my life soon after." Gerald shuddered. Luca smiled, considering a certain possibility, and nodded. "Yeah, some things just aren''t meant to be taken." "Right? That''s what I think too... If I ept it now, I might not even live long enough to enjoy it," said Gerald. Then, he added, "Ms. Craw, please wait here. I''m going to put these away." "Alright." Luca nodded. Gerald headed back to his room. Luca waited at the staircase for about ten minutes before Shanks finished his call and walked inside. His expression was indifferent as he looked at her. "Is it handled?" "Mr. Shanks, I have something I''d like to ask you about," Luca said directly, skipping any pleasantries. "Come to theb." Shanks nced at Hera, who was walking up the stairs, then turned away without saying anything more. "Okay." Luca noticed Hera too but did not acknowledge her. Instead, she followed Shanks into theb. Hera felt a pang of resentment. Shanks was so approachable when talking to Luca, but when it came to her, he was cold and indifferent, barely speaking a word. She was annoyed and frustrated, but there was nothing she could do about it. Inside theb, after Luca closed the door, Shanks asked, "How''s that friend of yours doing?" "It''s bad, Mr. Shanks. Here''s her medical report, and these are some photos I took. I suspect she''s been poisoned with a slow-acting toxin for years. Her skin has always been dark since childhood, but after moving to A City, the change in environment andck of exposure to the toxin allowed her body to slowly detoxify, and her skin started bing fairer. "But this summer, when she went back home, within just a few days, her skin deteriorated again. I suspect the person behind this realized that being away from that environment was improving her condition, so they increased the dosage. Now, her skin has gotten worse. She has developed sores all over her face, and they look like toxic abscesses." After she finished speaking, Luca patiently waited for Shanks to review the medical report. He flipped through a few pages, then he handed the phone back to her before finishing. "They didn''t do a toxicology test?" asked Shanks. "No, the dermatologists didn''t even consider that possibility." Luca shook her head. "Idiots." Shanks criticized the so-called dermatology experts. "Get her to a proper hospital for blood work and a toxicology test. If you suspect those sores are toxic abscesses, there''s a high chance you''re right. The only thing missing now is a toxicology report to confirm it. "Also, warn her not to pick at those abscesses. If they''re not toxic abscesses, that''s one thing, but if they are, she could end up permanently disfigured." "Alright." Luca tensed up at his words. "Don''t worry. These abscesses won''t burst on their own. They''re just a physical manifestation of toxins umting in her body. The toxins are deeply embedded, so unlike e, these sores won''t rupture easily. As long as she doesn''t pick at them, they''ll remain stable." "Thank you, Mr. Shanks. I''ll call them right away." Luca then left theb. This time, she called Ray directly. With Shanks'' confirmation, she did not hold back and told Ray everything they suspected. "She was really poisoned?" Ray''s voice turned gloomy. "That''s our suspicion, but the priority isn''t figuring out who did this to Vivian. It''s getting her to a hospital for a toxicology test. If you''re not familiar with the process here, you can ask Gale or Dr. Park to help schedule an appointment. "Make sure it''s with someone trustworthy and get the report as soon as possible. Also, remind Vivian not to pick at those abscesses. It could be dangerous." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3462 She Gave Her Heart Only To Be Left With Nothing ? Chapter 3462 She Gave Her Heart Only To Be Left With Nothing Ray''s tone turned serious. "Alright, I''ll make the arrangements immediately. Dr. Craw, once the toxicology report is out, we''ll still need your help." "For toxicology cases like this, I rmendbining both modern medicine and traditional herbal medicine. Don''t worry, if I can help, I definitely will," Luca assured him. "Alright, thank you." Ray expressed his gratitude and ended the call before updating Luke on the situation. Luke reassured him, saying, "If Vivian was really poisoned, don''t worry. Previously, Luca discovered that her biological mother had been poisoned with a slow-acting toxin. She prescribed herbal medicine and used purely traditional herbal medicine to detoxify her. It didn''t take long for all the toxins to be expelled, and her health fully recovered. So, rest assured. If it''s something she can fix, she''ll do everything she can. "Besides, once we identify the exact problem, the doctors will be able to step in and help, right?" "Yes. Thank you both in advance," replied Ray, "I''m taking Vivian to get her blood tested today. Luca said toxic abscesses can cause permanent scarring, so we can''t afford to wait until tomorrow." "I''ll contact Johann. He can help arrange everything at the hospital and get you priority ess. Vivian''s tests will be fast-tracked," Luke said as he contacted Johann. Once Johann heard the situation, he leveraged his extensivework and secured an appointment for Vivian at a well-known top-tier hospital. Ray took Vivian to the hospital. Thanks to Johann''s arrangements, the moment they walked in, a medical assistant was already waiting to guide them through the process. Registration, paperwork, and bloodwork were all handled seamlessly. Ray turned to the assistant and asked, "How long does it usually take to get the results?" "Toxicology tests areplex since each potential toxin needs to be screened individually. Normally, it takes two to three days. But since you''re a friend of Dr. Park and he spoke to the hospital in advance, you should get the results within 24 hours. We''ll send them to your email, or you cane in with the patient''s card to print them out." The assistant nced at Ray''s strikingly handsome face, feeling her heartbeat quicken. "Alright." Ray protectively led Vivian away. As she watched them leave, the assistant could not help but murmur to herself, "Wow, he''s really hot..." Too bad someone like him waspletely out of her reach. Meanwhile, Luca received Ray''s message and immediately began reviewing the test reports. As she flipped through them, she simultaneously searched Shanks''ptop for relevant information. She was looking for any toxins that could cause Vivian''s symptoms. Shanks''ptop was equipped with a powerful database, containing an extensive collection of medical records and research. If the database did not have any matches, then the poison used had to be extremely rare. If that was the case, Vivian''s condition was likely far more critical than they thought. A tightness formed in Luca''s chest at the thought of it. Every time she found a toxin that could lead to darkened skin and toxin buildup, she made a note of it. She was being extra thorough in case the hospital''s toxicology tests were notprehensive enough. "Any leads?" Shanks sat on his chair and asked calmly, but his hands never stopped precisely mixing a biologicalpound. "Not yet," Luca replied quietly. "Modern medicine ims to be advanced, yet it overlooks so much critical information," remarked Shanks. "Luca, if you can''t find anything here, then your friend might not make it. You can''t ce all your hopes on the hospital''s toxicology tests." Luca pressed her lips together with her gaze fixed on the screen. "I know." "I heard you once detoxified your biological mother. Is that true?" asked Shanks. "Yes," replied Luca as she recalled the past with a sense of relief. There were countless poisons in this world. Fortunately, Leia did not use something too rare on Queenie. If the poison had been obscure enough to evade detection in toxicology reports, there would have been no way to develop an antidote. Then, Luca suddenly froze. How did Shanks know about this? "Mr. Shanks, how do you know about that?" Luca asked, puzzled. "As soon as you left the ind, Abel had people keeping an eye on you. You didn''t know?" countered Shanks. "I knew he was watching me, but I didn''t think something like this would be on your radar," Luca replied in a soft voice. She did not expect him to be aware of such personal matters. Shanks'' hand, which had been shaking a vial of biological agents, paused for a moment. You think I don''t know, but I know everything." Luca nodded. Now, she understood. "Abel loves talking about you in myb. Even when I don''t want to hear it, I''m forced to listen. And your daughter-she likes to sneak into myb too, asking about you," added Shanks. He rarely ever said anything unrted to medicine. Luca held her breath, listening intently when he mentioned her child. However, Shanks did not say much. Luca felt a pang of sorrow. She did not expect her daughter to ask about her this way. Guilt weighed on her heart. She longed to hold her child, to shower her with love, and to tell her just how much she cared. Her eyes welled up with tears as she thought of N. "The child is doing well. Don''t worry," said Shanks. "Mm. I know." Luca let out a sigh, forcing herself to focus on the task at hand. Her situation with N could not be resolved overnight. Now, what she could do was dig through the data and do everything in her power to help Vivian. 24 Luca came across a toxin that could cause symptoms simr to Vivian''s. She quickly noted it down on her phone and continued searching. "Mr. Shanks, this system is incredibly useful,"mented Luca. "Yes. If even this system can''t find the toxin, then it''s likely a lost poison-one forgotten due to the progression of modern medicine. Ancient viruses still exist. They''ve just been sealed away, so they no longer pose a threat to human health. "Poisons work the same way. Just because they''re no longer recorded doesn''t mean they''ve disappeared. They still exist. And if your friend was poisoned with something like that, she''s in serious danger," analyzed Shanks. Luca nodded, fully grasping his point. If even this system had no records of the toxin, then Vivian''s situation was dire. One option was to wait for the poison to be slowly expelled from her body. However, with such a high dosage, it would be nearly impossible to flush it all out at once. The other option was to maintain a delicate bnce within her body. Still, that would mean a lifetime of suffering for Vivian. Either way, she would be in pain. Vivian was already feeling hopeless. If things really spiraled to that point, she might do something reckless. Luca''s heart clenched at the thought. Despite being born into a prestigious family, Vivian had gained very little from it. She had endured endless ridicule because of her appearance. In love, she had given her heart only to be left with nothing. She had suffered so much, and just when she finally saw a glimmer of hope, she was hit with this cruel fate. It was simply too unfair. The thought of it made Luca''s heart ache. She sped up her search, determined to find an answer. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3463 Will Never Miss A Chance To Mock Her ? Chapter 3463 Will Never Miss A Chance To Mock Her After returning to the hotel from the hospital, Vivian felt much better. To her, the fact that Ray had taken her to the hospital meant there was hope for the future, which lifted her spirits. She picked up an apple from the fruit tter the hotel had provided and took a bite. "Ray, this apple is really good. Want to try one?" asked Vivian. Ray shook his head. "You go ahead. By the way, can I take a look at the luggage you brought from Russia?" Vivian nodded. "I only hung up my clothes. Everything else is still in the suitcase. You can just take the things out." Ray walked into the bedroom, pulled out her suitcase, and opened it. Inside were just books and a few other small items, nothing unusual. "You didn''t bring any food with you?" asked Ray. "I haven''t really been in the mood, but the food here is way better than Russian food, so I didn''t feel the need to bring anything." Vivian''s tone was lighthearted now that she was in a better mood. "That''s true." Ray agreed, then asked, "What about skincare products?" Vivian let out a bitter smile. "My face is already in such bad shape, and the doctor advised against using anything, so I didn''t bring any. I haven''t used any skincare products since this started." Ray''s deep blue eyes darkened with thought. That meant the culprit had not tampered with her skincare products. If Vivian had not used any at all and her condition kept worsening day by day, then there was a high chance someone had messed with her food instead. As for who... Ray decided that once he resolved Vivian''s current situation, he would return and investigate thoroughly. Their family had plenty of household staff, most of whom were around Vivian''s age. Since her skin darkened not long after she was born, the best approach would be to focus on the longest-serving employees. A careful investigation was bound to turn up something. With that thought, Ray no longer felt rushed. "Vivian, now that we have a lead, we need to be extra cautious. I''ll have a clothing store send over a fresh batch of clothes for you. Get rid of all your old ones," said Ray. Vivian had been about to protest that it was not necessary, but realizing that Ray was just trying to protect her, she agreed. "Alright, let''s do it your way," replied Vivian. "Good. I''ll make the call." Ray quickly looked up a brand''s boutique in X City and dialed their number. After handing the phone to Vivian, he let her discuss the sizes and styles with the store clerk before ending the call. He could clearly tell that Vivian''s mood had improved. He smiled and turned his attention back to handling matters for his family''spany. Knowing he was busy, Vivian stayed quiet, not wanting to disturb him. She sat by the floor-to-ceiling window with the fruit tter in hand, peacefully watching the scenery outside as she ate. The fruits tasted sweet. Vivian felt her hair brush against her cheek, making her itch slightly, so she reached up to touch it. Ray immediately reminded her, "Luca said you shouldn''t touch it. You don''t want to break the abscesses." Vivian smiled. "I was just tucking my hair behind my ear. Aren''t you busy? Why are you paying so much attention to me?" "I have to keep an eye on you at all times." As Ray said that, his gaze was still fixed on theputer screen. "Ray, I''m not a child anymore. You don''t have to watch over me all the time. Besides, I''m your older sister. I know I''ve been acting strangetely and have caused you a lot of trouble. I''m sorry," Vivian said apologetically. "You don''t need to apologize to me. You''re my sister. It''s only natural for a younger brother to protect his sister when he grows up. More importantly, we''re family." Ray paused his work as he spoke. Vivian gave him a sweet smile. She knew her smile was not pretty, but it was the first time she had truly smiled since everything had happened. Ray felt deeply relieved. Just then, the doorbell rang. Ray rose to his feet. "That must be the boutique delivering your clothes." The brand he had chosen had a store nearby, so the delivery was especially fast. Vivian realized this and quickly turned around. "Just have them bring it in. I''ll sort everything outter." "Alright." Ray felt a pang of sadness when he noticed her action. Vivian was not beautiful back then, but at least she had nevercked confidence. Growing up, she had always been a little reserved around strangers, but she never avoided them However, now... Now, she was not justcking confidence. She was hiding away. Ray opened the suite door. The person standing outside was not the boutique staff. It was Gordan. Ray narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing here?" "I''m looking for someone," answered Gordan. The moment he saw Ray, a deep, instinctual sense of alertness kicked in. It was like a wild animal spotting its natural enemy, every hair on his body stood on end. Vivian was sitting in the room, and when she heard that familiar voice, a wave of sorrow washed over her. It was Gordan. Why was he in X City? Had he heard that she was sick and needed Luca''s treatment? Did hee all this way just tough at her? Vivian would not put it past him. If Gordan knew she was suffering, he would absolutelye to mock her. She had caused him a lot of pain because of their past marriage. Someone as vengeful as Gordan would never miss a chance to mock her. Vivian''s heart shattered. She had been slowly getting better. She had started to regain confidence and look toward the future. Even if Gordan were to ridicule her then, she would not have let it get to her because she believed she was going to get better. Now, however... Vivian touched her face. She did not have the courage to turn around and look at the man she had loved for so many years. That relentless obsession tore through the fragile confidence she had painstakingly built, leaving her feeling even more defeated than before. It felt even more humiliating than when she had hidden from the hotel staff earlier. Ray nced back at Vivian. She had not moved, but the loneliness in her posture told him everything she was struggling. She had just started to feel a little better, and now, she was falling apart again because of this man. Ray clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles cracked. "Gordan, you''ve got some nerve showing up here!" His voice was cold and full of murderous intent. If looks could kill, Gordan would be dead on the spot! "Hah! What the hell are you talking about? Why can''t I be here?" Gordan shot him a look that practically screamed he was an idiot. At the same time, his gaze shifted to Vivian, who was sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window. He heard she was sick. Yet what exactly was wrong with her? Was it serious? As Gordan was still processing this, Ray''s voice cut through his thoughts. "You have the guts to walk in here, huh? Don''t me me for not holding back!" Without another word, Ray swung his fist straight at Gordan. "Damn it, are you seriously throwing punches?!" cursed Grodan, dodging the attack just in time. "Do you think I''ll let you off? I''ll beat you to death today!" Ray roared, his fistsing down even harder. Gordan was not one to back down. He threw a punch at him. In an instant, the two men were locked in a full-blown fight. Behind them, Vivian sat frozen, trembling at the sounds of fists colliding and bodies crashing into furniture. No one was screaming in pain. There was just the relentless sounds of their struggle and fists meeting flesh. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3464 What Kind Of Deep Grudge Is That ? Chapter 3464 What Kind Of Deep Grudge Is That It was the sound of a body mming onto the ground. Gordan''s furious curses rang out. "Damn it! You''re really going all out, huh? Do you think I''m scared of you?" Another loud thud followed. Vivian frowned. What the hell were they doing? Were they really going to fight until one of them won? Both of them were skilled fighters. If they kept this up, neither would walk away unscathed. "Enough!" shouted Vivian. The two men locked in the fight froze for a moment. "Vivian, stay out of this. I''m beating him to a pulp today," growled Ray, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. He was not in great shape, but neither was Gordan. "Ray, I don''t want to see him," said Vivian. She did not want Ray fighting him. It was not to protect Gordan but because she did not want Ray getting hurt. Also, she definitely did not want Gordan to see her like this. She could already picture his smug face, his sarcastic remarks and his gloating. "Fine. If you don''t want to see him, I''ll just beat him to death for you!" replied Ray. "Bring it on! You think I''m scared?" Gordan rolled up his sleeves. Vivian could tell they were both dead serious. "Ray, throw him out!" Her words stopped the two before they could continue. Ray was startled for a moment. Gordan came back to his senses and stormed forward with an annoyed look. "Vivian, what do you mean? You think I actually want to be here?" Just as he said that, he stepped closer to her. Vivian screamed, instinctively covering her face and turning away. She reacted very quickly. However, Gordan was a sniper, and his eyes were sharp. He immediately noticed something was wrong. "Y-Your face!" His eyes widened in shock. Had her skin not been much fairer before? Why was it suddenly darker? What were those strange bumps that looked like e covering her face? "Get out!" Vivian screamed, her chest tightening with anguish. Gordan stood there, dumbfounded, unable to process what had happened to her. "What the hell is wrong with her?" He looked at Ray in confusion. Ray''s expression darkened with rage. Without warning, he swung his fist, smashing it straight into Gordan''s face. Gordan did not react in time. He staggered back and crashed to the ground. He copsed onto the floor, half his body leaning against the floor-to-ceiling window. He lookedpletely disheveled. "Did I let you in, huh? Did I?!" Ray roared in fury, throwing punches at Gordan from both sides. Gordan had lost the upper hand and could only shield his head with his arms, trying to protect himself. "Ray!" Vivian cried out, panicked at the way Ray was attacking Gordan like a mad dog. She was afraid things would go too far. "Throw him out! Get him out of here! I never want to see him again!" She sobbed as she shouted, tears streaming down her face. Ray grabbed Gordan and dragged him toward the door. Once they reached the entrance, Ray kicked him hard. "Don''t let me see you again. If I do, I''ll beat you every damn time." Then, he kicked Gordan''s foot out of the doorway and was about to m the door shut when Luke stepped out of the neighboring suite. Seeing the scene unfold, Luke could not help but look dumbfounded. "What the hell is going on?" Ray''s expression was dark with anger. He shot Luke a look and said, "Luke, this guy''s with you, right? I held back for your sake. You''d better keep him in check!" Then, with a loud bang, he mmed the door shut. Gordan groaned in pain on the floor. "Luke..." He looked up at Luke with difficulty. Luke stepped forward, offering him a hand. "Can you stand?" "Yeah, I''m good." Gordan took his hand and pulled himself up. He looked like he had taken a serious beating, but years of training had toughened him up. Gordan was not that easy to break. Limping slightly, he let Luke help him back into the suite. Luke shut the door behind them. "What did you do to piss Ray off?" asked Luke. "I have no damn clue. The siblings just lost it all of a sudden. How would I know what''s going on?" Gordan rubbed his swollen eye and winced in pain. His right eye waspletely swollen. It made him look even more miserable. Luke walked over to the fridge, grabbed an ice pack, and tossed it to him. "Put this on." Gordan caught it, pressed it against his eye, and could not help but let out a sharp hiss. "Now tell me what happened," said Luke. Ray was not the kind of person to lose control for no reason, and just before the door mmed shut, he thought he heard Vivian crying. She must have been in tears. That was why Ray went off like that. However, Gordan was not exactly the type to take a beating for no reason either. There had to be more to it. "How the hell should I know? I came here looking for you. Gale told me you were at this hotel, so I came over. I thought you were in the other suite, so I rang the doorbell. I wasn''t trying to start anything, but the moment Ray heard I was looking for someone, he just snapped and came at me. What was I supposed to do? I had to fight back. Then..." Luke got it now. It was all a misunderstanding. Gordan hade looking for him. When he said he was looking for someone, he meant Luke. However, Ray thought he was looking for Vivian. Vivian was sick now. Her appearance was far from pleasant and it was even worse than before. Ray thought Gordan hade over on purpose after learning about her condition and wanted to look for trouble. "So how did you end up getting beaten this badly?" Luke asked. "With your skills, it shouldn''t have been this one-sided, right?" "Exactly! I''m pretty damn good. If it were a straight fight with Ray, there''s no way I''d end up this messed up. But I wasn''t paying attention. I rushed in, ready to argue with Vivian, but the moment I saw her skin, I waspletely stunned," Gordan exined helplessly. "My mind just went nk and then I got my ass handed to me," he recounted the situation with frustration. Luke raised an eyebrow. "Vivian''s sick. Her skin condition is part of that." "But hadn''t she already gotten better? How did she suddenly get sick again?" Gordan asked with confusion. The moment he saw Vivian, that was exactly what had been on his mind. That split-second hesitation was what got him beaten so badly. Luke replied, "Luca came by today. She suspects poisoning. Even Shanks from the Ind of Despair had the same suspicion. They think it''s a case of slow-acting poison. Vivian''s already at the hospital getting toxicology tests. We''re just waiting for the results." "Poisoning? But her family is so powerful. Who the hell would dare poison her?" Gordan asked skeptically, "And besides, she was always that dark-skinned before..." "What if that was part of the poisoning?" Luke sat opposite him, swirling the wine in his ss as he spoke. "Think about it. If herplexion was truly natural, why did her skin gradually lighten aftering to A City? The UV rays here are even stronger than in Russia." Gordan was at a loss for words. Vivian had been poisoned since she was a child? Was that why she had always been so dark and unattractive? He still found it hard to believe. "If someone really poisoned her, they have to be an idiot. Why not go after her parents or Ray? Why only target her? What kind of deep grudge is that?" The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 3465 Luke Sees Right Through His Little Act ? Chapter 3465 Luke Sees Right Through His Little Act Luke had no idea what kind of mindset the person who poisoned Vivian had. However, he found Gordan''s current behavior quite intriguing. "Luke, what''s with that look?" Gordan felt uneasy under his gaze. "You seem pretty concerned about Vivian," Luke leaned back on the couch and said thoughtfully. Gordan froze for a moment beforeughing it off. "What? No way! Why would I care about her? Come on, Luke, don''t say stuff like that. If she hears it, she might start getting ideas." Luke could not be bothered to expose his act and got straight to the point. "Why are you here?" "Speaking of that, I almost got sidetracked by that woman." Gordan quickly pulled out his phone, grimacing. "Man, Ray really didn''t hold back. I need to get some treatment for these bruisester." Luke took the phone and tried to unlock it. It needed a passcode. He handed it back. "Unlock it." "All set, boss." Gordan unlocked the phone and went back to pressing an ice pack against his face. Luke scanned the screen. His lips tightened into a thin line, and his expression was cold. On the phone was intel about the Ind of Despair. Luke stood up immediately. "I need to check the suite next door." "Boss, are you going to avenge me?" Gordan was so touched he almost cried. Luke reminded him, "Didn''t you throw a few punches yourself?" Gordan was rendered speechless. Before barging in, he had indeed thrown plenty of punches. However, after that, his mind went nk, and he stopped. Luke added mercilessly, "From what I saw, Ray took quite a beating too. Let''s just leave it at that." "Boss, I went through all this trouble to deliver this intel to you and even got beaten up. And this is how you treat me?" Gordan whined, feeling utterly betrayed. "Why did Gale send you?" Luke suddenly asked as his sharp eyes locked on him. Gordan suddenly felt exposed as though all his secrets had beenid bare. He forced augh and exined, "Obviously because that brat, Gale, was too busy, so he sent me instead." "Are you sure it wasn''t your own idea?" Luke''s gaze was calm. It was as though he was telling him that he already knew the truth. "Of course not! I just felt bad for the guy since he was swamped, so I did him a favor," Gordan said, bracing himself. Luke''s expression showed pure disbelief. Seeing how miserable he looked, he said, "You just wanted toe check on Vivian. Getting beaten up was your own fault." Gordan frowned, identally tugging on the wound on his face. "Luke, that''s not true at all," denied Gordan. "Enough. Just stay here and wait. Once Ray and I figure something out, you can go get your bruises treated." Luke did not look back as he left the room. Gordan let out a dramatic wail. He was absolutely miserable! It felt like he had beenpletely abandoned. The real issue was that Luke saw right through his little act. Gordan, on the other hand, was puzzled. He just wanted to know what illness Vivian had. Why was everyone looking at him like that? Besides, he and Vivian were divorced. At most, they were just familiar strangers. It was not like they had some deep-seated grudge. Was he not even allowed to be curious about her condition? At the thought of this, Gordan felt wronged and wanted toin to Gale. However, just as he reached for his phone, he suddenly remembered that Luke had taken it. With nothing else to do, he simplyy down, stretched out, and epted his fate. After Luke left the suite, he knocked on the door next door. Ray opened it. Luke nced at Ray''s bruised face. It was not as bad as Gordan''s, but it was not great either. Luke asked with concern, "You okay?" "I''m fine," replied Ray. "There''s something I need to discuss with you," said Luke. Ray stepped aside to let him in. "Come in." Luke nodded and walked inside. Ray, still fuming at the thought of Gordan, scoffed. "That bastard''s in your suite?" "Yeah, icing his face," Luke replied helplessly. Those two could not meet without fighting, and there was just no stopping them. "Serves him right." Ray''s expression was gloomy, then he turned to look at Vivian. She was holding an ice pack, having just helped Ray ice his injuries. When she saw Luke enter, she did not panic and run back to her room, but there was a dazed look on her face. "Mr. Crawford." Vivian''s eyes were red. She had been crying earlier because of Gordan''s sudden intrusion. "You..." Luke felt that Gordan had really gone too far. Even if he was worried about Vivian, there were better ways to handle things. Barging in like that only made everything worse for everyone. "I''m fine." Vivian sniffled and then turned to Ray. "Come here. Let me finish icing your injuries." Ray shook his head. "Vivian, go back to your room first. We have things to discuss." Vivian knew Ray and Luke were involved in some serious business together, so she nodded obediently and went back to the bedroom. "Sorry about that. Gordan was looking for me. He thought I was here with you," Luke apologized for Gordan''s reckless behavior. "This isn''t your fault. No need to make excuses for him," replied Ray. Luke decided to let the matter drop. He took out Gordan''s phone and handed over the intel Gale had gathered. "Gale dug this up. He was worried about surveince, so he delivered it in person. Take a look." Ray skimmed the files, the corners of his mouth twitching. "He''s losing patience." "Yeah. He''s getting anxious. We need to be ready for battle at any moment," replied Luke. Ray hade to X City, but Luke had already stationed people in Russia to keep an eye on things. Marcos was also prepared on that end. Still, Luke could not shake his unease. He just hoped Vivian''s toxicology report would go smoothly and that Luca could help nurse her back to health. Once that was settled, Ray could return to Russia to take charge. The moment the Ind of Despair made a move, they needed to be ready to strike back immediately. "Coincidentally, I also have some intel to show you," Ray said as he picked up hisptop and pulled up messages from his subordinates for Luke to see. Luke scanned the information and nodded. "With this, we can predict when Abel ns to make his move. I have an idea." His gaze darkened. It was a risky n, but it also had its advantages. "What is it?" asked Ray. "I want to have Kassy secretly transferred," replied Luke. "That''s too risky," Ray objected. "Kassy is currently locked up in the country''s highest- security prison. If Abel and his people find out you''re moving her, they might attempt an ambush." "Exactly. That''s why I want to n this with extreme precision. Moving Kassy could actually work to our advantage. Think about it, if we relocate her, we can reduce the manpower stationed at the prison. When Abel arrives to break her out, he''ll find nothing but an empty cell. Not only will he fail to retrieve Kassy, but we''ll also have more resources to focus on taking down the Ind of Despair." Ray had to admit the logic made sense. Nevertheless, it was still an incredibly dangerous move. Ray lowered his voice and asked, "Can you guarantee this will go off without a hitch?" "There''s no such thing as a 100% guarantee, but I''m 90% sure we can pull it off." Luke''s eyes were filled with determination. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!